Despite the Gulf state’s overnight claim that it had intercepted a ballistic missile fired by Yemen’s Houthis, Egypt’s president spoke at Dubai’s Expo 2020 international expo on Monday on the first presidential visit to the UAE. In 2020, the UAE became the first Gulf state to normalize relations with Israel through the “Abraham Accords,” a U.S.-brokered normalization pact. Bahrain, a Gulf neighbor, was the next to follow. Amidst tighter-than-usual security at the Expo, Isaac Herzog remarked, “I hope and expect that more and more governments will soon follow the UAE lead and join the Abraham Accords.”
In Israel, the presidency is essentially a ceremonial position. In December, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett paid a visit to the UAE. Iran and its regional allies are a source of concern for both the UAE and Israel, but they see the accords as a chance to strengthen their economies. In a speech at the six-month-long world fair in Dubai emirate, where UAE and Israeli flags were raised and both countries’ national anthems were played, Herzog said, “Already our trade has exceeded over $1 billion, more than 120 agreements were signed, and a $100 million (research and development) fund was established recently.” After COVID-19 limitations were lifted, he claimed, 250,000 Israelis had already visited the UAE, and he hoped the Emiratis would reciprocate.