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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 30-Aug-2015
30-Aug-15 World View -- Egypt inflames tensions with Qatar with al-Jazeera reporter verdicts

Web Log - August, 2015

30-Aug-15 World View -- Egypt inflames tensions with Qatar with al-Jazeera reporter verdicts

Al-Jazeera journalists used as pawns by Egypt and Qatar

This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com

International outrage over sentencing of al-Jazeera reporters
Al-Jazeera journalists used as pawns by Egypt and Qatar

International outrage over sentencing of al-Jazeera reporters

Egypt triggered international outrage on Saturday when a court sentenced three al-Jazeera journalists to three years in jail. The three men had originally been sentenced to 7-10 years in jail on charges of spreading lies to help a terrorist organization, referring to the Muslim Brotherhood, but those charges were apparently dropped in this new trial.

Instead, the Egyptian judge said that they "are not journalists and not members of the press syndicate" and broadcast with unlicensed equipment. The three were convicted of "operating without a press license and broadcasting material harmful to Egypt," charges that almost everyone outside of Egypt consider to be farcical.

In the past, Egypt's president Abdel al-Fattah al-Sisi has said that he wished that the journalists had never been brought to trial because of the huge international outcry against Egypt, and he suggested that if they were convicted then he might pardon them. Many people are hoping that al-Sisi will do exactly that. Al-Ahram (Cairo) and Jerusalem Post

Al-Jazeera journalists used as pawns by Egypt and Qatar

It's widely believed that the three al-Jazeera journalists are being used as pawns by Egypt against Qatar, where al-Jazeera is funded.

When Mohammed Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood government were in power in Egypt, then Egypt and Qatar had close relations, and Qatar was providing aid to Egypt. However, in July 2013, army general Abdel al-Fattah al-Sisi engineered a coup that overthrew Morsi, and later became president himself.

Since then, Al-Sisi has conducted an extremely brutal and bloody crackdown on Muslim Brotherhood supporters, beating, torturing and jailing innocent protesters, and sentencing hundreds to death in phony trials.

This caused a serious split between Egypt and Qatar, but the split deepened substantially over last summer's 60-day war between Gaza and Israel.

As I wrote several times, the Gaza war brought about a major Mideast realignment, splitting the Gulf nations apart. When the Gaza war between Israel and Hamas began last summer, al-Sisi supported Israel and the Palestinian Authority, and turned against Hamas, an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood. Iran and Turkey supported Hamas. This created a de facto realignment of the Mideast, with Israel plus Egypt plus Saudi Arabia plus the Palestinian Authority in alliance versus Hamas plus Qatar plus Turkey plus Iran.

This fissure ran very deep, although there have been several major events since then that have served to bring Egypt and Qatar closer together:

The rise of the so-called Islamic State (IS or ISIS or ISIL or Daesh) has threatened all the Gulf nations, and has increased terrorist attacks around the region.

The war in Yemen is viewed as a proxy war between the Sunni nations and Iran, and has served to align the interests of Egypt and Qatar, at least on paper.

The Iran nuclear deal with the West is considered an existential threat to some Gulf nations, particularly Saudi Arabia, and once again has served to align interests.

In fact, I wrote last month in "19-Jul-15 World View -- Behind the scenes in the Iran nuclear deal", that the Iran nuclear deal is forcing yet another realignment in the Arab world, as the entire region continues to deteriorate into war.

Saturday's court actions amount to more than the sentencing of three reporters. They're also a slap in the face of al-Jazeera and Qatar, and relations between the two countries are certain to be inflamed further. AP

(Comments: For reader comments, questions and discussion, see the 30-Aug-15 World View -- Egypt inflames tensions with Qatar with al-Jazeera reporter verdicts thread of the Generational Dynamics forum. Comments may be posted anonymously.) (30-Aug-2015) Permanent Link
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International outrage over sentencing of al-Jazeera reporters

Al-Jazeera journalists used as pawns by Egypt and Qatar

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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 30-Aug-2015
30-Aug-15 World View -- Egypt inflames tensions with Qatar with al-Jazeera reporter verdicts