UK £2 Issue 182, Year 4 November 18, 2018 EU €2.50 www.thearabweekly.com Iran in Muslim Abu Dhabi’s survival soldiers in oil ambitions mode World War I Pages 15,19 Page 6 Page 18 gathering shows matters, settlement prospects remain uncertain ► Both and appear to realise that their spat did them no favours internationally and seriously damaged their credibility in Libyan eyes.

Michel Cousins ously damaged their credibility in Libyan eyes. As the key Europeans at the conference, both seem willing Palermo to leave the Libya file in the hands of UN Envoy for Libya Ghassan Salame. he presence of top officials Palermo was no game changer, from 30 countries in a confer- though. There was no ground-break- ence about the Libyan crisis ing initiative that could move Libya T indicates that Libya matters on an assured road to peace but Sala- for many nations, especially key Eu- me claimed it had been a success. ropean ones and the neighbouring “Palermo will be remembered as a Arab region. milestone,” he said, “to bring back Among those who attended were peace, security and prosperity to the the presidents of , , Ni- Libyan people.” ger and , the vice-presi- The Italians went out of their way dent of , the prime ministers to accommodate Libyan Field-Mar- of , and , the shal , showing that ’s council president they saw his role as crucial in the Lib- and its foreign policy head, foreign yan crisis. They organised a special ministers from France, , meeting on the sidelines of the con- and and officials from 18 ference so Haftar did not have to at- other countries. tend the official proceedings, which It is unlikely that so many would he had refused to do. have turned up to a Libya conference Ostensibly to discuss regional se- a year ago. It was noticeable, how- curity, the special meeting was at- Dividends. Yasin Aktay, a Turkish ruling party member of the parliament, speaks during a ever, that the , United tended by Haftar, Chairman of the commemoration event for Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul. Turkey’s endgame Kingdom and sent minor Presidential Council of Libya Fayez concerning the killing of the journalist has come under scrutiny. Experts said the steady stream of delegations, an indication that, for al-Sarraj, Egyptian President Abdel leaks about the case through pro-government media was an attempt to destabilise . them, there are more important is- Fattah al-Sisi, Tunisian President Beji Other possible benefits for Ankara could include the extradition of Fethullah Gulen, a US-based sues than Libya. Caid Essebsi, Russian Prime Minis- cleric accused by Turkish officials of involvement in a coup two years ago, to persuade Turkish The United States, in particular, ter Dmitry Medvedev, Italian Prime President Recep Tayyip Erdogan “to ease pressure on the Saudi government” over the Khashoggi does not seem to think there are any Minister , EU Council case, as reported by NBC News in the United States. P4 (AFP) particular reasons to get involved in President Donald Tusk, French For- the Libyan crisis. The attack on the eign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and The conference revealed continu- Sarraj that “there is no point chang- on Haftar’s show-stopping appear- US Consulate in Benghazi in 2012 Italian Foreign Minister Enzo Milan- ing frictions between Libya’s main ing the horse while crossing the riv- ance and disappearance as well as on pushed Washington to limit its inter- esi. players. Haftar objected to the pres- er.” This was taken to mean that the Egypt, Oktay said there had been a est in Libyan issues to the counter- There were complaints from some ence of Muslim Brotherhood mem- field-marshal agreed to Sarraj staying “last-minute fait accompli by some” terrorism dimension. Libyans opposed to Haftar that the ber Khalid al-Mishri, attending as on for the time being. who had abused Italian hospitality Significantly in Palermo, the conference deliberately enhanced president of the High Council of Even if the French and Italians by “hit and run.” French and the Italians seemed to the field-marshal’s status. He became State, as well as Presidential Coun- smoothed over their differences, par- The and foreign be less at loggerheads over Libya the star of the show, although he did cil Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha, ties in the Libyan settlement process powers involved in Libya know very than in the past. When, at the end of that by the manner of his show-stop- because of his support for the former will probably have to contend with well, however, that key countries of July, it announced that it would have ping arrival and departure. pro-Islamist Libya Dawn regime in the risk that some regional powers the region will be playing a role in the a conference on Libya, Rome was For much of the first day of the Tripoli. could turn into spoilers if unhappy future of Libya. Right after Palermo, widely seen as a spoiler, intent on conference, it was not known if Haf- Questions remain about what role about their role. Conte flew to Abu Dhabi to brief Emi- undermining the initiative by French tar would attend at all. He turned Haftar will play in the future. It is An inkling of that risk was the at- rati leaders on the talks. President to have up in the evening, supposedly at hard to say whether Haftar and Sar- titude of Turkish Vice-President this December. the urging of and Egypt, but raj have an understanding on a work- Fuat Oktay, who walked out of the Michel Cousins is a contributor to Both Italy and France appear to refused to participate in official pro- ing relationship. They had separate conference, objecting to the fact that The Arab Weekly on Libyan issues. realise that their spat did them no ceedings, leaving Palermo the next talks, attended in part by Conte. An he was not invited to the sidelines favours internationally and seri- morning. Italian spokesman said Haftar told event. In a thinly veiled, sharp attack P2 Marathon ‘fills the heart of ’ with joy — once a year Samar Kadi similarities are embraced for a to take part in the mara- more prosperous future,” said May thon. Leading the field this year Beirut Khalil, founder and president of was Moroccan Mohamed Reda el the Beirut Marathon Association, Aaraby, who set a Beirut Marathon nder the motto “We fill the event’s organiser. record by finishing the course in the heart of Beirut,” run- “In times of uncertainty, it is im- 2 hours, 10 minutes, 41 seconds. ners and bystanders portant to remind people of what ’s Medine Armino, who U packed the streets of the is important and good, namely finished in 2:29:31, won the wom- Lebanese capital amid colourful healthy competition, unity, pros- en’s division. balloons, confetti and blaring mu- perity, joy and, most of all, peace.” Children ran with their parents in sic for the 16th Beirut International Khalil, a marathon runner until the 1km race for kids, while fathers Marathon. a near-fatal accident in 2001 de- and mothers pushing baby strollers Some 48,000 people from 109 prived her of pursuing her passion, took part in the 8km fun run. countries participated November has long sought to instil the run- Several NGOs took the opportu- 11 in various runs, including the ning culture in Lebanon. nity of the huge crowd to raise pub- marathon, half marathon, 8km She said the popularity of the lic awareness about their causes. race and an 8km “fun run.” marathon showed “that people can Organising such a running event People of different ages, nation- unite if given the right platform in Lebanon was not easy, Khalil alities and backgrounds ran side and a safe, inclusive environment said, noting that they had to con- by side under sunny skies with a where every individual feels that front political and cultural obsta- backdrop of mountains framing the he or she is a true partner — a stake- cles, among others. coast. Cheerleaders with colourful holder — in the event.” “We had to build trust and inter- pompoms and dancing to high- Runners included members of est little by little,” she said. energy music were on small stages parliament, representatives of dip- The Beirut Marathon is mostly along the course to encourage par- lomatic missions, the UN peace- a joyful event, as one runner de- ticipants as they ran by. keeping force in southern Lebanon scribed it “the smiling marathon “The Beirut Marathon is an af- and the Lebanese Army. because everybody was happy.” firmation of the power of sport to Record run. Moroccan Mohamed Reda el Aaraby arrives at the Athletes from Ethiopia, Cyprus, create a better country, one where finish line at the Beirut International Marathon. Tanzania, , Syria and the Samar Kadi is The Arab Weekly differences are tossed aside and (Beirut International Marathon) Palestinian territories travelled to Travel and Society section editor. 2 November 18, 2018 Cover Story Libya

Viewpoint Steering the Libyan ship after Palermo

the flow of the mostly sub-Saharan migrants in Libya’s southern borders Mohammed and its Mediterranean littoral even A. El Huni when they could see there was no real central government able to hold the country together much less to n the Italian city of Palermo on stem the flow of would-be migrants November 12-13, all thoughts to . were on Libya. The West looks with concern, Regardless of the calculations not without reason, at the threat of that led the Italian govern- radical Islamists, especially those ment to invite various Libyan under the flag of the Islamic State Iand foreign leaders, the result was but, much like the illegal migration a much-needed focus on finding a issue, the terrorism peril stemmed solution to Libya’s 7-year crisis. from the deeper and wider problem Under the eyes of UN Special of the power vacuum. After more Envoy to Libya Ghassan Salame and than four decades in power, Libya’s Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe strongman Muammar Qaddafi did Conte, there were handshakes not leave Libyans any real state between Libya’s key protagonists, institutions. The 2011 campaign did Tripoli-based Prime Minister Fayez the rest. al-Sarraj and Field-Marshal Khalifa Today, Libyans want to look Haftar, commander of the Libyan forward. They see their country as a National Army based in Libya’s well-endowed place whose citizens east. There were hopes a working suffer unfairly from the woes of relationship was being built. insecurity, displacement and dire After Palermo, there could be a economic conditions. more simplified process of negotia- They yearn for a political and Italian blessing. Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte (C) poses with Chairman of the Presidential tions between the two main parties economic rebuilding journey that Council of Libya Fayez al-Sarraj (L) and Libyan Field-Marshal Khalifa Haftar on the sidelines of the — the presidential council led by Sar- could have positive fallouts on their Palermo conference, on November 13. (Italian Prime Minister’s Press Office) raj and the military institution led population and will not be without by Haftar. The hope is that the two benefits for the country’s regional key figures can overcome the legacy neighbours and the rest of the Medi- of disunity and the blockage often terranean. caused in the past by the State Coun- For that to happen, Libyans must UN considers Palermo cil and the House of Representatives. decide whether the narrow interests In a show of regional and inter- of the few in their midst are worth national support, there were the the aggravation they have been go- presidents of Egypt, Tunisia and Ni- ing through for the last seven years. conference on Libya a ger, prime ministers of Italy, Russia, Once that determination is made, Algeria and other foreign dignitaries they will have to walk on their own in attendance. the uphill road of reconciliation and Why would the world, espe- dialogue. ‘success’; Turks walk out cially the West, care about Libya? All Nobody should expect a smooth things considered, it is only natural ride. Local and regional spoilers are that it does. likely to try to disrupt the process Michel Cousins Minister Ahmed Ouyahia as well vited to the meeting. Since the NATO-led military leading to elections. With a whole as Russian Prime Minister Dmitry In a statement just before the intervention of 2011, Libya has been population backing the objectives Medvedev and French Foreign Turkish delegation left, Turkish in shambles. Many of the problems of peace and reconstruction, Libyan Palermo Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. Vice-President Fuat Oktay warned it faces today are the result of an ill- patriots can ensure the success of Haftar put in a brief appearance, that any meeting relating to Libya planned campaign without an exit the elections and the preceding espite a walkout by Tur- supposedly under pressure from that excluded Turkey “would strategy that would have factored national forum. Eventually, Libya’s key and Libyan Field- Russia and Egypt, but refused to prove to be counterproductive for in the effects of the campaign on democratically elected and ad- Marshal Khalifa Haftar’s attend official conference sessions the solution of this problem.” Libya’s stability. It is only befitting equately empowered government D refusal to take part in of- because of the presence of several He also issued a thinly veiled — then that the West tries today to can lead the country to safe harbour. ficial proceedings at the Palermo Libyans, notably Mishri, linked to but sharp — attack on Haftar and help sort things out. The rules of engagement in the fu- conference on Libya, UN Special the Muslim Brotherhood. Sisi, although he did not mention Salame said he was gratified by ture will, however, have to be differ- Envoy for Libya Ghassan Salame The Turkish walkout, believed them by name. He said there had the expressions of support to his ent from the zero-sum game mind- and Italian Prime Minister Gi- to have been ordered by Turkish been a “last-minute fait accompli plan, which includes a national con- set that has driven some of Libya’s useppe Conte said it had been “a President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, by some” who had abused Italian ference in early 2019 and elections factions. There should be no repeat success.” followed a meeting on the confer- hospitality by “hit and run.” in March. of the hijacking attempt by Islamists Salame said the November 12-13 ence sidelines attended by Haftar There previously had been Beyond Salame’s proclamations of of the results of the 2013 election of conference would be remembered and Sarraj with the presidents speculation about whether Haf- faith, a lot will depend on regional the General National Congress. Such as “a milestone in rebuilding Lib- of Egypt and Tunisia as well as tar would turn up at the event. and international manoeuvres. anti-democratic practices would ya.” the Algerian, Russian and Italian Officials close to him had said he Much will be determined, specifi- discredit the political process and He said he heard “a much louder prime ministers, France’s foreign would boycott it because of the cally, by the ability of domestic and perpetuate violence. sound of unity” in the internation- minister, the head of the EU Coun- presence of Mishri as well as the foreign stakeholders to reconcile Libya’s salvation will hinge on the al community about what needs cil and Salame. The gathering had Presidency Council’s interior and their differences and rein in their realisation by politicians that the to be done regarding the political, been organised so Haftar could be economy ministers, Fathi Basha- ambitions to control events in the rule of the state, under a democrati- security and economic issues and drawn into the Palermo event. gha and Ali Essawi. image of their interests. cally elected government and in a had seen a “much higher level of Haftar turned up on the even- Some in Europe lost sight at times climate of peace and reconciliation, conviviality” among Libyan fig- ing of November 12 but stayed at of the big picture. For them, Libya is different from that of the militia- ures during the meeting. International attendees the conference venue for just a seemed synonymous with illegal dominated system. Such a climate The proceedings were over- included Egyptian few minutes. He left Palermo im- migration and human trafficking will ensure stability and prosperity shadowed by speculation over President Abdel Fattah mediately after the November 13 security meeting. when it was not the interest in po- for Libya and will be to the benefit of Haftar’s presence or absence and al-Sisi, Tunisian tential oil revenues. the region and the rest of the world. by Italian manoeuvres to ensure In his statement, Oktay said In dealing with Libya’s problems, his participation. The desire of President Beji Caid that those who “have caused the many tried to steer the carriage Mohammed A. El Huni the Italian hosts to accommodate Essebsi and Algerian dire situations in Libya and con- before there was even a horse. They is editor in chief of al Arab Haftar angered the Turkish del- Prime Minister Ahmed tinue to do so cannot help salvage spared no attempt at controlling newspaper. egation, which walked out of the Ouyahia as well as the situation” — a statement wide- conference. Russian Prime Minister ly seen as directed specifically at Those attending approved Sala- Dmitry Medvedev and Haftar and Sisi. me’s plan for a national conference French Foreign Minister Sisi, who like Haftar, had not early next year and the start of the Jean-Yves Le Drian. attended the opening dinner No- election process in the spring. vember 12, also left immediately Plans for elections in December, An Italian government spokes- after the security talks in the agreed in last May by Haftar, man said Haftar told Sarraj at morning of November 13. Presidency Council head Fayez al- the conference that there was no Oktay said “the crisis in Libya Sarraj and House of Representa- point “changing the horse while will not be solved if some coun- tives and State Council presidents crossing the river,” which was in- tries continue to hijack the pro- Ageela Saleh and Khalid al-Mishri, terpreted as Haftar agreeing that cess for their own narrow inter- were abandoned. Sarraj should stay on in his pre- ests. Libya needs not more but Sarraj, Saleh and Mishri took sent post for now. less foreign interference.” part in the official proceedings in The meeting had been described This and the statement about Palermo as did other key Libyan as covering Mediterranean securi- those who had caused the Libyan officials, including Central Bank ty. Turkey objected to the fact that crisis being unable to salvage the of Libya Governor Saddek Elk- it was not invited, although other situation drew accusations of hy- aber and National Oil Corporation Mediterranean leaders at the pocrisy from some conference at- Chairman Mustafa Sanallah. Palermo conference, among them tendees. International attendees includ- the prime ministers of Greece and Conte tried to minimise the sig- ed Egyptian President Abdel Fat- Malta, were not invited but did nificance of the Turkish pullout, Generation Next. A Libyan man holds a boy waving their national tah al-Sisi, Tunisian President Beji not complain. saying he was “sorry” about it and flag in the eastern city of Benghazi. (AFP) Caid Essebsi and Algerian Prime Neither Mishri nor Saleh was in- little more. November 18, 2018 3 News & Analysis Maghreb Tunisia’s prime minister looks ahead after parliament vote over cabinet reshuffle

Lamine Ghanmi November 5 in a cabinet reshuffle ered a show of tolerance and peace- that was meant to stamp his lead- ful coexistence between Muslims ership position despite differences and Jews in Tunisia despite raging Tunis with and rivals in violence in the . Nidaa Tounes, the leading secular- To lure backing of supporters of he Tunisian parliament ap- ist party. former President Zine el-Abidine proved a cabinet reshuffle Some ministerial nominees re- Ben Ali in the Sahel, Chahed proposed by Prime Minister ceived as many as 132 votes No- placed Kamel Morjane as minister T with a vote vember 12 in the 217-member par- in charge of the public service and that demonstrated a larger-than- liament, higher than the simple administrative modernisation. He expected backing in the legislature majority of 109 votes needed, a served as defence (2005-10) and for the prime minister. reflection of support Chahed has in foreign minister (2010-11) under The strong show of support parliament from secularists and the Ben Ali. Morjane, who leads the could signal that Chahed is being Islamist Ennahda Movement. centrist El Moubadara party, has acknowledged as the leader of the Chahed appointed ministers hinted he might run for president secularist camp ahead of elections from three political groups, includ- next year. next year. ing Ennahda, which together have Chahed kept Education Minister That heralds a shift in the ties 121 members in the parliament. and Finance Min- between the cabinet and the presi- Chahed kept key defence, foreign ister Ridha Chalghoum, who were dency, driving the secularist camp affairs, interior and finance portfo- ministers under Ben Ali, in their into uncharted waters. lios unchanged. He could not con- positions. “I’m chief of government, not a stitutionally appoint new ministers The prime minister pledged to prime minister,” said Chahed after to defence and foreign affairs with- uphold good relations with Caid Es- the vote on November 12 asserting out consulting the president. sebsi, who voiced bitterness over his newly gained power. Chahed’s dealing with the presi- dent regarding protocol in reshuf- Analysts said more executive and The strong show of political power for Chahed lessens fling the government. the influence of Tunisian President support could signal that “Thanks to Chahed, we are ex- Beji Caid Essebsi. Chahed is being periencing a new political momen- “Chahed becomes the unchal- acknowledged as the tum,” said Chahed loyalist Leila lenged leader. His position did not leader of the secularist Chettaoui, a parliament member. come from Tunisian voters but is camp ahead of elections “We have been busy during a year the result of changes within the next year. building a political project for party that won the 2014’s elec- Chahed. We are preparing to launch tions,” said political analyst Zied Analysts said the political ma- a new party, which will be an- Krichene, in reference to Nidaa noeuvre was an attempt for Chahed nounced to the public in the next Tounes, founded by Caid Essebsi to lock up support for his political three or four weeks.” in 2012 as counterweight to the Is- future as well as winning parlia- “Ennahda remains the political lamist Ennahda Movement. Nidaa mentary backing for the new cabi- rival of the supporters of this par- Tounes won presidential and par- net. ty,” she said, a signal that Chahed liamentary elections in 2014. Among the new ministers is Mo- might develop a party to counter The party, which selected Chahed hamed Fadhel Mahfoudh, the for- Islamists, much as Caid Essebsi did two years ago to improve its chanc- mer head of Tunisia’s bar associa- in forming Nidaa Tounes. es for the 2019 elections, ruptured tion who was among four Tunisians However, other lawmakers said after Caid Essebsi ascended to the whose civil society groups were Chahed’s victory was a “coup” presidency, leaving his son Hafedh awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in against his mentor, Caid Essebsi. Forging ahead. Tunisia’s Prime Minister Youssef Chahed attends Caid Essebsi as the party’s leader. A 2015, as minister in charge of hu- “You staged a coup against Beji a plenary session at the Assembly of People’s Representatives in (Reuters) bitter showdown with Chahed over man rights. Caid Essebsi. Beji appointed you Tunis, on November 12. his leadership of the cabinet weak- Chahed appointed Paris-based as prime minister when you had ened Nidaa Tounes, however. businessman Rene Trabelsi tour- nothing in terms of political power. Chahed a mandate to introduce the sis. The political parties are locked Chahed’s supporters said he will ism minister, making him the first You betrayed him,” said MP Samia economic reforms he has pledged prematurely in the fight for elec- introduce his own party by the end member of the country’s Jewish Abbou from the opposition Demo- but analysts said they expect a tions forgetting that at the end of of the year. community to gain a ministerial cratic Current. fierce election battle that could de- the race they will find a country on All those political moves reduced job since Tunisia’s independence in She echoed resentment among lay any action on urgent economic the brink of bankruptcy and people Beji Caid Essebsi’s room to ma- 1956. Nidaa Tounes loyalists who said issues. who refuse to be trapped in a cor- noeuvre, although he could regain Trablesi won 127 votes in favour Chahed’s de facto alliance with En- “The race for the elections rupted political game,” said politi- the advantage should he run for re- of appointment despite accusations nahda as a “betrayal” and an unjus- amounts to nothing less than a war cal analyst Nejib Ouerghi. election next year, analysts said. from leftist activists of support for tified reversal of their party’s victo- to win a share of the pie, which, in Chahed named ten new ministers political normalisation with Israel. ry in the 2014 legislative elections. fact, does not exist because of the Lamine Ghanmi is an Arab Weekly and eight secretaries of state on That vote of approval was consid- The parliamentary victory gives continuing economic and social cri- correspondent in Tunis. Algeria cold-shoulders Moroccan king’s reconciliation offer

Lamine Ghanmi our sister nation, Algeria, to settle bids and disagreements over the gees stranded in camps in Algeria’s the transient and objective differ- Western Sahara, a disputed territo- southern desert for more than 40 ences impeding the development ry bordering Morocco, Algeria and years and has pushed for a political Tunis of relations between the two coun- Mauritania that is largely controlled solution. tries,” King Mohammed VI said by Rabat. Guterres’s envoy to the Western lgeria issued no official re- November 6 in a speech marking Morocco maintains that the re- Sahara, former German President ply to Moroccan King Mo- the 43rd anniversary of the “Green source-rich territory is an integral Horst Kohler, who was a child ref- hammed VI’s invitation for March,” a mass demonstration in part of its kingdom but Algeria has ugee following the second world A “direct and frank” talks, 1975 aimed at reclaiming the West- persistently antagonised Morocco war, has also drawn attention to the apparently refusing a potential rap- ern Sahara territory from . by backing the Sahrawi nationalist refugees’ plight. prochement between the two es- The Algerian government issued Polisario Front. Still, Algeria is unlikely to cede tranged countries. no reply to the king’s remarks but “Rabat’s invite, which was ig- ground on Western Sahara, a hot- Ties between Morocco and Alge- an “authoritative source” quoted nored by Algiers, will be followed button issue at home, especially ria have suffered because of long- by state friendly media dismissed it by a series of provocations by Mo- ahead of presidential elections in standing political disagreements, as a “non-event.” rocco as the fateful encounter at the April. including over the disputed West- “This offer is suspicious in its negotiations table in Geneva where The last Algerian president to ern Sahara territory. form as it is timed with (the) Green Morocco is forced to sit against its express willingness to negotiate March and doubtful in its sub- will with the Polisario Front,” said with Morocco on the Sahrawis’ in- stance as it extends the willingness Algerie Patriotique, a newspaper, dependence cause was Mohamed The last Algerian president to make the Western Sahara issue a which is widely seen as an un-offi- Boudiaf, who was assassinated by a to express willingness to bilateral question,” the source said. cial outlet of the Algerian Foreign presidential guard in June 1992. negotiate with Morocco on “It is a non-event that does not de- Ministry. Twenty-six years later, tensions the Saharawis’ serve an official response.” “Algeria will be present during are just as high. independence cause was The Sahara issue has impeded negotiations as a neighbouring Morocco has stated that “strate- Mohamed Boudiaf, who was much-needed development and Obstacle. A fighter from the country like Mauritania, without gic understanding” is necessary to assassinated by a economic progress in the region. Polisario Front stands before the obligation of negotiating on resolve the Western Sahara dispute presidential guard in June The UN Economic Commission for a Sahrawi flag near Tindouf in behalf of the Polisario Front,” it and holds that the conflict has been 1992. said trade among Maghreb Western Algeria. (AFP) added. used by Algerians to inflame ten- countries accounts for 4.8% of their Previous discussions between sions between the two countries. Moroccan King Mohammed VI trade volume and less than 2% of Morocco and the Polisario Front A column in Algerie Patriotique, called for renewed dialogue be- the area’s combined GDP. and the Arab Maghreb failed but hopes have been set on a on the other hand, said that “innu- tween Algiers and Rabat, saying The has said that eco- Union, have been hopeful that King UN-backed meeting scheduled for merable appeasement approaches Morocco was ready to put their dif- nomic integration in the Maghreb Mohammed VI’s initiative could December 5. initiated by Algeria in the past” had ferences behind them. would lead to a substantial rise begin an economic and diplomatic UN Secretary-General Antonio “been sabotaged by Morocco.” “I should like to say today, in a and the GDP of all the countries in- revival in the Maghreb. Guterres, who led the United Na- “A speech made to celebrate the very straightforward and responsi- volved. Algerian commentators, how- tions’ refugee agency for more occupation of Western Sahara is not ble way, that Morocco stands ready Commentators and political in- ever, were less optimistic, pointing than a decade, expressed concern what is going to prompt Algeria to for a direct and frank dialogue with stitutions in the region, such as the out previous failed reconciliation for the thousands of Sahrawi refu- turn tail and run,” it said. 4 November 18, 2018 News & Analysis Turkey Khashoggi Case Turkey’s endgame in Khashoggi case comes under scrutiny

