Hezbollah
All topics-
U.S. politics in Syria
Trump, Syria – and the threat of regional conflagration
The withdrawal of the United States from Syria could spark a region-wide war. There are legitimate concerns that Israel might use the resulting vacuum as a pretext to intensify its attacks on Iran and Hezbollah in Syria. By Fawaz A. Gerges
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Parliamentary elections in Lebanon
Much ado about nothing
Lebanonʹs forthcoming parliamentary elections will likely be the dullest since the end of the countryʹs war in 1990. No significant surprises appear to be looming, nor are there major political stakes or programmes mobilising the attention of voters. By Joseph Bahout
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Saudi Arabian and UAE foreign policy
A finger in every pie
When it comes to furthering their own interests, few political actors are currently attempting to influence developments in the Middle East and North Africa on so many fronts as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). By Matthias Sailer
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Lebanon′s education system
The problem with political Islam
Hassan Lama′a reports on the religious networks that exist within the Lebanese education system and how political Islam schools are still influencing new generations of students
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Saudi Arabia's foreign policy
Catalogue of political failures
The world of the Arab states is in dramatic decline. In this time of crisis, Saudi Arabia has stepped into a leadership role. According to Stefan Buchen, it is not up to the job
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America′s dangerous anti-Iran posturing
For a farewell to arms
The Middle East is fraught with bitter national and sectarian conflicts that realistically can only be solved by compromise. Rather than another round of demonisation, what the region needs, argues Jeffrey Sachs, is an era of diplomacy that focuses on normalising relations
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Iran′s ″Holy Defence″
Dulce et decorum est...
Iran has many museums dedicated to its rich history. Nevertheless, those places that focus on events during which Iranians and other prominent 'Defenders of Islam' lost their lives, enjoy special status. By Philipp Breu
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Battle for Syria
Trump's constructive ignorance
The U.S. war on terror is creating more terrorists and will further destabilise the Middle East. Only in Syria could Trump's military determination potentially contribute to a negotiated solution, says Kristin Helberg
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Iranian-Saudi relations
For better, for worse
The West often reduces the strained relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia to the sectarian Sunni-Shia conflict, but the reality is far more complex. By Joseph Croitoru
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Saudi involvement in Yemen
Not in our backyard
Saudi Arabia has drawn a lot of criticism lately for its leading role in the war against Houthi rebels in Yemen. Some deride the Kingdom, the richest Arab state, for taking action against the poorest. Others have claimed that the fight against the Houthis is just one element in a broader war on the Shia that Saudi Arabia has supposedly been waging. Commentary by Ali Shihabi
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Book review: Hilal Chouman′s ″Limbo Beirut″
Hybrid lives
″Limbo Beirut″ is Hilal Chouman′s third novel, but his first to cross over into English. Beautifully translated by Anna Ziajka Stanton, this illustrated novel is a five-part portrait of interconnected lives, written in markedly different styles. Marcia Lynx Qualey read the book
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On the death of Shimon Peres
Stranger than fiction
In the blanket homage to the late Israeli politician Shimon Peres there are significant omissions. One should not speak ill of the dead. But nevertheless, the gushing praise demands further clarification. A critical appraisal by Stefan Buchen