EGYPT: Tall Claims Only Lower Confidence

Following the volatile reaction of international markets to the U.S. financial meltdown, Egyptian officialdom has hastened to reassure a skittish public that the local economy would be spared the worst effects of the global crisis. Many independent commentators, however, are not so sure.

MIDEAST: Pressure Piling Up on Hamas Ahead of Unity Meet

Egypt recently re-opened its border with the Gaza Strip to limited traffic in advance of an upcoming Palestinian reconciliation conference to be held in Cairo next month. But some independent commentators say Egypt is merely using the border as a means of pressuring resistance faction Hamas into accepting its proposals for a Palestinian national unity government.

EGYPT: Anger Approaches Boiling Point

Public disaffection with the government appears to have reached an all-time high.

MIDEAST: More Than the Film Stands Between Iran and Egypt

Despite several goodwill gestures from Iran, Egypt appears adamant in its refusal to re-establish diplomatic relations - frozen for almost 30 years - with the Persian-speaking Islamic republic. According to opposition figures, Cairo's insistence on keeping Iran at arm's length comes largely as a result of U.S. prompting.

MIDEAST: Egyptian Kinship with Fatah Hampers Mediation

Following renewed fighting between rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas, Egypt has stepped up calls for dialogue and reconciliation. But critics say Cairo's partiality to Fatah - which is backed, like the Egyptian regime itself, by the U.S. - prevents it from mediating fairly in the crisis.

MIDEAST: A Civil War in the Making

Recent weeks have seen the worst fighting between rival Palestinian movements Fatah and Hamas since the latter's takeover of the Gaza Strip last summer. Hamas accuses the "treasonous faction" within Fatah - which worked with U.S. military intelligence in last year's failed bid to destroy the resistance group - of instigating the violence.

MIDEAST: Little Hope of Peace After Olmert

With Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's recent resignation announcement, the self-proclaimed Jewish state is headed for new leadership. Egyptian commentators, though, entertain few hopes that Olmert's successor - whoever he or she may be - will temper Israel's hard-line approach to the peace process.

EGYPT: Bashir Finds Strong Support

In its first ever move against a head of state, the International Criminal Court (ICC) prepared last month to indict Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for war crimes allegedly committed in Darfur. Since then, most Arab and African leaders have condemned the move, which some local commentators see as politically motivated.

MIDEAST: Arabs Despair of U.S. Even More

For decades, the U.S. has jealously guarded its role of sole arbiter of the Arab-Israeli dispute. In light of recent shows of support for Israel by U.S. presidential hopeful Barack Obama, however, many Arabs fear that Zionist influence on the U.S. body politic - across the political spectrum - has made the notion of 'U.S. even-handedness' a contradiction in terms.

EGYPT: Locals Step Up Fight Against Factory

Controversy continues to rise over the fate of a Canadian fertiliser plant currently under construction in Egypt's coastal province Damietta. Residents fear it could adversely affect the environment.

MIDEAST: Conflict Tops Med Union Agenda

The Union for the Mediterranean, a French-led grouping of EU nations plus 16 non-European Mediterranean states, was inaugurated Sunday (Jul. 13). The launch of the forum, of which Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is co-president, was dominated by issues related to the perennial Arab-Israeli dispute.

MIDEAST: Hamas-Israel Prisoner Swap Remains Elusive

Despite intensive mediation efforts by Egyptian officials, a delegation from Palestinian resistance faction Hamas departed Cairo Saturday (Jul. 12) without securing a prisoner exchange deal with Israel. According to local analysts, fresh swap proposals - featuring the release of long-time Israeli captive Gilaad Shalit - continue to run up against Israeli obduracy.

MIDEAST: Gaza Locked In Despite Truce

Despite a torrent of mutual recriminations, the fragile truce between Israel and Palestinian resistance faction Hamas survived into its third week. Israel, however, has been slow to fulfil its pledge - as laid down in an Egypt-brokered ceasefire agreement - to allow desperately-needed humanitarian supplies into the outdoor prison that is the Gaza Strip.

EGYPT: Muslim Brotherhood ‘Stronger’ After Party Election

Recent internal elections within the Muslim Brotherhood opposition movement were trumpeted in the local press as a victory for the group's "conservative" faction over its "reformist" rivals. But according to independent commentators and a Brotherhood spokesman, media claims of a split within the movement's ranks are unfounded.

MIDEAST: Hamas and Hezbollah Gain, Almost Hand in Hand

Hezbollah's dramatic seizure of Beirut last month stunned observers and dealt a heavy blow to Washington's Lebanese allies. In Cairo, analysts compared the episode to last year's takeover of the Gaza Strip by Palestinian resistance faction Hamas, noting that both actions were pre-emptive - rather than offensive - in nature.

MIDEAST: New Ceasefire Could Ease the Burden

An Egyptian proposal for a "calming" of hostilities, or tahdia, between Israel and Palestinian resistance faction Hamas officially came into effect Thursday. The deal follows several months of three-way talks between Israeli officials, Palestinian delegations and Egyptian mediators.

EGYPT: Govt Forced to Bend on Israel Gas Deal

In the last two months, popular and parliamentary opposition to the sale of Egyptian natural gas to Israel - at undisclosed prices - has mounted. As a result, in a rare nod to public opinion, the government recently announced it was "revising" the terms of the sale agreement.

MIDEAST: Israel and Syria in Diplomatic Charade

After an eight-year hiatus, Israel and Syria have resumed negotiations - albeit via Turkish middlemen - on the issue of the strategic Golan Heights, occupied by Israel since 1967. But according to analysts in Cairo, neither side appears entirely genuine in its desire to reach a final settlement.

EGYPT: Protests Rise Against Fertiliser Plant

For the last two months, controversy has raged over planned construction of a massive fertiliser plant near the port city of Damietta. Residents fear the plant could adversely affect the local environment.

EGYPT: Bond With U.S. Becomes a Chain

A deal brokered by Qatar last month succeeded in ending the longstanding political standoff in Lebanon - at least for the time being. Some local analysts see Qatar's success as Cairo's failure, saying Egyptian diplomacy has been hamstrung by the ruling regime's closeness to Washington.

MIDEAST: ‘Military Escalation Brewing’

After another round of Egypt-brokered talks between Israel and Palestinian resistance factions, a cessation of hostilities remains elusive as ever. According to statements by both sides, failure to achieve a degree of calm in the short term could lead instead to open confrontation.