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US President Donald Trump must listen to the Palestinian people if he is to achieve his vision for peace in the Middle East, the Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations has told The National's show, The Interview: With Willy Lowry.
Riyad Mansour, who has worked as the permanent observer for Palestine to the UN since 2005, said Mr Trump's plan to “take over” Gaza, displace its approximately two million residents and then redevelop the coastal enclave is unlikely to bring an end to the conflict.
“Some of the statements that were uttered regarding, you know, ethnic cleansing and displacement of the Palestinian people and taking our land away from us are not conducive to peace,” Mr Mansour said.
“Why shouldn't we be attached to this land?” he added. “Shame on those who destroyed it.”
Still, the veteran diplomat holds hope that President Trump can have a positive influence on the region.
“He is a very powerful leader, globally speaking, and [we hope] he can bring peace,” Mr Mansour said in the exclusive interview. “But peace requires listening to the aspirations and the pain of people like the Palestinian people.
Palestinians must be the ones to rebuild Gaza because “it is our land and we love that land,” he added.
Mr Mansour, 77, spoke to The National from the United Nations, where even the presence of Palestine's flag is a victory for his people – and one he played a pivotal role in achieving.
“We had to have a resolution in the General Assembly to allow it to be flown here and outside the building,” Mr Mansour said.
The ambassador's vital role has taken on added importance in the aftermath of Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023, in which the militant group killed roughly 1,200 people and kidnapped another 251 to the Gaza Strip, triggering Israel’s brutal military response.
Throughout the conflict, Mr Mansour has served as a voice for Palestinians in Gaza on the world stage.
It is a task that has often left him in tears when he recounts to UN member states the pain and suffering of Palestinians in the densely populated enclave. More than 48,000 people have been killed in Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, according to the local health ministry.
“It has been a painful experience, but it was my duty, and all members of my team, to be like our people, to elaborate ourselves to the highest possible level in order to convey to the international community through the Security Council and the General Assembly, the tragedy, the pain, the genocide inflicted upon our people,” Mr Mansour said.
As he has worked to present his people's case on the world stage, he has faced a barrage of criticism and personal attacks. In August last year, Israel’s ambassador to the UN called him a “terrorist in a suit” and demanded he denounce Hamas’s actions on October 7, 2023.
Mr Mansour brushed off the attack and defended his position.
“I challenged the Israeli ambassador,” Mr Mansour said. “I condemn the killing of all civilians from all sides. They do not even mention a single casualty from our side. It's always only them and their concerns about their victims. If you do not show me humanity about my own victims, don't play games with me, of me trying to condemn some people among the Palestinian people for certain conduct, and you are not showing any sympathy to us – these games we will not play.”
With the current ceasefire and hostage deal in jeopardy and US President Donald Trump calling for the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza in order to transform the coastal enclave into the “Riviera of the Middle East”, Mr Mansour has been vocal in his defence of Palestinians' right to the land.
Many question whether the Palestinian Authority, led by 89-year-old President Mahmoud Abbas, has the capacity to take control and govern Gaza once a resolution to the conflict is achieved. The Fatah-controlled PA is deeply unpopular in the occupied West Bank, which it administers.
“It is capable,” Mr Mansour said. “Yet there are those who are still, you know, trying to make it weaker, trying to destroy it, trying to deny it the opportunity to run the life of the Palestinians.”
As uncertainty continues to grip the region, Mr Mansour doubled down on the need for a two-state solution.
“We need to put an end to this tragedy by opening the door for a political horizon, ending this occupation, to have in this holy piece of land, from the river to the sea, two states, completely independent.”
Adla Massoud contributed from New York
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Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,000mm, Winners: Mumayaza, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m, Winners: Sharkh, Pat Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi
6pm: The President’s Cup Prep - Conditions (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 2,200m, Winner: Somoud, Richard Mullen, Jean de Roualle
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh90,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Harrab, Ryan Curatolo, Jean de Roualle
7pm: Abu Dhabi Equestrian Gold Cup - Prestige (PA) Dh125,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Hameem, Adrie de Vries, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7.30pm: Al Ruwais – Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 (T) 1,200m, Winner: AF Alwajel, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
8pm: Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m, Winner: Nibras Passion, Bernardo Pinheiro, Ismail Mohammed
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE BIO
BIO:
Born in RAK on December 9, 1983
Lives in Abu Dhabi with her family
She graduated from Emirates University in 2007 with a BA in architectural engineering
Her motto in life is her grandmother’s saying “That who created you will not have you get lost”
Her ambition is to spread UAE’s culture of love and acceptance through serving coffee, the country’s traditional coffee in particular.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Ajax v Juventus, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi
“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: N2 Technology
Founded: 2018
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Startups
Size: 14
Funding: $1.7m from HNIs
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Tuesday's fixtures
Kyrgyzstan v Qatar, 5.45pm
Analysis
Maros Sefcovic is juggling multiple international trade agreement files, but his message was clear when he spoke to The National on Wednesday.
The EU-UAE bilateral trade deal will be finalised soon, he said. It is in everyone’s interests to do so. Both sides want to move quickly and are in alignment. He said the UAE is a very important partner for the EU. It’s full speed ahead - and with some lofty ambitions - on the road to a free trade agreement.
We also talked about US-EU tariffs. He answered that both sides need to talk more and more often, but he is prepared to defend Europe's position and said diplomacy should be a guiding principle through the current moment.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Company Profile
Company name: Fine Diner
Started: March, 2020
Co-founders: Sami Elayan, Saed Elayan and Zaid Azzouka
Based: Dubai
Industry: Technology and food delivery
Initial investment: Dh75,000
Investor: Dtec Startupbootcamp
Future plan: Looking to raise $400,000
Total sales: Over 1,000 deliveries in three months
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
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Hotel Silence
Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir
Pushkin Press
Globalization and its Discontents Revisited
Joseph E. Stiglitz
W. W. Norton & Company
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Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
