Articles
Lebanon is unfit and unable to cope with its refugee crisis
The unexpected population explosion in Lebanon has brought new competition over jobs and services, new social tensions and a new political demographic, for which Lebanon is unprepared, writes Hussein Ibish
‘Tough love’ will keep Israel and the Palestinians straight
Israel is used to indulgence from the West, but it’s beginning to experience unexpected and uncomfortable forms of pressure, writes Hussein Ibish
GCC impasse is about the role Egypt plays in region
A security pact between the GCC and Egypt to see off the risk of Iran's hegemony is being threatened by Qatar's stance on the Muslim Brotherhood, writes Hussein Ibish.
In the 21st century, force still trumps diplomacy
"21st-century statecraft” and “smart power” are certainly preferable as ideals to brute force. But they are very much a work in progress
In Washington, Ghannouchi was credulously celebrated
Rachid Ghannouchi may have done the right thing, but he is not the "Muslim Mandela"
Nationalism is a familiar force chasing Islamists in the region
What is keeping the Islamists from power around the Arab world? It’s a very familiar, real and enduring sentiment – good old-fashioned nationalism.
Libya’s biggest asset could also be its greatest liability
With all parties jockeying for position with an eye on the unclaimed oil jackpot, there’s no question that Libya’s energy resources are causing more harm than good
The US will count the cost of ‘doing nothing’ in the region
The US policies on Syria will not only affect the region but hurt America's own interests as well
Harmful rhetoric can break the momentum of boycott efforts
The greatest challenge facing the Palestinian national movement is how to bring home the reality of the conflict to Israel’s mainstream majority, writes Hussein Ibish.
Despite some flaws, Tunisia’s constitution shows promise
Tunisians appear to have, at least thus far, retained a sense of common national identity, writes Hussein Ibish.
A US-Iran deal to secure the Middle East is all but a fantasy
Anyone who believes an American-Iranian accommodation would successfully secure the Gulf region for the coming decades is likely to be deeply disappointed, writes Hussein Ibish
Brotherhood crisis alters region’s political thinking
Can the Brotherhood survive as a major ideological and political Arab player? Or will it fragment into opposing camps?
It’s wrong to use history to serve political narratives
Was Jesus an Israeli or a Palestinian? It's not a political question
The existential struggle for the heart of political Egypt
The elements for intensified and prolonged civil strife are growing in Egypt as the share understanding of what it means to be Egyptian breaks down.
US must be clear about its objectives in the Middle East next year
Next year will require the resetting of relations in the Middle East, between the US and its allies in the Gulf and between the US and Iran.
