Assad’s Fall Has Changed the Middle East Forever

OPINION : GUEST ESSAY
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The collapse of the regime of Bashar al-Assad not only upends decades of Assad family rule in Syria, it also promises to realign power across the Middle East.

The situation on the ground remains highly uncertain, especially around questions of whether the rebels can consolidate control and how they will govern if they do. But as a new reality in Syria sets in, a reordering of regional power dynamics is already taking shape that dramatically diminishes Iran’s influence and positions Turkey to play a critical role in shaping the future of a post-Assad Syria.

During Syria’s nearly 14-year civil war, no fewer than six foreign militaries engaged in the conflict, underscoring the major geostrategic stakes at play. Among them, Iran stands out for its unfettered investment in propping up Mr. al-Assad, reportedly spending billions of dollars to support the regime and mobilizing tens of thousands of proxy militia fighters. For Tehran, Syria was the leading edge of its forward defense strategy, protecting its interests in the region by projecting its power and influence. The fall of Mr. al-Assad dramatically undercuts this influence, depriving Tehran of a key Arab ally and cutting the land bridge to its Lebanese proxy, Hezbollah. Uprooted from its decades-long strategic posture in Syria, Iran is unlikely to recover from this significant setback for the foreseeable future. » | Mona Yacoubian | Ms. Yacoubian is vice president for the Middle East and North Africa at the U.S. Institute of Peace. | Wednesday, December 11, 2024

TRT World Now: How the US Election Results Will Impact the Middle East

Nov 6, 2024 | It's a very dark day for the Middle East - especially for Palestinians. That's the opinion of journalist Antony Loewenstein, the author of 'The Palestine Laboratory'. He says while the Democrats have mostly disregarded concerns about insecurity in the Middle East, a Trump presidency may not be a change for the better.

Expert Explains How Israel Could Face 'Extraordinarily Dangerous' Moment

Aug 3, 2024 | CNN’s Jim Sciutto speaks with the Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Israeli-Palestinian Affairs Andrew Miller about the Middle East, as the region braces for an Iranian retaliation to the killing of a senior Hamas leader in Tehran.

Countries Urge Nationals to Leave Lebanon as Middle East War Fears Grow | BBC News

Aug 4, 2024 | The US has urged its citizens to leave Lebanon on “any ticket available”, as fears grow that war in the Middle East may spread. The UK, Sweden, France, Canada and Jordan have issued a similar warning.

Hezbollah launched dozens of rockets at the town of Beit Hillel in northern Israel at around 00:25 local time on Sunday (21:25 GMT Saturday). Footage posted on social media showed Israel's Iron Dome air defence system intercepting the rockets. There have been no reports of casualties. Israel’s air force responded by striking targets in southern Lebanon.

Iran has vowed “severe” retaliation against Israel, which it blames for the death of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on Wednesday.

Israel is yet to comment on his death.


Crainte d'une escalade militaire au Moyen-Orient : après le Liban, la France recommande à ses ressortissants de quitter l’Iran : Les inquiétudes s'amplifient après la multiplication des menaces de l'Iran et de ses alliés contre Israël. »

Saudi’s MBS Welcomes Putin with Smiles & Handshake | Russia’s Bid to Checkmate US In Middle East?

Dec 7, 2023 | Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held bilateral talks in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, on December 6. Putin said "nothing can prevent the development of our friendly relations" as he makes a rare trip abroad seeking to bolster Russia's influence in the Middle East. MBS also said that cooperation between the two countries had a "positive impact on many issues" in the Middle East. Before Saudi Arabia's visit, Putin made a trip to the UAE, where he met President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Arab States Intensify Pleas for Gaza Cease-fire as Public Anger Mounts

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Citing deepening fears for regional stability, Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries are beseeching the U.S. to push Israel to end its military campaign in Gaza.

