Middle East Forum Radio: Recent Episodes
Middle East Forum
From Al Jazeera to Al Aqsa TV, state- or organization-run media outlets dominate Middle Eastern news, with the effect of promoting extremism, denying press freedoms, compromising journalistic objectivity, and covering up human rights abuses. More, they have expanded their operations beyond the region, finding receptivity to their messages around the world. What is the trend of these media conglomerates? What are their outstanding successes and failures? What can be done to counter them?
Congress has long required universities to disclose foreign-funded gifts and contracts to the Department of Education and the American public. Universities have mostly ignored the law as regulators turned a blind eye to an ever-increasing flow of foreign money. Why did the federal government refuse to enforce the law? Where is the money coming from? How deep is foreign influence on U.S. college campuses today? What is the role of Middle Eastern actors in this?
Collin May was director of the Alberta Human Rights Commission (AHRC) in Alberta, Canada until his positive review of a book by MEF's Efraim Karsh caused him to be ousted in September 2022 on the grounds of “Islamophobia.” He is now suing the province of Alberta, charging that his ouster had nothing to do with the book review but with his intent to investigate “a culture of pervasive sexual harassment and bullying” at the AHRC under its previous leadership. How has “Islamophobia” become a tool of political warfare available to all? What impact does May’s ouster have on free speech in Canada? What can be done?
After several weeks off, the Knesset is back. Will the government push through legislation on judicial reform or will it compromise with the opposition?
With 9/11 over two decades behind us, many Americans have concluded that Islamism is no longer a pressing issue of concern. Newspapers and television networks rarely cover the topic. Legislators on both sides of the aisle work with Islamist groups previously deemed beyond the pale. In Europe, by contrast, major media outlets still regularly publish investigations into Islamist networks and government inquires issue warnings about radical Muslim communities in their midst. What explains this difference? What are its implications? How can the counter-Islamist movement re-focus American public attention on the challenge posed by radical Islam?
Today marks Israel's 75th Independence Day. The country remains as politically divided as ever, but it is a domestic issue, not foreign policy, that has become the central issue of contention. What does this signify? Is a compromise in sight? How would that look?
The Islamic Republic has promoted Islamism in the West for decades. Of late, two counter developments are underway. First, the Iranian diaspora has organized against regime efforts. Second, it works to strengthen and encourage the regime’s internal opposition. What has changed in the diaspora? What are its leading figures and institutions? How effective might they be?
Close to the Middle East, with many connections to the region, Greece faces complex geo-political challenges, dominated by an increasingly threatening Türkiye. What are Athens’ best responses to Erdoğan’s multiple provocations? What are the other problems? What are the opportunities?
In the Arabic-speaking countries, the Jewish Holocaust in World War II is not taught in schools and is widely considered a taboo subject. This is in keeping with the Palestinian norm of rejecting any expression of concern regarding Jewish persecution. Given recent peace agreements between Israel and a number of Arab states, are Arabs relating to the Holocaust differently? If so, how? If not, why not?
Despite less international press coverage, Iranians continue to challenge the Islamist regime via demonstrations, economic strikes, and other acts of civil disobedience, organized and led by local neighborhood groups and supported by Iranians abroad. What direction is the uprising taking? What are its major challenges? What role do Iranians outside the country play?
Former Iranian diplomat and senior regime official Mohammad Jaffar Mahallati, now a professor of religion at Oberlin College, stands accused of helping to cover up a mass murder of Iranian dissidents in the late 1980s. Despite his continuing ties to the regime and Hezbollah, he remains securely employed at the college, which maintains radio silence. Is Mahallati unique? What should be done? How to spur Washington to take a closer look at Iranian operatives?
The Palestinians - both the Palestinian Authority and Hamas - have built a strategy based on the hope and belief that they will eventually destroy Israel. What is the nature of this victory campaign? How can Israel learn from it and turn it on its head?
According to Ha'aretz, "Israeli Apartheid Week started in 2005 in Toronto, and since then has become an annual headache for pro-Israeli organizations, a growing concern for Israeli diplomats, and probably the worst time on campus for Israeli students." As the 2023 version ends at dozens of North American universities, we ask: What impact does this event have? Is it growing or declining?
Prime Minister Netanyahu has called for a compromise on the searing issue of judicial reform. While this move may appease reform's opponents, might it cause the government to fall?
What is the proper role of the Holocaust in Israeli life? Some say that peace with the Palestinians requires Jewish Israelis to set aside this memory. Is that right or, rather, should they better understand that traumatic experience?
Abdulrahman Bindamnan spent his childhood studying in Yemen’s Islamic schools. He memorized the Qur'an, a book of 77,000 words, and spent countless hours perfecting his Qur’anic pronunciation. Reflecting on this experience from the vantage point as a graduate student in the United States, he argues that too large a proportion of Muslim children fail to receive a secular education, and instead advance the primacy of revelation over reason. What is the current role of education in the Islamist agenda? What effects do such dogmas have in the West?
Israel's President Herzog offered a compromise on the heated issue of judicial reform. Will it help bridge the gap?
America is currently facing a historic crisis of mass illegal migration at its southern border. Government data reveals an alarming number of migrants on the FBI's terror-watch list caught at that border since Joe Biden became president. A "Muslim-only migrant shelter" has even opened in Tijuana, Mexico. What impact does this migration have on U.S. national security? What needs to change? What are the prospects of that change?
Following years of uncontrolled mass immigration and failed integration of immigrants, Sweden has become a segregated social welfare state. Gang violence, crime, and Islamization are rapidly replacing Sweden’s traditional culture. Following its election success in 2022, the Sweden Democrat party supports a right-wing governing bloc promising to reverse immigration and multicultural policies. After five months, what is the new government’s record on these issues? More broadly, can Sweden even be saved?
The prospect of judicial reform has prompted unprecedented internal opposition in Israel. Why has a compromise not yet emerged? What needs to happen for that to happen?
Palestinians in Gaza are forbidden to express ideas or expose realities that displease Hamas, its Islamist rulers. Whispered in Gaza, a Center for Peace Communications initiative, breaches this blockade by featuring frank testimony from dozens of Gazans. What picture do they paint? How has this series, already viewed more than five million times, had an impact?
Since the Iranian revolution in 1979, European governments usually viewed the Islamic Republic of Iran as not their problem. This perception changed significantly of late due to the women's-led revolt in Iran, Tehran siding with Russia in Ukraine, and Iranian acts of violence on European soil. Is the age of European appeasement truly over? What importance does this have?
PM Netanyahu is pulled one way by his coalition partners, another way by unprecedented protests and foreign critics. Can he reconcile these strains or might the government fall?
Just as marketing has a key role in business development, so it does in U.S. foreign policy, as Ben Rhodes made notoriously known in selling the Iran deal. Marketing also played a significant part in the Trump administration's Middle East accomplishments, including the move of the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, the Abraham Accords, and the "maximum pressure" campaign against Iran's regime. How did these efforts come into being? What did marketing accomplish? What general conclusions can be drawn?
Asra Q. Nomani has discovered a network of keyboard warriors who hide behind fake identities and pseudonymous Twitter and Facebook accounts. These digital trolls launch virulent attacks against Muslim reformers and other critics of Islamism who challenge their effort to destroy the American freedom of free speech. What successes has this army had? Is it getting stronger or weaker? How can it be countered?
Increasingly, voices are predicting civil war in Israel over the judicial reform issue. Is such a scenario possible? Have Israeli politics ever been this divisive?
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has begun to reshape realities in the Middle East. Both China and Turkey are playing more prominent roles in the region, while Iran has been afforded a dangerous path to achieving its Islamist goals. How will this impact demographics and geopolitics? Is there any pushback by the West?
The 20th anniversary of the launch of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq approaches next month. Within weeks, Iraq plunged into insurgency and sectarian warfare as competing factions battled for control of the country. Institutions established then still remain in place today; how effective are they? Looking back, what did American policy get right and wrong? What insights does a look back provide for today’s problems?
Abdel Bari Atwan is the London-based editor-in-chief of the online newspaper Rai al-Youm and someone with a long, well-documented record of antisemitism and support for anti-Israel violence. He had been a frequent guest discussing the Middle East on the BBC – until CAMERA UK's exposure ended that. But Atwan is just one of many Islamists featured by the BBC. Why does the network have a penchant for Islamists? With recent changes, might it turn over a new leaf? What can politicians do about this problem?
Five months of anti-regime protests in Iran amount to a monumental clash between the dictatorship and the people. That’s because, unlike previous uprisings in the Islamic Republic, which focused on specific grievances the regime could fix, demonstrators this time appear totally to reject the system in which they live. How much have the protests diminished the regime’s base? Will they win changes? What must happen for a revolution to occur?
With Palestinian violence against Israelis on the rise, why is the Netanyahu-led government so focused on judicial reform?
Per capita, Israel probably has the most international media coverage of any country. That coverage may also be among the most bifurcated, positive and negative. What are recent media trends pertaining to Israel? What is the key predictor of attitudes – religion, politics, or something else? Has social media changed what people know about Israel?
The Netanyahu government's judicial reform have come to dominate Israel's politics by including everyone from the country's president to the U.S. secretary of state. What is at stake and what are the reform's prospects?
In the most recent midterm elections, Islamist-backed candidates did notably well. With a vast political infrastructure in place, a concentrated collection of Islamist groups have worked, with some success, to manipulate the Muslim vote and use it to advance their extremist agenda. However, Islamist influence over the Muslim vote is only as durable as their level of support within Muslim communities. What is the future of American Islamist efforts to influence our politics?https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-releases-report-on-congressional-legislative-priorities-in-the-118th-congress/
Adjunct professor Erika López Prater showed two pious, Muslim-drawn images of Muhammad in an art history class in October at Hamline University in Minnesota. When a student complained of "Islamophobia," the university responded by firing López Prater. That in turn sparked a national controversy in which almost everyone criticized Hamline. Have accusations of “Islamophobia” lost currency? Could this be a turning point for Middle East Studies?
How will Israel's new, right-wing government respond to repeated and deadly attacks by Palestinians?
As militaries incorporate artificial intelligence and new air defenses into modern warfare, drones increasingly play a central role. In Ukraine, Russia uses imported Iranian drones to terrorize Ukrainian civilians. Iran drills to target Israeli naval facilities. The West and China race to roll out the best new drones. How will these new systems, combined with ground robots and sea-based unmanned vessels, remake war? How does it specifically affect the Middle East?
Relying primarily on contemporary sources, Raymond Ibrahim vividly tells the story of “eight eminently violent men” who played leading roles fighting Muslims in the era 1100-1500, when Christianity was a “muscular religion.” By recalling those exploits, the author hopes not just to pay tribute to distant accomplishments but to inspire today's Christians.
Israel's Supreme Court ruled against Aryeh Deri, a senior minister in the new Netanyahu government, plus ideological gaps have emerged among the ruling parties and opposition demonstrations are growing; is the government in trouble?
Europe was once the center of Jewish civilization and the source of modern Zionism. It was also the locale of the Holocaust and now largely hostile towards Israel. Some observers notice a recent improvement in European attitudes. Is this real and where are relations heading?
Tehran has attempted to control Iraq since the toppling of Saddam Hussein twenty years ago. The Iranians use every tool at their disposal, from political manipulation to funding militias. Many Iraqis oppose this Iranian project. What is the current state of relations between the two neighbors? How much has Iran succeeded in subduing Iraq? What main obstacles does it face?
After 1½ years in power, what is the current status of Israel's opposition? How much can it influence Netanyahu-led government policies?
Israel's new government appears at odds with Washington over policies. How serious or novel is this tension? How has the history shaped the present situation? Ultimately, what should the two states’ dynamic be?
Israel's ties with Jordan have deteriorated rapidly since the signing of the Abraham Accords in 2020. Refusing to engage in the multilateral diplomatic structures now shaping the Middle East, Amman’s rhetoric toward Israel is increasingly antagonistic. Yet Jordan shares many of Israel's security concerns, relies heavily on Israel for water, gas, intelligence and other security assistance, and also on Israel's new-found partners for financial assistance. Is this position sustainable? What needs to change for the dissonance to resolve?
Could cracks in Israel's coalition and attacks between ministers and parties pose problems for Prime Minister Netanyahu?
In June 2020, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) sued political science professor Nicholas Damask and his Arizona college, claiming that his course on world politics links Islam to terrorism, and thus "disapproved" of the Muslim faith. CAIR sought permanently to prohibit the course but a federal district court dismissed its lawsuit and then the Ninth Circuit upheld that dismissal. Dr. Damask reflects on his experience, on the use of the courts to prevent discussion of Islam, and on lessons from this episode.
Israel's new government has officially described itself as "right-wing." What does this mean for both domestic and international affairs?
Raised in Turkey, star basketball player Enes Kanter Freedom, recently of the Boston Celtics, began to call out human rights violations by Turkey's President Recep Tayep Erdoğan in 2013. Not long after, Freedom's Turkish passport was canceled, his name placed on an Interpol list, and his father imprisoned in Turkey. In 2017, Freedom was the subject of two kidnap attempts by the Turkish government, in Indonesia and Romania. Freedom will recount his life story, his efforts as a prominent public figure to counter oppressive dictatorships, and the price he has paid for taking this stand
At last, Benjamin Netanyahu has formed a government. What are its priorities? Is it as extreme as some suggest?
The Islamic Republic of Iran has aspired, since its establishment in 1979, to export its revolution worldwide, including Latin America. By now, Iranian and Hizballah networks have a presence in virtually every country south of the United States. How does Tehran recruit and indoctrinate in Latin America? What is the impact of these operations? How should Washington respond?
Having apparently resolved its internal differences, Israel's incoming coalition seeks a showdown with the justice system. What are the issues and which side will likely prevail?
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan continues to destabilize the area around Turkey, breaching the borders of Greece, threatening to invade northern Syria, and waging a proxy war against Armenia. To stop this reckless adventurism, American activists and policy experts are using grassroots mobilization and government outreach to stand up to Turkish aggression. What are the successes and failures of this effort? What are current trends?
Even as Turkey continues military operations against the Kurds in Syria, Iran has tried to derail mass protests by attacking Iranian Kurdish organizations in northern Iraq. Threatened by fellow Islamist governments in Turkey and Iran, what prospects do the Kurds have to achieve peace and stability?
Recent developments offer Israel an opportunity to overcome critical domestic, regional and international challenges that could determine both its future and that of the Jewish people. What are those challenges and opportunities? What will Israeli responses likely be?
Three years after the overthrow of one of the longest lasting Islamist regimes in history (1989-2019), Sudan is poised on the edge of a knife. Military dictatorship, democracy, and instability are all possible routes for this Arab-African country whose government has cooperated both with Al-Qaeda and the United States. What are the implications of each scenario for the West? Which is the most likely? What influence can the U.S. government bring?
International pressure is mounting before the incoming government has even started. How will this pressure affect building a coalition?
Western intellectuals and public figures like Bill Nye and Ben Affleck respond to attacks on the West with remorse, guilt and self-hate. In so doing, they often internalize Islamist messages that view Israel and the United States as particular enemies to be destroyed. How did this influence come to be? What are its practical effects? How can they be addressed?
Earlier this year, international media uncritically reported that Uthman Ibn Farooq, a prominent Islamist preacher, had been attacked on the streets of San Diego by a knife-wielding "Islamophobe." Investigator and writer Ahnaf Kalam thought the tale a little too neat. In recent series of articles in Focus on Western Islamism, Kalam uncovered compelling evidence to suggest that Ibn Farooq faked his own stabbing. What was his motive? Is this the only example of fraudulent Islamist claims of hate crimes? Why does the media naively accept such unverified claims?
