UAE invites Israel's Netanyahu, Herzog, to join COP28 climate conference

The United Arab Emirates leaders have extended a longsought invitation to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to attend the United Nations climate conference known as COP28 in November the Associated Press reportedUAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum also invited Israels figurehead President Isaac Herzog and dozens of other leaders including Syrian President Bashar Assad to COP28 in DubaiThe Israelis did not immediately accept the invitation but Netanyahu thanked the Emiratis for the gesture the report saidThe invitation falls short of the highprofile bilateral visit Netanyahu has sought But a trip to the Gulf Arab country would nonetheless give an important boost to the Israeli leader who has established official ties with the UAE as part of the 2020 Abraham Accords normalising relations between the two countries Netanyahu has repeatedly called for closer ties with Arab countries across the region but has yet to pay the UAE an official visit since the accords were signedNetanyahu Israels longestserving leader has sought to return to the world stage to the world stage Since returning to office late last year he has made official visits to Italy Germany and BritainHe had hoped to visit the UAE shortly after his rightwing government took office but the plan was postponed after national security minister and ultranationalist Itamar BenGvir last January visited the compound known to Jews as the Temple Mount in JerusalemThe same site is home to the AlAqsa Mosque compound to Muslims Such visits are widely viewed as provocations that could lead to new clashes between the Israelis and PalestiniansAlso readAditya Rajput death Death allegedly due to falling in bathroom says Mumbai PoliceThe UAE condemned BenGvirs actions at the time He visited the site again on Sunday declaring Israel iquestin chargeiquest and drawing renewed criticism from the UAE Saudi Arabia Bahrain Turkey Qatar Jordan Egypt and the United StatesNetanyahus alliance with farright figures like BenGvir has drawn repeated criticism from close allies He remains uninvited to visit US President Joe Biden in Washington which some interpret as a White House snubThe US administration has criticised Israels settlement policies in the occupied West Bank BenGvirs visits to the disputed compound and the governments push to overhaul Israels judiciary systemThe administration has said hes likely to receive an invitation at some pointSyrian President Bashar Assad who has been internationally ostracized during his countrys civil war has also been invited after returning to the Arab League following a 12year suspensionThe annual UN climate talks are designed to keep countries accountable to their pledges to cut down on carbon emissionsIn November the talks in Dubai will be hosted by Sultan alJaber the chief executive officer of the Emirates state oil company Choosing the oilrich emirate as well as alJaber to host the climate conference has drawn criticism from various environmental groups and activists With inputs from AP