Adel Darwish's Review of the Arab Press
Summer 1998
Blind Date on Libyan TV
Arab American love/hate affair:
Looking at the Arabic
press in the past 10 weeks or so, it would be hard not to conclude that the
United Sates is having a love/hate, on going, affair with the Arabs.
Most of the writers, grew up on a diet of anti-Americanism
anti 'Zionism', still cant shed away the skin of their intellectual birth.
Every column, editorial and news analysis- for there is no
visible boundaries between news and opinion in the Arab press- was but a
testimony to the schizophrenia, of Arab writes when dealing with America.
A reporter or columnist would hand all the tools of solving the problems, -
especially the Arab Israeli issues- to Washington, but almost in the same
paragraph, reflecting an unshaken belief, he condemns America as a tool in
the hands of Israel, the 'Zionist entity', the 'Jewish lobby' etc. What ever America dose, mediates, or moves, she is only, ' doing the
Arabs in.' , to borrow Eliza Dolittle's immortal phrase.
A column in Azaman, a London based daily edited by one of Saddam Hussein's
former media mandarins, accused Secretary of State Madeline Albright, of ''
Double standards in dealing with the Arabs.''
The writer went on to accuse Secretary Albright of: ''
siding with Israel and reversing her [ Albright's] phrases and
definitions as she calls Palestinian legitimate self defence terrorism, while
she calls I Israel's terrorism self defence.''
There was nothing new in making such accusation; but one
recalls how many London based Arab papers, including Azaman, highlighted the
fact that during the ill fated London summit in May that never witnessed a
face - to-face meetings between Israel's Prime minister Benyamin Netanyahu
and the Palestinian leaders Yasser Arafat, Ms Albright was visibly quite
critical of Mr Netanyahu and openly siding with Mr Arafat, since it was ''
the American initiatives which Mr Arafat has embraced and the other side
rejected.'' as Alhayat newspaper has correctly noted at the time.
When the ''piggy in the Middle,'' US convoy to the Middle
East Dennis Ross, arrived in Gaza during September in a new round of his, so far,
futile shuttle diplomacy, he was greeted by Pro Arafat Palestinian press as
'' an Israeli tool,'' or simply '' Israel's yes man.''
As Israel and the Palestinian National Authority, were
both criticised by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch organisations
for violating human rights and ill treating political prisoners, and
particularly the Palestinian side for muzzling the press and intimidating
journalists, Arab papers, as usually, were selective in publishing extracts
from the reports.
Almost all Arab papers, all over the Middle East and in Europe,
concentrated on the parts of the report which were critical of Israel. A minority of papers, like the Kuwaiti ones for
example, mentioned, that Mr Arafat's administration too, came under
criticism; but Mr Arafat has never been too popular in Kuwait papers since his ill advised famous embrace of the
Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein after invading Kuwait in 1990.
Monica: A daughter of Zion:
Majority of Arabic
papers, especially the columnists and editors, specialised in Robert Fisk
style American bashing, had many field days. There were many opportunities to
practice their favourite past time.
With the Monica Lewinsky affair, it was free for all to kick US President
Bill Clinton all over, paint American society as immoral and a modern version
of Sodom and Gommorah, expecting that modern Babylon on the other side of the Atlantic is on its final moral decaying years.
But there was almost a universal agreement among Arab
journalists, who re normally at each others throats, that the Monica affair
was a Jewish plot, especially that the details came out on the eve of Mr
Netanyahu's visit to Washington.
The interesting observation was that the belief - that Ms
Lewinsky was '' a daughter of Zion,''- was not only reserved for the papers
columns - for Arab journalist normally admit in private that they 'wrote it
that way on the request of the paymaster or under pressure from a certain
regime/s '- but Arab journalists in private DID actually believe the myth
themselves.
