THE PALESTINIAN COMMUNITY IN THE UAE: A PROSPEROUS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ABU DHABI 002470

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: DECL: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KPAL KWBG AE
SUBJECT: THE PALESTINIAN COMMUNITY IN THE UAE: A PROSPEROUS
SILENT MINORITY

REF: (A) 2005 ABU DHABI 3404, (B) ABU DHABI 2248


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: MORE THAN 120,000 PALESTINIAN EXPATRIATES
CURRENTLY RESIDE IN THE UAE, A GULF STATE WHICH IS A MAJOR
AID DONOR TO PALESTINIANS IN THE WEST BANK AND GAZA. OVER
THE LAST SEVERAL DECADES, PALESTINIANS HAVE COME TO THE
UAE, BRINGING WITH THEM THEIR EDUCATION, KNOW-HOW, AND
CAPITAL -- A RELATIONSHIP THAT HAS SERVED THE MUTUAL
INTERESTS OF BOTH THE UAE AND THE PALESTINIANS. MANY
PALESTINIANS HAVE ACHIEVED SUCCESS IN BUSINESS, AND A
CHOSEN FEW HAVE WON UAE CITIZENSHIP. PALESTINIANS IN THE
UAE TEND NOT TO ENGAGE IN ANY OVERT POLITICAL ACTIVITY THAT
COULD JEOPARDIZE THEIR RESIDENCY STATUS, BUT THEY DO PURSUE
VIGOROUS DEBATE AMONG THEMSELVES ABOUT POLITICAL
DEVELOPMENTS, PARTICULARLY THOSE IN THE PALESTINIAN
TERRITORIES. END SUMMARY.


BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS (AND MAYBE A PASSPORT)
-------------- -

2. (U) SINCE AT LEAST THE EARLY 1960'S, PALESTINIANS HAVE
ARRIVED IN THE UAE AND PLAYED KEY ROLES IN THE COUNTRY'S
DEVELOPMENT. WHILE MOST EARLY IMMIGRANTS WORKED AS
TEACHERS OR TOOK JOBS IN THE OIL FIELDS, PALESTINIAN
RESIDENTS NOW WORK IN ALL SECTORS OF THE ECONOMY. THE
MAJORITY OF UAE-PALESTINIAN FAMILIES TEND TO STAY IN THE
UAE AS LONG AS THEY CAN, USUALLY LEAVING ONLY WHEN THE
SPONSORED FAMILY MEMBERS RETIRE AND THEIR WORK/RESIDENCE
VISAS ARE CANCELLED. PARENTS WHO DEPART PRIOR TO
RETIREMENT USUALLY RETURN TO JORDAN WHEN THEIR CHILDREN GO
TO UNIVERSITY, OR EMIGRATE AFTER HAVING SUCCESSFULLY SOUGHT
RESIDENCY PERMITS IN CANADA.


3. (SBU) TODAY, PALESTINIANS OCCUPY SENIOR POSITIONS IN UAE
GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND BANKS, OWN IMPORTANT BUSINESSES,
AND TEACH IN SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES. ONE EXAMPLE,
IBRAHIM AL ABED, A PALESTINIAN WHO ACQUIRED UAE
CITIZENSHIP, DIRECTS THE UAE WIRE SERVICE, EMIRATES NEWS
AGENCY (A POSITION COMPARABLE TO THAT OF AN UNDER
SECRETARY). HE ALSO SERVED FOR 10 YEARS AS MEDIA ADVISOR

SIPDIS
TO THEN-INFORMATION MINISTER (AND CURRENT FOREIGN MINISTER)
SHEIKH ABDULLAH BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN. OTHER PALESTINIAN
EMIRATIS OF NOTE INCLUDE YOUSEF AL HASSAN, THE DIRECTOR OF
THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS' INSTITUTE OF DIPLOMACY IN
ABU DHABI; GHASSAN TAHBOUB, THE ADVISOR TO THE RULER OF
DUBAI; AND ZUHDI AL KHATIB, THE CULTURAL AND EDUCATION
ATTACHE AT THE UAE EMBASSY IN JORDAN.


