Dubai Expo; A Journey to What Future?
7 Min Read
Dubai Expo was met with boycotting calls that condemn "Israel's" participation in the exhibition as attempts at normalization of "Israel's" presence in the region grew.
-
Dubai Expo organizers revealed that nations from around the world will participate - and so will "Israel."
A year after its postponement, the World Expo opened in Dubai with no regard to calls for boycotting the event over normalization with "Israel" and the UAE's human rights violations.
The exhibition serves Dubai by allowing it to paint a picture of global unity, as it 'succeeded' at being a meeting point for all businesses around the world.
The exhibition is a 1,080 acre Expo full of robots, a new metro station, multi-million dollar pavilions, and so-called districts with names like "sustainability" and "opportunity," all built by low-paid migrant workers.
Organizers revealed that nations from around the world are represented at the Expo, and so is "Israel."
Duplicitous Arab states
The Arab League pledged its support for Palestinian independence in the latest annual International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people, even though its actions regularly contradict its claims of 'solidarity.' Several Arab states warmly welcomed normalizing ties with "Israel," some of which officially normalized ties through normalization agreements.
The UAE, after its seismic move in signing the normalization agreement on September 15th, 2020, took gradual steps towards strengthening political and economic ties with "Israel."
Palestine pushed out of the political frame
"Israel's" participation in Dubai Expo is pure whitewashing of their crimes against the Palestinians and a step that intends to eradicate the Palestinian cause from politics.
Keeping it [Palestine] away from politics makes it easier for normalizing Arab states to make decisions that are detrimental to the Palestinians.
That said, in an interview with France 24, UAE Foreign Minister Anwar Gargash called on Arab states to rethink their boycotting of "Israel" - without bringing attention to the rights of Palestinians.
In light of some Arab states normalizing ties with "Israel" and the increase in events that include Israelis, Palestine is slowly being pushed away from the political scene, setting the stage for mutual political and economic 'benefits' between the normalizing Arab states and the occupation government.
A one-way, two-way street
The normalizing Arab states have adopted two trajectories, both of which are beneficial for "Israel."
The first trajectory is directed toward a two-state "solution," even though they never took a firm decision to fight for it. The normalizing states were obsolete in several situations, proving their empty words for the Palestinian cause.
The second trajectory is directed toward the willingness of Arab states to fall in line with the Israeli regional normalization plan and among key regional states.
"Connecting minds, creating the future"... What future?
In a statement, Israeli Foreign Minister Yisrael Katzh said that "Israel's" participation in the exhibition reflects the "rise in its status," on an international level and in front of the regional key state actors.
The normalization of ties came with the benefits of both economic and political bridges, such as the Israeli participation in the Expo that welcomes the UAE with a trade deal worth billions.
"Israel" and the UAE are aiming to boost bilateral trade, which now stands at around $712 million, through the Dubai Expo. The Israeli occupation government sees trade with the UAE rising to $1 billion by year-end.
However, what will the UAE benefit from the economic bridge? "Israel" is focused on exploiting the Emirate's oil wealth, while the UAE is set to invest in "Israel's" tourism and high-tech sectors.
"Israel's" non-political presence
The Israeli pavilion at the Expo is a step further toward normalizing the occupation's presence in the region and among other states. Hence, it aims to create a non-political frame for itself at the event, in an attempt to display what it has to "offer" to the UAE and the rest of the world.
In light of the many economic trade deals and innovation plans with "Israel," the UAE and other normalizing states have smothered their hands with the blood of Palestinian martyrs in favor of so-called "modernity" that the Israeli government seeks to present the normalizing Arab states with.
Moreover, the occupation's government is exerting effort to highlight any similarities between the UAE and itself, in another attempt to show its "belonging" and how it is a part of the region.
That is expressed in the pavilion's design, which includes dunes that the Israeli Pavilion's spokesman, Menachem Gantz, believes "integrate" the Israeli occupation government with the UAE, adding that it "shows how similar we are."
"The ‘sand’ we’re standing on symbolizes the dunes, and the topography of "Israel" and the Emirates is very similar to it", he told AFP.
"Toward Tomorrow" pavilion
The Israeli pavilion adopted a "no walls and borders" design to send a message of "openness" and "cooperation" to the world.
-
"No walls and borders" Israeli pavilion design.
The Expo's Israeli commissioner, Elazar Cohen, said the pavilion reflects "Israel’s" "openness" to the Arab world and a sense of belonging to the region, adding that "The pavilion is inspired by an open tent. This could be the only pavilion where you can see the horizon, symbolizing our invitation to join us for a journey toward a good future."
BDS: Dubai Expo whitewashing Israeli Apartheid
The Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement is calling for the boycott of the Dubai Expo, arguing that both the UAE and "Israel" are using the event to "present a “prettier face” to whitewash and distract attention from their grave human rights violations."
The movement accuses "Israel" of using its pavilion to "normalize and whitewash its system of oppression against Palestinians in front of an Arab and Muslim audience."
The movement's statement continues to mention that the occupation government's participation in the Expo is to let the world portray the occupation as a "glimpse of hope" for the region, pushing to replace its image as an occupying and apartheid regime.
In light of the boycotting calls, pro-Palestinian activists were quick to react on social platforms, voicing their condemnation of "Israel's" participation in the Expo.
Both the UAE and apartheid Israel are shamelessly using the World Expo in presenting a “prettier face” to whitewash and distract attention from the Israeli violations of Palestinian human rights.
— PALESTINE SUNBIRD 🇵🇸 (@SBPal_Eng) September 29, 2021
📸 Here's why do we Boycott Dubai Expo...#BoycottDubaiExpo pic.twitter.com/vuM1Urv4dk
"Together for Justice" joins the voice of people around the world calling for a #boycott of the "#Expo_2020_Dubai" exhibition.
— معًا من أجل العدالة (@taj_rights) September 25, 2021
More: https://t.co/LrcX7Rd2fi#CountyExpo2020Dubai
#boycott_expo_2020 pic.twitter.com/XkKOYPlQgQ
People should boycott the expo in Dubai. Israel is featuring there. If you're a part of it then you'll be actively contributing to the genocide in Palestine. It's wrong. https://t.co/MzC6viCv52
— Praecursator 🇬🇧 🇧🇪 🇨🇮🏆 (@Praecursator007) September 29, 2021
What does tomorrow have in store?
Since the UAE and "Israel" normalized relations in September 2020, conceived by former US President Donald Trump's administration, the two parties have established direct flights, exchanged ambassadors, and visited several trade delegations, and improved trade relations.
Needless to mention, "Israel's" participation in the Dubai Expo goes beyond innovation and economic bilateral deals. It frames a new picture for "Israel" in the region among Arab key states.
The occupation government's aim to highlight similarities between itself and the Arabs is a way to normalize its presence and whitewash its image in front of the international community that serves as a bystander to the Israeli aggression on Palestinians.
However, exhibitions, economic trade deals, and innovative projects will not draw attention away from the bloodshed of Palestinians over the years.
Tomorrow, there is no future with "Israel." Today, tomorrow, and every day... there is resistance and resilience with a firmer stance against their plans to plant their presence in the region.
