I was in office as president of Lebanon’s Council of Ministers when Israel last invaded, in July 2006, causing death and destruction. Our main concern then was that the war would also damage the fabric of Lebanese society. The trauma caused by such brutality eventually divided the country and dented the fundamental principles of coexistence upon which it was built. Another war will destroy these principles, with repercussions across the whole region.
Physical reconstruction is always possible after a devastating war, but the political impact and the ideas that emerge from it are far more dangerous and difficult to reverse. At stake is what the late Pope John Paul II described as Lebanon’s mission: to demonstrate that coexistence and conviviality are possible among different religions, not just in Lebanon but in the wider region. Lebanon sends the world a message of immense significance: that religion brings people together rather than separating them.
Lebanon cannot survive another war; the Lebanon we know could disappear and a far more dangerous entity may emerge. The prosperity of Lebanon is in its example that Muslims and Christians can live together, that they share a common history and a common future. It is not about numbers but about roles – the whole adds up to more than the sum of its parts because of the roles played by each community. The Christians of Lebanon, who were open to the West and the Arab world, built important educational, medical, cultural and business institutions from which the entire region benefited.
We are still trying to heal the wounds from the 2006 war and the prospect of another is making things even worse. Some are calling for separation and partition, with extremists and pessimists influencing the debate.
Circumstances in 2006 were different. We survived that war because Lebanon had a functioning state with a president, a strong and leading government as well as an elected parliament. Most importantly, we managed to unite the country in solidarity with the victims. We had strong Arab and international support, including at the UN. Our opinions were sought, and we managed to stop the war through an Arab initiative and international involvement. The Arab initiative at the UN was timely and effective, a shining example of Arab co-operation. UN Security Council Resolution 1701 that stopped the war was a feat of Arab and international co-operation, which is desperately needed now for Gaza.
After the fighting stopped in mid-August 2006, there was a rush to help Lebanon, mainly from the Gulf states but also from international initiatives. People were back in their villages in South Lebanon within two weeks, the incentive being direct grants for the reconstruction of their homes. Schools were open by November, a couple of months after the cessation of hostilities. The government also played a leading role in the rehabilitation of the country. A summit of spiritual leaders organised by the Maronite Patriarchate played a vital part in preserving unity in the country and in supporting the people of South Lebanon. The show of national unity and co-operation was heart-warming. The economy picked up and we had growth afterwards for several years.
We are still trying to heal the wounds from the 2006 war and the prospect of another is making things even worse
It is only after the dust settled that the political consequences emerged. Hezbollah, after fully consenting to Resolution 1701 in the Council of Ministers, reversed its position and openly opposed the Seven-Point Plan that ended the hostilities. Assassinations continued at regular intervals. Occupation of Beirut’s main business district in November 2006, followed by an attack on the city in May 2008, further damaged the economy. A coup against the Saad Hariri government in January 2011 also dented our relations with some Arab countries and the international community. All this and the fallout from the Syrian civil war ultimately led to the current economic collapse and a paralysing political crisis.
Lebanon has never been more divided over the role of Hezbollah versus that of the state. State institutions are crumbling; for the third time in about 15 years we are without a president and an effective government and our parliament is blocked. We are still dealing with the consequences of the Syrian war with almost one third of the population being Syrian refugees. It is difficult to imagine how Lebanon will survive another war without international help, given that its institutions are paralysed and its people polarised. The country is also isolated; we no longer have the level of Arab and the international support we had before.
A positive result of wars is when people, confronted by its horrors, decide to come to their senses. Wars can trigger a re-evaluation of ideas and institutions as well as a discussion about how to avoid further hatred and destruction. We saw this in post-war Europe where this process led to the EU.
The horrors we have seen so far in Gaza are enough to push us all in in the right direction. All parties should come back to their senses and figure out a way to a better future. Justice for the Palestinians should be at the heart of this move, in which they are entitled to have their independent and sovereign state.
Western powers, especially the US, have an important role to play. They must re-evaluate their shameful support of Israel’s war, stop supporting a self-destructive adventure that can threaten the whole regional and international order, and implement a ceasefire as soon as possible.
The outcome of the Gaza war should not lead to more wars. We should all go back to the drawing board and create peace in the Middle East for the sake of the next generation. In the meantime, all efforts should focus on avoiding a destructive war on Lebanon.
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What you as a drone operator need to know
A permit and licence is required to fly a drone legally in Dubai.
Sanad Academy is the United Arab Emirate’s first RPA (Remotely Piloted Aircraft) training and certification specialists endorsed by the Dubai Civil Aviation authority.
