Israel’s renewed offensive and three-month siege of the Gaza strip has attracted mounting criticism, leading to sterner rhetoric from European leaders, even from key allies.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and German chancellor Friedrich Merz are among those denouncing Israel's latest offensive, marking a change in direction from their earlier support of the war.
On Wednesday, the UK called for an immediate independent investigation into the killings at the aid distribution centre and for the perpetrators to be held to account. Dozens of people have been killed in recent days as they tried to gain access to food.
Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer said: “Civilians who have endured 20 months of war should never face the risk of death or injury to simply feed themselves and their families.
“Israel's unjustified block of aid into Gaza needs to end. It is inhumane,” he said, adding that the country should allow the UN to deliver aid “at scale to save lives”.
But experts warn the tougher tone needs to match policy decision, ahead of the UN peace conference at the end of the month.
“It’s time for the rhetoric to be turned into action. It’s time to end the war and have a very clear eyed path to stability,” said Nomi Bar Yaacov, an international peace negotiator at the Geneva Centre for Middle East Policy.
"It is clear that Israel’s behaviour in Gaza and the West Bank has alienated its traditional friends, including Germany, the Netherlands and the UK. What is needed is action more than words," said former British diplomat Sir Vincent Fean, who served as Consul General to Jerusalem.
Mr Starmer described the situation in Gaza as “intolerable” in parliament on Wednesday, reiterating comments made at press conference in Scotland on Monday. He said Gaza was facing “dark days”.
Speaking in Parliament, he described the Israeli government’s conduct in the 25 mile-long strip as “counterproductive and intolerable”.
He said: “We will keep looking at further action along with our allies, including sanctions, but let me be absolutely clear: we need to get back to a ceasefire.
“We need the hostages who’ve been held for a very long time to be released, and we desperately need more aid at speed and at volume into Gaza, because it’s an appalling and intolerable situation.”
The UK suspended new trade talks with Israel and imposed new sanctions on Jewish settlers in the West Bank last month, using its harshest language yet.
Yet the UK government has not yet given signs that it will recognise the Palestinian state soon, and is rejecting calls to impose a total arms embargo on Israel.
Suggestions that the UK was considering sanctions against far-right cabinet Ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich have not materialised. Mr Starmer included Palestinian statehood recognition in his party’s election manifesto, but stressed this would only happen as “part of a peace process”.
Mr Fean said the "serious shift" in UK policy was "encouraging" – and that the UK should work with France on a coalition that would lead to Palestinian statehood recognition at the UN conference this month.
"The Prime Minister is working closely with President Macron on several fronts: Ukraine, rapprochement with the EU and Israel-Palestine.
"The New York conference matters a lot. I would like to see the UK, with its historical responsibilities working with France to recognise Palestine unconditionally in New York.
"If the UK and France act together, others will follow for example Canada, Australia, Belgium, Luxembourg," he said.
Germany has been Israel’s strongest ally in Europe, and says it has a historical duty to stand with Israel owing to the Holocaust.
Yet last week Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he “no longer understands” what the war’s objectives are. "It's a human tragedy and political catastrophe," he said last week in an interview. "Frankly speaking, I no longer understand what the goal of the Israeli army in Gaza Strip is.
"When lines are crossed, when international humanitarian law is truly being violated, the German chancellor must say something about it," he stressed.
Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul described Israel’s blockade of Gaza as “unacceptable”, and said later in the week that they were reviewing future arms sales to Israel.
Berlin would assess whether Israel’s actions in Gaza were “compatible with international humanitarian law”. “We are examining it, and based on this review, we will approve further arms deliveries if necessary," Mr Wadephul said in an interview with Sueddeutsche Zeitung.
French President Emmanuel Macron has led, with Saudi Arabia, the creation of a UN peace conference this month, and is pushing for western countries to recognise a Palestinian state.
Last week, Mr Macron asserted that recognition was “not only a moral duty but a political necessity”.
The Israeli foreign ministry accused Mr Macron of a continuing “crusade against the Jewish state.” “The facts do not interest Macron. There is no humanitarian blockade. that is a blatant lie,” the Ministry said in a social media post.
Despite the growing rift between Israel and France, Mr Fean said that the UN conference will be key in developing a road map. "We need a plan that produces an outcome that is credible in terms of mutual security and self determination for two peoples."
Ms Bar Yaacov urged European leaders to look at existing transitional plans for Gaza as they formulate a framework towards long-term peace.
"The plan for a postwar Palestinian transitional technocratic government in Gaza are well known to all those engaged in trying to resolve the conflict. They've been agreed to by Hamas, all of the Palestinian factions," she said.
The European Union may also suspend parts of its trade agreement with Israel when it concludes its review this month about whether or not Israel may have broken international law in Gaza.