Benjamin Netanyahu faces high tensions in putting together a government. What do they suggest about the months and years ahead?
Shurat HaDin (the Israel Law Center) has bankrupted jihadis and their financiers in the courtroom for nearly two decades, resulting in $2 billion in judgments and $300 million collected on behalf of over 450 victims. What lawsuits are currently underway against Hamas, the Palestinian Authority, and Iran? What are the complications and challenges in these cases? How does this battle affect the global jihad?
As Netanyahu's allies pound him with demands, negotiations to form Israel’s next government have reached an impasse. What are his choices?
Contrary to claims propagated for almost 75 years, no massacre of Palestinians by Israeli fighters took place on April 9, 1948 in the village of Deir Yassin, just west of Jerusalem. This false narrative was invented to smear the new-born State of Israel. What actually happened, how did the falsehood spread, and what have the consequences of this calumny been for Israel?
Daniel Pipes will provide a summary of Cynthia Farahat's book, The Secret Apparatus: The Muslim Brotherhood's Industry of Death (2022).
Cynthia Farahat will discuss what she means by the "secret apparatus."
Jonathan Schanzer will address the ways in which the U.S. government should approach the Muslim Brotherhood.
As Israel's Knesset (parliament) is sworn in this week, what are the implications of the country's prospective most right-wing and religious government ever?
Recently obtained documents reveal that a former CIA officer named Kevin Chalker may have spied on Qatar’s rivals to help it secure the 2022 World Cup and allege he may have offered his services to it to influence U.S. foreign policy. Various questions arise as the FBI determines whether Chalker's activities violated U.S. laws related to foreign lobbying, surveillance, and tradecraft: Why did Chalker aid Qatar? What benefit did he bring it? What lessons can be learned from this scandal?
As a growing number of figures on the Right, from mainstream GOP officials to internet "influencers" such as Andrew Tate, align with Islamist activists, American Muslims display unhappiness with their self-appointed leaders' embrace of progressive politics. Why is this re-alignment of Islamists with the Right happening? What does this shift mean for the future of Islam in the West?
Sam Westrop, director of MEF’s Islamist Watch project, and Benjamin Baird, head of its Islamism in Politics project, will discuss the changing politics and evolving dangers of American Islamism.
Benjamin Netanyahu's decisive electoral win means he will be invited to form a government. What are its priorities? Who gets which positions?
Assyrians, an ancient Christian community mainly located in Iraq, have suffered enormous hardships since the dual blow of the fall of Saddam Hussein and the rise of ISIS. What are the chances of Assyrians surviving the current threats? How does their plight fit into the larger predicament of Middle Eastern minorities?
Recent events in northwest Syria included indications that Turkey may currently be colluding or partnering with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a terrorist group closely linked to Al-Qaeda. Under Erdogan, Turkey has long worked in close collaboration with Islamist insurgent groups in its ongoing fight against Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) and its Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). What would be the repercussions of a partnership between Turkey and HTS, and what is the evidence that Turkey has established such an alliance?
The initial election results of Israel's Nov. 1 election are in. Do they provide an indication of what the next government will look like?
Since the signing of the Abraham Accords in September, 2020, rapid and significant progress has been made in relations between Israel and its Gulf neighbors. More than 150 memoranda have been signed, and trade has increased over 65 percent. What is the historical context of these current developments? What are the possibilities for increased cooperation between Israel and Saudi Arabia?
Qatar manages to walk the balance beam between powerful actors, maintaining friendly relationships with both the United States and Iran, and efforts to punish the small emirate for its double game have failed repeatedly. This success has made it a model for its neighbors, with the Persian Gulf currently in a process of what might be called 'Qatar-ization.' What are the forces that have combined to accelerate this shift? How does Tehran take advantage of this new political development?
It's the final week before Israel's elections. Are there likely to be any last minute surprises? Could they tip the balance in favor of either bloc?
Continuing the Middle East Forum’s intense focus on the Israeli strike on a Syrian nuclear plant in 2007 – see the MEQ articles by Ori Wertman and Ehud Barak - Yuval Steinitz will explain his fascinating and hitherto untold story of his battle with the IDF establishment to push it to take steps against Syria’s acquiring a nuclear weapons capability. How did that battle play out? How are its implications relevant today?
In his latest book, The Arc of a Covenant: The United States, Israel, and the Fate of the Jewish People, Walter Russell Mead argues that myths and conspiracies surround the US-Israel relationship. What are some of those falsehoods, how did they originate, and what do they imply for the future of the relationship?
The U.S. government quietly brokered an agreement to an Israeli-Lebanese maritime border dispute that impeded the flow of natural gas for both countries. Now, that agreement has exploded into the central focus of Israel's election season. How did that happen and what does it signify?
Christopher Holton has spent much of his career working with American state governments to fight the spread of Islamism. He introduced model legislation prohibiting state courts from considering Shariah law in family and civil court cases, and he lobbied state governments to divest their pension funds from state sponsors of terrorism, such as Iran. Mr. Holton’s latest campaign seeks to establish a “Terrorist Registry” to monitor terrorism offenders set to be released into American communities after serving their prison sentences. Learn more about these initiatives and how state governments are used to counter Islamist threats.
The Kurds are among the largest stateless people in the world, spread out primarily among Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey. Currently, they are central to the mass protests in Iran, under Iranian attack in Iraq, under Assad’s attack in Syria, and under Erdoğan’s repression in Türkiye. Where are these crises heading? What are U.S. relations with the Kurds in these four countries?
The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) once flourished as a prominent Islamist organization. Now its membership has plummeted, its leadership is rudderless, and even the U.S. State Department has distanced itself. Middle East Forum investigative reporter Susannah Johnston “crashed” the latest ISNA convention to learn first-hand about its moral and political collapse. Is this a good development? What is its future? What does it tell us about the wider Islamist movement in the U.S.?
American politicians and elites have increasingly superimposed an American racial ideology onto the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. In this view, Israeli Jews are seen as “privileged” and “white,” making them an enemy of the “intersectional” coalition of the oppressed, including the American black community and Palestinians. Where did this idea come? How prevalent is it in universities and Democratic politics? What are its consequences? How can it be countered?
Despite scattered successes over the past two decades, the battle to reform Islam from the inside has made less progress than hoped. One of its outstanding American leaders reviews painful lessons learned from struggles inside the "House of Islam," assesses current trends, and asks what the record suggests to be best future strategies against the backward ideology of Islamism.
Surprisingly, Prime Minister Lapid called for a two-state solution at the U.N. How will moving the Palestinian issue to the front burner likely affect Israeli's election on Nov. 1?
Almost four months after President Biden met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the U.S.-Saudi relationship is deeply adrift over such issues as Riyadh’s oil production, human rights record, ties with China, and possible normalization with Israel. Returned from a week in the kingdom, Jonathan Schanzer reports on these issues and considers the most likely future course.
The parties and lists have been submitted to the Knesset. What surprises can be found and what significance do they have for the likelihood of a government following elections?
Brigitte Gabriel grew up in Lebanon, struggling to survive as a Maronite Christian during the country’s civil war, hiding from jihadists demanding compliance with Shari’a law. Drawing on that experience, she reflects on the current state of Islamism and asks if Islamism remains a priority in an age of great-power threats from Russia and China.
In January 2020, Iranian-led Islamists kidnapped Alexandre Goodarzy and three other humanitarian volunteers in Baghdad, as they aided vulnerable Middle East minorities. Goodarzy recounts his experience, then draws conclusions from it about the Iranian presence in Iraq, local attitudes toward it, and its likely trajectory.
Sept. 13 is the last day for Israel's political parties to unite, split, etc. Which parties joined together, who was left out, and what does this augur for the next Knesset?
Ireland has a deserved reputation as the European Union’s member most hostile to Israel. For example, a report of social media accounts concludes that "anti-Jewish racism in Ireland spreads within the corridors of power and, unlike in the UK or US, appears to be as much driven from the top down as the reverse." Why is this the case? Is Ireland an outlier or the start of a trend?
Mainstream media in the UK treats the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) - its equivalent of CAIR - as the representative voice of Muslims, despite MCB's lack of popular support and its ties to extremism and terror. The media thereby elevates this dangerous organization, while sidelining genuine moderates. Why does it do so? Which organizations should it turn to?
With summer over, Israel's election campaign begins in earnest. What are the main issues - and which should be but are not?
The Kremlin and the mullahs of Tehran, despite their disparate backgrounds and political agendas, have formed a working alliance against the West. Iranian media even trumpeted a "new world order" when Putin visited Tehran last month. What are their current areas of tension and cooperation? What does their cooperation mean for the United States and its allies? How can it best be countered?
How do the electoral map and the issues look in advance of Israeli elections on Nov. 1, as party lists take shape in the Knesset and as party unions form and dissolve?
Hamtramck, surrounded by Detroit, is perhaps the only U.S. town with a Muslim majority population, as well as the first one governed entirely by Muslims. It's newly-minted mayor, Amer Ghalib, has endorsed comments calling African Americans "animal[s]," Jews "monkeys," and been accused of corruption and voter fraud. Yet the media insists on ignoring the Ghalib story. Why so? What does this augur for Hamtramck? Should Americans care?
What is it like to be a Coptic Christian in Egypt; a Chaldean Catholic in Iraq; an atheist in Saudi Arabia; a Jew in Turkey; a Maronite in Lebanon; or a Sunni Muslim in Iran? What is the current state of religious liberty in the Middle East? What direction is it going? Why does it matter, beyond humanitarian concerns?
With a renewed nuclear deal with Iran looming, how are Israeli officials reacting? What are Israel's options?
Assorted governments, leftists, do-gooders and internationals NGOS have, for decades, encouraged the Palestinians to defy the reality of their situation and persist in an obsessive anti-Zionism, even when this goes against their own interests. How successful is this effort in harming Israel? Is the trend increasing or decreasing? What are Israel's options in response?
No matter how justified Israel's position in wartime, or how carefully the IDF avoids harming civilians, critics demonize the Jewish state, hating what it is, rather than what it does. What does it mean that Muslim-majority governments at peace with Israel still join in its demonization? What lessons can be drawn?
With primaries behind us and former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot joining the Gantz-Sa’ar party, the elections are taking shape; is there a realistic chance that Israel’s Nov. 1 elections will lead to a stable outcome?
Yasmine Mohammed, born of privileged Egyptian immigrant parents, grew up in a suffocating Islamist household isolated from the surrounding Canada and had to marry an Al Qaeda operative. She recounts her escape from this environment, her leaving Islam, and her success in developing a new life, then draws lessons for others in her situation.
What caused the current war between Israel and Palestinian Islamic Jihad? Will Hamas join in? What are the likely political consequences during this electoral season?
Non-governmental organizations distribute, with little oversight, tens of billions of dollars in international aid in areas dominated by Islamist terror organizations. Predictably, lack of due diligence has led to funds falling into the wrong hands. In Gaza, a local World Vision aid worker was just criminally convicted of funneling $50 million of Australian aid to Hamas. Is this just the tip of the iceberg? What measures can be taken to prevent future financial diversions?
In his new book, In The Path of Abraham: How Donald Trump Made Peace in the Middle East – and How to Stop Joe Biden from Unmaking It (Wicked Son), Jason Greenblatt argues that President Trump brought a new and successful policy to the Middle East that enabled it to achieve multiple historic peace agreements between Israel and some Arab states. What was the key difference from prior U.S. policies? What long-term implications do the Trump years have for the Middle East?
Which of Israel's two main political camps is more prepared for the Nov. 1 elections? How do opinion surveys affect the actions of politicians?
Winning favorable press coverage has been a key component of Hezbollah’s rise to power in Lebanon over the past forty years. Reporters and editors consistently fall for its campaigns, including the creation of nonprofits that offer false reports and mask Hezbollah’s use of human shields, as well as Hezbollah’s manipulation of casualty statistics and its collusion with the Lebanese state. Why does the international press repeatedly fall for these tricks? How does its gullibility strengthen Hezbollah within Lebanese politics?
Islamism threatens U.K. national security but British officials, from police to policymakers, tend to appease Islamists, shudderingly fearful of being called "Islamophobes." How have Islamists achieved this position of power? What can be done to reverse their success?
What campaign issues will Israel's political parties focus on ahead of the Nov. 1 election? How prominent will the Palestinian conflict be?
Established months after 9/11, the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies initially focused on terrorism. Twenty years on, FDD deals with a wide range of topics, from Arab politics and biodefense to China and COVID-19. Known as (and attacked for being) a think tank that affects policy on such issues as the Iran nuclear deal and domestic extremism, its founder muses on FDD’s route to influencing policy toward strengthening U.S. national security. How is this done? What lessons can be drawn from two decades of experience?
36 American states have enacted laws since 2015 regulating against the antisemitic commercial boycott of Israel in what has come to be known as the ‘Economic Iron Dome.’ Yet, despite this impressive record against the BDS movement, anti-Jewish bias is increasing within the public arena. What explains this contradictory trend? What can be done to address it?
What ramifications did President Biden's visit to the Middle East have? What does it indicate about the future of U.S. policy?
In 1967, Israel celebrated the capture of the Temple Mount, Judaism’s holiest site. In 2022, the Temple Mount has become irrelevant to most secular Israelis, reduced in their minds to a place of concern only to those they call "religious extremists." In response, the Palestinians exalt the Temple Mount, using it as a foremost tool to declare victory over the Jewish state. How did this shift take place? What can be done to wake Israelis to its dangers?
With Gantz and Saar uniting their two parties, are Knesset blocs starting to shift? When a personality such as Netanyahu's arouses more passion than economical and national security issues, do "Left" and "Right" have meaning?
One of Israel’s most articulate defenders, Danny Danon spent five tumultuous years as ambassador to the United Nations, with a long list of accomplishments to his name. What impact and legacy did those have? What lessons did he learn? In what direction is the U.N.-Israel relationship going?
American journalists have shown great drive and enthusiasm to cover white supremacism, but they go deaf, dumb, and blind when it comes to Islamism. Outrageous bigotry by U.S. Islamist leaders slide by while those who point this out get accused of "Islamophobia." Why this behavior? How to fix the problem?
With elections four months off, campaigns and intrigues have begun. We will review the fast-changing political map to explain who is doing what and why.
Former Iranian diplomat Mohammad Jaffar Mahallati, now a professor of religion at Oberlin College, stands accused of helping to cover up a mass murder of Iranian dissidents in the late 1980s. Despite his continuing ties to the regime and to Hezbollah, he remains securely employed at the college, which has remained silent. Is Mahallati unique? Should the government take a closer look at Islamist operatives in America?
Since 1979, Iran’s radical Shiite-theocratic dictatorship has committed internally to turn its subject population into Islamist automatons and externally to intimidate its enemies. How can such a regime be overthrown? A diplomat of the Shah’s offers a path forward.
Although the likelihood of a renewed nuclear deal with Iran, or JCPOA #2, has faded, Tehran and Washington still can make it happen. In that case, how does it differ from the first iteration? How would it affect Israel’s national security? How does that affect the possibility of an Israeli military attack?
U.S. foreign policy has evolved through four distinct periods, from a weak power in 1776 to the world’s sole hyperpower in 1990. Throughout nearly 250 years, three main factors – ideology, economics, democracy – have shaped those policies. What does history suggest about future policy, toward Israel and Iran in particular?
The coalition is being ripped apart on the Left and Right. How much longer can it survive? What next when it collapses?
Islamist fury, including death threats issued to those involved with the film’s production, has erupted against a new movie about Fatima, the daughter of Islam’s prophet Muhammad, causing many British cinemas to cancel screenings of the “blasphemous” film. Governments in Morocco, Egypt, Iran and Pakistan then banned it. Sam Westrop discusses this furor with Malik Shlibak, the producer of Lady of Heaven, to understand the campaign against a pious movie.
