"In search for the excellence" Duzdar

"If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way." Napoleon Hill

In fact, I was pessimistic that after the intellectual products that brought out by outstanding Arab intellectuals of the 20th century during the intellectual awakening movement, there hasn't been new distinctive intellectualism despite the fact that the Arab World is a fertile environment for intellectual creativity except certain attempts shattered apart across the Arab World. 
The libraries are packed with manuscripts and books show a stunning creativity in the Arabic literature over the early centuries until the colonization era in the Arab World. Therefore, after the end of the second half of the 20th century, the intellectual movement that's driven by like-minded authors has significantly declined. Consequently, the remaining thinkers are struggling to keep the Arabic intellectualism vivid inasmuch as they find stimulative realms to invest in.
Recently, I've been amazed to come over some interesting materials touch upon the reality of the Arab societies, intellectually designed by prolific thinkers whose products could be considered as praised attempts to revive the almost stagnant Arab intellectual movement in order to be the voice of the masses and identity. I, thus, found it interesting to highlight one of these voices.
Sa'ed Duzdar's book "The mind is an ornament: The 
Crisis of modernity in the Arab World."

Sa'ed Duzdar is a growing thinker originally from Palestine, a presenter, and producer of the series of "The Mind is an Ornament." He has been catching my attention due to the interestingly captured topics he is trying to get across to people in the Arab World. These topics mainly focus on the mind and the contemporary philosophy. Through that, he calls for waking up and reconciling with the world. This call is for everyone has turned his back on the life and progression to get back to his human propensity and ally with the universe and block the road off anyone is trying to nurture the conflict between the human being and his humanity. He authored a book titled "The mind is an ornament: The crisis of modernity in the Arab World." 
In this book Sa'ed points out, "I came to search for the other face of the planet, life and human beings with you all. I came to search for the fact with you all. I came to build up an intellectual limitless bridge stretches out to the future with you all."
It's worth mentioning, Duzdar's niece is Muna Duzdar is a high-profile politician who serves as a State Secretary at the Austrian Parliament.
In this episode "The mind is an ornament: The Genie inside you," Duzdar says;

"If the theory didn't fit into practice, it's certainly wrong. Whatever great your hypothesis is as long as was formed by a  great person for you. If we don't examine how we make mistakes, we'll keep making them year-by-year, and will last for decades and generations. Our problem isn't that we don't  respect the mind, thinking, and logic. But, our problem is we fear thinking. Our rational provisions on things are supposedly controlled by the available information. But, if this available information is changeable, mustn't our provisions on things be changed?

You are not supposed to believe in any thing you are told, we are in the age of cognitive flux nowadays, and there are a real knowledge and fake also.

It's possible to create cohesive and potent stories in our minds. However, it's not necessarily that these stories constitute a fact that you are not supposed to believe what I'm telling you now. So, it's a chance to verify and examine it. 

In my opinion, it's the optimum way to bring up useful information and facts. Thus, our lack of sound provisions is resulted by our inability to explore the obvious facts and reject superstitions and obvious contradictions that have been the reason of inflicting us a brain fever which made us talk a language full of ghosts and legends, a language of houses of condolence. It wants to embed ignorance and fear in which it's unable to adapt to the fact and with what's natural and natural creatures. We are the most valuable device on this planet, it's the rationality device. But, there are who refuse to use it and there are who don't want to set it on the sound wave like the old radio appliance in his hands. He's insistent on listening to disruptions and he got used to listening to this voice. And, there who on the wave now and would like to get out of this mental disruption to look for real motives and stimuli to explore the life and its core.
Because he became a believer that there are many things could be discovered just if he has decided to get into the deeper level of this world. Many youths are wondering about the kinds of these motives. The first thing presumably is searching for things that don't stimulate us and there are many of them, it's a conditional remuneration like if you have done so, you'll receive that. If you put this condition on yourself in most often you're destroying the substantial self-motivation. Because, if any wrong has occurred to thing that you're doing and you haven't succeeded in, it would affect you psychologically because you failed in firstly and, moreover, you didn't get the remuneration that you had been waiting for. Consequently, you killed your intrinsic motivation.
The second is, the effect of media when we flip TV's channels, we don't change them because we are bored of, but because we're grumpy at there isn't a person whom you don't trust is trying to make you anxious and confused, not because of mistakes but because of movies. For instance, the movie's protagonist keeps making wrong decisions over the episodes which lead to your frustration. Because he is a reflection to your subjectivity and you like to see your subjectivity through his behaviors and decisions or through the advertisements that make you feel and remind you of that you lack in something; your hair falls out, your stomach hurts you, your teeth aren't white enough as needed. Your flipping to channels isn't a boredom, it's an anger that might keep away from motives. You're not supposed to turn all media off in your life, but you must be careful and attentive to the psychological and negative consequences that could reach you out by this appliance.
The good motives that could help you to excel and improve your performance are the attempt of changing and turning the practices into action, by adding an entertainment element to practice it and remember it.
If I have to memorize a presentation, why shouldn't I sing or perform it theatrically? The idea is to bring it in your area where you feel comfortable and have fun in. Always remind yourself of reaching ingenuity phase or mastership which require things like a mentality incrementally develops which is conceived that "you don't have what's endless, and your talent or the work you're doing could always be improved if you put in the further effort," as well as, thinking of some suffering to reach ingenuity and perfection. Because you should get out of your convenience area and later your body and mind begin controlling and adapting themselves to create a new level of equilibrium in the area where you are.
This is exactly what happens when doing weight-lifting exercises at Jem center if you want to augment your muscles, you need to lift up stuff heavier than you could bear in order to start observing the difference. The same thing is applied to your mentality and practices in the things that you're trying to be masterful at to get to an ingenuity phase. In addition, you have to be totally convinced that despite everything, you won't reach the end line, you'll reach a line close to it or where you're about to reach it. However, you won't touch it. This is the way that helps you expand. 
Furthermore, one of the important things of motivation is the reason that supposedly you're linked with things bigger than you, this is the core of the reason. The thing is not only related to your personal success, but also there are a participation and an addition to the world that surrounds you at least. So, link this core reason in addition to what you are doing to develop yourself, and ask yourself every day; "Have I developed a little bit to reach this goal and core reason?" Remind yourself every day at dusk and ask yourself, "Is there a little improvement today more than tomorrow?"
It's time to write down your story by your pen and in your notebook in order to not read it a distorted story in others' stories!"

