It’s official: Syria is one of the travel hotspots for 2010.
The New York Times puts Damascus at number 7. The paragraph sells the Syrian capital on the basis of its boutique hotels (really, is that the best you can come up with?), and was written by former Global Post Beirut correspondent Don Duncan (I’m still not sure why the NYT couldn’t bother to find someone actually living in Damascus).
The next Marrakesh? Perhaps mindful of the way that renovations of historic riads have drawn upscale travelers to Marrakesh, Damascus hoteliers are trying to mine tourism gold in the rundown buildings of the Syrian capital’s Old City. These 18th-century homes — many with inviting courtyards and rooftop terraces — are now boutique hotels, like the nine-room Old Vine (www.oldvinehotel.com) and the Hanania (www.hananiahotel.com), which doubles as a hotel and a small museum.
But if you’re worried that the NYT’s discovery might cause a flood of Americans to have their own Damascene conversions (sorry, I couldn’t resist), then don’t. Last year the NYT put Beirut at number 1, and what good did that do?
(On a stylistic note – how badly edited was this list? Three destinations in a row start with “The next xxxx?”)
Following the failed bomb attack on a US-bound plane, America has imposed tough new security measures.
Tough new security measures to add to the tough new security measures imposed after 9/11. Except that these tough new security measures only apply to some individuals. People who carry passports issued in: Syria, Cuba, Iran, Sudan, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Algeria, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Yemen.
Every Syrian who steps off a plane in America will face extra checks, possibly hauled into a side-room like a suspect, before being allowed to enter the Land of the Free. Jordanians, on the other hand, will be allowed to pass through security as easily as a Canadian. Never mind that Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi was a Jordanian. The Amman bombers were Jordanian. The London-tube bombers were British. Yes, the rules are a nonsense.
So Syria has imposed its own nonsense in retaliation. Every American arriving at a Syrian border will now face additional discriminatory security checks.
This is a classic video from the 2008 Bastille Day celebrations in Paris.
With Bashar as Sarkozy’s guest of honour, the Syrian President narrowly avoids shaking Ehud Olmert’s hand. Twice. Olmert is moving along the line shaking hands with each person he meets. He is one person away from Bashar, when the Syrian President makes a clear hand signal as if to say “erm, I need to speak to someone over…there” and walks off in the opposite direction.
Meanwhile, Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak practically knocks people over to get close to the then-Israeli Prime Minister, laughing with him and hugging him like a lover.
Pics via Euronews. The laughter you can hear is coming from the reporters and camera crews – it sounds as if they are watching a football match. Syria 1 – Israel 0.
Syria is attempting to bring global banking brands into the country.
It has, for the first time, allowed international companies to own a majority share in banks operating in Syria. That means – for example – HSBC could open ‘HSBC Syria’ and own 60% of it. Before, it was limited to a minority stake of 49%, which was dissuading companies from entering.
Until now the liberalisation of Syria’s banking sector has been successful, but limited to regional banks. Jordanian, Lebanese, Saudi and Kuwaiti banks have been the dominant players (like Lebanon’s Byblos Bank – above). It looks like the market is soon going to open up even more.
There will be a demonstration in London on New Year’s Eve against the Egyptian government.
The Mubarak regime is supporting the apartheid government of Israel by blocking the Viva Palestina convoy, and enforcing the Israeli siege of Gaza. Egypt is acting as Israel’s policeman, as it has done for the past year and a half.
They are also building an Israeli-style apartheid wall to surgically seal-off Gaza from the rest of the world, in breach of UN resolutions.
There will be demonstration outside the Egyptian Embassy from 1pm-3pm, 26 South Street, London W1K 1DW. The nearest tube stations are Green Park and Hyde Park Corner.
It began with an air raid on a police station in Gaza. 40 were killed in a single second.
One month later, and only after George Bush left office, 1400 people’s lives had been stolen by a religiously-driven political project. A sixty-year experiment in ethnic cleansing.
Now, those same leaders – Ehud Barak and Tzipi Livni are considered to be Israel’s ‘peace camp’. That is how desperate we have become. There is no hope. No Israeli Mandela. We turn to murderers to redeem us.
The 1400 Palestinians WILL be forgotten. I’m not going to get into phrases like we will remember you. No, we won’t. Each one of them is nameless. They don’t have portraits replayed on TV screens around the world and memorable names like Gilad Shalit. They will be forgotten as soon as Israel launches its next massacre, when 2500 will be killed. January 2009 will be a footnote.
As the world pays tribute, with silent demonstrations around the world – many outside Israeli embassies, there are some people who refuse to remember: some Egyptians. I emphasise some. A handful are doing their good work on Twitter.
Mubarak’s defenders have crawled out of the woodwork, and are shouting down any criticism of this Israeli proxy regime in Cairo. Because that’s what it is. Mubarak represents the Israeli people as much as Netenyahu does.
That Mubarak still has his fans, who support his blockade of Gaza…who support his ban on internationals entering Gaza….who support his arrest of people who support Palestine – that saddens me. It makes me realise that Israel has won. Arabs are defending the siege of Gaza. And that’s the real tragedy.
A ship carrying 83 people has sunk just 20km from Tartous.
It was sailing through a thunderstorm at the time. A search is under way, with British helicopters and rescue teams from Cyprus joining in the hunt for the Panamanian vessel.
19 people have been rescued so far. The crew is mostly Filipino and Pakistani. At least one Syrian and one Lebanese were on board. The ship was also carrying livestock – all 27,000 sheep and cattle are presumed dead.
Just weeks ago, Israel hijacked a vessel heading for Lebanon or Syria. There is no evidence it was involved in the sinking of this vessel.
The International Crisis Group has published a report on Syria’s changing foreign policy. It’s conclusion: now is the time for the US to engage.
First, a note on the ICG. The ICG has always been relatively friendly towards Syria, and this latest report is no different. Indeed, it’s Middle East Programme Director, Robert Malley is half-Syrian, and was advising Barack Obama during his election campaign. It all got a bit messy when fans of Israeli apartheid accused Malley – and therefore Obama – of being under Syria’s paw. A ridiculous allegation, but one which led to Obama distancing himself from Malley.
On to the report, and the ICG says Syria’s foreign policy involves a curious mix of pragmatism (calling for negotiations with Israel and closer ties with the US) and militancy (support for the Lebanese Resistance and Hamas).
The problem is that the West is making unreasonable demands – Syria should cut its ties with Hizbollah or Iran – before it gets anything in return.
Domestically, the government is secure, although the economy is an area they need to focus on. There is also the long-standing threat from Islamists.
Now is the time for the US to get involved: Syria and America have shared goals in Iraq and Yemen. On Lebanon and Palestine too, there are areas where the two countries should work together. In Lebanon it’s in everyone’s interests to focus on good governance. And both the US and Syria want Fateh and Hamas to reconcile.
At the moment, though, both sides are hesitant: “The U.S. is looking for evidence that, at the end of the day, Syria is prepared to cooperate on regional issues”, says Robert Malley. “But so too is Syria – in its case, for proof that the risks it takes will be offset by the gains it makes.”
You can read an executive summary of the ICG report here, or the full report here.
