ayoon wa azan we hope to encounter the best
Last Updated : GMT 09:03:51
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today
Last Updated : GMT 09:03:51
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today

Ayoon wa Azan (We hope to encounter the best)

Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today

ayoon wa azan we hope to encounter the best

Jihad el-Khazen

Everyone seems to be optimistic regarding the outcome of the national dialogue in Bahrain. I asked one former and one current Bahraini minister as well as Bahraini citizens about their first impressions. They told me that all the dialogue participants spoke in a positive manner to the extent that the representatives of the pro-government forces were surprised with the high level of this positivity. I hope that my [Bahraini] friends will not be disappointed by me saying that, following the incidents on February 14, 2011, I saw the Crown Prince Salman Ben Hamad who was quite optimistic on reaching a near agreement with the opposition. He told me about the number of demands that the government had decided to meet and the reforms that will be implemented. However, the subsequent events showed that the majority of the opposition was loyal to Iran and aspires for no reforms, but rather for a coup against the ruling regime. Perhaps, the two years that elapsed during which the opposition failed to make any achievements except for additional problems and confrontations were sufficient to convince the opposition that, if it were to insist on obtaining everything, it would end up with nothing. The opposition might have realized that if it was to take what it can get now, it might be able to negotiate its other demands in the future. I have always said and am hereby reiterating that the opposition has some rightful demands. My main objection concerns the means followed by the opposition to achieve these demands, which ended up by failing just like I had expected. The dialogue is still at its beginning and I do not need to delve into the details. I will only say that the different participants agreed that they are having a dialogue rather than negotiations; that the government is part of the discussion; and that the outcomes will consist of decisions that the Minister of Justice, Sheikh Khaled Ben Ali al-Khalifa, will be transmitting to the King. The most important part of the dialogue is that it includes active political parties such as the coalition of the pro-government political organizations headed by Ahmad Jomaa and including governmental representatives; and the five political opposition groups: Al-Wifaq, Waad, the Progressive Platform, Al-Ikhaa, and the National Assembly. Perhaps the fact that Hassan al-Mushaymeh and his group, Haqq, are not represented in the dialogue is a blessing. He is the only oppositionist whose jailing I support because he is reckless and follows radical politics operating for the destruction of Bahrain. There were no major differences during the opening and second sessions. The Shi’i opposition asked for the presence of constitutional experts around the dialogue table in order to formulate the agreements. It also asked for accepting the support of the United Nations as per the offer of Secretary General Ban ki-Moon. The government did not seem very keen about that. Most importantly, the concerned parties, including the pro-governmental Sunni forces and the opposing Shi’i forces, seemed to have a real desire to solve the crisis that created a rift among the Bahraini people, one that must be fixed in order to restore the national unity. There are differences indeed, and they have been in place even before the breaking of the problems two years ago. The most tangible example of the existence of differences consists of the Personal Status Law, which includes a Shi’i part and a Sunni one. The Shi’i groups want this law to comply with the Faqih rule, i.e. they want to allow the marriage of minors. Nevertheless, one can say that the problems in Bahrain over the past two years have highlighted the differences and overshadowed some important advantages. Bahrain is the country with the least amount of natural resources among the six GCC states. However, the ruling regime still manages to offer free services to its citizens including education, healthcare, and housing. When the problems started, I wrote pieces where I criticized the American Administration and the Human Rights groups for being duped by the opposition’s claims and for believing that the opposition really wants reform and democracy while its leaders were actually working to stage a coup against the regime. One must only listen to the chants of the oppositionists during the Friday protests two years ago. I condemn the killing of any protestor. I condemn the police but I also condemn the extremists who have no conscience and who are sending off their teenage children to be killed in the protests just so that Iran’s agents would be able to bargain on their blood. I think that the American Administration – which is quite keen on preserving stability in Bahrain since its fifth flotilla is present there – has recently decided that the opposition is lying, and that it is working on staging a coup and establishing a regime that is affiliated to the Faqih rule just like Iran. Thus, the American Administration halted its support for the demands of the opposition. Once again, the opposition does have some rightful demands. I heard the Crown Prince as well as King Hamad Ben Issa stressing that the government is planning on meeting the opposition half way. I hope that the opposition has learned its lesson over the past two years; that it has realized by now that it cannot ask for the impossible; and that it is really aspiring for a solution in favor of its supporters and the entire Bahraini population. --- The views expressed by the author do not necessarily represent or reflect the editorial policy of Arabstoday.  

GMT 13:29 2018 Friday ,31 August

Iran and the Luminary from Saarland

GMT 13:14 2018 Friday ,31 August

Qaradawi: Politics is more important than Hajj!

GMT 17:03 2018 Thursday ,30 August

EU must help heal the sick man of Europe

GMT 15:49 2018 Thursday ,30 August

Women in Saudi municipalities

GMT 13:43 2018 Wednesday ,29 August

Amir Hatami in Syria: To stay or withdraw?

GMT 09:56 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Washington chooses Syria as its battleground

GMT 09:52 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Road ahead full of danger as new front opens in Syria

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

ayoon wa azan we hope to encounter the best ayoon wa azan we hope to encounter the best

 



Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Skincare PR Performance Full Year 2017

GMT 09:22 2018 Monday ,22 January

Skincare PR Performance Full Year 2017
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today New hunt for flight MH370 gets under way

GMT 11:03 2018 Wednesday ,24 January

New hunt for flight MH370 gets under way
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Modern colorful bedroom renovation

GMT 10:57 2017 Thursday ,21 December

Modern colorful bedroom renovation
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Puigdemont candidate for Catalan president

GMT 13:56 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Puigdemont candidate for Catalan president
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Turkey detains dozens more

GMT 10:47 2018 Wednesday ,24 January

Turkey detains dozens more

GMT 15:17 2017 Thursday ,17 August

Three airlines jostling for Air Berlin assets: CEO

GMT 05:38 2017 Thursday ,06 April

ExxonMobil, Qatar Petroleum sign Cyprus gas deal

GMT 02:41 2016 Saturday ,24 December

Oil dips before holiday week; Libyan output boost weighs

GMT 11:31 2014 Thursday ,14 August

Kanye West's new single 'All Day' leaks online

GMT 10:43 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Volkswagen clinches record sales

GMT 08:27 2018 Friday ,05 January

US warns Iran to be held to account

GMT 09:17 2017 Saturday ,23 December

Ugandan army says it attacked rebel camps

GMT 01:57 2017 Saturday ,21 January

In Libya, Daesh down but not out

GMT 05:51 2012 Wednesday ,18 January

Shireen’s latest out soon

GMT 08:56 2017 Thursday ,26 October

Workplace harassment blights industries across board

GMT 17:51 2017 Wednesday ,25 October

Maxwell says refused service over kneeling for anthem
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today
 
 Almaghrib Today Facebook,almaghrib today facebook  Almaghrib Today Twitter,almaghrib today twitter Almaghrib Today Rss,almaghrib today rss  Almaghrib Today Youtube,almaghrib today youtube  Almaghrib Today Youtube,almaghrib today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

.almaghribtoday .almaghribtoday .almaghribtoday .almaghribtoday
almaghribtoday almaghribtoday almaghribtoday
almaghribtoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
almaghribtoday, Almaghribtoday, Almaghribtoday