In 2020, Erel Margalit led the first Israeli tech delegation to the UAE. He is clearly still moved by the occasion.
The visit gave him hope about the possibility of a more peaceful Middle East driven by entrepreneurs.
Mr Margalit is a former politician and founder and chief executive of JVP, one of Israel's largest venture capital firms.
On the third anniversary of the Abraham Accords – the normalisation agreements signed between Israel and the UAE and Bahrain on September 15, 2020 – he spoke to The National about the pact's significance.
“The Accords is one of the biggest changes for Israel in the past 50 years,” he said.
“The agreements we had with Egypt and Jordan were very important from a security standpoint. But they really didn’t yield much economically.”
During the 2020 trip, Mr Margalit gave his first interview to an Emirati outlet, an experience he comes back to throughout his conversation with The National.
“For us Israelis, after reaching New York, London, Paris and Asia the place that we were longing to reach is so close to home. Our own region,” he told the host of Dubai TV at the time, in front of a backdrop featuring the Burj Khalifa and Abu Dhabi’s skyline.
His delegation also took the chance to show parts of the Arab world a side of modern Israel that had largely been hidden to the region.
In Israel, the tech sector represents not just an industry, Mr Margalit says, but an irreplaceable part of the country’s modern story, in which brainpower propelled a small country with a hugely troubled early life into an ascendant modern economy.
When he came to the UAE, he was not simply going as a businessman, but as an ambassador representing the “start-up nation” to another of the region’s most tech-focussed countries.
He was there to build on a new vision of the Middle East in which Israel, after more than 70 years of existence, finally engaged with some of its Arab neighbours on friendly terms.
Mr Margalit says the UAE-Israel trade relationship, which was worth $2.5 billion in 2022, exposes Israel to many parts of the world.
“The UAE is not only a great place and market with great people and ideas. It is also a small country that has great reach into the region," he said.
"You might be working with your partners in the Emirates, only to suddenly find yourself in dialogue with Malaysia, Indonesia, India or Saudi Arabia.
“We called it in my interview with Dubai TV the power of ‘yalla’,” he says, using a rousing Arabic term that translates roughly to “let’s go”.
Trade with the Emirates has also helped efforts to bridge the divide between Israelis and Palestinians, he added.
“I think one of the things that has always made our company JVP different is that we involve Palestinians in our operations,” Mr Margalit said.
The Abraham Accords vindicated that all too uncommon approach.
“Having Palestinians on board helped us in this new phase, because so much of our activity in the region requires people who understand Middle Eastern culture,” he said.
There is still work to do, Mr Margalit believes, and Israel's new government is not helping.
In power for less than a year, the coalition has divided Israeli society with deeply controversial judicial reforms.
It is by far the most right-wing coalition in the country’s history, containing a number of ministers with a history of anti-Arab hate. It has often drawn stern international rebuke, including from Abraham Accords partners.
Mr Margalit believes this is delaying progress on the vitally important drive for normalisation with Saudi Arabia, which ironically is one of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s biggest goals.
“Regarding Saudi Arabia, I think the business leadership is in front. Eventually the political leadership needs to catch up,” he said.
“I think it will take a new approach within Israel. It will take a government that knows how to connect people rather than set them apart. A government that can identify the goodwill created from business, but that understands it’s only an opening,” he adds.
In the studio of Dubai TV, three years before Israel found itself in its current internal crisis, Mr Margalit kept going back to the attitude that he believes will overcome the region’s many difficulties.
"Remember throughout history, every time there was a crisis, we came up with ideas that were larger than the ones we had when we came into the crisis," he said.
"We have to work together in order to make this work. So I say again, yalla!”
Today, in less optimistic times, the “yalla” attitude that formed the basis of his enthusiasm in 2020 is still there, but he lays it out in more sobering terms and with more urgency.
