https://www.middleeastmonitor.com Latest news from the Middle East and North Africa Tue, 08 Aug 2023 11:15:19 +0000 en-GB Middle East Monitor 30 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2.2 https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/favicon.png?fit=32%2C32&quality=85&strip=all&zoom=1&ssl=1 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com 32 32 116394717 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230807-parts-of-africa-are-switching-from-obedience-to-france-to-obedience-to-russia/ Mon, 07 Aug 2023 12:29:22 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=658304 In my previous article, I mentioned the military coups in the Arab region, which are a plague. They were not done for the sake of God and the homeland, but rather for the sake of America and its interests and influence in the region. America came up with the idea of coups and encouraged other colonisers to follow suit. We now see Russia creating a coup in Niger from behind the scenes and overthrowing elected President Mohamed Bazoum, who is loyal to France. Russia used senior Niger army officers loyal to Moscow to lead the coup and create a military council headed by Abdul Rahman Chiani. It was Chiani who announced the expulsion of 1,500 French soldiers from Niger and […]]]> 658304 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230803-turkiye-withdraws-as-host-of-cop16-blaming-februarys-earthquakes/ Thu, 03 Aug 2023 17:46:51 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=657942 Turkiye has withdrawn from hosting the United Nations' Cop16 biodiversity summit in 2024, citing three large earthquakes in February that devastated parts of the country, Reuters reports. According to the report, the UN convention on biological diversity announced that Turkiye had withdrawn due to "a force majeure situation", inviting other countries to offer to host the conference. It is hoped the scheduled dates – 21 October to 1 November – will not change. France, the UK, Switzerland and Spain are all possible replacement destinations for the conference, where governments will discuss how they are meeting targets to protect 30 per cent of land and sea, reform $500bn of environmentally damaging subsidies and restore 30 per cent of the planet's degraded terrestrial, inland water, […]]]> 657942 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230803-turkiye-a-factor-in-rising-anti-colonial-sentiment-in-west-africa-says-expert/ Thu, 03 Aug 2023 16:07:35 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=657930 Turkiye's long-standing anti-imperialist stance and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's famous motto "The world is bigger than five," has been a factor in the rising anti-colonialist sentiment in West Africa, an expert said, Anadolu Agency reports. Professor Enver Arpa, Director of the Regional Studies Institute of the Ankara Social Sciences University, spoke to Anadolu about the anti-colonial sentiment in West Africa, especially among the youth. "President Erdogan, in his speeches, criticises the ongoing injustices in Africa and the brutal policies carried out during the colonial period. 'The world is bigger than five' is not a mere slogan, there is more to it than what is visible," said Arpa, who formerly headed Middle East and Africa at state-run charity, Turkish Cooperation and […]]]> 657930 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230803-french-pundit-lashes-out-at-hijabi-footballer/ Thu, 03 Aug 2023 12:00:32 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=657858 READ: France calls on Israel to end all unilateral measures likely to fuel tensions]]> 657858 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230803-brazil-president-supports-accession-of-saudi-arabia-uae-to-brics/ Thu, 03 Aug 2023 11:41:45 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=657845 Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has expressed his support for more countries joining the BRICS group. Lula said in the capital, Brasilia, yesterday that he supports countries such as Argentina, Saudi Arabia and the UAE joining the group. BRICS, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, is due to hold a summit in Johannesburg from 22-24 August. He also described the seven leading industrialised countries as a "club" that should not exist, considering that its form in terms of geopolitical affairs is outdated. The UK, US, France, Italy, Japan, Canada and Germany make up the group of Western industrialised countries, known as the G7. Some 22 countries have "formally" asked to join the BRICS group, while […]]]> 657845 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230802-algeria-warns-against-foreign-military-intervention-in-niger/ Wed, 02 Aug 2023 11:20:54 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=657232 The Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday warned against resorting to foreign military intervention to restore constitutional order in Niger, where a coup has plunged the country into a crisis. "Algeria cautions, calls for prudence and restraint in the face of aspirations of foreign military intervention, which unfortunately appear to be real and feasible options, while being factors that only complicate and exacerbate the current crisis," the ministry said in a statement. "Algeria reaffirms its deep sense of urgency for the restoration of constitutional order in Niger and for respect for the requirements of the rule-of-law. In this regard, the Algerian government reaffirms its support for Mohamed Bazoum as the legitimate president of the Republic of the Niger," the ministry […]]]> 657232 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230801-after-30-years-in-his-post-lebanese-central-bank-governor-steps-down/ Tue, 01 Aug 2023 08:41:28 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=656932 Controversial Governor of the Lebanese Central Bank, Riad Salameh, has stepped down after 30 years in office, news agencies reported, noting he is facing charges of money laundering, fraud and embezzling public funds. The 73-year-old's term ended yesterday, as