08 August 2022; MEMO: Emirati academic and professor of political science, Dr. Abdul Khaliq Abdullah, has criticised Emirati tourists who visit Israel, saying they expose themselves to undignified situations.
Commenting on a video which purportedly showed Israeli police attacking and arresting two Emirati tourists following a shooting that took place in Dizengoff Street in central Tel Aviv, Abdullah said: "This week, media outlets reported that two tourists from the UAE were brutally attacked by the Israeli police, on suspicion of belonging to terrorist groups."
"A sane Emirati tourist does not visit stolen Palestinian land to expose himself to degrading situations, even on the pretext of visiting Jerusalem."
Abdullah noted that the Mufti of Jerusalem has issued a fatwa; Islamic verdict banning Muslims from visiting Jerusalem through Israel.
Last week, Israeli police arrested two Emiratis on criminal grounds following a shooting that took place in central Tel Aviv. They were later released after being interrogated.
This is not the first time Abdullah slams Emiratis who visit Israel. On 26 July he published the result of a recent opinion poll which suggested that a large majority of his Emiratis, 71 per cent of respondents, oppose normalising relations with Israel and consider it a negative step.
