Al Quds Day observed worldwide

Millions of people across the world held huge rallies to mark ‘Al Quds Day’ to express solidarity with Palestinian people and condemn Israeli crimes. This year Israeli genocide in the Gaza Strip has attached specific significance. 

The event observed on the last Friday of Ramadan is commemorated by Palestinian supporters every year.  

In Pakistan, political parties including Jamaat-e-Islami and Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen staged rallies across the country in support of the Palestinians and against the Israeli killing in Gaza. 

The protests were held in different cities including Karachi, Quetta, Muzaffarabad, Kashmore, Bhalwal, Parachinar, Chichawatni, Rajanpur and Jacobabad.

On the occasion, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called on the international community to exert pressure on Israel to halt its oppression of the Palestinian people in Gaza.

He underscored Pakistan's unwavering support for Palestine, advocating for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

The premier pointed to decades-long Israeli occupation of Palestine and denounced the international community’s silence in the face of human rights violations by the regime. 

On the outskirts of Srinagar in Indian controlled Kashmir, Muslims slammed the Israeli massacres in Gaza. They called for ending the Israeli violence and genocide in the Palestinian territory. 

A massive rally also took place in Mumbai, India. The protesters expressed support for the Palestinians and their cause. They also slammed the Israeli genocide in Gaza which has left 33,000 people dead since October 07, 2023.

Indonesia was also the scene of protests against Israel on Al Quds Day. The protesters denounced the regime’s war of genocide on Gaza. They blamed the US for standing by the regime.

The demonstrators displayed a poster depicting President Joe Biden as a clown during a rally outside the US embassy in Jakarta.

Malaysians also rallied to express solidarity with Palestinian people and the cause of Palestine.  

In Thailand, people took part in a rally in support of Palestinians in front of the Israeli embassy in Bangkok. 

Bahrainis demand closure of Israeli embassy. Theycame on the streets to voice support for Palestinians, particularly the residents of the Gaza Strip. They condemned the Israeli brutality against the Gazans. 

The protesters called for the closure of the Israeli embassy in Manama and the expulsion of the regime’s diplomats from the Arab country. 

Bahrain and the Israeli regime established diplomatic relations in 2020 as part of the United States-brokered Abraham Accords.

Millions of Yemenis also marked Al Quds Day. Protesters in the capital Sana'a condemned Israel’s brutal war on Gaza. 

In a statement, the protesters said the Palestinian nation has been subjected to the US-Israeli genocide for six months. 

The statement called on all Arab and Islamic countries to fulfill their responsibilities in the face of the savagery of the US and the Israeli regime.

Other countries in the Arab world including Iraq and Jordan saw huge protests on Al Quds Day. 

Protesters in Tanzania's coastal city of Dar es Salaam also rallied as they were holding the Palestinian flag. The protesters chanted anti-Israeli slogans and condemned the regime’s vicious crimes against Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.

Al Quds Day rallies in Nigeria turned deadly as police clashed with protesters. Reports suggest security forces killed several people in the city of Kaduna who were protesting against the Israeli crimes. 

Police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse the pro-Palestine demonstrators.

Europe also saw rallies marking International Quds Day. In Britain, demonstrators gathered outside the Home Office in Marsham Street before heading into Horseferry Road, along Millbank, past the front of the Houses of Parliament and finishing in Whitehall where speeches were delivered. Prior to the rallies, more than 500 officers were deployed in central London.

In Poland, protesters held banners as they gathered to spend night near the US Consulate in Krakow to protest against Israeli attacks in Gaza.

 

Achieving Gulf Unity and Prosperity

Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman expressed his aspiration to make more efforts to achieve the vision of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman to achieve the unity of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries as well as the stability and prosperity of their people.

The Crown Prince said this while co-chairing the 3rd meeting of the Saudi-Bahraini Coordination Council along with Bahrain’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa in Riyadh on Wednesday. The two leaders witnessed the announcements about key joint projects and signing of a number of agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) between the two countries.

In his speech, the Crown Prince highlighted the significance of the activities and initiatives being carried out by the Saudi-Bahraini Coordination Council and its affiliated committees in all areas of cooperation, saying that this would benefit the citizens of both countries and meet the aspirations of their leadership. He also lauded the strong and deep-rooted historical relations that bind the two kingdoms and their peoples.

In his speech, Prince Salman bin Hamad praised the level of distinguished relations and historical ties between the two kingdoms. He stressed the importance of these meetings and their effective role in strengthening the strategic partnerships between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia to achieve the desired integration and its contribution to pushing joint cooperation towards new horizons that achieve prosperity and development for the two countries and their peoples.

Prince Salman praised the good efforts made by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in supporting various initiatives and projects that would contribute to achieving integration and development for the two countries, including the initiatives that the committees of the Saudi-Bahraini Coordination Council are working on, which aim to put shared aspirations and visions into practice.

In the presence of Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Prince Salman bin Hamad the opening of the first office of the Saudi-Bahraini Company and the completion of the construction of King Abdullah Medical City Hospital in Bahrain were announced.

The company was established in November 2022 between the Saudi Public Investment Fund and the Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company, with an investment amounting to US$5 billion. The King Abdullah Medical City Hospital is scheduled to begin operation during the second quarter of 2024.

Announcements were also made with regard to a number of projects related to launching training opportunities and incubating private sector institutions concerned with artificial intelligence, networking and electronic data sharing, and partnerships between private sector institutions in the fields of health and handling of products between the two countries.

During the meeting, a number of agreements and MoUs were signed in the fields of energy, economy, finance and financial markets, legal, culture, education, administrative development, health, television, radio and news.

Several ministers and high ranking officials from the two countries attended the meeting. It was agreed to hold the 4th meeting of the Saudi-Bahraini Coordination Council in Bahrain.

Why United States has bases in Middle East?

United States has been operating bases around the Middle East for decades. Often questions are asked: what are US troops doing in the Middle East and where are these bases located? These questions have got louder after three US soldiers were killed and dozens wounded as a drone hit a military outpost in Jordan, known as Tower 22, on Sunday. The location is just one of many bases the US has in the Middle East.

