"Dubai is quickly growing to become a very important center for diamonds," Ernest Blom, president of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses, said by phone from Jerusalem.
The good Arab-Jewish vibes extend across the Atlantic. In June, the largely Jewish New York Diamond Dealers Club on Manhattan's 47th Street feted Ahmed bin Sulayem, deputy chairman of the Dubai Diamond Exchange, for his contribution to the industry.
. . .
As Israelis and Arabs emerge from the war in Lebanon, a booming diamond exchange in this Arab country 1,300 miles away is hard proof that some Arab-Israeli ties have survived despite the region's tensions.
The two-year-old Dubai Diamond Exchange has put the Gulf emirate squarely inside a global business dominated by Jewish traders. And that, inevitably, means trade ties with Israel, another world diamond hub.
. . .
Israeli Diamond Exchange president Avi Paz says diamonds and hospitality flow freely between Israel and Dubai.
"We came there, they came here. There is no problem at all," Paz said in Tel Aviv. "I wish that wherever I go, they'll host me like they hosted me in Dubai."
Officially at least, the Emirates still enforces some aspects of the Arab League's boycott with Israel, although a government official said most restrictions were dropped long ago. There are no direct flights to Israel and visitors traveling on Israeli passports are rarely allowed to enter.
. . .
The 34-day summer war in Lebanon, between Hezbollah and Israel, dulled sales in Dubai's diamond markets but only temporarily, industry officials say.
"People don't mix conflict with business. The war will not affect the diamond trade in any lasting way," said Abboud.
The relationship was highlighted in March, when controversy arose over Dubai Ports World assuming the management of U.S. ports. At the time the chairman of Israel's merchant fleet told U.S. senators that his ships called often at DP World-owned ports in Dubai and worldwide, and faced no problems.
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13 comments:
may our friendships only grow..
lirun
telaviv
Sorry John but Sam found it first! :-)
... and visitors traveling on Israeli passports are rarely allowed to enter.
this could have never been meant seriously anyways. i have never heard of a single israeli passport holder only holding this one israeli passport...
Interesting, because I've just been reading on a forum an adamant statement from an ignoramous that Jews are banned from entering the UAE.(Not Israeli passports or visas, but Jews, you'll note).
Lirun, amen to your comment.
One of my (very Jewish) dissertation advisers had a lovely time at an ECSSR conference here a few years ago.
Nonetheless, the letter of the law says that anyone with an Israel stamp in his passport is barred from entering the UAE. That's why when entering Israel, they'll stamp a yellow sticky and stick it in your passport, thus facilitating the eradication of any evidence of the visit to Israel.
I hope Isreal like the idea of being the unwanted state :D
"may our friendships only grow..
lirun
telaviv"
"I hope Isreal like the idea of being the unwanted state :D" - Proud Emirati
Peace in our time, indeed.
sounds good to me man..
the sooner the better..
im really lousy at disliking people that i have never met :)
nzm I don't mind the double-posting at all; at least this one seems to have created some discussion.
Sam: maybe you were too subtle! :-)
Maybe if the democratic israeli public pushes its elected government to removes the nazi-style and racist treatment of palestinains, who are both muslim and christian, maybe then Arabs, both muslim and christian will see that israelis, jewish, muslim and druz, are worthy of their friendishp in daylight and not via fake or secondary passports. See this has nothing to do with religion, it has alot to do with humanity, and to an end to the OOCCupation, there was this slogan that pro-palestine supporters used in the USA, i really like it "Its the occupation....STUPID!!"
how materialistic gains can oversee the human rights excesses carried out by israelis...alas!
by the way....jews would never have encouraged trade relationships with nazis
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