Jordan will keep working with its allies to push for a two-state solution to resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict, King Abdullah II has said, as a new right-wing governing coalition is being formed in Israel.
A Royal Court statement quoted a letter by the king on Tuesday, written to mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, which is organised by the UN.
In the letter, King Abdullah said Jordan “will maintain co-ordination with regional and international partners to push towards the two-state solution.”
He said the kingdom will be “working to relaunch effective negotiations that lead to just and comprehensive peace and protect the rights of the Palestinians.”
His letter was sent to Cheikh Niang, head of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, the palace said.
The committee arose from a 1975 UN General Assembly resolution.
Right-wing prime minister-elect Benjamin Netanyahu gained this month a mandate to form Israel's next cabinet after securing victory in the November 1 election.
Jordanian officials have not commented on the win.
But the kingdom maintained co-ordination on security and other issues with Israel when Mr Netanyahu was previously in power — from 1996 to 1999 and again from 2009 to 2021.
This coincided with regional turbulence that included the US occupation of Iraq, the Syrian civil war and concerns over Iran-backed militias in the region.
The two countries also signed the Wadi Araba peace treaty in 1994, when Yitzhak Rabin of the Labour Party was prime minister of Israel.
Jordan views Mr Netanyahu as having subverted the principle of a two-state solution by expanding settlements and creating other “facts on the ground” that could make it impossible for the Palestinians to establish and manage their own country.
This, Jordanian officials fear, could raise pressure on the Palestinians to the point of prompting another wave of refugees to Jordan.
A large proportion of Jordan's population comprises Palestinians who fled Palestine between 1948 and 1967 and their descendants
In the letter, King Abdullah affirmed “the Palestinians’ right to self-determination and establishing their independent, sovereign and viable state … with East Jerusalem as its capital”, the palace said.
Referring to Israeli incursions in recent years into Al Aqsa mosque and attempts to seize property in Jerusalem, the king said that “undermining the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem would lead to further escalation, violence and extremism”.
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
Five expert hiking tips
Always check the weather forecast before setting off
Make sure you have plenty of water
Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
Take your litter home with you
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
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All Black 39-12 British & Irish Lions
The Outsider
Stephen King, Penguin
Company profile
Name: Tratok Portal
Founded: 2017
Based: UAE
Sector: Travel & tourism
Size: 36 employees
Funding: Privately funded
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Juliet, Naked
Dir: Jesse Peretz
Starring: Chris O'Dowd, Rose Byrne, Ethan Hawke
Two stars
Federer's 11 Wimbledon finals
2003 Beat Mark Philippoussis
2004 Beat Andy Roddick
2005 Beat Andy Roddick
2006 Beat Rafael Nadal
2007 Beat Rafael Nadal
2008 Lost to Rafael Nadal
2009 Beat Andy Roddick
2012 Beat Andy Murray
2014 Lost to Novak Djokovic
2015 Lost to Novak Djokovic
2017 Beat Marin Cilic
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
More from Armen Sarkissian
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Rating: 4/5
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