Lebanon's financial losses stood at in excess of $72 billion, more than three times its gross domestic product (GDP) in 2021, the World Bank said. Late Prime Minister Rafic Hariri appointed him to the post in 1993 and he maintained the stability of the Lebanese Lira stable at 1,500 against the dollar, but Lebanon's economy has now almost collapsed and the World Bank has warned that it is facing one of the worst economic crises of the last 150 years. Salameh accused […]]]> 656932 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230731-conquering-north-channel-young-turkish-swimmer-takes-on-one-of-the-worlds-toughest-crossings/ Mon, 31 Jul 2023 13:47:40 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=656711 Already the youngest Turkish swimmer to cross the English Channel between Britain and France, Aysu Turkoglu is now embarking on a new journey to traverse the waterway between Scotland and Northern Ireland, Anadolu Agency reports. For what is widely seen as an even greater feat than crossing the English Channel, the 22-year-old will plunge into frigid waters that can get as cold as 12 degrees Celsius (about 54 degrees Fahrenheit) off Northern Ireland on a day between 9 August and 14 August, hoping to power through the choppy waves to reach the Scottish coast. If she succeeds, she will be the first Turkish woman to conquer the North Channel. "At first, I was just thinking of crossing the English Channel […]]]> 656711 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230731-french-congolese-hip-hop-artist-cancels-concert-in-tunisia-over-rights-abuses-of-black-african-migrants/ Mon, 31 Jul 2023 12:15:58 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=656672 French-Congolese artist Gims has cancelled his concert in Tunisia because of how the authorities have treated black African migrants in the country over recent weeks. Je ne trouve pas les mots .. ?@GIMS #Tunisia pic.twitter.com/ccz81jXyM2 — عفاف الغربي (@afefgharbitv) July 31, 2023 Children, women and men expelled from Tunisia to Libya live in inhuman conditions. I cannot maintain my visit to Tunisia, scheduled for August 11th. I don't know what the solution is, but this extreme distress is unbearable. Gims is one of the biggest names in French hip hop and gained international recognition for his first single, J'me tire (I'm leaving). A recent report released by Human Rights Watch found that Tunisian police and military had been rounding up black Africans in the […]]]> 656672 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230730-istanbul-galatasaray-secures-mauro-icardi-in-8m-transfer-deal-for-3-year-contract/ Sun, 30 Jul 2023 13:50:39 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=656499 Turkish club Galatasaray announced a three-year deal with Argentine forward Mauro Icardi from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on Sunday, involving a £8 million (over $11 million) transfer fee, reports Anadolu Agency. In a statement, the Istanbul side revealed that the transfer fee will be paid to Icardi's former club, spread over four seasons in installments. Starting from the 2023-2024 season, Icardi will be donning the Galatasaray jersey for the next three seasons. The prolific striker will be earning a net salary of £5 million ($6.4 million) per season. Icardi, 30, arrived at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport late on Friday as fans welcomed him, cheering his name. He spent the 2022-2023 season at Galatasaray on loan and scored 23 goals in 26 appearances, winning the […]]]> 656499 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230730-saudi-spending-has-changed-football-transfer-market-says-pep-guardiola/ Sun, 30 Jul 2023 13:21:25 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=656495 Manchester City coach, Pep Guardiola has said Saudi Arabia has "changed the football transfer market" following Riyad Mahrez's move on Friday to join Jeddah-based football club Al-Ahli in a deal worth almost $40 million, becoming one of the latest high-profile Premier League player to play in the Saudi Pro League. Guardiola who led City to win their historic treble last season, made the comments yesterday while the club is on a pre-season tour of South Korea. It is worth noting that City is heavily backed by the UAE and are owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan, a member of the ruling family. "The Saudi league has completely changed the market" Pep Guardiola says more big names will move to […]]]> 656495 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230727-france-seizes-opportunity-for-defence-collaboration-after-qatar-talks-reports/ Thu, 27 Jul 2023 15:31:04 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=655673 France and Qatar share a mutual desire to enhance their defence partnership, a French Defence Ministry source reports. According to the report, the defence partnership between the two nations will strengthen the ongoing cooperation involving Rafale fighter jets. Last week, French Minister of Armed Forces, Sebastien Lecornu, engaged in discussions with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani in Qatar. In 2015, the two nations initially finalised a $7 billion (6.34 billion Euros) deal for 24 Rafale jets, and in 2017, Qatar placed an additional order for 12 more aircraft. READ: Afghan Taliban confirms meeting with US officials in Doha late this week]]> 655673 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230727-foreign-meddling-and-competing-interests-hinder-any-solution-in-libya/ Thu, 27 Jul 2023 08:00:06 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=655172 If you ask any Libyan citizen about the biggest obstacles hindering political solutions in the country, the most likely answer is: external interferences and the disputes of local de-facto politicians. Since the country fell victim to the so called "Arab Spring" in 2011, it became an open arena for all sorts of external meddling in its internal affairs – usually individual foreign countries' pursuit of their own interests, regardless of what the impact could be on Libya's stability, security and economic prosperity. Worse still, most of such interests are competing with each other at the expense of the country. The internal conflict, since erupting in 2011, has turned into a regional and international conflict in which various countries are competing […]]]> 655172 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230725-saudi-offers-french-striker-mbappe-330m-to-join-al-hilal/ Tue, 25 Jul 2023 11:54:00 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=654965 Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal Football Club has made history by offering a record €300 million ($332 million) to French striker and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) Captain, Kylian Mbappe. Italian football journalist Fabrizio Romano said if the deal is concluded, Mbappe will become the most expensive player in football history. According to several press reports, Al-Hilal offered Mbappe a world record salary, making him the highest paid football player. The Saudi offer is for one season only, after which the player will be free to decide his future. According to French journalist Fabrice Hawkins, who works for the French RMC Sports, Al-Hilal is offering Mbappe €400 million ($441.7 million) over two seasons. Mbappe has informed PSG that he does not intend to extend his contract with the team. […]]]> 654965 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230724-totalenergies-forms-2gw-turkiye-renewables/ Mon, 24 Jul 2023 17:12:41 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=654881 French oil and gas company, TotalEnergies, has signed an agreement with Ronesans Holding to acquire a 50 per cent stake in Ronesans Enerji – a JV to develop renewable energy projects in Turkiye, local Turkish media reports. According to the report, Ronesans Enerji is currently operating a portfolio of 166MW hydro assets. The company has, as well, secured a pipeline of more than 700MW of wind, photovoltaic and battery storage assets, the report added. Leveraging TotalEnergies knowhow in onshore wind and solar development and in electricity trading and Ronesans deep knowledge of the local electricity market, Ronesans Enerji's ambition is to produce 2GW of renewable energy by 2028, the report added. The production generated by these sites will be marketed, […]]]> 654881 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230721-france-calls-on-israel-to-end-all-unilateral-measures-likely-to-fuel-tensions/ Fri, 21 Jul 2023 15:00:52 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=654383 French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna told her Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen on Wednesday that it is important for Israel to end "all unilateral measures likely to fuel tensions" with the Palestinians, according to a statement issued by the French Foreign Ministry. Colonna also "stressed the need to end the policy of settlement activity, which is illegal under international law and undermines the prospects of peace." In the meeting, sources said Israel asked France to help ensure no war erupts between Tel Aviv and Lebanon's Hezbollah group. "I asked my friend, Foreign Minister Colonna, to exercise France's influence in Lebanon in order to help resolve the tensions efficiently and quickly," Cohen said.Cohen's visit came a day before the UN Security Council was set […]]]> 654383 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230721-irish-activist-continues-his-2200-miles-walk-to-palestine/ Fri, 21 Jul 2023 12:58:04 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=654339 A sixty-five-year-old Irish activist, who set off to Palestine from Calais to raise awareness about the plight of refugees and human rights violations in the Occupied Territories, reached the Albanian port city of Durres on Saturday. Mick Bowman crossed France, Switzerland and Italy to reach Albania last week and will continue to walk through Greece, Turkiye and Jordan to reach the Occupied West Bank in Palestine. He began the 2,200-mile journey from Calais on 16 April last month. "Now half-way through my walk to Palestine, I've also had the opportunity in the three countries I passed through, to have many conversations about the great injustice faced by the Palestinians. I got to speak with fellow pilgrims when I was walking […]]]> 654339 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230720-israel-asks-france-to-intervene-to-prevent-confrontation-with-hezbollah/ Thu, 20 Jul 2023 09:44:51 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=654079 Israel asked France yesterday to use its influence in Lebanon to prevent the outbreak of a military confrontation with Hezbollah, Anadolu has reported. The Israeli Foreign Ministry made the request during a meeting in Paris between Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and his French counterpart, Catherine Colonna. "The provocation of the terrorist organisation Hezbollah on the Lebanese border could degenerate into a military confrontation," said Cohen. "I asked my friend, Foreign Minister Colonna, to exercise France's influence in Lebanon in order to help resolve the tensions efficiently and quickly." Other regional security issues were also on the agenda, including Iran's nuclear programme. "The fight against the Iranian threat requires the entire international community to act now. The meeting of the IAEA […]]]> 654079 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230718-france-ban-on-uk-organisation-exposes-state-islamophobia/ Tue, 18 Jul 2023 11:00:38 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=653268 France has banned the UK-based campaign group CAGE for giving evidence about the republic's persecution of Muslims. The authorities in Paris blocked the managing director of CAGE, Muhammad Rabbani, from entering the country. A highly critical presentation delivered by Rabbani last year at the summit of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in which he exposed the French government's Islamophobia and its Systematic Obstruction Policy, is said to be the reason for the ban. CAGE described this as "totally absurd" and