Inside the Middle East

Lebanon: Hezbollah Controls West Beirut

2008-05-09T09:01:00.004-04:00

This AP photo shows a Shiite gunman from the Amal group, allied with Hezbollah, guards an intersection in West Beirut. Half of the city is now under the military control of the opposition. The U-S backed government of Fouad Siniora is now hanging by a thread.

This morning, Hezbollah militiamen took over the headquarters of Future TV, a pro-government network in Lebanon.

The road to the airport is still closed and checkpoints are peppered throughout Beirut.

What will pro-government supporters do now? As journalist Habib Battah wrote this morning : "militia logic has returned" to the streets of the capital city.

Nasrallah Speaks, Lebanon Holds Its Breath

2008-05-08T09:34:00.006-04:00

I just got off the phone with a journalist in Beirut who told me you could hear a pin drop throughout Beirut as Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah began a live speech on television.

I am listening to the speech live and Nasrallah just said : "Whoever shoots at us, we will shoot them back."

He also called a crackdown on his supporters from the pro-western Lebanese government a "declaration of war."

This follows two days of demonstrations in which pro- and anti-government protesters clashed and the spectre of Lebanon's ruinous civil war reappeared in some Beirut neighborhoods.

This is a new phase in Lebanon. Is the violence stoppable now?

I want to open the blog today to a discussion on the situation in Lebanon. Email us your thoughts at mideast@cnn.com or add a comment below.

Thanks,

Hala

Lebanon - A Blogger's Report

2008-05-07T18:58:00.007-04:00

A cameraman reacts after being injured during protests in Lebanon today. (Photo AP/Hussein Malla)

A fellow journalist I've interviewed several times in Lebanon, Habib Battah, posts an interesting entry on the tense situation on the streets of Beirut today.

He writes:

"The chaos came as a surprise because up until last night organizers had pitched the event as a simple labor strike to pressure the government into raising the minimum wage. But by early Wednesday, a completely different plan seemed to be in place. In a clear show of force, the Hezbollah-led opposition had actually hired dump trucks and bulldozers to enforce what was thought to be a voluntary act of staying home from work. The move caught most Lebanese off guard, eroding the notion that this was a spontaneous 'public' outcry against the government's labor policies."

Pro- and anti-government demonstrators have been clashing today and the army has been forced to keep rival protestors apart.

Cars and tires went up in flames and in mixed Shiite-Sunni neighborhoods, the ominous crackle of gunfire could be heard throughout the Lebanese capital.

“This is a turning point. There can be no more cohabitation between the Government and the opposition. All trust is gone,” a Lebanese expert on Hezbollah, Amal Saad Ghorayeb told the Times of London.

Tomorrow will be a real test for Lebanon: will protestors stay home?

Lebanon: Political Compromise Up In Flames?

2008-05-07T07:41:00.003-04:00

A protestor holding a gasoline bottle near a burning car. Beirut, May 7th, 2008. (Photo Hussein Malla/AP)

Lebanon's opposition parties, including Syrian/Iraninan-backed Hezbollah, called a general strike across the country. Protesters blocked roads with burning tires and paralyzed Beirut's international airport.

While attending the Arab Broadcast Forum in Abu Dhabu over the last few days, I chatted with leading Lebanese anchor Shada Omar. She told me the two sides seem as far apart as ever and that a political compromise between the western-backed government of Fouad Siniora and the Hezbollah-led opposition grows more and more improbable by the day.

Politicians in Lebanon have tried - and failed - to agree on a consensus President almost twenty times since last November.

Many wonder if all-out violence will break out if rival parties cannot find a way to govern together. The conditions are certainly there.

Mideast Snapshot - Sunset In The Desert

2008-05-03T12:28:00.004-04:00

Liwa, U.A.E., May 1st, 2008.

The Singer Vs The Imams: We Have A Winner!

2008-05-02T13:17:00.004-04:00

(Photo AP)

Popular - and provocative - Lebanese singer Haifa Wehbe performed in Bahrain Wednesday night, despite opposition from religious politicians and conservative clerics.

According to today's Gulf News, Wehbe wore a "floor length dress, but with spaghetti straps."

Hey, you didn't expect her to wear a turtleneck, did you?

