Gabi Ashkenazi, UAE counterpart launch phone link between countries
The phone link between the UAE and Israel was set up on Sunday, meaning that calls from Israel were no longer blocked in the Emirates.
By LAHAV HARKOVGabi Ashkenazi(photo credit: REUTERS)
Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi and his counterpart in the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al Nahyan had the first phone call between the countries after the UAE unblocked Israeli numbers on Sunday, in a further step towards fully normalized ties.Hend Al-Otaiba, a UAE spokeswoman tweeted that the foreign ministers "inaugurated a phone link between the United Arab Emirates and the State of Israel following the historic Peace Accord signed by the two countries Friday."The White House announced that the longstanding secret relations between Israel and the UAE were becoming open and official on Thursday night, in what was called the "Abraham Accord," the first diplomatic agreement between Israel and an Arab state since 1994 and the third ever. There has been a flurry of activity in the two countries since then.The phone link between the UAE and Israel was set up on Sunday, meaning that calls from Israel were no longer blocked in the Emirates.In addition, the UAE unblocked some Israeli news sites.Communications Minister Yoaz Hendel praised the UAE for unblocking calls from Israel, saying that "many economic opportunities are now open and these trust-building steps are important for promoting the states' interests. Salam Aleikum."
