Iran’s shadow war
Israelis are defending themselves against Tehran’s foreign legions
Arab League
Bashar Al Assad Must Pay
Arab leaders have welcomed Syria back into the diplomatic fold, but the U.S. Congress remains committed to holding the regime of Bashar al Assad accountable for a decade of atrocities. In...
Op-eds
Meet the U.S.-Funded Force Behind Lebanon’s Refugee Crackdown
The Biden administration’s Lebanon policy ends up propping up the very order it claims to oppose.
Op-eds
The New Saudi State Sets Off Into Uncharted Geopolitical Waters
Far from being uncooperative, Saudi Arabia under MBS is playing precisely the regional role that Obama and Biden have long demanded—only more so
Op-eds
IRGC Turning Commercial Ships Into “Floating Terror Bases”
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has been covertly converting commercial ships into launch platforms for missiles, drones, and commando raids, Israel disclosed on May...
Flash Briefs
The Arab League’s Misguided Faith in Bashar al-Assad
The organization has lifted his suspension based on promises he’s unlikely to keep.
Op-eds
Bashar al-Assad is back
And the Arab League’s got him
Op-eds
Israel’s 75th birthday
Despite endless war, the Jewish state survives and even thrives
Op-eds
Jordan Carries Out Rare Strike in Syria Against the Assad-Backed Narco-Trade
Jordan carried out airstrikes in southern Syria on Monday morning targeting a prominent drug lord and a narcotics factory in nearby Daraa province. Jordanian airstrikes in Syria are extremely rare and...
Policy Briefs
Unrepentant, Unreformed Syrian Regime Returns to Arab League
Twelve years after it suspended Syria for the violent suppression and torture of peaceful protesters, the League of Arab States welcomed Syria back to the fold on May 7, just weeks...
Flash Briefs
Iran Intensifies Ties with Syria
Tehran and Damascus signed long-term cooperation agreements related to oil and other sectors on May 3 during a visit to Syria by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. The deals marked...
Flash Briefs
Assad Will Return to Arab League Summit, Courtesy of Saudi Invite
Saudi Arabia, which will host the annual Arab League summit next month, plans to invite Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to attend the gathering in Riyadh. The pending invitation marks a major reversal in Saudi policy and a milestone for Assad as he seeks diplomatic rehabilitation despite his ongoing atrocities. According to Reuters, which first reported the news, Prince Faisal, the Saudi foreign minister, will travel to Damascus in the coming weeks to personally deliver the invitation.
Flash Briefs
Lawmakers, Former Top Officials Offer Bipartisan Rebuke of Biden’s Syria Policy
Earlier today, an open letter to President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned the administration’s passive response to Arab governments’ accelerating normalization...
Flash Briefs
When will Saudi Arabia Sign Peace with Israel?
Saudi Arabia's new policy, Vision 2030, requires a newer foreign policy on Palestinians
Op-eds
Neither Here Nor There
Jordan and the Abraham Accords
Memos
Algeria Leads Campaign to Rehabilitate Assad Regime
While visiting Damascus to meet with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra called on Monday for Syria’s return to the Arab League. Lamamra’s trip to Damascus is...
Policy Briefs
The Ruthless Realpolitik of the United Arab Emirates
Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed has cozied up to Bashar al-Assad, and relations with the U.S. are at an all-time low.
Op-eds
US unreliability makes regional allies cautious on Ukraine
As Europe led the world in denouncing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and imposing sanctions on Moscow, America followed, while its Middle Eastern allies did not. Arab countries and Israel voiced concern...
Op-eds
Taiwan 194
Emulating the Palestinians to Advocate Internationally for Taiwan and to Counter China
Memos
Investors Should Demand Transparency From ESG Research Firms
End-of-year data show that in 2021, investment surged in stocks rated positively by financial research firms on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria, which include an ever-growing list of...