Israel�s Foreign Ministry says Israel will participate in next year�s World Expo hosted by the United Arab Emirates, in another sign of warming relations with Gulf Arab states.

The ministry said Thursday it �looks forward to sharing our innovative spirit and advances� in such fields as water, information and medical technologies at the 2020 Expo in Dubai.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Israel�s participation as another expression of the state�s �rising status in the world and the region.�

Despite their lack of diplomatic relations, Sunni Arab states, such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE, have quietly inched closer to Israel, seeing it as a key ally in rolling back their common adversary, Iran.

Over the past months, Israel�s backdoor relations with former Arab foes have increasingly entered public view.

(AP)