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The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfUS Foreign PolicyReflections on President Biden’s Predictably Disappointing Middle East Trip
US President Joe Biden visited Israel, Palestine, and Saudi Arabia from July 13 to 16 to meet with various regional leaders. This was Biden’s first visit as pr…
- Policy Analysis
LebanonDemocracy and GovernanceLebanon’s Upcoming Presidential Race Is Riddled with Uncertainty
Jul 21, 2022Nabeel A. KhouryAmid political chaos, economic collapse, a dearth of public services, and shortages of basic foods and medications, Lebanon is nonetheless slated to hold anoth…
- Policy Analysis
LevantRegional Relations and GeopoliticsIraq-Jordan-Egypt Entente Moves Ahead Despite the GCC’s Shadow
Jul 19, 2022Gregory AftandilianIn recent years, Egypt, Iraq, and Jordan have come together to form a sort of alliance based on shared security, political, and economic interests. Since 2019,…
- Policy Analysis
TunisiaDemocracy and GovernanceTunisia’s New Constitution Will Hasten the Country’s Transition to Autocracy
Jul 14, 2022Daniel BrumbergThe gathering storm provoked by Tunisian President Kais Saied’s attempt to forge a new political system could reach a critical moment on July 25. On that day T…
- Policy Analysis
EgyptDemocracy and GovernanceEgypt’s National Dialogue: Real Change or Merely a Mirage?
Jul 13, 2022Khalil Al-AnaniSisi’s call for a national dialogue could break through Egypt’s political stasis. However, there are several reasons to believe otherwise.
- Policy Analysis
TurkeyMigrants, Refugees, and IDPsSyrian Refugees in Turkey Face an Uncertain Future
Jul 12, 2022Mustafa GurbuzIn the early hours of July 1, 2022, Turkish sources reported on a story of undocumented immigrants fleeing the Osmaniye Refugee Camp in southern Turkey. That s…
- Policy Analysis
LebanonEnergy and EconomicsLittle to Show After Two Years of Tense Lebanese-Israeli Maritime Border Negotiations
Jul 8, 2022Laury HaytayanLebanon and Israel have frequently been at odds during their nearly two years of negotiations over the two countries’ Mediterranean maritime border, with diffi…
- Policy Analysis
US Domestic Politics and ElectionsDemocratic Congressional Primaries Will Impact US Middle East Policy
Jul 6, 2022Marcus MontgomeryPresident Joe Biden is only months away from his first midterm election as commander in chief, and with many analysts projecting potentially historic losses fo…
- Viewpoint
LibyaDemocracy and GovernanceLibya’s Belligerent Elites May Doom the Country’s Future
Jul 5, 2022Imad K. HarbOnce again, Libya is falling victim to its political elites’ failure to agree on a long-awaited election mechanism and constitutional provisions that would sec…
- Policy Analysis
The Horn of AfricaGlobal Health and Health PolicyChild Marriage and Female Genital Mutilation in the MENA Region
Jul 1, 2022Yara M. AsiOn June 20, 2022, Egyptian college student Naira Ashraf was beaten and murdered by a man who had harassed and stalked her for years, despite her repeated rejec…
- Intern Corner
IraqIdentity Politics and SectarianizationIraq’s Opposition Builds a Blueprint for Dismantling a Corrupt Sectarian System
Jun 28, 2022Zahraa AlribeawiIraqi politicians’ continued failure to form a functioning government calls for a reexamination of the country’s current political system, al-muhasasa al-ta'if…
- Policy Analysis
Palestine/IsraelDemocracy and GovernanceHere We Go Again: Israeli Government Collapses
Jun 28, 2022Yousef MunayyerThe Israeli Knesset once again voted to dissolve itself, setting the stage for new elections this fall, which will be the country’s fifth in just three years. …
- Policy Analysis
LevantProtests and ActivismThe Political Transformation of Protest Movements in Iraq and Lebanon
Jun 24, 2022Zeidon AlkinaniDespite the limited achievements of Iraq and Lebanon's recently-established protest movements compared to their stated objectives, the movements’ small gains m…
- Policy Analysis
US Foreign PolicyBiden’s Trip to the Middle East: What Is in Store?
Jun 23, 2022Charles W. DunnePresident Joe Biden has finally scheduled his first trip to the Middle East as chief executive. The visit, which was postponed from June to July 13-16 because …
- Policy Analysis
Palestine/IsraelRegional Relations and GeopoliticsPalestinian Perceptions of International Threats
Jun 23, 2022Dana El KurdDespite its small size, Palestine has always played an outsized role in international politics. Palestine and the Palestinians have been a recurring theme in U…
- Policy Analysis
Palestine/IsraelEnergy and EconomicsThe Flaws and Failings of the World Bank’s Research on the Palestinian Economy
Jun 21, 2022Ibrahim ShikakiA recent World Bank report on the Palestinian economy once again demonstrates that most research produced by international financial institutions on this topic…
- Policy Analysis
SyriaThe War in UkraineThe Ukraine Crisis Further Complicates Foreign Intervention in Syria
Jun 15, 2022Gregory AftandilianDespite early assessments that Russia would begin drawing down its military forces in Syria due to its need for more troops in the Ukraine invasion, it appears…
- Policy Analysis
Palestine/IsraelJustice, Equality, and Human RightsBooklet #261: An Example of Israel’s Legal System in the West Bank
Jun 13, 2022Jonathan KuttabIn May 2022, the Israeli commander in the West Bank issued the latest set of regulations for the occupied territories in the form of Booklet #261. The booklet …
- Policy Analysis
EgyptSecurity and DefenseInsurgency in Sinai: Challenges and Prospects
Jun 10, 2022Khalil Al-AnaniIn May 2022, at least 16 Egyptian troops were killed in two separate attacks in the Sinai Peninsula. The attacks were claimed by Wilayat Sinai or Sinai Provinc…
- Policy Analysis
The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfUS Foreign PolicyThe Biden Administration Is Struggling to Develop a Middle East Strategy
Jun 10, 2022Daniel BrumbergDespite the declining capacity of the United States to shape the Middle East’s strategic architecture, it is unlikely that effective regional solutions to secu…
- Policy Analysis
Palestine/IsraelThe War in UkraineFood Insecurity in Palestine and the Russia-Ukraine War: The Worst Is Yet to Come
Jun 9, 2022Omar ShabanThe potential impact of a drop in the supply of grain to global markets due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war has increased fears about food insecurity around …
- Policy Analysis
Palestine/IsraelInternational LawJerusalem’s Status Quo Agreement: History and Challenges to Its Viability
Jun 7, 2022Mounir MarjiehIn all initiatives and negotiations for a final and peaceful settlement between Israel and Palestine, Jerusalem has proved to be the toughest final-status issu…
- Policy Analysis
US Foreign PolicyThe Middle East’s Well-Documented Human Rights Abuses Have Little Impact on US Policy
Jun 7, 2022Charles W. DunneOn April 12, the US Department of State released its annual country reports on human rights. The reports are a key resource for human rights scholars and gover…
- Policy Analysis
TurkeyRegional Relations and GeopoliticsTurkish Reasons for a Rapprochement with Saudi Arabia
Jun 2, 2022Mustafa GurbuzTurkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan did not hide his main demand when he buried the case of Jamal Khashoggi, the Washington Post columnist who was killed o…
- Policy Analysis
Saudi ArabiaRegional Relations and GeopoliticsSaudi Reasons for a Rapprochement with Turkey
May 31, 2022Kristian Coates UlrichsenReports that Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman may be planning to visit Turkey as part of an international trip in June, one of his first outside …
- Policy Analysis
Justice, Equality, and Human Rights“Free Them All”: The Trampled Rights of Political Prisoners in the Arab World
May 27, 2022Yara M. AsiIn December 2021, Egyptian activist and blogger Alaa Abdel Fattah was sentenced to prison for five years after being convicted of “spreading false news.” Alaa …
- Policy Analysis
North AfricaRegional Relations and GeopoliticsMaghreb-France Relations as Macron Begins Second Term
May 26, 2022Zeidon AlkinaniFor France to remain on good terms with North Africa, it has to be ready to offer concrete assistance and avoid what in many respects have been Macron’s symbol…
- Policy Analysis
YemenConflicts and Conflict ResolutionYemen’s Presidential Leadership Council Offers Hope Amid Uncertainty
May 24, 2022Gregory AftandilianThe surprise resignation of Yemeni President Abdrabbu Mansour Hadi in early April and his immediate replacement by an eight-member Presidential Leadership Coun…
- Policy Analysis
IranMedia and TechnologyInformation Controls in Iranian Cyberspace: A Soft War Strategy
May 23, 2022Arab Center for Research and Policy StudiesWhile the Islamic Republic of Iran undoubtedly uses cyberspace for censorship and surveillance of its citizens, including cyber warfare to damage information s…
- Policy Analysis
LevantDemocracy and GovernanceA Preliminary Reading into Lebanon’s Parliamentary Elections
May 18, 2022Halim ShebayaLebanon’s parliamentary elections, held on May 15, 2022, were the first chance to understand where Lebanese voters stand on a number of important issues since …
- Policy Analysis
Palestine/IsraelRegional Relations and GeopoliticsMiddle East Leaders Contend with Strains in an Evolving Regional Entente
May 13, 2022Daniel BrumbergIn its unfolding bid to expand ties with Middle East governments, Israel must grapple with a basic challenge: how to ensure that events in the Palestinian-Isra…
- Policy Analysis
Palestine/IsraelUS Foreign PolicyIsrael and the US Visa Waiver Program: Not a Done Deal
May 12, 2022Yousef MunayyerIsrael has long sought entry into the United States Visa Waiver Program (VWP) with limited success, despite years of efforts and the close strategic and bilate…
- Viewpoint
LebanonDemocracy and GovernanceLebanon’s Voters Would Do Well to Support the Forces of Change
May 10, 2022Imad K. HarbOn May 15, resident Lebanese go to the polls to elect a new 128-member parliament to replace the one elected four years ago. Given the right to vote in 2018, e…
- Policy Analysis
EgyptRegional Relations and GeopoliticsGulf Countries’ Aid to Egypt: It Is Politics, Not the Economy, Stupid!
May 5, 2022Khalil Al-AnaniOn April 4, 2022, Gulf Arab countries pledged $22 billion to help Egypt avert a currency crisis resulting from the Russian war on Ukraine. The Egyptian pound l…
- Policy Analysis
Palestine/IsraelConflicts and Conflict ResolutionIsrael Is Stepping Closer to Controlling al-Haram al-Sharif in Jerusalem
May 3, 2022Jonathan KuttabJonathan Kuttab examines the current conditions on Jerusalem’s al-Haram al-Sharif where Israeli authorities and settlers are trying to change the status quo go…
- Policy Analysis
IraqIdentity Politics and SectarianizationIraq’s Government Formation Hindered by Intra-Group Political Competitions
May 2, 2022Zeidon AlkinaniZeidon Alkinani argues that the current political deadlock in Iraq in choosing a president and a prime minister is fueled by intra-group competitions in the Sh…
- Policy Analysis
Women & Gender IssuesWomen at Work in the Arab World: Trends, Gaps, and Effects on the Region
Apr 27, 2022Yara M. AsiFor centuries, women have fought uphill and often overlooked battles to attain rights equal to those afforded to men—through books, songs and poetry, artwork, …
- Policy Analysis
The Horn of AfricaEnergy and EconomicsHorn of Africa’s Security Concerns and Economic Crises
Apr 27, 2022Gregory AftandilianThe current Russia-Ukraine crisis has overshadowed another troubled region of the world, namely the Horn of Africa, which encompasses Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti,…
- Policy Analysis
Saudi ArabiaReligion and PoliticsThe Evolving Relationship Between Religion and Politics in Saudi Arabia
Apr 20, 2022Jon HoffmanSaudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s (MbS) rise to power has resulted in what are arguably some of the most significant political transformations …
- Policy Analysis
YemenConflicts and Conflict ResolutionA Ceasefire and a Presidential Council, but Uncertainties Abound in Yemen
Apr 18, 2022Imad K. HarbAnother chapter in Yemen’s domestic developments and regional entanglements seems to have begun, but with no assurances that it will have a happy ending. Follo…
- Policy Analysis
Palestine/IsraelIdentity Politics and SectarianizationThe Bennett Coalition Crisis in Israel
Apr 14, 2022Khalil E. JahshanThe abrupt resignation on April 6 of Idit Silman, a key member of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s Yamina Party and de facto whip for the Bennett-Lapid coaliti…
- Policy Analysis
LebanonIdentity Politics and SectarianizationHezbollah Mirrors a Weak State and a Turbulent Region
Apr 13, 2022Nabeel A. KhouryIn the eyes of an observant analyst, “While it is customary to characterize Hezbollah as a ‘state within a state,’ it is more accurate now to define it as a ‘s…
- Policy Analysis
TunisiaDemocracy and GovernanceKais Saied Continues His Assault on the Tunisian State
Apr 8, 2022Daniel BrumbergIt is difficult to say whether Tunisian President Kais Saied’s March 30 announcement that he is dissolving the country’s parliament represents a turning point …
