All news

Palestine recalls envoy to UAE after decision to normalize ties with Israel - ministry

On Thursday, US President Donald Trump said that Israel and the UAE reached an agreement on full normalization of the bilateral relations

CAIRO, August 14. /TASS/. Palestine has announced that it was recalling its ambassador to the United Arab Emirates after Abu Dhabi made the decision to normalize relations with Israel, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki said Thursday.

"Under the instruction of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian ambassador is urgently recalled from the UAE after the trilateral announcement of the US, Israel and the UAE on normalization of relations between Israel and the UAE," WAFA news agency quoted the minister as saying.

On Thursday, US President Donald Trump said via Twitter that Israel and the UAE reached an agreement on full normalization of the bilateral relations. The countries said the same in a joint statement. The agreements particularly envisage suspension of Israel’s decision on declaring sovereignty over Jewish settlements in West Bank, which is outlined in the US plan on Israeli-Palestinian settlement.

Per earlier reports, delegations of Israel and the UAE are planning to hold a meeting to sign a number of bilateral deals on investments, tourism, direct air travel, security, telecommunications, technology, energy, healthcare, culture, environment, mutual embassy establishment and other spheres.

The Palestinian leadership has already slammed the move, branding as betrayal and "destruction of the Arab Peace Initiative." Spokesperson for the Palestinian leader Nabil Abu Rudeineh pointed out that the deal between the UAE and Israel "on normalization of relations under the US sponsorship is a betrayal of [Islamic shrine] Al-Aqsa, Jerusalem and the Palestinian cause," warning other Arab states not to "succumb to US administration’s pressure and follow in the footsteps" of the UAE.