Iranian Revolution Celebrations in Jeddah

A ceremony marking the 45th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution of Iran was held at the Iranian consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 

The gathering was attended by Mazen bin Hamli, Director General of the Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Jeddah, a large group of consuls stationed in Jeddah, representatives of various countries at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, as well as traders, economic activists, and media personnel.

Hassan Zarnegar Abarghouei, Consul General of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Jeddah, delivered a speech, thanking the guests for joining Iranians in celebrating a big day in their country’s history.  

In his speech, he referred to the scientific and technological achievements and economic, tourism, and scientific capacities of Iran, emphasizing the necessity of developing relations between Tehran and Riyadh and the readiness of traders and merchants from both countries to expand cooperation.

He further emphasized the need for unity among Islamic countries to end the crimes of the Zionist regime against the besieged Palestinian people in Gaza. 

The Iranian Consulate in Saudi Arabia’s port city of Jeddah was officially reopened in June of last year. The two countries had severed their ties in January 2016 after the execution of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, a prominent Shia cleric in Saudi Arabia, prompted angry protests in front of the Saudi Embassy in Tehran and the kingdom's Consulate in the holy city of Mashhad.

China successfully mediated high-stakes talks between Tehran and Riyadh in March of last year, which led to the conclusion of a deal between the two sides that foresaw the resumption of their ties.

 

Mega donors of Biden Reelection Campaign

Reportedly, Joe Biden enjoys a deep groundswell of support from Jewish-Democratic benefactors, with giants in the worlds of Hollywood, Silicon Valley and Wall Street making up a significant portion of the US president’s fundraising as he begins his reelection bid in earnest.

Joe Biden’s reelection bid has some tough sledding ahead if the majority of polls that have emerged in recent months are to be believed. His fundraising efforts tell another story, though, with his reelection campaign already raking in significant donations – many coming from longtime Jewish Democratic mega donors.

An analysis of campaign finance disclosures showing contributions to Biden’s campaign and pro-Biden PACs and super PACs for 2023 illustrates a deep groundswell of support from Jewish-Democratic benefactors. They make up a significant portion of the president’s fundraising as he begins his reelection bid in earnest.

The donors in question – many of whom are in the finance industry, with others connected to Hollywood and Silicon Valley – vary in their prioritization of Israel as a campaign issue, as well as their respective involvements in local Jewish communities and philanthropies.

Their steadfast and deep-pocketed support for Biden indicates how the Democratic Party has generations-deep support within the American-Jewish community.

Polls have continuously shown that Jewish voters vastly prefer Biden over Donald Trump, with Israel rarely being among voters’ top priorities.

Despite this, American Jews are among the few groups who have stuck with Biden amid plummeting poll numbers (many of which stem from his approach to Israel, which centrist Democrats deem a threshold issue).

Haim Saban is perhaps the key pro-Israel mega donor for Biden, significantly overlapping between both the president’s reelection bid and AIPAC’s United Democracy Project super PAC.

He has given over US$936,000 to Biden, after donating US$ one million to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s super PAC.

While federal political action committees have strict limits on the amounts they can contribute, a super PAC is allowed to raise and spend unlimited amounts of money to campaign independently for candidates for federal office.

Saban has long been one of the most important donors and fundraisers for the Democrats, generating millions of dollars for the party over the years. He has also made significant financial investments in pro-Israel organizations such as AIPAC and Friends of the Israel Defense Forces.

Saban also collaborated with late Republican mega donor Sheldon Adelson on the Israeli American Council, which was founded to organize Israeli expats living in the United States. He told The New Yorker in 2010 that he was “a one-issue guy, and my issue is Israel.”

Joining Saban as an overlapping mega donor is casino magnate Neil Bluhm. He has already given more than US$1.4 million this cycle to the Biden super PAC, on top of US$200,000 to United Democracy Project. His daughter Leslie, a social entrepreneur who sits on the AmeriCorps board of directors following an appointment from Biden in 2021, has given over US$554,000.

 

 

Why delay in accepting people verdict

It is indeed regrettable that, as of February 11, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has not been able to announce the final results despite the balloting taking place on February 08. Numerous complaints have surfaced regarding pre, during, and post-election rigging.

Media reports, both local and international, suggest that no party has secured a simple majority. However, both PPP and PML assert their ability to form a government, albeit with the support of other parties. Meanwhile, a group of independents, largely associated with Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI), has achieved significant victories but is urged to align with a political party due to perceived incapability of independently forming a government.

According to the Free and Fair Election Network, around 60 million out of over 128 million registered voters participated in the February 8th election.

In response, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) conveyed a message from Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff Gen. Asim Munir, extending congratulations to the nation for the successful execution of the general elections. Gen. Munir praised the interim setup, the ECP, political parties, and the victorious candidates for their respective roles in the electoral process.

Highlighting the enthusiastic participation of the Pakistani populace, Gen. Munir emphasized its significance as a testament to their dedication to democracy and adherence to the constitution. He also commended the law-enforcement agencies for ensuring a secure environment for the elections despite considerable challenges.

Ethnic cleansing about to start in Rafah

Humanitarian groups are warning that any invasion of Rafah will severely threaten the last remaining safe zone in Gaza, where around 1.5 million Palestinians are huddled.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepared his troops to prepare an evacuation plan for civilians in the city of Rafah, a major refugee camp called the last safe zone in Gaza.

Netanyahu said troops must fight against Palestinian militant group Hamas in the southern Gaza refugee camp, where the United Nations has warned more than 600,000 children are sheltering.

"It is impossible to achieve the goal of the war without eliminating Hamas," Netanyahu said, accusing the militant group of hiding battalions in Rafah.

Humanitarian groups warn that fleeing civilians have nowhere else to go and that Rafah is a major hub for humanitarian aid from Egypt that will be endangered by Israel moving in.

Avril Benoît, executive director of Doctors Without Borders USA, said the "needs are overwhelming" in Rafah.

"Israel’s declared ground offensive on Rafah would be catastrophic and must not proceed," Benoît said.

The Israeli push into Rafah also threatens to increase tensions between Israel and the US, which is trying to get Israel to reduce civilian casualties after the deaths of more than 27,000 people in Gaza.

President Biden offered his most critical remarks yet when he said Thursday night that Israel's offensive in Gaza is "over the top."

State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said the US would not support a push into Rafah.

“To conduct such an operation right now with no planning and little thought in an area where there is sheltering of a million people would be a disaster,” he told reporters.

 

Israel recognition, most Arabs say never

The comprehensive poll, which gauged sentiments across 16 Arab countries, underscores a growing resistance against normalization with Israel in the wake of the Israeli war on Gaza.

A significant shift has been seen in Arab public opinion on the recognition of Israel, according to a new survey conducted by the Arab Center Washington DC (ACW), in collaboration with The Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies (ACRPS).

The comprehensive poll, which gauged sentiments across 16 Arab countries, underscores a growing resistance against normalization with Israel in the wake of the Israeli war on Gaza.

A striking 89% of respondents from the Arab world expressed opposition to the recognition of Israel, marking a discernible increase from previous polls. This figure not only represents a nearly unanimous stance against normalization but also indicates a 5% rise in opposition compared to the results from the 2022 survey, where 84% were against recognition.

The survey detailed notable country-specific shifts in public opinion, highlighting a dramatic change in perspective among nations that have historically taken steps toward normalizing relations with Israel.

In Saudi Arabia, opposition surged from 38% in 2022 to a remarkable 68% in the latest poll. Morocco saw an increase from 67% to 78% and Sudan from 72% to 81%, showcasing a significant hardening of attitudes across diverse Arab societies

These findings signal a profound and growing sentiment within the Arab world, reflecting deep-seated frustrations and disillusionment with the peace process and the broader implications of normalization agreements.

The ACW's report emphasizes that, despite diplomatic efforts and political maneuvers, the grassroots opposition to recognizing Israel remains robust and is, in fact, intensifying.

