Introduction		Bahrain		Egypt
	Saudi Arabia		Qatar		Syria
	United Arab Emirates		Reactions to Eurobarometer Survey		Appendix: Arab Newspapers

Al-Ahram (Egypt) - an Egyptian daily controlled by the Egyptian government: the president appoints the editor. He (and the editor of the other government owned dailies, al- Gumhuriyya and al-Akhbar) is given substantial leeway in his editorial practices, assuming he avoids certain “taboos”. Al-Ahram is the largest Arabic paper in the world and has established the Al-Ahram Regional Press Institute.

Al-Gumhuriyya (Egypt) – a government-controlled daily.

Al-Wafd (Egypt) - Al-Wafd is the main opposition paper in Egypt. The paper criticizes the regime on a wide range of issues - from economy to internal and foreign policy. However, it is important to note that the criticism is on subjects that are allowed by the regime. The paper is one of the most acceptable channels of opposition activism, since the Egyptians see themselves as supporters of freedom of the press, and the paper is supposed to be concrete proof to this idea. Al-Wafd expresses extreme anti-Israel and anti-Semitic views, in articles and cartoons.

Ar-Rai (Jordan) – a government daily; expresses the approaches of the Jordanian regime.

As-Safir (Lebanon) - a Lebanese daily, close to Syria.

Al-Ayyam (Palestinian Authority) – a government daily.

Al-Hayat al-Jadida (Palestinian Authority) – the PA daily.

Al-Quds (Palestinian Authority) – an opposition daily, which does not exceed the government policy.

Al-Watan (Saudi Arabia) – a daily owned by the governor of the ‘Asir district.

Arab News (Saudi Arabia) – English language Saudi daily.

Ar-Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) - A Saudi daily, one of the four principal Saudi papers (the three others are: al-Madina, al-Jazira and al-Watan). The paper presents a relatively conservative attitude, while emphasizing (as most of the Saudi papers) its praise of the Royal family.

Generally, the Saudi government lays severe limitations on the freedom of press and has a strict censorship, even on the foreign press that enters Saudi Arabia. Since the Saudi press is government-oriented, it concentrates on praising the Saudi Royal Family. Of course, opposition or independent newspapers do not exist in Saudi Arabia. However, the London based Saudi press has more independent features

Tishrin (Syria) - a state sponsored and owned newspaper, in which the journalists are appointed and instructed by the government (The English-language Syria Times is published by Tishrin as well).

Al-Watan (Qatar) - Al-Watan is one of the five Qatari dailies. Al-Watan’s chairman is Hamad bin Sahim al Thani, a member of the royal family (All of the papers are owned by different branches of the royal family). The Foreign Minister, Hamed bin Jasem bin Jaber al Thani, owns half of the newspaper.