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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

10-Jul-2017

Egypt

Politics

“Okasha to Al-Jarida: Hamas is hired [hand] and buffer zone is an illusion…” (Al-Jarida, Kuwait)

Military and Security - Terrorism

On July 8, the independent Al-Jarida newspaper carried the following interview with Director of the National Centre for Security Studies General Khaled Okasha by its correspondent Tarek Lotfi… (Read More)

Iraq

Opinion

“The celebrations of joy have strongly set off…” (Website, Middle East)

Military and Security

On July 8, the electronic Rai al-Youm daily carried the following piece by Abdul Bari Atwan: “The celebrations have officially started on the occasion of restoring the city of Mosul from the Islamic State… The celebrations are expected to last for more than a week but the people of Mosul, half of which are living in camps, will probably have a limited participation in these celebrations since there’s not one family that hasn’t lost one or more members… (Read More)

“Mosul: Soleimani’s road to Latakia” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Democracy and Party Politics - Military and Security

On July 8, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following opinion piece by Sobhi Hadidi: “Although the Islamic State organization is now only controlling small parts of Mosul City and its surrounding, since mid-June, its elements have managed to launch a series of surprising counterattacks, which dismantled the front defence lines of the Iraqi regular army, particularly those of the 16th Division that is fighting ISIL in the Old Town. The last of these attacks occurred last Friday, when dozens among the organization’s fighters infiltrated the division’s ranks and forced it to retreat 10 meters behind the residential buildings and away from a main road. Prior to that, ISIL fighters disguised as Popular Mobilization elements had taken the Iraqi Army by surprise on the western edges of the city, causing the collapse of the targeted units and bringing back to mind the early days of the fall of As-Sahl City in ISIL’s hands three years ago… (Read More)

Politics

“Source to Arabi 21: Riyadh compromised with Al-Abadi to get him to stand against Qatar” (Website, Middle East)

Arab Diplomacy

On July 9, the Egyptian Arabi 21 news website carried the following report by its correspondent Mustafa ad-Duleimi: “On Sunday, a source close to Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi revealed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had exercised pressures on and tried to compromise with the Iraqi prime minister to get him to take a stand against the State of Qatar. Hence, Deputy and leader in the Dawa Party Jassem al-Bayati said to Arabi 21: “Prime Minister Al-Abadi was subjected to pressures by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which tried to compromise with him over the reconstruction of the areas that were retaken from ISIL in exchange for his stand alongside it against Qatar.” Al-Bayai continued: “Saudi Arabia also pressured Al-Abadi into visiting it on June 14, but Al-Abadi refused to comply and conducted his visit on June 19, seeing how Riyadh wanted to use the visit to serve its axis against Qatar… (Read More)

Lebanon

Politics

“…Features of a Aoun-Hariri crisis” (Al-Akhbar Lebanon, Lebanon)

Democracy and Party Politics - Human Rights - Media - Military and Security

On July 10, the Al-Akhbar daily newspaper carried the following report: “After the atmosphere of agreement that prevailed over the relationship between the Free Patriotic movement and the Future movement since before the election of Gen. Aoun as president for the republic, everyone has been watching the seeming return of tension between the two sides specifically regarding three main files pertaining to the return of the displaced people to Syria, the raids that the Lebanese army has carried out in Ersal, and the expected military operation in the barren areas… (Read More)

“Surrender of Khaled Sayyed Yahya: Hidden Hamas-Fatah conflict in Ain el-Hilweh” (Website, Middle East)

Military and Security - Terrorism - USA Europe

On July 7, the Lebanese privately-owned En-Nashra news website carried the following exclusive report by Paula Astih: “The efforts deployed in the last few hours by Emir of Al-Haraka al-Mujahida [The Combatant Movement] in Ein el-Hilweh camp Sheikh Jamal al-Khattab have managed to appease the tensions between Osbat al-Ansar [The Partisans’ League] and the Muslim Youth (which includes extremists), against the backdrop of Osbat al-Ansar’s surrender of terrorist Khaled Sayyed, who was accused of preparing more than one suicide operation, to the Lebanese authorities last week. Hence, the armed men of Osbat al-Ansar, who had militarily deployed in their neighbourhoods in the last few days, retreated following an agreement to resume the contacts with the Muslim Youth, after extremists in the camp had threatened to assassinate leaders from Osbat al-Ansar to avenge Sayyed… (Read More)

Morocco

Opinion

“Pressure is ongoing in Morocco…” (Website, Middle East)

