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Al-Ahram Weekly
3 days ago
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
France urges all sides to respect Syria ceasefire - Region
France's foreign ministry on Saturday called on all parties to respect a ceasefire announced for Syria's Sweida province, where clashes between tribal and Druze fighters have continued despite the truce. The deal between the Islamist-led government and Israel, brokered with international mediation, was announced by Washington early Saturday Damascus time. "France welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire in the Sweida region. It urges all parties to strictly adhere to it," the ministry said. "Fighting and violence must cease immediately." AFP correspondents reported ongoing clashes in the west of the provincial capital, where Druze fighters continued to battle armed Bedouin supported by tribal gunmen from other parts of Syria. More than 900 people have been killed in Sweida since Sunday, as sectarian clashes between Druze and Bedouin escalated into a wider conflict, drawing in the government, Israel, and armed tribal groups from across Syria. *This story was edited by Ahram Online. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Al-Ahram Weekly
3 days ago
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
US envoy Huckabee calls for accountability after Israeli settlers attack church in West Bank village - War on Gaza
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on Saturday visited a Christian village in the occupied West Bank and urged accountability for an arson attack by Israeli settlers on an ancient church. In early July, Israeli settlers carried out an arson attack on the village of Taybeh in the area of the ruins of the Byzantine-era Church of Saint George, which dates back to the fifth century. The attack came as violence against Palestinians soars in the West Bank, and last week saw an American-Palestinian killed by Israeli settlers near Ramallah. Ambassador Huckabee, an evangelical Christian and staunch advocate for Israel, said his trip to Taybeh aimed to "express solidarity with the people who just want to live their lives in peace, to be able to go to their own land, to be able to go to their place of worship". "It doesn't matter whether it's a mosque, a church, a synagogue," he told journalists. "It's unacceptable to commit an act of sacrilege by desecrating a place that is supposed to be a place of worship." "We will certainly insist that those who carry out acts of terror and violence in Taybeh or anywhere be found, be prosecuted, not just reprimanded. That's not enough," he said. "People need to pay a price for doing something that destroys that which belongs not just to other people, but that which belongs to God." The rare condemnation came days after an Israeli air strike targeted the Holy Family Church in northern Gaza, killing two people and wounding several others, including a parish priest, Gaza civil defence, and church officials said on Thursday. In the villages and communities around Taybeh, Palestinian authorities reported that settlers had killed three people and damaged or destroyed multiple water sources in the past two weeks alone. Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967, and violence has surged in the territory since Israel's war on the Gaza Strip began in October 2023. Since then, Israeli troops or settlers have killed at least 957 Palestinians, including civilians, in the West Bank, according to health ministry figures. Over the same period, at least 36 Israelis, including soldiers, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations, according to official figures. Huckabee, a longtime outspoken supporter of Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied Palestinian territories -- considered illegal under international law -- on Tuesday demanded an aggressive investigation and accountability after Israeli settlers beat a Palestinian-American to death in the West Bank. It was a sign of rare public pressure against US ally Israel by President Donald Trump's administration. *This story was edited by Ahram Online. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Al-Ahram Weekly
4 days ago
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Erdogan warns of regional fallout from Syria clashes as Putin urges calm - Region
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday warned that escalating violence in Syria's Druze heartland threatens to engulf the region, accusing Israel of fuelling the unrest, while Russian President Vladimir Putin voiced 'deep concern' and called for urgent de-escalation through dialogue. In a phone call between the two leaders, Erdogan said the fighting in Sweida 'posed a threat to the entire region' and demanded that Israel end its interference in Syria. Putin, according to the Kremlin's readout, underscored the 'importance of rapidly stabilising the situation through dialogue,' while expressing alarm at the scale of the violence. Sweida, a majority-Druze province in southern Syria, has been the site of heavy clashes since Sunday, as Druze fighters battled Sunni Bedouin tribes, the army, and its allies, leaving hundreds dead. On Thursday, Erdogan warned Israel was exploiting the Druze minority as cover for 'expanding its banditry into neighbouring Syria,' calling its actions 'the biggest problem in our region.' Israel has said it will continue its attacks on Syrian military positions and infrastructure until Syria's government withdraws from Sweida. *This story was edited by Ahram Online. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Al-Ahram Weekly
