Tensions Rise in UAE-Israel Relations Amid Gaza Conflict

The United Arab Emirates' Foreign Minister, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the UN General Assembly, emphasizing the urgency of ceasing the ongoing Gaza conflict, according to WAM, the UAE's state news agency.

This marked Netanyahu's first meeting with a senior Arab official since Israel's attack on Hamas leaders in Qatar on September 9, which the UAE condemned. As a key player in Middle Eastern politics, the UAE had previously established a normalization agreement with Israel under the 2020 Abraham Accords, facilitating strong economic and defense collaborations.

The UAE has maintained a firm stance on achieving peace through a two-state solution, cautioning that annexation in the West Bank would breach the spirit of the Abraham Accords. Reports suggest that such moves by Israel could lead Abu Dhabi to reconsider the diplomatic normalization, amid broad international recognition of Palestinian statehood fueled by frustration over the Gaza situation.

(With inputs from agencies.)