This historic development is further proof of the warming relations between Israel and the Gulf States.
By United with Israel Staff
Israeli passport holders will finally be able to freely visit the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as of October 2020, reported Yediot Ahronot on Wednsday.
According to the report, UAE’s invitation for Israel to be represented at Dubai’s 2020 Expo is not meant to be a temporary invitation, but rather a permanent invitation to all Israelis to freely enter the country, which officially does not recognize Israel as a state.
“[The] Expo could be a pilot during which Israelis tourist will be allowed to enter the country. But even after the exhibition closes, the UAE authorities will leave the gates of the country open to Israeli tourists,” an unnamed source from Dubai’s 2020 Expo management team told Yediot Ahronot
An unnamed U.S. source close to the UAE government told the Israeli news outlet that the UAE is opening its border to Israelis to not only attract tourists but also entrepreneurs and businesspeople as well.
Dubai remains a top destination both for vacationers from around the world and the international business elite.
With an expected 25 million visitors, Dubai’s 2020 Expo will be a world-class international event that focuses on innovation, cultural exchange, creativity and collaboration for the benefit of humanity.
Representatives from over 190 countries are expected to participate in the 173-day expo. The expo’s organizers announced earlier this year that they had invited “every country in the world without exception” making it “a truly international event.”
Israel’s invitation to participate in this event represents a rare opportunity to showcase to the Arab world Israeli innovations and technologies, especially in the fields of water, health and high-tech.
These historic developments are further proof of the warming relations between Israel and the Gulf States.
In 2015, Israel opened its first diplomatic presence in Abu Dhabi. The Jewish State is the only country in the 145-member International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) that has its diplomatic mission in the UAE capital accredited solely to IRENA.