Lapid speaks to Emirati counterpart amid tensions over Temple Mount clashes

Foreign Minister Yair Lapid spoke with his Emirati counterpart Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan about increasing tensions on the Temple Mount/Al-Aqsa complex, according to a Foreign Ministry spokesperson.

During the conversation, which took place last night, the two foreign ministers discussed the difficulty of dealing with anti-Israel fake news in the Arab world and agreed to keep working together to promote religious tolerance and peace between Israel and Middle Eastern Arabs.

The Emirati foreign minister also “expressed his appreciation for Israeli efforts to calm the situation and expressed understanding for the on-the-ground difficulties that Israel faces,” according to an Israeli Foreign Ministry statement.

Before ending by exchanging greetings for their respective Passover and Ramadan holidays, the counterparts also discussed the importance of bilateral relations and efforts to strengthen their ties.

Earlier this week, the UAE summoned Israel’s envoy for a dressing down over the clashes in Jerusalem, the first such public rebuke since the two countries normalized relations a year and a half ago.