In Syria's western desert, Maree Al Shehab had given up hope of seeing his home city of Palmyra again, still less showing his children born over the last decade where they could trace their roots.
After fleeing an ISIS takeover of the city in 2015 with nothing but a small bag of clothes, he had lived in a refugee camp on the border with Jordan. Months passed without aid, there was little electricity and no running water in temporary shelters made of clay.
All the evil people of the earth entered it -- they displaced its good people who lived simply.”
Maree Al Shehab on Palmyra
But when ISIS was defeated in Palmyra, militias loyal to the now-deposed dictator Bashar Al Assad occupied the city and laid siege to the camp, preventing Mr Al Shehab and tens of thousands of others from returning.
His children, Mahmoud and Mal Al Sham, were born in the camp, which is called Rukban, but Mr Al Shehab frequently reminded them of their home, a town on the edge of the ruins of the ancient city of Palmyra. “I always told them that we have a homeland, but we were forced to leave it,” he said.
He showed them images of the city’s remains, including a colonnaded street, amphitheatres and temples. Known for its former ruler Queen Zenobia, who challenged the Eastern Roman Empire, Palmyra was a crucial trading city linking the east and west.
Mr Al Shehab also told his children of its close-knit community. “I told them about our beautiful neighbourhood and the neighbours we lived with as if we were one family,” he said.
Freedom has a price, and this price was very high due to 55 years of oppression
Maree Al Shehab
After the collapse of the Assad regime, he returned to the city on one of the first buses to leave Rukban. “We entered the city with happy hearts and eyes filled with tears of joy,” he said.
The first thing he did was to take his children to the ancient ruins. Mahmoud wanted to see the site's Roman arch. The ornate Triumphal Arch was one of three sites destroyed by ISIS in 2017.
Al Shehab told his children that the arch had been destroyed. He blamed the Assad regime for ISIS’s takeover in 2015 and the damage caused to the city by the militias that supported him. “All the evil people of the earth entered it,” he said. They displaced its good people who lived simply.”
He then saw the fear in his son’s eyes as they walked through the town’s devastated street market. Upon returning home, they found windows and doors missing, crumbling walls and nothing left inside.
“This is ruined, there is nobody in the neighbourhood. Where will we live?” Mahmoud asked. Mr Al Shebab admitted that upon seeing his home, he had second thoughts about having returned so soon. “I said to myself, 'why did you bring them here before repairing the house?'” he said.
Demining efforts
Former residents who have returned to the city from Idlib and Damascus formed the Civil Committee of Tadmor. They said they hoped the city's administration would be formed of locals who had not been involved with the Assad regime. “We want only revolutionary cadres,” an official told The National.
Rebuilding efforts are also affected by landmines left behind by the Iran-backed militias and Russian groups that occupied the city. “It is affecting the livelihoods of Bedouin herders who cannot take their flocks out safely,” he said. The Syrian Free Army has been patrolling the city to check on residents during demining efforts.
Not a priority
There are concerns that the new HTS-led administration could overlook the crises in rural areas as it focuses on rebuilding the largest cities. “They're not paying attention to the countryside,” said Khaled Al Homsi, a former resident of Palmyra now living in Turkey.
Several plans exist to restore ancient sites. ISIS used the ruins of the arch as a backdrop for their execution videos, while Russian forces that took the city back hosted a classical music concert in an amphitheatre. Several plans exist for the recovery of the ancient site, which became a potent symbol during the war. ISIS used it as the backdrop for their execution videos, and Russian forces that took the city back hosted a classical music concert in its amphitheatre. A 3D replica of the Arch was erected in London's Trafalgar square in 2016.
The Assad regime dug up the city to prepare artillery positions, build dykes and roads. Important tombs were looted, or damaged by air strikes, according to the Association for the Protection of Syrian Archaeology. However, there is a more urgent need for running water, electricity and safe homes, as people begin to return.
Rebuilding homes
When Ibrahim Mohamed returned to his home from Rukban, he no longer recognised it. The ceilings had collapsed from shelling, the windows and doors were missing, and the electrical wiring had been removed from the walls. “There was nothing. No windows, no doors. No running water,” he told The National.