Thomas Seibert from the United States to persuade Erdogan “to ease pressure on the Saudi government.” Istanbul For some commentators in the region, the NBC report offered an urkey’s endgame in the af- insight into a motive for Ankara’s fair surrounding the killing orchestrated leaks. “I never had any of Saudi journalist Jamal doubt that Turkey was trading with T Khashoggi in Istanbul is the blood of Jamal Khashoggi,” Ab- coming under scrutiny. dulrahman al-Rashed, a prominent Ankara denied it is trying to get Saudi columnist, wrote on Twitter. the United States to extradite Turk- Erdogan has been asking Wash- ish President Recep Tayyip Erdog- ington for Gulen’s extradition for an’s enemy Number One — Fethul- years. Ankara says the 77-year-old lah Gulen — in exchange for easing was the puppetmaster behind a pressure on Saudi Arabia in the coup attempt against Erdogan in Khashoggi affair. which 250 people died in 2016 but While Erdogan critics say such a US officials have said the Turkish deal would fit a pattern, some ana- side has not presented sufficient lysts insist Ankara’s priority is to evidence to convince courts to ex- keep its focus on trying to desta- tradite Gulen. bilise Saudi Arabia and specifi- US State Department spokes- cally weaken Saudi Crown Prince woman Heather Nauert insisted Mohammed bin Salman bin Ab- that “there is no relation” between dulaziz’s hold on power. the Gulen extradition issue and has been on the defensive Turkish pressure on Saudi Arabia. since Khashoggi was killed in the A senior Turkish official also said Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oc- the Gulen’s extradition and the tober 2. The Erdogan government Khashoggi investigation were sepa- has been drop-feeding results of rate issues. the investigation to media outlets Pointing out that NBC reported to undermine Riyadh’s credibility administration officials inquired and damage Saudi Arabia’s prestige in October about ways to extradite in the Middle East, while improving Gulen, Turkey analyst Howard Ei- Turkey’s own standing. ssenstat said a link to the case of Andrew Brunson, a US missionary freed from two years of detention in NBC reported that US Turkey in October, was more likely Bargaining chip. A 2013 file picture shows exiled Turkish Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen at his administration officials than a connection to the Khashoggi residence in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania. (Zaman Daily) asked law enforcement affair. agencies about “legal “What else happened in US-Turk- November 16 that the CIA conclud- “I doubt there’s anything you to kill and dismember him.” ways of removing” Gulen ish relations that month?” Eissen- ed Crown Prince Mohammed was can offer Erdogan at this point Saudi prosecutors announced from the US to persuade stat, an associate professor of Mid- behind Khashoggi’s killing. The that’s more valuable than what he indictments against 11 people and Saudi Embassy in Washington de- has: His hands around MBS’s (and said 21 individuals were in custody Erdogan “to ease dle East history at Saint Lawrence University and non-resident senior nied the report and the New York MBZ’s) neck,” Baghdadi wrote on in connection with Khashoggi’s pressure on the Saudi fellow at the Project on Middle East Times cited officials as saying US Twitter, using the initials of Saudi death. They plan to seek the death government.” Democracy, asked on Twitter. “Oh, and Turkish intelligence had not Crown Prince Mohammed and Abu penalty for five of them who “are yeah, Brunson was released on Oc- found direct evidence connecting Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mo- charged with ordering and com- Some observers say Erdogan tober 12.” the crown prince to Khashoggi’s hammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, a mitting the crime.” Riyadh insists wants to force out Crown Prince Without naming Crown Prince death. key ally of the Saudi crown prince. Crown Prince Mohammed had Mohammed, a known critic of Tur- Mohammed, Erdogan has said in The CIA’s assessment became In a sign that Ankara does not nothing to do with the killing. key and an enemy of the Muslim several speeches that the Khashog- public while Turkey found itself intend to lower the pressure on Washington has announced sanc- Brotherhood, with which Turkey’s gi killing was ordered from the confronted with accusations over Riyadh, Turkish Foreign Minister tions targeting 17 Saudi officials im- Islamist ruling party is affiliated. highest level of the Saudi govern- its handling of the Khashoggi affair Mevlut Cavusoglu rejected a state- plicated in the Khashoggi case. There is also speculation that An- ment. The Turkish leader has also and especially if Turkish officials ment by Saudi Arabia’s top prosecu- Turkey has promised more evi- kara would like to draw other fringe said several times he does not think knew beforehand, as some of me- tor who said Khashoggi was killed, dence contradicting the Saudi ver- benefits from the crisis. Citing four Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al dia leaks suggested, of a plot to kill after a struggle, with a lethal injec- sion, including an audio recording anonymous sources, US television Saud was involved in the case but the Saudi journalist. tion and his body dismembered. made shortly before Khashoggi was network NBC reported that US ad- pro-government media in Turkey Iyad el-Baghdadi, the founder of Cavusoglu said it was clear that killed, a Turkish newspaper report- ministration officials asked law have openly accused the crown the Kawaakibi Foundation, a liberal the killing was premeditated: “Dis- ed. enforcement agencies about “legal prince of being behind the killing. think-tank in Norway, said support- membering a body is not something ways of removing” Gulen, a Turk- The Turkish government is likely ers of the Gulen theory were mis- that can be spontaneously,” he said. Thomas Seibert is an Arab Weekly ish cleric living in Pennsylvania, to find a boost in US media reports reading Erdogan’s motivation. “They brought the necessary tools correspondent.

Viewpoint Will the US extradite Gulen to appease Erdogan?

ver since news broke government possesses lots of infor- 15 and 16, US media broadcast fused to comment on the situation. that a team from Riyadh mation. Erdogan’s announcement stories quoting senior US officials Turkey’s official response was had killed Saudi na- that he gave copies of the audiotape saying the Trump administration to deny that its concerns about tional and Washington of Khashoggi’s killing to intelligence was trying to find ways to extradite the Khashoggi killing are linked to Tom Regan Post columnist Jamal services of other countries in- Gulen to Turkey in exchange for Gulen’s possible extradition.

Khashoggi in the Saudi creased the pressure on the Trump Turkey backing off on the Khashog- Experts said the Trump adminis- EConsulate in Istanbul, the Trump administration. gi killing. tration’s behind-the-scenes efforts administration has had a difficult As a result, the administration In late October, the administra- are an attempt to navigate increas- time formulating a proper response. has come up with a unique way to tion allegedly sent directives to ing hostilities between two of its On the one hand, the adminis- deal with the problem. To try to get the US Justice Department and the most important regional allies, tration did not want to be nega- the Turks to stop putting pressure FBI to reopen the file on Turkey’s Turkey and Saudi Arabia. tive about the royal family after on the Saudis, in particular Crown request for Gulen’s extradition. The Trump administration is loth rumours linked Saudi Crown Prince Prince Mohammed, the Trump ad- Trump administration officials to harshly criticise Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman bin Ab- ministration is exploring something reportedly also sent a question to for fear of endangering its support dulaziz to the crime. On the other, that Erdogan has wanted for several the Homeland Security Department for the long-awaited and much- the administration could not ignore years — the extradition of his arch- about Gulen’s legal status. Gulen delayed Israeli-Palestinian peace the negative global reaction to the rival and the man he considers re- holds a Green Card, which allows plan headed by Trump’s son-in-law killing, especially among allies. sponsible for the failed coup against him residency in the United States. Jared Kushner. The administra- Now the Trump administration him in 2016. The officials who spoke to Ameri- tion also doesn’t want to endanger has taken a concrete step — finan- Fethullah Gulen moved to the can media said that the administra- possible business deals, such as the cial sanctions on the 17 individuals United States in 1999. He lives in a tion’s requests generated only eye Saudi purchase of billions of dollars Experts said the named by the Saudi government remote location in Pennsylvania. rolls at first but then, as it became of US military equipment. Trump as being involved in the Khashoggi He was once an ally of Erdogan’s apparent the request was serious, So, what happens next? Even if killing. Critics in diplomatic and but the two fell out in 2013. After officials at the Justice Department the Trump administration finds administration’s media circles dismiss the response the 2016 coup attempt, Turkey has and the FBI were furious. a way to extradite Gulen it would behind-the-scenes as too little and want to see the made a habit of regularly request- However, the Department of probably be many months, if not efforts are an attempt administration take tougher steps. ing his extradition from the United Homeland Security denied that any years, before it would happen Turkish President Recep Tayyip States. such request had been received because of court challenges to any to navigate increasing Erdogan has not made things any The Obama administration de- and no other US government entity likely plan for Gulen’s extradition. hostilities between easier for the Trump administration nied the requests because it said it involved in the alleged activity with near daily leaks about the kill- could not find evidence of terrorist around Gulen’s extradition re- Tom Regan is a regular contributor Turkey and Saudi ing surfacing in the Turkish media activities alleged to have been com- sponded to requests for comment. to The Arab Weekly and a Arabia. and a clear indication the Turkish mitted by Gulen but on November A lawyer representing Gulen re- columnist at factsandopinion.com. November 18, 2018 5 News & Analysis Gulf London counts on Saudi Arabia and UAE in search for Yemen solution

Saleh Baidhani low for the start of political talks in Diplomatic by the end of November.” push. Saudi The statement said Hunt’s dis- King Salman Aden cussions with the United King- bin Abdulaziz dom’s “partners” focused on how Al Saud (R) ritish Foreign Secretary the UN Security Council “can sup- meets with Jeremy Hunt’s recent visit port the political process and lead UK Foreign to Riyadh and Abu Dhabi to improvements on the humani- Secretary B was aimed at securing tarian situation.” Jeremy Hunt Saudi Arabia’s and the United Arab UN Special Envoy for Special in Riyadh, on Emirates’ support for UK diplo- Yemen Martin Griffiths on Novem- November 12. matic efforts to stop the fighting in ber 16 said Yemen’s warring parties (SPA) Yemen and revive negations to end agreed to meet “soon” in Sweden the conflict, sources said. for talks. “I have received firm as- Hunt proposed a Houthi with- surances from the leadership of drawal from the port of Hodeidah the Yemeni parties… that they are in exchange for the Saudi-led Arab committed to attending these con- coalition retreating towards the sultations. I believe they are genu- city centre and the announcement ine,” said Grffiths. of a ceasefire followed by a new The Yemeni people “are desper- round of talks under the auspices ate for a political solution to a war of the United Nations. in which they are the main vic- Sources said Hunt’s proposals tims,” Griffiths said. included the possibility that Oman The Saudi-led coalition had would be the guarantor of the Hou- agreed “to Houthi medical evacua- this in any agreement. tion, with agreed conditions,” “in- The Saudi-led coalition said on cluding up to 50 wounded fight- November 14 that it was suspend- ers, to Oman, ahead of another ing its military offensive in Ho- proposed round of peace talks in deidah and supported UN-backed Sweden later this month,” the Brit- Council briefing on the issue. is “encouraged by the construc- the only path to ending the conflict peace efforts, an apparent reac- ish Foreign Office statement said. International pressure to halt tive engagement received from all and I am encouraged that Saudi tion to the diplomatic push. “The It described the move as “a major military confrontations in Yemen, sides. The logistical preparations Arabia and the UAE have shown coalition has instructed forces on development given that this was a especially along the west coast are under way to prepare for the their support for the UN peace pro- the ground to halt fighting inside prior block to talks.” front, has escalated as resistance upcoming round of consultations. cess.” Hodeidah,” a pro-coalition source The statement said Hunt’s trip forces tightened their siege of We are in a position to move for- He added: “In my meetings we told Reuters. to the Middle East, in which he Houthi militias hiding in residen- ward.” have made progress in removing Britain, meanwhile, focused on met with the senior leadership of tial areas. The Yemeni Ministry of the largest stumbling block to pre- humanitarian relief and political the Saudi, UAE and Yemeni gov- Human Rights warned that Houthi vious proposed rounds of peace negotiations, which officials indi- ernments and spoke with Omani militias were using Hodeidah’s in- Hunt’s proposals talks and set out a credible path to cated could begin by the end of the Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi, habitants as human shields. included the possibility a de-escalation of military activ- month. “We want to see a return “helped improve understanding Griffiths welcomed reports of re- that Oman would be the i t y.” of legitimacy and an end to the suf- on steps that would lead to a cessa- duction of hostilities in Hodeidah. guarantor of the Houthis Hunt’s visit to Abu Dhabi coin- fering of civilians,” Edwin Samuel, tion of hostilities.” He stressed that de-escalation is a in any agreement. cided with that of the US national British government spokesman for The said it crucial step to prevent further hu- security adviser John Bolton, who the Middle East and North Africa, would continue discussions on manitarian suffering and to build He reiterated that the United Na- met with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince said on Twitter. how the Security Council can sup- a more enabling environment for tions stands ready to re-engage the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al- A statement by the British For- port Griffiths on the political pro- the political process. parties on a negotiated agreement Nahyan. The two discussed the eign Office following Hunt’s Mid- cess and improve humanitarian Griffiths, in a statement, called for Hodeidah, which would protect situation in Yemen, Iran and Af- dle East trip said “serious consid- conditions. on all parties to exercise restraint. the port and preserve the humani- ghanistan and other issues. eration was being given to a set This was to include discussions He said he was confident that all tarian aid pipeline. of political ideas and confidence- on a draft Security Council resolu- sides were ready to work towards In a statement, Hunt said: “Di- Saleh Baidhani is an Arab Weekly building measures that would al- tion on Yemen ahead of a Security a political solution and that he plomacy and negotiation remain contributor in Yemen.

Viewpoint Will a turn to diplomacy prove successful in Yemen?

iplomacy is the said. “We don’t do enough to for the international community ened by support from their Iranian cheapest, most ef- engage in diplomacy to resolve to find a way to stop the blood- backers, have shown no interest in fective way to solve issues, take time to address each shed and there are important a peaceful resolution. They have Iman Zayat disagreements and other’s perspectives and reach efforts under way to secure a last- abandoned or walked out of peace avoid conflicts, UAE compromises.” ing political solution. talks and shunned any opportu-

Minister of State for Nowhere has diplomatic failure The UAE, which has with Saudi nity to be part of a constructive DForeign Affairs Anwar Gargash been more costly than in Yemen, Arabia led a coalition of nine future for the country. said in a keynote speech at the where political efforts to end countries in the war, will be a key As for Saudi Arabia, the UAE inaugural Abu Dhabi Diplomacy the more than 3-year war have player in any political solution. and their regional and interna- Conference. fallen short, largely due to Iranian The Emirates’ military role tional partners, there is a strong Organised by the Emirates involvement. in Yemen differs from its previ- commitment to a political solu- Diplomatic Academy, the annual The scale of the disaster is ous engagements, which largely tion. event brought together leaders staggering: A recent UN report focused on peacekeeping. The On November 15, the UAE, Sau- in international politics, higher stated that as many as 13 mil- UAE has specifically taken the di Arabia, the United States and education and the private sector, lion Yemeni civilians — half the lead in southern Yemen, where its the United Kingdom established shedding light on the Emirates’ country’s population — will be at forces defended the strategic port a committee to address Yemen’s foreign policy and providing a risk of starvation in the next three city of Aden and liberated the economic and humanitarian platform for knowledge sharing. months. eastern port city of Mukalla from crisis. Convening in Riyadh, “Diplomacy is a very slow Previous UN warnings drew al-Qaeda control. Also notable has senior officials and ambassadors process but an important one,” criticism for levelling dispropor- been the UAE’s training of Yemeni of the four countries committed Gargash said November 14 at tionate criticism at the Saudi-led forces. to helping stabilise the country’s the conference. “It is important coalition relative to the Iran- However, in a region full of economy and called on the inter- because it works very well and it backed Houthi rebels. It was, after conflicts and shifting interests, national community to support runs cheaper than open conflicts.” all, the Houthis who provoked the UAE’s pursuit of an active the peace process. Over the last two decades, the conflict by overrunning large foreign policy does not neces- The Saudi-led coalition an- has used areas of the country, deposing sarily mean it has grown more nounced it was halting its offen- soft power to expand its footprint Yemen’s democratically elected aggressive. Instead, the strategic sive against Houthis in Hodeidah, across the world. The dividends president, Abd Rabbo Mansour shift could reflect the country’s increasing hopes of a lasting are there to see. The UAE is one Hadi, and capturing the country’s goal of becoming an important ceasefire. of the world’s leaders in construc- capital, Sana’a. regional actor with the capacity The two major developments tion, smart cities, knowledge- In 2015, the Saudi-led coalition to fight terror, secure the global followed talks between Yemen’s based economy, digital banking was formed with international energy supply and confront Iran’s Al Islah party and Abu Dhabi and other sectors. The country backing to reinstall Yemen’s inter- expansionist threat. Crown Prince Sheikh Moham- has developed quality infrastruc- nationally recognised government Indeed, the conflict in Yemen med bin Zayed al-Nahyan, who ture, a vibrant economy and do- but hopes of a quick victory were can only be understood when stressed the Emirates’ desire to mestic peace and security, a stark soon dashed because the Houthis, placed within the broader context bring all sides of the conflict to For Saudi Arabia, the contrast to the turmoil haunting aided with arms shipments and of the Arabian Peninsula, where the negotiating table to reach a UAE and their much of the broader region. assistance from Iran, engaged in Iran is pursuing its expansionist political solution. regional and Gargash said effective diplo- aggressive and destructive tactics. agenda by propping up radical Will the Houthis seize this op- macy was key to ensuring such Thousands of casualties later, Shia militias, such as the Houthis. portunity and join UN peace talks international successes and promoting stability the picture is dim. Whatever the While the UAE has often relied in Sweden by the year’s end? That partners, there is a and security. outcome of the conflict in Yemen, on soft power to address crises, remains to be seen. “Many of the problems we have there will be no clear-cut winners Gargash said this approach has strong commitment to in our region are clear examples or losers. “failed” with Iran. Iman Zayat is the Managing a political solution. of failure of our diplomacy,” he What is important, though, is In Yemen, the Houthis, embold- Editor of The Arab Weekly. 6 November 18, 2018 Opinion

Editorial and Muslims in World War I he celebration of the first 100 years since the end of World War I was an occasion for world leaders to get together in Paris. The anniversary also served as a moment to shed light on the unsung sacrifices of Arab and Muslim Tsoldiers and labourers during the Great War. It is estimated that up to 2.5 million Muslims took part in the global conflict. Muslim soldiers were from many regions, including Russia, North Africa, India and the United States. Figures published by the Guardian show that 1.3 million Russian Muslims fought in the war as well as 400,000 Indians, who were part of the British Army. From modern-day Maghreb and East Africa, there were 200,000 Algerians, 100,000 Tunisians, 40,000 Moroccans and 5,000 Somalis and Libyans. There were 100,000 Muslim soldiers from West Africa, as well as 5,000 Muslim Americans. Labourers included 130,000 from the Maghreb, 100,000 Egyptians, 200,000 sub-Saharan Afri- cans, 40,000 Indians and 35,000 Chinese Mus- lims. Working on archives from 19 countries, The Forgotten Heroes 14-19 Foundation said the number of Muslims who took part in the war as soldiers or labourers could have been “more than © Yaser Ahmed for The Arab Weekly 4 million.” The foundation is dedicated to highlighting the “Muslim Experience” during the war. Unearthed archives show Muslim soldiers and A sectarian quota system has no labourers sharing — with comrades from other faiths and ethnic groups — the dangers of the battlefield as well as the unavoidable war conse- respect for citizens Farouk Yousef quences of injury and death. They also shared food and medicine, as well as occasional song and A sectarian state cannot exist on the basis of merriment. representing the people. Hayyan Ayaz Bhabha, executive director of the Forgotten Heroes 14-19 Foundation said there is a lesson in that. “Chaplains, priests, rabbis and n sectarian countries, such for a scam making them believe of Lebanese Christians. This shows imams went out of their way to learn , as Lebanon or Iraq, people they can talk to Imam Hussein that the sectarian quota system is a Hebrew, English and French, in order to accom- are not appointed to govern- through a special service provided just scam. modate religious burials of the dead on the ment positions based on by a mobile phone company? Bassil had tried more than once battlefront,” he said. Imams made sure fatally experience and competence. Such ignorance is appalling. — and failed — to get elected to the injured soldiers were able to recite the shahada Government appointments Unfortunately, it is only one step Lebanese parliament. Logically (declaration of faith). Iare decided by sectarian quotas in the process of sliding into the then, one cannot say he represents “If soldiers then could accept and accommodate between communities. abyss that has been facing Iraq for Christians. His appointment as each other in this way in the trenches during wartime, what’s stopping us from doing the same Take the case of Iraq. Because years. minister illustrates the fact that today?” Bhabha asked. of the quota system, a man, In Lebanon, there is a Foreign has monopolised the A survey conducted by the British Future whose only qualifications were Affairs minister whose only quali- political game in Lebanon and can organisation found that only 22% of the British that he had spent most of his life fication is that he is the son-in- choose those it deems fit to carry public was aware of the role of Muslims in the war. at the Shia shrines of Husayniyah, law of Lebanese President Michel on its agenda for consolidating To remedy the awareness issue, especially in found himself heading the Minis- Aoun. power. British schools, the think-tank started a cam- try of Education. Aoun and his son-in-law, The above shows that represent- paign, Remember Together. That person destroyed the Iraqi Gebran Bassil, were appointed to atives in a sectarian government Increased awareness has political implications educational system, a system that their positions by Hezbollah as are basically members of the same for Europe today because it can shape a different was designed by British and Iraqi representatives of the Christian gang. Representing their communi- perception of Arabs and Muslims. Luc Ferrier, a experts over more than a decade. community in Lebanon. ties is the least of their concerns. Belgian who is chairman of Forgotten Heroes 14-19 It was unfortunately Lebanon’s Foundation, said: “Muslims are portrayed as the That is an example of the A sectarian state cannot exist enemy within, that they are recent arrivals who catastrophes that can ensue destiny to have a sectarian state on the basis of representing the have never made a valuable contribution to when a sectarian quota system in which the president and the people. A citizen who goes to the Europe but we can show that they have sacrificed is adopted. It is, of course, all of Foreign Affairs minister had to polling station is stripped of his or their lives for a free Europe, have helped to make society that ends up paying for be Christians. It was Hezbollah’s her citizenship once the glorious it what it is and that they have a right to be here.” the unavoidable catastrophes. fortune to have found those two democratic practice is over. Humil- The sacrifices by Arab and Muslim soldiers in Then again, what can you ex- puppets for the positions. The two iated, regretful and even ashamed, the Great War can offer more than a lesson on pect from a society where a good execute what Hezbollah dictates he or she returns to the folds of his peace and coexistence for new young generations chunk of the population can fall even if it goes against the wishes or her community. in Europe today. In 2003, the Americans took a fateful decision in Iraq, which is Today’s costly wars still in effect. It will continue to remain so until Iraqis dare to make a coup against themselves and take in the Middle East the side of their identity. century after World War I, peace is yet This means they must declare to break out in the Middle East. Wars war against the US and Iranian oc- rage in many parts of the region and cupations of their country but that Arab populations are the first casual- ties. is very unlikely to happen. Those wars come with huge human The sectarian quota system in andA economic cost. Brown University’s Watson Iraq was an American invention that has been implemented by Institute puts the direct human toll of US military intervention in Iraq at about 300,000 and that’s Iran. A similar situation happened without counting the indirect human cost of Iraqi in Lebanon. The Lebanese sectar- lives lost to the disease and hardship caused by ian quota system was a French war. invention and Iran is reaping its In Syria, war has led to about 500,000 deaths benefits. since 2011. Eleven million have been displaced and The Americans and the French about 5 million have become refugees abroad. before them justified their de- Economically, the cost of war has been stagger- ing. cisions by arguing for fairness The Watson Institute said the United States is between communities and wanting said to have spent $5.6 trillion on its wars in Iraq, to prevent one sect or group from Afghanistan and military operations in Pakistan. monopolising power. They were, of The figure does not take into consideration the bill course, lying. that countries in the Middle East and North Africa Had the quota system been a had to foot in terms of their own military expendi- successful model, they would have ture and lost economic growth. applied it in their own countries The UN Economic and Social Commission for instead of choosing to promote Western Asia estimated the cost of the material equal citizenship under the same destruction at about $120 billion. It set the cost of law for everyone. One can say that lost productivity — losses to the country’s GDP — at the Lebanese are still paying the $268 billion. An overall price of $388 billion in economic damage is estimated for Syria alone. price of a crime committed by the Tom Streithorst recently wrote in the American French, just as the Iraqis are suffer- Conservative that last April’s Tomahawk cruise ing the consequences of a crime missile attack on Syrian targets by the United committed by the Americans. States, the United Kingdom and France cost more The system of sectarian quotas than $250 million but achieved no major results. has nothing to do with justice and War, he pointed out, has become just “a sorry fairness. Just the opposite. It is combination of show business and fiscal stimulus” only a cover for the rise of incom- and, therefore, it “does not make sense anymore.” petent losers. For the unfortunate Arab populations on ground In the sectarian shadow. An Iraqi man walks past a poster of zero, wars never made sense. Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr in Sadr City, east of Baghdad. (AFP) Farouk Yousef is an Iraqi writer. November 18, 2018 7 Opinion