Using constant tech surveillance, such as state-imposed in-home video cameras, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) seeks to control the Uyghur population in its Xinjiang region. This technological dystopia has placed the Uyghurs at the complete mercy of the state. What is the impact of this high-tech monitoring on the Uyghurs’ Muslim culture? What implications beyond Xinjiang does it have, including for Middle Eastern states?
Two schools, “Assertive Realist” and “Defensive Realist,” dominate Israel’s strategic thinking, informing debates on the Palestinian issue, the Iranian nuclear program, and building Israel’s international legitimacy. They agree on the need for hard power but diverge on cause roots of Israel’s conflicts, the path to security, and the best means to use force. How do these alternative views affect Israel’s actions? Which has proven more successful?
The U.S. government has long underestimated Al-Qaeda and ISIS; think of President Obama dismissing the latter as “junior varsity.” The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) continues to estimate the number of Al Qaeda operatives at 200, and the CIA claimed 50-100 until the 2016 raid in the Shorabak district of Afghanistan. These are no mere regional nuisances, though. The jihadi guerrilla warfare is now a worldwide phenomenon. How can the US have such a misguided view of the threats in the region? What can be done to rectify this?
Daniel Haqiqatjou, one of America’s most vocal Islamist commentators, offers his views on the need to impose Islamic law universally and the clash between Islam and what he calls liberalism. A vehement critic of modernizing Islamists (such as CAIR and Omar) he has built an audience of hundreds of thousands of Western Muslims on social media and is on the frontlines of a powerful new ideological division. He will be in discussion with Sam Westrop.
With a Meretz MK gone and then back rapidly in the coalition, can the government accomplish any of its goals?
Not coincidentally, Israel came into existence just after World War II and during the early months of the Cold War, in a singular moment of flexibility and potential. How did circumstances uniquely allow this to happen? What underpinned the support for and the opposition to the Jewish state? What role did the Soviet leadership, Americans, and other international actors play?
Christians living in the Middle East have long faced persecution, but the experience of recent years, with the rise of Islamist eliminationism, is the worst of modern times. How do circumstances compare for Christians in Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Egypt, and beyond? How can they be helped?
What are the real ramifications for Israel following the death and funeral of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh?
In 1986, Iran’s fertility rate was 6.5 children per woman. Today, at 1.6 (roughly half that of Israel’s), it is the lowest in the whole Middle East/North Africa region. What caused the birth rate to fall well below replacement level? What are the consequences for Iran? Is this welcome news to the United States and Israel?
The U.N. General Assembly’s unanimous passing of a resolution declaring each March 15 as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia highlights a growing trend to limit freedom of speech about Islam. What does “Islamophobia” mean? What purpose does this sort of symbolism serve for Islamists? How can open discussion of Islam be maintained?
In 2015, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics stated that, by 2020, higher Palestinian birthrates and low Jewish immigration, would mean Palestinians outnumbering Jews living west of the Jordan River. Is this now the case? How many Palestinians actually live on the West Bank? What implications do these population numbers have?
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had no doubt about the need to destroy Syria’s nuclear reactor. The issue concerned tactics, and specifically the differences between him Defense Minister Ehud Barak, causing a deep rift. Hear about the dramatic background to the bombing raid in September 2007, including the part did the U.S. government played.
The Coalition running Israel's government believes it has achieved stability. Is this true or wishful thinking?
The Temple Mount is perhaps the most contested religious site in the world as well as a focal point of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. To maintain quiet, the Israeli government grants the waqf considerable leeway, but even that does not stop flare-ups. How did the recent crisis develop, what is the current status, and what steps will improve the situation?
Charged with “activities against national security” and “insulting the founder of Islamic Republic and the Supreme Leader,” Navid Mohebbi spent 100 days in an Iranian prison in 2010. The world’s youngest blogger ever jailed at 18, he eventually escaped Iran and settled in the United States. Mr. Mohebbi will reveal how Iranian expats remain targets of the Islamic Republic through U.S.-based proxy organizations, such as the National Iranian American Council, employing tactics such as lawfare and deplatforming.
The government appears to be teetering on the brink with seemingly opposite demands from all directions. How long can the coalition survive?
As the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei looms, many potential successors plot their ascent, leading to possible disruption. Might a nuclear deal and sanctions relief privilege the hardliners? What future has the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps? Can a protest movement influence the succession?
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has had massive ripple effects on the Middle East, affecting food supplies, the price of energy, geo-political relations and more. How are states of the region, and Iran in particular, dealing with the conflict? How should Washington respond to them?
Could differences in response to terrorism be the straw that breaks this coalition's back?
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine deeply involves Muslims: think of Russia’s Chechen and Syrian brigades, Turkey’s intense involvement, the widespread Middle East reliance on grain from the two countries, and the difference in Europe’s reception of Ukrainian vs. Muslim migrants. How have Western Islamists responded to the Russian invasion and what does it indicate about their divisions?
Members of the Middle East Studies Association just voted 4 to 1 to make boycott, divestment, and sanction (BDS) its official policy, creating a small storm in North America over issues of hypocrisy, bias, and appropriateness. What about in Israel – are Israeli academics despondent, indifferent, or somewhere in between? Do they plan a response to MESA’s singular attack on their country and on themselves?
Tensions are high in Israel at the start of Ramadan. What is Israel’s government doing to prevent the situation from escalating? Will it succeed?
Although antisemitism in the United States is in significant part an Islamist phenomenon, the great institutions of American Jewry have widely failed to confront this problem, as shown by the example of the Islamic Society of Boston cultural center. What explains this failure? What can be done to fix it?
A combination of Islamist politics and corruption have caused economic collapse in Lebanon. President Aoun’s term ends in half a year, will lead to a likely power vacuum. Can anything be done to salvage the country? Has Lebanon any chance to return to its former glory?
The Negev region symbolizes the government’s paradox: strength in international affairs, symbolized by the Negev Summit with the US and four Arab foreign ministers; and weakness in domestic affairs, symbolized by the ISIS-inspired jihadi attacks. Where is it heading?
The Palestinian Authority (PA) skillfully and successfully plays the victim internationally while contrarily insisting to its own subject population that victory over Israel is underway and inevitable. How does it manage to sustain these two opposite messages and what can Israelis do to puncture this unwieldy but successful oxymoron?
The justice and morality of U.S. policy toward the Middle East stirs constant dispute. How does just war theory properly apply to the use of force in theaters like Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria? What does it say about the Arab-Israeli conflict? And about formulating a grand strategy toward the Middle East?
Coalition crises on Ukrainian refugee policies and agricultural reform again threaten to tear the government apart, but it remains united in disappointment at U.S. policy toward Iran.
The Palestinian Authority (PA) unabashedly promotes violence against Israel, as Palestinian Media Watch has extensively documented. Children are ingrained with hatred, its television channel calls for Israel’s destruction and promotes “martyrdom.” But Israel and its allies have not taken the logical step to designate the PA as terrorist; why not? What must happen for this to occur?
The FBI has repeatedly hidden the Islamist motivations of jihadis, sometimes with fatal consequences, including three in Texas alone (Garland, Fort Hood, Colleyville). What explains this persistent ineptitude? Is this just a public error or also a private one? Does the solution lie with state legislatures and law enforcement?
A solid grasp of Islamic history remains vital for understanding our world, but professors who present it in an apolitical, rigorous manner risk ostracization by their peers or being labeled “Islamophobic” by apologists. What are the implications of this dilemma? How can universities protect professors’ academic freedom on controversial topics?
Prime Minister Bennett has a unique role as mediator between Russia and Ukraine. Whence comes this high profile role? What are its implications? In particular, might it signal a lesser reliance on the United States?
Turkey's government increasingly supports a wide variety of Islamist groups in the West, and especially South Asian ones. Major Turkish media lionize South Asian Islamists in the United States and attack their critics. How did this relationship come about? Does it augur a new international Sunni Islamist axis?
Angela Merkel once pledged to stand by Israel’s side against, stating that “for me, as German chancellor, Israel’s security is non-negotiable.” What did that pledge mean since being uttered in 2008? Has it any meaning under her successor, Olaf Scholz, especially when German governments seek strong relations with Tehran?
Israelis overwhelmingly sympathize with Ukraine but must keep good relations with Putin. How does Jerusalem balance its sympathies and its interests?
Recent actions by the United Nations and prominent NGOs have heightened the long-standing delegitimization campaign against Israel. How effective are these efforts and the responses to them?
Talks in Vienna appear to be nearing agreement on a new JCPOA nuclear deal with Iran. Three falsehoods drive this staggeringly ill-conceived negotiation: that the JCPOA was working, that “maximum pressure” failed, and that this is just a return to the old deal, not a new one. What dangers do these falsehoods pose, what flaws does the expected deal include, and what is the better course of action?
From Iran to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict to Saudi Arabia to Islamist movements, Republicans and Democrats differ predictably over policy. But whence come these alignments and how deeply are they based in philosophical outlook? How consequential are they and how long will they likely remain in place?
How are Israelis reacting to two possible crises: a return to the JCPOA and a Russian invasion of Ukraine?
The southern border has long been a weak point of the United States and now migrants are crossing en masse. Some seek not the American Dream, but its destruction. Some are even on the FBI terrorism watch list and have ties to al-Qaeda, ISIS, etc. Who are these migrants, how did they get to the Rio Grande, and why is the current situation more worrisome than prior ones?
Western academics routinely present Islam as an enlightened force for progress unfortunately stymied by Western bigotry and aggression. Where did this image come from and how did it become ensconced in universities? What truths and falsehoods does it contain? What implications does it have?
As the Citizenship Law is re-introduced, it exposes sharp divisions in the government coalition, leading some to wonder if its delicate balance can survive.
The recent attacks on the UAE’s capital by the Houthis on behalf of Iran, has deep implications. Tehran believes that, backed by China and Russia, it can escalate hostilities against the allies of a U.S. administration focused on negotiating a new nuclear deal. Are the mullahs right that Joe Biden will give priority to diplomacy with Iran over the interests of American allies?
PM Bennett speaks of forming a second ‘National Camp’ to compete with Likud. How likely is that to succeed and what might it signify?
Last year’s conflict between Israel and Hamas prompted Arab riots against Jews. While private organizations mobilized to protect the innocent, the police generally kept clear, signaling that they did not want to get involved or punish the attackers. What lessons can be learned from these riots? How can the police – and Israel’s government more broadly – be convinced to change tactics vis-à-vis Israeli Arabs?
Two decades after 9/11, newly-elected Mayor Eric Adams’ transition team includes terrorist sympathizers and outspoken antisemites. Adams himself has cultivated close relations with Turkey’s Islamist government and suspected Turkish proxies funded his mayoral campaign. What explains the rise of Islamist political influence in New York City politics? Why has Adams’ Islamist-friendly administration failed to attract attention?
Netanyahu's acknowledged interest in a plea bargain deal to end his legal problems may not end in an agreement. But it has meant that Government and Opposition both act as though the post-Bibi era has begun.
A forthcoming visit to Iran by Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro brings a critical partnership into the spotlight. Tehran’s support for the Venezuelan regime has not only helped Maduro remain in power but also affected much of Latin America. The recent visit by Iran's Vice President for Economic Affairs Mohsen Rezae to Nicaragua, despite having an international arrest warrant for his role in the 1994 AMIA attack in Argentina, put Iran's brazen disregard for international justice in full display. What are the key aspects of this relationship? What can Washington do to curtail Iranian activities in Latin America?
Recently, the Middle East Forum came into possession of tens of thousands of leaked documents from a self-admitted “semi-government” charity in Qatar founded by a U.S.-designated terrorist. The documents reveals that Eid Charity has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to Islamists and jihadis around the world. With other organizations, MEF has researched the use of these funds. What has been found so far? What does it mean?
MEF’s Washington Project Director Cliff Smith will discuss these issues with Martha Lee of Islamist Watch, Abhinav Pandya of the Usanas Foundation, and Jordan Cope of Stand With Us.
Israel is abuzz with reports about Netanyahu seeking a plea deal to end his legal problems. Why now? What does this mean for him? For the government coalition?
Members of the Middle East Studies Association will soon have an opportunity to vote whether to make boycott, divestment, and sanction (BDS) of Israel MESA’s official policy. If MESA or its institutional and individual members carry out the boycott on campuses, they may run afoul of anti-discrimination and academic freedom protections. What are the implications of this step? How can students and faculty be protected from it?
Could the Citizenship Law (concerning Palestinians) provoke the first major fissure in the government? Might it also, for the first time, prompt elements of the Coalition and Opposition to cooperate?
What can be done to reverse the trend of Muslims accepting radical ideologies? By recognizing that while the Koran’s text is eternal, its interpretation has constantly changes, and this has direct implications for the Sharia (Islamic law). The reigning theology contradicts modern pluralism and so needs to be adjusted. What efforts toward such an adjustment are Muslims taking? What has been accomplished?
“We are in a struggle between modernity and backwardness, between people who treat women as animals and those who treat them as human beings”; so speaks Wafa Sultan and many other ex-Muslims agree. Indeed, Muslims increasingly are leaving their religion. What causes this exodus? Is it larger than in the past? Can Muslims reform the tenets of Islam?
New year but old quarrels between the Coalition and Opposition. How is this affecting the challenges of Covid-19, Gaza, and Iran?
The Palestinian-Israeli conflict includes a perpetual contest over rights to land. Regavim leads the Zionist fight in several ways: control of land, influence over policy, and court battles. Which are the main Palestinian organizations engaged in this battle? What are current trends?
2021 finally saw the end of Israel's political deadlock, but for how long? What can we expect in 2022? Will Bennett last? Will Netanyahu leave the scene? How will the Iran threat play out?
What have the Middle East Forum's projects accomplished in 2021? Nave Dromi will discuss how the Israel Victory project has gained traction in the political and military spheres through building connections with influential figures and institutions. IVP has also had success through campaigns to spread information through the use of billboards, media appearances, and interviews.
Turkey was a solid NATO ally for a half century, 1952-2002. Since Recep Tayyip Erdoğan came to power in 2003, however, Ankara has taken a sharp turn away from the West and toward Islamism. How has the U.S. security establishment reacted to these changes?
What is behind the recent spate of Palestinian terror attacks on Israelis? What is the debate about it and the likely government response? Is the Opposition cooperating with the government?
What have the Middle East Forum's projects accomplished in 2021?
Sam Westrop will discuss Pakistan emerging as a major funder and supporter of Islamism in the West in collaboration with Qatar and Turkey, and our efforts to counter its influence. He will also review the Counter-Islamist Grid’s nationwide accomplishments in counteracting Islamism at a local level through City Councils and law enforcement, along with forthcoming plans on behalf of Benjamin Baird.
With 2021 coming to an end, we offer an update on one activity of two Middle East Forum projects. The Washington Project has actively participated in an effective anti-Erdoğan coalition of Kurds, Armenians, Hindus, and Greeks. Campus Watch has focusing on winning greater transparency about the billions of dollars to universities from foreign governments.
Israel’s coalition government initially rejected Netanyahu’s public denunciation of the JCPOA and continuing nuclear negotiations with Tehran. But lately, the PM and FM have changed gears and adopted a more confrontational approach. Why and what does this portend?
Islamists and their allies pump out groaning shelves of books on an alleged “Islamophobia Industry” that persecutes Muslims. In fact, the “Islamophilia Industry” has come to dominate the academy to the point that scholars widely feel compelled to adopt a submissive, uncritical, dhimmi-like approach to all things Islamic. How did this come to be, what are its manifestations and goals, and where is it heading?
