Virus may restrict first UAE visit to Israeli airport

COVID-19 concerns may keep Emirati diplomats in the airport during their first official visit to Israel, which is experiencing an outbreak.
The Bahraini, Israeli and US flags are picture in front of El Al plane ahead of the flight to Bahrain's capital Manama at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv on October 18, 2020, after the two states reached a US-brokered normalisation deal last month. - Israel and Bahrain will officially establish diplomatic relations at a ceremony in Manama, an Israeli official said, after the two states reached a US-brokered normalisation deal last month. (Photo by RONEN ZVULUN / POOL / AFP) (Photo by RONEN ZVULUN/
The Bahraini, Israeli and US flags are picture in front of El Al plane ahead of the flight to Bahrain's capital Manama at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv on Oct. 18, 2020, after the two states reached a US-brokered normalization deal. - RONEN ZVULUN/AFP via Getty Images
Al Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East
Al-Monitor Staff

The first visit by the United Arab Emirates to Israel may be held in the airport due to the COVID-19 situation.

Israeli Science Minister Izhar Shay said the Emirati delegation set to arrive on Tuesday may simply stay at Ben Gurion Airport and then fly home the same day, Reuters reported on Friday.

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