World

UAE-Israel ink pact allowing visa-free travel for nationals, says Netanyahu

  • Israeli PM says with visa exemption, citizens from both countries will be able to travel across the border
Published October 20, 2020

(Karachi) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel have inked a pact allowing visa-free travel for their nationals.

The announcement comes after the first official UAE delegation landed in Israel at Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv on Tuesday.

Speaking at a press conference, The Israeli PM said: "We are making history today..This is the first official visit from the UAE. Today, we sign four agreements that will change matters in terms of economy, science, technology and aviation."

He added with the visa exemption, citizens from both countries will be able to travel across the border.

Meanwhile, Israel and the UAE are also expected to sign a deal allowing 28 weekly commercial flights between Israel's Ben Gurion airport, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The agreement will allow unlimited charter flights to a smaller airport in southern Israel and 10 weekly cargo flights.

On September 15, Israel and two Gulf Arab nations, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, inked historic diplomatic deals to normalize relations. The agreement signing ceremony was held at the White House and hosted by US President Donald Trump.

The peace deal is known as the "Abraham Accord,” and aims to herald a dramatic shift in Middle East power dynamics and give the US president a boost ahead of the November election.

The deals make them the third and fourth Arab states to take such steps to normalize ties since Israel signed peace treaties with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994.

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