Palestine Mufti’s visa to UAE delayed amidst ongoing dispute

The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories, Sheikh Mohammed Hussein, has not been granted a visa to enter the United Arab Emirates to attend an international conference.

Hussein was scheduled to arrive on Sunday however the delay in issuing his visa has left him unable to attend.

The Palestinian Authority (PA) has raised the predicament with Emirati authorities and claims that the matter is being dealt with.

The UAE backs ousted Fatah member Mohamed Dahlan who opposes current President Mahmoud Abbas’ rule.

Israeli-Emirati relations reached new heights in 2018, against the backdrop of Israel’s efforts to normalise ties with Arab countries.

In August, Israeli journalist Edy Cohen claimed that an Emirati pilot participated in the bombing of Palestinian targets in the besieged Gaza Strip during his training on Israeli Air Force F-35 fighters in July.

READ: Israel arrests Palestine’s Jerusalem affairs minister for 3rd time this year

Cohen also accused Dubai’s Deputy Chairman of Police and Public Security, General Dhahi Khalfan, of being complicit in the assassination of Hamas leader Mahmoud Mabhouh in Dubai in 2010.

In addition, Palestinian officials say many Palestinians have been forced to leave UAE in recent months.

Hussam Ahmed, head of the Refugee Affairs Department in the Gaza Strip, told Reuters: “This is an operation of mass displacement of Palestinians in the UAE, especially those of Gaza origins, without known reasons other than security pretexts.”

He said many did not have passports and Arab states would not accept them with the travel documents they have.