Seizing opportunities in today’s fast-changing world Published by Al Arab Publishing House Haitham El-Zobaidi Publisher We should not underestimate the wealth and power and Group Executive Editor of modern technologies. Haitham El-Zobaidi, PhD Editor-in-Chief eize the opportunity. in large quantities, whether are many: cultural rigidity, day a book can be downloaded This is one of the first directly or indirectly, into outdated educational systems, in a matter of seconds. An art Oussama Romdhani prerequisites of wis- the Middle East and most of the demise of free thought as it critic used to be unable to af- dom that one learns the Arab countries. The oil- fell captive to religious extrem- ford art magazines and books. Managing Editor in life. True, those producing countries benefited ism and the systematic waste The internet makes those and Iman Zayat who rush things can directly from oil revenues and of wealth in wars, conflicts and everything written or drawn Sbe blamed for their rashness many other Arab countries corruption. by man available in a blink of Deputy Managing Editor but the larger blame is likely to benefited indirectly through Instead of exploiting the an eye. Access to scientific and and Online Editor be directed at those who keep the remittances sent by their global revolutions in agricul- academic papers and research Mamoon Alabbasi on hesitating at the risk of let- citizens working in the rich oil ture, technology and biotech- is unrestrained. ting unique opportunities slip countries. nology, whole generations If that is the case, why are Senior Editor through their fingers. Some Arab nations embarked wasted precious time in useless social networks in our world John Hendel At the level of individuals, on huge development projects polemics about the sex of an- so full of “gossip” and use- those who falter all the time that included various aspects gels or the exact list of benefits less banter rather than full of Chief Copy Editor only inflict harm on them- of economic and social life, to enjoy in Paradise. literary and cultural salons or Richard Pretorius selves. Faltering at the level of from infrastructure to educa- Surely, the Arab world does scientific workshops? countries and nations has more tion, to embryonic installations not need to compare itself At an individual level, there Copy Editor dramatic and fateful conse- for industries that had never to the West or even to global is no purpose expecting too Stephen Quillen quences. existed in the region before. projects in the Far East or Latin much from the state. The Take, the 1950s and 1960s. Except for major historical America, since countries in national civil state in the post- East/West Section Editor During those decades, the Arab cities, most of what we see those areas have also suffered “Arab spring” era has enough of Mark Habeeb world achieved great cultural today in Arab cities in terms of from colonialism and foreign everything but the biggest fear Gulf Section Editor and social leaps forward. The buildings and infrastructure hegemony. The Arab region, is that the current generations former colonial powers were is the product of the oil-based however, which is busy con- do not seize the available op- Mohammed Alkhereiji licking their wounds from the expenditures of the post-1970s templating its past, needs to portunities for personal growth Society and Travel second world war and rebuild- period. look at what has been achieved just because their governments Sections Editor ing what was ravaged. After the The third opportunity for culturally, socially, financially failed to seize the opportuni- Samar Kadi horrors of Nazism and fascism, the Arab world came with the and on the level of develop- ties for building better national Europe and the rest of the communications revolution ment in the past few decades. states. Syria and Lebanon world no longer had any stom- and the internet. This is an There is no need for miracles Since the wider global pan- Section Editor ach for hegemonic and colonial unprecedented revolution in but only for efforts to build Arab project continues to falter, Simon Speakman Cordall ideologies. which the concept of the global on previous achievements. why not revert to smaller cul- That period offered a tremen- village is not a mere cliche. Building on achievements may tural, intellectual and scientific Contributing Editor dous opportunity for the Arab Satellite TV and the internet seem like a forced return to “villages” united by the same Rashmee Roshan Lall world because it combined lib- opened prospects beyond what the past but it is far better than desire to save ourselves first eral ideas inherited from colo- books or radio and television accepting the status quo and and then, perhaps, by much Contributing Analyst nisation with a strong indige- offered. With them, one could definitely more productive larger visions as experience ac- Ed Blanche nous yearning for freedom and see what everyone else in the than accepting to stagnate in a cumulates and bigger opportu- progress. No wonder then that world was seeing. One could world ruled by turbaned heads nities grace the horizons? Senior Correspondents that period produced one of the instantaneously communicate and pseudo-religious fantasies. Who knows? Mahmud el-Shafey (London) best generations of Arab intel- with others. With smartphones, Since the project of building Perhaps these small groups Lamine Ghanmi (Tunis) lectuals and artists and painted all these media and much more national states has failed in the may someday reach a critical Thomas Seibert (Istanbul) a picture of changing societies became portable and available Arab world, why not invest in mass capable of driving fast hungry for knowledge, open on to the user anytime, anywhere the project of building citizens change and allowing us to Regular Columnists the world and eager to partici- and accessible literally in the or in building oneself? catch up with a fast-moving Claude Salhani pate in the worldwide impulse palm of one’s hand. There are many tools availa- world that waits for nobody. Yavuz Baydar for progress. What is frustrating in the ble for that end. We should not The second window of op- Arab world is that these great underestimate the wealth and Dr Haitham El-Zobaidi is an Correspondents portunity for the Arab world opportunities were either not power of modern technologies. Iraqi writer based in London. Saad Guerraoui (Casablanca) came with the oil boom of the exploited to their fullest or In the past, it was a struggle to He is the Executive Editor of Dunia El-Zobaidi (London) 1970s. Petrodollars flowed subsequently lost. The reasons get hold of a book to read. To- Al Arab Publishing Group. Roua Khlifi (Tunis) Chief Designer Marwen el-Hmedi Iran’s dubious empathy for the Sunnis in Lebanon Designers Khairallah Khairallah Ibrahim Ben Bechir There is a great deal of tension in Tehran and the relief valve for this tension is Hanen Jebali not going to be the government imposed on Hariri by Hezbollah.

few days before the United States sanctioned time. In May 2008, Hezbollah’s do it any good, especially since Contact editor at: Lebanon cel- four other people — three Leba- militia invaded Beirut and Al Lebanon is the United States’ [email protected] ebrated the 75th nese and an Iraqi — for backing Jabal targeting Hariri and Walid least concern right now. Leba- anniversary of its Hezbollah’s activities and its Jumblatt. non has not yet become an ally independence, sources of funding. Hezbollah’s insistence of Iran despite everything the ’s news Instead of wasting time on having one of its Sunnis latter has done to impose its conferenceA confirmed there imposing conditions on Hariri, nominated to the new cabinet guardianship on Lebanon, such Al Arab Publishing House is someone acting as a barrier such as giving a ministerial is but the apparent facade of as erasing the border between Quadrant Building against the downfall of Leba- portfolio to one of its six “Sunni this Iranian invasion. It was Lebanon and Syria so Hezbollah 177-179 Hammersmith Road non. representatives,” Hezbollah supposed to happen in the gen- militias can participate in the London W6 8BS No Lebanese politician who is should have been thinking eral elections of 2009 but, as it war on the Syrian people from a interested in finding solutions of how to prevent Lebanon’s turned out, those who refused purely sectarian standpoint. to the country’s crisis, within economic collapse. The dire to submit to Hezbollah’s will An Iranian victory over the boundaries of reason and consequences of this, should triumphed in those elections Lebanon will not help Iran. Iran Tel: (+44) 20 7602 3999 logic and in conformity with it happen, will not spare any when Hariri stepped up to the can take Lebanon as a hostage Fax: (+44) 20 7602 8778 the constitution, can bear the Lebanese, Shias included. challenge. but that will bother Washing- burden of protecting Lebanon Parliament Speaker Hariri remained defiant even ton none. Iran can infiltrate the alone, no matter how experi- seems to have understood this when he travelled to Tehran in Lebanese Sunnis all it wants but enced and respected that per- simple fact and that made 2010 as Lebanon’s prime min- it won’t do it any good. US Publisher: son is. This is why Hariri had to him very sympathetic towards ister. He rejected Iran’s three If Iran is so keen on defending make sure that everybody knew Hariri’s position. demands. The first was that the interests of the Sunni com- The Arab Weekly USA LLC. his or her duties. The Lebanese situation can Lebanon drop the visa require- munity in Lebanon, why doesn’t [email protected] At the top of the list of the be summarised in one word: ment for Iranians entering Leba- it stop persecuting its own Sunni parties concerned by Hariri’s “difference.” There is a differ- non putting them on an equal citizens in Baluchistan and [email protected] remarks stands Hezbollah, ence between two schools footing with Arab citizens. The Ahvaz in addition to the Sunni Tel: 248-679-6624 which doesn’t understand that — a school that believes in the second was to accept a Leba- Kurds? Why does it refuse to per- the prime minister-designate culture of life and whose motto nese-Iranian defence treaty, mit the construction of a Sunni including it in the new govern- is defending Lebanon’s interests similar to the one between Iran mosque in Tehran? How come ment constitutes a very daring and another that believes in the and the Syrian regime. The third there has not been a single Sunni risk. culture of death and that wants was to open the Lebanese bank- minister since the 1979 Islamic It is a great risk for Lebanon. to sacrifice Lebanon for the sake ing system to Iran. Iran is still Revolution? What about Iran’s It is a risk to the Lebanese of Iran. It’s as simple as that. clutching at this last demand, handling of Iraq’s Sunnis? economy and to Hariri’s politi- Only Hariri makes this dif- which doesn’t seem possible in Iran’s game in Lebanon is Subscription & Advertising: cal career. He knows better than ference and is giving shape to the present situation. clear. There is a great deal of [email protected] anyone the significance of the it. Hariri is striving to prevent What explains this renewed tension in Tehran and the relief Tel 020 3667 7249 US sanctions against Iran and Lebanon from falling into the attack on Hariri is the shrink- valve for this tension is not going Tehran’s sectarian militias. Iranian trap while Hezbollah is ing of Iranian influence in more to be the government imposed While Hariri was giving his doing exactly the opposite. than one spot, including Yemen, on Hariri by Hezbollah. Neither Mohamed Al Mufti news conference, the US State Hariri has paid dearly for where the battle for Hodeidah will it be a victory over Lebanon, Marketing & Advertising Department announced that refusing to become a puppet is gaining momentum in light its Sunnis, its Christians nor its Manager Hezbollah Secretary-General of Iran. It is trying in 2018 to of an unclear British position Druze. Hassan Nasrallah’s son had been reproduce the 2008 conquest about the Houthis. Direct: +44 20 8742 9262 classified as a “global terrorist.” of Beirut and Al Jabal but with Iran must accept the fact that Khairallah Khairallah is a www.alarab.co.uk As if that were not enough, political manoeuvrings this pressuring Lebanon will not Lebanese writer. 8 November 18, 2018 News & Analysis Syria Long battle against ISIS lies ahead in eastern Syria

Simon Speakman Cordall

Tunis

he Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) renewed fighting T against the Islamic State (ISIS) in eastern Syria to eject the jihadist group from its stronghold in Hajin. The SDF operation, coordinated by the group’s Deir ez-Zor Military Council, paused October 31 be- cause of Turkish shelling on Kurd- ish settlements in northern Syria. Following US diplomatic activity seeking to quell Turkish military operations along the countries’ borders, as well as reassure the SDF of continued support, the SDF re- newed its offensive against ISIS on November 11. The ousting of the jihadists from Hajin has been a longstanding ob- jective of the US-led coalition. The jihadists have been embedded among the local population and established a substantial tunnel network, making the fight to oust them from the stronghold on the banks of the Euphrates long and desperate. The Syrian Observatory for Hu- man Rights reported the SDF took as many as 68 casualties in a single day in October when the SDF was dogged by sandstorms, booby traps and a hostile population. Though US air strikes continued during the pause and the SDF re- pelled assaults on its defensive po- sitions, the campaign in Hajin re- mains perilous. Rather than having battle-hardened fighters who were instrumental in turning the tide against ISIS in Syria at its disposal, the Deir ez-Zor Military Council’s resources appear more limited. “This is one of the dirty little se- crets of the tail end of the coalition campaign against ISIS in Syria,” said Nicholas Heras, a Middle East Back into the breach. Fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces attend the funeral of one of their commanders in the Kurdish-controlled city security fellow at the Centre for a of Qamishly, on October 29. (AFP) New American Security. “First of all, their numbers were deliberately exaggerated as part of insurgent force. It has been able to describing a community ready to territory to less than 1% of the their networks, and take on these a psyops campaign against the lo- rally and channel disgruntled local cover for and provision jihadist ground it held across Syria and insurgent, guerrilla-like tactics,” cal populace. “Second, the major- populations, such as those at Hajin, fighters. Iraq in 2014, its numbers are formi- US Army General Joseph Votel, the ity of their fighters only have real and marshal their discontent to its An SDF fighter told CNN dur- dable. A UN report in August stat- head of US Central Command, told experience as part of the armed op- own ends. ing combat operations in October: ed that ISIS can draw on as many the New York Times. position against [Syrian President “The biggest battle is going to be as 30,000 fighters. Moreover, its “We’re well prepared for that,” Bashar] Assad’s (militarily weaker) The ousting of the jihadists freeing the people from the ISIS financial resources, gained from Votel, who oversees the US military forces. These are the guys who from Hajin has been a way of thinking.” oil revenues, looting and the ex- in the Middle East and South-west would take part in the general push longstanding objective of “They’ve been dragged here tensive taxation of the territories Asia, said. “These organisations back against the regime, then hold by ISIS from their former capital, it previously held, are substantial. never go away in one fell swoop.” and man checkpoints.” the US-led coalition. Raqqa, but they still think ISIS will “We’ve expected that as the Underscoring the importance of “In Hajin, for instance, we’ve got come back one day and give them a physical caliphate went away, the Simon Speakman Cordall the battle in Hajin is the shifting of a local population opposed to both caliphate again.” remnants of this would attempt is a freelance journalist based ISIS from a traditional army to an Assad and the Kurds,” Heras said, Despite ISIS’s dramatic loss of to revive themselves and revive in Tunis.

Viewpoint New US plan for Syria promises little change

or years, the United weapons were shown to Trump, focus the war against the terrorist would mean, would end the pos- States and its leaders did he act to punish the Syrian group provided. Now, US inaction sibility of expelling Iranian troops articulated a sense of regime. breeds general disorder. and assets. The regime needs those James Snell what Syria ought to look However, pivoting from calling Some hope disorder may be com- forces to maintain its shaky control like without a plan for Assad a friend-in-waiting to an ing to an end. of much of Syria. It could not making it so. “animal’ did not presage a change Bassam Barabandi, writing survive without them. The same FBarack Obama piously opined of policy. Trump’s consistent op- for al-Hurra, suggested that the would be true of any state ruled that the regime of Bashar As- position to Iran, Assad’s ally and United States is forging a new plan over by a member of the Assad sad had no legitimacy and that primary backer, seemed paradoxi- for Syria. This plan holds that the faction. Assad must go. That policy was cal when Trump wanted Assad to United States will continue its mis- Assad’s regime remains on a not seriously pursued. Assad was be the United States’ friend. It was sion against ISIS and help establish permanent war footing regarding largely left alone, untroubled by inconsistent if America would not free and fair elections in Syria in Idlib, which it claims it wants to any American effort to interdict his confront Assad. compliance with UN aims and conquer. This situation can only be unsteady reconquest of much of US policy remains uncertain, attempt to ensure the removal of maintained with extensive Iranian Syria. except in its commitment to do Iranian forces from the country. support. That reconquest could have been nothing transformative. This plan may appear coherent The regime will not, while Idlib interrupted or halted. Assad could Only on the matter of the Islamic and it may be welcomed as such remains outside its sphere, sur- have been overthrown. Noth- State (ISIS) could the United States but it is not coherent and its suc- render Iranian backing. Because of ing was done. The gulf between make up its mind. cess is unlikely. its weakness, it would likely not be Obama’s rhetoric and his lack of ac- Both Obama and Trump placed The idea that Syria could shortly able to reject Iran’s presence even tion generated its own confusion. great emphasis on the campaign have free and fair election is if it wanted to do so. On Syria, Donald Trump has against ISIS, each refusing to sup- unreal. Syria’s state — marked The United States’ new policy is shown less rhetorical uniformity port Syrian rebel groups that did by destruction and disarray — is very much like the old — a focus than his predecessor but he has not promise to make the end of subordinate to the regime. With on fighting ISIS and a focus on the held true to his example in prac- ISIS’s claimed caliphate their first the regime’s violent apparatus still rhetoric of changing Assad’s and US policy remains tice. Inconsistency of this sort also priority and advising the Kurdish in place after nearly seven years his allies’ well-established ways. As breeds irresolution. People’s Protection Units to form of war, having any vote free from in policy, so in practice. In Syria, as uncertain, except When campaigning to be elected the Syrian Democratic Forces to intimidation and duress is impos- in Washington, little has changed in its commitment president, Trump said Assad was generate a force to serve as the sible. and while this plan is pursued not so bad and suggested a tactical United States’ anti-ISIS proxy. In any case, open US accom- nothing will. to do nothing alliance. Only later, when the reali- With ISIS in disarray, if not de- modation with the regime, which transformative. ties of the regime’s use of chemical feated, US policy has lost even the elections in the present situation James Snell is a British journalist. November 18, 2018 9 News & Analysis Iraq Basra protesters deny accusations of ties to US

Azhar Rubaie

Basra

raq’s third-largest city of Basra has been rocked by protests since July over what demon- I strators say are a lack of public services, poor infrastructure, inad- equate garbage collection, electrici- ty shortages and toxic water supply. Demonstrators say authorities accused them of having links to the US Consulate in Basra, charges they deny. During the demonstrations, gov- ernment buildings, militia head- quarters, the Iranian Consulate and the offices of political parties were set on fire or vandalised. Riham Yacoub, 27, a women’s rights activist, recently led large protests. The first woman to do so in the city, Yacoub found herself the subject of accusations. “A few hours just after the pro- test itself, some photos published by Iraqi politicians on Facebook ac- cused us to be linked to the US Con- sulate,” Yacoub said. “I received dozens of threats. I often received messages from Iranians via my so- cial media who accuse me of the consulate’s torching. “All that happened after the In the crosshairs. Iraqi women protest in the southern city of Basra, last July. (Azhar Rubaie) Iran-based Mehra outlet released a report accusing me and other ac- tivists to be linked to the US to en- by the Iraqi Security Forces. safe at all, for Christians in particu- Iraqi TV based in the United States. Another protester, who did not courage riots in Basra.” “During the investigation pro- lar. Thousands of Christians fled It is watched by Arabs abroad but want to be named for security rea- “I am going through difficult time cess, they lashed me with a black Basra on the last ten years for secu- the militias didn’t understand sons, said he left Iraq being threat- and my close friends even prevent rubber pipe, punched me on the rity reasons.” that,” Mohammed said. ened by Iran-backed militias for me from going to my house to keep face and other parts of my body but Mahdi al-Tamimi, the head of the Some protesters admitted to set- taking part in the torching of the me safe,” said Yacoub. “My parents their torture and ill-treatment did Ministry of Human Rights office in ting fire to the Iranian Consulate. Iranian Consulate. are afraid but I never gave up and not prevent me from going back to Basra, said six detained protesters Mohammed Jawad, 24, said: “I “I don’t regret what I did. I will will keep protesting until our de- the protests again,” he said. were released in November and and another 20 protesters threw remain proud of myself because I mands are met.” “The investigator asked me a lot there are more than seven in jail, bottles filled with fuel at the Irani- torched Basra’s Iranian Consulate In a parliamentary emergency of personal and religious questions, waiting for trial. an Consulate and not only the Ira- to send a message to Iran-backed session in September, a member not related to protests. For in- Iraq’s Ministry of Interior didn’t nian Consulate. We also targeted all militias,” he said. “I feel that I was from Basra accused the US Consu- stance, they asked me ‘How many answer requests for comment. Iran-backed militias.” born again when I torched it.” late in the city of coordinating with Shia imams are there’ and ‘Are you Journalists were not spared accu- He said he relocated to Baghdad The Iranian Consulate was not local NGOs in torching numerous Sunni or Shia?’” Salah said. sations. Issam al-Mohammed, 24, after he was threatened by mili- the only diplomatic building at- buildings. Loudia Raymond, 24, a Christian a cameraman for Sky Michigan TV, tias in Basra. “I was threatened by tacked. US Secretary of State Mike Security forces that arrested pro- activist from Basra, said she does fled Basra to Istanbul after receiv- phone calls and Facebook messen- Pompeo tweeted in September that testers did not appear to have the not feel safe in the oil-rich southern ing threats from militias accusing ger, so my family has forced me to Iran-supported militias in Iraq had proper paperwork from the courts. city. him of working for a television sta- leave Basra,” he said. fired rockets against the US Embas- “They did not show an arrest “The policeman who was stand- tion linked to the United States. As his way of protesting against sy in Baghdad and the consulate in warrant or any other legal docu- ing in front of a Basra governorate “I was covering the protests since religious political parties and mili- Basra. ment to justify my arrest,” said building asked me why would a July and I receive negative com- tias, Jawad said he carries a picture Mahdi Salah, 26, who said he had Christian protest,” Raymond said. ments when people heard the name of Mia Khalifa, a US porn star of Azhar Rubaie is an Iraqi journalist been detained in July for six days “Because of militias, Basra is not ‘Sky Michigan TV’ but in fact it is an Lebanese origin. based in Basra.

Viewpoint The changing of the guard won’t change Iraq

n October, Iraq’s parliament by alliance deal cutting in parlia- elected Barham Salih, a ment. Indeed, even Salih is linked Kurd, as president and Adel to Iran by way of his party affilia- Tallha tions, with the Patriotic Union of Abdulrazaq Abdul-Mahdi, a Shia Arab, prime minister. Salih di- Kurdistan party closely tied to the rected Abdul-Mahdi to form Iranian regime since the 1980s. Ia government by the beginning of Similarly, and although he is a November, which he has partially Sunni Arab, Halbousi is close to accomplished. the Popular Mobilisation Forces, These top-level appointments an Iran-sponsored but Iraq-sanc- follow the election of Moham- tioned paramilitary organisation med al-Halbousi as parliamentary predominantly staffed by Shia speaker in September, breaking jihadists. Many of those jihadists a deadlock in talks to form a new successfully ran for office under government that paved the way the Conquest Alliance bloc in May for Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and will form part of the govern- to leave office. ment. Abdul-Mahdi is the first Iraqi How is this, then, any different prime minister to take office since from what came before it? the US-led invasion and occupa- It is clear Abdul-Mahdi, Salih tion of Iraq to not hail from the and Halbousi are on the pro- Shia Islamist and Iran-backed Iran axis. Similarly, ministerial Dawa Party. While this may be New faces, old problems. Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi appointments that have been cause for celebration for many arrives for a session at the building of the Iraqi parliament, on ratified raise no hopes for any fearful of ever-increasing Ira- October 24. (Ameer Al Mohammed) change, significant or minor. nian influence on Iraqi affairs, Parliamentary blocs still hold Abdul-Mahdi is not only a former of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s finance minister before becoming sway and still hold any govern- Ba’athist and communist, he is a regime that overthrew the secular vice-president in 2005. Under the ment hostage to their whims, Shia Islamist and a senior member Iranian dictatorship in 1979. Abadi administration, another even if that government was of the Supreme Council for the Arguably, then, there is lit- Washington darling, Abdul-Mahdi inclined to take an anti-Tehran Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI). tle difference between having a served as oil minister for two stance, which this government It has rebranded to the Islamic member of the Dawa Party or ISCI years from 2014. is not. Abdul-Mahdi is merely a Supreme Council of Iraq (ISCI). in power because they fundamen- Abdul-Mahdi is thus part and continuation of a long line of Shia As such, it is clear Iran’s influ- tally agree on the direction Iraq parcel of the post-invasion system Islamists who have led Iraq into ence is as strong as ever in Iraq should take and are subservient and his posting as prime minister a quagmire of corruption, spiral- Parliamentary and unlikely to be diminished by to the wishes of Iranian Supreme can be viewed as a second coming ling violence, state and non-state this changing of the guard. Leader Ali Khamenei on religious- for the 75-year-old politician. terror and subservience to foreign blocs still hold From when it was known as political grounds. However, he may not be viewed powers. sway and still hold SCIRI, the ISCI has well-docu- Like his Dawa Party predeces- as being representative of the Ira- any government mented connections to the Irani- sors, Abdul-Mahdi enjoys close qi people. Iraq’s May 12 elections Tallha Abdulrazaq is a researcher an theocratic regime and seeks to ties with the United States, having saw a record-low 45% turnout and at the University of Exeter’s hostage to their establish an Islamic revolutionary been willing to cooperate with the the top executive posts were not Strategy and Security Institute in whims. government in Iraq along the lines American occupation and serve as appointed by direct elections but England. 10 November 18, 2018 News & Analysis Egypt As Gulf faces threats, Egypt draws a line in the sand

Ahmed Megahid

Cairo

gypt issued a stern warning against interference in the affairs of Arab Gulf states, E vowing not to stand idly by while regional powers try to desta- bilise other countries. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, during a visit to Manama, said Egypt viewed the security situ- ation in Bahrain and the wider Gulf region as a basic part of its national security. “Egypt and Bahrain are moving ahead to broaden their cooperation at a very critical time,” Shoukry said at a meeting with Bahraini Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khal- ifa. “Egypt will not allow the secu- rity of Bahrain to be messed with.” Shoukry’s visit to Bahrain came after Egyptian President Abdel Fat- tah al-Sisi said Egypt would not hesitate to send its army to the Arab Gulf if the security of Gulf states was threatened.

