US military commander's visit to stop Israel strike on Iran

Vita Bekker

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TEL AVIV // The top US military commander will arrive in Tel Aviv tomorrow on a visit that analysts say is aimed at dissuading Israel from attacking Iran's nuclear sites amid heightened speculation that the country is preparing for such a strike.

Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, will be on his first official trip to Israel since taking on his new role in September and is expected to meet the Israeli army chief, Benny Gantz, and top officials, including the defence minister, Ehud Barak.

Iran's nuclear programme, which the West claims is intended to develop a nuclear bomb but which Tehran insists is for civilian purposes, is expected to top the agenda.

"The two countries don't see the solution for Iran in the same way," said Yoel Guzansky, a former government official who helped coordinate Israel's approach to Iran from 2005 to 2009. and is currently a researcher at The Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University.

"The Americans are worried that Israel will attack the Iranian nuclear installations. I am sure Dempsey will tell the Israelis to wait for the [international] sanctions to work."

The US general's visit comes during a high point of tension between the Islamic republic and the West. Both the US and the European Union have threatened to impose new sanctions on Iran that would significantly limit its ability to sell oil on the global market. Tehran has reacted by warning it would shut the shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz that are used to transfer a fifth of the world's oil.

Iran also has blamed Israel, the US and Britain for last week's assassination of an Iranian nuclear scientist in at least the fourth such killing reported in two years.

Yesterday Iran's envoy to the UN atomic watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, said a high-level delegation would visit Iran from January 29 to 31 to discuss issues it has over Tehran's nuclear programme,

Israel has been at odds with the US on the fastest and most effective way to hinder Iran from developing nuclear arms. Leon Panetta, the US defence secretary, told the US television network CBS last week that the best course of action is continued economic sanctions and diplomatic pressure on Iran.

But Israel considers those measures insufficient. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday told an Israeli parliamentary committee that without international sanctions on Iran's central bank and oil industry, Israel's archenemy will not halt its nuclear plans.

Analysts say Israel's growing frustration may eventually lead it to strike Iran, even if it does not obtain American consent, because it may eventually view an Iranian nuclear weapon as more of a security threat than souring ties with the US.

Last Updated:Jan 18, 2012

Domestic and regional politics push the Obama administration towards an unwanted conflict with Iran that could turn violent.

Tony Karon

"Every day that passes with the Iranian programme continuing and not being resolved makes the Israeli military option more realistic," said David Menashri, a senior research fellow at Tel Aviv University's Center for Iranian Studies.

For the administration of Barack Obama, the US president, analysts say the main worry of an Israeli strike on Iran is political, because such a move may spur oil prices to soar, slow the US economic recovery and hurt Mr Obama's re-election chances in November's ballot.

In what appears to be a bid to tone down in the war of words with Iran, a joint missile-defence exercise by the US and Israel that involves thousands of American and Israeli soldiers was cancelled this week. The drill was designed to test air defence systems against missiles and rockets from a range that would include Iran.

Despite US opposition, there is uncertainty about whether Israel, should it resolve to act militarily, would wait until after the US election in November or strike beforehand and risk angering its closest ally.

"Israel is really frustrated and may see itself as being alone in dealing with Iran," said Mr Guzansky. "The US is in an election year and Obama may not face off Iran" as Israel would want him to, he added. Next page

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Air Arabia And SCTDA Jointly Mark Service To Russia With High-Profile Visit In Moscow

Sharjah beckons more Russian tourists with direct Air Arabia flights to Moscow & Yekaterinburg

Chairmen of Air Arabia & Sharjah Commerce & Tourism Development Authority host delegation in Russian capital

Carrier to shortly increase service to Moscow to five times weekly

Air Arabia and Sharjah Commerce & Tourism Development Authority today officially inaugurated Air Arabia’s service to Russia at a high-profile event held in the country’s capital city, Moscow. The delegation was led by the Chairman of Sharjah Commerce & Tourism Development Authority H.E Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Al Qassimi and the Chairman of Air Arabia H.E Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohamed Al Thani.

Marking the commencement of service to Moscow, which the carrier currently serves three times per week, Chairmen of SCTDA and Air Arabia shed light on the business and tourism ties between the two countries and the role Sharjah plays in developing the strong relationship between the two nations. Air Arabia and SCTDA delegation hosted a special event to mark the occasion and was attended by a range of Russian decision-makers, UAE Consul and diplomats in Moscow, travel and trade leaders and members of the press. During the course of the event, Air Arabia announced that, beginning December 28, 2011, it will increase the frequency of service to Moscow to five times per week.

In addition to offering non-stop flights to the Russian capital, Air Arabia also currently provides service to Yekaterinburg, its second destination in Russia and the fourth-largest city in the country.

Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Al Qassimi, Chairman of Sharjah Commerce & Tourism Development Authority hailed the robust relations between Russia and the UAE, in particular the growing ties between Sharjah and Russia as the emirate attracts hundreds of thousands of Russian visitors each year and is home to a large population of Russian expatriates. “Last year, Sharjah attracted more than 200,000 Russian tourists. Until September this year, some 157,136 Russian tourists visited the emirate” Said Al Qassimi highlighting that this could grow further with the inauguration of this direct, low-cost air connection between Moscow and Sharjah. “Possibilities of growth in this area are endless,” he pointed out.

“We are very pleased to join hands with Air Arabia in launching its services to Moscow and the Russia Federation in-which it will further contribute to the sustainable tourism and economic growth of the Emirate.”

“We are delighted to be here in historic Moscow to inaugurate Air Arabia’s introduction of direct service from Sharjah,” said Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Al Thani, Chairman of Air Arabia. “All of us at Air Arabia are grateful to our Russian counterparts for their ongoing support as we help forge even stronger bonds between our two nations, including on behalf of the significant Russian expatriate population in the UAE.”

Al Thani continued: “we are extremely pleased to announce the increase in the frequency of service to Moscow to five times per week ; therefore contributing to the increasing travel and tourism ties between the two nations by offering customers the choice for a great value and service.”

Air Arabia currently offers service to Moscow on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, departing from Sharjah International Airport at 9:00AM and arriving at Moscow Domodedova Airport at 14:00PM. Return flights depart from Moscow on the same days at 15:00PM and arrive in Sharjah at 20:00PM.

The carrier offers service to Yekaterinburg on Wednesdays and Saturdays, departing from Sharjah International Airport at 10:05AM and arriving at Yekaterinburg Airport at 16:50PM. Return flights depart from Yekaterinburg on the same days at 17:50PM and arrive in Sharjah at 20:50PM.

To facilitate easy online bookings for Russian passengers, customers can access the Air Arabia website (www.airarabia.com) in the Russian language – or in Arabic, English, French, Italian, German or Spanish.

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London school of economics delegation to visit Emirates Foundation

WAM Abu Dhabi, Oct. 10th, 2011 (WAM) -- A senior academic delegation from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) will visit the Emirates Foundation for Philanthropy on Wednesday to discuss the series of Foundation grants made to the LSE in support of Middle Eastern studies.

The delegation includes Professor Fawaz Gerges, Director of The Middle East Centre at the LSE; Avi Shlaim, Professor of International Relations at the University of Oxford and Member of the Centre's Advisory Board and Robert Lowe, Middle East Centre Manager.

The LSE delegation's visit aims to strengthen collaboration with UAE Universities and to promote PhD dissertation assistance for Emirati and Arab Scholars at the LSE.

The visit to the Emirates Foundation's offices follows an agreement in 2010 for the Emirates Foundation to provide the LSE with a series of substantial grants in support of the LSE's Centre for Middle Eastern Studies - as well as to enhance collaboration between the renowned British university and Arab and Emirati universities.

One of the Foundation's key grants is being allocated over seven years as ?Dissertation Support for Middle Eastern Studies.' Other grants include an endowment for a professorship in Contemporary Middle East Studies and a 10 year grant for LSE academic collaboration with Arab universities, with a preference given for UAE institutions.

The Emirates Foundation has also facilitated a parallel major endowment contribution from Aman Trust, a not-for-profit institution associated with philanthropist Arif Naqvi of Abraj Capital, in support of the infrastructure of the Middle East Centre.

Dr. Sabha al Shamsi, Senior Executive Advisor for Education and Social Development Programmes at the Emirates Foundation welcomed the visit and said: "The LSE delegation's visit will result in more consolidated efforts toward enhancing the Emirati scientific and research skills- one of the crucial objectives that the Foundation seeks to achieve".

WAM/ES/AM

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Bee’ah Welcomes Visit From The Dubai Municipality

Bee’ah – the Middle East’s leading and award-winning integrated environmental and waste management company – welcomed Mr. Naji Al Radi, Head of the Waste Management Department at the Dubai Municipality and the accompanying delegation, at the Bee’ah Waste Management Complex in Al Saj’ah where they met with Mr. Khaled Al Huraimel, Chief Executive Officer of Bee’ah, Bee’ah’s senior management team alongside Mr. Marwan Al Husan, Head of Solid Waste Department at the Sharjah Municipality. The delegates were given a presentation of the state-of-the-art technologies adopted by Bee’ah for the first time in the Middle East.

The visit was set to enhance the cooperation between Bee’ah and the Dubai Municipality, strengthen their collaborative efforts to improve the environment of the U.A.E., and exchange knowledge and experience around potential areas of legislation, regulations, joint efforts and development of environmental awareness programmes.

“We are very proud to show representatives from our neighbouring Emirate the substantial progress that we, at Bee’ah, have achieved in the last four years to become a leading example of environmental change.” said Al Huraimel. “We are very keen to work together with the Dubai Municipality and explore ways to benefit the entire U.A.E., by strengthening our spirit of cooperation and becoming the partner of choice towards a greener future.”

Bee’ah was awarded the prestigious Facilities Management Award for ‘Best Waste Management Company of the Year’ in the Middle East; for its achievements in environmental protection and advanced waste management infrastructure put into place since 2007. Bee’ah and the Sharjah City Municipality, as a strategic partner, have successfully transformed the landfill at the Waste Management Complex (WMC) in Al Saj’ah into a safe disposal site that was re-engineered using state-of-the-art technology, best practices and processes to ensure the highest available standards of safety and efficiency.

Bee’ah’s WMC represents an entirely new approach, in the region, to managing waste and includes a number of industrial, commercial and residential waste diversion operations and facilities. The WMC houses the Material Recovery Facility, the Construction and Demolition Waste Recycling Facility, the Tyre Recycling Facility, the compost plant, and other recycling facilities.

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Clinton to visit UAE for Libya talks

Associated Press

WASHINGTON // US secretary of state Hillary Rodham Clinton will travel to the United Arab Emirates next week for an international meeting on the situation in Libya, after which she will make a short three-nation tour of Africa.

The state department said Tuesday that Clinton will attend a meeting of the Contact Group on Libya on June 9 in Abu Dhabi.  From there, she will visit Zambia, Tanzania and Ethiopia to discuss trade, development and regional security issues.

The Libya talks will be the fourth meeting of countries concerned about Libya that Clinton has attended since Nato began military operations over the country in mid-March to protect civilians. Previous meetings have been held in Paris, London and Rome.

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