عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Gulf

Emirati Technical Team Arrives in Israel to Prepare for Embassy Opening

The national flags of Israel and the United Arab Emirates flutter along a highway in Netanya, Israel (File Photo: Reuters)
The national flags of Israel and the United Arab Emirates flutter along a highway in Netanya, Israel (File Photo: Reuters)
TT
TT

Emirati Technical Team Arrives in Israel to Prepare for Embassy Opening

The national flags of Israel and the United Arab Emirates flutter along a highway in Netanya, Israel (File Photo: Reuters)
The national flags of Israel and the United Arab Emirates flutter along a highway in Netanya, Israel (File Photo: Reuters)

An Emirati technical delegation has arrived in Tel Aviv on Monday, despite the coronavirus measures which included the closure of Ben Gurion Airport.

The team will prepare for the Emirati embassy opening in Tel Aviv and arrange the final necessary measures.

A government source said that the relevant ministries granted the Emirati delegation a special permit enabling it to enter Israel, despite the lockdown.

He considered the move an indication that "launching bilateral relations is an urgent need for both."

Earlier, Mohamed Mahmoud al-Khaja was sworn in as UAE's ambassador to Israel by Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid at a ceremony at al-Watan Palace in Abu Dhabi.

Sheikh Mohammed wished Khaja success in his mission, calling on the ambassador to work sincerely to strengthen friendship and cooperation relations with Israel, and to maintain the culture of peace, coexistence, and tolerance between the two nations' peoples and the peoples of the region, according to the foreign ministry.

Israel has appointed Eitan Naeh to set up a temporary mission in Abu Dhabi. The diplomat served as an ambassador in China, Japan, Switzerland, and Turkey before he was expelled by Ankara.

He will be the first Israeli to receive a full diplomatic status in the UAE and his temporary mission will help establish a permanent embassy.

Upon his arrival, Naeh tweeted saying “excited to be here will be an understatement,” adding that he is ready to open the Israeli embassy in Abu Dhabi.

Israel had closed its main airport until the end of January, as part of additional measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The closure was extended for additional weeks, hindering the expansion of exchanged flights between the two countries.

Most Viewed

 
 
Gulf

Oil Spill off Oman Reportedly Reaches Mainland, Says UN Agency

A satellite image shows an oil spill off the coast of Oman, August 11, 2026. (European Union/Copernicus Sentinel-3/Handout via Reuters)
A satellite image shows an oil spill off the coast of Oman, August 11, 2026. (European Union/Copernicus Sentinel-3/Handout via Reuters)
TT
TT

Oil Spill off Oman Reportedly Reaches Mainland, Says UN Agency

A satellite image shows an oil spill off the coast of Oman, August 11, 2026. (European Union/Copernicus Sentinel-3/Handout via Reuters)
A satellite image shows an oil spill off the coast of Oman, August 11, 2026. (European Union/Copernicus Sentinel-3/Handout via Reuters)

An oil spill from a tanker that ran aground off Oman's coast has reportedly begun reaching the mainland, as monsoon winds obstructs containment efforts, the United Nations' maritime agency said Wednesday.

An AFP investigation had earlier found that the ship had been stranded for weeks near Oman's al-Qibliyyah island after it was rocked by explosions.

"The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is closely monitoring the oil leakage from the crude oil tanker CAROLINE BEZENGI, which grounded off the coast of Oman on 30 June 2026 and is currently around 22 nautical miles offshore of Sharbithat, Oman," a spokesperson for the agency said.

"Oil is drifting offshore to the northeast of Al-Qibliyyah Island with some oil reported to be reaching the mainland," the spokesperson said, adding that "the seasonal monsoon has limited access to the vessel and delayed salvage operations".

The Oman News Agency (ONA) meanwhile quoted authorities as saying that "today's monitoring results showed that some beaches in the Ras Madrakah area were affected by oil pollution", on the sultanate's southeastern coast.

Oman on Monday said it was working to contain the spill, which had affected roughly 390 square kilometers (150 square miles), according to the most recent analysis from the country's environment agency.

The slick was concentrated around Oman's Hallaniyat archipelago off the country's southern coast, where a marine reserve was established last year to protect sensitive ecosystems home to diverse marine life, including rare sea turtles.

Omani authorities have not yet identified the cause of the spill. But British maritime security company Vanguard told AFP last week that the tanker was rocked by explosions in early June as it sailed off the coast of Yemen, causing water to enter several sections of the vessel.

Advocacy groups Greenpeace and PAX told AFP that the spill was on the verge of causing an "environmental disaster", saying the tanker was carrying around one million barrels of crude.

The ship is believed to be part of Russia's "shadow fleet", which Moscow uses to circumvent Western sanctions on its oil exports.

The fleet includes ageing vessels that have faced criticism over maintenance, insurance and safety standards.

Tankers have been frequently targeted in the Gulf region over recent months as the US exchanged fire with Iran and its allied proxies.

Gulf

Saudi Foreign Minister Discusses Regional Developments with Egyptian Counterpart

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah in Moscow on July 4, 2025. (Reuters)
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah in Moscow on July 4, 2025. (Reuters)
TT
TT

Saudi Foreign Minister Discusses Regional Developments with Egyptian Counterpart

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah in Moscow on July 4, 2025. (Reuters)
Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah in Moscow on July 4, 2025. (Reuters)

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah received a phone call from Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptian Expatriates of the Arab Republic of Egypt Dr. Badr Abdelatty, SPA reported.

During the call, they discussed the latest developments in the region and efforts to enhance its security and stability.

Gulf

Kuwait Foils Terrorist Plot Targeting Vital Facility

Kuwait City (KUNA)
Kuwait City (KUNA)
TT
TT

Kuwait Foils Terrorist Plot Targeting Vital Facility

Kuwait City (KUNA)
Kuwait City (KUNA)

Kuwait's Ministry of Interior announced Wednesday that it had foiled a terrorist plot targeting a vital facility in the country and arrested a Kuwaiti national affiliated with the terrorist organization ISIS before he could carry out the plot, following security monitoring and surveillance operations.

The ministry said in a statement that security investigations revealed that the suspect had received training in the manufacture of explosives and drones and had built a drone for use in carrying out his terrorist plot and targeting a vital facility in the country, SPA reported.

It said security authorities had taken the necessary legal measures against the suspect and referred him to the competent authorities to complete the investigation and take the measures prescribed by law.

The Ministry of Interior affirmed that its security agencies would continue to carry out proactive operations to monitor and counter any activities or plots that could threaten the country's security and stability. It stressed that it "will not tolerate anyone who seeks to undermine national security or the safety of citizens and residents."

The ministry stressed that security agencies would deal firmly with any suspicious activities within the framework of the law, reaffirming their continued efforts to thwart security threats before they develop into acts targeting the country's security and vital facilities.