Qatar: no U-turns, no surprises Since our posting of 2 July Qatar under the new ruling Amir Tamim bin Hamad has taken no striking initiatives, though it has shown no sign of withdrawing from the forward foreign policies of the previous Amir Hamad bin Khalifa.
Hizbullah: tiling the sea Our posting of 11 June outlined the formation of Hizbullah in the early 1980s to resist the Israeli occupation and the two roles it now claims, championing the Shia in Lebanese politics and defending Lebanon against Israeli aggression.
Kerry announces talks The US Secretary of State John Kerry announced on 19 July as he concluded his sixth quickfire visit to the region that “we have reached an agreement that establishes a basis for resuming direct final status negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis…
Jordan: the impact of Egypt Well over half a million refugees from Syria are placing an enormous burden on Jordan’s resources. This follows the impact of refugees from Iraq after the 2003 invasion, reportedly about three quarters of a million (Jordan’s population is just over 6 million).
Saudi Arabia: external The revolutionary developments in Egypt and the civil war in Syria have obliged Saudi Arabia to take a more forward position in foreign policy than it has traditionally chosen.
