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Bible Quotation For Today/For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again
John 10/17-21: "For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.’ Again the Jews were divided because of these words. Many of them were saying, ‘He has a demon and is out of his mind. Why listen to him?’ Others were saying, ‘These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?’"

Bible Quotation For Today/Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf
Letter to the Hebrews 09/24-28: "For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Holy Place year after year with blood that is not his own; for then he would have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once, and after that the judgement, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him."

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on November 11-12/15
Rotten Lebanese Politicians from both 08 &14th of March Blocs/Elias Bejjani/November11/15
Tmakhadal Jabalu, wa tawallada fa2ron..."Taef" wins again/Dr. Walid Phares/November 11/15
The only exit is out of Taef.../Dr. Walid Phares/November 11/15
Why Iran and Russia aren't as closely aligned on Syria as you might think/Saheb Sadeghi/Al-Monitor/November 11/15
Hysteria, conspiracy and blame – the politics of air disasters/Chris Doyle/Al Arabiya/November 11/15
Britain’s Emirati visitors deserve better treatment/Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor/Al Arabiya/November 11/15
Infighting overshadows Iran press exhibition/Arash Karami/Al-Monitor/November 11/15
Will Washington put more boots on the ground in Iraq/Mustafa al-Kadhimi/Al-Monitor/November 11/1
Are Israelis ready for compromise on Jerusalem/Mazal Mualem/Al-Monitor/November 11/15
The Indonesian Jihad on Christian Churches/Raymond Ibrahim/Gatestone Institute/November 11/15
Sex Trafficking: The Abuse of Our Time/George Phillips/ Gatestone Institute/November 11/15
Egypt-Saudi Arabia Relations: Substantial Rifts Despite Shared Basic Interests/By: Y. Graff/MEMRI/November 11/15

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin for Lebanese Related News published on November 11-12/15
Rotten Lebanese Politicians from both 08 &14th of March Blocs
Tmakhadal Jabalu, wa tawallada fa2ron..."Taef" wins again
The only exit is out of Taef...
Franjieh Mocks 'Don Quixotic Victory', Says Christians Win if 'Fair' Electoral Law Passed
FPM, LF to Attend Legislative Session after 'Comprehensive Agreement' Reached
Parliamentary Blocs Agree on Formula for Renaturlization Law
Salam: Lebanon Adheres to Dissociation, Aid to Refugees Below Par
Hariri: Mustaqbal Will Attend Legislative Session to Approve Financial Draft-Laws
Jumblat Hails Legislation Settlement, Hopes It Leads to 'New Chapter'
Iran Says Former Ambassador to Lebanon Still Alive
UNIFIL Turns Over Lebanese Staffer Accused as 'Israeli Spy'
Presidential Elections Postponed again as Gemayel Warns of Growing Sectarian Divisions
Report: Hizbullah-Aoun Channels Open, Meeting in Rabieh Expected
Report: Berri Rejected LF, FPM Proposal to Set Electoral Law as Last Article of Legislative Session Agenda

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published on November 11-12/15
Death toll rises after rare cyclone on Yemeni island
Riyadh summit calls on Iran to reach peaceful solution on UAE islands
Egypt, Saudi Arabia form council to implement ‘Cairo Declaration’
Jordan: Killing of trainers won't harm U.S. security ties
Five dead in PKK attacks in Turkey
Sisi pledges transparent plane crash probe
EU Says Israeli Settlement Label Decision 'Technical not Political'
Iran to Receive Russian Missles by End of 2015
Heavy fighting in Libya's Benghazi, 16 killed
EU agrees labelling of Israel 'settlement' goods
Qatar announces its first fatality in Yemen war
France arrests ISIS-linked naval attack plotter
Saudi king: Latin America shares Arab concerns on many issues
Saudi Arabia sets new conditions for operating tower cranes
Palestinian team ‘identifies Arafat assassin’
University degrees of 43 Saudi govt officials under scrutiny
Libya army says 13 security personnel killed by ‘terrorists’
Iran ‘defies’ nuclear deal terms in new move
Saudi king calls for fight against terrorism

Rotten Lebanese Politicians from both 08 &14th of March Blocs
Elias Bejjani/November11/15
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/2015/11/11/elias-bejjani-rotten-lebanese-politicians-from-both-08-14th-of-march-blocks/
Sadly today the rotten, selfish, opportunist and awkward mercenary Lebanese politicians by all means and standards put an end to their latest theatrical, fake, heretic and rhetoric mere media fierce fights and strives.
After days of sectarian, religious, camouflaging and high evil tone of instigation they again succumbed to the enforced and dictated Iranian oppressive and humiliating orders.
They agreed to participate tomorrow in a Parliamentary session in a bid to tackle regular and routine matters, while still boldly ignoring the parliament's only constitutional obligatory task at this present time, which is to elect a president for the republic.
All of them (except the Phalanges Party) agreed to take part in tomorrow's session.
In summary the only winner in this recent fake, derailed, camouflaging and totally theatrical show of sectarian power struggle is the Iranian occupier via its local army, the terrorist Hezbollah.
Hezbollah, the Iranian and terrorist occupier directly and indirectly, and through numerous mercenary Lebanese rotten politicians, from all the Lebanese religious denominations forced its oppressive and enslaving agenda on all the politicians and clergymen.
The Terrorist Hezbollah, the Iranian occupier successfully forced all the politicians from all blocks to keep a blind eye on its occupation that is devouring the country, and instead, evilly kept them preoccupied in trivial and personal issues.

Elias Bejjani
Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political commentator
Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
Web sites http://www.eliasbejjaninews.com & http://www.10452lccc.com & http://www.clhrf.com
Tweets on https://twitter.com/phoeniciaelias
Face Book https://www.facebook.com/groups/128479277182033 & https://www.facebook.com/elias.y.bejjani

Tmakhadal Jabalu, wa tawallada fa2ron..."Taef" wins again
Dr. Walid Phares/November 11/15
Lebanon's politicians threatened to call on the public to mobilize against Hezbollah-allies controlled Parliament, raising hope that a breakthrough from the impasse can be found. But they were fast to strike a "Taef-type" deal among themselves to resort to another compromise from within the current status quo. Is it fear from having to lead a resistance against the dominant force since 2008? Is it satisfaction with the current mediocre distribution of power among politicians? Is it both?
The bottom line is that one more time it looks like the political establishment can't do it. It cannot get out of the box, and more worrisome, it won't be able to do so. According to our projections -and assessment- the "nationality to emigrants" project will be submitted, but will it actually become law? And if so will the law be implemented? Unlikely. Some little stuff will be done, but the greater issue, freedom, will be adjourned.
Ironically, the people seems to be able to achieve more than its leaders, as was the case with the Cedars Revolution in 2005, launched by the people, it was actually stopped by politicians, not the other way around.
Hence, as long as nothing large and significant happens in Lebanon, towards political change, let's not expect that the international community and its major decision-centers will be moved and push for a change. Too busy elsewhere.That is precisely what the dominant force in Lebanon wants: No rise of masses. And no revolution, no international support. Waadha...

The only exit is out of Taef...
Dr. Walid Phares/November 11/15
To the Lebanese politicians who are gearing up to fight the battles of electing a President, extending a nationality to emigres' or decentralization, the only exit away from the 25 years of defeats, disasters and oppression, is an exit away from the Taef diktat. An accord enforced by tanks and assassinations. Exit out of Taef, establish a free area, and then set up the basis to negotiate a new country. If you want to call on the people again, one more time, after 2005, it better be for a bigger cause. Do not call on the people for lesser than freeing the country from Taef. Do not use the people for political gains, mobilize the nation for its own liberation.

Franjieh Mocks 'Don Quixotic Victory', Says Christians Win if 'Fair' Electoral Law Passed
Naharnet/November 11/15/Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh stressed Wednesday that what achieves a “victory” for Christians is the approval of a “fair” electoral law, dismissing the legislative settlement that was reached earlier in the day as a “Don Quixotic triumph.”“The move that achieves a victory for Christians is the approval of an electoral law, not slogans, and what happened today was a 'Don Quixotic victory',” said Franjieh in an interview on MTV. Earlier, Change and Reform bloc chief MP Michel Aoun and Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea announced that their parliamentary blocs will take part in Thursday's much-anticipated legislative session after a political "settlement" was reached over the controversial issues. Aoun described what happened as a “happy day” for the Lebanese as Geagea called it a “victory for everyone.”Al-Mustaqbal movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri had earlier on Wednesday announced that Mustaqbal will attend the session due to the pressing nature of the financial draft laws, vowing that “after Thursday's session, the movement will not attend any legislative session that will not be aimed at addressing the parliamentary electoral draft-law.”Franjieh questioned the motives behind Hariri's move. “Hariri's step is aimed at paralyzing parliament in response to the paralysis of the cabinet,” he told MTV. He added: “The electoral law battle will be won when we approve an electoral law that is fair for Christians.”“Christian parties have not agreed on a certain electoral law,” he pointed out. “The Christians' interest lies in clinging to their rights, not to issues that dismay others,” he said. Franjieh also stressed that the electoral law should be “Lebanese” and that it cannot be devised by “a single camp or a single sect without the others.”
“The electoral law is a sensitive issue and we should address it around the dialogue table,” he went on to say. Turning to the relation with Aoun, Franjieh added: “We share General Aoun's view that it is dangerous to elect a president without consensus and this also applies to the issue of the electoral law.” “If anyone tries to harm Michel Aoun, I will not tolerate that, but I believe that I should not start an unwarranted dispute with Speaker (Nabih) Berri today,” he said. He also voiced his belief that the latest developments “have not affected the relation between Aoun and Hizbullah.” Separately, Franjieh noted that he is against “obstructing” the work of parliament and cabinet, emphasizing that “people's vital issues must be addressed.” Earlier in the day, Aoun said that all disputes over the agenda of Thursday's parliamentary session have been resolved. “A comprehensive agreement has been reached over them – the nationality law, the municipalities law, the electoral law and other minor issues,” he said. Tensions had peaked between Christian parties who had threatened to boycott the legislative session and other political blocs who announced that they will attend it, which raised fears over its potential postponement.
Berri had justified his decision to exclude the draft electoral law from the legislative session's agenda, saying that this issue “needs a national agreement that does not exist.”The Christian blocs of the LF and the FPM had warned that they would not attend the meeting over the failure to include the electoral draft-law on the agenda. The Kataeb Party has announced that it will not attend the session due to the ongoing presidential vacuum. The dispute over the electoral law dates back to 2013 when the political parties failed to agree on a new one, resulting in parliament extending its own term and postponing the elections. Parliament again extended its term last year over the same dispute.

FPM, LF to Attend Legislative Session after 'Comprehensive Agreement' Reached
Naharnet/November 11/15/Change and Reform bloc chief MP Michel Aoun and Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea announced Wednesday that their parliamentary blocs will take part in a much-anticipated legislative session scheduled for Thursday and Friday after a political "settlement" was reached over the controversial issues. “Today is a happy day. All disputes over the agenda of tomorrow's parliamentary session have been resolved and a comprehensive agreement has been reached over them – the nationality law, the municipalities law, the electoral law and other minor issues,” Aoun declared at a press conference. “We will attend tomorrow's session to approve the proposed draft laws, especially those related to international agreements and loans,” Aoun added. “Congratulations to the Lebanese and we hope there will always be cooperation,” he said. Aoun's announcement came shortly after Change and Reform bloc secretary MP Ibrahim Kanaan visited Speaker Nabih Berri in Ain al-Tineh. Meanwhile, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea congratulated the Lebanese people over the settlement that was reached, hailing “the cooperation between the LF and the Free Patriotic Movement.” “Former premier Saad Hariri rescued the situation through the agreement that was reached between us and al-Mustaqbal movement after the agreement between us and the FPM,” Geagea said, lauding Hariri over his stance. “We held contacts with the FPM and the rest of the blocs to put the renaturalization law and the electoral law on the agenda,” he said. “From the very first moment, we did not have a problem with the financial issues, the problem was in the electoral and nationality laws,” Geagea pointed out. Noting that “national partnership comes before anything else,” the LF leader declared that the day “witnessed a victory for everyone.” Earlier, Hariri announced that Mustaqbal will take part in the legislative session due to the pressing nature of the financial draft laws, vowing that “after Thursday's session, the movement will not attend any legislative session that will not be aimed at addressing the parliamentary electoral draft-law.”Later on Wednesday, Aoun and Geagea telephoned Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi to “brief him on the outcome of the consultations that were made over tomorrow's legislative session,” state-run National News Agency said. Their delegates -- MP Kanaan and LF media officer Melhem Riachi -- also visited the patriarch to “put him in the picture of the latest developments regarding the legislative session.”Earlier, lawmakers who met with Berri asserted that the session will be held “because there are pressing financial issues that need to be addressed.”Tensions had peaked between Christian parties who had threatened to boycott the legislative session and other political blocs who announced that they will attend it, raising fears over its potential postponement. Berri had justified his decision to exclude the draft electoral law from the legislative session's agenda, saying that this issue “needs a national agreement that does not exist.” The legislative session is scheduled for Thursday and Friday. The Christian blocs of the LF and the FPM had warned that they would not attend the meeting over the failure to include the electoral draft-law on the agenda. The Kataeb Party has announced that it will not attend the session due to the ongoing presidential vacuum. The dispute over the electoral law dates back to 2013 when the political parties failed to agree on a new one, resulting in parliament extending its own term and postponing the elections. Parliament again extended its term last year over the same dispute.

Parliamentary Blocs Agree on Formula for Renaturlization Law
Naharnet/November 11/15/Parliamentary blocs agreed Wednesday on a formula for a draft law on renaturalizing emigrants of Lebanese origin. The draft law is expected to be discussed during the legislative session on Thursday and Friday. “We have reached an agreement over the draft law on renaturalizing emigrants of Lebanese origin. All details were discussed and all parties acknowledged the importance of this law,” Change and Reform bloc secretary MP Ibrahim Kanaan announced after a meeting for a parliamentary panel. “We want to preserve the fortune that is represented in the Lebanese diaspora … and should the session be held, this issue will be important for all Lebanese,” Kanaan added. “We agreed on four points that are in line with our demands,” he said.The lawmaker also announced that “all blocs” have agreed on the draft law.

Salam: Lebanon Adheres to Dissociation, Aid to Refugees Below Par
Naharnet/November 11/15/Prime Minister Tammam Salam stated on Wednesday that Lebanon is carrying the burden of some 1.5 million Syrian refugees with limited help from donor countries, assuring that Lebanon adheres to the dissociation policy towards Syria. “In Lebanon, we suffer from the presence of about 1.5 million displaced Syrians, a burden unparalleled by any other in the world compared to the small size of our country,” said Salam during the Arab-South American summit in Riyadh. “Lebanon is facing this challenge with limited potentials and the assistance of aid donors that unfortunately do not live up to the desired level,” he added. On Lebanon's policy towards the developments in Syria, the Premier said: “The Lebanese government has committed, and still does, to the policy of dissociation towards the developments in Syria. We believe that the solution to the crisis lies in a political settlement to put an end to the bloodshed. “We declare support for the diplomatic efforts of the parties concerned with the Syrian crisis. We hope that the Vienna talks open way for a solution to restore peace to Syria.”Salam highlighted Lebanon's political crisis as the result of vacuum at the top state post, saying: “You all know that Lebanon is passing through a sharp political crisis as the result of the presidential vacuum. We hope that the political forces are able to agree on a president to put an end to the disorder at the constitutional institutions.” “However, we reiterate that the crisis did not reflect on the security situation because of the sacrifices of the army against terrorism,” added the premier. Lebanon has been without a president since the term of President Michel Suleiman ended in May 2014. The rival political camps have failed so far to agree on a consensual successor.Moreover, Salam extended gratitude to Saudi Arabia, saying: “I hereby thank Saudi Arabia which made significant contribution in helping to establish security and stability in our country thanks to the aid provided to the army and security forces.”Later during the day, the Prime Minister met with al-Mustaqbal Movement chief MP Saad Hariri in the presence of Defense Minister Samir Moqbel, Health Minister Wael Abou Faour.Hariri later threw a luncheon banquet in Salam's honor in Riyadh. At noon, al-Mustaqbal Movement chief MP Saad Hariri threw a luncheon banquet in Salam's honor in Riyadh.

Nasrallah Urges 'Settlement' on Presidency, Govt., Electoral Law
Naharnet/November 11/15/Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah called Wednesday for a “comprehensive political settlement” over the issues of the stalled presidential vote, the next government and the electoral law that should be approved for the parliamentary polls. “I call on the political forces to seek a real political settlement,” said Nasrallah in a televised address marking Hizbullah's “Martyr Day”. “Let us engage in bilateral, tripartite or four-party talks to discuss the issues of the presidency, the premier, the government's structure and the electoral law,” he urged. Lamenting that addressing the country's problems “little by little” has become “very tiresome,” Nasrallah called for “a comprehensive political settlement at the level of the whole country.” “The electoral law is the main factor in the formation of authorities and the fate of the country depends on it,” Hizbullah's secretary-general noted. Commenting on the latest controversy regarding the legislative session that will be held on Thursday and Friday, Nasrallah decried that “the situations that we have reached in Lebanon reflect an evasion of responsibility.” “The parties are trading barbs and awaiting the instructions of foreign forces,” he said. “Every person started interpreting the Constitution in their own way and after a long absence, a call was made for a legislative session to address a number of pressing issues and the country plunged into a contentious debate,” Nasrallah added. He however stressed that all parties must attend the session because it has to do with “the country's national interest.”Nasrallah also thanked everyone who contributed to the settlement that was reached over the legislative session. Tensions had peaked between Christian parties who had threatened to boycott the legislative session and other political blocs who announced that they will attend it, which raised fears over its potential postponement. The Christian blocs of the Lebanese Forces and Free Patriotic Movement had warned that they would not attend the meeting over the failure to include the electoral draft-law on the agenda. The dispute over the electoral law dates back to 2013 when the political parties failed to agree on a new one, resulting in parliament extending its own term and postponing the elections. Parliament again extended its term last year over the same dispute.

