Israel's ties with the United Arab Emirates would remain strong if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were to be replaced by Yamina head Naftali Bennett or any other leader, Israel's Ambassador to the Emirates Eitan Na'eh told the Global Investment Forum.
"It doesn't matter who is prime minster or the foreign minister," he said, adding that the relationship between the two countries had wide support.
Na'eh spoke just two weeks after Israel's 11-day war with Gaza, that ended on May 21. All four counties that had normalized ties with Israel under the Abraham Accords last year, including the UAE, maintained their ties with Israel.
Na'eh who is Israel's first ambassador to the UAE said that when he first arrived in the country at the start of the year and people realized he was an Israeli official, they were so excited they "brought" cakes when they meet with him. They sat and talked out of happiness, he explained.
The Gaza war did not lessen the desire to interact, Na'eh said, adding that people wanted to hear the Israeli perspective on what happened. It was the first time they had been able to hear the other side. They wanted to listen, even when they didn't agree, Naeh said.
Naeh also addressed an audience of Israelis and Emiratis at the conference jointly sponsored by The Jerusalem Post and the he Khaleej Times, just when it appeared that Netanyahu's 12 years reign as prime minister might come to an end.
Relations between Israel and the UAE "can withstand any challenge," he said.
The two countries just signed an economic agreement and others will follow, possibly even in the next few days or weeks, Naeh said. The foundation is now being laid for the private sectors in both countries to flourish cooperatively, he said.
When it comes to the UAE, he said, Israelis are "voting with their feet," he added, explaining that in December alone, 85,000 Israelis visited Dubai.
"We will see more Israelis coming here," he said, joking that he wanted to see how Israeli handled a UAE summer. "I am told the summer is really hot."
The fact that nothing is deterring the relationship, he said, "is the best sign of what we are building here.
"Israelis can come here" and soon, when the COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, the Emiratis can visit Israel.
That he, said, will be the next stage of the relationship. People support the peace process and want to develop it further, he added.