July 31, 2016 5 News & Analysis Gulf

Former Saudi general who visited Israel faces backlash

Mohammed Alkhereiji

London

he government of Saudi Arabia stated that the re- cent visit by a Saudi del- egation, led by a former military general, to Israel Tdoes not reflect a change in rela- tions between the two countries. Retired Saudi general Anwar Esh- ki, who heads the Middle East Cen- tre for Strategic and Legal Studies think-tank in Jeddah, led a group of Saudi academics and members of the business community on a trip to Israel. The visit led to a backlash on social media. “Anwar Eshki has visited the Zi- onist entity with a delegation of academics and businessmen. His- tory does not forget the traitors and Jerusalem will bear witness against you,” Abdullah al-Zahrani, a pro- fessor at the King Saud University in Riyadh, wrote on his Twitter ac- count.

Eshki said he attended a dinner with Israeli Foreign Ministry Director-General Dore Gold.

The London-based, Saudi-owned Al-Hayat newspaper quoted a Saudi Retired general Anwar Eshki (R), and Israeli Foreign Ministry Director-General Dore Gold at a 2015 event held in Washington by the Foreign Ministry official as saying Council on Foreign Relations, a US think-tank. (Photo: Bloomberg) the visit “does not reflect the views of the Saudi government”. Saudi Arabia and Israel do not have diplo- including President Mahmoud Ab- son of one of the most well-known they sent a message to the Israeli worshippers during Friday prayers matic relations and the kingdom’s bas and Prime Minister Rami Ham- prisoners of the struggle, Marwan government calling for peace,” Es- was said to be 300,000”. citizens are banned from travelling dallah, and led evening prayers at Barghouti.” hki wrote. Eshki said he attended a dinner to Israel. the al-Aqsa mosque. He described The PA set up meetings with fam- The PA also gathered a number with Israeli Foreign Ministry Di- Eshki released a statement “not the experience as a “great honour”. ily members of Palestinians killed of Arab members of the Knesset for rector-General Dore Gold and: “We in defence of the visit but to further Eshki said that on his more recent by Israelis. The relatives demanded talks with Eshki. convinced him about the pledges the dialogue”. trip: “We visited a number of uni- a stop to the violence and support The former Saudi general met of the King Abdullah peace plan to He said this was his second visit versities, research centres and the for the late King Abdullah bin Ab- with Major-General Yoav (Poli) normalise relations if implement- to the Palestinian territories. The provinces and the holy places and dulaziz Al Saud’s peace initiative, Mordechai of the Israel Defence ed.” other in 2015 was “after four years we prayed with Muslims… at the calls for normalisation of relations Forces in west Jerusalem. Accord- The day following the meeting, of insistence” by Palestinian Gen- mosque of Omar ibn al-Khattab.” between the Arab world and Israel ing to the statement, Eshki thanked a statement from the prime minis- eral Jibril Rajoub. “We met families of the martyrs in exchange for a full withdrawal by Mordechai “for granting his request ter’s office that it would consider Eshki said the Palestinian Au- and detainees, who I had the oppor- Israel from the occupied territories of allowing Palestinian worshippers the matter seriously, Eshki said. thority (PA) created the itinerary tunity to have discussions with,” he and a just settlement to the Pales- to pray in al-Aqsa mosque during for both visits. On his previous trip, said. “After paying our respects, we tinian refugee issue. Ramadan, securing their transport Mohammed Alkhereiji is the Gulf Eshki met with Palestinian officials, also attended the wedding of the “We had talks with them and as far as Gaza, where the number of section editor of The Arab Weekly. How will Expo 2020 affect the UAE?

