Why Is Israel Manipulating the UAE Despite Being a Close Ally?

The UAE–Israel relationship was built on the rapid normalization and deep cooperation that began with the 2020 Abraham Accords. The agreement established full diplomatic relations between Israel and the UAE, opened embassies, introduced visa-free travel, and launched direct flights. The UAE became the third Arab country, after Egypt (1979) and Jordan (1994), to normalize relations with Israel.

After the Economic and Trade Cooperation Agreement, trade exploded. It began with a 510% increase in 2021, reached approximately $2.9–3 billion in 2023, and rose to around $3.2 billion in 2024.

In 2022/2023, the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) was signed, with the goal of reaching $10 billion in trade volume within five years. Investments exceeded $5 billion. In tourism, millions of Israelis visited the UAE. There has been intensive cooperation in areas such as technology, defense, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, water, agriculture, and healthcare.

The UAE became Israel’s most important trade partner in the region.

Security and defense cooperation has also stood out, particularly intelligence sharing against the Iranian threat, cybersecurity cooperation, and air defense systems (for example, the SPYDER system purchased from Israel). Joint military exercises and regional integration efforts through CENTCOM also became prominent.

After October 7, 2023, and the Gaza war, relations went through a serious stress test, but the basic structure of the relationship — trade, defense, and flights — was largely preserved. The UAE condemned the Hamas attacks and became one of the few countries that continued flights with Israel. It also sent humanitarian aid to Gaza, established a field hospital, and condemned the deaths of civilians.

Over time, however, public diplomacy and high-profile activities between the UAE and Israel began to slow down. Business meetings became more discreet. The UAE declared the annexation of the West Bank a “red line” and continued to support a two-state solution. Despite this, trade continued growing in 2024, showing that strategic and economic interests outweighed political tensions.

In short, UAE–Israel relations were built on a pragmatic foundation based on the “shared Iranian threat,” technology and defense cooperation, and economic opportunities. Although the Gaza war created cold winds in public opinion and diplomacy, the ties did not break and even showed resilience in some areas such as trade and logistics. While the UAE maintained its critical stance on the Palestinian issue, it continued to prioritize its strategic partnership. However, in recent weeks, the relationship appears to have entered a serious period of distrust and questioning.

On May 12, 2026, according to reports in the Israeli press, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee spoke at a meeting at Tel Aviv University and said, “We are currently in a ceasefire process, and we do not know where this will lead.”

Continuing his remarks, Huckabee turned to the Gulf countries and stated: “The Gulf states have now realized that they must make a choice: Are they more likely to be attacked by Iran, or by Israel?” Using a diplomatically threatening tone, Huckabee suggested that the Gulf states must choose sides between the US-Israel alliance and Iran, asking: “Which side do you want to be on?”

Referring to the UAE as a member of the Abraham Accords, Huckabee added: “But look at the benefits they received from it. Israel sent them Iron Dome batteries and personnel to help operate them.”

According to Israel Hayom newspaper, US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz also stated during a meeting organized by Israel’s UN mission in New York that Israel had sent Iron Dome air defense systems to the UAE during the war that began with attacks on Iran.

Israel is trying to “control the UAE from within” under the excuse of protecting it from attacks!

A report dated April 26, 2026, by the US-based Axios platform — which frequently publishes operational stories tied to US and Israeli intelligence sources — claimed that military, security, and intelligence cooperation between Israel and the UAE reached unprecedented levels during the war. The report cited “two unnamed Israeli officials and one American official.”

According to these officials, after a conversation between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during the first days of the war, Netanyahu ordered the deployment of an Israeli Iron Dome battery and dozens of Israeli soldiers responsible for operating it to the UAE.

The officials emphasized that the UAE became the first country after Israel itself to use the Iron Dome air defense system. They also claimed that Iron Dome intercepted dozens of Iranian missiles launched toward the UAE.

Although this may appear to provide a concrete contribution to the UAE’s urgent security needs, it actually points to an extremely dangerous situation that could threaten the security — and even the survival — of the UAE and other Gulf states.

Why do we think this?

When Donald Trump first took office, he visited Saudi Arabia and the UAE, praised them endlessly, and sought hundreds of billions of dollars from them. Why, then, has the US recently begun using such threatening language toward these same countries through its ambassador in Israel?

Israel does not see Riyadh and Abu Dhabi as “friends.” It simply wants to use them.

Israel is attempting to corner the UAE and Saudi Arabia because it believes they may obstruct the IMEC project that begins in India, and because they may turn toward alternative routes.

Indeed, during a press conference on March 19, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that, after the war, they aimed to eliminate the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz through a new pipeline project that would transport Middle Eastern oil directly to Israeli ports. With this statement, Netanyahu effectively revealed that one of the goals of the war launched jointly with the US against Iran on February 28 was to establish a new oil order in which Middle Eastern energy would be distributed through Israel.

At the press conference, Netanyahu explained the plan with the following words:

“If you build oil and gas pipelines crossing the Arabian Peninsula westward directly to Israel and our Mediterranean ports, then you eliminate these narrow straits forever. I see this as a real transformation that will come after the war.”

The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said, “Netanyahu secretly visited Abu Dhabi.” The UAE denied it!

Netanyahu is trying to isolate and pressure the Abu Dhabi administration in the Islamic world by portraying it as an Israeli collaborator through claims of a visit that, according to the UAE, never happened — whether openly or secretly. If Netanyahu truly made a secret visit, why would his own office publicly announce it to the world in a way that would place the UAE in a difficult position? Would a well-intentioned statesman expose his “friend” like this?

Did Benjamin Netanyahu deploy the Iron Dome system — which Israel has never stationed anywhere outside Israel itself — in the UAE to protect the country, or to completely control it from within under the pretext of protection?

As the US and Israel insist on dragging Gulf countries into their own war — a conflict that does not concern others — what exactly are they aiming for? Is it truly to defeat or destroy Iran? Or are they using the so-called Iranian threat as an excuse to ignite a Sunni-Shia war in the Islamic world, create a new Karbala, and prolong their own brutal regional presence while Muslims fight one another?

Who is carrying out the false-flag attacks, and for what purpose?

Since the attacks on Iran began on February 28, Tehran has stated that it was not responsible for many of the drone and missile attacks targeting Gulf countries, especially the UAE. If Iran is not behind these attacks, then who might be?

It has emerged that Israel has secret military bases in certain parts of Iraq. What could Israel be doing at these bases? Could similar bases also exist inside Iran? Taking advantage of the chaos created by war and the inability of Tehran to fully control the country, could Israel be launching drone and missile attacks against neighboring states from Iranian territory?

Israel is taking shelter under the wings of the United States in the region!

According to a report published by Middle East Monitor, former Iraqi Defense Ministry adviser Maen al-Jubouri stated that Israeli military movements in Iraq’s desert regions were being carried out under the cover of American forces, accusing Washington of “deceiving” Iraqi authorities. Such a situation would mean that Israel is conducting its activities in Iraq under the appearance and uniforms of US troops.

Jubouri said: “These bases were imposed by the conditions the region is experiencing. We know that Iraq has become a theater for many operational and military activities.” He also added that Iraq’s military geography provides both Israel and the United States with room to operate freely.

The UAE said: “The attack came through Iraq!”

In a statement on May 20, the UAE announced that “the drones that struck the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant last week were launched from Iraq,” and claimed that “Iran-backed militias continue targeting Gulf energy infrastructure on behalf of Tehran.” But was it really Iran — or Israel?

Looking at developments in the region, it appears that Saudi Arabia has recognized this trap and is working on a structure similar to the Helsinki Accords in order to unite regional countries against it. This situation is reportedly causing serious discomfort for both Israel and the United States.

A report shared by the Lebanon-based Tactical Report account on X highlighted another important development:

The UAE is searching for a new direction!

“On May 8, 2026, UAE Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed visited Ankara and met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Following the visit, UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed (MBZ) held a phone call with Erdoğan to discuss regional developments. Both the visit and the call reflect the UAE’s effort to politically and strategically reposition itself in the region after recent developments.”

From this, we can understand that the UAE may have entered a search for new alliances and directions regarding what it sees as the manipulative games of the US and Israel. This points to extremely serious developments that may emerge in our region in the near future.

In fact, this move may already be too late. Why has the UAE allowed itself to be manipulated so easily? Why does it appear so willing to enter a war with Iran? Are they too inexperienced to realize that this is a major trap? What more needs to happen for them to understand that a mindset which sees everyone outside the “Children of Israel” as lesser beings can never truly be a friend? Is the Abu Dhabi administration too weak to see how Ukraine — provoked into confrontation with Russia — ended up abandoned and devastated? With whom has Israel ever genuinely maintained a lasting friendship? Do they really believe that those who massacred tens of thousands of innocent babies and civilians in Gaza would show mercy to the children of the UAE? Has the time not finally come to question all of this?

The Children of Israel see everyone outside themselves as “Amalek” — the eternal enemy that must be destroyed. This is presented as a core principle within their belief system. Politics cannot change this reality. No one should ignore it.

The UAE must wake up, pull itself together, and understand that friendship with Israel is impossible. It must realize that one cannot share a bed with a bear or a snake. The UAE should urgently strengthen alliances with friendly and brotherly countries and teach this cursed Israel the lesson it deserves.

Otherwise, these blood-drinking vampires — whose mouths are filled with Muslim blood — may one day swallow the UAE itself, despite all of its material and spiritual power.

Alper Tan

20 May 2026