US Secretary of State Marco Rubio promised “unwavering support” for Israel as he met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday amid scrutiny of last week's Israeli attack on Qatar.
Their meeting comes as Arab and Islamic leaders gather in Doha in a show of solidarity after the Israeli attack on Hamas leaders in the city caused great anger across the region.
Washington has been walking a fine line between its two Middle East allies since Israel launched the air strike in the Qatari capital, killing five Hamas members and a Qatari security officer.
But on Monday Mr Rubio expressed Washington's support for Israel's pursuit of the militant group.
“The people of Gaza deserve a better future, but that better future cannot begin until Hamas is eliminated,” he told reporters as he stood by Mr Netanyahu at a press conference in Jerusalem.
“You can count on our unwavering support and commitment to see it come to fruition.”
Mr Netanyahu responded by saying Israel and the US would continue to act together to protect their countries.
“Rubio's visit is a clear message that America stands with Israel in face of terror,” the Israeli leader said.
He also said US President Donald Trump “is the greatest friend that Israel has ever had in the White House”.
Mr Rubio met with Mr Netanyahu one-on-one for about an hour and a half before starting a meeting that included aides, a US official told the AFP news agency.
Mr Netanyahu was unmoved when asked about the Doha strike and did not rule out further attacks on Hamas leaders “wherever they are”.
“We sent a message to terrorists: you can run but you cannot hide,” he said.
Despite US objections over the Qatar attack, Mr Rubio opened his visit to Jerusalem on Sunday with a symbolic show of support as he joined Mr Netanyahu at the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews are allowed to pray.
With Mr Rubio at his side, Mr Netanyahu said the Israel-US alliance has “never been stronger”.
Mr Rubio, a Roman Catholic, later posted that his visit showed his belief that Jerusalem is the “eternal capital” of Israel.
Until Mr Trump's first term, US leaders had shied away from such overt statements backing Israeli sovereignty over contested Jerusalem, which is also holy to Muslims and Christians.
But Mr Trump in 2018 moved the US embassy to Jerusalem, in a sharp break with most of the world.
Hamas called Mr Rubio's prayer stop on Sunday a “blatant assault on the sanctity” of the Al Aqsa Mosque, the Muslim sacred site, and a “flagrant violation of the historical and legal status quo in occupied Jerusalem”.
Mr Rubio's visit also comes a week before a French-led summit at the UN to recognise a Palestinian state, a prospect opposed by Mr Netanyahu's right-wing government.
The meeting in New York set for September 22 is being co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France, with President Emmanuel Macron expected to formally recognise a Palestinian state.
Britain, France, Canada, Australia and Belgium have also said they will recognise Palestinian statehood at the event, although the UK said it could hold back if Israel takes steps to ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and commits to a long-term peace process.
The US strongly opposes any move by its European allies to recognise Palestine, while Mr Netanyahu has said there will never be a Palestinian state.
On Monday, Mr Rubio criticised the European plans, claiming they encouraged Hamas.
“They're largely symbolic … the only impact they actually have is it makes Hamas feel more emboldened,” he said.
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D – Dubai Exiles, Jumeirah English Speaking School, English College, Bahrain Colts
Recent winners
2018 – Dubai College
2017 – British School Al Khubairat
2016 – Dubai English Speaking School
2015 – Al Ain Amblers
2014 – Dubai College
My Country: A Syrian Memoir
Kassem Eid, Bloomsbury
About Takalam
Date started: early 2020
Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech and wellness
Number of staff: 4
Funding to date: Bootstrapped
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Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
How to become a Boglehead
Bogleheads follow simple investing philosophies to build their wealth and live better lives. Just follow these steps.
• Spend less than you earn and save the rest. You can do this by earning more, or being frugal. Better still, do both.
• Invest early, invest often. It takes time to grow your wealth on the stock market. The sooner you begin, the better.
• Choose the right level of risk. Don't gamble by investing in get-rich-quick schemes or high-risk plays. Don't play it too safe, either, by leaving long-term savings in cash.
• Diversify. Do not keep all your eggs in one basket. Spread your money between different companies, sectors, markets and asset classes such as bonds and property.
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More on Quran memorisation:
The five pillars of Islam
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
Greatest Royal Rumble match listing
50-man Royal Rumble - names entered so far include Braun Strowman, Daniel Bryan, Kurt Angle, Big Show, Kane, Chris Jericho, The New Day and Elias
Universal Championship Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
WWE World Heavyweight ChampionshipAJ Styles (champion) v Shinsuke Nakamura
Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe
United States Championship Jeff Hardy (champion) v Jinder Mahal
SmackDown Tag Team Championship The Bludgeon Brothers (champions) v The Usos
Raw Tag Team Championship (currently vacant) Cesaro and Sheamus v Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt
Casket match The Undertaker v Rusev
Singles match John Cena v Triple H
Cruiserweight Championship Cedric Alexander v Kalisto
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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
The biog
First Job: Abu Dhabi Department of Petroleum in 1974
Current role: Chairperson of Al Maskari Holding since 2008
Career high: Regularly cited on Forbes list of 100 most powerful Arab Businesswomen
Achievement: Helped establish Al Maskari Medical Centre in 1969 in Abu Dhabi’s Western Region
Future plan: Will now concentrate on her charitable work
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
What to watch out for:
Algae, waste coffee grounds and orange peels will be used in the pavilion's walls and gangways
The hulls of three ships will be used for the roof
The hulls will painted to make the largest Italian tricolour in the country’s history
Several pillars more than 20 metres high will support the structure
Roughly 15 tonnes of steel will be used
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
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Three ways to limit your social media use
Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.
1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.
2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.
3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.
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Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
