Israel: Foreign Minister Israel Katz postpones Dubai visit over 'security' reasons
Intelligence Minister Israel Katz
Israel'sforeignminister, Israel Katz, has postponed avisittoDubaithis month due tosecurityconcerns,diplomatssaid on Sunday, linking the decision to Iran-UStensions.
Israel Katz, who doubles as intelligenceminister, had been scheduled to attend mid-month meetings in the Gulf emirate ahead of its Expo 2020Dubaibut "on the instruction ofsecurityofficials" would defer thevisit, anIsraeli diplomat said, without giving a new date.
Another diplomat, who also requested anonymity, saidIsraelwas taking precautions lest its arch-foe Iran try to target Katz as part of retaliation against its USally. The diplomat did not cite evidence to indicate any specific threat.
Decades-old hostilities between Tehran and Washington have boiledoverin recent weeks, with a USstrike killing a senior Iranian commander and Iran firing missiles at Iraqi airbases hosting USforces in response.
Iran andIsraelhave been fierce regional enemies since the 1979 Iranian revolution.Israelhas in recent years built up ties with Sunni Gulf states that share its worries about Iran.
Though it does not enjoy formal relations with the United Arab Emirates,Israelwill have a pavilion at Expo 2020Dubai, which opens in October - participation that PrimeMinisterBenjamin Netanyahu has described as part of "normalisation with the Arab states".