Muslim Calligrapher Writes Luke's Gospel for Pope

Author:
Source: AP
Date: 2007-04-27

Muslim calligrapher Yasser Abu Saymeh has dedicated the past two months to Christian art, writing the Gospel of Luke in ornate Arabic script to be presented to Pope Benedict XVI when the Roman Catholic leader visits the Holy Land next month.

Abu Saymeh never read a New Testament text before he was picked for the prestigious assignment by Bethlehem's Christian mayor. He said he has since come to appreciate the shared strands of the two faiths.

"I found that many of the things emphasized in Christianity exist in our religion," said the 51-year-old Abu Saymeh.

The artist has nearly completed the Gospel's text, which will eventually cover 65 poster-sized pages. It will be accompanied by colored drawings depicting the life of Christ, from the Nativity to the crucifixion.

The pope will receive the gift on May 13, when he visits Bethlehem as part of a pilgrimage that also includes stops in Nazareth and Jerusalem, the other focal points in the life of Jesus.

During a May 11 reception at the residence of Israel's president, Shimon Peres, the pope will receive another rare gift of Scripture — a 300,000-word Hebrew text of the Jewish Bible inscribed on a silicon particle the size of a grain of sand, using nanotechnology.

Calligraphy is prized in Islamic cultures because Islam frowns upon figurative art as idolatrous.

Abu Saymeh was trained in Baghdad and works in a small studio in Bethlehem, a few hundred yards (meters) from the Church of the Nativity, built over Jesus' traditional birth grotto.

He opens his workshop early every day, right after dawn prayers at a mosque near his home. The walls are decorated with handwritten verses from the Quran and Arabic poetry. Writing tools are laid out on an old table, including two dozen calligraphy pens and black, green and red ink.

Every few days, a local priest checks completed pages for accuracy. The text and drawings will be bound in deer hide and presented in a mother-of-pearl box, a specialty of Bethlehem artisans.

When it came to choosing a calligrapher for the project, the choice quickly fell on Abu Saymeh. He had won distinction in 2007, when he presented a handwritten copy of the Quran to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

He also teaches calligraphy at a local university, and is sometimes asked to testify in court as a handwriting expert, usually in fraud cases. Raised in a Palestinian refugee camp in Jordan, he began his career by drawing signs for what he said were peaceful demonstrations against Israel's military occupation.

Mayor Victor Batarseh said he chose Luke among the four Gospels because he felt his writing contains the most detail about Jesus' time in the city. And he picked Abu Saymeh not just because of his talent, but to send a message of peaceful religious coexistence.

"It's a message to the world that Bethlehem is the city where Christianity was born," he said. "It's also the place of brotherly relations between Muslims and Christians."

Relations between Christians and Muslims in Bethlehem are generally good, though there is occasional friction, usually involving either land disputes or mixed couples breaking the taboo of marrying someone from another religion.

Muslims make up two-thirds of the population in the town of 30,000 and Christian influence has been receding steadily.

The issue of interfaith relations will be high on the pontiff's agenda during his May 8-15 tour, which includes several meetings with Muslim leaders.

Among many Muslims here resentment is still festering from 2006, when Benedict linked Islam and violence. The pope quoted a Medieval text that characterized some of the teachings of Muhammad as "evil and inhuman," particularly "his command to spread by the sword the faith."

Benedict long ago expressed regret for any offense his words might have caused, but his comments on the upcoming trip will be watched closely by Muslims and Chrisians in the Palestinian territories. Any misstep could upset the delicate relations between the Muslim majority and a dwindling Christian minority.

The calligrapher said he took on the mission, in part, because he wanted to send a conciliatory message and distance himself from extremists.

"I would like this to be a message from a Muslim artist through this simple work that the Muslim artist is tolerant and not aggressive, despite abuses that may come from here and there from extremists who use our religion for their own interests," he said.

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Kuwaiti Investment Firm Posts First Ever Loss

Author:
Source: AFP
Date: 2009-04-27

Global Investment House, a leading Kuwaiti investment firm, said on Sunday it made its first ever loss last year due to the global financial crisis.

The 257.4 million dinars (881 million dollars) loss compares with a profit of 312 million dollars in 2007, Global said in a statement.

The price of the company's shares, which have been suspended from trading since March 31, had slumped 67 percent so far this year after plummetting 79 percent in 2008.

Its market capitalisation stands at just 288 million dollars, down from 4.1 billion dollars at the end of 2007.

"2008 was a year of unprecedented global market turbulence. Global has not been immune to this and we unfortunately reported our first ever loss in 2008," said Maha Al-Ghunaim, chairperson and managing director of Global.

"This has been caused, in a large part, by unrealized losses on our investments and as a result we are renewing our focus on fee generated income, which has always been profitable," she added.

In December, Global said it defaulted on the majority of its debts and appointed HSBC Bank as financial adviser to renegotiate the existing credit facilities' terms with the lending bank group.

The company has continued to meet all its debt service payments as they fall due, it added.

The firm has reduced costs by more than 20 percent through decreasing its workforce by 10 percent, scaling back salaries and cancelling all 2008 related bonus payments, it said.

Global has been one of Kuwait's fastest expanding investment firms in the past few years, taking substantial loans in the process.

The company ratings have been downgraded by some international rating agencies, and others placed it on their watch lists for a possible downgrade.

Investment companies in Kuwait have been facing difficulties repaying their debt with the tightening of credit opportunities due to the global financial crisis.

The 99 companies under the supervision of the central bank of Kuwait have a total debt of around 18 billion dollars, including eight billion dollars owed to foreign lenders.

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Saudis Use Soft Touch to 'Save' Former Militants

Author:
Source: AFP
Date: 2009-04-28

It was seeing the now notorious photographs of American soldiers torturing Iraqis inside Abu Ghraib prison that set Abdullah al-Hammami on the path of jihad.

"I wanted to kill Americans," he said. But instead he was arrested in Saudi Arabia as he was heading to Iraq in 2005 and spent 44 months in prison.

Now he says that what he had wanted to do was wrong. "We had a corrupted concept about jihad," Hammami told AFP during an organised visit to the Prince Mohammed bin Nayef Centre for Care and Counselling.

Saudi Arabia set up the pioneering rehabilitation facility three years ago for returnees from the US prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba and for militants arrested inside the country.

Hammami had just come from a class in his "resort", as his centre unit is called, where Sheikh Ahmed Hamid Jelani, a smiling, pudgy-faced cleric, led a discussion on the principles behind jihad, or Islamic holy war.

The care centre is Saudi Arabia?s front line for ensuring that Al-Qaeda does not rear its head again, after a series of lethal domestic attacks between 2003 and 2006 forced Riyadh to concede the country was breeding terrorists.

More than 270 detainees -- 117 released from Guantanamo -- have already been put through the centre's programme to draw them back into the bosom of the Saudi state and persuade them to abandon politics.

The centre is the polar opposite of Guantanamo, where harsh interrogation methods aim to break the will of detainees.

Instead, the Saudi authorities mother them with ample food, recreation and classes designed to persuade them that they may have had good intentions, but that they had made the wrong choice.

"Now I know the rules and regulations for jihad," Hammami said. "First, it needs the consent of the government. Second, the consent of my parents."

According to Abdul Rahman al-Hadleq, the interior ministry's director of ideological security, "the hard approach is not the only approach."

Named after the assistant interior minister for security who launched it, the care centre opened in early 2006, and Saudi officials are proud of the low recidivist rate among those released back into society.

Of the former Guantanamo inmates, only 11 have gone astray. Five were jailed, five are still missing and one, Mohammed al-Awfi, returned voluntarily after linking up with Al-Qaeda in Yemen.

While the care centre has a bevy of psychologists and other experts to figure the detainees out, its approach boils down to convincing them that in going on jihad they rejected Saudi society -- family, tribe and the state that provides for them.

The programme offers ample financial and social benefits, aiming to ensure that a graduate turns to the right people when he has questions on how a good Saudi Muslim should behave.

"We tell them it's not your responsibility to decide," said Turki al-Otayan, the centre's main psychologist.

This approach is underpinned in the deeply conservative Wahhabist school of Islam, the basis of the Saudi state, where the patriarchal royal family rules with the support of powerful clerics over a heavily tribal and family-based society.

"There is a lot in Wahhabism about obedience and recognition of authority," said Christopher Boucek of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, who has researched the care centre.

The Guantanamo detainees get a taste of this as soon as they arrive. They are hugged, kissed and well-fed. They meet Prince Mohammed himself one-on-one. Much of the first week home is spent with their families.

After some weeks, a centre "beneficiary" receives multi-day leave of absence for family holidays, also paid for by the government. The family gets stipends too. In return, all are held responsible if he backtracks to militancy.

Hadleq said a primary goal is to get the ex-militant married, to saddle him with responsibilities that would prohibit time for politics. The graduates get money for dowries and homes to live in, and babies also get financial support.

After graduating, "you have to live in the area of your family and your tribe. It is strong social control," said one security official.

The care centre is located behind three-metre-high (10-foot-high) walls in a nondescript suburban Riyadh neighbourhood, just off a main thoroughfare lined with family amusement parks and karting tracks.

The compound is made up of separate "resorts". There are bedrooms, a kitchen, classrooms and a fake bedouin tent used for meetings and prayers. The wall of one building sports a large painting of a leafy tree being watered by the hand of Prince Mohammed.

