OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: Two leading Israeli defence companies said Friday they had signed deals with an Emirati tech firm to battle the novel coronavirus, including by developing fast, "non-invasive" testing.

Israel's state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems said in separate statements that they had signed agreements with Abu Dhabi-based Group 42.

Israel has no formal ties with Arab countries apart from neighbouring Jordan and Egypt.

But Gulf states including the United Arab Emirates have nurtured informal ties with Israel in recent years, partly spurred by shared hostility towards Iran.

Israel Lupa, executive vice president and head of technology at IAI's ELTA Group, told AFP the firm's collaboration with Group 42 was focused on developing a "non-invasive testing system" capable of detecting the novel coronavirus "within minutes".

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