NYU Abu Dhabi ignores law denying Israeli entry into UAE
Amy Spiro
Issue date: 2/19/08 Section: Opinion
Since administrators announced NYU's plan for a new campus in Abu Dhabi last semester, there have been two articles, two op-eds and one letter in WSN, each dutifully wrestling with the apparent contradiction of UAE's antihomosexuality laws and NYU's historically "gay-friendly" culture. Yet except for the one letter to the editor by Benjamin Nardolilli ("NYU policies run contrary to norms in Abu Dhabi, UAE," Nov. 1, 2007), not one of them even mentioned the fact that citizens of Israel, as well as anyone with Israel stamped on their passports, are legally barred entry to the country. After the barrage of aforementioned articles and public skepticism, the administration vehemently proclaimed that NYUAD would be an "academic freedom zone" in which the traditional laws - such as those defining rape as only committed against a female - would not apply. Well that's great President Sexton, but that won't help me get into the country.
At the town hall on "Human Rights and the Global University" on Feb. 14, the topic of gay rights at the UAE campus was once again brought up - not a surprise, since the event was hosted by the Office of LGBT Student Services. Many questions were posed to the panel, which consisted of professors and administrators involved in the opening of the Abu Dhabi campus. But their answers weren't quite satisfactory. At the event, the vice chancellor of NYU Abu Dhabi, Mariët Westermann, said, "Universities, especially American universities, ought to help their community engage and go places and try to do mutually adaptive work of trying to learn to live with one another in complicated places." I'm sorry, but that's just not good enough. There is a difference between learning to live with other cultures and allowing unreasonable racial discrimination. Westermann said that the government of Abu Dhabi's willingness to engage with NYU shows the possibility of future discourse and change. I think that's an awfully optimistic, and probably naive, point of view.
The UAE's policy against allowing in Israelis or those who have visited Israel recently is not one of those unspoken rules where Israeli's are simply turned away from the border, one excuse after another given for their lack of admission. No, it is clear and obvious, even stated on www.emirates.org/visa.html: "Nationals of 'Israel' may not enter the UAE." It is the second line on the page; the quotes around the word "Israel" are a nice touch.
Yes, Abu Dhabi has antiquated laws that criminalize homosexual acts - laws that are hardly strictly enforced in the modern, commercialized, tourist city. And sure, I could cough up $75 and ask the government for a new passport, shiny and clean of any hint of my visit to Israel, but that's not quite the point, is it? In response to the fruitful articles in WSN of Abu Dhabi's anti-gay laws, the prolific online commenter known as 'Sulayman F said, "And he's right. They don't ask you if you're gay at passport control. They won't turn you away if you would rather sleep with a member of the same sex. But they will deny entry to a human being based on their nationality."
While WSN hasn't been quite vocal on this issue so far, I don't stand alone in this. After John Sexton introduced "close friend and former professor" Alan Dershowitz at his speech to a crowd of students on Jan. 31 at Cooper Union's Great Hall, he had to leave to attend a meeting. But Sexton's name wasn't left out of the conversation.
"What do you think of NYU's decision to open a campus at Abu Dhabi?" one member of the audience asked toward the end of the lecture.
"It won't happen," Dershowitz proclaimed, "not if I know John Sexton. He wouldn't allow that to occur."
Well, Sexton's well-publicized meetings with Khaldoon al Mubarak, chairman of Abu Dhabi's Executive Affairs Authority, as well as the extensive agreements they've published seem to imply Dershowitz is a bit too idealistic in this instance. But his message rings clear. What is Sexton thinking? What is NYU thinking? Will we really tie ourselves to a nation that denies entry to all citizens of a country? Put it this way - if no Australians were allowed to enter the UAE, would we have the same blasé reaction?
Amy Spiro is a contributing columnist.
E-mail her at opinion@nyunews.com.
At the town hall on "Human Rights and the Global University" on Feb. 14, the topic of gay rights at the UAE campus was once again brought up - not a surprise, since the event was hosted by the Office of LGBT Student Services. Many questions were posed to the panel, which consisted of professors and administrators involved in the opening of the Abu Dhabi campus. But their answers weren't quite satisfactory. At the event, the vice chancellor of NYU Abu Dhabi, Mariët Westermann, said, "Universities, especially American universities, ought to help their community engage and go places and try to do mutually adaptive work of trying to learn to live with one another in complicated places." I'm sorry, but that's just not good enough. There is a difference between learning to live with other cultures and allowing unreasonable racial discrimination. Westermann said that the government of Abu Dhabi's willingness to engage with NYU shows the possibility of future discourse and change. I think that's an awfully optimistic, and probably naive, point of view.
