[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
Government doesn't investigate human rights claims against Saudi Arabia before selling arms“Officials only come to an 'overall judgement' on whether weapons sold will be used to breach laws.”
Two-thirds of British people think selling arms to Saudi Arabia is unacceptable The findings come days before judicial review into UK arms exports to Saudi Arabia for use in Yemen.
In Face of Trump’s Order, Some Muslim Nations Are Conspicuously Silent Unlike Iran and Iraq, which issued condemnation of Trump’s orders, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the rest of the fifty-seven nations of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation remain silent.
U.S. sends Navy destroyer to patrol off Yemen amid Iran tensions: officials In 2000, the USS Cole was attacked when Al-Qa‘ida fighters piloted a boat full of explosives into the American warship while it refuelled in the port of Aden, killing seventeen US servicemen.
Special Operations Troops Top Casualty List as U.S. Relies More on Elite Forces “Two-thirds of the troops killed in action in the last 12 months served in Special Operations units.”
Nine Yemenis deported from U.S. to Ethiopia under Trump travel ban Nine Yemenis were deported from the United States and flown to Ethiopia, then taken to neighbouring Djibouti.
End of tax-free living in Saudi Arabia as oil revenues dry up“The move has IMF backing, which recommended the Gulf States impose revenue raising measures.”
Saudi Energy Minister Praises Trump’s Pro-Fossil-Fuel Policies “Saudis sees no problem with U.S. oil growth: Al-Falih to BBC.”
U.S. military probing more possible civilian deaths in Yemen raid “U.S. military officials told Reuters that Trump approved his first covert counterterrorism operation without sufficient intelligence.”
How Do Israel’s Tech Firms Do Business in Saudi Arabia? Very Quietly“The Saudis and other oil-rich Arab states are only too happy to pay for the help. ‘The Arab boycott?’ Bar says. “It doesn’t exist.””
Trump administration 'officially putting Iran on notice', says Michael Flynn Trump’s administration reacts to an Iranian missile test.
Trump's Muslim ban is old news in Kuwait“Syrians, Iraqis, Iranians, Pakistanis and Afghans have not been able to obtain visit, tourism or trade visas to Kuwait since 2011, in a move which seemingly pre-empted US restrictions on seven Muslim-majority countries.”
Reports and Opinions
The world's most toxic countries laid bare on this alarming map“The maps show that Middle-Eastern oil-rich countries dominate the top ten spaces on the list. Saudi Arabia is recorded as being the most toxic.”
Trump and Saudi King Agree to More Military Intervention, Collaboration, Aggression Against Iran Trump and the Saudi regime have initiated a more aggressive strategy for challenging Iran.
Bahrain: Arrest Powers Restored to Abusive Agency“Bahrain has restored arrest and investigatory powers to an intelligence agency that conducted ‘terrorizing’ house raids and systematically tortured detainees.”
Yemen’s al-Qaeda: Expanding the Base A report by International Crisis Group includes policy recommendations for containing AQAP’s growth.
UK covered up intelligence training with Bahrain’s police, amid death sentence“UK authorities trained Bahrain’s police how to gather intelligence on protestors, and then tried to cover up the scheme, international human rights group Reprieve has found.”
What happened the night a U.S. commando was killed in combat, the first such death of Trump's presidency“Farea Muslimi, chairman of Sanaa Center for Strategic studies, said his death will stir anti-U.S. sentiment—not because he belonged to AQAP but because he didn’t.”
Saudi has the resources to punish protesting workers, but not to protect or repay them In addition to being punished for demanding their rights, Saudi Arabia has advised workers to leave the country without compensation.
UK: High Court to scrutinize UK arms transfers to Saudi Arabia during Yemen war On 7-10 February, the UK High Court will determine the legality of the UK government’s arms transfers to Saudi Arabia amid the current armed conflict in Yemen.
Clifford Chance to close Qatar base as office head relocates to Dubai Multiple office closures by international law firms are happening across the Middle East.
Envoy says Qatar has nothing to do with ex-PM letters“Imran Khan tweeted: ‘Clearly Qatari govt embarrassed by this fake letter written by acknowledged business partner of Sharifs, who is also named in Panama Papers.’”
Crisis in Yemen
Two killed as Houthies attack Saudi warship off Yemen coast A video released by Al-Masirah television, which is run by the rebel Houthi movement, claimed to show the moment of attack.
Yemen war erases decade of health gains, many children starving: UNICEF As a result of war and economic crisis, an estimated 63,000 children died last year of preventable causes often linked to malnutrition.
US raid on al-Qaeda in Yemen: What we know so far“AQAP said in a statement that its fighters downed a US Apache helicopter, one of four it said were used in the raid, and that a total of 16 missiles were fired at three homes.”
Military Strikes Are No Simple Answer to al-Qaeda’s Rise in Yemen High civilian casualties from the latest US counter-terrorism raid in Yemen risk aggravating rather than helping to resolve a conflict that is the principal reason for the growth of Al-Qa‘ida.
Breaking: Ballistic missile strikes Riyadh, Saudi Arabia“Sources indicate that the missile struck a military base West of Riyadh, in Mazahimiyah.”
That 'Valuable Intel' From The Yemen Raid? It Was 10 Years Old The Pentagon released a video that was made ten years ago as “intelligence” material to justify the recent attack on Yemen.
Yemen: Jeremy Scahill & Advocates Question "Success" of Trump Raid That Killed 24 Civilians Human rights groups say up to twenty civilians were killed, including a new-born baby and an eight-year-old American girl, Nawar al-Awlaki.
UAE soldier killed in Yemen in anti-Houthi operation A UAE soldier was killed Saturday in Yemen.
Human Rights
RSF decries seven-year jail term of journalist Nazir Al-Majid Al-Majid was convicted for disobeying the authorities, taking part in demonstrations in the Qatif, criticizing the government in his writings, and making contact with foreign media outlets, including Reuters, AFP, and CNN.
Saudi Arabia celebrates its first ever Women's Day A gathering was held at the King Fahd Cultural Centre, where speakers argued for women's right to drive and called for an end to Saudi Arabia’s male guardianship laws.
HR Groups Urge UK Foreign Secretary to Call for Nabeel Rajab's Release More than twenty human rights figures and organizations sent letters to the British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs urging him to call on the Kingdom of Bahrain to release Nabeel Rajab.
Dozens of Indian workers stranded in Oman, not paid for months“The Ministry of Manpower has stated that companies with no on-going work or funds to pay salaries should send their expat workers home.”
Killers of Protesters Go Free, while their Families are Targeted and Sentenced to Prison Terms by Authorities The mother of the late Ali Mushaima was sentenced to one year in prison, while the father of the late Ali Al-Sheikh and the father of the late Mahmood Abu-Taki were sentenced to three years each.
Annual report: Bahrain 2016 This report documents a series of repressive attacks against human rights defenders.