UAE officials talk ties with Israel and US in Abu Dhabi meeting

UAE ministers, officials and business leaders sat with US and Israeli delegates to talk further co-operation

Etihad tweeted a photograph of pilots in Tel Aviv to mark the flight from the UAE to Israel. Etihad

Senior Emirati, American and Israeli officials met on Monday evening to discuss ways to develop further co-operation between the UAE and Israel, and signed new deals.

Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, and Minister of State for Financial Affairs Obaid Al Tayer met at Emirates Palace with Israeli executives, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and US ambassador to the UAE, John Rakolta.

Those in attendance discussed "promising opportunities for co-operation awaiting the two countries following the signing of the historic Abraham Accord by the UAE and the state of Israel", the state news agency Wam reported.

They also discussed how the accord “opens new horizons for co-operation in the region, unlocking economic potential and generating opportunities for regional co-operation to the benefit of the region’s peoples".

The meeting was followed by a formal meal and addresses by Mr Al Tayer, Mr Mnuchin and Mr Rakolta.

The UAE and Israel signed the Abraham Accord at a White House event on September 15 to begin the process of establishing formal relations.

As part of the agreement, Israel assured it would suspend annexation of Palestinian territory.

Bahrain also signed an agreement with Israel to establish ties.

Since then, several deals have been signed, phone calls between the countries became possible and officials met or spoke.

On Monday, Etihad Airways became the first Gulf carrier to fly from Tel Aviv to the UAE, setting off to bring a group of travel and tourism executives to visit the Emirates before full commercial flights launching in the coming weeks.

Etihad has also launched a Hebrew-language page to cater to Israeli tourists and visitors.

Joining the US delegation on Monday was Avi Berkowitz, assistant to the US president, and the head of the US International Development Finance Corporation, Adam Boehler.

Also on Monday, Mr Berkowitz, who was part of the delegation alongside Israeli officials to visit Bahrain on Sunday, said the Abraham Accords had bipartisan support in the US and were designed to bear long-term fruit by encouraging grassroots engagement between Israel and its new Arab partners.

As such, he is not concerned that the US policy will change if President Donald Trump loses the election on November 3.

"Peace is something everybody should celebrate and see as a positive thing for the world," Mr Berkowitz said.

"It's our sincere hope that, no matter who wins the election, the Abraham Accords will continue to grow."

On the sidelines of Monday’s visit, preliminary agreements were signed between UAE company National Holding and Israeli company Fortify, as well as between the Ahmad bin Zayed Foundation and the Yitzhak Rabin Centre.

Among the officials attending from the UAE was Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Affairs Authority, Jassim Al Zaabi, Chairman of the Department of Finance, and Mohammed Al Hammadi, Chairman of the Department of Economic Development in Abu Dhabi.

The UAE has consistently reaffirmed its commitment to the creation of a Palestinian state.