In May, 17 member states backed a Dutch proposal to formally review the agreement, over its compliance with article 2, which requires it to “respect human rights.”
The European Commission’s chief, Ursula von der Leyen, who gave the EU’s blanket support for Israel after the October 7 Hamas attacks, said for the first time last week that Israel’s “abhorrent” killing of civilians “cannot be justified under humanitarian and international law.
Mr Fean said this could lead to the "selective suspension of Israel from elements of the agreement such as the R&D co-operation programme."
The outliers now are Hungary and the Czech Republic, who were among the few handful of states to vote against the review.
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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
Job: Fitness entrepreneur, body-builder and trainer
Favourite superhero: Batman
Favourite quote: We must become the change we want to see, by Mahatma Gandhi.
Favourite car: Lamborghini
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
ODI FIXTURE SCHEDULE
First ODI, October 22
Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Second ODI, October 25
Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune
Third ODI, October 29
Venue TBC
FIXTURES
All games 6pm UAE on Sunday:
Arsenal v Watford
Burnley v Brighton
Chelsea v Wolves
Crystal Palace v Tottenham
Everton v Bournemouth
Leicester v Man United
Man City v Norwich
Newcastle v Liverpool
Southampton v Sheffield United
West Ham v Aston Villa
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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)
Most%20ODI%20hundreds
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Cry Macho
Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Clint Eastwood, Dwight Yoakam
Rating:**
Company%20profile
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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
School counsellors on mental well-being
Schools counsellors in Abu Dhabi have put a number of provisions in place to help support pupils returning to the classroom next week.
Many children will resume in-person lessons for the first time in 10 months and parents previously raised concerns about the long-term effects of distance learning.
Schools leaders and counsellors said extra support will be offered to anyone that needs it. Additionally, heads of years will be on hand to offer advice or coping mechanisms to ease any concerns.
“Anxiety this time round has really spiralled, more so than from the first lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic,” said Priya Mitchell, counsellor at The British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi.
“Some have got used to being at home don’t want to go back, while others are desperate to get back.
“We have seen an increase in depressive symptoms, especially with older pupils, and self-harm is starting younger.
“It is worrying and has taught us how important it is that we prioritise mental well-being.”
Ms Mitchell said she was liaising more with heads of year so they can support and offer advice to pupils if the demand is there.
The school will also carry out mental well-being checks so they can pick up on any behavioural patterns and put interventions in place to help pupils.
At Raha International School, the well-being team has provided parents with assessment surveys to see how they can support students at home to transition back to school.
“They have created a Well-being Resource Bank that parents have access to on information on various domains of mental health for students and families,” a team member said.
“Our pastoral team have been working with students to help ease the transition and reduce anxiety that [pupils] may experience after some have been nearly a year off campus.
"Special secondary tutorial classes have also focused on preparing students for their return; going over new guidelines, expectations and daily schedules.”
The Bio
Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”
Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”
Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”
Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”
The five pillars of Islam
The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000
Engine 3.6L V6
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm
Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km
Specs%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%20train%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4.0-litre%20twin-turbo%20V8%20and%20synchronous%20electric%20motor%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EMax%20power%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E800hp%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EMax%20torque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E950Nm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEight-speed%20auto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E25.7kWh%20lithium-ion%3Cbr%3E0-100km%2Fh%3A%203.4sec%3Cbr%3E0-200km%2Fh%3A%2011.4sec%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETop%20speed%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E312km%2Fh%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EMax%20electric-only%20range%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2060km%20(claimed)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Q3%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh1.2m%20(estimate)%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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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
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Pox that threatens the Middle East's native species
Camelpox
Caused by a virus related to the one that causes human smallpox, camelpox typically causes fever, swelling of lymph nodes and skin lesions in camels aged over three, but the animal usually recovers after a month or so. Younger animals may develop a more acute form that causes internal lesions and diarrhoea, and is often fatal, especially when secondary infections result. It is found across the Middle East as well as in parts of Asia, Africa, Russia and India.
Falconpox
Falconpox can cause a variety of types of lesions, which can affect, for example, the eyelids, feet and the areas above and below the beak. It is a problem among captive falcons and is one of many types of avian pox or avipox diseases that together affect dozens of bird species across the world. Among the other forms are pigeonpox, turkeypox, starlingpox and canarypox. Avipox viruses are spread by mosquitoes and direct bird-to-bird contact.
Houbarapox
Houbarapox is, like falconpox, one of the many forms of avipox diseases. It exists in various forms, with a type that causes skin lesions being least likely to result in death. Other forms cause more severe lesions, including internal lesions, and are more likely to kill the bird, often because secondary infections develop. This summer the CVRL reported an outbreak of pox in houbaras after rains in spring led to an increase in mosquito numbers.
SUCCESSION%20SEASON%204%20EPISODE%201
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The years Ramadan fell in May
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
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