an example of "authoritarian overreach" by the French, a view that has become widespread amongst analysts and commentators. In recent years the French government has faced sharp criticism over its crackdown on its Muslim citizens. Western […]]]> 653268 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230718-riots-in-france-do-not-mean-an-alien-takeover-of-europe/ Tue, 18 Jul 2023 08:29:46 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=653232 It was entirely predictable that when riots erupted in France after 17-year-old Nahel Merzouk was killed by a police officer they would provide another opportunity for the far-right in France and beyond to blame immigration and foreigners. Claims surfaced online and in the socio-political sphere that the rioters were predominantly from African or Middle Eastern countries; that they could not and never will be able to integrate; and that French and European governments must take urgent, drastic action to deport such foreign miscreants. Little effort was made to delve deeper into such claims, of course. There was little or no discourse about the factors that might lead individuals or communities to respond in such a way, nor was there any […]]]> 653232 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230718-france-goalkeeper-refuses-to-join-saudi-team/ Tue, 18 Jul 2023 07:58:09 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=653225 French press revealed that Hugo Lloris, Tottenham's goalkeeper, rejected an offer from Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal Football Club. The 36-year-old's contract with Tottenham runs until the summer of 2024, but his departure was confirmed this summer after he left the team's travel list to start the preparatory period for the new season. According to the French RMC Sport network, Lloris is open to the idea of joining Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), which is looking for a new goalkeeper. "Paris puts Lloris on the list of candidates to join the team, accompanied by Moroccan Yassin Bono, the Seville goalkeeper." The Belgian player, Romelu Lukaku, who is a striker for Chelsea, also refused to move to Al-Hilal. Lukaku's loan to Inter Milan ended at the end of the last season, and he is returning to his original […]]]> 653225 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230717-five-nation-group-on-lebanon-says-to-penalise-those-obstructing-presidential-election/ Mon, 17 Jul 2023 19:52:44 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=653215 The five-nation group on Lebanon, which comprises the US, France, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt, said on Monday they had discussed several measures against politicians and groups who were obstructing the election of a new president, Reuters reports. Last month, Parliament failed – for the 12th time – to fill the post, reserved for a Maronite Christian in Lebanon's sectarian system, and vacant since the term of the Hezbollah-allied Michel Aoun ended in October. The meeting in Doha, attended by Lebanon's key Western and Arab donors and allies said it was imperative a president was elected and urged Lebanon's leaders to overcome a deepening institutional paralysis in a country where one of the world's worst economic crises has been festering for years. […]]]> 653215 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230714-production-shuts-down-at-libya-el-feel-sharara-and-108-oilfields-tribal-leader-oil-engineers/ Fri, 14 Jul 2023 14:24:19 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=652353 Production at Libya's El Feel, Sharara and 108 oilfields was shut on Thursday in a protest against the abduction of a former finance minister, a tribal leader told Reuters on Thursday. The shutdown was confirmed by oil engineers and a protester, Reuters reports. It is a protest by the Al-Zawi tribe against the kidnapping of Faraj Bumatari, a former finance minister, according to the tribal leader. The protesters released a video statement from the 108 oilfields saying, while they closed a valve: "We affirm the continuation of the oil closures, and we may escalate the situation to more than that if our son, Faraj Bumatari, is not released." No protesters have entered the Sharara oilfield, so far, two engineers working in the field told Reuters on Thursday. […]]]> 652353 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230711-france-uk-campaign-to-oust-gaddafi-from-libya-a-disaster-says-spy-chief/ Tue, 11 Jul 2023 19:14:19 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=651571 The French-inspired campaign with Britain to overthrow Colonel Gaddafi in 2011 was a disastrous error, according to France's spy chief in Libya at the time, the Times reports. According to the report, the story of the secret operations to bring down the Libyan dictator has been told by Jean-Francois Lhuillier, a former Tripoli station chief of the Directorate General for External Security (DGSE). His book has angered the Secret Service, where he worked for 27 years. Lhuillier, 69, a Lieutenant-Colonel at his retirement in 2014, has also embarrassed the DGSE by revealing the dysfunctions of an Agency that has enjoyed fame with The Bureau, the television series about its operatives, the report added. The book called "The Tripoli Man: Memoirs of […]]]> 651571 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230711-the-means-of-communication-in-egypt-more-restrictions-and-censorship/ Tue, 11 Jul 2023 13:06:52 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=651391 It was not surprising to followers and observers of the situation that the Egyptian regime had obtained an open-source intelligence platform from an Israeli company, which would enhance its ability to monitor websites and means of communication and pursue its opponents. This security and intelligence monitoring is reinforced by a tight legislative system that provides the current President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi's regime with legal means to pursue activists on social media, hunt opponents and manage the compass of public opinion. Over the past