Two years after Israel and the United Arab Emirates agreed to establish diplomatic ties with the historic signing of the Abraham Accords, the Israeli Embassy in Abu Dhabi moved to its permanent residence on Tuesday.
The Israeli mission is located on the 48th and 49th floors of the Etihad Towers in the capital of the Gulf country.
2 View gallery
The new Israeli embassy in the Etihad Towers, Abu Dhabi
(Photo: Embassy of Israel in Abu Dhabi)
"After much hard work, we are proud, happy, and excited. Soon we will hold the official inauguration ceremony," Israeli Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates Amir Hayek tweeted, sharing a photo of the Israeli flag next to the plaque at the entrance to the embassy.
So far, the Israeli embassy was temporarily located on the 20th floor of the same office tower as its permanent location was under construction, costing the Israeli taxpayer some NIS 12 million ($3.6 million). An additional NIS 761,000 ($228,000) was spent on furnishing.
Meanwhile, the Israeli Foreign Ministry's department for the establishment of representative offices in Abu Dhabi and Dubai purchased 16 artworks by eight Israeli artists for the residence of Israel's ambassador in Abu Dhabi, at a total cost of NIS 184,000 ($55,000).
2 View gallery
Chabad emissary in Abu Dhabi hangs a mezuzah at the entrance to the embassy
(Photo: Embassy of Israel in Abu Dhabi)
The funds allocated by the Foreign Ministry to the permanent embassy in the UAE join some NIS 23 million ($6.9 million) assigned in favor of establishing a permanent mission in Morocco and the Israeli consulate in the UAE's Dubai.
The construction of the embassy in Morocco is expected to cost around NIS 13.7 million ($4.11 million) on land purchased by the State of Israel in the upscale Souissi neighborhood in the Moroccan capital of Rabat. The construction is estimated to be completed within a year and a half.
The new permanent embassy will be built in the exact location where the former Israeli embassy stood before the two countries severed diplomatic relations back in 2000 following the events of the Second Intifada.