Joost Hiltermann (of the International Crisis Group) has a blog post at the New York Review of Books on the current climate in Iraq. The Supreme Court has certified the election results, but the country remains without a government, and it’s goal of having one by Ramadan (early August) or the planned withdrawal date of […]
Hello all, I’m resuming blogging here at the FPA Middle East blog, after finishing my MA this May. I’m now in Damascus for the next several months, and will be commenting on the news from here. It’s good to be back! Please get in touch (via the information in the Bio section) if you hear […]
It’s no surprise that the “biggies”—the McDonalds, the Microsofts, the Boeings—have a MENA presence (MENA=Middle East and North Africa). But what about small to medium enterprises? How do they even begin to take advantage of this huge (and growing) market of hundreds of millions of consumers? A great answer can be found in an article, […]
The United States has pledged hundreds of millions of dollars this year to bolster the Palestinian economy and help develop infrastructure. Yesterday, President Obama approved the transfer of $400 million to the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with the funds largely focused on a mortgage finance program. See the White House fact sheet below: Fact […]
The world media continues to spout nonsense condemning Israel for the Gaza flotilla raid. Now, the Huffington Post is publicizing a so-called report claiming that Israeli soldiers fired the first shots when boarding the lead Gaza-bound ship. The “reporter” quotes a British activist on one of the other boats as the main source for the […]
The presidents of Syria and Lebanon are scheduled to meet next Tuesday in Damascus to discuss the relationship between the two neighbors, as well as how recent developments in the region might affect them. Meetings between Lebanese and Syrian leaders are growing more commonplace, as their once frosty relations continues to thaw at a steady […]
In a show of opposition to the Israeli government and the blockade on the Gaza Strip, thousands of protesters gathered in Tel Aviv’s Rabin Square last night. We were driving around the area and there was some traffic congestion and we know something was afoot. However, the 15,000 protesters were barely a blip on the radar and […]
Israel-Turkey ties had already been strained. Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has attempted to garner the support of the Muslim world, condemning Israel for even the most minor of missteps. Tensions began to rise following Operation Cast Lead, where Israel killed some civilians in its attack on the Hamas terror infrastructure. Then, an Israeli ambassador […]
Lebanese leaders and citizens are expressing their outrage over last Sunday’s botched Israeli raid in international waters off the coast of Gaza that resulted in at least 9 deaths. Since the Hamas-led government took over control of Gaza in 2007, Israel has had the territory under siege. In 2009, Israel launched an assault on Gaza […]
As further examples of the “peace activist’s” violent attacks against the IDF soldiers, watch the videos. The top video includes the blatantly anti-Semitic chant used by Hamas and other extremist organizations that references the slaughter of Jews by Muhammad’s army. The other videos show attacks by the activists. The guilt here is clear.
Global leaders and news organizations wasted little time condemning Israel for the raid on the fleet of aid ships headed to the Gaza Strip. But, if they spent half their efforts learning the facts first, perhaps that condemnation would have been directed in a more appropriate fashion — towards the people on the ships and […]
This week, Sir. Elton John brought more than sequins, rhinestone-studded sunglasses and 40+ years of music-making to North Africa. He was at the center of a very lively debate on tolerance, modernity and progress in Morocco. The Mawazine Festival is an annual international music festival held in Rabat and has attracted several big names over […]
Controversy surrounded questions on Israel’s democratic character this year following multiple news blackouts, confiscation of reporters’ materials, and the imprisonment of a critical journalist. While some of these procedures have been rationalized by citing security concerns, the real character of Israeli democracy emerges during the debate on these issues. Dozens of Israeli newspaper and television […]
It’s not getting very much publicity in the English language Israeli media, but Prime Minister Ehud Olmert sat through hours and hours of questioning in his involvement (and likely leadership role) in a corruption scandal (see the English Google translate version here). When Olmert served as mayor, city officials allegedly received hundreds of millions (and […]
Sometimes, identifying, deciphering and tracking US foreign policy for a particular issue can be exercise in complexity, if not futility. For example, what is the US position on the best way to resolve the Western Sahara conflict, arguably one of the biggest hurdles to progress and stability in North Africa? Well, in an interview last […]