US, Allies Launch Strikes in Syria After Gas Attack

Issue 152, Year 3 www.thearabweekly.com UK £2/ EU €2.50 April 15, 2018

US, allies launch strikes in Syria after gas attack

Ed Blanche one-off assault, with no further op- The new wave of attacks marked escalation in the already complex weapons against East Ghouta in erations planned unless Assad car- the second time Trump has ordered Syrian war, possibly involving Israel 2013 that killed some 1,000 people ried out more gas attacks. reprisals against Assad. as well. nearly triggered a US-led interven- Beirut Despite the evident calibration of In April 2017, the US mounted a Trump was backed by French tion of Syria. But then-President the air strikes, Russia warned darkly limited precision strike against a President Emmanuel Macron and Barack Obama settled for a chemical he United States, Britain that there would be “consequences” Syrian air base from where a gas at- British Prime Minister Theresa May, weapons disarmament and inspec- and France have carried for the air and cruise missile raids tack had been launched against the who reportedly dispatched Brit- tion deal rather than send in the out limited air strikes from US, British and French de- town of Khan Sheikhoun, which ish Royal Navy submarines to the US military. The world’s chemical against Syria, hitting what stroyers and submarines deployed killed dozens of civilians. eastern Mediterranean to add cruise weapons watchdog, the Vienna- were identified as three in the eastern Mediterranean. US naval destroyers in the Medi- missile power to the US-led opera- based Organisation for the Prohibi- Tchemical weapons facilities in retal- It remains to be seen what those terranean unleashed a broadside tion. tion of Chemical Weapons, oversaw iation for an alleged chemical weap- might be. But it is widely held that of 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at Moscow, possibly sensing the handover of 1,300 tons of As- ons attack April 7 on the besieged Moscow does not want a direct con- the air base, reportedly destroying Trump’s hesitancy over the last sad’s chemical weapons stock under town of Douma that killed some 60 frontation with the US and its allies more than 20 combat aircraft, or week, threatened to retaliate against Russian supervision. civilians. in Syria that could endanger Assad about one-fifth of Assad’s air force any US intervention, not just against But Damascus was widely be- The scale of the coalition’s coor- and what is left of his regime. strength at that time. an expected missile broadside but lieved to have retained significant dinated missile assault in the early Details of the air strikes were also wherever they were fired from – quantities of the internationally hours of April 14 local time was scant, but they appear to have in- an unexpectedly new and potential- banned substances, such as sarin clearly restricted to avoid triggering volved a limited number of aircraft. ly dangerous twist in the perplexing gas, and the means to manufacture a confrontation with Russia or Iran, Britain, for instance, provided four Syrian conflict. it. Syrian President Bashar Assad’s key Tornado jets operating from the The scale of the Assad has vowed that he would After the latest Western raids, allies in the complex Syrian war now British air base at Akrotiri on Cyprus coalition’s coordinated recapture “every inch of Syria” and Trump warned that the US response in its eighth year, while degrading across the eastern Mediterranean missile assault was has shown little compunction in to the Assad regime’s chemical his chemical weapons capabilities. from Syria. clearly restricted to avoid how he will achieve that. Starving weapons arsenal was likely to con- The US declared “we have a very According to Western sources, triggering a confrontation out rebel-held pockets under continue. “We are prepared to sustain high confidence that Syria was re- more than 100 coalition missiles stant bombing and shelling is one of this response until the Syrian regime sponsible” for the attack on Dou- were fired during the raids, which with Russia or Iran. his key tactics. stops its use of prohibited chemical ma, but gave no details. “These are lasted for 70 minutes. Using chemical weapons is an- agents,” he said in Washington. crimes of a monster,” US President The targets were a scientific re- Before the new reprisals were other. Donald Trump said. search centre at Barzeh on the out- launched, Trump had appeared to With the fall of Douma, besieged Ed Blanche is a regular contributor Damascus denied it was responsi- skirts of Damascus where Syria be unsure of what punitive action since 2011, Assad once more has to- to The Arab Weekly. He has ble, and their allies in Russia blamed conducts tests for chemical and he should take over the attack on tal control of the capital and its en- covered the Middle East for Britain for staging the attack. biological warfare and two chemical Douma, a rebel-held suburb of Da- virons, a major symbolic victory for many years. The short, sharp Western opera- weapons storage facilities near the mascus, amid fears that any major the hard-line regime. tion appeared to be intended as a central city of Homs. operation could trigger a significant An earlier attack using chemical P2-3, 7 Right-wing populism in Europe puts Muslim communities on edge

Justin Salhani longer or were born here funda- German Interior Minister Horst offered rewards for attacking Mus- second world war. mentally feel German and have a Seehofer has said Islam was “not lims or mosques. In Germany, however, the police strong affinity to the country, they part of Germany.” German Chan- In Italy, Muslims struggle to con- seem to have taken notice. They Milan still don’t really feel accepted as cellor Angela Merkel fired back at gregate due to politicians blocking have heavily monitored far-right German, even though many of Seehofer after meeting with Swed- approval to build state-sanctioned groups and are on alert, particular- total of 950 attacks were their families have been here for ish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, mosques. ly after reports of groups infiltrat- perpetrated on Muslims 40 years,” said Jorg Luyken, the saying: “These Muslims are part of This is unlikely to change soon ing the country’s armed services. and mosques in Germa- editor of the Local Germany, a Germany and their religion, Islam, because far-right party the League, “Germans are generally very ny in 2017, government digital English language news net- is just as much a part of Germany.” led by nationalist Matteo Salvini, sensitive about violence against statistics indicate. work. The debate is sure to affect Mus- performed better than predicted in minority groups and are aware of AGermany has Europe’s second Luyken noted the management lims in Germany who say they feel Italy’s elections. the threat that right-wing organisa- largest Muslim population — about of Muslims in Germany has often ostracised by local society, espe- Running on an anti-migrant and tions pose,” Luyken said. “There is 4.7 million people, approximately been outsourced to Turkey. This cially women. anti-Muslim platform, Hungar- considerable surveillance of such 3 million of whom are Turkish has, at times, prevented a coming Anti-Muslim sentiment isn’t ian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s groups, so I think it’s not neces- immigrants or their descendants. together of Muslims with native exclusive to Germany in Europe. right-wing Fidesz party won par- sarily true that the threat has been The German government has been Germans and an understanding of France and the United Kingdom liamentary elections on April 8. neglected.” criticised for failing to integrate its each other. have large Muslim populations His success is seemingly encourag- Muslim population, though right- The issue of Muslim identity in whose members face discrimina- ing populist nativism elsewhere in Justin Salhani is an Arab Weekly wing groups blame immigrants Germany created a political battle tion and alienation. Europe. contributor in Milan, Italy. and minorities for not assimilating. between those who say Islam is a A flyer recently circulated in Right-wing parties and move- “Surveys show that while Mus- part of German society and those the United Kingdom with the ments in Europe are enjoying their lims who have lived in Germany who claim it does not belong. words “Punish a Muslim Day” and best electoral results since the Editorial 6, Page 17 2 April 15, 2018 Cover Story Western strikes mark further escalation in Syrian conflict

Simon Speakman Cordall

Tunis

ussia has promised that US, French and British strikes upon Syrian regime positions during the early hours of April R14 would carry “consequences.” A combination of jet fighters and missiles from the western allies targeted three government positions considered complicit in the alleged gas attack on the Damascus suburb of Douma. More than 100 missiles reportedly were launched from ships and manned aircraft during the night in strikes leaders of all three allied states have characterised as target- Three nation ed and limited. strike. None of the allied missiles came French close to the Russian bases at Tartus President and Hmeimim, which are heavily Emmanuel protected by Moscow’s highly de- Macron (L), veloped missile defence system. US President Syrian forces claimed to have shot Donald down the majority of the missiles Trump (C) before they landed, local media and British reported. US Defence Secretary Prime James Mattis said: “Right now, Minister we have no additional attacks Theresa May. planned. This is a one-time shot.” (AFP) However, the secretary’s reas- surances ran contrary to those actions will not be left without out. They hit them with absolutely maintained by the office of the the the formerly rebel held positions. of US President Donald Trump, consequences,” he said. everything and I would not antici- president posted a tweet, saying: Questions remain. At the time who, in a televised address from What options Russia may have pate the regime and its Russian and “The honourable cannot be humili- of the attack, Douma’s occupying the White House, said the United to respond to the allied strikes are Iranian allies would want to tempt ated” shortly after the allied attack. rebel force, Jaysh al-Islam, was ne- States and its allies would strike uncertain. “It’s hard to tell what that same fate twice,” Martini said. Russia has consistently denied gotiating its surrender and evacua- again if more chemical attacks that might look like,” Jeffrey Mar- While the risks are high, for now, that any chemical attack in Douma tion. All other resistance in Eastern took place. tini, senior Middle East analyst at they appear to be managed. On took place, with Russian Defence Ghouta had either fled, surren- Though the United Nations has the RAND Corporation told The April 12, the Kremlin confirmed Ministry spokesman Major-Gener- dered or been destroyed. urged calm, Russia has promised Arab Weekly shortly before the at- that the US and Russia were in al Igor Konashenkov telling report- “There is not a compelling expla- to respond to a strike they said was tacks took place. “They may want continuous talks over escalating ers on April 13 that he had “proof nation for why the regime would prompted by the stage-managed to use their S400 (missile defence) tensions. However, though both that testifies to the direct partici- have used chemical weapons at chemical attack on Douma. system but there’s the obvious risk senior British and French officials pation of Britain in the organis- this moment,” Martini said. “It Russian President Vladimir Pu- that it might fail and fail very pub- stated that Russia had been no- ing of this provocation in Eastern certainly managed to complete far tin referred to the strikes as an licly,” he said. tified in advance of the strikes, Ghouta.” Konashenkov’s account more complex operations, Aleppo “act of aggression” in a statement The Russians could potentially American General Joseph Dunford, stated that Douma’s first respond- for instance, without resorting to released by the Kremlin. Likewise, launch a counter-strike at the US chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of ers, the White Helmets, orchestrat- them. So why they would be used writing on Twitter shortly after allied Syrian Democratic Forces Staff denied this was the case. ed the attack on London’s orders. in a battle that was almost over is the attack, Russian Ambassador in eastern Syria. However, “we Not long after the strikes, Syrian US, French and British officials, unclear.” to the US Anatoly Antonov said saw what happened when (Rus- state television broadcast images however, also claimed to have evi- the repeated warnings Moscow sian mercenaries with) the Wagner of citizens celebrating in Damas- dence that the Assad regime had Simon Speakman Cordall is Syria/ had issued of an attack had gone Group crossed east of the Euphra- cus’ streets in support of President carried out a chemical attack, uti- Lebanon section editor with unheard. “We warned that such tes on February 7. They were wiped Bashar Assad. A Twitter account lising either sarin or chlorine gas on The Arab Weekly. Viewpoint Shadow of Guernica hovering over today’s Syria

s Syria the Guernica of the strands of military activity, which 21st century? In the late add to the expanding conflict. 1930s, the Spanish town of With skirmishes and proxy wars Claude Salhani Guernica suffered terribly growing exponentially, the pos- in the country’s horrific sibility of the Syrian conflict civil war, serving as a testing becoming a full-fledged world war Iground for the new weapons Adolf is amplified every day. Hitler was readying for the German As tensions rise, the situation Army to use. The carnage lives for- is not helped by rhetoric from the ever in Picasso’s famous painting. White House and the Kremlin, as Syria seems to be playing the well as from Tehran and Ankara. role of Guernica for Russian Presi- US President Donald Trump dent Vladimir Putin as he tests threatened action against Syria in new weapons in a real war setting. response to another accusation This is key to the Russian Army’s the regime deployed chemical transformation into a formidable agents against its civilian popula- force that is not to be underesti- tion. In doing so, Trump raised mated. the stakes in an already high-risk Russian troops look nothing game. A dangerous sidebar to the like the demoralised and defeated Testing capabilities. A Russian helicopter flies over Syrian main feature — the war in Syria — force that could not wait to get out government forces on the south-western outskirts of Deir ez-Zor. (AFP) is the dispute between Iran and of Afghanistan after years of bat- the United States over Tehran’s tling Islamists, such as Osama bin nuclear ambitions. Laden’s al-Qaeda. Sukhois is to be replaced with the most powerful country, can Trump has threatened to with- From their second world war- Su-30 family of fighter planes, muster up to 9,000 tanks whereas draw from the deal agreed by the style helmets to their uniforms which is in development. Western Russia has 15,400. If a ground war United States and the Europeans and from the familiar assault rifle military aviation experts claim were to be fought on the plains of to regulate Tehran’s nuclear capa- the AK-47 Kalashnikov to ageing Russia’s newest aircraft can per- Europe, battle tanks would play a bilities. Iranian President Hassan T-72 battle tanks, Russian soldiers form as well as anything from the vital role. Rohani has warned that the United have an upgrade. They now have NATO bloc. Russia is not the only country States would regret withdrawal better means to fight wars. Just as effective as US deter- testing its capabilities in Syria. and that Iran would respond in In the past few years, Russia has rent systems is Russia’s S-300 There appear to be three fronts “less than a week.” As tensions rise, invested heavily in sophisticated missile defence system and the involving Russia, Turkey and Iran, Considering that both Iran and radar and computer-jamming newer S-400, which ranks among as well as the United States, Saudi the United States have troops and the situation is systems, surface-to-air missiles, the world’s most advanced and Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab proxy forces in Syria, the risk of not helped by tanks and armoured personnel sophisticated military radar. The Emirates and various European escalation and a major conflagra- rhetoric from the carriers. The Russian military has S-500 system is under develop- countries. tion is all too real. newer, more lethal weaponry at its ment. The three fronts — Afrin, Idlib, White House and disposal. On the ground, the United Damascus — have emerged as Claude Salhani is a regular the Kremlin. The ageing fleet of MiGs and States, thought to be the world’s flashpoints. Each shows various columnist for The Arab Weekly. April 15, 2018 3 Western Strikes in Syria

From ‘chemical attack’ to retaliatory strikes Aircraft and missiles used Agence France-Presse is determined to “see the monster who dropped chemical weapons on the Syrian people is held to ac- in the strikes Beirut count.” The Arab Weekly staff The USS Donald Cook, a guided- he United States, France missile destroyer, leaves Cyprus, and Britain launched re- moving within easy striking range Beirut taliatory strikes on the of Syria. Syrian regime a week af- On April 10, the Syrian army puts variety of British, ter an alleged chemical its airports and military bases on French and American Tattack on an ex-rebel town, despite alert, the Observatory reports. aircraft and missiles warnings from Russia. The global chemical weapons were used to strike at Here is a recap of a week of high- watchdog, the Organisation for the Syrian targets during stakes international drama: Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, theA early hours of April 14 in re- announces a fact-finding mission sponse to an alleged chemical at- Toxic gas to Douma. tack by the Syrian regime. On April 7, the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) and Syria’s Missiles coming UK Tornado fighters White Helmets rescue force jointly On April 11, Trump tells Moscow Four RAF Tornado jet aircraft say more than 40 people have died to be prepared for a retaliatory mis- struck a Syrian chemical weap- in a “poisonous chlorine gas at- sile strike. “Get ready Russia, be- ons site near Homs with Storm tack” in Douma, the last opposi- cause they will be coming, nice and Shadow cruise missiles after tak- tion-held town in Eastern Ghouta new and smart!” he says on Twitter. ing off from the British base at near the capital. But the White House says later Cyprus, the UK’s Ministry of De- Blaming the government, they that no final decisions on a re- fence confirmed. say there are “more than 500 cas- sponse have been made. The Storm Shadow missiles are es” of people with “symptoms in- The Russian Defence Ministry an air-launched weapon capable dicative of exposure to a chemical dismisses footage of attack victims of carrying a 400 kilogram war- agent.” as “yet another fake” and a staged head as far as 400 kilometres. The Syrian Observatory for Hu- “provocation” to justify Western man Rights, a Britain-based moni- attacks. French AWAC, Rafale and Mi- tor, does not confirm a chemical On April 12, Russia announces rage jets attack. It reports, however, at least the whole of Ghouta is all but un- An unspecified number of 70 cases of respiratory difficulties der pro-regime control as more re- French Mirage and Rafale fighter among civilians after regime air bel fighters leave Douma. jets plus an AWACS (Airborne strikes, saying 11 people had died. “Of course, the chemical attack is Warning and Control System) also The regime and its key ally Rus- what pushed us to agree” to a with- “Russophobic campaign.” associated with the chemical participated in the strike, France’s sia deny any chemical attack. drawal, a top rebel official tells. The Russian military points the weapons capabilities of Syrian dic- armed forces minister, Florence President Emmanuel Macron finger at London. tator Bashar al-Assad.” Parly, confirmed in a Tweet. ‘Big price to pay’ says France has “proof” the Syr- At the Security Council, UN chief Britain and France confirm their Taking off from bases in The following day, US President ian regime used chemical weapons Antonio Guterres warns the spiral- participation and their allies line France, the planes are also likely Donald Trump tweets that there and would respond. ling tensions could lead to a “full- up behind the action. to have carried Storm Shadow will be a “big price to pay” after a Russian President Vladimir Pu- blown military escalation.” More than 100 cruise missiles missiles making their entry into “mindless CHEMICAL attack.” tin calls Macron on April 13 to warn were fired, a significant number of Syrian airspace, and subsequent Moscow warns Washington against any “dangerous actions” Strikes launched which were intercepted by Syrian exposure to anti aircraft fire, un- against carrying out a “military in- with “unpredictable consequenc- Several consecutive blasts are defences, Russia’s Defence Minis- necessary. tervention on fabricated pretexts,” es,” the Kremlin says. heard in Damascus at 4am, with try says. which “could have the most dire aeroplanes overhead and smoke There were no victims among US B-1 bombers consequences.” ‘Staged by London’ rising from certain areas. the Syrian civilians or military, it A number of US Air Force B-1B Russian Foreign Minister Ser- At the same time, Trump an- says. bombers also took part in the Military alert gei Lavrov says Moscow has “ir- nounces he has “ordered the Syria’s government denounces strike. On April 9, US Ambassador at the refutable” evidence the alleged United States armed forces to the strikes as “barbaric” and Iran The four-engined bomber is ca- UN, Nikki Haley, says Washington attack was staged as part of a launch precision strikes on targets warns of “regional consequences.” pable of delivering air-launched JASSM cruise missiles, carrying Viewpoint 450 kilogram warheads over a distance of 370 kilometres mean- The blood of Syria’s Douma is ing the US bombers also may not have entered Syrian airspace. not that of the Russian Duma US guided-missile cruisers and destroyers or the millions of off their killing products too in that resolution. In addition to the air strikes, at victims of the Syrian a surreal race to defend human Russia’s beef with Europe and least one US warship participated conflict, the very loud rights in Syria. One side was the US is not in Syria. It regards in the strike from its anchorage in Hamed al-Kilani international campaign claiming to protect Syrian civilians the international sanctions im- the Red Sea. against the chemical from the cruelty of the regime posed against it. Putin was hoping Both Arleigh Burke-class de- strikes in Syria sounds while the other side, notably the that the sudden escalation in Syria stroyers and Ticonderoga-class Flike another outburst from a fickle Russian one, was claiming to pro- would bring about a “common- cruisers are capable of launching aristocracy selectively choosing tect the “legitimate government” sensical” change in the Trump ad- Tomahawk cruise missiles, each which tragedy among the many from the savagery of the majority ministration’s big stick approach. with a range of up to 2,500 kilo- wrought on the Syrian population of the Syrian population. But it is not working. Now Russia metres. to react to. Some of the chemical compo- has to choose between reacting The regime of Syrian President nents in the deadly gases can also as a new contemporary Russia or Tomahawk cruise missile Bashar Assad and its allies in Iran be found in non-military uses of resorting to the reflexes of the de- Though US defence officials and Russia have committed scores the chemicals. Chloride, for ex- funct Soviet and imperial Russia, have yet to confirm what weap- of atrocities in Syria using a pano- ample, is also used in insecticides. similar to those of the stubborn ons were used during the strike, ply of weapons, some of which So for chemical weapons manu- and backward regime in Iran. the Tomahawk cruise missile ap- are internationally banned. But facturers and users, not much of a Both US President Donald pears the most likely. it is attacks by chemical weapons difference exists between humans Trump and Russian President Tomahawk missiles are capa- that terrorise the international and insects; they can both be Vladimir Putin love to show off. It ble of delivering a 1,000-pound community. After experiencing wiped out in the same way. is in their blood and their profes- warhead anywhere within a the tragedies of many destructive As soon as the US, Britain sional CVs announce a big and range of about 1,290 to 2,500 kil- wars, the international com- and France hinted at retaliating imminent showdown on the Syr- ometres. Tomahawks are carried munity ended up agreeing on a against the Syrian regime, Putin ian stage. For its part, the Syrian by dozens of British and Ameri- worldwide ban on weapons of said he hoped “common sense regime is addicted to power and can warships, including cruisers, mass destruction. will prevail” in the realm of inter- won’t let go of it easily. destroyers and submarines. In times of intractable and cruel national affairs. It sounded as if The escalation against the Tomahawks are designed to fly wars, such as the Syrian conflict, Russia’s might was in need of an Syrian regime this time around extremely low and can navigate the innocent end up sacrificing equal or superior might to show it is quite serious but it must be defences using their on-board themselves and their families in the limits of its bloody interven- interpreted within the context of guidance systems. order to end their ordeal. The Ae- tion in Syria. the coming revision of the Iran gean Sea bears witness to the hor- Russia’s endorsement of com- nuclear deal, which is only one French frigates and cruise mis- rible scandal of allowing the Syr- mon sense in settling interna- month away. The situation in Syria siles ian regime to escape punishment tional conflicts came a little late. and the Middle East is boiling. CNN reported French sources for transgressing just one of the In Astana, for example, Russia Iran’s militias are behaving hys- as also confirming three of its red lines against using weapons had expected to end the conflict terically in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon multimission frigates and one of mass destruction. The regime in Syria on its own terms. That and Yemen while Russia contin- standard frigate took part in the has received valuable protection meant consecrating its occupa- ues to accuse the US, France and Syria strikes. from its Iranian and Russian allies, tion of Syria and switching the Britain of breaking international The French multimission frig- and even from the administration balance of power there in favour law. Everybody is waiting to see ates are among the newest in the In times of of former US President Barack of its beloved “legitimate govern- if Russian “common sense” will French fleet and carry the MdCN Obama. ment.” That same government had prevail in settling international (Missile de Croisière Naval) cruise intractable and cruel Not long ago, Russian President no qualms about using chemical relations. missile. wars, the innocent Vladimir Putin was full of praise weapons to end the standoff in In short, the Syrian people de- Though the MdCN’s range is se- end up sacrificing for the variety and efficiency of Eastern Ghouta. Russia itself had serve better from the international cret, the missile’s manufacturer Russian weapons used in Syria. no qualms about ignoring the UN community than a small bandage describes them as having “very themselves and It was as if we were witnessing a Security Council resolution calling as if they are helpless prey left long range” with various indus- their families marketing campaign for consumer for a ceasefire in Ghouta to deliver alive for the hunting pleasure of try websites estimating them at products and insurance policies. assistance to the civilian popula- the regime. around 1,000 kilometres. in order to end Not to be outdone, other weapon tion held hostage there. Paradoxi- their ordeal. manufacturers decided to show cally, Russia voted in favour of Hamed al-Kilani is an Iraqi writer. (With wire services) 4 April 15, 2018 News & Analysis Doha’s row with Arab neighbours unchanged after US-Qatar meeting

