One Year of War: A Comprehensive Emirati Diplomatic Epic to Support Gaza

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A historic political, diplomatic, and humanitarian epic has been recorded by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to support Palestine in general and Gaza in particular.

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This support is remembered with gratitude and recognition by the world, the Palestinians, and the residents of Gaza, as we commemorate the first anniversary of the Israeli attack on the Gaza Strip, which began on October 7 of last year and continues to this day.

This comes as the UAE continues its efforts to end the escalation in Gaza, promote peace and justice, preserve the rights of the Palestinian people, and achieve a two-state solution leading to the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state, in accordance with international legal resolutions and relevant agreements aimed at ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

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Diplomatic and political efforts have intensified since the attack on Gaza through various channels, including:

• Discussions among political leaders (ongoing efforts by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE).
• A continuous diplomatic movement (discussions by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, along with Emirati diplomats and statements from the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
• Actions in international forums and organizations (the Security Council, the UN General Assembly, the Human Rights Council, and the International Court of Justice).

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Leaders’ Discussions

Since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, hardly a day passes without Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan engaging in discussions and communications with world leaders and officials to examine efforts to cease hostilities, call for the preservation of civilian lives and their protection, and explore ways to find a perspective for comprehensive peace in the region.

Among the latest of these efforts, the situation in Gaza dominated discussions between Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and U.S. President Joe Biden during the summit they held at the White House on September 23.

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The two presidents discussed the war in Gaza and reaffirmed their commitment to continue working together to end the conflict, calling for a permanent and durable ceasefire and the release of prisoners in accordance with Security Council resolution number 2735. They also emphasized the need for all parties to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law.

President Biden praised the substantial humanitarian efforts undertaken by the UAE in Gaza, which have been crucial in addressing the humanitarian crisis, including the opening of a maritime corridor for aid transport, the inauguration of a field hospital in Gaza, and support for the evacuation of injured civilians and cancer patients.

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Both presidents reaffirmed their commitment to a two-state solution guaranteeing the existence of a sovereign Palestinian state geographically connected to live in peace and security alongside Israel, as the only solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, in accordance with recognized international norms and the Arab Peace Initiative.

The discussions were preceded by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan conducting meetings and communications during the past period with leaders from Arab and foreign countries to put an end to the violence and ongoing escalation in the Gaza Strip, mobilizing international efforts to ensure respect for international humanitarian law and provide protection to civilians, sparing them from the growing suffering resulting from alarming developments on the ground, including Jordanian King Abdullah II, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, French President Emmanuel Macron, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Israeli President Isaac Herzog, as well as Karl Nehammer, Chancellor of the Republic of Austria, and others.

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During the communications, it was confirmed that the priority was to preserve the lives of civilians and not to drag them into the spiral of escalating violence and conflict, and to exercise the legal responsibility to ensure their protection and safety, especially children, women, and the elderly during conflicts, as well as to release the hostages held.

In addition, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has been keen to highlight the issue during the international conferences in which he participates or in the bilateral discussions he has with leaders and officials around the world.

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On October 21 last year, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan participated in the proceedings of the “Cairo Peace Summit,” inaugurated by the Egyptian president with the participation of leaders from several Arab and foreign countries, as well as heads of government and Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations.

His participation in this summit came just after his participation in the Gulf Cooperation Council summit and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit held in the Saudi capital Riyadh, attended by leaders and delegation heads from 16 countries (the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries + 10 Southeast Asian countries representing ASEAN).

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The words of the UAE president during his participation in these two summits laid out a roadmap for peace in Palestine and the Middle East, warning of the consequences of an extension of the war on regional security.

Alongside these communications, discussions, and summits, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has issued instructions to provide emergency humanitarian aid to mitigate the humanitarian consequences of the ongoing war on the population of Gaza.

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Diplomatic Movement

On the diplomatic front, the Emirati Foreign Minister, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has continued throughout the year his diplomatic discussions with his counterparts around the world to mobilize regional and international efforts towards a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza.

Among the latest efforts, the situation in Gaza dominated the discussions of Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan during his meetings with several leaders and foreign ministers of the countries participating in the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, each in turn in September 2024.

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Diplomatic positions harmonized with other strong ones, through successive statements issued by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs whenever developments required, calling on Israel to immediately cease the repeated and growing campaigns against the Palestinian people, and urging the international community to assume its responsibilities and take firm and intensive measures to help calm the situation on the ground and revive the peace process.

The discussions and declarations were accompanied by the UAE presenting advanced visions for the sector’s future after the war’s end.

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This vision included a roadmap to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in both the short and long term, with the UAE’s involvement, regional cooperation, and a significant U.S. role, starting with the cessation of hostilities in Gaza and committing to a path leading to a two-state solution.

One of the main axes of this vision to end the crisis in Gaza, previously unveiled by Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashimi, Emirati Minister of State for International Cooperation, is the creation of a temporary international mission at the official request of a Palestinian government led by a highly competent, credible, and independent new Prime Minister, who will assume specific missions in Gaza to establish security and stability and end human suffering.

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The overarching supreme objective of this vision is “to establish security, stability, and peace in the region.” Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan confirmed in a post on the “X” platform on September 14, one of the main determinants of his support for the aftermath of the war in the sector.

In this regard, he stated that “the UAE is not ready to support the aftermath of the war in Gaza without the establishment of a Palestinian state.”

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An Emirati message that reaffirms the firm commitment of the UAE to support Palestine, an issue that has been one of the fundamental principles of its foreign policy since its establishment to the present day.

Security Council

Moreover, the UAE has led exceptional efforts in all international forums and organizations since the beginning of the crisis in the Gaza Strip, including the United Nations Security Council, to address the situation and call for urgent measures to end hostilities and preserve civilian lives, particularly children and women.

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The UAE also proposed, during the Security Council meeting held on October 23 last year, a draft resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and for the protection of civilians, which was supported by several countries and groups.

The United Arab Emirates have also been the origin of many statements of support for Gaza, emphasizing the suffering of the Palestinians and the need to provide them with the required humanitarian aid.

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Humanitarian Efforts

Emirati humanitarian efforts in Gaza have reached their peak through the launch of several initiatives and the deployment of emergency teams in the Gaza Strip to rescue the wounded and provide humanitarian assistance.

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already established air bridges to provide aid and support the evacuation efforts for the injured, supported by high-level humanitarian actions through the Relief Authority and the Emirati Red Crescent, which have witnessed widespread solidarity with the Palestinian people.

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The Future of Gaza

The UAE will continue its support for Palestine and Gaza, committing to promoting peace and preserving the rights of the Palestinian people to live with dignity and security, with a realistic vision for the future of Gaza that will meet the aspirations of the Palestinians.