Essays

ASEAN: An Unexpected Success Story

Spring 2018

Against all odds, the ten-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, has grown into one of the most viable and successful regional organizations in the world.

The New Age of Renewable Energy

By Jeffrey Ball

Winter 2018

Renewable energy is moving from niche to mainstream markets. One of the clearest signs yet: the Middle East is embracing it. Can a transformation still in its infancy grow into a full-blown energy revolution?

Kirkuk’s Oil Chessboard

By Ellen R. Wald

Winter 2018

ISIS, the Kurdistan Regional Government, the Iraqi government, and numerous other regional and international players have all vied for control of Kirkuk’s oil. But the struggle to rule this commodity has become a political chess game stretching across northern Iraq and beyond.

Russia’s New Energy Gamble

By Bruno Maçães

Winter 2018

Russia aims to position itself as a leader among energy-producing equals in Eurasia. Since 2015, Russia has sought to play a more active role in the Middle East, setting its sights on the region’s energy resources to achieve this strategic goal.

Egypt Re-Energized: An Industry Report

By Dianne Sutherland

Winter 2018

As new discoveries of natural gas deposits are made in Egypt and an interest in renewable energy resources arises, this industry report forecasts good times ahead for the North African country.

A New Kingdom of Saud?

By Adel Abdel Ghafar

Winter 2018

Saudi Arabia is undergoing a massive transformation with all eyes set on the “Vision 2030” plan. How successful will the country be in reshaping its future?

The Widening Saudi–Iran Divide

By Seyed Hossein Mousavian

Winter 2018

The conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran marks a deepening division between regional powers and international hegemons in the Persian Gulf. The Saudis and Iranians have to learn to cooperate or risk further confrontation.

Creators Meet Censors

By Joseph Fahim

Winter 2018

Since the 2011 uprising, the freedom and mood of Egyptian cinema and television have changed considerably. A story of the growing standoff between creators and censorship in post-2011 Egyptian drama.

Flawed Diplomacy in Libya

By Elissa Miller and Karim Mezran

Winter 2018

For years, many actors have tried to mediate peace efforts for the Libyan crisis, but instead of an end to hostilities, conflicts remain.

India’s Teflon Man

By Michael Kugelman

Winter 2018

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi may be a global pop star, but at home he
is struggling. Yet, despite many domestic challenges and crises, he has managed
to maintain his popularity in India.

Lord Balfour’s Burden

By Mahmoud Abbas

Fall 2017

A century ago, the Balfour Declaration paved the way for the creation of a Jewish homeland in Palestine. The President of the State of Palestine asks the United Kingdom’s government to apologize for a document that set off a century of suffering and dispossession for the Palestinian people.

Israel at a Crossroads

By Shlomo Ben Ami

Fall 2017

Israel’s occupation of the West bank raises the question of whether the Jewish state wants peace. Fifty years later, apartheid policies pose a threat not only to the future of the Palestinian people, but also of Israeli democracy.

Palestine and the Law of Nations

By Nabil Elaraby

Fall 2017

The United nations holds a “sacred trust” to establish Palestinian statehood and independence. Yet repeated failures to enforce decisions against Israel’s occupation have shaken the credibility of international law and the universal human rights it upholds.

A European Call for Palestinian Independence

By Miguel Ángel Moratinos

Fall 2017

Europe’s role in the Middle East has evolved from colonial overlord into a partner for peace between Jews and Arabs. European leaders should no longer delay in showing equal respect to Palestinian and Israeli national aspirations: they should recognize Palestinian statehood now.

Global Palestine

By Nasser S. Judeh

Fall 2017

The Arab World should accept responsibility for its leading role in achieving peace in Palestine, but global leaders should remember that the “Palestinian question” remains central to both regional and international relations.

Palestine, an Arab Issue

By Nabil Fahmy

Fall 2017

Arab leaders are confronted by the peace process’ legacy of failure. Today, they face the urgent task of achieving a two-state solution before it is too late.

Waiting for Uncle Sam

By Daniel C. Kurtzer

Fall 2017

For decades, the United States has billed itself as an “honest broker” in the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks. Ten principles for renewing confidence in U.S. leadership, and the Arab-Israeli peace process.

Trump’s Toughest Deal

By Khalil Shikaki and Shai Feldman

Fall 2017

President Donald Trump has boasted “We will get this done” on peace in the Middle East. Negotiations between wary Israeli and Palestinian leaders might need a provocative jolt in order to stop the slide toward a “one-state reality.”

A Century’s Legacy of Conflict

By Abdel Monem Said Aly

Fall 2017

Understanding the lessons of a conflict deeply steeped in history is essential to resolving it. The strength of facts on the ground, the futility of “might makes right,” and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict’s persistent role in the region’s instability are all part of a legacy that must be acknowledged to achieve peace.

Peace versus the People

By Khalil Shikaki

Fall 2017

Palestinian and Israeli leaders could never reach an agreement on a permanent peace settlement. But what do public opinion surveys reveal about popular, and increasingly ambivalent, support for the peace process’ promised two-state solution among Palestinians and Israelis?