DID Press: A new report by the Intelligence Online website has revealed the role of the United Arab Emirates as the hidden buyer behind a major arms contract with the Israeli defense company Elbit Systems. The deal, concluded amid the ongoing war in Gaza and without official disclosure of key details, points to a deepening of security cooperation between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv.
According to Intelligence Online, the UAE is the undisclosed purchaser of a $2.3 billion contract signed last month with Elbit Systems. While the agreement was publicly announced, neither the identity of the buyer nor the exact nature of the military systems involved was officially disclosed at the time.
According to the report, the delivery of the “advanced military systems” covered by the contract will take place over an eight-year period.
The revelation comes as security and economic cooperation between the UAE and Israel continues to expand quietly alongside the war in Gaza. Despite regional tensions and international scrutiny, bilateral ties appear to be strengthening behind the scenes.
Human rights organizations, including Oxfam, have warned about the humanitarian consequences of transferring advanced weapons, stressing that such arms deals risk exacerbating violations of international law and increasing civilian suffering.
The report also highlights progress in joint economic and logistical projects between the two countries, including the so-called “Peace Railway” initiative aimed at transporting goods from India to the Israeli port of Haifa, as well as the opening of the first Emirati branch of the Israeli company Controp in Abu Dhabi.
These developments coincide with Elbit Systems reporting record profits.
The cooperation is unfolding in the context of a war that, since October 2023, has reportedly resulted in the deaths of at least 70,667 Palestinians and injuries to 171,151 others in the Gaza Strip, according to published figures. The scale of the humanitarian toll has fueled widespread international criticism of the role played by arms supply chains in prolonging the crisis.