*Mondo readers this is my last list for this week, please fend for yourselves with news on the Arab spring as I will be on vacation until next Monday.
Osama bin Laden obituary from the Guardian
Gallery: Bin Laden’s life and times
Pictorial gallery on al-Qaeda’s top leader, the alleged mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks on the US.
Bin Laden killing brings anger, relief in Arab world
BEIRUT, May 2 (Reuters) – Those who revered him prayed the news was not true but many in the Arab world felt the death of Osama bin Laden was long overdue. Some said the killing of the Saudi-born al Qaeda founder in Pakistan was scarcely relevant any more, now that secular uprisings have begun toppling corrupt Arab autocrats who had resisted violent Islamist efforts to weaken their grip on power.
Iraq FM ‘delighted’ to see end of Bin Laden (AFP)
AFP – Iraq is “delighted” by the news that Osama bin Laden has been killed, Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari told AFP on Monday, noting that thousands of Iraqis had died “because of his ideologies”.
Osama bin Laden dead: Arab reaction
In Ramallah, the PA’s view was shared by Ahmed Saleh, a 58-year-old retired Palestinian. “The world is better without Bin Laden. It has removed a pillar of evil from the world,” he said. “His heinous actions were exploited to allow hostile policies towards the Arabs and Muslims.” But Umm Mohammed, a veiled woman, said she hoped news of Bin Laden’s death was a lie. “God willing, he will continue to conquer the west,” she said.
Brotherhood: U.S. troops should now quit Iraq, Afghan (Reuters)
Reuters – Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood said on Monday that U.S. soldiers should be withdrawn from Afghanistan and Iraq after the killing of Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of the September 11 attacks that led to two U.S.-led wars.
Iran says Bin Laden’s death “leaves no excuse” for foreign troops to stay in region
TEHRAN, May 2 (Xinhua) — Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said Monday that with Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden’s death there will remain no excuse for foreigners to send troops to the region to fight terrorism, the semi-official IRNA news agency reported.
Bin Laden was found at luxurious Pakistan compound
WASHINGTON, May 2 (Reuters) – U.S. forces finally found al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden not in the rugged mountains of Afghanistan’s border, but in a million-dollar compound in an upscale summer resort a little more than an hour’s drive from Pakistan’s capital, with his youngest wife, U.S. officials said early on Monday.
What next after bin Laden death?
Osama bin Laden’s death is politically momentous for the US, but may not sound death knell for al-Qaeda.
ANALYSIS-Arab revolts turned bin Laden into bloody footnote
BEIRUT, May 2 (Reuters) – Osama bin Laden, slain by U.S. forces in Pakistan on Sunday, seems curiously irrelevant in an Arab world fired by popular revolt against oppressive leaders. “Bin Laden is just a bad memory,” said Nadim Houry, of Human Rights Watch, in Beirut. “The region has moved way beyond that, with massive broad-based upheavals that are game-changers.”
Obama and the End of Al-Qaeda, Juan Cole
An American president, himself the son of a Muslim father and a Christian mother, has taken down notorious terrorist Usama Bin Laden. Despite being a Christian, Obama, it seems to me, had a personal stake in destroying someone who had defamed the religion of his birth father and his relatives. His 2007-2008 presidential campaign was in part about the need of the US to refocus on the threat from al-Qaeda. He said that the Bush administration had taken its eye off the ball by running off to Iraq to pursue an illegal war and neglecting the eastern front, from which the US had been attacked, and where riposting was legitimate in international law. Obama began threatening to act unilaterally against al-Qaeda in Pakistan in August 2007, during the early period of the Democratic primary.
Bin Laden (and his sponsors): any political significance?, As’ad AbuKhalil
The question remains whether there is any political significance to his death. It is clear that Al-Qa`idah has largely been put out of commission since the US invasion of Afghanistan. It is clear that Bin Laden, and even maybe Al-Dhawahiri, don’t have operational links with their followers. It is clear that many of Bin Laden’s lieutenants were either captured or killed and that he lost the nucleus of the organization. It is also clear that a small (terrorist in this case) organization can inflict a lot of harm on civilians, if that is what it wants to do. But it is also clear that the danger of Al-Qa`idah after Sep. 11 was transferred to copy cats: groups and gangs that don’t have direct links with Bin Laden and his lieutenants but who are inspired by the deeds of the mother organization, so to speak. But what is not yet acknowledged here in the US is that Bin Laden is a product of horrific US policies in the Cold War: of their alliance with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. The people in Pakistan and Afghanistan would be relieved today: not because they hated Bin Laden (many do sympathize with him only to spite the US), but because scores of Afghans and Pakistanis have been killed over the years during the campaign to get and kill Bin Laden. Remember that time in late 2001 when the US incinerated a convoy there because “a tall dark man” was seen getting into one of the cars. The US intelligence analyst on the scene assumed that there were no tall people other Bin Laden. But the factors that produced Bin Laden and Al-Qa`idah are still there: the US is still very tempted to arm and fund fanatical groups if they think it is politically convenient for US “national security interests.” Look at that lousy Libyan Transitional Council: there are fanatics in the ranks and I assume that we will hear from some of them, especially once they declare the victory of their “holy cause.” The coverage on US TV news was celebratory: I bet that Americans don’t know that this man and his lieutenants once shared a cause with US covert operations against the Soviet Union. Of course, as is the case in such affairs, the US news media focus on the skills and heroism of US special forces and intelligence agents. For weeks we now will be served dishes of reports about the competence of US special teams. Only later will some one reveal (as was the case in the capture of Saddam Husayn) that there was no military skill in the operation: that someone came forward to net the $25 million for Bin Laden. But that will come later. The disturbing part of all this was the coverage of Saudi news channel Al-Arabiyyah (news station of King Fahd’s brother-in-law): the coverage was somber with a tinge of sadness. They had a Saudi “expert” on extremist movements and he came on and said that Bin Laden fought back ferociously and that he resisted before being killed. This is like how Saddamists were so embarrassed how their leader was captured and they created stories about how he did not resist or die. How did the Saudi expert know that? It seems that the Bin Ladenites will now be busy inventing a story of heroism for Bin Laden, just as they invented a bogus story about