Egypt has turned down an Israeli request to join a group of countries to defend it against a possible retaliatory attack by Iran or its regional proxies, sources briefed on the matter told The National on Monday.
They said Israel was informed of Egypt’s position during talks in Cairo on Saturday between top Egyptian intelligence and security officials and a visiting Israeli delegation led by David Barnea, head of Israel’s Mossad and Ronen Bar of Shin Bet.
The widely anticipated attack on Israel would be in retaliation for the assassination last week of Hamas’s political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and top Hezbollah military commander Fouad Shukr in Beirut.
Israel has acknowledged carrying out the drone strike that killed Mr Shukr but not the attack that killed Mr Haniyeh. Hezbollah and Tehran have vowed to avenge both and attack Israel.
Israel initially stated that the delegation's visit to Cairo was intended to continue negotiations for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and a deal to free Israeli hostages, despite the talks ultimately being suspended after the killing of Mr Haniyeh, Hamas's top negotiator.
Egypt’s role in the case of such an attack, the Israeli officials were told, will be restricted to the defence of its maritime and land borders as well as its airspace, according to the sources.
"We told them that our role will only be the defence of our country in the event of an attack on Israel," said one of the sources.
The Arab country, which has the largest army in the Middle East, has a modern air defence system, including its own German-made “Iron Dome” similar to the one used by Israel to intercept and destroy incoming missiles.
Iran-backed militants in the region, including the Houthi rebels in Yemen, have on several occasions attacked Israel with drones and ballistic missiles since the war broke out in the coastal enclave last October.
Egypt and Saudi Arabia are the two nations that would normally be on the path of projectiles fired from Yemen to hit targets in Israel.
At least two of these projectiles inadvertently struck Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula near Israel’s Red Sea port of Eilat during the early days of the conflict, causing injuries and material damage but no fatalities.
The Houthis have also been attacking shipping in the Red Sea, actions that have significantly reduced traffic in Egypt’s Suez Canal that links the Red Sea with the Mediterranean. The slumping traffic has cost Cairo billions of dollars in lost revenue from the strategic waterway.
Underground tunnel claims
The expected attack could be similar to one caused by an Israeli strike targeting the Iranian Embassy compound in Syria earlier this year.
In response, Iran in April launched dozens of bomb-carrying drones, cruise and ballistic missiles towards Israel.
The US and other nations shot down many of the projectiles, some of which were believed to have been launched from Yemen.
However, this time Hezbollah – Tehran’s powerful proxy in Lebanon – may get involved as the armed group seeks revenge for last week's killing of its top military commander.
If this happens, the attack could strain Israel's air defence, leading to more missile strikes and increasing the risk of casualties.
Egypt’s decision to stay away from any group formed to defend Israel comes at a time when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is looking to enlist the help of allies, chiefly its main backer the US, to defend it.
It also comes at a critical juncture in its relations with Israel, with which it signed a milestone, US-sponsored peace treaty in 1979.
Egypt has been deeply angered by Israel’s capture in May of the Palestinian side of its land crossing with Gaza along with a strip that runs the length of its border with the coastal enclave.
It has also been critical of Israel’s conduct in the Gaza war which, according to figures released by local health authorities in the enclave, has killed more than 39,600 Palestinians.
Israel has also claimed that Hamas was receiving funds and arms through underground tunnels running under the Egypt-Gaza border.
Cairo dismissed the allegation again on Monday in a report published by local media. It said Israel’s claim was an attempt to cover up for its “failures” in Gaza and repeated that all tunnels leading to Gaza were destroyed eight years ago.
"We made it clear that we remain very angry over the Rafah crossing and the Philadelphi corridor,” one of the sources told The National.
Egypt and Iran have for nearly two years been seeking to normalise their relations, which had been fraught with tension since the Islamic revolution in 1979.
However, the death in May of Iran's president Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister in a helicopter crash froze the normalisation process just as the two regional powerhouses were readying to exchange ambassadors for the first time in more than 40 years.
The sources said the outbreak of the war between the Iranian-backed Hamas and Israel last October has made it untimely for Cairo to exchange ambassadors with Tehran.
The five pillars of Islam
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School uniforms report
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
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Our commentary on Brexit
- Alistair Burt: Despite Brexit, Britain can remain a world power
- Con Coughlin: Choice of the British people will be vindicated
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
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Jack Moore: Why the assassination is such a monumental gamble
Matthew Levitt: Iran retains its ability to launch terror attacks
Hussein Ibish: Trump's order on solid constitutional ground
Simon Waldman: Cautious Israel keeping a low profile
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
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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
Tomorrow 2021
Huroob Ezterari
Director: Ahmed Moussa
Starring: Ahmed El Sakka, Amir Karara, Ghada Adel and Moustafa Mohammed
Three stars
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
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Fixtures
Opening day Premier League fixtures for August 9-11
August 9
Liverpool v Norwich 11pm
August 10
West Ham v Man City 3.30pm
Bournemouth v Sheffield Utd 6pm
Burnley v Southampton 6pm
C Palace v Everton 6pm
Leicester v Wolves 6pm
Watford v Brighton 6pm
Tottenham v Aston Villa 8.30pm
August 11
Newcastle v Arsenal 5pm
Man United v Chelsea 7.30pm
Tomorrow 2021
Herc's Adventures
Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5
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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
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The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
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Votes
Total votes: 1.8 million
Ashraf Ghani: 923,592 votes
Abdullah Abdullah: 720,841 votes
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RESULTS
5pm: Watha Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 (Dirt) 2,000m
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5.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 70,000 (D) 2,000m
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6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m
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6.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Oss, Jesus Rosales, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: ES Nahawand, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner: AF Almajhaz, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi, Khalifa Al Neyadi
8pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner: AF Lewaa, Bernardo Pinheiro, Qaiss Aboud.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20Z%20FOLD5
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World Mental Health Day
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Simon Waldman: Cautious Israel keeping a low profile
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While you're here
While you're here ...
How to donate
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
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6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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- Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
15 years, 181 days old - Max Dowman (Arsenal)
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1. Alice Debany Clero (USA) on Amareusa S 38.83 seconds
2. Anikka Sande (NOR) For Cash 2 39.09
3. Georgia Tame (GBR) Cash Up 39.42
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PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: JAP Almahfuz, Fernando Jara (jockey), Irfan Ellahi (trainer).
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh90,000 1,400m
Winner: AF Momtaz, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.
6pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 1,400m
Winner: Yaalail, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Championship Listed (PA) Dh180,000 1,600m
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7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
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7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 2.200m
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
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Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