Hariri: Mustaqbal Will Attend Legislative Session to Approve Financial Draft-Laws
Naharnet/November 11/15/Head of the Mustaqbal Movement MP Saad Hariri announced on Wednesday that the party will take part in Thursday's legislative session, ending days of speculation on the issue. He said in a statement: “The movement will take part in the meeting to approve financial draft-laws.”“Participation in the session will fall in Lebanon's financial and economic interests, as well as its ties with the international community,” he stressed. Moreover, he declared: “After Thursday's session, the movement will not attend any legislative session that will not be aimed at addressing the parliamentary electoral draft-law.”The lawmakers attending Thursday's session will also vote on the draft-law on restoring the nationality of Lebanese expatriates, added Hariri. “We call on all fellow lawmakers from all parliamentary blocs to attend Thursday's meeting to emphasize partnership, coexistence, and the need for unity during this tense time to steer Lebanon towards safety,” he demanded. The Christian blocs of the Lebanese Forces and Free Patriotic Movement had warned that they would not attend the meeting over the failure to include the electoral draft-law on the agenda. But after Hariri's remarks on Wednesday, the two parties announced that they will attend the session after a political "settlement" was reached. The Kataeb Party will not attend the talks due to the ongoing presidential vacuum. The dispute over the electoral law dates back to 2013 when the political parties failed to agree on a new one, resulting in parliament extending its own term and postponing the elections. Parliament again extended its term last year over the same dispute.

Jumblat Hails Legislation Settlement, Hopes It Leads to 'New Chapter'
Naharnet/November 11/15/Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat hailed Wednesday the political settlement that was reached over the legislative session, hoping it will push political parties to address all problems through “serious and honest dialogue.”“In the past few days, Lebanon went through a major political crisis that was about to jeopardize stability and the country's foundations amid sharp disputes and contradictions,” Jumblat noted. “An agreement has been reached on the participation of most parliamentary blocs in the legislative session scheduled for Thursday and Friday and this is a very positive development,” he added. Jumblat said he is pinning great hopes that the settlement will “lead to a new chapter among the Lebanese political parties so that we can address all our problems through serious and honest dialogue.”“We cannot but thank and salute all those who exerted efforts to reach this settlement and who resorted to wisdom and rationality and put the Lebanese interest before anything else,” the PSP leader added. Earlier in the day, Change and Reform bloc chief MP Michel Aoun and Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea announced that their parliamentary blocs will take part in the much-anticipated legislative session after a political "settlement" was reached over the controversial issues. “All disputes over the agenda of tomorrow's parliamentary session have been resolved and a comprehensive agreement has been reached over them – the nationality law, the municipalities law, the electoral law and other minor issues,” Aoun said. Earlier, al-Mustaqbal movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri announced that Mustaqbal will take part in the legislative session due to the pressing nature of the financial draft laws, vowing that “after Thursday's session, the movement will not attend any legislative session that will not be aimed at addressing the parliamentary electoral draft-law.” Tensions had peaked between Christian parties that had threatened to boycott the legislative session and other political blocs that announced that they will attend it, which raised fears over its potential postponement.

Iran Says Former Ambassador to Lebanon Still Alive
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November 11/15/Iran said Wednesday a top diplomat who went missing in the deadly stampede at this year's hajj pilgrimage is still alive and has asked Saudi Arabia to return him. Ghazanfar Roknabadi was attending the annual Muslim gathering in September when pilgrims stampeded, killing at least 2,236 people in the hajj's worst-ever tragedy. Roknabadi, a 49-year-old former ambassador to Lebanon, was feared to be among the 464 Iranians killed. But Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian was quoted by state news agency IRNA as telling Al-Mayadeen television: "Our intelligence indicates that he is still alive, and we ask Saudi Arabia to return him alive." In recent weeks, some Iranian media have speculated that Roknabadi may have been taken hostage. Until last year, Roknabadi was Tehran's envoy to Beirut, a highly sensitive post. Shiite Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia, the Gulf region's powerhouses, have long had an uneasy relationship and are backing opposing sides in Syria, as well as in the conflict in Yemen. At the time of his disappearance, foreign ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham denied reports by some Arab media that he had traveled to Saudi Arabia under a false name. "He entered with a normal passport to perform the hajj" and "his identity and that of other missing pilgrims have been provided to Saudi Arabia," she said. Tehran has recovered the bodies of most of those Iranians killed in the stampede, but around 15 people are still listed as missing.

UNIFIL Turns Over Lebanese Staffer Accused as 'Israeli Spy'
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November 11/15/The United Nations peacekeeping force in south Lebanon UNIFIL said Wednesday it has turned over a longtime local staffer to Lebanese authorities who accuse him of spying for Israel. The Lebanese man who had worked in the UNIFIL administration for over 20 years is among three people accused by authorities of spying for Israel. On Sunday, Lebanese authorities said they had arrested the three suspects, a Syrian man and his Lebanese wife and a Lebanese man. But the Lebanese man "was in the UNIFIL compound when authorities requested him," UNIFIL spokesman Andrea Tenenti told AFP. "We asked U.N. headquarters in New York to determine whether immunity would be applied in his case, and the U.N. determined that since the allegations were not related to his official functions, immunity from legal proceedings would not apply," he added.
The man was taken into custody on Wednesday. In an official statement, UNIFIL said Wednesday that it “will continue to provide the assistance required to facilitate the Government's investigations into the allegations.”“UNIFIL considers it of the utmost importance that the investigative and judicial process is conducted in accordance with the international standards of justice, fairness and due process of law and fully supports the Lebanese authorities in the effort,” it said. “To this end, UNIFIL will continue to act in full transparency, in coordination with the Lebanese authorities, and in accordance with the long-established procedures and agreements,” it added. On Sunday, Lebanon's General Security service announced it had arrested a "spy network."It accused the three suspects of gathering information on individuals and security and military targets. It said the three also allegedly filmed "sensitive" roads and other areas in south Lebanon "and sent the footage to their employers to be used in later attacks."Lebanon and Israel remain technically in a state of war, with occasional skirmishes on the ceasefire line. UNIFIL, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, monitors the line and has a force of some 10,000 international peacekeepers. It also employs numerous local staff members serving in non-peacekeeping roles. In 2006, Hizbullah fought a month-long war with Israel that devastated parts of Lebanon. That conflict killed more than 1,200 people in Lebanon, mostly civilians, and some 160 Israelis, most of them soldiers. Last December, Hizbullah detained a senior party official on allegations of spying for Israel and "sabotaging security operations" abroad. Between April 2009 and 2014, Lebanese authorities detained more than 100 people accused of spying for Israel, most of them army members or telecommunications employees.
But such arrests have since been rare.

Presidential Elections Postponed again as Gemayel Warns of Growing Sectarian Divisions
Naharnet/November 11/15/The presidential elections were postponed for the 31st time on Wednesday following a lack of quorum at parliament as head of the Kataeb Party MP Sami Gemayel warned of the “growing sectarian divisions in Lebanon over the frequent constitutional violations.” Speaker Nabih Berri postponed the polls to December 2. Gemayel said after the session: “We oppose violation of the constitution and we will confront all settlements made at the expense of the election of a president.” “It is a shame that the election of a president is not a priority in Lebanon,” he lamented. “It seems that officials are most concerned with making money and they are neglecting the country's needs,” he said. “Leaving the country without a president is leading to chaos and severe divisions that are beginning to emerge,” he remarked, while warning that Lebanon could be heading towards civil war if the situation persists. “We reject settlements made at the expense of Lebanon, its president, and constitution,” the MP declared angrily. Commenting on Thursday's legislative session, which the Kataeb is boycotting, he said: “We would love to attend any legislative session, but the law does not allow us to do so.” “The law demands that we elect a president before doing anything else,” he stressed. “Instead of creating more divisions and violating more laws, officials should elect a new president,” he stated, while slamming the “so-called legislation of necessity” that is endorsed by the Free Patriotic Movement. The legislative session is set for Thursday and Friday. “With all respect to the articles on the legislative session agenda, the election of a president is more important than any other issue,” continued Gemayel.“We are not concerned with any political settlement as long as the presidential post remains vacant,” he added. Lebanon has been without a president since May 2014 when the term of Michel Suleiman ended without the election of successor. Numerous electoral sessions have been scheduled, all but one were postponed over a lack of quorum. Disputes between the rival March 8 and 14 camps over a compromise candidate have thwarted the polls. There are several candidates but none of them is willing to make compromises that would allow lawmakers to attend a session aimed at electing a head of state. The presidential vacuum has hindered the government's ability to tackle growing security, economic and social problems.

Report: Hizbullah-Aoun Channels Open, Meeting in Rabieh Expected
Naharnet/November 11/15/A delegation of the Hizbullah party is expected to visit MP Michel Aoun at his residence in Rabieh in a bid to convince him to take part in the scheduled legislative sessions after threats of boycott, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Wednesday. The meeting comes within the framework of efforts exerted to make the legislative session happen without the boycott of the Free Patriotic Movement and other Christian parties, the daily added. Legislative sessions are scheduled for Thursday and Friday. Hizbullah's expected visit is not the first, as the political aide of Hizbullah leader Hussein Khalil and Hizbullah's top security official Wafiq Safa have recently visited Aoun in Rabieh. The strenuous efforts exerted so far to convince Aoun to participate have not yielded results yet, said the daily. The Christian blocs of the Lebanese Forces and FPM will not attend the session over the failure to include the electoral draft-law on the agenda. Similarly, the Kataeb Party said it will not attend the talks due to the ongoing presidential vacuum. The dispute over the electoral law dates back to 2013 when the political parties failed to agree on a new one, resulting in parliament extending its own term and postponing the elections. Parliament again extended its term last year over the same dispute.

Report: Berri Rejected LF, FPM Proposal to Set Electoral Law as Last Article of Legislative Session Agenda
Naharnet/November 11/15/The Lebanese Forces and Free Patriotic Movement had proposed to Speaker Nabih Berri placing the parliamentary electoral draft-law as the last article of the upcoming legislative session agenda, but the speaker had rejected it, revealed al-Mustaqbal daily on Wednesday. Berri explained that including the article would lead to the “suspension of the entire legislative process” due to the disputes that would arise. LF MP George Adwan and FPM MP Ibrahim Kanaan had requested that the article be included as the last article of Thursday's legislative meeting, parliamentary sources told al-Mustaqbal. Legislative sessions are scheduled for Thursday and Friday. The most that Berri could offer the LF and FPM is the announcement of the formation of a committee that would study the parliamentary electoral law, continued the sources. The speaker will unveil the committee during the legislative session, they explained. Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil told al-Mustaqbal that the LF and FPM are better off agreeing on an electoral law and proposing it before a specialized committee.Once the committee completes studying it, a legislative session will be scheduled to discuss it, he explained. “The electoral law is the most difficult issue at hand and we should not deal lightly with it,” stressed Khalil, who is also Berri's advisor. “Tomorrow's session will be held and postponing it is out of the question,” he declared. Media reports on Wednesday had spoken of the possibility of postponing the meeting over the tensions between the Christian parties boycotting the session and political blocs that are attending it. The Christian blocs of the LF and FPM will not attend the session over the failure to include the electoral draft-law on the agenda. The Kataeb Party will not attend the talks due to the ongoing presidential vacuum. The dispute over the electoral law dates back to 2013 when the political parties failed to agree on a new one, resulting in parliament extending its own term and postponing the elections. Parliament again extended its term last year over the same dispute.

Death toll rises after rare cyclone on Yemeni island
By AFP, Aden Wednesday, 11 November 2015/Cyclone Megh has killed 14 people on war-ravaged Yemen’s Socotra island, the second rare tropical storm to hit the Arabian Peninsula country in days, officials said. A statement said Megh caused “14 deaths including two women and two children, and injured dozens of people”.A previous toll from the storm hitting Socotra put the death toll at six. The Arabian Sea island is located 350 kilometres (210 miles) off the Yemeni mainland. The UN’s humanitarian agency OCHA said Megh appeared to be getting weaker as it made landfall early Tuesday on the Yemeni mainland. “A thousand houses collapsed and some 2,000 others were damaged” on Socotra, and hundreds of fishing boats were damaged and many livestock animals killed, officials said. Heavy rain and strong winds also took Socotra’s port out of service and caused extensive damage to the island’s roads, 80 percent of which became impassable. Around 800 residents of a small island near Socotra were evacuated to the neighbouring province of Hadramawt on the mainland, a rights activist told AFP. Cyclone Megh caused panic and prompted appeals for help for residents on Socotra, already badly battered by last week’s cyclone Chapala. Fisheries Minister Fahd Kavieen, who is from Socotra, urged the United Nations and neighbouring Oman on Sunday to “urgently intervene with emergency teams to save residents” on the island “which is now facing a cyclone stronger than Chapala”. World Meteorological Organization spokeswoman Clare Nullis said Friday that tropical cyclones are extremely rare over the Arabian Peninsula, and two back-to-back was “an absolutely extraordinary event”.Chapala killed eight people in southeastern Hadramawt province. OCHA said Tuesday that Gulf monarchies had sent at least 17 planeloads of humanitarian aide to Socotra in the wake of the storms. Yemen has been riven by conflict since Iran-backed rebels seized control of the capital Sanaa in September last year and later advanced into other areas.

Riyadh summit calls on Iran to reach peaceful solution on UAE islands
Staff writer, Al Arabiya News Wednesday, 11 November 2015/The closing communique of the fourth Arab – South American summit called on Iran Wednesday to respond to the United Arab Emirate’s request for a peaceful resolution of a dispute over three Emirati islands under Iranian occupation since 1971. The Arabian Sea islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa have long been a source of tension between Iran and Gulf States. As for Yemen, where Saudi Arabia is leading an Arab coalition against Iranian-backed Houthi militias, representatives from the embattled country urged that all outcomes of dialogue be respected in accordance with the Gulf Initiative. The closing statement also highlighted the importance of the implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2216. The statement also stressed on the support of the ongoing political process in Libya in form of dialogue under the auspices of the United Nations. Additionally, participants expressed their rejection of any interference in the internal affairs of any country in the region as it would constitute a violation of the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of good neighborliness. Representatives and leaders also stressed on the importance of respecting the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of the countries, as well as the peaceful settlement of disputes. The closing remarks stressed that investment is one of the pillars of social and economic development in the region. It also called for the promotion of trade and investment between the Arab and South American countries. The statement welcomed the establishment of an international center to combat terrorism and has the full support of Saudi Arabia. The fourth summit condemned what participants said was Iranian interference in the internal affairs of Arab countries and urged the republic to stop provocative acts that would undermine threaten the security and stability of its Arab neighbors. Additionally, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir lauded Latin American countries for their recognition of the State of Palestine as he highlighted the agreement to fight extremism and address the infringement on sovereignty of countries in the region.

Egypt, Saudi Arabia form council to implement ‘Cairo Declaration’
By Staff writer Al Arabiya News Wednesday, 11 November 2015/Saudi Arabia and Egypt agreed on Wednesday to establish a coordination council tasked to implement the “Cairo Declaration,” which outlines facets of cooperation between the two states. The announcement followed bilateral talks between Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on the sidelines of the fourth Summit of Arab-South American countries, which ended today in Riyadh. The two heads of state discussed a number of issues on the summit's agenda, in addition to efforts to promote common coordination between Arab and South American countries, the official Saudi News Agency said. Following that, minutes to establish a Saudi-Egyptian Coordination Council were singed by the Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir and his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry. The council will work on the implementation of the “Cairo Declaration” announced earlier in July and its attached executive annex, SPA said. The "Cairo Declaration" includes the following components:
1. Development of the military cooperation and working towards establishing the Joint Arab Force.
2. Enhancing the joint cooperation and investment between the two countries in the fields of energy, electricity, and transportation.
3. Achieving economic integration between the two countries and working on making them a key focus of the World Trade movement.
4. Intensifying mutual investments between Egypt and Saudi Arabia, aiming to increase joint projects in both countries.
5. Strengthening cooperation in the fields of politics, culture, and media in order to jointly counter the dangers of the current regional destabilization.
6. Defining the maritime borders between the two countries.

Jordan: Killing of trainers won't harm U.S. security ties
The Associated Press, Amman Wednesday, 11 November 2015/A government spokesman says a shooting rampage that killed three foreign police instructors, including two Americans, will not harm Jordan's security ties with other nations. Mohammed Momani also told The Associated Press on Wednesday that images circulated on social media show the aftermath of the shooting in a canteen in the police training center. The photos showed three large pools of blood on the ground and two tables, one with plates of food. Jordan's government has said little else about Monday's attack by a Jordanian police captain who also killed two Jordanian translators before being shot dead. Momani says an investigation of the shooter's motives is continuing. He says the government believes the attack "will have no impact on our security relations with our friends and allies."

