The Partition Plan for Palestine, known officially as Resolution 181, was one of the earliest acts of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), passed in 1947. The Assembly was very different then, with just 57 members, compared to 193 today. The plan, however, which recommended the creation of two states – one Arab, one Jewish – to replace British Mandate Palestine, was similar in many respects to what advocates of peace in that territory now call for today. It was, in fact, the first formal attempt at consensus-building around a two-state solution on the global stage.
It never came to pass. Instead, a war to establish the State of Israel drove out tens of thousands of Palestinians, drew failed interventions from neighbouring Arab states and set the stage for a campaign of Israeli expansionism that has continued largely unabated ever since.
Seventy-eight years later, Palestine’s sovereignty, alongside Israel’s, is featuring heavily at UNGA again, as several major western countries plan to use the forum to officially recognise Palestinian statehood. France was among the first to announce its intention to do so, earlier in the year. On Sunday, Canada became the first G7 nation to recognise a Palestinian state, followed almost immediately by both Australia and the UK. In a joint statement, the Australian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister said the move was part of a “co-ordinated effort” with Canada and the UK, and followed “direct undertakings” from Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, to hold elections and carry out other governance reforms.
It puts much-needed wind in the sails of the two-state solution, which lately has felt even to many of its supporters to be dead in the water. Israel militarily occupies the bulk of the two territories intended to constitute a Palestinian state. In the West Bank, it allows – and often facilitates – illegal Jewish settlements. In Gaza, it is nearly two years into a war many international experts warn is likely to be a genocide.
The political appetite in Israel for enabling Palestinian statehood is virtually non-existent. The two-state solution is much more widely supported among Palestinians, but that matters little without Israeli buy-in.
The sudden push for recognition among major western powers – with important hold-outs, like the US and Germany – is the result of their horror at the string of atrocities Israel has visited upon Gaza. It is unlikely to have come about without the dual efforts of Saudi Arabia and France, who held a joint conference to try to revive the two-state solution in July.
The political appetite in Israel for enabling Palestinian statehood is virtually non-existent
Despite the significant weight these two countries throw behind the cause, the remaining challenges are immense and indeed seem to be growing. Washington often acts as a diplomatic obstacle to Palestinian sovereignty. At times it actively undermines it. The US State Department has, in a rejection of long-standing convention, denied the necessary visas for Mr Abbas and his team to attend this year’s UNGA. It has also put sanctions on officials from the International Criminal Court for investigating Israel’s alleged crimes. And Israel, emboldened by American support, has approved new settlements in the West Bank. In Gaza, it has not winded down but rather doubled down – having recently launched an operation to occupy the territory’s largest city for the long term.
On Friday, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged countries who want to recognise Palestine not to “feel intimidated by the risk of retaliation”. It was a shocking indication of how fraught the atmosphere is. But Mr Guterres is right; whatever the risk countries face for taking a stand, the risk endured every day by Palestinians under Israeli encroachment and bombardment is greater. The longer it takes for the world to recognise a Palestinian state, the less recognisable Palestine itself is set to become.
Leaders arrive ahead of UNGA's General Debate - in pictures
UAE SQUAD
Khalid Essa, Ali Khaseif, Fahad Al Dhanhani, Adel Al Hosani, Bandar Al Ahbabi, Mohammad Barghash, Salem Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Shaheen Abdulrahman, Hassan Al Mahrami, Walid Abbas, Mahmoud Khamis, Yousef Jaber, Majed Sorour, Majed Hassan, Ali Salmeen, Abdullah Ramadan, Abdullah Al Naqbi, Khalil Al Hammadi, Fabio De Lima, Khalfan Mubarak, Tahnoon Al Zaabi, Ali Saleh, Caio Canedo, Ali Mabkhout, Sebastian Tagliabue, Zayed Al Ameri
Dubai World Cup Carnival card
6.30pm: UAE 1000 Guineas Trial Conditions (TB) US$100,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
7.05pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (Turf) 1,000m
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,900m
8.15pm: Meydan Challenge Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 1,400m
8.50pm: Dubai Stakes Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,200m
9.25pm: Dubai Racing Club Classic Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,410m
The National selections
6.30pm: Final Song
7.05pm: Pocket Dynamo
7.40pm: Dubai Icon
8.15pm: Dubai Legacy
8.50pm: Drafted
9.25pm: Lucius Tiberius
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 4 liquid-cooled permanent magnet synchronous electric motors placed at each wheel
Battery: Rimac 120kWh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) chemistry
Power: 1877bhp
Torque: 2300Nm
Price: Dh7,500,00
On sale: Now
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.
Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.
Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.
Brief scoreline:
Crystal Palace 2
Milivojevic 76' (pen), Van Aanholt 88'
Huddersfield Town 0
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
UAE%20ILT20
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Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
Surianah's top five jazz artists
Billie Holliday: for the burn and also the way she told stories.
Thelonius Monk: for his earnestness.
Duke Ellington: for his edge and spirituality.
Louis Armstrong: his legacy is undeniable. He is considered as one of the most revolutionary and influential musicians.
Terence Blanchard: very political - a lot of jazz musicians are making protest music right now.
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
FA Cup semi-finals
Saturday: Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur, 8.15pm (UAE)
Sunday: Chelsea v Southampton, 6pm (UAE)
Matches on Bein Sports
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
The specs: 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor
Price, base / as tested Dh220,000 / Dh320,000
Engine 3.5L V6
Transmission 10-speed automatic
Power 421hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 678Nm @ 3,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 14.1L / 100km
Turkish Ladies
Various artists, Sony Music Turkey
