United Arab Emirates repeals boycott of Israel law

The United Arab Emirates repealed the law to boycott Israel after the two countries announced the normalization of their relations in mid-August, the official UAE news agency Wam reported on Saturday (August 29th). 

The President of the Emirates, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, in a decree repealed "Federal Law No. 15 of 1972 concerning the boycott of Israel and the resulting sanctions", according to Wam. It will therefore now be "allowed to enter, exchange and possess Israeli goods and products of all types in the Emirates and to market them", according to the decree.

"Increase commercial and diplomatic cooperation"

The normalization agreement between Abu Dhabi and the Hebrew state, announced on August 13 by US President Donald Trump, has been denounced as a "stab" in the back by the Palestinians and has been more or less welcomed in Arab capitals.

It makes the Emirates the first Gulf country and the third Arab country to establish relations with Israel after Egypt (1979) and Jordan (1994).

Businesses and individuals in the Emirates can now enter into agreements with businesses or individuals residing in Israel, the news agency said, stressing that the move was "aimed at increasing trade and diplomatic cooperation with Israel."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the move. "This is an important step to advance peace and security in the region," he said in a statement on Saturday evening.

אני מברך על החלטת נשיא איחוד האמירויות שייח 'ח'ליפה בן זאיד, לבטל את החוק להחרמת מוצרים מישראל ומגעים כלכליים עם ישראלים. זהו צעד חשוב לקידום השגשוג והשלום באזור.

"First direct commercial flight"

An Israeli-American delegation is due to travel to the Emirates on the "first direct commercial flight" from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi on Monday, corroborating sources in Jerusalem said on Friday.

According to the services of the Israeli Prime Minister, Jared Kushner - adviser and son-in-law of the American president - and the Israeli adviser to national security Meir Ben Shabbat will be part of this delegation whose objective is to seek ways to strengthen cooperation in several areas. (aviation, tourism, commerce, health, energy, security).

As part of the normalization deal, the Hebrew state agreed to suspend annexation of new territories in the occupied West Bank, but Benjamin Netanyahu quickly assured that he had not "given it up" in the long run.

With AFP

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