middle east daily bulletin - orsam mart... · middle east daily bulletin 17 march 2014 no: 1751 ......
TRANSCRIPT
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MIDDLE EAST DAILY BULLETIN 17 MARCH 2014
NO: 1751 1. IRAQ ..................................................................................................................................... 4
Presidency of the Kurdistan region: no one has the right to speak on behalf of the president of the region Print Save ............................................................................................................................4
Nujaifi meets with US official .......................................................................................................4
INA to pressurize towards endorsing Budget Law, says Baldawi .................................................4
Rafie al-Issawi excluded from the next elections .........................................................................4
Alshahyla , al- Saadi , al-Ajaili , al-Issawi , Al-Alusi and al-Mullah Definitively Excluded from the Upcoming Elections ..............................................................................................................................5
Muhsin al-Sadoun Denies the Threat by Kurdistan Leader to Stop the Export of Oil and Water Cut 5
Barzani signs decision of turning Halabcha into new province in Kurdistan ................................5
Allawi : Youth will Play a Major Role in Changing the Course of the Political Process in the Elections ...............................................................................................................................................6
Iraqi Media Networks’ staff protests for preventing them from entering Parliament ................6
Zubaidi confirms need for national government that consolidate national unity .......................6 2. SYRIA .................................................................................................................................... 6
Syria war spillover in north Lebanon: At least 9 people killed in 48 hours ..................................6
Syria war enters fourth year with more than 146,000 dead ........................................................7
Assad army seizes full control of rebel bastion Yabrud ...............................................................7
Syria chemical weapons 'could go in a month' ............................................................................7
Syrian army captures strategic border town ................................................................................8
U.S. calls Assad’s re-election bid ‘disgusting’ ...............................................................................8
Syrian FM recovering from heart surgery ....................................................................................8
World marks anniversary of Syria rebellion .................................................................................8
Jarba urges Syrian opposition ‘friends’ for arms ..........................................................................9
Army: Syria infiltrators, fighters in Jordan custody ......................................................................9
Peace envoy Brahimi visits Syria ally Iran .....................................................................................9 3. IRAN .................................................................................................................................... 10
Iran 'thwarts nuclear sabotage attempts' ................................................................................. 10
Rouhani Proposes Iran-EU Joint Campaign against Violence, Terrorism, Extremism ............... 10
Zarif: Iran, World Powers to Focus on Technical Issues in Upcoming Talks .............................. 10
Iran Willing to Expand All-Out Ties with Belarus ....................................................................... 11
Iranian MPs Stress Iran’s Inalienable Nuclear Rights ................................................................ 11
Iran Mulling Construction of N. Power Plants in 16 New Sites ................................................. 11
EU shouldn’t dance to US, Israel tune: Rafsanjani .................................................................... 12
Azerbaijani president to visit Iran in near future: Official ......................................................... 12
Final Iran nuclear deal to benefit entire Mideast: China .......................................................... 12 4. ISRAEL – PALESTINE.............................................................................................................. 13
Serious discussions mocked: Peres posts ‘secret talks’ disguises on Facebook ........................ 13
Israel fuel deliveries to Gaza to resume .................................................................................... 13
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Palestinians protest UN food cuts in Gaza ................................................................................ 13
Kerry urges Abbas to make 'tough decisions' ........................................................................... 14
Israel shells Lebanon after border blast .................................................................................... 14
'Abbas to tell Obama: Israel must free Barghouti, Sa'adat for peace talks to continue' .......... 14
Gaza power plant restart delayed over fuel .............................................................................. 15
Thousands of Palestinians surround Jerusalem Old City ........................................................... 15 5. JORDAN and LEBANON ......................................................................................................... 15
Lebanon government reaches compromise on ‘armed resistance’ .......................................... 15
Bloodbath in Tripoli as Syria war spills over .............................................................................. 16
Death toll rises in northern Lebanon clashes ............................................................................ 16
Lebanon car bomb kills Hezbollah leader.................................................................................. 16
Lebanon to allow citizens to resist Israel .................................................................................. 16
Jordanian jailed for killing Israelis on hunger strike .................................................................. 17
Jordan king visits family of ‘martyr’ judge killed by Israel ......................................................... 17
Zaatari children mark conflict anniversary, urge world to stand with Syria ............................. 17
Queen joins young Jordanians in discussion of their development priorities .......................... 18
Lower House to discuss no-confidence vote Tuesday............................................................... 18 6. ARABIAN PENINSULA AND THE GULF OF BASRA .................................................................... 18
Riyadh Book Fair confiscates hundreds of poetry and Brotherhood publications ................... 18
Abu Dhabi agrees to refinance $20 billion of Dubai loans ........................................................ 19
Bahrain Saddam commemoration stirs controversy ................................................................. 19
Breakthrough gives Emirati women hope to soar high ............................................................. 19
Riyadh demands Qatar shuts down Al Jazeera ......................................................................... 20
Qatar prepares for sanctions if Brotherhood dispute escalates ............................................... 20
