Creating new perspectives since 2009
Items by Dr Mohammed Al-Misfer
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Will the reconciliation of the Gulf governments lead to better relations with their own citizens?
The start of the New Year has been good for us in the Gulf. The cloud of estrangement is about to disappear, and the skies, land and sea have opened for free movement to and from Qatar. The blockade imposed on the state in June 2017 has been lifted, thanks…
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Normalisation with Israel and the Palestinian response
There has been a breach in the Arab Front in favour of Israel against Palestine. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has caused a wide rift in the Gulf for the benefit of Israel, through signing the so-called Peace Treaty between two parties that are not even at war. They used…
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Sudais between ignorance, deception and hypocrisy
When he first became imam of the Grand Mosque of Makkah, 38 years ago, Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais was the most loved by the people. His recitation of the Quran as he led the night prayers in the Haram would attract those listening. The tapes of his recitations were listened to…
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The winners and losers in the Qatar siege
It has been a thousand days since Qatar was besieged by its brothers and partners in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), i.e. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Bahrain. There is no fundamental or main reason that can be considered and no satisfactory solutions for all parties. The reasons mentioned are…
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The people are slaughtered while their rulers stand and watch
The Arab nation is witnessing one of the worst phases of its political, military and social life. Sectarianism is tearing apart its social fabric, instilling the roots of hatred amongst the people; Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen are good examples. Meanwhile, ethnicity is intensifying the idea of separation, and one…
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Abbas should accept reality and dissolve the PA
This is the third week of the third intifada ignited across the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem. It is spreading and escalating but the Palestinian Authority, under the leadership of Mahmoud Abbas, is busy playing musical chairs. He still believes that negotiations with Israel are the solution even though they…
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The American whale and Russian bear in the Gulf
This week, Doha is hosting US Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. Their visit is being made after the signing of the nuclear agreement between Iran and the permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany (P5+1) in early July; it was signed after…
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The Palestinian Authority and its political dreams
The final day of 2014 witnessed an Arab and Palestinian failure at the UN Security Council, which rejected a resolution that called upon the UN to set a specific date for ending the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land occupied in 1967. After that setback, the PA applied to join international…
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An open letter to the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council
Your Majesties, Highnesses, and Excellencies, may God bless you. Allow this 70-year-old man to welcome your Majesties, Highnesses and Excellencies in Doha, the capital of love, affection and respect. You have come to Doha today to attend the 35th session of your esteemed summit with your busy agendas and we…
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The smell of petrodollars in the Tunisian elections
Israeli media have reported a meeting in Paris between Tunisian presidential candidate Beji Caïd Essebsi and officials from Gulf States. The meeting is alleged to have focused on ways to isolate the Nahda Party in Tunisia and how to keep the Islamist group from gaining any central positions in the…
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Save the Gaza Strip from conspiracies
I was surprised last Friday by Palestinian Authority media outlets in Ramallah reporting the 15 bombings near the Fatah headquarters in Gaza and the platform established to mark the tenth anniversary of the assassination of President Yasser Arafat, held on Tuesday. The Fatah leadership held Hamas responsible for the bombings,…
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Egypt, terrorism and Mahmoud Abbas
I would first like to begin by expressing my deepest condolences to the families of the Egyptian soldiers that were killed in the Sinai Peninsula. I would also like to offer my condolences to the officers of the Egyptian Armed Forces over the death of their fellow officers following this…