For last month or so, we've been receiving weekly emails inviting us to an IP conference to be held in Dubai. The organizers are billing it as the "Largest Intellectual Property Congregation in Gulf region".**
Wondering about my possible participation, I wrote the following to the organizers.
Thanks for the invitation. Sounds like an excellent event, but I'm curious: will it be a problem for me, a citizen of Israel, to attend this event? None of the Emirates have diplomatic relations with Israel. It would be a shame to plunk down a registration fee for an event I'm barred from attending on account of my citizenship.
Also, will kosher food be available? And do you know how Dubai looks on visitors who bring Jewish ritual items with them into the country, such as tallit and tefillin?
Are women allowed to drive in Dubai? If I can manage to come to the conference, my wife will accompany me and will want to travel.
Maybe next time you could organize such an event here in Israel, perhaps in Jerusalem the capital? We have a wonderful high tech park, close to many leading companies including the pharmaceutical giant Teva. It would give our Arab neighbors and us a chance to become acquainted in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.
I'm still waiting for a response.
**Don't know if I'd use the word "congregation" in that way, perhaps someone used Google translate...