Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, July/August 2004, pages 47-49

Issues In The News

Compiled by Laila Al-Arian

ARABIAN PENINSULA

Saud Foreign Minister Says Larger U.N. Role in Iraq Crucial

On May 4, Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal said that giving the United Nations a larger role in Iraq could improve conditions in the war-torn country, the Saudi Gazette reported the following day. A “true and comprehensive” transfer of power to Iraqis would end bloody confrontation in Iraq, Prince Saud said. This process should include rebuilding Iraqi security forces, he added, so they can “fill the current security void, and move forward in building civic institutions that can steer political, economic and security life in Iraq through the hands of the country’s qualified, experienced people, not forgetting the importance of the role of the United Nations in this transitional stage.”

Bahrain’s Interior Minister Fired

At the end of a day of clashes between police and protesters, the king of Bahrain on May 21 fired his interior minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Khalifa, the BBC reported the following day. Angry that police had tried to prevent a Shi’i demonstration against U.S. military action in the holy city of Najaf, Iraq, King Sheikh Hamad Bin Isa al Khalifah said he shared the protesters’ anger at what he called U.S. “aggression against holy shrines in Iraq.” Twenty people were hurt in the protests, which took place in Bahrain’s capital, Manama. Wrote the king in a royal decree: “The right to express anger and protest what people see as oppression and excess against our brothers in religion and Arabism in Palestine and Jerusalem, and the violation of the holy cities and what happened in Iraqi prisons, is a legitimate right of the citizens and we share those sentiments.” General Rashed bin Abdullah bin Ahmed al Khalifa will take over as interior minister.

Qatar Joins U.N. Commission on Status of Women

On May 4, the State of Qatar obtained membership in the Commission on the Status of Women during an election in the Economic and Social Council to fill one of the vacant Asian group’s seats, according to Qatar’s embassy in Washington, DC. The Commission on the Status of Women aims at political, economic and social equality for women, and supports the right of women to live free of violence. The 45-member commission also submits recommendations to the Economic and Social Council on pressing issues related to women’s rights. According to the embassy report, “Qatar’s U.N. Mission sought the seat in a natural extension of the Gulf country’s continuing internal policy—taking the momentum of their advances in the role of women on the local level to boost gains in civil and human rights on the international level.”

UAE to Help Rebuild Iraq’s Infrastructure

The United Arab Emirate’s Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Matar Humaid Al Tayer, has pledged to help rebuild Iraq’s infrastructure damaged during the U.S.-led invasion of the country, according to the May 12 Khaleej Times. Al Tayer made the announcement after meeting with Iraqi Minister of Labor and Public Affairs Sami Azara Al Majoon. Since its inception under the U.S.-appointed Iraqi Governing Council, Al Majoon said, his ministry has supported 80,000 needy families and elderly persons, and hopes to cover the needs of another 300,000 Iraqi families within one year. The Iraqi minister said another meeting with Al Tayer would soon be held to further discuss cooperation between their ministries. “The ministry facilities and institutions need renovation and new equipment,” Al Majoon explained, “and the UAE Minister of Labor and Social Affairs has pledged to do all it can to support our efforts, including an exchange of expertise between the UAE and Iraq.”

Kuwait Cabinet Approves Voting Rights for Women Draft

On May 16, Kuwait’s Cabinet approved a draft law granting women the right to vote and run in parliamentary elections, Reuters reported the following day. To become law, the draft must be approved by parliament. In 1999, a “decree issued by the emir giving women the vote was narrowly defeated in the 50-man house…by an alliance of Islamic and conservative lawmakers,” the Reuters report stated. The government of Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, the emir’s brother, has said it is committed to political and economic reforms in Kuwait. A statement by the Kuwaiti Cabinet said its approval of the draft law was done “in appreciation for the vital role that the Kuwaiti woman plays in building and developing Kuwaiti society.” Women constitute up to 70 percent of college graduates in Kuwait, but account for less than 5 percent of the small Gulf country’s decision makers, according to Reuters.

FERTILE CRESCENT

Jordan, Singapore Conclude FreeTrade Talks

On May 7, Singapore and Jordan announced that they had successfully concluded talks for a bilateral free-trade agreement (FTA) and an investment treaty, both of which they expect to sign soon, Reuters reported the following day. The agreement is the first trade pact between a Southeast Asian and a Middle East nation. Citing Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry, the report stated, “Jordan will eliminate its duties on 97.5 percent of all goods from Singapore within 10 years from the date the FTA comes into effect, while Singapore will remove all duties for Jordanian products entering the city-state.” Under the investment treaty, both countries also will explore “specific cooperation projects.”