A rally in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip in Amman, Jordan, on Oct. 27. | Khalil Mazraawi/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
Facing growing anger from their own people, Arab countries are intensifying their appeals to the United States to pressure Israel to implement an immediate cease-fire in Gaza or risk sabotaging the security of the entire Middle East.

Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt have all implored American officials, including Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, to get Israel to halt its military assault.

“The whole region is sinking in a sea of hatred that will define generations to come,” the Jordanian foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, warned at a news conference this weekend.

As unrest spills into the streets and fear spreads that Iran-backed militias in the region will enter more directly into the conflict, some Arab leaders are worrying for their own security, said Elham Fakhro, an associate fellow at Chatham House’s Middle East and North Africa Program.

“Long-term resentment among the Arab public is fuel for extremist groups,” she said. “The region is already walking a delicate balance,” she added. “This is what drives Arab governments to use their available leverage to call for a cease-fire.” » | Vivian Nereim, Reporting from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | Tuesday, November 7, 2023

The Queer Revolution in the Middle East: 'One Good Song Can Do More than 5,000 Protests' | Reupload

Jun 22, 2022 | Mashrou’ Leila were one of the biggest bands in the Middle East, with a lead singer, Hamed, who is the most prominent openly gay rock star in the Arab world.

Known globally, their gigs were regular sell-out successes until an event at their 2017 Cairo concert changed everything. Playing to 35,000 people, the band looked out at a sea of swaying flickering lights, including an Egyptian fan flying a rainbow flag. This simple act would later be described by authorities as ‘inciting debauchery’, and ultimately catapulted the band, the fan and others into a tragic series of events. While this violent repression against the LGBTQ+ community in the Middle East mirrors a global trend, creatives on the frontline are unified in their resistance

'Down with Israel': Protests Erupt across the Middle East after Gaza Hospital Strike

Oct 18, 2023 | Violent protests have erupted across the Arab world amid a wave of anger after an air strike on a Gaza hospital killed at least 200 Palestinians on Tuesday evening. Demonstrators have stormed the Israeli consulate in Jordan while Western embassies have been targeted in Turkey, Tunisia and Lebanon, with rioting also breaking out in the West Bank.

‘Death to England and France’, protesters shout as Western embassies targeted: US consulate in Lebanon is targeted with fire attack as angry demonstrations spread to Turkey, the West Bank and Tunisia Violent protests have erupted across the Arab world amid a wave of anger after a bombing on a Gaza hospital killed at least 200 Palestinians on Tuesday evening. »

Rashid Khalidi on Biden's "Israel-First Approach" & Growing Outrage over Gaza across the Middle East

Oct 18, 2023 | President Biden is in Israel to show more support for its relentless assault on the Gaza Strip, which has reduced much of the territory to rubble, killed at least 3,300 Palestinians and displaced more than a million people. Israel also continues to maintain a complete siege, refusing to let in food, water, fuel, medicines and other necessities. Meanwhile, international outrage is growing over a massive explosion at the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital that killed hundreds of people on Tuesday. Palestinian authorities say it was an Israeli airstrike, while Israel has claimed a failed rocket launch by Gaza militants caused the blast. "Whoever was responsible, the result will be enormous, enormous anger at the United States for its support of Israel, as well as a further increase in this enormous death toll inside Gaza," says Palestinian American historian Rashid Khalidi, the Edward Said professor of modern Arab studies at Columbia University.

Israel Will ‘Destroy’ Lebanon If War Spreads

THE TELEGRAPH: UK and US warn over escalation in Middle East crisis as jets bomb northern neighbour

Israeli jets have started bombing in Lebanon as the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) warned it would “destroy” the country if Hizbollah entered the war.

The air raids came as the United States and the UK expressed fears that Israel’s war with Hamas could “escalate” into a conflict involving “the wider Middle East”.

The Israeli strikes were carried out after anti-tank rockets fired by Hizbollah killed one person in northern Israel in the most serious clashes outside of Gaza since the war began.

