Politics

The left-wing/right-wing alliance of Assad apologists

Disenchantment with the West?

Why do left- and right-wingers in Germany defend Assad′s tyranny? Gunther Orth has some answers
By Günther Orth
Trump recognises Jerusalem as the capital of Israel

Whose idea was that?

With his official recognition of Jerusalem, the U.S. President is not acting in the interests of Jews in his country, but solely with the "blessing" of the Christian fundamentalists who long for the end-time battle, the apocalyptical Armageddon, says Armin Langer in his commentary
By Armin Langer
Politics and the humanitarian situation in Gaza

"War is always possible here"

Is the cautious rapprochement between Hamas and Fatah now under threat following U.S. President Trump’s announcement that Washington will be moving its embassy to Jerusalem? Elisa Rheinheimer-Chabbi spoke to Matthias Schmale, Head of the UN refugee agency for Palestinians in Gaza
By Elisa Rheinheimer
Anti-corruption campaign in Saudi Arabia

The harder they fall?

The most recent wave of arrests in Saudi Arabia would seem to have been motivated by a desire to tackle corruption. Look more closely, however, and it is clear that this move was planned for a long time and is just one of many steps Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman is taking to edge closer to the throne. Tobias Zumbragel analyses recent developments
By Tobias Zumbrägel
Death of Yemeni ex-dictator Ali Abdullah Saleh

Caught in no-man's land

For a week, Ali Abdullah Saleh, the former long-time ruler of Yemen fought against his erstwhile Houthi alliance partners for control of the capital Sanaa – then suddenly he was dead. By Karim El-Gawhary
By Karim El-Gawhary
Islamist extremism in Morocco

Time for a rethink

Despite the hardline approach taken by the Moroccan state over the years in its dealings with Islamist extremists, the Maghreb nation is still viewed as the world's biggest "terrorist exporter". What's going wrong? Answers from Ali Anouzla
By Ali Anouzla
Africa's Muslims

Pawns of the Saudis

Rich Saudis are investing millions in building mosques in Africa. And they are being accused of using radical preachers to destabilise the region. But there has long been much more at stake on the African continent than proselytising. By Gwendolin Hilse
By Gwendolin Hilse
Resolving the crisis in Libya

Another fine mess

How to resolve the conflict in Libya remains one of the most difficult and important questions facing policy-makers today. Given the complex attitudes towards foreign interventions on the ground, we need a clear strategy that will stand up to local, regional and international scrutiny. By Alison Pargeter
By Alison Pargeter
Mosque attack in northern Sinai

Targeting the peacemakers

Openly critical of the culture of violence, the Sufis in northern Sinai have long been a thorn in the side of IS jihadists in the region. This begs the question as to why the Egyptian security forces did not take seriously the threats that were made against the Sufis and the mosque targeted in the recent attack. By Karim El-Gawhary
By Karim El-Gawhary
Saudi-Iranian conflict

Sleepwalking into war

War between Iran and Saudi Arabia would be of no use to anyone, not even to the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Ben Salman in Riyadh or Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran. On the contrary: both men could conceivably find themselves ousted. Yet powerful political factions exist that are intent on warmongering. By Ali Sadrzadeh
By Ali Sadrzadeh
Israel 100 years after Balfour

A case of moral degradation

2 November 2017 marked the centenary of the Balfour Declaration. This document promised to deliver a homeland for the Jews, yet also that "nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine". Has this promise been kept? Political analyst Peter Oborne reports
By Peter Oborne
Criticising Erdogan

Don't romanticise the Kemalist legacy!

The narrative of an "enlightened" and generally democratic Turkey, a country that is currently in the process of being destroyed by Erdogan, should not go unchallenged, says Tayfun Guttstadt
By Tayfun Guttstadt