Politics
Saudi Arabia’s Moment in the Sun
Although cooperation with China can help Saudi Arabia boost production of solar power, global trade dynamics may complicate the kingdom’s renewable energy goals.
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.
Can Israel Survive Netanyahu?
Following Benjamin Netanyahu’s reelection Israel is a land of contradictions, democratic and wealthy yet with dangerous demographic divisions.
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.
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.
The Dream of a City
Will Neom, the Saudi leadership’s new “city of the future,” become a reality?
When the Shake-up Comes
Activist and former advisor to the PLO negotiating team Diana Buttu discusses what she calls the death of Oslo and her hopes for a radical new future
Lose Your Privileges or Gain a Homeland?
Hassan Asfour, senior Oslo-era negotiator for the Palestine Liberation Organization, discusses why the Oslo Accords were doomed and the next step: declaring an independent Palestinian nation
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.
No-Peace Solution
Peace did not prevail because certain ambiguous provisions contained in the Camp David Accords enabled Israel to deliberately evade its obligations and frustrate the entire peace process
The Players of Camp David
An insider Israeli view on the personalities and ideas that drove the history-making Camp David Accords
Reflections on Camp David at 40
How the Camp David Accords became a limited Egyptian–Israeli peace effort that ultimately transformed Arab–Israeli relations across the Middle East
Half Right and Still Waiting
Parsing the successes of the Israeli–Egyptian peace treaty against the failure of Camp David’s other framework agreement sheds light on the pillars of a successful security relationship, and the unique sticking points of the Palestinian–Israeli conflict
The Peacemakers’ War
After forty years, the Camp David summit continues to be the seminal shaper of the modern Middle East. However, it was an effort fraught with challenges for the peacemakers that could have resulted in its collapse
Lessons from the Thirteen Days in September
On the atmosphere, negotiating style, and mistakes made at Camp David
Asymmetry, the Spoiler
For twenty-five years since the Oslo Agreement, Palestinian–Israeli negotiations have been characterized by a starkly uneven power dynamic. To reach a final solution, today’s negotiators must commit to leveling the playing field
Oslo and Camp David: One and the Same?
What we have learned from the Oslo Accords needs to influence a future agreement so that a lasting Camp David-like peace can be reached between Israelis and Palestinians
Developing the Concept of Palestinian Autonomy
How the Camp David Accords, as well as a little-known series of negotiations called the “Autonomy Talks,” came to serve as the basis for Palestinian self-rule during the Oslo negotiations
Mirroring the Other
Fauda, Netflix’s hit TV series on Israeli undercover operatives in Palestine, presents Palestinian and Israeli characters that have nuanced emotions and desires; yet the show still otherizes Arabs and justifies Israel’s actions in the West Bank and Gaza.
The EU-Arab Summit: A Chance to Reset Relations with the Arab World?
With EU and Arab League leaders set to convene a landmark summit for the first time in Sharm El-Sheikh this February, the stakes are high to agree on key issues, including migration, counter-terrorism and steps to end the war in Yemen.
Preserving Kurdish Autonomy
Divisions among the states vested in Syria are opening possibilities for Syria’s Kurds to secure greater protection for their autonomy.
Reforming UN Peacekeeping
How Cairo views efforts at reforming United Nations’ peacekeeping, especially in the Middle East and Africa.
Faith That Peace Will One Day Come
Former United States president and architect of the Camp David Accords Jimmy Carter discusses the 1978 conference that changed the Middle East and the prospects for peace today.
Pompeo’s “Real New Beginning”?
In a speech which may have policy implications for the Trump Administration’s Middle East policy, the United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo lays out plans for the region at the American University in Cairo.
Turkey’s Gradual Efforts to Professionalize Syrian Allies
Instead of putting its full strength behind unifying Syrian rebel groups, Ankara is slowly supporting that process without disturbing the status quo.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE look to Africa
By mediating conflicts and combining their assets in the Horn of Africa, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are slowly cementing an arc of political influence across the region.
Russia’s Mediating Role in Southern Yemen
Seeking to expand its influence in the Red Sea, Russia is hoping that mediating internal disputes in Yemen will help make the region more secure.
A New Beginning for Yemen?
The strategic role of the United States—and others—in finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Yemen.
What Future for the EU’s Southern Neighbourhood Policy?
The upcoming EU-Arab summit could help in crafting a new regional relationship.
A Dangerous Coin Toss
For long-time scholar of American foreign policy, William Quandt, it’s still too hard to say what Trump wants in the Middle East
A Divided America
Why American Islamophobia seems to be declining in the age of Trump
Perceptions from Abroad
How to fight foreign perceptions that the Arab World is violent and in complete turmoil
Lebanon’s Black Sheep
Independent parliamentarian Paula Yacoubian discusses the battles worth fighting in Lebanese politics
The Inflection Point
Reduced American focus on the Middle East going forward is just one of many changes with which Arab leaders will have to grapple in the coming years, and it is disorienting
The Choice for the West: Focus or Strategic Failure
The Middle East and North Africa would be better off with diminished Western ambitions in the region. However, rather than coalescing around a more manageable and realistic set of goals, the West is beset by confusion and growing discord
An Overdue Reckoning
British foreign policy in the Middle East has shifted decisively from a long period of consensus to one of sharp contestation between an empire-2.0 right and a transformative left
In the Leopard’s Footprints
Despite the rise of the continent’s first populist government, in its relations with the Middle East, Italy shows remarkable continuity with its recent past in its emphasis on migration and energy security
In Pursuit of a Grand Strategy
France’s diplomatic sojourns into the Middle East over the past quarter century have only yielded moderate success. Can the government of Emmanuel Macron reverse this slow downward spiral?
India’s Multipolar Commitment
With a modern diplomatic history going back to Gandhi and Nehru, India views its role in the Middle East as a supporter of multiple powers. But how long can India’s commitment to a multipolar Middle East continue?
Russia’s Sharp Turns
To get involved in Syria, Russia had to turn to Iran as an unexpected ally, yet as the conflict develops, it is ready to accommodate any and all players to strengthen its foothold in the region
Pains and Dreams on the Silk Road
Chinese activity in the Middle East has been a lesson in non-involvement and support for local economic projects; yet, as the Belt and Road Initiative kicks off, China’s role in the MENA region will inevitably change.
Russia, Turkey, and the Fate of Idlib
In Idlib, Turkey could deter Russian airstrikes and ensure the region remains out of the Syrian regime’s control by going after extremist groups.
A Long View of the Middle East
Middle East historian James Gelvin speaks to Cairo Review editors Sean David Hobbs and Leslie Cohen about Middle Eastern current affairs, including where Syria is headed, and whether America’s moment in the Middle East has passed.
Raqqa Youth and the Devastation of War
How Raqqa Youth Survived ISIS
SDG 16 and the Lessons for Egypt
The lessons learnt for Egypt from the 2018 United Nations Public Service Awards which were held to recognize nations achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, in particular SDG 16.
The UAE’s Security-Economic Nexus in Yemen
The UAE’s growing investment in Yemen’s energy and security infrastructure is increasingly the driving force behind its counterterrorism involvement.
What Tech Can Do for Arab Women
If the technology sector can ease constraints that have traditionally excluded Arab women from economic opportunities, then both tech and women will greatly benefit.
Delusions of a Deal
Donald Trump claims he is the master of deal-making, but will his much-touted “Deal of the Century” be favorable to the Arabs and Palestinians?