عَلِيّ حَمُود اَلَّذِي وَجَدَ فِي ٱلْمَكَان مَسْكَنًا وَمَكَانًا لِلْعَمَل، جَلَسَ فِي خَيْمَتِهِ عَلَى حَصِيرَة مِن ٱلْقَشّ، وَاضِعًا رَأْسَهُ بَيْنَ يَدَيه. كَانَ حَزِينًا. قَال: «أُقِيمُ هُنَا مُنْذُ سَنَةٍ وَمِائَة وَسَبْعَة وَسَبْعِين يَوْمًا. لا أَعْلَمُ مَاذَا سَأَفْعَل بَعْدَ ٱلْيَوْم. فَأَنَا آكُل وَأَشْرَب وَأَنَام بِبَلاش وَأَقْبِض يَوْمِيًّا عَشَرَةَ آلاف لِيرَة لُبْنَانِيَّة. اَلآن سَأَعُودُ عَاطِلًا عَن ٱلْعَمَل». عَلِيّ يَنْتَمِي إِلَى حَرَكَةِ «أَمَل». لَمْ يُتَابِع تَعْلِيمَه. وَلا يَفْهَم لِمَاذَا ٱتَّفَقُوا بِسُرْعَة عَلَى طَاوِلَةِ ٱلْحِوَار فِي ٱلدَّوْحَة. «أَلا تَزَالُون هُنَا؟ اِذْهَبُوا إِلَى بُيُوتِكُمْ». قَالَت فَتَاةٌ غَاضِبَة تَعْمَل فِي ٱلْوَسَط لِشَبَاب ٱلْحَاجِز. رَدَّ عَلَيْهَا عَلِيّ: «لا نُرِيد أَنْ نَذْهَب. وَلَنْ نَفُكّ ٱلْخِيَم. وَٱفْعَلِي مَا طَابَ لَكِ». لٰكِنَّ عَمَلِيَةَ إِزَالَةِ ٱلْخِيَم بَدَأَت. وَعُمَّال شَرِكَةِ «سُوكْلِين» لِلتَّنْظِيفَات وَاكَبُوهَا وَشَرَعُوا بِرَفْع كُلّ مَا خَلَّفَهُ ٱلْمُعْتَصِمُون بَعْدَ جَمْعِهِم أَغْرَاضِهِم ٱلْخَاصَّة.
Ali Hamoud who found in the place [i.e. the site of the oppositions mass sit-in in central Beirut] a home and a place of work sat in his tent on a straw mat holding [lit. laying] his head between his hands. He was sad. He said: Ive lived here for a year and 177 days. I dont know what Ill do after today. I eat and drink and sleep for free and receive ten thousand Lebanese lira [approx. US$7] every day. Now Ill go back to being unemployed. Ali belongs to the Amal movement. He did not pursue his education. And he does not understand why they agreed so quickly at the [round] table talks in Doha. Are you still here? Go to your homes said an angry young woman who works in the centre [of Beirut] to the young men [manning] the barrier. Ali replied to her: We dont want to go. Well never take down [lit. dismantle] the tents. Do what you like. But the operation to remove the tents had started and workers from the Sukleen cleaning company accompanied [this operation] and began taking away all [the things] that the sit-in protesters had left behind after gathering up their personal effects.
«مَبْرُوك ٱلصُّلْحَة» إِنَّهَا ٱلْعِبَارَة اَلَّتِي رَاجَت عَلَى أَلْسِنَةِ ٱللُّبْنَانِيِّين لِيُحَيُّوا بَعْضُهُم ٱلْبَعْض عَلَى اِخْتِلاف اِنْتِمَاءَاتِهِم ٱلسِّيَاسِيَّة. فَرْحَة لا تَتَّسِعُ لَهَا صُدُورُهُم اَلَّتِي ضَاقَت ذَرْعًا بِٱلْأَزَمَات ٱلْمُتَلاحِقَة وَٱلتَّصْرِيحَات ٱلتَّصَادُمِيَّة اَلَّتِي مَلَأَت ٱلشَّاشَات وَصَفَحَات ٱلْجَرَائِد، فَحَقَنَت ٱلْأَنْفُس وَأَصَابَت ٱلْعُمْق ٱللُّبْنَانِيّ بِٱنْشِقَاقَاتٍ وَتَشَرْذُمَات. جَوْلَة قَامَت بِهَا «اَلشَّرْق ٱلأَوْسَط» فِي مَنَاطِق ٱلْأَشْرَفِيَّة، عَيْن ٱلرُّمَّانَة، فُرْن ٱلشُّبَّاك بَدَا فِيهَا ٱلْمَشْهَد وَاحِدَا وَإِنْ اِخْتَلَفَت ٱلتَّفْسِيرَات وَ«ٱلتَّحْلِيلَات» اَلَّتِي يَعْطِيهَا ٱللُّبْنَانِيُّون لِتَصَرُّفَات زُعَمَائِهِم. إِنَّهَا ٱلْفَرْحَة اَلَّتِي وَحَّدَت أَهَالِي ٱلْمَنَاطِق، بَعْضُهُم فَرِحَ مِن دُونِ أَنْ يَعْرِفُوا بَعْد عَلَى مَاذَا ٱتَّفَقَ ٱلسِّيَاسِيُّون، وَبَعْضُهُم تَنَفَّسَ ٱلصُّعَدَاء وَأَطْلَقَ ٱلْعِنَان لِأَحْلامِه.
Congratulations on the reconciliation is the phrase which is [now heard] everywhere on the tongues of the Lebanese when they greet one another irrespective of their political affiliations. Joy their chests cannot expand for [as these are chests] which have become tired of the successive crises and clashing statements which filled the screens and the pages of newspapers and injected the spirit and afflicted the Lebanese heart [lit. depth] with splits and fragmentations. [On] a tour which Asharq Alawsat undertook in the areas of al-Ashrafieh Ain al-Roumane and Furn al-Shubbak the scene in [these places] appeared as one though the explanations and the analyses which the Lebanese gave for the behaviour of their leaders differed. It was joy which united the people of the areas. Some of them rejoiced without yet knowing what the politicians had agreed on and some of them breathed a sigh of relief and gave free rein to their dreams.
يَبْدُو أَنَّهُ أُسْبُوع خُلْع ٱلنَّجْمَات ٱلْمِصْرِيَّات، فَبَعْدَ سَاعَاتٍ مِن نَجَاح ٱلْمُمَثِّلَةِ ٱلْمِصْرِيَّة هَنَا شِيحَة فِي خَلْع زَوْجِهَا مُهَنْدِس ٱلدِّيكُور مُحَمَّد فَوْزِي اَلْعَوَامِرِيّ، خَلَعَت ٱلْمُطْرِبَة أَنْغَام زَوْجَهَا ٱلْمُلَحِّن ٱلْكُوَيْتِيّ فَهْد مُحَمَّد بَعْدَ حُصُولِهَا عَلَى حُكْمٍ قَضَائِيّ بِأَحَقِّيَّتِهَا فِي ذٰلِك. كَانَت مَحْكَمَةُ ٱلْأُسْرَة بِمِصْر ٱلْجَدِيدَة قَد قَضَت أَمْس بِطَلاق ٱلْمُطْرِبَة أَنْغَام طَلْقَة بَائِنَة خَلْعًا مِن زَوْجِهَا وَوَالِد طِفْلِهَا بِدَعْوَى ٱسْتِحَالَةِ ٱلْعِشْرَة بَيْنَهُمَا، وَخَوْفًا أَلَّا تُؤَدِّي أَنْغَام حُدُود ٱلله. وَقَالَت هَيْئَةُ ٱلْمَحْكَمَة إِنَّ أَنْغَام رَدَّت عِشْرِين دِينَارًا كُوَيْتِيًّا قِيمَةَ مَهْرِهَا اَلَّذِي حَصَلَت عَلَيْه، كَمَا تَنَازَلَت عَن كُلّ حُقُوقِهَا ٱلْمَادِّيَّة مِن نَفَقَة وَمُؤَخَّر وَمُتْعَة نَتِيجَةَ ٱلطَّلاق بِمَا يَجْعَلُهَا مُسْتَحِقَّة لِلْخُلْع. وَرَفَضَت ٱلْمَحْكَمَة إِدِّعَاء زَوْجِهَا بِأَنَّ قِيمَةَ ٱلْمَهْر ٱلْمَدْفُوع مِلْيُون وَخَمْس مِائَةِ أَلْف جُنَيْه لِأَنَّهُ لَمْ يُقَدِّم دَلِيلًا عَلَى ذٰلِك عِنْدَ إِحَالَةِ ٱلدَّعْوَى إِلَى ٱلتَّحْقِيق.
