Complex military-political relations between some countries often become the cause of the Cold War. One of the "military" sanctions in peacetime is, for example, the refusal to issue visas. For a long time similar problems existed, in particular, for those foreigners who wanted to visit both Israel and the United Arab Emirates (United Arab Emirates). Today the situation has changed, and a stamp in a foreign passport about visiting Israel is no longer an obstacle for a subsequent trip to Dubai or Sharjah. As well as vice versa.
Emirates are not welcome to everyone
The Dead Sea in Israel and the beaches of the UAE have long become a favorite vacation spot for many wealthy Russians, who rarely thought about possible problems at the borders of these Middle Eastern countries when purchasing vouchers. Meanwhile, even a few years ago, it was quite possible that Russian tourists who had visited Israel could not get to the Emirates later. Those who had a rest in Dubai received unexpected problems for themselves on the border of the country, one-sixth of the population of which are their ex-compatriots.
However, only people who were absolutely far from politics and did not know about the long-standing very complicated relations of Israel with other Middle Eastern countries could be surprised at this. Including with one of the richest in the Gulf region - the United Arab Emirates. The main reason for the constant conflicts and periodically flaring up wars is that the Arab world, with a few exceptions, did not recognize as legal the division of Palestine into two equal territories, and the emergence in May 1948 of the independent state of Israel. 20% of the population of which are precisely Arabs.
List 17
It is no coincidence that of the 17 countries that continue to consider the creation of Israel illegitimate, more than half are its neighbors in the Middle East. This list, in addition to just the Emirates, includes Brunei, Iraq, Yemen, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Saudi Arabia and Syria. Seven more - Algeria, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Pakistan, Somalia and Sudan - are Muslim states that traditionally show solidarity with any Arab people. Including, of course, the Palestinian one. The fact that this people is suffering from the occupying Israel, they do not doubt for a minute.
The UAE, in particular, insists on the speedy withdrawal of the Israeli army from the occupied Arab territories and legal guarantees of the observance of the rights of the Palestinians, including the creation of their own state. In addition, the Emirati sheikhs generally do not recognize the Israelis' right to live in the Middle East. Therefore, they banned entry into their territory to any citizens who have Israeli passports and live in the territory of this country. And they are not going to cancel their ban. True, the UAE army has not yet taken part in hostilities.
Tel Aviv's answer
Naturally, this situation does not suit Israel itself, which has introduced its own border-visa sanctions against all the above-named countries (which also include the DPRK). And Syria, Lebanon and Iran in Tel Aviv were recognized as "enemy states". For a long time, citizens whose countries are far from the Arab-Israeli conflict also suffered from such a confrontation. That is why they could well be denied entry into the UAE only on the grounds that they had visited Israel a little earlier.
But in recent years, the situation has changed for the better. Sheikhs have softened the regime of access to their country, which attracts tourists from all over the world, and “turn a blind eye” to the fact that foreigners who come to them have previously visited, for example, Israel's Eilat. The situation is a little stricter with those who arrive in Israel after the Emirates. Here they can be given a serious interview right at the airport with questions like "What exactly did you do in the UAE?" and "Why did you come to Israel?" True, entry and subsequent rest are usually not denied.
Where will not be allowed
However, it is still impossible for especially inquisitive Russian tourists to relax in the Arab-Muslim states. There are still a lot of countries in the world where the stamp in the passport on visiting Israel, even for the purpose of ordinary tourism or treatment, is synonymous with taboo, their owners will not be allowed across the border. These include not only Yemen, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Syria and Sudan, included in the “list of 17”, but also Bahrain and Iran.
The border guards of these countries can refuse even if they find only circumstantial evidence of your stay in Israel. These include, as a rule, stamps about a trip through it to Egypt and Jordan, which have Israeli embassies on their territory. By the way, the Israelis themselves can freely visit not only Egypt with Jordan, but also Tunisia and Morocco, which suspended diplomatic relations with Tel Aviv in 2000.
