UAE president congratulates Israel's Netanyahu on inauguration - WAM

Separately, UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan called his newly-inaugurated Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen to congratulate him, according to the agency.

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to congratulate him on his inauguration, the official Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported on Saturday. Netanyahu was sworn in as Israel's prime minister on Thursday in a comeback at the head of a hard-right cabinet that promises to expand Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank and pursue other policies criticised at home and abroad.

"Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed expressed his aspiration to strengthen bilateral relations, especially in the development fields, and to push forward the path of partnership and peace between the two countries", WAM said. Separately, UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan called his newly-inaugurated Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen to congratulate him, according to the agency. (Reporting and Writing by Moaz Abd-Alaziz; Editing by David Holmes)