Saudi forces occupy School after revolutionary graffiti

Saudi forces have entered this school in Eastern Saudi Arabia after the students drew revolutionary anti-royal family graffiti on its walls. The Saudi security forces were also accompanied with the feared Mabaheth (intelligence), when they took over Yamama school in the Shiite town of Qatif.

Qatif has seen demonstrations calling for more rights and the end of discrimination against this minority. Shiites in Saudi Arabia are seen by its government as heretics, and pawns of Iran; they are treated as second class citizens.

The Arab Digest has learned that the Saudi forces are doing a thorough search of the students to identify those who were behind the graffiti. They are also interrogating teachers to determine which students are responsible; arrests are expected.
The Saudi Security forces have also arrested a student from the Alsahel High School in Qatif, where they are starting a wide crackdown on dissent. Local sources have told the Arab Digest that this is the third school to be occupied, as the security forces have already stormed into AlQatif High School.

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Crimes against humanity: Assad's soldiers wait in line for rape!

This is the most disturbing video of Syria's repression yet. Soldiers of the Assad regime wait in line to rape a girl "detainee", according to the video's description. The soldiers are seen taking the girl into the container where they wait in line, while the man shooting the video, sobs in sadness. We have yet to confirm the video's authenticity, but since the Syrian army has not been hesitant in committing atrocities against its own people, it seems anything would be true.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=973ZwTyfn6w

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The Syrian National Council's Israel connection!

There has been a lot of unconfirmed reports regarding the relations between the Syrian National Council and Israel. Some, if not the majority, borders hallucinations or paranoia. But What do we know about this connection so far?

1. Normalization: Certain Syrian National Council members sit on panels and participate in public talks with Israelis. The names known so far are Ammar Abdulhamid who gave an interview to an Israeli newspaper a few years ago; he declared that "he has no qualms about talking to Israelis". Bassma Kodmani, another SNC member, had participated on an Israeli authors' panel; this has sparked controversy.

2. Close to Zionist and Neoconservative Circles: For instance, Ammar Abdulhamid, a known SNC member, is a friend of the pro-Israel think tank, Washington Institute for Near East Policy (A friend of Likud), and the neocon American Enterprise Institute (AEI). The latter is also Zionist, and pursues Likud agendas.

But what does Ammar Abdul Hamid say to the WINEP and AEI? In the latter, he has a special friend: the neocon Michael Rubin. Rubin wrote several times on Ammar Abdulhamid, usually with generous citations. The one below, on seeking foreign intervention, caught my eye:

“The reality is that Arab liberals are currently fighting to retain the last foothold that liberal values still have in the Arab world. In this they have no choice but to cooperate with external forces, at the risk of being denounced as traitors or pawns of the West.... [They] have no choice but to seek external sources of funding and expertise to support their various activities.” (Abdulhamid speaking)

(Picture: Abdulhamid addressing a WINEP crowd with Martin Kramer, a former Tel Aviv university Professor, and director of the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle East and Africa studies). Kramer and Rubin are both contributors to Daniel Pipes' Middle East Quarterly. Here is an article in which Abdulhamid is cited. In addition to his Israeli "academic" role, Kramer's remarks at the last Herzelya conference, in which he called for cuts in "pro-natal subsidies" to Palestinians in Gaza to reduce their population.

Osama Monajed, another Syrian National Council member, has participated in this AEI talk on Syria, chaired by hard line Zionist/Neocon Danielle Pletka. (Pletka has noted in a recent article that "The PLO was created in order to destroy the state of Israel and replace it with Palestine. The ’67 and ’73 wars were premised on that same dream. The Palestinians, and with them the dictators of the Arab world, believed in some magical solution grounded in falsehoods.")

Michael Rubin, Abdulhamid's friend, is of the same Zionist caliber. He said in an article last year that (the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza—part of historical Palestine—are not technically refugees since they never left their “country”).

(Photo: Monajed, b. 1980, who participated in the AEI talk on Syria)

PS. To read more on the SNC's Israel connections, check this article by Maidhc O' Cathail (Thank you Rowan).

Here is our full account of this connection in Arabic.

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Why Assad's referendum is a joke!

We have previously reported a joke on Syria's elections. But now we have evidence that it is really a joke. In the video below, the Syrian TV interviews a woman voter who starts showering Assad and his regime with praise, then she says "I even brought the ballot papers of my sons who live abroad and couldn't come to ...", the reporter cuts short the interview to avoid any further embarrassment, letting the woman vote for her entire household and probably more.

Here is the video for those who understand Arabic:

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An Israeli-American: we should wipe out Gaza!

The Israeli propaganda drive is based on promoting the state's victim image. "Hamas/Arabs want to throw us in the sea". In reality, Israel is the party that threw Palestinians in the sea, literally, in 1948 and 1967. Now, here is another example of an Israeli-American demanding that the Israeli air force wipes out Gaza. "They voted for Hamas, they want this".

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A U.S. Libya veteran plans joining Syria's war

Before Libya's revolution, Mathew Van Dyke was a freelance journalist and film maker, residing in the United States. After Gaddafi launched his bloody repression campaign, Van Dyke traveled to Libya to join the fight. Shortly afterwards, he was held in Notorious Abo Salim prison for six months; he was freed when Tripoli fell to rebel forces, and then finally got his chance to fight against Gaddafi forces in Libya's final battles.

After returning to the U.S., now Van Dyke is considering joining the fight in Syria. Here is the Arab Digest's interview with Van Dyke:

- As a freedom fighter who was imprisoned and fought in Libya, do you draw similarities with Syria's revolutions?

The two revolutions have some similarities, but many differences. The freedom fighters in Syria are not as unified, and perhaps never will be as unified as in Libya because of the sectarian divisions that exist in Syria that don't exist in Libya. The uprising in Libya was larger and had more support of the population, and more army defections. The strategy of the SNC is much different than the NTC in that they have advocated protest over war. The lack of unity within and between the political and militant wings of the uprising against Assad is a serious problem that is causing the conflict to drag on for a long time, and will result in more casualties. However, the revolution in Syria is a one for freedom and should be supported. Support will be more forthcoming if the SNC and FSA can better unite the opposition against Assad and work together so that the international community knows who they are supporting and how best to do it.

