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The following is research published today from MEMRI’s Special Dispatch Series, the MEMRI TV Project, and the Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor Project.

Special Dispatch No. 3579—U.S. and the Arab and Muslim World

Saudi, Jordanian Columnists Attack U.S. Policy in Middle East

Against the backdrop of the Egypt events, Saudi and Arab columnists have continued to criticize the U.S. foreign policy in Egypt and across the Middle East. They argued that Egypt had lost its status in the region because it had followed the U.S.'s policy, which weakened the Arab countries while serving Iranian interests. The columnists also criticized the U.S.'s confused reaction to Egyptian protests, saying that although America's goal had been to win favor with the protesters and to keep Egypt in the U.S. camp, its reaction had achieved the opposite effect: it had enraged the Egyptians and caused America to lose its allies.

To read the full report, visit http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/4995.htm.

Special Dispatch No. 3578—Sudan

Nafe' Ali Nafe', Senior Advisor to Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir: Israel and the American Jewish Lobbies Are Playing a Significant Role in the Partitioning of Sudan

Following are excerpts from an interview with Nafe' Ali Nafe', senior advisor to Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir, which aired on Al-Jazeera TV on December 8, 2010:

To view this clip, visit http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/2767.htm

Interviewer: "What role is Israel playing in achieving the partitioning [of Sudan]?"

Nafe' Ali Nafe': "What role is Israel playing in achieving the partitioning [of Sudan]?"

To read the full report, visit http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/4994.htm.

Special Dispatch No. 3577—Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor

Leader of Palestinian Salafi-Jihadi Group: It Is Permissible to Kill Jewish and Christian Civilians In Jihad, Since They Are 'Fundamentally Not Innocent'

On February 5, 2011, the leader of the Gaza-based Salafi-jihadi group Jama'at Al-Tawhid Wal-Jihad, Sheikh 'Ahed Ahmad 'Abd Al-Karim Al-Sa'idani, known as Abu Al-Walid Al-Maqdisi, issued a fatwa in response to a question about Islam's position on the killing of innocent civilians in the course of "martyrdom operations" such as the 9/11 attacks. The fatwa, posted the website of prominent Salafi ideologue Abu Muhammad Al-Maqdisi, stated that while Islam prohibits the killing of innocents, Jews and Christians may be targeted because they are not innocent but "aggressive combatants."

Abu Al-Walid Al-Maqdisi said that even the danger of harming innocent Muslims did not justify halting or delaying jihad operations, because jihad against the infidels must continue.

Following are excerpts from the fatwa:

"Our shari'a forbids killing innocent people, be they Muslims or infidels... However, in the course of a jihad operation, mistakes can always happen, and this in no sense means that jihad [operations] may be stopped or delayed."

To read the full report, visit http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/4993.htm.