The Biden administration has been pushing a back-to-the-future policy on Jerusalem, Palestinian issues, and Iran, pretending that the Trump administration’s changes never took place. What are the implications of this shift for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and Iran's nuclear program?
On the occasion of the anniversary of the UN approval of the Partition Plan for Palestine, we discuss whether Arabs living in Israel accept the Jewish state. This question is the more urgent since Ra’am, an Islamist party, became part of Israel’s ruling coalition. What are current trends, where does Ra’am fit in, and what are the best policies going forward?
The war in the south Caucasus a year ago was part of a conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh region that goes back over a century between what are now the republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan. What are sources of the conflict, its implications, and the choices it poses for the U.S. government?
Now that the Budget has passed, ideological gaps in the Coalition are predicted to come to the fore. What are they likely to be and can the government surmount them?
Seeking to limit radicalization and to integrate immigrant Muslims, the Social Democratic party of Demark has adopted a uniquely tough line against illegal immigration and anti-social Islamist behavior. How well are its policies working? Why has a Social Democratic party taken this position? Does Denmark’s Left provide a potential model for the rest of Europe?
Pro-BDS professors claim they leave their politics at the classroom door. But new research refutes such claims, exposing their how their classrooms turn into anti-Israel bastions worse than the critics feared. For example, 78 percent of assigned course readings were authored by fellow BDS-supporters. Which disciplines are the worst? What other disturbing facts are now known? What can be done?
Some politicians have proclaimed that the budget having passed signifies the end of the Bibi era. Is this true? What next?
The Afghanistan war dragged on for 20 futile years. Ridding the country of Taliban control and nation-building led to thousands of American troop deaths and trillions of dollars lost when the Taliban almost effortlessly reclaimed control. What were the fundamental mistakes in Afghanistan? Do they also apply to Iraq? What lessons should be learned?
Iran’s new president is a hardliner picked by the Supreme Leader to send a message to the West: we do not need the JCPOA. Simultaneously, Tehran has escalated its nuclear provocations – enriching uranium purity, producing uranium metal, and limiting monitoring by international inspectors. Despite this, the Biden Administration still hopes to rejoin the JCPOA. What happens next?
The budget has finally arrived to the Knesset floor. The Coalition just barely has the numbers to pass it. Can the Opposition stop it and thereby send Israel to its fifth elections in three years?
The seemingly bureaucratic step of setting up a U.S. consulate in Jerusalem serving the Palestinians has, in fact, far-reaching implications about U.S. policy toward the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. What are these and how far should the Bennett government go to fight it?
Discontent appears to be growing in the Likud party as its MKs get restless in the opposition. Could the budget passing mark the end of Bibi's political career?
Raised as a Palestinian Christian with negative stereotypes concerning Jews and Israel, Khalil Sayegh was also discriminated against and threatened by many Muslim neighbors. What is his personal story to attain peace with both Jews and Muslims? What lessons can be drawn from that experience?
Prime Minister Bennett demands absolute coalition discipline ahead of the budget votes. If he gets it, could Israel actually be on the cusp of its first government budget in 3½ years?
Disagreements on policy and on diplomacy are straining intra-governmental relations. Is this a serious threat or merely growing pains ahead of the budget vote?
Top-ranking officials of the Israel Defense Force in 2019 started to embrace Israel Victory vis-à-vis the Palestinians, only to regress recently to the old and familiar tune of appeasement. What brought about this change? What will it take for the IDF again to speak of Victory?
Serious cracks in the ruling coalition are beginning to emerge (the embrace of Mahmoud Abbas, differences over the Family Reunification Law); how significant are they? And where are the indirect Israel-Hamas talks leading?
Taken to a new level by the “Abraham Accords,” the notion of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam as Abrahamic religions has become newly prominent. The idea has roots in the Qur’an itself; but does it have a solid theological basis or practical utility? Is the figure of Abraham a symbol of unity or difference?
How will Justin Trudeau’s re-election impact the growth of Islamism in Canada? Several worrisome signs – the lack of follow-up on Iran’s shooting down Flight 752, the passage of an "Islamophobia" bill, the push for a Special Envoy on Islamophobia – suggest the government plans further to appease the radical utopians. What implications does this have?
The Israeli government must pass the budget by Nov. 4. The opposition hopes to prevent it from passing it on time, thereby leading to the government's collapse and new elections. Which side is most likely to succeed? What comes next?
Turkey’s political influence efforts have been growing quickly in the United States in recent years. Examples include hosting politicians at the luxurious Diyanet Center in Maryland and donating Turkish government funds to U.S. congressional races. How does President Erdoğan manage to oversee nonprofits, business associations, and news outlets in the United States? What can Americans do to halt this?
Can Netanyahu convince Defense Minister Benny Gantz to pull the plug on the current government and become the prime minister in alliance with him? Or will the adage "Fool me once …" keep the ship of state steady?
Former Vice President Mike Pence will discuss the differences in Middle East policy between the Trump and Biden administrations. Topics will include the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Afghanistan. He will be in discussion with Daniel Pipes.
There is much talk of the Taliban’s spectacular victory encouraging Islamists in the Middle East and beyond; one month later, what does the record show? And to what extent has this event repulsed Muslims away from Islamism, as in Morocco, where the Islamist party lost 90 percent of its support?
Published six weeks after 9/11, Martin Kramer’s Ivory Towers on Sand rebuked professors of Middle East studies who championed one failed intellectual orthodoxy after another – even as they missed the real story, such as the rise of Islamism. Have Middle East studies improved or further degenerated since 2001? What can outsiders do to help?
The First Reading of the Budget has passed. Does this mean it's plain sailing ahead for the government?
Xi Jinping's China is quietly but dramatically becoming a power in the Middle East. From oil deals with Saudi Arabia to high-tech investments in Israel, the Chinese Communist Party is involved. How is this changing regional dynamics? What are Beijing’s objectives? And what does this mean in the context of the Sino-American competition?
What follows on the Biden-Bennett meeting? Is there an actual reset to relations between the Democrats and Israel?
The Gaza border is again getting tense, with Hamas launching incendiary balloons into Israel that cause massive fires and the IDF responding with aerial bombings. Palestinian protests and clashes with Israeli forces are a near-everyday occurrence. How best should Israel respond? Will the Israeli government finally work towards victory?
The Taliban takeover in Afghanistan encourages Islamists such as Hamas and Hezbollah while discouraging U.S. allies in the Persian Gulf. What does this surprise development mean for the Jewish state?
As Afghans flee the Taliban, many migrants are heading via Iran and Turkey to Europe. With 3.6 million migrants already registered in Turkey, how will Ankara deal with this new flood? Will Erdoğan again threaten to release migrants to Greece and Bulgaria? How might Europe protect its borders?
After a century as a mid-sized power, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan seeks to restore Turkey to something akin to the influence of its Ottoman past. But a rocky road finds Ankara with precious few friends among alienated NATO allies, angry Middle Eastern neighbors, and tensions with Russia and China. Has Erdoğan a chance to succeed or is he heading for a fall?
Perversely, Hezbollah gains from the collapse of Lebanon’s economy and from the rocket attacks against Israel, even though they threaten full-scale war. Can the West take steps to reduce Hezbollah’s power in Lebanon? What can Israel do to protect its interests?
Iran’s recent attacks on U.S. allies, a more hostile new president, the tough JCPOA stance, the apparent race to The Bomb: all these steps suggest the Islamic Republic’s increasingly belligerent foreign policy. Why explains this doubling down and how can Washington best respond?
How well is Israel's government reacting to near-simultaneous attacks from Lebanon and Iran? What are its options?
With the BDS movement again taking center stage with Ben & Jerry’s, how can Israel fight back? A legal counterattack offers the best prospects against those who boycott, divest and sanction Israel and ultimately seek the elimination of the Jewish state.
What does the escalating Iran-Israel proxy war signify? Does the Biden administration's seeming failure to return to the JCPOA imply Iran will soon become a nuclear-threshold state?
Israelis invented the drone but the United States and China have become world leaders, Turkey and Iran regional ones. How have drones transformed the battlefield? How does preeminence in drones affect the region? Can the US and Israeli governments control these weapons?
The Middle East and South Asia and are very distinct regions. But new connections, such as between Israel and India, Turkey and Pakistan, and among Islamist groups, are increasingly affecting them both. What is the current situation, what are the trends, and what are the implications?
The Opposition sees preventing a budget from passing as the best way to bring down Israel's government. What are its chances of success?
Birth rates below replacement level. Immigration inflows. The human landscape in the West is transforming as native peoples shrink, society ages, and the Muslim and other non-Western population grows. Mr. Macarrón explores the consequences and challenges of these changes
In the initial post-Cold War period, the world experienced the warmest peace in human history. What caused this and why did it end? Michael Mandelbaum argues the aggressive nationalist policies of Russia, China, and Iran unraveled the peace and that only genuine democracy can restore it. How is the Biden administration dealing with these threats in general and specifically regarding the Middle East?
Richard L. Benkin has spent his career protecting persecuted Hindus and Jews from their common enemy: Islamists and their enablers. What historical parallels and shared value systems serve as a source of solidarity between these ancient religious communities? Already, Jewish Americans rallied for Hindus in Chicago and Hindu Americans held vigils for Israel. Mr. Benkin will discuss the potential of this alliance.
Israel’s government is trying to reset key diplomatic relationships, including the American and the EU. How effective is the new leaders' policy of outreach and what are its ramifications?
Led by the ruling Social Democratic party, Denmark’s government has very publicly experimented with new methods to stop “non-Western immigration,” even announcing the goal of admitting zero asylum seekers in 2021. What prompted this break with the usual leftist views, what are the methods involved, how effective are they, and how significant are the echoes of Danish policies in Germany and the U.K.?
Over a distinguished career focused on Middle Eastern anthropology since the 1960s, Philip Salzman experienced academe’s profound transition from a place where open debate was encouraged to one where disagreement is punished. How did this happen, how did it affect Middle East studies, and what can reverse this grim evolution?
Another week of disputes in the Government regarding threats from Ra’am and cuts to benefits for the ultra-Orthodox: what are the ramifications for a coalition with a one-seat majority?
While serving in Congress in 2013-19, former U.S. Representative Keith Rothfus witnessed both the meteoric rise of ISIS and its crushing military defeat. But, knowing ISIS and its ilk cannot be defeated only on the literal battlefield, he took a leading role in efforts to fight it financially. What steps has the U.S. government taken to block terrorist group funding, how well has it done, what more can it do?
Is the failure to pass a law concerning Palestinians a sign of the new government’s deep-rooted contradictions or just its teething problems?
The Coalition government is at an impasse over the Family Reunification Law, a law prohibiting Israeli citizens to pass on citizenship to their Palestinian spouses. Mansour Abbas has been pushing for renewed negotiations with the PLO. What does this mean for the new government?
20th century America defeated its Nazi and Communist adversaries both militarily and ideologically. Twenty years into the “War on Terror,” however, military victories over al-Qaeda and ISIS leave little motivation to defeat the Islamist ideology in the war of ideas. As Indonesia, Central Asian states, and Morocco show, that is both possible and desirable. What lessons can America learn from them and apply on its own?
Can the “Change government” sufficiently withstand both external pressures and internal divisions actually to be sworn in?
Israel as a whole – not just Benjamin Netanyahu – faces great peril as multiple domestic destructive forces reach a crescendo, including the fragmentation of Israel’s political system, “Bibi Derangement Syndrome,” the radicalization of its Arab minority, and Hamas’s growing interference in its internal affairs.
Is there finally an Israeli government, or not? If so, who is in and who is out? And what are the chances it will last?
Whether or not to return to the JCPOA (the Iran nuclear deal) is a huge issue in U.S. politics; and so too in Iran. What are the primary camps arguing for and against going back to the JCPOA’s limitations, what are their motivations and arguments? Which side will the Supreme Leader likely support?
With a week to go until the end of Lapid's mandate to form a government, is there still a chance for either side to cobble together a coalition or is Israel hurtling towards a fifth election?
Few knew of Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) six years ago when his father, King Salman, appointed him the Saudi minister of defense. Today, few can forget him thanks to endless attention from by the media. Why was MbS chosen as Saudi Arabia’s future leader? How goes his grand project to remake a despotic monarchy long in cahoots with radical Islam and dependent on oil revenues?
If the great sea empires (British, French, Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish) nearly disappeared sixty years ago, many land empires live on, conveniently hiding under their contiguity: the Chinese, Ethiopian, Burmese, and Persian. Iran’s non-Persian communities form about half of the population. Who are they, what are their political aims, and what potential do they have?
With Hamas continuing to relentlessly attack Israel, Arab pogroms and Jewish revenge attacks on Israel's streets, how does Israel achieve its objectives and return peace and security to its citizens?
Yemen’s civil war, underway since 2014, involves a dizzying array of combatant groups backed by an almost as large number of foreign governments. What is at stake in this conflict, what is the record of America’s allies in it, and what policies should the Biden Administration pursue?
Israel is under attack. Why has this conflagration broken out, how and when will it end, and what are its likely consequences?
The Islamic republic has developed extensive tools to engage in conflict short of war, in what has come to be known as the “gray zone.” Examples include the 1983 Beirut Marine barracks bombing, the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing, and the 2011 plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the United States. The U.S. government has struggled to adapt to the unique requirements of gray zone deterrence, especially as it reduces its military presence in the Middle East. What steps need to be taken not only more effectively to deter Iran but also for more menacing actors like China and Russia?
The alleged coup attempt in Jordan last month briefly placed the Hashemite Kingdom at the forefront of the news. The crisis passed but it raised a host of questions about a country that usually attracts little attention: How vital is the monarchy to the country’s stability? How vital is Jordan’s stability to the region? After the Abraham Accords, what is Jordan’s role in diplomacy? What happens to Jordan if Israel diminishes its role in Jerusalem?
The contrast between the Trump and Biden approaches to Israel points to the contrast between Republicans and Democrats on the issue. How much do views depend on the left-right spectrum and how much on other considerations? What accounts for them? What shifts in outlook are underway?
The half-million Iranians in the United States home divide sharply in their attitudes towards the Islamic Republic of Iran, with some supporting the regime and others hoping to bring it down. Who are the main players and what how goes their rivalry under the new administration?
Time is running out for a Netanyahu-led government, especially with the "Change Camp" in advanced negotiations. Could this really be the end of the line for Bibi as PM?
The first Palestinian legislative elections since 2006 are scheduled for May 22. If fair and free elections proceed as scheduled, Hamas is again expected to win, this time also in the West Bank. The consequences for Palestinians, the Palestinian Authority, and Israel will be disastrous.
Rep. Jim Banks (R-Indiana) is one of the most important young leaders in Washington. As the newly elected Chairman of the Republican Study Committee, the largest Conservative caucus in Congress, his views have a significant impact on the Middle East policy debate. Mr. Banks will present his views on Middle East issues, Biden Administration policies, and the role of Republicans in Congress in agreeing with or contesting those policies.
The New York Times has a history of major mistakes in the Middle East. For example, it relentlessly pushed the false WMDs in Iraq narrative and nearly always portrays Israel as an aggressor. What impact does this misreporting have on American perceptions and policy? Can the newspaper be held accountable?
Poland’s policies on Islamism and migration make it and Israel natural allies, especially at a time when Western Europe governments show increasing hostility toward the Jewish state. But a Polish law criminalizing mention of the role Polish citizens played in the Holocaust has poisoned relations between the two countries. Should Jerusalem pragmatically acquiesce to this historical revisionism in order to maintain good relations with Warsaw; or should it stick to its principles?
