[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
Don`t Stop at Iraq: Why the U.S. Should Withdraw From the Entire Persian Gulf Toby C. Jones argues the United States needs to decrease, or even entirely remove, its military presence in the Gulf.
Prince Charles performs sword dance in Saudi Arabia Caroline Davies reports on Prince Charles’ visit to the kingdom and attendance of the annual Janadriyah festival.
BAE Systems agrees Eurofighter pricing with Saudi Arabia The British defense group and Saudi authorities reach an agreement over the rising cost of a Eurofighter Typhoon jet deal.
The future British king, Saudi princes, and a secret arms deal Richard Norton-Taylor and Ewen MacAskill examines the secret negotiations between Saudi Arabia and BAE in light of Prince Charles’ visit to the kingdom.
Prince Charles Must be Brave and Tackle Human Rights Abuses During Qatar and Saudi Arabia Tour Eleanor Blatchley calls on the British crown prince to raise the question of human rights violations during his visits to the Gulf states.
What an El Sissi presidency would mean for Egypt’s relations with the Gulf States Sooud al-Qassemi analyzes the implication of a possible El Sisi presidency for Egypt’s relations with the Gulf states.
U.S. aims to bolster ties with Persian Gulf states Paul Richter examines the Obama administration’s efforts to consolidate its relations with the Gulf states, whose leaders fear that the United States’ role in the region is weakening.
GCC, Russia delegations meet in Kuwait Habib Toumi reports on the Third Ministerial Meeting for Strategic Dialogue between the Gulf Cooperation Council and Russia.
Saudi Arabia ‘seeking Pakistan arms for Syrian rebels’ Saudi Arabia is discussing the option of providing anti-aircraft and anti-tank rockets to Syrian rebels with Pakistan.
Guantanamo prisoner al-Darbi admits MV Limburg attack The Saudi national held at Guantanamo Bay pleads guilty to his role in an attack on an oil tanker in the waters off Yemen.
Reports and Opinions
Four die in eastern Saudi Arabia police raid The Saudi interior ministry announces the death of two polices officers and two men during an attempt to arrest “armed troublemakers” in al-Awamiya.
Saudi forces kill two anti-government protesters in Qatif A video report on the storming of al-Awamiyah, and the killing of two anti-government activists by Saudi forces.
Saudi Arabia jails seven men for up to 20 years for demonstrating A Saudi court sentences seven men to jail for taking part in protests in Qatif and for chanting anti-government slogans.
Tribesman murderer beheaded in Saudi Arabia A Saudi man is beheaded for killing a tribesman, bringing the number of people beheaded in the kingdom this year to ten.
Bedoon Activists Kidnapped After His Speech A news report on protests demanding the release of Abdullah Atallah, who was imprisoned by state security police after giving a speech critical of officials.
Food security in the Gulf: How to keep stomachs full An article on the Gulf countries’ concern with the question of how to feed their people in light of the sharp rise in the prices of staples since 2009 and of regional instability after the Arab uprisings.
Repression in Bahrain
VIDEO: Bahraini Human Rights Activist Zainab Alkhawaja Freed from Prison, Father Still Behind Bars Democracy Now! interviews the human rights activist after her release.
Bahrain man ‘sentenced to death for killing policeman’ A Bahraini court sentences one man to death and six others to life in prison for allegedly killing a policeman a year ago.
Bahrain denies prison hunger strike reports Habib Toumi reports on the Bahraini regime’s denial of reports of a hunger strike in a local prison.
Bomb blasts, clashes in Bahrain village Bahraini police clash with protesters in Saar and the opposition accuses the authorities of attacking mourners.
Bahrain rules out involving non-peaceful parties in talks The official spokesperson for the Bahraini regime rules out the participation of people who support violence in the national dialogue.
Crisis in Yemen
Is Yemen`s revolution defeated? Atiaf Alwazir reflects on the hopes of the Yemeni revolutionaries on the third anniversary of the uprising.
