UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed said on Wednesday that he will visit Israel soon, adding that the UAE is pleased with its growing relations with Israel. In a joint press conference with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, the minister emphasized that one cannot speak of peace in the region without dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians. He stressed that the success of UAE-Israeli relations will encourage Israelis and Palestinians to see "that this path is bearing fruit... this path is worth investing in, and even risking."
The UAE and Israel reached an agreement to normalize relations last year, followed by similar agreements with Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan. Regarding the conflict in Yemen, bin Zayed stated that the UAE wants a solution "but what hinders us in this situation is the lack of will and commitment from the Houthis," referring to the Iran-aligned movement that ousted the internationally recognized government from the capital Sana'a in 2014 and controls most of northern Yemen and major urban centers. He said, "We are all working hard... to ensure a better life for Yemenis, but at the same time, we must keep in mind that we do not end up in a situation where there is another Hezbollah threatening Saudi borders."
