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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.

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TODAY’S DAILY BRIEFING

26-Jul-2016

Afghanistan

Opinion

“From Munich to Kabul, the other massacre!” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Media - Terrorism

On July 26, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following opinion piece by Toufik Rabahi: “On Friday, a young man whose teenage years were barely over, opened fire on unarmed civilians at a shopping mall in the city of Munich in southern Germany, thus claiming the lives of nine shoppers, and propelling the city and the entire country into a major whirlpool of grief and questions. This represented a deep shock which Germany will recall for a long time. Less than 24 hours later, at around midday on Friday, three suicide bombers detonated their bodies in the midst of demonstrators belonging to the Hazara ethnicity, who follow the Shi’i sect, as they were protesting in the streets of the Afghan capital Kabul. More than 80 people were killed and at least as many were injured. But this was just an episode in the ongoing death series, which Afghanistan will quickly forget… (Read More)

Egypt

Opinion

“The Arabs and the theory surrounding safe prison for presidents” (El-Khabar, Algeria)

Arab Diplomacy - Democracy and Party Politics

On July 26, the independent El-Khabar newspaper carried the following opinion piece by Saad Bouakba: “Egypt was truly too great to be ruled by the likes of Morsi, who divided his people into two factions: One demonstrating against him and one demonstrating for him... But Egypt is also too great for Es-Sisi, who justified his non-attendance of the Arab summit in Nouakchott in Mauritania by pointing to the existence of confirmed information surrounding a plot to assassinate him while in Nouakchott. And this is why he did not go. But the excuse is greater than the crime, considering that Es-Sisi, who determined – along with Egypt – the fates of decisions at the Arab League, which was an Egyptian not an Arab League throughout 60 years, is now being prevented from even attending that Arab summit to preserve his security… (Read More)

Iran

Opinion

"Why is Rouhani's left indicator off? right turn is dangerous" (Aftab-e Yazd, Iran)

Democracy and Party Politics

On July 21, a commentary by Maryam Alizadeh-Mansuri in the reformist Aftab-e Yazd said: "Appointments within the government and establishment of the third faction at the Majlis may play the role of a melon peel under Hassan Rouhani's feet in 1396 to make him [slip and] fall off the presidency seat because Rouhani's recent reactions may sound unpleasant to reformists. According to an informed source, the moderation faction is a structure set up on 20 July with the support of certain government officials. Certainly, a faction that enjoys government privileges seems more attractive to some MPs than reformist and transformational factions. This will lead to the downsizing of the hope faction. Aftab-e Yazd, Maryam Alizadeh Mansuri: At the verge of the 1392 presidential election, Hassan Rouhani made some remarks before getting hold of the Executive Power's reign, and he behaved in such a manner that brought the hope that he was going to move on the path of reforms if seated behind the wheel of the Executive Power… (Read More)

Iraq

Politics

“Hakim and Sadr engage in political race to form cross-quotas bloc” (Al-Mada, Iraq)

Democracy and Party Politics

On July 26, the independent Al-Mada newspaper carried the following report by its correspondents in Baghdad Ahmad al-Yassiri and Amin Abdul Hadi: “As-Sadr and Al-Hakim are locked in a political race to form a cross-quotas bloc by rallying allies from other blocs, after they stopped attending the sessions of Al-Abadi’s government. Hence, in parallel to Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi’s call to introduce a drastic ministerial amendment, the two Shi’i leaders discussed during a meeting in Najaf City in March, the formation of a cross-components national bloc, heralding the sealing of a strategic alliance between them. But As-Sadr’s insistence on supporting Al-Abadi’s ministerial amendment, and his presentation of a list featuring the names of ministers that are far away from the parties and political quotas, distanced him from Al-Hakim who was demanding comprehensive change, affecting the prime minister himself… (Read More)

Lebanon

Politics

“Will Al-Hariri and Rifi reconcile?” (Ad-Diyyar, Lebanon)

Democracy and Party Politics

On July 26, the Ad-Diyyar daily newspaper carried the following report by Domouh al-Asmar: “Will the reconciliation between [former] PM Sa’d al-Hariri and Minister Rifi take place? This question is being raised by Tripoli circles regarding the current relations between the two men as some are saying that the estrangement between the two men is a mere passing summer cloud and that the important part is for the two men to maintain the relationship that brought them together at the pinnacle of the political tensions seen in Lebanon during the past ten years… (Read More)

“About Siniora and the General’s dream to enter the paradise” (As-Safir, Lebanon)

Democracy and Party Politics

On July 26, the independent, leftist As-Safir daily carried the following report by Imad Marmal: “In parallel to the orange expectations or wishes concerning an imminent transformation in the position of PM Sa’d al-Hariri in respect to approving the election of Gen. Michel Aoun for president…, some members of the Future parliamentary bloc enhanced their opposition to this choice. One even favored the continued void over the election of the General and said that there are no discussions in the backstage of the Future movement with regards to the possibility of supporting Aoun for president… (Read More)

