The UAE remains the sole Arab exception as a safe destination for Israelis amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
According to Bloomberg International, the number of Israeli tourists, who once frequently visited the Emirates, has seen a slight decline in recent months. As a result, Dubai’s hotels, restaurants, and bars are no longer as bustling with Israeli visitors as before.
Despite this decrease, Israelis and Jews continue to express that they feel safe in the UAE, maintaining its unique status among Arab nations.
Bloomberg also highlighted that, unlike other Arab countries, the UAE has not witnessed demonstrations in support of Palestinians or protests against Israel.
Bloomberg International stressed the role played by the UAE in efforts to resolve the conflict in Gaza, stating, “Through aid provided to Gaza and its relations with Israel, Abu Dhabi demonstrates its diplomatic influence.”
Over the past thirty years, the UAE has become the most prominent Arab country to establish official relations with Israel, achieved through the Abraham Accords, which were sponsored by the United States in 2020.
The UAE has maintained relations with Israel during the ongoing war on the Gaza Strip since October 7th.
After the normalization agreement, Israel and the UAE quickly established a close economic partnership. This contrasts with the peace agreements concluded decades ago with Egypt and Jordan, which did not lead to significant trade relations.
A trade agreement was signed in 2022, facilitating the arrival of Israeli entrepreneurs in the Emirates on direct flights from Tel Aviv. This led to the establishment of new business relationships and the expansion of previously secret ones.
According to data from the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics, trade between the two countries grew by 17 percent last year, reaching $2.95 billion.
The Department of Statistics also noted that despite a slowdown after the war, trade remained higher by 7 percent on an annual basis in the first quarter of 2024.
According to the agency, the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip has slowed commercial activities between Israel and the UAE. Previously welcomed interactions are now occurring discreetly, reflecting the widespread anger across the Arab world due to the conflict.
The UAE has actively promoted its humanitarian efforts in the media, highlighting its aid to Palestinians in Gaza. The conflict has displaced most of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, with many seeking refuge in temporary shelters in Rafah, facing shortages of food and basic medical supplies.
At the end of last month, Abu Dhabi called for the “deployment of a temporary international mission” to the Gaza Strip as the war between Israel and Hamas entered its tenth month. Ceasefire negotiations and hostage exchanges between the two parties, facilitated by mediators, remain stalled.
The official Emirates News Agency (WAM) quoted Minister of State for International Cooperation, Reem Al Hashemi, stating, “Consolidating peace and security and alleviating human suffering must start with deploying a temporary international mission to Gaza, upon the official invitation of the Palestinian government.”
She elaborated that “this international mission would be responsible for managing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, restoring law and order, establishing governance structures, and facilitating the reunification of Gaza and the West Bank under a unified and legitimate Palestinian authority.”
Axios reported last month that officials from the United States, Israel, and the UAE met in Abu Dhabi to discuss plans for Gaza post-conflict.
The agency concluded, “Abu Dhabi is using its strategic relationships and significant financial resources to take a leading role in diplomatic and humanitarian efforts related to the conflict. Additionally, it is preparing for a post-war scenario, which could involve deploying security forces to Gaza.”
Steven Hertog, an associate professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science, suggested that one of the UAE’s motives may be “to position itself as a key diplomatic mediator capable of engaging with both Israel and Egypt in a manner that few other countries can.”
He further noted, “The UAE is also facing considerable pressure to positively impact Palestine in response to the substantial criticism it has received in the Arab public sphere for establishing relations with Israel.”
Despite the efforts made, the report says, its influence does not go far, as the war shows no sign of ending, and the Israeli leadership has not paid much attention to international calls for a ceasefire.
Although the normalization deal aimed to boost economic cooperation between the two nations and ease regional and security tensions, the outcomes have been mixed. The UAE continued its dialogue with Israel throughout the Gaza conflict; however, Tel Aviv did not halt its extensive military operations in Gaza.
