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The following is research published today from MEMRI’s Special Dispatch Series and the MEMRI TV Project.

Special Dispatch No. 4036—Saudi Arabia

Saudi Writers: The Secret to Israel's Success Versus the Arabs' Failure

On June 7, 2011, two Saudi columnists – the liberal Khalaf Al-Harbi, of the Saudi daily 'Okaz, and Fawaz Al-'Ilmi, of the Saudi daily Al-Watan – published articles comparing Israel's situation to that of the Arab countries. Al-Harbi opined that the secret to Israel's success lay in its democratic regime and its respect for the human rights of its citizens, while Al-'Ilmi wrote that Israel's prosperity was due to its investment in education and science. It should be noted that these articles are a rare phenomenon in the Saudi government press.

To read the full report, visit http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/5516.htm.

Special Dispatch No. 4035—U.S. and the Arab and Muslim World/Saudi Arabia

Saudi Columnist: Obama - Get Out!

In a recent column in the Saudi government daily 'Okaz, titled "Obama – Get Out!" Khalaf Al-Harbi accused U.S. President Barack Obama of applying a double standard in dealing with the revolution in Egypt and the revolution in Syria. He went on to demand – just as protestors are demanding of dictatorial Arab leaders – that Obama resign.

To read the full report, visit http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/5517.htm.

Special Dispatch No. 4034—Saudi Arabia, Women's Topics

Saudi Cleric Muhammad Al-'Arifi: Islam Does Not Set a Minimum Age for Marriage

Following are excerpts from a religious program featuring Saudi cleric Muhammad Al-'Arifi, which aired on Iqra TV on July 5, 2011.

To view this clip on MEMRI TV, visit http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/3023.htm.

Muhammad Al-'Arifi: "There is no agreed-upon minimum age for the marriage of a boy or a girl. It depends upon their maturity. Let's assume that someone wants to marry your 20-year-old daughter. But your daughter's mentality and capabilities… She wouldn't know how to handle it. You feel that her marriage is bound to fail, because she has no understanding of how she is supposed to behave. You think that this girl is not ready to get married. It would be best to wait two or three years."

To read the full report, visit http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/5515.htm.