Middle Orient

Since its creation on the ruins of historic Palestine, Israel has loomed large in the Syrian national consciousness—not merely as a military adversary, but as an existential threat. Born of dispossession and expansion, it is still viewed by many Syrians as a usurper of part of “Greater Syria”—a historical identity …

Azerbaijan’s approach mirrors broader trends in global energy diplomacy, akin to China’s engagement in Africa or Russia’s energy-based influence in Libya, Syria TV writes. Buoyed by its victory in Nagorno-Karabakh and strengthened by Turkish support, Azerbaijan is quietly expanding its regional footprint—including into Syria. High-level visits, such as Deputy Prime …

Two months into Israel’s total siege and now on the cusp of an Israeli campaign for the reconquest of Gaza, Palestinians in the enclave are trapped between starvation and a battle for survival. As Tel Aviv wields aid as a tool of war and collective punishment, no humanitarian aid has …

In a significant development amid one of the most turbulent periods in Palestinian political life, President Mahmoud Abbas, 89, has appointed senior official Hussein al-Sheikh as his deputy—his most direct move yet to address questions about his succession. The decision, announced during the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza, has stirred …

New orders issued to Israeli military commanders say freeing captives held by Hamas is the least important concern, focusing instead on control of Gaza. New Israeli military orders presented to commanders on Tuesday listed the rescue of captives held by Hamas in Gaza as the least important priority, the Israeli …

Une introduction au pays que Donald Trump s’apprête, paraît-il, à bombarder, et aux conséquences que cela peut entraîner, s’il ne s’agit pas seulement d’une menace proférée par un homme puissant. L’Iran (en persan, Eran Shahr «Royaume des Aryens»), historiquement la Perse, a une population de près de 90 millions d’habitants …

Israel will use any excuse to divide and weaken the region. That is the end game, precisely what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu believes is the way to hammer together a new Middle East. The geopolitical fallout from the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel has provided him and his …

The first 100 days of Donald Trump’s second presidency appear to have permanently re-defined European security. In response, politicians in Brussels and other European capitals have doubled down on the importance of unity amidst on-going uncertainty. There is an emphasis on operating in a calculated and strategic way to maximize …

Over the past five decades or so, Egypt has capitalized on its geostrategic importance in the Middle East to obtain the financial support sorely needed to keep its economy afloat and its political order intact. The North African country has come close to the brink of economic collapse several times …

In the Damascus suburb of Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, the sounds of prayer bells and muezzins used to blend peacefully into the rhythm of daily life. Here, families from Syria’s diverse communities — Sunni, Druze, Christian, and Alawite — shared neighbors’ bread and exchanged Eid and Christmas greetings with equal sincerity. But …