Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced the intention to invade the city of Rafah
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced the intention to invade the city of Rafah
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced the intention to invade the city of Rafah
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced the intention to invade the city of Rafah

Netanyahu battles for survival amid stalling war effort


  • English
  • Arabic

Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza

Fresh doubt has been cast over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political future after a significant withdrawal of Israeli soldiers from Gaza intensified anger on both sides of the political spectrum over his war strategy.

The pulling of all ground troops from the southern city of Khan Younis leaves only one Israeli brigade in Gaza, the smallest force since the war began six months ago.

It comes as calls mount for Mr Netanyahu's resignation and for a deal to obtain the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza, with tens of thousands of demonstrators taking to the streets in recent weeks.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid on Monday added to the pressure by saying he would support a hostage agreement, even though it is “a deal we might not like”.

“But it's doable and therefore needs to be made,” he said.

The growing push for an agreement with Hamas sets Mr Netanyahu on a potential collision course with far-right members of his own coalition government, who fear such a deal might grant too many concessions to the militant group and weaken Israel’s war effort.

Mr Netanyahu insists the war is far from over and that an operation in Rafah will go ahead despite international fears that it would be catastrophic for about 1.5 million Gazan civilians sheltering in the city.

Mr Netanyahu said Israeli victory over Hamas requires “entry into Rafah and the elimination of the terrorist battalions there”.

“It will happen. There is a date,” he added.

Reports emerged on Tuesday that Israel was buying 40,000 tents to prepare for a civilian evacuation of Rafah, which would pave the way for Israeli forces to attack the four remaining Hamas battalions believed to be stationed in the city.

Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir wrote on X that if Mr Netanyahu “decides to end the war without a substantial attack on Rafah to defeat Hamas, he will not have a mandate to continue as premier”.

Former Israeli deputy national security adviser Chuck Freilich told The National that Mr Netanyahu's announcement that a date for the attack had been set was intended to curb political dissent within the cabinet.

"No one knows when [the date is] but it is hanging there and anyone who now takes a significant move … will be blamed for getting in the way,” Mr Freilich said.

Mr Netanyahu "tries to placate everyone this way", Mr Freilich added. "It is smart politics, maybe less so statesmanship.”

The Prime Minister insisted again on Tuesday that the military offensive in Rafah would go ahead to achieve Israel's goal of eliminating all Hamas brigades in Gaza. "There is no force in the world that will stop us," he said.

The Biden administration is believed to be taking a particularly keen interest in the latest round of hostage talks, amid growing anger in Washington over Israel’s conduct in the war in Gaza.

Political sources in Israel's unity government, which was formed after the deadly Hamas-led attacks on October 7, told The National last week there was mounting fear among centrist officials that US anger could lead to serious diplomatic repercussions.

Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir says Mr Netanyahu's position as Prime Minister will be untenable if an Israeli invasion of Rafah does not go ahead. EPA
Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir says Mr Netanyahu's position as Prime Minister will be untenable if an Israeli invasion of Rafah does not go ahead. EPA

Mr Biden is reported to have been particularly angry about an Israeli strike last week that killed seven workers from aid organisation World Central Kitchen and conveyed this in a phone call with Mr Netanyahu.

Shortly after the call, Israel announced the opening of two new entry points for aid to Gazans.

Record numbers of lorries carrying aid have entered Gaza since.

Gazans uncertain about next phase of war

Mahmoud Ajour, who is sheltering in Rafah, says he is confused about what lies in the days ahead.

"We already faced many difficulties when we left Gaza city in search of a place to stay," Mr Ajour, 39, told The National.

He is debating moving to Mawasi, a small coastal area west of Khan Younis, or to where his home used to stand in Gaza city. "I will build a tent over the rubble of my home, if only they would allow us to go back," he said.

Rami Al Moghrabi, 36, also fled to Rafah after his wife was killed and one of his children injured when Israel bombed his home in Gaza city.

"Enough is enough. The war should end so that people can reorganise their lives," he said. "My son has burns all over his body. The hospital here is treating him but he requires advanced medical care. I lost my wife and I do not want to lose my son.

"The only destination for me now is to return to Gaza [city]. Otherwise, I will not move from my current location."

Rafah resident Ahmad Nasser, 40, is worried about the prospect of an Israeli invasion.

"What the Israeli army did in Khan Younis and Gaza city worries us because they did not respect civilians – they will destroy everything," he said.

“There is nowhere to go. Khan Younis is completely destroyed and lacks any signs of life now, while central Gaza area is already crowded with people."

Buy farm-fresh food

The UAE is stepping up its game when it comes to platforms for local farms to show off and sell their produce.

In Dubai, visit Emirati Farmers Souq at The Pointe every Saturday from 8am to 2pm, which has produce from Al Ammar Farm, Omar Al Katri Farm, Hikarivege Vegetables, Rashed Farms and Al Khaleej Honey Trading, among others. 

In Sharjah, the Aljada residential community will launch a new outdoor farmers’ market every Friday starting this weekend. Manbat will be held from 3pm to 8pm, and will host 30 farmers, local home-grown entrepreneurs and food stalls from the teams behind Badia Farms; Emirates Hydroponics Farms; Modern Organic Farm; Revolution Real; Astraea Farms; and Al Khaleej Food. 

In Abu Dhabi, order farm produce from Food Crowd, an online grocery platform that supplies fresh and organic ingredients directly from farms such as Emirates Bio Farm, TFC, Armela Farms and mother company Al Dahra. 

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Alaan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Parthi%20Duraisamy%20and%20Karun%20Kurien%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%247%20million%20raised%20in%20total%20%E2%80%94%20%242.5%20million%20in%20a%20seed%20round%20and%20%244.5%20million%20in%20a%20pre-series%20A%20round%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THE CLOWN OF GAZA

Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah 

Starring: Alaa Meqdad

Rating: 4/5

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)

Veil (Object Lessons)
Rafia Zakaria
​​​​​​​Bloomsbury Academic

Conflict, drought, famine

Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.

Band Aid

Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.

Pharaoh's curse

British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.

While you're here

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Grubtech

Founders: Mohamed Al Fayed and Mohammed Hammedi

Launched: October 2019

Employees: 50

Financing stage: Seed round (raised $2 million)

 

Results

Light Flyweight (49kg): Mirzakhmedov Nodirjon (UZB) beat Daniyal Sabit (KAZ) by points 5-0.

Flyweight (52kg): Zoirov Shakhobidin (UZB) beat Amit Panghol (IND) 3-2.

Bantamweight (56kg): Kharkhuu Enkh-Amar (MGL) beat Mirazizbek Mirzahalilov (UZB) 3-2.

Lightweight (60kg): Erdenebat Tsendbaatar (MGL) beat Daniyal Shahbakhsh (IRI) 5-0.

Light Welterweight (64kg): Baatarsukh Chinzorig (MGL) beat Shiva Thapa (IND) 3-2.

Welterweight (69kg): Bobo-Usmon Baturov (UZB) beat Ablaikhan Zhussupov (KAZ) RSC round-1.

Middleweight (75kg): Jafarov Saidjamshid (UZB) beat Abilkhan Amankul (KAZ) 4-1.

Light Heavyweight (81kg): Ruzmetov Dilshodbek (UZB) beat Meysam Gheshlaghi (IRI) 3-2.

Heavyweight (91kg): Sanjeet (IND) beat Vassiliy Levit (KAZ) 4-1.

Super Heavyweight ( 91kg): Jalolov Bakhodir (UZB) beat Kamshibek Kunkabayev (KAZ) 5-0.

Updated: April 10, 2024, 8:59 AM`