his heroism in Afghanistan. Bin Laden won’t be missed (or should not be missed): not in the East and not in the West. And that idiot Isma`il Haniyyah of Hamas is only confirming Western suspicions and Zionist allegations that all Islamists are alike. This will be his own doing: he just rendered a great service for Zionist propaganda. His remark will now be available in 34 languages and Israeli occupation embassies will circulate special brochures containing his lousy remarks in which he paid tribute to Bin Laden. Expect a book or two to be published with titles like: Hamas and Bin Laden or the Unholy Alliance between Hamas and Al-Qa`idah, etc. But Hamas deserves what its get: the lousy Fath organization is now replaced with a lousy branch of the lousy Muslim Brotherhood. On Aljazeera: the coverage is rather less somber than Al-Arabiyyah but they had Saudi journalist (oh, yes. Forgot to tell you. Ever since Qatar and Saudi Arabia entered into the Arab counter-revolution alliance Saudi propagandists are now invited on Aljazeera), Jamal Khashuqji (who edited Al-Watan newspaper and now will be directing a new news channel owned by yet another oil prince–Al-Walid bin Talal in this case). But the anchor did not ask Khashuqji (who now poses as one of many Wahhabi “liberals”) about his PERSONAL CONNECTION WITH BIN LADEN. This guest once fought with Bin Laden and worshiped him for years. And then the anchor asked him this question: he asked how Bin Laden turned to violence against civilians when he was not like that before. What was that? When was Bin Laden opposed to violence? When he recruited (on behalf of US and Saudi covert operations) an army of Islamsit fanatics, crazies, and terrorists? Bin Laden made life more difficult for all Muslims (and for all if you consider the travel effects of Sep. 11): my mother hates him for what he did to the image of Muslims worldwide, not to mention his callous justifications of the murder of civilians (Muslims including). US is desperate for a victory and this one will be a chance, although the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are going terribly for the US. Obama yesterday basically signed the death sentence of the Pakistani president for thanking him for his role. How dumb is that? Even if he thought to falsely claim that the US did not violate Pakistani sovereignty near the capital of Pakistan. Public opinion surveys will soon give a tremendous boost to Obama, who may have increased his chances for re-election. I mean, no one in the Republican camp can now accuse him of pacifism or of reluctance to bomb and kill. Obama has proven that he can outdo Bush, in wars and bombings and killing, etc. Tell that to those who voted for him. On the Muslim side, I can report to you that wild conspiracy theories are already circulating on Twitter and Facebook and Arab websites: it will be like the conspiracy theories about Sep. 11. People are saying that either he was not killed, or that the US had him for a long time, or that he was dead even on Sep. 11. Those unfounded conspiracy theories trouble me: because we–as leftists–need to distinguish between crazy and non-crazy conspiracy theories. So in sum, not much will change in the world after this announcement because Al-Qa`idah has been largely weakened since Sep. 11. Ayman Adh-Dhawhiri has no chance of reviving the fortunes of Al-Qa`idah: he not only has to protect himself but he has the charisma of a cucumber and the speaking skills of Sa`d Hariri (and he is as boring as the latter). [end]
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2011/05/bin-laden-and-his-sponsors-any.html
Bahrain
Obama urges Bahrain king to respect ‘universal rights’ (AFP)
AFP – US President Barack Obama urged Bahrain’s monarch to respect “universal rights of the people” on Saturday, two days after the tiny Gulf state sentenced several protesters to death.
http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/mideast/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110501/pl_afp/bahrainpoliticsunrestus
Bahraini Boy Suffocated by Tear Gas: Report
A 6-year-old Bahraini boy has died after being exposed to tear gas fired by Bahraini security forces in the east of the country, Press TV reported on Saturday. The victim, identified as Mohammad Abdul-Hussain Farhan, lost his life on Saturday as a result of the police raid on Sitra, the Iranian satellite station said. Anti-government protesters have been holding peaceful demonstrations across Bahrain since mid-February, calling for an end to the Al Khalifa dynasty’s over-40-year rule. The rallies continued on Saturday in several cities in defiance a martial law put in place by Manama last month.
http://www.almanar.com.lb/english/adetails.php?fromval=1&cid=23&frid=23&eid=13733
Relatives fearful over Bahrain trials
Scores of medical employees detained for treating injured demonstrators, rights groups say.
http://english.aljazeera.net//video/middleeast/2011/05/201151145514937193.html
Shi’ite worshippers condemn Bahrain death sentences (Reuters)
Reuters – Thousands of Bahraini Shi’ites gathered before a revered cleric on Friday denounced death sentences given to protesters involved in pro-democracy unrest suppressed last month in the U.S.-allied Gulf kingdom.
http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/mideast/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110429/wl_nm/us_bahrain
Bahrain cleric: Death sentences deepen tensions (AP)
AP – One of Bahrain’s top Shiite clerics warned Friday that the country is at risk of even deeper tensions after four anti-government protesters were convicted of killing two policemen and sentenced to death by a military court.
http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/mideast/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110429/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_bahrain
US raps Bahrain over speed of trial (AFP)
AFP – The United States on Friday criticized Bahrain over the speed of a trial in which Shiite pro-democracy protesters were sentenced to death and life in prison for killing two policemen.
http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/mideast/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110429/pl_afp/bahrainpoliticsunresttrialus
A man died in custody confession on television that he had killed a police men
Today ( 28 April , 2011 ) , Bahrain T.V showed the “confessions” of the accused who killed two police men and who were sentenced today ( 4 death penalties and 3 life sentences). One of the those, the first to be shown making a confession, is Mr. Ali Isa Saqer, who had died in custody on the 9th of April, 2011. (attached a video of the confessions as shown on Bahrain T.V. with his photo). The Ministry of Interior had alleged that Mr. Saqer had died after resisting security officials while in detention but the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights(BYSHR) had viewed photos that show clear marks on his back, stomach and other parts of his body that seem to be signs of mistreatment. (Attached) A representative of Human Rights watch had attended the funeral and seen the body and confirmed this information (link of report). Human Rights Watch had asked for an investigation into his death. Until date the BYSHR has not learn that any such investigation has taken place.