Netanyahu has 28 days to form government; can he patch one together with outside support by Islamists? Who is for and against, and what are the deeper dynamics? Tune on Tuesday, not Wednesday, for the answers.
Shurat HaDin (the Israel Law Center) confronts terrorists and their enablers where governments and intelligence agencies cannot: the civil court room. In less than two decades it has won more than US$2 billion in judgments from everyone from BDS bigots to state sponsors of terrorism. How does Shurat HaDin accomplish so much with limited resources, what are its goals, and what is its long-term impact?
The Establishment in France has for decades accommodated Islamists, but this has modestly changed in recent months, especially after the beheading of Samuel Paty last October. Has public opinion changed about Islamism? Survey research only goes so far because of concerns about being called an "Islamophobe." Applying data science to anonymous French tweets reveals a persistent anger that, if suitably channeled, could lead to a profound shift in policy. Can secularism make a comeback?
Israel's president has decided who gets first shot at forming a government. At this time, no one appears to have a path to 61 seats. What are the chances of ending the political impasse? Of election #5?
“Are Israeli Arabs finally moderating?” Daniel Pipes asked in late 2020. The speech on Apr. 1 by Mansour Abbas of the Islamist Ra’am party suggests just that possibility; further, he might become kingmaker following a closely divided Israeli election. Why did Abbas choose this novel route and how does he differ from his peers? What follows if an Islamist party joins a Zionist coalition?
Much has happened since the last round of Hezbollah-Israel warfare in 2006, with both sides very substantially increasing their arsenals. Moreover, Hezbollah has gained years of continuous field experience in the Syrian Civil War, while the IDF has implemented its Momentum tactics. Most observers say it’s not a question of if but of when a war breaks out. What are likely scenarios in such a conflagration? And what can we expect, given its armaments, geography and scale?
Israel's election is over, near-conclusive results are now in. Who is most likely to form the next government, the Bibi or the anti-Bibi faction?
China’s “Belt and Road Initiative” trades Chinese technical know-how and capital for influence, and Beijing’s recently-signed ten-year $600 billion deal with Tehran turns Iran into the a BRI crown jewel. What does Iran get and what does it pay for this China connection? How does it affect Tehran's power vis-à-vis its neighbors? And the United States?
President Biden struck Iranian-backed militias on the Iraqi-Syrian border in late February, a move surprising to those who expected his administration to return to Obama’s approach. What should one make of this event? Where does this president stand between his two predecessors on the question of Iran’s nuclear build-up?
Ashley Perry, Advisor to the Middle East Forums Israel Office, joins us here each Wednesday to update us on all the events going on in Israel.
Mr. Perry will be giving us a briefing on current Israeli affairs for 15 minutes, then open it up for questions.
With just six days until Israel's elections, getting out the vote has become the challenge. What is each major party doing?
A wave of protests against Iranian meddling and corruption made Mustafa Al-Kadhimi Iraq’s prime minister in May 2020. His promise to reassert sovereignty faces 160,000 IRGC-controlled local militia members and their supporters in government. His efforts to combat endemic corruption have proven equally difficult. Can Al-Kadhimi succeed? Can Americans help?
Famed French statesman Talleyrand said of the House of Bourbon it had “learned nothing and forgotten nothing” upon its return to power. Will the same be said of Biden administration officials returning to the “peace process” to manage the Palestinian-Israeli conflict? Douglas Feith notes that the pre-Trump approach has not worked and cannot work. He then explains its persistence despite so many decades of failure.
Famed French statesman Talleyrand said of the House of Bourbon it had “learned nothing and forgotten nothing” upon its return to power. Will the same be said of Biden administration officials returning to the “peace process” to manage the Palestinian-Israeli conflict? Douglas Feith notes that the pre-Trump approach has not worked and cannot work. He then explains its persistence despite so many decades of failure.
Polls show Netanyahu’s bloc capturing about 50 Knesset seats out of a needed 61, While the opposition encompasses too wide a spectrum of ideologies and egos to shoehorn easily into one government. Polls also show one-fifth of the electorate still hasn't made up its mind; what developments over the next few days might prove decisive?
Polls show Netanyahu’s bloc capturing about 50 Knesset seats out of a needed 61, while the opposition encompasses too wide a spectrum of ideologies and egos to shoehorn easily into one government. Polls also show one-fifth of the electorate still hasn't made up its mind; what developments over the next few days might prove decisive?
Women “make up half of society and we want it to be a productive half” says Saudi Crown Prince Muhammed Bin Salman (MbS).Yet Saudi Arabia ranks near the absolute bottom of every list of female empowerment. What changes have taken place in recent years and what can be expected as MbS pursues his large-scale reforms?
In 2017 Saudi Arabia and the UAE demanded thirteen policy reforms of Qatar and enacted a strangulating air, land, and sea blockade to extract compliance. Three-and-a-half years later, however, the de facto GCC leaders terminated the blockade without a single demand being met. What sparked the blockade and how did tiny Qatar fend off the powerhouses of the Arab world?
With less then three weeks until Israel's elections, this is the peak time for maneuverings and appeals from the many rival parties. What are the prominent issues and which are the key personalities? Is the outcome beginning to take shape?
Growing numbers of Muslims are converting to Christianity, to the point that a term (Muslim Background Believer) and even an acronym (MBB) has emerged. What are the circumstances and main themes of their conversions? What challenges do they face, both in Muslim-majority countries and in ostensibly tolerant Western societies?
President Trump instituted a maximum-pressure campaign against Iran’s economy in hopes of striking a better nuclear deal than that reached by his predecessor. As the Biden administration reverses course, where does Iran’s economy stand? How fast can it revive? Did maximum pressure make Tehran more flexible?
For the first time in Israel's history, a prominent Muslim politician talks of getting involved in the country's decision-making. Might this happen, what effect would it have on the elections and on Israels future?
When Ilhan Omar describes herself as an “intersectional feminist” and Omar Suleiman participates in a pagan ritual, American Islamism is clearly going in new directions. In particular, a Red-Left alliance has been growing for decades. What does each camp hope to achieve in its alliance with the other? Will it succeed or the differences ultimately too deep?
While Russian and Saudi campaigns against dissidents abroad dominated news cycles, Turkish efforts remain obscure. Abdullah Bozkurt will discuss how the regime of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan relies on intimidation, abduction, and harassment to target citizens overseas. What does it do, how far is it willing to go, will the world ever notice?
That the Haredi (Ultra-Orthodox) community has at times openly flouted the lockdown rules has generated widespread anger towards it, leading to a strong majority of Israeli voters not wanting its two political parties to be part of the next government. What does this mean for Prime Minister Netanyahu and his most loyal coalition partners?
The Abraham Accords ushered in a “warm peace” between Israel and several Muslim countries, but where do things stand with Western Europe? Although this bloc consistently funds questionable NGOs and votes against Israel in international organizations, it claims to seek Israel’s best interests. How to explain this paradox? What is the role of pro-Israel voices? Is there a chance for improvement?
Modern political Islam dates back nearly a century and has spread nearly everywhere. While Islamism appears to be in decline in Muslim-majority countries, Islamists forge ahead in the West – in education, the courts, business, electoral politics, and beyond. How did they achieve this, what threat do they pose, and what can be done to defeat them?
Five out of the six parties that poll best in Israel's elections next month represent the Right, so personalities and narrow distinctions differentiate them. What are those differences and how much will the next government be affected by them?
President Biden wants to return to the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA) repudiated by the Trump administration, but is it too late to turn back the clock? With Biden stating that Tehran must stop enriching uranium before sanctions are lifted, what are the chances of striking a deal? Are there better policy options on the table?
The Obama Administration’s reset of America’s role in the Middle East backfired. The Iraq withdrawal led to the rise of the Islamic State, the Iran nuclear deal emboldened a rogue regime, and a preference for regime change encouraged the Islamist winter. Has Biden learned from those mistakes? If so, what might he do differently?
With the lists of the political parties now finalized and submitted, polls show Netanyahu having a harder time forming a coalition than his opponents. Could this election be Bibi's downfall?
Contrary to its claims of reform and non-violence, the Muslim Brotherhood has an Islamist program and relies heavily on intimidation. Drawing on her original research of previously unreleased Egyptian documents, Cynthia Farahat explains how the MB is less a political entity that relies on terrorist tactics and more a jihadi organization that deploys a political façade.
After four years on the backburner, the Palestinian issue is resurfacing with the advent of the Biden Administration. What does this mean for Israel and beyond?
Increasingly, Arabic-speaking Christians in Israel, led by Father Gabriel Naddaf of Nazareth, seek to escape the Palestinian identity and fully to integrate their community into the Jewish state, with an emphasis on IDF service. They are working at this with help from Jews like Amit Barak. What challenges to integration do Israel’s Arab Christians face? Are they succeeding?
What happens after Ayatollah Khamenei dies? Will another leading cleric or his son succeed him? Might the Iranian Revolutionary Guard insert its own candidate? Ali Alfoneh discusses the impending transition and suggests how the U.S. government can positively influence it.
With President Joe Biden just sworn in, what next for Israel, Prime Minister Netanyahu, and the elections in March?
Kurds, often said to be the world’s largest people without a state, are in an acute state of flux in Iran, Turkey, Syria, and Iraq. Ofra Bengio lays out the history and geography, the current status of Kurds in each country, and considers the prospects of an emerging Kurdistan.
Conventional history holds that Muhammed was born in Mecca, received visitation from the Angel Gabriel at age forty, and died in 632 Medina. But what if Muhammed never existed? That’s the question Robert Spencer asks and answers in his MEF-commissioned book, Did Muhammed Exist?, building on evidence that a committee in Iraq wrote the Koran. What does this imply for Islamic faith and practice?
The run-up to Israeli elections finds new parties being founded and old ones splitting up. What does this mean in the larger picture? If no combination reaches a majority of parliamentary seats, what does this mean for the country?
As Turkey becomes increasingly unreliable, Greece offers a viable alternative. It has established unprecedentedly close relations with Washington and Jerusalem, been at the center of multilateral initiatives. In turn, Washington has increased investment in Souda Bay and passed the Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act. Can Greece help move Americans on from their tortured relationship with Turkey?
Turmoil marks the buildup to Israel’s fourth elections in two years. Who are the key players? What are the issues? Will Netanyahu again emerge as prime minister?
Twenty-twenty saw two major developments helpful to Israel Victory: IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi revolutionized Israel’s military doctrine and the four breakthroughs with Arab states. What next to signal to the Palestinians that they lost and the gig is up?
Sam Westrop and Benjamin Baird argue two points, based on MEF’s Islamist Watch project and Counter-Islamism Grid: the growing irrelevance of Muslim Brotherhood networks in the West and the growing importance of other Islamist movements, such as Turkey’s many agents and Pakistan’s Deobandis.
Campus Watch director Winfield Myers will discuss CW’s recent efforts to hold academe accountable by leading a campaign against the misuse of taxpayer dollars to support politicized, anti-American, and anti-Israel programming. CW’s efforts have spurred a Government Accountability Office audit of foreign area programs. Mr. Myers will also discuss CW’s work in 2021 focusing on greater transparency about the billions of dollars to universities from foreign governments.
With over a quarter of all Arab countries now enjoying full relations with Israel, is the Arab states' conflict with Israel finally over?
Cliff Smith, the Middle East Forum's Washington Project Director, will speak about what the Washington Project does to advance MEF goals in Washington D.C. He'll also discuss MEF’s successes to influence decision makers on a range of issues: Qatari propaganda, antisemitism in Middle East studies, and exposing radical Islamic networks.
Azerbaijan just won a surprisingly easy victory over Armenia and reclaimed much of the territories lost in the 1990s surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh. This success owed much to utilizing new technologies, especially drones acquired from Turkey and Israel. Does this outcome have broader lessons have for future warfare in the Middle East and beyond? What specific implications does it have for Turkey and Israel?
How does the UAE-Israel normalization agreement feel on the ground? Is there any chance to avert another Israeli elections? And what will change afterwards?
How do Emiratis view the treaty with Israel? What has the UAE gained and what dangers does this step involve? How does this treaty differ from those of Jordan and Egypt with Israel?
Congressman Doug Lamborn joins MEF’s Cliff Smith to discuss his work advocating for Israel and combating anti-Semitism. Mr. Lamborn is a member of the Congressional Israel Victory Caucus; he seeks to go beyond the Taylor Force Act by imposing sanctions on the PA. He also spearheaded efforts to ensure that universities are not misusing federal funds to promote BDS. How will these issues fare in the new Congress?
Can Likud and Blue & White find a compromise or are both in campaign mode? The week ahead may indicate if Israel is on its way to the fourth election in two years.
Another round of fire from Hamas into Israel, and the IDF completes a surprise drill on war in Gaza. Could the southern border be heating up?
Emmanuel Navon’s new book, The Star and the Scepter: A Diplomatic History of Israel, surveys Jewish diplomacy from antiquity as background to the foreign policy of modern Israel. How has Jewish religion and history, mostly in the absence of a state, shaped Israel’s current external relations? Are there lessons for Israel from its Jewish past?
On Oct. 2, President Emmanuel Macron of France called Islam a religion in crisis and pledged to combat Islamism. In quick succession, jihadis attacked and murdered non-Muslim French citizens, to widespread alarm. Is France finally willing to combat Islamism? Will Macron succeed where other leaders failed? Can France provide leadership for the West?
Has Prime Minister Netanyahu opted for another round of elections? If so, what does that mean for Israel's domestic and foreign policies?
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) oppresses the Uyghurs, a Muslim group primarily living in the Xinjiang province in northwest China, with re-education camps, forced sterilization, religious persecution, and much more. Why are Muslim-majority governments nearly silent?
British-Israeli journalist Jonathan Spyer’s U.S. visa was canceled for association with a “terrorist organization.” As a reporter, he has been in contact with various terrorist groups including Hezbollah, Hamas, and ISIS. But the U.S. government deemed unacceptable only his contact with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Although Spyer eventually got his visa, this incident raises many questions.
After nine years of civil war, Libya remains divided with no end in sight, and Turkey plays an increasingly central role, siding with the GNA vs. the LNA supported by Egypt and the UAE. What does Erdoğan hope to achieve with its involvement in Libya, and is he succeeding?
With one of the most polarizing presidential elections just having taken place in the United States, what do the results imply for Israel and the Arab countries? We will look at popular opinion and the political echelon, then consider the implication's of each candidate's victory.
Since overthrowing Saddam Hussain, the U.S. government has mishandled its relations in Iraq, leaving Iraqis with little reason to trust it. Three examples: backing Nouri al-Maliki as premier, supporting a pro-Iranian militia in the war on ISIS, then permitting it to infiltrate the Iraqi government, where it operates with impunity, posing a threat to Iraqis, Israelis, and all Middle Easterners. Will Washington listen to the cries of the people and push Iran out? Can Iraq ever be free?
After much discussion, Israel’s government agreed not to oppose the United Arab Emirates’ purchase of advanced F-35 war planes in return for unspecified upgrades to Israel’s arsenal. This controversy brings new attention to the issue of Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge (QME) guaranteed by American law. Will further peace treaties bring about an arms race, with countries recognizing Israel accessing advanced weapons, which in turn gets Israel even more? Does Israel’s expanding normalization with Arab states have hidden implications?
Three normalization agreements with predominantly Muslim, Arab governments in six weeks creates a new paradigm for Israel in the region. How will that paradigm and Israel more broadly be affected by the forthcoming U.S. elections?
Fatou Bensouda, the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) lead prosecutor, initiated a formal investigation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in late 2019. Despite Israel’s objections, she moved forward on the basis of Palestinian consent. This investigation raises concerns that the ICC is ignoring clear international law to pursue a politically expedient investigation. Has the OTP gone rogue? What implications does this case have for the Court? Does it matter for Israel?
What should we make of Saudi hints about recognizing Israel? And what about the many ultra-Orthodox leaders vowing to defy the government and reopen their institutions, leading to a possible confrontation between PM Netanyahu and his most loyal coalition partners; what might this mean for his political survival?
Armenia and Azerbaijan went recently to war over Nagorno-Karabakh, an Armenian-governed territory within Azerbaijan’s borders. The two sides’ wide alliances imbue this conflict with regional implications. What are its roots, what explains Israel and Turkey both supporting Shia Azerbaijan, and what is the suitable U.S. role?
Since the expulsion of nearly all Jews from of Muslim-majority countries over the past 75 years, most Jewish sites (schools, cemeteries, synagogues, shrines, and other structures) were abandoned, left without caretakers, and decayed. In “a race against time,” the Diarna Geo-Museum of North African and Middle Eastern Jewish Life has documented cataloged, often covertly, some 2,800 remains through digital mapping technology, traditional scholarship, and field research. Warming ties between Israel and several Muslim countries ease the work of Diarna (Arabic, our homes), even Saudi Arabia. But severe challenges remain. How has warm peace helped Diarna’s work and what more can be done in countries such as Iraq and Yemen unlikely soon to experience a shift in attitude?
Domestically, the government coalition is again on the verge of collapse; what are its prospects to survive? Can Netanyahu revive his popularity vis-à-vis Bennett? What effect will events in the region and beyond, like the fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan, have on Israel and its international standing?
After a high-profile ministerial resignation and Alternate PM Gantz issuing another ultimatum, the unity government again hangs by a thread. Is it an empty threat or is Israel this time on its way to a fourth round of elections?
Have sanctions hit Iran so hard that low-intensity conflict (aka “terrorism”) remains its only offensive option? What does Tehran hope ultimately to achieve with its current method of armed conflict from the civil wars in Syria and Yemen to the sectarian strife in Iraq and Lebanon to the proxies deployed against Israel and the United States?
Prime Minister Netanyahu showed in his speech to the UN that Iran remains the number-one threat to Israel. How much does this issue dominate Israel's diplomatic policies?
The Jewish High Holidays finds Israel in the midst of a second lockdown. Anger at the government is building on all sides to the point that polls show that Naftali Bennett's Yamina party could be within striking distance of the ruling Likud party. Can Bibi "the magician" turn the tide?
Omar al-Bashir dominated the Sudan from 1989 until April 2019, imposing Islamism on Sudan’s diverse population. The past 1½ years have seen Bashir’s dramatic overthrow and a transitional government attempt to establish a secular state and a pro-Western outlook, including even talk of diplomatic relations with Israel. How is this radical shift going? What has become of the country’s several ethnic conflicts? What role should Washington play?
As Netanyahu heads to the White House to sign a peace agreement with the UAE, Israel faces another lockdown. Will the prime minister's diplomatic achievements prevent a free fall in his popularity?
Iran and Turkey seek hegemony over the Middle East. In response, nearly every other functioning state of the region, from Morocco to Saudi Arabia, is working together to stop them. This rivalry has immense consequences, overshadowing the Arab-Israeli conflict and changing the role of the great powers. How is the battle going and what are the prospects for Turkey’s and Iran’s attempts at hegemony?
With their income down, expenses up, and many questions about the campus-based model of education due to COVID-19, universities have turned to the government for emergency funding. In response, MEF’s Campus Watch advocates making any such funding contingent on major reforms to the politicized departments, centers, and programs that indoctrinate rather than educate. Winfield Myers will outline a plan and the steps needed to make it a reality. Let us grab the silver lining of the pandemic to achieve real educational reform.
Israel just registered the largest single per capita percentage increase of COVID-19 cases of any country in the world, with the ultra-Orthodox Jews and the Arabs dominating the infections. Could Serbia and Kosovo moving their embassies to Jerusalem dampen anger against Israel's leaders who are facing growing criticism over a failure over this and also a foundering economy?
Israel's shaky coalition government has won another 120 days of life: Will it use this to prepare for another round of elections or to respond forcefully to threats from near, make peace from afar, always with an eye on the US elections?
While Islamists in America have long targeted Jews and Israel, they’ve recently expanded their scope to Hindus and India. Building on their experience in promoting anti-Semitism, Islamists are waging a sophisticated media and lobbying effort that espouses support for South Asian terrorist groups, whitewashes attacks on Hindus, and seeks to undermine U.S.-India relations. What factors motivate this campaign of hate, what are its consequences, and what steps can address it?
South Asian Muslims comprise a one-quarter of all first-generation Muslim immigrants in the United States and one-sixth of America’s total Muslim population, with the largest number coming from Pakistan. Despite their minority numbers, South Asian Muslims have an outsized U.S. role, raising several questions: how did this come to pass, will it continue, and what are its implications? Where have they excelled and what challenges do they face?
With immediate elections apparently averted, how will this affect the Israeli government's dealing with the economy, security, the neighbors, and Washington?
In 2014, David Brog wrote a pathbreaking article in the Middle East Quarterly arguing that “more and more [Evangelical] Christians are turning against the Jewish state” due to increased solidarity with the Palestinians. What are recent trends, where do matters stand six years later, and what steps can be taken?
How does a believing Muslim go from Islamism to an anti-Islamism? Zuhdi Jasser, who personally went through this evolution, provides insight into the key milestones of his transition, then explains how he made those insights integral to the work of the organization he founded in 2003, the American Islamic Forum for Democracy. What are his essential steps to encourage fellow Muslims to reject Islamism? How does the record look so far?
What impact will the opening of official ties with the UAE and 'suspension' of the planned annexation have on domestic Israeli politics?
Since 2011, when Palestinian Media Watch exposed the Palestinian Authority giving cash rewards to terrorists, the U.S. and Israeli governments have tried to end this practice. While efforts like the 2018 Taylor Force Act and similar Israeli legislation punished the PA with a substantial drop in income, it failed to end pay-for-slay. Efforts are now underway to sanction the funds’ distributor, the PA’s Commission of Prisoners' Affairs. Will this suffice? If not, what steps need to be taken?
Islamic Relief, the largest Islamist charity in the world, has a major presence in the United States and Europe. But charity is not it’s only mission. The Muslim Brotherhood-founded organization is banned in Israel and the United Arab Emirates due its ties to terrorism; Bangladesh has blocked it from working with Rohingya refugees for similar reasons. When, last month, a British newspaper uncovered virulently anti-Semitic social media posts and glorification of terrorism by an IR leader, it came as no surprise. Can this serve as a wake-up call for other states to follow Israel and the UAE’s lead?
If no budget is passed within two weeks, Israel’s government is automatically dissolved and another round of elections takes place. Is this government doomed or can the coalition partners muddle through?
Revolutionaries have challenged nearly every Middle Eastern regime since 2010. What are the factors that galvanize demonstrators? What explains why some countries escape unrest (e.g., Saudi Arabia and Morocco), why some regimes succumb to protestors (e.g., Tunisia and Egypt) while others either repress them (e.g., Iran) or find themselves embroiled in civil wars (e.g., Libya and Syria)? Which Middle Eastern countries are currently most ripe for revolution? In particular, what are the chances for regime overthrow in Iran?
Islamism makes utopian promises which repeatedly have failed. Coming against the background of several centuries of Muslim humiliation, this results in increasing discontent. One symptom are the growing numbers of Muslims becoming agnostics, atheists, or converting to other faiths, especially Christianity. What does this mean for the future of Islam?
On September 30, 2011, a drone strike killed leading terrorist Anwar al-Awlaki in Yemen. For years prior, al-Awlaki preached hate in the United States with impunity, and the government failed to act. Others have followed in his footsteps. Ahnaf Kalam will discuss examples of Imams across the United States spreading a similar message of violence and hate. Can the government do anything to stop this? Is it just a matter of time before another al-Awlaki emerges?
Jihadis who presented themselves as refugees to infiltrate the European Union have engaged in many attacks, including the November 2015 attack in Paris, killing 130. Todd Bensman’s just-completed study of these migrant-terrorists sheds light on their numbers, characteristics, and tactics; it also finds that the United States is vulnerable. Based on the European experience, Mr. Bensman offers ideas for Americans to avoid making the same mistakes.
The economy takes center stage in Israel as thousands take to the streets and the government cannot agree on a budget. Of all issues, could this - and not COVID-19, annexation, or Netanyahu's court cases - be the one that drags the country back to elections?
From providing Hezbollah with a platform to fueling the growth of al-Qaeda and ISIS, Middle Eastern news media has spread the message of jihadis since 9/11. The U.S. government pushed back in 2004 with the Alhurra network. Alberto Fernandez, the recent head of Alhurra’s holding company, witnessed first hand the great media battles. Have moderates begun winning the battle? What can Americans do to help?
Israel is in the depths of a second wave of COVID-19, with prospects looking ever dimmer. With an already battered economy, how will this problem affect government decisions?
The French population was ten times that of Algeria’s when France conquered Algeria in 1830. Today, their size is near parity and Algerian immigrants have changed the fabric of French society. Michel Gurfinkiel discusses France’s future in light of these current demographic trends and offer thoughts on addressing the Africanization of France.
July 1st marks Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's date set to start annexing parts of the West Bank. But will this happen? Either way, what will be the domestic, regional and international reactions?
The half-ton of files cataloguing Iranian efforts to develop a nuclear weapon that Mossad removed from a Tehran warehouse in January 2018 continue to shape the discussion of Iran’s nuclear program. The covert archive contained much information that contradicts longstanding assumptions about Iran’s nuclear program by revealing additional nuclear facilities, equipment, and activities previously unknown to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). What is the impact of the archive? How does it affect the IAEA's ongoing investigations? What should U.S. policy be?
From the time he became the mufti of Jerusalem in 1921, Amin al-Husseini (1897-1974) became the most toxic enemy of Jews. He initiated Palestinian rejectionism, had an important role in Hitler’s Final Solution, gave sanctuary to Nazis and loosed them against a nascent Israel, and urged the Muslim Brotherhood to fight Zionists. Even after his death his influence on Palestinians is still felt. Will his sway ever end?
With the US Administration meeting to decide the future of annexation, and Prime Minister Netanyahu putting down markers in case of another election, this is a crucial week in Israeli politics. What is being planned and what will it mean for the short and medium term?
After disappearing in April 2020, a Coptic Christian high school teacher of English, wife, and mother of three reappeared in a video, now dressed in all-black Islamic attire with her face nearly covered, announcing that she had willingly converted to Islam and rejecting any contact with her family. This incident symbolizes the plight of Copts, Egyptian Christians, which includes forced conversion, attacks on churches, and murder. What does the future hold for this embattled population?
The recent U.S. unrest focused on police violence and racism jump-started anti-Israel campaigning by the BDS movement, Islamists, the far-Right, and the far-Left. Synagogues, cemeteries and Jewish businesses have been targeted from Los Angeles to Virginia, while social media have been saturated with accusations against Jews and Israel. What does this phenomenon amount to, how does it affect U.S.-Israel relations, and what can be done to combat it?
Textbooks are a powerful tool in shaping children’s minds. In the Middle East, however, they all too often promote Islamism and other extremist ideas. What tools are available to make positive change, what is the record of efforts so far, and how do the authorities respond to pressure?
Denmark, like many other Western countries, has a growing number of Islamists who reject freedom of speech, demanding that any criticism of Islam and related topics be silenced via hate speech laws. They are getting their way thanks to censorship on social media, legislation, an increase in antisemitic incidents, and a stifling culture of political correctness. What does this mean for Denmark, historically a leader of free-speech, and beyond?
Interview with Ambassador (ret.) Robert Pearson on Turkey and the Eastern Mediterranean.
When the European Union in 2019 added a clause to grant contracts with NGOs that prohibits the transfer of its funds to designated terrorist organizations, this elicited howls of protest from the Palestinian NGO Network, an umbrella organization of 135 Palestinian NGOs (PNGO). On March 30, 2020, the EU sent a “clarification letter” to PNGO that appears to give into Palestinian pressure and effectively annul EU anti-terror regulations. In response to uproar over this capitulation, the EU has promised an investigation. What are the stakes and what lies ahead?
Greek-Turkish relations are going from bad to worse. The Erdoğan regime wages “no war–no peace" operations in the Aegean Sea by constantly violating Greek sovereignty. It encourages illegal migrants to cross into Greek territory. It just unilaterally annexed a large tract of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea as its exclusive economic zone to explore for natural gas. What are the dangers of a conflagration? How can this be avoided? What policies should the Trump administration adopt?
Israeli governments have always resisted the idea of defense treaty with the United States. But circumstances have changed and both sides would now benefit from a carefully crafted agreement. It would deter or mitigate a major Iran-led conflict, frontload the Obama MoU on defense assistance to Israel, replenish U.S. stockpiles of vital precision munitions in Israel, elevate Israel’s status as an official U.S. ally, and explore new R&D frontiers.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been called “an icon of the West's rapprochement with Islam,” but he’s actually an icon of the West’s submission to Islamism. Examples: Canada’s intelligence agency CSIS admits that dozens of known jihadis are walking free and authorities won’t charge them. A secret program that grants visas to war criminals, terrorists, and those who pose security threats was recently exposed. Hizballah’s external operations group, known as Unit 910, is reported to be “even more active” in Canada than it has been in the United States. What are the long-term consequences?
How does one confront the anti-Israel teachings and other problems that are entrenched in Middle East studies? Sarah Stern has worked this issue in the halls of Congress and the Department of Education for almost two decades. She will discuss changes for the better and worse in the attempt to ensure that federal grants are used in accordance with their legislative intent – to give American students a solid education about the regions.
Honor killings, the cold-blooded murder of mostly girls and women by relatives for allegedly dishonoring their families, have arrived in the West. Some claim that anti-racism, pluralism, and multi-cultural relativism demand we tolerate such crimes, but that is a deeply mistaken belief. We’ll review the sources of this behavior and how to combat it.
Seventeen years after Saddam Hussein, Iraq has reached a critical juncture. A privileged, corrupt elite controls the government and parliament, while heavily armed and well-paid militias answer to Tehran. The infrastructure is in a state of deep neglect, the economy is in shambles, and the judiciary has lost its independence. In addition to Sunni-Shi’i tensions, internal Shi’i tensions are at an unprecedented high. Where is Iraq heading and can Washington help?
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is arriving in Israel next week. What does this extraordinary visit mean? What does it mean for the Trump Peace Plan, annexation and Iran? Will it have an effect on the makeup of the new government?
In 1990, Jews of the collapsing Soviet Empire began to escape their antisemitic prison in large numbers. Over one million of them repatriated to Israel and made up the country’s biggest, most educated immigration wave ever. They dramatically changed nearly every aspect of Israel’s life, from science to sports. What is their net impact and how will this influence Israel going forward?
The Middle East is more closely connected to Latin America than generally understood. Iran’s links to the region and its establishment of jihadi networks go back to the 1990s (recall the bombings in Buenos Aires). They have grown especially with Maduro’s Venezuela. In addition to local aspirations, this effort also endangers domestic U.S. national security interests.
Expect a dramatic week ahead. The Supreme Court will decide if the new government is legal. The Prime Minister needs 61 MPs to stop Israel from plunging towards its fourth elections. Should we expect smooth sailing or further surprises?
Robert Nicholson, founder and president, Philos Project, joins Gregg Roman on MEF Radio.
In a just-published book co-written with Einat Wilf, the speaker argues for the centrality of the refugee issue in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict because it continues the rejection of Jewish sovereignty on any part of the land. Therefore, Western powers must send a clear message: no support for the return of Palestine refugees.
The Syrian civil war has been replaced by a clash of regional and global rivals with their local clients. Various conflicts are currently being played out on Syrian soil: Israel vs. Iran, Turkey vs. PKK, Assad regime vs. Turkey, US-led coalition vs. ISIS, Russia vs. US, and (still) the Assad regime vs. Sunni Islamist insurgents. Will the current situation become semi-permanent or will Damascus reimpose its rule throughout the country?
With Winfield Myers and Clifford Smith on TItle VI of the Higher Education Opportunity Act.
Multiple times a week, the Middle East Forum makes different content offerings available to its readers and listeners. You can find all of our material here, uploaded on a daily basis.
Multiple times a week, the Middle East Forum makes different content offerings available to its readers and listeners. You can find all of our material here, uploaded on a daily basis.
Iran's precision guided munition (PGM) proliferation project is a threat to Israel and the United States. The aim of this project is to strike distant, high-value targets with high precision. Put this weapon in the hands of Iran's proxies throughout the Middle East is a game changer. I believe it will be the issue that prompts the next Middle East war.
Multiple times a week, the Middle East Forum makes different content offerings available to its readers and listeners. You can find all of our material here, uploaded on a daily basis.
Multiple times a week, the Middle East Forum makes different content offerings available to its readers and listeners. You can find all of our material here, uploaded on a daily basis.
Multiple times a week, the Middle East Forum makes different content offerings available to its readers and listeners. You can find all of our material here, uploaded on a daily basis.
Multiple times a week, the Middle East Forum makes different content offerings available to its readers and listeners. You can find all of our material here, uploaded on a daily basis.
Multiple times a week, the Middle East Forum makes different content offerings available to its readers and listeners. You can find all of our material here, uploaded on a daily basis.
Multiple times a week, the Middle East Forum makes different content offerings available to its readers and listeners. You can find all of our material here, uploaded on a daily basis.
Multiple times a week, the Middle East Forum makes different content offerings available to its readers and listeners. You can find all of our material here, uploaded on a daily basis.
Multiple times a week, the Middle East Forum makes different content offerings available to its readers and listeners. You can find all of our material here, uploaded on a daily basis.
With the demise of the Islamic State (ISIS) in Iraq and Syria, is Islamic terrorism becoming a thing of the past? Is the terror wave that began in the 1990s and crested on September 11, 2001 now drawing to a close? Robert Spencer will discuss this topic from the standpoint of the history of Islam as well as the contemporary situation.
Sam Westrop and Cliff Smith talk about the global influence of South Asia’s most prominent Islamist movement and its connections to terrorism here in the United States.
Liberal ideals have disengaged the left from Israel and made Israel a pariah state. The left only sees Israel through a military lens. The cognitive dissonance displayed by the left in America and throughout the world highlights their own unease regarding values that clearly do not mesh with the realities of the Middle East. The belief that the “occupation” is the defining prism through which everything about the Palestinians is explained and all their actions justified has become near absolute. Occupation justifies “resistance,” that is to say, terrorism.
The Muslim Brotherhood’s war against America is currently successful. They were able to exploit America’s laws and the broad ignorance of their most important mission which they call, “Civilization Jihad Operation.” Under this mission, the Muslim Brotherhood has infiltrated major media, political, educational, and even law enforcement institutions. They also successfully hijacked the representation of American Muslims and are using it to spread their propaganda to congress. In the long run, Civilization Jihad can be more dangerous than armed jihad. It was the operation that subverted several nations such as, Turkey, Egypt, and Sudan; and we need to learn from these examples before it is too late.
Now that a national unity government has been all but formed in Israel, what are the principles behind it? How much has the Coronavirus had an effect on politics, economy and security in Israel as it heads to its first complete nationwide enforced total lockdown?
Cliff Smith and Sam Westrop discovered the Obama administration handed over hundreds of thousands of dollars to a designated terrorist organization linked to Bin Laden. They explain how documents acquired through an MEF lawsuit against the federal government revealed a major Christian charity and several Obama administration officials attempted to lobby on this terror group’s behalf.
After a series of stunning political gymnastics, it looks like Israelis might have their first government in over a year. Who is in and out of power? What does this all mean and how long is it likely to last? Looking beyond politics, how is COVID-19 affecting Israel's economy and security?
Are Europe’s travails a harbinger for America? Sam Westrop discusses Europe’s catastrophic mistakes in its attempts to fight radicalization and assimilate its immigrant Muslim populations, and how European politicians ended up emboldening the extremists and sidelining moderate Muslim activists.
How are Islamists politically organizing in November 2020? Benjamin Baird discusses their lobbying efforts, Muslim Advocacy Days at state capitals, voter drivers, donor clubs, candidate scorecards, PAC's, candidate training, and legislation. CAIR's recently unveiled "Strategic Election Plan" reveals how it hopes to produce a "unified Muslim policy platform." More generally, Islamists seek to shape Muslims into a voting bloc that they can use to support their agenda.
Three elections in less than a year, threats on all its borders and from an Iran moving closer to nuclear weapons … Israel is never boring.
Najat is an independent researcher at the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR) in Abu Dhabi, UAE
The worst outbreak of Coronavirus in the Middle East, so far, is in Iran. Thousands have died and tens of thousands have been exposed to the virus. An overlooked developing crisis parallel to Iran’s is the situation of the country’s neighbors across the Persian Gulf. Beyond the civilian element affecting Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE; tens of thousands of American military personnel are also stationed in these countries. Once facing the Iranian threat and ISIS, they are now involved in combating the invisible enemy: Covid-19. Join in to listen to Mr. Roman discuss the nexus of the Coronavirus, Gulf countries’ reactions in the region, and how US Central Command is assisting our allies, while preserving American national security interests.
As part of its new, extra home-bound services, the Middle East Forum is pleased to announce a new weekly interactive briefing about Israel with the Advisor to the Middle East Forum's Israel Office, Mr. Ashley Perry. Three elections in less than a year, threats on all its borders and from an Iran moving closer to nuclear weapons … Israel is never boring. Join Ashley Perry each Wednesday at 3:00 PM, ET, for an update on everything Israeli, including an opportunity for audience questions.
Mr. Tobin will explain Israel's elections and the hidden consensus on the conflict with the Palestinians in the context of an intractable electoral standoff.
Join Jonathan Tobin, editor-in-chief of JNS, in a discussion on "Understanding Israel's Deep Changes." Mr. Tobin will explain Israel's elections and the hidden consensus on the conflict with the Palestinians in the context of an intractable electoral standoff.
Suddenly, influential voices blame the COVID-19 virus not on Communist China but on the United Kingdom, the United States and Israel. This shift fits a pernicious medieval pattern that needs to be taken seriously and refuted.
The Middle East Forum kicks off its webinar series off at 1p.m. on Wednesday, Mar. 18. The first topic is “Conspiracy Theories in a Time of Virus” with MEF president, Daniel Pipes. It builds on his two books on conspiracy theories to show how the increasing tendency to blame not China but the United States and Israel fits into a dangerous medieval pattern.
The coronavirus pandemic affects all communities, and most American Islamic institutions are taking the same precautions as others. Many dozens of mosques, community centers have canceled events and even Friday prayers.
Shammay Siskind writes in Middle East Quarterly: "Israel played a unique role during the Cold War. Unlike most countries, which functioned as satellites or proxies of the United States or the Soviet Union, it had to fend off enemies both directly on its borders and over the distant horizon. The new state was surrounded and vastly outgunned and outnumbered by enemies that vowed to wipe it clean off the map, just a few short years after the Holocaust. Its intelligence community responded accordingly."
Katerina Sokou, a visiting scholar at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University, a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, and the DC correspondent for the Greek daily Kathimeriniand SKAI-TV, spoke to Middle East Forum Radio host Gregg Roman on March 11 about the escalating migrant crisis at the Greek-Turkish border.
Michel Gurfinkiel, founder of the Paris-based Jean-Jacques Rousseau Institute and a writing fellow at the Middle East Forum, spoke to Middle East Forum Radio host Gregg Roman on February 12 about the consequences of massive Muslim immigration into France.
Dr. Paul Stott, a research fellow in the Center for the Response to Radicalization and Terrorism at the Henry Jackson Society, spoke to Middle East Forum Radio host Gregg Roman on February 12 about the British government's approach to Islamist violence.
After 4 years of research funded by Israel’s Ministry of Science & Technology, MIGAL’s researchers have developed an effective vaccine against avian coronavirus Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV), to be adapted soon and create a human vaccine against COVID-19.
Benjamin Baird researches Islamist activity in Washington DC and state capitals across the country, organizes to counter these efforts, and educates the public, the media, and politicians on the threat posed by Islamist involvement in politics. He is a decorated U.S. Army infantry veteran and frequent contributor to the Investigative Project on Terrorism, The Daily Caller, and other prominent media outlets.
Philippe Nassif is the Advocacy Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International USA. Before coming to Amnesty, Philippe worked as the executive director at In Defense of Christians in the Middle East where he advocated on behalf of persecuted religious minorities. Before that, he worked at the poverty fighting organization CARE USA, the Obama Presidential Campaign, The White House as part of President Barack Obama’s advance team, and for the Mayor of Houston, Texas.
Title VI of the Higher Education Act of 1965 deploys taxpayer funds to train specialists in the languages and area studies of key world regions. For many years, however, Middle East studies centers have abused the program by using its funds to support anti-American, pro-Islamist research, teaching, and outreach efforts. In effect, taxpayers subsidize the undermining of their own security. Campus Watch and the Washington Project are working together to reform Title VI by involving members of Congress.
Guests Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, International Spokesperson of the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) and Dr. Martin Kramer, American-Israeli scholar of the Middle East.
Hezbollah has anointed a new government in Lebanon and every president since Lyndon B. Johnson's effort to try to make peace between Israel and the Palestinians has failed. Will Trump's?
Clifford Smith, the director of the Middle East Forum's Washington Project, spoke on January 22 to Middle East Forum Radio co-host Gary C. Gambill about the Emirate of Qatar's propaganda media conglomerate, Al Jazeera, and its success in flouting American lawsconcerning foreign state-controlled media outlets operating in the U.S.
Bilal A. Wahab joins MEF radio co-host Gary Gambill to discuss the mass protest movement emerging in Iran.
Patrick Clawson, Morningstar Senior Fellow and Director of Research at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, and nationally recognized investigative reporter and war correspondent, Ken Timmerman join Middle East Forum Radio for the latest on US-Iran tensions.
The last MEF Radio episode of 2019 features Cliff May, president and founder of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, and Aya Burweila, senior fellow at the Research Institute for European and American Studies.
This week on MEF Radio: Once an ally of the United States, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's Turkey has increasingly positioned itself as an enemy of the West in nearly every way that it’s possible to do so, such as nuclear weapons aspirations, support for local Islamists in the U.S. and Europe, aggression in Syria, flooding Europe with migrants, and tyrannical oppression of its own citizens.
Michael Pregent reports on internal conflagrations in Iraq and Jonathan Tobin reviews the latest US policy responses to similar domestic turmoil in Iran.
Tony Badran is a research fellow at FDD, where he focuses on Lebanon, Hezbollah, Syria, and the geopolitics of the Levant. Born and raised in Lebanon, Tony has testified to the House of Representatives on several occasions regarding U.S. policy toward Iran, Syria, and Lebanon. His research currently focuses on the relationship between Iran’s Hezbollah model and regional states, as well as the history of and future scenarios for Israel-Hezbollah wars. His writings have appeared in publications including The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, The New York Post, The Atlantic, Foreign Policy, Foreign Affairs, and The Weekly Standard. He is a columnist and Levant analyst for Tablet magazine.
Fatima Alasrar is a Senior Analyst with the Arabia Foundation. Prior to joining the Arabia Foundation, Alasrar was the MENA director for Cure Violence, a research associate at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, a Mason fellow at the Kennedy School of Government, and an international policy fellow at the Open Society Foundations. From 2006-2012, she worked as an advisor for the Embassy of Yemen in Washington, DC and early in her career, served as a program officer for the Department for International Development (DFID) in Yemen.
Nervana Mahmoud is a doctor and commentator on Middle East issues. Mahmoud started blogging and writing on Middle East issues after the Egyptian revolution in 2011, and has contributed to several outlets, including The Telegraph, Al-Monitor, Now Lebanon, Egypt’s Ahram and Daily News Egypt. In November 2013, she was featured as one of the BBC's 100 women of the year. She has also given several talks on Egypt, women’s rights and radicalism in various institutes, and has featured in many radio and TV interviews.
Josh London serves as Director of Government Affairs at The Jewish Institute for National Security of America. Formerly a lobbyist with the Zionist Organization of America and the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, he also served as the Director of Policy for the Jewish Policy Center.
Bradley Martin is a senior fellow with the news and public-policy group Haym Salomon Center, and Deputy Editor for the Canadian Institute for Jewish Research. He is also a writer for Islamist Watch, a project of the Middle East Forum.
David Sterman is a senior policy analyst at New America and holds a master's degree from Georgetown’s Center for Security Studies. His current research focuses on terrorism and violent extremism in America, immigration and terrorist threats, foreign fighter recruitment, and the effectiveness and consequences of American counterterrorism efforts. In the past, he edited Foreign Policy Magazine’s South Asia Channel.
Hassan Hassan is a Senior Nonresident Fellow at TIMEP focusing on militant Islam, Syria, Iraq, and the Arab Gulf states. He was previously an associate fellow at Chatham House’s Middle East and North Africa Program in London and, before that, a research associate at the Delma Institute in Abu Dhabi and a deputy opinion editor for the National, an English-language daily in the Middle East.He advises senior policymakers in the United States, Europe, and the Middle East, and has testified before Congress on extremism.
May's episodes of the Israel Victory Podcast featuring Joshua Hasten, Daniel Seaman, Rachel Touitou and Daniela Giulia Traub discuss making sense of Palestinian logic, as described in Daniel Pipes’s latest article in The Jerusalem Post. and why Palestinians are deserting the Gaza Strip; Why the Trump plan will not work and the end of “occupation” will not end the conflict; and how the Eurovision contest in Israel celebration is tainted by Israelis who do not understand foreign mentality, as seen in embarrassing promotion films that used anti-Semitic themes.
May's episodes of the Israel Victory Podcast featuring Joshua Hasten, Daniel Seaman, Rachel Touitou and Daniela Giulia Traub discuss making sense of Palestinian logic, as described in Daniel Pipes’s latest article in The Jerusalem Post. and why Palestinians are deserting the Gaza Strip; Why the Trump plan will not work and the end of “occupation” will not end the conflict; and how the Eurovision contest in Israel celebration is tainted by Israelis who do not understand foreign mentality, as seen in embarrassing promotion films that used anti-Semitic themes.
May's episodes of the Israel Victory Podcast featuring Joshua Hasten, Daniel Seaman, Rachel Touitou and Daniela Giulia Traub discuss making sense of Palestinian logic, as described in Daniel Pipes’s latest article in The Jerusalem Post. and why Palestinians are deserting the Gaza Strip; Why the Trump plan will not work and the end of “occupation” will not end the conflict; and how the Eurovision contest in Israel celebration is tainted by Israelis who do not understand foreign mentality, as seen in embarrassing promotion films that used anti-Semitic themes.
Aaron David Miller is a distinguished scholar at the Wilson Center and among America’s foremost experts on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and U.S. policy in the Middle East. Miller is a former adviser to six secretaries of state where he has helped shape America’s policy in the region for more than two decades where he has helped formulate U.S. policy on the Middle East and the Arab-Israel peace process, most recently as the Senior Advisor for Arab-Israeli Negotiations.
