U.S. Supports UAE as It Collaborates with Israel in Hostilities Against Lebanon

In a recent development, the UAE has received an upgrade from the U.S. as a key defense partner, even as reports emerge about Emirates Airlines’ involvement in Israeli strikes on Lebanon.

Sources told “Emirates Leaks” that Emirati military aircraft are being deployed from a U.S. base in Jordan to partake in attacks that have resulted in numerous civilian casualties across Lebanon.

Washington appears to have orchestrated the use of Emirati airpower to further Israel’s military objectives against Hezbollah.

For many years, the UAE has maintained a strong opposition to Hezbollah and various Islamic resistance groups, all while normalizing relations and forming a public alliance with Israel since 2020.

In recognition of its stance, the United States designated the UAE as a major defense partner, which could enable it to acquire more advanced American weaponry and technology amid rising tensions in the Middle East.

This designation was announced following a meeting between US President Joe Biden and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the White House, making Abu Dhabi the second country after India to achieve this status.

Throughout the ongoing devastating conflict in the Gaza Strip, the UAE has been perceived as a supporter of the Israeli occupation, reflecting its public alliance and normalization with Tel Aviv.

The UAE has made its presence felt as a primary ally of the occupying state against the Palestinians, ranging from openly condemning Palestinian resistance at the UN Security Council to securing food supplies and entering into substantial trade and military deals.

Concerning the UAE’s “Gallant Knight” operation aimed at aiding Gaza, which has produced three different versions to date, it lacks any elements of true chivalry or generosity. Such virtues would imply a boycott of the entity that is inflicting violence on the Palestinians, rather than directly contributing to its oppressive apparatus.

Additionally, the assistance provided by the Gulf state to the people of Gaza is minor compared to the support flowing to Israel through the newly opened “corridor” via Saudi Arabia and Jordan, which facilitates the supply of goods from Emirati ports to “Israel” following the blockade on the Israeli port of Eilat by the “Ansar Allah” movement.

According to official Israeli figures, trade between the UAE and the occupying state has exceeded one and a half billion US dollars this year.

A recent report from the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics has highlighted an increase in trade between Israel and the UAE in the first half of 2024.

International media outlets and websites cited figures from the “Abraham Accords Peace Institute,” which referenced the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics, showing that trade volume reached $271.9 million in June 2024.

This reflects a 5% rise compared to the same month last year, bringing the total trade exchange between the two nations for the first six months of the year to $1.66 billion, with a growth rate of 7% over the corresponding period in 2023.

The UAE has demonstrated a willingness to invest directly in Israeli offenses, including military collaborations.

Hardly a week has passed since the signing of the “Abraham Accords” in September 2020, without a new investment in or with the occupying state, although announcements of figures reflecting the growth of trade relations between the two sides have declined during the war.

In parallel, the state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries is moving forward with a plan to establish a presence in the UAE by opening an air cargo store.

According to Bloomberg International, the Israeli company will reconfigure 10 Boeing 777 aircraft from the Emirates fleet into cargo aircraft in two hangars starting next October.

The agency stated that this step highlights the extent of Abu Dhabi’s commitment to continuing normalization and building relations with Israel within the framework of the bilateral alliance between them, even with the escalation of tensions in the region and the escalation of massacres against the Palestinians.

The Israeli firm finalized a contract with the Emirati airline in 2021 to modify four aircraft, which was among the first tangible outcomes of the normalization of relations between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv.

Currently, the UAE is attempting to create, albeit on a small scale, what it, the U.S., and Israel hope will serve as an alternative management system for the resistance factions in Gaza, focusing on aid distribution now and potentially overseeing the area in the future.

Given that Israel’s primary aim is to exterminate or displace the Palestinians in Gaza, the Emirati “noble knight” role becomes one of merely sustaining the victims before they are led to their doom.

Israeli media has repeatedly indicated that the government aims for an exclusive partnership with the UAE in Gaza after its devastating military campaign.