Egypt views Bahrain and other Arab Gulf states as an important national security frontier and a first line of defence against Iranian ambitions.

Sisi’s and Shoukry’s statements, analysts said, show Egyptian con- cerns about potential regional un- rest. The killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi Con- sulate in Istanbul put the interna- tional media spotlight on Saudi Arabia. Media in Qatar and Turkey, re- gional adversaries of Egypt and the anti-terrorism coalition that includes Saudi Arabia, the United Brother’s keeper. Bahraini Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa (R) and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry during the Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain, Tenth Joint Egyptian-Bahraini Committee in Manama, on November 11. (Egyptian Foreign Ministry) have been critical of the Saudi re- sponse to Khashoggi’s death. “There is concern in that from the visa requirement when curity frontier and a first line of de- There are fears in Cairo, now that Egypt, which has the 12th most the security of Saudi Arabia, the entering the other state. There was fence against Iranian ambitions. US sanctions on the Iranian oil sec- powerful military in the world, as main pillar of the Gulf Cooperation also a memorandum of understand- “Like Saudi Arabia, Egypt is con- tor are in effect, that Tehran will ranked by Global Power Firepower Council, might be in danger,” said ing concerning electricity and re- cerned over increasing Iranian in- make moves that jeopardise Gulf Index and the second largest air Amira al-Shanawani, a member of newable energy. fluence in the region,” said Saad security. force in the region after Israel, is think-tank Egyptian Council for Egypt said it hopes it can raise eco- al-Zunt, head of the local Strategic Sisi has visited Manama three capable of defending the security Foreign Affairs. “Egypt acts against nomic cooperation with Manama to Studies Centre think-tank. “This times since he became president of Arab states in the Gulf, analysts the background of attempts by that in the political and diplomatic Iranian presence is affecting Egyp- in 2014, including in August. The said. some countries to blackmail sister level. Trade exchange between the tian national security very nega- Egyptian Army conducted drills “Egypt does not joke when it says Arab states in the Gulf.” two states totalled $160.2 million in tively, like in the case of Yemen with the Royal Bahraini Army in it will act to defend the security of Shoukry’s statements were made 2016 but officials said there is room where the Iran-backed Houthi mi- Bahrain several times in the past fellow Arab countries,” said retired on the sidelines of the meetings for growth. litia threatens navigation at the few years and as recently as April. army general and security expert of the Joint Egyptian-Bahraini About 183 Bahraini companies southern entrance of the Red Sea Bahraini troops were also among Gamal Eddine Mazlum. “The mes- Committee. During the meetings, operate in Egypt, with investments and consequently the Suez Canal.” those from six Arab militaries that sage the president and the foreign Egyptian officials signed eight worth $2.7 billion in the country. Egypt offered political and dip- conducted unprecedented pure- minister want to deliver now is that agreements with their Bahraini Cairo, analysts said, also sees re- lomatic backing to Manama after ly Arab comprehensive drills in security threats to these countries counterparts. lations with Bahrain as far deeper unrest that erupted after 2011. Bah- Egypt’s Western Desert November are threats to Egypt’s security, too.” The agreements included one that than economic interests. Egypt raini authorities accused Iran and 2-16 amid reports about Egypt’s de- exempts diplomatic passport hold- views Bahrain and other Arab Gulf other regional powers of causing sire to form an Arab NATO-like force Ahmed Megahid is an Egyptian ers from each of the two countries states as an important national se- the unrest. to confront threats to Arab security. reporter in Cairo. Egypt unveils presidency plan

Amr Emam Madbouli said Egypt would do its forced out of office in 2011. That ne- than 75 billion cubic feet of water, mulate a unified counterterrorism best to use its term as African Un- glect cost Cairo its leadership posi- says the lessened flows because of strategy. ion president to strengthen the tion in Africa and economic oppor- the dam would devastate its farm- Nevertheless, Egyptian plans to Cairo country’s presence in Africa and tunities that could have resulted land and threaten its food security. maximise benefits during its Af- ease cooperation between African from better relations. That political When Cairo started lobbying rican Union presidency will face gyptian officials said they states. and economic vacuum was filled against the dam a few years ago, roadblocks, analysts said. The plan to use the presidency “Our ties with other African by regional adversaries Israel, Tur- not many African countries, espe- Egyptian plan to increase technical of the African Union next states move from strength to key and Qatar. cially those in the Nile basin, took support and economic assistance E year to move closer to other strength,” Madbouli said at a cabi- sides with Egypt against Ethiopia. to other African countries and raise African countries and resolve con- net meeting. “We will work for fur- Sharm el-Sheikh was chosen This could explain the enthusiasm exports to them are not simple flicts on the continent. The idea is ther improvements in the future.” in Cairo for the African Union pres- achievements, they added. to increase Egyptian investments He ordered the formation of a as the site for the Africa idency. Egyptian trade with African in African countries, raise techni- working group to prepare for a Investment Conference “The presidency is a good chance countries in 2017 amounted to $505 cal support and turn Egypt into a gathering of young Africans in December 7-9 to tout for our country to mend fences million, including $5 million in ex- meeting point for Africans in all southern Egypt next year. The investment opportunities in with other countries in the conti- ports to those states. fields, they said. group is to encourage Egyptian the continent. nent,” said Tarek Radwan, the head “When it comes to technical sup- “The African Union presidency is businessmen to invest in Africa. of the African Affairs Committee in port Egypt cannot match some re- a real chance for us to play a good Egypt invests about $10 billion in Egypt is also about to lose much the Egyptian parliament. “The fact gional or international players that role in increasing economic coop- other African countries. of its share of Nile River water be- is that Egypt has a lot to offer the have been gaining increased pres- eration among African countries, Sharm el-Sheikh was chosen as cause Ethiopia is nearing comple- continent and its peoples.” ence in the continent,” said Hassan resolving conflicts in the continent the site for the Africa Investment tion of the Grand Ethiopian Renais- Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Nafaa, a political science professor and also pushing African develop- Conference December 7-9 to tout sance Dam, planned to generate Shoukry said conflict resolution at Cairo University. “As for exports, ment projects forward,” said Egyp- investment opportunities in the electricity that would spur devel- would be a main issue on Egypt’s the same players are dominating tian Foreign Ministry spokesman continent. The view in Cairo is that opment in that country. African Union presidency agenda. African markets too, which means Ahmed Hafez. “Egypt will use all Africa has potential gigantic eco- The project is predicted to great- Egypt already has taken on a role that Egypt’s mission to get back to means at its disposal to make its nomic and political opportunities. ly reduce Egypt’s share of Nile wa- in resolving the conflict in will be far from easy.” presidency of the union a benefi- Egypt neglected ties with other ter. Egypt, which receives 55.5 bil- , helping Somalia deal with cial thing for all African countries.” African states under former Presi- lion cubic metres of water from the security challenges and getting Amr Emam is a Cairo-based Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa dent Hosni Mubarak, who was Nile each year and consumes more Sahel and Sahara militaries to for- contributor to The Arab Weekly. November 18, 2018 11 News & Analysis Jordan

Jordan remains vulnerable to ISIS but the fight is on

Mamoon Alabbasi Gearing up. Jordanian London special forces participate in ordan has been the site of a drill at King several terror attacks in the Abdullah II past two years, including Airbase in Amman, ones carried out by the Islam- J last May. ic State (ISIS), a trend that is likely (Reuters) to continue, observers warned. One reason for the threat of ter- rorism is the expected return of Jordanian militants who joined ISIS in Syria. “As ISIS continues to decline in both Syria and Iraq, we can expect foreign fighters to make their way back to their respective countries of origin. In the case of Jordan, 250 of them already have,” wrote Emily Przyborowski, a researcher at the American Foreign Policy Council in Washington, in the National Inter- est magazine. “These foreign fighters, equipped with the Islamic State’s corrosive ideology and armed with combat training and battlefield experience, will have the ability to recruit and mobilise vulnerable populations directly — or influence them through proxies and family connections,” she added. Przyborowski said the ISIS threat against Jordan has been over- looked. “The international com- munity has generally paid little attention to Jordan’s vulnerability, preferring to focus on dismantling (camp) by ensuring the right condi- gence officials said they foiled a ern Diplomacy website. sustainable and if it continues the Islamic State’s Syrian ‘cali- tions of their voluntary return to major ISIS attack targeting civilian Analysts warned that Jordan along this path, we should expect phate’ and fighting ISIS fighters their cities and towns,” Jordanian and military facilities. In August, a cannot rely only on counterterror- to see more terrorist attacks in Jor- headed to Europe,” she said. Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma- Jordanian police officer was killed ism measures and security help dan, which could undermine [King Jordanian officials warned that jed al-Qatarneh said in a statement. in an explosion at a public gather- from the United States if it wants to Abdullah II] and his regime.” the fight against ISIS is not over “Jordan supports the Russian plan ing. Authorities said the attackers defeat ISIS ideology. King Abdullah appears to be and the militant group may regain to create the conditions that allow supported ISIS even though they “Washington should be deeply aware that the war against ISIS strength if the conflict in Syria isn’t the emptying of the camp.” had “no organisational ties” to the concerned about the situation in must include an ideological dimen- resolved. Jordanian officials have por- group. Jordan. Our military assistance to sion. “Stabilisation in Syria is key, oth- trayed Syrian refugee camps as hot- In October, the former head of Jordan, no matter how robust, is “The greater jihad has nothing to erwise we will encounter some- beds for extremism but Jordanians counterterrorism in Jordan, Major- no substitute for the king’s need to do with the hate-filled fiction pro- thing worse than Daesh in the fu- themselves have not been immune General Habes al-Hanini, was killed connect with his people or to eradi- moted by the khawarej — the out- ture,” Jordanian Foreign Minister to radicalisation. The most serious in the city of Madaba, reportedly in cate the endemic corruption in the laws of Islam, such as Daesh and Ayman Safadi said in late October, terror attacks in the kingdom were a revenge attack by a Salafist jihad- country,” retired CIA officer Emile the like — or the Islamophobes who using an Arabic acronym for ISIS. carried out by Jordanian nationals. ist. Nakhleh wrote for the Cipher Brief also distort our religion,” he said Jordanian officials said they In December 2016, ISIS claimed Despite setbacks in battlefields in security website. November 14 while accepting the hope they would be able to send an attack on the popular tour- Iraq and Syria, ISIS recruiters have Nakhleh added that some US pol- 2018 Templeton Prize in Washing- Syrian refugees back home. It is ist destination of Karak Castle in remained active. icies are not helping Jordanian se- ton. engaged in discussions with the which seven policemen, two civil- Research out by the Internation- curity. “The apparent shrinking of “We are working, on every con- United States and Russia to evacu- ians and one Canadian tourist were al Centre for the Study of Violent the American diplomatic footprint tinent, to defend Islam against the ate a refugee camp that houses killed. On November 13, Jordan’s Extremism in Jordan “suggested in the Levant, including in Jordan, malignant sub-minority who abuse some 50,000 Syrians in the desert state security court sentenced ten the need to focus on Facebook, as coupled with Washington’s unwise our religion,” King Abdullah said. border area. people to prison terms of between many vulnerable youth have and rush to move the US Embassy to “Jordanian-US-Russian talks three years and life in connection continue to be contacted by ISIS via Jerusalem, is detrimental to Jordan Mamoon Alabbasi is Deputy have begun with the aim of finding to the Karak attack. Facebook,” wrote Anne Speckhard in the medium term,” he wrote. Managing Editor and Online a fundamental solution to Rukban In January, Jordanian intelli- and Ardian Shajkovci for the Mod- “The situation in Jordan is un- Editor of The Arab Weekly. Alleged assault, cancelled conference test freedom of speech in Jordan

Roufan Nahhas if the attack was real it should not “The decision was based on one have happened,” a member of Jor- word from my research paper that Amman dan’s parliament said on condition is a total of 18,000 words,” Amer of anonymity. was quoted in Jordanian media as he alleged kidnapping and The alledged attack came after a saying. torture of Younis Qandil, controversial cancellation of a con- Al-Ghad columnist Jamil Nimri the secretary-general of ference on contemporary religious said had it not been for Tahboub’s T the Believers Without Bor- narratives. Jordanian Interior Min- memo and the minister’s decision ders Centre for Research, has di- ister Samir Mubaidin banned the to cancel the conference, the event vided Jordan, a country that had conference after receiving a letter would have proceeded without in- maintained domestic tranquil- from Amman Third District Islam- cident. He also blamed social me- lity amid unrest in neighbouring ist MP Dima Tahboub, who said dia users for stirring trouble. countries. there were many complaints from The situation escalated with MP Some called on the government citizens regarding the event. Khalil Atiyah sending an official to punish those responsible for “There were many people ex- memo to Jordanian Prime Minister the attack but others labelled the pressing their anger through the Omar Razzaz stating that Qandil’s incident as “a mere stunt from an social media regarding the con- family had threatened him and Indian movie.” ference but again if the attack did others after the incident. Jordanian government officials happen and was evoked due to the Atiyah said he was surprised initially expressed support for conference then violence is defi- that a statement by Qandil’s fam- Divisive issue. An undated photo of Younis Qandil. (Twitter) Qandil but, on November 15, the nitely not the answer,” said Tah- ily accusing him and others with attorney general ordered Qandil boub. acts of terrorism and holding them jailed for 15 days because he sup- Masarat, the Palestinian Centre pointed out that Jordan had host- because one paper that was to be responsible for the supposed kid- posedly faked the abduction. for Policy Research & Strategic ed two conferences for the group presented at the conference was napping. He said the statement Qandil’s nephew was also arrested Studies, in cooperation with MWB, in the past. titled “People’s History of God’s threatened them with vengeance. in relation to the case. was planning the conference for MWB condemned the attack on Birth,” which many considered Outside Jordan, participants in Qandil was allegedly grabbed ideological enlightenment. Organ- Qandil, calling it “barbaric” and an attack on Islam. Muath Bani a seminar organised by Takamul from his car by three gunmen and isers expected 50 religious schol- attributing it to the cancellation of Amer, the paper’s author, said he Centre for Interdisciplinary Stud- taken to a forest where he was ars and researchers from Jordan the conference. received threats after the confer- ies in Marrakech rejected the at- stripped and his back slashed with and abroad to discuss various top- Jordanian Minister of Cul- ence was cancelled. tack on Qandil, who was supposed a knife with “Islam without bor- ics. On social media the confer- ture and Youth Mohammad Abu to take part in the event. ders” carved into his skin, media ence was branded as “blasphemy Rumman tweeted that he visited Participants issued a statement reports said. and contradict with the religious Qandil in the hospital and said saying that they fully supported “We, as a society, are against any values of the Jordanian society.” “the government refuses any form Some called on the Qandil and that the aim of the at- type of violence and, if the attack MWB issued a statement calling of violence or hate speech and government to punish those tack was to prevent Qandil from did happen as it was described in the cancellation an “unjustified that the government is waiting for responsible for the attack expressing and writing his views. the media, then we, as Jordanians, prohibition” and “a narrowing of more details to emerge from the but others labelled the are against it and no matter what the freedom of expression and the investigations.” incident as “a mere stunt Roufan Nahhas is a journalist is the reason behind [it], and again right of intellectual pluralism.” It Social media erupted with anger from an Indian movie.” based in Jordan. 12 November 18, 2018 News & Analysis Lebanon Landmark law gives hope to families of Lebanon’s war missing Samar Kadi “For the first time after the war, Lebanon enters a genuine reconciliation phase, to heal the Beirut wounds and give families the right to know,” Lebanese Foreign Minis- ecades after Lebanon’s ter Gebran Bassil said on Twitter. devastating 1975-90 civil It is unclear how many people war ended, parliament went missing in Lebanon’s war. D has passed a long-await- The government put the figure at ed law to determine the fate of 17,000 but activists say that num- thousands of missing and forcibly ber double counts many of the disappeared people and help give missing and that a more realistic answers to their families. estimate is approximately 8,000. “It is a crucial milestone, a great step forward in our struggle,” said Wadad Halwani, who heads the The law empowers an Committee of the Families of the independent commission Missing and Disappeared in Leba- to inquire about the non. “Finally, a positive devel- missing, collect DNA opment after 36 years (since the samples and exhume committee was established). The mass graves for law amounts to an official recogni- identification. tion of our right to know what hap- pened to our loved ones.” Halwani said the legislation Rights groups that have been had been in parliament since 2012 campaigning for justice for victims “Father of Sunnis.” Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri arrives for a news conference at undergoing reviews and amend- and their families applauded the his official residence in Beirut. (Dalati & Nohra/dpa) ments by committees. establishment of the inquiry com- “Six long years during which we mission. Other commissions were have been putting pressure on par- established by ministerial decree liamentarians and following up on in the 2000s but could not provide the processing of the draft. It is an answers for the families. essential step on the way to solu- “This is a positive step for thou- Deadlock in Lebanon sands of families to find closure,” tion, but it is not the solution. We will continue our struggle to en- the International Committee of sure the proper implementation of the Red Cross (ICRC) said in a the law,” she said. statement on Twitter. “We stand over representation of The law empowers an inde- ready to support the government pendent national commission to in the implementation of the law inquire about the missing, collect so that families can finally have DNA samples and exhume mass the answers they’ve long waited Sunnis in government graves from the conflict for iden- f o r.” tification. The ICRC has been compiling Under the legislation, those biological reference samples, to be Sami Moubayed Hariri cabinet will never see the him the “sixth Shia minister.” found responsible for forced dis- used to extract DNA samples, from light unless the “Sunni opposition” Another heavyweight is Abdul appearances could be punished relatives of the disappeared since is adequately represented. Rahim Mourad, 76, nicknamed with prison sentence of 15 years 2016 and has interviewed more Beirut This single demand has ob- “king of the Bekaa,” who served in and fines of 20 million Lebanese than 2,000 families to help the fu- structed the formation of the new numerous cabinet posts, including pounds (approximately $13,000). ture national commission. am the father of Sunnis,” Lebanese government for months, higher education and defence. He “The accountability part is not DNA samples have been stored boomed Lebanese Prime topped with a Hezbollah condition is the founder and chairman of the a demand of the families of the with the ICRC. The law allows Leb- “ Minister-designate Saad that Hariri re-establishes ties with Lebanese International University missing,” Halwani said. “We have anese security forces to take part IHariri on November 14, re- Syria. Hariri insists on caving in to and a good friend both of Iran and been repeating that we do not in sample collection and storage. plying to claims by Hezbollah that neither demand, saying: “Let them Syria. want revenge or punishment, tak- Amnesty International said, lo- he no longer solely represents Leb- find a prime minister other than Less prominent figures in the ing into consideration the particu- cal and international organisa- anese Sunnis. me.” “Sunni opposition” are Beirut MP lar situation in Lebanon. We only tions have identified sites of mass Hariri insists on giving no cabinet The Shias of Hezbollah hold Ali Taraboulsi, Bekaa MP Alwaleed want to know what happened to graves but authorities had refused seat to members of the Hezbollah- the industry and sports portfolios Sukariyeh, Dannieh MP Jihad al- them… If they are alive, where to protect these sites. backed “Sunni opposition,” who and will likely get the Ministry of Samad and Kassem Hashem, a den- are they? And if they are dead, we Halwani, whose husband has claim to have a parliamentary bloc Health and their allies in the Amal tist from southern Lebanon, a Hez- want their remains.” been missing since 1982, described of ten members of parliament. Movement have the ministries of bollah stronghold. The law on the missing was the law as “an achievement on the By norm, this entitles them to finance, agriculture and state de- Visibly absent from the bloc is Mi- passed by Lebanon’s first new par- way to a closure.” one or two seats in government. velopment. kati, who won four seats in Tripoli liament in nine years after Prime “If there is a real goodwill by the Hariri insists on giving them none, If they are so determined to bring last May, and Beiruti tycoon Fouad Minister-designate Saad Hariri politicians, I can say that we are however, saying that they have six, the Sunni opposition onboard, Makhzoumi, a political independ- spent five months struggling to almost halfway to a closure. How- not ten, seats in the chamber of Hariri said, then they ought to sur- ent. Both said that they refused to form a cabinet. Lebanon’s Nation- ever, in Lebanon you can have bad deputies, leaving Sunni represen- render one of their seats, rather join the opposition because it has al News Agency said lawmakers surprises but we are hopeful,” Hal- tation exclusively in the hands of than seek to accommodate them been labelled as “Sunni,” claiming approved the law after voting on wani said. his Future Movement. from his own parliamentary bloc. that they stand for all Lebanese each of its 38 articles. Lebanon has been rocked by a “I refuse to accept (accusations) The “Sunni opposition” is com- and not just Muslim Sunnis. Some lawmakers had protested, series of political crises in recent that Saad Hariri is triggering sec- posed of two heavyweights who Nasrallah insists on two Sunni saying calls for accountability may years, aggravated by the civil war tarian tension,” he said, referring say they have been sidelined by blocs in parliament, while saying affect current officials. They were in neighbouring Syria. to himself in third person, adding: the Hariri family, which swept the that he and Speaker Nabih Berri reassured that a post-war general The Syrian military presence “Our (Future) Movement is cross- Sunni street after Rafik Hariri’s rise will relinquish none of their Shia amnesty that pardoned crimes that followed the Lebanese civil sectarian.” to power in the early 1990s. Rafik seats. The Druze are represented during that conflict remains in war, a brief war with Israel, an His father, former Prime Min- Hariri’s charisma, leadership traits by two blocs, one led by Walid Jum- place. influx of refugees from Syria and ister Rafik Hariri, assassinated in and the wealth at his disposal made blatt and another by Emir Talal Ar- Many of Lebanon’s political par- protracted economic and political 2005, was universally regarded as a him an overnight star for Lebanese slan. The Shias are represented by ties are led by former warlords instability have pushed the issue heavyweight Sunni politician Sunnis. Hereditary political fami- two blocs, Amal and Hezbollah. implicated in the civil war’s worst of the missing to the bottom of the throughout the Arab world. lies such as the Salams, Bayhums, The Sunnis deserve two blocs, fighting. government’s agenda. Itanis and Karamis were forced Nasrallah claims, and will not rest to either line up after him or step until that is achieved. Otherwise, Nasrallah insists on two aside. they will refuse to join Hariri’s gov- Sunni blocs in One of the names challenging ernment, eventually forcing Hariri parliament, while saying Saad Hariri is Faisal Karami, 46, to either step down or go ahead that he and Speaker scion of a leading political family in with a weak one-colour cabinet. Nabih Berri will Tripoli. His grandfather, Abdul Ha- When they walked out on his gov- relinquish none of their mid Karami, was one of the cham- ernment in early 2011, it crashed Shia seats. pions of the anti-colonial struggle, — while he was in an Oval Office hailed as a founding father of Leba- meeting with US President Barak By appointing himself “father” non, who became prime minister Obama. Hariri doesn’t want that to of the community, Saad Hariri is in 1945. Both his children Rashid happen again. making claims to his father’s in- and Omar (Faisal’s father) rotated As to a possible link between the heritance in leadership of “Sunni as prime minister as well, before, Lebanese crisis and US sanctions Lebanon.” His opponents say he during and after the civil war. against Iran and Hezbollah, Hariri cannot monopolise the community Omar was prime minister when said: “There is true reality that and needs to accept power sharing Hariri was killed in 2005 and Rashid Lebanon will face against the back- with Sunnis who are not members was killed while in office when ground of US sanctions.” However, of his political orbit. His backers a bomb exploded in his helicop- he added: “Hezbollah is part of the see Hezbollah as trying to have its ter in 1987, planted by none other and we respect own Sunni political faction. than , a staunch ally that.” Hariri’s news conference came of Saad Hariri. In 2004, Hezbollah after a televised appearance by insisted on making Karami minis- Sami Moubayed is a Syrian Seeking closure. Women hold pictures of relatives who went Hezbollah Secretary-General Has- ter in the cabinet of Prime Minister historian and author of “Under the missing during Lebanon’s civil war during a protest in Beirut. san Nasrallah, who bluntly said the . His opponents called Black Flag” (IB Tauris, 2015). (Reuters) November 18, 2018 13 News & Analysis Palestine Israel Gaza avoids war but threat of flare-ups persists

