The ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, which never fully came into effect, is now hanging by a thread. Among the many casualties of renewed fighting, especially if it spirals back into full-blown warfare, will be the claims and credibility of US President Donald Trump.
Fighting never really ended between the two sides, with Israel, in particular, having continued military operations. Now major Israeli air strikes have killed more than 100 Palestinians, and they may be set to continue in coming days.
The Israeli attacks were apparently prompted, at least in part, by videos supposedly filmed by Israeli military drones that appear to show Hamas militants digging up and re-burying shrouded remains that Israel insists are the bodies of dead Israelis. The accusation is that Hamas fighters were re-burying the bodies in order to stage a fake recovery, with the remains deliberately left to be found by Red Cross workers.
The accusations are not implausible. A statement by the International Committee of the Red Cross condemning Hamas for “staging” a scene involving the remains of hostages strongly bolsters Israel’s accusations. And while Israel has continued to attack and kill Palestinians, albeit at a much lower rate, during the ceasefire, it’s disturbingly easy to imagine Hamas engaging in such macabre political stunts.
It’s difficult to parse the words and deeds of these two highly unreliable and non-credible actors. Both the Israeli government and Hamas have contributed heavily to the devastating Gaza war, and neither appear fully convinced that ending the conflict is preferable to carrying on the fighting.
A full-scale resumption of the war would be absolutely devastating for the long-suffering Palestinian population in Gaza. They have not yet been allowed the full resumption of humanitarian aid as Israel and Hamas squabble over issues such as the remains of dead Israeli hostages. The two warring parties have virtually taken the two million Palestinians in Gaza hostage to their self-serving warfare.
But the threat to the ceasefire is also terrible news for Mr Trump. Whether or not he realised it, when he presided over a ceasefire and, as he put it, “eternal peace” celebration at Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt on October 18, he now owns not just the ceasefire but the Gaza war.
The downside of his exuberant boasting and demands for the Nobel Peace Prize is that, while he claimed and certainly deserves credit for having helped organise the desperately needed ceasefire, both the truce and a potential return to the war are now inexorably linked to him.
In US politics, Mr Trump is used to taking credit for everything and blame for nothing. Between his adoring base, terrified traditional Republicans, a largely deferential media and Democrats who continue to abide by genteel political traditions he has rendered utterly passe, the US President is rarely confronted with a dramatic failure that profoundly and directly undermines his domestic credibility and standing.
Diplomacy is far more unforgiving. On the global stage, there’s nowhere to hide when you’ve demanded full credit for something that is broadly welcomed and applauded, but it all goes pear-shaped.
Mr Trump is going to find that, if he doesn’t move quickly to restrain Israel and compel Hamas’s last remaining effective patrons, Turkey and Qatar, to similarly ensure their compliance with the ceasefire terms, he’s going to end up badly damaged by any return to all-out warfare in Gaza.
It’s been clear from the outset that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu engaged in the Gaza truce with the utmost reluctance. Israel came around only after Mr Trump effectively insisted that Mr Netanyahu agree to the deal once Hamas had accepted its terms.
For more than a year, the Israeli Prime Minister has been fending off pressure from his own military, which has been demanding an explanation of the strategic goals of the war when they believe there is nothing left in Gaza worth fighting over, and the Israeli public that largely wants the war to end. When Mr Trump added his own weight to the scale, especially after Israel’s reckless and inexcusable bombing attack on Qatar, Mr Netanyahu was effectively trapped.
But ever since the ceasefire was agreed, the Trump administration couldn’t miss the many clear signs that the Israeli leader has been looking for an excuse to resume fighting. Playing on Mr Netanyahu’s famous nickname, Israelis have been referring to this as “Bibi-sitting”.
Predictably enough, Hamas has apparently engaged in reckless provocations, including reportedly firing on Israeli troops in southern Gaza.
The US administration’s reaction to the renewed heavy Israeli bombardment and resumption of the wholesale killing of Palestinians in Gaza has been to dismiss these alarming developments as mere “skirmishes”. No doubt the White House is hoping that both sides pull back from the brink.
They may well do that. Hamas is under enormous pressure not to return to open warfare or to give Israel an excuse to do that. And Mr Netanyahu may not want to go into next year’s Israeli election as the man who refused to end what has become a highly unpopular war.
Now, Mr Trump will have to move forcefully and adroitly to ensure that the “eternal peace” he announced in mid-October doesn’t fall apart in early November.
He may regard Gaza as a distant and relatively unimportant conflict, compared, for example, to the war in Ukraine. But the Gaza ceasefire is the only truly significant diplomatic achievement he has secured in his second term. If the whole thing collapses after just a couple of tense weeks, it will be catastrophic for his international credibility and reputation.
Even if the ceasefire does hold, Mr Trump will find that his legacy is now inexorably bound up with the future of Gaza. He’s going to be dealing with this issue, perhaps intensively, for the remaining three years of his term. He cannot walk away from a collapse of the ceasefire and impotently watch the resumption of the Gaza war without severe damage to his political reputation.
Adages derive their longevity by conveying wisdom. “Be careful what you wish for” is a good example.
