Skip to main content
TWI logo The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
logo
wordmark
Homepage

Main navigation

  • Analysis
  • Experts
  • About
  • Support
  • Maps & Multimedia
Trending:
  • Democracy & Reform
  • Terrorism
  • Lebanon
  • Iran
  • Israel
  • Syria

Regions & Countries

  • Egypt
  • Gulf States
  • Iran
  • Iraq
  • Israel
  • Jordan
  • Lebanon
  • Middle East
  • North Africa
  • Palestinians
  • Syria
  • Turkey

Issues

  • Arab & Islamic Politics
  • Arab-Israeli Relations
  • Democracy & Reform
  • Energy & Economics
  • Great Power Competition
  • Gulf & Energy Policy
  • Military & Security
  • Peace Process
  • Proliferation
  • Terrorism
  • U.S. Policy
TWI English
TWI Arabic: اللغة العربية Fikra Forum

Breadcrumb

  • Policy Analysis

Arab & Islamic Politics

Policy Analysis on Arab & Islamic Politics

Filter by:

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani receives President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Doha, Qatar - source: Reuters
Brief Analysis
UAE Leader Visits Qatar: An Advance, Not a Breakthrough
Sandwiched between meetings with a Taliban leader and Israel’s president, the Doha trip reflects the scope and versatility of Emirati diplomacy.
Dec 5, 2022
◆
  • Simon Henderson
Photo showing 1983 terrorist attack at U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon.
Video
Brief Analysis
Hezbollah Turns 40: Implications of the Group’s Internal, Regional, and Strategic Shifts
Four experts assess Hezbollah's impact at home and abroad after decades of political maneuvering, military operations, and criminal activity.
Dec 2, 2022
◆
  • Hanin Ghaddar
  • Matthew Levitt
  • Mona Fayad
  • Akeel Abbas
Brief Analysis
Tunisians Pessimistic Ahead of Parliamentary Election
Socioeconomic unrest is growing in many parts of the country, and the series of elections planned this month and next year hold little prospect of bolstering public confidence in an increasingly autocratic government.
Dec 2, 2022
◆
  • Sabina Henneberg
Kurd/Palestine Flags
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
KRG and PA: Reprioritizing Governance over Symbolism
Although Palestinian and Kurdish politics have similarly deteriorated into ineffective blame games, fresh U.S. policies focused on institution-building could restore the promise of progress in both cases.
Dec 2, 2022
◆
  • Ghaith al-Omari
  • Bilal Wahab
Iranian Protests
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
The Tenacity of Young Iranians in the Protest Movement
Despite the regime's crackdown, Iranian protestors are showing unprecedented resilience and unity in their demands, making the international community's next steps even more crucial.
Nov 29, 2022
◆
  • Haleh Esfandiari
An Iranian soccer fan protests at a World Cup game in Qatar - source: Reuters
Brief Analysis
Team Melli vs. Team USA: Iran’s Game of Contradictions
The regime’s often-hypocritical handling of this year’s World Cup comes to a head with a matchup against the United States, and a political victory seems unattainable regardless of the results on the field.
Nov 29, 2022
◆
  • Mehdi Khalaji
Lieutenant General Asim Munir, newly appointed as the new Chief Of Army Staff of Pakistan, meets with President Arif Alvi in Islamabad - source: Reuters
Brief Analysis
Pakistan’s New Military Leader and the Gulf
For U.S. and Gulf officials alike, the appointment of a potential military dictator in the world’s only nuclear-armed Islamic state bears close watching.
Nov 28, 2022
◆
  • Simon Henderson
Articles & Testimony
Saving Iraqi Sovereignty: Iran, Turkey and a Fractured Homeland
There are ways for the new prime minister to reinforce Iraq’s independence after a series of foreign attacks, but they will be complex and painful.
Nov 27, 2022
◆
  • Bilal Wahab
Saudi Fans
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Saudi Arabia’s Surprise Soccer Victory
The Saudi men’s team’s major upset against Argentina in their opening World Cup match has brought together many Saudis and the Arab world writ large in celebration, demonstrating the powerful pull of the game.
Nov 23, 2022
◆
  • Faris Almaari
Palestians on a Mediterranean beach in Gaza
Brief Analysis
Changing Population Patterns Will Reshape the Middle East
Several of the region’s demographic heavyweights will be surpassed, and major shifts at the global level may affect how great powers vie for influence there as well.
Nov 22, 2022
◆
  • Patrick Clawson
Iraq parliament
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
The System and the Parallel System in Iraq
Instead of blaming the untested constitution for government failures, Iraqi politicians must look inward to the corrupt parallel system that undermines national politics.
Nov 22, 2022
◆
  • Bjar Sharif
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Iranian Protests and Attacks on KRI: An Attempt to Deflect from Domestic Turmoil
Iran's repeated attacks on the Kurdistan Region of Iraq represent the regime's efforts to both distract from internal opposition and disrupt external opposition support.
Nov 21, 2022
◆
  • Nawras Jaff
New Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani attends the first regular session of the Council of Ministers in Baghdad in November 2022 - source: Reuters
Brief Analysis
Who Is Mohammed Shia al-Sudani?
A closer look at the new prime minister’s political career, past affiliations, and key cabinet picks as he attempts to balance relations with pro-Iran groups and wary U.S. officials.
Nov 18, 2022
◆
  • May Kadow
  • Erik Yavorsky
Qatari and Saudi soccer players in the 2014 Gulf Cup final game - source: Reuters
Brief Analysis
Gulf Rivalries and the Qatar World Cup
Nearly two years after Gulf neighbors put a splint on their diplomatic fracture with Doha, persistent tensions and historic quarrels will form a major part of the competition’s backdrop.
Nov 17, 2022
◆
  • Simon Henderson
President Joe Biden waves from the steps of Air Force One - source: White House photo
Brief Analysis
Biden Heads to Egypt Amid Economic Protests and Libyan Gridlock
Although climate issues will by definition headline the latest COP summit, Egypt’s human rights record, simmering protest movement, and questionable policies in neighboring Libya will provide plenty of additional fodder for Biden’s discussions with Sisi.
Nov 10, 2022
◆
  • David Schenker
  • Ben Fishman
Gezi Park Protests
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Re-evaluating Turkish Nationalism: A Bulwark Against the Religious Establishment
While the past few decades saw a dip in any political references to Turkey’s founder, opposition groups and the AKP alike have returned to Atatürk as a key political symbol of nationalism ahead of the elections.
Nov 10, 2022
◆
  • M. Bahadırhan Dinçaslan
Arab Spring Tunisia Yemen Bahrain Egypt Libya Syria
Brief Analysis
The Sectarian Shadow Over Bahrain’s Election
The results will indicate how the Sunni government is managing its majority Shia citizenry.
Nov 10, 2022
◆
  • Simon Henderson
Middle East Map
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
In 2022 Polls, Views on U.S. Relations On Par with Other World Powers in the Middle East
Regional polls from March and August reveal shifting power dynamics, as economic conditions and relations with Israel continue to weigh on citizens’ minds.
Nov 9, 2022
◆
  • Frances McDonough
Mohammed Shia Sudani
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
The Formation of Iraq’s New Government Is a Major Victory for Iran and Its Allies
Although framed as a government of solidarity between Shia, Sunni, and Kurdish factions, the Sudani government in Iraq gives Iran a significant arena in which to wield its influence.
Nov 8, 2022
◆
  • Nawzad Shukri
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
MbS and Saudi Arabia’s Israel Policy: What Can We Expect from the New Prime Minister?
As Prime Minister, MbS won't throw out the Arab Peace Initiative altogether, but he will likely reframe it.
Nov 7, 2022
◆
  • Aziz Alghashian