The end
The whole text above is an audiovisual episode available in Arabic.

Translator: Nasser Al-Qadi

It's conspicuous that two ethnicities can't co-exist in the Old Quarter of Hebron

   Another trip to Hebron aimed at providing a legal support to a known non-violent activist has been leading campaigns to back up the Palestinian residents' resilience in their struggle against the systematic policy of evacuation.

This episode came to add a new experience on previous ones had been garnered in the same city to delve more into the applied Israeli legal system in the Occupied Territories. The organizer, as usual, is an Isreali leftist NGO devoted to defending Palestinian rights which prompt many people within my society to wonder whether there are really impeccable Jewish groups with institutionalized efforts stand up against the Israeli policies?                         Legal session with Essa (Nasser)           

My intuition stirs up this inquiry about what do people think on our side, too. I haven't had the chance to sit down with a lot of people to ask them what do they think about the idea that there are Jewish groups calling for removing the occupation and illegal outposts. For instance, B'Tselem has been outspoken in this field. 

Anyhow, this trip to Hebron took place in the Old Quarter where a holy site the "Ibrahimi Mosque" which considered the core of conflict there. This quarter has passed through many phases of fluctuations. The most notorious event occurred in 1994 when an Israeli ultra-orthodox settler broke into the Mosque and opened fire gunning down 29 Palestinian worshippers.

Shortly aftermath, the International Community especially those who had patronized Oslo Peace Accords decided to find an immediate solution to the city by sending an international group of observers called (TIPH).
TIPH's car where the staff on their duty.(Nasser)

Consequently, the entire Mosque was divided up into two parts, one for the Israelis and the other one for the Palestinians. However, the fighting over the entire area hasn't ended up until then. Israelis still claim historical and religious rights which push them to wipe out what's non-Jewish. As a result, many Palestinian residents have moved out seeking safer resort in other parts of the city.

The general situation inside the old quarter doesn't indicate to a stable status of human coexistence among two ethnicities as long as the atmosphere requires military personnel to stand up in every corner. 
The entire historical site is enclaved by a long series of Israeli modern-styled dwellings called (Qaryat Arva) settlement, a well-known of its ultra-orthodox residents and right-wing proponents. 
Although I have been residing in Hebron for almost three decades, I have never been to this settlement. The access to it is available and, moreover, it's not walled off so we can't access from the direction of the holy site where it's allowed for us green ID bearers to get into without required permits. There are fenced checkpoints to check pedestrians out.
I have been to only the holy site for several times accompanying my foreign friends in recreational and exploratory trips.
Therefore, my work for this human rights organization has illuminated me about new things I would have never explored in my city, otherwise. 
We headed into the settlement after a short stop at the checkpoint installed at the main entrance, we got off to head up to a hill called (Tal Romeda) where a nonviolent activist resides. The first impression I came up with in the mixed neighborhood is the scene of Aleppo in Syria though the situation here is different in terms of no military confrontation with another armed side or guerrilla fighting.
Soldiers are stationed in every corner watching out pedestrians 24 hours, the sensation of hostility is visible, watching towers, metal detectors or other electronic censorship appliances, revolving gates installed at every passageway inside that tiny stifling area featured by tension and precariousness which undoubtedly make the image of the other as a potential assailant at any moment. Thus, the military protection is out-of necessity, because there is no trust in the neighbors who are from the other ethnicity and won't ever be such trust.
Discussing Essa's suit (Nasser)