- Should freedom fighters like you, join the revolution in Syria, or have they already?

Everyone has to make those decisions for themselves. I know that some Libyans and other foreign fighters are in Syria helping, but their numbers are surely very small.

- Are you thinking of joining the Free Syrian Army?

Yes, I am considering it.

PS. The Arab Digest invites readers to post their questions below for a Q & A session with Van Dyke before his possible departure to Syria.

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Gaddafi's Look alike attracts crowds in Amman

The Jordanian Alghad newspaper published a report on a Muammar Gaddafi look alike who attracted crowds in Amman's streets during a hospitalization visit. His real name is Daw Al-Hakeek, and he was a Libyan soldier who defected following the start of the revolution. Daw lost his son, a rebel, during the fighting, while another son escaped death with injuries "in defense of free Libya".

"I am not proud of my facial similarities with Gaddafi", he told alghad. He did not approve of his killing either. "Gaddafi could have been killed off camera. People still do not have stomach for such a gruesome killing of an Arab leader".
In the last days of the revolution, Daw had to cover his head and part of his face in Tripoli's streets, fearing that snipers might mistake him for Gaddafi. 

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Mamoun Al-Homsi's Israel connection: Fiamma Nirenstein

The Arab Digest had previously reported on Syrian Opposition member, Mamoun Al-Homsi, and his call for ethnic cleansing of minorities in Syria. Well, new questions emerge on his politics and suspicious ties with Israel.

Mamoun Al-Homsi is pictured above at the Prague Security Conference (NeoCon) with the Israeli-Italian right wing politician and hardline Zionist, Fiamma Nirenstein. Nirenstein who is a neocon Zionist has spent much of her life in an illegal East Jerusalem Settlement called Gilo where she still maintains a home. 

Nirenstein is known for translating books of Nathan Sharansky, Bernard Lewis and Ruthie Bloom; she led efforts on behalf of the Israeli government to thwart the Palestinian bid for full UN membership and Statehood.

She is also known for hardline Zionist quotes like "every Jew in the world is an Israeli even if he's not aware of it. Anyone who doesn't know it is making a big mistake" and "morally speaking, there mustn't be negotiations with Hamas, which thinks that Jews are the sons of monkeys and pigs. You can't negotiate with cannibals, who eat human beings". Her stances drove Luisa Morgantini, the Vice President of the European Parliament to write an article in 2007, criticizing her hawkish stances, it was titled Fiamma Nirenstein and the conspiracy of treacherous Palestinians who do not want peace".

Nirenstein spends her year between an Italian residence and the East Jerusalem settlement with her husband, Israeli photographer Ofer Eshed.

The question remains, what was Homsi doing with her in Prague?

Homsi has also met her and U.S. based Farid Ghadri, a pro-Israeli opposition figure, in Rome where they discussed Syria. Nirenstein later wrote a post about her meeting with the two, expressing her deep worries over Hezbollah's capabilities and Syria's arsenal of rockets, capable of reaching Israel.

PS. The photo's credit is for Alessandro Lattanzio who kindly translated our earlier article on al-Homsi to Italian. Here is his post in Italian along with the photo. 

Here is our full account of this connection in Arabic.

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"The Yemen We don't Want"

This article was written following a Hezbollah sponsored conference under the title "The Yemen We Want"

By Hind Aleryani for The Arab Digest

Foreign intervention is a phrase I have heard a lot during my stay in Lebanon. It has turned many Lebanese lives to an endless nightmare, transformed their politicians to mere followers. I reject to hear this word in my country: Yemen.

As a Yemeni, I was always bothered by the constant interference of Saudi Arabia in our politics. We have always complained about how Saudi “bought – off” Yemeni tribal leaders and how it stood against the revolution in 1962 when we wanted Yemen to become a republic and not a single family’s private property. We complained about how Saudi Arabia stood against our unity because the idea of a big and united Yemen simply scared them. Saudi Arabia has always tried to break us and our unity to keep us weak and vulnerable, but we were all united against this intervention.

Recently, however, we have a new type of foreign intervention: The Islamic Republic of Iran. We have also seen some people defending this intervention and their excuse is that they are afraid of the Muslim Brotherhood’s influence, and that they seek a balance that makes me even more scared. No! My country will not turn into an area for proxy conflicts, such as Lebanon. We will not be divided between those who prefer Saudi’s intervention and those who prefer Iran’s. We heard a lot about Iran's support for the Houthis and their support for Ali Salem Al-Beidh, South Yemen’s former President, and about the activists who attend meetings in Iran.

What does Iran want? Iran wants to transform us into a bridge to attain further leverage against Saudi Arabia. Tehran does not really care about us and our causes; it just wants to take advantage of Yemenis and turn the country into a conflict arena, as it is the case in Lebanon. Iran does not care if we are divided into a million pieces; it cares less if we fought each other. All it cares about is our neighbour who in turn does not want a democracy in Yemen. Instead, Saudi Arabia wants a weak state that can be easily controlled. I do not care about Saudi Arabia or Iran, Yemen is all I care about. Achieving the goals of the revolution is all I care about and the goals were not to turn Yemen to an arena of proxy conflicts. This revolution was not for Saudi Arabia or for Iran’s eyes and the Yemeni people did not die for this.

Our martyrs’ dream was to see the new Yemen, a country free from corruption; they were calling for a united civil state. They sang the national anthem with eyes full of tears of love for their homeland. That is what they really died for. Remember: the Yemen we want is not the Yemen they want.

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An Arab Digest joke on the eve of Syria's referendum

On the eve of the referendum on Syria's new constitution, the Arab Digest team would like to share the following popular joke on "Syrian Elections":

A young Syrian woman went to the station polls. Over there, she mistakenly checked the no section on the ballot paper. Upon returning home, she recalled her error, and quickly notified her father, himself an Assad supporter. He angrily slapped her twice, then called the ballot station and explained the situation. The answer was quick: "we saw the mistake and corrected it".

