Introduction Over the past four years, Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has tried to transform itself from a faction of the Global Jihad movement into the de facto local military and governing power in north-west (NW) Syria. This shift requires the group to seek sources of funding other than al-Qaeda and …

The conventional wisdom in Washington is that Iran’s elections are insignificant. Regardless of who wins, the argument goes, in the end, it’s the supreme leader who calls the shots. That is shortsighted. Yes, the coronation of Chief Justice Ebrahim Raisi as president in one of the least competitive elections in …

On August 13, 2020, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) made headlines as the first Arab Gulf country to normalize relations with Israel. Its leadership framed the decision as a continuation of the UAE’s long-standing policy of support for the Palestinians, one that would bring them closer to statehood by halting …

What distinguished these elections in Iran? o Iranian election since 1979, when the Islamic Republic was founded, has been free and fair by international standards. There were nonetheless two key differences between the 2021 presidential election and the others held since 1997, when Iran started orchestrating more competitive races and …

Hamas’ meeting with the UN envoy in Gaza ended on a sour note, portending further escalation with Israel. Israel eased some economic restrictions imposed on the Gaza Strip on June 20, for the first time since the round of violence with the Palestinian factions came to an end on May …

Hamas’ meeting with the UN envoy in Gaza ended on a sour note, portending further escalation with Israel. Israel eased some economic restrictions imposed on the Gaza Strip on June 20, for the first time since the round of violence with the Palestinian factions came to an end on May …

The boycott, divestment and sanctions movement slammed Ismail Haniyeh for meeting with Morocco’s prime minister due to Morocco’s relations with Israel. The boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement is upset at a Hamas leader for meeting with the Moroccan prime minister due to Morocco having relations with Israel. BDS released …

Joey Hood, the acting assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, also said the United States expects the elections scheduled for December to take place. After a conference on Libya’s political future ended without a concrete plan for the withdrawal of foreign forces, a top US diplomat expressed optimism …

The fighters attempted to infiltrate territory held by Turkey and its Syrian rebel allies, according to Turkish state media. Turkish soldiers “neutralized” three Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) fighters in northern Syria, the Turkish state media outlet Anadolu Agency reported Thursday. The Turkish military uses the term “neutralized” to refer to …

The statement was yet another sign of frustration from the outgoing president, who has found hard-liners closing windows on a deal between his government and the United States. Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani blamed “parliamentary bureaucracy” for the delay in the lifting of US sanctions that have almost brought the Iranian …