It seems that it is the week for the khul` divorce [=wife-initiated divorce] of Egyptian [female] stars as [just] hours after the success of the Egyptian actress Hana Sheha in divorcing her husband [cinema] production designer Muhammad Fawzy al-Awamry the singer Angham divorced her husband the Kuwaiti composer Fahd Muhammad after obtaining a judicial ruling of her entitlement [lit. better legal claim] to that. The Family Court in Heliopolis ruled yesterday to divorce the singer Angham irrevocably in a khul` divorce from her husband and father of her child with the claim of the impossibility of marital relations between the two and the fear that Angham would not be able to keep to the limits [ordained] by God [ref. Quran 2:229]. The Court Committee said that Angham had returned twenty Kuwaiti dinars [being] the value of the dowry which she had received and also that she had waived all her material rights in terms of maintenance deferred dowry and the divorce compensation resulting from the divorce which makes her entitled to the khul` divorce. The court rejected her husbands claim that the value of the dowry paid was one million five hundred thousand [Egyptian] pounds because he had not presented evidence for that when referring the claim for investigation.
نَجَا تِلْمِيذٌ فِي ٱلْمَرْحَلَةِ ٱلْاِبْتِدِائِيَّة فِي إِحْدَى مَدَارِس قَرْيَةِ ٱلْعُيَيْنَة (خَمْسٌ وَسِتُّون كِيلُومِتْرًا شَمَالَ ٱلطَّائِف)، مِن لَدْغَةِ عَقْرَب مِن ٱلنَّوْع ٱلسَّامّ جِدًّا. وَكَانَ ٱلتِّلْمِيذ اَلَّذِي حَضَر إِلَى ٱلْمَدْرَسَةِ بَاكِرًا يَهُمُّ بِإِخْرَاج كِتَاب ٱلْقِرَاءَة فِي ٱلْحِصَّةِ ٱلْأُولَى، عِنْدَمَا فُوجِئَ بِوُجُود ٱلْعَقْرَب دَاخِلَ حَقِيبَتِه، فَأَطْلَقَ صَرْخَةَ أَلَمٍ وَخَرَجَ مِن ٱلْفَصْل بِسُرْعَةٍ كَبِيرَة، وَلَحِقَ بِهِ زُمَلاؤُه. وَدَفَعَ ذُعْر ٱلتِّلْمِيذ مُعَلِّم ٱلْفَصْل إِلَى ٱسْتِطْلاع ٱلسَّبَب، لِيَجِدَ ٱلْعَقْرَب فِي أَسْفَل ٱلْحَقِيبَة، فَأَخْرَجَهُ وَقَتَلَهُ أَمَامَ ٱلتَّلامِيذ حَتَّى يُشْعِرَهُم بِٱلْأَمَان، ثُمَّ عَادَ ٱلتَّلامِيذ وَٱسْتَكْمَلُوا ٱلدَّرْس.
A pupil in the primary stage in one of the schools of the village of al-`Uyanyna (65 kilometres north of al-Taif) escaped from the sting of a scorpion of a very poisonous kind. The pupil who arrived at the school early was about to get out the reading book in the first period when he was surprised by the presence of the scorpion inside his bag. He let out a cry of pain and went out of the classroom with great speed and his colleagues followed closely behind him. The fear of the pupil drove the class teacher to investigate the reason and he found the scorpion at the bottom of the bag. Then he took it out and killed it in front of the pupils in order to make them feel safe. Then the pupils went back and completed the lesson.
مَعَ هُطُول أَمْطَار ٱلصَّيْف اَلَّذِي حَلَّ مُبَكِّرًا هٰذَا ٱلْعَام تَبْدُو صَنْعَاء، لِمَنْ يُشَاهِدُهَا مِن أَعْلَى، أَشْبَه بِمُونَالِيزَا مِعْمَارِيَّة مَنْحُوتَة بِأَزَامِيل ٱلضَّوْء وَٱلْغَيْم وَإِيْقَاعَات حُبَيْبَات ٱلْبَرَد. لٰكِن مَا إِنْ يَهْبِطُ ٱلْمَرْء إِلَى قَلْب ٱلْمَدِينَة حَتَّى يَجِدَ نَفْسَهُ غَارِقًا فِي مُسْتَنْقَعَات ٱلْوَحَل اَلْمَمْزُوج بِمِيَاه ٱلصَّرْف ٱلصِّحِّيّ وَأَشْيَاء أُخْرَى. هٰذَا فِي مَوْسِم ٱلْأَمْطَار. أَمَّا فِي ٱلْأَيَّام ٱلْعَادِيَّة فَيَكُونُ ٱلْغُبَار مَشْهَدًا مَأْلُوفًا يَتَزَامَن مَعَ صَخَب ٱلْوِرَش وَٱلْمَصَانِع وَمَقَالِع ٱلْحِجَارَة. إِضَافَةً إِلَى أَصْوَات أَبْوَاق ٱلْمَرْكَبَات وَعَوَادِمِهَا وَأَيْضًا مُكَبِّرَات ٱلصَّوْت ٱلثَّابِتَة وَٱلْمُتَحَرِّكَة نَاهِيكَ بِمَخَاطِر طَلَقَات ٱلرَّصَاص وَٱلْمُفَرْقِعَات فِي ٱلْأَعْرَاس وَٱلْمُنَاسَبَات ٱلْعَامَّة.
With the summer downpour which came early this year Sanaa seems to whoever sees it from above like an architectural Mona Lisa sculpted with chisels of light and cloud and the rhythms of hailstones. But no sooner has the person come down to the heart of the city than he finds himself sinking in quagmires of mud mixed with wastewater [lit. sanitary drainage water] and other things. This is in the rainy season. As for on normal days then dust is a familiar sight which coincides with the noise of workshops and factories and stone quarries. In addition to the sounds of the horns of vehicles and their exhausts and also loudspeakers - fixed and moving not to mention the dangers of bullet rounds and firecrackers at weddings and public occasions.
