ABU DHABI: Four months after it signed a normalisation deal with the JewishState, the United Arab Emirates gave approval for an embassy to be sent upin Israel.

“The government approves the creation of the embassy of the United ArabEmirates to Tel Aviv, in the state of Israel,” it announced on Twitter.

The UAE, along with Bahrain, signed a US-brokered deal in September tonormalise relations with the Jewish state.

The agreements, known as the “Abraham Accords”, shattered a longstandingArab consensus that there should be no normalisation with Israel until itreaches a comprehensive peace deal with the Palestinians.

The Palestinians condemned the agreements as a “stab in the back”.

Earlier this month, Sudan also signed the accords, becoming the third Arabcountry to do so and the fourth to normalise diplomatic relations with theJewish state in as many months.

Morocco also normalised ties with Israel in December, in a diplomatic quidpro quo that saw Washington back Moroccan rule over the disputed WesternSahara region.

Until last year, only Egypt, in 1979, and Jordan, in 1994, had normalisedties with Israel.Pakistan’s stance on ties with Israel

In December, following Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mahmood Qureshi’svisit to the UAE, he said the Emirati leadership apprised him of theirposition during his visit.

He said he in turn apprised the Emirati leadership of Pakistan’s positionon Israel and stressed that Islamabad will not recognise Tel Aviv until thePalestine issue is resolved.

Qureshi denied any pressure on Pakistan to recognise Israel. APP/AFP