Dubai conglomerate Al-Habtoor Group said Sunday it plans to open arepresentative office in Israel, days after the United Arab Emirates (UAE)and Israel signed an agreement to normalize their relations.
“I have been looking forward to this day for a very long time. I havealways believed that Emiratis and Israelis have a lot in common,” itsfounding chairman Khalaf Ahmad al-Habtoor said as he met in Dubai withShlomi Fogel, chairman of Israeli Ampa Group.
The business of the family-owned Al-Habtoor Group covers hotels, realestates and education.
“Both [Emirati and Israeli] peoples are business-oriented and have reliedon human talent and ambition more than their countries’ natural resourcesto build robust, innovative economies,” he said.
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The chairman said that his group was in talks with Israeli carrier, IsrairAirlines Ltd, to launch a commercial flight line between the UAE andIsrael.
On Sept. 15, the UAE and Bahrain signed US-sponsored agreements toestablish diplomatic relations with Israel.
