The Ambitious Plan to Transform the Egyptian Economy

Former UK Minister of Defense and Commerce: Saudi Progress is “Astonishing”

Iraqi Bill Seeks to Criminalize Calls for Normalization with Israel

A Weekly Political News Magazine

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The Ambitious Plan to Transform the Egyptian Economy www.majalla.com

Editorial A Weekly Political News Magazine

Last April, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi held a presidential Iftar at which he highlighted two particular decisions: one political and the other economic. The first is to open more space for opposition parties and activists; the second was that he announced that he has given instructions to the government to design a midterm roadmap to withdraw the state from competing in the market, for the benefit of private sector businesses, and reiterated his previous call for listing military-owned commercial enterprises on the exchange market for Egyptian and foreign investors to bid on. This week Dalia Ziada explores the implications of the economic reform announced by the Egyptian government and opportunities that it promises for younger generations of entrepreneurs and foreign investors.

Liam Fox, a member of the British House of Commons of the Conservative Party, and Head of the Abrahamic Accords Group in the United Kingdom, held high positions in the British government and chaired the Conservative Party. This May, he marks 30 years in Parliament. Majalla had the opportunity to meet with him and talk about various topics. Mustafa El-Dessouki interviewed the former British Minister of Defense and Trade in his office in the British Parliament, where he presented his impressions about his visit a few weeks ago to Riyadh and the reasons for his imminent return to visit Saudi Arabia. He criticized the new Iraqi parliament legislation which punishes anyone who calls for Arab-Israeli peace with the death penalty.

Regarding the Russian-Ukrainian war, Fox expressed his concerns about the aggravation of the situation in Ukraine and the danger of exporting famine to the developing world, stressing his condemnation of Putin›s actions.

Read these articles and more on our website eng.majalla. com. As always, we welcome and value our readers’ feedback and we invite you to take the opportunity to leave your comments on our website.

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Editor-in-Chief

Ghassan Charbel The Editor Mostafa El-Dessouki HH Saudi Research and Marketing (UK) Ltd 10th Floor Building 7 Chiswick Business Park 566 Chiswick High Road London W4 5YG Tel : +44 207 831 8181 Fax: +44 207 831 2310

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A Weekly Political News Magazine

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A Weekly Political News Magazine

38 Top 5 Mistakes by

Saudi Entrepreneurs

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When European Refugees Found “The Last Resort” in Egypt

36 Russian Air Force Fails in Ukraine

Ten Movies that Might

46 Deliver Big

Google is Working on

58 Language-to-text AR Glasses

A Step Towards a Cultured 52 Society 5

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The Best Ways to Identify Processed Foods

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Ukrainians celebrate «Vyshyvanka Day« Ukrainians wearing traditional embroidered clothing march in Athens on May 22, 2022, as they celebrate “Vyshyvanka Day”, an annual celebration of Ukrainian folk traditions. Known as a “vyshyvanka”, the loose-fitting shirt is often white with geometric patterns in embroidery along borders. / AFP 6

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British Royal Family attend Chelsea Flower Show in London

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth is given a tour by Keith Weed, President of the Royal Horticultural Society the Chelsea Flower Show in London, Britain, May 23, 2022. Dan Kitwood/Pool via REUTERS

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PAL

LEBANON

EGYPT An Egyptian court on Monday sentenced a businessman to three years in prison for trafficking and sexually assaulting seven underage girls at an orphanage he founded, judicial sources told AFP. Media and real estate tycoon Mohamed el-Amin was arrested in January on accusations that he had sexually assaulted the young girls at an orphanage in Beni Suef, about 100km south of Cairo.

Amin, who owned the popular CBC television network before it was sold in 2018, faced up to 25 years in prison.

The three-year prison sentence can be appealed, a judicial source told AFP.

The Lebanese banking association's rejection of a financial recovery roadmap passed last week by Lebanon's cabinet is "dangerous and irresponsible", a senior government official said on Tuesday.

The Lebanese banking association's rejection of a financial recovery roadmap passed last week by Lebanon's cabinet is "dangerous and irresponsible", a senior government official said on Tuesday.

According to a document seen by Reuters, the plan would cancel "a large part" of the central bank's foreign currency obligations to commercial banks and dissolve non-viable lenders by November.

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Turkey's top raft of new struggling P high-level T West Bank i During Fore trip to Ram with the em ranging fro trade.

Cavusoglu Wednesday between An also make a compound

LESTINE

p diplomat announced Tuesday a agreements to bolster the Palestinian economy, during the first Turkish visit to the Israeli-occupied in 15 years. eign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's mallah, Turkey signed nine new pacts mbattled Palestinian Authority, om agriculture to education and

will meet Israeli officials on y, the latest step in a diplomatic thaw nkara and the Jewish state. He will a private visit to the Al-Asqa mosque d in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem.

UAE The United Arab Emirates became the first Gulf country to announce a case of monkeypox on Tuesday, insisting it was "fully prepared" to handle any outbreak.

The UAE is believed to be just the second Middle Eastern country after Israel to detect monkeypox, whose appearance in a number of countries has caused alarm after the coronavirus pandemic.

IRAQ Iraq closed public buildings and temporarily shut airports Monday as another sandstorm -- the ninth since mid-April -- hit the country.

More than 1,000 people were hospitalised across the nation with respiratory problems, health ministry spokesman Seif al-Badr told AFP. Flights were also grounded in neighbouring Kuwait for a second time this month, as the region grapples with the increasingly frequent weather phenomenon.

The Iraqi capital Baghdad was enveloped in a giant dust cloud that left usually traffic-choked streets largely deserted and bathed in an eery orange light, AFP correspondents said.

IRAN Thousands of mourners poured into the streets of Tehran on Tuesday to pay their respects to a senior Revolutionary Guard member fatally shot by two gunmen on a motorcycle earlier this week, punching the air with their fists and chanting “Death to Israel.”

The killing on Sunday of Col. Hassan Sayyad Khodaei bore the hallmarks of previous deadly shooting attacks in Iran blamed on Israel, such as those targeting the country’s nuclear scientists.

There has been no claim of responsibility for the attack. Iranian officials have blamed “global arrogance,” which is code for the United States and Israel, for Khodaei’s killing.

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A WEEK ACROS CANADA.

U.S. As government officials, corporate leaders and other elites at the World Economic Forum grapple with how to confront climate change and its devastating effects, a central question is emerging: to what extent can oil and gas companies be part of a transition to lower-carbon fuels?

In different times the question could have been academic, the kind of thing critics of the forum, which takes place in a tony ski village in the Swiss Alps, would say had no relevance to the real world.

Wireless carriers in Canada won’t be allowed to install Huawei equipment in their high-speed 5G networks, the Canadian government said Thursday, joining allies in banning the giant Chinese technology company.

Canada had been the only member of the Five Eyes intelligence-pooling alliance not to bar or restrict use of equipment from Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. in its 5G networks. The U.S. and the other members — Britain, Australia and New Zealand — previously banned Huawei.

“We are announcing our intention to prohibit the inclusion of Huawei and ZTE products and services in Canada’s telecommunications systems,” Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne said.

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,

TUNISIA.

Tunisia's powerful UGTT trade unio confederation said Monday it wou not take part in a national dialogue proposed by President Kais Saied, arguing that it excludes key actors and civil society.

Saied sacked the government last before dissolving parliament and seizing control of the judiciary, in moves opponents called a coup against the only democracy to emerge from the Arab Spring uprisings.

The president has excluded politic parties from any dialogue, despite domestic and overseas calls for a m inclusive process.

SS THE WORLD UKRAINE.

on uld e

CHINA.

A deafening stream of fighter jets land and take off from a US aircraft carrier, part of a long-planned NATO exercise in the Mediterranean to show military might while Russia wages war in Ukraine.

"I want us to be as ready as we can possibly be," US Rear Admiral Curt Renshaw, commander of the Carrier Strike Group Eight, told reporters this week on a visit on board USS Harry S. Truman.

"We look at the Russian capability and we look at our own capabilities and then we train to counter what they might do and to defend ourselves and to defend partners and allies."

China is trying to navigate its biggest coronavirus outbreak without a tool it could have adopted many months ago, the kind of vaccines that have proven to offer the best protection against the worst outcomes from COVID-19.

As early as the spring of 2020 a Chinese pharmaceutical company, Fosun Pharma, reached an agreement to distribute — and eventually manufacture — the mRNA vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech.

It still has not been cleared in mainland China, despite being authorized for use by separate authorities in Hong Kong and Macao.

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INDIA. India is looking to domestic firms and eastern European nations for military gear and ammunition, as the world's biggest buyer of Russian arms seeks alternative suppliers at a time when Moscow is fighting a war with Ukraine and facing sanctions.

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The Ambitious Plan to Transform the Egyptian Economy Will the New Inclusive Approach Put Egypt Back on the Right Track?

By Dalia Ziada

The Egyptian state has been pushed to take unprecedented measures to weather the storm hitting the domestic economy as a result of the global standoff around the RussiaUkraine war, especially since the deteriorating economy has already started to put the state leadership under political stress. The general theme of the new governmental policies, in this regard, is to engage more hands, from the private sector and the non-governmental community, such as business entrepreneurs, trade unions, and civil society organizations, into helping the government navigate through the

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existing complications.

This inclusive approach, it is believed, will also enhance Egypt’s profile with international organizations and allied governments, in the east and the west, which can provide Egypt with the financial aid it badly needs to save the hard-won socio-economic achievements of the past seven years.

The vision for realizing this goal was clearly articulated in El-Sisi’s speech at the presidential Iftar event, that was held in the last week of April amidst the first wave of spiking inflation rates.

Two particular decisions were carefully highlighted in this speech – one is political and the other is economic. On the political front, the decision was made to open more space for opposition parties and activists, through granting amnesty to prisoners of conscience and reaching out to the political opposition. On the economic side, the president gave instructions to the government to design a mid-term roadmap to withdraw the state from competing in the market, for the benefit of private sector businesses, and reiterated his previous call for listing military-owned commercial enterprises on the exchange market for Egyptian and foreign investors to bid on.

A general view of buildings under construction in the New Administrative Capital (NAC) east of Cairo, Egypt July 2021 ,5.

REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany

Immediately after the remarkable Iftar speech of President El-Sisi, the presidential bureau and affiliated bodies, started to issue lists of political prisoners to be pardoned, and prepare for the national political dialogue. Two weeks later, cabinet ministers with economic portfolios designed a roadmap to revolutionize the defective economic system that Egypt has been stuck with for the past seven decades. If properly accomplished, these two parallel paths of transforming the political and the economic system, will, it is believed, put Egypt back on the right track, not only for the purpose of surviving the current episode of the chronic economic crisis, but also for laying the foundation for a democratic future in the country where democratization appears to be Mission Impossible.

SHRINKING GOVERNMENT CONTROL On the 16th of May, the Egyptian Prime Minister, Mostafa Madbouly, held a press conference to present the government’s plan to open the econo-

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If properly accomplished, these two parallel paths of transforming the political and the economic system are believed to put Egypt back on the right track. my. Madbouly’s presentation clearly showed that the Egyptian government has realized that the outdated approach of centrally managing the market is not working any more. No matter how big the loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) or the generous deposits from sister countries in the Arab Gulf region, it is impossible for the government to single-handedly keep up with the growing population and the recurring global and local challenges.

“The influence of the war in eastern Europe on the global supply chains of food and energy is burdening the Egyptian economy with 130 billion Egyptian pounds in direct cost, in addition to 335 billion Egyptian pounds to handle the indirect consequences;” Madbouly noted after clarifying that the stress is mainly coming from the uncertainty of when the Russia-Ukraine war is going to end. These extra burdens roughly mount to three billion dollars, which is a considerable drain on the government budget that already has a large deficit of more than three billion dollars resulting from the difference between the balance of spending that exceeds 1.7 trillion pounds per year and the annual income of slightly over 1.3 trillion Egyptian pounds.

The foreign aid, either from state allies or international organizations are merely patching the holes of the barren economic system, which, in essence, is a distorted hybrid of the failed socialist project of former President Gamal Abdel Nasser and the incomplete liberalist approach of the assassinated President Anwar Al-Sadat. The time has come for the Egyptian state to build a whole new economic structure that is in harmony with the global eco-

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nomic system. One important step in that direction is encouraging foreign investors to return to the Egyptian market.

EXPANDING PRIVATE SECTOR In the press conference, the Egyptian Prime Minister explained that the lack of security and stability that overwhelmed the political scene in Egypt, for two years until the overthrow of the Muslim

Time has come for Egypt to build a whole new economic structure that is in harmony with global economic system.

One step is encouraging foreign investors to return to Egyptian market.

Brotherhood regime in 2013, pushed the foreign investments, also known as “hot money,” out of the Egyptian market. Therefore, the state had to compensate by pouring substantial investments into mega national projects that targeted renovating the infrastructure and improving housing and health conditions for underprivileged citizens.

“Over the period from 2015 to 2021, the state-led national projects created more than five million jobs for Egyptian youth and empowered the local private sector companies by sub-contracting them on these projects;” Madbouly asserted. “That is not to say that these national projects are to be postponed or slowed down, in the coming period, while we deal with the economic crisis. They remain a priority and we will continue working on them as they proved to be of great importance to the Egyptian citizens, and are also paving the way for the return of the hot money investors.”

