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Ralph Ghadban on Iran"The Islamic Republic is rooted in society"
Whether through appeasement or escalation, the West keeps making the same mistake with Iran, argues Islamic studies scholar Ralph Ghadban: it fails to recognise the regime's radical Shia ideological foundations.
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Israeli activist Yuli Novak"The system is based on violence"
In this interview, the head of Israeli NGO B’Tselem discusses the increasingly boundless violence in the region and argues that defending Palestinian rights is defending human rights worldwide. She urges Germany to lead in upholding international law.
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Jewish community in Syria"One day we’ll drive from Damascus to Jerusalem"
The fall of Assad has prompted the return of millions of Syrians, including a small Jewish minority. Under Henry Hamra, son of the country’s last chief rabbi, they are asking whether a lasting return is possible.
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Opposition figure Behrouz Farahani"The war has frozen Iran's protest movements"
The Iran war stems from two reactionary forces, the hegemonic ambitions of Iran’s Shia establishment and the Israeli vision of reshaping the Middle East, says Behrouz Farahani. A ceasefire is urgent, he argues, and real change must come from within.
Politics
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Iran WarWill the Gulf states stand together?
Hard hit by Iranian attacks, the business model of the Gulf states is under attack. Yet they are far from defenceless: with coordination—and unity—they could establish themselves as powerful agents of change.
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Attacks on IranDid the Saudis want this war?
Saudi Arabia's calculations in the Iran war may be different from what many assume. Rockets and drones are flying towards Doha, Dubai and even Riyadh—yet the kingdom could still see opportunities in the conflict.
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Interview with Karl-Otto Zentel, General Secretary of CARE DeutschlandYemen – what is the world waiting for?
With the latest round of peace talks aimed at ending the war in Yemen underway in Sweden, Karl-Otto Zentel, General Secretary of CARE Deutschland, gives his own assessment of the civil war and the chances for peace. Interview by Carsten Gruen
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Turkey and the Gulen movementErdogan seizes the school initiative
Since the attempted coup in Turkey, President Erdogan has been pressing foreign nations to hand over schools run by the Gulen movement. Although many countries have entrusted control of the schools to the Turkish Maarif Foundation, the controversial movement continues to enjoy protection. By Ulrich von Schwerin
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"Islamic State" in IraqBeware the jihadist hydra
Kurdish peshmerga in Iraq say that IS is rising like a phoenix from the ashes. The organisation is re-grouping to fill the void left by its quarrelling adversaries. Judit Neurink reports from Irbil and Mosul
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Sisi's self-defeating security planA bloody year in Sinai
The Egyptian government has intensified its military campaign in the Sinai peninsula with the aim of finally shutting down a jihadist insurgency linked to IS. Hundreds may have died, but the insurgency continues with no end in sight. By Tom Stevenson
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Birgit Svensson's biographical account "Murderous Freedom"Between heaven and hell – fifteen years in Iraq
Journalist Birgit Svensson arrived in Iraq in 2003 and never left, enjoying the dubious status of being the only German-language reporter in the country for much of the time since. Recently published in German, "Moerderische Freiheit" recounts her experiences, offering insights into Iraq that go beyond terrorism and war. By Christopher Resch
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Authoritarian reinstatement in the Arab worldWhatʹs left of the Arab Spring
Not much remains of the euphoric mood and the hopes that drove the Arab Spring. A return to pre-2011 conditions is however out of the question. Commentary by Loay Mudhoon
Society
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Palestinians in EgyptTime to return to Gaza?
In Egypt, Palestinians displaced by war in Gaza face a painful dilemma: return to their families and a devastated homeland or remain in limbo without residency. Medical needs, financial hardship and border fears make the decision fraught.
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Culture in GermanyThe politics of neutrality
This year’s Berlinale highlighted the tensions between art and supposedly neutral institutions. But state-funded cultural bodies don't operate outside politics; they set the terms of debate. Greater transparency about how boundaries are drawn could strengthen trust.
