Middle East Experience

US President Joe Biden made his intentions clear before assuming the presidency that one of his top foreign policy priorities would be ending the war in Yemen.Since entering the White House, Biden has taken a number of steps toward, what he and his top aides believe will unlock the stalled peace process between the internationally recognized Yemeni government, and the Iran-backed Houthis.For all the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Biden’s predecessor, Donald Trump, slapped a terrorist designation on the Houthis, in what was one of his administration’s final moves.But Biden quickly rushed to revoke the designation while announcing an immediate end to US support for military operations in Yemen.This move did not come as a surprise to analysts, experts and former White House officials, but Biden’s speed and priority to call out Washington’s Gulf allies, before condemning terrorist organizations, did.Not only did Biden fail to seek any concessions from the Houthis, but his rushed move gave them an added sense of confidence, according to several Yemen experts who spoke to Al Arabiya English.With the recently inaugurated US president preaching human rights values since he was on the campaign trail, he and the State Department have failed to mention the FSO Safer oil tanker off the coast of Yemen.Stranded near the Red Sea port in Hodeidah since 2015, the Houthis have refused to allow members of the United Nations, or other international organizations to board the vessel. Estimates suggest that over 1 million barrels of crude oil could spill into the sea, and the UN has warned of “catastrophic environmental and humanitarian consequences.”Meanwhile, analysts say the US administration's decision to revoke the terrorist designation of the Houthis has emboldened the group, which continues to launch bomb-laden rockets and missiles at Saudi Arabia.Hours after Biden said he would reverse Trump’s designation of the Houthis, the group escalated an offensive to capture one of the Yemeni government’s last northern strongholds, Marib.“Emboldened by Biden's decision, the Houthis escalated their offensive to capture Marib the following day after the designation was rescinded,” said Nadwa al-Dawsari, a non-resident scholar at the Middle East Institute (MEI).On Wednesday, the Houthis claimed a drone attack that targeted a civilian airplane in Saudi Arabia’s Abha airport.The White House and the State Department condemned the incident. Asked if the attacks would push the US to reconsider its plans to revoke the Houthis' designation, State Department Spokesman Ned Price said it had “absolutely nothing to do with the reprehensible conduct of the Houthis.”A State Department official, speaking off the record, told Al Arabiya English that the intent to remove the Houthis from the terror list was “due to the humanitarian consequences of this last-minute designation from the prior administration” and its humanitarian repercussions.Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday the humanitarian crisis was the reason for the decision.Critics of Trump’s relationship with the GulfFormer President Donald Trump was often criticized for his close relationship with Gulf leaders, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.Trump used his close ties to push through peace deals between multiple Arab and North African states and Israel. He often spoke about the need to end US participation in “endless wars” in Iraq, Afghanistan and others.According to former senior White House officials, Trump also realized that the Middle East issues were not as simple to solve.“Ties between Saudi Arabia and Yemen go back decades, and this is an issue that’s more than just politics. You can’t just come in and say you want the war to end without pressing the Houthis and without working with the Saudis,” one of the former officials told Al Arabiya English.After Biden ended US support for the Arab Coalition’s operations in Yemen, and called out Saudi Arabia for human rights issues and halted arms sales to Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, he then said Washington remained committed to helping Saudi Arabia defend its territory.“Lightly-worded” statements, as the former official put it, were then issued by Biden, and his Secretary of State Antony Blinken who criticized Houthi attacks against civilians in Saudi Arabia.Blinken also held his first calls with his Gulf counterparts after these moves were announced, with White House officials suggesting that Washington was coordinating its moves ahead of time with its allies. “We are pursuing a policy of no surprises,” National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters last week.Biden’s anxiousness to re-enter the JCPOAAnalysts and former US officials worry that Biden’s foreign policy toward the Middle East will be closer to former President Barack Obama’s than some predicted.Although Biden has repeatedly said he would not move first to re-enter the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), other reports suggest he is considering certain steps.Reuters reported earlier this week that the US president’s team was looking at ways to ease economic sanctions on Iran, including the facilitation of a loan from the International Monetary Fund.Iran and its proxies will welcome Biden’s moves.This was evident on Tuesday when Al-Akhbar, a pro-Hezbollah Lebanese newspaper, had a front-page article titled: “Sanaa forces moving to capture Marib.”Separate articles inside Tuesday’s edition cited sources in Yemen as hailing Biden’s decisions and saying the “window for a diplomatic solution” was opened once again.The daily also reported that the capture of Marib would be a point of strength for the Houthis before sitting at the table to discuss solutions to the Yemen war.Moving forwardOne of Biden's actions, welcomed across the board with regards to the Middle East, was appointing a special envoy for Yemen. Timothy Lenderking is a well-respected veteran diplomat and enjoys amicable ties with several states, groups and leaders in the region, but his job will be challenging, and he will have a tall order to fill in Yemen.Despite reports that there had been backdoor talks between US sides and the Houthis in recent months, the United States was not given any assurances that the Houthis would halt their near-daily attacks on Saudi Arabia.Saudi Arabia has been a critical economic and strategic ally for the US, and since 9/11, it has also been a vital partner in the war on terrorism.If the Biden administration continues to alienate its friends in Riyadh, the view from Washington is that “they have plenty of other options and allies to go to,” a second former White House official told Al Arabiya English.“This was evident when Saudi Foreign Minister [Prince Faisal] bin Farhan went to Moscow a few weeks ago. And the Saudis already enjoy a good relationship with China,” the former official, who was speaking off-record, said.Lenderking will work in tandem with, and will support UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths, but history has shown that the US too often looks for quick fixes and solutions.As al-Dawsari recommended in a recent article, Biden’s administration should “recognize its limitations and make decisions wisely” in order to achieve a lasting peace agreement between warring sides.“It is not revoking the designation that was the problem, but how easily that was done,” she added. “The Biden administration should have at least tried to use it as a leverage to get concessions from the Houthis.”“To Yemenis impacted by the Houthis, they perceived Biden’s decision as a green light for the Houthis to continue to kill Yemeni civilians and expand militarily,” al-Dawsari said.By removing the terrorist designation from the Houthis so hastily, she said, and added that the Biden administration sent the wrong signal: “The Houthis interpreted that as a victory.”Read more:Iran nuclear deal, easing sanctions did not curb Iran-backed militancy: ReportArab Parliament, GCC condemn Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia’s Abha airportIran’s militias pose a threat to Arab countries’ stability: Saudi Arabia’s FM
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Biden’s rushed US policy moves on Yemen could backfire, analysts say