Some went even as far as claiming that Ms Lewinsky, on the
orders of her Jewish father, initiated the whole thing, seduced the man she
orally assisted as an oval house intern and when he fell into her grip, she
kept the dress uncleaned, so every thing would come out at the appropriate
moment when President Clinton puts pressure on Israel to implement the Oslo
Agreement. - Of course non of the Arab columnist offered to swallow back his
words, when Mr Netanyahu and Mr Arafat were invited into the white house one
week after the public release of the President's testifying tapes, and both
men were subjected to presidential pressure and accepted the US proposal of
pulling out of the West Bank.
But going back to the peak of the Lewinsky affair, no
body, in the Arab papers that we examined, offered some logical explanation
as why they accuse the Clinton
administration of bias towards Israel, if the same administration was seen as a victim of
a Zionist conspiracy by the very writers?
The pro PLO London daily, Al-Quds Al-Arabi, printed the
leaked details of Ms Lewinsky's testimony - before it was released- with
special emphasis on the infamous use of a Cuban cigar by Mr Clinton on the
young intern's body. The Arab angle of the cigar use, the paper explained,
was that it took place, just before the President held audience with
President Arafat. Expect that the paper did not attempt to investigate
whether the American President offered his guest a cuban cigar or not.
In a column in the Europe edition of Al-Ahram , the semi
official famous Egyptian daily, a writer said '' I dream of an Arab lobby in
the United States, to counter the Jewish lobby,'' then the rest of the column
was what the writers had imagined a Jewish lobby would ' conspire' to
undermine an Arabic politician speaking publicly in the US. But failed to
give suggestions or even explains what he meant by Arab lobby. It is worth
mentioning that such columns have been appearing regularly in Egyptian and
Arab papers since the term was introduced in 1961 by Mohammed Heikal -
Colonel Naser's trusted propaganda chief and the editor of Al-Ahram when it
was taken over by Nasser.
The Cruise Missile Diplomacy:
The second event
justifying the great American bashing of the season was President Clinton's
ordering the cruise missile strike against what thought to be Osama Bin Laden
- the Saudi dissident millionaire- run basis in Afghanistan and Sudan in
August as he was held responsible by the CIA for bombing American Embassies in
Africa.
The most interesting case was that of Egyptian
news-papers. As the opposition papers were very critical of Washington and inevitably accusing president Clinton of
diverting attention from his domestic trouble by launching the cruise missile
attack, Many were sympathetic to Sudan. They reprinted articles, selectively from the
American papers questioning the validity of evidence in the possession of the
National Security Council, and the State department, that the pharmaceutical
factory in Sudan was producing chemical weapons. But the state
controlled media also found themselves in a dilemma. `` We are all against
terrorism , and terrorism should be condemned in any form,'' said the semi
official daily Al-Ahram in its editorial.
Many headlines reflected the same sentiment, since Egypt was the second most suffering nation in North Africa, after Algeria, from Islamic Fundamentalist's terror attacks, but
the state controlled papers stopped short of supporting the United States action.
Some Egyptian papers, in a neutral way of reporting not
customary to the press in the region, mentioned that President Clinton, in
his televised speech, mentioned Egypt three times as being a victim of terror attacks.
The Sudanese newspapers savaged the American
administration; they were joined in their song of condemnation by a course of
disapproval consisting of Islamic papers, Palestinian journalists and Libyan
papers including, the small circulation but noisy, Libyan controlled Al-Arab
of London.
Even Jihad El-Khazen the respected editor of the Saudi
owned London daily Al-Hayat, gave Mr Netanyahu some time off to
concentrate on bashing the united states saying that America '' must not expect the Arabs to trust her as an
honest broker in issues that matters to them, especially the Palestinian
issue.''
He put the United Stats in the dock over the alleged chemical production
factory in Sudan, as he cited former US president Jimmy Carter who cast doubt on Washington's evidence against Sudan.
Mr Al-Khazen was relieved from editing Al-hayat, but was
made an overall editor-in-chief, of the group ( which means really removing
him from the daily business of running the paper), while Gorge Samman, the
seasoned editor of the weekly sister Alwasat, became the editor of the daily.
