Israel Issues a Warning to Residents About Unnecessary Travel to the United Arab Emirates Due to Increased Terror Risks

Israelis in the United Arab Emirates are the target of terror plots, the National Security Council of Israel says amid criticism of Gaza operations.

In light of the escalating tensions in the Middle East, Israel’s National Security Council (NSC) has issued a more severe travel advisory for Israelis who want to travel to or live in the United Arab Emirates.

The NSC said in a statement issued Thursday that Iranian-backed organizations like Hamas, Hezbollah, and other international jihadist networks pose a threat to Israeli and Jewish interests in the Gulf State.

The NSC stated that “they are motivated by increased desire to avenge after Operation Rising Lion, as well as the pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel sentiment that has escalated since the beginning of Operation Iron Swords.”

Israel’s blockade of aid entering Gaza, which the UN and humanitarian organizations say is exacerbating the region’s food crisis, was also mentioned in the threat as part of the Hamas “starvation campaign,” according to reports.

Although the UAE’s travel advice level is still at Level 3, which cautions against unnecessary travel, the NSC encouraged Israelis to “seriously reconsider” going there, especially around Shabbat and Jewish holidays when social gatherings are more common.

The statement further said, “Terrorist organizations frequently concentrate their efforts in neighboring countries, as demonstrated by past experience.”

With the US-brokered Abraham Accords, the UAE became the first Arab state in thirty years to normalize relations with Israel in 2020, and since then, its Jewish and Israeli communities have grown. Concerns have been aroused, though, by recent developments.

A UAE court in March 2025 condemned three individuals to death for the November 2024 murder of Israeli-Moldovan citizen Rabbi Zvi Kogan, who was a member of the Orthodox Jewish Chabad movement. The court determined that the murder had a “terrorist purpose.”

The UAE is not immune to regional spillover from the intensifying confrontation between Israel and militants in Gaza and Iran, despite its generally safe reputation, as the NSC’s update highlights.

The world community is still criticizing the Israeli government for its actions in Gaza, especially the humanitarian embargo and the larger military campaign.