‘Abrahamic’ conference in Dubai aims to further UAE-Israel business dialogue

Prominent business leaders converged in Dubai on Thursday at a conference aimed at building UAE-Israel relations, held under the patronage of Dubai royal Sheikh Juma Bin Maktoum.

The event was hosted by the newly founded Abrahamic Business Circle, an organization that aims to pursue economic diplomacy between the UAE and Israel following last year’s bilateral normalization agreement, known as the “Abraham Accords.”

Read more: UAE to grant citizenship to investors, professionals in bid to attract talent

Entrepreneurs and leaders from a range of different industries and companies, including Dubai-based global port operator DP World and Microsoft for Startups, were featured. Israelis and Emiratis were in attendance.

A view of the Abrahamic Business Circle conference on building UAE-Israel relations on January 28, 2021 in Dubai. (Supplied)

Raphael Nagel, founder of the Abrahamic Business Circle, told Al Arabiya English that the organization’s mission is to build business relations across religion and culture in the Middle East, between Jewish people, Israelis, and Arabs.

Read more: After Israel visit, Emiratis return to UAE with positive views of Palestinians

“I really believe if we are able to build up business relations, sooner or later we will build up friendships,” Nagel said in an interview with Al Arabiya English.

Nagel, a Jewish-German businessman based in the UAE, said the event was timed with the International Holocaust Remembrance Day, commemorated annually on January 26.

The flags of Israel, United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain are projected on the ramparts of Jerusalem's Old City on September 15, 2020. (AFP)

“The reason of setting up this gathering, even in hard coronavirus times, was the Holocaust Remembrance Day. As Jews, we have been the victims, but we don’t have to allow this to happen again,” he said.

“The Abrahamic Business Circle - where Jewish people, Muslim people, and people of all religions work together - can be the right tool to avoid anything like the Holocaust to happen in the future,” he said.

Read more: Palestinian YouTube star sets out to simplify Arabic language, bridge divisions

The Abrahamic Business Circle is planning to host a convention this October, the same time as Dubai’s World Expo, where Israel will have a pavilion.

Read more:

Neglected and stateless: How Jerusalem Palestinians may benefit from Gulf-Israel ties

How the UAE is ‘keeping kosher’ for Jewish tourists after Israel deal

Discover how Palestinian political opinion is changing, varies by region