Tower 22 holds a strategically important location in Jordan, at the most northeastern point where the country's borders meet Syria and Iraq.

Specifically, Tower 22 is near Al Tanf garrison, which is located across the border in Syria, and which houses a small number of US troops. Tanf had been the key in the fight against Islamic State and has assumed a role as part of a US strategy to contain Iran's military build-up in eastern Syria.

US bases are highly guarded facilities, including with air defense systems to protect against missiles or drones.

Facilities in countries like Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are not usually attacked, but US troops in Iraq and Syria have come under frequent attacks in recent years.

Reportedly, since October 07, 2023 US troops have been attacked more than 160 times, injuring about 80 troops, even prior to Sunday's attack on Tower 22, which has injured around 40 more

The US has been operating bases around the Middle East for decades. At its peak, there were more than 100,000 US troops in Afghanistan in 2011 and over 160,000 personnel in Iraq in 2007.

The number has declined substantially after withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, but still about 30,000 US troops scattered across the region.

Since the Israel-Gaza war began in October 2023, the US has temporarily sent thousands of additional troops in the region, including on warships.

The largest US base in the Middle East is located in Qatar, known as Al Udeid Air Base and built in 1996. Other countries where the US has a presence include Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US has roughly 900 troops in Syria, in small bases like al Omar Oil field and al-Shaddadi mostly in the northeast of the country. There is a small outpost near the county's border with Iraq and Jordan, known as the Al Tanf garrison.

There are 2,500 personnel in Iraq, spread around facilities like Union III and Ain al-Asad air base, though talks are ongoing about the future of those troops.

 US troops are stationed in the Middle East for different reasons and with the exception of Syria, they are there with the permission of each country's government.

In some countries like Iraq and Syria, US troops are there to fight against Islamic State militants and are helping local forces. But they have come under attack over the past several years and have taken action against the attackers.

Jordan, a key US ally in the region, has hundreds of US trainers and they hold extensive exercises throughout the year.

In Qatar and the UAE, US troops have a presence to reassure allies, carry out training and are used as needed in operations in the region.

While Washington's allies sometimes send their troops to train or work with US troops, there are no foreign military bases inside the United States.

 

 

 

 

 

United States needs war in Gaza

A summit by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) resulted in a blanket condemnation of Israel, but lacked substantive solutions. The summit was sabotaged by Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco, who recently normalized relations with Israel. These countries block significant actions due to extensive US influence and future geopolitical calculations, causing disappointment among the international Muslim community.

After all, the Arab street – even while repressed in their home nations – has pulsed with protests expressing ferocious rage against Israel’s wholesale massacre of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Arab leaders were forced to take some sort of action beyond suspending a few ambassadorships with Israel, and called for a special Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit to discuss the ongoing Israeli war against Palestinian children.

Representatives of 57 Muslim states convened in Riyadh on 11 November to deliver a serious, practical blow against genocidal practitioners and enablers. But in the end, nothing was offered, not even solace.

The OIC’s final statement will always be enshrined in the Gilded Palace of Cowardice. Highlights of the tawdry rhetorical show: we oppose Israel’s self-defense; we condemn the attack on Gaza; we ask (who?) not to sell weapons to Israel; we request the kangaroo ICC to investigate war crimes; we request a UN resolution condemning Israel.

For the record, that’s the best 57 Muslim-majority countries could drum up in response to this 21st-century genocide. History, even if written by victors, tends to be unforgiving towards cowards.

The Top Four Cowards, in this instance, are Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco – the latter three having normalized relations with Israel under a heavy US hand in 2020. These are the ones that consistently blocked serious measures from being adopted at the OIC summit, such as the Algerian draft proposal for an oil ban on Israel, plus banning the use of Arab airspace to deliver weapons to the occupation state.

Egypt and Jordan – longtime Arab vassals – were also non-committal, as well as Sudan, which is in the middle of a civil war. Turkiye, under Sultan Recep Tayyip Erdogan, once again showed it is all talk and no action; a neo-Ottoman parody of the Texan “all hat, no cattle.”

Bank of China opens branch in Saudi Arabia

China’s most internationalized state bank on Tuesday opened its first branch in Saudi Arabia in a move to expand the use of yuan amid a growing number of economic deals between the two countries.

Bank of China (BOC), one of China’s four biggest state-owned banks, opened its branch in Riyadh, the capital city of the oil-rich Middle Eastern country, more than two years after being given approval by the Saudi Arabian government.

The branch has more than 20 staff, with a majority hired locally – a condition requested by local authorities.

It is the second Chinese bank to open a branch in Saudi Arabia after the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) opened its first branch in Riyadh in 2015. ICBC also opened a branch in Jeddah in May.

China’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Chen Weiqing, said the opening of the branch was a result of positive developments in the bilateral relations between the two countries, and new stage of financial cooperation.

“It also shows that China highly recognizes the financial regulations, investment environment, and geographical advantages of Saudi Arabia,” Chen said, as he attended the opening ceremony with Bank of China president Liu Jin.

Saudi Central Bank governor Ayman al-Sayari and Saudi Arabia’s deputy investment minister, Saleh Ali Khabti, also attended the opening ceremony along with 250 guests.

The Saudi-listed ACWA Power, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Investment, Ajlan & Bros Holding Group and Zhejiang Rongsheng Holding Group signed memorandums of understanding involving internationalizing the yuan and green financing with BOC during the opening ceremony, the statement added.

The move came as part of a growing series of economic activities between China and Saudi Arabia, with their bilateral relations described as being at the best stage ever following President Xi Jinping’s state visit in December 2022, with both countries facing souring relations with the West.

During the trip at the end of last year, Xi pledged to work towards widening the use of yuan in oil and gas trade in the region, amid a push to establish the currency internationally and weaken the US dollar’s grip on world trade.

Saudi Arabia is China’s largest source of crude oil imports, with 87.5 million metric tons (641 million barrels) shipped in 2022.

