Politics

- Interview
Arab party Ra'am ahead of Israel's election
"We want to be a party for all citizens"

Mansour Abbas wants his Arab-Islamic party Ra'am to help topple Netanyahu. In this interview, he discusses cooperation with Jewish Israelis, rising crime in Arab communities and why his party wants to govern rather than stay in opposition.
Interview by Lisa Schneider
- Commentary
Israeli election 2026
Damage control

Israel votes on 27 October, with Netanyahu's far-right coalition facing an opposition bloc. Jonathan Shamir argues the opposition offers continuity, not change: it seeks to repair Israel's image, not end the violence or confront Palestinian suffering.
Commentary by Jonathan Shamir
- Interview
Palestinian activist Issa Amro on the West Bank
"Annexation is already a reality"

The West Bank is being carved into isolated enclaves by Israeli settlement expansion, land seizures and escalating attacks on Palestinians. From Hebron, activist Issa Amro discusses the consequences for Palestinian life and the prospects for a Palestinian state.
Interview by Asmaa al-Ghoul
Withdrawal of the anti-ISIS coalition

What next for Iraq after U.S. forces leave?

The withdrawal of U.S.-led coalition forces closes a pivotal chapter in Iraq's recent history. But with regional war now spilling into the country and doubts over the state's ability to assert its authority, the moment's significance is mainly symbolic.
By Lahib Higel, Michael Wahid Hanna
- Interview
Anti-colonialism
"Palestine reveals the limits of international solidarity"

Why do African publics stand so firmly with Palestine while many of their governments court Israel? Algerian researcher Raouf Farrah traces the answer to the continent's anti-colonial past, and to the gap between popular solidarity and state diplomacy.
Interview by Nadia Addezio
German state elections

Migrants face a shifting political reality

The far-right AfD made historic gains in September's state elections, while the Left Party came out on top in Berlin for the first time. Migrants across the country are now considering what the results could mean for their everyday lives and futures.
By Somaya Abdelrahman
- Interview
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.
Interview 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
- Commentary
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.
Commentary 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
- Commentary
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".
Commentary by Abdulrahman Afif