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Compared to much of the past five months, the atmosphere in Jerusalem’s Muslim Quarter during the last Friday prayers before Ramadan seemed positive.
The streets around Al Aqsa Mosque were busier than usual, more shops were open and Israeli security forces turned away fewer worshippers than in the months since October 7 when the Gaza war began, prompting strict age limits for entry to the mosque compound and forcing the vast majority to pray outside its gates.
However, things are still far from normal, particularly for the period leading up to Ramadan.
The Muslim Quarter should have been packed with Palestinians shopping in preparation for the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, with foreign pilgrims arriving in greater numbers. And people should not have been going about their day so quietly, with eyes trained tensely on the ground.
“Israelis in the media started the problematic idea that this Ramadan will be one of bloodshed – they shouldn’t have, it’s a big mistake,” says Abu El Walid Dajani, a hotelier in the Old City, expressing frustration at the suggestion that the holy month could be the spark for an escalation of violence between Israelis and Palestinians.
“What’s their idea? That Muslims are killers? That they are waiting for Ramadan to come to start killing? This is not Islam,” he adds.
“If I was Israeli, I would not put the idea that Ramadan will be something big in the heads of young people. If I was them, I’d put stalls giving out food for free on Jaffa Gate.”
But it is still a question on the minds of people across the Holy Land and beyond.
Hamas has called on Palestinians to barricade themselves within the walls of Al Aqsa, the third holiest site in Islam, and Israel’s far right seems determined to use the war in Gaza as cover to exercise extra control over the area, which is also of great religious significance in Judaism.
Many Palestinians say celebration feels impossible due to the brutality of the Gaza war, which appears to have no end in sight after repeated failures to broker an extended truce.
Palestinians in Gaza are clinging on to life as Israel's military continues its bombardment and ground operations, and the humanitarian crisis grows increasingly desperate.
It is not so desperate for Palestinians outside Gaza but there is still huge anger. No Palestinians from the occupied West Bank can access Jerusalem, a painful restriction on worship for people from the area and a damaging hit to the income of Old City business owners for whom Ramadan should be a particularly profitable time.
Even for Palestinians in Israel, this is set to be one of the most restricted Ramadans in some time.
In recent weeks, Palestinians and Israelis have been sounding the alarm over radical plans by Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to impose tough restrictions on the number of Palestinian citizens of Israel who can visit Al Aqsa.
Many of his critics accuse the “pyromaniac” minister of trying to ignite a “holy war” to advance his goal of more Jewish settlements in the occupied territories.
Reports emerged this week that, contrary to Mr Ben-Gvir’s wishes and on the advice of large sections of Israel’s security services, severe restrictions will not be imposed.
Only the coming weeks will tell if this is enough to keep a lid on tensions.
For now, the largely silent and sombre mood around Al Aqsa, the symbol at the heart of the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis, indicates a period of great uncertainty.
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- 600-seat auditorium
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UAE v IRELAND
All matches start at 10am, and will be played in Abu Dhabi
1st ODI, Friday, January 8
2nd ODI, Sunday, January 10
3rd ODI, Tuesday, January 12
4th ODI, Thursday, January 14
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Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
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The biog
Name: Sarah Al Senaani
Age: 35
Martial status: Married with three children - aged 8, 6 and 2
Education: Masters of arts in cultural communication and tourism
Favourite movie: Captain Corelli’s Mandolin
Favourite hobbies: Art and horseback ridding
Occupation: Communication specialist at a government agency and the owner of Atelier
Favourite cuisine: Definitely Emirati - harees is my favourite dish
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
The Specs
Price, base Dh379,000
Engine 2.9-litre, twin-turbo V6
Gearbox eight-speed automatic
Power 503bhp
Torque 443Nm
On sale now
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
RESULTS
6.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (Dirt) 1.600m
Winner: Miller’s House, Richard Mullen (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer).
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Kanood, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.
7.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Gervais, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
8.15pm: The Garhoud Sprint Listed (TB) Dh 132,500 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Important Mission, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
8.50pm: The Entisar Listed (TB) Dh 132,500 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Firnas, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.
9.25pm: Conditions (TB) Dh 120,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Zhou Storm, Connor Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
WWE Super ShowDown results
Seth Rollins beat Baron Corbin to retain his WWE Universal title
Finn Balor defeated Andrade to stay WWE Intercontinental Championship
Shane McMahon defeated Roman Reigns
Lars Sullivan won by disqualification against Lucha House Party
Randy Orton beats Triple H
Braun Strowman beats Bobby Lashley
Kofi Kingston wins against Dolph Zigggler to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Mansoor Al Shehail won the 50-man Battle Royal
The Undertaker beat Goldberg
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
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- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
