publishedmedium:asharq al-awsat

  • Saudi-led coalition assault on Yemen port would be disaster - aid agencies | Agricultural Commodities | Reuters
    https://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL5N1T31C3

    • Senior aid officials fear bloodbath that closes down lifeline
    • Coalition forces about 20 kms from main port city of Hodeidah
    • “We cannot have war in Hodeidah”, Jan Egeland says

    By Stephanie Nebehay
    GENEVA, June 1 (Reuters) - As forces of the Saudi-led military coalition close in on the main Yemeni port city of #Hodeidah, aid agencies fear a major battle that will also shut down a vital lifeline for millions of hungry civilians.

    Senior aid officials urged Western powers providing arms and intelligence to the coalition to push the mostly Sunni Muslim Gulf Arab allies to reconvene U.N. talks with the Iran-allied Houthi movement to avoid a bloodbath and end the three-year war.

    A coalition spokesman said on Tuesday that forces backed by the coalition were 20 kms (12 miles) from the Houthi-held city of Hodeidah, but did not specify whether there were plans for an assault to seize the Red Sea port, long a key target.

    The coalition ground forces are now at the doorstep of this heavily-fortified, heavily-mined port city,” Jan Egeland, secretary-general of the Norwegian Refugee Council, told Reuters. “Thousands of civilians are fleeing from the outskirts of Hodeidah which is now a battle zone.

    We cannot have war in Hodeidah, it would be like war in Rotterdam or Antwerp, these are comparable cities in Europe.

    Troops from the United Arab Emirates and Yemeni government are believed to lead coalition forces massing south of the city of 400,000, another aid official said, declining to be named.

    Last week U.N. aid chief Mark Lowcock urged the Saudi-led coalition that controls Yemen’s ports to expedite food and fuel imports. He warned that a further 10 million Yemenis could face starvation by year-end in addition to 8.4 million already severely short of food in the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

    • Suite logique (!) de

      Saudi-led coalition closes in on Yemen port city Hodeidah | Reuters
      https://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security/saudi-led-coalition-closes-in-on-yemen-port-city-hodeidah-idUSKCN1IT21K

      Forces backed by a Saudi-led coalition are closing in on Yemen’s Houthi-held port city Hodeidah, a coalition spokesman said, but did not specify whether there were plans for an assault to seize the western port, long a key target in the war.

      Hodeidah is 20 km (12.43 miles) away and operations are continuing,” spokesman Colonel Turki al-Malki said at a press briefing in the Saudi capital Riyadh late on Monday, detailing gains made against the Iran-aligned Houthi movement.

      The Western-backed military alliance last year announced plans to move on Hodeidah, but backed off amid international pressure, with the United Nations warning that any attack on the country’s largest port would have a “catastrophic” impact.

      The renewed push towards Hodeidah comes amid increased tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which are locked in a three-year-old proxy war in Yemen that has killed more than 10,000 people, displaced three million and pushed the impoverished country to the verge of starvation.

      Yemeni officials told Reuters earlier this month that troops were advancing on Hodeidah province but did not plan to launch an assault on densely populated areas nearby.

      Coalition-backed troops have now reached al-Durayhmi, a rural area some 18 km from Hodeidah port, residents and the spokesperson for one military unit told Reuters on Monday.

    • Ça se rapproche encore, par le sud, cette fois-ci

      Fighting rages near Yemen’s Hodeidah airport
      http://www.arabnews.pk/node/1313041/middle-east

      As joint forces of the Arab coalition rapidly moved closer to Hodeidah, fighting in areas six kilometers away from the city’s airport intensified on Wednesday, military sources said.
      Yemen’s army said units from the “rapid intervention forces” were currently positioned in Al-Durayhmi and were ready to enter the strategic port city of Hodeidah from the south.

      Yemeni army spokesman Abdo Abdullah Majali told Asharq Al-Awsat on Wednesday that the rapid intervention forces are trained to fight inside small neighborhoods and hunt down Houthi militias hiding in fortified buildings. He added that they would work to clear these buildings in preparation for the army’s entry into Hodeidah and its liberation while ensuring that residents remained safe.

      Majali added that the liberation of Hodeidah would help the army to advance on several other Yemeni cities because of its strategic position as a port city and its proximity to Taiz, Ibb, Al-Mahwit, Dhamar, and Hajjah.

      At least 53 rebels died in fighting in Hodeidah on Wednesday while seven pro-government fighters were killed and 14 wounded, according to medical sources.

      A military source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Houthi militias experienced heavy losses on fronts in the province of Saada as a result of confusion and panic.

  • US-Led Coalition May Withdraw From Al-Tanaf Base Under Deal With Russia – Reports
    https://southfront.org/us-led-coalition-may-withdraw-from-al-tanaf-base-under-deal-with-russia-

    The US is considering to abandon the al-Tanaf base near the Syrian-Iraqi border under a deal with Russia, that will also force Iranian-backed forces and the Lebanese movement Hezbollah to withdraw away from the border with Jordan and from the contact line with Israel, the Newsweek magazine reported on May 30.

    Earlier this week, the Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat released a similar report, in which it claimed that Russia, the US and Jordan are negotiating a deal that will enable the SAA to capture the opposition-held areas in the governorates of Daraa and al-Quneitra in exchange for pushing Iranian and Iran-backed forces more than 25km away from the border with Jordan. According to Asharq Al-Awsat, the militants who will reject this deal will be evacuated to the northern governorate of Idlib.

    Several Israeli news outlets, including Haaretz and the Jerusalem Post, also reported that Israel and Russia are currently finalizing a deal that will force Iranian forces and Hezbollah to withdraw more than 60km away from the contact line between Syria and Israel.

    While these reports remain unconfirmed by any official source, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said earlier that all non-Syrian forces must withdraw from the de-escalation zone in southern Syria. This could be a proof that Russia, Jordan, Israel and the US are indeed preparing an agreement.