years, specifically after the 3 July, 2013 coup, the Egyptian authorities intensified their measures to monitor the virtual world, after it sparked the 25 January, 2011 revolution that overthrew the regime of the late President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak. […]]]> 651391 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230710-saudi-arabia-france-sign-mou-in-energy/ Mon, 10 Jul 2023 19:23:35 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=651283 Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, met with his French counterpart, Agnes Pannier-Runacher, in Riyadh on 8 July, Gulf Business reports. According to the report, the two signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen their cooperation in energy, with a focus on clean energy from renewable resources. In a joint statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency, France and Saudi Arabia agreed on an energy co-operation roadmap focusing on technology development, business co-operation and policies and regulation. Both countries acknowledged the importance of advancing the implementation of the United Nations Framework on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement in accordance with the principles, objectives and goals defined therein, including pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 […]]]> 651283 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230706-france-slammed-for-daily-discrimination-against-muslims/ Thu, 06 Jul 2023 13:30:43 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=650180 Muslim youth are being discriminated against on a daily basis in France, the head of the French Council of the Muslim Faith has claimed. Abdallah Zekri said that Muslim youth in France are subjected to racial discrimination on a daily basis. Referring to the recent events in France following the killing of 17-year-old Algerian-Malian Nael M, Zekri told Anadolu that if there were "no video clips of the killing, the incident would have been covered up." He also pointed out that it is "disgraceful to reward the killer," a reference to the €1.6 million ($1.7m) that has been raised by a public appeal for the family of the policeman who killed the young Muslim. The rights advocate added that politicians […]]]> 650180 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230705-algeria-to-replace-french-with-english-at-universities/ Wed, 05 Jul 2023 14:32:46 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=649996 In the latest sign that the French language and influence is on the decline in former North African colony, Algeria, the authorities are reportedly set to replace French with English at Algerian universities, starting with the new academic year in September. According to Asharq Al-Awsat, on 1 July the Ministry of Higher Education's Secretary-General sent a letter to university directors requesting a meeting to form pedagogical teams ahead of the summer vacation in order to make preparations for the adoption of English as the language of instruction for the new semester. The decision follows similar developments last year, after Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune instructed that that primary schools start teaching English. "French is a spoil of war, but English is an international language," he said at the time. French being replaced with English is […]]]> 649996 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230705-growing-anger-after-1-8m-raised-for-french-officer-who-killed-17-year-old-teen/ Wed, 05 Jul 2023 12:46:30 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=649871 There is growing anger over a campaign to raise money for the family of the policeman who shot dead 17-year-old French-Algerian teenager, Nahel M, last Tuesday. Nearly $2 million ($1,636,190) has been raised so far by the GoFundMe campaign launched by a member of the French far-right. A similar collection to help the family of the victim has raised €424,739 ($462,069). Nahel was killed a week ago in Nanterre outside Paris after being stopped by two motorcycle patrol officers and shot at point-blank range. An officer is under investigation for culpable homicide but that has not stopped thousands of people donating on his behalf. More than 85,000 people have donated so far, highlighting deep divisions in France. The shooting led to a wave […]]]> 649871 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230705-france-police-shooting-of-teen-sign-of-institutional-islamophobia-says-expert/ Wed, 05 Jul 2023 11:45:50 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=649738 Last week's fatal police shooting of a 17-year-old boy in a Paris suburb should not be seen as an individual, isolated case, but rather it lays bare France's institutional racism and Islamophobia, according to a British social theorist and expert on colonialism. Salman Sayyid is professor of social theory and decolonial thought at the University of Leeds; the manner of Nahel's killing is "not new," he said. "The French state and sections of society have been pursuing an Islamophobic orientation for a number of years," Sayyid told Anadolu. "I think it [Nahel M's killing] is a sign of institutional Islamophobia and institutional racism in the French law enforcement system, in the French criminal justice system, and in the French state […]]]> 649738 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230705-frances-macron-eyes-internet-restrictions-during-protests/ Wed, 05 Jul 2023 11:39:58 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=649732 As protests over the killing of a French-Algerian teen by police at point blank range seemed to taper off yesterday, France's president said cutting internet access during such times of crisis might be needed. Telling a gathering of mayors of towns where the protests turned violent that the riots have passed their peak, Emmanuel Macron added: "We must get down to restoring the sustainable order as our absolute priority." "I will be cautious for the following days and weeks but the peak has passed," the president told the mayors at Paris' Elysee Palace, according to French