Israeli relations with UAE will not be a ‘secret love affair’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday praised the Director-General of the Israeli Foreign Ministry Dore Gold on the occasion of the opening of an Israeli office in Abu-Dhabi, QudsNet reported.

Gold, who spoke to Israeli radio, said that relations between Israel and the UAE would not be a “secret love affair” but would follow “official” channels.

Despite the repeated denial of the UAE, Gold reiterated that the Israeli flag will be raised in its representative office and the pictures of the Israeli PM and president will hang inside, considering this an achievement for Israel.

At the opening of the weekly meeting of the Israeli ministerial council, Netanyahu said: “This reflects the evaluation that Israel has got in many different fields, including technology, inside and outside the Middle East.”

According to Israeli newspaper Haaretz, “the UAE and Israel currently do not have formal diplomatic relations and Israeli passport holders are prohibited from entering the Gulf country; but the two countries have reportedly held secret discussions about warming ties for several years.”

The newspaper added: “In January 2010, Uzi Landau became the first Israeli cabinet minister to visit the UAE when he went to participate in the International Renewable Energy Agency conference in Abu Dhabi.”

“One month later, a senior Hamas militant Mahmoud Al-Mabhouh was assassinated in Dubai in an incident blamed on the Mossad and which caused worldwide outrage.”