Yemen`s federal plan a bold idea, but many hurdles remain Yara Bayoumy analyzes the challenges facing Yemen in implementing the federal plan.
A federal cure for Yemen’s ills? Saeed Al Batati examines the implication of federalism for Yemen.
Report: US drone may have killed dozen civilians Kimberly Dozier writes on a report released by Human Rights Watch on the US drone strike that hit a wedding convey last December.
Report: Yemen drone strike possibly violated international law John Knefel analyzes the report released by Human Rights Watch.
Report demands US probe Yemen drone strike Families of victims killed in a US drone strike on a wedding convoy assert their relatives were civilians, not al-Qaeda fighters.
Nine killed and soldiers seized in southern Yemen clash A news report on the death of nine people and the capture of fourteen soldiers in a gun battle in Dali`.
One killed in south Yemen pro-independence protests: sources A news report on the death of one person and the injury of twenty people in clashes between the police and pro-independence demonstrators in Aden.
Kidnappers free Czech doctor in Yemen A Czech doctor is released several hours after her kidnap.
Intelligence officer shot dead in south Yemen An intelligence officer is assassinated in Shabwa.
Migrant Workers
Indian worker death rate in Qatar ‘normal’ Indian and Qatari officials assert that the death rate of Indian workers – which is estimated to be four hundred and fifty-five in 2012 and 2013 – is not abnormal.
India backs Qatar, says death rate ‘normal’ The Indian embassy in Doha seeks to appease Qatar following its publication of the death rate of Indian workers in the Gulf state, and asserts that this number is “normal.”
Qatar workers` deaths are India`s responsibility too Jayati Ghosh provides a critique of the Indian government for its failure to protect Indian workers in Qatar.
Family seek answers over death of Indian migrant in Qatar Anu Anand reports on Jitender Singh Khalsa, whose family had no help from the authorities to establish what happened to him in Qatar.
Qatar ministry of labour and social affairs statement on Indian fatalities A statement issued by Qatar’s ministry of labor and social affairs on the death toll of Indian workers.
Oman puts further limits on expatriates in work force The Omani authorities intends to introduce new labor market regulations and to limit the proportion of expatriates in the private sector.
Kuwait MP calls for deportation of 1.4 million expats Khalil Abdullah calls for the deportation of more than a quarter of a million expatriates per year in the next five years.
Media
Government, press relations remain tense, specialists say Faisal Masudi reports at the International Government Communications Forum on media specialists’ assertion that the relations between state officials and reporters remain edgy.
Yemen stops printing leading southern opposition newspaper The Yemeni authorities prevent a local newspaper linked to southern separatists from being printed at a government-owned press.
Al Jazeera regrets staff trial adjournment Al Jazeera expressed its disappointment that the three journalists on trial were not released last week.
Al-Jazeera journalists deny charges at Egypt trial The three journalists deny all charges at the start of their trial in Cairo.
Al-Jazeera journalists appeal for support as Egypt trial starts Louisa Loveluck reports on the three journalists’ appeal for international support.
Human Rights
Citing “Terrorism” to Ignore Due Process in Saudi Arabia Adam Coogle, from Human Rights Watch, criticizes the new counterterrorism law for criminalizing free speech.
A Wedding That Became a Funeral: US Drone Attack on Marriage Procession in Yemen Human Rights Watch publishes a critical twenty-eight page report on the US drone strike on a wedding convoy in December.
US: Yemen Drone Strike May Violate Obama Policy Human Rights Watch calls on the US government to investigate the drone strike on the wedding convey.
Dispatches: New Protection for Saudi Arabia’s Domestic Workers Nisha Varia reflects on a new agreement between Saudi Arabia and Indonesia to protect Indonesian women working in the kingdom.
Saudi Arabia: 12,000 Somalis Expelled Human Rights Watch condemns the Saudi decision to deport thousands of Somalis without allowing them to apply for asylum.
