The UAE’s Jewish population is growing significantly, the country’s senior rabbi said after a visit from Israeli President Isaac Herzog to the Emirates on Monday.
“The Jewish population has already doubled [since the signing of the Abraham Accords], it’s happening and will continue to happen,” Dr Elie Abadie, the Emirates' senior rabbi in residence told The National.
Mr Herzog’s visit shows the UAE “is a very friendly country, where the Jewish community can grow and thrive so there will be more coming here”, he said.
The next most important institution [to the Jewish community] is the building of an actual synagogue in Dubai, because nowadays some are using villas and hotels
Dr Elie Abadie
Mr Herzog and his wife, first lady Michal Herzog, were on the second day of a two-day visit to the Emirates — the first by an Israeli head of state. Mr Herzog was welcomed by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai.
The UAE hosts between 350 and 500 Jews who are active within the community, Rabbi Abadie believes, but the number might be more as there are people who do not take part in community activities.
About 250,000 Israelis have already visited the Emirates since the Abraham Accords were signed in the summer of 2020.
Rabbi Abadie hopes the visit of Mr Herzog will encourage the building of a synagogue in Dubai.
“I think the next most important institution [to the Jewish community] is the building of an actual synagogue in Dubai, because nowadays some are using villas and hotels,” Rabbi Abadie said.
“The move will be significant and meaningful,” he said.
Currently, worshippers can gather at the Jewish Community Centre in Al Wasl, or at the Address Dubai Marina Hotel to attend services.
After the visit of Pope Francis to Abu Dhabi in 2018, the Emirates announced the building of the Abrahamic Family House on the capital’s Saadiyat Island. This will include a mosque, church and synagogue.
The project is expected to finish by the end of 2022.
Mr Herzog’s presence in the Emirates will encourage members of the faith to visit and live in the country, said Rabbi Abadie.
“It gives the community a sense of recognition, representation in a sense, a sense that we have graduated to be an official community here,” he said.
“The [Jewish community is] excited, thrilled, very proud, it has been an experience to hear and see the Israeli national anthem, even the president himself said he shed some tears when he heard it as he couldn’t believe it,” said Rabbi Abadie.
During his visit to the UAE, Mr Herzog met Rabbi Abadie several times.
“He is looking forward to strengthening the Abraham Accords,” Rabbi Abadie said.
“Mr Herzog believes other countries will be joining the Accords. He hopes that every country would join, of course.”
The Abraham Accords was formally signed between Israel, the UAE and Bahrain in Washington on September 15, 2020, opening the door for diplomatic, trade, travel and business ties between them.
The UAE and Israel opened their respective embassies in the past year, formalising their commitment to peace in the region.
Morocco and Sudan have also since normalised ties with Israel.
Abrahamic Family House: in pictures
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
More on animal trafficking
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
On the menu
First course
▶ Emirati sea bass tartare Yuzu and labneh mayo, avocado, green herbs, fermented tomato water
▶ The Tale of the Oyster Oyster tartare, Bahraini gum berry pickle
Second course
▶ Local mackerel Sourdough crouton, baharat oil, red radish, zaatar mayo
▶ One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Quail, smoked freekeh, cinnamon cocoa
Third course
▶ Bahraini bouillabaisse Venus clams, local prawns, fishfarm seabream, farro
▶ Lamb 2 ways Braised lamb, crispy lamb chop, bulgur, physalis
Dessert
▶ Lumi Black lemon ice cream, pistachio, pomegranate
▶ Black chocolate bar Dark chocolate, dates, caramel, camel milk ice cream
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre V6
Power: 295hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 355Nm at 5,200rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km
Price: Dh179,999-plus
On sale: now
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
ENGLAND TEAM
England (15-1)
George Furbank; Jonny May, Manu Tuilagi, Owen Farrell (capt), Elliot Daly; George Ford, Ben Youngs; Tom Curry, Sam Underhill, Courtney Lawes; Charlie Ewels, Maro Itoje; Kyle Sinckler, Jamie George, Joe Marler
Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, George Kruis, Lewis Ludlam, Willi Heinz, Ollie Devoto, Jonathan Joseph
Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten
Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a month before Reaching the Last Mile.
Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
