JERUSALEM (AP) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled a visit to the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, citing a diplomatic disagreement with Jordan, in an embarrassing setback for his re-election campaign just days before the vote.
Netanyahu hoped to use the audience with the Crown Prince of the United Arab Emirates – his first public meeting since countries established ties last September – to boost his campaign ahead of the March 23 elections. Instead, he is having to explain to the public why his trip was canceled and did damage control to protect Israel’s fragile relationship with the Jordanians.
Netanyahu’s office said it had difficulties coordinating the flight over Jordanian airspace after the Crown Prince of Jordan canceled a visit to the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, a sensitive holy place in Jordanian custody, due to differences over security measures. .
Speaking at a news conference, Netanyahu said there was a misunderstanding. When it was resolved, he said it was too late to fly.
“I can fly across Jordan’s skies,” he said. “Until it was coordinated, today’s visit was not possible.”
He said he had spoken by phone to the UAE’s crown prince, Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and they agreed that he would visit him “very soon”. He also said that the Emirates had informed him of plans to invest $ 10 billion in Israel.
There was no immediate comment from the United Arab Emirates.
With Israel now locked in its fourth election campaign in two years, Netanyahu is once again trying to portray himself as an experienced statesman with a unique qualification to lead the country through its many diplomatic and security challenges.
A key pillar of this strategy, Netanyahu’s close ties to former President Donald Trump, are no longer relevant now that a new government is in the White House. But Netanyahu continues to point to Israel’s agreements establishing ties with the United Arab Emirates and three other Arab countries, all brokered by Trump, as one of his most proud achievements.
These agreements, however, came at the expense of the Palestinians and neighboring Jordan, which after Egypt became the second Arab country to achieve peace with Israel in 1994.
The immediate cause of this week’s dispute stemmed from Jordan’s role as guardian of the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex, Islam’s third holiest site. It is also the most sacred place for Jews, who refer to it as the Temple Mount, and has long been a focus of tension in the Middle East.
Jordan’s Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah II planned to visit the mosque to pray on the Muslim holiday that marks the Prophet Muhammad’s ascent to heaven from there. But he stepped back across the border due to a disagreement with Israeli officials over the number of armed escorts that could accompany him, Israeli media reported.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi accused Israel of changing the agreed arrangements “at the last minute” and forcing the Crown Prince to cancel the visit.
“His highness decided he did not want to interrupt this peaceful night of prayer,” said Safadi at a summit in Paris. “We cannot accept Israeli interference in the affairs of Al-Aqsa.”
Oded Eran, a former Israeli ambassador to Jordan, said the fight reflected a deeper deterioration in relations in recent years.
“The biggest problem is that there is no dialogue between the No. 1 in Jordan and Israel, that is, between the Prime Minister and the King of Jordan,” he said.
This lack of confidence was highlighted by Israel’s plans last year to annex parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Israel suspended the annexation plan as part of its agreement to establish ties with the United Arab Emirates, but Eran said the Jordanians remain deeply suspicious.
Jordan, which is home to a large Palestinian population, considers the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in the neighboring West Bank as one of its main interests, and any Israeli annexation would likely destroy any remaining hopes of Palestinian independence. Israel and the Palestinians have not had substantive peace talks in more than a decade.
“At the very least, they need a political process and a move toward a solution,” said Eran, now a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies, a Tel Aviv think tank. “The process itself is very important for Jordanians and when it does not exist, there are certainly concerns.”
Earlier in the day, Netanyahu’s office announced that his wife, Sara, had been hospitalized with an appendix infection. He said she would be hospitalized for several days.
The canceled trip and the medical emergency seemed to create unwanted distractions for Netanyahu’s campaign, at least during the day. The Israeli leader focused his campaign on his successful efforts to vaccinate the Israeli public against the coronavirus.
In just over two months, Israel vaccinated around 80% of its adult population, allowing authorities to start reopening schools, shops, restaurants and museums before election day.
Still, opinion polls continue to show that Netanyahu is in a close contest against a field full of opponents. According to projections, Netanyahu’s Likud is expected to emerge as the largest party, but without sufficient support from the allies to form a ruling majority coalition.
The trip to the United Arab Emirates could have helped to bring the campaign to life. It could also help divert attention away from Netanyahu’s ongoing corruption trial, scheduled to resume on April 5, and public anger over the economic damage caused by repeated coronavirus blockages last year.
Gideon Rahat, a political scientist at the Hebrew University and a senior member of the Israel Democracy Institute, said Netanyahu suffered a setback on Thursday, but still had time to control the agenda and make things right.
For example, Netanyahu may still find a way to visit the United Arab Emirates before the elections, said Rahat. And the vaccination campaign can help you more as the economy comes back to life.
Late Thursday, Netanyahu welcomed the leaders of Hungary and the Czech Republic for talks on cooperation in their coronavirus strategies.
The Czech Republic has also opened a diplomatic office in Jerusalem, giving rare support to Israel’s claims about the disputed city. Palestinians want East Jerusalem, where the Al-Aqsa Mosque is located, to be the capital of their future state. Most countries maintain their embassies in Tel Aviv because of the dispute.
“You can say it was a bad day for Netanyahu, but no more,” said Rahat.