Yemen troops kill southern activist: group ............................................................................... 20
Rebels rally in Yemen city demanding government quit........................................................... 20
Abdullah arrives in Saudi Arabia ................................................................................................ 21 7. EGYPT .................................................................................................................................. 21
Islamist gunmen kill six Egypt soldiers in new escalation ......................................................... 21
Bomb accident kills leader of Ansar Beit al-Maqdis in Egypt .................................................... 21
Egypt activist Alaa Abdel Fattah faces trial on March 23 .......................................................... 22
Egypt vows 'decisive' steps after deadly raid ............................................................................ 22
Egypt ex-presidential candidate calls upcoming elections a ‘farce’ .......................................... 22
Two police officers killed in a security raid targeting an outlaw in Qena ................................. 22 8. NORTH AFRICA ..................................................................................................................... 23
Tunisia denies discriminating against Israeli tourists ................................................................ 23
Algeria PM meets local leaders in troubled Ghardaia ............................................................... 23
Mehdi Jomaa in Dubai: UAE stands by Tunisia in crucial phase ................................................ 23
From prison in Spain to Morocco: Deportation of Madrid train bombing convict ................... 24
Bouteflika’s 4th term divides Algeria as clashes rage in Ghardaia ............................................ 24
Libyan port rebels ready to negotiate if Tripoli cancels army offensive ................................... 24
Ex-Libyan PM: there are political coalitions who want delayed elections ................................ 25
Sacked Libyan PM Zeidan says he fled country due to ‘security conditions’ ............................ 25 9. AFGHANISTAN – PAKISTAN .................................................................................................. 25
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Another Candidate Pulls Out Of Afghan Presidential Vote ....................................................... 25
Taliban violence threatens Afghan elections: HRW .................................................................. 25
Afghan forces kill 6 Taliban militants ........................................................................................ 26
Nisar given Taliban’s list of women, children prisoners: Ibrahim ............................................. 26
Protesting nurses accept government offer, end sit-in............................................................. 26
US Navy Seals free freighter with six Pakistanis on-board ........................................................ 27 10. TURKEY AND THE MIDDLE EAST ............................................................................................ 27
Oglu and Barzani / Meeting. ...................................................................................................... 27
Oglu: Saddam was strong and committed worst massacre against Kurds ............................... 27
Barzani and Erdogan hold a closed-door meeting away from cameras .................................... 28
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1. IRAQ
Presidency of the Kurdistan region: no one has the right to speak on behalf of the president of the region Print Save
The presidency of the Kurdistan region confirmed that no person or party has the right to speak on
behalf of the region's president , Massoud Barzani, on the results of the meeting, which was devoted
to discuss the budget with the Kurdish blocs in Parliament .
More Details:
http://www.ninanews.com/english/News_Details.asp?ar95_VQ=HDFHEK
Nujaifi meets with US official
Iraqi House Speaker, Osama Abdul Aziz al-Nujaifi discussed with
Assistant Secretary of State, George Brett the deterioration of the
security situation and the relations between Erbil and Baghdad and
the cause of the delay of the budget. The two side discussed the
relations between Baghdad and Erbil and the issue of delay in the
federal budget in Iraq and the need to show all the possibilities in
order to bring the views and overcome the obstacles and persuade
the parties to attend meetings to approve the law .
More Details:
http://www.ninanews.com/english/News_Details.asp?ar95_VQ=HDFHIH
INA to pressurize towards endorsing Budget Law, says Baldawi
MP, Mufeed al-Baldawi, of the Iraqi National Alliance assured that the INA will pressurize towards
endorsing the Budget Law through majority.He stated to AIN "INA will pressurize the parliament
Chairmanship to conduct the first reading for the Budget Law and to vote on its draft by majority."
More Details:
http://www.alliraqnews.com/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=50412:ina-to-
pressurize-towards-endorsing-budget-law-says-baldawi&catid=35:political&Itemid=2
Rafie al-Issawi excluded from the next elections
A source in the Iraqiya coalition, said that the leader figure in the Muttahidoon
coalition, Rafie al-Issawi was excluded from the next parliamentary elections.
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He told the National Iraqi News Agency / NINA / " Rafie al-Issawi was excluded from running in the
upcoming parliamentary elections to be held on April 30."
More Details:
http://www.ninanews.com/english/News_Details.asp?ar95_VQ=HDFIDJ
Alshahyla , al- Saadi , al-Ajaili , al-Issawi , Al-Alusi and al-Mullah Definitively Excluded from the Upcoming Elections
A source in the election commission announced on Sunday the exclusion of 4 deputies definitively
from the upcoming parliamentary elections. The source said in a statement to the National Iraqi
News Agency/ NINA / that the discrimination judicial body has excluded the MPs / Rafie al-Issawi ,
Motahedoon Coalition, Jawad Al-shehaly for the Liberal bloc, and the independent MP Sabah al-Saadi
, Abdul Dhiyab Ajaili for Iraqiya.
More Details:
http://www.ninanews.com/english/News_Details.asp?ar95_VQ=HDFIHK
Muhsin al-Sadoun Denies the Threat by Kurdistan Leader to Stop the Export of Oil and Water Cut
The leader in the Coalition of Kurdish Blocs Mohsen al-Sadoun denied on Sunday the threat by the
President of Kurdistan, Massoud Barzani to the federal government to stop the export of oil through
the territory of the province and the water cut.
More Details:
http://www.ninanews.com/english/News_Details.asp?ar95_VQ=HDFIIJ
Barzani signs decision of turning Halabcha into new province in Kurdistan
The President of Kurdistan Region, Masoud Barzani, ratified the
decision of the turning Halabcha district into new province in
Kurdistan Region. A statement by KR Presidency office received by AIN
cited "In coincidence with annual ceremony of the Chemical attack
against Halabcha by the former regime, Barzani signed the decision of
making this district as a new province within KR."
More Details:
http://www.alliraqnews.com/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=50422:barzani-
signs-decision-of-turning-halabcha-into-new-province-in-kurdistan-&catid=35:political&Itemid=2
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Allawi : Youth will Play a Major Role in Changing the Course of the Political Process in the Elections
Head of the National Coalition, Iyad Allawi, said on Sunday that the youth will play a major role in
changing the course of the political process in the upcoming parliamentary elections .
