#BDS #BOYCOTTPUMA

Palestinian activists continue push to boycott Puma
The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel calls on Puma to stop sponsoring the Israeli Football Association

Puma has branded itself with the cause of social justice, and is a signatory to the United Nations Global Impact (AFP/File photo)

By Umar A Farooq
Published date: 12 December 2020 

As the Christmas holiday approaches, and with it one of the busiest seasons for gift-buying, Palestinians around the world are calling on consumers to boycott sports clothing brand Puma over its partnership with the Israeli Football Association.

On Saturday, the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) launched its fourth Boycott Puma international day of action, which in addition to calling on shoppers to boycott the brand, will also organise calls to Puma, call on local teams around the world to stop using Puma products, and deliver a letter from 200 Palestinian football teams urging Puma to stop supporting Israeli occupation.

"As communities across the world grapple with the Covid-19 pandemic, climate catastrophe and the effects of savage capitalism, our choices as consumers are more important than ever," the campaign said on its website.


'Puma has been doing all sorts of acrobatics to try to distance itself from Israel's illegal settlement enterprise'

- Stephanie Adam, Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel

"Our choices and campaigns have the power to effect change. We can convince companies to abide by their ethics and human rights policies."

In 2018, Adidas ended its partnership with the Israeli Football Association (IFA).

Soon after, Delta Galil, the exclusive importer of Puma products and brand activity in Israel, struck a four-year deal with the IFA to supply the Israeli national team with all necessary equipment to play during competitions.

The deal was criticised by Palestinian activists because football teams of the IFA are allowed to play in occupied territory in the West Bank, in violation of international law as well as the rules set by football's governing body, Fifa.

Delta Galil also has branches in and has operations on illegal Israeli settlements.

In a statement to Middle East Eye, Puma said that its contract with Delta Galil is ending at the end of 2020, and its new distribution partner, the Tel Aviv-based Al Srad Ltd, does not have any branches in illegal settlements nor does it operate in any.

As for a continued partnership with the IFA, Puma said it was up to Al Srad as to whether it will continue working with the association.

"Puma does not support football teams in settlements nor does its Israeli distributor have branches in settlements," a spokesperson for Puma told Middle East Eye.


"Puma does not have any other connection or association with any other Israeli football club team - neither in mainland Israel nor in settlements," the spokesperson said.

"As a brand concerned only with the power that Sport has to bring people together, Puma does not support any political direction, political parties or governments."
Ending complicity in Israeli occupation

Stephanie Adam, a campaigner with PACBI, said Puma is attempting to distance itself from Israel's illegal settlements and occupation of Palestinian territories.

"Puma has been doing all sorts of acrobatics to try to distance itself from Israel's illegal settlement enterprise as the global boycott launched by more than 200 Palestinian teams continues to grow," Adam told Middle East Eye.

"It's not surprising. What company with a progressive image would want to be associated with Israel’s apartheid regime that steals land and resources from the indigenous Palestinian population it has held under military occupation for decades?"

Why FIFA bottled out of enforcing its own rules on Israel Read More »

While Puma says it only has a connection to Israel's national football team, Palestinian advocates have also criticised this as well, saying that the sponsorship of the national team helps the country use the sport's global popularity to compete in international tournaments and wash over rights abuses.

Puma has branded itself with the cause of social justice, and is a signatory to the United Nations Global Impact, the world's largest sustainability initiative.

By signing this initiative, the brand committed to not being complicit in rights abuses.

Still, Adam noted that the strength of the boycott has helped people realise "that Puma can't promote itself as a corporate champion of social justice while helping to prop up Israel's apartheid regime".

She said that Puma's announcement that it is ending its contract with Delta Galil is a testament to the strength of the boycott campaign, but the company must go even further to stop its brand's sponsorship of the IFA.

"Puma needs to spend less time elaborating disingenuous statements denying the plain truth and more on ending its complicity in Israel's violent land grabs by terminating the sponsorship deal with the IFA," she said.

"We are mobilising this weekend and will continue to call on Puma to live up to its claims of a 'devotion to universal equality'."

Israel tried to lure Iran into war with Fakhrizadeh's killing. 

So far it has failed

It is likely Netanyahu and Trump agreed to provoke Iran and make problems for Biden. If Tehran does retaliate, it will likely be on a smaller scale

Iranian forces carry the coffin of nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh during his funeral in Tehran (Reuters)

By Yossi Melman in Tel Aviv, Israel
Published date: 7 December 2020 

As time has elapsed since the killing of Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh on 27 November, the chances for quick retaliation are fading away.

After the assassination, in an operation east of Tehran attributed to Israel’s Mossad, senior Iranian leaders have used harsh language to promise revenge, not only against Israel but also the United States and Israel’s new allies in the region, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.

Among those vowing retribution were President Hassan Rouhani and military confidants of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, including former Defence Minister Ahmad Wahidi.

But the inflammatory rhetoric subdsided. Gut feelings made room for cool-headed decisions. The first question to be asked is, why? Why did Israel decide to kill him?

Fakhrizadeh was a gifted nuclear physicist, who taught and researched at Imam Hossein University in his nation’s capital city. But he was also a brigadier-general in the Revolutionary Guard and deputy defence minister.

