An enduring solution is needed for the Israel-Gaza conflict so that “innocent Palestinians don't have to die in such horrific circumstances”, Britain’s former chancellor has told The National.
Nadhim Zahawi, 56, has called on Israel and the Palestine Authority to find a viable two-state solution. “Sometimes, out of these horrible, tragic set of circumstances, there has to be a ray of light that we try and coalesce around and I know many leaders in the region feel the same way. Is there a way we can we can find some good to come out of such evil?
“We can come together and find a sustainable long-term settlement, where innocent Palestinians don't have to die in such horrific circumstances, and Israel feels secure and safe enough to be able to support a sustainable two-state solution,” he told The National.
He said the only way to prevent further loss of life was “getting Israel and the Palestinian Authority around the table to try and work out an agenda” that would lead to an internationally acceptable form of government in Gaza.
Mr Zahawi, who was born in Iraq, said UK political leaders and diplomats must “strain every sinew to try and get us to that place” as the only way forward was for regional leaders to come together.
Referencing the 1,400 people being killed in Israel, he said that the “only good to come out of this evil” would be to find a peaceful outcome. About 3,500 Palestinians have been killed, with 12,000 injured since the war began.
“We've got to create an environment that fundamentalists cannot operate in,” Mr Zahawi said, speaking at his Westminster parliamentary office. “These are dark times in the region, not least, because of the Hamas attack but also it's hard not to be moved by the children in Gaza.”
The Conservative MP, who was speaking just two hours before the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital strike that claimed about 500 lives, was asked his reaction if a major tragedy was to hit Gaza.
“That's the great worry, the difficulty with asymmetric warfare is that the fundamentalists will use their communities as a way of trying to legitimise their murderous acts,” he said.
“We have a responsibility as politicians to now try and come together and through this dark, difficult period, get outcomes where the Palestinian people have their rights.”
The former chancellor in the last days of Boris Johnson’s premiership, labelled Hamas’s action in Israel as a “horrific scene of murder, maiming and mayhem by fundamentalists who do not speak for the Palestinian people”.
He claimed that with investment, Gaza could be rebuilt for Palestinians but there was a need to ensure “it is not hijacked by men of war with a currency for fundamentalism”.
“If we can do it in Palestine, then there's real hope for the rest of the region, where there's clearly similar challenges.”
He said that Hamas's attack was to create “murder and chaos” to derail an imminent agreement between Saudi Arabia, Israel and the US.
Mr Zahawi also suggested that the Abraham Accords, which established diplomatic ties between Israel and Arab countries including the UAE, were the “antidote to that virus of fundamentalism”.
Iran had an “enormous ability to impact the region” and could use that to “play a positive role in dealing with the 199 hostages” taken from Israel rather than attempt to escalate the conflict or scupper any peace initiative.
Mr Zahawi raised the possibility of neighbouring countries providing peacekeepers in Gaza as part of any future agreement.
“There should be nothing off the table,” he said. “Those in the Arab world who want to see the peace and prosperity agenda flourish, I'm sure would want peacekeepers if that's part of the solution.”
Mr Zahawi, whose parents fled Baghdad in 1978 when Saddam Hussein rose to power, felt there was a “level of maturity” in the UAE, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, where governments were “beginning to think strategically about the prosperity agenda”.
“Ultimately, if people are doing well, have jobs, a livelihood and security, and I mean that for the Palestinian people too, then there is no space for fundamentalists to operate.”
He added that the Iraqi prime minister, Mohammed Shia Al Sudani, had been “playing a really positive role” since the war began by engaging with the neighbouring nations, including Iran.
He agreed that the Ukraine war had meant that Britain and others had been “less focused” on the Middle East. “But let's use this moment and turn it into a positive for a settlement,” he urged.
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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
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Haltia.ai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202023%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Arto%20Bendiken%20and%20Talal%20Thabet%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20AI%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2041%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20About%20%241.7%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Self%2C%20family%20and%20friends%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
More coverage from the Future Forum
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,200m. Winner: Majd Al Megirat, Sam Hitchcott (jockey), Ahmed Al Shehhi (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m. Winner: Dassan Da, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi
6pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 (T) 1,400m. Winner: Heba Al Wathba, Richard Mullen, Jean de Roualle
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 (T) 1,400m. Winner: Hameem, Adrie de Vries, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m. Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Richard Mullen, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 (T) 2,200m. Winner: Harbour Spirit, Adrie de Vries, Jaber Ramadhan.
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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MORE ON INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Brief scoreline:
Manchester United 2
Rashford 28', Martial 72'
Watford 1
Doucoure 90'
De De Pyaar De
Produced: Luv Films, YRF Films
Directed: Akiv Ali
Cast: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Rakul Preet Singh, Jimmy Sheirgill, Jaaved Jaffrey
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
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
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The biog
From: Ras Al Khaimah
Age: 50
Profession: Electronic engineer, worked with Etisalat for the past 20 years
Hobbies: 'Anything that involves exploration, hunting, fishing, mountaineering, the sea, hiking, scuba diving, and adventure sports'
Favourite quote: 'Life is so simple, enjoy it'
If you go...
Etihad flies daily from Abu Dhabi to Zurich, with fares starting from Dh2,807 return. Frequent high speed trains between Zurich and Vienna make stops at St. Anton.
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
How to donate
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
