The United Arab Emirates is considering reducing the level of its diplomatic representation in the Zionist entity following Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s remarks that “the Palestinian people do not exist,” Saudi media reported.
Emirati Foreign Ministry officials reportedly ordered the UAE’s ambassador in the occupied territories, Mohammed Al Khaja, “not to meet with Israeli government representatives.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has denied Channel 12 report that ‘Israel’ is in a crisis of relations with the UAE after the country announced it planned to stop buying Israeli defense systems in protest of the policies and rhetoric of the Netanyahu administration, The Jerusalem Post reported.
“Until we are sure that Prime Minister Netanyahu has a government he can control, we cannot operate jointly,” Emirati President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed reportedly told Israeli officials.
Last month, the Emirates also condemned other statements by Smotrich when he said that the Palestinian town of Huwara should be razed to the ground. Smotrich later apologized for his remarks.
Source: Israeli media
