
Middle East & Africa
List of Middle East & Africa articles
The Risk of a New Ethiopian-Eritrean War Is Growing
Changing dynamics in Tigray could erode the current balance of uncertainty.
The Countries Courting Trump With Critical Minerals
Australia becomes the latest country to sign a deal with the U.S. president.
The Road Ahead for Palestine
Former negotiator Diana Buttu on the need for accountability—from Israelis and Palestinians alike.
Gen Z Is Taking to the Barricades
Here’s why you should be paying attention.
How the U.S. Failure in Iraq Haunts Trump’s Gaza Plan
The American-led trusteeship will command no legitimacy among Palestinians.
Iraq Is Leading the Way on al-Hol. The World Must Do Its Part.
Allowing Islamic State prisoners to languish in detention is a dangerous radicalization risk.
Why Won’t the UAE End the War in Sudan?
An independent inquiry has established the complicity of external actors.
As the War in Gaza Winds Down, the West Bank Is a Flash Point
If Trump wants peace, he must block Israel’s annexationist policies.
Trump’s Foreign Policy Is Not as Successful as You Think
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that the Gaza deal proves Trump’s diplomatic chops.
Madagascar’s Crisis Takes a Dangerous Turn
A powerful military unit has seized power after weekends of Gen Z-led protests.
Racist AI Fantasies Are Spreading on China’s Internet
Anti-Black videos speak to popular prejudices.
Buying the Hatchet
How arms deals are helping Sharaa to make up with Moscow.
The Peace in Gaza Won’t Last
Only the end of Israel’s special relationship with the United States would signal a true end of war.
What I Want the Comedians Who Went to Saudi Arabia to Know
There were only eight executions during the Riyadh Comedy Festival.
Tehran’s Dual Strategy for Surviving Snapback
Unity at the top, repression below.
Trump Takes a Victory Lap in Israel
The U.S. president addressed the Knesset after Hamas released the last remaining living hostages.
Three Reckonings the Gaza Deal Will Force
After the war ends, Israelis face tough questions about relations with their leaders, the Palestinians, and the United States.
Doctor in Gaza Says Cease-Fire Brings Hope but Challenges Remain
An MSF doctor talks about the dire needs in Gaza as the cease-fire begins.
The U.S. Deploys 200 Troops to Israel Amid Gaza Cease-Fire
The force will help coordinate humanitarian aid and security but won’t enter Gaza.
You Already Know What ‘Sumud’ Means
Despite its Palestinian specificity, the word reveals universal truths.
Can Palestinians Trust Donald Trump?
Only U.S. pressure will ensure that Israel honors the Gaza cease-fire.
Trump’s ‘War From Within’
The U.S. president is sending the military into more and more American cities.
The Biggest Hurdles to the Next Phase of Trump’s Gaza Deal
Major issues like Hamas’s disarmament remain unresolved.
U.S. Ratchets Up Pressure on Iranian Energy
More sanctions on LPG and “shadow fleet” tankers indicate more maximum pressure on Tehran.
One Question Looming Over the Gaza Deal: Why Now?
An outline of the agreement had been on the table for months.
The Iran Challenge Is Big. The Solution Must Be Bigger.
A regional nuclear condominium can bring security and prosperity to all sides of the Gulf.
India Faces Down New Security Calculus
The Saudi Arabia-Pakistan defense pact has a signaling effect on deterrence.
What’s Behind Africa’s Sweeping Gen Z Protests
Youth-led demonstrations in Madagascar and Morocco could soon spread across the continent.
Trump Is Supporting Transnational Repression
Instead of sheltering pro-democracy dissidents, America is now returning them for arrest.
How Oct. 7 Changed the Israeli Media
Many journalists feel it’s not their role to show Palestinian suffering.
Cameroon’s Predictable Election Will Produce Unpredictable Chaos
At nearly 93, Paul Biya is all but guaranteed a victory—but has no successor.
Israel Can’t Survive Autarky
Benjamin Netanyahu lacks a realistic vision for navigating Israel’s potential economic isolation.
What We Do and Don’t Know About Trump’s Israel-Hamas Deal
There is cautious optimism for an agreement, but many outstanding details remain unresolved.