Five dead in PKK attacks in Turkey
AFP - Diyarbakir, Turkey Wednesday, 11 November 2015/Three Turkish policemen, a civilian and a soldier have been killed in new attacks in the restive southeast blamed on fighters from the rebel Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), security sources said Wednesday. The police officers were killed and another was wounded late Tuesday when they came under fire from rockets and automatic rifles while patrolling the largely Kurdish town of Silopi near the Syrian border, the sources told AFP. In the flashpoint town of Silvan, which has been under a strict curfew for nine days, one soldier was killed and another wounded in fierce street fighting with the youth wing of the outlawed PKK on Wednesday. Also on Wednesday, rebels detonated a car bomb on a road in Dargecit in Mardin province as a police convoy was passing, killing a municipal employee and wounding a police officer, Dogan news agency said. Southeast Turkey has been rocked by a new wave of unrest that has left several hundred people dead since a two-year-old truce between Ankara and the PKK fell apart in July. Last Thursday, the PKK ended a unilateral truce it had declared before the November 1 election, which saw President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) win back a parliamentary majority. Erdogan subsequently vowed to continue the fight against the PKK until all its fighters are “wiped out.”After the election, Turkish war planes pounded PKK targets in the country’s southeast and in northern Iraq. Tens of thousands of people have been killed since the PKK took up arms in 1984 demanding an independent state for Kurds. Since then the group has narrowed its demands to greater autonomy and cultural rights.

Sisi pledges transparent plane crash probe
AFP and the Associated Press Wednesday, 11 November 2015/Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi pledged a transparent probe into the Russian plane crash and cautioned against hasty conclusions, during a visit Wednesday to the airport from where the doomed aircraft took off. Foreign governments including Britain believe a bomb probably brought down the plane on October 31 after it took off from the airport of Egypt's Sinai coastal resort of Sharm al-Sheikh. The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group which commands an affiliate in Sinai claimed it downed the plane, killing all 224 people on board. Sisi, who has dismissed the claim as "propaganda", said on his surprise visit to Sharm al-Sheikh that only the official probe could determine the cause. "I wish no one had rushed ahead of the results of the investigation," Sisi said in comments aired on Egyptian television. "We will deal with this matter with utmost transparency and integrity," he said on his symbolic visit to the airport at the center of theories that a bomb was planted on the Russian plane. Meanwhile, members of a Russian search and rescue team that was brought to Egypt after Russian plane crash have left the country to return to Moscow, the Associated Press reported. The team of 48 left on Wednesday. It had been recovering bodies at the crash site in Sinai's Hassana area. Other Russians remain in Egypt as part of the investigation committee seeking to determine the cause of the crash. U.S. and British officials have cited intelligence reports as indicating the passenger plane was likely downed by a bomb on board.

EU Says Israeli Settlement Label Decision 'Technical not Political'
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November 11/15/The EU insisted Wednesday that a decision to label products from Israeli settlements was taken for legal reasons relating to the origins of goods and was not a political stance, after Israel condemned it as politically motivated. "This is a technical issue not a political stance," European Commission vice-president Valdis Dombrovskis told journalists after the commission, the 28-nation bloc's powerful executive arm, approved the labeling. "The EU does not support in any form a boycott or sanctions against Israel." Dombrovskis said the labeling decision was related to consumer policy in the European Union, the world's biggest economy with a combined population of over 500 million. "The Commission is providing guidance to the EU member states and economic operators to ensure the uniform application of the rules on indication of origins of Israeli settlement produce," he said.He said the EU decision "is not a new legislation or new policy, it clarifies certain elements linked to the interpretation and effective implementation of the existing EU legislation."

Iran to Receive Russian Missles by End of 2015
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November 11/15/Iran will receive the bulk of the S-300 air defense missile systems it ordered from Russia by the end of the year, Tehran's defense minister has said. "We signed a contract with Russia. It is being done. We will acquire a large portion of the systems by the end of this year," Hossein Dehghan told state television late Tuesday. He said Iranian troops were being trained in Russia to operate the surface-to-air missile systems. This week, the state-run Russian Technologies corporation (Rostec) announced the signing of a delivery contract in Tehran for S-300 missiles. Moscow in April lifted a ban dating from 2010 on selling the missile systems to Iran, ahead of Tehran sealing a final historic deal with world powers in July to curb its nuclear program. The decision sparked condemnation from Israel and concern from Washington, as it came before the lifting of the sanctions by the UN Security Council. Russia will provide Iran with a "modernized and updated" version of the missile systems, following up on an initial contract signed in 2007, Rostec Director General Sergey Chemezov said in a statement.

Heavy fighting in Libya's Benghazi, 16 killed
By Reuters, Benghazi (Libya) Wednesday, 11 November 2015/At least 16 people have been killed in heavy fighting in the Libyan city of Benghazi between forces allied with the official government and Islamic State fighters, a military commander said on Wednesday. Benghazi, caught up in fighting for more than a year, is just one front in Libya’s multi-sided war involving two competing governments -- an official one in the east and a self-declared one controlling Tripoli -- and the loose coalitions of armed factions backing them. Battles involving air strikes erupted on Tuesday between Gen. Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) forces, and militants allied with Islamic State, military spokesman Milad Zwei told Reuters. “Our special forces are making progress and have recaptured the air defence camp between Mash’hash and Sidi Faraj districts. The camp was captured last year by Islamic State,” he said. Haftar declared war on Islamist fighters in Benghazi more than a year ago and he was later named commander in chief for the official government. But his campaign has failed to sweep out militants from the city. Both sides have alternately held the upper hand in the fighting. Islamic State fighters are also increasingly in the battle, including foreign jihadists. Four years after former Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi fell in a civil war, Libya still has no national army. The two competing governments have forces loyal to them but these often answer to regional, tribal or local commanders first.

EU agrees labelling of Israel 'settlement' goods
By Reuters, Brussels Wednesday, 11 November 2015/The European Union published new guidelines on Wednesday for labeling products made in Israeli settlements, a move Brussels said was technical but Israel branded "discriminatory" and damaging to peace efforts with the Palestinians. Drawn up over three years by the European Commission, the guidelines mean Israeli producers must explicitly label farm goods and other products that come from settlements built on land occupied by Israel if they are sold in the European Union. The decision comes at a time of heightened tension between Israel and the Palestinians, amid a wave of deadly attacks by Palestinians targeting Israelis. The violence, in which 12 Israelis and more than 70 Palestinians have been killed, is in part fueled by the occupation and the growth of settlements. Israeli officials, briefed that the decision was coming, were quick to denounce it. The foreign ministry said it was a political move designed to pressure Israel over its settlements policy. It summoned the EU ambassador to Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was in Washington on an official visit, called the decision "hypocritical and a double standard", saying the EU was not taking similar steps in hundreds of territorial conflicts elsewhere in the world. "The European Union should be ashamed of itself," he said. "We do not accept the fact that Europe is labelling the side being attacked by terrorist acts." The EU's position is that the lands Israel has occupied since the 1967 Middle East war - including the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights - are not part of the internationally recognized borders of Israel. As such, goods from there cannot be labelled "Made in Israel" and should be labelled as coming from settlements, which the EU considers illegal under international law. "It's an indication of origin, not a warning label," the EU ambassador to Israel, Lars Faaborg-Andersen, told Reuters. Britain, Belgium and Denmark already affix labels to Israeli goods, differentiating between those from Israel proper and those, particularly fruits and vegetables, that come from the Jordan Valley in the occupied West Bank. Now, all 28 EU member states would have to apply the same labelling. While there is no EU official wording, goods must carry the word "settlement" on the tag when sold in European shops. If an Israeli farmer refuses, a retail outlet can attach the label themselves, as the European Commission has sufficient information about where goods come from. Israel's foreign ministry said the move singled Israel out and was potentially harmful to long-standing peace efforts. "We regret that the EU has chosen, for political reasons, to take such an exceptional and discriminatory step, inspired by the boycott movement," it said in a statement. "Product labeling will strengthen the radical elements advocating a boycott against Israel and denying Israel's right to exist, contradicting positions the EU publicly opposes."
Double standard charge
Two elements have particularly enraged Israeli officials. They see the measures as an effective boycott of Israel - akin to the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement that has gained traction in recent years - and say other cases of long-standing occupation, such as Morocco's seizure of Western Sahara, are not treated in the same way.The EU dismisses the suggestion of a boycott, pointing out that it is not telling consumers what not to buy. Those who do not want to buy Israeli settlement goods probably already avoid them, and those that support the settlements may now more actively seek out settlement produce. The question of a double-standard is harder for the EU, which has been criticized over Western Sahara in the past. When it comes to goods from northern Cyprus, seized by Turkey in 1974, the EU calls it "an internal issue."The details of the guidelines, set out in a five-page document, were published online, making clear that they involve no changes to existing laws but are merely clarifications. Israel's Economy Ministry estimates the impact of Wednesday's decision will be about $50 million a year, affecting fresh produce such as grapes and dates, wine, poultry, honey, olive oil and cosmetics made from Dead Sea minerals. That is around a fifth of the $200-$300 million worth of goods produced in settlements each year, but a drop in the ocean next to the $30 billion of goods and services traded between Israel and the European Union each year. Israeli farmers and wine growers in the West Bank said they were worried about the impact on their business and the knock-on affect on Palestinians who work on their farms. Some have already begun diversifying to markets in Russia and Asia to escape the EU rules.

Qatar announces its first fatality in Yemen war
The Associated Press, Doha Wednesday, 11 November 2015/Qatar says one of its soldiers fighting with a Saudi-led coalition in Yemen against the Houthi militants there has been killed - Qatar's first reported casualty in the conflict. Foreign Minister Khalid Bin Mohammed al-Attiyah announced the death Wednesday on Twitter, without identifying the soldier or saying how or when he was killed. The state-run Qatar News Agency also reported on the death. Yemen's fighting pits Shiite rebels known as Houthis and allied army units against forces loyal to the internationally recognized government, as well as southern separatists and militants. The Saudi-led force joined the fighting in March, backing the internationally recognized government. Its partners have suffered casualties, such as in a September missile attack that killed 52 Emirati troops, 10 soldiers from Saudi Arabia and five from Bahrain.

France arrests ISIS-linked naval attack plotter
AFP, Paris Wednesday, 11 November 2015/Authorities in France have arrested a man with links to ISIS in Syria over a plot to attack military personnel at a major naval base, police and judicial sources said on Tuesday. The 25-year-old, whom sources said had been monitored by intelligence agencies after trying unsuccessfully twice last year to travel to Syria, was held late last month and charged on November 2. The interior ministry said in a statement that the man had been under surveillance “because of his radicalization and public support for jihadist ideology” and had “attempted to acquire material to carry out a violent attack on Navy personnel in Toulon.”While he was being monitored, he had a parcel delivered by the post office which was found to contain a combat knife and a mask.During questioning he admitted he had been in contact with a Frenchman currently in Syria with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group who had encouraged him to act, a source close to the case said.
Charlie Hebdo attacks
He eventually admitted plotting to attack sailors at the Mediterranean base of Toulon, home to 70 percent of the French fleet and 20,000 military and civilian personnel, though a police source said he had not formed a detailed plan. One source said the French ISIS fighter had himself been held for several months in France for making violent threats against satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in 2012. In January extremist gunmen carried out a string of attacks in Paris that left 17 dead, including much of the editorial team of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. The country has been on high alert since then and several other attacks have reportedly been foiled. Attacks by extremists returning from Syria or in online contact with extremists there figure high among the French intelligence services’ worries. More than 500 French fighters are thought to be with ISIS in Syria and Iraq, according to official figures, while 250 have returned and some 750 expressed a desire to go there.

Saudi king: Latin America shares Arab concerns on many issues
Saudi Gazette, Riyadh Wednesday, 11 November 2015/Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud has said on Tuesday that the opportunities for further strengthening economic ties among Arab and South American countries are promising. Inaugurating the 4th Arab and South American Summit at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center on Tuesday, King Salman expressed satisfaction over the convergence of views among leaders of the participating countries toward a number of international issues and problems, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The Saudi King also commended the positive positions of the friendly nations of South America that are supportive of the Arab causes, especially the Palestine issue. Several world leaders, including U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt also addressed the opening session of the two-day summit that aims to strengthen ties between the geographically distant but economically powerful regions.
Bilateral ties
King Salman vowed Saudi keenness to develop and enhance bilateral ties with all the Arab and South American states in various fields. “The chances of developing the economic relations between our countries are promising, with good tidings to achieve development and prosperity of our countries, leading us to overcome the obstacles and constraints and encourage and support the flow of investments, exchange of experiences and technology transfer,” he said. King Salman also lauded the excellent growth in the bilateral trade exchange and volume of investments ever since the first summit in Brasilia in 2005. “We pin hope on achieving more progress in this field. Hence, we call for the establishment of councils of businessmen, as well as to explore the prospect of signing free trade agreements, and avoiding double taxation, in addition to encouraging and protecting investments in between the countries of the two regions, which will provide a legal and regulatory framework to boost trade flows among them,” the King added. This article first appeared in the Saudi Gazette on Nov. 11, 2015.

Saudi Arabia sets new conditions for operating tower cranes
By Saudi Gazette, Jeddah Wednesday, 11 November 2015/Construction companies that use tower cranes must get ground soil tested from a specialized laboratory before operating the heavy machinery, Saudi's Civil Defense Department (CDD) said in a statement. “The companies should produce a certificate for soil test from an authorized agency to make sure the capability to hold heavy load,” the statement said. The test should cover the effect of the crane’s movement on the soil as well as the aerodynamic effect at times of strong winds, the CDD said.
The new condition comes two months after a huge crane collapsed on the Grand Mosque in Makkah on Sept. 11, killing 111 people and injuring 238 others, mostly pilgrims. The CDD urged contractors to take a number of protective measures before operating tower cranes to avoid similar deadly accidents. They should also check the electricity cable attached to the crane and make sure no partial damage had occurred during operation. The operating area should be visible, keeping enough space for the movement of the crane while loading and unloading heavy construction material, the department said. Contractors should check the crane’s break system to ensure its smooth operation. Speaking about mobile cranes, the CDD said contractors should make sure its crawlers do not have any obstacles that obstruct its movement and its parts are installed on the crawler tightly. “End stops must be provided on crane and hoist tracks and rails to prevent the equipment running off the end of the track or rail,” the CDD said. Contractors should also check the speed of winds to ensure that it is at safe level, the statement said, adding that they should not operate cranes until the wind speed comes down to safe levels. Operator should also make sure the crane moves to all sides without carrying loads by moving its wings to right and left and moving the crawler to right and left. “If inspectors find anything wrong during tests, they should stop the crane’s operation completely for maintenance works. Operators should inform maintenance engineers if they hear any unusual or strange sound from the equipment,” the CDD said. In a previous statement, the CDD said tower cranes should be designed to withstand thunderstorms, must comply with the Kingdom’s construction code and should have indicator lights to ensure aviation security and safety of the crane. Crane operators have also been told they must have adequate training, the necessary certificates, should wear protective equipment. Copies of operation and maintenance manuals should be made available to them.

Palestinian team ‘identifies Arafat assassin’
AFP, Ramallah Wednesday, 11 November 2015/The head of the Palestinian team looking into the death of Yasser Arafat on Tuesday has once again accused Israel of assassinating the iconic Palestinian leader in a Paris hospital. His comments came the Palestinians mark on Wednesday 11 years since Arafat’s death and two months after French judges closed an investigation into claims he was murdered, without bringing any charges. “The inquiry committee has been able to identify the assassin of former president Yasser Arafat,” said Tawfiq Tirawi, the head of the probe opened in 2009. “Israel is responsible,” he said, without giving further details other than to add that “we still need some time to elucidate the exact circumstances of this assassination”. Arafat died in Percy military hospital near Paris aged 75 in November 2004 after developing stomach pains while at his headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
His widow Suha lodged a complaint at a court in France in 2012, claiming that her husband was assassinated, sparking an inquiry. The same year, Arafat’s tomb in Ramallah was opened for a few hours allowing three teams of French, Swiss and Russian investigators to collect around 60 samples. Many Palestinians believe that Israel poisoned Arafat and the Palestinian probe into his death has accused the Jewish state of assassinating him before - a charge Israel flatly denies. A French inquiry into the death of the Nobel Prize winner closed their case in September without bringing any charges, as did a previous Russian probe. Suha Arafat is appealing the French decision.

University degrees of 43 Saudi govt officials under scrutiny
By Saudi Gazette, Abha Wednesday, 11 November 2015/The university degrees of some 43 senior Saudi government officials are being verified after the government departments refused to accept them without the attestation of Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Education. According to an informed source at the Saudi Ministry of Civil Service, the departments would not consider these certificates in the promotions or the salary scale. The source said the certificates are being scrutinized to verify if they are real or fake. He said there are more than 1,100 fake universities in the United States alone and 800 similar other varsities in the world issuing forged degrees. Meanwhile, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (Nazaha) has declined to reveal the number of complaints against fake university degrees which it received last year on the ground that the issue is confidential and sensitive. The commission considers the forging of education certificates a kind of corruption. The Ministry of Civil Service said it will not accept any certificate if it has not been attested by the Ministry of Education. This article first appeared in the Saudi Gazette on Nov. 11, 2015

Libya army says 13 security personnel killed by ‘terrorists’
By AFP, Benghazi (Libya) Wednesday, 11 November 2015/At least 13 members of Libya’s army were killed by “terrorist” violence on Tuesday in the east of the war-torn country, an army spokesman said. “Most of the soldiers were killed by landmines planted by terrorist organisations,” spokesman Miloud al-Zawi told LANA, the official news agency of the internationally recognised government. Zawi said that 16 security personnel died in all, but only named 13 that were killed on Tuesday. It was unclear when or how the other three died. According to LANA, the soldiers were killed in different conflict areas around the eastern city of Benghazi, where their forces were trying to advance.Zawi insisted, however, that the security forces had “made advances and secured a major victory”. He said troops had managed to wrest control of a military base, adding that “battles will continue and will not stop until the areas controlled by the terrorist groups are liberated”. Zawi did not elaborate on which areas or bases were being targeted, or which groups the army was fighting. Libya has had two administrations since August 2014, when a militia alliance overran the capital and set up its own parliament in Tripoli while forcing the internationally recognised government to take refuge in Tobruk, in the east.

