An American Newspaper Exposes the UAE: A Lifeline for Israel

The New York Times revealed the UAE’s close ties with Israel, describing Abu Dhabi as a crucial support for Tel Aviv in the Arab world, amidst growing resentment over the occupation fueled by ongoing aggression against Gaza.”

The newspaper said that anger is growing against the Israeli occupation among Emirati citizens, but the repression of the Abu Dhabi authorities prevents criticism from emerging.

It added, “While the Israeli bombing of Gaza for months has fueled anger throughout the region, it has become difficult to find Emirati supporters for the normalization agreement.”

It cited an Emirati entrepreneur, formerly an advocate for economic ties with Israel, stating that he resigned from the Emirati-Israeli Business Council and declined further comment.

Some Emiratis said that although they are frustrated with the agreements, they are afraid to speak out, citing their authoritarian government’s history of arresting critics.

However, the newspaper highlighted that Dhahi Khalfan, the Deputy Chief of Dubai Police, openly condemned Israel on social media, asserting that Arabs “genuinely desire peace,” while Israel has demonstrated its malign intentions.

Experts suggest that Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv are unlikely to rescind the normalization agreement and the declared alliance between them. The UAE continues to serve as a vital diplomatic connection for Israel, particularly as its relations with other Arab countries worsen.

The New York Times noted that Abu Dhabi has brought billions of dollars in trade and positive public relations in Western countries.

Mohammed Baharoun, head of the Dubai Research Center, said that the current course of the war does not bode well for the agreements or the security of the Middle East.

He added: “This is a partnership, and if one of the partners does not pay his dues, it is not a partnership anymore.”

Anger toward the Israeli occupation and its main ally, the United States, has escalated sharply in the Arab world due to the aggression on Gaza, which led to the death of more than 30,000 Palestinians, according to health officials in Gaza, and left two million others facing mass displacement, the risk of famine and the collapse of the medical system.

The conflict has caused a reevaluation of ties with Israel among the few Arab leaders who maintain such relations. In November, Jordan recalled its ambassador, while Egyptian officials cautioned that any situation leading to an influx of Gazans into Egypt could endanger the normalization agreement.

Israel’s diplomats in Bahrain, Morocco, and Egypt have been reduced relatively since the start of the aggression on October 7.

In contrast, the Israeli embassy and consulate in the UAE are the sole fully functioning diplomatic missions in the Arab region.

Additionally, several government airlines in the countries that have normalized relations suspended their flights, rendering the UAE the sole Middle Eastern country where direct travel to Israel remains possible, as reported by the newspaper.

The newspaper notes that despite the pressure, Emirati officials say they have no intention of severing relations.

In late February, Israeli Economy Minister Nir Barkat became the first Israeli minister to visit the UAE since October 7, to attend a meeting of the World Trade Organization. He said in an interview that he was “very optimistic” after he met with Emirati officials.

“There is a bit of sensitivity while the war is still going on,” he said, but the two countries “have identical interests, and the Abraham Accords are very strategic for all of us.”