Conflict
COVID-19: America, China and the Conspiracy War
The two rival powers have been at loggerheads about the spread of the novel coronavirus, but maybe it’s time they cooperate for the greater good.
Re-Engineering Regional Security
In the last half-century, Egypt has had to negotiate its way through the Arab–Israeli peace process, regional nuclear proliferation, and domestic political transition. What has it taught us?
Annexation makes no policy sense
The debate over the questions of whether Israel will or should annex parts of the West Bank and what the international community will do in response has been robust. Supporters of annexation in Israel and the United States justify their position by pointing to a broken, perhaps irreparable peace process, Israel’s historical and religious claim of sovereignty over the Holy Land, support and encouragement from the Trump administration, and what is believed will be enhanced security for Israel and Israeli settlements. » Read more about: Annexation makes no policy sense »
Gulf Arab States Review Tax Regimes Amid Economic Crisis
Value-added and excise taxes offer Gulf Arab states narrow fiscal levers to help offset the economic impact of the coronavirus crisis and drop in oil prices.
Thunderbolt Hitting the Land
An uncertain future looms as Palestine and Israel attempt to mitigate the onslaught of COVID-19.
COVID-19 Impact on Africa Elections
The pandemic is forcing African states to choose between holding elections on time and postponing them for safety. The risks run both ways.
Seeing COVID-19 as an Opportunity
Extremist groups will attempt to take advantage of the turmoil created by COVID-19—and it’s not the first time.
Let Conflicts Be Bygones
A sobering look at how COVID-19 will affect Libya, Syria, and Yemen, where war and conflict have not only decimated most of these countries’ precious resources but are further destroying what remains of them.
In Close Proximity to Their Abusers
Domestic violence worsens worldwide due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A Surplus of Deficits
From a political economy perspective, there are four key forces working against the peace and prosperity of Middle Eastern and North African states. To defeat them, robust institutions are essential.
It is Time to Establish a Middle East Regional Security System
Unlike every other region of the world, the Middle East does not have an inclusive regional security system. This article explores why that is, asks whether now is the time to begin, and suggests how such a process could be started
Strategic Actors in Libya
Political Scientist Lisa Anderson explores how the local players in the Libyan conflict affect the decision-making of states, both in North Africa and beyond.
A Future Filled With Pathogens
The combination of a worsening climate crisis and ongoing human encroachment on the wilds will bring more pandemics.
Mobilizing Against Trump’s “Vision”
Former Palestinian Foreign Affairs Minister Nasser Alkidwa explains the ways Palestinians are contesting the Trump plan for peace and how the Trump deal caters only to extremists on the Israeli and American right
Hosni Mubarak: Passing of an Era, or Lingering Legacy?
What Mubarak’s legacy reveals about changes in different generations’ relationship to state and society.
The “Deal” of the Century?
The Trump plan imposes Israeli security and economic control over a self-autonomous Palestinian entity.
Brexit Reveals a Damaged Democracy
The drunken celebrations in Parliament Square as the UK broke from the European Union provide an apt metaphor for the whole affair.
The Middle East Reacts to Trump’s ‘Deal of the Century’
Hours after U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled his plan for Israeli-Palestinian peace, the reactions of key regional figures ranged from hopeful to enraged.
The Country to City Continuum
Government leaders and public policy experts attended the Regional Workshop on Strengthening Migration Governance Across the Rural Urban Continuum.
The Neo-Ballistic Middle East
Over the past forty years, Iran has written the book on Lebanization and using non-state actors in interstate warfare
Libya’s Dangerous Political Stalemate
Until now, most of the external actors involved in Libya relied on a Cold-War “zero sum game theory”, based on the dichotomic vision amicus/hostis (friend/enemy) of classical realpolitik. It is time this changes.
The End for Netanyahu?
After a murky election Netanyahu might be out and Gantz might be in, but it is Lieberman who is set to be kingmaker.
Reconstruction as a political-economy issue: The case of Syria
There can be no meaningful separation between state-building, peace-building, and revival at the end of a conflict, especially as post-conflict state institutions are the only apparatus which can be somewhat directly or indirectly accountable toward their populations for the management of the country.
Kushner’s New Plan for Palestine
The “Deal of the Century” is quickly shaping up to be the “Deception of the Century” and here’s why.
