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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

01-Sep-2021

Iraq

Politics

“20 armed factions preparing to run in Iraqi elections: What are their chances?” (Website, Middle East)

Democracy and Party Politics - Military and Security

On August 31, the Egyptian Arabi 21 news site carried the following report by its correspondent Walid al-Khazraji: “Around 300 candidates representing 20 armed factions are preparing to run in the Iraqi parliamentary elections on October 10, which raised questions surrounding the chances of these factions and the possible scenarios if the latter candidates lose… Commenting on that, Iraqi security and strategic expert Mu’ayyed al-Juhayshi told Arabi 21: “The Iraqi politicians insist on a constitution, and then violate it. Article 9 of the constitution says that no party can have an armed faction. So, why are the parties linked to the armed factions not being held accountable? Is this not a clear violation?... 90% of the factions’ candidates entered the elections as independents, noting that these 300 candidates have a high chance of winning… (Read More)

Lebanon

Opinion

"From Maghdousheh to Akkar, an appetite for sedition?" (Ad-Diyyar, Lebanon)

Military and Security - Unrest

On August 30, the Ad-Diyyar daily newspaper carried the following piece by Issa Bou Issa: "It is not enough for Interior Minister, Mohammad Fahmi, to re-post his tweet concerning the warning that he voiced out last March on the fragility of the situation that the country is bound to reach. The most important question concerns what the man actually did all this time in order to avoid the roving seditions? We must ask him about what he practically did on the ground since he is in charge of the country's internal security and what he did to prevent us from reaching the present deteriorating security status that nearly set fire to every living and non-living thing on the Lebanese lands… (Read More)

Politics

“… Lebanon on the edge of a fiercer social “hurricane”” (Al-Rai al-Aam, Kuwait)

Democracy and Party Politics - USA Europe

On August 31, the independent Ar-Rai al-Aam newspaper carried the following report from Beirut by its correspondent Wissam Abu Harfouch and Linda Azar: “… More than half the Lebanese population is living underneath the poverty line, causing the “Land of the Cedars” to be listed around three months ago in third place after Syria and Yemen on the list of countries receiving international funding and humanitarian aid, a situation whose destructive impact does not distinguish between civilians and military, and the employed or unemployed. Indeed, most of the population has become equal in its neediness and despair. Wretchedness can be measured by its lethal livelihood and psychological impacts, which might constitute a “time bomb” of concealed anger, ignited by whichever spark overnight and triggering a revolution by the victims of poverty and empty stomachs… (Read More)

"Christian-Shi'i tension in South Lebanon reveals threat of Hezbollah weapons" (Newspaper, Middle East)

Military and Security - Unrest

On August 31, the London-based Al-Arab daily newspaper carried the following report: "The assaults carried out by Shi'i elements belonging to Hezbollah and the Amal movement against a Christian town in the caza of Jezzine in South Lebanon have exposed the fragility of the situation in the country as well as the threat represented by the Hezbollah weapons. Christian and Shi'i dignitaries made quick efforts to contain the assaults that also pushed the army to intervene in order to prevent the escalation of the clashes between the towns of Ankoun (Shi'i) and Maghdousheh (Christian)… (Read More)

"Will the roving sedition fill the void if cabinet formation stumbles?" (Ad-Diyyar, Lebanon)

Military and Security - Unrest

On August 30, the Ad-Diyyar daily newspaper carried the following report: "On a daily basis, a number of reasons lead to a number of incidents and roving security problems in the regions, some of which take on a sectarian aspect at some point but all of which meet at one reason, which is the void that's leading to chaos according to a former minister who is following up on the ambulant security incidents taking place in several areas. He added that, in view of the complications surrounding the cabinet formation process and the void at the level of the executive Authority, the crises will follow an escalation course and their repercussions could naturally lead to a state of chaos starting with roving problems all the way to serious incidents such as the one that took place in the town of Maghdousheh over the weekend where bloody confrontations took place between the locals and other people from the neighboring town of Ankoun because of a dispute over gas… (Read More)

Middle East

Politics

"…Will the region experience an improvement at the level of the diplomatic relations?" (Website, Middle East)

Arab Diplomacy - Peace Process

On August 31, the electronic Al-Khaleej Online daily newspaper carried the following report: "A strong desire to normalize the relations and turn the page of the disputes: this is the outcome of the meetings recently held between the prince of the state of Qatar on one hand and the Egyptian President, Emirati vice president and Emirati national security advisor on the other hand. The Qatari-Egyptian and Qatari-Emirati relations have experienced some positive steps since the signing of the Al-Ola statement back in January in Saudi Arabia. The Al-Ola summit had closed the curtain on the crisis between Qatar on one hand, and Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Bahrain on the other hand… (Read More)

