Analysis
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.
Jailbreak unites Palestinians, confounds Israelis
And: required reading to understand the last two decades in the Middle East: the 'Axis of Evil' speech
Boxed in: Bennett, Abbas can’t win despite ‘goodwill gestures’
Domestic politics are complicating any moves toward better ties, and Hamas is seeking an advantage by stoking resistance.
Are Syrian jihadis ready to take the fight to Afghanistan?
Afghanistan revives terror challenges for Washington; Russia anticipates security vacuum; Erdogan senses an opportunity.
Will the Taliban welcome al-Qaeda back to Afghanistan?
Afghanistan's economy is hanging by a thread; Iran makes the best of the Taliban; the "resistance" finds inspiration; five must reads on Afghanistan.
Israel's coalition government holds to center
Two months in, Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid remain both partners and rivals as the new government passes a budget, grapples with COVID-19 and Iran and seeks to strengthen already warm ties with the Biden administration.
Raisi ready to support ‘any diplomatic plan’ that lifts sanctions on Iran
Meanwhile, Israeli prime minister is ready to "send a message" to Iran in response to drone attack on Israeli-managed ship that killed two.
Middle East economic outlook hinges on vaccinations
Five countries to watch: Tunisia, Iran, Iraq, Egypt and Oman.
How water has become a flashpoint in the Middle East
Al-Monitor reporting shows the increased risks and relevance of water security for Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia; Iran and Iraq; and Israel and Jordan.
Whither the Iran nuclear deal? Ask Raisi
Rouhani has transfered JCPOA file to Iran’s new hard-line president, who just might close the deal.
Egypt to Security Council: Ethiopian dam an ‘existential threat’
Foreign minister says potential disruptions from dam could be like a "malignant plague" for Egypt.
Zaidi’s test in Tehran
Less than 24 hours after Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi returned from Tehran on Thursday, Iraqi Kurdistan again came under attack.
Five explosive drones were intercepted over Erbil by US-led coalition air defenses, triggering explosions and smoke near the airport that hosts coalition forces and sits adjacent to the US consulate. While Iraq’s Kurdistan region is no stranger to attacks by Iran and its proxies, the timing was hard to ignore. For Tehran, despite the arrival of a new Iraqi prime minister promising a different path, it appears to be business as usual.
US banking on Iraqi turnaround with nomination of Zaidi as new PM
Trump signals hope for a "tremendous new chapter” in US-Iraq ties with the nomination of Ali Al-Zaidi as prime minister.
Iraq's Sudani: US troop withdrawal does not mean end of security relationship
At an event hosted by Al-Monitor and the US Chamber of Commerce, the prime minister discussed Iraq’s plan to achieve energy independence by 2030 and his desire to drawdown the US military presence in the country.
Netanyahu, regional leaders hedge on possible Trump win in November
The Israeli prime minister is under pressure to deliver on a cease-fire during his Washington visit next week; Biden can’t heal Democrat divisions over Israel and the Gaza war.
