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- ViewpointLevantInternational Law
Trump and the Occupied Syrian Golan Heights
Mar 25, 2019Radwan ZiadehTrump’s presidential proclamation officially recognizing the Golan Heights as Israeli territory will have serious implications for international law, US role i…
- Policy AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The New Shtayyeh Government in Palestine: Challenges and Prospects
Mar 20, 2019Khalil E. JahshanThe newly designated Palestinian prime minister faces difficult challenges in forming an inclusive government at a time of serious divisions in Palestinian ran…
- Policy AnalysisIranConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The Mutually Connected Fronts between Israel and Iran
Mar 18, 2019Joe MacaronAlthough a direct confrontation between Israel and Iran is improbable at this time, the two countries share three potential war fronts in Lebanon, Syria, and t…
- ViewpointLevantInternational Law
Do Not Recognize Israel’s Sovereignty over the Occupied Golan
Mar 15, 2019Imad K. HarbBy agreeing to Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights, the Trump Administration would be dealing a serious blow to its global influence––let alone its moral …
- ViewpointLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
It May Be Time to Go Beyond Zionism
Mar 8, 2019Laurie KingIt is necessary to distinguish between hatred of Jews and valid and overdue criticism of Israel’s violations of international humanitarian law.
- ViewpointLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Bankrolling Kushner’s Mideast Plan
Mar 7, 2019Khalil E. JahshanThe Palestinians have no option but to reject the Trump Administration’s peace plan because of its failure to publicly and explicitly guarantee Palestinian sta…
- Policy AnalysisLevantUS Domestic Politics and Elections
Can the 2020 Democratic Candidates Change the US-Israel Relationship?
Mar 6, 2019Yousef MunayyerDemocratic presidential contenders have a difficult task reconciling their party’s traditional pro-Israel position with that of young and progressive activists…
- Policy AnalysisLebanonDemocracy and Governance
Syria’s Demographic Changes Buttress Assad’s Authoritarianism
Mar 1, 2019Radwan ZiadehThe Syrian regime violated international prohibitions on the conduct of war by forcing millions of people to flee their homes in order to spur demographic chan…
- ViewpointLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The Trump Administration Is Buying Time in Syria
Feb 26, 2019Joe MacaronIt is no secret that Trump does not see any financial or strategic value in keeping US forces in Syria; however, his policy there has been like an aimless roll…
- Policy AnalysisIraqConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Iran Should Worry about New Iraq-Jordan Relations
Feb 13, 2019Abdulwahab Al-QassabThe recent economic agreement between Iraq and Jordan sends signals to Iran that Iraq may find Arab alternatives to its relations with the Islamic Republic.
- Policy AnalysisLebanonIdentity Politics and Sectarianization
Lebanon’s New Government: No Need for Washington to Panic
Feb 6, 2019Joe MacaronLebanon’s new cabinet is not that different from the previous one. An American overreaction to Hezbollah’s role in it is likely to strengthen the party’s hold.
- Policy AnalysisJordanDemocracy and Governance
How Netanyahu’s Dominance of Israeli Politics Has Shaped the Field
Feb 5, 2019Yousef MunayyerWhatever Netanyahu's fortunes in the coming elections, his brand of politics has already conquered Israel's political landscape, which is unlikely to change an…
- ViewpointLevantDemocracy and Governance
The Tragic Governance Crisis in Palestine
Feb 1, 2019Khalil E. JahshanFatah and Hamas are underestimating the damage of their split on Palestinians and their strategic objectives to end Israel’s occupation and establish an indepe…
- Policy AnalysisLevantUS Foreign Policy
The Arab World in the 115th Congress: A Review
Jan 30, 2019Marcus MontgomeryThe 115th Congress was largely deferential to President Trump on policies related to the Arab world, but the 116th is likely to challenge him on important issu…
- Policy AnalysisLebanonEnergy and Economics
The Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum Reinforces Current Regional Dynamics
Jan 25, 2019Joe MacaronThe recently announced Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum is not likely to aid cooperation or economic integration because the policies of its member states mirro…
- Policy AnalysisLevantDemocracy and Governance
‘Does Israel Have a Right To Exist’ Is a Trick Question
Jan 22, 2019Yousef MunayyerCriticizing Israel’s policies toward the Palestinian people should never be conflated with eliminationism.
- ViewpointLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The Manbij Attack Exposes the Vulnerabilities of US Policy in Syria
Jan 17, 2019Joe MacaronThe US withdrawal from Syria may encourage Turkey and Russia to fill the vacuum, but IS’s Manbij attack may persuade Trump to stay a bit longer there.
- Policy AnalysisJordanJustice, Equality, and Human Rights
A Shift Begins on Israel/Palestine in the 116th Congress
Jan 17, 2019Yousef MunayyerA shift in public opinion and a clash between the older establishment and the young activists in the Democratic Party will change how the 116th Congress looks …
- Policy AnalysisLebanonDemocracy and Governance
The Arab Rehabilitation of the Assad Regime
Jan 16, 2019Radwan ZiadehAssad will be able to regain his political legitimacy after winning his battle militarily only if he rehabilitates his regime’s standing in the Arab world.
- Policy AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Deteriorating Circumstances in Syria and Yemen Overshadow US Tactical Success
Jan 16, 2019Charles W. DunneChanging circumstances in Syria and Yemen and Washington’s shifting strategies have exposed the Trump Administration’s claims of success as threadbare.
- Policy AnalysisIraqSecurity and Defense
The United States and the Turkish-Kurdish Conundrum in Northern Syria
Jan 11, 2019Mustafa GurbuzFuture US-Turkey relations depend on Ankara’s demands in northern Syria regarding the Kurds and how its relationship with Moscow develops.
- Policy AnalysisLevantDemocracy and Governance
Israel’s Upcoming Elections: Netanyahu Seeking Shelter from Legal Troubles
Jan 11, 2019Khalil E. JahshanNetanyahu’s fate lies in the hands of the attorney general who will personally decide whether and when to indict him.
- Policy AnalysisLevantUS Foreign Policy
The Folly and Repercussions of Trump’s Decision on Syria
Jan 2, 2019Radwan ZiadehWithdrawing from Syria diminishes whatever influence the United States has cultivated there in favor of letting the Syrian regime, Russia, Turkey, and Iran cha…
- Policy AnalysisPalestine/IsraelConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Abbas 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 AnalysisIranIdentity Politics and Sectarianization
Iran’s Hardliners and Reformists and the Syria Gambit
Dec 27, 2018Daniel BrumbergIranian hardliners have tried to isolate reformists by asserting that in times of growing security threats, all political forces must unite behind the drive fo…
- Policy AnalysisSaudi ArabiaDemocracy and Governance
The Aftermath of the Khashoggi Murder: Freedom of the Press in 2018
Dec 21, 2018Tamara KharroubThe rise of populism and anti-globalism has contributed to erosion of the international rights system, with governments moving away from accountability and tra…
- 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 AnalysisSaudi ArabiaUS Foreign Policy
Mohammed Bin Salman and the “Deal of the Century”
Dec 17, 2018Yousef MunayyerMbS has proven that he is the wrong man for the job of marketing Trump’s deal. If Trump goes ahead with his peace plan with MbS as his salesman, expectations o…
- Policy AnalysisSyriaIdentity Politics and Sectarianization
Assad Begins a Three-Year Plan to Refurbish His Regime
Dec 12, 2018Joe MacaronThe Assad regime is consolidating itself and laying the groundwork to reap the benefits of postwar Syria and strengthen control over territories it recaptured.
- 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 AnalysisSyriaJustice, Equality, and Human Rights
The Developing GCC-Damascus Rapprochement
Nov 15, 2018Joe MacaronA rapprochement between GCC countries and the Syrian regime is becoming more possible and is being reinforced by recent regional developments.
- 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 AnalysisPalestine/IsraelJustice, Equality, and Human Rights
Trump, American Jews, and Israel: Driving a Deeper Wedge
Nov 9, 2018Yousef MunayyerUS support for Israel today is partisan in ways not seen before, thanks in part to shifting demographics and opinions and also to changes in the relationship b…
- Policy AnalysisLevantUS Domestic Politics and Elections
The 2018 Midterm Elections: What Do They Mean for the Middle East?
Nov 1, 2018Marcus MontgomeryPresident Trump is potentially days away from being handed a divided Congress; a Democratic-led House could challenge Republican orthodoxy over US policy regar…
- 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…
- ViewpointIraqRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Russian Gains Are American Losses in the Arab World
Oct 30, 2018Imad K. HarbPutin’s assessment of a receding American international influence paves the way for an even larger Russian role in the Arab world.
- 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 AnalysisLevantUS Domestic Politics and Elections
Haley Leaves the UN: Using Israel as Her Way to the White House
Oct 17, 2018Yousef MunayyerOn her ambitious quest to the presidency, Nikki Haley missed no opportunity to use her post at the United Nations to defend Israeli policies and to bash and pu…
- Policy AnalysisLevantInternational Law
Arab Leaders Return from New York with Little to Show
Oct 4, 2018Joe MacaronRepresentatives of Arab governments delivered their remarks at the United Nations General Assembly last week. A review of the 16 speeches shows that they focus…
- Policy AnalysisLevantInternational Law
A September to Forget: Trump, Netanyahu, and Abbas at the UNGA
Oct 3, 2018Yousef MunayyerThe major addresses by Trump, Netanyahu, and Abbas at the UN General Assembly failed to achieve any advances on the question of Palestine. The Palestinians con…
- Policy AnalysisLebanonDemocracy and Governance
Cabinet Stalemate in Lebanon May Be Delaying a Political Confrontation
Sep 24, 2018Joe MacaronFour months after Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri was designated to lead a national unity government on May 24, there appears to be no end in sight for the…
- 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…
- ViewpointLevantInternational Law
The Trump Administration’s “Peace Plan” Threatens Global Peace and Security
Sep 12, 2018Tamara KharroubOn September 10, 2018, the United States ordered the closure of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s (PLO) office in Washington, DC. A statement by the Depa…
- Policy AnalysisLevantUS Foreign Policy
The Trump Administration’s Grandstand on Idlib
Sep 7, 2018Joe MacaronAs Russia and the Syrian regime gear up for the Idlib offensive, the United States is giving Moscow a free hand short of using chemical weapons.
- Policy AnalysisJordanMigrants, Refugees, and IDPs
Washington Adopts Israel’s Positions: The Refugee Chapter
Aug 29, 2018Yousef MunayyerPresident Trump has presided over making American policy toward Israel and Palestine more in line with Israeli positions; now with respect to the Palestinian r…
- Policy AnalysisLevantRegional Relations and Geopolitics
The Trump Administration’s Objectives in Syria
Aug 28, 2018Imad K. HarbAmerican officials’ latest pronouncements on Syria are intended to help insinuate some important preferences as the conflict there arguably nears its end on Ru…
- Policy AnalysisLevantSecurity and Defense
US Defense Budget Prioritizes Securing Israel over Deterring Iran
Aug 24, 2018Joe MacaronThe 2019 US defense budget reveals that the Trump administration has no clear way forward for Syria or Yemen and that its commitment to Israel exceeds the US d…
- 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 AnalysisLevantInternational Law
Israel Returns to Basics in Syria: “Better the devil you know”
Aug 15, 2018Joe MacaronAfter nearly seven years of unrest next door, Israel opted to coexist with the Assad regime and to return to the stability in the occupied Golan Heights that l…
- 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 AnalysisLevantEducation and Development
The State of Education in the Arab World
Aug 6, 2018Ilham NasserWhen closely examining reports on the status of education in the Arab region, the main conclusions have pointed to the Arab states’ deficits in educational att…
- Policy AnalysisLevantRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Middle East Concerns of American Strategic Planners
Jul 26, 2018Gregory AftandilianUS strategic planners involved in the Middle East have concentrated on protecting vital sea lanes and assisting partner countries against threats, but without …
- Policy AnalysisLevantIdentity Politics and Sectarianization
Separate and Unequal in Israel: The Foundations of Discriminatory Law
Jul 26, 2018Yousef MunayyerIsrael’s new nation-state law enshrines discrimination, with constitutional weight, into the Israeli state’s legal system, spelling further marginalization and…
- ViewpointLevantInternational Law
Israel Legalizes Apartheid and Ethnocentric Supremacy
Jul 20, 2018Khalil E. JahshanFor a government that has coined its own term—“Hasbara,” the Hebrew word for “explanation”—for its international propaganda efforts, Israel never fails to amaz…
- Policy AnalysisIraqEnergy and Economics
Controlling the Nasib Crossing Is a Game Changer for the Syrian Regime
Jul 19, 2018Joe MacaronThe imminent opening of the Nasib crossing on the Syrian-Jordanian border could revitalize commercial activities in the Levant; but challenges lie ahead, inclu…
- Policy AnalysisLevantIdentity Politics and Sectarianization
BDS and Palestinian Rights: An Assessment
Jul 18, 2018Yousef MunayyerThe aim of BDS is to pressure Israel to abide by international law, focusing on three principal demands: ending military occupation of Palestinian land, securi…
- Policy AnalysisLevantDemocracy and Governance
Proposed Basic Law: Israel – The Nation State of the Jewish People
Jul 16, 2018Adalah – The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in IsraelThe Basic Law states that "the State of Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people" and that the realization of national self-determination in the State o…
- Policy AnalysisIraqDemocracy and Governance
The Dangerous Dynamics of Iraq’s Constitutional Vacuum
Jul 12, 2018Abdulwahab Al-QassabWith parliamentary results unfinished and a caretaker government barely running the affairs of state, Iraq is facing a dangerous constitutional vacuum at a ver…
- Policy AnalysisLevantDemocracy and Governance
Turkey’s New Regime under Erdoğan: Implications for the Arab World
Jul 10, 2018Mustafa GurbuzIn the new order in Turkey, Erdoğan’s increasing dependence on Turkish nationalists will be a significant factor in shaping the country’s foreign policy in Syr…
- 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 AnalysisJordanJustice, Equality, and Human Rights
The Kushner-Greenblatt “Deal of the Century”: A Dealmaker Morphs into a Dealbreaker?
Jun 29, 2018Khalil E. JahshanWhat was most insulting to Kushner’s Palestinian audience was his attempt to wittingly or unwittingly reduce their political aspirations and yearning for natio…
- Policy AnalysisJordanMigrants, Refugees, and IDPs
Syrian Refugees in Jordan and Lebanon: The Politics of their Return
Jun 28, 2018Joe MacaronOverwhelmed by their own economic woes, Jordan and Lebanon are employing different tactics to achieve the same objective: to secure the return of Syrian refuge…
- Policy AnalysisLevantIdentity Politics and Sectarianization
US Withdrawal from UN Human Rights Council Has Little to Do with Human Rights
Jun 22, 2018Tamara KharroubUS withdrawal weakens the council’s credibility and empowers Israel in its neglect for the council’s investigations and resolutions. The UNHRC is the premier i…
- Policy AnalysisLevantDemocracy and Governance
The Problem of Legitimacy for the Palestinian Authority
Jun 21, 2018Yousef MunayyerRecent damaging decisions by the Palestinian Authority cannot be solely blamed for the popular discontent with it. Instead, the Palestinians’ anger stems from …
- Policy AnalysisJordanSecurity and Defense
It May Be Time to Restructure American Assistance to Jordan
Jun 15, 2018Marcus MontgomerySince May 30, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has seen a wave of massive, largely peaceful protests that have King Abdullah II in a bind. The current turmoil h…
- Policy AnalysisLevantReligion and Politics
The Damascus-Aleppo Highway and Stabilizing Northwest Syria
Jun 7, 2018Joe MacaronWhile Russia, Turkey and Iran are stabilizing northwest Syria along the Damascus-Aleppo highway, they are also normalizing an irregular situation that could ul…
- Policy AnalysisLevantJustice, Equality, and Human Rights
Human Rights, Democracy, and the Changing Middle East: A Status Report
Jun 6, 2018Charles W. DunneDemands for democracy, wider political space, and guarantees of basic human rights have been turned aside by more effective authoritarian responses for now, bu…