2018 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 December 2018 Rojava in Syria, Between Compromise and Utopia Chris den Hond, Mireille Court · December 2018 The Democratic Federation of Northern and Eastern Syria, also known as Rojava, is going through a dangerous period for its future. Attacked by Turkey, which has invaded the canton of Afrin and is threatening to extend its aggression, at the very moment when it is helping to eliminate the Islamic (…) Netanyahu Rides to the Rescue of the Saudi Crown Prince Sylvain Cypel · December 2018 In Washington, Benyamin Netanyahu mobilised Israel’s relays to defend the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia accused, including by the CIA, of the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Because his entire strategy of alliance with the Wahhabi kingdom against Iran risks suffering from this tragedy. (…) Afghan Illegal Workers Flee Iran Quentin Müller · December 2018 Now that Iran has once again been hit by US economic sanctions and its currency undergone significant depreciation, each month hundreds of undocumented Afghan workers have been going home. Once looked down upon with contempt, they have come to be considered a shot in the arm for many sectors of (…) November 2018 Iran’s Comeback to the Mediterranean Thibault Jeandet · November 2018 After a very long absence, Iran settles back in the Mediterranean, reviving a very old history dating back to the Achaemenid Empire. But this deployment is less a matter of imperial will than a strategy of sanctuarization of the national territory. Last September, the Trump administration in (…) Gulf Countries and Turkey Pitch Against Each Other... in Africa Gérard Prunier · November 2018 One of the unknown victims of rivalries between Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Turkey (not to mention Iran) is the African continent where these countries compete with each other for dollars. On 24 October 2018, when “Davos in the Desert” had been seriously compromised by (…) Egypt. The Losers of Liberalisation Maye Kabil · November 2018 In recent years, Egyptians have experienced a noticeable decline in their standard of living with the devaluation of the national currency and at the same time a substantial rise in the cost of goods and services. Something quite unusual in a country where over the past few decades changes have (…) Palestine. “Good Governance” to Bury the Intifada Majd Kayyal · November 2018 The second Intifada used a large network of parallel and informal financial assistance to provide material and logistical support to the Palestinian resistance. That is why Israel has imposed reforms on the Palestinian Authority that have played a decisive role in its control strategy. Presented (…) The Impossible Reform of the Lebanese Financial System Marie-José Daoud · November 2018 In recent months, Lebanon has been alive with rumours about a forthcoming devaluation. In mid-September, the governor of the Central Bank, Riadh Salameh was obliged to officially deny that he was ill and had to resign and Michel Aoun, the President of the Republic, also had to declare that the (…) Tunisia. Our Dearest Financial Friends Malek Lakhal · November 2018 In November 2016, Tunis hosted an international conference, Tunisia 2020. Co-organised by the Tunisian, French and Qatari governments, its ambition was to garner from the “friendly countries” in attendance investment pledges for projects contributing to growth and job creation as well as (…) What Is the Value of the Economic Reforms Imposed in the Arab World? Taher Labadi · November 2018 More than ever, reforming the economies of Arab countries is the order of the day. And with good reason. In 2017 their average rate of unemployment was estimated at 10% as against a world average of 5.5%. And this figure fails to account for major disparities. The rate is 12.1% in Egypt, 14.9% (…) Jordan, its Debt and the Mirages of the IMF Doa Ali · November 2018 The demonstrations in the summer of 2018 put the economic policies pursued since the late 1980s back at the heart of public debate in Jordan. The dispute has opened up a political space that had disappeared since the failure of the “November” 2012 conflagration, and brought the issue of taxation (…) North Africa. Central Bank Independence Is Scary Amar Ingrachen · November 2018 In North Africa, central banks independence from political powers is a matter of debate. It faces many obstacles and also raises countless criticisms from those who fear that countries will abandon their national sovereignty. Over the last few years, several North African countries have (…) Syria and Egypt: Surprising Analogies Yassin Swehat · November 2018 Despite the supposedly opposing political systems in place in Egypt and Syria since the 1970s, the two countries have developed similar economic reforms, particularly since the 1990s. In both cases, and beyond the differences, they allowed the elites to strengthen themselves, and the (…) Tunisia: End of the Historic Compromise? Khadija Mohsen-Finan · November 2018 Has Beji Caid Essebsi decided to extricate himself from the political crisis which plagues his party and paralyses the executive by reverting to his original plan: weaken Ennahda without forcing it to join the opposition and rule unopposed over a country which he claims is threatened by (…) October 2018 All Those Who Want the War in Yemen To Continue Helen Lackner · October 2018 “It is high time for this war to end and it is also important, it is even France’s