Essa Amro hosted us, the session was kicked off highlighting his lawsuit at the military court, he is charged with different issues like incitement against the Jewish community there, surpassing the rules, disobedience, and so on and so forth. Our lawyer gave him some legal tips warning him of the compromise had been offered to him by the prosecutor to leave abroad to pursue his master's degree for two years, then all the charges will be nullified. "No doubt, you will be arrested when you come back after finishing your degree," said the lawyer.
It's the shrewdness of the military prosecutors who apply a military law in the (Opt) that we keep speculating about its repercussions. Not because most of us aren't well-educated enough to figure the whole process out. But, I assure that we are still ignorant because we aren't willing to learn the Hebrew language intellectually. How much percentage of Palestinians in the (Opt) understand it from the intellectual perspective? I'm concerned to say that it doesn't overstep 2%, most of them are workers speak only the street language or slang to handle their businesses with their Israeli employers. Furthermore, I have never seen a Palestinian worker carrying a Hebrew written flyer or Haaretz newspaper trying to learn strong Hebrew words. I don't know why there is no initiative to do so. What are they doing in the free time? How do they deal with innumerable legal issues they are exposed to in Israel where everything is in Hebrew? It seems to me the situation is lucrative for the Hebrew-Arabic translators.
My father, for instance, has been a worker there for almost four decades, he only speaks the language street, he can't read and can't write either. 
I recall his legal case with some other workers who found themselves stuck with the legal system after they had been tricked by a greedy permit broker who extorted workers to get them working permits in return for a big amount of money covertly which the Israeli Labor Authority didn't have reports about. Those workers ended up being charged with fraudulence issue of fake permits are registered at the customs office that supposedly the Israeli broker had already paid the required taxes. 
I had to struggle to find a fluent in Hebrew to explain to us the complicated court's protocol because the whole case was questionable. To overcome this complication, the Palestinian Authority must design curriculums to teach the Hebrew Language at our schools.
A soldier watching out the place around.

At the end of the session, we finished off heading back home. I was a bit surprised to see that settlers on the way back raising cattle in a barn installed within a Western-styled neighborhood. I wondered, did our Palestinian rural lifestyle or peasantry invade those Western inhabitants to raise cattle within inhabited civil area? We Palestinians raise different kinds of cattle and even poultry within residential neighborhoods where the demographic irregularities are remarkable. Thus, questions began hovering over because we have some stereotypes towards Jewish settlers who live in settlements are westernized, if they have livestock business, they set it up at places away from inhabitable areas. I really felt that my curiosity prompts me to come up to that Jewish lady and her son were watering their cattle to ask for their permission to take a picture for them inside the barn. But, I wasn't brave enough, the facial expressions of the soldier who was watching out inside the kiosk installed in front of, made me terrified. The situation has been precarious over the past years we Palestinians are conceived as a potential risk at any moment.
Indeed, the reality in the Old Quarter of Hebron isn't promising at the moment as long as the conflict there can be described as a matter of ethnic existentialism of one group over the other. 

The mysteries behind Singapore's successes 

   Ahmed Al-Shuqairi is a Saudi Arabian activist and media figure has been well-known of his series of Khawatir programs, it means "reflections" in English. He performed in this media project between 2005-2015. The kickstart of this project was to tackle the dilemmas that young in the Islamic Arab World suffer from through showing the successful experiences of other communities overseas. It was a vibrant cultural exchange tool which prompted those youth to interpret their images in the mirror of other. It, therefore, highlighted political, social, economic issues, including intellectualism that was notably brought out. 
In this episode "The mysteries behind Singapore's success," in Arabic, Ahmed visited this country to show us its stunning progression in different fields that it has accomplished since its independence in the 1960s. I found it interesting to translate into English.

Singapore's map

Ahmad starts narrating from 2:00 on, saying, 

"One of the standards of the country's success in providing a dignified life for its people is the economy. 
It's expressed by individuals' income. How much the gross of this income? There are lists cover the individuals' income in every country to compare them. The final goal that we'll display in this episode is to get some ideas across to the Arab World in order to reach a high degree of a dignified life and provide the highest degrees in the world to become the Arab-Muslim individuals' income the highest. It means that justice is applied and corruption is eliminated, then. 

