High-Level UAE delegation arrives in Lebanon to reopen Embassy in Beirut
In response to the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and following a call between His Highness and His Excellency Joseph Aoun, President of the Republic of Lebanon, a high-level UAE delegation arrived in Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, to undertake all necessary arrangements to reopen the UAE embassy in Beirut.
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) affirmed that reopening the embassy reflects the longstanding fraternal ties between the two countries and their peoples. The Ministry emphasised the UAE’s unwavering position toward Lebanon’s unity, national sovereignty, and territorial integrity, as well as its support for the brotherly Lebanese people.
Moreover, the Ministry underscored that reopening the embassy comes within the framework of strengthening bilateral relations between the UAE and the Republic of Lebanon, which reflects the UAE’s keenness to support stability and development in Lebanon, and its steadfast commitment to providing comprehensive support to the Lebanese people across various sectors.
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Source: WAM
Trump’s Influence Reflects in Damac’s $20bn Investment
Damac Properties, a major real estate development company based in the UAE, has announced a remarkable $20 billion investment deal that marks a significant milestone in the continued strengthening of ties between the Gulf region and former President Donald Trump. The deal comes on the heels of growing business activities between the Trump Organization and companies within the UAE, signaling a deepening relationship that blends politics and commerce.
The landmark investment will largely focus on large-scale development projects in the Middle East, particularly in the UAE and surrounding regions, areas that have seen a significant increase in foreign investment in recent years. This particular venture, supported by Damac, which is one of the region’s most influential real estate developers, not only marks a huge financial commitment but also highlights Trump’s ongoing influence in the Middle East, a region where he has cultivated robust business partnerships.
Damac’s decision to align with the Trump Organization further consolidates the firm’s position within the luxury real estate sector, particularly as demand for high-end properties in the Gulf grows. The projects set to be developed under this partnership will span various sectors, from residential to commercial spaces, further enhancing the region’s appeal as a hub for international business.
This growing collaboration between Trump and Gulf-based entities like Damac points to a shift in the way Gulf states are engaging with American businessmen. The partnership reflects a broader trend where the region’s wealthy investors see value in deepening their relationships with powerful political figures, especially those with a global influence, such as Trump.
While Trump’s presidency left a complicated legacy regarding his ties to foreign governments, the current investment underscores the longevity of his business connections, particularly in the UAE, which remains one of the most lucrative and influential partners for Trump outside the United States. Under the terms of the deal, Trump will lend his brand to high-profile projects, which will undoubtedly raise the profile of these developments globally.
The expansion of Trump’s real estate ventures in the region speaks volumes about his sustained business interests in the Middle East. Trump’s brand, which has long been associated with luxury and wealth, aligns seamlessly with the aspirations of Gulf investors looking to increase their visibility on the global stage. The collaboration has also highlighted the shifting dynamics in real estate development, where political figures increasingly play a key role in shaping the future of business deals across borders.
What is especially notable is the involvement of the UAE in these initiatives. As one of the most economically diversified countries in the Middle East, the UAE is positioning itself as a leader in not only finance and tourism but also in the luxury real estate market. The Trump Organization’s presence in the region further underscores the country’s influence and its ability to attract major international investors. Despite concerns over the potential conflicts of interest due to Trump’s dual role as a businessman and political figure, the Gulf region has continued to welcome his projects, leading some analysts to question the broader implications of such investments.
The agreement also raises questions about the future of Trump’s business operations, especially in the context of his ongoing political career. With his political influence diminishing following his presidency, the $20 billion investment deal could be seen as an attempt to stabilize his financial portfolio by aligning with powerful Middle Eastern entities. The Trump Organization’s expansion into luxury real estate markets in the UAE also fits into a broader pattern of American businesses exploring new opportunities in foreign markets that are seen as stable and profitable.
Gulf investors, including those behind Damac, have increasingly demonstrated their willingness to engage with the Trump Organization despite the political controversy that surrounds his name. For many investors in the region, the financial upside of such partnerships outweighs the potential diplomatic fallout, a sign of the region’s prioritization of economic interests over political considerations.
