Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza
Israel's war in Gaza has brought significant challenges to Egypt, the most populous Arab nation already facing economic difficulties, as it unfolds on its border.
Some of these challenges, analysts told The National, would bedevil Egypt long after the guns in Gaza fall silent, reshaping its regional policies and redefining relations with other Middle East countries.
“In its entirety, the situation is not in Egypt’s favour,” said a senior Egyptian diplomat.
One example, he said, is the attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels on Red Sea shipping, which cut Egypt’s revenue from the Suez Canal in January by half compared to last year.
“It’s possibly the worst direct result of the war for Egypt and that’s not just because of the slump in revenue from the canal,” said the diplomat.
“The attacks have created a new situation in the Red Sea that could repeat in the future.”
Another example of the impact of the war on Egypt is that it has shown Cairo to be in command of few or no means of influencing Israel, its partner in a 1979 peace treaty that is widely seen as a cornerstone of regional stability.
Egypt has successfully mediated truces to end wars between Israel and Hamas, the militant group that has ruled Gaza since 2007. It was part of a mediation effort that included Qatar and the US that produced a week-long truce and a detainee and hostage swap between them in late November.
They have since tried and failed to mediate a similar deal.
The war began with an attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7 that left 1,200 dead and another 240 taken hostage.
Israel's response was a bombardment of Gaza that has to date killed nearly 29,000 people, displaced 85 per cent of the enclave's 2.3 million people and laid waste to many built-up areas.
“The Gaza war has shown the weakness of the cards held by Egypt … moreover, our economic situation leaves us with limited options and that, one way or another, determines our policies,” the diplomat said.
Egypt is the first Arab nation to sign a peace treaty with Israel. Relations between the neighbours have been lukewarm for the better part of the 44 years since the US-sponsored treaty was signed.
They have been fraught with tension since the Gaza war broke out, with Cairo recently warning that it would suspend the treaty if Israel began a ground offensive in Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost city on the Egyptian border.
An Israeli offensive there, Egypt contends, would send many of the more than one million displaced Palestinians in Rafah across the border into Egypt, a scenario Cairo believes would hurt the Palestinian cause and add one more hurdle to any future peace negotiations as Israel would not allow their return.
Wary of combat operations on its border with Gaza and Israel, Egypt has in recent weeks strengthened its forces there, and increased reconnaissance flights and ground patrols.
On Sunday, the Defence Ministry declassified documents on its military operations against Israel in 1973 – the last of the four full-fledged wars the two countries have fought since 1948.
“The purpose of their declassification is to show that Egypt’s military is able to efficiently lay down and execute combat missions at any time and regardless of the circumstances,” said a security source.
Significantly, Egypt shares with Gaza the latter’s only link to the outside world that’s not controlled by Israel – the Rafah border crossing in Sinai – which has placed on Cairo’s shoulders the moral responsibility to ensure that sufficient aid reaches Palestinians facing hunger, disease and lack of services in Gaza.
In the four months since the war began, Egypt had to defend itself against charges by Israel that it was delaying the delivery of aid to Gaza and a more recent assertion by US President Joe Biden that he had to persuade his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah El Sisi to open the Rafah crossing to allow relief aid through to Gaza.
Egyptian officials said the charges were baseless, while pro-government media portrayed them as part of a scheme to undermine Egypt and tarnish its image.
Equally, or perhaps more damaging, are recent media reports, supported by satellite photos, that claim Egypt could be covertly preparing an area adjacent to the border to receive a possible influx of Palestinians fleeing Gaza to escape Israeli bombardment.
What makes this claim so sensitive is that Egypt has campaigned since the war began against forcing Gazans to flee into Sinai, saying resettling Palestinians in its territory, even if temporarily, would harm national security and make it a party to the “liquidation” of the Palestinian cause it has long championed.
To avert this scenario, Egypt, like the US and others, have warned Israel against launching a ground offensive on Rafah, saying that will amount to a massacre because the city is packed with displaced Palestinians.
Israel is determined to attack Rafah. Not to do so, it says, would deny it a war goal.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, speaking at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, did not dismiss the reports of construction under way.
“It is not our intention to provide any safe areas or facilities, but necessarily if this was a case we will deal with the humanity that is necessary,” he said.
On a different level, Egypt may benefit – but not by design – from the Gaza war whose impact on Egypt has prompted major donors to realise that something must be done to avert an economic meltdown.
Already, the International Monetary Fund says it is negotiating an extension of a $3 billion loan it agreed with Cairo in 2022 to help Egypt survive the crisis but which has been derailed because of Egypt’s reluctance to implement agreed economic reforms.
The EU is also preparing a multibillion-dollar rescue package for Egypt.
