The Axis Exploits Divisions Among Western Allies, Tests Nonproliferation Norms, and Enjoys Quiet Tolerance from China and Russia
That “No-Go Zones” Exist in Europe Is by Now an Open Secret; The Number Grows Daily
Iran’s 10-Point Plan Reads like the Type of Settlement a Victor Would Impose on a Vanquished Foe
Harvard Seems Unserious About Changing Its Moribund, Antisemitic Culture
As Iranian-Backed Proxies Stretch Israeli Forces Across Multiple Fronts, Jerusalem Has Lost Its Most Reliable Defender in Brussels
U.S. Desperation to Stabilize the Global Economy and the Ceasefire Increased Iran’s Stockpile of Will
Conspiracy Theorists Ignore the Facts and Blame Jewish Tourists Rather than Drought or Funding Shortfalls to Fight Fires
An Emerging Militant Alternative to Hamas Speaks Out on War, Governance, and Peace.
A Buffer Zone Is Not a Strategy; It Is a Geography
Direct U.S.-Brokered Talks Between Israeli and Lebanese Representatives Are Set to Take Place in Washington This Week
The Blockage Would Cut Roughly $280 Million a Day in Iran’s Export Revenues and Disrupt Another $160 Million in Imports
If the Parliament Nominates an Official Known for Corruption, the Entire System Could Collapse
Hezbollah Has Infiltrated Political and Security Institutions, Making It Difficult for the Government to Assert Control
Iraq Is in the Hands of Bodies and Individuals Answerable to Tehran
Libya’s Oil and Gas Infrastructure, Already Chronically Vulnerable, Now Sits Squarely in the Crosshairs of Gray-Zone Operations
Spotlight on War with Iran
A ceasefire is in effect, somewhat. Negotiations are starting soon in Pakistan about a full deal. There seem to be many obstacles to fulfilling the announced goals of the United States as the Iranians are circulating an entirely different plan.
The Strait of Hormuz was opened and then closed. Israel hit Hezbollah very hard the day after the ceasefire was announced. The future is very uncertain but the bombing has stopped and the talks will begin. MEF fellows and experts weigh in on all of this.
The Strait of Hormuz was opened and then closed. Israel hit Hezbollah very hard the day after the ceasefire was announced. The future is very uncertain but the bombing has stopped and the talks will begin. MEF fellows and experts weigh in on all of this.
As unrest spreads across Iran, the regime and the opposition both face narrowing choices.
Tehran Appears to Be Moving Toward Conditional Access, While Retaining the Ability to Disrupt Maritime Traffic
The Abrupt Announcement of a Two-Week Ceasefire in the War Between the U.S., Israel, and Iran Resolves None of the Issues Which Caused the Conflict
The Tactical Triumph and Strategic Uncertainty of Operation Epic Fury
While Legal Scholars Seek to Promote and Reinforce International Humanitarian Law, Their Subjectivity and Political Agendas Now Undermine It
The Iranian News Media Have Not Fully Reported the Reverberation of the War on the Iranian Economy
Spotlight on the Middle East
The entire region is affected by the conflict with Iran, but there are many other vital issues being covered by MEF. Political change in Iraq, Corruption in Turkey, and Islamists exerting their influence online and politically.
India and the UAE are deepening ties and tough words from Israel’s Chief Rabbinate to the Pope. The war has caused many problems for security and commerce, but it has also created opportunities. These issues and more are getting the attention of Middle East Forum authors.
India and the UAE are deepening ties and tough words from Israel’s Chief Rabbinate to the Pope. The war has caused many problems for security and commerce, but it has also created opportunities. These issues and more are getting the attention of Middle East Forum authors.
Iraq’s Crisis Is a Problem of Not Only Armed Factions but Also the Political Order That Preserved and Protected Them
Group that Affirmed Hamas’s October 7 Attack Defends Terrorists in India
Experts Warn of Radicalization Persisting at ‘Precariously High Levels’
Vatican Maintains Formal Ties with Top Iranian University Despite Theocratic Regime’s Massacre of Thousands
The Emirates Remains a Stabilizing Actor with Strong Ties to Israel, the United States, and Other Key Regional Players
Explosive Claims Point to Coordinated Pressure Campaign Targeting Wealthy Individuals
Middle East Quarterly - Current Issue
Founded in 1994 by Daniel Pipes, MEQ is the Middle East Forum’s journal intended for both scholars and the educated public. Policymakers, opinion-makers, academics, and journalists write for and read the Quarterly, which is known for exclusive interviews, in-depth historical articles, and book reviews on subjects ranging from archaeology to politics and on countries from Morocco to Iran.
