Which Gulf country will be next to normalize relations with Israel? Against the backdrop of the geopolitical changes in the region, and primarily the role of the Democratic government in the United States, it's still an open question. Either way, the very potential of broadening the normalization processes in the region creates questions and interest regarding who will be the "next in line."
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
During preparation for this series of articles, I formed connections with a range of senior Jewish figures (and others) in other Gulf states. It's clear that, alongside their growing curiosity regarding the Abraham Accords, they are worried that they might be associated with this or that statement. In light of the sensitivity, preserving their feeling of personal security is more important than their being mentioned in relation to this issue.
And despite all this, an exception to this is a Jew who lives in Kuwait – for the purposes of the article, we'll call him Yosef – who agreed to be quoted and to pass on the spirit of his message. Immediately following the signing of the Abraham Accords, the leading Kuwaiti newspaper the Kuwait Times led with the message that the Gulf country would be the "last state" to normalize relations with Israel.
"From the media, I learned that the state's attitude towards Israel is different from mine," Yosef emphasized, "and you need to remember that over the years it has absorbed many Palestinian refugees, something that sharpens the complexity of the country's approach to Israel" [during the second half of the twentieth century Kuwait took in Palestinian foreign workers, including Yasser Arafat, who became Palestinian Authority chairman, as well as those from India and Egypt].
At the same time, he clarifies, "there is freedom of religion in Kuwait and they don't have a problem with Jews per se. Basically, it's not hard to be Jewish. The meat is Kosher according to the law and it's possible to live an Orthodox life, albeit without a minyan. During Sukkot I sat in a Sukkah, and even though there is no synagogue in the country I don't think there will be a problem to establish a house of prayer here. The Kuwaiti public, for its part, isn't so anti-Israel. I haven't encountered any kind of hostility towards Israel when its name comes up in daily conversation.
AP, AFPAccording to Yosef, Jewish soldiers in the American army who are based in Kuwait make up a little more than a minyan, and with their help there's the possibility of praying on Friday evening. "A Jewish woman who I met in Kuwait City told me that during the past decade she has met at least six or seven Jewish families, some of whom have left in the meantime. In total, the number of Jewish soldiers in the American army who serve in the Persian Gulf is estimated at a few hundred, alongside very small communities connected to the business community.
On maintaining relations with Jews from the region, Yosef said that he is "in close contact with the AGJC and with the Nonoo family [Ebrahim Dawood Nonoo, AGJC President]. Until now we've been in touch, mainly on Zoom, during festivals and other important days – Rosh Hashanah – Channukah, Tisha B'av, Pesach, Shavuot."
Nonoo himself avoided responding directly on this issue, and made do with this statement: "The Jewish communities of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar are excited to hear about the developments in the area, and expect them to continue."
Another Jewish figure in the Gulf noted that "naturally, if the Abraham Accords widen then more Israelis will come here," and he added that, according to his estimate, "apart from Oman, in which there are only a few Jews left, it's precisely in Qatar – Dubai's main rival – where there is potential that they will sign agreements with Israel. In this case, my estimate is that many Jews will gradually go there and the community is definitely liable to grow." Alex Peterfreund, the co-president of Gates to the East, the Jewish council in the Emirates, who shared in a roundabout way that "our community has become the main address for all the needs of the Jewish community in the UAE. All of us share the common goal of building our community – both for the sake of those who live here and for the tens of thousands of Jewish tourists who visit here each year."
In this context, Peterfreund added that "from the moment that the community here entered the stage of global Jewry's consciousness, we were required to take action very quickly and we are capable of helping small Jewish communities who will also be 'dropped' onto this stage."
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