بِغَضَبٍ أَقْفَلَ ٱلْعَجُوز بَاب ٱلْبَيْت، وَأَقْسَمَ أَلَّا يَفْتَحَهُ أَبَدًا لِأَمْثَال مَنْ دَقُّوا ٱلْجَرَس لِلتَّوّ. هَرَعَت ٱلْحَفِيدَة ٱلْعِشْرِينِيَّة نَحْوَ جَدِّهَا لِتَرَى مَا اَلَّذِي حَصَلَ مَعَ ٱلطَّارِق اَلَّذِي كَانَ صَوْتُهُ خَفِيضًا وَبِٱلْكَاد وَصَلَ إِلَيهَا فِي ٱلْغُرْفَةِ ٱلْمُلاصِقَة لِمَدْخَل ٱلْمَنْزِل. مَا مِن شَيْءٍ مُقْلِق قَد يُثِير ثَوْرَةَ غَضَب ٱلْجَدّ، عَدَا هٰؤُلاء ٱلطَّارِقِين غَيْر ٱلْمَرْغُوب فِيهِم وَهُم اَلْعُمَلاء أَوْ اَلْمُسَوِّقُون ٱلتِّجَارِيُّون اَلَّذِينَ يَتَجَوَّلُون فِي ٱلْأَحْيَاء، وَيَقْرَعُون ٱلْأَبْوَاب بِلا كَلَلٍ وَلا مَلَل، عَارِضِين سِلَعَهُم ٱلْقَلِيلَة لِلْبَيْع ٱلْفَوْرِيّ. عَبَثًا حَاوَلَت سُمَيَّة اِمْتِصَاص غَضَب ٱلْجَدّ، مُرَوِّضَة مَشَاعِرَهُ ٱلْأَبَوِيَّة إِزَاءَ هٰؤُلاء «اَلشَّبَاب اَلْمَسَاكِين اَلْبَاحِثِين عَن لُقْمَةِ عَيْشٍ غَيْر سَهْلَة».
The old man angrily closed the door of the house and swore he wouldnt ever [again] open it to the likes of those who had just rung the bell. The twenty-something granddaughter rushed towards her grandfather to see what had happened with the person knocking whose voice was low/soft and barely reached her in the room adjoining the entrance of the house. There is no troubling thing which might stir up an outburst of anger of the grandfather other than these undesired people knocking. They are agents or commercial marketers who move around in the districts knocking on doors tirelessly and without boredom exhibiting their few wares for immediate sale. In vain Someya tried to suck out the anger of the grandfather taming his paternal feelings in the face of these poor young men searching for a living [lit. morsel of bread] [which is] not easy.
كَافَأَت سَيِّدَةُ أَعْمَال سُعُودِيَّة حَارِسًا يَعْمَلُ فِي أَحَد مَرَاكِز ٱلتَّسَوُّق بِنَحْوِ أَلْفَي دُولار لِقَبْضِهِ عَلَى شَابٍّ سَرَقَ هَاتِفَهَا ٱلْخُلِيَوِيّ. وَكَانَت ٱلسَّيِّدَة فُوجِئَت بَعْدَ تَرَجُّلِهَا مِن سَيَّارَتِهَا أَمَامَ مَدْخَل ٱلْمَرْكَز شَمَالَ ٱلرِّيَاض بِشَابٍّ يَسْرِق هَاتِفَهَا مِن يَدِهَا، لِيَفِرَّ قَاطِعًا ٱلشَّارِع ٱلْعَامّ إِلَى ٱلْجِهَةِ ٱلْمُقَابِلَة، إِلَّا أَنَّ أَحَد حُرَّاس ٱلْمَرْكَز طَارَدَهُ وَتَمَكَّنَ مِن ٱلْإِمْسَاك بِه بِمُسَاعَدَةِ بَعْض ٱلْمَارَّة. وَنُقِلَ ٱللِّصّ إِلَى مَقَرّ ٱلْمَرْكَز، قَبْلَ أَنْ تَصِلَ دَوْرِيَّة أَمْنِيَّة وَتَتَسَلَّمُهُ وَتُعِيد ٱلْهَاتِف إِلَى صَاحِبَتِهِ، اَلَّتِي قَالَت إِنَّ أَهَمِّيَّةَ «ٱلْجِهَاز» تَكْمُنُ فِي ٱلْأَرْقَام ٱلْمَحْفُوظَة دَاخِلَه. وَبَعْدَ ذَهَاب ٱلدَّوْرِيَّة ٱلْأَمْنِيَّة، سَأَلَت ٱلسَّيِّدَة اَلْحَارِس عَن مِقْدَار رَاتِبِه، فَأَبْلَغَهَا أَنَّهُ يَتَقَاضَى أَرْبَع مِائَةِ دُولار، لِتُخْرِج مِن حَقِيبَتِهَا أَكْثَر مِن سَبْعَةِ آلاف رِيَال (نَحْوَ أَلْفَي دُولار) وَتَمْنَحُهُ إِيَّاهَا. وَهُوَ مَبْلَغ يُسَاوِي ثَلاثَةَ أَضْعَاف ثَمَن هَاتِفِهَا.
A Saudi business woman rewarded a guard working in one of the shopping centres with around two thousand dollars for his apprehending of a youth who stole her cell phone. The lady was taken by surprise after stepping out of her car in front of the entrance of the centre in the north of Riyadh by a youth who stole her phone from her hand and ran off crossing the street [lit. thoroughfare] to the opposite side. However one of the guards of the centre chased after him and was able to capture him with the help of some passers-by. The thief was taken to the headquarters of the centre before a security patrol arrived to take custody of him [lit. take delivery] and return the phone to its owner who said that the importance of the equipment lies in the numbers stored inside it. After the departure of the security patrol the lady asked the guard about the amount of his salary and he informed her that he gets four hundred dollars [a month]. Then she took out from her bag more than seven thousand riyals (around two thousand dollars) and gave him it. It is an amount which equals three times the price of her phone.
أُصِيبَ عَدَدٌ مِن أَبْطَال مُسَلْسَل «اَلْفَنَار» بِإِصَابَاتٍ مُخْتَلِفَة، بَعْدَ إِصْرَار ٱلْمُخْرِج عَلَى تَصْوِير مَشَاهِد مُسَلْسَلِهِ ٱلْجَدِيد مِن دُونِ ٱلْاِسْتِعَانَة بـِ«دُوبْلِير». فَأَنْقَذَ خَفَر ٱلسَّوَاحِل ٱلْمِصْرِيّ ٱلْفَنَّانَيْن أَحْمَد رَاتِب وَطَارِق لُطْفِيّ مِن ٱلْغَرَق أَثْنَاءَ تَصْوِير مَشْهَد فِي بُور سَعِيد، يَدُور حَوْلَ طَارِق لُطْفِيّ ـ يُجَسِّد دَوْر اِبْن أَحْمَد رَاتِب فِي ٱلْمُسَلْسَل ـ اَلَّذِي يُقَرِّر ٱلسَّفَر إِلَى ٱلْخَارِج بَعْدَ حَرْب أَلْف وَتِسْعُمِئَة وَسَبْع وَسِتِّين، لٰكِنَهُ يُجَابَهُ بِرَفْض وَالِدِهِ اَلَّذِي يَتْبَعُهُ إِلَى ٱلْمِينَاء، وَهُنَا يُلْقِي ٱلْاِبْن بِنَفْسِهِ فِي ٱلْبَحْر عَلَى رَغْم عَدَم مَعْرِفَتِهِ بِأُصُول ٱلسِّبَاحَة وَفْقًا لِلْمُسَلْسَل، فَيُلْقِي أَحْمَد رَاتِب بِنَفْسِهِ خَلْفَهُ لِإِنْقَاذِه. وَأَثْنَاء هٰذَا ٱلْمَشْهَد ٱلْأَخِير، اِنْزَلَقَت قَدَمُهُ وَتَعَرَّضَ لِلْغَرَق ٱلْحَقِيقِيّ مِن دُونِ أَنْ يُدْرِك ٱلْعَامِلُون فِي ٱلْمُسَلْسَل ذٰلِكَ إِلَّا مُتَأَخِّرًا. وَلَمْ يُنْقِذَهُ سِوَى عَدَدٍ مِن خَفَر ٱلسَّوَاحِل اَلَّذِينَ تَصَادَفَ وُجُودُهُم فِي مَوْقِع ٱلتَّصْوِير.
A number of stars of the serial The Lighthouse have been afflicted with various injuries after the Directors insistence on filming scenes of his new serial without seeking the help of doubles. The Egyptian Coast Guard saved the two artists Ahmed Rateb and Tariq Lutfi from drowning during the filming of a scene in Port Said which revolves around Tariq Lutfi - who plays [lit. embodies] the role of the son of Ahmed Rateb in the serial - who decides to travel abroad after the war of 1967 but is faced with the refusal of his father who follows him to the port and here the son throws himself into the sea despite his not knowing the fundamentals of swimming according to the serial. Ahmed Rateb then throws himself after him to save him. During this latter scene his foot slipped and he was in danger of real drowning without the workers in the serial realising that except belatedly and he was only saved by a number of the Coast Guard who happened to be in the location of filming.
تَزَوَّجَت «سَلْمَى» مِن «مَحْمُود»، بَعْدَ رَفْض أُسْرَتِهِ لَهَا، فِي شَالِيه بِٱلسَّاحِل ٱلشَّمَالِيّ ٱلْغَرْبِيّ بِمِصْر، ثُمَّ ٱنْفَصَلَا عَلَى شَاطِئ ٱلْبَحْر أَمَامَ ٱلشَّالِيه نَفْسِه اَلَّذِي يَبْعُد عَن ٱلْقَاهِرَة نَحْوَ مِئَتَيْن وَخَمْسِين كِيلُومِتْرًا، دُونَ أَنْ يَعْلَمَ أَحَدٌ عَن زَوَاجِهِمَا أَوْ اِنْفِصَالِهِمَا شَيْئًا.. وَفِيمَا عَدَا طُيُورٍ كَانَت تَسْبَح فِي ٱلسَّمَاء وَنُجُومٌ كَانَت تَلْمَع فَوْقَهُمَا وَهُمَا يَتَسَامَرَان، وَمِيَاه بَحْرٍ بَلَّلَت جَسَدَيْهِمَا قَبْلَ أَنْ تَشْرَبَهَا ٱلرِّمَال، لا تَمْلِكُ ٱلزَّوْجَة أَيّ دَلِيلٍ حَتَّى ٱلآن عَلَى عَلاقَةِ زَوَاجٍ مَعَ «مَحْمُود».. لَقَد بَدَأَت ٱلْقِصَّة كَـ«فِكْرَة مَجْنُونَة»، وَهُمَا عَلَى بَاب جَامِعَةِ ٱلْقَاهِرَة أَوَّلًا، ثُمَّ نَفَّذَاهَا عَلَى مَدَى ثَلاثَةَ أَشْهُر فِي شَالِيه وَالِدِهِ ٱلْمَهْجُور اَلْوَاقِع بِقَرْيَةِ مَارِينَا اَلسِّيَاحِيَّة. قَالَت «كُنتُ أَثِقُ فِيه ثِقَةً كَبِيرَة.. مَاكُنتِش أَفْتِكِر فِي يَوْم مِن ٱلْأَيَّام إِنَّهُ يَسْرِق اَلْوَرَقَة (عَقْد زَوَاج عُرْفِيّ غَيْر مُوَثَّق) وَيَسْرِق كُلّ حَاجَة حُلْوَة وَيَهْرُب».
Salma married Mahmoud after his familys rejection of her in a beach home on the north west coast in Egypt. Then they separated on the seashore in front of the same beach home which lies a distance of around 250 kilometres from Cairo without anyone knowing a thing about their marriage or their separation. And with the exception of birds which were floating [fig.] [lit. swimming] in the sky and stars which were shining above them as they chatted the evening away and sea water which wetted their bodies before the sands drank it away the wife doesnt have any evidence until now of a marriage relationship with Mahmoud. The story started as a crazy idea when they were at the gates of Cairo University firstly. Then they implemented it over a period of three months in his fathers empty/deserted beach home lying in the Marina tourist village. She said I trusted him greatly... I didnt think [Egyptian] one day that he would steal the piece of paper (the certificate [lit. contract] of a non-notarised civil [lit. customary] marriage [as opposed to an Islamic marriage]) and that he would steal everything nice [Egyptian] and run away.
أَنْشَأَت مَرَاكِز ٱلْحُدُود ٱلسُّعُودِيَّة فِي شَمَال ٱلْمَمْلَكَة، ثَلاثَةَ طُرُقٍ رَمْلِيَّة، تَمْتَدُّ مِن ٱلشَّرْق إِلَى ٱلْغَرْب، فِي مُحَاذَاةِ كُلّ سَاتِرٍ رَمْلِيّ، عَرْضُهَا ثَلاثَةُ أَمْتَار، وَتَمْتَازُ ٱلطُّرُق بِأَنَّهَا مَفْرُوشَة بِٱلرَّمْل ٱلْخَفِيف، لِرَصْد آثَار أَقْدَام ٱلْمُتَسَلِّلِين، اَلَّذِينَ يُحَاوِلُون ٱخْتِرَاق ٱلْحُدُود، إِذْ يَصْعُب عَلَى ٱلْمُتَسَلِّلِين اَلْقَفْز فَوْق ٱلطَّرِيق. وَيَتِمُّ مَسْح ٱلطَّرِيق ٱلرَّمْلِيّ خَمْس مَرَّاتٍ كُلّ يَوْم، خِلالَ عَمَلِيَات تَجَوُّل دَوْرِيَّات ٱلْحُدُود، اَلَّتِي تَجُرُّ فِي مُؤَخَّر سَيَّارَاتِهَا شَبَكًا حَدِيدِيًّا خَفِيفًا عَلَى طُول ٱلطَّرِيق، لِتَنْظِيف ٱلْفِرَاش ٱلرَّمْلِيّ مِن أَثَر إِطَارَات ٱلدَّوْرِيَّة. وَيَسْتَخْدِمُ ٱلْمُتَسَلِّلُون وَسَائِل عِدَّة لِٱجْتِيَاز ٱلْحَرَم ٱلْحُدُودِيّ وَٱلتَّصَدِّي لِدَوْرِيَّات ٱلْحُدُود، وَذٰلِكَ بِلُبْس ٱلْأَحْذِيَةِ ٱلْإِسْفَنْجِيَّة اَلدَّائِرِيَّة اَلْمَكْسُوَة بِصُوف ٱلْوَبَر مِن ٱلْخَارِج، حَتَّى لا يَبْقَى مِن آثَارِهِم شَيْء، أَوْ عَلَى ٱلْأَقَلّ حَتَّى لا تَتَسَنَّى لِلدَّوْرِيَّات ٱلْأَمْنِيَّة مَعْرِفَة مَا إِذَا كَانُوا فِي طَرِيقِهِم إِلَى دَاخِل ٱلسُّعُودِيَّة أَمْ إِلَى خَارِجِهَا.
The Saudi border posts in the north of the kingdom have constructed three sand roads which extend from east to west parallel to each sand screen [=4m high sand hills which they also constructed]. Their width is three metres. The roads are distinguished by the fact that they are covered with a light [layer of] sand for observing the footprints of infiltrators who are trying to penetrate the border as it is difficult for the infiltrators to jump over the road. The wiping [smooth] of the sand road is done five times every day during the roving operations of the border patrols which pull at the rear of their cars a light iron netting along the road to clean the sand cover of the track of the tyres of the patrol. The infiltrators use several means for crossing the border sanctum and counteracting the border patrols and that is by wearing circular sponge shoes covered with wool of animal hair on the outside so that there doesnt remain of their tracks any trace [lit. a thing] or at least so that it is not possible for the security patrols to know if they were on their way into Saudi or out of it.