Amid efforts by state banks to tap potential in the Middle East, BOC’s new branch has been licensed to provide basic commercial banking services to individual consumers and small- to medium-sized businesses, ranging from deposit accounts and loans to mortgages and yuan transactions.

At the weekend, BOC president Liu also met Khaled Mohamed Salem Balama Al Tameemi, the governor of the central bank of the United Arab Emirates, to court more support for its yuan clearing in the region and potential cooperation with the nation’s sovereign wealth funds.

In an interview with local media in June, BOC said the new branch aimed to offer the yuan to the wider Middle East region to assist commercial and financial trade between China, Saudi Arabia and beyond.

As there are many Chinese companies entering the market in the region, being able to trade and make financial transactions using the yuan would encourage Chinese companies to invest in the area.

The Saudi Arabian government first agreed to allow BOC to open its branch in January 2020. At the time, Saudi Arabia had only 14 foreign banks, including ICBC.

BOC also has existing branches in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the UAE, as well as Bahrain, Turkey and Qatar.

Li Tong, president of the bank’s investment banking unit, Bank of China International, said in June during the Arab-China Business Conference in Riyadh that the new branch in Riyadh would push for financial cooperation, and further boost economic cooperation between the two countries.

The bank has also been in discussion with local counterparts to offer panda bonds – yuan-denominated bonds sold by overseas entities in China’s onshore bond market to raise investments in China.

A number of other banking sector collaborations have also been announced this year.

In March, the Export-Import Bank of China announced a first loan cooperation with Saudi National Bank, Saudi Arabia’s largest bank, in yuan.

Hong Kong has also been named as a major hub for financial cooperation between China and Saudi Arabia.

In July, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the city’s de facto central bank, signed a memorandum of understanding with the Saudi Central Bank, pledging initiatives in financial infrastructure development, open market operations, market connectivity and sustainable development.

 

 

Israeli attempt to normalize Libya ties backfires

Libyan Prime Minister has firmly rejected the prospect of normalizing relations with Israel, days after the news broke out of an apparent secret meeting between the Libyan foreign minister and her Israeli counterpart.

On August 27, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen publicly said he and Libya’s now sacked foreign minister had held a private meeting in the Italian capital Rome the previous week, the first-ever alleged encounter between a top Libyan diplomat and an Israeli regime official in history.

The next day, Libya’s Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah fired Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush, (who claimed it was not an official meeting but a swift coincidental interaction) and launched an investigation into the reported meeting. 

Mangoush’s whereabouts is now unknown following the uproar in Libya after news emerged of the exchange late last week.

Dbeibah also touched on the ongoing probe about the incident, saying, “Regardless of good or bad intentions, together we (the Libyan people) will learn the details of what happened in Rome through the ongoing investigation.”

Under a 1957 law in Libya, it is illegal to normalize ties with the occupation regime of Israel. Libya has long been hostile toward the Israeli regime and a staunch supporter of the Palestinians.

During a televised ministerial meeting of the Libyan Government of National Unity, Prime Minister Dbeibah said his government completely rejects any form of normalization with Israel.

"Before I assumed this mission, (I affirm) our categorical and complete rejection of any form of normalization, and our complete bias towards the Palestinian people and their just cause,” Dbeibah told his ministers.

The Premier has also accepted responsibility for the foreign minister’s illegal interaction, in spite of being unaware of the reported secret gathering, saying, “Despite everything that happened to our people, they still cling to their principles and identity. In fact, from this place, I bear full responsibility for this government, regardless of who made mistakes in it and who was responsible.”

“Long live Libya, long live its people, long live Palestine, and long live the Palestinian cause in our hearts,” he added.

On Tuesday, Libya’s parliament also condemned the meeting, while voicing opposition to any attempt toward any level of normalization with Israel, with the parliament speaker denouncing any contacts with the regime and emphasizing Libya’s support for the Palestinians. 

Aguila Saleh Issa added that no one is allowed to undermine the Palestine struggle for freedom, and everyone should work on establishing a Palestinian state with occupied al-Quds (Jerusalem) as its capital.

In a sign of how just sensitive the news was for the Libyan public, the reported meeting ignited angry street protests in several Libyan cities, including mass rallies in the capital Tripoli, with demonstrations strongly condemning Israel and protesters chanting slogans in support of the Palestinians. 

This, in turn, prompted the suspended foreign minister Mangoush to reportedly flee to Turkey for fear of her safety. Her exact whereabouts remain unknown.

Israeli news reports suggest that the regime’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, was furious with his foreign minister for making the news public before informing him.

Reports also suggest the United States is fuming about the Israeli announcement of the reported meeting amid the wave of angry reactions from Libya.

Both Israel and the US are reportedly said to have hoped the private meeting could have materialized into some type of PR boost for Israel and President Biden, ahead of the 2024 US presidential election with a view to some kind of normalization agenda between Israel and Libya.

The response from the Libyan people and the government officials since the news broke out suggests that no such measure will materialize in the foreseeable future.

Israel is finding itself isolated in West Asia after the so-called Abraham Accords which saw the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco normalizing ties with Israel when Donald Trump was at the White House.

While Sudan formally joined the so-called Abraham Accords, relations between Sudan and the occupation regime have been frozen because of domestic opposition and political instability.
Three years later, Israel had widely hoped to expand on the so-called Abraham Accords by normalizing ties with many more states in West Asia and Africa, something that has yet to transpire.

Palestinians have said the Abraham Accords have emboldened Israel in its brutal crackdown in the occupied territories, describing the deal as a stab in the back for the Palestinian cause.

According to the United Nations, Israeli forces have killed more than 200 Palestinians so far this year, many of them women and children, the highest annual death toll since the UN began keeping records in 2005.

But 2023 has yet to end and Israeli aggression against the Palestinians continues to expand, particularly the almost daily pre-dawn heavy military invasions in the occupied West Bank cities, towns and villages that have been condemned by human rights groups as “merciless”.

On Friday, the regime's military raided several cities in the occupied West Bank, killing an innocent teacher in the village of Aqaba, while injuring and arresting many others, including family members of residents that Israel claims are wanted. 

