Gemran Newspaper ‘Die Welt’ interviews H.E. Ambassador Hafsa Al Ulama
We must encounter hatemongers
By: DANIEL-DYLAN BÖHMER
It was known that the Emirates and Israel
had come closer together. Nevertheless, many were surprised that a peace
agreement could be reached so quickly. Why just now?
For us, the issue of tolerance is very important. We
have declared last year the Year of Tolerance. This included a visit by Pope
Francis to our country and his public service with more than 200,000 believers.
We want to build bridges, and for that we must recognise each other. There is a
lot of instability in the Middle East at the moment and we can only tackle it
if as many actors as possible work together. That is why the time seemed right
for a positive signal. We wanted to show that progress is possible in our part
of the world.
But so far, the impression was that there
was real hatred of Israel in the Arab world.
Sometimes impressions are deceptive. The people in the
Arab countries want above all stability, an end to violence, a perspective for
their future. Often hatred is deliberately generated by some forces, because
without hostility they would lose their livelihoods. Of course, there is a
feeling among some in the Arab world that history has not always been fair. But
what good is it to remain forever in the past? You in Europe have experienced
how much everyone benefits from overcoming old differences. We must think
long-term, beyond the noise of day-to-day politics. We are actually good at
that. I believe there is such a thing as the wisdom of the desert. After all,
that is where the prophets of three world religions came from.
But doesn't peace with Israel have a lot to
do with your common opposition to Iran?
Iran was not the reason. But it is true that Iran is a
factor of instability in the region. It supports militias in many countries in
the Middle East, and the declared aim of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards is to
export the Iranian revolution. We want to counter this instability with our
peace agreement. We should resolve disputes in the region through negotiation
and cooperation. But to do so, we must also counter those who spread hatred and
fundamentalism.
Many Palestinians now feel abandoned. In
the Arab Peace Initiative of 2002, the Emirates and other countries ruled out
peace with Israel as long as there is no Palestinian state. That no longer
seems to be the case.
We have by no means abandoned the Palestinians. We
have always been one of their main supporters, politically and economically.
And we still stand by the Arab League's demands. We continue to demand that the
UN resolutions on the issue be implemented and we continue to call for a
two-state solution. But we believe that peace is best achieved through
dialogue. Not by ignoring the existence of the other. That has simply not worked.
Under the new conditions we can support the Palestinians even better. After
all, we have managed to get the Israeli government to suspend its plans for
annexations in the West Bank. Moreover: we are a sovereign country that makes
its own decisions. And this decision is pragmatic and brings enormous
opportunities.
What are they?
Israel is famous for its innovation, its technology,
its agriculture. They have made the desert to flourish. The whole region could
benefit from this. Other Arab states will hopefully follow our example. So that
we can create a new narrative about our part of the world - not of war and
enmity but of inclusion and innovation. In the Arab world, more than 60 percent
of the population is under 35 years of age. These people have had enough of the
conflicts in the region. They want a future. Even after oil. Our Crown Prince
Mohammed Bin Zayed once said: "I do not want to mourn the day the last
barrel of oil is produced - I want to celebrate that day". That is what we
think. That is why we need innovation.
Today, Dubai and Abu Dhabi are associated
with high-rise buildings with glass facades. What was that like in your
childhood?
It is incredible how everything changed. When I was
little, we had no electricity. In the middle of the desert. There was little
food. Drinking water was delivered to us in barrels every few days, by a man
who transported it on the back of his donkey. Of course, there was no air
conditioning either. Our house had a wind tower through which cooler air came
in. But even then, our founder, Sheikh Zayed, put a lot of energy into
education. In the mornings, when we children got on the school bus, our aunts
got on it and then learned to read and write at the same school. And in the
evening we did homework together, girls and women. At that time the oil began
to flow and Sheikh Zayed founded our state investment fund Adia. For every
dollar he spent, he saved a dollar. That was the foundation of our wealth.
You made a career in diplomacy, you started
your own financial company. Isn't all this even more difficult for women in
your part of the world?
Maybe some things would surprise you. Take Sheikh
Zayed, for example. He was a real patriarch, the head of his tribe. But he
realised that there was no progress if only half the population participated.
In our country, government action has indeed made a big difference. In our
parliament, 50 percent of the members are women. More than in the Bundestag. We
have women in the police, as pilots, in management. And there is a woman at the
head of our space agency. Of course, there is resistance to progress among some
people in the Arab world. But the best way to counteract this is to have
functioning counter examples.
Your country is also very self-confident in
foreign policy. But do the Emirates really promote stability when they support
the rebel general Khalifa Haftar in Libya in his fight against the
internationally recognised government of Fayez al-Sarraj?
Yes, we support stability in Libya. We have been
actively involved in the negotiations of the Berlin process, which the German
Government started with its conference in January. We also fully support the
ceasefire recently negotiated between the parties to the conflict in Libya. But
in Libya unfortunately forces like Turkey are interfering, which has even
brought mercenaries from Syria to fight there. The Sarraj government does not
represent all of Libya and was never elected.
But it was negotiated between the parties
to the conflict with the mediation of the United Nations. And, with all due
respect, your country sent weapons and money to Haftar even before Turkey
intervened.
The problem is that the Sarraj government includes
fundamentalist elements that can threaten the security of the whole region.
After all, Libya borders on Egypt, a country of 100 million people.
You mean the conservative Muslim
Brotherhood, which originates from Egypt and is said to have influence in the Sarraj
government.
Correct. This extremist ideology is sowing chaos and
violence throughout the Middle East. Egypt and the Emirates have recognised
that this is a terrorist threat and have classified the Muslim Brotherhood
accordingly. The ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood is characterised by
exclusion, it contradicts everything we stand for - coexistence, openness, moderation.
In Europe, some people see the Brotherhood
simply as conservative Muslims taking part in democratic competition.
So it may seem. But we in the Middle East know the
damage such groups can do. This is not just any party. It lays the foundations
for extremism. The ideology of Isis, too, ultimately stems from the thinking of
the Muslim Brotherhood, which can be found in their writings - the principle
that every dissident must be fought as an enemy. That determines all their
actions, even if they appear modern and ready to talk to the outside world.
You mentioned the Berlin peace process for
Libya. Should Germany also play a more active role in the Middle East in other
respects?
Yes. Germany and Europe as a whole. They have so much
to offer our region. The Emirates and Germany are so similar in so many ways.
We both focus on innovation and cooperation. It is courageous how Germany is
facing up to its past. It is an economic superpower and plays a central role in
Europe. And as Europeans, the Middle East is your immediate neighbour. Germany
can do a lot of positive things there. That would also combat the causes of migration.
We see Germany as a potentially very important player in our region. As a
positive role model in many areas.