More Details:
http://www.ninanews.com/english/News_Details.asp?ar95_VQ=HDFIJF
Iraqi Media Networks’ staff protests for preventing them from entering Parliament
A number of employees of the Iraqi Media Network demonstrated on Sunday , to denounce what
they called the Speaker of the parliament , Osama al- Nujaifi’s decision of preventing al-Iraqiya TV
staff from entering Parliament .
More Details:
http://www.shafaaq.com/en/politics/9244--demonstration-of-iraqi-media-networks-staff-for-
preventing-them-from-entering-parliament.html
Zubaidi confirms need for national government that consolidate national unity
The head of the Citizen bloc, Baqir al-Zubaidi, confirmed the need for a national government that
consolidates the national unity among Iraqis. Via his Facebook page, he said "I received the Chieftain
of al-Umerat tribe, Mahmoud al-Atiwi, and confirmed that need for the national government that
sustains stability and security."
More Details:
http://www.alliraqnews.com/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=50414:zubaidi-
confirms-need-for-national-government-that-consolidate-national-unity-
&catid=35:political&Itemid=2
2. SYRIA
Syria war spillover in north Lebanon: At least 9 people killed in 48 hours
Nine people have been killed in 48 hours of clashes in Lebanon's
northern town of Tripoli linked to the conflict in neighbouring
Syria, a security source said on Saturday. The violence between
two districts of the city caused local schools to close and cut traffic
flow in the city to a trickle, a correspondent said.
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More Details:
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=64852
Syria war enters fourth year with more than 146,000 dead
Syrian troops advanced Saturday on the key rebel bastion of
Yabrud as the country's civil war entered its fourth year, with
more than 146,000 dead, millions displaced and peace efforts
stalled. Army troops were locked in fierce clashes with rebel
forces, including the Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front, after they
entered the town on Friday.
More Details:
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=64855
Assad army seizes full control of rebel bastion Yabrud
Syrian troops on Sunday seized full control of the rebel bastion
Yabrud in the strategic Qalamun region near the Lebanese border,
Syrian state media reported. "Our brave armed forces have full
control over Yabrud in Damascus province and are combing
through the town and removing explosive devices placed by
terrorists," state television said, citing a military source.
More Details:
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=64859
Syria chemical weapons 'could go in a month'
Syria's chemical weapons that should be destroyed outside the
country could be removed by April 13, a Russian Foreign Ministry
official has said, adding there was no need to adjust the
timeframe. "If there are no difficulties then in a month, on April
13, the removal will be practically finished," Mikhail Ulyanov, head
of the Foreign Ministry's security and disarmament department,
was quoted as saying by RIA news agency on Friday.
More Details:
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/03/syria-chemical-weapons-could-go-month-
201431452653715794.html
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Syrian army captures strategic border town
Syrian forces, backed by Lebanese Hezbollah fighters, are in full control of Yabroud after clearing out
rebels holed up in the strategic Syrian town for months, Syrian state media and opposition activists
have reported. Capturing Yabroud, the last major rebel bastion near the Lebanese border north of
Damascus, will help President Bashar al-Assad secure the land route linking his Mediterranean
coastal stronghold with the capital Damascus, and choke off a cross-border rebel supply line from
Lebanon.
More Details:
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/03/syrian-army-captures-strategic-border-town-
20143167587954232.html
U.S. calls Assad’s re-election bid ‘disgusting’
The United States said on Friday that the prospect of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad running for a
re-election would be “disgusting,” three years into a crushing civil war ripped the country. "We’ve
been clear that Assad has lost all legitimacy to lead his people and any sort of campaign that he
might run would be offensive and disgusting, I think, after what he's done to his people over the last
many, many months," State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf said, according to AFP.
More Details:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/03/15/U-S-calls-Assad-s-re-election-bid-
disgusting-.html
Syrian FM recovering from heart surgery
Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem is recovering in a Beirut hospital after undergoing heart
surgery on Friday, Syrian state media said.Muallem had been admitted to the American University of
Beirut Medical Center on Thursday, where coronary tests showed the 73-year-old needed an
operation.
More Details:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/03/15/Syrian-FM-recovering-from-heart-
surgery-.html
World marks anniversary of Syria rebellion
Across the world, charities and activist groups have marked the third
anniversary of the conflict in Syria on Saturday, as the violence in the
war-torn country continues unabated. Participants in the cities of
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Melbourne, London and Washington DC, among other cities, have held candlelit vigils to mark the
day and remember victims of the three-year crisis.
More Details:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/03/15/World-marks-anniversary-of-Syria-
rebellion.html
Jarba urges Syrian opposition ‘friends’ for arms
The head of main opposition group the Syrian National
Coalition urged allies on Saturday to supply rebel forces with
weapons to beat President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, on the
day of the Syrian uprising’s third anniversary. “We are
renewing our call to our friends for an immediate supply of
arms, which they cut before Geneva,” Ahmed Jarba told
reporters during a televised press conference.
More Details:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/03/15/Jarba-urges-Syrian-opposition-
friends-for-arms-.html
Army: Syria infiltrators, fighters in Jordan custody
Jordanian border guards on Sunday clashed with and arrested four people as they tried to enter the
country illegally from war-torn Syria, the army said. The army also said three other people "who are
members of groups fighting in Syria have voluntarily handed themselves over to the border guards."
More Details:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/03/16/Army-Syria-infiltrators-fighters-in-
Jordan-custody.html
Peace envoy Brahimi visits Syria ally Iran
The U.N.-Arab League envoy for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, arrived in
Tehran on Sunday for talks on the Syria crisis with top Iranian
officials, media reports said. The Fars news agency said he would
meet President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad
Javad Zarif and other officials during his three-day visit.
More Details:
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http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/03/16/Peace-envoy-Brahimi-visits-Syria-
ally-Iran.html
3. IRAN
Iran 'thwarts nuclear sabotage attempts'
Iran has claimed it has thwarted a number of sabotage attempts
against the country's nulcear programme and infrastructure,
including one at its heavy water reactor. Asghar Zarean, a senior
official in charge of nuclear security at the Atomic Energy
Organisation of Iran, said that Iran's intelligence agencies were
instrumental in uncovering plots over the last few months.
More Details:
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/03/iran-thwarts-sabotage-at-nuclear-reactor-
201431513910455703.html
Rouhani Proposes Iran-EU Joint Campaign against Violence, Terrorism, Extremism
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in a meeting with Greek
Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos in Tehran on Sunday
announced that Tehran is ready to cooperate with the
European countries in fighting violence, terrorism and
extremism.During the meeting, President Rouhani pointed to
the UN approval of his proposal on World Against Violence
and Extremism (WAVE), and said, “The Islamic Republic of
Iran is seriously prepared to cooperate with the European
Union against violence, terrorism and extremism within the framework of the WAVE.”
More Details:
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13921225001261
Zarif: Iran, World Powers to Focus on Technical Issues in Upcoming Talks
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif underlined that the
upcoming talks between Iran and the Group 5+1 (the US, Russia,
China, Britain and France plus Germany) will only focus on technical
issues and international nuclear cooperation.“During the upcoming
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negotiations in Vienna on Tuesday, we will talk about uranium enrichment and Arak heavy water,”
Zarif said after his meeting with his Belarus counterpart Vladimir Makey in Tehran on Sunday.
More Details:
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13921225001069
Iran Willing to Expand All-Out Ties with Belarus
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in a meeting with
his Belarus counterpart Vladimir Makey called for the broadening
of bilateral ties between the two states.“Iran is a reliable and
long-term partner for Belarus,” Zarif said during the meeting,
adding, “Iran is ready for all-out expansion of relations with
Belarus.”
More Details:
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13921225001352
Iranian MPs Stress Iran’s Inalienable Nuclear Rights
A majority of Iranian lawmakers in a statement issued on the threshold of a new round of talks
between Iran and the six world powers reiterated that the country would not give up even an iota of
its nuclear rights, including the right of uranium enrichment.Iran as a committed member of the non-
proliferation treaty (NPT) that has fulfilled its duties accordingly wants to benefit from its full and
inalienable rights in peaceful use of the nuclear energy as stipulated in the Article 4 of the NPT.
More Details:
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13921225000871
Iran Mulling Construction of N. Power Plants in 16 New Sites
Iran has identified over a dozen potential sites for construction
of new nuclear power plants, a senior nuclear official said,
adding that most of the sites are located in the Southern parts
of the country.“According to the feasibility studies, there are
16 selected sties, 10 located on the coastal rim of the Persian
Gulf and the Sea of Oman (in Southern Iran), which enjoy
higher priorities (compared to other potential locations) for
the construction nuclear power plants,” Deputy Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran
(AEOI) Mohammad Ahmadiyan said in Tehran on Sunday.
More Details:
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http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13921225000535
EU shouldn’t dance to US, Israel tune: Rafsanjani
A high-ranking Iranian official terms the assumption of the
European Union rotating presidency as a historic opportunity
for Greece, stating that the EU must not be influenced
neither by the United States nor Israel when it comes to
world issues.
More Details:
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/03/16/354966/eu-shouldnt-be-manipulated-by-us-israel/
Azerbaijani president to visit Iran in near future: Official
A senior Iranian diplomat says Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev
would pay an official visit to Iran in the near future to discuss
expansion of Tehran-Baku ties. “Azerbaijan’s president will soon
travel to Iran and issues pertained to borders and problems on the
path to signing mutual agreements will be addressed during the
negotiations,” Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Asia-Pacific and
Commonwealth Affairs Ebrahim Rahimpour said in Iran’s
northwestern border city of Jolfa on Sunday, IRNA reported.
More Details:
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/03/17/354974/azerbaijani-president-to-visit-iran-soon/
Final Iran nuclear deal to benefit entire Mideast: China
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi says a final deal between Iran and the P5+1 group on Tehran’s
nuclear energy program will be in the interest of the entire Middle East.In a Sunday interview with
the London-based Asharq al-Awsat newspaper, the top Chinese diplomat hailed last November’s
interim nuclear deal between Iran and the six powers – Russia, China, Britain, France, the US and
Germany – as a “very important progress.”
More Details:
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/03/17/354985/iran-nuclear-deal-benefits-entire-mideast/
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4. ISRAEL – PALESTINE
Serious discussions mocked: Peres posts ‘secret talks’ disguises on Facebook
Israel's President Shimon Peres on Friday posted photos on
Facebook of disguises he wore in the 1970s to travel
undetected to Arab neighbour Jordan for secret negotiations.
Peres posted the photos to coincide with the Jewish religious
festival Purim, which features carnival costumes, fireworks and
toy guns.
More Details:
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=64843
Israel fuel deliveries to Gaza to resume
Israel is to allow the resumption of diesel deliveries into Gaza, a day after the territory's sole power
plant stopped working due to a lack of fuel, officials have said. The announcement on Sunday came
after the Defence Ministry had shut down the Kerem Shalom goods crossing into southern Gaza on
Thursday following cross-border fire.
More Details:
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/03/israel-fuel-deliveries-gaza-resume-
201431692326150533.html
Palestinians protest UN food cuts in Gaza
Hundreds of Palestinians have demonstrated against cuts to a
United Nations food programme, as protest leaders said they
would boost their efforts to restore food assistance to local
families. Protesters gathered outside the metal gate of the UN
Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) offices in Gaza City on
Sunday, banging pots and pans and raising banners against the
cuts.
