The UAE has reportedly moved to bar Israeli defence companies from participating in a major security conference in Dubai, Bloomberg and Israeli media reported on Wednesday.
The decision was said to have been communicated to Israeli company executives and Israel's Defence Ministry, citing "security concerns" following Israel’s strike targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar's capital, Doha, on Tuesday.
However, Israeli outlets reported that officials in Tel Aviv believe the ban was a direct response to the attack.
The Dubai Airshow, scheduled for November, is a high-profile defence and aviation exhibition that has hosted Israeli firms since 2021, following the Abraham Accords that normalised ties during US President Donald Trump’s first term in 2020.
However, neither Israeli nor Emirati authorities have publicly confirmed the claims.
The New Arab approached the UAE Defence Ministry and the Dubai Airshow for comment, but they did not respond to requests for a reply.
The move came after UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan travelled to Doha on Wednesday in the aftermath of Israel’s attack on the nation’s capital, with Jordan’s Crown Prince Hussein and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also expected to visit.
The strike in Doha killed six people, including a Hamas aide and the son of the group's senior official, Khalil al-Hayya, three bodyguards, and a Qatari security officer.
The attack was strongly condemned by the Emirates, signalling the oil-rich nation’s growing criticism of Israel amid its ongoing assault on Gaza.
Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash, diplomatic advisor to the UAE president, also declared that the "security of the Gulf states is indivisible," voicing full support for Qatar following what he called a "treacherous Israeli attack".
"We stand wholeheartedly with Qatar, condemning the assault and reaffirming our complete solidarity in confronting this aggression," Gargash said in a statement.
The UAE's mounting criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza and the West Bank, despite its normalisation of relations with Tel Aviv, is further underscored by earlier warnings from Abu Dhabi that Israeli annexation of the West Bank would constitute a "red line" threatening regional integration.