RAMALLAH // Perhaps the most puzzling thing about the rush to secure direct talks between Palestinians and Israelis is why anyone would think that it is a good idea at this time.
With the very survival of the two-state solution sought by the international community at stake, much rides on the next round of negotiations. And circumstances on both sides strongly mitigate against the chances of reaching a successful conclusion.
The Palestinians remain divided, both politically and geographically. Gaza's rulers Hamas vociferously oppose negotiations with Israel. Not only have such negotiations failed time and again, they should not be necessary in the first place, Hamas officials argue. Instead, the Islamist movement has offered Israel a generation-long truce should Israel, as stipulated by various UN resolutions, withdraw from all territory occupied in 1967 and grant Palestinian refugees the right of return.
In the West Bank, domain of the PLO - which long ago concluded that negotiating statehood with Israel over what remains of historical Palestine, namely East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, was the only viable way forward - there is also widespread scepticism that negotiations now can lead anywhere.
The PLO's official position is that there can be an end-to-conflict agreement should a Palestinian state be created on all of occupied territory and a "just" solution reached to the refugee issue. In practice, the PLO has in the past proven willing to agree to minor adjustments to the 1967 border, with some Israeli settlement blocks falling under Israeli sovereignty in return for "as good as and as much" territory on the other side of the armistice line.
As for refugees, the very core of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the PLO seems to have taken a nod-and-wink approach, quietly talking around an issue that in Israel is seen as a non-starter.
But the official PLO position is still a long way from any Israeli position. Israeli politicians from all major parties will not even begin to discuss refugees, consider all of Jerusalem the "eternal and indivisible" capital of Israel and want most, if not all, settlements to fall under Israeli sovereignty in any final agreement.
Opinions are more divided when it comes to control over borders, though all Israeli parties want some measure of control over the Jordan Valley, which separates the West Bank from Jordan. Similarly, all Israeli parties also consider water a security issue and insist on retaining control over water resources in the West Bank.
The current Israeli governing coalition, furthermore, is closely affiliated with the settler movement, rendering both its ability and willingness to manoeuvre on any settlement-related issues severely circumscribed.
Finally, the hard-line Jewish nationalists in the ruling coalition have also raised the status of Israel's own Palestinian citizens as one to be added to the list of negotiable issues. Some have proposed a population swap under any agreement in an effort to rid Israel of as many non-Jews as possible. That is a position that has been rejected as ethnic cleansing by the Palestinians, who may now also need to secure agreement to safeguard the future status of Israel's Palestinians.
In short, the outlook is far worse now than under the last round of negotiations, at Annapolis in 2007, when a nominally less hard-line Israeli government was in charge.
So why press for direct talks? There are certain time pressures at play.
At the end of September, Israel's temporary settlement construction slowdown in the West Bank is due to end. While the nature of a partial settlement construction freeze that does not include East Jerusalem is problematic to Palestinians, its continuation is fiercely opposed by a majority in the Israeli coalition.
International mediators will, rightly, conclude that without direct talks, the settlement slowdown will not be extended, thus pushing chances for resumed negotiations even further away.
Palestinians have also set a deadline of their own. The Palestinian Authority under Salam Fayyad has said that its state-building project will be complete by the middle of 2011, by which time it could unilaterally declare statehood. This would divide the international community and even the West, where some, notably Javier Solana, the former EU foreign policy chief, have suggested that the world recognise such a declaration.
Perhaps most significantly, however, are mid-term US congressional elections. To the surprise of many, who perhaps thought Washington would have more pressing priorities in Iraq, Afghanistan and with the financial crisis, the Obama administration has taken a special interest in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, correctly fingering it as the source of so much regional anti-US sentiment and an obstacle to America's strategic interests.
But there has been little progress so far. The White House had to back down over a complete settlement construction freeze and has seen proximity talks founder. A transition to direct talks would thus be a small victory for the US administration's Middle East policy.
At what cost, though? Failed negotiations could well see the end of Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, who has already intimated his intention to quit. This would usher in an uncertain search for a successor. It might lead to an end to the PA, which would struggle to explain its raison d'être.
And chances of success hinge, as they always have done, on the ability and willingness in Washington to apply serious and sustained pressure on Israel. Israel, as the vastly stronger party to the conflict, is unlikely to take the necessary and unpopular steps to secure a viable solution, should it not be so compelled. But that willingness is not yet in evidence in Washington.