When we see Singapore today in 2013 -which is at the top of prosperity and sophistication- we the current generation expect that those people have been as such since they were born and genetically developed to be as such. Look at the left side where the public gardens and streets are clean. However, it's not true, we are in an area right now, look how was it in 1960. Look at its streets were totally dirt where garbages to the degree that children were taking shower in the street. Poverty is high and the highest level of civilizational and moral backwardness featured it. 
Lee Kuan Yew the Singaporean Prime Minister was complaining when he took over the office about people's morality and behavior saying, "I'm mystified of how the Singaporean taxi drivers open their cars' windows to spit through on the street."
So, morality was violated, no money, poverty, and ignorance. This how Singapore was. 
This is another area, take a look at this building, here it is in 1960. Singapore was a well-known of its unorganized slums because of poverty, stacked stores, and unorganized dwellings. It's a problem -as I know- existent in many cities in the Arab World today. It was in Singapore in 1960, but they tackled it. Look at the area around me now, skyscrapers, look how became well-organized and clean.
When Singapore got its independence from Malaysia -Malaysia is a huge country has resources, economy, but Singapore is a small country. Consequently, Singapore's separation from Malaysia was a big shock and a slap on the face of Singaporeans to the degree that Prime Minister Lee Kuan himself showed up on TV crying in front of people, imagine a PM has nothing to say. 
Lee Kuan's statement, -a speech gave after the independence- "I believe in the integration of Malaysia and the unity of both lands altogether. Those people are linked with economics and geographic location and kinship among them." He nodded saying, "would you mind stopping for a while." Then he continues weeping. 
Ahmad continues, "Look at Lee Kuan in 1965 crying, and the British newspapers wrote, "Singapore is out." So, it is out of the game and has no hope. The separation occurred between Malaysia and Singapore. Why was Lee Kuan crying? Because there was a big difference between Singapore's qualifications and capabilities and Malaysia's.
In short, Malaysia in front of you now, it has 480 double the distance of Singapore. Singapore is considered a drop in a huge distance, which is Malaysia. 
Regarding resources, Malaysia is full of rubber, wood, and others. While Singapore has no resources and it has a shortage in water. All of these were frustrating factors for a country has no resources. But, with persistence and insistence look at what did they make; one of the basics is "unifying the country towards one goal," it's a very important. We see that in Singapore they were different ethnic groups, they are Chineses, Malawines, Indians, and Euro-Asians, four ethnicities living in this country. Each ethnicity has its religion, tradition, and language. They were fighting in the 1960s, there were protests, vandalizing cars among different groups. It was difficult though. Thus, one of Lee Kuan's priorities as a PM was to make all people understand that Singapore is number one. "We all work for Singapore, the Malawi, the Chinese ... etc. All of you site aside your ethnicity to put the country and its interest first," said Lee. He put this issue into schools.
You can observe that the formal language in Singapore is English because they aimed to unify people without discriminating among ethnicities. 
When he came to power despite being from the Chinese ethnicity which is the majority in Singapore, he stripped himself of his ethnicity in order for country's interest. He, therefore, said, "We won't impose a language on other languages, we have the Chinese, Malawi, ...etc and despite the fact that I belong to the biggest ethnicity, I won't favor it over other groups' languages. So, choose a language isn't ethnically-based, choose Chinese, for instance."
The second thing is, it's a country of laws. Lee Kuan realized that we have people haven't ethics to be promoted in Singapore and have no sophisticated background and the culture that he wants to there to make the country at the top. This won't happen without reinforcing strict laws to be applied to all people equally in order to upgrade the city and people in Singapore to the high morality and become a role model for other countries. 
Singapore is the country of fines, there are fines imposed on everything. Imagine somebody gets into the store to buy a shirt where fines are labeled on and souvenirs show people about these fines. 
For example, on this shirt, the slogan refers to "pushing and flushing." If you didn't press on to keep the restroom clean for whoever comes in after you, the fine is 300$. Don't spite, if you spit on the street, the fine is 300$. Vandalism, vandalizing public properties, the fine is jail and lashes.
It's very important the laws are applied to all, the PM, the ministers, the people, and even foreigners from great countries. While, in some countries, foreigners cannot be jailed like the Americans have that powerful position. However, in Singapore, you're like others. In the 1990s, for instance, something happened in this regard when an American guy 18-year-old sprayed graffiti on some cars and vandalized other things which are punishable by Singaporean law by jailing and lashing, because public properties are owned by people must be maintained. He, aftermath, was sentenced 4 months, 2300 $ fine, and lashing for six times. 
At the time, President Clinton intervened because he is an American citizen, but Singaporeans refused his intercedence and said, "he is like others." Laws in Singapore are applied to all people whoever you are American or not. These laws are labeled on almost everything even on the mug when you want to drink a coffee, or pinned on the wall. 
This comes to keep reminding the citizen about the importance of these laws. More about laws, imagine in Singapore the gum is forbidden. Ahmad asking around about this matter, "When was the last time you ate a chewing gum in Singapore?"
The person says, "It was 7 years ago when I was 10 years old and got it from Malasia."
Another citizen, "two years ago, and I got it from Malaysia."
A third one, "On Sunday."
Ahmad, "In Singapore?"
She, "Yeah."
Ahmad, "where did you get it from?"
She, "Overseas."
Ahmad, "why?"
They, "because it's a contraband here."
Ahmad gets into a grocery asking "hello, do you have a chewing gum?"
The seller, "no, no, no"
Ahmad, "she felt scared. So, there is no gum and they feel scared when somebody asks them for gum. She thought that I'm asking for drugs."
Why gum is prohibited?
