Blog archive all
11th February 2010
During a discussion that I attended yesterday a prominent Islamist with Palestinian connections (who unfortunately I can't name) was asked if Islamist movements in the Middle East are growing or declining. He replied that the movements themselves are declining but that the influence of religion is… Read more
9th February 2010
Despite talk of a ceasefire in the Yemeni-Saudi war with the Houthi rebels, fighting continues. AFP reports that 10 Yemeni soldiers died in the latest clashes, while the rebels say Saudi warplanes fired at least 150 rockets on Sunday, killing two children.
One encouraging sign, though, it that the… Read more
8th February 2010
An interesting sidelight on the "trial" last week of Mauritanian journalist Hanefi Ould Dehah (or Dahah). The Moor Next Door blogreports that an Arabic translation of a Wall Street Journal articlecalling for his release was circulated in the courtroom and in the streets outside. But it wasn't… Read more
8th February 2010
Tariq Alhomayed, editor-in-chief of the Saudi newspaper, Asharq Al-Awsat, has been reflecting on that bizarre incident (reported here last week) when Tariq al-Fadhli, self-appointed leader of Yemen's southern separatist movement, hoisted an American flag at his home in Abyan while sounds of The… Read more
8th February 2010
Saturday was the UN-sponsored International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation. In Egypt, about 1,000 girls took part in a protest in Minya province calling on the government to implement its law against the practice.
According to statistics cited by al-Masry al-Youm newspaper,… Read more
6th February 2010
A brief update on Hanefi Ould Dehah, the Mauritanian journalist whose case I reported last December. After completing a six-month sentence for "indecency", Ould Dedah – editor of theTaqadoumy news website – was not released but continued to be held in jail illegally.
At a new trial on Thursday, he… Read more
6th February 2010
AFP is reporting that the Yemeni government has drawn up a ceasefire timetable and relayed it to the Houthi rebels via an intermediary. There is also talk of having the ceasefire implementation overseen by parliamentary committees.
This is beginning to look more hopeful. At least one previous… Read more
6th February 2010
Calm analysis of Yemen's problems, by Yemenis from inside the country, is rather scarce but Abdullah al-Faqih, Professor of Political Science at Sana’a University, provides exactly that in an articleheaded "The challenges of dealing with Yemen’s deep crises".
It's a clear and concise review of the… Read more
5th February 2010
A video purporting to show members of the Saudi armed forces torturing suspected Houthi rebels has been posted on the internet.
The Washington-based Saudi Information Agency (critical of the Saudi regime) says:
The prisoners, who are suspected to be affiliated with the Houthi rebel group operating… Read more
5th February 2010
Hussein Ibish, of the American Task Force on Palestine, has written a thoughtful and, I think, important essay about the controversy surrounding Joseph Massad and gay rights in the Arab countries.
This is partly in response to those on the American right who seem more eager to tar Massad with the… Read more
ARAB ART ONLINE: Susan Hefuna: Al Sabr Gamil (Patience is Beautiful) 2007. Ink stained on wood 140 x 170 cm. More information | Click to enlarge
