Al-Qalam 
The UAE recently signed a diplomatic accord with Israel. A source said the “temporary” halting of visas was due to security concerns, according to News Agencies.
Emirates has temporarily stopped issuing visas for citizens of 13 mostly Muslim-majority countries, according to a document seen by Reuters.
The document, which was sent to businesses by a state-owned business park, cited an immigration circular that came into effect on 18 November.
The letter said that the UAE had stopped issuing employment and visit visas for citizens of Iran, Syria, Somalia, Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, Algeria, Kenya, Iraq, Lebanon, Pakistan, Tunisia and Turkey, according to Reuters.
A source cited by Reuters confirmed the temporary ban, saying that it had been introduced over security concerns.
The UAE has not issued a public statement on the move, however, Pakistan last week said that the Gulf state had stopped issuing new visas for its citizens.
The Pakistani ministry and the source said those holding valid visas were not affected by the new restrictions and could enter the UAE.
A government officer told Anadolu Agency that visa applications from the 13 countries will be reviewed separately.
The source did not say what those concerns were but said the visa ban was expected to last for a short period.
The move comes as the UAE prepares to welcome tourists from Israel, following the two states’ formalising of diplomatic ties in September.
On Monday, Israeli ministers voted unanimously in favour of the agreement, local media reports said.
The visa exemption deal, signed in Tel Aviv last month, will reportedly go into effect in 30 days.
The UAE government had reportedly ratified the agreement earlier this month.
Israel agreed as part of the accord with the UAE to suspend plans to annex parts of the occupied territories, but Palestinians said they were blindsided by the announcement and rejected it, calling it a “betrayal”.
The UAE-Israel deal appeared at odds with a 2002 Arab League peace proposal, moribund for many years, that would have required Israel to withdraw from all occupied territories in exchange for normal relations with Arab states.