Tzachi Hanegbi, an Israeli national security adviser, warned the Iran-sponsored terrorist group not to start a war on a second front, threatening the “destruction of Lebanon” if it did.

Western nations have warned against any escalation in the conflict and have moved to try and prevent it spilling outwards, potentially drawing in Iran, with the US ordering a second aircraft carrier strike group to the region over the weekend. » | Roland Oliphant, Senior Foreign Correspondent, in Jerusalem | Sunday, October 15, 2023

Male Guardianship Rules Restrict Women's Mobility | DW News

Jul 18, 2023 | Many women across the Middle East and North Africa are not free to go where they want. A new report from Human Rights Watch looks at 20 countries where women's movement is restricted. In some countries, women need their husband's permission to get a passport, or to travel with her own children, in others even leaving the home requires the a man's consent. In Yemen, authorities don't allow women to travel abroad without a man.

Related article.

‘I Am a Prisoner’: Women Fight Middle Eastern Laws That Keep Them Trapped at Home

THE GUARDIAN: Rules restricting a woman’s freedom to live, work and study persist in countries including Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel, says a Human Rights Watch report

She may be nearly 30, but Aya* is forbidden from leaving her home in Amman, Jordan. She can’t go for lunch with her friends and has no legal right to decide where to live, work or study

. Aya’s story is common across the Middle East and north Africa, where countries including Jordan, Iran and Saudi Arabia still have laws requiring women to either “obey” their husbands, live with them or seek their permission to leave the marital home, work or travel.

“I am a prisoner at home,” says Aya. “If I go out without my family’s knowledge, they’ll lock me in my room and beat me so hard that I’ll feel pain for months. I’m threatened with death. There are so many girls like me.”

While most governments in the region say they allow women to obtain passports and travel abroad without requiring guardian permission, legislation regarding married women offers sanctions if they do so. » | Sarah Little and Tom Levitt | Tuesday, July 18, 2023

Meet One of the Middle East's First Openly Gay Celebrities — Internet without Borders

Jan 19, 201 | Egyptian gay rights activist Omar Shariff, Jr. is working to ensure that the media that reaches the televisions and smartphones of Egyptians reflects not only the diversity of Egypt, but the broader international community. We visited Omar at the 2016 Oslo Freedom Forum to discuss Egypt's cultural revolution, and how the LGBTQ community will play a role. Internet Without Borders, made in partnership with the Oslo Freedom Forum, is a four-part video series exploring how technology is being used to defend human rights

Trump Family’s Newest Partners: Middle Eastern Governments

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The government of Oman is a partner in a real estate deal signed last week by the former president, intensifying questions about a potential conflict as he seeks the White House again.

The Trump International Golf Club Dubai is one of the properties the Trump family has licensed its name to. | Bryan Denton for The New York Times
WASHINGTON — When former President Donald J. Trump returned briefly last week to his office at Trump Tower in New York, he was joined by his son Eric Trump and the top executive of a Saudi Arabian real estate company to sign a deal that creates new conflict-of-interest questions for his just-launched presidential campaign.

The deal is with a Saudi real estate company, which intends to build a Trump-branded hotel, villas and a golf course as part of a $4 billion real estate project in Oman. The agreement continues a practice that had been popular for the Trump family business until Mr. Trump was elected president — selling branding rights to an overseas project in exchange for a generous licensing fee.

But what makes this project unusual — and is sure to intensify the questions over this newest transaction — is that by teaming up with the Saudi company, Mr. Trump is also becoming part of a project backed by the government of Oman itself.

The deal leaves Mr. Trump, as a former president hoping to win the White House again, effectively with a foreign government partner that has complex relations with the United States, including its role in trying to end the war in Yemen and other important foreign policy agenda items for Washington. » | Eric Lipton and Maggie Haberman | Sunday, November 20, 2022

World Cup 2022: Growing Up LGBT in the Middle East

GETTY IMAGES
BBC: More than a million fans from around the globe will be going to Qatar to watch the World Cup.

