The Israeli delegation to Abu Dhabi, led by National Security Advisor and head of the National Security Council Meir Ben-Shabbat, was received by United Arab Emirates Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr. Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash in a festive welcoming ceremony at Abu Dhabi International Airport.

 

Following are Meir Ben Shabbat's remarks (translated from Arabic) at the joint statements with Senior US Presidential Advisor Jared Kushner and US National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien:

 

"Peace to you and may the mercies of G-d and His blessings be upon you. I am very proud and happy to be here at the head of the Israeli delegation. We have come here in order to turn a vision into reality. There is no limit to the cooperation that we will be able to establish between us – in science, in innovation, in health, in aviation, in agriculture, in energy and on many other topics. We call on additional countries to participate with us in the peace process for the peoples of the entire region. I thank our Emirati hosts and our American partners for their leadership."

 

Following are Meir Ben Shabbat's remarks (translated from Hebrew) upon landing in Abu Dhabi:

 

"I am very excited to lead the official Israeli delegation to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). We came here, senior representatives of the Government of Israel, on a historic, direct commercial flight. We came in daylight and openly in a plane bearing the Israeli flag together with our American friends, who had a key role in establishing the peace. On behalf of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, I would like to thank US President Donald Trump and his envoy Jared Kushner and his team, and my dear colleague, US National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien, for the vision, the understanding and the efforts that they invested so that we might reach this moment.

 

“A quarter-century has passed since the last peace agreement was signed between an Arab state and Israel. In the many years that have passed hands did not slacken and the yearning for this did not weaken. I would like to express to my hosts and especially to his Highness UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed our appreciation for his brave step. Israel and the UAE have much in common. Our region is replete with challenges and threats but we have the courage and the ability to meet them. This is thanks to the human spirit that pulses within us, the visionary foresight, the imagination to think big, the ability to innovate, the desire to succeed, the readiness to change and the belief that it is within our power to change reality. We gaze toward a new horizon in the region, a horizon of cooperation between advanced companies, a horizon of technology, of innovation, of prosperity, of growth and of hope.

 

“Not in vain do we call this agreement and those that will come in its wake – the 'Abraham accords'. Abraham, our first patriarch, had an innovative vision. He came out against the beliefs that were current in, and before, his time. He founded the faith in one G-d – the G-d who promised that he would be a source of blessing for us all: 'and in you shall all the families of the earth be blessed'. By coming to establish relations between Israel and the UAE, we draw inspiration from our common patriarch and forge a new path: A brave path, of hope, partnership, brotherhood, prosperity and peace."