[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on the Arabian Peninsula and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Arabian Peninsula Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week`s roundup to ap@jadaliyya.com by Monday night of every week.]
Regional and International Relations
Saudi Arabia: Sandwiched by jihadists in Iraq and Yemen Frank Gardner examines the challenges posed to Saudi Arabia by the Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria and Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.
Saudi Arabia: Don`t blame it all on the Islamic State Mansour Almarzoqi Albogami argues that Saudi Arabia sees Iran’s inference in Iraq and the Syrian crisis as contributing to the recent developments in Iraq.
Iraq dismisses talk of border pullback as Saudi troops reportedly move in Iraqi military officials dismiss claims that Iraqi troops have pulled back from the border with Saudi Arabia.
Baghdadi attacks Gulf leaders in taped sermon, world powers mull response to ISIS threat Sami Kleib analyzes the sermon delivered by the head of the Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria and his criticism of the Gulf states.
Mortar bombs land in Saudi Arabia near Iraq border Three mortar bombs fall inside Saudi Arabia near its border with Iraq.
Suicide blast hits Saudi border post Two al-Qaeda suspects blew themselves up in a government building following an attack on a border post with Yemen.
Riyadh says Yemen border Al Qaida assailants were nationals The Saudi authorities confirm that the six militants involved in the attack on a Saudi border point are Saudi nationals.
War on terror in Arabia Gamal Nkrumah analyzes the implications of the suicide bombing in southern Saudi Arabia.
GCC oil fields and military bases threatened by the Islamic State Nizar Abboud analyzes the threat that the Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria poses to the Gulf states.
Bahrain relations with US strong: FM The Bahraini foreign minister asserts that his country’s relations with Washington are strong.
Egypt FM to start Gulf tour A news report on the Egyptian foreign minister’s upcoming visit to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
Yemen extradites Ethiopian opposition official to Addis Ababa: government Aaron Maasho writes about the extradition of an Ethiopian political figure who had been sentenced to death in absentia.
Newspaper says UAE holding suspected Qatari `agents` for questioning Doha admits that the Emirati authorities arrested two Qatari nationals on suspicion of espionage.
Bahrain accuses Qatar of ‘sectarian naturalisation’ The Bahraini foreign minister attributes his country’s decision to recall its ambassador in Qatar to national interests and to solidarity with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Saudi Arabia pledges $500m in humanitarian aid for Iraq The Saudi authorities pledge to donate half a billion dollars to Iraqis in need regardless of their race or ethnicity.
Opinions and Reports
Kuwait opposition leader held ‘for insulting judges’ Kuwait’s public prosecutor orders the arrest Musallam al-Barrak for insulting the judiciary.
Kuwaiti police fire tear gas at protesters Kuwaiti authorities break up demonstrations urging the release of al-Barrak.
Kuwait warns against violent protests after rally The Kuwaiti authorities warn against “any signs of disturbance and violence” following demonstrations in solidarity with al-Barrak.
Kuwait court frees prominent opposition figure on bail-lawyer A Kuwaiti court frees al-Barrak after a wave of protests demanding his release.
Kuwaiti opposition hold rally as leader freed The opposition figure al-Barrak joins protesters a few hours after his release.
Human rights in the Gulf: Bashing the wrong people An Economist article on how anti-terrorism laws in the Gulf states are more used against dissidents than terrorists.
Saudi king appoints new spy chief as regional crisis spreads The Saudi king appoints Prince Khalid bin Sultan as the head of the intelligence.
The Saudi chemist sparking fears of `invisible` bombs on transatlantic flights Ewen MacAskill writes on Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri, a chemist who became a bomb-maker, who is believed to be working with the Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria.
Saudi rights lawyer jailed for 15 years A Saudi court sentences Waleed Abulkhair, a human rights lawyer, for fifteen years for “inciting public opinion.”
Top UN official urges Saudi Arabia to release activists, halt lashings A top United Nations human rights officials calls on the Saudi regime to release activists arrested for protesting and peacefully demanding reforms.
