#Netanyahu makes first appearance on UAE TV after historic peace deal

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Emil Salman/Haaretz Pool via AP

Israel and the United Arab Emirates are making visible gestures of cooperation following President Trump’s announcement of a historic peace agreement between the two countries that would pave the way for full normalization of relations.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared Monday on Emirati television, as the head of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency met Tuesday with the UAE’s national security adviser.

Netanyahu participated Monday in an unprecedented interview in which he expressed confidence that other Arab countries would seek to build ties with the Jewish state.

Addressing the suspension of annexation of parts of the West Bank, Netanyahu said the Trump administration asked him for the concession.

“Well, this was an American request, for a moment, to suspend the application of Israeli law, and we agreed,” he said. “The Americans told us that they wanted to expand the framework of peace, and that is our highest priority right now: expanding the circle of peace.”

Meanwhile, Yossi Cohen, who played a key role in brokering the accord, met with Tahnoun bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi.

Cohen, who arrived in the country Monday, is the first high-level Israeli official to travel to Abu Dhabi since Trump announced the deal last Thursday at the White House.

The two discussed “opening new horizons of cooperation between the two countries in various fields,” as well as how to combat the coronavirus pandemic, according to a statement.

Bin Zayed also remarked on Cohen’s work to open relations, “which contributed to the success of the peace treaty between the UAE and Israel.”

With the agreement, the UAE becomes the third Arab country, after Egypt and Jordan, to have full diplomatic ties with Israel.

Since the pact was made public, Israel signaled that it is willing to explore business opportunities with the United Arab Emirates, specifically in the areas of commercial space and high tech. Telephone service between the two countries began working Sunday for both landline and cellular phones.