That's what I thought too, not sure why OP said "Emirates cannot trade with Israel", maybe its an old anecdote.

Old anecdote, and I'm French, so I'm probably using the incorrect tense to tell the story.

Yeah makes sense. I love the politics like this where everyone is firmly in solidarity but everyone is making deals out the back door. Like Europeans at war with Russia but buying gas, Americans hating China but spending all their money on stuff made there, Communist leaders hating America but sending their kids to school there.

Cuba getting stuff from America, pro-life manifestants getting abortions, USSR smuggling US computers, KKK members surfing Ebony adult sites.

That's just humanity at this point.

We are full of contradictions.

Sure. My point is just that the UAE could have done that whenever they wanted; nobody was ever forcing them to not trade with Israel.

I'm not sure that, at least historically, that would be looked upon amicably by their neighbouring countries or populations. That has changed over time though which has allowed this to happen.