Israel is being governed by one of the most fascist regimes in the entity’s short history.  And while former Israeli rulers committed similar war crimes against the Palestinians, observers say the new ministers in Netanyahu’s cabinet are not even trying to hide their brutal and illegal practices, unlike previous ones who tried to cover them up. Netanyahu’s cabinet openly boasts about killing Palestinian civilians.

This has added extra pressure on any regional state's official pondering the idea of some kind of diplomatic normalization and being seen warming up to the new fanatical criminal gang in charge of the occupied Palestinian territories.

 

Iranian naval chief visits Pakistan

Rear Admiral Shahram Irani, Commander Iranian Navy, reached Islamabad on Monday for a three-day visit to discuss methods to strengthen bilateral collaboration in a number of military domains with top military commanders of Pakistan.

Irani visited Islamabad at the request of his Pakistani counterpart Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi’s request.

Irani, who is accompanied by a senior military team, visited naval headquarters in Islamabad, where he was greeted by his Pakistani counterpart and witnessed a guard of honor, according to a Pakistan Navy press release.

The Iranian and Pakistani navy commanders met to discuss common interests such as bilateral marine, defense, and educational cooperation, as well as the exchange of naval delegations.

Additionally, Irani and Niazi discussed regional partnerships and marine security in the region.

Niazi briefed Irani and his accompanying team on the professional activities of Pakistani naval forces to maintain maritime security and bolster bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

Irani’s current trip to Islamabad, in the opinion of Pakistan’s Navy, will be a significant step in fostering closer naval cooperation between the two nations.

In the meanwhile, Irani and Pakistani Air Force Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu met. They emphasized the value of strengthening military, educational, and aviation cooperation.

In a statement, Pakistan’s Air Force said, “The meeting between Irani and Baber Sidhu is a testament to the deep-rooted friendship and unwavering commitment of the two nations to work towards a peaceful and stable region.”

The Pakistani marshal also underscored on the advancement in space, electronic warfare, cyber and niche technologies coupled with artificial intelligence (AI) which have profoundly affected the traditional environment of national security.

He gave the dignitary a briefing on the numerous initiatives the Pakistan Air Force is working on, paying particular attention to modernization and the growth of indigenous capabilities.

“Tehran and Islamabad enjoy longstanding religious, cultural, and historical bonds which are manifested through strong ties between both sides,” the Pakistani air chief noted.

The commander of the Iranian Navy praised the professionalism of the Pakistan Air Force troops and the extraordinary advancements made by the PAF on its path to modernization.

Irani further commended Pakistan for its ongoing efforts to maintain security in the region and emphasized the significance of strengthening military-to-military cooperation, particularly in the areas of operations, training, and the aviation sector.

Irani stated earlier this month that the Islamic Republic intends to create new intra- and extra-regional partnerships to improve security.

Along with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Iraq, he also mentioned Pakistan as a nation that is in earnest for international naval cooperation.

He said that almost all of the nations in the northern parts of the Indian Ocean have decided to support Iran and work together more effectively to build security.

A number of Persian Gulf Arab nations, led by Saudi Arabia, realigned their coalition and resumed their relations with Iran, shattering the Israeli regime’s and its old partner, the United States, dreams of a “NATO-like” anti-Iran alliance in the region.

 

Saudi Arabian embassy in Sudan attacked

The attacks by armed groups on the diplomatic missions of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain in Sudan are a cause of grave concern. It is believed that these attacks have been made by the proxies of those who are annoyed by the role being played by Saudi Arabia to end animosities among the Muslim countries.

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly condemned the sabotage and tampering carried out by some armed groups in the Kingdom’s embassy building and its annexes in Khartoum, capital of Sudan, on Wednesday.

The ministry also voiced its denunciation over the sabotage of the residence and properties of Saudi staff working in the embassy, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday.

The ministry also expressed the Kingdom’s total rejection of all forms of violence and sabotage on diplomatic missions and representations. It also stressed the importance of confronting these armed groups that are trying to undermine the return of security and stability to Sudan and its brotherly people.

The Sudanese army confirmed last month that the circumstances of the war prevented the security forces from providing protection for diplomatic missions, refusing to hold it responsible for the looting of embassies in Sudan.

The army added in a statement that accusing the Rapid Support Forces of attacking embassies is based on reports and eyewitness accounts.

Meanwhile, the Bahraini Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that the headquarters of the Bahraini embassy and the ambassador’s house in the Sudanese capital had been stormed and vandalized by an armed group.

The ministry renewed its call to the Sudanese parties to give priority to wisdom and the supreme national interest, and to respond seriously to the Saudi-American initiative to halt military operations.

 

Iran, Saudi Arabia to form naval coalition in northern Indian Ocean

Iranian Navy Commander Shahram Irani announced on Saturday that a naval coalition will be formed in the northern Indian Ocean with the involvement of Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Iraq, Pakistan, India, and other countries in the region.

“In line with this purpose new coalitions are being formed in the region and beyond,” the admiral added.

“Today regional countries have reached the conclusion that if there is going to be security in the region, definitely it can be done through convergence and cooperation with each other,” Shahram Irani said in a televised interview.

Earlier, the website of the Emirati foreign ministry said Abu Dhabi had withdrawn from the Joint Maritime Forces that operate in the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf.

Analysts say Abu Dhabi has made the decision in line with its ambition to diversify its security relationships.

A Qatari news website reported on Friday that Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Oman are to form a joint naval force under China's support in line with increasing maritime security in the Persian Gulf.

Al-Jadid said China had already begun mediating negotiations among Tehran, Riyadh, and Abu Dhabi aimed at reinforcing navigation's safety in the strategic body of water.

Back in March, China successfully helped broker a deal between Tehran and Riyadh according to which Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to reestablish diplomatic ties after seven years of estrangement.

According to analysts, the consent of the Persian Gulf states to Beijing's mediation in such sensitive matters shows China's growing influence in the region as opposed to Washington's declining influence.

 

 

History of Israel-Arab Normalization

Israel currently has official diplomatic ties with five Arab countries namely Egypt, Jordan, UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco.