There are two reasons. First, after it's eaten the consumer throws it away on the street which costs the country very much to clean it off, and this money comes from people. Eventually, the states' money is people's. Don't say that the state will spend on, this is your money. Thus, Singaporean government stated that, "why should we spend millions of dollars on cleaning gum in the streets. We have an example, in London where anybody can recognize the spots on the side walk, millions of them there. It's very difficult to clean them off, this requires unusual cleaning. In London they have special devices to clean gum off, to do this, the cleaners must put up a plastic fence around the area of cleaning where 3.5 billions of gum are thrown on London's streets. The cost of cleaning gum in Britain is 10 million pounds annually. The Singaporean government stated that "We deserve this money instead of spending it on cleaning off the gum." As a result, gum was prohibited for 14 years. Then Bush -the U.S. president- came to negotiate the matter of exporting gum to Singapore because the U.S. gum companies sell it out making millions of revenues.
The Singaporean gov allowed gum to be only sold at pharmacies. We couldn't record because it's a sensitive matter. Of course, not any kind of gum in the pharmacy, this kind is a medical gum, it helps you giving up on smoking or cleaning your teeth. So, it's the only gum they have, and no gum in the supermarket either. They live without it, nothing happened to them, though. 
They changed from people spitting on the street, taking shower in it to one of the cleanest peoples in the world. Who expected so, this transformation happened over a few years. The answer is the laws. 
Here we compare between individual's income in Malaysia and Singapore, we start from 1965, this income is almost close to 300 $ annually, Malaysia is the red color and Singapore is the blue color about 350 $ annually. 
The race starts after separation to see how each government managed its country, look at from the 1960s, 1970s how Singapore trended up and Malaysia but its improvement isn't comparable to Singapore. In the 1990s, Singapore continued trending up, it attracted foreign investments by showing the spirit of coexistence among different groups. While, Malaysia suffered a little bit, though it kept developing. We end in 2010, to see the big difference is moving on to reach 31.000 $ per capita in Singapore and Malaysia only 12.000 $. 
This happened by willpower, persistence, well-planning, eliminating corruption, and planning the economy well led to improving Singapore by 80 fold (x80) compared to how it was at the time of separation. Malaysia performed well, but not as much as Singapore, just it reached half of the percentage of Singaporean improvement. 
Also, one of the mysteries behind Singaporean development is clearing up corruption, it was the first priority. It was a corrupt country in terms of briberies, nepotism. But, they stood up and said, "We are a country must get rid of corruption, so that laws will be applied to all people to encounter it."
The first thing Lee Kuan did when took over the office, as he said, "This ministry is the white." All should dress up white clothes to express the purity of hand -it's a symbolic matter to show impeccability when the country at all levels shows attention, it won't allow corruption. 
Up till now, there are corruption issues which are shown on media. Look at the civil defense minister in front of people being driven to the court to be sued for bribery issue had happened in France, though not in Singapore. Politicians, thus, aren't protected in case of corruption there, as well as, head of the church was tried after had been convicted of corruption. The religious denomination isn't impeccable, though.
If we want to eliminate corruption, all social denominations shall be under legal accountability, not protected for any reason. How Singapore has reached to development, civilization, and coexistence because of Lee Kuan who studied at this school between 1930-1934 after graduated he set out on a long journey of presiding Singapore. He was elected for 8 times because of his accomplishments. And, moreover, his people were very happy under his rule. 
In the 1990s, he stepped down voluntarily as a PM of Singapore. This step is to leave this position to the new generation despite all successes he achieved. In this, there is a lesson, wisdom, and thinking.
A further reason for economic development in Singapore is commercial facilitation for citizens, it has a basic and direct role in economic development. Singapore is one of the easiest countries in terms of setting up a business. Here I'm hosted by Mr. Kinny in his house, we did an experiment to establish a company. I said to Kenny what a company should we establish? Let's establish a media production company.
Then, he began surfing the internet, he inserted his data, we named the company "Sahel Production," it was very easy. Through the internet, he made sure whether the name is already used by other company or not, in a few seconds, the result popped up. Whilst, in some other countries, to make sure whether this name is used or not, you must go to the ministry of commerce and submit an application, then you'll be given papers to look up in by yourself, and next step you may receive the response next day. It's a long story just to know if the name is already used. We knew this in only one second here. After completing the data, he submitted the application. 
Kenny said, "congratulation for a successful registration in a new business." He received a mail informing him that he'll receive a confirmation after 72 hours. Next day he called us telling that everything has been successfully done, the "Sahel Company" is available right now.
We went back to him, he received mail that his company is formally open. This was done over 28 hours.
Ahmad said, "You're the owner of the Sahel Production Co?"
Kenny, "Yes, I'm the boss."
He then, printed the certificate out, it's a simple paper not like that highly-considered one, undersigned, sealed includes the owners' name and registration number. It's like a bill.
He said, "Basically, it's not that important and no need for it."
Ahmad, "We don't need to keep this paper."
Kenny, "No, we can hang it on the office's wall."
Ahmad, tearing the paper up, "This paper just to show it when you go to a company. So, you don't need it formally, his company is on the list, all he needs is this registration number."
This is Mr. Kinny, the executive director "CEO"
Kenny, "Yes."
Finally, this message of Singapore's story in this episode showing Singapore's story gives a hope that whatever difficult things are and whatever the backwardness in the streets. There is always a hope for reformation and become like this and even better, if there is a wise leadership, people want to be developed, and a country working for all of this -government and people."
The end 