    #syrie #al-tanaf

  • Reports of ‘attempted security breach,’ 1 killed at Israeli embassy in Jordan
    uly 23, 2017 9:38 P.M. (Updated: July 23, 2017 9:47 P.M.)
    http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?ID=778307

    Jordanian security forces blocking off roads leading to the Israeli embassy in Amman on July 23, 2017.

    BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Jordanian media reported on Sunday that the area surrounding the Israeli embassy in the Jordanian capital, Amman, had been shut down on Sunday evening following an ’attempted security breach’ which allegedly left one person dead and another injured.

    According to media outlet Ammon News reported that security forces had cordoned off the area, adding that one Jordanian was believed to be dead, while an Israeli was reportedly wounded.

    Meanwhile, Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said that the incident was “under full censorship” — preventing Israeli media and foreign journalists with Israeli press cards from reporting on the event.

    “““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““
    Israeli embassy security guard shoots, kills 2 Jordanians in Amman
    July 23, 2017 9:38 P.M. (Updated: July 24, 2017 11:50 A.M.)

    BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — An Israeli embassy security guard shot and killed two Jordanians in Amman under unclear circumstances Sunday night, with Jordanian media describing the incident as a personal dispute and the Israeli foreign ministry saying the Israeli guard was defending himself from a politically-motivated attack.

    According to reports, two Jordanian carpenter workers had arrived to an apartment in the residential complex used by the Israeli embassy to replace furniture.

    An Israeli foreign ministry spokesperson said in a statement that one of the workers crept up behind the guard and began stabbing him with a screwdriver. The guard then opened fire, killing the alleged attacker, and also inadvertently shot the Jordanian owner of the building who was present at the scene, who later succumbed to his wounds as well.

    A third Jordanian worker was present at the scene, according to the statement, which was released Monday morning after the incident was put under a media ban by Israeli authorities overnight.

    The ministry’s statement said the Israeli guard was lightly injured in the incident, without elaborating on the nature of his injuries. Israeli news outlet Haaretz said he was injured when jumping back away from the Jordanian as he his cocked his weapon.

    The slain alleged assailant was identified as 17-year-old Muhammad Zakariya al-Jawawdeh, reportedly of Palestinian origin, who died after being shot twice. He had previously done maintenance work in the Israeli embassy and its residential compound.

    The Jordanian General Security Administration issued a statement, reportedly saying the circumstances surrounding the incident were still being investigated, and did not say that a Jordanian carpenter had attacked an Israeli.

    Later Sunday night, dozens of al-Jawawdeh’s family members gathered in Asharq Al-Awsat square in Amman to protest his death, demanding that the Jordanian government release all details of the investigation and punish the shooter.

    One relative told news cameras from private Jordanian outlet Ammon that the boy had went to the apartment to collect money in return for a bedroom set purchased by the Israeli guard, claiming that al-Jawawdeh did not realize the customer was armed or a Jewish Israeli.

    “He was a student on summer holiday. The boy went with the young guys to collect the money, and a heated argument broke out between him another young man there. We didn’t know they were armed, nor did we know they were Jews. If we knew they were Jews, we would have considered it dishonor that they visit our stores,” the man said.

    “What has happened is that our son had heated argument with the man. Regardless of whether he slapped you or you boxed him, how dare you in cold-blood cock your handgun and shoot the boy as if he was a cockroach?”

    The father also said in an interview with Jordanian television station Roya TV that his son did not know the nationality of the man who killed him and that he was a regular customer who bought furniture from them.

    However, Israeli authorities have been treating the incident as a possible attack in retaliation to rising tensions in occupied East Jerusalem.

    #Ambassade_israélienne #Amman #Jordanie #Ziv

    • Un Jordanien tué et un Israélien blessé à l’ambassade d’Israël en Jordanie

      La mise en place par Israël de détecteurs de métaux aux entrées de l’esplanade des Mosquées à Jérusalem-Est, gérée par la Jordanie, a engendré des violences meurtrières.
      Le Monde.fr avec AFP | 23.07.2017 à 21h31
      http://www.lemonde.fr/proche-orient/article/2017/07/23/un-jordanien-tue-et-un-israelien-blesse-a-l-ambassade-d-israel-en-jordanie_5

      Alors que la tension reste vive à Jérusalem-Est, secouée depuis une semaine par la crise de l’esplanade des Mosquées, Amman, la capitale jordanienne est à son tour visée. Un Jordanien a été tué et un Israélien grièvement blessé lors d’un « incident » survenu dimanche 23 juillet à l’intérieur de l’ambassade d’Israël à Amman, la capitale jordanienne, selon une source des services de sécurité jordaniens.

      Cette dernière n’a toutefois pas fourni plus de précisions et il n’était pas clair, dans l’immédiat, si l’« incident » est lié aux tensions à Jérusalem, les autorités jordaniennes n’ayant pas donné davantage de détails tandis qu’Israël n’a pas réagi.

      Les forces de sécurité jordaniennes ont encerclé l’ambassade d’Israël, située dans le secteur de Rabieh, dans l’ouest d’Amman, et se sont déployées dans les rues voisines, selon un correspondant de l’Agence France-Presse (AFP).
      (...)
      « Nous irons à al-Aqsa en martyrs par millions »

      Vendredi, plusieurs milliers de manifestants ont défilé à Amman et dans d’autres villes de Jordanie, à l’appel de la mouvance islamiste et de partis de gauche, pour protester contre ces nouvelles mesures.

      « Nous irons à Al-Aqsa en martyrs par millions », répétaient-ils entre autres, en référence à la mosquée Al-Aqsa s’élevant sur l’esplanade des Mosquées, troisième lieu saint de l’islam.

      ““““““““““““““
      Mis à jour le 24.07.2017 à 10h42 |

      L’un des fonctionnaires israéliens en poste à l’ambassade d’Amman, en Jordanie, a tué deux Jordaniens après avoir été victime d’une agression. Les faits se sont produits dans son appartement, à côté de l’ambassade. Responsable de la sécurité, il avait convié un menuisier jordanien pour effectuer des travaux, en présence du propriétaire. Le menuisier a attaqué le fonctionnaire avec un tournevis. Ce dernier a ouvert le feu et l’a tué, tout en blessant grièvement le propriétaire jordanien, qui est mort.