Thomas Seibert Qatar also announced the pur- No solution chase of large amounts of US mili- in sight. US tary hardware. A day before the President Washington Oval Office meeting, the Trump Donald administration said Qatar was buy- Trump (R) transactional US Presi- ing an advanced US rocket system listens to dent Donald Trump for $300 million. Qatari Emir gave Qatari Emir Sheikh The deal appeared to impress Sheikh Tamim Tamim bin Hamad al- Trump. “We have a gentleman, on bin Hamad Thani the words he my right, who buys a lot of equip- al-Thani wantedA to hear when he received ment from us,” the president said. during a him at the White House. However, “A lot of purchases in the United meeting in the row between Qatar and the States, and a lot of military [aero- Washington, Saudi-led quartet remained essen- planes], missiles — lots of different on April 10. tially unchanged, despite Trump’s things.” (AP) attempts at convincing Arab Gulf Noha Aboueldahab, of the Brook- countries that their focus should ings Doha Centre, said via e-mail be on confronting Iran. that the business side of things is Commenting on the Qatari emir’s likely to have been an important proclaimed contribution to the consideration. “For Trump, so long cutting of funding to extremists, as these financial transactions can Trump reassured Sheikh Tamim: still take place, then the resolution “You’ve now become a very big ad- of the [Gulf Cooperation Council] vocate and we appreciate that.” GCC crisis doesn’t really matter The emir did not seem very hap- right now,” she wrote. “His country py, however, with Trump’s implicit is still benefiting financially and he accusation that Qatar had not been doesn’t really care about anything helpful in combating extremism in else.” military base in the region with David Mednicoff, director of Mid- “I doubt the United States will the past. He said his country has Not everyone in Washington was 10,000 US service personnel. dle Eastern Studies at the Univer- play a big role in resolving the cri- been “cooperating with the United impressed by the Qatari moves, Trump demanded a resolution to sity of Massachusetts in Amherst, sis,” Aboueldahab said, citing a States” all along. however. US Representative Brad the crisis in an April 2 telephone said in an e-mail message. “shaky track record of US ‘media- Trump’s words sounded implau- Sherman, a Democrat from Cali- conversation with Saudi King Sal- Trump “and some in the White tion’” and the ouster of former US sible even from a president known fornia, expressed wariness about man bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Reu- House likely regard Saudi Arabia Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, for sudden mood changes and Doha’s connections to extremist ters reported. Trump’s tone during as the key actor in the Arab Gulf,” who had tried to negotiate a solu- abrupt policy decisions without groups. the call was described by a US offi- he said. tion before he was fired by Trump consultation with aides and allies. “We should certainly have meet- cial as “forceful,” the news agency Substantial movement on the last month. “I think a resolution “This is wild,” Andrea Mitchell, ings, even with people we disagree reported. issue in the immediate future is coming from the region itself is NBC’s chief foreign affairs corre- with,” Sherman told US publication Trump hosted Saudi Crown unlikely. Doha’s strategy of involv- more likely but probably won’t spondent, wrote on Twitter. Roll Call. “Qatar certainly has con- Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin ing international parties in the happen any time soon.” Ten months ago, Trump accused tinuing contact with Hamas and Abdulaziz last month but failed to row with its neighbours has not Mednicoff noted that the Saudi Qatar of funding terrorism “at a we are reviewing whether they are make progress in solving the dis- produced any real changes in the and Emirati governments had not very high level.” That statement helping to finance Hamas.” pute. position of Saudi Arabia and its shown “much actual interest in re- was a strong endorsement for a The United States is pressing for The Saudi-led Arab Quartet is allies. “The solution of Qatar will solving the crisis” either. Abouel- Saudi-led quartet locked in a bit- the spat to end quickly because it sticking to its demands to Doha. be within the GCC,” Saudi Foreign dahab agreed. “It is clear — at least ter dispute with Qatar over Doha’s wants its Gulf allies to form a unit- Meeting ahead of the Arab summit, Minister Adel al-Jubeir declared on on the face of it — that the block- ties to Iran and suspected links to ed front facing Iran. the foreign ministers of the quartet April 12. ading countries are not changing the Muslim Brotherhood and other Qatar is home to the biggest US held to their demands as “a neces- Mednicoff said Saudi Arabia their positions,” she wrote. Islamist groups. The four countries sary basis for establishing normal and the UAE are likely to wait for An additional hurdle is Trump’s put Qatar under an embargo last relations with Qatar.” Trump’s revamped national secu- unpredictable stands in the Mid- June but Doha has refused to back The problems between Doha rity team to settle in before making dle East, including the Gulf region. down. The crisis shows no sign of and Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the new decisions. Trump’s new na- Experts see his improvisational at- abating. United Arab Emirates and Egypt tional security adviser John Bolton titude further fuelled by the lack of Possibly affecting SheikhDoha’s strategy of have remained unresolved de- took office on April 9 and Secretary coordinated interagency process Tamim’s welcome was that he involving international spite Trump’s moves. “He likely of State-designate Mike Pompeo and the absence of US ambassa- spent millions of dollars last year parties in the row continues to feel a strong affinity recently faced a confirmation hear- dors in many Arab Gulf capitals. on public relations campaigns by with its neighbours to the Emirati and Saudi governing in the Senate. several lobbyists, including Brian has not produced any ments but also appreciates the im- A substantial movement to Thomas Seibert is a Ballard, a top Trump fundraiser, portance of Qatari-American eco- overcome the issue, even with Washington correspondent for the New York Times reported. real changes. nomic and military cooperation,” US help, is unlikely. The Arab Weekly. Saudi Arabia and allies hold on to demands in Qatar dispute

Mohammed Alkhereiji The quartet stressed its “firm po- dispute with Qatar was like that of sition on the necessity of Qatar’s the 60-year US embargo of Cuba. fulfilling the list of 13 demands that He also dismissed Qatar as “smaller London have been put forward and their than a Cairo street.” adherence to the Six Principles of There have been reports that espite the Qatari flag Cairo Meeting and Manama Dec- Saudi Arabia is looking into creat- raised in the Eastern laration as a necessary foundation ing a maritime canal along its bor- province of Saudi Ara- for establishing normal relations der with Qatar, in effect turning the bia because of Doha’s with them,” a statement on the of- tiny Gulf state into an island. participation in the ficial Saudi press agency said. News reports indicate that the DArab League summit, Saudi offi- This unwavering stance comes Salwa Marine Canal project would cials stressed that the dispute with after US President Donald Trump turn part of the kingdom’s border Qatar was not on the table for dis- gave a positive assessment of the with Qatar into a military base and cussion. crisis after an April 10 meeting another area would be a dumping Not on the agenda. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir (L) Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al- with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim site for waste from a nuclear power attends the Arab Foreign meeting in Riyadh, on April 12. (Reuters) Jubeir said the ten-month con- bin Hamad al-Thani at the White plant to be built there. flict with fellow Gulf Cooperation House. The news site Sabq reported Quartet was that Doha scale back International and Strategic Affairs Council (GCC) member Qatar was “We’re working on unity in that that the project would cost ap- its relations with Iran, which Ri- in Paris told the Associated Press. not on the meeting’s agenda. He part of the Middle East and I think proximately $750 million, take 12 yadh and its allies have called out Foreign ministers for the Arab said: “The solution of Qatar will be it’s working out very well,” Trump months to complete and would over Tehran’s alleged interference Quartet met ahead of the summit within the GCC.” said after his meeting with Sheikh utilise Egyptian firms involved in in regional affairs, through proxies on Iran’s interference in the inter- Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Tamim. maintaining the Suez Canal. such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and nal affairs of Arab countries. Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt sev- Trump initially commended the Saudi authorities have not con- the Houthi militia in Yemen. League Secretary-General Ahmed ered ties with Doha after accusing Arab Quartet for its stance against firmed or denied the reports. UAE Analysts said that Iran will factor Aboul Gheit attended the meeting. it of financing extremist groups Doha. As the crisis dragged on, Minister of State for Foreign Af- heavily in the Saudi-hosted sum- An official statement said the and interfering in their sovereign however, efforts by his administra- fairs Anwar Gargash, in a post- mit. meeting reviewed the develop- affairs, allegations Qatar denies. tion, particularly former Secretary ing on Twitter, said Qatar’s muted “The Saudis are going to push ment of the crisis with Iran and International efforts to mediate a of State Rex Tillerson, to resolve response on the proposed canal for a much harsher stance on Iran, ways of standing up to Tehran’s solution have yielded no results the issue only saw both sides of the project highlighted its “fear and not necessarily on the nuclear dos- meddling in the domestic affairs of and foreign ministers of the Arab dispute digging in their heels. confusion” and was evidence of its sier per se, but on Iranian influence Arab countries. Quartet reaffirmed their demands Saudi Crown Prince Moham- “failure to manage and resolve its in the Arab countries, particularly of Doha ahead of the Arab League med bin Salman bin Abdulaziz told crisis.” Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen,” Mohammed Alkhereiji is the Gulf summit. Egyptian media last month that the Among the demands by the Arab Karim Bitar of the Institute of section editor of The Arab Weekly. April 15, 2018 5 Gulf

Salwa Canal is a warning to Doha The Arab Weekly staff

London

here is mounting concern in Doha about Saudi Ara- bia’s plans to dig a 60km canal along the Saudi-Qatari border between Salwa and TKhor al Adaid. Should the project be completed, Qatar would effectively be turned into an island, cut off from the Ara- bian Peninsula. Saudi media reported that steps have been taken to implement the project, including the evacuation of passport and customs administration at the Salwa border crossing. Those personnel were replaced with border guards. If Saudi Arabia proceeds with the canal, it will reportedly be completed in 12 months. The canal is planned to be 200 metres wide and 20 metres deep, with the project expected to cost less than $1 billion. Ancillary projects are planned along the canal, including opening a maritime route, the creation of resorts with private beaches, quays and yacht marinas as well as the oil- related activities and other industrial projects. Gulf sources said the timing of the project indicates that Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt, which are boycotting the Qatari regime over its alleged support for Islamist groups and ties to Iran, concluded that Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and his government do not intend to reverse their political choices. They have opted to look for solutions to the crisis Strategic partner. French President Emmanuel Macron (R) and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz shake hands outside the framework proposed by following a press conference in Paris, on April 10. (Reuters) the boycotting countries. The Qatari regime has been involved in a major diplomatic campaign, trying to convince major international powers, especially the United States, to pressure the boycotting countries to negotiate with Saudi crown prince Qatar. The Trump administration, however, has shown more support for the boycotting quartet, which said its actions against Doha were self- defence and taken out of concern for regional security and stability. ends first foreign UAE State Minister for Foreign Af- fairs Anwar Gargash, in a series of postings on Twitters, said, regardless of the development of the projected Salwa Canal, the project is “proof of Qatar’s failure in managing and resolving its crisis… Focusing on pro- tour in France, Spain voking the four [boycotting] countries and opting for escalation have complicated Doha’s position. It is Mohammed Alkhereiji “France believes we must pre- domestically. This included an agreement time to reverse the bad choices and serve the structure of the Iranian “(The Iranian regime) paid to with the Paris Opera to help the go back to reason.” nuclear deal but it must be com- send rockets to Saudi Arabia and kingdom set up its own national “Let Qatar reconsider the roots of London plemented by the work that has support terrorist organisations in orchestra and opera house in Jed- the crisis,” Gargash added. “It won’t been done on limiting Iran’s bal- many parts of the world,” Crown dah. A deal was signed to develop do to wipe out years of plotting, be- audi Crown Prince Mo- listic activity and its regional ex- Prince Mohammed said. “The al-Ula archaeological site, a re- trayal and backstabbing with a sim- hammed bin Salman bin pansionism,” Macron said during a Iranian regime also supported gion of cultural significance in the ple signature. Now that the choices Abdulaziz wrapped up his news conference. terrorism, not only in Hezbollah Saudi north-west that includes the are dead serious, it is time for Qatar global tour with high-level “On the subject of Iran, we have and the Houthis or those organisa- UNESCO archaeological site Ma- to set its indecisiveness aside and se- visits to France and Spain, different tactical views on the tions, but today we find many of dain Saleh. riously consider the principles for the Staking the opportunity to stress his deal… but a coherent strategic vi- al-Qaeda’s leaders are in Iran, in- Draft agreements totalling solution and the demands of the four positions on regional issues, in- sion.” cluding the son of Osama bin Lad- $18 billion were signed during countries.” cluding Riyadh’s reservations con- Crown Prince Mohammed urged en, who grew up in Iran and now Crown Prince Mohammed’s visit, He pointed out that “Doha’s losses, cerning the Iran nuclear deal. the international community to he is trying to be the next leader of including a deal between Saudi whether moral, material or sover- Crown Prince Mohammed con- adopt a tougher stance on Iran al-Qaeda.” Aramco and Total to build a large eign, will seem modest next to a real cluded a 3-day visit to Paris on and compared the 2015 nuclear petrochemical refinery in the East- geographical isolation.” April 10. He met with high-ranking agreement to appeasement of Nazi ern province. “Doha’s silence about the canal officials, including French Presi- Germany prior to the second world Macron hosted a gala dinner project is a sign of fear and confu- dent Emmanuel Macron, a meet- war. for the crown prince at the Elysee sion,” Gargash said on Twitter. ing that observers said was intend- “We do not want to repeat an Palace, an event attended by Leba- ed to smooth relations over tactical agreement that happened in 1938 Riyadh is seeking nese Prime Minister Saad Hariri. issues mainly tied to the regional and caused a second world war,” The final stop of the prince’s threat posed by Iran. he said. French expertise to global tour was longtime ally Macron stressed that France “There are many destructive help Saudi Arabia with Spain, where he met with Span- and Saudi Arabia agreed on the projects in the world and, unfor- cultural ventures tied ish King Felipe VI, Prime Minister need to curtail Iranian “expansion- tunately, today that most of these to the Vision 2030 Mariano Rajoy and Defence Minis- ism.” “This strategic vision means destructive projects exist in the economic ter Maria Dolores de Cospedal. The reducing all the projects of expan- Middle East, next to us in Saudi Spanish government hopes to sell sionist political Islam that could Arabia,” Crown Prince Mohammed diversification the Saudis five navy ships with a feed other forms of terrorism and said. He added that the regime in programme. total cost of $2.47 billion. destabilise the region,” Macron Tehran has goals that are purely To present a new and modern said. ideological and does not serve the Saudi Arabia to the international Macron also expressed support interests of Iran or its citizens. The trip to France also had signif- community, Crown Prince Moham- for the Iran nuclear deal, which The crown prince said the Ira- icant cultural dimensions. Riyadh med has been on an ambitious in- the French helped broker. The nian government used funds re- is seeking French expertise to help ternational tour for several weeks. agreement is viewed in Riyadh as leased because of the nuclear Saudi Arabia with cultural ven- He travelled to Egypt, the United a short-term solution with severe deal to further its regional agenda tures tied to the Vision 2030 eco- Kingdom and the United States belong-term ramifications. rather than investing the money nomic diversification programme. fore his stops in France and Spain. 6 April 15, 2018 Opinion

Editorial The danger of hate speech on social media acebook founder Mark Zuckerberg’s testimony before the US Congress offers important lessons for social media users around the world, not least in the Middle East and North Africa. Zuckerberg made the significant Fadmission that, for all its efforts, Facebook — the world’s largest social network — cannot ensure the prompt and effective removal of hate speech from its pages. The way things stand, Facebook is in charge of content on the platform but detecting hate speech, as Zuckerberg admitted, remains a reactive process and users need to flag it before it can be deleted. Maybe five to ten years from now, he said, artificial intelligence (AI) would allow Facebook to properly vet linguistic nuances but the technology isn’t ready to deploy. This is a worrisome summing up of Facebook’s limitations in dealing with hate speech. It has already had dangerous implications for Myan- mar’s persecuted Muslim minority. Messages encouraging violence spread for days last year on Facebook in Myanmar. As for hate speech, so for terrorist content. Facebook says it can remove virtually all such material from particular terror groups, such as al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (ISIS), but admits it cannot identify all content with terrorist implications. AI might help but may not offer definitive solutions, either. Hate speech and incitement to terrorism are not protected forms of free expression. This is why sections of the international community are trying to suggest regulatory legislation. Vera © Yaser Ahmed for The Arab Weekly Jourova, EU commissioner for consumers and justice, said: “I still stand on the position that for terrorism, extremism and images of child abuse we should have a more reliable framework that Separating religion from politics is a could introduce sanctions for lack of compliance.” Germany is leading the way. Since January 1, it has fined social media platforms such as Face- Saudi necessity first and foremost book, YouTube and Twitter as much as 50 million euros — approximately $60 million — if they do not remove hate speech and other socially dangerous content within 24 hours. Mohamad Kawas The MENA region, shaken to the core by violence and strife, should be deeply concerned Saudi Arabia has chosen to cut its ties with political Islam but it about hate speech and its proliferation on social media. The region boasts an internet penetration knows that other capitals in the region have not done so. rate of more than 58%. People across the Arab world use Facebook and other social media hen Saudi opted for religious “renais- political Islam and its concomi- networks daily to debate issues and express their Crown Prince sance” as a guiding culture and tant ideological and cultural views. That is all well and good except that Mohammed ideology, it was in keeping with components. The kingdom is unregulated dangerous content remains a threat to the region and the peace and security of its bin Salman the prevailing cultural values of to be returned to that version societies. bin Abdulaziz the West as defined by the Cold of Islam that preceded the As in the European Union, the Arab world spoke of War. revolution in Iran and the war should discuss its own regulatory codes of Wreturning his country to the era By opposing the Khomeini in Afghanistan. conduct to protect legitimate free speech and before the religious “renais- regime in Iran and its policy of Saudi Arabia has chosen to privacy, even as its citizens are protected from sance” — before 1979 — he men- exporting its revolution, the cut its ties with political Islam abusive and hateful content. Waiting for another tioned mechanisms that apply, Saudi kingdom was not really but it knows that other capitals five or ten years for appropriate AI to emerge not just to Saudi Arabia, but to standing out from the rest of in the region have not done so. might be too long. the entire world. the free world. For Riyadh, Iran Crown Prince Mohammed has The crown prince hailed the represented three dangers. First, articulated the Saudi vision Central Europe and the return of the Saudi kingdom it was revolutionary, which did and choices using concepts and to a more moderate and toler- not sit well with conservative terminology in tune with mo- Arab world after Orban’s win ant version of Islam after four Arab regimes. Second, it was a dernity and far removed from s expected, Hungarian Prime Minis- decades of bathing in extreme republic, which again did not extremist ideologies of the past. ter Viktor Orban’s right-wing Fidesz doctrines. Thus, Riyadh has sit well with monarchies in the Previously, the kingdom’s party scored a landslide victory in a made it known that it has given region. Third, it was a religious extraordinary resources were third consecutive parliamentary up using religion as one of its state based on an ideology that used to export extremism all election since 2010. The fact that it foreign policy tools. arrogantly challenges the ver- The new over the Islamic world. Now, won on an anti-migrant, anti-Muslim Four decades ago, Saudi sion of Islam prevalent in Saudi Saudi vision those resources will be used to platformA does not augur well for the vital Arabia relied on the religious Arabia and Riyadh’s legitimacy export the values of tolerance, relationship between Europe and the Arab world. establishment to protect its as guardian of the Islamic faith. pulls the moderation, peace, stability And it shouldn’t. political system and counteract We can see now that the so- rug from and development. Even though Hungary is just one of the Euro- the “evils” of Nasserite doc- called renaissance in Saudi Ara- under Saudi Arabia stands to do pean Union’s 28 member-states, it is proving to trines blowing from Yemen. It bia was dictated by strategic and that not as a favour to the rest be something of a role model and an inspiration institutions, gave a free hand to an extremist political needs and was backed of the world but as a necessity for the European far-right. charities version of Sunni Islam seeking by the international community to protect the transformations Marine Le Pen of France’s National Front, Geert and Wilders of the Dutch Freedom Party, Beatrix von to stop the spread of an equally as an essential component of inside the kingdom, the region Storch of the Alternative for Germany and Nigel extremist version of Shia Islam the Western world’s strategy in organisations and the world. Saudi Arabia will Farage, who formerly led the UK Independence from a rising Islamic Republic confronting communism and specialising thus join the majority of the Party, were quick to congratulate Orban on his of Iran. religious revolutions. in 1.6 billion people around the election victory. They see his success as a Saudi Arabia and its reli- Riyadh and its religious spreading globe practising a moderate portent. gious institutions also became renaissance were part of the version of Islam while the cur- With support from some central European involved in the international means for getting rid of the Islamic rent Saudi revolution stands leaders, Orban plans to intensify his opposition anti-communist and anti-athe- Soviet Union through Afghani- extremism. to affect the rest of the Islamic to refugee resettlement across the European ism efforts, especially after the stan and of Ayatollah Ruhollah world. Union, while challenging the values set out in the Soviet occupation of Afghani- Khomeini’s doctrines through The new Saudi vision pulls EU Charter. At his final campaign rally, Orban stan in December 1979. the Iran-Iraq war. the rug from under those edu- warned: “If the dam bursts, if the borders are It would be unfair to claim However, by the time Iraq cational and cultural institu- opened, if immigrants set foot in Hungary, there that the religious “renaissance” invaded Kuwait and especially tions, charities and proselytis- will be no going back.” After his victory, human rights group Amnesty of the 1970s was a purely Saudi after September 11, 2001, the ing organisations specialising in International cautioned against “attempts to product. Several local, regional world’s priorities and strategic spreading Islamic extremism. stoke hostility towards refugees and migrants” and international factors con- choices had changed. There is no longer room in but the Orban government has already tabled in verged to push the religious In Crown Prince Mohammed’s Riyadh for mixing religion with parliament a tranche of laws that would crack agenda in Saudi Arabia amid view, abandoning political politics. down on migrants and the NGOs and liberal civic concentrated international ef- Islam in all its forms inside and Even when the mullahs’ organisations that support them. forts focused on bringing down outside the kingdom tells the regime in Tehran relies on reli- The picture conveyed by Hungary today is that the “evil” empire in Moscow. world that Saudi Arabia will no gious ideology to present itself of dangerous nativism. Fidesz has presented At that time, Western capitals longer serve as an incubator for as a political match to the Saudi itself as a Christian bulwark against Muslim did not look at jihad in Afghani- jihadists that major powers can model, Riyadh has chosen to influence. stan as a foe to be dealt with by manipulate to their advantage. drop politics from religion and But the elections are over and Hungary needs military force. On the contrary, For its own reasons and ir- leave the latter free of political more constructive policies towards the Muslim it was hailed by top liberals respective of any strategic contamination. world and Arab countries. Stronger ties between central Europe and the Arab world would be and the free world in general as alliances in the region, Saudi mutually beneficial. legitimate resistance. Arabia has chosen to Mohamad Kawas is a So, when the Saudi kingdom permanently drop the lid on Lebanese writer. April 15, 2018 7 Opinion Contact editor at: [email protected] For international donors, Lebanon Published by Al Arab is a country worth saving Publishing House Khairallah Khairallah Publisher As long as the government and its security institutions do not have and Group Executive Editor a monopoly on weapons, all projects are at risk. Haitham El-Zobaidi, PhD Editor-in-Chief he Paris conference in 25 years with a grace period that boosting productive sectors in speech with: “So, you under- support of Lebanon can go up to ten years. Lebanon. stand, by helping Lebanon Oussama Romdhani was by no means The success of the conference The goal was to ensure steady today, we want to help the a normal, run-of- took Lebanon by surprise and as- and real economic growth and entire region. I’m convinced of Managing Editor the-mill event. The tonished Lebanon’s friends, such create thousands of employ- one thing; we are also helping Iman Zayat conference has proven as France, which had anticipated ment opportunities for young ourselves a lot.” Tthe extent to which the interna- the conference would not collect Lebanese. In addition, the public Many countries went to Deputy Managing Editor tional community is willing to more than $8 billion. The World deficit had to be reduced from Lebanon’s rescue. Saudi and Online Editor help Lebanon and its government Bank’s participation to the tune 9% to 6.5% in five years and, of Arabia pledged $1 billion and Mamoon Alabbasi and the Lebanese side at the con- of $4 billion convinced other course, the war on corruption Kuwait $500 million. Now the ference conveyed the picture of a donors that it was imperative to must go on. question is: Will the Lebanese Senior Editor united Lebanon. invest in Lebanon’s economic re- Support for Lebanon was not help themselves? The key- John Hendel In the delegation accompany- covery and shore up its stability. just economic but also political. word during the conference ing Prime Minister Saad Hariri Hariri succeeded in making French President Emmanuel was “reforms” with all that it Chief Copy Editor were ministers representing dif- a strong case for supporting Macron spoke of the regional implies in terms of the war on Richard Pretorius ferent political tendencies. Hariri Lebanon. The World Bank simply and international implications corruption. had coordinated his steps with subscribed to the Lebanese gov- of Lebanon’s crisis. He referred The private sector also Copy Editor Lebanese President Michel Aoun ernment’s vision for Lebanon and to Lebanon as an “asset” and an stands to play a key role in im- Stephen Quillen and parliament Speaker Nabih became convinced of the impor- example for the region because proving and consolidating the Berri. tance of all the projects presented of its diversity and plurality. country’s infrastructure. A to- Analysis Section Editor During the conference, Leba- for the country. After meeting He reminded conference tal of $17 billion was earmarked Ed Blanche non reaped $11.5 billion in pledg- with Hariri, World Bank CEO attendees that French troops, for infrastructure projects East/West Section Editor es, loans, grants and donations. Kristalina Georgieva expressed taking part in the multinational during the next ten years. The funds will finance projects an understanding of Lebanon’s force, have been stationed in However, a nagging question Mark Habeeb vital to Lebanese citizens such as situation. She said: “Lebanon has southern Lebanon for 40 years. that could cast doubt on future Gulf Section Editor water, electricity, roads, airport done its duty to the world. Today Macron spoke of the necessity to projects in Lebanon is how in- Mohammed Alkhereiji expansion and the environment. it is time for the world to do its “quickly” form a new govern- stitutions can be protected and The Lebanese delegation was duty to Lebanon.” ment after the May 6 general allowed to carry out needed Society and Travel pleasantly surprised with the A Lebanese task force laid out a elections. reforms while there are still Sections Editor international response. The loans vision that seemingly convinced The French president has illegitimate weapons belonging Samar Kadi received would not constitute an the international community and shown a great deal of empa- to Hezbollah in the country. extra burden on Lebanon. The in- specialised agencies. That vision thy and understanding for the As long as the government and Syria and Lebanon terest rate on the loans is capped focused on structural reforms dramas unfolding in the Middle its security institutions do not Section Editor at 1.5%. The repayment period is and put together a strategy for East. He ended his moving have a monopoly on weapons, Simon Speakman Cordall all projects are at risk. In a region suffering from an Contributing Editor acute lack of democratic val- Rashmee Roshan Lall ues, Lebanon’s saving graces are freedom and diversity. The Senior Correspondents country, however, has suffered Mahmud el-Shafey (London) and continues to suffer from Lamine Ghanmi (Tunis) foreign meddling. The Syrians and Palestinians tried to turn it Regular Columnists into a battleground under their Claude Salhani control and now the Iranians Yavuz Baydar are trying to do the same. Lebanon has no choice but Correspondents to rally behind Hariri and his Saad Guerraoui (Casablanca) government, whose vision for Dunia El-Zobaidi (London) Lebanon’s future convinced Roua Khlifi (Tunis) powerful donor countries and Thomas Seibert (Washington) Vital pledges. French President institutions that Lebanon is a Chief Designer Emmanuel Macron (C) delivers a country worth saving. speech during the international Cedre Marwen el-Hmedi