Iran ‘defies’ nuclear deal terms in new move
By Reuters, Dubai Wednesday, 11 November 2015/Iran has stopped dismantling centrifuges in two uranium enrichment plants, state media reported on Tuesday, days after conservative lawmakers complained to President Hassan Rowhani that the process was too rushed. Last week, Iran announced it had begun shutting down inactive centrifuges at the Natanz and Fordow plants under the terms of a deal struck with world powers in July that limits its nuclear program in exchange for easing sanctions. Iran’s hardliners continue to resist and undermine the nuclear deal, which was forged by moderates they oppose and which they see as a capitulation to the West. “The (dismantling) process stopped with a warning,” Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of the National Security Council, was quoted as saying by the ISNA student news agency. Only decommissioned centrifuges were being dismantled to begin with, of which there were about 10,000 at Natanz and Fordow, the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran has said. Shamkhani did not specify what he meant by “warning”, but the head of parliament’s nuclear deal commission, Alireza Zakani, told Mehr news agency that the dismantling had stopped in Fordow because of the lawmakers’ letter to Rowhani. Zakani, who was not one of the signatories of the letter, did not mention activities at Natanz. A group of 20 hardline parliamentarians wrote to the president last week complaining that the deactivation of centrifuges contradicted the directives of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Khamenei has said that the deal should only be implemented once allegations of past military dimensions (PMD) of Iran’s nuclear program had been settled. The International Atomic Energy Agency is expected to announce its conclusions on PMD by Dec. 15. Centrifuges spin at supersonic speed to increase the ratio of the fissile isotope in uranium. Low-enriched uranium is used to fuel nuclear power plants, Iran’s stated goal, but can also provide material for bombs if refined much further.
Iran has denied Western suspicions it was aiming to build a nuclear bomb.

Saudi king calls for fight against terrorism
Staff writer, Al Arabiya News Wednesday, 11 November 2015/Saudi Arabia is seeking heightened coordination in facing threats posed by terrorism, Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud said on Tuesday in the opening remarks to the Summit of the Arab and South American countries being held in Riyadh. The kingdom “seeks coordinated cooperation in facing the dangers of terrorism and shared international issues,” he said. Leaders and representatives flocked to the Saudi capital ahead of the summit which aims to strengthen ties between the geographically distant but economically powerful regions. Saudi state television showed the arrival of President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela, whose country belongs to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries along with Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter. Arab presidents who arrived for the summit included Omar al-Bashir of Sudan, Abdelfattah al-Sisi of Egypt and Fuad Masum of Iraq as well as Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas, state media said. Other delegates include Gulf rulers and King Abdullah II of Jordan.[With AFP]

Why Iran and Russia aren't as closely aligned on Syria as you might think
Saheb Sadeghi/Al-Monitor/November 11/15
TEHRAN, Iran — Common and immediate objectives have united Iran and Russia on Syria in the short run, and this unity will probably be flexed against the West’s influence in the long term. However, when it comes to some key aspects of Syria’s future — including the nature of the government and the rebuilding of the Syrian military — differences between Tehran and Moscow are bound to come to the surface.
In broad terms, Iran and Russia have embarked on the same path and entered a new phase of the geopolitical game in Syria. A major power, Russia is trying to redefine its role in the world, as evidenced by its actions in Ukraine and Syria. After 40 years, Moscow has returned to the Middle East to prove that today’s world is different — and multipolar. Iran’s strategy also revolves around redefining its geopolitical role. Iran’s game in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and even Yemen shouldn't be considered only from an ideological point of view, but rather as the Islamic Republic seeking what can be defined as living space.
In the short run, both Iran and Russia will attempt to preserve Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s position, help him maintain the territory his government now controls and retake territories that the Syrian army has recently lost. There is also the consideration of Russia seeking to test its new weapons and air force. In sum, the obvious aim is to weaken the position of Assad’s opponents in Syria as much as possible, and this short-term objective will ensure the current Iranian-Russian unity.
Yet despite this unity, Moscow and Tehran have serious differences over the future of Syria.
Moscow and Damascus have traditionally been allies. In the past decades, Russia has been the largest exporter of weaponry to Syria, with Tartus serving as the main logistical hub for Russian arms shipments. Moreover, many Syrian commanders and senior officers have been trained in Russia. In this vein, the structure and equipment of the Syrian military depend on Moscow. Russia is thus pursuing the revival of the Syrian military as its leverage in the country, with the belief that the only way to influence the future of Syria is through restoring the Syrian military to its condition before the eruption of the civil war in 2011 — in other words, a secular army that can easily be controlled.
Iran, on the other hand, has chosen a completely different path. When Iran saw that the Syrian army was near collapse, it sought to strengthen irregular forces made up of volunteers. The Islamic Republic thus established a massive force composed of Alawites. The latter has now become the main force combating the different armed opposition groups and is more powerful than the Syrian army on the battlefield. These volunteer forces, which number about 200,000 men, take orders from Iran rather than the Syrian government. According to some reports, about 20,000 Shiites from Iraq, Lebanon and Afghanistan have also joined them. These forces may very well come to play an important role in the future of Syria. Moreover, the Islamic Republic hopes to use them as a viable alternative to the Assad government. This strategy is not unique to Syria but also encompasses Iranian policy toward Iraq, Lebanon and even Yemen. In Lebanon, Hezbollah is at least as powerful as the Lebanese army. In Iraq, Iran-backed Shiite militias are now the main pillars of the country’s armed forces. Moreover, the Yemen army has been incorporated into the popular Ansar Allah forces.
Iran and Russia also differ on the future political orientation of the Syrian state. For Iran, it is vital that the future Syrian political system maintains an anti-Israeli stance and continues to act as a bridge between Tehran and Hezbollah. In contrast, Russia is not concerning itself with these matters and is even outright avoiding them. Indeed, Israel and Russia have held several meetings in the past few months at the political and military levels to find common ground on Syria. The two sides have agreed on avoiding probable military confrontation in the skies over Syria, and Moscow has even committed itself to preventing Hezbollah from obtaining Russian arms. It has also pledged to impede actions against Israel by pro-government militias and Hezbollah forces in the Golan Heights. Of note, Israel — unlike its Western allies — has not adopted or expressed a negative stance toward the Russian military presence in Syria, signaling that Moscow does not want Syria's future political system to maintain an anti-Israeli posture. In this vein, it should be borne in mind that Israel and Russia have also recently been building good relations and even signed contracts related to trade in advanced weaponry in addition to bilateral military exchanges. Indeed, the bigger picture shows that one of the main goals of Russia in Syria is to get more concessions from Europe and the United States on the issue of Ukraine.
Thus, the possibility of a compromise between Moscow and Washington is not far-fetched and may very well even be reached at the expense of Iran’s interests. In this vein, it seems that Russia and the United States do have the potential to come together over the future of Syria. The common threat posed by radical Islamists along with the lack of a viable alternative presented by Syrian liberals is inducing Russian-American consideration of someone from the Syrian Baath Party as a successor to Assad. At a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart after the first meeting on Syria in Vienna, US Secretary of State John Kerry announced that the two countries share a commitment to the idea of a secular and democratic Syria. Russia’s discontentment with Iran’s influence in Syria can be detected in the words of President Vladimir Putin during a meeting with Assad, when he — without mentioning Iran’s role over the past few years in helping the Syrian government — said, “The Syrian people have resisted and fought international terrorism practically alone for several years now.”
In short, the differences between Iran and Russia over the future of Syria appear to be quite serious. Yet, these differences are not out in the open as the two countries are trying to achieve common and short-term goals for now. Moreover, it should not be overlooked that Russia is concerned that Iran and the West will narrow the gap between them in the aftermath of the nuclear deal, and that Moscow is therefore trying to show that it enjoys close ties with Tehran. Therefore, it is obvious that with the start of negotiations on the transition of power in Syria and disarmament of different armed groups in the post-Islamic State era, differences between Iran and Russia will inevitably come to the fore.

Hysteria, conspiracy and blame – the politics of air disasters
Chris Doyle/Al Arabiya/November 11/15
If, as it now increasingly appears, a bomb took down the Russian airliner over Sinai, serious steps must be taken at a security, political and economic level. Overreaction is almost just as dangerous as doing nothing.
If this was ISIS as they claim, we must remember that as much as it might be for revenge, it is also to provoke a reaction. All such attacks have that in mind. A well thought out and effective strategic response is the way forward, not division, blame and hysteria.
At the security level, the attacks are designed to make air travel as expensive and frightening as possible. The public is disproportionately scared of being killed in planes. How come? If you examine the fatality statistics road deaths in the Middle East people would never get in a car. When taking Members of Parliament to Gaza before the Sinai insurgency, to answer troubled queries about security, I would tell them that probably the biggest threat to life and limb would not be from any conflict but from driving from Cairo to Rafah. The WHO estimates that around 1.24 million people die a year on the world’s roads, the main cause of death for young people between 15 and 29. 2014 was the worst year for aviation in the last five years with 904 deaths up from 173 the year before. It has been claimed that an additional 1500 people died after 9/11 because they chose to drive not fly. Despite everything plane travel is still far, far safer and if the issue is to prevent deaths, we should be investing more in road safety and not giving up on air travel quite yet. Moreover American and European safety and security standards have massively improved not least since the last plane to be brought down by a bomb, Pan Am 103 in 1988.
A suspicious bunch
That said, airport and flight security can certainly be improved in many areas of the world. Three years ago I flew out of Baghdad airport, perhaps then and even now one of the most at risk airports on the planet, a fact reinforced by the remorseless series checkpoints you endure en route. The scanning of individuals inside the airport was, putting it diplomatically, very poor. Neither my travelling companions nor myself were properly scanned. My jacket including mobile phone and tablet did not pass through a scanner nor did those of a former British Ambassador or an Anglican priest. A more suspicious bunch it is hard to imagine. On touching down in Amman I tweeted this to the company responsible, G4S. To their credit, I received a call in minutes and they carried out an investigation. On another occasion 15 years ago, I was left to my own devices, wandering around the secure area in Damascus airport looking for lost luggage.
If this was ISIS as they claim, we must remember that as much as it might be for revenge, it is also to provoke a reactionز Planes have for decades been an attractive target for extremists ever since the first civilian plane was destroyed in 1933. There was a previous attack on two Russian planes in 2004 by two female Chechen suicide bombers. In the sick world of political extremism blowing up planes is publicity gold. ISIS was handing out candies after the Metrojet crash in Egypt.
Politically, the reaction of the powers involved has been a gift to the extremists. The UK, Russia and Egypt have all been at loggerheads. The British Prime Minister was right to stop flights to Sharm El Sheikh yet Russia and Egypt were both scathing, clearly concerned they might be held responsible. Yet 24 hours after accusing David Cameron of pre-empting the outcome of the investigation into the plane’s crash, Russia too was bringing home its tourists. I was interviewed on one show where some rather childish Russian pundit was boasting that even more Russians were flying to Egypt after the crash and that if British tourists were scared that was their problem.
Conspiracy theories
All parties should depoliticize the situation and refrain from this blame game culture. Passengers must come first and by so doing confidence will return and tourism can pick up again. Conspiracy theories proliferate and are also deeply unhelpful and typically ridiculous. One Russian commentator accused the British security services MI6 of carrying it out. Mossad was accused by another convinced this was payback after Russians had taken out Jewish oligarchs in Ukraine. For Egypt, the first rule must be to be honest and face up to any errors, not pass the blame. There are huge areas of concern over the situation over Sharm El Sheikh. Even if there was no bomb loaded on the cargo hold in Sharm El Sheikh, it still does not take away from the fact airport security there was shocking. Tourists and journalists testify to this, not least the ability to bribe one’s way past the screening. Reports suggest CCTV cameras were not properly monitored. In some hotels they were using dummy bomb detectors. Standards should never be relaxed and security cannot take time off. Proper security should work on a one mistake and you are out basis. This is a painful lesson for Egypt to learn, but if there is to be any return of tourist confidence, it is vital. Other countries and airlines must find ways of upping their standards.Questions should also be asked of the airlines flying into places like Sharm El Sheikh. They could not have been ignorant of the security limitations, so did they raise this with the authorities or do nothing just to keep the route open?
Other countries are far from being in the clear, this is not just about Egypt. The major finding of the inquiry into the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 was baggage should always be matched. How often do we travel to find out baggage comes along on another flight. It has happened to me twice in the last twelve months. Sadly, politics has polluted the whole issue when politics should be pushed aside. If it was a bomb, the prime responsibility must remain with the perpetrators. If ISIS carried this out, then other than additional security measures for flights, there are the same political and military challenges as there were on 30 October. ISIS is a threat regardless but to defeat a proper joined up, united coordinated strategy is required that focuses on resolving the conflicts where ISIS and al-Qaeda flourish.
The reactions to the downing of Flight 9268 does not give reason to believe we are any way closer to that.

Britain’s Emirati visitors deserve better treatment
Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor/Al Arabiya/November 11/15
I have always had great respect for British people. Ever since I bought a home in the serenely beautiful English countryside as a young man struggling to build my business, I have considered England my beloved second home. I am sure many of my countrymen feel the same, especially because of the long and fruitful relationship between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) - and before its foundation, the Trucial States - and the UK. If there is one Western ally we trust to secure our interests, it is Britain. However, I now fear that our trust may be a one-way street. Britons have always been welcome to come to the UAE, and for decades they were the only foreign nationals, regardless of their professional standing, permitted to receive a tourist visa on arrival. An estimated 120,000 British nationals reside in the UAE, and their contribution is greatly valued.
Unfortunately, whereas we have always afforded our British guests special status, the UK has not reciprocated, and is making things worse by imposing even greater travel restrictions. For many years, Emiratis were obliged to obtain visas before going to the UK, which was a bone of contention when our door has always been open to Britons.
Visa requirements
Last year, an electronic visa-waiver scheme permitting a stay of six months for UAE nationals was announced. While this procedure is an improvement, it is still unsatisfactory when the rest of Europe exempts Emiratis from visa requirements, including countries with which we do not have as long and special a history. The United States offers Emiratis 10-year visas and possible visa exemptions. Whereas we have always afforded our British guests special status, the UK has not reciprocated, and is making things worse by imposing even greater travel restrictions The UK, our closest Western ally, is the only state for which we require a waiver. There is something wrong here. Adding insult to injury, it has a new restriction upon the entry of foreign domestic staff, now barred from entering unless they accompany their Emirati employers. This is an unacceptable inconvenience for those with business interests in Britain, or who vacation there with their families for weeks or months each year.
This is an arbitrarily imposed rule no doubt dreamt up by some career civil servant to prove his worth. Our maids, nannies or drivers, who more often than not are considered part of the family, hardly pose a security threat.
When under the banner of democracy and free expression Britain has become a hub for Islamist radicals who feel free to recruit jihadists on the street and insult the police, why is the government making life difficult for domestic workers and their employers?
Obstacles
My future travel plans will be negatively impacted by this latest decision. I frequently travel around Europe on business, with the intention of spending time at my home in the UK at the conclusion of my trip.
I have always dispatched my staff ahead of me to prepare the house for my arrival, but now they will be obliged to accompany me for the entire journey. They are conscientious and reliable; some have been with me for decades. I trust them implicitly. They do not need me to be their minder in Britain or anywhere else. Apart from the practical obstacles, I feel hurt that the only country on my regular travel itinerary to impose such a ridiculous rule happens to be the one I hold most dear after my own, which makes no distinction between visitors from the UK, be they doctors, lawyers, engineers, salesmen, drivers or domestic staff. This latest decision is just one of a long string of restrictions not in keeping with the friendly relations between our two countries. I am thus forced to conclude that Britain is not keen to attract Emirati investors. If it is, it is not going about it the right way.
The UAE has mega investments in Britain, and is its largest export market in the Gulf. As highlighted by The National, London Mayor Boris Johnson referred to the city as the “eighth emirate” of the UAE some years ago. It is a feel-good phrase, but no more than that until we see the UK practise what it preaches.
Policy reversals
The British government should revise its policies and attitudes. My country is no longer a British protectorate, and must be treated with mutual respect. We are a proud people loyal to each other and to our friends. Our relationship with Britain should be one of equals.
Instead we have been relegated to junior partner, which is intolerable, especially since these restrictions have nothing to do with security. If anything, the UAE - with low levels of crime and no welcome mat for extremists - has proven far more secure than the UK.
UAE leaders should take this matter up with British Prime Minister David Cameron, who should be pressed to reverse these unfair restrictions. I am not asking for the moon. I am simply demanding reciprocity from Britain, so that when I am at my home in England, I can once again truly feel at home in every sense of the word.

