The War in Sudan—with Amira Ahmed and Manuel Schwab: CR Amplified ep. 2

By Abigail Flynn /

The war in Sudan is entering its second year. In 2019, Sudan witnessed a massive popular revolution that ousted its former president, Omar al-Bashir, who had ruled for over two decades. Sudanese civilians were key in bringing down al-Bashir and establishing a civilian government in his place. Two armed organizations also played an important role in the revolution: the government’s military, called Sudanese Armed Forces, known as the SAF, and the paramilitary group called the Rapid Support Forces, » Read more about: The War in Sudan—with Amira Ahmed and Manuel Schwab: CR Amplified ep. 2 »

Egypt’s Balancing Act

By Karim Haggag /

Jon Alterman: Karim Haggag, welcome to Babel.
Karim Haggag: Thank you Jon, thank you for having me. It’s great to be with you.
Jon Alterman: Egypt has had a security focus on the Israeli border since the creation of Israel in 1948. Help us understand the context. How does the current Egyptian concern over Gaza rank among the various crises that Egypt has felt on its border with Israel over the last 75 years?
Karim Haggag: This is a fundamentally different challenge than the large-scale armed conflicts that Egypt fought with Israel over the years, » Read more about: Egypt’s Balancing Act »

Another Step Toward Peace: The Lebanon-Israel Maritime Agreement

By Constantinos Yiallourides /

A new deal for Israel and Lebanon promotes security and prosperity and sets a precedent for diplomacy in the Eastern Mediterranean

Building a Seaport in Gaza: Prospects, Challenges, and Opportunities

By Omar Shaban / Summer 2022

A seaport in Gaza would not only be an important economic and developmental leap forward for Palestine, but also an expression of its unity and sovereignty. To achieve this, there are multiple options available, each with its own unique set of challenges and opportunitie.

Managing Crises, the Least-Bad Option

By Joost Hiltermann / Winter 2022

Conflict management in the MENA region has little chance of succeeding as conflicts increasingly intersect and tensions driven by larger, regional triggers become even more unpredictable

The End of the Road

By Khaled Elgindy / Winter 2022

Why has the two-state solution fallen apart and are there alternative approaches for lasting peace between Israel and Palestine?

Is It Time to Bury the Two-State Solution?

By Hesham Youssef / Winter 2022

While many may be dismissive of the two-state solution, there are no viable alternatives for peace between Israel and Palestine

Framing the Partition Plan for Palestine

By Lorenzo Kamel / Winter 2022

Many different opinions abound concerning Resolution 181, but one fact cannot be denied or overlooked: it was not a solution born out of the “free and sovereign” world states of the time

Erdogan’s Endgame with Egypt

By Salim Çevik / August 6, 2021

Rapprochement with Egypt is a necessary first step for Turkey to break out of its self-induced isolation, but it will require concessions that Erdogan may not be willing to make.

Millions of People Continue to be Forcibly Displaced in Africa

By Maysa Ayoub / Summer 2021

Even though forced displacement is a global crisis, it is no more obvious than in Africa.

This Watershed Moment for the Land(s) between the River and the Sea

By Richard Silverstein / June 21, 2021

The recent war between Israel and Hamas has transformed the moral calculus of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Shifting the Conversation on Palestine

By Nour Odeh / May 28, 2021

Arab states and the world community must counter Israel’s impunity as well as put an end to the profitable occupation enterprise… otherwise it’s another futile ceasefire.

Enough with Words

By Nabil Fahmy / May 17, 2021

It is time that Arab states lead the world community in standing up against Israeli practices which jeopardize the national and human rights of the Palestinian people.

The Rise of the United Arab Emirates

By Abdulkhaleq Abdulla / Spring 2021

By harnessing national confidence, proactively dealing with regional security concerns and exercising geopolitical cooperation, the UAE is positioning itself as a regional powerhouse.

Breaking the Historic Taboo

By Allison Hodgkins / Winter 2021

The only way for Israelis to escape perpetual deadlock is to shatter the taboo on inviting Non-Zionist parties into the government. Like Menachem Begin and the Sinai, Netanyahu may be the one to do it.

Can the Arab Region meet the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030?

By Mourad Wahba / Winter 2021

There are multiple challenges which need to be confronted in both data collection and public policy so that the SDGs can be attained.

Why the Phrase “Arab Spring” Should be Retired

By Sean David Hobbs / Winter 2021

It’s time to stop using a Western-based concept ten years on from the events that began the Arab Uprisings.

Enhancing Mediterranean Integration

By Blanca Moreno-Dodson / Summer 2020

Trade liberalization, human capital development, and sectoral reforms can bring Mediterranean countries closer together.

Will the U.S. Evolve its Foreign Policy from Past Mistakes?

By Sean David Hobbs / Fall 2020

Former U.S. Ambassador and American University in Cairo President Francis Ricciardone evaluates how the United States has dealt with global crises in the 21st century.

Embracing Change: U.S. Foreign Policy Shifts

By Sean David Hobbs / Fall 2020

Former U.S. diplomat and American University in Cairo President Francis Ricciardone discusses whether a Biden win will see a return to a rules based international order.

Resisting the Tide of Bigotry

By Jonathan Weisman / Fall 2020

American Jews are left divided and looking for new directions as Donald Trump embraces the white supremacism of the alt-right and the Zionism of Benjamin Netanyahu

What does a Trump or Biden presidency mean for Israel and Palestine?

By Khaled Elgindy / October 20, 2020

Next month’s election may be instrumental in salvaging what hope remains for a two-state solution.

