First UAE ambassador to Israel arrives in Jerusalem, presents credentials to president

In dignified ceremony, Mohammad Mahmoud Al Khajah becomes first country's first ambassador to Israel

The United Arab Emirates’ first ambassador to Israel, Mohammad Mahmoud Al Khajah, presented his credentials to Israeli President Reuven Rivlin in a diplomatic ceremony in Jerusalem this afternoon.

"Today I had the honor to present my credentials to His Excellency Reuven Rivlin, President of Israel, as the first ambassador of the UAE to the State of Israel. I look forward to the best representation of my beloved country and to work with everyone to enhance cooperation and consolidate relations between the two countries," Al Khajah wrote on Twitter.

Earlier in the day he met with Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi "to discuss growing bilateral relations since the signing of the Abraham Accords, as wel as enhancing cooperation in various fields," he said.

His tweets appear in Arabic, English and Hebrew.

Rivlin welcomed Al Khajah in Arabic this afternoon.

“This is a moving ceremony for me, as president of Israel,” Rivlin said. “Our countries have a shared ethos: A small country committed to turning arid land into a flourishing garden, against all the odds."

“Leaders sign deals, but real peace, lasting peace — [that] peace is made ‘people to people,’ face to face,” Rivlin said.

In August, the United Arab Emirates became the first Muslim country in over a quarter century to announce peace with the Jewish state. In September, the UAE and Bahrain signed the Abraham Accords, a treaty normalizing relations with Israel. Sudan and Morocco followed suit since then.

Al Khajah will spend a few days in Israel scouting out suitable locations for the new embassy, likely in the Tel Aviv area. He is expected to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as well.

Nicole Jansezian