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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

08-Feb-2017

Algeria

Politics

"... Gaid Salah: 2017 will be the end of Islamic State group" (Newspaper, Middle East)

Terrorism

On February 3, the Algerian daily Echourouk el-Youmi reported: "The deputy minister of national defence and chief of staff of the People's National Army [ANP], Lt-Gen Ahmed Gaid Salah, gave instructions last week to field units to raise the bar of challenge in 2017 and finally destroy the terrorist horde before the end of this year. That was after the positive results achieved in January when the armed forces eliminated and neutralised 10 terrorists, broke up many sleeper cells and arrested terrorists' support groups and destroyed their hideouts. According to statements by official sources to Echourouk, Lt-Gen Gaid Salah stressed in his instructions to the armed forces the need to continue the war on terror and confront organised crime networks with the same spirit of commitment and dedication and further stressed that the positive results and operations achieved by the ANP were attributed to three fundamental issues, namely awareness of security challenges faced by the country, satiation with national values as well as good training and preparation. Gaid Salah urged his forces, particularly those which are deployed in the field, to make 2017 the year of uprooting terrorists especially after the admissions made by the detained terrorists that the terrorist groups were surrounded and lacked medicines, provisions and other essentials after the destruction of their storage facilities… (Read More)

Iran

Opinion

"Eight reasons behind frozen Iran-Saudi Arabia relations" (Newspaper, Middle East)

Arab Diplomacy

On January 8, the Iranian business newspaper Donya-ye Eqtesad reported: "In an interview with the prominent Foreign Affairs magazine, Saudi Arabia's Deputy Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman discussed the future of the Saudi-Iranian relations and whether Riyadh would consider opening a direct channel of communication with Iran to de-escalate tensions and forge common ground that there is no point in negotiating with Iran. In analysing the remarks by the Saudi King's son who is one of the influential Al Saud figures, Donya-ye Eqtesad lists the eight reasons for the freeze in relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The Saudi royal court's "jack of all trades" defined issues for everyone, especially for those who continue to be optimistic that Iran and Saudi Arabia could hold talks on some common points. When asked in an interview with the US Foreign Affairs magazine about the future of the Saudi-Iranian relations and whether Riyadh would consider opening a direct channel of communication with Iran to de-escalate tensions and forge common ground, Saudi Arabia's Deputy Crown Prince and Defence Minister Muhammad Bin Sultan said that there is no point in negotiating with Iran… (Read More)

"There is no other way" - on the struggle over the judiciary (Keyhan, Iran)

Democracy and Party Politics - Judicial Affairs

On January 7, an editorial by Hoseyn Shamsian in the conservative Keyhan daily said: "In the fall of 1391, disputes between the heads of the legislative and executive branches reached its pinnacle, and neither side was willing to give in. In each of their speech, there were some truth, but some of them are yet to be addressed. What is more important than those facts was mental irritation to the community and exploitation by the enemy. This situation led to the leader of the revolution in 10/8/91 (31 October 2012) to deliver the following compassionate but accusatory message to the two opposing forces… (Read More)

“Saudi-Iranian dialogue” (Newspaper, Middle East)

Arab Diplomacy

On February 8, the Lebanese pro-March 8 Al-Binaa newspaper carried the following opinion piece by Nasser Qandil: “Iran did not ask Kuwait to mediate in the Yemeni crisis, and no Iranian officers were present in the negotiations’ backstage, rather Saudi ones. Iran did not negotiate with delegations representing Mansour Hadi’s government in Muscat or elsewhere. It was rather the Saudis who negotiated with the Houthis there... Iran was not the one that sent its foreign minister to Kuwait with a message to the GCC, calling for the launching of Iranian-Gulf dialogue. It was rather the opposite that happened. And Iran did not provide Lebanese Prime Minister Sa’d al-Hariri with a cover to approach General Michel Aoun and support his candidacy to the presidency of the republic, rather Saudi Arabia, as stated by Lebanese Interior Minister Nohad al-Mashnouk when talking about a major international-regional settlement that led General Aoun to the presidency… (Read More)

Jordan

Politics

“Jordan: Sudden release of dozens of “Salafis” and [prisoners] accused of “undermining regime...”” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Judicial Affairs - Religion

On February 8, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following report from Amman by its correspondent Tarek al-Fayed: “The Jordanian authorities suddenly released dozens of arrestees from the Salafi Jihadi movement in several governorates, in parallel to reports talking about the release of individuals accused of undermining the ruling regime, in the case known as the meeting of reform or death. At this level, sources in the Committee in Support of Political Prisoners informed Al-Quds al-Arabi they had received a notice telling them that the Prosecution had agreed to release some arrestees from the Salafi Movement on bail, namely the son of prominent Salafi authority and theoretician Sheikh Abu Qutada, who had been arrested six months ago, three Jordanians from Al-Karak city, one arrestee from the city of Ar-Rasifa, and two from the northern region… (Read More)