conference in Paris, on April 6. (AFP) Khairallah Khairallah is a Lebanese writer. Designers Ibrahim Ben Bechir Trump’s faux war in Syria Hanen Jebali Subscription & Advertising: Rashmee Roshan Lall [email protected] Tel 020 3667 7249 Intermittent bombing by the West escalates tensions with Russia, widening and prolonging the war. Mohamed Al Mufti Marketing & Advertising o no one’s surprise, about the war. As Emma Ashford, analyst growl of “war.” Barrons inter- Manager the so-called interna- Days after the April 7 chemical at the libertarian Cato Institute preted the Russian ambassador tional community, led attack on Douma, which has since think-tank in Washington, put it: to say “that if the US and allies Tel (Main) +44 20 7602 3999 by the United States, been blamed on the Assad regime, “For those who want a military decide to strike against Syrian Direct: +44 20 8742 9262 has done neither of Eid pleaded with Britain and response, the question is simple: chemical weapons and delivery www.alarab.co.uk the two things that other Western powers to drop the Can you tell me any practical aircraft, not only are they go- Ttruly might affect the course of war rhetoric and urgently lobby response short of full-fledged in- ing to try and shoot down the the Syrian conflict. FIFA. The West, Eid said, should vasion that could prevent this?” missiles in flight… they are It has not hit the Assad regime’s work overtime to take the World She was referring to further going to try and sink ships, sink powerful Russian backers where Cup away from Putin as punish- chemical attacks or other atroci- submarines and shoot aircraft it might really hurt — Vladimir ment for Moscow’s blase attitude ties on civilians by the Syrian out of the sky — that’s war.” Putin’s international and domes- to the Syrian regime’s repeated regime but the question could Would the United States go tic prestige in hosting the FIFA defiance of the norms of war. also cover the ghastly but indis- to war with Russia in Syria over World Cup. It has not held off A late pull-out from Russia — putable reality: Syrian President Syria? It can hardly be said to US Publisher: from another bout of half-hearted the FIFA World Cup starts in June Bashar Assad rules Syria against care deeply about the plight of military intervention. Limited air — would be a huge financial hit all odds and nuclear-armed Rus- Syria’s harried people. Trump Ibrahim Zobeidi strikes achieve little more than for the Russian government, Eid sia stands stoutly with, behind has demonstrated scant sym- (248) 803 1946 the self-satisfaction of hawks in pointed out, as well as a dreadful and all around Assad. pathy, having regularly demon- Washington. domestic humiliation for Putin. Russia has underlined its posi- ised Syrian refugees, refusing Intermittent bombing by the He has a point but Eid’s sensi- tion. Its ambassador in Lebanon, to take them in and recently West escalates tensions with Rus- ble, shock-but-no-awe strategy Alexander Zasypkin, told Hez- freezing US State Department sia, widening and prolonging the has received little attention and bollah’s Al-Manar TV in Arabic funds intended to help stabilise war and can only add to, rather certainly no action. that any American “missiles will parts of Syria recovered from than ameliorate, the suffering of Instead, all focus has been on be downed and even the sources the Islamic State. Trump has Syrians. US President Donald Trump’s from which the missiles were publicly called for a US pullout It would be so much easier and war-whoops disguised as tweets fired.” from Syria while leaving others effective to target the World Cup about the “Gas Killing Animal That did not happen on the to “take care of it.” in Russia but that is not quite so (Assad)” and the “nice and new morning of April 14, but it still Limited US strikes would Al Arab Publishing House dramatic as firing a burst of Amer- and ‘smart!’” American missiles could, if as Trump has said, the be a faux war, one that would Quadrant Building ican, British and French missiles headed for Syria. No matter that US was “prepared to sustain this have no winners but the losers 177-179 Hammersmith Road and bombs into Syria. Even so, the missiles have headed for Syria response until the Syrian regime would certainly be the Syrian London W6 8BS suggestion bears sober consid- and Trump promises more, this stops its use of prohibited people. eration. It comes from Kassam is still tough talk for the sake of chemical agents.” Eid, an anti-Assad activist who talking tough. Limited US strikes, The Russian envoy’s remarks Rashmee Roshan Lall is a survived a 2013 chemical attack supported by France and the have been decoded by General columnist for The Arab Weekly. Tel: (+44) 20 7602 3999 on Moadamiya on the outskirts of United Kingdom, and apparently Sir Richard Barrons, who led the Her blog can be found at www. Fax: (+44) 20 7602 8778 Damascus, managed to get out of cheered on by the Saudis and United Kingdom’s Joint Forces rashmee.com and she is on Syria and has been writing books Qataris, are pretence not a plan. Command from 2013-16 as the Twitter: @rashmeerl. 8 April 15, 2018 Spotlight Arab World Viewpoint Arab Labour ministers call Hany Ghoraba for action on unemployment The Egypt-Saudi- Hassan Abdel Zaher Cairo Emirati alliance is he 45th Arab Labour Con- ference called on Arab governments to initiate labour market reforms, grounded in reality rethink social legislation Tand incentivise production and investments. Labour ministers said production and investments in the Arab region could be encouraged through plans that achieve sus- tainable and comprehensive development in Arab countries. “Arab labour markets must be prepared to absorb this incessant flow of workers,” said Fayez al-Mu- tairi, director-general of the Arab Labour Organisation, which moni- tors labour conditions. “Slow economic growth in the Arab region is a real challenge that Arab govern- Rethinking incentives. A worker prepares bobbins of yarn for ments need to overcome.” shipment at a spinning factory on the outskirts of Cairo. (Reuters) A total of 17 labour ministers and delegations from 20 Arab countries attended the conference, sched- to rubble,” Shemary said. “This is infrastructure projects, ones that uled for April 8-15. The annual making things worse for the coun- managed to create jobs for a large Strong prospects. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry (R), event was different this year in that try’s embattled economy and la- number of people,” Saafan said. Saudi counterpart Adel al-Jubeir (R) and UAE Minister of Foreign it brought governments, the busi- bour market.” Reforms in Saudi Arabia are be- Affairs and International Cooperation Abdullah bin Zayed ness sector and labour associations In the Arab region, about 13 ing initiated to involve local labour together. million people — almost 10.5% of in economic activities, even at the al-Nahyan during a joint press conference in Cairo. (AFP) Conference participants dis- the workforce of the region — are cost to tens of thousands of foreign cussed challenges facing the Arab searching for work, the Interna- workers in the oil-rich country. union of Arab coun- negatively affecting Saudi labour market, national policies tional Labour Organisation (ILO) Apart from demanding reform tries is not a novel Arabia’s economy and the Saudi and the complaints of the private said. Unemployment is especially for social legislation in Arab coun- idea; a successful leadership decided to broaden the sector as well as the problems fac- high among women and workers tries, Arab labour ministers at the one is. Failure has country’s revenue base. ing labour associations in the Arab aged 15-24, the ILO said. concluding session of the confer- tainted almost every The October 2017 announce- region. “The economies of Arab coun- ence said increased production Arab attempt at ment of the $500 billion NEOM The event took place amid unrest tries suffered greatly because of would open the door for more de- unity.A That includes the United project was a major step. NEOM in several Arab countries, which the accumulation of crises in the mand for labour, which would ul- Arab Republic, the short-lived is planned as a state-of-the-art has taken a heavy toll on labour region,” said Libyan Minister of timately affect the number of jobs union of Egypt and Syria, which industrial, commercial and tour- markets across the region. In Iraq, Labour and Rehabilitation al-Mah- available for Arab workers. lasted from 1958-61. It includes ist metropolis in north-western Syria, Yemen, Libya and the Pales- di Wardhamy. “This has reflected Mutairi and his colleagues at the Federation of Arab Republics, Saudi Arabia, parallel to Egypt’s tinian territories, unrest has had a very negatively on the abilities of the Arab Labour Organisation un- Muammar Qaddafi’s attempt to Sinai Peninsula. Significantly, devastating effect on labour mar- the labour markets in all states to derscored the need for unified la- merge Libya, Egypt and Syria 1,000 sq.km of south Sinai will kets and slowing economic growth generate jobs for youth.” bour standards in the region. They from the early 1970s, with Sudan also be developed by the project. at the regional level, officials said. There was heartening news, called on Arab governments to pay and Iraq opting in and out at Egypt plans a new megacity on Palestinian Labour Minister however. Egypt lowered its un- more attention to occupational different times. By 1977, that the allocated land. Mamoun Abu Shahla pointed to employment rate to 11% this year, safety, offer support to profession- experiment ended. Development of the Red Sea increasing unemployment rates down from 14% last year, accord- al training strategies and monitor The Gulf Cooperation Council, cities of Sharm el-Sheikh and in Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip as ing to the country’s labour minis- progress on reducing the unem- comprising Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Hurghada will also be part of cause for concern. ter. ployment rate. Bahrain, the United Arab Emir- the project. The Saudi deal with “We need support to be able to Egyptian Labour Minister There is also a need to moni- ates, Oman and Qatar, is one of Egypt will enable Riyadh to ben- give hope to these unemployed Mohamed Saafan said the tor the emancipation of women the more successful attempts at efit from Cairo’s expertise in the Palestinians,” Abu Shahla said at unemployment rate drop reflected in Arab labour markets as shown unity, even though Qatar’s rogue tourism sector. Egypt will benefit the conference. the Egyptian government’s hard by reports indicating a rise in the activities have weakened it. from the influx of cash to further In Iraq, three years of fighting work. “Behind it was also the al- number of unemployed women, So, what are the chances of suc- develop the Sinai Peninsula. against the Islamic State, dete- location of huge investments for the Arab Labour Organisation said. cess for the newest Arab alliance, The UAE, which is expected to riorating economic conditions and “Unemployment is a fact in the the emerging economic partner- be part of the project, has regional huge spending on the military left Arab region, one that we must not ship between Egypt, Saudi Arabia trade expertise and global com- the country’s economy in tatters overlook or forget,” Mutairi said. and the UAE? mercial centres in Dubai and Abu and the labour market in deplor- “We work hard to find solutions Dhabi. The UAE has invested able conditions. Almost 40% of Conference participants to this problem, but nobody can $6.2 billion in the Egyptian market Iraq’s workforce is jobless, said discussed challenges solve this problem alone, which is The Arab and plans to inject another Hassan al-Shemary, a representa- facing the Arab labour why we need stronger Arab unity.” tripartite $2 billion in development projects. tive of the General Federation of market, national policies That tripartite economic alli- Iraqi Trade Unions. and the complaints of Hassan Abdel Zaher is a alliance is ance came alongside the UAE- “The war has brought almost Cairo-based contributor to blessed with Saudi December 2017 agreement everything in five Iraqi provinces the private sector. The Arab Weekly. clear to forge a closer economic and military partnership to fight the commercial threat posed by Iran. Egypt, with and industrial its powerful military, large population and strong industrial base, planning. provides more heft to the UAE- Saudi partnership. In any case, Uncommonly good, surpris- Egypt shares Saudi and Emirati ingly. This is mainly because the goals with respect to curbing Iran, Arab tripartite alliance was born Qatar and Turkey’s expansionist out of necessity after the 2011 regional ambitions. uprisings just as the European With Egypt’s megaprojects Economic Community (EEC) in the Suez Canal and Sinai, came about in the years after the Saudi Arabia’s ambitious plans second world war. That said, the for NEOM and the UAE’s evolving Arab League was founded 12 years global commercial prowess, the before the EEC but the league new alliance may, for once, actu- remains a footnote to history. The ally work. It might even meet its EEC has grown into the European goals and genuinely spur greater Union, the world’s largest trading Arab unity if others, including bloc. Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, The Egypt-Saudi-Emirati alli- sought to join. ance is grounded in reality and Egypt, Saudi Arabia and blessed with clear commercial the UAE’s combined GDP was and industrial planning. There $1.465 trillion in 2017, which appears to be the political will to would make the bloc of three go forward with it at all costs. The the 13th biggest economy in the alliance is not based on leaders’ world. whims, Arab nationalistic rhetoric or the emotional outbursts of poli- Hany Ghoraba is an Egyptian ticians, all of which rendered pre- political and counterterrorism vious attempts at unity failures. analyst and author of “Egypt’s The alliance came about Arab Spring and the Long and when fluctuating oil prices were Winding Road to Democracy.” Changing landscape. Workers at the solar plant factory in Uyayna, north of Riyadh. (Reuters) April 15, 2018 9 News & Analysis Iraq Iraq points to Syrian border threat as ISIS steps up attacks

Mamoon Alabbasi strike in Syria last year, in coordination with the US-led coalition and with a green light from Damascus. London Abadi declared victory against ISIS in December but also said the raqi Prime Minister Haider militants’ presence in Syria remains al-Abadi vowed to prevent in- a danger for Iraq. filtration by the Islamic State “The real threat, in all frankness, (ISIS) through the border with is the presence of ISIS in Syria. We Syria as the militants stepped heard news that they destroyed ISIS Iup attacks inside Iraq before the (in Syria) — it’s a lie,” said Abadi. country’s elections in May. ISIS militants are “paying corrupt “[ISIS militants] are present in people” in Syria to “infiltrate into eastern Syria, at the Iraqi border. I Iraq and attack its safe towns and will take all necessary measures if citizens,” said Abadi. they threaten the security of Iraq,” In addition to intimidation, ISIS Abadi said. is known to resort to bribery or to Abadi said he ordered Iraq’s mili- make deals with its foes, including tary command “to lay out all possi- the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic ble plans… to protect Iraqi citizens” Forces, to get its way. All eyes on Syria. An Iraqi security forces member holds a position near Salaheddine province in the from ISIS militants from Syria. “The situation in Syria is still a western desert bordering Syria, last November. (AFP) The Iraqi prime minister said he real challenge, which we are fo- discussed the ISIS border threat cused on. We have moved from March. The numbers remain lower At least 16 people were killed in a In an apparent bid to boost mo- with US President Donald Trump. fighting terror in Iraq to fighting ter- than the 2014 peak when ISIS was bombing that targeted funerals in rale, ISIS militants restated their He reportedly has the approval of ror in Syria. We have plans in that in control of vast areas in Iraq. the northern Iraqi village of Asdira, pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr al- the Syrian government to carry out regard,” said Abadi. ISIS militants have staged several near Sharqat. Baghdadi, whose whereabouts − or military operations on the border Although the Iraqi-Syrian border attacks in April in areas predomi- The funerals were for five Sunni even if he is indeed alive − remain with Syria. area is safer than it has been at any nately inhabited by Sunni Arabs. members of the Shia-led Popu- unknown. “Our plan is to move from fight- time since 2014, the chaos in Syria lar Mobilisation Forces who were “To infuriate and terrorise the ing terrorism in Iraq to fighting ter- will inevitably affect the Iraqi side. killed in an attack in the region four infidels, we renew our pledge of rorism in the region... We are not “It seems accurate to assume that days earlier. loyalty to the commander of the trespassing over our border or at- controlling Iraq’s border with Syria The funeral bombings were less faithful and the caliph of the Mus- tacking neighbouring countries,” will remain a difficult undertaking than a week after an ISIS attack lims, the mujahid Sheikh Abu Bakr said Abadi. as long as Syrian security remains that killed four people and injured al-Baghdadi al-Hussaini al-Qurashi, Iraqi special forces, however, unstable,” wrote Omar al-Jaffal on Although the Iraqi-Syrian seven others at the headquarters of may God preserve him,” ISIS mili- may be dropped by air into Syria, Al-Monitor’s website. border area is safer than it a political party in Anbar province tants said in a statement posted on Hisham al-Hashimi, a government Figures released by the UN As- has been at any time since during election campaigning. social media. adviser on ISIS, told Reuters. It sistance Mission for Iraq stated that 2014, the chaos in Syria The funeral attack was the dead- would not be the first time Iraq be- 104 Iraqi civilians and policemen will inevitably affect the liest in Iraq since a double sui- Mamoon Alabbasi is Deputy came involved in the Syrian situa- were killed in acts of terrorism, vio- cide bombing killed 31 people in Managing Editor and Online Editor tion. Iraqi planes carried out an air lence and armed conflict in Iraq in Iraqi side. Baghdad in January. of The Arab Weekly. After the war is won, ‘we shall not return’ to Mosul

Nazli Tarzi these men,” said Majid, speaking of the lingering distrust caused by Iraq’s volatile sectarian political London arena. Luckily, his family had taken nce the door to our down the central piece in their liv- problems is opened ing room; an image of a male figure “ it cannot be closed,” in the family donning military at- Iraqi refugee Majid, tire captured during his service to 38, told The Arab his country as a brigadier-general WeeklyO by phone from the United in Iraq’s army. Kingdom. He is haunted by the Reprisal attacks like these and ghost of Mosul’s present yet unable worse are relentless even when to return home. Western media is unable to pick Majid — the names of fam- out these stories. ily members have been changed A dozen people were snatched to protect their identities — arrived from Tanak district west of Mosul in the United Kingdom to pursue recently, reporter Ziad al-Sinjari higher education in 2010, three said. They were dubbed ISIS opera- years before Islamic State (ISIS) tives “but were, in fact, elderly lo- Before the militants conquered his ancestral cal tribesmen and women” Sinjari dust settles. land. He was followed by his broth- wrote on Twitter. Workers clean er who, upon arriving in the United “Everyone is a target,” another the street in Kingdom, had his scholarship sus- resident said against the backdrop Mosul, on pended by Baghdad. of enforced disappearances. January 10. While Majid’s brother was of- A witch hunt carried out on lo- (Reuters) fered no explanation, Majid stood cal imams and mosque preachers accused of colluding with the Na- assortment of threats made by flags dot various neighbourhoods sister told him over the phone. from al-Salah district on March 19 tional Health Service after Baghdad federal forces — a melange of mi- and the imposition of new street “Shjabilkum allah” (roughly trans- resulted in the killing of Sheikh refused a medical bill it claimed litia and police forces — allied to names and districts stand out as lates as “God abandoned you”) Yassin Mohammed Younis al Jana- was counterfeited. Iraqi Popular Mobilisation Forces symbolic operations that under- were the words barked at Majid’s bi. The upper half of his body, as The lives of sisters, Israa and (PMF). As the new dominant force mine Mosul’s mosaic communities sister as she made her way home images show, sustained repeated Han’aa who stayed in Iraq, have re- in Mosul, these militia actors are and their respective identities. from university, mocked by a mili- and fatal blows. Nineveh opera- mained on hold — denied the inde- recognised by locals as occupiers of One episode in which this is at tiaman for wearing hijab as a form tions command promised an in- pendence and freedom to work and newly liberated territories. play is the renaming of al-Furqan of religious observance. vestigation into his death. marry in these uncertain times. “Every militia that came to Mo- neighbourhood. Before the dra- The wounds these people car- “This is just the tip of the iceberg Lest one forgets, the decade of ne- sul claimed peace but the reality conian policy of regime change ry mentally and physically run of what citizens endure daily,” glect that preceded ISIS’s blitzkrieg was different. They are using Mo- enabled the United States to lead deep — paralysed by their reality Majid said. was the springboard that allowed sul as a swamp to carry out further an invasion of Iraq, the district yet unable to mourn. Relief operations, though lim- the so-called caliphate to establish killings,” Majid said, commenting was named for the former regime, Liberation of the city Majid de- ited, have commenced in bomb- itself. on arbitrary arrests and the impu- the Ba’ath Party. parted in late 2012 was announced cratered Mosul. Away from home, near-daily nity with which militias act lacking Militias have dubbed it ‘Hai last December, ending nine It is not so much these prob- telephone exchanges between the mechanisms to discern who is al Baathiyya’ — the district of months of scarring battles. Uncer- lems but the security actors and Majid and his Mosul-bound family culpable or innocent. Ba’athists — to add insult to injury. tainty remains the only foresee- their treatment of locals that made are a source of distress for a man “Even if you stand aside, mind- “I was on the phone to my able hallmark for his family. Majid lose his will to return. whose anxiety has climbed to im- ing your own business, you are still youngest sister when I heard mi- “Three names in my family are The militias navigating Mosul’s possible heights “startled by the seen as guilty. This isn’t what will litia forces through the speaker, wanted,” he laughed. “One is dead, urban wreckage are the biggest faintest fireworks or a knock at the help a civilised society to grow,” he mocking the name of the district,” the other is retired and the where- challenge to peace and stability, door.” Heart-clenching moments said. Majid said. abouts of the third is not known.” alongside the titanic tasks of urban interrupt Majid’s sleep daily — The construction of a forced Former ISIS stronghold Al Araby Unknown men wielding heavy resurrection and preventing the re- counting those alive and replaying identity is how Majid’s acquaint- district, on the tip of western Mo- weapons crashed into his parent’s turn of terror to the province. in his mind the names of the de- ances and family view the post- sul, is choked by sprawling mili- home demanding information parted. ISIS phase brandished in newspa- tias, whose “unrecognisable lan- about his and his brother’s where- Nazli Tarzi is an independent The option of return has been per headlines. “It began the day guages fill the city,” Majid said. abouts and their political affilia- journalist whose writings and films ruled out because of his fam- after liberation,” he said. Make- “The flags of [Saddam] Hussein tions. focus on Iraq’s ancient history and ily’s precarious situation and the shift checkpoints marked by Shia are everywhere,” Majid’s younger “Not even the truth satisfies contemporary political scene. 10 April 15, 2018 News & Analysis Egypt

Fed up with insecurity. Egyptians walk past a mural with a caption in Arabic that reads “Terrorism has no religion.” (AFP) Should Egypt deprive convicted terrorists of their citizenship?