Saudi Arabia

Opinion

“The illusion of the Saudi authority in Syria” (Website, Middle East)

Arab Diplomacy - Peace Process - USA Europe

On July 26, the electronic Al-Modon daily newspaper carried the following piece by Omar Kaddour: “The swap suggested by the Saudi foreign minister and that consists of granting Russia a greater authority in the region in return for abandoning Al-Assad, brought a Russian condemnation in the media. Meanwhile, the offer in itself can be considered to be primarily aimed at the media with the objective of embarrassing Moscow and highlighting its clinging to Bashar al-Assad as a person on the expense of its wider interests… On the other hand, and when analyzing this media offer in a realistic manner, one will see that, had this deal had any chances of being implemented, it would not have been announced like that and it would have been accomplished via understandings away from the media… (Read More)

“Is the Arab love for Israel limited to Eshky? (As-Safir, Lebanon)

Arab Diplomacy - Peace Process

On July 26, the independent, leftist As-Safir daily newspaper carried the following opinion piece by Sami Kleib: “Some Arab media outlets were busy covering the visit of the former officer at the Sauri armed forces, Anwar Eshky, to Jerusalem where he met with Israeli officials including politicians, military men, and academicians. On the other hand, this piece of news was not carried in the majority of the Arab media. As for Israel, as it usually does in such occasions, it revealed the details. But is there anything surprising in this news? Is this such an exceptional event?… (Read More)

Syria

Opinion

“An-Nusra disengages from Al-Qa’idah: Will Washington approve?” (Website, Middle East)

Religion - Terrorism - USA Europe

On July 25, the Lebanese privately-owned En-Nashra news website carried the following opinion piece by Maher al-Khatib: “Last weekend, the earlier information surrounding the terrorist An-Nusra Front’s inclination, under Abu Muhammad al-Julani’s command, to disengage from Al-Qa’idah, which is led by Ayman az-Zawahiri, was confirmed, after the Front received a religious authorization to do so through the fatwa issued by theoretician of the Salafi Jihadi movement in Jordan Abu Muhammad al-Makdissi. This drastic decision, which was the result of lengthy consultations, was leaked on social media accounts linked to An-Nusra, saying that Al-Julani will come out in the few coming hours to officially announce it. This was seen in parallel to massive pressures that were exerted on the Front by some regional sides, but also in parallel to talk surrounding an American-Russian agreement to target its positions… (Read More)

Politics

“An-Nusra Front: Majority rejects disengagement from Al-Qa’idah...” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Military and Security - Terrorism

On July 26, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following report by its correspondent in Damascus Abdullah al-Omari: “Senior Nusra Front scholars are conducting field tours in the areas controlled by the Front, to convince its soldiers to disengage from the Ayman Zawahiri-led Al-Qa’idah organization. An exclusive source close to the Front thus said: “Wide and ongoing discussions are taking place inside the Front, which represents Al-Qa’idah organization in Syria, between its leaders, cadres and soldiers, after the media circulated information surrounding the intention of the Front’s command to disengage from Al-Qa’idah.” The source continued that the Front’s leaders are finding it “very hard to convince the soldiers wishing to stay in Al-Qa’idah organization, due to the religious aspect of their fight against the regime forces, and their loss of the religious umbrella that had covered their secession from ISIL… (Read More)

Turkey

Politics

“The PKK’s Foreign Minister” to As-Safir: Turkey’s coup will be repeated…” (As-Safir, Lebanon)

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

On July 26, the independent, leftist As-Safir daily newspaper carried the following report: “…The Kurds are currently a special player in the Middle East especially in the aftermath of the so-called Arab Spring. As for the PKK, it emerged as a powerful factor influencing the developments mainly in Syria and Turkey. Its presence in Iraq is currently witnessing a notable rise with respect to fighting ISIL since the party is present on all the battle fronts there. There is nothing better than to interview one of the party’s most prominent leaders and founders, a man who moved from one leading post to another until he became in charge of the party’s foreign relations, a quasi “foreign minister” for the party, a sensitive post at the current phase of regional and international intersections. He is Reda Altun, the man that the Lebanese and Syrian arenas knew since the days when Abdullah Ocalan was present in Lebanon and Syria… (Read More)

“Exclusive sources to Quds Arabi: Gulen’s media arm operating from Cairo...” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Media

On July 26, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following report by its correspondent in Istanbul Ismail Jamal: “Exclusive sources revealed to Al-Quds al-Arabi that Gulen’s media arm, represented by the website of Zaman Arabic newspaper, was operating from the Egyptian capital Cairo, in parallel to the Gulen-affiliated media’s escalation of its attack on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, after Gulen was accused of being responsible for the failed coup attempt that struck the country in the middle of the month. The source indicated on condition of anonymity that the team of Arab and Turkish journalists managing the Arabic website of the Turkish, Gulen-affiliated Zaman newspaper, were working from official headquarters in the capital Cairo, with the Egyptian authorities’ knowledge… (Read More)

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