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.
More on Quran memorisation:
Results
Stage three:
1. Stefan Bissegger (SUI) EF Education-EasyPost, in 9-43
2. Filippo Ganna (ITA) Ineos Grenadiers, at 7s
3. Tom Dumoulin (NED) Jumbo-Visma, at 14s
4. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE-Team Emirates, at 18s
5. Joao Almeida (POR) UAE-Team Emirates, at 22s
6. Mikkel Bjerg (DEN) UAE-Team Emirates, at 24s
General Classification:
1. Stefan Bissegger (SUI) EF Education-EasyPost, in 9-13-02
2. Filippo Ganna (ITA) Ineos Grenadiers, at 7s
3. Jasper Philipsen (BEL) Alpecin Fenix, at 12s
4. Tom Dumoulin (NED) Jumbo-Visma, at 14s
5. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE-Team Emirates, at 18s
6. Joao Almeida (POR) UAE-Team Emirates, at 22s
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
Oppenheimer
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m; Winner: Rawat Al Reef, Adrie de Vries (jockey), Abdallah Al Hammadi (trainer)
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Noof KB, Richard Mullen, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: AF Seven Skies, Bernardo Pinheiro, Qaiss Aboud
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Jabalini, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7pm: UAE Arabian Derby – Prestige (PA) Dh150,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Dergham Athbah, Richard Mullen, Mohamed Daggash
7.30pm: Emirates Championship – Group 1 (PA) Dh1,000,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Somoud, Richard Mullen, Jean de Roualle
8pm: Abu Dhabi Championship – Group 3 (TB) Dh380,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Irish Freedom, Antonio Fresu, Satish Seemar
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Teachers' pay - what you need to know
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Nancy 9 (Hassa Beek)
Nancy Ajram
(In2Musica)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The years Ramadan fell in May
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Read more about the coronavirus
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
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.
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
Profile of Udrive
Date started: March 2016
Founder: Hasib Khan
Based: Dubai
Employees: 40
Amount raised (to date): $3.25m – $750,000 seed funding in 2017 and a Seed round of $2.5m last year. Raised $1.3m from Eureeca investors in January 2021 as part of a Series A round with a $5m target.
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Profile
Co-founders of the company: Vilhelm Hedberg and Ravi Bhusari
Launch year: In 2016 ekar launched and signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In January 2017 ekar launched in Dubai in a partnership with the RTA.
Number of employees: Over 50
Financing stage: Series B currently being finalised
Investors: Series A - Audacia Capital
Sector of operation: Transport
Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