The text above is an audiovisual episode available in Arabic here. 

Translator Nasser Al-Qadi

On the Gulf diplomatic crisis scene

    Abed Al-Bari Atwan is a political analyst and editor-in-chief of Al-Quds Al-Arabi Newspaper based in the UK. He recently set up a political campaign in Arabic to back up Qatar in this diplomatic strife. 

Abd Al-Bari Atwan

In this episode, he said, "In the name of God the merciful. Ladies and gentlemen welcome to this weekly meeting. At first, there is a Tunisian proverb says, "When you come to understand, you get fainted." 

In fact, I'm dizzy and I don't want to make you all dizzy with me. In any case, if we take a look at the region and what's going on in is absolutely unconscionable. To assert this irrationality, there are many things to show, overnight the Egyptian People Council suddenly held the parliament and decided that Tiran and Sanafir are Saudi islands. But, how come! where the court's decisions? How did it come about? Egypt is supposedly earning because it's joined up in the alliance against the great Qatari State. It, therefore, supposed to take not give. It's the first point anyway.

The second point, Monther Makhos -spokesperson of the High Negotiating Commission, of course, for the Syrian negotiation, said,"In Syria, there is neither a political solution nor a military one. For the issue, it is being resolved in the field." What's the field? I don't know.

The third thing, at the Palestinian sphere, after talks about the electricity crisis and all other problems, including deducting salaries, a meeting was held in Cairo between two grave foes, the representative Mohammed Dahlan and Yahya Al-Sinwar -The head of Hamas movement in Gaza- They agreed on opening up the  checkpoint, financial aids, financing electrical power plant in Gaza by fuel, increasing the Egyptian share of the electricity to Gaza, and opening up Rafah crossing point for longer hours. 

What's going on? I've never seen Gulf States' leaders more active as nowadays like Adel Jubair left for Washington and then to Moscow. The Qatari foreign minister Mohammed Ibn Abed Al-Rahman to Washington, Moscow, Berlin, London, and Paris. And then Shiekh Abdullah Ibn Zayed the foreign minister headed to the same capitals. It's an unnatural movement. What's going on in the region? What's the problem exactly? 

This is the basic story we hear about food-loaded airplanes taking off from Ankara, Tehran, and Al-Dar Al-Bayda -the White House, the Morrocan capital- to Qatar in order to break the siege down. What's the siege are we talking about? The annual income is 100.000 $ per capita in Qatar. Thank God! The graces are much.

And more than 100 billion annual income in the Qatari Treasury and the national fund has 320 billion $. What's going on? Why this food? 

Of course, it's nice to sympathize with people? I'm against blocking Qatar neither Gaza nor Yemen as well.

But, in Yemen, if we have that nobility, there about 17 millions of Yemenis at the brink of famine. We have more than 1000 have died because of cholera. So, siege, hunger, fasting, cholera, and airstrikes to send out food to Qatar!"

Atwan astonishingly continued, "Where is the nation heading to? It's really a big disaster! Donald Trump came to Riyad. Then, tweeting began that Qatar supports terrorism. So, isolating Qatar is the beginning of the end to eliminate terrorism. Qatar committed a big mistake when backed up terror. It must be sued and sanctioned. It's a green light to set off on a confrontation. Al-Eded base -U.S. military base in Qatar- won't take part in protecting Qatar in case it has exposed to invasion or occupation. Turkey sent out 5 thousand soldiers to the base there and says is stands up for Qatar. 

Suddenly, everything has changed after the Qatari defense minister traveled to Washington and undersigned a 32 F15s deal valued 12 billions $. Afterward, Trump stopped tweeting that Qatar supports terrorism. More than that, the U.S.A. has sent out two warships to Doha to participate in a military maneuver with the Qatari fleet that I suppose has two or three warships in the south of Doha. 

Consequently, there is no talk about changing the regime, replacing the prince at all. But, of course, media campaigns are still running. Searching for old files has begun now as we say when the government fails, it goes back to the old files -reckoning-

We, therefore, unexpectedly hear about recordings about assassination attempts and Qadhaffi, Shiekh Hamad Ibn Khalifa and about what they agreed on destroying Saudi Arabia internally, as well as, the attempt of assassinating the Saudi King Abdullah. Why these decisions suddenly resurfaced? Isn't there Gulf's brotherhood? Isn't there Gulf Cooperation Council that we have been saying it's the most important regional council in the region?