It is responsible to train, test and certify drone operators and drones in UAE with DCAA Endorsement.
“We are teaching people how to fly in accordance with the laws of the UAE,” said Ahmad Al Hamadi, a trainer at Sanad.
“We can show how the aircraft work and how they are operated. They are relatively easy to use, but they need responsible pilots.
“Pilots have to be mature. They are given a map of where they can and can’t fly in the UAE and we make these points clear in the lectures we give.
“You cannot fly a drone without registration under any circumstances.”
Larger drones are harder to fly, and have a different response to location control. There are no brakes in the air, so the larger drones have more power.
The Sanad Academy has a designated area to fly off the Al Ain Road near Skydive Dubai to show pilots how to fly responsibly.
“As UAS technology becomes mainstream, it is important to build wider awareness on how to integrate it into commerce and our personal lives,” said Major General Abdulla Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief, Dubai Police.
“Operators must undergo proper training and certification to ensure safety and compliance.
“Dubai’s airspace will undoubtedly experience increased traffic as UAS innovations become commonplace, the Forum allows commercial users to learn of best practice applications to implement UAS safely and legally, while benefitting a whole range of industries.”
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
The Little Things
Directed by: John Lee Hancock
Starring: Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, Jared Leto
Four stars
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
UAE SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Ali Khaseif, Fahad Al Dhanhani, Mohammed Al Shamsi, Adel Al Hosani
Defenders: Bandar Al Ahbabi, Shaheen Abdulrahman, Walid Abbas, Mahmoud Khamis, Mohammed Barghash, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Hassan Al Mahrami, Yousef Jaber, Mohammed Al Attas
Midfielders: Ali Salmeen, Abdullah Ramadan, Abdullah Al Naqbi, Majed Hassan, Abdullah Hamad, Khalfan Mubarak, Khalil Al Hammadi, Tahnoun Al Zaabi, Harib Abdallah, Mohammed Jumah
Forwards: Fabio De Lima, Caio Canedo, Ali Saleh, Ali Mabkhout, Sebastian Tagliabue
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
The%20Specs
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The specs
Engine: 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 540hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 600Nm at 2,500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Kerb weight: 1580kg
Price: From Dh750k
On sale: via special order
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand
UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final
The years Ramadan fell in May
'My Son'
Director: Christian Carion
Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis
Rating: 2/5
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
BIRD%20BOX%20BARCELONA
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Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
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Political flags or banners
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Bikes, skateboards or scooters
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UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
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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
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20Z%20FOLD%204
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Company%20Profile
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SPECS
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MANDOOB
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MATCH INFO
Day 2 at Mount Maunganui
England 353
Stokes 91, Denly 74, Southee 4-88
New Zealand 144-4
Williamson 51, S Curran 2-28
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 480hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 570Nm from 2,300-5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 10.4L/100km
Price: from Dh547,600
On sale: now
Ways to control drones
Countries have been coming up with ways to restrict and monitor the use of non-commercial drones to keep them from trespassing on controlled areas such as airports.
"Drones vary in size and some can be as big as a small city car - so imagine the impact of one hitting an airplane. It's a huge risk, especially when commercial airliners are not designed to make or take sudden evasive manoeuvres like drones can" says Saj Ahmed, chief analyst at London-based StrategicAero Research.
New measures have now been taken to monitor drone activity, Geo-fencing technology is one.
It's a method designed to prevent drones from drifting into banned areas. The technology uses GPS location signals to stop its machines flying close to airports and other restricted zones.
The European commission has recently announced a blueprint to make drone use in low-level airspace safe, secure and environmentally friendly. This process is called “U-Space” – it covers altitudes of up to 150 metres. It is also noteworthy that that UK Civil Aviation Authority recommends drones to be flown at no higher than 400ft. “U-Space” technology will be governed by a system similar to air traffic control management, which will be automated using tools like geo-fencing.
The UAE has drawn serious measures to ensure users register their devices under strict new laws. Authorities have urged that users must obtain approval in advance before flying the drones, non registered drone use in Dubai will result in a fine of up to twenty thousand dirhams under a new resolution approved by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai.
Mr Ahmad suggest that "Hefty fines running into hundreds of thousands of dollars need to compensate for the cost of airport disruption and flight diversions to lengthy jail spells, confiscation of travel rights and use of drones for a lengthy period" must be enforced in order to reduce airport intrusion.
Sweet%20Tooth
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Tomb%20Raider%20I%E2%80%93III%20Remastered
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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)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
