Israel has canceled its participation in the international defense exhibition "IDEX" that will be organized by the UAE later this month, while an Emirati delegation has arrived in Tel Aviv to arrange the opening of the Abu Dhabi embassy.

Reuters quoted Israeli officials today, Monday, that Israel has canceled its participation in the exhibition, which will be held between 21 and 25 of this month in Abu Dhabi, due to air travel restrictions imposed to combat the Corona virus.

It is noteworthy that, on January 26, Israel imposed a ban on international air travel, and it is still in effect to contain the increase in cases of corona.

A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Defense said that the ministry had requested a special permit for companies to travel by air to the UAE capital, but the permit committee at the Ministry of Regional Cooperation rejected the request.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Regional Cooperation said that the request "should have been rejected despite the desire to enhance defense activity, given the need for impartial decisions."

The Globes economic newspaper quoted a senior representative of an Israeli defense company, who did not mention his name, that the cancellation would cause "huge" losses in deals that would go to competitors.

This participation was the first after the normalization of relations between the two countries last September.

Israel and the UAE suggested establishing military and defense cooperation between them within the framework of their rapprochement supported by the United States.

Israeli sources said that the expected exchange of defense delegations has not yet occurred, as an accidental result of a dispute in the coalition between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz, who are preparing for the March elections.

Muhammad Mahmoud Al Khajah was sworn in yesterday as an appointed ambassador to the State of Israel (Emirates News Agency)

UAE Embassy

Meanwhile, an Emirati technical delegation arrived in Israel today, Monday, to arrange the requirements for the opening of the Abu Dhabi embassy in Tel Aviv.

The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation said that a technical delegation arrived from the UAE to Israel today, as part of preparations for the opening of an Emirati embassy in Tel Aviv.

On Sunday, Mohammed Mahmoud Al Khajah was sworn in as the UAE's ambassador to Israel, in front of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the Emirates, Prime Minister.

On January 24, the UAE government announced approval of the opening of an embassy in Tel Aviv.

The approval was followed by the announcement by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the opening of an embassy in Abu Dhabi, with the arrival of Chargé d'Affairs Eitan Naih to the UAE capital.

The next day at that time, the UAE announced that the process of opening an embassy in Israel had been affected by the restrictions to confront the Corona virus, stressing that it would be completed soon.

And in 2020, 4 Arab countries - the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco - signed normalization agreements with Israel, amid Palestinian criticism and reservations.

And from those Arab countries, Jordan and Egypt are bound by two peace agreements with Israel, since 1994 and 1979 respectively.