UAE Sentences Arab Israeli Woman to Death for One Pound of Cocaine

The United Arab Emirates has sentenced an Arab Israeli citizen to death after she was convicted of possessing over one pound of cocaine, an accusation she denies.

Fidaa Kiwan, a 43-year-old photography studio owner from the northern Israeli town of Haifa, was arrested a year ago shortly after arriving in Dubai to work for a Palestinian friend. Authorities found the cocaine in her bag in an apartment that had been rented for her to work from by her friend.

Kiwan claims the drugs were planted there.

Despite the UAE’s strict anti-drug laws, the death penalty is rarely carried out over drug convictions. Trafficking convictions are usually turned into hefty prison sentences.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said “the case is known and we are handling it through the consular service and our representatives in the Emirates.”

Her brother, Khaled, told Haaretz his sister has gone on hunger strike in protest.

“She knew nothing,” he said. “Massive forces of the local police raided her apartment, beat her and abused her. We knew of her arrest after she hadn’t called mom.”

Khaled added that UAE authorities refuses to allow the family to  see her.

The United Arab Emirates and Israel on Tuesday signed a visa waiver agreement, making the Gulf country the first Arab state that Israelis can travel to without a visa. https://t.co/XFxM3ZEhbK

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A senior Israeli official told Haaretz while Israel does not believe Kiwan’s claims she was framed for drug smuggling, she will nevertheless not be executed but instead will serve a prison sentence.

According to the verdict, Kiwan was caught selling drugs to an undercover police officer, the report said. Three other people questioned by the local police told them they had bought drugs from her.

Arab Israeli Knesset member and head of the Joint List party Ayman Odeh called on Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid to intervene on Kiwan’s behalf.

“We are working with every relevant official in order to cancel the sentence of Fida Kiwan and to save her life,” Haaretz cited Odeh as saying.

The case was not the first time the UAE has arrested an Israeli citizen on drug charges. In October 2021,  another Arab Israeli, Halil Dasuki, was arrested in Dubai after being suspected of planning to smuggle half a ton of cocaine into Israel via the UAE.

Tens of thousands of Israelis have visited the UAE since the Trump-led Abraham Accords saw the two countries normalize ties in 2020.

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