This is what I wondered when I reflected on the resumption of relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran after years of conflict. These are two Muslim countries. It was the Chinese president who took the initiative - with the help of Oman and Iraq - to reconcile these countries. And this president, he is not a Muslim. Then I remembered this verse from the Quran which says: "And if two groups of believers fight each other, reconcile them." * And then I thought: if the Chinese president applied this verse of the Quran although he is not a Muslim, it means that he may have converted to Islam? I listened to the radio, watched TV and "social" media and found nothing. Anyway, that got me a lot to think about. Benyounes Saidi * Chapter 49, Verse 9 Original text in Arabic: وَإِنْ طَائِفَتَانِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ اقْتَتَلُوا فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَهُمَا

April 2022 is a historic moment since it corresponds to the definitive victory against hard drugs. Not a gram of drugs circulates in the country, thanks to a proactive government policy. A small precision: it is not about the United States. The country in question is Afghanistan and the government is the one led by the Taliban party. The US government should perhaps call on Taliban advisers to help settle the issue of drugs in the United States against which the government has been waging a war for 50 years without success and which has cost thousands of human lives and a trillion dollars. Benyounes Saidi

Everyone loves democracy. So does the West, which insisted on democratic elections in Turkey. These actually took place with a record attendance of 80%. But when Erdogan won the elections, the West was not happy. Why, would you ask ? Well, because the West does not like surprises: it wanted democratic elections .... with a guaranteed victory of its preferred candidate! I gotta tell ya, sir, that those people*, they have a very particular conception of democracy... Benyounes Saidi * To parody the unforgettable Jacques Brel

Two countries that were enemies have decided to resume their normal diplomatic relations: Iran and Saudi Arabia. But this is not coincidence; it took China's persistent diplomacy, alongside Iraq and Oman, to achieve this result. One cannot help drawing a parallel with what is happening in Europe. A bloody conflict opposes Ukraine and Russia. Instead of helping the two countries to find a solution, the United States - followed by their European proteges, some like Germany, against their will - went into complete hysteria, sending tons of weapons (over 100 billion dollars) and using illegal sanctions against the Russian people. The difference is between those who seek peace and cooperation and those who prioritize the instigation and continuation of military conflicts, causing death and destruction. But once again History is on the move, and it is the will of the peoples to live in peace that will prevail. Benyounes Saidi

The war in Ukraine caused the death of 8,000 civilians. Western humanitarian aid to date amounts to over $7 BILLION (in addition to almost $100 BILLION in military and financial aid). The earthquake that devastated Turkey and Syria killed nearly 50,000 people. The same West has pledged to send about... $300 MILLION. I did the math - ashamed of having to do it - to discover that the value of a Ukrainian life is worth 23 times that of a Syrian or a Turk. Benyounes Saidi * I borrowed the title of this post from Heinrich Maria Remarque, author of the wonderful novel "All quiet on the western front" - which I invite everyone to read, because it gives a vision of the war far from the usual films of glory and adventure - thinking he wouldn't have disavowed such borrowing, although I used it a way different from what was intended by the author.

Here he is gone, Abderraouf! This talented artist - Abd al-Rahim al-Tunsi in his real name - made several generations of Moroccans laugh and reflect on the depth of things at the same time. My only regret is that this artist did not receive the support he could have had to carry out his projects. And for this, the “compensation” that he can get after his departure is the recognition of his work, the recognition of his status and the preservation of his memory *. It is about collective memory, which is absolutely vital for this country to move forward. May Allah have mercy on you, Abderraouf. Benyounes Saidi * From what I have read, Abderraouf wrote his memoirs. If so, I hope it gets published.

Through the story - drawn from real events - of a Palestinian teenager who wants to realize her dream of continuing her studies, we witness the beginning of the tragedy that has turned upside down the lives of Palestinians who lived peacefully on their land before being subjected to brutality and ethnic cleansing by Zionist colonizers from Europe. Such is the Nakba lived in her flesh by an innocent adolescent girl. Thanks to an apparent sobriety, an efficient camera, superb music, deep symbolism, the film speaks volumes and achieves excellence. A very beautiful film by Jordanian director Darin Sallam; it is broadcast by Netflix, has received an extremely favorable audience around the world and will be presented at the 2023 Oscars. Benyounes Saidi