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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-Oct-2019

Algeria

Opinion

“The Algerian predicament” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Democracy and Party Politics

On October 22, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following opinion piece by Algerian writer Toufik Rabahi: “Algeria is now facing a political predicament caused by the presidential elections… Indeed, holding the elections is a predicament because this will be seen in an unsound climate, featuring political, security and media oppression, muzzling, and the intimidation of whoever opposes the regime’s policies… In addition, these elections are threatened with boycott and a weak turnout, which will turn them into a replica of the elections seen in previous decades, and definitely strip them of their political credibility and legitimacy, in which the authority has invested a lot. On the other hand, not holding the elections is an equally big problem, seeing as how the postponement of the December 12 elections would mean the postponement of the third presidential elections in less than a year… (Read More)

Egypt

Politics

“The regime’s interest in the persistence of terrorism!” (Al-Akhbar Lebanon, Lebanon)

Terrorism - USA Europe

On October 22, the Al-Akhbar daily newspaper carried the following report by Ramzi Basha: “Abdul Fattah es-Sisi and other state parties behind him do not seem serious in confronting terrorism in Sinai because eliminating terrorism will be followed by launching an internal and external investigation regarding the reform steps that Es-Sisi himself has restricted and frozen for years in addition to halting the presently ongoing coordination with the Israeli enemy... Despite the launching of a comprehensive operation in February 2018, a few weeks following Es-Sisi’s appointment of the former chief of military staff to eliminate terrorism, all the circumstances prove that the General isn’t really serious about this especially as terrorism is now confined and can be easily and entirely wiped out as per military sources. However, the regime is actually benefiting from the present situation on several levels… (Read More)

Iraq

Politics

“Iranian Al-Quds Unit sets up special operations’ room to crush the Iraqis’ protests” (Newspaper, Middle East)

Democracy and Party Politics - Human Rights - Military and Security

On October 22, the London-based Al-Arab daily carried the following report: “Iraqi political sources revealed that the Iranian Al-Quds unit has set up a special operations’ room under the supervision of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the Chief of Staff of the Popular Mobilization Forces. The room is directly connected to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ Gen. Qasem Soleimani. Its mission consists of carrying out an urgent intervention if the situation was to escalate during the protests that are expected to set off again next Friday and if the government of Adil Abdul-Mahdi was to come under a real threat because of the protestors… (Read More)

Jordan

Politics

“Intelligence bodies thwart terrorist plots by ISIL cell” (Al-Ra'y, Jordan)

Terrorism

On October 21, Ar-Ra’y newspaper carried the following report from Amman by its correspondent Ghazi al-Marayat: “The Intelligence Directorate recently thwarted a plot devised by a cell composed of five individuals loyal to the terrorist ISIL gang, who were planning to carry out terrorist operations on the Jordanian arena on behalf of the organization. The members of the cell were arrested in July, and their targets – as featured in the charge sheet acquired by Ar-Ra’y from the State Security Court – included security posts located in front of the house of a former prime minister to seize the weapons they contained. They also planned to target the General Security patrols that are constantly roaming the Salt-Saru road, and kidnap and kill an intelligence man in a remote area before burning his body. Yesterday on Monday, the State Security Court launched the trial of the cell’s members… (Read More)

Lebanon

Opinion

“The Shi’is are Lebanese first and Nasrallah has two ways to go: Moqtada al-Sadr or soleimani?” (An-Nahar, Lebanon)

Democracy and Party Politics - Religion

On October 21, the An-Nahar daily newspaper carried the following piece by Ahmed Ayyash: “The October 17 event now constitutes the beginning of a new phase in Lebanon’s history, one that is characterized by an unprecedented development unseen since the 1980’s and that consisted of the participation of the South and the Bekaa in this event that reigned over Lebanon as a whole. Focusing on these two regions specifically means that Hezbollah’s strongholds, and for the first time in decades, are witnessing a movement that the Party did not allow. This not only changes the image of these two areas but also the image of Lebanon as whole… (Read More)

“The obstinate Authority is bracing for more oppression and theft” (Al-Akhbar Lebanon, Lebanon)

Democracy and Party Politics - Governmental Reform - Unrest

On October 22, Ibrahim al-Amin wrote the following piece in the Al-Akhbar daily newspaper: “...Al-Hariri knows that what he admitted [yesterday] is only the tip of the iceberg. He knows that what people are asking for does not consist of slogans and headlines, or even laws or decisions. What the people want is a guarantee of implementation and a good implementation. This is where the problem lies especially as the greatest majority of the people who are now controlling power are not trusted by anyone. They have proven throughout three decades that they are at the origin of the problem and the scourge. For this reason, the Authority must endorse programs and laws beyond its agenda this time; and this will only take place under the pressure of the Street… (Read More)