http://byshr.org/?p=396
Massive Show of Gratitude to Saudi Monarch
Manama, April 28. (BNA) – Bahrain’s ministries, state departments, schools, streets and malls were today decorated with the Bahraini and Saudi leaderships’ photos and decked with the two countries’ flags as the kingdom celebrated love for the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdulla bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The official and public festivities testify to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and King Abdulla’s keen interest in enhancing the distinguished bilateral ties at all levels. The celebration is a token of gratitude to Saudi Arabia’s leadership and people for standing by Bahrain during the recent unrest, which revealed the true nature of the exemplary solid ties bonding the two nations. In this context, the Shaikh Isa Cultural Centre (SICC) held, following the directives of Shaikh Abdulla bin Khalid Al Khalifa, the Chairman of the centre’s Board of Trustees, a ceremony in which the centre’s affiliates raised the photos of the two countries’ wise leaderships and flags and praised the deep-rooted Bahraini-Saudi relations.
http://bna.bh/portal/en/news/454630
Saudis rally in support of Bahrain Shi’ites
DUBAI, April 29 (Reuters) – More than 200 Shi’ite Muslims protested in Saudi Arabia’s oil-producing east on Friday in solidarity with fellow believers in nearby Bahrain, who are facing a rolling crackdown, two activists said. The gathering in the towns of Awwamiya and Qatif defied a call by leading Shi’ite clerics last week for an end to rallies in the conservative desert kingdom’s Eastern Province, in an apparent bow to government pressure.
http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/saudis-rally-in-support-of-bahrain-shiites
World Protests in Support for Intimidated Bahrainis
Despite brutal crackdown and intimidation by Bahraini forces, peaceful protests took off the streets backed with huge protests across the world. Bahraini forces have deployed tanks and armored vehicles in Diraz, shortly after attacking a peaceful protest march in the western village of Karzakan. Witnesses said regime forces fired live bullets and tear gas at anti-government protesters and that army helicopters have been flying over protesters in Karzakan on Friday.
http://www.almanar.com.lb/english/adetails.php?eid=13653&cid=23&fromval=1&frid=23&seccatid=27&s1=1
Bahrain group calls for boycott of Iranian goods (AP)
AP – Bahrain’s authorities took broad swipes at Iran on Saturday, accusing Iranian-based hackers of trying to crack into a government website and urging a boycott of Iranian goods in retaliation for alleged interference in the island kingdom’s unrest.
http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/mideast/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110430/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_bahrain
Labor Beat, “Free Bahrain! Chicago Rally, 29 April 2011” (Video)
Hundreds of protesters gathered in Chicago’s Daley Plaza on April 29, 2011 to demand an end to the oppression of the people of Bahrain “at the hands of the Bahraini military and the security forces provided by other states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).” The action was heavily attended by representatives from Chicago area Muslim communities. “As Americans and Muslims, we expect our government to make clear to its allies that democracy and the civil rights of their citizens must be upheld,” their statement read. “The United States gives [the Bahraini monarchy] political cover and legitimacy,” said Sulayman Hassan, Religious Director of the Bait Ul Ilm Mosque in Streamwood, IL. And “it’s our technology and our money that’s being used to round up human rights activists and average citizens who are protesting for their rights.”
http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2011/bahrain290411.html
The west’s silence over Bahrain smacks of double standards | Hooshang Amirahmadi and Kaveh Afrasiabi
The absence of pressure on Saudi Arabia and Bahrain will only deepen the gulf of distrust between Iran and the west. The European Union and the Obama administration have made a splendid art of double standards by imposing sanctions on Tehran’s rulers for their human rights violations and taking military action against the Libyan dictator while failing to address the appalling repression of the pro-democracy movement in Bahrain.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/apr/29/bahrain-saudi-arabia-iran-west
The Hard Hand of King Hamad, PATRICK COCKBURN
A Bahraini national security court has sentenced four men to death for killing two police officers during the pro-democracy protests that were crushed by the authorities last month. The sentences are likely to deepen divisions between Bahrain’s Shia majority, which has been demanding greater political and civil rights, and the Sunni monarchy, backed by Saudi Arabia and the Sunni-dominated Bahraini security forces.
http://www.counterpunch.com/patrick04292011.html
Egypt
Egypt says it will soon open Gaza border permanently
While Gaza border policy will change, international commitments — like 1979 peace treaty with Israel — will be maintained, says Egyptian Foreign Ministry.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/egypt-says-it-will-soon-open-gaza-border-permanently-1.359224?localLinksEnabled=false
Egypt calls on US to recognise Palestinian state (AFP)
AFP – Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil al-Arabi on Sunday called on the United States to recognise a Palestinian state, as rival Palestinian factions prepare to sign a reconciliation accord in Cairo.
http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/mideast/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110501/pl_afp/palestinianpoliticsegyptus
Report: Egypt releases 2 Palestinian detainees
CAIRO (Ma’an) — Egyptian authorities have released two Palestinian members of a Hezbollah-affiliated cell, Arabic media reported Sunday.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=383609
Egypt warns Israel: Don’t interfere with opening of Gaza border crossing
Rafah’s opening would be a violation of an agreement reached in 2005 between the U.S., Israel, Egypt, and the EU; Israel official tells the Wall Street Journal developments in Egypt could affect Israel’s national security.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/egypt-warns-israel-don-t-interfere-with-opening-of-gaza-border-crossing-1.358969?localLinksEnabled=false
Hamas leader Meshaal in Cairo to sign unity deal
CAIRO, May 1 (Reuters) – Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal arrived in Cairo on Sunday to sign an Egyptian-brokered deal to end a rift between his Palestinian group and President Mahmoud Abbas’ rival Fatah, Egypt’s state news agency reported. Egypt has invited Palestinian leaders, including Meshaal, to Cairo for the signing ceremony, due later this week. It is the first trip by the Damascus-based Hamas leader to Cairo since a popular uprising toppled Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak from power in February.
http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/hamas-leader-meshaal-in-cairo-to-sign-unity-deal
Report: Hamas military leader in Egypt for Shalit talks
Egypt may return to serve as mediator in talks between Israel and Hamas, Al-Hayat reports; parents of kidnapped IDF soldier meet new Israeli negotiator for their son’s release.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/report-hamas-military-leader-in-egypt-for-shalit-talks-1.358961?localLinksEnabled=false
ANALYSIS-Palestinian accord a signal of Egypt policy shift
CAIRO, April 28 (Reuters) – The Palestinian reconciliation accord brokered by Egypt means as much to Cairo as the rival factions it united, because it signals a clear shift in Middle East policy from the era of deposed President Hosni Mubarak. By pushing Fatah and its Islamist rival Hamas to end their feud, the generals who now rule Egypt are seeking to gain leverage over Israel, cosy up to regional rival Iran and gain credibility among a largely pro-Palestinian population.
