People at the site of a destroyed mosque following an Israeli air strike in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, on Sunday. Bloomberg
People at the site of a destroyed mosque following an Israeli air strike in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, on Sunday. Bloomberg
People at the site of a destroyed mosque following an Israeli air strike in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, on Sunday. Bloomberg
People at the site of a destroyed mosque following an Israeli air strike in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, on Sunday. Bloomberg


The Israel-Gaza war is partly an outcome of years-long western distraction


  • English
  • Arabic

October 08, 2023

What the world needs now is George Bush Sr as US president. Instead, it’s got Joe Biden.

That is because so much complacency had set in over the situation of the Palestinians ahead of the breakout from the Gaza siege at the highest levels of diplomacy.

It is not because Mr Biden owns the horrific events that are now rapidly escalating from one Israeli frontier to another. In fact, it is a comment on America’s lack of ownership more broadly.

And to be fair to Mr Biden, that lack of American grip on the diplomacy and security agenda in the region long predates his rise to the Oval Office.

What the late Mr Bush did during his time in office in the 1980s and 90s was to show the world that American leadership can be dedicated to a single insight – that, without a fierce focus on how to resolve the Palestinian demand for their rights in concert with Israeli leadership, there can only be dangers and threats in the region.

The Madrid Peace Conference of 1991, during which Mr Bush brought his confrontation with then Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Shamir into the open, remains a historic pole for the Middle East Peace Process about a quarter of a century later.

It is the context that proves most useful in looking at why the world’s diplomats scrambled on Saturday morning to come up with lines of reaction to the Hamas assault out of Gaza.

The very fact that it was such a shock was an indictment of global leadership on this top-tier challenge to international diplomacy.

