Dubai's police chief reportedly said the Persian Gulf city-state would start racially profiling visitors in hopes of ferreting out Israeli dual nationals, a proposal that was immediately met with charges of racism by Israelis.
LA Times, 1 March 2010
According to a report by the Associated Press, Dubai police Lt. Gen. Dahi Khalfan Tamim vowed on Monday that his police would "develop skills" to recognize Israeli dual nationals trying to enter the United Arab Emirates by discerning "physical features and the way they speak."
The reported statement, which followed allegations that Israeli Mossad agents infiltrated the country to kill Hamas figure Mahmoud Mabhouh last month, immediately raised eyebrows.
Israeli officials condemned the threat as anti-Semitic and dismissed Tamim as “out of control.”
“How are they going to know if someone is Israeli?’’ asked one government official speaking on the condition of anonymity.
“Long noses? Pockets full of money?” he said sarcastically, in reference to racist stereotypes leveled against Jews.
Dubai-based Gulf News has a slightly different version of Tamim's comments. "Earlier, Israeli dual citizens could easily enter the country even if officials recognized them as Israelis from their accents and traits," he said, according to the daily newspaper. "But [from] now on they will be carefully scrutinized, regardless of what passport they hold." According to the paper, he also said immigration officials will study Israelis to discern their traits, accents, body language and manners.]
Diplomatic relations between Israel and Dubai are already practically non-existent. Israelis can’t visit the UAE unless they receive special permission.
It was only after a big fine and pressure from international tennis groups that the Dubai Tennis Championship permitted Israeli players to compete this year. With his near-daily press conferences revealing the latest alleged details about the Jan. 19 hit, Tamim has been trying to keep up international pressure on Israel.
... for the occupiers of Palestine and their puppets around the world to racially profile in order to catch "Muslim terrorists", but it is not okay for Dubai to profile for potential Mossad assassins? Chutzpah!