Middle East
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Arab-Israeli voter apathy
Israel's fifth general election – what’s the point?
In the Arab-Israeli town of Rahat, a few trampled political party flyers on the pavement are the only sign that the country is about to go to the polls. While the campaign ahead of Israel's fifth election in four years has been somewhat lacklustre nationwide, the apathy is especially acute among the Arab minority
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“A History of Arab Graphic Design”
Shaping collective memories
Bahia Shehab and Haytham Nawar's award-winning "A History of Arab Graphic Design" (2020) took ten years to produce. In interview with Marcia Lynx Qualey, Shehab talks about the project and the difficulties in compiling an Arab graphic design textbook
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Adania Shibli's "Minor Detail"
What is Palestinian literature exactly?
What do we mean when we talk about Palestinian literature: an exploration using the example of Adania Shibli’s slender novel "Minor Detail". By Miryam Schellbach
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God's love for all
Sufism is not just Muslim
Sufism has fluid boundaries. Just like Islam, Sufism is inconceivable without its late antique roots. Then again, it has also exerted an influence on Hinduism. Moreover, the Sufic doctrine of divine love exists independently of Islam. By Stefan Weidner
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Human Rights Film Festival Berlin
"Erasmus in Gaza"
An Italian medical student on a study trip in the Palestinian territories: this documentary takes advantage of the unusual setting to shed light on the unbearable situation of Gaza’s civilian population. By Rene Wildangel
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Frankfurt Book Fair
Iran drops out, citing interference
Iran has withdrawn its participation in the Frankfurt Book Fair, accusing the event of meddling in the country's domestic affairs. Organisers have denied the accusation. By Kristina Reymann-Schneider
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Protests in Iran
Arab women in solidarity with their Iranian sisters
"You are not my guide... I am the compass. Iranian women have spoken, freed themselves, and unleashed a revolution despite smelling death. They have cut their braids in anger; they have raised the banner of hair set free during an age of servile beards. They are our guides... and more"
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Germany and the Gulf
Balancing ethics and economics
Germany needs a strategy when brokering deals with countries like Qatar, Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates that allows it to maintain its own moral compass. By Sebastian Sons
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The war in Syria
Overshadowed, yet still a major issue
The Syrian conflict remains insoluble for the time being. Yet Europe could start managing it better. By reorganising humanitarian aid supplies, becoming more involved in the northeast and coordinating initiatives in the northwest, it could alleviate hardship, counter extremism and bring hope, writes Kristin Helberg
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2022 Iran protests
Can the Iranian system survive?
Political scientist and German-Iranian Ali Fathollah-Nejad discusses the protests in Iran and the long-term prospects for post-revolutionary political order. Interview by Michael Young
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Confessions of an ex-jihadist
What makes someone a jihadist?
Charting his own descent into extremism, former Moroccan jihadist Adil El Hasani reveals how he was ultimately able to extricate himself from the grasp of those peddling religious illusions. Mohamed Taifouri read the book
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Protests in Iran
On the eve of a new world era?
Just as the Islamic Revolution fundamentally changed Iran 43 years ago and had an impact far beyond the country's borders, the current wave of protests sweeping the country is set to change more than just Iran. The era of political Islam is coming to an end. By Ali Sadrzadeh