As more countries move to officially recognise Palestinian statehood, residents of Gaza – displaced, grieving, and enduring one of the deadliest chapters in their history – are cautious and frustrated.
Diplomatic moves by Western countries have not been followed by immediate steps to halt Israel's heavy bombardment and mass displacement of the population.
Zaher Abu Al Eish, 41, a father of six, was displaced from Jabalia camp to Tel Al Hawa. For him, the recognition carries symbolic weight, particularly when it comes from the UK.
“International recognition of Palestine is very important, especially from major countries like the UK, which issued the Balfour Declaration and placed us into the cycle of occupation and colonisation,” he told The National.
Ten countries have announced plans to recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly. The UK, Canada, Australia and Portugal recognised it on Sunday.
Six other states – France, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra – will also be making the same declaration in New York City on Monday.
“Recognition of Palestine is like an apology from the world for its past support of Israel against the Palestinian people.” Mr Abu Al Eish said.
Many countries, officials, and diplomats have welcomed the move. Husam Zomlot, the head of the Palestinian diplomatic mission in London, said: “The wrongs of the past are beginning to be corrected.”
But despite acknowledgement of the importance of this diplomatic move, the real victory for most Palestinians in Gaza would be compelling Israel to stop the killings.
“Such recognition does not stop the genocide, nor does it end the bloodshed that continues in Gaza every single minute,” Mr Abu Al Eish said.
For younger Gazans such as Ibrahim Al Yazji, 24, who was displaced to Al Mawasi in Khan Younis, the timing of these recognitions presents a disconnect between politics and the lived reality of war.
“I had hoped that recognition of the State of Palestine would come when Gaza was safe and its people lived normal lives,” he told The National.
“No matter how many diplomatic victories are achieved, they remain incomplete as long as the people of Gaza live in indescribable pain, as long as our children have no life, as long as martyrs keep rising and the wounded lie on hospital floors without treatment.”
In an attempt to fully take over Gaza city, Israel has stepped up its military operations in recent weeks and ordered all Palestinians in Gaza city to head south, to the central and southern Gaza Strip.
It also intensified its strikes on the enclave, with more than 65,000 Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks since the start of the war, according to the enclave's Health Ministry. Israel has faced growing scrutiny over its conduct in the war. UN investigators have accused it of committing genocide in an effort to “destroy the Palestinians”.
Here in Gaza, we do not want international recognition; we want the bloodshed to stop. We only want the genocide to end, for Gaza to be rebuilt, for life to return, and for the cycle of displacement, humiliation, and degradation to cease
Maha Abu Jaser,
Gaza resident
For Mr Al Yazji, the international recognitions appear to be a way to ease the consciences of foreign governments rather than to protect Palestinians under fire.
“From the midst of this genocide, we say to the world: we do not need recognition. What we need is for the genocide to stop, by any means, at any cost,” he said.
Maha Abu Jaser, 29, was also displaced with her family from Al Shati Camp to Deir Al Balah. She echoes the sentiment of other Gazans who see the recognition as being merely symbolic.
“Here in Gaza, we do not want international recognition, we want the bloodshed to stop. We only want the genocide to end, for Gaza to be rebuilt, for life to return, and for the cycle of displacement, humiliation, and degradation to cease,” she told The National.
True recognition, Ms Abu Jaser said, lies in the right of Palestinians to live in dignity, not in official declarations.
“Gaza wants to live in peace, and all of Palestine wants to live in peace. For me, this is the real recognition, and this is the true victory,” she added.
While she acknowledged the significance of countries such as the UK, France, and Australia recognising Palestine, she questioned the weight the move carries on the ground, amid continuing Israeli bombardment and destruction.
“What does it mean for these countries to recognise our state, while its people are being slaughtered? The world must take a firm stand to stop the genocide; only then will these recognitions have meaning, and only then can we live in peace.”
