Palestinian paramedics rush a woman wounded in an Israeli military strike on July 29, 2014 at the Kamal Adwan hospital in Beit Lahia. Israel intensified its Gaza bombardment leaving scores dead today, the 22nd day of a devastating conflict, as Palestinian leaders said an offer of a day-long truce was on the table. AFP Photo
Palestinian paramedics rush a woman wounded in an Israeli military strike on July 29, 2014 at the Kamal Adwan hospital in Beit Lahia. Israel intensified its Gaza bombardment leaving scores dead today,Show more

Anger in Europe over Israeli violence in Gaza



Marseille, France // Israel has many friends in Europe but the scale and perceived brutality of its operation in Gaza are severely testing the nerve of supporters as well as reinforcing the hostility of critics.

In France, which has the European Union’s largest populations of both Muslims and Jews, the conflict has been reported in terms overwhelmingly sympathetic towards the Palestinians.

The descent of big, pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Paris into ugly scenes of violence and destruction, with fierce attacks on not only the police but synagogues and Jewish-owned businesses, has been deplored by the media and political leaders.

But despite growing concern at the actions of an anti-Semitic fringe among the protesters, opinion has not noticeably switched in Israel’s favour.

More striking is a reluctance among the French to take sides; their interest seemingly limited to the hope that the hatred of the conflict is not imported further into France.

In a poll cited by the news magazine L'Express, only 17 per cent said they supported the Palestinians and 12 per cent backed the Israelis, while 71 per cent sympathised with neither.

French president Francois Hollande announced on Tuesday that he had telephoned Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Authority president, to pledge €8 million (Dh39.5m) in humanitarian aid for Gaza. This was on top of €3m already promised.

Mr Hollande reaffirmed France’s demand for a lasting ceasefire in the present conflict and for credible negotiations needed to attain a fair, definitive agreement on a two-state solution.

The heavy loss of life inflicted by Israel, despite the Netanyahu government’s insistence that is waging a determined, but measured war against terrorism, has also provoked critical comment in Britain.

The centrist politician, David Ward, who has previously appeared to question the existence of Israel, said in a tweet last week: “The big question is – if I lived in #Gaza would I fire a rocket? – probably yes.” This led to instant rebukes from his own party, the Liberal Democrats, as well as political opponents, and Mr Ward quickly modified his comment.

But the same MP wrote in January last year of being saddened that “the Jews, who suffered unbelievable levels of persecution during the Holocaust, could within a few years of liberation from the death camps be inflicting atrocities on Palestinians in the new State of Israel and continue to do so on a daily basis in the West Bank and Gaza”.

Another voice raised against Israel’s actions was less predictable.

Sir Max Hastings, the pro-Israeli military historian and former editor of a British newspaper, The Daily Telegraph, admitted the crisis had led to "utterly contemptible" displays of anti-Semitism in parts of Europe.

But he added, in an article for another British newspaper, the Daily Mail: "It is also contemptible that some apologists hurl charges of anti-Semitism at all Israel's critics, many of whom are admirers of so much that this great nation has achieved … Israel's people deserve a less unworthy leader than Benjamin Netanyahu, and a higher vision than that of reducing Gaza to rubble. This can breed only a new generation of alienated, embittered Palestinian radicals, who will sustain their desperate struggle through decades to come."

When friends of Israel are so harsh – Sir Max also accused its army of behaving “like other arrogant occupiers through the ages, displaying at best casual rudeness, at worst murderous brutality” – the response of militant or less thoughtful individuals may be unsurprising.

In the Netherlands, the home of the Dutch chief rabbi, Binyomin Jacobs, has been attacked twice in a week. And police in Germany, where cries of “gas the Jews” have been heard during protests, said on Tuesday that a synagogue in the western city of Wuppertal had been attacked overnight with petrol bombs.

Collectively, at government level, Europe sees justification for Israel’s use of force while questioning its intensity.

In a joint statement, EU foreign ministers said last week they recognised Israel’s “legitimate right to defend itself” and condemned Hamas for “criminal and unjustifiable” firing of rockets into Israel. But they also talked of being “appalled by the human cost” and pointed out that the blockade of Gaza and West Bank settlement expansion were roots causes of the conflict.

foreign.desk@thenational.ae

THE LIGHT

Director: Tom Tykwer

Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger

Rating: 3/5

The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

Expert advice

“Join in with a group like Cycle Safe Dubai or TrainYAS, where you’ll meet like-minded people and always have support on hand.”

