Israel has begun exporting wine, olive oil and honey from West Bank settlements to the United Arab Emirates, a major deal won by the Abraham Accords who have delighted Jewish expats but frightened them. Palestinian leaders.
Tura Winery, in the Rehelim Settlement, and Paradise Honey in Hermesh, have sent shipments to Emirati clients that they hope will quench the Gulf state’s Jewish community’s thirst for kosher wine.
It follows a historic treaty treaty, the Abraham Accords, signed by the USA, Israel, Bahrain and the UAE. The agreement has established full diplomatic ties and opened dozens of profitable trade deals.
Although popular in the UAE, the goods are controversial because they were taken out of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which the Palestinians call their own land. Many countries consider the settlements illegal under international law, although Israel is arguing about this.
Britain has said it is “deeply concerned” about the expansion of West Bank settlement, while President Joe Biden has vowed to take a tougher stance on them than the Trump administration.
But an Emirati official told the Telegraph that he had no problem with the settlements, as they are supporting Palestinians by offering job opportunities.
Wine from Israel has already seen strong demand in the UAE, with alcohol supplier MMI offering a line of Tel Aviv – based whiskey called Milk and Honey.
Lindsay Trivers, sommelier and founder of the tasting class in Dubai, said demand had skyrocketed after the Abraham Accords.
“I was asked just yesterday, in preparation for a wine festival in March, to bring this in [into tasting events], ”She said.
“There are five labels here or on the way in so we’re looking at a wine tasting on a desert theme and an old world wine lesson looking at history and differences in styles.”