Frankly Speaking: Does the UK still matter to the Middle East?

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Updated 03 July 2023
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Frankly Speaking: Does the UK still matter to the Middle East?

  • Despite Brexit and mistakes, former Minister for Middle East Alistair Burt says UK still has diplomatic clout, military exports and permanent seat at UN Security Council
  • Middle East is changing and West needs to understand and watch, not necessarily get involved in region’s affairs, he tells Arab News current-affairs talk show

DUBAI: Former UK MP and two-time minister of state, the Right Honorable Alistair Burt, has admitted that “policy errors have been made” by the UK government that have affected its relationship with the Arab world, but that the region “remains of great interest and importance” to the country.

Appearing on the Arab News current-affairs talk show “Frankly Speaking,” Burt, who has served as UK minister for the Middle East, said that “the essential thing is that the long historical ties and the relationship between us means there will always be an interest and an involvement.”

Burt, who has visited the region twice this year and still retains close ties with officials and leaders there, explained how his revelation comes as part of a broader recognition of the evolving dynamics in the Middle East and the need to reassess the UK’s role and engagement there.

He stressed the importance of acknowledging past mistakes as an important step toward building better diplomatic relationships in the future, saying that if the government “has made mistakes in the past, we’re very anxious to make sure they’re put right in the future.”

Burt has twice held ministerial positions in the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office: as parliamentary under-secretary of state from 2010 to 2013 and as minister of state for the Middle East and North Africa from 2017 to 2019.

He argues that the UK still has a “lot of clout in the region,” thanks to its strong trade links, common security interests and “exceptionally good ambassadors throughout the area.”

Taking note of the landmark peace deal that was brokered by China between Saudi and Iran in March, Burt emphasized that this deal could be a turning point in regional politics. Still, he cautioned that ensuring both parties would follow the agreement would be “complex,” adding that “Iran has not always been in a position to deliver on everything it might have signed up.”

That being said, Burt expressed his views on the West taking a back seat in the region’s affairs and that it should be prepared to “watch rather than be involved.” When asked if the deal comes as a “slap in the face” of the West, Burt disagreed with that as a description “because that assumes that everything revolves around us, and it doesn’t.”




Burt, who has served as UK minister for the Middle East, appearing on the Arab News current-affairs talk show Frankly Speaking. (AN Photo)

However, he did note that a more stable Saudi-Iran dynamic could lead to de-escalation in other conflicts, such as the war in Yemen. With the growing willingness to participate in diplomatic dialogue, both countries have the opportunity to de-escalate tensions and redirect their focus toward resolving the decade-long war in Yemen.

Burt has visited Yemen several times and called the crisis there “deeply, deeply distressing” and urged the potential players to create a “peace with compromise.”

He warned that the “total domination of one group over another, whether it’s Houthis or anyone else, is not a basis for long-term stability; it only produces the opportunity for more conflict going forward in the future.”

He cautioned that “the structure of Yemen will have to be looked at. The position of the south and the potential opportunities there for a different constitutional structure.”

The UK has recently appointed a new ambassador to Yemen, lawyer and diplomat Abda Sharif, who is well known and admired by Burt. He called her a “very capable and an outstanding choice of ambassador” for Yemen.

He said that she arrives at a “good time,” but admitted that while the UK’s diplomatic experience will be “looked for” in Yemen, ultimately, the UK will “not be the arbiters” in the conflict.

If the UK government has made mistakes in the past, we’re very anxious to make sure they’re put right in the future.

Alastair Burt

When it came to China’s increased role in the Middle East following its brokering of the Saudi-Iran deal, Burt said that “the region is changing, and I think the region’s influences are changing,” and “China is looking for new opportunities.”

He said he is not surprised by the findings of a recent study conducted by Arab News and YouGov, which revealed that 80 percent of Palestinians would accept a Chinese offer to mediate in its conflict with Israel, underscoring the disillusionment and distrust that exists toward traditional partners.

He added that the study’s findings indicated how “distrusted others have become.” However, he also cautioned against blindly accepting any new entrant’s motives, urging stakeholders to be wary and judge them on “what they do, not just what they say.”

His comments reflect the growing skepticism toward established mediators in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and highlight the need for fresh approaches to address the longstanding crisis.

Burt, who has long been a vocal advocate of a two-state solution, admitted that “so many in the Palestinian community” have “lost faith in the opportunity of a two-state solution” and “the degree of faith in their leadership.”

