Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approves the Israeli airstrikes on Beirut over the phone from New York, U. S. , September 27, 2024. PMO/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. IMAGE BLURRED AT SOURCE TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approves the Israeli airstrikes on Beirut over the phone from New York, U. S. , September 27, 2024. PMO/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. IMAGE BLURRED AT SOURCE TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approves the Israeli airstrikes on Beirut over the phone from New York, U. S. , September 27, 2024. PMO/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. IMAGE BLURRED AT SOURCE TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approves the Israeli airstrikes on Beirut over the phone from New York, U. S. , September 27, 2024. PMO/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A

How Israel deceived western mediators on Lebanon ceasefire


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Israel initially agreed to a ceasefire with Hezbollah but later “caught mediators off guard” by assassinating the group's leader Hassan Nasrallah and intensifying its attacks on Lebanon, western and Lebanese diplomatic and political sources said on Saturday.

The sources involved in the negotiations revealed to The National how Israel, at the last minute, undermined diplomatic efforts by taking advantage of its military successes.

The US and France led the high-stakes negotiations last month on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, raising hopes for a 21-day truce seen as a step towards a full ceasefire to end a year-long war of attrition that Israel had escalated only days earlier.

Sources said that Hezbollah, which has been exchanging fire with Israel since October 8, in support of its ally Hamas in Gaza, had shown flexibility for the first time after suffering huge blows. Meanwhile, Iran had told world leaders that it was seeking diplomacy, with its new President Masoud Pezeshkian calling for a “new era of co-operation” with the West at his first UN General Assembly.

“The UN negotiation phase initially sparked optimism, as Israel had agreed to a version of the ceasefire. The Israeli Prime Minister was set to announce a less intense phase in the Gaza war, which could have decoupled the Palestinian and Lebanese fronts,” a western diplomat told The National.

Before the negotiations, Hezbollah repeated that it will continue its attacks as long as there is no ceasefire in Gaza, linking the fate of the Lebanese front to a truce in the Palestinian enclave. However, the diplomatic source explained that Israel's announcement of a low-intensity phase in Gaza was meant to provide an opportunity for the Iran-backed group to agree to the proposed deal.

“Lebanon – which necessarily implies Hezbollah's green light – had signalled its approval to the ceasefire,” the western diplomatic source said.

Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib stated in an interview with CNN that Mr Nasrallah had agreed to the deal only days before he was killed on September 27.

However, Israel, which had initially agreed to the ceasefire, saw an opportunity and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed during his speech at the UN that Israel would continue “degrading Hezbollah” until its objectives were met.

Shortly after his speech, powerful explosions rocked Lebanon's capital as Israel killed Mr Nasrallah in a massive strike on Beirut's southern suburbs, derailing the negotiations. The US claimed that it had not been warned in advance of the air strike that killed Mr Nasrallah and stated that the ceasefire deal was co-ordinated with Israel before its escalation.

“The assassination of Hassan Nasrallah during the ceasefire negotiations has caught mediators off guard. It appears that Israel may be pursuing an opportunistic strategy of pushing the limits as far as possible,” the western diplomat stressed.

Israel has not yet commented on the ceasefire negotiations.

'Torpedo any deal'

Israel has intensified its air assault against Lebanon, killing at least 1,400 people in the past three weeks, including dozens of women and children, and displacing up to a million, according to Lebanese authorities. It has also started what it described as a “limited" ground invasion while vowing to push Hezbollah away from the border.

Emboldened by the pager and walkie-talkie attacks in which thousands of devices belonging to Hezbollah members exploded, in addition to several assassinations of top commanders, Israel perceived a weakened Hezbollah and a softer Iran and decided to abandon diplomacy, a Lebanese political source said.

“During the UN General Assembly meetings, the US saw a positive Iranian attitude that opened the door for a diplomatic solution. It seemed the perfect opportunity for a truce, but Mr Netanyahu saw a weakened Iranian position and took advantage by escalating to torpedo any deal,” the source told The National.

People fleeing Lebanon cross into Syria on foot, through a crater caused by Israeli air strikes that cut off the Beirut-Damascus motorway, in the eastern Bekaa Valley. AP
People fleeing Lebanon cross into Syria on foot, through a crater caused by Israeli air strikes that cut off the Beirut-Damascus motorway, in the eastern Bekaa Valley. AP

A Lebanese political source claimed that everyone wanted a truce “except Israel”, despite it having initially agreed to one.

