Mideastwire.com

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While there is a broad range of Arabic language media outlets reporting stories from and about the Middle East, there is currently no affordable and reliable means for English speakers to gain access to this content. As a result, many English speaking businesspersons, students, journalists and others who have an interest in the affairs of the region are largely unaware of what the Middle East media is covering and how they are covering these stories.

Mideastwire.com aims to close this gap by offering a daily menu of translations covering some of the key political, cultural, economic and opinion pieces appearing in the media of the 22 Arab countries and the Arab Diaspora. Through this effort, we hope to address at least one aspect of a global disconnect that continues to threaten a wide spectrum of socio-political and economic relationships, both here in the region and beyond.

It is also important to note that, since our founding in 2005, Mideastwire.com is wholly funded by the content license fees paid by individuals and organizations. As such, there is no government, commercial or non-profit support, an aspect that we believe provides a relatively independent platform for better understanding.

Our Corrections Policy: We adhere to an honest and open corrections policy. Please email info@mideastwire.com if you notice any typo or if you disagree with our translation choices. Since we do not produce our own content, we only will consider corrections that highlight typos or dispute our translations, not the veracity or accuracy of the original content. Accepted corrections are applied directly to the relevant translations as soon as they are approved by the editor and our database is updated accordingly for all subscribers.

TODAY’S DAILY BRIEFING

19-Apr-2024

Egypt

Politics

“What are Egypt’s options in dealing with potential Israeli invasion of Rafah?” (Asharq al-Awsat, United Kingdom)

Arab Diplomacy - Military and Security - Monarchies/Dictatorships

On April 18, the Saudi-owned London-based Asharq al-Awsat newspaper carried the following report from Cairo by Fathiya ad-Dakhakhni: “In light of the repeated Israeli threats to carry out a military operation in the Palestinian city of Rafah, questions are reemerging surrounding Egypt’s options to deal with the repercussions of Rafah’s invasion if it were to happen, noting that Cairo is constantly warning against the “seriousness of such a step, and its consequences on the Gaza Strip population,” while stressing from time to time its “rejection of the displacement of the Palestinians inside or outside their territories”… Former Assistant Egyptian Foreign Minister Ambassador Hussein Haridi stressed the need to “distinguish between two things. The first is how to deal with the Palestinian refugees, and the second is linked to Egyptian-Israeli relations… (Read More)

Iran

Opinion

“Has Iran lost the deterrence strategy?” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Military and Security

On April 19, the Qatari-owned London-based Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following opinion piece by Iraqi writer Yahya al-Kubeisi: “… When the Iranian response [to Israel’s attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus] started, I wrote a tweet saying: “The most important element for the success of whichever air attack is the element of surprise, which was not available in the Iranian response. By losing this element, the success of this operation is now linked to the ability of the unmanned drones to maneuver and reach their objectives without being targeted by the Iron Dome… If Iran fails to achieve that, its loss will be double, seeing as how it would have exposed the primitiveness of its drones and put an end to the strategy of deterrence that has been protecting it for years… (Read More)

Politics

“After imposing new sanctions, will Washington resume the “maximum pressure” policy?...” (Asharq al-Awsat, United Kingdom)

Military and Security - USA Europe

On April 18, the Saudi-owned London-based Asharq al-Awsat newspaper carried the following report from Washington by its correspondent Elie Youssef: “With the announcement by the US Department of Treasury of new sanctions on Iran in coordination with Britain, and the European Union states’ decision on Wednesday to tighten the sanctions on it, it seems that a new chapter has started in approaching the file of the relations with Tehran… But while some viewed these sanctions as a “compensation prize” to get Israel not to respond to the Iranian attack and consequently widen the conflict, diverging views emerged surrounding whether or not the sanctions pointed to an inclination by President Joe Biden’s administration to end the previous approach toward the relationship with Tehran and go back to the “extreme pressures” policy adopted by the administration of his predecessor Donald Trump after its withdrawal from the nuclear deal in 2018… (Read More)

Israel

Opinion

Atwan on the Iranian attack on Israel: Cities could have been destroyed, thousands killed had Iran wanted that (Website, Middle East)

Human Rights - Military and Security

On April 19, Abdul Bari Atwan wrote the following piece in the electronic Rai al-Youm daily newspaper: “…The real facts have started to emerge regarding the outcomes of the historical, unprecedented Iranian strike on Israel. After the “blessing” of the landslide victory and the indications that the Israeli, American, and British land defense systems succeeded in intercepting the Iranian missiles and drones by 99 percent, this proportion dropped to 84 percent as per military experts, the analyses of whom were published by most newspapers and television channels in Tel Aviv and the Occupied Jerusalem… (Read More)

Jordan

Politics

“MBs’ in Jordan implementing internal measures before the parliamentary elections” (Newspaper, Middle East)

Monarchies/Dictatorships - Religion

On April 19, the London-based Al-Arab daily newspaper carried the following report: “The MB group in Jordan is bracing to re-organize itself in preparation for some crucial deadlines, especially the legislation elections scheduled to take place before this year’s end. The MB group is expected to conduct internal elections to select a new leadership since the term of the present Shura Council and the General Supervisor, Abdul Hamid al-Thuneibat, will end by the end of this month… (Read More)

“Jordan: Has the “demonization” of the action and the resistance backfired?” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Monarchies/Dictatorships - Religion

