Despite having received endorsements from Europe, Arab states and even many Palestinians, US President Donald Trump's 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza is flawed and leaves room for interpretation, experts have said.
The plan itself might be “comprehensive”, covering everything from hostage and prisoner releases to the entry of aid, and even addressing Palestinian statehood, but it lacks a road map for its implementation, said Palestinian analyst Fayed Abushammalah.
He compared the proposal to Oslo Accords, another highly anticipated peace plan that failed to yield fruit. “In Oslo, which is far better than Trump's current plan, we were promised a state within five years, meaning by 1999. Then Colin Powell promised it would be in place by 2005,” Mr Abushammalah told The National.
He highlighted the similarities between the conditions set by the Oslo Accords and Mr Trump's plan. Both proposals called for reform of the Palestinian Authority, emphasised the importance of elections and contained similar language about the rejection of terrorism, combating extremism and interfaith coexistence.
Renowned Palestinian historian Antoine Raffoul, a survivor of the Nakba of 1948, agreed. Speaking to The National, he pointed out that Mr Trump's plan contains provisions that contradict Palestinians' right to self-determination under international law.
“Perhaps the most outrageous nature of the 20-point plan is the fact that it retains Gaza as a strip surrounded, as before, by a Zionist military machine, which ensures that the Palestinians within the strip remain as prisoners inside 'the largest prison on earth',” Mr Raffoul said.
Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, one of Israel’s leading legal experts who represents hostage families in court, told The National that President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan was a “wishful plan to end the war.”
“It is, on one hand, backed for the first time by Arab nations. It gives Israel an opportunity to end the war and complete the three goals: releasing the hostages, disarming Hamas and ensuring the Gaza Strip no longer serves as a threat to Israel,” she said.
“However," she continued, "there is only one obstacle, which is the Hamas response. Quite frankly, I don’t believe that Hamas will willingly disarm itself, leave Gaza, put down its weapons and release all the hostages. So it’s a good plan to have, but I don’t believe it’s practical.”
The plan comes at a time when Israel is under mounting pressure from the international community, including some of its most important allies, such as the US and its largest trading partner, the EU.
Countries such as France, Italy and Spain have even taken measures to partially or fully suspend weapons sales to Israel while it continues to bomb Gaza, killing and displacing thousands of civilians in a war that has continued for almost two years.
Former British prime minister Tony Blair, who has a questionable track record of peacekeeping in the Middle East, has been named as the effective overseer of Mr Trump's plan.
“Tony Blair's catastrophic decision to invade Iraq cost thousands upon thousands of lives,” MP and former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn wrote on social media. “He shouldn't be anywhere near the Middle East, let alone Gaza.”
The future of Palestine, he added, should be determined by the Palestinian people themselves.
Those behind the plan have made it not only imperfect, but weighted in favour of Israeli interests, said Palestinian analyst Sadeq Abu Ammar. He noted that while the proposal is clear when it comes to Israeli demands – such as the 72-hour deadline for the release of hostages by Hamas – it is intentionally vague when it comes to Palestinian demands, such the reconstruction of Gaza and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the enclave, for which no timeline is provided.
However, Mr Abu Ammar said, this vagueness could provide “flexibility to keep the door open for parties and states that are interested in participating”. He added that the involvement of Arab states in a “stabilisation force” could prompt Palestinians to remain in Gaza in the hope that their future would be relatively secure.
Threat of sabotage
Regardless of the scope of the plan, there remains a risk that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – who gave tacit support for it on Monday – will seek to derail it, former Israeli diplomat Alon Pinkas told The National.
“There are too many ambiguities here. As it stands, Netanyahu can’t accept it. He can’t accept the Palestinian Authority being part of future Gaza governance. He can’t accept a Palestinian state, even if it’s referred to as something in the future. He can’t accept Israeli withdrawal and redeployment,” Mr Pinkas said.
Hours after praising the plan during talks with Mr Trump at the White House, Mr Netanyahu publicly contradicted aspects of it. He said the Israeli army would maintain a presence in “most of” Gaza, and reaffirmed his opposition to Palestinian statehood.
Mr Pinkas suggested several ways in which Mr Netanyahu could interrupt the momentum of the peace plan. "[He could] waste time, demand changes and clarifications on ‘critical security issues’, escalate the operation in Gaza, turn Iran into a big issue in the next few weeks, thinking it will divert attention, and by the time that’s done in mid or late October, there’s no deal,” he said.
While Hamas leaders meet Qatari and Turkish officials in Doha to study the terms of the plan, which include its senior members' exile from Gaza, Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is expected to discuss the proposal with members of his Religious Zionist Party.
Considering the plan's flaws – and doubts over whether it can even be implemented – Mr Raffoul cast doubt on whether people like the proposal’s authors have learned lessons from history.
– With additional reporting by Thomas Helm
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Afghanistan fixtures
- v Australia, today
- v Sri Lanka, Tuesday
- v New Zealand, Saturday,
- v South Africa, June 15
- v England, June 18
- v India, June 22
- v Bangladesh, June 24
- v Pakistan, June 29
- v West Indies, July 4
THE BIO:
Sabri Razouk, 74
Athlete and fitness trainer
Married, father of six
Favourite exercise: Bench press
Must-eat weekly meal: Steak with beans, carrots, broccoli, crust and corn
Power drink: A glass of yoghurt
Role model: Any good man
FIGHT%20CARD
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Thanksgiving meals to try
World Cut Steakhouse, Habtoor Palace Hotel, Dubai. On Thursday evening, head chef Diego Solis will be serving a high-end sounding four-course meal that features chestnut veloute with smoked duck breast, turkey roulade accompanied by winter vegetables and foie gras and pecan pie, cranberry compote and popcorn ice cream.