For years, Israeli, American, British and German intelligence services have said that his academic credentials were just a front for his real work as head of the secret military nuclear programme focusing on weaponisation - to produce nuclear bombs.

In documents from the Iranian nuclear archives stolen in 2018 by Mossad and partially published in the media, evidence was seen of Fakhrizadeh’s involvement with Iran’s development of weapons - including a recording of his voice, in which he talks about five bombs and the need for tests.

Eventually Mossad, using technological and digital surveillance, as well as agents on the ground, found soft spots in Fakhrizadeh’s security

Because of these suspicious, the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency demanded to interview him twice, once a decade ago and again six years ago, but the request was rejected by the Iranian authorities.

It is not publicly known if Fakhrizadeh was working on weaponising Iran’s nuclear capabilities at the time of his death.

Western intelligence communities have tried to follow Fakhrizadeh, bug his phones and computers, and collect information about him.

Mossad went further and a few times even planned to kill him, but Fakhrizadeh was cautious, highly suspicious and evasive. He uncovered the plots against his life, went underground, and the security around him was doubled, around the clock.

In the end it was not sufficient. Eventually Mossad, using technological and digital surveillance, as well as agents on the ground, found soft spots in his security. On Sunday, Iran said that a satellite-controlled machine gun with "artificial intelligence" had been used to kill the scientist.

Avoiding the trap

The desire to assassinate a wanted man is not enough.

To carry out the plan, Mossad also needed accurate information and operational feasibility. Once Israel had acquired the desire, precise intelligence and logistical capabilities, only the question of timing - of why now - remained.

It was most likely that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is the ultimate authority in approving or denying whether Mossad chief Yossi Cohen can carry out such a mission, had consulted with outgoing US President Donald Trump.

Five scientists in 10 years: Iran's nuclear physicists are top targets for assassins

Read More »

Trump and his security and military aides must have been privy to the secret decision, because the US had to prepare itself for all eventualities, including the worst-case scenario: Iran deciding to retaliate by hitting US targets, such as its bases in Bahrain or Qatar.

This leads to the almost inevitable conclusion that Netanyahu and Trump hoped to provoke Iran.

Their hopeful scenario could have been that after Fakhrizadeh had been killed, Tehran would retaliate against the US, which would leave Trump with no choice but to declare war on Iran. If this was their plan, they wanted also to embarrass President-elect Joe Biden.

After their initial, emotional reaction, Iran's leaders understood the Israeli-American conspiracy and decided not to fall into the trap.

Iran still seeks revenge and prepares its intelligence agencies to be ready. But Tehran anxiously awaits Biden and his incoming administration. It hopes that the Democrat will bring the US back into the 2015 nuclear deal, known as JCPOA, and lift the crippling sanctions Trump has imposed over the past two years.


After their initial, emotional reaction, Iran's leaders understood the Israeli-American conspiracy and decided not to fall into the trap

All things considered, it is very unlikely that Iran will retaliate against US targets at all, and certainly not before Biden enters the White House on 20 January. The Iranians are looking beyond that date, however, in the knowledge that the new administration will need a few more months to formulate its policy and re-enter the nuclear deal, if it does so at all.

Yet Iran may eventually be disappointed. Contrary to how Netanyahu and US Republicans portray Biden, as weak and soft on Iran, he is not in Iran’s pocket. Biden wants to revive the nuclear deal and bring Iran into the international family of nations. But not at any cost.

Biden and some of his future cabinet nominees have hinted that they wish to improve the nuclear deal and close some of the loopholes in it. These include the notion of a “sunset” - when the agreement will expire - which Biden certainly doesn’t want to happen in 2025, as the original agreement stipulates.

He also hopes to persuade Iran to expand the deal so it will address the issues of long-range missiles, Iran’s destabilising interventions in the Middle East and its support for militant groups.

Limited options

In a way Iran is trapped. It desperately needs the sanctions to be lifted, otherwise with its deteriorating economy it will find itself in an economic, social and political catastrophe.

But Tehran also, as a matter of national pride and due its inner divisions between reformists and conservatives, will find it difficult to further compromise.

On the other hand, Iran has no hesitations about its desire and readiness to strike Israeli targets. But its capabilities are limited.

It doesn’t want to launch its long-range missiles from its own soil, knowing that not only will Israel retaliate with an iron fist, but also it may leave the US no choice but to rush and help its ally.

Iran says nuclear scientist killed by 'artificial intelligence' machine gun

Read More »

The other punitive measure available for the Iranian strategic planners is to launch its missiles from Syria. But here, too, its hands are tied. Russia and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would not approve it, and again Israel would respond harshly.

Another possibility is that Iran will conduct cyber-warfare against major Israeli strategic sites and infrastructure. However, Israeli cyber-capabilities - defensive and offensive - are much more superior than Iran's.

A year ago, Iran tried to strike Israeli critical infrastructure, but caused minimal damage to a few water pumps. However, a few years earlier it did manage to succeed in inflicting major damage to Saudi Arabia’s computers managing its oil industry.

