DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A six-month window that allowed Israelis to visit Iran, Syria, Yemen and other nations they don’t normally let in ended Thursday with the closure of Expo 2020 in Dubai.
Around 20 million people attended the event in person, and another 150 million viewed the country pavilions and other exhibits virtually.
There was not an ayatollah in sight in the Iranian Pavilion, voted one of the eight most architecturally significant buildings at the Expo by Architectural Digest. Rather, the focus was on a rich cultural heritage, Persian carpets and saffron.
Given Iran’s open commitment to the destruction of the State of Israel, it was with great irony that a fired clay replica of Cyrus’ cylinder from the 6th century B.C. A special place is given.
The Cylinder’s text is widely regarded as proof of Cyrus’ decision to allow the Jews to return from exile in Babylon to rebuild their Temple in Jerusalem, a confirmation of the connection between the Jewish people and the Land of Israel.
The original was discovered in what was Babylon, now Iraq. It is kept by the British Museum.
A replica of the 6th century BC Cyrus Cylinder. on display at the Iran Pavilion, Expo 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, March 31, 2022. (Sue Surkes/Times of Israel)
In another paradox, given the repressive regime currently installed in Tehran, the exhibition hailed the cylinder as the first declaration of human rights.
Expo 2020 was overwhelmingly large and filled with weird and wonderful buildings, music, noise, flashing lights and swirling streams of people. It was immaculately clean, thanks to armies of silent workers constantly sweeping and mopping, and volunteers stationed everywhere to direct the endless traffic of people.
This traffic reflects Dubai’s status as a burgeoning global hub between the Middle East, West Asia and Europe and the Indian subcontinent – from which more than a third of the UAE’s residents hail – and the Far East beyond. It is a glittering station on a new Silk Road and the World Expo, like everywhere else in Dubai, seemed to have all the peoples of the world present.
One of the most impressive pavilions, representing Middle Eastern nations that do not have diplomatic ties with Israel, was that of Saudi Arabia. It was the second largest after that of the UAE and conveyed messages of heritage as well as power and vision.
On one of its outer walls were emblazoned phrases like: “We are in exciting times” and “Where change begins”.
Visitors to the Saudi Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai stand on a balcony and watch a cinematic panorama of images, United Arab Emirates, March 31, 2022. (Sue Surkes/Times of Israel)
Entry was via an escalator that took visitors past three-dimensional models of Saudi buildings onto which moving images of people were projected.
The main exhibit consisted of two huge panoramic screens with a surrounding visitor balcony. Gorgeous vistas of coral reefs, sand dunes and oases, as well as Mecca, modern cities and the kingdom’s oil fields filled the upper screen, while aerial images of the same locations were projected onto the lower ones.
Compared to Saudi Arabia’s pavilion, Syria’s was rather sad, either due to the country’s financial situation or, according to The Associated Press, the fact that it was only invited two years ago, after the UAE reopened its embassy there, and it was the last to start building.
With perhaps excessive optimism, the welcome sign explained that the country wanted to showcase its rich cultural history “as we try to rise again and reclaim our place in the world”.
Women walk through Syria’s pavilion at Expo 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Oct. 2, 2021. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell)
The film there was old and shaky. The main exhibition, “I am Syrian,” consisted of a series of wooden rectangles on which Syrians had drawn what was dear to them about their country.
Peeking out from among the hundreds of images of landscapes and cultural artifacts was a photo of Syrian leader Bashar Assad and another of his wife Asma.
The Lebanon pavilion was surprisingly pleasant given the country’s financial plight, projecting aerial views of the country’s landscape and antiquities, and showcasing a modern dance installation and contemporary art objects.
Tablets made by Syrians are on display in the Syrian Pavilion at Expo 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on October 2, 2021. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell)
Unfortunately, I was not able to visit the Pavilion of the State of Palestine because it was temporarily closed due to a technical problem.
But Yemen, undoubtedly one of the poorest countries in the region and a country torn by civil war, was buzzing with activity at the exhibition.
The emphasis there was on knowledge and wisdom, with texts pointing to the country’s early water engineering, astronomy and “the world’s first skyscrapers”.
Watching a film in the Lebanese Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, United Arab Emirates, March 31, 2022. (Sue Surkes/Times of Israel)
A Yemeni gentleman who did not want to give his name asked me where I was from.
When he heard that I was from Israel, he broke into a big smile and said, “Ah, Ahlan wa Sahlan (meaning ‘Welcome’ in Arabic)!”
He then pointed to the jewelry sold in the small gift shop and added, “Look at all this jewelry, it’s Jewish!”
He marked pieces with precious stones such as amber with silver filigree. Once the silversmiths in Yemen were Jews.
Yemeni jewelry made by Jewish silversmiths, (Davidbena, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons)
By March, according to a United Nations report on the treatment of religious minorities in conflict zones, only one Jew remained in the country.
“Lots of Yemeni (sic) Jews in Israel, aren’t they?” he continued enthusiastically. “Eat malawah and jahnun (two types of pastries associated with Yemeni Jews and now popular with all Israelis.)”
In parting, he said: “Say hello to Israel from Yemen!”