If US President Donald Trump really wants to earn a Nobel Peace Prize, he’s going to need to do better than his 20-point “Comprehensive Plan to End Gaza’s Conflict”.
While in his characteristic style of exaggeration, Mr Trump called the release of his plan “one of the greatest days in human history”, poring over Arab, Israeli and US press reveals that most analysts are not inclined to see it that way.
After reading commentaries by writers across the board, it is most striking how widely divergent their views are towards Mr Trump’s effort. While a few in all three regions express hope that the plan represents a pathway to peace, there’s a significant group of Israelis, Arabs and Americans who see it as flawed, albeit for different reasons.
Israeli hardliners, for example, suggest that if Mr Trump’s 20-point plan were implemented, it will inevitably lead to the creation of a Palestinian state that will pose a mortal threat to Israel’s security. Meanwhile, a sizable body of Arabs express the concern that, if followed, Mr Trump’s plan will make Israel’s occupation permanent, resulting in the dissolution of the Palestinian cause. In fact, the only issues on which there is agreement are that the plan would stop the further devastation in Gaza and allow for the return of Israeli hostages and some Palestinian prisoners.
The reasons behind this wide range of interpretations about the plan’s intentions are many: the Arabs’ well-earned lack of trust in both Mr Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu; the belief of hardline ideological Israelis that Mr Netanyahu will do whatever it takes to remain Prime Minister; the deliberate vagueness of most of the plan’s key points; and, especially galling for Palestinians, the fact that they were handed the plan as a fait accompli without having been asked to provide input and told to accept it or, as Mr Trump put it, “all HELL, like no one has ever seen before, will break out against Hamas”.
Of all of these factors, it’s the vagueness that is problematic for all sides. Israeli hardliners, for example, fret over the mention of an Israeli withdrawal, the presence of Arab peacekeepers, Palestinian police and the possible return of the Palestinian Authority (which, in their minds, means a link between the West Bank and Gaza leading to a Palestinian state).
Palestinians, on the other hand, reading the document closely, see that none of these provisions are guaranteed. And while there is mention of a phased Israeli withdrawal, the plan provides for Israeli forces to remain in a security perimeter inside Gaza. For Palestinians, this means a continuation of the two-decades-long stranglehold Israel has had over all access into and egress from Gaza. They see this plan as too focused on Israeli security, with little regard for justice and Palestinian security.
Another glaring problem is the lack of definition of terms and an enforcement mechanism that will ensure that the terms of the plan are implemented.
What, for example, is the definition of the “technocratic apolitical Palestinian committee” that is to be created to run day-to-day operations in Gaza? Will its members be vetted by the Trump-led board? Will the Israelis be able to veto members? Without any clarity on these points, will this committee be viewed as having legitimacy by Palestinians?
And finally, without a defined neutral mechanism for enforcement, will the US allow Israel to act in Gaza as they have with regard to the ceasefires in Lebanon and Syria – where they act as the sole arbiter and enforcer of the agreements? (Their interpretation of ceasefire appears to be “you cease, while we continue to fire”.)
The plan mentions an economic development plan to attract foreign investment that is to be designed by experts who have helped “birth some of the thriving modern miracle cities in the Middle East” and a special economic zone with preferred tariffs. But one is hard-pressed to understand the relevance of all of this to the plight and immediate needs of Palestinians, which must take precedence over fantasy cities of the future.
One glaring problem is the lack of definition of terms and an enforcement mechanism
There is some detail provided with regard to Hamas members’ decommissioning their weapons, pledging to commit to peaceful co-existence and the formation of an International Stabilisation Force in Gaza. But it’s not clear how this will be administered. And while our polls make clear that Palestinians in Gaza have had enough of this war and Hamas, they also express the desire to be governed by a national unity coalition of Palestinians, and they want accountability for the crimes committed by the Israeli forces.
The bottom line is that far from being “one of the great days in human history”, the Trump plan is just a start. It may eventually end the bombing and return those held captive, but in order to lead to peace, there must be a great deal more discussion that adds flesh to the bones of the plan. That will require openness and trust on all sides. That said, the following are essential.
First, Hamas should not be the arbiter of the Palestinian future. Too many lives have been lost and many more shattered. The fighting must end. Second, Arab and other nations must insist that Israelis be held accountable for the crimes they have committed. They can’t be brushed aside. Third, with a ceasefire agreed to by all sides, the huge influx of aid and support that Palestinians will require should commence.
Fourth, working from the outline provided by the Trump plan, negotiations should begin, with serious Palestinian input at all levels to flesh out the details that can resolve unanswered questions. Fifth, if the US President wants to earn his place in history, he must be willing to crack the whip requiring Israel to adhere to whatever terms are established.
And finally, for this to be prize-worthy, the whip-cracking must also be applied to the West Bank and East Jerusalem – and not only with regard to annexation. If peace is to be achieved, settlement expansion, land confiscation, home demolitions, raids and rampages by settlers must end. These behaviours have weakened the credibility of the PA, won greater support for Hamas and prepared the ground for even greater conflict.
The Trump plan, with its focus on Israel’s security and vague assurances to Palestinians, succeeded in getting Mr Netanyahu and Hamas on board, each side with their own reservations. If it is to lead to peace, there is hard work ahead.