Facing unemployment, Mr Mohamed is struggling to gather the funds to feed his family and rebuild. “I need to put 1.5 million Syrian pounds ($115) for each door. I don’t have that. I need to feed my children, I can’t afford bread,” he said.
His five children were born in Rukban camp. His eldest is 10 years old, and the youngest is four months old. “They were hoping to have a home at last. Now some of them tell me they want to go back to the camp,” he said.
The fear of destitution is one of the reasons why hundreds of refugees have opted to stay in Rukban, a camp administrator told The National. At its peak, the camp hosted about 60,000 refugees, but by the time the Assad regime fell, the numbers had dwindled to about 1,850.
Mr Al Shehab is using any means he can to rebuild to allow his family to return. He is hanging blankets to cover doors and plastic sheets for windows. He plans to use as little electricity as possible, as his family has become used to living without it.
However, he expects to pay over $100 to reinstall water – which he cannot afford without job opportunities. He fears that the new government will not be able to provide basic services quickly and hopes international aid organisations can support them. But he is hopeful that Syrians can come together to rebuild their country.
“Freedom has a price, and this price was very high due to 55 years of oppression. Now we need intensive work and solidarity to build a beautiful Syria,” he said.
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The National will broadcast live from the IMF on Friday October 13 at 7pm UAE time (3pm GMT) as our Editor-in-Chief Mina Al-Oraibi moderates a panel on how technology can help growth in MENA.
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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
MATCH INFO
Fixture: Thailand v UAE, Tuesday, 4pm (UAE)
TV: Abu Dhabi Sports
Earth under attack: Cosmic impacts throughout history
- 4.5 billion years ago: Mars-sized object smashes into the newly-formed Earth, creating debris that coalesces to form the Moon
- 66 million years ago: 10km-wide asteroid crashes into the Gulf of Mexico, wiping out over 70 per cent of living species – including the dinosaurs.
- 50,000 years ago: 50m-wide iron meteor crashes in Arizona with the violence of 10 megatonne hydrogen bomb, creating the famous 1.2km-wide Barringer Crater
- 1490: Meteor storm over Shansi Province, north-east China when large stones “fell like rain”, reportedly leading to thousands of deaths.
- 1908: 100-metre meteor from the Taurid Complex explodes near the Tunguska river in Siberia with the force of 1,000 Hiroshima-type bombs, devastating 2,000 square kilometres of forest.
- 1998: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 breaks apart and crashes into Jupiter in series of impacts that would have annihilated life on Earth.
-2013: 10,000-tonne meteor burns up over the southern Urals region of Russia, releasing a pressure blast and flash that left over 1600 people injured.
Results
2pm: Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (Dirt) 1,200m, Winner: Mouheeb, Tom Marquand (jockey), Nicholas Bachalard (trainer)
2.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh68,000 (D) 1,200m, Winner: Honourable Justice, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
3pm: Handicap (TB) Dh84,000 (D) 1,200m, Winner: Dahawi, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
3.30pm: Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,200m, Winner: Dark Silver, Fernando Jara, Ahmad bin Harmash
4pm: Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Dark Of Night. Antonio Fresu, Al Muhairi.
4.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh68,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Habah, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
Ukraine
Capital: Kiev
Population: 44.13 million
Armed conflict in Donbass
Russia-backed fighters control territory
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: SimpliFi
Started: August 2021
Founder: Ali Sattar
Based: UAE
Industry: Finance, technology
Investors: 4DX, Rally Cap, Raed, Global Founders, Sukna and individuals
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Race%20card
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
Company profile
Company: Verity
Date started: May 2021
Founders: Kamal Al-Samarrai, Dina Shoman and Omar Al Sharif
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech
Size: four team members
Stage: Intially bootstrapped but recently closed its first pre-seed round of $800,000
Investors: Wamda, VentureSouq, Beyond Capital and regional angel investors
Mobile phone packages comparison
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
