Culture  Sports
Shahar Peer denied entry to Dubai
Sa'ar Haas
Published: 15.02.09, 12:22
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1. Should move the tournament from UAE and stop funding terror
Zion   (02.15.09)
How about Sderot and Tel Aviv for the tournament.
2. Cancel the Dubai Tournament NOW!
David ,   Karmiel, Israel   (02.15.09)
I hope that the players will re-assess their participation in tournaments in Arab Countries! Nadal, Murray, Blake, Roddick, Hewitt and so many others should remember how many of their countrymen have been killed and maimed by Islamic terrorism who have the sympathy of the UAE! Playing in Dubai would be like spitting on the memories of the victims of 9/11, Madrid, London, Bali, Mumbai and so many others committed by those who the UAE support!
3. move the tournament
Ilana   (02.15.09)
4. How to deal with such stinking racism
Larry ,   Eastbourne, UK   (02.15.09)
This behaviour by Dubai could be dealt with, but only on the following basis:- Firstly, the WTA instead of showing moral cowardice by permitting the tournament to continue should have immediately called it off. Secondly, Shahar needs support from her fellow players. It would make a massive impact, for instance, if the Williams sisters were to refuse to play in Dubai as a result of Peer's exclusion.
5. Maybe it has somesthing to do with Gaza.
James ,   LA   (02.15.09)
Could it be because of the killing of hundreds of kids in Gaza. I know the people of israel might find the killing of kids inspiring. But the rest of the world find it very skinning. Don't be surprise if you are not welcome outside your war crime zone.
6. Peer denied visa
Bobby Norwich ,   Cincinnati USA   (02.15.09)
The WTA is going "to review" its stance on the Dubai tournament after UAE denied a qualified athlete a visa solely due to her nationality? What's to review? An unequivocal "no more tournaments in Dubai" should be an automatic response. Get a backbone WTA!
7. yahud
kapara al haismuk ,   arabia   (02.15.09)
long live muslim apartheid! no jews allowed to visit muslim countries! no jews allowed to immigrate to middle east! no jews allowed to get citizenship and live openly in saudi arabia! MUSLIM RELIGIOUS APARTHEID FOREVER!
8. It is not racisim \ it is politics
Sam ,   ME   (02.15.09)
If she had another passport (Say a US one) she would have entered. I've lived there and there are a lot of Israeli's Americans there. It is just politics. I am a British \ Palestinian and I can't get a visa to Isreal because I was born to the wrong race. Now that is racisim
9. Islam will never change - this is islam
Johnny ,   Stockholm Sweden   (02.15.09)
It is clearly stated in their scriptures that Jews are to be treated this way. It is just the sad reality of islam. Am I wrong? If I am prove me wrong.
10. This arab muslim racism - Strip Dubai of hosting rights
Scott   (02.15.09)
We don't want stupid morons to extend their pathetic behavior to interfere with sport... There you go...double standards yet again...
11. #7 Idiot Troll
Bill Foonman ,   Jacksonville, USA   (02.15.09)
Enough said.
12. To #5 James, LA
Andy ,   Israel   (02.15.09)
May be US players should be banned because US forces have killed directly and indirectly thousands of kids in Afghanistan, Pakistan (another 20 odd civilians just a couple of days ago) , Iraq, Vietnam and numerous other places, not to mention the British forces also. Hypocrite, James. Who says war crimes? Hamas? You believe them?
13. To #8
Andy ,   Israel   (02.15.09)
What are you talking about? If you have a British passport, you don't need a visa to Israel. Stop lieing. And Israel is full of Palestinians with citizenship and Israeli passports. How many Israelis live and have citizenship in Dubai? That's racism.
14. how immature
nate ,   canada   (02.15.09)
once again, arabs reminding me of their level of class and maturity.
15. British passports are visa-free to Israel
(02.15.09)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/BritishVisaFree.png
16. #8 You didn't clarify why that second passport was needed
Johnny ,   Stockholm Sweden   (02.15.09)
Could you please clarify why that second passport is needed in order for an Israeli to enter UAE? In what way is not singling out Israel not connected to her being an Israeli?
17. To Israelis
maria ,   Uk   (02.15.09)
This is the same way you treat Palestinians in West Bank, You're Government is building a wall there, and please don't tell us it it to stop the suicide bombers. You hate Arabs, You kill Arabs, You think that you're 100 times better than them, and at the same time you want to go into their lands, oh Please!! You've already got a stolen Arab Land within your hands, What else do you need?
18. James, LA
Rina   (02.15.09)
If that were the case: Palestinians from Gaza would be denied entry, because Gazans shoot to kill at Israeli children. All NATO countries would be denied entry for killing civilians in the Balkans Many African countries would be denied entry for ongoing genocide Etc., etc. No, James, you can't fool anyone. It is antisemitism
19. Arab Mamon
Adam ,   Warsaw Poland   (02.15.09)
WTA is worshiping Arab Mamon the new god of postchristian west. You want to see Israeli sporstmen start funding sport turnaments in Israel.
