Israel to open representative office in Abu Dhabi

Israel has no embassy in the UAE, nor does it have official diplomatic relations with any of the Gulf states.

He stressed that the Israeli diplomatic representative will be accredited to IRENA, not the UAE’s foreign ministry.

Israel’s foreign ministry says its office will soon be a part of a global energy organisation located in Abu Dhabi.

A delegation from Israelís Ministry of Foreign Affairs visited IRENAís offices in Abu Dhabi and met its director-general earlier in the week, a spokesperson for IRENA said in a written statement.

IRENA has set up a base in Masdar City, a government-backed clean energy campus just outside of the capital, Abu Dhabi.

He clearly regarded the Abu Dhabi decision to be a victory for Israel under the policies adopted by the right-ring government led by Benjamin Netanyahu. An opening of relations between the UAE and Israel would be seen as a betrayal by many in the country and the wider Middle East, particularly if there was to be another war between Israel and Palestinian militants.

“This is accreditation to the International Renewable Energy Agency, nothing else”.

Israel has long had limited diplomatic relations with the Gulf states, who, like much of the Arab world, do not recognize the State of Israel and who support the Palestinian cause.

“I’m not surprised that somebody on the gulf side finally mustered the courage to make a step toward a more open relationship”, Mr. Alpher said.

The UAE does not formally have diplomatic or economic relations with Israel, and Israeli passport holders are only allowed in the country under special circumstances. Nevertheless, it will be the first time an Israeli Foreign Ministry official is permanently stationed in the Persian Gulf country.

Sunni Arab states, headed by Saudi Arabia and Iran in Syria and Yemen, are fighting proxy battles, and have held talks with Israel on common regional concerns via unofficial channels, according to Israeli officials. Local police there said it was carried out by Israel and the operation is widely attributed to its Mossad spy agency. Israel has neither denied nor confirmed any involvement.