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Shahmahmood Miakhel is the Country Director in Afghanistan for the US Institute of Peace (USIP). Prior to that he was a Governance Advisor for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), and, from 2003–2005, a Deputy Minister of the Interior in the Government of Afghanistan. In 1994–1995 he worked for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) in South and Southeast Afghanistan helping to establish District Rehabilitation Shuras (DRS). He also worked as a reporter for the Pashto service of the Voice of America from 1985–1990.
The closer Israel gets to destroying Hamas, the more likely war with Hezbollah becomes
He leads an army of more than 100,000 dedicated and battle-hardened fighters equipped with thousands of missiles, rockets, and armed drones that can hit targets deep inside Israel with pinpoint accuracy. He inspires and commands the loyalty of Iran-backed militias across the Arab world.
So when Hassan Nasrallah, the head of the Lebanese Hezbollah and the most powerful non-state actor in the world, says that he doesn’t wish to broaden the war in Gaza to help his Palestinian ally Hamas, the region should breathe a sigh of relief – because his words matter.
Israel’s Response to Iran in Syria: Choosing Between Escalation and Accommodation
The following quantitative analysis explores the core of Israel’s strategic airstrikes in Syria between 2013 and August 2023, a critical aspect of its defense policy during this time, aimed at mitigating Iranian influence in the region and protecting its national borders.
Despite the unprecedented Israeli-Palestinian crisis, new opportunities for peace emerge
More than a month since the deadly Hamas terror attack on Israel on 7 October, Israelis are processing the horrors, working to bring home more than 200 hostages, mobilising in mass numbers to support those in need, wishing for the safe return of soldiers and reservists, and yearning for a leader who can take responsibility, show compassion, and reassure them about the future.
As talk of a revived Israeli-Palestinian political process grows, the Abraham Accords partners must play a role
Oct. 7 sounded the death knell of the Abraham Accords. Yet the end to the initial conceit of the Abraham Accords does not mean an end to the essential role that the Abraham Accords partners can play in helping broker an Israeli-Palestinian agreement.
Despite the Houthis’ geographical distance from Israel and perceived limited capabilities, the threat they represent is all too real and if underestimated, they have the potential to derail diplomatic efforts and destabilize the region, with potentially catastrophic consequences.
On this week’s episode, MEI’s Editor in Chief Alistair Taylor talks to Iran Program Director Alex Vatanka about Iran and the Israel-Hamas war. As fighting rages in Gaza and the prospects for regional escalation continue to mount, Iran will remain a critical actor to watch. It is not only Israel’s main regional foe but also the leading provider of military aid and training for Hamas. Given the centrality of Iran in this latest Middle Eastern war, understanding how Tehran views the conflict and its endgame will be critical.
الانتخابات المحلية في تونس عام 2023: كيف ستعزز "الهيكلية التصاعدية" حكم كيس سعيد الفردي
من المقرر إجراء الانتخابات المحلية المقبلة في تونس، وهي الأولى التي تجرى بموجب الدستور الجديد للبلاد، في 24 ديسمبر 2023. وجاء الإعلان عن الموعد بعد حوالي ستة أشهر من نشر المراسيم الرئاسية، في مارس 2023، التي قضت بحل أول مجالس بلدية منتخبة ديمقراطياً في تونس، مما وضع حداً لعملية اللامركزية التي بدأت في عام 2018.
The EU and the Israel-Hamas war: A narrow but important niche
Much has been written about the European Union’s confused and cacophonic response to the heinous Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack that has plunged the Middle East into one of the most violent crises the region has known since World War II. While the condemnation of Hamas’ atrocities was unanimous, not much else was.
How Meta’s platforms normalize anti-Palestinian racism
The ongoing Palestinian-Israeli crisis is further intensified in the information space by the failure of the leading tech giants, including Meta, to combat online disinformation, incitement to violence, and hate speech proliferating on their platforms, most egregiously against Palestinians.
Amid the Gaza war, Palestinian citizens of Israel feel like the target of a witch hunt
In the aftermath of the horrific Hamas terror attack on Oct. 7, and amid the ongoing war in Gaza, the scope and intensity of the current crackdown by the Israeli government and law enforcement on Palestinian citizens of Israel and the suppression of pro-Palestinian speech are unprecedented.
Why Russia has been openly critical of Israel's war on Gaza
There are many signs of a deterioration of relations between Russia and Israel since the start of the war in Gaza, and they have stoked concern about potential flashpoints between the two countries, not least in Syria, where both have a military presence.
Representatives from both sides have been openly bickering at various diplomatic meetings in clashes that have become almost commonplace.