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Tickets

Tickets start at Dh100 for adults, while children can enter free on the opening day. For more information, visit www.mubadalawtc.com.

How to wear a kandura

Dos

  • Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion 
  • Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
  • Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work 
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Don’ts 

  • Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal 
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MATCH DETAILS

Juventus 2 (Bonucci 36, Ronaldo 90 6)

Genoa 1 (Kouame 40)

Notable groups (UAE time)

Jordan Spieth, Si Woo Kim, Henrik Stenson (12.47pm)

Justin Thomas, Justin Rose, Louis Oosthuizen (12.58pm)

Hideki Matsuyama, Brooks Koepka, Tommy Fleetwood (1.09pm)

Sergio Garcia, Jason Day, Zach Johnson (4.04pm)

Rickie Fowler, Paul Casey, Adam Scott (4.26pm)

Dustin Johnson, Charl Schwartzel, Rory McIlroy (5.48pm)

Sweet%20Tooth
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The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

Key figures in the life of the fort

Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.

Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.

Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.

Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae

TICKETS

Tickets start at Dh100 for adults, while children can enter free on the opening day. For more information, visit www.mubadalawtc.com.

US PGA Championship in numbers

Joost Luiten produced a memorable hole in one at the par-three fourth in the first round.

To date, the only two players to win the PGA Championship after winning the week before are Rory McIlroy (2014 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational) and Tiger Woods (2007, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational). Hideki Matsuyama or Chris Stroud could have made it three.

Number of seasons without a major for McIlroy, who finished in a tie for 22nd.

4 Louis Oosthuizen has now finished second in all four of the game's major championships.

In the fifth hole of the final round, McIlroy holed his longest putt of the week - from 16ft 8in - for birdie.

For the sixth successive year, play was disrupted by bad weather with a delay of one hour and 43 minutes on Friday.

Seven under par (64) was the best round of the week, shot by Matsuyama and Francesco Molinari on Day 2.

Number of shots taken by Jason Day on the 18th hole in round three after a risky recovery shot backfired.

Jon Rahm's age in months the last time Phil Mickelson missed the cut in the US PGA, in 1995.

10 Jimmy Walker's opening round as defending champion was a 10-over-par 81.

11 The par-four 11th coincidentally ranked as the 11th hardest hole overall with a scoring average of 4.192.

12 Paul Casey was a combined 12 under par for his first round in this year's majors.

13 The average world ranking of the last 13 PGA winners before this week was 25. Kevin Kisner began the week ranked 25th.

14 The world ranking of Justin Thomas before his victory.

15 Of the top 15 players after 54 holes, only Oosthuizen had previously won a major.

16 The par-four 16th marks the start of Quail Hollow's so-called "Green Mile" of finishing holes, some of the toughest in golf.

17 The first round scoring average of the last 17 major champions was 67.2. Kisner and Thorbjorn Olesen shot 67 on day one at Quail Hollow.

18 For the first time in 18 majors, the eventual winner was over par after round one (Thomas shot 73).

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.

How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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The 12 breakaway clubs

England

Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur

Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus

Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid

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Sugary teas and iced coffees

The tax authority is yet to release a list of the taxed products, but it appears likely that sugary iced teas and cold coffees will be hit.

For instance, the non-fizzy drink AriZona Iced Tea contains 65 grams of sugar – about 16 teaspoons – per 680ml can. The average can costs about Dh6, which would rise to Dh9.

Cold coffee brands are likely to be hit too. Drinks such as Starbucks Bottled Mocha Frappuccino contain 31g of sugar in 270ml, while Nescafe Mocha in a can contains 15.6g of sugar in a 240ml can.

Director: Laxman Utekar

Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna

Rating: 1/5

THE SPECS

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo

Power: 275hp at 6,600rpm

Torque: 353Nm from 1,450-4,700rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto

Top speed: 250kph

Fuel consumption: 6.8L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: Dh146,999

The specs: 2018 Mazda CX-5

Price, base / as tested: Dh89,000 / Dh130,000
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder
Power: 188hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 251Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
​​​​​​​Fuel consumption, combined: 7.1L / 100km

Drishyam 2

Directed by: Jeethu Joseph

Starring: Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba, Murali Gopy

Rating: 4 stars