Europe Archives - Arab Digest

Jordan – the economy – MBS

6 December 2018Oliver MilesEurope, Human rights, Jordan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, UAE

Jordan – continuing protests over austerity and corruption. Remains a significant regional player. MBS doesn’t come.

EU versus US Middle East

23 October 2018Oliver MilesEurope, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, UK, USA

Europe’s dilemma in the Middle East – its interests differ from those of the US but it bears some of the cost of US policies decided regardless of its interests, Palestine, Iraq, Iran. Khashoggi may be another example?

Khashoggi – immediate consequences

18 October 2018Oliver MilesEgypt, Europe, France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, UK, USA

Khashoggi – murder evidence accumulates, but Saudi Arabia still in denial. Cautious reaction in the Middle East. Trump ambiguous, but strong reaction from Congress and from international finance.

Khashoggi

10 October 2018Oliver MilesEurope, France, Saudi Arabia, UAE, UK, USA

Khashoggi murdered or renditioned to Saudi Arabia. Will international concern be enough to change policy towards the kingdom? There is now convincing evidence, short of absolute proof, that the prominent Saudi journalist and commentator Jamal Khashoggi (our posting of 3 October) was detained in the Saudi consulate general in Istanbul on 2 October and taken either dead or alive to Saudi Arabia. There is no evidence to support the Saudi claim that he left the building freely. In what follows we assume, like virtually all other commentators, that the Saudi …

Egypt: death sentences

20 September 2018Oliver MilesEgypt, Europe, Human rights, USA

Egypt – 75 death sentences on protesters from 2013. Actions to limit freedom of expression. Why?

Morocco: prison sentences

2 July 2018Oliver MilesEurope, IS, Morocco

Morocco – long prison sentences on protesters at corruption and neglect. Protests continue at a low level so far. A royal pardon?

Qatar vs. the four, one year on

11 June 201811 June 2018Oliver MilesChina, Europe, France, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, UAE, USA

Qatar vs. the four: no sign of compromise. The dispute static but not safe, and causing harm. The four have won no friends.

This week in Jerusalem

14 May 2018Oliver MilesEurope, Germany, Israel, Palestine, USA

An explosive series of events in Jerusalem and Palestine which may lead to violence. Extremists at the wheel – Trump loses the support of Europe.

Sahel force: France obtains Saudi and UAE support

15 December 2017Oliver MilesAlgeria, Egypt, Europe, France, Germany, Italy, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, USA

Saudi and UAE money for Sahel force with troops from five sub-Saharan states backed by the UN with French leadership to fight jihadists in the Sahara.

Jerusalem: Trump speaks

12 December 2017Oliver MilesEurope, France, Israel, Lebanon, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, UAE, UK, USA

Trump’s statement on Jerusalem supported by Netanyahu alone. Why now? Reactions, some likely consequences.