The Arab Weekly staff

London

ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militant groups was largely hold- A ing in Gaza after a military escalation between the two sides threatened to develop into a full- blown war. However, it remains unknown how long the Egypt- sponsored deal will last amid Israe- li political infighting and instability in Gaza. The violence began November 11 when Israeli special forces con- ducted a covert operation inside Gaza, targeting “strategic facilities.” The operation was aborted when Hamas fighters engaged the Israeli infiltrators. Seven Palestinian mili- tants and an Israeli army officer were killed. Hamas fired more than 460 rock- ets and mortar rounds into south- ern Israel, wounding Israeli soldiers and civilians. Israel carried out air strikes against some 160 targets in Gaza, killing at least seven Palestin- ians. “If the situation escalates into a fully fledged armed conflict it would have a disastrous impact on the almost 2 million residents of Gaza, who are already living in dire conditions of poverty and depriva- tion of rights,” Saleh Higazi, deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty Interna- tional, warned in a statement. “Gaza is already on the brink of a A turning point. A Palestinian child stands in a destroyed building that was hit during an Israeli air strike in Gaza, on November 15. (DPA) humanitarian catastrophe, caused by the 11-year brutal and unlaw- ful blockade, and the devastation Lieberman resigned in protest of Is- three or four months,” reported Al- stated 74% of respondents said they parties have been negotiating di- caused wantonly by three previous raeli Prime Minister Binyamin Ne- Monitor website. were unhappy with Netanyahu’s rectly with Hamas. He believes armed conflicts. Another armed tanyahu’s “capitulating to terror” Israeli Education Minister Naftali handling of the situation in Gaza. that direct negotiations will only conflict risks accelerating the full by accepting a truce with Hamas Bennett, a member of the far-right Hamas’s ceasefire deal is likely to strengthen Hamas and earn it legiti- collapse of Gaza; that the UN has and by allowing Qatar to send $15 Jewish Home party, threatened to infuriate its rival Fatah, led by Pal- macy and popularity among Pales- already warned that Gaza would million in aid to Gaza. Lieberman withdraw his party from Netan- estinian President Mahmoud Ab- tinians.” become unliveable by 2020.” called for early elections, a request yahu’s coalition if he was not se- bas. The Palestinian Authority (PA), The Egyptian-brokered ceasefire rejected by Netanyahu’s Likud par- lected to replace Lieberman at the led by Abbas, may up the ante went into effect November 13 but ty. Defence Ministry. against Hamas and punish those the botched Israeli operation, or- The prospect of elections re- Netanyahu, however, said he The prospect of elections who are in Gaza. dered by Israeli Defence Minister mains, however, while Netanyahu’s would fill the defence post himself, remains while “The PA leader’s belief that he’s Avigdor Lieberman, disturbed UN right-wing coalition government in addition to being de facto foreign Netanyahu’s right-wing being marginalised may prompt efforts to foster a long-term truce struggles to keep itself together. Is- minister and health minister, a con- coalition government him to embark on more drastic between Hamas and Israel. raeli Finance Minister Moshe Kahl- solidation of power that is drawing struggles to keep itself measures, such as cutting all PA Prior to the operation, there were on, who is a coalition partner with increased criticism in Israel. together. funds to the Gaza Strip,” wrote Abu reports that Hamas had agreed to Netanyahu, requested new elec- Hamas welcomed Lieberman’s Toameh. prevent Gaza protesters from ap- tions to keep the economy on track. resignation as a “victory” for the “In recent weeks, Abbas’s insig- A deterioration in living stand- proaching the Israeli border in ex- “The resignation [of Lieberman] Islamist movement but there is no nificance has been accentuated by ards of Gazans because of punitive change for easing the Israeli-Egyp- throws Israeli politics into turmoil guarantee that Netanyahu, per- efforts made by Egypt, Qatar and economic measures by Abbas or tian blockade on the strip. In fact, and will almost certainly trigger ceived as weak by Israeli hardliners the United Nations to reach a truce Netanyahu’s use of the Israeli mili- the protests, known as the Great early elections. Netanyahu must over the ceasefire, won’t wage war between Hamas and Israel,” wrote tary as part of electioneering would March of Return, were already call elections by November 2019 at on Gaza to reclaim his hawkish im- Khaled Abu Toameh in the Jerusa- threaten the relative quiet that the winding down. the latest but the expectation now age ahead of elections. lem Post. besieged Palestinian enclave was One day after the Gaza ceasefire, is that they will be within the next A poll published November 15 “Abbas is furious that the three enjoying. Viewpoint Israel’s botched operation in Gaza comes with consequences

botched Israeli op- Strip with its attack team intact to the collapse of the coalition France, where he was pictured in eration 3km inside and withstand a small reaction of government and perhaps early the front row of commemorations Gaza resulted in both the firing of a limited number of elections. of the centenary of the Armistice Kamel Hawwash physical and political rockets from Gaza. It would then A week is a long time in politics. Day. On his return to Israel, he was casualties, the latter present itself as the victim of Pales- Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin met with images of Israeli citizens including Israeli De- tinian terror. Netanyahu started the week mak- burning tyres in protest of the fenceA Minister Avigdor Lieberman, It once again failed to account for ing a surprise official visit to Oman. decision to end the bombardment who resigned to protest what he the resilience of the Palestinians, Two other ministers followed of Gaza. This is a measure of the said was a lack of determination in particularly in the tiny besieged on open trips to the Gulf. Culture effect of the failed operation. the Israeli government to inflict a strip, into its risk assessment and Sport Minister Miri Regev Yet another truce appears to major blow on Hamas before the operation. Not only did visited the United Arab Emirates have been secured between Israel Lieberman also objected to the Palestinian groups fire back with and Transport Minister Yisrael Katz and the Palestinian groups in Gaza. transfer of $15 million, donated by nearly 400 rockets causing tens of attended a transport conference in This was met with celebrations in Qatar, to pay the salaries of Hamas- injuries, images of a bus carrying Oman. The Israeli flag was raised Gaza, which saw this and the res- employed public servants, which soldiers on the Israeli side of the in the United Arab Emirates and ignation of Lieberman as a victory the Palestinian Authority had fence that was targeted with appar- Qatar. for the Palestinian resistance. The refused to pay. ent ease made a mockery of Israel’s There were rumours of possible truce will bring relief to Israelis What started as a limited covert security provision. diplomatic relations being estab- in the neighbouring settlements, operation — Israeli media reported The Palestinian group behind lished between Bahrain and Israel. despite their protests. that members of the elite unit were that attack scored a public rela- A possible long-term truce with The Israeli operation showed disguised in women’s clothes — to tions victory because it refrained Hamas appeared to be near com- friendly Arab countries that abduct or assassinate a commander from firing until Israeli soldiers left pletion and plans were presented normalising relations with Israel in the armed wing of Hamas’ the bus, controlling the amount to create a sea route between Gaza would not encourage Israel to The Palestinian armed wing Ezzeldin al-Qassam of damage that could have been and Cypress, to ease the siege on engage in serious efforts for peace group behind that ended with seven Palestinian fight- inflicted — and possible conse- Gaza. with the Palestinians. Also, Israel ers dead. quences. The Americans were said to be will not go to the aid of Arab states attack scored a However, the Palestinians killed The incident was shown on readying themselves to reveal the in the unlikely event of an Iranian public relations the Israeli group’s commander and Hamas’s Al-Aqsa TV, which was Deal of the Century, US President strike against them. victory because it one of his companions. Israeli heli- targeted and its main building de- Donald Trump’s peace plan, in The messy operation should be copters scrambled to evacuate the molished by an Israeli strike. early December. a wake-up call for Arabs to review refrained from unit and Israeli jets destroyed the Far from inflicting a severe blow By the end of the week, Net- their strategies towards Israel. firing until Israeli vehicle they used for the operation on Hamas, Israel is at war with anyahu was back in Tel Aviv to close to the Gaza fence. itself, with Lieberman’s resignation deal with the fallout from the Kamel Hawwash is a British-based soldiers left the Israel thought it could conduct a and his calls for others to consider botched operation and the ensuing Palestinian university professor bus. limited operation, leave the Gaza their positions possibly leading violence. He cut short his visit to and writer. 14 November 18, 2018 Debate Turkey Ataturk vs Erdogan: Battle of the myths

in countries where a patrimonial per se are unacceptable. Given culture is deeply rooted and power the ultra-secular character of is transferred from one generation Ataturk, his statues are targets. Yavuz Baydar to the other. Ataturk is a myth to The doctrine of Turco-Islamism, millions and what Erdogan aspires fiercely endorsed by Erdogan, is to do is to enforce a myth about taking ever deeper root in society, himself, thereby eroding the other. which makes demythification of here’s nothing to sug- At the very least he hopes to make the founding father the natural gest when or even if the Ataturk myth secondary in the course. the acrimonious power collective mindset. However, it is a long battle and struggle in Turkey will Every year, November 10 marks it goes slowly. Out of the ashes of end. Even a minimal one of Turkey’s best-kept rituals. a 600-year-old empire, Ataturk sense of an end might Alarms are heard at 9.05am mark- built a state and a society in his Tdispel some of the mistrust among ing the time the “father” died in image. With resolve and a will sections of society. This moment, 1938. Individuals stop in their bordering on obstinacy, he built however, is defined by the ruling tracks in public spaces. Cars stop on shaky ground, for this was a Justice and Development Party’s moving. Leaders condole with society of groups glued to each divisive policies. They serve the nation. For a whole day, front other somewhat artificially on Turkish President Recep Tayyip pages and TV screens are embla- Turkishness. It was a society in Erdogan’s interests well. zoned with Ataturk’s image. which there was no space for a The present is also about the For Turkey’s other half — the minority. The backbone of the past. At one level, the differences majority of whom are Erdogan’s Turkish republic was a harsh form between secularists, Islamists, loyal voters — Ataturk’s death an- of secular dogma, which caused Kurds and the leftists reflect a niversary is generally a matter of long-term problems. major cleavage that cuts across indifference except that the 70th In its main features, Erdogan’s the country. Society is evenly split anniversary of Ataturk’s death was New Turkey will not be much dif- between those who respect, even marred by some incidents. ferent, it seems. He wants it badly revere Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, This November 10, more than in his own image — reflexive, divi- founder of the modern Turkish any other, the attitude manifested sive, opposed to Ataturk, its Sunni republic. The other half respects itself in a highly symbolic way. Ali identity utterly visible. Erdogan. For them, his misdeeds Ersoz, head of the Directorate of Erdogan also knows that he can are off limits, as endorsed by his Religious Affairs (Diyanet), visited only achieve his objective with the near total control of the Turkish a controversial, if marginal figure, help of extreme-right nationalists, media. known for what secularists regard whose sympathies for Ataturk are The more control Erdogan as libellous language against the overwhelmed in many ways by captures over the state’s key memory of Ataturk. This is a crime their Pan-Turkist mythology that institutions, the more superiority under Turkish law. goes deep into Central Asia. Atat- he claims over Ataturk, whom Diyanet has become, especially urk was opposed to that aspect. he blames for “the repression after the weakening of the Turk- It can be argued that Erdogan is of devout Sunnis.” Apparently, ish military, the most powerful skilfully working to merge two Erdogan envies Ataturk for the institution of tutelage in the ideologies — extreme Turkish na- popularity he enjoyed decades country. Ersoz had pictures taken tionalism and Turkish Islamism. after his death. with the man he was visiting and, Erdogan wants to rise on the For it is all about myth-making even though the visit took place back of the merger and be more the day before November 10, it successful and for much longer was remarkable enough to trigger than Ataturk. He may even hope The doctrine of Turco-Islamism, secularist outrage. to be the eternal leader of Turkey. fiercely endorsed by Erdogan, is Other incidents were noted Given the support of the conserva- around the country. In a province tive masses, he may succeed in taking ever deeper root in bordering Syria, a refugee at- this endeavour. society, which makes tacked a statue of Ataturk, as did a A story of envy. Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip demythification of the founding woman in western Anatolia. Erdogan leads a government meeting in Ankara Yavuz Baydar is a Turkish journal- It is no secret that in the eyes with a painting of Ataturk in the background, on ist and regular columnist for The father the natural course. of deeply devout Sunnis, statues October 25. (AP) Arab Weekly. No progress for the Kurds this year, only pain

edly,” he said, threatening military report by the Diyarbakir Chamber others join the ranks of graves of operations. Erdogan’s called Bar- of Human Rights Association stated the nameless. zani a “dog.” that in the first half of 2018, 51 Some Kurds call this fighting Nurcan Baysal The racist, nationalist and soldiers or police officers and 132 the “city wars” and others call it chauvinist rhetoric of Turkey’s armed militants died in the region. “the great war.” The question why leftist main opposition Republican On the eve of celebrations of the it happened is waiting to be an- People’s Party came as no surprise Kurdish new year (Newroz), the swered. The Kurds are angry. Their or the Kurds, it has been to Kurds. destruction of the statue of Kurdish hearts are broken. The heartbreak another difficult year in After the referendum, threats resistance symbol, Kawa the black- will be passed to following genera- all four parts of Kurdis- from Turkey, Iran and Iraq, the smith, in the centre of Afrin by tions and will lessen the possibility tan. deployment of Iraqi government the Turkey-backed Syrian groups of living together in peace. Developments in the troops on the border crossing with fuelled the anger of Kurds. November 1 was the second region following the Turkey, the Kurds’ loss of control Despite the pressures, tens of anniversary of the government’s FSeptember 25, 2017, independ- over the city of Kirkuk and its thousands turned out for Newroz appointment of administrators ence referendum called by Iraq’s oilfields reversed decades of gains. celebrations in cities across Turkey to take control of Kurdish cities, Kurdistan Regional Government They were, in some sense, the but the enthusiasm of the crowds most notably Diyarbakir, from their (KRG), are indications of what results of the divisions between was not like previous years. In the elected mayors. Kurds are living in would happen to the Kurds if they Kurds. Newroz speeches, speakers empha- the shadows of Turkish flags, tanks laid claim to sovereignty over their In January, Turkish forces and sised unity and solidarity but hopes and police. own lands. their Syrian Islamist rebel allies for an alliance of Kurdish parties in It is a life in which Kurdish civil Before the referendum, pro- initiated “Operation Olive Branch,” Turkey June’s general elections in society organisations have been government Turkish newspapers an offensive to seize the Kurdish- Turkey failed. closed, women’s organisations shut warned the region’s KRG President controlled northern Syrian district The Supreme Electoral Council down, Kurdish representatives Masoud Barzani: “You asked for it of Afrin. The Turkish media were relocated many polling stations imprisoned and cultural centres Barzani”; “Israel cannot save Bar- on duty again: “The Turkish nation in Kurdish cities, forcing ap- abolished. Kurdish street names zani”; “The referendum is invalid” backs you,” “Blessed be our holy proximately 170,000 voters to cast are changed to Turkish ones. Parts and “Let Barzani think about the war” and “We hit the traitors” ballots away from their own neigh- of cities are blocked by barricades aftermath.” screamed the headlines. bourhoods or hometowns. and even children’s tombstones are The Turkish Islamist daily Akit Afrin, a city of 1 million inhabit- The pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Demo- destroyed. published a cartoon of Barzani ants and refugees from elsewhere cratic Party passed the 10% election With or without central govern- beheaded. in Syria was captured and hundreds threshold and entered parliament ment-appointed administrators, the Turkish President Recep Tayyip of thousands of Kurds were forced but Erdogan’s presidential election will of Kurds is ignored. It does not Erdogan was furious, declaring the to leave their homes. Many people, victory deepened the desperation matter which country they live in. overwhelming vote for independ- including myself, who opposed the felt by Kurds. The imprisonment The story of the Kurds has not ence illegitimate. He warned he Afrin operation were taken into of experienced Kurdish politicians changed for a century. This is a would shut off a major pipeline custody and openly targeted by the weakened the influence of Kurdish story moulded by blood, cruelty, carrying oil from Iraqi Kurdish-con- media. parties and Kurdish people’s trust in agony and struggle. A century-old trolled areas to the Turkish coast. Nearly every day Turkish war- politics has declined dramatically. denial continues but we do not “We have the control over the planes took off from Diyarbakir In the last year, the demolition disappear just because they say we pipeline, let’s see to who they will to support the country’s forces in has almost ended of buildings dam- do not exist. sell the petrol to,” Erdogan roared. Syria. Dozens of Kurdish settle- aged in fighting between security “We may come one night unexpect- ments were declared military zones forces and Kurdish militants in the Nurcan Baysal is an activist in and off limits. Forest fires broke out winter of 2015-16. Turkey’s Public Diyarbakir. She worked for many in areas where the Turkish military Housing Development Agency has years on poverty, development With or without central fought the Kurdistan Workers’ built dozens of high-rise blocks in and migration in Kurdish areas for Party (PKK). the south-eastern cities of Cizre, the UN Development Programme. government-appointed Neither the death toll of soldiers Nusaybin, Diyarbakir, Yuksekova She has published four books in administrators, the will of Kurds nor of PKK fighters is known. Thus, and Sirnak. Turkish with Iletisim Publishers. we are left to count the funerals in Bodies continue to be found This article originally appeared at is ignored. It does not matter the region, though several bodies during construction. Some are sent ahvalnews.com. It is reprinted with which country they live in. may not have been recovered. A to forensics to be identified but permission. November 18, 2018 15 News & Analysis Iran Iran and US locked in public relations battle

Thomas Seibert Zarif used his Twitter account to release letters he said were from international pharmaceutical firms Istanbul informing their Iranian partners that they were ceasing shipments s US sanctions on Iran to Iran due to the sanctions. deepen, the Tehran gov- Tehran also rejected Trump’s ernment and the Trump accusations that it is trying to de- A administration are step- velop nuclear weapons. The IRNA ping up a public relations battle news agency said Iran’s ambassa- that involves bitter accusations dor to Vienna-based international of cutting medical supplies for ci- organisations, Kazem Gharibabadi, vilians and charges of spreading said the nuclear watchdog the In- “evil” throughout the Middle East. ternational Atomic Energy Agency US President Donald Trump, had again verified Iran’s commit- who pulled the United States out ment to the Joint Comprehensive of the international nuclear agree- Plan of Action, as the 2015 nuclear ment with Iran in May, unleashed a deal is formally known. barrage of sanctions against Iran’s The International Monetary oil, shipping and financial sectors. Fund forecast that the sanctions The move is aimed at forcing Teh- will cause Iran’s economy to con- ran to change its regional policies tract 1.5% this year and 3.6% next and to agree to stricter rules pre- year and the US administration venting the development of nu- said it will tighten the screws fur- clear weapons. ther. “We think the government Iran is portraying the sanctions is under real pressure and it’s our as inhumane while Washington is intention to squeeze them very painting a picture of an aggressive hard,” Trump’s national security regime that fans militancy abroad adviser, John Bolton, said. “As the and brutally suppresses dissent at British say, squeeze them until the home. Both sides focus on their pips squeak.” domestic audiences in the angry The Trump administration is Fuelling acrimony. Iranians walk past a building painted with anti-US graffiti in Tehran. (AFP) dispute, said Hasan Yalcin, direc- keen to highlight what it calls the tor of Strategic Studies at the Foun- “evil” approach by Tehran on re- dation for Political, Economic and gional affairs in the Middle East. Jawad Nasrallah, the son of Hez- executed 22 members of the Ahva- that suspects had been executed in Social Research, an Istanbul think- Nathan Sales, the US coordinator bollah Secretary-General Hassan zi Arab minority arrested for their secret. tank. for counterterrorism, said Tehran Nasrallah, to be a “global terror- suspected involvement in an at- “If confirmed, the secret execu- “Iran is selling anti-Americanism was spending nearly $1 billion a ist,” meaning any US-based assets tack on troops that killed 24 people tions of these men would be not at home, while Trump is selling an- year on Hezbollah in Lebanon and will be blocked and Americans in Ahvaz in Khuzestan province in only a crime under international ti-Iranianism at home,” Yalcin said. other militant organisations. “I’d will be forbidden from any trans- September. law but also an abhorrent violation He said he doubted that the effects be tempted to make a ‘Doctor Evil’ actions with him. In addition, the of their right to life and a complete of sanctions would be enough to reference if the stakes weren’t so US Treasury introduced sanctions mockery of justice, even by the shake the government in Tehran. high,” Sales said in a speech at the against four representatives of Iran is portraying the shocking standards of Iran’s judi- “The regime in Iran is very stable,” Washington Institute, referring to Hezbollah in Iraq. sanctions as inhumane cial system,” said Philip Luther, he said. “They have withstood 40 a movie villain. Iran also faces accusations of while Washington is Amnesty International’s research years of sanctions, things have al- “Who ultimately pays the price having hatched plots to kill dissi- painting a picture of an and advocacy director for the Mid- ways been bad” economically. of this support? The Iranian peo- dents in Denmark and France, at a aggressive regime that dle East and North Africa. Iranian Foreign Minister Mo- ple,” Sales said. “The resources time when Tehran needs EU sup- fans militancy abroad. Iran denied that the men were hammad Javad Zarif said the US Iran uses to fund its global terrorist port to keep its international trade executed. “This is an utterly false sanctions were meant “to starve campaign come directly out of the going despite Trump’s sanctions. The group Iran Human Rights report,” Khuzestan Governor the civilian population,” which pockets of ordinary Iranians. The Tehran’s domestic actions have Monitor said relatives were in- Gholamreza Shariati told IRNA. was a “crime against humanity. regime robs its own citizens to pay come under scrutiny as well. Ira- formed of the executions but au- Shariati said suspects accused of The United States said humani- its proxies abroad.” nian opposition groups and hu- thorities refused to hand over the involvement in the September at- tarian and medical supplies are Sales announced that the US man rights organisations say there bodies for burial. Amnesty Inter- tack had had the charges explained excluded from the sanctions but State Department had declared are reports that Iranian authorities national said activists reported to them. Viewpoint Iran is in survival mode. Here’s how we know

veryone must Eshaq Jahangiri warned against probably does not share Khame- a new dean for the Law Enforce- know that America the threat of “unemployment and nei’s view of Iran’s economy as ment University, a new engineer- is in decline and decline in purchasing power in the “blossoming” or independent but ing chief, a new head for Interpol doomed to col- era of new sanctions.” This analysis in his November 12 opinion article and a new Economics and Finance Ali Alfoneh “ lapse,” Iranian is publicly shared by Foreign Min- in the New York Times, Nasr ar- chief. In March, Ashtari appointed Supreme Leader ister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who gued: “The ruling circles in Tehran a new police chief in Greater Ali KhameneiE said in his response said: “I don’t have a good feeling already seem confident that the Tehran. He also made other lower- to the reimposition of US economic about the [rising] prices.” economy has absorbed much of the level appointments. sanctions against his country. The discrepancy between the shock of American sanctions.” The personnel changes are Iran on the other hand, he two points of view begs the ques- Iran’s Law Enforcement Force somewhat surprising because the claimed, has achieved “economic tion: Which assessment of Iran’s (LEF) appears to agree more with LEF’s performance during the independence” and boasts a “blos- economy to believe? Jahangiri’s and Zarif’s analyses unrest of the past year has been soming industry.” A week after Vali Nasr, dean of the Johns than with the assessments of professional and effective. As the Khamenei’s defiant November Hopkins School of Advanced In- Khamenei and Nasr. Changes with- Brandeis University’s Saeid Golkar 3 address, Iranian Vice-President ternational Studies in Washington, in the LEF are a good indicator. has pointed out: “Iranian police Improvement of the perfor- were well-organised, trained and mance of the LEF and personnel equipped.” changes indicate their risk analysis. Police did not overreact to the Since 2015, the LEF has been led by protests and did not escalate griev- Brigadier-General Hossein Ashtari, ances through excessive force. who previously served as the Some protesters were killed but Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps those incidents were in smaller (IRGC) counter-espionage chief. towns. In the major urban popula- On October 24, Brigadier-General tion centres, police contained the Ayoub Suleimani was promoted to protests with no loss of life. Golkar LEF deputy chief, which may mean correctly said the performance of he is eventually to replace Ashtari. the police was so good the regime Suleimani’s rise is the latest in a did not need to deploy the Basij series of personnel changes at the and IRGC forces. very highest levels of the LEF since The LEF personnel changes may December 2017. In January this be seen as further optimisation year, barely a month after bread of the Iranian police in anticipa- riots broke out in more than 80 tion of a deepening social crisis cities over Iran, Ashtari appointed in an Iran under the weight of US a new Plan and Programme chief, economic sanctions. Regardless of how forcefully Khamenei tries to communicate his message about The personnel Iran’s “blossoming” economy, the regime largely appears to be plan- changes are ning for the worst. somewhat surprising Iran has gone into survival mode because the LEF’s and one must expect increased policing as ordinary Iranians’ pur- performance during chasing power steadily declines. the unrest of the past Ali Alfoneh is a visiting scholar at Anticipating trouble. An Iranian police vehicle is seen parked outside a currency exchange shop in year has been the Arab Gulf States Institute in Tehran. (AFP) effective. Washington. 16 November 18, 2018 News & Analysis East West US sees ISIS dangerously morphing in Syria and Iraq

