Politics

Gilbert Achcar on the impact of 9/11

"The Iraq War shattered the promise of a new world order"

The attacks of 11 September 2001 fundamentally altered US foreign policy and triggered a series of wars that have reshaped the Middle East. 25 years on, Gilbert Achcar reflects on the US response to 9/11 and its enduring impact on the region.
By Jannis Hagmann
Taliban in Afghanistan

Power consolidated, society reshaped

In the five years since regaining power, the Taliban have cemented their rule in Afghanistan, bringing armed conflict in the country to a relative lull. Their ambitions go beyond maintaining control: they are seeking to transform the country from the bottom up.
By Nabila Lalee
Death sentence for Bashar al-Assad

Justice cannot be rushed

The abrupt verdict against Bashar al-Assad is a missed opportunity for justice. A genuine trial could have documented the full extent of his crimes and given survivors a platform to tell their stories.
By Rime Allaf
Turkey's Süleymancı community

The cost of staying outside Erdoğan's orbit

The Süleymancı religious movement has long resisted being drawn into Erdoğan's Sunni conservative coalition. Now the state is accusing the group of financial crimes. Salim Çevik examines the crackdown, the community's political history and its ties to Germany.
By Salim Çevik
General Amnesty Law

A solution to Lebanon's prison crisis?

Thousands of inmates in Lebanon are held in overcrowded prisons under appalling conditions, many without a final verdict. A proposed law promises relief, but political and sectarian rivalries stand in the way.
By Abdalla Najjar
Denaturalisation

Kuwait is stripping its leading intellectuals of citizenship

Up to 300,000 people in Kuwait have lost their citizenship in the last two years. What the authorities describe as a "correction" is leaving stars of the national cultural scene stateless. Among them is Talib al-Rifai, the "father of the Kuwaiti novel".
By Abdulrahman Afif
Syria after Assad

Striking deals with the old elites

The HTS regime presents itself as the "liberator of Syria" while collaborating with key figures from the Assad era. Instead of conducting a thorough reckoning with the past, the new elites are consolidating power with the help of the old.
By Monzer Haider
Saudi sports policy

The limits of Saudi Arabia's football ambitions

Saudi Arabia has emerged as an influential player in the politics of international sports, particularly football. The 2034 World Cup will be hosted by the Kingdom, but war in the Gulf could be jeopardising its ambitious goals.
By Sebastian Sons
Israeli filmmaker Netalie Braun

"There's room for everyone between the river and the sea"

What does it take to make anti-militarist cinema in a country where, as Netalie Braun puts it, the army "resides in the DNA of society"? In this interview, she discusses navigating censorship, boycotts and the challenges of imagining peace amid violence.
By Tamar Ziff
Clan elections

How families are filling Gaza’s leadership void

Amid a catastrophic institutional vacuum, extended families are assuming an unprecedented role in Gaza. Across the Strip, Palestinian clans are holding elections to ensure they are taken into account by aid organisations. Meanwhile, some have political ambitions.
By Mohamed Solaimane
Syria after Assad

Promises of the revolution remain unfulfilled

Since December 2024, Syria has been oscillating between euphoria and disappointment. The British-Syrian analyst Robin Yassin-Kassab sees optimism as a resource, but the new government’s focus on stability as a potential pitfall.
By Robin Yassin-Kassab
War in Lebanon

Bint Jbeil – portrait of a decimated city

The Israeli army is demolishing entire towns in Lebanon, and with them, the rich history of the Shiite region in the country's south. The beleaguered town of Bint Jbeil offers a primer to the border region’s turbulent past.
By Joseph Croitoru