Yair Lapid: We want to expand the Abraham Accord to the entire region


Neil Halligan
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Israel wants to build on the success of the Abraham Accord with the UAE and replicate it with similar agreements across the region, Israel’s foreign minister said.

The UAE and Israel signed the historic accord to normalise relations, which included establishing embassies and co-operation in fields such as health care, innovation, aviation, environment and energy.

In the 10 months since the accord was signed, bilateral trade has reached more than Dh2.48 billion ($675.2 million).

Yair Lapid, on the first official visit by a senior Israeli minister since relations with the UAE were established last, said the accord provided a blueprint for other countries in the Middle East looking to establish peace and build prosperity in the region.

This visit isn't the end of the road to peace; it's just the beginning
Yair Lapid,
Israeli foreign minister

“The Abraham Accords are proof of what can happen when countries decide to look at the future, when we choose peace over war, [and] co-operation over conflict,” Mr Lapid said in Dubai.

“That is the message to the rest of the Middle East and to the world. Our hand is outstretched, our people are ready, our country's ready and our new government is ready.”

He said Israel would be happy to sign similar agreements with other countries in the Middle East, including its neighbours Saudi Arabia.

“What we want to do is to be able to expand the Abraham Accords to the entire region,” Mr Lapid said.

“Israel's goal is peace in the region and peace with its neighbours. This is extremely important to us.

“We think what is happening here today, and the last couple of days, is a message of hope to the entire region and also a message about what is the right path towards prosperity and goodwill. So yes, if we're able to push forward with the Saudis we will be happy to do so.”

Yair Lapid says Israel's goal is peace in the region and peace with its neighbours. Antonie Robertson / The National
Yair Lapid says Israel's goal is peace in the region and peace with its neighbours. Antonie Robertson / The National

After two days of high-level meetings, including talks with Sheikh Abdullah, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, Mr Lapid said further agreements will be signed in July in Israel.

“This visit isn't the end of the road to peace; it's just the beginning,” Mr Lapid said.

“We will start work on the next set of agreements between our two countries, which will deepen, strengthen and broaden the relationships.”

Quarantine-free travel

Travel between the UAE and Israel has soared since the agreements were signed, with nearly 200,000 Israelis visiting the UAE in the past nine months.

In March this year, meetings between the UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation and its equivalent Israeli department took place to establish a quarantine-free travel corridor.

Rising case numbers, caused by the Covid-19 variants, however, have stalled plans. Mr Lapid said talks are still ongoing and he hopes to establish a "green corridor" soon.

“It's one of our goals to create a green corridor. It's a question for the Ministry of Health because the numbers are rising because of the new variants, so we have to look into it,” he said.

“Our intention is to make this as quickly as possible, but Israel, like the Emirates, is putting health first and foremost. We already discussed this with our minister [Nitzan] Horowitz and our Ministry of Health is going to look into this with the local ministry of health.”

The press conference brought to a close Mr Lapid's two-day visit to the UAE. After opening the country's embassy in Abu Dhabi yesterday, he inaugurated the new Israeli consulate in Dubai.

The minister also toured his country's pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, accompanied on the second day of his state visit by Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Co-operation and director general of Expo 2020 Dubai Bureau, at the world fair site.

Mr Lapid, a centrist, is credited as the mastermind behind a coalition that this month unseated veteran right-wing leader Benjamin Netanyahu after more than a decade in office.

Emergency

Director: Kangana Ranaut

Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry 

Rating: 2/5

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Fuel economy, combined: 10.4L / 100km

Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

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Conflict, drought, famine

Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.

Band Aid

Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.

Roll of honour 2019-2020

Dubai Rugby Sevens

Winners: Dubai Hurricanes

Runners up: Bahrain

 

West Asia Premiership

Winners: Bahrain

Runners up: UAE Premiership

 

UAE Premiership

Winners: Dubai Exiles

Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes

 

UAE Division One

Winners: Abu Dhabi Saracens

Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes II

 

UAE Division Two

Winners: Barrelhouse

Runners up: RAK Rugby

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The specs
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Tips to stay safe during hot weather
  • Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
  • Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
  • Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
  • Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
  • Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
  • Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
  • Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Specs

Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
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Price: On request

Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Rating: 4/5
What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

Smart words at Make Smart Cool

Make Smart Cool is not your usual festival. Dubbed “edutainment” by organisers Najahi Events, Make Smart Cool aims to inspire its youthful target audience through a mix of interactive presentation by social media influencers and a concert finale featuring Example with DJ Wire. Here are some of the speakers sharing their inspiration and experiences on the night.
Prince Ea
With his social media videos accumulating more half a billion views, the American motivational speaker is hot on the college circuit in the US, with talks that focus on the many ways to generate passion and motivation when it comes to learning.
Khalid Al Ameri
The Emirati columnist and presenter is much loved by local youth, with writings and presentations about education, entrepreneurship and family balance. His lectures on career and personal development are sought after by the education and business sector.
Ben Ouattara
Born to an Ivorian father and German mother, the Dubai-based fitness instructor and motivational speaker is all about conquering fears and insecurities. His talk focuses on the need to gain emotional and physical fitness when facing life’s challenges. As well managing his film production company, Ouattara is one of the official ambassadors of Dubai Expo2020.

THE CLOWN OF GAZA

Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah 

Starring: Alaa Meqdad

Rating: 4/5

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Safety 'top priority' for rival hyperloop company

The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.

He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.

“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.

“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.

HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon. 

With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.

The Baghdad Clock

Shahad Al Rawi, Oneworld

PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES

Saturday (UAE kick-off times)

Watford v Leicester City (3.30pm)

Brighton v Arsenal (6pm)

West Ham v Wolves (8.30pm)

Bournemouth v Crystal Palace (10.45pm)

Sunday

Newcastle United v Sheffield United (5pm)

Aston Villa v Chelsea (7.15pm)

Everton v Liverpool (10pm)

Monday

Manchester City v Burnley (11pm)

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Updated: June 30, 2021, 2:38 PM`