The United Arab Emirates recorded 3,307 new COVID-19 cases, 3,404 recoveries and 12 deaths in the last 24 hours, the country's National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA) announced on Friday.According to NCEMA, 164,551 COVID-19 tests were carried out as part of the country's effort to curb the spread of the virus.Visit our dedicated coronavirus site here for all the latest updates.The total number of recoveries is now 323,191, the Ministry of Health and Prevention said.The ministry’s statement added that the infected individuals are in stable condition and are receiving the necessary care to recover from the virus.The UAE is currently leading one of the world's most efficient COVID-19 vaccination drives. More than 4 million people have been vaccinated within the country with Thursday's vaccinations alone accounting for 107,550 vaccinations, state news agency WAM reported.Read more:From blockchain to vaccines: How the UAE is contributing to global COVID-19 researchUAE records 3,525 new COVID-19 cases, 3,734 recoveries and 18 deathsThis is how experts are tracking the spread of COVID-19 variants
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: UAE records 3,307 new cases of COVID-19, 3,404 recoveries and 12 deaths

With legislative elections just three months away, Hamas is trying to rally its factions and constituents on a unified program.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Can Hamas run — and win — on its record in Gaza?

The ‘E3’ group of leading European powers - France, Germany and the United Kingdom - on Friday condemned Iran’s decision to produce uranium metal, which they said was in breach of commitments made by Iran to the international community.The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog had said earlier this week that Iran had followed through on its plan to make uranium metal, after Tehran had alarmed Western nations with its intent to produce the material with which the core of nuclear weapons can be made.For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.“We strongly urge Iran to halt these activities without delay and not to take any new non-compliant steps on its nuclear programme. In escalating its non-compliance, Iran is undermining the opportunity for renewed diplomacy to fully realize the objectives of the JCPoA,” said the E3 in a statement.“We reiterate that Iran has no credible civilian justification for these activities, which are a key step in the development of a nuclear weapon,” the statement by the three countries said.It said that under the nuclear deal, Iran committed not to engage in producing or acquiring uranium metal for 15 years.The nuclear deal aimed to provide a gradual lifting of international sanctions against Iran in exchange for safeguards Tehran would not seek a nuclear weapon. But it has been essentially moribund since the US pulled out, with Tehran stepping up its nuclear work in violation of the accord as retaliation.Analysts have said only a narrow window of opportunity exists this year to bring the United States back on board.The Biden administration is impatient to move fast, while the prospect of a hardliner winning an Iranian presidential election later this year is also looming large.However it will require the most delicate diplomacy to move forward, with the White House insisting Iran must move to full compliance before the US can return to the deal, but Tehran wanting no preconditions.Read more:Russia urges Iran to show ‘restraint’ after uranium production Iran has followed through on plan to produce uranium metal: IAEA
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: France, Germany, UK call on Iran to stop all activities that violate nuclear deal

Saudi Arabia recorded 353 new COVID-19 cases, which brings the total number of confirmed infections in the Kingdom to 372,073, the Ministry of Health said on Friday.For more coronavirus news, visit our dedicated page.Four people died due to complications caused by the coronavirus, according to the ministry. The virus-related death toll in the country is now 6,424.Meanwhile, the total number of recoveries rose to 362,947 after 305 people recovered from the virus. Local vaccine trials A university in Saudi Arabia has started the first phase of clinical trials for the production of a local COVID-19 vaccine with the support of the Kingdom’s Ministry of Education.The Imam Abdul Rahman bin Faisal University began the trial this week after its vaccine proved its efficacy against the coronavirus, according to local media reports.Read more:Saudi Arabian university begins first phase of COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials Saudi Arabia temporary shuts down 10 mosques after COVID-19 infections
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Saudi Arabia records 353 COVID-19 cases, four deaths, 305 recoveries in 24 hours

The Grand Mufti of Egypt issued a fatwa permitting Muslims to work in church construction, which sparked controversy on social media with activists recalling previous fatwas on Salafist websites prohibiting such works.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Grand Mufti of Egypt says OK for Muslims to build churches

A report issued by the Israel Defense Forces about Iran two years away from a nuclear bomb was designed first and foremost to calm the American sense of urgency over negotiating with Tehran.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Israel campaigns against the US rushing to negotiate with Iran

The United States will officially remove the Iran-backed Houthi militia from its list of terrorist organizations next week, a statement from Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday.“Effective February 16, I am revoking the designations of Ansarallah, sometimes referred to as the Houthis, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) under the Immigration and Nationality Act and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, as amended,” Blinken said.For all the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.The US official said the decision came as a result of the “dire humanitarian situation in Yemen.”“The revocations are intended to ensure that relevant US policies do not impede assistance to those already suffering what has been called the world’s worst humanitarian crisis,” Blinken added.Washington hopes that the move will encourage warring sides to engage in dialogue.But the Houthis continue to carry out malign activity, Blinken said. This includes taking control of large areas of Yemen by force, attacking US partners in the Gulf, kidnapping and torturing citizens of the US and many of its allies, diverting humanitarian aid and brutally repressing Yemenis in areas they control.Nevertheless, Blinken said the US would continue to designate individuals that launch missile attacks into Saudi Arabia.“Actions and intransigence” by the Houthis prolongs the war in Yemen and “exact serious humanitarian costs,” he said.Read more:Biden’s rushed US policy moves on Yemen could backfire, analysts saySaudi Arabia is a key partner in the fight against terrorism: PentagonSaudi Arabia says Houthi drone used in Abha airport attack a replica of Iranian UAV
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: US to remove Yemen’s Houthis from terror list next week: State Department

The number of serious patients is also on the decline, especially among people 60 and older.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: COVID-19: Israel’s reproduction number hits 0.88, lowest in three months

Rivlin stated that he wrote to Defense Minister Benny Gantz and asked him to investigate the extent of the damage, and take measures to make sure it doesn't reoccur.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Rivlin asks Gantz to investigate damage done to Mount Ebal altar site