Pep Montserrat for The National
Pep Montserrat for The National

Israel’s cruelty has unleashed an intifada of individuals



In recent years, it seems every bout of Israeli-Palestinian violence is accompanied by speculation over whether another intifada is in the making. However, a comparison of present conditions with those that existed during the first and second intifadas pours cold water over the prospect of another uprising in the foreseeable future, certainly not in the sense of a united, organised, mass national movement.

This might seem ironic since there is so much more for Palestinians to be aggrieved over nowadays. However, a lack of anger is not the issue, as evidenced by developments on the ground, and a poll last month showing more Palestinians favouring armed action over negotiation as the most effective way of establishing their own state.

Rather, it is about Israel’s systematic – and largely successful – pursuit of policies designed to weaken Palestinian political, geographic and societal cohesion.

The occupied Palestinian territories are more carved up than ever before. The strict blockade of the Gaza Strip – which is home to more than 40 per cent of the Palestinian population, and where the first intifada of 1987 began – did not exist during the previous uprisings.

East Jerusalem – where the second intifada began in 2000, and the scene of much of the current violence – was not completely cut off from the rest of the West Bank as it is now. Construction of the wall snaking its way through the West Bank only began after the start of the second uprising.

There are now far more Israeli settlements dotted throughout the occupied territories than when the intifadas began.

By 1987, there were fewer than 200,000 settlers. By 2000, that number had doubled to just under 400,000. Today, there are more than 700,000 settlers, almost quadruple the number in 1987. Settlements, and supporting infrastructure such as separate road systems, control around half the West Bank.

The number of checkpoints – fixed and surprise ones – has mushroomed. Israeli human rights group B’Tselem counted 96 fixed checkpoints as of April this year, and according to the UN, there were 456 flying checkpoints in December 2014, compared with 65 in March 2009. The number of checkpoints has increased further amid Israel’s current crackdown.

The result of all these restrictions and territorial separation is control of Palestinian movement – and hence the ability to physically come together to challenge Israeli authority – that dwarfs the extent of control exercised during the intifadas. It also means greater separation of Palestinians from Israelis, so the actions of the former will tend to have less direct effect on the latter.

Take employment, for example. During the first intifada, general strikes were effective because more than 40 per cent of the Palestinian workforce worked in Israel. However, due to measures to lessen dependency on Palestinian labour, by the second intifada only about 25 per cent worked in Israel. By December 2014, only 10 per cent did so.

Furthermore, a national uprising requires a level of political unity that simply does not exist. The two main Palestinian factions – Fatah, which dominates the Palestinian Authority (PA), and Hamas – are at loggerheads despite last year’s national reconciliation deal.

Their relations today are far more strained than during the intifadas – Hamas was in its nascency during the first, and the factions to an extent set their differences aside for the greater good during the second.

Back then, the uprisings were embraced by the breadth of Palestinian polity. Today, however, while Hamas calls for “the strengthening and increasing of the intifada”, the PA has said it does not want a third uprising.

This is in line with previous statements by PA president Mahmoud Abbas and his foreign minister that there would not be another intifada under the president’s watch.

Indeed, not only has the PA been urging calm, but its security forces have dispersed demonstrations (sometimes forcefully), prevented protesters from reaching Israeli checkpoints, and continued its much-hated coordination with the occupying power.

So the situation today is worse than simply lacking unified support from Palestinian leaders. The PA is actually willing to quell an uprising by its own people against their subjugation.

In comparison, while Mr Abbas’s predecessor Yasser Arafat enjoyed widespread domestic popularity during the second intifada, two-thirds of Palestinians want the current president – whose term ended almost seven years ago – to resign, according to an opinion poll last month.

A new term has recently been coined to describe the recent flare-up in violence: an “intifada of individuals”. To Israel and its supporters, this might seem less threatening than a mass movement.

However, it is arguably a more accurate barometer of Palestinians’ exasperation, precisely because they are rising up as individuals rather than as a collective mass (out of necessity, not choice), without the relative safety of numbers and the backing of their leaders.

This development presents a certain irony: in managing to exercise greater control over Palestinians en masse, Israel has become less able to thwart those acting individually.

This has been a hallmark of the current unrest, which is harder to deal with than the organised movements of the past. Such a tactic, however, is more likely to be a nuisance than a significant threat.

