It was the moment when, I would imagine, most right-minded people's irony meter ceased to function.
Last week, as the world once again watched helplessly as Israel pounded Gaza and killed 25 people, support for Palestinians came from an unwanted (perhaps the only unwanted) source. Syria "roundly condemns Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people and urges the international community to undertake urgent steps," said a foreign ministry statement from Damascus. It went on to reaffirm "Syria's support for the people of Gaza".
Every Palestinian should be offended by the statement. Indeed, Hamas, Syria's long-time Palestinian ally, has already turned its back on the regime.
And yet, the Syrian ministry's absurd statement fits a long-standing pattern. Damascus has always tried to portray itself as a defender of Palestinians, exploiting their grievances to mask its own injustices against the Syrian people.
It is only in the past year that this narrative has fallen apart. On Tuesday, high level defections included two generals and Abdel Majid Barakat, a senior Baathist adviser. Mr Barakat has leaked extensive documents from within the regime to Al Jazeera, exposing a paranoid regime bent on repression by any means and a leader in Bashar Al Assad deluded by the lies of his own security chiefs.
Those revelations followed leaked emails published in The Guardian showing the Assad family and a narrow inner circle completely out of touch, or at least turning a blind eye to what is happening in Homs, Hama and, increasingly, on their own doorstep in Damascus.
We see how deluded the leaders in Damascus are, but how do we explain the support they still receive from those outside that cocoon?
Foreign military intervention, or the arming of the opposition, is fraught with complications, both morally and tactically. Most Alawites, and many from other minority groups, support the Baathist regime for fear of what comes after.
The example of post-Qaddafi Libya shows that if and when the rebels topple the Assad regime, forgiveness for its supporters, at home and abroad, is unlikely to be in plentiful supply.
There are reasons why many inside Syria have remained quiet. Support from sections of the middle class, who fear economic turmoil if the regime collapses, is understandable from a narrow pragmatic point of view. Indeed, many Syrians, regardless of class or religion, rightly fear for their own and their families' safety.
But what of Syrian expatriates, and indeed the other Arabs, who continue to support the regime despite undeniable evidence of massacres and atrocities?
Their shameful narrative is one Arabs used to justify tyrannical regimes for the last five decades: "Better the devil you know," some still argue.
The cost is a betrayal of Syrians. One of my acquaintances, a 30-something Arab woman, believes the shelling of Homs, like the 1982 Hama massacre, was necessary for the long-term stability of the country. The sooner "terrorists" are dealt with, she says, the sooner Syria can get back to normal.
An elderly Syrian writer in the UAE has justified the massacres by saying they were necessary to avoid sectarian strife spilling over into neighbouring countries.
Another elderly Syrian was happy to perpetuate the tired myth that protests are the work of sinister western forces. There are many others.
Some of this is fear, or old loyalties and enmities. In other cases, it is a belief in the Assad lies. While social media are dominated by anti-Assad sentiment, both Facebook and Twitter are home to posts that blame Arab leaders for ignoring the Palestinians to focus on Syria.
These apologists are complicit in the regime's violence by excusing it. But the tide is turning. The recent defections show that even some of the president's closest allies can no longer stand by and watch the murders.
This may lead to more violence, as nine generals have now joined the Syrian Free Army. Better by far however would be for observers to stop parroting the regime's lies.
The delusion plays into the hands of a regime that demands unconditional trust, but trusts no one. Perhaps the apologists are simply hedging their bets as they wait for an eventual winner. Or maybe it's just moral cowardice. Either way, their support of the murders of men, women and children comes at a heavy price: their humanity.
Assad apologists should acquaint themselves with the words of Martin Niemöller, the German Lutheran pastor who criticised intellectuals in his country for their passivity following the Nazis rise to power:
First they came for the communists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak out for me.
This regime will almost surely fall. Only then, will those who are quiet about Mr Al Assad's crimes realise the monster they have tacitly supported.
akhaled@thenational.ae
On Twitter: @AliKhaled_
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Meatless Days
Sara Suleri, with an introduction by Kamila Shamsie
Penguin
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
The Freedom Artist
By Ben Okri (Head of Zeus)
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday (UAE kick-off times)
Borussia Dortmund v Paderborn (11.30pm)
Saturday
Bayer Leverkusen v SC Freiburg (6.30pm)
Werder Bremen v Schalke (6.30pm)
Union Berlin v Borussia Monchengladbach (6.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Wolfsburg (6.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldof v Bayern Munich (6.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Cologne (9.30pm)
Sunday
Augsburg v Hertha Berlin (6.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Mainz (9pm)
Arabian Gulf Cup FINAL
Al Nasr 2
(Negredo 1, Tozo 50)
Shabab Al Ahli 1
(Jaber 13)
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The specs
Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: nine-speed
Power: 542bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: Dh848,000
On sale: now
Company%20profile
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BABYLON
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China and the UAE agree comprehensive strategic partnership
China and the UAE forged even closer links between the two countries during the landmark state visit after finalising a ten-point agreement on a range of issues, from international affairs to the economy and trade and renewable energy.
1. Politics: The two countries agreed to support each other on issues of security and to work together on regional and international challenges. The nations also confirmed that the number of high-level state visits between China and the UAE will increase.
2. Economy: The UAE offers its full support to China's Belt and Road Initiative, which will combine a land 'economic belt" and a "maritime silk road" that will link China with the Arabian Gulf as well as Southeast, South and Central China, North Africa and, eventually, Europe.
3. Business and innovation: The two nations are committed to exploring new partnerships in sectors such as Artificial Intelligence, energy, the aviation and transport industries and have vowed to build economic co-operation through the UAE-China Business Committee.
4. Education, science and technology: The Partnership Programme between Arab countries in Science and Technology will encourage young Emirati scientists to conduct research in China, while the nations will work together on the peaceful use of nuclear energy, renewable energy and space projects.
5. Renewable energy and water: The two countries will partner to develop renewable energy schemes and work to reduce climate change. The nations have also reiterated their support for the Abu Dhabi-based International Renewable Energy Agency.
6. Oil and gas: The UAE and China will work in partnership in the crude oil trade and the exploration and development of oil and natural gas resources.
7. Military and law enforcement and security fields: Joint training will take place between the Chinese and UAE armed forces, while the two nations will step up efforts to combat terrorism and organised crime.
8. Culture and humanitarian issues: Joint cultural projects will be developed and partnerships will be cultivated on the preservation of heritage, contemporary art and tourism.
9. Movement between countries: China and the UAE made clear their intent to encourage travel between the countries through a wide-ranging visa waiver agreement.
10. Implementing the strategic partnership: The Intergovernmental Co-operation Committee, established last year, will be used to ensure the objectives of the partnership are implemented.
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
The specs: 2018 Maserati Levante S
Price, base / as tested: Dh409,000 / Dh467,000
Engine: 3.0-litre V6
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 430hp @ 5,750rpm
Torque: 580Nm @ 4,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 10.9L / 100km