Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, received on Thursday the Washington Institute for Near East Policy's most prestigious award in recognition of his role in cementing the Abraham Accords.
At a gala event in New York, the Washington Institute presented its highest honour, the Scholar-Statesman Award, to Sheikh Mohamed for his leadership in securing peace with Israel last year and for fostering religious tolerance.
Robert Satloff, the institute's executive director, flew to Abu Dhabi recently and presented Sheikh Mohamed with the award, during which the leader made his first comments about the groundbreaking decision to transform the UAE’s relationship with Israel.
The Abraham Accords were signed in September 2020 at the White House and normalised relations between the UAE and Israel. Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan soon followed suit.
Sheikh Mohamed pointed to Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father, as the inspiration behind taking the step, calling him a “man of peace and compassion”.
“That is his vision and we are committed to this path,” he said.
But he also highlighted the UAE's vision for the future and the desire for Arab-Israeli peace as another impetus behind the Abraham Accords.
“First, for the Palestinians themselves. Second, to send a clear message to the world and the region that we are striving for peace.”
Asked about the risks involved in such a decision given the lengthy, hostile history between Israel and its neighbours, Sheikh Mohamed acknowledged them but said they were outweighed by the rewards.
“Every decision has risks, undoubtedly, [and] we are also living in a complex region. But the rewards are an incentive and the outcomes we will achieve together are far greater than the drawbacks.”
He said the goal from the beginning was peace that would positively affect cultural, technological and energy ties.
“When we decided on this step, we were looking forward to a level of co-operation that goes beyond just peace itself,” Sheikh Mohamed said.
“The UAE aspires to a greater peace, one that is for the benefit of all.”
Mr Satloff told The National that giving Sheikh Mohamed the award was a natural decision for the Washington Institute's board, given the transformational effects of the accords.
“This is not just a peace — it's a peace of unusual depth. Political, economic, cultural, person to person, even extraterrestrial, in terms of a joint space programme [between the UAE and Israel],” Mr Satloff said.
“It’s remarkable in its depth and breadth, with thanks to the UAE and its efforts to expand peace to other Arab countries … thanks to the UAE, more than half of all Arabs now live in countries at peace with Israel.”
Mr Satloff also mentioned the UAE's promotion of religious tolerance, which has made it a welcoming place for people of all faiths.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog sent a congratulatory video to the event, calling the agreement a “historic turning point”.
“It is a complete sea change, and I commend and congratulate all those who took part in bringing through the Abraham Accords,” Mr Herzog said.
Yousef Al Otaiba, the UAE's ambassador to the US, as well as other dignitaries attended the event in New York.
Previous recipients of the award include Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, former British prime minister Tony Blair, former US president Bill Clinton and former secretaries of state Condoleezza Rice, Henry Kissinger and George Shultz.
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The biog
Name: Greg Heinricks
From: Alberta, western Canada
Record fish: 56kg sailfish
Member of: International Game Fish Association
Company: Arabian Divers and Sportfishing Charters
SPECS
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Points tally
1. Australia 52; 2. New Zealand 44; 3. South Africa 36; 4. Sri Lanka 35; 5. UAE 27; 6. India 27; 7. England 26; 8. Singapore 8; 9. Malaysia 3
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How to improve Arabic reading in early years
One 45-minute class per week in Standard Arabic is not sufficient
The goal should be for grade 1 and 2 students to become fluent readers
Subjects like technology, social studies, science can be taught in later grades
Grade 1 curricula should include oral instruction in Standard Arabic
First graders must regularly practice individual letters and combinations
Time should be slotted in class to read longer passages in early grades
Improve the appearance of textbooks
Revision of curriculum should be undertaken as per research findings
Conjugations of most common verb forms should be taught
Systematic learning of Standard Arabic grammar
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The Baha'i faith was made known in Yemen in the 19th century, first introduced by an Iranian man named Ali Muhammad Al Shirazi, considered the Herald of the Baha'i faith in 1844.
The Baha'i faith has had a growing number of followers in recent years despite persecution in Yemen and Iran.
Today, some 2,000 Baha'is reside in Yemen, according to Insaf.
"The 24 defendants represented by the House of Justice, which has intelligence outfits from the uS and the UK working to carry out an espionage scheme in Yemen under the guise of religion.. aimed to impant and found the Bahai sect on Yemeni soil by bringing foreign Bahais from abroad and homing them in Yemen," the charge sheet said.
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Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
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D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
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What sanctions would be reimposed?
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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.”
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