On his maiden visit to the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, Israel’s president said his country supports the Gulf state’s security needs and wants other countries in the region to join the Arab world’s new detente. In 2020, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed the “Abraham Accords,” a set of normalization accords mediated by the United States with Israel. Iran and its regional allies are a source of concern for both the two Gulf states and Israel. With Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE’s de facto ruler, Isaac Herzog addressed security and bilateral relations.
The UAE and Israel “have a same view of risks to regional stability and peace, notably those posed by militias and terrorist forces,” Sheikh Mohammed added. In Israel, the presidency is essentially a ceremonial position. In December, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett paid a visit to the UAE. Herzog’s plane crossed over Saudi Arabia on its way to the United Arab Emirates, which Herzog described as “a very touching experience.” Riyadh has yet to follow in the footsteps of its Gulf neighbors in normalizing relations with Israel, but Israeli officials are hopeful.