Arab world

Palestinian men watch Donald Trump give a foreign policy speech in a cafe in East Jerusalem, December 6, 2017. (Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)

Under Trump, Arab support for U.S. hits lowest point in years

Polling in 11 Arab countries finds that only 12 percent of people in the Arab world have a positive view of U.S. foreign policy. Nearly 90 percent say they would oppose their country recognizing Israel diplomatically. By Derek Davison A year and a half into his presidency, Donald Trump’s two biggest beneficiaries in the Middle…

By +972 Magazine July 18, 2018

Muslim worthshippers seen next to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the Old City of Jerusalem, November 7, 2016. (Sebi Berens/Flash90)

Dear Trump administration: Don’t mess with Jerusalem

Moving the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem could ignite a spark that would set the entire region aflame. It’s just not worth it. By James J. Zogby In just a matter of days, President-elect Donald Trump will have to decide on whether or not to make good on his promise to move the U.S.…

By +972 Magazine January 16, 2017

Sadiq Jalal al-Azm seen during a lecture series at University of California, Los Angeles's Department of Near Eastern Studies in 2006. (Bgadsby)

Goodbye to the Syrian intellectual who sought to liberate his homeland

Sadiq Jalal al-Azm, who passed away last week, was a Syrian intellectual of the highest order. He placed a mirror in front of both the Arab world and its tendency to blame the West for all its ills. By Dror Ze’evi The Arab states are in trouble. Their citizens are unable to break through the…

By +972 Magazine December 18, 2016

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The Beirut skyline. (Shutterstock.com)

From Haifa to Beirut: ’48 Palestinians challenge regional isolation

It is difficult to comprehend what it means for Palestinians who have only an Israeli passport to live in the Middle East, isolated from the region around them. An interview with one of a handful of activists challenging that reality by crossing seemingly forbidden borders.

By Michael Schaeffer Omer-Man February 20, 2016

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas address the general debate of the UN General Assembly’s 70th session, September 20, 2015. (UN Photo/Cia Pak)

Palestine’s battle for hearts and minds in the Arab world

A new Palestinian PR campaign attempts to recast the conflict by comparing Israeli violence against Palestinians to methods used by Islamic State. By Jacob Wirtschafter CAIRO — Eager to re-enlist Egyptian public opinion to their cause, the Palestinian Embassy in Cairo hosted a rare press conference Thursday outlining Ramallah’s current diplomatic agenda. The agenda includes…

By +972 Magazine November 1, 2015

Haitham Khalailah performs on Arab Idol. (Screenshot from Arab Idol, MBC)

How a Galilee Palestinian beat the odds to become an Arab Idol finalist

On his way to the finale of one of the most important shows in the Arab world, Haitham Khalailah had to deal with the Shin Bet, restrictions on the movement of Palestinian citizens and the fraught connection between Palestinians in Israel and the rest of the Middle East. Will he be the second Palestinian in a…

By Henriette Chacar December 12, 2014

Shimon Peres, John Kerry and Mahmoud Abbas in Jordan (World Economic Forum / Benedikt von Loebell)

Is Kerry out to make peace, or a peace process?

Obama clarified last week that the United States has its own distinct interests, and renewing Israeli-Palestinian peace talks is certainly one of them. But is the U.S. actually aiming for peace, or does the peace process itself serve American interests in the region? The United States is once again thrusting itself into one of the more intractable…

By Michael Schaeffer Omer-Man May 27, 2013

Israelis view the street protests in Egypt with both fear and indifference

In Israel, media coverage of the Egyptian uprising has been superficial at best. Most Israelis know little about the Arab world and are indifferent to the issues that brought Egyptians to the streets; instead, they focus on their fear that the Muslim Brotherhood, which is perceived as hostile to Israel, would fill a power vacuum…

By +972 Magazine January 29, 2011