Infighting overshadows Iran press exhibition
Arash Karami/Al-Monitor/November 11/15
The motto for Iran’s 21st Press Exhibition, an annual event run by the administration and attended by Iranian and foreign media, was titled “Fair Criticism, Responsible Accountability.” But the theme failed to live up to its aspirations, as factional fighting and a conservative media boycott further entrenched Iran’s competing factions. Rouhani’s opening statement at the exhibition took aim at Iran’s hard-line media and their links to the security forces of the country. “No one security officer can decide the criteria for the press,” he said Nov. 8. “It’s intolerable that in a country some media are always protected from punishment and closure and enjoy a permanent security to not only say whatever they want but sometimes act as a secret police. From some of the media you are informed of who will be arrested the next day, which [paper] will be closed and whose reputation will be ruined.”
Kayhan newspaper, which boycotted the press exhibition, wrote that the president’s comments show that they will “suppress any voice of criticism and promote the opinions of the enemy.” The Nov. 10 article’s headline suggested that the Culture Ministry is paying for news stories dictated by the BBC and giving subsidies to newspapers that undermine the Islamic Republic.
Citing the administration’s alleged cut in subsidies for conservative media or accusing the administration of having double standards with critical media, a number of conservative media boycotted the event, including Javan and Vatan-e Emrooz newspapers, Fars and Tasnim news agencies, and conservative websites such as Raja News.
Rouhani’s comments at the press exhibition comes just days after he criticized the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) for arresting journalists accused of “infiltration,” a code word first presented by the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warning about American or Western attempts to penetrate the country politically, culturally or economically.
Abdullah Ganji, the managing director of Javan newspaper, which is linked to the IRGC, wrote in a Nov. 10 op-ed that after the issue of “infiltration” was presented, the media close to the administration “were completely silent” and even the president took it lightly by suggesting some were “toying” with the term. Ganji wrote that the strategy of “confrontation” has been turned into “cooperation,” and this is to the benefit of the United States.
According to Ganji, rather than trying to overthrow the government, the United States seeks influence in the country in order to eliminate the revolutionary zeal within the country. He wrote that the United States will attempt to promote individuals in the February 2016 parliamentary elections who want to eliminate the “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” chants.
A number of other officials within the administration, however, have criticized how hard-liners have used the word “infiltration” and the arrest of journalists against domestic political enemies. Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani said Nov. 8 that he believes the use of the word infiltration and the arrest of journalists is being used to “settle scores.” On Nov. 9, Culture Minister Ali Jannati criticized that the names of the journalists arrested for “infiltration” is disclosed, yet the names of those who embezzled millions is not disclosed. Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi warned Nov. 8 that the word “infiltration” must be used appropriately; otherwise, it could “turn it into something trivial.”

Will Washington put more boots on the ground in Iraq?
Mustafa al-Kadhimi/Al-Monitor/November 11/15
The Oct. 22 raid by US and Iraqi forces to release hostages of the Islamic State (IS) seemed to represent a qualitative leap in military cooperation between the countries. However, the raid provoked controversy over whether the United States informed the proper Iraqi officials ahead of time — and how the answer could affect Iraq's sovereignty.Although a US soldier was killed and three peshmerga fighters injured, the operation was a success as 69 hostages held by IS since August 2014 were released, 20 IS members were killed and another six were detained. The peshmerga is the military force of the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan.
Iraqi parliament speaker Salim al-Jubouri described the operation in an Oct. 25 statement as a “qualitative operation conducted by Iraqi forces consisting of peshmerga and army members, and backed by US forces, to free the hostages in the Hawija district.” The operation was the first of its kind since all US troops withdrew from Iraq in 2011. Its importance resides in the fact that it included ground combat operations by the US troops and not just remote military advisers.
Iraqi political opinion on the street was divided regarding US ground operations in Hawija. Two days after the Oct. 22 raid, the largest Arab Sunni parliamentary bloc in Iraq, the Union of Nationalist Forces, welcomed the news and expressed gratitude to the US and peshmerga forces.
Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani also praised the operation, which he described as courageous, and he expressed his thanks for the US military, political and diplomatic support in the war against IS.
In contrast, political groups such as the League of the Righteous condemned the operation and described it as “a violation to national sovereignty and a new conspiracy, as it occurred without the Iraqi government’s knowledge, while the Kurdistan government was [previously] informed about it.”
In response to the criticism, US Army Col. Steve Warren, spokesman for the combined joint task force, said Oct. 24, “The Iraqi government was informed of this operation. This operation was urgent. We knew the hostages would soon be murdered. One American, who was there as an adviser, was killed during the mission. There has been no change in our policy. We are not conducting combat operations in Iraq. We conducted this operation in our advise-and-assist capacity.”
The differences over this issue led to a sharp division in Iraqi political circles. The parliament's Security and Defense Committee demanded Oct. 25 that Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi explain whether he was informed in advance about the operation and whether there was official coordination with the Iraqi government to identify the people to be freed. The committee also asked for an explanation about what happened to the IS prisoners who fell into the hands of US troops and if they are still being held captive.
On Oct. 26, MP Mowaffak al-Rubaie, who served as national security adviser in Iraq from 2004 to 2009, confirmed that parliament will be discussing the Hawija incident and will demand that the government provide an official position in this regard.
On Oct. 29, former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki expressed his concern about the violation. He said he spoke about it with Stuart Jones, the US ambassador to Iraq.
“It is important to respect the country’s sovereignty," Maliki said, "and if the raid took place without the knowledge, demand and supervision of the Iraqi government, then it shall be considered a violation."
However, he added, the ambassador claimed that the Iraqi government knew in advance about the raid, so for the United States it was not a violation of sovereignty but an intervention under the patronage of the government.
Adding to the controversy was US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter's statement the day after the Oct. 22 raid that the Hawija joint operation would not be the last. “We will do more raids” similar to the one in Hawija, Carter said in a press conference at the Pentagon.
One week later, on Oct. 30, the White House said US President Barack Obama ordered US special forces to assist in the fight against IS in Syria and to deploy to Erbil in northern Iraq — moves that seem similar to the one in Hawija.
Obama previously had strongly opposed calls for US troops to engage in ground combat operations in Iraq and Syria. White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said during an Oct. 30 press conference that Obama still opposes any boots-on-the-ground military intervention to impose a political change in Syria and that the US administration will not make the same mistake the former US administration made in Iraq.
But has the United States changed its policy in the war against IS, particularly since Russia joined the scene in Syria and since some Iraqis want Russia to expand its airstrikes against IS to Iraq? It has been widely reported that Shiite factions and the ruling State of Law Coalition have asked Abadi to seek Russia's help against IS in Iraq.
Between those opposing and those supporting the qualitative change in the US policy, the US and Iraqi parties need to take into consideration several sensitive issues.
First, a foreign party implementing combat operations without clear coordination with the Iraqi government, under a strong legal formula, would pave the way for further interference by other regional and international parties in Iraq’s affairs. This would turn the Iraqi territory into a scene for regional and international conflicts, more than it is right now.
Second, carrying out joint operations with a special force in any region of Iraq would strengthen the separatist trend in the country and serve neither Iraq's interests at present nor its challenges in the fight against IS.
Third, such operations should be announced by the Iraqi government, considering it is the party that enjoys sovereignty and authority on all its territory. Such action could avoid objections and further political divide in the country.
There is no doubt that Iraq is in dire need of intensified support and backup by the United States, as a strategic ally in the fight against IS. Yet the regulation and coordination of such support should be carefully studied to avoid negative consequences.

Are Israelis ready for compromise on Jerusalem?
Mazal Mualem/Al-Monitor/November 11/15
“For the most part, the Israeli public is not extreme. It is smart, and it realizes that if we ever reach an agreement with the Palestinians, it will come at a cost, including in Jerusalem. Everything that [Prime Minister] Ehud Barak put on the table during the 2000 Camp David conference will come back to us at another time, in another place, under different leadership.” These were the conclusions that political strategist Moshe Gaon offered in an interview with Al-Monitor. The conversation took place on the backdrop of Israel commemorating the 20th anniversary of the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and a renewed focus on the negotiations that took place between Israel and the Palestinians following the Oslo process headed by Rabin.The conventional wisdom in politics and the press is that the Israeli public is, for the most part, increasingly extreme. It no longer believes that there is a partner on the other side. A major turning point that led to this situation was the failure of the summer 2000 Camp David summit between Barak and Palestine Liberation Organization leader Yasser Arafat, under the patronage of US President Bill Clinton. The summit failed resoundingly. Barak made the Palestinians a generous offer, including the partition of Jerusalem, but it was rejected by Arafat. The second intifada erupted just a few months later.
That event is commonly considered the moment the Israeli peace camp fell apart, and it has not managed to recover since. Gaon, an expert in public opinion, was Barak’s eyes and ears on the Israeli public’s attitudes. During the Camp David days, he conducted daily polls dealing with, among other things, the possibility of compromise over Jerusalem. These polls indicated that Barak would succeed in winning support for such an agreement in a referendum. In his interview with Al-Monitor, Gaon rejected the claim that Israelis now lean more to the right. He continues to believe, as he did then, that in exchange for an end to the conflict, and with the right leader at place, the partition of Israel’s capital could gain widespread support.
The text of the interview follows:
Al-Monitor: Why was it important for Ehud Barak to conduct all those polls during the negotiations?
Gaon: In general, it can be said that the Israeli public has proved that when it comes to a point in which the leadership makes critical decisions, it will always be able to adapt itself to those decisions. It will do so even when the decisions are difficult, as they were with the peace with Egypt, the withdrawal from Lebanon and the disengagement from Gaza. The public knows how to adapt itself to circumstances, even if it was very opposed to the decision at first.
The necessary conclusion to be drawn from this is that when a leader really believes in a decision, he will be able to convince the people that it is the right thing to do. That was the approach when we went to Camp David. Barak believed that under the circumstances at that time — i.e., the end of President Clinton’s term in office and the public mood following the withdrawal from Lebanon — not only was an agreement possible but that he would be able to convince the public of that, too. The polls were intended to provide him with the tools he needed, both when he set off for the conference and during it.
It is important to remember that the people voted Barak into office by an overwhelming majority, even though they knew what he was planning to do. According to all of our investigations, the same is true today. The Israeli public is prepared to pay a steep price for a peace agreement, with the most important phrase being “end of the conflict.” Without this phrase, it will be very difficult to convince people to support an agreement.
Al-Monitor: This all happened soon after the Oslo Accord and Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin’s assassination. The Israeli public was willing to give the agreement a chance. That seems to be light-years away from the current situation. Do you feel that that period was considerably different?
Gaon: Indeed. Not only is this true, we can take it a step further. Barak did not believe in the incrementalism of Oslo. He preferred a permanent solution. He went to Camp David to settle the essence and principles of that solution. This was preceded by preparatory work by various teams and several meetings between Barak and Arafat, including a meeting at Barak’s home in Kochav Yair, together with his wife, Nava. It was a dinner meeting, and the mood was excellent. In other words, expectations really were sky-high. I remember the headlines in the papers then, which went something like, “On the Verge of a Dramatic Agreement.” When the whole thing blew up, everyone was in shock.
Al-Monitor: You were in Israel during the conference, and you conducted the polls with American pollster Stanley Greenberg at Barak’s request. What did Barak want to know?
Gaon: When Barak went to Camp David, the Israeli public believed that it was possible to reach an agreement. Still, there were certain issues that the public had to be prepared to accept, such as compromise over Jerusalem. So we investigated that. Israelis have a somewhat distorted perspective on Jerusalem, because Jewish Greater Jerusalem is bigger than ever before and it is full of Jews. Nevertheless, there are parts of the city that Jews will not enter, so we asked about that. Obviously, there was also the issue of the Old City, which had to be resolved. It is an especially explosive issue, which no one even talked about before Barak. His proposal was dramatic. I remember saying to Barak at the time, “If you do that, I’ll have a hard time going home to my father and the rest of my family. We’re all Jerusalemites. How will I explain it to them?” His proposal was very hard to digest, but it was clear to me that he was serious.
The proposal spoke of entire quarters of the Old City of Jerusalem, three in fact, being handed over to the Palestinians, and a compromise on the Temple Mount that would have effectively allowed the Palestinians to control the site, with partition to allow Jews access to the Western Wall. It was a dramatic proposal, paramount to the redivision of Jerusalem. Obviously, it was the kind of proposal that I felt was saying, “I’m putting all my cards on the table. Now let’s see what the response will be.” Barak reached this point at the very last stage. It was his final proposal before he went home.
Our polls indicated a positive response, and this legitimized Barak’s belief that the proposal has the support of the Israeli public, which was prepared to make painful compromises in order to end the conflict.
Al-Monitor: Are Israelis ready for this today as well?
Gaon: Even now, I can say that there has never been a prime minister, including [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu, who thinks that we will remain in the Palestinian neighborhoods of East Jerusalem as part of a genuine peace agreement. I don’t think that there is anyone in Israel who believes we will, even in the right-wing camp. Nevertheless, people still ask themselves, “I am prepared to accept an agreement, but what do we get in return?” If what we get in exchange is that the conflict is really over, then it is worth doing. If we get a year of quiet in return, then it isn’t worth doing. It’s all a question of reciprocity. The results of the poll would have been dramatically different if we hadn’t included the phrase “end of the conflict.” Israelis would not have been prepared to hear that.
Al-Monitor: The Camp David conference failed, and Barak returned to Israel saying that there was no partner. Do you think that this assertion has determined the narrative since then? There are those who blame him for being the reason why the Israeli public hasn’t trusted the Palestinians since that time. He offered them everything, and they said no.
Gaon: Once we returned from Camp David, Barak could have formed a unity government with [then-Likud head] Ariel Sharon, who was politically weak at the time, but he didn’t want to. That is because even after Camp David he still tried to engage in talks, even though it was the early days of the second intifada and the situation was intolerable. I think that he distinguished between the political situation and his personal feeling that he had a mission, and that he had to do everything he could up until the very last minute in order to reach an agreement. He believed that Israel’s situation would change dramatically if he succeeded.
On our way back from the conference, we had to think about how we would explain what happened there. Barak told the public the truth: We have no partner at this time. As it became clear to us, there was a problem of readiness to reach an agreement.
Israel’s center-left is very fragile and emotional. That is why when everything blew up and Barak announced that we didn’t succeed — that we failed — rather than blaming Arafat, they blamed Barak instead, saying that he wasn’t nice enough, that he didn’t spend the night eating baklava with Arafat. If Arafat had believed that this was the best proposal that the Palestinians would ever get, he would have signed the agreement even if Barak didn’t eat baklava with him. I think the reason that it never happened was either because Arafat thought that he would get more in the future, or because he thought that signing the agreement would get him killed. At Oslo, he didn’t have to give up anything. The Palestinians received territory and they didn’t concede anything. It was an interim agreement.
The Israeli public immediately interpreted this as evidence that we should not have come to an agreement. Barak revealed what lay behind the mask, and the intifada erupted. As far as the center-left was concerned, Barak was at fault. The left withdrew its support for Barak from that time onward and didn’t vote for him. It all ended with the entire camp crashing, because when someone believes in a certain hypothesis for so many years, and then the hypothesis fails to prove itself, the sense of crisis is enormous. The Israeli left has yet to recover from that, because the price that was paid later on during the second intifada was too much to digest. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s efforts a few years later, which were not reciprocated by [Palestinian President] Mahmoud Abbas, only intensified the public’s feeling that there is no partner.
Israel’s center-left camp is confused. It lacks hope. It still doesn’t know how to deal with the new situation that has emerged. At the same time, it also doesn’t see anyone on the other side who can really move the process forward.
Al-Monitor: Do you then think it’s right to say that the Israeli public is moving to the right? After all, it has voted for Netanyahu time after time. Gaon: No, it didn’t move anywhere. It remained in the exact same place. The way Israeli electorate is divided into blocs remained the same. On the contrary, if we take a closer look at the last election, the center-left bloc actually grew, just not enough to win. More people voted for center-left parties than voted for right-wing parties. We need leadership that relays a sense of hope, not fear. You can’t bring the people an agreement when the mood is dominated by fear. You can’t spend years saying, “These people are murderers and we can’t talk to them,” only to reach an agreement with them. It lacks credibility. We have to start creating an environment that relays the message that there is someone out there we can talk to.