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Abu Musab Al-Suri speaks on his Pakistan detention

Abu Musab Al-Suri, a leading Jihadist figure who was allegedly accused of involvement in Madrid and London bombings, felt "betrayed" when the Pakistani Intelligence transferred him to United States' custody in return for a $5 million bounty, according to an Islamist prison mate who spent time with the Syrian Jihadist at an ISI Rawalpindi prison in 2005. The Pakistani authorities had claimed he was held for a week following his capture in November 2005 in Quetta, before his transfer to American custody. But according to Al-Suri’s prison mate, the former was held for months until the Pakistanis secured the fat American bounty.

Mohamad Sha’ban Mohamad Hasanein, an Egyptian Islamist activist and a former correspondent for the Islamic Observatory Centre, was then transferred to Egypt where he was held without charge in prison till the January 25 Egyptian revolution; after the revolution, he was released and had the chance to tell this story. He met al-Suri, and said the following on his capture in Pakistan:

Abu Musab told us about the conspiratorial trap after he completed his book “The Call for Global Islamic Resistance” (1600 pages). He started preparing to join the Jihad. After serious and fruitful calls with Afghan, Arab and Pakistani brothers in al-Qaeda and the Taleban, he packed his baggage, prepared his family for a trip from Karachi to Balochistan, (a lawless region on the border with Afghanistan). Someone like him could not see himself away from the conflict, which meant preferring his and his family’s safety over truths he believes in. Islam’s call invites him to work and adventure. He was optimistic about the trip having a safe convoy that would accompany him. When the bus reached the Quetta station in Balochistan, there was a devastating surprise: the whole station (stop) was prepared for his capture. The other passengers left the bus, but Abu Musab’s bodyguard ran to the bus’s door to secure the way; he was hit by a deadly bullet in his chest. In seconds, his wife and children were kidnapped; he was handcuffed, blindfolded and taken in a luxurious cars convoy to Lahore. In Lahore, the Sheikh (Al-Suri) told us, that he taught the ISI members Islamic Politics, and led their prayers. He stayed there for four months, and they comforted him regarding his family’s safety without telling him where they were and what happened to them. They then convinced him of the need to travel to the ISI’s Rawalpindi’s prison (Pindi Detention Centre) to arrange for his travel to Spain… they warmly said goodbye (through hugs). After two days of arriving, the Pakistani newspapers started publishing ads of the bounty on the arrest of the famous Abu Musab Al-Suri. Only then, Al-Suri decoded the message and knew that these traitors have no human or ethical considerations. Hasanein met Al-Suri during prayer time at this Rowalpindi prison, where Chechens, Arabs, and Islamists from other nationalities were imprisoned. He said the following about their meetings and al-Suri’s time in that prison: Abu Musab’s Philosophy in prison was about spreading hope, and what we have to do now to strengthen our connection to Allah; it is the strong power to restore trust in that we will prevail, and that the nation’s projects will not stop at the tyrants’ plans, and the occupation of Afghanistan. The prophet’s prophecies assures the return of Afghanistan and the rise of the black flags army from Khurasan. We will win and continue our role together till victory - May Allah relieve you Abu Musab – these words had a profound effect on our morale, they ended all of our pains in a moment when we foresee a future and our duties. Abu Musab continued his speech to us, saying: Regarding Huntington’s legend, the clash of civilisations, what is said on Armageddon and the end of the world, the forces of evil tries on many occasions to take a route that immerses humanity in violence and deception, trying to end the failure of Western Civilisation in achieving happiness for humanity, only to fail again in drawing a tragic end to humanity with these legends and phantoms.

When Hassanein was preparing to leave the prison with four other Egyptians, Al-Suri convinced his guard to allow them a moment for proper goodbyes. He asked Hassanein to mention him in his prayers, and the guard cut their talk short to continue the transfer.
This statement on Al-Suri’s detention for months before handing him over to the American authorities, cast doubts on initial reports on his capture. NBC had reported in 2005 that American officials say he was held for few months with the Americans, and that the announcement probably came after they secured, or did not secure information on his comrades. Al-Suri was later sent to a Syrian prison after a rendition flight. Now, he has been released and residing in Syria. A London-based Islamist human rights’ activist, who knew Al-Suri, has told the Arab Digest that the latter has been treated well. We have interviewed him on the potential motives behind Al-Suri’s release in Syria:

Dr. Yasser Al-Siri, Director of the Islamic Observatory center, has said that “the regime might be interested in the Islamification of the revolution, and driving it towards extremism to crush it from the inside. It believes that those released will act as it wishes. If it did not work that way, they will claim it did”. Al-Siri told The Arab Digest that there is unconfirmed information that Al-Suri was released in a SWAP that included an American citizen held by Al-Qaeda in Pakistan (Warren Weinstein). His release might also be a signal from the Syrian regime that it halted its cooperation with the Americans, which might prompt the release of all those considered a threat to Washington. Al-Siri said that “my information is that Al-Suri was not tortured, he was treated well during his incarceration”.

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The lone protester: the Saudi teacher who stood against all odds

It will be a day carved into history. Following Tunisia and Egypt's revolution, the Facebook page of the Saudi revolution called for a protest on the 11th of March, 2011 in Riyadh; they called it "the Day of rage". The media was lined up to cover the demonstration, while security forces were heavily deployed to repress any dissent, as usual. No one showed up for some time, until suddenly, Khaled al-Johani, a 42 year old Saudi school teacher, parked his car and came out to record his stance. The Royal family "does not own us". And when asked about his fate after speaking out to the press, he acknowledged that he'll be in prison, but it won't be a great change, as "we live in a big prison".

Al-Johani has been rightly named the bravest man in Saudi Arabia. He has been detained since that day; his son was born while in detention. Amnesty International has recently called for his release. This is what they said:

"SAUDI ARABIA: TRIAL OF RIYADH PROTESTER ‘UTTERLY UNWARRANTED’

The trial before a state security court of a Saudi Arabian school teacher arrested nearly a year ago after he arrived to demonstrate on the “Day of Rage” in Riyadh is an affront to his basic rights, Amnesty International said today. Khaled al-Johani stood trial today before the Specialized Criminal Court in Riyadh, a tribunal set up in 2008 to try detainees held on terrorism-related charges. The court adjourned his case until early April.“Khaled al-Johani shouldn’t be standing trial in any court for peacefully exercising his rights to freedom of expression and assembly,” said Philip Luther, Interim Director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Programme."