The government has already started to create incentives for foreign investors that desire to return to the Egyptian market. These incentives are not limited to easing the bureaucratic barriers of acquiring governmental approvals and managing business facilities. The Prime Minister confirmed

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A man walks past a currency exchange point, showing an image of the U.S. dollar in Cairo, Egypt, March 22, 2022.

REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany

National Bank of Egypt head offices, the St. Regis Cairo hotel and Hilton Cairo World Trade Center Residences are seen towering above residential buildings in the downtown Cairo, Egypt, May 6, 2018. REUTERS/ Mohamed Abd El Ghany

that investors, either Egyptian or foreign, will be allowed to invest in state-owned assets, too.

One step in that direction has already been taken in March by allowing the Abu Dhabi Sovereign Fund to invest 1.8 billion dollars in Egyptian state-owned assets in national companies.

Over the coming four years, the government plans to list state-owned stocks with the value of 10 billion dollars every year, ultimately compounding as 40 billion dollars by the end of the period, for foreign and local investors to buy. At the same time, the government plans to increase the participation of the Egyptian private sector businesses in state-run national projects to 65%, compared to the current rate of 30%. That is expected to offer a golden opportunity to the growing community of entrepreneurs and startups that is one of the strongest pillars of support to the future of the Egyptian economy.

BOOSTING STARTUPS Egypt has a tremendous startup community that is expanding across various sectors of the economy, ranging from taxi phone applications, up to clean energy production from solar and green resourc-

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Over the coming four years, the government plans to list state-owned stocks with the value of 10 billion dollars every year for foreign and local investors to buy. es. According to the MAGNiTT report, in 2021, the Egyptian startup ecosystem attracted a record total of 491 million dollars from local and foreign investors. For that reason, the Egyptian startup ecosystem is ranked the second in the Middle East and the first in Africa, in terms of the venture capital deals it could successfully seal in a relatively short span of time.

Egypt has a sizeable market with never-ending needs for innovative solutions, due to its unique geo-strategic location and the majority young population of 103 million citizens. That offers an ideal environment for startups to emerge and

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many lucrative opportunities for local and foreign entrepreneurs and venture capitals to seize. The complicated bureaucracy of the Egyptian government is, allegedly, the only challenge that startups face. Registering a new business, in Egypt, is a tedious process that requires a lot of money and time to survive a long cluster of bureaucratic procedures and months of waiting for the governmental license needed to practice the business activity.

company is to “notify the government via a digital platform, and get the practice license within a maximum period of 20 days.” Madbouly, also, confirmed that some urgent amendments shall be made to the laws regulating the registration of “One Person Company” to involve the young entrepreneurs who run their businesses in the virtual sphere and do not need to rent a physical office space, which is one of the legal conditions, in the existing law, to register a company.

Nonetheless, according to the new reform policies stated by the Egyptian Prime Minister, all it would take, in the near future, to register a startup

BEFORE JUMPING THE GUN

The government plans to increase the participation of the Egyptian private sector businesses in state-run national projects to %65, compared to the current rate of %30.

One can hardly see a bright side to the compounding crises of the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by the global economic crash under the pressure of the Russian invasion to Ukraine. However, perhaps, pushing countries with outdated economic systems, like Egypt, to make drastic changes to its economic structure accompanied by opening the political space for opposition is one of the gems hidden in the sludge of tough circumstances.

The proposed government plan to curb state participation as a competitor in the market by at least 65%, over the coming four years, is working in the favor of the private sector, especially young

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Egypt’s Central Bank headquarters are seen in downtown Cairo, Egypt, March 22, 2022.

REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi speaks during the Egyptian Family Iftar banquet, taken on Tuesday 26 April, 2022.

entrepreneurs and foreign investors. However, the necessary process of floating state-run national enterprises to achieve this goal, is loaded with the hidden risk of marginalizing, and thus weakening, the military commercial enterprises, which has always been the backbone of the Egyptian nation-state.

In the Iftar speech, President El-Sisi said that he plans to “list the companies owned by the Egyptian Armed Forces in the Egyptian stock market for interested private investors to consider.” On paper, that looks like a revolutionary decision that comes in line with the government’s ambitious plan to liberalize the market. However, in practice, jumping the gun by sidelining the military involvement in the economy before building a stable democracy that is capable of containing a durable liberal economic structure, will definitely jeopardize the entire political and economic steadiness of the nation-state. Moreover, allowing foreign investments to infiltrate into the autonomous economic system of the Egyptian Armed Forces will expose the military institution to several unwelcomed strategic nuances.

The military economy has always been the safety net that the nation-state leaned on, in the difficult

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Egypt has a sizeable market that offers an ideal environment for startups to emerge, and many lucrative opportunities for local and foreign entrepreneurs and venture capitals to seize. times of political turbulences and economic crises. In that sense, keeping the military economy strong, by maintaining its independence from the civil economy, is crucial for ensuring a smooth transition from the existing futile economic system to the desired open market economy. Only then, the government may be allowed the luxury of discussing the viability of floating the military economy. * Dalia Ziada is an Egyptian author and Director of the Liberal Democracy Institute. Her work covers military affairs, political Islamism, and geopolitics in the Middle East and North Africa.

Tweets at @daliaziada

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olitics

Iraqi Law Criminalizes Calls for Normalization with Israel

Will Iranian-backed Parties Use the Law to Punish Opponents?

By Suzan Quitaz On Thursday 26 of May, the Iraqi Parliament passed a law, titled “Criminalizing Normalization and Establishment of Relations with the Zionist Entity”, 275 lawmakers voted in favor of it in Iraq’s 329seat assembly. The legislation says that violation of the law is punishable with the death sentence or life

imprisonment.

The Iraqi parliament released a statement saying the legislation is “a true reflection of the will of the people”. Shortly after, the influential Shia cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr posted a tweet praising the new law as the “great achievement” and called on his followers to come out on the streets to celebrate. Hundreds responded to his call and gathered in downtown

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Iraqi lawmakers attend the first session of the new Iraqi parliament in Baghdad, on January 2022 ,9. (File photo via Reuters)

Baghdad, chanting anti-Israel slogans.

The Iraqi Parliament, since the fall of the regime of Saddam Hussain in 2003, has failed time and time again to form a functional government. Iraq’s economy is extraordinarily corrupt, the country has a poor quality of education and health system.

There is a staggering youth unemployment rate that reached as high of 30% in 2021, along with a total governmental failure to combat violence against women and children. Between 2020 and 2021, reported acts of violence against this vulnerable group increased by 125%.

Rather than addressing Iraq’s many challenges, the Iraqi Parliament seems to be more interested in drafting a law that threatens the death penalty or life imprisonment for those who are calling for normalization with Israel.

The legislation will apply to Iraqis and foreign nationals living Iraq but it can be applied to foreign nationals of Iraqi origin. The new legislation also entails risks to international companies operating in Iraq and foreign nationals of Iraqi origin who may wish to visit Iraq. For instance, Britain’s Education Secretary, Nadhim Zahaw, who was born in Baghdad and a staunch supporter of Israel, might be handed a death penalty notice upon arrival to Baghdad!

Ned Price, the State Department spokesperson, released a statement, it reads that “The United States is deeply disturbed by the Iraqi Parliament’s passage of legislation that criminalizes normalization of relations with Israel. In addition to jeopardizing freedom of expression and promoting an environment of antisemitism, this legislation stands in stark contrast to progress Iraq’s neighbors have made by building bridges and normalizing relations with Israel, creating new opportunities for people throughout the region. The United States will continue to be a strong and unwavering partner in supporting Israel, including as it expands ties with its neighbors in the pursuit of greater peace and prosperity for all” One of the most key clauses of this law is the criminalization of any political, security, economic, technical, and cultural, sports and scientific cooperation with Israel and Israelis under any circumstances.

One of the most key clauses of this bill is the criminalization of any political, security, economic, technical, and cultural, sports and scientific cooperation with Israel and Israelis under any circumstances.

According to the bill’s Article 1 - the new law will

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The Law will cover Iraqis and foreign nationals living Iraq but it can be applied to foreign nationals of Iraqi origin. aim to achieve the following: 1. Criminalizing normalization with the Zionist entity in any form.

2. Preventing the establishment of diplomatic, political, military, economic or cultural relations or any other form of relations with the occupying Zionist entity.

Article 2 deals with the provisions of this law and to whom it applies: 1- Iraqis inside and outside Iraq, including officials, state employees, and those charged with public service, including civilians, military, and foreigners residing outside Iraq.

2- All state institutions and their federal authorities and independent bodies.

3- Regional governments, their parliaments, and their offices.

4- Governors, provincial councils that are not organized in a region, local administrations, and the departments related to them.

5- Iraqi media.

6- Social media.

7- Civil society organizations in Iraq.

8- Private companies, foreign companies and institutions, and foreign investors working in Iraq.

Article 6 – paragraph 2, reads “Private companies and civil society institutions and organizations operating in Iraq shall be expelled if it is proven that they have committed any of the acts mentioned in Article 4 without prejudice to the penal responsibility of individuals working in these institutions, and these institutions shall be prevented from establishing and re-working in Iraq.”

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PLEASEING THE MASTER, IRAN The anti-Israel bill was proposed by the Sadrist faction, which won the most seats in the country’s October parliamentary elections. On April 23, its leader the Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr announced on Tweet that his coalition had submitted a proposal calling on the criminalization of relations or interaction with the Zionist regime. Lawmakers from Sadr party came up with this law to curb claims by Iranian-backed rival parties and militias that al-Sadr was making coalitions with Sunni and Kurds who may have secret ties with Israel.

The minute Sadr’s party proposed the bill, it was backed by the pro-Iran Fateh Alliance, its leader

The anti-Israel law was proposed by the Sadrist faction, and was backed by the pro-Iran Fateh Alliance, its leader Al-Hayani.

Mohammed Al-Hayani reportedly saying “We, as Fateh Alliance, totally refuse the issue of normalizing ties with the Israeli entity. We will certainly vote in favor of the bill in the parliament.” Al-Hayani said there is an urgency to introduce such a law “because currently there are political sides that try to normalize relations with Israel.” He did not name those parties.

Muhammad Al-Halbousi, the speaker of the Iraqi Parliament, was also a big backer of the bill and has recently called on the Arab League to stop using the term “State of Israel” but rather use “the occupying Israeli regime.”

Iran has a solid grip on Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime, and it channels its orders through the use of pro-Iranian militias and politicians in the Iraqi government. This new law can be used to silence opponents, such as Sunni politicians who oppose Iran’s power-enlargement in Iraq.

Once the bill is law, it can be used to silence opponents including the average Iraqis who been protesting and demanding a stop to the mismanagement of state funds and calling for a fairer society. It also

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Moqtada al-Sadr, Iraqi militia leader and Shiite Muslim cleric, gives a news conference in the central holy shrine city of Najaf, on November 2021 ,18.

ALI NAJAFI/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

A file photo shows Iraqi Parliament Speaker Muhammad al-Halbousi. (AFP)

can be used as a lethal weapon against Sunni politicians who oppose Iran’s power-enlargement in Iraq.

This new law will also put a lot of pressure on the autonomous Kurdish region, who long been accused of having warm ties with Israel. Iranianbacked militias and some politicians in Iraq have for years claimed there is an Israeli presence in the Kurdish region. Earlier this year, Iran fired a dozen ballistic missiles towards the Kurdish city of Irbil, claiming it was targeting an Israeli spy base. The residence of Baz Karim, the CEO of the oil company KAR GROUP, was heavily damaged in the attack. KAR has been accused in the past of quietly selling oil to Israel.

This anti-Israel law is a golden-opportunity to Iran and its Iraqi-backed militias, such as Kataib Hezbollah, now it has the ‘legal’ impunity to step up its attacks on the Kurdish Region and murder Kurdish and Sunni-Arab Iraqi opponents under the guise of opposing Israel.

The backers of the law claim that their reasons are “to preserve the national, Islamic and humanitarian principles in Iraq, and prevent the great danger that

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State Department announced that “the US is deeply disturbed by the Iraqi Parliament’s passage of the legislation.” ensues from normalization with the Zionist entity, promoting, communicating, or establishing relations with this entity, in addition to blocking the road for anyone who wants to establish any kind of relations with the Zionist entity. This law is to put a deterrent punishment and to preserve the unity among the people and to keep their national and Islamic identity.”

It is unclear how this new law will be implemented, but one thing for sure is this anti-Israel and antiSemitic law is just a reminder of the fragility of the Iraqi state and its incompetence in dealing with state corruption, political fragmentation and social injustice. But it is also a move to please its master, Iran, Israel’s most bitter enemy.

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nterview

Former UK Minister of Defense and Commerce: Saudi Progress is “Astonishing”

“New Iraqi Bill that Punishes Who Calls for Arab-Israeli Peace with Death is Dreadful”

By Mustafa El-Dessouki – London Liam Fox, a member of the British House of Commons of the Conservative Party, and head of the Abrahamic Accords Group in the United Kingdom, held high positions in the British government and chaired the Conservative Party.

In the government of John Major, he served as Lord Commissioner to the Treasury and chaired the Conservative Party under Prime Minister David Cameron. In the government of Theresa May, he served as Minister of Defense from 2019-2016, then as Secretary of State for International Trade from July 2016 till July 2019.

As one of Britain›s leading political figures, Fox spent several years ensuring that trade in the UK continued before and after Brexit. He was known for his support for charitable foundations, women›s rights and peace between the Arabs and the Israeli people.

During an interview with Al-Majalla in his office in the British Parliament, the former British Minister of Defense and Trade presented his impressions about his visit a few weeks ago to Riyadh and the reasons for his imminent return to visit Saudi Arabia. He also stressed that the Neom project is very exciting end

expressed his hope that British Saudi companies will play their role in this. He also sent a message to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman saying, «You are at your highest level, keep going.»

The doctor and former British minister presented a substantive criticism of the new Iraqi parliament project that punishes anyone who calls for ArabIsraeli peace with the death penalty. Fox considered the idea of the legislation appalling, stressing that Iran is behind it as it is the malign influence in the region.

Regarding the Russian-Ukrainian war, Fox expressed his concerns about the aggravation of the situation in Ukraine and the danger of exporting famine to the developing world, stressing his condemnation of Putin›s actions. He also said that he used the same way as Stalin using famine as a weapon in Ukraine.

The following is the text of the interview: 1. Why did you choose to introduce the Down Syndrome Act of 2022?

Well, for a number of reasons. Partly personal experience. When I was growing up, the boy next door had Down›s syndrome. As a doctor, I saw lots of patients and families of those with Down›s Syndrome.

As a member of Parliament, I›ve helped a lot of

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The former UK Minister presented a substantive criticism of the new Iraqi parliament project that punishes anyone who calls for ArabIsraeli peace with the death penalty. and do you think they can be extended and replicated in other EU countries? If so, which EU country do you think might be next?

MP Liam Fox with Mr. Mustafa el-Dessouki

Well, of course, the European Union operates a foreign policy rather than other European countries that don›t have their own foreign policy the way we do, and we›re outside the European Union.

But I would have hoped that what the Abraham Accords would do would be to show that there›s another way of thinking about the wider Middle East, that we can›t have everything held to ransom purely by the Israeli Palestinian situation, and that we need to think of ways in which we can spread prosperity and stability more widely throughout the region.

I›m a great believer that if people have greater prosperity, then it opens up new political potential solutions. families in my area deal with not just the health issues That›s what I see as the greatest advantage. If you can or education issues, but the long-term care issues. And extend not just from the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco, that, maybe, was the greatest driver of all, because but if you can involve countries like Jordan and we know with increased life expectancy that this is Egypt, then you can see how the dynamic starts to probably the first generation of people with Down change over time.

I entirely understand the reasons why Saudi Arabia syndrome who will outlive their parents.

And that›s a huge worry for parents. You know doesn›t feel at the moment that it›s able to join it. what›s going to happen when I›m not there. If there›s But I think that it›s in the interests of everybody in the any point in having a parliament and democratic region that the project succeeds. representation, it is to try to deal with crises before 3. What other countries do you think will benefit the future of the Palestinians if they join the peace club of they happen.

So I think that the legislation that we brought will the Abrahamic Accords? concentrate the minds of healthcare providers and education providers and local authorities to ensure Well, again, it›s not just peace. I think that what that we make the provisions necessary to provide we have to show is that the Abraham Accords can continuity and so that people can live with the produce tangible benefits in terms of living standards independence and the dignity that the rest of us take and opportunity, particularly for young men, but also young women. for granted.

And to ensure that by giving them a greater stake 2. Turning to the Abrahamic Agreements, what do economically, that they are more invested in wanting you think are the UK›s greatest achievements to date, to ensure political stability from which peace comes.

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I›ve long taken the view that people who have nothing to lose will gamble with it.

But if someone has a stake, then they›ll be much more circumspect about how the political environment that they live in develops. And I hope that when people see that increasing prosperity and increasing political stability improves the general well-being of the countries involved, that others will come knocking at the door.

It›s not something that I think that we should be trying to force other countries into. It should be something that is so successful and so tangibly beneficial that other countries, as I say, come knocking at the door to join.

up with some of the same prejudices and divisions that afflicted previous.

I think the sort of changes that are taking place in Saudi Arabia are indicative of that same trend. Let›s get the next generation to think outwards. Let›s get them to think forwards about their place in the world and how they can help shape the world around them.

5. As a former Minister of International Trade under Theresa May’s government and one of the advocates for the SheTrades initiative of the International Trade Centre, do you think the World Trade Organization plays its role in coordinating trade and development policy and what do you think the organization’s disadvantages, especially that you were one of the 4. What is the most important advantage that most prominent candidates for its management?

Sharaka has established between you and a group of ambitious youth from the Gulf, as well as the Well, I think that the biggest problem that the WTO faces is a self-induced one, which is that they have cooperation with Jared Kushner? come to interpret the term consensus as meaning Well, I think, again, it›s about getting the message unanimity. to young people. They will be the ones who will If they meant the same thing, there wouldn›t be two determine the future. They›ll be the ones who will different words for them. And effectively now what have to live in whatever world we start to build for we›ve got is a situation where pretty much any of the them today. And getting young people to understand members can veto any move forward. that they can coexist peacefully with people with very That›s clearly not what the those who set up the different views, with different religious beliefs and no WTO wanted. And I think the consequence of that religious beliefs in some cases and recognize that they will be that you›ll get fewer global agreements and can work together to build the kind of Stability, the you›ll get more agreements by those who might call institutions, the trust that are essential prerequisites economically the coalition of the willing, to borrow the phrase, who want to work together in specific areas, for all of these things.

I think that›s for us, that›s what that relationship really for example, in green technology or in e-commerce, started to build. I hope we can build further on that so some of these areas on service liberalization. that we can have the next generation that doesn›t grow So I think that›s the biggest weakness. I think that the free trade initiative was really important because I think, again, if you want people to share in the prosperity that can come from free trade, it›s got to be all the people. A country that doesn›t see the advantage that women can bring to the economy, economies that don›t fully utilize the talents of women in their economy, their creativity, their innovation, their education are denying themselves a major tool in improving their economic performance.

So getting more women to be involved, we know that where women are more involved in economies, there is also greater political stability. Because back to my point about having a share in that prosperity, the more widely you can share that prosperity. I have to say, in

Let’s get the next generation to think outwards. Let’s get them to think forwards about their place in the world and how they can help shape the world around them.

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MP Liam Fox in his office in the British Parliament.

my time in politics, I have never known men to have a monopoly on wisdom or good policymaking.

Where women are more involved in economies, there is also greater political stability.

6. As we celebrate the achievements of the Abrahamic Accords, you may have heard about the new bill currently being passed through the Iraqi parliament that calls for the death penalty to anyone who wants to cooperate or work with the Israelis or calls for peace. What do you want the UK and other countries to do to combat and stifle this bill from becoming law? How do you think this will affect the ability of countries to cooperate with Iraq on the commercial and military level if this bill is enacted?

and cooperation with their neighbors and would like to see greater regional stability. So I think that this is a pretty tragic path for any country to want to take.

And I hope that those with good sense and those with sound consciences will reject it.

Well, I think it›s a dreadful and ghastly idea. And it goes against the trend of what everyone else in the region is trying to do, which is to have greater commitment to peace, greater commitment to dialogue.

You know, if I was being suspicious, I would see the hand of Iran behind this. Iran, as we all know, has long interfered in Iraqi politics. Iran is the malevolent influence in the region. Its biggest export is terrorism. I would be strongly suspicious that there was an Iranian hand in this. I think it›s a great pity, because I think most of the people of Iraq would want to live in peace

7. As a former defense minister, how do you see the situation between Ukraine and Russia, and are you with Britain›s provision of military support to Ukraine? What is the impact of the war on security and development in Europe in particular?

Well, I think that the first thing to say is that this is a war of choice. Vladimir Putin chose to attack Ukraine, which posed no threat whatsoever to Russian security.

I think the actions of Putin and his acolytes have plumbed the depths of inhumanity. I think his lust for violence is animal in nature.

I think watching the barbarity being visited on the

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people of Ukraine is a truly shocking thing to witness in the 21st century. We need to make it very clear that this is completely unacceptable.

I think that the way that the international community has stood firm against Russia, or at least most of the global community has done so, is necessary. Our biggest problem now is that not only has he visited violence on men, women and children in Ukraine, but by blockading Ukraine, he is in danger of exporting a famine, especially to the developing world, in the way that Stalin used famine as a weapon in Ukraine itself.

It is a dreadful human tragedy, but perhaps more than that, it›s a monumental human crime.

8. During your tenure as Minister of Defense under Prime Minister David Cameron, you supervised a major reorganization of the Ministry of Defense and Britain’s participation in the campaigns in Afghanistan and Libya. What do you think of the situation in Libya and Afghanistan now? And after all these years, do you think that the campaigns in Libya and Afghanistan were successful and achieved their goals?

The campaign in Libya was primarily to avoid humanitarian disaster which was Gadhafi forces moving against the civilian population that was close to successful. I would say that the failure in Libya has been in the aftermath and the lack of cohesion for a fall through plan but we have seen that awful.

I think that where we do see failure is often that the political plan is not there to follow through on the military plan, so that the fragmentation and the lack of progress is a great shame primarily for the Libyan people themselves.

The whole Neom project is tremendously exciting, what I would say to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, «You are at your highest level, keep going.»

In terms of Afghanistan, well the initial aim of Afghanistan was achieved which was to deny the power to those who had given assistance to Al Qaeda in developing the plans and capabilities that ultimately led to the 11/9. Again the complication is in the follow-through period but there is no doubt that in the aftermath of that we saw a great improvement in the prosperity and the stability and the freedoms of people in Afghanistan.

Actually, having myself visited schools, I have been across the country to a lot of places where conditions clearly were much better.

I think that the rise and the freedom of women have massively improved. But what we have seen is the Taliban going back step by step to the old ways to their very regressive anti-women thinking.

I think that if you look across the Gulf and you see countries like Saudi Arabia or the UAE and you see the tremendous improvement there in conditions and rights for women that have been gradually ruled out, you see that Afghanistan under the Taliban is ruling back into history rather than progressing into the future.

9. In July 2018, “Give Us Time” charity was set up to provides family leave to those who serve in the armed forces, especially those who witnessed the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. What is the fate of this institution now and what are its main achievements?

It is now going from strength to strength of course, the pandemic was a terrible setback for us because we were unable to do many of the things we wanted, and we set up the charity specifically to be a low-cost charity because of the experiences that the further you go from a conflict the less the public remember it and the less they are likely to be financially supportive.

What we did was to ask people with a holiday home or a second home or a tiny share and ask the holiday companies who get the capacity to give it to us, and we gave it to families whose member have been involved in the conflict. The reason for that was when I was a doctor that worked for the army, people tended to forget the impact that active service had on families.

We got lots of charities that are about service personnel, help for use and so on, but often it is the families that carry the burden. You know if you are five or six and your daddy is being away for six months, it can be a long time and often you know there is trauma in the

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MP Liam Fox and Laura Roberts, Executive Director of UK Abraham Accords Group, meeting with King of Bahrain during a visit by parliamentary delegation from The UK Abraham Accords Group last April.

the reforms and changes he has accomplished and continues to undertake, and his vision of opening up to the world?

It is astonishing when you visit Saudi Arabia and I have had just a few weeks ago, and I couldn’t believe the proliferation of cinemas, Starbucks, KFCs, not necessarily good for your health all of these things but 10. How do you see the media’s discourse which nonetheless signs of change. incites against peace and the promotion of civil People being out in the street mixing. It was just a participation amongst people, especially the Arab/ positive change but more than that the vision of what technology can do. The whole Neom project I think is Israeli partnership?

Well, everybody who has a position of authority, has tremendously exciting not just in itself for what it may a responsibility. All power and all influence bring be able to achieve but it is a sign to everybody about with it responsibility and our responsibility is to what can happen and I hope that British companies promote peace, to promote understanding and mutual will play their role in that because the more that we can develop new technologies together, the more we cooperation.

I think all of us have a duty to call out those people will share in the social profits that will come from who misuse that responsibility for negative personal that, so I am enormously heartened by it and what I political reasons. I think that those TV channels such would say is you are at your highest, keep going. as you mention also have a responsibility to ensure that they are not willfully or inadvertently helping 12. Do you intend to visit Saudi Arabia soon? those who are promoting division and violence. They I do, I have got a couple of British companies who cannot go without being held liable for the messages really want to take part in the Neom project and I that they transmit. think they have got great technological ideas that may be excellent partners so I do intend to it. In the 11. Finally, what message would you like to send past, I am going to re-add, it was a very different to Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, who is striving experience from today with the exception of the with all his energy and power to combat extremism, traffic. family and we want to give them quality time to get their families back together.

This year we will be sending a record number of families away which, given all the difficulties of pandemic, is a tremendous testament to the amazing staff we have and the work that they do.

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Liam Fox: The Abraham Accords and 30 Years in Parliament

By Majalla Illustration by Jeannette Khouri This May, North Somerset Member of Parliament Liam Fox marked 30 years in Parliament.

