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Middle East Eye
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Dozens arrested at London demonstration against proscription of Palestine Action
Fifty-five people have been arrested in London at a rally against the proscription of Palestine Action outside the UK parliament on Saturday, according to the Metropolitan Police. Demonstrators gathered in support of the organisation, which was proscribed under anti-terror laws earlier this month. They held up placards reading "I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action" before police began bundling attendees into vans. Similar protests took place in Edinburgh, Cornwall and other parts of the country, also leading to arrests. A counter-demonstration by pro-Israel activists in London - holding placards that read "there is no genocide" and describing the population of Gaza as "2 million human shields" - was shielded by police. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters The government proscribed the activist group under anti-terror laws on 4 July, following an incident in which members broke into RAF Brize Norton earlier this month and spray-painted two planes they said were 'used for military operations in Gaza and across the Middle East". The legislation made membership of and support for the group a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison - the first time a direct action group has been proscribed in the UK as a terrorist group. UN experts, human rights groups, and leading figures have condemned the ban as draconian, warning that it will have adverse consequences for the freedom of expression and implications for the rule of law. 'Terrorism legislation hands the authorities massive powers to arrest and detain people, suppress speech and reporting, conduct surveillance, and take other measures that would never be permitted in other circumstances,' Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty International UK's chief executive, said in a statement ahead of the ban. 'Using them against a direct-action protest group is an egregious abuse of what they were created for."
Middle East Eye
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Yemen crisis: How cuts to vital services are imperilling women
Yemen is currently facing one of its worst humanitarian moments in recent history. The cancellation of more than 80 percent of US foreign aid programmes, alongside cuts by other humanitarian donors, is having devastating ripple effects. In Yemen, lifesaving programmes have been shut down, leaving cholera-prone communities without clean water and millions of people without access to basic healthcare. Under 10 percent of the $2.5bn needed this year for the Yemen humanitarian response has been funded. Behind these statistics lies a hidden crisis: 6.2 million women and girls in Yemen are at risk of gender-based violence. But due to funding constraints, the UN's revised 2025 humanitarian response plan aims to reach only around 1 percent of those in need. Local organisations have reported being forced to shut down safe spaces, halt psychosocial care and suspend legal aid. These are not just service cuts. They represent the dismantling of a vital network of protection built over the years for and by Yemeni women. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters We need a broader conversation on this topic among a wider group of stakeholders, including donors and international non-governmental organisations, to recentre the leadership, expertise and solutions of Yemeni women-led and women's rights groups. Late last year, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) initiated a study to understand the challenges and barriers facing these women's groups in Yemen, aiming to devise ways to build a more equitable system of funding and partnerships. The funding cuts this year have only heightened the sense of urgency to collaborate across organisations in pursuit of solutions. Pushed to the brink What emerged from conversations with a wide range of Yemeni women's organisations was a clear warning: these groups are being pushed to the brink, with many left stranded after investing in projects that donors abruptly ended. Amani, a local NGO representative whose name has been changed to protect her privacy, told us that women 'travel for hours to reach a safe space, only to find an abandoned building because the funding ran out'. Such closures reverse years of progress made under global humanitarian reform efforts such as the Grand Bargain and Pledge for Change. Both have called for aid to be more locally led and equitable. Yet now, many of the very organisations these initiatives sought to uplift face collapse. Women's organisations in Yemen are closest to the crisis, but furthest from the resources needed to address it Women's groups in Yemen do far more than deliver emergency aid. They offer holistic, long-term supports - from shelters, trauma counselling to legal services and skills building - helping women both survive and recover. They are embedded in communities, where international actors often struggle to operate. Their ability to navigate local norms and gain trust allows them to deliver services that are culturally sensitive and survivor-centred. They are also drivers of long-term change. By working with community leaders and shaping social norms, they make space for conversations about gender-based violence in ways that others cannot. And yet, despite their reach and effectiveness, they remain underfunded and frequently excluded from decision-making spaces. Research led by the IRC found that these groups are too often treated as subcontractors rather than equal partners. They are expected to implement projects without shaping them. Short-term funding cycles, shortfalls in operational costs and exclusion from funding calls are all factors that contribute to making their work unsustainable. Meeting this moment This is not just a funding problem; it is a power imbalance. Women's organisations in Yemen are closest to the crisis, but furthest from the resources needed to address it. Until that changes, the humanitarian response will continue to fail those most in need. Solutions do exist - if we choose to act. First, the power balance needs to shift. Donors and international NGOs must embed local women's organisations in coordination and decision-making structures. Localisation is not about numbers; it is about who leads and who decides. Second, funding systems require reform. Calls for proposals must be transparent, inclusive and accessible to grassroots groups. Budgets must account for core needs such as rent, security and staff salaries - not just direct project costs. Yemen's women bear the brunt of war. Their demand for peace must be heard Read More » Third, there is a need to invest in local capacity. Support should reflect the self-identified priorities of local women's groups, rather than external metrics. Larger, well-established national groups should be resourced to mentor and elevate emerging organisations. Fourth, there should be a concerted effort to foster peer collaboration, including cost-effective platforms for knowledge sharing, innovation and solidarity. This would help to sustain women-led responses as international NGOs scale down. Finally, advocacy efforts must be strengthened. Women's organisations need to be recognised not only as service providers but also as leaders. Their perspectives must shape policies, programmes and reforms. In moments of crisis, the instinct is often to protect 'core' services, but a response to gender-based violence is not optional. For more than six million women and girls in Yemen, it is essential. Women's groups have long filled critical gaps, despite minimal resources. Imagine their impact if they were fully empowered as strategic partners and decision-makers. This is not just a funding challenge. It is a test of whether the humanitarian system is serious about solidarity, equity and long-term change. We must rise to meet this moment with commitment, collaboration and courage. The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Eye.
Middle East Eye
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
How Ramses telecom centre fire exposed Egypt's digital vulnerability
A blaze at Cairo's vital Ramses Exchange crippled telecom, banking and transport systems across Egypt, exposing how years of centralisation and opaque governance have left the country's digital backbone critically exposed. On Monday, 7 July, at around 4pm Cairo local time (2pm GMT), a fire broke out on the upper floors of Ramses data centre in downtown Cairo - a building underpinning much of Egypt's digital connectivity. Minutes later, mobile networks went down. Internet connectivity in at least 20 of Egypt's 27 provinces vanished or became almost inaccessible. Banking apps and payment terminals ceased to function. Emergency hotlines and flight operations were disrupted. For hours, the digital infrastructure of the Arab world's most populous nation malfunctioned. The following day, the government announced that the facility had gone out of service. The fire killed four employees inside the building and injured at least 27 others, including firefighters. The deaths and ensuing chaos reignited scrutiny of safety standards at critical sites. On Thursday evening, just after firefighters had extinguished the blaze, a smaller fire reignited on the upper floor, catching everyone by surprise. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters In the aftermath of the incident, Communications and Information Technology Minister Amr Talaat claimed that emergency services were unaffected. But the fact-checking platform Saheeh Masr proved otherwise: ambulance, police and fire hotlines were all down in multiple provinces. Meanwhile, life in the capital - as well as in Giza, Alexandria and other major provinces - came to a standstill until later the next day. The financial technology sector took a heavy blow. Mobile payment platforms collapsed, ATMs froze and card machines in shops stopped working. The National Bank of Egypt and Banque Misr issued official apologies to their clients. People watch as firefighters extinguish a blaze at the telephone exchange and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology building in central Cairo on 7 July 2025 (AFP) Thousands of Egyptians without enough cash on hand could not fuel their vehicles, pay at restaurants, or use ride-hailing apps. Others were unable to withdraw money from ATMs or transfer funds. Even parents trying to contact their children in day care were cut off. Later that evening and into the night, the Ministry of Civil Aviation confirmed that airport systems had been disrupted, resulting in delays to 69 flights. Egypt's stock exchange suspended trading the following day. Middle East Eye spoke with experts and technology activists who shed light on the scale of the crisis, but requested anonymity due to safety concerns. 