Dubai Deputy Police Chief: Iran and Turkey, Not Israel, Threaten Gulf States

Dubai Deputy Police Chief Lieutenant General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim said Tuesday (Sept.1) that the normalization agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates is good for regional stability and security.

“Israel never threatened us. [Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdoğan did. Iran is threatening us,” Tamim told Kuwait’s Diwan Al-Mullah Online TV in an interview televised September 1, 2020.

The Turkish leader’s claims to be a champion of the Palestinians were a sham, said Tamim, deputy chief of police and general security. Erdoğan is “peddling in the Palestinian cause—nothing more, nothing less,” he said.

Tamim also questioned why any government should require Palestinian approval to sign a peace treaty.

“Is it conceivable that the decision of heads of state to sign or not sign an agreement with a certain country would depend on the approval of [Palestinian Authority leader] Mahmoud Abbas? Is it conceivable that a president or a prime minister would pin their [decision] on Mahmoud Abbas? Abbas himself is incapable of making a decision to resolve the [Palestinian] cause, or to negotiate whether to move forward or backward,” he said.

“If Abbas were a worthy leader, he would have resolved the Palestinian problem or resigned,” added Tamim.

Tamim went on to say that it was not only the leaders, but also the public in the Gulf states that was dissatisfied with the Palestinian Authority. How could public opinion in the Gulf states be expected to favor Palestinians when they pray for the destruction of these countries in their mosques? he asked.

He then addressed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh directly, saying, “Haniyeh, when you are being hostile to Saudi Arabia and open your arms to Iran, who do you think you are? Go to Iran and let them help you. Go to hell!”

Iran has three choices, all of which lead to Tel Aviv, he said.

“It can die economically, or it can sign a peace agreement with Israel and coexist with the region,” said Tamim. “The third option is the fall of the regime of the mullahs.”

JNS contributed to this report.