diff --git a/Directory.Build.props b/Directory.Build.props
index c8b86ceed..6e15dbd85 100644
--- a/Directory.Build.props
+++ b/Directory.Build.props
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 		<ClientOfficialVersion>3.34.0</ClientOfficialVersion>
 		<ClientPreviewVersion>3.34.0</ClientPreviewVersion>
 		<ClientPreviewSuffixVersion>preview</ClientPreviewSuffixVersion>
-		<DirectVersion>3.31.1</DirectVersion>
+		<DirectVersion>3.31.2</DirectVersion>
 		<EncryptionOfficialVersion>2.0.2</EncryptionOfficialVersion>
 		<EncryptionPreviewVersion>2.0.2</EncryptionPreviewVersion>
 		<EncryptionPreviewSuffixVersion>preview</EncryptionPreviewSuffixVersion>
diff --git a/Microsoft.Azure.Cosmos/src/Regions.cs b/Microsoft.Azure.Cosmos/src/Regions.cs
index 666ec0435..33c258aaf 100644
--- a/Microsoft.Azure.Cosmos/src/Regions.cs
+++ b/Microsoft.Azure.Cosmos/src/Regions.cs
@@ -359,5 +359,10 @@ namespace Microsoft.Azure.Cosmos
         /// Name of the Azure Italy North region in the Azure Cosmos DB service.
         /// </summary>
         public const string ItalyNorth = "Italy North";
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Name of the Azure Israel Central region in the Azure Cosmos DB service.
+        /// </summary>
+        public const string IsraelCentral = "Israel Central";
     }
 }
diff --git a/Microsoft.Azure.Cosmos/tests/Microsoft.Azure.Cosmos.EmulatorTests/ClientCreateAndInitializeTest.cs b/Microsoft.Azure.Cosmos/tests/Microsoft.Azure.Cosmos.EmulatorTests/ClientCreateAndInitializeTest.cs
index e977a8b45..e07fe85a7 100644
--- a/Microsoft.Azure.Cosmos/tests/Microsoft.Azure.Cosmos.EmulatorTests/ClientCreateAndInitializeTest.cs
+++ b/Microsoft.Azure.Cosmos/tests/Microsoft.Azure.Cosmos.EmulatorTests/ClientCreateAndInitializeTest.cs
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@
         public async Task CreateAndInitializeAsync_WithValidDatabaseAndContainer_ShouldOpenRntbdConnectionsToBackendReplicas()
         {
             // Arrange.
-            int httpCallsMade = 0;
+            int httpCallsMade = 0, maxRequestsPerConnection = 6;
             HttpClientHandlerHelper httpClientHandlerHelper = new ()
             {
                 RequestCallBack = (request, cancellationToken) =>
@@ -227,6 +227,7 @@
             {
                 HttpClientFactory = () => new HttpClient(httpClientHandlerHelper),
                 ConnectionMode = ConnectionMode.Direct,
+                MaxRequestsPerTcpConnection = maxRequestsPerConnection,
             };
 
             // Act.
@@ -275,8 +276,11 @@
                                     .GetValue(loadBalancingPartition);
 
             Assert.IsNotNull(openChannels);
-            Assert.AreEqual(30, channelCapacity);
-            Assert.AreEqual(1, openChannels.Count);
+            Assert.AreEqual(48, openChannels.Count, "Here the expected value 48 rather explains how many time we call the" +
+                "LoadBalancingPartition.OpenChannelAsync(). The emulator by default returns 12 partitions, and each partition has 4 replicas," +
+                "and by behavior the emulator uses the same URI for eac of these replica, hence 12 * 4 = 48 times we call the OpenChannelAsync()." +
+                "In ideal world, the value should be 1, because for each unique URI, the OpenChannelAsync() call will just be 1.");
+            Assert.AreEqual(openChannels.Count * maxRequestsPerConnection, channelCapacity);
 
             Documents.Rntbd.LbChannelState channelState = openChannels.First();
 
diff --git a/Microsoft.Azure.Cosmos/tests/Microsoft.Azure.Cosmos.Tests/Contracts/DotNetSDKAPI.json b/Microsoft.Azure.Cosmos/tests/Microsoft.Azure.Cosmos.Tests/Contracts/DotNetSDKAPI.json
index e5b95a7ed..7fde376d4 100644
--- a/Microsoft.Azure.Cosmos/tests/Microsoft.Azure.Cosmos.Tests/Contracts/DotNetSDKAPI.json
+++ b/Microsoft.Azure.Cosmos/tests/Microsoft.Azure.Cosmos.Tests/Contracts/DotNetSDKAPI.json
@@ -6680,6 +6680,11 @@
           "Attributes": [],
           "MethodInfo": "System.String GermanyWestCentral;IsInitOnly:False;IsStatic:True;"
         },
+        "System.String IsraelCentral": {
+          "Type": "Field",
+          "Attributes": [],
+          "MethodInfo": "System.String IsraelCentral;IsInitOnly:False;IsStatic:True;"
+        },
         "System.String ItalyNorth": {
           "Type": "Field",
           "Attributes": [],