Regional view – Middle East
Monday, 09 Jun 2008 00:01
Violence in Lebanon - before the deal
A selection of the top news stories making the headlines in the Middle East in the last two months.
Breakthrough averts civil war
The political crisis in Lebanon reached its climax in Beirut in early May as fighting saw the country inch towards civil war.
At least 11 people were killed in automatic rifle fire and grenade explosions. Hizbullah supporters claimed the government had "declared war" and, it seemed, its actions amounted to a declaration of war by themselves.
On the brink of the country's collapse the situation suddenly changed. Five days of talks resulted in agreement: General Michel Sleiman, the compromise candidate previously rejected by Hizbullah, was accepted following government concessions.
He was duly elected president on May 25th – nearly eight months since predecessor Emile Lahoud's term in office expired.
Prospects of peace fading
Hopes kindled by November 2007's Annapolis conference that a peace deal between the Israelis and the Palestinians might be achieved this year have faded in the last two months.
Although excluded from the negotiations, militant Palestinian group Hamas continued to influence the situation with its campaign of violence against Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip.
A Palestinian militant and an Israeli soldier were killed on April 9th before a Hamas attack on a checkpoint ten days later left three dead.
Concerns about suffering civilians in Gaza were intensified when, on April 24th, an Israeli fuel blockade forced the UN to suspend its humanitarian work in the region.
Middle East envoy Tony Blair clearly linked the situation on the ground to the stalled peace talks.
"Until you get a period of calm, you won't get the space you need for… a more rational political discourse," he told MPs in Westminster on June 5th.
The nuclear impasse continues
Iran president Mahmoud Ahmadinjead used his country's national nuclear day to announce the installation of 6,000 new centrifuges at its uranium enrichment plant in Natanz.
The move was characteristic of the leader, whose uncompromising stance on the issue appears to have gone down well with voters. Conservative supporters won 163 of 190 seats in Iran's parliament in elections in mid-March.
In May the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported Iran was refusing to abide by UN resolutions on its nuclear programme. It complained Tehran was not cooperating and warned it may be concealing high explosives testing and missile-related activities.
The US responded by demanding further information from Iran. On the same day Tehran threatened to suspend cooperation with the IAEA, criticising its cover-up allegations.
Secular v sacred
Britain's royal family visited Turkey in May, as the government reiterated its support for eventual Turkish membership of the EU.
But developments in the Middle Eastern country during the last three months reflect the fundamental way the reforms needed for accession are affecting its politics – and how far it has to go to achieve entry.
May Day demonstrations in Istanbul marred a vote by the Turkish parliament on reform laws restricting free speech. The move, backed by the EU, bars denigration of Turkish identity or institutions.
A month later, the debate over whether university students should be allowed to wear headscarves took another twist. The government had outlawed the ban on headscarves, seeking to retain the country's secular traditions, but its constitutional court overturned the ruling.
Turkey's ongoing battle to reform its domestic policies continues.
Calm after the storm
Iraq suffered heavy violence in Baghdad and Basra before levels of fighting dipped in May.
Improved security across the country over the winter appeared to be only momentary as a wave of attacks left scores dead. A suicide bomb in Kerbala killed 32 on March 17th, while at least 50 died on April 18th in a bombing at the funeral of two Shia militia members in the north of the country.
Fierce clashes broke out between militant fighters and security forces after the Iraqi government attempted to crack down on rebels in the southern regions of the country, mainly Basra, on March 25th.
A three-day curfew had to be imposed on Basra as fighting between Shia factions continued in late March. Days later the Ministry of Defence announced UK troop withdrawals would be delayed indefinitely.
The focus shifted to the Sadr City neighbourhood of Baghdad at the end of the month, where – according to the Iraqi government – 925 people died.
After the violence, May saw a real downturn in violent deaths. Iraq's first lady was unhurt after a roadside bombing, but there were no more major incidents. There was good news for Australian troops in the country; they were sent home on a positive note from the Tallill airbase in the south of the country.
Other major developments
March 19th – Kuwait parliament dissolved. The move was made so early elections could be called, following the resignation of Kuwait's entire cabinet.
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April 25th – Syria accused.. The US called on Syria to "come clean" over allegations of "illicit nuclear activities" assisted by North Korea.
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May 2nd – Yemen mosque blast. Around 15 were killed and 60 injured in the blast in Saada, Yemen.
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