Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza
In a narrow restaurant, tucked into a corner of the Christian Quarter in Old Jerusalem, a group of British retirees huddle around a table, frantically discussing their dwindling options.
“Do we go east?” one asks, suggesting the group of 12 try to find a way to Jordan.
“Can we?” another one counters. “Are the land crossings open?”
Hamas’s attack over the weekend, which left more than 1,300 killed and scores more wounded and kidnapped, has triggered a significant Israeli response that is only likely to intensify in the coming days.
More than 1,300 Palestinians have been killed in unrelenting aerial bombardments of the Gaza Strip as the Israeli military prepares for an expected ground invasion.
The war has made international air carriers wary, with the US Federal Aviation Administration urging airlines to use caution when flying through Israeli airspace.
The vast majority, including the major US airlines, have cancelled or postponed flights to Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport.
In Europe, Air France and British Airways, along with several others, have also suspended operations to Israel, leaving thousands of people in limbo.
“The options have diminished,” said David Gunn, who led the British retirees on a tour of Israel.
“We're getting a bit stressed and of course we all stayed longer in hotels, which we didn't budget for,” he said, speaking to The National before Britain and several other European countries announced special flights to evacuate their citizens from Israel.
The group was originally booked on an easyJet flight last Sunday that was cancelled. Since then they say it has been difficult to find a viable option as the situation is constantly changing.
“We're told not to go to Haifa, just to go east or else fly El Al but I looked up El Al flights to London, it will be two weeks to get a seat,” Mr Gunn said.
For Sophie Turfus, one of the few members of the group who is still working, the extended stay has put a strain on her job back home in the UK.
“I'm worried about my work,” Ms Turfus said. “I have had lots of online meetings today and yesterday, I really need to get out.”
Ms Turfus, a university lecturer, said she has students who are relying on her to finish their Bachelor of Science projects and she can only help so much remotely.
While the land crossings between Israel and Jordan have for the most part remained open, lines have been long and hours of operations altered. There is also no guarantee of making it across, which for the group is not all that appealing. As a result, they remain, like so many in the country, on edge waiting to see what happens next.
Walid Dajani manages the Imperial Hotel near the Tower of David in the Old City. He has lost all his bookings for October because of cancellations, but is still looking after 20 guests, most of whom are trying to figure out ways to leave.
The 78-year-old, whose family has run the hotel since 1949, said on top of making sure his guests are being looked after, he is trying to help them find alternative routes home.
"I'm trying, you know. For example, this morning, I have some American guests, who are stuck," Mr Dajani told The National. 'Since two days, they've been trying on their computer, they have a reservation and then they don't have a reservation, so I worked out with them and I hope they will succeed to go to Jordan and pick a flight from there."
Mr Dajani said an added challenge is that most of his staff live in the West Bank and have been unable to cross into Jerusalem to work since Israel declared war. He is relying on his family to help run the hotel and make sure that the stranded travellers are as comfortable as possible.
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
ENGLAND SQUAD
Joe Root (captain), Dom Sibley, Rory Burns, Dan Lawrence, Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Ben Foakes (wicketkeeper), Moeen Ali, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes, Jack Leach, Stuart Broad
Fixtures and results:
Wed, Aug 29:
- Malaysia bt Hong Kong by 3 wickets
- Oman bt Nepal by 7 wickets
- UAE bt Singapore by 215 runs
Thu, Aug 30: UAE v Nepal; Hong Kong v Singapore; Malaysia v Oman
Sat, Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong; Oman v Singapore; Malaysia v Nepal
Sun, Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman; Malaysia v UAE; Nepal v Singapore
Tue, Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore; UAE v Oman; Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu, Sep 6: Final
NATIONAL%20SELECTIONS
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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