On April 18, the Qatari-owned London-based Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following report by its Amman Office Chief Bassam Bdareen: “The famous television military analyst General Fayez Dwairi received the shield of the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan at his house, in a step that carried social and political meanings. Based on the picture posted by leaders in the Jordanian Islamic movement, an MB delegation visited the famous star of Al-Jazeera, General Dwairi, to honor his role in showing respect and appreciation for the Palestinian resistance in its battles against the Israeli aggression. And the fact that General Observer of the Group Sheikh Abdul Hamid Thuneibat [actual name is Abdul Majid Thuneibat], whose term expires at the end of the month, surrendered the shield to General Fayez Dwairi amid Jordanian commotion surrounding the night of the Iranian bombing of Israel, constituted a political message by the most popular group in Jordan… (Read More)

Lebanon

Politics

“Hezbollah is threatening: The Al-Radwan Forces will enter Al-Ghajar, the [Shebaa] Farms” (Ad-Diyyar, Lebanon)

Military and Security

On April 18, the Ad-Diyyar daily newspaper carried the following report by Michel Nasrr: “…Ministerial sources revealed that the important field escalation seen on the [South Lebanon] front wad coupled with a powerful message delivered to the “good messengers” between Lebanon and Israel that included a warning on Hezbollah’s part indicating that, if Tel Aviv were to proceed with implementing its plans and trying to escalate the situation to break the engagement rules, then Haret Hreik will re-deploy the Al-Radwan Forces along the borders of the Shebaa Farms and Al-Ghajar, and they will cross the borders, which reflects a clear decision to take back and liberate the Lebanese occupied lands. This is something that neither Washington nor anyone else can condemn because this is based on an international acknowledgment that these areas are indeed occupied… (Read More)

“Iran, the Lebanese Forces’ talks ignite Christian debate” (Website, Middle East)

United Nations

On April 18, the electronic Al-Modon daily carried the following report: “A two-minute-long piece of footage was enough to restart the debate and the accusations between the supporters of the Free Patriotic Movement [FPM] and the Lebanese Forces over the relationship with Hezbollah and Iran… In an exceptional TV moment, the presenter of the 2030 program, Albert Costanian, commented last Monday on something that the political researcher close to Hezbollah, Qasem Qasir, said about his visit to Me’rab (the place of residence of the Head of the Lebanese Forces, Samir Geagea). Costanian proceeded with his questions and concluded that Qasir had visited Geagea twice in the phase preceding the October 17 uprising with the aim of reducing the distances between Hezbollah and Iran on the one hand, and the Lebanese Forces on the other hand. The meetings ended without any tangible outcome because the Iranians and Hezbollah “insisted on learning the fate of the Iranian diplomats” as per him… (Read More)

“Does Israel prefer a long attrition war with Hezbollah?” (Al-Akhbar Lebanon, Lebanon)

Military and Security

On April 19, the Al-Akhbar daily newspaper carried the following report: “…Usually, an attrition war is followed by a major military battle. Then, in the eyes of any military force, the attrition becomes an opportunity to wear the other party down, dissipate its efforts, and slowly strike its infrastructure like a slow death. The events in South Lebanon are the complete opposite. For six months, Israel has been fighting an attrition war with Hezbollah, pending the launching of the big battle that might not take place… (Read More)

Qatar

Politics

“Scenarios: What shall happen as Qatar revisits its mediation between Hamas and Israel?” (Website, Middle East)

Arab Diplomacy - Military and Security - Monarchies/Dictatorships - Peace Process

On April 19, the electronic Al-Khaleej Online daily newspaper carried the following report: “Qatar played a pivotal role in the mediation between the two conflicting sides in Gaza and succeeded last November in reaching a temporary truce during which more than 340 hostages were released on both sides including 81 Israelis. However, despite the breakthrough that Qatar realized since October 7 in one of the most complex crises that hit the region and one of the bloodiest wars in the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict, it was still not spared from the abuse and accusations of some American and Israeli officials alike… (Read More)

Sudan

Politics

“El-Bara Bin Malik Brigade: Increasing role in Sudan alarms Al-Burhan” [Part 2-2] (Newspaper, Middle East)

Military and Security

On April 18, the Qatari-owned London-based Al-Araby al-Jadeed newspaper carried the following report from Khartoum by its correspondent Abdul Hamid Awad: “Retired General Khaled Mohammad Ubaidullah said that the statements of the Chairman of the Sovereignty Council and the General Commander of the Armed Forces were solely issued by his office or in direct meetings with him, saying that the latest statements attributed to Al-Burhan regarding the Brigade were relayed by an activist and could not be relied on. Speaking to Al-Araby al-Jadeed, Ubaidullah assured that the El-Bara Bin Malik Brigade operated under the army’s command and in total coordination with it and could not engage in battles alone because most of its elements were technicians… (Read More)

Tunisia

Politics

“Sheikh Rached Ghannouchi: A year in prison” (Website, Middle East)

Democracy and Party Politics - Human Rights - Judicial Affairs

On April 18, Former Speaker of the Tunisian House of Representatives and co-founder of the Tunisian Ennahda Movement Rached Ghannouchi shared the following message that was posted on his Facebook page on the first anniversary of his imprisonment: “A year into my arrest, I asked two evaluation questions: Was it necessary to deliver that speech during the [Ramadan] discussion or could what happened have been avoided? And what have I accomplished during this year? Regarding the first question, I ended up with the following response: What happened was not an accident and my speech that night was appropriate in light of what happened in our country on 25/7/2021, i.e. the coup that established a monopoly and absolute rule… It is not our fault that we were the first to announce that what happened was a coup and that we will peacefully resist it in the context of the law and the 2014 constitution… (Read More)

Co-Founder: Nicholas Noe

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