But the country has been criticised for its ban on same-sex relationships and its treatment of migrant workers.

For some LGBT football fans, there is a conflict - between the game they love and the life they wish to lead.

It's a dilemma one fan, who fled a neighbouring Middle Eastern country with similar attitudes, understands well.

That person, who asked to remain anonymous, told BBC Asian Network's Luke Wolstenholme what it was like to grow up LGBT in a country where "everyone is scared to talk about it".

'I was trying to change myself'

Living your whole life in fear isn't an experience you would wish on your worst enemy. Fear, consistent lying, pretending - this is the highlight of my life there.

I wasn't happy for long time, to be honest. At that time I was thinking there is something wrong with me for being gay and I didn't accept it.

I was trying to change myself - we are raised like that.

Everything around us says being gay is wrong and God will punish us for being gay. My home country is a religious country and Islam is the religion.

It took me a long time to accept myself. » | BBC | Friday, November 18, 2022

After Homophobic Assault, Gay Middle Eastern Man Refuses to Hide. “Yes, I Identify as a Gay Man.” | Reupload

The last summer before moving from Saudi Arabia to the United States, Jawad Bandar came out to his close friends. They all seemed to take it well - or so he thought. On one of his last nights in Saudi Arabia, Jawad was threatened by a group of men wielding bats. Though he escaped harm’s way, he later found out that his would-be attackers were tipped off by some people he thought were his friends. Rather than hide or retreat to the closet, Jawad took a different approach - upon relocating to Dearborn, Michigan, Jawad began living life as an open and unapologetically gay man.

Yes, gay Saudis. Imagine that! There are plenty of them, I can assure you. I saw and met more gay men when I worked there many years ago than I have ever met or seen in the West! Unfortunately, I wasn’t out in those days, and punishments for being gay were (and still are) brutal, harsh and cruel, otherwise I could have had a ball! – © Mark Alexander

Meet One of the Middle East's First Openly Gay Celebrities — Internet Without Borders

Jan 19, 2017 Egyptian gay rights activist Omar Shariff, Jr. is working to ensure that the media that reaches the televisions and smartphones of Egyptians reflects not only the diversity of Egypt, but the broader international community.

We visited Omar at the 2016 Oslo Freedom Forum to discuss Egypt's cultural revolution, and how the LGBTQ community will play a role.

internet Without Borders, made in partnership with the Oslo Freedom Forum, is a four-part video series exploring how technology is being used to defend human rights.

Marco : A Short Film by Saleem Haddad

Un excellent court métrage pour pimenter votre journée ! | Views on YouTube : 3,328,276

Viewer discretion is strongly advised. This excellent short film is not suitable for children. – Mark

Saleem Haddad.

About Saleem Haddad.

Book: Guapa.

Elie, Lebanon

Apr 16, 2018 "I'm a normal person, I'm just attracted to members of the same sex."

For more stories of self-discovery from LGBT activists across the Middle East and North Africa, click here.

The Queer Revolution in the Middle East: 'One Good Song Can Do More Than 5,000 Protests'

Jun 22, 2022 Mashrou’ Leila were one of the biggest bands in the Middle East, with a lead singer, Hamed, who is the most prominent openly gay rock star in the Arab world.

Known globally, their gigs were regular sell-out successes until an event at their 2017 Cairo concert changed everything. Playing to 35,000 people, the band looked out at a sea of swaying flickering lights, including an Egyptian fan flying a rainbow flag. This simple act would later be described by authorities as ‘inciting debauchery’, and ultimately catapulted the band, the fan and others into a tragic series of events.

While this violent repression against the LGBTQ+ community in the Middle East mirrors a global trend, creatives on the frontline are unified in their resistance.

If you have been affected by the issues raised in this film, help and support is available. In the UK, Hopeline UK, call 0800 068 4141, papyrus-uk.org. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.