Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Countries across the Middle East are backing Cairo in its dispute with Israel over the Salah Al Din corridor along the border between Gaza and Egypt.
Its status would form a key part of any ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, but Israeli Prime Minister has repeatedly said he will not consider removing an Israeli military presence from the area.
In a sign of US and Israeli positions diverging, the US said on Tuesday said any deal must include a full withdrawal from the area, which was occupied by Israel in May.
The Salah Al Din corridor – also known as the Philadelphi Corridor – was intended to be a demilitarised zone after Israel's peace agreement with Egypt in 1979. Egypt has said it will not accept any Israeli presence in the corridor and is insisting on a return to the status quo before the Israel-Gaza war began. This involved Egypt operating the Rafah crossing, which is on the corridor, under Palestinian supervision.
Mr Netanyahu on Wednesday told briefing to foreign journalists in Tel Aviv that withdrawing from Salah Al Din was a “red line”. He repeated accusations that Salah Al Din was being used to bring weapons into Gaza, having earlier criticised Egypt for a “failure to secure” the corridor.
The Israeli leader said a ceasefire deal which included Israel leaving the corridor would “kill us”.
“There won't be a deal that way,” said Mr Netanyahu.
Countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman have criticised Netanyahu’s stance on the 14-kilometer long corridor, expressing solidarity with Egypt.
The UAE's Foreign Ministry said it “condemned and denounced in the strongest terms the offensive Israeli statements” regarding the corridor.
“The Ministry called on Israeli authorities to de-escalate and avoid exacerbating tensions and instability in the region, affirming the UAE's rejection of all practices that violate resolutions on international legitimacy and threaten further escalation,” a statement read.
Oman's foreign ministry also offered solidarity with Egypt over the corridor, “rejecting and condemning the statements of the Israeli occupation government regarding the Philadelphi Corridor in the Gaza Strip”.
Saudi Arabia also joined in warning Israel that its insistence on keeping control of Salah Al Din, and making other provocative statements, could derail mediation efforts to bring the conflict to a ceasefire.
The Jordanian Foreign Ministry also rejected Israel's statements, saying they were “baseless allegations aimed at obstructing the mediation efforts” and expressed solidarity with Egypt.
COMPANY PROFILE
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Date started: August 2021
Founder: Nour Sabri
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce / Marketplace
Size: Two employees
Funding stage: Seed investment
Initial investment: $200,000
Investors: Amr Manaa (director, PwC Middle East)
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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.
OIL PLEDGE
At the start of Russia's invasion, IEA member countries held 1.5 billion barrels in public reserves and about 575 million barrels under obligations with industry, according to the agency's website. The two collective actions of the IEA this year of 62.7 million barrels, which was agreed on March 1, and this week's 120 million barrels amount to 9 per cent of total emergency reserves, it added.
The biog
Hobbies: Salsa dancing “It's in my blood” and listening to music in different languages
Favourite place to travel to: “Thailand, as it's gorgeous, food is delicious, their massages are to die for!”
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Best spot in the UAE: “I fell in love with Fujairah and anywhere outside the big cities, where I can get some peace and get a break from the busy lifestyle”
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Bio:
Favourite Quote: Prophet Mohammad's quotes There is reward for kindness to every living thing and A good man treats women with honour
Favourite Hobby: Serving poor people
Favourite Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite food: Fish and vegetables
Favourite place to visit: London
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
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Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
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Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
The 10 Questions
- Is there a God?
- How did it all begin?
- What is inside a black hole?
- Can we predict the future?
- Is time travel possible?
- Will we survive on Earth?
- Is there other intelligent life in the universe?
- Should we colonise space?
- Will artificial intelligence outsmart us?
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
