Middle East & Africa
Zarrab Case: Strong Signal of Change for Turkish Foreign Policy
During three investigations held by İstanbul Public Prosecutor between 17-25 December 2013, various people including businessmen, bureaucrats, and government officials were subjected to operations...
Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem: Letting a genie out of the bottle
US President Donald J. Trump has let a genie out of the bottle with his recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and intent to...
Qatari Wahhabism vs. Saudi Wahhabism and the perils of top-down change
A multi-domed, sand-coloured, architectural marvel, Doha’s biggest and national mosque, symbolizes Qatar’s complex and troubled relationship with Saudi Arabia. Its naming six years ago...
Egyptian President Al-Sisi steps up repression to cover policy failure
Egyptian general-turned-president Abdul Fattah Al-Sisi would likely be the first to admit that an iron fist is no guarantee for retaining power. Not because...
Saudi Arabia’s Lebanon gamble may pay off
Time will tell, but Saudi Arabia’s gamble to pressure Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed, Lebanese Shiite militia, by forcing Saad Hariri, the country’s prime minister, to...
Gulf Crisis Creates Opportunity for Asian Nations
The rift between the Gulf countries and Qatar has created a space for Asian countries to step in to engage with the small peninsular...
Targeting Islamic scholars from Malaysia to Tunisia, Saudi Arabia puts itself in the bull’s eye
By declaring the Qatar-based International Union of Islamic Scholars (ILUM) a terrorist organization, Saudi Arabia is confronting some of the world's foremost Islamic political...
Qatari opposition: A failed Quartet project
The stand-off between Qatar and the Saudi-led Arab bloc has entered its fifth month bringing to the surface some Qatari exile opposition figures. Despite...
Trouble in sport’s paradise: Can Qatar overcome the diplomatic crisis?
The crisis in the Gulf that pits Qatar against a UAE-Saudi-led alliance is Qatar's least problem when it comes to the 2022 World Cup....
Tackling Corruption: Why Saudi Prince Mohammed’s approach raises questions
Leave aside for a moment questions of due process. Analysis of Saudi Arabia's three largest corporate failures explains why Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's...