American paradise
Resonances of Shimon Perez's "New Middle East", American attempts to consolidate Iraq's "occupation" and "domestic political reform" dominated the Arabic press this week, writes Aziza Sami
The newspapers this week showed United States Secretary of State Colin Powell visiting the region as the "struggle" over prerogatives continued between Palestine National Authority (PNA) President Yasser Arafat and his new Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas. The 'roadmap' towards Palestinian-Israeli peace was reported as being met with scepticism by Palestinians and the Syrian government, with internal conditions in occupied Iraq receiving the lion's share of press coverage. The Kuwaiti press lauded the rapprochement between Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Al-Hariri and the Kuwaiti government after tensions, resulting from Lebanon's position on the war on Iraq, had marred their relationship. The Emir of Qatar Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani met with President George W Bush in Washington, the first Arab ruler to do so since the end of the Iraqi war. During the visit, Khalifa spoke of the need for "democracy" and "reform" in the Arab world. The Egyptian opposition and independent press continued to demand political reform in the direction of democracy, reporting a "rapprochement" between the US and the Muslim Brotherhood.
WINDS OF CHANGE?: On 10 May the Pan- Arab daily Al-Hayat covered "Bush's comprehensive plan for the Middle East: A Free Trade Area and Negotiating for Peace". Referring to the speech delivered at the University of South Carolina by the American president on 9 May on "the eve of arrival of US State Secretary Colin Powell to the region", the newspaper wrote that Bush's plan included "setting up a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US within 10 years and urging the Palestinians and Israelis to start negotiations". Bush also pointed out the opportunities for peace "afforded by implementation of the roadmap, and that freedom, democracy and economic reform are essential conditions for attaining permanent peace".
The Saudi daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat wrote on the same day that "Bush calls for setting up an FTA with 23 countries in the Middle East," the paper added that "it should be noted that Bush's idea of a Middle Eastern FTA agrees in part with the ideas proposed by former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Perez on the establishment of an economically affluent Middle East."
Al-Hayat on 10 May quoted sources from the office of Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) as saying that he would "insist" in his talks with Powell on the necessity of the US obtaining "a public and immediate Israeli declaration of its acceptance of the roadmap and the immediate cessation of settlement activities in the West Bank and Gaza, if the visit is to be successful". On 9 May Al-Hayat had referred to the "pressures" exerted on Abu Mazen which made him retract the powers he had granted to the State Minister for Security Affairs Mohamed Dahlan for restructuring the Ministry of the Interior and the administration of the Palestinian security forces.
CAUGHT IN A VICE: On 11 May, Al-Hayat also wrote that Powell "would be met today" with strikes in the West Bank and Gaza, his first stop in the region, "in protest against his boycotting of PNA President Yasser Arafat". The paper added that "Powell will be meeting with Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas in Jericho away from Arafat's Ramallah headquarters, so as "not to embarrass Abu Mazen".
The Kuwaiti daily Al-Qabas reported on 7 May that Sharon had told Abu Mazen to "hit at the activists", with the Egyptian national daily Al- Akhbar reporting on 8 May that "Abu Mazen insists on the right of return for all refugees." Meanwhile on the same day the Kuwaiti daily Al-Siyasa reported that "Sharon announces that he is ready to meet Abu Mazen and negotiate, if he first relinquishes the right of return for refugees."
The Egyptian national daily Al-Ahram on 6 May announced in its banner that US Secretary of State Powell's visit to the region would include "Israel, the Palestinian Territories, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan". Another front-page headline added that "Washington threatens to impose penalties on Syria if it does not respond to the American administration's demands." These, Al-Ahram wrote, include guaranteeing the "closure of Syria's borders with Iraq" as well as offices of "militant" Palestinian groups which Washington considers "terrorist". Powell was "explicit" during his visit to Syria, Al-Ahram wrote, "in persuading Assad to comply in order to prevent Congress adopting the Syria Accountability Act which would impose political and diplomatic sanctions on Damascus."
The seemingly endless skirmishes between Syria and Israel over whether they would hold "conditional" or "unconditional" talks were reflected in the press over the week. Al-Akhbar's banner on 6 May quoted Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's statement that he was "willing to undertake peace negotiations with Syria without conditions". The paper also reported on "American incentives to Syria for stemming the activities of extremist organisations, and the establishment of close contacts with the aim of achieving acceptance of the unmodified roadmap".
The pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat on the same day, however, reported that "Sharon refuses a Syrian initiative to instantly resume negotiations." On 9 May it reported that "Sharon announces his readiness to negotiate with Syria," with a smaller headline reading that "Bush, while receiving the Emir of Qatar, expresses 'great optimism' about the possibilities for attaining peace." The banner of the Syrian daily Tishrin, meanwhile, referring to the situation in the Palestinian territories stated on the same day, 6 May, that "Sharon requires an end to the Intifada before there will be any talk of the roadmap."
AN EGYPTIAN ROLE: Political initiatives started by Egypt in relation to Iraq were highlighted on 6 May by Al-Hayat, which referred to the statement by Presidential Advisor Osama El-Baz that Egypt is ready to participate in establishing the Iraqi constitution. El-Baz also described American threats to Syria as "null and void". Al- Qabas on 6 May also quoted El-Baz's statement that "we refuse [to accept] the partition of Iraq and aim to reduce the period of the American presence."
Al-Ahram on 10 May announced that Prime Minster Atef Ebeid had, "in two meetings" discussed the "establishment of an Egypt-US FTA". Ebeid, according to the paper, had met with members of the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt (AmCham) and the French minister for external trade in order to seek the "promotion" of bilateral trade ties. This, Al-Ahram wrote, precedes AmCham's annual 'door-knock' mission, which this month will seek to promote US investments within Egypt, as well as the establishment of an FTA.
Al-Ahram also proclaimed in its front-page headline that, "US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick announces that Egypt and Bahrain are candidates for bilateral agreements with the US," with a smaller headline reading that "Washington invites all countries in the region to submit free trade initiatives on condition that they implement reforms." Al-Ahram quoted the Israeli daily Ha'aretz as saying that American officials had announced that Arab countries seeking FTAs with the US must "end all forms of economic boycott of Israel".
CONTAGIOUS REFORM: the two Egyptian national dailies on 6 May announced that the Higher Council for Judicial Organisations had ratified the cancellation of life sentences with hard labour, adding that state security courts would also be abolished and cases would be referred to regular courts.
The establishment of several Human Rights Commissions in various Arab countries was also reported in the Qatari daily Al-Watan, which reported on 6 May that "the Emir issues a decree for the formation of a national committee for human rights." Al-Ahram and Al-Qabas reported on the same day that the Saudi King Fahd had approved the establishment of a 'non- governmental' committee for human rights; Al- Ahram quoted Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al- Faisal as "denying that this had been undertaken because of foreign pressures". Meanwhile, Al- Hayat on 9 May quoted the Emir of Qatar, "the first Arab ruler" to visit Washington after the end of the war on Iraq, as saying that, "the absence of democracy [in the Arab world] has impeded its progress."
HUGE OPPORTUNITIES: On 6 May Egyptian Minister of Telecommunications Ahmed Nazif announced in Al-Akhbar "a huge opportunity for Egyptian companies to rebuild Iraqi telecommunications systems". The same view was echoed in Al-Qabas on 7 May. Egyptian businessman Naguib Sawiris said in an interview that he felt "optimistic" that "qualified" Arab companies would receive "an appropriate share" in the reconstruction of Iraq". The Egyptian economic daily Al-Aalam Al-Yom reported on 8 May that "an Egyptian delegation is heading to Washington to participate in the reconstruction of Iraq," adding that Egyptian construction companies would try to "contact" American companies which won projects in Iraq, in order to offer them Egyptian products enjoying "a competitive advantage in quality and price". The daily opposition paper Al-Wafd issued by the Wafd Party, wrote on 8 May that "six American companies are monopolising, with Bush's help, contracts for the reconstruction of Iraq: Egyptian companies come out empty-handed."
The Qatari Al-Watan on 6 May announced the visit by the Emir of Qatar Hamad bin Khalifa Al- Thani to "the friendly US" which would be followed by a visit to "friendly France and the friendly UK". Two front-page photos showed Hamad with Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa and the head of Egyptian intelligence Omar Soliman.
UP TO THE KUWAITIS: On 6 and 7 May the Kuwaiti dailies Al-Siyasa and Al-Qabas respectively published denials by Moussa as well as Qatari officials that Qatar was acting as mediator between the league's secretary-general and Kuwait to ease relations between the two. Al- Siyasa on 7 May reported the Saudi foreign minister as saying said that, "Moussa is a brother and friend, but we stand by Kuwait." Al-Qabas the same day quoted the head of the Egyptian parliament describing the campaign against Moussa as "blackmail".
The Kuwaiti dailies Al-Qabas and Al-Siyasa for their part covered the visit to Kuwait by Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Al-Hariri, which was undertaken in a spirit of "rapprochement" after relations between both parties had become strained because of the position adopted by Lebanon during the Iraqi crisis. Al-Hayat wrote on 6 May that Al-Hariri had insisted the visit had not been undertaken with the aim of obtaining economic assistance. Kuwaiti ruler Subah Al- Ahmed was also quoted by Al-Siyasa as saying that "Al-Hariri has explained Lebanon's mistakes and the matter is up to the Kuwaiti people".
SEEKING LEGITIMACY: The internal affairs of Iraq received intensive coverage in all the Arabic dailies, with Al-Hayat reporting on 10 May that, "Washington admits that it is an occupying force in Iraq, as well as to the theft of oil fields." Al-Hayat referred to "pressures brought on the UN Security Council to pass a resolution proposed by Britain and Spain to lift sanctions on Iraq and to admit that US and British troops constitute an occupying force". Al-Hayat quoted US and British officials as refusing to set an exact date for withdrawal, saying this depended on the establishment of stability. On 8 May Al-Sharq Al-Awsat reported on the newly designated special British envoy to Iraq, John Sawyers, also the UK's ambassador to Cairo, as saying that "we will set up a regime of 'integrity' in Baghdad, with or without the UN's assistance".
On the internal front, the Al-Wafd banner on 9 May announced that "Opposition parties prepare a unified platform for urgent political reforms" while Al-Hayat reported on 8 May that, "in Egypt, there is talk of an early cabinet change", which had been postponed by war on Iraq.
The Egyptian weekly newspaper Al-Arabi, published by the Arab Nasserist Party asked in its banner on 11 May "Why don't the Egyptians believe Gamal Mubarak's denials on inheriting the presidency?" The home section of the paper highlighted paradoxes in public denials and claims that the regime is working towards "democracy" while at the same time justifying emergency laws, arresting activists, and monopolising political action on all levels, including even the formation of a human rights commission. Al- Arabi also published a 'statement' issued by the heads of the Nasserist, Tagammu, Labour and Wafd parties demanding "presidential elections by means of a direct and free referendum, curtailing the president's prerogatives, abolishing the emergency law and releasing political prisoners". It also demanded "the freedom of forming political parties, issuing newspapers, and separating the ruling party from state apparatuses." Al-Hayat, reporting on the same 'manifesto' on 11 May, was careful to point out that the Muslim Brotherhood was the only political force which had not signed it.
The independent Egyptian weekly Sout Al- Umma meanwhile, continued its campaign against PM Atef Ebeid's cabinet in its front page as well as a two-page spread entitled, "The black record of Atef Ebeid's government". The paper also published a photograph of a muscular David Welch, US ambassador to Egypt, holding a baseball bat and a glass of milk, adjacent to an article entitled "the American high commissioner to Egypt", which reported that Welch is transgressing his prerogatives as a diplomat. Sout Al- Umma also reported that, "the Muslim Brotherhood initiated a new era [of relations] with America." According to the newspaper, the meetings which had taken place in Cairo between Brotherhood representatives and European diplomats, arranged by AUC professor and civil rights activist Saadeddin Ibrahim, would be followed by others. Referring extensively to the "historic" ties between the Brotherhood and both Britain and the US, the paper said that, "the Brotherhood have put in place a plan for contacting personalities enjoying "very good" ties with the Americans such as Ibrahim, Said El- Naggar and Ma'moun Fandy. They will also attempt to contact [New York Times columnist) Thomas Friedman." The objective here, the paper wrote, would be for the Americans to consider the Brotherhood as a "viable future option" for rule, along the lines of the Turkish Justice and Development Party. Al-Arabi meanwhile published on its front page news that the imprisoned Al-Jihad leader Abboud Al-Zummur had "refused" to meet with an American security official, since he did not want to become a part of the "rapprochement" which has already taken place between the Americans and Islamist factions such as Al-Gama'a Al-Islamiyya, and the Brotherhood.