أَرَادَ فَلَّاحٌ مِصْرِيّ أَنْ يُرْسِلَ اِبْنَهُ ٱلْأَكْبَر إِلَى إِيْطَالِيَا، فَلَجَأَ إِلَى أَحَد سَمَاسِرَةِ ٱلتَّهْرِيب، اَلَّذِي حَصَلَ مِنهُ عَلَى عِشْرِين أَلْف جُنَيْه، آمِلًا فِي أَنْ يَعُودَ ٱلْوَلَد وَمَعَهُ مَا يَكْفِي مِن أَمْوَال لِتَزْوِيج شَقِيقَاتِهِ ٱلْبَنَات، إِلَّا أَنَّ ٱلْبَحْر ٱلْمُتَوَسِّط اِبْتَلَعَ ٱلْمَرْكَب ٱلصَّغِير اَلَّذِي كَانَ يَسْتَقِلُّهُ ٱلْاِبْن مَعَ مِئَاتٍ مِن أَقْرَانِه، وَعِنْدَمَا عَرَضَ ٱلسِّمْسَار عَلَى ٱلْوَالِد إِعَادَةَ ٱلْأَمْوَال اَلَّتِي دَفَعَهَا، كَمَا هِيَ ٱلْعَادَة فِي تِلْكَ ٱلْأَحْوَال، رَفَضَ ٱلْأَب وَطَلَبَ تَسْفِير اِبْنِهِ ٱلْأَوْسَط مَكَانَ ٱلْأَكْبَر، لِيَتَكَرَّر ٱلْمَشْهَد بِكَامِل تَفَاصِيلِه مِن جَدِيد. وَرَغْم أَنَّهُ فَقَدَ اِثْنَيْن مِن أَوْلادِه، إِلَّا أَنَّ فِكْرَتَهُ لَمْ تَتَغَيَّر، وَقَرَّرَ تَسْفِير اِبْنِهِ ٱلْأَصْغَر، اَلَّذِي نَجَحَ بِٱلْفِعْل فِي ٱلْوُصُول إِلَى إِيْطَالِيَا، وَلٰكِن بِمُجَرَّد تَسَلُّمِهِ عَمَلِهِ، بَلَغَهُ نَبَأ وَفَاة وَالِدِهِ اَلَّذِي لَمْ يَهْنَأ بِفَرْحَتِهِ بِنَجَاح اِبْنِهِ فِي ٱلْوُصُول إِلَى ٱلطَّرَف ٱلْآخَر مِن ٱلْبَحْر ٱلْمُتَوَسِّط.
An Egyptian fellah [=peasant farmer] wanted to send his oldest son to Italy so he resorted to one of the smuggling brokers who obtained from him twenty thousand [Egyptian] pounds [approx. 4000 USD] in the hope that the boy would return with enough money to marry off his sisters. However the Mediterranean Sea swallowed the small boat which the son along with hundreds of his fellows/peers had boarded. But when the broker offered to the father to return the money which he had paid as is the custom in those circumstances the father refused and asked to send off his middle son in the place of the older one only for the scene to repeat itself in all its details once again. But despite the fact that he had lost two of his children nevertheless his idea didnt change and he decided to send off his youngest son who actually succeeded in reaching Italy. But immediately upon his getting his job there reached him news of the death of his father who could not enjoy his happiness on the success of his son in reaching the other side/extreme of the Mediterranean Sea.
مَاتَت جَدَّتِي بَعْدَ صَلاةِ ٱلْعَصْر مُبَاشَرَةً. سَمِعَت ٱلْأَذَان مِن جَامِع ٱلْبَلْدَة ٱلْقَرِيب، ثُمَّ صَوْت سَائِلٍ وَاصِلًا إِلَيهَا مِن نَاحِيَةِ سُور ٱلْجُنَيْنَة اَلْمُطِلَّة عَلَى ٱلطَّرِيق، وَهُوَ يُنَادِي بِصَوْتٍ كَسِير: «حَسَنَة لِلّٰه يَا مُؤْمِنِين». جَرَت إِلَى ٱلْمَطْبَخ، وَأَحْضَرَت لَهُ رَغِيف عَيْش وَسَمَكَة بُلْطِيَّة مَقْلِيَّة مِن بَوَاقِي أَكْل ٱلْغَدَاء، فَلَمَّا خَرَجَت إِلَى ٱلشَّارِع مُجْتَازَة بَوَّابَةَ ٱلْبَيْت ٱلْحَدِيد كَيْ تُعْطِيه مَا سَأَلَ عَنه، وَجَدَت عَجُوزًا يَرْتَدِي ٱلْبَيَاض، يُسَارِع ٱلْخُطَى مُبْتَعِدًا مِن دُونِ أَنْ يَلْتَفِتَ إِلَيهَا، عَلَى رَغْم نِدَائِهَا ٱلْمُتَكَرِّر لَه. وَقَفَت مَبْهُوتَة قَلِيلًا، وَهِيَ تَسْتَعِيذ بِٱلله، ثُمَّ ٱنْسَحَبَت دَاخِلَة إِلَى ٱلْبَيْت لِتَحْكِي لِأُمِّي مَا حَدَثَ لَهَا، وَبَعْدَ ذٰلِك تَوَضَّأَت وَصَلَّت، وَبِمُجَرَّد أَنْ أَنْهَت ٱلرَّكْعَة ٱلرَّابِعَة مِن صَلاتِهَا، طَلَبَهَا مَلاك ٱلْمَوْت وَهِيَ تُسَلِّم تَسْلِيمًا، فَقَبَضَ رُوحَهَا، وَلِتَجِدَهَا أُمِّي بَعْدَ ذٰلِك وَهِيَ مَحْطُوطَة مِن دُونِ حَرَاك عَلَى ٱلسَّجَّادَة.
My grandmother died immediately after the afternoon prayer. She heard the call to prayer from the town mosque nearby then the voice of a beggar coming to her from the direction of the garden wall looking onto the road and he was calling out with a broken/defeated voice: A good deed for God O believers. She ran to the kitchen and fetched for him a loaf [=disc] of bread [Eg.] and a fried bolti [a Nile fish] fish from the leftovers of the lunch food. But when she went out to the street going through the iron gate of the house in order to give him what he asked for she found an old man wearing white walking hastily away without turning around to her despite her repeated call to him. She stood astonished a while saying God save me! [lit. seeking Gods protection] then she withdrew entering into the house to relate to my mother what had happened to her. After that she did her prayer ablutions and prayed. Then at the very moment that she completed the fourth [and final] rak`a [= a bow followed by two prostrations] of her prayer the Angel of Death called for her as she was saying the tasleem [=saying assalaamu `alaykum at the end of the prayer] and took her soul. For my mother to find her after that as she was there [lit. put down] motionless on the prayer rug.
عِنْدَمَا يَقُولُ أَهْل ٱلشَّام مَثَلَهُم ٱلْعَامِّيّ فِي «تَمُّوز بِتِغْلِي ٱلْمَيَّة بِٱلْكُوز» يَعْنِي ذٰلِك أَنَّ ٱرْتِفَاع دَرَجَةِ حَرَارَةِ ٱلطَّقْس لَمْ تَعُد مُحْتَمَلَة، وَهٰذَا ٱلصَّيْف هَبَّ هَوَاؤَهُ ٱلسَّاخِن عَلَى دِمَشْق مُنْذُ مُنْتَصَف شَهْر يُونِيُو (حَزِيرَان). وَيُشَبِّه سَائِق ٱلتَّاكْسِي خَالِد حَالَهُ فِي هٰذَا ٱلْحَرّ بِسِيخ «ٱلشَّاوَرْمَا» اَلَّذِي يَتَقَلَّب عَلَى وَهَج ٱلنَّار وَيَسِيلُ مِن كَعْبَيهِ ٱلْعَرَق، وَتَوْفِيرًا لِتَشْغِيل مُكَيِّف ٱلسَّيَّارَة وَدَفْع مَزِيدٍ مِن ٱلتَّكَالِيف، يَنْشُر مِنْشَفَة مُبَلَّلَة بِٱلْمَاء عَلَى نَافِذَةِ ٱلسَّيَّارَة، وَيُغَطِّي رَأْسَهُ بِمِنْشَفَة أُخْرَى مُمَاثِلَة، أَمَّا بِمَاذَا يُفَكِّر خَالِد فِي هٰذَا ٱلْحَرّ؟ فَيَقُول بَعْدَ أَنْ يَنْتَشِلَ مِن تَحْت ٱلْمَقْعَد قِنِّينَةَ مَاءٍ مُثَلَّجَة: لا أُفَكِّرُ بِشَيْءٍ سِوَى ٱللَّحْظَة اَلَّتِي أَعُودُ فِيهَا إِلَى ٱلْبَيْت عَلَى سَفْح قَاسِيُون، لِأَتَمَدَّد عَلَى ٱلْأَرْض ٱلْعَارِيَة، وَآكُلُ بَطِّيخًا بَارِدًا.
When the people of Sham [=Syria] say their colloquial proverb in Tammuz [July] water boils [even] in the clay jug that means that the rise in the temperature of the weather is no longer bearable. And this summer has been blowing its hot wind onto Damascus since the middle of the month of June (Haziran). Khalid the taxi driver likens his situation in this heat to a shawarma spit which turns around to the white heat of the fire and sweat flows from his heels. To economise on the running of the cars air-conditioning and paying more costs he spreads a towel wetted with water over the car window and covers his head with another similar towel. As for what Khalid thinks about in this heat? He says after he pulls out from under the seat an ice-cold bottle of water: I dont think about anything other than the moment Ill get back to the house at the foot of [Mount] Qasioun and Ill stretch out on the bare floor and eat cold watermelon.
حِينَمَا ٱسْتَسْلَمتُ لِلنَّوْم طِفْلًا فِي ذٰلِكَ ٱلْمَسَاء ٱلْبَعِيد مُتَدَفِّئًا بِحَرَارَةِ أَخِي ٱلصَّغِير اَلْمُرْتَفِعَة، لَمْ أَكُن أَعْلَم أَنَّهَا لَيْلَتُهُ ٱلْأَخِيرَة، فَلَقَد أَفَقتُ صَبَاحًا عَلَى غِيَابِه، وَحِينَمَا سَأَلتُ أُمِّي عَنه، قَالَت وَٱلْحُزْن يَعْتَصِرُ قَلْبَهَا: «لَقَد ذَهَبَ إِلَى جِوَار رَبِّه». وَفِي ٱلْعَصْر حِينَمَا كُنَّا نَلْعَبُ فِي ٱلْجِوَار، رَاحَ ٱلْأَطْفَال اَلَّذِينَ يَكْبُرُونَنِي سِنًّا يَتَحَدَّثُون عَن مَوْت أَخِي، وَلَمْ أَكُن أُدْرِك فِي ذٰلِكَ ٱلْعُمْر لِلْمَوْت مَعْنَى، وَلٰكِن غَدَا مِن ٱلْمَأْلُوف فِي تِلْكَ ٱلسَّنَة أَنْ يَتَنَاقَصَ عَدَد ٱلْأَطْفَال أُسْبُوعِيًّا، وَكَانَ ٱلْجَوَاب اَلَّذِي نَتَلَقَّاهُ مِن ٱلْكِبَار بِأَنَّهُم ذَهَبُوا إِلَى جِوَار رَبِّهِم، حَتَّى أَنَّنِي لَأَذْكُر أَنَّنِي كُنتُ أَحَد ٱثْنَيْن مِن ٱلنَّاجِين مِن بَيْن أَكْثَر مِن عَشَرَةِ أَطْفَال مِن ٱلْأَشِقَّاء وَٱلْأَقَارِب حَصَدَهُم ٱلْمَوْت خِلالَ شَهْرٍ وَاحِد، وَلَمْ يَكُن ٱلنَّاس آنَذَاك يَشْغَلُون أَنْفُسَهُم بِأَسْبَاب ٱلْمَوْت، فَكَانُوا يَكْتَفُون بِٱلْقَوْل: «مَرِضَ وَمَات».
When I succumbed to sleep as a child in that distant evening getting warm from my little brothers high temperature I didnt know that it was his last night. I awoke in the morning to his absence and when I asked my mother about him she said as sadness squeezed her heart: Hes gone to the side of his Lord. And in the afternoon when we were playing in the neighbourhood the children who were older than me started talking about the death of my brother. I didnt comprehend at that age a meaning for death. But it became a familiar thing in that year that the number of children would gradually decrease each week. The answer which we would receive from the adults was that they had gone to the side of their Lord. Until I well remember that I was one of two of the survivors from among more than ten children from [full] brothers and relatives whom death harvested during one month. People at that time did not use to preoccupy themselves with the causes of death and they would simply say: He got sick and died.
مَا تَزَالُ حَالَةُ ٱللّاحَرْب وَٱللّاسِلْم تَشُلُّ مِنْطَقَتَي بَاب اَلتَّبَّانَة (غَالِبِيَّة سُنِّيَّة) وَجَبَل مُحْسِن (غَالِبِيَّة عَلَوِيَّة) فِي مَدِينَةِ طَرَابُلُس. وَٱلْمُقَاتِلُون تَارَةً يُخْفُون أَسْلِحَتَهُم بِنَاءً عَلَى طَلَب ٱلْجَيْش وَتَارَةً أُخْرَى يُشْهِرُونَهَا لِيَتَبَيَّنَ أَنَّهُم جَاهِزُون لِمَعَارِك طَوِيلَة وَضَارِيَة. اَلْمَنَازِل ٱلْوَاقِعَة عَلَى خُطُوط ٱلتَّمَاسّ اَلَّتِي أُحْرِقَ ٱلْعَدِيد مِنهَا وَتَضَرَّرَت بِمُجْمَلِهَا مَا تَزَالُ خَاوِيَة، وَمِئَات ٱلْعَائِلات لا تَجْرُؤ عَلَى ٱلْعَوْدَة. وَيُؤَكِّد سُكَّان فِي بَاب اَلتَّبَّانَة، أَنَّ مُجَرَّد تَبَادُل شَتَائِم بَيْنَ أَطْفَالٍ مِن ٱلطَّرَفَيْن ـ وَهُوَ كَثِيرًا مَا يَحْدُث ـ يُمْكِن أَنْ يُعِيد اِشْتِعَال ٱلْمَعَارِك مُجَدَّدًا. وَٱلْمَحَلَّات ٱلْقَلِيلَة اَلَّتِي فَتَحَت أَبْوَابَهَا يَقُولُ أَصْحَابُهَا: «نَفْتَحُ فَقَط لِيَشْعُرَ ٱلنَّاس بِٱلْأَمَان. بيِفَكِّرُوا بَاب اَلتَّبَّانَة بُعْبُع، اَلزُّعَمَاء هُم ٱلْبُعْبُع». حَالَةٌ مِن ٱلْغَضَب ٱلشَّدِيد عَلَى ٱلسِّيَاسِيِّين ـ كُلُّهُم بِدُون اِسْتِثْنَاء ـ تُسَيْطِرُ عَلَى أَهَالِي ٱلْمِنْطَقَة ٱلْفَقِيرَة اَلَّتِي وَصَلَت إِلَى حَافَةِ ٱلْجُوع بَعْدَ أَنْ شُلَّت بِٱلْكَامِل.
The state of no-war and no-peace still paralyses the districts of Bab al-Tabbaneh (Sunni majority) and Jabal Mohsen (Alawite majority) in the city of Tripoli. The fighters at times hide their weapons in accordance with the request of the army and at other times unsheathe them so it becomes clear that they are ready for long and savage battles. The houses lying on the demarcation [lit. contact] line a large number of which have been burnt and the whole of them damaged are still empty. Hundreds of families dont dare to return. Residents in Bab al-Tabbaneh stress that the mere exchange of insults between children from the two parties - which often happens - can re-ignite the battles again. The few shops which have opened their doors - their owners say: We open only so that the people feel safe. They think [colloquial] Bab al-Tabbaneh is a bogeyman. [But its] the leaders who are the bogeyman. A state of great anger against the politicians - all of them without exception - prevails over the people of the poor district which has come to the brink of starvation after being completely paralysed.
يَرْوِي صَدِيقٌ إِمَارَاتِيّ ـ مِن رُوَّاد ٱلسَّفَر كَمَا تَقْتَضِي مَشَاغِلُهُ ـ أَنَّهُ كَانَ قَبْلَ أَسَابِيع فِي مَطَار عَاصِمَةٍ خَلِيجِيَّة فَفُوجِئَ بِصَالَةِ رُكَّاب اَلدَّرَجَة ٱلْأُولَى فِي ٱلْمَطَار قَد تَغَيَّرَت إِلَى ٱلْأَفْضَل وَٱتَّسَعَت مِسَاحَتُهَا وَتَحَسَّنَت خِدْمَاتُهَا. سَأَلَ ٱلْمَسْؤُول عَن ٱلْقَاعَة: مَا ٱلَّذِي حَدَثَ هُنَا؟ فَجَاءَهُ ٱلرَّدّ: هٰذِهِ مِن بَرَكَات دُبَيّ! وَيَشْرَح مُوَظَّف ٱلصَّالَة تِلْكَ أَنَّ إِدَارَةَ ٱلْمَطَار شَعَرَت بِحَرَجٍ كَبِير مِن وَضْع ٱلصَّالَة إِذْ لا يَمُرُّ يَوْم مِن دُونِ أَنْ يَأْتِي مُسَافِر مِن رُكَّاب ٱلدَّرَجَةِ ٱلْأُولَى مُتَسَائِلًا: أَلَمْ تَرَوا مَطَار دُبَيّ؟ أَوْ: مَتَى سَتَتَعَلَّمُون مِن دُبَيّ؟ اُضْطُرَّت إِدَارَةُ ٱلْمَطَار أَنْ تَبْدَأَ فِي «إِصْلاح» حَال تِلْكَ ٱلْقَاعَة وَلَعَلَّهَا بِدَايَةٌ لـِ«إِصْلاح» حَال ٱلْمَطَار بِأَكْمَلِهِ! وَفِي هٰذِهِ ٱلْقِصَّة صُورَةٌ لِلدَّوْر ٱلْحَقِيقِيّ اَلَّذِي تَلْعَبُهُ دُبَيّ اَلْيَوْم عَلَى صَعِيد ٱلتَّنْمِيَةِ وَٱلْإِصْلاح فِي ٱلْمِنْطَقَةِ كُلِّهَا.
An Emirati friend - a regular traveller [lit. of the patrons of travel] as his work [lit. occupations] requires - relates that he was [a few] weeks ago in the airport of a Gulf capital and was surprised [to see] that the first class passengers lounge in the airport had changed for the better and its area had expanded and its services had improved. He asked the person in charge of the hall: What happened here? The reply came to him: This is thanks to Dubai! [lit. of the blessings of Dubai]. The employee of that lounge explained that the airport management had felt great embarrassment about the condition [lit situation] of the lounge as not a day would pass without a traveller from the first class passengers coming and asking: Havent you seen Dubai airport? Or: When are you going to learn from Dubai? The airport management was forced to start improving/reforming the state of that hall and perhaps it is the beginning of the improvement/reform of the state of the entire airport! In this story is an illustration of the true role which Dubai plays today at the level of development and reform in the whole area.
تَتَجَرَّعُ إِسْرَائِيل كَأْس ٱلسَّمّ. هٰذَا يَوْمٌ كَانَت تَتَمَنَّى تَفَادِيَهُ. لَنْ يَكُون أَبَدًا مَصْدَر فَخْرٍ لِمَسْؤُولِيهَا وَجَنَرَالَاتِهَا. يُوَقِّع شَمْعُون بِيرِيز اَلصَّفْقَة بـِ«يَدٍ تَرْتَجِف». «هٰذَا ٱلْيَوْم لا يَبْعَثُ عَلَى سَعَادَةِ أَحَدٍ فِي إِسْرَائِيل». قَالَهَا وَرَاحَ يُفَتِّشُ عَن أَعْذَارٍ لِلتَّوْقِيع. إِيْهُود أُولْمَرْت يَتَحَدَّث بِٱلْمَرَارَةِ نَفْسِهَا. سَيَنْزِلُ فِي تَارِيخ بِلادِهِ مُثْقَلًا بِعُنْوَانَيْن: فَشَلٌ فِي حَرْب تَمُّوز وَذُلٌّ فِي صَفْقَةِ ٱلْأَسْرَى وَٱلرُّفَات. سَتُضَاعِف ٱلصَّفْقَة هَشَاشَةُ مَوْقِعِهِ ٱلْمُتَرَنِّح أَصْلًا بِسَبَب فَضَائِحِهِ ٱلْمَالِيَّة. فِي لُبْنَان لِلنَّهَار طَعْمٌ آخَر. أَنَاشِيد وَأَهَازِيج وَأَعْلام. أَظْهَرَت ٱلتَّجَارِب أَنَّ لُغَةِ ٱلْقُوَّة هِيَ ٱللُّغَةُ ٱلْوَحِيدَة اَلَّتِي تُقْنِع إِسْرَائِيل. تُقْنِعُهَا وَتُرْغِمُهَا عَلَى قَبُول مَا كَانَت تَسْتَبْعِدُهُ وَتَرْفُضُه. عَوْدَةُ ٱلْأَسْرَى وَرُفَات لُبْنَانِيِّين وَفِلَسْطِينِيِّين وَعَرَبٍ آخَرِين. حُشُود وَنَكْهَةُ اِنْتِصَار. وَحَدِيثٌ عَن إِذْلال ٱلْعَدُوّ. وَتَعْفِير صُورَتِهِ بَعْدَ إِحْدَاث ثُقُوبٍ فِي هَالَتِهِ وَقُدْرَتِهِ عَلَى ٱلرَّدْع.
