Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza
Israel should not to be overcome by rage in its response to last month's Hamas attack, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Thursday, declaring that "one horror does not justify another".
Mr Borrell sought to express solidarity with Israel on his first visit to the country since the October 7 attacks, and voice international concern about Palestinian civilian casualties as Israeli forces seek to destroy Hamas in Gaza.
The EU's 27 member countries have deeply rooted differences about the wider Palestinian-Israeli conflict and Mr Borrell faced a difficult task as he tried to find middle ground.
The scale of his task was highlighted by the foreign ministers of three EU countries – Ireland, Greece and Cyprus – all paying visits to Israel on Thursday, with their own talking points.
After visiting the devastated Kibbutz Be'eri, a major target of the October 7 assault, with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, Mr Borrell drew on his own experience of living and working in a kibbutz in the 1960s.
"I know what a kibbutz means for the Israelis," he said, after walking among destroyed homes and a kindergarten in the settlement near the border with Gaza, wearing a flak jacket with the EU flag.
After the kindergarten visit, Mr Borrell carried a small red Lego brick in one hand.
The latest from the Israel-Gaza war - in pictures
Hamas killed about 130 residents of the kibbutz and kidnapped others, according to Israeli officials.
"I understand what the family of the Kibbutzims feel when their sons, or their fathers or daughters are kidnapped," said Mr Borrell, a veteran Spanish Socialist politician.
But he also called on Israel to heed international calls to do more to help and protect civilians in Gaza.
"I understand your rage but let me ask you not to be consumed by rage," Mr Borrell said.
"Not far from here is Gaza. One horror does not justify another."
Israel insists it is trying hard to prevent civilian casualties in Gaza but has no choice but to fight in civilian areas because that is where Hamas operates.
Mr Cohen said Hamas was to blame for the October 7 attacks and for the current plight of Palestinians in Gaza.
"There is only one responsible for this atrocity, for the massacre of the 7th of October, for the world that started after and also the suffering of the people in Gaza – it's Hamas, which is sponsored by Iran," he said.
Mr Borrell also met relatives of people taken hostage by Hamas. They made emotional pleas for the EU to help secure the release of their loved ones.
Mr Borrell pledged to raise the issue in a meeting this weekend with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim, whose country has been heavily involved in trying to reach a deal to free at least some of the hostages.
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In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
RESULTS
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Harry%20%26%20Meghan
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In 2018, the ICRC received 27,756 trace requests in the Middle East alone. The global total was 45,507.
There are 139,018 global trace requests that have not been resolved yet, 55,672 of these are in the Middle East region.
More than 540,000 individuals approached the ICRC in the Middle East asking to be reunited with missing loved ones in 2018.
The total figure for the entire world was 654,000 in 2018.
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
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
RESULTS
5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 2,200m
Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Fernando Jara (jockey), Ahmed Al Mehairbi (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: AF Seven Skies, Bernardo Pinheiro, Qais Aboud
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: Almahroosa, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: AF Sumoud, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: AF Majalis, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Adventurous, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
Petrarch: Everywhere a Wanderer
Christopher Celenza,
Reaktion Books
Profile of Udrive
Date started: March 2016
Founder: Hasib Khan
Based: Dubai
Employees: 40
Amount raised (to date): $3.25m – $750,000 seed funding in 2017 and a Seed round of $2.5m last year. Raised $1.3m from Eureeca investors in January 2021 as part of a Series A round with a $5m target.
RESULTS
2.15pm Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
Winner Shawall, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi (jockey), Majed Al Jahouri (trainer)
2.45pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner Anna Bella Aa, Fabrice Veron, Abdelkhir Adam
3.15pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner AF Thayer, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
3.45pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner Taajer, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
4.15pm The Ruler of Sharjah Cup – Prestige (PA) Dh250,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner Jawaal, Jim Crowley, Majed Al Jahouri
4.45pm Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner Maqaadeer, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson
