Dawn broke over Gaza yesterday not to the sound of rockets or shelling, the refrain of the previous eight days, but to a shaky ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The tally from the week of violence: more than 150 Palestinians and five Israelis killed, and hundreds wounded. Those are the numbers. Now come the questions.
For Palestinians and Israelis alike, the most pressing issue is whether this truce will hold and for how long. Brokered by Egypt and the United States, the diplomatic respite was already being tested hours after the ceasefire came into effect. Hamas rockets were fired into Israel overnight, while in the West Bank, Israeli forces arrested 55 people Israel termed "terror operatives".
What comes next? In a sense, all sides are losers in the bloodshed, but this most recent violence may indeed be a game changer for Middle East politics and the continuing Palestinian crisis. As Daoud Kattub argues in these pages today, there is some desperately needed momentum towards Palestinian unity.
Middle East politics have look dramatically different since the last time Israel laid siege to Gaza in 2008. During the Mubarak era, Israel could count on a pliant Cairo to oppose Hamas, which was founded as a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. And yet this time, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government saw no choice but to shelve - for now - plans for a ground assault, "to give a chance to Egypt's proposal for a ceasefire". As always, Mr Netanyahu's words must be taken with a grain of salt, and there is much speculation about how the violence will affect Israeli elections in two months.
Mr Netanyahu will claim success for targeting Hamas's weapons caches, and for the assassination of Hamas strategist Ahmed Jaabari. But this offensive against civilians in Gaza, launched on the pretext of self-defence, was a disaster for Israel in the long-term view. Regardless of who wins in the January vote, Israel's leaders have merely incurred more international ill will that will further isolate them in the region.
Egypt's President Mohammed Morsi is being called the real victor of the conflict, having reasserted Cairo's regional diplomatic role. But Egypt must negotiate this new-found influence carefully. The durability of the ceasefire will be the first test for Mr Morsi, but in the long term the Islamist leader will still have to balance support for Hamas with Egypt's interests, which include the peace treaty with Israel. Perhaps one silver lining is that the deal brokered by Mr Morsi indicates that the Rafah crossing will be permanently opened - another crack in the punitive blockade strangling the Gaza Strip.
Most crucially, it will be Palestinians who determine the aftermath. Later this month, President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to present to the United Nations a request for statehood recognition - that state must include both the West Bank and Gaza. Mr Abbas's phone call to congratulate Hamas leaders yesterday was a glimmer of a hope, but the two factions have been divided for too long by disagreements that look very petty when weighed against the Palestinian struggle. That must change.
For a statehood bid to be anything more than symbolic - and to muster the political will to displace Israel's illegal West Bank settlements - leaders on both sides must put aside personal differences. Hamas has arguably emerged stronger from this conflict, but a Palestinian state will not be won on the battlefield.
Even if the violence has abated, the underlying grievance for Gazans, and for all Palestinians,remains. Gaza is plagued by food and water shortages, crippling unemployment, travel restrictions, poor health care and lost futures - all the result of Israel's crippling blockade. None of that will change until Palestinians realise their political aspirations. Otherwise this cycle of violence will continue.
The Dark Blue Winter Overcoat & Other Stories From the North
Edited and Introduced by Sjón and Ted Hodgkinson
Pushkin Press
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
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The years Ramadan fell in May
Under-21 European Championship Final
Germany 1 Spain 0
Weiser (40')
The specs: 2019 Audi A7 Sportback
Price, base: Dh315,000
Engine: 3.0-litre V6
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 335hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 1,370rpm
Fuel economy 5.9L / 100km
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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
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Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
The specs: 2018 Ford F-150
Price, base / as tested: Dh173,250 / Dh178,500
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Power: 395hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 555Nm @ 2,750rpm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 12.4L / 100km
COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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Kat Wightman's tips on how to create zones in large spaces
- Area carpets or rugs are the easiest way to segregate spaces while also unifying them.
- Lighting can help define areas. Try pendant lighting over dining tables, and side and floor lamps in living areas.
- Keep the colour palette the same in a room, but combine different tones and textures in different zone. A common accent colour dotted throughout the space brings it together.
- Don’t be afraid to use furniture to break up the space. For example, if you have a sofa placed in the middle of the room, a console unit behind it will give good punctuation.
- Use a considered collection of prints and artworks that work together to form a cohesive journey.
