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Jul 16, 2018

Diplomatic relations between Morocco and Iran sour over Western Sahara dispute

By Mariam Elatouabi

Tensions between Morocco and Iran over the Western Sahara dispute ignited in March 2017, when the Moroccan authorities arrested Lebanese Hezbollah financier Kassim Tajideen in Casablance, en route to Beirut from Guinea-Bissau.

Iran Morocco

MENASource

Jul 12, 2018

To stabilize Libya, redistribute oil revenue

By Nate Mason

Debate over Libya currently focuses on whether elections should be held in advance of a political agreement or to move forward in the absence of one. This debate is irrelevant. There are no governments or political leaders in Libya with the authority to conclude a political agreement that militias will recognize, nor are those same […]

Geopolitics & Energy Security Libya

MENASource

Jul 11, 2018

Can Sadr fulfill his campaign promise to reform the Iraq energy sector?

By Andrea Taylor

The trajectory of Iraq remains uncertain two months after the May 2018 Parliamentary elections in which the political bloc led by Muqtada al-Sadr won the greatest number of seats. Given that the Alliance Revolutionaries for Reform, or Sairoon, fell well short of a majority, Sadr must develop a coalition with other parties to elect a […]

Energy Markets & Governance Iraq

MENASource

Jul 6, 2018

Syrian refugees in Lebanon: Potential forced return?

By Hanan Elbadawi

This June brought significant news about Lebanon’s policy towards the Syrian refugee crisis. For the first time, Lebanese government officials confronted the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) over its policy on the repatriation of Syrian refugees. On June 8, the Lebanese Foreign Minister Gibran Bassil ordered a freeze on the renewal of residency […]

Middle East Syria

MENASource

Jul 5, 2018

A hollow victory for Jordanian protesters

By Aaron Magid

A mere eight days after protests against an unpopular tax law rocked the Hashemite Kingdom, Jordanians shot fireworks celebrating the June 7 government announcement to withdraw the legislation. A strong supporter of the austerity measure, Prime Minister Hani al-Mulki submitted his resignation on June 4 following the demonstrators’ calls for his ouster. “And popular will […]

Middle East Rule of Law

MENASource

Jul 3, 2018

How the West and the UN failed Libya

By Emadeddin Zahri Muntasser and Dr. Mohamed Fouad

Whereas the ambitions of competing warlords fan the flames of conflict and consume the country’s oil resources, envoys from the UN and West to Libya continue to congratulate themselves for having said much but done little. In the balance hangs not only the success of those diplomats’ missions, but also the very future of Libya […]

Libya

MENASource

Jun 25, 2018

Naturalized Syrians a flashpoint for Turkish parties

By Hossam al-Jablawi

With the Turkish presidential and parliamentary elections that took place on June 24, the issue of naturalized Syrian refugees’ participation was a major point of contention. Turkish parties have divergent views on the Syrian refugee situation in Turkey, and there was an increase of public campaigns rejecting their stay in the country. A wide range […]

Syria Turkey

MENASource

Jun 18, 2018

Yemen: The battle for al-Hodeida between war and peace

By Nabeel Khoury

There are three possible outcomes to the ongoing battle for Hodeida. First, the Saudi-led coalition succeeds in ousting the Houthi fighters from airport, seaport, and city. Second, the Houthi forces succeed in thwarting the land assault, but remain surrounded from the south and the east. Third, both sides accept a UN sponsored compromise, placing airport […]

Yemen

MENASource

Jun 13, 2018

The superficial removal of Iranian troops from southern Syria

By Mona Alami

Much has been said in the last week of a possible Israeli-Russian arrangement in Syria aimed at curbing Iranian presence in strategic areas like the country’s southern border with Israel. Contradictory reports of troop movements in Qusayr by Tehran’s proxy, Hezbollah, do not change geopolitical realities: the militant group is there to primarily protect Iranian […]

Iran Syria

MENASource

Jun 8, 2018

Jordan’s austerity protests in context

By Jillian Schwedler

The protests that have spread to every corner of Jordan since May 30 are the largest since 2011. Tens of thousands have taken to the street in opposition to proposed changes to the tax code and increased prices for fuel and electricity, beginning with a call from professional associations to their members but quickly spreading […]

Macroeconomics Middle East