'This was not just a glitch. It was a national crisis,' said one communications security expert. 'A single strike on one building paralysed a nation's infrastructure.' Answers demanded As with many fires over the past decades, even before an investigation was launched - and while firefighters were still battling the blaze - officials were quick to pin the incident on 'an electrical short circuit'. However, the fallout quickly reached the lower house of parliament, where lawmakers called for accountability. MP Maha Abdel Nasser described the incident as a 'technological stroke' that froze public services. She filed an urgent inquiry with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, warning of 'immense damage' to governance and public trust. Another MP, Freddy Elbaiady, submitted a similar inquiry, but was ironically unable to send it electronically as the parliament's portal was down. 'This is not about a fire,' he told local media outlets. 'It's about a national system built around one outdated switchboard.' The Ramses facility is not an ordinary node. Built in 1927 under King Fuad I, it originally served as the national hub for telegraph exchange and telephone services. Over time, the centre evolved into Egypt's communications hub, now hosting the Cairo Internet Exchange, inter-operator routing systems and submarine cable landings that connect the country to the global web. 'This is not about a fire. It's about a national system built around one outdated switchboard' - Freddy Elbaiady, MP Despite the communications ministry's claim that Ramses is not the sole hub, metrics suggest otherwise. A public update on X confirmed that network data show national connectivity in Egypt at 62 percent of ordinary levels amid the fire. Masaar, a technology rights foundation, published a research paper on the day following the fire, concluding that the outage seemed immediate and impacted several internet service providers simultaneously - evidence of the Ramses centre's pivotal role in routing internet traffic across the country. The Cairo-based foundation confirmed Egypt's over-reliance on a centralised and outdated telecom infrastructure, where a single incident can trigger sweeping nationwide disruption. Masaar further warned that unless serious investment is made to modernise and diversify the country's digital infrastructure, future disruptions - whether caused by natural disasters, technical failure or cyber-attacks - will remain a real and recurring threat to both state institutions and daily life. 'It is the heart of the whole system. If it stops beating, the body collapses,' a former engineer at the state-owned operator, Telecom Egypt (rebranded as WE), told MEE. Foreseeable outcome Though the fire's cause may have been accidental, telecom analysts argue that the outcome was foreseeable. Experts say basic safeguards - such as failover routes, decentralised data centres and automated recovery protocols - were either missing or ineffective. 'This was a preventable collapse,' said a Cairo-based telecom consultant. 'No critical facility should be a 'single point of failure'. Egypt's billions in digital transformation mean nothing without redundancy.' Technically, a single point of failure is a component that, if it fails, brings down the entire system. It is a critical flaw when no backups or contingency systems are in place. For decades, Egypt's government has been known for tightening its grip on communications services. During the January 2011 uprising, Ramses Exchange reportedly served as the command post for communications blackout and surveillance on activists reportedly ordered by security agencies. In the early hours of 28 January, dubbed 'the Friday of Fury', Egypt's mobile networks and internet services were entirely cut off. Data routing was pulled from global gateways, as later confirmed by organisations such as the OpenNet Initiative. Although Egypt's telecom sector has been officially liberalised, it remains tightly state-controlled. 'This was a preventable collapse' - Telecom consultant 'Telecom Egypt, which is majority-owned by the state, dominates fixed-line infrastructure and leases the backbone to other operators,' an independent telecom consultant said. 'The National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA), which is meant to be independent, is structurally tied to the incumbent ministry,' he added. The World Bank's 2020 Digital Economy Report highlighted this clash of interests, noting: 'The NTRA's dual role as regulator and policy executor creates a high risk of bias… in favour of Telecom Egypt.' The communications minister confirmed in press statements that 'all services have been transferred to alternative centres', but critics argue this confirms that services were centralised at Ramses before the fire. By Wednesday, services had been gradually restored within two days after the incident, but trust remains damaged. Lawmakers have called for transparency amid calls for telecom reform, while the government continues to insist it was an isolated event. Amid such demands, no senior official has accepted responsibility to date. The government has yet to issue a damage assessment or announce a mitigation plan. 'Millions in lost transactions, stock market halts and offline commerce - that's the fallout,' a digital rights advocate argued 'But without transparency, we'll never know the true impact.'
