Netanyahu going to the UAE to meet the Crown Prince

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to fly to the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, for the first time since his normalization agreement with Israel last year.

Netanyahu is to meet Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed.

The trip is scheduled to take place less than two weeks before the March 23 election, despite reports that officials in the United Arab Emirates were hesitant to receive Netanyahu on a date that would be considered political.

A well-connected source in Abu Dhabi confirmed that the election was a consideration, but the UAE decided to welcome Netanyahu regardless of the date.

The prime minister must take a private plane to Abu Dhabi and hold meetings at the airport.

The plan is a quick trip to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, for several hours. Netanyahu would leave on Thursday morning and return to Jerusalem in time for a 6 pm meeting with the prime ministers of Hungary and the Czech Republic.

Netanyahu canceled three planned visits to the United Arab Emirates in the past, due to COVID-19 blockades and restrictions, as well as political developments. He had originally planned a multi-day trip, with stops in Dubai and Bahrain as well.

Speaking about a planned visit to the United Arab Emirates, Netanyahu said last month: “It is of great security, of national and international importance.”

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