Unite Arab Emirates: Opens diplomatic reactions with Israel

(Abu Dhabi) In a deal which has stunned the Islamic world the UAE has decided that it will normalise diplomatic ties and forge a broad new relationship with Israel a move that reshapes the order of Middle East politics from the Palestinian issue to the fight against Iran.

Naturally the Palestinians (and their supporters) feel that this is an act of betrayal, yet these are the very people who for 72 years have failed the people they claim to represent resulting in more poverty, pain and anguish. Hopefully this move will catalyse other Arab and Islamic states to  make peace.

Yemen: Interesting video of the UAE army at work

(Yemen) Whilst the world has heard of the Saudi involvement inside Yemen, not many know of the  coalition that is helping Riyadh. One such country is the United Arab Emirates, which owns some of the most advanced military equipment in the world. Its main battle tank is the French made Leclerc, which is reportedly of a higher standard than that used by the French Army. Its combat engineer vehicle is the Engin Principal du Génie, which is based on the Leclerc. They use the South African wheeled G6 howitzer system, and the RG 31 fitted with the 122-mm AGRAB as a mortar base plate. As their battlefield taxis they use the  Patria AMV APC and the BAE Caiman. Unlike the Turks when they went into Syria, the UAE appear to ensure that their vehicles have the protection required to survive a bun fight. But then, with a population of 9 million, the UAE really can't afford to take losses as the Turks have and can. Anyway, here's a wee video of all the above kit in action:

data-conversation="none" data-cards="hidden" data-lang="en-gb">

video pic.twitter.com/yU4COQt1Fv

— Yuri L (@imp_navigator) 9 December 2017

U.S. Teacher Killed 'With a Sharp Tool' in Abu Dhabi Shopping Mall

(NBC) An American kindergarten teacher who is the mother of twins was stabbed to death in the bathroom of an Abu Dhabi shopping mall by a robed figure dubbed the "Reem Island Ghost," police said Wednesday.

The attack comes just weeks after the U.S. embassies in the Middle East warned citizens of an anonymous posting on a jihadist website encouraging attacks against teachers at American schools in the Middle East.

The U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi confirmed an American citizen was killed Monday in a public restroom at a shopping mall on Reem Island and said it is working with "all appropriate authorities" to seek further information.

"There is no information available at this time about the nature of the crime," it added in a statement. No further details were provided.

Abu Dhabi police said that the 37-year-old woman reportedly was attacked "with a sharp tool" following a fight in the public restroom on Monday, with witnesses saying the suspect was cloaked in a traditional black robe, gloves and face cover.

"The injured woman was immediately rushed to Sheikh Khalifa Medical City where she succumbed to the wounds she sustained in the attack," Abu Dhabi police said in a statement, adding that the suspect had immediately fled the scene after the attack. Police said an investigation is underway into the cause of the fight and the suspect's motive, identity and gender.

Col. Dr. Rashid Mohammad Borshid, head of Abu Dhabi's Criminal Investigation Department said that police are now caring for the victim's twins.

In a surveillance video released by Abu Dhabi police, the suspect is shown exiting an elevator and appearing to have a quick interaction with a mall security officer — before grabbing a newspaper and heading into the bathroom.

According to the timestamp on the video, the suspect hustles out of the bathroom around 90 minutes later and heads straight for the elevator as bystanders scatter. At the elevator door, a female bystander apparently tries to stop the suspect but quickly retreats. The suspect then dashes into the elevator — and other bystanders soon rush after.

Police said they have not determined the gender of the assailant.

On Oct. 29, the U.S. embassy in Abu Dhabi issued a warning to U.S. citizens about the anonymous posting encouraging attacks against American teachers, but said it was "unaware of any specific, credible threat against any American or other school or individual in the United Arab Emirates."

"Nonetheless, the Mission is working with local schools identified with the United States to review their security posture," it said. "U.S. citizens residing in or visiting the UAE should remain vigilant regarding their personal security."

US based jihadist front groups CAIR and MAS 'shocked' to find they've been designated by UAE as terrorist organizations

Maybe CAIR should accuse UAE of Islamophobia and sue them. That'd be a doozy and fun to watch.

(CNSNews.com) – Two Islamic groups in the U.S. that strive to portray themselves as moderate and mainstream expressed shock to learn at the weekend that the United Arab Emirates had included them in a list of terrorist organizations.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which describes itself as “America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization,” and the Muslim American Society (MAS), which calls itself “a religious community service organization,” were among more than 80 groups whose designation was approved by the UAE cabinet and announced on Saturday.

More...

UAE lists over 80 Muslim terrorist groups, including CAIR-linked Muslim Brotherhood

Abu Dhabi (AFP) - The United Arab Emirates, which belongs to a US-led coalition fighting jihadists, on Saturday issued a list of 83 Islamist groups which it classified as "terrorist organisations".

The list, approved by the cabinet and published on the official WAM news agency, is similar to an announcement made by Riyadh in March.

It blacklists Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS), as well as the Muslim Brotherhood and Yemen's Shiite Huthi militia.

The UAE has jailed dozens of Emiratis and Egyptians for forming cells of the Brotherhood, outlawed in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, which accuses the movement of seeking to overthrow the Gulf monarchies.

On Saturday, the UAE named the Qatar-based International Union of Muslim Scholars which is headed by the Brotherhood's spiritual guide Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi on its terror list.

From inside the Gulf state itself, the list names Al-Islah (reform) Society, dozens of whose members have been jailed, and the previously unknown "UAE jihad cells."

Shiite Hezbollah in the Gulf states and brigades with the same name in Iraq also figure on the list, but not Lebanon's powerful Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah.

Several brigades fighting on both sides in the Syrian conflict along with Islamist groups in Libya, Tunisia, Mali, Pakistan, Nigeria's Boko Haram as well as Afghanistan's Taliban account for the bulk of the list.

Fifteen Islamists accused of joining and financing Al-Nusra Front, Syria's Al-Qaeda franchise, and Ahrar al-Sham, another Syrian rebel group, went on trial in the UAE in September.

More...

Report: 1st Female pilot for UAE was their team leader in the Syria strikes Monday night

Confirmed: 1st Female pilot for UAE was their team leader in the Syria strikes Monday night -Major Mariam Al Mansouri pic.twitter.com/4Y3FW9WFBr
— Bret Baier (@BretBaier) September 24, 2014

(UAE) PHOTOS of a female fighter pilot who led the United Arab Emirates air strikes on Syria have sent the internet into a spin, with many praising it as an epic display of girl power.

Major Mariam Al Mansouri is the first female air force pilot from the United Arab Emirates.

The 35-year-old commands a squadron of F-16 jets which led coordinated attacks on ISIS targets in Iraq in Syria this week conducted by the US and five other Arab nations.

More...

Egypt and UAE carried out airstrikes in Libya

(Tripoli) With the internecine fighting that is ripping Libya apart, it has come out in the wash that Egypt and the United Arab Emirates launched their own airstrikes against the militant groups fighting the government in which to give the Libyan government a helping hand. Unfortunately, the airstrikes against the militants failed to prevent them from securing the much contested airport.

But what is most surprising about these airstrikes is they were carried out without either Egypt or the UAE informing the US of their intentions. Naturally, the Obama government wasn't impressed with one U.S. official reported as saying:

"We don't see this as constructive at all."

Just goes to show you how far the present US administration has gone in turning its strongest allies in the region away from them.