04 August 2022; MEMO: Police in Israel arrested two tourists from the UAE yesterday following a shooting in central Tel Aviv. The incident took place on Dizengoff Street and was reportedly carried out by two assailants riding a motorcycle who shot at a known criminal standing by his car before fleeing the scene.
Officers apprehended two Emirati men who they thought were involved in the shooting. People nearby assumed that they were Palestinians, which caused some to panic. One of the men can be heard on video telling the arresting officers in English that, "My name is Adel" and that he "came with the embassy".
After being handed over to the police for investigation, the pair were released an hour later and received an apology from officers. The incident was deemed to be crime-related with no reported casualties.
As footage of the two Emirati citizens being arrested spread online, some observers commented on the prevalent racial profiling that exists in Israel. The tourists, it was pointed out, were taken as "suspected terrorists" simply because they were Arabs.
Other social media users commented on the 2020 Abraham Accords signed between the UAE and Israel, noting that despite the normalisation agreement with Israel, the Emiratis were still seen as "Palestinian terrorists" by the occupation state.
In March it was reported that Israel was seeking more "two-way" traffic with the UAE, aiming to attract 100,000 tourists from the Gulf state. Last year over 200,000 Israeli tourists visited the UAE.
