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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

14-Nov-2019

Iran

Politics

On the Gulf States’ view of the Omani mediation with Iran (Newspaper, Middle East)

Arab Diplomacy - Peace Process

On November 13, the London-based Al-Arab daily carried the following report: “Gulf sources indicated that the mediation that is currently being carried out by the Sultanate of Oman between Iran on one hand and the GCC countries mainly Saudi Arabia and the UAE on the other hand is prone to fail in the absence of some specific conditions… (Read More)

Iraq

Politics

“Iraq: Security elements join protesters in Karbala…” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Military and Security - Unrest

On November 13, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following report from Baghdad by its correspondent Mashrek Rissan: “The situation on Liberation Square in the center of the Iraqi capital Baghdad is still relatively stable, after the security forces managed to keep the protesters’ presence limited to the square since October 25, while skirmishes are ongoing between the security forces and the demonstrators in Al-Khilani Square. And Al-Quds al-Arabi learned from identical sources (journalistic ones and eyewitnesses) that the “security forces opened Al-Ahrar and Ash-Shuhada bridges after gaining control over Al-Khilani Square and preventing the protesters from reaching the two vital bridges.” They added: “As for Sinak Bridge that overlooks Al-Khilani Square, it is still closed with concrete blocks and witnessing wide security presence… (Read More)

Israel

Opinion

“Tel Aviv in six Arab states” (Filistin, Palestine)

Arab Diplomacy - Peace Process

On November 11, the pro-Hamas Filistin newspaper carried the following opinion piece by Dr. Youssef Razka: ““We have normal relations with six Arab states, and are naturally moving forward at this level.” This was said by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, who stated that truth with total reassurance, without however naming the latter Arab states so as not to embarrass them before their populations and to allow them to make the announcement themselves when the time is right. But we can say, with a slight margin of error, that these states are Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Dubai, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Netanyahu also said that “Israel” will participate in the Dubai 2020 Expo, in which states will display their most recent products, assuring that this reflected the progress of normalization with the Arab countries on the ground… (Read More)

Politics

“Israel strikes the rules of engagement...” (Al-Akhbar Lebanon, Lebanon)

On November 13, the Al-Akhbar daily newspaper carried the following report by Yahya Dbouk: “For Israel to attack two commanders from the Islamic Jihad movement although it knows, in advance, that the response will start by targeting Tel Aviv and may not end in days but could rather snowball into a wide confrontation, means that the motive is larger than the Jihad and the Gaza territory and rather pertains to the attempt at dealing with the changes at the level of the strategic environment, which is now loaded with threats… (Read More)

Jordan

Opinion

“Beware of Netanyahu” (Al-Ghad, Jordan)

Arab Diplomacy - Peace Process

On November 14, the independent Al-Ghad newspaper carried the following opinion piece by Fahd Khitan: “Early on, Netanyahu realized that Jordan’s decision to reclaim Baqoura and Ghumar enclaves will greatly harm his image before the settlers and hardline Zionists, after he had always secured objectives serving their expansionist project without making any concessions to the Arabs. It is in this context that one can read into his statements against Jordan and his military attack on Gaza and Damascus. Speaking of Jordan, Netanyahu revealed his actual position towards peace with the Arabs, not just the Palestinians, but with states such as Jordan and Egypt, although Israel has always bragged about the peace agreements signed with them. Netanyahu views peace with the “neighbors” as a series of concessions that guarantee the occupation entity’s security, in exchange for almost nothing at all… (Read More)

Lebanon

Politics

“Walid Junblatt just wants ‘safety’” (Al-Akhbar Lebanon, Lebanon)

Democracy and Party Politics

On November 14, the Al-Akhbar daily newspaper carried the following report by Firas al-Shoufi: “...This is perhaps the one time where former MP Walid Junblatt has experienced the highest amount of problems when it comes to dancing on the ropes. The new “game” in the country is not to be compared to the old and old but amended rules that have been governing Lebanon ever since it was founded… (Read More)

“The Hariri-Bassil agreement: Seeking a head for a “techno-political” cabinet” (Al-Akhbar Lebanon, Lebanon)

