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Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-SudaniIraq's economic reform experiment
Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani is banking on hands-on reforms and new infrastructure projects to restore trust in the state. His approach has delivered short-term stability and popularity. But Iraq's oil dependence and economic weaknesses remain.
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War and memoryGaza's lost photographs
Through years of war, many people in Gaza have lost their personal photo albums. Palestinian journalist Asmaa al-Ghoul reflects on her family's vanished images and what their absence means for personal and collective memory.
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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.
Politics
More about Politics-
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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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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"The Kashmir Files"Serving up Indian propaganda
The highly controversial Indian blockbuster "The Kashmir Files“, on the exodus of Kashmiri Hindus in the 1990s, is characterised by unilateral representations, negative stereotypes and historical inaccuracies. By Dominik Muller
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Human rights in EgyptEgyptian activist Sanaa Seif "disappointed with German politicians"
Sanaa Seif, sister of Alaa Abd El-Fattah, one of Egypt's best-known dissidents, visited Berlin recently. She spoke to Cathrin Schaer about her brother's hunger strike and Europe's double standards on Ukraine and the Middle East
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Constitutional referendum in TunisiaWhat next for the birthplace of the Arab Spring?
According to Tunisia's electoral board, 94.6 percent of valid votes cast in Monday's constitutional referendum were in favour of President Kais Saied's constitution. Turnout was, however, low at only 30.5 per cent. What will the future hold for the North African nation where the Arab Spring began over a decade ago?
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Biden's trip to Saudi ArabiaTrading recognition for oil
With his fist bump greeting for a man he previously called a pariah, US President Biden has paved the way for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's return to the international stage. All other items on the agenda of his Middle East trip faded into the background. By Karim El-Gawhary
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Referendum on a new constitution for TunisiaRolling back the achievements of the revolution
Tunisians are set to vote on a new constitution on 25 July. The prominent lawyer and women's rights activist Yosra Frawes fears the referendum could facilitate a return to dictatorship. This would also endanger progress on women's rights achieved since 2011. Interview by Claudia Mende for qantara.de
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Violence against doctors and lawyers in TurkeyExposed and at risk
Violence against doctors and lawyers in Turkey has been growing in recent years. But instead of taking action, the government is openly hostile towards two unions representing the interests of people working in these professions. By Ayşe Karabat in Istanbul
Society
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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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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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Syrian civil warBashar al Assad's killing machine exposed
A leaked video shows scenes of a grisly Damascus massacre by Assad forces. Six minutes of horror from the war in Syria that were never intended to be made public. By Luisa von Richthofen and Khaled Salameh
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Southeast AsiaIndonesia fights violence against women with new law
Indonesia has finally passed a bill, ten years in the making, stipulating tougher penalties for sexual violence. Yet activists maintain the country's conservative culture stifles awareness and prevents victims from speaking up. By Arti Ekawati and Betty Herlina
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Ukraine war and the Middle EastWill the wheat crisis bring more food independence?
Middle Eastern countries are boosting their food independence to counter the coming wheat shortfall. But despite some encouraging initiatives, existing challenges make food sovereignty almost impossible – for now. Jennifer Holleis reports
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Turkey's Syrian problemRefugees – a hot topic in Turkish politics
With tensions rising dangerously amid a burgeoning economic crisis, the Turkish government’s refugee policy – ad hoc, miscalculated and unclear – is making Syrians an easy target for the opposition. Ayse Karabat reports from Istanbul
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The killing of journalist Shireen Abu AklehThe face of a generation
Dalia Hatuqa is an experienced journalist who has reported on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from Ramallah, Washington DC and Amman. A writer for Time Magazine, Foreign Affairs, the Washington Post, CNN, and others, she first met Shireen Abu Akleh ten years ago in Washington. Most recently, they were colleagues at Al-Jazeera. Interview by Rene Wildangel
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Lebanon's chronic medicine shortageZero state support, much Lebanese solidarity
As the Lebanese economy has collapsed, so has the country's health system. Many medicines have become scarce or unaffordable. Confronted with a failing state, the Lebanese are helping each other. Zeinab Othman reports from Beirut
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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"What is Islamic art?" with art historian Wendy ShawWhat is art, when the primary sensory organ is the heart?
How can we truly appreciate the richness of cultures not our own? In her recent book "What is Islamic art? Between religion and perception", art historian Wendy Shaw explains the need to abandon our vision-centred perception of art and the aesthetic, embarking instead on a multi-sensory voyage of discovery. Interview by Lucy James
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Book review: Amjad Nasser's "Land of No Rain"A milestone of modern Arabic literature
Jordanian author Amjad Nasser, who died in 2019, presents an impressive tale of homelands, life in exile and the hardships of returning home. His profound eloquence and use of experimental literary forms make “Land of No Rain” a landmark publication in modern Arabic literature, writes Martina Sabra in her review for Qantara
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Book review: Kaouther Adimi’s "December Kids"Algeria's younger generation rebels
In her third and most recent novel, Paris-based Algerian author Kaouther Adimi writes almost prophetically about a rebellion by a handful of children against the rigid and outdated system in her home country. Claudia Kramatschek read the book for Qantara
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Alireza Abiz' "Censorship of Literature in Post-Revolutionary Iran"Iranian literature – the censor’s mindset
The Islamic Republic has a strict and often arbitrary system of censoring artistic and journalistic works. An in-depth investigation by writer Alireza Abiz uncovers the details and their impact on the book trade. By Gerrit Wustmann
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Tayeb Salih in translation"Mansi": A rare book in its own way
Widely acknowledged as one of the twentieth century’s great writers – think "Season of Migration to the North" – most of Tayeb Salih's work is surprisingly overlooked. The publication in posthumous translation of "Mansi: A Rare Man in His Own Way" has therefore been met with delight by fans. Marcia Lynx Qualey read the book
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Interview with Irish author Colum McCann"Apeirogon" – an entire kaleidoscope of pain
Israeli Rami Elhanan’s daughter Smadar was killed by a Palestinian suicide bomber in 1997, Palestinian Bassam Aramin’s daughter Abir was shot in the head ten years later by Israeli border police. Irish author Colum McCann takes the lives of these two men as a starting point to tell a story of war, friendship, grief and hope. Interview by Schayan Riaz
750th anniversary of Rumi's death
750th anniversary of Rumi's death - Qantara.de
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