Afkār is a publication of the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, providing short-form analyses, insights, and perspectives on regional issues and developments from the Council's experts and outside contributors. Afkār is published in English and Arabic, and is edited by Omar H. Rahman.
Israel's strike on Doha and Iran's sustained assault on Qatar and Oman have turned two of the region's few remaining neutral channels into targets. If mediators cannot expect basic protection, the diplomacy every future ceasefire depends on will disappear.
The tepid response of Ali al-Zaidi's new Iraqi government to outlaw militias' involvement in the fighting could drag the country into a disastrous regional war.
A review of reactions to the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement—from Arab, Israeli, Iranian, and Western media to leading research centers—reveals that the agreement’s substance, motives, and consequences transcend the scope of conventional defense pacts.