On UAE-funded estate, Gazans rage at Israel deal
For decades Palestinians have revered the founder of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nayhan, for his generosity - and perhaps especially those like Abdel Rahman Tloly, who live on a Gaza housing estate bearing his name.
But today admiration for the father has turned into anger at the son Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, who is widely known as MBZ, after the UAE announced it would became the first Gulf Arab state to sign a "normalization" deal with Israel.
"We used to hold hopes on Sheikh Zayed, how did his son do that? He must follow his father's example, not become the opposite."
Sheik Zayed City - with its paved roads, multi-storey buildings and gardens - changed the face of northern Gaza when it was gifted to the Palestinians.
It adjoins Jabalia, Gaza's largest refugee camp.
Abdel-Rahman used to live there before Israel bulldozed his home during the second Palestinian uprising.
He describes the normalization deal - spearheaded by MBZ - as a stab in the back.
"Jerusalem was sold, we have been fighting for it for 70 years and we are teetering between life and death. He sold it in seconds."
Abdel-Rahman says he now wants nothing more from the UAE, describing the relationship as being fed up before being slaughtered.
His anger is mirrored across Gaza and the West Bank amid fears that long-standing pan-Arab calls for Israel to withdraw from occupied lands and accept Palestinian statehood are now being weakened.
But Israel, the UAE and the United States - which helped broker the accord - described it as a historic breakthrough for peace, which charts a new path and will unlock potential in the region.
