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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.

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TODAY’S DAILY BRIEFING

31-Mar-2016

Algeria

Politics

“...The army: The only common denominator between authority and opposition” (El-Khabar, Algeria)

Democracy and Party Politics

On March 31, the independent El-Khabar newspaper carried the following report by its correspondent in Algiers Khaled Boudia: “The political events witnessed in the capital yesterday, on the beat of mudslinging between the authority represented by its parties led by Amar Saidani’s FLN [National Liberation Front], and the opposition represented by the Consultation and Monitoring Agency, featured just one common denominator, i.e. the army, referred to by different names, along with calls for the preservation of the country’s security from the threats of terrorism and the border. Hence, the military institution was approved by both sides, which did not register even one point of intersection that might give hope in the possibility of seeing them gathering around the same table... But beyond the eternal disputes between the two factions, the organization of their conferences was flawed… (Read More)

Egypt

Opinion

“Geneina and the fighting of corruption” (Newspaper, Middle East)

Corruption

On March 31, the Egyptian pro-government Al-Messa newspaper carried the following opinion piece by Muhammad Abu al-Hadid: “There are ready and active brigades, whose mission is to misinterpret the state’s decisions and measures, and convey a wrong and misleading message to the public, both domestically and abroad. This is why the state must have anticipated the possibility that the decision to expel Head of the Central Auditing Organization Counselor Hesham Geneina from his post, against the backdrop of statements he made about corruption, will send a wrong and misleading message to the public, internally and externally, saying that the state has backed down on the fighting of corruption, and is punishing or expelling those who are exposing this corruption… (Read More)

Iraq

Opinion

“Between As-Sadr’s action and Zalmay [Khalil]zad’s proposals” (Al-Hayat, United Kingdom)

Democracy and Party Politics - USA Europe

On March 30, the Saudi-owned London-based Al-Hayat newspaper carried the following opinion piece by Muhammad Barhouma: “The political crisis in Iraq, which nowadays features pressures exercised by Sayyed Muqtada as-Sadr and his wide popular base on Haider al-Abadi’s government, reflects the lack of a clear political vision by all the Iraqi sides. And in that, the Shi’is, Sunnis and Kurds are on equal footing. Sayyed As-Sadr’s strike inside the Green Zone shows that the rallying of all the parties against ISIL is not enough to bury the intra-Shi’i political conflict, namely the disgruntlement of the Sadrist Movement and Sayyed Ammar al-Hakim’s movement towards the “large share granted” to the Dawa Party, which is still being led by former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. Indeed, the Shi’i parties believe there is “lack of balance” in the shares allocated to them, an “unjust hegemony” imposed by the Dawa Party on the political decision, and a marginalization of the remaining factions… (Read More)

Politics

“Fallujah liberation battle generates major disputes...” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Military and Security - USA Europe

On March 31, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following report by its correspondent in Al-Anbar Obeida ad-Dulaimi: “Bashir az-Zaydi, a leader in the Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq militia around Fallujah, said that the city’s liberation “was postponed in agreement between American officers and commanders in the Iraqi Army, who decided to concentrate the attack on the city of Hit in northwestern Ramadi (one which started a while ago), following a longstanding debate, discussions and disputes between Popular Mobilization elements and the Americans over which battle was a priority.” He added in exclusive statements to Al-Quds al-Arabi: “The American officers insisted on launching the battle in and liberating Hit before attacking Fallujah, in order to sever the supply lines of the [Islamic] State organization fighters in the city… (Read More)

Morocco

Opinion

“Rabat and Ban Ki-Moon: A Moroccan lesson to the Arabs?” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Arab Diplomacy - Peace Process - United Nations

On March 31, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following lead editorial: “Last Friday, the Security Council issued a unanimous decision demanding the settlement of the Western Sahara conflict, so that the UN mission there can “fully resume its work.” This was in reference to the members of that mission, who were expelled from Morocco in response to a statement by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, in which he described Morocco’s relation with the Western Sahara as an “occupation...” And this was the harshest (and oddest) political position voiced by a person enjoying Ban Ki-Moon’s status, since he and his predecessors at the general secretariat have always been known for acting as machines, settling for expressing solicitude towards whichever event in the world, regardless of how dangerous it is for mankind… (Read More)

Palestine

Politics

“Palestinian President to meet with Mashaal in Doha next month to settle the differences” (Asharq al-Awsat, United Kingdom)

Arab Diplomacy - Democracy and Party Politics

On March 31, the Saudi-owned, London-based Asharq al-Awsat daily newspaper carried the following report: “A Palestinian official said that arrangements are being made to organize a meeting between Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas Abou Mazen, and the head of the Hamas movement’s politburo, Khaled Mashaal, in the Qatari capital, Doha, during the upcoming month with the aim of removing the obstacles to the completion of the reconciliation agreement between the two movements’ delegations… (Read More)

Syria

Opinion

“Will Kerry ask Al-Assad: Mr. President, what does your great army need?” (Website, Middle East)

Arab Diplomacy - Military and Security - Peace Process - USA Europe - Women

On March 30, the Lebanese pro-March 8 Ath-Thabat news website carried the following opinion piece by Ahmad Zeineddin: “In a recent newspaper interview, veteran Syrian diplomat Bashar Jaafari did not exclude seeing American Diplomacy Chief John Kerry visiting to Damascus to inquire about the needs of the Syrian army, following the liberation of Palmyra and its desert from the claws of ISIL’s terrorism. This is due to the fact that all the “Syrian oppositions,” particularly those living abroad..., had agreed that when the Palmyra battle occurs, it will mark the end of the Syrian Army... And these “oppositions,” along with their masters, used bloody terms and expression, which conveyed the extent of their spite and hatred, even their Talmudic vindictiveness towards the Levant and its countries... Their strategic analyses reached the point of confirming the end of the Sukhoi storm… (Read More)

Politics

“American-Russian understanding on Al-Assad’s ‘departure’ to a ‘third country’” (Al-Hayat, United Kingdom)

Peace Process - United Nations - USA Europe

On March 31, the Al-Hayat daily carried the following report: “A diplomat working at the Security Council revealed that the US. Secretary of State, John Kerry “informed Arab concerned countries that the US and Russia have reached an understanding regarding the future of the political process in Syria including the departure of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to another country.” He however failed to set a time frame for that… (Read More)

Turkey

Opinion

“Why is Obama turning his back to Erdogan…?” (Website, Middle East)

USA Europe

On March 30, Abdul Bari Atwan wrote the following piece in the electronic Rai al-Youm daily newspaper: “When President Recep Tayyip Erdogan asked his American counterpart, Barack Obama, to choose between Turkey and the Kurds, he had no idea that the American president has already made his mind up a long while ago and that he is turning his back to his allies, both the Turks and the Saudis, and gradually pulling out from the region thus avoiding any engagement in the region’s sectarian and racial wars through any method or means. President Obama chose the Kurds who are fighting the Islamic State; and the Syrian Kurds specifically knowing that this group has the support of both the US and the Syrian authorities at the same time, one of the strangest paradoxes of the Middle East… (Read More)