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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

04-Oct-2016

Egypt

Opinion

“New look for the deferred state and the just dictator!” (Al-Masry al-Yawm, Egypt)

Arab Diplomacy

On October 3, the independent Al-Masry al-Yawm newspaper carried the following opinion piece by Muhammad Ali Ibrahim: “Late Leader Gamal Abdul Nasser is still an inspiration to many Arab leaders, the first of whom is President Es-Sisi himself. In the 50s, Nasser embodied the idea of the just dictator, as Egypt had just exited the monarchy, the parties’ conflicts and the Muslim Brotherhood conspiracies, to fall in the lap of a group of Free Officers and an inspired commander. In that sense, the July 1952 Republic is what led to the emergence of the deep state and the just dictator. What you will read next is unbelievable and will probably not be to the liking of many. If you want to read it fairly and far away from whims, proceed. If not, there are many other colleagues offering the goods you want. President Es-Sisi said that the reason behind Egypt’s transformation into a quasi-state was the 1967 defeat… (Read More)

Iraq

Politics

“Source close to the organization: [Islamic] State has exceptionally prepared for Mosul Battle” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Military and Security - Terrorism

On October 4, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following report by its correspondent in Baghdad Obeida ad-Dulaimi: “A source close to the Islamic State organization in Mosul City revealed that wide-scale and unprecedented preparations were being undertaken by the organization’s fighters in the city, to face the governmental, American and Kurdish Peshmerga forces heading towards Mosul. The source added in exclusive statements to Al-Quds al-Arabi over the phone: “The Islamic State organized a massive military parade in Mosul City a few days ago, featuring dozens of vehicles. And it pledged to retake Al-Qayyarah, Ash-Shirqat and the remaining regions lost by its fighters, and to send reinforcements to the Zawya and left coast of Ash-Shirqat that are still controlled by the [Islamic] State combatants… (Read More)

“ISIL unleashes the battle of its post-departure phase; opens door to political differences in Iraq” (Asharq al-Awsat, United Kingdom)

Democracy and Party Politics - Terrorism

On October 3, the Saudi-owned, London-based Asharq al-Awsat daily carried the following report: “The death certificate of the ISIL organization in Iraq based on the expected Mosul battle has not been issued yet. Dr. Raed Fahmy, an Iraqi politician, the former minister of science and technology, and the vice secretary general of the Communist Party, says that because of everybody’s failure “to agree on a united vision” with regards to dealing with the post-ISIL phase, “all the doors will remain open to all possibilities.” This means that the conflict will persist during the post-ISIL phase… (Read More)

Israel

Politics

“Israel and the rules of the game imposed by Hezbollah” (Ad-Diyyar, Lebanon)

Military and Security

On October 2, Michel Nasr wrote the following report in Ad-Diyyar daily: “With the additional escalation of the regional crisis, the Israeli intervention is increasing at the level of the Syrian and Lebanese fronts. The present circumstances and new deterrence equations have turned these two fronts into one extending from Golan to Al-Nakoura. Practically speaking, at the level of the Israeli calculations, this front constitutes an open road extending from Tehran to Beirut in parallel to another road extending into Damascus. This could flip the equations and expose Israel to the biggest threats in its history… (Read More)

Lebanon

Politics

“What is Hezbollah waiting for to bring Birri, Aoun viewpoints closer together?” (Website, Middle East)

Democracy and Party Politics

On October 4, the Lebanese privately-owned En-Nashra news website carried the following report by Hassan Moghrabi: “All the facts so far indicate that the fate of the presidential elections, whether the election of Head of the Change and Reform Bloc General Michel Aoun, that of Head of the Marada Movement Deputy Suleiman Frangieh, or any other figure, is linked to the position expected to be announced by Head of the Future Movement Deputy Sa’d al-Hariri following his foreign tour, based on the meetings he held with the Lebanese leaders prior to his departure from Beirut. At this level, parliamentary sources indicated that Al-Hariri embarked on his tour to meet with the heads of the Lebanese blocs to end the presidential vacuum, without however confirming his insistence on Frangieh’s nomination, or his adoption of Aoun’s or any other candidacy… (Read More)

“Future partisans to Al-Hariri: How can we support the nomination of the man who called us ISILists?” (Website, Middle East)

Democracy and Party Politics

On October 3, the electronic Al-Modon daily newspaper carried the following report: “Within the Future bloc and the movement’s organizational structure that includes more than 23 coordinating bodies, there is one common position even if the tone is different: “We cannot possibly support the nomination of the man who called us Sunni ISILists” in reference to Gen. Michel Aoun. The greatest majority of the bloc reject the option of electing Aoun for president although they do indicate that [former] PM Sa’d al-Hariri did not actually make this suggestion at any internal meeting nor even during any of the visits that he recently carried out. All there is to it is that “he is acting based on a patriotic feeling and his keenness on preserving the remaining institutions so that we may avoid a total collapse… (Read More)

