middle east

Saudi Executes More Than 100 Foreigners in 2024

Saudi Arabia has executed more than 100 foreigners this year, according to an AFP tally indicating a sharp increase, which one rights group described as unprecedented. The latest execution, reported on Saturday in the southwestern region of Najran, was of a Yemeni national convicted of smuggling drugs into the Gulf kingdom, according to the ...

Why Fear the New When We Know the Old?

The idea of a "new Middle East" often takes on more weight than it deserves, as it is always associated with assumptions, fears, and troubling considerations as if this new Middle East is inherently an enemy of everything we know today. If we look back at World War I, when the concept of a "new Middle East" was first discussed before the ...

Hamas Official Says ‘Ready’ for Gaza Ceasefire, Urges Trump to ‘Pressure’ Israel

A senior Hamas official said Friday that the group is "ready for a ceasefire" in Gaza and urged US President-elect Donald Trump to pressure Israel to end the war. "Hamas is ready to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip if a ceasefire proposal is presented and on the condition that it is respected" by Israel, Hamas political bureau member Bassem ...

Loyalists and Powerhouses: Key Figures of the Trump Administration

RFK Jr., Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a longtime health and environmental campaigner, who at 70 proudly shows off his muscular body. But the scion of the famous US political dynasty is also a leading anti-vaccine activist and conspiracy theorist who has promoted the disproven idea that childhood vaccines cause autism and claimed ...

The Shadow of War on the Holiday Season!

As the year-end holidays approach, Lebanese expatriates who usually rush home to celebrate Christmas and New Year's with their families are now facing a grim reality. The ongoing conflict between Hezbollah and Israel is profoundly affecting Lebanon, turning it from a place of festivities and celebrations into a war zone. This year, behind the ...

Trade Under Fire: How Are Imports Faring in Times of War?

The import of essential goods during wartime presents a major logistical and economic challenge for Lebanon. Importing companies, already weakened by multiple successive crises, are now facing exorbitant costs and increased risks in transport.   It's been around two months since the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah intensified, bringing a ...

'America First': What Economic Strategies Under Trump?

Donald Trump’s return to the White House would likely reinforce a protectionist and economically isolationist approach under the "America First" slogan, heightening challenges across international trade relations and geopolitical balances.   If Trump pursues a protectionist economic policy (America First) and adopts a more radical vision of ...

The Palestinian Cause Cannot Be Undermined

The world is closely watching the gradual steps that US President-elect Donald Trump intends to take, when he returns to the White House after a four-year absence. Among these steps are his anticipated policies regarding the burning issues worldwide and specifically in the Middle East — namely, the Gaza and Lebanon wars, which have claimed ...

French-Iranian Relations: Between Rifts and Distrust 1/2

Though geographically distant, France and Iran have shared ties since the Middle Ages. Yet, their relationship has been marked by repeated ruptures, driven by a complex interplay of influence and rivalry in the Middle East and on the international stage. This first section delves into the historical ties between France and Iran, highlighting the ...

Trump’s Quest for a Diplomatic Breakthrough May Reinforce Hochstein’s Mission

President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House, described as a “tsunami,” offers him an opportunity to resolve global conflicts, as he had promised during his campaign. “I will fix the crises caused by the Biden-Harris administration,” he said. “I will end the suffering and destruction in Lebanon, and I will bring peace to the ...

In Message to Trump, Riyad Summit Calls for Gaza and Lebanon Ceasefires, a Palestinian State

Arab and Muslim leaders gathered in Riyadh on Monday, more than a year into the Israel-Hamas war and regional escalation, in what is seen as a chance to send a message to US president-elect Donald Trump. Opening the summit, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said the international community must "immediately halt the Israeli actions against ...

Trump’s Comeback and Fate of the Middle East

Donald Trump's return to the White House, bolstered by a sweeping Republican victory in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, has sparked significant concern among some Western circles. These observers are uneasy about what they see as the newly elected president's overly “conservative” positions, particularly in terms of social ...