Israel ratifies mutual visa exemption agreement with UAE
Israel ratifies mutual visa exemption agreement with UAE
The visa exemption agreement, reportedly already ratified by the UAE, will now go into effect after being approved by Israeli officials.
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Israeli tourists won't have to apply for a pre-approved visa to the UAE. [Getty]
The Israeli cabinet on Sunday ratified a mutual visa exemption agreement with the UAE, the first such agreement with an Arab country.
Israeli ministers voted unanimously in favour of the agreement, local media reports said.
The visa exemption deal, signed in in Tel Aviv last month, will reportedly go into effect in 30 days.
The UAE government has also reportedly ratified the agreement earlier this month.
According to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the move will facilitate tourism between the two countries, which normalised relations in recent months.
"This is the first Arab country with which we have signed such an agreement and this is a step that will facilitate reciprocal tourism," Netanyahu was quoted as saying before the vote at the weekly cabinet meeting.
Read also: Netanyahu 'concerned Israelis will misbehave in UAE': report
"Of course, this will develop and strengthen ties between the countries as well as economic links. I believe that every citizen of Israel, the entire world, sees the great change that we are bringing to our region in every field," the premier said.
The UAE-Israel visa exemption agreement will eliminate the need to obtain pre-approved visas.
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