Back in the USSR
Today's anti-democratic glue is apparently better than the glue of Slavic identity that formed the "Warsaw Pact" because it is a world view and a cultural perspective.
The Saudis are Trembling – Quietly
If chemical weapons had not been used, Damascus would have been overcome by the rebels.
The New Strategic Environment
If the world does not wake up in time to see the danger, Syria will be only the first domino to fall.
Egypt is Boiling
Al-Jazeera again appears to be promoting Islamic violence these days, in Egypt and in Israel.
Mordechai Kedar: Tribalism in the Middle East – The Real Thing
Any real and workable solution to the Israeli-Arab conflict must be based upon this sociological fact: tribalism and loyalty to traditional religious and sectarian frameworks are the prevailing cultural and political framework of the Middle East.
Sic Transit Gloria Mundi: Thus Passes the Glory of the World
Middle East expert Dr. Mordechai Kedar outlines how weak U.S. policy in the Middle East has encouraged more aggressive behavior on the part of radical Islamic groups.
Keeping Our Cool with Saudi Arabia
Considering Saudi Arabia’s concern over Iran’s ascendancy, Israel is presented with a unique opportunity to dictate terms of engagement to the kingdom. Israel should be reticent in its overtures.
The ‘Arab Spring’ a Decade On
The 10 years of the uprisings sparked in 2010 have brought many Arab countries to the edge of the abyss. The worst may be yet to come if the Biden administration takes expected steps in the interests of of Iran.
The Moment of Truth Draws Near
The crowds in the streets of Egypt will increase during the month of Ramadan, which begins on July 9, and religious sensitivities will be heightened as well.
Mordechai Kedar: Tribal Democracy
Since Qadhaffi was overthrown a year ago, conflicts have broken out between the tribes and the main ethnic groups in Libya, Arabs and Berbers, and it was clear that the new political framework, in order to be an acceptable and legitimate system, must consider the social, tribal structure of the population and not try to fight it.
Congratulations to Hamas
The visit of the Emir of Qatar to the Gaza Strip is certainly an important landmark on the course that the Hamas movement has been advancing since it took over the Strip in June of 2007. Hamas is trying its utmost to establish the independence of the Gaza Strip, vis à vis the PLO, the Palestinian Authority, Israel, Egypt, the Arab world and everyplace else as well.
Mordechai Kedar: The Division of Syria
What will Syria look like the day after Bashar al-Assad's downfall?
Mordechai Kedar: Syria, Iraq, the Gulf, and the Iranian Octopus
Whoever wants to bring Iran down must support those rebelling against Asad. The leaders in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Jordan understand this, and their support for the rebels may save them and the Gulf from the Iranian octopus. The question is how much time will it take for the sleeping Europeans and the dreamers in the White House to understand the complicated Middle East reality, and when will they begin to take action in order to bring Iran down?
Egypt’s Rising Crescent Moon
The most important question is how will the new Egyptian government conduct itself, when for the first time in modern Egyptian history ("Since the days of Pharaoh", in the words of the head of the elections committee) it represents the people in a fair way.
Survival Skills 101 for Israel
Israel has not really convinced the world that Iran is a danger.
Kedar: Egypt’s Question of Sovereignty
Egypt's prosecution of pro-democracy NGOs reflects unresolved suspicions and hostilities towards the West and democracy.
Abbas, ya Bahai, Get Lost!!
Muhammad As’ad Bayoudh al-Tamimi is a Palestinian columnist living in Jordan. In the past he has often clearly expressed the opinions of the man...
Palestinians for the Dissolution of the PA
The Palestinian youth sees what has happened in the Arab world and despite the suffering, has the feeling of "yes, we can," even if it requires blood.
The Curse of Sinai
Post-Mursi Egypt accuses Hamas of responsibility for the terrorist chaos in Sinai, and not without good cause.
2011: The Year of the Arab Winter
This year six Arab countries experienced severe shocks that brought about the fall of some rulers or serious threat to their rule. The process began at the end of 2010, and continues until today.
Mordechai Kedar: The Failure of the Palestinian Venture
There exists in the world, and even in Israel here and there, the desperate notion that if only the Palestinians can get their state, they will accept Israel's legitimacy and respect its right to exist in peace and security. But no one is willing to address the question: What will the world do when the Palestinian state, with territorial contiguity in Judea and Samaria, turns into a Hamas state?
Mansour Abbas and the Lebanonization of Israel
The Islamic Movement in Israel is a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, the ideological hothouse that spawned such organizations as Hamas, al-Qaeda, ISIS, and various other Sunni jihadist groups that reject Israel’s right to exist. Giving the Islamic Movement a kosher stamp of approval sets Israel on the same destructive path trod by Lebanon ever since Hezbollah became part of that country.
Armenia Getting Closer to Iran After US Sanctions Russia More Intensively
Where Iran and Armenia traded $350 million worth of goods in 2021, the expectation is that this figure will rise to $1 billion this year.
Mordechai Kedar: What’s Next for Saudi Arabia?
In light of the situation in which the kingdom must stand up to external challenges - principally an Iranian threat to the territorial integrity of Saudi Arabia - it is not clear whether the population of the kingdom will indeed lend strong support to the leadership of the ruling family.
No Longer United Against Israel: The New Arab World
The Arab states are no longer a single bloc opposing Israel but are divided into two coalitions. One is on Iran’s side; the other is against it. Israel, which in the past was perceived as the problem, has become part of the solution.
Advice to Western Leaders: Don’t Visit the Middle East
Visits of Western leaders complicate old problems and create new ones, and moreover, the chances that these visits will yield a positive effect or result in a real solution to any problem, is quite low.
The Ministry of Extraneous Affairs
The civil servants at Israel's foreign ministry seem to believe it is their job to shape government policy rather than to be faithful to it.
Double Whammy: New US Envoy for Iranian Affairs
The new US administration’s emerging policy on the Iranian and Palestinian issues flouts the very principles of human rights and civil liberties it seeks to promote.
The Failure of the Palestinian Venture
Palestinian spokesmen have it easy: they just have to blame Israel for their failure. It's convenient and it provides an explanation that the West will buy, because the West doesn't have a deep understanding of the problems of the Middle East. The truth of the matter is, there never was a chance for the Palestinian Authority to succeed, because of the innate problems that stem from the nature of the political culture of the Middle East. We will focus on a few of them.
US and Israel Prepare for Iranian Revenge
{Reposted from the BESA website}
On January 20, 2021, President Donald Trump is slated to exit the scene and perhaps even the stage of history—but...