The Indonesian Jihad on Christian Churches
Raymond Ibrahim/Gatestone Institute/November 11/15
http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/6860/indonesian-christian-churches
"We will not stop hunting Christians and burning churches. Christians are Allah's enemies!" – Islamic leaders, Aceh region.
In other parts of Indonesia, where Islamic law, or Sharia, is not enforced, churches, even fully registered ones, are also under attack
On Dec. 25, 2012, with all required paperwork in place, when the congregation assembled on empty land to celebrate Christmas, hundreds of Muslims threw rocks, rotten eggs, and bags filled with excrement at the Christians. Police stood by and watched.
For Indonesia, the country once hailed as the face of "moderate Islam," the "extremist" behavior one would expect of ISIS has apparently become the norm.
In compliance with Islamic demands, Indonesian authorities in the Aceh region have started to tear down Christian churches. Their move comes after Muslim mobs rampaged and attacked churches. At least one person was killed; thousands of Christians were displaced.
On Friday, October 9, after being fired up during mosque sermons, hundreds of Muslims marched to the local authority's office and demanded that all unregistered churches in Aceh be closed. Imams issued text messages spurring Muslims from other areas to rise up against churches and call for their demolition.
On Monday, October 12, authorities facilitated a meeting with Islamic leaders and agreed to demolish 10 unregistered churches over the course of two weeks.
Apparently this was not fast enough to meet Muslim demands for immediate action. On the following day, a mob of approximately 700 Muslims, some armed with axes and machetes, torched a local church, even though it was not on the list of churches agreed upon for demolition.
The remains of a church in the Aceh region of Indonesia, still on fire, after hundreds of Muslims attacked it on October 13, 2015. (Image source: CCTV video screenshot)
The Muslim mob then moved on to a second church, an act that led to violent clashes. One person, believed to be a Christian, died after being shot in the head. Several were injured, as Christians tried to defend their church against the armed mob.
Approximately 8,000 Christians were displaced; many fled to bordering provinces. Their fears were justified: Islamic leaders continued issuing messages and text messages saying, "We will not stop hunting Christians and burning churches. Christians are Allah's enemies!"
Instead of punishing those who incited violence and took the law into their own hands by torching and attacking churches, local authorities demolished three churches (a Catholic mission station and two Protestant churches) on October 19. In the coming days, seven more churches are set to be demolished; in the coming months and years, dozens more.
Authorities had originally requested of church leaders to demolish their own churches. "How can we do that?" asked Paima Berutu, one of the church leaders: "It is impossible [for us to take it down] ... Some of us watched [the demolition] from afar, man and women. It was painful."
The situation in Aceh remains tense: "Every church member is guarding his own church right now," said another pastor
As for the displaced Christians, many remain destitute, waiting for "desperately needed clean water, food, clothes, baby food, blankets, and medicines." As Muslim militants were reportedly guarding the border with an order to kill any Christians crossing the line, reaching the Christians is difficult.
Many Muslims and some media try to justify this destruction by pointing out that the churches were in the wrong for not being registered. In reality, however, thanks to Indonesia's 2006 Joint Decree on Houses of Worship, it is effectively impossible to obtain a church permit. The decree made it illegal for churches to acquire permits unless they can get "signatures from 60 local households of a different faith," presumably Muslims, as well as "a written recommendation from the regency or municipal religious affairs office" -- that is, from the local sheikh and council of Muslim elders: the same people most likely to incite Muslims against Christians and churches during mosque gatherings. Christian activists say there are many mosques that are unregistered and built without permits, but the authorities ignore those infractions.
Others try to justify these recent attacks on churches by pointing out that they took place in Aceh, the only region in Indonesia where Islamic law, or Sharia, is officially authorized, and where, since 2006, more than 1,000 churches have been shut.
Yet in other parts of Indonesia, where Islamic law is not enforced, even fully registered churches are under attack. These include the Philadelphia Protestant Church in Bekasi -- nearly 1,500 miles south of Sharia-compliant Aceh. Even though it had the necessary paperwork, it too was illegally shut down in response to violent Muslim protests. On December 25, 2012, when the congregation assembled on empty land to celebrate Christmas, hundreds of Muslims, including women and children, threw rotten eggs, rocks, and plastic bags filled with urine and feces at the Christians. Police stood by and watched.
A church spokesman stated, "We are constantly having to change our location because our existence appears to be unwanted, and we have to hide so that we are not intimidated by intolerant groups. ... We had hoped for help from the police, but after many attacks on members of the congregation [including when they privately meet for worship at each other's homes], we see that the police are also involved in this."
Bogor is another area where Islamic law is supposedly not enforced. Yet the ongoing saga of the GKI Yasmin Church there illustrates how Islamic law takes precedence over Indonesian law. In 2008, when local Muslims began complaining about the existence of the church, even though it was fully registered, the authorities obligingly closed it. In December 2010, the Indonesian Supreme Court ordered the church to be reopened, but the mayor of Bogor, refusing to comply, kept it sealed off.
Since then, the congregation has been holding Sunday services at the homes of members, and occasionally on the street, to the usual jeers and attacks by Muslim mobs. On Sunday, September 27, the church held its 100th open-air service.
The Indonesian jihad is taking place in varying degrees all throughout the East Asian nation and is not limited to Sharia-compliant zones such as Aceh. For the country once hailed as the face of "moderate Islam," the "extremist" behavior one would expect of the Islamic State (ISIS) -- hating, attacking, and demolishing churches -- has apparently become the norm.
**Raymond Ibrahim is author of Crucified Again: Exposing Islam's New War in Christians (published by Regnery in cooperation with Gatestone Institute, April 2013).

Sex Trafficking: The Abuse of Our Time
George Phillips/ Gatestone Institute/November 11/15
http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/6852/human-trafficking-sex
The State Department's Trafficking in Persons Report estimates that more than 44,000 trafficking victims have identified throughout the world, out of which the Department of Justice has gained convictions in just 184 cases.
Compare this to the International Labor Organization 2012 estimate of a total of 20.9 million trafficked victims in the world and hundreds of thousands in the United States.
The media usually pays scant attention to their plight.
Esperanza was a sixteen-year-old girl when she was brutally raped by a man named Rey. He forced her to become a sex slave, and eventually brought her to New York, where she was raped, beaten and threatened in brothels day after day
Like so many other trafficking victims, Esperanza could not speak English. A man who saw the bruises on her body connected her with Safe Horizon, a program that specializes in helping trafficking victims; they helped to rescue her.
On the other side of the world from Esperanza, Sina Vann, in Cambodia, was taken as a sex slave when she was 13.
Sina and the other girls were kept in underground cages -- not able to see the difference between night and day. They were then brought into a room where they were raped by man after man.
Sina was rescued in a raid organized by a former sex slave, Somaly Mam, who now runs an anti-trafficking program.
Sina Vann (left) and Esperanza (upper right) were both kept as sex slaves and forced into prostitution as children, in Cambodia and the United States respectively.
The fifteenth anniversary of the landmark Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000 took place recently, on October 28.
After hearing of the plight of many women in Eastern Europe, Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey authored the Act to set forth the legal framework for prosecuting criminals involved in the crimes of modern day slavery, and to support traumatized victims in the U.S.
In addition to strengthening U.S. laws, the TVPA also targeted human trafficking throughout the world. The State Department annually reports on the efforts of all nations to combat trafficking. It also targets with sanctions on non-humanitarian aid countries that fail to meet minimum standards.
Last year, thanks to their lack of effort to combat human trafficking, authoritarian regimes including Iran, Russia, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe, along with 19 other countries, were subjected to sanctions.
Nevertheless, even though from 2007 to 2014 there were a total of 218 new or amended anti-trafficking laws in the world, only a small percentage of the world's trafficked victims are being rescued.
The State Department's Trafficking in Persons Report estimates that more than 44,000 trafficking victims have been identified throughout the world, out of which the Department of Justice has gained convictions in just 184 cases.
Compare this to the International Labor Organization 2012 estimate of a total of 20.9 million trafficked victims in the world, with hundreds of thousands in the United States.
A United Nations report also shows that trafficking among children is on the rise. One out of three trafficking victims is a child; girls and women make up 70% of trafficking.
The media usually pays scant attention to their plight. A University of North Carolina study details how, when it comes to stories about sex trafficking victims, the media often fails to report the nature of the crime and the need for action.
Only 16% of sex trafficking cases were covered as a human rights issue, according to the study, and 41% failed to mention possible solutions to the tragedy of human trafficking.
Many newspapers advertise "massage parlors" -- often fronts for trafficking and prostitution rings -- in their sports pages.
At the forefront of trying to uncover massage parlors that are fronts for these rings has been, for example, the Polaris Project, a Washington DC based anti-trafficking organization. It estimates that in the U.S. there are an estimated 9,000 massage parlors, in which, every day, 27,000 women are suffering in prostitution or forced human trafficking. The Polaris Project's hotline has identified more than 2,000 cases of human trafficking related to massage parlors.
In 2010, after years of pleas from the Polaris Project on behalf of victims of trafficking and prostitution, The Washington Post finally announced that it would no longer accept ads from massage parlors.
Yet, fifteen years after the signing of TVPA, the fight continues.
Esperanza and Sina are two of the very few lucky ones who have been rescued from human trafficking. But all of us, especially in the media, need dramatically to increase our efforts to rescue the millions of others trapped in one of the darkest, most vicious human rights violations of our time.
George Phillips served as an aide to Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey, working on human rights issues.
© 2015 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute

Egypt-Saudi Arabia Relations: Substantial Rifts Despite Shared Basic Interests
By: Y. Graff*/MEMRI/November 11, 2015 Inquiry & Analysis Series Report No.1202
Introduction
Since the ouster of Muhammad Mursi in July 2013, Saudi-Egyptian relations have been close and marked by common interests. Saudi Arabia backed the Egyptian military’s ousting of Mursi and supported its claim that the ouster expressed the will of the people, in the face of international claims that it was a military coup. Alongside political support for the new regime, Saudi Arabia also donated billions of dollars to restore Egypt’s economy. However, despite the friendly relations, Arab press has reported that, since the death of Saudi King ‘Abdallah in January 2014 and the ascension of King Salman, relations between the countries have chilled. Outwardly, the leaders of the two countries strive to demonstrate unity and friendship, yet reports in the Arab media point at a growing tension between Egypt and Saudi Arabia, mainly due to fundamental disagreements on various political issues.
It should be mentioned that, contra to Saudi expectations and despite this country’s generous financial assistance, Al-Sisi’s Egypt does not regard itself bound by Saudi policies. In fact, it has employed an independent policy in the hopes of forging bonds of friendship and alliances on several concurrent fronts – in a manner that has sometimes contravened and even thwarted Saudi foreign policy. This has led to disagreements with Saudi Arabia on several fronts:
The Saudi openness towards the Muslim Brotherhood (MB), to Egypt’s dismay: Saudi fears regarding Iran – which substantially increased after Iran’s Houthi allies took control of the Yemeni capital of Sana’a in September 2014, and later of all of southern Yemen, including Aden, and parts of the north up to the Saudi border, and after Iran signed the JCPOA with the P5+1 Group – have caused a tactical Saudi shift towards the MB after years of animosity towards it and towards its sponsors, Qatar and Turkey. This, in an attempt to form a unified Sunni front to confront the Iranian threat in the region. Saudi Arabia’s openness towards the MB, which Egypt sees as an enemy of the regime and a terrorist organization, is expressed in the Saudi view of the MB as future partners in ruling Yemen and Syria. Further expressions were a visit by Hamas Political Bureau Chief Khaled Mash’al to Saudi Arabia in July 2015, where he met with King Salman, as well as Saudi Arabia’s siding with Qatar in February 2015 when the latter opposed Egypt’s attack in Libya.
This Saudi rapprochement with the MB, Qatar and Turkey displeases the Egyptian regime, which regards them as its bitter enemies and rejects any cooperation with them, even at the cost of thwarting the cause of forming a united Sunni front against Iran.
An Egyptian openness towards Iran, to the chagrin of Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia sees Iran as a strategic threat to its security and the security of the entire Sunni world. Conversely, many elements in Egypt do not regard Iran as an existential threat and are reluctant to enter the Sunni-Shi’ite struggle. Al-Sisi’s Egypt is seeking economic investments and alliances to fill its dwindling coffers, and some there see the lifting of sanctions from Iran as an opportunity to renew business relations with it, even if this goes against Saudi Arabia and despite the fact that Egypt and Iran have had historically tense relations and do not maintain full diplomatic relations to this day.
Egypt’s openness towards the Syrian regime: Saudi Arabia demands the ouster of Assad, whether by political or by military means, and even supports the armed opposition to that end. Conversely, Egypt opposes a military solution and advocates dialogue with the Assad regime to achieve a solution that would preserve Syria’s state institutions and its unity. Moreover, Egypt refrains from addressing the issue of Assad’s personal fate.
Saudi disappointment at absence of sufficient support for its military operation in Yemen: Saudi Arabia, which is leading a large-scale military operation in Yemen against the Houthis and supporters of ousted president ‘Ali ‘Abdallah Saleh, is disappointed at Egypt’s refusal to participate more fully in this operation. Moreover, there are reports on disagreements between the two countries regarding the attitude towards the Yemeni MB, as well as reports that Egypt is in contact with Saudi Arabia’s rivals in Yemen in the hopes of finding a political solution to the crisis there.
This report will review the points of contention between Saudi Arabia and Egypt on various topics, as was reported in Arab media.
Egyptian President Al-Sisi with Saudi King Salman (image: elpah.com)
Egypt Furious Over Saudi Arabia Growing Close To Qatar, Turkey, MB
Since his ascension to the Saudi throne, King Salman continued efforts by his predecessor, King ‘Abdallah, to connect the traditional Sunni axis, led by Saudi Arabia and Egypt – which includes countries such as Jordan, the UAE, and Bahrain – with the MB axis – which includes Turkey, Qatar, and the various MB organizations and parties in the region such as Hamas, Al-Islah in Yemen, and the Syrian MB. The Saudis support the idea that both these axes should come together to confront Iran and its regional allies. In the opinion of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, Iran has become an increasing threat in the past decade after gaining crucial influence in three Arab capitals: Beirut, Baghdad, and Damascus. In the past year, Iran has also added the Yemeni capital of Sana’a to the list,[1] after the Shi’ite Houthi movement took control of it, as well as of South Yemen and Aden together with forces supporting ousted president ‘Ali ‘Abdallah Saleh. This takeover created a strategic threat to Saudi Arabia after the Houthis took control of the Strait of Bab Al-Mandeb, prompting the kingdom to launch Operation Decisive Storm in order to restore the rule of its ally President Hadi.
Up until the Houthi takeover of Sana’a, Saudi Arabia, much like Egypt, saw the MB axis as an equal threat to the one posed by Iran. It defined the MB as a terrorist organization, and conducted a public conflict with Qatar over this issue, which triggered a recall of its ambassador in March 2014.[2] However, the deterioration of the situation in Yemen, as well as the constant motion towards a nuclear agreement between Iran and the U.S. (which was eventually achieved in July 2015), caused Saudi Arabia to shift towards Iran as the central threat to its national security and the safety of Arabs in general. As part of this view, Saudi Arabia decided to grow close to its MB axis rivals and undertake the compromises necessary to achieve this.
Accordingly, Saudi Arabia began normalizing its relations with Qatar, even backing it in February 2015 during a harsh disagreement with Egypt.[3] Saudi Arabia’s openness towards Qatar and towards its ally, the MB, was also expressed by releasing many Egyptian MB prisoners, including high ranking activists who were imprisoned in Saudi Arabia during the reign of King ‘Abdallah, as well as by ending Saudi pressure on Britain to define the MB as a terrorist organization.[4]
Arab press also began reporting on contacts between MB officials and Saudi leadership. For example, Saudi officials met with Europe-based billionaire Youssef Nada, who is a noted MB donor;[5] Jordanian MB General Guide Himam Sa’id visited Saudi Arabia in June 2015 and met with the Saudi minister of religious endowments, and a delegation of Hamas officials led by Political Bureau Chief Khaled Mash’al held a meeting with King Salman in Mecca in July 2015, which led to a release of Hamas activists imprisoned in the kingdom.
In order to bring Egypt closer to the MB axis as well, Saudi Arabia attempted to reconcile between it and Qatar, and Egyptian and Gulf sources even claimed that it explored the possibility of promoting inter-Egyptian reconciliation between the regime and the MB.[6] In recent months, the Saudi press featured articles criticizing Egypt’s rigid policy towards the MB. Senior Saudi political analyst Khaled Al-Dakhil, writing in the London-based Saudi daily Al-Hayat on June 21, 2015, called it “a phobia” and “McCarthyism,” hinting that the Egyptian regime, which warns of a totalitarian MB rule, does not behave much differently itself. According to him, “this McCarthyist [attitude] towards the MB cannot be sustained for long… We need an alternative [to persecuting the MB], which has thus far not materialized.”[7] Saudi columnist Daoud Al-Shiryan made explicit calls for reconciliation with the MB in his June 17 column in the same daily: “The [Egyptian] enthusiasm for [meting out] the death penalty [to MB leaders], and the view that regards this as a tool for deterring and restraining them, and for imposing the country’s authority [over them], is an erroneous policy, since Egypt’s interest today demands to close the book on this topic and open a new horizon for political reconciliation [with the MB] while looking to the future.”[8]
Reports that Saudi Arabia was growing closer to the MB were of great concern to Egypt, but it seems that Mash’al’s visit to the kingdom and his meeting with King Salman were the straw that broke the camel’s back. Following the visit, several Egyptian columnists published articles featuring harsher tones than had been acceptable in Egypt up to that point. For example, ‘Abd Al-Rahim ‘Ali, editor of the Egyptian news portal Albawabhnews.com, who is close to Egyptian security forces, claimed in an article on Saudi-Egyptian tensions that Saudi Arabia was trying to “thaw the ice” with Hamas and grow close to this organization so it would join the anti-Iranian Sunni axis that Saudi Arabia heads and mediate between the kingdom and the Yemeni Al-Islah party. According to him, Egypt responded to these attempts by conveying that it refuses to be party to any plan in which the MB is involved. He claimed further that Egypt had conveyed a message to Saudi Arabia that “its alliance with this organization poses a threat to the Arab’s national security and especially to Egypt’s national security.” [9]
Even more critical of the Saudi openness towards the MB was editor-in-chief of the official daily Al-Ahram, ‘Abd Al-Hadi ‘Allam, who did not mention Saudi Arabia by name but alluded to it in a highly resentful tone. He wrote: “Forming an alliance with political Islam organizations [such as the MB] will never benefit the region and the Arab forces [such as Saudi Arabia] that aspire to forge a new alliance against Tehran… as though those organizations were not party to the regional chaos and bloodshed.” He added: “The thought that we can combat the pox of terrorism and extremist organization [referring to Shi'ite militias such as the Houthis and Hizbullah] by supporting equally radical organizations [such as Hamas and the various arms of the MB] constitutes ignorance, near-sightedness, and politically folly.”[10]
Different Attitudes Towards Iran As Strategic Threat To The Region
Egypt’s objections to Saudi Arabia growing close to the MB also touch on their differing views on Iran as a strategic threat. Egypt disagrees with the Saudi position that Iran constitutes such a threat to Arab national security as to justify allying with the MB. Egypt sees the MB as a no lesser threat to Arab national security, and some elements there even argue that Iran does not constitute a significant threat at all.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said after the signing of the JCPOA that Egypt’s relations with Iran “are unrelated to the attitude of the Gulf states towards it.” He added: “Nobody is tying our hands. We are forging ties with [Iran] based on many considerations, including the regional one, not based on formal matters like the name of a street.”[11] Also, in late September, Shoukry met with his Iranian counterpart, Javad Zarif, on the periphery of the UN General Assembly, and conveyed to him that Egypt expects Iran to support regional stability and Arab national security. The two also discussed a political solution in Syria and the implications of the JCPOA.[12] Then Egyptian Oil Minister Sherif Ismail, who is now prime minister, even expressed hope that Egypt could begin importing oil from Iran, thus easing its severe energy crisis.[13]
Several Egyptian columnists strengthened this position and called Egypt to see the JCPOA as a chance to economically develop Egypt and foster ties with Iran after many years of disconnect. Al-Ahram columnist Ibrahim Sengab argued that “naming a street in Tehran for the murderer of President Sadat [Khalid Al-Islambouli] cannot be grounds for severing ties between the countries.[14] Al-Ahram columnist Muhammad Idris wrote that in light of the rise of Iranian might in the region, Egypt is faced with two options. One is to create “strategic integration with Saudi Arabia” and lead a joint Arab force that would constitute a counterbalance to Iran, and the other is to normalize relations with Iran. According to him, the schism between Saudi Arabia and Egypt, and Saudi attempts to compete with Egypt rather than cooperate with it, indicate that normalizing relations with Iran is the better option.[15] However, it should be mentioned that many Egyptian articles sided with the Saudi position that sees the JCPOA as dangerous.
Another Iran-related disagreement between Egypt and Saudi Arabia revolves around the Egyptian regime’s estimate that Saudi Arabia is turning its conflict with Iran into a Sunni-Shi’ite sectarian conflict, which Egypt has no interest in. Egyptian journalist Mai ‘Azzam harshly attacked Saudi Arabia’s conduct vis-à-vis Iran on this account, claiming that “Saudi Arabia is spearheading the transforming of the regional conflict into a sectarian one. It is the one that dragged the region into civil wars… [in which] members of the same nationality fight under sectarian banners, and it seems that this is a war between Shi’ites and Sunnis rather than a war of interests between Saudi Arabia and Iran.” She explained that “the clash between the interests of Saudi Arabia and Egypt is crystal clear.”[16] The editor of Al-Ahram, ‘Abd Al-Hadi ‘Allam, also addressed this point and stated in his aforementioned article that Egypt “would never lead a sectarian war against Iran.”[17]
Saudi-Egyptian Disagreements Regarding Resolution Of Syrian Crisis
Saudi and Egyptian officials have been stressing that there is no disagreement between the countries with regards to the Syrian crisis. Saudi Ambassador to Egypt Ahmad Qattan argued in an August 4 press conference that the two countries no longer disagree on the means to resolve the crisis, and that the two had always agreed on the goal: a political solution that preserves state institutions, while distancing Assad himself from a position of influence.[18] Egypt’s foreign minister also stressed, in a joint press conference with his Saudi counterpart, that the two countries had never disagreed and do not disagree today on the solution to the Syria crisis.[19] However, these statements do not seem to reflect reality, which points to major differences of opinion between the countries regarding the fate of Bashar Al-Assad and the ways to deal with the crisis. Egypt’s position on these matters appears closer to that of Russia, the strategic ally of the Assad regime along with Iran, than to that of Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi-Egypt disagreements on the Syrian issue can be divided into several topics:
Ways To Deal With The Syrian Crisis And The Fate Of President Assad
While Saudi Arabia sees Assad as the root cause of the problem, and sees his ouster as a condition to solving the crisis, Egypt believes that removing Assad would only exacerbate the crisis and lead to chaos, as happened with the ouster of Saddam Hussein in Iraq and of Mu’ammar Al-Qadhafi in Libya. While Egypt does not openly state that it supports Assad remaining in power, it does routinely warn of the implications of his ouster. In its view, removing Assad is not a condition to solving the crisis, and Assad’s fate is in the hands of Syrians – a position similar to that of Russia, Iran, and the Syrian regime itself. This was expressed in statements made by Egyptian President Al-Sisi, who called for a political solution in Syria, “not in order to support one side over the other, but rather to preserve the Syrian state and its institutions, and to solve [the crisis] without collapsing them.”[20] Egyptian Foreign Minister Shoukry also said that Assad’s fate should only be determined by the Syrian people, “who have a right to decide [their leadership] by [establishing] a transitional government and later in free elections held under international oversight and as part of the implementation of the Geneva 1 agreement.”[21]
Egypt does not view the “military option” as an alternative if a political solution cannot be reached, as Saudi Arabia has threatened.[22] Moreover, official elements in Egypt stress that a military solution in Syria is impossible, and that military action to topple the regime will only exacerbate the civil war in the country.
In Egypt’s opinion, only a political solution that ensures that the Syrian army and state institutions not be harmed can guarantee the stability of Syria and of the region. This Egyptian position was expressed in a document constituting a kind of roadmap to solving the Syrian crisis, which was presented by the Egyptian foreign ministry to several Syrian opposition parties and was published on the liberal Saudi website elaph.com on December 25, 2014.[23] The Egyptian document does not touch on the fate of Bashar Al-Assad, but stresses that the Syrian army cannot be dismantled since it is “the national institution defending the state and ensuring its independence and sovereignty, and [since it] will preserve national security and not interfere in politics.”[24]
The Root Causes Of The Crisis And The Priorities In Dealing With It
The two countries both see the spread of ISIS in Syria as a threat to the existence of the state and to regional stability, but differ on how to deal with it and the priorities in doing so. Saudi Arabia believes that the root of the problem is the Assad regime itself, since it is the cause of the uprising and the emergence of ISIS and other extremist Islamic groups, and therefore ousting it will end the uprising and weaken these groups.
Egypt, on the other hand, shares Russia’s, Iran’s, and the Syrian regime’s view that the essence of the crisis is the extremist Islamic terrorist organizations such as ISIS and Jabhat Al-Nusra, and therefore the top priority is eliminating them. Moreover, Egypt sees the Syrian army as the spearhead of the fight against ISIS. It supports the Russian initiative that calls to establish a regional alliance against ISIS together with the Assad regime. Egypt even expressed support for Russian airstrikes in Syria, in contrast to Saudi Arabia, which opposes them. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry even supported the Russian involvement in Syria in an interview with the Saudi Al-Arabiya TV, saying that “the info given us in our direct contacts with the Russian side indicates that Russia is interested in combating terrorism and working to reduce the spread of terrorism in Syria.” He added that the Russian involvement would help eliminate terrorism in the country.[25]
Attitude Towards Syrian Opposition
Egypt and Saudi Arabia’s disagreement regarding the status of Assad is also reflected in their support for different opposition elements. Saudi Arabia supports armed opposition groups such as the Free Syrian Army and moderate Islamic militias with equipment, weapons, and money. The Saudis, in a joint move with Turkey and Qatar, which also support militias combatting Assad, recently established Jaish Al-Fath – an umbrella organization for several armed factions, including Islamist ones, which has made impressive achievements against the regime. Additionally, Saudi Arabia supports the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, an unarmed political opposition to the regime, in which the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) has considerable weight, and which also calls for the ouster of Bashar Al-Assad.
Egypt, on its part, while not boycotting the National Coalition, supports opposition elements willing to conduct dialogue with the Syrian regime, such as the National Coordination Committee for the Forces of Democratic Change (NCC), which is based in Syria and receives Russia’s support. Additionally, Egypt does not recognize MB elements that are members of the National Coalition. Thus, in June 2015, Egypt organized a summit for Syrian oppositionists in Cairo, but did not invite any MB representatives. In response, the National Coalition boycotted the summit.
Furthermore, unlike the Saudis, Egypt rejects a military solution in Syria, and opposes armed opposition. In this context, it is worth mentioning an article penned by Ahmed Sayyid Al-Naggar, head of the board of directors of Al-Ahram, who harshly criticized the Free Syrian Army and Saudi Arabia’s support for armed opposition in Syria. He wrote: “Egypt should not permit the rending of Syria and the destruction of the unity of the Syrian state, as is being attempted today by the terrorist gangs of Jabhat Al-Nusra, ISIS, and the ‘Free Collaborator Army’ [pejorative term for the FSA] with the support of several regional countries…”[26]
Saudi Arabia’s dissatisfaction with Egypt’s policy on solving the Syrian crisis is embodied by criticism levelled by the former editor of the London-based Saudi daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, Tariq Alhomayed, at Egyptian Foreign Minister Shoukry due to his statements in support of Russian involvement in Syria. According to Alhomayed, these statements by Shoukry indicate that he is “taking the criminal Assad lightly, and even showing sympathy for him, and [his statements] do not acknowledge that [Assad's] crimes are the reason that Syria is in its current state, or that Assad is the official sponsor of terrorism and the reason for the appearance of ISIS there [in Syria]… It is a duty to say, even with a substantial delay, that there is a severe lack of understanding of the Syrian crisis in Egypt… What some people in Egypt do not understand is that the Assad army is sectarian and [moreover] has [now] been replaced by Shi’ite and Iranian militias and by Russian forces, and is no longer the same as the Egyptian army.”[27]
Reports On Warming In Egyptian-Syria Relations
In fact, since Al-Sisi’s rise to power in Egypt, and to Saudi Arabia’s dismay, there has been a noticeable warming of relations between Egypt and the Assad regime, embodied by Egypt’s uncompromising support for the survival of this regime and its army. This Egyptian position can be explained by the fact that the Syrian and Egyptian regimes both represent the Middle East’s old guard (authoritarian regimes leaning mainly on the army); by the strong ties between their militaries; by their similar view of the MB, ISIS and Al-Qaeda as threats to their security; and by their shared hostility for Turkey and Qatar, who sponsor the MB. It seems that similar interests and the similarity in the structure of both regimes lead Egypt to fear that the ouster of the Assad regime and its army, as well as the division of Syria, would open the door to a similar scenario in Egypt. Additionally, Egypt’s tightening relations with Russia – a strategic ally of the Syrian regime along with Iran – have contributed to its positive relations with the Assad regime. Furthermore, unlike its Gulf allies, Egypt did not participate in the international coalition attacks on ISIS in Syria, which the Assad regime called “illegitimate.”[28]
Over the past year, the Assad regime has recognized these disagreements between Saudi Arabia and Egypt and has attempted to exploit them to grow close to Egypt, including with positive statements on Egypt made by Syrian officials, and the dispatching of envoys to the country. For example, in a speech to Ba’th Party members in November 2014, President Assad showered Egypt with praise, saying: “We can describe the Egyptian role as positive. Our relations with the Egyptian security mechanisms, even during the days of [previous president Muhammad] Mursi, were good, and now they have developed; first, thanks to the rise of President ‘Abd Al-Fattah Al-Sisi, and second, due to the blows dealt to the MB in Egypt. This led to a major warming [between the countries].”[29] In an interview with Hizbullah’s Al-Manar TV in August 2015, Assad stressed the importance of relations with Egypt: “Even when Mursi, of the MB, was Egyptian president and despite his offenses towards Syria, we never tried to harm Egypt; first, due to the importance of our relations, and second, because contacts between Syria and Egypt were not severed even during the reign of Mursi.” Assad hinted at the pressure Saudi Arabia is applying to Egypt to avoid forging stronger ties with Syria, saying: “We want Egypt to play the role of an important… and influential country, [one] that assists the other Arab countries on the basis of its ancient history, not on the basis of a handful of petrodollars and recent history.” According to Assad, “rival countries are pressing Egypt in attempt to keep it from playing the part we wish it to play.” He also said that Syria-Egypt relations help attain balance in the Arab arena and that “Syria believes that it is in the same trench as the Egyptian army and people in dealing with terrorists…”[30]