http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/analysis-palestinian-accord-a-signal-of-egypt-policy-shift
Report: Mubarak’s wealth came from Israel gas deal
Cairo’s new justice minister says ousted Egyptian president owes his vast fortune to corrupt arms deals, gas sales to Israel.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4062779,00.html
Egypt’s Mubarak Could Face Death Penalty, Minister Says
CAIRO — Egypt’s ousted President Hosni Mubarak would face the death penalty if convicted of ordering the shooting of protesters during the uprisings that brought him down, the country’s new justice minister said Saturday. Mohammed el-Guindi told the daily Al-Ahram Saturday that Mubarak, his two sons and wife are also facing allegations of corruption, which he said the former president had made the chief “discourse” of his government.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/30/egypts-mubarak-death-penalty_n_855848.html
Egyptian prosecutor refers ex-finance minister to criminal court
CAIRO, April 30 (Xinhua) — Egyptian General Prosecutor Abdel- Meguid Mahmoud ordered on Saturday to refer former Finance Minister Yousef Boutros Ghali to criminal court on profiteering and harming public funds, state MENA news agency reported. The general prosecution received in March complaints against Ghali on misusing his position to harm public funds and interests of car owners in the customs outlets for his own interest, Adel el- Said, spokesperson of the public procession said.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-05/01/c_13853427.htm
Egyptian Protesters Demand Public Trial For Former Interior Minister
Families outside the court to demand that the trial be opened to the public when it reconvenes.
http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=6694
Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood creates political party
A popular Islamic movement long banned and called a terrorist group, Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood says the new party will put forward candidates in parliamentary elections scheduled for September. The Muslim Brotherhood, the popular Islamic movement long banned from politics by former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, announced Saturday that it has formed a political party.
http://feeds.latimes.com/%7Er/latimes/middleeast/%7E3/VTRqHilXW0k/la-fg-egypt-brotherhood-20110501,0,1311742.story
Hossam el-Hamalawy, “Protest against Israel’s Embassy in Cairo”
To be honest, it was very weird marching without the Central Security Forces being around or cracking down. At some point when we were standing in front of the Israeli embassy I had to pinch myself, to make sure I’m not dreaming. The last time I took part in an attempt to storm that embassy was in 2002. We were brutally crushed by the police on that day, and I was injured in the back and foot. . . . And there were we were on Wednesday, standing over the destroyed Police Special Forces station that used to protect the embassy, right in front of the building. It felt liberating, even though the protest was small.
http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2011/hamalawy300411.html
Inside Story: Egypt-Israel diplomacy
An Egyptian pipeline carrying gas to Israel has blown up, while most Egyptians say they do not want to keep the peace treaty with Israel. Israel gets 40 per cent of its natural gas from Egypt, while Jordan depends on Egyptian gas to generate 80 per cent of its electricity. Are future relations with Israel taking a dangerous turn, and what is the fate of the Middle East peace after the sweeping revolutions in the Arab world? Inside Story presenter Adrian Finighan discusses with guests: Emad Gad, editor of Israeli Selections, a monthly journal on Israeli Issues; Avi Primor, former Israeli Ambassador to the EU; and Samir Shehata, assistant professor of Arab Politics at the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies at Georgetown University. This episode of Inside Story aired on Wednesday, April 27.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvUA0HfQ3YY&feature=youtube_gdata
‘NYT’ front-pages Egyptian shift in policy re northeastern neighbor
More about denial. The major denial in U.S. political culture right now is that the Arab spring does not affect Israel. When as Jack Ross wrote in the moment, it will likely end the idea of the Jewish state, and as Norman Finkelstein says, it has placed Egypt in the Turkey camp, no longer holding the bag for Israel. Well, The New York Times is on the story, on the front page, “In Shift, Egypt Warms to … Israel’s Foes.” David Kirkpatrick: Egypt’s shifts are likely to alter the balance of power in the region, allowing Iran new access to a previously implacable foe and creating distance between itself and Israel, which has been watching the changes with some alarm. “We are troubled by some of the recent actions coming out of Egypt,” said one senior Israeli official, citing a “rapprochement between Iran and Egypt” as well as “an upgrading of the relationship between Egypt and Hamas.”
https://mondoweiss.net/2011/04/nyt-front-pages-egyptian-shift-in-policy-re-northeastern-neighbor.html
Egyptian press
What is delicious about the new press of Egypt is that they seem to relish publishing news that are damaging to Saudi Arabia. It is a trend across the board.
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2011/04/egyptian-press.html
Zionists hoodlums will really freak out
“Egyptian officials, emboldened by the revolution and with an eye on coming elections, say that they are moving toward policies that more accurately reflect public opinion. In the process they are seeking to reclaim the influence over the region that waned as their country became a predictable ally of Washington and the Israelis in the years since the 1979 peace treaty with Israel…Egypt’s shifts are likely to alter the balance of power in the region, allowing Iran new access to a previously implacable foe and creating distance between itself and Israel, which has been watching the changes with some alarm. “We are troubled by some of the recent actions coming out of Egypt,” said one senior Israeli official, citing a “rapprochement between Iran and Egypt” as well as “an upgrading of the relationship between Egypt and Hamas.” “These developments could have strategic implications on Israel’s security,” the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the issues were still under discussion in diplomatic channels. “In the past Hamas was able to rearm when Egypt was making efforts to prevent that. How much more can they build their terrorist machine in Gaza if Egypt were to stop?”
