Israel plans to hold a signing ceremony in Washington by mid-September for its normalisation deal with the UAE by mid-September, Reuters reported.

The date for such an event is likely to be decided by senior aides to Israeli PM Netanyahu and to the US President Donald Trump.

Meanwhile, the first direct commercial flight by Israel’s flagship carrier El Al is expected in Abu Dhabi on Monday.

Earlier this month, Israel and the United Arab Emirates reached a deal to normalise relations, with Israel agreeing to “suspend” its controversial plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank.

TOPICS: Israel UAE US