US President Donald Trump has returned from his successful Gulf visit to the difficulty of delivering on his grand promises, including to end the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. This is happening at a time when Europe is reassessing its strategic relationship with America and other entities around the world.
But how should we understand Europe’s position on the global map, including with regard to the Middle East?
Let’s begin with Gaza, a source of European moral guilt, born of its inability to pressure Israel to stop its brutal, immoral rampage against ordinary Palestinians. Indeed, the conduct of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government – backed by a substantial portion of the Israeli public – has reached a point of moral bankruptcy. Some European states have therefore concluded they can no longer pretend to not see what is happening.
The UK, Germany and France have threatened punitive measures against Israel and discussed the possibility of recognising the Palestinian state. These threats have yet to materialise into action, nonetheless the continent’s stance matters because if does take action, it carries political, psychological and even economic weight.
This shift in position has enraged Mr Netanyahu and his governing coalition, which has launched a counteroffensive in Gaza, invoking the attacks of October 7, 2023. It has also exploited the recent, dastardly killing of two Israeli diplomats in Washington, using the familiar cries of “anti-Semitism” as a shield to avoid accountability for breaking international law and committing crimes against humanity.
Europeans are leaving the challenge of dealing with Iran in Trump’s hands
There is a growing sense of disgust around the world at the current Israeli government’s brazen excesses and moral decay. But this disgust is not yet a full-fledged campaign. One reason for this is the lingering memory of Hamas’s actions in October 2023.
Europe’s shifting position follows growing public anger over Israeli conduct, but it falls short of mobilising the full toolkit available to its states. But unless the continent’s leading powers impose effective sanctions and take bold stands in international forums, their gestures will remain largely symbolic.
To be clear, the responsibility to act is not Europe’s alone. It also lies with Arab states – and in particular with Palestinians themselves, especially Hamas. As long as the group clings to the mirage of “victory” in Gaza, it will drag all of Palestine down with it. It is notable that the Palestinian Authority under President Mahmoud Abbas has taken some steps towards internal reforms. During his recent visit to Lebanon, Mr Abbas called on Palestinian groups in the country to respect Beirut’s sovereignty and its exclusive right to bear arms.
Europe, in a way, is compensating for America’s failings on the Palestinian issue, but it is not seeking to compete with anyone over ownership of the resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Rather, it is playing a complementary role to key Arab states, which are exerting pressure on Israel through Washington, sending a clear message: there can be no normalisation without a Palestinian state.
The US-Gulf train has left the station, leaving behind the stop of normalisation – albeit with a window left open for a return (should the Israeli state ever return to its senses). Mr Trump is said to be frustrated with Mr Netanyahu and may even try to clip his wings, but he won’t abandon Israel.
Europeans, meanwhile, are leaving the challenge of dealing with Iran in Mr Trump’s hands. If he succeeds, they will applaud. If he fails, the burden falls on America, not on Europe. Many within the EU consider the Iran nuclear weapons programme to be the US’s problem – unless Israel opts to act independently and launch unlikely attacks on Tehran’s nuclear sites.
There are those in Europe who believe that during his negotiations with Iran, Mr Trump will encounter the same dance he has encountered during the Ukraine-related talks with the Russians: a never-ending ballet, masterfully choreographed to buy time. Europe won’t get entangled in the Iran negotiations – apart from fulfilling its obligations to snap back sanctions under the auspices of the 2015 nuclear deal.
Iran lost European favour when it sided with Russia in the Ukraine war. And so, the Europeans are no longer willing to bend over backwards for Tehran as they once did.
Europeans no longer fear Mr Trump and his unpredictable policies either. The US President has lost his leverage over the continent. He shifted America’s policy regarding Moscow’s war in Ukraine, and now he finds himself staring at what appears to be an insurmountable wall. Mr Trump thought he could end the war, only to be confronted by the harsh geopolitical and battlefield realities.
In the European eyes, next month’s Nato summit represents a serious test for the US President. He will arrive either with an unlikely peace breakthrough in Ukraine or burdened by the war’s consequences. He will also have to make serious decisions about America’s role in Nato, beyond bluster or demands for more European financial contributions.
Mr Trump has yet to fulfil his campaign promises to end wars and secure grand bargains. This is because the political realities in Iran, Russia and Israel are shattering this objective. For some of these establishments, after all, their very survival appears to trump their respective national interests.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Race 3
Produced: Salman Khan Films and Tips Films
Director: Remo D’Souza
Cast: Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, Bobby Deol, Daisy Shah, Saqib Salem
Rating: 2.5 stars
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
OPINIONS ON PALESTINE & ISRAEL
Company: Instabug
Founded: 2013
Based: Egypt, Cairo
Sector: IT
Employees: 100
Stage: Series A
Investors: Flat6Labs, Accel, Y Combinator and angel investors
The five pillars of Islam
More coverage from the Future Forum
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Company profile
Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space
Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)
Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)
Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)
Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space
Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019
The biog
Name: Marie Byrne
Nationality: Irish
Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption
Book: Seagull by Jonathan Livingston
Life lesson: A person is not old until regret takes the place of their dreams
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The years Ramadan fell in May
The years Ramadan fell in May
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Key recommendations
- Fewer criminals put behind bars and more to serve sentences in the community, with short sentences scrapped and many inmates released earlier.
- Greater use of curfews and exclusion zones to deliver tougher supervision than ever on criminals.
- Explore wider powers for judges to punish offenders by blocking them from attending football matches, banning them from driving or travelling abroad through an expansion of ‘ancillary orders’.
- More Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle the root causes of crime such as alcohol and drug abuse – forcing repeat offenders to take part in tough treatment programmes or face prison.
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 2 (Mahrez 04', Ake 84')
Leicester City 5 (Vardy 37' pen, 54', 58' pen, Maddison 77', Tielemans 88' pen)
Man of the match: Jamie Vardy (Leicester City)
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
England's all-time record goalscorers:
Wayne Rooney 53
Bobby Charlton 49
Gary Lineker 48
Jimmy Greaves 44
Michael Owen 40
Tom Finney 30
Nat Lofthouse 30
Alan Shearer 30
Viv Woodward 29
Frank Lampard 29
Zayed Sustainability Prize
PROFILE BOX
Company name: Overwrite.ai
Founder: Ayman Alashkar
Started: Established in 2020
Based: Dubai International Financial Centre, Dubai
Sector: PropTech
Initial investment: Self-funded by founder
Funding stage: Seed funding, in talks with angel investors
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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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
MATCH INFO
Manchester United v Everton
Where: Old Trafford, Manchester
When: Sunday, kick-off 7pm (UAE)
How to watch: Live on BeIN Sports 11HD
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From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
Monday's results
- UAE beat Bahrain by 51 runs
- Qatar beat Maldives by 44 runs
- Saudi Arabia beat Kuwait by seven wickets
Zayed Sustainability Prize
