Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan met on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Friday.
The meeting “reviewed the latest regional developments and the efforts of the international community to end the war,” with Sheikh Abdullah stressing “the urgent need to bring an end to the bloody conflict in Gaza, reach a permanent and sustainable ceasefire, prevent further loss of life, and put an end to the crisis and the tragic conditions faced by civilians in the Gaza Strip,” according to a statement released by the UAE Foreign Ministry.
The top Emirati diplomat stressed Abu Dhabi’s “unwavering commitment to supporting all initiatives aimed at achieving a comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution, in a way that fulfills the aspirations of both the Palestinian and Israeli peoples,” the statement added.
Sheikh Abdullah also reaffirmed the UAE’s “support for international efforts aimed at securing the release of all hostages and detainees, while emphasizing the importance of concerted global action to confront extremism and terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and to safeguard the lives of all civilians.”
Jerusalem did not release a statement following the meeting.
Israel and the UAE normalized relations as part of the Trump-mediated Abraham Accords in 2020.