The National Interest Foundation Newsletter
Issue 134, February 17, 2022
Welcome to our NIF Newsletter. In this week’s headlines: Turkish President Erdogan visits the United Arab Emirates for the first time in nearly a decade in an attempt to bolster long-strained diplomatic relations, an extremist far-right Israeli lawmaker draws criticism for opening a parliamentary office in the illegally-occupied East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, Israeli Prime Minister Bennett visits Bahrain while social justice activists express disappointment at the deepening of ties without fair concessions being made to Palestinians, and activist Ramy Shaath details the disturbing levels of torture and arbitrary detention under the El-Sisi regime in Egypt.
Turkey-United Arab Emirates Meeting
Erdogan’s visit to the United Arab Emirates comes a few months after officials from the two countries met in Ankara last November. (Photo from Anadolu Agency)
Turkish President Erdogan Visits the United Arab Emirates in an Attempt to Bolster Long-Strained Diplomatic Relations
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan traveled to the United Arab Emirates earlier this week for the first time in nearly a decade, as the two countries seek to strengthen their economic and diplomatic relations. The meeting comes a few months after United Arab Emirates Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed (MBZ) visited Ankara for talks with Erdogan back in November of last year. Bilateral ties between Turkey and the United Arab Emirates have been strained for years due to differences regarding several key regional issues like Libya, the Qatari diplomatic crisis, and gas exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean. In the past, foreign policy analysts have criticized the United Arab Emirates for its destructive actions, such as support for renegade warlord Khalifa Haftar in Libya and the devastating war in Yemen. With last November’s gathering in Ankara and this latest meeting in Abu Dhabi, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates are striving for improved relations. Erdogan’s visit this week saw over a dozen agreements signed by the respective delegations covering an array of fields including trade, defense, investment, transportation, health, agriculture, and technology.
Criticism of Extremist Israeli Lawmaker
Ben Gvir has been condemned for his inflammatory behavior and rhetoric. (Photo from AFP)
An Extremist Far-Right Israeli Lawmaker Draws Criticism for Opening a Parliamentary Office in the Illegally-Occupied East Jerusalem Neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah
Itamar Ben Gvir, an extremist far-right member of the Israeli Knesset, has been denounced for instigating violence in the flashpoint Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem. Ben Gvir recently set up a “parliamentary office” in the front yard of a Palestinian family who is facing the threat of eviction, doing so in what he absurdly called an effort to “look after the security of the (Jewish) residents.” The actions of Israeli authorities in Sheikh Jarrah had already been a source of contention and widely criticized, due to the plans for continued illegal Israeli settlements and the forced displacement of Palestinians from their generational homes. Now, Ben Gvir’s incendiary behavior has also been condemned following his call for supporters to aggressively gather in the area, a move which sparked violence. Ben Gvir has a long history of provocations, and has repeatedly made racist and bigoted comments regarding Arabs. He is known for defending Jewish radicals on trial, and espouses the views of extremist Meir Kahane, the ideological inspiration behind the right-wing terror group Lehava.
Israeli Prime Minister Visits Bahrain
There is legitimate concern that the normalization of relations in the absence of fair concessions solidifies illegal Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory. (Photo from Reuters)
Israeli Prime Minister Bennett Visits Bahrain While Social Justice Activists Express Disappointment at the Deepening of Ties Without Fair Concessions Being Made to Palestinians
Israeli Prime Minister Bennett visited Bahrain this week, while social justice activists expressed disappointment at the continued deepening of ties between Israel and several Arab nations without fair concessions being made to Palestinians. Bahrain and others who signed on to the Abraham Accords broke with the longstanding regional position regarding this which was in place to try and ensure that the normalization of relations would be coupled with the securing of substantial and concrete advancements in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Now instead, there is legitimate concern that the deepening of ties under the current circumstances will only serve to further solidify the status quo and the universally-condemned illegal Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory. Bennett’s trip to Bahrain comes shortly after the Israeli president recently visited the United Arab Emirates. Many citizens in Bahrain protested in solidarity with the Palestinian cause for social justice ahead of Bennett’s arrival this week. This was not a surprise since the majority of the populations in Arab countries across the Middle East do not support diplomatic normalization with Israel until Palestinian rights are secured.
Human Rights Abuses Under El-Sisi
Shaath has spoken about the egregious human rights abuses he witnessed during his imprisonment. (Photo from AFP)
Activist Ramy Shaath Details the Disturbing Levels of Torture and Arbitrary Detention Under the El-Sisi Regime in Egypt
Egyptian-Palestinian activist Ramy Shaath has recently detailed the disturbing levels of torture and human rights violations he witnessed during his imprisonment under the El-Sisi regime. Shaath was detained by Egyptian authorities despite no formal charges being levied against him. Rights advocates, and Shaath himself, believe that he was arrested for his criticism of Israeli human rights abuses and his role as the coordinator of Egypt’s chapter of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. He has also stated that his opposition to a rapprochement between Israel and Arab nations due to the unjust conditions brokered by the previous Trump administration appear to have been the final trigger for his prolonged detainment. Shaath was released last month, having to give up his Egyptian nationality as a condition of him being freed, and is currently residing in France. He has recounted his time in prison, describing the abusive methods used by authorities to attain information whereby detainees were commonly forced to give up any names that could lead to more arrests, no matter how flimsy the basis. Shaath echoed the sentiment put forth by other activists regarding how the state of human rights in Egypt is even worse now than it was under former dictator Hosni Mubarak.
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