“The US, France and the UK told us the Israelis had agreed, so we agreed too,” a Lebanese parliamentary source said. “It wasn’t 21 days of smelling the air and then returning to war. It was 21 days during which a number of steps would take place with the intention of achieving a long-lasting, sustainable ceasefire."

France, along with the US through its special envoy Amos Hochstein, led talks for border de-escalation throughout the year. These discussions involved the implementation of UN Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, on both sides of the border.

The resolution called for Hezbollah to withdraw north of the Litani River, which is 30km from the border, and for the Lebanese Army to be deployed in the south, while Israel was to stop its breaches of Lebanon's airspace. This was intended to pave the way for the demarcation of the disputed land border between Lebanon and Israel.

For Lebanon, “the initiative is still viable because we have no other choice," the Lebanese parliamentary source stressed.

The war has already taken a huge toll, sparking mass displacement and a humanitarian crisis in Lebanon, which is already grappling with severe economic challenges.

On Wednesday, Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati called for an “immediate” ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah after a meeting with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and former Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Joumblatt.

'No trust'

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Mr Berri, the head of the Hezbollah ally Amal Movement, said that Lebanon remains committed to the agreements reached with US mediator Amos Hochstein. He added that communication with Hezbollah is continuing and that the armed group “is not far from this direction”.

“Today, the initiative by President Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Mikati, and Walid Joumblatt to halt the fighting has received unspoken approval from Hezbollah, representing a kind of temporary separation of the two fronts while awaiting a comprehensive solution," Kassem Kassir, an analyst with insights into Hezbollah, said.

Yet, political actors in Lebanon seem to have little hope for the negotiation process.

“While western countries are working with us on a ceasefire on the one hand, they’re sending weapons and ammunition to Israel on the other. If they really wanted to apply pressure [on Israel], maybe they should at minimum curtail the amount they’re sending,” the parliamentary source said.

For Lebanese politicians, there is a complete mistrust of Israel.

In July, senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was negotiating the Gaza ceasefire, was killed in a strike attributed to Israel in Iran following the inauguration of the new Iranian President. In Lebanon, Israel killed Mr Nasrallah when hopes for a ceasefire were at their highest.

“The line Mr Netanyahu is choosing will not get him results. The Israelis say 1701, we say 1701. But what he agrees to is completely different than what he’s planning (...). They’ve displayed historical greed in Lebanon. Since 1948 – even when there was no Hezbollah – they committed massacres on Lebanese and previously occupied Lebanon twice, ” the parliamentary source stressed.

“There’s no trust. But we still have to deal with them."

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo

Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm

Transmission: eight-speed auto

Price: from Dh122,745

On sale: now

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Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction

Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.

Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.

Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.

Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.

Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.

What are the guidelines?

Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.

Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.

Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.

Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.

Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.

Source: American Paediatric Association
The biog

Title: General Practitioner with a speciality in cardiology

Previous jobs: Worked in well-known hospitals Jaslok and Breach Candy in Mumbai, India

Education: Medical degree from the Government Medical College in Nagpur

How it all began: opened his first clinic in Ajman in 1993

Family: a 90-year-old mother, wife and two daughters

Remembers a time when medicines from India were purchased per kilo

While you're here
Four%20scenarios%20for%20Ukraine%20war
%3Cp%3E1.%20Protracted%20but%20less%20intense%20war%20(60%25%20likelihood)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E2.%20Negotiated%20end%20to%20the%20conflict%20(30%25)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E3.%20Russia%20seizes%20more%20territory%20(20%25)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E4.%20Ukraine%20pushes%20Russia%20back%20(10%25)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3EForecast%20by%20Economist%20Intelligence%20Unit%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Cricket World Cup League 2

UAE squad

Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind

Fixtures

Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE

UFC%20FIGHT%20NIGHT%3A%20SAUDI%20ARABIA%20RESULTS
%3Cp%3E%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMain%20card%3Cbr%3EMiddleweight%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3ERobert%20Whittaker%20defeated%20Ikram%20Aliskerov%20via%20knockout%20(Round%201)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EHeavyweight%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EAlexander%20Volkov%20def%20Sergei%20Pavlovich%20via%20unanimous%20decision%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EMiddleweight%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EKelvin%20Gastelum%20def%20Daniel%20Rodriguez%20via%20unanimous%20decision%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EMiddleweight%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EShara%20Magomedov%20def%20Antonio%20Trocoli%20via%20knockout%20(Round%203)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELight%20heavyweight%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EVolkan%20Oezdemir%20def%20Johnny%20Walker%20via%20knockout%20(Round%201)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPreliminary%20Card%0D%3Cbr%3ELightweight%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3ENasrat%20Haqparast%20def%20Jared%20Gordon%20via%20split%20decision%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFeatherweight%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EFelipe%20Lima%20def%20Muhammad%20Naimov%20via%20submission%20(Round%203)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EWelterweight%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3ERinat%20Fakhretdinov%20defeats%20Nicolas%20Dalby%20via%20split%20decision%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBantamweight%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EMuin%20Gafurov%20def%20Kang%20Kyung-ho%20via%20unanimous%20decision%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELight%20heavyweight%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EMagomed%20Gadzhiyasulov%20def%20Brendson%20Ribeiro%20via%20majority%20decision%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBantamweight%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChang%20Ho%20Lee%20def%20Xiao%20Long%20via%20split%20decision%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THE BIO: Mohammed Ashiq Ali