Fox entered the British House of Commons in 1992 and has served in a wide range of positions in both government and the opposition. He was a member of Prime Minister John Major’s cabinet, and served as Lord Commissioner of the Treasury and then as a Minister in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

“I feel very privileged and honoured to be the Member of Parliament for North Somerset and it is the greatest privilege to represent my constituents,” he said during a ceremony marking the anniversary.

Alongside the opposition, Liam Fox has held a number of roles including Conservative Party Chair, Shadow Health Secretary, Shadow Foreign Secretary, Shadow Defense Secretary and Spokesperson for Constitutional Affairs.

He was appointed Secretary of State for Defence under Prime Minister David Cameron in May 2010, to oversee a major reorganization of the Ministry of Defense and Britain’s participation in the campaigns in Afghanistan and Libya.

He was also Government Whip and Foreign & Commonwealth Minister in John Major’s Government

and Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade in Theresa May’s administration.

Under Prime Minister Johnson, Fox was nominated as the UK government’s official candidate to be director general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 2020.

He is currently the 14th most senior MP in the House of Commons out of 650 MPs. In July 2018, after serving his term as Defense Minister, he established the “Give Us Time” military charity, which provides family leave for those who serve in the armed forces, especially those who watched combat in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In July last year, the ambassadors of the Kingdom of Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Israel to the United Kingdom appointed Liam Fox as President of the Abrahamic Accords Group in the UK, which aspires to create a platform in the UK to support the Abrahamic Accords and comprehensive peace in the Middle East.

The UK Abraham Accords Group, chaired by the Rt Hon Dr Liam Fox MP, made its first visit to the Kingdom of Bahrain to meet with government officials from 4 – 7 April 2022, following its successful delegation visit to the UAE in January.

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Dr Fox was joined by Lord John Walney, who formerly served as a Labour MP on the Parliamentary Labour Party’s Defense and Foreign Affairs committees, and as a member of the House of Commons Defense Committee.

Commenting on the visit, Dr Fox said: “The Abraham Accords were a bold and visionary step towards peace in the Middle East. Our group is here to express support for the Accords, as well as to see for ourselves the spirit of coexistence that is being fostered in Bahrain between religions, cultures, and nations. I also hope that the UK can play an important role in expanding the Accords and that our group can contribute to this aim. I look forward to discussing this matter further with Bahraini officials during our visit.”

Fox was also a staunch advocate of free trade and an advocate of the rules-based global trading system based on the World Trade Organization. Among his most famous quotes: “I believe that if we want to keep the WTO relevant and vibrant, we must ensure that trade works for everyone.”

He is one of the personalities defending the “SheTrades” initiative of the International Trade Center.

He believes that increasing women’s access to trade is both economic empowerment and social progress, and believes that there must be much better coordination between trade and development policy if both the full potential is to be achieved.

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Eitan Na’eh: Bahrain and Israel to Hold Trade, Investment, Joint Projects in Hundreds of Millions

Officials, Business leaders, Artists in First Event of Kind in Israeli Embassy in Manama

By Majalla – Manama Hundreds of Bahraini government officials and business leaders attended the Israeli Embassy’s Yom Haatzmaut event recently to celebrate the close relationship that has developed between the countries since the signing of the Abraham Accords. Israeli actor and singer Tsahi Halevi, who starred in the hit television show Fauda, and Chef Doron Sasson participated in the program.

Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior’s band played the Israeli and Bahraini national anthems.

The event marks the first time that Israel has held a Yom Haatzmaut event in the Gulf. This is the first such event of its kind following the opening of the embassy

by Israel’s Foreign Minister Yair Lapid in September 2021. Ambassador Eitan Na’eh, Israel’s first Ambassador to the Kingdom, arrived in November 2021.

The evening focused on the advancement

of the relationship between the two countries and included a recorded message from Foreign Minister Lapid and speeches Ambassador Dr. Sheikh Abdallah bin Ahmad Al Khalifa (Undersecretary in Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry), Ambassador Na’eh as well as a musical performance from Halevi.

Chef Sasson prepared a special menu for the evening offering a fusion of Bahraini and Israeli dishes. Speeches highlighted the business, cultural and people-to-people opportunities between Israel and Bahrain.

In his speech, Na’eh spoke about the vision shared by both governments regarding the opportunities for both nations and highlighted the economic activity between the two nations as well as investments and joint ventures which is projected to reach hundreds of millions within the next few years. He noted that he anticipates hundreds of millions in volume and emphasized the

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Ambassador Nae’h delivering his speech about the vision shared by both governments.

(Supplied)

advantages of agreements in the fields of medical research, technology and trade.

“Our Yom Haatzmaut reception shows the authentic, warm and genuine relationship between Israel and Bahrain – its leadership and people,” said Ambassador Na’eh. “The new Middle East is built upon a shared desire to cooperate in all areas from security to sustainable energy, water and food security to tourism and other areas.”

Majalla previously met with Amb. Na’eh when he was the head of Israeli mission in Abu Dhabi in September 2021, just before leaving the UAE to Bahrain. Speaking about his experience in UAE, and what he learned from being the first Israeli diplomat appointed there following the Abraham Accords, he said, “I came to the UAE eager to learn.

I learned a lot. I learned to be humble.

I learned how much we still don›t know about each other. I really fell in love with the region, its people, culture, history.

I enjoyed the opportunity to listen, to watch. I enjoyed the kindness of people,

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“Through our increasing presence here, increasing activities on social media we hope to create understanding and knowledge.” the hospitality. The warmth. People can make a difference by enhancing people to people relations. But most of all I learned, or tried to learn patience.”

He added, “I enjoyed the opportunity to listen, to watch. I enjoyed the kindness of people, the hospitality. The warmth. People can make a difference.

Enhancing people to people relations is the way forward.”

Regarding the achievements he achieved as the first Israeli ambassador to Bahrain, Na’eh said: “I came here trying to create movement, make things happen in all fields. I am happy to see business starting to happen; dialogue developing; joint research in the medical field that

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will benefit all people in the region.”

He added that he was happy to bring to the UAE some of Israel’s best builders of high tech eco systems.

“I see enlarging economic activity and volume of activity as my main goal here.

I helped connect research institutions, encourage academic exchanges, initiate visits and bring here businessmen and women, investors, dreaming together about trade, and commerce, cooperation in many fields,” Na’eh said.

On his impressions and relations with Bahraini leaders, he said, “I was welcomed with warmth. I really enjoyed meeting the leadership of this country visionaries who dare to dream. (They are) some of the most talented people I ever met. My wish is to work with them to build sustainable relations.”

The Jews in Bahrain are considered indigenous, as they have lived there since the nineteenth century.

They established lives and businesses and contributed to building society, even as some of the most prominent Israeli businessmen, researchers and professors are of Bahraini origin.

In this context, Na’eh said that he heard many stories about the lives of Bahrain›s Jews in the past.

“I heard many stories of life here in the old days and experience it now. We

“Jews here in Bahrain are indigenous. They have been living here since the 19th century. Built life, businesses, contribute to society.”

held celebrations here for the Jewish holidays. Bahrain is unique in that regard,” he added.

On preparations for a reception hosted by the Israeli embassy on the occasion of the National Day, Na’eh said, “We have made a lot of preparations towards celebrating our National Day here in Bahrain.

“We invited hundreds of peoples, new friends, from all walks of life and society here. We brought an Israeli Chef to cook Israeli food which is really a fusion of food of countries from where Jews came from. We all like to eat, try new foods.

“We created a menu of Tel Aviv street’s food with some Bahraini ingredients.

Food unites us and gets us gather together,” he said.

The ambassador added, “We brought an Israeli singer, live music, a combination of Israeli, Bahraini, and international music. Lights, sounds, tastes - of something new that is happening.”

Concerning the current climate in Bahrain regarding the acceptance of Abraham Accords by Sunnis and Shiites (meaning the people as a whole), Na’eh said, “We have created a new reality, a positive vision that offers hope. Our relations are at infant stage. We need to nurture them with passion, love, patience, sensitivity, and determination.

“Those who oppose the process need time, sometime we need to remind ourselves that we need not look back because we don’t walk there. We move forward.”

Regarding the things that the Israeli ambassador aspires to achieve in Bahrain, he said: “I would like to see more Bahrainis going to Israel. We will facilitate it.

More tourism, cultural exchanges, trade,

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Attendees of the National Day Reception held by the Israeli embassy in Bahrain. (Supplied)

investment and joint ventures.

“I want to see relations that are there to stay because we all realize that it is better to deal with the birth pains of peace, difficulties of building new relations than with the alternative: hostilities, breakout of war.”

Concerning the law that contradicts the goals of the Abraham Accords and that Iraq has approved to punish anyone who seeks peace with sentences that may amount to death, Na’eh said, “They are fighting the inevitable. They work against the very interest of their people.

They offer no better alternative and will see only more of the same. Shame!

Couple of months ago, Na’eh said that he escorted Bahrain Foreign minister Abdullatif Al Zayani, to Israel to a unique meeting of foreign ministers

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from Morocco, Egypt, Israel, the UAE and the USA. “The excellent discussions witnessed a concerted effort to address together some of the pressing problems in the region - from water to food security, to sustainable energy, security of course.”

“That is a new Middle East. The Club is open. Come join or stay behind,” he said.

Regarding the media’s support in Bahrain for peace between Manama and Tel Aviv, Na’eh indicated that he and his diplomatic team work closely with the media to publish stories that help broaden people’s horizons.

“Through our increasing presence here and increasing activities on social media we hope to create understanding and knowledge,” he said.

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Russian Air Force Fails in Ukraine American Analysts Review the Russia’s Military Aerospace Performance

By Mohammad Ali Salih – Washington Something was missing during the recent annual military celebration in the Red Square in Moscow, the Victory Day, that commemorates Russia’s victory over Nazi Germany in 1945, as the World War II was coming to its end: The usual dominant show by the Russian Air Force.

The military planes› flyovers were abruptly canceled in Moscow and in at least two other major cities that were due to hold parades to commemorate the national holiday.

Although a Kremlin spokesman told reporters that the cancellation was “due to the weather”, the weather forecast had said there was going to be a light rain shower and a moderate breeze.

Here in Washington, leading military and strategic analysts said they were not surprised by the cancellation, because of the poor – if not no – show by the Russian Air Force in Ukraine since the invasion.

Analysts compared that to the successes of the US air force during, both, the liberation of Kuwait in 1991, and the invasion of Iraq in 2003, where the ground troops advanced after the air force, not only dominated Iraq skies, but annihilated its air force.

Following are excerpts from three American analysts, from their respective tweets, websites and comments to the media: First, Jon Jackson, senior reporter with “Newsweek” magazine, argued that the Russians couldn’t effectively use their 1,511 military planes since they invaded Ukraine.

Second, William Alberque, director of strategy at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, credited the Ukrainians for being able, not only to shoot-down Russian planes, but, also, to penetrate into Russian-controlled regions and bombard targets.

Third, Craig Hooper, Founder and CEO of the Themistocles Advisory Group, showed figures to prove the absence, or

reduction, of air force planes at the traditional Russian Victory Parade in Moscow – a “punishment” for their poor performance in Ukraine.

JON JACKSON: “1,511 PLANES” “When the war in Ukraine began, many experts predicted Russia›s reportedly mighty air force would play a key role in securing a quick victory for Russian President Putin. Not only did that prediction not come to fruition, but Russia›s air force has not been much of a factor in the war at all.

Russia possesses one of the largest air forces in the world with 1,511 combat aircraft to Ukraine›s 98 …

Recently, “The Economist” of London wrote of how Russia had spent billions of dollars in the past decade on warplanes that were said to be ‘as advanced as anything the rest of Europe has to offer’ …

Ukrainian President Zelensky feared the threat of Russia›s attack from above, and made multiple (unsuccessful) pleas early in the invasion for Western forces to establish a no-fly zone above his country.

Yet, Russia has not managed to establish air superiority over Ukraine and continues to lose aircraft as the result of Ukraine›s increasing air defense. There are a number of reasons why Russia’s air campaign has been ineffective: First, the big size of Ukraine, which makes it an uneasy place to target from the air.

Second, Russia›s air force had only about a 70 percent success rate of getting planes up in the air. (By contrast, the US forces had a flying percentage rate in the 90s).

Third, Russia›s military has grappled with higher maintenance costs and higher supply costs, resulting in the inability to replace destroyed or damaged aircraft and equipment …”

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Jon Jackson

William Alberque

WILLIAM ALBERQUE: “FROM THE BEGINNING” “Most important point: the Ukrainians were able to effectively distribute these air defenses so it became too dangerous for Russian combat flights. And that, also, because of the Western supplies of MANPAD and other types of air defense systems that allowed them to increase and to improve their capabilities …

NATO countries have also been providing Ukraine with increasingly advanced military hardware as Russia’s war drags on. Slovakia donated its Soviet-era S300- long-range air defense system to Ukraine.

The Russian air forces were almost crippled from the beginning, and there were a few reasons for that: First, their lackluster weapons systems.

Second, pilots’ inability to quickly locate and engage targets on the ground.

