MENASource

Top News: EU Failure Will Allow UK, France to Arm Syrian Rebels

Britain and France are free to supply weapons to Syrian rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad from August, after attempts to renew an EU arms embargo on Syria failed on Monday.

Top News: President Refers NGOs Law to Shura Council

By Egypt Source

Egypt’s presidency referred the final draft of a proposed NGO law to the Shura Council for deliberation, having changed a handful of controversial articles included in previous drafts of the bill. Several members of the president’s advisory team held a Monday press conference to unveil details of the final draft, which they view as better […]

Off the Egyptian Press: The Aftermath of the Sinai Kidnappings

By Andrew Ver Steegh

The abduction of members of Egypt’s army and police in the Sinai last week dominated the news cycle.  While the captives have since been released, Egypt’s media saw an outpouring of writing on the incident, with commentators weighing in on various aspects of the crisis.

Disheartened in Washington

By The Big Pharaoh

Last month, I had my first opportunity as an Egyptian blogger to come face to face with US policymakers and officials in Washington DC. My meetings, arranged by The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, opened my eyes to certain realities and changed several of the preconceived perceptions I brought with me from Cairo to […]

Top News: Interior Minister Rewards Policemen while Amnesty International Criticizes Ministry

By Egypt Source

Amnesty International has criticized what it describes as the continuity of torture in Egypt and a failure to punish those responsible for abuses. In its annual Egypt report, the human rights group that said torture policies, discrimination and impunity from punishment persisted in Egypt in 2012. Meanwhile, Minister of Interior Mohamed Ibrahim honored 11,432 policemen […]

Syrian Opposition Strategy: Negotiate in Geneva and Keep Fighting

By Hussein M. El-Amach

The recent joint statement from US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov set events into motion to end the Syrian tragedy by revisiting the June 2012 Geneva Communiqué.  Despite an international consensus in favor of the Geneva plan as a reasonable approach to reach a political settlement, however, the Syrian […]

Can the ‘Rebel’ Campaign Bring Down Morsi?

By Tarek Radwan

The short answer is no, but the Tamarod or ‘Rebel’ campaign can certainly create a massive headache for President Mohammed Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party, and the security apparatus. Tamarod campaigners have made an impressive splash on the Egyptian political scene in recent weeks, collecting signatures from ordinary citizens to demonstrate a […]

The Islamist Rift Within Egypt

By Fady Salah

Over a period of 18 days, Egyptians of different ideologies and backgrounds united against former president Mubarak in a remarkable scene that likely won’t be witnessed again. A few weeks after Mubarak’s ouster, with SCAF assuming power, Egyptians started establishing political parties and groups, stimulated by their ideological differences. Theoretically, the emergence of a multi-partisan […]

Top News: Egypt Court Acquits 7 Policemen in Jan 25 Killing of Protesters

By Egypt Source

A North Cairo criminal court on Wednesday acquitted seven Egyptian security personnel who had been accused of firing on unarmed anti-regime protesters during Egypt’s January 2011 Tahrir Square uprising. Eyewitnesses testified to the prosecutor general that the defendants, who include four policemen and three mid-ranking officers, murdered one protester and attempted to murder 11 others.

Syria: America’s Stake

By Frederic C. Hof

The 15-3 vote on May 21 in the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee authorizing the administration to provide lethal and nonlethal assistance to vetted elements of Syria’s armed opposition is a potentially significant step toward encouraging President Barack Obama to reverse the decision he made nearly a year ago to deny lethal assistance.