Author: Ismail Numan Telci
Affiliation: Sakarya University, the Center for Middle Eastern Studies (ORSAM)
Organization/Publisher: Al Jazeera Centre for Studies
Date/Place: November 29, 2020/ Doha, Qatar
Type of Literature: Article
Number of Pages: 10
Keywords: Israel, UAE, Normalization, Strategic Cooperation, Maritime and Aviation Cooperation.
Brief:
Ismail Numan Telci underlines the significance of normalization agreements between Israel and United Arab Emirates (UAE) not only for these countries but for other neighboring countries and global actors who have interests in the region. These agreements pave the way for cooperation and developing relations between the two countries in many fields including finance, investment, trade, economy, and maritime cooperation. He focuses on the strategic dimension of these normalization developments as one of its most significant aspects. The author proposes the maritime and aviation cooperation aspects and how they are strategically influencing the geopolitics of the region. Regarding maritime cooperation, memoranda of understanding were signed between related companies from the two countries. One major agreement was between the DP World and Dubai Customs and the Israeli Dover Tower. Telci underlines three main points of this agreement which are providing maritime service between Israeli and Emirati ports, facilitating trade activities of private companies, and exploring business opportunities. Moreover, these ports are planned to be used for political and military reasons, as well as logistics centers to serve the interests of global actors (especially the USA) in its regional policies. Furthermore, there is a strategic dimension since these agreements opened the way for UAE to reach the Mediterranean and Europe through Israel; on the other hand, Israel enjoys a strategic advantage of approaching the Red Sea, Bab el Mandab, and the Horn of Africa. In respect of the civil aviation cooperation, airline companies from the two countries have showed willingness to develop their mutual relations. Accordingly, they signed an agreement to cooperate in the tourism sector and renew their flight routes, which is considered to support their economies. The author indicates that such cooperation would result in increasing the trade volume, sharing mutual experience in aviation areas and related industries, saving flight time, promoting tourism from Israel and Western countries to the UAE, and providing the opportunity to Israel to use UAE airspace to reach other Arabs who may be interested in normalization as well. Additionally, such cooperation would negatively impact Middle Eastern aviation, especially Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airways. To sum up, normalization agreements are not only politically or economically important, but also strategically significant. The increased cooperation in maritime, aviation and military fields shows that their security interests match with their geopolitical concerns. Normalization process is also significant for US interests in the region by establishing a front of all US allies against Iran and other “hostile countries” in the region. Most importantly, increasing cooperation between Israel and the UAE will pave the way for enhancing the relation between Israel and other Gulf countries, especially Bahrain and probably Saudi Arabia.
By: Yomna Süleyman, CIGA Research Assistant