priority (...), that humanitarian aid can pass,” Françoise Parly, French Minister of the Armed Forces said on 30 October. Yet, to date, none of the foreign powers engaged in Yemen have really acted in this (…) Such a Mysterious Israeli Ministry of Strategic Affairs Eyal Hareuveni · October 2018 Worried about the rise of the Boycott Divestment Sanctions (BDS) movement in solidarity with the Palestinians, the Israeli government is trying to organize the response, not hesitating to spy on citizens in foreign countries, such as the United States. It has created a discreet Ministry of (…) Jordan. A Mysterious Attack that Sheds Light on the Flaws in Power Jamal Tahat · October 2018 Jordan’s stability seems to observers the consequence of both regional factors and international decisions. They are unanimous in recognising the efficiency of a system which has thus far enabled the country to weather many perils without too much damage. However, the Fuhais terrorist attack on (…) What Russia Gained From Its Military Intervention in Syria Igor Delanoë · October 2018 It has been three years now since Russia first took part in the Syrian conflict, alongside Damas and Tehran. During that period, its operational activities have varied considerably according to the battlefield goals it has set for itself. Today, while the crisis is far from settled, Moscow may (…) Benyamin Netanyahu’s Dangerous Connections with the European Far Right Dominique Vidal · October 2018 Europe is experiencing a rise of the extreme right, which is even taking power, from Austria to Poland. Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu has decided to get closer to these movements, in the name of the fight against Islamism, even if it means turning a blind eye to their anti-Semitism. It (…) September 2018 Would Making the Dinar Convertible in 2022 Stimulate the Algerian Economy? Jean-Pierre Sereni · September 2018 How is it possible to rouse from its torpor Algerian society which has scarcely evolved in twenty years of Abelaziz Bouteflika’s presidency? A seasoned industrialist believes he knows the answer: the end of foreign exchange controls in 2022 and the free convertibility of the national currency, (…) Algeria Sick with Cholera Leïla Beratto · September 2018 Since August, one hundred people have come down with cholera. While the authorities claim that the epidemic is under control, there is much criticism of the way they are handling it. It is indicative of the country’s ills. On Monday 10 September, the Algerian Ministry of Health announced that (…) Barack Obama, “lackey” of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood Alain Gresh · September 2018 As a correspondent for the New York Times in Cairo since 2010, David Kirkpatrick covered the Egyptian Spring and Winter and the account in his new book of the different episodes, the various twists and turns, displays considerable talent. If only for this reason, his book is well worth reading, (…) Tunisia. Inheritance Equality Contested Thierry Brésillon · September 2018 A draft law initiated by the President meant to give both sexes equal inheritance rights was greeted as another sign of improvement in the condition of women. But it also touched off two public debates: what should the role of religion be, and how do we reform society in a democracy? Tunisia (…) August 2018 How Israel Spies on US Citizens Alain Gresh · August 2018 A never-shown Al Jazeera documentary on the pro-Israel lobby in the US reveals possibly illegal Israeli spying on US citizens, and the lobby’s fear of a changing political mood. (This article has been published in French in Le Monde diplomatique, and translated by Le Monde diplomatique, English (…) Israel-Palestine. A Magnifying Mirror of the Future Ezra Nahmad · August 2018 Israeli and Palestinian demographic forecasts point to population growth and a rise in urban density. They present the outlines of a disquieting social model, at the intersection of religion and advanced technology, with a highly ghettoised society. Which goes to show that even an advanced (…) How will Iran Rise to the Challenge of America’s Escalation? Clément Therme · August 2018 From August 7, foreign companies active in Iran must comply with new US sanctions concerning Iran. Several European companies, including PSA and Total, have already announced their withdrawal from the country. Faced with US economic pressures, an internal economic crisis, the fall of its (…) July 2018 Hirak. Stick Approach, the Only Response of Moroccan Power Anass Khayati · July 2018 The heavy sentences which struck the leaders of the Hirak confirm that the Moroccan power refuses to hear the popular demands. It knows only one response to social and democratic aspirations: repression. Article 1. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are (…) Denuclearizing the Middle East, Resolving the Arab-Israeli Conflict · July 2018 Launched by teachers from the American University of Princeton, signed by researchers on both sides of the Atlantic, this declaration calls for a break with Donald Trump’s policy of unconditional support for Israel and the region to embark on the path of denuclearization, which implies that Tel (…) Aboul Fotouh in Jail, Egypt in Chains Bjorn Olav Utvik, François Burgat · July 2018 In 2013, a coup brought the army to power in Egypt. Five years later, all the benefits from the January 2011 revolution are liquidated and no dissenting votes are allowed. Those who like Abdel Moneim Aboul Foutouh embodied the hopes of the Tahrir movement are targeted first and foremost. On (…) Tunisia. False Coup, Real Political Crisis Thierry Brésillon · July 2018 The dismissal on June 6 of Lofti Brahem, the Minister of Home Affairs, gave rise to the rumor of a coup in the offing. It was a symptom of a growing restiveness in Tunisia while the sensitive issues are piling up and the institutions have trouble asserting their authority. The world of (…) June 2018 The Late Freedom of Expression in Morocco Ilhem Rachidi · June 2018 The policy of openness that followed the emergence of the February 20 Movement in 2011 did not last long. Once again freedoms are curtailed, demonstrators thrown into prison, to such an extent that certain activists come to regret the last years of Hassan II’s reign. Seen from afar, Morocco (…) Is Islamism the Muslim Form of Liberation Theology? Alain Gresh, Asef Bayat · June 2018 There is no doubt that Islamism, in its various forms, plays a major role in the evolution of Muslim societies, in the struggles that are developing there. What explains this centrality? Can we draw a parallel between Islamism and Christian liberation theology? Interview. Alain Gresh. — Why (…) Iraq. Has the Sadrist Movement Rallied to the Fight against Confessionalism? Quentin Müller · June 2018 Having won the recent parliamentary election, Moqtada Al-Sadr and his Sadrist Movement are seeking to reshape the political scene in Iraq: less corruption, less religion and more civic involvement. A dynamics inspired and described here by his chief of staff, Dhia Al-Asadi. My taxi driver, (…) Boats for Gaza: Forbidden to Dock in Paris Chris den Hond · June 2018 Two boats for Gaza were forbidden to dock in Paris by the prefecture on Sunday 17 June. “They are part of the International Freedom Flotilla, which about every two years tries to break the illegal blockade of Gaza,” says Claude Leostic, coordinator in France for the Gaza Flotilla. “We are in an (…) Saudi Arabia, A “Revolution” From Afar Faisal Abualhassan · June 2018 The idea that Saudi Arabia’s transformations were simply decreed, overnight, by a simple decision at the top, ignores the profound transformations that society has undergone for decades. Speaking at an investment forum in Abu Dhabi in May 2018, former Congressman Eric Cantor had a lot to say (…) Morocco: “His Majesty’s Bosses” Boycotted Omar Brouksy · June 2018 Launched by anonymous cybernauts over a month ago, a large-scale movement to boycott brands owned by the King’s entourage is as unprecedented as it is successful and has become a genuine societal phenomenon. In the Mabella district of Rabat, a middle-class neighborhood inhabited by civil (…) May 2018 Oman: Neutrality Under Pressure Camille Lons · May 2018 The Sultanate of Oman has always taken care to maintain a balance in its relations with Saudi Arabia and Iran, which has enabled it to act as a mediator in regional disputes. However, this independence may be compromised by the mounting geopolitical tension, particularly after the US withdrawal (…) Understanding the Arab Spring Alain Gresh · May 2018 What really happened? How did it come to that? Seven years later, what is left of the Arab revolutions? These are some of the questions raised by sociologist Asef Bayet and to which he provides original answers in a book which, though sometimes a bit disjointed, is certainly one of the most (…) Morocco. The Inconceivable Abdication of Mohamed VI Ignacio Cembrero · May 2018 During the first four months of this year, the King of Morocco spent less than twenty days in his country. His frequent and extended absences bring the kingdom to a near standstill creating a situation which, in the long term, will be untenable since the Moroccan chief of state is vested with (…) The European Union is Responsible for the Refugee Crisis Bahey Eldin Hassan · May 2018 The European Union’s support for dictatorships in the Arab world is often justified by the fact that authoritarian regimes are a bulwark against terrorism and illegal immigration. In reality, the opposite is true. The issue of the EU’s and European States’ policies on refugees and irregular (…) From Yemen to Lebanon, Saudi Arabia’s Dubious Offensives Gabriele vom Bruck · May 2018 From now on, the Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed Ben Salman became the strong man of the kingdom and the bearer of an interventionist foreign policy. But the results are not there, neither in Yemen nor in Lebanon. On the eve of Saudi Arabian crown Prince Muhammad Ibn Salman’s official visit to (…) April 2018 Secularism: Three Questions for Joan W. Scott Chris den Hond, Talia Olivera Martínez · April 2018 According to Joan W. Scott, professor emeritus at the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton University, and author of The Politics of the veil (Princeton University Press, September 2007), the “nouvelle laïcité” implemented in France since 2003 “completely transforms the notion of (…) Five Schemes to Generate Income in the Arab World and Worsen the Crisis Erwin van Veen , Willem van den Berg · April 2018 States in the MENA region suffer from fragmentation and authoritarianism but with Western help, they are surprisingly capable of innovative revenue generation. A tongue-in-cheek assessment of five methods. For a brief moment it looked like the revolutions of the Arab Spring could break (…) In Morocco, Hotbeds of Protest Are Not Being Extinguished Ilhem Rachidi · April 2018 Strikes and social disputes followed one another in Morocco, from the Rif to