More Details:
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/03/palestinians-protest-un-food-cuts-gaza-
2014316123839807309.html
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Kerry urges Abbas to make 'tough decisions'
US Secretary of State John Kerry has urged Palestinian President
Mahmoud Abbas "to make the tough decisions that will be
necessary" before an April 29 deadline for a peace deal with
Israel, a US official said. President Barack Obama meets Abbas
on Monday, nearly two weeks after the US leader sat down with
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said he was
prepared to make a "historic peace" with the Palestinians but
offered no concessions in public.
More Details:
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/03/kerry-urges-abbas-make-tough-decisions-
20143172554129215.html
Israel shells Lebanon after border blast
Israel said Friday it shelled a position belonging to the powerful
Shiite movement Hezbollah inside Lebanon, in response to a blast
targeting its troops along the border.Hezbollah had threatened to
strike back after an air raid in February, the first reported Israeli
strike on one of its positions inside Lebanon since the brief but
bloody summer war of 2006 between the arch-foes.
More Details:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/03/14/Israel-shells-Lebanon-after-border-
blast.html
'Abbas to tell Obama: Israel must free Barghouti, Sa'adat for peace talks to continue'
In Monday’s scheduled meeting with US President Barack Obama in Washington, Palestinian
Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will reportedly demand that Israel halt all construction in West
Bank settlements as well as release high-profile Palestinian leaders who were convicted of terrorist
atrocities, among them Tanzim chief Marwan Barghouti and Ahmed Sa’adat, the leader of the
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, all as a condition for Ramallah’s agreement to continue
peace talks with Jerusalem.
More Details:
http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Abbas-to-tell-Obama-Israel-must-free-Barghouti-
Saadat-for-peace-talks-to-continue-345585
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Gaza power plant restart delayed over fuel
Gaza's sole power station will not resume operations until
Monday, despite Israel reopening a crossing to fuel deliveries, the
deputy chief of the Gaza energy authority said on Sunday. Officials
had said Israel would allow the resumption of diesel deliveries into
Gaza on Sunday, a day after the Palestinian territory's power plant
stopped working because of a lack of fuel.
More Details:
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=682081
Thousands of Palestinians surround Jerusalem Old City
Thousands of people surrounded Jerusalem's Old City from
Bab al-Khalil (Jaffa Gate) to Bab al-Asbat (Lions' Gate) in a
defiant action marking a reading day celebration. The Shabab
al-Balad initiative organized the event in which people from
Jerusalem, Palestinian-Israelis, and some people from the
West Bank gathered to read simultaneously.
More Details:
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=682006
5. JORDAN and LEBANON
Lebanon government reaches compromise on ‘armed resistance’
Lebanon's new cross-party government, formed last month,
adopted a political programme Saturday after reaching a
compromise over the thorny question of the arsenal of
Hezbollah, one of the coalition's members. The Shiite
movement, known as the "resistance" because of its
opposition to Israel, never disarmed after Lebanon's 15-year
civil war ended in 1990, and its military power rivals that of the
army.
More Details:
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=64847
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Bloodbath in Tripoli as Syria war spills over
Eleven people have been killed in three days of clashes in the
northern Lebanese town of Tripoli linked to the conflict in Syria,
security sources and the Lebanese army said Sunday. Overnight,
the army announced the death of a soldier when a military
patrol in the city was hit by an anti-tank grenade.
More Details:
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=64861
Death toll rises in northern Lebanon clashes
At least 11 people have been killed in three days of clashes in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli
linked to the conflict in Syria, security sources and the Lebanese army said.Overnight to Sunday, the
army announced the death of a soldier when a military patrol in the city was hit by an anti-tank
grenade.
More Details:
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/03/death-toll-rises-northern-lebanon-clashes-
201431673514363745.html
Lebanon car bomb kills Hezbollah leader
A suicide car bomb attack has killed at least four people in a Hezbollah-dominated area of the Bekaa
Valley in Lebanon, near the border with Syria. Among those killed in the attack, which struck the
village of al-Nabi Othman late on Sunday, was Hezbollah's local leader Abdul Rahman al-Qadhi,
according to Al Jazeera's Ehab al-Okadi, reporting from Lebanon.
More Details:
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/03/car-bomb-lebanon-kills-hezbollah-man-
201431620585592964.html
Lebanon to allow citizens to resist Israel
Lebanon’s new government agreed to a compromise policy
statement on Friday that fell short of explicitly enshrining the
militant group Hezbollah’s role in confronting Israel but which
would give all citizens the right to resist Israeli occupation or
attacks. The agreement on the compromise language came after
weeks of dispute brought the government to the verge of
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collapse, and now paves the way for Prime Minister Tammam Salam to put his government to a vote
of confidence.
More Details:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/03/15/Lebanon-to-allow-citizens-to-resist-
Israel-.html
Jordanian jailed for killing Israelis on hunger strike
A Jordanian soldier serving a life sentence for murdering Israeli schoolgirls in 1997 is on a hunger
strike to demand his release following the killing of a Jordanian judge by Israeli soldiers, his son said
Saturday“My father started a hunger strike on Friday. He said he demands the government release
him from jail after the Israelis killed Jordanian judge Raed Zeiter,” Ahmad Dakamseh’s son Seif told
AFP.
More Details:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/03/15/Jordanian-jailed-for-killing-Israelis-
on-hunger-strike.html
Jordan king visits family of ‘martyr’ judge killed by Israel
King Abdullah II on Sunday visited the family of a
Jordanian judge killed by Israeli soldiers to offer his
condolences, the palace said on Twitter. A picture on
Twitter showed the king hugging the father of 38-year-
old Raed Zeiter. “His majesty King Abdullah II offers
condolences to the family of martyr judge Raed Zeiter,”
reads the caption.