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
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Political flags or banners
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Bikes, skateboards or scooters
UAE and Russia in numbers
UAE-Russia ties stretch back 48 years
Trade between the UAE and Russia reached Dh12.5 bn in 2018
More than 3,000 Russian companies are registered in the UAE
Around 40,000 Russians live in the UAE
The number of Russian tourists travelling to the UAE will increase to 12 percent to reach 1.6 million in 2023
PREMIER LEAGUE RESULTS
Bournemouth 1 Manchester City 2
Watford 0 Brighton and Hove Albion 0
Newcastle United 3 West Ham United 0
Huddersfield Town 0 Southampton 0
Crystal Palace 0 Swansea City 2
Manchester United 2 Leicester City 0
West Bromwich Albion 1 Stoke City 1
Chelsea 2 Everton 0
Tottenham Hotspur 1 Burnley 1
Liverpool 4 Arsenal 0
MAIN CARD
Bantamweight 56.4kg
Abrorbek Madiminbekov v Mehdi El Jamari
Super heavyweight 94 kg
Adnan Mohammad v Mohammed Ajaraam
Lightweight 60kg
Zakaria Eljamari v Faridoon Alik Zai
Light heavyweight 81.4kg
Mahmood Amin v Taha Marrouni
Light welterweight 64.5kg
Siyovush Gulmamadov v Nouredine Samir
Light heavyweight 81.4kg
Ilyass Habibali v Haroun Baka
The biog
Name: Gul Raziq
From: Charsadda, Pakistan
Family: Wife and six children
Favourite holes at Al Ghazal: 15 and 8
Golf Handicap: 6
Childhood sport: cricket
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
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
Chinese Grand Prix schedule (in UAE time)
Friday: First practice - 6am; Second practice - 10am
Saturday: Final practice - 7am; Qualifying - 10am
Sunday: Chinese Grand Prix - 10.10am
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201.8-litre%204-cyl%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E190hp%20at%205%2C200rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20320Nm%20from%201%2C800-5%2C000rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeven-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%206.7L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh111%2C195%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Key changes
Commission caps
For life insurance products with a savings component, Peter Hodgins of Clyde & Co said different caps apply to the saving and protection elements:
• For the saving component, a cap of 4.5 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 90 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).
• On the protection component, there is a cap of 10 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 160 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).
• Indemnity commission, the amount of commission that can be advanced to a product salesperson, can be 50 per cent of the annualised premium for the first year or 50 per cent of the total commissions on the policy calculated.
• The remaining commission after deduction of the indemnity commission is paid equally over the premium payment term.
• For pure protection products, which only offer a life insurance component, the maximum commission will be 10 per cent of the annualised premium multiplied by the length of the policy in years.
Disclosure
Customers must now be provided with a full illustration of the product they are buying to ensure they understand the potential returns on savings products as well as the effects of any charges. There is also a “free-look” period of 30 days, where insurers must provide a full refund if the buyer wishes to cancel the policy.
“The illustration should provide for at least two scenarios to illustrate the performance of the product,” said Mr Hodgins. “All illustrations are required to be signed by the customer.”
Another illustration must outline surrender charges to ensure they understand the costs of exiting a fixed-term product early.
Illustrations must also be kept updatedand insurers must provide information on the top five investment funds available annually, including at least five years' performance data.
“This may be segregated based on the risk appetite of the customer (in which case, the top five funds for each segment must be provided),” said Mr Hodgins.
Product providers must also disclose the ratio of protection benefit to savings benefits. If a protection benefit ratio is less than 10 per cent "the product must carry a warning stating that it has limited or no protection benefit" Mr Hodgins added.
Confirmed%20bouts%20(more%20to%20be%20added)
%3Cp%3ECory%20Sandhagen%20v%20Umar%20Nurmagomedov%0D%3Cbr%3ENick%20Diaz%20v%20Vicente%20Luque%0D%3Cbr%3EMichael%20Chiesa%20v%20Tony%20Ferguson%0D%3Cbr%3EDeiveson%20Figueiredo%20v%20Marlon%20Vera%0D%3Cbr%3EMackenzie%20Dern%20v%20Loopy%20Godinez%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ETickets%20for%20the%20August%203%20Fight%20Night%2C%20held%20in%20partnership%20with%20the%20Department%20of%20Culture%20and%20Tourism%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20went%20on%20sale%20earlier%20this%20month%2C%20through%20www.etihadarena.ae%20and%20www.ticketmaster.ae.%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Zayed%20Centre%20for%20Research
%3Cp%3EThe%20Zayed%20Centre%20for%20Research%20is%20a%20partnership%20between%20Great%20Ormond%20Street%20Hospital%2C%20University%20College%20London%20and%20Great%20Ormond%20Street%20Hospital%20Children%E2%80%99s%20Charity%20and%20was%20made%20possible%20thanks%20to%20a%20generous%20%C2%A360%20million%20gift%20in%202014%20from%20Sheikha%20Fatima%20bint%20Mubarak%2C%20Chairwoman%20of%20the%20General%20Women's%20Union%2C%20President%20of%20the%20Supreme%20Council%20for%20Motherhood%20and%20Childhood%2C%20and%20Supreme%20Chairwoman%20of%20the%20Family%20Development%20Foundation.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
