The Dubai based Emirates airlines became the first UAE company to enjoy an Israeli status on Monday using a novel procedure.As the two countries don’t yet enjoy a working diplomatic mission in both lands, an official UAE document could now be approved by the UAE Foreign Affairs Ministry.The document can later be approved by the Israeli Foreign Ministry as bearing UAE approval and so become valid in Israel as well.
The procedure would also work for any Israeli company wishing to do business in the UAE.
Emirates already maintains a cargo flight service between Dubai and Israel and it is hoped that once the COVID-19 pandemic is controlled it would open passenger flights as well.
Cooperation between business leaders in Israel and the UAE has been impressive. As a recent Israeli study on Arab social media found that, when the Abraham Accords were first signed, those who supported them felt they need to present an objective reason to normalize ties with Israel such as commerce or security. Now the trend is to support normalization for its own sake.