4. (U) THE APPROXIMATELY 120,000 PALESTINIAN EXPATRIATES IN
THE UAE ARE PRIMARILY SUNNI MUSLIMS WITH A FEW THOUSAND
CHRISTIANS. THEY MAY CARRY ONE OF SEVERAL DIFFERENT
IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENTS INCLUDING SYRIAN AND LEBANESE
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS, TEMPORARY (VALID FOR 2 YEARS) OR
PERMANENT JORDANIAN PASSPORTS (VALID FOR 5 YEARS);
PALESTINIAN PASSPORTS (FOR GAZANS); AND UAE AND OTHER
FOREIGN PASSPORTS. MOST PALESTINIAN BUSINESS MEN AND WOMEN
HOLD EITHER A PERMANENT JORDANIAN PASSPORT OR A PASSPORT
FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY, SINCE HOLDERS OF PALESTINIAN AND
TEMPORARY JORDANIAN PASSPORTS, OR SYRIAN AND LEBANESE
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS, OFTEN FACE DIFFICULTIES IN TRAVELING AND
IN PROCESSING BUSINESS AND PERSONAL DOCUMENTS.


5. (SBU) PALESTINIANS IN THE UAE OFTEN SEEK CITIZENSHIP IN
OTHER COUNTRIES, WITH SPECIFIC INTEREST IN CANADA. MANY
APPLY FOR CANADIAN IMMIGRATION WHILE THEIR CHILDREN ARE
STILL IN SCHOOL, AND THEN EITHER EMIGRATE AS A FAMILY, OR
JUST SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO STUDY IN CANADA AFTER HIGH
SCHOOL. MANY PALESTINIANS WHO WORKED CLOSELY WITH UAE
RULING FAMILIES 30-40 YEARS AGO NOW CARRY UAE PASSPORTS.
THE PATH TO CITIZENSHIP THROUGH LOYAL SERVICE IS MOST
COMMON IN DUBAI. DURING THE PAST YEAR, SOME PALESTINIANS
AND OTHER EXPATRIATE FAMILIES WHO HAVE BEEN RESIDENTS IN
DUBAI FOR OVER 30 YEARS WERE ABLE TO APPLY AND GET
CITIZENSHIP FROM THE EMIRATE OF DUBAI, ALTHOUGH MOST REMAIN
FRUSTRATED BY THE LACK OF OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME CITIZENS.
DUBAI APPEARS TO BE THE ONLY EMIRATE THAT ACTIVELY
FACILITATES CITIZENSHIP, BUT EVEN THAT IS NOT ON A LARGE
SCALE. ALTHOUGH THE GRANTING OF UAE CITIZENSHIP OCCURS ON
A VERY LIMITED BASIS, OTHER GCC COUNTRIES HAVE FAR STRICTER
REGULATIONS FOR GRANTING CITIZENSHIP. LOCAL PALESTINIANS
BELIEVE THAT SAUDI ARABIA AND QATAR ARE THE MOST DIFFICULT
GULF COUNTRIES IN WHICH TO OBTAIN CITIZENSHIP.

UAE SUPPORT FOR PALESTINIANS AT HOME AND ABROAD
--------------

6. (SBU) UAE NATIONALS ARE GENERALLY SUPPORTIVE OF
PALESTINIANS BOTH WITHIN THE UAE AS WELL AS ABROAD.
EMIRATIS OFTEN VOICE SUPPORT FOR PALESTINIANS AND
FREQUENTLY CONDEMN ISRAELI AND AMERICAN POLICIES PERCEIVED
AS DETRIMENTAL TO THE INTERESTS OF PALESTINIANS. THE UAEG
OFFERS SIGNIFICANT FOREIGN ASSISTANCE TO THE PALESTINIAN
PEOPLE IN THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES, GENERALLY PROVIDED
IN THE FORM OF NON-MONETARY ASSISTANCE SUCH AS THE BUILDING
AND EQUIPPING OF HOSPITALS, OR THE $100 MILLION SHEIKH
KHALIFA HOUSING COMPLEX CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN
GAZA FOR 30,000-40,000 DISPLACED PALESTINIANS (REF A).
BOTH MONETARY AND NON-MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS ARE USUALLY
CHANNELED THROUGH THE UAE RED CRESCENT SOCIETY, WHICH
PROVIDED $9.7 MILLION IN AID TO THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES
IN 2005 (REF B).


