"Our preconceptions are at odds with reality"

Mr Balin, what impressed you most in the Emirates?

Eugen Balin: We travelled to Abu Dhabi at the invitation of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with 40 young diplomats from the World Jewish Congress with the aim of building bridges and forging links with all sectors of Emirati society. To this end, we met representatives from the government, the business community, the cultural sector and, of course, the local Jewish community. The overall impression was overwhelming. We had all followed developments in 2020 and the signing of the Abraham Accords with joy and hope. But the reality on the ground was vastly different from what I had imagined.

In what way?

Balin: First of all, in terms of the warmth with which we were met. The words spoken by Emirati government representatives on the ground were directed at Israel and the Jewish people. None of us had expected that. Among our delegation were also people with roots in Arab countries who had once had to flee as Jews to save their lives. There were definitely a few tears.

Especially when, for example, a government representative explained that the Emirates' raison d'etat, based on the vision of the state's founder Sheikh Zayid bin Sultan Al Nahyan, includes harmony and tolerance, coexistence and innovation, to be implemented at all levels. That the Jewish community is not only welcome in the Emirates, it should also feel at home. That is quite unlike anything Jews in the Arab world have experienced before.

Balin: Our counterpart explained that the UAE seeks to be a place for all religions, for Jews and Christians, Muslims, Buddhists and Bahais. "If we don't have Jews here, then we would be missing something. You are part of us." That moved me. To paraphrase, "We don't just want you to be here. We want you to feel at home."

In terms of the state of Israel, it is about future relations at all levels, not simply at the formal governmental level. Society, economy and culture, specifically also exchange between young people and women. Such a rapprochement would be a strong basis for a peaceful future of coexistence.

Just how credible is that? From a human rights point of view, the Emirates are certainly subject to criticism. It is not a democracy. And when it comes to the question of conversion, religious freedom has its limits. Are Israelis and Jews from European countries likely to go there enthusiastically anyway?

Balin: I believe so. I returned from this delegation trip transformed. For the first time ever I was in a country outside of Israel where I could move around completely freely with a World Jewish Congress delegation. Without any security precautions. Over the past twelve years this has never happened to us in any other country in the world. There we were in the market in Dubai, wearing our kippahs, recognisable as Jews and not in any danger at all. We spoke Hebrew, were cheerful and sometimes even loud. And we were greeted by vendors in a friendly manner and sometimes with "shalom". Israelis are not used to anything like that. Of course, there are now five or ten flights a day from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

You felt less fear there than in Germany?

Balin: In Germany, France and other countries, it is not possible to travel openly as a Jew without putting yourself at risk.

You studied in France. Did you feel worse there than in the Emirates?

Balin: Absolutely. I studied in Aix-en-Provence in 2005 and 2006. At that time, in January 2006, Ilan Halimi, a young Jew, was kidnapped in Paris. Because the kidnappers thought all Jews were wealthy and wanted ransom. But the family was not wealthy. Halimi was tortured and massacred. And since then – you have to be objective – the situation in France has been getting worse and worse. Consider the attacks in Toulouse and Paris.

And, it is not just France, look at Brussels and Copenhagen. All over Europe, Jews are at risk. In the United Arab Emirates, on Shabbat, Friday evening and Saturday morning, we walked from our hotel to the synagogue for prayer. Wearing kippahs, some even wore their prayer shawls openly through the streets of Dubai, without security. In the mall, prayer in the synagogue was signposted, the doors were open. To experience this in an Arab country.... our preconceptions are at odds with reality. None of us expected anything like this.

It is indeed unusual....

Balin: And it fills me with hope. Community members here in Hamburg or leading representatives of the Jewish community in Germany are saying: This is something we would like to experience as well.

How do you explain this tolerance?

Balin: Clearly, this is something that has been developing in the Emirates for over a decade. Before the signing of the treaties between the Emirates and Israel, which some call peace treaties, the Jewish community in the Emirates had about 200 members. Since then, the number has grown to a thousand. And it seems there will be considerably more. It may come as a surprise to Central Europeans: the UAE is a place where one can practice one's religion in safety. And the state leadership vouches for this.

Nevertheless, from a democratic point of view, the United Arab Emirates requires scrutiny.

Balin: Germany is a democratic state – not only on paper – and I am grateful for that. The freedom to practice your religion is enshrined in the Basic Law in Article 4. But are you really free if you pray in the synagogue and at the same time know you can't drive home later with the kippah on your head without putting yourself in danger? You cannot let your own child walk openly through the streets in Germany as a Jew – the danger to their physical well-being or even their life is too great. In the Emirates, religious freedom is guaranteed by the state and lived throughout the country. You don't really experience that anywhere else in the Jewish diaspora. In Israel, too, there is always the danger of possible terrorist attacks. Experiencing this feeling for a week made a big impression on me.

