Khaberni - The official Israeli channel "Kan" announced that the United Arab Emirates has bought a piece of land inside Israel with the aim of building a permanent embassy for it, in a deal estimated at tens of millions of shekels.
The channel explained that the Israel Land Authority and the Office of the Prime Minister of Israel encouraged and assisted in completing this deal, which represents an advanced stage in the bilateral relations between the two countries since the signing of the Abraham Accords in 2020.
From a temporary embassy to a permanent headquarters
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the UAE and Israel, the UAE mission has operated from temporary and rented locations in Tel Aviv, notably within the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange building, where the UAE officially opened its embassy in July 2021, becoming the first Gulf state to open an embassy in Israel.
According to the report, the exact location of the land purchased by the UAE has not yet been disclosed, nor the timeline for starting construction, while data from the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicates so far that the mission's headquarters is still in Tel Aviv.
This step comes amid escalating tensions in the region due to the Israeli war in Gaza, putting Israel's relations with several Arab countries, including the UAE, to a sensitive test.
Despite criticisms faced by Abu Dhabi from some Arab circles for continuing diplomatic relations with Tel Aviv, UAE-Israel relations have seen rapid growth in multiple areas since the signing of the Abraham Accords, including trade, tourism, and investment in technology and energy. The two parties have also signed agreements to exchange expertise in the fields of cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and renewable energy.
Israeli support and encouragement
According to the Israeli channel "Kan", official Israeli bodies, including the Israel Land Authority and the Office of the Prime Minister, played a direct role in facilitating the deal and encouraging the Emirati side to proceed with the embassy construction project.
Since the beginning of the Israeli war on Gaza in October 2023, Abu Dhabi has expressed some criticisms of its allies’ practices.
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned in September that any move by Netanyahu's government to annex part or all of the West Bank would be a "red line" that could jeopardize the Abraham Accords and undermine efforts for regional integration.
However, Reuters later reported from sources that the Gulf state is not considering cutting ties completely but is exploring the option of downgrading diplomatic relations, including withdrawing its ambassador from Tel Aviv.
Relations between the two sides also became strained when Abu Dhabi prevented Israeli defense companies from participating in the Dubai Air Show in November last year.
Some reports linked this decision to security concerns, while others indicated that it was in response to an unprecedented Israeli strike in Qatar that targeted the Hamas negotiation team in September.