What the Beirut Blast means for Lebanon’s Refugees

By Ola G. El-Taliawi and Tamirace Fakhoury / September 11, 2020

Inclusive refugee policies and a renewed approach to humanitarian relief will be needed to protect Lebanon’s most vulnerable.

Why Palestinians consider the UAE-Israel Deal a strategic betrayal

By Nour Odeh /

Palestinian anger rises towards the UAE-Israel deal, which is not only a breach of international law, but also perceived as a betrayal of long-standing Arab solidarity with Palestine.

Syria’s Prospects for Reconstruction Are Bleak

By Alexander Decina and Katherine Nazemi /

Hindered by an array of domestic and international obstacles and competing regime priorities, the Syrian government’s efforts to attract regional capital for investment and reconstruction will be insufficient.

The EU and the Med: Is Geography Still Destiny?

By James Moran / Summer 2020

Europe needs to find ways of reinvigorating its relations with MENA countries to bring stability in its southern neighborhood and Mediterranean region.

The Charter of the United Nations After 75 Years: Personal Reflections

By Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf / August 8, 2020

On the 75th anniversary of the Charter of the United Nations, Judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf, President of the International Court of Justice, reflects on the Charter’s world-changing history.

COVID-19 Heightens Stakes for Migrants in the Mediterranean

By Omar Auf /

COVID-19 has exacerbated anti-migration trends in the Mediterranean region, leaving migrants and refugees in increasingly vulnerable positions.

Life Under Lockdown on a Small Island: a Personal Perspective

By Tim Cullen /

One small state’s ability to weather the coronavirus storm by remaining transparent and drawing upon the population’s sense of community.

Reviving Botswana’s Tourism Industry after COVID-19

By Wame L. Hambira /

Countries which depend on tourism as a major revenue source have been struggling in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis.

COVID-19: Isle of Man Response and Issues for the Future for Small States

By Mark Shimmin /

“There are decades where nothing happens, and there are weeks where decades happen.” Vladimir Lenin

Urban-Rural Disconnect: COVID-19 and Sustainability

By David Dumke and Thomas L. Crisman and Zachary S. Winters /

The Urban-Rural Disconnect and how COVID-19 is influencing the Nexus of water, energy and food.

Annexation Makes No Policy Sense

By Daniel C. Kurtzer / June 15, 2020

The fors and againsts of the West Bank’s annexation.

Challenges to Migration Governance in the Arab Region

By Amina Abdel-Halim / June 3, 2020

Since its endorsement in 2018, a wealth of challenges have delayed the full implementation of the Global Compact for Migration in the Arab region.

Deconstructing Fukuyama

By Ibrahim Awad / Spring 2020

Taking apart the arguments of division that underscore the populist movements emerging in today’s liberal democracies

How Will the Coronavirus Crisis Affect Africa’s Developmental Focus?

By Magda Shahin /

Mitigating the effects of the coronavirus in Africa and implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area go hand-in-hand.

Thunderbolt Hitting the Land

By Nasser Alkidwa /

An uncertain future looms as Palestine and Israel attempt to mitigate the onslaught of COVID-19.

COVID-19 Impact on Africa Elections

By Arnaud Oulepo /

The pandemic is forcing African states to choose between holding elections on time and postponing them for safety. The risks run both ways.

Neither East Nor West

By Nanjala Nyabola /

As the Covid-19 response of powerful states like the U.S. and China falters, it is also failing regions on the margins of great power politics, like Africa. It is time weaker states take a long look at their dependence on the world’s juggernauts for their own security.

Strategic Actors in Libya

By Sydney Wise /

Political Scientist Lisa Anderson explores how the local players in the Libyan conflict affect the decision-making of states, both in North Africa and beyond.

A Future Filled With Pathogens

By Dahr Jamail /

The combination of a worsening climate crisis and ongoing human encroachment on the wilds will bring more pandemics.

Learning from Mistakes in Pandemic Response

By Sydney Wise / March 20, 2020

As long as humans have interacted with one another, we have assumed the risk of communicating disease; the question is, have we learned from past experiences enough to minimize future risk?

Mobilizing Against Trump’s “Vision”

By Sean David Hobbs /

Former Palestinian Foreign Affairs Minister Nasser Alkidwa explains the ways Palestinians are contesting the Trump plan for peace and how the Trump deal caters only to extremists on the Israeli and American right

The “Deal” of the Century?

By Nabil Fahmy / February 12, 2020

The Trump plan imposes Israeli security and economic control over a self-autonomous Palestinian entity.

The Middle East Reacts to Trump’s ‘Deal of the Century’

By Sydney Wise / January 30, 2020

Hours after U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled his plan for Israeli-Palestinian peace, the reactions of key regional figures ranged from hopeful to enraged.

The Country to City Continuum

By Audrey Lodes /

Government leaders and public policy experts attended the Regional Workshop on Strengthening Migration Governance Across the Rural Urban Continuum.

Libya’s Dangerous Political Stalemate

By Riccardo Redaelli / October 8, 2019

Until now, most of the external actors involved in Libya relied on a Cold-War “zero sum game theory”, based on the dichotomic vision amicus/hostis (friend/enemy) of classical realpolitik. It is time this changes.

The End for Netanyahu?

By Dan Perry / September 19, 2019

After a murky election Netanyahu might be out and Gantz might be in, but it is Lieberman who is set to be kingmaker.

Reconstruction as a political-economy issue: The case of Syria

By Samir Aita / September 18, 2019

There can be no meaningful separation between state-building, peace-building, and revival at the end of a conflict, especially as post-conflict state institutions are the only apparatus which can be somewhat directly or indirectly accountable toward their populations for the management of the country.