[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
Qatar condemns Islamic State and rejects funding accusations Qatar declares the Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria an extremist group, and rejects accusations that it is funding the group.
Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti denounces Iraq's Islamic State group Sheikh Abdulaziz Al al-Sheikh describes the Islamic State as “enemy number one of Islam.”
Saudi Arabia to host Arab meeting on Syria, Isil crisis The foreign ministers from five Arab countries will meet in Saudi Arabia to discuss the Syrian crisis and the rise of the Islamic State.
Kuwait beefs up border security amid Isil threat Kuwaiti authorities deploy military personnel on Kuwait’s northern and southern borders.
The Saudi lobby Asad AbuKhalil analyzes the Saudi lobby in Washington D.C., and the complex links it has with defense contractors, oil companies, public relations firms, and Arab-American and Muslim-American organizations.
Iran minister on landmark visit to Saudi Arabia The Iranian deputy foreign minister arrives in Riyadh to discuss the growing threat of the Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria.
Isil brings Saudi Arabia and Iran closer Jumana Al Tamimi claims that the Islamic State’s increasing power is pushing Iran and Saudi Arabia to cooperate with each other.
Bahrain ready to deal with security situation The Bahraini prime minister asserts that his country needs to be fully ready to handle any regional developments and events.
Egypt and United Arab Emirates Said to Have Secretly Carried Out Libya Airstrikes David Kirkpatrick and Eric Schmitt write on reports that the two Arab allies have secretly launched airstrikes against Islamist fighters trying to control Tripoli.
Kuwait releases detained cleric suspected of financing militants Kuwaiti authorities release a prominent religious cleric suspected of funding militants in Syria and Iraq one day after his arrest.
Kuwait, Oman working to narrow GCC divide Kuwait and Oman are making efforts to reconcile the differences between Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates.
Qatar ‘refuses’ to sign final GCC report Qatar refuses to sign a final report prepared by a committee set up by the Gulf Cooperation Council to monitor the implementation of an agreement to end the rift among the Gulf members.
Reports and Opinions
Why ISIS is a threat to Saudi Arabia: Wahhabism’s deferred promise Fouad al-Ibrahim provides an informed analysis of the Islamic State’s Wahabi ideology, and the threat it poses to Saudi Arabia.
What’s the difference between Isis and Saudi Arabia? It’s a matter of degrees Ed West argues that although Saudi Arabia condemns the actions of the Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria, it fails to denounce the group’s ideology.
Saudis Must Stop Exporting Extremism Ed Husain asserts that the atrocities that the Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria committed “started with Saudi support for Salafi hate.”
1 beheading under a black flag & world rightly outraged. 19 under a green flag & world silent Andrew Stroehlein tweets that the Islamic State’s beheading of US journalist James Foley was condemned all over the world but the recent beheadings of nineteen people in Saudi Arabia went unnoticed.
Saudi Arabia Sustains UN Human Rights Council Membership Despite Beheading 19 People in 17 Days Maria Khan argues that Saudi Arabia has managed to retain its membership in the United Nations Human Rights Council despites the beheading of nineteen people.
Saudi Arabia sentences 18 to jail for militant offences A Saudi court sentences eighteen men to prison for their part in attacks against government and foreign targets between 2003-2006.
Saudi prince robbery an ‘inside job’ A news report on Prince Abdulaziz, the favorite son of the late king Fahd, who was robbed in France last week.
Citizenship granted to 106 sons of Emirati women The Department of Naturalization, Residency and Borders Affairs granted Emirati citizenship to more than one hundred people who are sons of Emirati women.
Qaboos in good health, citizens reassured The Omani Diwan of the royal court asserts that Sultan Qaboos is in good health.
Crisis in Yemen
Armed Yemeni rebels stage Sanaa sit-ins Hundreds of Houthi fighters stage sit-ins on the outskirts of Sanaa, demanding the fall of the government.
Yemen's Houthis expand presence in capital Peter Salisbury reports on a Houthi leader’s assertion that his followers will escalate protests until the government resigns and restores fuel subsidies.
Who are the Houthis in Yemen? Saeed Al Batati examines the Houthis’ increasing power in Yemen and their demands for the fall of the government.
Hunger unites Yemenis behind al-Houthi Jamal Jubran attributes the popularity of the Houthis among Yemenis to economic hardships and increasing impoverishment.
Talks on new Yemeni government collapse over Shi'ite Houthi subsidy demands Mohammed Ghobari reports on the failure to form a new government in Yemen over the Houthis’ demands that the government resign and fuel subsidy cut be reversed.
Yemen government offers to resign to end Houthi protests: source A government source asserts that the Yemeni government has offered to resign within a month in an attempt to halt the Houthi protests.
Yemeni victims of U.S. military drone strike get more than $1 million in compensation Greg Miller reports on the compensation paid by the Yemeni government to the families of those killed or injured in a US drone strike last year.
Yemeni officials fail to produce 'disappeared' American for fourth time Spencer Ackerman reports on the failure of Yemeni authorities to produce Sharif Mobley, whose lawyers have not seen him for six months, at a court hearing.
Migrant Workers
Zaha Hadid suing New York Review of Books over Qatar criticism The prominent Iraqi architect and designer of a 2022 World Cup stadium sues the New York Review of Books over an article that accuses her of “showing no concern” for the death of migrant workers in the Gulf state.
Indian salesman found dead in Oman A twenty-six-year-old Indian man is found hanging in his apartment in the town of Bahia.
Saudi police arrest 400 illegal migrants A news report on a recent crackdown on illegal migrant workers in the kingdom.
Human Rights
Bahrain: Rehabilitate Torture Victims Human Rights Watch urges Bahraini authorities to provide victims of torture with physical and psychological care.
Oman Joins Landmine Ban Treaty Human Rights Watch welcomes Oman’s decision to join the Mine Ban Treaty.
Bahrain: Citizenship Rights Stripped Away Human Rights Watch deplores the Bahraini regime’s denaturalization of ten nationals accused of damaging state security.
Saudi Arabia: Surge in Executions Human Rights Watch condemns the recent beheading of nineteen people in the kingdom.
Kuwait: Telecom Law Violates Free Speech Human Rights Watch describes the new Kuwait telecommunication law as empowering authorities “to block content, deny access to the Internet, and revoke licenses without giving reasons.”
Saudi Arabia: Scheduled beheading reflects authorities’ callous disregard to human rights Amnesty International condemns the recent beheadings of men accused of petty crimes, and the planned beheading of Hajras al-Qurey, which will take place early this week.
Bahrain: Prominent Human Rights Defender Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja to Start a New Hunger Strike The Gulf Center for Human Rights reports on the jailed activist’s intention to start an open hunger strike in protest of his arrest and detention.
Bahraini Human Rights Organizations Join Individuals to Launch a Campaign for the Release of Blind Detainee Jafar Matooq The Bahrain Center for Human Rights, along with human rights activists and nine organizations, launch a campaign demanding the immediate release of Matooq, who is in urgent need of medical treatment.
Media
Jailed Al Jazeera journalists appeal sentences The three Al Jazeera jailed journalists decide to appeal their prison sentences.