Egypt was the first Arab state to sign a peace treaty with Israel, in 1979, in return for an Israeli withdrawal from the Sinai Peninsula it occupied in 1967.

Jordan followed in 1994, a year after Israel and the PLO recognized each other via the Oslo Accords. Progress toward Israeli-Palestinian peace enabled Israel to establish ties with other Arab states, but these were cut after the outbreak of the second intifada in 2000.

In 2020, following a gradual process, the Abraham Accords were signed, leading the UAE and Bahrain to normalize ties with Israel, with Sudan indicating it would follow suit when domestic conditions allow.

Also in 2020, Morocco re-established the official ties it had with Israel in the 1990s.

In 2022, Israel, the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, Egypt, and the United States established the Negev Forum to advance multilateral cooperation.

Israel for decades had unofficial and secret relations with most Arab states. Israel-Arab relations traditionally have a strong security dimension, but also increasingly include civilian, economic, and political cooperation.

In 2002, the Arab League adopted the API, which promised Israel normal relations with the entire Arab world in return for peace with the Palestinians.

The API did not generate progress toward Israeli-Palestinian peace.

Currently, Saudi Arabia is seeking to update the API and possibly have it become a key part of a package of incentives for peace.

Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected the need to move forward with the Palestinians as a condition for progress with Arab countries. While he seeks to advance ties with Arab states to bypass the Palestinian issue, others in Israel and the international community seek to leverage normalization to advance Israeli-Palestinian peace.

Saudi Arabia welcomes resumption of diplomatic ties between Bahrain and Qatar

Saudi Arabia has welcomed the resumption of diplomatic relations between Bahrain and Qatar, which was announced following the second Qatari-Bahrain follow-up committee meeting in Riyadh.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs applauded this constructive step, which affirms the robustness of relations among members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and advances joint Gulf action that achieves the aspirations of the region's states and peoples.

The United States congratulated Bahrain and Qatar on their decision to resume diplomatic ties, State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said Thursday.

"This breakthrough represents a crucial step in our collective efforts to forge a more integrated, stable, peaceful, and prosperous region," Patel noted in a press release one day after the two GCC states reached a deal in this regard.

"The United States has sought to promote regional integration and de-escalation, including among these two important partners and Gulf Cooperation Council member states.

"The United States will continue to actively work with regional partners to advance this shared aim of a more integrated, stable and prosperous Middle East region," he added.

GCC Secretary-General Jassem Albudaiwi applauded the step, which stems from the directives of the leaders of the GCC countries that were issued at the "Sultan Qaboos and Sheikh Sabah Summit", which was held in AlUla in 2021.

He added that those instructions embody the GCC leaders' keenness to secure the future and protect the cohesion of the Council in line with key attributes of the links connecting the Council member states, including the bonds of kinship, friendship, brotherhood, history and common destiny, and unity which are the pillars of the GCC blessed march.

In a statement, the Cairo-based Arab Parliament hailed the Bahraini-Qatari agreement as a positive step toward enhancing joint Arab action and regional security and stability.

 

Peace in Palestine must for regional stability, says King of Bahrain

Bahrain supports a just peace for the Palestinians as an important step in maintaining regional stability, the country’s monarch, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, told Israel's President Isaac Herzog when the two met at Al-Qudaibiya Palace in Manama on Sunday.

There is firm support in Bahrain for “achieving a just, comprehensive and sustainable peace that guarantees the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and that will lead to stability, development and prosperity for both the Palestinian and Israeli people as well as for the people of the region," Khalifa said.

Herzog said his visit to Bahrain symbolized a message of peace for the region and was a historic step that expanded Israeli ties with the Arab world.

He spoke at first on the tarmac at Ben-Gurion Airport on Sunday morning, then repeated the message as he sat with Bahrain's Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani. 

This trip marks the first time that an Israeli president has visited Bahrain.

Herzog recalled that Zayani signed the Abraham Accords, who in turn said it had been a "bright day."

"This is another historic step in the relationship between Israel and Arab states, signed with the Abraham Accords, and another step toward more and more nations joining the circle of peace with the State of Israel," Herzog said earlier that day. "I will be the guest of the King of Bahrain and his government, and I hope to discuss issues of mutual interest."

Herzog will then be flying to the UAE to attend a space conference. "Israel and the UAE are both regional powers in this field, and if one looks ahead, one sees an incredible vista of cooperation between so many industries of Israel, the UAE, Bahrain, and other nations that have signed the Abraham Accords, with the hope of including more and more nations in future," he said.

 

Iranian non-oil trade with neighbors up 18% during March-June 2022 quarter

The value of Iran’s non-oil trade with its neighboring countries increased 18% during the first three months of the current Iranian calendar year (March-June), as compared to the same period last year, the spokesman of Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA) announced.

Ruhollah Latifi put Iran’s non-oil trade with its neighbors at 20.973 million tons worth US$12.363 billion in the three-month period.

He said trade with the neighbors accounted for 49% of the value and 59% of the weight of Iran’s non-oil trade during the period under review.

The country exported 16.05 million tons of non-oil goods worth US$6.736 billion to the neighboring countries in the three-month period of this year, indicating 20% rise in value, while 10% drop in weight, as compared to the same period last year, the official stated.

He named Iraq, Turkey, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Afghanistan, and Oman as the five top export destinations.

Latifi further announced that Iran imported 4.433 million tons of goods worth US$5.627 billion from its neighbors during this period, with 15% growth in value and one percent rise in weight YoY.

He named UAE, Turkey, Russia, Pakistan, and Oman as the five top sources of imports.

As previously announced by the IRICA head, the value of Iran’s non-oil trade with its neighbors during the previous Iranian calendar year 1400 was reported at US$51.875 billion, an increase of 43% YoY.

Alireza Moghadasi put the weight of non-oil trade with the neighboring countries at 100.131 million tons in the said year, stating that trade with the neighbors also increased by 23% in terms of weight.

The official put the annual non-oil exports to the mentioned countries at 75.445 million tons valued at US$26.29 billion, with a 29% rise in value and a 12% growth in weight.