The detainees are not lost for recreation for the three to 12 months they spend there. There is a swimming pool and gym, a billiards table, computer game consoles and a well-used volleyball court.

They take drawing classes from an art therapist, who says many often start by depicting violent scenes and end up painting bucolic landscapes.

"We do not do negative brainwash. We do positive brainwash," Otayan said.

Foreign security officials praise the centre's innovative approach, but say it is unlikely the same model could be applied to militants from other states -- like the Yemenis at Guantanamo that some have suggested be placed in Saudi hands.

In addition, the centre is only for the least strident militants the Saudis have arrested. The government has jailed at least 1,500 militants and stresses that "anyone with blood on their hands" is a terrorist and will not be freed.

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Terrorism: A Cultural Phenomenon

Author: Turki al-Hamad
Source: Asharq Al-Awsat
Date: 2009-04-27

An Al Qaeda cell was recently arrested in Saudi Arabia, prior to this a huge number of suspects were detained last year; all in all 500 Al Qaeda members were arrested in one big swoop [in June 2008]. Since early last year a total of 700 people have been arrested on charges of belonging to the Al Qaeda organization. They planned to wreak havoc across the globe by targeting the international economy by way of attacking Saudi Arabia's oil facilities and assassinating [Saudi] security and civilian figures. This came at a time when we believed that the Al Qaeda organization in Saudi Arabia was almost finished, leaving only remnants behind. Then the news [of these arrests] reached us and we had no choice but to look at the issue again.

Three conclusions can be drawn from these reports, some which are positive, but the majority of which have are negative.

The first conclusion is that the fight against terrorism continues, and that the security efforts to pursue terrorism and the terrorists – especially in Saudi Arabia – are largely successful. This can be seen in the large number of Al Qaeda members who have been detained, and the uncovering of the terrorist cell before it was able to carry out any terrorist activities. This is an effort that deserves praise, for were it not for the vigilance of the Saudi security forces in this area, and their efficiency in tracking down these terrorists, the situation could be much different.

The second conclusion is that the Al Qaeda organization remains active and strong; evidence of this [conclusion] can be seen in the continued existence of the group despite all efforts [to wipe it out]. The recent lack of operations is nothing more than the organization lying in wait and recalculating, a change in tactics and strategy, in the way that a chameleon blends into its environment and lies in wait for its prey. The low profile that Al Qaeda was keeping with regards to its strength and activities [in Saudi Arabia] was broken up by the Saudi security authorities [arrest of its members] and this raises the following questions; why has Al Qaeda remained attractive to a large number of our youth? Why does this organization gain so many followers despite all efforts to combat it at various levels?

Answers to questions like this vary according to circumstances such as time and place, and there is no single factor that can explain the endurance of Al Qaeda and its ideology despite all efforts to contain it. Perhaps time and place are not the only circumstances that can explain Al Qaeda's survival. To a large extent the answer to the above questions lies in the nature of the efforts made to combat Al Qaeda, which at times addresses the results [of terrorism] – something that is necessary- without directly engaging the root of the problem. Ultimately Al Qaeda's strength does not lie in the organization itself so much as in the environment that facilitates Al Qaeda's recruitment of supporters and followers. And so despite all the security efforts to combat Al Qaeda and its active and sleeper cells, these efforts – which deserve to be praised- have ultimately not succeeded in rooting out Al Qaeda. This can be seen in the continued existence of the organization in Saudi Arabia, as well as in the Al Qaeda cell that was preparing to carry out operations [on Saudi soil]. This despite all the efforts of the security services and the Munasaha [rehabilitation] program, despite [Saudi Arabia] opening the door to amnesty [for reformed extremists], and the government describing them as misguided rather than criminals. And so despite all of these opportunities the news continued to be reported that Al Qaeda have a strong presence [in Saudi Arabia] and that their [terrorist] activities are ongoing.

Why is this the case?

The third and most important conclusion is that the persistence of Al Qaeda is a result of the persistence of the circumstances that Al Qaeda is working against, this provides the organization a suitable environment for existence and vitality. The spread of an epidemic is not due to the strength of the virus itself, but due to the existence of an environment that provides the virus with the opportunity to grow and develop. The fight against the epidemic is therefore the fight against the virus itself, and so unless the virus itself is combated the epidemic will continue. The same can be said about Al Qaeda. In Saudi Arabia, for example, the security agencies performed their full role with regards to the detection, investigation and arrest [of terrorists] but this is not everything. Weeds return once they have been plucked out so long as their roots remain intact. The roots in this case, and in any real society, are the places of socialization, from homes to the mosque, from social clubs to the media and others. These help to shape an individual's personality from childhood, and help them move in one direction or another or at the least give the individual the potential of moving in one direction or the other. These institutions sow the first seeds that give rise to the core of thought and behavior; this supports the popular [Arab] proverb "One goes back to their roots."

The security success in the fight against terrorism and the forces of destruction has not been accompanied by successes in the fight against the ideology behind this destructive behavior. What other explanation is there for the hundreds of Al Qaeda recruits, a figure which represents only the tip of the iceberg, not to mention the silent followers and sympathizers. There is a defect – there can be no doubt about that – and this is in the damage that has been caused by the educational institutes [in Saudi Arabia] since we diverted from the correct path, socially and culturally, and we took up the labyrinthine ideology of the Sahwa [Islamic re-awakening] in the late 1970s [following the Mecca siege]. Educational institutes, without exception, began to reflect this ideology. This is an ideology that is in essence a culture of blood and death that calls for the eliminating of the unbelievers – i.e. anyone who does not fully agree with this ideology – both within Saudi Arabia and abroad. All educational institutions then formed along this basis, in the light of the ideological struggle against the Iranian revolution that was attempting to export a different concept of Islam, as well as the political struggle against a superpower that was attempting to occupy Afghanistan in order to access the waters of the Gulf. These factors resulted in the state turning a blind eye to what was going on inside these educational institutes, and even in some cases encouraging what was gong on there for political purposes, and so today we are reaping what we sowed.

Perhaps circumstance rules supreme, and the game of politics has its own rules, and some things are necessary. There is no shame in making a mistake - life in essence is trial and error – but it is shameful to deny making the mistake [in the first place] and to continue to make the same mistake over and over again. As for nations, it is wrong to continue implementing a policy that may have been effective once, but is a disaster once circumstances have changed. In the end, the wise man is one that not only listens to others, but who also listens to his own experience and history. Only the obstinate will deny that there have been efforts to release these educational institutes from their [ideological] captivity, but these efforts have only dealt with the visible tip of the iceberg. This is where the problem lies, schools and educational curriculums continue to disseminate extremist ideology in spite of the efforts to reduce its impact, and has resulted in the elimination of the effective education of any cadres by involving Islam in the fields of chemistry and medicine, resulting in the classification of humanity [into believer and unbeliever] and the promotion of hatred and a culture of death. Some mosques continue to give sermons calling for death, destruction and killing, but now we are in need of new sermons that call for tolerance and inter-faith dialogue, because we are all the children of Adam. We are in need of sermons that address the glories of life and humanity. At this point someone will ask; are we supposed to leave behind our culture and religion?

Of course not, for those that are in control of the world today have not forgotten their culture and religion, indeed they are well aware of their own religion, and how the world works. We are Muslims, there is no doubt about that, but we are not by necessity Islamists, and there is a difference between Islam and Islamism. Before the Sahwa we were a society of Muslims, giving God his right, and not forgetting our lot in the world. But after the Sahwa and the kidnapping of our educational institutes we became a society of Islamists forgetting our lot in the world. There is no getting out of this situation except by going back to the world that we neglected and returning to our Islam and our humanity. Without uprooting the intellectual and cultural roots behind extremism and violence, we will continue to be plagued by these [ideological] weeds, pulling them out but leaving the roots to remain and sprout once more. Until the situation changes, Al Qaeda and its supporters will continue to exist and appear in this same way.

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Al Maliki Saved Us the Trouble of a Reply

Author: Tariq Alhomayed
Source: Asharq Al-Awsat
Date: 2009-04-27

Iraqi President Nuri Al Maliki has had enough of the taxing rebuttals stemming from of the barrage of insults, defamations, and accusations of treachery after we disapproved of the threatening manner that he used against the so-called "neighboring countries." Last week in front of a tribal gathering in Baghdad President Al Maliki addressed these "neighboring countries" saying "[you must] stop those that cause harm to Iraq until Iraq no longer needs to defend itself."

However the day before yesterday, Mr. Al Maliki issued a statement retracting, or correcting [his comments on] the neighboring countries, in which he said "We are keen to strengthen our relations with neighboring countries, and Iraq has recently witnessed a number of countries opening their embassies [in Baghdad] and announced their desire to participate in the process of reconstruction and development." Al Maliki added that Iraq's policy "is to increase positive relations with all nations, and work to solve the problems caused by the previous regime, establishing good relations with them [the nations] on the basis of common interests."

This is what is required, and hoped for, and is the difference between Iraq today and Iraq under the previous regime, for threatening language does not move anything forward or change anybody's position, it only serves to make things more complicated.

The machinery of insults that were issued last week on known websites commenting on my previous article "Al Maliki: Who are These Neighboring Countries" were fueled by sectarianism and extremism, and were not in the language of reason and [did not] understand the common interests between the countries in the region.