The Bahrain Forum of Human Rights showed his concern over the safety of the photographer Ahmed Al Musawi after his subjection to hard torture The Bahrain Forum for Human Rights issues a statement over the safety of the photographer.
Kuwait: Three activists summoned for investigation as discrimination against Bedoon community continues The Gulf Center for Human Rights expresses its concerns over the interrogation of activists defending the rights of the Bedoon.
India: More transparency needed over migrant deaths in Gulf Amnesty International calls upon the Indian government to provide details into the death of its nationals in Qatar and other Gulf states.
Bahrain: Outspoken activist fears re-arrest days after her release Amnesty International reports on Zainab al-Khawaja’s fear of re-arrest when she appears in court to face more charges.
Culture and Heritage
Redevelopment of Mecca: Bulldozers bear down on site of Mohamed’s birth David Usborne reports on new construction plans in Mecca, which, if approved, will entail the destruction of the site of Prophet Muhammad’s birth.
Arabic
اكثر من 90 محامياً يرفعون لمجلس القضاء الأعلى شكوى من تعديات لرجال الداخلية والقضاة بحقهم
More than ninety Bahraini lawyers file complaints against security men working for the ministry of interior for assaulting them in courts.
البحرين | إعدام و6 مؤبدات وتأجيل محاكمة المرزوق
A Bahraini court sentences one man to death and six others to life in prison for allegedly killing a policeman a year ago.
اليمن: مقتل 12 شخصا في اشتباكات في الضالع
A news report on the death of twelve people during clashes between soldiers and militants in Dali` in Yemen.
اليمن: انتهاء ولاية هادي الأولى وعشرات الآلاف من المناصرين للثورة يُفشلون مساعي أتباع صالح في إسقاط نظامه
Khalid al-Hamadi analyzes the end of the Yemeni president`s first term.
مقتل تسعة وخطف 14 جنديا في اشتباكات بين الجيش اليمني ومسلحين
A news report on the death of nine people and the capture of fourteen soldiers in a gun battle in Daleh, Yemen.
أهل العوامية ينتفضون على الاحتلال السعودي
The inhabitants of al-Awamiyah in Saudi Arabia`s Eastern Province reject the official story on the death of two activists in a police raid, which stated the two men were "armed troublemakers."
السعودية ــ أميركا: توتّر أم أزمة؟!
Adel Khalifa analyzes Saudi-US relations.
العلاقات السعودية ـ الأميركية: عواصف الصحراء
Ahmed Malli describes Saudi-US relations as "desert storms" (Part I).
عواصف الصحراء || لماذا تغضب السعودية من واشنطن؟
Amed Malli analyzes Riyadh`s disagreement with Washington (Part II).
دبلوماسيون: السعودية تسحب إدارة الملف السوري من بندر بن سلطان
A news report on the Saudi authorities` decision to remove the Syrian file from the head of the intelligence agency, Prince Bandar bin Sultan.
خروج أمير الدهاء بندر بن سلطان
Khalil Harb examines the implication of the recent marginalization of Prince Bandar bin Sultan in light of his regional role and of conflicts within the Saudi royal family.
محمد بن نايف يخلف بندر في تسليح المعارضة السورية
Saudi Arabia`s minister of interior, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, replaces Prince Bandar bin Sultan in providing Syrian rebels with arms.
مفتي السعودية يدعو إلى سرعة التبرع للسوريين
The Saudi grand mufti calls upon Saudi nationals to donate to the Syrian people.
السعودية: لعبة البراءة من الجهاد
Mohammed al-Sadiq reflects on the Saudi public`s concern over the question of Saudi jihadists in Syria.
نيران سعودية قطرية: خليجنا واحد... أحياناً
Masa` al-Muhanadi examines the tensions in Saudi-Qatari relations.
القمة في الكويت... حوافز ومحاذير
Jamil Matar reflects on the upcoming Arab summit to be held in Kuwait.
لافروف: مستعدون للتوسط بين إيران والخليجيين
The Russian foreign minister asserts that Russia is ready to mediate between Iran and the Gulf states.