Long-time foreign policy giant Senator Ben Cardin, once dubbed Washington's “Diplomat-in-Chief”, announced last week that he will not be seeking re-election.
One of the Democratic Party's most ardent advocates of the US-Israel relationship, he departs as the tide slowly turns regarding Congress's and the American public's attitudes towards Israel.
With roots in his home city of Baltimore's thriving Jewish community, the 79-year-old's career spanned 36 years and touched on a wide variety of issues both foreign and domestic. But his leadership on the US-Israel relationship is one many have highlighted as a standout.
“His efforts will continue to shape US foreign policy long after his retirement. He will be greatly missed in the halls of Congress,” Senate foreign relations committee chairman Bob Menendez told The National.
Hadar Susskind, president and chief executive of Jewish-American group Americans for Peace Now, told The National that Mr Cardin's legacy is “to a tee” the “traditional US definition of what it means to be pro-Israel”.
That traditional view is one that sees “no daylight” between the US and Israel and their special relationship, and considers Israel as the closest ally in the Middle East, Mr Susskind said.
That position has historically been a solidly bipartisan one in Washington, and it at times compelled Mr Cardin to cross party lines.
However, recent events have shown that even the close US-Israeli ties aren't necessarily guaranteed.
Mr Cardin criticised the effort by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government to radically overhaul the judiciary. The proposal triggered days of street protests across Israel.
“Out of love for the people of Israel and our shared values, I am fearful for the future of democracy in Israel as the right-wing Netanyahu government threatens to undermine the essential checks and balances that make democracies work,” Mr Cardin wrote in February.
The overhaul, now on pause, seeks to weaken the Supreme Court and increase the government's role in selecting its judges.
This chaotic moment for Israeli democracy has “clearly been uncomfortable” for Mr Cardin, argues Mr Susskind, and for Americans like him who have been “deeply uncomfortable” criticising Israel over the years.
Attitudes towards Israel and Palestine are undergoing a sea change in the US, where a reckoning in Washington is under way over democratic threats in Israel and more Americans come to terms with its rights abuses against Palestinians.
In 2001, Gallup polling showed that only 16 per cent of Americans sympathised more with Palestinians, while 51 per cent sympathised more with Israelis.
Polling this year shows sympathy towards Palestinians has almost doubled to a new high of 31 per cent.
There was a larger surge among Democrats, who polled at 49 per cent more sympathetic towards the Palestinian people.
And Mr Cardin's retirement comes at moment of change for Congress, as more and more representatives and senators are speaking out for Palestinians.
“Those people who share [Mr Cardin's] views on that special relationship, and 'no daylight' and all that, that opinion is not increasing,” Mr Susskind said.
“The Senate is changing, and I think it was going to change whether [Mr Cardin] was in it or not. But certainly this generational change becomes part of that story.”
Ben Cardin's work on MENA issues
Senate foreign relations committee ranking member Jim Risch told The National that Mr Cardin “has worked to fight corruption and promote human rights … and is a tireless proponent for peace in the Middle East. His leadership will be missed”.
Among one of his most noted moments, Mr Cardin became a rare Democratic senator to break party lines and vote against former president Barack Obama's landmark Iran nuclear deal — the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action — in 2015.
Once former president Donald Trump took office and pulled Washington out of the deal, Mr Cardin ultimately spoke out against withdrawal.
He wrote in 2018 that “President Trump has breathed air into Tehran’s inevitable argument to the international community: We kept our end of the deal, but America is not good for its word and cannot be trusted.”
Sean Bartlett served as Mr Cardin's communications director and spokesman during that hectic moment in foreign policy. He said that Mr Cardin ultimately became “one of the most adamant and clear voices that the JCPOA was working”, he told The National.
“I was proud that despite his ultimate opposition to the JCPOA, he found a way to set any personal or political feelings aside, understand the policy was working, and become an ardent defender of what was in the best interest of the US,” Mr Bartlett added.
In 2017, Mr Cardin co-sponsored the Israel Anti-Boycott Act, which would have cracked down on the Boycott, Divest, Sanction Palestinian rights movement, aimed at boycotting illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
The bill never passed, amid Democratic concern about its threat to free speech rights.
The veteran senator had been associated with the stalwartly pro-Israel American Israeli Public Affairs Committee, but stirred some discussion when in 2018 he spoke at the group's more progressive Jewish-American rival, J Street.
