When Rashida Tlaib ran for her Congressional seat, she did so as a Muslim, an Arab and a Palestinian – a trifecta of identities that can individually elicit distrust, hostility and outright antagonism in the US. Her victory was all the more heartwarming because she did not play down those roots but actively campaigned on them.
Just weeks into taking up her new role, she is already turning those messages into meaningful action. Ms Tlaib will soon take a delegation of American politicians to the West Bank to counter the destructive narratives spread by the powerful Israeli lobby, which runs its own tours. "I want us to see that segregation and how it has really harmed us being able to achieve real peace in that region," she said. Her tour will include Beit Ur Al Foqa, her grandmother's village.
That could change the views of more disconnected American politicians, many of whom, sitting in Washington 6,000 miles away, carry preconceptions of Palestinians from what they have heard and read but are far removed the harsh realities of occupation. Politicians and members of the public alike could benefit from seeing the Palestinian territories for themselves to dismantle those misconceptions. Indeed, it might surprise visitors when they experience firsthand, as Ms Tlaib’s delegation undoubtedly will, the true, genuine warmth of Arab hospitality.
The congresswoman is also an advocate of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which calls for consumers to reject Israeli goods and international companies that support Israel. While parallels have been drawn with the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, some members of Congress tried – and failed - to criminalise supporting BDS last year. And when Airbnb banned homes in illegal settlements in the West Bank last month, US Vice President Mike Pence said BDS had "no place", showing just how firmly the mindset of the pro-Israeli lobby has been entrenched at the highest echelons of national politics.
At a moment of great division, when attacks on Muslims in the US have soared and the US president has imposed a ban on certain Muslim-majority countries, Ms Tlaib’s positive action should be welcomed for fostering dialogue and understanding.
The administration of Donald Trump has already made unprecedented concessions to Israel, moving its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and slashing vital aid to the Palestinians, despite claiming to be devising the ultimate peace plan. Meanwhile, Palestinians are forced to contend with the daily humiliation and brutality of occupation.
By exposing the fallacies of a narrative of Israeli moral authority, Ms Tlaib will not solve one of the world’s most intractable conflicts. But she might gently enlighten those with decision-making power and show them a different truth – one which Palestinians experience for themselves on a daily basis.
SPEC SHEET
Display: 6.8" edge quad-HD dynamic Amoled 2X, Infinity-O, 3088 x 1440, 500ppi, HDR10 , 120Hz
Processor: 4nm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1/Exynos 2200, 8-core
Memory: 8/12GB RAM
Storage: 128/256/512GB/1TB
Platform: Android 12
Main camera: quad 12MP ultra-wide f/2.2, 108MP wide f/1.8, 10MP telephoto f/4.9, 10MP telephoto 2.4; Space Zoom up to 100x, auto HDR, expert RAW
Video: 8K@24fps, 4K@60fps, full-HD@60fps, HD@30fps, super slo-mo@960fps
Front camera: 40MP f/2.2
Battery: 5000mAh, fast wireless charging 2.0 Wireless PowerShare
Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC
I/O: USB-C
SIM: single nano, or nano and SIM, nano and nano, eSIM/nano and nano
Colours: burgundy, green, phantom black, phantom white, graphite, sky blue, red
Price: Dh4,699 for 128GB, Dh5,099 for 256GB, Dh5,499 for 512GB; 1TB unavailable in the UAE
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
ITU Abu Dhabi World Triathlon
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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more from Janine di Giovanni
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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 currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The years Ramadan fell in May
More on Quran memorisation:
The biog
Favourite film: Motorcycle Dairies, Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday, Kagemusha
Favourite book: One Hundred Years of Solitude
Holiday destination: Sri Lanka
First car: VW Golf
Proudest achievement: Building Robotics Labs at Khalifa University and King’s College London, Daughters
Driverless cars or drones: Driverless Cars
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25%20Days%20to%20Aden
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
RESULTS
5pm: Watha Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 (Dirt) 2,000m
Winner: Dalil De Carrere, Bernardo Pinheiro (jockey), Mohamed Daggash (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 70,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Miracle Maker, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Pharitz Al Denari, Bernardo Pinheiro, Mahmood Hussain
6.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Oss, Jesus Rosales, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: ES Nahawand, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner: AF Almajhaz, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi, Khalifa Al Neyadi
8pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner: AF Lewaa, Bernardo Pinheiro, Qaiss Aboud.
The specs: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
Price, base: Dh1,731,672
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm
Torque: 720Nm @ 6,750rpm
Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km
