Asharq Al-Awsat Editorial

Editorial desk and wire-service reports (AFP, Reuters, AP) as published in the Asharq Al-Awsat English Edition. This archive preserves the original text (2005–2017); attribution appears in the article dateline where provided by the source.

articles

Qatar’s Diplomatic Crisis Going Downhill

Qatar’s government moved last week to sign a deal on buying 36 top-notch F-15 fighter jets. After securing this purchase, Doha will possess a massive air force at its disposal. It is worth remembering that in November 2016 the Gulf peninsula also sealed a deal adding to its fleet another 72 F-15 jet

World

57 Dead, Dozens Injured in Portugal Wildfires

At least 57 people have been killed in wildfires that have been blazing in central Portugal since Saturday, a government official announced on Sunday. The death toll in what may be the deadliest-ever single forest blaze in the country has gradually climbed from 19 initially announced late on Saturda

Allawi Accuses Qatar of Having Tried to Divide Iraq

Cairo – Iraqi Vice President Iyad Allawi accused on Saturday Qatar of having previously backed a project, which he had strongly confronted, to divide Iraq. During a press conference held in Cairo, Allawi said Qatar supported a project to split Iraq into a Sunni region in exchange for a Shi’ite

Israel-Palestine From Both Sides of the Mirror

This month marks the 50th anniversary of the Israeli victory in the 1967 war and of Israel’s occupation of the West Bank. The jubilation of military victory, quicker and more comprehensive than seemed possible, has long since subsided into a grinding status quo: the oppression of 2.5 million Palesti