Third, missiles often miss their targets — if they worked at all …

Actually, the problems with the missiles were not less than those with planes. Russian stocks of precision-guided munitions are significantly smaller than NATO’s. And this Russia’s lack of precision-guided munitions forced them to use dumb munitions [unguided bombs] …

But technology alone does not fully explain Russia’s failure to establish air superiority. Experts say Russia’s air doctrine has been poorly thought out and haphazardly executed from the opening days of the war.

They thought it would be all over very quickly, with a complete Ukrainian collapse at first contact, and President Zelensky either captured or ran away to Britain or France …”

CRAIG HOOPER: “VICTORY PARADE” “As the Russians were preparing for the traditional Victory

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Craig Hooper

Parade, it became clear that they were not going to give their Air Force its traditional role of flying over the parade, showing its big missiles and its recent technological advances.

Because the helicopter fleet was taking a steady beating in Ukraine, and facing battlefield attrition, the parade planners used no more than 15 helicopters.

That was a humiliating reduction from a big contingent of 23 choppers just a year ago in a similar Victory Parade …

The story was no better for Russia’s fixed-wing aircrafts.

“Sukhoi” Su30-, and Su34- “Fullback” fighter-bombers, which faced heavy losses, were not shown in the Red Square parade, either.

Instead, the Moscow parade was to celebrate Russia’s creaky fleet of” Mig29-” fighter jets. After showing 4 “Mig29-s” in previous victory parades, Russia was set to use 16 “Mig29-s” -- and that was scrapped …

Fuel may have been a problem too. “Mig29-s” are notorious gasguzzlers. And with the fuel-hungry fighter set to represent more than a quarter of Moscow›s parade aircraft, any supply shortage would have been difficult to mask …

The show’s central—and most provocative—attraction was originally to be filled by the Ilyushin IL80- “Maxdome” command and control aircraft; a “doomsday” plane that ensures Russian leaders remain in contact with their nuclear arsenal during a war.

But with only three planes still flying, the -35year-old derivation of the IL86- passenger aircraft had little backup in the event the designated parade aircraft broke down …

With rumors of intergovernmental tension and increasing insubordination in the mid-level officer corps, the abrupt cancellation of Russia’s Air Force fly-over—despite several successful practice-runs under far worse weather—was notable.

At a minimum, the sudden ceremonial purge of Russia’s Air Force suggests that the Russian Air Force is unreliable operationally, and, potentially, politically …”

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Top 5 Mistakes by Saudi Entrepreneurs Here’s What Startups Can Learn from Failure to Flourish

By Motasem Al Felou - Jeddah “I’ve rushed things. I should not have started the franchising system until I made sure I had a solid business model and the right people to take care of the franchise. I thought the franchisees would run the restaurant branches the same way I would,” Mohannad, a 33-year-old Saudi entrepreneur told Majalla English.

After specializing in the F&B sector, he has recently closed 3 restaurants in Cairo, Dubai and Riyadh only 4 years after launching his first restaurant.

Mohannad belongs to the emerging generation of Saudi entrepreneurs, who prefer to start and run their own business to being employees. However, the picture is not always rosy. The sweet taste of early success might entice some to push their businesses beyond limits, so they get involved in miscalculated adventures.

Majalla English recently spoken to 4 Saudi young entrepreneurs, who have experienced both success and failure, to highlight the mistakes committed by them or other entrepreneurs that could hinder their success. Three of them have learned from their mistakes and flourished again; however, Mohannad has decided to exit the market temporarily.

RUSHING TO FRANCHISE Out of quick success and the lure of making fast profits, some

entrepreneurs seek to become franchisors even before their brand matures.

“Frankly, I thought I would make money just because I created a restaurant brand that was successful from the very first days. I had the illusion that it’s a matter of wall branding and recipes.

My real plan was to attract more franchisees, sell the brand and retire before I reach 40,” said Mohannad.

“I have discovered that establishing a solid franchise system is never easy as quality control is the most crucial matter. I didn’t have the right tools to make sure the brand experience I offer my customers here in my Jeddah restaurant is the same one offered by the franchisees,” he added.

After huge losses and failed partnerships, Mohannad is now looking for a job. It could be difficult for a business owner to become an employee again. However, he is optimistic about finding a job with a good package due to his experience in the F&B sector. He believes he will invest again after financial recovery that might take years.

PAYING EXTREMEY HIGH WAGES This mistake is committed by newbies. They think that when they offer managers or business consultants salaries higher than the market, they become highly likely to succeed early.

Abdulkareem, a 29-year-old entrepreneur based in Jeddah, start-

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Startup Investment Forum 2022.

ed a small enterprise in the field of perfumes. He hired a part-time consultant and paid him USD 11,000 a month.

The consultant proved useless.

“I hired the marketing and sales consultant in my third year in the business to boost the revenues. I paid big money to see tangible results. After one year, nothing changed.

On the contrary, the consultant convinced me to take steps that harmed the business. He was a burden or let’s say a liability. He was good at making presentations; that’s all he could do for me. Sales dropped and I couldn’t cover my expenses!,” Abdulkareem talked sadly about his experience.

“I fired the consultant and returned to the roots. I restructured the business again and things improved. I knew the secrets of expansion and growth: good location, competitive/ affordable prices and bonuses for employees based on their performance. Investing in employees yields the highest profits. Theorizing about the business without measurable results and effective strategy that is translated into action plans is impotent,” he added.

Ineffective headhunting for high positions leads to financial attrition and other sales and marketing problems.

Some entrepreneurs bet on the wrong person/ people and pay a high price in the end.

UNDER/OVERFUNDING Rashed, an entrepreneur, who started his small business in the field of confectionary, faced financial problems not because of the lack of money. On the contrary, he got a bank loan more that his fresh business needs based on a feasibility study that lacks financial accuracy.

In the first two years, the sales predictions didn’t match reality, a matter that led to more liabilities.

“Because I received funds much bigger that business needs, I had to pay higher interest to the bank. A considerable amount of the profits was dedicated to repay the loan. It was money I didn’t need and couldn’t return to the bank,” said Rashed.

On the other hand, lack of funds could negatively affect the execution of basic business plans. There is no perfect formula for funding. Sometimes, external factor such as inflating raw material prices or sudden increases in operational costs (taxes, fees, etc.) can derail financial plans.

MISUSE OF GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES & TAX EVASION “After the outbreak of Covid-19, the Saudi government provided financial aid for companies to retain their Saudi employees. Some entrepreneurs try to outsmart the government by misusing government funds or playing with tax records. They believe they can run away with their violations. However, the digitalization of all corporate trans-

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The sweet taste of early success might entice some entrepreneurs to push their businesses beyond limits, so they get involved in miscalculated adventures. actions has helped the government agencies to track the fate of subsidies and hold businesses responsible for their wrong actions,” said business analyst Kareem Yousef.

The lack of transparency might lead to business closure.

Manipulating public funds that are given to entrepreneurs is considered corruption. The Saudi government is becoming more and more intolerant of corrupt practices. Hefty fines are imposed to the extent that the business is torpedoed.

OVERPRICING Cost management is one of the most crucial aspect of business. Consumers look for value in exchange of the services and goods they buy. Exaggerated prices without justification results in abstinence and looking for other providers.

“The pricing issue is problematic. The problem comes from ignorance; you don’t know who your customers are or you can’t produce goods or services at reasonable prices for multiple reasons including failure of cost management, not addressing the right customer base and lack of knowledge of market dynamics,” said Hamza, a Saudi entrepreneur in his late thirties.

“I have a kabsa (chicken/meat and rice) restaurant. This dish, kabsa, is popular and affordable for all citizens and expats. I invested too much in the decoration and tried to upgrade the kabsa experience, and introduced a higher pricing system. I discovered later that more than a half of my customers belong to the working classes due to affordability. I lowered the price to save my business and it took me a while to make profits. In my other branches, I invested less in decoration and branding, and things are much better now. Hygiene, good taste and affordable prices suit kabsa restaurants more than luxury decoration! I thought I came up with something totally new,” he added.

The mistakes mentioned above are not the only ones entrepreneurs commit in their investment journey. However, they are the main ones.

“Success factors vary from one entrepreneur to another.

Knowing the exact needs of your customers will save you from making mistake. However, luck plays a role sometimes,” concluded business analyst Kareem Yousef.

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The Fine Line The Russian invasion of Ukraine enters its fourth month with no sign of a near end to this global crisis, which is likely to develop into a third world war, if not with weapons, then over food and the specter of economic stagnation that began with Covid 19. Has the world lost its mind, or have the rules of world peace been shaken?

Gamal Abdul-Mabud

Over many years, the major countries, without exception, relentlessly played the role of a bully, each in their sphere of influence.

Every powerful country has given itself the unethical right to invade other countries, as seen in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Either due to the formula of equal powers or fears of potential repercussions, the world was able to live according to the theory of the fine line that governs the relationship between major countries which control the fate of mankind. Meantime, most other countries are marginalized except for some protocol measures to suggest that there is a global peace system; it is nothing more than an international speech machine called the United Nations, which is incapable of doing anything without permission from the Big Five.

It is good for humanity that there is occasional agreement to deal with a few international crises, but the greatest tragedy occurs when one of the five countries is an original party or an agent for other parties to the conflict.

Hence, the United Nations does nothing but offer criticism, denunciation, and sometimes verbal condemnation.

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A specialist in human history can find that most major wars since the twentieth century have been caused by these countries, while the rest of the world is the dry grass that breaks under the legs of the fighting elephants. The Ukrainian crisis is no different and will end according to the same fine line theory where these scuffles blur and sometimes erase the line between reason and greed.

The question remains: how many lives will be lost, how many safe people will be forced to flee, and how many families will lose their feeling of safety and security? All of this appears to be irrelevant as the big countries rush like bulls to the edge of the abyss, and every country will mobilize its nuclear weapons of destruction, a tenth of which is enough to destroy the world several times.

The Ukrainian President Zelensky has stated that the solution must be diplomatic, so why is there a deliberate delay? That’s the point.

The US and Europe fantasize about depleting Russia›s military capabilities while crushing its economy via a boycott that did not work with Iran, which is less financially powerful than Russia. In terms of military capabilities, what is the use of weapons of mass destruction, which is sufficient to destroy the world all at once, even by accident?

The fact that major countries are not sincere in their pursuit of true peace, as a resolution for most crises, is known. If we think well of them, the great powers only look for their interests from a narrow perspective, and if we think badly of them, they are greedily seeking

to guarantee their permanent, unethical interests, which is more likely.

It has all happened before - despite the stringent Treaty of Versailles in 1918, under which Germany was stripped of its forces Armed forces, with the exception of 100,000 soldiers who were only allowed to carry light weapons during military parades, the victorious countries felt that this was insufficient, so the treaty was followed by a January 1920 supplement in which Germany admitted responsibility for the war and paid reparations of 269 billion marks, the final instalment of which was paid in 2010 by Chancellor Angela Merkel.

In addition, parts of its lands were carved out for Poland, Czechoslovakia, and France, which led to the deterioration of the German economy.

Hitler came to power in 1933 to raise Germany from rock bottom to prosperity, but he pushed the world into a second world war because the Versailles Treaty was itself a justification for a new global war. Therefore, the world did not impose fines on Germany after World War II so that the tragedy would not be repeated.

On the contrary, it contributed to the building of a destroyed Germany after World War II, and only Israel benefited from the funds, as a representative of the plight of the Jews, so it took sufficient compensation using means of enticement, blackmail and inheritance without legal basis.

Now we confront the same facts, with the world ignoring Russia›s interests, attempting to marginalize the remnants of the Soviet Union, biting off some of the countries affiliated with the Warsaw Pact, and joining NATO, which should have been dissolved after the fall of the Iron Curtain until the forces were balanced and the need for it was no longer required.

Instead, the American thinker Francis Fukuyama came out with the theory of the end of history to establish America’s leadership in the world, which resulted in many regional

wars, most of them by proxy, and ideological terrorism spread, as happened in resisting the Russian invasion of Afghanistan, so the American intelligence assigned Al-Qaeda to fight Russia, which then turned against America and the whole world using the ideologies of Islamic extremism.

When this was not enough, Condoleezza Rice, U.S. Secretary of State during the George Bush Jr. administration, came out to preach to humanity a policy of creative chaos, which caused many countries to split and activists to reject the democracy that she preached. Condoleezza left, but terrorism and dictatorship persisted, and unfortunately, most of the victims were from countries in the Middle East.

How will the Ukrainian war end?

I believe that the suffering of the peoples from unprecedented high prices and the expected energy crises will force European governments to encourage negotiations to get out of the crisis. The European peoples can bear if convinced, but the dilemma is that the great countries lack great leaders such as Roosevelt, Churchill, de Gaulle, John F. Kennedy, and even Margaret Thatcher, who could have influenced the morale of their people to bear the sacrifices of high prices and economic stagnation. Thus, protests will sweep the world when European people reach the limit of survival.

Then, as usual, people will revolt in search of food whose supply chains have been disrupted by the war, from which the arms companies benefit. As usual, America will emerge as a creditor to Europe. Erdogan, on the other hand, will pay the price of agreeing to Finland and Sweden joining NATO, as they will lose their neutrality and their well-being as well.

In addition, China’s influence will grow, as the country gets ready to bite Taiwan, while the old man in the White House abandons the dreams of strategically defeating Russia.

