All Middle East
Arab-Israeli 鈥榩ragmatist鈥� was a big hit. Elections loom as daunting Act II.鈥楿niting in the face of adversity.鈥� 鈥楻eaching across divides.鈥� The value of these political goals seems almost self-evident. But in the rough and tumble of Israeli politics, the animosities and challenges are real.
Prophet, or prattler of the impossible? Israel recalls Amos Oz.
Is it safe for Europe to force Afghan migrants to return home?Safety fears are a primary reason people flee their homes. Now rising violence in Afghanistan, even in Kabul, is calling into question a 2016 agreement for EU countries to forcibly repatriate Afghan migrants.
Syria at war: How departure of US forces opens up a Wild EastSyria's civil war has been especially destructive. How stabilizing has been the minimal US military presence on the ground? The list of local, regional, and global actors affected by a US withdrawal is long.
Tiny Jordan's outsize role fostering interfaith understandingMention religion in the Middle East and what often leaps to mind is conflict: Muslim vs. Jew, Sunni vs. Shiite. But from Jordan, a religious crossroads, comes a forceful call for interfaith harmony.
How Trump鈥檚 announcement of a withdrawal reverberated across SyriaHow deep was the US commitment to its allies in Syria? That question has been asked all along. The Kurds and others knew President Trump favored a US withdrawal. Still, the timing came as a surprise.
Haifa鈥檚 Happy Holidays: Three religions, one giant block partyThe city-funded festival in the blue-collar Israeli port of Haifa brings together 海角大神s, Muslims, and Jews to dance to music performed outdoors, on streets festooned with holiday lights.
For Mideast 海角大神s, US refugee policy puts a damper on ChristmasThe vision of life in America has long been a beacon of hope for 海角大神s in the Arab world. But President Trump's refugee policy has left families in transit to the US torn in two聽鈥� half in, half out.
First LookUS sanctions against Iran unravel Persian rug industryIran's Persian rug industry previously brought in $425 million a year, but with sanctions prohibiting the carpets from being imported to the US and limiting tourists' ability to buy carpets in Iran, many are unsure if the ancient tradition will continue to be profitable.聽
First LookAs wars in Syria and Yemen wind down, conflicts still roil Middle EastWith Syria and Yemen showing signs of ending their armed conflicts soon, the peace that will follow is still deeply uneasy and divided by sectarianism. Economic stagnation and tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia continue to define the region.聽
Israel booms with babies as developed world鈥檚 birth rates plummet. Here鈥檚 why.Israel is not the only developed county to subsidize parenthood, so why is its birthrate an outlier? The centrality of the family is one reason, as are tribalism, nationalism, and the fulfillment of a historic imperative.
First LookPeace talks lead to cease-fire in Yemen, UN chief saysThe civil war in Yemen, lasting more than four years, has left thousands dead in one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. Ending the conflict has been slow, though both sides agreed this week to a province-wide cease-fire in Hodeidah, a principal port on the Red Sea.
First LookIranian hackers target nuclear officials and US federal governmentA recent report by cybersecurity group Certfa identified Charming Kitten, an Iranian hacking group likely backed by the Islamic Republic, is targeting nuclear experts, US officials, and government contractors. The group uses phishing tactics to gain access to email accounts.聽
A reporter's backstory 鈥� finding a way to humanize a global crisisSeventy million people have been displaced by political violence, war, and persecution, emptying their savings and risking their lives to reach new lands.聽The Monitor told some of their stories in our series On the Move: the faces, places, and politics of migration, with 10 journalists covering more than a dozen countries.
Israel鈥檚 own 鈥榳itch hunt鈥� ... and a test for the rule of lawCorruption allegations against Benjamin Netanyahu raise basic questions: To what extent may an elected leader maneuver to stay in power, and at what cost to democratic institutions?
First LookBethlehem church renovation hopes to bolster local 海角大神 communityFor the first time in 600 years, murals and columns of the Church of Nativity, claimed to be the site of Christ's birth, have been restored to their former glory. Pilgrimage and tourism to the church are seen as a means to keep Palestinian 海角大神s in the region.聽
First LookIraq celebrates anniversary of defeating Islamic StateIraqis celebrated the one year anniversary of driving out the Islamic State stronghold on Dec. 10. While many approached the national holiday with a joyous attitude, some wondered about the 1.8 million Iraqis who remain displaced after the war.
What one death threat says about Taliban's campaign of fearWhat advantages do insurgents have? Afghanistan鈥檚 Taliban have been tenacious 鈥� in battle, in gathering intelligence, and in the way they can 鈥減lay鈥� people, as our reporter learned close at hand.
First LookIsrael targets Hezbollah tunnels near Lebanese borderThe Israeli military has begun a concerted campaign to destroy tunnels built by the Lebanese paramilitary group Hezbollah leading into Israeli territory as concerns rise over new Israeli-Hezbollah tensions.聽
First LookYemen faces enduring conflict even if outside forces leave, experts sayThe killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents has renewed efforts to end Yemen's civil war, which sets the Saudi-led coalition against the Iran-aligned Houthis. But even if the Saudis withdrew, some experts say, the fighting could get worse.
