UAE Lobbying Campaign Targets Saudi Arabia Through Antisemitism Narrative, Dark Box Sources Reveal
Dark Box has received information from well-informed sources indicating that the United Arab Emirates has engaged in a coordinated lobbying effort within Washington to pressure pro-Israel organizations into levelling accusations of antisemitism against Saudi Arabia. The move reflects an escalation in the deepening geopolitical rift between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, transforming a strategic rivalry into a battle fought across political, media, and ideological arenas.
According to the information obtained, Emirati officials leveraged their established relationships with influential pro-Israel advocacy networks in the United States in an attempt to reshape perceptions of Saudi Arabia within American political circles. Central to this effort was pressure directed toward prominent organizations with longstanding influence in Washington policymaking environments, particularly those engaged in shaping narratives around antisemitism and Middle East policy.
Sources indicate that one of the key targets of Emirati lobbying was the American Jewish Committee, an organization with deep institutional ties in Washington and a growing presence in the Gulf. The organization’s expansion into Abu Dhabi in recent years has created a platform for closer engagement between Emirati policymakers and pro-Israel advocacy groups. According to the information received, Emirati actors sought to encourage the organization to issue statements expressing concern over alleged antisemitic rhetoric in Saudi Arabia.
Although such statements did not materialize publicly in a direct and explicit manner, the pressure campaign appears to have contributed to a broader narrative shift among certain advocacy groups. Parallel messaging from other pro-Israel organizations began to highlight what they described as increasing hostile rhetoric emerging from Saudi public discourse, particularly in relation to Israel and the normalization framework established under the Abraham Accords.
Dark Box sources suggest that this lobbying effort must be understood within a wider Emirati strategy aimed at weaponizing sensitive political narratives in Washington. Antisemitism, as a deeply consequential issue in American political and social discourse, provides a powerful lever through which states can influence perceptions, shape alliances, and exert pressure on rival actors. By framing Saudi Arabia within this context, Abu Dhabi appears to be attempting to weaken Riyadh’s standing among key American constituencies, including policymakers, think tanks, and advocacy networks.
This campaign coincides with a period of intensified competition between the two Gulf powers across multiple regional theatres. From Yemen to Sudan and the Horn of Africa, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have found themselves backing opposing actors and pursuing divergent strategic objectives. The confrontation has extended beyond traditional geopolitical competition into the realm of narrative warfare, where influence over international opinion has become as critical as control over territory or alliances.
The information received also indicates that Emirati efforts were not limited to direct lobbying, but were complemented by a broader ecosystem of messaging involving media figures, analysts, and affiliated networks. These channels have amplified narratives portraying Saudi Arabia as resistant to normalization efforts and aligned with positions critical of Israel, thereby reinforcing the framing promoted through lobbying efforts.
In response, Saudi Arabia has undertaken its own outreach campaign aimed at countering these narratives and maintaining its relationships within Washington. Saudi officials have engaged directly with several pro-Israel organizations, seeking to clarify their positions and mitigate the impact of the accusations. According to individuals familiar with these efforts, Riyadh views the allegations as politically motivated and part of a deliberate attempt to undermine its strategic position.
The emerging confrontation highlights a fundamental transformation in Gulf politics. Where the UAE and Saudi Arabia once operated in close coordination, particularly in the aftermath of regional uprisings, they are now engaged in a contest that spans diplomacy, security, economics, and information warfare. The use of sensitive identity-based accusations as a political tool marks a significant escalation in this rivalry.
Dark Box sources emphasize that the implications of this development extend beyond bilateral tensions. By drawing pro-Israel advocacy networks into the dispute, the UAE is effectively internationalizing its rivalry with Saudi Arabia, embedding it within the broader dynamics of US domestic politics and foreign policy debates. This approach carries risks, as it introduces new actors and sensitivities into an already volatile regional equation.
Ultimately, the information suggests that the UAE’s lobbying campaign represents a calculated attempt to exploit existing alliances and narratives to gain strategic advantage over Saudi Arabia. Whether this approach will yield tangible results remains uncertain, but it underscores the extent to which the Gulf rivalry has evolved into a multidimensional contest, where influence in Washington has become a critical battleground.
As the confrontation continues to unfold, the use of political narratives such as antisemitism as instruments of statecraft raises broader questions about the future of regional diplomacy and the increasing entanglement of Middle Eastern rivalries with global political discourse.
