UAE urges Israel to stop Jerusalem violence in rare rebuke

The United Arab Emirates has slammed Israeli “right-wing extremists” for acts of violence in Jerusalem and warned against moves that could threaten peace

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- The United Arab Emirates on Monday warned that any moves to change the historic identity of Jerusalem threaten peace, and called on Israel to put an end to violence following the latest clashes between Israelis and Palestinians in the city. The statement was a rare rebuke of Israel by the UAE, which has welcomed tens of thousands of Israeli tourists and signed a slew of deals to strengthen bilateral ties since the administration of President Donald Trump brokered a historic and surprise deal to normalize relations between the two countries some seven months ago. The UAE move laid the path for Bahrain and Sudan to also formalize ties with Israel. The UAE Foreign Ministry said in a statement, carried on the Emirates' state news agency, that it was concerned over ”acts of violence committed by right-wing extremist groups in the occupied East Jerusalem.” The ministry called on Israeli authorities to “assume responsibility toward de-escalation and putting an end to all aggressions and practices that perpetuate tension and hostility.” The UAE cautioned it was necessary to preserve Jerusalem's historical identity and maintain “maximum self-restraint to avoid the region slipping into new levels of instability in a way that threatens peace.”