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A photographer's lens records Horror in Homs!

Syrian photographer Mulham al Jundi is in the besieged city of Homs. His lens recorded some of the horrors in the city that is pounded daily by the Syrian Army's artillery, air force and snipers. Here are some of his photos, taken from this open gallery.

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Saudi orders a blackout on poverty news after the story of a desperate man

(Saud, above, with his son; they embarrassed the rich royals)

(The memo, source: the Angry Arab News Service)

After a poor Saudi announced that he plans to sell his son to lift himself in poverty in the oil rich state, the government issued a memorandum for a blackout on poverty. Hear no evil, see no evil. The justification is that such news distorts the reputation of Saudi society (not the government, only the society).

The memo above, by the Ministry of Culture and Media, states that "some local media outlets, including local newspapers, reported on the case of Saud ben Nasser al-Shihri who put his son for sale to provide a better life for his mother and sister. What was published distorts the reputation of Saudi society, and disobeys our previous instructions in memo number 5028, dated 19/5/1429 (Hijra Calender), which required not reporting on begging cases, except under certain restrictions".

Following the wide reporting of the poor Saudi citizen's case, a Saudi Director produced a short film on a Saudi family living in a graveyard. The Arab Digest tried to get in touch to arrange an interview, but to no avail; his last post on his Facebook page, stated that a princess called to help the Saudi family move out to a proper home.

But an activists who published a video on poverty had been arrested.

Saudi Arabia's government is highly sensitive to all news on its poor population, as it is unjustifiable for such a rich country to sustain such poverty rates, around one quarter of the total population. The religious establishment plays a crucial role in keeping dissent at bay through its strong and historical alliance with the royal family.

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Saudi Columnist calls for punishment of Shiites; Mufti ponders "crucifixion"!

A pro-government Saudi columnist called for a massacre against the residents of Al-Awamiyeh, a Shiite town, if they do not prevent opposition demonstrators from protesting. Ali Aljahli, a columnist in Aleqtesadiya newspaper, started his article by praising a Shiite cleric for criticizing protests, saying that this should be the norm. The Saudi writer also said that these demonstrators are controlled by Iran. "No state accepts that its citizens pledge allegiance to another country (Iran). These rogues cannot be left to be a thorn in the government's side". The Saudi columnist ends his article with the following threat:
"If the people of al-Awamiya left these mobs to do what they like, then they will all be perished. If they took things in their own hands, then they are participating in protecting the society, and restoring the bond between citizens and the security forces".
Saudi activists in the oil rich Eastern province, where a majority of Shiites reside, have claimed that this article comes within a concerted effort by the government. Saudi media is heavily censored and mostly owned by the Saudi Royal family and its friends.

For many years, there have been demands among the Saudi Shiite community, which constitutes around 15% of the total population, for more rights, as they are discriminated against, especially in public sector jobs (nearly non-existent).

Most recently, they have started demanding a ban on state-sponsored anti-Shiite articles, Friday prayer speeches and propaganda. Shiites are frequently called apostates, infidels and "rejectionists" in various media outlets. 


Saudi Mufti


Recently, Saudi Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz ibn Abdullah Al-Sheikh called the Shiite demonstrators, "a malicious misguided sect who has suspicious motives". He called for their punishment, citing a verse from the Quran, "The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy punishment is theirs in the Hereafter".

PS. The Saudi columnist's email is alja7li@yahoo.com, in case someone would like a shame on you letter.

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Syrian connection: Baghdad bombings show a growing Al-Qaeda influence

There is a Bulgarian proverb that says "grab opportunity by the beard, for it is bald behind". That is exactly what alqaeda is doing these days in both Syria and Iraq. Al-Qaeda found an unprecedented intersection of opportunities in Syria's increasing sectarian violence - as it did in Iraq -, the Assad regime's animosity with the West, and the American withdrawal from Iraq.

Since the Syrian revolution started in March last year, the violent repression has radicalized every bit of it. Even Syrian intellectuals in the opposition now say that common sense has thinned down. The Arab Digest has been reporting for months on the increasingly Sectarianism of the Free Syrian Army; the prominence of Islamists in FSA ranks. We have spotted the use of Al-Qaeda books in Syrian opposition websites; in particular, there was an interest in the writings of Veteran Jihadist, Mustafa Setmariam Nassar, aka Abu Mussab alSuri.

Another Al-Qaeda opportunity is the regime's recent animosity with the United States. This meant halting all cooperation with the CIA in the War on Terror. In an act of obvious, Al-Suri who was arrested by the U.S., then sent to Syria on a rendition flight, was released from jail. Al-Qaeda has been given full reign.

Earlier this month, the director of national intelligence, James Clapper, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that he believed Al-Qaeda in Iraq had infiltrated Syrian opposition groups, and was behind bombings in Damascus and Aleppo. The New York Times also reported that Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, put it during Senate testimony on Tuesday, “Those who would like to foment a Sunni-Shia standoff — and you know who they are — are all weighing in in Syria.”Ayman al-Zawahri, who succeeded Osama Bin Laden as the leader of Al-Qaeda, issued a statement recently urging Muslims in the region — he specifically mentioned Iraq — to support the uprising.

What will happen next is a surge in Sectarian language in Syria, and selected targeting of minorities; Al-Qaeda's actions will vindicate the Syrian regime's rhetoric on the revolution, generating mutual benefits. The organisation will appear as the "protector of Sunnis in Syria and Iraq"; this will guarantee its resurgence after the initial shock of the Arab Spring.

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Early morning attacks across Baghdad kill 31

By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA, Associated Press

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraqi officials say a string of morning attacks across Baghdad has killed at least 31 people. The officials say the bombings and shootings on Thursday mostly appeared to target police. The worst blast detonated in the Shiite neighborhood of Karradah during rush hour, shaking buildings and windows blocks away. Police said nine people were killed and 24 wounded in the explosion at the center of Baghdad's downtown shopping district near a security checkpoint.