Democracy and Party Politics - USA Europe

On November 14, the Al-Akhbar daily newspaper carried the following report: “For the first time, white smoke has come out of the Authority people’s chimney. Yesterday evening, pieces of information emerged regarding an agreement between the outgoing PM Sa’d al-Hariri and Foreign Minister Gibran Bassil to form a cabinet not including the two of them. Bassil had already informed his allies, opponents, and partners that he will not take part in the next cabinet and that he approves a technocratic cabinet. But as his allies insisted on having a political representation, he agreed on having “non-provocative politicians” in the cabinet… (Read More)

“Half American retreat” (Newspaper, Middle East)

Democracy and Party Politics - USA Europe

On November 14, the Lebanese privately-owned Al-Joumhouria newspaper carried the following report by Tarek Tarshishi: “Some believe that the wager on the reassignment of Prime Minister Sa’d al-Hariri to form the new government is no longer valid, while others view what is happening as a negotiation, in which the participants are escalating the positions until they reach the brink of collapse, before retreating when they feel they have secured the biggest amount of gains possible… It is said at this level that during the negotiations with Head of the Free Patriotic Movement [Foreign] Minister Gibran Bassil over the governmental assignment and formation, Al-Hariri said he did not wish to return to the premiership, naming in his stead the head of the committee in charge of monitoring the banks Samir Hammoud, and former presidents of the committee Walid Alameddin and Osama Mekdashi, both of whom are technocrats with a political inclination… (Read More)

Middle East

Opinion

“The regional situation: less than a direct war and more than a settlement” (Al-Watan Syria, Syria)

Military and Security - USA Europe

On November 13, the pro-Syrian regime Al-Watan daily carried the following piece by Mohammad Nader al-Omari: “This is one of the most sensitive phases that the region is going through so to speak despite the many achievements realized as a result of the earlier clashes between the Resistance axis and the United States. However, these achievements did not compel the Washington axis and its allies, mainly Tel Aviv, to accept the fait accompli but rather pushed them to employ some old and new tactics and means aimed at emptying these achievements of their meaning and re-shuffling the cards to look for effective political tools and to maintain some authority over the political scene… (Read More)

Palestine

Politics

“Who is Akram al-Ajouri, whom Israel failed to assassinate in Damascus?” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Military and Security

On November 13, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following report: “Israel’s targeting of leader in the Islamic Jihad Akram al-Ajouri in Damascus, in parallel to the assassination of Commander of the Quds Brigade in the Gaza Strip Baha Abu al-Ata, raised questions surrounding the link between the two and the reasons why they were targeted at the same time. Al-Ajouri, a member of the Islamic Jihad Movement’s politburo, enjoys good relations with all the sides inside the Islamic Jihad and the remaining Palestinian factions. Israel’s intelligence accuses him of being the main coordinator between the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and the military wing of the Islamic Jihad, a.k.a. the Quds Brigade, and that the regular launching of missiles from the Gaza Strip onto the settlements near the Strip showed that Iran had found an new agent on the border, represented by a network affiliated with the Islamic Jihad Movement… (Read More)

Sudan

Politics

On the Islamic movement in Sudan (Newspaper, Middle East)

Democracy and Party Politics - Religion

On November 13, the London-based Al-Arab daily newspaper carried the following piece by Mohammad Aboul Fadel: “...The Islamic movement is trying to preserve its political, economic and security advantages in and outside Sudan. Since the toppling of President Omar al-Bashir’s regime last April, the movement has been seeking to reduce the extent of anger felt against its leadership, tools, and arms; and to postpone the decisive battle for the longest possible time as the group aims at fighting this battle after re-arranging its cards and restoring its readiness and strength and following the conclusion of the revolutionary movement’s effervescence that overthrew the group from power… (Read More)

Tunisia

Politics

“Ghannouchi corroborates insistence on “restoring status of legislative institution”” (Website, Middle East)

Democracy and Party Politics

On November 13, the Tunisian Shems FM news site carried the following report: “Parliament Speaker Rached Ghannouchi announced that “Parliament is the center of power in Tunisia, which relies on a primarily parliamentary system,” continuing: “We have focused all our efforts on this institution as the center of legislation, politics and all that is related to the system of the state.” In a statement yesterday on Wednesday at Parliament’s headquarters in Bardo, following his election as speaker of Parliament with 123 votes, Ghannouchi corroborated his insistence on “restoring the status of the legislative institution, which embodies the authority of the people and directly represents them through the democratic process. I will also render the people closer to power, knowing that they are the source of power… (Read More)

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