Since the signing of the Abraham Accords in 2020, one million Israelis have visited the United Arab Emirates, marking a significant milestone in the historic normalization treaty. According to
Lior Haiat, a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem, nearly one in ten Israelis have made the trip to the UAE since late 2020.
The increasing travel connections between the countries have contributed to this achievement, with over 200 weekly flights currently operating. Among them, 88 flights depart from Ben Gurion Airport to Dubai, while 22 flights travel to Abu Dhabi. Airlines such as Emirates, flydubai, and EL AL facilitate these flights.
Haiat attributes the UAE's popularity among Israelis to the absence of widespread antisemitism that has been witnessed in other Arab states. He explains that the UAE, having no historical Jewish presence, lacks deep-rooted hostility towards Jews. The locals in Dubai and Abu Dhabi do not view Israel as an enemy.
Regarding potential future developments, Hayat believes that Saudi Arabia could be the next Arab state to sign a separate agreement with Israel. He suggests that such an agreement would carry even more significance and could have a transformative impact on the region. Hayat points out that the Saudi leadership has already begun using different rhetoric when discussing Israel, indicating a shift in perception. Furthermore, he mentions ongoing discussions between Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Eli Cohen to expand the Abraham Accords to include countries like Indonesia, Niger, Mauritania, and Somalia. Photo by The White House from Washington, DC, Wikimedia commons.
