UAE-Israel ties useful but nowhere near a Middle East reset
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- UAE posted $3.2bn in bilateral trade with Israel in 2024, underscoring deepening economic ties.
- Edge Group signed a procurement contract for Elbit’s Hermes 900 drone, marking the first substantive industrial defense partnership.
- Iron Dome was deployed on Emirati territory during the Iran war, providing forward defense for the Gulf.
- Mohammed bin Zayed flew to Doha to pursue a quiet reconciliation with Tehran, reflecting UAE’s hedging strategy amid U.S. doubts.
- Washington’s perceived unreliability has pushed the UAE to diversify ties toward Beijing, Moscow, New Delhi, and Tehran.
Why it matters: UAE’s tech and defense firms gain $3.2bn trade revenue and joint drone production, while Israel secures a forward‑defense foothold; the partnership’s limits force both to continue hedging against Iran and a wavering U.S. patron, reshaping regional security calculations.
