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Benjamin Netanyahu to Arrive in Dubai for Meetings, Amid Controversy A Special Report for Dubai IMF Independent Media Site 
Former Israeli Prime Minister, and current Minister of Finance under Ariel Sharon, Mr Benjamin Netanyahu is set to arrive in Dubai, UAE on Tuesday evening, to attend the annual International Monetary Fund (IMF) meetings. Previously rumored to have cancelled the trip due to security reasons, Netanyahu confirmed this morning that he will be accompanying an Israeli diplomatic delegation to the meetings at the Dubai World Trade Center.
Netanyahu's presence at the meeting marks the first time that an Israeli delegation has been allowed into the United Arab Emirates. Like most Arab nations, the UAE does not recognize the state of Israel, and while international outrage has been widely registered at the presence of Netanyahu on the soil of an Arab and Muslim country, the government has complied with the IMF's requirement that the delegations of all member nations be allowed to attend. Ibrahim Belselah, General Coordinator for the 2003 meetings in Dubai said, "For two weeks, Dubai will effectively become the center of the world's financial sector, the eyes of the world will be upon us." Asked about anti-Israeli protesters, Ibrahim said that they will be tolerated, but must remain peaceful, and a good distance from the luxurious World Trade Center. Of the some 14,000 delegates attending the meetings, Netanyahu's presence is by far the most controvertial. An interview with Dubai resident and political science student Mansour Jihad reveals a common Arab belief that Netanyahu is a right-wing extremist, with goals of ethnically cleansing the West Bank and Gaza Strip. "We're talking about the same man who has vigourously pursued illegal settlements on Palestinian lands, the same man who has called for 'the mass deportations of Arabs' from the Palestinian territories. This is the same man who has said that 'all international rules of conduct can be broken' by the Israeli military, in their attacks against Palestinians." He continues, "In fact, Netanyahu has been quite candid regarding his views on Jewish settlements in the West Bank, declaring 'We are going to cleanse the whole area and do the work ourselves.'" A controversial figure indeed, a visit by Netanyahu to Montreal's Concordia University last year was interrupted as hundreds of students rioted against his presence on campus. Dubai officials assure us that high security will be in place for the Israelis, and that there will be no repeat of Netanyahu's Canadian visit. |
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