Assad Warns Israel About Assassinations

Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad has warned Israel about assassinating Syria-based leaders of militant Palestinian groups, saying such actions would be considered acts of aggression against Damascus, Reuters reported May 2. In a May 1 interview with the Arab television station Al-Jazeera, Assad said that targeting exiled Palestinian leaders in Syria would be “an aggression that will be handled as an aggression.” In the past, Israeli officials said they would target officials of guerrilla groups responsible for “terror acts,” including Khaled Meshal, the political leader of the militant Islamist group Hamas, who lives in Syria, the report stated. (Israel attempted to assassinate Meshal in 1998, when he was based in Amman; the botched attempt resulted in Israel’s agreeing to release Hamas spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, whom it assassinated March 21, 2004 in Gaza.) Noted Assad: “Israel expresses itself freely, not through the freedom of speech but rather through the freedom of killings.”

Lebanon Expected to Join WTO

An April 29 report in Lebanon’s Daily Star revealed Lebanese officials are working diligently to join the World Trade Organization (WTO). At a forum the previous day on the WTO’s effects on international trade relations, Fadi Makki, director general of the Ministry of Economy and Trade, “reasserted Lebanon’s intention to join WTO by simplifying procedures that might hinder the work of the private sector, and creating an appropriate atmosphere to raise production.” Lebanon has been a WTO monitoring member since 1999, Makki explained, and already has undergone two rounds of negotiations with the WTO. The final round of negotiations will take place in July, paving the way for Lebanon’s entry into the WTO by the beginning of 2005. Makki assured his audience that there would be “no negative impact from Lebanon’s anticipated accession to the WTO.” Eleven of the 22 countries that make up the Arab League are members in the WTO, and five others, including Lebanon, are in the process of joining.

IRAN/IRAQ

Iran Threatens Australia With Sanctions

In response to Australia’s involvement in and support of U.S. policies in Iraq, Iran is threatening possible diplomatic and trade sanctions against Australia, Radio Australia reported on its Web site, <www.abc.net.au>, May 22. Tehran also is displeased with Australia’s support of the resolution by the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) calling for transparency in Iran’s nuclear program. Hussein Shariatmadari, publisher of Kayhan newspaper and senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamanei, said Australia had crossed “a red line,” and told the network Australia may now face retaliation, “The Australian government, by endorsing the resolution in the IAEA, showed animosity toward Iran,” Shariatmadari said, “and by cooperating with the Americans demonstrated a hostile attitude toward us.”

Iraqi Americans Split on Iraq

The New York Times published on May 6 an article featuring a variety of opinions of Iraqi Americans interviewed about the current climate in their native country. According to the report, there are an estimated 50,000 Iraqis in the United States, with two of the largest émigré communities in Los Angeles and Detroit. Interviews with a dozen Iraqi Americans showed “a split on long-range prospects for Iraq,” but a “virtual unanimity among those interviewed that the Bush administration had badly botched the job since the fall of Baghdad a little more than a year ago.” Many expressed disgust and disappointment with the military’s handling of Iraqi prisoners, as exposed by the Abu Ghraib scandal. Basam al-Hussaini was frustrated with the lack of Iraqi sovereignty, “This so-called liberation turned out to be nothing more than an occupation,” he told the Times. Imam Sayed Hassan al-Qazwini of Detroit said he was concerned about the “re-Ba’athification” of Iraq, namely the Marines’ enlisting of former Iraqi military officers to suppress revolts in Falluja. “It’s like if the Nazis were brought back to rule Germany,” he said, echoing controversial Iraqi National Congress leader Ahmad Chalabi.

Iraqi Firefighters Train in Oman

Thirty Iraqi firefighters from the Baghdad International Airport have successfully completed a course at the Fire Safety Engineering College (FSEC) in Muscat, Oman, the Khaleej Times reported May 7. According to the paper, “they are the first group of students from Iraq to undergo training outside the country since the provisional Iraqi government took over the administration in Baghdad.” The three-week course was designed to equip firefighters with the skills needed to deal with emergency situations at large airports. Baghdad Airport’s chief fire officer attended the special graduation ceremony. Another group of 30 students were expected to join the college later in the month.

ISRAEL/PALESTINE

Israel May Strike Iranian Nuclear Plants

According to a May 8 article in the Jerusalem Post, Israel may be preparing to attack Iranian nuclear facilities this year. The report cited U.S. administration assessments reported on Army Radio that morning. “Officials say that the attempt to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons has been discussed at various levels, as well as the effects such an attack would have on U.S. military and political efforts in Iraq and in the Persian Gulf,” the article continued. United Press International reported that President George Bush and Prime Minster Ariel Sharon discussed the subject at their April 14 White House meeting.

Congress to Grant $50 million to U.S.-Israel Fund

According to the May 10 issue of the Israeli business publication Globes <www.globes.co.il>, Congress is expected to approve a $50 million grant for a U.S.-Israel anti-terrorism fund to begin operating next year. Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Daniel Ayalon said the fund “would be similar to the Israel-United States Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation (BIRD-F),” Globes reported. The BIRD Foundation’s mission is to “stimulate, promote and support industrial research and development of mutual benefit to the U.S. and Israel,” according to its Web site. A committee of experts from both countries will review project proposals, Ayalon said, and, Globes reported, each party will have a $5 million budget per year for five years, with funding coming from the Department of Homeland Security. On May 9, Asa Hutchinson, Undersecretary for Border and Transportation Security, said Washington considers Israel an experienced partner in the war on terrorism and that the U.S. “would expand its cooperation with Israel in this field.”

Israeli Link to Iraq Prisoner Abuse

A May 7 article on Al-Jazeera’s English-language Web site (<aljazeera.net>) reported “striking similarities between Israeli treatment of Palestinian prisoners and American treatment of Iraqi detainees.” Hisham Abd al-Razzaq, the Palestinian Authority minister who oversees more than 7,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israel, told the news service, “I am inclined to think that the Americans copied Israeli techniques.” In particular, he said, the hooding technique, in which the detainee’s head is covered with a rotten sack for weeks at a time, is a common Israeli intimidation tactic. Other common torture methods employed by Israel include stripping of prisoners, sleep deprivation, cold baths during winter, and sexual abuse, the report stated. While an Israeli Prison Authority spokesman denied allegations of obvious similarities between Israeli and American torture methods, Israeli-Arab Knesset member Talab al-Sanai pointed out that American officers joined Israeli army units in Jenin “several months ago” to learn Israeli methods and techniques of repressing civilians.

Turks Question Israel Alliance

Turkey, Israel’s key regional ally, increasingly is questioning its “strategic” partnership with the Jewish state, Middle East Online (<www.middle-east-online.com>) reported May 21. In light of Israel’s recent carnage in Gaza’s Rafah refugee camp, Turkish leaders and observers have indicated a desire to reexamine the country’s longtime bilateral relations with Israel. On May 20, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned Israel’s killing of civilians in Rafah as “state terror.” The next day, the daily Milliyet wrote, “The killing of civilians in Rafah and the harsh statement with which Erdogan reacted paved the way for the highest tension in bilateral relations in recent years.” Meanwhile, following the assassination of Hamas spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin in March, Erdogan accused Israel of committing a “terrorist act.” In April, the Middle East Online report stated, “a planned visit by Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was postponed without explanation, while in November Erdogan turned down a request by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon for a brief visit.”

Two Israelis Arrested After High-Speed Chase

Two Israeli men in a rented moving truck were arrested by Tennessee authorites following a high-speed chase along former U.S.

Highway 23, a lightly-traveled highway near the North Carolina state line, the Charlotte Observer reported May 9. Shmuel Dahan and Almaliach Naor were held without bond at the Unicoi County, Tennessee jail pending an investigation by the FBI. Dahan was charged with reckless driving, littering, false identification and evading arrest, while Naor also faced charges of false identification and evading arrest, the paper said. According to an Associated Press report, during the chase Sheriff Kent Harris saw the men throw something from the truck. A vial containing an unknown substance later was found along the roadway. When the men finally were apprehended, officers discovered a “Learn to Fly” brochure in their truck.

+merican Christian Groups Criticize Israel

A feature article in the May 7 Forward outlined efforts by pro-Palestinian activists in the United States to highlight “the negative impact of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s security policies on Christians in East Jerusalem and the West Bank.” As a result of these efforts, Rep. Henry Hyde (R-IL) recently sent a letter to Secretary of State Colin Powell regarding the impact of Israel’s separation barrier on Christian worshippers. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation sent letters to President Bush expressing similar sentiments, the article stated.

French Jewish Leader Admits Staging Hate Calls

The head of French Friends of Israel’s Likud Party admitted staging anti-Semitic phone calls to himself, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported May 13. Alex Moise received a “two-month suspended sentence and a $1,000 fine from a Paris court for giving a false statement and for wasting the court’s time,” according to JTA. Moise filed a complaint in January claiming he had received anti-Semitic phone calls and threats, but later admitted he had made the calls himself. Sammy Ghozlan, president of the Bureau For Vigilance Against Anti-Semitism, told the news service he was “shocked that a community leader would do something like this in the current climate.”

