[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on the Arabian Peninsula and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Arabian Peninsula Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week`s roundup to ap@jadaliyya.com by Monday night of every week.]
Regional and International Relations
Sunni monarchs back YouTube hate preachers: Anti-Shia propaganda threatens a sectarian civil war which will engulf the entire Muslim world Patrick Cockburn argues that the anti-Shia discourse that Sunni preachers adopt and Saudi Arabia and the Gulf monarchies sponsor can a spark a civil war throughout the Muslim world.
Feeling US snub, Saudis strengthen ties elsewhere Adam Schreck and Lori Hinnant examine Saudi-French relations in light of the French president’s visit to the kingdom.
Hollande to meet Syria, Lebanon opposition chiefs in Saudi A news report on the French president’s visit to Saudi Arabia.
Saudi to give Lebanon $3B to strengthen army Ryan Lucas reports on Saudi Arabia’s military grant to the Lebanese army.
Qatar signs aid deal worth $1.25 billion for Morocco The two countries sign an aid deal worth more than one billion dollars.
Bahrain PM reiterates full support to Gulf union Habib Toumi writes on the Bahraini prime minister’s support of the Saudi call for a union among the Gulf states.
Reports and Opinions
Saudi activist could be executed for alleged apostasy A Saudi judge remanded Raef Badawi to the General Court on charges of apostasy after he was sentenced to seven years in prison and six hundred lashes last July.
Saudi prince to be executed Courtney Trenwith reports on a Saudi prince, convicted of murder, who may be executed after the victim’s father refused to pardon him.
Why won’t the west call out Saudi Arabia for persecution of democratic activists? Andy Fitzgerald criticizes Western governments for their silence on human rights violations in the kingdom.
Saudi Preacher ‘Guides’ Syrian Druze to Wahhabi Salvation Firas Choufi writes on Said Sa`ad al-Din al-Ghamidi, a Saudi preacher who is photographed leading prayer among Druze inhabitants in Idlib in Syria.
UAE – Human rights defender Mohammed Salim Al-Zumur sentenced to 3 years in prison The Gulf Center for Human Rights condemns the jail sentence of the human rights activist.
Repression in Bahrain
Bahrain Shia opposition leader Ali Salman ‘arrested’ The leader of al-Wefaq National Islamic Society was arrested last week.
Bahrain frees opposition chief but bans him from travel Bahraini authorities release Ali Salman a day after his arrest, but ban him from traveling.
Bahrain jails five for 15 years for bomb attacks: agency A Bahraini court sentences five men to prison for allegedly orchestrating two attacks by homemade bombs.
Bahrain says foils ‘terror’ attempts, seizes explosives, weapons The public security chief announces that the authorities have thwarted an attempt to smuggle explosives and weapons into the country.
Crisis in Yemen
Eight killed in attack on south Yemen army base Five soldiers and three gunmen are killed in an attack on an army base in Lahj.
Yemen transition ‘on track’ despite roadblocks Saeed Al Batati interviews the special envoy to Yemen Jamal Bin Omar.
Yemen’s Muslim Brotherhood chooses extremism Nasser Arrabyee reflects on the implications of the war between the Salafi Sunnis and al-Houthis for Yemen’s future.
Yemen: Shells kill 13 in funeral tent in Daleh A news report on the death of thirteen people when artillery shells hit a funeral tent erected by the Southern Movement.
Yemeni troops kill two protesting deadly shelling Yemeni troops opened fire on a protest against the shelling of a funeral tent in Daleh.
Yemen: Redrawing the political map Al-Jazeera English’s “Inside Story” discusses political transition in Yemen and the separatist demands from southern Yemen.
Yemeni Court Sentences Al-Qaida Militant to Death A state security court in Yemen sentences an al-Qaeda militant to death over the bombing of an intelligence headquarters in 2010.
Yemen jails nice al Qaeda members for plot to kill president Nine al-Qaeda members are sentenced to prison for between two to ten years for plotting to assassinate the president.
Yemeni tribesmen blow up pipeline in south: local official Tribesmen in Hadramaut targeted an oil pipeline, disrupting the oil flow for two days.
Three big Yemeni parties reject federation proposal Mohammed Ghobari analyzes the position of three leading parties in Yemen that oppose federation projects.
Migrant Workers
3 Asian workers drown after Saudi oil rig sinks The bodies of three Asian workers are recovered from the sea after a mobile rig sank during maintenance work.
Gulf States Line Up As Targets of Trade Unions and Human Rights Groups James Dorsey reflects on the criticism that Gulf states are facing because of their treatment of foreign workers.
Media
Egypt: Al-Jazeera journalists arrested in Cairo The Egyptian police arrest three journalists working for Al Jazeera.
Arabic
عبوة ناسفة وسط اليمن دون وقوع إصابات
An explosion in al-Bayda in Yemen damaged houses but left no casualties.
اليمن: الخلاف السياسي يهدد مشروع دولة الوحدة ويدفع بالبلاد الى التقسيم
Khalid al-Hamadi analyzes the impact of the current political conflict on the future of the Yemeni state.
مستقبل مجلس التعاون الخليجي: الانتظار
Abdulhadi Khalif writes on the future of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
السعودية في مواجهة التحديات
Khadija Bahbahani argues that Saudi Arabia has chosen to rely on takfiri Wahabi thought in dealing with regional and international challenges.
خطر التقارب الإسرائيلي - السعودي
Samir Karam writes on the danger of an Israeli-Saudi rapprochement.
خيوط اللعبة | هولاند في السعودية… والبركان اللبناني ثالثهما
Sami Kulaib examines political developments in Lebanon in light of the Saudi military grant and of the French president`s visit to Saudi Arabia.
تناغم إقليمي بين الرياض وباريس
A news report on the French-Saudi rapport.
السعودية.. مملكة الصمت إن حكت
Nasri al-Saygh analyzes Saudi Arabia`s proxy violence and wars.
المملكة.. خسارة الأمن وخيار الإصلاح
Fouad Ibrahim writes on the impact of regional and international transformations on Saudi Arabia in 2013.
الميزانية السعودية للعام 2014
Saudi Arabia`s budget for 2014.
داعية سعودي "يهدي" دروز إدلب!
Firas Choufi writes on Said Sa`ad al-Din al-Ghamidi, a Saudi preacher who is photographed leading prayer among Druze inhabitants in Idlib in Syria.
استثنائية هيفاء المنصور وفشل "وجدة"
Tariq al-Haidar reviews Haifaa al-Mansour`s film, Wadjda.
المنامة: إصابة شرطيين بانفجار عبوة
A news report on an explosion that injured two policemen in Manama in Bahrain.