The Middle East

Posted on Mon, May 16, 2011 at 17:49 pm CEST

The Middle East: The Possible/Probable Main Crisis for 2012

Save this note. Last year I predicted that Egypt’s instability might well be the big story of 2011. Why wait until December… Continue reading

Posted on Sun, May 15, 2011 at 15:54 pm CEST

PM Netanyahu on Nakba Day: ‘There is no place for incitement, violence and rage’

The state was founded 63 years ago on the basis of the declaration of independence which promises equality of rights for… Continue reading

Posted on Tue, May 10, 2011 at 20:34 pm CEST

Israeli Natural Gas: A Game Changer

Energy has always been at the center of the Arab-Israeli conflict, creating alliances and influencing the policies of allies and adversaries alike… Continue reading

Posted on Tue, May 10, 2011 at 19:33 pm CEST

Syria: Who Needs a Propaganda Operation When You Have the New York Times?

To be immoral is bad; to be immoral against your own interests is worse… Continue reading

Posted on Tue, May 10, 2011 at 17:35 pm CEST

PM Netanyahu’s Greeting for Yom Ha’Atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day

Today Israel celebrates 63 years of independence. We celebrate the rebirth of Jewish sovereignty, the restoration of our capacity for… Continue reading

Posted on Mon, May 9, 2011 at 16:20 pm CEST

Clinton: Israel a Beacon of Hope and Freedom

Remarks by U.S. secretary of state Hillary Clinton on the occasion of Israel’s 63rd Independence Day, praising the Jewish state’s… Continue reading

Posted on Sun, May 8, 2011 at 22:01 pm CEST

Palestinians: Poll Shows Overwhelming Support for Islamism

I’m always a bit wary of using public opinion polls in the Middle East because much depends on the day the poll is done… Continue reading

Posted on Sat, May 7, 2011 at 11:41 am CEST

Will the Arab Uprisings Result in the Emergence of a Sunni Bloc Dominated by Turkey?

Against the background of the fall of the autocratic regimes in Tunisia and Egypt, the massive demonstrations in Yemen, Syria and Bahrain… Continue reading

Posted on Fri, May 6, 2011 at 22:47 pm CEST

Syria: Why Are Western Governments Protecting Their Worst Enemy…While Trashing Their Friends

Here’s an unavoidable question: Why is it that when a relatively moderate Middle East state is threatened by demonstrations… Continue reading

Posted on Fri, May 6, 2011 at 16:46 pm CEST

The AKP’s Election Manifesto: The Silences That Ring Alarm Bells

In late April 2011, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) announced their manifestos… Continue reading

Posted on Tue, May 3, 2011 at 22:05 pm CEST

Bin Laden’s Death Creates Teachable Moments about the Middle East

Ding-dong, bin-Ladin’s dead. The Wicked Terrorist of the West is no more. But there are plenty more around… Continue reading

Posted on Tue, May 3, 2011 at 00:30 am CEST

Is there a link between Bin Laden’s killing and the Arab Revolt?

The photos released of the fortified villa in Abbottabad, Pakistan, where Osama bin Laden died on Sunday night, show a… Continue reading

Posted on Mon, May 2, 2011 at 23:34 pm CEST

Does Money really drive Turkey’s stance toward Arab Revolts?

A narrative has emerged to explain the varied responses of the Turkish government, led by the Justice and Development Party, or… Continue reading

Posted on Sun, May 1, 2011 at 20:47 pm CEST

Egypt: Pillar of Fire and Political Plagues Are Bad Signs

Gas flames shooting 65 feet high signal the birth of a new Middle East. That pillar of fire, unlike the Biblical one, indicates that Egyptians… Continue reading

Posted on Sat, April 30, 2011 at 22:10 pm CEST

Obama Foreign Policy Is Ignorant and Stupid Rather Than a Conspiracy

The most common question — or remark — that I get from readers is to say that I’m wrong to talk about how Western policymakers… Continue reading

Posted on Wed, April 27, 2011 at 00:38 am CEST

The Anti-Democratic Super-Weapon: The Middle Easternization of the West

I have long thought that we are experiencing what might be called the Middle Easternization of the West but never fully understood it until… Continue reading

Posted on Tue, April 26, 2011 at 01:05 am CEST

Syria: Crackdown Begins; West Does Nothing

As I predicted yesterday, the Syrian government has now started a full-scale violent crackdown against oppositionists… Continue reading

Posted on Mon, April 25, 2011 at 19:44 pm CEST

Warning: Middle East Analysis Gone Wild…ly Inaccurate

OK. I admit it. It’s hopeless. When prestigious newspapers can’t get the most basic points about the Middle East correct… Continue reading

Posted on Mon, April 25, 2011 at 15:18 pm CEST

Syria’s Biggest Crisis in 40 Years

Today [April 23] Syria has entered its biggest internal crisis since 1970. The regime has come out to crush the… Continue reading

Posted on Fri, April 22, 2011 at 21:03 pm CEST

The Nominations of Candidates for the June General Election: A Choice Between Status Quo and Renewal

The ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) choice of candidates to the general election in June reflect a desire to entrench the power base… Continue reading

Posted on Thu, April 21, 2011 at 18:39 pm CEST

Obama’s Passover Message Misses the Message of Passover

There’s some controversy about President Barack Obama’s Passover message. The key passage is this… Continue reading

Posted on Thu, April 21, 2011 at 00:11 am CEST

Assad’s Bloody Crackdown Protest Threatens Sectarian War

President Bashar Assad, while abrogating Syria’s detested 48-year old emergency laws Tuesday, April 19, immediately replaced them with… Continue reading

Posted on Wed, April 20, 2011 at 19:04 pm CEST

Iran to Restrict Activity of NGOs

Last week, the Majles resumed discussions of a bill to limit the activity of Iran’s NGOs. According to the bill, first brought up in 2007… Continue reading