DUBAI — The embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Israel will be in Tel Aviv, stressed Anwar Gargash, the UAE minister of state for foreign affairs, during a virtual session with the Atlantic Council, a US think tank, on Thursday. "We are committed... as part of the international consensus on the two-state solution, and any embassy will be in Tel Aviv. So that is quite clear," the minister said. "The whole idea of suspending annexation, giving space and opportunity for negotiating the two-state solution, you know... it is evident where our embassy will be." Speaking about the UAE's role in finalizing the peace deal between Israel and Palestine, Gargash, said: "We don't negotiate on behalf of the Palestinians. The ones who will decide the final shape of whatever emerges will be decided only by the Palestinians and Israelis," Gargash said. "We are delivering a clear promise (with the Israeli deal) for suspension of annexation. We understand it is a commitment that will give us time. We must urge the Palestinians to engage. I think we have good period of time. By linking the decision to normalize to suspension of annexation, we came out with a good deal," he added Gargash said that UAE was one of the early Gulf states to come with a firm rejection of annexation of Palestinian territories. He said that Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has a strategic view. "You don't get a big opportunity unless you take risks. (The deal with Israel) will open up geo-strategic space and opportunity space. UAE wants to reaffirm its global position ... You can do this by maintaining an exclusive view of the world." "The... but by linking it to the suspension of annexation, we came out of it with a good deal decision to normalize relations with Israel was coming sooner or later," he added. Calling the UAE a dynamic Arab country that wants to "break a lot of barriers", Gargash said that would not be possible with an "exclusivist view of the world through an Arab prism". Gargash also indicated that several other Arab countries could also be considering ties with Israel. "There are several Arab countries that are on this scale in different stages." "The region does need a strategic breakthrough," Gargash said.