Safeguarding Baghdad is in the interest of all the surrounding countries that do not have ambitious designs on the lands of Mesopotamia. It is not reasonable for the surrounding Arab countries to mobilize their entire capabilities – specifically the Gulf states- in order to combat terrorism, which has cost them much economically, politically and with regards to security, while allowing terrorism [to continue] in Iraq. For if your neighbor has settled down [and is in safety], then you too are in safety. This is the logic of the Arab states that are eager for Arab solidarity and pursue reconciliation with Iraq to ensure that Iraq does not become a marginal or divided state that exports terrorism and problems.

Mr. Al Maliki's statement is important and should be respected because politics is the language of logic and [mutual] interests, not the language of threats, and Iraq is an Arab country no matter what is said. The significance of Iraq does not lie in any one [single] sect; but rather in its Sunni, Shiite, Kurdish, and Christian communities, indeed in every single Iraqi citizen regardless of religion.

There is no doubt that there are some outstanding problems between Iraq and many of its surrounding countries, but more important than this is that there is communication [between them] for the sake of building trust between all parties for problem solving is based upon [mutual] respect, and aims at safeguarding our region. If this occurs, and in the spirit of Mr. Al Maliki's statement, we can be certain that the threat is behind us, and that as Mr. Al Maliki said in his statement, that Iraq "is working to solve the problems caused by the previous regime."

As for those that rushed to insult and accuse, we say to them, would that your jealousy of Iraq be the size of your jealousy of Iran.

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Problems on hold : Beyond doubt of bias

Author:
Source: Watani
Date: 2009-04-27

In an Easter message to expatriate Copts, President Hosny Mubarak stressed that no-one can harm the unity of Egypt’s Muslims and Copts, both of whom constitute the common, tight-knit texture of the Egyptian community. Every member in that community, Mubarak said, enjoys full citizenship rights and believes that religion concerns God while the homeland belongs to all. The President said: “I tell you as president of all Egyptians that we will never allow attempts at conspiracy or vilification to cause division between the two wings of the nation. We will fight culprits by the force of law, and Egypt will remain a safe homeland for all its children without the least doubt of any bias or discrimination.”

Even though the President was addressing expatriate Copts, his message relayed by the media at the forefront of the news, reached Copts and Muslims in Egypt. It undoubtedly produced a general feeling of comfort, while at the same time raising a few questions that beg answers. That such a declaration has come from the head of the State implies that the State views itself as the entity which incorporates all Egyptians and secures their rights as full citizens with full equality, with no bias or discrimination. This in itself confirms that the citizenship clause which comes at the forefront of the Egyptian Constitution is the sole standard which governs rights, legislation, and laws. However, the realistic implementation of citizenship rights and the materialization of the President’s message from a mere congratulatory note into a fact on the ground, remains the focus of skepticism.

Copts know very well that President Mubarak is a moderate, and believe him when he says that Copts and Muslims may only be distinguished according to their faithfulness to the homeland, the Egyptian community, and their adherence to the law. But they also know that the tools to implement such notions are the laws, regulations, supervisory authorities, and mechanisms of accountability and questioning that are in place in the community. In Egypt these are obviously replete with flaws and deficiencies which interfere with the materialization of equality and non-discrimination.

It is impossible to boast of equality and non-discrimination while current legislation and procedures flagrantly discriminate between Muslims and Copts regarding the building of places of worship. The discrimination begins with the absolute ease with which Muslims are allowed to purchase or are allocated the best and most spacious plots of land to build mosques, as contrasted by the absolute difficulty with which Copts may be allocated land or allowed to purchase land to build a church. Permits required to build and equip mosques with all necessary utilities are swiftly made available, whereas the same permits are next to impossible to obtain in the case of churches. The same open discrimination is also displayed in renovation and restoration procedures; permitted so easily for mosques and so forbiddingly for churches. Over and above, while the building of mosques requires no security approval, that of a church pre-conditions such an approval which, besides being not guaranteed, is usually open ended where time is concerned.

It is no secret that a bill for a unified law for the building of places of worship has been lying in the offices of Parliament for some five years now. Even though the bill has wide support among MPs, it has not yet been placed on the agenda of any parliamentary round so far. The absence of an official explanation for such a move has naturally given rise to conjecture, with some claiming that President Mubarak has not given the bill the green light yet.

Justifications are frequently offered for the current discrimination in the building of places of worship, but these justifications are no more than lame excuses. It is sometimes claimed that there is no need for the law since the president has ceded his power of approving permits for renovations and restorations of churches to the governors, and now only retains the right to approve permits for new churches. This move, it is claimed, has facilitated church building. But any observer can obviously tell that nothing has been made easier as long as any permit pre-requires a security approval. President Mubarak has repeatedly boasted that he never rejected an application for a permit to build a new church, but this is besides the point since it concerns only the applications that were allowed to reach his office and says nothing of the countless others that never reached the President.

Regardless of the number of procedures required to build a church or mosque and their respective difficulty, the only measure of real equality will be the passage of a unified law that affords neither Muslims nor Christians any preferential treatment.

Worth noting, however, is that discrimination between Muslims and Copts is not merely confined to the building of places of worship, but involves other aspects which I plan to discuss at length in subsequent articles.

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Foreign Ministry open to expanding pilgrim visa services: Official

Author:
Source: Arab News
Date: 2009-04-27

The Foreign Ministry may consider opening centers for issuing visas in various parts of countries that send large numbers of pilgrims for Haj and Umrah, an official said yesterday.

The aim of opening such centers would be to reduce crowding at Saudi embassies and consulates, Muhammad bin Ahmed Tayeb, director general of the ministry’s office in Makkah province, told Arab News.

“It’s possible. In fact, this is our policy. During the Haj season we send many officials to different countries to issue visas and support our staff in embassies, particularly in countries such as India, Indonesia, Turkey and Egypt,” Tayeb said when asked about the possibility of expanding visa services abroad.

However, he pointed out that for opening such offices provincial authorities in those countries should make formal requests to the Saudi ministry through their central governments.

“We can send two or three officials to the Indian state of Kerala, for example, to issue Haj visas if required,” he said, adding that the ministry would respond positively to such requests.

Tayeb also spoke about the new visa introduced by the Kingdom in order to help foreign businessmen explore investment opportunities in the Kingdom and establish links with their Saudi counterparts.

“Businessmen can now get visas directly from our missions and they don’t need an invitation letter from the Kingdom.” He said if any businessmen faced problems in getting visas they should contact the ministry. “We’ll help them,” he added.

Tayeb emphasized the Kingdom’s efforts to boost domestic tourism in order to make the sector a major revenue earner. “Tourism is very important for our national economy and our people have begun to realize its benefits,” he said.

The impact of the current global financial crisis on Saudi Arabia has not been as serious as on other countries thanks to the economic measures taken by the government.

He described the appointment of Prince Naif as second deputy premier as “a very good step,” adding that it would strengthen the Kingdom’s political stability.

“Prince Naif is an experienced statesman. He has been the country’s interior minister for 35 years. He is a well-known figure in the Arab world so his appointment was not a surprise. People in general are satisfied with this decision,” he said.

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Assad not hopeful of Israel talks

Author:
Source: Arab News
Date: 2009-04-27

Syrian President Bashar Assad insisted on the return of the Golan Heights but said he could not foresee peace talks with Israel anytime soon, in an interview with an Austrian daily published yesterday.

“What counts in the end, is that there is occupied territory that must be returned to Syria, and then we can talk about peace,” Assad told the newspaper Die Presse, ahead of a visit to Austria yesterday. “We do not make a peaceful solution dependent on the Israeli government. Governments in Israel come and go, whereas peace is a fixed goal that one must work toward consistently, even when there is no partner,” he said.

Meanwhile, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman yesterday toned down his previous statements regarding peace prospects with Syria, telling Israel Radio he would be willing to immediately hold peace talks with Syria, but only without preconditions.

Over the weekend, Lieberman was quoted in the Austrian daily Kleine Zeitung saying Syria is not a partner for peace as it “hosts the headquarters of terror organizations” and “supports Iran’s nuclear program.” The Foreign Minister also recently told Israeli daily Jerusalem Post that Israel doesn’t “see any good will from the Syrian side, only the threats.”

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Abu Dhabi air traffic rises in spite of downturn

Author:
Source: Saudi Gazette
Date: 2009-04-26

Abu Dhabi International Airport overall passenger traffic last March increased 7.9 percent compared to the same month in the previous year, with a daily average of 24,833 passengers, Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) said on Saturday. Aircraft movements also increased by 4.5 percent.

For the first time, London has taken the top position as Abu Dhabi’s busiest route, with Doha coming a close second. Bangkok ranked third in spite of the recent political unrest, whilst Cairo came in fourth place. Bahrain was the airport’s fifth busiest destination for the month, boosted by the arrival of Bahrain Air on March 30 at Abu Dhabi International Airport.

The Indian subcontinent saw the strongest growth, driven by Etihad’s growing capacity to South India and increased weekly frequencies. Traffic to and from India increased by 32 percent whilst Pakistan traffic grew 12.7 percent, making it the largest and second largest markets respectively. The UK remains Abu Dhabi’s third largest market with The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia a close fourth. Strong traffic growth was also registered for Lebanon, up 20.7 percent.
Mohammed Al Bulooki, vice president of Airline Marketing and Aeronautical Revenue, said: “We are happy to say our passenger figures are still growing.

