The Israeli-Palestinian peace process is in dire straits but observers differ on whether the framework of negotiations towards a two-state solution is in poor health, comatose or dead.
The arrival of Donald Trump in the White House, along with an Israeli government and opposition that are either explicitly opposed to Palestinian statehood, ambivalent or believe it is not the right time, are all further evidence of an era of uncertainty and danger. But there is also an opportunity for a rethink by the international community about how they relate to Israel and Palestinians. And it is vital that any new approach must end the subordination of Palestinian rights.
Let’s consider three examples of how this has worked to date. First, there are the settlements. An article of faith among western diplomats and experts is that a large number of settlers can be incorporated into Israel in a final status agreement through a land swap. This reflects the fact that most of Israel’s major colonies inside the occupied Palestinian territory lie relatively close to the Green Line. But talk of so-called settlement blocks and land swaps are problematic as it effectively constitutes a reward for a grave violation of international law. It is a seal of approval for colonisation.
The concept of so-called consensus settlements – illegal colonies that will be part of Israel in a final peace deal – is a perfect example of how Israel’s violations of international law are seen as something to be accommodated rather than opposed.
In other words, Israel’s efforts to create “facts on the ground” trump Palestinian land rights and access to natural resources, community cohesion, environmental concerns, cultural and historical heritage and more.
Then there’s Palestinian sovereignty – or more specifically, how Israel’s security needs are deemed to override the Palestinian right to independence. A future Palestinian state, it is demanded, will be demilitarised, and will not even have control over its own airspace. The Israeli army will maintain the right to invade if necessary. As if all that wasn’t enough, even Israel’s centrists support a long-term presence of the Israeli military in the Jordan Valley.
All such conditions are justified as managing Israel’s security concerns, as if the Palestinians had no such concerns, and as if any sovereign state would accept such terms.
Finally, a third way in which Israel’s interests trump Palestinian rights, and perhaps one of the most fundamental manifestations of this, is the question of the Palestinian refugees.
We saw it in John Kerry’s speech on the peace process, when the former US secretary of state said: “There is a general recognition that the solution [to the Palestinian refugee issue] must be consistent with two states for two peoples, and cannot affect the fundamental character of Israel.”
That is to say, the Israeli demand to have its Jewish majority of citizens preserved is assumed to be of a higher priority than the obligation to ensure that Palestinian refugees are allowed to return, as per their right under international law.
In fact, one of the things that the three examples above have in common is that it is not only Palestinian rights being subordinated to Israeli interests but also international law and norms, and human rights. Settlements are illegal? No problem, they can be annexed by Israel. Refugees have the right to return? Sorry, Israel must protect its Jewish character.
That the official peace process is so heavily weighted to prioritise Israeli interests is made clear by the rhetoric of its proponents and guardians.
Speaking to CNN last month, Mr Kerry defended the Obama administration’s abstention at the UN Security Council on the basis that “all we’re trying to do is speak as a good, good, solid, best friend of Israel”.
Or take the ill-fated Paris conference last month. French foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, writing in Israeli newspaper Haaretz on the gathering, shared his “very strong conviction” that “only a two-state solution will, in time, bring stability to the region and enable Israel to live in security”.
Over and over, western diplomats have urged Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to take certain steps for the sake of Israel; the two-state solution is in Israel’s interests, a Palestinian state is for Israel’s benefit, and so on.
Now of course, someone might reply that the art of diplomacy includes appealing to the best interests of one party in order to be more persuasive. But in the case of Israel and the Palestinians this betrays a fundamental conceptual flaw; that you are dealing with two, more or less equal sides, who just need to make some of their own respective compromises in order to seal the deal.
This reflects neither the history nor the vastly asymmetrical status quo of an occupier and occupied. Experience shows that the Israeli government pursues its own understanding of its own interests regardless of external appeals.
Rather than indulging Israeli interests that fly in the face of the Palestinian people’s rights to self-determination and decolonisation, the international community must instead insist on respect for such rights – and follow through on serious consequences if Israel continues to refuse.
Ben White is a journalist and the author of Israeli Apartheid: A Beginner’s Guide
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
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
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Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
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First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Sun jukebox
Rufus Thomas, Bear Cat (The Answer to Hound Dog) (1953)
This rip-off of Leiber/Stoller’s early rock stomper brought a lawsuit against Phillips and necessitated Presley’s premature sale to RCA.
Elvis Presley, Mystery Train (1955)
The B-side of Presley’s final single for Sun bops with a drummer-less groove.
Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, Folsom Prison Blues (1955)
Originally recorded for Sun, Cash’s signature tune was performed for inmates of the titular prison 13 years later.
Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes (1956)
Within a month of Sun’s February release Elvis had his version out on RCA.
Roy Orbison, Ooby Dooby (1956)
An essential piece of irreverent juvenilia from Orbison.
Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire (1957)
Lee’s trademark anthem is one of the era’s best-remembered – and best-selling – songs.
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
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Teaching in coronavirus times
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
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The specs
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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
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.
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
The specs
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Glossary of a stock market revolution
Reddit
A discussion website
Redditor
The users of Reddit
Robinhood
A smartphone app for buying and selling shares
Short seller
Selling a stock today in the belief its price will fall in the future
Short squeeze
Traders forced to buy a stock they are shorting
Naked short
An illegal practice
The specs
Engine: 3.6 V6
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Power: 295bhp
Torque: 353Nm
Price: Dh155,000
On sale: now
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Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
The specs: 2018 Jeep Compass
Price, base: Dh100,000 (estimate)
Engine: 2.4L four-cylinder
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 184bhp at 6,400rpm
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Fuel economy, combined: 9.4L / 100km
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What is a Ponzi scheme?
A fraudulent investment operation where the scammer provides fake reports and generates returns for old investors through money paid by new investors, rather than through ligitimate business activities.
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FROM%20THE%20ASHES
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