7. (SBU) UAEG OFFICIALS HAVE EXPRESSED PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR
SOCIAL ACTIVITIES ORGANIZED BY PALESTINIAN INDIVIDUALS AND
ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UAE. FUNDRAISING DINNERS, RAMADAN
IFTARS, AND HOMEMADE FOOD SALES FOR CHARITY ARE HOSTED BY
SHEIKH NAHYAN BIN MUBARAK AL-NAHYAN, MINISTER OF HIGHER
EDUCATION. DURING RAMADAN, SHEIKH NAHYAN COMMONLY RECEIVES
A NUMBER OF PALESTINIAN VIPS, SUCH AS SECURITY ADVISOR
MOHAMMED DAHLAN, TOP BUSINESSMAN AND EX-FINANCE MINISTER
MUNIB AL MASRI, AND OTHERS, AT HIS MAJLIS. ADDITIONALLY,
LECTURES ON ISSUES RELATING TO THE PALESTINIAN SITUATION
ARE ORGANIZED THROUGH THE UAE CULTURAL FOUNDATION. THE
UAEG SUPPORTS A PRIVATE PALESTINIAN SCHOOL, "AL QUDS,"
THROUGH FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND BY APPROVING THE SCHOOL'S
FUND RAISING ACTIVITIES.


8. (SBU) IN ADDITION TO FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES, THE UAEG
HAS BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF CULTURAL AND CIVIC ACTIVITIES. AS
EXAMPLES, THE ABU DHABI CULTURAL FOUNDATION HAS HOSTED
KNESSET MEMBER AZMI BISHARA TO DISCUSS PALESTINIAN
POLITICAL ISSUES, AND THE FORMER DEPUTY PALESTINIAN
MINISTER OF CULTURE, SUAD AL-AMIRY, TO TALK ABOUT LIFE AND
TIMES IN PALESTINE (AL-AMIRY IS NOW THE DIRECTOR OF A
RAMALLAH-BASED NGO). YASSER ABED RABBO SPOKE AT THE
EMIRATES CENTER FOR STRATEGIC STUDIES AND RESEARCH (ECSSR)
CONFERENCE IN MARCH 2006. AND IN MAY, ABU DHABI MUSIC
FOUNDATION HOSTED RAMI KHALIFEH, THE SON OF THE POLITICAL
SINGER MARCEL KHALIFEH. PALESTINE INTERNATIONAL
UNIVERSITY, RECENTLY OPENED A LIAISON OFFICE IN DUBAI, AND
WILL START ITS FIRST ACADEMIC SEMESTER IN SEPTEMBER.

POLITICS LESS URGENT THAN RESIDENCE PERMITS
--------------

9. (SBU) PALESTINIANS HAVE FOUND SECURITY IN WHAT THEY
PERCEIVE TO BE A WELCOMING COUNTRY AND THEREFORE DO NOT
GENERALLY ENGAGE IN ANY POLITICAL ACTIVITY LIKELY TO
JEOPARDIZE THEIR RESIDENCE STATUS OR TO "ROCK THE BOAT."
IN THE PAST, POLITICAL-RELATED ACTIVITIES WERE USUALLY
CONFINED TO SIT-INS AT THE PALESTINIAN EMBASSY COMPOUND IN
ABU DHABI (THE UAEG APPROVED THE LAST DEMONSTRATION IN 2000
AFTER THE START OF THE SECOND INTIFADA),AND LECTURES BY
POLITICAL FIGURES AT THE ABU DHABI CULTURAL FOUNDATION AND
THE ECSSR.


