Ten Israeli companies will be present at the United Arab Emirates’ World Police Summit being held on March 7-9, where they will present homeland security and policing solutions for a range of areas.
Held under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president of the UAE and the ruler of Dubai, and hosted by the Dubai Police with the support of the UAE Ministry of Interior, the three-day event will be held at the Dubai World Trade Center. It will bring together leaders, law enforcement practitioners, innovators and technologists from the global policing community.
The event will feature an international exhibition with more than 250 exhibition stands and a “Government Only Zone” where the media will not be allowed so exhibitors can display top-secret products.
Police chiefs from around the world will discuss strategies and action plans to elevate their forces’ performances.
Sigal Gafni, a strategic, communications and public relations adviser who accompanies and provides marketing services for Israeli technology and security companies, is part of a team representing the summit in Israel.
“When the Abraham Accords began ties between the countries were formed and joint exhibitions began taking place. There is openness on both sides as they get to know one another and begin cooperating,” Gafni told JNS in recent days. “I hope that this cooperation goes from strength to strength.”
The Israeli Defense Ministry regulates the export of security and military technology, she stressed, adding that common threats against Israel and Gulf states are creating fertile ground for cooperation and sales in line with the regulatory authorities.
Defending critical infrastructure
“Israeli firms have extensive experience defending critical infrastructure and sites. We saw how critical this is recently in Turkey when Israel’s delegation brought a wealth of experience in search and rescue and medical responses,” Gafni added.
The conference is divided into six sections that include domestic security, counterterrorism, drones, and counter-drone solutions. Delegates will also arrive from police forces, intelligence agencies, cybersecurity organizations and special forces around the world.
It follows the IDEX international defense exhibition that was held in Dubai from Feb. 20 to 24, and which attracted all of Israel’s major defense companies.
“I believe the police exhibition is unique in that it focuses on solutions for the police world and special forces. The audience may be smaller but the delegates are highly focused,” said Gafni.
One of the Israeli companies that will be present at the police conference is the Kfar Saba-based EZRaider, which has created a compact all-terrain vehicle that allows users to stand as they navigate any kind of terrain, both natural and urban.
Erez Abramov, EZRaider’s inventor and CTO, told JNS that his vehicle has earned its own category—the all-terrain stand-up vehicle. Police, military and special forces are buying the vehicle in ever-growing numbers, after tourists discovered it, he said.
“The company was founded in 2017. From Israel to the United States, Japan, Singapore and Holland—the majority of our clients are private tourists. This is a very safe and intuitive vehicle. It is credible and inexpensive to operate, and is 100% electric,” he said.
“We have recently entered contracts with institutions such as municipal security divisions, local authorities, the Israel Police, the Israel Defense Forces, regional authorities, and Ben-Gurion International Airport,” Abramov added. “The United States military is a client.”
Special forces can use the vehicle after being airlifted behind enemy lines and travel several kilometers within five minutes of arriving at the drop-off zone.
The quiet engine and its low thermal emissions, as well as its ease of disassembly, make the vehicle highly attractive to special forces, said Abramov.
“The IDF Home Front Command is a client. It has used our tools in Turkey. The fact that an Israel Air Force Hercules [cargo] plane took off with not only blankets humanitarian aid and medical equipment, but also with EZRaider vehicles, is a testament,” he added.
Tel Aviv Municipal security officers use the vehicle to patrol beaches and crowded markets, maintaining high visibility, but the vehicle can easily be used for searching for suspects in a forest too, he said.
“What is good for Israel is good for everyone, in our view,” argued Abramov. “There is no reason why only the Israel Police or the IDF can benefit from this vehicle or use it to protect facilities. Our next stage is to connect it with a tethered drone that can fly up to 50 meters up—and in the future, 200 meters—and to stay in the air for hours, delivering aerial images for the vehicle operators.”