Then, the world will start trying to draw the fine line once again.

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The Ukrainian crisis is no different and will end according to the same fine line theory where these scuffles blur and sometimes erase the line between reason and greed .

A Weekly Political News Magazine

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Ten Movies that Might Deliver Big www.majalla.com

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When European Refugees Found “The Last Resort” in Egypt First Documentary to Show How Egypt Welcomed Fleeing Europeans During WWII

By Salwa Samir A documentary about the untold story of the thousands of Europeans who were welcomed by Egypt as refugees during World War II was made by first-time Egyptian director Yara Al-Ghandour.

The 30-minute documentary was screened at the American University in Cairo’s Tahrir Culture Center on Tuesday night.

Al-Ghandour spoke to Majalla about the idea of the film and the preparation for it.

“It took almost a year. I love research and historicic-related books. The topic is untold here in Egypt or even abroad despite its material being so rich,” Al-Ghandour, 25, said.

She emailed governmental archives in different countries such as the US, the UK, Germany and Serbia to provide her with the material about this topic and; they cooperated with her by furnishingwith photos and footage.

“Thus, I thought we could dive into the material and make a story about it and dive into the material, so I decided to shed light on this topic by this documentary,” added AlGhandour, a fashion buyer.

“It is the first documentary about that topic,” she said.

During her research, Al-Ghandour foundfinds that Europeans themselves didn’t shed light on this issue despite it being part of their history. She asked Piet Chielens, Hhead of the Ccontent at the In Flanders Fields Museum in Belgium, he told her, “We tend to forget the bad pages of our past. It’s not a real history, but it’s something that resides in memory.”

The film starts with scenes of warplanes and cannons hit-

ting residential areas in the region of Dalmatia (today’s Croatia, then Yugoslavia) which waswere evacuated by the Allies, ahead of a German invasion.

People of different ages are fleeing and running out of their devastated homes. Scenes show thousands of people reaching El-Shatt, a complex of WWII refugee camps in the desert of the Sinai established in 1944 and was disbanded after the war ended two years later.

John Corsellis (1923–2018), a European historian and one of refugees to Egypt, recorded in the movie that they went to El-Shatt as there was no other place to go.

“In the beginning, the refugees went to an island in south Italy, and the number of Italian refugees was increasing due to war. So there was no space for all refugees on that island. So it was necessary to search for another place, and El-Shatt was a nearby well-equipped place to accommodate large numbers, which exceeded 26,000.”

The film shows scenes of Egyptian food trucks heading to El Shatt camp, with some of the boxes labelledwritten on it “UNRRA,” referring to stands for the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) which cooperated with Egypt byin providing supplies to them. There are also scenes showing fundraisingdonation campaigns organizedmade by Egyptians, who felt sympathy to refugees.

Other scenes show how the refugees were enjoying their life as if they were at home. Scenes of joy and playing sports competitions are shown. They also enjoyed sun and beaches as there were free group trips organized for them to visit different parts of Egypt. Many workshops were held to teach men and women professions in addition to arts, drawing, sculpture and music. Free hHospi-

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Photo shows (from R to L) Yara Al-Ghandour, Naila Hamdy, Aassociate Ddean for Rresearch and Ggraduate Sstudies at AUC’s School of GAPP, Amr Bayoumi and Ibrahim Awad in a panel discussion after screening “The Last Resort” documentary at the AAUC’s Tahrir Culture Center on Tuesday night. (Credit: Salwa Samir)

tals were also opened for them for free.

“I remember that we had educators, writers and psychologists who taught us everything,” one of the refugees said, while holding a notebook handwritten by her when she was a child.

Another scene shows King Farouk of Egypt sitting with US presidentPresident Franklin D. Roosevelt in February 1945 whenand the latter demanded assistance from Egypt.

Corsellis related that most of the refugees, especially children, came to Egypt in a severe hunger. “They needed medical aid to recover,” he said. “There was a unit for helping those children. It saved their lives.”

Another scene shows a memorial housing 856 deceased European refugees fromin El-Shatt camps. During their stay, Egypt was keen in establishing tombs for them.

Egyptians dealt with them as human beings regarding their gender, nationality and religion.

After the Germans were defeated, the refugees returned back to their countries. Touching scenes show many of them taking an amount of Egyptian soil into a bag or jar to take it with them. They came to Egypt yearly with their children and grandsons to visit the memorial and put flowers on their relatives’ tombs.

After screening “The Last Resort” documentary, a panel discussion was held. Amr Bayoumi, award-winning director, hailed the idea of the film and its material but he argued that the political reason behind receiving the refugees was not Egyptian, given that Egypt was under British occupation during that time.

Al-Ghandour commented that when the war ended, many refugees did not return to their countries. Egypt was on

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During her research, AlGhandour foundfinds that Europeans themselves didn’t shed light on this issue despite it being part of their history. its way to becomingbe independent before it completely became independent in 1954, a few years after WWII ended.

“Egypt was under British occupation but the sovereignty was Egyptianhers,” Al-Ghandour said.

“In the movie, when Roosevelt sat with King Farouk demanding assistance, it confirmed that the matter was in the hands of the King, not the British,” she added.

Ibrahim Awad, director of the AUC’s Center for Migration and Refugee Studies, agreed with Al-Ghandour’s comment. He also hailed her initiative insofar as very few people know about this topic.

“I find the timing of the film is so important as these days the European continent deals with the refugees as a burden for them,” he said.

Awad advised her to display the film on World Refugee Day, due on June 20, and to invite representatives of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR Egypt) to watch it.

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Ten Movies that Might Deliver Big

European Cinema: An Old Man’s Dream of Growing Young

By Mohammed Rouda - Cannes One of the goals of the current Cannes Film Festival (May 28-17) is to revitalize resorting to cinema as an unmatched alternative when it comes to entertainment and/or art. To this end, more than 20 years ago it established a large market that has become a haven for anyone looking for films in terms of sales, purchase, distribution, or productions with the intention of communicating to discuss future projects.

For this purpose as well, the festival selects the movies that would garner a torrent of media promotion, in order to grow from being festival films to mass films as well. The truth is that no one can draw the audience towards non-public films in a more effective manner more than the world’s top three festivals, which are – in no particular order - Berlin, Cannes and Venice. The latter, does not own (and does not seem to want to own) a market as the other two festivals. However, many of the films screened in Venice go on subsequent art and public tours around the world and many of them are nominated or even selected as winners for the Oscars.

NUMBERS THAT MATTER The same applies to Cannes Film Festival, which plays this role at a similar success rate (the Oscar-winning film for the international Feature Film category this year, “Drive My Car,” was among the French festival’s screenings last year)

and with remarkable efficiency due to the size and activity of the film market, which parallels the festival’s work every year. The festival is visited by hundreds of distributors, producers and their companies who want to buy and sell, and who are looking for big deals.

Perhaps the crème de la crème of the

From the Romanian film “R.M.N.”

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discussion on the festival and its categories is the fact that European cinema (according to an announcement issued two months ago

by Brussels-based International Union of Cinemas), recorded the sale of 400 million tickets last year. Translating this figure to revenues indicates that the proceeds, according to the Union, amounted to EUR2.9 billion.

This is an encouraging number, but it is still %46 lower than what European cinemas achieved in 2019.

This is quite a remarkable observation that critical articles on this festival or any other one rarely scrutinize. This is despite the fact that the festival plays the role of a “manual light battery” considering its role in activating and promoting the participating films more than any other festival on the planet.

Every film passes through the commercial “filter,” including art films. Hence, looking at the most important screenings during the current 75th edition of the festival does not only involve the critics’ ratings of these films (which usually comes after watching). There is also the question whether the film will take an easy path if it moves from the festival screening halls to the cinemas across different European capitals and cities, given that this type of cinema appears to be active in EU countries (and Britain) but less so around the world, including the Arab world, where only a few of these titles are screened.

The following is an overview of ten major films of European multi-country cinema that hope to make a successful transition from art to commerce. However, one must not forget here that Europe›s return to its cinematic youth is not limited to quality or even quantity. It is also related to the success of the selected subjects in garnering the attention of viewers. If they do not, many of them will be left with American films that usually account for between 40 and 60 percent of the total box office revenues in European markets.

“Crimes of the Future,” directed by David Cronenberg.

1 - THE NATURAL HISTORY OF DESTRUCTION Ukrainian director Sergey Loznitsa completed “The Natural History of Destruction” a few weeks before the start of the Ukrainian war. This is a non-fiction film (documentary) about the war, but not the current one. Rather, it revolves around the devastation inflicted on Germany when it was under the strikes and missiles of the Allies during the last year of World War II. There are two focal points in this film.

First, considering that the director screened some of his previous documentaries at this festival (and others in Venice), this would most probably link WWII war and the current battles. The second point is the style of this director (some critics disagree about it) in the art of making a documentary film as he perceives it, which uses a method that borrows from the simplicity of composition (a fixed camera

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at the entrance to a museum of the Jewish community, for example) to cut short the history talk.

However, the director himself attracts more attention this time, as he withdrew from the European Film Academy in protest of its stance on Russian directors on the grounds of not mixing cinema and politics in this regard.

He was also expelled from the Ukrainian Film Academy for the same reason.

2 - R.M.N. Romanian director Christian Mungiu returns with his fourth film to the competition at Cannes after winning the Palme d’Or at the 2007 edition for his drama “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days.”

The film tells the story of a pregnant girl who attempts to find a doctor to perform a surgical abortion in light of the prohibitive laws. The new film differs, not in terms of method of action, but in terms of plot, as it relives the conditions of a number of characters from different backgrounds and races who live (and hope to coexist) in Romania.

3 -CRIMES OF THE FUTURE “Crimes of the Future” is a GreekCanadian production by a director who is the festival’s sweetheart, David

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Cronenberg. He has previously screened at Cannes a number of his works (the most recent of which is “Maps to the Stars” in 2014). The events of this film are complex in nature. It talks about a dark future for a scientist whose evil grows deep as he abuses human biology, causing mutations and deformities in humans. On the other hand, it is like countering violence with violence as the director here revisits an earlier period of his work when he was passionate about achieving what was known in the seventies and eighties as “biological horror cinema.” In this genre, the camera shows bloody scenes of surgeries or physical mutilations that result in the formation of bizarre and unnatural shapes. Moreover, the director›s name is too big for the audience and perhaps the jury itself not to respond to him.

4 - HOLY SPIDER This is a Danish-German-Swedish-French joint production by Ali Abbasi, a director of Iranian origin who lives and works in Denmark. “Holy Spider” is based in the city of Mashhad and revolves around a journalist (Zar Amir-Ebrahimi) who investigates a series of murders committed by a man who wants to cleanse the city of prostitutes. As she proceeds with her investigation, she begins to suspect that the killer is linked to the authorities, and that she should stop pursuing her investigations in anticipation of an imminent danger, perhaps from the regime itself. Abbasi had previously participated in 2018 in the “Un Certain Regard” section through a film called “Border” that carried a strange and exciting idea about a Swedish border officer (Eva Melander) who has a sense of distinguishing and catching a fearful traveler. One time, she found what she was looking for in a young European who swallowed a chip containing pornographic pictures of children.

He is handsome and she is ugly and there

“Holy Spider” by Ali Abbasi

grows the dilemma.

5 - TRIANGLE OF SADNESS In 2017, Swedish director Ruben Östlund won the Palme d›Or at the Cannes Film Festival for his film “The Square.” As he puts it, he was the first to be surprised. He told a critic in an interview one day after winning (it was a five-minute meeting at Aéroport de Nice): “It was a great surprise for me, not because I was suspicious of the artistic quality of my film, but because most of the competing films that I watched, and I say that I watched most of them, were impressive.” His new movie enters the competition fiercely with a thrilling plot treated with a dark comedic color. It is about cruise on a yacht owned by a wealthy man that stops at a deserted and unknown

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island and the consequent actions arising from psychological and emotional setbacks and fears. It stars American actor Woody Harrelson.

6 - FINAL CUT French director Michel Hazanavicius borrows the subject of “Final Cut” (which refers to the final edited version of a film) from the Japanese short film “A Cut of the Dead.” Previous experience deems it implausible that this film will have a natural qualitative potency because it is generally accepted that the original film has a cultural and artistic specificity that made it so important or impressive that others would transfer it to other cultures. In the 1950s, Japanese Akira Kurosawa directed “The Seven Samurai,” which Hollywood bought the rights to remake and produced a Western film called “The Magnificent Seven.” The result was incomparable. Of course, that doesn›t mean the “Final Cut” will be worse than the original movie (it is certainly quite different in its tools), but it is quite probable.

7 - BUTTERFLY VISION This Ukrainian film was shot and completed a few days before the beginning of the

Russian invasion. Its strong point lies in its simulation of the fear of war between the two countries. It tells the story of a woman who was arrested (the film synopsis does not mention by whom) during the 2014 war, and her current struggle to adjust to her situation. In fact, Ukraine has mobilized several films produced in the last two years to talk about that war in particular, the best of which is “Klondike” by a new-generation director named Maryna Er Gorbach. “Butterfly Vision,” by another newcomer, Maxim Nakonechnyi, is featured in the “Un Certain Regard” “The Five Devils” (France) section, and has a good chance of taking the prize, even if it is deemed a declaration a strong plot (The gorgeous Empress is access to competitions. Thus, the selected celebrating her 40th birthday) and it is films for this section comprise interesting of solidarity with Ukraine. likely that the director has adopted her works, and this is one of them. It tells the previously praised style of lengthy scenes, story of a young girl who has the ability to 8 - CORSAGE a narrative style that some do better than smell anything from a distance, which leads her to search for her long-lost aunt. This is an Corsage is an Austrian-German film others (called “the gaze cinema”). interesting topic from a director who screened (with the participation of France and her debut “AVA” in Cannes in 2017.

