Mawani and Alissa Universal Motors sign agreement worth SR300 million to establish Logistics Zone at King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam    4 Chinese nationals arrested in Makkah for promoting fake Hajj campaigns    Al-Khereiji at BRICS: Saudi Arabia a reliable and neutral partner in endeavors for de-escalating tensions    Saudi market shows resilience in Q1 2025 despite global volatility: Report    Tabuk Emir meets with CST governor    Saudi Arabia urges India and Pakistan to de-escalate tensions    Trump congratulates Canada's Carney as they agree to meet in 'near future'    Sánchez vows to uncover reasons behind massive Iberian power outage    Guterres warns two-state solution is 'near a point of no return'    Al Ahli stun Al Hilal to reach AFC Champions League Elite final    Housing minister expects moderate real estate prices in Riyadh    Dr. Al-Rabeeah at UK House of Lords: Saudi Arabia provides $134 billion in aid to 172 countries in 30 years    Health Ministry launches World Health Survey 2025 Survey to collect accurate health status database of Saudi population    SR200,000 reward for each player of the Saudi club winning AFC Champions League title    William and Kate celebrate anniversary on Isle of Mull    HONOR KSA expands its presence with new flagship Experience Store in Riyadh HONOR's first flagship store in KSA provides visitors with a premium experience, exciting offers and free services    Rock & Roll Hall of Fame picks Outkast but not Oasis    Al Ahli cruise past Buriram into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Duran leads Al Nassr past Yokohama Marinos into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi orchestra to perform at Sydney Opera House in May    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Will Tunisia Rescue The ‘Arab Spring' And The Muslim Brotherhood?
Published in AL HAYAT on 08 - 10 - 2013

One step forward, and one step back; one step to the right, then one to the left; this is how the Ennahda movement in Tunisia moves away from the resignation of the government of Ali al-Arid, the only acceptable prelude for serious dialogue followed by real change. But it is no secret that behind the stumbling and the stalemate, there are many disagreements within the Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated movement in Tunisia.
In truth, those who want to offer real concessions are those who are most attentive of the facts that are difficult to conceal. Such facts include, in addition to the economic and political failure of Ennahda's rule, the Muslim Brotherhood's collapse in Egypt, the setback suffered by the Muslim Brotherhood in Turkey, and the dented position of Omar al-Bashir's Islamists in Sudan, who are facing growing difficulties in maintaining the unity of their own ruling party.
In addition to the above, there is the advice the Americans and the Europeans have given to Ghanouchi and his comrades, advice that has direct economic consequences in the event of both compliance and non-compliance. The same can be said about the Tunisian bourgeoisie, which has an undeniable interest in stability.
But these weighty considerations, apparently, are not enough to push a ruling party that exaggerates the popular mandate it has, to relinquish power. This is while bearing in mind that the Tunisian Brotherhood's move in this direction would be conducive to the efforts to rescue the Muslim Brotherhood in general. Indeed, whatever the position one might have about them, the Muslim Brotherhood remains a solid part of the representative map in a number of Arab countries. Saving the Brotherhood from itself therefore remains a prerequisite for political stability, and for facilitating political transition.
Above this, Tunisia's ‘Brotherhood,' if the group acts now, can rescue the ‘Arab Spring' itself. To be sure, the Arab Spring's gains are receding while its reputation is turning somber: From the unrest in Egypt, most recently with the bloody clashes on October 6, to the rise of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and al-Nusra Front, and their assault on the more moderate forces, to the immunity exhibited by the militias and the tribal configuration in Libya, there are growing reasons for why that ‘Spring' needs to be treated and set straight.
Tunisia might be the country most qualified for this role, for reasons that have been listed and discussed at length. To be sure, the cradle of the first Arab uprising also happens to be the theater of Bourguiba's modernization, and its implications for education, women's rights, the expansion of the middle class, and the role of trade unions. This is in addition to the presence of a clear and overwhelming religious-sectarian majority, and Tunisia's distance from hotbeds of regional tension (e.g. Israel and Iran), something that otherwise has a huge capacity for turning revolutions into regional crises.
Yet Tunisia and its Brotherhood, particularly after what happened in Egypt, has another advantage, namely the weakness of the army and its lack of political involvement, not to mention the fact that the military establishment there has little to no economic interests. This tempts one to assume that it might be possible to topple the Brotherhood-led regime without falling into the trap of a military coup. If this happens, then Tunisia would have put forward a model that the Tunisians can be proud of, including the Muslim Brotherhood, though it remains hesitant.


Clic here to read the story from its source.