NBA coach Gregg Popovich calls for better leadership to end Israel-Gaza war

Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza

Gregg Popovich, the head coach of the San Antonio Spurs, has spoken on the Israel-Gaza war and believes a lack of leadership is why there hasn’t been a solution to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The American Hall-of-Famer, who is the longest-serving active coach in the NBA, has been an outspoken voice on many social justice issues in the United States over the years. He said it’s important to talk about what’s happening in Palestine and Israel to keep the problem at the forefront and force leaders to act.

“Many people have tried to solve this problem, as you specifically talk about Palestine, for decades and it hasn’t happened. Talking about it is important because if we don’t, it goes away, nobody pays attention,” Popovich said in a Zoom call on Wednesday, when asked by The National about the conflict.

“So I think the more that it is talked about, the better. I don’t know how that solves it, I wish I had an answer but all our hearts just die when we see the horror that Hamas committed and then we feel the same when we see the bombs dropping killing children and civilians in Palestine.”

As calls for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza continue to be rejected by Israel, Popovich feels leaders must put history aside and choose to prioritise the lives of innocent children.

“As we speak, we know that there are people trying to figure this out. Should there be a ceasefire, should there not? How do we move forward? Is it a military solution? On and on and on. And we just hope that we can find leadership somehow. Because that’s the one thing I think is always lacking,” said Popovich.

“Can there be no men or women who can sit down, get over the greedy power-hungry perceptions that we all have? The arguments, the fights, the histories that everybody has and continues to employ; at some point, the circle has got to stop and somebody has got to have the integrity and the courage to say, ‘We start from here’.

“Somehow the past has to be put away. Because every time the past comes up, decisions can’t be made. People become locked in their own worlds and we kill more children.

“It’s just hard for me to understand all the people who are so adamant about their positions, they have children, they have grandchildren; isn’t that the point? And I wish there were leaders that could grab X number of people by the scruff to the neck, put them in a room and tell them they’re not leaving until they figure it out.

“It sounds simplistic but someone has to have the courage, and I don’t see it.”

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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

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Born: May 19 1952
Place of birth: Deventer, Netherlands
Playing position: Midfielder

Teams managed:
1998-2000 Fortuna Sittard
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2007-2008 Feyenoord
2008-2012 Netherlands
2013-2014 Hamburg
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Major honours (manager):
2001/02 Uefa Cup, Feyenoord
2007/08 KNVB Cup, Feyenoord
World Cup runner-up, Netherlands

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