The 1914 Christmas Day truce in the First World War is often used as an example of humanity prevailing in the midst of awful circumstances and as a beacon for conflict relief, however fleeting it may prove.
Multiple testimonies detail soldiers swapping souvenirs in the muddy ground between the trenches of the Western Front on December 25, 1914, having temporarily laid down their arms. They shook hands, laughed together and shared stories for a few hours before going back to their respective military lines.
Writing to his family from the Western Front on the day of the truce, British army officer Alfred Dougan Chater noted that “the ground between the two lines of trenches was swarming with men and officers of both sides wishing each other a happy Christmas.” He said it was “one of the most extraordinary sights that anyone has ever seen”.
In the 109 years since it happened, the truce has been mythologised and romanticised in popular culture.
The event was so “extraordinary”, as Second Lt Chater noted in his letter, that it has been left to others, especially modern observers, to impose whatever meaning they wish on what took place.
What we can’t say with any certainty is whether this was a mass demonstration against the depravity of war or an impulsive act of curiosity driven by a wish for a moment of respite in what was becoming a long war. The notion of the war being over by Christmas, a popular saying after the conflict began in 1914, had been debunked as winter set in.
Terri Blom Crocker’s 2015 book on the incident notes that “the truce resonates with us today because we have long since decided where our sympathies lie, which is with the poets who represented the soldiers in the trenches”.
Beyond the poetry and mythology, the truce was neither universal nor long-lasting.
Fighting continued in some areas of the front even on December 25, with inevitable casualties, but the spontaneous nature of the temporary ceasefire and the bond between the soldiers is what endures for many, as well as the idea that peace, however fleeting, is possible even in the most unlikely of circumstances.
Beyond the poetry and mythology, the truce was neither universal nor long-lasting
Now, compare this to the efforts this week to find some kind of short-form, end of year resolution to the conflict in Gaza.
While there is no straight line that can be drawn between the events in Europe more than a century ago and the war that began on the enclave after the Hamas October 7 attacks on Israel, the principle of seeking solutions at significant times of the year is long-held: a temporary informal ceasefire was observed in the 2014 Gaza war at the time of Eid Al Fitr. Ramadan truces and humanitarian pauses, as well as others for Eid, have been used in Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen and elsewhere.
In 2023, however, it seems there is no room for spontaneous momentum towards temporary peace in Gaza.
Every word in diplomatic circles is contested, every piece of possible progress is or has been discussed seemingly to a standstill. Meanwhile, the glossary of terms over the mechanics of a not-yet-realised peace grows daily.
This cycle of violence has been punctuated by calls for humanitarian pauses, corridors and other initiatives, humanitarian ceasefires and a request for the urgent and sustainable cessation of hostilities. An initial four-day temporary truce, agreed in late November and subsequently extended to a week, brought some short-term relief and allowed aid to be transited into the enclave.
On Sunday, the foreign ministers of Germany and the UK, Annalena Baerbock and David Cameron, called for a “sustainable ceasefire leading to a sustainable peace” in a co-authored op-ed. Mr Cameron was in the region on Wednesday seeking support for this plan.
On Monday, a UN Security Council vote on a UAE draft resolution on war in the enclave was delayed after the US indicated it could not support a “cessation of hostilities”, but might back a “suspension”.
The vote was put back again on Tuesday, after US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby admitted that the “modalities of the resolution” were still being worked on.
By Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed hope that the security council could get to a “good place”, before the vote was delayed for a further day.
It was postponed again on Thursday, with a vote now expected today, but time is running out, because the UN observes a holiday on Monday for Christmas.
The nearly empty vat of hope has been all but drained away.
No wonder we cling to the sentimentality of events such as those of December 1914 as proof that anything might be possible with good faith and the right intentions.
What happened next on the Western Front is also worth considering.
There was no dividend from the short-lived peace. Wartime leadership actively worked to prevent further truces as they believed any pause in fighting could allow their enemy to restock and replenish, thereby extending the war. This logic has been used frequently over the past two months to argue against halting military operations in Gaza.
By the end of the war in 1918, more than 16 million had lost their lives. A moment of peace in 1914, gave way to years of war. That is the reality to go with the mythology.
If a temporary pause is close at hand in Gaza, it must lead quickly to broader de-escalation and the release of all hostages held in the territory.
Too many people have already lost their lives and livelihoods since the start of the war for these efforts to fail. That, too, is the reality.
