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Time to join forces

The well-known Syrian opposition figure and journalist Michel Kilo believes that only a national alliance of all rebel groups can break the terrorism perpetrated by the organisation Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) and the Assad regime

Fighting oppression and censorship

Syrian writers in exile have founded a new association. Their aim is to continue their country's rich literary tradition and to use the pen to fight for political and cultural change and freedom of speech in Syria. By Joseph Croitoru

Beloved enemy

The friendship between an Israeli intelligence officer and his Palestinian informant makes for an explosive subject. Film director Yuval Adler takes up the theme in his gripping thriller "Bethlehem". Annabelle Steffes watched the film

Unpicking the Hatred

The unusual film "Zaytoun" tells of the complex and unlikely friendship between a Palestinian refugee and an Israeli fighter pilot, and of the gradual consolidation of mutual trust on an ideological minefield. By Volker Kaminski

''God Is Not an Estate Agent''

In "A World not Ours", Danish-Palestinian filmmaker Mahdi Fleifel portrays for years the refugee camp Ain el-Helweh in Southern Lebanon, from where his family originates and where his grandfather still lives. Interview by Igal Avidan

Defending the Assad kingdom

According to renowned Syrian-born writer Rafik Schami, Assad's survival concept is quite straightforward: to keep his clan in power at any price. He is being aided in this endeavour by the West's indecisiveness towards his regime. Interview conducted by Eren Güvercin

Plea for a wide-angled view of the Arab world

In spite of all the hysteria surrounding IS, the terrorist militia is just one symptom of a changing region where repressive despots and militant Islamists are rising up once again and goading each other on. An essay by Karim El-Gawhary

Traded like cattle

Amsha is a young Yazidi woman and mother who was abducted by IS and sold to an armed fighter from the city of Mosul. She told Qantara.de the horrific story of her 25-day captivity at the hands of IS and her successful escape. By Karim El-Gawhary in Dohuk

Demonised and eternally misunderstood

Their persecution by Islamic State has put the Yazidis in the international spotlight. In her book on the Yazidis, Birgul Acikyildiz provides insights into the culture and faith of this endangered community. By Ulrich von Schwerin

Are we arming the right people?

We are told that the Kurds saved the Yazidis from IS terrorists, but the truth is far more complex than that. Yazidis also suffer frequent discrimination in Kurdish areas. Who can guarantee that German weapons will not one day be turned on this minority? By Patrick Franke