The whole plan is well-cooked in Washington, London, and in Paris. They laugh at us as Arabs and Muslims. In short, there are Arab national funds come out of oil revenues, when the cost of one barrel has reached 140$. The West must take them by any means, the warplanes deal, for instance.
When Trump went to Saudi Arabia, he left with 460 billion $ of such deals. There was a national fund valued more than 800 billion $, it decreased to more than 400 billion $. So, there are deficiencies in the budget that will lead to eroding the rest. As a result, Saudi Arabia will end up lending from international markets. 
The same thing with Emirati (UAE) national fund valued 900 billion $. It'll be eroded. It must go out to those who deserve it according to the Western expressions, to the West, to Washington specifically, to Trump who once stated that "they must pay for the protection, there is nothing free of charge."
All this uproar because Qatar has a treasury of 320 billion $. It said that "we don't want to pay any tribute," they replied, "you must forcefully pay."
Qatar is incrementally paying now. Today paid 12 billion $, tomorrow will be increased to 21 billion $ and next will be reached 50 billion and so on and so forth. It's apparently forbidden to own money, these amounts of money should go out to the West. Recycling the assets and national funds back and forth to end up in the U.S.A.
This is the truth, there is no sovereignty, they create wars and enemies for us. Today our enemy is Iran, tomorrow we'll wake up to see that Trump is negotiating with Tehran and their leaders Khamenei, Hasan Ruhani, Mohammed Dharif in the closed rooms. We are the victim, not Iran, they use us against each other, they used three Gulf States against other three, and tomorrow they'll use us against Iran so that we should have to buy weapons and stock up weapons. 
At the end, the USA will tell us "checkmate!"
The required thing is our wealth, this is the fact we have become tools are used and employed against one another. We should sit down together. Why are the Gulf foreign ministers roaming here and there? Why don't they sit down together to negotiate and resolve the problems? What's the problem? Where is the problem? Is it Al-Jazeera channel? But, you have dozens of channels. Is it Muslim Brotherhood? But, you cooperate with Muslim Brotherhood.
The Yemeni Reformatory Party is in Riyad, it's the political wing of Yemeni Brotherhood Movement. Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmar was vice president in Yemen, he is a Muslim Brotherhood member. 
Where is the problem? Hamas will be put on the terror list because it fights the Israeli enemy, and Hezbollah does so on the other hand, it liberated its homeland in 2000 and in 2006 and withstood in front of the Israeli enemy. Is it terrorism?
I don't know where are we going? Let's sit down and understand each other. Why should we starve? Why should Yemeni people starve? And our people in Gaza and Sudan, including other areas. Why Libya has to be divided? They had told us that Seif Al-Islam is a terrorist and his hands are blood-stained. He has been released afterward. He might return to the trial again. What have we done? What has Qatar done? What has Saudi Arabia done in backing up militias? Yesterday they were revolutionaries, today have become terrorists. And who supports them should be sued and punished.
We are the victim, we are used as tools against each other. The goal is our wealth and billions. 
In the past we were talking about millions, now the millions are pennies. Today we are talking about billions. Because talking about 20, 50 million is nothing, they are very small. It's the truth.
Will we wake up of this weakness? I really doubt! They laugh at us. We have become laughable.
I wish you the best and see you next time."

The whole text above is available audiovisual on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOwNPkMZGOM   

Translator Nasser Al-Qadi

 Comments on the list of 13 conditions to revoke the Qatari diplomatic boycott by Abed Al-Bari  Atwan translated from Arabic

    Recently, the Arab Gulf States including Egypt that carry out a diplomatic onslaught against Qatar set up a list of 13 conditions that Qatar must implement in order to suspend this diplomatic boycott. Here are they read out by Abed Al-Bari Atwan -a Political analyst- who has set up a campaign to fiercely defending the Qatari regime.

He says, "In the name of God the merciful. In this weekly meeting, I'll talk about a paper is presented by Kuwait on behalf of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt, it's a list contains 13 conditions to the Qatari State, it's a very dangerous. But without ignoring congratulating you all on the occasion of Eid Al-Fitr despite there is no Eid or "happiness" due to the distressing facts of 17 million hungry of our people in Yemen, cholera is perishing their souls, and more than 1500 Yemeni children have died so far as a result. There are 300 of international aid organizations warning that there are approx. 300 thousand people under the threat of potential death given to this fatal plague. Furthermore, our brothers and people in Gaza Strip having less than 4 hours electricity daily and might go total blackouts. The weather is sweltering, hunger and a stifling blockade in Gaza Strip. In Jordan, the living expenses are unaffordable and so as in many other Arab States without forgetting blockade over Qatar. 
Of course, this blockade might be different, may God help our Qatari brothers because they haven't got used to undergoing such conditions as us. I also felt sad about the Qatari camels were entrapped in Saudi Arabia where some would have died; I felt so for their shepherds as well. How come! Even the camels are doomed to carry the brunt of this crisis more than human beings in a way or another which they aren’t guilty. Concerning the 13 conditions list, it's a humiliating and overburdening in my estimation. 
Look! For instance, the first condition is, closing down Al-Jazeera Channel. Imagine Qatar without Al-Jazeera Channel! The second condition, “closing down the Turkish military base,” Qatar asked for the Turkish protection, there are some hundreds of military personnel including a few tanks. So, what can they do in encountering huge swarms of F 15s F16s... And so on?                                                                 
The third condition, "reducing the scope of the relationship with Iran,” in the past they demanded a total boycott on this relationship." Qatar replied, "Oman, Kuwait, and the UAE consecutively have such relationship. Not to mention, the sizable commercial exchange between them and Iran which estimated to be more than 15 billion $," they apparently changed their mind and kept in the position of keeping trade relations but cutting down on the diplomatic and political ties or make them not as usual.
The fourth demand is a very dangerous which "requires cutting relations with Al-Qaeda, Al-Nusra Front, Hezbollah, Muslim Brotherhood, and finally Hamas." But, how come! What’s the matter with Hamas? it's far away and out of the crisis domain. It's an Islamic resistance movement, even it has learned good lessons from the past. It, therefore, stands up neutrally in this crisis and stated its opposing attitude towards backing up neither Saudi Arabia nor its alliance nor Qatar despite the fact the last one has supported it on several occasions. But, Hamas movement is required to do so.