He also noted that for a long time, any criticism of Israel’s policies was met with accusations of antisemitism, which has stifled legitimate discussions on the conflict.




Burt also commented on the burning of a copy of the Qur’an outside a mosque in Sweden during the recent Eid Al-Adha holiday during his appearance on Frankly Speaking. (AN Photo)

The former UK politician said his country is “extremely concerned about the actions of the activities of the state of Israel,” and that people now realize they can “be a friend of Israel but not a friend of the government,” and that Netanyahu’s actions toward occupation and settlements should face “legitimate criticisms.”

Burt also commented on the burning of a copy of the Qur’an outside a mosque in Sweden during the recent Eid Al-Adha holiday, which has sparked outrage across the Arab and Muslim worlds.

Swedish police had initially given Salwan Momika, the perpetrator of the crime, a permit for the protest under the country’s free speech laws. Police in Stockholm are now investigating the incident for incitement of hatred. Momika has vowed to repeat his actions within days.

Burt slammed the act, saying: “It’s nothing to do with freedom of expression or freedom of speech. The burning of sacred books as a provocation is always wrong and should always be prevented. Any sensible state would do so.”

He added that the threat posed by the rise in expression of hate is “very, very dangerous and very scary” and said that no one could afford to be complacent, cautioning that it could “spark anywhere.”

Looking into other regional crises, such as Sudan, the UK has been criticized for its lack of decisive action after evacuating diplomats over citizens when fighting broke out in the North African country on April 15.

Burt defended the actions of the government, which resulted in cases such as the death of an elderly disabled British woman who starved after snipers shot her husband, despite repeated calls to the British Embassy that her family says was just meters from their home.

He said that the “sudden outbreak of violence caught a lot of people by surprise,” but that the government “worked very hard to get people out in very difficult circumstances.”

He added that he knew “Foreign Office staff who went out into danger zones in order to seek to ensure that citizens could get away.”

But he admitted that “when conflict arises, you can’t guarantee everyone’s safety … what it demonstrates is that there are almost impossible decisions to make in these circumstances … . I have been involved in hostage situations where we’ve made such a decision, and something has gone wrong, and lives have been lost. So, you can’t always get it right.”

 


Missile launched from Yemen into Israel intercepted, Israeli army says

Updated 26 April 2025
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Missile launched from Yemen into Israel intercepted, Israeli army says

CAIRO: The Israeli army said in the early hours of Saturday that a missile that was launched from Yemen was intercepted before crossing into Israeli territory.
Sirens sounded in a number of areas in Israel following the launch, the Israeli army added in a statement.
There was no immediate comment from Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis, who have been launching attacks against Israel as well as ships they perceive as affiliated to Israel, in what they say is to support the Palestinians in Gaza against the Israeli offensive on the enclave.


Former Lebanese PM Diab questioned over Beirut port blast

Updated 25 April 2025
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Former Lebanese PM Diab questioned over Beirut port blast

  • Investigation gains momentum as French official files transferred to Judge Tarek Bitar
  • Lebanese President Aoun reiterates importance of judiciary in securing broader reform

BEIRUT: Former Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab appeared before Judge Tarek Bitar on Friday for questioning related to the devastating Beirut port explosion of Aug. 4, 2020. 

Diab was interrogated for two and a half hours before being remanded for further questions. The session came a week after Bitar questioned former Interior Minister Nohad Machnouk.

In recent weeks, former General Security Chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim and former Head of State Security Maj. Gen. Tony Saliba also appeared before the judge.

The explosion devastated the capital’s waterfront, resulted in thousands of casualties, and has been compared in scale to a nuclear bomb.

It prompted widespread outrage both at home and abroad due to the long-term neglect in safely storing large quantities of ammonium nitrate at the port.

Diab, who was prime minister at the time of the explosion, had previously failed to attend hearings into the disaster for various reasons, notably claiming that “the investigative judge lacked jurisdiction to question” him, or stating that he was abroad.

For more than 18 months, several individuals contested their summons, arguing that Bitar was not the appropriate authority to investigate them.

They also initiated lawsuits against Bitar, whose work was suspended for a significant period due to political pressures and legal challenges.

During their unexpected appearances before the investigative judge, these individuals all expressed their intention to cooperate.

In Lebanon, political and judicial powers are intertwined, contrary to the constitution’s separation of powers principle.