Democracy and Party Politics - Media - Unrest

On July 9, the electronic Rai al-Youm daily newspaper carried the following editorial: “Writing about Morocco’s concerns, especially the Rif movement – in light of the present division between radical supporters of this movement and vicious opponents of it, and a cabinet that is not hesitating to use its security muscles to oppress and arrest anyone who, according to this cabinet, represents a threat to national security and the country’s stability – seems very difficult as writing about this issue seldom pleases all the different sides; and if it does please one side, it will anger other sides… (Read More)

Palestine

Politics

“Hamas preparing for a “hostages deal: Two phases that include Barghouti and Saadat?” (Al-Akhbar Lebanon, Lebanon)

Arab Diplomacy - Military and Security

On July 10, the Al-Akhbar daily newspaper carried the following report: “…Sources at the Hamas movement that spoke to Al-Akhbar stressed that the movement is now “very close” to completing an “information deal” with the Israeli enemy that will consist of releasing a number of prisoners held at the occupation prisons in addition to freed prisoners that were re-detained following their release as part of the “Wafaa al-Ahrar” deal (the Shalit deal) whereby which, the movement handed over solider Gilad Shalit whom it had detained for five years (2006-2011) in return for more than a thousand prisoners… (Read More)

On the dynamics of the relationship between Cairo and the Palestinian Authority (Al-Akhbar Lebanon, Lebanon)

Arab Diplomacy - Peace Process

On July 10, the Al-Akhbar daily carried the following report by Hani Ibrahim: “The meeting between Mahmoud Abbas and Abdul Fattah es-Sisi did not end in a way that pleases the former. For the first time, the Egyptians expressed stubbornness regarding their position on the agreement with Gaza… The two presidents met along with the heads of the intelligence services and political and media officials… Abbas heard from the Egyptians that Cairo will proceed with the path that has been sketched for the relationship with Hamas and that it [Cairo] insists on its vision regarding the political scene in Palestine, which consists of “a cabinet of unity/agreement bringing together the entire Palestinian specter within the democratic path” and that Abou Mazen has to accept that, knowing that there has also been a stressing on the Egyptian acknowledgement of his legitimacy… (Read More)

Qatar

Politics

“Washington “orders” appeasement with Qatar…” (Al-Akhbar Lebanon, Lebanon)

Arab Diplomacy - USA Europe

On July 10, Ibrahim al-Amin wrote the following report in Al-Akhbar daily newspaper: “Arab diplomatic sources told Al-Akhbar that since the first day when Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, and Bahrain launched the Qatar “blockade,” a difference emerged between these countries where Bahrain (although Bahrain’s position is not reliable) complained it was solely asked to carry out the decisions. Manama, as well as Cairo, had earlier expressed their dismay over Al-Riyadh’s and Abu Dhabi’s attempt at confining this file to them alone… (Read More)

“Qatar hides behind Lebanese charitable organizations to support Hezbollah” (Al-Watan, Saudi Arabia)

Arab Diplomacy

On July 6, the pro-monarchy Al-Watan newspaper carried the following report from Abha by its correspondent Salman Askar: “While reports have confirmed Qatar’s use of charitable organizations to interfere in the affairs of the neighbouring states, especially Yemen, where it supported the Houthi insurgents and Al-Qa’idah elements under the fake headline of “reconstruction,” which eventually led to the insurrectionists’ seizing of the Yemeni state’s capabilities, sources assured that Qatar was using the same “charitable organizations” cover in Lebanon to deliver millions of dollars to the terrorist Hezbollah. Hence, the sources said to Al-Watan that Qatar’s provision of funds and arms to Hezbollah started a long time ago, indicating that large containers filled with dollars were reaching the party from Qatar, in parallel to the manufacturing of missiles in the Bekaa… (Read More)

Saudi Arabia

Politics

Mujtahidd tweets about main Saudi figures in Saudi-Israeli relations (Website, Middle East)

Arab Diplomacy

On July 9, Mujtahidd posted a series of tweets about the key Saudi figures who were involved in Saudi-Israeli relations in the last few decades. He wrote: “I had promised to talk to you about the key figures in Saudi-Israeli relations during the last few decades. Here are the details, and I ask God to grant me support and success in this endeavor. Throughout the past decades, Israel was contacted via two channels. The first was Saudi in general, while the second was exclusive to Salman, from the day he was Prince of Riyadh until he reached the thrown. The first channel was run by Adel al-Jubeir, back when has was a young trainee under Bandar bin Sultan at our embassy in Washington, and was appointed by the latter as his aide for congressional affairs. His mission was to reach the renowned Zionist lobby AIPAC, in order to secure Congress’ support… (Read More)

Co-Founder: Nicholas Noe

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