      Les Israéliens disent ne pas douter de la motivation idéologique de l’agresseur, qui serait liée à la situation à Jérusalem. Le gouvernement a voulu rapatrier l’ensemble de ses diplomates, mais a dû renoncer. La Sécurité générale jordanienne souhaite interroger l’Israélien impliqué. Or il jouit de l’immunité diplomatique, selon le ministère des affaires étrangères.

    • Jordanian killed in shooting incident inside Israeli embassy compound in Amman
      //Petra// AF // 23/7/2017 - 11:02:23 PM
      http://petra.gov.jo/Public_News/Nws_NewsDetails.aspx?lang=2&site_id=1&NewsID=310871&CatID=13
      Amman, July 23 (Petra) — Police said they are investigating a shooting incident inside the Israeli embassy compound in Amman, which left a Jordanian citizen dead and injured two others; a Jordanian and an Israeli.

      The Public Security Department (PSD) said a police forced rushed to the scene of the incident and evacuated the three for medical treatment but one of them, a Jordanian, was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.

      The PSD added in a statement that preliminary investigations indicate that the two Jordanians had entered the embassy’s compound to do carpentry work.

      The statement said the PSD launched an extensive investigation into the incident and informed the Public Prosecution in order to find out all details and circumstances in accordance with legal procedures followed in such cases.

    • Diplomatic Crisis With Jordan: Embassy Guard Who Killed Assailant Prevented From Returning to Israel

      Israeli Embassy guard shoots and kills a Jordanian teen who tried to stab him, and another man; Israel decides to pull out its diplomats but halts the evacuation when Jordan insists on interrogating him
      Barak Ravid, Jack Khoury and Gili Cohen Jul 24, 2017 7:58 AM
      http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.803076

      An unusual security incident in which a Jordanian civilian tried to attack an Israeli embassy guard in Jordan on Sunday and was shot dead has become a diplomatic crisis. Jordan is barring the Israeli guard from leaving the country.

      On Sunday evening, following an emergency meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem, it was decided to immediately evacuate all the staff of the Israeli embassy in Amman for fear that the incident would lead to riots and attempts to attack the embassy. However, the Jordanian authorities have refused to allow the security guard to leave the country and have demanded an investigation.

      Israel is currently refusing to allow an investigation of the security guard at this stage, claiming that the guard has diplomatic immunity under the Vienna Convention. The dispute over a possible investigation has led to the delay in the evacuation of the Israeli diplomatic team in Amman.
      (...) The guard at the Israeli Embassy in Amman was stabbed on Sunday by a Jordanian carpenter who was installing furniture in his apartment near the embassy compound. The Israeli security officer, who was lightly wounded in the incident, shot and killed the attacker. His landlord, who was also present during the incident, was also wounded during the incident and later died of his wounds.

  • U.S. Will Lose Syria to Iran and Abandon Kurdish Allies, Former Ambassador Says
    http://www.newsweek.com/us-military-kurds-lose-iran-syria-former-ambassador-627395

    Robert Ford, who served as envoy to Syria under former President Barack Obama from 2011 through 2014, said during an interview Monday with the London-based Arabic-language newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat that “Obama did not leave the Trump administration many options to achieve its goal” of defeating the Islamic State militant group (ISIS) and curbing Iran’s foothold in the region. While Iran and Russia back Syrian President Bashar al-Assad against various insurgents and jihadists trying to topple him, the U.S. supports an irregular coalition, the Syrian Democratic Forces, made up mostly of Kurds, but including other ethnic minorities and Arabs. Despite the group’s recent successes in storming ISIS’s de facto capital of Raqqa, Ford said “the game was finished” for U.S. plans to overthrow Assad or compete with Iran’s success in the country.

    (...) The Syrian Democratic Forces were mostly neutral in the battle between pro- and anti-Syrian government forces, but tensions have risen between the U.S. and pro-Syrian government forces that now share extensive front lines since ISIS’s collapse on multiple fronts. Recent clashes between the Syrian army and the Syrian Democratic Forces were followed by the U.S.’s unprecedented decision to shoot down a Syrian military jet it claimed was operating too close to positions held by the Syrian Democratic Forces. Siding with the U.S,, however, will turn out to be a grave mistake for the Kurds, according to Ford. He said U.S. support for Kurds would disappear, as it did in post-invasion Iraq, after ISIS was defeated in Raqqa and in other areas.

    “[The U.S.] will not defend the Kurds against Assad’s forces,” the former envoy said. “What we’re doing with the Kurds is not only politically stupid, but immoral.”

    Syrian Kurds are making their biggest mistake in trusting the Americans,” he added.

    De fait, on peut imaginer que ce seront les Kurdes qui finiront par payer la note en #syrie, même si c’est immoral comme le dit un ex-ambassadeur qui s’y connaît dans ce domaine...

  • For first time, Hamas prepared to accept pre-1967 borders for Palestinian state -
    Hamas soon expected to approve document summarizing the organization’s political and strategic positions, including declaring its independence from any outside party such as the Muslim Brotherhood.

    Jack Khoury Mar 09, 2017
    read more: http://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/palestinians/1.775939

    Hamas is formulating a new outline of its policies, which will reportedly include an acceptance in principle of Palestine within the 1967 borders but not a recognition of Israel. According to reports, the document will also state that the organization was not a part of the Muslim Brotherhood.
    According to the London-based Asharq al-Awsat newspaper, sources in Hamas say that officials from the organization’s political bureau, Chairman Khaled Meshal and his deputy Ismail Haniyeh, as well as other officials from the military and political leadership, were involved in formulating and amending the document, which is still being worked on. Final approval is expected at the end of this month or early next month, when the Hamas internal elections for the political bureau and Shura Council conclude.
    >> Get all updates on Israel and the Palestinians: Download our free App, and Subscribe >>
    The report says the document will make clear that Hamas is an independent organization not tied to the Muslim Brotherhood, and this will help it in its contacts with the Egyptian authorities who are demanding that Hamas be fully disconnected from the Muslim Brotherhood, which is banned in Egypt.
    Hamas officials believe acceptance of the principle of a Palestinian state with the 1967 borders will help it break the boycott from foreign countries and international organizations.

