Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
In a powerful gesture of solidarity and support, the "Tarahum - for Gaza" campaign, a nationwide humanitarian community initiative, has been launched to offer vital relief to Palestinian families and children affected by the ongoing conflict.
The campaign exemplifies the UAE's unwavering commitment to aiding those in need and the country's deeply held values of empathy and solidarity. This initiative specifically targets women and children, who are disproportionately affected by the continuing conflict.
Further reinforcing its global humanitarian stance, the UAE has joined hands with leading international agencies, including the World Food Programme to amplify the reach and efficacy of the aid in collaboration with the UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Community Development.
Beyond this support, the UAE continues to be a beacon of diplomacy in the Middle East, actively promoting peace and stability. Its proactive diplomatic engagements are a testament to the nation's vision for a comprehensive, just peace in the region. Rooted in this vision is the UAE's strong advocacy for the two-state solution, and the country’s pivotal role in regional peace talks and initiatives.
‘Tarahum - for Gaza’
Under the banner: "Tarahum - for Gaza”, the UAE community is conducting a multi-week campaign aiming to mobilise humanitarian relief to support families, children, and vulnerable groups in Gaza
The primary objective of the support campaign is to express solidarity with the Palestinian families and children affected by the ongoing war and to reduce the harsh humanitarian conditions, especially for children who constitute almost half of the region's population (more than a million children).
The campaign will organise several events. The first of these events started on Sunday with the campaign's launch in Abu Dhabi under the supervision of the Emirates Red Crescent, followed by events in the other emirates starting the following week.
The UAE’s Humanitarian Efforts
The campaign embodies the humanitarian values of the UAE community, and the campaign is being conducted in collaboration with the World Food Programme and in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Community Development.
This call for the campaign was issued with extensive participation from UAE humanitarian and charitable institutions, volunteering platforms, the private sector, and all social institutions in the country, as well as major media outlets.
The UAE is at the forefront of countries prioritising the humanitarian needs of Palestinian people in terms of foreign aid. The UAE’s ongoing efforts to provide relief to the Palestinian people, given the challenging humanitarian conditions resulting from the war in the Gaza Strip, reflect the UAE's fraternal stance and its firm approach towards supporting people in need in various situations.
President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has directed the provision of $20 million in urgent assistance to the Palestinian people to address the humanitarian conditions in Gaza.
This support comes through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) as part of the UAE's stance and approach to supporting those in need during times of crisis.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, also directed the provision of Dh50 million in urgent assistance to the Palestinian people.
On Friday, the UAE sent aircraft carrying urgent medical aid to the city of Al Arish in the Arab Republic of Egypt to be sent into Gaza through the Rafah crossing. This aid aims to alleviate the humanitarian suffering faced by the residents of the Gaza Strip, especially women and children.
The entities responsible for delivering this assistance will be in close contact with the United Nations and international humanitarian entities, as well as Egyptian officials.
UAE Diplomacy
As soon as the crisis erupted, the UAE initiated its diplomatic actions on all fronts with the aim of de-escalating the situation, urging calm, and prioritising the protection of civilians and infrastructure. The UAE called for the protection of civilians on both sides and emphasised that the urgent priority is to end the violence and protect civilians.
In this regard, President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan conducted telephone calls with several world leaders to discuss de-escalation, call for restraint, and reiterate that protecting and preserving the lives of civilians is of the utmost importance.
His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister of the UAE, also held calls with several foreign ministers, focusing on the developments in the region and the ongoing escalation of the war. His Highness emphasised that protecting civilians from the repercussions of the crisis should be the highest priority, stressing the importance of intensifying efforts to stop the escalation, which leads the region into an unprecedented state of tension and instability and undermines the chances of achieving peace.
The UAE called on the international community to exert all efforts to achieve a just and comprehensive peace. It also emphasised its continuous close collaboration with all regional and international partners to reduce tensions as quickly as possible in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.
The UAE affirmed that the failure of the political process paved the way for instability and a lack of security, and that the absence of a political horizon threatens to result in catastrophic consequences.
The UAE emphasised the need to return to negotiations to achieve the two-state solution and establish an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 borders, coexisting side by side in peace and security.
