Saudi Arabia

By Abdulaziz Alghashian | – Recent clashes between Israel and Hezbollah on the Lebanese border have caused much speculation of a looming military confrontation between Israel, Hezbollah and Iran, which backs the militant group. The exchange of fire in early September followed the crashing of two reportedly Israeli drones in Beirut in late August. A […]

Featured

Bernie Sanders after Saudi Prison Massacre in Yemen: “We are Complicit in this Nightmare”

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Saudi fighter-jets bombed a makeshift prison on a college campus in Dhamar, Yemen, south of the capital of Sana’a eight times on Sunday, killing at least 100 prisoners according to the International Committee of the Red Cross.Dozens of wounded have been taken to Revolution Hospital and many are in critical […]

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Saudi Woman dissident Refuses to Make Video exonerating Saudi State from Torture Charges

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The family of jailed Saudi dissident and women’s rights activist Loujain Hathloul has announced that the Saudi authorities offered to release her if she would record a video statement saying that she had not been tortured while in government custody. Her sisters say that she refused the offer, and they […]

Saudi Arabia

Are changes to Saudi Arabia’s Guardianship Laws really about Women?

Middle East Monitor

By Zarqa Parvez | – Saudi women are amongst the strongest, most intelligent and inspirational women in the Middle East. Female Saudi academics and activists have lobbied for women’s rights in Saudi Arabia for decades, but unfortunately have faced slow progress and a strong backlash from society and government. The recent changes in Saudi guardianship […]

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Women Fighting for & Gaining More Liberty, Even as Leaders are Jailed

The Conversation

By Alainna Liloia | – Saudi women will soon be allowed to obtain passports and travel without the permission of a male relative. This new regulation, announced by the government in early August, eases one of the most limiting aspects of the Gulf country’s “guardianship system,” which puts men in charge of their female relatives. […]

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia and the UAE’s rivalry is driving Yemen’s Internal Violence

Jonathan Fenton-Harvey

(Informed Comment) – After misleading hopes that the United Arab Emirates will withdraw from Yemen, severe recent clashes in Aden show that peace is still a distant prospect, while highlighting the consequences of the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Various violent incidents have led to numerous casualties. Lately on Wednesday UAE-backed southern secessionists […]

Saudi Arabia

Shadowy Pro-Saudi D. C. Think Tank that Defended Crown Prince Suddenly Closes

Brian Whitaker

(Al-Bab.com) – The Arabia Foundation, a pro-Saudi think tank established in Washington only two-and-a-half years ago suddenly closed down yesterday, citing “ongoing differences” among its donors that have “made continued operations difficult”. In a series of posts on Twitter the organisation’s founder, Ali Shihabi, said the closure decision was made by the board of directors. […]

Donald Trump

Why Trump let Saudi Arabia and UAE censor his “America First” Speech on Energy

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – On Sunday the NYT revealed that Trump’s staff ran his May, 2016 speech on “America First” by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for their input into the energy passages, and actually altered the text based on their editing. The hollow joke of Trump’s “America first” slogan could not […]

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Is Trump setting the US up for further al-Qaeda attacks by putting Troops in Saudi Arabia?

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Trump is sending US troops to be based in Saudi Arabia, and King Salman has signed off on the paperwork. Several hundred US military personnel will be at Prince Sultan Air Base, accompanying fighter jets and Patriot missile defense systems. US troops were first based in Saudi Arabia during the […]