20. I love tennis
Esteban ,   Argentina Suiza   (02.15.09)
I'm myself a tennis player since I was 7 (I'm 41 now). I love watching tennis on TV. But this week, I will BOYCOTTING this racist UAE tournament, those are the true colours of Islam, the religiion of peace, yeah..yeah..WTA should cancel this tournament FOREVER. And there should be solidarity with Peer. Go Israel, go Peer.
21. our government
M ,   JERUSALEM   (02.15.09)
our government won't allow a UAE passport carrying person into Israel so why should they let us in. No peace no travel for both sides, and people such as this athlete have to pay for these things. But so everyone knows israel denies entry to so many people even US passport carrying people . so no one here can say anything, because everyone else can claim security issues as well , and others can claim racism as well and so the wheel turns.
22. #13, #12
m ,   jerusalem   (02.15.09)
for your info he is not lying. because he is of palestinian desent he cannot enter israel he has to pass through jordan and then straight into the west bank. if you don't believe me and im jewish then call the ministry of interior and you will find out for yourself. sorry to say but i don't lie. As for number 12 you are correct , the americans and british have killed ten times what the israelis have killed.
23. 17# You want to know why?
Dani ,   Israel   (02.15.09)
Hmm, lets think: Maybe because if it wouldn't be like that I'd have busses and coffee shops blowing up, exactly like it was 5-7 years ago(and no wall or blockade was prior to Intifada), so please, I'd prefer you continue whining instead of Israeli busses blowing, have I made myself clear?(blame the terrorists who don't give a damn about the consequences of their deeds) We hate arab? So tell me please why 1.5 million arabs live peacefully inside Israel with full rights? And why a Pali can walk freely once he gets inside Israel, and an Israeli/Jew can't walk inside w/b or Gaza? Stolen land? I don't know what history you've learnt but I know that the ones whose land been stolen, and therefore they got kicked out, were the Jews/Israelites once 3000 years ago(Kingdom of Israel) and twice 2000 years ago(Kingdom of Judea and Samaria).Any exile included the destruction of the temple(todays Western Wall) and earsing as many Jewish traces as possible(like replacing the name to Palestina, and Jerusalem to Elia Capitolina by the Romans) Where were the arabs then? Islam hadn't existed yet. So if they conquerd the place 1400 y.a it became theirs? Don't tell me the Isralites also conquered the land cause even if they did, the occupied nation sure doesn't exist nowdays... Lets not forget they were offered with a land they refused, and decided on war...
24. #5
Knightarm ,   New York City, USA   (02.15.09)
OK James, so you feel that because kids were killed that Israelis should not be allowed anywhere outside "your criminal war zone". So does that mean that since the US and Britain and France, et al, who have been fighting the scourge of Moslem terrorism, have inadvertantly killed kids that none of their citizens should be allowed anywhere either. Correct? Or is your view reserved for Jews only? Repeat after me Jimmy LA LA: " The Jews are serious. NEVER AGAIN!!" "NEVER EVER AGAIN"
25. UAE
NYC Girl   (02.15.09)
Ironically, as this story was breaking, there was an interview on one of the public broadcasting stations with David Ignatius, who's the Associate Editor of the Washington Post. He was talking about a plan that had been put forward by the UAE for a resolution to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict which he felt had potential because the UAE was a "progressive" Arab country. Obviously, Ignatius is an imbecile who represents everything that's wrong with the mainstream media when it comes understanding the Middle East.
26. #8 sam
achmed ,   lebanon   (02.15.09)
actually if you have a british passport the jews do let you into israel without a visa...that is how the two british muslims that blew up mikes cafe entered israel.
27. #7 and #11 bill foonman
yaniv ,   tel aviv   (02.15.09)
Bill....I think it is safe to say that #7's post is very creative sarcasm...."kapara al haismuk" is something yemenite jews in israel say a lot.
28. To #17 and other Europeans
Mr. Truth ,   USA   (02.15.09)
My friends, it has been your continent that has thought it was better than the rest of the world for hundreds of years and subjected non-Europeans to institutional racism. Now you are all feeling collective guilt and want to make up for it by calling Americans and Israelis aggressors and kissing up to islam. Hopefully when you all become muslims, your feelings of collective guilt will also subside.
29. #8: If British you don't need a visa
Liliane ,   Brighton, UK   (02.15.09)
#8: Why do you lie? If you are British you don't need a visa to visit Israel.
30. #20
mark ,   ca   (02.15.09)
Best way is to boycott sponsors like Sony.
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