Simeon Kerr sul Financial Times va un po’ più a fondo del Dubaigate, non solo dal punto di vista delle indagini sull’assassinio del dirigente di Hamas, Mahmoud al Mabhouh, ma dal punto di vista degli equilibri regionali quando si parla di palestinesi:
Although the UAE is a strong ally of Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, and is no fan of Hamas, Dubai is not used to playing centre stage in the Arab-Israeli conflict.
The UAE federal government has been playing a more prominent role in the shuttle diplomacy by the western powers as they seek to revive peace talks, but historically it has kept a low profile.
So the assassination leaves the UAE, warmly regarded as a helpful Arab bulwark by its western allies, open to criticism from more radical governments and by the “Arab street”.
The UAE sees the assassination in its backyard as a slap in the face for its stance of regional moderation, as it seeks to encourage both sides to come to the negotiating table before Jewish settlements create too many “facts on the ground” on the West Bank.