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Al-Mu’allem told the Egyptian daily Al-Ahram that “Egypt does not play a part [in Syria] for obvious reasons,” alluding to its alliance with Saudi Arabia, and added: “The Mursi regime, which decided to downgrade diplomatic relations [with Syria], is gone, and we hope that they will now return [to the previous level].”[31] In an interview with the Egyptian daily Al-Akhbar, Al-Mu’allem said that there is security coordination between Syria and Egypt and that it was an advanced step towards normalizing relations between the countries.[32] The Lebanese daily Al-Safir, which is close to the Syrian regime, even reported in February 2015 that Al-Sisi had renewed security coordination with Syria “to a small degree.”[33] Additionally, the website Alahednews.com, which is owned by Hizbullah, reported that Egypt was arming the Assad military.[34]
Al-Mu’allem (center) posing with members of the Egyptian media (Image: Al-Ahram, Egypt, August 20, 2015)
Alongside these messages, the Syrian regime dispatched several envoys to Egypt. In December 2014, a delegation headed by ‘Imad Al-Assad, the cousin of President Bashar Al-Assad, visited Egypt.[35] One month later, in January 2015, an unnamed Syrian regime envoy met with Egyptian officials in Cairo. According to reports on a Syrian opposition website, the visit was meant to bolster Egyptian efforts to unite the Syrian opposition and promote indirect talks between the regime and opposition as a preamble to direct talks with Egyptian or international presence.[36]
Though Egyptian officials make sure to avoid explicit expressions of support for the Assad regime, the administration’s mouthpieces do express such support, unreservedly. Official Egyptian press featured numerous articles calling for Assad to remain in power and backing him in his struggle against terrorism. They also featured articles praising the tight relations between the two countries and peoples, articles which presented the events in Syria from the Egyptian regime’s standpoint, and discussed the common enemies of the two countries and the need for the Egyptian army to assist its Syrian counterpart.[37]
Thus, chief editor of Al-Ahram, ‘Abd Al-Hadi ‘Allam, wrote in April 2015 that “distancing Bashar Al-Assad from any solution to the crisis is a akin to imposing guardianship upon the Syrian people and its choices, and [constitutes] interference in its affairs, and marginalization of parts of the Syrian people who see him as a component in a solution.” ‘Allam also claimed that, had the MB regime remained in power in Egypt and had the Assad regime been ousted, tens of thousands of ISIS fighters would have entered Egypt, and therefore “the mighty stand of the Syrian regime and army in the face of terrorism constitutes defense of Egypt and its national security…”[38]
Similarly, Morsi ‘Atallah, former head of Al-Ahram‘s board of directors, wrote in June 2015 that, contrary to statements by Saudi Foreign Minster Al-Jubeir that Egypt and Saudi Arabia agreed that Assad must be removed and that Egypt would press Russia to abandon him, “this trend does not match the principles of Egyptian policy… which is far from sticking its nose into the internal affairs of its Arab sisters… regardless of circumstances and excuses.”[39] In a February 2015 article, Al-Ahram columnist Makram Muhammad Ahmad stated that Bashar Al-Assad would “necessarily be part of a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis” because he still controls a large portion of the country, because the army will remain loyal to him, as well many minorities; and especially in light of estimates that the only alternative to his rule is ISIS.[40] In another article on September 8, 2015, written on the backdrop of the wave of Syrian refugees fleeing to Europe, Ahmad wrote that Syria “is being worn away by ISIS and Al-Qaeda due to the insistence on getting rid of Assad as a precondition to a nonviolent solution,” adding that “the crimes Assad has committed against his people are of limited [scope] compared to the crimes of Arabs who stand silent and helpless in the face of the great disaster of the Syrian people.”[41]
The Yemen Crisis: Saudi Arabia Disappointed At Insufficient Egyptian Aid; Egypt Fears MB Inclusion In Future Arrangement
It initially appeared that there was solidarity and cooperation between Egypt and Saudi Arabia on the Yemeni situation, since Egypt dispatched aerial and naval forces to join the Saudi-led coalition that launched Operation Decisive Storm in March against the Houthis and the supporters of ousted president ‘Ali ‘Abdallah Saleh. However, as time wore on, the rift between the countries became apparent, embodied by Egypt’s reluctance to dispatch ground troops to Yemen, while other coalition members such as the UAE, Sudan, and Mauritania have already done so.[42]
Egypt sees the Strait of Bab Al-Mandeb, which is the gateway to the Red Sea, as a strategic area, and Egyptian officials have repeatedly stressed that their country would prevent the Houthis from taking control of it. Moreover, in April 2015, President Al-Sisi said that Bab Al-Mandeb and the security of the Gulf States were matters of Egyptian national security, and that the Egyptian army would be mobilized to deal with them if necessary.[43] Nevertheless, it appears that Egypt is avoiding taking a more active role in this operation, possibly due to several reasons: The Egyptian army’s preoccupation with combating ISIS terrorism in Sinai; bitter memories of Egypt’s failed war in Yemen 50 years ago, which claimed the lives of thousands of Egyptian soldiers; and Egypt’s aversion to Saudi Arabia’s pact with the Yemeni MB against the Houthis and Saleh.
Since the onset of the Arab Spring in 2011, Saudi Arabia has opposed the MB-affiliated Al-Islah Party in Yemen, but since the ascension to the throne of King Salman, the Saudis seem to have been seeking to improve their relations with it.[44] The Al-Islah Party welcomes the anti-Houthi Saudi operation in Yemen, and Saudi reports even indicate that it has taken an active part in it. The independent Egyptian daily Al-Shorouq reported that Saudi Arabia has even insisted that Al-Islah be given a substantial role in the Yemeni regime. Egypt, on the other hand, is apparently still avoiding cooperating with the MB in Yemen or bolstering its political power. Al-Shorouq cited Egyptian sources as saying that, despite understanding Saudi fears of an Iranian takeover, they do not want to replace one religious force in Yemen (meaning the Houthis) with another (meaning the MB).[45] According to the Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar, Egypt in fact told Saudi Arabia that its participation in Operation Decisive Storm was conditional upon the Al-Islah Party not becoming part of the future regime in the country, and the Saudis were forced to make assurances along these lines, while simultaneously trying to preserve their alliance with the party.[46]
Two additional events in Egypt demonstrate this country’s opposition to Saudi policy in Yemen: In April 2015, a protest against Operation Decisive Storm was held outside the Saudi embassy in Cairo, which featured offensive slogans aimed at the Saudi king. A report in the Egyptian daily Al-Yawm Al-Sabi’ claimed that this was “a plot of the Egyptian MB to drive a wedge between Saudi Arabia and Egypt.”[47] However, the fact that such a protest even took place in Egypt, which strictly regulates protest activity,[48] raised many questions. Thus, following the protest, the independent e-daily Rai Al-Yawm wondered whether it had received the implicit blessing of the Egyptian regime, which does not air out its differences with Arab countries, choosing instead to express them in indirect ways and via messages in the media. The daily asked: “Is it possible that Egyptian authorities used this means to express their differences with Saudi Arabia [on Yemen]?”[49]
Egyptians protesting Saudi Operation in Yemen. Right: “Stop barbaric aggression against Yemen.” Left: “Salman, you coward, you agent of the Americans” (Images: Watan.com, Arabic.cnn.com, April 6, 2015)
The second event took place in July 2015. The London-based Saudi daily Al-Hayat reported that the El-Sawy Culture Wheel[50] in Cairo, which is considered one of Egypt’s largest and most important cultural centers, was holding an exhibition depicting “Saudi aggression in Yemen,” adopting the Houthi narrative of events.[51] Saudi journalist Jasser Al-Jasser attacked the El-Sawy Culture Wheel in a July 16 article, calling it the abode of “political mercenaries” – a reference to Egypt’s political elites. According to him, the exhibition falsified reality and facts and constituted “a hostile act against all Saudis” and an offense to Saudi martyrs.[52] It should be mentioned that, according to a report in Al-Hayat, the Culture Wheel denied holding such an exhibition, likely after it caused diplomatic embarrassment to Egypt, which quickly issued a statement via the foreign ministry spokesman denying that there were any disagreements between it and Saudi Arabia on Yemen.
The exhibition at the El-Sawy Culture Wheel (Image: Al-Misryyoun, Egypt, July 9, 2015)
However, Arab media featured reports on meetings held in Cairo between Egyptian officials and Abu Bakr Al-Qirbi, an emissary for ousted president Saleh, to formulate a solution to the Yemeni crisis that would not include the Al-Islah party. Sources said that Saudi Arabia had told Egypt it was displeased by this move.[53] Conversely, the Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar reported on July 24 that the Egyptian officials’ meetings with Saleh’s and Houthi representatives had been held with Saudi Arabia’s knowledge.[54]
Saudi Arabia Thwarts Egyptian Initiative To Establish “Joint Arab Force”
Another clear expression of the many disagreements between Egypt and Saudi Arabia can be seen in the fact that in recent months, Saudi Arabia has repeatedly delayed an initiative presented by President Al-Sisi to establish a joint Arab force empowered by the Arab League to carry out missions to defend Arab countries. Al-Sisi intends for this new force to be sent by the Arab League to Libya, to remove the increasing threat to Egypt from terrorist elements operating there, including ISIS.
Al-Sisi presented this initiative to Arab leaders at the Arab League summit in March 2015, shortly after ISIS in Libya executed 21 Egyptian Copts living in the country. The initiative received the support of Arab leaders at the summit, and it was decided to hold deliberations and formulate a protocol to establish it. However, the Arab defense and foreign ministers summit that is set to convene to approve the formulated protocol has already been postponed twice – once on July 26,[55] and again on August 26.[56]
The London-based Qatari daily Al-Quds Al-Arabi claimed on September 2, 2015 that Saudi Arabia was behind the postponements. The report stated that Saudi Arabia had thwarted the Egyptian initiative due to the severe disagreements between the two countries on various topics, chiefly Syria and Yemen, and added that “the fact that a [new] date has not been set for the summit indicates that the disagreements run deep.” According to sources cited in the report, one of the main reasons for Saudi Arabia blocking the Egyptian move is the strong ties between the Al-Sisi and Al-Assad regimes, and Egypt’s efforts to achieve a political solution to the Syrian crisis that ensures Assad remains in power, which is contrary to the Saudi position. The report also states that initially, Saudi Arabia supported the establishment of the Joint Arab Force in an attempt to entice Egypt do join its coalition for Operation Decisive Storm in Yemen, but after Egypt did not commit to the coalition sufficiently, Saudi Arabia decided to reign in the Egyptian initiative. The report also cited analysts and associates of the Saudi regime who estimated that Al-Sisi’s aim in establishing the Joint Arab Force was not to combat terrorist organizations in Libya, but rather to suppress pro-MB Libyan rebels and establish a government under his sponsorship, allowing him to take control of the oil in eastern Libya. They said that Saudi Arabia was disinclined to take sides in the Libyan crisis and preferred to reach an UN-brokered solution geared at establishing a national consent government that includes the MB.[57]
Saudi Arabia Fails To Block Egyptian Media Assault; Tense Relations Persist
On July 30, 2015, Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman arrived in Cairo for an official visit, meeting with President Al-Sisi and attending a graduation ceremony at the military college, during which Al-Sisi stressed that the prince’s visit to Egypt sent the message that Saudi Arabia and Egypt were “together.” The visit ended with the “Cairo Declaration,” which states that both countries will work to strengthen their military and economic ties and will cooperate on the strategic level.[58] The visit alleviated the concerns of many in the Egyptian media for a time, and the Cairo Declaration assured that the future of cooperation between the countries was secure. And indeed, immediately after the visit, Egypt approved an extension of its forces’ activity in Yemen until the end of the operation, even committing to dispatch ground forces to protect the ports of ‘Aden after they were liberated by forces loyal to Yemeni President Hadi. Furthermore, during and after the visit, the Egyptian press featured several articles praising the close relations between the countries. An article by journalist Mohammed Mujahid Al-Zayyat, published in Al-Ahram on August 3, even directly rejected the anti-Saudi allegations published in the Egyptian press mere weeks earlier. He claimed that Saudi Arabia did not really belong to the Turkey-Qatar-MB axis and that the visit to Saudi Arabia by Hamas Political Bureau Chief Khaled Mash’al had not been meant to show Saudi support for Hamas, which is in conflict with Egypt, or to circumvent Egypt as mediator in the intra-Palestinian reconciliation.[59]
Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman and Egyptian President Al-Sisi during the former’s visit to Cairo (Image: Al-Quds Al-Arabi, London, July 30, 2015)
However, Al-Misryyoun editor Gamal Sultan, who is known for criticizing the regime, stressed that anti-Saudi articles had appeared in official dailies, indicating that the tensions were real.[60] Moreover, even though there are occasional high-level meetings between Egypt and Saudi Arabia where the strong cooperation between the countries is emphasized and reports on their disagreements are denied, Arab press continues to feature numerous reports on the ongoing tensions between them. Thus, for example, Al-Quds Al-Arabi reported that King Salman had been scheduled to visit Egypt in early September after visiting the U.S., but eventually did not come. The daily claimed that the king’s change of plans reflected ongoing Saudi-Egyptian tensions.[61] On the other hand, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said in an interview on September 10 that the countries were preparing for a visit to Egypt by King Salman, even though a date had not been set yet, and reiterated that there were no disagreements between the countries, but rather that each country “has its own role and its own attitude…”[62]
On October 13, Al-Quds Al-Arabi reported that, following a proposal by Saudi ambassador to Egypt Ahmad Qattan, Saudi Arabia had paid to fly 50 Egyptian media figures to participate in the annual pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina. The daily stated that each year, Saudi Arabia funds the pilgrimage of media figures from countries friendly to Saudi Arabia, and that this year the largest group had been from Egypt. According to the report, Saudi Arabia hoped this move would help bridge its gaps with the Egyptian media, but this goal was not achieved. When the journalists returned to their country, they once again attacked Saudi policy, mainly on Syria.[63] This may have angered the Saudi ambassador, who reportedly had a harsh argument several days later with Sayyid Ahmed Al-Naggar, head of Al-Ahram‘s board of directors, during a festive dinner at the home of the Algerian ambassador to Egypt. Following the argument, news sites reported that the Saudi ambassador had left Cairo in a rage. Qattan quickly denied these reports, and speaking to the Egyptian daily Al-Watan he said: “Would I leave Egypt because of Ahmed Al-Naggar? That makes no sense.”[64] Official elements in both countries also issued swift denials that the ambassador had left Egypt, but the e-daily Rai Al-Yawm remained unconvinced, and claimed, in an October 19 editorial, that alongside the cancellation of King Salman’s visit to Egypt, this was another expression of the deteriorating relations between the countries.[65]
* Y. Graff is a research fellow at MEMRI.
Endnotes:
[1] See MEMRI Inquiry & Analysis Series Report No. 1155, Iran’s Support For The Houthi Rebellion In Yemen: ‘Without Iran There Would Be No War In Syria And Ansar Allah Would Have Never Emerged’, April 21, 2015.
[2] See MEMRI Inquiry & Analysis Series Report No. 1075, Unprecedented Tension Between Qatar And Saudi Arabia/UAE/Bahrain Threatens To Break Up Gulf Cooperation Council, March 14, 2014.
[3] After ISIS executed 21 Egyptian Copts living in Libya, Egypt retaliated by attacking ISIS targets in the country, an attack backed by the Arab League, aside for Qatar, which expressed reservations about the move. Egypt’s representative to the Arab League claimed that Qatar’s position “reveals its support for terrorism,” leading Qatar to recall its ambassador from Egypt. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), in which Saudi Arabia is a central member, condemned the Egyptian Arab League representative’s statements against Qatar and the London-based Saudi dailies Al-Sharq Al-Awsat and Al-Hayat published articles expressing reservations about the military attack in Libya (see for example a February 18, 2015 article by Tariq Alhomayed in Al-Sharq Al-Awsat and a February 18, 2015 article by Randa Takieddine in Al-Hayat).
[4] Al-Arabi Al-Jadid (London), March 15, 2015.
[5] Al-Shorouq (Egypt), July 24, 2015.
[6] Al-Akhbar (Lebanon), April 18, 2015.
[7] Al-Hayat (London), June 21, 2015.
[8] Al-Hayat (London), June 17, 2015.
[9] Albawabhnews.com, July 18, 2015.
[10] Al-Ahram (Egypt), July 24, 2015.
[11] Al-Shorouq (Egypt), July 13, 2015. The reference is to a street in Tehran which the Iranian regime named after Khalid Al-Islambouli, who assassinated Egyptian president Sadat in 1981. Officially, Iran has had no diplomatic relations with Egypt since 1980, when Khomeini severed them in protest of the Israel-Egypt peace treaty and of Egypt’s hosting of the deposed Iranian Shah. The name of the street in Tehran has long been emblematic of the difficulties facing a reconciliation between Egypt and Iran.
[12] Alarabiya.com, September 24, 2015.
[13] Al-Ahram (Egypt), July 29, 2015.
[14] Al-Ahram (Egypt), July 22, 2015.
[15] Al-Ahram (Egypt), September 8, 2015.
[16] Al-Masri Al-Yawm (Egypt), July 23, 2015.
[17] Al-Ahram (Egypt), July 24, 2015.
[18] Al-Masri Al-Yawm (Egypt), August 5, 2015.
[19] Al-Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), October 26, 2015.
[20] Al-Ahram (Egypt), September 10, 2015.
[21] Al-Sharq Al-Awsat (London), September 9, 2015.
[22] While Saudi Arabia states that it supports a political solution for the crisis, it seems to believe that the Assad regime should be pressured militarily in order to bring him to the negotiating table and force far-reaching concessions from him. Following a meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) foreign ministers on September 16, Saudi Foreign Minister ‘Adel Al-Jubeir said that if a political solution cannot be reached, then “the military option is still on the table,” and that the Syrian opposition has been dealing with Assad with increasing effectiveness. Al-Watan (Saudi Arabia), September 16, 2015. Al-Jubeir reiterated these statements in a press conference during the UN General Assembly on September 30. Al-Watan (Egypt), September 30, 2015.
[23] After elaph.com published the document, Egypt issued an official denial that it had formulated an initiative to solve the Syrian crisis. Elaph.com, December 25, 2014. The document published by the website proposed that opposition and regime delegations conduct direct talks sponsored by the UN based on the Geneva 1 declaration, Security Council resolutions on Syria, and the six point peace plan proposed by Kofi Annan, who served as the UN and Arab League’s joint special envoy to Syria, which he presented to the Security Council on March 16, 2012. Annan’s plan included: calling on the Assad regime to commit to a political process that meets the aspirations of the Syrian people; ending fighting and withdrawing troops from population areas; enabling the transfer of humanitarian aid; releasing political prisoners; and enabling journalist’s freedom of movement as well as freedom of expression and protest. See Aljazeera.com, March 27, 2012.
[24] In his speech at the 70th UN General Assembly on September 28, 2015, Al-Sisi called on Syrian opposition and regime elements to come to Cairo to negotiate “in order to formulate a clear vision for a transitional phase in accordance with the Geneva document, which will provide a common ground for all Syrians to build a democratic Syria that is sovereign over all its territory, and which preserves the state’s essence and institutions, respects the variety of elements in its population, and strengthens their national affinity.” He stressed that “these Syrian national elements are invited today to participate and invest every effort in negotiations to find a political solution to the crisis that realizes the ambitions of the Syrian people. ” Al-Quds Al-Arabi (London), September 30, 2015. In this statement, Al-Sisi expressed the main principles of Egypt’s policy on the Syrian crisis: Finding a political solution through dialogue with the regime, and preserving existing state institutions.
[25] Al-Ahram (Egypt), October 5, 2015.
[26] Al-Ahram (Egypt), September 7, 2015.
[27] Al-Sharq Al-Awsat (London), October 4, 2015.
[28] See MEMRI Inquiry & Analysis Series Report No. 1125, Egypt’s Position On International Anti-ISIS Coalition: Reserved Support Alongside Refusal To Commit To Military Participation, October 22, 2014.
[29] Al-Akhbar (Lebanon), January 3, 2015.
[30] Presidentassad.net, August 25, 2015.
[31] Al-Ahram (Egypt), August 20, 2015.
[32] Al-Akhbar (Egypt), August 19, 2015.
[33] Al-Safir (Lebanon), February 11, 2015.
[34] Alahednews.com, September 22, 2015.
[35] Al-Hayat (London), December 18, 2014.
[36] Aksalser.com, January 26, 2015.
[37] See for example, Riyadh Sanih, Al-Ahram (Egypt), August 9, 2015; ‘Asim Bakri, Al-Masri Al-Yawm (Egypt), August 19, 2015; Gamil ‘Afifi, Al-Ahram (Egypt), September 8, 2015; and Muhammad Hussein Abu Al-Hassan, Al-Ahram (Egypt), September 9, 2015.
[38] Al-Ahram (Egypt), April 17, 2015.
[39] Al-Ahram (Egypt), June 9, 2015.
[40] Al-Ahram (Egypt), February 17, 2015.
[41] Al-Ahram (Egypt), September 8, 2015.
[42] Al-Shorouq (Egypt), May 31, 2015.
[43] Al-Yawm Al-Sabi’ (Egypt), April 4, 2015.
[44] Al-Akhbar (Lebanon), April 17, 2015.
[45] Al-Shorouq (Egypt), May 31, 2015.
[46] Al-Akhbar (Lebanon), August 21, 2015.
[47] Al-Yawm Al-Sabi’ (Egypt), April 6, 2015.
[48] See MEMRI Inquiry & Analysis Series Report No. 1061, Egyptians Deeply Divided Over Law Restricting Public Protests, January 28, 2014.
[49] Raialyoum.com, April 9, 2015. The article mentioned a tweet by Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who also implied that Egyptian authorities might have quietly approved of the protest or even organized it, since “the operating principle of the Egyptian police is: If you protest without authorization – you will be killed.”
[50] Named for Abdel Moneim El-Sawy (died 1984), who founded the Egyptian news agency and served as culture minister under President Sadat.
[51] Al-Hayat (London), July 13, 2015.
[52] Al-Jazirah (Saudi Arabia), July 16, 2015.
[53] Al-Arabi Al-Jadid (London), June 6, 2015; Albawabhnews.com, July 18, 2015.
[54] Al-Akhbar (Lebanon), July 24, 2015.
[55] Al-Sharq Al-Awsat (London), July 27, 2015.
[56] Alarabiya.com, August 26, 2015.
[57] Al-Quds Al-Arabi (London), September 2, 2015.
[58] Al-Hayat (London), August 3, 2015. At the last Summit of South American-Arab Countries, held in Riyadh on November 10-11, 2015, Al-Sisi met with the Saudi king in another show of unity. Following this meeting the two countries’ FMs signed a protocol for establishing an “Egyptian-Saudi Corrdination Council” to implement the resolutions of the Cairo Declaration. Elaph.com, November 11, 2015.
[59] Al-Ahram (Egypt), August 3, 2015.
[60] Al-Misryyoun (Egypt), August 2, 2015.
[61] Al-Quds Al-Arabi (London), September 8, 2015.
[62] Al-Sharq Al-Awsat (London), September 9, 2015.
[63] Al-Quds Al-Arabi (London), October 13, 2015.
[64] Al-Watan (Egypt), October 17, 2015.
[65] Raialyoum.com, October 19, 2015.

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