Tens of thousands of Israelis are expected to raid tourist sites on the Persian Gulf coast.
Cut and Save: Rules of Conduct for Travelers to Dubai . Alex Sufinsky, owner of Dhaka Tours Tourism, owner of a tourism company in Dubai, is arranging for the Israeli tourist to come - hopefully soon - to visit the principalities: what is allowed and what is not, and how not to violate the delicate and important codes of local culture.
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"Leave a positive impression, you are the face of the State of Israel, respect the locals and their culture," he emphasizes at the beginning of the conversation with him. "Do not talk about local government. Locals are very sensitive to this issue and appreciate those in power. They will not want you to give them grades, or compare our leaders to theirs, leave those conversations aside, you have come on vacation."
Politics, it turns out, is not a recommended topic of conversation, as are the millions of foreign workers who actually hold the federation. "Not to mention human rights when it comes to foreign workers there and political issues, like Iran and Palestine," Sufinsky adds. "It's often said that there are quite a few workers in the UAE who earn a little money for hard work. Everyone has their own story. They paid money and learned English to work in Dubai, to make a lot more money from the countries they came from. They should not try to save. "The United Arab Emirates is an orderly and very comfortable country to live in."
"Talks about the army stress the locals"
Sufinsky emphasizes that "it is better not to talk about the army and security at all. The locals are not used to talking about wars and the army, it stresses them - and rightly so. We are used to living in a war routine, but we should not talk to them about these things. The wars are out of the picture. "
The strict rules for the Israeli tourist do not end there. Sufinsky also warns against prejudice against the locals. "Learn the culture of the locals and do not put your views on them. It is often thought that we know them 'because they are Arabs', I have often heard such things. It is a culture completely different from anything you knew in the army, Turkey, Arab localities or neighboring countries. "Try to dress the views you come up with in advance and think that you know them and their culture - because you do not," he explains.
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Do not try to "get organized"
From the conversation with Sufinsky, it becomes clear that it is advisable to avoid drug use in the United Arab Emirates and not even try to develop a conversation about it. "Regarding drugs - do not bring, not even medical or with a license, do not play with it in any way," he warns. "Do not try to 'organize', do not ask if there is a telegrass or anything like that. It is strictly forbidden. You do not want to spend time in prison there, and of course do not harm the name of the State of Israel in this way. You will be severely punished for it."
What about alcohol? "It is allowed to drink at home, in a hotel in a closed room or in bars and restaurants," Sufinsky explains. "Not walking around outside with alcohol, not being drunk outside, not driving and drinking. Alcohol is only sold in government and supervised stores, and its price is more expensive than in Israel."
According to him, in the UAE there is no "Middle Eastern" culture, and it is better that the habits from home - stay at home. "Do not speak loudly," Sufinsky adds. "You come to have fun and travel, and even if you do not like something - it is not customary to shout in the UAE. The locals speak very politely, the atmosphere there is very calm. Try not to look for the action and mess and try to speak to them in Arabic, especially words we learned in the army, like 'Waqf' "Please, 'no jokes,' chickpeas, salad chips. '
A local certificate is required to guide tourists in Dubai - and if it does not exist, this is forbidden. "Anyone who dares to do so is subject to arrest and deportation. The locals do not play games in this matter," Sufinsky explains. "There are already quite a few Israelis who have started marketing themselves as experts in the place and as tour guides there, when in practice they do not know and do not know. Anyone who flies with an Israeli guide - ask him to see his certificate from the UAE."
Regarding the "ugly Israeli" phenomenon abroad, Sufinsky says: "Do not take anything from the hotel. Avoid combos, stealing towels, or taking products from the minibar without paying and all sorts of such acts. The most important thing is not to make combos, there is zero tolerance for this thing. The locals are very honest for the most part, and it is not recommended to try and make combos with them. "I heard about those who tried to smuggle diamonds there, which is very dangerous."
No slippers in the restaurant
On the local population in the UAE, Sufinsky says: "This is a traditional society that lives according to codes that have been used for many years. In the tourist places they behaved accordingly. It is allowed to wear a bikini on the beach, but not continue to wear a bikini outside the beach. Only on the beach, but in the streets they walk in dignified clothes. "
According to Sufinsky, regarding LGBT people, "it is not acceptable to show public affection. It is a country with a certain culture and norms, and we do not want to make them feel uncomfortable in their country. "
He adds that "some restaurants and places of entertainment have a dress code. If you come to respectable places, they probably won't let you in with flip-flops or shorts. The locals are very strict about respectful dress and so are most tourists, it's part of the culture."
Sufinsky warns: "It is important to know that the whole city is networked with cameras at every point. Do not say you did not know. Everything is monitored and photographed every moment, so you are always seen.
"All taxis in Dubai are government. Do not try to argue about the price of the taxi, there is a duty to operate a meter and the meter is reliable. Every taxi has cameras and everything is documented. All taxis there are Toyota and there are economical and premium, do not ask for discounts or drive without a meter.
"By metro and public transport - do not dare to go up for free, jump over the checkpoint or something like that. If you do not understand something, do not hesitate, always ask and they will be happy to help you. Dubai was built especially for tourists, almost everything is very convenient and accessible there, and if you did not understand something - "Do not be smart and do what you think is right, ask. In general, people there are very kind and willing to help. There is a tourist police in Dubai and in case of any problem you can always contact them."
In conclusion, Sufinsky recalls: "Do not forget that we have a national responsibility. Look at our beautiful side, represent the State of Israel with dignity. Do not bring pressure, without 'come on come on'. In the UAE everything is calm, very orderly, reliable and supervised, and you get a credit card Everywhere".