Spring 2026 Volume 33: Number 2
Spring 2026 Volume 33: Number 2
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Governor Abbott’s Historic Designation Confirms Middle East Forum’s Extensive Documentation of Hamas-Linked Organization Operating in Richardson, Texas -
Iran Has Entered a State of Permanent ‘Water Bankruptcy’ in Which National Demand Far Exceeds Renewable Supply -
For Nearly a Decade, MEF Has Systematically Argued Against the ‘Doctrine of Managed Decline’ -
Members of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Are Expected to Reject Amer Ghalib’s Nomination as Ambassador to Kuwait Following a Contentious Confirmation Hearing
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Despite the Complexities of Managing So Many Moving Parts, There Is Still Reason to Remain Hopeful About the U.S.-Led Alliance -
The Biden Administration’s Decision in 2021 to Remove the Houthis from the U.S. List of Foreign Terror Organizations Weakened Deterrence by Reducing Political and Economic Pressure -
Reports from the Hamas-Controlled Area Indicate That the Terror Group Has Fully Reimposed Its Will on the Population There -
Contrary to Qatar’s Portrayal as a Key U.S. Mideast Ally, It Is Actually a Strategic Threat
Middle East Forum Observer
Founded in 2024, the Observer provides rapid analysis on leading Middle East developments, from Marrakech to Mashhad and the Bab el-Mandeb to the Black Sea.
Launched in 2006, Islamist Watch is a project of the Middle East Forum. We work to combat the ideas and institutions of lawful Islamism in the United States and throughout the West. Arguing that “radical Islam is the problem, moderate Islam is the solution,” we seek to expose the Islamist organizations that currently dominate the debate, while identifying and promoting the work of moderate Muslims.
CAMPUS WATCH, a project of the Middle East Forum, reviews and critiques Middle East studies in North America with an aim to improving them. The project mainly addresses five problems: analytical failures, the mixing of politics with scholarship, intolerance of alternative views, apologetics, and the abuse of power over students. Campus Watch fully respects the freedom of speech of those it debates while insisting on its own freedom to comment on their words and deeds.
Antisemitism
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Israeli Christians and Islamic Converts Blast Declaration for Adopting a Submissive Posture Toward Islam -
Savagery and Hostage-Taking Has Been Used to Reframe the Palestinian Arab-Israeli Conflict and Unleash a Torrent of Antisemitism -
Appeasement of Extremism Has Put Australia’s Jews at Risk -
The ‘Barcelonaz’ Map Reveals How State Rhetoric Has Normalized Antisemitic Targeting in Spain
Islam
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Today’s Islamism Promises Authenticity but Is Postmodern in Form, Postcolonial in Posture, and Pretends to Retrieve the Sacred Through the Techniques of the Profane -
USC’s Tendentious Approach to the Middle East Appears Rooted in Not Only Poor Judgment but Also Foreign Influence -
The Prophet Muhammad Expropriated Jewish Property to Consolidate Power and Build the First Islamic State -
By Marching in Tandem with Islamists and Yelling ‘Free Palestine,’ LGBT Activists Defend Terror Organizations and Demonize Zionists and Israel
Muslims in the US
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Nearly Seven Months Have Elapsed Since an Illegal Immigrant from Mauritania Shot and Wounded a Visibly Orthodox Jewish Man in a Chicago Terror Attack -
The Biden Administration Didn’t Seem to Care Even When FBI-Watchlisted SIA Terrorists Were Netted in Record-Breaking Numbers, Many Accidentally Released -
The Executive Order Aims to Re-Emphasize National Security Screening and ‘Vetting’ to Weed Out Islamist Terrorists and Other Forms of Public Safety Threats
