Mideastwire.com

WHAT WE DO

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

09-Mar-2016

Egypt

Opinion

“Did Hamas assassinate the Egyptian prosecutor?” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Arab Diplomacy - Judicial Affairs - Terrorism

On March 9, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following lead editorial: “The ongoing attempts undertaken by the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) command to normalize the relations with the Egyptian command, rely on a strategic reality founded on two pillars: The first is its existential resistance against Israel, and the second is its deep geographic connection with Egypt. In addition, Hamas’s control over the Gaza Strip, and its forced political dissociation from the West Bank (due to the presence of the Israeli entity and the plague of the ideological dispute with Fatah) prevent it from angering Egypt, regardless of who is governing it. In that sense, the siege imposed on two million Palestinians from the Israeli and Egyptian sides are too difficult to bear for Hamas, knowing that the movement’s besieging in a deadly corner also goes against Egypt’s interests… (Read More)

Iraq

Politics

“Iraqi Assyrian armed militias try to form “lobby” in Washington” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Military and Security - USA Europe

On March 9, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following report by its correspondent in Washington Raed Salha: “An Iraqi armed militia force and Assyrian political group is trying to form a lobby in the American capital Washington, to act as a pressure tool on the United States in its efforts to overcome the anticipated obstacles, and earn support in the face of what critics describe as bureaucratic obstinacy in Baghdad. Hence official federal records revealed that the security forces, which are funded by Popular Mobilization units in the Nineveh Plain, registered themselves as a pressure group. As a result, the Defense Fund organization, which was established in the state of Illinois, will be the Assyrian version of the Popular Mobilization militias and represent the Assyrian Democratic Movement in the American political circles… (Read More)

Jordan

Politics

“The preemptive war has started: Jordan confronting ISIL” (As-Safir, Lebanon)

Terrorism

On March 7, the independent, leftist As-Safir daily carried the following report by Lamis Andouni: “All signs indicate that the preemptive operation carried out by the Jordanian security forces against a Salafist armed group in the city of Irbid along the Syrian borders represents the start signal for Jordan’s direct battle with ISIL and the similar groups… The Irbid operation that went on for eight hours straight was not the first of its kind. Earlier security raids have taken place without any armed clashes in a number of Jordanian cities mainly in Al-Zarqaa. The [Irbid] operation falls in the context of a larger operation “to uncover and slam sleeper cells” possibly targeting unarmed Salafists, a clear message indicating that the regime will not be putting up with any support or sympathy towards these organizations… (Read More)

Lebanon

Opinion

Al-Mustaqbal editorial on Hezbollah’s participation in national dialogue (Al-Mustaqbal, Lebanon)

On March 9, the mouthpiece of the Future Movement, Al-Mustaqbal newspaper, carried the following lead editorial: “It is important for the national dialogue table to remain a place for exchange between the Lebanese, and for Hezbollah to hear behind closed doors what it is hearing out in the open, about the catastrophic harm caused by its policies, cross-border roles and Iranian ties to Lebanon and the Lebanese without exception. And this is important in principle and in general, though the party is only hearing itself, and only taking into account its own policies and connections, without having ever presented evidence pointing to its agreement to place national interest ahead or on top of its own. Despite that, the explanation and confirmation of the rejection of its actions domestically and abroad must go on, in parallel to the pinpointing of the mistakes in its policies… (Read More)

Politics

“Saudi Sanctions on Al-Hariri!” (Al-Akhbar Lebanon, Lebanon)

Arab Diplomacy

On March 8, Mayssam Rizk wrote the following report in Al-Akhbar daily: “…[Former] PM Sa’d al-Hariri no longer has [the role that] he used to have in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The head of the Future movement has nearly turned from a main ally of Al-Riyadh into a “burden” according to some members of the Saudi Palace. The Saud family members have lost the “wisdom” that their supporters had always praised and they started shooting randomly at Lebanon in every directions including their “political agent” Sa’d al-Hariri for many reasons: All the Saudi “investments” in Lebanon over the past ten years did not yield any worthy “profits:” Al-Hariri failed to obtain any compromises from Hezbollah… (Read More)

Middle East

Opinion

“Will the Arab League return to Tunis?” (Al-Hayat, United Kingdom)

Arab Diplomacy

On March 9, the Saudi-owned London-based Al-Hayat newspaper carried the following opinion piece by Ziad Aldrees: “Today, it has become clear to all that the position of Arab League secretary general is more important than the Arab League itself. Why is that? Because when an institution, any institution that was once prominent, loses its role, status and influence, it is left with nothing but its past repute, which only benefits its director who will continue to hold the glory of the past in his title, even if without an impact on the present. During the last few days, the Arab League faced two positions confirming what we have just mentioned. The first was Mr. Nabil Larbi’s announcement of his resignation from the post of Arab League secretary general, after a relatively short period spent in it, while the second was the Moroccan Kingdom’s apology for not hosting the Arab Summit that was supposed to take place in Marrakech soon, due to its un-importance and uselessness… (Read More)

