With the focus of international diplomacy having shifted to Lebanon, Gaza mediator and regional powerhouse Egypt is uncustomarily finding itself on the sidelines, watching the Middle East ominously sliding into a broader conflict that it can do little, or maybe nothing, to prevent.
Closer to home, the de facto suspension of negotiations to reach a Gaza ceasefire and release of hostages held by Hamas has left Egypt without a platform to press its case that its one-time nemesis Israel must withdraw its military from the Salah Al Din border strip on the Palestinian side of the Egypt-Gaza border, also known as the Philadelphi Corridor.
Although bound to Israel by a peace treaty in 1979 and possessing the largest army in the Middle East, Egypt has had little influence on Israel. In equal terms it has no influence over Hezbollah in Lebanon, traditionally restricting its contacts there to the government, which has to all practical purposes relinquished war and peace decisions to the Iranian-backed group.
Egyptian officials have been in touch with their Iranian counterparts to try to de-escalate the situation in Lebanon, sources say, as well as Cairo's role alongside fellow mediators the US and Qatar in the Gaza ceasefire negotiations.
“But no one is listening at this point, Egypt is not seen at the moment,” said one of the sources. “A diplomatic or military miracle is needed to stop the aggression against Lebanon. All that Egypt can do is to try to persuade Washington to stop Israel or at least stop it from destroying south Lebanon the way it did in Gaza.”
Israel on Monday night claimed it has launched a ground assault in south Lebanon after two weeks of intense bombardment in which Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, many of his top commanders and hundreds of civilians have been killed. The UN peacekeeping force Unifil said there had been no ground invasion by Israel, however.
Egypt's approach towards the Middle East crisis was summed up by Abdel Fattah El Sisi, the general-turned-President who since taking office a decade ago has overseen a multibillion-dollar drive to modernise the nation's armed forces and project its military might as a deterrence.
“Egypt is keen on pursuing a [regional] policy defined by balance, moderation and objectivity,” he told police cadets on Sunday. Mr El Sisi delivered a similar message to army cadets the following day, saying Egypt worked to “end conflicts rather than escalate them”.
The conflict in Lebanon also reinforces the narrative embraced by the Egyptian President that the strife around his country – in Gaza to the east, Libya to the west and Sudan to the south – makes it imperative for Egyptians to close ranks and unite behind his government.
“Egypt is in good shape," he said. "Things are stable and will get better so long as Egyptians are stable, united and assured that the Egyptian state is running affairs in a way that safeguards our country and the region as well as it can.”
Israel captured the Salah Al Din corridor, including the Palestinian side of the Gaza-Egypt crossing at Rafah, in May, a move Cairo sees as a violation of the 1979 peace treaty – viewed widely as a cornerstone of regional stability – and relevant accords subsequently reached.
The sources said Cairo has had no direct, high-level contact with Israeli officials in nearly three weeks. This contrasts with the near weekly meetings that had taken place for close to a year between top Egyptian intelligence officials and their Israeli counterparts in the Mossad and Shin Bet, its domestic counterpart, in what proved to be fruitless Gaza ceasefire negotiations.
Israel claims that underground tunnels between Egypt and Gaza have kept Hamas's arsenal replenished and that its military must remain in the strip to deny the militant group its lifeline.
Egypt has angrily rejected these claims, insisting that its military destroyed the tunnels nearly a decade ago. Since May, it has closed the Rafah crossing and is adamant it will remain shut until a Palestinian body, not necessarily drawn from Hamas or Palestinian Authority in the occupied West Bank, is running it on the Gaza side.
Egypt has also had little contact with Hamas leaders and top lieutenants in Gaza, whom the sources say have been reluctant to use their mobile phones after scores of Hezbollah members were killed and thousands injured last month when their pagers and walkie-talkies exploded in a sophisticated attack widely blamed on Israel, which never claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Another source of alarm in Egypt is that Israel may be tempted to take advantage of the shift of international focus from the Gaza war and move ahead with some of its security plans for the enclave, like the creation of a buffer zone in northern Gaza to prevent Hamas fighters from returning to the area.
Already, the sources said, Israel is taking concrete steps to control the distribution of humanitarian assistance and postwar reconstruction efforts, both to rob Hamas and its allies of any role that could perpetuate their influence among Gaza's 2.3 million residents, and to strengthen the standing of its potential, anti-Hamas allies in the territory.
They cited the construction of warehouses in Gaza and the setting up of elaborate checkpoints on a road it has built called Netsarim, which cuts the enclave in half.
Egypt has long viewed the Gaza Strip, which it administered between 1948 and 1967, as part of its national security sphere. More recently, it has gone to great lengths to monitor extremist groups there to ensure they never join forces with its home-grown militants in the Sinai Peninsula, which borders Gaza.
The sources said Egypt was also making little headway in contact with the Houthis in Yemen in a bid to persuade the Iranian-backed group to halt their attacks on Red Sea shipping, which they launched in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza.
Contact with Tehran, including a meeting in New York on Saturday between the Egyptian and Iranian foreign ministers, has also failed to stop the attacks, said the sources.
Mr El Sisi said this week the Houthis' attacks on Red Sea vessels have significantly reduced Egypt's revenue from the Suez Canal, a strategic waterway linking the Red and Mediterranean seas. He put the losses over the past six or seven months at $6 billion.
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
Types of bank fraud
1) Phishing
Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
2) Smishing
The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
3) Vishing
The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
4) SIM swap
Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
5) Identity theft
Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
6) Prize scams
Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
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
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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
Company profile
Name: Oulo.com
Founder: Kamal Nazha
Based: Dubai
Founded: 2020
Number of employees: 5
Sector: Technology
Funding: $450,000
Results:
Women:
1. Rhiannan Iffland (AUS) 322.95 points
2. Lysanne Richard (CAN) 285.75
3. Ellie Smart (USA) 277.70
Men:
1. Gary Hunt (GBR) 431.55
2. Constantin Popovici (ROU) 424.65
3. Oleksiy Prygorov (UKR) 392.30
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
FA Cup semi-finals
Saturday: Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur, 8.15pm (UAE)
Sunday: Chelsea v Southampton, 6pm (UAE)
Matches on Bein Sports
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
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
Company%20Profile
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