The concert venue was just a few hundred meters from the Parliament, where Islamist MP's had objected to the show because, according to them, Wehbe has "no respect for traditional and religious values."

Standing In Line In Gaza

2008-05-02T09:25:00.003-04:00

Gaza City, May 1, 2008. (Photo AP/Adel Hana)

Gazans have been doing a lot of this lately: as fuel and supply shortages paralyze the tiny territory's economy, ordinary residents are waiting long hours for cooking oil in Gaza city.

Gas stations are empty of petrol, so some Gaza residents have resorted to creating a cocktail of cooking oil and turpentine to power their cars.

Meanwhile, the Mideast "Quartet," which doesn't recognize the Hamas authority in Gaza, is meeting in London today to try to come up with a solution to the laborious peace talks between Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas' Fattah party and the government of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

But if Hamas isn't on the agenda, what happens to Gaza?

Mideast Snapshot - A Checkpoint In Baghdad

2008-05-02T09:07:00.002-04:00

(Photo CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq)

Syrian Wins Award In Absentia

2008-05-02T08:36:00.003-04:00

(File/AP)

DUBLIN, Ireland (AP) — One of Syria's most prominent pro-democracy activists won an Irish award Thursday for his work trying to promote human rights for prisoners, political parties and journalists in his homeland.

But Anwar al-Bunni has yet to hear of the accolade. The 49-year-old lawyer has been imprisoned since May 2006 after Syrian President Bashar Assad launched a crackdown against opposition voices demanding greater freedoms.

Irish President Mary McAleese presented the annual Front Line Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk to al-Bunni's wife, Ragheda Issa Refki, at a Dublin City Hall ceremony attended by politicians and ambassadors. Refki received two standing ovations, as well as a hug from the Irish head of state.

McAleese said promoting human rights in a one-party state like Syria was "a very, very lonely place. It takes a very, very special person like Anwar al-Bunni to confront the extraordinary range of forces arrayed against him."

She expressed hope that the award would "send a message to his oppressors."

In an interview with The Associated Press, Refki said she did not risk telling her husband he had won the prize during their most recent prison visit a week ago because a guard, as usual, was standing beside them. She hopes to tell him of his honor next week.

"It is very important for Anwar's work and sacrifice to be recognized, for him to be seen as a defender of human rights. It will remind the world there are prisoners of conscience in Syria," Refki said through an Arabic translator.

Mideast Snapshot - On A Camel Farm In The Emirates

2008-05-01T03:11:00.002-04:00

Liwa, U.A.E., April 29th, 2008

Breakfast News: Israeli Jeweller Not Welcome In Dubai

2008-04-30T03:17:00.004-04:00

Another interesting item that got my attention while reading the local paper over breakfast today:

"Israeli Jeweller Has No Trade Licence To Open Shop In Dubai," reads the headline in today's Gulf News.

There is a whole lot of money floating around in Dubai ao who could blame Lev Leviev for wanting to open one (or more) of his self-named stores in the tiny emirate?

But, according to this article, no trade licence was granted to Israeli diamond magnate and the Dubai Department of Economic Development is quoted as saying that "Israeli citizens are not allowed to operate in Dubai."

Advocacy groups that oppose Leviev's investments in the U.A.E. say Leviev profits from companies that operate in the occupied territories.

The stores were supposed to open in the swanky Dubai Mall and the Atlantis Hotel later this year.

Who will win this one?

In Search Of Real Bedouins In The Emirates

2008-04-29T05:30:00.006-04:00

I've been to the U.A.E. many times, but - like most visitors to this part of the world - I've largely stayed in city centers like Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

I was curious: what - if anything - is left of traditional Bedouin culture in the Emirates? The glitzy glam sky-scrapers, the flashy cars, the oil money and the lure of the big city; has all that obliterated old-style Bedouin living?

Fifty years ago, the few hundred thousand residents of this slice of desert either lived in tents or traded gold and fished for pearls along the coast. Travel was by camel or horse or foot.

The lightning speed explosive growth of the last few decades, with the essential foreign labor from the sub-continent, means most Emiratis have completely abandoned their old lifestyles.

On our journey through the desert, we found a few examples of what is left of the old days: older men who prefer to spend their last years in the houses that the government built for nomadic Bedouins a few decades ago, or wealthy locals who've made small fortunes breeding camels for races and beauty contests.