“The alternative is tearing people apart, and that’s a dangerous game in the Middle East,” the businessman said.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, second leg:
Liverpool (0) v Barcelona (3), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Game is on BeIN Sports
Champions parade (UAE timings)
7pm Gates open
8pm Deansgate stage showing starts
9pm Parade starts at Manchester Cathedral
9.45pm Parade ends at Peter Street
10pm City players on stage
11pm event ends
Sleep Well Beast
The National
4AD
How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics
WRESTLING HIGHLIGHTS
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
AUSTRALIA%20SQUAD
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Company%20profile
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UAE%20v%20West%20Indies
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The Gandhi Murder
- 71 - Years since the death of MK Gandhi, also christened India's Father of the Nation
- 34 - Nationalities featured in the film The Gandhi Murder
- 7 - million dollars, the film's budget
Revival
Eminem
Interscope
Results:
6.30pm: Maiden | US$45,000 (Dirt) | 1,400 metres
Winner: Tabarak, Royston Ffrench (jockey), Rashed Bouresly (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap | $175,000 (Turf) | 3,200m
Winner: Dubhe, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
7.40pm: UAE 2000 Guineas Group 3 | $250,000 (D) | 1,600m
Winner: Estihdaaf, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor
8.15pm: Handicap | $135,000 (T) | 1,800m
Winner: Nordic Lights, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
8.50pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 Group 2 | $450,000 (D) | 1,900m
Winner: North America, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
9.25pm: Handicap | $175,000 (T) | 1,200m
Winner: Mazzini, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
10pm: Handicap | $135,000 (T) | 1,400m.
Winner: Mubtasim, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 48V hybrid
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh289,000
Roll of honour 2019-2020
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners: Dubai Hurricanes
Runners up: Bahrain
West Asia Premiership
Winners: Bahrain
Runners up: UAE Premiership
UAE Premiership
}Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes
UAE Division One
Winners: Abu Dhabi Saracens
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes II
UAE Division Two
Winners: Barrelhouse
Runners up: RAK Rugby
Itcan profile
Founders: Mansour Althani and Abdullah Althani
Based: Business Bay, with offices in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and India
Sector: Technology, digital marketing and e-commerce
Size: 70 employees
Revenue: On track to make Dh100 million in revenue this year since its 2015 launch
Funding: Self-funded to date
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
New schools in Dubai
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
Brahmastra%3A%20Part%20One%20-%20Shiva
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Getting there
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly to Johannesburg or Cape Town daily. Flights cost from about Dh3,325, with a flying time of 8hours and 15 minutes. From there, fly South African Airlines or Air Namibia to Namibia’s Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport, for about Dh850. Flying time is 2 hours.
The stay
Wilderness Little Kulala offers stays from £460 (Dh2,135) per person, per night. It is one of seven Wilderness Safari lodges in Namibia; www.wilderness-safaris.com.
Skeleton Coast Safaris’ four-day adventure involves joining a very small group in a private plane, flying to some of the remotest areas in the world, with each night spent at a different camp. It costs from US$8,335.30 (Dh30,611); www.skeletoncoastsafaris.com
How Islam's view of posthumous transplant surgery changed
Transplants from the deceased have been carried out in hospitals across the globe for decades, but in some countries in the Middle East, including the UAE, the practise was banned until relatively recently.
Opinion has been divided as to whether organ donations from a deceased person is permissible in Islam.
The body is viewed as sacred, during and after death, thus prohibiting cremation and tattoos.
One school of thought viewed the removal of organs after death as equally impermissible.
That view has largely changed, and among scholars and indeed many in society, to be seen as permissible to save another life.
Results
1. New Zealand Daniel Meech – Fine (name of horse), Richard Gardner – Calisto, Bruce Goodin - Backatorps Danny V, Samantha McIntosh – Check In. Team total First round: 200.22; Second round: 201.75 – Penalties 12 (jump-off 40.16 seconds) Prize €64,000
2. Ireland Cameron Hanley – Aiyetoro, David Simpson – Keoki, Paul Kennedy – Cartown Danger Mouse, Shane Breen – Laith. Team total 200.25/202.84 – P 12 (jump-off 51.79 – P17) Prize €40,000
3. Italy Luca Maria Moneta – Connery, Luca Coata – Crandessa, Simone Coata – Dardonge, Natale Chiaudani – Almero. Team total 130.82/198.-4 – P20. Prize €32,000
