Occupation Energy Minister Celebrates Strong Relationship with UAE Despite War

Israeli Occupation Energy Minister Eli Cohen asserted that the relationship with the United Arab Emirates remains strong despite ongoing wars, referring to the Israeli genocide campaign that has persisted for over a year against the Gaza Strip and the extensive attacks on Lebanon.

Cohen, who previously held the positions of Foreign Minister and Minister of Intelligence, reported that he has submitted an energy cooperation agreement between the two countries to the Knesset (parliament), in preparation for its approval by the government in the coming weeks.

He considered the agreement to be of strategic importance, proving that since the signing of the Abraham Accords, the relationships between the two countries have continued to strengthen. He claimed that Israel has significant potential to become a regional bridge between the West and the East, between Europe and the Gulf states.

“I intend to continue using the energy sector as a tool to promote political interests, and I am certain that the agreement will greatly contribute to increased stability and prosperity in the Middle East,” Cohen added.

Commercial activities continue between some Arab countries and the Israeli occupation amid the genocide war against the Gaza Strip and Lebanon. Notably, the UAE, Jordan, and Egypt maintain these ties despite widespread and visible criticism of Israel.

According to a report translated by “Arab21” from “Deutsche Welle,” the UAE-Israel Business Council was actively posting on social media nearly every day before October 7, enthusiastically informing the world about the quality of trade relations between Israel and the UAE following the normalization of relations in 2020 through what is known as the “Abraham Accords.”

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However, this changed after October 2023. The last post from the council, based in Tel Aviv, was on October 8, and there were no responses to inquiries about why it ceased celebrating the Emirati-Israeli trade relations. Despite a year of conflict, the relationship remains relatively strong in reality.

The report further explained that leaders of countries with trade relations with Israel, including the UAE, Jordan, and Egypt, criticized the way Tel Aviv conducts its military campaigns in Gaza and Lebanon.

Despite these criticisms, trade relations between these countries and Israel have not been significantly affected. The UAE is the most engaged with the occupation among the region’s countries, followed by Jordan, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, and Bahrain in terms of bilateral trade value.

According to the monthly foreign trade statistics for August 2024 collected by the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics, the volume of trade these countries conducted with Israel remained positive this year.

During 2023, the total trade value between the UAE and Israel was approximately $2.9 billion, and it might be higher this year. In the first seven months of 2024, the total Emirati-Israeli trade already amounted to $1.922 billion. If trends continue, the total Emirati-Israeli trade could reach $3.3 billion by the end of the year.