- Policy Analysis
Palestine/IsraelConflicts and Conflict ResolutionA Month of Fasting…and Bracing in Jerusalem
Apr 7, 2022Yousef MunayyerRamadan, the Islamic holy month, is a cherished time for hundreds of millions across the globe, featuring fasting, reflection, recitation of religious verse, a…
- Policy Analysis
EgyptThe War in UkraineRussia’s War on Ukraine: Egypt’s Limited Room for Maneuver
Apr 6, 2022Khalil Al-AnaniThe Russian war on Ukraine will have significant impacts on countries in the Middle East, ranging from strategic realignments to energy security and food suppl…
- Viewpoint
Palestine/IsraelJustice, Equality, and Human RightsKey Messages from the Oppressed
Apr 6, 2022Dana El KurdIn the last few weeks, there has seen an uptick in armed attacks by Palestinians within the green line. From the Palestinian perspective, these attacks deliver…
- Policy Analysis
TurkeyThe War in UkraineThe Syrian Connection in the Turkish-Russian Tango
Apr 4, 2022Mustafa GurbuzLeveraging its close relations with both sides of the Ukraine conflict, Turkey has seized the opportunity to highlight its strategic importance. The latest Rus…
- Policy Analysis
Palestine/IsraelThe War in UkraineThe Russian Invasion of Ukraine and International Law
Apr 1, 2022Jonathan KuttabSince its launching on February 24, the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine has truly put different aspects of international law to the test. The international…
- Policy Analysis
The War in UkraineThe Water’s Edge: Ukraine, the United States, and the Middle East
Mar 30, 2022Charles W. Dunne“Politics must stop at the water’s edge,” Republican Senator Arthur Vandenberg famously asserted in1947, as he helped Democratic President Harry S. Truman lay …
- Policy Analysis
IranSecurity and DefenseIsrael-Iran Shadow War in Syria intensifies Amid International Developments
Mar 23, 2022Gregory AftandilianThe ongoing military conflict between Israel and Iran (along with Iran-backed Shia forces like Hezbollah) in Syria show no signs of easing despite the Russia-U…
- Policy Analysis
IraqRegional Relations and GeopoliticsCurrent Iraq-Gulf Relations: Economics over Politics?
Mar 23, 2022Zeidon AlkinaniThe Gulf Arab states practiced an almost unified approach to post–2003 Iraq, which was generally derived from their established alliance following the 1990–199…
- Policy Analysis
The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfThe War in UkraineThe GCC and the Russia-Ukraine Crisis
Mar 22, 2022Kristian Coates UlrichsenThe six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council have responded to the Russian invasion of Ukraine according to their interests and preferences. While the fig…
- Policy Analysis
Global Health and Health PolicyIncreasing Awareness of Mental Health Needs in Arab Populations
Mar 18, 2022Yara M. AsiTwo years after the initial lockdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic, biomedical advancements like vaccinations and pharmaceutical treatments began to allow countrie…
- Policy Analysis
LibyaDemocracy and GovernanceLibya: A Return to Uncertainty
Mar 16, 2022Imad K. HarbIt appears that all bets are off in Libya. Elections that were scheduled for last December were postponed as competing institutions and individuals interpret p…
- Policy Analysis
IranConflicts and Conflict ResolutionIran and Israel Deal with the Rampaging Russian Bear
Mar 16, 2022Daniel BrumbergRussia’s invasion of Ukraine has produced some unusual bedfellows, the strangest of whom are Iran and Israel. Perhaps the term “bedfellows” is an exaggeration,…
- Policy Analysis
YemenUS Foreign PolicyYemen: The Failure of International Diplomacy
Mar 3, 2022Nabeel A. KhouryThe latest escalation in Yemen, particularly the cross-border rocket fire by the Ansar Allah militia (the Houthis) and the retaliatory aerial bombardment by th…
- Policy Analysis
EgyptRegional Relations and GeopoliticsSisi Intensifies Arms Imports to Secure External Support for His Policies
Feb 28, 2022Khalil Al-AnaniEgypt has become the third largest arms importer in the world, according to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). The institute’s “Trends i…
- Policy Analysis
TurkeyRegional Relations and GeopoliticsIsrael and Turkey Ponder the Costs and Benefits of Rapprochement
Feb 25, 2022Daniel BrumbergOn February 6, Haaretz reported that Israeli President Isaac Herzog called to wish Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his wife a speedy recovery, after…
- Policy Analysis
LevantViolent ExtremismIs the Islamic State Rebounding in Syria and Iraq?
