The Biden administration on Friday went out of its way to note that it has not reversed former president Donald Trump’s decision to formally recognise Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights.
“US policy regarding the Golan has not changed, and reports to the contrary are false,” the State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs tweeted.
The State Department's unusual tweet came after several mainstream Israeli media outlets cited a story in a right-wing US publication, The Washington Free Beacon, that said the Biden administration was "walking back" Mr Trump's recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.
A State Department official had told the Free Beacon that the territory was important to Israel's security – but did not point to any policy changes on the issue.
"[US Secretary of State Antony Blinken] was clear that, as a practical matter, the Golan is very important to Israel's security," the State Department official told the Free Beacon, and added that as long as Syrian President Bashar Al Assad remains in power, "the control of the Golan remains of real importance to Israel's security".
The publication then quoted former secretary of state Mike Pompeo and other pro-Israel Republicans lambasting the Biden administration on the issue.
Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said the report was intended to undermine the new government formed by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett this month, putting an end to Benjamin Netanyahu’s 12 years in power.
“The United States recognised our sovereignty over the Golan Heights and its strategic importance to Israel’s security,” Mr Lapid said.
“Those who spread rumours about the US rescinding its recognition harm our security, our sovereignty and are prepared to cause real damage to the state of Israel and its relations with the US just to hurt the new government.”
Mr Netanyahu criticised Mr Lapid and called the new government “dangerous” this week after the foreign minister endorsed a “no surprises” policy on a phone call with Mr Blinken.
During his lengthy tenure as prime minister, Mr Netanyahu frequently lobbied the US against the Iran nuclear deal, going so far as to blindside former president Barack Obama with an address to the US Congress beseeching members to tank an pre-deal agreement made during negotiations with Tehran.
As prime minister, Mr Netanyahu played up his close relationship with Mr Trump before Israeli voters, touting an ongoing stream of policy victories he received from Washington.
These included the recognition of the Israeli annexation of the Golan Heights, a reversal of a decades-old State Department legal opinion that declared West Bank settlements illegal under international law, and the Abraham Accords, through which several Arab states – including the UAE – normalised relations with Israel.
Mr Netanyahu even unveiled a new settlement in the Golan Heights named “Trump Heights” to thank the former US president for recognising Israeli sovereignty over the disputed territory.
Israel seized the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 war and annexed the territory in 1981.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Key 2013/14 UAE Motorsport dates
October 4: Round One of Rotax Max Challenge, Al Ain (karting)
October 1: 1 Round One of the inaugural UAE Desert Championship (rally)
November 1-3: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Formula One)
November 28-30: Dubai International Rally
January 9-11: 24Hrs of Dubai (Touring Cars / Endurance)
March 21: Round 11 of Rotax Max Challenge, Muscat, Oman (karting)
April 4-10: Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge (Endurance)
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
The%20specs
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TCL INFO
Teams:
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
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
Fourth-round clashes for British players
- Andy Murray (1) v Benoit Paire, Centre Court (not before 4pm)
- Johanna Konta (6) v Caroline Garcia (21), Court 1 (4pm)
Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin
UK’s AI plan
- AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
- £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
- £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
- £250m to train new AI models
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