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dpa
Tel Aviv
The planned first visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the United Arab Emirates was postponed at the last minute on Thursday due to a disagreement with neighbouring Jordan about the flight path, his office said.
Although Jordan ultimately approved Netanyahu’s flight passing through its airspace around mid-day on Thursday, the prime minister decided to postpone the trip nevertheless, a statement said.
Netanyahu and Emirati Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed agreed to reschedule the visit to the UAE on a later date, according to the premier’s office.
The UAE has not yet commented on the postponement.
The airspace “difficulties apparently stemmed from the cancellation of the Jordanian crown prince’s visit to the Temple Mount due to a disagreement over security procedures at the site,” Netanyahu’s office said, referring to a trip by Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah that was scrapped a day earlier.
Jordan confirmed that the crown prince cancelled the visit to Jerusalem planned for Wednesday evening, but did not comment on the disagreements regarding the airspace.
Meanwhile, Sara Netanyahu, the wife of Prime Minister Netanyahu, was taken to hospital with appendicitis, a spokesperson for the family said on Thursday.
The premier was reportedly by her side earlier, though the illness did not seem to play a role in the postponement of the his visit to UAE.
Israel and the UAE announced the establishment of diplomatic ties in August following mediation by the United States, and sealed their relations a month later in a move many called historic. Israel also established formal ties with Bahrain at the same time.
In exchange, Israel promised to halt the annexation of areas in the occupied West Bank.
Israel and the UAE expect their alliance to deliver economic benefits, but primarily, their ties are based on shared enmity towards Iran.
Observers have classified the move as a foreign policy win for Netanyahu, 71, who is currently running to be re-elected as premier in two weeks. He is Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, having been in the role for 14 years.
Arab states have long refused to establish ties with Israel, saying any normalization must be contingent on a resolution of the Palestinian conflict.
Tel Aviv
The planned first visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the United Arab Emirates was postponed at the last minute on Thursday due to a disagreement with neighbouring Jordan about the flight path, his office said.
Although Jordan ultimately approved Netanyahu’s flight passing through its airspace around mid-day on Thursday, the prime minister decided to postpone the trip nevertheless, a statement said.
Netanyahu and Emirati Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed agreed to reschedule the visit to the UAE on a later date, according to the premier’s office.
The UAE has not yet commented on the postponement.
The airspace “difficulties apparently stemmed from the cancellation of the Jordanian crown prince’s visit to the Temple Mount due to a disagreement over security procedures at the site,” Netanyahu’s office said, referring to a trip by Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah that was scrapped a day earlier.
Jordan confirmed that the crown prince cancelled the visit to Jerusalem planned for Wednesday evening, but did not comment on the disagreements regarding the airspace.
Meanwhile, Sara Netanyahu, the wife of Prime Minister Netanyahu, was taken to hospital with appendicitis, a spokesperson for the family said on Thursday.
The premier was reportedly by her side earlier, though the illness did not seem to play a role in the postponement of the his visit to UAE.
Israel and the UAE announced the establishment of diplomatic ties in August following mediation by the United States, and sealed their relations a month later in a move many called historic. Israel also established formal ties with Bahrain at the same time.
In exchange, Israel promised to halt the annexation of areas in the occupied West Bank.
Israel and the UAE expect their alliance to deliver economic benefits, but primarily, their ties are based on shared enmity towards Iran.
Observers have classified the move as a foreign policy win for Netanyahu, 71, who is currently running to be re-elected as premier in two weeks. He is Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, having been in the role for 14 years.
Arab states have long refused to establish ties with Israel, saying any normalization must be contingent on a resolution of the Palestinian conflict.