Middle East Eye
a day ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
MAGA acolyte Marjorie Taylor Greene votes alongside Tlaib and Omar to cut US funding for Israel
Hardline America Firster and staunch Trump supporter Marjorie Taylor Greene voted alongside progressive Democrat Congresswomen Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar to strip Israel of $500m in US funding, hours after it bombed the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza. The House of Representatives, however, rejected in a 422-6 vote on Thursday, to cut funding for the Israeli Cooperative Program - an agreement through which the US provides Israel with $500m to boost its missile programmes. It is a separate allocation from the $3.3bn the US sends Israel as "security assistance" every year. "Israel bombed the Catholic Church in Gaza, and that entire population is being wiped out as they continue their aggressive war in Gaza," Greene told her colleagues in a rare statement from a Republican. "My amendment would strike $500m in funding for nuclear-armed Israel's missile defence system. The US already provides Israel with $3.8bn annually in foreign aid. 3.8 billion. That's a lot of money," she said. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters "Additionally, the April 2024 security supplemental included $8.7bn for Israel, even though Israel - nuclear-armed Israel - has universal healthcare for their citizens and subsidized college for their citizens," she added. "Here in America, we're $37tn in debt. My amendment will ensure an America First department of defence, and that is exactly what we need." That security supplemental, pushed by the Biden administration, provided increased support to Israel for its Iron Dome, David's Sling, and Iron Beam defence structures - among other military backing - in response to the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel. Greene had altogether introduced six amendments to reduce foreign spending in the defence appropriations bill, a massive annual funding agreement that lawmakers must pass to fund the Pentagon's operations for the following year. All of them failed. Only six members of Congress voted to withhold $500m to Israel, after 21 months of its war on Gaza, which has left more than 58,000 Palestinians dead, most of them women and children. The House ultimately approved $832bn in 2026 US military spending. 'Loyalty to a foreign country' Greene's comments on the House floor were not her first criticism of Israel's hold on Washington's policymaking. In an appearance on Conservative podcaster Tucker Carlson's online show last month, she shared her frustration with what she described as a consistent attempt to appease Israel in Congress. "Since I've become a member of Congress - since 2021 - we have voted on 22 resolutions for Israel," she said. "We never vote on resolutions proclaiming great things about America, or defending certain Americans." Carlson asked Greene what had changed her mind now. "It's coming to a point where it's so obvious all the time, in everyone's language, the social media posts they put out, the statements that they make. They have to proclaim Israel. They have to proclaim their faith and loyalty in Israel," she responded. Trump's pick for UN ambassador says he'll use aid as 'leverage' for African votes Read More » "It's becoming like, wait a minute, what about our own country? What about our own people?" Citing her own children, who are in their 20s, Greene referred to the financial struggles of young Americans. "They can't afford rent. They can't afford to buy a house. They can't afford insurance. They can't buy a new car. They can't find a good-paying job," she said. "It seems hopeless for them, but then in Congress, everyone is chasing and pursuing and proclaiming their loyalty to a foreign country." Greene had disagreed with President Donald Trump's decision to bomb Iran's nuclear sites in June, and took to the online programme of another leading MAGA (Make America Great Again) voice, Steve Bannon, where she insisted that "We are bombing Iran on behalf of Israel," and that "Fox News brainwashes all the baby boomers" as it cheerleads US wars. It has become clearer that the MAGA branch of the Republican Party is mounting an anti-war campaign that goes so far as to align itself with the progressive left. Both Carlson and Bannon, both of whom have long had the president's ear, have recently made their critical views known on Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and war with Iran to their combined millions of listeners. "I grew up in a world that espoused violence. That's what the US government does," Carlson told Bannon last month.
