UAE to Build Landmark Embassy Tower in Herzliya, Cementing Abraham Accords Ties
In a move that underscores how far the Abraham Accords have reshaped the region, the Tel Aviv District Planning and Building Committee has approved the construction of a permanent home for the United Arab Emirates Embassy in Israel, a striking, 15-floor architectural landmark set to rise at 9 Sapir Street, Herzliya Pituah.
From Temporary Presence to Permanent Partnership
The UAE opened its first embassy in Israel in July 2021, operating from temporary offices on Arye Shenkar Street following the signing of the Abraham Accords in September 2020, a historic U.S.-brokered agreement that normalized relations between Israel and the Emirates.
Now, the Gulf nation is moving to build a permanent diplomatic compound, signaling not just routine cooperation but a long-term, strategic commitment to its ties with the Jewish state.
The plan, promoted by the Israel Land Authority, spans 2.5 dunams (roughly two-thirds of an acre) on the east side of Herzliya’s industrial and tech hub, an area increasingly recognized as the “Silicon Valley of Israel’s coast.”
🇦🇪🇮🇱 UAE to Establish Permanent Embassy in Israel’s Herzliya
— ME24 - Middle East 24 (@MiddleEast_24) October 19, 2025
The United Arab Emirates has reportedly purchased land in Herzliya, Israel, to build a permanent embassy — a deal valued at tens of millions of shekels, according to Kan 11. Since 2021, the Emirati mission has operated… pic.twitter.com/bd91CR6U0b
Architectural Symbolism Meets Geopolitical Vision
The embassy building will offer up to 15,000 square meters of space across 15 floors, featuring offices, diplomatic chambers, and residential suites for the ambassador and staff. Up to 20% of the building rights will be designated for diplomatic residences, integrating living and working spaces in a single structure, a design uncommon among foreign embassies in Israel.
The site, currently a public parking lot, will be transformed into a secure, high-tech enclave surrounded by a five-meter wall. The plan also includes a shaded public plaza along Sapir Street and easy access to the future Green Line light rail station on nearby Abba Even Street, ensuring the embassy stands both symbolically and physically at the crossroads of diplomacy, technology, and urban development.
Kan Israeli Channel: The UAE purchased a large plot of land in Israel for millions of shekels to build a permanent embassy pic.twitter.com/jtll5yHkU7
— mahmoud khalil (@zorba222) October 19, 2025
A City Planner’s Perspective
Erez Ben-Eliezer, senior city planner in the Tel Aviv District, described the project as “a significant plan for the city of Herzliya, the Tel Aviv District, and the State of Israel,” emphasizing its broader economic and geopolitical value.
“It boosts land usage in the industrial zone, deepens international ties, and will contribute to future cooperation,” Ben-Eliezer said. “The choice of the embassy site in an accessible, international business environment close to the city’s technology industry is appropriate. Through flexible planning and design, it will turn the embassy into a landmark in the area.”
A Strategic Statement Beyond Architecture
The UAE’s decision to build in Herzliya, rather than relocate to Tel Aviv or Jerusalem, mirrors its pragmatic, business-oriented diplomacy. Herzliya is home to dozens of global tech companies, research centers, and venture capital firms. The new embassy will effectively position Emirati diplomats within Israel’s innovation ecosystem, reflecting a vision that extends beyond politics to joint ventures, trade, and technology cooperation.
For Israel, the construction of the embassy is a powerful signal to the international community: the normalization agreements are not fleeting political gestures but enduring realities, embodied in concrete, steel, and shared interests.
UAE Buys Land for Permanent Israel Embassy
— Eli Goldman | אלי גולדמן (@EliGoldmanx) October 18, 2025
Oct 18, 2025, UAE purchased land in Israel for a permanent embassy, valued at tens of millions of shekels. Israel Land Authority and PM’s Office aided the move. UAE mission, opened in Tel Aviv in 2021, strengthens Abraham Accords ties. pic.twitter.com/fs1Gp35id7
A Symbol of Enduring Peace and Progress
When complete, the UAE embassy will stand as one of the most prominent foreign diplomatic structures in Israel, a visible monument to the success of the Abraham Accords and the changing face of the Middle East, where former adversaries now share not just airspace and security interests, but the same streets, skylines, and future.