Today, Bedouins don't criss-cross the desert in search of water for their herds. They don't walk days from the coast inland looking for a place to pitch a tent.

All that is gone. The little bits and pieces left, peppered here and there, are on their way out too.

There are already cranes and cement trucks preparing the Bedouin area of Liwa for hotels and tall buildings.

In a few years, what we saw yesterday will most probably have disappeared too.

--Posted by Hala Gorani

The Singer Vs The Imams

2008-04-27T23:32:00.004-04:00

The tug-of-war between conservative politicians and clerics and scantily-clad entertainers strikes again.

The Inside The Middle East team is in Abu Dhabi today, getting ready to trek out into the desert in search of the last true Emirati bedouins.

Over breakfast, this headline in today's Gulf News caught my eye: "Morality Concerns Spark Calls to Ban Haifa Concert"

For those of you who don't know her, Haifa Wehbe is a popular Lebanese singer well-known for her racy style and easy Arabic pop tunes.

Who will win this round?

Mideast Snapshot - More Art In The Warzone

2008-04-27T09:54:00.003-04:00

Thirty-one year-old Azhar Abbas, an artist from Fallujah, in the heart of the Sunni Triangle. A few months ago, she started depicting the impact of war through her paintings. (Photos CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq)

Saudi Blogger Freed - Update

2008-04-26T17:51:00.002-04:00

Blogging from Dubai. I've received an update on jailed Saudi blogger Fouad Al-Farhan from CNN producer Mohammed Jamjoom.

CNN has confirmed that Al-Farhan, jailed by authorities last December -- ostensibly because he supported reform advocates accused by the Saudi government of supporting terrorism -- has been released.

CNN producer Mohammed Jamjoom today spoke to the Saudi blogger, who is apparently (and unsurprisingly) reluctant to speak freely about his time in detention. In a phone call with CNN, Al-Farhan said:

"I am happy to be back with my family," adding that he was "treated like any other prisoner."

Al-Farhan, who was jailed with 15 to 16 other men, said that he would not comment on his case now, but that he will issue a statement on his blog soon.

Abbas: I'll Meet Bush In Sharm El Sheikh

2008-04-25T14:00:00.004-04:00

I just returned from interviewing Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Washington, D.C.

Mister Abbas, who met with U.S. President George W. Bush at the White House yesterday, revealed that the two men will meet in Sharm-el-Sheikh Egypt "around May 17th."

I asked the Palestinian leader if he really believes a peace deal would be achieved by the end of the year (a forecast made by the U.S. president himself during his Mideast tour last January), I asked him what he thought of former American President Jimmy Carter's meeting with Hamas, what he makes of a recent opinion poll that suggests Palestinians would rather vote for Hamas today than his party.

I also asked Abbas a question submitted to cnn.com/hala by Anie in Durban South Africa, regarding yesterday's Washington Post report detailing a letter exchange between president Bush and former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, so tune in for that.

Watch this space for a link to the full interview later today.

Interviewing Mahmoud Abbas

2008-04-23T15:42:00.007-04:00

Mahmoud Abbas meets with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Wednesday, April 23, 2008, at his hotel in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Because of an opportunity to interview Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Washington, D.C. this Friday, I've delayed my Inside the Middle East trip to the Gulf by a few days.

Mr. Abbas is scheduled to meet with U.S. President George W. Bush in the nation's capital.

Ahead of this exclusive chat, I'm asking our readers and viewers to submit questions they would like to ask the Palestinian leader.

What does he think of Jimmy Carter's meetings with Hamas officials? What did he speak about with President Bush? How does he respond to criticism of his leadership? Will there be a peace deal in the Middle East this year?

I will choose one and read it to Mr. Abbas on air.

E-mail us at mideast@cnn.com or add a comment below.

Thanks,

Hala

Mideast Snapshot - Sulaimaniya, Iraq

2008-04-23T10:26:00.002-04:00

(Photos CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq)

Lebanon: 17th Time's A Charm?

2008-04-22T10:06:00.004-04:00

Beirut, April 22, 2008. (Photo AP)

Apparently not.

