Instagram has been flooded with people sharing a post asking for “All Eyes on Rafah”.
Created by a user in Malaysia named shahv4012, a post in the form of a story template has gone viral, with users sharing a possibly AI-generated image that shows tents in a camp arranged to spell out “All Eyes on Rafah”.
Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Since it was first uploaded on Tuesday, it has been shared by more than 40 million Instagram users.
This includes celebrities such as Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan, actor Aaron Paul, singer Dua Lipa, rapper and actor Kid Cudi, Bollywood star Varun Dhawan and US singer Kehlani.
What does 'All Eyes on Rafah' mean?
The post aims to draw attention to the situation in Rafah, as Israel's assault continues.
The story template was first shared after a deadly strike on a refugee camp in Rafah on Monday, just two days after the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to halt its operations in the southern Gaza city.
The attack hit a camp for displaced people in north-west Rafah, a site that is in a designated humanitarian safe zone, Gaza civil defence and Palestinian authorities said. Women and children were among those killed and several people were also injured.
Why are people posting it?
The idea not only aims to bring into focus what is happening in Gaza but also show support for the Palestinian cause. As more people share the post, more eyes will see it and think of what is happening in Rafah.
The slogan probably originated from a comment by Rik Peeperkorn, director of the World Health Organisation’s Office of the Occupied Palestinian Territories. “All eyes are on Rafah,” he said back in February, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered an evacuation plan for the city ahead of attacks on what he claims are the last Hamas strongholds.
Backlash over the image
Despite its popularity, the “All Eyes on Rafah” post has also been criticised, with some claiming that it promotes a sanitised reality in Rafah.
Saint Hoax, the popular pseudonymous Syrian artist, satirist and sociopolitical activist, compared it to the black squares posted during the #BlackoutTuesday movement in 2020. The collective action to protest racism and police brutality in the US, a response to the murder of George Floyd, was also criticised for not efficiently supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.
“While the image has been shared over 40 million times and helps spread the word, it would be much more effective if it were followed up with a statistic, infographic, or fund-raiser to contextualise the severity of this genocide,” Saint Hoax, who has more than 3.4 million followers, wrote in a post.
“Though well-intentioned, the post ends up overshadowing Palestinian journalists and activists who are deeply engaged in the work.”
Actress Rachel Zegler, known for her work in West Side Story and The Hunger Games prequel The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, has also criticised the post for its shareability.
“Its disturbing that the only way so many people have suddenly felt comfortable sharing their support for Palestinian lives is via an Al-generated image that doesn't even begin to touch upon the actual horrors of what these human beings are experiencing,” she wrote on an Instagram story to her two million followers.
Creative director and activist Alana Hadid, the elder sister of Gigi and Bella Hadid, also shared her thoughts about the post.
“If the only thing you've ever done is repost this photo, welcome to the movement,” she wrote. “Now educate yourself. Talk to Palestinians. Join a rally. Listen to videos and teach ins. Get acquainted with the reality on the ground. The history.
“Performative activism is not helpful. Education and sustained activism and action is. Push yourself out of your comfort zone and get acquainted with that feeling. Reposting is not enough any more.”
On Thursday, another real photo, a more graphic image with the same shareable function, also went viral on Instagram.
Already garnering more than one million shares, the image is an ariel photo depicting dead bodied wrapped in white shrouds grouped and piled together in the middle of the street surrounded by mourners.
Other artworks going viral for Rafah
While this story template is going viral, other artworks have been heavily re-shared on social media since the Rafah attacks.
This includes a drawing by children's book illustrator @Sally_Samir_, which shows tents on fire and headless angels floating up towards the sky, with a keffiyeh, watermelon and poppy – things that have been adopted as symbols of Palestine – where their heads should be.
Another drawing by Egyptian artist Yassin Mohamed, who posts on the Instagram account @YassinDraws, has also been widely shared. It depicts a father holding up a headless child with a flower in place of the child's missing head, referencing a video that went viral showing the aftermath of Israel's attack on the refugee camp. The flower in the place of a head is a motif of the artist.
UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Race 3
Produced: Salman Khan Films and Tips Films
Director: Remo D’Souza
Cast: Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, Bobby Deol, Daisy Shah, Saqib Salem
Rating: 2.5 stars
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
The specs
BMW M8 Competition Coupe
Engine 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8
Power 625hp at 6,000rpm
Torque 750Nm from 1,800-5,800rpm
Gearbox Eight-speed paddleshift auto
Acceleration 0-100kph in 3.2 sec
Top speed 305kph
Fuel economy, combined 10.6L / 100km
Price from Dh700,000 (estimate)
On sale Jan/Feb 2020
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Coming soon
Torno Subito by Massimo Bottura
When the W Dubai – The Palm hotel opens at the end of this year, one of the highlights will be Massimo Bottura’s new restaurant, Torno Subito, which promises “to take guests on a journey back to 1960s Italy”. It is the three Michelinstarred chef’s first venture in Dubai and should be every bit as ambitious as you would expect from the man whose restaurant in Italy, Osteria Francescana, was crowned number one in this year’s list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Akira Back Dubai
Another exciting opening at the W Dubai – The Palm hotel is South Korean chef Akira Back’s new restaurant, which will continue to showcase some of the finest Asian food in the world. Back, whose Seoul restaurant, Dosa, won a Michelin star last year, describes his menu as, “an innovative Japanese cuisine prepared with a Korean accent”.
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
The highly experimental chef, whose dishes are as much about spectacle as taste, opens his first restaurant in Dubai next year. Housed at The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal will feature contemporary twists on recipes that date back to the 1300s, including goats’ milk cheesecake. Always remember with a Blumenthal dish: nothing is quite as it seems.
