In this Aug 16, 2020 photo, Israeli and United Arab Emirates flags line a road in the Israeli coastal city of Netanya. (JACK GUEZ / AFP)

JERUSALEM -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) told Israel in a letter on Tuesday that it wishes to open an embassy in Tel Aviv "as soon as possible," the Israeli Foreign Ministry said.

In the letter, UAE's Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan conveyed his request to Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi to open an embassy in Israel, according to a statement issued by the Israeli Foreign Ministry.

In the letter, UAE's Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan conveyed his request to Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi to open an embassy in Israel, according to a statement issued by the Israeli Foreign Ministry

ALSO READ: Space launch includes 1st flyer from United Arab Emirates

READ MORE: United Arab Emirates launches historic mission to Mars

The letter was handed to Ashkenazi during a luncheon in Jerusalem for the UAE delegation, which arrived earlier on Tuesday in Israel for the first official visit to the country.

The UAE and Bahrain signed normalization deals with Israel at the White House on Sept. 15. They are the first Arab nations in 26 years to establish formal ties with Israel, after Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994.