The UAE's policy against allowing in Israelis or those who have visited Israel recently is not one of those unspoken rules where Israeli's are simply turned away from the border, one excuse after another given for their lack of admission. No, it is clear and obvious, even stated on www.emirates.org/visa.html: "Nationals of 'Israel' may not enter the UAE." It is the second line on the page; the quotes around the word "Israel" are a nice touch.
Yes, Abu Dhabi has antiquated laws that criminalize homosexual acts - laws that are hardly strictly enforced in the modern, commercialized, tourist city. And sure, I could cough up $75 and ask the government for a new passport, shiny and clean of any hint of my visit to Israel, but that's not quite the point, is it? In response to the fruitful articles in WSN of Abu Dhabi's anti-gay laws, the prolific online commenter known as 'Sulayman F said, "And he's right. They don't ask you if you're gay at passport control. They won't turn you away if you would rather sleep with a member of the same sex. But they will deny entry to a human being based on their nationality."
While WSN hasn't been quite vocal on this issue so far, I don't stand alone in this. After John Sexton introduced "close friend and former professor" Alan Dershowitz at his speech to a crowd of students on Jan. 31 at Cooper Union's Great Hall, he had to leave to attend a meeting. But Sexton's name wasn't left out of the conversation.
"What do you think of NYU's decision to open a campus at Abu Dhabi?" one member of the audience asked toward the end of the lecture.
"It won't happen," Dershowitz proclaimed, "not if I know John Sexton. He wouldn't allow that to occur."
Well, Sexton's well-publicized meetings with Khaldoon al Mubarak, chairman of Abu Dhabi's Executive Affairs Authority, as well as the extensive agreements they've published seem to imply Dershowitz is a bit too idealistic in this instance. But his message rings clear. What is Sexton thinking? What is NYU thinking? Will we really tie ourselves to a nation that denies entry to all citizens of a country? Put it this way - if no Australians were allowed to enter the UAE, would we have the same blasé reaction?
Amy Spiro is a contributing columnist.
E-mail her at opinion@nyunews.com.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 21
Sulayman F
posted 2/19/08 @ 5:16 AM EST
ah, I believe you mixed up my quote with someone else's. I don't recall saying that, and I'm positive I never mentioned passport control (you cab search for my comment in the last abu dhabi article)
To weigh in on this newly-brought-up issue of passports, doesn't the US restrict people from Cuba,Iran, and north Korea from visiting? If not, I believe congress was mulling legislating banning students from certain countries from getting any financial aid or scholarships, which is bad enough. (Continued…)
Sarah
posted 2/19/08 @ 7:59 AM EST
The comparison to the US is ridiculous. If the US bans entry to those people (and I'm NOT saying that they necessarily should), that denial is based on our complete detachment from those countries on multiple levels such as trade. (Continued…)
S
posted 2/19/08 @ 10:26 AM EST
Can you even IMAGINE if Israel didn't allow entry to someone from Abu Dhabi? I shutter at the yells, screams, and cries on every college campus across the country at the inhumanity of the state of Israel. (Continued…)
SAS
posted 2/19/08 @ 8:42 PM EST
The UAE allows individual Israelis to enter the country.
In 2003 when the International Monetary Fund held its meeting in Dubai an Israeli delegation was permitted in. (Continued…)
Mr Mel
mr mel
posted 2/19/08 @ 9:25 PM EST
Gee, I hope this won't keep my wife out of Barney's.
Nitin Al Shahani
posted 2/20/08 @ 5:55 AM EST
While your article is quite clear in expressing your disappointment and perhaps frustration at NYU's decision, maybe the UAE and Abu Dhabi government's decision should be looked at in a more unbiased manner. (Continued…)
bobcat79
posted 2/20/08 @ 7:54 AM EST
This really doesn't bother me all that much. If the UAE wants to ban Israliis and gays, it should be up the individual student whether he wants to go study there. (Continued…)
Sarah
posted 2/20/08 @ 8:28 AM EST
Nitin al Shahani,
How can NYU's campus help foster a community of people who can solve the Israeli-Palestinian problem when their students are being taught by this denial that Israel is automatically wrong and bad. (Continued…)
K. Deal
posted 2/20/08 @ 9:10 AM EST
I applaud the fact that more questions are being raised about the Abu Dhabi campus. To the question of those with Israeli citizenship and/or a stamp on their passport I add the question of when will anyone at NYU question the administration on their plans to hold classes segregated by sex?
Liana
posted 2/21/08 @ 2:18 AM EST
Pakistani citizens aren't allowed into Israel. Ever.
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