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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

22-Aug-2017

Iraq

Opinion

“[Popular] Mobilization and the Tal Afar battle” (Al-Khaleej, United Arab Emirates)

Military and Security

On August 21, Al-Khaleej newspaper carried the following lead editorial: “Despite the rejection they are facing by most of the active political powers on the Iraqi scene, Popular Mobilization militias are insisting on participating in the battle launched yesterday to retake Tal Afar City in western Mosul, knowing it is one of the arenas that will witness a major battle, though not the last, against the organization [ISIL], which has lost many regions that were under its control since the beginning of the war to eradicate it a few months ago at the hands of the Iraqi Army supported by the international Coalition. Popular Mobilization Spokesman Ahmad al-Assadi believed that the militias’ participation in the Tal Afar battle will be effective, despite the opposition of some political sides and the official reassurances saying that the militias’ role will be limited to specific tasks…, while the storming of the centre will be conducted by the anti-terrorism and rapid intervention forces… (Read More)

Israel

Politics

“ISIL’s defeat, a source of concern for the decision makers in Tel Aviv” (Al-Akhbar Lebanon, Lebanon)

Terrorism

On August 22, the Al-Akhbar daily newspaper carried the following report by Ali Haidar: “It is not a passing thing for the Israeli TV’s Channel 10 to reveal that ISIL’s defeat in the confrontation with Hezbollah and the Lebanese and Syrian armies “is definitely a source of concern for the decision makers in Tel Aviv…” It [Channel 10] revealed that this defeat will lead – from the Israeli point of view – to the Resistance elements gaining the upper hand. According to the terms used by the channel, “it is clear for everybody that ISIL’s defeat means that Iran, the Revolutionary Guards and Hezbollah will seize the areas that ISIL will be leaving… [Ellipses as published]… (Read More)

Lebanon

Politics

“Terrorists are expanding in Ain el Helweh…” (Ad-Diyyar, Lebanon)

Military and Security - Refugees - Terrorism - Unrest

On August 22, the Ad-Diyyar daily newspaper carried the following report: “There is no coincidence in the fact that the launching of the Lebanese army’s operation to liberate the barren areas from the Lebanese side – while the Resistance and the Syrian army are operating from the Syrian side – has coincided with the detonation of the situation at the Ain el Helweh camp on the part of terrorist groups led by Bilal Badr and Chadi al-Mawlawi who is playing a major role in escalating the situation and aborting the ceasefire agreement along with the remnants of the Ahmad al-Asir group… (Read More)

“Differences between battles to expel An-Nusra Front and ISIL from barren areas” (Website, Middle East)

Military and Security - Terrorism

On August 21, the Lebanese privately-owned En-Nashra news website carried the following exclusive report by former Minister Naji al-Bustany: “No battle can be compared to another at the level of its losses, human cost, advancement speed and timing among other details, seeing as how each battle has its circumstances, field facts and nature. But one could talk about the differences between a battle and another..., as is the case of the battles to expel the terrorist An-Nusra Front and ISIL organization from the occupied Lebanese barren areas. At this level, one could enumerate the following differences… (Read More)

“The lies about Syria’s reconstruction” (Website, Middle East)

On August 21, the electronic Al-Modon daily carried the following piece by Mouhannad al-Haj Ali: “This past week was filled with empty announcements. At the beginning, the battle of normalization was launched between official Lebanon and the Syrian regime as some Lebanese ministers participated at the Damascus International Fair despite the objections of PM Sa’d al-Hariri. The main pretext of the individuals who rushed to Damascus consisted of them saying that the Lebanese state must restore its previous relations with the Syrian regime with the aim of effectively participating in the reconstruction of the destroyed areas in bracing for the return of the displaced people… (Read More)

“Harsh Lebanese message to Palestinian side: Timing is dubious...” (Al-Mustaqbal, Lebanon)

Military and Security - Refugees - Unrest

On August 21, the mouthpiece of the Future Movement, Al-Mustaqbal newspaper, carried the following report from Sidon by its correspondent Ra’fat Naim: “We cannot say that the clashes in Ain el-Helweh have ended with the unannounced ceasefire that is being openly violated from time to time, just as we cannot say that the latter clashes will be the last, though their current chapter has been turned. Knowledgeable Palestinian sources attributed this conclusion to many factors, namely to the fact that nothing has changed on the ground or in the positions of the belligerent forces. Hence, the apparent reasons that have led to the eruption of the clashes continue to persist, while each and every time, the repercussions are handled without the treatment and eradication of the causes. And according to the sources, the Ain el-Helweh incidents were provoked for one of two reasons… (Read More)

Palestine

Opinion

“Reading into Rafah suicide attack, Hamas’s responsibility, and what is required of it” (Al-Hayat al-Jadidah, Palestine)

