The brother of Palestinian boy Hussien Hamad, who was killed during recent Palestinian-Israeli violence, cries during his funeral in northern Gaza. Reuters
Relatives of Palestinian man Ahmed Al Shenbari mourn during his funeral in the northern Gaza Strip. Reuters
Palestinians mourn during a funeral in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip. AFP
The mother of Palestinian boy Hussien Hamad, 11, is comforted by mourners during his funeral in Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza. AFP
Relatives of Palestinian Hussien Hamad, 11, mourn during his funeral in Beit Hanoun, Gaza. AFP
Mourners carry the body of Palestinian boy Hussien Hamad during his funeral in the northern Gaza Strip. Reuters
A relative of Palestinian man Ahmed Al Shenbari mourns during his funeral in northern Gaza. Reuters
Mourners carry the body of Palestinian man Ahmed Al Shenbari during his funeral in the northern Gaza Strip. Reuters
Relatives of Palestinian man Ahmed Al Shenbari, who was killed during recent Palestinian-Israeli violence, react during his funeral in northern Gaza. Reuters
Mourners carry the body of Ahmed Al Shenbari, a Palestinian, during his funeral in the northern Gaza Strip. Reuters
As far as symbols of resistance go, an old photo of one’s grandmother sitting in her family home is an unlikely one. But on Monday a well-known Palestinian activist posted such a photo, taken in 1970 in the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah, to serve as a reminder of the inter-generational struggle Palestinians have endured for the right to live in their own homes.
A grandmother in 1970 in the East Jersualem neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah. Credit: Instagram
Sheikh Jarrah has become the focal point of some of the worst violence Palestinians and Israelis have experienced in years. Arab residents face eviction as the result of a legal case brought in Israeli courts by Jewish settler organisations relying on a law that gives privilege to Jewish landowners from the early 20th century. Many of the Arabs living in Sheikh Jarrah moved there decades ago, when it was under Jordanian control, after fleeing their homes elsewhere in the country during Israel's creation, and Israeli law prevents the refugees from reclaiming them.
Eid celebrations have been cancelled in Palestine
Tensions have been rising for weeks, resulting in protests in several Palestinian and Israeli cities. These were put down with excessive force by Israeli police. The violence is intensifying as Hamas, the extremist group that controls Gaza, continues to fire hundreds of rockets into Israeli territory, which have so far killed two civilians and injured at least seven. Israel has responded with air strikes. As a result of them, 25 Gazans, nine of whom were children, are dead.
Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa Mosque, one of Islam's holiest sites, has also served as a boiling point, with Israeli police firing stun grenades and tear gas into the mosque itself. This happened as Muslims worldwide prepare for the religious holiday of Eid Al Fitr. Celebrations have been cancelled in Palestine, and a cloud will be hanging over the occasion across the Muslim world.
The right-wing extremists who support settler organisations have waged a broader campaign to deny Palestinian rights in East Jerusalem, which the UN considers to be occupied Palestinian land. As the events in Al Aqsa Mosque compound unfolded, a crowd of right-wing Israelis gathered nearby to celebrate "Jerusalem Day", which marks the anniversary of Israel's capture of the eastern part of the city in 1967. The situation is escalating at such a pace that many worry it could be the beginning of a third intifada.
Even if it does not reach that point, the scale of the violence will have major consequences at home and abroad. Fragile peace processes are taking place across the region. US President Joe Biden's administration has a role in them all. If he is perceived as being incapable of action or pressuring either side, parties who want to spurn American mediation will now have the perfect excuse.
It does not help matters that in both Palestine and Israel, domestic politics appear to be in disarray. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could be on the cusp of fighting his fifth election in two years. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas recently called off what would have been the territory's first vote since 2006. The uncertainty of these circumstances, which are the product of both leaders’ cynical desire to prioritise their own grip on power, has resulted in the continued absence of sensible policymaking and moral clarity at a time when they are sorely needed.
Palestinian frustration is mounting, justifiably, and it is ripe for exploitation by those who would wish to see more violence in the days ahead. The onus is on Israelis, who are favoured by an overwhelming asymmetry of force, to ensure that they are not among them.
The biog
Name: Shamsa Hassan Safar
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Degree in emergency medical services at Higher Colleges of Technology
Favourite book: Between two hearts- Arabic novels
Favourite music: Mohammed Abdu and modern Arabic songs
Favourite way to spend time off: Family visits and spending time with friends
ADCC AFC Women’s Champions League Group A fixtures
October 3: v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC October 6: v Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC October 9: v Sabah FA
Group D: Morocco, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Namibia
Group E: Tunisia, Mali, Mauritania, Angola
Group F: Cameroon, Ghana, Benin, Guinea-Bissau
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
