Senior UAE diplomat calls for de-escalation of Israel-Iran tensions, ‘drastic reform’ in Palestinian areas and Lebanon

A senior diplomat for the United Arab Emirates calls on the world to focus on the plight of civilians and de-escalate the ongoing Mideast wars.

Anwar Gargash’s remarks, made at the Abu Dhabi Strategic Debate, followed the pattern of comments made by the UAE amid the Mideast wars. The UAE, a federation of seven sheikhdoms home to Dubai, diplomatically recognized Israel in 2020.

“The complexities of the region require a steady hand and a clear and consistent vision,” Gargash said. “The recent cycle of escalation between Israel and Iran cannot become a permanent feature of the strategic landscape of our region. This must be addressed through a political framework.”

He calls for “pragmatism” and a “serious political horizon” to resolve the wider Israeli-Palestinian conflict and reach a two-state solution. He described the war in the Gaza Strip as being “driven by extremists on both sides, from the Israeli and Arab side.” The war began with the Hamas terror group’s devastating onslaught in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, in which some 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage.

Yet he also called the “systemic violence” faced by Palestinians in Gaza “criminal and unacceptable.” Israel maintains it seeks to avoid harming civilians while fighting an enemy that has embedded itself among noncombatants and uses them as human shields

He adds: “At the present time, it is vital to identify that not all crises stem from the Palestinian issue, yet it undeniably remains central to the conflict in our region.”

The UAE has provided aid for both the Gaza Strip and Lebanon in the wars, while maintaining its diplomatic ties with Israel. The UAE has, however, strenuously criticized Israel’s conduct at times in public in the wars.

Gargash also offered criticism of governance in both the Palestinian territories and Lebanon.

“In both Palestine and Lebanon, a drastic reform is essential for the world to step in and provide considerable support,” Gargash says.