Politics

Syria's ''National Coalition''

Support for the Moderate Forces

Instead of continuing to complain about the radicalization and militarization of the initially peaceful popular uprising, the time has come for the West to act. The National Coalition offers a transitional alternative to the Assad regime – and it needs our support. By Kristin Helberg
By Kristin Helberg
Erdogan's Authoritarian Drift

Retreat from Democratic Achievements

In the past decade, there were three kinds of Islamist governments: absolute monarchies in the Gulf region, the Mullah dictatorship in Iran and the freely elected government of Prime Minister Erdogan in Turkey. How he is running his country is setting an example for the entire region. But experts believe that his authoritarian leanings are beginning to prevail. By Peter Hauff
By Peter Hauff
The Egyptian President's Power Gain

Morsi Cannot Govern Against His People

When Mohammed Morsi assumed his presidential duties six months ago, he was derided as a "spare tyre". Now Time Magazine is running a front-page story on the man it calls "the most important man in the Middle East". But despite his burgeoning power, Morsi will not be able to govern in a way that ignores the interests and concerns of a highly politicised nation. Commentary by Thomas Demmelhuber
By Thomas Demmelhuber
Political Power Struggle in Egypt

Deeply Divided

Demonstrations for and against Egyptian President Morsi took place this weekend in Cairo. Egyptians face the uneasy choice of supporting a constitutional draft or starting the process over from the beginning. Matthias Sailer reports from Cairo
By Matthias Sailer
Palestinian UN Initiative

A Positive Step

No one can expect the Palestinians to wait for all eternity for their own state, while Israel's rightwing government uses settlement expansion to create its own version of the facts. A commentary by René Wildangel
By René Wildangel
Morsi Expands Executive Power in Egypt

I Am the State!

After his diplomatic success in Gaza, President Mohammed Morsi has begun to move against the judiciary and expand his power in Egypt, all with the support of the military. The opposition has taken to the streets. By Naomi Conrad
By Naomi Conrad
Iraqi-American Relations

Obama in Descent

Obama's re-election did not exactly spark a wave of enthusiasm in Iraq. Many Iraqis are disappointed that the US President failed to keep the promises he once made for the country on the Tigris River. The Maliki government's attempts to curry favour with Russia of late have also cast a pall on Iraq's relationship with the USA. An update from Baghdad by Birgit Svensson
By Birgit Svensson
Capital Punishment Returns to the Turkish Agenda

A Message to Europe, a Warning to Kurds

Recent remarks by Turkish Prime Minister Erdoğan that Turkey might consider reintroducing the death penalty are not only indicative of the dire state of Turkish-EU relations. The move has also been perceived as a way of blackmailing almost 700 pro-Kurdish hunger strikers, whose protest has just been brought to an end. Fatma Kayabal reports from Istanbul
By Fatma Kayabal
Israel and the Gaza Crisis

Trapped in the Language of Force

Lev Grinberg, Professor of Political Sociology at the Ben Gurion University in Tel Aviv, says Israeli intervention in the Gaza conflict is short-sighted. Exclusive recourse to military force blocks opportunities for peaceful negotiations in the long-term, and plays politically into the hands of Hamas, he says
By Lev Grinberg
The Gaza Conflict in the Wake of the Arab Spring

The Regional Powers' New Confidence

Egypt and Turkey, two regional powers in the Middle East, are getting actively involved in the Gaza conflict. Not only have they condemned Israel's attacks on Gaza, they are also looking for a long-term ceasefire solution. This is creating a new regional diplomacy and reconfiguring the relationship between the region and Europe and the USA, writes Karim El-Gawhary
By Karim El-Gawhary
Interview with Hassan Abu Haniyya

The Muslim Brothers' Rigid Structures

According to the Jordanian Islamism expert Hassan Abu Haniyya, the Muslim Brotherhood is still adhering to structures developed in the early 20th century by the movement's founder Hassan al-Banna. This, Haniyya says, blocks the organisation's evolution and at the same time encourages breakaway tendencies. Emad Ghanim spoke to him
By Emad M. Ghanim
Egypt and the Gaza Crisis

Mounting Pressure on President Morsi

After the Israeli attacks on Gaza, Egypt's President Mohammed Morsi is under increasing pressure to balance domestic and international expectations. The anger among Egyptians over Israel and the US could even force Morsi to insist on renegotiating the peace treaty with Tel Aviv. By Matthias Sailer
By Matthias Sailer