White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan is on a Middle East tour. Reuters
White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan is on a Middle East tour. Reuters
White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan is on a Middle East tour. Reuters
White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan is on a Middle East tour. Reuters

Distrust between Hamas and Israel hindering truce efforts, says Qatar


Hamza Hendawi
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Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza

A senior Qatari official said distrust between Hamas and Israel was hindering talkss to reach a new ceasefire agreement, after months of efforts by the Gulf state, alongside Egypt and the US, to broker a pause in the Gaza war failed this month.

Negotiations broke down when Israel rejected the some of the demands made by Hamas.

“We are trying to get the parties together. The more you sit on the table, the closer you get [to a deal] … when there is a will there is a way, what is missing here is the will,” Mohammed bin Abdulaziz, a Qatari Minister of State and a lead negotiator, told a security conference in Doha on Monday.

Egypt had said it was prepared to continue its mediation in the Gaza war even after the Israeli military seized control of the Palestinian side of its land border crossing with Gaza on May 7.

Cairo, however, has refused to co-operate over the Rafah crossing, telling a delegation from the Mossad spy agency last week that the border point would remain closed as long as Israel controlled the Palestinian side.

On Monday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said the cessation of aid deliveries through the Rafah crossing was connected to the threat posed to humanitarian work by Israel's military operations in the area.

"Now there is a military presence on the outskirts of the Rafah crossing and military operations that put aid convoys and truck drivers in danger," Mr Shoukry said.

Sources told The National that US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan was due to arrive in Cairo on Monday for discussions with Egypt's leaders on the resumption of mediation on a Gaza war ceasefire and Israel's ground offensive in the enclave's southern city of Rafah.

They said the US has been trying to persuade Egypt to reopen the crossing, which Mr Sullivan plans to support when he meets Egyptian officials.

Mr Sullivan is on a Middle East tour that has already taken him to Saudi Arabia and Israel.

Israel has ignored pleas by Cairo, the US and others not to launch a ground operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, close to the Egyptian border.

On Monday, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant told Mr Sullivan that his country planned to broaden its military operation in Rafah, something that US President Joe Biden has repeatedly warned against.

Israel describes Rafah as the last stronghold of Hamas, whose governing and combat capabilities it has been trying to dismantle during the war.

“We are committed to broadening the ground operation in Rafah to the end of dismantling Hamas and recovering the hostages,” a statement from Mr Gallant's office quoted him as telling Mr Sullivan.

Egypt, bound by a 1979 peace treaty with Israel, has strongly condemned both the seizure of the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing and Israel's ground offensive on the city, saying Israel’s actions endangered its national security.

Last week, it said it was adding its voice to South Africa's in support of its case at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide, handing its eastern neighbour its strongest public rebuke since the war began in October.

Displaced Palestinian children line up to receive food in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP
Displaced Palestinian children line up to receive food in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees said on Monday that it estimated 810,000 people had fled Rafah since Israel began its ground offensive there on May 6.

Israel also says its forces in Rafah have discovered dozens of tunnels from Egypt's peninsula, a claim that Cairo has repeatedly denied in the past.

While in Israel on Sunday, Mr Sullivan briefed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the “potential” of a normalisation deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia, according to the White House.

He also called on the Israeli leader to link the military operation against Hamas in Gaza with a “political strategy” for the future of the Palestinian enclave, it said in a readout of the talks.

The top US diplomat met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Dharan on Saturday, before flying directly to Israel for talks with Mr Netanyahu and other key officials.

“Mr Sullivan briefed Prime Minister Netanyahu and his team on these meetings and the potential that may now be available for Israel, as well as the Palestinian people,” the White House said.

Saudi state media reported on Sunday that Mr Sullivan and Prince Mohammed, the country's de facto ruler, discussed a “semi-final” version of a deal expected to beef up security ties between their two countries.

That deal is considered a major part of Washington's efforts to bring Riyadh around to a so-called mega-deal recognising Israel for the first time – efforts complicated by the continuing war in the Gaza Strip.

An injured Palestinian boy stands next to the rubble of a family house that was hit in a Israeli bombardment in Rafah. AFP
An injured Palestinian boy stands next to the rubble of a family house that was hit in a Israeli bombardment in Rafah. AFP

The war was triggered by a Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 that killed about 1,200 people.

The attack drew a devastating Israeli military response in which more than 35,000 Palestinians, the majority women and children, and made most of the enclave’s 2.3 million residents displaced. Large areas of built-up areas have been reduced to rubble.

The war has created a massive humanitarian crisis that has been exacerbated by the closure of the Rafah crossing, the main transit point for relief aid to Gaza.

While in Israel, Mr Sullivan also repeated President Joe Biden's “long-standing position on Rafah”, the White House said.

The Biden administration has called on Israel to avoid such an operation and recently halted a shipment of bombs to its long-standing ally due to concerns they might be used in Rafah.

– With additional reporting from AFP

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.

