[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
Attack on Gaza by Saudi Royal Appointment David Hearst analyzes the Saudi support for the attack on Gaza, and argues that the Saudi-Israeli alliance is “forged in blood, Palestinian blood.”
Egypt says Qatar, Turkey and Hamas hurt Gaza ceasefire bid The Egyptian foreign minister accuses Qatar, Turkey, and Hamas of conspiring to undermine Cairo’s efforts to mediate a ceasefire in Gaza.
Gaza ceasefire hopes switch to Qatar as Arabs divided over Israeli offensive Ian Black argues that Qatar, who maintains close tied to Hamas, is uniquely placed to broker a ceasefire.
Qatar to host Gaza ceasefire talks with Abbas and U.N. chief Amena Bakr reports on Qatar’s efforts to host a meeting between Mahmoud Abbas and Ban Ki-moon.
Saudi Arabia boosts security on heavily fortified Iraq frontier Angus McDowall reports on the Saudi authorities’ decision to reinforce the protection of its borders with Iraq for fear that members of the Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria may infiltrate the kingdom.
Qatar condemns Israel attack on Gaza`s Shejaia district The Qatari foreign minister describes the deaths of dozens of Palestinian in Sheja`iyya on Sunday as a “massacre.”
Bahrain, Saudi Arabia stress full support to Gulf union The two Gulf states assert that the Gulf Cooperation Council needs to move from the phase of cooperation to that of a union in order to confront regional threats.
EADS faces questions over £2bn Saudi deal: Q&A The Serious Fraud Office opens a criminal investigation into allegations that EADS made payments to Saudi officials to smooth the passage of a contract to upgrade the satellite and intranet systems of the Saudi National Guard.
Saudi King receives honorary doctorate from Al-Azhar University Egypt`s Al-Azhar University bestows an honorary doctoral degree upon the Saudi king.
Opinions and Reports
Kuwait threatens to revoke citizenship in crackdown on opposition The Kuwaiti authorities threaten to strip nationals, suspected of attempting to “undermine the stability” of the country, of their citizenships.
Kuwait opposition decries threat to revoke citizenship Opposition figures condemn the Kuwaiti authorities’ decision to denaturalize nationals deemed to pose a risk to national security.
Qatar’s direct World Cup expenditure ‘small’, estimated at $16bn: Bank Merrill Lynch The US bank issues a report on the economic impact for Qatar should it lose the 2022 World Cup hosting rights.
We have nothing to hide, says Qatar World Cup chief Nasser al-Khater, the tournament communications director, emphasizes that the 2022 World Cup will take place in Qatar as planned.
Emirates calls for airlines summit on `outrageous` MH17 attack The president of Dubai’s Emirates Airline calls for an international meeting of carriers to condemn the downing of the Malaysian plane in Ukraine last week and to discuss the threats posed by regional conflicts.
Highest number of Mecca pilgrims are Egyptian: Saudi embassy More than nine hundred thousand Egyptians made the pilgrimage to Mecca from January to July 2014.
Tourism in Saudi Arabia: Wish you were here An Economist article on the future of tourism in Saudi Arabia.
Number of Saudi women employed in private sector doubles A news report on the increasing number of women working in the private sector in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia investigates imams who did not condemn al Qaeda attack: paper The Islamic affairs ministry is investigating seventeen mosque imams in Riyadh for failing to denounce al-Qaeda attack on a Saudi post on the borders with Yemen.
Repression in Bahrain
Bahrain asks court to suspend main opposition bloc`s activities The Bahraini justice ministry asks a court to suspend the activities of Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society.
Crisis in Yemen
Yemen fighting forces thousands from homes The United Nations asserts that fighting in Amran has intensified the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.
Two Yemeni soldiers, Al Qaida gunman killed in clash Two soldiers and a gunman die in a clash following an ambush in Shabwa.
Militants seize 2m Yemeni rials from post office Suspected al-Qaeda militants attack a post office in Hadramawt and seize two million riyals.
Migrant Workers
37 UAE Indians commit suicide in six months The Indian Consulate in Dubai announces that thirty-seven Indian nationals have committed suicide in the Gulf state in the first half of this year.