Attacks in Baqouba, Kirkuk and in Salahuddin provinces were also reported. Iraq has been witnessing a surge in bombings following the American forces' withdrawal.

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Foreign Office Minister meets members of Syrian Opposition

Today Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt met Louay Hussain, President of the Syrian opposition movement “Building The Syrian State Current” (BSS), who is on a visit to London to discuss further how the international community can support a Syrian-led political transition. Speaking after the meeting, Mr Burt said:

“I was delighted to welcome Louay Hussain and his team from ‘Building the Syrian State current’ to the UK. We are committed to intensifying our engagement with the Syrian political opposition and engaging with civil society groups from across the political spectrum.

I made clear that the UK will stand by the Syrian people in their peaceful struggle for greater freedom and welcomed BSS’ desire to create a democratic Syria. I urged them to work with other opposition groups to build a shared strategy and vision for Syria which has at its heart an inclusive and representative political system that adheres to international human rights standards and guarantees minority rights.

We discussed ways to support the Arab League’s proposals to bring the Syrian opposition together and ensure a Syrian-led solution to the crisis. I underlined that the UK supports a peaceful political transition. It is therefore more important than ever that political groups put aside their differences in the interests of a peaceful, prosperous and democratic Syria.”

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Another Nasrallah Speech

By As'ad AbuKhalil*

Every speech by Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah is a political event which is widely discussed in Lebanon and the Middle East in general. Saudi and Qatari media ignore the event but marshal his opponents quickly after the speech to offer a rebuttal and denunciations of the points made by Nasrallah. Often such rebuttals include vulgarities, obscenities, and insults. This was the case when Tariq Humayyid – editor in chief of the mouthpiece of Prince Salman, Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat – referred to Nasrallah as a Shabbih (armed thug). Such are political debates in the media of the House of Saud.Only a smaller number of TV stations now carry the speech. Most of these stations are based in Lebanon, including, Al-Manar, NBN, Orange TV, and New TV. For the mass base of Hezbollah, those events are eagerly awaited spectacles where leaders and members compete to get good seats in front of a giant TV screen in the southern suburbs of Beirut.The latest speech by Nasrallah, aired last week, was probably more aimed at the base. In that respect it seemed to work. It galvanized the base and even triggered wide approval all over Facebook and Twitter by the larger audience that supports Nasrallah. The first part of the speech was delicate and the speaker was clearly uncomfortable in delivering it. It was addressed (without any references to Sunnis or Shias because the party is very keen in avoiding specific references to Sunnis and Shias) to the Islamists around the Arab world.Nasrallah was of course referring to Sunni Islamists and he kept pointing out that the issue of Palestine is crucial and that it should remain in the forefront of the agenda of Islamist movements. The point he was making was very delicate because not only was he directing it at the new Ikhwan rulers in Tunisia and Egypt, but also toward Hamas.Hamas and Hezbollah keep their relationship secret for obvious reasons but there are signs of tensions. Saudi Arabia and Qatar are mounting a campaign against the Syrian regime which has supported and armed Hamas and Hezbollah. Hamas leaders have been shuttling from one Gulf country to another.Saudi Arabia reportedly refused to invite Khaled Meshal and Ismail Haniyeh, despite efforts by both leaders. Saudi Arabia made it clear that Hamas leaders are not welcome in the kingdom unless the organization severs all ties with Iran.But Nasrallah was also making a point that furthered Hezbollah’s stance. He was reminding the Arab audience that by the criterion of anti-Israeli struggle (militarily and politically), Hezbollah remains ahead of the other Islamist (Sunni) organizations which have recently been flirting with both the US and Israel.He then addressed the Syrian situation and, again, refused to give an inch to the Syrian opposition – or any of its stands. He unconditionally supported the Syrian regime and called for its support.Nasrallah focused on the general international campaign to unseat Syrian President Bashar Assad. He only would refer to “mistakes” by the regime. Many Syrians would rightly take offense. The killing of thousands of Syrians amounts to much more than a mistake, as would the many decades of repressive rule. And the notion that the regime itself “admitted” its mistakes – as Nasrallah put it – makes the argument worse because the regime does not even admit its long record of repression and oppression and cruelty.In the second section of the speech, Nasrallah’s demeanor changed and he became more relaxed and humorous. He was very effective in undermining the arguments of March 14 one by one. He effectively mocked the popular notion – popular only in Lebanon – that the Hariri uprising in Lebanon triggered the “Arab spring” (Najib Mikati claimed that Saudi peace initiative triggered the “Arab spring”). He reminded the audience that March 14 figures used to perform regular pilgrimages to Cairo to coordinate their moves with Egyptian regime (Umar Sulayman was the contact person for those leaders).Nasrallah also compared the words of March 14 about Bahrain with their words on Syria. The audience loved that needling especially when he referred to the Lebanese Forces’ history of massacres. Nasrallah also talked about the ability of Hezbollah to face its enemies and he brought back his memories of the Israeli war on Lebanon in 2006. He was not reluctant here to invoke the experience of Hussein, which must have tickled the sectarian audience.

(Photo: a 1970s picture of Nasrallah, left, Imad Moghnieh, center, and Abass Mussawi, right. Moghnieh and Mussawi were both assassinated in 2008 and 1992)

*This article originally appeared in Al-Akhbar newspaper, and is republished in agreement with the author.

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Turkey's Allawites demonstrate in support of Assad

Members of Turkey's Allawite community have demonstrated in support of Assad's regime.

Turkish Allawites have been pledging support to the Syrian regime, amid fears of a massacre following the toppling of Assad. They think that the regime's fall will lead to further discrimination against them in Turkey. Here is an old AFP article on the issue. Below is the video of the demonstration in Turkey:

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Free Syrian Army's "wanted Allawites"

Activists have distributed a video of pro regime "Allawite" gunmen playing with a Free Syrian Army fighter's dead body. It is not apparent that all the militants in the video are Allawite, but activists chose on two occasions to call them so.

Sectarianism is an effective tactic to increase support for the unorganized and poorly armed Free Syrian Army; their videos in recent weeks have highlighted Allawite crimes against Sunnis, especially focusing on women and children to draw support and sympathy.