Naturally, attracting new airlines contributes to this growth, however we believe the excitement and interest in Abu Dhabi that exists within international markets drives a large part of the growth. With many exciting new developments to look forward to and with the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) predicting an increase in capacity for tourism, with 4,000 new hotel rooms coming online in 2009, we expect Abu Dhabi’s popularity as a destination for commerce and tourism to continue to increase. All of this contributes to our expansion plan to increase capacity and improve our facilities at Abu Dhabi International Airport.”

Mail volumes increased by a massive 39.9 percent, led by the increase in mail volume to the US and Australia, and cargo movements made a modest increase of 2 percent in March.
ADAC is a public joint-stock company wholly owned by the Abu Dhabi Government. It was incorporated by Amiri Decree number 5, issued on 4 March 2006, to spearhead the development of the Emirate’s aviation infrastructure.

In September 2006, ADAC took over responsibility for the operation and management of Abu Dhabi and Al Ain international Airports. In 2008, ADAC added Al Bateen private jet airport.

Links:
Abu Dhabi International Airport

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Stem cell association shut down in Jeddah

Author:
Source: Saudi Gazette
Date: 2009-04-26

Health authorities on Saturday shut down an association here collecting stem cells.
The association used to take stem cells from the umbilical cord linking the mother and the fetus, after convincing the family that the cells could be kept for up to twenty years and used if the child or anyone in the family suffered from any dangerous disease.

The association used to save the stem cells in special labs and charged the family an annual fee.
The stem cells can be used to treat falciparum anemia, Mediterranean anemia, hemophilia, endocrine tumors, tumors of blood, as well as diseases of the immune system, diabetes, and heart disease.

“After we made an inspection tour of the association, we discovered that the institution was functioning without a proper license from the Ministry of Health,” said Mohammed Abduljawad, assistant director of Jeddah Health Affairs Management.

The Ministry of Health, he said, is still studying the possibility of using stem cells from all angles – religious, moral, and scientific.

“Many local and international scientists have studied the advantages and disadvantages of using stem cells, but until now there have been no clear cut results,” added Abduljawad.

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Police crack mystery of crime wave in Riyadh

Author:
Source: Saudi Gazette
Date: 2009-04-26

Riyadh Police busted a gang that allegedly carried out a string of armed robberies and thefts in Al-Malaz and Al-Manar districts in the capital over the past four months.

The arrests were made after methodical investigation led undercover policemen to one of the suspects, a Saudi man in his twenties, a police statement said. The arrested suspect led the police to several alleged accomplices, at least two of them Saudis, who were all arrested.

The investigators worked on the basis of several similar crimes reported, starting with a complaint made to Al-Malaz Police Station by an Asian expatriate in his thirties who said three dark-skinned men, one of them toting a pistol, attacked him in the shop where he was working. They robbed prepaid telephone cards from him and fled in a sea-blue Hyundai Accent.
Three months later, Al-Malaz Police Station received a similar report of three dark-skinned men attacking an Asian worker in a shop and getting away with SR4,000 in cash, several prepaid phone cards and his mobile telephone. This time, the escape car was a green Honda Civic.
On the same day, Al-Malaz Police Station received another similar report, and more followed in the days afterwards.

The Director of Riyadh Police got the the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to investigate and soon enough a link was made to a green Honda Civic that was reported stolen by a Saudi national who had parked it in front of his home.

Since the crimes were all in Al-Malaz and Al-Manar districts, the investigators undercover policemen into these areas, which resulted in the breakthrough.
The suspects would be referred to the court, the police statement said.

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Who is Responsible for the Safety of Iraq?

Author: Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed
Source: Asharq Al-Awsat
Date: 2009-04-26

There is serious concern regarding the return of violence in Iraq. Last Thursday, two explosions shook Iraq and 180 people were killed and injured. One of the bombings targeted civilians whilst the other was carried out by a female suicide bomber who killed ten policemen who were distributing aid to displaced families in south-east Baghdad. It is as if the incidents of the past are repeating themselves only less frequently.

It is assumed that the years of bloodshed since 2004 have taught the Iraqis some basic facts, enough to counter the renewal of the plot to set Iraq alight once more. The Iraqis have realised that the majority of bombings are carried out against civilians rather than military bodies, whether American or Iraqi; this contradicts the claim that it is resistance. Many of these explosions sought to cause sectarian violence by targeting Sunni mosques and Shia Husseiniyas. They would be followed by statements and recordings that openly call for sectarian war. Moreover, a number of those who were arrested gave a clear picture of the nature of terrorism, arguing that it not like how the Arab media portrays it - as insurgence and national resistance - and evidence of this is the fact that the most violent insurgents were [non-Iraqi] Arabs and non-Arabs. Furthermore, weapons and explosives were brought into Iraq from abroad in an organized manner, which indicated that regional governments had a hand in this procedure.

At a later stage, through political interaction and commitment of these governments to cooperate regarding security, the violence came to an abrupt stop. Moreover, information revealed that most of the activists abroad - Iraqis in opposition who were involved in terror acts - were actually linked to foreign parties. In short, many of the incidents that occurred in Iraq were not acts of innocent resistance. The fact of the matter is that most of the bombings have targeted Iraqi civilians, which means that the purpose of all this was to stipulate conditions upon the Americans and the new Iraqi regime in the interests of foreign powers and not for the liberation of the country.

Despite that stability in Iraq is still young and cannot be regarded as a permanent feature, a slight taste of it has served as enough to convince the Iraqis that the experience of the past four years was more of a conspiracy against the Iraqi citizen than a war against the existing regime. The Iraqi government is right to launch this ongoing campaign to convince Iraqi citizens that they will be the first to benefit from stability, and that they are primarily responsible for protecting this stability by rejecting acts of terror regardless of their opinions on other matters. The opposition in Iraq enjoy a wider margin of expression than many other Arab countries to bring about change through the media and the elections.

Iraqis, including those who live in relatively safe areas such as the Kurdish north, have learnt that stability is a necessity that must be upheld by everybody regardless of their differences regarding government, resources and territories. Chaos would only lead to prolonging the presence of foreign troops on their land and would offer regional powers the opportunity to contribute to the sabotage and disintegration of the country. The Iraqis have realized that the proposals of division, such as dividing the country based on sectarian differences, fail to unite even the people of the same sect. On the contrary, such proposals sow seeds of conflict amongst people of the same doctrine. Evidence of this is the fighting that has erupted amongst members of the Shia sect and also amongst the Sunnis.

If the years of violence fail to convince Iraqi citizens to denounce bloodshed and terrorism in all its forms then no power, no matter how great it might be, will be able to protect them.

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Self-appointed preachers jump on the bandwagon

Author:
Source: The Egyptian Gazette
Date: 2009-04-25

Female self-appointed preachers have invaded the women-only cars of the Cairo underground metro advising the Muslim passengers to wear the hijab (a headscarf), or the niqab (a full face veil).Sometimes these preachers, who introduce themselves as "sisters who are interested in the well-being of their Muslim sisters", give female passengers free CDs of a lecture by a Sheikh, who stresses the virtues of donning the veil, or the niqab.Moreover, they give themselves the right to lecture the women on how to be a good Muslim, or how to pray, and the importance of cutting short any talk or friendship with non-Muslims, according to bothered commuters."

These self-appointed metro preachers take the liberty to lecture us about all aspects of Islam - prayer, fasting, 'zakat' (charity), pilgrimage and the 'shehada' (declaration of faith)," said Fathia, a commerce student.These women, who offer religious advice to strangers but have no formal training, always focus their attention on unveiled passengers, or university students wearing tight clothes.One of these CDs is about an actress, who tells her own story of adopting the veil as a means of rejecting secular public life while she was at the peak of her fame. In this CD, she regretted her previous works and the time she spent without wearing the veil. A university student from Cairo called Raniya, who wears the niqab, said that she and her friends had made copies of these CDs at their home to distribute them freely among the metro passengers."It is a sort of charity that I want to give to women so that they know the basic principles of their religion," she explained.

Moreover, the self-appointed preachers hang stickers on the metro doors and windows to remind the female passengers of manners Muslim women should have, such as honesty, kindness and patience.The stickers read: "The Path to God begins with the Hijab". During the times of regional crises, like the recent Israeli onslaught on the the Gaza Strip, the stickers called on the Muslim women to support the Palestinians and collect donations for Gazans.

But, it is feared that these self-appointed preachers would replace moderate Islam, which the majority of Egyptians adhere to, with an extreme version fuelled by an economic crisis that has hit the country.These women preach extreme Islamic values in terms that relate to life in the 21st century in fire-and-brimstone sermons, say critics.Preaching, activities need training and professionals who know the religion, they add.

Egypt, a predominantly Muslim country, has recently experienced an upsurge of Islamism reflecting in having the vast majority of Muslim women appearing in public donning the hijab or the niqab."But, it is not acceptable for anyone to appoint herself as a preacher on the metro and order women to follow her."