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
Fight card
- Aliu Bamidele Lasisi (Nigeria) beat Artid Vamrungauea (Thailand) POINTS
- Julaidah Abdulfatah (Saudi Arabia) beat Martin Kabrhel (Czech Rep) POINTS
- Kem Ljungquist (Denmark) beat Mourad Omar (Egypt) TKO
- Michael Lawal (UK) beat Tamas Kozma (Hungary) KO
- Zuhayr Al Qahtani (Saudi Arabia) beat Mohammed Mahmoud (UK) POINTS
- Darren Surtees (UK) beat Kane Baker (UK) KO
- Chris Eubank Jr (UK) beat JJ McDonagh (Ireland) TKO
- Callum Smith (UK) beat George Groves (UK) KO
HOSTS
T20 WORLD CUP
2024: US and West Indies; 2026: India and Sri Lanka; 2028: Australia and New Zealand; 2030: England, Ireland and Scotland
ODI WORLD CUP
2027: South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia; 2031: India and
Bangladesh
CHAMPIONS TROPHY
2025: Pakistan; 2029: India
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Profile Box
Company/date started: 2015
Founder/CEO: Mohammed Toraif
Based: Manama, Bahrain
Sector: Sales, Technology, Conservation
Size: (employees/revenue) 4/ 5,000 downloads
Stage: 1 ($100,000)
Investors: Two first-round investors including, 500 Startups, Fawaz Al Gosaibi Holding (Saudi Arabia)
How to become a Boglehead
Bogleheads follow simple investing philosophies to build their wealth and live better lives. Just follow these steps.
• Spend less than you earn and save the rest. You can do this by earning more, or being frugal. Better still, do both.
• Invest early, invest often. It takes time to grow your wealth on the stock market. The sooner you begin, the better.
• Choose the right level of risk. Don't gamble by investing in get-rich-quick schemes or high-risk plays. Don't play it too safe, either, by leaving long-term savings in cash.
• Diversify. Do not keep all your eggs in one basket. Spread your money between different companies, sectors, markets and asset classes such as bonds and property.
• Keep charges low. The biggest drag on investment performance is all the charges you pay to advisers and active fund managers.
• Keep it simple. Complexity is your enemy. You can build a balanced, diversified portfolio with just a handful of ETFs.
• Forget timing the market. Nobody knows where share prices will go next, so don't try to second-guess them.
• Stick with it. Do not sell up in a market crash. Use the opportunity to invest more at the lower price.
CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Enterprise-grade%20security%20and%20privacy%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Unlimited%20higher-speed%20GPT-4%20access%20with%20no%20caps%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Longer%20context%20windows%20for%20processing%20longer%20inputs%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Advanced%20data%20analysis%20capabilities%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Customisation%20options%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Shareable%20chat%20templates%20that%20companies%20can%20use%20to%20collaborate%20and%20build%20common%20workflows%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Analytics%20dashboard%20for%20usage%20insights%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Free%20credits%20to%20use%20OpenAI%20APIs%20to%20extend%20OpenAI%20into%20a%20fully-custom%20solution%20for%20enterprises%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ADCC AFC Women’s Champions League Group A fixtures
October 3: v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC
October 6: v Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC
October 9: v Sabah FA
more from Janine di Giovanni
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
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'Manmarziyaan' (Colour Yellow Productions, Phantom Films)
Director: Anurag Kashyap
Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal
Rating: 3.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Results
United States beat UAE by three wickets
United States beat Scotland by 35 runs
UAE v Scotland – no result
United States beat UAE by 98 runs
Scotland beat United States by four wickets
Fixtures
Sunday, 10am, ICC Academy, Dubai - UAE v Scotland
Admission is free
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Recipe
Garlicky shrimp in olive oil
Gambas Al Ajillo
Preparation time: 5 to 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
180ml extra virgin olive oil; 4 to 5 large cloves of garlic, minced or pureed (or 3 to 4 garlic scapes, roughly chopped); 1 or 2 small hot red chillies, dried (or ¼ teaspoon dried red chilli flakes); 400g raw prawns, deveined, heads removed and tails left intact; a generous splash of sweet chilli vinegar; sea salt flakes for seasoning; a small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Method
▶ Heat the oil in a terracotta dish or frying pan. Once the oil is sizzling hot, add the garlic and chilli, stirring continuously for about 10 seconds until golden and aromatic.
▶ Add a splash of sweet chilli vinegar and as it vigorously simmers, releasing perfumed aromas, add the prawns and cook, stirring a few times.
▶ Once the prawns turn pink, after 1 or 2 minutes of cooking, remove from the heat and season with sea salt flakes.
▶ Once the prawns are cool enough to eat, scatter with parsley and serve with small forks or toothpicks as the perfect sharing starter. Finish off with crusty bread to soak up all that flavour-infused olive oil.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 268hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 380Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: CVT auto
Fuel consumption: 9.5L/100km
On sale: now
Price: from Dh195,000
World Cup final
Who: France v Croatia
When: Sunday, July 15, 7pm (UAE)
TV: Game will be shown live on BeIN Sports for viewers in the Mena region
Superliminal%20
%3Cp%3EDeveloper%3A%20Pillow%20Castle%20Games%0D%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20Pillow%20Castle%20Games%0D%3Cbr%3EConsole%3A%20PlayStation%204%26amp%3B5%2C%20Xbox%20Series%20One%20%26amp%3B%20X%2FS%2C%20Nintendo%20Switch%2C%20PC%20and%20Mac%0D%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Small%20Things%20Like%20These
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Tim%20Mielants%3Cbr%3ECast%3A%20Cillian%20Murphy%2C%20Emily%20Watson%2C%20Eileen%20Walsh%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder
Transmission: CVT auto
Power: 181bhp
Torque: 244Nm
Price: Dh122,900
