Israel apologises to UAE over senior health official remarks

The Emirati, Israeli and US flags are picture attached to an air-plane of Israel’s El Al on August 31, 2020 [KARIM SAHIB/AFP via Getty Images]

Israel has officially apologised on Thursday to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over remarks made by a senior Israeli Health Ministry official criticising the Gulf state, the Israeli website Ynet News reported.

Speaking to hospital directors on Thursday morning, Head of Public Health in the Health Ministry Dr Sharon Alroy-Preis asserted: “More people died in two weeks of peace with Dubai than in 70 years of war with them.”

The official referred to the flights between Israel and the UAE, as 14 cases tested positive onboard a flight returning from Dubai to Tel Aviv. She described them as “deadly” flights.

Following these remarks, the UAE’s Foreign Ministry officials asked Israel to explain the statements made by Alroy-Preis, pushing Israel to officially apologise.

READ: Emir’s wife criticises UAE-Israel education cooperation

Alroy-Preis’s observations were an “unsuccessful joke”, according to Israel, stressing that her comments did not reflect the position of the government of Israel.

Ynet News reported that Alroy-Preis was among health officials urging the limit of flights to and from the UAE because the Gulf country does not impose tight COVID-19 restrictions, causing many Israeli officials to worry that returnees will bring the virus back with them.

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