The depth of Egypt’s crisis is demonstrated by an acute and persistent foreign currency crunch, a free-falling currency, high inflation and the heavy burden of servicing a foreign debt that stands at about $160 billion. Key food items, such as sugar, rice and milk, are either in short supply or their prices have skyrocketed.
“The Gaza war has in many ways eclipsed the economic crisis but did not make people completely forget about it,” said Middle East expert Michael Hanna of the International Crisis Group. “It did overshadow the crisis but that can only go so far. There’s an opportunity for Egypt that’s rooted in its current vulnerability.
“The war has created a new dynamic in its favour and there’s a great deal of appreciation for Egypt’s vulnerability in the IMF, Washington and the EU.”
The war has also significantly raised Mr El Sisi’s international standing, with scores of world leaders and senior western officials travelling to Cairo since October to discuss the conflict with him and lend support to Egypt’s aid efforts for the enclave’s residents.
Mr El Sisi, said Ammar Ali Hassan, a prominent Egyptian sociologist and author, has handled the crisis with a steady pair of hands, especially relations with Israel.
“The war has brought world leaders to Cairo. They’ve indirectly propped up the government at a time when millions are struggling because of the economy. They have also become reliant on Egypt to deliver aid to the Palestinians in Gaza,” he said.
Mr El Sisi’s criticism of Israel, speaking against the expulsion of Palestinians, and the perception that Egypt is being punished economically by the West for its pro-Palestinian stand have made many Egyptians rally behind the former general at a time of growing popular discontent over the economy, he said.
He has, meanwhile, effortlessly won a third term in office in December elections overshadowed by the Gaza war.
The vote was held after an independent presidential hopeful and an outspoken critic of the president was unable to collect the support of at least 25,000 voters required by law to make him eligible to run.
The hopeful, Ahmed Tantawy, claimed that a campaign of intimidation orchestrated by authorities denied him the chance to run against Mr El Sisi.
The president was left to run against three little-known politicians whom he defeated easily, winning another six years in office by a landslide.
This month, a Cairo court handed Tantawy a suspended one-year sentence for forging election forms and banned him from running for public office for five years.
“The international community is talking about Egypt differently now, with hardly any mention of democracy or human rights,” said Mr Hanna of the ICG.
“There was no comment on the elections or the absence of an independent candidate [Tantawy] who could have posed a serious challenge.”
Honeymoonish
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Sheer grandeur
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
INVESTMENT PLEDGES
Cartlow: $13.4m
Rabbitmart: $14m
Smileneo: $5.8m
Soum: $4m
imVentures: $100m
Plug and Play: $25m
Super Rugby play-offs
Quarter-finals
- Hurricanes 35, ACT 16
- Crusaders 17, Highlanders 0
- Lions 23, Sharks 21
- Chiefs 17, Stormers 11
Semi-finals
Saturday, July 29
- Crusaders v Chiefs, 12.35pm (UAE)
- Lions v Hurricanes, 4.30pm
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
A cheaper choice
Vanuatu: $130,000
Why on earth pick Vanuatu? Easy. The South Pacific country has no income tax, wealth tax, capital gains or inheritance tax. And in 2015, when it was hit by Cyclone Pam, it signed an agreement with the EU that gave it some serious passport power.
Cost: A minimum investment of $130,000 for a family of up to four, plus $25,000 in fees.
Criteria: Applicants must have a minimum net worth of $250,000. The process take six to eight weeks, after which the investor must travel to Vanuatu or Hong Kong to take the oath of allegiance. Citizenship and passport are normally provided on the same day.
Benefits: No tax, no restrictions on dual citizenship, no requirement to visit or reside to retain a passport. Visa-free access to 129 countries.
The biog
Favourite book: Men are from Mars Women are from Venus
Favourite travel destination: Ooty, a hill station in South India
Hobbies: Cooking. Biryani, pepper crab are her signature dishes
Favourite place in UAE: Marjan Island
DUBAI SEVENS 2018 DRAW
Gulf Men’s League
Pool A – Dubai Exiles, Dubai Hurricanes, Bahrain, Dubai Sports City Eagles
Pool B – Jebel Ali Dragons, Abu Dhabi Saracens, Abu Dhabi Harlequins, Al Ain Amblers
Gulf Men’s Open
Pool A – Bahrain Firbolgs, Arabian Knights, Yalla Rugby, Muscat
Pool B – Amman Citadel, APB Dubai Sharks, Jebel Ali Dragons 2, Saudi Rugby
Pool C – Abu Dhabi Harlequins 2, Roberts Construction, Dubai Exiles 2
Pool D – Dubai Tigers, UAE Shaheen, Sharjah Wanderers, Amman Citadel 2
Gulf U19 Boys
Pool A – Deira International School, Dubai Hurricanes, British School Al Khubairat, Jumeirah English Speaking School B
Pool B – Dubai English Speaking College 2, Jumeirah College, Dubai College A, Abu Dhabi Harlequins 2
Pool C – Bahrain Colts, Al Yasmina School, DESC, DC B
Pool D – Al Ain Amblers, Repton Royals, Dubai Exiles, Gems World Academy Dubai
Pool E – JESS A, Abu Dhabi Sharks, Abu Dhabi Harlequins 1, EC
Gulf Women
Pool A – Kuwait Scorpions, Black Ruggers, Dubai Sports City Eagles, Dubai Hurricanes 2
Pool B – Emirates Firebirds, Sharjah Wanderers, RAK Rides, Beirut Aconites
Pool C – Dubai Hurricanes, Emirates Firebirds 2, Abu Dhabi Saracens, Transforma Panthers
Pool D – AUC Wolves, Dubai Hawks, Abu Dhabi Harlequins, Al Ain Amblers
Gulf U19 Girls
Pool A – Dubai Exiles, BSAK, DESC, Al Maha
Pool B – Arabian Knights, Dubai Hurricanes, Al Ain Amblers, Abu Dhabi Harlequins
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Points classification after Stage 4
1. Arnaud Demare (France / FDJ) 124
2. Marcel Kittel (Germany / Quick-Step) 81
3. Michael Matthews (Australia / Sunweb) 66
4. Andre Greipel (Germany / Lotto) 63
5. Alexander Kristoff (Norway / Katusha) 43
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Results
6.30pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group Three US$200,000 (Turf) 2,000m; Winner: Ghaiyyath, William Buick (jockey), Charlie Appleby (trainer).
7.05pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Cliffs Of Capri, Tadhg O’Shea, Jamie Osborne.
7.40pm: UAE Oaks Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,900m; Winner: Down On Da Bayou, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
8.15pm: Zabeel Mile Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Zakouski, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby.
8.50pm: Meydan Sprint Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,000m; Winner: Waady, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson.
Dirham Stretcher tips for having a baby in the UAE
Selma Abdelhamid, the group's moderator, offers her guide to guide the cost of having a young family:
• Buy second hand stuff
They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.
• Get a health card and vaccinate your child for free at government health centres
Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.
• Join mum and baby coffee mornings provided by clinics, babysitting companies or nurseries.
Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.
• Once baby is ready for solids, cook at home
Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.
Sui Dhaaga: Made in India
Director: Sharat Katariya
Starring: Varun Dhawan, Anushka Sharma, Raghubir Yadav
3.5/5
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Chad%20Stahelski%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Keanu%20Reeves%2C%20Laurence%20Fishburne%2C%20George%20Georgiou%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company profile
Name: Oulo.com
Founder: Kamal Nazha
Based: Dubai
Founded: 2020
Number of employees: 5
Sector: Technology
Funding: $450,000
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
Details
Through Her Lens: The stories behind the photography of Eva Sereny
Forewords by Jacqueline Bisset and Charlotte Rampling, ACC Art Books
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Film: In Syria
Dir: Philippe Van Leeuw
Starring: Hiam Abbass, Diamand Bo Abboud, Mohsen Abbas and Juliette Navis
Verdict: Four stars
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohammed%20Alnamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMicrofinance%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E16%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFamily%20offices%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How to vote in the UAE
1) Download your ballot https://www.fvap.gov/
2) Take it to the US Embassy
3) Deadline is October 15
4) The embassy will ensure all ballots reach the US in time for the November 3 poll
UAE and Russia in numbers
UAE-Russia ties stretch back 48 years
Trade between the UAE and Russia reached Dh12.5 bn in 2018
More than 3,000 Russian companies are registered in the UAE
Around 40,000 Russians live in the UAE
The number of Russian tourists travelling to the UAE will increase to 12 percent to reach 1.6 million in 2023
SPECS
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OPINIONS ON PALESTINE & ISRAEL
Mental%20health%20support%20in%20the%20UAE
%3Cp%3E%E2%97%8F%20Estijaba%20helpline%3A%208001717%3Cbr%3E%E2%97%8F%20UAE%20Ministry%20of%20Health%20and%20Prevention%20hotline%3A%20045192519%3Cbr%3E%E2%97%8F%20UAE%20Mental%20health%20support%20line%3A%20800%204673%20(Hope)%3Cbr%3EMore%20information%20at%20hope.hw.gov.ae%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Travel Diaries of Albert Einstein The Far East, Palestine, and Spain, 1922 – 1923
Editor Ze’ev Rosenkranz
Princeton
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
