Middle Orient

Israeli forces and Palestinian militant factions in the Gaza Strip have been engaged in their heaviest exchange of fire this week since the 2014 Gaza War. A heavy barrage of Israeli airstrikes has killed at least 83 people thus far in Gaza, including 17 children, while authorities in Israel have …

As an American, watching the violence explode between Israel and Palestinians over the past two weeks has felt like awakening from a heavy narcotic sleep. The drug, in this instance, has been the willful and persistent denial embraced by American politicians and media alike about the grave crisis that, though …

Saudi Arabia and Iran recently confirmed that they are engaging in direct negotiations to lower tensions between the two rivals and eventually normalize diplomatic relations. Officials from both sides are sounding cautiously optimistic about the endeavor. “We have initiated some exploratory talks. They are at a very early stage but …

Right after last month’s general election in Israel, the fourth in two years, the remnants of the country’s center-left parties were unofficially absorbed into a newly formed political concoction called the “change bloc.” In politics, the term “change” is usually invoked to suggest a difference in policies or convictions from …

For more than three months, Turkey has been rocked by rolling protests centered in Istanbul. Following President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s controversial appointment of businessman Melih Bulu as the new rector of Bogazici University in January, students and professors began holding rallies to denounce the pick. They see Bulu as an …

As we near presidential “elections” in Syria, it is worth exploring what interests continue to drive Russia’s ongoing military intervention in that country, which has helped the Assad regime to not just avoid being overthrown (as it seemed on the verge of being in mid-2015), but also to regain control …

El-Sisi ordered taking “swift” action in all Palestinian files to achieve stability in the Palestinian territories Palestinian factions are set to meet in Cairo next week for a new round of National Palestinian Dialogue amid Egyptian endeavours to end the Palestinian division and achieve stability in the Palestinian territories. Palestinian …

Iraq focuses on preventing terrorist organizations from entering its territories, after they have used the border areas to conduct operations and move between Syria and Iraq. Iraqi security authorities announced at the beginning of May that they were digging a trench and employing advanced surveillance technologies along the border with …

US backers of Israelis, Palestinians argue their cases. Last month’s 11-day conflict between Israel and Hamas continues to reverberate in the United States. The conflict spilled over into US cities and congressional debate, and on Tuesday, a delegation of Republican senators visited Israel to express their support for the Jewish …

President Hassan Rouhani said most issues with the United States have been resolved, but he hinted a deal may not happen until after his term ends. Less than two weeks away from the upcoming presidential election, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the problems with the United States regarding the nuclear …