Why the UAE Feels Like the Middle East’s New New York for Israelis
The article portrays Dubai and Abu Dhabi as places where Israelis, and many other Middle Easterners, can meet, talk and do business in ways that are difficult elsewhere in the region. Since direct flights from Tel Aviv began nearly six years ago, traffic has surged to about 200 flights a week between Israel and the UAE, a three-hour route made possible by Saudi Arabia’s airspace. The writer argues that this has created a rare “warm peace” that is visible not only in tourism and trade, but in everyday encounters.
In Dubai’s spice market and on the streets, the author meets Iranians, Syrians and others who immediately react positively when they hear Hebrew or learn the visitors are Israeli. One Iranian seller from Shiraz greets them warmly and discusses the war and the problems of importing saffron because of the Strait of Hormuz blockade. A Syrian waiter from Suwayda speaks about his murdered cousin and his ties to Druze in Majdal Shams, while another Syrian, from Idlib, says the former jihadist in power should be given a chance and directs his anger mainly at Iran and Turkey. The article says such face to face exchanges are a brief escape from online hatred.
The piece also highlights the practical presence of Israelis in the UAE. Mila Viskin, who imports and distributes Israeli goods, says the war complicated logistics but not her sense of belonging in Dubai, which has been her second home for six years. She can fly to Tel Aviv for Shabbat in three hours. The local Jewish community is said to number about 7,000 people, many of them Israelis, and trade between Israel and the UAE remains around $3 billion annually, excluding services and military activity.
A major focus is Abu Dhabi’s role as a hub for interfaith and regional dialogue. At the Crossroads of Civilizations museum in Dubai, founded by Ahmed Obaid AlMansoori, the writer sees Jewish heritage items, Zionist artifacts and the Arab world’s only Holocaust corner. AlMansoori says history belongs to humanity, not politics. At the “Ambassadors of Coexistence” conference, delegations from Israel and across the region discuss interreligious cooperation, education and moderation. Officials including Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi and Firas Habal frame the Abraham Accords as a strategic, long term partnership, while Abu Dhabi continues to lead aid to Gaza and hosts Mohammed Dahlan, a key figure in discussions about the enclave’s future.
