Israel's Foreign Minister Yair Lapid marked the opening of Israel’s embassy in the United Arab Emirates Tuesday afternoon, in a ceremony in the UAE capital city of Abu Dhabi.
Lapid helped affix a mezuzah in the new embassy building during the ceremony, and offered his gratitude to former Prime Minister and long-time political rival, Benjamin Netanyahu.
"This is a historic moment," said Lapid. "And it is a reminder that history is created by people. People who understand history but are willing to change it. People who prefer the future to the past. We are standing here today because we chose. Peace over war. Cooperation over conflict. The good of our children over the bad memories of the past. The right to determine our fate by ourselves."
"Israel wants peace with its neighbors. With all its neighbors. We aren't going anywhere. The Middle East is our home. We're here to stay. We call on all the countries of the region to recognize that. And to come talk to us."
"I want to thank, on behalf of us all, Israel's former Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who was the architect of the Abraham Accords and who worked tirelessly to bring them about. This moment is his, no less than it is ours,” concluded Lapid.