Proudest achievement: “I came to a new country and started this shop”

Favourite TV programme: the news

Favourite place in Dubai: Al Fahidi. “They started the metro in 2009 and I didn’t take it yet.”

Family: six sons in Dubai and a daughter in Faisalabad

 

'Gehraiyaan'
Director:Shakun Batra

Stars:Deepika Padukone, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Ananya Panday, Dhairya Karwa

Rating: 4/5

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
The specs: 2018 GMC Terrain

Price, base / as tested: Dh94,600 / Dh159,700

Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder

Power: 252hp @ 5,500rpm

Torque: 353Nm @ 2,500rpm

Transmission: Nine-speed automatic

Fuel consumption, combined: 7.4L  / 100km

%20Ramez%20Gab%20Min%20El%20Akher
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStreaming%20on%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMBC%20Shahid%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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. 

MATCH INFO

Inter Milan v Juventus
Saturday, 10.45pm (UAE)
Watch the match on BeIN Sports

Long read

Mageed Yahia, director of WFP in UAE: Coronavirus knows no borders, and neither should the response

Two-step truce

The UN-brokered ceasefire deal for Hodeidah will be implemented in two stages, with the first to be completed before the New Year begins, according to the Arab Coalition supporting the Yemeni government.

By midnight on December 31, the Houthi rebels will have to withdraw from the ports of Hodeidah, Ras Issa and Al Saqef, coalition officials told The National. 

The second stage will be the complete withdrawal of all pro-government forces and rebels from Hodeidah city, to be completed by midnight on January 7.

The process is to be overseen by a Redeployment Co-ordination Committee (RCC) comprising UN monitors and representatives of the government and the rebels.

The agreement also calls the deployment of UN-supervised neutral forces in the city and the establishment of humanitarian corridors to ensure distribution of aid across the country.

Emergency phone numbers in the UAE

Estijaba – 8001717 –  number to call to request coronavirus testing

Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111

Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre

Emirates airline – 600555555

Etihad Airways – 600555666

Ambulance – 998

Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries

Company profile

Name: Thndr

Started: October 2020

Founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: FinTech

Initial investment: pre-seed of $800,000

Funding stage: series A; $20 million

Investors: Tiger Global, Beco Capital, Prosus Ventures, Y Combinator, Global Ventures, Abdul Latif Jameel, Endure Capital, 4DX Ventures, Plus VC,  Rabacap and MSA Capital

End of free parking

- paid-for parking will be rolled across Abu Dhabi island on August 18

- drivers will have three working weeks leeway before fines are issued

- areas that are currently free to park - around Sheikh Zayed Bridge, Maqta Bridge, Mussaffah Bridge and the Corniche - will now require a ticket

- villa residents will need a permit to park outside their home. One vehicle is Dh800 and a second is Dh1,200. 

- The penalty for failing to pay for a ticket after 10 minutes will be Dh200

- Parking on a patch of sand will incur a fine of Dh300

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
Ferrari
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Michael%20Mann%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Adam%20Driver%2C%20Penelope%20Cruz%2C%20Shailene%20Woodley%2C%20Patrick%20Dempsey%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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BMW M5 specs

Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh650,000

Mercedes V250 Avantgarde specs

Engine: 2.0-litre in-line four-cylinder turbo

Gearbox: 7-speed automatic

Power: 211hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 350Nm

Fuel economy, combined: 6.0 l/100 km

Price: Dh235,000

The candidates

Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive

Ali Azeem, business leader

Tony Booth, professor of education

Lord Browne, former BP chief executive

Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist

Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist

Dr Mark Mann, scientist

Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner

Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister

Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster

 

Updated: October 06, 2024, 7:17 AM`