Visit by UAE delegates under review as lockdown looms, Israeli minister says

A first official visit to Israel by a United Arab Emirates delegation, provisionally planned for Sept 22, may be postponed or conducted under restrictions given a looming coronavirus lockdown, an Israeli cabinet minister said on Friday.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netayahu’s pandemic taskforce on Thursday approved a rolling national lockdown. The lockdown is expected to go into effect next week, following a cabinet vote on Sunday, and span major Jewish holidays that run from Sept 18 to Oct 10.

“To all appearances, this (UAE delegation visit) will either be postponed or a special modality will be required,” Israeli Science Minister Izhar Shay, one of whose top aides took part in the Aug 31 Abu Dhabi trip, told Tel Aviv radio station 102 FM.