5 days ago
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Slovenia bars two far-right Israeli ministers over 'genocidal statements' - Region
Slovenia announced on Thursday that it would ban two far-right Israeli ministers from entering the country, citing their "genocidal statements" as the reason for the unprecedented move in the European Union. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich will be declared persona non grata, the Slovenian government said in a statement, warning that their rhetoric has incited "extreme violence and serious violations of the human rights of Palestinians." "This is the first measure of this nature in the EU," Slovenia's Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon said of the ban. The far-right ministers, key allies in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, have faced widespread international condemnation for their "genocidal statements" on Israel's war in Gaza, as well as their inflammatory rhetoric concerning the occupation and expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank. Smotrich, a prominent figure in Israel's ultra-nationalist government, in May declared that Gaza "will be entirely destroyed" and that its civilian population would "start to leave in great numbers to third countries"—remarks widely decried as advocating ethnic cleansing. Smotrich, who resides in an illegal settlement in the occupied West Bank, has long championed the expansion of settlements in defiance of international law and called for the full annexation of Palestinian territory. Ben Gvir, known for his extremism, has repeatedly provoked outrage with statements challenging Jerusalem's religious status quo. Last year, he proposed building a Jewish synagogue within the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound—widely seen as an attack on Muslim sovereignty over one of Islam's holiest sites. In June, Australia, Canada, Britain, New Zealand, and Norway imposed sanctions on Smotrich and Ben Gvir in response to their extreme views and actions. On May 21, President Nataša Pirc Musar in an address to the European parliament urged the EU to take stronger action, condemning "the genocide" in Gaza. Slovenia was in May among six European countries to say that they "firmly reject any demographic or territorial change in Gaza" after Israel announced plans to intensify its genocidal assault on the Palestinian territory. Last year, Slovenia also formally recognized a Palestinian state, following in the footsteps of Ireland, Norway, and Spain—actions driven by a strong condemnation of Israel's brutal war and suffocating blockade of Gaza. Israeli forces have now killed over 58,000 Palestinians in the besieged enclave. Nearly 150 countries recognize a Palestinian state. *This story was edited by Ahram Online. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Al-Ahram Weekly
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Not to be missed: New Alamein Festival, National Theatre Festival, Ruby, Fouad & Mounib - Music - Arts & Culture
Ahram Online highlights a selection of do-not-miss events this week 16-22 July in Cairo New films across cinemas starting 16 July - Smurfs, starring Nick Offerman, James Corden, Rihanna, JP Karliak, Daniel Levy - 40 Acres, starring Michael Greyeyes, Danielle Deadwyler, Kataem O'Connor - El-Shater, starring Amir Karara, Hana Al Zahid, Moustafa Gharieb, Khalid Al Sawi - I Know What You Did Last Summer, starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr., Madelyn Cline (starting 17 July) Get Salima - theatre play Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 July, 8pm Rawabet Art Space, 5 Hussein Basha Al Meamari, Downtown Cairo Directed by Ahmed El-Sherbiny, the play follows Kawthar and Karim as they struggle to stay afloat amid soaring prices—but life has other plans. From meddling neighbours to a long-overdue promotion, and even a break-in that turns their world upside down, the pressure builds. Will it push Karim to take a leap and change his life? 3rd New Alamein Festival 18 July - 29 August The festival will showcase a stellar lineup of top artists from Egypt and the Arab world, including Amr Diab, Angham, Assala Nasri, Tamer Hosny, Tamer Ashour, Marwan Pablo, Lege-Cy, Wegz, Cairokee, and more. Some are returning from the festival's second edition in 2024, while others will take the Alamein stage for the first time. In addition to concerts, the festival features a wide range of artistic, sports, entertainment, and culinary events. Read more about the festival here. Andromida - music Friday 18 July, 8pm El-Sawy Culturewheel, River hall, 26th of July