Thomas Frank the Democratic Party takes control of the US House of Representa- tives in January and scrutinises Washington the Trump administration’s Middle East policy. he Islamic State (ISIS) has In Iraq, ISIS has stopped conven- transformed into a danger- tional military operations and has ous insurgency in Iraq and “transitioned to an insurgency” T Syria since the terrorist operating along a crescent of terri- group was ousted from its strong- tory from Anbar province in west- holds in the two countries, a ma- ern Iraq to Diyala province just east jor report by the US government of Baghdad along the border with claims. Iran. ISIS has attacked Iraqi Secu- Although ISIS retains only pock- rity Forces (ISF), assassinated tribal ets of areas in Syria and has lost its leaders, mayors and village elders territory completely in Iraq, the and destroyed facilities that gener- group wages deadly insurgent at- ate and distribute electricity, the tacks in Iraq and functions as both report stated. an insurgency and a conventional “The attacks provoked popular military fighting the Damascus outrage, intimidated local popu- government in Syria, the report lations and undermined people’s said. confidence in the ISF,” the report “ISIS continued to move under- said. ISIS fighters in Iraq are mostly ground and solidify as an insur- Iraqi nationals and not foreign- gency in Iraq and Syria,” the report ers, which enables them to blend said, referring to the period from in with local populations and take July 1-September 30. “Despite the advantage of their familiarity with loss of almost all of its territory, the terrain, language and customs. terrorist organisation kept some of The report sharply criticised the its bureaucratic structures in place ISF, which the United States has and continued to raise funds. These been training since the overthrow operations, in combination with of Saddam Hussein in 2003 but concerns about both the ability of which remains disorganised, cor- Porous frontier. An Iraqi soldier stands guard near the city of Qaim at the Iraqi-Syrian border, on the Iraqi security forces to operate rupt and incapable of operating November 11. (AFP) without coalition support and the independently. The ISF is “years, if ongoing Syrian civil war, raised the not decades” from ending its reli- potential for an ISIS resurgence.” ance on the United States and other of pockets of territory in eastern when US national security adviser time the Trump administration The 130-page report was written countries assisting in gathering in- Syria and attack the US-backed Syr- John Bolton said the US troops linked US military deployment in by the US Defence Department’s in- telligence and conducting surveil- ian Democratic Forces. “Pockets of would not leave Syria “as long as Syria to Iran’s presence and it con- spector general office, which con- lance, the report said. opposition-held territory and gen- Iranian troops are outside Iranian tradicted repeated statements by ducts in-depth strategy reviews, The Iraqi military, including the eral chaos caused by the war gave borders and that includes Iranian the Defence Department that the and given to the US Congress. It ISF and militias that were created ISIS safe havens in areas beyond proxies and militias.” United States seeks only to defeat describes ISIS in ominous language to fight ISIS, “act with impunity” as the reach of the SDF,” the report Bolton’s statement was the first ISIS. that differs markedly from the en- they kill civilians in their effort to said. The conflicting messages raised thusiasm with which US President defeat ISIS. The US military plans ISIS capitalised on the recent In Iraq, ISIS has stopped questions about when US troops Donald Trump has characterised to remain in Iraq “as long as need- 2-month pause in fighting in north- would leave Syria — with the defeat the removal of ISIS from Iraq and ed” to achieve ISIS’s “enduring de- ern Syria to “recruit new members, conventional military of ISIS, the withdrawal of Iranian Syria by a coalition of 79 countries, feat,” the report said. gain resources and conduct at- operations and has forces or the end of Syria’s civil war. including the United States. In Syria, ISIS has taken advantage tacks,” the report said. “transitioned to an The report could become the ba- of the country’s instability and sec- The US strategy in Syria became insurgency” operating Thomas Frank is an Arab Weekly sis of congressional hearings when tarian divisions to maintain control more confusing in recent months along the border with Iran. correspondent in Washington. Viewpoint Retired four-star general named US envoy to Riyadh early two years into (the United Kingdom or , for war, Abizaid gave a speech at the takes over in January. his presidency, Don- example); the professional career Naval War College in which he said His appointment also represents ald Trump named an diplomat, who usually is assigned the main threat to the United States a demotion of sorts for presidential Mark Habeeb ambassador to one to less glamorous posts where remained jihadist groups such as son-in-law Jared Kushner, who of the United States’ regional expertise is needed (the al-Qaeda (the Islamic State was had established a close personal oldest allies in the case of most African countries); yet to form) and that the situation relationship with Saudi Crown NMiddle East, selecting retired US and highly respected individuals was similar to that in Europe in Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Army General John Abizaid to head who enjoy unique access to a broad the 1920s when Nazism and com- Abdulaziz and in many ways played the US Embassy in Riyadh. spectrum of Washington’s leaders. munism struggled to seize power the de facto role of US ambassador Broadly speaking, there are three The last is the type of US ambas- in Germany and Russia — and to the kingdom. Marc Lynch, a types of US ambassador: The presi- sador the Saudis have preferred ultimately succeeded. Middle East specialist at George dential friend or major campaign and Abizaid fits the category to a T. In a prescient comment that Washington University, tweeted donor who is rewarded with a post, Abizaid was appointed chief of could have been a warning about that Abizaid would be “unlikely to usually a cushy one (such as the the US Central Command (CENT- the Islamic State’s rise, Abizaid tolerate a Kushner backchannel.” Bahamas) or one in which the bilat- COM) in July 2003, following the said that Iraq’s greatest danger was eral relationship is deep and strong fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime in the Sunni insurgency in the four Iraq. As commander of CENTCOM, provinces of northern and central Abizaid’s nomination he was responsible for military Iraq. He said the struggle against al- strategy and joint operations in Qaeda was not “primarily military” to be US ambassador a 27-nation region, including the but rather “political, economic and to Saudi Arabia could Middle East, the Horn of Africa and ideological.” be a signal that the Central Asia. He retired from the In an appearance at Harvard’s post and from the military in Janu- Kennedy School of Government defence component of ary 2007, having served as head in 2006, he said “military power the bilateral of CENTCOM for longer than any solves only about 20% of your previous commander. problems in the region. The rest of relationship remains Abizaid’s nomination to be it needs to be diplomatic, economic of vital importance to US ambassador to Saudi Arabia and political.” the White House. could be a signal that the defence In a speech before the Washing- component of the bilateral relation- ton Centre for Strategic and Inter- Abizaid’s nomination will require ship remains of vital importance national Studies in 2007, Abizaid confirmation by the US Senate, to the White House. Abizaid, who encouraged the international com- which should come easily. The speaks Arabic, has cultivated close munity to join the United States Senate remains in Republican relationships with officials in the in pressuring Iran to “cease and control but, as a highly respected defence establishments of Saudi desist” its development of nuclear retired general, Abizaid is likely Arabia and other GCC countries. weapons. He added, however, that to enjoy broad bipartisan support. Prior to his CENTCOM command, America has the power “to deter However, senators from both par- Abizaid served with the Joint Iran should it become nuclear… ties are likely to use the hearing to Chiefs of Staff in several senior there are ways to live with a nu- raise questions about the US-Saudi positions, including director of clear Iran.” relationship. strategic plans and policy and from It is unclear whether Abizaid Abizaid was born into a Lebanese 1997-99 as commandant of the US took a public position on the Iran family in California; his grandpar- Military Academy at West Point, nuclear deal that was reached ents had immigrated to the United from which he graduated in 1973. under former President Barack States early in the 20th century. Abizaid studied Arabic at the Obama. In 2015, Abizaid was featured in University of Jordan and earned Abizaid’s nomination comes at a a documentary called “The Arab a master’s degree in Middle East delicate time in US-Saudi relations Americans.” Studies from Harvard University, because the fallout from the killing where his thesis was on Saudi de- of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Mark Habeeb is East-West Editor fence policy. He joined the US Army Istanbul continues and pressure to of The Arab Weekly and adjunct Back in the spotlight. A 2006 file picture shows the then commander as an infantry platoon leader and sanction Riyadh is likely to grow professor of Global Politics and of US forces in the Middle East, US Army General John Abizaid, rose through the ranks. when the Democratic Party-con- Security at Georgetown University visiting the King Abdullah Airbase in Amman. (AFP) In 2005, during the Iraqi civil trolled House of Representatives in Washington. November 18, 2018 17 News & Analysis East West Rising concerns over anti-Semitism in the West

Mamoon Alabbasi

London

here has been a rising con- cern about anti-Semitism in Europe and North Amer- T ica but some leaders who have condemned the hate crime have come under criticism for al- leged hypocrisy. French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said there has been a 69% rise in the number of anti-Semit- ic acts reported in the first nine months of 2018, compared to the same period last year. Philippe’s announcement coin- cided with the 80th anniversary of the Nazi attacks November 9, 1938, against Jews in Germany and , often referred to “Kristallnacht” — “the Night of Bro- ken Glass.” “Why recall, in 2018, such a pain- ful memory? Because we are very far from being finished with anti- Semitism,” Philippe wrote on Face- book. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier marked the occasion by warning against the rise of far-right groups, amid a “new, aggressive nationalism” that “conjures up an idyllic past that never existed.” Steinmeier’s comments were seen a veiled reference to Ger- many’s biggest opposition party in Rising concern. People hold banners and placards during a protest against fascism and anti-Semitism in New York, on November 10. parliament, the far-right anti-immi- (William Volcov) grant Alternative for Germany. Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen marked the Kristallnacht In , Warsaw Mayor Hanna Trudeau called on all citizens to tion of 76,000 French Jews to death gogue massacre,” wrote Mairav anniversary with a warning against Gronkiewicz-Waltz banned far- “stand up against xenophobic and camps.” Zonszein, a journalist who splits a repetition of history. “We must see right extremists from marching anti-Semitic attitudes that still exist Despite its rhetoric against anti- her time between the United States history as an example of where the on the 100th anniversary of the in our communities, in our schools Semitism, the coalition government and Israel, in Foreign Policy. “The politics of scapegoating, incitement country’s independence. “Warsaw and in our places of work.” in Austria includes members of the message seems to be that keeping and exclusion can lead,” he said. has suffered enough because of “Discrimination and violence far-right Freedom Party, whose list diaspora Jews safe comes second to “Let us be vigilant that degradation, aggressive nationalism,” she said. against Jewish people in Canada of founders included former Nazis. fawning over Trump.” persecution and the stripping away Gronkiewicz-Waltz said the main and around the world continue at In the United States, the Trump Israel’s right-wing government is of rights may never again be repeat- organiser of the march was the Na- an alarming rate,” he told parlia- administration has been accused of being viewed as accommodating to ed in our country or in Europe.” tional Radical Camp, a group that ment in a speech in which he apolo- being too soft on, if not tolerating, European anti-Semites. Jewish leaders expressed alarm has anti-Semitic roots. gised for Canada’s refusal to admit anti-Semitic views among its sup- “Aiming to counteract the EU’s over the apparent rise of hate senti- Jewish asylum seekers fleeing Nazi porters despite proclaiming to de- critical stance towards the continu- ments. Despite its rhetoric Germany before the start of the sec- fend the Jewish self-determination ing Israeli occupation of Palestine, “It would be impossible to mark ond world war. in its support of Israel. Netanyahu has formed coalitions this seminal event in Jewish his- against anti-Semitism, Far-right groups were not the Israel, which is one of the most with right-wing leaderships inter- tory without noting the frightening the coalition government only parties to receive criticism. vocal critics of anti-Semitism and nationally,” Merav Amir, a lecturer climate of anti-Semitism and xeno- in Austria includes French President Emmanuel Ma- names itself as the Jewish state, has of human geography at Queen’s phobia currently spreading across members of the far-right cron drew condemnation from been accused of being more hypo- University in Belfast, wrote in the Europe and the United States,” Freedom Party, whose French Jews after he praised Mar- critical than the United States in its Conveastion.com website. “He Ronald Lauder, president of the list of founders included shal Philippe Petain, who served stance towards attacks on Jews in therefore has embraced some of World Jewish Congress, told Agence former Nazis. France in the first world war but be- the West, particularly if they have the world’s bluntest anti-Semitic France-Presse. came a notorious Nazi collaborator been carried out by Islamist ex- leaders, including Viktor Orban of “The far right is gaining power at In October, 11 people were killed in the second world war. tremists. Hungary and Rodrigo Duterte of the an alarming speed and neo-Nazis in an anti-Semitic attack against “I am shocked by this state- “Unlike in France, where [Israeli Philippines.” are feeling emboldened to march a synagogue in Pittsburgh, Penn- ment by Macron,” Francis Kalifat, Prime Minister Binyamin] Netanya- “It is not only that the Israeli in the streets shouting hateful slurs sylvania, in the United States. In president of CRIF, a leading Jew- hu has repeatedly called for French leadership conflates criticism of and advocating the most dangerous neighbouring Canada, there was a ish organisation in France, told the Jews to leave for Israel in the wake Israel with anti-Semitism, it also brands of nationalism and hatred,” record number of anti-Semitic at- Associated Press. “Petain was the of terrorist attacks, there was no increasingly seems to have little to he added. tacks in 2017. Prime Minister Justin person who allowed the deporta- such call after the Pittsburgh syna- say when faced with the real thing.” Viewpoint Europe’s far-right plots and the reasons to worry

e are living in members of the Islamic State (ISIS). ranging from leprosy to tubercu- The violence in Chemnitz uncertain times Among the tens of thousands losis, accusations for which no exposed deep divisions over Chan- and when people seeking asylum were there po- evidence was produced. cellor Angela Merkel’s decision in Claude Salhani are uncertain tential terrorists? No doubt. That Extreme right-wing groups are 2015 to welcome almost 1 million, of their future is the job of security forces to de- becoming more visible in Europe. mostly Muslim, refugees. and that of their termine the legitimate from those At the same time, immigrants from In France, four men were Wchildren, two things are likely to with ill intentions, understanding North Africa and the Middle East charged in a far-right plot to unfold. First comes fear of the that not all refugees are potential are more visible on the streets of disrupt first world war 100th an- unknown and with that is triggered terrorists. Western European cities. Germany niversary events. the deep-rooted fear of “the other.” Europe is not alone in facing is believed to have taken in more These recent events point to the Political or economic uncertainty such a dilemma. US President than 1 million refugees between resilience of the hate narrative and typically lays the groundwork for Donald Trump called the caravan 2014 and the past year. Italy is not its dangerous ability of spreading extreme groups to recruit followers of South Americans seeking eco- far behind. even as the West lives through un- who are looking for answers. When nomic relief or escape from ruth- As the number of newcomers precedented peace and prosperity. individuals feel lost and that they less drug lords and their violence rises, changing the demographic The world celebrated the end of have no control of their lives, they an invasion as it headed towards landscape, right-wing groups are the first world war and the horrors are more easily swayed by people the United States. This despite using those changes to instil fear it brought. A hundred years may offering answers to their questions, that this so-called invasion has no and anger among their followers. seem like a very long time and we even if those answers are not the weapons, no munitions, no leader- In Germany, police detained risk forgetting the atrocities man correct ones. ship and no command structure. six people suspected of forming a inflicted on his fellow man in the As the number of Far-right groups, regardless of This caravan was mentioned on far-right militant organisation that name of defending himself from newcomers rises, their country of origin, use the Fox News, a network that supports assaulted foreigners and planned the other. same tactics — instilling fear — to Trump, no fewer than 21 times a attacks on politicians and civil Extremist ideologies pose a dan- changing the offer a security blanket in exchange day ahead of the midterm elec- servants, authorities said. ger to society. It does not matter if demographic for their support. tions. Immediately following the The men, aged 28-30, are ac- they originate in the East or West. landscape, right-wing Europe’s far-right groups ped- elections, that number dropped to cused of forming “Revolution As the war on ISIS continues, the dled fear mongering over the Mid- one. Coincidence? Chemnitz,” a subversive organisa- importance of the war against the groups are using dle Eastern and African immigrants Trump and his fellow right- tion named after the city where extreme right-wingers should not those changes to instil heading towards Western Europe wingers depicted the caravan of the fatal stabbing of a German be minimised. by the shipload. Europe’s right- South American asylum seekers man in August was blamed on im- fear and anger among wingers lost no time in portraying as killers, rapists, drug barons migrants and prompted the worst Claude Salhani is a regular their followers. the refugees as Islamist sleepers, as and people infected with diseases far-right violence in decades. columnist for The Arab Weekly. 18 November 18, 2018 Economy

Abu Dhabi’s oil Briefs Emirates Airline ambitions on half-year profit slides 86% on display at ADIPEC oil hike

Faith Salama ment Company to explore poten- Emirates Airline reported an 86% tial global growth opportunities. drop in its half-year profits due to a Mubadala will build off its portfolio hike in oil prices, the company said Abu Dhabi of refining and petrochemicals as- in a statement. sets and support ADNOC’s inter- The flag carrier, one of the bu Dhabi hit an oil and national Downstream investment largest airlines in the world, said its gas bonanza with the ambitions. profit from April 1 to September 30 emirate’s national oil ADNOC and Mubadala will ex- was also affected by unfavourable A company signing major plore the potential of processing currency movements and other deals and concessions aimed at bol- crude oil and other hydrocarbons challenges. stering its output and efficiency. supplied by ADNOC, as well as The 21st Abu Dhabi International utilising technologies owned by (Agence France-Presse) Petroleum Exhibition and Confer- Mubadala with product offtake by ence (ADIPEC), November 12-15, in- other ADNOC companies. cluded more than 10,000 delegates The end-to-end investment mod- and 2,200 exhibitors from around el will allow the United Arab Emir- Lebanon approves the world. ates to ensure long-term security of Spanish firm Tecnicas Reunidas its hydrocarbon resources and cap- extra-budgetary was awarded one of the biggest ture margin along the value chain. deals, a $1.4 billion contract with ADNOC signed a preliminary fuel spending the Abu Dhabi National Oil Compa- agreement with the Indian Strate- Lebanon’s parliament approved ny (ADNOC) to expand its Bu Hasa gic Petroleum Reserves (ISPRL) to more than $400 million in extra- oil field, 200km south of Abu Dhabi, explore the possibility of storing its budgetary spending on power sta- as part of plans to boost output to crude at the firm’s underground oil tion fuel, avoiding a new electricity 5 million barrels of oil per day by storage facilities in India. supply crisis but adding to a gaping 2030. ISPRL, an Indian government- budget deficit. The expansion is expected to raise owned company that stores emer- With no sign of a final deal to the crude output capacity of Abu gency crude supplies, has ap- form a national unity government Dhabi’s largest onshore field 18% to proximately 17 million barrels of led by Prime Minister-designate 650,000 bpd by 2020, the company oil capacity divided into four com- Saad Hariri six months after elec- said. The Spanish firm is to finish partments at its Padur facility in tions, parliament convened in a the project within 39 months for op- south-western India, ADNOC said in 2-day legislative session to process erator ADNOC Onshore, a subsidi- a statement. Under the agreement, urgent laws. ary of the state producer. ADNOC could store crude in two of the compartments at Padur. (Reuters) ADIPEC 2018 included “India is an important oil market and this agreement underscores Visionary aspirations. Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh more than 80 ministers, the strategic energy partnership CEOs and global oil and Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan (2nd L) visits ADIPEC between the UAE and India, which in Abu Dhabi, on November 14. (WAM) Algeria shelves gas business leaders for leverages the UAE’s and ADNOC’s four days of activities expertise and oil resources,” Jaber subsidy reforms focused on energy noted. technological and operational ex- also transition to net exporter of challenges and the “It is our firm hope that we will pertise of two of the world’s leading gas,” Jaber said. before presidential hydrocarbon landscape. be able to convert this framework national oil companies,” he said. ADIPEC 2018 included more than agreement into a new mutually ADNOC awarded Italian Eni a 25% 80 ministers, CEOs and global oil elections The upgrade and expansion of Bu beneficial partnership that will stake in a multibillion-dollar gas and gas business leaders for four Hasa is a key step towards meeting create opportunities for ADNOC to concession, the first ultra-sour gas days of activities focused on energy Algeria is backtracking on some ADNOC’s 2030 smart growth strat- increase deliveries of high-quality offshore project since the Emirates challenges and the hydrocarbon economic reforms such as cutting egy of increasing crude oil produc- crude oil to India’s expanding en- announced a $132 billion plan to landscape. costly subsidies as the country tion and reducing costs, Emirati of- ergy market.” achieve self-sufficiency. Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh wants to minimise the risk of pro- ficials noted. On the gas side of the industry, The Ghasha Concession, with a Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan tests before presidential elections “This significant investment in ADNOC secured large deals with 40-year term, consists of the Hail, said the conference helped the UAE next year, according to the budget the Bu Hasa field will enable pro- Saudi ARAMCO to collaborate in the Ghasha, Dalma and other offshore strengthen its position as a destina- data and experts. duction capacity to be increased natural gas and liquefied natural gas fields. Eni will contribute 25% of the tion hub for talks on energy, oil and The oil producer country had and generate additional value,” said (LNG) sector. development cost of the multibil- gas. said at the start of the year subsi- UAE Minister of State and ADNOC Jaber said increased coopera- lion-dollar project, ADNOC said in a “The UAE will continue to invest dies for fuel and other products Group CEO Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber. tion between ADNOC and the Saudi statement. its oil and gas resources in the best would be lowered from 2019 to rein “We are on track to meet our pro- state oil company was expected to “Development of our Hail, Gha- interests of the country and that in spending following a fall in oil duction capacity target of 3.5 mil- yield greater energy security and sha and Dalma ultra-sour gas off- was part of economic diversifica- revenues from 2014 to 2017. It gave lion barrels of oil per day by the end long-term economic prosperity for shore resources, at commercial tion efforts to secure a prosperous no specifics. of this year and, as we look beyond both countries. rates, will make a significant con- future for the next generation,” he But its draft budget for next year that, to 4 million barrels per day by “This agreement will ensure that tribution towards delivering that said. includes a 7 percent increase in the end of 2020.” we are well-positioned to secure strategic imperative and bringing subsidy spending, accounting for ADNOC signed a framework greater returns from global LNG forward the day when the UAE will Faith Salama is a Lebanese 21 percent of the budget. The rise agreement with Mubadala Invest- demand growth by combining the not only be self-sufficient in gas but journalist. will be used to subsidise basic food items including milk and cereals as well as housing, officials say. Egypt struggles with bloated public sector (Reuters)

Amr Emam the government sector, a ratio of 1 reduce the pupil/classroom ratio. of public workers, however, could civil servant to every 17.8 citizens. The government’s plan is to be dangerous, economists said. If South Sudan plans The size of the public sector is reduce the number of its work- the government stops hiring work- Cairo very costly for Egypt, which speci- ers by 38% within ten years. ers, unemployment — and poverty for new capital in fied $13.4 billion to civil service Saeed said this would be achieved — could rise, they said. he Egyptian government salaries in the overall $56 billion with hundreds of thousands of In the second quarter of the cur- former game park plans to reduce the number 2017-18 budget. public sector workers reaching the rent fiscal year, the unemployment of workers in the bloated Together with foreign debt ser- retirement age of 60 and a freeze on rate was 9.9% and almost 27.8% of South Sudan is planning to T public sector as part of vices, expenditure on the pub- public sector hiring. the population were listed as poor construct a new state capital in a structural reforms requested by lic sector leaves little money for The government’s plan to re- in 2015, the most recent poverty central location in what was a wild- the International Monetary Fund health, education and develop- duce the size of the public sector data available. life park, a move that officials say (IMF). ment plans. coincides with national efforts to Saeed said the government will make the seat of government The reforms, the government In November 2016, Egypt signed mechanise essential services pro- would encourage the private sec- more accessible to the people, the said, are necessary to speed up an agreement with the IMF for a $12 vided the public, including the is- tor to increase its investments. government said. work at its offices, which would billion loan over three years. The suance of official documents, driv- “We will also work hard to attract The new capital, to be named reflect positively on Egypt’s ability loan provisions require the govern- ing licences and the distribution of more foreign direct investments,” Ramciel, will be in Lakes State in to attract foreign investments and ment to initiate radical structural subsidised commodities. she added. an area that was previously a rhino create jobs. reforms in the public sector to re- There is a massive support to re- Total dependence on the private sanctuary. The land is uninhabited “The fact is that we do not need duce spending and to make offices duce the size of the public sector in sector in job creation would be far and lacks basic infrastructure, such all these civil servants,” Egyptian more efficient. parliament. The plan, lawmakers from enough to solve Egypt’s un- as roads and electricity. Minister of Planning and Adminis- Egyptian President Abdel Fat- said, was very important for Egypt employment problem, economists Initial planning for the project is trative Reform Hala al-Saeed said. tah al-Sisi complained many times to cut spending, address its finan- said. The country needs to create being funded by approximately $5 “The presence of too many workers about the heavy burden of the civil cial problems and put the govern- approximately 800,000 jobs every million from Morocco and will be in the civil service sector impedes, servants’ salaries. In May, Sisi said ment sector on track. year. carried out by South Korea. Moroc- not accelerates, work.” work done by the 5.6 million civil “The government has no other “Reducing the number of gov- can and South Korean engineers The government was the larg- servants could be performed by options,” said Amr al-Gohari, the ernment workers cannot be a good were expected soon to mark out est employer in Egypt for decades. fewer than 20% of that number of deputy head of the Economic solution,” said Mukhtar al-Sharif, areas for roads, utilities, markets, Most university and high school workers. He suggested the govern- Committee in the House of Depu- an economics professor at Man- residential areas and key govern- graduates were assured employ- ment cancel an expected pay rise ties. “We spend too much on the soura University. “The private sec- ment installations. ment in government offices, swell- for the government workers and public sector without a real eco- tor will never be able to employ ing the public sector. Approximate- channel the money for the con- nomic return.” this huge number of people every (Associated Press) ly 5.6 million Egyptians work for struction of 250,000 classrooms to The plan to reduce the number year.” November 18, 2018 19 Debate Energy