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Brotherhood won't risk confronting State

Author:
Source: The Egyptian Gazette
Date: 2009-04-25

EGYPT's Muslim Brotherhood, increasingly excluded from mainstream politics, says it will not risk open confrontation with the State by taking to the streets in large-scale protests. Mohamed Habib, deputy leader of Egypt's banned group, said the Brotherhood would not risk that path without more substantial popular support and clear objectives.Smaller opposition groups have often decried the apparent unwillingness of the Brotherhood, which seeks an Islamic state through democratic means, to use its resources to agitatemore aggressively for change in the most populous Arab country."

For the Brotherhood to go out alone, no," Habib told Reuters in an interview ."You're talking about anarchy and that is something no one accepts, in addition to the fact that it can be exploited by the mob to damage public and private property," Habib added. Habib said he saw promise in a bur- geoning social protest movement working on issues of poverty and social justice.The Brotherhood won roughly a fifth of the seats in the lower house of Parliament in 2005, but authorities have since obstructed its efforts to further its electoral gains in more recent votes for municipal councils or the upper and lower houses of Parliament."

The conviction must be born among the people that the issue of reform and change is dependent on them, more thanit is dependent on political and national forces," Habib said.He added that emerging social protest movements had the potential to snowball, fuelled by tensions caused by the massive rift between wealthy businessmen allied with the State and the vast majority of Egyptians who live in poverty."Social protest movements are strong and growing, and are full of simmering anger," he said of the movements, which focus on specific issues like rising prices or poor health services rather than on supporting openly political organisations."

If we can achieve some sort of coor- dination among the social protest move- ments... we will have laid our feet on the beginning of the path."The Brotherhood has said it prefers to focus on its extensive social service net- works and spreading their values rather than holding demonstrations of limited value.

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No Disagreements between Libya and Saudi Arabia- Libyan Aide

Author: Sawsan Abu-Husain
Source: Asharq Al-Awsat
Date: 2009-04-25

Ahmad Qadhaf al-Dam, general coordinator of Egyptian-Libyan relations, has underlined the importance of the appeal for Arab unity made by King Abdullah Bin-Abdulaziz, the custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.

He told Asharq Al-Awsat that "there are no disagreements between Libya and Saudi Arabia" and added that there was nothing preventing the exchange of visits between Riyadh and Tripoli and pointed out that Libyan leader Muammar al-Qadhafi has sent live on the air an open invitation to exchange visits. He said the page of the past was closed in favor of joint Arab action during the next stage and added: "There is no disagreement between us and Saudi Arabia but there was a misunderstanding which is now over because the danger to the region does not differentiate between one country and another. Everyone is targeted and we must therefore return to our unity, as the custodian of the Two Holy Mosques had asserted, so that we can work together for the sake of the Arab nation's interest."

Qadhaf al-Dam urged the mobilization of forces to confront the real enemy and solve the Arab problems and to distance themselves from any conflicts or disputes that perpetuate the inter-Arab differences. Speaking at a meeting with the Egyptian and Arab media correspondents at the wheat harvest festival in 6,000 feddans that a Libyan company owns in Ismailia Governorate (100 km east of Cairo), he said: "Libya is against any Arab-Arab problems or disputes."

On holding the next Arab summit in Libya, he said: "We are aspiring for the Tripoli summit to be a qualitative stage in the Arab nation's history and that the Arabs will reach total agreement during it." He pointed out that the situation through which the Arab world is going at present requires the unity of their ranks.

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IISS Announces Appointment of Prince Faisal bin Salman to its Council

Author:
Source: Asharq Al-Awsat
Date: 2009-04-25

The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) has announced the appointment of HRH Prince Faisal bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud its Council.

John Chipman, IISS Director-General and Chief Executive said, 'All of us at the IISS are delighted to benefit from His Royal Highness's knowledge and experience. As we build a greater presence in the Middle East, Prince Faisal's counsel to the IISS will be invaluable.'

Prince Faisal is Chairman of Saudi Research & Marketing Group, the leading publishing house in the Middle East, and was named 'Man of the Year 2004 in Business' at the 2005 Saudi Achievement Awards ceremony organized by Arabian Business, a business magazine published in Dubai. His father is HRH Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Riyadh Province.

Prince Faisal holds a doctorate from Oxford University and is the author of 'Iran, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf: Power Politics in Transition 1968-1971'. Before embarking on a business career, he was a professor of politics at King Saud University.

The IISS Council, which is composed of prominent figures known for their international leadership, advises the management of the Institute on intellectual and research priorities and seeks to strengthen the Institute's international relationships. Members are appointed by the Council following consultation by its Chairman with other members and with the Director-General and Chief Executive.

The IISS, an independent think-tank based in London, is the primary source of accurate, objective information and analysis on international strategic issues for politicians and diplomats, foreign affairs analysts, international business, economists, the military, defense commentators, journalists, academics and the informed public.

The Institute owes no allegiance to any government or to any political or other organizations. Its membership is drawn from more than 90 countries. The IISS enjoys a unique convening power, and has established The Manama Dialogue in Bahrain, an annual summit that is becoming the most important regional security gathering in the Middle East. The IISS also annually convenes the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, and the Global Strategic Review in Geneva, Switzerland.

The IISS stresses rigorous research with a forward-looking policy orientation and places particular emphasis on bringing new perspectives to strategic discussions. As a member of the IISS Council, the Institute will benefit from Prince Faisal bin Salman's academic experience, highly regarded intellectual gifts and international recognition.

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Sudan and its Four Wives!

Author: Tariq Alhomayed
Source: Asharq Al-Awsat
Date: 2009-04-25

Deputy speaker of Sudan’s National Assembly and member of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement [SPLM] Atem Garang made some comments recently regarding the condition of the central authority in Khartoum and what he referred to as the four wives of Khartoum. His comments suggest that the solution to the problems in Sudan is not in the Arab League or the United Nations; rather, the solution lies in the ‘Kalaam Nuwaim’ agony aunt-style television program!

Mr. Garang, a Christian, described regions of Sudan as “Khartoum’s four wives” and said that as a result of the oppression that Darfur is being subjected to, the “southern wife” must demand a divorce because Khartoum is not treating the Western wife equally.

This is an unacceptable analogy, even in the eyes of the reality of polygamy, as we have never heard of wives in a polygamous marriage sharing the same destiny. If we stick to the family analogy here then Khartoum is the mother and nobody should be undutiful towards the mother no matter what.

Garang’s likening of the situation in the south to the situation of Darfur is barefaced deception; in fact it is escalation of the situation in Sudan and exploitation of international differences in the way that the issue of the arrest warrant for the Sudanese President is being dealt with.

We say this not in sympathy with the perpetrators of the crimes committed in Darfur but out of our belief in the unity of Sudan’s lands. It is true that there are many flaws within the Sudanese system, but the unity of the Sudanese territories is above all else and above all leaders. What we need today is to build our states, not attempt to build statelets.

Complicating the already complex situation in Sudan, and associating the solutions with the Darfur crisis will not solve the problems in the south; rather, it will consolidate the belief propagated by the Khartoum government that the main goal of the International Tribunal is not to put a stop to the Darfur crimes but to divide Sudan. This is a dangerous matter; the oppressed people of Darfur are losing the sympathy they deserve and it makes the task difficult for those who want to present practical solutions to Sudan.

This is what the Khartoum regime, and the Arab world, must beware of. The vulnerability of our countries and their collapse, one after another, with the blessing of currents that pretend to fear for the Arab world and its security, is a perplexing matter. Our lands are transforming into a theater for militias and traffickers.

Therefore, the link that SPLM member Aret Garang made between the situation in southern Sudan and secession on the one hand, and what is happening in Darfur and how to solve the crisis there on the other, can be considered a dangerous issue and a form of political blackmail.

The comments made by the Deputy Speaker suggest that the issue is merely about stating the obvious; it is only a matter of time before it is announced that the south has seceded from Sudan, especially as there is information that suggests that the people in the south have begun to prepare the necessary arrangements to announce secession. The process of armament is ongoing and major trade contracts are being signed, which indicates that it is not only normal, business development work that is being carried out in a region that is part of the motherland but that endeavors are being made to form a state. Moreover, telephone lines have been set up in the south belonging to a Ugandan service provider rather than the Sudanese motherland.

Does the Arab world realize the danger of the upcoming days in Sudan? More importantly, is the ruling government in Khartoum aware of this danger or is it waiting for a crisis to happen like the one that has taken place in Darfur?

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Hezbollah Planned Three Synchronized Attacks in Egypt

Author: Abdul Sittar Hatita
Source: Asharq Al-Awsat
Date: 2009-04-24

Sources close to the investigations into the Hezbollah cell in Egypt, which includes 49 suspects including Egyptian, Lebanese, and Sudanese nationals, revealed that the cell planned to carry out three major bombing operations in tourist areas of Egypt.

Egypt stated Thursday that it told ambassadors of Arab countries about the investigations taking place with regards to the Hezbollah in Egypt case. Informed legal sources said that this case will be referred to the tribunal next week and that the 24 suspects at large include three Sudanese working for Hezbollah intelligence to transfer weapons from the Sudan-Egypt borders to the Sinai region, where Egypt borders Israel.

Ahmed Ragheb, the lawyer representing a number of suspects involved in the case, stated that it is most likely that the case will be transferred within the next few days to the concerned tribunal.