Palestine

Opinion

“The dead Palestinian situation” (Al-Khaleej, United Arab Emirates)

Arab Diplomacy - Peace Process

On March 8, the Al-Khaleej daily newspaper carried the following piece by Hafez al-Barghouthi: “…There’s a multifaceted crisis at the level of the Palestinian arena, one that cannot possibly find any solutions even if these are just temporary. For instance, there’s the issue of the reconciliation for which several dialogues are held on a daily basis no to avail. The latest dialogue was held in Doha where the Hamas and Fatah delegations attended two rounds of dialogue under the Qatari support. A new round is to be held this week. However, pessimism is reigning within the Fatah movement regarding the possibility of implementing the reconciliation clauses despite the Qatari pressure because one movement within Hamas does not want or wish to abdicate power in Gaza… (Read More)

Society

“The women of the intifada: more than half the picture” (Al-Akhbar Lebanon, Lebanon)

Women

On March 8, the Al-Akhbar daily newspaper carried the following report by Ilia Ghariba: “…The role of the Palestinian Woman in the resistance starting with the first intifada to the second intifada all the way to the current Jerusalem intifada has recently emerged to the limelight… The image of the female vigils in the squares of Al-Aqsa Mosque for years now represents a good example of the women who are confronting the Israeli enemy… (Read More)

Saudi Arabia

Politics

“Saudi Arabia escalates its campaign against Hezbollah…” (As-Safir, Lebanon)

Arab Diplomacy - Terrorism

On March 8, the independent, leftist As-Safir daily newspaper carried the following report: “Neither the diplomatic efforts that have been made in the past few days nor the Arab reactions refusing the blacklisting of Hezbollah have succeeded in convincing Saudi Arabia about the pointlessness of proceeding with pressuring the Arab countries into taking an official stand against Hezbollah. As-Safir learned that Al-Riyadh will renew its pressures on the Arab foreign ministers on Thursday in Cairo in order to blacklist the Party similarly to the instance of the GCC and the Arab interior ministers’ conference… (Read More)

Tunisia

Politics

On the latest Ben Guerdane attacks (Al-Akhbar Lebanon, Lebanon)

Arab Diplomacy - Terrorism

On March 8, the Al-Akhbar daily newspaper carried the following report by Mahmoud Mroueh: “…From the Bardot attacks, to Soussa, Tunis, and all the way to the “unprecedented” Ben Guerdane attacks (as per the statement of Tunisian President Beji Caed Essebsi), Tunisia seems – to an observer from a Levantine capital – to be falling into a vortex of violence, one that will be hard to stop… The importance of the Ben Guerdane events yesterday consists of the fact that these events indicate some new terrorist objectives… (Read More)

Turkey

Opinion

“What will happen following Davutoglu’s visit to Tehran?” (Al-Watan Syria, Syria)

On March 8, the pro-Syrian regime Al-Watan daily carried the following piece by Tahsin al-Halabi: “No one questions the idea that any meetings held between the Iranian and Turkish governments can provide a better regional atmosphere for Iran’s allies in general. Indeed, the party that feels the need for normalizing its relationship with Tehran consists of the cabinet of Davutoglu, the politics since 2011 of which have reaped nothing but failure and additional internal problems… (Read More)

Politics

“Gulen-phobia shifts to Turkish opposition” (Al-Hayat, United Kingdom)

Democracy and Party Politics

On March 9, the Saudi-owned London-based Al-Hayat newspaper carried the following report by its correspondent in Ankara Youssef ash-Sharif: “It seems that the war launched by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the group of oppositionist and preacher Fethullah Gulen will not appease any time soon, and might even expand to state apparatuses. And some are warning against the transformation of this war into a phobia, which might sweep everything along its path before coming to a halt. This Gulen-phobia has even reached the Nationalist Movement, whose leadership requested the ousting of its 80-year-old leader Devlet Bahceli, thus prompting him to announce that “Gulen’s group wants to take over the party,” and provoke his opponents’ pity before their mockery… (Read More)

Yemen

Politics

“Yemen: Houthi leaders arrive to Saudi Arabia, surrender prisoner...” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Arab Diplomacy - Peace Process

On March 9, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following report by its correspondent in Taiz Khaled al-Hammadi: “A Houthi source assured that prominent Houthi leaders arrived to Saudi Arabia yesterday night and surrendered a Saudi prisoner, at a time when other sources considered that this visit was the first step towards the launching of “secret negotiation” with the Saudi authorities, far away from former President Ali Saleh. A political source said to Al-Quds al-Arabi at this level: “The Houthi delegation’s visit to Saudi Arabia, headed by the group’s official spokesman Abdulsalam Fleita, a.k.a. Mohammed Abdulsalam, is the first step towards melting the ice between the two sides, and launching secret talks far away from the influence of former President Ali Saleh and the wing loyal to him in the General People’s Congress Party… (Read More)

Co-Founder: Nicholas Noe

Address any queries to:

info@mideastwire.com