Israel Finalizes Visa-free Travel to/from UAE

Israel’s cabinet has unanimously approved a visa exemption agreement with the United Arab Emirates that will allow citizens of the Gulf state to enter the country without prior registration. The agreement, approved on Sunday, is the first such visa deal ever signed by Israel with an Arab country. It was inked last month in Tel Aviv and has already been ratified by the UAE government, allowing Israelis visa-free entry there. Israel and the UAE signed a normalization agreement at the White House in Washington in September. The visa treaty is just one aspect of normalization, with others including direct flights, academic cooperation, the sharing of technology and joint business ventures.