Jewish people with Qatar Airways

[Adde]

Could anyone tell me about jewish people with Qatar Airways if there are any 'stated problems' one would have in mind? Going to Qatar not knowing whether there are any prejudices against jewish people would not be too pleasant.

/Adde

[newswatcher]

Willie, I would urge caution on your last statement.

Unless things have changed in the last year or so, Qatar refuses entry and transit to holders of passports issued by Israel.

If your passport shows any sign of travel to Israel, you will also be denied entry to the UAE.

[killick]

It's important to distinguish between being jewish and current issues concerning Israel. There is significant local distaste towards Israel's behaviour in respect of the Palestinians (and America's acquiescent stance), but this has not translated into overt antagonism towards people of the jewish faith, several of whom happily live and work here to my certain knowledge. All non-muslims are well-advised to practice their faiths discreetly, but Islam teaches respect for the 'Peoples of the Book" (Jews & Christians), and most locals I know are ok. You might be unfortunate enough to run into the odd bigot, but this is true everywhere.

Incidentally, although relations with Israel are far from ideal (!), there was an Israeli delegation to WTO, and an exhibition at a recent trade show featured Israeli companies. Ruth is indeed stranger than Richard.......

[BahrainLad]

newswatcher, I know several Jews who have never set foot on Israeli soil, so I think your reply is rather meaningless.

Adde I know for a fact that there is a synagogue in Bahrain, not sure about Doha though.

[Adde]

Thank you for these answers.

Do you believe Qatar Airways will deny an application from a Jew even if the applicant holds dual citizenships?

[killick]

Trickier question...as far as I know you are only obliged to declare one nationality, and if one of yours has the potential to inflame local sensitivities, you might prefer to use the other.

[newswatcher]

Bahrainlad,

The post I was responding to has been removed. However, it said that most Gulf States would now admit Jewish people. My reply covered people who had visited Israel, or who were travelling on an Israeli passport. In both cases denial of entry still applies to a number of Gulf states, including Qatar.

The original post describes "jewish people". I understand that many Jews consider a visit to Israel as a lifetime goal, and would therefore be covered by one or other of these statements. I don't think I can give a clearer meaning than this! I would not wish Adde to be "detained at the border"!

Killick says Islam teaches respect for the 'Peoples of the Book" (Jews & Christians)

Regretably, this is not shared by the Saudis, who still punish people found in possession of a Christian bible.

[killick]

Fair point, newswatcher, but we are discussing Qatar specifically, and the Islamic tenet of respect for "people of the book" exists, regardless of how it has been interpreted in some areas.

[newswatcher]

Killick, do you detect a difference in the views of the Qatari Government, and the "Qatari man on the street"?

It was only about a year ago, when an Islamic Website, apparently sponsored by the Qatari Ministry of Endowments & Islamic Affairs, was making claims that September 11th was the result of a Zionist conspiracy. Another later article attempted to propogate the myth that the holocaust did not occur, but was the result of pro-Israeli media propaganda.

Several protests were made to the Qatari Government, who were hosting the WTO at the time, but I don't have a record of their response.

I take your point, that the main consensus in the Gulf is to be anti-Israeli, rather than anti-Jew.

However, does any of this get Adde his answer?

[Adde]

I had an interview with Emirates not too long ago. They didn't say anything about my dual citizenships and hopefully I won't be denied entry in the UAE once arriving in Dubai. I have never experienced any difficulties on previous travels with my passports. My sister has flown with Emirates for seven years and she has never experienced any problems with her nationalitites nor passports.

I was only curious on Qatar Airways' point of view on this.

[killick]

Not certain about either the website or the Ministry newswatcher mentions, but the "zionist plot" theory did have some popular currency post 9/11. As I said earlier, the government has adopted an increasingly tolerant posture towards non-muslims in recent years. In April, the Archbishop of Canterbury will be here as a govt guest for a high-level conference between Christian and muslim clerics, and it is exopected around the same time that plans to construct several churches will be finalised.

The one thing you can say for certain about the muslim and Arab world is that it is far from being the monolithic and uniform culture that the media like to depict. There are shades of opinion everywhere, and governmental/public opinion evolves over time. At present, the Qatar climate is more tolerant than it has been previously, and I hope this continues. It's not yet at the level of Dubai or Bahrain (where there has long been an historic jewish community), so I would expect EK/Gulf Air to be easier, but it would surprise me if you were excluded on the grounds of your faith alone.

Good luck Adde, and may your God go with you.

[Bubbette]

"I understand that many Jews consider a visit to Israel as a lifetime goal"

newswatcher, I know a lot of Jews, and I don't know any of them who view it as this! And less than 10% of US Jews have been to Israel; I would guess, but don't know, maybe more European Jews have just because it's closer.

[newswatcher]

Thanks Bubette, not sure if any statistics on US citizens travelling abroad are useful for comparison purposes. Didn't I read somewhere that only 18% of US citizens had ever been abroad?

In the UK, children of Jewish acquaintances are encouraged to visit Israel by their parents, and many used to do this through the Kibbutz system, often taking a "Gap" year between school and Uni.

I am sure that someone will correct me, but I don't think there is a Jewish equivalent to the Muslim Haj. Doesn't the urge to visit Israel stem more from the prophesy in the Bible, that God promised Israel to the Jews?

[4HolerPoler]

Thanks for keeping your wings level on what is obviously a delicate subject.

I had no part in the deletion of an early thread on this post and believe it was removed by the original poster.

Keep it nice please.

4HP

[Bubbette]

newswatcher, I didn't quote the general US travel abroad statistics, I was just quoting the percentage of Jewish Americans who have been to Israel. In Jewish religious tradition, Jerusalem, is of course the cite of the Holy Temple that was, and will be, in Messianic times. However, most Jewish Americans are not particularly observant, and I don't think the pull of Israel is any stronger than say the pull of Italian Americans to visit Italy.

I can't speak for the travel to Israel obligations of UK or other Jews who live in other countries act. Because the distance is so much less, I would guess the percentage is higher.

I also know some of the Bahraini Jews; the ones I know own some stores, and were originally from Iraq.

[BahrainLad]

Yes, the main Sharp dealer in Bahrain is 'Roubens Stores'.

[HF-in-Doha]

Adde

There have always been Jews in the Gulf. In Qatar there are doctors, teachers, businessmen etc... and they don't face any problems.

You shouldn't really face a problem even with the Israeli passport stamp, I have seen Israeli's either tourists (yes in Qatar for sports events!) or on business in the Gulf. I know it is a stated rule but immigration won't do anything especially if you come here as an employee.

Most people should be open minded, but religion shouldn't be an issue in the first place. You wouldn't walk to an assistant in a shop and say "hi, I am jewish and I would like to buy that Sofa"

Do you believe Qatar Airways will deny an application from a Jew even if the applicant holds dual citizenships?

No it shouldn't be a problem, with nationallity just mention your non-israeli one to be safe.

[Bubbette]

say edding, are you sure your local rabbi can't provide you with some contacts?