Doctors at an East Jerusalem hospital offering vital support to Palestinian patients have told how $25 million in aid from the UAE will save thousands of lives.
President Sheikh Mohamed made the financial pledge to Al Makassed Hospital in July, with a formal agreement signed last month, in what is being viewed as a crucial lifeline for health services.
The assistance is in line with the UAE's efforts to help Palestinian healthcare institutions, in partnership with the World Health Organisation and the Office of the UN Special Co-ordinator for the Middle East Peace Process.
The non-profit 270-bed hospital, which was established in 1968, was pushed to the brink of closure after local government funding was cut during the Covid-19 pandemic.
In April, the hospital closed its doors to all non-emergency patients as staff members went on a strike over the late payment of salaries and a lack of support.
The union ended the strike after an agreement was signed with the Ministry of Finance to pay a part of the hospital’s debts.
The agreement was to clear outstanding payments, including salaries, but did not meet the hospital's daily needs.
Boosting patient care
“The UAE’s aid will improve the quality of the obstetrics and gynaecology department and assist in the training of medical specialists for all of Palestine,” said Dr Adnan Farhoud, the hospital's general director.
“We were desperate as we were delaying surgeries due to the shortage in medicine and medical equipment, but the turning point for the hospital was the aid from UAE. It will save the lives of thousands of people.
“We had a meeting last week with the WHO about the mechanism of receiving the aid. The money will support the hospital for two years through medicine, medical tools and maintenance.”
The hospital is one of the main referral facilities for the Palestinian community of Jerusalem, the occupied West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. It provides specialist treatments such as cardiology, orthopaedics, paediatric medicine and neurology.
It had 60 beds and was led by only 12 doctors when it welcomed its first patients 54 years ago.
It now boasts 967 members of staff, including 450 nurses and 80 specialists. Each year it conducts 250 surgeries for children, with about 140 procedures carried out by the gynaecology department.
Al Makassed is one of six hospitals in the East Jerusalem Hospitals network and also serves as a teaching hospital and research facility for Al Quds University Faculty of Medicine.
“It is the biggest hospital in Palestine .... [it] stretches for 6,000 square meters," Dr Farhoud said.
"More than 600 doctors have graduated from the teaching hospital since 1989. Those doctors play a key role in Palestine's healthcare sector."
He said 70 per cent of patients are from the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Optimism after toughest challenges in decades
Dr Hussam Abu Saa, 58, head of the orthopaedic department, said the hospital's recent struggles were the worst he had endured during his 30 years as a staff member.
“I was forced to delay critical surgeries for many patients due to the financial crisis and because we don’t have proper medical equipment. I think it was the hardest time since joining the hospital,” he said.
The UAE's aid will allow him to provide essential medical equipment to enable crucial surgeries to go ahead.
“We thank the UAE for the generous donation. I’m happy that I will be able to do surgeries for my patients who have been waiting for a long time.”
He said many people who receive injuries in clashes in Al Aqsa and other areas are treated for free in the hospital.
According to the UN's Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, the UAE is one of its largest donors and provided more than $187m from 2015 to 2020 to carry out humanitarian work in various sectors in Palestine.
In October, the Emirates sent 60,000 Covid-19 vaccines and more than 36 tonnes of urgent medical aid for thousands of Palestinian families in the Gaza Strip.
During the first wave of the pandemic, the UAE sent the first shipment of medical aid and supplies in May 2020, followed by 22 tonnes of aid to help doctors fight the pandemic.
In December 2020, a third plane was sent with 14.4 tonnes of medical supplies and testing kits to Gaza, helping more than 14,000 healthcare professionals.
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
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
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Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
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Father of two sons, grandfather of six
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Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
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2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon after nearly 30 years without an officially demarcated border. The UN establishes the Blue Line to act as the frontier.
2007: Lebanon and Cyprus define their respective exclusive economic zones to facilitate oil and gas exploration. Israel uses this to define its EEZ with Cyprus
2011: Lebanon disputes Israeli-proposed line and submits documents to UN showing different EEZ. Cyprus offers to mediate without much progress.
2018: Lebanon signs first offshore oil and gas licencing deal with consortium of France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Novatek.
2018-2019: US seeks to mediate between Israel and Lebanon to prevent clashes over oil and gas resources.
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