In a special gesture, the Untied Arab Emirates (UAE) has freed a convicted Israeli woman in response to a request by the Israeli President Isaac Herzog, another sign of melting of ice between the two Countries.
Known for having a strict drug policy, the UAE pardoned Fidaa Kiwan who had been serving a jail term since 2021.
Fidaa Kiwan was taken into custody in April 2021 when she as a photographer by profession entered Dubai and was found with cannabis and cocaine.
Initially, she was warded death sentence for possessing drugs but later it was turned into a lifetime imprisonment.
However, on Sunday she returned to her Country after the UAE freed her following a request for her pardon by the Israeli President Isaac Herzog to his UAE Counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan.
Responding to the development, Isaac Herzog expressed gratitude to Sheikh Mohammed and wished him “a month of kindness and peace” for Ramadan.
In recent years, the bilateral relations between the UAE and Israeli have witnessed a significant improvement.
The two Countries established full diplomatic relations in August 2020 following a US-brokered agreement, leading towards the influx of tourists and investment from Israel to Dubai.