Lebanese lawmakers leave the Lebanese parliament building after the session to elect new Lebanese president was postponed yet again.

Parliament has tried 17 times since September to vote in army commander General Michel Suleiman as a consensus president. But opposition lawmakers have been ignoring slated parliament sessions, leaving the 128-seat house without the necessary two-thirds quorum needed for the balloting.

Mideast Snapshot - Reading Textbooks In Iran

2008-04-21T14:52:00.003-04:00

Yazd, Iran. March 15th, 2007. Yazd University college students. Photo Mitra Mobasherat.

Mideast Snapshot- Jimmy Carter Arrives In Jordan

2008-04-21T08:39:00.007-04:00

Queen Alia International Airport. Amman, Jordan, April 20, 2008. (Photo AP)

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Former President Jimmy Carter said Monday that Hamas is prepared to accept peace with Israel if the Palestinians approve any agreement negotiated with Israel.

Carter's comments came after controversial meetings Friday and Saturday in Damascus, Syria, with exiled militant Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal.

"If President (Mahmoud) Abbas of the Palestinians and Prime Minister (Ehud) Olmert reach an agreement for peace, and if it is submitted to the Palestinians and the Palestinians approve it... Hamas will accept it," Carter said in a Monday interview with CNN.

Syrian Jews Celebrate Passover

2008-04-20T11:36:00.004-04:00

Syrian Jews celebrate Passover at the al-Firenj Synagogue in downtown Damascus. April 20, 2008. There are only an estimated 100 Jews in Syria with 20 synagogues. (AP Photo/Bassem Tellawi)

The Syrian government insists it is tolerant of Judaism, even though it is still officially at war with the state of Israel.

That said, authorities in Syria seem not to be as tolerant of opposition activists: a Syrian appeal court on Wednesday upheld a 12-year jail term against Kamal Labwani who was jailed for contacts with Washington, a human rights group said.

From AFP: Labwani was convicted of having "contacts with a foreign country aimed at encouraging it to attack Syria," after being arrested on his return to Damascus from talks with White House officials in November 2005.

It was the longest jail sentence handed down against an opposition activist since President Bashar al-Assad took power in 2000, human rights lawyers said.

Update: I'm happy to see this item has already generated some heated and passionate comments. This is what this forum is for. I welcome all views and opinions and will post a selection in this space.

Have you visited a Syrian synagogue? Is your family originally Jewish of Syrian origin? Have you left Syria for religious reasons? Please add a comment below or send us an email at mideast@cnn.com.

Thanks,

Hala

Mideast Snapshot - In The Shadow Of An APC

2008-04-19T05:16:00.005-04:00

Kadamiya, Iraq. March, 2008. Photo CNN's Joe Duran.

Carter In The Middle East - Your reactions

2008-04-18T20:57:00.003-04:00

For U.S. President Jimmy Carter meeting Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad in Damascus, April 18, 2008. (Photo AP)

Thanks to all of our viewers and readers this week for so passionately contributing to the discussion surrounding former American president Jimmy Carter's tour of the Middle East. His decision to meet with Hamas officials, including exiled Hamas political leader Khaled Meshaal in Syria today, generated a fascinating debate this week, both online and on CNN's Your World Today.

My round table with the Jerusalem Post's Calev Ben-David and former Palestinian authority advisor Diana Buttu on Thursday was heated and illustrated just how divided both sides are, not just about Carter's meetings with Hamas, but in the protracted and seemingly unresolvable Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

One side sees Hamas as terrorists only, akin to Al Qaeda: speaking to them means legitimizing evil. The other side says that no peace can be achieved without dialogue, even with those whose actions we condemn.

I am including more of your comments in the comments section below.

Thanks again,

Hala

Mr. Abbas Goes To Moscow

2008-04-18T09:10:00.001-04:00

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas speaks after receiving an honorary degree from MGIMO (Moscow State Institute of Foreign Relations) in Moscow. Thursday, April 17, 2008. Abbas said Thursday that a Middle East peace conference will be held in Moscow in June.

We have great hopes the conference will move forward the peace process between Palestinians and Israel, and that it will lay the grounds for the overall peace process for the entire Middle East that will include Syria and Lebanon," Abbas said in a lecture at a Moscow university. (AP Photo/ Misha Japaridze)