Arab World

Middle East Studies Association Board Joint Statement with the Committee on Academic Freedom Concerning the Impact of the Israeli Military Campaign on Education in Lebanon The Board of Directors of the Middle East Studies Association (MESA) and its Committee on Academic Freedom register our profound concern regarding the interruption of education and the damage to […]

Lebanon

Lebanon’s new President faces uphill Struggle to steer Country away from Brink of Collapse

The Conversation

By John Nagle, Queen’s University Belfast and Drew Mikhael, Queen’s University Belfast Lebanon’s parliament elected a new president on January 9 after a two-year political deadlock and 13 failed attempts. Joseph Aoun met the threshold for victory in the second round of voting after his rival, a Hezbollah-backed candidate called Suleiman Frangieh, withdrew from the […]

Displaced and Refugees

What challenges do Syrian Refugees face as they return Home?

Global Voices

Written byRami Alhames Syrian and Iraqi refugees arrive at Skala Sykamias Lesvos, Greece. Image by Georgios Giannopoulos via Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 4.0. ( Globalvoices.org ) – Since the eruption of the Syrian civil war in 2011, millions of Syrians have fled their country, seeking refuge in neighboring countries and beyond. Thirteen years on, a significant number […]

Featured

The Center of the World: A Global History of the Persian Gulf

Marc Martorell Junyent

Review of Allen James Fromherz, The Center of the World: A Global History of the Persian Gulf from the Stone Age to the Present (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2024). Munich, Germany (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) –– Historically known as the Persian Gulf, the body of water stretching from Iraq on the northwest to […]

Syria

Syria: Challenges facing Ahmad al-Shara as he Strives for Legitimacy both Inside and Outside the Country

The Conversation

(The Conversation) – Rahaf Aldoughli, Lancaster University The fall of the Assad regime after more than 50 years and the rise of the militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has brought Syria to a critical turning point. Decades of Ba’athist rule entrenched deep ideological and emotional divides within Syrian society. Aside from the massive job […]

Israel/ Palestine

Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan: What is a War Crime?

The Conversation

By Hurst Hannum, Tufts University (The Conversation) – What are war crimes and when did they start? – Artie, 12, Queens, New York I imagine you’re asking about “war crimes” because you’ve heard that term mentioned lately in news about the conflicts underway in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan. The idea may sound confusing, because war […]

Featured

After Syrian opposition’s Victory, is Türkiye on Verge of Dominating the Middle East?

Volkan Isbasaran

Istanbul (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) – Following the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, Türkiye aims to capitalize on the Syrian opposition’s victory to solidify its position as a key regional player. For over a decade, Türkiye has been a staunch supporter of the Syrian opposition, providing military aid, diplomatic support, and serving […]

Israel

How will the new Syria handle its Greater Israel Problem?

Middle East Monitor

By Muhammad Hussein | – ( Middle East Monitor ) – When Israel’s far-right extremist finance minister Bezalel Smotrich acknowledged in October his aim for a Jewish state that encompasses not only all of the Palestinian territories, but also extends to Syria, some speculated about how such a goal would be achieved. In Israel’s classic […]

Iran

Syria’s De Facto Leader Wants To Maintain ‘Respectful’ Ties With Iran, Russia

Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty

( RFE/RL ) – New Syrian de facto leader Ahmad al-Sharaa told the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television channel that he wants relations with Iran and Russia, but he insisted any ties must be based on mutual “respect.” Russia and Iran were major allies of Syria under the regime of President Bashar al-Assad until the totalitarian […]