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2011/04/zionists-hoodlums-will-really-freak-out.html
The Myth of the Peaceful (Gene Sharp-inspired) Egyptian revolution
Comrade Hossam responds to such lazy theories about the Egyptian revolution: ”Suez was dubbed as Egypt’s Sidi Bouzid during the 18 day uprising. The city witnessed some of the bloodiest crackdowns by the police, and also some of the fiercest resistance by the protesters. In the video above, shot on the Friday of Anger, January 28,the revolutionaries in Suez after storming the police stations and confiscating the rifles, are using them to fight back the police. One of the biggest myths invented by the media, tied to this whole Gene Sharp business:the Egyptian revolution was “peaceful.” I’m afraid it wasn’t. The revolution (like any other revolution) witnessed violence by the security forces that led to the killing of at least 846 protesters. But the people did not sit silent and take this violence with smiles and flowers. We fought back. We fought back the police and Mubarak’s thugs with rocks, Molotov cocktails, sticks, swords and knives.The police stations which were stormed almost in every single neighborhood on the Friday of Anger–that was not the work of “criminals” as the regime and some middle class activists are trying to propagate. Protesters, ordinary citizens, did that.”
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2011/04/myth-of-peaceful-gene-sharp-inspired.html
English Translation of Interview with Hossam El-Hamalawy on the Role of Labor/Unions in the Egyptian Revolution
[Below is both the English translation and the video of the interview. The interview was conducted by Bassam Haddad, then translated and transcribed by Christine Cuk. It was also reviewed by Mohamed Aly and Bassam Haddad. Thanks to Christine and Mohamed for volunteering to make this interview available to English readers, per their many requests]
http://www.jadaliyya.com/pages/index/1387/english-translation-of-interview-with-hossam-el-ha
Intifadat Intifadat, “Join Us on May Day in Tahrir Square: Workers Are the Builders of a New Egypt” (Video)
Intifadat Intifadat is a collective of filmmakers in Egypt. The collective won the 2011 Cairo Documentary Festival’s Streaming the Revolution Award for three videos: “The Downfall of Mubarak,” “Tura Workers,” and “Cairo Intifada.”
http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2011/egypt300411.html
PM Sharaf in University of Kuwait
PM Sharaf had a meeting with the Egyptian community in Kuwait at the university of Kuwait , here are video clips from the meeting. Our prime minister had an overwhelming reception there. Egyptians kept chanting ‘Raise your head , your Egyptian’.
http://egyptianchronicles.blogspot.com/2011/04/pm-sharaf-in-university-of-kuwait.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+EgyptianChronicles+%28Egyptian+chronicles%29
Israel’s Egyptian gas problem
While leaders in Egypt, Syria, Israel, the EU, the US and Palestine react to the unification of Palestine’s political movements, Egyptians have demanded that their government stop piping natural gas to Israel for its occupation of Palestine.
http://www.palestinemonitor.org/spip/spip.php?article1782
Rafah Crossing to Open: Is Egypt Changing the Rules?, Richard Lightbown
Egypt announced last week that it intends to open the Rafah Crossing to the Gaza Strip on a permanent basis. Commenting on Israel’s Army Radio on 30 April the Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Armed Forces General Sami Anan was reported to have said that this is not a matter of Israel’s concern. Officially perhaps he is incorrect since the 2005 Agreed Principles for Rafah Crossing make it plain that the opening of the crossing is very much dependent on the cooperation of the Government of Israel. However since Israel has never seen fit to abide by the Agreement on Movement and Access (hereinafter called ‘the Agreement’) of which these Principles are a part one might conclude that General Anan has a valid point.
http://palestinechronicle.com/view_article_details.php?id=16832
The Arab awakening – Seeds of revolution
A film following the activists who led Egypt’s revolution, as they attempt to capitalise on their unexpected success
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSZ7Ln5KzRU&feature=youtube_gdata
Aesthetic Uprisings
Signs of the Times: The Popular Literature of Tahrir: Protest Signs, Graffiti & Street Art. Curated by Rayya El Zein and Alex Ortiz. Special Issue of Shahadat, April 2011. Full issue available here. In the heady days that followed the January 25 demonstrations in Egypt, the air seemed to crackle with images from the myriad protests and demonstrations and strikes and uprisings all across the country. For those of us following events from outside, it became part of the daily routine: together with watching the latest reports from al-Jazeera and reading the latest online news, we took in the images being posted (sometimes within minutes of being taken) on Facebook and gathered into albums on Flickr and Y-Frog, not to mention on innumerable other blogs and sites. All this constituted a sort of free-floating archive, albeit one that grew (thrillingly) by the second and thus became harder and harder to negotiate (and this archive, of course, continues to grow as the political struggles in Egypt continue).
http://www.jadaliyya.com/pages/index/1388/aesthetic-uprisings
Libya
Libya disabled children school hit in NATO strike
TRIPOLI, April 30 (Reuters) – Shattered glass litters the carpet at the Libyan Down’s Syndrome Society, and dust covers pictures of grinning children that adorn the hallway, thrown into darkness by a NATO strike early on Saturday. It was unclear what the target of the strike was, though Libyan officials said it was Muammar Gaddafi himself, who was giving a live television address at the time. “They maybe wanted to hit the television. This is a non-military, non-governmental building,” said Mohammed al-Mehdi, head of the civil societies council, which licenses and oversees civil groups in Libya.
http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/libya-disabled-children-school-hit-in-nato-strike
Libyan TV shows ‘body of Gaddafi’s son’
Libyan state television has shown new pictures purportedly showing the body of Muammar Gaddafi’s son, killed, according to the Libyan government, by a NATO air strike. Al Jazeera’s Sue Turton reports from Benghazi.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2VBVR5HIII&feature=youtube_gdata
Nato strike ‘kills Gaddafi’s youngest son’
Libyan official says son and three of Libyan leader’s grandsons killed in air strike, but NATO is yet to confirm deaths.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/04/2011430224755721620.html
Doubt cast on Gaddafi son death claim
Libyan state TV shows footage of Saif al-Arab, allegedly killed in NATO raid, amid heightened diplomatic tensions.
http://english.aljazeera.net//news/africa/2011/05/2011512159645780.html
Rebel chief pained by bloodshed in Gaddafi family
CAIRO, May 1 (Reuters) – Rebel chief Mustafa Abdel Jalil said on Sunday he felt “pain and sorrow” even for Muammar Gaddafi’s family following a NATO air strike on his house in Tripoli, but blamed the Libyan leader for the violence. Gaddafi survived the air attacke on the dwelling but his youngest son, Saif al-Arab, and three grandchildren were killed, according to a government spokesman.
http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/rebel-chief-pained-by-bloodshed-in-gaddafi-family
Inside Story – Gaddafi: An official target?