Terrorism

On August 20, the pro-PA Al-Hayat al-Jadidah newspaper carried the following opinion piece by Anwar Rajab: “The suicide attack in Rafah, which targeted a group of Hamas-affiliated “field control” militias, did not come as a surprise, though the way it was staged and the future signs it carries surrounding the escalation of ISIL’s terrorism in the Gaza Strip were shocking… It was no surprise for ISIL to direct its fire towards Hamas for a simple reason, conveyed by the experience and history of the terrorist groups. Indeed, whoever plays with the terrorist groups is bound to be burned by them, which happened to Hamas after its folly and arrogance pushed it to exploit and use these groups to face its opponents on the local scene prior to its black coup, and later to cooperate and coordinate with them, especially in supporting the Muslim Brotherhood project on the Arab scene following the Arab Spring (as seen in Sinai for example)… (Read More)

Syria

Opinion

On Al-Assad’s last speech (Website, Middle East)

Peace Process

On August 22, the electronic Rai al-Youm daily carried the following editorial: “For the Al-Jazeera channel to air the speech of President Bashar al-Assad while its country had embraced the first nucleus of the Syrian opposition (the National Council) and for the channel to call him “the Syrian president” for the first time after seven years of calling him “the head of the regime,” this means that many changes are taking place at the level of the Syrian and regional scenes that are difficult to ignore or leap beyond for anyone aiming for objectivity and professionalism… (Read More)

Politics

“What is the outcome of the American presidential envoy’s visit to Raqqa?” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Military and Security - USA Europe

On August 21, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following report by its correspondent in Aleppo Abdul Razzak Nabhan: “The visit of U.S. Special Envoy for the coalition against the Islamic State organization Brett McGurk to Raqqa has earned wide attention, as some are hoping to see imminent field actions that would alleviate the human and medical tragedies endured by the region’s inhabitants, on the beat of a crushing war that has been taking place for months between the Syrian Democratic Forces (mainly composed of Kurdish Protection Units) and the Islamic State organization. Kurdish journalist Mustafa Abdi said: “The meeting of the US envoy with Raqqa’s civil dignitaries was a continuation of previous meetings which had discussed service-related issues, and the management of Raqqa Governorate following its liberation from ISIL… (Read More)

Yemen

Politics

“Sanaa, the Sayed and the leader: the enemies’ bets are on the rise” (Al-Akhbar Lebanon, Lebanon)

Democracy and Party Politics - Unrest

On August 22, the Al-Akhbar daily newspaper carried the following report by Douaa Suweidan: “…The fire that had been lurking under the ashes for the past months have now emerged in public thus sketching a dark picture for the alliance forces opposing the assault on Yemen. The differences between the two Sanaa poles (Ansarullah and the Congress Party) are no longer rumors… The ongoing debate between figures from both sides and their leaderships gives way to believe that the differences are real and serious enough that they call for a rapid action before the situation escalates and before it reaches a phase threatening to squander the legendary resistance of the Yemeni people over more than two years… (Read More)

“Saudi Arabia planning a coup against the Yemeni president” (Al-Sharq, Qatar)

Arab Diplomacy - Peace Process

On August 22, the Al-Sharq newspaper carried the following report: “Western reports revealed the existence of a deal between the Emirati and Saudi regimes, thanks to which the latter regime is to obtain the support of the former in the region and Washington while the latter is to abandon the Yemeni president Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, and accepting a political solution in Yemen based on supporting the authority of the UAE’s men in the south. This means that Hadi might be ruled out in the near future, which paves the way for solving the situation in Yemen as Al-Riyadh will no longer be clinging to the man as a legitimate president and will be flipping against him in return of obtaining guarantees regarding its borders’ security whereby which, Al-Riyadh will obtain a safe exit and will secure the borders in return of abandoning Hadi and his team. In parallel, Abu Dhabi will be implementing its project of expansion especially in the south… (Read More)

“Leader Saleh's [Speech]: Congress against aggression on all fronts” (Al-Mutamar, Iraq)

Democracy and Party Politics - Unrest

On August 20, the mouthpiece of the ruling General People’s Congress Party in Yemen, Al-Motamar.net, carried the following speech by former President of the Republic and GPC Head Ali Abdullah Saleh during the expanded meeting held by the party’s command to mark the 35th anniversary of the GPC’s creation in the capital Sanaa: “I am addressing you as a brother, and through you, I am addressing the Yemeni street, to tackle the developments on the Yemeni scene, the actions and the reactions. [My first message] is about the 35th anniversary of the GPC... My second message is against the aggression, while asking the people to show steadfastness in the face of that aggression. And my third message is that we are extending our hands to peace, not surrender... I am talking to you, and through you, talking to our great Yemeni people, the people of faith and wisdom… (Read More)

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