broadcaster BFMTV. "When things die down, maybe there should be a regulation or a restriction on [internet] access," said Macron. "This must especially not be […]]]> 649732 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230705-tunisia-italy-interior-ministers-discuss-irregular-immigration/ Wed, 05 Jul 2023 07:36:57 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=649690 Tunisian Interior Minister Kamel Feki yesterday discussed the issue of irregular migration with his Italian counterpart Matteo Piantedosi, the Tunisian Interior Ministry said in a statement, Anadolu reported. The statement said the two ministers spoke on the phone and reviewed cooperation relations and partnership programmes linking the two ministries, especially in the field of migration and organised crime. "The two parties expressed their unwavering readiness and firm determination to further consolidate these relations and raise them to the highest levels, reflecting the depth and history of the historical relations between the two countries and serving the interest of the two friendly peoples," it added. Tunisia has recently witnessed a remarkable increase in the pace of irregular migration to Europe, especially towards […]]]> 649690 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230704-algeria-launches-mobile-app-tracing-french-colonisation/ Tue, 04 Jul 2023 17:45:31 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=649666 READ: What connects Algeria, Russia and Tunisia?]]> 649666 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230704-french-judiciary-transfers-central-bank-chief-seized-assets-to-lebanon-minister/ Tue, 04 Jul 2023 17:42:39 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=649664 The French judiciary has transferred the seized assets of Lebanon's Central Bank Governor, Riad Salameh, and his associates, to the Lebanese state, the media office of Lebanon's caretaker Justice Minister, Henry Khoury, said on Tuesday, Reuters reports. Salameh, 72, who has been in this post for three decades, is the subject of investigations and arrest warrants in France and Germany over allegations of corruption and money laundering. A judiciary source in Paris said the Court of Appeal, on Tuesday, had upheld the confiscation of millions of Euros' worth of assets linked to Salameh and some of his associates, which were being contested by their lawyers. READ: Lebanon economic crisis worsened by vested interests, IMF says "All of the confiscation orders were upheld by […]]]> 649664 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230704-france-repatriates-10-women-25-children-from-syria-camps/ Tue, 04 Jul 2023 12:07:39 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=649602 France announced that it has repatriated 25 children and ten women held in camps in Syria under suspicion of being linked to Daesh fighters, the Foreign Ministry said today. In a statement, the ministry said the children would be handed over to child services while adults would be referred to judicial authorities. The Foreign Ministry said: "France thanked the local administration in north-eastern Syria for its cooperation, which made this operation possible."Last year 31 women and 75 children were repatriated to France, with an additional 15 women and 32 children returned in January. The Roj prison camp, where the women were held, is overcrowded with a lack of resources, as is the nearby Al-Hol camp. Rights groups say the camps do […]]]> 649602 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230703-israel-pm-netanyahu-condemns-anti-semitic-riots-in-france-expresses-support-for-government/ Mon, 03 Jul 2023 12:45:57 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=648986 Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has labelled the protests erupting throughout France as "anti-Semitic", expressing his support for the French government's measures against rioters. Last week Tuesday, French police shot and killed 17-year-old Nahel Merzouk – a French teen of North African descent – at point-blank range when he attempted to drive off after being stopped for illegally driving without a full license. Despite the government and President Emmanuel Macron's denunciation of the killing, as well as the policeman's charge of homicide, the incident has only revived the issue of police brutality and racism in France, resulting in widespread condemnation and demonstrations. Over the days following that killing, and as Merzouk was buried on Saturday, those demonstrations devolved into riots […]]]> 648986 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230703-iran-calls-on-france-to-exercise-restraint-in-handling-protesters/ Mon, 03 Jul 2023 11:56:55 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=648963 The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday called on the French government and police to "exercise restraint", renounce violence and pay attention to the protesters' demands, following the outbreak of riots in protest against the police shooting of a 17-year-old French-Algerian boy at point blank range. The Iranian Fars news agency quoted Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Nasser Kanaani, as saying that the discriminatory treatment of immigrants and the avoidance of accepting and correcting behaviour towards them have led to these conditions. "The French government must end violence against its people, by respecting principles based on human dignity, freedom of expression, and the right of citizens to peaceful protest," Kanaani said, stressing that Tehran is closely monitoring the current developments in France. READ: France seeks Israel's […]]]> 648963 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230703-freedom-of-speech-is-used-in-the-west-to-cover-attacks-against-muslims/ Mon, 03 Jul 2023 10:30:42 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=648930 The burning of a copy of the Holy Qur'an in front of the Grand Mosque in Stockholm was not the first such incident in Sweden and it is unlikely to be the last. In January, for example, a Dutch man burned a copy of the Holy Book in front of