Latest events in Libya have raised the prospect of an escalation of the conflict. Fighting has spilled to neighbouring countries. But how serious is this development? And as NATO intensifies strikes on Tripoli, is Gaddafi now an official target?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQrUsR3FlOk&feature=youtube_gdata
Libya: Rebels Pledge Not to Use Landmines
(New York) – The de facto opposition authority in Libya, the National Transitional Council, has formally pledged not to use antipersonnel and antivehicle landmines, Human Rights Watch said today. The council also promised to destroy all mines in its forces’ possession.
http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2011/04/29/libya-rebels-pledge-not-use-landmines
NATO says Gaddafi forces mine Misrata harbour
BRUSSELS, April 29 (Reuters) – Forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi had placed mines at Misrata harbour to block humanitarian aid access to the city, a NATO official said on Friday. “Only this morning … an incident took place in which it became apparent some vessels, which we assume were pro-Gaddafi forces, were laying mines near the harbour,” Brigadier Rob Weighill told reporters. “This is another clear demonstration of the Gaddafi regime completely ignoring international law and also an effort prevent humanitarian assistance going into Misrata to help the beleaguered population.”
http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/nato-says-gaddafi-forces-mine-misrata-harbour
Update: Gaddafi refuses to leave
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has called for negotiations with NATO to stop the coalition’s air strikes against his country. Speaking live on state television in the early hours of Saturday, Gaddafi said he was ready for a ceasefire provided it was accepted by all sides. Here’s a quick recap of what the embattled leader had to say.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fzq8zJqEc48&feature=youtube_gdata
Libyan opposition rejects Gaddafi truce offer
NATO also reacts with scepticism to latest offer of conditional ceasefire and negotiations from Libyan leader.
http://english.aljazeera.net//news/africa/2011/04/2011430112655206759.html
Gaddafi offers truce but not exit
Defiant Libyan leader says he is prepared to enter a ceasefire only if all sides are involved, but he vows to stay on.
http://english.aljazeera.net//news/africa/2011/04/201143021326235617.html
Britain expels Libyan ambassador
Britain moved to expel Libya’s ambassador tonight after the UK embassy in Tripoli was attacked by a mob.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/britain-expels-libyan-ambassador-2277622.html
Rebels defy Qaddafi’s fear offensive in Libya’s western mountains
Zintan, a critically important town on the southern slopes of the Nafusah mountain range, has become a symbol of rebellion. It endured a barrage of rocket fire this week as Qaddafi continued punishing it
http://rss.csmonitor.com/%7Er/feeds/world/%7E3/_Lv_RWWGd_w/Rebels-defy-Qaddafi-s-fear-offensive-in-Libya-s-western-mountains
Libyan rebels ‘to appoint defence chief’
Transitional National Council says it is set to fill a crucial post as the anti-Gaddafi group organises itself.
http://english.aljazeera.net//news/africa/2011/04/201143025943641902.html
Gaddafi Troops Raping, Issued Viagra: U.S. Envoys
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The U.S. envoy to the United Nations told the Security Council on Thursday that troops loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi were increasingly engaging in sexual violence and some had been issued the impotency drug Viagra, diplomats said. Several U.N. diplomats who attended a closed-door Security Council meeting on Libya told Reuters that U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice raised the Viagra issue in the context increasing reports of sexual violence by Gaddafi’s troops.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/28/gaddafi-troops-rape-viagra-libya_n_855216.html
Battle for Libya: Fresh fighting on border with Tunisia
Tunisian troops fought forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi inside the Tunisian border town of Dehiba, witnesses told Al Jazeera. Al Jazeera’s Anita McNaught has this update from the Tunisian side of the border with Libya.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1x17tN7rumk&feature=youtube_gdata
Libya rebels say retake Tunisia border crossing
TUNIS, April 29 (Reuters) – Libyan rebels have regained control of the Dehiba crossing point on the Libyan-Tunisian border from government forces, a rebel told Reuters on Friday. “Right here at this point I’m looking at the new (rebel) flag flying up there at the border. The rebels have got control of it, the freedom fighters. We’re just in the process of opening it up,” rebel Akram el Muradi said by telephone.
http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/libya-rebels-say-retake-tunisia-border-crossing
Tunisia angered by border clashes
Tunisia condemns a violation of its territory after fighting between Libyan rebels and forces loyal to Colonel Gaddafi spills over the border.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/world-africa-13234859
Thousands Fleeing Qaddafi Bask in Tunisia’s Hospitality
Most of the refugees are now living with Tunisian families in an area that in normal times counts just 150,000 residents.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/29/world/africa/29refugees.html
Migrants caught in Libya crossfire
In Libya, among those caught up in the fighting for the besieged city of Misurata are thousands of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa. International organisations have helped some to return home, but many more are stranded. Al Jazeera’s Omar Al Saleh reports from a refugee camp in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHA5ZPzMNqE&feature=youtube_gdata
Evacuation ship aids Libyan refugees
Rival forces in Libya’s civil war are continuing to battle for control of the port city of Misurata. Despite the violence and the chaos, a rescue ship with hundreds of people escaping Misurata has managed to make its way to the rebel base in Benghazi. Al Jazeera’s Andrew Simmons reports from on board the ferry, which has been turned into a makeshift hospital. (28 Apr 2011)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb33UFzWXAU&feature=youtube_gdata
The price of freedom, Yvonne Ridley in Benghazi
A few short weeks ago I stood on a public platform in London and slammed proposals for Western military intervention in Libya. In my mind, the hasty scramble to get involved by the Americans, French and British lacked strategy and a clear goal; it appeared to be yet another oil-fuelled, reckless act by gung-ho leaders. The possibility looked very real that they would end up being sucked into a long military campaign as futile as the Bush-Blair adventures in Iraq and Afghanistan, for which we are still paying in wasted lives. “Here we go again,” I thought. “Another imperialist adventure so that we in the West could get our grubby paws on someone else’s oil.” I warned those few Libyans present at my talk that they would live to regret this pact with the West; I likened it to selling one’s soul to the Devil. Moreover, being very conscious of the fact that I’m not a Libyan, and desperate not to be seen as another opinionated Westerner sticking my nose into matters I don’t understand, I sought the views of many Libyan friends and contacts.
http://www.middleeastmonitor.org.uk/articles/middle-east/2290-the-price-of-freedom
Saudi Arabia
TED KOPPEL: THE ARAB SPRING AND U.S. POLICY: THE VIEW FROM JERUSALEM
Israeli officials want a public commitment from Washington to protect the Saudi regime should it come under threat.
http://spme.net/cgi-bin/articles.cgi?ID=7965
Saudi Arabia tightens media laws
Royal order threatens fines and closure of publications that jeopardise kingdom’s stability or offends clerics.
http://english.aljazeera.net//news/middleeast/2011/05/20115135621233618.html
Praise for Aljazeera in Saudi media
There is no better evidence of the Saudi-Qatari alliance in the Arab counter-revolution than the sudden praise for Aljazeera in Saudi media, including in Saudi propaganda mouthpiece, Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat, where propagandists for Prince Salman and his sons specialized in attacking Aljazeera for years.
