Israeli Foreign Minister Lapid inaugurates Embassy in UAE

‘We’re here to stay’, he says, urging others to ‘recognise that’

Israel’s new Foreign Minister inaugurated its Embassy in the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday and offered an olive branch to other former adversaries, saying: “We’re here to stay.” During his two-day visit, the first to the West Asian nation by an Israeli Cabinet Minister since the countries established ties last year, Yair Lapid was also due to inaugurate a Consulate in Dubai and sign a bilateral deal on economic cooperation. “Israel wants peace with its neighbours — with all its neighbours. We aren’t going anywhere. The Middle East is our home,” Mr. Lapid said during the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Abu Dhabi high-rise office serving as a temporary Embassy. “We’re here to stay. We call on all the countries of the region to recognise that,” he said, according to a transcript.