Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid inaugurated Israel's new embassy in the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday and thanked former President Donald Trump and former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for their efforts in bringing the two countries together for this "historic moment."
Speaking during a ribbon-cutting ceremony in his first official visit to the UAE, Lapid reached out to other adversaries in the Middle East in a call for peace.
"We are standing here today because we chose peace over war, cooperation over conflict, the good of our children over the bad memories of the past," Lapid said, according to Breitbart.
"Agreements are signed by leaders but peace is made by people."
In what was seen as an uncharacteristic move, Lapid thanked his rival Netanyahu, crediting him as "the architect of the Abraham Accords and who worked tirelessly to bring them about."
Israel wants peace with all its neighbors," Lapid added.
"We aren't going anywhere," he said. "The Middle East is our home. We're here to stay. We call on all countries of the region to recognize that, and come talk to us."
After the inauguration, Lapid will be expected to sign an economic trade agreement alongside his Emirati counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
"It is essential that we prepare ourselves and our children toward a new world," UAE Culture and Knowledge Development Minister Noura Al Kaabi said.
"We underscore our enthusiasm over what we hope will be the first of many high-level visits," she added.
Al Kaabi pointed out that she looks forward to the UAE's collaboration with Israel on AI, COVID-19, smart cities, trade, and tourism.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the opening of the embassy was "significant for Israel, the UAE, and the broader region."
The United States will continue to work with Israel and the UAE as we strengthen all aspects of our partnerships and work to create a more peaceful, secure, and prosperous future for all the peoples of the Middle East," Blinken added.
The new embassy comes almost a year after the Trump-led Abraham Accords were signed by the two countries normalizing ties in the region. Additionally, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco have all followed suit in the efforts to broker peace.