Week in Review

Since 2012, the Week in Review keeps you ahead of the curve with in-depth analysis of the trends in the region, based on Al-Monitor’s world class reporting.

With Nile talks stalled, Ethiopia plans to fill dam, buy Turkish drones

Meanwhile, Sudan’s democratic transition faces ‘worst and most dangerous’ crisis.

Week in Review | Egypt | Oct 22, 2021

Traffic crosses the El Mek Nimr Bridge over the Blue Nile on Jan. 28, 2021 in Khartoum, Sudan.

Erdogan’s latest threats in Syria test limits with Biden, Putin

The Turkish president’s warnings are targeted as much at Washington and Moscow as they are at Syria’s Kurds.

Week in Review | Turkey | Oct 15, 2021

Turkish and Russian military vehicles patrol in the countryside of Rumaylan (Rmeilan) in Syria's northeastern Hasakeh province near the Turkish border, on Sept. 16, 2021.

Israel, US gloss over differences on Iran, but frictions remain

US-Israel strategic dialogue finds few points of agreement on Iran's nuclear capability; Iraq looks forward to smooth, transparent election.

Week in Review | Iran | Oct 8, 2021

Is US-Turkey alliance at a breaking point?

After meeting with Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan slams US (again), but ties between Turkey and Russia have their own strains and limits.

Week in Review | Turkey | Oct 1, 2021

Sisi warns of ‘grave threat’ from Ethiopia over Nile dispute

Egypt in focus: The Nile and Climate Change; Blinken and Shoukry talk civil rights; Sex ed from "Mother Being;" Atheists, and sharks attacks…in less than 1000 words!

Week in Review | Egypt | Sep 25, 2021

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi is seen on video screens as he addresses the annual gathering in New York City for the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Sept. 21, 2021 in New York City.

Egypt to Security Council: Ethiopian dam an ‘existential threat’

Foreign minister says potential disruptions from dam could be like a "malignant plague" for Egypt.

Week in Review | Egypt | Jul 9, 2021

aerial view of Nile in northern Cairo outskirts

Is UN last diplomatic stop in Nile dam dispute?

Egypt makes case to Security Council that without an agreement, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam threatens peace and security in the region.

Week in Review | Egypt | Jul 3, 2021

"It's my dam" sign at Ethiopia campaign rally

Can Abbas survive summer of Palestinian discontent?

Following killing of a political dissident, the Palestinian president’s hold on power continues to weaken, while support for Hamas is growing.

Week in Review | Israel | Jun 25, 2021

Apathy shadows Iran vote but that doesn’t mean change won’t follow

Even if hard-liner Ebrahim Raisi wins, reviving the nuclear deal with the West could gain traction.

Week in Review | Iran | Jun 18, 2021

Supporters of Iranian presidential candidate Ebrahim Raisi hold posters of him during an election campaign rally in the capital Tehran, on June 10, 2021.

The reform challenge: What Oman (and others) might learn from Egypt

Parallels in experience may offer guideposts for managing change.

Week in Review | Oman | Jun 11, 2021

Will Syria come up in Biden-Putin summit?

US pressing to maintain humanitarian corridors into Syria; Erdogan’s issues with US Syria policy; UN envoy refers to Syria’s "tragic irony."

Week in Review | Russia | Jun 4, 2021

How big can Biden administration go with aid to Gaza?

A World Bank economic strategy for the West Bank and Gaza released just before the recent Israel-Hamas exchange deserves a closer look.

Week in Review | Palestine | May 28, 2021

Palestinian volunteers and municipal workers clear the rubble of the Hanadi compound, recently destroyed by Israeli strikes, in Gaza City's Rimal district, on May 25, 2021.

Israeli-Palestinian conflict forces Biden to put Mideast on agenda

Egyptian and Palestinian Authority leaders are back at center stage of US regional diplomacy.

Week in Review | Israel | May 21, 2021

US President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the conflict in the Middle East from the White House on May 20, 2021 in Washington, DC.

Has war on Hamas given Netanyahu a political lifeline?

Conflict with Gaza proving a political winner, so far, for the embattled Israeli prime minister; Arab states may take center stage in mediation efforts; Al-Monitor’s unmatched reporting from Gaza.

Week in Review | Israel | May 14, 2021

Erdogan’s reset with Egypt and the Gulf won’t be smooth

The Turkish president wants a change in relations, but his efforts are seen as the result of a failed regional strategy and poor ties with the Biden administration.

Week in Review | Turkey | May 8, 2021

Week in Review

With Nile talks stalled, Ethiopia plans to fill dam, buy Turkish drones

Meanwhile, Sudan’s democratic transition faces ‘worst and most dangerous’ crisis.

Erdogan’s latest threats in Syria test limits with Biden, Putin

Israel, US gloss over differences on Iran, but frictions remain

Is US-Turkey alliance at a breaking point?

Sisi warns of ‘grave threat’ from Ethiopia over Nile dispute

Egypt to Security Council: Ethiopian dam an ‘existential threat’

Is UN last diplomatic stop in Nile dam dispute?

Can Abbas survive summer of Palestinian discontent?

Apathy shadows Iran vote but that doesn’t mean change won’t follow

The reform challenge: What Oman (and others) might learn from Egypt

Will Syria come up in Biden-Putin summit?

How big can Biden administration go with aid to Gaza?

Israeli-Palestinian conflict forces Biden to put Mideast on agenda

Has war on Hamas given Netanyahu a political lifeline?

Erdogan’s reset with Egypt and the Gulf won’t be smooth

Popular Articles

Scientists reconstruct facial features of 2,000-year-old mummies

Turkey requests to buy 40 US F-16 fighter planes

Israel still fears US approach to Iran

Intel: US lifts Iran-related sanctions, says no connection to nuclear deal

Palestinian video game strikes Israel’s nerve

Recent Podcasts

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Military correspondent Alon Ben David: Israel cannot destroy Iranian nuclear know-how

US-Turkish relations unlikely to get better under Erdogan, says veteran Turkey analyst Alan Makovsky

Geopolitical expert Eyal Zisser: A Lebanese civil war won’t really threaten Israel

Khamenei may still prefer a nuclear deal over a nuclear weapon, says Ken Pollack