Major export destinations of the Iranian non-oil goods were Iraq with US$8.9 billion, followed by Turkey (US$6.1 billion), United Arab Emirates (US$4.9 billion), Afghanistan US$1.8 billion) and Pakistan with (US$1.3 billion) in imports from the Islamic Republic, others countries included Oman, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia, according to the official.

Moghadasi further stated that Iran imported 24.686 million tons of non-oil commodities worth over US$25.846 billion in the previous year, with a 60% growth in value and a 68%YoY increase in weight.

The United Arab Emirates was the top exporter to Iran during the period exporting US$16.5 billion worth of goods to the country, followed by Turkey, Russia, Iraq, and Oman, he stated.

Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Armenia, Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain were other top neighboring countries that supplied goods to Iran in 1400, respectively.

Increasing non-oil exports to the neighboring countries is one of the major plans that the Iranian government has been pursuing in recent years.

Iran shares land or water borders with 15 countries namely UAE, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Saudi Arabia.

First public Israeli flight lands in Saudi Arabia

According to The Jerusalem Post an Israeli private jet landed in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday morning, marking the first time a public flight from Israel has ever landed in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The news comes just a day after the first flight from Saudi Arabia landed in Israel, as an Emirati 737 Royal Jet landed in Ben-Gurion airport Monday evening.

This is the latest among improving regional ties for Israel, agreements to normalize ties with four nations — UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan — have been realized since the 2020 Abraham Accords.

While there remain no commercial flights between Saudi Arabia and Israel, as the two states share no official relations, the flights are a considerable advancement in Saudi-Israeli relations, as both nations finally opened their airspaces to each other just last year.

Surrounded by nations that have clashed with Israel in the past, free air travel is not something that is taken for granted in Israel.

Along the 2020 normalization of ties with Bahrain, Sudan, Morocco and the UAE was the opening of airspaces to Israeli flights, along with announcements of direct flights to Dubai, Morocco, and Bahrain.

Prior to the opening of Saudi airspace, El Al’s planes had to follow a long, winding route to Mumbai in order to avoid Saudi airspace, adding roughly two hours to the trip from Tel Aviv and putting the Israeli carrier at a huge disadvantage to competitors, who are allowed to fly direct.

Similar examples make flights to some locales out of Ben-Gurion difficult to navigate and potentially dangerous.

Airspace has always been a point of contention amongst Israel and its adversaries. The following countries continue to ban both direct flights and overflying traffic to/from Israel: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Brunei, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Syria, Tunisia and Yemen.

Britain selling weapons to human rights abusers

Reportedly, Britain has sold arms and military equipment to two-thirds of countries slammed for their dire record on human rights and civil liberties.

Between 2011 and 2020, Britain licensed £16.8 billion of arms to 39 countries castigated by Freedom House, a US government-funded human rights group, for their poor record on political and human rights, according to British daily newspaper The Guardian.

The London-based Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) also found that during the same period, £11.8 billion of arms had been authorized by the British government to countries on the Foreign Office’s own list of repressive regimes.

The British Department for International Trade has also identified nine countries, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt, as “core markets” for arms exports. The countries have been widely criticized for human rights abuses.

“Right now, British-made weapons are playing a devastating role in Yemen and around the world. The arms sales that are being pushed today could be used in atrocities and abuses for years to come,” said Andrew Smith of the CAAT.

“Wherever there is oppression and conflict there will always be arms companies trying to profit from it, and complicit governments helping them to do so,” Smith said.

Saudi Arabia and its regional allies, emboldened by Western powers’ weapons and support, launched a deadly military campaign against Yemen in March 2015 to reinstall the former Riyadh-friendly Yemeni President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi.

The war – which they claimed would last only a few weeks but is still ongoing – has led to the death of hundreds of thousands of civilians, including women and children, and destroyed much of Yemen’s infrastructure.

Throughout the campaign, the British government kept up arms sales to Saudi Arabia despite widespread reports that the weapons are being used against civilians.

Britain has sold combat aircraft, helicopters, drones, grenades, bombs and missiles to Riyadh, with most weapons licensed via the opaque and secretive Open License system.

According to Sarah Waldron of the CAAT, “British-made weapons have been central to a bombardment that has destroyed schools, hospitals and homes and created the worst humanitarian crisis in the world.”

“Many of these sales are going to despots, dictatorships and human rights abusing regimes. They haven’t happened by accident. None of these arms sales would have been possible without the direct support of Boris Johnson and his colleagues,” Smith added.

Back in February, Oxfam, an international charity organization, warned that British arms sales to Saudi Arabia could prolong the war in Yemen.

The UK is “ramping up its support for the brutal Saudi-led war by increasing arms sales and refueling equipment that facilitate airstrikes,” said Sam Nadel, head of policy and advocacy at Oxfam.

Qatar offers to mediate between Iran and United States

Qatar is ready to mediate between Iran and the United States as Joe Biden, assumes office of President, after the turbulent years of the Trump administrations, said Lolwah al-Khater, spokeswoman for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry. She also pointed out that Qatar is committed to engaging in a “constructive dialogue” between Tehran and the Arab states of the Persian Gulf.

“Qatar has expressed its willingness to play such a role, yet we have to be invited by both parties, who are still hesitant to take this step, in terms of entering and engaging in direct negotiations,” said al-Khater.

She stated that Iran and Arab states of Persian Gulf’s are geographical realities in the region and they need to start a direct dialogue.

“Iran is a geographical reality in our region and the [Persian] Gulf states are a geographical reality, no one is going away, and that is why it is very important to engage in a meaningful, constructive and direct dialogue," the spokeswoman asserted.

She said a dialogue between Iran and its Arab neighbors is even more important than a dialogue between Iran and the United States.

“If it was important for the US to have a dialogue with Iran, then it is even more important for us as [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to have a meaningful and constructive dialogue with Iran, one that will preserve the collective security of our region, the rights of our peoples and ensure a prosperous future for coming generations,” she continued.

The Qatari official also pointed to Qatar’s trade ties with Iran and Turkey during the GCC crisis, saying that these ties helped Qatar in achieving a GDP growth more than that of its neighbors.