Saudi judge on trial over tweets A Saudi judge is facing trial for violating a rule stipulating that judges are not allowed to make public comments.
Saudi jails four over plan to fight in Iraq A Saudi court sentences four people to jail for planning to go to Iraq to fight.
Omani gets life sentence for Lebanon jihadist operation A Lebanese court sentences an Omani man to life for fighting the Lebanese army alongside Fatah al-Islam.
Qatar to buy Patriot missiles in $11b deal: US officials The Qatari officials announce that Qatar will buy US Patriot missile batteries and Apache helicopters.
Repression in Bahrain
Bahrain’s people are a casualty of Washington’s political compromises Nabeel Rajab criticizes the position of the United States towards protests in Bahrain.
Bahrain orders US diplomat to leave country The Bahraini foreign minister expels the US Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Tom Malinowski, following his meeting with the head of Al-Wifaq movement.
Expelled US diplomat Tom Malinowski condemns Bahrain The US diplomat criticizes Bahrain’s decision to expel him and says it is “about undermining dialogue.”
Bahrain summons top opposition leader for questioning: Wefaq The Bahraini authorities interrogate the head of Al-Wifaq following his meeting with Tom Malinowski.
Bahrain charges opposition leader over meeting with U.S. diplomat The Bahraini regime charges Ali Salman and his assistant with holding an illegal meeting with Tom Malinowski.
King Hamad condemns terrorist blast The Bahraini king describes the blast that injured a policeman last week as a terrorist act.
Bahraini policeman dies of bomb blast wounds – ministry A Bahraini policeman dies of wounds he sustained in the blast.
Bahrain: 2 charged with killing policeman Two people are arrested in connection with the blast that killed a policeman.
Bahrain keen on strong relations, sovereignty: Crown Prince Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa urges the Bahraini people to be committed to national unity.
Crisis in Yemen
Yemen army continues fight in north and is attacked in south Clashes between Houthi fighters and Yemeni troops in Amran continue while al-Qaeda fighters kill six soldiers in the south.
Amran: Thousands flee fighting in north Yemeni city Ten thousand families flee the city of Amran due to the fighting between the Houthis and the military.
Houthis kill hundreds in Yemeni city A news report on the death of two hundred people since Houthi fighters took control of Amran.
Yemeni rebels say they will evacuate key city The Houthis say that they will withdraw from Amran and allow the Yemeni military to move in.
Yemeni leader demands Shi`ite group give up captured city The Yemeni president demands the full withdrawal of Houthi forces from Amran, who handed back an army camp to the Yemen military.
Yemen: Hot heads A news report on the recent developments in Yemen after the fall of Amran to Houthi fighters.
Yemen tribal fighting over oil land kills 15 Clashes between two Yemeni tribes over a piece of land believed to be rich in oil leaves fifteen people dead.
Tribesmen bomb Yemen`s oil pipeline, halt crude flows: officials Tribesmen blew up Yemen’s main oil export pipeline on Saturday.
Media
Defiant Al Jazeera faces conservative backlash after Arab Spring Amena Bakr writes on the Al Jazeera’s response to criticism for its coverage of the Arab uprisings.
Human Rights
The Anniversary the United Arab Emirates Wants You to Ignore Alireza Azizi, from Amnesty International, writes on the anniversary of the trial of ninety-four activists for criticizing the regime and calling for reforms.
Bahrain: Drop Charges against Opposition Leaders Human Rights Watch calls on the Bahraini regime to drop charges against opposition members who met with Tom Malinowski.
Bahrain: Arrest of human rights defender Dr. Saeed Al-Samahiji The Gulf Center for Human Rights condemns the arrest of al-Samahiji for “insulting the king.”
Kuwait: Four human rights observers targeted during a peaceful demonstration The Gulf Center for Human Rights documents the harassment of human rights observers during a protest.
