Arab peace plan

The continuing conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians is the result of the former’s rejection of the Arab Peace Plan. Netanyahu accused Hamas of kidnapping and killing three Israeli citizens and retaliated by causing chaos in the West Bank, arresting hundreds of Palestinians including Hamas leaders.

The Israeli forces are still spilling the blood of Palestinians in the occupied territories, despite the UN Security Council Resolution 242 that urged Israel to withdraw its forces from occupied territories in 1967. The resolution had emphasized that occupation of the land with military force was unacceptable.

The launching of Hamas missiles led to the current conflict and Netanyahu has intensified his campaign with the support of American and European governments, who instead of stopping Israel’s war machine, backed its brutal aggression against innocent civilians. This shows their hypocrisy.

Hamas is repeating its mistakes. The missiles, even if they reached Tel Aviv, do not pose any threat to Israel but obstruct the Palestinian cause and led to the death of more Palestinians. Hamas’ rejection of the truce has given Netanyahu more time to carry out his plan.

The people of Gaza, who suffered the most as a result of Israeli aggression, did not do anything to stop Hamas’ arrogance. Instead of accepting the truce brokered by Egypt, Hamas supported the proposals made by Turkey and Qatar. The reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas had given us big hope about peace. Many people all over the world believe that Arab peace plan would put an end to the enmity between Israel and the Arab and Islamic world, achieving normal relations among people of the Middle East. I pray to Allah that He would bless the Palestinians with good leaders who are not warmongers and bring peace to their people.

— Turki Al-Faisal

Foreign investment

The Council of Ministers recently allowed foreign firms to invest in the Kingdom’s stock market and has assigned the Capital Market Authority (CMA) to launch the program at an appropriate time. In my opinion it is a great move as it would strengthen the efficiency of stock market in Saudi Arabia, which is a member of G20 and the largest exporter of oil in the world and the Saudi economy is making good annual growth. The stock market reacted positively to the Cabinet decision. Many companies believe that the decision would encourage foreign companies to invest in their stocks and subsequently result in increasing their profits.

Foreign investment will surely pump in more liquidity to the market boosting exchange of stocks. Foreigners were not away from the Saudi bourse as they have been investing in its stock through licensed local companies. I don’t think direct foreign investment in the market would have any negative impact, on the other hand it would stabilize the market and it will not shoot up prices.

Of course, foreign investment would create fluctuations in the market with the large scale purchase and sales of stocks.

We hope the CMA would give more options to foreign investors and encourage them to invest in the Kingdom’s profitable sukuk market. The CMA should enlighten individual investors on best investment options and caution them against possible speculative dealings.

— Dr. Salah bin Fahd Al-Shalhoob

Recruitment visas

The Labor Ministry published on its website that it has started taking steps to get rid of the sponsorship system and changed terms like transfer of sponsorship to transfer of services. It also gives expats the right to switch their jobs from one company to another.

But the ministry has made it very difficult to get recruitment visas. Yet, some people get visas easily because of their connections (vasta). Some companies dominate the labor market and hike prices of workers. Others charge high prices from their clients while giving low salaries to the workers.

The ministry allows recruitment and manpower firms to trade in humans at the expense of expats and Saudis in a legal manner. As a result human rights organizations are not able to interfere. Instead of providing citizens with required number of drivers and maids at reasonable charges, they sell manpower for daily hours. Recruitment companies bring foreign labor at cheap prices and sell them to Saudi individuals and companies at high prices. So instead of facilitating recruitment of foreign domestic helps, the ministry has given the green light for human trade at the expense of Saudis and expats.

— Shaher Al-Nahari

American media

I am really disappointed to see the credibility of American media falling. When it comes to Israel it totally sides with the Jewish state, especially while reporting the recent Israeli aggression on Gaza.

The US media was not moved by pictures of Palestinian children and women who were killed or injured in Israeli bombardment. At the same time, it focuses on the victims of Gaza missiles. It is repeatedly telling the public that Israel is confronting terrorism and President Obama has repeated the same several times.

Many Fox News journalists like Anderson Cooper, John King, Brian Williams sympathize with Israel. For them the shooting down of Malaysian Airlines plane in Ukraine was more important than the Israeli aggression on Gaza. Americans are programmed since childhood to believe that Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East and they are circled by Arab monsters who vow to destroy it. American superstar Rihanna twitted #freePalestine after seeing the scenes of Palestinian children massacred in Gaza. But she had to withdraw the tweet under pressure. Rihanna then tweeted, “Let’s pray for peace and a swift end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict! Is there any hope?”

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is practicing terrorism, putting pressure on Obama, Congressmen, media persons, celebrities and ordinary American citizens and would not allow anybody to sympathize with the Palestinians.

— Dr. Ahmed Al-Farraj

Sunnis in Iraq

The revenge against Sunnis started after the American occupation of Iraq in 2003. There are people who consider 9/11 events in the US as the beginning of American campaign to fight Islam under the pretext that the leaders of terrorism in the world belonged to the Sunni version of Islam.

Some regional forces have been working to destroy Sunnis politically, culturally and physically to establish their hegemony in the region. Not only in Iraq, but also in Yemen and Syria, Sunnis are targeted. The Islamic State is a terrorist organization created by Iran to suppress Sunnis and Tehran has given it all support and protection. It wanted to create a bad impression about Sunni Islam and frighten the world by setting up a Taleban-type Sunni state.

— Dr. Mutlaq Saud Al-Motairy

Celebrating Eid Al-Fitr

I have been writing Eid related articles over the past several years and every time I used to write how could we celebrate Eid while many people in the Islamic world suffered from wars and problems. But things are not changing for the better. It’s becoming from bad to worse.

Eid is an occasion for expressing happiness and joy and celebrating our achievements and improving our relations with families and friends. Eid is an occasion that brings hope and unity among the Ummah. It also encourages people to exchange love and friendship.

— Walid Fitaihi