United Arab Emirates - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

UAE cover image

United Arab Emirates

April 30, 2026

Abu Dhabi 4:21 am

30°C

GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

UAE’s OPEC exit rattles cartel as Gulf alliances shift

OPEC's fourth-largest producer will leave the cartel on May 1, marking the most significant departure in the group’s history as the war changes Abu Dhabi's relationship priorities.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

MUMEN KHATIB/AFP via Getty Images

Why UAE's decision to leave OPEC is major shift for cartel

The UAE accounts for 12% of OPEC's output, but tensions had been simmering over intragroup rivalries and the country wanting to export more oil.

United Arab Emirates

Latest News

First LNG tanker transits Strait of Hormuz since Iran war began

Yuichi YAMAZAKI / AFP via Getty Images

UAE to leave OPEC on May 1

Thomas Kronsteiner/Getty Images)

United Arab Emirates

UAE’s cash request tests US ties as Iran war strains Gulf financial muscle

A view of Dubai Marina in Dubai on March 3, 2026.

United Arab Emirates

IEA delivers grim gas supply forecast as oil notches 15% weekly rise

A liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker is moored at a LNG berth in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, prefecture April 8, 2026.

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Jack Dutton

Chief Business Correspondent

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Sabena Siddiqui

In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran

Vanessa Ghanem

In Dubai, reporting on business, energy and politics

Mohammed Soliman

In Washington, DC, reporting on Gulf politics

Netanyahu hails Bahrain-Israel normalization deal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi thank US President Donald Trump and his team for their engagement in the region and the announcement of an agreement with Bahrain to normalize relations.

United Arab Emirates

US President Donald Trump is joined by (L-R) US Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin, US Vice President Mike Pence, Senior Advisor to the President Jared Kushner and US special representative for Iran, Brian Hook, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on September 11, 2020. - Trump announced Friday a "peace deal" between Israel and Bahrain, which becomes the second Arab country to settle with its former foe in the last few weeks. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Photo by AN

Bahrain will establish ties with Israel, Trump says

Bahrain follows Kosovo and the United Arab Emirates in normalizing ties with Israel.

United Arab Emirates

UAE grants five-day paid paternity leave

The United Arab Emirates grants paid paternity leave for the private sector, a first in the Arab world and a move widely welcomed by locals and expats.

United Arab Emirates

Israeli children play with the flag of the United Arab Emirates during an anti-government rally in front of the Prime Minister's residence in Jerusalem, on August 29, 2020. (Photo by EMMANUEL DUNAND / AFP) (Photo by EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP via Getty Images)

Israeli-Arabs split over agreement with the Emirates

Some Israeli-Arabs reject the deal with the UAE, while others cheer the opening to the Arab world.

United Arab Emirates

This picture taken on July 17, 2020 shows an Emirates Boeing 777-31H aircraft disembarking passengers upon arrival at the Iranian capital Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport. - The UAE's Emirates airlines landed its first flight in Tehran on July 17 after a five month shutdown due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by - / AFP) (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)

Emirates to resume flights to Amman

Beginning Sept. 8, the Dubai-owned carrier will operate daily flights between Dubai and the Jordanian capital.

United Arab Emirates

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (3rdR) look at one of the first two F-35 stealth fighter jets purchased in the United States next to its pilot (2ndR), an Israeli officer, after he landed on December 12, 2016 at the Israeli Nevatim Air force base in the Negev desert, near the southern city of Beersheva.
The first two US F-35 stealth fighters bought by Israel landed at an air base in the Jewish state this evening, an AFP journalist at the site said. Their arrival, hailed as a gamechanger by Israeli

Intel: Netanyahu knew of US proposal to sell arms to UAE, says NYT

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was aware of a US proposal to sell the advanced F-35 fighter jet to the United Arab Emirates amid negotiations with the Gulf country over normalizing ties with Israel, the New York Times reported Thursday.

United Arab Emirates

A picture taken on August 31, 2020, shows a view from the window of the the El Al's flight LY971, which will carry the delegation from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi, ahead of landing at the Abu Dhabi airport. - A US-Israeli delegation including White House advisor Jared Kushner took off on a historic first direct commercial flight from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi to mark the normalisation of ties between the Jewish state and the UAE. (Photo by NIR ELIAS / POOL / AFP) (Photo by NIR ELIAS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Bahrain to allow Israeli flights to UAE over its airspace

There was speculation that Bahrain would follow the UAE in recognizing Israel, but the country has not signaled a willingness to do so yet.

United Arab Emirates

Yasser Arafat’s widow lashes out at PA over criticism of UAE-Israel deal

The widow of late Palestinian President Yasser Aafat lashed out at the Palestinian Authority, accusing it of threatening her because of her position on the UAE-Israel normalization deal.

United Arab Emirates

A picture taken on August 31, 2020, shows the El Al's airliner, which is carrying a US-Israeli delegation to the UAE following a normalisation accord, landing on the tarmac in the first-ever commercial flight from Israel to the UAE at the Abu Dhabi airport. - A US-Israeli delegation including White House advisor Jared Kushner took off on a historic first direct commercial flight from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi to mark the normalisation of ties between the Jewish state and the UAE. (Photo by Karim SAHIB / AFP) (P

Israel's El Al will operate first cargo plane from Israeli airline to Dubai

Israel and the United Arab Emirates continue to work on flights between the two states following their decision to normalize relations.

United Arab Emirates

The Emirati, Israeli and US flags sway in the wind at the Abu Dhabi airport at the arrival of the first-ever commercial flight from Israel to the UAE, on August 31, 2020. - A US-Israeli delegation including White House advisor Jared Kushner took off on a historic first direct commercial flight from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi to mark the normalisation of ties between the Jewish state and the UAE. (Photo by KARIM SAHIB / AFP) (Photo by KARIM SAHIB/AFP via Getty Images)

Qatar, Egypt react to UAE-Israel agreement

The two countries' differing reactions show that Arab states continue to have mixed feelings on the historic normalization agreement.

United Arab Emirates

An Emirati official stands near an air-plane of El Al, which carried a US-Israeli delegation to the UAE following a normalisation accord, upon it's arrival at the Abu Dhabi airport in the first-ever commercial flight from Israel to the UAE, on August 31, 2020. - A US-Israeli delegation including White House advisor Jared Kushner took off on a historic first direct commercial flight from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi to mark the normalisation of ties between the Jewish state and the UAE. (Photo by Karim SAHIB / AFP)

Netanyahu calls opening of Saudi skies 'huge breakthrough’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi hailed Saudi Arabia's decision to open its airspace to "all countries" following the UAE-Israel deal.

This picture taken on September 1, 2020 in Jerusalem shows the front pages of Israeli and Palestinian newspapers with images of the US-Israeli delegation arriving to Abu Dhabi on the first commercial flight from Tel Aviv to mark the normalisation of ties between the Jewish state and the UAE. (Photo by MENAHEM KAHANA / AFP) (Photo by MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images)

Israel, UAE sign first agreement on investment, financial services

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said announcements in aviation, tourism, trade and other areas of mutual interest will follow.

United Arab Emirates