US President Donald Trump on Monday said Israel should maintain dialogue with Syria and refrain from interfering in the country, days after a deadly military operation on the border further strained relations between the neighbouring nations.
Israeli forces on Friday said they killed 13 people in southern Syria in an operation reportedly targeting the Jamaa Islamiya group. Local officials said women and children were among the dead.
In a Truth Social post, Mr Trump appeared to warn Israel against interfering in Syria. “It is very important that Israel maintain a strong and true dialogue with Syria and that nothing takes place that will interfere with Syria’s evolution into a prosperous state,” Mr Trump wrote.
He added that the US was dedicated to seeing Syria flourish, crediting the recent easing of “strong and biting” sanctions on Damascus. “We are doing everything within our power to make sure the government of Syria continues to do what was intended, which is substantial, in order to build a true and prosperous country,” he wrote.
Axios later reported that the Trump administration was concerned about Israeli actions in Syria. “We are trying to tell Bibi he has to stop this because if it continues he will self-destruct,” a senior US official told the outlet, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"Syria doesn’t want problems with Israel. This isn’t Lebanon,” another senior US official said. “But Bibi is seeing ghosts everywhere.”
Mr Netanyahu, meanwhile, said he had spoken to Mr Trump on Monday and discussed disarming Hamas in Gaza. He said the US President invited him to visit the White House “in the near future”.
Mr Trump said Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara was working “diligently” to ensure that Syria and Israel “have a long and prosperous relationship together”.
His comments come weeks after Mr Trump hosted Mr Al Shara at the White House in a breakthrough for US-Syria relations nearly a year after the downfall of the regime of former president Bashar Al Assad.
Friday's attack on the Syrian village of Beit Jinn was the deadliest by Israel since it occupied a part of southern Syria a year ago. Israel has conducted hundreds of strikes on Syria since.
Washington now sees Mr Al Shara, who was once on the US's most wanted list, as a critical partner in its fight against ISIS in the Middle East.
The Trump administration has also been working on a security agreement between Israel and Syria. Following the toppling of the Assad regime last December, Israel posted troops to parts of the separation zone in the occupied Golan Heights for the first time since the 1974.
The breakthrough in US-Syrian diplomatic relations began in May, during Mr Trump's visit to the Gulf, which included a meeting with Mr Al Shara in Saudi Arabia.
%3Cp%3EThe%20Department%20of%20Culture%20and%20Tourism%20-%20Abu%20Dhabi%E2%80%99s%20Arabic%20Language%20Centre%20will%20mark%20International%20Women%E2%80%99s%20Day%20at%20the%20Bologna%20Children's%20Book%20Fair%20with%20the%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Translation%20Conference.%20Prolific%20Emirati%20author%20Noora%20Al%20Shammari%2C%20who%20has%20written%20eight%20books%20that%20%20feature%20in%20the%20Ministry%20of%20Education's%20curriculum%2C%20will%20appear%20in%20a%20session%20on%20Wednesday%20to%20discuss%20the%20challenges%20women%20face%20in%20getting%20their%20works%20translated.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
What%20is%20Dungeons%20%26%20Dragons%3F%20
%3Cp%3EDungeons%20%26amp%3B%20Dragons%20began%20as%20an%20interactive%20game%20which%20would%20be%20set%20up%20on%20a%20table%20in%201974.%20One%20player%20takes%20on%20the%20role%20of%20dungeon%20master%2C%20who%20directs%20the%20game%2C%20while%20the%20other%20players%20each%20portray%20a%20character%2C%20determining%20its%20species%2C%20occupation%20and%20moral%20and%20ethical%20outlook.%20They%20can%20choose%20the%20character%E2%80%99s%20abilities%2C%20such%20as%20strength%2C%20constitution%2C%20dexterity%2C%20intelligence%2C%20wisdom%20and%20charisma.%20In%20layman%E2%80%99s%20terms%2C%20the%20winner%20is%20the%20one%20who%20amasses%20the%20highest%20score.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE SQUAD
Omar Abdulrahman (Al Hilal), Ali Khaseif, Ali Mabkhout, Salem Rashed, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Zayed Al Ameri, Mohammed Al Attas (Al Jazira), Khalid Essa, Ahmed Barman, Ryan Yaslam, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Habib Fardan, Tariq Ahmed, Mohammed Al Akbari (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmin (Al Wasl), Adel Al Hosani, Ali Hassan Saleh, Majed Suroor (Sharjah), Ahmed Khalil, Walid Abbas, Majed Hassan, Ismail Al Hammadi (Shabab Al Ahli), Hassan Al Muharrami, Fahad Al Dhahani (Bani Yas), Mohammed Al Shaker (Ajman)
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Heavily-sugared soft drinks slip through the tax net
Some popular drinks with high levels of sugar and caffeine have slipped through the fizz drink tax loophole, as they are not carbonated or classed as an energy drink.
Arizona Iced Tea with lemon is one of those beverages, with one 240 millilitre serving offering up 23 grams of sugar - about six teaspoons.
A 680ml can of Arizona Iced Tea costs just Dh6.
Most sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, five teaspoons of sugar in a 500ml bottle.
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
