ARB - Levant

Hamas’s Choices

Wed, 07 Jan 2015 16:26:38 +0000

With few viable options at its disposal to address Gaza’s pressing social and economic needs, Hamas may be forced to extend its unity government with Fatah.

The Islamic State and Partisanship in Turkey

Wed, 17 Dec 2014 16:42:37 +0000

The war in Syria has polarized Turkey’s political landscape and reignited hostilities between Islamists and secularists.

Photo Essay: Arsal Caught Between Lebanon and Syria

Fri, 12 Dec 2014 18:10:45 +0000

The inability of the Lebanese state to figure out where Arsal stands has made public and state perceptions increasingly hostile toward the town.

The Case Against an Alliance With Assad

Tue, 02 Dec 2014 16:54:48 +0000

Realpolitik, rather than ethics, provides the most powerful arguments against the growing calls to forge a deal with the Syrian regime.

Geopolitics of Kurdish Peace

Thu, 20 Nov 2014 15:23:26 +0000

Although Kobani has spurred a KRG-PYD strategic rapprochement, Kurdish unity across borders remains elusive.

A New Sectarian Force for Iraq

Thu, 13 Nov 2014 17:23:14 +0000

Plans to build a national guard force risk widening sectarian divisions in Iraq and pushing more Sunnis toward the Islamic State.

Jerusalem in Turmoil

Wed, 12 Nov 2014 16:34:20 +0000

Social and economic grievances among Palestinian residents and the contentious politics of the Israeli right underlie East Jerusalem’s turmoil.

Kobani and Kurdish Nationalism in Turkey

Thu, 06 Nov 2014 15:58:37 +0000

Regardless of whether Kurds can successfully defend Kobani, the PKK stands to gain support for its nationalist claims in Turkey.

The Challenges of Rebuilding Gaza

Thu, 23 Oct 2014 16:29:12 +0000

Gaza cannot be rebuilt in a political vacuum; and conditions alone placed on international funding of Gaza’s reconstruction are not likely to work.

Hamas After the Ceasefire

Thu, 25 Sep 2014 15:10:56 +0000

Hamas’s small tactical gains are unlikely to translate any short-term popularity boost into long-term political capital.

Confronting the Islamic State

Thu, 11 Sep 2014 17:59:58 +0000

Airstrikes against ISIS will provide the Syrian opposition an opportunity to work alongside countries that long doubted its ability to rule a post-Assad Syria.

The Islamic State and the Cost of Governing

Thu, 04 Sep 2014 17:05:13 +0000

Although the Islamic State gained access to significant resources in Syria and Iraq, budgetary constraints will hinder the group’s expansionist aims.

Photo Essay: Jordan’s Other Refugees

Thu, 14 Aug 2014 16:31:08 +0000

Jordan’s attempt to prioritize Syrian and Iraqis refugees leaves its other asylum seekers underserved.

Debating a Kurdish State

Tue, 12 Aug 2014 15:10:19 +0000

Prospects for an independent Kurdish state are hampered by security challenges, internal competition, and insufficient international support.

Securing Lebanon, Widening Divides

Thu, 31 Jul 2014 16:15:04 +0000

Heightened tensions in Tripoli are prompting new measures meant to allay Sunni concerns, but these will not work unless the root causes of discontent are addressed.

Legitimizing Crackdown on Dissent in Jordan

Tue, 22 Jul 2014 16:26:24 +0000

Proposed amendments to Jordan’s anti-terror law threaten free expression and may exacerbate the very problem they are hoping to address.

The Syrian Refugees Problem

Thu, 17 Jul 2014 14:11:16 +0000

Fears of a potential shift in Lebanon’s confessional balance are driving power brokers to enact harsher restrictions on incoming Syrian refugees.

Islamic State in Syria, Back With a Vengeance

Mon, 14 Jul 2014 16:02:18 +0000

The Islamic State is trying to consolidate its presence in Syria and gain territory using new strategies during its latest push.

Hamas and Israel at the Brink

Tue, 08 Jul 2014 17:10:47 +0000

A mutual desire to show strength has escalated the conflict, and although neither side wants another war, it may already be too late to pull back.

Will the Palestinian Unity Government Survive?

Wed, 02 Jul 2014 14:43:03 +0000

Fundamental flaws in the Hamas-Fatah reconciliation deal, including disputes over security cooperation with Israel, may lead to the fall of the unity government.

Hezbollah’s Iraq Problems

Thu, 26 Jun 2014 14:35:43 +0000

The return of Shia fighters to Iraq has left Hezbollah overstretched in Syria and vulnerable at home.

The Lebanese Army and the Confessional Trap

Wed, 25 Jun 2014 14:26:12 +0000

Lebanon will be unable to maintain its precarious confessional balance in the long term if the army is seen as growing closer to Hezbollah.

The Rise of ISIS, a Golden Opportunity for Iraq’s Kurds

Thu, 19 Jun 2014 14:16:07 +0000

As Iraq’s central government struggles against ISIS, the Kurds quietly take another step towards independence.

More Than ISIS, Iraq’s Sunni Insurgency

Tue, 17 Jun 2014 14:46:47 +0000

Maliki’s alienation of Sunni actors is at the heart of ISIS’s success in Iraq.

ISIS and the Anbar Crisis

Thu, 12 Jun 2014 14:46:37 +0000

Despite recent success in Mosul, ISIS is still trying to solidify its fragile gains in Anbar province, particularly following heavy losses in Syria.