10. (SBU) ALTHOUGH POLITICAL DISCUSSIONS AMONG PALESTINIANS
ARE SUBDUED IN PUBLIC, THEY ARE OFTEN LIVELY AND HEATED IN
PRIVATE. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE THESE DAYS TO ENTER A
PALESTINIAN HOME IN THE UAE WITHOUT HEARING FERVENT DEBATE
ABOUT THE PROS AND CONS OF HAMAS IN LEADERSHIP. EARLIER
THE TALK WAS OF SUPPORTING FATAH, BUT LATELY PALESTINIANS
HERE ARE SAYING THAT HAMAS SHOULD BE GIVEN A CHANCE,
ESPECIALLY WITH THE FINANCIAL CORRUPTION IN FATAH CIRCLES.
(NOTE: THE NEW PALESTINIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE UAE, KHAIRY AL-
ARIDI, IS A FATAH MEMBER. END NOTE.) PALESTINIAN
EDUCATORS, PRIMARILY ARABIC AND ISLAMIC STUDIES TEACHERS,
OFFER STRONG SUPPORT TO HAMAS AND TEND TO BE MORE
CONSERVATIVE OR EVEN EXTREMIST IN THEIR VIEWS THAN THE REST
OF THE UAE PALESTINIAN POPULATION. (NOTE: THE UAEG HAS BEEN
WORKING SINCE AT LEAST 2004 TO MODERNIZE AND UPDATE THE
ISLAMIC STUDIES CURRICULUM IN ORDER TO CORRECT
"MISINTERPRETATIONS OF ISLAM." END NOTE.) SOME
PALESTINIANS, HOWEVER, HAVE NO PARTICULAR PREFERENCE OR
SUPPORT FOR A POLITICAL PARTY. MANY, IF NOT MOST, STILL
EXPRESS LONGING FOR AN INDEPENDENT PALESTINIAN STATE, WHILE
SOME EXPRESS BITTERNESS THAT STATEHOOD HAS NOT YET BEEN
ACHIEVED.

PALESTINIANS WELL-REPRESENTED IN UAE BUSINESS
--------------

11. (SBU) PALESTINIANS ARE SIGNIFICANT INVESTORS IN THE
UAE, PREFERRING FOR SEVERAL REASONS NOT TO INVEST IN THE
PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES. HAVING LIVED IN THE UAE FOR
DECADES, MANY STARTED AS SALARIED EMPLOYEES AND THEN WERE
ABLE TO GATHER ENOUGH MONEY TO OPEN THEIR OWN BUSINESSES,
WHILE A FEW POSSESSED CAPITAL THAT THEY USED FOR INVESTING
IN THE UAE. MANY PALESTINIANS MANAGE THEIR OWN BUSINESSES
IN THE UAE. AS EXAMPLES, THE OWNER OF A MAJOR CHAIN STORE
"GRAND STORES", MOHAMED ABU ISSA, IS A PALESTINIAN
JORDANIAN. A MAJOR CONTRACTOR FOR SECURITY AND OIL
EQUIPMENT, WHO IS ALSO A MAJOR FINANCIAL CONTRACTOR
COUNTRY, IS PALESTINIAN AMERICAN NOOREDDIN SEHWEIL. A
MAJOR CONTRACTING COMPANY IN ABU DHABI IS OWNED BY A
PALESTINIAN JORDANIAN, MUNTHER FARAH. THE PALESTINIAN
BUSINESS COUNCIL WAS ESTABLISHED ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO AND
HAS SINCE BEEN ACTIVE IN COLLECTING CONTRIBUTIONS FROM
PALESTINIAN BUSINESS PEOPLE, AND ENHANCING BUSINESS TIES
BETWEEN THE UAEG AND THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY (PA). THE
COUNCIL ALSO HOSTS VISITING OFFICIAL PALESTINIAN FIGURES,
SUCH AS PA PRESIDENT MAHMOUD ABBAS, WHO VISITED THE UAE
LAST FEBRUARY. ACCORDING TO A COUNCIL MEMBER, 60-70% OF
PALESTINIAN BUSINESS IN THE UAE IS IN THE CONTRACTING
FIELD, FOLLOWED BY 7-10% IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FIELD,
AND ANOTHER 7-10% IN THE MEDICAL SUPPLY FIELD. SOME OF THE
PALESTINIAN HIGH ROLLERS ARE: PALESTINIAN JORDANIAN RIYAD
AL-ASSADI, OWNER OF A MAJOR CONSTRUCTION COMPANY;
PALESTINIAN JORDANIAN SAMI SULEIMAN, UNTIL RECENTLY A
MANAGER AND PARTNER OF THE GROCERY STORE CHAIN "SPINNEYS";
PALESTINIAN JORDANIAN NASSER ODEH, OWNER OF ANOTHER LARGE
CONSTRUCTION COMPANY; AND RIAD AL-SADEK, WHO NOW HAS
EMIRATI CITIZENSHIP (PREVIOUSLY HELD A LEBANESE PASSPORT)
AND IS A BUSINESS PARTNER OF REGIONAL EMIRATI BUSINESS
MAGNATE KHALAF AL-HABTOOR.

