UK £2 www.thearabweekly.com Issue 167, Year 4 July 29, 2018 EU €2.50 ISIS’s bloody The role of the Sheikh resilience in Zayed Grand Mosque Syria and Iraq in Abu Dhabi Pages 10-11 Page 20 Saudi reaction to Bab el Mandeb attack draws attention to Iranian, Houthi threats ► Experts saw Saudi Arabia as cautioning the international community against the risks posed by Iran and its Houthi proxies, whether in Yemen or in the proximity of Saudi borders.

Mohammed Alkhereiji Force commander Major-General Qassem Soleimani. “The Red Sea, which was secure, London is no longer secure with the Ameri- can presence,” Soleimani said the he pro-Iran Houthi militia day after the attacks on the tank- carried through with threats ers. “[US President Donald] Trump to disrupt maritime naviga- should know we are a nation of mar- T tion in the Red Sea with at- tyrdom and that we await him.” tacks on two very large Saudi crude The Houthis had threatened to carriers. The July 25 attack, in which hinder traffic through Bab el Man- one of the two vessels was slightly deb into the Red Sea. The Iranians damaged, seemed an attempt to warned they could block shipping increase tension in the region but in the Strait of Hormuz. only to a certain point. Despite the threats and provoca- The Iranians and their proxies tions, the Iranians admit the bluster know that more serious incidents does not mean they think they can could draw a stronger international afford a war with the United States. Strategic security. A general view of Perim Island in Bab el Mandeb. (Reuters) reaction than they could manage. “This is a war of words. Neither side The US Navy 5th Fleet has said in wants a military confrontation,” an the past it would prevent Iranian unidentified senior Iranian official $95 billion slush fund at the control regime at a time of unrest. Some experts said the Saudi-led attempts at disrupting traffic in the conceded to Reuters. of the Iranian supreme leader and The Saudi Bab el Mandeb deci- coalition could be trying to get the Red Sea. Although they seem to be taking the more than 60 bank accounts sion highlights the rejection by attention of international powers. Saudi Arabia suspended its ship- turns acknowledging Trump’s hos- supposedly held by a prominent Ira- Riyadh of Iran’s role in supplying “A spike in oil prices… may be ments through the Bab el Mandeb tile tweets, Iranian leaders are likely nian politician. He spoke of a former weapons the Houthis are using in short-lived, but the impact on Yem- Strait but crude supplies elsewhere to have taken notice of the United Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Yemen as well as the missiles fired en’s forgotten war is likely to put have not been in jeopardy. States’ apparent designs on regime commander nicknamed the “bil- at Saudi Arabia. the devastating conflict on the front “All [Saudi] oil shipments change in Tehran. lionaire general.” Anwar Gargash, UAE minister burner,” Middle East expert James through Bab el Mandeb Strait have Building on protests in Iran for Pompeo described Iran’s clerical of state for foreign affairs, said the Dorsey told Agence France-Presse. been suspended temporarily until… improved economic conditions, establishment as “hypocritical holy need to ensure freedom of naviga- “The Red Sea is a very impor- maritime transit through the area is Washington’s anti-Iranian narra- men” who “devised all kinds of tion in the Red Sea gives credence tant shipping lane. If there is a ma- safe,” Saudi Energy Minister Khalid tive included alleging corruption by crooked schemes to become some to the coalition’s battle for Hodei- jor disruption, European powers, al-Falih said. Iranian leaders, a tack likely to hit a of the wealthiest men on Earth.” dah port in Yemen. Egypt and the United States would Experts said Riyadh was trying nerve with Tehran’s rulers. “The level of corruption and “The only way forward is to get all have reason to intervene,” Ellen to send a strong message concern- “The Iranian economy is going wealth among Iranian leaders Hodeidah. What we are planning to Wald, author of “Saudi Inc.,” wrote ing the risks posed by Iran and its great but only if you’re a politically shows that Iran is run by something do is give diplomacy every possible in Forbes magazine. Houthi proxies in Yemen or near the connected member of the elite,” that resembles the mafia more than chance to secure that,” he said on Saudi border. declared US Secretary of State Mike a government,” he said. July 26. Mohammed Alkhereiji is the Gulf Freedom of navigation in the Red Pompeo on July 22 in a speech to Pompeo’s focus on alleged cor- He said the effect of the Houthis’ section editor of The Arab Weekly. Sea was at the core of threats to the Iranian-Americans in California. rupt practices of Iran’s leaders was attack on the Saudi tankers was United States by Iranian al-Quds Pompeo mentioned an alleged meant to make life difficult for Iran’s “much wider than the region.” Pages 2,4-8 Shadow of French, Italian divergences hangs over Libya

Michel Cousins tional framework for elections in Among ordinary Libyans, there place by September 16 and elec- is as much mistrust of Italian in- tions December 10. tentions as there is of French. Tunis Italy’s new right-wing, anti-im- Franco-Italian rivalry in Libya, migration government has a very seen in a practical manner with Ita- even years on from Libya’s different take on Libya. Its prime ly offering more money for Libyan 2011 revolution, the coun- objective is to stanch the flow of health care while France report- try’s divisions remain as in- immigrants arriving on its shores. edly offered millions for the elec- S tractable as ever. Making that happen tops its do- tions, looks set to sharpen further. Officially, the international com- mestic agenda, seen in the fact The Italian government is cosying munity supports the plan driven that Trenta’s was not the first Ital- up to the United States and it was by the UN Support Mission in Lib- ian diplomatic offensive towards reported that Libya would be on ya headed by Ghassan Salame but Libya. the agenda at talks between Ital- some countries, including France There is much more to this than a ian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and Italy, have been pursuing their different focus. and US President Donald Trump. own political plans for Libya. For the Italians, stability, secu- Ideologically the two are close: While Paris and Rome officially rity and reconciliation in Libya are Trump likewise sees immigration support Salame and the UN-bro- more immediate desires, not elec- as major issue. “The United States kered Government of National Ac- tions. Like many in the interna- and Italy will look to deepen coop- cord in Tripoli, headed by Fayez Looking south. Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte (L) speaks tional community, they say polls by eration in addressing global con- al-Sarraj and the Presidency Coun- with French President Emmanuel Macron at EU headquarters in December 10 are recklessly overly flicts,” the White House said of the cil, there are sharp divergences Brussels, last June 24. (AFP) ambitious. Trenta told Sarraj that Washington meeting when it was between the two in their Libya elections should not be rushed. announced in June. policies. They have become barely ta, accompanied by Italian Chief the end of the year. That was the Privately, Italian officials go fur- The prospect of Italian-French disguised rivals for influence in the of Staff General Claudio Graziano, deal hammered out in Paris among ther. Unlike themselves, they say, rivalry over Libya with the Ameri- country. was in Libya. She met with Sar- French President Emmanuel Ma- the French, simply do not under- cans on the side of the Italians On July 23, French Foreign Min- raj in Tripoli, visited Misrata and cron, Sarraj, Haftar and the presi- stand Libya. How well Italy really looks like a distinct possibility. ister Jean-Yves Le Drian made a promised she would return soon dents of the House of Representa- understands Libya is another mat- Whether any of this helps Libyans lightning tour of the country, visit- for talks with Field-Marshal Khal- tives and the State Council. ter. “Italy is close to Libya and will to a better life is another matter. ing Tripoli, Misrata, Benghazi and ifa Haftar. The aim of Le Drian’s visit was help it to resist foreign interfer- Tobruk. The following day, Italian The central pillar of French to pressure all four to stick to the ence,” Trenta said after returning Michel Cousins is a contributor to Defence Minister Elisabetta Tren- policy in Libya is elections before deal, including having a constitu- to Italy. The Arab Weekly on Libyan issues. 2 July 29, 2018 News & Analysis Gulf Rising regional tensions put spotlight on Gulf security concerns

Mohammed Alkhereiji the strategic port city of Hodeidah. Since the start of the military drive to liberate the port and the London city, the Houthis have increased missile attacks targeting civilian ensions in the Gulf region areas in Saudi Arabia and allegedly have seen a significant also attempted a drone attack on spike with possible ramifi- the Abu Dhabi airport. The UAE T cations beyond the Middle government denied such an attack East. took place. The collapse of the international The Houthis also attacked two nuclear agreement and dealing Saudi tankers on July 25, lead- with demonstrations at home have ing Riyadh to suspend shipments led to heightened rhetoric from through the Bab el Mandeb Strait, Iranian officials, while their prox- a decision that caused a spike in oil ies, the Houthi rebels in Yemen, prices. continue to fire missiles at targets “In the interest of the safety of in Saudi Arabia. ships and their crews and to avoid “You [Americans] made the the risk of oil spill, Saudi Aramco Red Sea, which was once safe, an has temporarily halted all oil ship- unsafe sea. You have put Riyadh ments through Bab [el] Mandeb and Saudi Arabia, which were not Strait with immediate effect,” a hit by a mortar for 100 years, un- Saudi Aramco statement said. der fire,” Major-General Qassem “The company is carefully assess- Soleimani, head of Iran’s Islamic ing the situation and will take fur- Revolutionary Guard Corps’ al- ther action as prudence demands.” Quds Force said in reaction to a The international community Twitter spat between US President and Saudi allies labelled the tanker Donald Trump and Iranian officials attack an act of terror. Kuwait said on July 22. it was considering suspending oil shipments through Bab el Mandeb, which has long been considered a Major test. Emirati Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash speaks to journalists in Dubai. Since the start of the high-risk area. (AP) military drive to liberate “The attack is a flagrant violation Hodeidah, the Houthis of international conventions and have increased missile law stipulating freedom of naviga- “We are worried about a diver- “You can’t take a quietist view but we have to do some of the bur- attacks targeting civilian tion in international waterways,” gence of views between us and Eu- of all this or you’re allowing Iran den-sharing.” Gargash said. “We Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said in a rope over Iran,” Gargash said dur- to build another Hezbollah in the know that we can no longer rely areas in Saudi Arabia. statement. ing a talk at the Policy Exchange Arabian Peninsula,” Gargash said on the United States or the United “The targeted attack on the Sau- think-tank in London. He said regarding the Houthis. Kingdom to lead such military op- Soleimani, who also said the Red di oil tankers in the Red Sea con- the UAE favours the US method The Saudi-led coalition has in- erations.” Sea was no longer safe for the Unit- firms the necessity to liberate [Ho- in dealing with Tehran’s nuclear creased bombardment of rebel- “In this current international ed States, was referencing ballistic deidah] from Houthi militias,” UAE ambitions over European efforts held areas in western Hodeidah system, it is no longer ‘write a missile attacks on Saudi Arabia by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs to salvage the 2015 nuclear agree- and preparations for a major of- cheque and someone is going to Houthi rebels. They have been bat- Anwar Gargash posted on Twitter. ment, which many in the Gulf said fensive to take the historic city of come and secure the stability in tling a Saudi-led coalition support- “This systematic attack is a terror- empowered Iran to further region- Zabid, were also under way. the region.’ You have to do some ing Yemen’s internationally recog- ist act which shows the nature and al destabilising projects, including “We have to address this. We’re of the burden-sharing,” Gargash nised government for control of aggression of the Houthis.” the war in Yemen. not happy to be fighting in Yemen explained. Viewpoint The turning point of the Houthi attack in Bab el Mandeb Strait

arely two days after Before Trump announced his Arabia had to regain the initiative keep the Hodeidah port open. Iranian President Has- decision to withdraw the United in Yemen by announcing the March Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Hani Salem san Rohani threatened States from the nuclear deal with 2015 Operation Determination Emirates, moreover, conducted an Masshour US President Donald Iran, the Iranians were discussing Storm to restore Yemeni political airlift to ensure the flow of humani- Trump in their war of with the Americans the possibil- legitimacy. tarian aid to all Yemeni governo- words, Houthi militia ity of Iran’s giving up Yemen in The Saudi decision suspend- rates, including those under the Btargeted two Saudi oil tankers in exchange for the United States ing crude oil shipments through authority of the Houthis. Some of the Red Sea, transforming the war maintaining the nuclear deal. For the Bab el Mandeb Strait does not the military operations south of of words between the Iranian side Iran to make such a suggestion count as an internationalisation of Hodeidah are aimed at opening and the American side into an on- presupposes that they are the the issue as much as it is an attempt roads and cities so aid could be the-ground reality. decision-makers in Yemen. to lay the proper pathways for deal- delivered via Mokha port in case Rohani’s declarations that Iran This supposition is divorced ing internationally with the Yemeni Hodeidah port suffered any serious has other surprise options for the from reality, which the United crisis. Targeting Saudi tankers July damage. United States besides the Hormuz States knows. The United States 25 was not the first incident of its The developments of Bab el Man- Strait in the Arabian Gulf were also knows that Saudi Arabia will kind. The Houthi militias attacked deb represent an important turning thinly veiled and were put into not accept any bargaining when an American frigate in October 2016 point in the Yemeni war and a action by the Houthi militia at Bab it comes to Yemen and so did not and an Emirati rescue ship. difficult test for the international el Mandeb by targeting the Saudi entertain the Iranians in any way. The aim of the Saudi position community. The European Union tankers. The sensitivity of internationalis- is to hold the international com- and Griffiths must take advantage Considering the Saudi decision to ing the Yemeni question for Riyadh munity responsible, specifically of this pressure to achieve a break- suspend shipments through Bab el leaves no room for risk-taking the European Union, which stood through in the petrified Houthi Mandeb, the most important aspect because the Saudis are aware that against liberating Hodeidah. position. to keep in mind is that Riyadh has internationalisation means Yemeni UN Special Envoy to Yemen The Houthis’ attrition tactics been bearing since 2011 the tremen- territory will become politically Martin Griffiths has exhausted have been met with restraint by dous political brunt of its commit- and militarily an open battleground all opportunities to convince the Saudi Arabia and the United Arab ment to not internationalise the for conflicts which many regional Houthi militias to surrender the Emirates, which have long put up Yemeni conflict within the wider and international powers would city of Hodeidah. The Houthis with the Houthis’ and Iran’s policy conflicts in the region. like to create. played the waiting game, hoping of pushing for the worst. Saudi Saudi Arabia bore the conse- Perhaps the Saudis, whose ties that Iran would pull them out of a Arabia and the UAE have reacted quences of this burden as it did with the Yemenis go back to the military quagmire, especially after wisely because Saudi Arabia real- The European Union not wish the Yemeni question 1934 Treaty of Taif, are aware the battle to liberate Hodeidah ises it is fighting a war with impor- to become a chip in the political that the challenge in Yemen is to Airport demonstrated the military tant international consequences. and Griffiths must bargaining process that Iran is en- resolve their crisis within an Arab capabilities of the combined forces Failing in this effort will lead take advantage of gaging in to expand its influence in framework, no matter how much it of the Southern Giants Brigades, to the internationalisation of the this pressure to the Arab region. Saudi Arabia has, worsens. the Tihama and National Resist- Yemeni conflict. Saudi Arabia is try- therefore, patiently played the long This is what Riyadh corrected ance Forces, with support from the ing to make sure that the plans laid achieve a game when it comes to the Yemeni after the Houthi coup on Sep- Arab alliance forces. down by Iran and others for the breakthrough in the question and has shown a readi- tember 21, 2014, when UN Envoy In addition, the United Nations’ region do not come to light. ness to accept political solutions as Jamal Benomar was given the reins pretexts of humanitarian aid and petrified Houthi in the 2015 Operation Restoration of the Gulf initiative, which had relief were stopped with the com- Hani Salem Masshour is a Yemeni position. of Hope. failed and led to the coup. Saudi mitment of the Arab Alliance to writer. July 29, 2018 3 News & Analysis Gulf Ethiopian and Eritrean leaders mark peace accord in Abu Dhabi

Mohammed Alkhereiji agreement on June 5, which in- volved ceding disputed territory to London Eritrea. Ahmed reached out to Riyadh eaders of Ethiopia and Eri- and Abu Dhabi for help in convinc- trea met in Abu Dhabi to ing Afwerki to respond to his ap- finalise a peace accord and peals for peace. L express appreciation for The Economist said Sheikh Mo- the role played by the United Arab hammed hosted Afwerki and sug- Emirates and Saudi Arabia in fa- gested incentives in exchange for cilitating the agreement that ended peace. decades of tensions and bloodshed. Afwerki and Ahmed thanked Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Saud, Saudi Crown Prince Moham- Ahmed on July 24 were presented med bin Salman bin Abdulaziz and with the UAE’s highest honour, the Sheikh Mohammed for “sponsor- Order of Zayed, for their efforts to ing and pushing forward the peace reach a peace agreement. agreement to be a catalyst for posi- “The bold & historic step taken by tive relations that will benefit the the leaders of the two neighbouring neighbouring countries and the countries to end the conflict and Horn of Africa.” open new horizons for cooperation Saudi Arabia and the United Arab and joint coordination is a model Emirates have in recent years in- that can be followed in resolving creased their influence in the Horn conflicts around the world,” UAE of Africa. Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed One of the biggest UAE invest- bin Zayed al-Nahyan posted on ments in Africa has been through Twitter. Dubai-based DP World, which built “We are confident that this step a large port in Djibouti in 2006. Ten will contribute to further coopera- years later, the firm announced a tion & joint coordination between $442 million agreement with the the neighbours & fulfil their peo- Somaliland government to develop ple’s aspirations for peace, develop- a regional trade and logistics hub at New horizons. Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan (C) receives Ethiopian ment & prosperity,” he added. Berbera Port. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (L) and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki at the presidential palace in Abu Sheikh Mohammed was a cata- The UAE has increased its mili- Dhabi, on July 24. (AFP) lyst in getting Ethiopia and Eritrea tary presence in the Horn of Africa, to implement the peace deal. establishing bases in the Eritrean The Economist reported that the port of Assab and in the port town boost for Somaliland authorities The UAE is also lending support yond supporting ongoing activities appointment of Ahmed as Ethio- of Berbera, Somaliland, to monitor because their borders are not rec- for counterterrorism operations in in Yemen, the establishment of bas- pian prime minister in April was the Bab el Mandeb Strait. ognised by Somalia and al-Qaeda- West Africa. es outside Emirati borders reveals important in starting the peace pro- The Emirates provides training affiliated al-Shabab terrorist group This gives the UAE a strong mili- the ambitions of Abu Dhabi and its cess. He not only called for peace and support for Somaliland secu- operates in the border area between tary foothold in Africa and, global Gulf allies to step up their military but accepted a UN-sponsored peace rity forces which is a much-needed the two countries. intelligence firm Stratfor said: “Be- presence in the region.”

Viewpoint What did Qatar think it was doing providing $1 billion to a terrorist group?

ow should the inter- ship of terrorism directly threatens national community the safety of citizens everywhere. deal with state-spon- Terrorists make no distinction in Claude Salhani sored terrorism? The nationality, race, religion or the age official position of of their victims. most countries is to “A good first step would be to Hnot negotiate with terrorists because seriously address state funding of it encourages them to commit fur- terrorism where it is known to hap- ther acts of terrorism. pen: in the Iranian regime’s funding Does paying a ransom encourage of terrorist organisations,” Roberts more of the same? said. The consensus is that paying for The biggest mistake the European the release of captured civilians sets Union made in negotiating the Iran the ground for more kidnappings. nuclear deal was to leave the issue When terrorists discover they can of terrorist financing out of it. Now collect large sums of cash and get that the deal is collapsing following away with it, why not repeat the the United States’ withdrawal, this exercise? is a defect that desperately needs While officially most countries say attention. they do not negotiate with terror- Sanctioning Iran would act as ists, the reality is far from that claim. In hot water. The Qatari flag at a park near Doha Corniche. (Reuters) a warning for countries that seek Except perhaps in the case of Iran, to expand their influence through which sponsors terrorist groups, what hurts terrorist organisations Roberts, a member of the European funding terrorists. So, too, would although that is very difficult to the most — their finances. In that Advisory Board of the Counter Ex- taking a strong stance on the pay- prove. Difficult, yes, but not impos- respect, the FBI has documented tremism Project. ment of ransoms to terrorists. sible. Iran does not hide the help it much of Hezbollah’s finances and “It was a direct transfer of funds This is something many EU provides to certain groups. Some many of its illegal activities, such as knowingly made to support the ac- countries, including France and state-sponsored organisations, such drug and human trafficking. Most tivities of some of the most danger- Germany, have been guilty of. By as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard times, however, links are hard to ous terrorists in the world. Kata’ib preventing the payment of ransoms Corps’ al-Quds Force, are master- prove. Hezbollah collaborates with the to terrorists, European governments minds of terrorist activities. Tracking down the money trail is Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ can send the message that hostage Nor do Iranians think of their not easy. al-Quds Force and with Iran-backed taking does not pay and thereby proxies in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq The BBC has revealed that, in Hezbollah in Lebanon. Some of the make the world safer. as terrorists even if their activities 2015, Qatar paid approximately funds made their way to a number Cutting off sources of finance for fall into that category. $1 billion to the most dangerous of other terrorist groups, including terrorist groups is perhaps the best Who is and who is not a terrorist is of Iraqi terrorist groups, Kata’ib the infamous al-Nusra Front.” way to prevent them from carrying a protracted debate that has had the Hezbollah — a pro-Iranian proxy What did Qatar think it was doing out attacks. Cracking down on state Sanctioning Iran United Nations stumped for decades similar to its namesake organisa- providing $1 billion to a terrorist sponsorship is an excellent step in would act as a trying to develop a clear definition tion in Lebanon. The group had group? Just releasing a senior offi- this direction. With coordinated warning for of who or what constitutes a ter- taken hostage 28 Qatari nationals, cial’s relatives? action from the international com- rorist. It is recognised that any act including two relatives of the Qatari With sums of money in that munity, much can be done to make countries that seek of violence that victimises civilians foreign minister. amount, it was encouraging terrorist it impossible for terrorist groups to to expand their for political purposes is an act of “The payment was ostensibly beneficiaries to strike again. carry out their agenda. terrorism. made to set hostages free but, make It is imperative that the interna- influence through One of the most efficient tools no mistake, this was terrorist financ- tional community addresses this Claude Salhani is a regular funding terrorists. in fighting terrorism is to go after ing plain and simple,” said Sir Ivor threat as what it is. State sponsor- columnist for The Arab Weekly. 4 July 29, 2018 News & Analysis US-Iran tensions After series of Twitter outbursts, Trump hints at ‘real deal’ with Iran