Speaking of Alwast, the magazine has become now one of the
Arab world most respected and up-to-date current affairs weeklies. Their
coverage of the Bombing of the US embassies in Africa was excellent. Their long features on President Clinton trouble was
the best in Arab press. `` It is the republican congress challenging the
whole world,'' Alwasat concluded. Citing the standing ovation that President
Clinton received when addressed the UN general Assembly in September the
magazine reminded the readers that the world in general would feel better and
is a safer place under President Clinton leadership than that of a republican
administration. This is a sign of maturity - with which other Arab journalist
need to catch up, as the Arab perceived wisdom has always been: ''republicans
are good and Democrats are bad, because the latter are pro Israel.''
In short, Alwasat has become the best updating source
available in Europe on the Arab current affairs of the week.
Chickens Coming Home To Roost?:
Alwasat was also among
the first Arab publications, to point out, long before the strike against
Afghanistan, that Bin Laden was a CIA creation and it was a question of
Chicken coming home to roost ( it is worth mentioning that Egyptian left wing
papers like have also been quick to point out, the switch in American foreign
policy in the Gulf. Al-Ahaly and other left wing publications reminded their
readers of '' I told you so,'' back in the 1980 when the west - and the
Egyptian government- were supporting the so called Mujahedine - many of them
were '' drug smugglers and highway men,''- in the fight against the Soviet
Union.
Meanwhile, most of the Arab press were silent on the switch in Saudi Arabia's foreign policy on Afghanistan. While western press was quizzing Saudi officials
on their support and finance of the Taliban, there was no mention in Arab
papers. Also the Saudis recalling their envoy from Kabul and sending the Taliban diplomatic mission packing,
was ignored by most Arab papers.
Arab papers found themselves on the horns of dilemma
regarding a possible Iran Afghan war, since on one hand, Arab papers - Apart
from the pro-Syrian ones - were always against Iran since 1980. But now Taliban has been recast in the
role of the 'baddy' by western script writers, and their brand of Islam has
caused concerns. Only after Saudi Arabia kicked their envoy out, that Arab Columnists began
to report freely on Taliban's excesses.
Although Al-Wasat had investigated the Taliban movements
and Ideology extensively in the spring and again in August.
Al-Wasat had some excellent interviews too this summer,
including Omar Bashir, the president Of Sudan defending him self against US
accusations; an interview with the old revolutionary Fidel Castro, and many
figures in the Islamic movements, including the leaders of Islamic terror
groups who are wanted in their countries but took refuge in London.
Trusted by Terror Masters?:
Al-hayat was quoted many
times on the wire services, since many Islamic militant groups have been
sending their declarations and claims by fax to Al-hayat news room in
Hammersmith, thus using it as their outlet to the world.
The arrest by The Special Branch ( that is the section of
Scotlandyard that deals with terrorists and security threats ) of a number of
Egyptian and Arab Islamic figures and their subsequent release within a week
for lack of evidence - except one person for the possession of firearms-, had
some interesting but, conflicting reporting from the Arab press.
Egyptian publications, geographically and legally at a
safe distance from the reach of English liable laws, published the names of
the arrested, especially the Egyptians who have been condemned to death or
long sentences in Absentia by a Cairo military courts. the Cairo papers went to town over the issue. '' The English
war against Islamic terrorists had begun,'' screamed a headline in the Cairo weekly Rose-Al_youssef, edited by President
Mubarak's former press secretary, '' the Anti terrorist squad has moved to
arrest the wanted terrorists, and the net is closing on their colleagues.''
The magazine went on to name the arrested persons, as the magazine went to
print before their release.
Al-wasat had some informative and comprehensive reports on
the terror network and their supporters and Islamic fundamentalists links in Britain, long before the arrest.
