Emirati political analyst Salem Al-Ketbi wrote an article praising the United Arab Emirates policy on Gaza while condemning Hamas, calling upon them to free the hostages.
By Rachel Avraham
According to a recent report published by MEMRI, “On May 15, 2025, against the backdrop of U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent visit to the Gulf, including the UAE, Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed gave an interview to Fox News in which he called for the release of the Israeli hostages held by Hamas, for the formation of a government in Gaza that does not include this movement, and for the establishment of calm there.”
MEMRI continued, “Following this interview, Emirati political analyst Salem Al-Ketbi published an article highlighting the importance of bin Zayed’s remarks and praising the UAE’s policy, which he characterized as “humane diplomacy” that combines moral and humanitarian considerations with strategic interests.”
“Is the [delivery of] Emirati humanitarian aid to Gaza merely a rescue operation, or does it reflect a comprehensive geopolitical strategy that goes beyond the humanitarian aspect and outlines characteristics of an active regional role,” Al Ketbi asked rhetorically in his article. “A close reading of the remarks made by UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Aal Nahyan in an interview he gave to Fox News a few days ago, on the occasion of U.S. President Donald Trump’s historic visit to the UAE and the region, reveals a comprehensive strategic approach that reflects the official policy of the UAE.”
According to Al Ketbi, “Given during [Trump’s visit to the Gulf], which had profound political and economic implications for the region, this interview clearly conveyed the UAE’s official position at a pivotal moment in the region’s history. The approach presented in it goes beyond the traditional perspective of humanitarian activity and establishes a humane diplomatic approach that combines moral considerations with strategic interests, reflecting the state’s official stance toward the crisis in Gaza and the Palestinian issue.”
“Clearly revealing [its position] to all, the UAE has provided more than 42 percent of the international humanitarian aid to Gaza over the past two years,” Al Ketbi wrote. “his remarkable figure raises a central question: What is the true motivation behind the UAE’s exceptional commitment to the Palestinian issue in general and the Gaza crisis in particular?… The UAE’s humanitarian aid is one of its most effective soft-power tools aimed at increasing its regional and international influence. This approach reflects a development in its strategic thinking, namely [the realization that] true power includes humane and cultural influence, not only military and economic influence.”
Al Ketbi proclaimed in his article, “Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed [also] presented a clear stance on Hamas, emphasizing that ‘first, [we must] get the hostages out, we need calm in Gaza and we need an authority that is not Hamas that controls Gaza.’ This clear position reflects a deep strategic approach to the internal Palestinian situation. The UAE’s position on Hamas stems from a realistic assessment of the impact of this movement’s rule in Gaza. The UAE views the Hamas model [of government] as a real threat to regional stability and to the comprehensive peace plan. On a principled level, the UAE clearly distinguishes between support for the Palestinian cause and support for Hamas. This precise distinction reflects a deep understanding of the complexity of the Palestinian reality and rises above the superficial view that reduces the issue to a single position.”
According to Al Ketbi, “The UAE’s stance toward Hamas is clearly part of a broader vision of regional security, whose basis is the fight against extremism. The main challenge lies in the need to support the Palestinian people on the humanitarian level without strengthening Hamas’s rule on the political level, and this is what the UAE has achieved through direct aid to the citizens.”
“Past experience shows that resolving complex crises requires finding a balance between humanitarian, political and security aspects,” Al Ketbi noted. “The UAE is pursuing this through its vision for the future of Gaza, which is based on three pillars: the release of the hostages, achieving calm, and establishing an active Palestinian rule [in Gaza]. The UAE clearly understands that the crisis in Gaza cannot be resolved through humanitarian aid alone; it requires addressing the root causes of the political and security problem. Therefore, its position on Hamas is tied to its broader outlook on the future of the region.”
“The Emirati approach combines principles with interests and wisely balances the humane commitment to the Palestinians with the preservation of regional security,” Al Ketbi stressed. “This precise balance uniquely characterizes the Emirati diplomacy in addressing the Gaza crisis, and presents a new model for handling the Palestinian issue – one that goes beyond the options of [either] armed resistance or normalization for nothing, and establishes a path of ‘active peace’ that yields tangible results for the Palestinian people.”
According to him, “The Emirati approach undoubtedly represents a far-reaching turning point in Arab diplomacy: it moves beyond the traditional emotional discourse and employs pragmatic diplomacy anchored in tangible results rather than high-flown slogans. In its policy toward Gaza, the UAE works to position itself as an influential regional power capable of managing complex crises, and its evolving role combines humanitarian aid with informed diplomacy…”
“The Emirati approach to the Gaza crisis, as expressed by Sheikh bin Zayed, represents an advanced model of humane diplomacy that combines moral considerations with strategic interests,” Al Ketbi concluded. “Despite the challenges, this model offers a promising path out of the cycle of conflict toward horizons of peace and stability.”
Photo from © European Union, 1998 – 2025: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullah_bin_Zayed_Al_Nahyan#/media/File:Abdullah_bin_Zayed_Al_Nahyan_2018_(cropped).jpg
