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MENASource

Mar 8, 2018

The ongoing Israel-Iran proxy war in Syria

By Mona Alami

The next Israeli confrontation with its neighbors will be markedly different from its previous encounters. Recent military escalation in Syria that resulted in the downing of an Israeli F16 in February, points to new trends that could shape future conflict between Israel and Iran. On February 10, an Iranian drone penetrated Israeli airspace from Syria. […]

Iran Israel

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Mar 8, 2018

How legal reform can drive social change for women in Tunisia

By Andrea Taylor and Elissa Miller

Many anticipate that a proposed new bill that would enable Tunisian women to receive equal inheritance with men will cement Tunisia’s place as a leader on women’s rights in the Arab world. Yet broad support within Tunisia for the inheritance bill remains lacking.

North Africa Political Reform

MENASource

Feb 28, 2018

Algeria’s Libya problem

By Andrea Taylor

Algeria has a problem knocking on its door: Libya. A relative powerhouse in North Africa, a combination of political and economic issues has weakened Algeria in recent years, limiting its engagement in Libya while it dealt with its more immediate concerns at home. Despite these challenges, Algeria may step up in the face of continued […]

Libya North Africa

MENASource

Feb 28, 2018

The role of Hezbollah among its Shia constituents

By Mona Alami

Hezbollah’s power and resilience at the Lebanese level is not only derived from its military might and Tehran’s constant backing, but more importantly, from the tireless support of its Lebanese Shia Muslim community base. The allegiance of Lebanese Shia to Hezbollah is widely known to be rooted in the party’s capability to win hearts and […]

Middle East Terrorism

MENASource

Feb 27, 2018

Yemen: What dreams may come

By Dr. Nabeel Khoury

As early as 2007, while serving as Deputy Chief of Mission at the US embassy from 2004-2007, I argued that the central government needed to pay attention to legitimate grievances to prevent constant warfare in the north and a potential secession of the south. At the time, the late president Ali Abdullah Saleh prohibited foreign […]

Yemen

MENASource

Feb 23, 2018

From the front lines of Yemen’s lawless Taiz

By Afrah Nasser

With one hand holding the hose for hookah and the other his beeping cell phone, a conversation with Mohammed al-Qadhi is constantly interrupted. He swiftly takes a glance at his cell phone and says, “Excuse me, it’s breaking news I must send this to my editors.” He grabs his phone and he begins tapping. As […]

Yemen

MENASource

Feb 14, 2018

Russia: Is Syria’s fate Libya’s future?

By Erin A. Neale

On February 17th, Libyans will celebrate the anniversary of a revolt that ultimately toppled and killed Muammar Qaddafi, ending his forty-two-year oppressive rule. This anniversary and others in the region are regrettable reminders of how the expectations in the immediate aftermath of the Arab Spring compare to the reality on the ground seven years later. […]

Libya Russia

MENASource

Feb 9, 2018

How to hold elections in Libya

By Emadeddin Muntasser

Since 2011, Libya’s path to democracy has been unclear. The United Nations’ (UN) inability to bring warring factions to the negotiating table has left the country in chaos. While negotiations have failed, the UN is pushing to hold elections in 2018. Given the chaos in the country, however, will the UN overcome the challenges needed […]

Elections Libya

MENASource

Feb 7, 2018

Navigating the Saudi road to success

By Alex Damianou

In 2016, in the face of low oil prices and rapidly declining foreign reserves in an unsustainable, oil dependent rentier state, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) was faced with two scenarios: an ‘Open Road’ where social and economic reform would transform the country into a diversified, moderate, and prosperous society; or the ‘Rocky Road’, […]

Saudi Arabia

MENASource

Feb 2, 2018

The state of emergency in Egypt: An exception or rule?

By Yussef Auf

The presidential decree issued on October 10, 2017 re-declaring state of emergency for three months, raised widespread debate. This decree was the third of its kind in 2017. Egypt has a long history of exceptional laws (the emergency law being among the most prominent of them). Since the 1952 Officers Movement, Egypt has been governed […]

North Africa