Jerusalem Post: The UAE restricts entry to Israelis of Palestinian origin
The Jerusalem Post said that the UAE severely restricts Israelis’ entry of Palestinian origin while being lenient towards Jews.
The newspaper highlighted the UAE’s detention of a resident of northern Israel, for more than three days at Dubai Airport because he holds a Palestinian passport.
It explained that the Israeli of Palestinian origin and his family arrived in the UAE for a vacation earlier last week.
His wife and children who had traveled with him were allowed to enter the UAE while he had been stranded at the airport for more than three days.
The newspaper quoted the man as saying, “I do not understand why they arrested me: I am not the only one in the world who has more than one passport.”
He said, “They took my passport and only left me with the phone.”
“The detention is not necessary, and if it (the second passport) is the reason, then it is confusing and unnecessary,” he added.
Many Israeli visitors of Palestinian origin have encountered problems entering the UAE, including unexpected visa requirements that have delayed many travellers.
On the other hand, the UAE authorities are very lenient towards Jewish Israelis, according to the Israeli newspaper.
Drug Smuggling
In the context, the Jerusalem Post reported that dozens of Israelis who recently travelled to Dubai to celebrate the New Year had smuggled weed and marijuana.
It indicated that with Israel’s entry into the third general closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many Israelis were forced to cancel their plans for New Year’s celebrations.
“Others seized the opportunity to travel to Dubai and catch two birds with one stone: Enjoy the new destination that was recently provided to Israelis and celebrate the proximity of the year at one of the city’s magical rooftop parties,” it added.
According to the newspaper, more than 8,000 Israelis travelled to Dubai to celebrate the New Year, many of whom were involved in drug smuggling.
One Israeli who smuggled drugs to Dubai said he was not worried about his arrest.
“All we did was smuggle some weed and marijuana to celebrate. I don’t think we’ll get into trouble; we only smoke in our hotel room.”
An Israeli living in Dubai said Dubai offers endless parties and venues to celebrate New Year’s Eve.
“There are crazy VIP parties on the rooftops. The demand for Israeli tourists is high.”
“They think they are at home and they can do whatever they want,” he said.
He pointed out that most Israeli tourists in Dubai “do not wear masks, nor do they maintain social distancing.”
In mid-December, Hebrew reports stated that more than 50,000 Israelis have visited the UAE since the normalization notice agreement.
Since rental rates in Dubai are relatively cheaper than Tel Aviv, many Israelis took the opportunity to move their lives to Dubai.