    Sources in Hamas say that the document will define the fight against Israel as a fight against the occupation and not against Jews, whereas the organization’s platform that was passed 29 years ago defined Hamas as an extension of the Muslim Brotherhood in Palestine, defined the Palestinian issue as a religious issue and said that the struggle was against the Jews.

    An official with the political wing of Hamas in Gaza told Haaretz that the document that will be approved in the coming weeks will not present new positions, but will summarize positions and principles that came up over the last few years, in the talks for reconciliation and understandings with the other various Palestinian factions, and in the talks with Egypt and other Arab countries.
    “Anyone who has followed the statements of Khaled Meshal and the Hamas leaders will not find anything different, but in light of the major changes that have occurred in the region and within the Palestinian arena, Hamas has formulated this document to stand as an ID card for the movement and its principles,” the official said.
    Last month, Hamas completed its internal elections in Gaza, including the election of Yahya Sinwar as Hamas head in Gaza, and by early next month should complete its election process abroad. In the West Bank, it is not certain there will be such an election, due to organizational difficulties presented by Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
    Haniyeh is widely expected to be elected head of the political bureau in place of Meshal who is stepping down, and Hamas will try to present an agenda that will help its standing in relation to the international community and Arab countries, chiefly Egypt.
    At this stage it is not clear how much Hamas wants to end its rift with Fatah and the Palestinian Authority, but it is possible that its agreement to a Palestinian state in the 1967 borders and defining the fight against the occupation in terms of a popular resistance alongside the military struggle, could serve as a basis for national agreement with the other factions, especially Fatah.

  • Ils n’abandonnent jamais,

    “Red-Line” (for USA+Israel) accusations made against Hezbollah for Chem weapons via Saudi media+Syrian Op
    https://mideastwire.wordpress.com/2016/05/05/red-line-for-usaisrael-accusations-made-against-hezbollah-for

    Whether true or not is, of course, unknowable for us in the public domain. What is important then is that the Saudi owned press is going to push this angle and so is Syrian opposition…. as an effective tool to stoke Israelis, Americans and others (despite past failures in mobilizing around the “red-line”/WMD angle).

    ********

    On May 5, the Saudi-owned, London-based Asharq al-Awsat daily newspaper carried the following report: “Syrian oppositionists told Asharq al-Awsat that chemical weapons are being used against the areas controlled by the opposition. They stressed that the so-called Lebanese Hezbollah is present in the area where these weapons have been used, which re-opens the file of these weapons’ transfer to the Party that constitutes a full partner of the regime in its Syrian war.

    “Since the very first moment when the issue of the Syrian regime’s chemical weapons was placed under the international microscope and when the USA announced its willingness to strike the regime to punish it for using these weapons against the civilians, the Syrian oppositionists raised their voices and warned against the transfer of these weapons to the Party.

  • As some #Hamas figures split off to join #ISIS in #Sinai, group begins widespread crackdown on Salfists and ISIS in #Gaza
    https://mideastwire.wordpress.com/2016/03/23/as-some-hamas-figures-split-off-to-join-isis-in-sinai-group-b

    On March 22, the Saudi-owned, London-based Asharq al-Awsat daily newspaper carried the following report: “As yet another clue to the Hamas movement’s new plans in the Gaza territory following the meetings between the movement’s leaders and the leaders of the Egyptian intelligence services, the movement has launched a massive campaign against extremist Salafists and arrested a number of those.

    “Palestinian sources told Asharq al-Awsat that the internal security services affiliated to Hamas have launched a campaign targeting Salafist officials and activists in Gaza only two days following the conclusion of the meetings between the movement’s delegation and the leaders of the Egyptian intelligence services in Cairo. The internal security services arrested an unidentified number of Salafists including one of the group’s theorists, Wael Hassanein, in addition to others.

    “The arrests also included, for the first time ever, members from a group known as Liwa al-Tawheed, which is led by former officials from the Al-Nasser brigades knowing that these brigades are close to Hamas. A Salafist official said that Hamas has launched a new war against them including arrests and summoning dozens of members.

    “The investigations with the Salafists focused on their relationship with any organizations in Sinai, their funding sources, weapons and activities. According to the Salafist sources, Hamas confiscated pieces of equipment and weapons from the Salafists. Abou Bassir al-Maqdessi, a Salafist leader, told Asharq al-Awsat: “A large number of individuals who are now held in the Hamas prisons have been arrested in favor of some Egyptian agendas.” He added: “This is not the first time where Hamas implements the agendas of the Egyptian intelligence services. It has already done so in the previous years during the era of Mohammad Morsi. Today, this is being repeated with Es-Sissi. They went all the way to pledging to control the borders in Egypt’s favor. However, this will not harm us at all. We know where they’re going.”

    “The relationship between Hamas and the Salafists and has been tense for long years and has seen several phases of high and low tide as well as blood spill over the differences on the “establishment of a princedom” in Gaza and ISIL’s intervention in Al-Yarmouk Camp. Then, the past phase saw a state of cautious calm thanks to the interference of some external parties to reconcile the Salafists with Hamas. However, it seems that the agreement with Egypt has once again disrupted the situation.

