Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused French President Emmanuel Macron of siding with anti-Semitism on Wednesday, after France's leader called for increased pressure on Israel to end the war in Gaza.
Speaking on national television, Mr Macron called on the EU to look at its trade agreement with Israel over its 10-week blockade on Gaza, which has left residents of the beleaguered Palestinian enclave facing starvation.
“We cannot continue as if nothing is happening, so we'll have to increase the pressure,” Mr Macron said in an interview with French broadcaster TF1. Mr Macron added that it was an “open question” for Europeans whether “discussions, co-operation agreements with Israel must be continued as they stand”.
The French President is the most high-profile European leader to raise this question. His comments triggered sharp criticism from Mr Netanyahu, accusing France of “once again demanding that Israel surrender and reward terrorism”.
He continued: "Israel will not stop and will not surrender."
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the record of the Second World War demonstrated France “should not preach morality to us”, because "we remember well what happened to the Jews in France when they couldn't defend themselves".
In his TV appearance, Mr Macron said a review of EU-Israel relations has already been requested by the Netherlands. A Dutch request sent earlier this month to the EU's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, asked for a review of Article Two of the association agreement with Israel. Article Two refers to both parties' human rights obligations.
The Dutch government views Israel's blockade, enforced since March 2, as contrary to international humanitarian law. Calls for a review have also been made by Ireland, Spain, Sweden, Finland and Portugal. A downgrading of relations would be detrimental to Israel. The EU is Israel's biggest trading partner.
Mr Netanyahu's actions in Gaza are “shameful”, Mr Macron said. But he also admitted that European pressure on Israel is unlikely to influence its policies.
“Today, we need the US. In truth, the one with leverage is President [Donald] Trump,” Mr Macron said. “I've had very harsh words towards Prime Minister Netanyahu, but France alone, even with other Europeans, we can put all the pressure of the world – he does not depend on us. He depends on US weapons.”
Mr Macron has regularly clashed with Mr Netanyahu in the past year, including at an international conference in New York last June, over the French President's plan to possibly recognise Palestinian statehood. Mr Netanyahu has claimed this would be a “prize for terror”.
Asked why France does not place sanctions on Israel, Mr Macron said he had taken decisions such as restricting weapons exports. “We refused to send them equipment that would allow them to go into combat,” he said. “We give them equipment that allows them to protect themselves, particularly against Iranian fire. So, we've made things much tougher.”
Mr Macron talked about Gaza on Tuesday evening as part of a marathon interview on domestic and international affairs. It took place hours after UN aid chief Tom Fletcher criticised an Israel-initiated and US-backed humanitarian aid distribution plan for Gaza as a “fig leaf for further violence and displacement” of Palestinians. “It is cynical sideshow. A deliberate distraction,” Mr Fletcher told the UN Security Council in New York.
Earlier this week, the World Health Organisation said Israel's deliberate withholding of humanitarian aid was increasing the risk of famine in Gaza. Famine has not yet been declared, but people are starving now, the WHO said. The risk of starvation was acknowledged by Israeli defence officials in a New York Times report published on Tuesday.
The Israeli military has said it is ready to continue its occupation of Gaza with “full force” in the coming days. Israel says it is working on finding countries to take Palestinians forcibly removed from the enclave, according to Mr Netanyahu. Forced displacement is contrary to international law and has been rejected by European and Arab states.
Israel has killed more than 52,900 Gazans in the war triggered by Hamas-led attacks in October 2023, in which around 1,200 people were killed and about 240 abducted.
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Teachers' pay - what you need to know
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
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.
Essentials
The flights
Whether you trek after mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo, the most convenient international airport is in Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. There are direct flights from Dubai a couple of days a week with RwandAir. Otherwise, an indirect route is available via Nairobi with Kenya Airways. Flydubai flies to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, via Entebbe in Uganda. Expect to pay from US$350 (Dh1,286) return, including taxes.
The tours
Superb ape-watching tours that take in all three gorilla countries mentioned above are run by Natural World Safaris. In September, the company will be operating a unique Ugandan ape safari guided by well-known primatologist Ben Garrod.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, local operator Kivu Travel can organise pretty much any kind of safari throughout the Virunga National Park and elsewhere in eastern Congo.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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
Arrogate's winning run
1. Maiden Special Weight, Santa Anita Park, June 5, 2016
2. Allowance Optional Claiming, Santa Anita Park, June 24, 2016
3. Allowance Optional Claiming, Del Mar, August 4, 2016
4. Travers Stakes, Saratoga, August 27, 2016
5. Breeders' Cup Classic, Santa Anita Park, November 5, 2016
6. Pegasus World Cup, Gulfstream Park, January 28, 2017
7. Dubai World Cup, Meydan Racecourse, March 25, 2017
England-South Africa Test series
1st Test England win by 211 runs at Lord's, London
2nd Test South Africa win by 340 runs at Trent Bridge, Nottingham
3rd Test July 27-31 at The Oval, London
4th Test August 4-8 at Old Trafford, Manchester
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Bedu%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Khaled%20Al%20Huraimel%2C%20Matti%20Zinder%2C%20Amin%20Al%20Zarouni%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20AI%2C%20metaverse%2C%20Web3%20and%20blockchain%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Currently%20in%20pre-seed%20round%20to%20raise%20%245%20million%20to%20%247%20million%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Privately%20funded%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
PAKISTAN SQUAD
Abid Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Azhar Ali (test captain), Babar Azam (T20 captain), Asad Shafiq, Fawad Alam, Haider Ali, Iftikhar Ahmad, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper), Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Imran Khan, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Sohail Khan, Usman Shinwari, Wahab Riaz, Imad Wasim, Kashif Bhatti, Shadab Khan and Yasir Shah.
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
The past winners
2009 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
2010 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
2011 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2012 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus)
2013 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
2014 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2015 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)
2016 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2017 - Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