Most Indians imprisoned abroad are in Saudi Arabia The Indian government announces that there are at least fourteen hundred Indians in Saudi jails.
‘Go to Gulf with rights’ campaign to help expats Amnesty International India and UAE Exchange India launch a human rights awareness campaign.
Saudi court comes under fire for lashes sentence A Saudi court’s decision to punish a Palestinian women with sixty lashes and her daughter with thirty lashes triggers an intense debate online.
World Cup host Qatar agrees to some foreign worker reforms The Qatari authorities have approved new measures to improve the treatment of foreign workers.
Media
UAE demands apology from Al Jazeera over Gaza report The Emirati Minister of State for Foreign Affairs calls on Al Jazeera to apologize for publishing “fabricated news about the UAE’s involvement in Israel’s war on Gaza.”
Call to burn books stoking sectarianism Fouad al-Hashem, a columnist with al-Watan newspapers, calls for the burning of religious books for causing sectarian tension.
Kuwait court upholds 10-year jail term for Twitter user A Kuwaiti top court upholds the jail sentence of Hamad al-Naqi, who is accused of insulting Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Prophet Mohammad.
Human Rights
Saudi Arabia: Harassments continue against activists of women’s driving campaign The Gulf Center for Human Rights documents the campaign of harassment against activists advocating for women’s right to drive in the kingdom.
Saudi Arabia- Human rights lawyer Waleed Abu Al-Khair subjected to ill-treatment and imprisoned with criminals The Gulf Center for Human Rights condemns the ill-treatment of Abu al-Khair.
29 human rights groups including the BYSHR call for a shift in U.K. policy towards the situation in Bahrain The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights, along with another twenty-eight rights groups, calls on the British government to condemn human rights abuses in Bahrain.
Bahrain: Ministry of Justice Files Lawsuit Against Al-Wefaq The Bahrain Center for Human Rights expresses concern over the Bahraini authorities’ move to suspend the activities of Al-Wefaq for three months.
Arabic
جهود سعودية لـ«توحيد» اليمنيين ضد الحوثيين
A news report on Saudi efforts to "unite" the Yemenis against the Houthi uprising.
اليمن: الحوثي يفتح جبهة جديدة في الجوف و34 قتيل نتيجة المواجهات
Khalid al-Hamadi reports on the new front the Houthi fighters opened in al-Jawf.
اليمن | أحداث عمران تفكّك تحالفات سياسية
Yassir al-Yafi`i argues that the fall of Amran to Houthi fighters has changed political alliances in Yemen.
اليمن: اتصالات سعودية لتشكيل تكتل ضد الحوثيين
Saudi authorities attempt to form an alliance against the Houthis in Yemen.
الحكومة الكويتية تلوّح بسحب الجنسية من معارضين
The Kuwaiti authorities threaten to strip nationals, suspected of attempting to “undermine the stability” of the country, of their citizenships.
هل زارت المخابرات الإماراتية غزة في الحرب؟
Ahmed Hadi examines reports that members of the Emirati medical envoy, which entered Gaza through Rafah crossing, were in fact army officers.
السعودية تعزز إجراءت الأمن علي الحدود مع العراق
The Saudi authorities decide to reinforce the protection of its borders with Iraq for fear that members of the Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria may infiltrate the kingdom.
«داعش».. من العمق العراقي إلى الأطراف السعودية الأردنية
Adnan Abu Zaid analyzes the spread of the Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria to the borders to Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
وزارة العدل البحرينية تطلب تجميد أنشطة جمعية الوفاق الشيعية
The Bahraini justice ministry asks a court to suspend the activities of Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society.
الأزهر يمنح الملك السعودي شهادة الدكتوراه الفخرية
Egypt`s Al-Azhar University bestows an honorary doctoral degree upon the Saudi king.
أمير قطر في زيارة لتركيا لبحث ملفات المنطقة والعدوان على غزة
Sulaiman Haj Ibrahim writes on the Qatari emir`s visit to Turkey to discuss the Israeli attack on Gaza and regional issues.
شل: بئر للغاز في قطر لا يحوي كميات تجارية
Shell announces that a newly discovered gas well in Qatar does not contain commercial quantities.
قطر تشتري 50 طائرة بوينغ
Qatar Airways announces it will buy fifty Boeing airplanes.