9 THE FIVE DEVILS Luxembourg) that deserves attention, as it talks about Empress Sisi during some years of her reign in the 1870s. This film is the second by French director Léa 10 - ONE FINE MORNING The director is Vicki Kreutzer, who has Mysius and it is screened in the “Directors› previously participated twice in the Berlin Fortnight” section. Usually, the films under This is another movie by a female director, Film Festival. The first participation was this section (which is supervised by the Mia Hansen-Løve, though the Festival’s through the movie “The Fatherless” in French Directors Guild) are free of the burden Managing Director Thierry Frémaux 2011 (her first film) and in 2019 through of other productions that have to prove their was still held liable for the participation “The Ground Beneath my Feet.” She has production presence as a first factor in their of more male-directed films than female directors, as if he had to compromise even if this means accepting substandard works. Hansen-Løve has so far directed eight films, most of which were screened in different sections of the festival. This movie is about a divorced woman who has a young girl and has to simultaneously work to support and take care of her father before and after she falls in love again. The heroine of this Franco-German production is Léa Seydoux, whom we will also be watching in David Cronenberg›s Future Crimes. * Mohammed Rouda is Asia World Film Festival Consultant & Programmer, Script Writer. He wrote books on cinema. He’s also a member of: Fipresci (International Federation of Film Critics), London Film Circle MPAA (the media section, Hollywood), and Hollywood Foreign Press Association.

“Triangle of Sadness” (Sweden)

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NEW MOVIES

A weekly review of screenings at movie theatres around the world DOWNTON ABBEY: A NEW ERA ★★★

It is good according to the latest «trends» of American action films in all its elements. As for its artistic value, it is not different from ◆ Genre: Historical Drama [UK] ◆ Screening worldwide other films directed by Ahmed Nader Galal, in which he excelled in terms of execution but turned his back on adding an artistic dimension to boost its value. The plot here involves a drug dealer who develops the substance in order to create a more deadly drug, without any restraint. The police are chasing after him and he has to escape, and the remaining film presents the necessary elements for the usual suspense. Ahmed El Sakka stars in the movie and delivers what is required, as usual. Alongside are Yosra El-Lozy and Mona Zaki. However, it is the actors with small roles, such as Mohamed Mamdouh and Zaki Fateen Abdel Wahab, who steal attention. ◆ Final judgment: This is a movie for anyone who still loves this The second cinematic adaptation of the hit British TV series genre of film.

“Downton Abbey” kicks off well and maintains throughout the richness of its characters and a good representation of the cast DON ★ standing in front of the camera (Maggie Smith, Imelda Staunton, ◆ Genre: Melodrama [India] ◆ Screening in the GCC Jim Carter, others). This is the story of the owner of the grand mansion, Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham, having to receive the filming team that wanted to depict the different atmospheres among conservative and new bourgeois families in events that take place in 1929. It is directed by Simon Curtis, and is adorned by elegant and artistic designs that sometimes steal attention away from the plot. ◆ Final judgment: A good change away from the current mainstream.

The Spider ★★

◆ Genre: Action [Egypt] ◆ Screening in Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Egypt

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Perhaps the new director Cibi Chakravarthi intended to present a dramatic and emotional work about a young man and a girl reunited after a long time apart. Part of the film is dedicated to narrate the boy’s journey since he was a student until his graduation and his attempt to search for a future that lives up to his ambitions. What Chakravarthi did was leave behind what could be considered new and resort instead to the old Indian traditional narratives. The film shifts from comedy and romance to action and adventure in no particular order, not that arranging the events would have been of added value for the film. Nonetheless, the impressions that originate from the dance choreographies and the general scenes decorated with their bright colors are attractive. ◆ Final judgment: This is a movie for this genre aficionados for sure.

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Fiddler›s Journey to the Big Screen ★★★

◆ Genre: Documentary [US] ◆ Screening in the USA

something new? Not so bad. Many of his tales can be rewritten, including this movie, whose author had previously produced a similar work. “Firestarter” is an adaptation of King’s novel Carrie.

The new film directed by Keith Thomas is similar to “Carrie” directed by Brian De Palma. In both films, a girl (younger than ten years old here, and twelve in the previous movie) suffers from the enmity of her surroundings at home and at school and expresses her disapproval using the superpower of starting a fire just by gazing at where she wants to set flames. ◆ Final judgment: The movie spoils itself.

Memory ★★★

◆ Genre: Thriller [US] ◆ Screening in Arab countries and worldwide In 1971, director Norman Jewison made a musical film entitled “Fiddler on the Roof,” based on the successful play of the same title. The film was banned in more than one Arab country because an Israeli actor named Topol starred in it. The reason behind resorting to this actor, who was not known even in the USA, is that the director wanted - as he describes the current movie - to provide entertainment that interests all people, whether they are Jews or not. Therefore, he did not use the actor who starred in the theater version, Zero Mostel. Of course, he would have still achieved the goal if he had resorted to a non-Jewish actor, but this in turn is another problem in itself. “Fiddler›s Journey to the Big Screen” is packed with interviews, background scenes (behind the scenes) and scenes from the previous movie. Directed by Daniel Raim. ◆ Final judgment: This is a movie for the topic and documentaries aficionados.

FIRESTARTER ★★

◆ Genre: Horror [Adaptation of a Stephen King novel] ◆ Screening in the GCC, worldwide

There must be a big drawer in Stephen King›s desk in which he puts ideas and waits for them to grow into (mostly) bestsellers.

But what would happen if the inspiration did not provide him with

The profession of acting leads some actors to grip one rope of salvation, and one rope only. Liam Neeson (like many before him) seems to only take part in films where he plays the character of a man armed with a gun and a tireless drive to accomplish a task that seems impossible from the outside.

However, in each movie, different possibilities appear, all of which help the character played by the actor, which enables him move to the next movie at the same pace of success.

“Memory” has an added value: the hero of this film (which is adapted from a Belgian novel published in 2003) has Alzheimer›s disease, which means that he may not remember the tasks assigned to him and would end up doing others.

Another plus is the presence of Guy Pearce. Another benefit is that the director Martin Campbell is a seasoned and skilled director, as he demonstrated before in “Casino Royale” in 2006. ◆ Final judgment: The best movie of this genre.

Ratings: ★ Weak or average | ★★: Mediocre with merits| ★★★: Good | ★★★★: Excellent | ★★★★★: A masterpiece 51

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S

ociety

A Step Towards a Cultured Society iRead Encourages Arab Youth to Read More

By Maryam Raafat Five years ago, writer Sherine Rashed was pushed to launch the iRead initiative as a result of her rejection of Egyptians’ being labeled as a third world people.

“When I was a student at the Faculty of Economy and Political Sciences, I was very angry with this description, to the extent that I thought to live abroad,” said Sherine Rashed.

“But staying in another country would make me feel alienated, and instead of the idea of escaping, I wondered why we are a people of a third world, and I began to observe and compare between us and other peoples,” Rashed added to Majalla.

“The biggest difference between us and people of different countries is the reading.”

In every country Rashed went to, she found reading is a habit firmly established among its citizens. “Wherever they go, they have a book in their hands. As for us, wherever we go, we have mobile phones in our hands,” Rashed explained.

So, she conceived the idea of encouraging people to read through mobile phones.

In 2014, I created a Facebook page called “Quote factory,” in which I published excerpts from the books and novels I read, with the aim of attracting followers to view the book from which the phrase is quoted.

The iRead initiative aims at encouraging the Arab youth of the world to read more and acquire the habit of reading, especially since recent surveys indicate a decline in reading rates among youth in light of the digital media revolution.

Young people usually flock to browsing social networking sites.

The initiative also aims to build a bridge among the readers in the Arab world.

with the ideas and trends of youth by recording short video clips of artists and public figures in literature.

Through these short clips the public figures talk about the impact of reading in shaping their personalities and changing their lives. They also nominate books for youth to help them love reading.

“The idea of iRead is to target youth through their access to social networking sites in order to talk to them in the language they understand to show them benefits of reading,” said Inji El Saban, the CEO of Victory Link company.

“We aim to promote the culture of reading while at the same time mitigating the negative effects of immersing youth in the world of Internet,” El Saban added to Majalla. iRead includes a set of partnerships with major publishing houses and libraries, in addition to organizing a range of activities in schools and universities in Egypt and the Arab world.

The initiative provides digital content through various social media platforms, in addition to organizing interactive ac-

NEW DIRECTION This initiative is the first collaboration between Victory Link, a leading digital marketing company, and the writer Sherine Rashed. iRead took a new direction of promotion that goes in line

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Ahmed Mourad, board member of the iRead initiative.

Credit: iRead’s official Facebook account

Sherine Rashed, the founder of the iRead initiative.

Credit: iRead’s official Facebook account

tivities to encourage reading and strengthening interaction among the target group.

“We seek to build bridges of communication between readers and writers, to discover creative talents and publish their literary works,” said Rashed.

The continuation of book counterfeiting operations threatens to bring the whole industry to a halt, as a writer will not produce new works as long as he does not get paid for his effort, and publishing houses will not publish new works because they do not recoup the costs spent on printing, copyright, and other publishing requirements, according to Rashed.

“The most difficult thing is that we will not find a new generation of writers, as the writer will be sure that his creativity is destined to be stolen,” Rashed added.

SOLUTIONS Finding radical solutions quickly to confront this crime is necessary in order to apprehend counterfeiters and confiscate their tools.

“We are launching continuous campaigns to educate readers about the dangers of buying counterfeit copies, especially since these forgers deceive them with poor printing,

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“We seek to build bridges of communication between readers and writers, to discover creative talents and publish their literary works.” incomplete pages, and a price higher than the original price,” Rashed added. iRead launched a number of social media campaigns, including an awareness video entitled “Buy the Original,” prepared by the initiative’s team, in which it gave a presentation of the danger of buying a counterfeit book, based on documented statistics and information.

“I hope to reach every Arab person, to live in a society that reads, and for reading to become the forefront of the development train of the Arab people, so that we can compete with other peoples of the world, on all levels - artistic, scientific and others,” Rashed concluded.

H

ealth

The Best Ways to Identify Processed Foods

Healthy-looking Foods Can Be Ultra-processed, Increase the Risks for Disease

By Heidi Godman Keeping overly processed foods out of your diet is an important way to help stave off chronic inflammation -- the persistent activation of the immune system -- and many chronic diseases linked to inflammation. Avoidance becomes challenging, however, when you start thinking about what you should count as a processed food. After all, some processing is actually beneficial to health.

“Done well, some processing can preserve the nutritional value of foods or make them more available -- such as during the winter, when we don’t have local fruits and vegetables. Processing can also make foods safer -- just think of pasteurized milk, which kills harmful germs.

And processes like fermentation can sometimes improve the healthfulness of foods, like yogurt,” says Dr. Walter Willett, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

So when is processing harmful, and which processed foods should you avoid? Here’s what you need to know.

WHAT ARE PROCESSED FOODS? Processed foods are those that have been changed from their original form in some way. It could be that they’ve simply been chopped and frozen (like vegetables) or that inedible parts (like the shells from nuts) have been removed from them. That type of change is considered a

minimal amount of processing.

At the next level, processed foods have a few added ingredients. Examples of these foods include a three-ingredient cracker (with wheat, oil, and salt), freshly baked bread, or canned vegetables packed in water and salt.

Foods with even more processing are called “ultra-processed” foods. “Ultra-processing usually means that the original foods are not recognizable, and they include additives such as preservatives, oil, sugar, salt, coloring, and flavoring. It’s what we mean by junk food,” Dr. Willett explains.

Examples of ultra-processed foods include hot dogs and deli meat (see “The dangers of processed meat”), cheese puffs, doughnuts, frozen pizza, white bread, cookies, microwaveable dinners, and soda.

THE DANGERS OF PROCESSED MEAT Processed meats are among the least healthy foods you can eat. Examples include bacon, sausage, ham, hot dogs, salami, and deli meat (such as deli roast beef or turkey).

These foods contain high amounts of salt, unhealthy saturated fat, nitrates and nitrites, and other chemical ­additives (coloring, flavoring, and preservatives).

Eating lots of processed meat is associated with increased risks for cardiovascular disease as well as colorectal cancer. For example, a 2019 International Journal of Epidemiology study of almost 500,000 people found

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)Photo Credit: (TNS

that those who ate red or processed meat four or more times per week had a 20% higher risk for developing colorectal cancer during the five-year follow-up period compared with people who ate red or processed meat less than twice a week.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization, classifies processed meat as carcinogenic (having the potential to cause cancer) to humans for colorectal cancer.

HEALTH RISKS When experts warn that processed foods are bad for us, they’re usually referring to ultra-processed foods.

