Time - INT (2022-06-20)

11

A raucous Jubilee

Four generations of British royals gathered on the balcony at Buckingham Palace in London on

June 2 as part of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrating 70 years on the throne—

but it was the Queen’s great- grandson Prince Louis who stole the show with his consternated

response to the booming noise of a flyby. Pictured from left: Prince Charles, the Queen, Prince

Louis, Kate Middleton, Princess Charlotte, Prince George, and Prince William.

THE BULLETIN

The realities behind the Israel-UAE trade deal

Israel and the UnIted arab emIrates

deepened ties on May 31 with a historic

free-trade agreement—the first of its kind

between Israel and an Arab country—at a

time of growing criticism of Israel’s treat-

ment of Palestinians. Both Israel and the

UAE are touting the major economic ben-

efits that such a deal could bring. But ex-

perts tell TIME that it’s too early to assess

the economic impact of the agreement—

and that its main value will likely be politi-

cal in nature.

BY THE NUMBERS The deal lowers or lifts

tariffs on more than 96% of goods, and both

Israel and the UAE are predicting annual

bilateral trade will reach $10 billion—more

than 10 times the current figure—in five

years. However, a local Gulf expert, who

asked TIME not to disclose his name out

of fear that he could lose his livelihood for

challenging the information of regional

governments, says that number is a stretch:

“Look, if the governments are the source,

then they usually exaggerate.”

WALKING A TIGHTROPE Hasan Alhasan, a

Gulf expert with the International Insti-

tute for Strategic Studies, sees the deal as

part of a wider Emirati strategy to hedge

against Iran. The UAE has sought to im-

prove relations with Iran, dispatching its

top national- security adviser to Tehran in

December. But if diplomacy fails, the UAE

can fall back on its relationship with Israel

to contain Iran’s regional influence.

THE PALESTINIAN QUESTION Days before

the agreement, the UAE Foreign Minis-

try condemned what it called Israel’s “ex-

tremist settlers” for storming Jerusalem’s

al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in

Islam, during a provocative far-right “flag

march” on Jerusalem Day. The comments

are a reminder of major obstacles to bud-

ding UAE-Israel ties. “Arab-Israeli deals

[like the free-trade agreement] will not

reach their full potential without resolving

the root causes of the Arab-Israeli conflict,”

says Bader Al-Saif, an expert on the Gulf at

Kuwait University. —mat nashed

NEWS TICKER

Michigan

baby-formbaby-formula ula

plant reopensplant reopens

The baby-formula The baby-formula

plant at the center of plant at the center of

a national shortage a national shortage

has started production has started production

again—again—four months

after it was shut

down, following an

agreement with the agreement with the

FDA. Abbott Nutrition FDA. Abbott Nutrition

said June 4 it hopes to said June 4 it hopes to

release the first batch release the first batch

of the specialty formula of the specialty formula

EleCare from the EleCare from the

plant in Sturgis, Mich., plant in Sturgis, Mich.,

around June 20. around June 20.

Biden invokes

defense act for defense act for

solar panelssolar panels

President Biden President Biden

aims to aims to expand U.S.

production of green

technology like solar

panels and their

parts by invoking the

Defense Production Defense Production

Act, the White House Act, the White House

announced June 6. announced June 6.

Tariffs on solar-panel Tariffs on solar-panel

imports will also imports will also

be paused for 24 be paused for 24

months while domestic months while domestic

production ramps up. production ramps up.

Olympic

gymgymgymnasts sue nasts sue nasts sue

the FBIthe FBI

Survivors are Survivors are seeking
over $1 billion from
the agency for failing
to stop then team
doctor Larry Nassar for
more than a year after more than a year after
agents were informed agents were informed
of sexual assault of sexual assault
allegations against allegations against
him, victims’ lawyers him, victims’ lawyers
said on June 8. More said on June 8. More
than 90 claimants than 90 claimants
joined the suit, joined the suit,
including Simone Biles, including Simone Biles,
McKayla Maroney, McKayla Maroney,
and Aly Raisman.and Aly Raisman.
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