Amr Emam popular uprising against Islamist “terrorists” convicted of crimes Constitutional and Legislative Af- are so loose that they can include President Muhammad Morsi. that endanger national security. fairs Committee, which is to de- anybody viewed by the govern- Cairo Since then Cairo has been fight- “This means that it will be the bate the bill. ment as constituting a danger to ing terrorist groups with ties to the courts that will have the final say in “Many of those planning attacks national security and public order,” gypt’s parliament is de- outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, whether a person should be denied will think twice before they stage said Khaled Dawoud, head of the bating a bill, publicly sup- such as Hasm, which has targeted his citizenship,” Bakri said. these attacks when they know that opposition Constitution Party. “I ported by many MPs, that officials and police. Last September, the Egyptian they will not only be jailed but also think this phrasing is meant to de- would strip convicted Egypt has also been fighting a cabinet submitted a similar bill. deprived of the right to be Egyp- liver the message to everybody that terrorists of their citizen- branch of the Islamic State (ISIS) That bill was merged with Bakri’s tian.” terrorists and political opponents Eship. in Sinai. ISIS has attacked Egypt’s bill in committee. The bill would effectively bar can easily be bundled together.” The bill, which is expected to Coptic Christian minority, includ- The idea of stripping convicted hundreds of members of the Mus- Legal experts warned that the soon be referred to parliament for ing striking churches in Cairo, terrorists of citizenship remains lim Brotherhood, which was desig- law could do more harm than good voting, would strip the citizenship Alexandria and the Sinai Peninsula, controversial but is being discussed nated a terrorist group in December to Egypt’s counterterrorism efforts. of anyone convicted of terrorist of- resulting in hundreds of deaths. more often in various capitals. 2013, from returning to the country By stripping terrorists of their fences, including membership of The United Kingdom and the from exile. Many Muslim Brother- citizenship, Egypt could not de- outlawed groups and national se- United States have discussed strip- hood leaders left Egypt for Turkey, mand the repatriation of terrorists curity crimes. ping terrorists of citizenship. The Qatar and Sudan following Morsi’s captured abroad, losing potentially “The bill is very important now European Court of Human Rights ouster. Many have been convicted valuable sources of intelligence. that a large number of Egyptian Legal experts warned that ruled in 2017 that the United King- of crimes in absentia. “When a country takes its citi- nationals are working against their the law could do more dom could strip terror suspects There are fears the law could be zenship back from somebody, this country’s national security,” said of their citizenship while abroad used to silence Egypt’s legitimate country cannot ask foreign govern- MP Mustafa Bakri, who proposed harm than good to Egypt’s to bar them from returning to the political opposition, both at home ments to hand over this person if the bill. “If passed into law, the bill counterterrorism efforts. country. and abroad. Some who are critical he is living in another country,” will deter a large number of the ter- There is large support in Egypt’s of the Egyptian regime and broad- said Egyptian legal expert Shady rorists and those who harm this legislature for the idea of stripping cast on TV channels outside Egypt Talaat. “This is why I say, if passed country by denying them a citizen- Egypt began Operation Sinai, a terrorists of their citizenship and are not indicted in cases of ter- into law, the bill will harm Egypt’s ship they do not deserve.” multi-force effort against suspect- the bill is expected to pass once it is rorism but could still be targeted anti-terrorism efforts because it Egypt has been escalating its ed terrorists across the country, in advanced out of committee. should Bakri’s bill become law. will make Egypt lose the right to fight against terrorist groups na- February. Hundreds of suspected “The belief in parliament is The way the measure is phrased, try a large number of people before tionwide, especially in the Si- militants have since been arrested that such a bill would push the opponents said, gave credence to its courts.” nai Peninsula. The country has or killed. fight against terrorism many fears it could be used to gag the po- been hard hit by terrorism since Bakri said his legislation would steps forward,” said MP Abdel litical opposition. Amr Emam is a Cairo-based mid-2013 when the army backed a strip the citizenship only of Moneim El-Olaimy, a member of the “Some of the articles of the bill contributor to The Arab Weekly. Few options for Egypt after deadlocked Nile dam talks

Ahmed Megahid Ethiopia and Sudan. close to 70 billion cubic metres a new prime minister in Ethiopia, There are calls inside Egypt for se- “Relations between the three of water, will deprive water-poor following a period of domestic un- rious action against Ethiopia before states are governed by a legal docu- Egypt of a sizeable portion of its an- rest and violence. Abiy Ahmed, it starts filling the dam reservoir. Cairo ment,” Abu Zeid said. “We will not nual water reserves from the Nile. who was sworn in as Ethiopian “Egypt needs to stop this fruitless allow any violation of this docu- This could devastate millions of Prime Minister on April 2, said the negotiation course and start taking gypt has been left with ment.” acres of farmland, push Cairo to Grand Renaissance Dam would measures to ensure that Ethiopia limited options follow- In March 2015, the three coun- move forward with building expen- unite Ethiopians. A day later, Egyp- will not harm its water interests,” ing the failure of techni- tries signed a declaration of prin- sive water desalination and sewage tian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Amani al-Tawil, an African af- cal talks regarding the ciples that explicitly called for treatment plants and sabotage as- talked with Ahmed over the phone fairs specialist at Egyptian think- Grand Ethiopian Renais- cooperation over Nile waters. The piring food security schemes drawn and underscored his country’s de- tank Al-Ahram Centre for Political Esance Dam, which Cairo said would countries agreed to “avoid causing up by Egypt’s Agricultural Ministry. sire for cooperation over the Nile. and Strategic Studies. greatly hinder the country’s future significant damage” to each other The foreign ministers, intelli- Many expect relations between One of the measures Tawil rec- access to Nile waters. in the use of Nile waters and estab- gence chiefs and irrigation minis- Cairo and Addis Ababa to deterio- ommended is for Egypt to take the Following 17 hours of negotia- lished a dialogue process. ters of Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan rate significantly if Ethiopia fills the issue to the UN Security Council. tions with his Ethiopian and Su- While more talks are set to take met with the objective of agreeing dam reservoir without an agree- “This would ensure that Ethiopia danese counterparts in Khartoum, place in May, the mood in Egypt is to Ethiopia’s plan to fill the dam ment. The filling could start in June would suspend work on the dam Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh of anger and disappointment, with reservoir. with the annual Nile flooding. until a settlement is reached,” Tawil Shoukry said the negotiations, analysts saying that Ethiopia has Egypt wants the reservoir to be Shoukry said Cairo was open said. which aimed to end the deadlock used the talks to move ahead with filled over a period of ten years to to all efforts to solve the issue un- Egypt has suggested involving over the dam, had failed to produce construction of the dam. mitigate the harm to Egypt’s share til June 5. He did not specify what the World Bank in dam negotiations results. “Ethiopia only wanted to waste of Nile waters as much as possible. course of action Egypt could take if with Ethiopia, a suggestion turned The failure of the talks, which in- time until it reached the point of Addis Ababa has called for the res- an agreement is not reached by the down by Addis Ababa. cluded intelligence chiefs and min- no-return as far as dam construc- ervoir to be filled over three years. summer. Abu Zeid said the United States isters of irrigation from the three tion is concerned,” said Ramadan Shoukry said the issue would be was ready to mediate an end to the countries, opens the door for many Qurani, a specialist in African af- referred to the countries’ leaders. deadlock over the dam. possibilities, experts said, particu- fairs. “Egypt is now up against the Abu Zeid cast doubt on the value “The United States is keen on se- larly as the dam nears completion. wall with almost no options.” of further meetings on the dam. curity in the Horn of Africa region, Egyptian Foreign Ministry In Egypt’s intellectual and de- “Time is running out and this does While more talks are set which is why it is ready to intervene spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said cision-making circles, the multi- not serve the interests of anybody,” to take place in May, the if it is requested to,” Abu Zeid said. Egypt would not accept any viola- billion-dollar hydroelectric dam is he said. mood in Egypt is of anger tion of the legal framework that viewed as a major national security The failure of the Nile dam talks and disappointment. Ahmed Megahid is an Egyptian regulated Nile water sharing with threat. The dam, which will store coincides with the appointment of reporter in Cairo. April 15, 2018 11 News & Analysis Maghreb Aides try to be reassuring about Haftar’s health despite endless flurry of rumours

Michel Cousins embroiled in military chaos as various militias under Haftar’s control rush to secure positions. Tunis The news that the LNA leader is possibly seriously ill has caused evelopments have not alarm in the east. There are fears been short of the dra- that the various militias in Beng- matic for crisis-torn hazi could seek to control their ar- Libya. One of the coun- eas of the city. There could also be try’s key political fig- fighting between the militias con- Dures, Abdulrahman Sewehli, was trolled by Haftar’s sons, Khalid and voted out as president of the State Saddam, and the rest of the LNA, Council and replaced by a Muslim some suggested. Brotherhood hardliner. Then, ru- One city official expressed fears mours swirled that eastern Libyan that the various Salafist units allied strongman Field-Marshal Khalifa with Haftar would move against Haftar had suffered a stroke and LNA Chief of Staff Abdul Razzaq was taken to Paris. al-Nadhuri and Wanis Bukhamada, The significance of Sewehli’s de- the widely respected military com- parture was immediately cast aside mander who led Haftar’s 3-year Op- by the speculation surrounding eration Dignity campaign against Haftar. For at least three days, the pro-Islamist militants in the city. military in the east vehemently de- “The departure of Haftar in the nied the reports, insisting that they present situation would be a dis- were lies and that Haftar was well. aster,” the official said, adding that Without evidence to that effect, militants from the Benghazi Revo- however, and a lack of recent pho- lutionaries Shura Council and the tos or video footage of the field- Benghazi Defence Brigades, who marshal, the rumours refused to go were forced out during Operation away. The rumour mill soon went Dignity, would try to return to the into overdrive, with claims circu- Conflicting reports. Libyan strongman Field-Marshal Khalifa Haftar in La Celle-Saint-Cloud near city. lating that Haftar was in a coma or Others asked whether the Egyp- Paris, last July. (Reuters) even dead. tians would sit idly by if their These reports were squashed by key ally in Libya was no longer in the UN Mission to Libya (UNSMIL), and that Haftar was fine. This be- Even then, however, the official but having a tweet sent out con- charge. which said that UN envoy Ghassan gan to seriously damage the LNA line in Benghazi remained that Haf- firming he had done so. The two The main view, though, is that Salame had spoken to Haftar by leadership’s credibility. By April 12, tar was fine, although one Libyan “discussed the general situation in Haftar’s departure from the scene phone on April 13. Still, questions Haftar’s relatives and LNA officials National Army (LNA) spokesman Libya and the latest political devel- would strengthen his main rival, about Haftar’s health and conflict- privately admitted that he was ill admitted that Haftar was in France, opments in the country,” the UN- Presidency Council leader Fayez ing reports from Libyan National and was being treated in France. but said it was for meetings rather SMIL tweet read. al-Sarraj. The belief is that Sarraj Army (LNA) officials continued to His trips to Jordan over the past than medical treatment. Eastern military officials also would reach out to various ele- fuel uncertainty in Libya’s east. couple of years, they said, had in One pro-Haftar TV station bold- tried to do what they could to end ments in the LNA, from Nadhuri On April 11, the French Foreign fact been to consult with health ly declared that he would make the rumours. LNA Spokesman downward, giving them his — and Ministry gave the first implicit specialists. a live appearance at 9pm on April Ahmed al-Mismari told Reuters: consequently international — en- confirmation that Haftar was in 12. When the time passed with no “Marshall Haftar felt ill while in dorsement. France. Asked at a news conference such appearance, the station apol- Paris, during a visit to several for- Some say that, even if Haftar whether the Libyan leader was be- ogised but continued to insist that eign states, and he will return to were well enough to return, the ing treated in France, an official Haftar was well and that rumours the homeland soon … after medical knowledge that he is seriously ill replied: “We invite you to address about him should not be believed. treatment.” could lead to various figures look- the office of Marshal Haftar for all It all looked like an incompetent at- The flurry of rumours dem- ing to their own longer-term inter- questions regarding him.” The wish If Haftar is no longer able tempt at a cover-up. onstrate that the implications of ests and switching to Sarraj. not to answer the question sug- to carry out his duties, Finally, in a move to end the Haftar’s health are of great signifi- In Benghazi, amid the absence gested that Haftar was in France eastern Libya would damaging speculation and confu- cance. of concrete news about the field- and was ill. likely become embroiled sion, UN Special Envoy to Libya If the military chief is no longer marshal, there was an uneasy calm. The LNA, however, still clung Ghassan Salame took the unusual able to carry out his duties, east- “We’re waiting to see what is going to the line that nothing was wrong in military chaos. step of not merely phoning Haftar, ern Libya would likely become to happen,” said one resident. Mauritanian president to step down after second term expires

Lamine Ghanmi “A majority of Mauritanians believe Ould Abdel Aziz’s government the president deserves a third, a has been criticised for failing to fourth and even a fifth mandate.” address the issue of slavery, which Tunis Ould Abdel Aziz’s supporters was not made illegal in Mauritania credit him with clamping down on until 2007 and is still prevalent. The auritanian President corruption and growing the coun- “Global Slavery Index” states that Mohamed Ould Abdel try’s economy, including increasing more than 1% of Mauritania’s popu- Aziz has announced electricity output five-fold, bring- lation lived as a slave in 2015, one of he would step down ing clean drinking water to remote the highest rates in the world. Two at the end of his sec- regions and building thousands of Mauritanian slave owners were Mond term next year, ending specu- kilometres of roads. sentenced in March to 10 and 20 lation over whether he would move However, the International Mon- years in prison, the harshest verdict to scrap presidential term limits etary Fund said the development ever handed down by a court there and extend his tenure. projects had increased public debt in such a case. Ould Abdel Aziz’s announcement to more than 70% of gross domestic However, activists say the gov- reflects a growing shift towards de- product this year. ernment has a long way to go to mocracy on the African continent, Ould Abdel Aziz, who rose to empower the country’s black popu- where even longstanding leaders power in 2008 after leading a coup lation, which is largely excluded are struggling to stay in power. that deposed elected Mauritanian from top government jobs. In an interview with Jeune Af- President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdal- “Step by step, blacks are ex- rique magazine, Ould Abdel Aziz lahi, vowed to free Mauritania from cluded from the administration,” said he would abide by the Mau- the “mufsidines” (the corrupt). said Mauritanian Professor Abdel Political shift. Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz ritanian constitution’s two-term He is accused by the opposition, Wedoud Ould Cheikh. “I believe attends the opening of an exhibition at the Arab World Institute in limit and would not seek to change however, of engaging in corrupt that within five to six years, there Paris, last April. (AFP) it. Addressing supporters, at least practices himself. will be none of them in the admin- some of whom have expressed “President Mohamed Ould Abdel istration.” concern his absence could lead to Aziz is the only Mauritanian head By stepping down as president, meeting of top UPR officials in and security officials. Army Chief a power vacuum, Ould Abdel Aziz of state who is interested in build- Ould Abdel Aziz would join several March. “We will continue together of Staff General Mohamed Ould said he would stay involved in poli- ing up a fortune and accumulating African leaders working to enshrine along the same path we started… al Ghazouani and former Army tics and play a role in his Union for money,” said Mahfoud Ould Bettah, democratic principles. In neigh- We will not accept the reversal of Colonel al Cheikh Oulbey, both the Republic Party (UPR). the head of the opposition Demo- bouring Senegal, President Macky the development process. We will of whom are closely linked to the Some government minis- cratic Convergence Party. Sall called a referendum in 2016 to continue such a process to make president, are seen as the most ters, including Justice Minister trim presidential terms from seven Mauritania a strong, independent likely successors. Brahim Ould Daddah had urged Ould to five years, starting from the next and free state.” Asked whom he intends to Abdel Aziz, 61, to run for office election in 2019. Ould Abdel Aziz launched a na- support for president next year, again in 2019. “The nation and the Ould Abdel Aziz assured support- tionwide membership campaign Ould Abdel Aziz said: “Everyone people come before the constitu- Ould Abdel Aziz said ers that his departure would not to strengthen the ruling UPR party, among the 3.5 million people in tion and in the current situation it he would abide by derail the stability of the country, which dominates the parliament Mauritania has the right to be a is the people who demand that the the Mauritanian which has seen numerous coup at- and local government. candidate. I will support one of president seeks a new mandate,” constitution’s two- tempts since gaining independence Analysts said he was likely to be them.” said Ould Daddah. term limit and would from France in 1960. replaced by a leader of his choos- Government spokesman Mo- “There will be no power vac- ing from the UPR, whose members Lamine Ghanmi is an Arab Weekly hamed Lemine Ould Cheikh said: not seek to change it. uum,” said Ould Abdel Aziz at a include top government, military correspondent in Tunis. 12 April 15, 2018 News & Analysis Lebanon Cedre conference brings cash with a catch

Mona Alami

Beirut

gainst all odds, Leba- non’s recent Cedre conference reaped more than $11 billion in loans and grants for the strug- glingA country. The conference’s surprisingly positive results showed the international community’s concern for maintaining Lebanon’s stability in a region battered by conflicts and increasing tensions between world powers. However, despite this demonstration of support, Lebanon still faces challenges linked to rampant corruption and a negative economic and financial outlook. “The Cedre conference has been an incredible success for Lebanon,” an official from one of Lebanon’s top governmental financial institutions told The Arab Weekly on con- Varnishing over the cracks. dition of anonymity. “It could spur Lebanese Prime Minister growth to 5% or 6% in the next few Saad Hariri addresses the years due to massive investment in Cedre conference at the infrastructure projects.” Foreign Affairs Ministry in That positive outlook was tem- Paris, on April 6. (AFP) pered by local experts such as Ghazi Wazni, who shared an ar- ticle outlining how Lebanon’s Lebanon cope with the influx of improve the country’s infrastruc- However, with much of the coun- deficit in public finances.” debt of about $80 billion would Syrian refugees while underscor- ture. Yet, 26 years later, little im- try’s debt held by domestic banks To that end, donors were look- grow to $100 billion by 2021, with ing that it was only the fact that provement has been seen and prom- (50% by the Central Bank, 32% by ing to see significant improvement $10.2 billion — much of the loans and donations had been ised reforms have proven elusive. commercial banks and 15% by the in Lebanon’s “tax collection, in- the amount pledged at conditional on government reforms Despite few tangibles results, Social Security Fund), the economy creasing tax revenues, abolishing Cedre — in the form of loans. that secured the funding. Lebanon has amassed a public debt remained relatively stable, Ghobril electricity subsidies, revising the The conference was predicated Lebanon faces many systemic of about $80 billion, as of Novem- said. pension system and the size of the on a capital investment plan put challenges linked to its economic ber. However, from 2011 onward, public sector and through sector forward by the Lebanese govern- environment. Concerns have been the country’s growth levels wa- reforms of electricity, water, trans- ment intended to raise up to $23 bil- raised throughout the region over vered between 1-2%. port and waste and the application lion. Funds were to be distributed in Lebanon’s rampant corruption and Compounding the country’s dif- Lebanon faces many of transparency in tender manage- three phases over a 4-year period, the government’s apparent inability ficulties is the 150% debt-to-GDP systemic challenges ment and good governance.” with each phase including fund- to deliver on reforms promised at ratio, as well as a fiscal deficit of It remains to be seen whether ing for new and existing large-scale previous donor conferences. more than 10% of GDP, some of the linked to its economic Lebanon will seriously tackle its projects, each aimed at developing Underscoring Lebanon’s eco- highest figures in the world. environment. responsibilities in the long term Lebanon’s essential sectors — trans- nomic problems are its systematic In addition, the country’s or rely on the latest conference to port, water and irrigation, waste- transparency challenges, plunging lifeline — its prosperous banking sec- Nevertheless, the Central Bank’s buy itself enough time to avoid ma- water, electricity (energy), telecom, its score on international corruption tor — is vulnerable to political crisis. policy of financial stabilisation jor economic collapse in the short solid waste and tourism and indus- indices from 102 in 2008 to 143 this Nassib Ghobril, chief economist of will not make up for the absence of term. try, a recent paper by Blominvest year. Byblos Bank, said about $2 billion structural reforms. Wazni under- Bank stated. Since the 1990s, Lebanon has was withdrawn from Lebanon after lined that “the international com- Mona Alami is a French-Lebanese Chief economist at BLOM been asking for loans and subsidies the dramatic resignation announce- munity has called on Lebanon to analyst and a fellow at the Rafik Bank Marwan Mikhael stressed from international donors. Most ment of Prime Minister Saad Hariri implement structural reforms, as Hariri Centre for the Middle East of European enthusiasm for helping of those requests were granted to last November. opposed to pledges to reduce the the Atlantic Council. Viewpoint After Paris donor conference, let the show begin ebanon’s experience differences inside Lebanon relates with international sup- to whether the parliament should port conferences is not approve the overall investment Rami Rayess new. The small country package or vote on the rollout of on several occasions each and every loan, as mandated gathered states from by the constitution. Laround the world and international Parliament Speaker Nabih monetary institutions to rally sup- Berri, along with the leader of the port for its ailing economy. Progressive Socialist Party, Walid More than 22 countries and Jumblatt, were among the first to donors convened early in April raise concerns over the former, in Paris under the patronage of suggesting that limiting parlia- French President Emmanuel ment’s oversight of each aspect Macron to extend aid to Lebanon. of the aid package might pave the However, on this occasion, the aid way for under-the-table dealing, came predominantly in the form essentially replaying the dismal of loans, with nearly all predicated fates of Paris I, II and III. upon significant internal reform. Economic expert Ghazi Wazni The Cedre conference followed told a Lebanese news agency: “Po- three previous conferences — Paris Power boost. Karadeniz Powership Orhan Bey, an electricity- litical forces fear that loans might I, II and III. However, commit- generating ship from Turkey, docked at the port of Jiyeh in southern be misused because they are huge ments made by Lebanon at those Beirut. (Reuters) figures that will lead to financial gatherings have long since lost and economic consequences if much of their meaning, with all sector and the international com- Organisational reforms relating misused such as accumulating foundering on the rocks of local munity that Lebanon is a good especially to the public budget and the public debt in a manner that political differences. Most impor- place to do business,” an unnamed improving investment opportuni- Lebanon will not be capable to deal tant, economic reforms promised Western diplomat told the Leba- ties for the private sector. with. According to the Interna- by the Lebanese government never nese newspaper, the Daily Star. Sector reforms, with particular tional Monetary Fund, Lebanon’s saw the light. However, for the Lebanese reference to water and electricity, economy, with its institutional The timing of the latest confer- cabinet, the pitch was essentially which cost the government deficiencies, cannot employ more ence, just weeks before Lebanon’s straightforward. Its members were $2 billion a year without provid- than $1.5 billion per year and must parliamentary elections, also looking to the international coming 24-hour service throughout implement projects related to al- raised questions. Some critics munity to help sustain the coun- Lebanon. leviating the social situation and speculated whether the confer- try’s ability to support the Syrian Improving governance policies not in favour of personal benefit ence was for the good of Lebanon refugees, more than 1 million of that would fight corruption, which for politicians.” The conference as much as it was a donor platform whom had flocked to the country. has reached unprecedented levels It is a new challenge Lebanon yielded some for the current government, most Lebanon, its economy, infrastruc- in public administration. faces. As the country prepares of whose members are up for re- ture and education system — The conference yielded some for a fundamental parliamentary $11.5 billion election. already ailing after years of $11.5 billion of pledges, $860 mil- shift ahead of May’s elections, it of pledges, Throughout was the suspicion neglect — had all but buckled lion of which are grants, with the remains to be seen how effectively $860 million of mismanagement of public funds under the unanticipated flow and remainder made up of soft loans. a new parliament can manage and and the wide acceptance of the the country looked to the world for This is in addition to the previously implement an aid package agreed of which are grants, prevalence of corruption. “A strong help. approved $3 billion that has not by the former. with the remainder commitment to reform — and a Sweetening the pot, three broad yet been released due to various meaningful follow-up mechanism areas of reform were identified local political and bureaucratic Rami Rayess is a Lebanese writer. made up of soft for tracking progress — would send and put forward by the Lebanese obstacles. Follow him on Twitter: loans. a positive signal to the private cabinet: One issue that might inflame @RamiRayess. April 15, 2018 13 News & Analysis Palestine Israel

