"The question about the West's sympathies with Israel is always old, always new. It can still be asked today, tomorrow and every time the West turns a deaf ear to the values of justice, impartiality and human rights," wrote Soliman Abdul Munaim in the Palestinian newspaper Al Quds.
In fact, the West's attitude towards Israel's inhumane practices goes beyond mere compassion to become a mixture of bias, consent and even defence. Western reactions to the recent assassination of the Hamas commander Mahmoud al Mabhouh in Dubai only corroborate this view.
This persisting western empathy with Israel is due to a number of reasons. First, the historical sense of guilt westerners feel with respect to the persecution, mass murder and repression that the Jews were subjected to in Europe during the Second World War. This is most manifest in Germany which, until recently, has been paying Israel significant amounts of money in compensation for what the Jews experienced under the Nazis.
Second, the West is empathetic towards Israel because it deems it to be a democratic state, a view it doesn't extend to any of the Arab states. But if the primary reason is this persistent sense of culpability, then why does the West feel no remorse about what the Palestinians have been enduring for decades at the hands of the Israeli occupation?
"Has the no-war no-peace chapter in the Middle East already ended, or is it, at least, coming to an end? That's what it looks like," wrote Saad Mehio, a columnist with the Emirati newspaper Al Khaleej.
Whenever there is positive talk about peace, especially between Syria and Israel, sudden prospects of war emerge.
While Israel is getting ready for war as if it would happen tomorrow, the Israeli army has leaked information to the effect that it deems peace with Syria to be a very convenient exit out of the strategic predicament it is in these days, sandwiched as it is between the imminent Iranian nuclear bomb and Hizbollah's rockets.
Fearing a major escalation in the region that could be harmful to its own interests in Iraq and the Gulf, the United States still refuses to give Israel the green light to strike Iran. But when it comes to the prospect of war with Lebanon and Syria, all lights are blurred.
"The US is consistently sending out messages - on a daily basis, apparently - to Israel and Syria urging them to exercise restraint. At the same time, however, Washington conveys tacit threats to Syria by insinuating that it can't hold back Israel forever."
This equivocal US stance sounds alarms in Damascus and across the Arab world.
The West is concerned about the new Turkey that is currently taking shape after the Turkish military suddenly surrendered to the executive power of the prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, wrote Mazen Hammad, a commentator with the Qatari newspaper Al Watan.
"Arresting senior officers is such a serious development, for no one in Turkey has dared to lay a finger on the military body before."
Now a number of questions are arising about the future of post-revolutionary Turkey, a country whose army has been the foremost guardian of the principles of secularism for 85 years.
"As Baskin Oran, a professor of international relations at Ankara University, has it: it's over now. The country is sloughing off its skin and seems to be quite nervous because it doesn't know what will happen next."
Now that Turkey has stepped into this uncharted territory, there is great concern among millions of secular people in the country who fear that the ruling Justice and Development Party, which adheres to a moderate Islamic ideology, will clamp down on their rights.
Turkey, then, is on the brink of a dramatic change, which will push western countries to start reassessing their strategy towards the country as it further embraces its Islamic character.
As expected, the Arab ministerial committee in charge of the Arab Peace Initiative follow-up has approved the US proposal to begin indirect peace negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis, the pan-Arab newspaper Al Quds al Arabi wrote in its editorial.
The US administration is putting extraordinary pressure on the Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas - namely by threatening to suspend financial support for the Palestinian Authority - to make him ditch his stated decision to boycott peace talks until Israeli settlements in the West Bank are completely frozen.
Resorting to a "defunct" Arab committee to regenerate a "rotten" initiative is then an obtrusive attempt to provide an Arab cover to the Palestinian president's relapse.
"For sixty years, we've been putting forth one initiative after the other, and making concession after concession, to embarrass Israel by showing our Arab good will for peace before the international community. The results were consistently disastrous: more Israeli settlements, more carnage and more abuse."
