English Newsletter February 24

Al Majalla celebrated a significant milestone last week on its 45th anniversary. On the auspicious occasion, SRMG CEO Jomana Rashed Al-Rashid penned a piece titled Al Majalla: A media journey that has stood the test of time. In it, she vows that “Al Majalla will continue to serve as a beacon of Arab media and a trusted partner for readers seeking to understand the world and actively shape its future.”

And as the groundbreaking first meeting between US and Russian officials in years unfolded in Riyadh last week, Omer Onhon penned a piece titled Trump breaks the ice with Russia, leaving Europe in the cold. In it, he says, “Trump has rolled out the diplomatic red carpet to Moscow and dumped Ukraine and Brussels. Putin now knows he need not concede anything.”

For his part, Houssam Itani pens a piece titled America's 'betrayal' of Ukraine is nothing new. In it, he says, “Trump seems poised to turn off the spigot to the Ukraine war machine as he pursues an end to the conflict with Russia. Meanwhile, Kyiv looks set to join a long list of US allies abandoned by Washington.”

Ukraine’s vast mineral wealth also seemed to have caught Trump’s eye. Abdel-Rahman Ayas explores the country’s rich resources, writing, “From titanium and lithium to natural gas, Ukraine has an abundance of supplies needed by a range of industries, which Russia wants to control, while the US sees an opportunity.”

Moving onto Trump’s plan to turn Gaza into the “Riviera of the Middle East”, Omar  Ayyoubi says the plan wasn’t something spontaneous but rather plotted, writing that “Months before the US president stood on a podium alongside Benjamin Netanyahu and shocked the world, a research paper covered the detail of investors rebuilding Gaza and its administration.”

But on Friday, the US president seemingly walked back his comments on ‘owning’ Gaza and ‘transferring’ its population to Jordan and Egypt, following a meeting of Arab leaders in Riyadh, telling FOX News Radio they were “just a recommendation” and that he “would not force it.” For his part, Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy says the Riyadh meeting ahead of a planned summit in Cairo on 4 March gives Arabs an opportunity to come up with their own plan amid “competing regional visions for the Middle East.”

Meanwhile, Michael Horowitz draws our attention to the West Bank, where he says, “An emboldened settler movement drunk on the prospect of Trump recognising Israel's control there and an increasingly weakened Palestinian Authority make for a dangerous combination.”

And on the occasion of Rafic Hariri’s assassination anniversary, Al Majalla publishes a three-part series from top secret documents belonging to former Syrian Vice President Abdul Halim Khaddam, who narrates behind-the-scenes dealings regarding Syria’s role in his murder.

And Alia Mansour pens a piece titled 20 years after his assassination, Hariri's vision is finally realised. In it, she says, “Bashar al-Assad and Hezbollah obstructed his vision of a free Lebanon until they decided to take him out. Their reign has crumbled today, and Lebanon and Syria can finally chart a better future, free from Iranian meddling.”

Meanwhile, Arash Azizi looks at Trump’s game of hardball with Iran. In his piece, he says, “The US might threaten Iran with Israeli strikes in order to get it to come to the table, but Trump prefers a deal.”

Switching gears, Abdullah Al-Rashid pens a piece titled The Arabian Peninsula: A cradle of ancient kingdoms. In it, he writes, “The anniversary of Saudi Founding Day seems like an apt time to reflect on the influential civilisations that have risen from the sand, powered by trade, cultural exchange, and Arab ingenuity.”

For his part, Maher Chmaytelli looks at the country’s stunning success as it charts its future toward its Saudi Vision 2030 goals. In it, he writes, “The country has several landmark achievements already under its belt and is set to host the FIFA World Cup in 2034, proving grand ambition pays off when it's followed by hard work.”