The Middle-East Observer
Analysis
Tiny Gulf islands rekindle big Arab-Iran dispute
Tiny Gulf islands rekindle big Arab-Iran dispute About these ads
Analysis: Israeli-Iranian war now out of shadows
Israeli intelligence believes that the terrorist attacks in the past two days were orchestrated by the Iran-Hezbollah axis and targeted foreign Israeli diplomatic missions. The attacks seem rushed due to their consistently poor execution, but the message of the bombings is clear. Iran is determined to attack Israel by any means and hopes to eventually … Continue reading
Analysis: Al-Qaeda Grows in Sinai
Since the ousting of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak a year ago, our attention has been turned to Cairo and the political developments taking place there, in particular the rise of Islamist political parties and the role of the military in the democratic transition process. But in the Sinai , bordering Israel, tensions have increased between … Continue reading
Analysis: Is Syria the next Iraq?
Ron Ben Yishai writes about the possibility that the Syrian uprising will result in the country’s breaking up in ethnic, autonomic, hostile regions that are barely connected. One of the signs of disintegration is that some chiefs of important Alawite tribes, once loyal to Bashar Al Assad, have started to declare that they are no … Continue reading
Analysis: Hamas drifting away from longtime patron Iran
In the wake of the Arab Spring, Hamas seems to be drifting away from the Iran-Syria axis and moving towards the wealthy Gulf states. Khaled Mashaal, Hamas top leader, said the movement needs to be part of the Islamist political rise in the Arab world triggered by popular uprisings and Hamas must therefore distance itself from Iran which is … Continue reading
Analysis: Egypt’s army too big to fail
More than a year has passed since the start of the Egyptian revolution and yet protestors are still violent and the situation remains volatile despite the efforts of the interim SCAF (Supreme Council of the Armed Forces) government. This has caused many Egyptians to call for the military to surrender complete leadership to the citizens, an … Continue reading
Analysis: Hamas juggles political need with founding principles
Hamas has recently changed its ideological and political views. Founded with strong religious ideological roots, it has recently been obliged to filter its attitudes to match political changes. Naji Shurrab, a professor at Al-Azhar University in Gaza says ”Hamas is looking for international and regional legitimacy. It knows that the gate to this legitimacy is its political attitudes and so … Continue reading
Analysis: Israeli leaders’ silence on Assad’s crackdown reflects fears of uncertain future
While the international community has been busy handing out condemnations to Syria, Israel has remained distant and ambiguous in its remarks concerning the Assad regime’s crackdown. According to Eyal Zisser, an Israeli historian at Tel Aviv University, the uprising worries Israelis, especially the upholding of the status quo of peaceful enmity and the proliferation of … Continue reading
Analysis: Unity Deal Brings Risks for Abbas and Israel
The final reconciliation deal that was signed on Monday between the Palestinian Authority of Mahmoud Abbas and the Islamist movement Hamas brings risks for the peace talks between Israel and Palestine, and for the relations that the Palestinian authority has with other foreign countries. The two leaders said that they would announce a full unity … Continue reading
Analysis: After Doha deal, challenges remain to Hamas- Fatah unity
Though the Doha declaration is an important step in the process of national reconciliation within Palestinian society, much remains to be achieved and many challenges are still ahead. “What happened in Doha is an expression of good intentions and is a good step, but the reconciliation file is thick and will not be resolved quickly,” an analyst … Continue reading
Analysis: Hamas on the move, seeks Palestinian ascendancy
While the Arab spring has been shaking up countries in the region, Meshaal seems to be looking for new allies to bring Hamas to the forefront of the Palestinian national movement again. The Islamist movements’ ties to Syria and Iran seem to be loosened, as it has pursued the reconciliation with pro-peace Fatah movement of … Continue reading
Analysis: Is the Syrian revolt turning into insurgency?
Analysts say Syria is heading towards a civil war despite the fact that, at first, the opposition was preaching peaceful demonstration. With the Free Syrian Army (FSA), guerrilla style attacks on the Syrian military positions have been on the rise. The FSA has realized it must force the changes in Syria because of Russia’s opposition to any … Continue reading
Analysis: Deep in the Sinai, a looming crisis threatens Egypt-Israel peace treaty
Since the fall of Hosni Mubarak, the security situation of the Sinai Peninsula has deteriorated significantly and consequently is endangering Israeli-Egyptian peace. Yesterday, disgruntled Bedouins abducted 25 Chinese workers as a sign resistance, demanding the release of those still held in jail since the 2004 Sinai terror crackdown enacted by Hosni Mubarak. Militant Bedouins are … Continue reading
Analysis: Media frenzy on Iran contradicts reality
Yaakov Katz, author of this article, discusses the role western and Israeli media play in the confrontation between Israel, the West and Iran. Using for example comments by US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta that were aired weeks ago, US media are printing reports and articles on Iran at a fast pace, though the situation … Continue reading
Analysis: Khaled Mashaal’s Next Career Move
Mohammed Najib analyses the possibility by Khaled Mishaal, chief of Hamas’ political bureau, to quit his position. His move would come at a moment where Hamas, in the light of the Arab spring and consequent shifts in power, reviews its strategy and even ideology. Mashal has recently been pushing for a more moderate stance in … Continue reading
Analysis: Hamas chief’s visit to Jordan marks culmination of Arab Spring aftermath
Taylor Luck writes that the visit of Hamas chief Khaled Mishaal to Jordan is a “diplomatic and strategic necessity” for the Jordanian authorities, according to observers. Analysts see Hamas’ visit to Jordan as a direct result of a year of uprisings in the Arab world. With the strong popular support for Islamist movements in Arab … Continue reading
Analysis: Turkey challenges Iran in Somalia
Turkey’s newfound increased interest in Somalia, often regarded as a “failed state,” is not founded merely on the intense humanitarian disaster underway in the country; there are geopolitical aspirations, as well. Somalia’s strategic location on the Horn of Africa promises fantastic benefits for future trade deals. A more subtle cause of Turkey’s increased interest, though, is to counter Iran’s aggressive efforts … Continue reading
Analysis: Will Saudi Arabia Send the Troops?
Following a Saudi pledge to increase oil production to supply states banning Iranian oil, tensions between the two countries have peeked. Iran repeatedly threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, where 40% of the world oil transit, threats which “could be interpreted by Saudi Arabia as an act of war,” Ali Al-Tawati, a Saudi military affairs analyst said. … Continue reading
Scorecard: Egypt since the revolution
Egypt’s revolution came to life on January 25th, 2011 and since then the military generals of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces have been the de facto rulers of Egypt. Egyptian protesters had many demands that had to be met quickly by the military after the toppling of former president Hosni Mubarak currently on … Continue reading
Analysis: Can Palestinian Fatah win the election in May without Pres. Abbas at the helm?
Though they are likely to be postponed as a result of the slow implementation of the reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas, the date for Palestinian elections has been set for May 4, 2012. But as President Mahmoud Abbas told the Fatah Central Committee he is ready to retire, the party is in an urgent … Continue reading
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