China-Iran partnership: ‘The enemy of my enemy’
Renewed relations between China and Iran serve as a stark reminder to U.S. policymakers that aggression toward our adversaries may generate more problems than solutions. Continue Reading
Middle East
Update on “The End of the Largest Resettlement Program in the World?”
The U.S.— the wealthiest nation in the world — should not shirk its responsibilities toward refugees by ending the world’s largest resettlement program. Continue Reading
Is there a practical roadmap for Trump’s Israeli-Palestinian plan?
Though it is unfortunate for both sides, the Trump plan will shape the negotiation process for years to come … At this juncture, only Palestinian engagement can stave off the direst consequences of the Trump plan. Continue Reading
The ‘New’ Saudi Arabia, Where Taxes Triple And Benefits Get Cut
Leveraging a crash in oil revenue, the Saudi government has quickly imposed unprecedented changes to the way it raises cash, by raising taxes and slashing subsidies in ways Saudi citizens once considered unthinkable. Continue Reading
Trump’s “Deal of the Century”: Major flaws awaiting a new government in Israel
Once the Covid-19 pandemic has subsided, the new Israeli government will face serious flaws in, among other things, the territorial dimensions of President Trump’s “Deal of the Century” — namely, the drawing of borders, the enclaves, the territorial exchanges and the annexation of large parts of the West Bank. Continue Reading
Religion, politics and the spread of Covid-19 in the Middle East
The risks associated with the Covid-19 pandemic in the Middle East are not confined to the immediate health effects; they will also have severe repercussions on already collapsing economies in several Mideast countries, and on the millions of displaced individuals who have fled regions affected by war. Continue Reading
The United States and Iran: On the brink?
The killing of Qassem Suleimani marks an important – and fraught – moment in the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran. The stage is set for an ugly tit-for-tat that risks escalation, with Iran acting through its proxies in the Middle East. Continue Reading