Zawaya

Mahmoud Belhimer

Mahmoud Belhimer is an Algerian journalist who was former editor-in-chief of El Khabar between June 2002 and August 2008. Since October 2008, Belhimer has been writing a weekly editorial every Monday in Algerian Echorouk Al Yaoumi. Belhimer currently lives in the Washington, DC, area.

Opinions by this panelist

Political participation for all

First of all, we should note that the election, which is supposed to be a means for peaceful change, has become a means to perpetuate the status quo. Its function is merely to perpetuate the permanent monopoly of the ruling… more

Coverage of health crises is different from coverage of regular events

The ultimate goal of media coverage is to find the truth and convey it to the public. However, media coverage of disasters and crises requires more rigor in complying with the rules and ethics of journalism, in comparison to how… more

Wherever terrorism lands, tourism leaves

Wherever terrorism lands, tourism leaves. This rule applies to the Arab Maghreb, and all countries where terrorist attacks happen, for example: Indonesia (the Bali bombings that caused 202 deaths in 2002), Egypt (the series of bombings in Luxor and Sharm… more

The credibility of the baccalaureate should be preserved

Baccalaureate exams are not the only major determinant in shaping the future workforce; the country's development policies and plans are the ones that prepare - in advance - for the production needs of the economy and the society in terms… more

The real capital is human energy

If we look at the political speeches in Maghreb countries, we'd find that they are no different than what President Obama raised in his speech to the Islamic world. However, the speech alone is not enough. If it's not accompanied… more

Istehlal is a nihilistic ideology

"The principle of istehlal" is part of the alien and nihilistic ideas in which terrorist groups fell in recent years. These groups have gone far in their extremism to the extent of creating an "ideological" and "religious" reference for themselves,… more

Ransom is the oxygen of terrorist activity

A sound approach on this issue compels us to understand first of all that the terrorist threat is not a mere Algerian matter, but it is purely a cross-border phenomenon, that has the same level of risk and sensitivity for… more

setting frameworks for political participation

It's hard to talk about participation in politics and society under closed political systems. No matter how different their names and descriptions are, political systems in the Maghreb are closed ones, since various authority organs apply meta-management to society and… more

The solution lies in building an economy that produces wealth

When we address the issue of how Maghreb families will manage the expenses of Ramadan and the start of a new school year, we also have to tackle the key issue of the high cost of living and the ongoing… more

Interests before truth and justice!

When we look at the decision of the Scottish authorities to release Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, we see that it was justified based on purely humanitarian grounds, given that al-Megrahi “has terminal prostate cancer and he may not live more than… more

Somalia strives for a political solution

The African Union, the Organization of African Unity, and the entire international community should have played a greater role in Somalia since the collapse of the regime of President Mohammed Siad Barre, who ran away from the country on a… more

the african voice should be heard

The request of the Libyan leader Muammar Kadhafi for an African seat at the Security Council is not a new demand. In fact, similar ideas have been put forward when the debate was getting intense on the reform of the… more

We need a political bridge

The political tension between Algeria and Morocco on the official level does not necessarily reflect the nature of relations between their respective peoples. Algerians and Moroccans enjoy a warm relationship and a certain ease of communication that we may not… more

It's possible to break the repression coalition

The membership of any Arab Maghreb country in an international organization that works on protecting and promoting human rights is not enough to guarantee real progress in the field of human rights in the Maghreb region, because all five countries… more

Maghreb identity is not threatened by sub-saharan migration

The illegal African migration from the sub-Saharan region to Europe has become a heavy burden on Maghreb countries, especially with the significant increase of the flow of this migration, which is a phenomenon that is as old as the human… more

Maghreb regimes are accountable for the paralysis of the maghreb union

The integration process of the AMU countries is too slow, if not paralyzed. The reason behind this situation is mainly political, in addition to other structural, regulatory, and economic obstacles. As a matter of fact, the Presidency Council, which is… more

We need a credible religious reference

The Maliki school has been the primary religious reference in the Arab Maghreb throughout history, and has been deeply entrenched in the social and religious fabric of the Maghreb. However, the Maliki school has been greatly retreating since the beginning… more

Maghreb people need an alternative energy policy

The energy issue is one of the top challenges that the Maghreb region is facing currently and in the future; not only because the Maghreb countries may become unable to meet their energy needs in the long run, but mainly… more