Cartoon In Qatari Paper On Female Suicide Bombers

Cartoonist: Eley Saleba

Source: Al-Watan, Qatar, August 26, 2008

(see also http://www.memri.org/bin/latestnews.cgi?ID=SD203408)

Syrian Former Prisoner Dies After Authorities Prevent Him From Going Abroad For Kidney Transplant

The Syrian Human Rights Committee reported yesterday, August 26, that Muslim Brotherhood activist Abd Al-Sattar Qattan had died after Syrian authorities had refused to let him travel abroad for a kidney transplant.

Qattan, 68, was freed in July 2007 from prison due to his failing health.

Source: thisissyria.net, August 26, 2008

Report: French FM Thinks Syria's Open To Sarkozy's Requests – But At Its Own Pace

A French source reports that French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner during his visit to Syria and Lebanon got the impression that Syria was showing openness towards French President Nicolas Sarkozy's requests regarding Lebanon, but that it was doing so at its own pace, discussing every issue, gradually and according to its own interests.

Source: Al-Hayat, London, August 27, 2008

Sudan Liberation Movement Denies Involvement In Hijack Of Darfur Plane

A Sun Air plane was hijacked yesterday after it took off from Nyala, Darfur for Khartoum, by two men identifying themselves as members of the Sudan Liberation Movement.

Movement leader Abd Al-Wahed Al-Nour vehemently denied any movement connection to the hijacking.

Source: Sudan Tribune, Sudan, August 27, 2008

Demonstrations, Resignations Follow Massacre At Darfur Refugee Camps

Thousands of residents of the Kalma refugee camp in southern Darfur demonstrated during the funerals of some 40 people who were killed in an August 25 Sudan Army attack on the camp that has been called a "massacre" by Darfur rebels.

In addition, six senior officials in the southern Darfur province, including the province's agriculture minister and members of the provincial house of legislators, submitted their resignations in protest over the events.

Sources: Al-Sahafa, Al-Rai Al-'Aam, Sudan, August 27, 2008

Cartoon In Egyptian Daily On Internecine Palestinian Fighting

On figure: "Palestinian Cause." Below: "It's not nice what you're doing to yourselves and to me!"

Source: Al-Ahram, Egypt, August 27, 2008

Church Of Nativity Expellees Prefer West Bank Jail To Gaza

The Church of the Nativity expellees, whom Israel transferred from the West Bank to Gaza during Operation Defensive Shield in 2002, have submitted a request to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to have them returned to the West Bank, even to prison in Jericho or Ramallah, instead of leaving them in Gaza.

Source: Al-Quds Al-Arabi, London, August 27, 2008

In Mauritania, Cracks In Support For Coup Parties

Three parties that supported the coup in Mauritania, including the party of opposition chairman Ahmad Ould Dadah, have refused to join the new government.

According to Ould Dadah, the refusal is because the Supreme State Council, the body established by the coup leaders to run the country, did not respond to their request to set a date for new elections and to ensure that the military does not run in them.

Source: Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, August 27, 2008

Shi'ite Arab Tribes Threaten To Defend Kirkuk's Arabness By Force

In a demonstration in Najaf, Shi'ite Arab tribal leaders protested against the city of Kirkuk's inclusion in the Kurdistan region.

The tribal leaders condemned Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki for discussions being held in parliament on the matter, and one even said that the tribes would redeem Kirkuk with their lives.

Source: Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, August 27, 2008

Egyptian Paper Reports On Upcoming Five-Party Arab Summit

Diplomatic sources told the Egyptian paper Al-Masryoon that a five-party Arab conference is expected to be held, and that it will discuss the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and will include leaders from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, and the Palestinian Authority, and perhaps also Lebanon.

The summit is expected to take place in Cairo or Riyadh in the second week of the month of Ramadan.

Source: Al-Masryoon, Egypt, August 27, 2008

Egyptian Provincial Governor Criticizes U.S. Ambassador Scobey

During U.S. Ambassador to Cairo Margaret Scobey's visit to Egypt's Al-Qalyubiya province, provincial governor 'Adli Hussein said that there should be no interference with rulings by Egypt's court, and likewise there should be no attempts at politicizing human rights.

He also said that if the U.S. administration acted honestly, the Egyptian people would love the Americans "without limits."

In response, Ambassador Scobey said that she respected the Egyptian legal system and that some had misunderstood her responses to several court rulings (see "U.S. Embassy In Cairo To Act To Strengthen Human Rights Organizations In Egypt", "Egyptian Daily Harshly Criticizes U.S. Ambassador To Egypt", "U.S. Embassy In Egypt: Ambassador's Statements Misunderstood", "Egyptians Enraged At Statements By U.S. Ambassador Nominee")

Source: Al-Ahram, Al-Gumhouriyya, Egypt, August 27, 2008

Mus'ab Hassan Yousef, Son of a West Bank Hamas Leader: Atrocities Committed by Hamas Led Me to Convert to Christianity

Click here to view clip

Cartoon In Egyptian Weekly – Barack Obama Loves Israel

Source: Al-Ahram Weekly, Egypt, 7-13 August 2008

'Reporters Without Borders' Condemns Hizbullah Restrictions On Foreign Correspondents

The Reporters Without Borders organization has condemned Hizbullah's restrictions on foreign journalists' movements, including requiring them to obtain permission from Hizbullah's information bureau.

The condemnation followed Hizbullah's August 15 hours-long detention of three Brazilian journalists working on a story on a restaurant in the Dahiya area, and its August 12 three-hour detention of a French journalist, also in the Dahiya area, during which the journalist was interrogated.

Source: Thisissyria.net, August 25, 2008

Cartoon In 'Al-Sharq Al-Awsat' :'The Middle East Olympics'

Cartoonist: Amjad Rasmy

Source: Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, August 25, 2008

Cartoon In Kuwaiti Paper: 'Geography Lesson: The Arab Region Excels At One Language And A Joint Destiny!!'

Cartoonist: Kifah Mahmood

Source: Al-Awan, Kuwait, August 25, 2008

Arab League Sec'y Opposes Separate Dialogue Between Iran, Western Powers

Arab League secretary-general Amr Moussa has said that he is opposed to Iran maintaining a dialogue with the six superpowers on regional security separately from the rest of the states in the region.

He said that ideally Syria should stand with the Arab countries, and together with them must take a unified stand regarding Iran's policy and must conduct a dialogue with Iran on the Arab interests.

Source: Al-Siyassa, Kuwait, August 26, 2008

Lebanese Columnist Criticizes French FM For Flirting With Female Journalists

Columnist for the Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar Khaled Saghiya penned harsh criticism of French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner for calling female Lebanese journalists "pretty women."

Saghiya stated that Kouchner "flirted with one of the lady journalists," calling his acts "impolite and bordering on sexual harassment." He called Kouchner a "clown" and said that he was treating the Lebanese like eternal subjects of the empire.

Source: Al-Akhbar, Lebanon, August 26, 2008

French FM: Syria, Lebanon To Exchange Ambassadors By Year's End

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said at an August 25 press conference in Damascus that Lebanon and Syria would exchange ambassadors by the end of this year, and stated, "A new age has begun in Syria-France relations."

He added that during his meeting with Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad and Lebanese President Michel Suleiman, many subjects had come up that still bothered him, including the explosive situation in Tripoli, Hizbullah, the recent threats between Lebanon and Israel, and Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah's latest speech.

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Al-Mu'alem said at the press conference that Kouchner and Assad had discussed preparations for French President Nicolas Sarkozy's visit early next month, and ways to achieve security and stability in the Middle East and to advance the peace process.

Al-Mu'alem said that the indirect Syria-Israel peace talks had not advanced sufficiently to become direct, and that the sides were continuing to deal with resolving the issues for discussion, headed by defining the June 4, 1967 line.

Sources: Al-Safir, Lebanon; Al-Watan, Syria; Al-Thawra, Syria, August 26, 2008

Iranian Press TV At DNC Talks To Leading Figures Jimmy Carter, John Kerry, Others

Iranian Press TV is covering the Democratic National Convention. On the first day, correspondent Jihan Hafiz talked to former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, former Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, and others.

(To view the MEMRI TV clip of the report on YouTube: click here.)

Columnist In Syrian Gov't Daily Supports Dems In U.S. Presidential Race

Columnist for the Syrian government daily Al-Thawra Nadia Damiati referred positively to U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and his running mate Sen. Joseph Biden, saying that their campaign slogan of "change and experience" indicated that "the Americans aspire for their country to take a moral stance, be an honest broker, act in accordance with the U.S. constitution, not ignite wars, not spill the blood of innocents in the world, and not deceive the [American] people regarding the danger of terrorism [and the need] to fight it."

Source: Al-Thawra, Syria, August 26, 2008

Cartoon In Syrian Paper: U.S. Waves Georgian President’s Torn-off Arm In Victory Salute

Cartoonist: Fares Qarabet

Source: Al-Watan, Syria, August 26, 2008

Iraqi PM: U.S., Iraq Agree To Foreign Forces Exit By 2011; U.S. – Not True

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki has said that Iraq and the U.S. have agreed that there will be no more foreign troops in Iraq by the end of 2011.

However, Washington has denied the report.

Source: Al-Hayat, London, August 26, 2008

Christians In Sudan Angry At Discrimination

At an August 21 conference in Khartoum, Sudanese Christians expressed anger at the authorities' intention to expropriate lands of Christian cemeteries in the city so that the land could be used for commercial buildings.

They also said that Sudanese authorities were not allocating land to Christians to build churches or giving airtime on radio and television for Christian religious programming, and that there was a lack of Christian studies in the official school curricula.

The conferees also called to establish a judicial system for non-Muslims in Sudan.

Source: Ajras Al-Huriya, Sudan, August 22, 2008

Ayman Nour: My Letter To Obama Wasn't Aimed At Harming Egypt's Image

Imprisoned oppositionist Ayman Nour has issued a response to criticism in Egypt for his open letter to U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama (see "In Egypt, Legal Complaint Filed Over Ayman Nour's Letter To Obama";

"Mixed Reactions In Egypt To Ayman Nour's Letter To Obama";

and "Imprisoned Egyptian Liberal Oppositionist Ayman Nour Writes Open Letter to Barack Obama.")

In his response, Nour noted that what he wrote was not a letter to Obama but an article, similar to articles he had written in the past addressed to, inter alia, Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

He also stated that the attacks on him were from personal motives, and had nothing to do with the content of his article.

He noted that in writing the article he was acting in accordance with freedom of expression, and that he had had no intention of presenting a negative picture of Egypt to the West, because Egypt was first of all the Egyptian people, not a specific person or regime.

Source: Al-Masryoon, Egypt, August 25, 2008

Cartoon In 'Syria News': Divorce As Suicide For Women In Arab World

On explosive belt: "Divorce"

Cartoonist: Yaser Ahmad

Source: Syria News, Syria, August 25, 2008

Saudi Mufti Warns Against Underage Girls Marrying Older Men

Saudi Grand Mufti Sheikh Abd Al-Aziz Al-Aal-Sheikh recently warned Saudi parents against marrying off their underage daughters to men aged 50 and over.

He said that such marriages harmed the girls' modesty and caused to live in suffering while their parents benefited from the bride price.

Source: Arabnews.com, August 23, 2008

Distribution Of Issue Of Egyptian Opposition Paper Banned Due To Cartoon

The August 20 issue of the Egyptian opposition paper Al-Badil has been banned from distribution in Egypt because of a cartoon that angered close associates of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

The issue also include harsh accusations against the regime and hints that the fire that broke out in the Shura Council building was started deliberately in order to destroy evidence of various instances of corruption.

The paper's online version was not interfered with.

Following is the offending cartoon:

Right to left: 1) "The president stepped down..." "You're dreaming!" 2) "Also, there's no handing down of the regime as inheritance"; "And what about the NDP and the political committee?" 3) "There's no doubt that YOU are the one who's dreaming. I'm talking about the Pakistani president..." "!!!!"

Source: Middleeasttransparent.com, August 21, 2008; Al-Badil, Egypt, August 20, 2008

Islamic Jihad Conducts Soldier Abduction Maneuvers

During military maneuvers to rehearse abductions of Israeli soldiers, members of the Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of Islamic Jihad, declared that such abductions were an option for all military wings of the Palestinian factions.

Source: Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Palestinian Authority, August 23, 2008

Hamas: State With 1967 Borders – Temporary Step Towards State In All Of Palestine

Senior Hamas official Musheir Al-Masri has announced that Hamas would strike roots throughout Palestine, and that the movement had not sacrificed the best of its sons in order to establish a state within the 1967 borders even if it advocated such a state as a temporary measure, but only in order to establish a state in all of Palestine.

Source: Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, August 24, 2008

Al-Zawahiri's Uncle Chosen Egyptian Labor Party Chairman

Mustafa 'Azam, uncle of and attorney for Al-Qaeda No. 2 leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri, has been chosen chairman of the Egyptian opposition Labor Party, whose activity was frozen several years ago.

After being selected, Azam said that he would continue in the path of his deceased predecessor, and would adhere to the principles of the party as an Islamic revolutionary party and ally of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Source: Al-Masryoon, Egypt; Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, August 24, 2008

Cartoon In Syrian Gov't Daily: U.S., Israel, And U.N. Resolutions

Cartoonist: Dajwar Ibrahim

Source: Teshreen, Syria, August 25, 2008

Sudan President: If ICC Issues Arrest Warrant For Me, I'll Ask U.N. To Leave Sudan

In an August 22 interview, Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir told Al-Arabiya TV that if the International Criminal Court issues an arrest warrant for him, he would ask U.N. forces to leave Sudan.

He called the ICC an imperialistic apparatus for repressing the leaders of the Third World, and added that the lawsuit against him was aimed at removing him from power.

He also rejected the possibility of stepping down due to the lawsuit, saying that he would fight it.

Source: Alarabiya.net, August 22, 2008

Nasrallah: Hizbullah's Next Victory Will Be Decisive; Israel Will Be Destroyed

Hizbullah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah has said that Hizbullah's victory in the next war will be decisive, clear, and crushing, and that no one in the world will have any doubt about it.

He threatened that Hizbullah would destroy the five infantry units that Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said would change the balance of power in the region.

He added that the destruction of these units would be accompanied by the destruction of the state of Israel, "which plunders the sacred land."

Source: Hizbollah.tv, August 24, 2008

Basra Governor: Groups Seek To Harm Clerics, Politicians

Following the attempted assassination of a cleric close to senior Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Ali Al-Sistani in Basra, the Basra governor said that according to existing intelligence, special groups are seeking to harm clerics and politicians.

Source: Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, August 25, 2008

Cartoon In 'Al-Sharq Al-Awsat': Arms Race A Death Sentence For Middle East

Cartoonist: Amjad Rasmi

Source: Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, August 23, 2008

Hizbullah Threatens To Fire 11,000 Missiles On Israel If It Attacks Iran

Muhammad Ra'd, chairman of the Faction Loyal to the Resistance which represents Hizbullah in the Lebanese parliament, said that as soon as the Zionist entity fires the first shot at Iran, 11,000 missiles will be aimed at it.

He also noted that the Lebanese opposition was insisting that it will constitute a third in any government put together from this time forward.

Source: Hizbollah.tv, Al-Anbaa, Kuwait, August 24, 2008

Senior Gulf Officials: Iranian Policy Of Occupation Like Israel’s; Iranians Replacing Saddam In Spreading Fear In Region

Saudi Shura Council member Muhammad Aal Zalfa said that Iran is employing a policy identical to that of Israel by occupying Arab land, and is not respecting its neighbors' rights.

Likewise, GCC secretary-general Abd Al-Rahman Al-Atiya blamed Iran for the tension in the Gulf, because of its attempts to attain regional hegemony. He said that the Iranians had taken the place of Saddam Hussein in spreading fear among the countries in the region, and in attempts to take over these countries.

Sources: Elaph.com, August 23, 2008; Al-Jarida, Kuwait, August 24, 2008

Cartoon In 'Arab News': Russia, Georgia, And The West

Source: Arab News, Saudi Arabia, August 25, 2008

Al-Qaeda Maghreb Claims Responsibility for Deadly Attacks in Algeria

On August 21, 2008, the Islamist website Al-Ikhlas posted a communiqué by Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb in which the organization claimed responsibility for several recent attacks in Algeria.

Click Here To View The Full Post On The Islamist Websites Monitor Project Website

 Saudi Women's Rights Activist Wajeha Al-Huwaider's New YouTube Video: On the Saudi Ban of Women Competing in the Beijing Olympics, Special Dispatch Series - No. 2016 - August 6, 2008

Al-Jazeera and the Released Terrorist's Birthday Party, Special Dispatch Series - No. 2013 - August 4, 2008

Pakistani FM: The U.S. May Not Carry Out Military Operations in Pakistan , Special Dispatch Series - No. 2011 - August 1, 2008

Tunisian Intellectual Lafif Lakhdar in Open Letter to Syrian President Assad: Shake Hands with Olmert and Greet Him with 'Shalom', Special Dispatch Series - No. 2009 - July 31, 2008

Egyptian Islamic Preacher 'Amr Khaled: Within 20 Years, Muslims Will Be Majority in Europe; Muslims in Europe Should Be "Ambassadors for Islam", Special Dispatch Series - No. 2003 - July 27, 2008

Muslim Brotherhood Supreme Guide: Bin Laden is a Jihad Fighter, Special Dispatch Series - No. 2001 - July 25, 2008

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