Other Arab papers linked the arrest to pressure from the United States on London to show that the British were doing something about
combating terrorism.
The Bad The Good and the Matchmaker:
The Arab press remained
divided on Iraq's reporting, although it is only now the Kuwait papers which
seems to be constantly against Saddam, for obvious reasons, since they had a
first hand experience in dealing with Mr Saddam and his troops among them,
the rest, with the exception of Saudi papers are critical of the UN weapons
inspectors and the United States stance against Saddam.
King Hussein's illness attracted sympathetic reporting and
commentary in the Arab press, all admiring his courage and the way he was
open with his people about his illness. There was endless speculations about
who really was in charge of the affairs of the Kingdom while he was away
receiving chemotherapy treatment in Minnesota. But no Arab paper dared to print what western
media reported that it was an unheard of move for an Arab leader to tell his
people he was sick and suffer from a life threatening illness. One of ANN
current affairs programmes, dealt with it in a bold way, unknown in the Arab
media, but the producer of the programme is a seasoned British journalist.
Jordanian journalists are at logger heads with the
government over a new press law that curbs their freedom to report, passed by
a righting, Islamic dominant parliament, and endorsed by Crown Prince,
Hassan, who is British educated and have liberal views. But such issues near
top the Agenda of Arab editors, especially the ones exposed to western
journalism in London and Paris.
Interestingly enough, left wing and nationalist
publications in Egypt and the Arab world, were critical of Britain and siding with Libyan leader colonel Muaamer
Gaddafi over the Lockerbrie issue after the latest breakthrough over trying
the two Lockerbie suspects in the Hague. Most Arab papers reporting was one sided, not just
papers backed by Colonel Gaddafi like Al-Arab, but ordinary papers, were
talking about a trap set by the Americans and the British. There was no
counter argument to balance the reports. The only British figures quoted were
people like veteran MP Tam Dalyell, and George Galloway, who are critical of Britain's foreign policy on many issues.
The youngest of Arab satellite TV stations, ANN who was
one year old in September, had a live interview with Colonel Gaddafi, where
he was his usual self.
Colonel Gaddafi claimed that there was an attempt on his
life, showing some footage as he walked and some one threw something, which
he claimed to be a hand grenade. Unfortunately for historians, the
interviewer, either was too nice - or too overwhelmed by the Libyan lavish
hospitality- to challenge the colonel's version, so we will never know. But
the Arab press seem to believe his version 100%. There was only one suspect
behind the plot: Britain.
The Arab press referred to some allegations made by a
former MI6 officer, now under arrest in France for violating section II of the Official Secretes
Act, in a BBC Panorama programme. The former officer David Shayler said that
the MI6 paid some Libyan dissident to assassinate Gaddafi in 1996, but they
fired on the wrong car in his motorcade, hitting innocent people. It was
interesting how the Arab press, which always claims that the BBC was but a
British policy tool, had this time emphasised the BBC independence and fair
reporting.
Back to the interview, the longest the eccentric colonel
gave this year, he used the occasion to declare the death of the romantic
idea of Arab Nationalism and pan Arabism, the task of materialisation such a
dream, he claims, was handed to him by the late Egyptian leader Colonel
Nasser before he died in 1970, one year after Colonel Gaddafi's coup in
Libya.
Colonel Gaddafi said he was through with the Arabs and has
turned his back to his ' former brothers and cousins. He will now seek a
pan-African unity, declaring that he will get '' all Libyan men to marry
African Girls, and all Libyan girls to marry African men.'' However, Arab
papers who reported the interview in details, and were either amused by the
Colonel's remarks, or totally believed in his leadership - depending of
course on the affiliation of the paper's sponsor or paymaster- did not
challenge Colonel Gaddafi's new found goal or questioned how will he
implement his new philosophy of matchmaking his girls and young men with
their African opposite sex; perhaps we need to watch closely the Libyan TV
version of ' Blind Date pan-African style,' watch this space_.