Report: Deportation of Lebanese from UAE Linked Hizbullah Support
A decision by the United Arab Emirates to deport Lebanese expats from the Gulf country is reportedly related to their staunch support to Hizbullah and its allies.
Information obtained by al-Mustaqbal newspaper on Saturday said that the move comes in light of a speech by Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah which contained a strong attack against countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council.
On January 9, Nasrallah alleged the presence of a “Zionist-like naturalization scheme” in Bahrain.
His statement was met by broad Arab dismay, with the Gulf Cooperation Council announcing the remarks contained “an incitement to violence and discord.”
Bahrain for its part summoned Lebanon's charge d'affaires, urging a “clear condemnation” of Nasrallah's stances.
The UAE's foreign ministry also summoned the Lebanese ambassador, handing him a protest letter over what it described as “hostile statements.”
Observers in the UAE told the daily that “some of the deported Lebanese are known for bragging and clearly declaring loyalty for Hizbullah and its political axis in the region.
“They keep on stating their provocative stances in public areas, work places and through Gulf social networks,” they told the daily.
Diplomatic sources denied that the case is sectarian, revealing that several Christian families are included in the deportation decision.
The sources estimated that the matter is linked to the “UAE's national security,” pointing out that authorities informed the Lebanese state that the decision will not be reconsidered.
Around 90 Lebanese nationals, mostly Shiites were informed of the deportation decision.
The daily said that UAE authorities began informing Lebanese expats, mostly residing in Ajman, of its decision on Wednesday.
“Some were granted 24 hours to leave, others until Sunday,” the report continued.
Sources told al-Joumhouria newspaper that those who were deported had received previous warnings, pointing out that UAE authorities don't have to inform them of the reasons behind the decision.
Meanwhile, An Nahar newspaper reported that contacts carried out by Prime Minister Tammam Salam didn't lead to any positive outcome.
UAE hosts more than 100,000 Lebanese workers.
Hundreds of Lebanese, mostly Shiite Muslims, have been quietly deported from the UAE since 2009. Deportations of Shiites from oil-rich Gulf states rose in 2013 after Hizbullah joined Syrian government forces in Syria's civil war.
However, UAE was criticized by Sunni Islamists for not including Hizbullah on a list of 83 "terrorist" organizations it published in November.
Shiite-Sunni tensions have been on the rise in the Middle East with increasing sectarian violence in Syria, Iraq and Yemen. Gulf states are also worried about the rise of Shiite Iran's influence throughout the Arab world.
H.K.
D.A.
9 years
Linked linked to Hizbullah, geee I really did not see this coming
9 years
The UAE has a very strong state security apparatus, most of the deported ones were most provably being "watched" with some doubtful activities, there are other thousands of them (shias) living there which have not been touched. When you receive close to 10 million tourists a year with a planned increase to 20 million by 2020,they need to look closer at some specific nationalities which are involved in regional conflicts.
9 years
There is no people in UAE with Hezbollah links, what a joke. These Gulf countries are getting paranoid.
9 years
you speak as if you know? lol
9 years
anonymousgayfromtexas that's very cute. You can't win against the Resistance fighters, so the the oligarchs decides to deport random Lebanese they suspects of being Hezb. People that lived in Dubai for years
9 years
The resistance lost the minute it took up arms...
The only winners are those who do not need weapons and wars to control populations. Those who build loyal followers without a drop of blood.
Hezbollah failed to exist outside the context of war.
Hezbollah lost and is a stil-born illusion! An aborted resistance and an illusion.
9 years
I'd say there's nothing lebanesein your wahabi sunni filthy type too. Kabul Bound A hole
9 years
UAE did the right thing, too bad Lebanon can't do the same and send back to Iran. Nobody's above the law ;)
9 years
Well there is over 100000 lebanese working there, so u think there randomnly picked 70 (63 shiites) and deported them for the purpose of sunnit domination??
Wouldn't it be more logic that they deported 70 of 100000 for links and official stands pro hebollah?.. U know the party engaged with all the happy shiite milias in wars all over the region? Not more logic?...really?....
Are u completly retarded?
9 years
Hilarious how the Israeli sewer rat from Dahye accuses a country of Zionist naturalisation when the UAE doesn't anyone with an Israeli stamp on their passport into the country. The UAE even refused to give a tennis player a visa to play in a tournament because she was Israeli...
9 years
Doesn't allow*
9 years
The Shiite are reaping what Nassrallah saw, he hijacked the shiiite and sent them to rescue Zainab. The Shiite should stand up against this MF and declare their alliance to Lebanon not Iran.
9 years
The 70 resemble a warning shot to HA. I am sure HA staunch supporters (no less than ft., mowaten, Mystic and Southern) who work in UAE number in the thousands.
9 years
Reading the preposterous exaggerated comments about these deportations the last two days one would think that in all of the UAE there were only 70 Lebanese Shiites and they were all deported. One certified fool even suggested they were ordered to convert or leave. I suppose the thousands of Lebanese Shiites who remained in the UAE all converted.
9 years
pityful hypocrite hezbi lovers... they daily insult the gulf countries and now they cry because some hezbi supporters get kicked out... they cannot even assume the consequences of their acts: in a word they are just coward sissies only good at insulting and barking....
9 years
The 90 filth, send them to Syria to fight for Zeinab
Nassrallah should find them jobs in his miracle organization and Iran should employ them in its nuclear shawarma program.