Surf Arab States

Arab States Weekly Review June 23rd – 29th 2012

Violence and tension in Syria escalated. A Syrian missile downed a Turkish aircraft that allegedly entered Syrian airspace, raising tensions between Syria and Turkey. President Bashar Assad admitted his country was “at war”.

Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Morsi narrowly won the final run-off for the Egyptian presidency, beating Ahmed Shafiq, a Mubarak crony. The election commission took a week to announce the result, raising suspicions that the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces had struck a deal with the Broterhood to let the generals retain many powers.

Large demonstrations took place in Kuwait, where Islamist members of the recently dissolved parliament called for proper democracy.