(Sputnik-Russia) David Meidan, former head of the Mossad's "Tevel" division, responsible for relations with organizations and states with which Israel has no official ties, described the beginning of Israel's relations with the UAE. He said relations kicked off in 2006 when then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon tasked the Mossad with establishing ties with moderate Sunni states in the region. "The UAE was just one of those countries that we were focusing on, but they weren't the only one. Once we found a connection in the UAE, we started communicating, but everything was clandestine....Initially, these were ties between the intelligence agencies of the two countries." "Out of all the Gulf states, they had the most guts. They are a very daring nation. Their leaders are talented and seasoned, way ahead of everyone else in the region....Back then, they already understood the advantages of Israel and gave a green light for trade and business deals."
2020-08-27 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive