What citizens of other countries are reading about the Middle East.
By COMPILEDTHE MEDIA LINEStudents from Yemen’s Sana’a University hold a banner during an anti-Houthi protest on March 3.(photo credit: REUTERS)Yemen: A country with two capitalsAl-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, February 24In 1990’s Gulf War, Saddam Hussein tried to impose himself as Iraqi president on a recently occupied Kuwait.It didn’t work; none of the international or local actors agreed to recognize his rule over the country.Ironically, the exact same thing is happening in Yemen today. Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, who was besieged in the presidential palace by the Houthi rebels, managed to escape to the port city of Aden.The new government is recognized by no one but the Houthis themselves, backed by the Iranian regime.The Yemeni president’s escape completely delegitimizes the new Houthi leaders, who now lack a bargaining partner. This means Yemen now has two de facto capitals: one in Sana’a, one in Aden. The latter enjoys international and domestic recognition, while the former is not a legitimate regime.It seems today, more than ever before, Yemen is on the verge of splitting into two separate countries again. – Abdul Rahman al-Rashed Palestine, Israel and the Iranian Deal Al-Nahar, Lebanon, February 24Does the world know how dire people’s lives are in Gaza? It seems to me as if the horrific plight of the Palestinians and their grim life under the brutal Israeli occupation have completely slipped from the world’s consciousness. No one cares. Lebanon is still trying to elect a president, Syria’s dictator is thirsty for more blood, Egypt’s military junta is busy enforcing its rule, Jordan is only concerned with its public image and the Gulf states are competing over who will build the highest skyscraper.Looking at tense Israel-US relations, particularly over the Iranian deal, there seems to be no better time to deal with the Palestinian issue. Sadly, our leaders’ behavior only strengthens Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rhetoric of intimidation and instilling fear. All attention should now be given to the Palestinian cause: the only non-violent player in the region, seeking to achieve justice. – Octavia Nasser Mossad attempts to dry out Nile River Al Jazeera, Qatar, February 25Classified documents obtained by Al Jazeera reveal that Israel attempted to “wreak havoc in the African region” and “plunder its natural resources” by, among other things, drying out the Nile River. The report claims the Science, Technology and Space Ministry managed to develop a unique plant that can grow in rivers and consume an immense amount of water. The Mossad, according to the findings, planned to place its seeds in the Nile River in order to decrease its flow and increase Egypt’s dependence on Israel.According to another part of the report, Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman worked to fuel insurgency in the African region by arming rebel groups with Israeli weapons. Liberman supposedly signed several arms deals with a few African countries during his nine-day visit to Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana and Uganda.The report also mentioned Israeli attempts to exploit African mineral wealth under the pretext of “development and charity work.”These documents, compiled by the South African State Security Agency, are a reflection of the hateful relations between Pretoria’s African National Congress and Jerusalem. The party, consisting mostly of black South Africans, still resents Israel for its role in strengthening and supporting the apartheid regime. – Al Jazeera staff Why is Kuwait’s Emir visiting Jordan? Al-Rai, Kuwait, February 25Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad embarked on a state visit to Jordan this week to meet with King Abdullah.What does this tell us? First, it shows the emir is a bold man with a deep understanding of the region. He is determined to create regional stability and cooperation on the one hand, but is not afraid to fight terror on the other. The timing of the visit is also important, as it comes after the killing of the Jordanian pilot at the hands of Islamic State earlier this month; it reaffirms the understanding that sweeping the problem of terror under the rug is only going to make it worse. It is the Muslim world that needs, according to Ahmad, to stand at the forefront of the war against extremism.Another important aspect is the emir’s strong stance in support of Jordan and Egypt. During the second Egyptian revolution of 2013, Amman and Kuwait City, with their limited resources, were among the only countries that vowed to support the Egyptian people in ridding themselves of the Muslim Brotherhood regime.There is no noise or glamorous slogans, but Kuwait is quietly working to create a united Arab front against terrorism. The reshaping of the region has become a reality we must all deal with, not hypothetical speculation in which we have the privilege to engage. – Kheir Allah Kheir Allah Netanyahu and Obama – a battle over the Iranian dealAl-Watan, Egypt, February 27It is clear to all that Washington and Tehran are entering the final stages of negotiations surrounding the latter’s nuclear program. The two sides are trying to reach an agreement that would be accepted by all parties – allowing Iran to break through the sanctions imposed on it, and the US to rest assured that Tehran is not developing nuclear capabilities. There are still big gaps to overcome, but the intensity of the conversations and the high echelon of representatives taking part in them suggest that we might see an agreement reached in the next few weeks.In the background, Netanyahu is trying to preach to the West. He is telling world leaders that their judgment is wrong and that they do not understand; he demands an agreement that leaves Tehran with absolutely no uranium enrichment capability. In diplomatic terms, Netanyahu’s speech to the US Congress behind President Barack Obama’s back is simply unheard of.Netanyahu is using Congress as a tool to boost his popularity before the election, but he is taking a big gamble – either he wins everything, or loses it all.Right now, it seems Netanyahu is a dangerous position: sneaking behind Obama’s back, preaching to Western leaders and undermining the nuclear negotiations. – Mukrram Muhammad AhmedThemedialine.org is an American nonprofit news agency covering the Middle East.
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