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Palestine/IsraelConflicts and Conflict ResolutionAbbas and Netanyahu Turn to Elections to Solidify Control
Dec 28, 2018Yousef MunayyerAs a new year begins in Israel/Palestine, leaders there are seeking to use elections to sideline challenges and challengers, solidify their grip on power, and …
- Policy Analysis
The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfUS Foreign PolicyNo American Traction on Resolving the GCC Crisis
Dec 27, 2018Charles W. DunneTo maintain or reassert its leadership role in the Gulf region, the United States must effectively and forcefully address the reasons behind the start of the G…
- ViewpointSyriaUS Foreign Policy
Trump’s Syria Announcement Underscores US Policy Meltdown
Dec 20, 2018Daniel BrumbergThe withdrawal of US troops will make it easier for Moscow and Tehran to advance a political solution ensuring that Assad and his allies remain in power.
- Policy AnalysisQatarThe GCC
The GCC Is Meeting Again: What to Expect?
Dec 3, 2018Kristian Coates UlrichsenRegardless of what happens at the GCC summit on December 9, the likelihood is that the council as it functioned up until 2017 is not coming back anytime soon, …
- Policy AnalysisIranConflicts and Conflict Resolution
US Economic Warfare and Iran’s Politics of Muddling Through
Nov 30, 2018Daniel BrumbergIf the Trump Administration and its Middle East allies are counting on capitulation by Iran’s leaders, they are likely to be disappointed in knowing that these…
- Policy AnalysisPalestine/IsraelConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Israel and Gaza: From the Brink of War to the Brink of Elections
Nov 27, 2018Yousef MunayyerAfter new elections in Israel, there is little reason to expect anything other than another right-wing Israeli government led by Benjamin Netanyahu.
- Policy AnalysisLibyaConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Libyans Should Decide Their Own Future: An Interview with Hani Shennib
Nov 20, 2018Imad K. HarbThe failure to address the root causes of the Libyan conflict is the main reason why Libya has not arrived at a peaceful resolution to its ongoing troubles.
- Policy AnalysisPalestine/IsraelConflicts and Conflict Resolution
A Weakened Arab Gulf Should Not Normalize Relations with Israel
Nov 9, 2018Imad K. HarbToday, Israel seems to be closer to officially normalizing its existence in the wider Arab world by aggressively pursuing relations with the monarchies of the …
- Policy AnalysisIranConflicts and Conflict Resolution
A Flawed American Sanctions Policy on Iran
Nov 9, 2018Daniel BrumbergThe capacity of the United States and its regional friends to affect the Middle East’s geostrategic map could diminish further as flaws in the American strateg…
- ViewpointYemenConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Is the United States Serious about Ending the Yemen Conflict?
Nov 2, 2018Khalil E. JahshanBipartisan congressional pressure and the Khashoggi murder may have forced the Trump Administration to revise its position on Yemen.
- Policy AnalysisSyriaConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Will the Istanbul Summit Offer Hope for Syria?
Nov 1, 2018Joe MacaronThe Istanbul summit on Syria was the first serious attempt in years to advance a viable Syrian political process; but obstacles remain, including American-Russ…
- Policy AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Sochi Agreement on Idlib Tests Russian-Turkish Relations
Oct 19, 2018Joe MacaronThe irregularities in implementing the Sochi Agreement regarding Idlib will put Russian-Turkish relations to the test and may doom the Idlib ceasefire.
- Policy AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Oslo at 25: Long Dead and Now Finally Buried?
Sep 24, 2018Yousef MunayyerFor 25 years, the Oslo process has been dying a slow death because of Palestinian weakness, overemphasis on ensuring Israeli security, and the Trump Administra…
- Policy AnalysisIranConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Complications of the Houthis’ Role in the Red Sea
Aug 23, 2018Abdulwahab Al-QassabThe Houthis’ attack on two Saudi Arabian tankers near the Bab al-Mandab waterway prompts questions about whether they and Iran can disrupt shipping in the Red …
- ViewpointThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Congress is Rattled by the US Role in Yemen—But Will It Matter?
Aug 22, 2018Marcus MontgomeryCriticism from Capitol Hill has been largely symbolic because few in the Republican majorities in the House and Senate have opted to challenge the president on…
- Policy AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Shifting the Balance of Power from Ramallah to Gaza
Aug 17, 2018Khalil E. JahshanIf successfully implemented, the latest agreement on a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas may pave the way for a radical change in Palestinian power from the …
- Policy AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Why Are Israel and Hamas Negotiating a Cease-fire Now?
