Links 17-28 March 2013

Long overdue as it's been a busy and hence slow blogging week. And the podcast will be back soon, we promise!

• Obama and the Palestinians: Less than impressed
• It’s a Charity! It’s a Movement! It’s the Muslim Brotherhood! - NYTimes.com
  My latest for Latitude.
• Egyptian Women Blamed for Sexual Assaults - NYTimes.com
• Syrian refugees in Lebanon: And still they come | The Economist
• The Unbelievable Photos Taken by the Crazy Russians Who Illegally Climbed Egypt's Great Pyramid
  Lucky bastards. But still bastards.
• IMF signals push to scrap energy subsidies - FT.com
  Worldwide worth $1.9tn, Egypt among worst.
• Egypt: It’s the politics, stupid | The Economist
  Sharp editorial urging national unity government.
• Lebanon: Be careful | The Economist
  On the dangers lurking behind Mikati's resignation.
• Losses in union elections mean Brotherhood faces tough choices - Ahram Online
  Another excellent Houdaiby piece.
• Egypt’s economy: Going to the dogs | The Economist
• Syria's Shiites offer different picture of war - latimes.com
  Fear of Sunni repression.
• A Glimpse Of Post-Assad Syria? Inside Aleppo's New Islamic Justice Committees - All News Is Global |
• Gaza Reporters Boycott Forum On Hamas' New Laws for Media - Al-Monitor
• Egypt’s Constitution Swings Into Action - By Zaid Al-Ali and Nathan J. Brown | The Middle East Channel
  Important details here prez-PM balance.
• In Syria, America’s fractured hopes - The Washington Post
  On fear of MB rise in Syria
• Wasat Party leader says 'thugs' remarks out of context | Egypt Independent
  Not sure to believe al-Madi here.
• Washington’s Undemocratic Bet on the Brotherhood | Atlantic Council
  Strong attack of US policy by Amr Hamzawy.
• Caution, Curves Ahead in Syria - NYTimes.com
  Thomas Friedman making excellent arguments here.
• Shura Council approves Saudi loan, despite Salafi anger | Egypt Independent
• Egypt press syndicate accuses presidency of 'intimidating' journalists - Politics - Egypt - Ahram Online
• Egypt Top Prosecutor Orders Arrest of 5 Activists - ABC News
  Public prosecutor's summons is like a who's who of Egyptian progressives.
• Ingérences et manipulations au Soudan
• Al-Moqattam Clashes in Photos
• Libya to give Egypt US$2 bn; Egypt to extradite ex-officials | Egypt Independent
• Iraq: ten years of hubris and incompetence | openDemocracy
  Zaid al-Ali
• Morocco Islamists struggle with coalition rule
  Good overview and use of "Egyptianize"
• Manal and Alaa: A love story | Lena Merhej | GRANDPAPIER
  Sweet comic by @lenamerhej about love on the digital front lines of the revolution in Egypt
• Cervantès se meurt à Tanger
  On the Cervantes Theater.
• Egyptian Activists Defend 'Riots' Against an Unreformed Police Force - NYTimes.com
  Correct argument wrong context?
• Egypt’s police: What happened to reform? | The Economist
• Fearing stark future, Syrian Alawites meet in Cairo | Reuters
• The Atlantic Article On King Abdullah: One Jordanian’s Perspective at The Black Iris of Jordan
• The Angry Arab | Chinese vs U.S. arms sales
  To Egypt.
• Russia, Israel and the Middle East: Vladimir Putin and the holy land | The Economist
  Good piece.
• How Obama Became Netanyahu - The Daily Beast
• The Iraq War: Ten Years in Ten Numbers - By Neta C. Crawford | The Middle East Channel
• Bakers become latest victims of Egypt subsidy cuts | Guardian
  Doesn't make sense - 3 loaves too little, and bakers have other issues.
• The Middle East peace process: Could two become one? | The Economist
  On the one-state solution.
• From Passionate Participation to Apathetic Disillusionment: An Egyptian Story of Political Disenfranchising and Economic Woes | Atlantic Council
  Good piece
• Mursi Leaves Unrest Behind in Visit to Pakistan and India | The Majalla Magazine
• Syria Comment » “The Free Syrian Army Does Exist” by Koert Debeuf & Response by Aron Lund
• Middle East: Here, there and everywhere - FT.com
  Qatar, of course.
• Monarch in the Middle - Jeffrey Goldberg - The Atlantic
  The irony of Jordanian king giving lessons in democracy...
• Paris Review - The Art of Journalism No. 1, Hunter S. Thompson
  “If you get paid for being crazy, if you can get paid for running amok . . . I call that sane.” —Hunter S. Thompson
• Cairobserver — Walking the city: an interview with Nabil Shawkat on the pleasures of exploring Cairo on foot
• بعد قرار حظر العمل الحزبي داخل المدارس والجامعات.. ماذا يفعل الطلاب؟ - بوابة الأهرام
  Political party activity banned from campus?
• مدير الكلية الحربية: قبلنا طلابًا من «الإخوان» في دفعة هذا العام | المصري اليوم، أخبار اليوم من مصر
  Military academy to accept cadets from Islamist families for 1st time.
• Turkey’s tentative EU springtime - International Crisis Group
  Hugh Pope.
• AFP: Gene study settles debate over origin of European Jews
  Not Palestine.
• Hafnaoui Ghoul: Ouyahia a détruit le Sud
  Interview with Algerian activist from south protests.
• EU fails to speak with one voice on Syria - FT.com
  EU split on Syria: FT piece gives overview of positions; more interventionist UK & France vs Germany & others
• Mali’s Bad Trip - By Andrew Lebovich | Foreign Policy
  On the drug trade in the Sahel.
• 'This American chutzpah makes my blood boil,' Menachem Begin said during Jimmy Carter's 1979 visit to Israel for Egypt peace talks | Haaretz
  Archives show angry Begin on eve of treaty signing.