Middle East
All countries-
Tunisia, Egypt, Lebanon
Sentenced for a selfie: police target LGBTQ+ phones
An in-depth study of court files has found that police forces in Tunisia, Egypt, and Lebanon are increasingly relying on digital tools to identify, entrap and prosecute LGBTQ+ people – thus "intensifying anti-queer surveillance". The study reveals the extent that the safety of LGBQT+ people in the Middle East can be compromised by their digital footprint
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Ukraine conflict
Why Israel is mediating between Russia and Ukraine
With his surprise visit to Moscow on Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is assuming the unlikely role of mediator between Russia and Ukraine. Yet as one commentator put it, he is taking a huge risk, not only for himself as a politician, but for the state of Israel and its standing in the world
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Egypt
The revolution did not fail
Ten years ago, the Egyptians overthrew ruler Hosni Mubarak. Although this did not bring them more freedom, they did gain something. An essay by Andrea Backhaus
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Ukraine conflict
Israelis, Arabs, Iranians in harrowing exodus from Ukraine
Israelis, Arabs and Iranians are landing back in their home countries to the tearful relief of relatives, as evacuations of nationals caught up in the Russian invasion of Ukraine gather pace. The Middle Eastern evacuees have been forced to make harrowing escapes through the war zone to board repatriation flights in neighbouring countries, after Ukraine closed its airspace to civilian traffic at the start of the invasion.
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Geneva Initiative's Gadi Baltiansky
The two-state solution – what future?
A two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has practically disappeared from the international agenda. Israel’s unity government has decided against negotiations and Palestinian politics are stuck in deep stagnation. Yet some are working tirelessly to change that. Noam Yatsiv talks to Gadi Baltiansky of the Geneva Initiative
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Climate crisis and over-population
The Arab world has no answers
As challenges such as population growth and the end of the fossil fuel era loom large, not a single Arab regime is in a position to meet them. It is now incumbent upon Europe to encourage a response. Commentary by Rainer Hermann
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Egypt, France, a growing alliance
The Cairo-Paris axis
A growing alliance between Cairo and Paris is resulting in significant foreign policy coordination, with political and economic repercussions on the horizon for both Egypt and France. By Maged Mandour
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Egypt – a human rights crisis
No more "quiet diplomacy"
For years, EU states have held back from criticising Egypt’s military regime for its human rights crimes. NGOs and a European parliamentary initiative are now seeking to change that, urging the UN Human Rights Council to act. By Sofian Philip Naceur
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Amnesty's Israel report
The power of words
Apartheid! Anti-Semitism! Why the row about definitions is shifting the focus away from the issue at hand. Commentary by Daniel Marwecki on the debate about Amnesty International's Israel report
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Kurdish autonomy in northeast Syria
Between Assad and Erdogan
The Kurdish Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria controls a third of Syria, but is not recognised by anyone. Attacks by Turkey, a threatened takeover by the Assad regime, dealing with tens of thousands of IS supporters and international isolation complicate people's daily lives. Kristin Helberg reports for Qantara.de from Qamishli
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Assad's rehabilitation
At the expense of the Syrian people
A number of Arab League member states have announced in recent weeks that they intend resuming relations with the Syrian regime. A potential invitation to the Arab League summit in Algeria in March was even on the table, but the conference has since been postponed. By Bente Scheller
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UAE foreign policy rethink
Is dialogue replacing proxy politics?
The UAE is revisiting its foreign policy goals with the aim of boosting its global trade partnerships and ensuring its security and political stability, by replacing robust military intervention and proxy politics with dialogue and diplomacy. By Mohammad Barhouma