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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.
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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.
Politics
More about Politics-
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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Iran's Nuclear AmbitionsFear of Mideast Arms Race
As Iran continues to develop its nuclear program, analysts fear that an arms race in the Middle East could begin. If sanctions continue to fail, these analysts say that military action is necessary to prevent this. Bettina Marx reports
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Turkey and the European Union
Turkey Will Not Be Lost to the West
The shift in Turkey's foreign policy orientation towards the Middle East has raised fears that the country could turn away from the West. In his essay, Hüseyin Bagci, professor of international politics at the Technical University of Ankara, explains that despite appearances, the USA and the EU remain Turkey's most important partners
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Interview with Rola Dashti, Member of the Kuwaiti Parliament
"Kuwait Is a Democracy"
In 2007 and 2008 Rola Dashti was listed among the world's 100 most influential Arabs. In 2009 she and three other women become the first women to enter the Kuwaiti parliament. Michele Dunne interviewed the Kuwaiti activist for democratic reform and gender equality
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Iran's Green Movement
Time to Rethink
Iran's opposition movement must draw the lessons of its months of activism since the 2009 election and map a coherent political strategy.
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Parliamentary Elections in Iraq
A Neck-and-Neck Race for Political Power
Two weeks after parliamentary elections in Iraq, people are still waiting for the final results. No clear winner has yet emerged, and parties are still keeping their options open as they consider potential coalition partners. By Nagih Al-Obaidi
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Tahir ul-Qadri's Legal Opinion against Terror
Fatwa Falls on Deaf Ears
In his 600-page legal opinion, the Pakistani Islamic scholar Tahir ul-Qadri castigates Muslim suicide bombers as unbelievers destined for hell. But is his fatwa really an effective way to move extremists to reform? Answers from Albrecht Metzger
Society
More about Society-
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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Interview with Johan Galtung
Missed Angles of Conflict Prevention
The media tends to report bad news, and that rewards the perpetrators of violence. Peace initiatives seldom make the headlines. The superficiality of Western reporting means the public does not understand the context of many conflicts. Those are the views of the peace researcher Johan Galtung. He spoke to Claudia Isabel Rittel
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Drug Dealing in Lebanon
At Home with a Drug Baron
For years, Hizbollah has been trading Lebanese-produced heroin and cocaine for Israeli military secrets. Alfred Hackensberger reports from Lebanon's Beqaa Valley, a hub of the drugs trade
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Water Policy in Israel and Palestine
There's Enough Water for Both
Water plays a key role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Joseph Croitoru reports that a German hydro-geologist now questions the firmly entrenched views of Israelis and Palestinians on water policy
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The Assassins of Persia and Syria
From the 11th Century to September 11th?
Do the activities of the medieval Assassins sect and their martyrdom cult really tell us anything about the suicide attacks of current radical Islamist movements? Arian Fariborz on the practice of religious killings by the Assassins and its significance for modern radical Islamist movements
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Portrait: Stef Wertheimer
The Pragmatist
Stef Wertheimer is not a Utopian, but a pragmatic man of action who believes in the positive force of working together as the basis for fostering understanding among people. He was presented with the Buber-Rosenzweig Medal for his services to peacemaking. By Igal Avidan
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Gallup Poll of Muslims
What Do Muslims Think of the West?
The Washington-based Gallup Institute took on a mammoth six-year task when it opted to carry out a worldwide investigation into the Muslim mindset, and it came up with some remarkable results. Peter Philipp has been carrying out his own investigation
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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Author Taleb AlrefaiA window into the Kuwaiti soul
Does the German literary scene have a blind spot when it comes to Arabic literature? Abdulrahman Afif makes the case for the works of Kuwaiti writer Taleb Alrefai, whose socially critical literature deftly side-steps orientalist expectations.
750th anniversary of Rumi's death
750th anniversary of Rumi's death - Qantara.de
Most read articles
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"Ich bin eine Nomadin"
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Wirtschaft in Syrien
Neue Elite, neuer Kurs, alte Muster
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40. Todestag des schiitischen Gelehrten Allamah Tabatabayi
Der bescheidene Gelehrte von Qom
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Geschichte der Migration
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