An Israeli army base on the Israel-Syria border. Atef Safadi / EPA
An Israeli army base on the Israel-Syria border. Atef Safadi / EPA

US delegation in Israel to soothe concerns over Syria ceasefire deal



A US national security delegation arrived in Israel on Tuesday for high-level meetings with Israeli counterparts to discuss the Syria ceasefire deal that Washington has struck with Moscow.

Israel has reservations that not enough is being done to tackle Iran's presence in southern Syria.

According to local media reports, the delegation includes officials from the national security council.

A spokesman said: "We have an important, strategic, strong, collaborative relationship with Israel, and US government delegations routinely visit Israel to coordinate on a wide range of issues.

“US officials will meet with Israeli counterparts to discuss regional security issues, including Syria.”

Israeli daily Haaretz reported that in their meetings the US officials will address Iran's influence and the situation in southern Syria. The US and Russia brokered a ceasefire deal there last July and added a de-escalation agreement last week.

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Tobias Schneider, an international security analyst based in London, said that the US delegation "will be looking to soothe Israeli concerns that Washington hasn't been paying sufficient attention to its ally's security concerns".

“While the US [with Russia] has made the south-west de-escalation zone a priority in its Syria policy, it has no realistic means of actually rolling back Iranian influence across the border,” said Mr Schneider.

The Iranian presence through proxies on Israel’s border is seen “as a major strategic threat and – importantly – increasingly as one that cannot easily be addressed by a paltry few kilometres of buffer near the Golan,” said Mr Schneider.

During the visit, the analyst anticipated that “Israeli officials will likely push the United States for further, more comprehensive action to counter Iran and Hizbollah” and “will be looking at ways of disrupting Hizbollah’s capabilities in the region short of causing a major war – probably through a stepped-up air campaign against missile facilities”.

Mr Schneider described Iranian influence in Syria as “becoming increasingly pervasive”.

“Iran not only runs networks of tens of thousands of militiamen, but also [has] increased its reach in economics and politics,” he said.

According to The Times of Israel, Israel defence forces chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot made a trip to Brussels last Thursday to meet General Curtis Scaparrotti, head of the US army's European command, to discuss Iranian influence in Syria.

The%20specs
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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

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.

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If you go...

Etihad Airways flies from Abu Dhabi to Kuala Lumpur, from about Dh3,600. Air Asia currently flies from Kuala Lumpur to Terengganu, with Berjaya Hotels & Resorts planning to launch direct chartered flights to Redang Island in the near future. Rooms at The Taaras Beach and Spa Resort start from 680RM (Dh597).

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Uefa Nations League: How it works

The Uefa Nations League, introduced last year, has reached its final stage, to be played over five days in northern Portugal. The format of its closing tournament is compact, spread over two semi-finals, with the first, Portugal versus Switzerland in Porto on Wednesday evening, and the second, England against the Netherlands, in Guimaraes, on Thursday.

The winners of each semi will then meet at Porto’s Dragao stadium on Sunday, with the losing semi-finalists contesting a third-place play-off in Guimaraes earlier that day.

Qualifying for the final stage was via League A of the inaugural Nations League, in which the top 12 European countries according to Uefa's co-efficient seeding system were divided into four groups, the teams playing each other twice between September and November. Portugal, who finished above Italy and Poland, successfully bid to host the finals.

Tips to avoid getting scammed

1) Beware of cheques presented late on Thursday

2) Visit an RTA centre to change registration only after receiving payment

3) Be aware of people asking to test drive the car alone

4) Try not to close the sale at night

5) Don't be rushed into a sale 

6) Call 901 if you see any suspicious behaviour

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