UAE and Israel discuss quarantine-free travel corridor

Arrangement would only apply to passengers fully vaccinated against Covid-19

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, August 31, 2020.  The Israeli flag carrier El Al's airliner lands at Abu Dhabi International Airport.  
Victor Besa / The National
Section:  NA/Stock Images
Reporter:  Khaled Owais
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The UAE and Israel are in talks to establish a quarantine-free travel corridor by April.

The corridor, which would apply only to passengers fully vaccinated against Covid-19, would allow travel for commercial, tourism and official reasons, Wam reported on Wednesday.

Meetings between the UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation and its equivalent Israeli body are under way to negotiate the terms of any deal.

The two sides said it would increase the level of exchange after the historic Abraham Accords signed last year, and reinforce economic and other ties.

The UAE and Israel are ahead in the global race to vaccinate all of their citizens.

Israel has inoculated more than half its population of 9.3 million, while the UAE on Tuesday said about 3.77 million of its people were immunised.

Both sides said strengthening global health security is a collective responsibility and underlined the importance of international co-operation to achieve a sustainable recovery from the pandemic.

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