Bloody, intractable and defined by hatred and occupation, the Palestine-Israel conflict is perhaps the most enduring in today's world.
So, it may have seemed overly optimistic, even unrealistic, when Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and his American counterpart Donald Trump said the Gaza ceasefire reached last week gave the Middle East a new dawn, or that it was on the cusp of a golden age.
These are big words rarely heard in a region in which Israel has waged wars on Gaza, Lebanon and Iran and bombed Syria, Qatar and Yemen in the past two years alone.
And that is not all. Civil war is ravaging Sudan, where more than 13 million people have been displaced and millions more are starving. Libya continues to be beset by a de facto partition with bouts of deadly violence.
Yet Mr El Sisi and Mr Trump may have had good reason to raise expectations when speaking at the peace summit in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm El Sheikh on Monday. The summit, attended by nearly 30 world leaders, came three days after a milestone truce in Gaza, brokered by the US and its allies Egypt, Qatar and Turkey.
The significance of the ceasefire cannot be exaggerated. It has paused a war, the brutality and unforgivably high human cost of which has not been matched in any other Middle East conflict in the modern era. Nearly 70,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to the territory's health authorities, and more than twice that many wounded.
The tiny enclave on the Mediterranean has mostly been laid to waste, and its 2.3 million residents have been displaced repeatedly. The UN declared famine in Gaza in August as hundreds of thousands of people grappled with starvation.
The optimism of the two leaders could also be attributed to the fact that the summit they co-chaired coincided with the much-heralded release of 20 Israeli hostages held by Hamas since October 2023 and nearly 2,000 Palestinians who had been incarcerated in Israel.
Those jubilant scenes of the hostages and prisoners reunited with their families and loved ones may have also had something to do with the upbeat rhetoric that prevailed in Sharm El Sheikh.
"Together we have achieved what everybody said was impossible," Mr Trump told his Egyptian host about the ceasefire and hostage-detainee exchange, the first phase of the US President's 20-point Gaza peace plan announced last month.
"The war in Gaza is over," he declared. "It is really beautiful. The level of love and sorrow is just incredible. In one sense, it's horrible that it could have taken place. But in another sense, it is so beautiful to see a new and beautiful peace rising.
"This is a monumental day, a monumental moment in the history of the world beyond the Middle East," he said. Addressing Israel's parliament earlier on Monday, he described it as the beginning of a “new dawn of a new Middle East”.
Mr El Sisi matched the US President's optimism in his speech at the summit, calling for the Gaza conflict to be "the last war in the Middle East" and announcing his complete faith in Mr Trump's ability to see nor the full implementation of his plan.
"We are looking at a unique and historic opportunity, perhaps the last one, to create a Middle East that's without what threatens its stability and progress," said Mr El Sisi, Egypt's leader of 11 years.
The declaration issued at the end of the summit contained neither an outline nor a timeline for the implementation of Mr Trump's plan, nor for how wider regional peace will be achieved. The language was highbrow and distinctly hopeful.
It said the Gaza ceasefire opened "a new chapter for the region defined by hope, security and a shared vision for peace and prosperity". Referring to Mr Trump's plan, it said: "Together, we will implement this agreement in a manner that ensures peace, security, stability, and opportunity for all peoples of the region, including both Palestinians and Israelis."
Signed by Mr Trump, Mr El Sisi, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim, the declaration commits the four leaders to endeavour to achieve what has often proved impossible in the past.
“We seek tolerance, dignity and equal opportunity for every person, ensuring this region is a place where all can pursue their aspirations in peace, security and economic prosperity, regardless of race, faith or ethnicity.
“We pursue a comprehensive vision of peace, security and shared prosperity in the region, grounded in the principles of mutual respect and shared destiny," it said.
What remains to be negotiated in Mr Trump's plan promises to be difficult and a great deal more complicated than agreeing on a ceasefire and a hostages-for-prisoners swap. The second and third phases provide for Israel's withdrawal from Gaza – something Israel has repeatedly said it will not do – and the negotiation of a long-term ceasefire.
