[1] Many Arab historians argue that it was named after Ali, who was the cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad while expanding the Islamic Caliphate had stood on one hill and looked towards the sea and perhaps known as well although no such recorded proof has been found.

In the 1970s, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum planned to develop Jebel Ali into an industrial area with its own airport, port, and township.

[12][13][14] Jebel Ali was opened in 1979 at the decree of Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum and inaugurated by Queen Elizabeth II.

Due to the depth of the harbour and size of the port facilities, a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier and several ships of the accompanying strike group can be accommodated pierside.

Due to the frequency of these port visits, semi-permanent shore-leave facilities (referred to by US Navy service personnel as "The Sandbox") have been erected adjacent to the carrier berth.

[15] It was a project of Sir William Halcrow and Partners and acted as a prototype for further semi-autonomous residential areas in Dubai such as Emirates Hills and The Gardens.

[19] Churches and temples in the complex include:[19] Palm Jebel Ali (نخلة جبل علي) is an artificial archipelago in Dubai, United Arab Emirates which began construction in October 2002, was originally planned to be completed by mid-2008 and has been on hold since.

[27] Creative Kingdom provided master planning services for the island and Leisure Quest International (USA) developed entertainment and attraction concepts.

[39][40] In 2013, State news agency WAM said a decree by ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum said a special legal committee would be established over the building bubble.

This included using funds following liquidation of scores of cancelled building projects to repay investors who lost billions in the Emirates property market.

[46] It has been reported in the Wall Street Journal that high vaccination rates and zero taxes is making Dubai a pandemic boom town, with many wealthy Russians expected to move there, now access to Western property has become significantly more challenging with International bans and enhanced anti-money laundering laws.

“Nakheel is paying a lower spread and getting more money for new projects, including Palm Jebel Ali,” stated one banker on the deal.