Observers say the appointment of Yossi Shelley as Israel’s new ambassador to the UAE signals a deeper and more strategic phase in the UAE–Israel alliance. His confirmation is viewed not as a routine diplomatic procedure, but as a clear endorsement of expanding ties and regional influence.
Shelley, known for his close ties to Israel’s decision-making elite, marks a shift from coordination to direct partnership in shaping geopolitical dynamics. Analysts warn that this alliance—cemented in Abu Dhabi and engineered in Tel Aviv—is no longer limited to economic or symbolic cooperation.
What began in Gaza, observers argue, is expanding to broader regional designs:
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- Destabilising Syria’s post-war recovery,
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- Reframing power structures in Sudan,
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- Prolonging the Libyan divide,
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- Keeping Yemen in a state of managed conflict,
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- And undermining independent regional powers such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
Meanwhile, new Israeli data revealed unprecedented trade activity between Israel and its normalising Arab partners during the Gaza war (Oct 2023–Feb 2025). The UAE ranked first among these nations in both export and import volumes.
Key figures from the report:
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- 1377 product types exported from the UAE to Israel, including diamonds, precious metals, electronics, and food items.
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- 763 Israeli products imported by the UAE, with total trade exceeding $2 billion—accounting for nearly two-thirds of Israel’s total Arab trade.
The top categories exported by Arab states—mostly from the UAE—were:
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- Jewellery, pearls, and precious stones ($584.8M)
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- Electrical machinery and equipment ($278.5M)
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- Construction materials like cement and gypsum ($246.3M)
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- Food, clothing, chemicals, and agricultural fertilisers ($52.6M)
This economic deepening amid wartime has led many to view the Shelley appointment as a symbol of full-spectrum alignment—from trade to territory—with broader implications for the region’s power balance.
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