Israel’s former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed invited him to visit Abu Dhabi to strengthen bilateral ties.
“I have now spoken with my friend, the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, and we have agreed to further promote relations after the historic peace agreement we reached together,” Netanyahu tweeted on Thursday.
“Sheikh bin Zayed invited me to visit his country so that we can advance our relations together. I thank him for the conversation and the excellent relationship between us!” he added.
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan congratulated Netanyahu “on his victory in the recent Knesset elections, stressing the UAE’s keenness to strengthen positive partnerships in the region,” according to the state-run Emirates News Agency.
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Netanyahu and his right-wing bloc secured an outright majority in the 120-seat Knesset, allowing him to form the upcoming government.
In September 2020, the UAE and Israel signed a US-sponsored deal to normalize their relations. Since then, the two countries have signed dozens of bilateral agreements in various fields, including investment, banking services, and tourism.
Jordan, Israel, UAE sign MoU
Earlier this week, Jordan, Israel and UAE signed a memorandum of understanding to implement a project entailing water in exchange for solar energy.
The MoU was signed by Jordanian Minister of Water and Irrigation, Mohammad Al Najjar, UAE Climate Change and Environment Minister Mariam Al Mheiri and Israel’s outgoing Regional Cooperation Minister Esawi Frej on the sidelines of the UN climate change summit in Egypt’s Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh.
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The deal aims to continue feasibility studies for a UAE-brokered deal signed a year ago to have Jordan provide solar energy to Israel, and Tel Aviv channels desalinated water to Amman.
The MoU pledges to continue “engaging to develop the necessary implements in plans in time for COP28,” which will be held in the UAE next November.
The agreement will see Israel purchase solar power from the Jordan-based facility, which will be constructed by an Emirati firm, and Jordan purchase water from an Israeli site to be constructed along the Mediterranean coast.
In November 2021, Jordan signed a declaration of intent for water-for-energy with Israel and the UAE. The agreement, however, was met with public anger in Jordan amid calls for protests against the deal.
Jordan is the second most water-scarce country in the world.
In October 2021, the country signed an agreement with Israel to buy 50 million cubic meters of water from Tel Aviv – an additional amount to what was stipulated in the peace agreement signed between the two countries in 1994.
AA story with additional input by Global Village Space news desk.