Thomas Frank Trump said nothing more about would be a “huge project,” Ford Iran in his July 24 speech to a major said the United States was “fully in- US veterans group and an adminis- vested and ready to put in the sus- Washington tration spokeswoman declined to tained and serious effort required clarify his remarks. Trump is well- to get an outcome that provides S President Donald Trump known for making apparently con- lasting security for the region and and his administration tradictory statements. the world and we’re also prepared have backed off their However, on July 25, a US State to lean hard on our partners and the U strong threats against Iran Department official gave a little- international community to get it and signalled a willingness for a noticed speech that suggested the done.” new “deal” to address Iran’s nuclear administration wants to replace the programme and other US concerns. Iran deal, officially known as the Assistant Secretary of State for Trump said July 24 that “we’re Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action the Bureau of International Security ready to make a real deal” with (JCPOA). and Nonproliferation Iran, adding that “Iran is not the “We left the JCPOA in order to Christopher Ashley Ford same country anymore” since he start over,” said Assistant Secretary “We left the JCPOA in order to announced in May that the United of State for the Bureau of Interna- start over.” States was withdrawing from the tional Security and Nonprolifera- nuclear deal that the United States, tion Christopher Ashley Ford. The five other world powers and the Eu- United States intends to use the Ford’s remarks drew almost no ropean Union signed with Iran in reinstatement of sanctions “as a attention although they contrast 2015. catalyst for bringing international sharply with the Trump adminis- Trump’s remarks were just a partners — and eventually Iran it- tration’s months of hectoring Iran day-and-a-half after he wrote in self — back to the table to negotiate and its vocal support of Iranian an all-capitalised late-night tweet a permanent solution to these prob- protesters and other opponents aimed at Iranian President Hassan lems,” Ford said. of Tehran’s leadership. On July 22, Rohani: “NEVER, EVER THREATEN He was referring to Iran’s nuclear US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR and ballistic-missile programmes stopped just short of urging regime YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENC- and its support for terrorism and change when he assailed Iranian Change of tone. US Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of ES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW threats to its neighbouring coun- leaders as corrupt. International Security and Nonproliferation Christopher Ashley THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE tries. “I have a message for the people Ford at a meeting in Geneva, last April. (Reuters) EVER SUFFERED BEFORE.” “If Iran agrees to a new and better of Iran: The United States hears deal that comprehensively address- you. The United States supports es our concerns, we would support you. The United States is with you,” when he testified before Congress Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emir- Ford’s remarks drew Iran’s full reintegration, politically Pompeo told a cheering audience of on July 26, saying Trump quit the ates and Bahrain, as it tries a new almost no attention and economically, into the commu- Iranian Americans in California. nuclear deal because the United negotiating strategy. although they contrast nity of nations. This would include Pompeo said a US government States “would find [itself] in a bet- “There are a number of folks who sharply with the Trump the establishment of diplomatic agency that runs overseas radio ter place with an opportunity to are beginning to coalesce around an administration’s months relations, lifting all our sanctions networks such as Voice of America revisit all of these issues” such understanding of how we can ap- of hectoring Iran. against Iran — not just some of is establishing a 24-hour, Farsi- as Iran’s nuclear and missile pro- propriately respond to Iran to take them, as the JCPOA did — and sup- language outlet that will broadcast grammes and its “malign activity down the nuclear risk to the United Trump’s tweet was an apparent porting Iran’s reintegration into the on television, radio and social me- around the world.” States as well as the risk from these response to Rohani’s warning that global economy and community of dia “so that the ordinary Iranians Although German, French and other malign activities,” Pompeo fighting Iran would be “the mother nations,” Ford said in his speech on inside of Iran and around the globe British leaders criticised Trump’s said. of all wars” and that Trump should moving American policy forward can know that America stands with withdrawal from JCPOA, Pompeo not “play with the lion’s tail, be- after the nuclear deal. them.” said the United States had support Thomas Frank is an Arab Weekly cause you will regret it eternally.” Acknowledging negotiations Pompeo sounded differently from other countries, including correspondent in Washington. Viewpoint Trump’s Twitter battle with Iran will lead to neither war nor diplomacy

here’s nothing like a violation). this flurry of threats and counter- disrupting the Strait of Hormuz good, old-fashioned Trump responded by tweeting threats are comments by Trump would be its only option. Iran’s Twitter fight to get the in all caps — itself a provocative suggesting that his goal is to leaders are probably hoping they Mark Habeeb blood flowing and the internet escalation — that if Iran negotiate with Tehran. After his can wait out Trump and that the rumours started. threatens the United States again, June meeting with North Korea’s Great Satan elects a new leader in Take US President it “WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES Kim Jong-un in Singapore, Trump 2020. TDonald Trump’s tweeted war-of- THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW said: “I hope that, after the sanc- The odds of a diplomatic words with Iranian officials: Pun- THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE tions kick in… [Iran] is going to breakthrough between Washing- dits and television talking heads EVER SUFFERED BEFORE.” It come back and negotiate a real ton and Tehran are even lower are falling over each other to ex- was not clear whether Trump was deal because I’d love to be able to than the odds of war. The North plain how this verbal sparring will referring to nuclear holocaust or a do that.” Korea analogy — in which a nasty, lead to either a devastating Middle plague of locusts. So what will it be, war or diplo- name-calling Twitter spat ended East war or, as a similar school- Not to be outdone, Iranian macy? The short answer: Neither. with a bromance in Singapore — is yard exchange with North Korea Major-General Qassem Soleimani, War is unlikely because the shaky. Policymakers in Washing- did, a diplomatic breakthrough. commander of Iran’s Islamic Revo- Trump administration does not ton viewed North Korea as a pest War is unlikely Neither outcome is likely. lutionary Guard Corps’ al-Quds want and the Pentagon is not pre- that was becoming dangerous; because the The social media battle began Force, was quoted by the Tasnim pared for a war against a country Iran is seen by many if not most in when Iranian President Hassan Ro- news agency as saying: “Come. of 80 million people. Iran does Washington as a serious threat to Pentagon is not hani declared in a speech that US We are ready. If you [Trump] begin not want and is not prepared for a US interests and allies in the Mid- prepared for a war military action against Iran would the war, we end the war.” It was war against a nation of 325 million dle East. lead to “the mother of all wars” (if not clear whether “end it” meant people. US allies in Asia favoured a against a country of Saddam Hussein were still alive, he defeating the United States or sur- Actions short of full-scale war US-North Korea dialogue to cool 80 million people. could sue Rohani for a copyright rendering. are possible: The United States regional tensions but US allies in Accompanying these juvenile could stage a surgical strike, per- the Middle East generally share exchanges have been more serious haps in conjunction with Israel, Bolton’s perspective on Iran. threats: Iranian leaders suggested against Iranian nuclear sites if And it is hard to imagine any sce- on several occasions that if US Tehran is foolish enough to aggres- nario in which Iran’s government sanctions block its oil exports, they sively accelerate its nuclear pro- sits down with Trump administra- will ensure that other countries in gramme. Iran could take actions tion officials. the region are unable to export oil. that put Gulf shipping at peril. The current Twitter battle is Presumably, this refers to blocking Either of these steps risk a danger- politically convenient for both the Strait of Hormuz to tanker traf- ous and unpredictable escalation, leaders: Rohani looks tough in the fic. Although Iran’s naval capabili- something neither side wants. face of criticism from hardliners ties are limited, it would only need More likely is that the United and Trump looks tough in the face to bring about enough disruption States will bolster Israel’s actions of the widespread criticism over to cause oil prices and insurance against Iranian targets in Syria. his fawning behaviour towards rates to soar. Israel already has killed Iranian Russian President Vladimir Putin Credible US leaders — Secretary troops, so that line has been in Helsinki. For the foreseeable of State Mike Pompeo, national crossed. If US forces were to kill future, however, neither war nor security adviser John Bolton and Iranian troops, the escalatory pro- diplomacy is in the offing. members of Congress — have cess would start. openly declared that their goal is Iran will try to strengthen its ties Mark Habeeb is East-West Editor regime change in Iran. Bolton has with Moscow and Beijing so it has of The Arab Weekly and adjunct Safety in numbers. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali a long history of advocating for options for exporting its oil and professor of Global Politics and Khamenei stands as army staff salute at the start of a meeting in military strikes on Iran. does not find itself with its back Security at Georgetown University Tehran, last February. (AP) Adding further confusion to against the wall — in which case in Washington. July 29, 2018 5 News & Analysis US-Iran tensions Top-level corruption in Iran in spotlight as US pressures regime

Thomas Seibert ate a social base and to fortify structures of cronyism,” Fathol- lah-Nejad said. “We are dealing Istanbul with an oligarchy in which politi- cal and economic power cannot be igh-level corruption in separated from each other.” Iran is in the spotlight as Part of the funds made available the Trump administra- because of corruption fuel Iran’s H tion steps up efforts to foreign policy aims. “Some of the undermine the legitimacy of the money is surely being channelled leadership in Tehran. into regional political projects,” “The Iranian economy is going such as Syria, Iraq or Lebanon, great but only if you’re a politically Fathollah-Nejad said. connected member of the elite,” A 2013 investigation by Reuters US Secretary Michael Pompeo said described how Setad, a $95 billion in a speech to an Iranian-American organisation controlled by Irani- audience July 22 in California. an Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Pompeo spoke of an alleged $95 Khamenei, makes huge sums by billion slush fund of the Iranian taking over real estate, sometimes supreme leader and a prominent against the will of the owners, and politician with more than 60 bank has “stakes in nearly every sector accounts to his name, not to forget of Iranian industry, including fi- a former Islamic Revolutionary nance, oil, telecommunications, Guard Corps (IRGC) commander the production of birth-control who is nicknamed the “billionaire pills and even ostrich farming.” general.” Reuters reported there was no Pompeo called Iran’s religious evidence Khamenei was filling his leaders “hypocritical holy men” own private pockets. who had “devised all kinds of Pompeo cited Setad as a prime crooked schemes to become some example of corruption in Tehran. of the wealthiest men on Earth” “Seizing land from religious mi- while the rest of the country suf- norities and political rivals is just fered economic hardship. another day at the office for this “The level of corruption and juggernaut,” he said about the or- Maximum pressure. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks at the Ronald Reagan Presidential wealth among Iranian leaders ganisation. Library, on July 22. (AP) shows that Iran is run by some- Khamenei is not the only mem- thing that resembles the mafia ber of the Iranian leadership who Some IRGC members have be- “Corruption is one of the main that Washington’s allies in the re- more than a government,” he said. is reported to control vast sums. come very rich. Sadeq Mahsouli, sources of popular grievance in gion stand guilty of the same crime Analysts say the fact that there Sadeqh Larijani, the head of Iran’s a former IRGC commander, has Iran,” Vaez pointed out. “The fact seems to be only an afterthought.” is widespread corruption in the judiciary, has been accused of been called “general billionaire” that it is now more than ever in the Fathollah-Nejad said he was Iranian government is not new. holding more than 63 bank ac- by an Iranian lawmaker. Mahsouli public eye has turned it into an is- sceptical about what the United “What’s new is the US instrumen- counts totalling millions of US reportedly told parliament in 2005 sue of national debate.” States can achieve. “I don’t think talising it as a tool for fomenting dollars, reportedly money from that Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, it will have much of an impact instability in Iran,” Ali Vaez, direc- defendants in court cases. Larijani the founder of the Islamic Repub- among Iranian society,” he said tor of the Iran Project at the In- has said the accounts belong to the lic, had only banned “the attitude Pompeo called Iran’s about Pompeo’s speech. ternational Crisis Group, said via judiciary, not to himself. Other of- and demeanour of living in palac- religious leaders The Trump administration, e-mail. ficials and ayatollahs have report- es, not living in palaces itself.” “hypocritical holy men” which withdrew from the Iran edly benefited financially from the When the international com- who had “devised all nuclear accord in May, wanted to Khamenei is not the only sugar trade and mining contracts. munity tried to isolate Iran with kinds of crooked force Tehran to accept new talks Iran’s IRGC, which controls parts economic sanctions before negoti- schemes to become some about Iran’s nuclear programme, member of the Iranian of the Iranian economy, has also ating a nuclear treaty with Tehran with the aim of enacting stricter leadership who is of the wealthiest men on been named in connection with in 2015, corruption in the country Earth.” rules for the Iranians than those reported to control vast cases of corruption. Last year, sev- flourished, Vaez said. “Corruption under the old treaty, Fathollah- sums. eral IRGC members were arrested reached astronomical scales dur- The question is whether Wash- Nejad added. “While depicting over alleged graft. “President [Has- ing the previous sanctions regime ington can weaken the Tehran the regime as lacking legitimacy, Ali Fathollah-Nejad, an Iran ex- san] Rohani has convinced the top as the Iranian government abetted government by pointing the fin- Pompeo also stated that the maxi- pert at the Brookings Doha Centre, commanders that if systematic those who were trying to circum- ger at allegedly corrupt officials in mum pressure policy still leaves said “there is huge wealth in the corruption and favouritism are vent sanctions.” Iran. “Washington is clearly try- the possibility for a deal to be hands of Iran’s leaders,” a fact that not taken seriously, the pillars of Recent waves of unrest in Iran ing to add fuel to fires of popular struck between Washington and Iranians were well aware of. Per- the regime will be undermined,” demonstrated that citizens are an- discontent in Iran,” Vaez pointed Tehran,” he said. sonal enrichment is only one di- Saeed Laylaz, an economist close gry about the state of the economy out. “Highlighting the corruption mension of the phenomenon. to the government, told the New and the inability of the govern- of Iranian officials is one way of Thomas Seibert is an Arab Weekly “The money is also used to cre- York Times at the time. ment to deliver basic services. achieving that objective. The fact correspondent.

Viewpoint Trump’s Iran policy: The mother of all confusion

he symbolism was ob- publican president’s second term consultation and Rohani used the HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED vious. US Secretary of in office — the Iran-Contra affair. opportunity to warn Washington. BEFORE,” Trump warned his State Michael Pompeo Senior Reagan administration Rohani said: “The Americans counterpart in Tehran, in capital Ali Alfoneh chose to deliver his officials secretly facilitated the think we want to close the Strait letters. second major policy sale of arms to Tehran, which was of Hormuz when we say ‘no one Then again on July 24 Trump speech on Iran to an the subject of an arms embargo. can export oil, if Iran is prevented mentioned Iran to war veterans: Taudience of Iranian-Americans at Reagan took full responsibility. from exporting its oil.’ However, “We’ll see what happens but we’re the Ronald Reagan Presidential In a nationally televised speech there are many different ways. ready to make a real deal, not the Library in California on July 22. on March 4, 1987, he admit- Closing the Strait of Hormuz is the deal that was done by the previ- The choice of venue was clearly ted: “What began as a strategic easy option but we have plenty of ous administration, which was a symbolic. Reagan is recognised as opening to Iran deteriorated, in other options at our disposal.” disaster.” the president who brought down its implementation, into trading Interestingly, Rohani also What then, is the Trump admin- “the evil empire” of the Soviet arms for hostages.” warned Trump: “War with Iran istration’s Iran policy? Union. Reagan, champion of freedom, will be the mother of all wars and Is Washington pursuing a Pompeo praised Reagan for urg- engaged in an enterprise that pro- peace with Iran will be the mother regime-change policy? ing “other Western governments longed the life of a revolutionary of peace.” The statement was Or a policy that seeks to change to support those around the world regime, which he denounced as curious because it paraphrased the behaviour of the regime? trying to break free of tyranny terrorist. It is not known if Presi- Saddam Hussein’s description of Does Trump pursue one or sev- and injustice.” In Reagan’s spirit, dent Donald Trump is engaged the Kuwait war, which he called eral mutually exclusive policies Contradictory Pompeo called “on all govern- in an effort like Reagan’s. In any “the mother of all battles.” That simultaneously? ments to end their flirtations with case, contradictory statements by war, of course, did not end par- To what extent do senior ad- statements by a revolutionary regime and come Trump and his senior aides create ticularly well for Saddam. ministration officials speak on the Trump and his quickly to the aid of the Iranian serious doubts about this admin- Rohani’s words caught the president’s behalf? senior aides create people.” istration’s policy towards Iran. attention of Trump, who used For now, Trump’s Iran policy Pompeo’s punchline was an- Around the time that Pompeo Twitter to fire a salvo against the can best be described as the serious doubts swered with applause from the was delivering his spirited speech regime in Tehran: “NEVER, EVER mother of all confusion. about this audience but those old enough to in California, Iranian President THREATEN THE UNITED STATES remember the Reagan presidency Hassan Rohani addressed a group AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER Ali Alfoneh is a visiting scholar at administration’s may recall a less flattering episode of Iran’s ambassadors. They had CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF the Arab Gulf States Institute in policy towards Iran. that cast a shadow over the Re- been summoned to Tehran for WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT Washington. 6 July 29, 2018 Opinion

Editorial Fighting illicit content online ommunications technology is having a hard time keeping pace with disinformation on the internet, particularly the radicalising propaganda put out by terrorist groups. Despite strenuous international Cefforts, jihadist incitement remains difficult to remove from the World Wide Web. A report by the Counter Extremism Project (CEP) casts doubt on YouTube’s proclaimed ability to expeditiously remove propaganda videos by the barbaric extremist group called the Islamic State (ISIS). CEP said that “91% of these ISIS videos were uploaded more than once; 24% of terrorist videos included in the study remained online for more than two hours; and 60% of the 278 accounts responsible for uploading the videos remained active after posting content that violated YouTube’s terms of service.” CEP Executive Director David Ibsen said it was alarming that “despite big tech’s promises of combating online extremism and terrorism, noxious, previously prohibited content contin- © Yaser Ahmed for The Arab Weekly ues to persist across all major platforms.” Ibsen notes that ISIS videos were uploaded 163,000 times in the past three months. “That should be a wake-up call to lawmakers around Can Iran afford to ignore the world that terror-inciting content remains pervasive and that these companies must do more to remove it once and for all.” US threats? CEP’s findings are more than a wake-up call. They are a reminder of extremist groups’ appeal Khairallah Khairallah to marginalised young people. The constituency may be small but that it exists is disturbing. Iran must have got the message that it is now dealing with a US The fight is not about technological fixes per se administration quite different from the Obama administration. but the need for political leaders and civil society to fashion a credible counter-narrative remains he only thing that and followed his big talk with The detail about Ames warn- crucial. US President Donald concrete actions by withdrawing ing the ayatollah regime was That said, the battle between truth and Trump hasn’t done the United States from the agree- taken from Kai Bird’s 2014 book, falsehood is demonstrably getting harder. Rapid with Iran is remind it ment this past May. “The Good Spy,” in which Bird technological change is making it ever more that the United States Iran is no Japan and it ought mentioned that Ames was the difficult to tamp down the online dissemination is a nuclear power and to think twice before challeng- first high-level US official to open of all sorts of suspect material, not just by Tthat it has used its nuclear arsenal ing Uncle Sam. Trump’s anti-Iran communications between the terrorists but by criminal organisations and — in 1945 against Japan to bring rhetoric is backed by an admin- Palestine Liberation Organisation unscrupulous individuals. it to heel and surrender in the istration that is familiar with the and the US government. Experts are warning of the coming peril of second world war. smallest details of Iran’s shenani- Ames was killed, along with Deepfakes, fake videos created by means of artificial intelligence. Deep learning allows Japan learned the lesson then. gans since 1979. In his speech, many other CIA officers, in the technology to copy a person’s voice, speech It surrendered and concentrated Trump reminded everyone that 1983 bombing of the US Embassy patterns and facial expressions so perfectly that its efforts on rebuilding its society Iran had held US diplomats in in Beirut. With one blow, Iran realistic videos can be produced of people and economy. It became a mod- Tehran hostage for 444 days. He wiped out most of the heads of appearing to say things they never really did. ern state and gave up its imperi- spoke of Iran’s role in blowing up the CIA stations in the Middle East Deepfakes could become powerful disinforma- alistic fantasies. Japan is among the US Embassy in Beirut in April and Uncle Sam does not forget tion tools. They could whip up a frenzy of fear in the top economic powers in the 1983 and the US Marine Corps’ that easily. the event of a terrorist attack or natural disaster. world. headquarters near the Beirut air- Iran must have got the message They could change the parameters of national Can Iran learn from Japan’s port in October of the same year. that it is now dealing with a US ad- debate. They could skew elections. Experts say it experience? Or perhaps it thinks During the last days of the shah ministration quite different from will be a year or two before we have the techno- that US Secretary of State Mike and the beginning of the Iranian the Obama administration, whose logical ability to differentiate between genuine Pompeo’s declarations are hollow revolution, the United States did main concern was to complete at and fake videos. Until then, we are left with threats. not back the shah against the all cost the major foreign policy Deepfakes and no way of knowing if a video is Trump’s threats against Iran Iranian population and did not achievement of the United States’ true or not. might be just big talk but they oppose the revolution or Ayatol- first African-American president — The implications are troubling. Some in the might be serious. There is signifi- lah Ruhollah Khomeini, either. namely the nuclear deal with Iran. United States fear that Deepfakes may become a cant evidence they are serious. It hadn’t objected to Khomeini’s Tehran must have gotten the troubling feature of November’s congressional The US president began his presence in France, for example. message because Iranian Presi- midterm elections but the risks are global. As anti-Iran campaign in a speech Ironically, it was the CIA’s Near dent Hassan Rohani resorted to Hany Farid, a digital forensics expert at New about a year ago in which he East Director Robert Ames who borrowing phrases from Saddam’s Hampshire’s Dartmouth College, has said: “The surveyed US-Iran relations since warned the new Iranian regime repertoire to answer Trump. It technology, of course, knows no borders, so I the Iranian Revolution of 1979. of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein’s must have given him some inter- expect the impact to ripple around the globe.” Trump listed many Iranian mis- imminent attack on Iran in the nal reassurance to do so. Social media are likely to be the natural deeds against the United States summer of 1979. I am sure Rohani could not be platforms for the dissemination of fake videos. that stupid as to ignore the bal- Plagued by misinformation, rumour, canard and ance of power involved. Plus, he slander, social media are well able to feed biases must be aware that his foreign af- and fuel communal, cultural and ideological fairs minister’s bet on the Obama tensions. With its high usage of social media, the administration is no longer valid. Middle East and North Africa region runs great There is a new team in Washing- risks if Deepfakes overrun news feeds and take ton and Iran cannot escape deal- over online conversations. ing with it. As we know, social media can sometimes be So, will Iran learn from Japan’s less a channel for democratic debate than a experience and revise its plans? dangerous catalyst of heightened tension. In Corruption has gangrened generally conservative Arab societies, a backlash Iran. The Iranian regime has no against technology could have profound conse- model to offer the world besides quences. If technological advances in informa- its sectarian militias, which have tion delivery are considered untrustworthy, it contributed to the destruction of could prejudice the region’s appetite for early Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and adoption. Worse, it could become an argument to almost strangled Bahrain. inhibit progress. Iran faces only one choice: Big tech companies say they’ll fight the good become a normal Third World fight against fake material, just as with terrorist country and get on with shaping propaganda. YouTube has pledged that “authori- up its internal affairs. Half of all tative” news sources will be more prominently Iranians live below the poverty displayed, particularly when big stories break. line and the regime is interested YouTube’s Chief Product Officer Neal Mohan only in foreign adventures. said that 10,000 “human reviewers” at Google Trump’s rhetoric might turn out will help determine which news stories and to be just that, rhetoric. One thing videos should be billed as “authoritative.” But YouTube also admitted it would need to spend a is sure, though: The American great deal more in the next few years to meet sanctions are coming and bom- “emerging challenges,” such as misinformation. bastic words will not stop them or A lot is at stake when it comes to internet appease the hunger of half of the content. The world community must act to crack Iranian population. down on the creators and distributors of bad, mad and dangerous untruths. Superior capabilities. US Navy sailors lower an engine in the jet shop of the Khairallah Khairallah is a aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), last February. (AFP) Lebanese writer. July 29, 2018 7 Opinion Contact editor at: [email protected] An ALL-CAPS war on diplomacy www.thearabweekly.com Rashmee Roshan Lall Published by Al Arab Much of social media’s pungent prominence in foreign Publishing House diplomacy has been led by Trump. Publisher and Group Executive Editor hen the Minister Mohammad Javad over decades of anti-American Haitham El-Zobaidi, PhD leader of Zarif tweeted a response that speechifying and it certainly a nuclear- was only partially capitalised. has none of the flowery faux- Editor-in-Chief armed “COLOR US UNIMPRESSED,” Shakespearean insults and nation lobs he yelled back into the ether. heaping curses routinely is- Oussama Romdhani a tweet Then, Zarif dropped his sued by the true masters of the Wbomb at another country, the virtual voice and lapsed into a art, North Korea. Pyongyang Managing Editor world takes notice. When it’s relatively measured, sentence- has a rich tradition of insults Iman Zayat the president of the United case format: “We’ve been for real or perceived foes, States, which has 6,550 avail- around for millennia & seen though they are not relayed Deputy Managing Editor able nuclear warheads, a tweet fall of empires, incl our own, by social media in the first and Online Editor bomb has enormous explosive which lasted more than the instance. Mamoon Alabbasi charge. life of some countries.” A good example is the of- So it was with Donald The three exchanges — two ficial announcement of the Senior Editor Trump’s rather thuggish warn- of which were on Twitter — say December 2013 execution of John Hendel ing to his Iranian counterpart, something about diplomacy Jang Song-thaek, uncle of Hassan Rohani, late on July today. First, the net positives: North Korean dictator Kim Chief Copy Editor 22. “NEVER, EVER THREATEN Twitter wars and tweet bombs Jong-un and once thought to Richard Pretorius THE UNITED STATES AGAIN,” are a whole lot better than a have been the second-most Trump said, “OR YOU WILL shooting war or the use of ord- powerful man in North Korea. Copy Editor Shouted messages. Visitors compose SUFFER CONSEQUENCES nance that can kill and maim. Jang was described as “worse Stephen Quillen THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW That said, social media can tweets at the satirical Donald J. Trump than a dog, a traitor to the na- THROUGHOUT HISTORY hardly be called naturally Presidential Twitter Library. (Reuters) tion for all ages… despicable Analysis Section Editor HAVE EVER SUFFERED BE- emollient. By its very nature, human scum” and someone Ed Blanche FORE.” such messages are public, by Trump. One might have who indulged in “unpardon- Most of the tweet was in all pithy and generally punchy. expected politicians younger Trump’s able thrice-cursed treason.” East/West Section Editor caps, something the internet Accordingly, social media are than the septuagenarian all-caps In May 2014, North Korea Mark Habeeb age knows how to decode. not particularly conducive to Trump to seize on Twitter to tweet to the described then US President Gulf Section Editor Trump’s message was a diplomatic dialogue. In the speak with immediacy and di- Iranian Barack Obama as “a wicked shouted communication, one context of the Trump-Iran rectness to foreign countries, black monkey” and someone Mohammed Alkhereiji that commands attention and Twitter exchanges, they might their leaders and citizens. But president who “still has the figure of a demands immediate action. even be downright dangerous. it is Trump, just 18 months may be a monkey while the human race Society and Travel What exactly did Trump The escalation of threatening into his presidency, who has sign of a has evolved through millions Sections Editor want Iran’s president to stop language at the highest level in deployed social media as the discernible of years.” Samar Kadi doing? All the evidence points both countries could provoke primary tool of outreach to shift in Trumpian Twitter outbursts to Rohani’s address to diplo- individual missteps that trig- other nations. overt differ from North Korea’s Syria and Lebanon mats in Tehran on July 22, in ger a wider conflict. Mostly, it hasn’t been dip- American fulminations in one other Section Editor which he said the following: As has been pointed out by lomatic. Trumpisms, which presidential respect. For North Korea, they Simon Speakman Cordall Americans “must understand US military officers, a single have proliferated like weeds came from the state-controlled engagement Contributing Editor that war with Iran is the Iranian speedboat captain who in the lowlands and highlands with Korean Central News Agency. mother of all wars and peace interprets his president and of social media foreign policy Trump’s tweets come from Rashmee Roshan Lall with Iran is the mother of all foreign minister’s muscular discourse, are irrepressible adversaries. the US president’s personal Senior Correspondents peace.” talk literally could spark a and supremely resistant to account. Then, using rich imagery, crisis in the Strait of Hormuz. the scythe of precision, clar- If push came to shove, North Mahmud el-Shafey (London) a characteristic of Persian The American officers did not ity and amity. They advance Korea’s leader could always Lamine Ghanmi (Tunis) literature and sometimes of detail the effect of their own an agenda that might best be deny responsibility for any- ordinary conversations in president’s threats on the called alt-diplomacy. In fact, thing the news agency put out. Regular Columnists Farsi as well, Rohani con- mindset of US servicemen in Trump’s all-caps tweet to the Trump cannot. He is hoist with Claude Salhani veyed a message to the United Syria, not far from Iranian mi- Iranian president may be a his own tweets. Yavuz Baydar States or perhaps to Trump: litia. Suffice it to say, there is sign of a discernible shift in “Do not play with the lion’s always the chance something overt American presidential Rashmee Roshan Lall is a Correspondents tail because you will regret it could go seriously wrong. engagement with adversaries. columnist for The Arab Weekly. Saad Guerraoui (Casablanca) eternally.” Much of social media’s His trademark bellicose Her blog can be found at Dunia El-Zobaidi (London) After Trump’s apoplectic fit pungent prominence in for- style lacks the bloodthirsty www.rashmee.com and she is Roua Khlifi (Tunis) — in all caps — Iranian Foreign eign diplomacy has been led imagery employed by Iranians on Twitter: @rashmeerl. Thomas Seibert (Washington) Chief Designer Marwen el-Hmedi

