Politics · Briefing
Can Turkey Put Libya Back Together?
By courting both Tripoli and Haftar's eastern government, Ankara is positioning itself as the broker of a unified Libya, and the power behind whoever controls it.
Al Mantiq
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Every Al Mantiq article is filed under one of the sections below. Each page collects our published analysis in that category, in English and Arabic.
Politics · News Analysis
Israel’s Next Political Deadlock
Following a consequential election, Netanyahu’s Likud emerges as the largest party but falls short of a majority, leaving his rivals dependent on Arab parties and raising the prospect of a unity government, or another election in 2027
Economy · Briefing
Islamic Banking and the Price of Piety
How a millennium-old, religiously sanctioned financial tradition replaces interest-bearing loans with trade, leasing and shared risk
Society · Briefing
The Price of an Ordinary Lunch in Beirut
A $13 chicken wrap in Beirut has become an unlikely measure of how Lebanon’s economic crisis divides a city.
Economy · News Analysis
While the Globe Fixates on France, North African Youth Express Similar Frustrations
As the world’s cameras fixed on France in recent weeks, protests and public angst of comparable grievances across the Mediterranean have gone far less noticed.
Culture · Briefing
One Thousand and One Origins of a Universal Classic
Built through delay, borrowing and revision, One Thousand and One Nights was never one book, and never only Arabian.
Politics · Iran
As Renewed War with the US Looms, Iran Faces a Growing Baluch Insurgency
As Baluch guerrilla attacks grow bolder, Tehran’s grip on its neglected south-east looks increasingly tenuous. Despite mounting war rhetoric with Washington, the Islamic Republic’s most acute security challenge may lie within its borders.
Politics · News Analysis
Azerbaijan’s Growing Independence from “Big Brother” Turkey
Despite their shared Turkic heritage, Baku and Ankara are increasingly at odds over the role of religion and the state at home, and foreign-policy priorities abroad.
Security · News Analysis
Yemen’s War Tests Mohammed bin Salman’s Leadership
Houthi advances in Yemen and attacks on Saudi territory are raising questions about the kingdom’s security and the crown prince’s authority. Regional powers with a stake in Saudi stability are watching apprehensively.
Politics · News Analysis
The Egypt–Ethiopia Rivalry Goes Regional
Egypt’s El-Alamein summit shows a dispute over water is merging with fights over ports, civil wars and outside powers.
Economy · News Analysis
The Bill for the Middle East War is Coming Due
As the World Bank and IMF meet in Bangkok from 12–18 October, the Iran war’s economic fallout is straining energy-importing economies, threatening food security and testing how far the World Bank and Gulf states can go to cushion the blow.
Culture · Briefing
A Sacred Tree, a Hard Harvest
In the Levant, the olive feeds, employs and sanctifies, and each autumn it calls families back to the grove.
Economy · Briefing
Behind the UAE’s Innovative AI Strategy
The United Arab Emirates is running a daring experiment to become an AI superpower
Politics · News Analysis
The Great Standoff
Britain is pressing Israel over settlements; Israel is pressing back through diplomatic access. A recent compromise shows the limits of both.
Opinion · Opinion
Saudi Arabia’s Houthi Dilemma: Air Power, Allies, and the Limits of Deterrence
Riyadh faces a strategic dilemma: how to defend Saudi territory against Houthi threats without becoming trapped in another open-ended war in Yemen.
Politics · News Analysis
Morocco’s Parliamentary Election Delivers a Liberal-Leaning Victory, Woman Prime Minister
Low turnout and persistent economic grievances temper a historic appointment and victory for Morocco’s ruling parties
Politics · Briefing
Pens, Podcasts and Pyramids
Lebanon's rowdy public sphere has deep roots and a new battlefield
Security · News Analysis
Flight FZ1073 and the Fault Lines of the Contemporary Middle East
The ordeal aboard Flight 1073 reveals the Gulf’s reliance on foreign talent, the limits of regional diplomacy and the courage of ordinary people
Politics · Profile
Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan: A Profile
How Jordan’s heir is expanding his public role at home and abroad as his father prepares him for a carefully managed succession
Culture · Book Review
The Cauldron: The Middle East Behind the Headlines
Simon Sebag Montefiore’s sweeping new history succeeds by resisting the theories that promise to explain everything
Security · News analysis
The Houthis Reach for the Red Sea’s Gate
The Yemeni rebel group’s advance along the Red Sea coast escalates its conflict with Saudi Arabia — and widens the US-Iran showdown
Politics · News Analysis
The World Has Welcomed Al-Sharaa. Syrians Are Still Waiting
Sanctions have eased and foreign leaders have come calling. Recovery remains painfully slow and stability is still elusive.