FM Yisrael Katz in Abu Dhabi

Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz was in Abu Dhabi for an environmental conference on Sunday.

Katz’s visit had not been publicized beforehand, and was reported in the Israeli media only on Monday.

The event was the United Nations Environment Conference, but Katz also met with a senior official from the United Arab Emirates to discuss bilateral relations and Iran.

“I am excited to stand here in Abu Dhabi and represent the interests of the State of Israel vis-à-vis the Arab Gulf states,” Katz, a veteran Likud official, said. “I will continue to work with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to promote the normalization policy with the strength we are leading, based on Israel’s capabilities, both in the fields of security and intelligence, and in the various civilian areas.

“I see this as one of the main challenges in my role as foreign minister, and I intend to continue leading this policy in the future as well,” he added.