Graphic by Carlos Alberto Escobar

On Feb. 23, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation banned travel to Lebanon for UAE citizens. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain undertook similar measures.

This move follows Riyadh’s decision to stop $4 billion USD worth of funding for military supplies to Lebanon. According to The National, these changes in policies are a response to Lebanon’s refusal to support Saudi Arabia in regards to its conflict with Iran, as well as an attempt to mitigate the influence of the Shiite political group Hezbollah.

According to Al Jazeera, the UAE has reduced its diplomatic presence in Beirut and has announced its full support of Saudi Arabia’s decision to halt its aid to Lebanon.

According to the Office of Global Education, the change in policy will not affect NYU Abu Dhabi students, staff and faculty holding Lebanese citizenship.

“The announcement from the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs was very specific to the travel of UAE citizens — it doesn't apply to foreigners residing in the UAE,” wrote Associate Dean of Global Education Katya Grim in an email to The Gazelle. “Therefore, the ban — as it stands right now — should have no direct impact on students, staff or faculty holding Lebanese citizenship.”

Sophomore Mona Nehme from Lebanon expressed a similar sentiment.

“I hope it won’t affect Lebanese people traveling to and from home,” wrote Nehme. “Seeing as to how it's really difficult to get a residence visa on a Lebanese passport anyway, most of the Lebanese people here are dual citizens, and therefore have their residency on a foreign passport, so I don’t think they’d encounter much trouble.”

However, Nehme said that this change of policy might impact residents in the UAE, and that she has been questioned about traveling home.

“This change in travel policy will definitely make the Lebanese community feel somewhat ostracised in the Gulf,” wrote Nehme. “Even from personal experience I could testify to the fact that the stigma around being Lebanese increased significantly. Even students started approaching me and asking me about whether or not I’d go to Lebanon, let alone if they could.”

Lebanese students have had visa issues since the establishment of the university.

“Lebanese citizens have always had trouble entering the Gulf countries,” said Nehme. “I know a couple of NYUAD students who had trouble even acquiring the resident visas with the sponsorship from NYU, and had to be transferred to the New York campus eventually.”