Israel Is An Apartheid State, Amnesty International Says
Plus: Lebanon dismantles a large Israeli spy network, Netflix's first original Arabic-language film sparks havoc in Egypt, ISIS leader killed by the U.S. in Syria, and much more.
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Israel
On Tuesday, February 1, Amnesty International said that Israel's treatment of Palestinians is a crime against humanity and is illegal under international law. The rights group says Israel's "oppression and domination" of Palestinians amounts to apartheid.
The rights group has also published a 280-page report highlighting how massive seizures of Palestinian land and property, unlawful killings, forcible transfer, drastic movement restrictions, and the denial of nationality and citizenship to Palestinians are components of a system that amounts to apartheid under international law.
"Palestinians are all components of a system which amounts to apartheid under international law. This system is maintained by violations which Amnesty International found to constitute apartheid as a crime against humanity, as defined in the Rome Statute and Apartheid Convention," Amnesty International reported. Read the full statement here.
Lebanon
Lebanon dismantled a large Israeli spy network operating in the country, local media outlets reported on Monday, January 31. Over the past four weeks, at least 35 suspected network members were interrogated - 20 of whom were arrested. The Internal Security Forces' information branch uncovered over 15 Israeli spy networks working independently across Lebanon and even reaching neighboring Syria.
The arrests prevented efforts to "tamper with security and sabotage the stability" in Lebanon, Prime Minister Najib Mikati said in a cabinet statement read out by Information Minister Abbas Halabi.
Communication through the network occurred via websites, closed chat rooms, and phone calls using Lebanese phone numbers.
The majority of recruits were made via social media platforms, the report said, adding that most of the recruits were successful due to a desperate need for money. Read more on The New Arab.
ISIS in Syria
On Wednesday, President Joe Biden announced Thursday morning, February 3, that U.S. Special Forces killed ISIS leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi in a counterterrorism mission in northwest Syria.
UPDATE: Al-Qurayshi set off a blast killing himself and his family as special forces rounded on his hideout after a gunfight.
Sources on the ground reported multiple fatalities. The White Helmets, the Syrian civil defense group, said that At least 13 people were killed in clashes during and after the raid, including six children and four women. The Pentagon reported no U.S. casualties.
Al-Qurayshi was appointed as ISIS leader by a shura council, and announced by the Islamic State media on October 31, 2019, less than a week after the death of the previous leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Read the full reporting on CNN.
Iran nuclear deal
Some experts said that talks to restore the Iran nuclear deal are entering their "final stage," as negotiators head back to their capitals to receive political guidance on what moves to take in the coming days.
Western diplomats are facing a self-imposed mid-February deadline to try and revive the 2015 agreement, which restrained Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
Since November 2021, both parties have made considerable progress, but the U.S. and Iran have yet to settle all outstanding issues. According to experts, the core of political issues on all topics are still unresolved, according to a senior Western diplomat who spoke to Politico on the condition of anonymity.
The U.S. may take the first step in lifting some sanctions, including preparing the ground to make global business with Iran viable again. But Iran, for its part, will have to take steps to reduce its nuclear program, which would likely include shipping excess nuclear material out of the country and getting rid of its many advanced centrifuges used to enrich uranium. Read more on Politico.
Qatar
President Joe Biden promised Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, on Monday, January 31, that he will soon designate Qatar as a major non-NATO ally, granting special status to a key friend in a turbulent region.
A major non-NATO ally is a designation given by the United States government to close partners with strategic working relationships with the U.S. Armed Forces although members of the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization). While the status does not automatically include a mutual defense pact with the United States, it still confers various military and financial advantages that otherwise are not obtainable by non-NATO countries.
"Qatar is a good friend and reliable and capable partner. And I'm notifying Congress that I will designate Qatar as a major non-NATO ally to reflect the importance of our relationship. I think it's long overdue," Biden told reporters with the emir sitting at his side.
Qatar is the world's largest supplier of liquefied natural gas and may divert supplies to Europe if the Ukraine conflict disrupts Russian gas deliveries to the continent.
For weeks, Russia has been deploying troops on the border with its western neighbor. Some in Ukraine fear an imminent invasion, although the Kremlin adamantly denies it. Russia wants to oppose Ukraine and other former Soviet Union states to join NATO.
The looming energy crisis prompted the United States to ask Qatar to consider rerouting some of its natural gas exports to Europe should a war break out. Should the plan come to fruition, Qatar would send liquified natural gas thousands of kilometers via ships to offloading terminals that connect to Europe's pipelines. Read more Reuters and this explainer on Al-Monitor.
Egypt
The launch of Netflix's first original Arabic-language film "Perfect Strangers" led to an immediate backlash in Egypt among conservatives.
The film's plot revolves around seven friends who decide to play a game that involves placing their cellphones on the table and making all their incoming calls and text messages public during a dinner party. Many dark secrets are subsequently revealed: A wife chatting online with male strangers is exposed, and one of the attendees comes out as gay.
The movie has sparked an uproar in Egypt, with the reactions raising concern among secularists about growing fundamentalism in society.
Within days of its launch on January 20, the film, the latest in a string of international adaptations of the 2016 Italian comedy-drama under the same name, came under fire from conservatives on social media, with some accusing Netflix of "seeking to spread deviant ideas" and of trying to normalize them.
Meanwhile, supporters defended the right of viewers to choose what they watch; others argued that those who deny that vices exist in our society are like ostriches burying their heads in the sand.
Read the full story by Shahira Amin on Al-Monitor. Also, there is interesting analysis on The New Lines, where Kareem Shaheen, the Middle East and newsletters editor at New Lines, exposes how the critics of the Netflix's debut Arabic film overlook the reality of Muslim society.
Saudi Arabia
The commercial name of Arabic coffee will be officially changed to Saudi coffee in the Kingdom's restaurants, cafes, stores, and roasters, following a Ministry of Commerce announcement on Sunday, January 30.
The announcement, from ministry spokesman Abdulrahman Al-Hussein, is in conjunction with a Culture Ministry initiative in naming 2022 as the "Year of Saudi Coffee" as a way to strengthen the identity and culture of Saudi Arabia.
Culture Minister Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan tweeted: "This is the year of Saudi Coffee."
The initiatives aim to distinguish Saudi coffee's flavor and preparation methods from other regional coffee. The new decision attempts to distinguish the flavors of Saudi coffee from other regional coffees while also creating a link to the Kingdom's culture. Read more on Arab News.
That's all for this week. Thanks for reading Inshallah. Share this article and subscribe to be up to date about news from the Middle East every week. It's free.
About me
My name is Dario Sabaghi, a freelance journalist. I am interested in human rights and international news focusing on the MENA region.
Check out my work at dariosabaghi.com.
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Cover photo: Stephen Zenner/Sopa Images/Rex/Shutterstock (The Guardian)