On November 17, the United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 2803, which endorsed U.S. President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza and authorized the deployment of an International Stabilization Force (ISF) to the territory until the end of 2027. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates all subsequently backed the Security Council… Continue reading Peacekeepers and UN Resolutions Will Not Save Gaza
Afkar Issue: Israel War on Gaza
As Renewal of Iran-Israel War Looms, What Lessons Can Be Learned from June?
Since Israel’s 12-day war with Iran came to an end last June, the prospect of a return to fighting has loomed large, primarily because Israel has yet to achieve all of its goals vis-a-vis Iran and may be determined to do so. Though the war was likely driven by more than one consideration, Israel’s overarching… Continue reading As Renewal of Iran-Israel War Looms, What Lessons Can Be Learned from June?
Is Israel Undermining its Ties with China?
For decades, China and Israel have maintained a relatively strong and pragmatic relationship, grounded in extensive trade and technological cooperation. Yet after two years of Israeli devastation in Gaza, along with its broader military operations across the Middle East, it is clear that Israel’s actions have strained its relationship with Beijing. Although their ties have… Continue reading Is Israel Undermining its Ties with China?
With Mediation More Important Than Ever, Mediators Must Be Protected
Conflict mediation has emerged as one of the most indispensable tools in the contemporary international system. At a time when great-power competition intensifies across multiple domains, political, economic, and technological, the ability of neutral mediators to facilitate communication and reduce the risks of escalation is more crucial than ever. Yet despite its importance, conflict mediation… Continue reading With Mediation More Important Than Ever, Mediators Must Be Protected
Survival is Paramount as Decision Looms on Trump’s Gaza Proposal
U.S. President Donald Trump’s 20-point proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, announced alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, is far from a clear and credible blueprint for ending the onslaught on the besieged Palestinian territory. Vague and devoid of timetables, it reads less like a peace plan and more like the… Continue reading Survival is Paramount as Decision Looms on Trump’s Gaza Proposal
Israel’s Strike on Doha: What It Means for the Region
On September 9, Israel’s military fired several missiles into a residential neighborhood in Doha targeting a meeting of senior Hamas officials discussing the latest American proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza. Although six people were killed, including a Qatari security official, none were the primary targets. The global backlash to the strike has been intense,… Continue reading Israel’s Strike on Doha: What It Means for the Region
Why Latin America’s New Left Is at the Forefront of Palestine Solidarity
Amid the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, several Latin American governments, such as Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Honduras, Nicaragua and Chile, have emerged as leading supporters of the Palestinian struggle and prominent critics of Israeli policy. In response to what some of them consider as a genocidal campaign in Gaza, these governments have severed… Continue reading Why Latin America’s New Left Is at the Forefront of Palestine Solidarity
Recognizing a Palestinian State Is Not a Policy on Its Own
Against the backdrop of the daily horrors taking place in Gaza, a wave of Western countries have decided to recognize the State of Palestine. After Ireland, Spain and Norway took the step in 2024, France and Australia have pledged to follow suit at the United Nations General Assembly in September. The United Kingdom and Canada… Continue reading Recognizing a Palestinian State Is Not a Policy on Its Own
Israel’s Four Pillars of Mass Starvation in Gaza
It has been four months since Israel unilaterally terminated a ceasefire with Hamas and imposed a crippling siege on Gaza, preventing the entry of nearly all food, clean water, medicine and other essential supplies. The results have been catastrophic. On July 19 alone, 18 people were recorded as having died of starvation, while the… Continue reading Israel’s Four Pillars of Mass Starvation in Gaza
As Pressure Mounts, Can Lebanon Handle Hezbollah’s Disarmament?
The recent visit of U.S. special envoy Tom Barrack to Beirut has revived the perennial question of Hezbollah’s fate were it to give up its arms. Three weeks after handing the Lebanese government a letter demanding it take immediate steps to disarm the group, Barrack presented a roadmap for implementation that offers Beirut a window… Continue reading As Pressure Mounts, Can Lebanon Handle Hezbollah’s Disarmament?