Talk of rebuilding Syria is delusional Designers Ibrahim Ben Bechir Stephen Starr Hanen Jebali While Assad attempts to drum up business and sell reconstruction as potentially a huge windfall for his friends, it will never happen as long as he is in charge. Al Arab Publishing House Quadrant Building 177-179 Hammersmith Road he commonly held Aside from some privately financial resources? This is west Aleppo, might look to London W6 8BS assumption that funded efforts to rebuild highly doubtful… They may move their profits into bigger Tel: (+44) 20 7602 3999 Iran, Russia and churches and a Chechen have the will, in other words, projects. But what internation- Fax: (+44) 20 8846 9520 other friends of the warlord paying to renovate but they appear not to have the al credit agency, be it Russian, Syrian regime stand the as-yet-unfinished Khalid ability.” Chinese, Iranian or otherwise, to make a fortune Ibn al-Walid mosque, the only While Assad attempts to would risk giving loans to ex- Trebuilding the war-torn coun- completed project is the city’s drum up business and sell militias on the scale required to Contributions try is wide of the mark. Old Souk. reconstruction as potentially a rebuild entire neighbourhoods and Editorial Queries With the government of Who funded that? The Rus- huge windfall for his friends, and towns? [email protected] Syrian President Bashar Assad sians? Iran? Not a chance. It it will never happen as long as There’s Syria’s thriving war set to regain the remainder of was the United Nations, the he is in charge. The traditional economy, which functions in the country not controlled by only organisation with nothing construction powerhouses in a very different manner to the Kurdish factions, there’s been to lose, financially or other- the region — the Gulf countries free movement of goods and Tunis Office much talk of the huge sums to wise. and European multination- services. Real growth requires Tel: (+ 216) 71 669 174 be spent — and made — rebuild- Russia and Iran are likely to als — won’t or can’t return to free movement and the war Tel: (+216) 71 669 175 ing the hundreds of towns and look for a return on their huge Syria because of international economy throws up another cities destroyed in the fighting. investment in Syria rather than sanctions and political an- impediment. Figures from $250 billion-$400 spend more. Jesse Marks, a tagonisms. Washington has The reality is the decay that billion and even $1 trillion have Herbert Scoville Jr Peace Fel- introduced the No Assistance saw Syria an economic back- been bandied around. low at the nonpartisan Stimson for Assad Act to prevent US water for the entire 40 years There have been headlines Centre, wrote for the Defense companies working on re- of Hafez Assad’s regime is about Russian, Chinese and One website that Moscow is construction in areas under back. For “Syria 2020,” read US Publisher: Iranian companies rubbing an estimated $4 billion deep Assad’s control. “Syria 1970.” Anyone who lived Ibrahim Zobeidi their hands at the prospect of in Syria and Iran is thought to There’s another issue that’s through those days would making millions off the back have spent up to $35 billion largely flown under the radar: shudder at the thought that (248) 803 1946 of gleaming new apartment keeping Assad standing. Who does the regime see stay- Syria’s future would look like blocks in eastern Aleppo and Of course, there is a chance ing in its yet-to-be-built luxury that again. international hotels in Damas- that sections of Syrian real hotels and apartment build- The more unfortunate reality cus. estate will be handed to state ings? Where would the Syr- is that it did not have to be this There’s just one problem: investors from Iran and Russia ians shopping in the proposed way. Before 2011, Syria was Those towers and hotels will but beyond such symbolic ges- state-of-the-art malls find booming. Though, with the As- Subscription & Advertising: never be built. tures, the broader conditions work? sads at the helm, the collapse Mohamed Al Mufti Assad has been in control for privately led investment It’s possible that a small and violence that followed [email protected] of Homs, Syria’s third largest are not there. As a report from number of regime apparatchiks were always possible. Tel: (+44) 20 8742 9262 city, for four years, offering a the International Crisis Group may take on some major re- window into how a nationwide surmised: “Russia and Iran construction works. Ambitious Stephen Starr is the author of rebuilding effort may take have displayed their military shabiha gangsters, already “Revolt in Syria: Eye-Witness to shape. How has the reconstruc- prowess but can they back it investing in restaurants and the Uprising” and has lived in tion effort gone there? up long-term with the required cafes in central Damascus and Syria and Turkey since 2007. 8 July 29, 2018 News & Analysis Egypt Egypt weighs effect on Suez Canal from attack on Saudi tankers

Amr Emam en route to markets in Europe and Asia. After the attack, Saudi authorities suspended crude oil Cairo shipments via the Bab el Mandeb- Red Sea-Suez Canal route. Kuwait gypt downplayed the ef- said it would consider making a fects of an attack by the similar decision, ringing alarms in Iran-backed Houthi militia Cairo, which is dependent on tran- E on two Saudi oil tankers sit fees from the Suez Canal. and a subsequent decision by Ri- Revenues from the canal in the yadh to suspend crude oil ship- third quarter of the 2017-18 fiscal ments through the strategic Bab year were up 10.6% compared to el Mandeb Strait and to the Suez those in the same quarter of the Canal. previous fiscal year, said Egypt’s “Canal traffic was more than Central Agency for Public Mobili- normal a day after the attack,” said sation and Statistics. Suez Canal Authority spokesman On July 26, 54 tankers, vessels Tarek Hassanein “There is no need and ships transited the canal in for worry.” both directions, the canal author- The Houthi militia attacked two ity said. Forty-seven vessels reg- plan to turn the Suez Canal region panies could raise rates for ves- each day cross from the Arab Gulf Saudi oil tankers off the western istered to transit the canal on the into a magnet for international in- sels transiting the Suez Canal, through the Suez Canal to markets coast of Yemen on July 25, causing following day. vestment, including numerous in- something that Egypt’s authorities in Europe or indirectly to SUMED what Saudi authorities described Authority Chairman Mohab dustrial and logistical zones. sought to play down. pipeline in Egypt. as “minor damage” to one of the Mamish said the Houthis’ attack Threats to navigation in the Red “These areas do not include ei- “The case will be very bad for tankers. was neither the first nor the last. Sea and the Bab el Mandeb Strait ther Egypt or the Suez Canal,” Has- Egypt, especially if more countries Egypt strongly condemned the “These attacks happened sev- would imperil those plans. sanein said. are tempted to suspend shipments attack on the Saudi oil tankers, eral times in the past and the canal “So far, Egypt is keen to act About 4.8 million barrels of oil through the Bab el Mandeb Strait,” calling it a “flagrant violation” had not been affected,” Mamish within the framework of inter- said maritime navigation expert of the freedom of navigation in told the Egyptian news channel national legitimacy,” said Kamal Ahmed al-Shami. “Egypt needs to international lanes. “The attack ON Live. “The canal is well se- Amer, chairman of the Defence Egypt strongly condemned coordinate with the international will have negative consequences cured by the Egyptian Army.” and National Security Committee community and other Arab states on the international trade move- Egypt’s economic development in the Egyptian parliament. “It will the Houthi attack on the before taking any action to protect ment,” the Egyptian Foreign Min- plan is strongly focused on utilis- then act in a way that goes hand in Saudi oil tankers, calling it a its own interests.” istry said in a statement. ing the Suez Canal region and turn- hand with its strategy and national “flagrant violation” of the The tankers, carrying a total of ing it into an engine for economic security interests.” freedom of navigation in Amr Emam is a Cairo-based 2 million barrels of crude oil, were growth. Egypt has an ambitious There are fears insurance com- international lanes. contributor to The Arab Weekly. Egypt and Sudan mend fences but road ahead far from smooth

Ahmed Megahid they said, boosted peace and stabil- ity in the Horn of Africa. Nevertheless, Sudan, which has Cairo been supporting Ethiopia’s con- struction of a multibillion-dollar gypt and Sudan are pre- hydroelectric dam, feels threatened paring for a new chapter by the new Ethiopia-Eritrea alliance. of cooperation spurred by The dam is expected to deprive E changes in the Horn of Africa Egypt of a significant portion of its and attempts by Cairo to prevent annual share of Nile water, Khartoum from aligning with rival This is why Khartoum appears regional powers. open to stronger ties with Egypt but Egyptian President Abdel Fattah the road ahead is far from smooth, al-Sisi met with Sudanese President analysts said. Omar al-Bashir in Khartoum in mid- Cairo and Khartoum stand at op- July. Sisi was already scheduled to posing sides of the ideological spec- go to Sudan in October — a trip Sisi trum, with each of them sharing a said would still take place — but de- similar level of mutual suspicion. velopments in the Horn of Africa Egypt is the Arab state where po- may have accelerated the meeting litical Islam was born and stopped timetable, analysts said. when Sisi’s government battled the “These developments include Muslim Brotherhood, which was rapprochement between Ethiopia Egypt’s most vibrant Islamist move- and Eritrea,” said Sudanese political ment before 2013. analyst Abdel Moneim Abu Idriss. Cairo apparently does not trust “This rapprochement is leaving Su- al-Bashir’s Islamist-leaning regime. dan out in the cold and makes new Sudan was also an important refuge alliances important for Khartoum.” for Muslim Brotherhood figures es- caping Sisi’s crackdown. “Ideological differences between Cairo and Khartoum stand at the two regimes are a sticky is- opposing sides of the sue that might hamper the aspired ideological spectrum, with mending of fences,” said Tarek each of them sharing a Fahmi, a political science profes- similar level of mutual sor at Cairo University. “Both sides need to make an effort to prevent Cautious rapprochement. Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir (R) greets Egyptian President Abdel Fattah suspicion. (Egyptian Presidency) these differences from standing in al-Sisi in Khartoum, on July 19. Ethiopia and Eritrea are normalis- the way.” ing relations after years of tension. Cairo offered proof of its goodwill erhood figures to leave. Egypt and Sudan are to form a pace of cooperation with Ankara and The changing relations between before Sisi went to Khartoum. On In Khartoum, Sisi said he would ministerial committee to oversee Doha but Egyptian analysts point to Addis Ababa and Asmara will have July 1, Egyptian authorities denied return to the Sudanese capital in implementation of joint projects. numerous benefits to increasing ties major repercussions on regional alli- Sadiq al-Mahdi, the head of the Su- October as scheduled. “You will see The committee is to convene August between Egypt and Sudan. ances and relations between the two danese opposition National Umma nothing but goodwill from us,” Sisi 7 for the first time “Sudan will be left out of all the countries, analysts said. Party, entry into the country. said at a meeting with Sudanese me- Egypt wants to prevent Sudan alliances that are being formed now The United Arab Emirates and Mahdi had been a frequent visi- dia. “Ties between Egypt and Sudan from falling into the orbit of rival and this makes it important for it Saudi Arabia, Egypt’s strongest tor to Cairo and the denial of his are unparalleled anywhere in the powers, especially Turkey and Qa- to start rethinking the status of its backers in the Arab Gulf, were in- entry was apparently a sign of new world.” tar, with which Sudan has been ties with Egypt,” said Mona Omar, strumental in the potential amity understanding between Cairo and Sisi and al-Bashir, in their state- intensifying contacts and coopera- a former assistant Egyptian foreign between the two states but this has Khartoum, although the Egyptian ment, warned against interference tion for several years. Cairo accuses minister. “Economic cooperation left Sudan feeling left out and Cairo government has not commented of- by “foreign powers” in the Red Sea, Doha and Ankara of destabilising between the two countries can also saw an opportunity to build bridges ficially on the incident. highlighting the need for greater Egypt by influencing countries in its throw a lifeline for Sudan as it strug- with its southern neighbour. Sudanese authorities reportedly bilateral coordination and consulta- immediate vicinity, including Libya gles economically.” In a statement July 20, al-Bashir promised to reciprocate Cairo’s ges- tions. They also agreed to boost eco- and Sudan. and Sisi welcomed potential peace ture. Reports said the Sudanese gov- nomic and trade cooperation and It is not clear what Cairo will offer Ahmed Megahid is an Egyptian between Ethiopia and Eritrea, which ernment asked some Muslim Broth- encourage joint investments. Khartoum in return for slowing the reporter in Cairo. July 29, 2018 9 News & Analysis Maghreb Mauritania’s government walks back leader’s pledge to step down

radicalisation efforts, including Lamine Ghanmi encouraging Islamist scholars to engage in debates about violence Tunis and opposition to governments in Islamic law. he Mauritanian government No other country in the Sahel told opposition leaders they produces as many high-ranking ji- would be chasing a mirage if hadists and jihadist ideologues as T they took for granted Presi- Mauritania. dent Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz’s Ould Abdel Aziz did not comment pledge to step down from power on the government spokesman’s next year. comments but he made political In early July, Ould Abdel Aziz gestures to ease concerns about the repeated a pledge he had made in future of the country without him February that he would step down at the helm by the end of 2019. when his second mandate ends be- He appointed former Foreign fore the end of 2019. Minister Mohamed Fal Ould Bilal to However, government spokes- head the commission in charge of man Mohamed Lemine Ould Cheikh organising the elections. Ould Bilal, on July 19 said: “This regime will known for his sympathy to the op- remain unchanged. Those (in the position, replaced Didi Ould Bou- opposition) who are talking about nama, after 17 opposition groups the president quitting in the next 11 called for more neutral commission months or so are indulging in rev- leadership. erie. Ould Abdel Aziz also ordered a “Those who are talking about the census and registration of voters af- president leaving are driven by an ter opposition complaints about the illusion and are indulging in day- lack of transparency regarding the dreams.” size of the electorate, which totalled Opposition groups assailed the 1.4 million people in 2014. government and urged judges to The opposition has urged the indict its spokesman for “violation For how long? Mauritania’s President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz at Nouakchott airport, on July 2. (AP) president to reject statements of the constitution.” Others called claiming Ould Abdel Aziz would not on Ould Abdel Aziz to dismiss com- abide by the constitution ending his ments that caused confusion for fear stay in power next year. they might lead to a military coup. future of Mauritania is entrusted ing candidates to challenge UPR’s like that of neighbouring Mali be- Opposition centre-left Democrat- Rights activists and democracy with him and the Mauritanians are grip on power before the presiden- cause he fought radical Islamists ic Convergence Party (also known as advocates hailed Ould Abdel Aziz’s sticking to him and his leadership tial elections next year. and criminal influences earlier. “Democratic Regroupment Party”) announcement that he would abide and he will not dash the hopes of the Ould Abdel Aziz, who claimed Under his leadership, Maurita- warned that such “confusion would by the Mauritanian constitution’s Mauritanians.” power in 2008 after leading a coup nia, which had been considered the encourage army officers to plot a two-term limit. He reiterated the Ould Cheikh and other officials that deposed elected Mauritanian “weak link” in the Sahel, has taken coup.” pledge early in July during the Afri- had expressed concerns that Ould President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdal- a leading role in the fight against ji- The military remains the domi- can Union summit. Abdel Aziz’s departure could lead to lahi, vowed to free Mauritania from hadists and terrorist groups. A Mau- nant body in Mauritania. Most of Pro-democracy activists said Ould a power vacuum and harm the coun- the “mufsidines” (the “corrupt”). ritanian general leads the regional its top officers hail from Arab Moors Abdel Aziz’s handing power to an try’s stability and development. He is accused by the opposition, military force called the G5. and the majority of soldiers are elected successor would support the Ould Abdel Aziz has said he would however, of engaging in corrupt Ould Abdel Aziz fought the spread from Haratin former slave families shift towards democracy in Africa stay involved in politics and play an practices himself. of radical Islamism with a tough and other black Mauritanians. and make longstanding leaders who active role in his ruling Union for the Analysts said Ould Abdel Aziz’s counterterrorism strategy and de- Long-festering grievances of the are striving to extend their stay in Republic Party (UPR). achievements include strengthen- Haratin and Afro-Mauritanians power an “increasingly embarrassed However, the strongly worded ing Mauritanian stability, which was about racism and social and eco- minority.” statement from Ould Cheikh as threatened by a divided opposition, nomic marginalisation are fuelling “The president saved the country preparations began for campaigning factionalism in its military, racial Ould Cheikh and other tensions and radicalisation in the from the path of ruin where other for parliamentary, municipal and re- and ethnic tensions and the coun- officials had expressed two communities. countries are mired,” added Ould gional elections September 1 jolted try’s difficult regional environment. concerns that Ould Abdel Cheikh, referring to countries hit by the opposition. They credited Ould Abdel Aziz Aziz’s departure could lead Lamine Ghanmi is an Arab Weekly the “Arab spring” uprisings. “The A dozen political groups are field- with saving Mauritania from a fate to a power vacuum. correspondent in Tunis. Algeria struggles to keep up with rapid population growth and own ambitions

Lamine Ghanmi 885,000 people in 1985,” it said. This decline in population growth until 2000 was similar to trends in Tunis Tunisia and Morocco as expanding economies depended less on farm- lgeria’s population has ing (in which families need more been growing at one of the manpower) and as more women world’s highest rates, giv- acceded to higher education, put- A ing its leaders reasons for ting off marriage and giving birth to concern. children. Rapid Algerian population Algeria broke with this transition growth, which counters trends of when “the fertility rate jumped from slower increases in neighbouring 2.4 children per woman in 2000 to Morocco and Tunisia, could test Al- 3.1 children in 2017,” the Health Min- giers’ capacity for economic and so- istry said. “Since 2000, population Not without a cost. A file photo shows a slum in front of buildings in the Ain El-Malha suburb of the cial change while the challenges of growth continued rising to exceed Algerian capital, Algiers. (AFP) poverty and youth unemployment the level of 1 million births in 2014 are mounting. and reached 1.067 million in 2016 The government aims at cutting seen by political analysts as adding ernment-run Centre for Research in Algeria’s population would reach and 1.06 in 2017.” the fertility rate from 3.1 births per to the “basics of power” and but- Applied Economics and Develop- 72.4 million in 2050 against about 42 The ministry described Algeria’s woman to 2.1 in 2050 when Algeria’s tressing Algeria’s ambitions to be ment think-tank, said the growing million currently if the country’s fer- population growth as “one of the population would total 62 million the leading power in the Maghreb population tested Algeria’s capabil- tility rate of 3.5 children per woman highest rates in the world.” instead of 72.4 million if the fertility and the sub-Sahara region. ity to feed its citizens. remains steady, the Algerian Health The ministry said the government rate remains higher, the Health Min- The analysts, however, question “There is a structural problem that Ministry said. looks to expand the family-planning istry added. the ability of Algeria to afford its am- must be resolved quickly to respond “Since the year 2000, Algeria is ex- programme in “the aim of helping to “The reduction of the reproduc- bitions for leadership in the western to the population needs as the coun- periencing a demographic dynamic reach a balance between population tion rate will allow the government Mediterranean area and for remain- try experiences a frightening popula- of higher growth after having cut growth and economic growth.” to cut spending in health and educa- ing one of the main military powers tion growth,” she said. “Either Alge- population growth by almost half It said it would increase the num- tion and other fields and allow the in Africa. They said the uncontrolled ria increases imports or food prices in the 1985-2000 period,” the minis- ber of family-planning centres and citizens to enjoy more autonomy expansion of the population could will increase further in the future be- try said. “The additional population include them in the overall health- and a more prosperous life,” it said. lead to frustration and social unrest. cause of repeated shortages and low fell to 589,000 people in 2000 from care system. A higher population growth is Amel Bouzid, an expert at the gov- farming production.” 10 July 29, 2018 News & Analysis Iraq Iraqi Kurds wary of resurgence of home-grown terrorism

Mamoon Alabbasi the teenage gunmen. While terror attacks are rare in KRG-controlled areas, they are not London new. The region had hosted Kurdish raqi Kurdistan Regional Govern- al-Qaeda-affiliated fighters known ment (KRG) officials expressed as Ansar al-Islam, which controlled concern about the threat of acts several villages near the Iranian I of terror by home-grown ex- border before 2003. Many of those tremists as political divisions in the fighters fought in Afghanistan in the Kurdish-majority region widen. 1980s. Three armed Kurdish teenagers With the rise of ISIS in 2014, some stormed the governor’s headquar- 2,000 Kurds reportedly joined the ters in Erbil on July 23, killing one militant group before its defeat last employee and wounding several December. However, ISIS is seeking members of the security detail be- to make a comeback, albeit with hit- fore dying during a 4-hour shootout. and-run tactics as opposed to hold- Two of the teenagers reportedly ing territory, and there is no reason killed themselves with explosive it wouldn’t attack KRG-controlled devices. areas, given the chance. No group claimed responsibility Erbil has been the site of attacks for the attack but security officials by Kurdish extremists who do not blamed the Islamic State (ISIS). “We belong to ISIS. There is also the believe that the attackers are from threat of a new jihadist group, White the Islamic State because of the tac- Banners, which includes Kurds and In the shadow of violence. Kurdish security forces gather at the governorate building in Erbil, on (Reuters) tics they used in breaking into the Arabs. July 23. building,” an unidentified security Jihadist groups are not the only official told Reuters. source of terrorism in the Kurdish- bership of ISIS. Shushkayi, who be- Kurdistan (PUK). make the region more vulnerable to Two of the gunmen were 16 years majority region. The Kurdistan longs to the opposition Komal party, “The PUK and the KDP are part of terror attacks but it could negatively old and the third was 18. The fam- Workers’ Party (PKK) has long un- dismissed the claim as politically the KRG, which should be in charge affect the elections of the KRG’s par- ily of one of the gunmen released a dermined peace and stability in the motivated. of the Kurdistan region but, in reali- liament in September. statement condemning the attack. region. KRG Prime Minister Nechir- The Komal party voted against the ty, on security issues, there is hardly “If the opposition parties don’t get “If we had any clue about the van Barzani branded the presence of extension of a counterterrorism law any collaboration between the PUK it together in these upcoming elec- fundamentalist mentality of our PKK militants in Iraqi Kurdish areas in the KRG parliament on July 1, cit- and the KDP security forces,” wrote tions, then there will be a political teenager, we ourselves would have an “occupation” that is responsible ing fears that it would target people journalist Fazel Hawramy for Al- crisis in Iraqi Kurdistan for sure,” given him to the Kurdistan Region’s for civilian casualties. who are not terrorists. Monitor. Abubakr Karwani, a member of the security forces to avoid such a tragic “Why are [Turkish military] op- “Everyone knows that some of the The Netherlands sent a delegation Islamic Union, a small Kurdish op- event,” read the statement. erations conducted in the Kurdistan [KRG’s] courts, in times of political to the KRG to discuss reforming the position party, told Niqash.org web- “We ask the Kurdistan region region? They are conducted in the rivalry, lose their neutrality and are peshmerga. There have been many site. Asayesh [security] to confront those Kurdistan region because PKK has used to settle political rivalries… previous international attempts to “Because the major parties that who seduced our teens with harsh occupied large parts of Kurdistan I strongly reject these accusations pressure the KRG to have a unified have caused so many problems in punishment, so other teens can be and used them to attack Turkey and and I consider it an effort to under- security apparatus that is not sub- the region will remain in power and secure from radicalism,” the state- then return,” said Barzani. mine my character,” said Shushkayi jected to the political manipulation there will be no opposition that the ment added. There are fears that the KRG’s ter- while in hiding, reportedly in Su- of the KDP and PUK. All failed. people trust, no second choice. That Security officials arrested a radi- ror allegations stem from political laimaniyah. The Erbil attack came when Iraqi can only lead to a continuation of cal cleric named Ismael Susai three rather than security motivations. Security forces in Erbil are con- Kurdish politicians, like parties in the political crisis here,” he said. weeks before the Erbil attack. Su- Security authorities in Erbil is- trolled by the Kurdistan Demo- the rest of the country, accused each sai, whom security officials said sued an arrest warrant for a Kurd- cratic Party (KDP) while those in other of voter fraud in May’s nation- Mamoon Alabbasi is Deputy confessed to pledging allegiance ish member of the Iraqi parliament, Sulaimaniyah are under the com- al elections. Managing Editor and Online Editor to ISIS, had reportedly contacted Salim Shushkayi, for alleged mem- mand of the Patriotic Union of The infighting is not only likely to of The Arab Weekly.