The other option for Iran is to command its most reliable proxy, Hezbollah, to shower Israel with missiles from Lebanon. Yet, Iran, Hezbollah and the weak Lebanese government in Beirut know full well that any Israeli response would be swift and painful, to the point that Lebanon as a whole may collapse.

So, what is left for Iran is more of the same: to try to target Israelis abroad.

It has tried this in the past, after Mossad assassinated five Iranian scientists in the streets of Tehran between 2010-2012, and Hezbollah’s military chief Imad Mughniyeh in Damascus in 2008.

Most of these Iranian efforts were thwarted by Israeli intelligence. There is no indication they would be more successful now.

Who was Mohsen Fakhrizadeh?

- Hide

Top Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was gunned down outside Tehran on Friday, a move declared an "act of state terror" by Iran's foreign minister.

Though it is unclear who is behind the assassination, it is likely to precipitate tensions comparable to the 3 January US killing of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani.

Fakhrizadeh is renowned as the architect of Iran’s military nuclear programme.

He became the face of Iran's nuclear ambitions when named in the International Atomic Energy Agency's 2015 "final assessment" of open questions about Iran's nuclear programme and whether it was aimed at developing a nuclear bomb.

The IAEA's report said that he oversaw activities "in support of a possible military dimension to [Iran's] nuclear programme" within the so-called AMAD Plan.

Iran denies ever having sought to develop a nuclear weapon.

Believed to be a senior officer in the elite Revolutionary Guard, Fakhrizadeh was the only Iranian the report identified.

The IAEA has long wanted to meet Fakhrizadeh as part of a protracted investigation into whether Iran carried out illicit nuclear weapons research.

Showing no sign it would heed the request, Iran acknowledged Fakhrizadeh’s existence several years ago but said he was an army officer not involved in the nuclear programme, according to a diplomatic source who spoke to Reuters. 

Fakhrizadeh was also named in a 2007 UN resolution on Iran as a person involved in nuclear or ballistic missile activities.

An exiled Iranian opposition group, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), in May 2011 issued a report with what it said was a photograph of Fakhrizadeh, with dark hair and stubble. It was not possible to independently verify the picture.

The NCRI said in the report that Fakhrizadeh was born in 1958 in the holy city of Qom, was a deputy defence minister and a Revolutionary Guard brigadier-general.

According to the NCRI, the scientist held a nuclear engineering doctorate and taught at Iran’s University of Imam Hussein.

Fakhrizadeh’s assassination comes at a time of rising tensions, with Tehran fearing that outgoing US President Donald Trump could lash out before his term ends on 20 January.

Fakhrizadeh was mentioned by name by the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he made a 2018 speech detailing an alleged archive of nuclear plans reportedly stolen from Iran.

"Remember that name, Fakhrizadeh," Netanyahu said.

In the same speech, the Israeli premier said the scientist had continued to work on "special projects" at the Iranian defence ministry after his military nuclear outfit was closed.

Fakhrizadeh was reportedly wanted by Mossad, and has previously escaped an assassination attempt.

Lebanon military court sentences pop singer Fadel Shaker to 22 years in prison

Shaker was sentenced in absentia for 'interfering in terrorist acts' and financing an armed group in 2012

Lebanese singer Fadel Shaker performs during a gathering in the main sports stadium in the southern Lebanese city of Saida on 9 June 2013 (AFP)

By MEE staff

Published date: 17 December 2020 

A Lebanese military court sentenced on Wednesday evening famous pop singer Fadel Shaker to a total of 22 years imprisonment with hard labour.

Shaker, whose real name is Fadel Shamander, was sentenced in absentia to 15 years for “involvement in terrorist acts committed by terrorists” and “for providing logistical services”, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency.

The court issued a second sentence against Shaker of seven years in prison and a fine of 5m Lebanese pounds ($3,312) for financing the armed group of the radical cleric Ahmed al-Assir and for securing it weapons and ammunition costs.

The Lebanese Permanent Military Court had sentenced Shaker in September 2017 to 15 years in prison with hard labour and issued the death penalty against Assir for armed clashes between his militant group and the Lebanese army in the southern city of Saida.

At least 18 soldiers and 13 armed men died in fighting that erupted in the neighbourhood of Abra when supporters of Assir opened fire at a military checkpoint in June 2013 amid tensions in Lebanon heightened by the civil war in neighbouring Syria.

Assir was arrested at the airport in Beirut in 2015 while trying to flee Lebanon with a fake Palestinian passport. At the time, he had changed his physical appearance by shaving his beard and sporting a moustache with large eyeglasses.

Shaker quit music to become a full-time vocal supporter of Assir, and has hidden in the Palestinian refugee camp of Ain al-Hilweh near Saida since the Abra clashes.

But he has been trying to make a comeback to the music world since 2013. “I’m an artist. I don’t know how to do anything else,” he said in an interview in 2018 with Middle East Eye.

He has released several singles in Egyptian and Gulf dialects since 2018, the latest of which came out on Monday, garnering more than two million views in 72 hours.

Saudi prosecutor seeks 20 years in prison for women's rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul

Terrorism court judge says verdict and possible sentencing in Hathloul's case may be expected as early as Monday

Loujain al-Hathloul was arrested in May 2018 alongside at least a dozen other women activists (AFP/File photo)

By MEE staff
Published date: 16 December 2020 

Saudi Arabia's state prosecutor is seeking the maximum possible jail sentence - 20 years behind bars - for women's rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul, her sister Lina confirmed.