The fifth demand, "Qatar is required to cut off all funding for all media outlets or what so-called the Qatari Media Emperor whether in London or Istanbul and shut down many electronic websites that it established." As I know more than 1 billion $ has been spent on these media channels. So, imagine Qatar without Al-Jazeera channel!
The sixth, "Qatar is required to hand over a list of opponents' names from the Gulf who resorted to Qatar as a sanctuary whether from Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE and it's forbidden hosting any of them in the future, as well as, it includes extraditing them to their governments." It's a big problem, perhaps some of them have been residing there for many years like those from the leaderships of Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas'. No doubt, some of Hamas's leaders already left for Beirut, Iran or as said some went back to Gaza. Therefore, they are wanted and must be extradited.
The next point is, "offsetting the three Gulf States including Egypt for the damages that they've incurred because of Qatari policies." But, do these States need money? The Arab Emirate has a treasury of more than 900 billion $! or Saudi Arabia that alone paid about 500 billion $ for Trump in return for weapon deals, and investments in the U.S. economy and infrastructure.
Thus, in my estimation whether these States are in need of money or not, they're escalating and complicating the conditions. But, as I said the goal is subordinating the Qatari State.
Moreover, there are 320 billion $ for Qatar are deposited in its fund in Saudi Arabia. The demand here is withdrawing this amount of money until the last dollar. This cruelty in their conditions is overseen by the U.S.A. that gives them a green light. The U.S.A. wants to seize Qatari billions. Even so, Qatari signed 11 billion F15 warplanes deal, it apparently didn't satisfy Trump's greediness, he needs much more.
I want to point out the question if Qatar refused these conditions -and this is potential- what would happen? What are the strides towards it?
There is a complete plan, it's a well-concerted, there is a threat of cutting electricity off Qatar, Doha will be like Gaza, imagine the temperature there is 55 C, in addition, the threat of withdrawing the Saudi and Emirati Stokes from Qatari banks. These stokes are estimated by more than 18 billion $. It will undoubtedly lead to a crash or semi crash in the Qatari banking system; we don't know what they hide. "Qatar will face severe sanction," according to Dr. Anward Qarqash the Emirati minister of foreign affairs who also stated, "we don't want to change a regime, but we want to change policies."
To whom you're telling lies, how will you change policies without changing the regime? Changing policies means changing the regime. If Qatar accepted these conditions, the entire regime would be changed.
I personally don't distance the military intervention. Of course, Qatar isn't innocent, it took part in aggression on Yemen, it has funded opposing movements in Syria. Moreover, these movements in any way have contributed to murdering dozens, hundreds or thousands of Syrians and destabilized the country. It's an existing and substantiated proof, even it was admitted by Hamad Ibn Jasim the former Qatari minister of foreign affairs who said once, "we were asked to be on the front seat of the Syrian crisis, and then we were asked to move to the back seat, we've funded factions and fronts there." And Mohammed Al-Joulani the head of Al-Nusra Front showed up on Al-Jazeera channel for two times. However, what's Qatar exposed to is significantly oppressive and unfair.
In all cases, if Qatar accepted these humiliating conditions, it may be surprised with new other demands later on. Now, there is personal hostility in addition to the hostility among the conflicting countries. There is a desire for retaliation.
I, therefore, expect the aggravation of these sanctions whether Qatar has accepted them or not. But, if hasn't accepted them, maybe the situation would inflame to reach a military confrontation.
There is a different rule in the Saudi Arabia, there is Mohammed Ibn Salman a newly appointed prince who doesn't have any friendliness towards Qatar. We consequently are not astonished that this prince who drove the battle on Yemen and launched this military campaign. He imposes the blockade over more than 26 million in Yemen. I, thus have no doubt that he will drive his forces to Qatar.
Dating back to 1992, we remember the "Koufos" war when Saudis forcefully changed the borders with Qatar and blocked down Qatari crossing with the UAE. Also, in 1996, there was a coup attempt at the time a large scale of "Banu Murrah" tribe's individuals had been recruited and backed up the former Shiekh Khalifa Ibn Hamad Al-Thani -the grandfather of the current Prince Tamim. As a result, it would have led to a massacre.These demands that Qatar is required to fulfill in 10 days only, imagine it quitting relationships with Muslim Brotherhood, Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, and kick Turkish airbase out ...etc in 10 days! This deadline is incapacitating.I think three days ago we celebrated two weeks of the Gulf or Qatari crisis. We'll keep writing until a month has passed on this event or maybe two or six months, maybe one or two years. God knows! What's going on is like in Yemen.

   Thank you."

To be continued ...

Available in Arabic on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnCIsHFZpAg 

Translator Nasser Al-Qadi