Israel has relentlessly entrenched its occupation and colonisation of Palestine, but in so doing has isolated itself internationally to unprecedented levels, and has boosted public sympathy worldwide for the Palestinian cause, even in countries whose governments are allies of Israel.

As such, the struggle for self-determination must adapt to changing circumstances. While continuing to challenge Israeli authority on the ground, the disparity of power means there must be a focus on applying pressure internationally, where Israel is losing ground and is less able to directly influence events – an external intifada, so to speak. The Palestinian cause is global, so efforts to achieve and support it must also be global.

After all, it was the combination of internal and external pressures that brought down Apartheid in South Africa, a racist governing system the like of which the Palestinians are also suffering.

The three most high-profile forms of outside pressure are the International Criminal Court – which Palestine joined this year, and to which it has referred Israel – recognition of the state of Palestine by countries and global institutions, and the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

BDS has grown exponentially since its inception a decade ago, from being derided or ignored as a fringe movement, to being acknowledged by a growing number of Israel’s officials and supporters as their greatest threat. There is a whole range of lobbying efforts already under way that can and should be galvanised.

As jailed Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti wrote this month: “We cannot coexist with the occupation, and we will not surrender to it ... For generation after generation, the Palestinian people have proven their will is unbreakable.”

Sharif Nashashibi is a journalist and analyst on Arab affairs

Spain drain

CONVICTED

Lionel Messi Found guilty in 2016 of of using companies in Belize, Britain, Switzerland and Uruguay to avoid paying €4.1m in taxes on income earned from image rights. Sentenced to 21 months in jail and fined more than €2m. But prison sentence has since been replaced by another fine of €252,000.

Javier Mascherano Accepted one-year suspended sentence in January 2016 for tax fraud after found guilty of failing to pay €1.5m in taxes for 2011 and 2012. Unlike Messi he avoided trial by admitting to tax evasion.

Angel di Maria Argentina and Paris Saint-Germain star Angel di Maria was fined and given a 16-month prison sentence for tax fraud during his time at Real Madrid. But he is unlikely to go to prison as is normal in Spain for first offences for non-violent crimes carrying sentence of less than two years.

 

SUSPECTED

Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid's star striker, accused of evading €14.7m in taxes, appears in court on Monday. Portuguese star faces four charges of fraud through offshore companies.

Jose Mourinho Manchester United manager accused of evading €3.3m in tax in 2011 and 2012, during time in charge at Real Madrid. But Gestifute, which represents him, says he has already settled matter with Spanish tax authorities.

Samuel Eto'o In November 2016, Spanish prosecutors sought jail sentence of 10 years and fines totalling €18m for Cameroonian, accused of failing to pay €3.9m in taxes during time at Barcelona from 2004 to 2009.

Radamel Falcao Colombian striker Falcao suspected of failing to correctly declare €7.4m of income earned from image rights between 2012 and 2013 while at Atletico Madrid. He has since paid €8.2m to Spanish tax authorities, a sum that includes interest on the original amount.

Jorge Mendes Portuguese super-agent put under official investigation last month by Spanish court investigating alleged tax evasion by Falcao, a client of his. He defended himself, telling closed-door hearing he "never" advised players in tax matters.

Safety 'top priority' for rival hyperloop company

The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.

He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.

“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.

“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.

HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon. 

With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.

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Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
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Five famous companies founded by teens

There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:

  1. Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate. 
  2. Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc. 
  3. Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway. 
  4. Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
  5. Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
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Founders: Eslam Hussein and Pulkit Ganjoo

Based: Dubai

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1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

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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

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Rating: 4/5

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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

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Day 3, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance

Moment of the day Just three balls remained in an exhausting day for Sri Lanka’s bowlers when they were afforded some belated cheer. Nuwan Pradeep, unrewarded in 15 overs to that point, let slip a seemingly innocuous delivery down the legside. Babar Azam feathered it behind, and Niroshan Dickwella dived to make a fine catch.

Stat of the day - 2.56 Shan Masood and Sami Aslam are the 16th opening partnership Pakistan have had in Tests in the past five years. That turnover at the top of the order – a new pair every 2.56 Test matches on average – is by far the fastest rate among the leading Test sides. Masood and Aslam put on 114 in their first alliance in Abu Dhabi.

The verdict Even by the normal standards of Test cricket in the UAE, this has been slow going. Pakistan’s run-rate of 2.38 per over is the lowest they have managed in a Test match in this country. With just 14 wickets having fallen in three days so far, it is difficult to see 26 dropping to bring about a result over the next two.

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