The ramifications of Russia’s increased influence in the Middle East – and particularly on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – drew the attention of several commentators from the Arabic media.
Salim Nassar, a columnist in the London-based daily Al Hayat, noted that the campaign had not received the attention of the Israeli prime minister.
“In his latest statements, Mr Netanyahu mentioned his fear of a possible political initiative by president Barack Obama before the end of his term,” he wrote.
“The White House described this initiative as drawing its inspiration from the road map proposed by the American administration in 2003. While Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas agreed to it, the Israeli government only gave its reluctant approval.”
On the other hand, Russian president Vladimir Putin has sent his deputy minister of foreign affairs, Mikhail Bogdanov, to the region in a bid to convince Mr Netanyahu to take part alongside Mr Abbas in a summit to be held in Moscow next month.
“Mr Putin’s idea was criticised by the French press which claimed that its aim was to undermine the initiative taken by his French counterpart,” said Nassar.
However, he noted, the Russian president is considering the Middle East issue from an entirely different perspective.
“There is talk among Mr Putin’s aides that he is looking forward to the upcoming presidency of Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. He does not believe Barack Obama’s claim that his country is busy with the rise of China or India in the coming phase, but is convinced that the US will lose its international shine and will withdraw beyond the Atlantic as an isolated power.
“A case in point is the Middle Eastern countries have been cooperating with Washington for over half a century but are now gravitating towards Moscow, given the latter’s effect on the latest developments,” he concluded.
Palestinian columnist Nabil Amro, writing in Asharq Al Awsat, noted that Mr Putin's efforts to hold a meeting between Mr Netanyahu and Mr Abbas at the Kremlin have failed.
However, he did not consider this to be the end of the matter.
“As long as it is limited to a meeting under the auspices of a host favoured by both parties, it is still possible and may even be held in the near future,” he wrote.
Amro saw Israel as keen on maintaining its new-found relationship with yesterday’s enemy, now that Russian is widely spoken in Israel and former Soviet citizen Avigdor Lieberman has been appointed Israel’s defence minister.
“The common interests between Russia and Israel have developed and expanded, with Russia becoming a border state through its active role in Syria,” he said.
“Israel will not allow Mr Putin what it has not allowed Mr Obama, and its dealings with Moscow regarding the Palestinian issue will be limited to accepting its hosting of that meeting without this leading to any other arrangements, namely the relaunching of the political process.”
He said that anything more ambitious would be forbidden by Israel, and also by the United States. Amro noted that it would not be easy for Mr Abbas to say no to the Russians.
He concluded that Palestinians now stand in a familiar position, with the prospect of talks that will have only a modest outcome, if any at all.
This is, he said, “an equation sufficiently evidenced by over half a century of attempts and experience”.
Translated by Jennifer Attieh
translation@thenational.ae
Straightforward ways to reduce sugar in your family's diet
- Ban fruit juice and sodas
- Eat a hearty breakfast that contains fats and wholegrains, such as peanut butter on multigrain toast or full-fat plain yoghurt with whole fruit and nuts, to avoid the need for a 10am snack
- Give young children plain yoghurt with whole fruits mashed into it
- Reduce the number of cakes, biscuits and sweets. Reserve them for a treat
- Don’t eat dessert every day
- Make your own smoothies. Always use the whole fruit to maintain the benefit of its fibre content and don’t add any sweeteners
- Always go for natural whole foods over processed, packaged foods. Ask yourself would your grandmother have eaten it?
- Read food labels if you really do feel the need to buy processed food
- Eat everything in moderation
Company%20profile
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Company%20Profile
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Jawan
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAtlee%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Shah%20Rukh%20Khan%2C%20Nayanthara%2C%20Vijay%20Sethupathi%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
MEDIEVIL%20(1998)
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Fixtures:
Thursday:
Hatta v Al Jazira, 4.55pm
Al Wasl v Dibba, 7.45pm
Friday:
Al Dhafra v Al Nasr, 5.05pm
Shabab Al Ahli Dubai v Al Wahda, 7.45pm
Saturday:
Ajman v Emirates, 4.55pm
Al Ain v Sharjah, 7.45pm
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20Z%20FOLD5
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Confirmed%20bouts%20(more%20to%20be%20added)
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Company%20Profile
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
Company%20Profile
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Men's football draw
Group A: UAE, Spain, South Africa, Jamaica
Group B: Bangladesh, Serbia, Korea
Group C: Bharat, Denmark, Kenya, USA
Group D: Oman, Austria, Rwanda
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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.
Bahrain%20GP
%3Cp%3EFriday%20qualifying%3A%207pm%20(8pm%20UAE)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ESaturday%20race%3A%207pm%20(UAE)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ETV%3A%20BeIN%20Sports%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
How Islam's view of posthumous transplant surgery changed
Transplants from the deceased have been carried out in hospitals across the globe for decades, but in some countries in the Middle East, including the UAE, the practise was banned until relatively recently.
Opinion has been divided as to whether organ donations from a deceased person is permissible in Islam.
The body is viewed as sacred, during and after death, thus prohibiting cremation and tattoos.
One school of thought viewed the removal of organs after death as equally impermissible.
That view has largely changed, and among scholars and indeed many in society, to be seen as permissible to save another life.