Arabic press review: Jordanian MPs sign memorandum to expel Israeli ambassador
Jordanian MPs demand Israeli ambassador's expulsion
A memorandum calling on the Jordanian government to expel the Israeli ambassador from the kingdom was signed by 88 lawmakers on Monday, in protest at Israel's violent crackdown on Palestinians in Jerusalem, according to Jordan's Ammon News website.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abdul Karim al-Daghmi, said that the 130-member parliament has approved the memorandum and referred it to the government.
The memorandum was discussed and signed during a session attended by Prime Minister Bisher al-Khasawneh and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi.
Israeli forces on Wednesday raided al-Aqsa Mosque for the fifth time this month, forcibly clearing Palestinian worshippers from the complex's courtyards to make way for Israeli settlers to perform religious rituals marking the Jewish passover.
"Stopping at denunciation and condemnation of what is happening in Jerusalem and al-Aqsa Mosque is no longer an option that conforms with the higher interest of the Jordanian state, nor with the aspirations and feelings of our Jordanian people," the memorandum read. "It is certainly not consistent with the sacrifices of our people stationed at the gates of Jerusalem and al-Aqsa Mosque."
The MPs called for stronger official measures against the Israeli occupation, adding that action must "not be limited to deterring" Israel; instead, they said, Amman should ensure that the kingdom does not lose its custodianship over the Jerusalem holy site.
UAE detains Tunisian politician in Dubai
Emirati authorities have detained Salim Riahi, a well-known Tunisian businessman and politician, at Dubai airport, as he was about to travel to Saudi Arabia to perform the Umrah pilgrimage, the Tunisian Mosaique FM radio reported on Tuesday.
"An arrest warrant against Riahi was issued by Interpol at the request of the Tunisian judiciary over money laundering cases," the report said.
In late 2019, the Tunisian judiciary passed an 11-year prison sentence in absentia against Riahi over allegations of money laundering.
The public prosecution announced in June 2017 that the investigative judge at Tunisia's judicial centre had "taken a decision to freeze Riahi’s assets and properties".
Riahi is a politician, businessman, founder and president of the Free Patriotic Union party, from which he resigned in 2017, suspending his political and party activities. In late 2018 he returned to the party, only to resign again the following year.
Riahi was a presidential candidate during the 2014 elections, won by the late Beji Caid Essebsi. He also ran in the 2019 presidential elections, which the current president Kais Saied won, before withdrawing from the race.
Egypt jails journalist for Facebook post
An Egyptian court has sentenced journalist Ghada Abdel Hafez to two years in prison and imposed a $5,000 fine and a $500 bond over a post she wrote on Facebook two years ago, according to the London-based Al-Araby Al-Jadeed newspaper.
The judgment against the Al-Masry Al-Youm journalist was issued on Sunday by the Economic Court in Mansoura.
In her post, Abdel Hafez had published a complaint by a number of government employees who were protesting against the decision by the governor of Daqahlia to appoint a female employee to a position that is not consistent with her academic qualification or her job title. The employee is a graduate of the Faculty of Arts but was promoted to the position of manager of a sanitation systems department, a post usually assigned to specialised engineers only.
Member of the Journalists' Union Mahmoud Kamel said that the judgment was issued despite the validity of the information published by the journalist. Furthermore, he added, Hafez also published the employee's response to the complaint in respect of the right of reply.
"The strange thing is that our colleague provided the court with a copy of the post that includes correct information and a copy of the published reply," Kamel said.
"It is also strange that the public prosecution did not summon our colleague to investigate the case. She was referred to the court on charges of disturbing and violating the sanctity of the private life of an employee affiliated to Dakahlia Governorate.
"Public prosecution also did not recognise in the case documents that Ghada Abdel Hafez is a journalist and a member of the Journalists' Union, although this is known to the investigation authorities."
Emirati bank cancels major deal in Egypt
An Emirati bank has announced the collapse of an acquisition deal to acquire one of the most important financial services companies listed on the Egyptian stock exchange, raising speculation in economic circles about the reasons behind the failure, Arabi21 website reported.
The Emirati First Abu Dhabi Bank had suddenly decided to withdraw its takeover offer, which it submitted two months ago, for the majority stake in the financial group Hermes Holdings, a private company with significant investment in Egypt's financial sector.
The bank's decision raised questions about the reasons why the deal fell through, the possible negative impacts, and the extent of disagreement around the value of the deal or the acquisition percentage - as well as concerns over the potential impact on Egypt's discussions with the International Monetary Fund to obtain a new loan, Arabi21 said.
"After a careful study, and in light of the continuing instability in global markets and economies, the bank decided to withdraw the offer," First Abu Dhabi Bank said in an official statement.
On 9 February 2022, First Abu Dhabi Bank submitted an offer to acquire a controlling stake of no less than 51 percent in Hermes Holdings, at a value of 18.5 billion Egyptian pounds (about $1.17bn).
The UAE is the Arab country with the largest investment in Egypt, and the third largest overseas investor in total - in sectors including construction, communications, financial services, IT and health.
*Arabic press review is a digest of news reports not independently verified as accurate by Middle East Eye
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