Meanwhile, sources close to the investigations said that on Wednesday night Supreme State Security continued interrogating a number of suspects on the role played by Hezbollah intelligence figure Mohammed Qablan, who is at large, in the case of the Hezbollah cell that was discovered in Egypt in order to know when he visited Cairo and Giza and other areas in the Suez Canal and Sinai regions.

The investigations with the accused suspects revealed that Qablan, along with some of his Hezbollah aides that came with him to Egypt on a number of occasions using code names, was planning to carry out three major attacks using explosive belts and car bombs in the tourist area of Taba, close to the Israeli-Egyptian borders, which is frequently visited by large numbers of Israeli tourists.

Sources added that the price of one of the vehicles that Hezbollah wanted to use in an operation to be carried out in tourist hotspots in the Red Sea area was paid during a meeting attended by Qablan, Mohammed Yousuf Mansour (also known as Sami Shehab) who has been detained in Egypt, and a number of Egyptian suspects, who are 1948 Arabs, living in Sinai. The vehicle was a small second-hand van, the kind usually used by local citizens in areas of the Red Sea and Sinai.

However, security sources denied that the van was among the items that were seized along with the suspects. The sources told Asharq Al-Awsat, “The issue of the van is being investigated and we know who paid for it but we do not know whether this vehicle is in the possession of State Security or if they are still looking for it, especially as there are other suspected members of the cell at large, some of which are hiding in the rugged mountains of Sinai.”

The sources close to the investigations said that following interviews carried out by Supreme State Security apparatus with a number of suspects – and after the Egyptian suspects (of Palestinian origin) admitted that there was another person of Lebanese origin [involved in the case] apart from Mohammed Mansour Yousuf (Chehab) – the suspects were interrogated once again in order to find out the identity of this Lebanese figure. The suspects said that he was the head of the Hezbollah cell in Egypt. It became clear that the figure was Mohammed Qablan, a senior Hezbollah activist close to the party’s intelligence division.

Sources added that Nasser Abu Umra, the accused Egyptian national of Palestinian origin, stated during an interrogation session on Wednesday night that he met a Lebanese person who was part of the Hezbollah cell and was planning to carry out bombings in Taba and that when Mohammed Yousuf Mansour (Chehab) was brought to Abu Umra, Abu Umra stated that it was not him even though Chehab knew him and admitted to meeting him a number of times in Al-Arish. The sources added that investigators showed a number of suspects a recent picture of Qablan, and that Abu Umra and other suspects in the case knew who he was. Abu Umra also said that he had met Qablan more than once in various parts of Egypt including Cairo and Giza.

The Supreme State Security continued its investigations on Wednesday night under the supervision of Hisham Badawi, the first Attorney General of the Supreme State Security, and launched an investigation into Nissar Jibreel who said in his statements that he is a member of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood in Al-Arish.

Jibreel admitted that he met Nasser Abu Umra at the beginning of 2005 and said that Nasser asked him to gradually distance himself from the Muslim Brotherhood so that he could join another group that aims to help the Palestinian nation, i.e. Hezbollah. He added that Abu Umra introduced him to Mohammed Youssef Mansour (Chehab). On Wednesday night, he added that Mohammed Youssef Mansour introduced himself as a Palestinian, and admitted that he was a member of Hezbollah, and said that he had taken part in a number of meetings with leading members of the party who were working towards setting up a cell inside Egypt.

The sources added that the accused members of the organization are facing a number of charges including spying for a foreign party (Hezbollah) intending to carry out terror attacks in Egypt, joining an unlawful group that uses terrorism as a means to achieve its goals, being in possession of explosives and forging official documents (passports).

Ahmed Ragheb, a lawyer from the Hisham Mubarak Law Center, who has been following the investigations with the suspects, expects that the case will be transferred next week. He said, “At present, investigations are being carried out…we are awaiting the decision to transfer the case to the tribunal and at the beginning of next week, the fate of these suspects will be clearer.”

Sources from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said Thursday that it had given Arab states all the information available on the case of the Hezbollah cell in Egypt. This took place during an open meeting held by Minister Abdel Rahman Salahaddin, Assistant Foreign Minister for Arab Affairs, with a number of Arab ambassadors based in Cairo.

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When Propaganda Becomes Heroic

Author: Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed
Source: Asharq Al-Awsat
Date: 2009-04-23

The Iranian regime rejoiced because of the withdrawal of European countries and the boycott by the United States and others of the address by Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad at the World Conference against Racism [Durban II] in Switzerland, and the Israeli dispute with the host country that followed that address.

For decades, the Iranian regime has been engaged in propaganda skirmishes against Israel. Both sides benefit from the echoes of these skirmishes. In the verbal threat to erase it from existence, and in being targeted by the aspired for nuclear bomb and ballistic missiles Israel finds an excuse to gain sympathy and funds, and to evade the international demand to fulfill its commitments to the Palestinians. As for Iran, it is pleased with the applaud, proud of the admiration of the Arab and Muslim worlds that consider anyone who challenges Israel a hero, without thinking of the reality of heroism.

Iran imitates the steps of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, who lived most years of his reign in a verbal conflict with Israel, and who had been pleased and proud of the heroism he was achieving in the Arab street, a heroism for which he ultimately paid everything he had including his life. Even during Saddam's dependence on the west in fighting Iran in the eighties, he deliberately made trouble for the west thinking that this was one of the necessary requirements of regional leadership. Saddam arrested a wretched British journalist who was visiting Baghdad, and executed him on the pretext that he was a spy. Saddam held press conferences to ridicule accusations that he was pursuing the manufacture of nuclear weapons; at the same time he threatened to burn half of Israel. About one year after that, indeed he burned half of Kuwait, and dispersed its people. However, from that day the bell rang for the end of his regime.

Ahmadinejad to a great extent imitates Saddam in his speeches, press conferences and interviews, and long-distance provocation of the west ranging from imprisoning a woman journalist to the burning of the flags at the rallies, and to threatening to burn Israel by nuclear weapons.

At the same time, most of the heroism of Ahmadinejad is verbal. He has never confronted Israel, and his Revolutionary Guard has never engaged with any Israeli in any place or on any occasion, except through others, such as the Lebanese Hezbollah. This is what Saddam did, as he used to employ Abu-al-Abbas and Abu-Nidal in confrontation operations against the Israelis, or against the Arabs hostile to him.

We are facing the same language, project, and promises that create a demagogic leadership, while if Iran were to confront Israel by itself, and not via the Lebanese or Palestinian Hamas, we would have been obliged to consider its leadership as true.

The question is: Where will President Ahmadinejad take his country, Iran, through his extremism? I see him follow the same way Saddam followed. It is a way that will force him tomorrow to engage in a confrontation for which he is not planning. This is despite the fact that we ought to say that the Iranian regime differs from Saddam's rule by the existence of real powers that might not allow Ahmadinejad to lead them too far toward a confrontation with the west or Israel. These powers are trying to utilize the verbal leadership in collecting negotiating points to be used at the right time for political gains.

Whatever the case may be, we lose as a result of the Iranian verbal confrontations, we lose as a result of real military confrontations, we lose as a result of an Iranian victory, and we lose as a result of an Iranian loss. Any confrontation is costly for the region. Such confrontations do not restore a right or establish a state. Here we are living in fictitious heroisms from Nasser to Saddam, and now to Ahmadinejad.

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Neither Nasrallah nor Nabih

Author: Mshari Al-Zaydi
Source: Asharq Al-Awsat
Date: 2009-04-23

The battle over public opinion in Egypt this time is being steered in favor of the Egyptian state in the way that the Hezbollah in Egypt crisis has been depicted.

The signs of this victory can be seen in the Muslim Brotherhood’s reconsideration of its position in the ongoing battle between the Egyptian state and Hezbollah. Initially, the MB’s General Guide and some of his men said that they understood Egypt’s accusations against Hezbollah but that they would support Hezbollah in consideration of the sanctity of resistance and the Israeli enemy. The Muslim Brotherhood believed that the Egyptian authorities had betrayed the Palestinian resistance or, at best, had not offered it enough help.

Yet after the Secretary General’s televised speech in which he responded to Egypt’s accusations, and after he proudly acknowledged that the cell leader was a member of Hezbollah and that he had been assigned by the party to create a support group for the Palestinian resistance that would offer it arms and military supplies, the least that Nasrallah owned up to, there was a complete turnaround.

Many Egyptian intellects were angered by Hassan Nasrallah’s audacity to undermine the Egyptian state and the way that he dealt with Egyptian territories as if they were a natural extension of Hezbollah’s area of operation, whether this operation is of a military, logistic or intelligence nature. Even staunch Egyptian supporters of the Iranian Islamic state, Khomeinism and fundamentalist revolutionary parties, who are also defenders of the Egyptian opposition press, had no choice but to criticize Hezbollah for violating the sovereignty of the Egyptian state. The explanation for this that I have heard from several Egyptian intellectuals is that unlike the popular support Hezbollah enjoyed during the war on Gaza, the mood of the Egyptian masses has changed. The average Egyptian has been shocked by the audacity of Nasrallah in undermining the principle of sovereignty in Egypt. The writers close to Iran can only go along with the general atmosphere like any populist movement and if it becomes hostile, they would have to face the difficult situation of going along with that too.