Hathloul, 31, is being tried in the kingdom's notorious terrorism court. In a hearing on Wednesday, the judge said a verdict and possible sentence for Hathloul's case may come as early as Monday, the Guardian reported, based on a copy of the prosecution's indictment provided by the activist's sister.

'They say she is a terrorist - in reality, she is a humanitarian, an activist and a woman who simply wants a better, fairer world'

- Lina al-Hathloul, sister of Loujain al-Hathloul

Things became more complicated later on Wednesday, as Hathloul's parents, who act as her legal team, were summoned via text to Riyadh’s criminal court on Thursday morning, Lina said on Twitter.

Hathloul's case was controversially transferred to the terrorism court late last month; it remains unclear if her parents' summoning to the criminal court implies another transfer.

"My sister must be released... All she has done is ask for women to be treated with the dignity and freedom that should be their right. For that, the Saudi authorities are seeking the maximum sentence available under the law - 20 years in prison," Lina told the Guardian on Wednesday.

'All they have are a bunch of tweets'

The women's rights activist was arrested in May 2018 with at least a dozen other women activists, just weeks before the decades-long ban on female drivers was lifted.

She and other imprisoned activists are being charged under the country's anti-cybercrime law, with the allegations against her described by UN experts as "spurious".

The charges included allegations that the activists, including Hathloul, "communicated with people and entities hostile to the king", "cooperated with journalists and media institutions hostile to the king", "provided financial support to foreign adversaries" and "recruited persons for information detrimental to the security of the kingdom".

"They say she is a terrorist - in reality, she is a humanitarian, an activist and a woman who simply wants a better, fairer world," Lina said.

Loujain al-Hathloul: Saudi Arabia uses tweets supporting women's rights as evidence

Read More »

During a hearing on Monday, a Saudi public prosecutor cited tweets posted by Hathloul about a campaign to let women drive and the kingdom's guardianship system as evidence against the jailed rights activist.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has presented himself as a reformer but has overseen a brutal crackdown on dissidents and independent Saudis, previously claimed there were videos of Hathloul proving she worked as a spy.

Still, on Monday, Hathloul's brother Walid noted that no such evidence was presented.

"No evidences were provided that are related to providing information to foreign hostile, recruiting people in sensitive positions," Walid said on Twitter.

"All they have are a bunch of tweets that they did not like."

UN experts have called on Saudi Arabia to release the imprisoned women's rights activists.

When Hathloul first appeared before a court last month, her family said she looked ill. Hathloul's family and rights groups have alleged that she has experienced sexual harassment and torture in detention. Saudi authorities deny the charges.

5,000-year-old relic from the Great Pyramid discovered in a cigar box in Scotland

ANOTHER AMAZING FIND IN THE MUSEUM

STORAGE ROOM 

Published 16th December 2020

Credit: University of Aberdeen

Written by Jessie Yeung, CNN

Late last year, curatorial assistant Abeer Eladany was reviewing items in the University of Aberdeen's museum collections, when she came across an item that didn't seem to belong.
Eladany, who is originally from Egypt and had spent a decade working at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, noticed the country's former flag on an unassuming cigar box. She opened it up to find small pieces of wood inside -- and, after cross checking it with museum records, realized she had stumbled upon a lost artifact from the Great Pyramid of Giza, the centerpiece of an enduring archaeological mystery.

Only three objects have ever been recovered from inside the Great Pyramid -- a trio of items known as the "Dixon Relics," according to the University of Aberdeen.

Two of them, a ball and a hook, are now housed in the British Museum. But the third object, fragments belonging to a much larger piece of cedar wood, had been missing for more than 70 years, the university added.

Abeer Eladany with the cigar box and pieces of wood. Credit: University of Aberdeen

"Once I looked into the numbers in our Egypt records, I instantly knew what it was, and that it had effectively been hidden in plain sight in the wrong collection," said Eladeny in a press release from the university.

"I'm an archaeologist and have worked on digs in Egypt but I never imagined it would be here in north-east Scotland that I'd find something so important to the heritage of my own country."
The Great Pyramid stands 139 meters (about 455 feet) high and was built around 4,500 years ago. It's the largest of the group of pyramids at Giza, the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and a major tourist attraction.

The pyramid is composed of narrow, cramped tunnels, difficult for people to climb through. In the 18th and 19th centuries, archaeologists and researchers used to try blasting their way into chambers inside. To avoid further damaging the ancient structures, modern archaeologists now use technology like robots and remote cameras to explore its interior; in the Great Pyramid, they have so far only gained access to three known chambers.

The relics were first discovered in 1872 inside the pyramid's Queen's Chamber by engineer Waynman Dixon. He was assisted by his friend James Grant, a graduate from the University of Aberdeen; their discovery of the relics, according to the release, was widely reported at the time.

The Giza pyramids in Egypt, photographed on March 13, 2020. Credit: Mohamed el-Shahed/AFP/Getty Images

Dixon took the ball and hook, and Grant took the piece of wood, the university said. After Grant's death in 1895, his collections were bequeathed to the university, and his daughter donated a "five inch piece of cedar" in 1946.