Viewpoint The Islamic State is far from dead in Iraq left that post. remnants, whose goal is to create causes that led Iraqis to join ISIS in Iraq said the coalition is needed to Of particular concern to those I chaos and challenge the credibility the first place. fight ISIS in the four triangles iden- interviewed: indications that the of the Iraqi forces and further taint “We declared victory over Daesh tified by Hashimi. If that doesn’t [ISIS] but how do you define vic- Geneive Abdo vast majority of remaining ISIS trust between security forces and happen, they said, ISIS will gain fighters are Iraqis, not foreigners. average Iraqi citizens,” Hashimi tory? Was it a social victory? No,” strength and Trump’s declarations This makes it nearly impossible said. This differs from ISIS’s 2014- said Rubaie. “A political victory? of victory will ring even more to provide incentives for them to 15 strategy of occupying major No. The results from the elec- hollow. t his post-summit leave the country. cities, indicating the group is tion and its aftermath encourage news conference A key factor in ISIS’s resurrec- becoming more of a guerrilla force extremism. Al-Sadr changed his Geneive Abdo is a resident with Vladimir Putin tion is its ability to tap into public in Iraq. positions and the goalposts.” scholar at the Arabia Foundation in Helsinki on July dissatisfaction in remote Sunni It does not take much to ma- US-led forces continue to attack in Washington and the author of 16, Donald Trump areas of Iraq, where fighters re- nipulate the frustrations of the ISIS targets. The US Department of four books on the Middle East, praised the United mained after the group was routed Iraqi population. They live in a Defence reported 14 strikes against most recently “The New Sectarian- States’A “successful campaign” that from its urban strongholds. rich country blessed with oil, the group in Iraq and Syria from ism: The Arab Uprisings and the had “just about eradicated” the Other factors boosting extrem- yet widespread smuggling from July 9-15. However, several Iraqi Rebirth of the Shi’a-Sunni Divide.” Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria. ISIS, ism include a lack of state author- Iraq’s northern Kurdistan siphons experts concerned about the coali- @AbdoGeneive. The article was however, is far from dead in the ity, government corruption that off money that could go to the tion’s plans to reduce its forces in distributed by Reuters. region. curtails public services and the central government. In addition, I recently returned from Iraq, weakness of Iraqi security forces. Iraqis who lost their homes in the where multiple security sources Demonstrations in southern Iraqi fight against ISIS in major Sunni- Brief Q and A with Geneive Abdo told me that ISIS is reconstituting cities over unemployment, a lack dominated towns such as Mosul itself in parts of the country. The of electricity and other issues are and Tikrit were allowed to return Questions by Simon Cordall TAW: Is any single socio-econom- chaos since the May 12 national intensifying, offering ISIS further only if they bribed Shia-dominated via e-mail from Tunis ic group more sympathetic to ISIS’s election — an inconclusive result, opportunities to exploit public ministries. resurgence? involving widespread allegations grievances. The election result provides a he Arab Weekly (TAW): Do Abdo: No. of fraud and Iran-backed groups One of Iraq’s leading ISIS tangible indicator of Iraqi dissat- you feel the Islamic State TAW: To what extent is the fray- trying to make deals to ensure experts, security adviser Hisham isfaction with Baghdad’s politics. (ISIS) is changing tactics, ing of the state and its negative per- their control over the next govern- al-Hashimi, described the group’s While Iraq’s election commission T morphing into a guerrilla or- ception by the public hampering ment — is again helping ISIS co-opt strategy as being built on “four put voter turnout at 44.5%, reli- ganisation? the fight? Iraqi communities as it did in triangles of death,” citing sparsely able sources said the real figure Abdo: I believe ISIS has no plans, Abdo: If Iraqis believed they had 2014-15, when the group occupied populated areas where militants was closer to 20%. for now, to try to conquer large cit- a strong central government, they one-third of the country. can hide even without the support Even those who did vote do ies, such as in the past but is con- would be less reluctant to turn to This reality runs counter to the of the local population. not seem to have got what they centrated on reconstituting itself in ISIS. prevailing view in Washington — a In the first triangle, ISIS uses the wanted. Muqtada al-Sadr, the remote areas. There is local support TAW: To what degree is any sup- narrative Trump has advanced Hamrin Mountains as a base for populist Shia cleric whose political there and ISIS fighters are difficult port for ISIS fuelled by a rejection of — that ISIS has been ousted from ambushes and attacks on the Iraqi bloc won the election after promis- to find in more remote hideouts. Iran-Shia influence? Iraq. “There are a lot of indica- state security barracks. This area, ing to end corruption, improve TAW: Are the conditions that led Abdo: Less so now than under tors that there is going to be an for the most part, is under ISIS the economy and work to reduce to the fall of many Iraqi locations (Nuri al-)Maliki. However, the ef- imminent resurgence of ISIS. You control. In the second triangle, Tehran’s influence, is talking with into the hands of ISIS still there fects of Iran’s influence — militias can see it in the records and the which includes Samarra, ISIS has whomever he believes can help and could that lead to failures in not under the control of the state, intelligence reports,” said Iraq’s not been able to co-opt the local him secure power, including the the fight against ISIS? Similarly, are electricity cuts, manipulation of former national security adviser population but militants use the Iran-backed Fatah group. aspects of the population in these election results — all this leads Ira- Mowaffak al-Rubaie, who recently area as a fallback position when Iraq’s top court ordered a re- areas sympathetic to the notion of qis to find another power centre. attacked. The third triangle, be- count of the ballots after a govern- ISIS returning? TAW: Are the majority of remain- tween Baghdad and Damascus, is ment report disclosed serious elec- Abdo: The underlying causes for ing fighters Iraqis? What has hap- The chaos since the where ISIS carries out kidnapping tion violations but Rubaie said that the support of ISIS remain and are pened to foreign fighters? May 12 national and bombings, disrupting trade Iraqis’ lack of confidence that a the reasons for the recent protests: Abdo: Yes, the remaining are Ira- and stealing commercial goods. new government will be any more Lack of government services, lack qis. election is again The fourth triangle is in the vast accountable than the last one only of jobs, corruption in government, TAW: How efficient have the tac- helping ISIS co-opt desert on the border with Jordan, benefits ISIS. He said the military apparent once again with the after- tics of the US-led coalition been? Syria and Saudi Arabia. defeat of ISIS in Mosul and other math of the election. So ISIS ben- Abdo: I am not qualified to Iraqi communities as “The [targets] are key to under- cities is only half the story because efits from these conditions. answer. it did in 2014-15. standing the resurgence of ISIS it does not address the underlying July 29, 2018 11 News & Analysis Syria ISIS attack in Sweida a bloody reminder that Syria’s horrors are not over

Simon Speakman Cordall slaughtered them.” Once inside, she pointed to the bathroom. “I felt in my heart that a crime had Tunis happened there,” Monther told the Guardian. “I opened the door slowly slamic State militants killed and I saw a mother holding her chil- Violent comeback. Mourners attend a mass funeral of people killed in a series of suicide bombings by nearly 250 residents in the dren but it appeared she hadn’t been Islamic State fighters in Sweida, on July 26. (AP) southern Syrian province of able to protect them from Daesh’s I Sweida in a sustained 12-hour [ISIS’s] gunshots.” attack. “I will never forget this scene all ers in at least two main pockets in stability in any possible way,” senior “Since then there have been civil Witnesses said the attack began my life. No words can describe it. I that area but that’s all. They may political scientist at the RAND Cor- society activists asking, ‘Why did about 4am on July 25. Approach- knelt and wept in grief,” he said have been trying to force some lo- poration Colin Clarke said. “This is you bring ISIS east of Sweida?’” an ing from the north and north-east, The predominantly Druze prov- cals into cooperating with them but intended to prove to the population unidentified activist told the Guard- Islamic State (ISIS) fighters entered ince of Sweida seemed to have es- turned to revenge when they found that the Assad regime is incapable, ian. small towns and villages, knocking caped the worst of Syria’s civil war. few takers.” or worse, unwilling to protect them The savagery of the Sweida attack on doors and often calling villagers However, as the forces of Syrian “There’s also some suspicion and thus aimed to decrease the le- is a painful reminder of the horrors by name before killing the inhabit- President Bashar Assad consolidate among informed Syrian observers gitimacy of the ruling government.” that ISIS, which some claimed was ants. ISIS snipers shot escaping vil- their grip on south-western Syria, that regime forces may have quietly Damascus’s policy of relocating vanquished, can cause. lagers. the conflict appears to have reached opened the door to ISIS this time,” rebel defenders of any position has “ISIS’s endgame is to rest, recu- Three suicide bombers set off ex- Sweida. Pollock said. also come under scrutiny. For the perate and rearm until it is able to plosives in the centre of the town Why ISIS attacked the province is Tension has been brewing be- most part, in a bid to avoid costly fi- marshal the strength to once again of Sweida and a fourth detonated a unclear. Speculation suggested the tween Damascus and Sweida for nal confrontations, remaining rebel overtly govern swaths of territory in bomb after being cornered by resi- group was attempting to divert the some time, with many local men re- fighters have been relocated to Idlib Syria.” Clarke said, “If it can do this, dents and local militiamen. attention of government forces from fusing national conscription, prefer- in northern Syria. it can resuscitate some of its funding Karam Monther, among those ISIS positions elsewhere or perhaps ring to remain in Sweida and defend However, for ISIS fighters, princi- streams and begin planning a more who fought the attackers, told the it was naked opportunism. it against potential attack. Opposi- pally the defenders of Yarmouk Ref- muscular presence in the country, Guardian that in the town of Rami “I’d say this is a desperate ISIS tion figures claim such attacks are ugee camp in southern Damascus, with the ultimate goal, however un- he saw the bodies of dead fighters tactic, not (emblematic of) a real exploited by the regime, justifying the government’s and their ally Rus- realistic, of restoring its caliphate.” and the remains of ISIS militants strategy,” David Pollock, a Kaufman its control over relatively independ- sia’s offer of relocation meant leav- who had detonated suicide belts. fellow at the Washington Institute, ent territories such as Sweida. ing for the Badiya, 10-40km outside Simon Speakman Cordall is Syria/ Monther said a woman had stum- said in e-mailed comments. “One of the primary objectives of Sweida and the apparent staging Lebanon section editor with The bled from her house, saying: “They “They have several hundred fight- ISIS is sowing havoc and creating in- area for the July 25 attack. Arab Weekly. Russian offer to restrain Iran turned down by Israel

Nicholas Blanford Lebanon and the Iraqi-Syrian bor- Hezbollah fighters were operating der through which weapons are in southern Syria as part of the of- smuggled from Iran into Syria it- fensive against remaining rebel Beirut self,” the official said. forces and an affiliate of the Islamic Although Israel rejected the Rus- State. esidents of Beirut are ac- sian proposal, it is not clear how “So far, the resistance has not left customed to hearing the Moscow could have fulfilled the southern Syria and the ones who soft whisper of Israeli jets offer even if it had been accepted. are going to leave are the projects R flying high and unseen over Iran has invested heavily in Syria in of the United States and Israel,” he the Lebanese capital on routine re- terms of money and manpower. It said in a speech. connaissance flights but the deep has reportedly spent $15 billion-$16 His comments contradicted re- rumble of low-flying aircraft that billion in propping up the regime of ports that claimed Hezbollah had reverberated across the city in the Syrian President Bashar Assad and withdrawn from southern Syria early evening of July 22 pointed to another $700 million each year to ahead of the offensive in Daraa and something more ominous. Lebanon’s Hezbollah organisation Quneitra provinces. Sources close Less than an hour later reports and approximately $4 billion in to Hezbollah in Lebanon say that, trickled in that Israel had staged yet economic support to Damascus. while there has been a drawdown another strike against an Iran-relat- Iran controls some 20,000 mili- in the numbers of fighters serv- ed target in Syria, this time a sus- tiamen, drawn from Lebanon, Iraq ing in Syria overall due to a decline pected missile production facility, and Afghanistan as well as Islamic in the conflict, several Hezbollah 5km north-east of Masyaf in Hama Revolutionary Guard Corps troops, units lately returned to Syria to par- province. in Syria. Without the intervention ticipate in the fight for the south. The jets flew up the Lebanese of Tehran, Assad would likely have coast before crossing east over the been ousted in 2013. mountains to above the Bekaa Val- Iran’s support for Assad has pro- Although Israel rejected the ley where long-range missiles were voked domestic protests with Irani- Russian proposal, it is not unleashed in Lebanese airspace, a ans incensed that the government is clear how Moscow could common practice by the Israeli Air spending billions of dollars on Syria have fulfilled the offer even Force against targets in western when the Iranian economy is in free if it had been accepted. Syria. This was the second air strike fall. For Tehran simply to abandon against the Masyaf facility in less its investment in Syria — and that The scale of the presence of Iran than a year. The site is home to Syr- is on top of a strategic relationship and its allies in south-western Syr- ia’s Scientific Studies and Research between Damascus and Tehran that ia can be seen in a map produced Centre, which is responsible for re- has endured since the early 1980s — on July 17 by the Syrian civil soci- search and development of nuclear, is almost unthinkable. ety NGO Etana, which published biological, chemical and missile To put the 100km buffer zone into on its Twitter feed highly detailed technology and weapons. context, it would mean that Iranian maps of the Syrian conflict. The Israel has staged multiple air and allied forces would not only map shows almost 70 positions strikes against Hezbollah-related have to leave south-western Syr- manned by Iranian forces and their targets in Syria since January 2013 ian but also Damascus (including allies from observation posts, head- and in the past year has expanded the Shia pilgrimage site of Sayeda quarters, storage facilities, troop its targeting to include bases, weap- Zainab) and much of the strategic marshalling locations and military ons manufacturing and storage sites Qalamoun region north of Damas- compounds. affiliated with Iran, an escalating — Long-term ambitions. A map shows locations of Iran-backed militias cus, which is home to a multitude If the map is accurate, it suggests and risky — bid to oust the Islamic across south-western Syria. (Based on a map by Etana) of military bases, some of which that the Iranians intend to stay for Republic from Syrian territory. are used by Hezbollah for weapons the long haul and it is doubtful Rus- A day after the Masyaf strike, a storage. sia has the capacity — and perhaps Russian delegation, headed by For- Israel reportedly turned down weapons must be removed from Iranian and Hezbollah officials the will — to dislodge them. A seri- eign Minister Sergei Lavrov, met the offer, arguing that a buffer zone Syria, precise weapons production have repeatedly maintained they ous escalation between Israel and with Israeli officials regarding the is insufficient because Iran has sur- must be stopped. Other strategic were invited to Syria by the Syrian Iran and its allies in Syria would ap- Iranian presence in Syria. The Rus- face-to-surface missiles with ranges weapons, such as air defence, must government and will not leave until pear to be only a matter of time. sians reportedly offered to ensure greater than 100km. Israel’s online be removed as well. The border the mission of restoring the country that Iranian forces and their allies Ynet News quoted an unidentified crossings that allow the smuggling to Assad’s control is achieved. Nicholas Blanford is the author of would not be permitted within Israeli official giving a detailed list of weapons must be closed, includ- Sayyed Hashim Safieddine, the “Warriors of God: Inside Hezbol- 100km of Israeli-controlled terri- of Israeli demands. ing on the Syrian-Lebanese border head of Hezbollah’s Executive lah’s Thirty-Year Struggle Against tory in the Golan Heights. “First of all, all the long-range where weapons are smuggled into Council, on July 21 confirmed that Israel” (Random House 2011). 12 July 29, 2018 News & Analysis Lebanon Lebanon’s shrinking freedom of expression

Mona Alami ding him from criticising the three main political positions in Lebanon — the president, prime minister and Beirut the parliamentary speaker — as well as various religious figures. ore than seven activ- Also in July, Elie el-Khoury, 25, ists have recently been was summoned by Lebanon’s cy- summoned by Lebanese bercrimes bureau for questioning. M intelligence services Khoury had complained about the because they posted social media poor level of public services in Leb- comments critical of pro-Syrian and anon and accused Aoun of turning Iranian-Lebanese politicians and the country into his “family home.” parties. In the past two years, hu- When Khoury’s lawyer inter- man rights groups have reported vened, the cybercrime bureau re- a threefold increase in the arrest, scinded its request without expla- prosecution and questioning of ac- nation, Lebanese website Naharnet tivists and journalists. said. The Lebanese penal code punish- Journalist Fidaa Itani was sen- es libel and defamation of officials, tenced in absentia to four months a justification that appears to be in prison and fined 10 million Leb- increasingly deployed by security anese pounds ($6,550). Itani had officials to question and prosecute called out Bassil on Facebook over activists or harass disgruntled citi- his alleged racist policies towards zens venting their frustration on Lebanon’s Syrian refugees. social media. The journalist, who is also a Hez- Rawane Khatib and Khaled Ab- bollah opponent, uncovered nu- bouchi were summoned July 24 by merous cases of potential corrup- the Lebanese office for cybercrime. tion in which Bassil was implicated. They were accused of publicly criti- Other infamous cases targeting cising Lebanese President Michel activists and journalists include the Aoun and his son-in-law, Foreign prosecution of researcher Hanin Minister Gebran Bassil. Ghaddar affiliated with the Wash- Freedom and chains. An activist holds a computer keyboard and makeshift handcuffs in Beirut? on In itself, that’s notable. However, ington Institute. In April, after in- July 24. (AFP) it falls within the context of a wider tense lobbying from both local po- security crackdown by Lebanese in- litical figures and the US Embassy, telligence services, targeting people sources close to the matter said, the army of distinguishing between University student who was filmed curity and the Lebanese army intel- denouncing the actions of specific Military Tribunal reversed its ver- Sunni and Shia militants, suggesting protesting against the Syrian regime ligence,” says Jarbouh. parties, activists say. dict, referring the case back to the it was more tolerating of the latter. offensive on Aleppo two years ago SKeyes estimates that, over the “Arrests and summoning (for in- Military Prosecution. That same month, First Investiga- were never summoned by authori- past two years, arrests targeting terview) targets activists or jour- The tribunal’s decision came after tive Judge Ghassan Oueidat issued ties,” he said. activists and journalists increased nalists critical for the most part Ghaddar’s lawyer filed an objection an arrest warrant for journalist Ma- In May, another critic of Hezbol- from 10 to 30 per year. The rise in of Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil, to the court’s decision to sentence ria Maalouf for slandering Hezbol- lah, Ali al-Amin, who was running power of pro-Iran and pro-Syria followed by President Aoun and her client in absentia to six months lah Secretary-General Hassan Nas- as an independent in parliamen- figures in parliamentary elections Hezbollah,” said Widad Jarbouh, a in prison for comments critical of rallah. tary elections against the organisa- appears to have translated into a researcher at the SKeyes Centre for the Lebanese Army. A vocal critic However, elsewhere, Jarbouh tion, was severely beaten. Amin is shrinking of freedom of expression Media and Cultural Freedom at the of Hezbollah, Ghaddar accused the noted, other segments of the popu- a Shia journalist and director of the and repressive measures in Leba- Samir Kassir Foundation. lation, typically those associated news website “Al Janoubia” (“The non. Mohammad Awwad, an activist Over the past two years, with parties aligned to Iran and Syr- South”). The perpetrators of the known for articles disparaging Hez- ia who threaten and attack activists crime are yet to be identified. Mona Alami is a French-Lebanese bollah, was arrested by the Lebanese arrests targeting activists remain untouched. “As an example, “To date, most of the summons analyst and a fellow at the Rafik General Security. He was released and journalists increased individuals who voiced death and and arrests are the work of the of- Hariri Centre for the Middle East at after he signed a document forbid- from 10 to 30 per year. rape threats against an American fice for cybercrime, the general se- the Atlantic Council.

Viewpoint Iran’s kidnapping of the Lebanese government will not work

ebanon has been trying than in Sana’a and Damascus. to form a new govern- Nevertheless, with US President ment since its general Donald Trump’s anti-Iran crusade Ali al-Amin elections last May. Saad picking up momentum, the future Hariri was appointed for Iran’s influence in Iraq and head of the new govern- Lebanon does not look rosy. Lment and he must consult with By raising the bar of anti-Iranian Lebanon’s president to form his sanctions, Trump has virtually cabinet but that is not the only po- voided the nuclear agreement with litical force — domestic or regional Iran. The result is that any power — he must placate. or influence that Iran may continue It’s been three months and the to sway in Iraq and Lebanon is new cabinet is yet to see the light. subject to great fluctuations due Worse, it does not look like it will to strategic losses elsewhere in the see the light any time soon. Arab world. The problem seems related to In Lebanon, Iran may seem to be deciding on the quota of each holding enough cards to strike a political force in the cabinet. In deal with Israel; Iran would guar- this one, the deadlock centres on antee stability on Israel’s borders the so-called Druze knot, Christian with Lebanon in exchange for knot and Sunni knot. Israel’s consent to Iran’s continued Observations of the government Serious impasse. Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun (L) meets with influence in Lebanon but even formation process in Lebanon Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri at the presidential that scenario is contingent on the (Reuters) during the past decade reveal that palace in Baabda, on June 22. results of big changes in the region. a crisis accompanied the birth of The process of putting in place a every cabinet. The past decade announced that Hezbollah had Hezbollah has solid experience at new cabinet in Lebanon cannot be coincided with the rise of Iranian secured 74 out of the 128 seats in this game. From May 2014 through isolated from its regional context influence in Lebanon and of Hez- parliament. He was referring to a October 2016, Lebanon was with- that Iran is continuously trying bollah’s growing control on many political alliance between Hezbol- out a president and Hezbollah was to shape and control. This time, state institutions. lah, the party of President Michel behind that crisis. however, the ransom for freeing The resolution of these repetitive Aoun and the party of parliament Knowing that, we need to ask the Lebanese government is not government crises required outside Speaker Nabih Berri and other par- about Iran’s objectives in delaying significant. intervention. Usually, Iran would liamentarians. In his mind, they’re the government crises in Lebanon Washington is not ready to com- hold the crisis in Lebanon hostage all led by Hezbollah and therefore and Iraq. Iran has boasted about pensate Hezbollah for its handy until it gets what it wants region- led by Iran. controlling four Arab capitals but it work of erecting hurdles in Leba- ally and internationally, then it Hezbollah seems capable of im- seems this control is subjected to non and the European countries would instruct Hezbollah to release posing its own version of the new serious challenges and threats. are not willing to meddle between the government in Lebanon. government. Generally, Hezbollah In Yemen, the Houthis are losing Washington and Tehran. The A striking similarity exists gives great importance to regional ground to the “legitimate” forces Arab countries do not wish to pay The process of putting between the government crises in considerations and objectives and the Arab coalition forces. for this get-out-of-jail card even Iraq and Lebanon. Strong disagree- when battling for the composition Changes in the Syrian scene do not though such a card has proved cru- in place a new cabinet ments about quotas seem to be of cabinet in Lebanon. This time, seem to be going in Iran’s favour. cial for Iranian influence in Beirut. in Lebanon cannot be blocking the process in each case. however, Hezbollah does not seem Even though Syria’s future is What is holding up the formation isolated from its Iraq and Lebanon voted practi- to be in a rush to decide. Like all vague, the Russian-US-Israeli en- of a new government in Lebanon cally at the same time and in both the other parties involved, Hezbol- tente does not look promising for is this quest for a buyer except that regional context that elections victory was on the side of lah knows it controls the game. Iran. Russia will have the last word what Iran is offering for sale is no Iran is continuously Iran and its allies. If it wishes, Hezbollah can there on condition that it curtails longer attractive to regional and After the elections in Lebanon, perpetuate the government crisis Iran’s influence in Syria. international bidders. trying to shape and Qassem Soleimani, commander indefinitely. There is nothing in The situation in Baghdad and control. of Iran’s al-Qud Force, happily the constitution to prevent it. Beirut is less catastrophic for Iran Ali al-Amin is a Lebanese writer. July 29, 2018 13 News & Analysis Palestine Israel US diplomatic deficit hindering Mideast peace deal