Middle East Eye
a day ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Saudi Arabia told US that Syrian forces should deploy to Sweida despite Israeli objections, source says
Saudi Arabia told the US that Syrian security forces should be allowed to deploy to the country's restive south despite Israeli objections, a US official told Middle East Eye. The official, who requested anonymity due to sensitivities around the topic, said that Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud told US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday that the kingdom supported Syria's military asserting control in the southern Syrian province of Sweida. A readout of the call provided by the State Department said the two sides "discussed regional security matters, including efforts to end the violence in Syria". It did not provide further details. The US official briefed on the call, and a second source familiar with the diplomacy, told MEE on Friday that the kingdom was "angry" about Israel attacking Syrian soldiers and dictating military deployments to Damascus. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Sweida has been the site of sectarian violence between the majority Druze community and Sunni Bedouins. After bloody fighting broke out on Sunday, the Syrian government deployed troops to Sweida at the request of local authorities, prompting Israel to launch severe strikes against the Syrian army. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu then ordered Syria's government not to deploy troops south. When President Ahmed al-Sharaa did, Israel launched strikes on Syrian military convoys. On Wednesday, Israel bombed the Syrian defence ministry and areas near the presidential palace. Current and former US, Arab and Israeli officials told MEE that Netanyahu was seeking to carve out a zone of influence in southern Syria, a development that was unnerving the US's Arab allies and Turkey. In an about-turn on Friday, Israeli media reported, citing an unnamed Israeli official, that it had decided to "allow" the "limited entry" of internal Syrian security forces into Sweida for 48 hours. 'Crystal clear' A separate US official in the region who has been monitoring the Israeli strikes about the change in Israeli posture, told MEE that Israel's push for a zone of influence in Syria's south clashed with a unitary, central Syria that Trump's envoy to the country, and ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, laid out just last week to reporters. "I think Potus and others in the administration have been crystal clear about the path for Syria," the official said, referring to President Trump. Turkey doesn't have many options against Israel in Syria Read More » A second regional source told MEE that the US was upset about the Israeli strikes. Israel's intervention in Sweida has been especially inconvenient to the Trump administration because it comes as the US is pushing the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to submit to Damascus's authority. The US and SDF were allies fighting against the Islamic State militant group, but now Washington wants the Kurdish-led forces to integrate into the Syrian army, as opposed to maintaining an autonomous zone in the northeast. Sharaa, a former leader of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham and before that al-Qaeda's Syrian branch, led the removal of the country's former president and strongman, Bashar al-Assad, in December 2024. Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and other Arab states issued a statement on Thursday reaffirming their 'unwavering support for Syria's security, unity, stability and sovereignty". The statement said Israel's strikes were a "flagrant assault on Syria's sovereignty" and that they rejected "all forms of foreign intervention in its [Syrian] internal affairs". 'Vested in Sharaa' Saudi Arabia's decision to back Sharaa and assert military authority in Sweida is not surprising. The kingdom hosted a direct meeting between the Syrian president and Trump in Riyadh in May. Trump said that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman were responsible for convincing him to terminate all sanctions on Syria, again in opposition to what diplomats say Israel preferred. With Damascus strikes, Israel seeks to tear up Trump's vision for Syria Read More » Farhan also spoke with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, on Wednesday. While Gulf states like Saudi Arabia and Qatar have the funds to support Syria's reconstruction, Sharaa enjoys close ties to Ankara. In April, Israel bombed several Syrian air bases that Turkey was planning to take over to train Sharaa's security forces. 'Saudi Arabia is vested in Syrian stability and reconstruction. That includes in Sharaa,' the US official told MEE. This all comes as Trump says he still wants to broker a normalisation agreement between the US's two partners. MEE was the first to report that Saudi Arabia lobbied Trump to stop attacks on Yemen's Houthis in May. Trump's decision to do so was widely seen as going against Israel.