More Details:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/03/16/Jordan-king-visits-family-of-martyr-
judge-killed-by-Israel-.html
Zaatari children mark conflict anniversary, urge world to stand with Syria
Three years on, civil unrest that began with the arrest of
schoolboys for spraying anti-regime graffiti in the Syrian city of
Daraa near the Jordanian border and escalated into a full-scale
civil war, no side is willing to lay down their arms.The conflict has
claimed around 140,000 lives since March 2011, the Syrian
Observatory for Human Rights said, among them, at least 10,000
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were children, the highest child casualty rates recorded in any recent conflict in the region, according
to UNICEF.
More Details:
http://jordantimes.com/zaatari-children-mark-conflict-anniversary-urge-world-to-stand-with-syria
Queen joins young Jordanians in discussion of their development priorities
Her Majesty Queen Rania on Sunday joined 120 young Jordanians
from across the Kingdom in a discussion aimed at outlining the
Jordan River Foundation’s (JRF) strategic youth development plan
for the next five years.The discussion, which was held at the King
Hussein Youth City, is the first of many activities planned for the
future that will include the involvement of local institutions in both
the public and the private sectors, according to a statement from Her Majesty's office.
More Details:
http://jordantimes.com/queen-joins-young-jordanians-in-discussion-of-their-development-priorities
Lower House to discuss no-confidence vote Tuesday
The Lower House is scheduled to meet on Tuesday to discuss two motions of no-confidence in the
government.Several deputies are angry over “the government’s attitude towards their demands”
especially those associated with the killing of Jordanian Judge Raed Zuaiter last Monday by two
Israeli soldiers, which caused public outrage.
More Details:
http://jordantimes.com/lower-house-to-discuss--no-confidence-vote-tuesday
6. ARABIAN PENINSULA AND THE GULF OF BASRA
Riyadh Book Fair confiscates hundreds of poetry and Brotherhood publications
Saudi authorities have banned hundreds of books, including works
by renowned Palestinian poet Mahmud Darwish, as part of a
crackdown on publications deemed threatening to the conservative
kingdom. The local Okaz daily reported Sunday that organisers at
the Riyadh International Book Fair had confiscated "more than
10,000 copies of 420 books" during the exhibition.
More Details:
Sayfa 19
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=64862
Abu Dhabi agrees to refinance $20 billion of Dubai loans
Oil-rich Abu Dhabi and the UAE central bank agreed Sunday to
extend the period of loans worth $20 billion accorded neighbouring
Dubai when it was hit by the global financial crisis in 2009. The
government of Abu Dhabi agreed to roll over a loan of $10 billion
for a renewable five years, WAM state news agency said.
More Details:
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=64863
Bahrain Saddam commemoration stirs controversy
An international cultural diversity festival hosted by the
University of Bahrain has waded into controversy after the
Iraqi student community beamed the picture of former
president Saddam Hussain during the screening of a
documentary on Iraq’s history and civilisations.Although
there were no strong reactions from the students attending
the festival aiming to spotlight the diversity of the university
communities when the large picture of the former leader
who was toppled in 2003 was displayed, overtones of criticism and sectarianism loomed large
afterwards, mainly on social networks.
More Details:
http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/bahrain/bahrain-saddam-commemoration-stirs-controversy-
1.1304009
Breakthrough gives Emirati women hope to soar high
“The next time I read or hear utter nonsense about Emirati women unable to succeed or to assert
themselves in male-dominated jobs, my riposte will be only two words,” Sarah Al Mansouri, a
Bahraini businesswoman, said before marking a short pause to get the full attention of the other
business people in the conversation.
More Details:
http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/bahrain/breakthrough-gives-emirati-women-hope-to-soar-high-
1.1301580
Sayfa 20
Riyadh demands Qatar shuts down Al Jazeera
Saudi Arabia demanded that Qatar shut down Al Jazeera and two think tanks during a recent meeting
of the Gulf Cooperation Council, a source close to someone who attended the talks said
Friday.Riyadh demanded the closure of the pan-Arab broadcaster as well as the Brookings Doha
Centre and the Arab Centre for Research and Policy Studies, the source said.
More Details:
http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/saudi-arabia/riyadh-demands-qatar-shuts-down-al-jazeera-
1.1304168
Qatar prepares for sanctions if Brotherhood dispute escalates
Qatar is preparing contingencies to ward off economic pressure threatened by its Gulf neighbours
amid a continued diplomatic stand-off over the role of political Islam in the region.Executives in Doha
say official planning is under way to deal with any potential sanctions, despite officials’ belief that
Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain will refrain from raising tensions further after last week’s
withdrawal of ambassadors.
More Details:
http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/qatar/qatar-prepares-for-sanctions-if-brotherhood-dispute-
escalates-1.1304263
Yemen troops kill southern activist: group
Yemeni troops shot dead a young Southern Movement activist Friday during a raid in the port city of
Aden, sources in the pro-autonomy group said.They said the troops were searching for secessionists
at dawn when they opened fire on around a dozen activists who had come out into the street, killing
one of them.
More Details:
http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/yemen/yemen-troops-kill-southern-activist-group-1.1304268
Rebels rally in Yemen city demanding government quit
Thousands of Al Houthi rebels marched through a provincial capital in northern Yemen on Friday to
demand the resignation of the central government, which they accused of corruption, witnesses
said.With many totting assault rifles and accompanied by vehicles mounted with rocket launchers,
they chanted “down with the corrupt government,” as they paraded on the streets of Omran.
