An Israeli TV journalist's 10-minute news report, where he called himself the first Israeli reporter to enter Makkah, has been branded “stupid” by a government minister.
Israeli journalist Gil Tamary of Channel 13 News was in Saudi Arabia to cover the visit of US President Joe Biden on Friday.
While in the kingdom, he filmed a 10-minute report that aired on the channel, in which Tamary travels to the Grand Mosque by car. As he crosses into Islam's holiest site, he says in English: “Now I can say I was in Makkah”.
As he gets closer, his driver’s face blurred, he says: “The dream came true”.
Tamary, the channel’s chief international news editor, is then shown climbing the Mount of Mercy, which oversees the plain of Arafat, revered as the place where Prophet Mohammad held his last sermon 14 centuries ago.
His report calls him the first Israeli reporter to enter the city.
“Road signs also change: they declare in red that non-Muslims must get off this road immediately,” he wrote in Hebrew on the site.
“We decided to drive straight on, on a road intended for Muslims only. After the security check, the Saudi policeman ordered us to continue driving towards Makkah.”
An Israeli minister on Wednesday called the report “stupid and harmful” to US-led efforts to normalise ties in the Gulf.
"I'm sorry [but] it was a stupid thing to do and take pride in," Israel's regional co-operation minister Esawi Freij, who is Muslim, told public broadcaster Kan.
"It was irresponsible and damaging to air this report just for the sake of ratings."
The Twitter hashtag "A Jew in Mecca's Grand Mosque" trended after the report was aired.
Many users of the social media site condemned the visit, pointing out Tamary broke the law.
Saudi Salem Bin Julaid wrote: "In fact, he's just a tourist breaking the law. Everyone can visit Saudi Arabia, which is a diverse continent in climate and geography without compromising the feelings of Muslims and the holy place."
An Israeli calling himself Guy wrote: "Then why didn't they send a Muslim reporter instead of you? Another reporter can also showcase the beauties of Makkah. In fact, they may not even need a foreign passport as there are arrangements for Israeli Arabs to make Hajj. What you did is disrespectful."
Jewish Yemeni Yosef Mahfoud Levi wrote: "My Muslim friends, Channel 13 correspondent Jill Tamari who entered Makkah, offended Muslims and hurt their feelings. [That] does not represent me nor does he represent Israel."
Tamary apologised for the report after the backlash.
"If anyone takes offence to this video, I deeply apologise," he wrote in English on Twitter. "The purpose of this entire endeavour was to showcase the importance of Mecca and the beauty of the religion and, in doing so, foster more religious tolerance and inclusion," he said.
It was not known if authorities had approved the journey.
"My dear friends in Israel, a journalist of yours entered the city of Makkah, holy to Islam, and filmed there shamelessly," Mohammed Saud, an activist who is in favour of Saudi-Israel ties, wrote on Twitter.
"Shame on you Channel 13 for hurting the religion of Islam like that. You are rude."
Agencies contributed to this report
The specs
Engine: 1.4-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 180hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 250Nm at 3,00rpm
Transmission: 5-speed sequential auto
Price: From Dh139,995
On sale: now
The specs
Engine: 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 380hp at 5,800rpm
Torque: 530Nm at 1,300-4,500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Price: From Dh299,000 ($81,415)
On sale: Now
If you go
Flying
Despite the extreme distance, flying to Fairbanks is relatively simple, requiring just one transfer in Seattle, which can be reached directly from Dubai with Emirates for Dh6,800 return.
Touring
Gondwana Ecotours’ seven-day Polar Bear Adventure starts in Fairbanks in central Alaska before visiting Kaktovik and Utqiarvik on the North Slope. Polar bear viewing is highly likely in Kaktovik, with up to five two-hour boat tours included. Prices start from Dh11,500 per person, with all local flights, meals and accommodation included; gondwanaecotours.com
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Retirement funds heavily invested in equities at a risky time
Pension funds in growing economies in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East have a sharply higher percentage of assets parked in stocks, just at a time when trade tensions threaten to derail markets.
Retirement money managers in 14 geographies now allocate 40 per cent of their assets to equities, an 8 percentage-point climb over the past five years, according to a Mercer survey released last week that canvassed government, corporate and mandatory pension funds with almost $5 trillion in assets under management. That compares with about 25 per cent for pension funds in Europe.
The escalating trade spat between the US and China has heightened fears that stocks are ripe for a downturn. With tensions mounting and outcomes driven more by politics than economics, the S&P 500 Index will be on course for a “full-scale bear market” without Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts, Citigroup’s global macro strategy team said earlier this week.
The increased allocation to equities by growth-market pension funds has come at the expense of fixed-income investments, which declined 11 percentage points over the five years, according to the survey.
Hong Kong funds have the highest exposure to equities at 66 per cent, although that’s been relatively stable over the period. Japan’s equity allocation jumped 13 percentage points while South Korea’s increased 8 percentage points.
The money managers are also directing a higher portion of their funds to assets outside of their home countries. On average, foreign stocks now account for 49 per cent of respondents’ equity investments, 4 percentage points higher than five years ago, while foreign fixed-income exposure climbed 7 percentage points to 23 per cent. Funds in Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Taiwan are among those seeking greater diversification in stocks and fixed income.
• Bloomberg
Women’s World T20, Asia Qualifier
UAE results
Beat China by 16 runs
Lost to Thailand by 10 wickets
Beat Nepal by five runs
Beat Hong Kong by eight wickets
Beat Malaysia by 34 runs
Standings (P, W, l, NR, points)
1. Thailand 5 4 0 1 9
2. UAE 5 4 1 0 8
3. Nepal 5 2 1 2 6
4. Hong Kong 5 2 2 1 5
5. Malaysia 5 1 4 0 2
6. China 5 0 5 0 0
Final
Thailand v UAE, Monday, 7am
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Infobox
Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier, Al Amerat, Oman
The two finalists advance to the next stage of qualifying, in Malaysia in August
Results
UAE beat Iran by 10 wickets
Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia by eight wickets
Oman beat Bahrain by nine wickets
Qatar beat Maldives by 106 runs
Monday fixtures
UAE v Kuwait, Iran v Saudi Arabia, Oman v Qatar, Maldives v Bahrain
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
Directed by: Shaka King
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons
Four stars
Remaining Fixtures
Wednesday: West Indies v Scotland
Thursday: UAE v Zimbabwe
Friday: Afghanistan v Ireland
Sunday: Final
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
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Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
The Bio
Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”
Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”
Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”
Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”
More on Quran memorisation:
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