@Email:okarmi@thenational.ae
Essentials
The flights
Whether you trek after mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo, the most convenient international airport is in Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. There are direct flights from Dubai a couple of days a week with RwandAir. Otherwise, an indirect route is available via Nairobi with Kenya Airways. Flydubai flies to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, via Entebbe in Uganda. Expect to pay from US$350 (Dh1,286) return, including taxes.
The tours
Superb ape-watching tours that take in all three gorilla countries mentioned above are run by Natural World Safaris. In September, the company will be operating a unique Ugandan ape safari guided by well-known primatologist Ben Garrod.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, local operator Kivu Travel can organise pretty much any kind of safari throughout the Virunga National Park and elsewhere in eastern Congo.
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre turbo 4-cyl
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Power: 190bhp
Torque: 300Nm
Price: Dh169,900
On sale: now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Seemar’s top six for the Dubai World Cup Carnival:
1. Reynaldothewizard
2. North America
3. Raven’s Corner
4. Hawkesbury
5. New Maharajah
6. Secret Ambition
Innotech Profile
Date started: 2013
Founder/CEO: Othman Al Mandhari
Based: Muscat, Oman
Sector: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing technologies
Size: 15 full-time employees
Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing
Investors: Oman Technology Fund from 2017 to 2019, exited through an agreement with a new investor to secure new funding that it under negotiation right now.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
THE BIG THREE
NOVAK DJOKOVIC
19 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 5 (2011, 14, 15, 18, 19)
French Open: 2 (2016, 21)
US Open: 3 (2011, 15, 18)
Australian Open: 9 (2008, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21)
Prize money: $150m
ROGER FEDERER
20 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 8 (2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 12, 17)
French Open: 1 (2009)
US Open: 5 (2004, 05, 06, 07, 08)
Australian Open: 6 (2004, 06, 07, 10, 17, 18)
Prize money: $130m
RAFAEL NADAL
20 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 2 (2008, 10)
French Open: 13 (2005, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)
US Open: 4 (2010, 13, 17, 19)
Australian Open: 1 (2009)
Prize money: $125m
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Fixture and table
UAE finals day: Friday, April 13 at Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
- 3pm, UAE Conference: Dubai Tigers v Sharjah Wanderers
- 6.30pm, UAE Premiership: Dubai Exiles v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Premiership – final standings
- Dubai Exiles
- Abu Dhabi Harlequins
- Jebel Ali Dragons
- Dubai Hurricanes
- Dubai Sports City Eagles
- Abu Dhabi Saracens
About Tenderd
Started: May 2018
Founder: Arjun Mohan
Based: Dubai
Size: 23 employees
Funding: Raised $5.8m in a seed fund round in December 2018. Backers include Y Combinator, Beco Capital, Venturesouq, Paul Graham, Peter Thiel, Paul Buchheit, Justin Mateen, Matt Mickiewicz, SOMA, Dynamo and Global Founders Capital
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
'HIJRAH%3A%20IN%20THE%20FOOTSTEPS%20OF%20THE%20PROPHET'
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEdited%20by%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Idries%20Trevathan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPages%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20240%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hirmer%20Publishers%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EAvailable%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Jawab Iteiqal
Director: Mohamed Sammy
Starring: Mohamed Ramadan, Ayad Nasaar, Mohamed Adel and Sabry Fawaz
2 stars
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Biog
Age: 50
Known as the UAE’s strongest man
Favourite dish: “Everything and sea food”
Hobbies: Drawing, basketball and poetry
Favourite car: Any classic car
Favourite superhero: The Hulk original
Fixtures
Tuesday - 5.15pm: Team Lebanon v Alger Corsaires; 8.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Pharaohs
Wednesday - 5.15pm: Pharaohs v Carthage Eagles; 8.30pm: Alger Corsaires v Abu Dhabi Storms
Thursday - 4.30pm: Team Lebanon v Pharaohs; 7.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Carthage Eagles
Friday - 4.30pm: Pharaohs v Alger Corsaires; 7.30pm: Carthage Eagles v Team Lebanon
Saturday - 4.30pm: Carthage Eagles v Alger Corsaires; 7.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Team Lebanon
