Dubai ports firm enforces boycott of Israel

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1139395502196&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull ^ | 2/28/06 | MICHAEL FREUND

[atlaw]

Although as shown in the previous post DP World and Israeli Zim Line do business together.

Well, actually the previous post only says the following:

“It's the largest shipping company in Israel. And the president of Zim is very close to our company and supports us”

Dubai Ports World, the combined United Emirates (UAE) port management company for the Gulf, has stepped up its challenge to win the operating rights of six major ports in the US, by claiming it has strong business ties with Israeli shipping company Zim Integrated Shipping Services Ltd.

Other than the statement by DP World, there's no other verification of these "strong" business ties in the previous post.

I'm not, of course, stating that those business ties definitively do not exist, but perhaps some additional verification is in order.

[Dark Skies]

ping

[Sabramerican]

Can't discriminate, they are our friends. Even if they do boycott American goods.


.........................................

Anti-Israeli Boycott Halves Demand for US Goods in UAE

Agence France-Presse
14 April 2002

DUBAI -- The demand for US goods has dropped 50 percent in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) since the late-September outbreak of violence in Israel and the Palestinian territories in response to calls for a boycott, a newspaper has reported.

Al Ittihad said the decline has been seen most notably in clothing, perfumes and detergents, with German, French and Italian suppliers picking up the slack. The boycott has also affected American fast-food chains, which have numerous outlets in the Emirates, with demand having dropped more than 35 percent in the past two months.

Appeals for a boycott of US products were launched in reaction to a perception that the United States is biased toward Israel in its conflict with the Palestinians. A blacklist of hundreds of products has been distributed by the thousands in schools and shopping centers throughout the UAE, as well as in neighboring Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

http://www.inminds.co.uk/boycott-news-0015.html

[WatchingInAmazement]

The UAE has also boycotted the Danes because of the Muhammed cartoons.



http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/02/08/cartoon.protests/index.html

The cartoons have prompted boycotts of Danish goods throughout the Muslim world. In Dubai, United Arab Emirates, travel agents said travelers were not booking flights to Denmark or Norway.

Also in UAE, a university professor was fired after distributing copies of the cartoons to her students. The nation's minister of education, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak al Nahan, said he ordered Clauda Keepoz's dismissal because "her behavior has nothing to do with the freedom of expression."

http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=5256
Protests against “blasphemous” cartoons mounts in Islamic nations
Jan. 31,2006

[snip] Burnt flags, political condemnation, and appeals for a boycott are involving even traditionally moderate Islamic nations, like Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. The Arab League and Organizations from the Islamic who announced their intention to appeal to the United Nations for a resolution blocking all forms of attacks against religious faiths.

But the wave of protest continues. “It’s cultural terrorism, not freedom of expression” intoned Mohammad al-Dhaheri, Minister for Justice and Islamic affairs of the United Arab Emirates.


http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0201/dailyUpdate.html
In an editorial, the Khaleej Times of the United Arab Emirates expressed dismay that the Danish government has not formally apologized for the episode.

"The prime minister [Danish] continues to defend the insensitive newspaper in the name of ‘media freedom’. All freedom including that of the media comes with responsibility. Mocking people’s deeply held religious beliefs and sentiments is no media freedom. It’s sheer and unpardonable callousness."

[Stellar Dendrite]

great post!!

[Paul Ross]

Interesting. Goes in line with this:

http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=21449

Friend Or Foe?
By Zogby International
FrontPageMagazine.com | February 28, 2006

Here are a few key findings on the UAE from a 2004 poll conducted by Zogby

International:

-- 73% of UAE citizens had a negative view of the United States; only 14% had a favorable view.

-- Only 5% of UAE citizens felt that "democracy" was an "extremely important" reason for the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Preventing the spread of weapons of mass destruction was cited by 16%. "Oil" and "domination of the Muslim world" were the main reasons offered by UAE citizens for our invasion of Iraq.

-- 81% of UAE citizens felt Iraq was worse off after the war. Only 4% said it was better off without Saddam.

-- Asked to identify their "most admired" world leaders, 18% of UAE citizens chose Osama bin Laden. "No one" finished first with 22%.

-- When asked how they viewed themselves, only 19% said they identified first and foremost as citizens of the United Arab Emirates, while 66% said they saw themselves as "Muslims" first.

We should not be so quick to deceive ourselves about the nature of this "friendship." The United Arab Emirates is not Great Britain. Its citizens share neither our values nor our interests. Yes, the rulers of the UAE have been cooperating with us, but they are sitting on a powder keg of radical Islamic fundamentalism, making it much more likely that Dubai Ports World, and thus the U.S., will be susceptible to infiltration.

Excerpted from Gary Bauer's "End Of  Day."

[HAL9000]

I thought that was just a rumor that has been denied by the UAE? I did a Google search and I didn't find any confirmation of the mission's existence

Yeah, they denied it.

I believe the original report is accurate - Israeli delegation operating in Dubai, United Arab Emirates after elaborate diplomacy

Here is the most recent report - an excerpt from The McLaughlin Group on Feb 24, 2006 -

MR. MCLAUGHLIN: Mort, have you taken note that Israel is opening a mission to Dubai and that I, having been in Dubai eight months ago, noted that Israel was there poking around and doing business there?

MR. ZUCKERMAN: If you got to Dubai eight months ago, it proves their security is not very good, John. (Laughter.)

MR. MCLAUGHLIN: What do you think of Israel's mission in Dubai? Isn't that encouraging?

MR. ZUCKERMAN: Absolutely.

[TAdams8591]

"Mocking people’s deeply held religious beliefs and sentiments is no media freedom."

I agree with that sentiment though I favor self-censorship not government laws against the above.

[Mike Darancette]

Every one this board that matters knows that I do not oppose the Ports deal. But if DPW were to be a part of "Boycott Israel" or would not allow Israel equal access to their assets world wide I would oppose the deal

We do not need bigoted governments or organizations operating a "Gentleman's Agreement" on out shores. DPW should renounce such nonsense in no uncertain terms.

IMHO: Saudi Arabia, Communist China and other foreign entities operating on our shores scrutinized for similar reprehensible behavior.

[Mike Darancette]

This should bring Pat Buchanan on board in favor of DPW.

[takenoprisoner]

If it's hocus pocus, it's bogus.

[Echo Talon]

If they don't comply with US law we can shut them down and throw them out.

[SJackson]

If they don't comply with US law we can shut them down and throw them out.

Exactly, though we get to fine them a whole bunch of money first.

[Echo Talon]

yep, maybe that pressue will help them get out of the boycott

[Echo Talon]

I'm sure this has already been addressed though, by the review.

[familyop]

So the UAE--a country with an anti-American majority--is boycotting Israeli products and buying administration rights over six of our ports. The deal is being made as Islamists in other nations are simmering toward world war against us.

We don't need to make such deals in order to get intelligence or bases/posts in that part of the world, although having yet another regional leader or two around the Middle East to make some of our higher staffers feel more comfortable is nice.

Even some of our generation's greatest men can be incrementally motivated and brainwashed into making serious tactical mistakes that their WWII predecessors wouldn't have made. We're getting very soft, and we're doing it to stay richer for today. It's a shame. ...reminds me of an old, romantic hippy song about living for today and not worrying about tomorrow.

Where's our General Ike when we need him? Why are there no longer men like our fathers? Why are we tolerating so many public rationalizations from globalizing, corporate socialists (as most of them support US social programs to bust families and keep the labor pool large) who hate Israel with an obvious, weird obsession?

[SunkenCiv]

Note: this topic is from February 28, 2006.