Britain’s foreign minister will use an upcoming visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories to push for a renewed dialogue following the landmark accord between the UAE and Israel.
Dominic Raab is due to make an official visit to the region this week and will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
The Abraham Accord opened the way for the normalisation of ties between the UAE and Israel and was hailed as a chance to revive the peace process with the Palestinians after bringing a halt to Israeli plans to annex Palestinian lands.
Ahead of his visit, Mr Raab said Britain “remains committed to Israel’s security and stability, and the recent normalisation of relations between Israel and the UAE was an important moment for the region”.
“Israel’s suspension of annexation is an essential step towards a more peaceful Middle East,” he said. “It is important to build on this new dynamic, and ultimately only the government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority can negotiate the two state solution required to secure lasting peace.”
Mr Raab will meet his Israeli opposite number Gabi Ashkenazi and Defence Minister Benny Gantz before meeting Mr Netanyahu to reiterate Britain’s commitment to Israel’s security.
In Ramallah, Mr Raab will meet President Abbas and Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh and reaffirm Britain’s opposition to annexation. He will also call on the Palestinian leaders to resume co-operation with Israel and pursue negotiations.
Britain had condemned Israel’s planned annexation of Palestinian lands as illegal under international law.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the UAE and Israel’s decision to normalise relations “hugely good news”, adding that it was his “profound hope” that the planned annexation did not go ahead.
Mr Raab has called direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians “the only route to lasting peace”.
European arms
Known EU weapons transfers to Ukraine since the war began: Germany 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles. Luxembourg 100 NLAW anti-tank weapons, jeeps and 15 military tents as well as air transport capacity. Belgium 2,000 machine guns, 3,800 tons of fuel. Netherlands 200 Stinger missiles. Poland 100 mortars, 8 drones, Javelin anti-tank weapons, Grot assault rifles, munitions. Slovakia 12,000 pieces of artillery ammunition, 10 million litres of fuel, 2.4 million litres of aviation fuel and 2 Bozena de-mining systems. Estonia Javelin anti-tank weapons. Latvia Stinger surface to air missiles. Czech Republic machine guns, assault rifles, other light weapons and ammunition worth $8.57 million.
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
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Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
Gifts exchanged
- King Charles - replica of President Eisenhower Sword
- Queen Camilla - Tiffany & Co vintage 18-carat gold, diamond and ruby flower brooch
- Donald Trump - hand-bound leather book with Declaration of Independence
- Melania Trump - personalised Anya Hindmarch handbag
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.
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