[This is a monthly roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on Resistance and Subversion in the Arab world and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the DARS Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each monthly roundup to DARS@jadaliyya.com.]
News & Comments
Did Egypt’s January Revolution Die? by Amira Abo el-Fetouh
January 25th passed without a hitch for the people of Egypt, apart from a few posts and tweets on Facebook and Twitter, some of which were eulogies for the revolution while others expressed sadness at it being lost in a sea of frustration. However, there were also some people who insist that the revolution is ongoing and that it will still achieve its goals. […] The question now is where did the spirit of the revolution within the Egyptians go?
The Arab Spring Six Years On, by Samir Al-Hajawi
Many believe that the Arab revolutions have failed, and that the Arab Spring has been transformed into an autumn or even a harsh winter. They see that the situation has worsened and continues to worsen day by day with increasing violence, bloodshed and outrage. With what is happening in the Arab world today that may well appear to be the situation at face value, but the truth is something entirely different. The Arab Spring succeeded in toppling four heads of state — in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Yemen — who had been stifling the people wholesale.
Egyptian Differences and the Anniversary of the January Revolution, by Mohammad Ayesh
For the third year in a row, Egypt’s revolutionary forces are preoccupied by suspicious internal differences that tend to appear just weeks before each anniversary of the 2011 January Revolution. This is the season of calls for the renewal of the revolution in Egypt, a time that the post-revolution government fears, in case the people take to the streets once more. The differences amongst the opposition forces are the main reasons why the government of Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has survived with some degree of stability and strength.
Seventeen People Arrested on Sixth Anniversary of January 25 Revolution, by Mada Masr
Despite the notable absence of protests across the country, seventeen people were arrested in Cairo, Alexandria and Tanta on the sixth anniversary of the January 25 revolution.
How Tunisia Survived Its Own Revolution - and the Questions That Remain, by Soumaya Ghannoushi
Notwithstanding the all too common tendency to glorify or denigrate the Tunisian revolution, we do need to pause and examine its labyrinthine trajectory and assess its complex outcomes, its failures and successes, as well as the dangers with which it is still beset.
Bahrain Executions Spark Violent Protests, by Agency France Press
On 15 January, Bahrain executed three men found guilty of killing three policemen, sparking violent protests and stoking tensions between the country`s Shiite majority and its Sunni rulers. The executions triggered protests in Shiite villages, where demonstrators blocked roads with burning tires and police retaliated by firing tear gas, according to posts on social media.
Residents of Bedouin Village Protest Government’s Forced Relocation Plan, by Daniel Beller
Around two-hundred residents of the unrecognized Bedouin village of Al-Zarnug demonstrated in the southern city of Be’er Sheva on 29 January in protest at a government plan to forcibly transfer them and the rest of their community to the city of Rahat.
Thousands of Palestinians and Israelis Protest Home Demolitions, by Keren Monor
More than five thousand Palestinian and Jewish citizens of Israel converged on the town of Ar’ara in the Wadi Ara region of northern Israel on 21 January, to protest a recent slate of home demolitions targeting Arab communities in the country.
Palestinian Citizens Go on Strike to Protest Home Demolitions, by Karen Manor
Palestinian citizens of Israel called a one-day general strike on 11 January to protest the demolition of eleven homes in the Arab town of Qalansuwa by Israeli authorities the previous day. Businesses, schools, and local government offices were closed in Arab municipalities across the country.
Gaza’s Electricity Protests Are Bold Sign of Dissent, by Mohammad Othman
Following massive protests in the Gaza Strip over a lack of electricity, Qatar pledged on 15 January to donate $12 million to purchase fuel for Gaza`s sole power plant over a period of three months. Gaza`s power outage crisis has culminated in mid-January after three generators at the plant stopped operating, leaving residents with just four hours of power per day.
Israel Able to Detail Former Hunger Strikers Due to International Silence, by Ramona Wadi
Israel’s tactic of repeatedly detaining former Palestinian prisoners who went on hunger strikes has this time targeted Mohammed Al-Qiq, following his participation in a protest organised by national organisations in Bethlehem demanding the return of the bodies of Palestinians murdered by Israel since October 2015.
Soldiers Use Force on Non-Violent Protest Against Illegal West Bank Outposts, by Haggai Matar
Dozens of Palestinian and Israeli activists gathered in the Jordan Valley, West Bank, on 5 January in order to protest the establishment of new illegal outposts in the area. The demonstrators, from joint Arab Jewish activist group Ta’ayush, were forcefully dispersed by Israeli soldiers, who fired tear gas at them. The outposts remained where they were.
Israeli Army Jails Two Conscientious Objectors for Fourth Time, by Yale Marom
On 9 January, Israeli army sent two conscientious objectors to jail for the fourth time, just five days after they had finished serving their third stint in prison. Presenting themselves at the Tel Hashomer military induction base, Tamar Ze’evi, nineteen years old, and Tamar Alon, eighteen years old, declared their refusal to join the army and take part in the occupation, for which they were sentenced to thirty days’ detention.
Art
Gaza’s Traditional Handicraft Fight Back, by Mohammed Asda
“Soft Hands”, an exhibition held at the Stars Entertainment Centre by the beach in Gaza City, has been showcasing the traditional crafts and arts of the Palestinian people, many of whom rely on these traditional handicrafts to make a living and preserve their culture and identity.
Events & Conferences
Labour Mobilization in Egypt After the 25th January Revolution, 7 February 2017, King’s College, London, UK.
What Can Theories of Contentious Politics Tell Us About the “Arab Spring” and Vice Versa? 14 February 2017, King’s College, London, UK.
Conflict, Resistance, Displacement: Stories of Survival From the Middle East, 17 January – 28 February 2017, Guardian London Office, UK.
Revolution and Authoritarianism in North Africa, 13 March 2017, King’s College, London, UK.
Hanan Toukan - Starting the Revolution from a Different Place: Art, Protest, and Diplomacy in the Arab World, 8 March 2017, Watson Institute, Brown University, Rhode Island, USA>
International Workshop “Social Movements & Contentious Politics in the Arab World: Diffusion, Practices, Organisations, and Political Dimensions,” 27-28 April 2017, Université Paris-Dauphine, Paris, France.
A Century of Youth Engaging Politics in the Arab World Conference, 16 – 19 May 2017, University of Manitoba, Manitoba, Canada.