Approval of UAE Embassy Project in Herzliya
The Israeli authorities have officially approved plans for a permanent embassy for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Herzliya, near Tel Aviv. The ambitious project will comprise a 15-storey building that will accommodate diplomatic offices as well as living quarters for the ambassador and embassy staff, with the decision coming amid recent reports of tension in relations between the two nations.
Details of the Construction Plan
According to the Hebrew newspaper “Mughdalim,” which specializes in real estate matters, the local planning and construction committee in Tel Aviv green-lit the project after a nearly year-long review process. The Israeli authorities view this development as a means to reinforce diplomatic ties with the UAE.
The embassy will be located at 9 Sabir Street, within the commercial area of Herzliya Pituach, on a land parcel of approximately 2.5 dunams, with a total allowable construction area of 15,000 square metres.
The building is designed to feature a maximum of 15 floors, with up to 20% of the building’s space reserved for the UAE ambassador and his diplomatic team situated on the upper floors. In addition, the project will include a separate entrance for an underground parking facility, enhancements to the adjacent roadway, and improvements to public amenities and pedestrian pathways in the surrounding area.
Land Ownership and Future Developments
Reports indicate that the land designated for the project is currently owned by the Herzliya municipality, which is in the process of transferring ownership to the state in coordination with the Israeli Land Authority. This arrangement is set to facilitate the leasing of the land to the UAE. In exchange, the municipality will receive an alternative piece of land located in the marina area of Herzliya as part of a land exchange deal.
Significance and Timing
Engineer Erez Ben Elazar, from the Tel Aviv district planning authority, emphasised the project’s significance for both the city and the occupying state, stating it contributes to international relations and future collaborative efforts. The embassy’s location near international corporate and advanced technology centres is expected to make the building a prominent landmark in the commercial sector.
The UAE embassy currently operates from temporary offices in Tel Aviv and Herzliya, and the new site is intended to serve as the permanent diplomatic mission, although there has been no announcement regarding the commencement of construction or the building’s inauguration.
Context of Tensions
This approval comes a year after the Israeli authorities announced the filing of the project plan in October 2025, with its formal endorsement occurring on Tuesday. The Israeli economic website “Ice” linked the timing of this approval to recent tensions in UAE-Israel relations, particularly following an incident involving a FlyDubai flight that made an emergency landing at a Saudi Arabian airport in late September. Reports have surfaced about disagreements over how to handle the incident and its implications for travel between the two countries, with the approval of the embassy project marking a critical moment in the sensitive diplomatic relationship between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv.
This announcement follows six years after the signing of the normalisation agreement between the UAE and the Israeli occupying state in September 2020, under what has been referred to as the “Abraham Accords,” which led to the exchange of ambassadors, the opening of diplomatic missions, and the establishment of economic and trade agreements between the two nations.