TEL AVIV // Dozens of Israeli actors, playwrights and directors created an uproar in Israel yesterday and drew a rebuke from the prime minister after declaring they would not perform in Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.
A petition signed at the weekend by 57 theatrical personalities, including some of Israel's most prominent, came in response to an announcement by six major Israeli theatre companies that they plan to take productions to a West Bank settlement for the first time.
The signatories' refusal made front-page headlines and drew wide media attention because it highlighted Israel's internal disagreements on the West Bank occupation just days before the start of direct peace talks with the Palestinians.
The settlements issue will play a key part in the talks, with Palestinians already threatening to cut off negotiations if Israel steps up West Bank Jewish construction after a 10-month partial freeze expires on September 26. Palestinians want their future state to include the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The petition said its signatories wanted to express their "repugnance" at the theatre companies' decision to hold performances at a new state-funded cultural centre to be opened in November in Ariel, one of the large Jewish settlement blocs that Israel would like to keep under any peace pact. They said they will refuse to perform in any settlement and called on their companies to operate only within Israel's sovereign territory.
The 540-seat theatre in Ariel, home to about 17,000 Jews, is already scheduled to hold eight plays, including the Israeli adaptations of Piaf, based on the life of the French singer Edith Piaf, as well as Tuesdays with Morrie and The Count of Monte Cristo. The theatre's manager said yesterday that so far, none of the plays has been cancelled.
Yehoshua Sobol, one of Israel's renowned playwrights and satirists, rejected accusations from the Right that the petition's signatories were launching a cultural boycott against fellow citizens. In a front-page editorial in the Yisrael Hayom newspaper, he wrote of the petition: "This is not a boycott. This is a refusal to violate international law, which forbids an occupying power to settle its citizens within the conquered territory."
The West Bank settlements, which are home to about 500,000 Jewish Israelis, including in East Jerusalem, are considered illegal by the international community.
Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister, blasted the petition as damaging to Israel's image and threatened to withhold much-needed state funding from theatre companies should performances be cancelled.
He told ministers at the weekly cabinet meeting: "The state of Israel is under an attack of delegitimisation by elements in the international community. This attack includes attempts to enact economic, academic and cultural boycotts. The last thing we need at this time is ? a boycott from within."
Mr Netanyahu added a veiled warning that he might slash financing for theatres, saying the government did "not need to fund boycotts ? directed at Israeli citizens."
Dror Ben-Yemini, a right-leaning Israeli commentator, said the petition's signatories chose the wrong settlement to boycott because Ariel's inhabitants are not known as hardline settlers and live there mainly to take advantage of state-subsidised housing. He wrote on NRG, a news website: "Ariel is not populated by those who want to devour Arabs for breakfast. These are people who looked for a good quality of life at a decent price. They have a right to cultural performances just like the residents of [central Israel] do."
The internal Israeli tensions come as Mr Netanyahu faces pressure from Israel's western allies to extend a partial settlement freeze to ease the peace process with the Palestinians.
Two days before flying to Washington for the US-hosted summit, the Israeli premier avoided mentioning the settlements at the cabinet meeting but expressed optimism at reaching a peace pact.
"I am convinced that if the Palestinian leadership takes the negotiations as seriously as we do, we can reach a stable agreement - not just a deal for a tactical ceasefire between wars," he said.
Despite Mr Netanyahu's optimism, the renewed talks, which come after a 20-month suspension, are opposed by some prominent figures in Israel's right-wing camp. On Saturday, Ovadia Yosef, 89, an influential rabbi and spiritual head of Shas, a pro-settler, ultra-religious party in the governing coalition, called for the death of Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, and all other Palestinians.
Speaking in a fiery sermon and referring to Mr Abbas by his kunya or honorific, the rabbi said: "Abu Mazen and all these evil people should perish from this earth. God should strike them and these Palestinians - evil haters of Israel - with a plague."
Mr Netanyahu and Eli Yishai, the head of Shas, refrained from commenting on the rabbi's statements yesterday.
Saeb Erekat, the Palestinians' chief negotiator, said the statements were tantamount to calling for "genocide against Palestinians" and were an "insult" to peace efforts.
@Email:foreign.desk@thenational.ae
Cultural fiesta
What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day.
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.
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
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
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.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
Sustainable Development Goals
1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation
10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects
14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development
MO
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More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Army of the Dead
Director: Zack Snyder
Stars: Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera
Three stars
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
TCL INFO
Teams:
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
When December 14-17
Wonka
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The%20Beekeeper
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Company%20profile
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THE SPECS
Aston Martin Rapide AMR
Engine: 6.0-litre V12
Transmission: Touchtronic III eight-speed automatic
Power: 595bhp
Torque: 630Nm
Price: Dh999,563
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