Israel has swallowed down the cup of poison. This is a day it was hoping to avoid. It will never be a source of pride for its officials and generals. Shimon Perez signed the deal with a trembling hand. This day wont cause happiness for anyone in Israel he said as he went in search of excuses to sign. Ehud Olmert talks with the same bitterness. He will go down in the history of his country burdened with two headlines: Failure in the Tammuz [=July (2006)] War and humiliation in the deal [on] prisoners and [mortal] remains. The deal will compound the fragility of his position [which is] already tottering due to his financial scandals. In Lebanon the day had another flavour. Anthems and chants and flags. Experience has shown that the language of force is the only language which convinces Israel. Convinces it and forces it to accept what it had excluded and refused. The return of prisoners and the remains of Lebanese Palestinians and other Arabs. Crowds and the flavour of victory. And talk about the humiliation of the enemy. Covering its image with dust after making holes in its aura and its ability to repel/force back.
قَبْلَ طُلُوع ٱلْفَجْر يَسْتَيْقِظُ سَعْد اَلْمَنْصُورِيّ مُبَكِّرًا حَامِلًا سِلال ٱلرُّطَب (اَلتَّمْر) مِن اَلَّذِي جَنَاه مَعَ أَفْرَاد عَائِلَتِهِ عَصْر ٱلْيَوْم ٱلْمَاضِي مِن بُسْتَانِهِ فِي قَرْيَةٍ بِمِنْطَقَةِ ٱلْبَحَّار جَنُوب ٱلْبَصْرَة قَاصِدًا تَسْوِيقَهُ فِي ٱلْمَدِينَة بَعْدَ أَنْ حَانَ ٱلْآن قَطْف ثِمَار ٱلنَّخِيل. وَيَقُولُ اَلْمَنْصُورِيّ أَنَّ «سَيَّارَةَ ٱلْبَاص ٱلْخَشَبِيّ تَكُونُ بِٱنْتِظَارِهِ مَعَ مَجْمُوعَة مِن فَلَّاحِي اَلْمِنْطَقَة، وَهِيَ سَيَّارَة تُرَاثِيَّة لا زَالَت تَعْمَل مَعَ مَجْمُوعَة مِن ٱلسَّيَّارَات (اَلشُّوفْرُولِيه) اَلْقَدِيمَة اَلَّتِي مِن أَحْدَثِهَا مُودِيل خَمْسٍ وَخَمْسِين وَهِيَ أَشْبَه بِغُرْفَةٍ فِي بَيْتٍ شَنَاشِيلِيّ بِإِطَارَاتٍ وَمِقْوَد». وَيُضِيف اَلْمَنْصُورِيّ أَنَّ «ٱلْفَلَّاحِين وَبِمُعَاوَنَةِ بَعْضِهِم يَرْصُفُون ٱلسِّلال وَصَنَادِيق ٱلرُّطَب عَلَى سَطْح ٱلسَّيَّارَة وَتُغَادِر بِهِم عَلَى عُجَالَة إِلَى سُوق ٱلْجُمْلَة وَهُوَ عِبَارَة عَن سَاحَةٍ فَارِغَة قِبَالَةَ مَبْنَى مَصْرِف اَلسَّيْف بِٱلْبَصْرَةِ ٱلْقَدِيمَة حَيْثُ يَكُونُ بِٱنْتِظَارِهِم قَبْلَ بُزُوغ ٱلشَّمْس اَلدَّلَّالُون بِمَوَازِينِهِم ٱلثَّقِيلَة وَبَاعَةُ ٱلْمُفْرَد».
Before the break of dawn Saad al-Mansouri wakes early and carries baskets of [fresh] dates (dates [more general word]) from those which he harvested with members of his family in the afternoon of the day before from his garden/orchard in a village in the region of al-Bahhar south of Basra and he goes straightaway to sell them in the city after the time has come to pick the fruit of the palms. Al-Mansouri says that a wooden bus [type] vehicle is waiting for him with a group of fellaheen [=peasant farmers] of the region. Its a historic [lit. heritage] vehicle which is still working with a group of old Chevrolet cars the most recent of which is a ;55 model which is like a room in an [old style] house with shanshools [=wooden latticework windows] with tyres and a steering wheel. Al-Mansouri adds that the fellaheen help each other array [side by side] the baskets and crates of dates on the roof of the vehicle which leaves with them hurriedly to the wholesale market which consists of an empty square opposite the al-Sayf bank building in Old Basra where waiting for them before sunrise are the middlemen with their heavy scales and the retail sellers [lit the single (piece) sellers].
بَاشَرَت لِيبِيَا تَنْفِيذ تَهْدِيدَاتِهَا لِسوِيسْرَا، رَدًّا عَلَى ٱعْتِقَال ٱلشُّرْطَةِ ٱلسّوِيسْرِيَّة هَنِيبَعْل ٱلْقَذَّافِيّ، اِبْن ٱلْعَقِيد مُعَمَّر ٱلْقَذَّافِيّ، يَوْمَيْن اَلْأُسْبُوع ٱلْمَاضِي فِي جِنِيف لِإِقْدَامِهِ، وَزَوْجَتِهِ، عَلَى ضَرْب خَادِمَيْن فِي أَحَد فَنَادِق جِنِيف. فَأَعْلَنَت وَقْف إِمْدَادَات ٱلنَّفْط لِسوِيسْرَا اَلَّتِي بَقِيَت رَغْم ذٰلِكَ مُتَفَائِلَة بِإِمْكَان ٱلتَّوَصُّل إِلَى تَهْدِئَةٍ سَرِيعَة لِهٰذِهِ ٱلْأَزْمَة. وَأَعْلَنَت اَلشَّرِكَتَان اَلْوَطَنِيَّتَان اَللِّيبِيَّتَان لِلنَّقْل ٱلْبَحْرِيّ وَٱلْمَرَافِئ فِي بَيَانٍ مُشْتَرَك وَقْف إِمْدَاد سوِيسْرَا بِٱلنَّفْط وَمَنْع ٱلسُّفُن اَلَّتِي تَرْفَع ٱلْعَلَم اَلسّوِيسْرِيّ مِن ٱلدُّخُول إِلَى ٱلْمَرَافِئ ٱللِّيبِيَّة وَتَفْرِيغ حُمُولَتِهَا فِيِهَا. وَهَدَّدَتَا بـِ«إِجْرَاءَاتٍ جَدِيدَة مَا لَمْ تَشْهَد ٱلسَّاعَات ٱلْمُقْبِلَة إِغْلاق مِلَفّ ٱلْقَضِيَةِ ٱلْمُفَبْرَكَة وَغَيْر ٱلشَّرْعِيَّة مِن جَانِب ٱلسُّلُطَات اَلسّوِيسْرِيَّة» بِحَقّ هَنِيبَعْل ٱلْقَذَّافِيّ اَلَّذِي يُؤَكِّد أَنَّ ٱلشُّرْطَة أَسَاءَت مُعَامَلَتَهُ أَثْنَاءَ ٱعْتِقَالِه، «وَإِذَا لَمْ يَتِمّ تَقْدِيم ٱعْتِذَار».
Libya has started carrying out its threats against Switzerland in response to the Swiss polices detention of Hannibal al-Gaddafi the son of Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi for two days last week in Geneva for his and his wifes engaging in the beating of two servants in one of the hotels of Geneva as it announced the stopping of supplies of oil to Switzerland which nevertheless remained optimistic about the possibility of reaching a swift calming to this crisis. The two Libyan National Companies for Maritime Transport and Ports announced in a joint declaration the stopping of the supply of Switzerland with oil and the preventing of ships which are flying the Swiss flag from entering Libyan ports and unloading their cargo in them. And they threatened new measures unless the coming hours see the closing of the file of the fabricated and illegal case on the part of the Swiss authorities with regards Hannibal al-Gaddafi who stresses that the police mistreated him during his detention and if an apology is not forthcoming.