Olive harvests have become a flashpoint of tensions as hardline Israeli settler groups seek to prevent Palestinians accessing their crops. AFP
Olive harvests have become a flashpoint of tensions as hardline Israeli settler groups seek to prevent Palestinians accessing their crops. AFP
Olive harvests have become a flashpoint of tensions as hardline Israeli settler groups seek to prevent Palestinians accessing their crops. AFP
Olive harvests have become a flashpoint of tensions as hardline Israeli settler groups seek to prevent Palestinians accessing their crops. AFP

MENA

Israeli settlers attack activists helping plant olive trees in occupied West Bank

The group were helping local Palestinians plant olive trees when they were assaulted by masked men armed with bats and rocks

The National

January 21, 2022

  • English
  • Arabic

Several Israeli activists were wounded on Friday in an attack allegedly carried out by settlers in the occupied West Bank.

Footage of the attack showed masked men with clubs, sticks and rocks beating the activists and setting a car alight in Burin, near Nablus in the northern West Bank.

Local media reported that four members of Rabbis for Human Rights and the Rabbis for Human Rights, there to help local Palestinians to plant olive trees, were transferred to hospital in Israel.

Olive trees in the West Bank have become a flashpoint of tension as some settler groups seek to violently prevent Palestinians from accessing their fields or harvesting crops.

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Trees have been uprooted, set on fire and damaged in a bid to destroy livelihoods and local Palestinians’ link to the area.

“Activists from RHR and the Harvest Coalition have been standing in solidarity with Palestinian farmers, assisting them and being a voice for peace, and a vision of Judaism that values human rights for 20 years,” said Avi Dabush, executive director of Rabbis for Human Rights.

“Their [the settler’s] violence [is] directed first of all at Palestinians and to anyone who refuses to accept their version of messianic Jewish superiority that they seek to impose,” he added.

Mr Dabush called on the government to “bring these terrorists to justice”.

  • A Palestinian man picks olives during harvest season near Nablus, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Reuters
    A Palestinian man picks olives during harvest season near Nablus, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Reuters
  • Olive trees are considered both a revered cultural emblem and an economic necessity for Palestinians. Reuters
    Olive trees are considered both a revered cultural emblem and an economic necessity for Palestinians. Reuters
  • A Palestinian woman sits under an olive tree as others pick its olives in Jerusalem. Reuters
    A Palestinian woman sits under an olive tree as others pick its olives in Jerusalem. Reuters
  • Palestinian farmer Ibrahim Amar, 64, stands by the Seam Zone in Qaffin, in the occupied West Bank. Seam zones are sections of Palestinian land that have been designated by Israel as closed military areas. Tanya Habjouqa / Noor for The National
    Palestinian farmer Ibrahim Amar, 64, stands by the Seam Zone in Qaffin, in the occupied West Bank. Seam zones are sections of Palestinian land that have been designated by Israel as closed military areas. Tanya Habjouqa / Noor for The National
  • Palestinian farmer Mohammed Khasib, 65, by the Seam Zone in Qaffin. Tanya Habjouqa / Noor for The National
    Palestinian farmer Mohammed Khasib, 65, by the Seam Zone in Qaffin. Tanya Habjouqa / Noor for The National
  • Israel has erected walls and gates to separate Palestinian farmers from their land. Tanya Habjouqa / Noor for The National
    Israel has erected walls and gates to separate Palestinian farmers from their land. Tanya Habjouqa / Noor for The National
  • A Palestinian man outside a seam zone. Access to these Palestinian areas is controlled by an Israeli permit system. Tanya Habjouqa / Noor for The National
    A Palestinian man outside a seam zone. Access to these Palestinian areas is controlled by an Israeli permit system. Tanya Habjouqa / Noor for The National
  • Palestinian graffiti on a stand used by Israeli soldiers in the seam zone in Qaffin. It reads in Arabic: 'Palestine, Sheikh Jarrah, Jerusalem is ours'. Tanya Habjouqa / Noor for The National
    Palestinian graffiti on a stand used by Israeli soldiers in the seam zone in Qaffin. It reads in Arabic: 'Palestine, Sheikh Jarrah, Jerusalem is ours'. Tanya Habjouqa / Noor for The National
  • Young men and children hang around the seam zone to see if they will be allowed to help their family members, who have permits to access their farms in Qaffin, harvest their olives. Tanya Habjouqa / Noor for The National
    Young men and children hang around the seam zone to see if they will be allowed to help their family members, who have permits to access their farms in Qaffin, harvest their olives. Tanya Habjouqa / Noor for The National
  • Activists from the Rabbis for Human Rights organisation help Palestinian farmers to harvest their olive trees near Nablus. AFP
    Activists from the Rabbis for Human Rights organisation help Palestinian farmers to harvest their olive trees near Nablus. AFP
  • Palestinians walk alongside Israel's separation barrier after receiving special permission to harvest their olive trees, near Bait A'wa village, on the outskirts of the West Bank city of Hebron. AFP
    Palestinians walk alongside Israel's separation barrier after receiving special permission to harvest their olive trees, near Bait A'wa village, on the outskirts of the West Bank city of Hebron. AFP
  • Israeli soldiers stand guard as volunteers and demonstrators help Palestinian farmers to pick their olives next to the Israeli outpost of Evitar, near Nablus. The volunteers picked the olives in solidarity with Palestinians, whose land was confiscated by Israeli settlers. EPA
    Israeli soldiers stand guard as volunteers and demonstrators help Palestinian farmers to pick their olives next to the Israeli outpost of Evitar, near Nablus. The volunteers picked the olives in solidarity with Palestinians, whose land was confiscated by Israeli settlers. EPA
  • Palestinians extinguish a fire in a field around the village of Burin, south of Nablus, on June 29, 2021. AFP
    Palestinians extinguish a fire in a field around the village of Burin, south of Nablus, on June 29, 2021. AFP
  • The field was set ablaze by Israelis from the settlement of Yitzhar, according to witnesses from the village council. AFP
    The field was set ablaze by Israelis from the settlement of Yitzhar, according to witnesses from the village council. AFP
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