But because the piece was never properly classified, it stayed hidden for decades despite an "extensive search," until Eladany accidentally discovered it in the Asia collection.

"The University's collections are vast -- running to hundreds of thousands of items -- so looking for it has been like finding a needle in a haystack," she said. "I couldn't believe it when I realized what was inside this innocuous-looking cigar tin."

There are different theories about the wood's purpose and date of origin -- some researchers think it's part of a larger measurement tool, which they believe could provide clues as to how the towering pyramids were constructed.

The cigar box with wooden fragments had been added to the museum's Asia collection, but actually housed the Egyptian relics. Credit: University of Aberdeen

The process of radiocarbon dating has revealed that the fragments are from around 3341-3094 B.C. -- centuries before the construction of the Great Pyramid. Covid-19 restrictions had delayed the dating of the 'lost' cedar fragment, said the university. The larger piece of wood it originated from, still inside the Great Pyramid, was most recently seen by a robotic camera in 1993 and is now unreachable.

This suggests that the relics were original to the construction of the Pyramid, instead of being later left by those inside the completed Pyramid.

"It is even older than we had imagined. This may be because the date relates to the age of the wood, maybe from the center of a long-lived tree," said Neil Curtis, Head of Museums and Special Collections at the University of Aberdeen, in the release. "Alternatively, it could be because of the rarity of trees in ancient Egypt, which meant that wood was scarce, treasured and recycled or cared for over many years." He added that the discovery might "reignite interest" in the relics.

"It will now be for scholars to debate its use and whether it was deliberately deposited, as happened later during the New Kingdom, when pharaohs tried to emphasize continuity with the past by having antiquities buried with them.

Great Pyramid relic found in cigar box at university in Scotland

One of only three objects ever recovered from inside Egypt's Great Pyramid, wooden artefact may shed new light on ancient structure, says University of Aberdeen

Ancient cedar wood, now fragmented into pieces, is one of only three relics ever recovered from inside Great Pyramid (University of Aberdeen)

By Sheren Khalel
Published date: 16 December 2020 


A lost artefact from the Great Pyramid of Giza that had been missing for more than 70 years was found in a cigar box at the University of Aberdeen by an Egyptian curatorial assistant.

The artefact, one of only three objects ever recovered from inside the Great Pyramid, may shed new light on the structure, the university said in a news release on Wednesday. 

Abeer Eladany was reviewing items in the University of Aberdeen's museum Asian collections when she came across an item that didn't seem to belong. 

Eladany, who spent 10 years working in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, "was immediately intrigued", as the cigar box featured her country’s former flag on top. Opening it, Eladany found several pieces of ancient cedar wood fragments. 

Cigar box in which relic was found (University of Aberdeen)

Cross-referencing the item with other records, Eladany said she quickly realised she had discovered the "lost Dixon relic", one of three items uncovered inside the pyramid’s Queens Chamber in 1872 by engineer Waynman Dixon. 

"Once I looked into the numbers in our Egypt records, I instantly knew what it was, and that it had effectively been hidden in plain sight in the wrong collection,” Eladany said in Wednesday's news release. 


"I’m an archaeologist and have worked on digs in Egypt, but I never imagined it would be here in northeast Scotland that I’d find something so important to the heritage of my own country."
The three Dixon relics

Two of the Dixon artefacts - a ball and a hook - are housed in the British Museum. The third, which Eladany discovered, the fragment of wood that has broken into several, had been missing for decades. 

"The lost piece of cedar has generated many theories about its purpose and date and holds particular significance because of the potential for radiocarbon dating. Some have speculated that it was part of a measuring rule which could reveal clues regarding the pyramid’s construction," the university said in the news release. 

Israeli museum postpones auction of rare Middle Eastern artifacts after outrage

Read More »

The "lost" cedar fragment has shown that the wood can be dated to somewhere in the period 3341-3094BC - about 500 years earlier than historical records that date the Great Pyramid to the reign of the Pharaoh Khufu in 2580-2560BC, according to the university. 

The university said the age of the relic supports the idea that – whatever their use – the Dixon Relics were original to the construction of the Great Pyramid and not later artefacts left behind by those exploring the chambers.

“It may be just a small fragment of wood, which is now in several pieces, but it is hugely significant given that it is one of only three items ever to be recovered from inside the Great Pyramid.

“The university’s collections are vast - running to hundreds of thousands of items - so looking for it has been like finding a needle in a haystack. I couldn’t believe it when I realised what was inside this innocuous-looking cigar tin.”

Neil Curtis, head of museums and special collections at the University of Aberdeen, said: “Finding the missing Dixon Relic was a surprise, but the carbon dating has also been quite a revelation.

“It is even older than we had imagined. This may be because the date relates to the age of the wood, maybe from the centre of a long-lived tree. Alternatively, it could be because of the rarity of trees in ancient Egypt, which meant that wood was scarce, treasured and recycled or cared for over many years.

“It will now be for scholars to debate its use and whether it was deliberately deposited, as happened later during the New Kingdom, when pharaohs tried to emphasise continuity with the past by having antiquities buried with them.