Viewpoint

Kamel Hawwash Palestine- Israel two-state solution is off the rails

arly in his adminis- settlements and settlers in the tration, US President West Bank. Israel is making it im- Donald Trump stated possible to achieve. It is expand- that he would support ing settlements and key members whatever the parties of Netanyahu’s coalition, such as agreed to in relation to Education Minister Naftali Ben- Ea one-state or two-state solution nett, have called for annexing the to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. West Bank. This was a major departure for the In any case, Israel has been act- United States, which had consist- ing as if it has sovereignty over the ently stated that the two-state so- whole of historic Palestine from lution was the only way to achieve the Jordan River to the Mediterra- peace. Former Secretary of State nean Sea. Its latest project demon- John Kerry had argued in Decem- strates this clearly. Reports claim ber 2016 that if Israel’s choice was that it is starting construction of a “one state, Israel can either be railway that would cross into oc- Jewish or Democratic. It cannot be cupied territory in the West Bank both.” and East Jerusalem. International outcry. Protesters take part in a demonstration in central London in support of During the 2015 election cam- The three-phase project would Palestianians in Gaza, on April 7. (AFP) paign, Israeli Prime Minister Biny- see the railway established on amin Netanyahu promised there 200 hectares of land. Palestinian would be “no Palestinian state agricultural land, trees and water under his watch.” His coalition sources would be destroyed in the Israel struggling to justify partners agree either implicitly or process. The plan includes build- explicitly that the two-state solu- ing 11 West Bank railways with a tion is not on the table, particu- length of 475km and 30 stations, larly following Trump’s election some of which would be in illegal and the formation of a US negotiat- settlements. shootings near Gaza border ing team that is wholly pro-Israeli, The Palestine Liberation Or- both in tone and in action. ganisation condemned the Israeli The Trump administration is government for the project. Mamoon Alabbasi Human Rights Watch. “The result deliberate shooting of journalists still working on the “ultimate It is likely that the plan would was foreseeable deaths and inju- by the Israeli army.” deal” that it claims will be difficult encourage further settlement ries of demonstrators on the other The International Federation for both Palestinians and Israelis construction, as housing in illegal London side of a border who posed no im- of Journalists (IFJ) dismissed the to accept. The undertones to the colonies is generally cheaper than minent threat to life.” charge that Murtaja was a Hamas Palestinians are that this will be it is in Israeli towns and cities. ith more than 30 Israel said some protesters threw militant, saying its files show that for “implementation, not negotia- This, together with fast railway unarmed Palestin- rocks and Molotov cocktails but he was detained and beaten by tion.” connections, would lead to more ians killed in less HRW said there was no evidence the security forces of the Islamist The United States angered Pal- Israelis residing in illegal settle- than two weeks, that Palestinian acts of violence group in 2015. estinians by recognising Jerusalem ments. Their opportunities for Israel is struggling had seriously threatened Israeli “It is clear that having murdered as Israel’s capital and cutting funds interaction with the Palestinians Wto justify its policy of shooting at soldiers. a journalist the Israeli defence to the UN Relief and Works Agency would be further limited because “March of Return” protesters near HRW rejected the apparent Is- minister is more interested in for Palestine Refugees, the agency it is not clear how Israeli security the Gaza border. raeli assumption that entering an spouting propaganda and engag- tasked with delivering services to concerns would be addressed to al- Israel warned that it would not Israeli-declared “no-go zone” is ing in a cover-up than in carrying Palestinian refugees. low Palestinians to use the railway. allow protesters to approach its se- enough to warrant being killed. out a thorough and transparent Palestinian President Mahmoud Going further, Reuters reported curity fence, which is inside Gaza, The rights group dismissed the Is- investigation and bringing Yaser’s Abbas severed ties with the US that Israeli Transport Minister but video footage appears to show raeli claim of killing known terror- killers to justice,” IFJ general sec- team, arguing the United States Yisrael Katz recently proposed Palestinians being shot despite ists. “By making such claims, the retary Anthony Bellanger said in a cannot be an honest peace broker linking Israel’s freight network posing no danger to Israeli forces. military appears to be trying to jus- statement. having made these two critical with Jordan and Saudi Arabia, a “This isn’t a security threat and tify otherwise unlawful killings in Despite the international outcry, decisions. However, his efforts to project he presented to Trump any sensible person knows this a law enforcement situation based the Israeli government appears to convince other countries or the Middle East Envoy Jason Greenb- isn’t a military confrontation but on alleged past activity,” HRW said be digging its heels. European Union to take a lead and latt. He claimed this could benefit a conscious battle, aimed at bring- in a statement. “We will not allow, here on the his call for an international peace the Palestinians “If the Palestin- ing the suffocating siege on Gaza to The UN human rights office -ac Gaza border, them to hurt us. We conference to take place in mid- ians connect to a railway system, an end,” Ronni Shaked, a research cused Israeli forces of using “ex- will hurt them,” warned Israeli 2018 have not borne fruit. the entire area will get a significant fellow at the Harry S. Truman Re- cessive force” and France con- Prime Minister Binyamin Netan- The Great March of Return has economic boost,” he said. search Institute for the Advance- demned Israel’s “indiscriminate yahu. seen tens of thousands of Palestin- Whatever the real motives, the ment of Peace at Hebrew Univer- fire” in Gaza. The chief prosecu- Netanyahu’s coalition partners ians camp and demonstrate on the outcome would be an entrench- sity, wrote in Ynetnews.com tor for the International Criminal are known for taking a hardline Gaza border with Israel calling for ment of Israel’s presence in the “The battle for public opinion Court, Fatou Bensouda, expressed against Gaza. implementation of their right of West Bank and an erosion of the depends on the military response “grave concern” over the shootings “Israel’s prime minister, Biny- return, which the Israelis met with last possibilities for a Palestinian to the protests and it’s a shame the and the European Union called for amin Netanyahu, has turned down violence, killing tens of protesters state. [Israeli military] is using aggres- an investigation, which Israel re- many proposals for a peaceful so- and injuring thousands. Israel claims it does not want to sive measures which have left 32 jected. lution to Gaza’s predicament, for Israel refuses to allow the see one state emerge as a long- people dead and hundreds wound- Among those killed was a Pal- fear of seeming weak in the eyes of refugees to return, 70 years since term solution to the conflict. ed so far. These numbers could estinian journalist who Israel his right-wing supporters,” wrote UN Resolution 194 giving them However, these projects are a clear rise in the coming weeks and have claimed was a Hamas militant. the Economist. this right was adopted. The Gaza indication that it is creating a one- damaging consequences on public Five other journalists were report- Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor march has highlighted the Pales- state reality that can either mean opinion and lead to international edly wounded on the same day, Lieberman said “there are no naive tinian refugee problem to the US equal rights for all in one state or protests.” drawing condemnations by media people in the Gaza Strip.” team, making it clear that, unless an apartheid state in which Jewish Shaked said Israeli attempts to advocacy groups. “Everyone’s connected to Ha- the issue is resolved, there will be Israelis dominate Palestinians. It is spin events to its favour failed. mas, everyone gets a salary from no peace, whether in one or two derailing the two-state solution. “Ridiculous diplomatic activi- Hamas and all the activists trying states. ties — like the appeal made by the to challenge us and breach the bor- The Palestinian leadership clings Kamel Hawwash is a Britain-based coordinator of government activi- der are Hamas military-wing activ- to the two-state solution despite Palestinian university professor ties in the territories to the head Despite the international ists,” Lieberman told Israel’s public the ever-increasing number of and writer. of the World Health Organisation outcry, the Israeli radio. over the tyre burning, which might government appears to Lieberman also courted contro- cause ‘an ecological catastrophe be digging its heels. versy by praising an Israeli sniper that would harm the health of the who was seen, in leaked footage residents and will cause unprece- that went viral on social media, dented air pollution,’ or the Israeli “The Committee to Protect Jour- wounding a Palestinian last De- ambassador’s appeal to the UN Se- nalists today condemned com- cember. curity Council secretary-general ments by Israel’s defence minister Israel confirmed the automatic- over Hamas’s use of women and over the weekend that appear to ity of the footage, which included children in the protests — fail to justify the killing of Palestinian the sound of Israeli rejoicing after create a battle over public opinion journalist Yaser Murtaja in Gaza the shooting. Lieberman criticised in the international arena. The an- and called on authorities to hold to the soldier who filmed the inci- nouncement that tyres won’t be al- account anyone who shot journal- dent. lowed into the strip is another pet- ists with live ammunition,” read a Domestically, Israel’s actions ty and childish move,” he wrote. statement by the group. have faced little criticism but in- Human Rights Watch (HRW) Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ternationally the Palestinian side branded the Israeli shootings as accused the Israeli military of the appears to be holding sway. unlawful and calculated. “deliberate shooting” of journal- “The Palestinian aim was to raise “Israeli soldiers were not mere- ists in Gaza. “Palestinian photogra- international consciousness and to ly using excessive force but were pher [Yaser] Murtaja was wearing a put the Palestinian issue back on apparently acting on orders that vest marked “Press”: he was obvi- the international and Israeli agen- all but ensured a bloody military ously the victim of an intentional da. It succeeded,” Shlomo Brom, Another brick in the wall. A 2016 file picture shows Israeli response to the Palestinian dem- shot,” said Christophe Deloire, a retired brigadier-general at Isra- Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara during an onstrations,” said Eric Goldstein, RSF’s secretary-general, on Twit- el’s Institute for National Security inauguration ceremony of Hahemek rail line. (AP) deputy Middle East director at ter. “RSF condemns absolutely the Studies, told the New York Times. 14 April 15, 2018 News & Analysis Turkey Turkey tries balancing act in Syria but ends up picking sides between US, Russia

Thomas Seibert

Washington

urkey attempted a political balancing act as it tried to chart a separate course in the Syrian crisis after tensions rose Tbetween the United States and Russia following suspected chemical attacks by the Assad regime on Douma, on April 7. But the limited US, French and British air strikes on Syrian military positions, early on April 14, pushed Turkey to take sides. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed support for Western strikes against Syrian leader Bashar Assad’s regime. “We consider this operation as appropriate,” Erdogan said at a meeting in Istanbul on April 14. “The regime has seen that its mounting attacks in recent days against dissidents… will not be left unanswered.” Erdogan, a harsh critic of As- sad, has been presenting himself War politics. as a mediator between his US and Turkish Russian counterparts, holding tel- President ephone conversations with both Recep Tayyip Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. Erdogan (L) “We are extremely worried that and Russian some countries confident of their President military power are turning Syria Vladimir into a scene for arm wrestling,” Er- Putin review dogan said on April 12 after Wash- an honour ington and Moscow traded accusa- guard in tions before the joint US, French Moscow. (AFP) and British strike. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim accused ing the lira to record lows. Union Party (PYD), seen as terrorist He also directed accusations “neo-Ottoman” plan that defines the United States and Russia of Turkey, a member of NATO, groups by Ankara. against both Russia and the United Turkey as an independent regional “street fighting” over Syria. provides crucial support for the Erdogan has met with Putin States. “Those who support the power in an echo of its imperial After his consultation with Pu- US-led coalition fighting the Is- about a dozen times since 2016, regime of murderer Assad are mak- past without having the political, tin, Erdogan said there were signs lamic State (ISIS) by opening a key much more frequently than any ing a mistake. Those who support economic or military muscle to of a “softening” in the standoff airbase near the Syrian border to Western leader. His closeness to the PYD terror group are also mak- play on that stage. A Turkish presi- between Washington and Mos- Western fighter jets. Two years the Russian president and his row ing a mistake,” Erdogan said. dential adviser freely admitted re- cow, which started when Trump ago, Ankara struck a deal to halt with EU leaders over human rights “Erdogan puts Turkey somehow cently that the government would tweeted that the United States was the flow of Syrian refugees to the and the rule of law raised concerns somewhere near the middle by not have been able to act in Afrin planning missile attacks on Syria European Union in exchange for in the West that Turkey is turning using the expression ‘both sides,’ without Russia’s consent. despite Russian warnings. Trump, financial support. NATO Secretary- eastward. Turkey is close to buying as if Turkey is not with one of the The close partnership with Mos- however, followed through with General Jens Stoltenberg is to visit a Russian air defence system and parts,” Murat Yetkin, editor of the cow could come as a price for Tur- his threats against Assad, launch- Turkey to talk about the situation has signed contracts with Russian English-language Hurriyet Daily key, said Gonul Tol, director of the ing air strikes with European al- in Syria. companies to build its first nuclear News, wrote in a column. Turkey programme at the Middle lies at three chemical weapons At the same time, Erdogan has power plant. The number of Rus- Critics call Erdogan’s approach a East Institute in Washington. “The facilities in Syria. A Turkish For- been cooperating closely with Rus- sian tourists on Turkish beaches is recent statements from Russia and eign Ministry source said Turkey sia, receiving Moscow’s green light soaring. Iran calling on Turkey to hand over viewed the operation as an “appro- for its military intervention into Observers said Ankara is not Afrin to the regime should be a priate response.” the Syrian region of Afrin earlier in looking to replace Turkey’s West- reminder to Ankara of the risks of Turkey had been keen for the the year. Erdogan, Putin and Irani- ern ties with an alliance with Rus- putting all its eggs in the Russian tensions between Washington and an President Hassan Rohani, meet- sia but is aiming for a third way that basket,” she wrote in an analysis Moscow to be reduced. A direct ing in Ankara in early April, agreed would result in Turkey acting on Erdogan has been for the institute. confrontation between the United on their wish for a US withdrawal its own. Erdogan said his relations cooperating closely with In another development that States and Russia in Syria could from Syria. Turkey has called on with non-Western countries, such Russia, receiving contradicts Turkey’s self-image as force Erdogan to choose sides, the Trump administration to end as Russia, Iran and China, were not Moscow’s green light for a powerful player in its own right, which he wants to avoid. The spat its support for the Syrian Kurdish meant as a substitute for Turkey’s its military intervention the country has seen its currency between the superpowers is also militia People’s Protection Units traditional bonds with the West but under strong pressure as a conse- straining Turkey’s economy, send- and the Syrian Kurdish Democratic as a complementary move. into Afrin. quence of the US-Russian standoff. Viewpoint Erdogan seeking dividends from Syria’s chaos

urkey will soon It’s not clear, however, whether Pompeo responded that the sum- Erdogan sees the Syrian president have to make clear the need to choose between the mit in Ankara had “the purpose of as an archenemy. whether it is with United States and Russia entered discussing how they were going “It is a bad time to have an ally Yavuz Baydar “ the United States Erdogan’s calculations. His Syria to carve up Syria.” This meant he on the fence,” commented Han- or with Iran,” policy has been divisive and, as was accusing Erdogan — the leader nah Lucinda Smith in the Specta- wrote Nikos Kon- the Afrin incursion showed, runs of a NATO partner — of cooking up tor. “The Turkish president has standaras,T a Greek colleague with counter to the policies of the anti- a formula that would go against watched the Western powers, the Athens daily Kathimerini. Islamic State coalition in Syria. Washington’s interests as well as which once shared his determina- It was an insightful comment. Erdogan is perceived as Russian those of NATO. tion to help the armed opposition As Konstandaras pointed out: “To- President Vladimir Putin’s fellow Pompeo also made clear that overthrow Assad, lose heart with day’s impossibly complicated game traveller and as serving Iran’s long- the battle against the Islamic State the rebels and instead back Kurd- may be superseded by something term interests in upending the (ISIS) was not over and that the ish forces to defeat ISIS. even more dangerous.” regional balance of power. United States would continue to “He has also watched the crum- Developments in and around This has become a hot topic of back the Syrian Democratic Forces, bling of the regional policy that he Syria keep Turkish President Recep discussion, as was obvious when whose backbone is the Kurdish and his former Foreign Minister Tayyip Erdogan in the spotlight. US President Donald Trump’s nom- People’s Protection Units militia. Davutoglu engineered, which Erdogan is Erdogan’s game, from the outset of inee for secretary of state answered Pompeo’s remarks came even would have made Turkey the mod- the Syrian crisis, was to ensure he questions during the confirma- as Washington and Paris indicated el for a string of post-‘Arab spring’ perceived as Putin’s had a stake in whatever emerged tion process. Secretary-designate they were prepared for a military Islamist governments and Erdogan fellow traveller and out of the chaos. Mike Pompeo was shown a picture escalation in Syria. the undisputed leader of the Sunni as serving Iran’s He has pushed Turkey’s Syria of Erdogan, Putin and Iranian The developments put Erdogan world. Today, the only firm Middle policy during the past seven years, President Hassan Rohani at a sum- in a precarious position. There is Eastern ally that Turkey can count long-term interests first with the enthusiastic support mit in Ankara. US Senator Robert Russia, which has turned a blind on is Qatar.” in upending the of former Prime Minister Ahmet Menendez, a Democrat from New eye to Erdogan’s campaign against Davutoglu and later on his own. Jersey, said: “What’s wrong with Syrian Kurdish forces, and there is Yavuz Baydar is a Turkish regional balance Erdogan hoped the policy would this picture? The United States isn’t the looming threat to Syrian Presi- journalist and regular columnist of power. cement his power at home. even present.” dent Bashar Assad’s hold on power. for The Arab Weekly. April 15, 2018 15 Debate Iran Iran’s low-intensity conflict with Israel in Syria On alert. An Israeli Iron Dome defence Ali Alfoneh system deployed in the Israeli- annexed Golan Heights near the border with Syria. (AFP)

ourteen servicemen, in the Israeli air strike were also On January 18, 2015, IRGC al- deterrent and this time around including at least likely to have been involved in Quds Force officer Mohammad-Ali they perpetrated the attack seven Iranian nation- Iran’s aerial drone programme Allahdadi was targeted by Israeli from Lebanese airspace.” als, were reportedly but their rank and unit were not helicopters in the Quneitra area Tehran’s muted response to the killed during Israel’s officially announced. in south-western Syria. He was Israeli attacks is understandable. April 9 attack on the The strike was not the first time killed along with several Lebanese Fearing Israeli attacks, Iran is me- T4 airbase near Homs. the IRGC and its allied Shia forces Hezbollah fighters. thodically expanding its military FThe incident was reported in the were subject to Israeli attacks. Is- The latest Israeli attack elicited infrastructure in Syria so it can Iranian media but in a relatively rael admits it has engaged in more little official response from Iran. engage Israel in a permanent low- low-key way. than 100 air raids against Lebanese One of the few public reactions intensity conflict. This manoeuvre This provides an important Hezbollah’s arms transfers from was offered by Ali Akbar Velayati, is aimed at keeping Israel busy and insight into Tehran’s strategy. The Syria to Lebanon. Iranian nation- senior foreign policy adviser to perhaps to deter it from attacking Fearing Israeli Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps als were killed in some of those Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali the Iranian mainland. (IRGC) does not mind engaging Is- attacks. Khamenei, who said during a trip IRGC planners realise that attacks, Iran is rael in a low-intensity conflict but On February 13, 2013, Com- to Syria that “Israel’s attack will the Iranian strategy comes at a methodically it tries hard to avoid all-out war. mander Hassan Shateri, also not remain unanswered.” price, such as the losses recently T4 hosts a unit of the IRGC known as Hessam Khoshnevis, Hassan Shemshadi, a military sustained at T4 but the IRGC finds expanding its Air and Space unmanned aerial was killed in an Israel Air Force analyst close to the IRGC, was this affordable. Less acceptable military drone force. The base is part of attack while transporting Iran- even more vague when asked by for the IRGC would be to lose face. infrastructure in the substantial military infrastruc- made weaponry from Syria to Sputnik’s Persian service if Iran So, the IRGC does not respond to ture established by Iran in Syria. Lebanon. Shateri was officially the would retaliate: “Until now, the losses at the hands of the Israeli Syria so it can Colonel Mehdi DehqanYazdeli, the head of the Iranian Committee for Islamic Republic has not officially Air Force. It knows it is neither in engage Israel in a highest-ranking Iranian fatality the Reconstruction of Lebanon. reacted to such attacks and has a position to inflict serious losses identified, served in the IRGC Air In reality, he was the highest- not issued any statements… but on the Israelis nor does it want to permanent low- and Space Force. ranking IRGC Quds Force officer in downing of the Israeli F-16 was a escalate a low-intensity conflict to intensity conflict. Other Iranian nationals killed Lebanon. warning to Israel. It was a all-out war. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards get new political commissar but may resist civilian control

ranian Supreme Leader Khamenei’s decree, with Brigadier- Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has General Esmaeil Kowsari, deputy appointed Abdollah Haji chief of the IRGC’s Sarallah Head- Sadeghi as his representative quarters, claiming: “I’m not aware to the Islamic Revolution- of it and must investigate the ary Guard Corps (IRGC). The details of the issue.” He also denied function of the “representa- the IRGC engaged in economic Itive of the Guardian Jurist” is not activity, insisting that “most of its dissimilar to a political commissar work is in the development sector” in the Red Army of the former So- and mostly undertaken when it viet Union. As such, Haji Sadeghi is is “beyond the capacities of other expected to serve within the IRGC [private sector] companies.” as the eyes and ears of the civilian Kowsari’s remarks were followed leadership. by a further disclaimer by the However, Khamenei’s new com- IRGC’s deputy for parliamentary missar may run into bigger prob- affairs, Mohammad Saleh Jokar. He lems than ever faced by his prede- told the reformist Etemaad Online cessors: institutional resistance by Challenging mission. Abdollah Haji Sadeghi, representative of that he neither knew anything of the IRGC to civilian control. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to the Islamic the supreme leader’s decree nor There is little in Haji Sadeghi’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). (IRNA) the defence minister’s statements. record to indicate he would be For leading IRGC commanders an effective commissar. In an to feign ignorance of Khamenei’s interview with the IRGC weekly branch of the IRGC and served in Minister Amir Hatami told the decree strikes at the prestige of his Sobh-e Sadeq, he disclosed that he very junior positions during the government-owned daily Iran that office. It is not only a clear sign of enrolled at a seminary in 1974. The war with Iraq. From 1988, when “Ayatollah Khamenei has tasked institutional insubordination by Tebyan website, another mouth- the war ended, his responsibilities the General Staff of the Armed the IRGC but also demonstrates piece of the IRGC, further identi- seem to have been limited to re- Forces [with] transfer of [owner- the civilian leadership’s inability to fied the Zolfaqar School at the search and bureaucratic positions ship] of financial institutions of control the force. Isfahan Theological Seminary as at the IRGC Imam Hossein Univer- the army and the [IRGC].” This In the circumstances, the ap- the first institution Haji Sadeghi at- sity. He stayed there until October was meant, he said, for the IRGC pointment of a timid functionary tended. If that was his first school, 8, 2011, when he was appointed the to “abandon unrelated economic as Haji Sadeghi as the supreme Isfahan may be his native province. supreme leader’s deputy repre- activities.” leader’s representative to the The appointment of However, in 1978, he transferred sentative to the IRGC. He explained that “we do not IRGC may be an indication of Haji Sadeghi may to the more prestigious seminary Now, Haji Sadeghi is commissar consider running of financial insti- civilian surrender rather than any- in Qom and became politicised. but this new job comes at a time tutions as the mission of the armed thing else. be an indication of Even so, his “revolutionary” the politically assertive IRGC is forces.” It was an obvious reference civilian surrender credentials appear to have been openly challenging Khamenei’s to the IRGC’s financial activities Ali Alfoneh is a non-resident rather than limited to distributing pamphlets. authority. It has been rebellious in and the parallel banking sector, in senior fellow at Rafik Hariri After the revolution, Haji Sad- other ways, too. particular Mehr Eqtesad Bank. Centre for the Middle East at anything else. eghi joined the Khorramshahr In January, Iranian Defence The IRGC denied knowledge of the Atlantic Council. 16 April 15, 2018 News & Analysis East West As hawks take centre stage in Washington, so does Iran’s challenge

