As a meeting of Roman Catholic bishops from the Middle East closed on Monday, Pope Benedict XVI expressed a hope for Jerusalem: that the city "be able to acquire its proper status, which respects its particular character, its holiness and the religious patrimony of the three religions: Jewish, Christian and Muslim".
His wish should not be controversial. Nor should the joint statement of Catholic bishops attending the recent Synod. They wrote that concepts of a promised land and a chosen people should not serve to justify violence or the removal of people from their homes.
That members of the Israeli government have labelled these statements "Arab propaganda" and claimed that anti-Israel elements "hijacked" the gathering of Catholic bishops, reveals much about their character.
What is now Israel and the West Bank is a common point of origin for Islam, Christianity and Judaism and the homeland of their shared patriarch, Abraham. The majority of the time that the three faiths have coexisted in these lands, they have maintained a reverence for the traditions of one another. There have, of course, been unfortunate exceptions. Israel's insistence on control of Jerusalem as its undivided capital is among them.
The importance of Pope Benedict's public rejection of Israel's exclusivist claim on Jerusalem is difficult to overestimate. He is the head of the world's largest Christian Church, which includes more than one billion adherents.
Pope Benedict and the bishops also expressed their concern with the fate of Christian communities in Israel and the West Bank. Unequal treatment of Israel's non-Jewish citizens, both Muslim and Christian, puts considerable pressure on them to leave. The recent discussion about a loyalty oath to Israel as a Jewish state is the latest example of the Israeli government's aggressive posture towards its non-Jewish citizens.
Of course, Christians in the Middle East have problems beyond Israel and the West Bank; their numbers throughout the region have declined from 20 per cent of the population in 1900 to 5 per cent today. But the sanctimonious response of Israel's deputy minister Danny Ayalon that "Israel is the one country in the region that is welcoming to Christians" is untrue and an attempt to cast Islam as an intolerant faith. One only needs to travel to Mushrif in Abu Dhabi, where a mosque, a Catholic church, and a Coptic church stand side by side, to see that this is not the case. There are 3.5 million Christians who call the Gulf their home.
The Holy Land's history is one defined by revelation. But what does Israel reveal about itself when it not only rejects, but fails to respect, the beliefs of Muslims and Christians, their property rights, and their access to sites sacred to their traditions?
Barings Bank
Barings, one of Britain’s oldest investment banks, was
founded in 1762 and operated for 233 years before it went bust after a trading
scandal.
Barings Bank collapsed in February 1995 following colossal
losses caused by rogue trader Nick Lesson.
Leeson gambled more than $1 billion in speculative trades,
wiping out the venerable merchant bank’s cash reserves.
THREE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENTS
Khalfan Mubarak
The Al Jazira playmaker has for some time been tipped for stardom within UAE football, with Quique Sanchez Flores, his former manager at Al Ahli, once labelling him a “genius”. He was only 17. Now 23, Mubarak has developed into a crafty supplier of chances, evidenced by his seven assists in six league matches this season. Still to display his class at international level, though.
Rayan Yaslam
The Al Ain attacking midfielder has become a regular starter for his club in the past 15 months. Yaslam, 23, is a tidy and intelligent player, technically proficient with an eye for opening up defences. Developed while alongside Abdulrahman in the Al Ain first-team and has progressed well since manager Zoran Mamic’s arrival. However, made his UAE debut only last December.
Ismail Matar
The Al Wahda forward is revered by teammates and a key contributor to the squad. At 35, his best days are behind him, but Matar is incredibly experienced and an example to his colleagues. His ability to cope with tournament football is a concern, though, despite Matar beginning the season well. Not a like-for-like replacement, although the system could be adjusted to suit.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
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
Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten
Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a month before Reaching the Last Mile.
Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
Four tips to secure IoT networks
Mohammed Abukhater, vice president at FireEye in the Middle East, said:
- Keep device software up-to-date. Most come with basic operating system, so users should ensure that they always have the latest version
- Besides a strong password, use two-step authentication. There should be a second log-in step like adding a code sent to your mobile number
- Usually smart devices come with many unnecessary features. Users should lock those features that are not required or used frequently
- Always create a different guest network for visitors
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
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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
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding