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SomaliaDemocracy and GovernanceMany Challenges to Address as Somalis Go to the Polls
Jul 19, 2021Imad K. HarbThe recent agreement on Somali presidential and parliamentary elections is a good but insufficient sign that Somalia’s many antagonists will allow the credible…
- Policy Analysis
The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfSecurity and DefenseUS Middle East Influence in Afghanistan’s Shadow
Jul 15, 2021Daniel BrumbergWill the departure of some 3,000 American troops from Afghanistan be a harbinger of a more fundamental realignment of US Middle East security policy? Presently…
- Policy Analysis
JordanUS Foreign PolicyKing Abdullah Visits Washington amid Jordan’s Woes
Jul 14, 2021Gregory AftandilianKing Abdullah II’s upcoming meetings with President Joe Biden on July 19, and subsequently with leading members of Congress, come at a time when the Hashemite …
- Viewpoint
Palestine/IsraelArab Americans/ Muslim AmericansThe Changing Arab American Activism for Palestine in the United States
Jul 12, 2021Hani J. BawardiAdvocacy for Palestine in the United States has entered a new phase, given the higher level of veracity social media injected into coverage of the latest Israe…
- Policy Analysis
Palestine/IsraelRegional Relations and GeopoliticsMoroccan Normalization with Israel: Temporary Deal or Permanent Peace?
Jul 8, 2021Khalil Al-AnaniOn June 16, 2021, King Mohammed VI of Morocco sent a congratulatory letter to Israel’s new prime minister, Naftali Bennett. This might not have been surprising…
- Viewpoint
Saudi ArabiaRegional Relations and GeopoliticsIs a Saudi-Emirati Rift on the Horizon?
Jul 7, 2021Imad K. HarbThe Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) appears to be approaching another unwelcome rift, this time between its two most vocal and influential members, Saudi Arabia…
- Policy Analysis
AlgeriaDemocracy and GovernanceAlgeria Reestablishes Authoritarianism through Elections
Jul 1, 2021Imad K. HarbOn June 12, Algeria held an early parliamentary election whose results reflected both Algerian voters’ apathy about the system they inherited from former Presi…
- Viewpoint
IraqIran’s Presidential Election as Viewed in Iraq
Jun 29, 2021Abdulwahab Al-QassabAll political developments in Iran have serious repercussions in Iraq, and the election of Ibrahim Raisi as president of the Islamic Republic is no different. …
- Policy Analysis
IranUS Foreign PolicyRaisi’s Election Creates Opportunities and Pitfalls for Iran’s Islamic Republic
Jun 25, 2021Daniel BrumbergIn the weeks leading up to Iran’s June 18 presidential elections, one joke making the rounds was that Ebrahim Raisi, then a candidate and now the winner, was r…
- Policy Analysis
Regional Relations and GeopoliticsUS-Russian Cooperation in the Middle East after the Biden-Putin Summit
Jun 24, 2021Joe MacaronThe June 16 summit between President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, was meant to defuse tensions between the United States and Russia, …
- Policy Analysis
EgyptJustice, Equality, and Human RightsDoubts Surround Egypt’s Draft National Human Rights Strategy
Jun 24, 2021Charles W. DunneLong hounded by international criticism of its deteriorating human rights record, the government of Egypt is preparing to respond by launching a new national h…
- Policy Analysis
MoroccoConflicts and Conflict ResolutionThe Polisario Front, Morocco, and the Western Sahara Conflict
Jun 22, 2021Houda ChograniThe simmering 46-year-old conflict between Morocco and the Polisario Front over the disputed territory of Western Sahara, a Northwest African area of around 25…
- Policy Analysis
Palestine/IsraelConflicts and Conflict ResolutionRebuilding Gaza, Yet Again
Jun 17, 2021Yara M. AsiIn 2012, the United Nations issued a dire warning: change the situation, now, or the Gaza Strip may no longer be a livable place by 2020. Unemployment, poverty…
- Research Paper
LebanonIdentity Politics and SectarianizationYouth in Lebanon: Policy Narratives, Attitudes, and Forms of Mobilization
Jun 17, 2021Mona HarbIntroductionAs Lebanon is undergoing one of the worst economic and financial collapses in the world, one that was caused by the deliberate inaction1 of its rul…
- Policy Analysis
LibyaDemocracy and GovernanceThe Challenges and Opportunities in Libya Today
Jun 14, 2021Imad K. HarbAfter the uprising against former strongman Muammar Qadhafi in 2011, Libya’s road to stability and order—let alone to full democratic governance—has not been s…
- Policy Analysis
YemenUS Foreign PolicyAttaining the Difficult Peace in Yemen
Jun 9, 2021Gregory AftandilianAfter displaying some optimism about reaching a cease-fire and peace deal in Yemen, the Biden Administration is facing the stark reality that these objectives …
- Policy Analysis
Palestine/IsraelMedia and TechnologySystematic Digital Repression: Social Media Censoring of Palestinian Voices
Jun 8, 2021Tamara KharroubThe events of the last few weeks and the escalation of violence in Palestine and Israel have spotlighted the issue of media bias and censorship of Palestinian …
- Viewpoint
IraqIdentity Politics and SectarianizationTime to Address Impunity in Iraq
Jun 4, 2021Abdulwahab Al-QassabOn May 26, Iraqi security forces arrested General Qasim Muslih, commander of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in Anbar province, basing their action on…
- Policy Analysis
EgyptRegional Relations and GeopoliticsExplaining Egypt’s Role during the Gaza War
Jun 3, 2021Khalil Al-AnaniOn May 21, 2021, a cease-fire agreement was reached between Israel and Hamas after an 11-day military confrontation. Egypt played a vital role in securing the …
- Policy Analysis
Saudi ArabiaUS Foreign PolicyA Tough Nut to Crack: Rebalancing the US-Saudi Relationship
Jun 2, 2021Charles W. DunneOut on the campaign trail in 2019, presidential candidate Joe Biden made it clear that when it came to a principled US foreign policy, he intended to be the an…
- Policy Analysis
SyriaDemocracy and GovernanceSyria’s Presidential Election and the Absence of the American Role
Jun 1, 2021Radwan ZiadehOn May 26, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad won a fourth seven-year term in a practically uncontested election. No one was surprised by the original announceme…
- Policy Analysis
SyriaUS Foreign PolicyThe Biden Administration and the GCC Rapprochement with Damascus
May 27, 2021Joe MacaronWith Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on his way to a fourth term in the Syrian presidential election held this week, Moscow is expected to resume its diplomat…
- Policy Analysis
IranRegional Relations and GeopoliticsIran Plays a Diplomatically Cautious (and Smart) Game on Gaza
May 22, 2021Daniel BrumbergIt’s not every day that Hamas leaders openly plead for Tehran’s support. But this is apparently what happened when, as the battle between Gaza’s militant grou…
- Policy Analysis
Palestine/IsraelJustice, Equality, and Human RightsThe Time Has Come for an American Change on Israel
May 20, 2021Imad K. HarbPresident Joe Biden has finally uttered the magic word of cease-fire in a telephone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as they discussed the o…
- Policy Analysis
Saudi ArabiaRegional Relations and GeopoliticsContingencies Undergird Saudi Foreign Policy
May 18, 2021Kristian Coates UlrichsenA flurry of diplomatic outreach involving Iran, Syria, and Turkey, and a continuing warming of relations with other Gulf countries, have sparked questions over…
- Viewpoint
Palestine/IsraelConflicts and Conflict ResolutionSheikh Jarrah: A Welcome Palestinian Moment of Enthusiasm
May 14, 2021Khalil E. JahshanProtracted political conflicts are unpredictable phenomena. They tend to develop an internal momentum while awaiting their own uncertain future, often confusin…
- Policy Analysis
Palestine/IsraelJustice, Equality, and Human RightsIsrael’s Screen of Legality behind the Sheikh Jarrah Dispossession
May 12, 2021Jonathan KuttabThe situation in Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood represents a microcosm of the ongoing Judaization process that has been taking place since the creation…
- Policy Analysis
Women & Gender IssuesThe (Slowly) Changing Gender Dynamics in Arab Countries
May 11, 2021Yara M. AsiA now infamous image from 2014 captured the moment Loujain al-Hathloul’s life changed: it shows her sitting behind the wheel of a car, a small smile on her fac…
- Policy Analysis
TunisiaDemocracy and GovernanceIs Tunisia’s President Endangering Democracy?
May 7, 2021Daniel BrumbergRecently, Tunisia has witnessed a political dynamic that is all too rare in the Arab world: Islamists have joined forces with some secularly oriented Members o…
- Policy Analysis
TurkeyUS Foreign PolicyThe Path to Armenian Genocide Recognition: A Lesson for Palestine Activists?
May 6, 2021Gregory AftandilianThe century-old struggle by the Armenian American community for US recognition that the large-scale massacres and deportations of their people in the Ottoman E…
- Policy Analysis
IranUS Foreign PolicyThe Israeli Factor in the US-Iran Nuclear Talks
May 6, 2021Joe MacaronAs US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was visiting Israel on April 11, Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency orchestrated a mysterious explosion in Iran’s Natanz …
- Viewpoint
Palestine/IsraelJustice, Equality, and Human RightsHuman Rights Watch Exposes Israeli Apartheid
May 3, 2021Jonathan KuttabOn April 27, 2021, Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a 213-page report entitled “A Threshold Crossed: Israeli Authorities and the Crimes of Apartheid and Persecu…
- Policy Analysis
The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfEducation and DevelopmentArab Space Programs Level Up
Apr 30, 2021Charles W. DunnePeople in the Arab world have gazed at the stars with curiosity and genius for centuries. The first observatory was built in the 8th century by Abbasid Caliph …
- Policy Analysis
EgyptDemocracy and GovernanceFailures of Authoritarian Governance in Egypt
Apr 28, 2021Khalil Al-AnaniOn March 23, the world's attention turned to Egypt as traffic in the strategic Suez Canal was disrupted after the 400-meter container ship, the Ever Given, ran…
- Policy Analysis
The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfUS Foreign PolicyThe United States Ends its Combat Role in Iraq
Apr 26, 2021Gregory AftandilianAt the recent meeting of the US-Iraq Strategic Dialogue, negotiators decided to end the combat mission of US troops engaged in the fight against remnants of th…
- Policy Analysis
Palestine/IsraelUS Foreign PolicyWill the Natanz Incident Produce Maximum Diplomacy?
Apr 23, 2021Daniel BrumbergJust two days after what appeared to be an Israeli-backed sabotage of Iran’s Natanz enrichment facilities, The Washington Post’s editorial board declared that …
- Policy Analysis
Palestine/IsraelDemocracy and GovernanceThe Palestinian Elections and Jerusalem
Apr 20, 2021Jonathan KuttabFifteen years have elapsed since the last elections in Palestine, and now Palestinians are poised to hold a new round for the Legislative Council of the Palest…
- Policy Analysis
AlgeriaProtests and ActivismDemocratic Transition in Algeria: The Regime-Hirak Face-off
Apr 19, 2021Louisa Dris-Aït HamadoucheFor the first time in its history, Algeria is experiencing a political uprising that began in 2019 and is characterized as inclusive, peaceful, popular, and re…
- Policy Analysis
LebanonIdentity Politics and SectarianizationHezbollah in Moscow: Russia Flexes Its Diplomatic Muscles
Apr 14, 2021Joe MacaronIn a medium-sized van with no bodyguards, on a rainy March 15, 2021, a Hezbollah delegation quietly walked into the Russian Foreign Ministry building in Moscow…
- Policy Analysis
Palestine/IsraelUS Foreign PolicyBiden’s Apparent Failure on Israel-Palestine
Apr 13, 2021Imad K. HarbPresident Joe Biden’s 100-day milestone is approaching with pronounced successes in fighting the coronavirus pandemic, righting the ship of the American econom…
- Policy Analysis
LibyaConflicts and Conflict ResolutionThe Libyan Interim Government: Hopes and Challenges
Apr 6, 2021ACW Research and Analysis UnitLibya has suffered years of violence and volatility. Recently, Libyan delegates to a conference in Geneva approved the re-formation of two entities: the Presid…
- Policy Analysis
Energy and EconomicsStarving and Being Starved: Addressing Food Insecurity in Arab Populations
Apr 5, 2021Yara M. AsiAfter years of civil war and outside intervention, Yemen continues to be widely recognized as having the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. A significant contr…
- Viewpoint
Palestine/IsraelConflicts and Conflict ResolutionNetanyahu Tries to Dictate a New Arrangement in Jerusalem in Violation of the Traditional Pre-1967 Status Quo
Apr 2, 2021ACW Research and Analysis UnitOn March 22nd, The New York Times published an article by its Jerusalem correspondent Isabel Kershner titled “Tensions With Arab Allies Undermine a Netanyahu P…
- Policy Analysis
EgyptDemocracy and GovernanceAn Old, Ongoing Struggle: Domesticating Religious Institutions in Egypt
Apr 2, 2021Khalil Al-AnaniThe relationship between religion and the state is controversial and problematic in the Arab world, particularly with the absence of clear demarcations that co…
- Policy Analysis
Palestine/IsraelUS Foreign PolicyCongressional Advocacy for Palestinian Rights in the Post-Trump Era
Apr 2, 2021Yousef MunayyerFor nearly 15 years, a partisan divide around the US-Israel relationship has been exacerbated in American politics. It became clear and consistent during the O…
- Policy Analysis
Democracy and GovernanceThe Seven Habits of Highly Effective Autocrats: Key Strategies That Beat Down the Arab Spring and Keep Regimes in Power
Mar 31, 2021Charles W. DunneThe 10th anniversary of the Arab Spring has unleashed a torrent of retrospectives focused on the legacy of the uprisings, mostly their failures. All these year…
- Intern Corner
The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfEnergy and EconomicsChina’s Maritime Challenge to the United States in the Gulf
Mar 30, 2021Gabriella HaedeltThe Arabian Gulf has emerged as a theater of investment, international integration, and rivalry for global powers, especially after Chinese President Xi Jinpin…
- Viewpoint
IraqIdentity Politics and SectarianizationA Struggle of Wills over Iraq’s Identity
Mar 30, 2021Abdulwahab Al-QassabThe last few days witnessed serious efforts by some Arab countries to influence developments in Iran-friendly Iraq. On March 24, Qatari Foreign Minister Mohamm…
- Policy Analysis
TurkeyRegional Relations and GeopoliticsTurkish-Egyptian Reconciliation Efforts Echo a Shifting Regional Order
Mar 26, 2021Daniel BrumbergOver the past month, Turkey has taken steps to restore diplomatic relations with Egypt. That President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has spearheaded this effort is para…
- Policy Analysis
JordanUS Foreign PolicyJordan’s Monarchy Reclaims Regional Role under Biden