The heightened opposition is especially pronounced in countries that have formal peace agreements with Israel, such as Jordan, Egypt, and Morocco, as well as those like Sudan, which have recently begun normalizing political relations.

Despite governmental moves towards diplomacy, there appears to be a near-consensus among the populations of these nations against the recognition of Israel, underscoring a significant disconnect between official policy and public sentiment.

The ACW survey sheds light on the complex and evolving dynamics of Arab-Israeli relations, capturing a moment of significant transition in the Arab public's stance towards Israel and the peace process.

As the region grapples with the aftermath of the Gaza war and its broader geopolitical implications, the overwhelming opposition to Israel's recognition among the Arab public stands as a testament to the enduring and shared solidarity with the Palestinian cause.

 

Pakistan: Election outcome not likely to resolve political crisis

Lackluster from the beginning, the exercise concluded with a whimper last evening. Amidst limited reporting due to the suspension of communication services, there were some reports of delays in the polling process and various violations of rules and the election code of conduct.

Thankfully, no major incidents of violence were reported and voting seems to have concluded in most places smoothly and uneventfully. It seems that all that remains now is the counting of votes and declaration of winners. As results trickle in overnight, we will learn how many chose to exercise their right to franchise on this historic occasion.

Till a clearer picture emerges, some reflections on the exercise: These elections had been critical for Pakistan for various important reasons.

The country is mired in unprecedented economic and social challenges, which cannot be solved except by a stable government that enjoys strong public support for its decisions.

Given its dependence on international assistance, it is also important for it to stabilize socially so that lenders and investors can feel safe about their decisions. With so many different forces pulling the country at its seams, it was almost good luck that a general election became due last year.

All that was needed was for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to let the candidates campaign without restrictions, prepare the grounds for a clean and non-controversial contest, assist the country’s adult population in freely exercising their right to self-determination, conduct a transparent count of their ballots, and quietly and respectfully bow out.

As history will bear witness, ECP failed on almost all of those counts. From repeatedly delaying the elections on one pretext or the other to failing to protect the legitimacy of its last act, it betrayed its mandate by organizing an exercise that will be remembered for all the wrong reasons.

It is difficult not to be disappointed: given the number of times the ECP hid behind the Constitution’s ‘free and fair’ condition to justify putting them off ‘till it was ready’, one would have imagined the exercise, whenever it was eventually held, would be largely irreproachable.

Of course, the blame does not lie with the ECP alone. The caretaker government and the entire machinery of the state are equally culpable in robbing it of its sanctity. Their actions worsened political polarization, and they did not know when to stop.

As a result, the exercise was doomed to controversy well before it began. It already seems clear that it will not provide any closure for the country’s political crisis.

Crisis and instability will likely continue to plague the nation, with dissent kept in check through the use of fear tactics. It is a shame that such a momentous opportunity has been so carelessly lost.

Courtesy: Dawn

Next Prime Minister of Pakistan

Who will emerge as the next Prime Minister of Pakistan remains a topic of speculation following the recently conducted general elections on February 8, 2024?

Despite the overall peaceful conduct of the elections, a notable hiccup was the complete shutdown of mobile phones. While the voter turnout was reasonably good, there were areas where the election arrangements could have been more efficient.

In Karachi, candidates from PML-N and PPP garnered attention due to the allocation of proper symbols, but PTI sympathizers faced confusion with different symbols in each constituency. Jamat-e-Islami also stood out, having invested a significant amount of money, especially in conventional and social media.

The political landscape now has analysts and pundits in a state of perplexity, fearing the absence of a two-thirds majority for any political party.

The potential outcome could be a hung parliament, leading to the necessity of political parties forming unconventional alliances, complicating the governance of the country.

Concerns also arise regarding the likelihood of extensive "Horse Trading," particularly if independent candidates secure a significant number of wins.

Moreover, there is apprehension that the ensuing government might struggle to formulate sound economic policies, contributing to a lack of focus on both economic and foreign policy matters.

It is crucial for the incoming government, regardless of its leadership, to prioritize and address economic and foreign policy issues to steer clear of uncertainties and potential challenges posed by turncoats.