• Policy Analysis
    LevantRegional Relations and Geopolitics

    Turkey’s Activist Regional Policies Are a Double-Edged Sword

    Gregory Aftandilian explains that although Turkey has scored points in the Arab world with its support for the Palestinians, its activist posture and intervent…

  • Policy Analysis
    Levant

    Annexation: Why Hasn’t It Happened?

    Jul 20, 2020Yousef Munayyer

    Evaluating the reasons for the delay in announcing Israel’s annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank, Yousef Munayyer writes that a de facto annexation ha…

  • Policy Analysis
    Levant

    By Hedging, the UAE Abandons the Palestinians

    Jul 17, 2020Imad K. Harb

    Imad K. Harb writes that the UAE’s hedging strategy explains its headlong openness on Israel. It is thus abandoning the Palestine question just as the Israeli …

  • Policy Analysis
    IraqUS Foreign Policy

    US-Iraq Strategic Dialogue: Important Achievements, but Much Remains to Be Done

    Jul 14, 2020Charles W. Dunne

    Charles W. Dunne reports that the first round of the US-Iraq Strategic Dialogue in June made progress on security issues, but many challenges remain for the tw…

  • Policy Analysis
    IranRegional Relations and Geopolitics

    Iran’s Hard-liners Grapple with the Trap of Securitizing the State

    Jul 13, 2020Daniel Brumberg

    Daniel Brumberg argues that Iran's hard-liners have savored the victory of last February's parliamentary elections and are now preparing for the 2021 president…

  • Policy Analysis
    LibyaUS Foreign Policy

    By Sanctioning Turkey’s Role in Libya, Trump Emboldens Erdoğan in the Eastern Mediterranean

    Jul 10, 2020Joe Macaron

    Evaluating the Trump Administration's policy toward Libya, Joe Macaron writes that from giving a green light to Haftar to march toward Tripoli to endorsing Tur…

  • Policy Analysis
    EgyptRegional Relations and Geopolitics

    Understanding Egypt’s Strategy in Libya

    Jul 8, 2020Khalil Al-Anani

    Khalil al-Anani discounts the chances for a direct Egyptian military intervention in Libya despite the dangers of instability and chaos there and their impact …

  • Policy Analysis
    The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfGlobal Health and Health Policy

    Migrant Workers’ Health and COVID-19 in GCC Countries

    Jul 7, 2020Yara M. Asi

    Yara M. Asi writes that poor health care provisions and crowded living conditions of migrant workers in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries have made them e…

  • Policy Analysis
    The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    Unabated War and Descent into Chaos in Yemen

    Jun 30, 2020Nabeel A. Khoury

    Nabeel Khoury argues that despite the many mistakes made by Yemen's political leaders and factions and the regional and international communities, the country'…

  • Policy Analysis
    Protests and Activism

    American Uprising: From Local to Global Implications

    Jun 29, 2020Yousef Munayyer

    Yousef Munayyer proposes that changes in American society and existing trends in public opinion, especially among the younger generation, suggest that a welcom…

  • Viewpoint
    Levant

    Netanyahu Tackles Multiple Annexation Hurdles

    Jun 26, 2020Khalil E. Jahshan

    Writing about Israel’s annexation plan this coming July, Khalil E. Jahshan states that whether the Trump Administration fully approves of Netanyahu’s ideas or …

  • Policy Analysis
    Conflicts and Conflict Resolution

    The Middle East Settles in for a Long, Hot, and Dangerous Summer

    Jun 24, 2020Daniel Brumberg

    Daniel Brumberg examines the conditions that could make this summer a dangerous period in the Middle East as contentious issues weigh heavily on competing regi…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantEnergy and Economics

    US-Russian Competition and the M4 Highway in Syria

    Jun 23, 2020Joe Macaron

    Joe Macaron argues that in Syria, implementing the Caesar Act sanctions and opening the east-west M4 Highway reflect intensified US-Russian competition while t…

  • Policy Analysis
    IranSecurity and Defense

    The Arms Trade in the MENA Region: Drivers and Dangers

    Jun 17, 2020Charles W. Dunne

    Charles W. Dunne argues that international arms sales remain a huge business in the Middle East, making it the most militarized region globally. However, he wr…

  • Policy Analysis
    EgyptClimate and Environment

    Water Conflict Between Egypt and Ethiopia: A Defining Moment for Both Countries

    Jun 16, 2020Khalil Al-Anani

    Khalil al-Anani discusses the dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam project between Egypt and Ethiopia and argues that it constitutes a turning poin…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    The Mechanics of Israel’s Annexation in the West Bank

    Jun 16, 2020Jonathan Kuttab

    Looking ahead at likely scenarios after Israel annexes areas of the West Bank, Jonathan Kuttab posits that it will be impossible to deny that the act represent…

  • Policy Analysis
    US Domestic Politics and Elections

    US Protests against Police Brutality: Election Disaster for Trump?