Mar 25, 2021Joe MacaronTo describe the last four years as challenging ones for US-Jordanian relations would be an understatement. President Donald Trump’s absolute support for Israel…
- Policy Analysis
LebanonDemocracy and GovernanceLebanon Faces a Civil War, a Prospect of Its Own Making
Mar 23, 2021Imad K. HarbThe socioeconomic and political crises gripping Lebanon today are unprecedented in the country’s 100-year history, one that has witnessed intercommunal unrest …
- Policy Analysis
LevantEgypt’s Ties to Israel Deepen Despite Public Misgivings
Mar 19, 2021Gregory AftandilianThe Egyptian government has deepened its cooperation with Israel on strategic and economic matters in order to root out the extremist threat in the Sinai Penin…
- Policy Analysis
IranUS Foreign PolicyHard-liners Fight for Iran’s Presidency and Foreign Policy
Mar 17, 2021Daniel BrumbergFormer US Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, who during the Obama Administration played a pivotal role in negotiating the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, recently asserted…
- Policy Analysis
IraqIdentity Politics and SectarianizationIraq’s Complicated and Challenging Security Situation
Mar 16, 2021Abdulwahab Al-QassabMany of Iraq’s pro-Iran militias were encouraged with Joe Biden’s election as president of the United States and the ensuing Democratic control of both houses …
- Policy Analysis
Palestine/IsraelDemocracy and GovernanceIsrael’s 2021 Elections: Background, Scenarios, and Expectations
Mar 16, 2021Honaida GhanimOn March 23rd, Israel holds its fourth round of parliamentary elections in less than two years, amid what in Israel has become known as “the political crisis” …
- Policy Analysis
Justice, Equality, and Human RightsChallenges to Biden’s Human Rights Agenda in the Middle East
Mar 9, 2021Khalil Al-AnaniIn his speech at the US State Department on February 4, 2021, US President Joe Biden pledged to support democracy and confront authoritarianism globally, sayin…
- Policy Analysis
Palestine/IsraelUS Foreign PolicyThe Biden Administration and the Palestinians: Early Policy Indications
Mar 9, 2021Yousef MunayyerThe new administration in Washington, about half way through its first 100 days in office, is shaping its foreign policy. President Joe Biden and his team have…
- Policy Analysis
LibyaConflicts and Conflict ResolutionCautious Optimism a Decade after Libya’s Revolution
Mar 5, 2021Imad K. HarbThe Arab Spring protests that started 10 years ago in Libya and the ensuing collapse of the Muammar Qadhafi regime set in motion a decade of instability that c…
- Policy Analysis
LevantDemocracy and GovernanceNo Light at the End of Lebanon’s Long and Dark Tunnel
Mar 3, 2021Joe MacaronBy all accounts, Lebanon is a desperate case. The severe fiscal crises portend an extended economic depression ahead. The country has been in political paralys…
- Policy Analysis
Climate and EnvironmentClimate Change in the Arab World: An Existential Threat in an Unstable Region
Mar 2, 2021Yara M. AsiIn the mid-2010s, several years into Syria’s brutal civil war, a theory emerged that perhaps the conflict was even more complicated than originally conceived. …
- Viewpoint
Saudi ArabiaUS Foreign PolicyMohammed bin Salman in the Hot Seat
Feb 26, 2021Imad K. HarbThe Biden Administration’s release on February 26 of a declassified intelligence report implicating Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) in the assassi…
- Policy Analysis
IranUS Foreign PolicyThe US and Iran: From Brinkmanship to Negotiations?
Feb 25, 2021Daniel BrumbergIn his far-ranging February 21 interview with Iran’s Press TV, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif reiterated a bottom line: that Iran would step awa…
- Policy Analysis
The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfUS Foreign PolicyThe Biden Administration Contemplates a New Pivot to Asia
Feb 23, 2021Charles W. DunneIs the pivot to Asia for real this time?That is one of the key questions Washington policy analysts, pundits, and diplomats are asking themselves as President …
- Policy Analysis
SyriaConflicts and Conflict ResolutionA Decade of War in Syria: Political Transition Is Still the Answer
Feb 22, 2021Radwan ZiadehThe middle of March marks the tenth anniversary of the civil war in Syria. It began in the south of the country when regime forces resorted to violence to quel…
