US Secretary of State Antony Blinken promised on Friday to encourage more Arab countries to recognise Israel as he met with diplomats a year after the signing of the Abraham Accords.
The virtual event brought together top diplomats from Israel, the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco and amounted to a full embrace by US President Joe Biden of the Abraham Accords, brokered by former president Donald Trump.
The officials hailed the agreement, which has led to the opening of embassies, the launch of direct flights and a series of deals to boost economic ties.
“This administration will continue to build on the successful efforts of the last administration to keep normalisation marching forward,” Mr Blinken said.
He said the Biden administration would continue to help foster ties between Israel and the Arab states and encouraged other countries to follow the lead of those that have signed on to the Abraham Accords.
“We want to widen the circle of peaceful diplomacy,” he said.
Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid echoed this sentiment, and added: “This Abraham Accords club is open for new members.”
Mr Lapid announced on Friday that he would visit Bahrain this month, the first such visit by an Israeli minister to the Gulf country. He has already visited the UAE and Morocco.
The UAE last year became the first Arab state to normalise relations with Israel since Egypt and Jordan did so decades earlier, with Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco following soon after.
We want to widen the circle of peaceful diplomacy
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken
Following the announcement of the agreement, Palestinian officials said they felt betrayed by their Arab brethren for normalising relations with Israel without first demanding progress towards the creation of a Palestinian state, with US critics of Mr Trump levelling a similar charge at him.
Mr Blinken said during the virtual conference that “tangible improvements” must be made in the lives of Palestinians and promoted a negotiated peace between Palestine and Israel.
The three Arab ministers all called for progress towards a Palestinian state.
“We feel that the Abrahamic Accords will allow us to help and assist further in the peace process, leading to what we all see as the ultimate goal of a two-state solution,” said Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to President Sheikh Khalifa.
Morocco’s Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita said that relaunching the peace process with Palestine is “fundamental".
Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Alzayani said more should be done to display the benefits of cooperation between Israel and the Arab world.
“We need to demonstrate what genuine regional peace, interdependence and prosperity can mean in practice for the day-to-day lives of all the peoples of the Middle East,” he said.
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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)
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Tips for entertaining with ease
· Set the table the night before. It’s a small job but it will make you feel more organised once done.
· As the host, your mood sets the tone. If people arrive to find you red-faced and harried, they’re not going to relax until you do. Take a deep breath and try to exude calm energy.
· Guests tend to turn up thirsty. Fill a big jug with iced water and lemon or lime slices and encourage people to help themselves.
· Have some background music on to help create a bit of ambience and fill any initial lulls in conversations.
· The meal certainly doesn’t need to be ready the moment your guests step through the door, but if there’s a nibble or two that can be passed around it will ward off hunger pangs and buy you a bit more time in the kitchen.
· You absolutely don’t have to make every element of the brunch from scratch. Take inspiration from our ideas for ready-made extras and by all means pick up a store-bought dessert.
Honeymoonish
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What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
Top investing tips for UAE residents in 2021
Build an emergency fund: Make sure you have enough cash to cover six months of expenses as a buffer against unexpected problems before you begin investing, advises Steve Cronin, the founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com.
Think long-term: When you invest, you need to have a long-term mindset, so don’t worry about momentary ups and downs in the stock market.
Invest worldwide: Diversify your investments globally, ideally by way of a global stock index fund.
Is your money tied up: Avoid anything where you cannot get your money back in full within a month at any time without any penalty.
Skip past the promises: “If an investment product is offering more than 10 per cent return per year, it is either extremely risky or a scam,” Mr Cronin says.
Choose plans with low fees: Make sure that any funds you buy do not charge more than 1 per cent in fees, Mr Cronin says. “If you invest by yourself, you can easily stay below this figure.” Managed funds and commissionable investments often come with higher fees.
Be sceptical about recommendations: If someone suggests an investment to you, ask if they stand to gain, advises Mr Cronin. “If they are receiving commission, they are unlikely to recommend an investment that’s best for you.”
Get financially independent: Mr Cronin advises UAE residents to pursue financial independence. Start with a Google search and improve your knowledge via expat investing websites or Facebook groups such as SimplyFI.
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