Riyadh and OPEC likely to ignore Trump’s entreaties and tighten supplies

per barrel. Saudi Moscow hiked production levels Arabia can to as high as 11.4 million bpd and Jareer Elass Saudi Arabia recently ramped up point to its output to 10.7 million bpd. At heightened the same time, however, US oil has been flooding the markets, with US il markets are being US crude output reaching a record 11.6 mil- hammered over flows and lion bpd. fears of oversupply, Riyadh and its producer allies softening demand the may not have welcomed the timing and — once again — waivers as of increased US production but they a dustup between prime were even more displeased with US President Don- the Trump administration’s grant- Oald Trump and OPEC is contribut- factors for ing waivers to eight of Iran’s crude ing to the price volatility. the oil customers — China, India, Greece, Though Trump has routinely Italy, Taiwan, Japan, Turkey and chastised and threatened OPEC glut that South Korea. because of his claim the cartel is has driven The exemptions allow the buyers deliberately pushing oil prices up, down to purchase Iranian oil with the pro- this time his rhetoric may be falling viso that they work towards reduc- on deaf ears. Riyadh and others prices. ing those imports to zero. China, may decide to put their interests India and South Korea collectively ahead of Trump’s after concluding are able to purchase as much as that US actions have supported the 860,000 bpd from Iran under the sudden supply glut. Troubled waters. A fisherman pulls in his net as an oil tanker docks at the port in the waiver. What set Trump off in his latest Saudi city of Duba. (Reuters) Saudi Arabia, which has whole- go-around with OPEC was a tech- heartedly backed the reintroduc- nical meeting in Abu Dhabi that tion of US sanctions on its Gulf considered oil market conditions The JMMC noted that “the damp- ing a million barrels [per day].” nemesis and actively worked for and expectations and an announce- ening of global economic growth The OPEC+ alliance has been months to blunt the anticipated loss ment by Saudi Oil Minister Khalid prospects, in addition to associated cooperating for two years on adjust- of Iranian barrels from markets, can al-Falih on the sidelines of the uncertainties, could have reper- ing production levels to prevent point to heightened US crude flows gathering. cussions for global oil demand in escalated oil prices that could dam- and the waivers as prime factors for Going into a November 11 joint 2019” and indicated that “new 2019 age the global economy or, on the the oil glut that has driven down ministerial monitoring committee production adjustments” may be flip side, correct a price collapse. prices. (JMMC) meeting in Abu Dhabi, the needed. Falih publicly stated that The stage seems set for the alliance Riyadh appears prepared to coun- OPEC+ alliance, which includes Saudi Arabia would reduce its oil to agree to a 1 million bpd cut when ter that excess with its own produc- OPEC members and a handful of exports by 500,000 barrels per day they meet December 6 in Vienna tion cut first and then coordinating independent producers led by (bpd) in December. to determine production levels for with its OPEC+ allies to ensure that Russia, had been concerned about The outcome of the JMMC 2019. prices recover. a price collapse and was digesting meeting and Riyadh’s decision to Riyadh was pressed by the Trump Speaking at the ADIPEC confer- revised demand forecasts. OPEC cut output seemingly prompted administration earlier this year to ence, Falih said that before US sanc- has, for the fourth consecutive Trump’s tweet: “Hopefully, Saudi boost output ahead of the expected tions were imposed on Tehran “fear month, downgraded estimates for Arabia and OPEC will not be cutting loss of Iranian oil when US sanc- and anxiety gripped the market,” global energy demand for this year production. Oil prices should be tions on the Iranian oil sector were referring to uncertainty about the and 2019. much lower based on supply!” to go into effect and to help ensure size of lost Iranian supplies that Oil prices have stumbled about That same day, Falih, speaking at that US petrol prices weren’t rising helped push up prices. Now, he 20% from 4-year highs in early Oc- the Abu Dhabi Petroleum Exhibi- ahead of the US midterm elections. said, “we’re seeing the pendulum tober with prices of US benchmark tion and Conference (ADIPEC), said Saudi Arabia and Russia reportedly swing violently to the other side.” crude West Texas Intermediate and that OPEC’s technical analysis sug- reached a private bilateral agree- UK benchmark crude Brent falling gested “there will need to be a re- ment to raise output levels from Jareer Elass reports from to less than $60 and $70 a barrel, duction of supply from [the OPEC+ September-December as the price Washington on energy issues for respectively, on November 13. alliance’s] October levels approach- of Brent was edging towards $80 The Arab Weekly. Iran’s oil manoeuvres cannot stop the economy from shrinking

eight countries buying Iranian oil. Intelligence Unit (EIU) in London exacerbate the impact of predicted “The “I don’t think he [US President projected contraction of 4.6% in negative growth after 2017-18.” general Donald Trump] wanted $100 [a the fiscal year ending March 2019 “The general perception is the Gareth Smyth barrel] oil,” quipped BP CEO Robert with a further 3.9% reduction in inflation is more than 50%,” said an perception Dudley. 2019-20 (with global growth of Iranian professor. “Everyone I talk is the Trump’s concern that too 3% and 2.7%). This is based on its to, both in rural areas and cities, dramatic a cut in Iranian exports estimate that Iran’s oil exports will whether poor or rich, mentions he Iran Energy Ex- inflation would raise US gasoline prices and fall to just more than 1 million bpd high inflation. One friend told me change (IRENEX) is is more his call for Saudi Arabia to boost from a peak of 2.6 million bpd in yesterday that oranges had gone up one way sanctions-hit than production helped produce the April. threefold and meat by 40% in the Iran will now sell oil. inconclusive outcome of the early The EIU said relaxed fiscal past month. They’re nervous and Set up in 2013 in the 50%,” said November meeting of oil producers management — with the deficit-ex- disappointed. They blame both face of multilateral in- an Iranian in Abu Dhabi. An interim measure panding from 1.8% of GDP in 2017- Trump and the Iranian authori- ternational sanctions, to steady prices was announced 18 to average 2.8% from 2018-19 ties.” TIRENEX was dormant for four professor. at the meeting with Saudi Arabia to 2022-23 — will limit unemploy- years. On October 28, it revived saying it would reduce supply by ment to the current rate of around Gareth Smyth is a regular with the sale of 280,000 barrels of 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) in 13%. Government leeway will be contributor to The Arab Weekly. He light crude and then 700,000 on December because of “seasonal” greatest in a state-run sector such has reported from the Middle East November 11. The private buyers factors. as autos, which accounts for 4% of since 1992. will look to export and more sales Even if oil prices recover, Iran is all jobs. will follow. engaged in damage limitation. The Renault and PSA Group, which The main reason for selling European Union and Russia stress owns Peugeot and Citroen, sus- through IRENEX is that batches of their commitment to continue pended involvement in Iran since ‘Sultan of Coins’ as little as 35,000 barrels will be trade. The European Union has for the United States left the nuclear harder for the US Treasury to track. months discussed establishing a deal. Remembering international Gareth Smyth Washington is monitoring Iran’s oil special purpose vehicle (SPV) that sanctions of 2012-16, when an- exports after it introduced energy analysts suggest might save 20% of nual car production fell from sanctions following the US with- business. 1.42 million to 625,000, Iran may ahid Mazloumin, one drawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear “The SPV will have little effect on encourage Chinese participation to of two Iranian currency deal. Iran’s overall economy, although it maintain output near the current dealers hanged November Analysts doubt whether private will help in some sectors, includ- 1.6 million. China’s market share is V 14, was dubbed “Sultan Iranian buyers have the expertise ing food and medicines,” said Sir 15%, up from 3% in 2011. of Coins” by the Iranian media. to trade oil internationally. There is Richard Dalton, British ambassador However, loosening the fiscal Mazloumin was reportedly found the risk that inducements to mid- in Tehran 2003-07. “It should have reins will fuel inflation, which the with 2 tonnes of gold coins, which dle men may increase politically a political effect in protecting the EIU said will rise from 17.8% in are favoured by poorer Iranians in sensitive incidents of corruption: JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan 2018-19 to 38% in 2019-20. Imports uncertain times and whose value two of five individuals given death of Action — the Iran nuclear deal) will be more expensive as the rial has spiralled this year as the rial sentences by “economic courts” and may turn out to be significant tumbles from 48,000 to the US dol- tumbled. have been hanged. in a long-term reduction of the use lar to 62,000 in 2018-19 and 66,000 The death sentences were im- Saeid Khoshrou, director of inter- of the dollar in international trade.” in 2019-20. posed by one of the “special eco- national affairs of the National Ira- There will be a greater economic This suggests unrest is less likely nomic courts” set up in July and nian Oil Company, denied Iran will effect of Russia’s plan to buy or bar- to be triggered by unemployment condemned by human rights or- offer discounts, although payment ter Iranian oil to use domestically than by those in jobs but struggling ganisations. The day after the exe- terms have been relaxed whether while exporting more of its own oil to make ends meet. Iranian Presi- cutions, many Tehran newspapers oil is sold through IRENEX or not. to lucrative foreign markets. The dent Hassan Rohani’s government proclaimed a “clear message” of Iran’s oil sales, which, as tallied US Energy Information Administra- eased off plans to better target or deterrence while splashing front- by OPEC, represent 12% of GDP, are tion suggested Russian oil produc- even phase out the state’s cash page pictures of Mazloumin and an subject to many factors. The fall tion could reach 12 million bpd in handouts intended to replace sub- interview he gave in prison. in oil prices since the US sanctions the second quarter of 2019, up from sidies on everyday items. However, Three others condemned to took effect reflects a sense that an already rising 11.2 million bpd. as the World Bank recently noted: death by special economic courts Washington was relatively lenient None of this will stop the Iranian “The falling real value of cash have appealed the convictions. in granting 6-month waivers to economy shrinking. The Economist transfers due to inflation may… 20 November 18, 2018 Society Environment Africa and the Arab world are key to a clean-coal alliance

Geoff Hill Vital issue. A farmer drives a Johannesburg tractor through haring technology on clean smoke at a coal, Polish Deputy Foreign paddy field Minister Marek Magierowski near a road S says, “lies at the heart of our leading to relations with India.” Cairo. He made the comment on a re- (Reuters) cent visit to New Delhi. Like many in Africa and Asia, both Poland and India get most of their electrical power from fossil fuel. Egypt is building a clean-coal plant run with expertise from Chi- na. Iran and the United Arab Emir- ates are doing likewise and Japan and the United States have consid- ered pooling research. Australia and South Africa are leaders in carbon capture and a cleaner burn and Colombia, which has one of the world’s largest coal mines, is helping Latin America along the same path. So why isn’t there a clean-coal al- liance? “We need a global sharing of re- search and the climate change sum- mit in Poland next month could be where it happens,” said Samson Bada, a Nigerian engineer at Witwa- tersrand University (Wits) in Johan- nesburg. of the time and there has to be a “When you have no job and live must kick it off. ates all have clean-coal plants on Bada said the cost of electric- baseload, topped up with renewa- in a shack without electricity and At the United States Energy As- the drawing board or under way. ity has become a political issue bles,” she said. your family is always hungry, you sociation, a grouping of public and The World Bank refuses to fund around the globe “and a lack of However, she added, any asso- don’t talk about climate change. private energy-related organisa- anything using oil, gas or coal but power comes up at every election ciation must include all continents. You worry about the next meal, not tions, executive director Barry Wor- hundreds of projects across the right across the developing world.” “People forget that Tanzania has 4 the next 50 years,” Masiala said. thington said it was also a matter of globe have been funded by China, Economies in Asia, Africa and the billion tonnes of coal or Colombia The idea of an alliance is not new. politics. “Energy is tricky,” he said. India or the private sector. Middle East “will not stop using with its huge open-cut mines. Af- Indian Coal Minister Piyush Goyal, “We’ve seen how oil has been World Bank President, Jim Yong fossil fuel, no matter what activists rica, Asia and Latin America must for instance, has been hinting at used as a weapon in wars across the Kim admits he’s getting pushback. in New York or London may say so all be part of the mix.” it for years. “We must share tech- Middle East but gas is just as vital Leaders in Africa, he said, com- the task is to make it cleaner,” Bada nology for clean coal because this during the winter in countries like plained that the World Bank would said. will be the mainstay in India’s fuel Finland or Ukraine. For now, they not let them “have baseload power Rosemary Falcon, a recently re- Egypt, Oman, Iran, mix,” he said at a meeting in Japan rely on a Russian pipeline and this because we can’t use a single drop tired professor in charge of clean- Jordan and the United Arab in 2015. is a huge factor in their relations of fossil fuel for our own energy coal research at Wits, said an “alli- Emirates all have clean-coal US Secretary for Energy Rick Per- with Moscow,” Worthington said. needs.” ance is crucial and it would need to plants on the drawing board ry spoke about it on a visit to Cape Taiwan has the world’s largest “I can tell you, when I hear that, cover oil, gas and coal because all or under way. Town in 2017, saying the supply of clean-coal plant, he said, “so how it’s compelling to me,” he said. these put off smoke if you don’t use electricity across the developing do you put them at the same table However, he and International them properly and there’s an over- world was not just a social issue but as China?” Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing lap in the chemistry. Despite its huge oil reserves, she “a matter of national security for One could say the same about Director Christine Lagarde ruled “How can anyone suggest a poor said the Arab world relied on a mix the United States.” Turkey and Saudi Arabia or the out any change though the United country without the technology for electricity including gas and Perry said that without power, United States and North Korea. States, the largest donor to the should be left to pollute the air with coal. “Even so, it’s a voice that’s of- poor countries were unable to in- He said this made it vital to set World Bank and IMF, has made coal or gas when we know how to ten left out,” Falcon said. dustrialise, leading to “poverty and up an alliance that was politically clear it wants an end to the ban. burn it cleanly? Obviously, this is “I’m passionate about the envi- a lack of jobs that drives young peo- neutral. something we must share with eve- ronment,” said Jacob Masiala, like ple to join militia.” “Emissions blowing south from ryone.” Bada, one of Falcon’s former stu- It was a factor, he said, in the war Pakistan don’t stop when they Africa is often dismissed Falcon said the 24th Session of dents at Wits, “but those who want on terror. reach the border with India. “Ide- as a bit player but, for a the Conference of the Parties — to see an end to fossil fuel need to So why no treaty? Could it hap- ally, there must be space for every- clean-coal alliance, it COP24 — scheduled for December spend more time on the ground in pen in Poland, home to one of the one at the table,” Worthington said. could lead the way. 3-14 in Katowice, Poland, could be Africa.” world’s most ambitious clean-coal He said the Paris Accord on cli- the place to build “even an informal Masiala said he believes in cli- programmes? mate change might serve as a tem- Masiala said any policy that ig- union where we can share the sci- mate change but laments that “it’s The first step is money. Even an plate. “Some in the room are on less nored Africa was doomed. “We ence.” become an obsession for the pam- NGO would need a secretariat with than good terms but they work to a hold nearly one-quarter of the seats Falcon said coal was the cheapest pered and well-off.” The priorities an office and a media team to get common goal,” he said. “Why can’t at the United Nations but millions and most reliable source of energy. for poorer countries are different, the word out. Fees from members we do the same thing with clean of our people are still without elec- “Sun and wind only work some he said. could meet the cost but someone coal?” tricity,” he said. “Yet there are those COP24 is contentious because who seem to view themselves as Poland has angered the European our overlords.” Union by building coal-powered Bada agreed, saying: “That’s why generators and is planning more. we need an alliance of countries us- Developing countries, however, ing fossil fuel. It would put us all on may be sympathetic to the Polish a more even footing, from big play- view. ers like the United States and China, Zimbabwe has among the largest across to Africa and Latin America coal deposits in Africa. Tanzania and, of course, the Arab world.” has a new plant on the border with Falcon says she has no doubt it Mozambique and Kenya is build- will happen. “The idea of an alli- ing its first near Lamu on the coast. ance may have started with India South Africa is a leading exporter and the United States but smaller and gets more than 90% of its own countries are now pushing it,” she power from coal. said, “and I think we could see Po- Africa is often dismissed as a bit land take the lead at the COP meet- player but, for a clean-coal alliance, ing in December. it could lead the way. Asia is of the “I guess there will be protesters same mind. India, Bangladesh, Pa- in Katowice telling us there’s no kistan, Indonesia and the Philip- such thing as clean coal but anyone pines are growing their use of coal. with a brain has moved on. The fo- Energy ministers from the Asso- cus now is on working together so ciation of South-East Asian Nations coal can be part of the plan on cli- met in October in Singapore and mate change.” their communique included a plan to share clean-coal technology, not- Geoff Hill is a Zimbabwean ing that fossil fuel will remain in journalist in Johannesburg. play until at least 2040. He has written extensively on Real growth is expected in the human rights and the link between Open to debate. Steam rises from the cooling towers of the Matla Power Station, a coal-fired power Middle East. Egypt, Oman, Iran, unemployment and the rise of plant in South Africa. (Reuters) Jordan and the United Arab Emir- terror. November 18, 2018 21 Society Women Saudi women turn abayas inside-out in daring campaign

The Arab Weekly staff attire is “decent and respectful.” “The laws are very clear and stipulated in the laws of sharia: Riyadh that women wear decent, respect- ful clothing, like men,” Crown n a move that was largely de- Prince Mohammed said in an in- scribed as creative and coura- terview in March with CBS’s News’ geous, Saudi women devel- “60 Minutes.” I oped a new form of protest “This, however, does not par- and given it the Twitter hashtag ticularly specify a black Abaya or “#Abaya_maqluba,” which trans- a black head cover. The decision is lates to “inside-out Abaya.” entirely left for women to decide Saudi women have posted what type of decent and respect- pictures of themselves wearing ful attire she chooses to wear,” he Abayas — the loose-fitting, full- said. length robes symbolic of Islamic Within the new climate of more piety — as a form of objection to social freedoms, Saudi women being pressured to wear the gar- have been wearing more colourful ment. Abayas in recent years, the light The campaign comes two blues and pinks in stark contrast to months after a similar drive that the traditional black. Open Abayas called on Saudi women to burn over long skirts or jeans are more the niqab, the full veil. That move, common in parts of the kingdom. deemed “bold” and “original” by The ascent to power of Crown some activists, was controversial Prince Mohammed in 2017 brought in ultraconservative Saudi Arabia. an expansion in women’s rights, including their being able to at- tend mixed public sporting events, The inside-out abaya open businesses without a male’s campaign showed not permission and drive a car. only a frustration with the The powers of the Saudi reli- strict dress code but also gious police were curtailed, an en- the emergence of a tertainment authority established Twitter wave of activism. and the first woman appointed to head the Saudi Stock Exchange, Saudi Arabia has no written legal all part of what is being hailed as code to go with sharia but police a progressive trend towards mod- and the judiciary have long en- ernisation. Tool for change. A Saudi woman in an abaya uses her smartphone in Riyadh. (Reuters) forced a strict dress code requiring The inside-out Abaya campaign Saudi women to wear Abayas and, showed not only a frustration with in many cases, to cover their hair the strict dress code but also the that there has been an “explosion The report said more than bia have amassed more than and faces. emergence of a Twitter wave of ac- of advocacy” on Twitter in the 40% of the 6.3 million Saudis 1.2 million followers between The inside-out Abaya campaign tivism that Saudi women said they past two years in Saudi Arabia. on Twitter in 2016 were women. them. Twitter is viewed as the echoes statements by Saudi Crown hope will consolidate social gains The move to social media has been Many accounts are anonymous “most effective and influential Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin and additional reforms. spearheaded by young women and tweets are posted in both social network for Saudi society,” Abdulaziz this year stating that A report published by the Cen- who embraced the platforms as Arabic and English. said the report, published during Saudi women need not wear head tre for Women’s Global Leadership increasingly important tools for Ten of the most widely known the Commission on the Status of covers or the black Abaya if their at Rutgers University pointed out change. women activists in Saudi Ara- Women in March. Viewpoint Has al-Azhar changed its stances on women?

evelopments at al- and against transferring female the changes in al-Azhar should base would serve as al-Azhar’s Azhar suggest the in- teachers between al-Azhar schools not be too optimistic about radi- popular backbone and would en- stitution is changing without their consent. cal changes inside the venerable able it to withstand pressure for it Ahmad Hafez its skin, independent Al-Azhar and its ulema had been institution. The changes that have to evolve. Deep down, however, of governmental or intransigent concerning those occurred concern social issues al-Azhar will not budge an inch to parliamentary pres- issues and many others. Lately, only. Al-Azhar is far from making implement changes required of it Dsure, and projecting a new image however, they seem unable to fundamental changes that touch regarding dogma and knowledge. of a religious institution adapting withstand the attacks and criti- on religious dogma, revising the Abu Hamed, who is also a to the times. cism from intellectuals, thinkers, intellectual heritage and tradition, researcher in religions, said Even the biggest optimists writers and parliament members. implementing structural changes al-Azhar’s changes are part of could not imagine that the picture So, al-Azhar responded positively in its institutions, purging those political manoeuvring rather than of an unveiled woman would to pressing social issues. institutions of extremist elements genuine scientific reform. The appear on the cover of Voice of Al-Azhar Grand Imam Ahmed and removing scholars who follow latter would require fundamen- al-Azhar, al-Azhar’s official maga- el-Tayeb dismissed Sheikh Abbas and defend Salafist and Muslim tal changes. Al-Azhar is striving zine, because it was forbidden. Al- Shoman, al-Azhar deputy who Brotherhood doctrines. to prove that it is in favour of lowing so-called liberated women was regarded as Tayeb’s right- It seems that, through ap- women’s issues but did nothing to publish opinion articles in hand man, after pressure from pearing to resolve controversial to remove those religious lessons al-Azhar’s magazines discussing several quarters to not reappoint social issues, al-Azhar is trying to from its curricula that cultivate controversial social issues was, him. Tayeb earlier dismissed Mo- suggest it is revolutionising and contempt and discrimination until recently, inconceivable. hammed Amara, member of the renewing religious discourse, against women and interfere in However, that is what hap- Council of Senior Scholars. Sho- which is the same role played by the minutest details of their lives. pened when al-Azhar initiated a man and Amara were dogged by Egypt’s Ministry of Endowments “If al-Azhar really wants to side campaign against sexual harass- accusations of sympathising with and Dar al-Ifta. This implies that with women, it must move imme- ment. Al-Azhar said a woman’s the Muslim Brotherhood. the institution is trying to remain diately to appoint female scholars outfit was no justification for The changes took place in a at the centre of the religious scene to its Senior Scholars Council. violating her chastity, verbally dramatic sequence and in a short in Egypt through the window of This, of course, would be impos- or physically. Al-Azhar’s stance period of time, which led some social issues. sible because al-Azhar rejects was understood as supporting a to equate the developments to a Al-Azhar fears new clashes with the idea that a woman may issue woman’s freedom to wear what revolution in al-Azhar in terms government circles, clashes that fatwas and participate in religious she likes, a stance indicating that of flexibility in its positions, its would threaten its spiritual influ- decision-making. The problem the institution is changing its willingness to adapt to social and ence, which has declined with with al-Azhar is that it has become traditional position about sartorial political trends and its defence of the rising role of the Ministry of like a political party, seeking modesty. The institution went as women. Endowments and Dar al-Ifta. So popular support through populist Al-Azhar fears new far as accepting that the hijab and Some observers said al-Azhar’s the religious institution took bold and sentimental discourse but the niqab were not required by attempts to improve its image positions to address society and with no action on the ground,” clashes with sharia. were pre-emptive steps to avoid the authorities. By doing so, it Abu Hamed said. government circles, Observers of al-Azhar’s religious having ruling circles control it hopes to silence voices calling for Al-Azhar’s supporters say the clashes that would discourse can sense the extent of through fait accompli policies. its restructuring through revision institution’s moves are a step its change on social issues in gen- It is true that there is a connec- of its legal statutes that would towards reforming the institution threaten its spiritual eral, such as allowing spending tion between the dismissal of Sho- undermine its independence and and could lead to a real change in influence, which has Zakat revenues on non-Muslims. man and the changes in the way power. the religious discourse in addition Also, for the first time, a college the organisation is engaging with Mohammed Abu Hamed, a to purging al-Azhar curricula of declined with the of physical education for girls societal issues that it previously member of the Egyptian parlia- extremism and fundamentalism. rising role of the was recently created at al-Azhar was not decisive on. However, ment and sponsor of new legisla- They agree that radical change is Ministry of University. The venerable insti- those developments are nominal tion regarding al-Azhar, said the difficult to achieve quickly. tution came out against non- unless al-Azhar undertakes deeper institution’s recent moves were to Endowments and Dar consensual marriages, in favour of reforms on other issues. build a popular base cutting across Ahmad Hafez is an Egyptian al-Ifta. women working outside the home Those who look positively at different layers of society. This writer. 22 November 18, 2018 Culture Louvre Abu Dhabi fulfils its promise in first year