'Top Gun: Maverick'
Rating: 4/5
Directed by: Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris
Name: Brendalle Belaza
From: Crossing Rubber, Philippines
Arrived in the UAE: 2007
Favourite place in Abu Dhabi: NYUAD campus
Favourite photography style: Street photography
Favourite book: Harry Potter
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Countries recognising Palestine
France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra
Zayed Sustainability Prize
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
SPECS
%3Cp%3EEngine%3A%20Twin-turbocharged%204-litre%20V8%3Cbr%3EPower%3A%20625%20bhp%3Cbr%3ETorque%3A%20630Nm%3Cbr%3EOn%20sale%3A%20Now%3Cbr%3EPrice%3A%20From%20Dh974%2C011%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Day 1, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Dimuth Karunaratne had batted with plenty of pluck, and no little skill, in getting to within seven runs of a first-day century. Then, while he ran what he thought was a comfortable single to mid-on, his batting partner Dinesh Chandimal opted to stay at home. The opener was run out by the length of the pitch.
Stat of the day - 1 One six was hit on Day 1. The boundary was only breached 18 times in total over the course of the 90 overs. When it did arrive, the lone six was a thing of beauty, as Niroshan Dickwella effortlessly clipped Mohammed Amir over the square-leg boundary.
The verdict Three wickets down at lunch, on a featherbed wicket having won the toss, and Sri Lanka’s fragile confidence must have been waning. Then Karunaratne and Chandimal's alliance of precisely 100 gave them a foothold in the match. Dickwella’s free-spirited strokeplay meant the Sri Lankans were handily placed at 227 for four at the close.
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The%20end%20of%20Summer
%3Cp%3EAuthor%3A%20Salha%20Al%20Busaidy%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPages%3A%20316%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPublisher%3A%20The%20Dreamwork%20Collective%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Pari
Produced by: Clean Slate Films (Anushka Sharma, Karnesh Sharma) & KriArj Entertainment
Director: Prosit Roy
Starring: Anushka Sharma, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Ritabhari Chakraborty, Rajat Kapoor, Mansi Multani
Three stars
Results:
Men's 100m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 15 sec; 2. Rheed McCracken (AUS) 15.40; 3. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 15.75. Men's 400m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 50.56; 2. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 50.94; 3. Henry Manni (FIN) 52.24.
RESULT
Shabab Al Ahli Dubai 0 Al Ain 6
Al Ain: Caio (5', 73'), El Shahat (10'), Berg (65'), Khalil (83'), Al Ahbabi (90' 2)
The%20team
%3Cp%3E%0DFashion%20director%3A%20Sarah%20Maisey%0D%3Cbr%3EPhotographer%3A%20Greg%20Adamski%0D%3Cbr%3EHair%20and%20make-up%3A%20Ania%20Poniatowska%0D%3Cbr%3EModels%3A%20Nyajouk%20and%20Kristine%20at%20MMG%2C%20and%20Mitchell%0D%3Cbr%3EStylist%E2%80%99s%20assistants%3A%20Nihala%20Naval%20and%20Sneha%20Maria%20Siby%0D%3Cbr%3EVideographer%3A%20Nilanjana%20Gupta%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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 National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
The biog
Favourite car: Ferrari
Likes the colour: Black
Best movie: Avatar
Academic qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in media production from the Higher Colleges of Technology and diploma in production from the New York Film Academy
Results
- Brock Lesnar retained the WWE Universal title against Roman Reigns
- Braun Strowman and Nicolas won the Raw Tag Team titles against Sheamus and Cesaro
- AJ Styles retained the WWE World Heavyweight title against Shinsuke Nakamura
- Nia Jax won the Raw Women’s title against Alexa Bliss
- Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon beat Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn
- The Undertaker beat John Cena
- The Bludgeon Brothers won the SmackDown Tag Team titles against the Usos and New Day
- Ronda Rousey and Kurt Angle beat Triple H and Stephanie McMahon
- Jinder Mahal won the United States title against Randy Orton, Rusev and Bobby Roode
- Charlotte retained the SmackDown Women’s title against Asuka
- Seth Rollins won the Intercontinental title against The Miz and Finn Balor
- Naomi won the first WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal
- Cedric Alexander won the vacant Cruiserweight title against Mustafa Ali
- Matt Hardy won the Andre the Giant Battle Royal
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
How to help
Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:
2289 - Dh10
2252 - Dh50
6025 - Dh20
6027 - Dh100
6026 - Dh200
'Peninsula'
Stars: Gang Dong-won, Lee Jung-hyun, Lee Ra
Director: Yeon Sang-ho
Rating: 2/5
