Israel-UAE ties grow as US pushes allies to cut back on China relations
- Since normalising relations in 2020, Israel and the UAE have forged ahead with an ever-closer partnership built on investment and a shared distrust of Iran
- Washington wants its allies to turn to each other for support instead of Beijing – but observers say China ties are still crucial for both Middle East states
Yet the Emirati money heading Israel’s way isn’t entirely new, according to Israeli analyst Carice Witte, who said the investments announced since the signing of the Abraham Accords instead represent the formalisation – and multiplication – of the “massive amount of business that had been taking place under the table”.
Rather than some grand plan hatched by Washington, Witte – who is founder and executive director of the Sino-Israel Global Network and Academic Leadership think tank – said it was “a natural development” for the UAE to emerge as an alternative source of investment and technology development cooperation for Israel.
“A colleague in the US State Department said that it is a nice result, but assuming the US government planned it is attributing [Washington] with undeserved long-term strategic thinking,” she said.