Middle Orient

Secretary General of the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement Seyed Hassan Nasrallah and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian met in Beirut on Thursday for talks on the latest regional developments. The top Iranian diplomat and the Hezbollah chief exchanged views on regional issues, with a particular focus on Palestine and Lebanon, …

After Hamas militants attacked southern Israel on October 7 this year and after Israel’s fierce counterattack in the Gaza Strip, where the number of dead Palestinians far exceeded the number of dead Jews in the Hamas attack, anti-Semitism throughout the world experienced a drastic rise. The old evil is back …

Analysis: The unwavering US and Western support for Israel’s devastating war on Gaza is doing long-term damage to the legitimacy of the ‘rules-based order’. The world has been glued to news about Israel-Palestine since 7 October. The killing by Israel of over 13,000 Palestinians, including 5,500 children, in Gaza and …

Since 7 October & Israel’s onslaught on Gaza, pro-Israel media pundits & commentators have increasingly adopted the tactic of forcing condemnations of Hamas to avoid providing any context that identifies Israel’s crimes, explains Timo Al-Farooq. Since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza following Hamas’ 7 October operation, ‘whataboutism’ in …

On 21 November, the US, Qatar, and Egypt achieved the first major diplomatic breakthrough of the 2023 Gaza war. They brokered an agreement which will secure the release of 50 Israeli hostages and 150 Palestinian prisoners and facilitate a four-day truce between Israel and Hamas. The agreement also allowed hundreds …

While an expected four-day cessation in hostilities and the release of 50 Israeli hostages in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners might be a breakthrough in the six-week conflict, Israel has been clear that it will continue its deadly war on Gaza afterwards. “The war continues,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu …

Analysis: After demonstrating that their advanced missile and drone technology can reach Israel, the Houthis have expanded their focus to the Red Sea. Yemen has captured global attention after the country’s Houthi rebels began launching ballistic missiles and drones at Israel in late October. Marking a notable shift in their …

When French troops disembarked at the port of Beirut in September 1920, intent on dissolving the short-lived Arab government, they were met by welcoming crowds of local Maronites and members of Lebanon’s smaller Christian sects. Amidst a sea of French flags, these groups hailed France as “al-umm al-hanuni” – their …

The Israeli army has locked down the West Bank since 7 October, staging several incursions into Palestinian cities, as settler violence also rises. In this Q&A, Crisis Group expert Tahani Mustafa looks at the consequences of this escalation. Everyone is watching the war in Gaza. But what has been happening …

On 8 November 2023 three Palestinian human rights organizations filed a lawsuit with the International Criminal Court (ICC) to request arrest warrants against Israeli leaders—including Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu—for genocide. The file submitted to the ICC strongly urges the Office of the Prosecutor to: Consider the inclusion of crimes against …