Kuwait: Human rights defender Abdulhakim Al-Fadhli on hunger strike after his detention was extended for a period of ten days The Gulf Center for Human Rights deplores the arbitrary arrest of al-Fadhli.
Oman: Kidnapping of human rights defender Noah Al-Saadi The Gulf Center for Human Rights urges the release of al-Saadi, who was kidnapped on the eve of his appearance before the Special Division of the Oman Police in Muscat.
Bahrain: More Minors Detained for Prolonged Periods Without Conviction The Bahrain Center for Human Rights expresses its concern over the ongoing targeting of minors in Bahrain.
Activist Abdulelah Almahoozi At Great Risk Of Torture If Handed Over To Bahraini Authorities By German Police The Bahrain Center for Human Rights urges Interpol not to hand the Bahraini activist over to Bahraini authorities.
Bahrain: 75 days to Receive Report on Cause of Death The Bahrain Center for Human Rights reports on the Bahraini regime’s refusal to release the body of Abdulaziz al-Abbar, who died of head wounds sustained during a peaceful protest in February.
Culture
Saudi-UAE ban novel Laala Kashef Alghata writes on the Saudi and Emirati decisions to ban an Arabic translation of a novel written by a former resident in Bahrain.
Arabic
الشهيد العبّار... ذاكرة جسد مواطن بحريني
Hussain Youssef writes on Abdulaziz al-Abbar, a Bahraini man who died in detention and whose body has not been released by the authorities to his family.
البحرين تطرد مسؤولاً أميركياً؟
The Bahraini authorities expel Tom Malinowski, a US diplomat, from Bahrain following his meeting with the head of Al-Wifaq movement.
المنامة تحقق مع علي سلمان
The Bahrain authorities interrogate Ali Salman after his meeting with Tom Malinowski.
الملك يعزز نفوذ بندر
The Saudi king appoints Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the former head of the intelligence agency, as his special envoy.
السعودية | «القاعدة» يعلن «معركة كسر الحدود» في الجزيرة العربية
Militants belonging to Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula kill a Saudi security man and a Yemeni soldier in an attack on a border checkpoint on the Saudi-Yemeni border.
السعودية: 10 قتلى في هجوم على مقر حكومي
The Saudi Ministry of Interior announce that two men suspected of belonging to al-Qaeda blew themselves up in a government building in south Saudi Arabia.
الإرهاب سيضرب مجدداً السعودية... وقفوها إنها مـسؤولة
Fouad Ibrahim predicts that terrorism will return to Saudi Arabia.
غزوة شرورة: دقّت ساعة آل سعود
Fouad Ibrahim analyzes the possibility that Saudi Arabia will be targeted by al-Qaeda and the Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria.
ماذا يجري على الحدود السعودية؟
An editorial on the recent developments on the Saudi border with Yemen.
لماذا تفشل السعودية كدولة عربية محورية؟
Kamal Deeb analyzes the reasons for the failure of Saudi Arabia as a regional power.
فلتسقط مملكة آل سعود
Sadiq al-Nabulsi provides a critical account of Saudi Arabia and its support of terrorism.
السعودية تنفي دعم «داعش»: مساعداتنا لقوى سورية معتدلة
The Saudi authorities deny their support of the Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria and assert that they support only moderate groups in Syria.
سجن 24 سعوديا لمدد تصل إلى 5 سنوات لإدانتهم بالشغب والتحريض على التخريب
The Saudi authorities sentence twenty-four Saudis to prison on charges of protesting and inciting unrest.
الكويت: توقيف المعارض مسلم البراك
The Kuwaiti authorities arrest Musallam al-Barrak, a member of the opposition, on charges of insulting the judiciary.
الكويت: الأمن يفرق مظاهرة متوجهة للسجن المركزي بالغازات والرصاص المطاطي
The Kuwaiti security forces disperse protesters demanding the release of al-Barrak with live bullets.
الكويت: استمرار المواجهات العنيفة بين الأمن والمتظاهرين وأحمد الصباح يخضع للتحقيق
Protests continue for a second day in Kuwait in support of al-Barrak.
الكويت: وزارة الداخلية تحذر من مظاهر الشغب
The Kuwaiti Ministry of Interior warns people against inciting violence and disorder in the aftermath of protests against al-Barrak`s arrest.
الكويت | ضغوط الشارع تحرّر البراك
The Kuwaiti authorities release al-Barrak following five days of protests.
أمير الكويت يجدّد دعوته إلى حماية مؤسسات الدولة
The Kuwaiti emir urges different political groups to protect state institutions.
مجلس الأمن يدعو إلى مساعدة اليمن في محاربة القاعدة
The Security Council urges the international community to help Yemen fight al-Qaeda.
اليمن: تصاعد حدّة معارك الجيش والحوثيين
Clashes between the Yemeni army and Houthi fighters intensify in Amran.
أكثر من 90 قتيلاً حصيلة اشتباكات الجيش والحوثيين
More than ninety people die during clashes between the Yemeni army and Houthi fighters.
اليمن: غارات مكثفة على مواقع الحوثيين في عمران
The Yemeni army bombs sites under the control of the Houthis.
عمران بيد «أنصار الله»: الحوثيون على مشارف صنعاء
A news report on the Houthi fighters` control of Amran.
الحوثي لـ «الإخوان»: لو قاتل العالم كله إلى جانبكم فلن تستطيعوا إزالتنا
Houthi forces assert that the Muslim Brotherhood will never succeed in getting rid of them.
هادي في الرياض: ساعدونا في ضرب الحوثيين
The Yemeni president goes to Riyadh to ask for support in the fight against the Houthis.
الحوثيّون يغادرون عمران بعد تطهيرها من التكفيريين
The Houthis allegedly concede the province of Amran to the army after "cleaning it from the takfiris."
اليمن: طريق الحوار وحقول الألغام
Wissam Matti examines the economic, social, political, and security challenges facing Yemen.
الإمارات تجري تعديلا وزاريا يشمل حقيبتي التربية والعدل
The United Arab Emirates reshuffles the government and appoints new ministers of education and justice.
النفط والقواعد العسكرية رهائن «الدولة» في الخليج
Nizar Abboud analyzes the threat that the Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria poses to the Gulf states.
قذائف تصيب الأراضي السعودية
The Saudi authorities announce that three shells fell in the province of Arar, on the border with Iraq.
متحدث عراقي ينفي سحب قوات بلاده من الحدود مع السعودية
A spokesperson for the Iraqi government denies reports that his government withdrew troops from the borders with Saudi Arabia.
مصر بين السعودية وأميركا
Samir Karam writes on Egypt`s relations to Saudi Arabia and the United States.
السيسي: مخطط "داعش" يستهدف مصر والسعودية
The Egyptian president emphasizes that the project of the Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria targets Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
أوباما يتصل بالملك السعودي
President Barack Obama calls the Saudi king to discuss US-Saudi relations and the current situation in the region.
أميركا تنتظر إنجازاً عسكرياً... ثم الهدنة بـرعاية قطر
Yihyya Dabouk argues that United States will wait until Israel achieves its military goals in Gaza before mediating a ceasefire brokered by Qatar.
الامارات تقدم 25 مليون دولار لدعم الشعب الفلسطيني وتنشئ مستشفى ميدانيا في غزة
The United Arab Emirates donates twenty-five million dollars to the Palestinian people and builds a field hospital in Gaza.
الدوحة تقرّ بتوقيف أبو ظبي قطريَّيْن بتهمة التجسّس
Doha admits that the United Arab Emirates has arrested two Qatari nationals on suspicion of espionage.
قطر تعتزم بناء أكبر مسجد في أوروبا بــ3 مليارات دولار
Mohammed Ayash writes on Qatar`s intention to fund the building of the biggest mosque in Europe.