Report: UAE Leads Rankings in Normalization Efforts with Israel
An analytical study revealed that the UAE leads the Arab world in normalization and engagement with Israel across various sectors, including economic, political, cultural, tourism, and other fields.
The study, conducted by the Advisory Center for Studies and Documentation, evaluated normalization activities between Arab countries and Israel, organizing them into statistical tables to facilitate comparisons between countries that have formal agreements with Israel and those that do not officially recognize Tel Aviv.
The study’s findings indicated that Bahrain and Morocco secured second and third positions, respectively, in the Arab world. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia ranked highest among Arab countries without official diplomatic ties to Israel, based on instances of normalization activities.
The normalization index is divided into eight categories, encompassing economic and trade relations, diplomatic ties, security and military cooperation, political engagement, tourism, cultural and educational exchanges, as well as sports and scientific collaboration.
According to the index, the UAE demonstrated the highest level of normalization activities, excelling in economic and commercial engagement (56 instances), political normalization (24 instances), and diplomatic relations (18 instances), cementing its position as the leader in Arab-Israeli normalization efforts.
The analysis of normalization activities between Arab countries and Israel highlights varying levels of engagement across the region. Bahrain stands out with significant economic normalization (22 cases), diplomatic ties (14 cases), and security cooperation (10 cases). Morocco, on the other hand, prioritizes diplomatic normalization (10 cases), followed by political (5 cases) and economic activities (4 cases).
Egypt ranks fourth, with diplomatic normalization (6 cases) being the most prominent area of engagement, while Jordan, fifth on the index, focuses primarily on diplomatic relations, surpassing five cases, with limited activity in economic and security cooperation.
The study underscores the differing trends and areas of interaction in the normalization process, including the engagement of individuals and institutions in economic, political, and educational collaboration with Israel. However, the index excludes undeclared activities or continuous forms of engagement, such as embassy operations or daily commercial traffic, focusing instead on measurable actions like official visits and joint initiatives.
Meanwhile, the ongoing war in Gaza and Lebanon has led many airlines to suspend flights to Israel due to safety concerns, except for Emirati airlines like Fly Dubai and Etihad. These carriers continue to operate flights, maintaining the UAE’s economic and political ties with Israel despite the regional security challenges.
Joshua Teitelbaum, a Middle East studies professor, described the UAE’s consistent airline operations as both a political and economic stance, demonstrating enduring links between the two nations. This ongoing relationship is further anticipated to strengthen in the event of political shifts, such as Donald Trump’s potential return to the White House.
Since the outbreak of the Israeli occupation war in Gaza on October 7, 2023, international airlines have faced repeated disruptions, with some suspending, resuming, and halting flights to and from Israel amid escalating tensions.
Concerns over safety remain high, particularly with memories of past tragedies like the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in Ukraine in 2014 and Ukraine Airlines Flight 752 by Iran in 2020.
Despite this, flydubai, a subsidiary of Emirates, has maintained a consistent flight schedule, ensuring Israel remains connected to global air traffic, even as budget carriers halted their services.
Similarly, Etihad Airways has continued flying to Israel, though its frequency is lower than that of flydubai. The UAE’s ongoing flight operations reflect not only its political commitment to its 2020 normalization agreement with Israel but also a financial boon, especially for flydubai.
While international airlines like Delta, Lufthansa, and others have suspended or temporarily resumed flights, citing safety concerns following Iranian missile strikes on Israel in early October and Israeli retaliatory actions, flydubai has remained a key player. It has operated over 1,800 flights to Israel since last year, with only 77 cancellations, according to Cirium, a global air traffic data firm. In September alone, it conducted 200 flights.
One passenger waiting in a long line at flydubai’s desk remarked that the airline’s continuous flights symbolized the UAE’s desire to uphold peace.
In contrast, Etihad, which has also maintained its Israel routes, operates fewer flights compared to flydubai, capitalizing on the suspension of low-cost carriers like Wizz Air and Blue Bird. Etihad has emphasized that it is closely monitoring the evolving situation but remains committed to maintaining its flight schedule.