  • People survey the damage from a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip in Tel Aviv. AP
    People survey the damage from a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip in Tel Aviv. AP
  • Fire and smoke rise following an Israeli air strike, in Gaza city. AP
    Fire and smoke rise following an Israeli air strike, in Gaza city. AP
  • A missile explodes in Gaza city during an Israeli air strike. AFP
    A missile explodes in Gaza city during an Israeli air strike. AFP
  • New York City Police hold back Israeli supporters during a protest between Palestinian and Israeli demonstrators. EPA
    New York City Police hold back Israeli supporters during a protest between Palestinian and Israeli demonstrators. EPA
  • Relatives of an Israeli missing since a surprise attack by Hamas militants near the Gaza border during a press conference in Ramat Gan, Israel. AP
    Relatives of an Israeli missing since a surprise attack by Hamas militants near the Gaza border during a press conference in Ramat Gan, Israel. AP
  • A relative of an Israeli missing since the attack by Hamas militants near the Gaza border sheds tears during a press conference in Ramat Gan, Israel. AP
    A relative of an Israeli missing since the attack by Hamas militants near the Gaza border sheds tears during a press conference in Ramat Gan, Israel. AP
  • Palestinians inspect the rubble of a building after it was struck by an Israeli air strike, in Gaza city. AP
    Palestinians inspect the rubble of a building after it was struck by an Israeli air strike, in Gaza city. AP
  • A car burnt during an infiltration by Palestinian militants from the Gaza Strip, near Sderot, Israel. AFP
    A car burnt during an infiltration by Palestinian militants from the Gaza Strip, near Sderot, Israel. AFP
  • Israeli border police take cover by a vehicle, near Sderot. Reuters
    Israeli border police take cover by a vehicle, near Sderot. Reuters
  • Israeli police check the occupants of a vehicle near Ashkelon, Israel. Bloomberg
    Israeli police check the occupants of a vehicle near Ashkelon, Israel. Bloomberg
  • Lebanese soldiers overlook the Israeli town of Metula at the Lebanese side of the border in Kfar Kila, Lebanon. AP
    Lebanese soldiers overlook the Israeli town of Metula at the Lebanese side of the border in Kfar Kila, Lebanon. AP
  • Women mourn during a funeral of a family killed in Israeli strikes on the Palestinian city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip. AFP
    Women mourn during a funeral of a family killed in Israeli strikes on the Palestinian city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip. AFP
  • Soldiers walk past an Israeli police station damaged during battles to dislodge Hamas militants who were stationed inside. AFP
    Soldiers walk past an Israeli police station damaged during battles to dislodge Hamas militants who were stationed inside. AFP
  • Palestinian firemen check the remains of a residential building destroyed by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City. AFP
    Palestinian firemen check the remains of a residential building destroyed by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City. AFP
  • People walk around the ruins of a building destroyed in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City. AFP
    People walk around the ruins of a building destroyed in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City. AFP
  • A Palestinian woman's home which was damaged during Israeli airstrikes on Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP
    A Palestinian woman's home which was damaged during Israeli airstrikes on Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP
  • Israelis inspect the rubble of a building in Tel Aviv after it was hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip. AFP
    Israelis inspect the rubble of a building in Tel Aviv after it was hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip. AFP
  • Palestinians search for casualties in a house destroyed by Israeli strikes in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip. Reuters
    Palestinians search for casualties in a house destroyed by Israeli strikes in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip. Reuters
  • A Palestinian man reacts next to the ruins of a house destroyed in Israeli strikes in Khan Younis. Reuters
    A Palestinian man reacts next to the ruins of a house destroyed in Israeli strikes in Khan Younis. Reuters
  • Israeli troops unload 155 mm artillery at an undisclosed location on the border with the Gaza Strip. AFP
    Israeli troops unload 155 mm artillery at an undisclosed location on the border with the Gaza Strip. AFP
  • A Palestinian man stands in front of the rubble of Gaza city's Al-Watan Tower, which was destroyed in Israeli airstrikes. AFP
    A Palestinian man stands in front of the rubble of Gaza city's Al-Watan Tower, which was destroyed in Israeli airstrikes. AFP
  • People near a mosque destroyed in Israeli airstrikes in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip. AFP
    People near a mosque destroyed in Israeli airstrikes in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip. AFP
  • People examine a building destroyed in Israeli air strikes in Gaza city. AFP
    People examine a building destroyed in Israeli air strikes in Gaza city. AFP
  • Israeli troops gather at an undisclosed location on the border with the Gaza Strip. AFP
    Israeli troops gather at an undisclosed location on the border with the Gaza Strip. AFP
  • Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets launched from the Gaza Strip. Reuters
    Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets launched from the Gaza Strip. Reuters
  • Fire and smoke rises amid an Israeli air strike in Gaza city. AFP
    Fire and smoke rises amid an Israeli air strike in Gaza city. AFP
  • Palestinians inspect the ruins of the Palestine Tower after an Israeli missile struck. EPA
    Palestinians inspect the ruins of the Palestine Tower after an Israeli missile struck. EPA
  • Rockets launched from the Gaza Strip landed in Tel Aviv. Reuters
    Rockets launched from the Gaza Strip landed in Tel Aviv. Reuters
  • Black smoke rises after an Israeli air strike in Gaza city. EPA
    Black smoke rises after an Israeli air strike in Gaza city. EPA
  • The departure board at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv displays a host of cancelled flights. AFP
    The departure board at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv displays a host of cancelled flights. AFP
  • A building hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip. Getty Images
    A building hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip. Getty Images
  • A police officer stands near a burned car at a scene in Tel Aviv. Getty Images
    A police officer stands near a burned car at a scene in Tel Aviv. Getty Images
  • A woman walks past a damaged site after a rocket landed in Tel Aviv. Reuters
    A woman walks past a damaged site after a rocket landed in Tel Aviv. Reuters
  • Israeli police inspect the damage from a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip. AP
    Israeli police inspect the damage from a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip. AP
  • Firefighters, rescue and security workers at the site, where a rocket hit a residential building in Tel Aviv. EPA
    Firefighters, rescue and security workers at the site, where a rocket hit a residential building in Tel Aviv. EPA
  • Residents of the Israeli city of Netivot bordering the Gaza Strip wait to be evacuated to central Israel. AFP
    Residents of the Israeli city of Netivot bordering the Gaza Strip wait to be evacuated to central Israel. AFP
  • Israeli ambulances wait to evacuate wounded residents from the city of Sderot. EPA
    Israeli ambulances wait to evacuate wounded residents from the city of Sderot. EPA
  • A car amid the rubble of a destroyed tower after an Israeli air strike in Gaza city. AFP
    A car amid the rubble of a destroyed tower after an Israeli air strike in Gaza city. AFP
It is not feasible to disentangle a decade of Iran policy from the crisis now engulfing the Middle East Peace Process

Washington’s obsession with finding a placatory deal with Iran should be dead in the water. It is not feasible to disentangle a decade of Iran policy from the crisis that is now engulfing the Middle East Peace Process.

Just a few weeks ago, the Biden administration cleared the way for the release of frozen funds sequestered in South Korea to Iran. The talks were the outcome of the Biden team’s focus on Tehran from the very outset of its takeover from the previous Trump administration.

The bartered arrangement came despite some very peculiar developments in the US State Department’s leadership team dealing with Iran.

Robert Malley, the Iran point man for Mr Biden, was suspended from his job earlier this year amid a probe into his security clearance. Mr Malley comes from a stream of US diplomacy that has a big-picture view of Iran that ascribes little importance to Tehran’s revolutionary zeal.

To be fair to Washington, it is not just US diplomacy that is captured by the foundational concept. The Europeans are equally determined to subscribe to this worldview.

During the Conservative party conference in the UK last week, I sat in on a sidelines discussion on Syria that included a mention of Iran’s systemic exploitation of the civil war. When it was mentioned that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ presence in Syria now amounts to a platform to threaten Israel, there was scarcely a murmur of concern.