Lebanon

Politics

On the relationship between Hezbollah and the Lebanese Forces (Website, Middle East)

Democracy and Party Politics

On February 8, the electronic Al-Modon daily carried the following report: “The course of the relationship between Hezbollah and the Free Patriotic movement following the signing of the document of understanding in February 2006 launched a new phase in the Lebanese vision on how to form alliances. Many forces wanted to be in President Michel Aoun’s shoes. This relationship caused the two concerned parties to gain power and credibility in the eyes of the public and other parties so much so that all the different powers came to think that Hezbollah was like “an Aladdin’s lamp” without which Aoun wouldn’t have been able to access power… (Read More)

“Ain el-Helweh: Proceeding with building the ‘wall of shame’ secretly” (Website, Middle East)

Military and Security

On February 8, the electronic Al-Modon daily carried the following report: “Following the protests regarding the construction of an isolation war around the Ain el-Helweh camp, the Lebanese authorities announced the halting of the construction works “temporarily” to allow for reaching understandings with the Palestinian forces to shield the camp’s security and also to take measures within the camp with the aim of reducing the activity of the terrorist groups that represent a real threat to the Lebanese stability… (Read More)

“Hezbollah not part of February 14 [commemoration]” (Website, Middle East)

Democracy and Party Politics

On February 8, the Lebanon Debate website carried the following report: “It seems that the general state of agreement prevailing over the Lebanese arena will not fully apply to the relationship between the Future movement and Hezbollah despite the dialogue rounds that are being held between them and despite the Party’s presence at the Al-Hariri cabinet… (Read More)

Palestine

Opinion

“Israeli Knesset legalizes looting of Palestinian lands…” (Website, Middle East)

Democracy and Party Politics - Peace Process

On February 7, the electronic Rai al-Youm daily newspaper carried the following editorial: “The decision issued by the Israeli Knesset on Monday evening that legalizes the settlement islands in the occupied West Bank is not only a threat to the Palestinians but also a condemnation to the international community that bluffed them and pushed them to acknowledge Israel’s control over more than eighty percent of the historical land of Palestine in return of a jelly-like state with no sovereignty over the remaining part before subsequently abandoning them to confront, alone, the Israeli hyenas… (Read More)

Politics

“Gaza security strengthens measures on border with Egypt” (Ma'an News Agency, Palestine)

Arab Diplomacy - Military and Security

On February 7, Ma’an News Agency carried the following report from Gaza: “Gaza Strip Security Chief General Tawfik Abu Na’im issued instructions today on Tuesday regarding the strengthening of the security measures on the border with Egypt. General Na’im’s instructions came during an inspection tour he was conducting along the Palestinian-Egyptian border, to check on the work of the security forces in charge of controlling the border. At this level, Interior Ministry Spokesman in Gaza Iyad al-Bazem said: “General Abu Na’im issued ordered the strengthening of the existing measures, to ensure further control and monitoring on the border.” On Saturday night, a security delegation from the Gaza Strip headed by General Abu Na’im had returned to Gaza after 3 days of meetings with Egyptian officials in Cairo. However, the meetings’ details were not revealed… (Read More)

Syria

Society

“After disappearance of its young men: Damascus, a city of women, elderly and military” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Women

On February 8, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following report from Damascus by its correspondent Hiba Muhammad: “When walking in the streets of Damascus over long distances, one can see dozens of women, girls and elderly, a few men here and there, but many military, police and security elements who have filled the city. As for the young men, they are extremely rare, rendering Damascus a “city of women and military,” as described by one of its inhabitants whose name is Bara’ to Al-Quds al-Arabi. And the latter added that familial scattering as a result of the six-year-old war, young men’s immigration and exodus for fear of being killed, arrested or forcibly recruited in the regime forces’ ranks, and what this produced in terms of widening disintegration of the social fabric, were all factors that changed the face of the cities and villages, particularly the rebellious ones… (Read More)

Yemen

Politics

“The famous American USS Cole destroyer on Yemen’s shores, 4 messages of warning and reassurance” (Website, Middle East)

Military and Security - USA Europe

On February 7, the official Turkish Anadolu News Agency carried the following report from Sanaa by its correspondent Zakariya al-Kamali: “The famous American USS Cole destroyer returned to Yemen’s shores a few days after the Houthis targeted a Saudi frigate in the Red Sea, which apparently indicates that the Yemeni war has taken a new turn, and that Yemen’s shores have turned into a battlefield. According to experts, the destroyer’s return, which was announced by the US Navy last Saturday, carried messages of warning to Al-Qa’idah organization, the alliance between Ansarullah group (the Houthis) and Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, and their ally Iran, but also a message of reassurance to Saudi Arabia. This US destroyer has painful memories on Yemen’s shores, considering that on October 12, 2000, it was the object of a suicide attack by Al-Qa’idah organization at Aden Port (in the South), which resulted in the death of 17 of its crewmembers and the injuring of 39 others… (Read More)

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