In a rare and urgent move, Israel’s Foreign Ministry has ordered the evacuation of most of its diplomatic staff and their families from the United Arab Emirates, following an updated travel warning by Israel’s National Security Council (NSC) citing an elevated risk of terror attacks by Iranian-linked groups.
The directive affects personnel at the Israeli embassy in Abu Dhabi and the consulate in Dubai, marking one of the most significant Israeli diplomatic withdrawals from a Gulf state in recent memory. Ambassador Yossi Shelley is expected to be the last to leave.
While the ministry declined to comment on specific security procedures, the timing and scope of the evacuation point to what officials described as a "concrete threat" or "hot intelligence warning."
Earlier on Thursday, the NSC issued an updated Level 3 travel advisory for the UAE, urging Israeli citizens to "avoid non-essential travel" and to carefully reconsider visiting the country altogether. The advisory cited increased activity by Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, and global jihadist organizations, all of whom are reportedly intensifying efforts to target Israelis and Jews.
What Travelers Are Being Told
Israelis currently in the UAE have been advised to:
- Avoid displaying Jewish or Israeli symbols in public (e.g. Hebrew writing on clothing or religious items).
- Refrain from participating in public gatherings with other Israelis or Jews.
- Exercise heightened vigilance and report any suspicious activity to local authorities and the NSC’s 24/7 Travel Warning Center at +972-2-6667444.
The NSC emphasized that if travelers suspect they have been exposed to a terrorist threat, they should immediately notify local law enforcement, followed by a report to Israeli security services.