Feb 25, 2022Gregory AftandilianThe nearly two-week siege in January of the Ghuwayran prison and parts of the town of Hasaka by fighters of the so-called Islamic State (IS) in northeastern Sy…
- Policy Analysis
TurkeyRegional Relations and GeopoliticsTurkey’s Evolving Policy toward Iran
Feb 16, 2022Mustafa GurbuzTurkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoğlu’s official call to his Israeli counterpart was a rarity since the Erdoğan-Peres confrontation in Davos in January 200…
- Policy Analysis
IraqDemocracy and GovernanceThe Quiet Kurdish Rivalry over Iraq’s Presidency
Feb 9, 2022Zeidon AlkinaniZeidon Alkinani discusses the rivalry between Iraq’s main Kurdish parties—the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK)—and i…
- Policy Analysis
Palestine/IsraelDemocracy and GovernanceProspects for the Israeli Governing Coalition
Feb 9, 2022Yousef MunayyerYousef Munayyer evaluates the prospects of survival of Israel’s current governing coalition, whose partners have little in common except that they coalesced ar…
- Policy Analysis
QatarUS Foreign PolicyQatar’s New Designation as US Non-NATO Ally Serves Multiple Purposes
Feb 4, 2022Imad K. HarbLess than five years after the eruption of the Gulf crisis of June 2017 that seriously threatened Qatar’s security, President Joe Biden designated the Gulf Ara…
- Policy Analysis
Media and TechnologyMapping Digital Authoritarianism in the Arab World
Feb 3, 2022Tamara KharroubThe Arab uprisings of 2011 gave rise to a utopian vision of information and communication technologies (ICTs), highlighting their abilities to bypass governmen…
- Policy Analysis
Saudi ArabiaRegional Relations and GeopoliticsAfter Parting Ways: The Coming Frosty Entente in Saudi-Turkish Relations
Feb 2, 2022Jana J. JabbourThis is likely to be Turkey’s year of normalization with regional counterparts, as 2021 was one of diplomatic restoration for Turkish foreign policy. While in …
- Policy Analysis
Justice, Equality, and Human RightsA Bleak Landscape for Democracy and Human Rights in the MENA Region in 2022
Feb 2, 2022Charles W. DunneAny survey of human rights in the Middle East and North Africa at the start of 2022 has to open with the bad news.Promising protest movements that began in 201…
- Policy Analysis
Global Health and Health PolicyTwo Years of COVID-19 in the Arab World: Social, Economic, and Political Effects
Jan 31, 2022Yara M. AsiIt was just over two years ago—on January 5, 2020—that the World Health Organization (WHO) reported “cases of pneumonia of unknown etiology” based on informati…
- Policy Analysis
US Foreign PolicyBiden’s Non-Doctrine in the Middle East: One Year On
Jan 27, 2022Daniel BrumbergTo understand the actual forces shaping US foreign policy, it is imperative to put aside the alluring but misleading notion that a “doctrine” provides a useful…
- Policy Analysis
EgyptJustice, Equality, and Human RightsSisi’s Transnational Repression: Silencing Political Dissidents in Exile
Jan 26, 2022Khalil Al-AnaniOn January 6, the FBI arrested Pierre Girgis, an Egyptian American, for spying on critics of Egypt’s president in the United States. According to the US Depart…
- Policy Analysis
Palestine/IsraelConflicts and Conflict ResolutionThe Abbas-Gantz Encounter: Much Ado about Nothing in the Middle East
Jan 18, 2022Khalil E. JahshanOn December 28, 2021, a surprising development took place in the Middle East: Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas held a rare meeting in Israel,…
