Israeli-UAE cooperation against the background of the coronavirus

Two Emirati private companies and two Israeli companies will cooperate on medical projects to fight the coronavirus. Reuters

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Does the fight against the coronavirus strengthen a rapprochement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates? Officially, the two countries do not maintain diplomatic relations. But in recent weeks, the United Arab Emirates has sent cargo planes to Tel Aviv to deliver humanitarian aid to the Palestinians. And now, “scientific cooperation” between private companies is taking place.

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From our correspondent in Jerusalem ,   Guilhem Delteil

The agreement involves four companies: two based in the UAE and two in Israel. The deal is expected to "  develop research and technology to fight the Covid-19 epidemic," the UAE statement said 

The announcement of this agreement was first made by the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, welcoming the work of "  several months of continuous and intense contacts  ". For Israel, each contact with Arab countries with which it has no diplomatic relationship is a reason for satisfaction. They are even more so when the Israeli government is under strong international pressure to abandon its plans to annex part of the Palestinian Territories.

The UAE confirmed the announcement a few hours later but did not give it due weight by Benjamin Netanyahu. The formalization of this agreement was not made in a joint communiqué by the two governments but by the official UAE news agency.

Abu Dhabi seeks to reduce the scope of this unprecedented cooperation by justifying it by the health context: "  it is imperative to place the protection of humanity at the forefront of global action to overcome this unprecedented crisis  ", writes the WAM agency. The terms of the agreement have not been detailed; the names of the companies involved have not even been released.

►Read also:  Humanitarian aid: the Palestinian Authority deplores a lack of coordination with Abu Dhabi

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  • Israel
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Coronavirus
  • Humanitarian