    Jun 11, 2020Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies (ACRPS)

    The United States of America is witnessing massive protests against the killing of a black citizen, George Floyd, by a white policeman who was filmed kneeling …

  • Policy Analysis
    LebanonDemocracy and Governance

    Hezbollah Cannot Solve Lebanon’s Worsening Conditions

    Jun 10, 2020Imad K. Harb

    Imad K. Harb contends that Hezbollah has not succeeded in helping to repair Lebanon's domestic political and economic problems, has made the country hostage to…

  • Policy Analysis
    US Domestic Politics and Elections

    Trump Toys with Domestic Use of Military

    Jun 10, 2020Marcus Montgomery

    Marcus Montgomery discusses President Trump's gambit to use the American military domestically and the administration's new approach to Israel's annexation pla…

  • Viewpoint
    LevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    The Threat of Israeli Annexation: The American Dimension

    Khalil E. Jahshan writes that there is nothing new about depopulating Palestine and confiscating and annexing Palestinian land, policies that have been necessa…

  • Policy Analysis
    Global Health and Health Policy

    Do Arab Women Need Saving? The Health of Women in the Arab World

    Jun 8, 2020Yara M. Asi

    Yara M. Asi argues that the complexity of Arab women's lives necessitates powerful ways to protect their health and well-being that should be grounded in gende…

  • Policy Analysis
    JordanConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    The Israeli Annexation Plan and Jordan’s West Bank Moment

    Jun 3, 2020Joe Macaron

    Joe Macaron argues that as Netanyahu makes plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank, Jordan faces difficult choices in appeasing domestic critics and pre…

  • Policy Analysis
    QatarThe GCC

    The GCC Crisis at Three Years: No Lessons Learned

    Jun 2, 2020Khalil Al-Anani Kristian Coates Ulrichsen Marwan Kabalan Courtney Freer Karen E. Young

    The continuation of the GCC crisis undermines the idea of a supranational entity through which the six countries of the council could realize political, econom…

  • Policy Analysis
    Security and Defense

    China in the Middle East: Capitalizing on Washington’s Distractions

    May 29, 2020Charles W. Dunne

    Charles W. Dunne analyzes how China's efforts to expand and defend its interests in the Middle East may come at the expense of the United States, which has tra…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantInternational Law

    Assessing Options for a Palestinian Response to Israeli Annexation

    May 28, 2020Yousef Munayyer

    After 18 months of false starts and three attempts, Israeli elections have finally yielded a governing coalition that has brought together its largest parties,…

  • Policy Analysis
    IranEnergy and Economics

    US Middle East Policy in Free Fall

    May 28, 2020Daniel Brumberg

    Gulf Arab states have little choice but to rely for their security needs on the Trump Administration despite its feckless policy in the Middle East and poor ca…

  • Policy Analysis
    JordanThe GCC

    Jordan Maneuvers in GCC Politics to Protect Its Interests

    Despite its heavy dependence on the GCC for economic aid and employment for its workforce, Jordan has been able to pursue political positions not always in syn…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    Abbas’s Declaration: The Oslo Accords are Now Dead and Buried

    By announcing that the Palestinian Authority (PA) is ending its adherence to all agreements with Israel and the United States, Palestinian President Mahmoud Ab…

  • From our Affiliates
    LevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    Welcome to the “New Gaza”

    May 19, 2020Ibrahim Fraihat

    Ibrahim Fraihat suggests that Palestinians should disabuse themselves of the idea that a one-state solution is possible for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict si…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantDemocracy and Governance

    A Fracture That Will Not Threaten the Assad Regime in Syria

    May 18, 2020Radwan Ziadeh

    Radwan Ziadeh discounts the long-term political repercussions of the Assad-Makhlouf dispute and writes that if the regime gets in serious trouble, the cousins …

  • Policy Analysis
    IranIdentity Politics and Sectarianization

    Iran Is Running a Custom-Made Strategy in the Levant

    May 18, 2020Joe Macaron

    Although economic pressures are forcing the Iranian regime to cut its losses in the Levant, it would be a mistake for the Trump Administration and its allies t…

  • From our Affiliates
    Global Health and Health Policy

    Coronavirus Contemplations

    May 16, 2020Azmi Bishara

    Having realised in our housebound isolation that this year there will be no spring for us – telling ourselves that this is at least better than losing whatever…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantInternational Law

    The Nakba 72 Years On: The Current Status of the Question of Palestine

    May 15, 2020Imad K. Harb Khalil E. Jahshan Tamara Kharroub Yousef Munayyer Marwan Bishara Diana Buttu

    Arab Center Washington DC research fellows and associates share their opinions and perspectives on the question of Palestine as Palestinians and the world mark…

  • Policy Analysis
    EgyptDemocracy and Governance

    Politics of COVID-19 in Egypt: Between Repression and Opportunism

    May 12, 2020Khalil Al-Anani

    The Egyptian regime's medical assistance to the United States and other countries during the coronavirus pandemic is meant to mollify international criticism o…

  • Policy Analysis
    Democracy and Governance

    Health Care in the Arab World: Outcomes of a Broken Social Contract

    May 12, 2020Yara M. Asi

    Yara M. Asi surveys the poor conditions of the Arab world's health care sector and writes that significant changes in efforts and resources should be prioritiz…

  • Policy Analysis
    IraqSecurity and Defense

    The US and Iraq Must Shore Up the Fight against the Islamic State

    May 8, 2020Charles W. Dunne

    Charles W. Dunne argues that the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq faces numerous setbacks, including the coronavirus, and that the upcoming US-Iraq Stra…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    Capitol Hill Turns to Public Diplomacy to Challenge Trump’s Policies

    Until May 4, the House of Representatives and Senate were steering clear of Capitol Hill in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease to lawma…

  • Policy Analysis
    Saudi ArabiaDemocracy and Governance

    MbS’s New “Vision 2020”: Reform and Repression

    May 5, 2020Daniel Brumberg

    Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) will most likely weather the political, economic, and health storms generated by COVID-19. Prompted by th…

  • Policy Analysis
    IranRegional Relations and Geopolitics

    Worrisome American Response to Iran in the Gulf

    Abdulwahab Al-Qassab examines the muted US response to Iranian provocations in the Arabian Gulf, surmising that it reflects poorly on the reputation of the Uni…

  • Policy Analysis
    Democracy and Governance

    The Impact of Low Oil Prices and COVID-19 on Arab Economies

    May 4, 2020Bessma Momani

    Bessma Momani analyzes the global oil price collapse and the COVID-19 public health crisis as a dual blow to the social and economic well-being of both oil-ric…

  • Policy Analysis
    LibyaConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    Haftar’s Secession Must Not Stand

    May 2, 2020Imad K. Harb

    General Haftar's unilateral abrogation of the 2015 Skhirat Agreement is illegal and that his secession in areas under his control paves the way for Libya's dis…

  • Viewpoint
    LevantDemocracy and Governance

    The Netanyahu-Gantz Coalition Farce

    Apr 30, 2020Khalil E. Jahshan

    The emerging differences about the issue of annexation between the two coalition partners could become the massive rock on which their agreement is apt to cras…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    Playing Politics with Aid: Israel’s Response to COVID-19 in Gaza

    Apr 29, 2020Yousef Munayyer

    Yousef Munayyer asserts that Israel's facilitation of COVID-19-related aid to Gaza will largely further one overarching priority: to serve Israel's political o…

  • Policy Analysis
    US Domestic Politics and Elections

    COVID-19, Presidential Elections, and US Foreign Policy

    Apr 29, 2020Joe Macaron

    Joe Macaron writes that Donald Trump's presidency and his administration's foreign policy may be defined this election year by the coronavirus pandemic and its…

  • Viewpoint
    Saudi ArabiaConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    A Unified Yemen May Soon Cease to Exist

    Apr 27, 2020Imad K. Harb

    With President Hadi too weak to respond to the self-rule declaration by the UAE- supported Southern Transitional Council, and Saudi Arabia too economically tro…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantDemocracy and Governance

    Syria’s Authoritarian Regime and COVID-19

    Apr 24, 2020Radwan Ziadeh

    Syria's delayed admission of COVID-19 cases was dictated by the regime's political calculations and its hope to use the cover of the pandemic to avoid sanction…

  • Policy Analysis
    AlgeriaDemocracy and Governance

    COVID-19 Promises Algeria Uncertainty, Danger, and—Perhaps—Opportunity

    Apr 23, 2020Daniel Brumberg

    Daniel Brumberg discusses the political and economic circumstances surrounding the Algerian military's handling of the coronavirus epidemic, using the situatio…

  • Policy Analysis
    OmanDemocracy and Governance

    Continuity in Oman’s Problems and Policy Prescriptions

    Apr 21, 2020Imad K. Harb

    Oman is likely to continue to follow the policy prescriptions of the late Sultan Qaboos, Imad K. Harb writes, but the new ruler, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, may …

  • Policy Analysis
    IraqEnergy and Economics

    Did the Saudi-Led Oil Deal Diminish Republicans’ 2020 Electoral Chances?

    Apr 15, 2020Marcus Montgomery

    Because the health of the US economy is critical for Donald Trump's reelection hopes, Marcus Montgomery asks if the recent Saudi-led OPEC+ cuts will contribute…

  • Policy Analysis
    SudanConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    Fractured Power Structure, Peace Talks Hurdles Add to Sudan’s Woes

    Gregory Aftandilian argues that even if a final political deal is reached between Khartoum and the rebel groups in Sudan, a poor economy will continue to worse…

  • Policy Analysis
    LibyaConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    Libya: Between Proxy War and International Failure

    Apr 14, 2020Khalil Al-Anani

    The domestic, regional, and international players of the Libyan conflict continue to fuel the civil war nine years after the toppling of Muammar Qadhafi.

  • Policy Analysis
    LebanonDemocracy and Governance

    The Fakhoury Fiasco and US-Lebanese Relations

    Apr 13, 2020Joe Macaron

    The unconventional release of Lebanese-American Amer Fakhoury highlights the extent of Washington’s leverage in Beirut and raises questions about the status of…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantDemocracy and Governance

    The Coronavirus Crisis May Assure Netanyahu’s Survival

    Apr 8, 2020Yousef Munayyer

    Yousef Munayyer examines how Benny Gantz's political defeat and acceptance to form a coalition government with Benjamin Netanyahu have revived the Israeli prim…

  • Policy Analysis
    Saudi ArabiaDemocracy and Governance

    The Fourth Saudi State Remains a Distant Vision

    Apr 3, 2020Imad K. Harb

    Imad K. Harb argues that Mohammed bin Salman’s chaotic and authoritarian stewardship of Saudi domestic and international affairs may well impede the establishm…

  • Policy Analysis
    Democracy and Governance

    Authoritarianism and the Middle East in the Time of COVID-19

    Apr 2, 2020Charles W. Dunne

    Authoritarian governments and leaders in the Middle East have used the cover of the coronavirus pandemic to disperse demonstrations, jail activists, stifle dis…

  • Policy Analysis
    IranEnergy and Economics

    The COVID-19 Pandemic Prompts Debate over Iran Sanctions

    Marcus Montgomery details splits in official Washington about how to deal with Iran at this delicate time of the coronavirus outbreak: some want to offer sanct…

  • Policy Analysis
    IranGlobal Health and Health Policy

    COVID-19 and Iranian-American Relations

    Apr 1, 2020Daniel Brumberg

    As US-Iran relations suffer from continuing political and ideological differences, the coronavirus calamity could provide an opportunity for deescalation and c…

  • Policy Analysis
    MoroccoDemocracy and Governance

    Morocco: Despite Some Progress, Many Challenges Remain

    Mar 31, 2020Nabeel A. Khoury

    Nabeel Khoury discusses Morocco's political and economic conditions and cautions its elite to use the opportunity of the current social calm engendered by the …

  • Policy Analysis
    IraqDemocracy and Governance

    Confusion in Iraq: A Fractious Political Process and Free-Wheeling Militias

    Abdulwahab al-Qassab highlights Iraq's current political problems and calls upon Iraqi politicians to put aside their differences and concentrate on how to avo…

  • Viewpoint
    LevantGlobal Health and Health Policy

    Israel Has Effective Control over Gaza

    Mar 28, 2020Jonathan Kuttab

    During the coronavirus pandemic Israel must understand and implement its obligations toward Gaza’s citizens and abide by its responsibilities under the Geneva …

  • Policy Analysis
    JordanConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    Jordan and Trump’s Peace Plan

    Jordan’s relations with Israel have hit a low point following the unveiling of the Trump peace plan because of fears over annexation of Israeli settlements in …

  • Policy Analysis
    Democracy and Governance

    The Coronavirus Pandemic and the Arab World: Impact, Politics, and Mitigation

    Arab Center Washington DC's resident and non-resident fellows and scholars investigate and report on the different aspects of the COVID-19 global public health…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantDemocracy and Governance

    Third Time’s a Charm? Netanyahu Could Finally Be Dislodged

    Mar 20, 2020Yousef Munayyer

    In examining Israel's uncertain political conditions following the inconclusive third parliamentary election, Yousef Munayyer observes that there is a possibil…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    Russian-Turkish Tensions in Syria May Help Mend the US-Turkish Divide

    Mar 20, 2020Daniel Brumberg

    Daniel Brumberg studies the intricacies of Turkey's involvement in Syria and accommodation with Russia as it simultaneously hopes to enlist the assistance of t…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    The Muted Arab Attempt to Restore Influence in Syria

    Mar 18, 2020Joe Macaron

    Will Arab countries be able to renew their influence in Syria given the ever-present inter-Arab rivalry and unfavorable geopolitical factors?

  • Policy Analysis
    EgyptRegional Relations and Geopolitics

    Egypt-Turkey Strained Relations: Implications for Regional Security

    Mar 18, 2020Khalil Al-Anani

    Egyptian-Turkish tensions over influence, Libya, the eastern Mediterranean, and the Gulf region have increased regional insecurity and require de-escalation an…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    Complications for Turkey in Idlib

    Mar 17, 2020Mustafa Gurbuz

    Ankara’s options in Idlib are extremely limited as it must enforce moderation on the part of the extremists as well as address the refugee crisis.

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    The Moscow Summit: Will the Ceasefire Hold in Idlib?

    Mar 11, 2020Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies (ACRPS)

    The failure of previous arrangements regarding Syria suggests that the latest ceasefire agreement between Turkey and Russia may only be temporary. Read this an…

  • Policy Analysis
    IranUS Domestic Politics and Elections

    Trump, Congress Lay Out Election Year Foreign Policy Priorities

    Mar 11, 2020Marcus Montgomery

    Marcus Montgomery discusses how the Trump Administration is pressing forward with its campaign against Iran as many in Congress are trying to constrain the pre…

  • Policy Analysis
    IranConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    Russia Has Limits on Its Influence in the Middle East

    Mar 10, 2020Charles W. Dunne

    Charles W. Dunne argues that despite Russia’s success in Syria and stealthy gains in the Middle East since 2015, the limits on its capabilities have become inc…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    The Idlib Developments Usher in a New Phase in Syria’s War

    Mar 6, 2020Radwan Ziadeh Imad K. Harb Marwan Kabalan Mustafa Gurbuz

    The Syrian civil war entered a new phase when Bashar al-Assad’s regime began an assault on the northwestern Idlib province, eliciting a Turkish response. ACW a…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantJustice, Equality, and Human Rights

    The Bernie Sanders Factor in US Policy toward Israel

    Mar 4, 2020Yousef Munayyer

    The Sanders candidacy represents a shift in public opinion on Israel and that Sanders’s position on Palestinian rights opens a political space that is increasi…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantUS Foreign Policy

    What Does Bipartisan Support for Israel Look Like?

    The AIPAC and CPAC conferences in Washington became the venue for the Republican Party to seek to redefine the parameters of bipartisan support for Israel.

  • Policy Analysis
    LebanonDemocracy and Governance

    Lebanon’s Imminent Collapse: How Can It Be Prevented?

    Mar 3, 2020Imad K. Harb

    The dissolution of confessional politics in Lebanon and the political coalescence of the street opposition to negotiate for social change are key to addressing…

  • Viewpoint
    LevantDemocracy and Governance

    The Palestinian Arab Vote in Israel: Facing the Ultimate Test of Inclusion

    The Palestinian Arab vote can challenge the Palestinians’ disenfranchisement but that they will never be welcome as full partners in the Israeli political syst…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    The Struggle over Syria’s Idlib

    Feb 28, 2020Radwan Ziadeh

    The Syrian regime’s killing of scores of Turkish soldiers in Idlib province will aggravate Turkish-Russian relations and take the crisis in Syria in a complete…

  • Policy Analysis
    EgyptDemocracy and Governance

    State Terror in Egypt: Is It Time for Accountability?

    Feb 28, 2020Khalil Al-Anani

    This article by Khaill Al-Anani examines the Egyptian regime’s tools for such repression and the lack of pressure by western governments to hold it accountable…

  • Policy Analysis
    IranDemocracy and Governance

    The Uncertain Victory of Iran’s Hardliners

    Feb 26, 2020Daniel Brumberg

    The backing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei will allow Iran’s conservatives to use their victory in the parliamentary elections to prevent reformists from deman…

  • Policy Analysis
    LevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    The Economic Prospects of the White House’s New Plan for Peace

    Feb 25, 2020Colin Powers

    Evaluating the economic portion of Trump’s plan for Palestinian-Israeli peace, Colin Powers argues that for its economics as much as for its politics and immor…

  • Policy Analysis
    IranConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    The United States and Iran Continue to Maneuver in Iraq

    Gregory Aftandilian contends that after the very tense period of December 2019-January 2020, the United States and Iran are seeking to restore their credibilit…