“Did the demonstrations in Lebanon succeed or fail?” (Website, Middle East)

Democracy and Party Politics

On October 21, the Lebanese privately-owned En-Nashra news website carried the following opinion piece by Tony Khoury: “Since Thursday, Lebanon has been witnessing a completely different picture at the level of its political and popular life, after the Lebanese, and for the first time in decades, took to the streets to make livelihood demands. During the first two days, the demonstrators surprised everyone, exceeded all expectations and broke the idea that they were only mobilized by political demands or upon orders from politicians and parties. And by doing so, they gave hope to many of their compatriots (including myself), as the Lebanese people rightfully awakened and decided to take matters into their own hands… In addition, they blamed all officials, including those who were not mentioned in any previous protests, which broke the barrier of sectarianism and nepotism and gave the demonstrations a rarely-seen credibility… (Read More)

Politics

“The beginning of the Ta’ef accord’s collapse” (Keyhan, Iran)

Democracy and Party Politics - Religion

On October 20, the conservative Keyhan daily carried the following piece by Ali Hekmat Shouaib on its Arabic website: “If we were to judge any accord based on criteria and indications connected to the repercussions and outcomes of this accord’s implementation, then we can say that the Ta’ef Accord is not longer suitable as a basis for the Lebanese formula based on the following… (Read More)

Middle East

Opinion

“From Syria and Iraq to Lebanon: The collapsed walls of the Mullahs” (Asharq al-Awsat, United Kingdom)

On October 22, the Saudi-owned London-based Asharq al-Awsat newspaper carried the following opinion piece by Youssef ad-Dayni: “The punitive measures imposed by President Trump on Tehran cannot be dissociated from the new reality we are currently witnessing, and its deep repercussions that are unfolding at a fast pace. They feature the eruption of protests in Iraq, the Turkish invasion of Syria amid the Mullahs’ disgruntlement, and what is currently happening in Lebanon in terms of escalation on the Lebanese street by all components, without any regard for Nasrallah’s shouting and threats, which confirmed the depth of the “crisis” endured by the militia state he is trying to protect at the expense of the Lebanese state. Indeed, the people can no longer tolerate this duplicity, along with the enduring militarization that has caused the deterioration of the economy and the fleeing of capitals, investors and tourists… (Read More)

Society

“...Woman is the icon of the Arab protests” (Website, Middle East)

Democracy and Party Politics - Human Rights - Women

On October 21, the electronic Al-Khaleej Online daily carried the following report: “The Arab woman had a special presence at the level of the Arab revolutions that went on and are still going on in the Arab countries, some of which have already ousted the old governments and brought new ones instead. The woman is thus strongly proving that she is no less rebellious than men although she lives in mostly patriarchal societies… (Read More)

Syria

Politics

“Decisive meeting between Putin, Erdogan in Sochi today, new map for North Syria on the table” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Arab Diplomacy - Peace Process

On October 22, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following report from Damascus by its correspondent Hiba Muhammad: “On the eve of the preparations for the Russian-Turkish summit in Sochi today, the Kurdish units completed their withdrawal with their heavy and light weapons from Ras al-Ayn city in Al-Hasakah’s countryside, in accordance with the Turkish-American agreement… In parallel, angry popular demonstrations were staged in Deir Ezzor’s countryside, which is controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces, opposing the entry of the regime’s forces into the area, after the self-administration authority announced an agreement with the Syrian regime, allowing it to administratively return to the region following the Syrian Democratic Forces’ recognition of the fact that their control over it had retreated… (Read More)

Yemen

Politics

“New conditions for “Transitional Council” obstruct agreement with Yemeni government” (Website, Middle East)

Arab Diplomacy - Peace Process

On October 21, the official Turkish Anadolu News Agency carried the following exclusive report from Yemen by its correspondent Abdullah Ahmad: “Widely-knowledgeable Yemeni political sources revealed on Monday the conditions put forward by the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council during the negotiations with the Yemeni government, which led to the obstruction of the signing of an agreement in the context of consultations taking place between both sides in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. They indicated that the delegation of the Transitional Council expressed reservations over the three references of the political solution, on which the legitimate Yemeni government and the Arab Coalition are insisting, namely the recommendations of the national dialogue conference, which featured solutions to the Southern cause… (Read More)

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