Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu postpones UAE trip in pre-election setback
Josef Federman
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Miriam Alster/The Associated Press
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called off a visit to the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, citing a diplomatic disagreement with Jordan, in an embarrassing setback for his re-election campaign just days before the vote.
Netanyahu had hoped to use the audience with the UAE’s crown prince – their first public meeting since the countries established ties last September – to boost his campaign ahead of the March 23 election. Instead, he is having to explain to the public why his trip had been called off and doing damage control to protect Israel’s fragile relationship with the Jordanians.