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Germanyʹs Ahmadiyya community"Integration is the least of our problems"
Recently some 45,000 Muslims of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat met for their annual peace conference, the so-called "Jalsa Salana". Nermin Ismail attended the meeting of the Islamic reform movement in Karlsruhe
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Youth unemployment in the Arab worldMENA's generation jobless
A lack of jobs and bleak social prospects for young people in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are undermining the political stability of what is already a deeply troubled region. The problem cannot be solved by simply modernising education and labour markets. By Nassir Djafari
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Women's self-help project "Amal" in MoroccoThe single mothers of Marrakesh
Single mothers in Morocco still experience social discrimination today. They upset the traditional image of the nuclear family, although that has long since become outdated. The "Amal" project in Marrakesh supports theses mothers, who are often among the poorest members of society. By Claudia Mende
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Interview with extremism researcher Dalia Ghanem-Yazbeck"Being part of a ʹcommunityʹ transcends everything"
Attending this yearʹs Vienna International Christian University, Algerian extremism researcher Dr. Dalia Ghanem-Yazbeck, resident scholar at the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut, talked to Zahra Nedjabat about the role of women in jihadism, the roots of violent radicalisation and possible antidotes
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Mr. Erbil Gentlemanʹs ClubThe Kurdish hipsters are in town
The fashion bloggers of "Mr. Erbil Gentlemenʹs Club" from Kurdistan are a worldwide success. They wish to tell the true story of life in their homeland. At the invitation of the German Foreign Office, they came to Berlin for a visit. By Annette Walter
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More humanity post-Chemnitz#WirSindMehr: "Hostility is the failure of identity"
Insults, violence, attacks on refugee centres. Is this the answer of an enlightened, democratic society, shaped by human and humane values? Fereshta Ludin, high school teacher and former refugee, calls us all to account
Culture
More about Culture-
Ramadan TV specialsSyrian drama after Assad
Television dramas are a Ramadan staple in Syria. This year, for the first time, viewers watched series written in a post-Assad era, some confronting past trauma, others offering satirical critique, sparking fierce debate over how the country's stories should be told.
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Syed Muhammad Naquib al-AttasA life rethinking the foundations of knowledge
Malaysian philosopher and polymath Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas has died aged 94. A lifelong critic of Western intellectual dominance, his work has shaped debates on modernity and education across the Muslim world.
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Pakistani crime writer Omar Shahid HamidA nexus of crime
Whatever the reason for Pakistan′s biggest city not being chosen more often as the setting of great crime fiction, it cannot be for a lack of material. The suspense-packed Karachi novels by former anti-terrorism cop Omar Shahid Hamid mesmerise and disturb at the same time, revealing a complex web of relationships, where ″justice″ becomes a highly relative notion. Thomas Baerthlein met the author in London, where he currently lives and works
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Interview with the Saudi author Alhanoof AldegheishemTraces of the unknown
The Saudi Arabian dentist Alhanoof Aldegheishem wrote her first novel ″Frāībūrġ. riqqatu l-cuzla″, which roughly translates as ′Freiburg – sweet loneliness′, during a long research residency in Germany. In it, she describes how her own perspective changed and developed through her exposure to a foreign culture and the challenges she faced along the way. Interview by Hussein Gaafar
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Cartoon museum in Egypt"Provisions" for travellers to Tunis Village
A cartoon museum in rural Egypt preserves a cultural heritage and opens up new prospects for the villagers. By Sameh Fayez
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Novelist and critic Elias KhouryThe nightmare of reality
The Lebanese novelist and critic, Elias Khoury, examines the nature of writing in a world rent repeatedly by violence and vicious conflict – and finds hope
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French films on terrorShould this be shown?
Fictional depictions of terrorism are sometimes a little too close to reality. After the horrific attack in Nice, two films, "Bastille Day" and "Made in France," fuel the debate on the media's role in glorifying terror. By Jochen Kürten
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Book review: Muhammad Zafzaf′s ″Elusive Fox″One rule for them
Translated into English for the first time, Zafzaf′s novel plunges the reader into the free-living, free-loving culture of the Moroccan fringe during the hippie era – and examines the relative nature of freedom. Marcia Lynx Qualey read the book
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