The Muslim Brotherhood, which is the biggest support base for Hezbollah in Egypt, failed the divine party in this crucial battle with the Egyptian state and the Egyptian masses. It failed the Khomeinist party at a time when it most needed the oppositionist Brotherhood propaganda and anti-government campaigns of some revolutionary writers and media figures in Egypt. This time however, a counterattack was not possible. These revolutionaries had to make do with blaming Hezbollah for committing such a mistake and reproaching the Egyptian state for taking the accusations too far. The best among them would say, ‘Let us wait for the investigations, the final bill of indictment and then pass judgment and take a stand.’ This is the direct opposite of the media and political positions that were adopted by these Egyptian currents during the Gaza war. Back then, Nasrallah’s speech was one of war, instigation, revolution and rebellion in Egypt. Yet, the Muslim Brotherhood and Iranian-inclined writers were quick to offer Hezbollah their full support against the Egyptian state under the recurring pretext of the sanctity of resistance. It is the same pretext that Nasrallah used to justify planting the Shehab cell in Egypt. This time however, his allies in Egypt have not shown similar support. Has the resistance lost its sanctity this time?

The divine party had no one to resort to but its allies in Lebanon. So the problem-solver, the master of verbal rhetoric and the clean-shaven face of Hezbollah, Nabih Berri, stepped forth. He thought and thought and thought and in the end he said, “We want to eliminate ‘trouble-making.’” Let us take a closer look at the smart and creative expression used by the veteran politician. What he meant here is that such a dispute had been fabricated but he doesn’t tell us who by. Who put it together as a commodity for the public and the media? Egypt of course. It was Egypt that uncovered the cell, cast accusations and is now abandoning the divine party politically and with regards to the media. As for Hezbollah, it has been the victim of this fabrication.

Nabih Berri presented an even more creative theory; he said that what was happening between Egypt and Hezbollah was merely a case of difference in opinion. Al Alam website affiliated to the Iranian television channel of the same name quoted Berri as saying, “The resistance in Lebanon is devoted to the security and interests of the Arab nation and Egypt.” He called for closing the case and for dialogue to prevent such trouble-making. He also added: “The arrest of a Hezbollah cell in the Sinai Peninsula is a result of difference in points of views. One party views Gaza as a threat to the Egyptian regime, while the other party views Gaza as a base for resistance.” Therefore it is all about two different viewpoints and Egypt’s exaggeration was uncalled for.

Berri even went as far as giving his personal guarantee that Hezbollah would not violate Egyptian national security but he failed to tell us what he understands from the term ‘national security.’ Does he consider the smuggling of arms by a secret cell and the formation of intelligence and monitoring groups behind the government’s back a violation of national security?

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry, through Ahmed Aboul Gheit, closed the door in the face of Nabih Berri’s maneuvers as it stated: “The case of the group affiliated to Hezbollah is not subject to any political considerations or mediation attempts.”

Jamil al Sayyid, the imprisoned Major General detained over the murder of Rafik al Hariri wrote an article from his prison cell that was published in Assafir newspaper in which he shared his vision of the Hezbollah in Egypt case, which does not differ from that of Nabih Berri. It aims to console both parties; the Egyptian state and the divine party, as each have a logical point of view. The imprisoned Major General said that Egypt “has a right to be angry at its territories being used as a passage for providing military supplies to the Palestinian resistance in Gaza without permission. But on the other hand, we must acknowledge that Hezbollah also has a right to be angry for being defamed in such a manner. The leadership of this party sees that it only violated Egypt’s sovereignty for a much nobler cause; to lend a helping hand to the Palestinian resistance.”

What do we make of all this? It is merely requesting that Egypt gives it a rest and a warning to Hezbollah not to commit the same mistake again. What is really quite sad about all this is the absence of the Lebanese state from the entire issue, with the exception of a few very weak statements such as the statement that said that the Lebanese President Michel Suleiman ‘is interested in dealing with the issue.’

It is apparent in this crisis that all the efforts in support of Hezbollah have been focused in natural and local circles, namely Lebanon. The biggest support came from the Amal movement and the overtly bias Major General Jamil al Sayyid. Outside of Lebanon, Muqtada al Sadr was prompt in offering his fiery verbal support for Hezbollah. If Nasrallah’s men analyzed the situation well, they would have realized that the party was falling into the instinctive sectarian dungeon.

This brings us on to a critical point about some media agencies in Egypt and some official accusations leveled against Hezbollah. It was incorrect to accuse Hezbollah of attempting to spread the Shia doctrine in Egypt; this has negative sectarian undertones and will not help the situation. The harm lies in the targeting of an entire religious sect in the Islamic world rather than confining the battle to the currents supporting Iran and its nationalist, fundamentalist dreams. We ought to spare our region from adding fuel to the sectarian fire.

Moderate Lebanese Shia Minister Ibrahim Shams al-Din, who is anti-Hezbollah, was right to express his full support of Egyptian sovereignty and of Egypt’s right to uphold national security. However, he voiced his concern over the accusations of the attempts to turn Egypt into a Shia state because it is an accusation that is offensive to all Shia, and Hezbollah does not represent them all. Moreover, this accusation will not help in the war against Iran and its allies.

This remark had to be made so as to put the confrontation in its right context and to avoid jumping out of the Hezbollah frying pan and into the fire of counter-sectarian fanaticism.

As for Egyptian sovereignty, it will not be harmed as long as Egyptian political performance remains highly resolute and alert. Neither Hezbollah nor Nabih Berri will be able to harm the sovereignty of Egypt.

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Touqan calls for Middle East free of nuclear weapons

Author:
Source: JNA (Jordan News Agency)
Date: 2009-04-23

Chairman of Jordan Nuclear Energy Commission (JNEC), Khaled Touqan, called on Monday for a Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction.

Touqan, who was speaking in the opening session of the International Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Energy in the 21st Century currently held in Peijing, asked all countries in the region to commit to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) standards and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to reach a nuclear-weapon-free Middle East.

The top nuclear official briefed the conferees on the challenges facing the Kingdom's nuclear program, underlining its importance in providing Jordan with its energy demands, thanks for its huge reserves of uranium.

These challenges, he said, included high cost, unstable political situation in the Middle East, lack of qualified national staff and, limited locations to set up nuclear plants among others."

When developed, the nuclear plants would help the kingdom save energy cost," Touqan said, adding that 25 percent of the national budget went for imported energy and this negatively affected economic development in Jordan.

Touqan, who is leading the Jordanian delegation to the event, will hold a number of bilateral meetings with Chinese officials on the sidelines of the conference.

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Local press welcomes Obama’s stand on Mideast conflict

Author: Mohammad Ghazal
Source: The Jordan Times
Date: 2009-04-23

His Majesty King Abdullah's meeting with US President Barack Obama was the focus of editorials in the country's press on Wednesday, with many highlighting the two countries' commitment to the two-state solution as key to ending the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

The editorials also addressed Obama’s support for the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, emphasising King Abdullah's "Pan-Arab mission" to convey a unified Arab stance to the US administration. In remarks to the press Tuesday following his meeting with King Abdullah, Obama said he is a strong supporter of a two-state solution, pinpointing his country's support for the Arab peace overture, which offers Israel normalisation with the Arab world in return for withdrawal from Arab territories it occupied in 1967. "The Arab Peace Initiative is very constructive," he said.
Al Rai's editorial said the Monarch's meeting with Obama was the focus of Arab and international media as King Abdullah was at the White House to convey the unified Arab position aiming to resolve the decades-old Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

In its editorial, the newspaper shed light on the King's effective role in helping bring about peace in the region and urging the US to be effectively involved in finding a solution to the conflict, reporting that Obama's invitation to Egyptian, Palestinian and Israeli leaders to visit Washington for separate talks clearly shows the positive outcome of the King's effort.

Ad Dustour newspaper described the visit of King Abdullah, the first Arab leader to hold talks with Obama, as historic, saying it comes at a crucial time.

The daily emphasised that Obama’s commitment to the Arab peace plan and the two-state solution is of great significance as it comes at a time witnessing the rise of an extremist right-wing government in Israel. This goverment has refused to recognise Palestinians as peace partners and rejected the Annapolis accords, under which Palestinian-Israeli negotiations were relaunched to include final status issues, such as the fate of Jerusalem and a solution to the refugee problem, added the paper.

Al Arab Al Yawm's editorial said Obama’s decision to stress his commitment to the two-state solution and to welcome the Arab Peace Initiative is a significant indicator of the importance of the King's trip.

The newspaper added that Obama's clear endorsement of the two-state solution is a response to recent remarks by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who have both shown opposition to the Arab Peace Initiative and the creation of a viable and independent Palestinian state.

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Shifting US position on Israel an opportunity for Arabs - analysts

Author: Mohammad Ghazal
Source: The Jordan Times
Date: 2009-04-23

Arabs should build on the US stance on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict declared by President Barack Obama at his meeting with His Majesty King Abdullah Tuesday, analysts said Wednesday.

Obama's strong support for the two-state solution, which envisages the creation of an independent Palestinian state, and his commitment to the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, which he described Tuesday as a "very constructive start", are positive indictators that Arabs should build on to demonstrate their pro-peace stance in light of the Israeli rejection of the two-state solution and the peace overture, the analysts noted.

"The US policy is in the process of being formulated and Arabs should highlight their peace-loving stance to the international community and the US administration in particular… For the first time there are clear differences between the US and Israel," writer and political analyst Nasouh Majali told The Jordan Times Wednesday.