The World After Oct. 7
A reckoning of the geopolitical impacts from the last two years of war—and war crimes.
America’s Accidental New Military Ally
The Trump administration has made an unprecedentedly sloppy security guarantee to Qatar.
Trump’s Approach Just Might End the War in Gaza, but the Next Stage Is Harder
Lasting agreements require sustained focus, not just theatrics.
How Washington’s Israel-Palestine Peace Process Theology Failed Again and Again
Trump’s plan is just the latest example.
Two Ways Oct. 7 Changed Israel and One Way It Didn’t
The impact will be felt for years, even if Trump’s peace plan succeeds.
Two Years After Oct. 7, a Trail of What-Ifs
Decisions made early on set the path for a devastating war.
The 6 Lessons Israel Overlearned After Oct. 7
Netanyahu has favored vengeance over vision since the Hamas attack.
What Would It Take to Rebuild Gaza?
Israeli bombardments and bulldozing have created 50 million tons of rubble.
From Moldova to Africa, Russia’s Power Is Waning
The defeat of Moscow-friendly parties in the Moldovan election is just the latest of many setbacks.
The Weak Link in Trump’s Mideast Peace Plan Might Be Trump Himself
Israel and Hamas won’t go willingly.
Qatar First?
Trump gives Doha major (and unusual) security guarantees.
The Future of U.S.-Africa Trade
Jobs across the continent are at risk as a duty-free deal with Washington lapses.
How Trump Could Get Bagram Back
Internal fissures mean that the Taliban’s rejection of the issue is far from settled.
Inside Lebanon’s Audacious Disarmament Plan
The state faces a stark choice to confront groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas or risk another war with Israel.
The Crisis for the Women Who Make Your Clothes
Trump’s tariffs are having major ripple effects on the fashion industry’s female work force.
U.S.-Turkish Relations Have Gotten Duller, Not Better
Erdogan’s visit to Washington showed that the United States and Turkey just don’t need each other as much as they used to.
Netanyahu Faces Icy Reception at UNGA
The Israeli prime minister was met with protests both inside and outside of U.N. headquarters.
After Trump Turned on Putin, Is Netanyahu Next?
Israel has many friends in Washington, but MAGA is increasingly divided.
Recognize Palestine, Then Put Real Pressure on Israel
Meaningful international support for Palestinian liberation remains necessary to defeat terrorism.
Sharaa’s Successful UNGA PR Tour
The Syrian leader sought to reassure his many doubters that he’s a man of peace and tolerance.
What to Know About Ghana’s Deportations Controversy
Questions mount over the fate of migrants deported by the U.S. to the West African country.
Qatar Strike Creates Rift but Not Rupture in Gulf-Israel Ties
Gulf states move cautiously in response to their growing perception of Israel as a threat.
Turkish Drones Are Fueling a Somali Shadow War
Ankara’s stealth takeover suits its geopolitical interests but has ruined many civilian lives.
What the Pakistan-Saudi Arabia Pact Means for South Asia
The mutual defense agreement could make Islamabad even more risk-tolerant.
‘Super-Sparta’ Is Bad History and Bad Strategy
The Spartan model didn’t work for Sparta. It will be even worse for Israel.
On Syria’s Coast, Alawite Communities Wait for Justice
Rights advocates say the lack of accountability for massacres in March could have profound consequences.
Iraqi Kurdistan’s EV Revolution
Electric cars were a punchline here just a few years ago. Thanks to Chinese companies, that’s not the case anymore.
UNGA Puts Palestine in the Spotlight
Day 1 of the gathering’s high-level week was dominated by discussion of a two-state solution.
How Qatar Is Responding to Israel’s Sept. 9 Attack
Spokesperson: Doha strikes “a paradigm shift for the whole region.”
U.N. Warns of Hunger Among Western Sahara Refugees
As humanitarian aid dries up, Sahrawis in Algeria face a deepening crisis.
Erdogan’s Irredentism Just Can’t Keep Up
As international norms crumble, Turkey’s revisionist policies appear less provocative in comparison.
Israel Is Orchestrating an Economic Collapse in the West Bank
Job losses are only one factor in the equation driving its financial decline.
Why Hasn’t Joseph Kony Been Caught?
