[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
ISIL’s advance puts Saudi Arabia between Iraq and a hard place Tom Kutsch analyzes Saudi Arabia’s anxiety over further rapprochement between Tehran and Washington in their fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant.
Why the Iraq Mess Is So Awkward for Saudi Arabia Joshua Keating examines the implication of the victories of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant for Saudi Arabia.
Iraq says Saudi Arabia "siding with terrorism" The Iraqi prime minister says that comments from Riyadh on the current developments in Iraq “indicate siding with terrorism.”
Saudi Arabia "against" foreign meddling in Iraq Saudi authorities blame Baghdad’s “sectarian” policies against Sunni Iraqis for the deterioration of the situation in Iraq.
Saudis give apparent warning to Iran: don't meddle in Iraq Noah Browning and Rania El Gamal write about Saudi Arabia’s warning to Tehran against intervening in the conflict in Iraq.
The Middle East and the Gulf at a crossroads Hussein Haridy analyzes regional relations in light of the recent developments in Iraq.
US in balancing act with regional allies over Iran ties Terry Atlas argues that any cooperation between Tehran and Washington will be watched closely by the Gulf states.
Riyadh’s rocky relationship with Baghdad Joseph A. Kechichian reflects on Iraqi-Saudi relations since the early twentieth century.
Gulf donors rethink patronage as jihadists advance Elizabeth Dickinson argues that donors who condemned the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant for fighting in Syria are supporting its role in Iraq.
Kuwait withdraws envoy from Iraq due to security situation: ministry official Kuwait withdraws its ambassador from Baghdad.
UAE recalls envoy to Iraq, hits at Baghdad's 'sectarian' policies The United Arab Emirates recalls its ambassador to Baghdad for consultations.
Qatar blames Iraq's 'exclusionist' Al Maliki for unrest The Qatari foreign minister accuses the Iraqi prime minister of triggering the unrest in Iraq.
Saudi King Abdullah visits Egypt's Sisi The Saudi king stops in Cairo for a few hours and meets the newly elected Egyptian president on the airplane on his way home from Morocco.
Saudi king, Al Sissi discuss ‘Friends of Egypt’ conference A news report on the significance of the Saudi king’s brief visit to Cairo.
Saudi king's visit to Cairo shows support for Sisi Maggie Fick argues that the Saudi king’s stop in Cairo reflects strong Saudi support for al-Sisi.
Saudis and Egypt among biggest markets for UK arms despite human rights breaches Richard Norton-Taylor says that Saudi Arabia is Britain’s biggest arms buyer.
US demotes Thailand and Qatar for abysmal human trafficking records Kate Hodal, Annie Kelly, and Dan Roberts report on the United States’ demotion of Thailand and Qatar following reports of appalling maltreatment of migrant workers.
Tony Abbott lobbies Egyptian president for release of journalist Peter Greste The Australian prime minister attempts to lobby the Egyptian authorities to release the Al Jazeera journalist.
Egypt rejects foreign criticism of judiciary after Al Jazeera sentencing Cairo defends its jail sentencing of the three Al Jazeera journalists.
Reports and Opinions
Qatar had the strongest bid for the 2022 Fifa World Cup. Here's why Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani defends Qatar’s bid to host the 2022 World Cup.
UAE jails seven men convicted of belonging to al Qaeda Seven men are jailed on suspicion of planning attacks in the United Arab Emirates.
Saudi Arabia jails Shiites over flag insult A Saudi court sentences five men to jail for lowering the Saudi flag and replacing it with a black banner.
Kuwait’s ex-PM ready to face coup, graft claims probe Shaikh Nasser Mohammad Al Sabah says he is ready to face a probe over the alleged coup and corruption allegations.
KuwaitGate: Alleged coup, billions of dollars abroad, and struggles for succession Yazan al-Saadi offers an account of the political scandals rocking Kuwait.
Riyadh rage: inside Saudi Arabia's joyriding craze Pascal Menoret writes about young Saudi men who steal cars and race in the streets at a terrifying speed.
Repression in Bahrain
Freed Bahraini activist urges government to seek reconciliation Tom Miles reports on Nabeel Rajab’s call upon the Bahraini authorities to end the political stand-off in the country.
Crisis in Yemen
US cited controversial law in decision to kill American citizen by drone Spencer Ackerman, referring to the killing of Anwar al-Awlaki, writes about how Obama administration lawyers circumvented the protections afforded by US citizenship.
Yemen’s Hadi turns against Saleh Nasser Arrabyee examines relations between the former Yemeni president and the Houthi fighters.
Tension in Yemen amid coup fears The Yemeni president has ordered the removal of heavy artillery from Sanaa following fears that his predecessor is plotting to topple him.
Yemeni soldiers clash with Shi'ite rebels near capital: official Houthi fighters clashed with government troops twenty-five miles northwest of Sanaa last week.
Yemen agrees on ceasefire with Houthi rebels Yemen’s defense ministry and Houthi fighters agree to a ceasefire following the breakdown of a previous truce last week.
Planned Yemen ceasefire with Shi'ite rebels falters The planned ceasefire between the government and Houthi fighters fails to take effect.
Yemeni intelligence officer killed by suspected al-Qaeda gunmen Suspected al-Qa‘ida militants kill an intelligence officer in Mukalla yesterday.
Al Qaida kills senior Yemeni army officer Al-Qa‘ida fighters kill a senior army officer in Sanaa.
Al Qaeda denies most of its Yemen fighters are foreigners Al-Qa‘ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQIP) issues a statement denying the Yemeni president’s assertion that the majority of its fighters are foreigners.
Al Qaida sexually abused Yemen children – Unicef The United Nations Children’s Fund accused al-Qa‘ida affiliates of sexually exploiting children.
Migrant Workers
Eritrean refugees stranded in Yemen Saeed Al Batati writes on the risks that Eritrean refugees in Yemen are facing.
'We want our pay,' say Qatar's exploited migrant workers Robert Booth and Pete Pattisson report on the harsh conditions under which migrant workers in Qatar live.
Media
Al-Jazeera journalist says 'I have won' after being released from prison following hunger strike – video Abdullah al-Shami says that the experience of his imprisonment has changed his life.
Al-Jazeera journalists jailed for seven years in Egypt Patrick Kingsley reports on the jail sentences of the three Al Jazeera journalists.
Egypt jailing al-Jazeera journalists is another blow to freedom of expression Jodie Ginsberg condemns the prison sentences of the three journalists.
Al-Jazeera jailings: Egypt has taken three innocent journalists hostage Roy Greenslade blogs on the jail sentences.
The Guardian view on the jailing of three al-Jazeera journalists in Egypt A Guardian editorial on the prison sentences of the three Al Jazeera journalists.
Human Rights
Dispatches: Trafficking and Forced Labor in the United Arab Emirates Rothna Begum, from Human Rights Watch, analyzes the US State Department’s annual trafficking report.
Bahrain: Award-Winning Photographers Targeted Human Rights Watch condemns the arbitrary arrest of photographers who have covered protests.
Yemen: Keep UN Rights Review Commitments Human Rights Watch calls upon Yemen to uphold the commitments it made during its human rights review.
Yemen: Stop Blocking News Coverage Human Rights Watch urges Yemeni authorities to return the broadcasting equipment of the private TV station Yemen Today.
Dark day for media freedom as Al Jazeera journalists convicted Amnesty International criticizes Egypt for sentencing the three Al Jazeera journalists to prison.
Repression, Reprisals, and Detained HRDs in the Gulf Region: Qatar and Kuwait in Focus The Gulf Center for Human Rights and other human rights organizations publish a new report on the treatment of human rights activists in Kuwait and Qatar.
Bahrain: Escalating Repression of the Limited Public Authority The Bahrain Center for Human Rights expresses its concern over the recent escalation of the crackdown on people’s already limited freedoms.