Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Iran conflict
After striking Iran on Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in just a matter of hours, went from having his coalition on the brink of collapse to almost all of the opposition politicians behind his “Rising Lion” operation against Iran.
The turnaround is yet another example of how Mr Netanyahu almost always seems to survive.
The leader of the opposition, Yair Lapid, having only just finished an attempt to dissolve the parliament, said on X that Israel’s operation was “a necessity”. He did not once mention his criticisms of and efforts to topple the government since the inception of Mr Netanyahu’s coalition.
The comments came shortly after Mr Lapid and other opposition members became the closest they had yet been to toppling Mr Netanyahu, following a coalition crisis over his ultra-Orthodox parties' anger at a lack of progress in passing a law to exempt their young men from service.
For days, it appeared they would leave the government and deprive the prime minister of his majority.
Former prime minister Naftali Bennett, a favourite for prime minister in the event of future elections and a fierce critic of Mr Netanyahu’s efforts to exempt ultra-Orthodox military service, took to X after the Iran strikes began to say, with not one mention of Mr Netanyahu: “Now we have finally hit the head of the octopus."
Sami Abu Shehadeh, one of the few Israeli politicians willing to criticise Mr Netanyahu at the moment and his Iran operation, told The National that the prime minister was “trying to push the region into a huge war that nobody needs in order to keep his coalition”.
“Israel is a very militarised society. Whether in the opposition or coalition, politicians have had a career in the army. When there are security issues, they forget they are politicians and that they can and should criticise anything,” he added.
“They start behaving like any small soldier who gets an order. They do not think as free politicians who see the whole context and can put forward a different political programme.”
Another opposition politician and often controversial figure, Ayman Odeh, said that the timing of the attack on Iran is not a coincidence.
“I think that it really has to do with Netanyahu's inability to keep his coalition. He is leading us to this very dangerous war with the Iranians, dangerous for the Israelis, the Palestinians and to the whole Middle East, based on his very narrow political interests.”
A seasoned political survivor and Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, Mr Netanyahu has weathered many crises.
Since October 2023, Mr Netanyahu’s government has faced mounting unpopularity, with polls showing his coalition would not stand a chance in an election today. Public anger has surged over his refusal to take personal responsibility for the intelligence, military and policy failures that led to the 2023 Hamas attack, and for not doing enough to secure the return of hostages still held in Gaza.
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The specs: 2018 Maxus T60
Price, base / as tested: Dh48,000
Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder
Power: 136hp @ 1,600rpm
Torque: 360Nm @ 1,600 rpm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Fuel consumption, combined: 9.1L / 100km
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
In numbers
- Number of children under five will fall from 681 million in 2017 to 401m in 2100
- Over-80s will rise from 141m in 2017 to 866m in 2100
- Nigeria will become the world’s second most populous country with 791m by 2100, behind India
- China will fall dramatically from a peak of 2.4 billion in 2024 to 732 million by 2100
- an average of 2.1 children per woman is required to sustain population growth
Three tips from La Perle's performers
1 The kind of water athletes drink is important. Gwilym Hooson, a 28-year-old British performer who is currently recovering from knee surgery, found that out when the company was still in Studio City, training for 12 hours a day. “The physio team was like: ‘Why is everyone getting cramps?’ And then they realised we had to add salt and sugar to the water,” he says.
2 A little chocolate is a good thing. “It’s emergency energy,” says Craig Paul Smith, La Perle’s head coach and former Cirque du Soleil performer, gesturing to an almost-empty open box of mini chocolate bars on his desk backstage.
3 Take chances, says Young, who has worked all over the world, including most recently at Dragone’s show in China. “Every time we go out of our comfort zone, we learn a lot about ourselves,” she says.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
About Takalam
Date started: early 2020
Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech and wellness
Number of staff: 4
Funding to date: Bootstrapped
The%20specs
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Ukraine%20exports
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Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
57%20Seconds
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How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
Read more from Aya Iskandarani
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Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