the Turkish Embassy in the Swedish capital, in protest at Turkiye's rejection of Sweden's accession to NATO. This sparked a wave of anger among Muslims all over the world and prompted Turkiye to stick to its position on the issue of Sweden's membership of NATO. This latest attack on Muslim sanctities occurred on the day of Eid Al-Adha, the major Muslim holiday, with the approval of the country's president and […]]]> 648930 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230703-france-seeks-israels-help-to-quash-anti-police-brutality-protests/ Mon, 03 Jul 2023 08:07:08 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=648925 Israel Police has received a request from the French police to help them deal with the protests that have swept the country since police shot and killed a 17-year-old French-Algerian boy at point blank range last week. Deputy head of the Operations Division of the Israeli police, Shimon Nahmani, announced the request during a hearing of the National Security Committee in the Israeli Knesset. According to Israel Today newspaper: "The Israeli Police Commission received a fax from the French police to inquire about how to manage the crisis they are dealing with." READ: Mother of teen driver killed by French police officer alleges racial motivation in his death The newspaper pointed out that "Israeli Police Commissioner Yaakov 'Kobi' Shabtai gave […]]]> 648925 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230630-mother-of-teen-driver-killed-by-french-police-officer-alleges-racial-motivation-in-his-death/ Fri, 30 Jun 2023 13:57:08 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=648327 The mother of a 17-year-old delivery driver who was shot and killed by a police officer earlier this week during a traffic check in a Paris suburb said, Thursday, that she believes her son's death was driven by racial motivations, Anadolu Agency reports. Nahel M.'s mother, Mounia, said during an interview broadcast on the France 5 TV channel that the police officer "saw the face of an Arab, a little kid" and "wanted to take his life". She said she did not want to blame the whole law enforcement agency but only the police officer who killed her son. "I don't blame the police. I blame a person: the one who took my son's life," she said. Nahel was shot […]]]> 648327 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230630-riots-after-french-police-execute-algerian-boy/ Fri, 30 Jun 2023 12:13:31 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=648291 All options, including putting the country in a state of emergency, will be considered to restore law and order after a third night of protests over the fatal police shooting of a 17-year-old French-Algerian, the French prime minister said today. Elisabeth Borne told reporters that the government will be examining "all the options" with President Emmanuel Macron, who will hold an emergency meeting in the afternoon. Earlier, the Le Figaro newspaper reported that the French president is prepared to adopt measures to restore law and order "without taboo." It said Macron left early from an EU summit in Brussels to return to Paris. The president is expected to be briefed by Borne and Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin on recommendations to tackle the […]]]> 648291 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230626-israel-is-targeting-palestinian-christians/ Mon, 26 Jun 2023 17:00:15 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=647256 Israel continues its policy of Judaising the occupied city of Jerusalem where it targets Islamic and Christian holy sites. It is trying to change the historical mark of Jerusalem as a multicultural city that is sacred to all three religions and to turn it into a city with an exclusive Jewish identity. Over the years, Israel has invested billions of shekels in archaeological tourism projects aiming to entrench the Jewish narrative to change the way the city is perceived. In recent weeks, it has announced an additional investment of tens of millions of shekels in archaeological excavations and projects run by the far-right Elad Association (City of David), claiming that these projects tell the story of Jewish Jerusalem. It also […]]]> 647256 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230623-egypt-ethiopia-leaders-shake-hands-at-paris-summit/ Fri, 23 Jun 2023 11:58:25 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=646793 Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed shook hands and exchanged smiles at the New Global Finance Pact Summit in Paris despite the ongoing crisis between the two countries regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), Egyptian media reported. For over a year, the two countries have been at odds over the filling and operation of the GERD, which Cairo fears will reduce its share or Nile water. On 4 June, Al-Sisi urged Ethiopia to "compromise" in the dam crisis, which it has been building for more than a decade, amid disagreements and frozen negotiations. During his time in Paris, Al-Sisi met with President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and discussed bilateral regions and the […]]]> 646793 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230623-swedish-foreign-minister-condemns-pkk-terror-group/ Fri, 23 Jun 2023 09:07:53 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=646705 Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said today that his country "condemns all terror organisations, including the PKK." Speaking alongside French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna at a news conference in Paris, Billstrom said Sweden has fulfilled the last part of its commitment under a June 2022 trilateral memorandum signed in Madrid to address Turkiye's security concerns on terrorism with a new anti-terror law, which came into effect on 1 June. He noted Stockholm's goal is the same as Ankara's: To fight terrorism. He reiterated that cooperation between Swedish and Turkish police has improved significantly. READ: Turkish, Dutch, US defense chiefs hold talks on sidelines of key NATO meeting "Sweden's