Pagination

  • Previous page ‹ Previous
  • First page « First
  • …
  • Page 11
  • Page 12
  • Page 13
  • Page 14
  • Current page 15
  • Page 16
  • Page 17
  • Page 18
  • Page 19
  • …
  • Last page Last »
  • Next page Next ›
Supported by the

Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics

The Washington Institute's Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics focuses on social, political, and economic developments in the Arab world, with an emphasis on the Arab countries of the Levant.

Sign Up for Email Updates from The Washington Institute

Never miss a breaking event on U.S. policy interests in the Middle East. Customize your subscription to our expert analysis, op-eds, live events, and special reports.

Sign up

Featured experts

David Schenker
David Schenker
David Schenker is the Taube Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute and director of the Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics. He is the former Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs.
Ghaith al-Omari
Ghaith al-Omari
Ghaith al-Omari is the Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation Senior Fellow in The Washington Institute's Irwin Levy Family Program on the U.S.-Israel Strategic Relationship.
Hanin Ghaddar
Hanin Ghaddar
Hanin Ghaddar is the Friedmann Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute's Rubin Family Arab Politics Program, where she focuses on Shia politics throughout the Levant.
Bilal Wahab
Bilal Wahab
Bilal Wahab was the Nathan and Esther K. Wagner Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute.
Background image with TWI branding
logo
wordmark
Homepage

1111 19th Street NW - Suite 500
Washington D.C. 20036
Tel: 202-452-0650
Fax: 202-223-5364

Footer contact links

  • Contact
  • Press Room
  • Subscribe

The Washington Institute seeks to advance a balanced and realistic understanding of American interests in the Middle East and to promote the policies that secure them.

The Institute is a 501(c)3 organization; all donations are tax-deductible.

Footer quick links

  • About TWI
  • Support the Institute
  • Alumni

Social media

  • The Washington Institute on Facebook facebook
  • The Washington Institute on X x
  • The Washington Institute on YouTube youtube
  • The Washington Institute on LinkedIn linkedin

© 2025 All rights reserved.

Footer

  • Employment
  • Privacy Policy
  • Rights & Permissions