The Israeli website Surajim has sparked major controversy after publishing a report exposing a secret weapons transfer between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel, amid the ongoing devastating war in Gaza and rising regional tensions.
According to the report, an Ilyushin-76 cargo plane took off from Al-Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi and landed in southern Israel near the Nevatim Air Base, believed to be a central hub for receiving and distributing military shipments to the Israeli army.
The aircraft reportedly returned directly to the UAE after unloading its cargo — a process carried out swiftly and discreetly, in what appears to be a coordinated attempt to conceal the nature of military cooperation between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv.
Flight Details and Military Significance
Based on flight tracking data, the Emirati cargo plane departed Abu Dhabi on Tuesday evening, flying through Saudi and Jordanian airspace before entering the Negev Desert.
It landed at a military airport adjacent to Nevatim Air Base — a strategic facility known for storing and redistributing weaponry. Sources indicated that the shipment included ammunition and advanced military communications equipment, reinforcing assessments that the UAE has moved far beyond diplomatic and economic normalisation. It is now a direct supplier strengthening Israel’s war arsenal.
Alarming Political Implications
The revelations have reignited questions about the UAE’s true role in the region. While Abu Dhabi markets itself internationally as a “peace broker,” these shipments reveal a stark reality: it is financing and arming Israel during its genocidal war against Palestinians.
An Israeli political analyst told Surajim:
“These flights are no longer exceptions. They are part of a growing security partnership between the UAE and Israel that goes beyond intelligence-sharing to direct military support.”
The analyst added that Abu Dhabi aims to cement its position as a trusted strategic ally of both Tel Aviv and Washington.
Nevatim Air Base, situated in the Negev, is one of Israel’s most important strategic airbases, hosting advanced F-35 fighter jets and serving as a major receiving point for foreign weapons shipments. The choice of this base for the Emirati plane’s landing was deliberate — a clear signal that the cargo was destined directly for Israel’s military establishment.
Outrage Across the Arab World
The report has provoked widespread anger across Arab and Palestinian circles. Activists condemned the UAE’s role, describing it as “open complicity in the killing of Palestinians by funding and arming Israel’s war machine.” Many demanded an international investigation into these transfers.
A spokesperson for a Gaza-based human rights organisation stated:
“While children are dying daily under bombardment and blockade, planes arrive from Abu Dhabi carrying weapons to fuel our suffering. This is not normalisation — it is direct participation in the war on the Palestinian people.”
UAE’s Double Standards Exposed
The revelations highlight the deep contradiction between Emirati officials’ rhetoric about “stability” and “humanitarian initiatives for Gaza” and their actions, which expose direct involvement in strengthening Israel’s military capacity.
Observers argue that Abu Dhabi’s real aim is to bolster a long-term strategic alliance with Israel, even if it comes at the cost of Palestinian lives and regional stability.
This military cooperation not only strengthens Israel’s position as a regionally dominant power but also risks triggering a regional arms race. Other Arab states may respond with suspicion or escalation, further destabilising the Middle East.
Moreover, these developments could pose serious challenges for the European Union and the United Nations, particularly if Emirati-supplied weapons are proven to have been used in documented war crimes against civilians in Gaza.