Mamoon Alabbasi on the prospect that the Trump administration would exert dip- lomatic pressure on Israeli Prime London Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to accept a resolution to the conflict S President Donald Trump that is based on international law. is said to be preparing to Although US administrations announce a plan for peace have been accommodating to Is- U between Israelis and Pal- rael, Palestinian officials say the estinians but the long-awaited Trump administration has gone initiative will likely be met with beyond diplomatic norms in its fa- rejection by many even before its vouritism of Israel. They attribute details are known. this, in part, to Trump’s business Although the plan’s particulars background. may be objectionable to the Pales- The Israeli-Palestinian conflict tinian side, diplomatic fallout be- “won’t be solved by the tools of tween US and Palestinian officials real estate men,” said Saeb Erekat, that began when the Trump ad- a veteran Palestinian peace negoti- ministration recognised Jerusalem ator, referring to the US president. as Israel’s capital last December Erekat’s reasoning was not un- has made matters worse. founded. The situation further deteriorat- “Trump did not exactly scour ed in May when the Trump admin- the US diplomatic corps to staff his istration moved the US Embassy foreign-policy team, and Netan- Clueless diplomacy. US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley (C) during a UN Security from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The yahu had every reason to believe Council meeting in New York, on July 24. (AFP) United States has also suspended that the central figures in the new financing the UN agency for Pales- administration had a ‘special feel- tinian refugees. ing’ for Israel,” wrote Adam Entous they were prepared to pressure than it has been for Israel,” wrote ian factions, which is essential to “We will not engage in some- in the New Yorker in June. Abbas to accept whatever Trump human rights lawyer Zaha Hassan peace? Where are the Arab coun- thing that was dead upon arrival “Trump put Jared Kushner in offered the Palestinians, a senior in Haaretz. tries when it comes to denouncing before even we received it,” said putative charge of Middle East Arab official said. After the deci- “Across the Atlantic, however, Hamas terrorism? Where are the Riyad Mansour, Palestinian am- policy. The choice for ambassador sion, they told Kushner that they in the United States, members of Arab countries when it comes to bassador to the United Nations. to Israel was David Friedman, a would no longer be able to pres- Congress are promoting legisla- supporting compromises that are “[The United States] lost the quali- bankruptcy lawyer from Long Is- sure Abbas to accept the American tion that would normalise Israel’s necessary for peace?” fication to be the only party to su- land who held right-wing views plan because of popular opposi- annexation of the occupied West Haley also took aim at China pervise the political process.” on the Middle East and contrib- tion,” Entous wrote in the same Bank and legitimate the economic and Russia for talking “a big game As it no longer regards the United uted money in support of the same essay. activity of Israeli settlements,” about the Palestinian cause” but States as an honest broker, the Pal- West Bank settlement as the Kush- Under Trump, US policies on Faced with international criti- providing little aid. estinian Authority (PA) has looked ners. The chief envoy to the re- Israel contrasted sharply against cism over its policies towards the Haley’s outburst, however, has towards Europe for support and is gion would be Jason Greenblatt, a those of Washington’s European Palestinians, the Trump admin- not drawn attention away from the directing public relations efforts at graduate of Yeshiva University and allies. istration lashed out at Arab coun- US peace plan, dubbed by Trump the American public instead of en- an attorney who worked for the “In Europe, action is being tak- tries. as “the deal of the century.” gaging with the Trump administra- Trump organisation.” en to uphold international legal- “It is time for the regional states “Everyone is waiting for a cred- tion. Arab countries, wary of Iranian ity by making the half-century-old in particular to step up and really ible peace plan,” Swedish Ambas- “We have been engaging Amer- expansionism, have sought to win military occupation less profitable help the Palestinian people, in- sador to the United Nations Olof ica [using a] top-down [approach] favour with Trump to counter Teh- stead of just making speeches,” US Skoog said at the Security Council but we must instead do so from ran but the US president’s blunt Ambassador to the United Nations meeting. “We haven’t seen that the bottom up,” Husam Zomlot, approach towards the sensitive is- As it no longer regards the Nikki Haley said during a UN Secu- yet. It is now about a year since we the PA’s chief envoy to the United sue of Jerusalem caused them to United States as an honest rity Council meeting. were informed about a plan and we States, told the Media Line. tread with caution. broker, the Palestinian “Where are the Arab countries have not seen it yet. It is a problem Palestinian President Mahmoud “Before the Jerusalem decision, Authority (PA) has looked when it comes to encouraging that there is no credible plan on Abbas appears to have given up Arab leaders had told Kushner that towards Europe for support. reconciliation between Palestin- the table.” Viewpoint Gaza faces uncertain future

N Special Coordina- ous flare-up since the 2014 war Speaking to the leadership of Gaza as equivalent to rockets. tor for the Middle that led to the death of more than the Israel Defence Forces, De- Lieberman’s message to Hamas Manuel East Peace Process 2,100 Palestinians and 66 Israeli fence Minister Avigdor Lieberman was clear: Prevent the launch of Langendorf Nickolay Mladenov soldiers as well as seven civil- said Israel was not interested in kites. The main factions in Gaza did not mince words ians in Israel. It comes when the a war against Hamas. However, will aim to adhere to this, Shaban when he briefed the humanitarian situation in Gaza he warned the Islamist group said, but the situation is “very UUN Security Council on the situa- is deteriorating, with electricity that Israel was not deterred from fragile.” tion in Israel and the Palestinian supply reportedly down to three starting a military campaign. “So Observers were divided on territories. hours per day. More than half of everything that happens from whether Hamas was keen to agree “The humanitarian crisis [in the population lives below the here on with regard to the Gaza to a long-term deal to guarantee Gaza] has deepened, the political poverty line and unemployment Strip is solely the responsibility of stability. stalemate between Hamas and stands at almost 50%. the Hamas leadership,” Lieberman Grappo said this as “highly un- Fatah has worsened and the Israel has closed the Kerem was quoted as saying. likely in the near or even medium- prospect of another deadly round Shalom commercial crossing The Israeli government has term future,” pointing to Hamas’s of violence is growing by the day,” into Gaza — only letting in goods come under “huge pressure from opposition to recognising the state Mladenov said July 24. deemed as “humanitarian” — in the population in the south to of Israel and use of violence. He Violence flared in recent weeks reaction to incendiary kites and deal with the fires along the Gaza predicted a continuation of the between Hamas and Israel. Since balloons being launched into border,” Ely Karmon, a senior re- economic blockade on Gaza by the start of July, Hamas and other Israel from Gaza. The devices re- search scholar at the International Israel, Egypt and the PA. militants in Gaza fired nearly 300 portedly destroyed 3,500 hectares Institute for Counter-Terrorism, Thrall said Hamas seeks an rockets and mortar shells towards of Israeli land. said in comments to the British “arrangement that lets it keep Israel and the Israeli Air Force Despite the ceasefire and partial Israel Communications and Re- its weapons while turning over launched about 200 missiles and reopening of the commercial search Centre. responsibility for governance of artillery shells against targets crossing on July 24, the situation While the relative calm has been Gaza to the Palestinian Author- in the besieged coastal enclave, in Gaza “is not sustainable at all,” praised, a stable peace does not ity.” Towards that end, Hamas “is Mladenov said. said Omar Shaban, the founder of seem imminent. “None of the un- prepared to enter a ceasefire with Hamas has ruled the Gaza Strip PalThink for Strategic Studies, a derlying issues in Gaza have been Israel of several years in exchange since 2007 after winning the Pal- think-tank in Gaza. “Everything resolved,” said Nathan Thrall, pro- for the lifting of the blockade.” estinian legislative elections and is getting worse by the hour,” he ject director for the Arab-Israeli Without a lifting of the block- a violent struggle against Fatah, said. conflict at Crisis Group. ade on Gaza, Thrall said: “Hamas led by Palestinian Authority (PA) In a development that could Gaza suffers under a land, air intends to avoid a new war while President Mahmoud Abbas. deepen the humanitarian crisis, and sea blockade and sanctions by using some of its non-military The latest ceasefire between the UN Relief and Works Agency the Palestinian Authority against forms of leverage… to pressure Despite the ceasefire Hamas and Israel was agreed after for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) Gaza remain in place. Israel and call international atten- and partial reopening another bout of violence on July terminated the contracts of 100 Hamas “wants to give up tion to the blockade.” 20 but observers see the situation emergency personnel and will responsibility for governance,” The situation in Gaza is likely of the commercial as fragile. The ceasefire “hangs by move 900 other employees to a but the PA “doesn’t want to take to remain desperate. “This is too crossing on July 24, a thread,” said Gary Grappo, a for- part-time system by the end of it,” Thrall said. Despite efforts to much for humans or animals to the situation in Gaza mer US ambassador and head of the year. The decision came after achieve unity, Fatah and Hamas bear,” Shaban said. mission of the Middle East Quartet UNRWA reported a large funding remain divided. “is not sustainable at in Jerusalem. gap after United States withheld Israel, Shaban said, would see Manuel Langendorf is a writer all.” The escalation is the most seri- funding to the agency. further kites and balloons from focusing on the MENA region. 14 July 29, 2018 News & Analysis Turkey US, Turkey tensions rise over case of American pastor

Thomas Frank authorities cracked down after a failed coup attempt, Brunson was charged with espionage and collu- Washington sion with terrorist groups. US offi- cials say he is not guilty. he Trump administration Pompeo said Brunson’s move to threatened Turkey with house arrest was a “positive de- harsh economic penalties velopment” and added “it is not T unless Ankara releases an enough” to hold Brunson on house American pastor who has been arrest while his trial continues. held for nearly two years on espio- The White House quickly turned nage and terrorism-related charg- sharply critical, issuing threats as es. the State Department wrapped up US President Donald Trump its first Ministerial to Advance Reli- wrote in a tweet July 26 that the gious Freedom, a 3-day convention United States would “impose large in Washington of religious leaders sanctions on Turkey for their long- from around the world aimed at time detainment of Pastor Andrew promoting global religious free- Brunson,” a US citizen and Chris- dom. tian minister who has lived in Tur- Speaking before Trump wrote Sharply critical. US Vice-President Mike Pence speaks during the first Ministerial to Advance key for 23 years and leads a small his tweet, US Vice-President Mike Religious Freedom at the US Department of State in Washington, on July 26. (AFP) church in Izmir. Pence told the conference: “To President (Recep Tayyip) Erdogan and the Turkish government, I nocent man of faith should be re- Twitter July 16. citizens — most of them dual citi- Members of the US have a message on behalf of the leased immediately!” Pence called Brunson a “victim zens of the United States and Tur- Congress, including many president of the United States of The campaign for Brunson’s re- of religious persecution,” saying in key — are being detained in Turkey, conservatives, have sought America: Release Pastor Andrew lease has been led by the Ameri- his speech that Brunson, 50, had US Assistant Secretary of State A. to block the sale of US-made Brunson now or be prepared to can Centre for Law and Justice, a been raising his family in Turkey Wess Mitchell said at a congres- fighter jets to Turkey until face the consequences. conservative, Christian-based ad- and “sharing the Gospel of Jesus sional hearing in June. Most are Brunson is released. “If Turkey does not take imme- vocacy group founded in 1990 by Christ, faithfully, in his ministry.” detained on “criminal of foreign diate action to free this innocent Pat Robertson, an influential US Pence added: “To believers across terrorist charges,” Mitchell said. The same day, US Secretary of man of faith and send him home Christian leader and broadcasting America, I say: Pray for Pastor “It’s at the forefront of our agenda State Mike Pompeo told Turkish to America, the United States will executive. Members of the US Con- Brunson. While he is out of jail, he with Turkey.” Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavuso- impose significant sanctions on gress, including many conserva- is still not free.” Turkish officials insist that Brun- glu “it is well past time for this in- Turkey until Pastor Andrew Brun- tives, have sought to block the sale Max Boot, a scholar at the Coun- son is guilty and are using his case nocent Pastor Andrew Brunson to son is free.” of US-made fighter jets to Turkey cil on Foreign Relations, wrote that, as leverage to compel the United come home,” US State Department Brunson’s detention is a sore until Brunson is released. although he welcomed Trump’s States to extradite a Turkish cleric spokeswoman Heather Nauert spot between the United States “The charges against Andrew push to release Brunson, “what living in America whom Ankara said. and Turkey and a rallying cry for Brunson should be dropped and about the dozen other Americans accuses of orchestrating the 2016 Trump’s tweet was one day after American evangelicals. Trump ap- the US should keep up the pres- detained, including a NASA scien- coup. The cleric, Fethullah Gulen, a Turkish court ordered Brunson pealed to them in his tweet, calling sure until Turkey begins acting tist? Problem is they aren’t a focus denies any involvement in the moved from prison to house arrest Brunson “a great Christian, family like a NATO ally again,” US Sena- for Trump’s evangelical constitu- coup. while his trial continues. Arrested man and wonderful human being. tor James Lankford, a conservative ency.” Erdogan suggested last year that in the summer of 2016 as Turkish He is suffering greatly. This in- Oklahoma Republican, wrote on Approximately two dozen US Gulen could be traded for Brunson. Viewpoint ‘Midnight Express’: It’s the 1970s once more in Erdogan’s Turkey

emember “Midnight tions, I highlighted the core of arbitrary detention of US citizens a full-blown crisis,” she added. Express?” When Alan Turkish President Recep Tayyip and embassy employees.” Not only that, but the US bill Parker’s controversial Erdogan’s international approach US Senator Robert Menendez, contains loan waivers that could Yavuz Baydar movie was released as “my way or no way.” I ended a New Jersey Democrat, said that be significant. These would be 30 years ago, it hit a the column as follows: “What will the “long overdue development for loans to Turkey that mean raw nerve. Turkey was happen if Erdogan and the [Justice in Pastor Brunson’s case is not energy divestment from Iranian Rdepicted as hellish for anyone un- and Development Party] win the enough — the United States also and Russian sources. The bill lucky enough to do time in prison. elections on June 24?’ There are insists on the release of our lo- seeks to block Turkey’s purchase People were incarcerated in hor- no easy answers.” cally employed staff and an end of Russian S-400 missile defence rible conditions. The American Now, we have some answers and to the harassment and targeting systems. Thus, the Brunson case anti-hero was imprisoned for drug they aren’t particularly surpris- of US citizens. We must continue could drive Turkey further apart smuggling. ing. to move forward with the Turkey from NATO. The film’s release came when At the centre of the story is International Financial Institu- Erdogan may genuinely believe Turkey faced an international American pastor Andrew Brunson tions Act until Turkey ceases the that what the West sees as a “hos- embargo for the 1974 invasion and of the Evangelical Presbyterian egregious policy of detention and tage, bargain and swap policy” partition of Cyprus. The operation Church. Until recently, he was harassment of US citizens on spe- is a winner in the long term but created a deep rift with Turkey’s held in a Turkish prison, ac- cious grounds for political gain.” he risks becoming entrapped by ally, the United States. cused of crimes that have been If the bill becomes law, the the following: First, anti-Amer- Today, “Midnight Express” described as “fantastical” by World Bank and the European icanism sweeping across Islam- suddenly seems relevant again. Christian groups in the Middle Bank for Reconstruction and De- ist, conservative, nationalist and Turkey and America are at odds East. These include allegedly velopment (EBRD) will oppose all leftist circles in Turkey; second, once more. Not only do the esca- converting Kurds to establish a but humanitarian loans to Turkey. the so-called Eurasianist cadres lating tensions endanger bilateral Kurdish state and collaborating This would last until Turkey is that have enhanced influence in relations, they pose a threat to with the Gulen Movement, which “no longer arbitrarily detaining or parliament and the bureaucracy. Turkey’s decades-old ties with Erdogan’s government blames denying freedom of movement to Erdogan may end up held hos- Western institutions and to its ail- for the failed July 2016 coup but United States citizens (including tage by a policy that he may have ing economy. which is politically opposed to the dual citizens) or locally employed thought politically beneficial. All of this was not hard to demands of the Kurdish move- staff members of the United States The US Senate bill highlights foresee. In a column for The Arab ment. mission to Turkey.” Washington’s realisation that Weekly ahead of the Turkish elec- Given that US Secretary of State The consequences are obvious. the only way to affect Erdogan’s Mike Pompeo is affiliated with Turkey was the EBRD’s big- defiance is economic sanctions. Brunson’s church and that many gest borrower in 2017 with loans Russia applied sanctions after the members of Congress are evangel- worth $1.8 billion. However, if it downing of its fighter jet. So did icals, the case has become a tick- is treated like Russia and Iran, Germany to pressure Ankara after ing time bomb. Brunson’s deten- “external finance will shy away the detention of two of its citi- tion is at the top of the American from Turkey,” economic analyst zens — Peter Steudtner and Deniz Evangelist agenda, which adds to Guldem Atabay Sanli wrote for Yucel. the pressure on Congress. Ahval News Online. This would Nate Schenkkan, Freedom Sources in Washington said mean that Turkey’s “economic House’s special research director, Erdogan has been repeatedly slowdown could rapidly turn into recently suggested in a detailed reminded to release Brunson im- policy brief that the Senate bill mediately. The latest instance was should be coupled with targeted by US President Donald Trump at sanctions against Erdogan and his the NATO summit in Brussels. The US Senate bill inner circle. The pastor was recently moved highlights For those who remember the from prison to house arrest but Washington’s dark 1970s in Turkey, the future is that may only have helped further looking a lot like the past, at least infuriate Washington. On July 26, realisation that the in terms of looming instability. the US Senate Foreign Relations only way to affect Committee passed a bill restrict- Yavuz Baydar is a Turkish From prison to house arrest. American pastor Andrew Craig ing loans to Turkey “until the Erdogan’s defiance is journalist and regular columnist Brunson arrives at his house in Izmir, on July 25. (AP) Turkish government stops the economic sanctions. for The Arab Weekly. July 29, 2018 15 Debate Iran As US sanctions loom, Iran nuclear deal faces three possible fates

return. EIB President Werner Hoyer re- Maysam cently cast doubt on the European Behravesh Union’s ability to deliver on its pledge to salvage the Iran nuclear accord, cautioning that EIB’s global operations would be imperilled if it invested in Iran as it is the kind of he exodus of interna- country “where we cannot play an tional firms from Iran active role.” is accelerating as the On June 4, in his first official August deadline for response to Trump’s pullout deci- the reimposition of US sion, Khamenei ordered the AEOI sanctions against Teh- to lay the groundwork for achiev- Tran approaches. US President Don- ing “190 000 SWUs [separative ald Trump’s decision to withdraw work units]” involving uranium from the multinational Joint Com- enrichment capacity “as soon as prehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), possible” but “within the frame- which lifted international sanctions work of JCPOA for the time being.” against Iran in exchange for curbs (By some assessments, Iran’s en- on its nuclear programme, has left richment capacity before the deal the 2015 accord hanging danger- was around 10,000 SWUs; today it ously in the balance. is about 6,000 SWUs.) French shipping giant CMA CGM That speech came days after Ro- on July 7 announced its decision hani instructed the organisation to to leave Iran “due to the Trump make preparations for “industrial- administration,” the group’s Chief scale [nuclear] enrichment without Executive Officer Rodolphe Saade limits.” said. The announcement came two In practice, creep-out may take days after talks in Vienna between the form of implementing the Iranian Foreign Minister Moham- Fragile economy. An Iranian cleric walks at the old main bazaar in Tehran, on July 23. (AP) accord selectively, perhaps by mad Javad Zarif and his counter- measures such as allowing the In- parts from Britain, China, France, that consists of guaranteeing the near failure of that landmark ternational Atomic Energy Agency Germany and Russia produced no European Investment Bank (EIB) policy, manifested by the US with- To avoid inspectors limited or delayed breakthroughs. services to Iran, activating the drawal from the JCPOA and the inviting access to Iran’s nuclear sites. In The first of its kind since Trump’s “blocking statute” to safeguard Eu- restoration of sanctions, cost Iran’s military action, its first report since Washington’s withdrawal announcement in ropean firms active in Iran against top leader politically. A decision by Iran will pullout in May, the agency tacitly May, the meeting was intended US secondary sanctions and secur- Khamenei to take this path would probably try to criticised Tehran for dragging its to provide Iran with an economic ing direct credit transfers to Iran’s see Iran resuming nuclear work on feet on so-called “complementary package that would make up for its central bank that would bypass the a larger scale and faster pace than creep out access” as part of the Additional losses under US sanctions. US financial system. in the past and cause the collapse — rather than Protocol, which Iran agreed to Today, the weakened nuclear French Foreign Minister Jean- of the agreement. break out — of implement “voluntarily” under the agreement confronts three possible Yves Le Drian said Europe will Such a decision by the Iranian the JCPOA if JCPOA. fates: survival, abrupt death or probably fall short of shielding leader, however, would alienate efforts to Gradual demise of the nuclear gradual demise. Iran from US nuclear sanctions by China and Russia and set Iran on a guarantee deal appears the most likely out- Since the conclusion of the ac- August but its protective economic collision course with Western pow- benefits of come if Europe, Russia and China cord, Iranian leaders have main- package may come through by No- ers, not least Europe. It would also staying in it fail. fail to neutralise crippling US tained that Tehran will remain vember 4, when the second round pave the way for the readoption sanctions against Iran. Though it in it as long as its interests are of penalties against Tehran is set to of UN Security Council sanctions might not lead directly to war, this preserved and the deal continues take effect. against Tehran. For this and other scenario would substantially esca- to benefit Iran’s economy. Their po- Barring significant domestic or reasons, including the concern late regional tensions and further sition did not change after the US foreign developments, the Iranian that Israel could launch a military destabilise the Middle East. administration’s decision to shelve leadership is likely to wait until response, the Iranian leadership Finally, with the escalating war the agreement. November while monitoring Euro- is unlikely to go down the path of of words between Tehran and Iranian President Hassan Rohani pean efforts. Notably, on July 17, nuclear “breakout.” Washington, including Trump’s reiterated Iran’s commitment to Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman To avoid inviting military action all-caps “NEVER, EVER THREATEN the pact shortly before the Vienna for the Atomic Energy Organisation at a time of growing domestic dis- THE UNITED STATES” tweet — a meeting but, a few days later, in a of Iran (AEOI) confirmed that Teh- sent and heightened tensions with response to Rohani’s “mother of phone conversation with German ran had received Europe’s package neighbours or having its nuclear all wars” speech on July 22 — Iran’s Chancellor Angela Merkel, de- of incentives and that it meets “el- dossier reopened at the Security desire to keep Europe and other scribed the compensatory EU pack- ements of Iran’s demands but still Council, Iran will probably try to powers on its side as a bulwark age as “disappointing” and lacking requires further consideration.” creep out — rather than break out against American military action “a clear road map.” Nevertheless, Iranian Supreme — of the JCPOA if efforts to guaran- may serve as the ultimate — but To persuade the Iranian leader- Leader Ayatollah Ali Khame- tee benefits of staying in it fail. imperfect — saviour of the nuclear ship to abide by the JCPOA, Europe nei may be tempted to use the This is partly because Tehran deal. has a three-pronged action plan impaired agreement to boost his seems to have reached the conclu- credibility with an increasingly sion that, even if Europe does Maysam Behravesh is a multimedia recalcitrant Iranian public by tak- summon the political will to shield journalist at the TV channel, Iran In- Gradual demise of the nuclear deal ing a “revolutionary” decision to Iran from US penalties, it may not ternational, a PhD candidate in the appears the most likely outcome if jettison the nuclear accord. be able to resist American pressure Department of Political Science and Europe, Russia and China fail to It was Khamenei’s policy of in the long run and it may ask Teh- an affiliated researcher at the Centre “heroic flexibility” that made ran to make other compromises, for Middle Eastern Studies, Lund neutralise crippling US sanctions entering nuclear negotiations with such as on its missile programme University, Sweden. This article was against Iran. world powers in 2013 possible and and regional interventions, in distributed by Reuters. With the rial in free fall, Afghan workers leave Iran