    “Al-Maqdessi said: “We, the Jihadist Salafist groups, are not affected by those parties who oppose or disappoint us. The day will come when the situation will change and we will be the force that will impose its Islamic choice by implementing the Sharia and fighting the infidels and the apostates…””

    #Egypte

  • Article de Jean Aziz dans al-Monitor sur l’établissement par la Jordanie de la liste « noire » des organisations terroristes en Syrie dont elle a été chargé - et qui constitueraient donc des cibles légitimes. Comme prévu, ça ne va pas être simple :
    Is Jordan capable of developing the Syrian terrorist group blacklist ? / extrait
    http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/11/jordan-mission-designate-terrorist-groups-syria.html#ixzz3szBZqWyq

    Abu Rumman told Al-Monitor, “This is a complicated issue that could compromise Jordan since adding more groups to the list will provoke their backers and threaten the kingdom’s stability.” The support group has already agreed to include IS and Jabhat al-Nusra on the list. Among the groups that could possibly be added are Ahrar al-Sham, al-Sham Front and Jaish al-Fatah (Army of Conquest).
    “Some of these Islamist groups fall in a gray area. Some will argue that they are radical, while others will claim they are moderate,” said Abu Rumman. This, he added, is part of the challenge facing Jordan. The survey group’s designations could affect alliances among the anti-regime groups — for instance, Jaish al-Fatah’s affiliation with the already designated Jabhat al-Nusra — and weaken the opposition on the ground, especially if foreign backers stop financing some of them, Abu Rumman noted.

    It is not clear how Amman will manage its mission amid the conflicting interests and goals among the regional and international players involved in the Syrian conflict. According to the newspaper Asharq al-Awsat, Jordan will soon host a meeting to determine “radical organizations in Syria.” It reported that at least seven more groups will be added to the terrorist list. Political analyst Orieb al-Rintawi told Al-Monitor that one criteria Jordan will use to designate radical groups is “their acceptance or rejection of a political process” in Syria.
    Saudi Arabia, a major supporter of some groups in Syria, including Ahrar al-Sham, is planning to hold a conference in mid-December for the Syrian opposition to foster a unified position among factions. The conference is supposed to include the various representatives from the Syrian opposition and military factions.
    Rintawi warned, “The Saudis must not exclude or marginalize groups that are not on close terms with Riyadh.” What the Saudis do stands to have some effect on Jordan’s task. “The conference could give recognition to groups that might end up on the Jordanian list,” he said.
    There are unconfirmed reports that Amman is already being pressured by Turkey and Saudi Arabia. The Dubai-based Gulf News reported Nov. 23 that the two countries “have convinced Jordan to cross off two of their proxies [Jaish al-Islam and Ahrar al-Sham] from the list of Syria’s rebel groups banned from joining the political process.” The paper also reported, “The Russians wanted to exclude Jaish al-Islam and Ahrar al-Sham, while Saudi Arabia insisted both are moderate and legitimate opposition groups.”

    Question déjà évoquée ici indirectement, à propos de l’impossibilité d’une liste « blanche », par @nidal : http://seenthis.net/messages/433418

  • The Free Syrian Army: 4,000 or 60,000? - Al Arabiya News
    http://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2015/02/02/Abdulrahman al-Rashed

    The current puzzling question regarding the size of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) highlights just how vague the situation is and how easily propaganda is marketed on both sides. The Syrian regime is pushing the idea that the opposition is divided and has been wiped out, while the opposition says it is reorganizing 60,000 fighters who are members of the FSA.

    What is certain is that Western support the FSA is receiving has decreased. A Wall Street Journal report said American military support for the Syrian opposition had regressed, and that the U.S. only gave the equivalent of 16 bullets a month per fighter.

    The U.S. State Department said on Wednesday : “ Since the first of the year, we have delivered approximately 2.7 million in nonlethal supplies and equipment to the moderate opposition, including water trucks, back hoes, generators, winterization gear, and more than 17,000 food baskets.”

    Despite the restraints levied against it, the FSA is on the verge of consolidating its control of southern Syria. Despite this scarcity, the FSA and the moderate Syrian opposition in general deserve appreciation for their steadfastness despite a lull in support, and despite the restraints placed against them (they are no longer able to move freely in northern Syria due to constant targeting by the extremist al-Nusra Front).

    Added to that, Turkey has also begun to restrain the activity of the FSA and its leaders, perhaps as a result of foreign pressures.

    Consolidating control
    Despite the restraints levied against it, the FSA is on the verge of consolidating its control of southern Syria - in Daraa and its surroundings - even though many of the fighters have not received salaries in months.

    Salim Idriss, minister of defense in the opposition government, said the opposition had begun to unite factions to establish a united army that will include 60,000 fighters. Idriss further hypothesized that the world will realize that its only option to confront the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is to topple the Syrian regime and support the moderate opposition which represents all Syrian people of different religions, sects and tribes.

    Some American politicians and legislators agree with this opinion when it comes to the topic of confronting ISIS and the threats it poses to the world.

    A member of the U.S. Senate Defense Affairs Committee said : “ The American government must support the Free Syrian Army because it’s the only option. Despite the hesitation to support [the FSA], its leadership will be capable of altering the vision of regional countries in support of the Syrian people and [will also be capable] of altering the vision of suspicious Western countries if it really manages to reunite itself and if it really succeeds at uniting the ranks of, at least, its military leaderships [especially since] rival and competing political leaderships are not as significant during this difficult phase.”

    This article was first published in Asharq al-Awsat on February 2, 2015.

    Abdulrahman al-Rashed
    The current puzzling question regarding the size of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) highlights just how vague the situation is and how easily propaganda is marketed on both sides. The Syrian regime is pushing the idea that the opposition is divided and has been wiped out, while the opposition says it is reorganizing 60,000 fighters who are members of the FSA.

    What is certain is that Western support the FSA is receiving has decreased. A Wall Street Journal report said American military support for the Syrian opposition had regressed, and that the U.S. only gave the equivalent of 16 bullets a month per fighter.

    The U.S. State Department said on Wednesday: “Since the first of the year, we have delivered approximately 2.7 million in nonlethal supplies and equipment to the moderate opposition, including water trucks, back hoes, generators, winterization gear, and more than 17,000 food baskets.”

