Israeli, Emirati foreign ministers meet in Abu Dhabi, discuss Gaza humanitarian crisis
Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed and Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar met in Abu Dhabi, marking the first official high-level meeting between the two states since Oct. 7, 2023.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar met Tuesday in Abu Dhabi with his Emirati counterpart, Abdullah bin Zayed.
A statement by the Israeli Foreign Ministry released at the beginning of the meeting said the two were set to “discuss regional developments and bilateral relations between the countries" and that Saar arrived in Abu Dhabi at the invitation of bin Zayed.
The Emirati Foreign Ministry stated on X that during the meeting the two ministers discussed the latest developments in the region, especially the escalation of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the international efforts to reach a sustainable ceasefire there.
According to the National, the Emirati foreign minister stressed his country's support for Qatari, Egyptian and American mediation efforts to reach a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas and emphasized the necessity of securing safe aid delivery to the Strip.
Citing an unnamed Emirati official, CNN reported earlier on Tuesday that the United Arab Emirates had discussed with the United States and Israel the possibility of playing a role in postwar efforts to rebuild Gaza, but its conditions for doing so have yet to be met. The idea discussed was for the UAE, the United States and other nations to temporarily oversee the governance, security and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.
“While there have been many informal conversations taking place, parties involved have not aligned with the UAE preconditions for its involvement in any postwar effort in Gaza,” the Emirati official told CNN.
The official added that in order to get involved in postwar Gaza plans, the Emiratis would like to be invited to participate by a “new, credible, independent” Palestinian Authority prime minister, to see a serious reform process in the PA, an explicit Israeli commitment to the two-state solution and a clear leadership role for the United States.
Israel and the UAE established relations in 2020 under the framework of the Abraham Accords. While criticizing Israel over the Gaza war, the Emirates has maintained its diplomatic ties with the Jewish state. In September 2023, then-Foreign Minister Eli Cohen met with bin Zayed in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly summit. Cohen was set to travel to Abu Dhabi in late October 2023, but the trip was canceled after the Oct. 7 Hamas assault.