What the UAE Hopes To Gain from Israel’s Growing Isolation
When U.S. President Donald Trump visited the Gulf last month, complete with fanfare and choreographed spectacle, it reinforced a growing sense among Gulf states that the region is on a political ascent. The four-day tour of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates was Trump’s first major foreign trip in his second term—a deliberate… Continue reading What the UAE Hopes To Gain from Israel’s Growing Isolation
What the Iranian Attack on Qatar Means for the Future of Gulf Security
Iran’s ballistic missile attack on the Qatari airbase at Al Udeid was viewed by many international analysts and media strictly through the lens of the confrontation between the U.S., Israel and Iran. Widely seen as a symbolic move, the attack’s lack of casualties allowed U.S. President Donald Trump to pursue his preferred option of de-escalation… Continue reading What the Iranian Attack on Qatar Means for the Future of Gulf Security
As Israel Imposes Starvation and Displacement on Palestinians, U.S. Action is Demanded
The scenes of horror have become a regular occurrence. Tens of thousands of desperately hungry Palestinians packed into endless metal queues under a blistering sun, subjected to biometric scanning as they flood a dystopian aid complex, hoping for a box of food. Each day, hundreds are killed or wounded while making the harrowing choice between… Continue reading As Israel Imposes Starvation and Displacement on Palestinians, U.S. Action is Demanded
How Israel’s Dangerous New Grand Strategy Has Set Mideast on Fire
For more than a decade, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the world of Iran’s nuclear ambitions. He repeatedly accused Tehran of being on the cusp of acquiring a bomb, condemned diplomatic overtures as capitulation, and vowed Israel would never allow Iran to become a nuclear power. Yet despite the endless threats, leaked war plans,… Continue reading How Israel’s Dangerous New Grand Strategy Has Set Mideast on Fire
The Islamic Republic’s Existential Crisis
Israel’s decision to launch airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities and military should have come as no surprise following a year of devastating setbacks for the Iranian regime and its proxy network in the region. For almost a decade, the two sides have engaged in a shadow war and tit-for-tat military exchanges across several conflict theaters.… Continue reading The Islamic Republic’s Existential Crisis
Israel Applies Its Lebanon Playbook to Iran in Opening Salvo
In the early hours of June 13, Israel launched a large-scale aerial offensive against multiple military and nuclear-related targets inside Iran. Dubbed “Operation Rising Lion”, the strikes targeted senior military commanders, nuclear scientists, air defense infrastructure and suspected ballistic missile facilities. Israel has framed the campaign as a necessary measure to halt Iran’s advancing nuclear… Continue reading Israel Applies Its Lebanon Playbook to Iran in Opening Salvo
Israel’s Admission of Genocide
Since October 7, 2023, Israeli cabinet ministers, political figures, military officers and media pundits have openly and endlessly incited for the destruction of Gaza and its Palestinian inhabitants. Already by December 2023, South Africa had compiled an extensive record of these statements for its submission to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) alleging that Israel… Continue reading Israel’s Admission of Genocide
The First 100 Days: Trump’s Middle East Policy Revisited
By any standard of the American presidency, the first 100 days of Donald Trump’s second term have been eventful, to say the least. From the dismantling of government institutions to the imposition of protectionist trade policies to the launching of negotiations with Iran and Russia, the implications of Trump’s early agenda have been far reaching… Continue reading The First 100 Days: Trump’s Middle East Policy Revisited
The Arab Plan for Gaza Has Two Problems: Israel and the PA
Egypt’s proposal for the reconstruction and administration of Gaza has emerged as an urgent intervention in the crisis that has unfolded since October 7, 2023. Backed by the Arab states, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and several European nations, the plan is not merely a humanitarian initiative—it is a geopolitical maneuver meant to counter the… Continue reading The Arab Plan for Gaza Has Two Problems: Israel and the PA
As Trump Imposes Tariffs, What Will U.S. Protectionism Mean for MENA and the Global Economy?
The United States has long been the world’s leading advocate for free trade, promoting it as a means of expanding global commerce and specialization in production that links economies into diversified supply chains. This has led to an unprecedented period of economic growth and poverty alleviation, a period anchored largely in an international rules-based order… Continue reading As Trump Imposes Tariffs, What Will U.S. Protectionism Mean for MENA and the Global Economy?
In Post-Genocide Gaza, Women Will Rise from the Rubble
On September 19, 2023, weeks before October 7 and the onset of the genocidal war that has consumed Gaza, 80 Palestinian women gathered in the blockaded territory to discuss the future. They were empowered leaders, successful entrepreneurs, professional businesswomen, committed academics and innovative engineers and scientists—all united under the umbrella of the Business and Professional… Continue reading In Post-Genocide Gaza, Women Will Rise from the Rubble
The Art of Disruption: How Trump’s Foreign Policy is Impacting MENA
Since returning to office on January 20, 2025, Donald Trump has issued 67 executive orders, more than double any other president in American history. Given that some of those orders have serious implications for the Middle East and North Africa, Afkār has compiled views from Middle East Council on Global Affairs scholars to analyze some… Continue reading The Art of Disruption: How Trump’s Foreign Policy is Impacting MENA
Why Trump’s Presidency Could Mean Closer EU-GCC Ties
The arrival of Donald Trump for a second term in the White House raises critical questions for the Middle East. Trump took office just days after a ceasefire deal aimed at ending a catastrophic 15-month war between Israel and Hamas, which had come close to dragging the region into an all-out conflagration. Now the president… Continue reading Why Trump’s Presidency Could Mean Closer EU-GCC Ties
TikTok Is Back, but for Whom?
U.S. users briefly lost access to popular social media platform TikTok earlier this week, following a legislative push to force the app’s Chinese-owned parent company to divest from its U.S. operations. While Donald Trump had endorsed the effort to ban the app during his first term, he recently reversed his stance, signing an executive order… Continue reading TikTok Is Back, but for Whom?
Will U.S. Sustain Pressure on Israel to Implement the Ceasefire Deal?
President-elect Donald Trump appears to have followed through with his promise to achieve a Gaza ceasefire before his inauguration on January 20. The incoming administration succeeded where the Biden administration failed, showing that U.S. pressure on Israel can lead to results. While many dismissed Trump’s threat that “all hell will break out” if the hostages… Continue reading Will U.S. Sustain Pressure on Israel to Implement the Ceasefire Deal?
MENA Outlook for 2025
With the December collapse of the Assad regime in Syria, 2024 came to a close in a dramatic and region-altering fashion. This, along with the numerous other major trend lines and points of conflict, likely makes 2025 a year that will be significant in reshaping the region’s future. Looking forward to what may be coming,… Continue reading MENA Outlook for 2025
With Axis of Resistance in Retreat, How Will Iranian People Respond?
Iran’s regional policy is on the backfoot. Years of patronage and investment in the “Axis of Resistance,” a network of friendly actors that share Iran’s hostility toward U.S. hegemony in the Middle East, has unraveled in a short period of time and caught the Iranian regime off guard. While Iran’s leadership scrambles for a response,… Continue reading With Axis of Resistance in Retreat, How Will Iranian People Respond?
Regional Economy Faces Plenty of Challenges—and Reasons for Hope—in 2025
Despite the turmoil rocking the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), there may be some glimmers of hope for the region’s economies in 2025. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are both projecting an uptick in growth in most MENA economies. However, structural challenges, political instability, and geopolitical tensions will continue to… Continue reading Regional Economy Faces Plenty of Challenges—and Reasons for Hope—in 2025
A Crisis Averted in Palestinian Banking Portends a Total Collapse
In early December, the Palestinian banking sector narrowly avoided financial freefall, as Israel’s far-right finance minister toyed with removing a crucial safeguard underpinning the correspondent relationship between Palestinian and Israeli banks. These safeguards protect the Israeli side from domestic and international legal risks arising from transactions with their Palestinian counterparts, offering immunity and indemnity if… Continue reading A Crisis Averted in Palestinian Banking Portends a Total Collapse
Why Jihadist Groups Never Really Die
The lightening quick takeover of Syria by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) led-fighters in an offensive that began on November 27 and ousted the 54-year old Assad regime by December 8, has been stunning. Indeed, the speed of developments has left many observers with more questions than answers, including on the character of the rebel forces,… Continue reading Why Jihadist Groups Never Really Die
Arab Public Opinion Under Pressure
Editor’s Note The relevance of public opinion in the Middle East and North Africa is a question often debated but little understood. Given the high prevalence of autocracy, surveys of popular sentiment are limited, while freedoms of speech and press are not the norm. Indeed, as thousands of political prisoners freed in recent days from… Continue reading Arab Public Opinion Under Pressure
Can the Israel-Hezbollah Ceasefire Hold?
