The Biden administration will need to delve deeper to understand the thinking of the Arab Gulf leaders, especially the Saudi leadership. This is made even more crucial by the fact that Washington is seeking to achieve a diplomatic breakthrough involving Israel, and to rectify its geopolitical mistakes as it attempts to downgrade Saudi relations with China in exchange for strengthening its own equation with Riyadh.
The days when the old traditional approach to US-Saudi relations used to work are long gone, as a sense of pragmatism and emphasis on mutual interests takes hold in the diplomatic and political language adopted by young Gulf leaders. If anything, this requires American politicians – Democrats and Republicans – to be vigilant, wise and daring enough to move past their old, false assumptions.
A recent article by veteran journalist Thomas Friedman on a “big Middle East deal” being sought by the Biden administration deserves pause and scrutiny.
Indeed, the primary challenges facing the ideas related to Israel revolve around US President Joe Biden’s ability to push Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government to abandon its doctrines and policies that reject the two-state solution and refuse to grant Palestinians their full rights as citizens within Israel or as a people under occupation pursuant to international legal obligations.
Israel has repeatedly rejected American and international efforts to find solutions to its conflict with the Palestinians. Instead, it is seeking to normalise relations with the Arab world while disregarding the Palestinian occupation, which it views as an Arab problem rather than its own.
Here lies the dilemma for the Biden administration – as was the case for previous administrations.
The Trump administration achieved a historic breakthrough through the unprecedented Abraham Accords, which led to the normalisation of relations between major Arab countries and Israel. Egypt and Jordan already had peace treaties with Israel resulting from bilateral negotiations in which the US had played a crucial role.
Saudi Arabia is willing to make peace with an Israel that is as fair to the Palestinians as possible, based on the two-state solution and the Arab Peace Initiative that it proposed during the Arab Summit in Beirut in 2002.
Saudi Arabia is willing to make peace with an Israel that is as fair to the Palestinians as possible
This is what US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and the White House’s Middle East policy chief, Brett McGurk, heard from Saudi officials during their visits to Riyadh and Jeddah in recent weeks. In other words, Saudi Arabia, which is showing a combination of flexibility and firmness, does not necessarily reject the idea of normalisation but might consider it if some conditions it deems reasonable are met.
The Biden administration seeks a breakthrough in this regard because its officials fully recognise the importance of such an achievement not only in the context of US-Saudi-Israeli trilateral relations, but also in terms of its implications for the US presidential election.
The US will need to convince Israel that peace with Saudi Arabia cannot be achieved at the expense of Palestine. While concessions are usually inevitable during any negotiation, the assumption that Arabs have forgotten the Palestinian issue and that Saudi Arabia is ready to normalise in exchange for minor concessions from Israel is a fantasy. It will not happen.
Saudi Arabia has been steadfast in its position since the beginning, and it had proposed a comprehensive peace initiative with, and conditions for recognition of, Israel. The kingdom remains prepared to take the initiative but today, the onus is more than ever on the US, because Saudi Arabia is now essential for American administrations due to its new roles regionally and internationally stemming from a reinvention of itself.
This provides the Biden administration with the opportunity to achieve a win-win outcome. But the concern is that it might not be able to do so, because of domestic political considerations. Historically, both of America’s mainstream political parties have had to accommodate Israel during election cycles.
Yet today, the opportunity is favourable for both parties to present fresh proposals and take firm a stance towards Israel because geopolitical considerations require re-evaluating what best serves American interests.
Currently, US interests lie in expanding and globalising Nato. Offering extensive security agreements to Saudi Arabia would be fundamental to this endeavour, aligning it with agreements Washington has with the likes of Japan and Australia.
More from Raghida Dergham
Saudi Arabia welcomes being seen as a key partner, rather than as a subordinate that is sought after only when needed. It understands what Nato’s globalisation means for the Arab region. However, Riyadh doesn’t want to be part of an anti-China axis. It seeks to establish its credibility on the international stage and get allies and friends to respect its right to build relations with everyone pragmatically.
The kingdom sees no utility in disengaging from China, given their economic and political ties. Nor is there a benefit in second-guessing security ties and advanced relations with America.
Those responsible for shaping US policy must understand that China’s sponsorship of the Saudi-Iranian agreements resulted from sovereign decisions made by three countries, and that Riyadh will not backtrack on this path just because the US seeks to broker a Saudi-American-Israeli agreement.
Today, Saudi Arabia is active on the global arena and co-ordinates with other Gulf countries that play important roles in regional and international affairs. The kingdom is, in fact, leveraging its relations with the warring parties in Ukraine to host talks this weekend.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed hope for holding a peace summit this autumn. Talks being held in Saudi Arabia would be a step towards achieving this goal. This doesn’t mean that peace is at hand, of course, for Russia has rejected participating in the talks.
Nonetheless, the Biden administration has realised that it needs to adjust its perspective, approach and conduct towards the kingdom – and the Arab Gulf more generally – if it wants to build healthy relationships in the region, whose importance has grown domestically, regionally and globally.
If Washington seeks a grand bargain, it must take bold steps in its relationship with Israel and compel it to commit to the two-state solution, rather than settling for the kind of superficial proposals that the world has seen far too many times in the past.
What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.
Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.
Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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
The specs
Engine: Turbocharged four-cylinder 2.7-litre
Power: 325hp
Torque: 500Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh189,700
On sale: now
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Company%20profile
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The%20specs
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Wednesday and the pair embraced but he failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
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
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
WHAT%20MACRO%20FACTORS%20ARE%20IMPACTING%20META%20TECH%20MARKETS%3F
%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Looming%20global%20slowdown%20and%20recession%20in%20key%20economies%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Russia-Ukraine%20war%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Interest%20rate%20hikes%20and%20the%20rising%20cost%20of%20debt%20servicing%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Oil%20price%20volatility%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Persisting%20inflationary%20pressures%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Exchange%20rate%20fluctuations%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Shortage%20of%20labour%2Fskills%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20A%20resurgence%20of%20Covid%3F%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
'Outclassed in Kuwait'
Taleb Alrefai,
HBKU Press
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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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.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Quick%20facts
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
The%20specs%3A%202024%20Mercedes%20E200
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENomad%20Homes%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2020%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHelen%20Chen%2C%20Damien%20Drap%2C%20and%20Dan%20Piehler%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20and%20Europe%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20PropTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2444m%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Acrew%20Capital%2C%2001%20Advisors%2C%20HighSage%20Ventures%2C%20Abstract%20Ventures%2C%20Partech%2C%20Precursor%20Ventures%2C%20Potluck%20Ventures%2C%20Knollwood%20and%20several%20undisclosed%20hedge%20funds%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Company profile
Date started: Founded in May 2017 and operational since April 2018
Founders: co-founder and chief executive, Doaa Aref; Dr Rasha Rady, co-founder and chief operating officer.
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: Health-tech
Size: 22 employees
Funding: Seed funding
Investors: Flat6labs, 500 Falcons, three angel investors
RESULT
Uruguay 3 Russia 0
Uruguay: Suárez (10'), Cheryshev (23' og), Cavani (90')
Russia: Smolnikov (Red card: 36')
Man of the match: Diego Godin (Uruguay)
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
57%20Seconds
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The biog
Favourite colour: Brown
Favourite Movie: Resident Evil
Hobbies: Painting, Cooking, Imitating Voices
Favourite food: Pizza
Trivia: Was the voice of three characters in the Emirati animation, Shaabiyat Al Cartoon
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