“This discovery will certainly reignite interest in the Dixon Relics and how they can shed light on the Great Pyramid.”

Warning to all tyrants: The Arab Spring lives on

While some believe the uprisings of 2010-11 were a failure - the ferocity of the counter-revolution suggests otherwise

Khalil al-Anani
17 December 2020 

A decade ago, a young Tunisian, Mohamed Bouazizi, set himself on fire to protest his economic and social conditions, sparking a series of Arab uprisings and revolutions. It later became known as the Arab Spring and led to the downfall of Arab dictators in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Yemen.

While some believe the Arab Spring failed to achieve its goals, particularly the establishment of free and democratic governments, there were many gains, including the ousting of the heads of four powerful authoritarian regimes: Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in Tunisia, Hosni Mubarak in Egypt, Muammar Gaddafi in Libya, and Ali Abdullah Saleh in Yemen.

The events of the past decade have revealed that the costs of authoritarianism and rejecting political change are very high - but those regimes that block reform are willing to pay a heavy price to remain in power. 

Sponsors of the counter-revolution

This is certainly the case in Syria, which has been destroyed due to President Bashar al-Assad’s refusal to respond to demands for change. There no longer exists a sovereign state that he can govern, since Syria has come under the protection and tutelage of foreign powers, in particular Iran and Russia.

Similarly, the costs of General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s coup in Egypt in 2013 were very high. He has become known in the international arena as the worst dictator in the Middle East. He also has been forced to sacrifice some of Egypt’s regional weight in order to appease his allies, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Israel.

Arab Spring 2.0: Five lessons from 2011 for today's protesters Read More »

The sponsors of the counter-revolution, in particular the UAE and Saudi Arabia, spent large sums of money to stop the Arab Spring and to ensure that the protests would not reach them and unseat them from their thrones. They are now involved in civil wars in Yemen and Libya, financing mercenaries and warlords, such as General Khalifa Haftar. Their international reputations have reached a new low amid the killing of children and civilians in Yemen.

The ferocity of the counter-revolution itself might be the most important evidence of the success of the Arab Spring in achieving its goals, the chief of which was to raise the costs of tyranny. The UAE, Egypt and Saudi Arabia are trying to stop Arab revolutions and uprisings from recurring at any cost.

The economic aid provided to Sisi by Abu Dhabi and Riyadh has reportedly exceeded $60bn, not to mention the arms deals signed with France, Italy, Russia and the US. Political support has also been provided to Sisi to improve his image in Washington through lobby groups. The Emirati ambassador to Washington, Yousef Al Otaiba, played a pivotal role in marketing the 2013 Egyptian coup to the US administration.

Another wave of uprisings

The experience of the Arab Spring revealed that, despite the power of security and intelligence services - and their use of all means of torture, murder and violation of human rights for the sake of intimidation - the structure of Arab despotism is subject to breakage.

Who could have imagined that the Mubarak regime, which lasted for 30 years, would fall in a matter of 18 days? Who would have thought that Libya’s Gaddafi would be found hiding in a hole a few months after the revolution was launched against him, or that Yemen’s Saleh would face the same fate, killed in a hideous manner after three decades of rule? 

Sudanese protesters arrive in the town of Atbara on 19 December 2019 (AFP)

Perhaps it is ironic that despite the continuing attempts by counter-revolutionary forces to abort the Arab Spring, the hopes for democracy are still alive.

The Arab Spring has become a reference for Arab youth who dream of freedom, dignity and justice - and who will not stop until they realise that dream

According to the 2019-2020 Arab Opinion Index, the largest annual survey in the Arab world conducted by the Arab Centre for Research and Policy Studies, about 74 percent of Arabs believe that democracy is the most appropriate system of governance for their home countries.

Moreover, the Arab region has witnessed another wave of uprisings and revolutions over the past two years, including Sudan, Algeria, Iraq and Lebanon. Throngs of demonstrators have taken to the streets to demand economic, social and political change.

Former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who was in power for more than 30 years, was overthrown, and former Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika resigned after massive demonstrations. Iraqi and Lebanese people rose up in protest against corruption and sectarianism, and to reject the domination of external forces over internal political decisions.

Many segments of Egyptian society also rose up in late 2019 to demand improvements in their social and economic conditions, despite the severe repression deployed by the Sisi regime.

Political and ideological divisions

Yet, any objective assessment of the Arab Spring experience must take into account the mistakes made by the political and revolutionary movements that were meant to lead Arab societies after the fall of authoritarian regimes.

These actors have suffered from political and ideological divisions, particularly between Islamists and secularists, and have been preoccupied with identity issues, such as the relationship between religion and the state. Often, these divisions have come at the expense of more urgent issues, such as improving economic and social conditions, eliminating corruption and addressing unemployment.

More than ever, the struggle for justice unites the Middle East and the world Read More »

The polarisation among these forces not only disrupted the potential for democratic transition but also led to the return of old regimes, as in Egypt.

Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood failed in governance due to a lack of experience in managing state affairs, and as a result of the forces of the old regime plotting against them. The gap of mistrust widened, and secular movements chose to ally with the military in order to get rid of the Muslim Brotherhood. This Islamic-secular division still plays an important role in sustaining Egypt’s political crisis seven years after the coup.