“Looking back, the economic gains are significant,” she said of the outcome of the crisis, pointing out that Qatar's GDP grew more than that of its neighbors during the blockade, when Doha strengthened its trade relations with Turkey, Iran and other countries in the area beyond the GCC.

The comments came a few weeks after Qatar mended ties with its Arab neighbors in a reconciliation deal brokered by the US. The deal put an end to a three-year-and-half dispute between Qatar and an Arab quartet of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt. In June 2017, the Saudi-led quartet severed diplomatic ties with Qatar and imposed a total blockade on the tiny Persian Gulf nation.

The four countries closed their airspace, land, and sea routes to Qatari planes, cars, and vessels, a move that prompted Qatar to use Iranian airspace. Kuwait, a country stuck in the middle of the dispute between its neighbors, had studiously worked to reconcile the opposing sides and succeeded in doing so in December.

On 5th January 2021, leaders of the GCC - Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman- attended the al-Ula summit in Saudi Arabia in which they signed a reconciliation deal, putting an end to the years long GCC crisis.

“There have been no concessions from any side (...) the GCC crisis was a lose-lose situation for everyone, so ending this crisis, I think, will be a gain for everyone”, al-Khater said of the deal.

According to al-Khater, Doha has emerged stronger from the crisis, at least from an economic point of view, as in the past three and a half years it has “diversified its supply chains and reinforced its position as one of the largest energy exporters globally.”

“The blockade was a situation we did not choose, for sure, but we were able to live with it and sustain the situation. Ending the blockade is about the collective interest of our entire region, not only in Qatar’s interest,” the spokeswoman insisted.

Al-Khater’s remarks came after Qatar’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani called for dialogue between Iran and its Arab neighbors to resolve outstanding differences, expressing hope that the two sides would hold a summit to deescalate tensions.

“We are hopeful that this [summit] would happen and we still believe that this should happen. And I think this is also a desire that being shared among the other GCC countries. I just mentioned to you that there is a difference between the countries on the way how to approach such a dialogue. Also from the Iranian side, they have expressed their willingness several times to engage with the GCC countries,” he said in a recent interview with Bloomberg TV.

Bin Abdulrahman underlined that the time should come when the Persian Gulf’s Arab states will sit at the table with Iran and reach a common understanding. “We have to live with each other. We cannot change geography. Iran cannot move the GCC away from its neighborhood and the GCC cannot move Iran from the neighborhood,” he continued.

The chief Qatari diplomat also expressed readiness to facilitate dialogue between Iran and the GCC states or back anyone facilitating such a dialogue.

He also hoped that the much-anticipated talks between Iran and the US on the 2015 nuclear deal –officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)- would help ease tensions between Iran and its Arab neighbors.

Bin Abdulrahman expressed hope that what will happen between Iran and the US on the JCPOA would contribute to resolving the differences between Iran and the GCC. “Of course, things are interconnected at the end of the day,” he noted, adding that Qatar will support negotiations between the stakeholders.

“We will be welcoming this idea. We maintain a good relationship with the US and we maintain a good relationship with Iran,” bin Abdulrahman stated.

Iran welcomed the Qatari call for dialogue between Iran and the Persian Gulf’s Arab states, underlining that the solution to the region’s challenges lies in cooperation to form a strong region free from foreign interference.

“Iran welcomes my brother FM @MBA_AlThani's call for inclusive dialogue in our region. As we have consistently emphasized, the solution to our challenges lies in collaboration to jointly form a 'strong region': peaceful, stable, prosperous & free from global or regional hegemony,” Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a tweet following the Qatari foreign minister’s call for dialogue.

 

Qatar deal with Saudis not to affect ties with Iran

Following a landmark deal between Qatar and Arab quartet to end a three-year bitter Persian Gulf dispute, Doha announced that its decision to mend ties with the quartet will not affect its ties with Iran.

Doha had agreed to cooperate on counter-terrorism and “transnational security” with Saudi Arabia and three other states that had imposed a regional embargo on Qatar, Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani told the Financial Times, adding that “bilateral relationships are mainly driven by a sovereign decision of the country . . . [and] the national interest.” “So there is no effect on our relationship with any other country,” he continued.

In June 2017, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates – commonly known as the Arab Quartet - severed diplomatic ties with Qatar, and imposed a total blockade on the tiny Persian Gulf nation. The four countries closed their airspace, land, and sea routes to Qatari planes, cars, and vessels, a move that prompted Qatar to use Iranian airspace. Kuwait, a country stuck in the middle of the dispute between its neighbors, had studiously worked to reconcile the opposing sides and succeeded to do so only recently.

Shortly after cutting ties with Qatar at the time, the Arab quartet submitted a list of 13 demands to Doha that included, among other things, shutting down Al Jazeera, the Qatar-funded satellite TV network, curbing its relations with Iran, closing a Turkish base in the Persian Gulf state, and halting all military cooperation with Ankara.

The quartet also accused Qatar of supporting terrorism, an accusation Doha vehemently denies.

Lately, Qatar and Saudi Arabia reached a deal to end their dispute and restore diplomatic ties as soon as possible. Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani participated in the last week’s Persian Gulf Cooperation Council’s summit, which was held, with great fanfare, in the Saudi ancient city of AlUla. During the summit, the Arab leaders agreed to put an end to the disagreements and normalize their relations. While the leaders were preparing to take part in the summit, Saudi Arabia announced that it will reopen all its border crossings with Qatar. The United Arab Emirates also followed suit.

Qatar’s reassurance that the deal with Riyadh will not alter its relation with Iran came after Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman railed against Iran during the summit, in which the emir of Qatar was present.

The Saudi crown prince told the summit that they are “in utmost need to unite” their efforts to advance their region and confront the challenges surrounding them. Mohammad bin Salman warned of what he called “the threats posed by the Iranian regime’s nuclear program, its ballistic missile program, its destructive sabotage projects as well as the terrorist and sectarian activities adopted by Iran and its proxies to destabilize the security and stability in the region.”

