What does Gulf crisis have to do with Tunisian women?
Banning Tunisian women from flying on Emirates airline may have more to do with UAE geopolitics than possible terror threats.
When the United Arab Emirates (UAE) refused to allow Tunisian women under the age of 30 — or women carrying Tunisian passports — to board Emirates airline flights on Dec. 22, chaos broke out in airports around the world, as women were stranded everywhere from Dubai to Hong Kong and men refused to leave their female traveling companions behind.
Because of pre-existing tensions between the two countries, the UAE bypassed typical protocol and did not inform Tunisian authorities ahead of time. Reactions from the Tunisian public were swift and furious, with the #NoWomenNoFly and #TunisiaDisciplinestheUAE hashtags trending on Twitter, as well as calls to boycott Emirates airline.
“This has become an issue of national dignity,” Tunisian political analyst Youssef Cherif told Al-Monitor.
On Dec. 24, the Tunisian Ministry of Transport, which is under the direction of Prime Minister Youssef Chahed, banned Emirates from landing in the country. The ministry’s declaration was viewed as the official government position, and President Beji Caid Essebsi was criticized for his initial silence.
