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‘Thick skin, bitter flesh’: UAE President’s ‘no easy prey’ quote appears on cars, cups, phones
The President delivered the statement in a live broadcast on Saturday evening while visiting five civilians injured in the ongoing Iranian attacks
- PUBLISHED: Thu 12 Mar 2026, 5:00 AM UPDATED: Thu 12 Mar 2026, 9:19 AM
[Editor's Note: Follow Khaleej Times live blog amid US-Israel-Iran war for the latest regional developments.]
A single sentence spoken by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during a hospital visit on March 7 has gone viral, spreading rapidly across social media platforms among citizens and residents alike. For many, the President’s words brought forth deep emotions.
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The image of the President raising his finger as he spoke quickly became a symbol. Businesses and individuals are printing the quote and his portrait on spare-tyre covers of SUVs, phone cases, magnetic wallet attachments, paper cups and hand-painted canvases.
The President delivered the statement in a live broadcast on Saturday evening while visiting five civilians injured in the ongoing Iranian attacks —two Emiratis, one Indian, one Sudanese, and one Iranian. It was his first public address since the strikes began.
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“The UAE is attractive, the UAE is beautiful, the UAE is a model. But I say to them: do not be misled by the UAE’s appearance. The UAE has thick skin and bitter flesh, we are no easy prey. We will carry out our duty towards our country, our people and our residents, who are also part of our family. I promise everyone that we will emerge stronger than before, without doubt.”
In Arabic, the phrase translates literally to: “the UAE’s skin is thick and its flesh is bitter; it cannot be eaten.”
Mahra Ahmed Al-Balooshi, owner of the Wed Graphic business shared with Khaleej Times these images on the car and magnetic phone wallet attachments:
Mohamed Alazazi, shared his drawing canvas of the UAE President:
Another Emirati phone cases business owner shared different designes of phone cases with the quote and photos:
Emirati citizen from AbuDhabi shared his car with the photo and the quote:
During the same visit, Sheikh Mohamed said of the five patients: “All of these people are a responsibility on my shoulders.” He praised the armed forces for their “outstanding service during this war” and said of the UAE’s residents: “They have truly honoured us with their stance.”
In a separate social media message, the President said: “In the UAE, everyone is Emirati through their love for this land and their contributions to it.”
He also paid tribute to those killed, saying: “May God have mercy on the victims and grant the injured a speedy recovery. With God’s blessing, the UAE the land of Zayed will remain strong in its unity, steadfast in defending its sovereignty, and steadily advancing towards the future.”
Ruqayya Alqaydi is a Special Correspondent with an endless curiosity to learn. Like a journalist on a caffeine overdrive, she is fuelled by passion and on a mission to uncover every gem in the UAE.