More Details:
Sayfa 21
http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/yemen/rebels-rally-in-yemen-city-demanding-government-quit-
1.1304278
Abdullah arrives in Saudi Arabia
Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister, accompanied by Dr. Anwar Mohammad
Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, arrived in Saudi capital Riyadh on Saturday.Shaikh
Abdullah was welcomed upon arrival at King Khalid International Airport by Prince Saud Al Faisal,
Saudi Foreign Minister, Dr. Khalid Al Jindan, Undersecretary of Foreign Ministry for Bilateral
Relations, Azzam Abdul Karim Al Qain, Undersecretary of Foreign Ministry for Protocol Affairs,
Mohammad Bin Saeed Al Dhaheri, UAE Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, and staff of UAE Embassy.
More Details:
http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/government/abdullah-arrives-in-saudi-arabia-1.1304570
7. EGYPT
Islamist gunmen kill six Egypt soldiers in new escalation
Gunmen killed six soldiers at a Cairo checkpoint Saturday in a
brazen morning attack the military blamed on the Muslim
Brotherhood movement of deposed president Mohamed Morsi.
The attack came two days after gunmen killed a soldier in Cairo, as
militants once based in the Sinai Peninsula increasingly target the
capital in a campaign that has killed more than 200 security men
since the army overthrew Morsi last July.
More Details:
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=64845
Bomb accident kills leader of Ansar Beit al-Maqdis in Egypt
Egypt's deadliest terrorist group said one of its founders, who
led a deadly 2011 attack in Israel, has been accidentally killed by
a bomb. Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, which has spearheaded a low-
level insurgency against Egyptian soldiers and police, said
Tawfiq Mohamed Fareej was killed last week when a car
accident set off a bomb he was carrying.
More Details:
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=64856
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Egypt activist Alaa Abdel Fattah faces trial on March 23
Prominent activist Alaa Abdel Fattah is to stand trial on March 23 for
allegedly participating in a violent protest, state media reported
Saturday. The announcement came as a court handed two-year prison
sentences to 68 supporters of ousted Islamist president Mohamed
Morsi and opposition activists on the same charge, a judicial source
said.
More Details:
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=64850
Egypt vows 'decisive' steps after deadly raid
Egypt's interim government has pledged "decisive" action and
ordered heightened security after armed men killed six soldiers at
a Cairo checkpoint. The shooting on Saturday morning came two
days after a soldier was killed in Cairo, as fighters once based in
the Sinai Peninsula widen attacks that have surged after the army
overthrew President Mohamed Morsi last July.
More Details:
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/03/egypt-vows-decisive-steps-after-deadly-raid-
201431613527903367.html
Egypt ex-presidential candidate calls upcoming elections a ‘farce’
A former Egyptian presidential candidate close to the country's youth movements said Sunday he
would not take part in upcoming presidential elections, calling them a “farce” stacked in favor of
Egypt's powerful military chief.
More Details:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/03/16/Egypt-ex-presidential-candidate-
calls-upcoming-elections-a-farce-.html
Two police officers killed in a security raid targeting an outlaw in Qena
Two policemen were killed on Monday during a security raid that
targeted wanted suspects for possessing weapons.Major General
Mohamed Kamal, Qena security chief, was notified over the death of
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First Lieutenant Mahmoud Mohamed Hanafy, 23, and Police Sergeant Ibrahim Abdel Hamid, 38, after
being shot during the raid.
More Details:
http://www.egyptindependent.com//news/two-police-officers-killed-security-raid-targeting-outlaw-
qena
8. NORTH AFRICA
Tunisia denies discriminating against Israeli tourists
Tunisia's tourism minister on Friday denied Israeli tourists
aboard a cruise ship who were prevented from entering the
country had been discriminated against, saying there had
been a procedural problem. The Miami-based Norwegian
Cruise Line said on Monday a "small number" of Israeli
passengers on one of its ships were not allowed to disembark
in Tunis "because of a last-minute decision made by the
Tunisian government".
More Details:
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=64842
Algeria PM meets local leaders in troubled Ghardaia
Algeria's premier on Sunday visited a town on the edge of the
Sahara where three people were killed in communal violence
between Arabs and Berbers. Prime Minister Youcef Yousfi was
accompanied by Interior Minister Tayeb Belaiz on the visit to
Ghardaia, some 600 kilometres (370 miles) south of Algiers,
where they met with local leaders, according to the national
news agency APS.
More Details:
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=64868
Mehdi Jomaa in Dubai: UAE stands by Tunisia in crucial phase
Sayfa 24
Tunisian premier Mehdi Jomaa arrived in the United Arab
Emirates Saturday to start a tour of five oil-rich Gulf monarchies,
where he hopes to boost ties and attract investors. Jomaa heads
a government of independents formed in January after the
ruling Islamist-dominated coalition left power, and is tasked with
turning around Tunisia's faltering economy.
More Details:
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=64864
From prison in Spain to Morocco: Deportation of Madrid train bombing convict
Spain on Sunday deported a Moroccan man after he completed a 10-year jail sentence for obtaining
the explosives used in the 2004 Madrid train bombings that killed 191 people, the government said.
More Details:
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=64869
Bouteflika’s 4th term divides Algeria as clashes rage in Ghardaia
Supporters and opponents of Algerian President Abdelaziz
Bouteflika's decision to seek a fourth term in April elections staged
rival demonstrations in the capital Algiers on Saturday.The 77-year-
old's decision to seek re-election had been expected despite
concerns over his health after he was hospitalised for three months
in Paris last year because of a mini-stroke.
More Details:
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=64860
Libyan port rebels ready to negotiate if Tripoli cancels army offensive
Libyan rebels who have seized three oil export ports said on
Saturday they were ready to negotiate with the government
over an end to their blockade if it abandoned plans for a military
offensive. Abb-Rabbo al-Barassi, the eastern autonomy
movement's self-appointed “prime minister”, told Reuters by
phone that talks could not start unless the central government
withdrew any troops it had sent to central Libya to confront
them.
