WATCH: Miri Regev's historic visit to Abu Dhabi's grand mosque
The visit is part of a seemingly new chapter in warming Israeli ties with Dubai.
By TOVAH LAZAROFFUpdated: OCTOBER 30, 2018 04:49MIRI REGEV, MAKING HISTORY, FIRST ISRAELI MINISTER TO VISIT ABU DHABI'S GRAND MOSQUE, October 29, 2018, Reuters
Sports and Culture Minister Miri Regev made an official visit to the third largest mosque in the world after Mecca and Medina, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi.“It is the first time that an Israeli minister has made an [official] visit,” said Regev. “The whole message here is of unity and peace.”
She wore traditional Arab garb for the visit and, in another first, signed the mosque’s guest book in Hebrew. Regev is the highest level Israeli official to do so.The visit to the mosque is part of a seemingly new chapter in Jerusalem's ties with Abu Dhabi, which for the first time allowed its athletes to compete at the weekend judo competition under their country’s insignia and with its flag. The national anthem Hatikva was also sung after judoka Sagi Muki defeated Matthias Casse of Belgium in the Judo Grand competition in Abu Dhabi, winning the gold medal.