Jerada, without repression succeeding in overcoming them completely. But these movements are struggling to unite, even if we can see in these mobilizations the fallout of the February 20 Movement that shook the country (…) Tunisia, Battlefield of The Gulf Countries Youssef Cherif · April 2018 The crisis in the Arab world is partly caused by the policies of certain Persian Gulf principalities, among them the United Arab Emirates (UAE) whose central role is little known. And among the regions in which these countries maintain a proactive foreign policy, the least well-known would (…) French Mobilization for an Irreformable Lebanese Economy Henri Mamarbachi · April 2018 On Friday, 6 April, another conference will be held to save Lebanon and its economy. France plays a central role in its organisation, but its success is far from guaranteed. Lebanon is rich but a country to be pitied! For decades, this tiny nation, lost in the turmoil of the Middle East, has (…) March 2018 The Unobtainable Coherence of Turkish Foreign Policy Samim Akgönül · March 2018 In recent years, Turkish foreign policy has been marked by reversals and reversals of alliances. Some present it as “neo-ottoman”, a concept without consistency that does not help to understand the strategies implemented. Since the constitutional referendum of 2010 and especially since 2013 (…) Electoral Farce in Egypt Alain Gresh · March 2018 Seven years after the revolution that brought down President Hosni Mubarak, a lead weight fell on Egypt. And the elections are nothing more than a farce. On March 26 and 28 Egyptians will be called to the polls to choose the President of the Republic. If we had to describe in one word a (…) These Corruption Cases That Are Splashing Algerian Power Lakhdar Benchiba · March 2018 As strikes by doctors and teachers spread, the Algerian government doesn’t seem capable of overcoming the protest. Its rhetoric is all the more inaudible as the proliferation of corruption cases is splashing through the top circles. In the face of the current social movements (postgraduate (…) Algeria: a Thriving Black Market in Currencies Akram Belkaid · March 2018 In Algeria, almost everyone prefers the parallel circuit to the banking system to exchange dinars with other currencies. And the gap between the official exchange rate and that of the black market is likely to widen if rumours of impending devaluation are confirmed. At first glance, this (…) The Kurds Trapped By The Military Escalation In Syria Olivier Piot · March 2018 The escalation of the war in Syria which began early in January 2018 has clearly reshuffled the cards as to the balance of forces on the ground. Potentially allies of both Moscow and Washington, yet weakened in Afrin Canton by the onslaught of the Turkish army, have the Syrian Kurds lost all (…) February 2018 Even with Donald Trump,“American isolationism is a fiction” Andrew Bacevich, Sylvain Cypel · February 2018 Contrary to popular belief, the American administration’s policy is not isolationist. It is characterized by permanent military interventions, in continuity with that of the Obama administration. Professor emeritus of history and international relations at Boston University, Andrew Bacevich (…) Who is Losing the Nile? Alain Gresh · February 2018 The construction by Ethiopia of the Grand Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile has exacerbated tensions between the riverside countries. Egypt is worried for fear its share of the river waters may be seriously diminished but seems incapable of standing in the way of Addis-Abeba’s project which has (…) The Militias in Iraq, From Popular Mobilization to Political Interference Araz Muhamad Arash, Sylvain Mercadier · February 2018 The Popular Mobilization Units or Hashd al-Shaabi, formed in 2014 following a fatwa by grand ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, played a major role in countering the expansion of the Islamic State in Iraq. As the Islamic State was officially defeated last December, the future of the PMU is subject to (…) Muslims, France and the Sexualization of National Culture Joan W. Scott · February 2018 Refusing to choose between the “liberation” that France wants to impose on them and the “repression” that would be inherent in their religion, many Muslims invent new sexual and gender practices. Early in January (9 January 2018), Le Monde ran a series of articles responding to the Weinstein (…) January 2018 The Unlocatable Politics of Paris in Syria Pierre Prier · January 2018 Since the 2011 uprising, France has had to revise its policy towards Syria. In order to understand the mechanisms behind the current diplomatic situation, historian Manon-Nour Tannous reviews the bilateral relations between the two countries since the end of the French mandate on Syria (…) Algeria Faces the Challenges of Immigration Leïla Beratto · January 2018 Some 100,000 sub-Saharan migrants live in Algeria. Last Fall, the authorities decided to deport them by the hundreds. These arrests, however, have prompted the civil society to become more involved in this issue. On the television screen, a succession of cartoons for children. Kevin* keeps (…) When Iraqi Kurds demand change Rojbin Muslim · January 2018 While the Islamic Republic of Iran is experiencing violent street demonstrations widely covered by the Western press, little attention is paid to the situation in Iraqi Kurdistan which is in the throes of a serious political and economic crisis. With this new episode of street protests and (…)