Israeli press dedicated its headline this morning, June 12, to an op-ed by United Arab Emirates’ Ambassador to Washington Yousef Al-Otaiba, published by the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper. It is a rare article by a Gulf state minister to be published in Israeli mainstream media. Many Israeli pundits have since its publication retweeted the article.
In his op-ed, Otaiba warns Israel against its annexation plan, saying that such a move would destroy hopes for further rapprochement between Israel and with the Arab world. "Annexation will certainly and immediately upend Israeli aspirations for improved security, economic and cultural ties with the Arab world and with the UAE. … Annexation will also harden Arab views of Israel just when Emirati initiatives have been opening the space for cultural exchange and broader understanding of Israel and Judaism," stated the ambassador.