Here is the video:

Recently, even secular intellectuals, like Marxist Yassin Hajj Saleh, have highlighted fears of dividing Syria along Sectarian lines:  Druze, Sunni and Allawites. This remains a high possibility if all options fail for this regime which is dominated by Allawites. The French Mandate map, below, presents an example of what Syria might look like if the regime opts for an Allawite State.

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Launching The Syrian Journalists Association

The Arab Digest has received the following declaration from Syrian journalists:

"After decades of media oppression, Syrian journalists inside Syria and in exile have gathered to announce the establishment of The Syrian Journalists Association (SJA). Syrian journalists have been working under an authoritarian regime since the Baath Party took power through a coup in 1963, and proceeded to rule the country under a state of emergency and martial law, suppressing freedom of expression and free access to information. We are inspired by our brothers’ stand against oppression, and express our intent to join them in solidarity against the regime. Thus, today, we announce the formation of The Syrian Journalists Association, working to bring civil reform to the media, both in press and broadcast journalism. We aim to undo the decades of decay in our industry caused by the Assad era, and to combat the biased role that the Syrian Journalists Union has been playing through its siding with the Syrian regime while it committed atrocities and crimes against its own people. The Syrian Journalists Association is a democratic and independent association. It is committed to the Syrian revolution’s goals and its calls for the freedom and dignity of the Syrian people, and moving towards building a democratic state that guarantees justice and equality to all Syrian citizens. The Syrian Journalists Association is a professional organization headquartered in Damascus. The SJA will also open chapters and branches anywhere in the world if ten or more from its members are gathered there to do so. Membership in the SJA will be open to all Syrian journalists and Palestinian journalists born in Syria working in print, broadcast and online journalism whether they live inside Syria or abroad. To join the SJA, journalists need to provide a letter from their media outlets or obtain the approval of three founding members of the SJA. The Syrian Journalists Association will undertake the task of developing the Syrian media sector, both private and state-owned, and promote press freedom by defending the rights of journalists to report the news without fear of reprisal. The SJA will also provide high level professional training and assistance to Syrian journalists who are in need of such services and will support them through all means possible. The Syrian Journalists Association embraces the diversity of Syrian society and will promote quality journalism among Syria’s diverse communities through providing equal opportunities to Syrian journalists from different ethnicities to write and reports news in their ethnic language such as Arabic, Kurdish, Assyrian, Turkmen, and others".

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French diplomat expelled from an Ankara party amid tensions

Turkey hosts an annual meeting of organizers of an event honoring the memory of those perished in Gallipoli Campaign during the First World War. However, this year French military attaché was banned from the meeting due to the deterioration of Turkish-French ties in light of the French Senate’s adoption of a bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial, according to Turkish media outlets.

“Two Turks in uniforms requested the French representatives to leave the conference hall,” according to Milliyet. The French Military Attache was intentionally uninvited, but he still showed up. The uniformed Turks showed him the way back home.

On January 23, the French Senate passed a bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial with 127 votes for and 86 against. The bill, which has yet to be signed by the President, will impose a 45,000 euro fine and a year in prison for anyone who denies this crime.

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Israeli Army propagandist opens a TV channel for American Dogs

Dogs in California have a new source of entertainment: a TV channel by a former Israeli Army propagandist. An Israeli company launched a new TV channel for Dogs in San Diego; the Executive chairman, Yossi Uzrad, was executive producer of the Channel 2 news company and the head of the news desk at the IDF (Israeli Occupation Army) radio station in Israel. In a nutshell, an Israeli army propagandist is running a Dogs' TV channel. Are you sure your shows would not make America's dogs aggressive or convince them of occupying some family's home after moving them to a refugee camp?
Below is a Daily Mail article that has no mention of the fact that an Israeli occupation company runs the channel:

DOG-TV, a 24-hour television channel designed for man's best friend launched in San Diego this week providing animals with audio and visual entertainment deemed both therapeutic and stimulating.
'Very often people may say, you know, isn't that a little bit over board? The bottom line, it's not over board. Dogs are not living in the woods anymore,' Warren Eckstein, a pet psychologist and radio show host spoke for Dog-TV.
With flocks of animal scenes - hoofed, feathered and canine - coloured specifically to a dog's eyesight while coupled with music and sounds adjusted for their ears, the program advises giving pets 'time to adjust' to the programs .


Dogs might boycott this channel.

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New links in Gebran Tueni's assassination?

Mashouq Al-Khiznaoui, a Syrian Kurdish clergyman, was in a European tour in 2005, when he held a meeting with Syria's Muslim Brotherhood leader, Ali al-Bayanouni in Brussels. Al-Bayanouni suspected that one of the Kurdish Sheikh's entourage passed on information to the Syrian regime, leading to Al-Khiznaoui's arrest and subsequent death in detention. In an interview with the Arab Digest in London, Al-Bayanouni said that he believes the death was connected to their meeting. He is no longer the brotherhood's  leader, but is still active and well respected within its ranks.

In that same year, al-Bayanouni met another person who was to die at a later stage that year: Gebran Tueni, a Lebanese Politician and editor. Tueni was active in Lebanon's 14th of March anti-Syrian coalition which succeeded in 2005 in driving the Syrian army out of Beirut. Since then, the Syrian regime has been accused of staging several assassinations of prominent political and media figures.

The meeting between Tueni and Bayanouni was held in Doha. In an earlier interview, Bayanouni said that Tueni gave him a plan for cooperation to topple Assad's regime. Now, Bayanouni does not recall that, and he says that all he remembers is meeting Tueni in a Doha hotel, and then discussing the Syrian situation in the lobby.

Is the Tueni assassination similar to Khiznaoui's?

Bayanouni does not believe so, as the assassinations in Lebanon where carried out according to different dynamics. The similarity between both killings is striking.

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Confirmed: Suri has been released, staying in Syria

The London-based Islamic Observatory Center has confirmed that Mustafa Setmariam Nassar, known as Abu Musab Al-Suri, has been released from a Damascus Jail. A Syrian opposition website had reported the release of Al-Suri, but it was  

The Center's director, al-Siri, has told the Arab Digest that Al-Suri remains in Syria (News reports have suggested that he moved to Iran to join alQaeda Cadres there). 