Political movements also failed to rebuild civil-military relations, to build civilian capacity within them, and to remove the military from political life. This failure allowed the military establishment to retain great influence in key sectors, contributing to its return to power, as in Egypt. Militaries succeeded in deceiving opposing political forces; they have been key partners in managing transitions, as in Sudan.

Simultaneously, the forces of the Mubarak regime - especially the military generals - remained in full contact and coordination with regional counter-revolutionary forces in Abu Dhabi, Riyadh and Tel Aviv, as well as with the West, especially the US, aiming to seize power again under the pretext of restoring stability and combating terrorism.

Yearning for freedom

Ten years have passed since the Arab Spring, and despite attempts to silence the Arab peoples, large sectors - especially youth - continue to yearn for freedom, dignity and justice. The clearest evidence of this is that any time the fighting stops in Syria, peaceful protesters emerge to express their rejection of Assad and to demand his departure from power. Likewise, in Egypt, there is increasing criticism directed at Sisi on a daily basis, whether on social networks or through protests that occur from time to time, despite Sisi’s iron fist.

Several years ago, no one would have dared to criticise Sisi, whether in private or in public. Social media is now rife with insults and accusations against him, his family and those close to him - accusations of corruption and abuse of power for financial gain for himself and his family.

What is striking about the Arab Spring story is the political and moral bankruptcy of the West

Sisi has inserted the Egyptian army into all fields of the economy, angering many segments of society, especially the businessmen who supported him strongly when he came to power after the 2013 coup.

With Sisi shutting down all outlets of expression, and amid the state’s continued use of violence and repression against opponents, the situation will likely explode in his face sooner or later.

At the same time, what is striking about the Arab Spring story is the political and moral bankruptcy of the West. While western governments give others lessons on respecting democracy, their own behaviour over the past decade has achieved the opposite. Western governments failed to support the democratic transition processes in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Yemen, instead supporting Arab authoritarian regimes that were hostile towards the Arab Spring.

Realising the dream

The US and European governments are colluding with authoritarian regimes in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain. The most important evidence has been their shameful silence on Sisi’s 2013 coup, as well as their failure to condemn the horrific human rights violations in the country.

These governments also colluded with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who was behind the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in October 2018 at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. They are silent on bin Salman’s arrests of dozens of journalists, businessmen, religious scholars and political activists.

They have continued to profit from the war in Yemen that resulted from the uprising against the Saudi-backed candidate to replace Ali Abdullah Saleh.

The 'revolution fist', a symbol of Lebanon's uprising, is pictured in Beirut on 22 October (AFP)

Western countries have prioritised arms deals and investments over human rights and democracy in the Arab world. Perhaps one of the most important lessons for the Arab peoples over the past decade is not to depend on external support in order to confront authoritarian regimes and to establish democracy.

The outcomes of the Arab Spring may seem meagre in comparison to the sacrifices made in Egypt, Libya, Syria or Yemen. But the inescapable fact is that the Arab Spring has become a reference for Arab youth who dream of freedom, dignity and justice - and who will not stop until they realise that dream.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Eye.

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BREAKING NEWS

Fifty years of tax cuts for rich did not trickle down – study concludes
The research comes at a crucial time as policy makers weigh up how pay for the coronavirus pandemic.

 by Jack Peat
December 16, 2020
in Business & Economics, Economics


A study of fiscal policies in 18 countries over 50 years has concluded that tax cuts for the rich do not trickle down and only really benefit individuals who are directly affected.

The paper, by David Hope of the London School of Economics and Julian Limberg of King’s College London, found that slashing rates on high earners tends to breed inequality rather than address the route causes by stimulating business investment.

It is the latest research to discredit economic theories popularised by Ronald Reagan which have became widely adopted among Conservative and Republican parties.

In 2016 Hillary Clinton accused Donald Trump of supporting the “most extreme” version of trickle-down economics with his tax plan, calling it “trumped-up trickle-down” as a pun on his name.

During the 2011 general election the UK’s Labour Party also used a video of New Zealand politician Damien O’Connor which described the fiscal policy as “the rich pissing on the poor”.

Commenting on the findings, Hope gave reassurances to Chancellor Rishi Sunak who may need to consider taxing the more well off in order to pay for the coronavirus crisis.

“Policy makers shouldn’t worry that raising taxes on the rich to fund the financial costs of the pandemic will harm their economies,” he said in an interview.

It would suggest the economy could weather a one-off 5 per cent tax on wealth suggested for Britain last week by the Wealth Tax Commission, which would affect about 8 million residents.

Ghost ship containing $80 million worth of cocaine washes up on Marshall Islands

Investigations found the 18ft. fiberglass vessel carrying what turns out to be the Pacific nation's largest-ever haul of cocaine

By Nina Siena December 17, 2020 09:06 GMT

A ghost ship containing 1,430 pounds of cocaine worth about $80 million ( £ 58.9 million ) washed up on a beach in the remote atoll of Ailuk in the Marshall Islands last week. A local resident noticed the abandoned ship drifting along the shoreline. Other islanders stepped in to try and guide the boat to shore. They were unsuccessful in doing so due to its weight.