The judiciary is mostly subject to political pressure, starting with judicial appointments, as with other institutions and administrations, which hinders reform efforts and the full independence of the judiciary.

A ministerial source told Arab News that President Joseph Aoun had always stressed two key pillars essential for the state’s recovery are security and the judiciary.

“The security appointments have been finalized, and measures are in place to restore security.

“The minister of justice and the High Judicial Council are actively working on judicial appointments to restore processes free from political interference and corruption.

“These procedures have started to affect the justice system, and everyone has begun to understand that the authority of the judiciary is not negotiable; the previously accepted method is no longer valid.”

The source emphasized that gaining political support for the judiciary is essential to shield it from interference.

This should be prioritized, particularly in light of the president’s commitment to maintaining judicial independence.

Additionally, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam is dedicated to implementing the ministerial statement that received unanimous support through the vote of confidence in his government, said the source.

Political authorities are still debating the law on judicial independence, but it remains unapproved and is currently stalled in joint parliamentary committees.

Aoun has previously stressed his belief in the judiciary as a cornerstone of reform.

In a recent meeting with the Bar Association, he noted that the challenge is not the coubtry’s laws themselves, but their implementation and accountability for violations.

“Too often, laws are interpreted for personal gain and interests. By working together, individuals committed to justice and accountability can address imbalances, fight corruption, and promote responsibility,” he said.

“Only the judiciary has the authority to deter offenders and corruption,” the president added.

Currently, the High Judicial Council is investigating bribery cases involving several judges and has issued a preliminary arrest warrant for one of them, who was arrested and transferred to the prison run by the General Directorate of Internal Security Forces.

The council recently set up three bodies to investigate cases against judges.

Lawyer Ghida Frangieh — who represents victims of the Beirut port explosion — told Arab News that the “renewed cooperation between the Public Prosecution and investigative Judge Bitar is a crucial development.

“It will help revive the port explosion case and allow the investigation to continue until an indictment is issued and, ultimately, a trial takes place,” Frangieh said.

“The election of the republic’s president, setting up a functional government instead of a caretaker government, and the political will for reform would collectively help reactivate Lebanon’s judicial system.

“This should have been the scenario in the port investigations three years ago, and all pending judicial cases should now be addressed and resolved in due order,” Frangieh added.

A French delegation is set to arrive in Beirut next Monday, following the transfer of judicial summons from the Public Prosecution at the Court of Cassation in Lebanon to France.

Bitar has requested access to French investigations regarding the port explosion, and the French judiciary has expressed willingness to support the judge by providing all necessary files and documents for his investigation.

Several French nationals were among those killed and injured in the Beirut port explosion.


US says blast near UNESCO world heritage site caused by Houthi missile

A picture shows a view of UNESCO-listed buildings in the old city of the Yemeni capital Sanaa on July 12, 2023. (AFP file photo)
Updated 26 April 2025
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US says blast near UNESCO world heritage site caused by Houthi missile

  • A Houthi official was quoted by the New York Times as saying the American denial was an attempt to smear the Houthis

WASHINGTON: The US military said a blast on Sunday near a UNESCO world heritage site in Yemen’s capital city of Sanaa was caused by a Houthi missile and not an American airstrike.
The Houthi-run Health Ministry said a dozen people were killed in the US strike in a neighborhood of Sanaa. The Old City of Sanaa is a recognized UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The US ordered the intensification of strikes on Yemen last month, with officials saying they will continue assaulting Houthis until they stop attacking Red Sea shipping.
A US Central Command spokesperson said the damage and casualties described by Houthi officials “likely did occur,” but a US attack did not cause them.
The spokesperson said the closest US strike was more than 5 km away that night.
The US military assessed that the damage was caused by a “Houthi air defense missile” based on a review of “local reporting, including videos documenting Arabic writing on the missile’s fragments at the market,” the spokesperson said, adding the Houthis subsequently arrested Yemenis.
A Houthi official was quoted by the New York Times as saying the American denial was an attempt to smear the Houthis.
Recent US strikes have killed dozens, including 74 at an oil terminal on Thursday in what was the deadliest strike in Yemen under Trump so far, according to the local Health Ministry.
The US military says the strikes aim to cut off the Houthi militant group’s military and economic capabilities.
Rights advocates have raised concerns about civilian killings, and three Democratic senators, including Sen. Chris Van Hollen, wrote to Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth on Thursday, demanding an accounting for the loss of civilian lives.
The Houthis have taken control of swaths of Yemen over the past decade.
Since November 2023, they have launched drone and missile attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, saying they were targeting ships linked to Israel.

