TEHRAN — Israeli President Isaac Herzog arrived at Abu Dhabi airport on Sunday morning and met with UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed in the airport's ceremonial hall.

Later in the day, he met with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed.

“Grateful to Sheikh @MohamedBinZayed for the warm welcome & hospitality at his palace. The Middle East has entered a new era thanks to the Crown Prince and other leaders’ wise and brave decision to normalise ties. We discussed future of Israel & UAE's bold new partnership,” Herzog tweeted after the meeting, with a flag of the illegitimate regime of Israel, a handshake emoticon, and a flag of the UAE.

According to Herzog’s office, at the beginning of the meeting he said, “I wish to emphasize that we completely support your security requirements and we condemn in all forms and language any attack on your sovereignty by terrorist group. We are here together to find ways and means to bring full security to people who seek peace in our region.”

He also called for more nations to join the Abraham Accords, saying that his visit “sends a message to the entire region that there is an alternative — of peace and living together — and that the sons and daughters of Abraham can reside and dwell together in peaceful coexistence for the benefit of humanity.”

Meanwhile, MBZ reportedly thanked the Israeli president for slamming Yemen’s retaliatory attacks on the UAE.

Herzog's visit to the UAE has raised security concerns in Israel. The trip comes at a critical security situation as Yemen has attacked the UAE capital with missiles and drones. 

Two days ago, an Arab affairs analyst, who airs views on Israeli radio and television networks, warned on his Twitter account that the security situation for the trip was dangerous as the UAE has come under Sanaa’s retaliatory attacks. “Surely, the announcement of such a visit is not wise when the Houthis are trying to find good targets in the UAE,” the analyst wrote.

The attacks by the Yemeni army and the Ansarallah movement on the UAE have worried the Israelis more than any other side, as the Yemeni armed forces say that the Israelis have helped the UAE in attacking them.

Amos Yadlin, a former general in the Israeli Air Force, Israel Defense Forces military attaché to Washington D.C. and head of the IDF Military Intelligence Directorate, told the Israeli Channel 12 that the distance from Sanaa to Abu Dhabi was equal to the distance from Sanaa to the port of Eilat, and called on Tel Aviv to help the UAE instead of issuing a statement.

The Yemenis say that the Zionist regime has a significant role in the war against their country. “The UAE and Saudi Arabia are the tools of Tel Aviv and Washington and are carrying out their orders in Yemen,” Yemeni Defense Minister Major General Mohammed al-Atefi said on Friday. 

Meanwhile, the Israeli parliament called on Naftali Bennett on Thursday to list the Ansarallah movement as a terrorist organization.

Herzog’s trip to UAE is not a surprise at all, as we will see more trips of this kind in the future. The visit to the UAE is a small part of a big puzzle to make the necessary coordination to implement the Abraham Accord. 

In a ceremony at the White House on September 25, 2020, the United Arab Emirates and Israel signed an agreement to normalize relations. It was brokered by the United States at the presence of then-President Donald Trump. Following the normalization deal, Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv opened embassies in each other's capitals.

However, Tel Aviv recently turned down a UAE request to purchase the Iron Dome aerial defense system from Israel. The UAE is seeking to improve its weak aerial defense program after the Yemeni army and the Ansarallah movement launched a series of retaliatory attacks on the Emirati cities.