The United Arab Emirates and Israel have signed agreements to allow direct commercial flights between the two countries and to establish a visa exemption program.
The agreements were two of four "concrete practical agreements of cooperation" by the UAE and Israel on Tuesday in Tel Aviv as a part of a trilateral summit that included the United States, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in remarks at the summit. Visa exemption cooperation, the first such agreement between an Arab country and Israel, will allow their respective citizens to travel to the other country without a visa.
The aviation agreement allows 28 passenger flights between the two countries, which should begin regular service within the next few weeks, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Etihad on Monday operated a flight from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi with travel and tourism leaders and also has become the first non-Israeli carrier in the Middle East to launch a Hebrew-language website. Emirates and Israeli carriers El Al and Israir also plan to operate flights between the two countries, according to Israeli media reports.