Al Siri had expressed fears over the safety of al-Suri because of the crackdown against Salafists in Syria. The Arab Digest had previously reported on his release news. Al-Siri was among the first to confirm that Suri had been moved from U.S. custody to a Syrian jail.

http://www.thearabdigest.com/2012/01/syria-punishes-us-is-abu-musab-al-suri.html

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Hamas Prime Minister sings in Kuwait

The Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniya sings in Kuwait during a solidarity gathering:

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Saudi Arabia will prosecute citizens for praise of government officials

Saudi Arabia’s Anti Corruption commission has warned that it will prosecute individuals who exaggerate in their praise of government officials, and those who overstate government accomplishments. The commission declared in a statement that inaccurately praising a government official, or overstating their accomplishments is a type of corruption, as it will first lead to vanity and to blurring reality, and subsequently great corruption in fulfilling tasks.


Alarabiya, a Saudi owned TV network, reported that this warning comes in the context of a campaign to educate both citizens and government employees/officials.


The Arab Digest has a few recommendations in this regard. Why doesn’t Saudi Arabia start with its own newspaper editors? For instance, Al-Hayat and Asharq Alawsat newspapers. Here is an example from the former:

Al-Hayat editor’s eulogy of late King Fahd, titled The Custodian of the Ancestry and the Architect of the Renaissance”, in which Ghassan Sharbel says that “Fahed Bin Abdul Aziz was one of the few that won the people’s medal of love and appreciation, completing the collection of many other medals”.


Sharbel wrote another eulogy for Prince Sultan, the former crown prince and defense minister, here is an excerpt:

His smile was his passport to the hearts of his countrymen and his visitors. A smile is a key, a thread of affability. A smile is a window, into the cordiality of a man, and his desire for amicability; into his ability for dialogue, for coming together with others and deeply listening to them. For building bridges of trust, spreading hope, and making the present full of promises for the future. It was as though his smile was his weapon. Neither could crises inhibit it, nor could calamities abolish it. It was as though it was his message, and his affirmation that the horizon is open to better days. The bodies of some great men may tire, but they may have smiles that never do. It is as though it has become the property of their admirers.


Another suggestion for the commission would be re-opening the BAE files.

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Yasser Siri: Egypt doesn't need American Aid!

Yasser al-Siri became an activist at a young age in Egypt where he was convicted in absentia following the attempted assassination of the Prime Minister Atef Sedqi. After decades of forced exile, Yasser, a former Egyptian Jihad Group cadre, is once again hopeful that he might return soon; he has filed a lawsuit to cancel his conviction and is calling for a general amnesty for Islamists.

The Arab Digest has interviewed him, and here is our Q&A:

- In light of the current protests against the Military Council and military trials, why did you appeal to Tantawi? Do you still believe that the army could play a positive role in Egypt?

The purpose of my appeal is to support political prisoners and lift the injustice of them. .. These (Islamist) political prisoners were the first to oppose Mubarak, and revolt against his regime; so they are victims of Mubarak. There is a duty to issue an amnesty; they are not less of those pardoned by SCAF, and released. So my intention is to raise the issue before the administrative court, to say that the Military Council discriminates. The council has pardoned last November 334 prisoners who were sentenced by the military judiciary; the prisoners did not include Islamists!! The council issued a decree in last December suspending the implementation of penalties imposed by military courts against 90 defendants sentenced in 68 different issues, in accordance with the powers conferred upon him by law. .. Again, the decision excluded Islamists!!

The Army of Egypt is the hope of the nation, it is greater and more lasting than SCAF. So we have a duty to preserve the army. The Egyptian people and army are one; they are inseparable and indivisible. The Egyptian Army is not Tantawi’s or SCAF’s, but is the army of Arab and Islamic nation; it is the army that fought major wars for the pride of Egypt and the nation's dignity.

Undoubtedly, the Egyptian army played a wonderful role and sided with the people’s revolution, but the problem is that while the snake’s head was cut off, the remnants unfortunately remain. If Tantawi and his council if you do not work to return things to normal, they will join the snake’s head, while the brave army of Egypt will remain to defend its people and the nation as a whole, God willing.

The state of hesitation and confusion that struck the military council and the slowdown in the implementation of the revolution’s demands angered people in general. The demands in question included trying the former president and his aides for killing demonstrators, dealing with grievances and families of martyrs, treating the wounded and paying compensation. The council also continued to refer civilians to military courts and did not issue a general amnesty for political prisoners.

They must restore confidence through fulfilling the revolution’s goals and returning to the barracks. I say the solution is: go back to the barracks, and enter history; Otherwise, God, the people and history will not have mercy upon you.

- The Salafists reaped a quarter of the votes in the parliamentary elections, while the Moslem "Brotherhood" took 40%, were you surprised by the results?

This result reflects the truth about the Egyptian people, it was not surprising. The Egyptian people are Moslem and have chosen Islam. Islam protects the rights of Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

- What is your assessment of al-Nur party, the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamic groups? If you participated in the elections, what party would get your vote?

In each district, the situation and competencies vary from party to another. . I would vote for the candidate who would raise the word of God. That will lead in turn to freedom and dignity for all citizens.

- The past year witnessed the decline of AlQaeda, what are the prospects of the Salafist Jihadist movement? Did the Arab Spring dismantle it?

I have said and I repeat now: the revolution ended all justifications for the existence of underground organizations in our beloved Egypt. And on the duty of every Egyptian Jihad and Jihad advocacy development with wisdom and beautiful preaching, Egypt is need for concerted efforts of all for the reconstruction and advancement of women and provide a decent livelihood for all the Egyptian people, until Egypt returns to its leadership of the nation.

Islamic movements in Egypt are required to provide freedom, dignity, justice, a decent livelihood, and provide care for all people in all aspects. This includes the elimination of unemployment, boosting production for a productive society, providing healthcare, education and housing which are fit for all human beings.

