What citizens of other countries are reading about the Middle East.
By COMPILEDTHE MEDIA LINEAnti-Houthi protesters demonstrate in Ibb, Yemen, on March 21.(photo credit: REUTERS)
Iranian intervention in Yemen continuesAl Mustaqbal, Lebanon, March19 Iran’s intervention in the Yemeni uprising is becoming increasingly visible; it now funds military exercises carried out by Houthi rebels on Yemen’s border with Saudi Arabia. The armed Houthi rebel group Ansar Allah, which claims to be controlling Yemen’s political institutions, sent a formal delegation to Tehran in order to “sign a framework of understanding and comprehensive economic partnership” between Sana’a and the Islamic Republic.Who is this delegation? Where does it derive its legitimacy from? The answer is Iran. Tehran has been blatantly intervening in the Yemeni civil war, trying to provoke the Gulf’s Sunni countries.Iran is getting exactly what it wants: an American administration that does not understand the Middle East. US President Barack Obama thinks that solving the Iranian nuclear issue will bring stability to the region.He is completely overlooking all the other proxy wars in which Iran involved – in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Bahrain and now, Yemen.Tehran made cynical use of the Arab Spring to promote its expansionist agenda; it is not building countries but destroying them. What Yemen needs now is alleviation of poverty, collection of firearms and national unity; Iran is fueling sectarianism, hatred and violence. – Khairallah KhairallahWill Netanyahu spark a third Intifada?Al-Hayat, London, March 21When Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu realized earlier this week that his chances of winning the election had significantly dropped, he rushed to drop a political bomb: He will not allow a Palestinian state to be established under his watch. This was his doomsday weapon, and he made use of it when he felt that he had nothing to lose. He did so for two main reasons: to attract more votes from the extreme right and to embarrass Obama. While his opponent, the Zionist Union’s Isaac Herzog, was complacent – feeding off polls published by leading newspapers – Netanyahu waged the war of his life against his opponents.It is no secret the American administration was dissatisfied with the results. Netanyahu’s statement defied promises made by Obama to establish an independent Palestinian state; it rescinded and revoked all previous agreements with the Palestinians.In such a case, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has nothing to gain from negotiations with Israel. His public image is weakened and diminished; meanwhile, Hamas is growing ever-stronger and popular. It is not unlikely Abbas will resign from his position. Then, it would only be a matter of time before Hamas launches a third intifada, in an attempt to take over. – Salim NassarInternational conspiracy against Egypt’s cottonAl-Masryoon, Egypt, March 20In the last couple of years, Egypt has seen a constant decline in its cotton export. Cairo’s cotton industry, which once took pride in its world-renowned product, is no longer bringing foreign currency into the country; this is affecting millions of Egyptians who have established their entire lives around this economic sector.While some claim the diminished exports are a result of changes in global supply and demand, others posit that there is an international conspiracy against Egyptian cotton producers, aimed at eliminating their competition. The Egyptian Textile and Weaving Union accused the government of standing idly by as the cotton industry falls apart; workers cite examples of other countries, such as the US, India and Turkey, where government subsidies for cotton are extremely high.Meanwhile, the government is trying to shrink the industry while increasing cotton imports, to minimize costs and reduce the waste of water on cotton. – Duaa RajabDubai – an exception or the norm?Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, March 21“Why aren’t all Arab countries like Dubai?” is a question I often hear. Dubai is an autonomous city-state in the United Arab Emirates, enjoying unbelievable financial stability and economic growth.Some attribute this success to the city’s ability to attract foreign investments. This is not true: Most of Dubai’s projects – from the skyscrapers to the airports – have been designed, funded and built by the government itself, while investors only arrived after it gained international recognition. Others claim that most local businesses are privatized, creating economic competitiveness and efficiency. This is also not true: Most businesses in Dubai are still controlled by the government.The real secret behind Dubai’s success is its unbelievable leadership. Its ruling sheikh gives people the independence to promote their own initiatives, but still holds them accountable for the success of their enterprises. He makes risky investments in individual businesses, but scrutinizes their business plans. This sense of accountability is what is missing from most other Arab countries: Leaders who not only distribute resources, but also monitor the way they are used. This is why not all Arab countries are like the miracle we call Dubai. – Abdulrahman al-RashedThe crazy Middle EastAl Jazeera, Qatar, March 21The Middle East is becoming more extreme and divided with each day; there is terrorism and chaos, states falling apart and civil wars. In the midst of all this, the Israeli election gave power, once again, to Netanyahu – who will serve as prime minister for the third term in a row, and is not interested in reaching a deal with the Palestinians. He aims to form a rightwing government with the ultra-Orthodox parties, which will completely undermine the idea of Palestinian sovereignty in the pre-1967 borders.Meanwhile, on the Palestinian side, tensions between the PLO and Hamas are increasing and spreading to the streets. Israel, in its actions and policies, is only making things worse by creating a generation of Palestinian extremists. Netanyahu’s new government is not interested in anything but perpetuating this chaos, and fueling it even more.The future of our region does not seem too bright.Everywhere we look, there is extremism, radicalism and racism. – Nasser al-Sarami
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