Israeli Army Destroys Rafah Zoo

One of the casualties of Israel’s May incursion into the Rafah refugee camp was Gaza’s only zoo, the BBC reported May 25. According to the BBC Web site, the “Israeli army probably took about 10 minutes to turn it into a wasteland, with tanks churning the whole area into an expanse of mud and twisted metal.” Ostriches, kangaroos, crocodiles, monkeys, pythons and a jaguar were among the missing animals, some of which ended up in private homes. Brothers Mohamed and Fateh Jumaa founded the zoo, which took 10 years to build. They told the news service the zoo was “somewhere for children to go in what is the most deprived corner of the Gaza Strip.” According to the BBC, the Israeli army said it had to send its tanks through the zoo because “Palestinian fighters had booby-trapped the road beside it.”

NORTH AFRICA

Egyptian Teens Captivated by “Racist” Game

One of the latest trends among Egyptian teenagers is a U.S.-produced computer game that some say demonizes Arabs, Reuters reported April 26. In the game, “Command and Conquer: Generals,” American troops “fight, and usually defeat, the Global Liberation Army (GLA), a Middle Eastern underground movement with a fondness for chemical weapons.” The article featured young Egyptians “glued to computer screens” at a Cairo cyber café, who said the game “reinforces the Western image of Arabs as ‘terrorists’ with introductory scenes showing them gunning down civilians and stealing U.S. aid.” While they were upset that games, movies, comics and books from the United States portray Arabs as “cruel fanatics,” the report stated, they expressed frustration that there are no Arab companies to offer alternatives.

Sudan Removed From Terror List

On May 18, Washington removed Sudan from its list of governments that do not cooperate with U.S. efforts to fight terrorism, United Press International reported that day. However, Sudan remains on a second list of “state sponsors of terrorism” that bans U.S. arms trade with the African country, according to the report. After removing Sudan from the first list, Secretary of State Colin Powell criticized Sudan for blocking humanitarian assistance from the Darfur region, an area of conflict. As a result of the removal, economic sanctions against Sudan will be lifted and trade relations resumed.

Algeria Appoints Female ‘Religious Guides’

In an effort to raise literacy rates for Algerian women and increase their religious awareness, Algerian authorities appointed 184 women to the new post of “religious guides,” <IslamOnline.net> reported April 26. The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Endowments created the position after religious lessons by female lecturers proved successful in several ways. “The new appointees would attend to women in mosques, hospitals, prisons and infirmaries,” said Abdullah Tamin, an adviser to the minister of religious affairs and endowments. The religious guides also will serve as marriage counselors and assist imams in preparing speeches.

THE SUBCONTINENT

Pakistan to Downsize Army

Pakistan plans to reduce the size of its army by 50,000 troops, the April 29 Saudi Gazette reported. The decision, which marks the first military downsizing in the country’s 57-year history, will save Pakistan millions of dollars annually. Brigadier Fayyaz Ahmed Satti told the paper that the savings will go toward further upgrading the army’s fighting capability. According to the report, Pakistan’s army currently has 550,000 regular troops. The military cuts are expected to be implemented Aug. 1, and come during a period of improving relations with India.

Bollywood Films Push Peace Agenda

A May 8 Reuters article described the recent trend in the Indian film industry to churn out scripts dealing with reconciliation between India and Pakistan. In the past, many movies to come out of Bollywood, as India’s Hindi film industry is known, portrayed Pakistanis as militants. Many described tales of families divided in the bloody partition of 1947, while others focused on the Kashmir conflict. According to Indu Mirani, editor of the trade magazine Box Office, however, these films would no longer attract audiences. Currently in the works are such films such as “Sarhaad Par” or “Across the Border,” about Indian and Pakistani armies on a joint mission to fight terrorism.

CENTRAL ASIA

Afghan Olympic Team Preparing For Athens

After more than a decade-long hiatus, Afghanistan’s 11-member Olympic team will participate in this year’s games in Athens, Greece. The team was banned from the 1999 Olympics partly due to the Taliban regime’s treatment of women, according to a May 24 AFP report. Robina Muqimyar, a 17-year-old student and the first woman in Afghanistan’s history to compete in the Olympics, will carry the flag at the head of the team in the opening ceremony. A runner, Muqimyar, has been training for the 100-meter sprint for nine months, according to the article. Along with Muqimyar, 20-year-old wrestler Bashir Ahmad Rahmati, boxer Bashirmal Sultani and runner Massoud Azizi will receive two months of intensive training funded by the Greek government.