Just as formidable will be the question of who governs postwar Gaza and the disarmament of Hamas, whose own future as a "resistance" movement will have to end before it morphs into a political, non-violent faction.
An example of how difficult it might prove to be to persuade Hamas to disarm or stay out of a postwar government emerged soon after Israel pulled back its military in Gaza under the agreement.
Armed Hamas policemen swiftly appeared on the streets of Gaza's cities. The militant group also carried out public executions of rival militiamen and people it accuses of collaborating with Israel. When busloads of detainees freed from Israeli jails arrived in Gaza on Monday, fighters from Hamas's Ezzedine Al Qassam Brigades, its military wing, provided crowd control.
Ain Issa camp:
- Established in 2016
- Houses 13,309 people, 2,092 families, 62 per cent children
- Of the adult population, 49 per cent men, 51 per cent women (not including foreigners annexe)
- Most from Deir Ezzor and Raqqa
- 950 foreigners linked to ISIS and their families
- NGO Blumont runs camp management for the UN
- One of the nine official (UN recognised) camps in the region
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Results
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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 PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
Points Classification after Stage 1
1. Geraint Thomas (Britain / Team Sky) 20
2. Stefan Kueng (Switzerland / BMC Racing) 17
3. Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus / Team Sky) 15
4. Tony Martin (Germany / Katusha) 13
5. Matteo Trentin (Italy / Quick-Step) 11
6. Chris Froome (Britain / Team Sky) 10
7. Jos van Emden (Netherlands / LottoNL) 9
8. Michal Kwiatkowski (Poland / Team Sky) 8
9. Marcel Kittel (Germany / Quick-Step) 7
10. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Norway / Dimension Data) 6
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company%20Profile
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COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
The specs: 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV
Price, base: Dh138,000 (estimate)
Engine: 60kWh battery
Transmission: Single-speed Electronic Precision Shift
Power: 204hp
Torque: 360Nm
Range: 520km (claimed)
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Tottenham 0-1 Ajax, Tuesday
Second leg
Ajax v Tottenham, Wednesday, May 8, 11pm
Game is on BeIN Sports
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Golden Shoe top five (as of March 1):
Harry Kane, Tottenham, Premier League, 24 goals, 48 points
Edinson Cavani, PSG, Ligue 1, 24 goals, 48 points
Ciro Immobile, Lazio, Serie A, 23 goals, 46 points
Mohamed Salah, Liverpool, Premier League, 23 goals, 46 points
Lionel Messi, Barcelona, La Liga, 22 goals, 44 points
JERSEY INFO
Red Jersey
General Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the leader of the General Classification by time.
Green Jersey
Points Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the fastest sprinter, who has obtained the best positions in each stage and intermediate sprints.
White Jersey
Young Rider Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the best young rider born after January 1, 1995 in the overall classification by time (U25).
Black Jersey
Intermediate Sprint Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the rider who has gained the most Intermediate Sprint Points.
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)
The bio
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite travel destination: Maldives and south of France
Favourite pastime: Family and friends, meditation, discovering new cuisines
Favourite Movie: Joker (2019). I didn’t like it while I was watching it but then afterwards I loved it. I loved the psychology behind it.
Favourite Author: My father for sure
Favourite Artist: Damien Hurst
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The%20specs
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SPECS%3A%20Polestar%203
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Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Company profile
Date started: January, 2014
Founders: Mike Dawson, Varuna Singh, and Benita Rowe
Based: Dubai
Sector: Education technology
Size: Five employees
Investment: $100,000 from the ExpoLive Innovation Grant programme in 2018 and an initial $30,000 pre-seed investment from the Turn8 Accelerator in 2014. Most of the projects are government funded.
Partners/incubators: Turn8 Accelerator; In5 Innovation Centre; Expo Live Innovation Impact Grant Programme; Dubai Future Accelerators; FHI 360; VSO and Consult and Coach for a Cause (C3)
Company%20Profile
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Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
