The Tel Aviv District Planning and Building Committee on Monday approved a plan to build the new United Arab Emirates Embassy in Herzliya’s affluent seaside Herzliya Pituah neighborhood.
The project, advanced by the Israel Land Authority, covers 2.5 dunams (0.6 acres) on the eastern edge of Herzliya’s business district, between Sapir Street and Highway 2. The site currently serves as a surface parking lot designated for public buildings.
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The inauguration of the United Arab Emirates Embassy in Tel Aviv in 2021
(Photo: Yariv Katz)
Under the plan, the site will be rezoned for embassy use and will allow construction of up to 15,000 square meters (161,000 square feet) above ground in a 15-story tower. The upper floors will include residential units for the ambassador and diplomatic staff, comprising up to 20% of the total space.
The plan also calls for separating access to the underground parking area from the adjacent Corx House property and widening Sapir Street to create a new public space. For security reasons, a fence up to five meters high will surround the site and incorporate the embassy’s security building within the compound.
Erez Ben-Eliezer, Tel Aviv District Planner at the National Planning Administration, said the project marks “an important and significant development for Herzliya, the Tel Aviv District and the State of Israel.” “It enhances the business area’s international character, deepens global ties and will contribute to future cooperation,” he said. “The embassy’s location in a well-connected business hub near Herzliya’s high-tech centers is fitting. With flexible planning and design, it will become a major landmark in the area.”
Tali Morali, head of the Tel Aviv region for the Israel Land Authority, said the agency began searching for a suitable site for the UAE Embassy four years ago at the request of the Prime Minister’s Office. “The process was complex and lengthy, involving negotiations with many parties,” Morali said. “We are now advancing an agreement to lease land within Herzliya’s municipal boundaries for the permanent embassy building.”
She added that the project “reflects a careful blend of detailed planning and high-quality representative architecture. We see this as a national priority that strengthens the Abraham Accords, while emphasizing mixed-use development, accessibility, sustainability and environmental quality in the heart of Herzliya’s business district.”
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