TARGETTED FOR CHANGE: Echoes of rapprochement were reflected in an opinion article written for Al-Hayat on 8 May by Essam El- Eryan, a leading Brotherhood figure, entitled "Hizbullah, along the Muslim Brotherhood's path". In the article, El-Eryan draws parallels between the Brotherhood's career and that of Hizbullah, referring to the turning point which, like the war on Iraq, was a result of military and political defeat in the 1948 Palestine war, and resulted in a period of intense political repression of the Brotherhood. In the face of current pressures exerted by the US, El-Eryan writes, the best option for Hizbullah and its patron, Syria, would be to cool down "for a period to allow the American solution to work itself out. This would require a guarantee that there would be no threats by Hizbullah directed at the Zionist entity for a period of one year or more. Such an approach would be banking on [an anticipated] failure on the part of both the Americans and the Zionist entity. The current administration will either fail in the coming elections, or make an even greater come- back, making it impose conditions that are unacceptable to the Zionist entity. This will lead to an 'explosion' in the region, thus freeing Syria and Hizbullah from any commitments that they might have undertaken".
An article published in Al-Ahram on 6 May by the Head of the Foreign Affairs Committee in Parliament Mustafa El-Feki entitled "Egypt: A Required Role" instigated strong reactions by retired Ambassador Amin Youssri in Al-Arabi and Gamal Badawi in the daily Al-Wafd.
In his article, El-Feki writes of "talk, overt in the US press, and implicit in the Arab press, of a list of 'demands' [which will be forwarded by the US] to countries in the region. As far as Egypt is concerned," El-Feki writes, the required "changes" will involve not only the government, but "society" as well, which encompasses education, culture and media.
El-Feki says that "frankness is still needed" in asking why Egypt is apparently "targetted" more than others for change. Those critical of the Egyptian role claim it to be an "instigative" one, not always falling in line with the required trend. Such critics say that although terrorism has become an international phenomenon, inherent among Muslim peoples, the "brain" or "mastermind" to which it may be attributed has been Egyptian in "source, method and culture". The "cold peace" with Israel is another reason for what El-Feki describes as "subsumed rage" against Egypt. He finally concludes that "Egypt produces the region's most valuable product which is 'culture', and possesses attributes which enable it to exert a crucial influence in shaping the future, as well as supplying legitimacy to circumstances which can -- or cannot -- be accepted in the Arab and national arenas. It is also Egypt," concludes El-Feki, "which must lead the region's movement for political and constitutional reform, ushering in a contemporary culture and a model to be emulated". Writing under the title "The Zionist Lobby in Egypt" Youssri referred to El-Feki's article as "supremely important" but one of a strain of "defeatist" writings rationalising the new "realities" imposed by the US in the region. A now thriving domestic "lobby" is currently in operation, writes Youssri, which recommends Egypt remaining "insular" and "isolated" in a manner which would impede the country's potential for becoming a regional player, and which also falls in line with the US-Israeli policy of promoting new parochialism and sectarianism in the Middle East.
Youssri counters El-Feki's call for "reform" by saying that it is only true "democracy" and eradication of the current political repression which will deprive this "lobby" of the circumstances enabling it to thrive, since it flourishes on a doctrine of submission rather than confrontation -- whether intellectual, political or otherwise -- to the new American hegemony. Gamal Badawi in Al-Wafd, on 8 May continued this line of reasoning in an article entitled "False Reform". The articles maintains that, "this call for reform by one of the pillars of the regime [El-Feki], calls for optimism," but, Badawi goes on to ask, "where are the trappings of democracy in our political system -- in parliament, emergency laws, controls on syndicates and petrified leadership in media, cultural and religious institutions? What happened to Egypt's "pivotal" ability to influence the region in relation to events in Palestine and Iraq? A false reform which "white- washes" existing out-moded institutions will simply not do. They must be abolished altogether. Only then will Egypt regain its true status, lost ever since it entered the "American paradise" and performed the role prescribed by the US, relegating it to isolation and indifference."
Al-Ahram Weekly Online : 15 -21 May 2003 (Issue No. 638)
Located at: http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2003/638/press.htm