JERUSALEM // Israel yesterday refused to halt a settlement project in East Jerusalem, rejecting US pressure to include such construction in the eastern part of the city as part of a general freeze on settlement building in occupied territory.
Washington's public challenge to Israel on settlement construction in East Jerusalem has set the two sides firmly at opposite poles, and analysts describe the issue as a crucial test of the Obama administration's intentions vis-à-vis the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
The US state department took the unusual step over the weekend of summoning Michael Oren, the Israeli ambassador to the US, to tell him that Washington does not want the housing project - 20 units in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood being developed by American Jewish millionaire Irving Moskowitz - to go ahead.
Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, yesterday rejected the American request out of hand, saying Israeli rule over East Jerusalem was not negotiable.
"We cannot accept the idea that Jews will not have the right to live and buy anywhere in Jerusalem," Mr Netanyahu said, referring to the city as the "united capital" of Israel.
Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, dismissed Mr Netanyahu's comments and said the Israeli prime minister understands that a peace agreement is only possible with East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine, and that settlements and negotiations "cannot go together".
Israel annexed the eastern part of Jerusalem after capturing it in the 1967 war. The annexation has not been recognised internationally and Israel's claim to sovereignty over all of Jerusalem violates international law, which forbids states from acquiring territory in war.
The idea of a unified Jerusalem has broad popular appeal in Israel, and there is cross-party consensus on maintaining Israeli sovereignty over the entire city, making the issue one of the thorniest in peace negotiations with the Palestinians, who see East Jerusalem as part of the occupied West Bank and the future capital of any Palestinian state.
The US has traditionally toed the international line on Jerusalem by not recognising Israel's annexation. At the same time, Washington has turned a blind eye to Israeli settlement building in East Jerusalem, some of which, like the Sheikh Jarrah project now in question, is financed by US investors.
In fact, the US Congress, in which there is overwhelming bipartisan support for Israel including for its claim to an undivided Jerusalem, has for years tried to pressure successive administrations to move the US Embassy in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Such a move would clearly signal US acceptance of Israel's claim to sovereignty over the whole city, and every year presidents have to sign a waiver postponing any decision on the embassy move.
Thus, the latest move by the Obama administration seems to signal an abrupt departure from Washington's normally hands-off approach to East Jerusalem. As such, say analysts, it is a significant development.
"This is the first time in 20 years that we have a US administration willing to go public with its disputes with Israel," said George Giacaman, a Palestinian commentator, who teaches at Birzeit University in Ramallah.
The question, said Mr Giacaman, given the Israeli government's vehement rejection of ending its settlement construction in East Jerusalem, is how far Washington is prepared to go to pressure Israel.
"It is an important test for the Obama administration, to see if it can bring about enough pressure to stop settlement building in East Jerusalem. I think the US will have to take some concrete action, and the extreme right-wing Israeli coalition will find it very hard to yield to any pressure on Jerusalem," he added.
Mr Giacaman suggested that there is a "wide range" of areas the US could look at to put pressure on Israel, from refraining from vetoing UN Security Council resolutions on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict to downgrading some aspects of US-Israel relations.
The mere fact, however, that the Obama administration was willing to publicly challenge Israel on settlement building in Jerusalem suggested that the US had already prepared further steps to pressure Israel, said Hillel Schenker, an Israeli journalist.
"I believe that the US is going to make a very serious effort to move this process forward," said Mr Schenker, referring to Palestinian-Israeli negotiations. In order to do that, he said, the US and the international community would have to be "forceful" with Israel and he expected that other international actors would now feel more "assertive" in light of the US position.
"I think this administration is resolved to pursue a very different approach [than] former administrations and I think it has a level of determination and sophistication that we haven't seen before in dealing with domestic opposition from Congress and pro-Israel groups in the US," Mr Schenker said.
By taking the public step of summoning the Israeli ambassador, the US administration would have been aware of the kind of opposition it would likely meet, both in Israel and domestically. This may signal that the White House is confident it can successfully pressure Israel on the issue of settlements, which also divides American supporters of Israel, and may expect the Israeli ruling coalition to either yield to US pressure or break apart.
One potential problem for the US strategy is that Israel's biggest party, Kadima, which leads the Israeli opposition and which might step into a new governing coalition should the current one fall, is also opposed to linking the issue of East Jerusalem with occupied territory in general and would therefore also likely resist any attempt to halt settlement construction there.
Certainly Ehud Olmert, the former head of Kadima, was particularly active in sanctioning settlement construction in East Jerusalem, both in his tenure as prime minister and when he was mayor of Jerusalem.
Another problem is that with Israel firmly opposed to halting its settlement construction in East Jerusalem, Washington's latest effort may only have the effect of instead spurring further construction as an act of defiance, thus forcing Washington to show its hand.
Should the Obama administration consider taking any practical steps to increase its pressure on Israel, it will be headed for a serious confrontation not only with Israel, but with the US Congress and the powerful and vocal pro-Israel lobbying groups in Washington.
okarmi@thenational.ae
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
Company%20profile
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The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Gulf Under 19s
Pools
A – Dubai College, Deira International School, Al Ain Amblers, Warriors
B – Dubai English Speaking College, Repton Royals, Jumeirah College, Gems World Academy
C – British School Al Khubairat, Abu Dhabi Harlequins, Dubai Hurricanes, Al Yasmina Academy
D – Dubai Exiles, Jumeirah English Speaking School, English College, Bahrain Colts
Recent winners
2018 – Dubai College
2017 – British School Al Khubairat
2016 – Dubai English Speaking School
2015 – Al Ain Amblers
2014 – Dubai College
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
The%20specs
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Afro%20salons
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About Housecall
Date started: July 2020
Founders: Omar and Humaid Alzaabi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech
# of staff: 10
Funding to date: Self-funded
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
SPECS
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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry
Price: base / as tested: Dh91,000 / Dh114,000
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 356Nm @ 4,700rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
How it works
Each player begins with one of the great empires of history, from Julius Caesar's Rome to Ramses of Egypt, spread over Europe and the Middle East.
Round by round, the player expands their empire. The more land they have, the more money they can take from their coffers for each go.
As unruled land and soldiers are acquired, players must feed them. When a player comes up against land held by another army, they can choose to battle for supremacy.
A dice-based battle system is used and players can get the edge on their enemy with by deploying a renowned hero on the battlefield.
Players that lose battles and land will find their coffers dwindle and troops go hungry. The end goal? Global domination of course.
