Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hopes he is coming to a very different Washington this week. From his perspective, past visits have all been marred by that pesky Palestinian issue.
On one occasion not long ago he was pressed to recognise the need for a "two-state" solution. Then he was chided about his settlement expansion programme. And just one year ago, he was reminded that the 1967 borders were the basis for a peace agreement with the Palestinians.
As is his style, the Prime Minister dealt with each of these issues as "annoyances". He manoeuvred, he dissembled, he harangued, and when all else failed, the Israeli leader turned to his allies in the US Congress who rather forcefully defended his stand against their own president. But Mr Netanyahu now hopes that all of this unpleasantness is a thing of the past.
With fires raging in Syria and with the drums of war beating incessantly over Iran, the prime minister comes to town believing that the Palestinian question has been all but forgotten. He comes bearing not an olive branch but a match with which he hopes to ignite a firestorm.
With Palestine and peace off the table, it is Iran that will be the focus of this visit. Mr Netanyahu's host, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac), is supporting legislation that paves the way for a US confrontation with Iran. Sponsored by a bipartisan group of senators - led by Joseph Lieberman, Lindsay Graham, and Robert Casey - the bill would push the administration to reject any Iranian nuclear enrichment programme while eliminating as an option mere "containment" of Iran's programme.
Says Senator Graham of his resolution: "All options must be on the table when it comes to Iran - except for one, and that is containment."
The logic behind this bill is as remarkable as the precedent it creates. I cannot recall an instance where members of Congress authorised or came as close as this piece of legislation to limiting the options of the administration to pursue any option other than war, without the president asking for it or, as is most often the case, pushing for it.
Aipac and Israel's Likud party, which have wanted this confrontation for more than a decade, are closer than ever to realising their ambition. This, Mr Netanyahu must be thinking, is what friends are for.
And so it is that the tables appear to have been turned in the Washington that will greet the Israeli leader. He will not be pressured to do what he has long been loathe to do - address Palestinian rights. Now he will be in the driver's seat, pressuring President Barack Obama to once and for all forsake diplomacy as a tactic or containment as a strategic option, and join Israel in the march to war with Iran.
Expect an outbreak of war fever at Aipac's annual policy conference that begins today. It will be "all Iran, all the time". They will make the case, push the case, and then dispatch their lobbyists to Capitol Hill to broaden the already substantial sponsorship enjoyed for their supported bill.
Attention now turns to President Obama, who will speak at the beginning of the policy conference. With the Republican presidential aspirants (Ron Paul being the exception) leading the war chorus and criticising Mr Obama's "softness", and with even many of his Democratic allies in the Congress joining in, the president is feeling the heat.
Arab critics already feel that Mr Obama gave away the store last September at the United Nations. But the Israelis are continuing to press the president for more, not less.
Mr Netanyahu is particularly upset with warnings by senior administration officials regarding the potentially devastating consequences of a military strike against Iran or concerns raised by US military officials about the effectiveness of an Israeli attack.
Israel's supporters have been fuming over the White House's recent efforts to pour cold water on their threats of war. They want a clear message of support from the president for their push to end diplomacy, isolate and then punish Iran. They want Mr Obama to embrace the "red lines" they have drawn regarding Iran's nuclear programme and to join them in ratcheting up the rhetoric against Iran.
And they do not want any reminders from Mr Obama of the matter they are working hard to forget. They do not want criticism of Israel's ever-expanding settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, or of demolitions of Palestinian homes and new repression in the occupied lands - all of which have intensified in recent weeks (almost as a dare to the US President).
Israel's American supporters, and the prime minister they have embraced, want the smoke-screen of Iran and election year politicking to block out any mention of the issue they want to just go away. They are hoping that this visit will be unlike any of the others that have come before.
James Zogby is the president of the Arab American Institute
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
Company%20Profile
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
Cry Macho
Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Clint Eastwood, Dwight Yoakam
Rating:**
RESULT
Al Hilal 4 Persepolis 0
Khribin (31', 54', 89'), Al Shahrani 40'
Red card: Otayf (Al Hilal, 49')
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
A Cat, A Man, and Two Women
Junichiro Tamizaki
Translated by Paul McCarthy
Daunt Books
Bridgerton%20season%20three%20-%20part%20one
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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EA Sports FC 25
Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Fixture and table
UAE finals day: Friday, April 13 at Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
- 3pm, UAE Conference: Dubai Tigers v Sharjah Wanderers
- 6.30pm, UAE Premiership: Dubai Exiles v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Premiership – final standings
- Dubai Exiles
- Abu Dhabi Harlequins
- Jebel Ali Dragons
- Dubai Hurricanes
- Dubai Sports City Eagles
- Abu Dhabi Saracens
Company%20profile
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Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
RESULTS
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Company%20Profile
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Tomb%20Raider%20I%E2%80%93III%20Remastered
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Getting there
The flights
Flydubai operates up to seven flights a week to Helsinki. Return fares to Helsinki from Dubai start from Dh1,545 in Economy and Dh7,560 in Business Class.
The stay
Golden Crown Igloos in Levi offer stays from Dh1,215 per person per night for a superior igloo; www.leviniglut.net
Panorama Hotel in Levi is conveniently located at the top of Levi fell, a short walk from the gondola. Stays start from Dh292 per night based on two people sharing; www. golevi.fi/en/accommodation/hotel-levi-panorama
Arctic Treehouse Hotel in Rovaniemi offers stays from Dh1,379 per night based on two people sharing; www.arctictreehousehotel.com
ASHES FIXTURES
1st Test: Brisbane, Nov 23-27
2nd Test: Adelaide, Dec 2-6
3rd Test: Perth, Dec 14-18
4th Test: Melbourne, Dec 26-30
5th Test: Sydney, Jan 4-8
Jawan
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EXPATS
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Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now