Tel Aviv City Hall Lit Up with Flags of UAE and Israel to Celebrate 'Historic' Deal

Tel Aviv City Hall was lit up with the colours of the flags of Israel and the UAE on August 13 following the announcement of a historic Washington-brokered deal to normalize relations between the two countries.

Israel and the United Arab Emirates announced they are to fully normalise diplomatic relations in a deal which sees the suspension of the West Bank annexation, the exchange of embassies and ambassadors, and cooperation in areas such as tourism and direct flights.

“This is a truly historic moment,” said US President Donald Trump in a press conference. “This deal is a significant step towards building a more peaceful, secure and prosperous Middle East.”

The UAE is now the third Arab country to enjoy diplomatic ties with Israel, after Egypt and Jordan.

In a statement by the UAE ambassador to Washington Yousef Al Otaiba, Israel was urged to “immediately [stop] annexation and the potential of violent escalation.”

“The UAE will continue to remain a strong supporter of the Palestinian people – for their dignity, their rights and their own sovereign state,” Al Otaiba said. “They must benefit too in normalization.”

However, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was quoted as saying that his plans to extend Israeli sovereignty are “on the table” and that he would “never give up our rights to our land.” Credit: Oren Rosenfeld via Storyful