The deal has sparked a mixed reaction. On one hand, it is seen as a symbol of the enduring power of Trump’s brand and his ability to foster profitable business ventures, even after leaving the White House. On the other hand, critics point to the risks of such ties, with concerns over the potential influence that foreign investors could exert over American politics through business arrangements.
Source: The Arabian Post Network
Another Imprisoned Palestinian Tortured to Death in Israeli Prison
A Palestinian man, Moataz Abu Zneid (35 years old) from Dura, south of Hebron, who has been held in Israeli detention without charges for over a year, was declared dead in the Israeli Soroka Hospital on Sunday after Israeli torture and medical neglect.
68 Palestinian prisoners have died in Israeli prisons as a result of torture or medical negligence, the Hebrew newspaper Haaretz stated Sunday.
The Palestinian Prisoners Commission said Abu Zneid was detained since 6/27/2023. He was married and had one child, and according to his family, he did not suffer from any health problems before his arrest.
The statement added that according to a preliminary statement obtained from one of the prisoners recently released from Rimon Prison, where he was being held, the health of detainee Abu Zneid suddenly and seriously deteriorated, and the prison administration deliberately delayed his transfer to the hospital, and committed a systematic medical crime against him, until he fell into a coma and was transferred to Soroka Hospital on January 6, and his martyrdom was announced tonight.
He explained that with the martyrdom of the prisoner Abu Zneid from Dura, the number of martyrs among the prisoners and detainees in the occupation prisons since the beginning of the war of extermination has risen to (55) martyrs whose identities are known, and this number is the highest historically, so that this stage is the bloodiest stage in the history of the prisoner movement since 1967.
The number of martyrs of the prisoner movement whose identities are known since 1967 has risen to (292), noting that there are dozens of martyrs from the Gaza detainees who are subject to enforced disappearance. It is noteworthy that the martyr Abu Zneid is the fifth administrative detainee to rise in the occupation prisons since the beginning of the war of extermination.
The Commission and the Club added that the case of the martyrdom of the detainee Abu Zneid – a former prisoner who was arrested five times, most of them under administrative detention, during which he went on hunger strikes in protest of his administrative detention – constitutes a new crime in the record of the Israeli brutal system, which has reached its peak since the beginning of the ongoing war of extermination.
They stressed that what is happening to prisoners and detainees is a humanitarian catastrophe, and is nothing but another aspect of the war of extermination, and the goal is to carry out more executions, assassinations and liquidations against prisoners and detainees.
The Commission and the Club stressed that the rate of increasing numbers of martyrs among prisoners and detainees will take a more dangerous turn as more time passes and thousands of prisoners and detainees continue to be held in the occupation prisons, and are exposed to systematic crimes, most notably torture, starvation, assaults in all their forms, medical crimes, sexual assaults, and the deliberate imposition of conditions that lead to their contracting serious and contagious diseases, in addition to the policies of theft and deprivation – unprecedented in their level.
The Prisoners’ Authority, the Prisoners’ Club, and all relevant institutions held the occupation fully responsible for their martyrdom, and renewed their demand for the international human rights system to move forward in taking effective decisions to hold the occupation leaders accountable for the war crimes they continue to commit against our people, and to impose sanctions on the occupation that would place it in a state of clear international isolation, and restore to the human rights system its fundamental role for which it was created, and put an end to the terrifying state of helplessness that has affected it in light of the war of extermination, and end the state of exceptional immunity that the old colonial states have granted to the occupying state of Israel, considering it above accountability, accountability, and punishment.
The statement pointed out that the total number of prisoners is more than 10,400, and this data does not include all detainees from Gaza, while the number of female prisoners until 9/1/2025 reached 85, including four female prisoners from Gaza, whose identities are known, children – no less than 320, administrative detainees – 3376 including about 95 children and 22 female prisoners.
Source: IMEMC News