In a few weeks, Israel will open an official diplomatic representation in Abu Dhabi, the capital of United Arab Emirates, Ha’aretz reported Friday, citing an anonymous senior Israeli official. The new mission will be accredited to the UN agency for renewable energy (IRENA), which is headquartered in Abu Dhabi. Israel is an official member of the 144-country organization which aims to become the main driving force in promoting a transition towards the use of renewable energy on a global scale.
Israel and the United Arab Emirates do not have diplomatic relations. The UAE does not recognize Israel as a state. At the same time, the Palestinian Authority maintains a consulate general in Dubai and an embassy in Abu Dhabi. The United Arab Emirates maintains a representative office in Ramallah.
In January 2010, Israel’s Minister of National Infrastructure Uzi Landau attended a renewable energy conference in Abu Dhabi. He was the first Israeli minister to ever visit UAE.
On Tuesday, Foreign Ministry Director Dore Gold arrived in Abu Dhabi to participate in the session of the Council of IRENA, but the main purpose of his visit was to finalize an agreement on the opening of the Israeli mission. He stayed there for three days, during which he met with Director General of IRENA Adnan Amin from Kenya to discuss the opening of the new mission.
The same anonymous senior official in Jerusalem told Ha’aretz that a diplomat named Rami Hatan has already been picked to head the Abu Dhabi mission. The mission has already identified new offices and is getting ready for the official opening.
Israel’s mission will be unique when it comes to the workings of IRENA, which normally hosts foreign officials on temporary visits for specific conferences. In this case, Israel is likely expecting to turn its official IRENA representation into an unofficial embassy in Dubai, albeit without a corresponding representative in Israel.