Marine Gen Frank McKenzie, US Central Command for the Middle East, watches flight operations on board the USS Harry S Truman in the North Arabian Sea. AP Photo
Marine Gen Frank McKenzie, US Central Command for the Middle East, watches flight operations on board the USS Harry S Truman in the North Arabian Sea. AP Photo
Marine Gen Frank McKenzie, US Central Command for the Middle East, watches flight operations on board the USS Harry S Truman in the North Arabian Sea. AP Photo
Marine Gen Frank McKenzie, US Central Command for the Middle East, watches flight operations on board the USS Harry S Truman in the North Arabian Sea. AP Photo

Pentagon includes Israel in Middle East command area

Decision follows normalisation agreements between Israel and Arab states in recent months

AFP

January 16, 2021

  • English
  • Arabic

The US Defence Department announced on Friday that it would include close ally Israel in the area covered by its Middle East-focused Central Command.

In another sign of the rapprochement brokered by President Donald Trump between Israel and Arab countries, the Pentagon said US military dealings with Israel would no longer be handled by its European Command.

"We structure boundaries to best mitigate risk and protect US interests and partners," the Pentagon said in a statement.

"The easing of tensions between Israel and its Arab neighbours subsequent to the Abraham Accords has provided a strategic opportunity for the United States to align key partners against shared threats in the Middle East."

That was mainly a reference to Iran, which the US, Israel and Arab countries view as the leading security threat to the region.

For decades at odds with its Arab neighbours over its treatment of Palestinians, Israel has over the past year broken barriers on open co-operation and communications with Gulf countries under the Trump-fostered Abraham Accords.

Moving Israel under the Central Command potentially makes security co-operation with the United States on regional matters easier, and could bring Israeli military officials in closer proximity to those of Gulf neighbours.

But it could also complicate Centcom co-operation with Iran allies like Iraq, where the US retains 2,500 troops.

"Israel is a leading strategic partner for the United States, and this will open up additional opportunities for co-operation with our US Central Command partners, while maintaining strong co-operation between Israel and our European allies," the Pentagon said.

THE SPECS

Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine 

Power: 420kW

Torque: 780Nm

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Price: From Dh1,350,000

On sale: Available for preorder now

Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
WRESTLING HIGHLIGHTS
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
While you're here
Specs

Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request

Specs

Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric

Range: Up to 610km

Power: 905hp

Torque: 985Nm

Price: From Dh439,000

Available: Now

Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Our commentary on Brexit
The five pillars of Islam
While you're here
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Saudi National Day
Tomorrow 2021
More from this story
Whiile you're here
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
While you're here
While you're here
Read more about the coronavirus
On Women's Day
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES

Friday (UAE kick-off times)

Cologne v Hoffenheim (11.30pm)

Saturday

Hertha Berlin v RB Leipzig (6.30pm)

Schalke v Fortuna Dusseldof (6.30pm)

Mainz v Union Berlin (6.30pm)

Paderborn v Augsburg (6.30pm)

Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortmund (9.30pm)

Sunday

Borussia Monchengladbach v Werder Bremen (4.30pm)

Wolfsburg v Bayer Leverkusen (6.30pm)

SC Freiburg v Eintracht Frankfurt (9on)

Zayed Sustainability Prize
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Towering concerns
Transgender report
Kareem Shaheen on Canada
More from this package
More on this story
The specs

Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors

Power: Combined output 920hp

Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic

Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km

On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025

Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000

World Mental Health Day
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Tomorrow 2021
BMW M5 specs

Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh650,000

While you're here
War and the virus
War on waste
While you're here
The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

E-cigarette report
More on Quran memorisation:
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA

Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi

Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser

Rating: 4.5/5

Specs

Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

Price: From Dh98,800

Available: Now

Plastic tipping points
Pandemic Parenting
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
World Mental Health Day
While you're here
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
While you're here
More on animal trafficking
EPL's youngest
  • Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
    15 years, 181 days old
  • Max Dowman (Arsenal)
    15 years, 235 days old
  • Jeremy Monga (Leicester)
    15 years, 271 days old
  • Harvey Elliott (Fulham)
    16 years, 30 days old
  • Matthew Briggs (Fulham)
    16 years, 68 days old
Tomorrow 2021
The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

While you're here
How to donate

Text the following numbers:

2289 - Dh10

6025 - Dh 20

2252 - Dh 50

2208 - Dh 100

6020 - Dh 200 

*numbers work for both Etisalat and du

While you're here
On Women's Day
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

School uniforms report
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Company%C2%A0profile
%3Cp%3ECompany%3A%20Zywa%3Cbr%3EStarted%3A%202021%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Nuha%20Hashem%20and%20Alok%20Kumar%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20UAE%3Cbr%3EIndustry%3A%20FinTech%3Cbr%3EFunding%20size%3A%20%243m%3Cbr%3ECompany%20valuation%3A%20%2430m%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
On Women's Day
Results

5.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Turf) 1,600m; Winner: Al Battar, Mickael Barzalona (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer).

6.05pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,200m; Winner: Good Fighter, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.

6.40pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Way Of Wisdom, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.

7.15pm: Handicap Dh170,000 (D) 2,200m; Winner: Immortalised, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.

7.50pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (T) 2,000m; Winner: Franz Kafka, James Doyle, Simon Crisford.

8.25pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Mayadeen, Connor Beasley, Doug Watson.

9pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Chiefdom, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer

While you're here
More on Quran memorisation:
MATCH INFO

Uefa Champioons League semi-final:

First leg: Liverpool 5 Roma 2

Second leg: Wednesday, May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome

TV: BeIN Sports, 10.45pm (UAE)

While you're here
More on Afghanistan
The BIO:

He became the first Emirati to climb Mount Everest in 2011, from the south section in Nepal

He ascended Mount Everest the next year from the more treacherous north Tibetan side

By 2015, he had completed the Explorers Grand Slam

Last year, he conquered K2, the world’s second-highest mountain located on the Pakistan-Chinese border

He carries dried camel meat, dried dates and a wheat mixture for the final summit push

His new goal is to climb 14 peaks that are more than 8,000 metres above sea level

Main report
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Towering concerns
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets