Category: Blogs

This Week in Egypt – March 22, 2013

By Nancy Messieh

Catch up on the latest out of Egypt every week, with analysis, news updates, photos, videos, and more.

Israeli Apology to Turkey Big First Step But Not Sea Change

By Ross Wilson

Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu phoned Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on March 22 to apologize for the May 2010 Mavi Marmara incident and move toward normalizing bilateral relations that have been in the deep freeze since June 2010. President Obama clearly played a direct role in orchestrating the call that took place as […]

New Turkish-Kurdish opening ‘is remarkable, momentous, and fraught with risk’

By Ross Wilson, New Atlanticist

From Ross Wilson, New Atlanticist:  Turkey’s long-time nemesis Abdullah Öcalan, leader of the so-called Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), delivered an historic message on the March 21 Nowruz holiday that marks the beginning of spring calling for a new beginning between Kurds and Turks.

Voting Patterns in Egypt: Heading Toward a Competitive Political Environment

By Hannah Grigg

The Rand Corporation launched a new report today, ‘Voting Patterns in Post-Mubarak Egypt,’ with an event featuring report author Jeffrey Martini and commentary from Michele Dunne of the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East and Samer Shehata of Georgetown University. Using data from four post-Mubarak elections, the report gives a better understanding […]

Off the Egyptian Press: A View on Women’s Rights

By Andrew Ver Steegh

The Muslim Brotherhood’s statement last week on the draft of a document produced by the UN Commission on the Status of Women, and the slapping of a female activist protesting on Egyptian Woman’s Day in front of the Muslim Brotherhood headquarters, have once again drawn attention to issues surrounding women’s rights in Egypt.  Several commentators […]

Kurdish leader Ocalan declares historic ceasefire with Turkey

By Abdullah Öcalan, euronews

From Abdullah Öcalan, euronews:  The struggle I initiated against our collective desperation, ignorance and slavery was aiming to form a consciousness, mentality and spirit albeit all challenges.

Top News: Activists, Brotherhood Youth Scuffle in Moqattam

By Egypt Source

Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood said it would defend its headquarters against protesters if necessary, raising the possibility of a confrontation at a demonstration planned in Cairo on Friday.  

5 NATO countries agree to collaborate on cyberdefense project

By Julian Hale, Defense News

Russia tones down criticism of new U.S. missile plans

By Steve Gutterman, Reuters