The summiteers also issued a statement against Iran that echoed the Saudi accusations. The statement elicited a strong response from Iran.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said the statement is the result of a lack of understanding of the situation in the region and beyond, the Saudi regime’s grudge and its political pressure on the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

“At a time when, given the compromise between the Persian Gulf states, the regional countries are expected to rethink their viewpoints and approaches, which have had no other result than animosity and hostility over the past decades, and to adopt a new policy, some Persian Gulf Cooperation Council members persist in remaining on the wrong path and resorting to the threadbare ‘Iranophobia’ scheme,” Khatibzadeh said in a statement on Wednesday.

Khatibzadeh noted the Saudi regime’s regional policy and its destructive approaches vis-à-vis Iran and other countries have destroyed a major part of the neighboring countries’ wealth and turned the region into a depot of weapons supplied by Western companies, which has paved the way for foreigners’ further interference in this sensitive region.

“By hijacking the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council and its meetings and imposing its destructive viewpoints, the Saudi regime is promoting hate and violence in the region,” the spokesman continued.

He noted, “Regrettably, some regional countries have become a gateway for the entrance of the destructive Israeli regime into the region although they are seeing Tel Aviv’s crimes in occupied territories and this regime’s desire to viciously infiltrate into Islamic countries.”

“By continuing to pursue their injudicious policies, these countries have killed off the chances of cooperation proposed by the Islamic Republic of Iran in recent years in a bid to establish security and stability in the region,” Khatibzadeh said.

Israel saves Pakistan face

According a Reuters news, Israeli Regional Cooperation Minister, Ofir Akunis said there were two main candidate countries to become the next to move towards normal ties with Israel. He did not name either but said one is in the Gulf and could be Oman but would not be Saudi Arabia. The other, further to the east, is a “Muslim country that is not small” but is not Pakistan, he said.

Asked if a fifth country could sign up before Trump steps down on 20th January 2021, Ofir Akunis told Israel’s Ynet TV, “We are working in that direction.”

 “I believe ... there will be an American announcement about another country that is going public with the normalization of relations with Israel and, in essence, with the infrastructure for an accord — a peace accord,” he said.

Israel is working towards formalizing relations with a fifth Muslim country, possibly in Asia, during US President Donald Trump’s term, an Israeli cabinet minister said on Wednesday. The White House has brokered rapprochements bet­ween Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco this year.

Indonesia, the most populous Muslim country, said last week it would not recognize Israel as long as Palestinian statehood demands remain unmet. Malaysia has signalled a similar policy.

“Malaysia’s firm stance on the Palestinian issue will not change,” Deputy Foreign Minister Kamarudin Jaffar told the country’s senate on Wednesday, adding that Kuala Lumpur would not interfere in other nations’ decisions on Israel.

In Dhaka, a foreign ministry official said Bangladesh was not interested in establishing diplomatic ties with Israel. “Our position remains the same,” he reiterated.

Oman has praised the US-brokered diplomatic drive but has not commented on its own prospects of forging Israel ties.

Bahrain faces anti normalization protest

Reportedly, anti normalization protests erupted in the streets of the Bahraini capital of Manama after Friday prayer. 

Protesters held up banners denouncing normalization, with the unified slogan “Anti-normalization Friday”, along with a photo of a masked Palestinian militant.

Bahrain’s normalization agreement with Israel was met with widespread anger, despite tight security restrictions, as well as the summoning of the demonstration organizers and participants, forcing them to sign an order to stay off the streets and not to engage in disruptive activities.

The protesters expressed their rejection of normalization by carrying banners with the slogans: “Normalization is treason”, “We reject submission, humiliation and surrender to the instructions of the US and Britain” and “Israel is a cancer that must be eradicated, and we will”. Other slogans stated: “We will never surrender” and “Normalization is shameful, it is a betrayal”.

After Bahrain announced normalizing relations with Israel, the hashtag “Bahrainis against normalization” was widely circulated by Bahraini activists on Twitter.

The Emirati and Bahraini normalization agreements with Israel were categorically rejected by the Palestinian authorities and factions, who considered the decision as a betrayal of Al-Aqsa mosque, Jerusalem and the Palestinian cause.

Pakistan in the grip of terrorists

On the last Friday of Ramadan in Pakistan killers were on the rampage, especially in Karachi capital of Sindh and Quetta capital of Balochistan. Earlier Kamra Air Base was attacked and nearly two dozen Shias were killed point blank in KP province. Though, on the face value these appear separate incidents but establish a common point ‘security forces in Pakistan are incapable of protecting Pakistanis as well as strategic installations of the country.

Many local and foreign analysts term these ‘security lapse’ but the reality is Pakistan in a state of war for more than a decade. Despite doing the best it has to hear ‘do more manta’ from the United States and face the pressure of ‘domestic constituency’ to pull the country out of proxy US war. There is growing perception that Afghan occupation by Nato forces may have other motives but bringing any change in the quality of life of Afghans, bearing the brunt of war for more than three decades. Some even go to the extent of terming it war of drug barons.

In the recent past Shia Hazaras have been the worst victim in Balochistan but now killers are on the rampage in KP and GB. For a considerably long time efforts are being made to show that that Shias and Sunnis are killing each other. However, with the Shia-Suni conflict becoming too visible in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, efforts are being made to instigate armed conflict between the two Muslim sects in Pakistan also.

Attack on the bus carrying participants of Youm-e-Qudus Rally in Karachi was to convey a message that any group following Iranian plan can face death in Pakistan. However, the cynics fail to understand that it is not the attempt of Iran to create its hegemony in the region but to remind the Muslims that Israel is occupying Palestinian territory for decades and Arabs have failed in getting the holy city of Jerusalem free from Zionist occupation.

Many Western critics say that Iran has expansionist designs and attaining uranium enrichment technology is the first step for producing atomic warheads. Though, Iran has been refuting this allegation, United States under the pressure of Zionists want to teach it a lesson. More than 32 years of economic sanctions have failed to deter Iranians from their path. In fact Iran has emerged as a symbol of resistance against the US hegemony.