Is UAE-Israel business legal?
Feb 9th 2008, 2:57 pm
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 6
Is UAE-Israel business legal?
Hello all,
I am a Bristish expat based in the UAE and working with a branch of a multinational company. My firm sells a service, not a tangible product.
My boss wants me to develop our business in Israel. He has asked me to travel to Israel(via Jordan, Cyprus etc) from the UAE to meet clients and prospect firms to sell our services.
Travel to Israel from the UAE would be required as often as monthly, and service would also be maintained via email and telephone from the UAE.
My understanding is that in theory, the UAE participates as a member of the Boycott of Israel(BOI) nations. As such, I am very concerned that if I engage in this business I may be exposing both my company and myself to legal consequences in the UAE.
I have expressed my legal concerns about the BOI to my boss, but he dismisses them, and insists that the real risks are low and the business opportunities are high.
Personally, I have no issues with conducting business with any country in the world. However, I am worried about potentially breaking the law of my host country.
I'd be interested in your experiences/opinions in regards to the legal risks if we were to conduct this type of business from our office in the UAE?
Thanks,
C
I am a Bristish expat based in the UAE and working with a branch of a multinational company. My firm sells a service, not a tangible product.
My boss wants me to develop our business in Israel. He has asked me to travel to Israel(via Jordan, Cyprus etc) from the UAE to meet clients and prospect firms to sell our services.
Travel to Israel from the UAE would be required as often as monthly, and service would also be maintained via email and telephone from the UAE.
My understanding is that in theory, the UAE participates as a member of the Boycott of Israel(BOI) nations. As such, I am very concerned that if I engage in this business I may be exposing both my company and myself to legal consequences in the UAE.
I have expressed my legal concerns about the BOI to my boss, but he dismisses them, and insists that the real risks are low and the business opportunities are high.
Personally, I have no issues with conducting business with any country in the world. However, I am worried about potentially breaking the law of my host country.
I'd be interested in your experiences/opinions in regards to the legal risks if we were to conduct this type of business from our office in the UAE?
Thanks,
C
Feb 9th 2008, 3:14 pm
#2
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 13,553
Re: Is UAE-Israel business legal?
Hello all,
I am a Bristish expat based in the UAE and working with a branch of a multinational company. My firm sells a service, not a tangible product.
My boss wants me to develop our business in Israel. He has asked me to travel to Israel(via Jordan, Cyprus etc) from the UAE to meet clients and prospect firms to sell our services.
Travel to Israel from the UAE would be required as often as monthly, and service would also be maintained via email and telephone from the UAE.
My understanding is that in theory, the UAE participates as a member of the Boycott of Israel(BOI) nations. As such, I am very concerned that if I engage in this business I may be exposing both my company and myself to legal consequences in the UAE.
I have expressed my legal concerns about the BOI to my boss, but he dismisses them, and insists that the real risks are low and the business opportunities are high.
Personally, I have no issues with conducting business with any country in the world. However, I am worried about potentially breaking the law of my host country.
I'd be interested in your experiences/opinions in regards to the legal risks if we were to conduct this type of business from our office in the UAE?
Thanks,
C
I am a Bristish expat based in the UAE and working with a branch of a multinational company. My firm sells a service, not a tangible product.
My boss wants me to develop our business in Israel. He has asked me to travel to Israel(via Jordan, Cyprus etc) from the UAE to meet clients and prospect firms to sell our services.
Travel to Israel from the UAE would be required as often as monthly, and service would also be maintained via email and telephone from the UAE.
My understanding is that in theory, the UAE participates as a member of the Boycott of Israel(BOI) nations. As such, I am very concerned that if I engage in this business I may be exposing both my company and myself to legal consequences in the UAE.
I have expressed my legal concerns about the BOI to my boss, but he dismisses them, and insists that the real risks are low and the business opportunities are high.
Personally, I have no issues with conducting business with any country in the world. However, I am worried about potentially breaking the law of my host country.
I'd be interested in your experiences/opinions in regards to the legal risks if we were to conduct this type of business from our office in the UAE?
Thanks,
C
Until recently if you had an Israeli stamp in your passport, you were banned from reentering any GCC country, but so much 'under the counter' business is thought to go on that it may no longer be the case.
Personally I wouldn't touch Israel with a disinfected barge pole - the political risks of fallout are all on the downside.
What possible service does your company provide that it needs to take such a massive political risk just to earn a few shekels?
Feb 9th 2008, 3:25 pm
#3
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Oct 2007
Location: Khaladiya Abu Dhabi
Posts: 4,181
Re: Is UAE-Israel business legal?
Check with the UAE Embassy in your OWN country (UK?).
Until recently if you had an Israeli stamp in your passport, you were banned from reentering any GCC country, but so much 'under the counter' business is thought to go on that it may no longer be the case.
Personally I wouldn't touch Israel with a disinfected barge pole - the political risks of fallout are all on the downside.
What possible service does your company provide that it needs to take such a massive political risk just to earn a few shekels?
Until recently if you had an Israeli stamp in your passport, you were banned from reentering any GCC country, but so much 'under the counter' business is thought to go on that it may no longer be the case.
Personally I wouldn't touch Israel with a disinfected barge pole - the political risks of fallout are all on the downside.
What possible service does your company provide that it needs to take such a massive political risk just to earn a few shekels?
Feb 9th 2008, 3:27 pm
#4
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: Dubai
Posts: 13,547
Re: Is UAE-Israel business legal?
there are usually ways around it!
