<p>Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cancelled a historic visit to the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, citing a disagreement with Jordan over crossing its airspace.</p>.<p>The prime minister "was expected to visit the United Arab Emirates today," Netanyahu's office said in a statement.</p>.<p>"However, his visit was postponed due to difficulties in coordinating his flight in Jordanian airspace."</p>.<p>The statement said that the overflight row "apparently stemmed" from the cancellation by Israel of a planned visit Wednesday by Jordan's Crown Prince Hussein to the Al-Aqsa mosque in annexed east Jerusalem.</p>.<p>The prince's visit was called off following "a dispute over security and safety arrangements at the site," the Israeli statement said.</p>.<p>There was no immediate comment from Amman on the spat.</p>.<p>The Israeli statement further said that Jordan had ultimately cleared Netanyahu's plane for travel.</p>.<p>But since that clearance "was received late, the prime minister and Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed agreed to coordinate on another date for the prime minister's visit."</p>.<p>Israel and the UAE established ties last year in a diplomatic coup for Netanyahu brokered by his staunch ally, US president Donald Trump.</p>.<p>The deal made UAE only the third Arab state to establish relations with Israel, following Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994.</p>.<p>Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan subsequently reached similar US-brokered agreements with Israel.</p>.<p>Netanyahu, in power since 2009, has sought to burnish his credentials as Israel's leading statesman as part of his re-election pitch ahead of March 23 polls and a UAE visit could have aided that effort.</p>.<p>Israeli media had earlier reported that Netanyahu's Abu Dhabi trip faced delays due to his wife Sarah being hospitalised with apendicitis.</p>.<p>Hadassah hospital confirmed to <em>AFP</em> that it had admitted Sarah Netanyahu, without providing further details.</p>
<p>Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cancelled a historic visit to the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, citing a disagreement with Jordan over crossing its airspace.</p>.<p>The prime minister "was expected to visit the United Arab Emirates today," Netanyahu's office said in a statement.</p>.<p>"However, his visit was postponed due to difficulties in coordinating his flight in Jordanian airspace."</p>.<p>The statement said that the overflight row "apparently stemmed" from the cancellation by Israel of a planned visit Wednesday by Jordan's Crown Prince Hussein to the Al-Aqsa mosque in annexed east Jerusalem.</p>.<p>The prince's visit was called off following "a dispute over security and safety arrangements at the site," the Israeli statement said.</p>.<p>There was no immediate comment from Amman on the spat.</p>.<p>The Israeli statement further said that Jordan had ultimately cleared Netanyahu's plane for travel.</p>.<p>But since that clearance "was received late, the prime minister and Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed agreed to coordinate on another date for the prime minister's visit."</p>.<p>Israel and the UAE established ties last year in a diplomatic coup for Netanyahu brokered by his staunch ally, US president Donald Trump.</p>.<p>The deal made UAE only the third Arab state to establish relations with Israel, following Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994.</p>.<p>Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan subsequently reached similar US-brokered agreements with Israel.</p>.<p>Netanyahu, in power since 2009, has sought to burnish his credentials as Israel's leading statesman as part of his re-election pitch ahead of March 23 polls and a UAE visit could have aided that effort.</p>.<p>Israeli media had earlier reported that Netanyahu's Abu Dhabi trip faced delays due to his wife Sarah being hospitalised with apendicitis.</p>.<p>Hadassah hospital confirmed to <em>AFP</em> that it had admitted Sarah Netanyahu, without providing further details.</p>