Attorney General Richard Hickson said investigations found the 18ft. fibreglass vessel carrying what turns out to be the Pacific nation's largest-ever haul of cocaine. The ship is believed to have been drifting on the high seas for possibly about two years, riding currents across the Pacific from Central or South America.

Police investigators found 649 sealed bricks of cocaine hidden in a compartment beneath the deck, each weighing 1 kilo. The drug packages which were marked with the letters "KW", were incinerated on Tuesday. Authorities kept two packs from the load, which will then be handed over to the US Drug Enforcement Agency for analysis.

This is not the first instance where drugs have been found along the Marshall Islands shoreline. Ailuk has a total population of 400 and over the past two decades, numerous drug stashes have washed up on these shores but this most recent one was by far the largest haul. The area is reputed to be a major international drug trafficking route, CNN reported.

Law enforcement officials have drawn up quite a variety of theories about the origins of these mysterious drug hauls. They strongly relate these to smugglers who have abandoned their loot after facing imminent danger of being caught or lost in heavy storms.

Sometime in January 2014, a fisherman named Jose Alvarenga had washed up on the shores of the Marshall Islands after spending more than 13 months out at sea. He had set off on a journey with a companion starting from Mexico's west coast. However, his companion died during the voyage

Most often, debris from the Americas would wash up on the Marshalls years after it has been floating out at sea and tossed about by the Pacific Ocean currents.

After Alvarenga showed up on the shore, researches from the University of Hawaii conducted 16 computer simulations on the drift patterns from the coast of Mexico. The team's study revealed that nearly all drifters eventually end up in the Marshall Islands.

Couscous receives UNESCO heritage status

Couscous is prepared from wheat or barley, and sometimes from maize, millet or sorghum, which is ground into semolina; it is served with meat or fish, spicy stews, chickpeas and vegetables in a mouth-watering variety of dishes

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This picture taken on December 16, 2020, shows a dish of lamb and orange couscous at a restaurant in the Medina (old town) of Tunisia's capital Tunis. (AFP)

Couscous, the Berber dish beloved across northern Africa's Maghreb region and beyond, has joined the UN list of the world's intangible cultural heritage.

The countries that submitted the listing to UNESCO – Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Mauritania – may have their differences, but their common love of the grain staple runs deep.

"Couscous, present at every social or cultural event, is at once ordinary and special," their joint presentation argued.

"Ordinary because of the frequency of its use in a family setting, and special because of the unifying and propitiatory role it plays at convivial community occasions at which food is shared."

Bland by itself, couscous is served with meat or fish, spicey stews, chickpeas and vegetables in a mouth-watering variety of dishes.

Moroccan restaurant owner Hicham Hazzoum was among the couscous connoisseurs who applauded UNESCO's honour.

"I think we are the only Arab countries to have a high regard for this dish," he said. "It is impossible not to eat it every Friday.

"Moroccans are crazy about couscous and even children love it. It shows that the couscous flame will never go out."

Across the region, couscous – also known as Seksu, Kusksi and Kseksu – is as elementary as rice or noodles are to Asian cuisine, the staple without which no meal is complete.

Arabic dictionaries have documented "Kuskusi" since the 19th century, though it is known to be far older.

The regional pride in couscous found full expression in the countries' joint nomination for the "knowledge, know-how and practices pertaining to the production and consumption of couscous".

"Women and men, young and old, sedentary and nomadic, from rural or urban communities or from immigrant backgrounds all identify with this element," it gushed.

"The ethos of couscous is the expression of community life."

Trump administration looks to rush through mini trade deal slashing Scotch whisky tariffs

"I’m hopeful we can get some kind of an agreement out you know, we don’t have a lot of time left," the US trade representative said.

 by Jack Peat
December 17, 2020
in Politics



Donald Trump’s trade chief has said that the outgoing US administration is negotiating with the UK to secure a mini-deal reducing trade tariffs.

Trade representative Robert Lighthizer suggested tariffs on Scotch whisky could be reduced if a post-Brexit pact is successful.

The Government hopes to broker a full free trade agreement with Mr Trump’s successor as president, Joe Biden, but a mini-deal could ease trade before then.

Talks on an interim deal emerged on Thursday after the UK dropped tariffs against the States over subsidies for aerospace firms.

Mr Lighthizer told the BBC: “I’m talking to (International Trade Secretary) Liz Truss, about trying to work out some kind of a deal … I’m hopeful we can get some kind of an agreement out you know, we don’t have a lot of time left.

“We have the advantage in that both the US and the UK – particularly the current government of the UK – are not big subsidisers, where some other countries are more inclined to subsidise. So it would be helpful if we could come to some kind of agreement.”

Scotch whisky was badly affected when Mr Trump’s White House hit the EU with tariffs on £5.6 billion worth of goods in retaliation for state support given to Airbus.

The EU responded with tariffs on £3 billion of US goods over subsidies given to Boeing but the UK will suspend those measures from January 1 after the post-Brexit transition period ends.

Ministers hope the move will help bring the US towards a reasonable settlement over the Airbus-Boeing row and show the UK is serious about reaching a negotiated outcome.