Ali Alfoneh people who left their country Qanoun said when he moved to opens job opportunities for local after the 1978 revolution that put Iran 20 years ago “Iran was like As the value of workers but sociologist Ali-Asghar the communist party in power in paradise for us Afghan workers but the Iranian Saeedi disputed that. He said Kabul, along with the military’s now the Iranian rial has declined currency few Iranian workers were likely help. Ever since, there have been so much in its value that we are all declines, so to apply for positions vacated by here was a time when armed conflicts in Afghanistan and losing money.” does the Afghans. Afghans flocked to refugees have continued to flow to “We are preparing to move incentive to “The idea that the Afghan labour Iran for work oppor- Iran. to Turkey, where we are more remain in Iran. force has increased unemploy- tunities but the falling Afghan migrants were not respected and life is happier,” he ment and they must, therefore, be rial is forcing them particularly well received by most said. “We will move to Turkey, and evicted is nothing but sloganeer- to seek employment Iranians, who look down on the Af- you [Iranians] move to Europe. ing,” Saeedi says. “Iranians don’t Telsewhere. It is too early to assess ghans. Iranian employers, howev- There is no future here!” do the hard work of Afghans. Only the effect of the exodus on Iran’s er, particularly in the construction Mohammad-Mehdi Javanmard the Afghan labour force is doing it economy but the Afghans’ depar- sector, prefer Afghan workers who Qassab, country director for and employers will face problems ture is an indicator of the sorry settle for lower salaries. An uni- Afghanistan at the Trade Promo- if that force is not present.” state of affairs in Iran. dentified Iranian employer quoted tion Organisation of Iran, appeared The departure of Afghan work- The Statistical Centre of Iran in the July 10 edition of E-Kasb to agree with the first part of the ers from Iran is not that surprising states that 1.5 million Afghans live magazine said: “Iranian workers Afghan worker’s analysis. In an when one considers the situation. in Iran but the actual number is demand higher salaries but usually interview with ISNA, the news Millions of Iranians have left Iran probably closer to 2.5 million. The work less. Afghans work for lower agency, Qassab said Afghan work- since the revolution of 1979. With Afghan population in Iran includes salaries and do their work with ers in Iran converted their earnings the economic promises of the almost no protests. We just give into US dollars to support extend- revolution unfulfilled and with few them a place to sleep and there is ed families in Afghanistan. prospects for the future, unem- no real problem!” As the value of the Iranian ployed or underemployed Iranians With few prospects for the The Iranian employer’s claims currency declines, so does the themselves are the biggest part of future, unemployed or were confirmed by Iranian Labour incentive to remain in Iran. Conse- those leaving to seek opportunities Minister Ali Rabiee, who said Af- quently, the Afghans are trying to abroad. underemployed Iranians ghan workers in Iran draw salaries migrate to Europe, Turkey or Arab The rial’s fall is a symptom of the themselves are the biggest part 30-50% lower than Iranians. countries for work. structural problems that plague However, the days of cheap Some Iranian parliamentar- Iran’s economy and for which the of those leaving to seek Afghan labour may soon be over. ians depict the Afghan exodus as Islamic Republic appears to have opportunities abroad. An Afghan worker interviewed by a blessing in disguise because it no remedy. 16 July 29, 2018 News & Analysis East West

Viewpoint Why newspaper headlines can change the way we travel

When you step into an airport, you know that an Arabic sounding Oussama name, a fez over your head can Romdhani quickly trigger the hidden Arab/ Muslim buzzer. You know as well that you will be entitled to even esearch by the Uni- more special attention at first sight versity of Alabama, if it is mentioned somewhere in Serious charges. Police officers drive a car in Tonnay-Charente near the house of Guy S., the alleged covering the period your passport that your parents leader of a group linked with the ultra-right AFO (Operational Forces Action). (AFP) 2006-15, states that were teachers or even preachers in terror attacks by Mus- Tripoli, Sana’a or Sudan. A place lim extremists receive of birth could be a damning detail R357% more coverage in US media whatever your parents were doing than attacks perpetrated by non- when bringing you to life. Muslims. So whatever the reason, you Worisome new trend Within the scope of the same know that you have to stand ready study, attacks by Muslim terrorists for that extra search before board- get on average 105 headlines while ing. those by non-Muslims only 15. The reason is that you tend to in ‘ultra-right’ terrorism Muslim extremists must be better meet the criteria for “ran- the only group that can boost its dom vetting” — a totally different media coverage 357% more than thing from profiling, of course average without the help of a — than the regular violent white PR company. In fact, it takes an supremacist. reflects mainstreaming abhorrent crime perpetrated by Let me give you a tip: If you someone of a different ethnic and happen to be carrying a winter religious group than us to achieve coat during an unseasonably warm that kind of dubious distinction. autumn day, like this writer once of Islamophobia in France Erin M. Kearns, who led the did, airport security officers will research at the University of Ala- probably reward you with some bama, says the amplification of the extra attention. The heavy apparel Islamic terror factor carries policy you are carrying will briefly change Mahmud el-Shafey wearing hijabs chosen at random, zine, reported. implications beyond the dispro- hands so the experts can examine French broadcaster TF1 said. Analysts warned that the differ- portionate fear of Muslims. it more closely. “I’m not surprised by these ar- ence between “far-right” and “ul- “This misperception can cre- Cross-cultural gaps work both London rests because the current climate of tra-right” groups was strategy, not ate a feedback loop of incorrect ways though. If you are a West- Islamophobia encourages this sort ideology. information fuelling prejudice and erner who occasionally dares to ollowing the arrest in late of passage from words to deeds,” “They both see the immigrant discrimination. Moreover, such fly aboard airlines from Muslim June of ten “ultra-right” Abdallah Zekri, of the French Coun- as a coloniser who must be sent misperceptions may prevent the countries you might also have militants suspected of plot- cil of the Muslim Faith, was quoted back home,” Stephane Francois, acknowledgement and addressing second thoughts about your fool- F ting to attack Muslims in by the Guardian, a British newspa- an expert on far-right groups at the of other pressing security threats hardy choice as soon as the pilot France, there are warnings that the per, after the arrests in June. National Centre for Scientific Re- that have a factually rooted basis,” announces to passengers that the mainstreaming of Islamophobia He called on “all political lead- search, told the Nation. “The entire she says. plane will be arriving at destina- has reached unprecedented levels. ers to denounce with the greatest ideology is based on the notion that The Guardian commented that tion “Insha’Allah” in 2 hours and Of great concern was that the firmness the violent action direct- we are at war against a pernicious “the disparity in media coverage 30 minutes. “What did he just purported ringleader of the group ed against the Muslims of France” or silent Islamic occupation.” is particularly out of sync with the say?” you are tempted to wonder was a former French policeman and urged authorities to protect The difference is that the AFO, reality given that white and right- out loud. who was released under judicial France’s 2,500 mosques. unlike the VPF, openly advocates wing terrorists carried out nearly The usually very tolerant and supervision despite the severity of violence. twice as many terrorist attacks as open-minded civil person that the charges he is facing. A VPF statement said there was Muslim extremists between 2008 lives in you is tempted to ask the “It’s outrageous,” said Yasser The group’s potential no proof “at this stage” that those and 2016.” passenger sitting next to you why Louati, a Muslim activist and co- targets included imams, arrested intended to carry out any Regardless of whether the lads did the pilot just invoke the name founder of the Committee of Justice Islamist prisoners after illegal acts, strove to differentiate at the US Department of Homeland of God in Arabic. Was he discuss- and Freedom for All. “Here we have release from jail and women itself as a “legal” association that Security are misled by the dis- ing plans for the afterlife or was he members of a terrorist organisa- wearing hijabs chosen at worked within French laws and proportionate focus on Muslims, only unsure of reaching the des- tion being arrested and they don’t random. criticised France’s media for draw- media coverage of terrorism and tination? “God willing” does not receive the same treatment when ing comparisons. terrorist incidents can have quite seem to sound that good in Arabic. Muslim terrorists are apprehended “Our organisation, which is reso- an effect on modern travel. At airports and on aeroplanes or suspected terrorists are interro- The AFO is an offshoot of Volun- lutely committed to the defence of There are no public statistics these days, you increasingly have gated… It’s highly problematic.” teers for France (VPF), a legal far- the identity of the French nation for the reasons for deportation to learn the art of denying anxi- “So that means that the message right group that espouses virtually and the fight against Islamisation of of Arab/Muslim travellers from ety even if it grips you through no being sent to all other groups that the same ideology but disavows the country, is naturally considered Western airports (by reason of fault of your own. The problem have not been apprehended so far violence. France’s media have de- radical by some. This is notably the suspicion) but you can bet that the could be the reputation pinned to is: Carry on. You can either do it and scribed AFO as “ultra-right,” to dis- case of a collaborator media that number of deportees from that your ethnic and religious group or succeed or if you get caught, don’t tinguish it from “far-right” groups submits to extremist Islamism,” the particular religious and ethnic the too many nightmare scenarios worry about it,” he added. that share the AFO’s anti-Muslim statement added. group rises when security-related you read about in magazines and The nine men and one woman views but claim not to support vio- This is not the first time a far- anxieties flare up. Adding to the newspapers. who were arrested in a series of lence. right terrorist group has apparently legitimate concern for caution, raids across France are allegedly The biggest such group is the Na- sought to target Muslims. In Octo- terror incidents in newspaper Oussama Romdhani linked to the anti-Muslim group tional Rally, formerly the National ber 2017, dozens of far-right activ- headlines can sour the mood of is Editor-in-Chief Operational Forces Action (AFO), Front, led by Marine Le Pen, who ists were charged with being part many people these days. of The Arab Weekly. which has described France’s Mus- finished second in the French presi- of a “criminal terrorist conspiracy” lim community as “the enemy with- dential elections in 2017. in Marseille and Seine-Saint-Den- in.” The group’s website — “Guerre Although Le Pen publicly con- is, believed to belong to an anti- de France” (“War for France”) — demned the AFO’s alleged plans, Muslim group planning attacks on claims to prepare “French citizen- this is not to say there is no sym- mosques or Muslim politicians. soldiers” for combat on “national pathy in the National Rally or Louati said he did not hold out territory.” France’s far-right towards AFO’s much hope that Islamophobia The group is reportedly led by a views and aims. would decrease. 65-year-old policeman, identified “If groups are forming to de- “Tomorrow is going to be worse by French prosecutors as “Guy S” fend themselves,” National Rally than today. Everything is put in and said by local media to be Guy Vice-President Louis Aliot told place for things to get worse be- Sibra. L’Opinion, “it is first and foremost cause there is no institutional A total of 22 rifles, 14 handguns, because the state is being soft on resistance to Islamophobia,” he homemade grenades and thou- radical Islam.” warned. “In fact, Islamophobia has sands of rounds of ammunition Demonstrating the connections been institutionalised.” were reportedly seized by police between France’s far-right and “ul- “The centre of gravity of politics during raids that focused on the tra-right,” Sibra assisted with the [in France] has shifted so far to the Paris area, the Mediterranean is- National Front’s campaign efforts right that the ideas that were ex- land of Corsica and the western during the 2015 regional elections treme 20 years ago have now be- Charentes-Maritimes region. and was a member of the VPF, leav- come mainstream.” The group’s potential targets in- ing the group in 2017 to form the Walking straight. Travellers arrive at the international terminal cluded imams, Islamist prisoners AFO after describing its leadership Mahmud el-Shafey is an Arab of O’Hare International Airport in Chicago. (AFP) after release from jail and women as “too soft,” the Nation, a US maga- Weekly correspondent in London. July 29, 2018 17 News & Analysis East West Case of player of Turkish origin challenges German integration model

Thomas Seibert ground is a key task of the federal government,” she said. Others criticised Ozil. AfD leader Istanbul Alice Weidel, said events showed that “wishful thinking about inte- alf a century after the start gration does not even work with of Turkish migration to football millionaires.” Germany, the high-profile Thomas Bareiss, a senior member H resignation of a football of Merkel’s Union of Christian Dem- star of Turkish origin from the Ger- ocrats, said Ozil’s accusations of rac- man national team amid accusations ism were “out of place.” The tabloid of racism is a devastating statement Bild said: “Ozil is revelling in the vic- about the failure of German society tim role that has nothing to do with to accept migrants as equals, critics reality.” Uli Hoeness, president of said. German football champion Bayern Mesut Ozil, 29, a midfielder born Munich, said Ozil did not deserve a in Germany to Turkish parents, place in the national team because withdrew from the German squad his performance had been weak for on July 22 in response to becoming years. what he called a “scapegoat” for a The heated exchanges reveal the poor performance of the team dur- wide gulf that Turks in Germany say ing the FIFA World Cup in Russia. He divides them from the rest of the said racism was behind the way he country. As the debate raged, mem- was treated by the media and foot- bers of the Turkish community in ball officials in Germany. “I am Ger- Germany once again said “they are man when we win but I am an im- strangers in their own country,” jour- migrant when we lose,” Ozil wrote nalist Hasan Gokkaya wrote in the on Twitter. weekly Die Zeit. (Reuters) Ozil’s charge goes to the heart of Dual-heritage. Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil attends a training session in Singapore, on July 25. Mustafa Yeneroglu, a Turkish law- an integration debate in Germany, maker who grew up in Germany, a country that has received millions nie Deutscher” (“You Never Become in warm-up games before the World due to his religion, which is not ac- said the feelings of estrangement of Turkish migrants since the mid- German).” Many Turks rooted for Cup. Germany, the World Cup cham- ceptable.” expressed by Ozil were shared by 1960s and an influx of 1.6 million Germany during the World Cup be- pion in 2014, failed to advance out of In his statement declaring his res- millions of Turks in Germany. Ozil people from the Middle East and Af- cause they were proud of what Ozil the group stage, its earliest exit from ignation, Ozil said he did not feel “spoke for his and my generation,” rica in recent years. had achieved, Ceyhun said. the tournament in 80 years. Ozil was accepted in German society despite Yeneroglu said in written remarks in While some say the country “Ozil was a great role model” for one of the scapegoats for the team’s paying taxes there, making dona- response to questions. He said Ozil should do more to integrate citizens young Turks in Germany, Ceyhun unsuccessful title defence. tions to German schools and being had been treated like a “German citi- with foreign roots, right-wing critics said. “He was proof that you can part of the team that won the World zen on probation despite 92 caps for say the migrants are culturally un- achieve something and be accepted Cup four years ago. the national team.” able to adapt to German society and but now we see it’s not so easy after While some say the country “It is with a heavy heart and after Yeneroglu, a member of Erdogan’s are changing the country in unwant- all.” should do more to integrate much consideration that, because Justice and Development Party, ac- ed ways. A right-wing populist party, Ceyhun said integration efforts citizens with foreign roots, of recent events, I will no longer be cused Ozil’s critics of trying to force the Alternative for Germany (AfD), received a huge setback with Ozil’s right-wing critics say the playing for Germany at international migrants to accept a “one-sided im- entered parliament for the first time withdrawal. “We have lost the role migrants are culturally level while I have this feeling of rac- age” of the Turkish president, a poli- last year and members of the govern- model,” he said. unable to adapt to German ism and disrespect,” he said. tician rejected by many in Germany ment of Chancellor Angela Merkel Ozil faced a barrage of criticism in Merkel insisted that her govern- as an autocrat. Turkish-German have moved to the right. Germany for having his photograph society. ment would work for the successful citizens unwilling to accept that “Integration has lost,” said Ozan taken with Turkish President Recep integration of migrants. In a state- image “are being shown the door,” Ceyhun, a Turkish-German former Tayyip Erdogan in May. He and Ilkay After speaking with Ozil, Erdogan ment, Merkel said Ozil was a “great” Yeneroglu wrote. “Ozil has given member of the European Parliament Gundogan, a teammate also of Turk- said on July 24 the player had given player. “Germany is a country that is them a voice. That is why he has be- for Germany’s Social Democrats and ish descent who posed with Erdogan much to the German team but had open to the world and the integra- come a legend” with his resignation author of a book titled “Man wird as well, were jeered by German fans become a victim of a “racist attitude tion of people with a migration back- statement. Anti-Muslim hate crime in UK reached all-time high in 2017

Mahmud el-Shafey at times like this, minority groups are the ones who suffer the anger of those looking to vent their fears, London insecurities and concerns,” Tell MAMA Director Iman Atta said in here were a record num- a release. ber of anti-Muslim attacks “We are seeing more aggressive reported in the United street-based incidents, younger T Kingdom last year, a report perpetrators, between the ages of by monitoring group Tell MAMA 13-18, increased vandalism and stated, with women being dispro- international interference by well- portionately targeted. organised social media accounts In a report published July 23, playing groups off in the UK. More Tell MAMA noted a surge in Is- than ever, we need to come to- lamophobic incidents in 2017, with gether and redouble our efforts 1,201 verified reports, a rise of 27% against those who seek to divide compared to the year before. The and play communities off against report said 57.5% of incidents tar- each other.” A long way to go. Members of the public gather at Islington Town Hall on the anniversary of the (AFP) geted females with 64.6% of the Analysts explained the rise in Is- Finsbury Park attack in London, last June. alleged perpetrators being male. lamophobic attacks and incidents Tell MAMA is a national project to the growth of far-right views in fend the status of the dominant “It is partly driven by terrorism, Speaking at the release of the that has been recording and meas- the United Kingdom, as well as so- ‘in-group’. The government and partly by groups who just want to report, UK Communities Secretary uring anti-Muslim incidents in the called “trigger” incidents, includ- media outlets must consider how divide communities, we have so- James Brokenshire acknowledged United Kingdom and assisting vic- ing the London and Manchester their choice of language influences cial media and we have politicians that Islamophobia was a major tims of Islamophobia since 2012. terrorist attacks last year, which wider public discourse,” the report who seek to blame migrants,” Tell challenge for the United Kingdom. The latest report detailed various prompted a backlash of anti-Mus- said. MAMA founder Fiyaz Mughal told “In recent months, we’ve seen categories of alleged anti-Muslim lim abuse. The report said that while “street Britain’s Independent newspaper. some abhorrent incidents of Is- incidents, including abusive be- In the week following the Man- level” or “offline” incidents had “Anti-Muslim rhetoric is bleeding lamophobia — such as the Punish a haviour to physical attacks but chester Arena attack, Tell MAMA increased 30% since 2016, online into the political landscape — it Muslim Day letters. This is utterly noted that “street-level” incidents reported a 700% increase in re- attacks increased 16%. Tell MAMA emboldens people.” unacceptable and it will not be tol- were the most common with more ports of anti-Muslim incidents. called on police and social media Tell MAMA has backed calls for erated,” he said. than two-thirds of cases involving The report partly blamed inflam- companies to be “mindful of po- a formal inquiry into alleged in- “We need to do more to ensure altercations in public or the van- matory media coverage, warning tentially criminal incitement made cidents of Islamophobia in the that British Muslims feel safe to dalism of Muslim-owned proper- that this can “legitimise racist, on [social media] platforms.” Conservative Party and said Con- go about their lives as much as ties. xenophobic and Islamophobic Tell MAMA specifically called servatives should carry out a “root- anyone else. Islamophobia has no “We are in deeply worrying prejudice.” out Facebook and Twitter to up- and-branch” review to ensure that place in our society. It does not re- times where people are looking “Individuals with underlying hold community standards and any party members or candidates flect our British values of freedom for certainty and what they are prejudice may feel emboldened be more proactive to suspend ac- who subscribe to bigoted, racist, of religion and freedom of expres- getting is instability at a political to victimise those they feel to be counts found to be propagating Islamophobic or prejudiced views sion. It is unacceptable and it will and societal level. This means that deserving of abuse so as to de- hate speech. are expelled. not be tolerated.” 18 July 29, 2018 Economy Energy

Innovative, entrepreneurial Briefs Iran appoints new head of powerhouse shaping up in Dubai central bank

N.P. Krishna Kumar endeavours of Vision 2021. “By en- Iran’s cabinet approved Abdol- couraging and nurturing entrepre- naser Hemmati as new governor neurship in such a dynamic way, for the central bank as the country, Dubai NOMAD will make a major con- facing renewed US sanctions tribution to the UAE’s economic pressure, grapples with a faltering ff Al Ain road in Dubai, growth plans and its aim to be po- economy and a sliding currency an innovative entrepre- sitioned right at the heart of global that have stirred street protests. neurial hub encompass- economic changes,” he said. The Tasnim news agency report- O ing 93,000 sq. metres de- Khammas said the group con- ed that the head of the Manage- signed to incubate and accelerate sulted the entrepreneurial com- ment and Planning Organisation of start-ups and individuals is taking munity in the early formation stag- Iran, Mohammad Baqer Nobakht, shape. es. “They have appreciated how it had been replaced but he said Ira- The hub, called NOMAD, is ex- takes the traditional accelerator nian President Hassan Rohani had pected to be attractive to citizens model into a new and exciting di- not accepted his resignation. from Gulf Cooperation Council mension and they are very keen to countries for whom the prospect be a part of its fabric and its ulti- (Reuters) of setting up and developing a mate success, which will be recog- business has traditionally been nised on a global scale,” he said. prohibitive due to costs and bu- He explained that NOMAD Saudi Arabia reaucracy. would focus on growing and fund- In addition to flexible work ing projects predominantly in the Innovative ideas. The concept picture of the interior workspaces receives four bids space, the development will in- media, arts and design, gaming at NOMAD. (AAHG) clude state-of-the-art studios in and technology and culinary arts for wind farm the media, culinary arts, arts and sectors. The second phase, accommodat- ups and NOMAD will provide ac- design and gaming and technol- “It will enable [small and medi- ing larger facilities and community cess to state-of-the-art co-working Saudi Arabia has received bids ogy areas, along with one of the um-sized enterprises] SMEs and development, is due for comple- and private office spaces as well as from four consortiums competing largest 3D printing facilities. There talented start-ups from the UAE tion by end of 2019. high-tech facilities such as food to build a $500 million Saudi wind are also living accommodations, and abroad to develop and nur- “The uniqueness of NOMAD’s laboratories and technically ad- farm project, officials said, as the allowing members to live on site. ture their businesses supported specific requirements forced us vanced studios and media produc- world’s top oil exporter pushes to “We recognised that, to enhance by a business and legal framework to create a new architectural divi- tion facilities.” diversify its energy sector. the economic landscape in the re- as well as a superb array of world- sion with more than 50 engineers In addition, with the provision France’s EDF Energies Nou- gion, we need to truly grow local class facilities,” he said. to tackle the diverse needs of the of heavily subsidised on-site hous- velles placed the lowest bid for the talent and attract global sources “Members will see their busi- modern SME sector,” Khammas ing, members at NOMAD have ac- 400-megawatt Dumat al-Jandal of innovation,” said Mohammed nesses boosted by access to men- said. “The design will encompass a cess to investors and industries to wind project in the northern Al Khammas, CEO of Al Ahli Holding torship, investors, global accel- comprehensive development with scale their business growth. Jawf province, the Saudi Energy Group (AAHG), which is develop- erator programmes and Al Ahli co-working spaces, creative stu- “They will also be encouraged Ministry said. The second lowest ing the site. Holding Group’s extensive net- dios, makerspaces, event venues to call on and use Al Ahli Holding was submitted by the French firm “We also need to develop a com- work of partners and consultants, and a co-living community.” Group’s comprehensive network ENGIE. petitive ecosystem that focuses on many of whom are in the enter- An attractive feature of the pro- of associates and experts, who will capacity building and providing tainment and media industries.” ject is that operating costs will be assist with whatever is needed, be (Agence France-Presse) comprehensive resources for start- Apart from its scale, another key “significantly reduced.” it an introduction to a new sup- ups and the creative community to differentiator at NOMAD will be Khammas said creating competi- plier or key contact, a personal collaborate.” the subsidised living arrangements tive pricing solutions for start-ups development opportunity or a UAE port NOMAD aims to address the it will offer, enabling its commu- is important because “we recog- collaborative marketing exercise. need to advance innovative ideas nity to live economically while fo- nise that so often it [is] financial This is where NOMAD really sets operator signs as envisaged in UAE’s Vision 2021. cusing on business growth. constraints that prevent a great itself apart from any other accel- “The response (to the project) has AAHG plans to complete the two idea from becoming a first-rate erator project, with its customised deal for logistics been extremely positive from both phases at NOMAD over a 2-year pe- business and it is important to re- approach to business development the government and the entre- riod. The first phase is expected to duce these barriers of entry to at- needs and the vast depth and scale hub in Mali preneurial business community,” be completed by end of this year tract global talent.” of its network,” added Khammas. Khammas said. and include the hub of working He added: “The cost of business Dubai’s global ports operator DP Authorities, he said, recognised and studio resources, along with a accommodation and production N.P. Krishna Kumar is an Arab World said it signed a deal to build how NOMAD could further key pilot housing community. space is a major concern for start- Weekly contributor in Dubai. a logistics hub outside Bamako, Mali. Viewpoint The logistics hub is to be on the main road between Senegal’s capital, Dakar, and Bamako, in southern Mali, and close to the rail Start-ups bank on region’s long spells of sunshine link between the two West African cities.

