Egypt is actively working with discreet diplomacy to persuade as many Arab heads of state as possible to participate in an emergency summit scheduled for next week, sources said on Monday, exerting its regional weight to persuade the Arab League's 22 members to take a meaningful stand against US President Donald Trump's Gaza plans.
The sources, which are familiar with Cairo's diplomatic campaign and a senior Arab diplomat, said Egypt's effort is driven by its firm belief in the gravity of the situation in Gaza and that the March 4 summit has the potential to have an enduring impact on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
"Much more than in past summits, the success of this one depends on who attends. The more heads of state, the more weight the gathering's resolutions will have," said one of the sources. "With the Palestinian cause on the line this time, it's expected that most heads of state will show up."
Of particular interest to the Egyptians, they explained, was the representation at the highest level of the Gulf Co-operation Council, whose six members have close relations with the US as well as significant leverage within Washington's political establishment.
Egypt, which neighbours both Gaza and Israel, views Gaza as part of its national security sphere and has, along with Jordan, strongly opposed President Trump's plan for it to take the territory's 2.3 million residents while the US takes over the coastal enclave and turns it into the "Riviera of the Middle East".
Both Egypt and Jordan, which are longtime US allies, see the American President's plan as an unacceptable attempt to hollow out the Palestinian cause, but have been careful in their official pronouncements not to personally attack Mr Trump or speak critically about his administration. International rights groups, however, have labelled his plans as ethnic cleansing - a war crime.
Egypt, which fought four wars against Israel before the two countries signed a peace treaty in 1979, wants to see the Arab summit produce a united and strong opposition front that could persuade Mr Trump to drop his controversial vision for Gaza, said the sources and the diplomat.
Mr Trump said last week that he would not impose his plan, but reiterated his faith in his idea. “I’m not forcing it. I’m just going to sit back and recommend it,” he told Fox News Radio. "Another way to do it is with people there, but I don't think it would work. I like my plan," he added.
Domestically, it's imperative that President Abdel Fattah El Sisi's government is seen by Egyptians, who are reeling from the worst economic crisis in living memory and see the Palestinian cause as an integral part of their identity, to be standing firmly behind Palestinian rights.
Egypt also wants the summit to adopt its plan for the reconstruction of war-battered Gaza as a viable substitute for the US President's proposals. An endorsement of its plan to host an international conference on Gaza's reconstruction is another item on Egypt's wishlist, said the sources.
Egypt's plan, sources have said, envisages the creation of safe zones for Palestinians to live in while work is done. Its initial stages would focus on restoring essential services and temporary housing. It also entails the creation of an independent Palestinian agency to co-ordinate and oversee the reconstruction. Members of the agency will be technocrats who have the support of all Palestinian factions, according to the sources.
Defeating Mr Trump's plan, which has been enthusiastically embraced by Israel, will not be an easy task and could bring unwanted consequences for Egypt. The country's diplomatic effort to drum up opposition to Mr Trump's proposals is being made at a time when the country's national security is being severely tested by strife in neighbouring Sudan and Libya, and with it embroiled in a long-running and bitter dispute with Ethiopia over its vital share of water from the Nile.
Egypt, moreover, is still smarting from its worst economic crisis in decades, something that has been sowing popular discontent and drawing repeated government assurances that the worst is over. Already, the rejection by Egypt and Jordan of Mr Trump's plan has drawn a threat by the US President to halt billions of dollars in economic and military aid to the two countries.
Beside the damage to Egypt if Mr Trump follows through on his threat, the most populous Arab nation could also lose Washington's valuable support for some of its central foreign policy issues, like the water dispute with Ethiopia and efforts to end the civil war in Sudan and more than a decade of turmoil and violence in Libya.
Moreover, Egypt has since the 1980s relied heavily on US aid to modernise its military and is now annually receiving $1.3 billion worth of arms, spare parts and training. US support for Egypt's cause among international lenders like the IMF and the World Bank has also been instrumental to Cairo's efforts to overhaul its economy.
"Egypt sees keeping the Palestinians inside Gaza while the reconstruction gets under way as a matter of national security, but Trump can and will likely use America's global clout to dissuade potential donors from funding the work in Gaza," said another source. "However, Egypt and other stakeholders in the region could use the emerging fissures between the Trump administration and other world powers, like the EU, to actively participate in the reconstruction."
Separately, and perhaps just as importantly, the success of Egypt's efforts hinges on several vital variables, including reaching a permanent Gaza ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal from the territory, developments that look increasingly unlikely given the fragility of the six-week truce that went into effect on January 19.
The thorny question of who will rule postwar Gaza is another formidable challenge, with Israel saying it is not ready to tolerate either Hamas or the Palestinian Authority ruling the territory. Israel also insists on retaining a security role in postwar Gaza, creating safe zones in the territory's east and north as well as the complete dismantling of Hamas's military and governance capabilities.
The sources added that time is not on Egypt's side either. Life is proving extremely difficult in large parts of Gaza after 15 months of relentless Israeli bombardment, with thousands leaving their homes in the particularly devastated north to return to regions to which they had been displaced during the fighting.
The sources also claimed that Israel was quietly working both directly and through third parties to persuade Gaza's residents to leave and resettle abroad, with promises of job opportunities and a safer life. The campaign, they said, was being actively countered by Hamas, which continues to function as Gaza's rulers despite being significantly weakened by the war.