Thomas Seibert without previous experience in Pompeo and Bolton. “However, government who was fired by the verdict is out on how these Trump last month, was never a bureaucratic changes will trans- Washington member of the inner circle around late into policy making,” Macaron the president. added via e-mail. “The Pentagon he rise of two prominent “There is an obvious systemic seems to have the upper hand for foreign policy hawks to shift in the US national security the foreseeable future.” crucial positions in the apparatus that will alter the dy- Bolton and Pompeo are both Trump administration namics of the Trump administra- known as sharp critics of the inter- is likely to put a bright tion’s decision-making process on national nuclear agreement with Tspotlight on Iran as the biggest the Middle East,” said Joe Maca- Iran and have indicated in the past challenge for the United States in ron, a fellow at the Arab Centre in that they would support military the Middle East. However, early Washington. strikes against Tehran. statements from the new nation- Macaron said he expected De- The pair will advise Trump al security team indicate a more fence Secretary James Mattis and about whether to pull the Unit- pragmatic than ideological ap- Chief of Staff John Kelly, two for- ed States out of the nuclear deal proach. mer generals seen as supporters of when the next deadline arrives John Bolton started work as US a moderate approach, “to be bal- May 12. America’s European allies New dynamics. CIA Director Mike Pompeo takes his seat to testify President Donald Trump’s national anced by the hawkish civilians” are asking Trump to save the pact, before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in Washington, on security adviser on April 9, replac- arguing it is the best way to pre- April 12. (Reuters) ing H.R. McMaster. Unlike McMas- vent Iran from acquiring a nuclear ter and Michael Flynn, Trump’s weapon. French President Emma- first pick as security adviser who nuel Macron and German Chancel- hard-line position on Iran was “in particular. “It will be interesting to only lasted three weeks, Bolton, lor Angela Merkel will try to con- rhetoric only.” The administra- watch how Bolton interacts with 69, is an experienced bureaucrat vince the US president on separate tion’s main goal was to distance him,” Mack said in an interview, who knows how to work the politi- visits to Washington this month. itself from the JCPOA without referring to Trump. cal machinery in Washington. There is an obvious Pompeo told the Senate he hurting US interests in the Middle Another key question is whether He is also an unapologetic sup- wanted “to fix” the Iran accord East but it did not know how to go Bolton and Pompeo will steer US porter of the US-led war against systemic shift in the once he became secretary of state. about that, he said. foreign policy away from the Twit- Saddam Hussein in 2003, largely US national security He did not repeat earlier state- “The United States has no strat- ter storms and erratic statements seen as a disaster both for Iraq and ments about attacking Iran but egy in the Middle East. There is that have become Trump’s trade- the United States. The former US apparatus. stressed the value of diplomacy in- neither appetite nor willingness to mark. The president fused Twitter ambassador to the United Nations stead. “Even after May 12, there’s embark on new military adventures to trumpet an upcoming US mis- began his new job as the adminis- still much diplomatic work to be in the Middle East,” Macaron said. sile attack on Syria, only to walk tration pondered a missile attack done,” Pompeo said. Bolton and Pompeo also face the announcement back a day on Syria. Bolton’s position in the Asked whether, for the moment, a president with isolationist in- later. These statements came after deliberations was not immediately Iran remains in compliance with stincts. David Mack, a former US he used a campaign-like speech known. the Joint Comprehensive Plan of diplomat who worked closely with in Ohio to say the United States Mike Pompeo, 54, the director of Action (JCPOA), as the Iran agree- Bolton in the early 1990s, said the would withdraw from Syria “very the CIA, faced a confirmation hear- ment is officially known, Pompeo new security adviser was a highly soon”. ing in the Senate as the secretary said: “I’ve seen no evidence that intelligent and hardworking offi- Pompeo insisted at his Senate of state on April 12. The former they are not in compliance today.” cial whose views on issues such hearing that he would not be a US lawmaker from Kansas is seen Bolton has not commented on as the Iraq war differ considerably “yes” man but would stand up to as one of the most influential for- the Iran accord publicly since he from those of the president. Trump if he felt it was necessary. eign policy aides in Trump’s team started his new job. In an inter- Trump has called the Iraq war He said he had been able to con- because he has been presenting view on Fox News in March he did of 2003 a big mistake and is scep- vince the president to change his the daily intelligence brief for the not repeat earlier harsh statements tical of foreign interventions by mind in conversations he had with president for some time. about Iran, saying that former the United States in general and him during his tenure as CIA chief. Pompeo’s predecessor, Rex Joe Macaron, a fellow at the comments were behind him. of nation-building — the cen- The Senate is to vote on Pompeo’s Tillerson, a former oil executive Arab Centre in Washington Macaron noted that Trump’s tral idea behind the Iraq war — in confirmation this month. Viewpoint Main takeaways from congressional testimonies of Mattis and Pompeo

t always is a big day in the strike” against the government positions to go unfilled and prom- Pentagon were being carried out US Congress when a cabinet of Syrian President Bashar Assad ised to fill vacancies. carefully and with awareness of officer is summoned to testify would require further congres- Pompeo’s approval by the Senate the possible consequences of a US Mark Habeeb before a committee, and Au- sional authorisation, as some in is likely but far from certain. Many military strike and announced that gust 12 was a mega day: Mike Congress have suggested. Democrats are wary of some of his he was headed to the White House Pompeo, President Donald No questions were asked about past public statements and one after the hearing to meet with ITrump’s nominee to become secre- the stalled Israeli-Palestinian Republican – Senator Rand Paul Trump’s national security council tary of state, was grilled by the Sen- peace process nor the Palestinian of Kentucky – has declared that he staff. ate Foreign Relations Committee protests and recent violence along will vote against Pompeo’s con- “We are trying to stop the mur- while on the other side of Capitol Israel’s border with Gaza, perhaps firmation because of his support der of innocent people. But on a Hill, Secretary of Defence James because the State Department and for the 2003 Iraq war and his past strategic level, it’s how do we keep Mattis was testifying before the its professional diplomats have comments on torture. this from escalating out of control, House Armed Services Committee. largely been sidelined from this Given that Republican Senator if you get my drift on that,” Mattis The primary focus of the sena- issue ever since Trump took office John McCain remains in his home said. He also indicated that no deci- tors’ concern was whether Pompeo and dumped the peace process state of Arizona receiving cancer sion would be made on how and would challenge his boss and be into the lap of his son-in-law, Jared treatment, Pompeo will need some when to respond to Syria until after an independent voice on foreign Kushner. Democratic support in order to be Trump had spoken with British policy. It is a relevant concern In what appeared to be an effort confirmed. He received the votes Prime Minister Theresa May and because so far, people who chal- to distinguish himself from John of 14 Democrats for his confirma- French President Emmanuel Ma- lenge Trump’s impulse-driven Bolton, Trump’s hawkish new tion as CIA director, but this time cron, thus revealing a rare instance policies, such as former national national security adviser Pompeo Democrats may oppose his confir- of multilateralism in an adminis- security adviser HR McMaster, said: “Every day at the forefront mation as a means of expressing tration that has so far pursued a have ended up being ousted. While of our mind is how can we find displeasure with Trump’s foreign unilateral foreign policy. assuring senators that he would solutions that achieve the Ameri- policy. For those who are alarmed by speak his mind with the president, can objective but avoid us having Mattis told members of the Trump’s foreign policy instincts Pompeo also expressed full backing to put a single American in harm’s House Armed Services Committee and the views of his new foreign for Trump’s position on Iran. The way.” Nice words, but Pompeo’s that Trump had not yet made up policy team of Bolton and Pompeo, president has said that he will take past comments suggest that he his mind on a response to the Syr- Mattis remains the last senior steps to withdraw from the nuclear values coercion over compromise ian government’s alleged chemical administration official who speaks accord on May 12 unless European and dialogue. weapons attack on Douma. But the in measured and cautious terms powers agree to “fix” the terms of A few Democratic senators very next day, the US launched air and, although a retired general, he the deal. questioned Pompeo about his strikes against Syrian government is not trigger-happy. He is, indeed, It seemed at times Surprisingly, the Senate did not management style and whether targets. the brake on a potentially out-of- take the opportunity to question he intended to replenish the State It seemed at times as if Mattis control vehicle. as if Mattis was Pompeo on his views toward Syria Department’s empty offices. He was trying to counter Trump’s trying to counter and the diplomatic approach he acknowledged that morale at the bombastic tweets about Syria or Mark Habeeb is East-West Editor would take to help bring about a department was low, an implicit to at least put them into context. of the Arab Weekly and adjunct Trump’s bombastic resolution. He did, however, say criticism of his predecessor, Rex He suggested that deliberations professor of Global Politics and tweets about Syria. that he did not believe a “surgical Tillerson, who allowed many between the White House and the Security at Georgetown University. April 15, 2018 17 News & Analysis East West After Orban’s re-election, populist Hungary set to be a thorn in EU’s side

Mahmud el-Shafey southern border marks an exter- Barbed wire nal Schengen border zone. At the politics. height of the refugee crisis, many Hungarian London asylum seekers sought entry into Prime the European Union’s Schengen Minister Viktor ungarian strongman zone via Hungary. Orban waves Viktor Orban secured At an election rally in March, Or- during the a historic fourth term ban turned his ire on the European final electoral after his anti-immigra- Union. “Africa wants to kick down rally of his tion, anti-Islam, right- our door and Brussels is not de- Fidesz party in Hwing populist Fidesz party secured fending us. Europe is under inva- Szekesfehervar, a two-thirds majority in parlia- sion already and they are watching on April 6. (AP) mentary elections. with their hands in the air,” he told Fidesz won 133 seats in Hun- a cheering crowd. gary’s 199-member parliament, Hungary built a fence along its having run a campaign almost ex- southern border with Serbia and clusively based on the issue of mi- Croatia in 2015 to try to stop ille- gration and the idea of defending gal migration. While the fence has “Christian” Hungary from refugees been controversial in the European and migrants. Union, it has been popular with supporters. Fidesz’s April 8 election victory, with such a commanding parliamentary majority, sets the stage While Orban is critical of for Orban to take the offensive do- the European Union, mestically and in Hungary’s rela- nobody expects him to tions with the European Union. “Hungary’s parliamentary elec- seek to leave the union. tions results will likely provide ro- bust validation for the nationalist, Orban sought to portray the is- populist and xenophobic ideology sue of immigration as an exis- espoused by Prime Minister Viktor tential threat to Hungary and the Orban,” Phoenix Kalen, a London- rest of Europe. It is a message that based analyst at Societe Generale, galvanised supporters and raised was quoted as saying on portfolio. already high fears about the nor- hu, a Hungarian financial website. The European Union reacted line. Orban had said that Hungary “There is a big, big rightward malisation of far-right anti-Islamic Far-right leaders across Europe cautiously to Orban’s re-election. would not accept the European move as a result of these elections discourse across Europe. congratulated Orban following European Commission President Union’s compulsory redistribu- in Hungary,” said the United King- In his annual state of the union his election victory, hoping that it Jean-Claude Juncker issued a tion of migrants and indicated dom’s leading anti-EU politician speech in February, Orban warned augurs well for far-right politics in statement stressing the impor- that he wants the European Union Nigel Farage in comments made on that the European Union had forthcoming European elections. tance of all members “defending” to change the way it distributes his LBC radio show. “opened the way for the decline of “The inversion of values and the values of the European Union, funds. “It used to be said that I was the Christian culture and… Islamic ex- mass immigration promoted by the “with no exception.” “The results may include contin- European Union’s biggest night- pansion.” EU have once again been rejected,” European Council President uing strains in Hungary’s relation- mare, campaigning for Britain to “We are those who think that Eu- said France’s National Front leader Donald Tusk also implicitly warned ship with the EU, which has thus leave. I think Viktor Orban is go- rope’s last hope is Christianity… If Marine Le Pen. “Nationalist par- Orban to walk the line in his offi- far been powerless to stem Hun- ing to be an even bigger nightmare all this continues, in the big cities ties could be a majority in Europe cial statement of congratulation. “I gary’s slide into autocracy,” Kalen because he doesn’t even intend of Europe there will be a Muslim at the next European Parliament count on you to play a constructive acknowledged on portfolio.hu. to leave. He intends to be there to majority,” he said. elections in 2019.” role in maintaining our unity in the While Orban is critical of the keep saying no and to cause abso- Hungary has a small Muslim The far-right Alternative for Ger- EU,” Tusk said. European Union, nobody expects lute chaos,” he added. population, estimated at just many party tweeted that Orban’s It is not clear that Orban, with him to seek to leave the union, 40,000 out of a population of 10 re-election was “a bad day for the political capital to spend after his particularly given that Hungary is Mahmud el-Shafey is an Arab million. However, the country’s EU but a good day for Europe.” election victory, will toe the EU reliant on EU funds. Weekly correspondent in London. Australian mini-series brings migration debate back to the fore

Iman Zayat days. Four days.” The scene both expresses Bilal’s feeling of betrayal and illustrates Tunis the language divide that separates two distinct cultures. Language he plight of asylum seek- serves as a refuge for the asylum ers and their precarious seeker, a hideout where he can sea crossings frequently conceal his shame and vulnerabil- make headlines after ity. tragedy unfolds. Reaction The narrative of “Safe Harbour” Tto the news is invariably mixed, navigates a tangled web of char- with some advocating on behalf of acters, motivations and relation- the migrants and others arguing for Engaging thriller. ships, merging the political with improved border security and con- A scene from SBS’s the personal. This provides new trols. psychological thriller insight into an issue that has long While most migration coverage “Safe Harbour.” (SBS) been at the centre of public debate, is centred on Europe, many asy- especially in Australia. lum seekers attempt to make their growing global phenomenon: asy- from a multicultural perspective, forward. This sense of betrayal is In 2016-17, Australia’s Refugee way to Australia, which has a strict lum seekers looking for a second pushing viewers to think deeply conveyed through the cutting of and Humanitarian Programme ap- policy of turning away unauthor- chance on the opposite side of the and critically about the issue. the rope, which results in the loss proved visas for 21,968 people, in- ised boats regardless of where they globe. The drama includes metaphors of seven lives. cluding 8,209 from the Syria and come from. Authorities insist this In the first episode, Australians about the stark social divide driving This is built on later in the se- Iraq, a 20.4% increase from 2014- approach is necessary to deter dan- on a sailing holiday face an unex- the migration crisis. The spacious ries when Bilal (Robert Rabiah), an 15, the Department of Immigration gerous sea crossings and save lives pected predicament when they yacht inhabited by five well-off Iraqi asylum seeker, begins telling and Border Protection said. but the policy has been harshly crit- come across asylum seekers in friends symbolises life in Australia; his story. Surprisingly, the listener Many prospective migrants are icised by rights campaigners. distress. They decide to tow the the cramped boat carrying cold, is an Australian woman but Bilal turned away, however. Most of The politically charged issue will troubled vessel to shore but over- hungry, endangered migrants sym- relays the facts in Arabic: their boats are intercepted by Aus- attract more controversy with the night the rope is cut and by morning bolises the ravages of conflict and “Back in Iraq, I trained with your tralia’s military before being sent release of “Safe Harbour,” a fictional it is gone. (Actors Phoebe Tonkin, poverty throughout the world. country’s army,” Bilal bitterly re- back to their country of departure, TV series about Australian holiday- Leeanna Walsman, Joel Jackson, The series sheds light on the be- calls. usually Indonesia. makers on a cruise who encounter a Nicole Chamoun and Hazem Sham- trayal felt by many asylum seekers, Smiling without understanding Migrants who do reach Australia broken-down boat carrying desper- mas co-star in the series.) who find it difficult to sever ties what Bilal is saying, the Austral- by sea are barred from settling in ate asylum seekers. The opening sequence poses with their painful past and move ian woman says: “Arabic always the country; instead they are sent The four-part psychological provocative questions about hu- sounds kind of harsh when I hear it to Australian-run detention cen- thriller, directed by Australian man behaviour: Would you, with on TV but not when you speak it.” tres on the Pacific island of Nauru Glendyn Ivin, is engaging and well- a small group of friends, step in She invites Bilal to go on telling the or the Manus Island in Papua New made and has attracted consider- to help dozens of strangers in dis- story. Guinea. There, their asylum claims able controversy since its release tress? Would you fear the potential “When your soldiers left, the are reviewed, a process that can on Australian public television net- danger of being overpowered by the Islamic State militants came. They take up to one year. work SBS in March. Some viewers desperate men and women who are The narrative of “Safe were looking for me but they If their refugee status is ap- hailed it as a “gripping” narrative fighting to survive? What are the Harbour” provides new couldn’t find me,” he says. “They proved, they are resettled on and others dismissed it as “propa- risks of ignoring their calls? Will insight into an issue that found my wife instead. They took the islands or, in some cases, ganda.” they die if you fail to act? has long been at the her and they raped her and tor- Cambodia. Aside from moving the migration However, do not be fooled; the centre of public debate, tured her. Then they hanged her debate front and centre, the series series is not a form of political advo- so that everyone could see. Her Iman Zayat is the Managing Editor provides a unique perspective to a cacy. It aims to tell a complex story especially in Australia. body was hanging there for four of The Arab Weekly. 18 April 15, 2018 Spotlight IT Social Media Egypt draws up ambitious plan for booming IT sector

Amr Emam service industries, including ex- hope the zones convince tech com- port, onshore and in-house ser- panies to relocate their businesses vices, employed more than 292,000 to Egypt and will include state-of- Cairo people. The Massachusetts-based the-art training centres to provide a global research and consulting firm qualified labour force. gypt has unveiled an am- International Data Corporation The new plan of the Communica- bitious plan to raise its in- (IDC) said it expected Egypt’s web- tions and Information Technology formation technology (IT) enabled service industry to employ Ministry includes an aspect to in- exports and increase the 378,000 people by 2020. crease locally made inputs in the fi- contribution of the sec- Over the past few years, IDC said, nal products and services produced Etor to the country’s gross domestic Egypt has been at the centre of in Egypt. product. interest from multinational com- Qadi said outsourcing will be cru- The plan, formulated by and to be panies seeking to engage offshore cial to implementing the strategy. implemented by the Communica- IT services. “Outsourcing is actually one of sev- tions and Information Technology Major information and commu- eral pillars on which the strategy is Ministry, seeks to turn the IT sector nication technology companies are built,” the minister said. “Other im- into a main driver of Egyptian eco- establishing service delivery cen- portant components of the strategy nomic growth. It is part of Cairo’s tres in Egypt to handle their global include the localisation of techno- efforts to diversify the country’s operations, IDC said in a report re- logical industries, attracting more economy and end dependence on leased in February. The companies technological investments, mod- traditional income earners, such as include IBM, which has set up six ernising the communications infra- tourism, agricultural exports and centres in Egypt; Valeo, which has structure and opening new regional the Suez Canal. its main R&D centre in Egypt; and and international markets.” Mentor Graphics, which hosts its There are hopes that online out- biggest R&D centre outside the sourcing will increase Egypt’s hard United States in Egypt. currency inflows and ease pres- Over the past two years, Egypt’s sures on the trade and payments IT sector has been growing 2.5% an- balances. Over the past two years, nually and the new plan set a goal Egyptian policymakers said that Egypt’s IT sector has of a growth rate of more than 15%. outsourcing has great potential in a been growing 2.5% “Egypt has what it takes to be- country where more than 800,000 annually and the new come a regional hub for data cen- university graduates enter the la- plan set a goal of a tres,” said Hamdi el-Laithy, head of bour market every year. communications at the IT Chamber Egypt’s economic reform, which growth rate of more of the Egyptian Federation of In- has included the flotation of the than 15%. dustries. “Huge work is being done national currency, has led to a seat the national level to achieve this vere drop in the exchange rate of goal.” the Egyptian pound. This drop has The plan, Communications and This work includes construction caused suffering to local consum- Growing sector. An Egyptian man talks on his mobile phone Information Technology Minister of seven technological zones out- ers but is giving Egypt an edge as in front of the Ministry of Communications and Information Yasser al-Qadi said, looks to raise IT side Cairo. The zones are being es- an outsourcing centre for IT indus- Technology headquarters in Cairo. (Reuters) exports to $20 billion annually by tablished, among other places, in tries. 2025 from $3.3 billion now. Egypt’s the southern province of Asyut, the Greater focus on the IT sector as IT exports were $1.8 billion in 2016, northern coastal city of Alexandria a driver of the economic growth products from emerging markets, investments,” said Yumna al-Hama- the ministry said. and the central province of Beni will benefit the economy, reduce especially in the African continent qi, an economics professor at Cairo “It will also raise the contribution Suef. pressure on other sectors and help and Egypt can use its proximity to University. “All these advantages of the IT sector to the gross domes- Construction of the technologi- Egypt’s economic policymakers reap greater dividends. should give us an edge that com- tic product to 8%, up from 3.5% cal zones is to be completed this draft long-term plans, economists “We have a huge pool of skilled pounds our country’s proximity to now,” Qadi said. year, with operations beginning said. labour, infrastructure and a markets where there is demand for In 2017, Egypt’s web-enabled soon afterward. Officials said they There is also demand for IT competitive environment to IT IT products.” Viewpoint Greater opportunities but entrenched stereotypes for Arab women in data science

omen make up up by Odeh and Kaoutar nearly half of the el-Maghraoui. Middle East and As prominent data scientists, they Khadija Hamouchi North Africa re- wanted to support and inspire Arab gion’s 422 million women in computing. ArabWIC, people, the World which has chapters in 17 countries, WBank says, and the region’s women has linked more than 2,500 Arab are finding roles in previously female academics, students, entre- off-limits fields such as computer preneurs and industry professionals engineering and data science. from all over the world through its Data science is a sunshine sec- annual conference. tor. Last year, IBM predicted that In March, the American Univer- the number of data science and sity of Beirut organised the second analytics jobs worldwide would Women in Data Science conference jump from 364,000 to 2.7 million in partnership with the Stanford by 2020. Institute for Computational and “Data is the new oil,” said Mathematical Engineering. Mariette Awad, associate profes- It featured Olivia Liao, data man- sor in the Electrical and Computer ager at Uber, and drew 715 partici- Engineering Department of the pants to the venue and 580 online American University of Beirut. “If Sunshine sector. Lina Daouk-Oyry, assistant professor of attendees. you have data, you have knowledge organisational behaviour at the American University of Beirut, Event coordinator Mirna Mek- and that is powerful for business moderates a panel. (The American University of Beirut Conference) dashi said it was important to raise today.” awareness about the field among Clearly, there are immense op- Arab women and “to encourage portunities in data science but constitute a majority of university “we love to tell stories and are great and support women to enter STEM there are also entrenched gender students in computer science and at thinking about the detail. This (or Science, Technology, Engineer- stereotypes. “There is still that engineering courses. The US aver- is where we can have an impact.” ing and Mathematics) fields and boys’ club mentality in the field,” age for female enrolment in similar Indeed, data science allows women pursue a career path in data science Awad said. “The higher you get up courses is 12%. to play crucial roles in business. and finally to shed light on female the pyramid, the lonelier it gets for The interest in tech careers is However, data sciences infra- leading figures in the domain to women.” prompted partly by the perception structure is woefully inadequate further inspire and guide.” Precise numbers for Arab women the data scientist’s office can be in the region. The capacity to store Awad said such initiatives were working in data science are not anywhere. Arab women data scien- vast amounts of data and financial crucial as women forge ahead in available but research by New York tists say their jobs are family-friend- support for research remain a prob- data sciences. “I do not want to University Abu Dhabi’s Sana Odeh ly because they offer the flexibility lem in the Arab world. be treated nicely or differently indicates they are keen to study to work from home. Awad pointed out that even when because I am a woman,” she said. While engineering, computer science and The data scientist’s job is to important data in large quantities is “I want to be given opportunities infrastructural other technology-related subjects. develop solutions to problems. For generated or super cool algorithms because of my capabilities, compe- issues need to be Odeh, clinical professor of com- this, he or she must be involved created, “we do not have the stor- tence and knowledge.” puter science, said women make up in the process of problem-solving age capacity to save all of this.” worked out, Arab 40-50% of the student cohorts in from start to finish, from data col- While infrastructural issues need Khadija Hamouchi is a women are those subjects. lection to interpretation. This can to be worked out, Arab women are Belgian-Moroccan social In the Palestinian territories, be done at a computer anywhere. gearing up to play a bigger role. In entrepreneur and founder of gearing up to play United Arab Emirates, Saudi Awad said data sciences are a 2012, the Arab Women in Comput- SEJAAL, an initiative that is a bigger role. Arabia, Egypt and Lebanon, women good fit for women because ing (ArabWIC) organisation was set building an app for young people. April 15, 2018 19 Economy

