UAE Billionaire al-Habtoor Questions Israel Normalization After Ben Gvir Urges 30 or 40 Gaza Killings Nightly
Updated
Updated · Middle East Eye · Aug 17
UAE Billionaire al-Habtoor Questions Israel Normalization After Ben Gvir Urges 30 or 40 Gaza Killings Nightly
1 articles · Updated · Middle East Eye · Aug 17
Summary
Khalaf al-Habtoor, a prominent Emirati businessman who backed the 2020 Abraham Accords, publicly challenged talk of peace with Israel after Itamar Ben Gvir called for killing “30 or 40” Palestinians in Gaza every night.
Ben Gvir said Palestinians were “not worthy of life” and “not even people,” prompting al-Habtoor to accuse the Israeli minister of a “dangerous moral decline” and ask how coexistence can be discussed without accountability.
Al-Habtoor did not urge the UAE to suspend ties or impose sanctions, but his remarks stand out because prominent Emiratis operate under tight state control and he is seen as close to ruling circles.
The intervention also highlights a gap between outrage and policy: the UAE has kept full diplomatic, commercial and security ties with Israel, with bilateral trade reaching $3.2 billion in 2025.