All Middle East
Why a $4 bicycle repair signals hope for Syria鈥檚 postwar economyAfter over a decade of civil war, and several months since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad, small investments by Syrian families signal hope for the economy鈥檚 future.
Syria鈥檚 new flag is everywhere: 鈥楨veryone wants to touch freedom鈥�Syrians rally around their old/new flag, a symbol of pride, hope, and freedom that rode into Damascus with the rebels who overthrew the Assad regime. It adorns everything.
Facing internal and external foes, Syria rebuilds and rethinks its armySyria鈥檚 new leadership is trying to rebuild its army from the ruins of sectarianism and foreign intervention. The fledgling force has little of material value, but the need for a shift in mindset is most important.
Israel鈥檚 economy, wounded by war, is healing. Why the public remains sour.After 18 months of war, uncertainty is everywhere in Israel. The economy shows signs of recovery, but citizens lack confidence.聽
First LookNew Israeli corridor in southern Gaza; Netanyahu, Trump to meet againThe Israeli military鈥檚 announcement of the Morag Corridor followed White House confirmation that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would meet Monday with President Donald Trump, their second meeting at the White House since Mr. Trump took office in January.
PJs, dogs, and babies: Learning to find comfort in our bomb shelterIn this 鈥淟etter from a bomb shelter鈥� (really just a dusty storage space under a Tel Aviv apartment building), correspondent Dina Kraft tells of a community that has formed over the course of the Israel-Hamas war, and of the young lives growing with it.
In Turkey, authoritarian president faces burgeoning protestsA new wave of popular protest is gathering strength in Turkey, where President Erdo臒an is showing increasing signs of authoritarianism. But past demonstrations have not made him back down.
In Syria鈥檚 terrorized Alawite region, competing narratives, mutual suspicionsSyria鈥檚 Alawite minority considers March 7 the start of a genocidal campaign. In the eyes of the Sunni majority, it marked operations to quash a coup. Ensuring justice and preventing further killings will be a key test for the new Syria.
In post-Assad Syria, a Ramadan embrace of freedom and solidarityAcross Syria, the reunification of families and communities that had been displaced by conflict has enhanced the spirituality and generosity of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Invoking Trump, targeting 鈥榙eep state,鈥� Israel鈥檚 Netanyahu triggers protestsAs Israelis demonstrate in defense of democracy, newspaper headlines and neighbors鈥� conversations brim with references to a constitutional crisis. Analysts say Benjamin Netanyahu is emboldened by Donald Trump.
In Syria, Palestinians鈥� war-shattered camp is a ruin. But it鈥檚 home.Palestinians flocking back to the Yarmouk refugee camp outside Damascus say it鈥檚 more than a physical place. It鈥檚 their last physical tie to a Palestine they have never seen.
The Istanbul mayor鈥檚 arrest, and rise of a 鈥榥ew model鈥� of Turkish autocracyTurkey鈥檚 next presidential election is in 2028, so why would the mayor of Istanbul, a Recep Tayyip Erdo臒an rival, be arrested now? One reason: The autocratic Mr. Erdo臒an fears a loosening hold on voters.
鈥楢bandoned by everyone,鈥� Gazans watch the bombs fallAfter the resumption of Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, the population worries it has been abandoned by the world.聽
鈥楢 chance to build鈥�: How Syrian civil society is making the country workAcross Syria, as the interim government struggles to provide both security and services, local civil society groups are helping to fill the voids. But is there a part for them to play in politics, and in helping to shape the country鈥檚 future?
Deadly Israeli barrage shatters Gaza ceasefire, but Israel divided on warAfter Hamas鈥� Oct. 7 attack, Israelis mobilized almost without reservation for war, and sacrifice. But the overnight airstrikes that killed hundreds in Gaza find many Israelis exhausted by a long war and suspicious of their leaders鈥� motivations.
What role for Kurds in the 鈥榥ew鈥� Syria? They鈥檙e getting mixed messages.Bringing the U.S.-allied Kurdish militia under the umbrella of Syria鈥檚 army sends an important message about national cohesion amid heightened concerns over minority rights.
Arab world unites on Gaza. Can it get US, Israel, and Hamas on board?From the outset, the Trump plan for rebuilding Gaza faced fierce resistance over the relocation of its Palestinian residents. A plan that now has broad Arab world backing avoids that, and goes further, setting its sights on regional peace. Still, it faces hurdles.
How Israel failed to anticipate Hamas: Intel trusted tech over peopleOn Oct. 7, Hamas forces penetrated a $1.1 billion, high-tech Israeli barrier on the Gaza border. Israel鈥檚 army and Shin Bet security force say their intelligence failed by relying on technology at the expense of humans.
Deadly clashes in Syria are precisely what new leaders sought to avertSectarian violence involving supporters of the deposed Assad regime has left hundreds dead, calling into question whether Syria鈥檚 new rulers can maintain discipline over a patchwork of armed militant groups, including hard-line jihadis.
First LookIn Syria, deadly attacks on Assad鈥檚 Alawites are blow to new leadersThe death toll from two days of clashes between security forces and loyalists of ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and revenge killings that followed has risen to more than 600, a war monitoring group said Saturday. Local residents said gunmen shot Alawites, the majority of them men, in the streets or at the gates of their homes.