    Despite the restraints levied against it, the FSA is on the verge of consolidating its control of southern Syria

    Abdulrahman al-Rashed
    Despite this scarcity, the FSA and the moderate Syrian opposition in general deserve appreciation for their steadfastness despite a lull in support, and despite the restraints placed against them (they are no longer able to move freely in northern Syria due to constant targeting by the extremist al-Nusra Front).

    Added to that, Turkey has also begun to restrain the activity of the FSA and its leaders, perhaps as a result of foreign pressures.

    Consolidating control
    Despite the restraints levied against it, the FSA is on the verge of consolidating its control of southern Syria - in Daraa and its surroundings - even though many of the fighters have not received salaries in months.

    Salim Idriss, minister of defense in the opposition government, said the opposition had begun to unite factions to establish a united army that will include 60,000 fighters. Idriss further hypothesized that the world will realize that its only option to confront the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is to topple the Syrian regime and support the moderate opposition which represents all Syrian people of different religions, sects and tribes.

    Some American politicians and legislators agree with this opinion when it comes to the topic of confronting ISIS and the threats it poses to the world.

    A member of the U.S. Senate Defense Affairs Committee said: “The American government must support the Free Syrian Army because it’s the only option. Despite the hesitation to support [the FSA], its leadership will be capable of altering the vision of regional countries in support of the Syrian people and [will also be capable] of altering the vision of suspicious Western countries if it really manages to reunite itself and if it really succeeds at uniting the ranks of, at least, its military leaderships [especially since] rival and competing political leaderships are not as significant during this difficult phase.”

    This article was first published in Asharq al-Awsat on February 2, 2015.

  • High turnout as polls close in Bahraini elections despite opposition boycott « ASHARQ AL-AWSAT
    http://www.aawsat.net/2014/11/article55338802

    Speaking to the press from a polling station, Justice Minister Sheikh Khalid Bin Ali Al Khalifa announced on Saturday that voter turnout had reached 51.5 percent for the parliamentary elections and 53.7 percent for the municipal vote.

    He said the estimates were “conservative” and that the final turnout would be confirmed once the vote was fully counted.

    He added that the call for a boycott of the poll by the opposition—led by the Shi’ite Al-Wefaq group—had only managed to prevent 16 percent of voters from casting their votes.

    Elections in 2010, which were not boycotted by the opposition, garnered a 67 percent turnout.

  • Qatar no longer offering citizenship to Bahraini nationals: Bahrain interior minister « ASHARQ AL-AWSAT
    http://www.aawsat.net/2014/11/article55338696

    Qatar no longer offering citizenship to Bahraini nationals: Bahrain interior minister
    Bahrain earlier accused Qatar of luring its citizens to switch nationality

    Bahraini Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Bin Abdullah Bin Hamad Al Khalifa attends the consultative meeting of interior ministers from the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), in the Bahraini capital Manama on April 23, 2013. (AFP Photo/Mohammed Al-Shaikh)

    Manama and Abu Dhabi, Asharq Al-Awsat—Qatar has stopped offering Bahraini nationals Qatari citizenship, Bahraini Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Bin Abdullah Bin Hamad Al Khalifa said on Tuesday, in what may mark the end of a long-running dispute between the two states.

    Sheikh Rashid said the understanding reached between the two countries on the issue reflected their “mutual respect,” and would help the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) remain united.

    Controversy erupted earlier in the year after Doha allegedly began offering Qatari citizenship to Bahraini nationals from prominent Sunni families, many of them members of the military and security services, according to sources who spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat in September.

    Manama issued three warnings to Doha in August and September over the issue, and passed a law in August imposing fines on Bahraini citizens who took on the nationalities of other countries without the approval of the authorities.

    Bahraini citizens are permitted to have dual nationalities, but only after seeking permission from the minister of the interior.

    Sources speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat in September said the issue was one of the main sticking points in the months-long dispute within the GCC, which saw Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain accuse Qatar of interfering in their internal affairs.

    The dispute was resolved on Sunday following an emergency meeting in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, following efforts to mediate the diplomatic row by Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

    Sheikh Rashid praised the work of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, in helping to resolve the dispute, saying it displayed the “importance of the role which GCC countries can play to bring about stability in the Arab world, especially during the unusual circumstances the region is currently experiencing.”

    He added that these events “obligated us [GCC countries] to have a united outlook and to undertake concerted efforts” to ensure regional stability.

    Meanwhile, King Abdullah received a message from the Ruler of Dubai and Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and Gen. Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces—who both represented the UAE at Sunday’s meeting—thanking him, and the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmed Al Sabah, for their mediation efforts.

  • TRANSLATED: Half of 52-strong “FSA” force leave Kobani fight after disputes with Kurds
    http://mideastwire.wordpress.com/2014/11/03/translated-half-of-52-strong-fsa-force-leave-kobani-fight-aft

    On November 3, the Saudi-owned, London-based Asharq al-Awsat daily newspaper carried the following report: “Sources at the Free Syrian Army and others from the Kurdish People Protection Units revealed that differences took place between the fighters of the Free Army and the Kurds in the Syrian city of Kobani (Ain Arab) near the Turkish borders, which is now witnessing massive battles aimed at repelling the attacks of the ISIL group.

    “A source at the military council, which is affiliated to the Free Army told Asharq al-Awsat that “differences occurred between the Kurds and the Free Army’s fighters who entered Kobani from Turkey a few days ago.” They added that around 20 out of 52 fighters left the region and returned to Turkey. The differences likely occurred as a result of failing to supply the opposition members with ammunition or fighting equipment that the International Alliance had previously tossed to the Kurdish fighters by air.

    “On the other hand, a source at the People Protection Units told Asharq al-Awsat that “the fighters of the Free Army that recently entered Kobani had a political rather than a military objective.” He also accused them of following Turkey’s orders…”

  • ISIS in control of 60 percent of Syrian oil: sources « ASHARQ AL-AWSAT
    http://www.aawsat.net/2014/07/article55334174

    ISIS in control of 60 percent of Syrian oil: sources
    Al-Qaeda-splinter group expanding oil production efforts in Syria

    London, Asharq Al-Awsat—The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is preparing to seize one of the few remaining major oil production centers in Syria not under its control, according to Syrian opposition officials.