The%20Kitchen
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THE%20STRANGERS'%20CASE
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Play-off fixtures

Two-legged ties to be played November 9-11 and November 12-14

 

  • Northern Ireland v Switzerland
  • Croatia v Greece
  • Denmark v Ireland
  • Sweden v Italy
Zayed%20Centre%20for%20Research
%3Cp%3EThe%20Zayed%20Centre%20for%20Research%20is%20a%20partnership%20between%20Great%20Ormond%20Street%20Hospital%2C%20University%20College%20London%20and%20Great%20Ormond%20Street%20Hospital%20Children%E2%80%99s%20Charity%20and%20was%20made%20possible%20thanks%20to%20a%20generous%20%C2%A360%20million%20gift%20in%202014%20from%20Sheikha%20Fatima%20bint%20Mubarak%2C%20Chairwoman%20of%20the%20General%20Women's%20Union%2C%20President%20of%20the%20Supreme%20Council%20for%20Motherhood%20and%20Childhood%2C%20and%20Supreme%20Chairwoman%20of%20the%20Family%20Development%20Foundation.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THREE
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Nayla%20Al%20Khaja%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Jefferson%20Hall%2C%20Faten%20Ahmed%2C%20Noura%20Alabed%2C%20Saud%20Alzarooni%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Envi%20Lodges%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeptember%202021%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Noelle%20Homsy%20and%20Chris%20Nader%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hospitality%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2012%20to%2015%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStage%20of%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
'Gold'

Director:Anthony Hayes

Stars:Zaf Efron, Anthony Hayes

Rating:3/5

Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EHigh%20fever%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EIntense%20pain%20behind%20your%20eyes%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ESevere%20headache%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EMuscle%20and%20joint%20pains%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ENausea%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EVomiting%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ESwollen%20glands%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ERash%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIf%20symptoms%20occur%2C%20they%20usually%20last%20for%20two-seven%20days%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Brief scores:

Toss: Nepal, chose to field

UAE 153-6: Shaiman (59), Usman (30); Regmi 2-23

Nepal 132-7: Jora 53 not out; Zahoor 2-17

Result: UAE won by 21 runs

Series: UAE lead 1-0

The specs: 2019 Mini Cooper

Price, base: Dh141,740 (three-door) / Dh165,900 (five-door)
Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder (Cooper) / 2.0-litre four-cylinder (Cooper S)
Power: 136hp @ 4,500rpm (Cooper) / 192hp @ 5,000rpm (Cooper S)
Torque: 220Nm @ 1,480rpm (Cooper) / 280Nm @ 1,350rpm (Cooper S)
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 4.8L to 5.4L / 100km

Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

Tales of Yusuf Tadros

Adel Esmat (translated by Mandy McClure)

Hoopoe

New process leads to panic among jobseekers

As a UAE-based travel agent who processes tourist visas from the Philippines, Jennifer Pacia Gado is fielding a lot of calls from concerned travellers just now. And they are all asking the same question.  

“My clients are mostly Filipinos, and they [all want to know] about good conduct certificates,” says the 34-year-old Filipina, who has lived in the UAE for five years.

Ms Gado contacted the Philippines Embassy to get more information on the certificate so she can share it with her clients. She says many are worried about the process and associated costs – which could be as high as Dh500 to obtain and attest a good conduct certificate from the Philippines for jobseekers already living in the UAE. 

“They are worried about this because when they arrive here without the NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] clearance, it is a hassle because it takes time,” she says.

“They need to go first to the embassy to apply for the application of the NBI clearance. After that they have go to the police station [in the UAE] for the fingerprints. And then they will apply for the special power of attorney so that someone can finish the process in the Philippines. So it is a long process and more expensive if you are doing it from here.”

WHY%20AAYAN%20IS%20'PERFECT%20EXAMPLE'
%3Cp%3EDavid%20White%20might%20be%20new%20to%20the%20country%2C%20but%20he%20has%20clearly%20already%20built%20up%20an%20affinity%20with%20the%20place.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EAfter%20the%20UAE%20shocked%20Pakistan%20in%20the%20semi-final%20of%20the%20Under%2019%20Asia%20Cup%20last%20month%2C%20White%20was%20hugged%20on%20the%20field%20by%20Aayan%20Khan%2C%20the%20team%E2%80%99s%20captain.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EWhite%20suggests%20that%20was%20more%20a%20sign%20of%20Aayan%E2%80%99s%20amiability%20than%20anything%20else.%20But%20he%20believes%20the%20young%20all-rounder%2C%20who%20was%20part%20of%20the%20winning%20Gulf%20Giants%20team%20last%20year%2C%20is%20just%20the%20sort%20of%20player%20the%20country%20should%20be%20seeking%20to%20produce%20via%20the%20ILT20.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CHe%20is%20a%20delightful%20young%20man%2C%E2%80%9D%20White%20said.%20%E2%80%9CHe%20played%20in%20the%20competition%20last%20year%20at%2017%2C%20and%20look%20at%20his%20development%20from%20there%20till%20now%2C%20and%20where%20he%20is%20representing%20the%20UAE.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CHe%20was%20influential%20in%20the%20U19%20team%20which%20beat%20Pakistan.%20He%20is%20the%20perfect%20example%20of%20what%20we%20are%20all%20trying%20to%20achieve%20here.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CIt%20is%20about%20the%20development%20of%20players%20who%20are%20going%20to%20represent%20the%20UAE%20and%20go%20on%20to%20help%20make%20UAE%20a%20force%20in%20world%20cricket.%E2%80%9D%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Checks continue

A High Court judge issued an interim order on Friday suspending a decision by Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots to direct a stop to Brexit agri-food checks at Northern Ireland ports.

Mr Justice Colton said he was making the temporary direction until a judicial review of the minister's unilateral action this week to order a halt to port checks that are required under the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Civil servants have yet to implement the instruction, pending legal clarity on their obligations, and checks are continuing.

Updated: May 20, 2024, 6:01 PM`