of the sun,” he says. ago, the Moroccan government start-ups to persuade individuals (Agence France-Presse) He said the market for solar cells understood that it would be better and businesses to invest in long- Khadija or photovoltaics can only grow. off producing its own energy rather term solar power infrastructure. Hamouchi “Photovoltaics are a robust and than importing it at an expensive Benhaim admitted that solar Kuwait sovereign durable technology transforming cost, which would only increase panels are still expensive. “While sun rays into electricity,” he said. the frustrations of customers, who costs have been declining over the fund’s UK unit Maher Maymoun, co-founder of were already paying too much for years, it still remains an investment Jordan’s SolarPiezoClean, argues electricity,” he said. with a relatively long return on buys NSMP ith a high number the region needs to move beyond After four years in business, investment. Early adopters are of sunshine-filled non-renewable energy sources. Econosol is turning a healthy profit usually technology savvy people The British infrastructure arm hours for more “It’s time to eliminate and stop and looking to market solar cells that appreciate monitoring their of Kuwait’s sovereign wealth fund than 300 days fossil fuel power generation, carbon more widely. savings over the internet,” he said. said it had agreed to buy oil and a year, the Arab emissions and reduce the rampant For all too long, solar panels have Maymoum added that solar gas pipeline firm North Sea Mid- world should pollution in our cities,” Maymoun been associated with agricultural projects are an “attractive, cool stream Partners (NSMP) from pri- Wbe pushing solar energy, which said. projects. Sustainable development brand” and can offer a payback to vate equity firm ArcLight Capital. is cheap, clean and plentiful. The Germany’s Max Planck Institute organisations, such as Egypt’s customers within four years but Wren House, the London-based Middle East and North Africa have a for Chemistry said climate change 51-year-old SEKEM, tout solar they must be sold that way, with the infrastructure investment arm of growing number of projects, not all will cause longer droughts, more initiatives in the hinterland. long-term gains spelt out. the Kuwait Investment Authority, of which are government-owned. intense heatwaves and more “SEKEM has three solar pumps on Wim Alen, general secretary declined to disclose the financial The International Renewable frequent dust storms in the region. its farms in Wahat al-Bahriya that of the Middle East Solar Industry terms of the transaction. However, Energy Authority said the solar Summer temperatures, it predicted, irrigate a total area of around 90 Association, agreed that the best two sources told Reuters it was energy sector in the region will will rise faster in the MENA region feddans (38 hectares),” said Noha market strategy is that customers paying around $1.7 billion. attract approximately $35 billion than the global average and Hussein, SEKEM’s public relations will eventually have low electricity a year by 2020. Morocco and the extremes of 46 degrees Celsius or officer. prices. This has “changed the (Reuters) United Arab Emirates are building higher will be about five times more She said Egypt is conscious of perception of policymakers and massive solar-power plants and likely by 2050 than in 2000. Also by its vulnerability. “The growth of industry leaders,” he said. Saudi Arabia is planning one. 2050, the region’s population will population and desert lands make The advantages take time to Egypt hikes Away from government have nearly doubled to 692 million. it a must to develop our energy become apparent, though. Until initiatives, solar start-ups have These are concerns driving start- solutions. We cannot only rely they do, Benhaim said governments natural gas prices room to grow. By some estimates, ups such as SolarPiezoClean to on burning fossil fuels; which is should help promote solar panels. Egypt raised natural gas prices there are about 50 entrepreneurial develop self-cleaning technologies one the main reason for climate The Moroccan government, like for households and businesses ventures banking on the sun across without water for solar panels. change,” Hussein said. many in the region, doesn’t do 33.3-75%, the latest tough auster- the Maghreb, the Gulf, the Levant They will be useful in dusty, water- There are signs the region is much to help, he lamented. ity measure aimed at rebuilding and South Sudan. scarce areas, said Maymoun, who becoming more aware of the need “No green bonuses, no tax the country’s economy battered by Econosol, in Casablanca, started co-founded the company in 2013 as for clean, green energy. Last year, incentives and no government unrest since a 2011 uprising. four years ago and installs solar part of a university research project. the energy ministers of 14 Arab subsidies in Morocco — those are The government’s decision panels in petrol stations, homes, Everyone acknowledges that countries signed a memorandum of the techniques widely used in should go into effect in August. It hotels and fields across Marrakech, the push for solar goes beyond the understanding establishing an Arab Europe to promote renewable sets the price for gas consumption Rabat and Essaouira. Michael fight against climate change and Common Market for Electricity. energy,” Benhaim said. of up to 30 cubic metres at 1.75 Benhaim, who founded the pollution. Reducing electricity bills The agreement noted the urgency Egyptian pounds ($0.98) up from 1 company, said the region’s future is a powerful incentive. with which the region views global Khadija Hamouchi is a Belgian- pound ($0.56) per cubic metre. must be solar. “It allows you to Benhaim said start-ups are warning and sustainable energy Moroccan social entrepreneur and harvest the limitless, predictable simply treading a path taken provision. founder of SEJAAL, an initiative that (The Associated Press) and absolutely free natural resource by the government. “Ten years However, it can be hard for is building an app for young people. July 29, 2018 19 Economy Egypt edges closer to settling debts to foreign petroleum firms

Amr Emam

Cairo

gypt is close to repaying debts to foreign petroleum companies, a sign of eco- E nomic recovery and an im- portant step towards attracting in- vestments in the petroleum sector, analysts said. The Egyptian government, in late July, paid $1.2 billion to foreign petroleum companies operating in Egypt. Cairo plans to repay the re- maining $1.2 billion owed before the end of 2019. “We are also committed to re- paying all remaining debts to show that we are keen on long-term rela- tions with these companies,” said Petroleum Ministry spokesman Hamdi Abdel Aziz. “We are do- ing everything we can to settle all debts soon.” The turmoil after the 2011 revo- lution rendered the Egyptian gov- ernment incapable of honouring commitments to several foreign petroleum companies. In 2014, debts to the foreign companies Signs of recovery. People ride a jetski past an Egyptian crude oil tanker near the beach in El Ain El Sokhna port. (Reuters) amounted to $6.3 billion and some companies were close to terminat- ing operations in Egypt. gas field off Egypt’s Mediterranean uefaction of gas from other coun- leum companies in the local oil renewable energies. “This gave a very bad impression coast, are promising major changes tries increases. and gas sector,” Qaluibi said. “I Egyptian President Abdel Fat- about our country among interna- in Egypt’s economic conditions. The Egyptian natural gas sector believe more and more companies tah al-Sisi recently inaugurated the tional petroleum companies,” Ab- “They are having a major effect is attracting international petro- will come to the market in the fu- country’s largest solar power farm del Aziz said. on total production,” said Gamal leum and gas companies, including ture.” in Aswan and a wind power farm in When it started it economic re- al-Qaluibi, a professor of petro- Italy’s Eni, Russia’s Rosneft, Malay- Egypt aspires to attract a similar the Red Sea area. Egypt plans to in- form programme, the Egyptian leum engineering at the American sia’s Petronas, the United States’ amount of foreign investments this crease renewable energy from 4% government drew up an ambitious University in Cairo. “They are also Apache and the Anglo-Dutch Shell. fiscal year. of total energy production at pre- plan to help the economy recover. boosting confidence in the local pe- Petroleum companies are in- The trend enhances Cairo’s plans sent to 20% by 2022. This included the payment of debts troleum sector.” creasing investments in operations to turn Egypt into a regional en- “Our energy sector is so promis- to foreign petroleum companies. Egypt is expected to achieve self- in Egypt. In the fiscal year 2017-18, ergy hub by utilising the country’s ing and it is expected to drive the There are hopes — supported by sufficiency in natural gas by the which ended June 30, the petro- sprawling refineries and gas lique- economic growth in the years to studies that indicate huge oil and end of the year and exports are to leum sector received $10 billion in faction facilities. come,” said energy expert Rama- natural gas reserves in Egyptian resume by next year. The govern- foreign investments, 25% up from Egypt is spending billions of dan Abul Ela. “Developments on territory — the petroleum sector ment said petrochemical exports the previous year, said Petroleum dollars on upgrading refiner- the ground will turn Egypt from a can become a main driver of the increased 26% in the first half of Minister Tarek al-Mulla. ies. The energy hub label is not marginal member of the interna- Egyptian economy. 2018 and are expected to rise as lo- “This is a reflection of the grow- only about fossil fuels but also tional energy community to an in- The finds, including a gigantic cal gas is further developed and liq- ing interest of international petro- about growing national use of fluential player in the future.” Migrant labour boosts Maghreb economy, experts say

Lamine Ghanmi an EU plan to set up “disembarka- Migrant workers from the Sa- tion platforms” in their region. hel often work without permits in The African Observatory for Mi- other Maghreb countries as well, Tunis gration and Development will have including in Tunisia. headquarters in Rabat, Morocco, When asked about the state of overnments and business- which spearheaded the project to migrant workers in the country, a es in the Maghreb should “harmonise national strategies of Tunisian government minister said: integrate sub-Saharan mi- African states and improving inter- “These are students who seek to G grants into the workforce action with partners.” make extra money or tourists over- and not get caught up in the pop- Maghreb countries have not laid staying their visas.” ulism sweeping across Europe, re- the groundwork for a comprehen- Experts say migrants from the Sa- gional experts said. sive approach to migration and hel are looking for employment in “The integration of a foreign many migrants are victims of prej- the Maghreb due to the disparity in workforce in a country’s labour udice and abuse. growth and revenue opportunities. process fuels growth everywhere in Algeria has faced accusations of “The issue is not to recognise the history of global economy,” said failing to respect migrants’ rights. the fact that the flow of migrants Algerian economist Ihsane el-Kadi. Human rights groups said the gov- moves from poor countries to more He said many of the world’s de- ernment has deported migrants, rich countries,” Kadi said. “The real veloped countries host large num- sometimes abandoning them in the issue is to see in such flow an eco- bers of migrants. “The specific desert without food or water. nomic and social opportunity and sense of growth is to reclassify and Algerian officials denied the -ac change the status of the country redeploy rapidly people that ben- cusations and warned against a into a host country for migrants. efit from such growth,” Kadi said. “genuine plot targeting Algeria’s “Such change will turn a stag- security and stability.” They said nant and closed country into a new there was an “invisible hand” country that is dynamic and open.” Inconvenient conditions. Senegalese immigrants and Moroccan pushing mass migration waves Morocco has become a host coun- Migrants from the Sahel are children sitting in front of a building in the Takaddum towards Algeria with the “aim of try for large numbers of migrants as looking for employment in neighbourhood of Rabat. (AFP) the Maghreb due to the draining… its financial capabilities, it attempts to gain support in Af- disparity in growth and humanitarian impulses and secu- rica for its position on the disputed revenue opportunities. rity power.” “The majority of the sub-Saharan ed some $400 billion in since 1999. Western Sahara. In Tunisia, Libya and Morocco migrants piled up on trucks to be “The Great Mosque of Algiers, Rabat launched reforms in 2014, migrants often work at state-fund- deported 2,300km south are work- the new city of Sidi Abdellah, the largely funded by the European Un- Algerian political scientist Ali ed construction sites, a trend that ers seeking employment,” said expansion of Algiers’ underground ion, to encourage migrants to stay Hannat said political science in- economists said was likely to grow. Kadi referring to migrants deported train network are among the big- in Morocco rather than attempt the dicates migrations are social facts Kadi said the trend mirrored by Algeria. gest projects where the contribu- crossing to Europe. born out of globalisation. “Policies France’s experience with migra- Algerian officials say authorities tion of migrant workers from the In 2015, more than 16,000 mi- by host countries and countries of tion from 1945-75 when industries have sent 36,000 illegal migrants Sahel is crucial for progress or grants were granted year-long re- migration origin have to include such as the construction sector re- from the Sahel region, most from achievement,” said Kadi. “These newable residency permits. By this as an important challenge in lied heavily on workers from the Niger, to their home countries workers are illegally employed.” 2016, King Mohammed VI said the their strategy of governance,” he Maghreb. since 2014 but rights activists say “Why is the government of a country had “an authentic solidar- said. They argue that migrants from the number is higher. country whose economic sectors… ity policy to welcome sub-Saharan During the African Union summit the Sahel-Sahara region will first Migrant workers have played a are increasingly dependent on the migrants, which protects their in Mauritania, African leaders an- seek jobs in the Maghreb, even if considerable part in developing workforce of migrants so hostile to- rights and preserves their dignity,” nounced a regional body to consid- they plan to eventually move to infrastructure projects in Algeria, wards these migrants?” asked Kadi, a policy praised by the European er migration issues but dismissed Europe. which the government has invest- referring to Algeria. Union. 20 July 29, 2018 Society Interviews Islam Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Director-General Yousif al-Obaidli

groups are always welcome to entities and my study with a focus witness the mosque’s Islamic on engaging Emiratis to partici- architecture and art, as well as pate and contribute to this Caline Malek learning about our culture and our important sector and make it more mission,” he said. sustainable, my contribution and “Tourists from all over the my study helped me improve this Abu Dhabi world make it a point to stop in aspect,” he said. “We’ve achieved Abu Dhabi to be able to catch a great progress in this regard and ith its glimpse of this breathtaking are going to achieve more.” other- monument, which was named He said his main drive was to worldly after our founding father. Sheikh build a model for managing omen and Zayed envisioned it to serve as a cultural tourism that is sustain- majestic sheer beacon of reason and able and utilises national assets, demean- intellect, while consolidating the as well as Emirati human our, the notions of tolerance, coexistence resources, which will help Sheikh and solidarity.” diversify the UAE’s economy away WZayed Grand Mosque is not only a From official and academic from the energy sector. beacon of culture in Abu Dhabi delegations, both local and “It’s really important because, but a symbol of tolerance to the international, to tourists and for the UAE to have a more rest of the world. worshippers, the mosque has kept sustainable income and future, it With visits by thousands of Obaidli’s hands full. has to diversify its economy and worshippers and others every day “The nature of my work is use all national assets, including — reaching 60,000 a day at certain diverse,” he said. “I have different Emirati youth,” Obaidli said. times of the year — managing the specialised teams in different A journey of passion. Yousif al-Obaidli, the director-general of the “One of the most significant monument is no easy feat. sectors and I have to make sure Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre. (Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre) elements globally, based on the However, Yousif al-Obaidli, the that our vision and mission are World Travel and Tourism director-general of the Sheikh always achieved. Seeing as it is a Council, shows that tourism is the Zayed Grand Mosque Centre, has cultural centre and a global ceramics, we have to ensure to rate social responsibility. That laid largest sector that hires people, made it his life mission to do just pioneer in highlighting the maintain these assets and to the foundation for his thesis on creates jobs and is one of the that. tolerant Islamic culture, we aim to preserve the mosque for hundreds cultural tourism in the Emirates, sectors that have a great effect on “We want to have a unique enhance cross-cultural communi- of years to come for the next with a focus on hiring and retain- other sectors of the economy, example of presenting tourism in cation by running several cultural generations,” he said. “We have ing Emiratis as tour guides. including transportation, travel the UAE through this mosque, events and social initiatives.” teams that work 24/7 to keep this “The UAE, and Abu Dhabi in and the hospitality industry. This which has a very special cultural The centre takes part in many masterpiece alive for the future.” particular, is focusing on this sector is expected to grow faster aspect that will distinguish Abu local and international exhibitions Obaidli said he found his sector,” he said. “With Saadiyat than the wider economy and many Dhabi and the country in general while conducting lectures on passion during his work towards a Island being developed as a other industries over the next from other destinations,” he said. different topics. Obaidli, who was doctorate in business administra- cultural district in Abu Dhabi, it decade and it is anticipated to “By focusing on this and enhanc- born in Abu Dhabi, has been tion at the United Arab Emirates hosts the Louvre [Abu Dhabi] support over 370 million jobs by ing cultural tourism, the economy working to put the country’s University. His study covered an museum and many other projects 2026.” of Abu Dhabi and the UAE will be culture on the global map. “It’s array of topics, including business are in the pipeline. This will add to He said the UAE has the assets to further diversified and enhanced.” important to keep the UAE’s administration, innovation, the existing assets, such as the invest in tourism, in particular Obaidli is also director-general culture alive,” he said. “The change management, human Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, cultural tourism. “My job is to of the Founder’s Memorial for the country has so much to offer and resource investment and corpo- which is one of the most popular help put the UAE on the global late Sheikh Zayed, who estab- it’s time for people around the attractions in the world and map,” he said. “The mosque lished the United Arab Emirates. world to pay closer attention to nominated second best landmark contributes, in that sense, as it Obaidli is one of the most promi- that. The tourism sector will truly Yousif al-Obaidli, globally by TripAdvisor last year.” underpins the values of accept- nent figures in cultural tourism in be a game changer in the future.” The director-general of the Sheikh After graduation, he further ance, respect towards humanity the Emirates. His task is of The centre has a library that Zayed Grand Mosque Centre delved into the field, managing and ethnic diversity. This is one of paramount importance, handling features many rare books special- cultural destinations across Abu the top priorities I have for my more than 5 million visitors from ised in Islamic art. “As the mosque “We aim to enhance Dhabi under the umbrella of the country.” all over the world every year. was built using precious material, cross-cultural communication Ministry of Presidential Affairs. “People from different reli- including marble stone, gold, by running several cultural “Thanks to my specialisation in Caline Malek is an Arab Weekly gions, backgrounds and ethnic semi-precious stones, crystals and events and social initiatives.” managing cultural tourism contributor in Abu Dhabi. What does it take for enlightenment to take off in the Arab world?

or whether it represents a natural dreamt of: for us to become worthy evolution of society. of living as part of humanity.” Invoking the European experi- Zayed predicted that the future Hisham al-Najjar ence as a model for a modern state, belongs to a humanistic identity. Zayed said: “Eighteenth-century “The idea of local and religious philosophers and thinkers laid the identities has long passed and a Cairo foundations for a rational trend humanistic identity is better suited which modern societies are based to contain other identities, so that any Arab on.” the world becomes a mix of diver- thinkers find Zayed said the influence of sity and differences,” he said. it intriguing European enlightenment in the He said creating a global “melt- that enlight- Arab world was apparent with ing pot” does not mean burying ened and the emergence of the question of one’s religious heritage but opens rationalistic religious reform, starting with the it to the possibility of reform and thought efforts of Egyptian scholars Mu- renewal, making religious ideas struggles to hammad Abdo and Rasheed Reza more in tune with the times. Mgain traction in the region. and including the contemporary ef- Such solutions are proposed by Egyptian researcher Ahmed Saad forts of Nasr Hamid Abu Zayd and conciliatory liberalism as a middle Zayed is among them. He is also Youssef Seddik in Tunisia. ground between the fundamental- among those who attempt to offer Zayed said there is a huge civi- ist right and those who advocate answers. lisational gap separating the Arab for a complete break with tradi- In a telephone interview with world from the renaissance in both tion. This thought attempts to The Arab Weekly from Vienna, East and West. The Arab world is reconcile Islamic tradition and Austria, Zayed suggested that the behind the rest of the world cultur- modernity as well as science and powers in the Arab world bear a ally and intellectually. religion and is an extension of huge responsibility in promoting Zayed stressed that “the ideas efforts by thinkers of the Arab ideas of enlightenment and that of enlightenment and modernity Renaissance, including Rifa’a Rafi Arabs and Muslims should heed need to be protected by a political, al-Tahtawi, Ahmed Lutfi al-Sayyid, Europe’s experience during the social, organisational and cul- Zaki Najib Mahmoud and Moham- Renaissance. tural umbrella capable of influenc- med Abed Al-Jabri. Zayed has been attacked by Is- ing the masses.” He said major Zayed said there are philosophi- lamist groups that tried to prevent transformations in human history cal tasks that are the foundations him from promoting his ideas. needed this kind of authority when of the Arab modernity project. Last November, Muslim Brother- dialogue is not possible. These tasks fall on the collective hood members in the Kuwaiti Calls for emulating Western shoulders of intellectuals and parliament refused to allow Zayed enlightenment have been met culture officials who need to create to deliver a lecture because he is with alarmist concerns that Arab the required momentum and social advocating atheism. societies could lose their heritage. interaction. “The Age of Enlight- Zayed, however, says the salva- Enlightenment advocates, how- enment was not just an article by tion of the Arab world is contingent ever, dismiss those fears. Voltaire or a study by Jean-Jacques on the adoption of reason as the Zayed said Arab citizens reflect Rousseau. It was an interactive cul- measure for all things. He said the diversity and coexistence despite tural movement that later evolved Thought-provoking ideas. Egyptian researcher Ahmed Saad emergence of extremist organisa- religious differences in their midst. into a political and social achieve- Zayed. (Courtesy of Ahmed Saad Zayed) tions, such as the Islamic State He said he hoped that diversity ment,” Zayed said. and al-Qaeda, and their abhorrent would culminate in a civilisa- Zayed pointed out that “the lack practices, ironically, have contrib- tional momentum in which “Arabs, of a political power that protects ocratic. “There are people who reform because “an enlightenment uted to the awakening of the Arab Amazighs, Kurds, Buddhists, and espouses enlightenment is are incapable of engaging in an project is not just the responsibility world. Muslims, Christians, West and East the reason behind the lynching of intellectual debate, so they resort of the media but a whole social and Islamic radicalism has provoked could become one entity in the some of the figures of enlighten- to defamation and accusations of popular movement.” debate about whether the devel- context of a common human pro- ment.” apostasy,” Zayed said. opment of extremism is inextri- ject. This is what ancient, medieval He said the approach of his Zayed said there is a stake for all Hisham al-Najjar is an Egyptian cably tied to history and culture and modern philosophers have dogmatic nemeses was anti-dem- in the promotion of rationality and writer in Cairo. July 29, 2018 21 Society Women

Restrictions on land and sea. People are seen swimming in the northern Moroccan town of M’diq. (Saad Guerraoui) Campaign to restrict women’s attire causes a stir in Morocco

Saad Guerraoui religious references. against what they called “regressive Female activists denounced the she said. Mrini’s comment was among thinking.” “misogynistic” and “scandalous” Moroccan society has become strong reactions that condemned the Author Tahar Ben Jelloun, writing campaign on social media with the more conservative in the last two M’diq “Be a Man” message. on the news website le360.ma, said: hashtag “Sois une Femme Libre” decades with the advent of Islamists “Women are not objects in the “Be a man, respect the woman and (“Be a Free Woman”). in the political sphere and religious ’m a man and I want my moth- hand of uneducated guys. We are liv- her freedom, her right and her way Coordinator of the Alternative satellite television channels despite er, my wife and my daughter ing in a democracy and every male of life. Let her dress according to her Movement for Individual Freedoms the country’s stated stance of an Is- “ to put on their swimsuit on and female has the same rights ex- choice, her desire and her will. Ibtissam Lachgar told Achkayen. lam based on tolerance. Ithe beach if they want… and cept for some few things that have “Be a man, love yourself, be nar- com that “Be a Free Woman” was A law against violence committed it’s none of your business nor mine to be abolished by law. Women have cissistic (not too much) because, in a counter-campaign to rehabilitate against women was adopted by the either,” wrote Zakaria Mrini, a young their own rights and they are free loving you, you will love and respect women’s freedoms and against the parliament in February, criminalis- lawyer in Casablanca, on Facebook to wear bikinis if they want to and others. You will go to others and you male ideology that “dwarfs” the role ing for the first time “certain acts in reaction to the “Koun Rajel” (“Be no man has the right to steal their will accept them in their differences of women. considered as forms of harassment, a Man”) campaign calling on men to rights,” Mrini said. and their diversities.” Lachgar said those behind “Be aggression, sexual exploitation or ill- prevent women from wearing “inde- Mohamed al-Tair echoed his re- Rights activist Ahmed Assid said a Man” were not necessarily con- treatment.” cent clothes” in public. marks. the campaign was living 1,000 years servative but male-dominated and However, the social pressure on The “Be a Man” message was pro- “These obscurantist calls are an back. obsessed with discriminatory ideas women is still dominant in Morocco moted July 9 on Facebook and has insult to the Moroccan women and “These people still think that man- against women.” because many do not feel free to been shared thousands of times. It seek to sow the stupor of the brains… hood is practising violence against “It is normal for them to issue such dress as they wish for fear of harass- was followed by: “Be a man and do They are very dangerous for the… co- women and exercising guardianship behaviour that should become a ment, even at public beaches where not let your women and girls come hesion of the nation,” Tair wrote on over them because they still don’t news item because women alone are men are bare-chested. out in tight, sticky, shocking clothes.” Facebook. understand that women are leading capable of leading an entire society The campaign was backed by peo- Activists rallied to defend wom- companies, ministries and coun- and capable of thinking with their Saad Guerraoui is a contributor to ple who justified their support with en’s rights and individual freedoms tries,” said Assid. mind and conscience in everything,” The Arab Weekly on Maghreb issues. It takes a village in Egypt to show women’s heroism

