Church leaders in Jerusalem have warned of "clear and present dangers" to the Christian presence in the city, echoing a call by Jordan's King Abdullah II last week to stop Israeli encroachment.
In a speech to the UN in New York last week, the king said that the rights of churches in Jerusalem are under threat and that Christianity must remain a main component of the city.
Old Jerusalem, where many ancient churches are situated, has been under Israeli occupation since 1967.
"His Majesty’s spearheading of efforts to ring the bells of warning over the deteriorating situation of Christian basic human rights sends a strong message to the world regarding the clear and present dangers surrounding the Christian heritage," read the statement, which was issued on Tuesday.
"We also applaud His Majesty’s public commitment to protect our communities’ historic and legal status quo, thus preserving our safety and future."
It was signed by 13 senior members of different denominations in the city, including Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate and Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Apostolic Administrator in the city.
Christian leaders in Jerusalem have repeatedly condemned what they regard as efforts by hardline Jewish groups to displace them.
Jordan says it has custodianship over Christian and Muslim holy places in the city. The 1994 peace treaty between Jordan and Israel does not refer specifically to Jordanian custodianship in Jerusalem but says that Israel respects the “special role of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in Muslim holy shrines in Jerusalem”.
It also commits each side to “provide freedom of access to places of religious and historical significance”.
King Abdullah said in New York that although he is a Muslim leader, he is "committed to defending the rights, precious heritage and historic identity of the Christian people of our region”.
About 2 per cent of Jordan's 10 million people are Christian.
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Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
RESULT
Norway 1 Spain 1
Norway: King (90 4')
Spain: Niguez (47')
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The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
