Israeli and Emirati rugby teams to play each other for first time
The rugby sevens match in Dubai is the latest example of the strengthening of relations between Israel and the UAE and shows a shift in Israel's sports relations with other regional states.
The Israeli and Emirati rugby teams will play their first ever match this week. It is the latest example of the strengthening ties between the two countries following their historic normalization agreement.
Israel Rugby will face UAE Rugby in Dubai on Friday. The two teams will also hold joint practices this week in the United Arab Emirates’ largest city, Israel Rugby said in a Facebook post Sunday.
Israel and the UAE established full diplomatic relations last year as part of the US-brokered Abraham Accords. The UAE was the first country in the Arab world to recognize Israel in 26 years. The agreement led to Bahrain and Morocco later establishing relations with Israel. Entities in Israel and the UAE have signed a flurry of agreements to further economic cooperation since the accords.
Rugby is not the first sport to feature in Israel-UAE ties. In December, an Emirati sheikh purchased a stake in the Beitar Jerusalem soccer team. The move was significant because Beitar is known for its right-wing nationalist fans, some of whom espouse anti-Arab racism.
