Visa-free travel between UAE and Israel is great progress

Our readers have their say on flying to Tel Aviv, shopping habits during Covid-19 and Dubai as a fitness hub

Etihad Airways has introduced a Dh49 deposit scheme as part of a new flash sale. Courtesy Etihad

UAE and Israel agree to visa-free travel and $3bn Abraham Fund (October 20): Such peace-building, peace-keeping, bilateral businesses and science collaborations will create a better future for all stakeholders. I can't wait to travel to Israel to meet my friends. God bless the UAE and our leaders who have shown great vision and heart.

Sabine Balve, Abu Dhabi

Great news. I have always wanted to travel to Israel and be able to return to the UAE. This is progress.

Gary Hazel, Dubai

Fantastic. I would like to visit some day.

Randall Mohammed, Dubai

Bravo, an example of how progressive and civilised nations should work together for peace and prosperity.

Klodin Suntova Jovanovska, Dubai

After the recent historic agreement between UAE and Israel this is another step forward. The visa-free travel will have a wonderful affect on the relationship between the two countries.

K Ragavan, Bengaluru, India

Dubai as a fitness hub is no pipe dream

With reference to Sophie Prideaux's story Dubai Fitness Challenge: Sheikh Hamdan wants to make the UAE the 'world's most active country' (October 20): sounds like a great plan. Immense respect for this society, even if so culturally different from mine.

Marco Piccinini, Sant'Angelo in Pontano, Italy

Making it easier to kite surf on the lovely long coastal stretches would be awesome.

Kirin Hilliar, Dubai

Covid-19 has altered people's shopping patterns

With reference to Deepthi Nair's report UAE and Saudi Arabia consumers most optimistic about Covid-19 economic recovery (October 21): As the report says, Covid-19 is changing shopping habits in fundamental ways.

The first priority of people who have lost jobs or had their salaries cut will be to find employment. People's savings have eroded. So for some time they will buy just the essentials and not spend on luxuries. Consumers will prefer to shop in sanitised malls, which could lead to a lowering of rents on the high streets. Larger retailers might reduce the sizes of their shops, because of lower footfalls and sales per square foot. Quite simply, retail therapy might be on hold till the trauma of Covid-19 starts to wear off.

Rajendra Aneja, Dubai

Not the best tactic with November 3 looming

Regarding the report Trump calls Fauci an 'idiot who got the coronavirus response wrong' (October 20): it appears that Donald Trump thinks that attacking the man who has been providing the US with calm and rational medical expertise during such trying times is the way to win an election.

Paul Hudson, Sharjah