These foods pose health risks for several reasons.

“Processing often strips foods of their nutritional value -- such as refining whole grains,” Dr. Willett says.

“Processing can also create harmful molecules, such as trans fat, or add ingredients like salt and sugar in large amounts that are harmful.”

Eating lots of ultra-processed foods is associated with increased risks for chronic inflammation, many chronic diseases (such as heart disease, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, and cancer), and early death.

For example, a 2019 BMJ study of more than 105,000 people followed for five years found that for every 10% increase in the amount of ultra-processed foods participants ate, their risk of heart attack or stroke

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Eating lots of ultra-processed foods is associated with increased risks for chronic inflammation, chronic diseases (such as heart disease, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, and cancer), and early death. went up by 12%. And another 2019 BMJ study, this one involving almost 20,000 people followed for 10 years on average, found that participants who ate more than four servings of ultra-processed foods per day had a 62% higher risk of dying during the study (from any cause) compared with those who ate two servings per day.

FINDING ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS Generally speaking, it’s easy to spot ultra-processed foods -- they’re the ones with long ingredient lists.

They’re found on store shelves or in freezers, refrig-

H

ealth

erated sections, delis, or bakeries. Common types of ultra-processed foods include packaged, ready-to-eat entrées or meals; prepared side dishes; snacks; or sweets of any kind (such as cookies and cakes).

But sometimes ultra-processed foods appear to be healthy when they’re not. That is particularly true of ultra-processed versions of fruit-flavored yogurts, refrigerated soups, refrigerated pastas (such as chicken tortellini), granola bars, juices, breakfast cereals, frozen yogurt, low-fat salad dressings, condiments, butter substitutes, low-salt crackers, or nut butters.

How can you tell if something is ultra-processed?

It’s just a matter of reading the ingredient list on a food’s label. If you see numerous ingredients, including chemicals and any words you don’t recognize, that food is probably ultra-processed. Put it back and look

“Ultra-processing usually means that the original foods are not recognizable, and they include additives such as preservatives, oil, sugar, salt, coloring, and flavoring.

for something with the shortest list of ingredients possible.

IS IT EVER OKAY TO CHEAT? It may seem hard to avoid ultra-processed foods, especially if you’re on the go or if you’d simply like to indulge in a ready-to-eat muffin, a deli sandwich, or a homemade ragù with chicken sausage. Is it ever okay to break the rules if you’re generally healthy?

“Almost anything is okay if you break the rules just once a month,” Dr. Willett says. “But keep an eye on the other ingredients. For example, the ragù could be fine if the salt is kept below 200 milligrams [mg] per serving.”

Other guidelines to follow: Keep your total daily salt intake below 2,300 mg per day, unless your doctor advises a lower threshold. Limit saturated fat to no more than 10% of your daily calories. And keep added sugars to no more than 24 grams per day for women and 36 grams per day for men.

As much as possible, eat whole, unprocessed foods as part of a plant-based diet (vegetables, legumes, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and seeds).

And remember: “Just because foods are unprocessed, it does not mean that they’re healthy,” Dr. Willett points out. “A diet based on red meat, milk, and potatoes is unprocessed but far from optimal.”

This article was originally published by Harvard Health.

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Photo Credit: (Mark )Stebnicki/ pexels

T

echnology

Google is Working on Language-to-text AR Glasses It’s a Complicated Idea

By S.A. Applin Google appears to be working on AR glasses once again, but this time, it is showing a new feature that translates speech to readable text.

At last week’s Google I/O 2022, the company demonstrated an AR glasses prototype that can translate spoken language into readable display text. Google has not hinted whether they are developing these as a product, or when, but the fact that they showed them to developers is indicative that they are think-

ing of how to extend the model of AR glasses to utilize their gigantic datasets and existing technologies.

If Google moves forward with the product, it is likely that it will frame it as a device that would attempt to break down language barriers. Sounds great, right? No more trying to find Google Translate on the web and pecking phrases into our mobile phones to translate things. When (or if) these hit the market, we’ll finally be able to read foreign signs, order correctly in restaurants, and even make new friends more easily when we travel. More sig-

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Photo credit: (TNS)

Photo credit: (Google)

nificantly, there would be a way to quickly translate communication in the event of an emergency, when people may not all speak the same language. On another level, these “translation glasses” could also open up communication channels for the deaf and hard of hearing community, giving them a new way to communicate with those around them.

However, as with all new technology ideas, Google’s translation glasses could come with a huge social cost: to our privacy, our well-being, and our cooperation with each other in our communities. What does it mean when Google becomes the translator for our lives, and are we comfortable with that notion?

The problem with any type of technology translation device is that it has to “listen” to those around it, to procure the data to translate. And if the AR glasses are listening, we will need to know what, or whom, they are listening to—and when they are listening.

At the moment, we don’t know if these glasses will be able to distinguish between more than one person at a time, either. Also, we will need to know if it is legal for these glasses to listen without consent— and if one needs the consent of someone to record them in order to translate them, will one need the glasses to translate the consent? We don’t know if in the future, these glasses will have the capacity to record what they translate, nor will we know if they could identify whom they are recording at any given time, or within what range they are capable of listening. And If they are recording glasses, or even with the transcribed text, we’ll need to know if that is stored somewhere that can be erased, and if people could opt-out in a public space without being recorded while doing so.

Let’s assume for the moment that these Google

Tech can help, but these glasses won’t translate culture or cultural norms such as whether someone is comfortable being direct or indirect. glasses won’t record us, and that Google manages to figure out consent and permission. Given that, in our crowded, noisy world, the usual problems with speech to text could still abound in the form of misunderstandings, misrepresentations, etc., in what Google ‘hears’ and what it writes as a result of that hearing. The tech might also have a lot of misspellings and confusion with mixing languages. As The Verge pointed out, many of us “code switch” using words from many different languages interspersed, with the added complexity of not all of them reading from left-to-right, which will need to be accommodated, too.

Now add to that an aggregate population using these while wandering around, which invokes much of what I wrote with Dr. Catherine Flick about Meta’s pre-Ray-Ban Stories Project Aria glasses. Many of the same issues persist, except for that with these new Google glasses, people may be walking around and reading transcripts, which again, is more like what was going on in the early days of cell phones and Divided Attention, creating potentially dangerous outcomes as distracted people walk into traffic or fall into fountains.

One of the main concerns with the glasses is Google’s seeming assumption here that technology can solve cultural problems—and that if the technology isn’t working, the solution is to develop and apply more technology. In this case, solving cross-cultural communication problems cannot be fully solved with language translation. Tech can help, but these glasses won’t translate culture or cultural norms such as whether someone is comfortable being direct or indirect, or any one of multitudes of cultural nuances and cues found in the ways that different people in different groups communicate with each other. For that, we need other humans to guide us.

This article was originally published by Fast Company.

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o

pinion

The Last Goodbye Assisted Dying in Switzerland

By Luisa Markides

This can lead to open questions of how this can be tolerated consistently with ethics, religious or our own consciousness and values .

Unlike any other country in regard to this issue,form, Switzerland has the longest history of the legal practice of non-physician assisted suicide. Assisted dying is legally allowed, as controversial as it maycan be. What would otherwise be seen as a crimecould be seen as a crime, in Switzerland, however, assistance to “die by a third party” in the event of suicide has been permitted in Switzerland since 1918.

However, this can lead to open questions of how this can be tolerated consistently with ethics, religious or our own consciousness and values.

OneA reason why someone might consider assisted dying, is that people seek a self-determined life, which they willdo not allow to be taken away from them, even at their end of life, in the event of their own death. They wish to be in control and to keep their self-determination and to be able to decide the progression of their life by deciding themselves when the time has come for them to die. When someone’s sufferingance is too much, they sometimes prefer to die thereby giving an end to their sufferingance.

It could be said, that because of the right-to-die aAssisted dDying aAssociations, the active suicides in Switzerland might be reduced or most importantly, athe higher number of suicide attempts would be, prevented.

In Switzerland there is no minimum age requirement (above the legal age), diagnosis, or symptom state. Although the reason always must be clearly “not selfish”.

As not selfishwhich itmay could be understood to be inheritancehereditary reasons or not wanting to care for a terminally ill person. The eligible criteria areis that the person must be capable of discernment and expressing a persistent and repeated wish to die over a prolonged period of time.

According to the “Swiss Medical Weekly (2020)” between 2010-2014 where 94% above the age of 55 and only 0.5% under the age of 35 were assisted suicides. In 2016 assisted suicides represented 1.4% of all deaths in Switzerland.

In order to gain an in-depth view of the very small dif-

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ferences between the terminology, eEuthanasia versus assisted dying and their legal regulations, I would like to citerecall the definition given by the Swiss Federal Office of Justice (2022) “Direct Active Euthanasia: Targeted killing to lessen the suffering of another human being. The Physician, or a third party, intentionally gives the patient an injection that leads directly to death.

This form of euthanasia is punishable under Article 111 (deliberate killing) Article 114 (killing on request) or Article 113 (manslaughter) of the Criminal code.

Indirect Active Euthanasia: Drugs (for example Morphine) are used to alleviate suffering, which can reduce lifespan as a side effect. Death, which may occur earlier, is accepted. This type of euthanasia is not expressively regulated in the Criminal Code but is generally permitted. The guidelines on euthanasia of the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences (SAMS) also regard this form of euthanasia as permissible.

Assisted Suicide: Only those who help someone to commit suicide ‘“out of selfish motives’ (for example by obtaining a deadly substance) are punished with imprisonment of up to five years or a fine under Article 115 of the Criminal Code.

Assisted Suicide is about conveying the deadly substance to the patient, which the suicidal person takes himself/herself without outside influence. There are organisations in Switzerland, like EXIT, that provide assisted suicide under this law. They are not punishable unless they can be accused of selfish motives.”

Other than in Switzerland, assisted dying is legally allowed also in some forms in the following countries: Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Luxembourg, Canada, Colombia, Australia, several states in the USA and New Zealand.

In Switzerland there are two main recognized associations that are legally recognized, EXIT and DIGNITAS. The first of them is EXIT. They are based in Zurich since 1982 and for over 35 years they are committed to everyone’s right of self-determination in life and death

for over 35 years. EXIT is a non-profit-organisation as well as the first and most experienced euthanasia organisation in Switzerland. They have over 145,000 members, which makes them one of the biggest worldwide (keeping in mind the small size of Switzerland). For them it is crucial, that the members decide what is unbearable or unreasonable in alignment with their life values for them. They are required, however, to be a Swiss citizens or resident in Switzerland and to be a member for a minimum of three years (annual membership fee Sfr 45 (.-/£36). In some circumstances this could be accelerated, however at a significantly increased financial cost.

According to EXIT their participation accompaniment ensures a gentle, safe, and dignified death with the drug Sodium Pentobarbital (NaP) in the person’s’ own home, surrounded by their relatives. This is usually given in a glass and must be taken and drunk by the person itself. In some advanced illness circumstances (like bowel cancer), this can be administrated by an infusion with the person opening the drip themselves. Usually, death occurs within minutes from taking the drug. Soon after, the notified police will appear with an official doctor for athe legal inspection of the deadth person to documenttestify that everything has been carried out according to the legal regulations.

The second largest organisation in Switzerland is called Dignitas. Their logo is “Dignitas- To live with dignity- to die with dignity.””. They are also based in Zurich and founded in 1998.

There is a one-off joining fee of Sfr.-200 and an annual membership fee of at least Sfr.-80. In an event of an urgent situation, Aalthough there is not a waiting period, in some cases, the process from mtaking the first contact with a doctor at Dignitas to the moment of death moment, can take up to three months before the assisted dying can occur, often longer.

Dignitas has not limited assisted dying only to Swiss residents but accepts members from all over the world. This has lead to the controversial “death tourism” political debate. According to Dignitas “a person’s wish to end his or her own life is a human right and no one should be discriminated against in any way, not even on the basis of where they live.”. In 2018 there have been registered 256 persons from abroad whothat have travelled to Switzerland and have sought help successfully to end their life through Dignitas.

In Switzerland, a large majority of people would join an assisted dying organization at a certain point in their life an Assisted Dying organisation, either when they are without any sign of illnesses or once they have been confronted with a life-threatening illness.

Over the years, I would witness myself that for many people it was the wish and the feeling of self-determination, of being in control over themselves that was the main reason why they would join for example Exit or Dignitas. They thought of having an alternative, but if the sufferingance is too much it gives most people hope and a way to cope with their destiny.

However, I could notice that of all the members of those associations, only a small number of people eventually die through the lethal medicine. This can also be explained according to the Swiss Federal Office of Justice (2022): “Palliative medicine and care include medical treatment, physical care, but also psychological, social and pastoral support for the patient and their relatives. They can significantly increase the quality of life of the seriously ill and dying and thus also prevent the wish to die.”.

In the end, how we decide to live and to die is everyone’s very personal and most intimate decision. As hard as it is, to understand certain feelings that some actions may bring people to take decisions, it is very much their own way. As controversial and irritating as it can be, . Wwhat for some people is freedom, for others is pain…

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In Switzerland, the eligible criteria are that the person must be capable of discernment and expressing a persistent wish to die over a prolonged period of time .