street, Zamalek, Cairo One of the oldest active rock bands in Egypt, Andromida was formed by Amr Hassan & Ihab Al Qalie (keyboard and vocals). The band also includes Sherif El-Sharqawi (drums and vocals) and Ahmed Anwar (bass and vocals). Founded in Alexandria in 1987, the band is widely known for performing some of Pink Floyd's most well-known songs. Fathy Salama and Sheikh Mahmoud El-Tohamy - music Friday 18 July, 9pm Cairo Opera House, Open-Air Theatre, Zamalek, Cairo Titled Sufism vs Modernism, the concert brings together Grammy-winning musician Fathy Salama and renowned Islamic Sufi chanter Mahmoud El-Tohamy, joined by a diverse lineup of musicians. The project blends Egypt's rich Sufi and folkloric heritage with modern genres—including electronic, pop, hip hop, rock, and jazz—to create a contemporary musical dialogue. The son of legendary chanter Sheikh Yassin El-Tohamy, Mahmoud El-Tohamy is considered a master of traditional Islamic musical art. The concert is part of the Cairo Opera House's Summer Festival. The Mummification Lesson - theatre play Saturday 19 July, 7pm El-Jeeb Studio, Zamalek 'The Mummification Lesson,' a scientific and performative lecture presented by Omar El-Moutaz Bellah and moderated by Hoda Abdel Aziz, explores the ancient ritual of mummification through a dramatic and philosophical lens. The lecture delves into the convergence of religion, biology, magic, and cosmology—where the embalmed body is not merely preserved, but transformed into a vessel of promise that death is not annihilation, but metamorphosis. Combining theory and practice live on stage, the event traces the stages of mummification—material and metaphysical—unpacking its tools, substances, and ritual spells drawn from the Egyptian Books of the Afterlife. Far from a purely funerary act, the lecture repositions mummification as a sacred ritual uniting theology, science, and myth in a performance that is both intellectual and immersive. Hanan Mady - music Saturday 19 July, 9pm Cairo Opera House, Open-Air Theatre, Zamalek, Cairo Hanan Mady began singing at a young age and studied violin at the Cairo Conservatory, graduating in 1989. She made her singing debut with the theme song—composed by Omar Khairat—for the 1988 television series El-Leqaa El-Thany (The Second Meeting). Mady went on to perform in several popular TV series, including Yasser Abdel-Rahman's theme for El-Mal Wal-Banon (The Fortune and the Progeny, 1992–1995), and collaborated with renowned composers and lyricists such as Abdel-Azim Abdel-Haq, Helmi Bakr, Ahmad Fouad Negm, Ibrahim Abdel-Fattah, and Reda Amin. Over the course of her career, she released four albums, featuring fan favorites like Leilet Eshq, El-Bahr, Sheddy El-Dafayer, Asfour, and Kan W-Kan. The concert is part of the Cairo Opera House's Summer Festival. Ruby & Ahmed Saad - music Saturday 19 July Beach Resort, Marassi Ruby, the Egyptian singer and actress who rose to fame in the early 2000s, is known for her bold music videos and distinctive performance style. Beyond music, she has appeared in a range of film and television roles, demonstrating her versatility across romantic and dramatic genres. Ahmed Saad is a prominent Egyptian singer best known for his emotional ballads. Launching his career in the early 2000s, he quickly became a fixture in Egyptian film and television soundtracks, blending traditional Arabic vocals with modern pop and electronic elements. He often collaborates with major stars, including his brother, actor Amr Saad. The concert featuring both stars is part of Layali Marassi, a summer series showcasing leading singers at the Marassi Beach Resort. The concerts are held every Saturday through the end of August. 18th Egyptian National Theatre Festival 20 July - 6 August Launched in 2006, the Egyptian National Theatre Festival has grown into the country's largest annual event dedicated to the theatre movement. This year's lineup features a wide range of performances from troupes affiliated with various sectors of the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Cultural Palaces, the Art House for Theatre, the Academy of Arts, private theatres, and university and student groups from the Higher Institute of Theatrical Arts. Many of the plays have already premiered to critical and audience acclaim, while others are being introduced to wider audiences for the first time. Read more about the festival here Fouad & Mounib - music Sunday 20 July, 8pm Cairo Opera House, Open-Air Theatre, Zamalek, Cairo The story of Fouad and Mounib began in 2015, when the two musicians met on Facebook and started exchanging music. A few months later, they gave their first concert at Alexandria's Creativity Centre. Their popularity quickly grew, leading to performances at major venues such as the Cairo Opera House and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina's Arts Centre, as well as tours in Morocco and Austria. Over time, the duo pursued more ambitious projects, with Mounib arranging music for various ensembles and orchestras. The concert is part of the Cairo Opera House's Summer Festival. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
