Category Archives: Middle East

The U.S. and the Muslim Brotherhood

Posted on May 15, 2019 by

  I am delighted to contribute, for the second time, to the Carnegie Middle East’s Diwan, in its regular surveys in matters related to Middle East politics and security. This time the question was: What impact would U.S. designation of … Continue reading →

Posted in Middle East, Short Comments, Terrorism | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The time is not ripe for a “deal of the century”

Posted on May 1, 2019 by

Ahead of Jared Kushner, the senior advisor to President Donald Trump, speech at the Washington Institute, in which he will discuss the Trump administration’s Middle East peace effort, here is my piece on why Kushner plan is doomed to fail. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Egypt, Israel, Middle East, Palestine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Twitter Thread: Executions in Saudi Arabia

Posted on April 24, 2019 by

The execution of 37 men convicted of terror-related crimes in Saudi Arabia has triggered many angry responses, here is twitter thread by Professor Firas Maksad, the director of Arabia foundation that shed more light on the motive behind those executions … Continue reading →

Posted in Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Twitter Thread | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

What after the Pope’s visit to the UAE?

Posted on February 18, 2019 by

  Pope Francis and A-Azhar Grand Imam in UAE “Your family could not find an Arabic name for you?” My teacher looked at me with disdain as he was trying to prnounce my “foreign” name, “Nervana.” Moving to a public … Continue reading →

Posted in Egypt, Middle East, UAE | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Twitter Thread: Iraqi Kurdistan and Turkey

Posted on January 26, 2019 by

In a rare event, angry crowd stormed a Turkish military camp in Iraq’s Kurdish region near the city of Dohuk. I herewith include few tweets that explain the background of this incident .  Hundreds of people in the Kurdistan Region’s #Shiladze region … Continue reading →

Posted in Middle East, Turkey, Twitter Thread | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Syria and the Arab Return

Posted on January 7, 2019 by

  By the end of 2018, the Syrian–Arab relations witnessed a new beginning. The UAE announced the re-opening of its embassy in Damascus, while Bahrain said its diplomatic mission in Syria had been operating “without interruption.” Other sources also expect … Continue reading →

Posted in Middle East, Syria, Turkey, UAE | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Twitter Thread: The Washington Post, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen’s Houthis

Posted on November 11, 2018 by

The Washington Post has decided to publish an opinion piece by Yemen’s Houthi militia Mohammed Ali al-Houthi. That decision, however has triggered fierce criticism on Twitter. Here are few examples:      Opinion | Houthi leader: We want peace for … Continue reading →

Posted in Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Yemen | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Saudi Arabia and the challenges of Khashoggi’s murder

Posted on November 5, 2018 by

The brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi has triggered dangerous repercussions for Saudi Arabia. Following the country’s formal admission of killing Khashoggi inside its consulate in Istanbul, Saudi Arabia has hoped the crisis triggered by his brutal murder will gradually … Continue reading →

Posted in Best Read, Middle East, Politics, Saudi Arabia | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Reading list: Saudi Journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s Disappearance

Posted on October 15, 2018 by

13 days ago, prominent Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi has disappeared after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. His case has provoked a global outcry. Here is a collection of articles, which I think are worth reading about his mysterious disppearance  … Continue reading →

Posted in Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Turkey | Leave a comment

Turkish citizenship is for sale, but will Arabs buy in?

Posted on September 24, 2018 by

    If you are rich and want to acquire Turkish citizenship, then congrats, your wish has come true. Turkey has significantly eased requirements for acquiring Turkish citizenship. The new regulations reduce the limits for fixed capital investments to acquire Turkish citizenship, … Continue reading →

Posted in Middle East, Turkey | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment