Recent official data reveals a shocking truth: the United Arab Emirates (UAE) now stands at the forefront of regional trade with the Israeli occupation state, cementing the alliance between the ruling regime in Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv, and further solidifying the normalization process between both sides. This betrayal of the Palestinian cause, the Arab world, and the broader Muslim community is now undeniable.
This comes even as statistics from Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics show a sharp decline in trade between Israel and 19 Arab and Muslim countries, with a staggering 52% drop in January 2024 compared to the same month in the previous year.
The decline was evident across both Arab countries, where trade fell by 9%, from $381 million to $348 million, and in non-Arab Muslim countries, where the drop was a staggering 80%, from $593 million to just $118 million. Despite these dire figures, trade between Israel and the rest of the world rose by approximately 7%, proving once again the growing isolation of the Arab and Muslim world from Israel’s war-driven economy.
In examining Israeli trade with 19 Arab and Muslim nations during the last year, the data reveals a glaring reality: Israel traded $7.8 billion with these countries, compared to $10.7 billion the previous year—an alarming 27% decline. The primary cause of this decline is the cessation of trade with Turkey since May 2023. Yet, even in this dire economic climate, the UAE’s contribution to the Israeli economy continues to flourish, amounting to a shocking $3.2 billion in trade, making it the largest Arab partner for Israel.
As Israel faces mounting isolation, its trade deficit with Arab and Muslim countries stands at a staggering $3.1 billion, with the UAE alone responsible for $2.3 billion of this deficit. This speaks volumes about the UAE’s complicity in furthering Israeli hegemony in the region at the expense of the Palestinian people and the Arab-Muslim unity that has always opposed Israeli occupation.
The UAE: A Central Player in Normalization with Israel
The UAE’s role in this normalization process cannot be overstated. Israel, with the full backing of Arab normalization states, particularly the UAE, is employing devious methods to market Israeli products throughout the Arab and Muslim world. These methods are designed to bypass the growing boycott of Israeli goods, which has intensified following Israel’s genocidal assault on Gaza in October 2023.
Israel’s efforts to flood Arab and Islamic markets with its products are relentless. The goal is clear: to increase Israeli exports and make Israeli goods a regular feature on the tables of Arab families, especially during Ramadan. This is not simply an economic strategy; it is a calculated move to legitimize Israeli occupation and its war crimes in the eyes of the Arab people.
In what can only be described as a conspiracy, Israel has resorted to methods of deceit, including the fraudulent relabeling of Israeli goods and “whitewashing” the reputation of its products before they are sold to the Arab world. These goods, especially household and consumables, are often sold with false branding, with some complicit traders and importers, including some Arab Zionists, aiding in this shameless trade. Their goal is simple: to reap profits at any cost, even if it means profiting off the blood of Palestinian children in Gaza.
One of the most flagrant examples of this betrayal is the infiltration of Israeli dates into Arab and Muslim tables, particularly during Ramadan, under false pretenses. These dates, originally produced in Israel, are falsely labeled as “Arab dates” and are sold in markets across the Arab world. Instead of bearing the label “Made in Israel,” these products are rebranded to say they were produced in countries like the UAE, Morocco, or Bahrain—countries that continue to maintain robust trade relations with the occupation state, despite its ongoing war crimes against Gaza.
The UAE’s Role in Propping Up Israeli Apartheid
The UAE’s support for Israel goes far beyond mere trade. Its normalization efforts serve to shield Israel from the consequences of its crimes. In doing so, the UAE is aiding and abetting Israel’s apartheid policies, which include the continued displacement of Palestinians and the massacre of innocents in Gaza. The UAE’s actions are not just about economic transactions; they are about ensuring that Israel remains unaccountable for its actions, while sabotaging the solidarity that once existed between Arabs, Muslims, and Palestinians.
By enabling the continued flow of Israeli goods into Arab and Muslim markets, the UAE is not only betraying Palestine, but also betraying the very essence of Arab identity. The UAE’s leaders have decided to align themselves with the enemy, helping Israel circumvent boycotts and ensuring that Israel’s economy thrives while Palestinian families suffer in the rubble of Gaza.
As the UAE continues to forge this toxic relationship with Israel, it sends a clear message: that economic interests and the pursuit of power are worth more than the lives of Palestinian children, the dignity of the Arab world, and the integrity of the Muslim Ummah.
The UAE’s role in promoting this normalization process and facilitating Israeli trade is a shameful chapter in the history of Arab complicity with the Israeli occupation. It’s time for the people of the Arab world and the broader Muslim community to recognize the UAE’s true role in this betrayal and stand firm in their commitment to Palestine, the Palestinian people, and the resistance to Israeli occupation.
The UAE has chosen to side with the oppressor, and history will not forget this decision. The Palestinian cause remains steadfast, and the UAE’s actions will only strengthen the resolve of those who continue to fight for justice, freedom, and the liberation of Palestine.
