The Islamic State (IS), has been able to assert its dominance over wide areas of Iraq and Syria. The Province of Homs is particularly interesting, because the IS is expanding there, but has been unable to establish its authority over all rebel forces.
The World Bank’s relationship to occupied Palestine is an unusual one, and one that has not been particularly effective in terms of its stated goals. This is partly due to limitations of its mandate and of the ‘development for peace’ paradigm.
Palestinians confront hard choices: a return to armed resistance, a non-violent resistance campaign, dissolving the Palestinian Authority (PA), or waging an international diplomatic campaign to isolate Israel and delegitimise its occupation. Israel’s choices are hard too.
ISIS and Al-Qaeda—which includes ISIS rivals the Al-Nusra Front in Syria—are competing over the same ‘talent pool’ of marginalized and angry Arab and Islamic youth, and ISIS is winning hands down.
Arab Awakening's columnists offer their weekly perspective on what is happening on the ground in the Middle East. Leading the week: Israel, Hamas and the making of the New Arab World.
The new draft law for NGOs proposed by the Egyptian state further narrows the space for civil society, and openly contradicts the new constitution.
The latest ban on serving alcohol or operating nightclubs in three star hotels in Bahrain will likely deal a hefty blow to parts of the hotel industry and will certainly ‘cramp the style’ of many a Saudi and Qatari tourist.
Israelis believe that the status quo represents the best short-term ‘solution’ to the Palestinian problem, since separation is almost impossible, but integration undesirable. The weakening of the PA, and inability of Hamas and Israel to reach a stable agreement in Gaza, however, demonstrate how un
With the disappointment of metropolitan intellectuals who feel let down by the ungrateful natives, liberal Zionists fail to see why it is those natives are angry.
The Arab Revolt, which gave so much hope to the Palestinians, has turned out to be a misfortune for the people of Gaza. The Israeli narrative has now found wide acceptance, not only in governments, but also on Arab streets.
The new PM, known hardliner against Sunnis and Kurds, has been a staunch supporter of Maliki policies. Iraq’s jigsaw puzzle, forced together by the power of empires and ruthless dictators, cannot be governed from a central location without widening its rifts irreversibly.
