Haytham Mouzahem (Syria Pulse) - AL-Monitor: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Haytham Mouzahem (Syria Pulse)

Haytham Mouzahem is a Lebanese analyst specializing in Middle Eastern and Islamic affairs. On Twitter: @haytham66

Ammar al-Hakim, leader of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (ISCI), speaks during news conference with Iraqi Kurdish regional President Massoud Barzani in Baghdad, Iraq, September 29, 2016. REUTERS/Khalid al Mousily - RTSQ39J

Iraq's Hakim moves out of Iran's shadow

Haytham Mouzahem (Syria Pulse)

Haytham Mouzahem (Syria Pulse)

A journalist stands at the remains of the Temple of Bel in the historic city of Palmyra, in Homs Governorate, Syria April 1, 2016. REUTERS/Omar Sanadiki SEARCH "PALMYRA SANADIKI" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "THE WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES - RTSD71B

Syria's Tourism Ministry hopes to lure visitors, despite war

Haytham Mouzahem (Syria Pulse)

Haytham Mouzahem (Syria Pulse)

Yemen peace talks stuck in stalemate

Haytham Mouzahem (Syria Pulse)

Haytham Mouzahem (Syria Pulse)

Who are Syria's Alawites?

Haytham Mouzahem (Syria Pulse)

Haytham Mouzahem (Syria Pulse)

An Iraqi man and wife with child walk past a sign professing support for "Hawza," or Shiite religious leadership, 08 September 2003 in the holy city of Najaf, some 180 kms south of Baghdad. US President George W. Bush, in his first major speech on Iraq since May, urged the United Nations 07 September 2003 to overcome "past differences" over the US-led invasion of Iraq, appealing even to opponents of the war for troops and money. AFP PHOTO/Karim SAHIB (Photo credit should read KARIM SAHIB/AFP/Getty Images

Iraqi Shiite clerics maintain humility, influence

Haytham Mouzahem (Syria Pulse)

Haytham Mouzahem (Syria Pulse)

Salem Hammed, 23, a Bedouin guide, climbs to the top of ad Dayr (The Monastery) in the ancient city of Petra August 31, 2007. Ad Dayr has the largest facade (45 by 50 metres, or 130 by 164 ft) in Petra, Jordan. Petra was recently named among the modern-day seven wonders of the world chosen in a poll of 100 million online voters. Picture taken August 31, 2007. REUTERS/Steve Crisp (JORDAN) - RTR1TAY9

Petra's former cave dwellers neglected by authorities

Haytham Mouzahem (Syria Pulse)

Haytham Mouzahem (Syria Pulse)

Arab League Secretary General Nabil al-Arabi (R) speaks to President of the Syrian National Coalition Ahmad Jarba during the Arab foreign ministers' meeting in Cairo November 3, 2013. The Syrian opposition set terms on Sunday for attending peace talks to end the Syrian civil war, in a move that throws the proposed conference into further confusion after the international envoy said there should be no preconditions. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS) - RTX14Z0R

Syrian government and opposition jockey ahead of Geneva II

Haytham Mouzahem (Syria Pulse)

Haytham Mouzahem (Syria Pulse)

EDITOR'S NOTE: REUTERS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY CONTENT THE VIDEO FROM WHICH THIS STILL IMAGE WAS TAKEN.
Al Qaeda's second-in-command Ayman al-Zawahri speaks from an unknown location, in this still image taken from video uploaded on a social media website June 8, 2011. Osama bin Laden's longtime lieutenant, Ayman al-Zawahri, said the United States faces rebellion throughout the Muslim world after killing the al Qaeda leader, according to a 28-minute YouTube recording posted on Wednesday. In what a

Internal disagreements could lead to al-Qaeda split

Haytham Mouzahem (Syria Pulse)

Haytham Mouzahem (Syria Pulse)

Shiite cleric Ali Fadlallah (R), son of Lebanese Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah, receives condolences from Lebanese President Michel Sleiman at a mosque in Beirut's southern suburb on July 4, 2010, following his father's death earlier in the day at the age of 75. AFP PHOTO/ANWAR AMRO (Photo credit should read ANWAR AMRO/AFP/Getty Images)

Lebanese Shiite leader launches interfaith dialogue

Haytham Mouzahem (Syria Pulse)

Haytham Mouzahem (Syria Pulse)

A ferry sails on the river Nile as the sun sets in Cairo May 12, 2013. Most of Egypt's population live clustered around the Nile valley and delta, and the river is both a vital resource for the country's citizens, and a potent national symbol. In a recent dispute with Ethiopia over the construction of a dam upstream, Egypt's foreign minister Mohamed Kamel Amr underlined the country's reliance on the river's waters: "No Nile - no Egypt," he said. Picture taken May 12, 2013. REUTERS/Asmaa Waguih (EGYPT - Tags

Middle East Water Initiative Based on Rhine River Model

Haytham Mouzahem (Syria Pulse)

Haytham Mouzahem (Syria Pulse)

Lebanon's President Michel Suleiman (C) meets with members of "March 14" coalition at the presidential palace in Baabda, near Beirut, June 18, 2013. Lebanon's main Sunni Muslim political party pleaded with the presidency on Tuesday to prevent "state collapse", blaming the Shi'ite Hezbollah group for dragging the country into the war in neighbouring Syria. REUTERS/Dalati Nohra/Handout via Reuters (LEBANON - Tags: POLITICS) ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY.

More Obstacles to Formation Of New Lebanon Government

Haytham Mouzahem (Syria Pulse)

Haytham Mouzahem (Syria Pulse)

Lebanon's Hezbollah supporters wave Palestinian and Hezbollah flags during a demonstration, organised by Lebanese and Palestinian factions, against Israel's military operation in Gaza, in front of the U.N. headquarters in Beirut November 17, 2012. Israeli aircraft bombed Hamas government buildings in Gaza on Saturday, including the prime minister's office, after Israel's cabinet authorised the mobilisation of up to 75,000 reservists, preparing for a possible ground invasion. REUTERS/Jamal Saidi (LEBANON - T

Hezbollah-Hamas Relations 'Good' Despite Beirut Bombing Accusations

Haytham Mouzahem (Syria Pulse)

Haytham Mouzahem (Syria Pulse)