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The latest pieces from MENASource:

MENASource

Jan 15, 2026

After Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, what comes next?

By Amit Yarom

Recognition reshapes the scope of bilateral engagement but does not eliminate the constraints tied to Somaliland’s contested status.

Africa
East Africa

MENASource

Jan 14, 2026

Voices from Iran: As rejection of government reaches all-time high, Iranians also wary of foreign intervention

By Tara Kangarlou

If Trump is serious about peace, stability, and a lasting legacy, the path forward does not run through air strikes or transactional deals with a failing theocracy.

Civil Society
Crisis Management

MENASource

Jan 13, 2026

Eight questions (and expert answers) on the SDF’s withdrawal from Syria’s Aleppo

By Atlantic Council experts

Our experts unpack why violence erupted, what it means for Kurdish safety and integration in Syria, and how Washington is engaging.

Civil Society
Conflict
READ More from MENASOURCE

Through our Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East, the Atlantic Council works with allies and partners in Europe and the wider Middle East to protect US interests, build peace and security, and unlock the human potential of the region.

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Content

MENASource

Aug 25, 2025

Dispatch from Syria’s Christian strongholds: A new government, a full political spectrum

By Gregory Waters

The conditions of Christian communities across the country remain varied, with the opinions of religious and community leaders deeply mixed.

Civil Society
Democratic Transitions

MENASource

Aug 22, 2025

What’s needed to unlock the power and promise of IMEC

By Amir Hayek

We must not be afraid to dream, nor forget that achieving a truly transformative economic corridor is within reach.

India
Israel

New Atlanticist

Aug 21, 2025

Israel’s Gaza City operation will leave it more isolated. It’s time for a course correction.

By Jonathan Panikoff

An operation to take Gaza City would mark a dramatic escalation in the conflict—and one with potentially irreversible costs to Israel’s alliances and reputation.

Conflict
Israel

In the News

Aug 21, 2025

Warrick joins Al-Jazeera to discuss the possibility of a major increase in US humanitarian aid to Gaza

By Atlantic Council

Conflict
Crisis Management

New Atlanticist

Aug 20, 2025

Boulos’s family ties could help advance US national security interests in Libya

By Maureen Farrell

The Trump administration has an opening to bolster US ties with Libya, but it must empower career diplomats and traditional levers of statecraft to secure lasting agreements.

Defense Policy
Economy & Business

TURKEYSource

Aug 20, 2025

Transatlantic experts highlight the importance of growing US-Turkish defense ties

By Alp Ozen, Zeynep Egeli

On July 23 in Istanbul, on the sidelines of the International Defense Industry Fair, the Atlantic Council Turkey Program organized an event to discuss transatlantic defense relations and strategic cooperation in a region in flux, gathering business leaders, diplomats, and experts.

Defense Industry
Defense Policy

In the News

Aug 19, 2025

Charai in Newsmax: President Trump Can Defeat Muslim Brotherhood’s Grip on Mideast

By Atlantic Council

Extremism
Freedom and Prosperity

New Atlanticist

Aug 19, 2025

How Trump can drive an end to the war in Gaza

By Daniel B. Shapiro

A narrow opportunity exists to avoid stretching the Gaza tragedy into 2026. The US president needs to seize it.

Conflict
Israel

MENASource

Aug 19, 2025

For enduring normalization, Israel must back democracy in Sudan

By Nasredeen Abdulbari

Israel should align itself with Sudan’s genuine pro-democracy civilian forces—not its military elites.

Conflict
Crisis Management

MENASource

Aug 13, 2025

What to know about the history (and future) of the Hezbollah disarmament question

By Kristian Patrick Alexander

Domestic opposition and international demands have brought the question of Hezbollah’s arms to the fore, placing the group in an increasingly precarious position.

Arms Control
Conflict
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Experts

Millennium fellow

Alexandra Hubbard-Gourlay

Senior Director, Laurel Strategies

Millennium Leadership Program

Economy & Business Media

Expert bio

Matthew Williams

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoStrategy Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Middle East National Security

Fellow

Rob Macaire

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Iran Middle East

Staff

Kate Springs

Program Assistant, Strategic Litigation Project

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Human Rights International Norms

Fellow

Afaq Hussain

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Economy & Business Energy & Environment

Millennium fellow

Bushra Shammout

Head of Energy Security Winter Preparedness Strategy and Ministerial Briefing, Department of Energy Security and Net Zero

Millennium Leadership Program

Europe & Eurasia Geopolitics & Energy Security
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