The United Arab Emirates continues to impose strict restrictions on public expressions of solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where one of the worst humanitarian catastrophes in modern history continues to unfold. The measures form part of an ongoing policy of repression and silencing dissent.
As famine worsens, the healthcare system collapses, and the bombardment and blockade continue, the UAE has, rather than serving as a platform for support as portrayed by its state media, become one of the most restrictive countries when it comes to suppressing sympathy for the Palestinian people.
The policy has moved beyond official silence over Israel’s actions and developed into an active campaign targeting and intimidating anyone who dares to express solidarity, even through the simplest of words.
Student Deported After Chanting “Free Palestine”
One of the latest examples was highlighted by the British newspaper Muslim Mirror, which reported the case of 22 year old student Aisha Ahmed, who was deported from the UAE after chanting “Free Palestine” during her graduation ceremony at New York University Abu Dhabi in May.
According to the reports, Ahmed, an American student of Arab heritage studying political science, observed a moment of silence before raising her voice and calling for freedom for Palestine.
Security personnel immediately removed her from the ceremony for questioning. She was detained overnight before being informed that she would be deported immediately on charges of “disturbing public order”.
She was not permitted to complete her studies and was given no detailed legal explanation beyond the broad accusation often used by authoritarian governments to justify suppressing opinions that do not align with official policy.
Normalisation at the Expense of Conscience
This is neither the first such incident nor is it expected to be the last under the UAE’s current policies, which increasingly place loyalty to the normalisation agreements with Israel above public expressions of solidarity with Palestinians facing daily destruction in Gaza.
Since signing the Abraham Accords in 2020, Abu Dhabi has pursued comprehensive normalisation extending far beyond diplomatic relations, while promoting a narrative that leaves no room for Palestine, resistance, or public solidarity.
This approach has expanded into the targeting of anyone inside the country who challenges that narrative, whether citizens, residents, or visitors.
Repeated reports indicate that authorities have summoned and, in some cases, detained activists and foreign nationals for expressing solidarity with Gaza through social media posts, charitable donations, or participation in symbolic events.
While mass demonstrations take place in cities such as London, Paris, and Washington, even raising the Palestinian flag or posting the words “Save Gaza” is prohibited in Abu Dhabi.
Repression Beyond the Public Sphere
The case of Aisha Ahmed has further exposed what critics describe as the state’s heavy handed approach towards the Palestinian issue.
According to Muslim Mirror, human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, described her treatment as a clear violation of freedom of expression, a right protected under international conventions, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which the UAE is a signatory.
In practice, however, authorities continue to treat these rights as security threats, criminalising even the most basic expressions of humanitarian concern.
In a statement, New York University Abu Dhabi expressed “deep concern” over Ahmed’s detention and called on authorities to provide an urgent explanation. The incident attracted widespread international attention, particularly given that the university is regarded as part of the UAE’s effort to project itself as a centre of culture and openness.
Social Media Becomes the Last Space for Solidarity
With public freedoms increasingly restricted inside the UAE, social media has become one of the few remaining spaces where people can express solidarity.
Platforms including X, Instagram, and TikTok were flooded with messages supporting Ahmed, with many questioning how a young woman who did nothing more than express sympathy for civilians facing starvation and bombardment in Gaza could be treated as though she had committed a crime.
One Turkish activist wrote, “Perhaps this level of Zionist repression does not even exist in Israel,” highlighting what many viewed as the contradiction between the UAE’s public messaging of tolerance and openness and its treatment of those expressing humanitarian solidarity with Palestine.
A Policy of Erasing Public Solidarity
Perhaps the most significant aspect of the UAE’s current approach is not simply its silence regarding the suffering in Gaza, but its efforts to suppress public solidarity with Palestinians altogether.
Critics argue that this policy seeks to promote the idea that Palestine has become a forbidden cause with no place in the conscience of Arab societies, a position they say aligns with Israel’s long standing objective of isolating Gaza from its Arab and Islamic surroundings.
However, such policies come at a cost.
Each new case of repression, including that of Aisha Ahmed, generates greater public awareness, challenges official narratives, and increasingly places the UAE itself under international scrutiny, not as a regional mediator, but as a participant in silencing those who speak out on behalf of the victims.