Do you foresee other Arab countries developing in a similar way? After all, 80 years ago there were large Jewish communities in Morocco, Tunisia and other countries, including Iran, which then fled or were expelled after 1948.

Balin: There is certainly extraordinary hope after this trip. The Emirates may seem like an island. But they have set themselves the goal of being an example to other countries in the region – and that includes the idea of harmony and tolerance.

What do you base your confidence in?

Balin: If the Emirates explain their stance to the world and act on it, there is no doubt it will spread. A survey revealed that before the Abraham Accords were signed in the summer of 2020, 75 percent of young people in the Arab world expressed the wish to live in the Emirates. This percentage has not changed since then.

This definitely gives me hope that the UAE can lead by example. Someone has to take the first step and stand up for what is right.

In early 2020, Pope Francis was in Abu Dhabi. A spectacular visit. For the first time, a pope set foot in the Arabian Peninsula. How much can Abu Dhabi be a door opener to Saudi Arabia, to the Sunni world?

Balin: The Abraham Agreements were signed in 2020 not only with the Emirates, but also with Bahrain. And in the next step, two more countries, Morocco and Sudan, have joined. It is likely more countries will follow. But Saudi Arabia is different to the United Arab Emirates. It would certainly be desirable. Since my experience in the Emirates, I would say: I no longer consider anything impossible.

It was in part due to Donald Trump that the Abraham Agreements were reached. Like the former prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, he used them to pursue political ends, specifically the alliance against Iran. Are we therefore talking primarily about a political alliance with a few additional economic perks?

Balin: It's true that these agreements came about under Trump. But they are based on a long-term shift lasting more than a decade. It is also still true that the Iranian leadership has repeatedly stated that it wants to wipe Israel off the map. This fundamentally calls into question the right of the state of Israel to exist. Moreover, Iran poses a threat not only to the state of Israel, but also to other countries in the region. Against this background, it is clear that security aspects played their part.

But the agreements go far beyond such issues. In the case of the Emirates, it is fair to talk of a warm peace with the state of Israel and its citizens. After all, Israel is not only home to Jews, but also to Israeli Arabs and other nationalities, minorities and religions. The previous treaties with Egypt and Jordan, on the other hand, were peace treaties at a government level, which remained cold in comparison and did not reach the people. Now we are talking about a firm foundation between the nations. That gives me hope.

But is this warm peace that you describe strong enough to cope with the situation between Israel and the Palestinians, which remains tense?

Balin: During my visit to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, there was no evidence that the recent escalations had damaged the Emirates' relationship with Israel. On the contrary: the representatives of the government and other dialogue partners we met there were absolutely interested in strengthening relations and deepening them at all levels.

And you are confident that this will spill over into Israeli-Palestinian relations?

Balin: I believe that the Emirates could play a greater role there. From my point of view, their representatives are in a much better position to assess the parties to the conflict than actors from other parts of the world. They speak the language, they understand the religion, they understand the conflict situation. They now have a special connection to the state of Israel and to Jewish people. And that puts the Emirates in a unique position.

Once again, a lack of democracy, restrictions on press freedom, freedom of expression and freedom of assembly. No political parties, no trade unions. Won't that deter visitors?

Balin: Hundreds of thousands of Israelis have already visited the Emirates or want to go there. That means personal contact, exchange, openness. I am simply confident that such visits also represent a positive encounter with the other and with otherness. It forces people to break down prejudices. People are afraid of what they don't know. Should we say: as long as all positions of the free democratic basic order are not fulfilled and the acceptance of all minorities is guaranteed, we will not hold talks and won't travel? I'm in favour of rapprochement and incremental progression.

Back to the subject of religion. Did you notice anything related to the presence of other religions?

Balin: In Abu Dhabi, the so-called Abraham Family House is being built near the Louvre. These are three houses, huge buildings housing a mosque, a church and a synagogue. And our Muslim counterpart said: we are building a synagogue there, because we want to pray together with you. Impressive. That's how to overcome fear and prejudice. Here in Hamburg, we as Jews are usually more concerned about mosques financed by radical states that provide a platform for extreme standpoints.

This "Abraham Family House" is expressly intended to be a centre for dialogue. Up to now, important religious discussions have always been held in Rome or Jerusalem. Is the Emirates emerging as a religious hub between Europe, the Middle and the Far East?

Balin: I am quite sure that it is. In fact, it is already starting to happen. Case in point: we had a meeting during our trip with the Jewish Diplomatic Corps at the "Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy", where potential future diplomats are in training. There were young people sitting opposite us, motivated with an eye to the future, completely interested in dialogue, which – notice the emphasis on tolerance in the Emirati raison d'etat – they had already been encouraged to engage with during their school education. And they spoke to us, for example, knowledgeably and reflectively about Abraham as the common ancestor of the monotheistic religions.

Crucially, it is the young people who will lay the foundation for the coming decades and for a true dialogue of religions.

Interview conducted by Christoph Strack

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