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Hamas must hand over its weapons and international forces could be posted in the Palestinian territories, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said in a letter to French President Emmanuel Macron, a week before a Saudi-French conference on the two-state solution.
Mr Abbas condemned the October 2023 Hamas-led attack on southern Israel and called on all hostages to be released, as well as pledging further reforms, the Elysee Palace said on Tuesday. France could use the conference to become the most prominent western power to back recognition of an independent Palestinian state.
The letter to Mr Macron contains “unprecedented” pledges, his office said, without elaborating.
“Hamas will no longer rule Gaza and must hand over its weapons and military capabilities to the Palestinian security forces, which will oversee their removal outside the occupied Palestinian territory, with Arab and international support,” the French leader's office quoted Mr Abbas as saying in the letter.
He said he was “ready to invite Arab and international forces to be deployed as part of a stabilisation/protection mission with a [UN] Security Council mandate”.
The Elysse Palace welcomed “concrete and unprecedented commitments, demonstrating a real willingness to move towards the implementation of the two-state solution”.
French officials have said Mr Macron is leaning towards recognising a Palestinian state ahead of the UN conference, which France and Saudi Arabia are co-hosting from June 17 to 20. Mr Macron has said he is “determined” to recognise a Palestinian state, but also set out several conditions, including the “demilitarisation” of Hamas.
The conference at UN headquarters will aim to resurrect the idea of a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
The PA exercises limited self rule in parts of the occupied West Bank but lost control of Gaza to Hamas in 2007. The PA has previously condemned Hamas for the attack that led to the Gaza war and has called for the group to be disarmed in a future settlement.
Israel has said it will not accept any role for the PA in Gaza after the war and has denounced countries that consider recognising Palestinian independence, which it says would reward Hamas for its attacks.
Mr Abbas has lead the internationally recognised Palestinian Authority since the death of leader Yasser Arafat in 2004.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Starring: George MacKay, Jannis Niewohner, Jeremy Irons
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Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S
Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900
Engine: 937cc
Transmission: Six-speed gearbox
Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm
Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder turbo
Transmission: CVT
Power: 170bhp
Torque: 220Nm
Price: Dh98,900
Fixtures
Tuesday - 5.15pm: Team Lebanon v Alger Corsaires; 8.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Pharaohs
Wednesday - 5.15pm: Pharaohs v Carthage Eagles; 8.30pm: Alger Corsaires v Abu Dhabi Storms
Thursday - 4.30pm: Team Lebanon v Pharaohs; 7.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Carthage Eagles
Friday - 4.30pm: Pharaohs v Alger Corsaires; 7.30pm: Carthage Eagles v Team Lebanon
Saturday - 4.30pm: Carthage Eagles v Alger Corsaires; 7.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Team Lebanon
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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The team
Videographer: Jear Velasquez
Photography: Romeo Perez
Fashion director: Sarah Maisey
Make-up: Gulum Erzincan at Art Factory
Models: Meti and Clinton at MMG
Video assistant: Zanong Maget
Social media: Fatima Al Mahmoud
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The specs: 2019 Audi Q8
Price, base: Dh315,000
Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 340hp @ 3,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 2,250rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.7L / 100km