For Gazans enduring daily bombardment, the recognition of their country is not disregarded completely, but rather overshadowed by a more urgent need for survival. To them, international gestures mean little without immediate, practical steps to end the violence, provide humanitarian access, and allow families to return home.
“Displacement, suffering, and humiliation must end so that recognition carries meaning. Only then can we celebrate our presence on the diplomatic and political stage,” Ms Abu Jaser said.
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
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Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
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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.”
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Tomato and walnut salad
A lesson in simple, seasonal eating. Wedges of tomato, chunks of cucumber, thinly sliced red onion, coriander or parsley leaves, and perhaps some fresh dill are drizzled with a crushed walnut and garlic dressing. Do consider yourself warned: if you eat this salad in Georgia during the summer months, the tomatoes will be so ripe and flavourful that every tomato you eat from that day forth will taste lacklustre in comparison.
Badrijani nigvzit
A delicious vegetarian snack or starter. It consists of thinly sliced, fried then cooled aubergine smothered with a thick and creamy walnut sauce and folded or rolled. Take note, even though it seems like you should be able to pick these morsels up with your hands, they’re not as durable as they look. A knife and fork is the way to go.
Pkhali
This healthy little dish (a nice antidote to the khachapuri) is usually made with steamed then chopped cabbage, spinach, beetroot or green beans, combined with walnuts, garlic and herbs to make a vegetable pâté or paste. The mix is then often formed into rounds, chilled in the fridge and topped with pomegranate seeds before being served.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
UAE SQUAD FOR ASIAN JIU-JITSU CHAMPIONSHIP
Men’s squad: Faisal Al Ketbi, Omar Al Fadhli, Zayed Al Kathiri, Thiab Al Nuaimi, Khaled Al Shehhi, Mohamed Ali Al Suwaidi, Farraj Khaled Al Awlaqi, Muhammad Al Ameri, Mahdi Al Awlaqi, Saeed Al Qubaisi, Abdullah Al Qubaisi and Hazaa Farhan
Women's squad: Hamda Al Shekheili, Shouq Al Dhanhani, Balqis Abdullah, Sharifa Al Namani, Asma Al Hosani, Maitha Sultan, Bashayer Al Matrooshi, Maha Al Hanaei, Shamma Al Kalbani, Haya Al Jahuri, Mahra Mahfouz, Marwa Al Hosani, Tasneem Al Jahoori and Maryam Al Amri
City's slump
L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
D - Feyenoord, 3-3
L - Tottenham, 4-0
L - Brighton, 2-1
L - Sporting, 4-1
L - Bournemouth, 2-1
L - Tottenham, 2-1
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
How Islam's view of posthumous transplant surgery changed
Transplants from the deceased have been carried out in hospitals across the globe for decades, but in some countries in the Middle East, including the UAE, the practise was banned until relatively recently.
Opinion has been divided as to whether organ donations from a deceased person is permissible in Islam.
The body is viewed as sacred, during and after death, thus prohibiting cremation and tattoos.
One school of thought viewed the removal of organs after death as equally impermissible.
That view has largely changed, and among scholars and indeed many in society, to be seen as permissible to save another life.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
The specs
Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8
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Power: 542bhp
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Red Sparrow
Dir: Francis Lawrence
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Egerton, Charlotte Rampling, Jeremy Irons
Three stars
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Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
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Skoda Superb Specs
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Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
CHELSEA'S NEXT FIVE GAMES
Mar 10: Norwich(A)
Mar 13: Newcastle(H)
Mar 16: Lille(A)
Mar 19: Middlesbrough(A)
Apr 2: Brentford(H)
heading
Iran has sent five planeloads of food to Qatar, which is suffering shortages amid a regional blockade.
A number of nations, including Iran's major rival Saudi Arabia, last week cut ties with Qatar, accusing it of funding terrorism, charges it denies.
The land border with Saudi Arabia, through which 40% of Qatar's food comes, has been closed.
Meanwhile, mediators Kuwait said that Qatar was ready to listen to the "qualms" of its neighbours.
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