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2011/05/praise-for-aljazeera-in-saudi-media.html
Syria
Teenagers’ blood flows in video from Syrian city
AMMAN, May 1 (Reuters) – Blood spurts from the heads of shot teenagers, staining the asphalt, in amateur video obtained by Reuters from inside the besieged Syrian city of Deraa where government forces are trying to crush weeks of protests. “He has a pulse. He has a pulse,” one teenager shouts next to the blood-soaked body of a youth in jeans. “No, no. Martyr. Martyr,” he says as his comrades rush to carry the body under a hail of machinegun bullets.
http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/teenagers-blood-flows-in-video-from-syrian-city
Obama Orders New Sanctions on Syrian Regime
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama ordered stiffer U.S. sanctions on Friday for top Syrian officials and security forces. The Syrian regime is responsible for a violent crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators that has left hundreds dead. The executive order expands on sanctions first leveled against Syria in 1994. The Obama administration accuses President Bashar Assad’s government of using violence and torture against, and arbitrary arrests and detentions of, peaceful protesters by police, security forces, and other entities that have engaged in human rights abuses.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/29/obama-syria-sanctions_n_855639.html
Turkey’s FM warns against international intervention in Syria
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said efforts should be exerted to prevent international intervention in Syria.
http://www.worldbulletin.net/?aType=haber&ArticleID=73199
Al Jazeera journalist missing in Syria
Al Jazeera demands information from Syria on whereabouts of journalist missing since arriving in Damascus on Friday.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/05/20115211460620208.html
Syria ‘welcomes’ Palestinian unity deal
State-run Sana news agency quotes Damascus statement saying Fatah-Hamas reconciliation is ‘major victory for Palestinians cause’.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4062461,00.html
‘Hamas denies reports it plans to relocate leadership from Syria to Qatar’
According to Al-Hayat, Qatar agrees to host Hamas leaders, currently in exile in Syria, after Egypt and Jordan deny the request.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/hamas-denies-reports-it-plans-to-relocate-leadership-from-syria-to-qatar-1.358963?localLinksEnabled=false
Syria PM promises reforms after at least 70 people killed in weekend violence
138 members of Bashar Assad’s ruling Baath party from Daraa area resign in protest of crackdown on protesters.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/mideast-in-turmoil/syria-pm-promises-reforms-after-at-least-70-people-killed-in-weekend-violence-1.359010?localLinksEnabled=false
Syrian Forces Seize Mosque That Was Uprising’s Symbol, ANTHONY SHADID
The capture of the Omari Mosque was a sign of the government’s determination to crush dissent in Dara’a.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/01/world/middleeast/01syria.html
Deaths as Syrian protests reach Damascus
Reports of gunfire and deaths as thousands rally across country, including biggest gathering to date in Damascus.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/04/201142993412242172.html
Unrest in Syria continues while locals arm themselves – Jableh
The armed revolution became more than a regime issue, but a confidence issue between the official media, the international and the local telling. Locals who are frightened by such discourse, created community cells that are guarding the villages.
http://www.demotix.com/news/672405/unrest-syria-continues-while-locals-arm-themselves-jableh
Muslim Brotherhood calls Syrians to take to streets
AMMAN, April 28 (Reuters) – Syria’s banned Muslim Brotherhood called on Syrians to take to the streets to demand freedom, a declaration by the movement said on Thursday, ahead of Friday prayers. “Do not let the regime besiege your compatriots. Chant with one voice for freedom and dignity. Do not allow the tyrant to enslave you. God is great,” said the declaration, which was sent to Reuters. It was the first time that the Brotherhood, whose leadership is in exile, had called directly for demonstrations in Syria since pro-democracy demonstrations against President Bashar al-Assad’s autocratic rule erupted six weeks ago.
http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/muslim-brotherhood-calls-syrians-to-take-to-streets
Jordanian Islamist endorses Syrian protest wave
BEIRUT, April 29 (Reuters) – A prominent Jordanian Islamist who inspired al Qaeda in Iraq has endorsed protests in Syria, saying the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad would be a step towards implementing Sharia law. Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi, spiritual mentor of the late Jordanian-born militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi who led al Qaeda fighters in Iraq, said all Muslims had a duty to join protests against Assad’s 11-year authoritarian rule.
http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/jordanian-islamist-endorses-syrian-protest-wave
Syrian Muslim Brotherhood and Qatar
It is clear that Qatar (as is clear from this Qatari government daily) is promoting the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood as the alternative to the regime.
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2011/04/syrian-muslim-brotherhood-and-qatar.html
A Big Lie
A Syrian in Banyas addresses accusations that the uprising is Salafi-led.
http://pulsemedia.org/2011/04/29/a-big-lie/
Frost over the World – What next for Syria?
Ribal al-Assad, the chairman of the IMAN Foundation, cousin of Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president, and son of Rifaat Assad, talks about the events in Syria.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbMaMFyg-lk&feature=youtube_gdata
“I guarantee you if Bibi comes out today & says ‘we are for the Syrian revolution’, he’ll be the most popular man in Syria!”
