Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu greets US President Joe Biden in Tel Aviv in October last year. Mr Biden has faced criticism as the US continues to send military aid to Israel. AFP
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu greets US President Joe Biden in Tel Aviv in October last year. Mr Biden has faced criticism as the US continues to send military aid to Israel. AFP
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu greets US President Joe Biden in Tel Aviv in October last year. Mr Biden has faced criticism as the US continues to send military aid to Israel. AFP
Thomas Watkins is Washington bureau chief at The National
April 07, 2024
After six months of immutable support for Israel in its campaign in Gaza, US President Joe Biden has wavered for the first time.
“Outraged” by the Israeli military’s killing of seven aid workers, one of whom was a US citizen, Mr Biden called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week to tell him that American policy would change unless Israel works towards a ceasefire, or if it continues to fail to protect civilians in Gaza.
The move marked a potential turning point in the conflict, which erupted on October 7 when Hamas militants stormed southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking hundreds of hostages.
Immediately after the phone call, Israel moved to allow more aid into Gaza, which teeters on the brink of famine and where health authorities say more than 33,100 people have been killed.
But for Mr Biden’s critics, his attempt to put pressure on Israel comes as too little, too late, and is offset by the fact the US continues to supply its ally with billions of dollars of military aid.
Where, they asked, was his outrage when about 200 other aid workers were killed? Why has it taken Mr Biden six months to use America's power to force Israel to reduce the civilian death toll?
And why does he still refuse to put conditions on military aid to ensure it is used in a way to avoid civilian casualties?
Progressive senator Bernie Sanders said Mr Biden's occasional sharp words for the Israeli Prime Minister feel empty given continuing overall US support.
“One day the President is 'angry' at Netanyahu, the next day he is 'very angry', the next day he is 'very, very angry'. So what? At the same time, there is support for more military aid [to Israel] in a supplemental bill,” Mr Sanders told Pod Save America.
“You cannot continue to talk about your worries about a humanitarian situation in Gaza and then give Netanyahu another $10 billion, or more bombs. You cannot do that. That is hypocritical.”
The timing of Mr Biden’s call suggests he was acting at least partly out of political self-interest and not merely because of the seven World Central Kitchen aid workers killed in the Israeli air strike.
Doubtless he has been feeling the pressure from his Democratic base. Progressives and Arab Americans alike have vowed not to vote for him in November, even if that means a victory for former president Donald Trump, known for his Muslim travel ban in 2017.
Aside from some occasional sharp words for Israel, Mr Biden has largely sat on his hands while the death toll in Gaza has reached staggering levels.
The electoral numbers are particularly bleak for Mr Biden in key swing states such as Michigan and Wisconsin, where Democrats have sworn off voting for the President in numbers far greater than he won the states by in 2020.
Mr Biden needs his base to turn out in huge numbers in November if he is to beat Mr Trump.
But as of today, there seems to be little indication that they will, even though another Trump presidency could leave Israel free to take unfettered action in Gaza, and potentially the occupied West Bank.
A lot can happen before the presidential election, but Mr Biden’s actions last week have not immediately placated the base he needs to turn out to vote for him on November 5.
Similarly, it probably won’t do much to endear him to conservatives, many of whom consider his pressure on Mr Netanyahu to be a betrayal of Israel.
“To help his polls in Michigan, Joe Biden just strengthened Hamas's negotiating position. He effectively encouraged Hamas to hold out and not release the hostages. Shameful,” Republican senator Tom Cotton said on X.
Republicans have by and large been happy to stay quiet on how they would handle the Israel-Gaza war differently, borrowing from Napoleon’s adage: “Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.”
Mr Trump's Republican Party is even more hawkish than Democrats in supporting Israel and has factions calling for the annihilation of Palestinians in Gaza.
For example, Tim Walberg, a Republican representative from Michigan, said during a recent town hall meeting that Gaza should be treated “like Nagasaki and Hiroshima”, the Japanese cities the US dropped atom bombs on at the end of the Second World War.
And following the phone call with Mr Netanyahu, the Republican-led House Rules Committee announced it would consider a resolution that “opposes efforts to place one-sided pressure on Israel with respect to Gaza, including calls for an immediate ceasefire”.
By doing so little to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza for six months, Mr Biden has left himself little room to manoeuvre now, and any actions he does take will be seen as unsatisfactory by progressives and conservatives alike.
One of the World Central Kitchen vehicles hit in an Israeli air strike. Seven aid workers were killed in the attack. AP
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
Amal likes watching Japanese animation movies and Manga - her favourite is The Ancient Magus Bride
She is the eldest of 11 children, and has four brothers and six sisters.
Her dream is to meet with all of her friends online from around the world who supported her work throughout the years
Her favourite meal is pizza and stuffed vine leaves
She ams to improve her English and learn Japanese, which many animated programmes originate in
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Sri Lanka v England
First Test, at Galle
England won by 211
Second Test, at Kandy
England won by 57 runs
Third Test, at Colombo
From Nov 23-27
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood. Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues. Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity. Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