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When: Thursday, 9pm Arizona time (Friday UAE, 8am)
PROFILE OF INVYGO
Started: 2018
Founders: Eslam Hussein and Pulkit Ganjoo
Based: Dubai
Sector: Transport
Size: 9 employees
Investment: $1,275,000
Investors: Class 5 Global, Equitrust, Gulf Islamic Investments, Kairos K50 and William Zeqiri
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Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule
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The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Samaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
FIGHT CARD
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Middleweight Yousri Belgaroui (TUN) v Badreddine Diani (MAR)
Catchweight 78kg Rashed Dawood (UAE) v Adnan Bushashy (ALG)
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Catchweight 65kg Rachid Hazoume (MAR) v Yanis Ghemmouri (ALG)
Lighweight Mohammed Yahya (UAE) v Azouz Anwar (EGY)
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
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Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
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Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
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- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
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Sui Dhaaga: Made in India
Director: Sharat Katariya
Starring: Varun Dhawan, Anushka Sharma, Raghubir Yadav
3.5/5
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Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
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Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
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If you go
The flights
Etihad (etihad.com) flies from Abu Dhabi to Luang Prabang via Bangkok, with a return flight from Chiang Rai via Bangkok for about Dh3,000, including taxes. Emirates and Thai Airways cover the same route, also via Bangkok in both directions, from about Dh2,700.
The cruise
The Gypsy by Mekong Kingdoms has two cruising options: a three-night, four-day trip upstream cruise or a two-night, three-day downstream journey, from US$5,940 (Dh21,814), including meals, selected drinks, excursions and transfers.
The hotels
Accommodation is available in Luang Prabang at the Avani, from $290 (Dh1,065) per night, and at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp and Resort from $1,080 (Dh3,967) per night, including meals, an activity and transfers.
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Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
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2nd row
Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes-GP)
Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
3rd row
Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing)
Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull Racing)
4th row
Nico Hulkenberg (Renault)
Sergio Perez (Force India)
5th row
Carlos Sainz Jr (Renault)
Romain Grosjean (Haas)
6th row
Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
Esteban Ocon (Force India)
7th row
Fernando Alonso (McLaren)
Stoffel Vandoorne (McLaren)
8th row
Brendon Hartley (Toro Rosso)
Sergey Sirotkin (Williams)
9th row
Pierre Gasly (Toro Rosso)
Lance Stroll (Williams)
10th row
Charles Leclerc (Sauber)
arcus Ericsson (Sauber)
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Each player begins with one of the great empires of history, from Julius Caesar's Rome to Ramses of Egypt, spread over Europe and the Middle East.
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Players that lose battles and land will find their coffers dwindle and troops go hungry. The end goal? Global domination of course.
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Navdeep Suri, India's Ambassador to the UAE
There has been a longstanding need from the Indian community to have a religious premises where they can practise their beliefs. Currently there is a very, very small temple in Bur Dubai and the community has outgrown this. So this will be a major temple and open to all denominations and a place should reflect India’s diversity.
It fits so well into the UAE’s own commitment to tolerance and pluralism and coming in the year of tolerance gives it that extra dimension.
What we will see on April 20 is the foundation ceremony and we expect a pretty broad cross section of the Indian community to be present, both from the UAE and abroad. The Hindu group that is building the temple will have their holiest leader attending – and we expect very senior representation from the leadership of the UAE.
When the designs were taken to the leadership, there were two clear options. There was a New Jersey model with a rectangular structure with the temple recessed inside so it was not too visible from the outside and another was the Neasden temple in London with the spires in its classical shape. And they said: look we said we wanted a temple so it should look like a temple. So this should be a classical style temple in all its glory.
It is beautifully located - 30 minutes outside of Abu Dhabi and barely 45 minutes to Dubai so it serves the needs of both communities.
This is going to be the big temple where I expect people to come from across the country at major festivals and occasions.
It is hugely important – it will take a couple of years to complete given the scale. It is going to be remarkable and will contribute something not just to the landscape in terms of visual architecture but also to the ethos. Here will be a real representation of UAE’s pluralism.
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The biog
Name: Dhabia Khalifa AlQubaisi
Age: 23
How she spends spare time: Playing with cats at the clinic and feeding them
Inspiration: My father. He’s a hard working man who has been through a lot to provide us with everything we need
Favourite book: Attitude, emotions and the psychology of cats by Dr Nicholes Dodman
Favourit film: 101 Dalmatians - it remind me of my childhood and began my love of dogs
Word of advice: By being patient, good things will come and by staying positive you’ll have the will to continue to love what you're doing
