Dozens of Qatari nationals who flew to Lebanon for their annual vacations are among the throngs of tourists who found themselves trapped in Beirut following Israel’s military offensive. Airlines and travel agencies have been swamped with requests to evacuate the Qataris from the war zone at the earliest possible time. However, evacuation out of Lebanon has become increasingly difficult with the closing of the Rafik Hariri International Airport in Beirut to all air traffic. Several other Qatari nationals and other tourists from Doha, who were scheduled to fly indirect to Beirut also found themselves stranded at other intermediate airports in Bahrain and Dubai.
The Sri Lankan Embassy has resumed processing requests for the recruitment of domestic workers from Sri Lanka. This indicates that the restrictions on their employment over the past three months have been lifted. According to embassy sources, the rules requiring police clearance certificates appear to have been eased as well.
Sources: “Scores of Qataris, expats stranded in Beirut," The Peninsula, 16 July 2006; “Lanka mission resumes clearing requests for hiring maids," The Peninsula, 29 July 2006