If decades of direct talks have yielded nothing, what can you expect of indirect talks now?
* Digest compiled by Achraf A El Bahi
@Email:aelbahi@thenational.ae
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
Student Of The Year 2
Director: Punit Malhotra
Stars: Tiger Shroff, Tara Sutaria, Ananya Pandey, Aditya Seal
1.5 stars
Why are you, you?
Why are you, you?
From this question, a new beginning.
From this question, a new destiny.
For you are a world, and a meeting of worlds.
Our dream is to unite that which has been
separated by history.
To return the many to the one.
A great story unites us all,
beyond colour and creed and gender.
The lightning flash of art
And the music of the heart.
We reflect all cultures, all ways.
We are a twenty first century wonder.
Universal ideals, visions of art and truth.
Now is the turning point of cultures and hopes.
Come with questions, leave with visions.
We are the link between the past and the future.
Here, through art, new possibilities are born. And
new answers are given wings.
Why are you, you?
Because we are mirrors of each other.
Because together we create new worlds.
Together we are more powerful than we know.
We connect, we inspire, we multiply illuminations
with the unique light of art.
Ben Okri,
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The%20Emperor%20and%20the%20Elephant
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAuthor%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESam%20Ottewill-Soulsby%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPrinceton%20University%20Press%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPages%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E392%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAvailable%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJuly%2011%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
BORDERLANDS
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5
Ticket prices
- Golden circle - Dh995
- Floor Standing - Dh495
- Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
- Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
- Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Political flags or banners
-
Bikes, skateboards or scooters
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
RESULTS
5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,400m
Winner: AF Tathoor, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 1,000m
Winner: Dahawi, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 2,000m
Winner: Aiz Alawda, Fernando Jara, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 2,000m
Winner: ES Nahawand, Fernando Jara, Mohammed Daggash
7pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
Winner: Winked, Connor Beasley, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7.30pm: Al Ain Mile Group 3 (PA) Dh350,000 1,600m
Winner: Somoud, Connor Beasley, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
8pm: Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
Winner: Al Jazi, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
The past winners
2009 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
2010 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
2011 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2012 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus)
2013 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
2014 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2015 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)
2016 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2017 - Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)
The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Date: Sunday, November 25
Abu Dhabi GP starting grid
1 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2 Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)
3 Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
4 Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
5 Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull)
6 Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
7 Romain Grosjean (Haas)
8 Charles Leclerc (Sauber)
9 Esteban Ocon (Force India)
10 Nico Hulkenberg (Renault)
11 Carlos Sainz (Renault)
12 Marcus Ericsson (Sauber)
13 Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
14 Sergio Perez (Force India)
15 Fernando Alonso (McLaren)
16 Brendon Hartley (Toro Rosso)
17 Pierre Gasly (Toro Rosso)
18 Stoffe Vandoorne (McLaren)
19 Sergey Sirotkin (Williams)
20 Lance Stroll (Williams)
Defending champions
World Series: South Africa
Women’s World Series: Australia
Gulf Men’s League: Dubai Exiles
Gulf Men’s Social: Mediclinic Barrelhouse Warriors
Gulf Vets: Jebel Ali Dragons Veterans
Gulf Women: Dubai Sports City Eagles
Gulf Under 19: British School Al Khubairat
Gulf Under 19 Girls: Dubai Exiles
UAE National Schools: Al Safa School
International Invitational: Speranza 22
International Vets: Joining Jack
Teams
India (playing XI): Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Hanuma Vihari, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami
South Africa (squad): Faf du Plessis (c), Temba Bavuma, Theunis de Bruyn, Quinton de Kock, Dean Elgar, Zubayr Hamza, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Vernon Philander, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada, Rudi Second
Results:
Men's 100m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 15 sec; 2. Rheed McCracken (AUS) 15.40; 3. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 15.75. Men's 400m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 50.56; 2. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 50.94; 3. Henry Manni (FIN) 52.24.
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
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