Catastrophic loss of civilian life, including the killing of more than 500 children, was the principal result of Israel’s ground, sea and air offensive in Gaza. When a ceasefire was finally called last week, apologists for Tel Aviv’s military machine offered the usual macabre excuses for slaughtering innocent Palestinians.
It was all the result of rooting out irregular enemy forces within a restricted and densely populated urban battlefield, claimed media spokesmen. Using their well-rehearsed sound-bites, they insisted that wives, daughters, fathers, sons, grandparents … even hospital patients and all other particularly vulnerable members of society, were guilty of hiding “terrorists” and their weapons, and acting as “human shields”. Deaths and maiming were, we were told, the inevitable punishment, along with the coordinated destruction of homes.
War is hell, is the essential message of the PR men, and the most barbaric form of “collateral damage” is something that everybody, including the western democracies that supply Israel with billions of dollars-worth of sophisticated weaponry, should learn to live with.
Such logic is flawed, and one of many reasons why Israel’s politicians and military commanders should be in front of war crimes tribunals. Just as crucially, it highlights why all nations should now be rallying against Israel’s routine extermination of civilian populations, taking every measure possible to stop it.
Just look at the way western allies have refused to accept threats to civilians by any other country apart from Israel. It was just three-and-a-half years ago, in March 2011, that a coalition of forces including ones from Britain, France and the USA began a campaign in Libya specifically aimed at protecting innocent lives. United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 called for an “immediate ceasefire in Libya”, and “an end to attacks against civilians which might constitute crimes against humanity”.
Never mind that the Muammar Qaddafi regime had not yet carried out its intention to destroy opponents in Benghazi. As western warplanes prepared for action, the Colonel was warning his enemies in Libya’s second city that: “We are coming tonight.” He said there would be “no mercy or compassion”, but those who “laid down their weapons” would be spared.
The issue was not what Qaddafi had in mind for the ragtag army that wanted to depose him. He was entitled to protect his interests, but what he was not allowed to do was murder innocent people.
Thus warplanes spent eight months bombarding Libya in a ferocious onslaught, which ended with the death of Qaddafi in October 2011. It did not seem to matter that regime change had not been sanctioned by resolution 1973, and that the country would soon descend into anarchy. Even now, as rival militias once more reduce Libya to a battleground, western leaders including British prime minister David Cameron can at least claim that they had helped to prevent a civilian bloodbath.
Such logic must be applied to Israel. Its leaders argue that a military action that resulted in 2,100 plus dead in Gaza, along with 11,000 injured and more than 17,000 homes destroyed or badly damaged, made Israel a safer place. In fact, there is no question of all those civilian deaths having helped defeat Hamas and similar resistance groups. On the contrary, turning the entire population of Gaza into military targets has made them even more determined to resist occupation and regular military invasion by Israel.
Dissent is inevitable when people are being subjugated, but that does not give anybody the right to kill them, least of all an alleged democracy supported by western countries, including the world’s only superpower.
The vast majority of Israel’s casualties during the latest campaign were military ones, 64 soldiers died along with six civilians. The troops would almost certainly have survived had they remained with the rest of Israel’s population under the much vaunted “Iron Dome” – the missile defence system that largely cancels out the obsolete artillery ordnance fired by Hamas.
Moves are already underway to investigate alleged Israeli war crimes, but the international community must go a lot further. It needs, as a matter of absolute urgency, to clamp down on all attempts by Israel to kill civilians. The UN made its position clear on the matter over Libya in 2011, and must continue to do so.
A third of the two million odd people living in Gaza have been displaced, with many now in UN shelters. Their schools, hospitals, businesses and mosques lie in rubble, along with power and water plants. Reconstruction is likely to take up to two decades. It is imperative that those forced into such a grossly unjust and cruel position should be allowed to live.
Nabila Ramdani is a French- Algerian journalist and broadcaster who specialises in Islamic affairs and the Arab world
On Twitter: @NabilaRamdani
The%20specs
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RESULTS
Catchweight 63.5kg: Shakriyor Juraev (UZB) beat Bahez Khoshnaw (IRQ). Round 3 TKO (body kick)
Lightweight: Nart Abida (JOR) beat Moussa Salih (MAR). Round 1 by rear naked choke
Catchweight 79kg: Laid Zerhouni (ALG) beat Ahmed Saeb (IRQ). Round 1 TKO (punches)
Catchweight 58kg: Omar Al Hussaini (UAE) beat Mohamed Sahabdeen (SLA) Round 1 rear naked choke
Flyweight: Lina Fayyad (JOR) beat Sophia Haddouche (ALG) Round 2 TKO (ground and pound)
Catchweight 80kg: Badreddine Diani (MAR) beat Sofiane Aïssaoui (ALG) Round 2 TKO
Flyweight: Sabriye Sengul (TUR) beat Mona Ftouhi (TUN). Unanimous decision
Middleweight: Kher Khalifa Eshoushan (LIB) beat Essa Basem (JOR). Round 1 rear naked choke
Heavyweight: Mohamed Jumaa (SUD) beat Hassen Rahat (MAR). Round 1 TKO (ground and pound)
Lightweight: Abdullah Mohammad Ali Musalim (UAE beat Omar Emad (EGY). Round 1 triangle choke
Catchweight 62kg: Ali Taleb (IRQ) beat Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR). Round 2 KO
Catchweight 88kg: Mohamad Osseili (LEB) beat Samir Zaidi (COM). Unanimous decision
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
Super 30
Produced: Sajid Nadiadwala and Phantom Productions
Directed: Vikas Bahl
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Pankaj Tripathi, Aditya Srivastav, Mrinal Thakur
Rating: 3.5 /5
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
SPECS
Engine: Two-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 235hp
Torque: 350Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Price: From Dh167,500 ($45,000)
On sale: Now
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
TV: World Cup Qualifier 2018 matches will be aired on on OSN Sports HD Cricket channel
Syria squad
Goalkeepers: Ibrahim Alma, Mahmoud Al Youssef, Ahmad Madania.
Defenders: Ahmad Al Salih, Moayad Ajan, Jehad Al Baour, Omar Midani, Amro Jenyat, Hussein Jwayed, Nadim Sabagh, Abdul Malek Anezan.
Midfielders: Mahmoud Al Mawas, Mohammed Osman, Osama Omari, Tamer Haj Mohamad, Ahmad Ashkar, Youssef Kalfa, Zaher Midani, Khaled Al Mobayed, Fahd Youssef.
Forwards: Omar Khribin, Omar Al Somah, Mardik Mardikian.
The Kites
Romain Gary
Penguin Modern Classics
The Two Popes
Director: Fernando Meirelles
Stars: Anthony Hopkins, Jonathan Pryce
Four out of five stars
Company%20Profile
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Company%20profile
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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)
The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000
Engine 3.6L V6
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm
Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Citizenship-by-investment programmes
United Kingdom
The UK offers three programmes for residency. The UK Overseas Business Representative Visa lets you open an overseas branch office of your existing company in the country at no extra investment. For the UK Tier 1 Innovator Visa, you are required to invest £50,000 (Dh238,000) into a business. You can also get a UK Tier 1 Investor Visa if you invest £2 million, £5m or £10m (the higher the investment, the sooner you obtain your permanent residency).
All UK residency visas get approved in 90 to 120 days and are valid for 3 years. After 3 years, the applicant can apply for extension of another 2 years. Once they have lived in the UK for a minimum of 6 months every year, they are eligible to apply for permanent residency (called Indefinite Leave to Remain). After one year of ILR, the applicant can apply for UK passport.
The Caribbean
Depending on the country, the investment amount starts from $100,000 (Dh367,250) and can go up to $400,000 in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take between four to five months to receive a passport.
Portugal
The investment amount ranges from €350,000 to €500,000 (Dh1.5m to Dh2.16m) in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take a maximum of six months to receive a Golden Visa. Applicants can apply for permanent residency after five years and Portuguese citizenship after six years.
“Among European countries with residency programmes, Portugal has been the most popular because it offers the most cost-effective programme to eventually acquire citizenship of the European Union without ever residing in Portugal,” states Veronica Cotdemiey of Citizenship Invest.
Greece
The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Greece is €250,000, making it the cheapest real estate residency visa scheme in Europe. You can apply for residency in four months and citizenship after seven years.
Spain
The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Spain is €500,000. You can apply for permanent residency after five years and citizenship after 10 years. It is not necessary to live in Spain to retain and renew the residency visa permit.
Cyprus
Cyprus offers the quickest route to citizenship of a European country in only six months. An investment of €2m in real estate is required, making it the highest priced programme in Europe.
Malta
The Malta citizenship by investment programme is lengthy and investors are required to contribute sums as donations to the Maltese government. The applicant must either contribute at least €650,000 to the National Development & Social Fund. Spouses and children are required to contribute €25,000; unmarried children between 18 and 25 and dependent parents must contribute €50,000 each.
The second step is to make an investment in property of at least €350,000 or enter a property rental contract for at least €16,000 per annum for five years. The third step is to invest at least €150,000 in bonds or shares approved by the Maltese government to be kept for at least five years.
Candidates must commit to a minimum physical presence in Malta before citizenship is granted. While you get residency in two months, you can apply for citizenship after a year.
Egypt
A one-year residency permit can be bought if you purchase property in Egypt worth $100,000. A three-year residency is available for those who invest $200,000 in property, and five years for those who purchase property worth $400,000.
Source: Citizenship Invest and Aqua Properties
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
Company%20Profile
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