Summary: King Abdullah is unhappy with the state of relations between his country and Israel but hopes for better things after the forthcoming Israeli elections. Jerusalem is what matters most.
Summary: Both Algeria and Tunisia have cause for concern as the war in Libya, fuelled and supported by outside players, continues with no end in sight.
Summary: MBS’s tough handling of tribal leaders and development plans for Saudi mega-project Neom stoke internal criticism and are criticised as capitulation to Israel.
2019 has seen the biggest protests in the MENA region since 2011 together with ongoing wars, escalating tensions and economic and political insecurity.
Summary: the 25th anniversary of the Israel-Jordan peace treaty falls on 26 October but neither side sees much to celebrate. How will the future of the relationship evolve?
Summary: some Arab regimes have continued to develop their relations with Israel despite the latter’s conduct towards the Palestinians. But there’s a limit to how far they will go.
Summary: like other religious minorities, Christians in the MENA region suffer from varying degrees of discrimination and persecution, from a variety of sources. HMG’s response.
Summary: importance of poetry in the Arab world, including the poetry of abuse. Social media and hate speech.
Summary: The Fourth Industrial Revolution impacts on every country in the Arab world but policymaking in response to new fintech like blockchain and cryptocurrencies varies widely.
Summary: the boundaries of Arab states, mainly drawn by colonial powers, have shown remarkable durability. In some instances, these boundaries have been challenged but such challenges have generally failed to change the map of the region.