    “ISIS is already in control of more than 60 percent of Syria’s oil, with a total production rate of 180, 0000 barrel per day” and now plans to seize facilities in the northern province of Hassakah, an official from the Ministry of Energy in the interim Syrian opposition government, Yamin Al-Shami, told Asharq Al-Awsat.

    Having seized control of the majority of oil fields in Raqqa province, in central Syria, and Deir Ezzor province, along the Iraqi border, ISIS is preparing to mobilize fighters in a new push towards the town of Rmelan, home to the largest oil fields in Hassakah. Rmealn is under the control of Kurdish People’s Protection Units, or YPG.

    Shami warned that oil production constitutes a significant source of revenue for ISIS, adding that the Islamist militant group is able to sell a barrel of crude oil for around 18 US dollars. Brent crude, a global benchmark, currently sells at around 107 US dollars.

    Oil is transported from ISIS-held areas with the help of local and foreign brokers, Shami said.

    Despite its recent advances in Iraq, ISIS has been unable to take control of oil resources comparable to those it holds in Syria, and its recent attempt to capture the key Baiji refinery was successfully deterred by Iraqi forces. But Iraq’s oil infrastructure is far from secure, and there are frequent reports that huge amounts of crude oil are being smuggled out of the country by militants.

    “Militant groups, along with ISIS, are stealing crude oil from fields near the Hamrin mountains” in northeastern Iraq, a local administrative official, Shallal Abdool, told Asharq Al-Awsat.

    “Kurdish Peshmerga forces that control the area have seized more than 50 tankers loaded with stolen crude oil,” he added.

    When asked about the destination to which oil is being taken, Abdool said: “There are many sides inside and outside Iraq that buy crude oil . . . and there are smugglers and brokers in Iraq who buy it for a cheap price in order to sell it abroad.”

    Valerie Marcel, of London-based Chatham House think tank, said: “Fighters from ISIS can sell oil on the black market to buyers from Turkey, the Kurdistan region and Iran.”

    “ISIS’s use of temporary refineries allows them to sell oil more easily.”

    But, pointing to the fact that oil smuggling has been a problem for decades, others played down worries about ISIS’s oil activities.

    “Oil smuggling operations from these sites exist and have been taking place for a long time before ISIS took over Nineveh province,” the governor of Salah Al-Din province, Ahmed Abdullah Al-Jubouri, told Asharq Al-Awsat.

  • Syrian rebel group holding nuns captive offers hostage swap
    http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/syrian-rebel-group-holding-nuns-captive-offers-hostage-swap

    A Syrian rebel group calling itself “Free Qalamoun” has claimed the kidnapping of 12 nuns and said it wants to trade them for a thousand female detainees held by the government, a pan-Arab newspaper reported on Friday. Rebel spokesman Mohannad Abu al-Fidaa told Asharq al-Awsat that the nuns were safe but “will not be released until several demands have been implemented, most importantly, the release of 1,000 Syrian women held in regime prisons.” Reuters could not independently confirm the report. read more

    #syria #Top_News

  • En Egypte, une nouvelle campagne pour boycotter les élections présidentielles si le général al-Sissi ne se présente pas | Asharq Al-Awsat
    http://www.aawsat.net/2013/11/article55321862

    More than 15 million Egyptians have signed a petition calling on Gen. Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi to stand for president, the director of the Kamel Gmeilak (“Complete the Favor”) campaign told Asharq Al-Awsat.
    Rifai Nasrallah, who heads the campaign that takes its name from a popular Egyptian proverb, said: “In the event that Sisi refuses to stand, we will call on the Egyptian people to boycott the presidential elections.”

  • Opinion: Qaradawi and Religious Sentiment | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT
    http://www.aawsat.net/2013/09/article55317208

    Earlier this week, renowned Mauritanian preacher and jurist Dr. Abdullah bin Bayyah resigned from his post as vice chairman of the International Union for Muslim Scholars (IUMS). The post of chairman is, of course, held by none other than Egyptian-born cleric Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi. Now, Sheikh Qaradawi has displayed a sudden partisan rush of empathy towards the Muslim Brotherhood, thereby placing his colleagues in IUMS—who hate to be branded as Brotherhood supporters—in a particularly embarrassing situation. This is particularly the case as IUMS is dominated by people who adopt the Brotherhood’s discourse and ideology, even if they are not necessarily official members of the group and are viewed as being “formalistically” independent.

    The original objective of IUMS was to “create” an entity for issuing fatwas, serving as a juristic wing that could influence all Muslims whereby it would achieve full stature as a religious institution independent of the Muslim Brotherhood. In fact, this was the big challenge facing the Muslim Brotherhood and those adopting its culture.

    IUMS incorporated well-known names in the world of jurisprudence [Islamic Fiqh] such as Qaradawi himself and Sheikh Abdullah Bin Bayyah. Yet, those affiliated to the organization also include “activists” and zealous preachers who hold influential posts despite lacking the requisite jurisprudential experience and qualifications. The majority of such figures did not resign in the same manner as Bin Bayyah, and remain affiliated to Qaradawi’s Union.

    Were it not for the uprisings against the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and Tunisia, the organization may have swallowed the fatwa issuing institutions and all traditional religious entities, as was manifested by the plot hatched by the Brotherhood against Egypt’s Al-Azhar.

    In my opinion, IUMS, founded in 2004 with a council of trustees incorporating Rachid Ghannouchi and Fahmi Howaidi, was nothing more than a first attempt at creating a Brotherhood-friendly fatwa wing. Yet, the uprising against the Brotherhood has called for old calculations to be reconsidered. For his part, Sheikh Qaradawi opted to deny and escalate the situation, whilst others have submitted to the new reality and taken a step backward, attempting to distance themselves from the Muslim Brotherhood.