 


Flow of Sudan war refugees puts Chad camp under strain

Sudanese refugees fill jerry cans with water at the Touloum refugee camp in the Wadi Fira province, Chad, on April 8, 2025. (AFP
Updated 25 April 2025
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Flow of Sudan war refugees puts Chad camp under strain

  • Chad has taken in more than 770,000 of them, according to the UN refugee agency — with many more likely on their way

IRIBA, Chad: Nadjala Mourraou held her haggard two-year-old son in her henna-tattooed hands for the medics to examine. Then came the painful diagnosis: little Ahma, like many of his fellow Sudanese refugees, was severely malnourished.
The pair were toward the front of a long line snaking out of the doctors’ tent at an already overcrowded refugee camp in east Chad, creaking under the strain as more and more people fleeing the civil war across the nearby border with Sudan turn up.
“We’re suffering from a lack of food,” complained the mother, who fled the fighting in Nyala, in Sudan’s South Darfur region, with Ahma more than a year ago.
Since their arrival at the Touloum camp, Mourraou added that all she and Ahma had to eat each day was a bowl of assida, a porridge made from sorghum.
Yet, as with other conditions at the camp, this meagre ration could deteriorate further as the war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces drags on.
Besides killing tens of thousands, the two-year conflict has uprooted 13 million people, more than three million of whom have fled the country as refugees.
Chad has taken in more than 770,000 of them, according to the UN refugee agency — with many more likely on their way.
Between 25,000 and 30,000 Sudanese refugees already live in the makeshift sheet metal and white canvas tents, packed together across the arid Touloum camp, according to sources.
Recently, more and more of them have become malnourished, said Dessamba Adam Ngarhoudal, a nurse with medical charity Doctors Without Borders, or MSF.
“Out of 100 to 150 daily consultations, nearly half of them deal with cases of malnutrition,” said the 25-year-old medic.
The worst cases are sent to the Iriba district hospital, around half an hour’s drive away.
But the hospital was powerless to stop the first Sudanese infant dying of malnutrition under its care.
“Since the beginning of the month, we have already exceeded the capacity of the malnutrition ward at the hospital,” said MSF nurse Hassan Patayamou recently.
“And we expect admissions to continue to rise as the hot season progresses and temperatures rise above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).”
With the fighting set to grind on, Chad’s government fears the number of Sudanese refugees in the country could soon reach nearly a million.
That burden would be too heavy for impoverished Chad to bear alone, argues the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
The refugee agency was seeking $409 million in aid to help the Sahel country — only 14 percent of which it had received by the end of February.
“The Chadian people have a tradition of welcoming their Sudanese brothers in distress,” said Djimbaye Kam-Ndoh, governor of Wadi Fira province where the Touloum camp is located.
“But the province’s population has practically doubled, and we’re asking for major support.”
Humanitarian groups are worried about the impact of US President Donald Trump’s move to freeze America’s foreign aid budget, while other donors, notably in Europe, have also made cuts to their financing.
“Hundreds of thousands of lives are at stake,” Alexandre Le Cuziat, the UN’s World Food Programme deputy director in Chad, said in a phone call.
Nearly 25 million people are suffering from acute food insecurity in Sudan itself, according to the WFP.
And with the rainy season just under two months away, medics fear outbreaks of diseases.
“We’re preparing for an explosion of cases of malnutrition and malaria,” said Samuel Sileshi, emergencies services coordinator for MSF in Central Darfur state.
“This year, we are also facing measles epidemics in Darfur,” he said.
That unhealthy cocktail of diseases, he warned, “could have devastating consequences,” not least for children.

 


WFP says has depleted all its food stocks in Gaza

Updated 25 April 2025
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WFP says has depleted all its food stocks in Gaza

  • Entry of all humanitarian aid has been blocked by Israel since March 2

GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories: The UN’s World Food Programme on Friday warned it has depleted all its food stocks in war-ravaged Gaza, where the entry of all humanitarian aid has been blocked by Israel since March 2.
“Today, WFP delivered its last remaining food stocks to hot meals kitchens in the Gaza Strip. These kitchens are expected to fully run out of food in the coming days,” WFP said in a statement.