After more than a year of hostilities that intensified dramatically in recent months, Hezbollah and Israel have agreed to a ceasefire, but the fragile agreement has already been tested by reported violations. In this interview with Afkār, Saoud El Mawla, visiting senior fellow at the ME Council, examines the deal’s significance and durability, as well… Continue reading Can the Israel-Hezbollah Ceasefire Hold?
Trump Must Focus on Rebuilding a War-Torn Middle East
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has become the first Republican candidate in 20 years to win the popular vote. His historic win hands him control of the Senate, Congress and the Republican party, along with a strongly conservative-leaning Supreme Court. How will this power be deployed? If we take Trump’s election rhetoric literally, his “Maganomics” agenda will be… Continue reading Trump Must Focus on Rebuilding a War-Torn Middle East
Lack of Palestinian Leadership Exacerbates Post-October 7 Crisis
For more than a year, Palestinians have faced a systematic and relentless assault on their homeland, amounting to the most profound crisis since the Nakba of 1948. Following the events of October 7, 2023, Israel has embarked on a genocidal campaign against the population of the Gaza Strip and stepped up its repression in the… Continue reading Lack of Palestinian Leadership Exacerbates Post-October 7 Crisis
Trump 2.0 and the Gulf’s Strategic Future
President-elect Donald Trump’s first term in office reshaped U.S.-Gulf relations. His approach focused on cultivating personal bonds with leaders of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), signing massive arms deals, and for the most part not touching human rights issues. Gulf statesmen mostly welcomed this approach, which provided immediate defense assurances without challenging their sovereignty. However, with… Continue reading Trump 2.0 and the Gulf’s Strategic Future
Trump’s Return and Implications for the Middle East
On November 6, within hours of closing the polls, Donald Trump was declared the winner of the 2024 presidential election in the United States, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris by a wide margin. Trump’s remarkable triumph, which will return him to the White House after his defeat to Joe Biden in 2020, comes at a… Continue reading Trump’s Return and Implications for the Middle East
How Will Iran React to Israel’s Latest Strikes?
On October 26, Israel carried out a long-anticipated strike against Iran, which came in retaliation for an Iranian missile barrage on Israel earlier this month—itself a response to a series of Israeli assassinations of Iranian, Hezbollah, and Hamas leaders since July. The latest exchange, however, marks a significant escalation in the confrontation between the two… Continue reading How Will Iran React to Israel’s Latest Strikes?
A Region Under Fire
Editor’s Note: There Are No Winners Here Omar H. Rahman, Fellow and Editor of Afkār, Middle East Council on Global Affairs The Israeli-Palestinian conflict did not begin on October 7, 2023. Decades of military occupation, colonial land theft and systemic deprivation had already pushed Palestinians into a state of constant struggle, laying the groundwork… Continue reading A Region Under Fire
Can Hezbollah Regroup as Israel Begins Ground Incursion?
In the aftermath of Israel’s successful assassination of Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and as Israel begins its ground incursion in parts of southern Lebanon, two interrelated issues emerge. First, the status of Hezbollah and its future role in Lebanon and the region come into question. While Nasrallah’s assassination dealt a significant blow to the… Continue reading Can Hezbollah Regroup as Israel Begins Ground Incursion?
Interview: Hezbollah After Nasrallah
On September 28, Hezbollah confirmed the death of its longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah following a massive Israeli airstrike in the Dahiyeh suburb of Beirut. The assassination of Nasrallah follows a series of escalatory measures that includes the disruption of Hezbollah’s communication network through an explosive pager operation, the assassinations of other senior leaders in the… Continue reading Interview: Hezbollah After Nasrallah
Interview: A Step Back for Iran’s “Forward Defense”
In recent weeks, Israel has dramatically escalated its attacks in Lebanon, dealing a critical blow to much of Hezbollah’s top military leadership, including the late Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah. In this interview with Afkār, Hamidreza Azizi, an Iran expert and security analyst, offers his insights on Tehran’s strategic calculus at this watershed moment, including on… Continue reading Interview: A Step Back for Iran’s “Forward Defense”
Interview: Türkiye Engages the Arab League
At the most recent meeting of the League of Arab States (LAS) in Cairo, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was in attendance, marking the first time Türkiye has been represented at the summit in 13 years. In his address, Fidan offered pointed remarks on the war on Gaza and the need for unity among Arab… Continue reading Interview: Türkiye Engages the Arab League
Interview: Israel and Hezbollah Enter a New Stage of War. What’s Next?
