The United Arab Emirates’ airline is facing calls for a boycott because it promotes tourism in Tel Aviv and considers the Palestinian city to be Israeli.
Flydubai, a travel guide promoting tourism in Tel Aviv, claimed falafel and hummus were Israeli food [GETTY]
Emirates flydubai has come under fire over a travel guide that labels Palestinian cities as Israel and promotes Israeli tourism.
In a travel guide on its website, flydubai describes Israel as “one of the most dynamic countries in the Middle East” and lists cities to visit, major attractions and things to try. Gourmet food etc. are listed.
The paper also listed “the world-famous Old City of Jerusalem and the churches of Bethlehem” as “must-see sites” in the state, which was occupied by Israel in 1967 after the end of the Arab-Israeli war.
Jerusalem is home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which has been subject to a series of attacks and blockades, but Israelis remain confident that the complex is their religion’s holiest site and home to two ancient temples. I believe there is.
Almost the entire international community rejects Israel’s annexation and Jerusalem’s claims to sovereignty.
According to the airline, Tel Aviv is known as the “Manhattan of the Middle East” and “the city that never sleeps.”
Critics also noted that the guide credits Israeli cuisine for the “authentic, fresh flavors of hummus, falafel, shakshuka, musabaha, and couscous, along with traditional fresh bread.”
Israel faces backlash and ridicule for appropriating Palestinian cuisine and rebranding it as its own. The country has long labeled authentic Palestinian dishes as made in Israel, including Israeli hummus, Israeli falafel, Israeli fattoush, Israeli shawarma and Israeli zaatar.
flydubai began commercial service to Tel Aviv in 2020, becoming the first scheduled commercial service between the UAE and Israel after the two cities agreed to normalize diplomatic relations.
The UAE is one of the Arab countries that has normalized diplomatic relations with Israel, following Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994. Bahrain and Sudan followed suit as part of the Abraham Accords.
The deal was condemned by Palestinians and broke with the Arab League’s long-standing policy of opposing Israel’s occupation of Palestine.
The consensus is that there should be no relations with Israel until it makes peace with the Palestinians.
