Creating new perspectives since 2009
Items by Diana Alghoul
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Boris has basically reduced the Syrian conflict into a war about archaeology
One of the many disturbing sentences written by Boris Johnson in his column for Britain’s Telegraph newspaper is this: “The victory of Assad is a victory for archaeology, a victory for all those who care about the ancient monuments of one of the most amazing cultural sites on Earth.” That…
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Preserving Jewish Yemeni culture with fewer than 50 Jews left in the country
In a secret operation on Sunday evening, Israel evacuated 19 Yemeni Jews, leaving only 50 behind fearing that this precious minority which has contributed immensely to Yemen’s history may soon be no more. The video of the Jews arriving in Israel showed them wearing traditional Yemeni clothing, greeting friends and…
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Omissions in BBC coverage portray ‘misleading’ perception of Yemen conflict
A simple statement in a BBC Arabic documentary captured the whole nature of what was once the third largest city in Yemen: “Taiz is now shattered.” Seeing the devastating humanitarian situation was enough to make your blood run cold. The BBC visited Taiz city not only to show the dire…
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How has Daesh managed to advance into Baghdad?
The security situation in Iraq has been on the agenda of the international community since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003. Following the American-led invasion, stability in the fragile country has been an on-going objective of world powers, ironically by treating it as a political toy, with no understanding,…
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Will Saudi really send ground troops to Syria?
As the one year anniversary of the Saudi-led coalition’s intervention in Yemen draws nearer, Saudi Brigadier General Ahmed Asiri announced to Al-Arabiya TV that the Kingdom is likely to take part in deploying ground forces to Syria to fight Daesh if needed. The UAE later announced it would do the…
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The flawed logic behind Israel’s counterterrorism policy
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin addressed the ninth annual conference of the Institute for National Security Studies in mid-January. “The Islamic State is already here,” he told delegates, “that is no longer a secret. I am not speaking about territories bordering the State of Israel, but within the state itself.” From…
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Nuclear agreements and business deals with Iran, but what happens post-honeymoon period?
A fresh wave of energy has boosted Iranian foreign policy since Tehran has been freed of all economic sanctions as a result of its nuclear deal with the P5+1 group of world powers. The doors of Europe are now open to President Hassan Rouhani; he hasn’t hesitated to take advantage…
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Russia’s role in the Yemen conflict
Russia’s presence in the Middle East has for long been viewed as a controversial matter. Its actions in Syria and Iraq, and facilitation of Iran’s expansionist policy, have become a favoured topic of discussion. Because of its support for dictatorial regimes and its openness about ensuring its sphere of influence,…
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Key areas in the Yemen conflict
The whole of Yemen has been affected over the past nine months, either by war or natural disasters. What, though, are the key strategic areas of Yemen and why are they so significant? The following is a brief guide: Sana’a Previously the capital of North Yemen, after the unification of…
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The power of tribal politics in Yemen should not be ignored
Last week, as Houthi, Saleh and Hadi representatives met in Geneva for UN-sponsored peace talks, there was a ceasefire on the ground. On the first day of the talks, the Houthi delegation admitted that it had not informed its fighters of the ceasefire, which led to the killing of seven…
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What are the challenges behind the Yemen peace talks?
With the approach of the Yemen peace talks, many are watching with anticipation and hope for an end to the conflict. In the country itself, though, lethargy fills the air as citizens grasp the rope of life with every ounce of resilience in their bodies. Around half-a-million children are suffering…
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The effect of ‘secret’ UAE activities in Yemen
For the past two months it has been reported by Latin American news sources that there are Columbian troops fighting in Yemen as part of the UAE’s contingent in the Saudi-led coalition. El Tiempo report on the issue first, claiming 100 Columbian troops arrived in Yemen in early October and…
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No, Turkey has not started WWIII; think about the Syrians
The international community watched in shock at what happened above the Syria-Turkey border this week when a Russian SU-24 jet was shot down by the Turkish air force for allegedly violating Turkish airspace while conducting airstrikes in Syria. The two sides differ in their versions of events, notably over where…
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Those behind the Paris attack have globalised xenophobia
The image of little Aylan Kurdi, the Kurdish-Syrian refugee washed up on the shores of Turkey, prompted a wave of compassion around the world for those fleeing from war zones for a safer life in Europe. Two months later, these same people are now being seen as a security threat…
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Terrorism beyond Al-Qaeda in Yemen
In a special session on Somalia last Monday, Somali Prime Minister Omar Sharmake told the UN Security Council that security in the Gulf of Aden has to be taken seriously. He expressed his worry about the growth of Al-Shabab in his country and the fact that there is an increase…
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Hossam Bahgat and Egypt’s censorship crisis
In Egypt’s latest attack on freedom of speech, leading independent investigative journalist Hossam Bahgat was arrested on Sunday morning. He is being charged for an article he wrote last month on an attempted coup of the current government, in which he criticised the way in which the Ministry of Defence…
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How Britain can update its Middle East policy to suit its interests
On Tuesday, Britain’s Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) released a report on policy recommendations for the next Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), due to come out before the end of this year. The SDSR is a report compiled by the ministry of defence which assesses both domestic and global…
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Al-Sisi’s policies threaten Britain, so why is Cameron hosting him?
The confirmation of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi’s visit to Britain on 5 November has caused much controversy amongst human rights activists. There are numerous humanitarian reasons to reject David Cameron’s decision to allow Al-Sisi to visit London, but there are many more reasons for the British public to have…
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Understanding the silence behind the war on Taiz
When Yemen is covered in the media, it is usually branded as “the forgotten war”. The bulk of the coverage is on the Saudi airstrikes on Sana’a, which have caused considerable damage. Houthi crimes are being significantly ignored, especially in one particular area in which the Houthis are losing their…
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Iran and Saudi Arabia move beyond proxy conflict
As a range of conflicts befall most of the countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), the Saudi-Iranian rivalry has found its way into the equation. The rivalry has existed since the 1979 Iranian revolution, fanned by sectarianism, but has for the most part been a feud based…
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Layal Al-Kayaje and the silence surrounding torture in Lebanon
Last week, Human Rights Watch released a report on the detention and torture of Palestinians resident in Lebanon. The Lebanese army released a statement on 22 September that Layal Al-Kayaje was arrested a day before, accused of lying about being raped and tortured by military intelligence officers during her detention…
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Reconceptualising Yemen with photography: an interview with FRAME Yemen
The Saudi-led operation against Houthi rebels has put Yemen in the spotlight for almost six months, for all the wrong reasons. Instability, unfortunately, is nothing new to Arabia Felix, but since March, airstrikes, landmines, blockades and militias have been at the forefront of the tragedy unfolding in the country. It’s…
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What does Hadi’s return to Yemen say about the country?
Just a day after the first anniversary of the Houthi takeover of Sana’a, Yemen’s President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi has returned to Aden after six months of exile in Riyadh. This comes a week after the return of Vice President Khaled Bahah’s return to Aden, along with senior members of…
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Yemen beyond Sana’a: what the minutiae implies
Naturally, the main media focus on Yemen since the liberation of Aden has been on Sana’a. The liberation of Sana’a is amongst the major indicators to show that the anti-Houthi coalition is on its way to achieving the aim of dismantling the Houthis and removing them from power. Information on…