A Qatari official held talks with International Criminal Court representatives as the Gulf state seeks legal action against Israel for its air strike on Doha against Hamas leaders.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed Al Khulaifi met with ICC president Tomoko Akane and deputy prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan in The Hague on Wednesday.
They discussed Israel's attack on September 9 in the context of international criminal law, under which such acts are punishable, the state-run Qatar News Agency reported.
Mr Al Khulaifi affirmed Qatar's commitment to international law and its determination to defend its rights through all legitimate legal avenues, the agency said.
Mr Al Khulaifi heads the team appointed by Qatar's cabinet to pursue legal action over the attack that targeted the residences of Hamas political leaders as they were discussing a proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza.
The strike was a significant escalation of Israeli military action in a region shaken by conflict since the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attacks that ignited the Gaza war.
Hamas said the Israeli strike killed five of its members, including a son of its exiled Gaza chief, but its leadership survived. One Qatari security agents also died.
Qatar has called the Israeli attack “cowardly and treacherous”, but said it would not be deterred from its role as a mediator, alongside Egypt and the US, to reach a ceasefire in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened to attack Hamas leaders “wherever they are” during a media conference with visiting US Secretary of State Marc Rubio on Monday.
The heads of Arab and Islamic states held a summit in Doha on Monday to express support for Qatar.
Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim opened the summit by accusing Israel of not caring about its hostages in Gaza and instead working to ensure the enclave “is no longer liveable”.
“If Israel wishes to assassinate the Hamas leaders, why then engage in negotiations?” Sheikh Tamim said. “If you wish to insist on the liberation of hostages, why then do they assassinate all negotiators?
“There is no room to deal with such a party that’s cowardly and treacherous.
“Those who work consistently to assassinate the party in these negotiations will certainly do everything to ensure the failure of these negotiations. When they claim that they seek the liberation of hostages, that’s a mere lie.”
He also denounced Israel over what he called the “genocide” it is committing in Gaza – an assessment supported by the findings of UN investigators.
Israel denies it is committing genocide. It says Hamas is prolonging the war by not surrendering and releasing the hostages.
The war in Gaza was triggered by a rampage into southern Israel by Hamas-led militants who killed about 1,200 people and captured about 240 hostages. Israel responded with an assault that has killed more than 65,100 people, according to Palestinian health authorities.
The ICC has issued arrest warrants for Mr Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Spain's top prosecutor on Thursday announced the formation of a team that will probe “human rights violations in Gaza” to assist the ICC.
The team's mission will be to “gather evidence and make it available to the competent body, thereby fulfilling Spain's obligations regarding international co-operation and human rights”, attorney general Alvaro Ortiz's office said.
“Faced with the current situation in the Palestinian territories, all evidence, direct or indirect, that can be gathered in our country” on “crimes committed” in Gaza “must be included” for potential use in the ICC case, it added.
Spain has also joined a case before another world court, the International Court of Justice, accusing Israel of genocide.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
A cryptocurrency primer for beginners
Cryptocurrency Investing for Dummies – by Kiana Danial
There are several primers for investing in cryptocurrencies available online, including e-books written by people whose credentials fall apart on the second page of your preferred search engine.
Ms Danial is a finance coach and former currency analyst who writes for Nasdaq. Her broad-strokes primer (2019) breaks down investing in cryptocurrency into baby steps, while explaining the terms and technologies involved.
Although cryptocurrencies are a fast evolving world, this book offers a good insight into the game as well as providing some basic tips, strategies and warning signs.
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Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
Pox that threatens the Middle East's native species
Camelpox
Caused by a virus related to the one that causes human smallpox, camelpox typically causes fever, swelling of lymph nodes and skin lesions in camels aged over three, but the animal usually recovers after a month or so. Younger animals may develop a more acute form that causes internal lesions and diarrhoea, and is often fatal, especially when secondary infections result. It is found across the Middle East as well as in parts of Asia, Africa, Russia and India.
Falconpox
Falconpox can cause a variety of types of lesions, which can affect, for example, the eyelids, feet and the areas above and below the beak. It is a problem among captive falcons and is one of many types of avian pox or avipox diseases that together affect dozens of bird species across the world. Among the other forms are pigeonpox, turkeypox, starlingpox and canarypox. Avipox viruses are spread by mosquitoes and direct bird-to-bird contact.
Houbarapox
Houbarapox is, like falconpox, one of the many forms of avipox diseases. It exists in various forms, with a type that causes skin lesions being least likely to result in death. Other forms cause more severe lesions, including internal lesions, and are more likely to kill the bird, often because secondary infections develop. This summer the CVRL reported an outbreak of pox in houbaras after rains in spring led to an increase in mosquito numbers.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
Other key dates
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Finals draw: December 2
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Finals (including semi-finals and third-placed game): June 5–9, 2019
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Euro 2020 play-off draw: November 22, 2019
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Euro 2020 play-offs: March 26–31, 2020
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Anxiety and work stress major factors
Anxiety, work stress and social isolation are all factors in the recogised rise in mental health problems.
A study UAE Ministry of Health researchers published in the summer also cited struggles with weight and illnesses as major contributors.
Its authors analysed a dozen separate UAE studies between 2007 and 2017. Prevalence was often higher in university students, women and in people on low incomes.
One showed 28 per cent of female students at a Dubai university reported symptoms linked to depression. Another in Al Ain found 22.2 per cent of students had depressive symptoms - five times the global average.
It said the country has made strides to address mental health problems but said: “Our review highlights the overall prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression, which may long have been overlooked."
Prof Samir Al Adawi, of the department of behavioural medicine at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, who was not involved in the study but is a recognised expert in the Gulf, said how mental health is discussed varies significantly between cultures and nationalities.
“The problem we have in the Gulf is the cross-cultural differences and how people articulate emotional distress," said Prof Al Adawi.
“Someone will say that I have physical complaints rather than emotional complaints. This is the major problem with any discussion around depression."
Daniel Bardsley
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Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
