Israel-UAE deal opens up great business opportunities

Dubai - President Rivlin said the signing of the Abraham Accords and the normalisation of relationship have opened up immense business opportunities for the Middle East in Israel.

As the UAE extends its warm hands to its newest friend — Israel — President Reuven Rivlin believes people-to-people connections will form the basis for a warm and vibrant peace, bringing stability and prosperity to the region.

Sharing his thoughts on UAE-Israeli ties, President Rivlin told Khaleej Times in an interview: “I would like to express my appreciation for the vision and courage of the leaders of the UAE and for the spirit of tolerance and respect they have spread. Without this brave leadership, these relations would not have been possible.”

“Over the last several months, I have felt a great outpouring of goodwill and a desire by both Emiratis and Israelis to get to know one another. Even with the restrictions on travel due to Covid-19, many Israelis have already visited the UAE. We hope to welcome many visitors here from the UAE in Israel, as soon as it is possible. I strongly believe that it is these people-to-people connections that will form the basis for a warm and vibrant peace, bringing stability and prosperity to our region,” he added.

President Rivlin said the signing of the Abraham Accords and the normalisation of relationship have opened up immense business opportunities for the Middle East in Israel. “The establishment of relations between Israel and the UAE is an excellent opportunity for Israeli and Emirati businesspeople to learn about each other’s economy and identify win-win opportunities across many fields.

“In just over 70 years, within my own lifetime, Israel has developed from a newly-independent state facing existential threats both to its security and its economic viability into the world’s innovation centre.”

“By seeing every challenge as an opportunity, we have built a state that I truly believe is a miracle. Today, Israel has more startup companies per capita than any other nation — from finance and industry to security and sustainability, and from tourism and health to science, culture and arts, and we are eager to work together with partners to develop the best ideas into technologies and businesses that make our world a better place,” said President Rivlin.

rhonita@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE-Israel Ties