The Ugandan warlord recently went on trial in absentia, but he continues to elude a decades-long international manhunt.
Israel Risks Ties With Egypt at Its Peril
Netanyahu’s policies since Oct. 7 have strained relations with Cairo at the expense of Israeli security.
The Delusions Driving U.S. Policy in the Middle East
Washington is pushing outdated ideas and unrealistic goals.
Fixing Foreign Aid Requires Confronting Fundamental Tensions
Aid critics ignore competing policy goals and structural trade-offs between control and flexibility.
The Iran Deal That Isn’t Quite Yet
The would-be agreement between Iran and the IAEA hinges on U.S. willingness to come back to the table.
Are We Overestimating Autocracies?
Russia and Iran have proved weaker than many thought. So will China.
Israel’s Gaza Disengagement Worked Far Too Well
Leaving Gaza in 2005 wasn’t a failed bid for peace but a catastrophically successful effort to freeze the peace process.
Israel’s Regional War
The Israeli military has now bombed several countries in addition to its assault on Gaza.
The ICC Needs a Chief Prosecutor
Allegations against the court’s head prosecutor have hampered its effectiveness. They should be addressed immediately.
Iran’s Foreign Policy Is Changing in Real Time
The debate in Tehran is heating up—and moving in unexpected directions.
Khamenei Thinks He Can Ride This Out
Russia and China can buy Tehran time but not a deal.
Ethiopia Debuts New Mega-Dam
The project grants Addis Ababa control of the Nile River and threatens water supplies downstream.
Israel’s Strategic Declaration
By striking Qatar, Netanyahu has forsworn negotiations and expanded the battlefield.
Why Israeli Support for Settling Gaza Is Rising
The far right has normalized the idea of expelling Palestinians.
China’s Appetite for Rosewood Is Causing Chaos in Africa
Beijing should act to rein in a $2 billion industry.
Sudan, Congo, and You
From soda to sports, global consumers are implicated in Africa’s most deadly conflicts. This also creates an avenue for change.
Israel Escalates War Against Hamas With Doha Strike
Qatar decried the strike as a violation of international law.
Ankara’s New Syrian Headache
Toppling Assad didn’t solve Turkey’s problems—it made them worse.
Stop Trying to Make Somaliland Happen
The United States should not legitimize another fragile rupture in an unsettled region.
Why the World Turned on NGOs
From powerbrokers in the ’90s to pariahs today.
Africa Is Now Calling the Shots
Governments, civil society, and the private sector are reimagining development away from external interventions.
The End of Development
The West’s aid model was always a mirage. It’s time for a realistic alternative.
Qué Sharaa, Sharaa
With concrete steps, Washington can keep Syria’s future on track.
Israelis Need to Recognize the Humanity of Gazans
The unspeakable suffering of Palestinians has echoes of the persecution of the Jewish community.
How Israel’s Strikes on the Houthis Will Change Yemen
For years, the group has relied on the perception that it is untouchable.
How to Make Snapback a Success
The clock is ticking for a new nuclear deal with Iran.
Prigozhin’s Ghost Haunts Africa Corps
The Wagner Group is no more but Moscow is peddling the same false promises.
What Caused Botswana’s Public Health Emergency?
The declaration comes amid a downturn in the diamond market and U.S. foreign aid cuts.
Washington Has One Chance to Help Disarm Hezbollah
As Lebanon moves to confront the country’s most dangerous militia, U.S. support will be vital.
Ethiopia Could Still Avert the Next War With Eritrea
Keeping the Pretoria Agreement in a comatose state should not be seen as an end in itself.
The Question of Israel’s Right to Exist Is a Red Herring
Critics should be talking instead about regime change.
Why Israel’s War in Gaza Has Been So Deadly for Journalists
Israel is directly targeting media workers, rights groups warn.
Trump’s Lethal Landscapers
Is Trump hurting military readiness?
European Countries Trigger the ‘Snapback’ of Iran Sanctions
France, Germany, and the U.K. ran out of patience with Tehran and are bringing back previously halted U.N. measures.
Tehran’s Message to Trump: ‘Stop Listening to Bibi’
Former Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on the 12-day war, Western sanctions, and a pathway to nuclear talks.