Arab & Islamic Politics

Policy Analysis on Arab & Islamic Politics

Israeli and UAE flags flying together in Abu Dhabi - source: Reuters

Arab Public Opinion on Arab-Israeli Normalization and Abraham Accords

A recent poll indicates that though more Gulfis now disapprove of the Abraham Accords, undertones of warming sentiments towards allowing contacts with Israelis are also present.

Jul 15, 2022

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Dylan Kassin
David Pollock

Fikra Forum

Political Opposition in Iraq: Between Reform and Regime Change

Iraq’s model of opposition traditionally focuses on ideological frameworks and regime change at the expense of working within the political system to effect change.

Jul 11, 2022

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Abbas Abboud Salem

Fikra Forum

New Poll Reveals Moderate Trend Among East Jerusalem Palestinians

A new poll captures East Jerusalem attitudes towards Arab-Israeli rapprochement, involvement from other Arab countries, and the U.S. policy on the conflict.

Jul 8, 2022

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David Pollock

Fikra Forum

Implications of the Sadrist Withdrawal for the Shia Coordination Framework and Iran

The conflict between the Sadrists and the Shia Coordination Framework signals the potential for a new political order in Iraq and a shift in Iran's influence in the country.

Jun 29, 2022

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Firas Elias

Articles & Testimony

One Small Handshake for the United States, One Giant Leap for U.S.-Saudi Relations

President Biden has a powerful moral imperative for ending his feud with the crown prince: to ensure that the kingdom’s gradual pivot away from extremism doesn’t falter.

Jun 29, 2022

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Robert Satloff

Fikra Forum

The Tishreeni Movement Continues: Change Is Inevitably Coming to Iraq

Iraq’s Tishreen movement, driven by a reduced fear of political authority, is reshaping Iraqi politics by injecting fear of the popular will into the political elite.

Jun 28, 2022

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Munqith Dagher

Photo of an oil facility in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Video

Brief Analysis

The KRG Turns Thirty: The Future of U.S.-Kurdish Relations in Iraq (Part 3)

Three experts evaluate the KRG’s oil and gas industry and discuss the growing urgency of resolving its disputes with Baghdad.

Jun 28, 2022

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James Jeffrey
Matthew Amitrano
Bilal Wahab

◆ The KRG Turns Thirty

Drawing of oil pipeline, Iraq, Kurdistan

Maps & Graphics

In-Depth Reports

The Necessary U.S. Role in Fixing the Baghdad-Kurdistan Energy Dispute

A targeted intervention could aid American interests and the global effort to find a substitute for Russian and Iranian oil and gas.

Jun 27, 2022

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Michael Knights

Fikra Forum

Why did the Sadrists Withdraw from the Iraqi Political Process?

The current stalemate in Iraq may lead to a complete collapse of its political institutions and prompt the international community to intervene if domestic political actors fail.

Jun 23, 2022

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Mohanad Faris

Brief Analysis

Rhetoric Meets Reality in Jawlani’s Push for Self-Sufficiency

As a key UN vote approaches, Washington should push Turkey to help promote a diverse, balanced economy in HTS-controlled northwest Syria.

Jun 8, 2022

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Aaron Y. Zelin

Brief Analysis

Lebanon’s (Verbal) Threat Against Israeli Gas Exploration

Production from Israel’s Karish offshore natural gas field is scheduled to start later this year.

Jun 6, 2022

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Simon Henderson

An Egyptian guard inspects bomb damage near the Gaza border in Sinai

Articles & Testimony

Egypt's Remilitarized Sinai Is a Future Powder Keg

Cairo needs to hear from Israel, the United States, and the Multinational Force & Observers that its security violations erode the Egypt-Israel peace.

Jun 3, 2022

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David Schenker

A Panamanian-flagged oil tanker in the Persian Gulf - source: Reuters

Articles & Testimony

Reflagging Ships Could Be the Answer to Russia's Blockade of Black Sea Ports

Such an option could limit the risk of escalation, pressure Russia, and help avert a humanitarian crisis in the Middle East.

Jun 2, 2022

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Anna Borshchevskaya
Garrett I. Campbell

Somali president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in 2022 - source: Reuters

Brief Analysis

Return of Old Leader Presents New Opportunities in Somalia

The Biden administration should be encouraged by the incoming president’s ties to the UAE and apparent openness to bolstering the counterterrorism fight and normalizing with Israel.

May 26, 2022

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Ido Levy

Video

Brief Analysis

The KRG Turns Thirty: The Future of U.S.-Kurdish Relations in Iraq

On the anniversary of the Kurdish region’s first election, three experts take stock of the bilateral relationship and internal political and economic challenges.

May 23, 2022

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Bilal Wahab
Amberin Zaman
Vance Serchuk

◆ The KRG Turns Thirty

Video

Brief Analysis

Hezbollah-Shia Dynamics and Lebanon's Election: Challenges, Opportunities, and Policy Implications

On the eve of the election, two Lebanese experts joined a former U.S. official to discuss the prospects for widening the cracks in Hezbollah’s core Shia constituency.

May 18, 2022

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Hanin Ghaddar
Bashshar Haydar
David Schenker

A Lebanese protester holds a sign denouncing Iranian influence

Brief Analysis

What Hezbollah’s Parliamentary Loss Means for Lebanon

The voting results provide even more hope for change than meets the eye, though the winners will need international help to prevent Hezbollah from obstructing the next steps.

May 16, 2022

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Hanin Ghaddar

UAE President Muhammad bin Zayed - source: Reuters

Brief Analysis

De Facto Becomes De Jure as MbZ Is Named UAE President

The succession of one of the most energetic emerging Arab leaders suggests an even more active regional role.

May 16, 2022

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Simon Henderson

Israeli Prime Minister Bennett meets with the UAE's foreign minister in December 2021 - Source: Reuters

Video

Brief Analysis

Building an Arab-Israel Bloc: Can It Compensate for a Reluctant Washington?

Arab, European, and Israeli experts assess the possibilities and limits of normalization, discussing concerns about Iran’s nuclear program, U.S. retrenchment, and the Palestinian issue.

May 12, 2022

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Nickolay Mladenov
Zohar Palti
Ebtesam al-Ketbi
Karim Haggag

Saudi men read a newspaper - source: Reuters

Articles & Testimony

Is the West Losing the Battle of Narratives in the Middle East?

Instead of leaving misinformation and whataboutism largely unchallenged, Washington and its allies need to express their perspective to Arab audiences more effectively while highlighting Russian and Chinese hypocrisy.

May 9, 2022

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Anna Borshchevskaya
Catherine Cleveland

Supported by the

Program on Arab Politics

The Washington Institute's 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.

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Featured experts

Ghaith al-Omari

Ghaith al-Omari is a senior fellow in The Washington Institute's Irwin Levy Family Program on the U.S.-Israel Strategic Relationship.

Hanin Ghaddar

Hanin Ghaddar is the Friedmann Fellow at The Washington Institute's Geduld Program on Arab Politics, where she focuses on Shia politics throughout the Levant.