Since the signing of the peace agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates on September 15, 2020 on the lawn of the White House, the normalization of relations between the two nations has advanced very quickly. Bilateral agreements have since multiplied in many areas: tourism, trade, transport, banks, education, sport, etc. The first Israeli consulate in Dubai even opened in early 2021.
Thanks to the establishment of direct air links, the United Arab Emirates is experiencing an influx of Israeli tourists. Some Israelis have even organized bar mitzvahs or weddings in major hotels in Dubai, where the first restaurants with kosher menus can be found. “I am impressed with Dubai, confesses Ilan Studman, Israeli consul in Dubai. By the cleanliness of the place, by the kindness of the people. Everyone is friendly to me. For me, it is very moving to be so well received in an Arab country. “
It’s a peace “warm“, describes Alex Peterfreund, co-founder of the Jewish Council of the Emirates.”We feel that there are a lot of interactions, I see groups forming between young Emiratis and young Israelis, in the field of culture, business, sport“A synagogue construction project is under development, explains Alex Peterfreund. It will make it possible to have a mosque, a church and a synagogue united in the same area.
Israeli businessmen look at the Emirates with gusto, because Dubai is a wide open door to world affairs. “My priority is first of all to develop the business“, confirms the Israeli consul in Dubai Ilan Studman. Since the signing of the agreement, trade has exceeded the mark of one billion dihrams (around 250 million euros) despite the health crisis which is slowing the pace.
On the Emirati side, we also expect a lot from these new fields of cooperation. “For us, these indications and this potential are very important. Whether it is cooperation in technologies, in business, in investments, in health, agriculture, etc. “, list Anouar Gargash, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates.
The Emirates also expect a lot from this cooperation in the fields of armaments and security. “We insist that this is not a geostrategic agreement. It has nothing to do with Iran“, wishes to reassure Anouar Gargash. The two countries, however, have in common an obsession with Iran, which they see as a threat to regional stability.
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