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Arab States Weekly Review 17th – 23rd July 2010

admin — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 19:24:55 +0000

Avigdor Lieberman, foreign minister of Israel, stated that European governments should assist in making Gaza entirely independent. This would separate Gaza for good from the West Bank, and lighten Israel’s obligations towards its citizens. PM Benjamin Netanyahu disagreed, suggesting strains within his coalition.

Dubai-based airline Emirates announced an order of 30 Boeing 777 passenger jets, a deal worth $9.1 billion. The announcement comes just a month after the company placed a record $11.5 billion order for 32 Airbus A380 super-jumbos.

Arab States Weekly Review 10th – 16th July 2010

admin — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 03:16:11 +0000

A group of gunmen suspected of ties to Al-Qaeda attacked to security buidlings in the southern province of Abyan, Yemen. It was the second such attack on offices of Yemen’s security service in the past few weeks.

An internal Israeli military investigation concluded that “mistakes were made…at a relatively senior level” during the raid of the ‘Gaza flotilla’ in late May.

Nakheel, a property developer owned by Dubai World, met with creditors in an attempt to renegotiate its $10.5 bn in bank debt. Dubai World caused a scare on the financial markets last November after announcing a freeze on debt repayments.

Arab States Weekly Review 26th June – 2nd July 2010

admin — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 16:48:11 +0000

Turkey closed its airspace to Israeli military flights, one month after the flotilla raid in Gaza which left 9 Turks dead. Nonetheless, there were secret talks between an Israeli envoy and the Turkish foreign minister in an attempt to restore ties between the former allies.

Arab States Weekly Review 12th – 18th June 2010

admin — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 17:34:48 +0000

Israel eased the blockade of the Gaza Strip following intense international pressure after the Gaza flotilla raid. Under UN supervision, building materials and an increased number of civilian goods will be permitted.

Arab States Weekly Review 5th – 11th June 2010

admin — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 09:35:05 +0000

The Israeli navy shot and killed four members of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade. The four men were in diving gear off the coast of the Gaza Strip, Al-Aqsa claimed they were on a training mission.

Arab States Weekly Review 29th May – 4th June 2010

admin — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 10:31:35 +0000

Israel faced a wave of international condemnation over its military assault on a humanitarian aid convoy from Turkey bound for Gaza. Israeli commandos boarded the ship to prevent it from reaching Gaza, and opened fire when some of those on board tried to repel them with sticks and, according to the Israelis, knives. Israel impounded the six ships and detained the 600 campaigners with the intent of deportation. Most governments denounced Israel’s actions, but the US was more hesitant and managed to convince the UN Security Council not to lay the blame exclusively on Israel.

Iraq’s Supreme Court ratified the results of Iraq’s general election, ruling that Iyad Allawi’s party had won. There are still no signs of a coalition government being formed soon.

Saudi Arabia began issuing wedding contracts in which the age of the bride must be given, in an effort to stop child marriages.

Arab States Weekly Review 8th – 14th May 2010

admin — Fri, 14 May 2010 18:34:09 +0000

Approximately 100 Iraqis, almost all civilians, were killed on May 10th during a series of bombings throughout Baghdad, Basra and Hilla. It was the highest death toll in one day this year.

The long-awaited ‘proximity’ talks between Israelis and Palestinians were resumed via American intermediary after an 18-month pause. Israeli PM Netanyahu was embarrassed by having to deny an earlier statement from the US State Department that Israel would halt settlement-building for 2 years.

Arab States Weekly Review 1st – 7th May 2010

admin — Sun, 09 May 2010 04:23:50 +0000

Indirect talks (under American mediation) between Israel and mainstream Palestinians were set to resume after the Arab League endorsed the conditions. USA’s Middle-East envoy George Mitchell went to the region to meet members of both sides.

Iraq’s incumbent prime minister Nuri Al-Maliki, whose State of Law Alliance ended second in the latest elections, made a deal with the third placed group (Iraqi National Alliance), a religiously oriented Shia group. Followers of Iyad Allawi, a secular Shia with strong Sunni support who ended first in the elections, would be outraged if he was to be excluded from a government.

Arab States Weekly Review 10 – 16 April 2010

admin — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 06:17:02 +0000

Shimon Perez, President of Israel, accused Syria of supplying scud missiles to Hezbollah in the south of Lebanon. Syria has dismissed the accusations as “fabrications”, and believes Israel is trying to set the stage for “Israeli aggression”. Last year Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said his organization could hit “any city in Israel”, but did not give details.

At least two Palestinian militants were killed in an Israeli army strike in the Gaza strip. The Israeli military says it hit a Palestinian group which was planting explosives near Gaza’s perimeter fence.

Arab States Weekly Review 20th – 26th March 2010

admin — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 19:03:20 +0000

Dubai announced it would provide $9.5 billion to help recapitalise Dubai World. It will also convert debt claims (worth $10 billion) into equity. Creditors will receive their money back under the proposal, albeit after a delay.

Saudi forces announced the arrest of 113 people suspected of having ties to Al-Qaeda.

The foreign secretary of Britain denounced the Israeli secret service Mossad for forging passports in the name of 12 British citizens for an operation targeting the execution of an Hamas official in Dubai.

Barack Obama received Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in the White House, in a period of a chilled relationship between the USA and Israel. Obama is said to be hardening his stance on recent Israeli settlement pushes in the East Jerusalem.