Aramco to help build India’s biggest refinery Briefs

The Arab Weekly staff Turkey’s lira hits record lows amid London economy fears audi oil giant Aramco has agreed to work with ener- Turkey’s embattled currency gy firms in India to build the lira has plunged to record lows the country’s largest oil against the dollar and the euro, with refinery. investors fearing strong growth SAramco announced the signing masked the risks of high inflation of a memorandum of understand- and economic overheating. ing with Ratnagiri Refinery and Turkish authorities in March re- Petrochemicals Ltd., a consortium ported growth of 7.4% in 2017 but of state-owned Indian oil compa- inflation remained in double figures nies, to develop and build an in- and concerns have mounted over tegrated refinery and petrochemi- the current account deficit. cals complex at Ratnagiri, in the As of April 10, the lira was trading west coast state of Maharashtra. at more than four to the dollar and The project, which is estimated five to the euro for the first time and to cost $44 billion, is the latest analysts fear the pressure on the deal announced by Aramco. It re- currency is not over. cently signed a $5 billion deal with France’s Total to build a refinery (Agence France Presse) at Jubail, Saudi Arabia, and a $10 billion agreement with US energy firms, including drilling services companies Baker Hughes and Hal- liburton. Aramco has also pledged bil- Egypt plans deep lions of dollars for deals in Malay- sia and Indonesia in the past year. cuts in energy “Investing in India is a key part of Saudi Aramco’s global down- subsidies, stream strategy and another mile- increases for food stone in our growing relationship Expanding market share. Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih (C) speaks to the media as he leaves with India,” Aramco President and after a meeting in New Delhi, last February. (Reuters) CEO Amin Nasser said during the Egypt plans to cut fuel subsidies signing ceremony. by one-quarter and nearly halve “The signing marks a significant and produce a range of refined pe- world’s top three oil producers, than 15% of all global oil deposits. those for electricity in the financial development in India’s oil and gas troleum products, including gaso- along with Russia and the United It produces more than 10 million year starting in July but will raise sector, enabling a strategic joint line and diesel, meeting BS-VI fuel States, with Aramco as the centre- barrels per day, three times as food subsidies slightly, a govern- venture and investment partner- efficiency norms. piece of its operations. much as the world’s largest listed ment document said, in a series of ship that will serve India’s fast- The refinery is also to provide Saudi Aramco has crude oil re- oil company, ExxonMobil, and its moves to reduce budget costs by growing demand for transporta- feedstock for the integrated pet- serves of 265 billion barrels, more reserves are more than ten times $2.4 billion. tion fuels and chemical products,” rochemical complex capable of larger. Cutting subsidies to reduce pres- Nasser said. producing approximately 18 mil- Aramco, believed to be the sure on government spending is He added that Aramco partici- lion tonnes per year of petro- world’s most valuable company, one of the country’s main goals as pating in the project would allow chemicals. is planning an initial public of- it pushes forward with reforms to it to go beyond its crude oil sup- In addition to the refinery, fering for later this year or next. revive an economy that has strug- plier role to a fully integrated po- cracker and downstream petro- However, the Saudi government gled since a 2011 uprising. It is also a sition that may help in other areas chemical facilities, project plans The project to develop has yet to decide whether to list condition of a $12 billion deal Egypt of collaboration, such as refining, include facilities such as a logis- and build an integrated the company’s shares on the Sau- signed with the International Mon- marketing and petrochemicals, tics, crude oil and product stor- refinery and di exchange alone or on a stock etary Fund in 2016. for India’s energy demands. age terminals, raw water supply, petrochemicals complex market abroad. New York, Lon- Aramco said the new refinery as well as centralised and shared at Ratnagiri is estimated don and Hong Kong are favoured (Reuters) would be capable of processing 1.2 utilities. as potential sites for a possible million barrels of crude oil per day Saudi Arabia is one of the to cost $44 billion. dual listing. Viewpoint Iraq agriculture projects attract Saudi investments Dubai places he Iraqi government has is expected to attract investments the Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar announced that the from other Gulf countries. Experts al-Abadi’s rapprochement efforts. billions on Saudi-Iraqi Coordination point out that the Gulf countries They feel reassured by his choices Salam Sarhan Council is examining an are interested in developing food of building balanced relations with mega projects agricultural investment security and Iraq can satisfy that Iraq’s neighbours and putting an project covering strategic need. Decades of political end to foreign agendas in Iraq. ahead of Expo T1 million hectares in instability in the region have made The Saudi-Iraqi Coordination Anbar province in western Iraq. progress in that direction impossi- Council met in Baghdad in March Iraqi Planning Minister Salman ble, however. to look into the cooperation meas- Dubai is spending tens of billions al-Jumaili said the council was Saudi officials said Riyadh has ures. The council inventoried “16 of dollars on infrastructure and studying technical aspects of the practical plans for strengthening memos of understanding being hospitality projects related to the project. Saudi-Iraqi relations through eco- developed by the Iraqi government international trade fair Expo 2020, Experts said the project is an ex- nomic cooperation. with the Saudi side. Four of these Dubai-based BNC Network said. cellent initiative that could lead to Interest in investing in farming memos have been co-signed and The value of Expo-related projects further Saudi-Iraqi cooperation, es- projects in the western countryside the rest will be completed soon.” under way hit $42.5 billion in March, pecially in the Iraqi agricultural sec- of Iraq dates to the 1980s when The Saudi-Iraqi Coordination the Construction Intelligence Re- tor, which has enormous potential. China made proposals for develop- Council was established October port stated. Arable land in Iraq is not restricted ing huge areas of farmland. During 22, 2017, during Abadi’s official visit to the basins of the Euphrates and that period, however, the priori- to Riyadh and his meeting with (Agence France-Presse) the Tigris rivers but extends to most ties of the Iraqi government were Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz of Badiyat al-Jazira, in north-east- focused on the war efforts during Al Saud. ern Iraq, and the western desert. the Iran-Iraq conflict. A direct maritime line between Saudi Ambassador to Iraq Ab- Farming is not new in the coun- the Saudi port of Dammam and the dulaziz al-Shammari said the Saudi tryside of Anbar province. Because Iraqi port of Umm Qasr has been Agricultural and Livestock Invest- of the availability of fresh water activated. It is the first maritime Lebanese PM says ment Company (SALIC) was negoti- springs, hundreds of successful link since 1990 and will be devoted economic deals ating huge food processing facilities small farms have existed for ages in to cargo shipping. Naim al-Naim, in the Iraqi governorates of Anbar the area. Provincial officials point director of King Abdul Aziz Port of to be signed with and Muthanna. Those projects are out that fresh spring water is avail- Dammam, said there were weekly expected to create 30,000 jobs in able in good quantities all over the trips planned and the port author- Saudi Arabia each governorate. countryside. ity was working towards doubling Official studies indicate that War-weary Iraqis are thrilled with that frequency. Lebanese Prime Minister Saad the countryside in western Iraq the prospect of economic coopera- The border crossing between al-Hariri said he had an “excellent” has the potential of becoming a tion between Iraq and Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia and Iraq at Jemima is meeting with Saudi Crown Prince world’s breadbasket because of and other Gulf countries. Most of to open soon and there are plans for Mohammed bin Salman bin Ab- its rich farmland and enormous them look forward to seeing Iran’s preparing other border crossings. dulaziz and expected Lebanon to water table. The area includes Lake influence in Iraq shrink signifi- Air traffic between the countries is sign economic deals with Saudi Ara- The border Habbaniyah, Lake Razaza and Lake cantly because it did not offer any on the rise and plans for linking the bia soon. Sawa in addition to the strategic economic advantage to the country. railway networks in both countries “We will see very soon certain crossing between water reservoir of Haditha Dam in Middle East observers praise are being prepared. agreements that will be signed with Saudi Arabia and Anbar. Saudi authorities for finding, Finally, Iraq’s Central Bank an- Saudi Arabia vis-a-vis different sec- Iraq at Jemima is Similar potential exists in the area through economic cooperation, the nounced the bilateral signing of a tors of the economy, whether it is known as Badiyat al-Jazira, cover- best way to counteract Iran’s influ- memo of understanding concerning industry and tourism and services,” to open soon and ing part of Anbar province and the ence in Iraq. The Iraqi government, the opening of branches of Iraqi Hariri said during a news conference there are plans for provinces of Saladin and Nineveh too, is interested in strengthening and Saudi banks on each other’s in Beirut. and containing Lake Tharthar, a economic ties with Saudi Arabia. territories. preparing other major water reservoir. Governments in the Gulf coun- (Reuters) border crossings. The agricultural sector in Iraq tries seem quite satisfied with Salam Sarhan is an Iraqi writer. 20 April 15, 2018 Society Drama therapy used to help victims of trauma in Baghdad

Oumayma Omar of digging into the past only but drama therapy offers patients an Baghdad innovative way to express their suppressed emotions and reac- herapy through theatre tions through playing roles re- and music is what Iraqi lated to what happened to them artist and drama profes- in the past or what they are going sor Jabbar Khammat is through at present or what they using to treat depression apprehend might happen to them Tsuffered by trauma victims at his in the future. theatre clinic in Baghdad. “Unlike traditional therapy, dra- The cases of Kassem, Jaafar and ma therapy looks at the targets as Ahmad, Khammat said, reflect outcasts instead of patients, and the difficult psychic conditions of this helps build confidence instead a substantial portion of the Iraqi of feelings of uneasiness or ani- population suffering from decades mosity,” he added. of war, chemical attacks, depriva- Dr Oussama al-Saidi, director tion and bad economy. of Ibn Rushd Psychiatry Hospi- “They are examples of ex-pris- tal, said: “Drama therapy is a new oners, drug and alcohol addicts therapy in Iraq and it could be used and victims of non-conventional as part of the overall rehabilitation weapons and war traumas who process at the hospital. Medical were able to overcome their de- personnel need training and expression with the help of drama pertise in drama therapy, which therapy,” Khammat said. proved to be effective with certain “Ahmad’s case, for instance, patients while they were still in the sums up most of the psychologi- hospital. However, their response cal conditions. His depression was temporary. Some relapsed into stood as an obstacle between him their depression and addictions af- and his direct family. He sunk into ter being discharged. complete stupor and isolation and “That is why this type of therapy A new approach to life. A patient at the theatre clinic expresses himself through acting and playing became addicted to drugs and al- needs close follow up, in addition the oud. (Oumayma Omar) cohol as a means of escaping from to being sustained with medica- his painful past and harsh present.” tion.” Ahmad suffered from the loss of solace in playing music. Through survivors of chemical weapons at- Khammat said he hopes to take his sweetheart killed in an explo- drama, they can actively explore tacks in 1988 in Halabja, in north- the drama therapy practice to sion at the age of 17, and, although the depth and scope of inner ex- ern Iraq. At least 5,000 people places in Iraq where people have he later married and had children, perience and eventually enhance died and an estimated 7,000 were suffered the most trauma. He said his trauma persisted and depres- interpersonal relationship skills. injured or had long-term illness- he planned to train therapists in sion compounded with difficult “This meant that they have to Unlike traditional es. Many of those involved had different parts of the country “to living conditions almost killed him. concentrate on something other breathing difficulties and some- assist hundreds of Iraqis suffering “Ahmad became a different per- than their addictions or past trau- therapy, drama times found it difficult to express from traumas and who need mod- son after he was able to disclose his ma and look instead towards the therapy looks at the how hard that had been almost 30 ern techniques to take them out of problems and express his feelings future. Drama therapy helps them years after the attacks. their desperate conditions.” on stage to an audience, the ma- gain more confidence, concentrate targets as outcasts “Psychodrama experience has However, the teacher-turned- jority of whom are patients at the and relax,” Khammat said. instead of patients. helped many trauma victims to therapist admitted that it is not clinic. By doing so, he succeeded Drama therapy is relatively new come out of their stupor by giv- an easy task to convince Iraqis of in liberating himself from the shad- to Iraq. Khammat introduced the Iraqi artist and drama ing them the chance to take part in the merit of drama therapy. There ows of the past,” Khammat said. approach at the juvenile peniten- professor Jabbar Khammat writing plays through which they are other challenges, too, such as He explained that the main tiary of al-Juaifer in 2010 as part of illustrate their stories and embody a lack of state funding and dealing phase of the treatment called “the a reformist project. Young people aspirations and hopes, such as be- with fact that women from con- platform of disclosure” offer pa- in the prison were asked to chan- Citizen” is a play written and per- ing a good person, especially in the servative families refuse to get on tients “the space or context to tell nel their energy into theatre by formed by patients at Ibn Rushd case of drug addicts. The therapy stage in Iraq and the lack of sites to their stories, set goals, solve prob- writing and performing a play in Psychiatric Hospital, where Kham- helps them train and move into work regularly. lems, express feelings or achieve which they reflected their stories, mat tested his alternative therapy. the future, a practice that would catharsis.” sufferings and hopes. Afterward, The play focused on corruption eventually change their approach Oumayma Omar, based in At a later stage, they are trained they could interact with the audi- with three characters representing to life and their behaviour,” Baghdad, is a contributor to the in drama performance, includ- ence. different parts of Iraqi society. Khammat said. Culture and Society section of ing vocal exercises and some find “The Journal of a Forgotten Another project was put on for “Traditional treatment consists The Arab Weekly. Emirati initiative brings happiness expertise to Egypt

Ahmed Megahid The process will include many provide high-quality training, using events to acquaint Egyptians with advanced tools in making people happiness, not as a state of mind happy.” Cairo but as a way of life, said Mohamed Implementation of the initia- Shtayat, UAE trainer and a coordi- tive is to start in July. Egyptians he United Arab Emirates nator of Alif Yaa Saada. will be allowed to attend seminars is the happiest Arab coun- “We want to entrench the con- and courses within the initiative try and the 20th happiest cept of happiness in the culture for free. Alif Yaa Saada, Lutfi said, nation in the world, the and attitudes of the people of makes the project free to encour- “World Happiness Report Egypt,” Shtayat said. “We want to age individuals and institutions to T2018” stated. teach people that there are tools for participate. The report, a UN annual ranking reaching happiness.” Egyptian training company Sky- that assesses a country’s average The Alif Yaa Saada initiative was line is to assist the UAE initiative well-being by looking at its income, unveiled in Abu Dhabi on March and the Egyptian NGO. It offers con- life expectancy, social support, 20. It is a UAE blueprint for bring- sultancy and designs programmes freedom and trust and generosity, ing happiness to the Arab region. in capacity-building and upgrading ranked Egypt 122nd out of 156 coun- The initiative will work with local business institutions. tries. institutions in almost every Arab The company will provide logisti- Now, a UAE initiative is work- country to train locals on how to cal support and offer advice on who ing to transfer the Arab Gulf coun- find happiness in everyday life. it should target and where for effec- try’s happiness expertise to Egypt The UAE stunned the Arab world Spreading happiness. The signing of a cooperation protocol tive implementation. through a partnership with an in February 2016 when it appointed between Alif Yaa Saada, Egyptian NGO Arab Achievers and Egypt stands to learn a lot from Egyptian NGO. a minister of state for happiness. Egyptian training company Skyline. (Alif Yaa Saada) the implementation of the Alif Yaa Alif Yaa Saada — meaning “Happi- This was unprecedented in a region Saada initiative, given the experi- ness from A to Z” — signed a coop- torn by conflicts, sectarian strife ence of the UAE in this field, the eration protocol with Egyptian NGO and animosities. is also about a number of values training sessions to help Egyptians company said. Arab Achievers in March to have The UAE’s approach to happiness that certainly make it a reality if reach happiness. “The UAE also stands to ben- UAE instructors in the field of hap- breaks away from widely held con- they control people’s lives.” “We will start with workers at efit from implementing the initia- piness help Egyptian institutions cepts. It views happiness not as a Arab Achievers said it is enthu- major institutions nationwide and tive in Egypt by giving its trainers train Egyptians on how to be happy. state of mind but a way of life that siastic about cooperating with the then think of other categories of the chance to train Egyptians in The initiative aims to teach Egyp- can be taught and is necessary for UAE initiative because Egypt and society to make them aware of happiness-making,” said Ghada tians positive attitudes, tolerance nation-building, increasing produc- Egyptians could use as much hap- the practices that lead to happi- Abdel Razeq, the head of training and generosity. It will try to spread tion and peacemaking. piness as possible. ness,” said Sameh Ali Lutfi, chair- at Skyline. “So, this is a win-win positive ideas about the empow- “Happiness is a culture and a re- The agency will help implement man of the board of trustees of situation. It must be said that turn- erment of women, coexistence sult of a number of scientifically its initiative’s programme in Egypt Arab Achievers. “UAE trainers ing happiness into a science is the and peacemaking. proven practices,” Shtayat said. “It through seminars, workshops and participating in the initiative will UAE’s gift to the Arab world.” April 15, 2018 21 Society Family Debate on equal inheritance heats up in Morocco