stance on the PKK is very clear. That's why we wanted to fulfill […]]]> 646705 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230622-egypts-sisi-in-paris-for-global-financial-pact-summit/ Thu, 22 Jun 2023 11:02:12 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=646600 Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi arrived in the French capital, Paris, yesterday to attend the two-day Summit for a New Global Financing Pact which will begin today. Egypt's Presidential Spokesperson Ahmed Fahmy said Al-Sisi's participation in the event reflects the growing strategic relations between Egypt and France and Egypt's active role as an emerging economy. "This role contributes to strengthening international initiatives that support developing countries and facilitate their access to financial liquidity," he added. French President Emmanuel Macron called for the summit following Egypt's hosting of the 27th session of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) on 22 November 2022. The summit provides an opportunity to collectively rethink the global financial architecture of international solidarity and climate action by proposing […]]]> 646600 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230622-tunisia-opposition-warns-saied-against-bowing-to-european-pressure-on-migrants/ Thu, 22 Jun 2023 07:49:04 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=646514 Tunisian President Kais Saied began an official visit to France yesterday, with the opposition warned against succumbing to European pressures to settle migrants in Tunisia. The Tunisian presidency stated that Saied would participate in the 'Paris Summit for a New Financial Deal' after receiving an invitation from President Emmanuel Macron. Former MP and migrant rights activist, Magdi Karbai wrote: "Emmanuel Macron meets today in France with [Italian Prime Minister] Georgia Meloni, and they discuss assisting Tunisia. At the same time, Macron extends an invitation to Kais Saied to attend the Paris summit on June 22 and 23, and Saied accepts the invitation!" This indicates a potential agreement between the two parties on the issue of irregular migration. Abdelwahab Al-Hani, the […]]]> 646514 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230621-israel-to-support-saudi-arabia-bid-for-expo-2030-in-return-for-normalisation-deal-report/ Wed, 21 Jun 2023 19:16:31 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=646502 Israel is reportedly set to support Saudi Arabia's bid to host the Expo 2030, amid efforts to convince the Kingdom to agree to normalise relations with Tel Aviv. During Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's visit to France, a reception was held in the capital, Paris, on Monday to launch Saudi Arabia's bid for the international exhibition, which takes place every five years and is next scheduled to take place in Japan's city of Osaka in 2025, with the host city for Expo 2030 to be announced in November. According to Israel's Kan broadcaster, the day before that reception, organised by the Royal Commission for the City of Riyadh, the Kingdom had invited an unnamed delegate representing Israel to the event. READ: […]]]> 646502 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230621-zinedine-zidane-in-tears-after-being-named-ambassador-of-project-for-children-in-final-stage-of-cancer/ Wed, 21 Jun 2023 12:02:22 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=646390 Football legend and former Real Madrid coach, Zinedine Zidane, gave a very emotional statement after being named an ambassador for Le Point Rose, a project that helps children at the final stages of cancer. His eyes red with emotion, Zidane said: "For me it's a bit hard because I have children who are healthy, so it's complicated for me, but I can tell you just one thing: I'm proud to be able to sponsor your project, you have chosen the right person." "I am proud to be a sponsor [of this project]. I am already in support of other associations such as ELA [The European Association Against Leukodystrophies]. And I will do everything in my power to support this whole […]]]> 646390 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230621-albania-police-raid-exiled-iran-opposition-camp-1-member-killed/ Wed, 21 Jun 2023 11:56:03 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=646306 Police in Albania have raided a camp belonging to the exiled Iranian opposition group, Mujahedeen-e-Khalq (MEK), leaving one member killed and dozens injured. The raid was carried out yesterday at the Ashraf-3 camp in Manez, a small town 30 kilometres (about 20 miles) west of the capital Tirana. According to Albanian Interior Minister Bledi Cuci and the head of the national police, Muhamet Rrumbullaku, both police officers and Iranian dissidents were injured during the operation. At a press conference, Cuci was quoted as saying, "I guarantee you that no person was touched during the police operation," adding that the reaction of the MEK was "unacceptable, intolerable, and reprehensible." The MEK have claimed that an elderly individual died as a result […]]]> 646306 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230621-france-expresses-deep-concern-about-israel-killing-palestinians-in-jenin/ Wed, 21 Jun 2023 09:47:51 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=646112 France has expressed its "deep concern" about Israel killing Palestinians in the Jenin refugee camp this week. Five Palestinians were killed during an Israeli military offensive in the refugee camp, and 91 others were wounded, 23 of them critically. Two of the wounded have since died in hospital, including 15-year-old Sadeel Ghassan Turkman, whose death was announced this morning. In a statement issued by the spokesperson for the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Catherine Colonna, the country "offered its condolences to the families of the civilian victims." The spokesperson pointed out that Colonna and her German, Jordanian and Egyptian counterparts emphasised on 11 May in Berlin that there is "an urgent need to re-establish a realistic horizon" to […]]]> 646112