UAE Ambassador defends relationship with Israel

Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, the United Arab Emirates' ambassador to the United Nations, stood firm on Monday in defending her country's decision to maintain ties with Israel despite growing concerns over its conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The UAE, which normalized relations with Israel in 2020 as part of the Abraham Accords negotiated by the United States, has expressed solidarity with Gazans since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas on October 7. However, they have faced criticism for their relationship with the Israeli state.

At the summit of world governments in Dubai, an annual event bringing together business and political figures, Mrs. Nusseibeh stated, 'Through this cooperation, we have a field hospital in Gaza and a maritime hospital that docks in the port of Al-Arish, Egypt.'"

"For the people of Gaza, this is not enough. What we need is a humanitarian ceasefire and a two-state solution," she added. "Will we achieve it by talking to those who agree with us? No. We will achieve it by talking to those who disagree with us, and the United Arab Emirates will always be proud to do so."

In recent days, the UAE, along with several other Gulf Arab states, has joined in warning Israel against launching an offensive in Rafah, Gaza Strip, where around 1.4 million people have sought refuge.