Saad Guerraoui law, which currently allots men double the amount of their female counterparts, according to Islamic Casablanca jurisprudence. A special commission created to study the issue is to sma Lamrabet resigned present its findings in June. from Morocco’s Islamic In Morocco and most Muslims league of theologians af- countries, a woman receives half as ter she defended equal much as a man in inheritance and inheritance and caused cannot collect the bequests without anA uproar among conservatives. the participation of at least one male Lamrabet, in a statement, said relative. she expressed “strictly personal” Saida Idrissi, president of the views during a university confer- Democratic Association of Moroc- ence on inheritance. Her com- can Women, said Morocco’s 2011 ments led to controversy at the constitution stipulates gender Academic Council of the “Rabita equality in all fields including eco- Mohammadia” — the Islamic league nomic rights that “enclose inherit- For better or worse. A Jordanian couple greet their guests at their wedding party at a hotel in of theologians — in which she was ance.” downtown Amman. (Reuters) director of the Centre for Women’s “Given that inheritance is a very Studies and Research in Islam. important economic issue, men “Faced with such pressure, I was do not want to share this wealth to forced to submit my resignation which women have contributed,” because of the divergences on the Idrissi said last August. approach of equality between men Hundreds of Moroccans last Jordan introduces and women within the religious month called for the annulment of frame of reference,” said Lamrabet Ta’sib, a rule that gives the rights to in her statement. the men closest to the family of the Lamrabet claims to have always deceased or distant relatives, even advocated a progressive, reformist unknown and never having any free pre-marriage and depoliticised reading towards links with the family, to share the the issue of women in Islam. She inheritance with female orphans said: “It is the action that I have al- who do not have a brother. ways led through the deconstruc- Lamrabet, author Leila Slimani, tion of rigorous and patriarchal former Health Minister Houcine readings, especially through my Louardi and Rachid Benzine, an counselling to various works.” Islamologist and researcher, were Lamrabet insisted that her vol- among the signatories to call for unteer work within the Rabita had the change in an online petition re- no other ambition than to serve her leased March 20. country and was aimed at fostering “Ta’sib no longer corresponds to a “peaceful Islam, contextualised the functioning of the Moroccan lower divorce rates and in tune with universal human- family and the current social con- istic values compatible with our cul- text,” the statement from the sig- tural values.” natories read. “It makes the poorest Roufan Nahhas over 30 and 100,000 women over 27 marry foreigners. The equal inheritance issue has women more precarious, it forces who are not married,” he said. “Men “Foreign women don’t ask for long been a taboo in Morocco, de- many parents to give up their prop- carry a lot of burdens and are un- dowry or an expensive house and a spite its reputation for a moderate erty, while alive, to their daughters, Amman der pressure to provide necessary car, and today one can easily find a view of Islam. and finally, it is a pure product of the marriage requirements, including bride online, travel to meet her and Many NGOs and celebrities, in Fiqh (jurisprudence) and does not n a move to lower divorce high dowry demanded by the girl’s get married,” he said. addition to some religious figures, obey a divine command.” rates, Jordan has implemented family.” The Supreme Judge Department have openly called for “Ijtihad” — an “Why maintain a rule that not a comprehensive programme The pre-marital counselling pro- statistics show that, in 2017, ap- independent interpretation — on the only has no social justification but to prepare couples for a long gramme offered by the Chief Islam- proximately 3,413 Jordanian men issue of equality between men and that, moreover, is jurisprudence and married life by focusing on ic Justice Department is optional. married non-Jordanian Arab wom- women. Conservatives reject even has no basis in the Quran? On the Ifour key aspects of their future. It includes lectures and seminars en and 467 married foreigners, debate on the issue, arguing that contrary, in today’s context, Ta’sib The pre-nuptial programme has covering marriage-related rights while 3,582 Jordanian women mar- Quranic texts cannot be changed. goes against the principles of justice been hailed as a positive move. and duties in line with sharia and ried Arab nationals and 333 married Last year, Tunisia became the first of the Quran and not in the sense of There is an average of 80,000 mar- laws governing family matters, non-Arabs. Arab country and fourth Muslim na- its purposes,” it added. riage contracts sealed in Jordan an- such as health aspects of spousal tion to suggest amending equal in- nually but nearly 21,000 cases of relations, children’s education and heritance laws when President Beji Saad Guerraoui is a divorce are registered each year. personal communication and man- Caid Essebsi set in motion a debate contributor to The Arab Weekly “There is a decrease in the num- aging household finances. to reform the country’s inheritance on Maghreb issues. ber of marriages in Jordan and this “The marriage certificate given is unhealthy. The main reasons for by the Chief Islamic Justice Depart- There is an average of the trend are the lack of financial ment is an excellent and positive 80,000 marriage means and fear of assuming the means for preparing couples who responsibility of raising a family,” are in the process of getting mar- contracts sealed in said Hussein Khazai, a professor of ried. It increases awareness about Jordan annually but sociology at Jordan University. all aspects of married life, which, nearly 21,000 cases of “The lack of knowledge of the in my opinion, is what we need,” divorce are registered true meaning of marriage among said Alia Saed, a single Jordanian each year. young people makes the idea of woman. getting married a problem and not “I have many friends who got a solution.” married but soon they faced many issues. If they had the chance to go to such seminars about marriage, Ashraf Omari, spokesman for the I believe most of the problems chief Islamic judge, encouraged would have been solved.” couples planning to get married to Others say lack of knowledge follow the counselling programme. The pre-marital about responsibilities and duties “It is very flexible and does not de- counselling programme that come with being married is not lay or complicate any planned mar- includes lectures and the obstacle that is stopping young riage,” he said. people from getting married. “It is a one-day programme that seminars covering “We are living in the knowl- covers key issues in married life marriage-related rights edge age and information about and it is free for now. It is limited and duties. marriage is accessible everywhere (to Amman) for the time being but but I think the most important is- we need to take it to locations all sue that couples face is financial in- over the kingdom. The programme security,” said Ayman Horani, who targets those who are over 18 but The number of marriages owns a car washing business. also, in special cases, those who are dropped to 77,700 in 2017 from “How can a young person get underage,” Omari told local media. 81,343 in 2016. Irbid governorate married and provide a secure life The programme has been intro- in northern Jordan registered the for his family when his monthly duced to refugees at Zaatari, Jor- highest number with 28% and income is not sufficient to sustain dan’s first official Syrian refugee Karak governorate in the south the himself? The man should provide camp and home for nearly 80,000 lowest with 1.4%, statistics from a house, furniture, food, pay bills people. Early marriages are becom- the Supreme Judge Department in- and school tuitions and this does ing increasingly common among dicate. not come cheap.” Syrian refugees. An estimated 45% of Jordanians Horani said the increase in are unmarried, Khazai said. the cost of getting married was Roufan Nahhas is a journalist In for a change. Former director of the Centre for Women’s Studies “There are some 150,000 men leading many Jordanian men to based in Jordan. and Research in Islam Asma Lamrabet. (AFP) 22 April 15, 2018 Culture Reliving the Agadir quake in London’s Barbican Centre Karen Dabrowska between the Barbican and Agadir. mingle with the audience. “The Barbican was built on a former Collages adorn the wall oppo- blitz site in an area of London that site the sketches. They are intricate London was levelled in world war two. Agadir works with complex messages. A has a very different social and politi- lorry load of people made homeless devastating earthquake cal history but it was a site that was by the earthquake is set against the in February 1960, which destroyed and then rebuilt in brutal- background of colourful, homely reduced most of the Mo- ist style. It heralded a new style of ar- wallpaper showing how life changed roccan port town of Agadir chitecture in Morocco and in London in an instant for the earthquake vic- to rubble, was the catalyst the Barbican showcased brutalist ar- tims. forA “Agadir,” an amazing multime- chitecture.” A video compiled from archive dia exhibition in London’s Barbican, footage in which the quake’s victims which features line sketches, collag- talk about their experiences runs on es, a documentary film, an awesome a loop on a large screen on textured installation of wicker crafts and book concrete walls. It begins with an aer- readings by actors from the novel The exhibition has ial view of the city and then focuses “Agadir.” universal appeal on the destruction, the piles of rubble Moroccan artist Yto Barrada trans- and significance. and the eerie aftermath: overturned formed the sweeping expansive empty chairs and crushed Venetian Curve Gallery into a surreal setting blinds. “The city was knocked out, where visitors relive the destruction Wicker chairs in front of the draw- people were in the street in their py- of Agadir. ings enable visitors to contemplate jamas,” one survivor recalled. “The Barbican Curve is as scary as the artwork while they listen to At the end of the exhibition is a a haunted house. Some pretty great sound recordings of readings from scene from the interior of a lamp ghosts have already installed won- “Agadir,” the hybrid novel/play by shop: wicker light shades are sus- derful projects using the space in eve- Mohammed Khair-Eddine who was pended from the ceiling and cast a ry possible way and now, for my sins, commissioned by the Moroccan gov- ghostly shadow on the walls. The it’s my turn. I’m honoured to have a ernment to write a report about the mural starts to fragment and leads chance to try. In my performance and earthquake. Instead, he came up with the eye upward to a surreal dimen- installation piece, I explore relation- a surreal novel. The book has been sion. ships between spatial proximity, af- translated into English so passages The exhibition has universal ap- fliction and trauma,” Barrada said. could be acted and read in the exhi- peal and significance. “We are con- One wall of the gallery is devoted bition. stantly dealing with the idea of to white blackboard-like sketches of Visitors feel energised as they walk reinvention after disasters be they buildings in Agadir before and after into the gallery and hear characters natural disasters, climate change or the quake. The buildings float in a engage in a fervent debate over how cities ravaged by wars, which contin- void as solo objects without relation- best to reform the structures govern- ues to happen in much of the world,” ship to one another and include a cin- ing their lives. The earthquake seems Johnson said. ema and a chalet garden in the indus- to represent the rising tensions of Barrada lives and works in New trial quarter. society facing the ruin of urban en- York. She is the founder of Cinema- “A children’s technique of drawing vironment. It forces the characters theque de Tangier, North Africa’s when you cut into an etched surface to think about political and religious premiere cinema cultural centre was used,” curator Lotte Johnson power and social relationships. and film archive. Her work has been said. “You cover a piece of paper with “Our country takes on a new his- exhibited internationally at Tate wax crayons and then put a layer of toric dawn,” one man says. “We are Modern in London, the Museum of black paint and trace off that top sur- liberated by a catastrophe.” Another Modern Art in New York and other face to reveal a design. We blew up comments that the king sold the venues. that technique into a very large-scale country at a discount and a woman “Agadir,” runs through May 20 at design. Barrada etched into the sur- pleads with a prophet to make her a the Curve Gallery, Barbican Centre in face of the Barbican. She sketched an passport so she can leave for France. London. artist’s vision of a new Agadir on the On selected Saturdays actors from walls of the curve.” London’s Guildhall speak, walk Karen Dabrowska is an Arab Weekly Johnson stressed the parallels and dance among the drawings and contributor in London. Art Dubai 2018 reaffirms role as top venue for dialogue and partnerships N.P. Krishna Kumar the local community, worked with very happy to be here and we will by the Museum of Modern Art. The one another and participated in definitely be back.” volume investigates modernism talks and conducted open studios. Ziad Anani, director of Zawyeh in the Arab world from 1880-1980 Dubai Art Dubai Director Myrna Ayad Gallery from Ramallah and who and includes manifestos, essays said the fair “reflects the multicul- was participating for the third time, and transcripts of roundtable dis- escribed as the “most tural and diverse nature of Dubai said: “I hope that Art Dubai will cussions. Nada Shabout, profes- globally diverse to date,” itself and our platform is the only continue to be a successful plat- sor of art history at the University the 12th Art Dubai was one representing the Middle East, form for us to showcase contem- of North Texas, noted that was “a attended by 28,000 visi- North Africa and South Asia.” porary Palestinian artists for many shift from the post-colonial lens” tors thronging gallery “Art Dubai is where initiatives years to come.” and an attempt to bring the voices Dhalls across the venue in Madinat are formed or announced, artists’ Zawyeh Gallery presented an ex- of the artists to the foreground. Jumeirah. careers launched onto the interna- hibition of new artwork featuring Outside the gallery halls, high- Organisers reported an 18% in- tional stage and new partnerships Palestinian artists Samah Shihadi lights of the fair included the un- crease in ticket sales over last year. and discoveries are made. There and Aissa Deebi. Both use power- veiling of “Walled Unwalled,” Law- Representations by 106 interna- is so much on offer that there is ful black-and-white drawings and rence Abu Hamdan’s winning work tional museums and cultural in- something for everybody,” Ayad paintings to explore the complex for the Abraaj Group Art Prize. stitutions displayed works from added. and distant relationship with an Hamdan investigates the concept regional and international art scene The fair reaffirmed its position elusive homeland. of wall in the present age and how across the Contemporary, Modern as a place of discovery with galler- Art Dubai featured major link it is no longer physically or concep- and Residents sections. ies from new markets exhibiting with art institutions from Saudi tually solid or impenetrable. The Art Dubai Contemporary sec- alongside leading galleries from es- Arabia such as Misk Art Institute The Abraaj Group Art Prize tion had 78 galleries from 42 coun- tablished art centres. and Art Jameel, among others. As (2009-18) announced that its full tries, including first-time partici- Maria Mumtaz, director at Gal- part of its partnership with Misk, collection of works commissioned pants Ethiopia, Iceland, Ghana and lery Isabelle van den Eynde, one the fair presented a museum- through the ten years of the prize Kazakhstan. of Dubai’s leading galleries and quality exhibition titled “That Fe- will move to the Jameel Arts Centre The Art Dubai Modern section long-time exhibitor at Art Dubai, verish Leap into the Fierceness of in Dubai on long-term loan, to be featured 16 galleries from 14 coun- said: “It’s so wonderful to see new Life,” featuring rarely seen modern displayed there from the opening tries with solo, two-artist and group galleries and artists from South works from across the region. of the centre on November 11. exhibits of museum-quality work America, Azerbaijan and other ar- The Modern Symposium pro- As part of Art Dubai’s education- by masters from the Middle East, eas that were not present in previ- gramme, also supported by Misk, al programming, the 12th Global South Asia and Africa, whose work ous years.” examined the Modernist period Art Forum discussed artificial in- was influential in the 20th century. Mark Hachem, director of Mark in the Gulf as well as some of the telligence and automation, titled Premiering this year was a section Hachem Gallery and a first-time major artists and movements “I AM NOT A ROBOT.” One of the called Residents, which featured 11 exhibitor, said: “We’ve met won- of that era in the Middle East, issues discussed was how automa- artists whose exhibited works were derful collectors and the sales were Africa and India. tion would affect creativity. produced during residencies of four fantastic. The interest we’ve had in At the start of the symposium, a to eight weeks in the United Arab our programme was amazing. It’s publication titled “Modern Art in N.P. Krishna Kumar is an Arab Emirates. The artists engaged with our first time in Art Dubai. We’re the Arab World” was introduced Weekly contributor in Dubai. April 15, 2018 23 Culture

Surreal Viewpoint dimension. A view of the interior of a lamp shop at the “Agadir” Nazli Tarzi exhibition at the Curve Barbican The Iraqi lamassu bull Centre in London, on February 6. takes up residence in (Getty Images) London’s Trafalgar Square

islocated from it natu- longer things are absent for, the ral habitat, the iconic, likelier collective amnesia becomes, centuries-old, human- driving the 44-year-old artist “to headed lamassu bull resurrect what was dehumanised.” has been raised onto “Forgetting enables comfort,” the fourth plinth at Tra- Rakowitz said in defence of his Dfalgar Square in London, its home artistic impulses that spawned for the next 24 months. “The Invisible Enemy Should Not Crucial message. Egyptian poet Shirin Adawi recites a poem at Inspired by British artist Marc Exist,” which he began in 2007, the closing ceremony of the Tunis Poetry Festival. (Tunis Poetry Festival) Quinn’s mission to “research histo- reconstructing 8,000 of Iraq’s looted ries that are not front and centre,” items. His art responds directly to artist Michael Rakowitz celebrated the violence of war and occupation his “The Invisible Enemy Should but unobserved pilfering and over- Tunis poetry festival Not Exist” sculpture as a ghost of the looked theft of artefacts, though past, introducing to the British pub- daily realities in Iraq, fall outside the lic Iraq’s Mesopotamian heritage. project’s artistic scope. aims to revive all forms I watched the unveiling anxiously The question of “what successive as a British-raised, Baghdadi-born Iraqi generations think” and what Iraqi, who, like the winged-lamassu meaning they might read from the of a deeply rooted art bull, resettled in a place far from artist’s rendering was one Rakowitz that I call home. The creator, an expressed interest in. The internet Roua Khlifi life that can humanise our world. American-Iraqi artist of the Jewish enabled users worldwide to learn “This has to be taught to change faith, stood shoulder to shoulder about the landing of the lamassu the traditional point of view of po- with London Mayor Sadiq Khan in London but greater interest has Tunis etry as a form of literature that is as he tore back the black shroud been generated by diaspora circles inaccessible. We need to remind beneath which the lamassu stood than those back home. unis’s newly inaugurated people that poetry is to be sung erect. When asked by Channel 4 City of Culture brought and that it is to be studied as an as- From the artist’s perspective, the presenter Jon Snow if visiting Iraq together 240 poets from pect musically and as rhythm, not aim is not simply to dazzle audi- is something Rakowitz has ever 16 countries for the just words. It is also music and not ences but to challenge the invis- dreamt of, he spoke against using Carthage Days of Poetry, just language.” ibility of Iraq’s disappeared artefacts “the vulgarity of the American pass- Tan international festival aimed at Lebanese poet Charbel Dagher absorbed into the lucrative market port” to exercise a privilege other celebrating poetry contributions said: “Poetry is meant to disturb of looted goods. Like lost items Iraqis have been denied. in the region. because its structure, rhyme and that wash up on beaches, out of the During his conversation with The late-March festival was hailed content express the beautiful soli- 15,000 artefacts stolen 15 years ago Snow, the risk of commodifying as a “historic” opportunity for po- tude of the soul and the individu- from Iraq’s National Museum, some disappearing cultures in today’s ets. al.” have been recovered but the full col- hyper-consumerist age or the limits “In a time when some people say Khamlichi said the festival provid- lection is yet to be restored. of artistic resistance was raised by poetry has lost its place, today we ed participants with an “enriching Against the backdrop of London’s an audience member from Iraq. prove them wrong,” said Jamila experience.” “We have amazing grey-washed skies; the figurine As an artist, Rakowitz spoke Mejri, a Tunisian poet and the fes- poets that lack exposure, espe- stands defiantly, arresting the gaze of two responsibilities his work tival’s director. “It is an opportu- cially in the modern world that be- of passers-by with its glistening upholds. Cultural education of a nity to celebrate poetry. came digitalised,” she said. coat of armour made from 9,000 country few understand beyond the “The theme is to celebrate poetry The festival attracted a large au- recycled date syrup (dibis) tins. spectre of war that looms across the and celebrate life, which is meant dience, especially young people. Their incorporation into the project, region, as the first, and the need to to send a message. It is an op- “Students participated in great the artist said, extends beyond the be the “purveyor of discomfort,” the portunity to face the difficulties numbers, which was amazing,” plinth “into cupboards and bellies.” second, to look past the rose-tinting and issues we have in our life and said Mejri. “Also, we dedicated an In this context, protection of news coverage to keep alive Iraq’s our country and to transcend this evening for street poetry, an ini- emerges not in the form of blast bittersweet past. through art and to fight it with art.” tiative by a group of young Tuni- walls or security checkpoints but For Rakowitz, the lamassu is both The festival invited visitors to sians.” by a timeless staple of Iraqi cuisine; “a monument and an admonish- daily workshops, conferences and The enthusiasm that the youth dibis. Although dibis is a struggling ment” and like people, artefacts, evening poetry readings with re- showed, she said, proves “that po- commodity due to the diminishing too, rise and fall. nowned poets from the region, etry is still relevant” today, “may- economy of date farming in Iraq, the Responses from Iraqis, whom I Vigorous including Iraq’s Hamid Saeed, be even more than ever.” cultural and socio-economic impor- spoke with to gauge feelings about exchange. the UAE’s Mohammad Briki and “Poetry is mysterious. It is about tance of Iraq’s date palm lives on. the project, were so diverse they Kuwaiti ar- Egypt’s Shirin Adawi. borrowing, imagery and ex- The plinth concurrently nods to could not be catalogued. Joy topped tist Thuraya “The programme was rich,” Mejri perimentation,” said Khamlichi. the Assyrian dynasty whose palaces the list — enabling people to regain al-Baqsami said. “The festival seeks to become “Some young people might find it housed bulls 5 metres high as they access to happy but dusty memories speaks to a platform for the meeting and ex- difficult to access poems but this guarded entrances, watchfully and from the past — but sorrow followed visitors change of not only Tunisian poets is an opportunity for them to learn gracefully, adding to its layers of cul- closely behind. at the Art but also poets from the Arab world. more about poetry. We need to fo- tural meaning. Bigger concerns occupied indi- Dubai There were conferences dedicated cus on the role of poetry as an as- The bull’s reinstatement following viduals from communities that Modern to issues related to poetry and this pect of a multidisciplinary culture. the Islamic State’s destruction of the dot Iraq’s Nineveh plains. They section. will become a forum to discuss the After all, the poem is a beautiful Nergal gate in 2015 can, therefore, expressed indifference but said they (Photo Solutions) difficulties poets face in the Arab adventure.” be read as an act of recovery and felt relief to see Iraqi relics pro- world.” Beyond promoting the role of po- remembrance with an important tected inside Europe’s safe houses, etry, the festival also showed how message to transmit. Even if Iraq’s whether the plinth or ornate muse- the genre can interact with other ancient artefacts never fully return, ums halls. artistic disciplines. Rakowitz’s recreation leaves behind “Hospitality and hostility share “The idea was to have a workshop “a cultural-trace” in memory of hu- the same root” after all, Rakowitz The festival invited to work on the fusion of poetry man and cultural loss, he argued. stated. visitors to daily and plastic arts,” said Rym Zay- At the symbolic level, many Iraqis The project has restored some workshops, conferences at, a workshop coordinator. “We abroad may look to the lamassu of Iraq’s cultural radiance dulled and evening poetry wanted to work on plastic arts that statue as the guardian angel of the by drawn-out warfare. A great deal feature poetry or how to embody country’s fading memories — once more needs to be done to restore readings with renowned poetry in plastic arts.” the protective deity of Assyr- looted items, protect archaeological poets from the region. She added: “We worked on por- ian kings and their palaces. Iraqis dig sites and revive date farming to traits of poets. Many people know abroad also know too well that the its former glory. the poetry but don’t know the face She added: “The festival celebrates of the poet so we wanted to com- all forms of poetry. For instance, memorate that. We also worked there were readings for poetry in on graffiti using poetry. The walls (numerous) dialects. Thirteen po- are newspapers today as the wall ets from Tunisia participated with became a space open for all to read poems written in the Tunisian dia- and to send a message and the ad- lect.” vantage of graffiti art is that it com- Another of the festival’s goals was bines both poetry and images.” to foster intellectual exchange on The festival concluded with prizes the state of modern-day poetry, for “Best Young Poet” awarded Globally which many fear is losing ground to Tunisian Ali Araybi; the Tanit diverse. in the region. for Poetic Creativity won by Tuni- A visitor “Poetry today is living its universal sians Youssef Rzouga and Moncef checks dimension,” said Moroccan poet Ouhaibi; and the Best First Po- artwork Houria el-Khamlichi. “Arab poetry etry Collection given to Tunisian at the Art as an art form is open to the poet- Akram Abidi. Dubai ries of the world and open to other Contempo- artistic disciplines, like theatre and Roua Khlifi is a regular Travel rary section. plastic arts. This shows how poet- and Culture contributor to A ghost of the past. “The Invisible Enemy Should Not Exist” by (Photo Solutions) ry can function as an approach to The Arab Weekly. Iraqi-American artist Michael Rakowitz. (AFP) 24 April 15, 2018 Travel www.thearabweekly.com

Agenda

Amman: Through May

As part of Friends of Jordan Fes- tivals, Al Hussein Cultural Centre will host a Classical Concerts Cy- cle with acts from Japan, France, the Czech Republic and other countries.

Beirut: Through May

The Metropolitan Opera of New York, the Bolshoi Ballet and la Comedie Francaise perform at Empire Premiere Cinemas. Opera performances include the music of Giuseppe Verdi and Jules Massenet in April. A show by the Bolshoi Ballet is scheduled for May 7 and la Comedie Francaise takes the stage April 18.

Dubai: April 18-21

The fourth World Art Dubai is set for the Dubai World Trade Centre. Artists from all over the world will be exhibiting their works, including abstract drawings, paint- The waterfall known as Shaghour Hammana in Mount Lebanon. (Hammana Municipality) ings, sculptures and collaborative installations.

Medenine: Lebanon’s ‘Lamartine Valley,’ During April The fifth Ouerghemma Folklore Festival takes place in a Berber village in Medenine in south- a source of poetic inspiration eastern Tunisia. Over ten days, visitors attend folklore shows of music, poetry and dance and Samar Kadi Nestled in the heart of Lamartine enjoy traditional food and handi- Valley at 1,200 metres above sea craft products. level, Hammana was historically Hammana the economic centre of the Upper Metn District of Mount Lebanon. It Dubai: t inspired French poet Al- is one of the country’s most popular May 9-13 phonse de Lamartine two cen- mountain resorts, only a 30-minute turies ago and is still one of the drive from Beirut. The tenth Dubai Tango Festival most preserved and panoramic “It has been inhabited for centu- includes tango workshops with areas of Mount Lebanon. Ham- ries because it is very rich in water. milongas for famous tango danc- Imana and its pine-covered valley At one point it had some 70 springs. ers and singers. known as “Vallee de Lamartine” is People used to settle near water a typical Lebanese village with or- sources to cultivate and irrigate chards, red-tiled stone houses, an their land,” Farhat said. Rabat: old souk and historic palaces. It has A walk through the souk of Ham- June 22-30 resisted the blanket urbanisation mana, where cute little shops are that has defaced much of Lebanon’s centred on a well-preserved tradi- The 17th Mawazine Festival countryside. tional fountain, is like a trip down takes place in Rabat and features memory lane, back to the old days international and local musical of Lebanon. Mezher Palace in Hammana. (Hammana Municipality) performances. At the tip of the old souk is the 700-year-old Mezher Palace, once Given that Hammana the residence of the Druze governors with their riches.” dedicated to the performing and Cairo: has a river that runs of the district. Standing majestically Today, Hammana and Lamar- visual arts. It strives to become the June 25-July 2 through one of the on a rock overlooking the valley, tine’s hometown of Macon in east- residency of local and international deepest valleys of the palace once hosted Lamartine, ern France have established special artists who can meet, create and Raqs of Course is a one-week his wife, and daughter Julia during cultural ties. “We did a kind of pair- perform there. Egyptian dance festival that in- Lebanon, it offers an their voyage in the Orient in 1832. ing between the two villages. On “It was a dream come true to cre- cludes workshops, competitions ideal environment for A commemorative plaque is in the May 5 we will be celebrating both ate a space out of the city and to cre- and performances. outdoor activities. room where the poet used to sleep. villages in Macon through cultural ate different dynamics in culture,” Enthralled by the magic of the activities. Last year the celebration said Aurelien Zouki, artistic director place, Lamartine wrote: “One of the was in Hammana,” Farhat said. of Hammana Artist House, which Marrakech: “It is almost the only village most beautiful views that men have The annual Cherry Festival, a can accommodate up to 28 people July 1-31 in the area that has preserved ever beheld, an opportunity to paint tradition established more than 50 at the same time. its architectural cachet and the creation of God, is the valley of years ago, is one of the main attrac- “We host artists for one, two or The Marrakech Festival of Popu- heritage,” said Hammana Mayor Hammana. Painting or words can tions in Hammana, famous for its three weeks, the time they need to lar Arts and Folklore showcases Bachir Farhat. “We have very strict describe only one detail of the fairy- different varieties of cherries. “We develop their work and train, learn, traditional Moroccan music, zoning rules and a set of construc- like treasure with which the Creator relaunched the festival after the war meet and network,” Zouki said. dance and customs from through tion criteria, which we do not com- endowed Lebanon. The greenery, and it has since been a great success, “There is a huge need to have such the ages. Visitors are invited to promise, such as no high buildings the trees, the orchards and the for- attracting visitors from all over Leb- a space because in Beirut artists lack attend concerts, exhibitions and are allowed and natural stones and est are renowned, going down in anon,” Farhat said. “Some 20 tonnes proper conditions to work… They Moroccan street troupe perfor- red tiles are compulsory.” succession and filling the valley of cherries were sold on that day are working in a garage or on the mances. and people can pick their own cher- balcony… Here is the perfect setting ries in the many orchards.” where they can dedicate all their “The festival, which takes place time to their work.” Cairo: in June, has encouraged people Hammana Artist House invites During August to replant their fields with cherry foreign artists to mingle and ex- trees and helped reactivate the local change ideas with young Lebanese Organised by the Cairo Opera economy,” he added. artists and it hosts sponsored ex- House, the annual Citadel Festival Given that Hammana has a river iled Syrian artists, which Zouki said for Music and Singing is sched- that runs through one of the deep- he hopes to accommodate free of uled for the Saladin Citadel and est valleys of Lebanon, it offers an charge. the Opera House over two weeks. ideal environment for outdoor ac- The Lamartine Valley and villages The festival includes concerts of tivities, a feature that the munici- will be the focus of the first pavilion classical Arab music in addition to pality is set to build on. Ecotourism representing Lebanon at the 16th contemporary performances. has been picking up through activi- Venice Biennale of Architecture un- We welcome submissions of ties such as hiking, canoeing, abseil- der the theme “The Place that Re- ing over the waterfall, known as the mains.” It involves a reflection on calendar items related to Shaghour, trekking through a cedar the built environment versus the cultural events of interest to forest that is 100 years old or snow- unbuilt land and visions for the fu- travellers in the Middle East shoeing in winter. ture of Lebanese landscape. and North Africa. Hammana Artist House, in a three-storey building, was opened Samar Kadi is The Arab Weekly Please send tips to: [email protected] A vendor displays cherries in Hammana. (Hammana Municipality) less than a year ago as a space Travel and Society section editor.