More Details:
Sayfa 25
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/03/15/Libyan-port-rebels-say-ready-to-talk-
to-government-if-Tripoli-cancels-army-offensive.html
Ex-Libyan PM: there are political coalitions who want delayed elections
Ousted Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan told Al Arabiya News channel in an interview aired Saturday
that there are political coalitions that seek to delay elections.Among these political coalitions is the
Muslim Brotherhood, which wants to be in control over Libya, Zeidan said.
More Details:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/03/16/Ex-Libyan-PM-there-are-political-
coalitions-who-want-delayed-elections.html
Sacked Libyan PM Zeidan says he fled country due to ‘security conditions’
Former Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan, who was ousted by the country’s parliament on Tuesday,
accused political blocs of strangling the country’s political progress, adding that his sudden departure
to Europe was due to Libya’s ‘security conditions.’“The security conditions in Libya forced me to
leave,” said Zeidan in an interview with Al Arabiya News Channel on Saturday.
More Details:
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/03/16/Sacked-Libyan-PM-Zeidan-says-he-
fled-country-due-to-security-conditions-.html
9. AFGHANISTAN – PAKISTAN
Another Candidate Pulls Out Of Afghan Presidential Vote
A second candidate has withdrawn from Afghanistan’s April 5 presidential election, leaving nine men
officially on the ballot to succeed outgoing President Hamid Karzai.Former Defense Minister Abdul
Rahim Wardak gave no reason for his decision to drop out of the race in the March 16
announcement.
More Details:
http://www.aopnews.com/today.html
Taliban violence threatens Afghan elections: HRW
The Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Saturday that the Taliban threats and violence against the
campaign workers and election officials risk undermining the upcoming presidential election which is
due to be organized earlier next month. The remarks by Human Rights Watch (HRW) are followed by
Sayfa 26
Taliban group’s statement issued on March 11 where the Taliban group vowed to use all force to
disrupt the elections.
More Details:
http://www.aopnews.com/today.html
Afghan forces kill 6 Taliban militants
Afghanistan says at least six militants were killed during special operations by the country’s military
forces in two eastern provinces.The Afghan Defense Ministry said in a statement issued on Saturday
that two military operations were carried out by the Afghan National Army in the eastern provinces
of Paktia and Laghman.
More Details:
http://www.aopnews.com/today.html
Nisar given Taliban’s list of women, children prisoners: Ibrahim
Member Taliban negotiating committee, Professor Ibrahim
says the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan’s (TTP) list of 300 women
and children prisoners has been given to Interior Minister
Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. Briefing Jammat-e-Islami leaders on
the dialogue process, Professor Ibrahim said the withdrawal
of forces from South Waziristan Agency was a proposal not a
demand put forward by the Taliban. He added that if
withdrawal cannot take place in the entire agency, it should
be conducted in the Laddah and Makeen Tehsils.
More Details:
http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-141414-Nisar-given-Talibans-list-of-women,-children-prisoners:-
Ibrahim
Protesting nurses accept government offer, end sit-in
Protesting nurses have announced to end their sit-in as they said
the provincial government removed their reservations, Geo news
reported.According to the nurses, they had no differences with the
Punjab government but had only some reservations, which the
government has taken away.
More Details:
Sayfa 27
http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-141405-Protesting-nurses-accept-government-offer,-end-sit-in
US Navy Seals free freighter with six Pakistanis on-board
US Navy boarded and took control of commercial tanker Morning Glory which was seized earlier this
month by three armed Libyans.The freighter with six Pakistanis including Captain Noman Baig on-
board has been returned to Libya.
More Details:
http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-141403-US-Navy-Seals-free-freighter-with-six-Pakistanis-on-
board-
10. TURKEY AND THE MIDDLE EAST
Oglu and Barzani / Meeting.
The Web site, of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) said : "The KRG President Nijervan Barzani
met with Davutoglu in the Turkish Wan city today , adding that during the meeting, Davutoglu said
that Turkey has the strongest ties with Iraq after Germany in economic terms.
More Details:
http://www.ninanews.com/english/News_Details.asp?ar95_VQ=HDFGFH
Oglu: Saddam was strong and committed worst massacre against Kurds
Turkish Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu said that the
bombing of Halabja city with chemical weapons was the worst
massacres in history . Oglu said in a speech at a meeting with
representatives of some public institutions, civil society
organizations in Siirt province, eastern Turkey that , " We now
live the anniversary of Halabja massacre committed by a
powerful state that didn’t have mercy."
More Details:
http://www.shafaaq.com/en/politics/9236-oglu-saddam-was-strong-and-committed-worst-
massacre-against-kurds-.html
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Barzani and Erdogan hold a closed-door meeting away from cameras
Turkish news sources said , that the President of Kurdistan
Regional Government (KRG) , Nechirvan Barzani and Turkish
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a closed-door
meeting yesterday night in which journalists were prevented
from covering the event .
More Details:
http://www.shafaaq.com/en/politics/9243-barzani-and-erdogan-hold-a-closed-door-meeting-away-
from-cameras-.html
*This media summary is prepared by ORSAM Middle East Research Assistant Firuze Yağmur Gökler.
It covers news and commentaries as reported by the national media sources publishing in the Middle
Eastern countries. The views expressed are not those of ORSAM and their inclusion does not imply
factual accuracy.
*Bu bülten ORSAM Ortadoğu Uzman Yardımcısı Firuze Yağmur Gökler tarafından hazırlanmaktadır.
Bülten Ortadoğu ülkelerinin yerel haber kaynaklarından derlenmektedir. Belirtilen görüşler bölge
ülkelerinin haber kaynaklarına ve ismi geçen yazarlara ait olup ORSAM’ın görüşünü
yansıtmamaktadır.