Syria

Opinion

“In short: the meaning of the Russian “warning!” (Newspaper, Middle East)

On October 3, the Omani Al-Watan daily newspaper carried the following piece by Zuhair Majed: “What is secretly being cooked in the USA against Syria to the extent of provoking the Russians and pushing the Russian [foreign ministry] spokesperson, Zakharova, to say that any direct American assault will lead to rocking the Middle East? Undoubtedly, the conflict within the American Administration is obvious. Otherwise, the American raid on the Al-Tharda Mountain in Deir al-Zor that killed a large number of Syrian army troops would not have taken place. The Pentagon does not want to hear about the developments taking place at the Department of State or what Secretary of State Kerry is saying. The Pentagon is rather acting on its own and is perhaps coming up with plans to implicate America [in Syria] before the end of Obama’s term… (Read More)

“The Syrian opposition is frustrated and angry…” (Website, Middle East)

Military and Security - Peace Process - USA Europe

On October 2, the electronic Rai al-Youm daily newspaper carried the following editorial: “A state of frustration ridden with extreme anger is reigning over the Syrian opposition circles in general including the elite political part present in the Arab and foreign capitals. The reason [for this anger] consists of the shocking leaked conversation between the U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, and an association of Syrian [activists] on the margins of the UN’s General Assembly meetings a week ago… (Read More)

Politics

“Leaks to Quds Arabi: Fatah ash-Sham executes killer of its military commander Abu Omar Sarakeb” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Military and Security

On October 4, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following report by its correspondent in Adlib Sama Massud: “Less than one month after the death of Fatah ash-Sham’s General Commander Abu Omar Sarakeb and his right hand Abu Muslim ash-Shami, leaks acquired by Al-Quds al-Arabi revealed that the man who caused the death of Al-Fatah Army’s general commander was a member of the army, and part of the “group of immersionists in the operation to lift the siege off of Aleppo.” Indeed, a knowledgeable security source in Al-Fatah Army assured – on condition of anonymity for security reasons – that Al-Fatah Army’s security cell arrested during the last two days the main culprit in the death of Sheikh Abu Omar, while the leaks assured that the perpetrator was executed. Abu Omar Sarakeb had passed away on Thursday 8 September, in an unidentified air raid in Rif Aleppo… (Read More)

Turkey

Opinion

On Turkey’s Syrian politics (As-Safir, Lebanon)

On October 1, the independent, leftist As-Safir daily newspaper carried the following piece by Mohammad Noureddine: “Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is proceeding with his campaign against the Syrian regime while the members of his ruling team are still calling the earlier Turkish politics in Syria wrong and claiming that these politics brought scourges to Turkey. However, what the Turkish officials said following the military coup on all Turkey’s scourges being brought by Turkey’s Syrian politics, didn’t mean that these politics need to be modified and that Turkey should pull out from the Syrian crisis. This rather meant that Turkey should have intervened directly since the beginning of the crisis and it should have been a direct player by working with all the Syrian opposition factions, mainly the Free Syrian Army…… (Read More)

Politics

“Saudi Arabia, Turkey endure “American letdown…”” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Financial Markets - Judicial Affairs - USA Europe

On October 4, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following report by its correspondent in Istanbul Ismail Jamal: “Turkey is strongly and quickly showing support to Saudi Arabia in the face of the American JASTA Act that aims to prosecute the Kingdom, in a position that shows Ankara’s deep wish to establish wider and more solid relations with Riyadh, which had been reluctant to activate the “strategic alliance” with Ankara for a long time. But what the Turkish media outlets are dubbing the “American letdown” has become a common denominator between Saudi Arabia, which is awaiting the catastrophic consequences of the enactment of the new American law, and Turkey, to whom Washington is refusing to surrender Fethullah Gulen, who is accused of leading the coup attempt, while continuing to support the Kurdish militias, which Ankara perceives as being a great threat to its national security… (Read More)

Yemen

Politics

“American pressures in favour of roadmap that would salvage the Houthis” (Website, Middle East)

Arab Diplomacy - Peace Process - USA Europe

On October 4, the pro-government Aden Post news website carried the following report: “On Sunday, Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi renewed his government’s wish to resume the consultations with the joint delegation of Ansarullah group (the Houthis) and the party of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh. This was seen during President Abed Rabbo’s meeting with UN Envoy to Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed in Riyadh... Ould Cheikh’s meeting with the Yemeni president falls in the context of a shuttle tour that includes Riyadh and the Omani capital where the Houthi-Saleh delegation is present, in order to sit with the sides involved in the Yemeni conflict and ensure the launching of a new round of consultations. Indeed, the UN Envoy is trying to revive the Yemeni peace talks that were suspended on August 3, after three months of unproductive UN-sponsored consultations in Kuwait… (Read More)

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