Israel's position which rejects the two-state solution and peace efforts is being exposed to the rest of the world, said Majali, adding that Arabs, led by King Abdullah, want to create an international position that is supportive of peace, thus placing Israel under pressure to comply to the will of the world community.

"Israel cannot play a political game for a long time against the will of America and the Arabs. Israel will find itself in a position against the whole world if it goes on with its hardline policies," Majali stressed.

On Wednesday, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman branded the Arab Peace Initiative as “dangerous" because it requires the Jewish state to allow Palestinian refugees to return to its borders, Agence France-Presse reported.

Lieberman has refused to endorse the 2007 US-backed deal agreed to during a conference in Annapolis, Maryland, to relaunch negotiations with the Palestinians.
His hardline position, coupled with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's refusal to publicly endorse the creation of a Palestinian state, has raised fears that Israel's new Cabinet is on a collision course with Obama's administration, which has vowed to push the faltering Middle East peace talks, according to the agency.

Political science professor at Yarmouk University Mohammad Momani said it is of great significance that the Arabs support Obama and commit to the peace plan.
"It is important not to give Israel any excuse to try to undermine the American determination and it is important that the Arabs continue to support the peace proposal and commit to peace, as otherwise Israel will say there is no partner on the Arab side," Momani said in a telephone interview.

It is also important to engage and involve pro-Israel institutions in the US in the process, said Momani, referring to the King's recent meeting with Jewish religious leaders in Washington.
Fares Breizat, political analyst and pollster, said the Arabs should "stick to their guns" and renew their commitment to the peace initiative to show the world and the US in particular that Israel is not serious about peace.

"Israel has managed to process the peace process. Israeli politicians have become masters in processing the process and society has learned to live with it and accommodate the status quo. On another front, the Arabs should lobby Brussels, London, Paris, Moscow and the UN General Assembly to expose Israel's shallow commitment to peace in the region," said Breizat in an e-mail sent to The Jordan Times.

More work must be done on American public opinion to create some sort of balance between the Israeli and the Arab narratives, said the pollster, adding that Arabs must get involved and remain persistent in lobbying Washington and the political community inside the Beltway.
Urging the Arabs to make use of what he said was a "less-biased" American stance towards Israel, MP Mamdouh Abbadi said: “The Arabs should make use of this fact. It is a big gain that they should build on."

"The ball is in the court of the Arabs at this stage and they should make use of that as indictors from the US are positive on this issue," said Abbadi.

But former Lower House speaker Abdul Latif Arabiyat criticised Obama's approach and expressed pessimism about a speedy solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
"The Arabs gave grand concessions and offered all that they could offer through the peace overture and Obama is asking for more, deeming the initiative only a start," Arabiyat said.
"As long as Israel is under the protection of the US, the Israelis will never change and they will not give anything and that should be taken into consideration," the Islamist added.
Israel's inflexibility and its rejection of peace are being exposed to the entire world, Arabiyat said, and only full support by the Arabs, the West and the US in particular for the peace initiative will further expose Israel's stubborn position, forcing it to change.

"Statements by Obama are meant to waste time and delay a solution to the conflict…I do not expect anything to happen in the near future unless the US stops protecting Israel and being its absolute supporter," Arabiyat told The Jordan Times.

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We cannot afford to be protectionist - Queen Rania

Author:
Source: The Jordan Times
Date: 2009-04-23

Her Majesty Queen Rania on Wednesday noted that “the need for global philanthropy is more urgent than ever before”.

In her keynote address at the 8th Annual Global Philanthropy Forum Conference in Washington, DC, she pointed out that “the current economic crisis is wreaking havoc on development… But this conference itself is a powerful antidote to tough times”.
Donors, social investors and emblematic agents of change from around the world gathered at the conference to address global challenges in the areas of poverty, climate change, healthcare and access to education, in an effort to find shared solutions and collectively discuss strategic philanthropy objectives.

Highlighting the value of altruism inherent in the human act of giving, Queen Rania also expressed sincere gratitude to participants attending the annual conference, which also celebrates Earth Day, according to a statement released by Her Majesty’s office.
“All of you here, through your commitment and compassion, are extending lifelines of hope. And more than that, you’re tilling the soil from which social renewal can bloom,” she said.
After a brief pause of reflection, Queen Rania asked the audience a crucial question that lies at the very core of any effective global development debate: “How do we know when philanthropy is making a positive difference?”

Holding a jar of home-made apple jam in her hand, the Queen explained how the answer can be found in the story of a nine-year-old Jordanian girl, Leila, who showed appreciation to her community through a remarkably simple gesture.

“Leila’s lesson is that philanthropy means so much more than just giving money,” Queen Rania said as she narrated the little girl’s extraordinary story.

Leila, who comes from a disadvantaged neighbourhood outside Amman and is a member of the Madrasati student committee at her school, took up the challenge to come up with an idea that would make a healthy nutritional breakfast.

Realising what an excellent opportunity this offered for taking action, Leila decided to collect uneaten apples from her classmates, which she then made into an enormous jar of jam with the help of her mother.

In recognition of the efforts exerted by her community, which worked hard with the Madrasati team to revamp her school, Leila then offered the jam to her school friends for breakfast.
The jam was so delicious that Leila not only continued to feed the schoolchildren, but also began selling it in the local market with the intention of reinvesting her profits back into the school to refurbish the cafeteria and upgrade the computer lab.

“Philanthropy means giving bold thinkers like Leila the chance to lift their whole community and to realise the power within themselves to change things for the better,” Queen Rania said as she held up the jar of Leila’s homemade jam for the audience.

Highlighting the benefits of investing in educational reform, the Queen asserted, “When it comes to education, the power of philanthropy can be even bigger - not just within communities and countries but among them, stitching together humanity’s frayed seams, especially at a time of global turmoil.”

“Education is not only a problem, but also a solution - because when we look at the obstacles we face, education can help us overcome them all,” Her Majesty concluded.
Before the conference, Madrasati Programme Director Danah Dajani briefed the audience on the idea behind the initiative, highlighting progress and results achieved to date.
The Madrasati (my school) initiative, which Her Majesty launched last year as part of a five-year plan aimed at renovating and revitalising 500 of Jordan’s neediest schools, is currently targeting an additional 100 schools in Madaba, Balqa, Jerash and Ajloun.

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"The Law Is a Donkey"

Author: Mostafa Zein
Source: Al-Hayat
Date: 2009-04-21

He has worked in 70 countries. His accuracy in covering events is well-attested to. Everyone waits for his solid reports. He has never been subjected to harassment. Those responsible for his work have no criticisms about his professionalism. He is the British journalist Jeremy Bowen, who joined the BBC in 1985. He was trusted by viewers, before officials. His problems began in 1995, when he took up responsibility for supervising the BBC's Middle East division. Israel and the Zionist lobby brought attention to him, fearing his professionalism and accuracy in editing the news.

Last week, after a one-year long investigation, the BBC's Trust found that Bowen had violated the institution's editorial guidelines. How?

Last June, Bowen published an article on the BBC website entitled "How 1967 defined the Middle East." He wrote that "Zionism's innate instinct to push out the frontier" and a "defiance of everyone's interpretation of international law except its own" dictated the course of the war and its consequences, especially after Israel's rejection of UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338, which call for a withdrawal from the West Bank and the Golan Heights. Bowen wrote that Israeli generals used the war to deal with the "unfinished business" of 1948, i.e. expelling the Palestinians and occupying the rest of Palestine as part of their state. The BBC Trust decided that Bowen had violated the institution's guidelines on neutrality, accuracy and honesty, because readers might deduce from the article that there is no other interpretation, i.e. Israeli interpretation, of the war. It is the right of this other to express his opinion, so the Trust decided to amend the article.

The other error made by Bowen was in January, when he filed a piece for the program "From Our Correspondents." He said that the US does not recognize the Har Homa (Abu Ghneim) settlement and considers it illegal. The trustees (i.e. the censors) took him to task for not specifying the American source for the information; a lack of specification led to inaccuracy and bias.

It is thus censorship by the BBC. It is a censorship that did not move against Bowen until he took on responsibility for Middle East affairs. The region is different from all of the regions whose news and wars he has covered. It differs because it has Israel. The clearest evidence of the BBC's bias has been its refusal to broadcast an appeal for humanitarian organizations for aid for the children of Gaza. It is biased because it does not take into consideration international resolutions that condemn the occupation of the Palestinian territories. It does not see Jewish settlements as contravening international law. It uses the Hebrew name for the Abu Ghneim settlement. Journalists are obliged to use the term "targeted killing" instead of assassination, when the Israeli army assassinates a Palestinian official or attacks houses and kills children, on the pretext that it housed an official.

I will not say, along with Robert Fisk, that the BBC Trust's decision against Bowen "is cowardly, outrageous and ethically dishonest." I will not affirm, with Fisk, that the BBC's journalists are "lions being led by donkeys." But I will say, like Charles Dickens, that "the law is a donkey," which needs a person to steer it. Here, we find it being steered by censorship, toward the Israeli interest.

No one can appreciate the level of censorship-related pressure to which BBC journalists are subjected like Arab journalists, who are subject to 22 censorship bodies and unknown laws applied in arbitrary fashion.

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