In response to the tragic deaths of seven aid workers in Gaza at the hands of Israeli forces, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced the suspension of diplomatic coordination with Israel. Israeli media reported the UAE’s decision, citing outrage from Emirati officials.
According to sources quoted by a Tel Aviv-based news channel, the Emirati foreign ministry conveyed its indignation to Israeli ambassador Amir Hayek regarding the incident. The media also reported a phone call between Israel’s Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, and his Emirati counterpart, Abdullah bin Zayed, to address the matter.
Efforts to resolve the situation saw the Director General of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, Yaakov Blitshtein, meeting with Ambassador Mohammed Mahmoud Al-Khaja. Ambassador Al-Khaja characterized the current state of affairs as “the darkest day in the relations between the countries.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted that the killing of the workers was unintentional. However, this incident has strained relations between the UAE and Israel.
It’s noteworthy that the UAE was among the signatories of the US-brokered Abraham Accord deals aimed at normalizing ties with Israel in September 2020. This recent development underscores the fragility of diplomatic relations in the region and the complexities surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