  • Le chef d’une des branches d’Al Qaeda en Syrie serait mort :
    http://www.aawsat.net/2013/08/article55313503

    The commander of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), a major Islamist opposition group fighting the government of Bashar Al-Assad, was killed in the city of Salamiyah near Hama during a failed attack the rebel group launched against government forces on Sunday, Asharq Al-Awsat has learnt.

    A member of the Syrian opposition, speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on condition of anonymity, said: “Imad Ahmad, a Palestinian national, the commander-in-chief of the ISIS, was killed last Sunday in the eastern suburbs of Hama.”

    Note : insister sur le conditionnel. Avec la reprise en main du dossier syrien par Bandar Bin Sultan, je ne doute pas que l’on va nous annoncer, dans les semaines qui viennent, par petites touches successives, la disparition d’Al Qaeda en Syrie.

  • Ghannouchi on Tunisian political crisis, terrorism |

    ASHARQ AL-AWSAT, 1st of August 2013

    http://www.aawsat.net/2013/08/article55312019

    London, Asharq Al-Awsat—Tunisia finds itself in the midst of an escalating political and security crisis following the assassination of secularist politician Mohamed Brahmi on July 25, the second killing of an opposition leader this year. The Islamist-dominated government in Tunis has been subject to increasing calls to step down, while the Constitutional Assembly has been dissolved.

    In an exclusive interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Ennahda leader Rachid Ghannouchi spoke about the political and security crisis in the country, the threat of terrorism and the escalating calls for the dissolution of government.

    Asharq Al-Awsat: Ennahda issued a statement earlier this week proposing to expand the political base of rule in Tunisia. Why have you taken this decision now? Is this in response to the escalating political and security crisis in the country, or was this initiative already in the pipeline?

    Rachid Ghannouchi: We said that we are open to all proposals that aim to protect the democratic process in Tunisia, particularly as our country is passing through difficult circumstances which require that we exert all of our effort to confront terrorism. Within this framework, and in order to serve the national interest, we are extending our hands to everybody as part of looking for a way out of this transitional phase for Tunisia.

  • Histoire forte intéressante des FM au Bahreïn

    The Brotherhood in Bahrain | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT
    http://www.aawsat.net/2013/06/article55306719

    Manama, Asharq Al-Awsat—Despite the Muslim Brotherhood in Kuwait’s dominant presence and influential position over Brotherhood members in other Gulf nations, Bahrain was actually the first effective starting point for organizing the Brotherhood in the Gulf. This has been confirmed by observers, analysts and accounts from members of the Brotherhood themselves.

    • The Brotherhood and the Gulf: turbulent ties | GulfNews.com
      http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/saudi-arabia/the-brotherhood-and-the-gulf-turbulent-ties-1.1221576

      “I can tell you without the slightest hesitation that the root of all our problems and issues is the Muslim Brotherhood,” he said in an interview with Kuwaiti daily Al Siyassah. “When matters became extremely difficult for them and gallows were readied for them in their home countries, they came to the [Saudi] kingdom that looked after them, took care of them, preserved their dignity and made them feel safe. After some time, they wanted to work and we helped them by opening the schools and the universities, but they unfortunately revived their past links and started recruiting people and founding movements. They turned against the kingdom. They should not have hurt the kingdom. If they wanted to say something, they should have uttered abroad and not in the country that honoured them,” he said.

  • Le dialogue bahreïnien dans son bourbier. Ici le Ministre de la Justice explique les raisons du piétinement.

    Bahrain’s Minister of Justice on the National Dialogue | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT
    http://www.aawsat.net/2013/07/article55309035

    Q: A document from opposition organizations that was posted on the Internet spoke about what they termed “balanced representation” and the necessity of changing the political representation equation at the negotiating table by replacing the representatives of the legislative authority with independent individuals. How do you see this particular issue?

    Such a discourse arouses two significant points: First, it is unreasonable that now that four months of prolonged sessions and negotiations have passed, one of the sides suddenly attempts to impose a change on the structure of the negotiations without any convincing legal or political reason. This raises significant questions about the goal of such a discourse, which in my assessment seems to be an obstacle to progress towards the objectives of the dialogue.

    Second, accepting such a discourse regarding a major component of national dialogue—independent representatives of the legislative authority, who perform a vital role in the present and the future in smoothing the process to consensus and dialogue—would be an insult to the legislative authority and to the individuals who represent it, as well as to the role it is performing in Bahrain’s political arena. This must be clear, particularly as MPs, for example, are elected individuals whose legitimacy is unquestioned. The current parliament represents 52 percent of eligible voters, hence it is clear that such a discourse does not serve national consensus.

  • Regarding the comments by Michel Aoun supporting the ’revolution’ in Bahrain:

    “Arab diplomatic sources told Asharq al-Awsat that there is a major discrepancy between the Gulf support received by the head of the Change and Reform bloc and his latest position concerning the events in Bahrain. The sources said that Aoun received commercial contracts related to Gulf energy companies following the events that took place in Beirut in 2008. This took place specifically in Doha where the Lebanese political forces had all met to mend the differences.

    “The sources that preferred to remain anonymous said that the business affairs of the Lebanese MP [i.e. Aoun] are not limited to these contracts that he obtained in Doha. Companies owned by Michel Aoun reportedly have a large number of assets in some Gulf companies. The source preferred not to define these companies in order not to create an escalation. The source described the statements of Aoun concerning Bahrain as being “provocative.” -

    Asharq al-Awsat

  • La démocratie, oui, mais uniquement si c’est nous qui choisissons le gouvernement.

    US diplomat : No aid if Hezbollah heads government - Ynetnews
    http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4017429,00.html

    A high-ranking US diplomat said the establishment of a Hezbollah-led government in Lebanon would hurt relations between the two countries, the London-based Arabic newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported Sunday.
     
    The American diplomat was quoted by the newspaper as saying that Congress would not provide military or any other aid to a government headed by Hezbollah.

    #Liban #États-Unis