UAE Ambassador to Israel shares iftar with President, Mayor

UAE Ambassador to Israel Mohammad Mahmoud Al Khajah was invited for iftar at the Arab-Israeli village of Abu Ghosh on April 28, 2021, which was held under the presence of Israeli President Reuven Rivlin.

Ambassador Al Khajah sat down with the mayor of Abu Ghosh (second left) and shared the photo with his Twitter followers, as he wrote: "We had Iftar in Abu Ghosh in the presence of President Ruvi. Such wonderful Ramadan spirit. Thank you to the Mayor and his generous family who demonstrated such hospitality, in an event which revealed a picture of inspiring coexistence #UAEinIsrael".

Al Khaja and Abu Ghosh mayor Salim Jaber (centre) posed for photos on Wednesday night after iftar. The Arab-Israeli village of Abu Ghosh is located near Jerusalem, and takes its name from the dominant clan inhabiting the town. The older Arabic name of Abu ghosh used to be Qaryat Al Inab, which translates as the Grape Village.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and the mayor of Abu Ghosh Salim Jaber exchange greetings at an iftar gathering with officials and ambassadors.

Abu Ghosh is located 10 kilometers west of Jerusalem on the main highway to Tel Aviv and holds a population of 7,698, according to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). The Arab-Israeli town is renowned for its hummus restaurants, classical music festival and ancient picturesque churches.

On his official Twitter account, President Rivlin shared photos of Wednesday’s iftar, which were accompanied with the caption: “Iftar with friends this evening. People of Abu Ghosh, your hospitality and welcome, the partnership and friendship between us goes back even before the establishment of the Jewish and democratic State of Israel, the home to us all.”

UAE Ambassador Al Khajah sent social media buzzing after a photo with Reena Pushkarna – the queen of Indian cuisine in Israel – was shared on April 25, 2021. Emiratis have always had a fondness for Indian cuisine due to historic and cultural ties that has continued for more than 350 years. There are about 12,500 Indian citizens in Israel, according to the Indian Embassy in Tel Aviv.