Egypt

Policy Analysis on Egypt

Blood and Cynicism: The Egyptian Army and the Political Crisis

In addition to the schadenfreude of many loyal to the Islamist movement after the attack, there were other voices which were impossible to ignore: those of a group mourning for the soldiers while simultaneously criticizing the army’s leadership.

Nov 8, 2016

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Maged Atef

Brief Analysis

Egypt and Israel's Growing Economic Cooperation

Although security cooperation tends to get the headlines, the two countries have been quietly pursuing other initiatives that could provide a desperately needed boost to Egypt's trade, tourism, and energy sectors.

Nov 2, 2016

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Haisam Hassanein

Brief Analysis

The Future of Arab Reform: Beyond Autocrats and Islamists

A State Department official discusses why overcoming cynicism and encouraging reform in the Middle East remains a crucial part of America's role as defender of the international system.

Oct 20, 2016

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Tom Malinowski

Articles & Testimony

A Familiar Pattern in Egypt's Spat with Saudi Arabia

Cairo has sought to placate Saudi and American officials while reaching out to their respective adversaries in Damascus and Moscow, but this balancing act may soon topple if Riyadh and Washington withhold crucial funding.

Oct 18, 2016

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Eric Trager

Multimedia

Middle East 2017: Challenges and Choices - Egypt with Eric Trager

Politics has become a life-or-death struggle for several of America's important partners in the Middle East, says Eric Trager, and their leaders increasingly perceive even mild U.S. encouragement on human rights issues as support for domestic enemies. The next president will face a decision about how to prioritize America's strategic

Oct 4, 2016

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Eric Trager

Brief Analysis

Will Arab Leaders Attend the Peres Funeral?

Their presence will likely be more low-profile than for Rabin's funeral twenty years ago, but this is more a sign of the post-Oslo times than a rebuttal of their increasingly close ties with Israel in various spheres.

Sep 29, 2016

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Ghaith al-Omari

In-Depth Reports

Arab Fall:

How the Muslim Brotherhood Won and Lost Egypt in 891 Days

In Arab Fall, Eric Trager examines the Muslim Brotherhood's decisionmaking throughout the eventful period that commenced with the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings and ended with Mohamed Morsi's overthrow. He explains the Brotherhood's reason for joining the anti-Mubarak uprising, running for a majority of the seats in the 2011-12 parliamentary elections

Sep 26, 2016

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Eric Trager

In-Depth Reports

Egypt's Occasional Non-Islamist Reformists

This paper, the eighth in a series of essays exploring prospects for reform throughout the Middle East, explains the near absence of a political center within Egypt by examining the failure of non-Islamist reformists to assert themselves as a meaningful political force following Mubarak's overthrow.

Sep 19, 2016

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Eric Trager

Articles & Testimony

How Egyptians' Conspiracy Theories About Clinton Explain Trump's Appeal to Them

Egyptians have welcomed news that the Democratic presidential candidate will meet with President Sisi, but rumors such as those linking Clinton to the Muslim Brotherhood are nevertheless likely to persist.

Sep 19, 2016

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Eric Trager

Articles & Testimony

The Flow of Islamist Fighters From Egypt to Syria, and the Sisi Government's Crackdown

Recent reports and interviews highlight the various factors that may have driven hundreds of Muslim Brothers to Syria -- and the problems they face in returning home.

Sep 17, 2016

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Eric Trager

Fikra Forum

The New Normal: Today's Arab Debate Over Ties With Israel

Normalization remains controversial in Arab circles but is no longer taboo, as more Arabs come to view Israel as a potential partner against enemies like Iran.

Aug 25, 2016

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David Pollock

Articles & Testimony

Where Did They Go Wrong?

The anniversary of the Rabaa massacre highlights the Muslim Brotherhood's fatal miscalculations following the 2013 coup, and the growing internal fissures that continue to divide the group today.

Aug 12, 2016

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Eric Trager

Articles & Testimony

In Wake of Coup Attempt in Turkey, Lessons for the U.S. From Egypt's Military Takeover

Given Erdogan's crucial role against the Islamic State, Washington should be careful not to alienate him, in particular by avoiding critical public statements that won't change his behavior anyway.

Jul 22, 2016

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Eric Trager

Articles & Testimony

Turkey's Coup Is a Sign of Hope for Exiled Egyptian Islamists

Erdogan's response to the coup is feeding the revenge fantasies of Muslim Brotherhood leaders eager to return home and seize power back from the Sisi government.

Jul 19, 2016

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Eric Trager

Articles & Testimony

The Ballot Box to the Caliphate

If the Muslim Brotherhood gets another chance at power, it will work even harder and faster to exclude its competitors and pursue an Islamic state.

Jul 17, 2016

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Eric Trager

Brief Analysis

Egyptian Visit to Israel Could Preempt International Peace Initiatives

Egypt and Israel are exploring more overt consultation beyond the quiet security sphere, where ties are closer than ever amid shared threats.

Jul 11, 2016

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David Makovsky

Brief Analysis

Turkey's Regional Charm Offensive: Motives and Prospects

After years of foreign policy setbacks, Ankara is trying to mend fences with Israel, Egypt, Iran, and Russia, and the potential implications for the United States are mostly beneficial -- assuming the Turks can actually pull it off.

Jun 27, 2016

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Soner Cagaptay
James Jeffrey

Brief Analysis

Egypt's Costly Nuclear Project

Cairo's expensive nuclear deal with Moscow will likely increase the country's economic burden and susceptibility to Russian influence.

Jun 16, 2016

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Eric Trager

Articles & Testimony

Will Sisi Squander His Chance to Fix Egypt's Economy?

The latest bailout from Saudi Arabia may be the last, so Cairo needs to focus on helping itself by implementing complex subsidy and tax reforms.

May 17, 2016

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David Schenker

Brief Analysis

The MFO 2.0

Although improved Egyptian-Israeli cooperation and enhanced remote-monitoring technologies will ease the pain of the planned drawdown in Sinai peacekeepers, the situation will only worsen unless Cairo adopts a more appropriate counterinsurgency strategy.

May 16, 2016

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David Schenker

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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.

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Featured experts

Robert Satloff

Robert Satloff is the Segal Executive Director of The Washington Institute, a post he assumed in January 1993.

Haisam Hassanein

Haisam Hassanein was an Associate Fellow at The Washington Institute. Previously, he was the Institute's 2016-2017 Glazer Fellow, in which he focused on economic relations between Israel and Arab states. He has published in several media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Foreign Affairs, the New York Daily News, and the Jerusalem Post. His current research focuses on commercial diplomacy in the Middle East.

Hassanein earned his B.A. in political science from Lebanon Valley College in Pennsylvania. After completing an internship at the Institute in 2014, he enrolled in an M.A

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Egypt

Policy Analysis on Egypt

Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics

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Policy Analysis on Egypt

Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics

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