Emirati, Israeli interior ministers discuss strengthening security cooperation

By Ibrahim Al-Khazen

JERUSALEM (AA) - United Arab Emirates (UAE) Interior Minister Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan discussed strengthening security cooperation with his Israeli counterpart, Ayelet Shaked, on Tuesday, according to the official Emirates News Agency (WAM).

The meeting took place in Abu Dhabi where Shaked arrived Monday for her first working visit to the Arab country.

The talks tackled "a number of issues of mutual interest, especially in the security and police fields, and ways to enhance cooperation between the two countries in these fields," WAM said, without disclosing further details.

Earlier Tuesday, Shaked announced that a visa exemption agreement between Israel and the UAE will take effect Oct. 10.

Israel and the UAE reached an agreement for the mutual exemption of visas for citizens within the framework of an agreement to normalize relations.

In January, UAE suspended the agreement with Israel to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

On Sept. 15, 2020, Israel and the UAE signed a US-sponsored deal to normalize relations, a move that made it the first Arab country to sign a visa waiver agreement with Israel, followed by Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco.

*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat