The heir apparent to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas made a rare solo official visit to Jordan at the weekend, amid a US drive for the normalisation of ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
The official Jordanian news agency Petra said that Hussein Al Sheikh, whom Mr Abbas made his de facto number two last year, met on Sunday with Foreign Minister Ayman Al Safadi.
Discussion centred on “stopping the deterioration being witnessed in the occupied Palestinian territories” and restarting peace talks with Israel, which have been frozen for most of the past decade.
A large proportion of Jordan's population are of Palestinian origin. The kingdom, which has the longest land border with Israel, has close links with 87-year-old Mr Abbas and is keen to have a smooth transition after his eventual death.
Jordan, which signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1996, has repeatedly condemned Israel for its treatment of the Palestinians, saying it could lead to another wave of refugees that could upset the kingdom's social balance and pose a threat to its stability.
Jordanian political commentator Hazem Ayyad said that Mr Al Sheikh's meeting in Amman heralds a possible drive by Jordan to raise his profile, with Mr Abbas increasingly seen as “unbalanced” politically.
Mr Ayyad pointed to recent remarks by Mr Abbas about the Holocaust that drew condemnation from his western backers.
“Jordan is keen to give Sheikh a push,” said Mr Ayyad. He added that he is also favoured by Washington, Jordan's most powerful ally, as an eventual replacement for Mr Abbas.
Moderate image
In mid-2022, Mr Abbas made Mr Al Sheikh the secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organisation's executive committee, one of the most powerful positions in the Palestinian system of rule.
Omar Shaaban, head of PalThink for Strategic Studies think tank, said that despite Jordanian support for Mr Al Sheikh, the kingdom wants him to embark on reforms in the Palestinian system, which has been vastly undermined by allegations of corruption and non-adherence to election procedures.
He expected Mr Al Sheikh to consolidate his position as Mr Abbas's successor at a congress for Fatah, the PLO's largest faction, in December.
“Jordan is very interested in following and pushing for more reforms,” Mr Shabaan said.
He said Jordanian officials also wanted to hear first-hand from Mr Al Sheikh about political developments in the region over the past several months.
Mr Al Sheikh was one of three senior Palestinian officials who met Saudi officials in Riyadh last week.
The meeting reportedly focused on a possible US-brokered normalisation agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel, similar to the 2020 Abraham Accords signed by Israel, Bahrain and the UAE. Morocco and Sudan have also since joined.
Details of any Israeli-Saudi deal have not been made officially public, and there has been no comment from Riyadh.
Despite press reports hinting at a breakthrough, western diplomats in Amman say the deal might take a long time to be finalised because of provisions for a military pact between Riyadh and Washington, and possible Saudi demands for empowerment for the Palestinians.
In Riyadh, Mr Al Sheikh also met a visiting US delegation following a call between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Mr Abbas.
Jordan had supported Mr Abbas in his rejection of a Middle East peace deal proposed during the Donald Trump administration, which was seen as diluting Palestinian rights.
Neither Jordan nor Palestinian officials have commented on the current US moves for the Saudi-Israeli deal.
If realised, it would affect all other Arab dealings with Israel, with Saudi Arabia being the largest Arab economy and the birthplace of Islam.
Abu Dhabi GP starting grid
1 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2 Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)
3 Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
4 Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
5 Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull)
6 Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
7 Romain Grosjean (Haas)
8 Charles Leclerc (Sauber)
9 Esteban Ocon (Force India)
10 Nico Hulkenberg (Renault)
11 Carlos Sainz (Renault)
12 Marcus Ericsson (Sauber)
13 Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
14 Sergio Perez (Force India)
15 Fernando Alonso (McLaren)
16 Brendon Hartley (Toro Rosso)
17 Pierre Gasly (Toro Rosso)
18 Stoffe Vandoorne (McLaren)
19 Sergey Sirotkin (Williams)
20 Lance Stroll (Williams)
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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Switzerland
Residence Programme offers residence to applicants and their families through economic contributions. The applicant must agree to pay an annual lump sum in tax.
Canada
Start-Up Visa Programme allows foreign entrepreneurs the opportunity to create a business in Canada and apply for permanent residence.
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Calls
Directed by: Fede Alvarez
Starring: Pedro Pascal, Karen Gillian, Aaron Taylor-Johnson
4/5
Results
Women finals: 48kg - Urantsetseg Munkhbat (MGL) bt Distria Krasniqi (KOS); 52kg - Odette Guiffrida (ITA) bt Majlinda Kelmendi (KOS); 57kg - Nora Gjakova (KOS) bt Anastasiia Konkina (Rus)
Men’s finals: 60kg - Amiran Papinashvili (GEO) bt Francisco Garrigos (ESP); 66kg - Vazha Margvelashvili (Geo) bt Yerlan Serikzhanov (KAZ)
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Afghanistan Premier League - at a glance
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Fixtures:
Tue, Oct 16, 8pm: Kandahar Knights v Kabul Zwanan; Wed, Oct 17, 4pm: Balkh Legends v Nangarhar Leopards; 8pm: Kandahar Knights v Paktia Panthers; Thu, Oct 18, 4pm: Balkh Legends v Kandahar Knights; 8pm: Kabul Zwanan v Paktia Panthers; Fri, Oct 19, 8pm: First semi-final; Sat, Oct 20, 8pm: Second semi-final; Sun, Oct 21, 8pm: final
Table:
1. Balkh Legends 6 5 1 10
2. Paktia Panthers 6 4 2 8
3. Kabul Zwanan 6 3 3 6
4. Nagarhar Leopards 7 2 5 4
5. Kandahar Knights 5 1 4 2
'Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore'
Rating: 3/5
Directed by: David Yates
Starring: Mads Mikkelson, Eddie Redmayne, Ezra Miller, Jude Law
MATCH INFO
What: 2006 World Cup quarter-final
When: July 1
Where: Gelsenkirchen Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Result:
England 0 Portugal 0
(Portugal win 3-1 on penalties)
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
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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2.
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China
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3.
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UAE
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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6.
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