Palestine

Opinion

"What are the secret security orders that Gantz imposed on Abbas…?" (Website, Middle East)

Arab Diplomacy - Military and Security

On August 30, the electronic Rai al-Youm daily newspaper carried the following editorial: "The status of the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is shrinking on a daily basis. His meeting with the Israeli Minister of Defense, Benny Gantz, in Ramallah on Sunday confirms the above idea. We think that his next meeting could very well be with an officer of the Israeli security services or some new recruit from the Israeli army… (Read More)

Saudi Arabia

Politics

"What is Saudi Arabia's position following Washington's warning against military dealing with Moscow?" (Website, Middle East)

Military and Security - USA Europe

On August 31, the electronic Al-Khaleej Online daily newspaper carried the following report: "It seems that Saudi Arabia's implementation of its plan to enhance its relations with Russia to include military cooperation has angered Washington knowing that Al-Riyadh is one of the latter's main partners in the military field. The present developments underline a serious transformation in the relations between the two countries. Saudi Arabia had announced, months ago, its plan to engage in military cooperation with Moscow mainly via the Saudi Prince, Abdul Rahman Bin Musaid Bin Abdulaziz, the grandchild of Saudi Arabia's founding king, Abdulaziz al-Saud, who doesn’t occupy any official post but who is followed by millions of Saudi people on the social communication networks… (Read More)

“Exclusive to En-Nashra: Al-Arabiya channel employees told HQ to move to Riyadh” (Website, Middle East)

Media

On August 31, the Lebanese privately-owned En-Nashra news website carried the following exclusive report: “Sources revealed to En-Nashra that all the employees of Al-Arabiya channel were informed about a decision to move the channel from Dubai to Riyadh, indicating that the decision will be implemented over three stages. They added that the first stage will start this September, while the second will be seen in January of next year, with the production from inside Riyadh reaching up to 12 hours a day. As for the third stage, whose date has yet to be determined, it will feature the settlement of the compensations of all the employees and the signing of new contracts with them and will be implemented once the construction of the new building is completed. The sources then revealed that the decision was not sudden, indicating that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman wants all the Saudi media companies to be present inside the country… (Read More)

Syria

Politics

“New agreement in Daraa al-Balad…” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Military and Security - Peace Process

On September 1, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following report from Damascus by its correspondent Hiba Muhammad: “The Central Negotiations Committee in Daraa in southern Syria has reached an agreement with the representatives of the Syrian regime, based on Russian guarantees, to end the military campaign on Daraa al-Balad and the besieged neighborhoods. Member of the Committee Abu Ali al-Mahamid told Al-Quds al-Arabi that the agreement stipulated the establishment of a Russian military post on the southern front of Daraa al-Balad, raising the flags of both the Syrian and Russian regimes and the opening of a “settlement” center for those wanted by the regime to surrender their light weapons. During the second stage, as per Al-Mahamid, “there will be a collective sweep of the civilians’ homes to make sure there are no strangers or extremists among the city’s populations… (Read More)

Tunisia

Opinion

“[On the slogan:] We are all Kais Saied” (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

Media

On September 1, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following opinion piece by Tunisian writer Mohamed Krishan: “I am revealing this for the first time. Several months ago, one of the advisors of Tunisian President Kais Saied called me to propose the position of media director at the Carthage Palace. Truth be told, the man did not clearly say whether or not the president himself asked him to do so, but it was implied in the conversation. I thanked the man for the trust put in me, but immediately replied that journalism was the only profession I practiced my whole life and that I did not know how to do anything else, assuring that I will not take a political position at this age, even if it is related to journalism. Still, I said I would be fully willing to provide media advice, even if it requires me to come to Tunisia, and that this would be free of charge and that I would come at my own expense… (Read More)

Turkey

Politics

“Why is Turkey insisting on the plans to manage Kabul Airport?...” Part 1-2 (Al-Quds al-Arabi, United Kingdom)

On August 31, the Qatari-owned Al-Quds al-Arabi daily carried the following report from Istanbul by its correspondent Ismail Jamal: “Despite the fast developments in Afghanistan, which shuffled Turkey’s cards and plans to manage Kabul Airport in the context of an agreement that was being drawn up with the United States before the capital fell in the Taliban’s hands, Ankara is still the most likely to assume that mission, but this time around, in direct agreement with the Taliban Movement. This reveals the importance of that deal for Ankara, through which it is seeking to achieve political and economic ambitions whose dimensions are described by analysts as “strategic.” According to many Turkish and Afghan sources, the negotiations are ongoing between Turkish diplomats and Taliban officials to discuss the Turkish offer to manage Kabul Airport during the coming stage… (Read More)

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