Last night’s alarming attack on Al Udeid air base in Qatar and an apparent truce between Israel and Iran, which is already marred by claims of it having been breached, are pointed reminders of the kind of uncertainty that the people of the Middle East have been forced to live with for far too long.
Although it is welcome that noone lost their life in Iran’s retaliatory – if limited – strike on Al Udeid, there are reports from Israel and Iran that several people in both countries have lost their lives in subsequent attacks. The confusion surrounding the ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump is concerning. For true stability, the region needs a comprehensive peace deal, not temporary and uncertain truces.
Despite the many missteps from all sides that have led the Middle East to this point, there is still a window of opportunity to not only halt this crisis but find a resolution to the long-running nuclear issue and work towards ending the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, that deadly mix of displacement, military occupation and wanton violence that has poisoned relationships in the region for decades. There are several reasons to believe that this opportunity for peace is a real one.
Simply put, neither Israel, Iran nor the US has anything to gain in the long term by continuing to launch air strikes and bombing raids. Tehran in particular has more to lose than most: the country has been militarily exposed, its sanctions-hit economy is severely strained, many of its armed proxies have been weakened and its nuclear programme has been set back. In addition, its attack on Al Udeid – despite the semantics about it being a US target, not a Qatari one – is a grave misstep that has aggravated an important GCC partner.
For Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the long list of destroyed Iranian military and nuclear assets, the killing of many senior commanders and nuclear scientists, and the direct involvement of the US in Israel’s war are all considerable “wins”, as is the domestic political capital these developments will have earned him. It is difficult to see what benefits, if any, would come from continued aggression against Tehran. On the contrary, an American administration that is keen to avoid getting sucked into another so-called forever war overseas may decide that the time for de-escalation is now.
Real security comes from negotiated settlements
For such de-escalation to be more than a mere break in hostilities, there needs to be a more visionary approach. If Israel's campaign against Iran comes to an end, so too must its appalling war in Gaza. Iran should also step back; its missile attacks on Israel are not the deterrent that Tehran may think they are. Real security comes from negotiated settlements.
In this situation, many unknowns remain – particularly the status of Iran’s nuclear programme. To resolve such uncertainty and find solutions that satisfy all sides, not only must a ceasefire be made to hold, but there should also be a redoubled effort to restart regional dialogue and rebuild trust. That will be difficult but the alternative – as we have seen – is even worse. The future of the Middle East cannot be left hanging in the air.
Racecard
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The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Gender pay parity on track in the UAE
The UAE has a good record on gender pay parity, according to Mercer's Total Remuneration Study.
"In some of the lower levels of jobs women tend to be paid more than men, primarily because men are employed in blue collar jobs and women tend to be employed in white collar jobs which pay better," said Ted Raffoul, career products leader, Mena at Mercer. "I am yet to see a company in the UAE – particularly when you are looking at a blue chip multinationals or some of the bigger local companies – that actively discriminates when it comes to gender on pay."
Mr Raffoul said most gender issues are actually due to the cultural class, as the population is dominated by Asian and Arab cultures where men are generally expected to work and earn whereas women are meant to start a family.
"For that reason, we see a different gender gap. There are less women in senior roles because women tend to focus less on this but that’s not due to any companies having a policy penalising women for any reasons – it’s a cultural thing," he said.
As a result, Mr Raffoul said many companies in the UAE are coming up with benefit package programmes to help working mothers and the career development of women in general.
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company profile
Company: Eighty6
Date started: October 2021
Founders: Abdul Kader Saadi and Anwar Nusseibeh
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Hospitality
Size: 25 employees
Funding stage: Pre-series A
Investment: $1 million
Investors: Seed funding, angel investors
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20WallyGPT%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2014%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESaeid%20and%20Sami%20Hejazi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20raised%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%247.1%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2020%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPre-seed%20round%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
What is cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying or online bullying could take many forms such as sending unkind or rude messages to someone, socially isolating people from groups, sharing embarrassing pictures of them, or spreading rumors about them.
Cyberbullying can take place on various platforms such as messages, on social media, on group chats, or games.
Parents should watch out for behavioural changes in their children.
When children are being bullied they they may be feel embarrassed and isolated, so parents should watch out for signs of signs of depression and anxiety
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The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 502hp at 7,600rpm
Torque: 637Nm at 5,150rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: from Dh317,671
On sale: now
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
The design
The protective shell is covered in solar panels to make use of light and produce energy. This will drastically reduce energy loss.
More than 80 per cent of the energy consumed by the French pavilion will be produced by the sun.
The architecture will control light sources to provide a highly insulated and airtight building.
The forecourt is protected from the sun and the plants will refresh the inner spaces.
A micro water treatment plant will recycle used water to supply the irrigation for the plants and to flush the toilets. This will reduce the pavilion’s need for fresh water by 30 per cent.
Energy-saving equipment will be used for all lighting and projections.
Beyond its use for the expo, the pavilion will be easy to dismantle and reuse the material.
Some elements of the metal frame can be prefabricated in a factory.
From architects to sound technicians and construction companies, a group of experts from 10 companies have created the pavilion.
Work will begin in May; the first stone will be laid in Dubai in the second quarter of 2019.
Construction of the pavilion will take 17 months from May 2019 to September 2020.
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
My Country: A Syrian Memoir
Kassem Eid, Bloomsbury
