The Pro-Israeli Public Diplomacy of the UAE by Using a Private Museum: Focusing on the Crossroad of Civilizations Museum

Abstract

This paper analyzes the pro-Israel new public diplomacy of the UAE through a private organization, the Crossroads of Civilizations Museum, with a literature review and fieldwork. Whilst the initial theme of the museum was the historical exchange of the world civilizations and the historical crossroad position of the UAE, it carried out serial external cooperation projects with a restructure focusing on the Judeo-Islamic collaboration in line with the government's policy overriding priority, the Abraham Accords. Instead of hosting events directly, the regime has sponsored public diplomacy through this museum to disperse public criticism of the controversial pro-Israel policy. The museum also has educated domestic and foreign visitors about tolerance towards Jews through the historical narratives as an internal and external public diplomacy.