Jennifer Bell “World Expos are global events said. dedicated to finding solutions to The “significant economic ben- specific challenges facing human- efits” associated with hosting a Abu Dhabi ity, by offering a journey inside Expo, according to Loscer- Expo theme through engaging and tales, include its role as a spring- tudy any economic pro- immersive activities,” said Vicente board for new industries and talents spectus for the United Arab Loscertales, secretary-general of and the opportunity and impetus it and one event the Bureau International des Expo- provides for infrastructure devel- will either be prominent sitions (BIE), the intergovernmen- opment and creating or revitalising or dominant — Expo 2020 tal organisation charged with over- urban areas. SDubai, which, for the Gulf and be- seeing and regulating World Expos. “Through construction, plan- yond, could be a game changer. ning, tourism and the development The first World Expo in the Mid- of new industries, Expos lead to the dle East, Africa or South Asia, the creation of hundreds of thousands numbers projected for Expo 2020 More than of new jobs and spur regional de- are staggering. More than 25 million velopment,” he said. visitors — the vast majority from “Under BIE rules, organisers outside the UAE — are expected must consider the legacy of an during its run from October 20th, 200 Expo during the planning phase to 2020, to April 10th, 2021, during the countries, ensure that the host city enjoys the 50th anniversary of the United Arab organisations, benefits of the Expo many years af- Emirates. ter it has closed. More than 200 countries, organi- companies and “In , the site has already sations, companies and institutions institutions are to been earmarked to host a research are to participate under the theme participate under the and academic institutions, an ex- A computer-generated image shows the exterior of the Museum of Connecting Minds, Creating the Fu- hibition centre and a technological the Future that will be built on a main road of Dubai, at an estimated ture. Its site will span an area about theme Connecting cluster.” cost of $136 million. The structure will be finished in 2017. 4km long and 1.8km wide. Infra- Minds, Creating the Robin Teh, country manager in structure spending, including the the UAE and director of valuation expansion of Al Maktoum Interna- Future. in the Middle East and North Africa Teh said the huge and expensive second, it will boost the tourism tional Airport, runs into hundreds region for international residential capital projects being constructed sector,” she said. of millions of dollars. “Expos are transformative events property specialist Chestertons, in preparation for the event — the “[Small and medium-sized enter- If Expo 2020 Dubai’s purpose is for the host city and country, serv- said Expo 2020 Dubai will energise Dubai Canal, Al Maktoum airport, prises] in Dubai, especially those to be “a festival of human ingenu- ing as catalysts for change in their the emirate’s real estate market. developments and the operating in the travel and tourism, ity”, a forum for the advancement preparation, execution and legacy. “It will be given a large shot of restarting of the project, logistics, retail and wholesale sec- of ideas, a celebration of global con- Among mega-events, World Expos investment, as there will be global which includes amusement parks, tors, are also expected to gain from nectivity and a catalyst for change, attract more visitors than any oth- interest in all sectors of real es- hotel, commercial and residential the international exposure that the its impact will also be measured in er — over 20 million people visited tate,” he said. “More services will buildings, in — will re- Expo will provide. Looking at ex- clinical economic terms and organ- Expo 2015 in Milan, and Expo 2010 be needed, more people needed to tain their value to the emirate long amples of previous World Expos, it isers are adamant that its effects attracted a record 73 mil- provide services, new industries after the Expo has ended. is evident that the Dubai economy will be a lasting, directly and tangi- lion visitors. created — all contributing to growth For Ambareen Musa, founder and stands to benefit not only in the bly beneficial one. “This offers the host city a major and demand. We expect to see a chief executive officer of souqal- short-term, but long-term as well.” But what will be the true legacy opportunity to improve its infra- continued rise in real estate prices mal.com, Expo 2020 will “invigor- to its host and why should the peo- structure, regain and develop land as demand picks up leading to Expo ate” the UAE economy in several Jennifer Bell is an Arab Weekly ple of the UAE and the Middle East and engage citizens around a global 2020 Dubai, starting as the current ways. “First, it will create more contributor based in the United in general embrace it? issue facing humanity,” Loscertales year ends.” employment opportunities, and Arab Emirates.