"The Americans and the Israelis are discussing scenarios other than the forcible eviction of Palestinians from Gaza," said the Arab diplomat. "It's been Israel's plan all along to create conditions in Gaza so unbearable that people will want to voluntarily leave."
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
yallacompare profile
Date of launch: 2014
Founder: Jon Richards, founder and chief executive; Samer Chebab, co-founder and chief operating officer, and Jonathan Rawlings, co-founder and chief financial officer
Based: Media City, Dubai
Sector: Financial services
Size: 120 employees
Investors: 2014: $500,000 in a seed round led by Mulverhill Associates; 2015: $3m in Series A funding led by STC Ventures (managed by Iris Capital), Wamda and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority; 2019: $8m in Series B funding with the same investors as Series A along with Precinct Partners, Saned and Argo Ventures (the VC arm of multinational insurer Argo Group)
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
One in nine do not have enough to eat
Created in 1961, the World Food Programme is pledged to fight hunger worldwide as well as providing emergency food assistance in a crisis.
One of the organisation’s goals is the Zero Hunger Pledge, adopted by the international community in 2015 as one of the 17 Sustainable Goals for Sustainable Development, to end world hunger by 2030.
The WFP, a branch of the United Nations, is funded by voluntary donations from governments, businesses and private donations.
Almost two thirds of its operations currently take place in conflict zones, where it is calculated that people are more than three times likely to suffer from malnutrition than in peaceful countries.
It is currently estimated that one in nine people globally do not have enough to eat.
On any one day, the WFP estimates that it has 5,000 lorries, 20 ships and 70 aircraft on the move.
Outside emergencies, the WFP provides school meals to up to 25 million children in 63 countries, while working with communities to improve nutrition. Where possible, it buys supplies from developing countries to cut down transport cost and boost local economies.
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
Profile box
Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
THE BIG THREE
NOVAK DJOKOVIC
19 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 5 (2011, 14, 15, 18, 19)
French Open: 2 (2016, 21)
US Open: 3 (2011, 15, 18)
Australian Open: 9 (2008, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21)
Prize money: $150m
ROGER FEDERER
20 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 8 (2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 12, 17)
French Open: 1 (2009)
US Open: 5 (2004, 05, 06, 07, 08)
Australian Open: 6 (2004, 06, 07, 10, 17, 18)
Prize money: $130m
RAFAEL NADAL
20 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 2 (2008, 10)
French Open: 13 (2005, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)
US Open: 4 (2010, 13, 17, 19)
Australian Open: 1 (2009)
Prize money: $125m
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
How Apple's credit card works
The Apple Card looks different from a traditional credit card — there's no number on the front and the users' name is etched in metal. The card expands the company's digital Apple Pay services, marrying the physical card to a virtual one and integrating both with the iPhone. Its attributes include quick sign-up, elimination of most fees, strong security protections and cash back.
What does it cost?
Apple says there are no fees associated with the card. That means no late fee, no annual fee, no international fee and no over-the-limit fees. It also said it aims to have among the lowest interest rates in the industry. Users must have an iPhone to use the card, which comes at a cost. But they will earn cash back on their purchases — 3 per cent on Apple purchases, 2 per cent on those with the virtual card and 1 per cent with the physical card. Apple says it is the only card to provide those rewards in real time, so that cash earned can be used immediately.
What will the interest rate be?
The card doesn't come out until summer but Apple has said that as of March, the variable annual percentage rate on the card could be anywhere from 13.24 per cent to 24.24 per cent based on creditworthiness. That's in line with the rest of the market, according to analysts
What about security?
The physical card has no numbers so purchases are made with the embedded chip and the digital version lives in your Apple Wallet on your phone, where it's protected by fingerprints or facial recognition. That means that even if someone steals your phone, they won't be able to use the card to buy things.
Is it easy to use?
Apple says users will be able to sign up for the card in the Wallet app on their iPhone and begin using it almost immediately. It also tracks spending on the phone in a more user-friendly format, eliminating some of the gibberish that fills a traditional credit card statement. Plus it includes some budgeting tools, such as tracking spending and providing estimates of how much interest could be charged on a purchase to help people make an informed decision.
* Associated Press
Coming soon
Torno Subito by Massimo Bottura
When the W Dubai – The Palm hotel opens at the end of this year, one of the highlights will be Massimo Bottura’s new restaurant, Torno Subito, which promises “to take guests on a journey back to 1960s Italy”. It is the three Michelinstarred chef’s first venture in Dubai and should be every bit as ambitious as you would expect from the man whose restaurant in Italy, Osteria Francescana, was crowned number one in this year’s list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Akira Back Dubai
Another exciting opening at the W Dubai – The Palm hotel is South Korean chef Akira Back’s new restaurant, which will continue to showcase some of the finest Asian food in the world. Back, whose Seoul restaurant, Dosa, won a Michelin star last year, describes his menu as, “an innovative Japanese cuisine prepared with a Korean accent”.
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
The highly experimental chef, whose dishes are as much about spectacle as taste, opens his first restaurant in Dubai next year. Housed at The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal will feature contemporary twists on recipes that date back to the 1300s, including goats’ milk cheesecake. Always remember with a Blumenthal dish: nothing is quite as it seems.
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.