In shipping we just change the name of the ship when it calls in an Israeli port to avoid going on the Arab Blacklist (6 month ban from arab ports).
In shipping we just change the name of the ship when it calls in an Israeli port to avoid going on the Arab Blacklist (6 month ban from arab ports).
Feb 9th 2008, 3:34 pm
#5
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 13,553
Re: Is UAE-Israel business legal?
I believe the Israelis now insist on stamping your passport (although I agree that it used to be possible to request that they didn't).
I'm waiting for my question to be answered - what possible line of work is this guy's company in that makes doing business with Israel such an attractive or acceptable risk?
I'm waiting for my question to be answered - what possible line of work is this guy's company in that makes doing business with Israel such an attractive or acceptable risk?
Feb 9th 2008, 3:47 pm
#6
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Oct 2007
Location: Khaladiya Abu Dhabi
Posts: 4,181
Re: Is UAE-Israel business legal?
I believe the Israelis now insist on stamping your passport (although I agree that it used to be possible to request that they didn't).
I'm waiting for my question to be answered - what possible line of work is this guy's company in that makes doing business with Israel such an attractive or acceptable risk?
I'm waiting for my question to be answered - what possible line of work is this guy's company in that makes doing business with Israel such an attractive or acceptable risk?
Attractive/Acceptable/Ethical ?
Who knows lets see if he will tell us?
Feb 9th 2008, 3:48 pm
#7
Not an evil hypnotist
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,975
Re: Is UAE-Israel business legal?
It's not unheard of for people in such situations to get two passports...
Feb 9th 2008, 3:50 pm
#8
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,434
Re: Is UAE-Israel business legal?
Hello all,
I am a Bristish expat based in the UAE and working with a branch of a multinational company. My firm sells a service, not a tangible product.
My boss wants me to develop our business in Israel. He has asked me to travel to Israel(via Jordan, Cyprus etc) from the UAE to meet clients and prospect firms to sell our services.
Travel to Israel from the UAE would be required as often as monthly, and service would also be maintained via email and telephone from the UAE.
My understanding is that in theory, the UAE participates as a member of the Boycott of Israel(BOI) nations. As such, I am very concerned that if I engage in this business I may be exposing both my company and myself to legal consequences in the UAE.
I have expressed my legal concerns about the BOI to my boss, but he dismisses them, and insists that the real risks are low and the business opportunities are high.
Personally, I have no issues with conducting business with any country in the world. However, I am worried about potentially breaking the law of my host country.
I'd be interested in your experiences/opinions in regards to the legal risks if we were to conduct this type of business from our office in the UAE?
Thanks,
C
I am a Bristish expat based in the UAE and working with a branch of a multinational company. My firm sells a service, not a tangible product.
My boss wants me to develop our business in Israel. He has asked me to travel to Israel(via Jordan, Cyprus etc) from the UAE to meet clients and prospect firms to sell our services.
Travel to Israel from the UAE would be required as often as monthly, and service would also be maintained via email and telephone from the UAE.
My understanding is that in theory, the UAE participates as a member of the Boycott of Israel(BOI) nations. As such, I am very concerned that if I engage in this business I may be exposing both my company and myself to legal consequences in the UAE.
I have expressed my legal concerns about the BOI to my boss, but he dismisses them, and insists that the real risks are low and the business opportunities are high.
Personally, I have no issues with conducting business with any country in the world. However, I am worried about potentially breaking the law of my host country.
I'd be interested in your experiences/opinions in regards to the legal risks if we were to conduct this type of business from our office in the UAE?
Thanks,
C
Feb 9th 2008, 3:51 pm
#9
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,434
Re: Is UAE-Israel business legal?
I believe the Israelis now insist on stamping your passport (although I agree that it used to be possible to request that they didn't).
I'm waiting for my question to be answered - what possible line of work is this guy's company in that makes doing business with Israel such an attractive or acceptable risk?
I'm waiting for my question to be answered - what possible line of work is this guy's company in that makes doing business with Israel such an attractive or acceptable risk?
Feb 9th 2008, 3:52 pm
#10
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,434
Re: Is UAE-Israel business legal?
At exactly 9.10AM on Monday morning, your office will get a call...And the person answering the call will feel like NEO in Matrix,but,won't be sucked into the phone,he will be transformed physically to a new dimension...
Feb 9th 2008, 3:53 pm
#11
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Oct 2007
Location: Khaladiya Abu Dhabi
Posts: 4,181
Feb 9th 2008, 3:55 pm
#12
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Joined: Oct 2007
Location: Khaladiya Abu Dhabi
Posts: 4,181
Feb 9th 2008, 3:56 pm
#13
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 6
Re: Is UAE-Israel business legal?
Check with the UAE Embassy in your OWN country (UK?).
Until recently if you had an Israeli stamp in your passport, you were banned from reentering any GCC country, but so much 'under the counter' business is thought to go on that it may no longer be the case.
Personally I wouldn't touch Israel with a disinfected barge pole - the political risks of fallout are all on the downside.
What possible service does your company provide that it needs to take such a massive political risk just to earn a few shekels?
Until recently if you had an Israeli stamp in your passport, you were banned from reentering any GCC country, but so much 'under the counter' business is thought to go on that it may no longer be the case.
Personally I wouldn't touch Israel with a disinfected barge pole - the political risks of fallout are all on the downside.
What possible service does your company provide that it needs to take such a massive political risk just to earn a few shekels?
Feb 9th 2008, 3:56 pm
#14
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Oct 2007
Location: Khaladiya Abu Dhabi
Posts: 4,181