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Sting & Shaggy

44/876

(Interscope)

2020 Oscars winners: in numbers
  • Parasite – 4
  • 1917– 3
  • Ford v Ferrari – 2
  • Joker – 2
  • Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood – 2
  • American Factory – 1
  • Bombshell – 1
  • Hair Love – 1
  • Jojo Rabbit – 1
  • Judy – 1
  • Little Women – 1
  • Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl) – 1
  • Marriage Story – 1
  • Rocketman – 1
  • The Neighbors' Window – 1
  • Toy Story 4 – 1
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDual%20synchronous%20electric%20motors%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2C108hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2C340Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20automatic%20(front%20axle)%3B%20two-speed%20transmission%20(rear%20axle)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETouring%20range%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E488-560km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh928%2C400%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EOrders%20open%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
German intelligence warnings
  • 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
  • 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250 

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015

- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France

Winners

Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)

Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)

Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)

Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)

Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)

Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)

Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)

Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)

Who's who in Yemen conflict

Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government

Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council

Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south

Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory

More from Aya Iskandarani
Key products and UAE prices

iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229

iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649

iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179

Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.

Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters

The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.

 Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.

A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.

The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.

The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.

Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.

Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment

But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.

UAE v Ireland

1st ODI, UAE win by 6 wickets

2nd ODI, January 12

3rd ODI, January 14

4th ODI, January 16

The specs

Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo

Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed

Power: 271 and 409 horsepower

Torque: 385 and 650Nm

Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000

Match info

Champions League quarter-final, first leg

Liverpool v Porto, Tuesday, 11pm (UAE)

Matches can be watched on BeIN Sports

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.”

Uefa Nations League: How it works

The Uefa Nations League, introduced last year, has reached its final stage, to be played over five days in northern Portugal. The format of its closing tournament is compact, spread over two semi-finals, with the first, Portugal versus Switzerland in Porto on Wednesday evening, and the second, England against the Netherlands, in Guimaraes, on Thursday.

The winners of each semi will then meet at Porto’s Dragao stadium on Sunday, with the losing semi-finalists contesting a third-place play-off in Guimaraes earlier that day.

Qualifying for the final stage was via League A of the inaugural Nations League, in which the top 12 European countries according to Uefa's co-efficient seeding system were divided into four groups, the teams playing each other twice between September and November. Portugal, who finished above Italy and Poland, successfully bid to host the finals.

On Women's Day
On Women's Day
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PRO BASH

Thursday’s fixtures

6pm: Hyderabad Nawabs v Pakhtoon Warriors

10pm: Lahore Sikandars v Pakhtoon Blasters

Teams

Chennai Knights, Lahore Sikandars, Pakhtoon Blasters, Abu Dhabi Stars, Abu Dhabi Dragons, Pakhtoon Warriors and Hyderabad Nawabs.

Squad rules

All teams consist of 15-player squads that include those contracted in the diamond (3), platinum (2) and gold (2) categories, plus eight free to sign team members.

Tournament rules

The matches are of 25 over-a-side with an 8-over power play in which only two fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle. Teams play in a single round robin league followed by the semi-finals and final. The league toppers will feature in the semi-final eliminator.

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

Tuesday results:

  • Singapore bt Malaysia by 29 runs
  • UAE bt Oman by 13 runs
  • Hong Kong bt Nepal by 3 wickets

Final:
Thursday, UAE v Hong Kong

Read more from Johann Chacko
Updated: January 21, 2022, 2:16 PM
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