Security
Bahrain: Paper reopens after report on Ahmadinejad's 'Jewishness'
Manama, 22 June (AKI) - A publishing ban on Bahrain's oldest newspaper was overturned on Monday, after it had been shut down after it published an article claiming that Iran's hardline president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad may be Jewish. The newspaper, Akhbar al-Khaleej was shut down as it was about to go to press late on Sunday, said a note on the newspaper's website. It did not state the reasons behind the closure.
However, on Monday, the country's state news agency BNA said the daily would resume publication on Tuesday.
"Bahrain News Agency was informed by responsible sources that Bahraini newspaper Akhbar al-Khaleej would start publishing again tomorrow, Tuesday," said the statement.
According to Dubai-based network Al-Arabiya, an opinion piece by Samira Rajab, a female member of Bahrain's Consultative Council, suggested Ahmadinejad could have Jewish ancestry
The piece, entitled "Islamic Republic -- Popular Fury", discussed a debate held between Ahmadinejad and reformist candidate in Iran's 12 June presidential election, Mehdi Karroubi.
In the article, Rajab wrote:
"In a televised live debate between Mehdi Karroubi and Ahmadinejad, Karroubi took a jab at Ahmadinejad's origins and said 'my full name is Mehdi so and so Karroubi' so what is your full name?'", reported al-Arabiya.
Afterwards, Rajab said Ahmadinejad said his name, but left out one surname, which according to Rajab, all Iranians know indicates Jewish ancestry.
Local sources, however, say the closure was linked to a piece about the Iranian election crisis.
The piece said Ahmadinejad had won the presidential elections of 12 June thanks to "millions of fraudulent votes".
"After 30 years, the cover has been pulled away... and Islamic democracy has been shown in its most repugnant dictatorial forms," said the article.
Ahmadinejad has said on several occasions that Israel must be "wiped-off the map".
He has also received widespread international condemnation over his comments denying the Holocaust - Germany's World War II Nazi extermination of millions of Jews.
However, on Monday, the country's state news agency BNA said the daily would resume publication on Tuesday.
"Bahrain News Agency was informed by responsible sources that Bahraini newspaper Akhbar al-Khaleej would start publishing again tomorrow, Tuesday," said the statement.
According to Dubai-based network Al-Arabiya, an opinion piece by Samira Rajab, a female member of Bahrain's Consultative Council, suggested Ahmadinejad could have Jewish ancestry
The piece, entitled "Islamic Republic -- Popular Fury", discussed a debate held between Ahmadinejad and reformist candidate in Iran's 12 June presidential election, Mehdi Karroubi.
In the article, Rajab wrote:
"In a televised live debate between Mehdi Karroubi and Ahmadinejad, Karroubi took a jab at Ahmadinejad's origins and said 'my full name is Mehdi so and so Karroubi' so what is your full name?'", reported al-Arabiya.
Afterwards, Rajab said Ahmadinejad said his name, but left out one surname, which according to Rajab, all Iranians know indicates Jewish ancestry.
Local sources, however, say the closure was linked to a piece about the Iranian election crisis.
The piece said Ahmadinejad had won the presidential elections of 12 June thanks to "millions of fraudulent votes".
"After 30 years, the cover has been pulled away... and Islamic democracy has been shown in its most repugnant dictatorial forms," said the article.
Ahmadinejad has said on several occasions that Israel must be "wiped-off the map".
He has also received widespread international condemnation over his comments denying the Holocaust - Germany's World War II Nazi extermination of millions of Jews.
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