Egypt needs its sons’ arms for reconstruction and development. Those who do not believe in this have no place among us; let them look for another planet. Egypt, with the permission of Allah, do not need U.S. aid and international assistance, which affects its sovereignty. Let reconstruction, development and freedom be this phase’s slogan.

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How the CIA exploits catastrophes for espionage!

The Atlantic reported today on the CIA's exploitation of the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan to send spies to the country. Of course, this could be a model for the agency's work elsewhere in the world, there must be a price to be paid in return for U.S. aid, to the contrary of what the United State suggests. The Lebanon Spring blog was quick to suggest links between the CIA's work in Pakistan and their activity in Lebanon, which was widely investigated by the Arab Digest. United States Aid agency must be scrutinized. Here is the Atlantic's story:

With Osama bin Laden dead, al-Qaeda's capabilities severely diminished, and the United States scaling back operations in Afghanistan, what will President Barack Obama and his successors do with the U.S. Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC)? A look at what they've already been doing outside of war zones gives us some hints.

In 2005, for example, a 7.6-magnitude earthquake killed 75,000 people in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. After four solid years of war in the region, the United States poured relief services into Pakistan as a show of solidarity with the nominal ally in the war on terror.

The U.S. intelligence community took advantage of the chaos to spread resources of its own into the country. Using valid U.S. passports and posing as construction and aid workers, dozens of Central Intelligence Agency operatives and contractors flooded in without the requisite background checks from the country's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency. Al-Qaeda had reconstituted itself in the country's tribal areas, largely because of the ISI's benign neglect.

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The Arab media's newcomer: Mohamad Dahlan

Gaza, London - The Arab Digest

He is infamous among many Arabs and Palestinian because of alleged corruption, strong ties to the United States, and Israel. And most recently, Mohamad Dahlan, the Palestinian Fateh's cadre has been under increased scrutiny after clashing with Palestinian President Mohamad Abbas over leaking information about the corruption of his two sons.

The Arab Digest has learned from many Arab media sources that Mohamad Dahlan has become increasingly interested in new media outlets; he is behind a London and Beirut based Arabic news website, and is working on launching a new TV channel.

One senior Arabic media source has confirmed that Mohamad Dahlan is a major supporter/financial contributor to Arabstoday.net, a new news platform based in both London and Beirut. After surveying a number of Arab editors over the issue, the Arab Digest has looked into the archives of the website, and Dahlan's fan pages on Facebook, and we found links.

For instance, on "we are all Dahlan" Facebook page, Dahlan's men posted on June 16, 2011 at 1.35 PM a story from Arabstoday, claiming that Abbas's decision to discharge Dahlan was illegal. Another story from Arabstoday could be found here on "Mohamad Dahlan for leadership, Future building" Facebook Fan page.

From Arabstoday.net archives, we found a number of biased articles. For instance, here is an interview with Dahlan where they omit any statement from his foes on his case. Arabstoday even covers Dahlan's health news, reminiscent of GCC newspapers' coverage of royal families' news. In the comments' section, the bias is formidable. One could only find hoards of well wishers and fans of one of the most unpopular leaders in Palestine today (a coincidence?).

On the financial level, a London source told the Arab Digest that the news website is moving into a Kensington building in Chelsea, West London (one of the most expensive areas in the world).

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Israelis celebrate the death of Palestinian Children

(Above, the Palestinian bus after the accident; below, the racist discussion)

Today there was horrifying news that at least 8 Palestinian children were killed when the bus that was carrying them crashed into a truck.




The popular Israeli news website Walla posted the news on its Facebook page. Within moments, Israelis started posting comments expressing joy at the news.

Hours later, many of the racist comments had been deleted by the Walla editors, and many other Israelis, and Palestinian citizens of Israel expressed their deep revulsion at the racism.
Early screen capture shows vile comments

Abir Kopty posted a screen capture on her blog showing a few of the early comments, which she translated:


Benny: Calm down, they are Palestinian Children.

Tali: Its seems like they are Palestinian children.. Thank God..

Tal: Thank God they are Palestinians

Ajala: Great less terrorists!!!!

Eliya: Only Palestinian children were injured about ten.

Itai: Thank God its Palestinians, let it be such bus every day.

Aleyah: calm down, Its a bus with Palestinian children, lets pray there will be deaths, or at least severe injuries, this is great news to start the day with.

Kopty commented, “Please note the likes on each one of the racist and hateful comments. And no one tells me this is exception and not the Israeli mainstream.”

(From the Electronic Intifada website, follow the rest of the story here)

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Ambassador Robert Ford suggested exploiting a child patient to improve the image of the U.S. Army!

The Arab Digest had published an exchange between Algerian journalist Mohamed Tamalt, and American Ambassador Robert Ford titled "Are you a Diplomat or a CIA officer?". Here is Tamalt's first article on Robert Ford, which had sparked the debate:

By Mohamed Tamalt

Former U.S. Ambassador to Algeria currently serving in Syria, advised his superiors to send a military aircraft to transport a sick child suffering from spine deformity for treatment in a U.S. hospital.

Robert Ford informed his officials in a cable sent on the ninth of May 2008 and leaked recently by Wikileaks, that the treatment of Mounib Ferchichi (two and a half years old) will not cost the U.S. government anything as a group of Algerians living in the US managed to secure a free treatment for him in Mayo Clinic.

The current ambassador in Damascus, who is suspected to be working for the American security services, indicated in his correspondence that the case of Mounib was addressed by Algerian newspapers which frequently promote anti-American views. He suggested that the use of a military aircraft to transport the child will put these newspapers in a position of enhancing the image of AFRICOM and the U.S. Army involved in significant violations of human rights in Iraq and Afghanistan and in Guantanamo Bay. Children hold a special place in the Algerian society, as he added.

AFRICOM attempted, during the period leading up to the ambassador proposal, to move its headquarters from Germany to Africa; but met with rejection from several African countries including Algeria as rumored. The military organization operates a news website called Magharebia where several Algerian journalists write, the website is supervised by officers in the U.S. army.

An Algerian activist, who contributed in raising funds for Mounib and who asked not to be named, said that the transfer of the patient was not in a military plane; this means that Ambassador Ford’s proposal failed.


(A video below by Mohamed Tamalt)

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