Aug 16, 2018Yousef MunayyerAs the Trump Administration speaks of a “deal of the century,” questions arise about why Israel and Hamas are negotiating for a truce in the Gaza Strip.
- Policy AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The Ticking Time Bomb of Northern Syria
Aug 15, 2018Mustafa GurbuzThe Assad regime’s coming Idlib offensive will cause serious troubles and endanger the US security structure in northern Syria.
- Policy AnalysisIranConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Putin Arbitrates Iran’s Presence in Syria
Aug 10, 2018Daniel BrumbergRumors of a rocky Russian-Iranian alliance have been greatly exaggerated. Putin as arbiter in Syria will only do what serves Russia’s influence there.
- Policy AnalysisIranConflicts and Conflict Resolution
A Dangerous Confusion in US Iran Policy
Aug 7, 2018Charles W. DunneThe latest Trump Iran tweet and announcement revealed a lack of a coherent Iran policy in the wake of the US withdrawal from the JCPOA regulating Iran’s nuclea…
- Policy AnalysisIraqConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The Future of Iraqi-Kuwaiti Relations: Overcoming a Troubled History
Jul 10, 2018Gregory AftandilianIraq and Kuwait are developing cordial relations after an acrimonious history. Kuwait wants a stable and non-threatening neighbor while Iraq seeks Kuwait’s fin…
- Policy AnalysisEgyptConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The Egypt-Ethiopia Nile Water Crisis: a Cause for Regional Tensions?
Jul 5, 2018Daniel StollWhile the Ethiopian dam on the Nile could be a source of conflict in east Africa, and while relations among Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan will remain unsettled fo…
- ViewpointLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The Raging—and Surprising—Battle for Southern Syria
Jul 5, 2018Radwan ZiadehThe Syrian regime began its assault on the southern city of Daraa toward the end of June, assisted as elsewhere in Syria by Russian warplanes and Iran-supporte…
- Policy AnalysisIranConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Pompeo Digs a Deeper Hole for US Iran Policy
Jun 5, 2018Daniel BrumbergPompeo's May 21 speech indicates that where Iran is concerned, the US is returning to a policy of "zero enrichment" backed up by economic warfare. But the Whit…
- Policy AnalysisQatarConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The Needless Crisis in the Arabian Gulf
Jun 5, 2018Kristian Coates UlrichsenThe Trump Administration would do well to work with the Saudis and Emiratis to identify a face-saving way to back down and end the blockade of Qatar.
- ViewpointLibyaConflicts and Conflict Resolution
An Accord for Libya?
Jun 1, 2018Imad K. HarbAmid the many conflicts rending the Arab world today, the one in Libya recently took a hopeful turn toward a peace process despite the violence still wracking …
- Policy AnalysisThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Anti-Qatar Embargo Grinds Toward Strategic Failure
Jun 1, 2018Gabriel Collins“The experience of the past thus clearly suggests that blockades or embargoes do not always produce the results originally sought when the decision for action …
- Policy AnalysisIranConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Iraq will Remain a US-Iran Point of Contention
May 31, 2018Gregory AftandilianThe United States’ more belligerent position toward Iran, in the wake of the Trump Administration’s recent withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, is likely to …
- ViewpointIranConflicts and Conflict Resolution
A Crack in the Russian-Iranian Alliance in Syria?
