US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday called on all parties to ease tension in Jerusalem and urged practical steps towards that end.
“We are very focused on the situation in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza," Mr Blinken said before his meeting with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Al Safadi.
"We are very deeply concerned about the rocket attacks that we are seeing now that need to stop and need to stop immediately."
He said Israel had the right to defend itself against rocket attacks and repeated US concerns about "provocative actions" near the Haram Al Sharif, one of Islam's holiest sites.
“All sides need to de-escalate, reduce tension and take practical steps to calm things down,” Mr Blinken said.
He said delaying the decision on the evictions of Palestinian families in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood and rerouting the Jerusalem Day parade were appreciated by Washington, but more needed to be done.
Mr Al Safadi, whose country is custodian of Haram Al Sharif, said: “Jerusalem is a red line and maintaining peace and stability is key.”
He also called for de-escalation and said “all illegal and provocative measures against the [people] of Sheikh Jarrah or in terms of violations into [Haram Al Sharif] must stop".
“The status quo must be preserved and the rights of Palestinians need to be respected,” Mr Al Safadi said.
He also met US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Monday.
“Mr Sullivan recognized the special role Jordan plays in overseeing holy shrines in Jerusalem and thanked Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Safadi for the Kingdom’s efforts with Palestinian and Israeli authorities to bring about calm in the final days of the Holy Month of Ramadan,” a statement by the White House read.
On Sunday, Mr Sullivan spoke with Israeli security chief Meir Ben-Shabbat and expressed “serious concerns about the potential evictions of Palestinian families from their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood".
Under popular and external pressure, Israel’s Supreme Court delayed on Sunday a decision to expel six Palestinian families from the neighbourhood.
On Monday, State Department spokesman Ned Price said the Biden administration was very "extremely concerned" about the use of rubber bullets inside Al Aqsa Mosque, in Haram Al Sharif, by Israeli police.
“This has been ongoing for days and we have seen tensions escalate,” Mr Price said.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki called the situation “unacceptable".
Some Republican leaders have voiced their support for Israel's right to "self-defence".
The situation continued to intensify on Monday when Hamas fired about 100 rockets into Israel, Israeli media reported.
Israel retaliated with air strikes in Gaza that killed 20 Palestinians, the Gazan Health Ministry said.
Hundreds have been wounded in clashes in Jerusalem since Friday, the Palestinian Red Crescent said.
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.
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
500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
25 Evacuation of injured and sick
BMW%20M4%20Competition
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKinetic%207%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202018%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Rick%20Parish%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Clean%20cooking%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Self-funded%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THREE
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Abu Dhabi traffic facts
Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road
The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.
Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.
The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.
The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.
Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019
Super 30
Produced: Sajid Nadiadwala and Phantom Productions
Directed: Vikas Bahl
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Pankaj Tripathi, Aditya Srivastav, Mrinal Thakur
Rating: 3.5 /5
The specs: McLaren 600LT
Price, base: Dh914,000
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 600hp @ 7,500rpm
Torque: 620Nm @ 5,500rpm
Fuel economy 12.2.L / 100km
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
