Israel PM delays UAE visit after Jordan overflight 'difficulties' - BBC News

Israel's prime minister has postponed a historic visit to the United Arab Emirates because of "difficulties" in co-ordinating his flights over Jordan.

Benjamin Netanyahu was due to fly to Abu Dhabi on Thursday to meet its crown prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed.

But his office said authorities in Jordan held off granting permission to use its airspace for several hours.

The move "apparently stemmed" from the cancellation of a trip to Jerusalem by the Jordanian crown prince, it added.

On Wednesday, Prince Hussein bin Abdullah had planned to visit the Al-Aqsa mosque, which is part of the hilltop complex known to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif and to Jews as the Temple Mount and for which Jordan is the custodian.

But the royal delegation turned back at an Israeli-controlled border crossing as a dispute emerged about the number of armed bodyguards travelling with the prince, according to Israeli media.

Mr Netanyahu's office said there was "a dispute over security and safety arrangements at the site".