May 23, 2018Joe MacaronIn a rare instance since the Russian intervention in Syria in September 2015, the policy differences between Moscow and Tehran have become public. This raised …
- ViewpointIranConflicts and Conflict Resolution
A Dangerous Israeli-Iranian Escalation in Syria
May 11, 2018Joe MacaronIn the most dangerous escalation since the establishment of the Golan Heights ceasefire line in 1973, Israel and Iran exchanged fire in southwestern Syria unde…
- ViewpointEgyptConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Deploying Arab Forces in Syria is not Advisable, nor Possible
May 10, 2018Radwan ZiadehOver the last few months, President Donald Trump has made announcements that regional states should bear more of the burden of ridding Syria of the so-called I…
- Policy AnalysisThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfConflicts and Conflict Resolution
External Actors Complicate Resolving the Yemeni Conflict
Apr 25, 2018Gregory AftandilianAlthough the Houthis and the Hadi government show no signs of compromise, Yemen’s conflict continues to drag on largely because external actors are pursuing ag…
- ViewpointLibyaConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Haftar’s Illness and Libya’s Troubles
Apr 20, 2018Imad K. HarbLibya’s confusing political environment just became a little more so with the reported illness of strongman General Khalifa Haftar. He is commander of the so-c…
- ViewpointLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The Kosovo Model for Syria
Apr 17, 2018Radwan ZiadehThe April 13, 2018, American-British-French strike on Syria was wider in scope and effect than that of April 2017 on Shairat Air Base; both conducted as punish…
- Policy AnalysisSudanConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Egyptian-Sudanese Relations on the Mend, but Tensions Remain
Apr 16, 2018Gregory AftandilianEgyptian-Sudanese relations are currently improving although the nature of their ties over the years remains prone to rapid change. Part of their problems are …
- ViewpointConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The Forgotten Arab League
Apr 11, 2018Joe MacaronOn April 15, the summit of the League of Arab States will be convened in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. It will serve as a reminder that Arabs have a regional, albeit f…
- Policy AnalysisIraqConflicts and Conflict Resolution
A Mysterious Strike Renews Israel-US Coordination in Syria
Apr 10, 2018Joe MacaronThe Israeli strike on Iranian assets in Syria last Monday and the imminent US strike on Syria renew the US-Israeli coordination there for the first time since …
- Policy AnalysisIranConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The Super-Hawks on Iran May Make the US the Biggest Loser
Apr 10, 2018Daniel BrumbergThe super-hawks President Trump appointed in his administration may very well get the United States into a conflagration with Iran despite international satisf…
- Policy AnalysisQatarConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The Doubts Surrounding Trump’s Work on GCC Reconciliation
Apr 9, 2018Imad K. HarbConditions in the Gulf and in Washington do not augur well for Trump-led successful negotiations to resolve the GCC crisis, although all players are making the…
- Policy AnalysisJordanConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Jordan’s Four Worst-case Scenarios on Its Syrian Border
Mar 30, 2018Joe MacaronJordan faces four worst-case scenarios as the US-Russia ceasefire agreement is gradually collapsing in southwestern Syria. Amman’s options to limit the damage …
- Policy AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Hell on Earth: The World Forsakes Syria’s Eastern Ghouta
Feb 28, 2018Radwan ZiadehThe people of this district near Damascus are being exposed to relentless aerial bombing and ground attacks that have killed over 500 civilians, including many…
- Policy AnalysisQatarConflicts and Conflict Resolution
US Allies Upstage Tillerson’s Mideast Tour
Feb 27, 2018Joe MacaronIsrael and Turkey dominated Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s first expanded high level trip to the Middle East as US foreign policy faces new regional challe…
- ViewpointLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Eastern Ghouta: Syria’s “Hell on Earth”
Feb 23, 2018Khalil E. JahshanIn recent weeks, the Assad regime and its supporters have subjected the Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta to one of the most violent attacks of the seven-year …
- ViewpointLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Abbas Reassures UNSC of Palestinian Commitment to Just and Lasting Peace
Feb 20, 2018Khalil E. JahshanPalestinian president Mahmoud Abbas delivered today his long-anticipated speech to the UN Security Council. His objective was essentially two-fold, he wanted f…
- ViewpointLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Mahmoud Abbas at the UN Security Council
Feb 20, 2018Imad K. HarbWhat was most noticeable in Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s peace plan was his reaffirmation that the Arab Peace Initiative (API) of 2002 remai…
- Policy AnalysisLebanonConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Like Quicksand, Many Issues Threaten to Engulf Lebanon
Feb 13, 2018Imad K. HarbAs it approaches the highly anticipated round of legislative elections on May 6, Lebanon finds itself bereft of a cohesive political center that can withstand …
- ViewpointLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
A change in the American rules of engagement in Syria
Feb 9, 2018Radwan ZiadehThe American forces in northeastern Syria intervened in the Deir Ezzor area to protect and defend their local ally, the Syrian Democratic Forces. An estimated …
- ViewpointLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Russia has abandoned all restraint in its support of Assad
Feb 8, 2018Imad K. HarbIt appears that Russia has decided to fully throw in its weight behind Bashar al-Assad’s regime and in fact take part in bombing civilian targets. I think Russ…
- Policy AnalysisSaudi ArabiaConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Fits and Starts Characterize UN Mediation in Yemen, Syria, and Libya
Feb 7, 2018Mohammed CherkaouiUnited Nations diplomacy regarding Yemen, Syria, and Libya may be undergoing a period of fatigue, or perhaps exhaustion, in searching for efficient formulas to…
- Policy AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
An Unsettling Overview of the Middle East in 2018
Feb 2, 2018Abdulwahab Al-QassabIt is clear from ongoing developments in the Middle East that the United States and Russia will continue to play a role that meets their own national interests…
- Policy AnalysisJordanConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The Palestinian Bet on the EU Could be an Opportunity for Washington
Jan 25, 2018Joe MacaronThe United States should remain engaged in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and President Abbas’ visit to Europe may have provided the Trump Administratio…
- Policy AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Turkey’s Kurdish Conundrum in Syria
Jan 24, 2018Mustafa GurbuzAs Turkey conducts its military operations against Syrian Kurdish militiamen ostensibly to secure its border with Syria, it finds itself needing to reconcile d…
- Policy AnalysisOmanConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Determinants of Oman’s Strategic Position on the Gulf Crisis
Jan 23, 2018Imad K. HarbAs Oman seeks to steer a neutral course in the ongoing GCC crisis, Omani decision-makers worry that what happened with Qatar may be justified against their own…
- Policy AnalysisEgyptConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Egyptian and Jordanian Relations with Israel under Strain
Jan 10, 2018Gregory AftandilianGenerally cordial and cooperative, Egyptian and Jordanian relations with Israel are currently strained following provocative actions by the U.S. and Israel on …
- Policy AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Using Its Syrian Foothold, Russia Expands in the Middle East
Dec 14, 2017Charles W. DunneRussia’s victory in Syria does not merely prop up the Assad regime but, more broadly, helps propel Moscow’s strategic interests in the wider Middle East.
- Policy AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Arab Normalization with Israel Frames Trump Peace Plan
Nov 22, 2017Yousef MunayyerPresident Trump’s peace plan in the Middle East embraces the “outside-in” approach for peace between Palestinians and Israelis with a risky Arab-Israeli normal…
- Policy AnalysisSaudi ArabiaConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Trump Embraces the Saudi Vision of the Yemen Conflict
Nov 22, 2017Gregory AftandilianPresident Trump has adopted the Saudi leadership’s position that the Yemen conflict is a case of Iranian and proxy adventurism that needs to be rolled back and…
- Policy AnalysisNorth AfricaConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Emerging Security Challenges in North and West Africa
Nov 8, 2017Mohammed CherkaouiThe appearance of stability in the countries of north and west Africa belies a dangerous reality of the existence of many extremist groups feeding on poor soci…
- Policy AnalysisJordanConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Bilateral Disagreements Aside, Jordan and Israel Agree on Syria
Nov 7, 2017Gregory AftandilianJordan and Israel view military activities by Sunni extremists groups and by Hezbollah as threats and are using their developing ties with Russia to try to mit…
- Policy AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Is Palestinian Reconciliation Viable This Time?
Nov 3, 2017Khalil E. JahshanThe Fatah-Hamas reconciliation agreement is the product of political manipulation between parties that lack confidence in each other’s strategic objectives. Th…
- Policy AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
A Century after Balfour: Israel’s Knesset Wants All of Palestine
Nov 2, 2017Yousef MunayyerA hundred years after the Balfour Declaration, Israeli lawmakers are slated to take legislative steps that, instead of moving toward democracy, would only doub…
- Policy AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Raqqa’s Liberation and US Policy in Syria
Oct 31, 2017Radwan ZiadehThe Islamic State’s defeat in Raqqa was met with widespread approval among all Syrians, but the Kurds’ control of the liberated city and its surroundings promp…
- Policy AnalysisLibyaConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Libya’s Complicated Search for a Leader
Oct 24, 2017Mohammed CherkaouiLibya faces an uneasy distinction between a fragile state and a failed state and has fallen between the cracks of a dispute over legitimacy, struggle for power…
- Policy AnalysisIraqConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The Kirkuk Battle Is a Watershed Event for Iraq
Oct 19, 2017Abdulwahab Al-QassabThe Iraqi central government harnessed domestic and international support to abort the Kurdish referendum for independence, in the process weakening the KRG’s …
- Policy AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Mahmoud Abbas: A Lone Voice in the UN Wilderness
Sep 29, 2017Khalil E. JahshanPresident Abbas’s speech before the United Nations was true to the Palestinian essentials of appealing for justice in Palestine, denouncing Israel’s excesses a…
- Policy AnalysisIraqConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The Strategic Implications of Reopening the Baghdad-Amman Highway
Sep 29, 2017Joe MacaronWhile pivotal for Jordan’s and Iraq’s economies, the recent re-opening of the Amman-Baghdad highway has strategic and security implications for faraway powers …
- Policy AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Future Implications of the Islamic State’s Demise in Syria
Sep 20, 2017Radwan ZiadehSyria’s developments regarding the Islamic State’s expected demise and the Astana meeting should not be taken to signal an end to the country’s war which has l…