Ahmed Megahid of our life here in the village.” about women’s bravery, heroism Apart from the small clinic and after they arrived. Al Samaha was founded in 1988 and perseverance. school in the village, there are no The village has its tough rules. by the government of former Presi- Nour, 46, moved into the village other facilities. The homes are very Women given homes and plots of Al Samaha dent Hosni Mubarak as a gathering several years ago after her husband small and the streets and alleyways land must remain single, said Hamdi point for single mothers — women died. She worked in farming with of the village are dusty. The facades al-Kashef, the Agriculture Ministry l Samaha is a village that who lost their husbands because of her husband before she moved to of the homes are rarely painted. official supervising the project. knows no rest or despair. death or divorce. It was part of a pro- the village. She wakes early in the However, each home holds stories “When the children of those wid- The farms, the plants that ject to create six rural communities morning, heads to the farm, which is of women’s bravery and sacrifice. owed women grow up and get mar- A flutter in the air and the 120km north of the city of Aswan. not far from her home, works in the Nabiha Abdullah, a mother of five ried, they have to move outside the primitive farming machines tell of The project was the first rural field all day and returns before sun- in her early 60s, had a harsh life af- village as well,” Kashef said. unrelenting toil and hope. community whose economy would set to prepare food for her children. ter her husband died about 15 years Problems have been accumulating The women of Al Samaha in be the sole responsibility of its wom- ago. She worked to feed her children in Al Samaha for years. Some of the Egypt’s southern province of Aswan en residents. Each of the women liv- but it was far from easy. When she plots are not fit for farming because are self-dependent and do not rely ing in the village is given a home and Apart from the small clinic heard about the village, she quickly of high salinity. The only clinic and on outside or male support to feed 2 hectares of land to cultivate. and school in the village, decided to move and start a new only school in the village are not its residents or their children. The homes have two rooms, a there are no other facilities. chapter. functioning well because of the lack It is a women’s world but one in kitchen, a toilet and space for rais- Abdullah said she was afraid at of staff or poor maintenance. which things many modern women ing domesticated animals and fowl, first because the village was main- Nevertheless, the village resi- might consider to be necessities — such as goats, cows, sheep and Nour grows rice and wheat. She ly a desert. “I worked in the field dents deal with their problems, makeup, perfume, hair dye, mani- chickens. keeps most of the produce for the together with my children and sometimes by cracking jokes and cures, high heels and sunglasses Village residents are free to grow family but sells surpluses in the then things started to improve day other times by being patient. — are unheard of. Al Samaha’s resi- the crops they want, except for market. She raises fowl to feed her after day,” Abdullah said. “I can- “Each woman living here has dents know nothing but work. sugar cane, which is grown in abun- children. not say life is bright. It is full of her own problems that seem insur- “We will not eat if we do not dance in Aswan. “Life is good,” she said. “There are difficulties, in fact.” mountable,” Abdullah said, “but work,” said Sanaa Nour, a mother of In male-dominated Egypt, Al ups and downs, of course, but we Not all those in the village are suc- when we discuss them, we discover four and one of 300 homeowners in Samaha is very different but it is have to keep moving.” ceeding. Some could not put up with that our problems are lighter than the village. “Work is the central part a place that evokes all meanings Life in Al Samaha is very austere. hard work. Others left a few months those of other women.” 22 July 29, 2018 Culture Egyptian artists wary of government’s new decision to vet cultural festivals

Sherif al-Shafei pose any form of government con- trol on culture and creativity. “We warn against the return of totali- Cairo tarianism,” she said. “The regime is trying to control all channels for he Egyptian government’s enhancing the consciousness of new requirement that cul- the different social classes but this tural festivals get permis- dangerous approach has led a few T sion from the Ministry of decades ago to an ugly Arab defeat Culture has riled intellectuals, who whose painful consequences are see in it an attempt at censorship still with us today.” to stifle creativity and impose co- Poet Mahmoud Sherif, head of option. Tanta’s International Poetry Festi- The government argued that the val, said the ministry’s decision did measure was to introduce disci- not clearly delimit its prerogatives pline in the domain and reorganise nor did it fix the criteria and condi- it with new regulations. tions that must be made available Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa for a festival to be allowed. Madbouli’s decision would create The ministry’s role and com- a higher commission for organis- mitments towards the events that ing festivals and private concerts, eventually receive permission presided over by the Culture min- were not included in the decision, ister and include representatives he said. of the Foreign Affairs, Interior, Writer Mohamad al-Baali, head Finance and Tourism and Antiqui- of Cairo’s literary festival, said the ties ministries in addition to heads ministry’s decision was another of artists’ and writers’ unions and attempt to control cultural life in cultural experts chosen by the Egypt and return to the doctrines minister of culture. and practices of the 1960s when art The decision defines “cultural and culture were tools for mobilis- festivals” as local or international ing society in the service of spe- cultural and artistic events of a cific political goals. He said that, if celebratory character, state-or- the decision was implemented, it ganised or otherwise, and aiming would mark the end of independ- at promoting artistic and cultural ent cultural production and many creativity, preserving cultural youth-organised cultural events. heritage and enacting cultural ex- More restrictions. An actress working at the Pharaonic Village throws flowers into the Nile during Poet and critic Omar Shahraiar change between Egypt and the rest the Wafaa El-Nil Festival in Giza. (AP) agreed, saying the decision is like- of the world. ly to kill personal initiatives and The most controversial aspect of cultural activities by civil society the decision was a clause concern- agenda.” its objective was clear: It marks the intellectuals and of discouraging organisations. When independ- ing festival organisers’ obligation Those involved in culture in end of free artistic and cultural life bureaucracy.” Cultural activities ent cultural activists are forced to to secure government pre-approv- Egypt stated disappointment with and the beginning of the ministry’s must remain free and far from the comply with government routine al. Clause 2 states: “It is forbidden Abdel Dayem’s decision. The min- control of this domain. shackles of heavy government bu- and bureaucracy, they will simply to organise a festival or a public ister is a well-known flutist who reaucracy, they said. stop their cultural activities, he celebration without prior permis- took over the ministry in January. Writer Hana Naseer, a member says. sion from the Ministry of Culture, Many expected the “Solo Queen,” The government argued that of the organising committee of a Shahraiar said it was incongru- which will coordinate with the as she is affectionately known, to the measure was to conference on free poetry, said ous that the government’s decision concerned state agencies, includ- champion freedom of expression introduce discipline in the the natural reaction was to refuse came when intellectuals should ing the tax administration and the and artistic independence because domain and reorganise it any measures that would exacer- join ranks to fight terrorism and internal security.” she had considered herself part of with new regulations. bate the decline of culture in Egypt extremism but with this move, the Minister of Culture Ines Abdel the innovative current rather than and of Egypt’s cultural role in the government was practically pre- Dayem described the measure as part of the administrative ma- The worst hit by the decision Arab world. Culture is supposed to venting the country’s intellectual “a comprehensive and objective chine. were Egyptian impresarios. They be one of the weapons in the war elite from doing its patriotic duty. approach by the government to Most people were not convinced said “the decision was vague and against terrorism. place the events on the right track by arguments advanced for the de- shocking. It returns the country to Naseer said it was imperative Sherif al-Shafei is an Egyptian within the framework of an official cision. It was a blunt decision and the Dark Ages of state control of for intellectuals in Egypt to op- writer. Viewpoint The missing links in Arab theatre

ritics across the Arab “We must admit that theatre Ahmad Marwane world struggle with scripts have become scarce,” said the question of what Raafat Sharafuddin, professor of is missing in Arab drama at the Academy of Arts. theatre. “If we take a look at what is Egyptian theatre happening on stage nowadays, Ccritics have highlighted a dearth what we will find are plenty of script production in Arab of farces with no dramatic theatre, as well as the scarcity effect being generated by a of professional playwrights of professionally written script but the calibre of Tawfiq al-Hakim, rather relying too heavily on Aziz Abaza and Abdel-Rahman improvisation, going off script, al-Sharqawi of past generations. and the ability of actors to make They were active at a time when audiences laugh aimlessly.” theatrical texts flourished and Theatre critic Huda Wasfi said were published as literature. the crisis of Arab theatre is not the “It’s true that there is a lack scripts but lies in the difficulty of With modest means. A young actor performs at a theatre puppet of good play scripts in Arabic. producing excellent plays because show at a school in Burj al-Barajneh in Beirut. (Reuters) The symphony of Arab theatre is of a lack of resources whether consequently incomplete. Arab at the level of the artistic vision playwrights do not know their or the stage itself on which the Walid Ismail, a professor of country or fully convinced audience well nor know how to vision would materialise or the literary criticism at the Academy theatre should in a way reflect reach them,” said theatre director actors who will embody and of Arts in Cairo, said the crisis such realities. Essam al-Sayed. execute this vision. goes beyond script production What we find instead are He explained that an integrated Ali Jamaluddine, professor of and is related to theatre directors audiences who are fond of Arab theatre would need the drama at the Academy of Artsin and theatre-goers. A good director fluffy productions that merely full set of theatrical elements, Cairo, agreed. “I think that the has a sense of the value of a given seek to provoke laughter and We don’t have from a good playwright to good real problem is the absence play but the type of theatre-goers take advantage of an actor’s audiences who are actors, director and set designer. of channels that can transmit may influence his choice of text popular appeal. This is why we Comparing it to an unfinished creativity in its written form to and the way it is approached. need to pay more attention to sufficiently conscious symphony, he said there was a performed form on stage. This What we see in theatres today theatre education in schools and of the real issues hope that it would one day absence creates a general sense of is more akin to nightclub shows universities and to educating facing their country be completed. The first step, a crisis. Real creative playwrights than to theatre. school children about the however, to solving the problem often have doors slammed in their Ismail insisted that the public importance of theatre. The next or fully convinced of Arab theatre is to thoroughly faces despite the excellent quality was not fully aware of the role generation of theatre fans, writers theatre should in a diagnose it. of their work,” Jamaluddine said. theatre can play in art and and critics starts there. One can just say that “The artistic media is also totally society. We don’t have audiences way reflect such playwriting is the Arab theatre’s inexistent and real critiquing that who are sufficiently conscious Ahmad Marwane is an Egyptian realities. number one ailment. can highlight defects is absent.” of the real issues facing their writer. July 29, 2018 23 Culture A Yemeni artist fights the war his way, by using colours

The Arab Weekly staff they can see it on their way to work or to school and during their other errands,” he said. Sana’a Through murals and graffiti, Sub- ay has dealt with many important few years ago, street art- issues facing Yemen, especially ist Murad Subay emerged sectarianism. In May 2015, he be- as one of the best in his gan his fifth art campaign, which A field in Yemen. Subay uses he called “Ruins.” People and other graffiti to reflect on the tragedy in artists were invited to take part in Yemen and, since the beginning the campaigns. Most of the street of the war three years ago, the art campaigns started by Subay, 31-year-old artist has organised either inside or outside Yemen, fo- street art campaigns to express to cused on peace for Yemen. the world his country’s pain. Subay has expanded his artistic The various parties in the Yem- activities and campaigns to other eni conflict have tried to silence cities in Yemen. The artist and his opposing voices in Yemen. Subay, friends are active in Sana’a, Aden, however, could not quiet the artist Taiz, Ma’rib, Ibb and Hodeidah. inside him. He explained that he Artist friends of Subay’s in Seoul, “uses graffiti to express the artist’s Paris and Madagascar have taken opinion about Yemeni affairs, es- part in the campaigns. pecially during these tough times Subay said that, last November, of war.” he initiated a murals campaign in Fighting with a brush. A Murad Subay mural in Yemen. (Al Arab) “We try, through art, to depict Hodeidah that he called “Faces of our conditions during the war and the War” because, as he put it, “the at the same time give a concrete city was systematically being left “I wanted to depict war in the way hopes, our life and our soul as well,” hopes through art campaigns across form to the role of art in the current neglected and its inhabitants left in it affects people,” Subay explained. he said. Yemen. He said he was happy to see conflict,” he said. hunger, poverty and disease.” The horror of war is apparent in his Subay decried the absence of tol- that “young people have started to “If art cannot be present to speak Subay completed other murals murals through the subjects’ hol- erance for the differences of opin- come out of their homes and paint for the people during war condi- in Sana’a this year. They address low eyes or bones showing through ion and lack of freedom of expres- about their concerns.” tions, when should it appear then?” the effects of war on people’s lives. their skin or their emaciated faces. sion. “I practise my art in a context “People have started using peace- “The symbolic significance of Subay insisted that his main mes- Subay said he is deeply saddened full of fear. Each party dominating a ful and artistic means to talk about having art present during the cur- sage through his art is that warfare whenever the subject of the effects region in Yemen believes only in its their problems and this is great. It is rent conditions, especially graffiti, is not just machine guns and ex- of the war on his life and that of voice,” Subay explained. a sign that the Yemenis are indeed lies in its being very close to peo- plosives. It touches people in many the Yemenis is brought up. “The He said he plans to continue people with deep civilisational ple. They can actually touch it and other ways. war makes us lose our dreams, our depicting people’s concerns and roots,” Subay said.

Book Review Emirati author chronicles rise of Gulf countries

book by Emirati re- the concept of “state” in the 21st countries. Saudi Arabia and the UAE of stereotypical images of the searcher Abdulkhaleq century. The Gulf region is soaring at alone represent about half of the Gulf and its inhabitants but it is Abdulla gives a new a time the entire world is redefining economic power of the Arab world,” clear that everybody in the Arab Mohamad Kawas twist to the expression its foundations. In a globalised Abdulla writes. world recognises the tremendous “moment in history” in world, state borders become virtual Money, however, is not the entire advances achieved in the Gulf. the context of the Gulf and totally pervious to inter- story. Speaking of the UAE, Abdulla One has the feeling that in his region.A Recently published in Arabic country interests and management writes: “After the decline of Qatar, book Abdulla was riding the crest by Dar al-Farabi in Beirut, the book styles. Abdulla’s book admits that Turkey, Iran and before them Egypt of the tremendous wave of progress describes a reality imposed by Gulf globalisation “changed the nature of and Lebanon, the UAE’s star rose as in the Gulf in the past few decades. Cooperation Council countries on the “national state” such that it no the top soft power in the Gulf and Whenever he reaches the top, the region and the world. longer enjoys complete sovereignty; the Arab world.” He describes the however, some unknown fear grips The title of the book may be the era of complete sovereignty is elements of soft power in the hands him and he reins in the reader’s translated as “The Gulf’s Defining gone.” of the Gulf countries and says that enthusiasm. He writes: “The Gulf’s Moment in Modern Arab History” Abdulla also admits that the the region has moved to hard power. moment in modern Arab history is and Abdulla contends that “the financial factor was key to qualifying “Contrary to expectations, some a promising foundational turning Arab Gulf region is reclaiming its the Gulf countries to play key small Gulf countries have become point but, like any other moment influence and announces its world political and strategic roles in major recognised military giants with a in history, such as the moment of presence after a long absence.” world affairs. He focused on “the sizeable stock of the most advanced globalisation or the moment of The word “reclaiming” may be moment in history of Gulf capital.” defensive and offensive weapons in Asian countries or the moment of inappropriate in the case of the Gulf He surveyed the Gulf countries the world,” Abdulla writes America in the history of the world, countries but it is quite clear they and then zoomed on two economic History will show that some Gulf it is full of strengths and weaknesses are embarking on an adventure giants in the Gulf whose economies monarchies have peacefully relayed and faces old and new dilemmas, that may turn out to be crucial and have propelled them to political power to a new generation of leaders crises and challenges.” defining for the Arab ummah, a role leadership roles: Saudi Arabia and “who are leading the Gulf’s moment On the topic of crises, Abdulla some Arab countries had claimed. the United Arab Emirates. in modern Arab history,” he writes. pulls one alarm: “The biggest The book contrasts the rise of the “They are the biggest economies The power relay is concomitant with existential danger to the Gulf’s Gulf countries with the decline of of the Gulf and in the Arab world a social evolution that has touched moment in history is internal. It the rest of the Arab world. Abdulla with a combined GDP exceeding primarily women and to which the emanates from the demographic dug deep into the roots of the a trillion dollars; that represents author devoted a good chunk of the composition of the Gulf populations Gulf’s “moment” and claims that 75% of the combined Gulf GDP and book. where the ratio of Gulf citizens it has been predicted by Francis 42% of the combined GDPs of Arab Despite the celebratory tone, is falling to unprecedented and Fukuyama’s “end of history” theory Abdulla betrays a feeling of sweet unacceptable levels.” This aspect and Samuel Huntington’s theory of revenge that can also be found in the of the Gulf societies should remind the clash of civilisations. writings of other Gulf intellectuals. us that many of the assumptions Abdulla writes: “The Gulf’s He writes: “The Gulf countries have behind Abdulla’s study are moment is unprecedented in Arab long suffered and still do suffer from debatable. history and coincided with the being belittled by the rest of the Abdulla has recognised the crucial collapse of the entire Arab world and Arab world. One should not now role of unchecked globalisation the decline of the influence of some replace this inferiority complex with in achieving the Gulf’s moment leading [Arab] countries; it also a fake superiority complex. Talking in history. The question that coincided with the coming of a new about the Gulf’s moment in history merits close examination by Gulf Abdulkhaleq Abdulla defining moment in world history, does not mean to belittle the rest of intellectuals is this: If the rise of the contrasts the rise of namely globalisation.” the Arab world.” Gulf is due to opening borders to To discuss the status of the To be fair, the author has probably foreign skills and expertise, what Gulf countries with Arab Gulf, it is necessary to look gone slightly overboard by taxing would happen if these borders the decline of the rest at the theoretical framework for the rest of the Arab world with become closed to the world? snubbing the Gulf countries. The This and other structural of the Arab world at a New twist. Cover of snubbing may be mutual and questions in the Gulf require quick time that Abdulkhaleq Abdulla’s “ public opinion in the Arab world answers. globalisation sweeps The Gulf’s Defining Moment regarding the Gulf countries has changed. At some time, the other Mohamad Kawas is a Lebanese the world. in Modern Arab History.” Arabs may have been prisoners writer. 24 July 29, 2018 Travel www.thearabweekly.com

Agenda

Rich history and seaside Jerash: Through August 3

The Annual Jerash Festival of Culture and Arts, first organ- resorts attract visitors ised in 1980, takes place in the ancient Jordanian city of Jerash and showcases folklore troupes, concerts, poetry readings, bal- let performances, symphony to Tetouan in Morocco orchestras and other events. Handicrafts, food, art and book Saad Guerraoui exhibitions will also be offered.

El Jem: Tetouan Through August 11

alled the “white dove,” the El Jem Roman Amphitheatre, northern Moroccan city of 160km south of Tunis, hosts Tetouan has seen an out- classical musicians from all over C standing transformation in the world for the International the last eight years since Moroccan Festival of Symphonic Music King Mohammed VI’s nomination of of El Jem. In its 33rd year, the Mohamed El Yaakoubi as governor festival programme includes of Tetouan province. symphonic and orchestral Many areas across the city have music from Spain, Russia, been turned into lush greenery with Italy, Austria, South Korea and abundant grassy spaces for residents Tunisia. to enjoy. Tetouan, which is built against a Carthage: Rif mountain landscape, is a quiet Through August 15 and peaceful city in the winter but becomes one of the busiest tour- The Carthage Festival is one ist destinations in the summer be- of the oldest arts and cultural cause the province harbours some events in North Africa, drawing of Morocco’s most beautiful beaches a mix of local and international and seaside resorts. It is no wonder performers to Tunisia over why the king chooses the region as several weeks. Performances his summer residence almost every take place at the Amphitheatre year. of Carthage. For those looking for the sun and fun, there are several public and Baalbek: private sandy beaches in Tetouan Through August 18 province to enjoy. Among the most famous are Cabo Negro and Martil. The Church of Our Lady of Victory in Tetouan. (Saad Guerraoui) Set in the Roman ruins in These two fast-expanding resorts eastern Lebanon, the Baalbek are packed with holidaymakers in completely modernised a few years International Festival includes the summer thanks to their wide ago, has raised the town’s infrastruc- opera, classical music, pop shoreline, cafes, restaurants and ho- ture standards thanks to its harbour and jazz concerts, modern and tels. and commercial shops that added classical dance by international At night holidaymakers queue up glamour to the area. and local performers. This for seats at coffee shops’ terraces op- A stone’s throw from the marina year’s edition includes Matthieu posite Martil corniche’s high street is the renovated fishing port where Chedid, Jahida Wehbe and Ben to enjoy the cool breeze off the Medi- waiters at a string of restaurants Harper. terranean while others choose occa- try to draw in customers. A plate of sional dips into the sea to cool them. freshly grilled sardines (16 small sar- Byblos: The northern coastal town of dines for $1.60) is among the most September 5-10 M’diq, which is 10km from Tetouan, famous dishes. is another highly sought holiday The northern region is known for The Lebanon Latin Festival destination thanks to its improving its bocadillo, a Spanish sandwich takes place every year in Edde infrastructure and cheap rent com- that includes vegetables and tuna, Sands with artists from around pared to other seaside resorts. seafood, chicken or red meat. For the world. Dance workshops During the day, M’diq’s beaches as little as $2.50 visitors can enjoy a are scheduled in Salsa, Bachata, are teeming with beachgoers soak- big “special” sandwich with French Kizomba, cha cha cha, hip-hop, ing up the sun. fries at the busy El Kassri sandwich Samba, Lambada, Oriental, Eating fish is a must in M’diq and bar in M’diq that will definitely sat- Dabke and Afro-Cubano, in there are plenty of restaurants serv- isfy anyone’s hunger. addition to shows and perfor- ing fresh seafood at decent prices. A For culture lovers, Tetouan is a mances. plate of mixed seafood a la plancha must-visit destination thanks to A street in Tetouan’s new town. (Saad Guerraoui) (grilled) costs $7.40 on average. For its rich history and heritage, which Dubai: a stunning view of the bay, indulge earned it an inscription to UNESCO’s September 6-8 in the wide menu of fresh seafood at World Heritage list in 1997. One of its most famous gates is Built with traditional tiles in the Olas restaurant at Lala Nuzha-Cor- Tetouan’s well-preserved old Bab Errouah, which is to the right middle of the 18th century by the Written by French composer niche Avenue. medina is a blend of Moorish and of the Royal Palace. Inside the gate city’s governor, Mohamed Louk- Georges Bizet, and first staged A festive atmosphere overwhelms Andalusian architecture that gives are traditional clothing and jewel- ache, in front of Bab al-Okla, the in 1875, the opera “Carmen” M’diq at night with live music on the it a unique mixture of different de- lery shops where customers aren’t fountain is among the medina’s will be performed at the Dubai packed corniche that can be heard signs. It is surrounded by an immac- subjected to the hassle expected in most beautiful fountains. Opera by the Armenian National kilometres away. ulate historic wall and accessed by Morocco’s imperial cities, especially Outside the medina, the architec- Academic Theatre Opera and The M’diq marina, which was seven gates. Marrakech. ture gives the impression of an An- Orchestra. Many streets and neighbourhoods dalusian city in Spain, which left its in the medina have been named af- hallmarks during the colonisation of El Gouna: ter Palestinian cities. At Hay Al Quds northern Morocco in the first half of September 20-28 in El Mellah — the Jewish quarter — a the 20th century. historic traditional food shop called El Gouna, on the Egyptian Red Si Ahmed is popular with foreign Sea coast, will host the sec- tourists, especially for breakfast. Tetouan, which is built against a Rif mountain ond El Gouna Film Festival. Well-mannered waiter Mokhtar A diverse selection of films is Raiss, the nephew of shop owner Si landscape, is a quiet and peaceful city in the winter scheduled. The programme in- Ahmed, said the shop was a Jewish cludes documentary, narrative house that was transformed into a but becomes one of the and short film competitions in food shop in 1963. busiest tourist destinations addition to the Audience Award. “Most of the food is cooked on in the summer. charcoal. We make sure that our cus- Amman: tomers leave happy and satisfied,” “Espagnol” cinema is one of the September 26-October 6 said Raiss as he courteously served surviving theatres in the new town that is still running, resisting the mouth-watering broad beans soup The 18th Amman International DVD piracy and the digital technol- in a tin bowl prepared by his uncle. Book Fair welcomes 500 print- ogy that made access to the latest Deeper into the medina, the lanes ing houses from various coun- blockbusters easier. get narrower and darker, giving a tries. Egypt will be the guest of The central Moulay El Mehdi sense of a gothic atmosphere. honour for this year’s fair. Near El Mellah, the Grand Mosque Square or what was known as Plaza is among the most historic mosques Primo, Cafe de Paris offers an amaz- and is the biggest in the medina. The ing view over Tetouan’s symbol of We welcome submissions of decoration of its minaret is the per- civilisation and religious co-exist- calendar items related to fect illustration of the Andalusian ence; the Nuestra Senora de la Vic- cultural events of interest to architecture in Morocco. toria Church (Church of Our Lady of travellers in the Middle East What is captivating about the Victory). and North Africa. medina is its several Andalusian- The church’s grandeur is breath- style fountains that provide water takingly captivating as its mustard Please send tips to: to houses in the medina besides at- colour distinguishes it from the ad- [email protected] A view of a street leading to an old mosque in Tetouan. (Saad Guerraoui) tracting visitors. jacent white buildings.