A delegation of Israeli businessmen from Judea and Samaria are in the United Arab Emirates for meetings on a variety of economic issues. Some 300 companies are based in Samaria with an annual export of hundreds of millions of dollars.
The delegation, which is being led by Yossi Dagan, the head of the Samaria Regional Council, arrived on Sunday aboard the first direct commercial flight from Tel Aviv to Dubai and is expected to stay until Thursday, the AP reported on Wednesday.
The talks focused on the unique needs of the region and cooperation in several fields, particularly agronomy and water desalination, according to a statement from the Samaria Regional Council.
“The UAE is an advanced country at the forefront of development and investment, and it is our honor to forge trade and industry ties with them,” said Dagan.
Emirate businessman Yusuf Beidon congratulated Dagan and the Israeli delegation.
“It is an honor, especially after the peace agreement with Israel was signed. This is an exciting moment for all of us, thank God for our leaders who brought us to this place,” he stated.
“I could not believe that I would get to see this thing in my life. For us, brothers and sisters from both sides, from Israel and Dubai, sitting around the same table. It is a great honor,” he added.
“Understanding what is happening in Samaria and the variety of people living there, the coexistence that exists there between Arabs and Israelis who work side by side, in the same factories, earn the same salaries, celebrate holidays together, it is a great honor to be here alongside the head of Samaria Regional Council,” he said.
Nabil Shaath, an adviser to Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas, said it was “painful to witness Arab cooperation with one of the worst manifestations of aggression against the Palestinian people, which is the Israeli settlements on our land,” according to the report.
Content from TPS was used in this report.