Israel’s re-elected Prime Minister (PM), Benjamin Netanyahu, has reportedly postponed his next week’s official visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) until February following a controversy.
The development comes after UAE slammed Israel’s newly appointed National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, for entering Masjid Al-Aqsa illegally and offending the global Muslim population with his controversial step.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu’s associates have refuted any link between the incident and the visit’s postponement and stated that it has been delayed owing to logistical issues.
Following Abraham Accords, Israel and UAE relations have been thriving, as indicated by the increase in Israeli tourists to the UAE. Both countries also signed a free trade agreement last year.
However, despite improving relations, UAE issued a statement on Tuesday and described the Israeli Minister’s entry as a “storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque’s courtyard,” and demanded an end to such kinds of violations by Israel.
Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, and Turkey, also slammed the visit, while France, European Union (EU), and the US urged to restore calm. On the other hand, a Gaza-based militant group, Hamas, threatened the Israeli Minister.
