UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan speaks during a news conference with his Israeli counterpart and German Foreign Minister following their historic meeting at Villa Borsig in Berlin, on October 6, 2020. (AFP)

UAE stresses return of hope for Palestinians, Israelis to work on two-state solution

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Tuqa Khalid, Al Arabiya English

Published: 06 October ,2020: 10:16 PM GST Updated: 07 October ,2020: 12:08 AM GST

The UAE’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed said on Tuesday that it was most important to stress the “return of hope” for Palestinians and Israelis to work towards achieving the two-state solution, state news agency WAM reported.

Sheikh Abdullah was speaking during a joint press conference with his Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas in Berlin, after the three of them visited the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.

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UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan (L), his Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi (R) and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas attend a news conference following their historic meeting at Villa Borsig in Berlin, on October 6, 2020. (AFP)

“The most important thing that must be emphasized today is the return of hope for Palestinians and Israelis to work on the two-state solution and for a brighter future for the children of the region,” Sheikh Abdullah said.

The UAE normalized ties with Israel after a US-brokered deal which was announced at the White House on August 13 and signed in Washington on September 15.

The UAE agreed to normalize relations with Israel, while Israel agreed to continue with plans to suspend its annexation of the West Bank. The UAE also abolished on August 29 a previous law that mandated an economic boycott of Israel.

Sheikh Abdullah said that the Middle East has entered a new safer and more prosperous era after the signing of the deal.

"Today, I discussed with my colleague Gabi Ashkenazi a set of proposals and ideas, perhaps most notably the cooperation in the field of energy and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This takes into account the fact that cooperation in research and development could represent a step towards a more stable, integrated and prosperous Middle East."

“The agreement changes the traditional thinking of how to address the challenges of our region, while focusing on practical steps with tangible results,” he added.

“We in the UAE are looking forward to opening more new horizons of cooperation to achieve peace and to the economic opportunities that will be created in the region... We will work together to benefit from our world-class capabilities in the sectors of research and development in order to meet the needs of current and future generations.”

“I emphasize the availability of opportunities in our region to expand and strengthen our cooperation in various sectors, such as food security, energy and technology," Sheikh Abdullah added.

The minister said that the UAE, Germany and Israel have the shared interest of “preserving regional stability within the framework of a peaceful international order, governed by cooperation and stability.”