Jones the Grocer, various locations across the UAE. Jones’s take-home holiday menu delivers on the favourites: whole roast turkeys, an array of accompaniments (duck fat roast potatoes, sausages wrapped in beef bacon, honey-glazed parsnips and carrots) and more, as well as festive food platters, canapes and both apple and pumpkin pies.
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, The Address Hotel, Dubai. This New Orleans-style restaurant is keen to take the stress out of entertaining, so until December 25 you can order a full seasonal meal from its Takeaway Turkey Feast menu, which features turkey, homemade gravy and a selection of sides – think green beans with almond flakes, roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet potato casserole and bread stuffing – to pick up and eat at home.
The Mattar Farm Kitchen, Dubai. From now until Christmas, Hattem Mattar and his team will be producing game- changing smoked turkeys that you can enjoy at home over the festive period.
Nolu’s, The Galleria Mall, Maryah Island Abu Dhabi. With much of the menu focused on a California inspired “farm to table” approach (with Afghani influence), it only seems right that Nolu’s will be serving their take on the Thanksgiving spread, with a brunch at the Downtown location from 12pm to 4pm on Friday.
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
The five pillars of Islam
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
T20 World Cup Qualifier
October 18 – November 2
Opening fixtures
Friday, October 18
ICC Academy: 10am, Scotland v Singapore, 2.10pm, Netherlands v Kenya
Zayed Cricket Stadium: 2.10pm, Hong Kong v Ireland, 7.30pm, Oman v UAE
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Rameez Shahzad, Darius D’Silva, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zawar Farid, Ghulam Shabber, Junaid Siddique, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Waheed Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Zahoor Khan
Players out: Mohammed Naveed, Shaiman Anwar, Qadeer Ahmed
Players in: Junaid Siddique, Darius D’Silva, Waheed Ahmed
'Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore'
Rating: 3/5
Directed by: David Yates
Starring: Mads Mikkelson, Eddie Redmayne, Ezra Miller, Jude Law
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
Other key dates
-
Finals draw: December 2
-
Finals (including semi-finals and third-placed game): June 5–9, 2019
-
Euro 2020 play-off draw: November 22, 2019
-
Euro 2020 play-offs: March 26–31, 2020
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
'Skin'
Dir: Guy Nattiv
Starring: Jamie Bell, Danielle McDonald, Bill Camp, Vera Farmiga
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
War
Director: Siddharth Anand
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, Ashutosh Rana, Vaani Kapoor
Rating: Two out of five stars
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Results
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStage%206%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3E1.%20Tim%20Merlier%20(BEL)%20Soudal%20Quick-Step%20%E2%80%93%203hrs%2041min%2012sec.%3Cbr%3E2.%20Sam%20Bennett%20(GBR)%20Bora%20%E2%80%93%20Hansgrohe%20%E2%80%93%20ST%3Cbr%3E3.%20Dylan%20Groenewegen%20(NED)%20Team%20Jayco%20Alula%20%E2%80%93%20ST%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EGeneral%20classification%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3E1.%20Remco%20Evenepoel%20(BEL)%20Soudal%20Quick-Step%3Cbr%3E2.%20Lucas%20Plapp%20(AUS)%20Ineos%20Grenaders%20%E2%80%93%209sec%3Cbr%3E3.%20Pello%20Bilbao%20(ESP)%20Bahrain%20Victorious%20%E2%80%93%2013sec%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: Fenyr SuperSport
Price, base: Dh5.1 million
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 800hp @ 7,100pm
Torque: 980Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 13.5L / 100km
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League quarter-final (first-leg score):
Juventus (1) v Ajax (1), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Match will be shown on BeIN Sports
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
If you go
- The nearest international airport to the start of the Chuysky Trakt is in Novosibirsk. Emirates (www.emirates.com) offer codeshare flights with S7 Airlines (www.s7.ru) via Moscow for US$5,300 (Dh19,467) return including taxes. Cheaper flights are available on Flydubai and Air Astana or Aeroflot combination, flying via Astana in Kazakhstan or Moscow. Economy class tickets are available for US$650 (Dh2,400).
- The Double Tree by Hilton in Novosibirsk ( 7 383 2230100,) has double rooms from US$60 (Dh220). You can rent cabins at camp grounds or rooms in guesthouses in the towns for around US$25 (Dh90).
- The transport Minibuses run along the Chuysky Trakt but if you want to stop for sightseeing, hire a taxi from Gorno-Altaisk for about US$100 (Dh360) a day. Take a Russian phrasebook or download a translation app. Tour companies such as Altair-Tour ( 7 383 2125115 ) offer hiking and adventure packages.
SUNDAY'S ABU DHABI T10 MATCHES
Northern Warriors v Team Abu Dhabi, 3.30pm
Bangla Tigers v Karnataka Tuskers, 5.45pm
Qalandars v Maratha Arabians, 8pm
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
John%20Wick%3A%20Chapter%204
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