Arab Calls to Isolate the UAE, the ‘Pioneer of Normalization’ with the Occupation

Arab voices are increasingly calling for the isolation of the UAE, which has emerged as the ‘pioneer of normalization’ with the Israeli occupation and an overt adversary to the Palestinian cause and Arab rights.

Mohammed Jamil, head of the Arab Organization for Human Rights in Britain, highlighted that anyone observing the behavior of UAE leaders—particularly under Mohammed bin Zayed—regarding sensitive regional issues, foremost among them the Arab-Israeli conflict, will see that this small state has inflicted severe wounds on the Palestinian cause.

Jamil stated that the UAE regime is not merely a leader in normalization with the occupation state but aligns itself ideologically with the far-right movement that seeks to seize Palestinian land and expel its inhabitants.

He pointed out that the justifications presented by the UAE for signing the Abraham Accords—claiming to pursue peace in the region and assist Palestinians in obtaining their rights—have proven to be false and deceptive.

The reality post-normalization tells a different story. Israeli settlements have expanded rather than halted, settler attacks on Palestinian civilians and Al-Aqsa Mosque have intensified, and reports indicate Israeli preparations to build the so-called Third Temple on the site of Al-Aqsa.

All of this has unfolded under the watchful eye of bin Zayed, who has neither threatened to suspend agreements nor even condemned these actions. Instead, UAE-Israel relations have only strengthened, with high-level visits continuing, security, military, and economic cooperation deepening, and Emirati businessmen investing in illegal settlements and donating to extremist settler organizations.

Forced Normalization and Repression

The UAE regime has not only normalized ties with Israel but has imposed normalization on its people, prohibiting any expression of solidarity with Palestinians under threat of imprisonment or expulsion from the country. Meanwhile, Israeli settlers roam freely in the UAE, hosting Torah celebrations that glorify Israel, curse Arabs, and wish for their demise.

Bin Zayed did not stop at normalization within his country, Bahrain, and Morocco. He sought to impose it on all Arab states, using both incentives and coercion. One glaring example is the UAE’s attempts to pressure Algeria by fueling tensions between Morocco and Algeria, prompting an unprecedented media campaign against bin Zayed by the Algerian government.

UAE’s Role During the Gaza Genocide

This continued until October 7, when Israel launched a brutal war on Gaza lasting over fifteen months. During this time, Israeli forces committed unspeakable crimes, including genocide that claimed the lives of tens of thousands of women and children and destroyed over 80% of Gaza’s infrastructure. Despite these horrors, the UAE regime did not take any meaningful action to stop Israel, failing even to issue a mere condemnation.

Shockingly, normalization continued unabated. Bin Zayed remained unwavering in his commitment to Israel and the United States, refusing to alter his stance regardless of Israeli atrocities against Palestinians. Israeli officials and businesses continued operating as usual in the UAE, participating in military and economic exhibitions, hosting dedicated pavilions at conferences, and solidifying their economic and political presence—all while the UAE government promoted these events, indifferent to global criticism.

Even distant countries such as Spain, Ireland, Norway, Honduras, Colombia, Bolivia, and South Africa took stronger stances, severing diplomatic ties with Israel.

UAE’s Lifeline to the Israeli Economy

When the Houthis targeted ships heading to Israel via the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, causing a crisis in goods reaching Israel, bin Zayed rushed to Israel’s aid. He facilitated the construction of a land route from the UAE, passing through Saudi Arabia and Jordan, to deliver essential supplies to Israel—playing a crucial role in preventing its economy from collapsing.

To deflect criticism, the UAE launched the “Gallant Knight” humanitarian campaign, which was nothing more than a public relations stunt to whitewash its complicity. Reports from Gaza and international organizations confirmed that, despite this campaign, food, medicine, and fuel shortages worsened over the fifteen-month-long assault. The minimal aid that did arrive barely scratched the surface of the immense humanitarian catastrophe.

UAE Media’s Alignment with Israeli Narratives

Meanwhile, the UAE mobilized its media apparatus to propagate the Israeli perspective, often surpassing even Israeli media in its hostility toward Palestinians. The UAE regime actively obstructed any meaningful resolutions at Arab and Islamic summits and international forums that could have alleviated Palestinian suffering.

In his book The War, published in October 2024, investigative journalist Bob Woodward revealed the UAE’s behind-the-scenes stance on the Gaza genocide. According to Woodward, bin Zayed told U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a closed meeting: “Israel needs to be patient and given full space to complete the mission of eliminating Palestinian factions in Gaza. At the same time, Israel should allow us to send some aid to win the people’s hearts.”

Beyond mere rhetoric, the UAE actively pressured governments to adopt the Israeli narrative and prevent measures against Israel. Emirati diplomatic missions exerted immense pressure on South Africa to withdraw its case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). However, South Africa refused to comply and persisted with its legal battle—a case that, shamefully, no Arab or Muslim country except Turkey and Libya formally supported.

The UAE’s Failure to Sustain the War

Despite the UAE’s efforts to push Israel into continuing its genocidal campaign, Donald Trump—before officially returning to the White House—pressured Israel into a fragile ceasefire agreement. Just days after assuming office, he introduced a shocking new project advocating for the mass displacement of Gaza’s population. When asked about this proposal, the UAE’s ambassador to Washington, Yousef Al-Otaiba, responded: “It’s difficult, but there’s no alternative.”

This alarming statement, celebrated by Trump on his platform, and the UAE regime’s failure to distance itself from the ambassador’s remarks, confirm the UAE’s unwavering commitment to advancing U.S. and Israeli agendas in the region. It exposes the blatant hypocrisy of Emirati officials who publicly claim to uphold Arab principles and Palestinian rights while covertly undermining them.

The Inescapable Alliance

It is now evident to all that the UAE will not abandon normalization with Israel under the U.S. umbrella. Its relationship with Israel has become one of shared fate, making it impossible for Abu Dhabi to extricate itself from this alliance. The UAE, now regarded as a rogue state due to its destructive policies across the region, knows that the collapse of this alliance would leave it vulnerable to the backlash of the very nations it has harmed.

While it is true that other Arab regimes have cooperated with Israel, Jordan and Egypt, despite their peace treaties, have at least taken a firm stand against Trump’s displacement plan. Unlike the UAE, they have not used their wealth to inflame regional conflicts.

Moreover, all Arab regimes, without exception, have committed numerous crimes against their own people in the name of stability. During the Arab Spring, UAE-funded crackdowns crushed uprisings, reinforcing authoritarian rule, corruption, and the plundering of national wealth.

The Necessity of Isolating the UAE

Given the UAE’s destructive role internally and externally, it is imperative to isolate its regime and prevent its interference in regional affairs—particularly in the Palestinian cause.

If dignity remains among Arab nations, the UAE must no longer be allowed to continue its reckless actions. Its alignment with Israel contradicts fundamental values, ethics, and logic. It must face the consequences of its choices. The Arab world does not need it, especially when non-Arab nations have taken far more honorable stances. It is time to forge new alliances that genuinely serve the interests of Palestine and the wider region.

With Trump’s return, the global and Arab political landscape is deteriorating. Trump’s transactional approach to foreign policy means no country can rely on U.S. protection indefinitely. Ukraine was abandoned overnight, the EU faces existential challenges, and Trump even talks about annexing Canada. If he can sell out America’s closest allies, what makes the UAE think it will be spared?

Arab leaders must reassess their strategies, prioritize their nations’ interests, and break free from their subservience to Washington and Tel Aviv. After decades of destruction and exploitation, the time has come to chart a new, independent course that safeguards the rights and sovereignty of their peoples.