ISTANBUL 

The United Arab Emirates approved a visa exemption agreement with Israel on Wednesday, Israel’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement. 

The agreement will come into force within 30 days and Israeli citizens will be able to go to the UAE without a visa, the statement said.

With the agreement coming into force, the UAE became the first Arab country whose citizens could enter Israel without a visa.

Israel and the UAE signed a US-sponsored deal on Sept. 15 last year to normalize their relations, a move that was followed by Bahrain and Sudan and recently Morocco.

The normalization agreements have drawn widespread condemnation from Palestinians, who say the accords ignore their rights and do not serve the Palestinian cause.