All this is an enabling background for the decisions that Hamas has now taken. The shock of the attacks is seismic in itself. The scale of retaliation is now taking on a dynamic of its own. The cards that Hamas still has to play will further push the conflict into more deadly phases. All the while, the lack of leadership from the Palestinian Authority means Hamas grows in strength.

Delegates attend the 1991 Madrid Peace Conference. Getty Images
Delegates attend the 1991 Madrid Peace Conference. Getty Images

While covering one of the Gaza conflicts about a decade ago, I stood by some Iron Dome anti-rocket installations as the system went into action. It was possible to see the technology as a window through which Israel had a firm hand on the threat posed by Hamas, without any realistic consideration of what this means to the more than two million Palestinians under siege. Gaza was literally contained as an issue, not just for Israeli government but for the global diplomacy on the region.

After that, I went to listen to a speech by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He was out of power at the time, but he had a clear idea of containment that included control of the Palestinian border but also its electronic space. A kind of land-and-air bubble could be imposed that would not pose a problem for Israel, despite the suffering of Palestinians and lack of long-term security for Israelis.

The question that will become apparent in the days ahead is how the world can effectively respond to contain the cycle of violence. The rules that had much of the energy that in George Bush Sr’s time was devoted to resolving the Palestine-Israel issue diverted to Iran are now horribly exposed.

European diplomats are in crisis mode, stressing Israel’s right to defend itself. Their American counterparts are in the same place. It may be a moment of unity that matches the gravity of events.

What cannot be denied is that neglect is no longer an answer to this situation. Whether this episode spirals quickly or not, it needs to be treated as such.

if you go

The flights

Etihad, Emirates and Singapore Airlines fly direct from the UAE to Singapore from Dh2,265 return including taxes. The flight takes about 7 hours.

The hotel

Rooms at the M Social Singapore cost from SG $179 (Dh488) per night including taxes.

The tour

Makan Makan Walking group tours costs from SG $90 (Dh245) per person for about three hours. Tailor-made tours can be arranged. For details go to www.woknstroll.com.sg

Emergency phone numbers in the UAE

Estijaba – 8001717 –  number to call to request coronavirus testing

Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111

Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre

Emirates airline – 600555555

Etihad Airways – 600555666

Ambulance – 998

Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries

How The Debt Panel's advice helped readers in 2019

December 11: 'My husband died, so what happens to the Dh240,000 he owes in the UAE?'

JL, a housewife from India, wrote to us about her husband, who died earlier this month. He left behind an outstanding loan of Dh240,000 and she was hoping to pay it off with an insurance policy he had taken out. She also wanted to recover some of her husband’s end-of-service liabilities to help support her and her son.

“I have no words to thank you for helping me out,” she wrote to The Debt Panel after receiving the panellists' comments. “The advice has given me an idea of the present status of the loan and how to take it up further. I will draft a letter and send it to the email ID on the bank’s website along with the death certificate. I hope and pray to find a way out of this.”

November 26:  ‘I owe Dh100,000 because my employer has not paid me for a year’

SL, a financial services employee from India, left the UAE in June after quitting his job because his employer had not paid him since November 2018. He owes Dh103,800 on four debts and was told by the panellists he may be able to use the insolvency law to solve his issue. 

SL thanked the panellists for their efforts. "Indeed, I have some clarity on the consequence of the case and the next steps to take regarding my situation," he says. "Hopefully, I will be able to provide a positive testimony soon."

October 15: 'I lost my job and left the UAE owing Dh71,000. Can I return?'

MS, an energy sector employee from South Africa, left the UAE in August after losing his Dh12,000 job. He was struggling to meet the repayments while securing a new position in the UAE and feared he would be detained if he returned. He has now secured a new job and will return to the Emirates this month.

“The insolvency law is indeed a relief to hear,” he says. "I will not apply for insolvency at this stage. I have been able to pay something towards my loan and credit card. As it stands, I only have a one-month deficit, which I will be able to recover by the end of December." 

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  • Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester

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  • Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
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While you're here
While you're here
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill

Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.

Where to buy art books in the UAE

There are a number of speciality art bookshops in the UAE.

In Dubai, The Lighthouse at Dubai Design District has a wonderfully curated selection of art and design books. Alserkal Avenue runs a pop-up shop at their A4 space, and host the art-book fair Fully Booked during Art Week in March. The Third Line, also in Alserkal Avenue, has a strong book-publishing arm and sells copies at its gallery. Kinokuniya, at Dubai Mall, has some good offerings within its broad selection, and you never know what you will find at the House of Prose in Jumeirah. Finally, all of Gulf Photo Plus’s photo books are available for sale at their show. 

In Abu Dhabi, Louvre Abu Dhabi has a beautiful selection of catalogues and art books, and Magrudy’s – across the Emirates, but particularly at their NYU Abu Dhabi site – has a great selection in art, fiction and cultural theory.

In Sharjah, the Sharjah Art Museum sells catalogues and art books at its museum shop, and the Sharjah Art Foundation has a bookshop that offers reads on art, theory and cultural history.

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Updated: October 08, 2023, 11:55 AM