FUNDRAISING - A PRIMARY SOCIAL OUTLET
--------------

12. (SBU) MOST PALESTINIANS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE WELL
ESTABLISHED IN THE UAE, ARE INVOLVED IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER
IN FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES TO BENEFIT PALESTINIANS OR
PALESTINIAN CAUSES. MANY BECAME WELL FIXED FINANCIALLY
AFTER MIGRATING TO THE GULF. PALESTINIAN EMIRATI, LAILA AL-
HASSAN, WIFE OF YOUSEF AL-HASSAN(SEE PARA 3),IS AN ACTIVE
PROMOTER OF FUNDRAISERS. PALESTINIAN JORDANIAN MOHAMED
HIRZALLAH, OWNER OF A MAJOR SHIPPING COMPANY, IS ALSO A
VERY ACTIVE CONTRIBUTOR TO CHARITY AND FUNDRAISING EVENTS.
WELL-TO-DO PALESTINIAN WOMEN OVER 40 OFTEN BELONG AND
CONTRIBUTE FINANCIALLY TO SOCIAL ASSOCIATIONS. BASHAYER, A
CHRISTIAN PALESTINIAN ALL-WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION, HAS BEEN
ACTIVE IN BRINGING SPEAKERS TO ADDRESS WEST BANK ISSUES.
BASHAYER ALSO HAS BEEN ACTIVE IN CHARITY AND FUNDRAISING
ACTIVITIES. AL-QUDS (JERUSALEM) OPEN UNIVERSITY HAS AN
OFFICE IN THE UAE AND HAS ALSO BEEN ACTIVE IN ORGANIZING
CHARITY DINNERS UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF SHEIKH NAHYAN.
ANOTHER UAE-BASED PALESTINIAN ORGANIZATION, MIN USRA LI
USRA (LITERALLY "FROM ONE FAMILY TO ANOTHER"),IS ACTIVE IN
ORGANIZING FUND RAISING EVENTS IN THE COUNTRY, SUCH AS
CHARITY DINNERS, RAMADAN IFTARS AND PALESTINIAN
THEATRICALS. IN MAY 2006, THE ORGANIZATION ARRANGED FOR A
POPULAR PALESTINIAN PLAY ENTITLED "A PALESTINIAN
NEIGHBORHOOD: STORIES FROM UNDER THE OCCUPATION," TO BE
PERFORMED IN ABU DHABI AND THE NORTHERN EMIRATES. (NOTE:
UAE LAW REQUIRES THAT ALL FUNDRAISING BE APPROVED BY THE
MINISTRY OF SOCIAL AFFAIRS. THE UAEG HAS STIPULATED THAT
INTERNATIONAL CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS BE FUNNELED THROUGH
ONE OF THREE QUASI-GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES. IT IS UNCLEAR IF
ALL OF THE ABOVE-REFERENCED FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES COMPLY
WITH ESTABLISHED UAEG REGULATIONS. END NOTE.)

COMMENT:
--------------

13. (SBU) PALESTINIAN EXPATRIATES IN THE UAE EXPRESS
MODERATE POLITICAL LEANINGS AS EVIDENCED BY THEIR SUBDUED
REACTION TO THE HAMAS VICTORY IN THE JANUARY 2006
PALESTINIAN ELECTIONS. THOUSANDS HAVE PROSPERED HERE,
BENEFITING FROM THE STRONG ECONOMY AND FAVORABLE TREATMENT
BY THE UAE GOVERNMENT. UNWILLING TO JEOPARDIZE THEIR
RESIDENCY STATUS, PALESTINIANS IN THE UAE WILL CONTINUE TO
PURSUE ECONOMIC GOALS, ALONG WITH FUNDRAISING FOR
PALESTINIAN CAUSES, WHILE FOR THE MOST PART KEEPING THEIR
POLITICS TO THEMSELVES.

SISON