Islamist Party Head Mansour Abbas is an opportunistic, Palestinians say
June 3, 2021, 5:08 am

Mansour Abbas

As Mansour Abbas, the leader of the Islamist Ra’am-United Arab List party signed an agreement to support the coalition government cobbled together by centrist Yesh Atid party leader Yair Lapid and right-wing Yamina party head Naftali Bennett, Palestinians in Gaza went outraged, accusing Abbas as being an opportunistic Muslim Brotherhood Islamist. Islamist Party

Late on Wednesday night, Lapid informed Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin that he had succeeded in forming a new national unity government, more than two years after the first of four parliamentary elections led to an extended deadlock in Israeli politics.

The Media Line interviewed citizens of Gaza, and sought their views on Mansour Abbas and the new government.

Abusafia 67, one citizen of Gaza, told The Media Line of Abbas that: “As one of the Brotherhood, when the opportunity arises, he seeks his own interests only.”

“During the escalation on the Gaza Strip, stayed away from Netanyahu out of fear of the harsh criticism and now he’s with Naftali Bennett. He claims to care and work for the good of the 48-Palestinians,” or Arab Israelis, Abusafia added to The Media Line, “while the truth is he only cares about himself.”

Gaza-based political analyst and expert in Israeli affairs, Hassan Lafi, said Abbas’ motivations run deeper.

“Mansour Abbas is a controversial figure who, obviously, doesn’t represent the 48-Palestinians,” Lafi told The Media Line. “He wants to get in the new government to get as many personal gains as he can, and to create an alternative leadership of the 48-Palestinians, other than the currently existing one.”

Abbas thinks, according to Lafi, that he can coexist with the “Zionist Israeli project” by engaging in its political arena. “I believe this is an elusive goal given the current Israeli attitude,” Lafi said. “For example, Ayelet Shaked, Bennett’s deputy, has totally rejected any kind of Abbas’ influence in the Interior Ministry because she considers it an interference in Israeli features of the state built only for Jews, where no Palestinians or Arab can have any influence.”

Suhair Amer, a Gazan mother, told The Media Line: “It’s shameful that one Palestinian prefers to join the Israeli government in killing his own people. He knows that any decision coming from their side will be against our existence. Anyway, it won’t make a difference on the ground because they will not give him what he wants.” Islamist Party

Palestinians do not expect to be any fundamental difference in their situation under the new unity government, which comprises a coalition of parties from the center, right, and left, including Yesh Atid, Blue and White, Labor, Yamina, Yisrael Beitenu, Meretz, New Hope, and Ra’am.

“Whether it’s Netanyahu or Bennett or anyone else, it won’t make a significant difference for us as Palestinians, especially in Gaza, because Israel’s policy toward us is the same and won’t change ever,” Abdelraouf Alajouri, 45, told The Media Line.

Alajouri expects there to be another round of fighting between Israel and Gaza. “Now Bennett wants to prove he’s strong enough to face the Palestinian revolution, especially in Gaza. Maybe more restrictions on our people in the West Bank will take place as a result, too,” he said.

With so many members of the new government coming from the right and far right, the Palestinian’s situation could get worse, Lafi opined.

“The chaotic unrest surrounding the Israeli political scene now will force the not to move forward with any strategic decision regarding the Palestinian cause. They will not go on with the two-state solution, for example, nor with a satisfying prisoner swap deal,” he said, claiming that “the leaked political program of government shows a focus on the internal economic and social issues only. Nothing is addressing the core Palestinian issues.”

“This absolutely reflects negatively on the Palestinian political future,” he said.

Because the agreed-upon government includes an inconsistent mix of different political and ideological backgrounds, Lafi does not expect it to last very long.

“With that much of ideological differences and disagreements, at the first discussion of a central issue the government will immediately collapse,” he said. “But even if that happens, they are still winners because, in my opinion, everyone’s hidden goal is to remove Netanyahu from the scene.” Islamist Party

Source: The Media Line

Image Source: Abir Sultan/Pool/AFP via Getty Images-The Media Line

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ILO: More than 100 million workers plunged into poverty since the start of the pandemic Starting today, Princess Diana's dress going on display at Kingston Palace

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.