Remember that this clown’s father was at one time rumored to have ‘irrefutable’ information regarding Rafic Hariri’s assassination, and as such, bozo-pere was afforded a large ISF security detail in Lebanon by none other than Saad Hariri. “Israel should do something. You shouldn’t just sit on the sideline and accept the fact that the US isn’t doing enough. I guarantee you if Bibi comes out today or tomorrow and says, ‘We are for the Syrian revolution and we need to protect these people who are being butchered like animals in Syria,’ I guarantee he’ll be the most popular leader in Syria today. Why? Because there’s a huge vacuum in Syria,” he said.
http://friday-lunch-club.blogspot.com/2011/05/i-guarantee-you-if-bibi-comes-out-today.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+friday-lunch-club+%28%22friday-lunch-club%22%29
Reinoud Leenders, “The Syrian Opposition’s ‘National Initiative for Change’: A Missed Opportunity”
Released on 29 April, its statement entitled “Syrian Opposition Demand the Army to Protect Civilians and Facilitate a Transitional Period” reveals the gathering’s ineptness. . . . An opposition still may want to encourage the mere impression, even if false or inconsequential, that it enjoys some level of support within the armed forces. After all, in the popular imagination such an impression may reduce still widespread fears to join the uprising. Yet, again, publicly reaching out to named military figures and vaguely praising them for their track records, as the current petition does, will fail to bolster such impressions. On the contrary, the petition leaves one with a sense that the opposition is desperate for — and thus must be conspicuously lacking — such inroads into the armed forces. . . . The petition also stunningly falls short in terms of what is not in it. In vain one will look for even a passing reference to the steep socio-economic inequalities generated by the regime’s “social market economy” pushing millions of Syrians all across the country into poverty. This may be reassuring to the few upper-class beneficiaries of Syria’s crony capitalism, but it will unlikely make them throw their support behind the uprising. To date, there has been no hint whatsoever of a “national bourgeoisie” sympathetic to the idea of a democratic transition, as in Egypt. Yet the vast majority of impoverished Syrians who do have ample reason to rise up against cronyism and material inequality will find no voice in this “National Initiative for Change.
http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2011/leenders010511.html
Salim Kassem, “Demystifying Syria”
The fate of Syria as a nation always hinged upon upholding the Arab right to return to Palestine (UN Res. 194) and maintaining a national front based on a relatively equitable distribution of resources. For a social class in power to relinquish any of these tenets is to relinquish the state as form of social organisation that mediates class differences. Iran being of primary concern to Western capital, no effort is being spared in co-opting Syria. If Syria jumps into the US orbit, the whole of the Arab Near East will be under Pax Americana. Which way will the regime go? The answer to this question remains to be seen in the concessions that the regime is going to make: will it make concessions to the US and moderate Arab regimes or to the Syrian working population? . . . The most serious danger lurks at the junction where class meets sect, which will be an object of manipulation by many. The only way out lies in the form of serious concessions to the working population, including political empowerment and economic and social rights.
http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/2011/kassem300411.html
News on Syria
It is not easy to follow news on Syria. I do receive updates from Syrians: in Syria and abroad. But I don’t believe Syrian regime media and I don’t believe Saudi and Qatari media on Syria. (Of course, Western media are as unreliable.) Look at this piece in New York Times: “along with the resignations of nearly 300 low-level members of the Baath Party“. (No mention of official denials of the resignation–standards of professional journalism don’t apply to countries that are enemies of the US). This first appeared in Saudi and Qatari media and now it is fact. The figure was first 30 and then suddenly jumped to 200, and now I see it is 300. Just like that. Hariri and Saudi media also have another trick. They feed somebody like Robert Fisk or Nicholas Blanford some information or theory (hell, they fed Nicholas Blanford a whole book (which used to be given out for free by Hariri propaganda office) on Syrian responsibility for Hariri assassination–I now expect that he would be fed another book regarding Hizbullah’s responsibility), and then they cite that same author as in: “and famous British reporter, Robert Fisk, said that.” We need a new name for this propaganda technique.
http://angryarab.blogspot.com/2011/04/news-on-syria.html
Yemen
Yemen: 6 killed as protesters shut down port city of Aden
Two servicemen and four civilians were killed yesterday and at least another 23 were wounded in south Yemen during a shutdown called by anti-government protesters, officials said.
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=431726&version=1&template_id=37&parent_id=17
Ali Abdullah Saleh Steps Back From Deal To Resign As 4 Killed During Yemen Protests
SANAA, Yemen — Yemen’s embattled president backed away from a mediated deal that would have seen him step down in exchange for legal immunity, and his forces Saturday killed four people while pushing hundreds of anti-government demonstrators out of a square where they had been camped, witnesses said. President Ali Abdullah Saleh said he did not want to sign the deal that was mediated by a bloc of neighboring Gulf countries, said his close ally Abed al-Jundi. The secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Abdul-Latif al-Zayyani, flew to the Yemeni capital of Sanaa to urge Saleh to sign the deal.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/30/ali-abdullah-saleh-yemen-protests_n_855898.html
Massive rally in Yemen urges Saleh to go
Two days ahead of signing of Gulf peace deal, Sanaa sees one of the largest protests yet demanding president’s ousting.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/04/2011429162428965468.html
Yemeni protesters decry Saleh transition deal
SANAA, April 29 (Reuters) – Vast crowds of Yemenis took to the streets on Friday to demand the immediate departure of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, instead of the phased handover of power envisaged by a Gulf-mediated agreement. Tens of thousands flooded a five-km (three-mile) stretch of Sanaa’s main Siteen Street to mark a “Friday of Loyalty to the Martyrs” — at least 142 protesters have been killed during three months of anti-Saleh protests across Yemen.
http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/yemeni-protesters-decry-saleh-transition-deal
Yemen’s Saleh threatens to quit transition deal
SANAA, (AFP) — Embattled President Ali Abdullah Saleh has accused Qatar of a “conspiracy” and threatened to pull out of a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) transition deal to end the violence in Yemen.
http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=1&id=25005
Rallies in Yemen over protest deaths
Thousands gather across the country to condemn the latest crackdown which killed at least 13 people in Sanaa.
http://english.aljazeera.net//news/middleeast/2011/04/2011428184656652859.html
Yemeni activist discusses power transfer negotiations
Ali Abdullah Saleh was expected to sign a Gulf council deal on Saturday which aims to end three months of unrest in Yemen. But a government spokesperson says talks about whether he will do that, are “ongoing”. The opposition is expected to sign the agreement on Sunday. Al Jazeera interviews Jamila Ali Raja, a Sanaa-based political activist and the former spokesperson for the Yemeni foreign ministry, about the negotiations.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9YEeEzg5zk&feature=youtube_gdata
