No less than their political-diplomatic ties, the Abrahamic Agreements are a bang in relation to the civil-cultural ties between the Gulf states and Israel.
In fact, strengthening the channels of dialogue in space, as well as the volume of relationships, are gaining new expression.
Thus, the involvement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is quite prominent, which about two years ago actually increased its contribution in the civil context to the connection between the peoples and to the deepening of the connection between the Gulf states and Israel.
The "Israel in the Gulf" Twitter page has about 95,000 followers - most of them from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain (as well as from the other Gulf states).
For comparison: the "Israel in Arabic" page, which has been active since 2011, boasts about 445,000 followers.
"Just to have a scale, we had about 40,000 followers a year ago," shares Lorina Khatib of the Foreign Ministry's digital department with enthusiasm.
The Twitter pages of "Israel in the Gulf" and "Israel in Arabic",
Normalization and its importance
According to Khatib, "The nature of the reactions, in increasing numbers, is positive and there has been multiple collaboration and interactions in the past year.
People are aware of the importance of normalization and the exposure of diverse Israeli society to people, some of whom know Jews but have not been exposed to Israelis or Israel - and this emphasizes the profits of both parties as a result of the agreement.
Technically, by the way, over time it has become apparent that bloggers from the UAE and Western Saudi Arabia are increasingly sharing our posts.
This is not an easy task: many still have negative opinions about Israel, and from the other side of the coin we see the impact of our pages on the matter. "
"Rebrand Israel."
Khatib,
Khatib seeks to emphasize the process factor.
"The platform existed even before the peace agreements, as an attempt to create dialogue and dialogue between the peoples while these ties were a dream. With the advent of the agreement, the discourse on Jewish holidays and Jewish tradition soon emerged. Attempts are also being made to rebrand Israel in relation to coexistence between Jews and Arabs.
"As an Israeli Arab, I was particularly interested in the fact that many of them did not know that about one-fifth of Israeli citizens are Arabs, and the coexistence gospel accompanies this: just as communities live side by side in the Emirates, so does Israel. Cumulative - they want to come and visit Israel. "
Foreign Ministry Digital Director Yiftach Kuriel concludes: "The Foreign Ministry is one of the world leaders in digital diplomacy. We operate the largest official network in Israel, which has 10 million followers, and in terms of activity with Arab countries it has a significant advantage due to its young audience "He is afraid of being active in the networks. Through digital, we are activating a new diplomatic vector that is making an impact. This is reflected, among other things, in the general sympathy for Israel, which is growing in the Gulf."
WATCH!
#TelAviv to the #BahaiGardens: #Israel in 360 at @ expo2020dubai
The Israel pavilion at # Expo2020Dubai celebrates creativity, innovation and collaboration, and shows how collaboration leads to a better future for all.
@michaldivon @UAEinIsrael pic.twitter.com/dsQQYbXFAs
- Khaleej Times (@khaleejtimes) October 13, 2021
Report in the Khaleej Times (Bay Times) on the Israeli pavilion at the "Expo Dubai" exhibition
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A rare opportunity to communicate with Israel"
Along with the networks, the significant highlight this year in the civic context is Israel's participation in the "Dubai Expo" - the largest exhibition in the world, which was launched earlier this month.
Here, too, the "civilian" activity of the Foreign Ministry stands out, leading the issue of preparations even before the establishment of the Avraham agreements.
The Israeli pavilion will be on display for about six months, and will include displays of Israeli innovation alongside exhibits that reflect Israel's values: heritage, culture, landscapes and its social diversity.
The pavilion directly reveals what Israel offers as a country, including its capabilities in the field of "high technology" - high-tech.
"Beyond the clear economic and diplomatic levels, we saw here a rare opportunity to communicate Israel, the state of the Jewish people, on its levels, to audiences never exposed to it," explains Elazar Cohen, Israel's Commissioner for Expo Dubai and director of the Foreign Ministry's exhibition project.
He said, "The Abrahamic Agreements have intensified our engagement in the exhibition, where we see a basis for extensive collaborations with the United Arab Emirates and the world around us. "- something that is well received in the United Arab Emirates, in the context of collaborations on civil society issues: art, economy, environment, regulations and more."
"A rare opportunity to communicate with Israel."
Cohen,
As is well known, years before the signing of the current agreements, a community of Jewish businessmen from around the world - and also from Israel - operated in the United Arab Emirates, when the local authorities allowed the community to hold prayers and meetings around Jewish holidays.
After the signing of the agreements, than Cohen, the mutual interest of businessmen on both sides increased greatly.
"Many of them come for long visits," says Cohen, "and so the community has grown compared to the same period last year, and it continues to grow. At the same time, there is an extensive Israeli tourism movement to the UAE. "Prayer and even hope for purity. In general, the increasing presence of Jews and Israelis in the United Arab Emirates contributes to the development of trade and economic relations between the countries, and they are received with joy and willingness."