A Whole Government Effort
In reaffirming the U.S. role in the Middle East, anti-terrorism expert Gerald Feierstein explains that it is not enough to just fight violent networks; leaders must also address the root causes of extremism
Sister of the Rebels
Meet the sister of the rebels.
When the Shooting Stops
The president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development highlights the bank’s commitment to supporting post-conflict nations in the Middle East and beyond
Reinventing Peace in Syria
For Syria, and the rest of the world, the era of liberal peacebuilding has passed. But there are other ways to make peace, which call for a return to basics and a new kind of “software”
Rebuilding Iraq: Prospects and Challenges
Reconstruction in Iraq cannot be achieved without universal reconciliation, economic and education reform, and equitable application of the rule of law
Prioritizing Peace Ahead of Economic Growth
Afghanistan’s economic fate is intricately tied to its post-conflict peace plan, which is currently in the making
How Yemen Rises
Reconstruction is never easy, and in Yemen the road will be longer than most. The first step is to pass on “best practice” in favor of a critical, reflexive approach
Rethinking Gaza’s Reconstruction
With living conditions in the Palestinian enclave fast approaching breaking point, anything short of a comprehensive approach to peacebuilding and reconstruction will not work
End of War, but Not of Conflict
State (re)building in war-torn countries can only happen in a conducive political process on all levels ranging from the local to the international, which is exactly what seems lacking in MENA
Opportunity of the Century?
Jared Kushner’s economic stimulus initiative to solve the Palestinian issue was introduced in the 80s and ended in failure.
An Iran Strategy Worth Fighting For
U.S. and Saudi confrontations with Iran are causing proxy-warfare in weak or failing Arab states and escalating tensions in the Gulf, but there might still be a chance for diplomatic progress with the right combination of measures targeting Gulf-specific, regional, and international issues.
Civil Marriage in Limbo
In Lebanon, the recurring debate around civil marriage highlights the sectarian-patriarchal grip on personal status affairs and the state itself.
The Juggernaut’s Achilles Heel
The US may have recognized Israel’s 1981 annexation of the Golan Heights, but the Golan Druze, like East Jerusalem Palestinians, continue to reject Israeli citizenship and civic participation. If Israel is now empowered to annex parts of the West Bank, will Palestinians there break the pattern and embrace citizenship if offered?
A Regional Order Contested
Extreme instability has prompted a fundamental reconfiguration of the contemporary Middle East; as the old order crumbles, a new one has yet to emerge
Swamped in a Triple Crisis
Following the 2017–18 uprising, Iran is sick, stuck in three endemic crises with a foreign policy unlikely to alleviate what ails it
Kurdistan: A State or a State of Mind?
Can the Kurds, the largest ethnicity in the Middle East without their own nation, overcome their internal disunity and find ways to exist as an independent state or as autonomous regions?
Palestine Prevented
Historians should not look for the roots of Israeli state policies and Palestinian oppression in the events of 1967, but in colonial practices leading up to 1948
What China Wants in Outer Space
On the final frontier, Beijing is bringing its A game. Can other Asian powers such as India compete?
Netanyahu’s Masterful Gaslighting
The recent Israeli election showed Bibi to be the king of Israel and a master of the status quo.
A Different Kind of Rationality
Iran continues its military presence in Syria even after the fight is won—a move which is underpinned by the Islamic Republic’s core deterrence and defense foreign policy against possible Israeli or US military action.
Rethinking the Two States
For scholar and diplomat Daniel Levy, this much is clear: until Israel loses its sense of impunity, the peace process goes nowhere
Syria and Regional Food Security
Syria and its neighbors all have a vested interest in resuming agricultural trade to increase food security across the region.
Russia’s Eye on Syrian Reconstruction
Russia is primed to benefit economically from an influx of foreign investment in Syria, but an emerging rivalry with China and Iran for contracts could erode its long-term leverage.
Witnesses of Peace
How did the insiders and diplomats who witnessed the Camp David proceedings experience those events?
Keeping the Hope of Peace Alive
The European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini asserts that the Oslo and Camp David Accords must be complemented by the realization of a two-state solution for the Palestinian–Israeli conflict in order to secure a lasting peace for the Middle East.
The Oslo Accords: A Closer Look
Former Palestinian foreign minister Nasser Alkidwa takes a closer look at the strengths and weaknesses of the Oslo Accords, the lessons learned, and the way forward