Arab Calls to Isolate the UAE Regime, the “Pioneer of Normalization” with Israel
The UAE's deepening ties with Israel, its suppression of pro-Palestinian voices, and its role in regional conflicts spark growing calls for diplomatic isolation.
Watan-Arab voices are growing louder in urging the isolation of the UAE regime, which has been a leading force in normalizing ties with Israel and has taken a blatantly hostile stance against the Palestinian cause and Arab rights.
Mohammed Jamil, head of the Arab Organization for Human Rights in Britain, highlighted that the actions of the UAE leadership—under Mohammed bin Zayed—have inflicted deep wounds on the Palestinian cause. He stated that the UAE is not just a pioneer of normalization but is fully aligned with the extremist right-wing ideology that seeks to seize Palestinian land.
Jamil also dismissed the UAE’s justification for signing the Abraham Accords—claiming it aimed to achieve peace and support Palestinian rights—as false. He pointed out that since the agreement, Israeli settlement expansion has increased, settler attacks on Palestinians and Al-Aqsa Mosque have intensified, and reports indicate that Israel is preparing to build its temple on the mosque’s site.
Despite these developments, bin Zayed remained silent, refraining from even condemning Israeli actions or threatening to suspend agreements. Instead, UAE-Israel relations grew stronger, with high-level visits continuing and security, military, and economic cooperation reaching unprecedented levels. Emirati businessmen even invested in Israeli settlements and donated to extremist settler organizations.
Suppressing Solidarity and Promoting Normalization
What is striking about the UAE’s normalization with Israel is that it has been forcibly imposed on its citizens. Expressions of solidarity with Palestinians or even mere sympathy are punishable by imprisonment or expulsion. Meanwhile, Israeli settlers roam freely in the UAE, holding Torah celebrations that glorify Israel and curse Arabs.
Bin Zayed did not stop at normalizing ties in the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco; he sought to impose it on all Arab nations—sometimes through incentives and at other times through coercion. One notable example is the UAE’s role in inflaming the Algeria-Morocco conflict, prompting an unusual media campaign from Algeria against bin Zayed.
UAE’s Stance During the Gaza War
This continued until the outbreak of the October 7 events and Israel’s brutal assault on Gaza, which lasted over 15 months and resulted in tens of thousands of civilian deaths, mostly women and children, and the destruction of over 80% of the territory.
The horrifying scenes of mass killings, destruction, and starvation did not prompt the UAE to take any meaningful action to stop Israel. Instead, normalization persisted at full strength, without the slightest deviation from the commitments bin Zayed made to the U.S. and Israel upon signing the accords.
Israeli participation in UAE events remained unchanged, with Israeli delegations attending military and economic exhibitions and conferences. The UAE regime even facilitated the flow of goods to Israel by opening a land route through Saudi Arabia and Jordan, alleviating Israel’s supply shortages caused by Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping. This action played a key role in preventing Israel’s economic collapse.
To deflect criticism, the UAE launched the “Gallant Knight” humanitarian campaign, which was widely seen as a PR stunt. Testimonies from Gaza and international reports confirmed that food, medicine, and fuel shortages persisted throughout the war, and the UAE’s aid was insufficient to meet the desperate needs of the population.
Backing Israel’s Narrative and Undermining International Efforts
The UAE’s media machine actively propagated Israel’s narrative, sometimes even surpassing Israeli media in hostility toward Palestinians. Furthermore, the UAE obstructed efforts at Arab and Islamic summits and international platforms aimed at easing the suffering of Palestinians.
Investigative journalist Bob Woodward, in his book War (published in October 2024), revealed the UAE’s true stance behind closed doors. According to Woodward, during a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, bin Zayed urged Israel to remain patient and assured it had “all the space needed to finish the job and eliminate factions in Gaza,” while simultaneously advocating for aid deliveries to maintain public goodwill.
Additionally, the UAE pressured countries to adopt Israel’s narrative and lobbied South Africa to withdraw its genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice. However, South Africa refused and proceeded with the case, receiving support only from Turkey and Libya—while no other Arab or Muslim country joined.
UAE’s Role in the U.S.-Israel Agenda
Despite the UAE’s efforts to sustain Israel’s war, it ultimately failed. Before Donald Trump reentered the White House, he pushed for a ceasefire, leading to a fragile truce. However, shortly after taking office, Trump unveiled a shocking proposal for the mass displacement of Gaza’s population. When UAE Ambassador to the U.S. Yousef Al Otaiba was asked about the plan, he responded, “It’s difficult, but there is no alternative!”
Trump welcomed this statement, and the UAE’s lack of action against Al Otaiba indicated its full alignment with U.S.-Israeli plans. This confirmed that UAE leaders’ public claims of supporting Palestinian rights were mere deception.
Arab Leaders Must Rethink Their Alliances
It has become evident that the UAE will never abandon normalization under U.S. patronage. Its relationship with Israel is now one of shared destiny. The UAE, widely seen as a rogue actor in the region due to its role in regional conflicts, understands that breaking away from this alliance would expose it to public backlash.
While other Arab regimes like Egypt and Jordan have long-standing peace agreements with Israel, they have at least opposed Trump’s forced displacement plan. The UAE, on the other hand, has weaponized its wealth to exacerbate conflicts rather than de-escalate them.
The destructive role the UAE has played—both domestically and across the region—necessitates its isolation and the curtailing of its interference, especially in Palestinian affairs. If Arab leaders still possess any dignity, they must put an end to this reckless agenda.
At a time when non-Arab countries like Spain, Ireland, Norway, Honduras, Colombia, Bolivia, and South Africa have taken bold stances against Israel, Arab nations must also reassess their alliances. They should establish new partnerships based on mutual respect rather than subservience to the U.S. and Israel.
The upcoming Arab emergency summit, originally scheduled for February 27 but postponed to March 4, was intended to respond to Trump’s plan. However, it should have been convened earlier to reinforce the ceasefire and aid Gaza rather than reacting to a proposal that is already dead on arrival.
The focus of this summit should not be Trump’s failed plan but rather ensuring a lasting ceasefire, rebuilding Gaza, and stopping the creeping genocide in the West Bank.
It is now indisputable that Netanyahu and his far-right government are constantly seeking opportunities to expand their aggression. The normalization they pursue is merely a tool to fulfill their ideological goals. If anything, Trump’s plan has exposed Netanyahu’s ambitions, as he brazenly suggested that a Palestinian state should be established in Saudi Arabia.
This summit must rise to the challenges ahead. Netanyahu’s government is preparing to resume its onslaught, as evidenced by its refusal to fully implement the ceasefire agreement and its excessive demands for phase two.
The time for passivity has passed. If necessary, direct intervention must be considered. It would be disgraceful for the Arab world to stand idle once again while Netanyahu resumes the mass slaughter he started 16 months ago.