N.P. Krishna Kumar are UAE residents. Emirati nation- A chance to als are among the top two nation- learn. alities of residents who visited the A visitor Dubai museum and are the top national- sketches ity of repeat visitors. in front of ouvre Abu Dhabi, when it Louvre Abu Dhabi has also be- artwork at was opened a year ago, was come a global magnet driving the Louvre presented as the Emirate’s tourism to the Emirate. Overseas Abu Dhabi. L gift to the world. Looking visitors come from all parts of (Waleed Shah) back after the first anniversary, the the globe, with France, Germany, Department of Culture and Tour- China, the United Kingdom, the ism — Abu Dhabi can be happy and United States, India and Gulf Co- much satisfied with how its global operation Council countries the architectural and cultural icon has top visitors. become a favoured destination in The museum has hosted more Abu Dhabi. than 1,000 school trips, 5,000 Designed by Jean Nouvel, Lou- guided tours, workshops and mas- vre Abu Dhabi was inspired by terclasses and programmed 115 traditional Islamic architecture special events, including heritage and its monumental dome creates performances, talks, film screen- a rain of light effect and a unique ings and concerts with more than social space that brings people to- 400 artists from 22 countries. gether. With training support from the In its first year, Louvre Abu Dha- French, 47% of the Louvre Abu bi welcomed more than 1 million Dhabi’s staff members are Emirati visitors, establishing itself as one nationals. They include curators of the leading cultural institutions working on the collection and in on the global stage. the permanent galleries, as well as Museum Chairman Mohamed in the education and media teams. Khalifa al-Mubarak thanked the Manuel Rabate, director of Lou- French and regional partners for vre Abu Dhabi, said the museum the strong collaboration that sup- “endeavoured to offer experiences ported “the museum’s mission to that celebrate human creativity.” tell universal stories.” “Not only are we privileged to gather such treasures under our iconic dome on Saadiyat Island but Overseas visitors come we are also thrilled that so many from all parts of the globe, visitors came to discover our uni- with France, Germany, versal narrative this year,” Rabate China, the United Kingdom, said. local radio stations to listen to a cu- based artists in collaboration with scale loan rotation, the museum the United States, India and “On one hand, we have access to rator’s presentation on each work French manufacturers. curated a major rehang of its mod- Gulf Cooperation Council some of the most incredible collec- displayed on billboards. The museum presented family- ern and contemporary art galleries, countries the top visitors. tions and benefit from collaborat- Since its opening, in partnership friendly exhibitions in its Chil- updated its displays and show- ing with some of the world’s most with French museum partners and dren’s Museum, including “Trave- cased approximately 40 master- qualified museum experts. On the as part of its first season “A World ling Shapes and Colours,” and the pieces for visitors to discover and Mubarak said it produced “the other, being a young museum in of Exchanges,” Louvre Abu Dhabi recently displayed “Animals: Be- explore in the forthcoming year. next generation of Emirati muse- this region empowers us to be ex- has presented several international tween Real and Imaginary.” Some major loans, including um professionals, who are trained perimental and encourages us to be exhibitions: “From One Louvre to The museum has made many ad- Leonardo da Vinci’s “La belle fer- to the highest standard in the cul- agile to appeal to our diverse audi- Another: Opening a Museum for ditions to its display. This autumn, ronniere” from Musee du Louvre tural sector and are leaders in their ences.” Everyone,” “Globes: Visions of the it unveiled 11 world-class acquisi- and Whistler’s “Portrait of the Art- field.” In February, Louvre Abu Dhabi World,” “Japanese Connections: tions in its permanent galleries, ist’s Mother” from Musee d’Orsay UAE residents have taken to the introduced the Highway Gallery, The Birth of Modern Decor” and alongside significant loans from 13 will stay in Abu Dhabi for another museum in a big way, making it the world’s first roadside gallery, “Roads of Arabia: Archaeological French partner institutions as well year, totalling 300 loans on display. their favourite cultural destination spanning 100km of the Dubai-Abu Treasures of Saudi Arabia”; as well as regional and international mu- to gather with family and friends Dhabi highway and inviting com- as “CO-LAB,” an exhibition show- seums. N.P. Krishna Kumar is an Arab and 40% of the museum’s visitors muters and visitors to tune in to casing new commissions by UAE- As part of this year’s first large- Weekly contributor in Dubai. Photo exhibit reflects artist’s anxiety about Beirut

Samar Kadi had this anxiety that the new gen- eration will not really know ‘our Bei- rut,’ how it was and how we lived in Beirut it. With time, I believe this city will disappear as we know it.” bsessed by his fear of not Other pictures depict women on recognising the beloved the go, exuding an impression of city where he was born continuous movement. Always in O and grew up, French-Leba- the same idea of the city that is mov- nese film-maker Philippe Aractingi ing constantly, Aractingi compared tracked the changing face of Beirut Beirut to a woman. “She is always on over the decades in “Obsessions,” a the move, walking, crossing, step- photo exhibition that reflected the ping. You can see her feet moving depth of his feeling for the city. but no photo shows her face,” Aract- Aractingi created a visual journey ingi said. through Beirut’s recent history, in- The artist’s infatuation for his be- viting viewers to consider the fra- loved city is evident through the ex- gility of “that which does not last” hibition, even as he laments aspects while laying bare the range of emo- of its past and expresses his fears for tions that the city and all it has en- its future. dured stirs up inside him. Next to his works, Aractingi’s “My obsession is more of an obses- words say it all: “I’ve photographed sion of what’s going to disappear,” Beirut as a photographer would his Aractingi said. “I am in a constant lover, with a passion bordering on anxiety that the things that I am see- obsession. Day or night, whether ing here and now are going to disap- it is calm or cooking up a storm, its pear.” Visual journey. A photo on diplay at “Obsessions” in Beirut. (Philippe Aractingi) fragility and resilience, its soul and “This city is in constant move- essence, its femininity, its efferves- ment and that’s dangerous because cent nature and everything that it is our very identity is attached to it. so I started thinking more in terms skyscrapers.” ingi said he chose the former Green makes Beirut my muse…” There are seven Beiruts (destroyed of documentaries and long-feature “Obsessions” featured photo- Line that divided Beirut, close to his His works affirm the city’s hall- seven times in earthquakes) under films and took pictures about how graphs that capture the spirit of the childhood home and an area that mark resilience and character, in the the Beirut we know but, today, the the city was changing,” he said. city at different times alongside an was a flashpoint in the war years, as face of challenges and change. city somehow resembles women af- “Then, I called Beirut the ‘Frank- installation on the same theme in- the primary spot for filming. “I have an obsession with this city ter a makeover with Botox and this enstein city’ because it was losing cludes three videos that run simul- The videos juxtaposing past and which is unliveable and impossible is scary.” its face. It no longer had eyes (win- taneously. present Beirut stirred various reac- to be separated from at the same War and ceasefire, destruction and dows), or arteries (roads). Every- The videos highlight the changes tions, Aractingi noted. “Some people time,” he said. reconstruction, beginnings and end- thing was blocked and disfigured.” that Beirut has witnessed, giving the were nostalgic and would say it was Aractingi has released more than ings, loss and rediscovery and love After returning to Beirut in the opportunity to compare specific lo- much more beautiful and authentic 50 documentaries and four award- and fear are among the themes ex- early 1990s, Aractingi said he did not cations at different times. Compiled in the past. Others said Solidere (the winning long feature films, which plored in Aractingi’s diverse works. recognise his city. following years of research and ob- company that rebuilt Beirut’s down- have been distributed internation- After working for two years as a “There was a lot of traffic, the servations, each video shows foot- town) did a very good job. Everyone ally. Photography remains an impor- photojournalist in the early part of roads were changing and every- age and images at a point in Beirut’s has a special relationship with the tant part of Aractingi’s life. the Lebanese civil war (1975-90), Ar- thing was being transformed,” he history. These include the 1920s; the city,” he said. “Obsessions,” which showed in actingi changed professions and left said. “Churches’ bell towers and 1990s, immediately after the end of One of the photos explains all of September, was Aractingi’s sec- Lebanon. mosques’ minarets used to be the the war; and the present, after post- Beirut, Aractingi said. “You have the ond photography exhibition, fol- “I was sick and tired of taking highest landmarks in Beirut but that war reconstruction. old, the more and more recent and lowing “Night in Beirut,” shown in photos of the dead and destruction changed with the construction of Born in Beirut in 1964, Aract- the latest,” he said. “After the war, I Paris in 2010. November 18, 2018 23 Culture Egyptian ‘funky’ band Film on radicalisation of gets attention of young audience with sarcasm youth gets top award at

Marwa al-A’sar Shahwan arranges the music of Carthage Film Festival the songs that Gendy writes and composes. Cairo “Some of the songs are derived of Roua Khlifi life situations I have gone through, akh, an Egyptian band I witnessed or heard about, while whose name may suggest others just come up randomly on Tunis noise and violence, delivers my mind while brainstorming with T funny and comic songs that Ezz,” Gendy said. film about the draw of have an effect while expressing the Unlike most bands in Egypt, radicalisation on young concerns of young Egyptians. Gendy incorporates English words Tunisians received the “Takh” in Arabic means the and expressions into Arabic songs. A top award at the 29th sound of crashing objects or a fired “That’s probably because my Carthage Film Festival. bullet. It is an onomatopoeia per- generation and the younger gen- The festival, which attracted fectly fitting the bang that Takh’s eration speak this way,” said Gendy, thousands of local and interna- members hope to leave with listen- who is in her 20s. She acts her songs tional guests, included more than ers, mainly the crashing of musical more than just singing them. 200 films from 47 countries. instruments and words creating “I spontaneously perform my Tunisian director Mahmoud Ben rhythmic songs and melodies. songs in a certain way given their Mahmoud was presented with the The band’s songs refer to eve- special, funny words impersonat- Gold Tanit for best feature film for ryday Egyptian lives in a sarcas- ing the characters in each,” she said. “Fatwa,” the story of Brahim who tic manner. Every song is a visual Ahmed Fahmy, a 16-year-old hears of his son’s involvement in sketch that can be imagined by lis- Cairo resident, is a staunch fan of a radical Islamist group following teners, narrating a story that has a the band. “It is because every song his deadly motorcycle accident. beginning, middle and an end. tells a short story and one finds Shocked by the rumours, Brahim The group has been attracting himself eager to know what’s hap- embarks on a dangerous journey thousands of fans and concertgo- pening next,” he said. “I also very to uncover the truth. ers, mainly teenagers. much like the funny way Yousra The film explores how extremist performs.” groups manipulate the meaning of The band’s Facebook page Not only has Takh caught the at- formerly innocuous terms, such as tention of young people, it has also “fatwa.” “When I was a child and… has about 187,000 likes won critics’ approval as well. part of a religious family, ‘fatwa’ and 193,000 followers. “The band performs a special had a positive connotation,” Ben kind of songs that is not commonly Mahmoud noted at the film’s pre- “At first, we were looking for a performed by independent bands miere. band name that has to do with the in Egypt,” music critic Moustafa Ben Mahmoud expressed his word groove and this is the only Farouk said. “What Shahwan and feelings about the role of cinema close Arabic word we could find. Gendy perform is not exactly sing- while accepting the Gold Tanit. Something that invites people to re- ing. Rather, it’s a combination of “I want to say that cinema plays joice at life,” said band co-founder simple words forming a short tale an important role, like all cultural and musician Ezz Shahwan. or a situation, which may not be products, to open the minds of “We wish to create a ‘takh’ as in perfectly understood by some peo- youth and protect them from these like a boom in the music world,” ex- ple. criminal deviances that targeted plained Shahwan’s associate, singer “The band’s funky, crazy style our country,” he said. Yousra el-Gendy. is quite joyful. We cannot analyse “I want to dedicate this film to Even though the band name them artistically. They create a state all Tunisian and Arab families that may have a negative connotation, rather than an art,” Farouk added. lived the tragedy of losing their Shahwan is seeking to make a dif- Shahwan and Gendy said they children to jihad and tell them ed- ference. hope to produce a video clip for one ucation, awareness and promoting “No band should be judged by of their songs but funding remains noble and universal values are the its name before being listened to,” an obstacle. On YouTube, they post most effective means to defy this he said. “The title is not repulsive, photos as sketches that portray calamity.” yet it’s provocative as it inspires their songs. The Silver Tanit went to Egyp- people’s curiosity and makes them tian director Abu Bakr Shawky’s listen to us.” “Yomeddine” and the Bronze Takh has attracted a wide base Every song is a visual Tanit went to Syrian director Joud of teenage listeners rather than sketch that can be Said’s “Le voyage inacheve” (“Un- adults. imagined by listeners, finished Trip”). “When we perform songs, we narrating a story that has The Gold Tanit and Bronze Tanit don’t target a certain age group but a beginning, middle and for fiction short film went to Tuni- it’s the utmost dream of anyone an end. sian directors, Meryem Joobeur’s working in the music industry to at- “Brotherhood” and Nidhal Guiga’s tract teenagers,” Shahwan said. “Funding is the main challenge “Astra,” respectively. Beninese di- The band started in 2015 by post- as is the case with any independ- rector Kelley Kali took home the ing songs on YouTube and Sound ent band in Egypt but, in a nut- Silver Tanit for her film “Lalo’s Burning issue. Tunisian film director Mahmoud Ben Mahmoud Cloud, paving the way for its mem- shell, both Ezz and I complement House.” poses with the Gold Tanit during the closing ceremony of the bers to perform in cultural centres each other artistically,” Gendy said. In the documentary feature film Carthage Film Festival, on November 10. (AFP) in Egypt. “Producing a video clip is a long category, the Gold Tanit went to “Call Me Ziko,” one of the first process that entails different costly “Amal” by Egyptian director Mo- songs through which the band in- steps but we are working hard to at- hamed Siam. Amal Ramsis, an- ance,” he said. “In adopting these panel theme was violence against troduced itself, attracted 3 million tain that aspiration.” other Egypt-based director, took foundations, we are at the heart women. The panel was head- listeners on the internet. The band’s home the Silver Tanit for “You of modernity but we maintain our ed by Tunisian activists Yosra Facebook page has about 187,000 Marwa al-A’sar is a Cairo-based Come from Far Away” and the special aspect. We do not aspire to Frawes and Bochra Triki. Tunisian likes and 193,000 followers. journalist. Bronze Tanit was presented to imitate other cinema festivals.” actresses Hend Sabri and Najoua “Erased, Ascent of the Invisible” In addition to promoting Arab Zouhair were part of the panel. by Lebanese director Ghassan Hal- and African cinema, the festival “When it comes to treating the wani. celebrated the cinematic tradition subject in cinema, there is always Kenya’s Samantha Mugatsia took of Iraq, Senegal, Brazil and India. double language,” Sabri said. “We home the award for best actress for Ayed said he wanted to cement the cannot use a facade and say we her work in “Rafiki” and Tunisia’s festival’s role as a voice for the pro- have emancipated women in cin- Ahmed Hafiane won best actor for fessionals of the industry first and ema when cinema (uses) violence his performance in “Fatwa.” foremost. against female characters and Despite concerns about security against the actresses.” following a suicide bombing five Sabri continued her criticism of days before the festival opened Tunisian director the poor treatment of women in and just blocks from the venue, Mahmoud Ben Mahmoud Arab cinema as she commended the festival concluded without was presented with the Tunisian film-makers for portray- incident. In his opening remarks Gold Tanit for best feature ing strong women. festival Director Nejib Ayed com- film for “Fatwa.” “It’s only recently that we start- mended foreign visitors for not ed talking about the ‘Me, Too’ shying away from the festival fol- movement in Hollywood,” she lowing the attack, noting that “the “The festival will continue to added. “Imagine the case of the organising committee (had) re- serve as a platform for profession- Arab world. It is an industry that corded no cancellation of the 500 als of the industry, including the hurts women. The repertoire of foreign guests.” film-makers, the producers, the Tunisian cinema is full of exam- As for the festival itself, Ayed owners of film theatre (and) the ples of emancipated women but emphasised its influence on the distributors of films,” he said. “The the society does not follow. It is cultural scene of the region and festival is not a festival of stars but also dangerous to showcase an the festival’s role in tackling im- for cinema lovers and profession- image that is not embraced by the portant issues. als to improve and support the in- society.” “This festival will always boast dustry.” a spirit of resistance and fighting Guests were treated to many ac- Roua Khlifi is a regular Travel Breaking with tradition. Yousra el-Gendy (R) and Ezz Shahwan for causes as it will be a space for tivities, including master classes, and Culture contributor to perform on stage. (Chris B) (freedom of) exchange and toler- debates and panels. This year’s The Arab Weekly. 24 November 18, 2018 Travel www.thearabweekly.com

Agenda

Beirut: Through December 27

Events associated with Sursock Museum Late Nights occur noon-9pm each Thursday at the Sursock Museum in Beirut. Events include exhibitions, collection displays, late-night talks, performances and screen- ings.

Cairo: November 20-29

The 40th Cairo International Film Festival takes place at the Opera House over ten days. The programme includes a special section titled “Arab Female Courtyard of the Uqba ibn Nafi Mosque in . (Ministry of Tourism) Directors” in addition to world cinema projections, seminars, workshops, debates and trib- utes.

Kairouan has Dubai: November 29-30

Bao Music and Dance Fest is magic and an event celebrating Chinese culture through music, dance, fashion and food. More than a mystery and it’s dozen electronic dance music DJs will be present during the event. on the map Tozeur: December 5-8

The first Tozeur International Rashmee Roshan Lall cation on the edge of the world’s Film Festival will take place largest desert. in the Tunisian Sahara. The Kairouan In Kairouan’s walled , programme will include of- there are multiple echoes of the ficial film competitions for unisians boast that Kai- link to early Islam and especially to long movies, short movies and rouan, a couple of hours Prophet Mohammad. The mosque documentaries. Movies from south by car from Tunis, is of the three doors has the mauso- Morocco, France, the United T Islam’s fourth holiest city, leum of Abu Zamaa Al Balaoui, a States, Tunisia, Algeria, Leba- after , Medina and Jerusalem. friend of the Prophet, who arrived non, Norway, Italy, Egypt and Perhaps. Ethiopians say the same of in Kairouan in 654 and died that Spain have been selected for the Harar. Both Kairouan and Harar are year during a battle with Berbers. competitions. UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Both Legend has it that Al Balaoui car- know Islam from its very first cen- ried with him three hairs from the Tunis: tury. However, fourth holiest or not, Prophet’s beard and is buried with December 8-16 Kairouan wins over Harar in terms them. Tunisians call Al Balaoui, Sidi of age. It was founded nearly 340 Sahbi. Carthage Theatre Days is an years earlier. Another link between Kairouan annual festival that showcases More to the point, Kairouan and early Muslim culture is found plays from the Maghreb, Africa, takes its self-arrogated status of the in the Achrafs neighbourhood of the Middle East and Europe. fourth holiest city very seriously. the medina. There stands the home In its 20th edition, the festival A large public sculpture represent- of Al Aouani, a family that proudly holds performances in Tunis ing carpets from four points of the counts a cousin of the Prophet as and other parts of Tunisia. Muslim world welcomes visitors en- one of its ancestors. tering the city. Further along, there The Aouanis have both religious Dubai: is a public monument composed of and royal credibility — they estab- December 12 the Arabic calligraphic rendering of lished a madrassa, have a mauso- Carpets on display at a shop in Kairouan’s medina. (Ministry of Tourism) Allah. leum and they hosted Habib Bour- Pianist Alexandra Dariescu Residents take enormous pride in guiba, independent Tunisia’s first takes her multimedia perfor- the city’s Great Mosque, which goes president, as well as Britain’s Queen built into the mediaeval wall. Kai- pastries. On the Souk des Tapis mance of “The Nutcracker and by the name of Sidi Uqba. Named Elizabeth II. However, you wouldn’t rouan city — both the medina and (Market of Carpets), there are two I” to the Dubai Opera stage. for Uqba ibn Nafi, the Arab com- know the Aouanis’ glory days from the modern part — is busy, with the interesting food options. A shop The Nutcracker is brought to mander who founded Kairouan in their modest street door, set in a business of life. that specialises in brik, a Tunisian life with projected hand-drawn 672, the Great Mosque is the oldest wall that meets the other side by There is the formidable Grand version of the Turkish borek, and digital animation that follows Islamic building in North Africa and way of a brick arch locally called Mosque, built within a half-century Restaurant Barrouta, with its signa- the music and engages with the is simply vast — 135 metres long by “sabat.” It is a corruption of the of the Prophet’s death and enshrin- ture kafteji inside a pillowy round pianist and a ballerina behind a 80 metres wide. French word for slipper. ing the age-old principle of wise of bread. The Tunisian favourite is a see-through gauze screen. Sidi Uqba is in Kairouan’s walled The understated Aouanis could recycling — mismatched Roman col- mixture of tomatoes, peppers, eggs city, where 15,000 people live and almost be said to represent the way umns are reused in the inner court- and often zucchini and potatoes, Abu Dhabi: which still has 3.5km of the solid Kairouan joins its past to the pre- yard. too. December 17-January 1 protection first erected around the sent. Proudly but sotto voce. Kair- Kairouan has carpets, for which it Close to Kairouan and well worth medina in the seventh century. The ouan is not a city that’s loudly ad- has been famous for 1,500 years. In a visit is the Museum of Islamic Art Al Dhafra Festival is a major original was destroyed — along with vertised by Tunisia as a destination the fifth century, Greek poets wrote in . It is housed in a building regional and international event most of Kairouan — in 1057 but it for tourists from the Muslim world about the rugs of Carthage and feal- that once was Bourguiba’s house. inspired by the Emirati authen- was rebuilt some 600 years later. or beyond but it has much to offer ty was paid to the caliph of Baghdad He gifted it to the nation and the tic Bedouin spirit. It features as The dull mustard colour of the thin to travellers with varied interests. partly in the form of Tunisian rugs. museum has since become a store many as 15 heritage activities brick used for the wall has a name, La Kasbah, the city’s best hotel, is Even today, carpets are everywhere of eclectic and fascinating treasures. and competitions, including Sahara. It is specific to Tunisia’s lo- a beautiful and vast echoing space, in Kairouan, woven by the women There is an eighth-century Quran a camel beauty contest, horse of the province into pile rugs (zer- written in Kairouan in the Hijazi races, a handicrafts competition hiya) and short-nap. The latter fall script; a ninth-century sundial and and traditional tribal chants. into two categories — mergoum, surgical instruments; an astrolabe, with a diamond pattern worked into the 12th-century equivalent of Dbayeh: a neutral ground, and klim, with Google Maps. December 27-28 alternate strips of natural-coloured There are pages from the famous wools. Both are beautiful. ninth-century , one of Candy Fest World Tour is an Then there is Bir Barrouta. The the most exquisite early examples entertainment event in Lebanon 17th-century well in the medina is of the Holy Book, with its richly that will include music per- supposed to have a miraculous holy dyed parchment and bright ink. formances, dance and special link to the Zam Zam in Mecca. It is Pages from the Blue Quran are scat- effects shows, in addition to cir- an interesting place to visit for the tered in museums throughout the cus performances and acrobats atmosphere alone. A camel powers world. The head of the Raqqada from around the world. the pulley system, urged on by a lit- Museum’s department tle man wearing green glasses and said each page is valued at more an air of undoubted authority. In Bir than $330,000. We welcome submissions of Barrouta, he is the sultan. Kairouan has magic and mystery calendar items related to The bustling (and very clean) and it’s on the map. Go. cultural events of interest to medina offers wondrous — and travellers in the Middle East impractical — wares: Elaborately Rashmee Roshan Lall is a and North Africa. dressed bottles that should only be columnist for The Arab Weekly. used to store rose water; different Her blog can be found at Please send tips to: A camel powers the pulley system to draw water from the well at coloured rocks of incense; mak- www.rashmee.com and she is on [email protected] Bir Barrouta in Kairouan. (David Stanley) roudh, Kairouan’s signature date Twitter: @rashmeerl.