UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his Israeli counterpart, Gabi Ashkenazi, greet as they visit a Holocaust memorial together with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, prior to their historic meeting in Berlin, Germany, Oct. 6, 2020. Photo: Reuters / Michele Tantussi.

JNS.org – The United Arab Emirates on Sunday swore in the country’s first-ever ambassador to Israel.

Ambassador Mohammad Mahmoud Al Khajah was installed in an official ceremony in Abu Dhabi in the presence of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, said the Dubai Media Office, which tweeted about the event.

Al Maktoum wished Al Khajah much success and urged him to work to achieve friendly and cooperative relations with Israel. Al Khajah pledged to carry out his job with integrity and sincerity, reported Gulf News.

A number of ministers, senior sheikhs and other officials attended the event.

Due to COVID-19 travel restrictions and the closure of Israel’s Ben-Gurion International Airport, it is unknown when Al Khajah will be able to assume his post.

On Sept. 15, 2020, Israel and the UAE signed the Abraham Accords, a historic normalization agreement brokered by the Trump administration. Bahrain signed the accords at the same time. Before former President Trump left office, normalization agreements were also signed between Israel, Sudan and Morocco.

Avi Berkowitz, special representative for international negotiations under Trump and a key figure on the US team that brokered the accords, took to Twitter to share his elation at watching the UAE’s ambassador to Tel Aviv being sworn in.