Israel minister to visit UAE in first under current far-right government

Israel's energy minister is set to travel to the UAE's capital of Abu Dhabi on Sunday, where he will meet Emirati and Jordanian officials to discuss progress on a water-for-electricity project.

The visit by Israel Katz will be the first by a minister from his country's current far-right government to the UAE.

Under the water-for-electricity initiative, the Israelis will increase the amount of desalinated water they send Jordan in return for electricity from a solar energy project in the Hashemite Kingdom. The UAE originally brokered the agreement and a company from the Gulf state will build the solar facility.

Katz said on social media he would be heading on Sunday to a "historic meeting" in Abu Dhabi.

"I will meet with my counterparts from the Emirates and Jordan to advance the regional strategic programme [water for electricity]," he added.

"The Abraham Accords will change the Middle East," he said, referring to controversial normalisation agreements Israel reached with Arab countries including the UAE in 2020 and early 2021.

Palestinians view normalisation with Israel as a betrayal of their national cause.

Katz will meet UAE Technology and Industry Minister Sultan Al-Jaber and three Jordanian ministers, Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported.

The Jordanians are reportedly Water Minister Mohammed Al-Najjar, Energy Minister Saleh Al-Kharabsheh and Environment Minister Muawiya Al-Radaydah.

US special envoy for climate John Kerry is also expected to participate in the meeting.

Kan said that the aim of Katz's visit is to confirm the parties' commitment to the water-for-electricity project.

A memorandum of understanding was signed by Israel, Jordan and the UAE in 2022 after a declaration of intent for the project the year prior.

The participants hope to sign a binding agreement on the project before the COP28 climate summit taking place in Dubai in November and December.

The meeting in the UAE comes after the head of the opposition in Israel, former prime minister Yair Lapid, met Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Tuesday in Italy.