On September 23, Israel began a major military offensive against Lebanon that left around 500 people dead, mainly civilians, and caused mass panic across the south of the country. This followed days of strikes against Hezbollah commanders and a surprise attack on Hezbollah personnel by triggering the explosion of thousands of low-tech communications devices like… Continue reading Interview: Israel and Hezbollah Enter a New Stage of War. What’s Next?
As Mainstream Media Fails Gaza, Social Media Fights to Tell the Real Story
The war on Gaza which erupted in October has captured global attention due to the significant humanitarian cost, extensive infrastructure damage, and high casualty figures. According to UNICEF, tens of thousands of people have been killed in the past 10 months, including more than 14,000 children. Many more have been seriously injured or remain missing under… Continue reading As Mainstream Media Fails Gaza, Social Media Fights to Tell the Real Story
Gaza War Creates Dilemmas for Bahrain’s Leadership
Four years ago this month, Bahrain joined its ally the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in formalizing diplomatic relations with Israel. After signing the Abraham Accords at the White House on September 15, 2020, Bahrain and Israel opened embassies, signed numerous bilateral agreements, established business contacts and launched direct commercial travel. Yet Bahrain, like other Arab… Continue reading Gaza War Creates Dilemmas for Bahrain’s Leadership
How the Houthis Have Changed the Landscape of Regional War
For weeks, the Middle East has been on edge as Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah prepare to retaliate against Israel for assassinating two high-level figures in their respective capitals, Tehran and Beirut. Frantic diplomacy and renewed momentum around Gaza ceasefire negotiations initially delayed the response, which has the potential to push the region over the brink… Continue reading How the Houthis Have Changed the Landscape of Regional War
Lebanon’s Political Crisis Hinges On an End to War. What Will Come Next?
![Smoke billows during Israeli bombardment on the village of Khiam in south Lebanon near the border with Israel on June 19, 2024 amid ongoing cross-border tensions as fighting continues between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. (Photo by RABIH DAHER / AFP) / The erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo by RABIH DAHER has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: [June 19] instead of [June 8]. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention[s] from all your online services and delete it (them) from your servers. If you have been authorized by AFP to distribute it (them) to third parties, please ensure that the same actions are carried out by them. Failure to promptly comply with these instructions will entail liability on your part for any continued or post notification usage. Therefore we thank you very much for all your attention and prompt action. We are sorry for the inconvenience this notification may cause and remain at your disposal for any further information you may require.](https://b2798871.smushcdn.com/2798871/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/AFP__20240619__34XG8W8__v9__HighRes__CorrectionTopshotLebanonIsraelPalestinianConfli-1568x1045.jpg?lossy=2&strip=0&webp=1)
In a speech a week after Israel’s assassination of Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr, the Lebanese movement’s Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah remarked that “the resistance is not interested in using any victory over Israel for domestic political purposes.” Ten months into Israel’s war of annihilation against the Gaza Strip and its campaign of killings in the… Continue reading Lebanon’s Political Crisis Hinges On an End to War. What Will Come Next?
Iran and Hezbollah Weigh Responses to Israel: Retaliation vs. Mediation
Despite renewed international mediation efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza, Hezbollah insists that it will respond forcefully to Israel’s assassination of its senior commander, Fuad Shukr, in the movement’s stronghold in southern Beirut. Since Shukr’s killing, and that of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, outside actors have stepped up efforts to… Continue reading Iran and Hezbollah Weigh Responses to Israel: Retaliation vs. Mediation
Torture Camp Protests Expose Depth of Palestinian Dehumanization in Israel
On the morning of Monday, July 29, a contingent of Israel’s military police—the agency responsible for policing the security forces—arrived at Sde Teiman, an Israeli military base in the Negev Desert that now serves as a detention center for Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. The military police had come to arrest nine military reservists who… Continue reading Torture Camp Protests Expose Depth of Palestinian Dehumanization in Israel
Interview: The Future of Hamas Under Yahia Sinwar
On August 6, Hamas announced that its Shura Council had appointed Yahya Sinwar, the leader of the movement in Gaza, as the new head of the group’s politburo. The decision came a week after Israel assassinated Hamas’ previous political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran. In this interview, Beverley Milton-Edwards, co-author of Hamas: The Quest for… Continue reading Interview: The Future of Hamas Under Yahia Sinwar