Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid inaugurated the country’s new embassy in the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, calling for peace with the country’s neighbors.
Lapid’s visit to the UAE is the first by an Israeli Cabinet minister since Israel and the UAE normalized relations in September. The agreement between the two countries — and Bahrain — was brokered by the Trump administration and ended decades of conflict.
“We are standing here today because we chose peace over war, cooperation over conflict, the good of our children over the bad memories of the past,” Lapid toldthose in attendance.
“Agreements are signed by leaders but peace is made by people.”
“We are standing here today because we chose peace over war, cooperation over conflict, the good of our children over the bad memories of the past,” Lapid toldthose in attendance.
“Agreements are signed by leaders but peace is made by people.”
Lapid thanked former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former U.S. President Donald Trump and U.S. President Joe Biden for their support of the Abraham Accords.
“Israel wants peace with all its neighbors,” he said.
Lapid met with UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan. The two discussed the desire for more Arab countries to join with the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco in normalizing relations with Israel. Lapid said they also talked about other regional issues and the United States’ involvement in the Middle East.
He told reporters the UAE wants peace between Israel and the Palestinians, but said “the Palestinians have to want progress themselves.”
“Don’t shoot 4,000 rockets at Israelis if you want to get help,” Lapid said.
Fighting between Israeli and Hamas in Gaza left more than 250 people dead in Gaza and 13 dead in Israel in May.
UPI
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