Alex Selsky is CEO of the World Israel Beytenu movement, a member of the executive of the World Zionist Organization, and a member of the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency for Israel. He is an Adviser to the Israel Victory Project of the Middle East Forum in Israel, and a lecturer at the School of Politics and Journalism at Hadassah Academic College in Jerusalem. In the past he served as an Advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and was spokesman for the National Economic Council in the Prime Minister’s Office.
Gary C. Gambill is a Philadelphia-based policy analyst specializing in the Arab world and the web editor at the Middle East Forum. Formerly editor of Middle East Intelligence Bulletin and Mideast Monitor, Gambill is a regular contributor to Foreign Policy, The National Interest, and The National Post.
A.J. Caschetta is a principal lecturer at the Rochester Institute of Technology where he teaches English and Political Science. He holds a Ph.D. from New York University, where he studied the effects of the French Revolution and Reign of Terror on British society. After 9/11, he began focusing on the rhetoric of radical Islamists and on Western academic narratives explaining Islamist terrorism. A.J. is also a Campus Watch and Ginsburg/Ingerman Writing Fellow at the Middle East Forum.
Danny Seamen is Director of MEF-Israel and a 31-year veteran of the Israeli government, having served as Director of the Government Press Office and Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs. Since retiring from government, Mr. Seaman has been a media consultant and worked as bureau chief of Voice of Israel, an English language Talk Radio station, as well as editor of English language content at Mida.org.il, an online conservative Israeli current affairs and opinion magazine.
Neri Zilber is a journalist and analyst on Middle East politics and culture, and an adjunct fellow of The Washington Institute. Prior to joining the Institute, he was a Tel Aviv-based fellow of the Institute of Current World Affairs from 2011 to 2013, traveling throughout Israel, the West Bank, and Jordan. In addition to reportage and commentary on Middle East affairs, Zilber consults for the private sector on regional political and economic risk. Previously, he worked as a researcher and analyst at the U.S. Library of Congress and the World Jewish Congress.
Rear Admiral Dharmendra Wettewa is presently assigned to the Sri Lanka Embassy in USA as the Minister Defence. He functioned as the Director General Operations of the Sri Lanka Navy since May 2015 until he joined the present assignment. Rear Admiral DMB Wettewa joined the Sri Lanka Navy as an Officer Cadet in January 1984 and in 2014 he attended the National Defence Collage in New Delhi where he completed his Master of philosophy degree in Strategic Security Studies with a First class Distinction.
Dr. Sarah J. Feuer, an expert on politics and religion in North Africa, is a Senior Fellow in The Washington Institute's Geduld Program on Arab Politics. She is the author of Regulating Islam: Religion and the State in Morocco and Tunisia (Cambridge University Press, 2018) and a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Her 2016 Institute monograph, State Islam in the Battle against Extremism: Emerging Trends in Morocco and Tunisia, assessed the involvement of religious institutions in counter-extremism initiatives across Northwest Africa. She is currently expanding that research eastward, examining the evolving form and tenor of State Islam in the Gulf. She has extensive experience in the region, including stints living in Tunisia, Morocco, Jordan, and Israel. She currently resides in Tel Aviv, where she is a visiting fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies.
President Trump vetoes a congressional resolution condemning American involvement in the Yemeni civil war, a new Saudi ambassador arrives in Washington, and a CAIR official is caught in another anti-semitic incident.
The presidents of Sudan and Algeria have been deposed by their respective militaries after street protests rocked Khartoum and Algiers. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel looks close to a record 5th term in office. Tzvi Kahn, senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies gives an overview of the Iran Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps terrorism designation by the U.S. government.
Facing four criminal investigations and his first real political challenge after a decade in as prime minister, how do things look for Benjamin Netanyahu staying another term in office? Listen to Gregg Roman, the Middle East Forum’s director, for a preview of the elections to the 21st Knesset with an in-depth introduction to the parties, key players, issues, media, and the polls of the April 9 election. He will discuss the platforms and promises being made by the parties and review the religious-secular, right-centrist-left, Jewish-Muslim divisions. Mr. Roman will conclude by considering key issues including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, West Bank building and funding, the Jewish state law, budget priorities, and the U.S.-Israel relationship.
David Reaboi, star of the new documentary: Blood Money, takes an hour to discuss influence, policy, and brinkmanship from the Qatari lobby in Washington DC.
Benjamin Baird lays out his new article and Ofra Bengio breaks down the Kurdish issue in the Middle East.
Aaron Balshan launches his new project, the Partisan Review; and Kyle Shideler takes us into the North Virginia special election putting an alleged antisemite into the state house of delegates.
An hour long interview with Middle East Forum president and founder, Daniel Pipes. We go through the ups, downs, and the plans for the future.
The Chinese are expanding their economic sphere of influence to encompass the entire Asian continent. What does this portend for American influence in the Middle East?
Sam Westrop, director of Islamist Watch, and Winfield Myers, director of Campus Watch break down the week's news.
Raymond Ibrahim And Jonathan Cole - Egyptian Copts, Democrats, and Islamists, Oh My! by Middle East Forum
Our first show after Tlaib, Omar, and AOC have been sworn in. What portends for politics in DC after the 2018 mid-term election?
Efraim Inbar is president of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategic Studies, a professor emeritus of political studies at Bar-Ilan University, and former director of the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies. He earned his undergraduate degree in English literature and political science from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and his doctoral degree in political science from the University of Chicago. Inbar has held visiting posts at Johns Hopkins and Georgetown universities, the Woodrow Wilson International Center, and the International Institute for Strategic Studies. He is also a Fellow at the Middle East Forum.
David Reaboi, Vice President of the Security Studies Group discusses Qatari influence over Jamal Khashoggi, and Winfield Myers joins the program for a roundup of the top Middle East stories in 2018.
Samantha Mandeles and Oren Litwin of Islamist Watch review the years top stories concerning American Islamists in 2018.
For over a decade, Shireen Qudosi has furthered the cause of progressive Islam both through her blog, The Qudosi Chronicles and by working with a diverse network of activists within the global Muslim community. She was also named one of the top ten North American Muslim Reformers in 2011.
The Counter-Islamist Grid is a network of local researchers and activists operating around the United States and Canada, documenting and working to counter the activities of local Islamist groups in their own hometowns by: researching and writing articles identifying Islamist bad actors on the local scene, preparing detailed research reports regarding local Islamist networks, briefing local officials and law enforcement about these groups and their ties to larger terrorism and terror finance networks, and organizing local activists to oppose efforts to promote Islamist ideology in all facets of their local communities.
Host Gregg Roman discusses the 2018 U.S. election results, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, and the return of Iran sanctions,.
Arsen Ostrovsky is the Executive Director of the Israeli-Jewish Congress and a leading international human rights lawyer, political analyst and commentator, with a focus on Israel and the Middle East. Arsen has testified & spoken in support of Israel before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, United Nations in New York, the European Parliament, the Knesset and various capitals and high-level gatherings in Europe and around the world. He is also considered an expert on the topics of Antisemitism, BDS, digital diplomacy, international law, the United Nations and Middle East foreign policy.
Ronald Sandee is a former senior analyst with Dutch Military Intelligence where he worked on issues regarding the former Soviet Union, Afghanistan, as well as organized crime and terrorism with a focus on the al-Qa’ida network in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Africa. In 2013 he began working as a private consultant and a chief global jihad analyst for Kronos Advisory and is currently the Co-founder of Blue Water Intelligence, a research group based in the Netherlands.
Middle East Forum director, Gregg Roman hosts an hour of informative, controversial and intelligent talk radio with weekly guests who offer expert perspectives and commentary on Middle Eastern and global affairs. Tune in to hear about topics ranging from the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, what’s next after we’ve defeated ISIS, the potential of withdrawing American troops from the region, and much more.
Joseph Humire is Executive Director of the Center for a Secure Free Society. He is a global security expert specializing on transnational threats in the Western Hemisphere. He also provides regular briefings on international terrorism, transnational organized crime, Islamism and Iran’s influence Latin America to various entities within the U.S. Department of Defense and intelligence community. Mr. Humire is also a fellow at the Middle East Forum.
http://www.securefreesociety.org
Tarek Fatah is a is a Canadian journalist and writer who founded the Muslim Canadian Congress, a group committed to fighting Islamism and promoting the separation between religion and state. He is also a fellow at the Middle East Forum.
https://torontosun.com/author/tarek-fatah
Tom Quiggin has 30 years of practical experience in security and intelligence matters and is qualified as a court expert in the reliability of intelligence as evidence and on terrorism. His years of practical experience include a variety of intelligence positions for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Canadian Armed Forces, the United Nations Protection Force in Yugoslavia, Citizen and Immigration Canada, and more. He recently published a report exposing Islamic Relief Canada and is the author of “Seeing the Invisible: National Security Intelligence in an Uncertain Age”.
Social Media: @TomTSEC // https://twitter.com/tomtsec?lang=en
Website: https://soundcloud.com/quigginreport
Seth Frantzman
Seth Frantzman is a journalist and analyst concentrating on the Middle East. He is the Op-Ed Editor and an analyst on Middle East Affairs at the The Jerusalem Post and his work has appeared at The National Interest, The Hill, National Review, The Moscow Times, and Rudaw based in Iraq. As a correspondent and researcher, he has covered the war on ISIS in Iraq and security in Turkey, Egypt, the Palestinian Authority, Jordan, the UAE and eastern Europe.
Social Media: @sfrantzman
Website: https://www.jpost.com/Author/Seth-J-Frantzman
Winfield Myers, Director, Campus Watch (Project of the Middle East Forum)
Winfield Myers is director of the Middle East Forum's Campus Watch, which reviews and critiques Middle East studies in North American universities. He has taught world history and other topics at the University of Michigan, the University of Georgia, Tulane, and Xavier University of Louisiana. He was previously managing editor of the American Enterprise magazine and CEO of Democracy Project, Inc., which he co-founded. Mr. Myers has served as senior editor and communications director at the Intercollegiate Studies Institute and is principal author and editor of a college guide, Choosing the Right College (1998, 2001).
Twitter: @CampusWatchMEF https://twitter.com/CampusWatchMEF
EJ Kimball, Director, Israel Victory Project (Project of the Middle East Forum)
EJ Kimball is a foreign policy and national security consultant with over 10 years' experience working in Washington, D.C. He most recently served as executive director of the Israel Allies Foundation. He previously served as foreign policy counsel to Rep. Sue Myrick (NC), staff director of the Congressional Anti-Terrorism Caucus, and director of government relations for Jorge Scientific Corporation. Kimball graduated from Boston University, earned his Juris Doctor from Western New England College, and received a Master's degree from the American University School of International Service. He currently serves as Director of Middle East Forum project, the Israel Victory Project.
Twitter: @IsraelVictory17 https://twitter.com/IsraelVictory17
Sam Westrop, Middle East Forum’s Islamist Watch Director
Sam Westrop has headed Islamist Watch since March 2017, when MEF absorbed the counter-extremism unit of Americans for Peace and Tolerance (APT). Prior to this he was research director at APT, where he excelled at tracking Islamist activity across New England, and ran Stand for Peace, a London-based counter-extremism organization monitoring Islamists throughout the UK. Mr. Westrop is a senior fellow at the Gatestone Institute. His writings have appeared at such publications as National Review, National Post, and The Hill, and he has appeared on dozens of television and radio stations, including BBC, Al Jazeera, and Newsmax.
Aymenn Jawad al-Tamimi is a research fellow at the Middle East Forum where he focuses on violent non-state Islamic and Middle Eastern groups. He is a specialist on the Syrian Civil War, Iraqi Civil War and the Islamist State of Iraq and the Levant. With his family originally from Mosul, Iraq, Aymenn has traveled extensively throughout the Middle East including to YPG-controlled areas of Syria where he observed the graduation of unites of the Syrian Border Security Force in January 2018.
Alexey Khlebnikov is an international relations analyst and expert on the Middle East at the Russian International Affairs Council. He previously worked as a consultant to various think tanks and institutions in the U.S., Middle East, and Russia. He received his Master’s degree in Global Public Policy the University of Minnesota and is currently a Ph.D. candidate. During his Master’s and Ph.D. studies, he has made several research trips working and studying in Syria, Israel, Egypt, and Hungary.
James G. Lindsay, Visiting fellow at The Washington Institute
James G. Lindsay is a visiting fellow at The Washington Institute, focusing on Palestinian refugee issues and UN humanitarian assistance. During 2000-2007, he served with the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), where he acted as legal advisor and general counsel and oversaw all UNRWA legal activities. Before his UNRWA service, Lindsay spent twenty years as an attorney in the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.
https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/experts/view/lindsay-james-g
EJ Kimball, Director, Israel Victory Project (Project of the Middle East Forum)
EJ Kimball is a foreign policy and national security consultant with over 10 years' experience working in Washington, D.C. He most recently served as executive director of the Israel Allies Foundation. He previously served as foreign policy counsel to Rep. Sue Myrick (NC), staff director of the Congressional Anti-Terrorism Caucus, and director of government relations for Jorge Scientific Corporation. Kimball graduated from Boston University, earned his Juris Doctor from Western New England College, and received a Master's degree from the American University School of International Service. He currently serves as Director of Middle East Forum project, the Israel Victory Project.
Twitter: @IsraelVictory17 / https://twitter.com/IsraelVictory17
https://www.meforum.org/projects/israel-victory-project
Abha Shankar, Senior Intelligence Analyst at The Investigative Project on Terrorism.
Before her position at The Investigative Project on Terrorism, Shankar worked as a Development and Publications Coordinator at Women in International Security. Shankar holds a master’s degree in security studies from Georgetown University and a Ph.D. from India’s Jawaharlal Nehru University in International Relations.
Twitter: @abhashankar1
Raheel Raza, Journalist and Author Raheel Raza is a Pakistani-Canadian journalist, author, anti-racism activist, and interfaith discussion leader who opposes Islamic extremism. An outspoken advocate for gender equality and an activist for women's rights internationally, she has appeared many times in print, radio and television media to reveal and debate Canadian issues related to media, diversity, gender and immigrants. She is also the first Muslim woman in Canada to lead mixed gender prayers.
Website: http://www.raheelraza.com/
Twitter: @Raheelraza
Islamism in Egypt: An interview with Cynthia Farahat – Exposing the Muslim Brotherhood and Unmasking al Qaeda in Saudi Arabia : An interview with Thomas Small - Documenting the “Path of Blood”
National Security Threats at the U.S. Border
An interview with Todd Bensman, Senior National Security Fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies, on Special Interest Aliens (SIAs) illegally entering the United States.
Islamist terror cells within the U.S.
An interview with Ryan Mauro, national security analyst and director of Clarion Intelligence Network for the Clarion Project, on the recent case of a domestically-based Islamist cult.
Clifford Smith, Director of the Middle East Forum’s Washington Project
Cliff Smith is MEF's liaison to decision makers and opinion leaders in Washington, D.C. He holds a B.A. from Washington State University, an M.P.P. with a focus on international relations from Pepperdine University, and a law degree from the Catholic University of America. He is a member of the Maryland Bar. An experienced political operative, he is the veteran of numerous campaigns and has held several positions in Congress, most recently communications director for U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer.
Oren Litwin, Senior Islamist Watch Research Fellow at the Middle East Forum
Oren Litwin is a research fellow for MEF’s Islamist Watch and does extensive research for the Forum’s Islamist Money in Politics project. He is also an associate fellow for the R Street Institute and has previously served as the political risk fellow for the Young Professionals in Foreign Policy and as an adjunct professor of political science at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis.
MK Oded Forer, Member of the Israeli Knesset
Oded Forer is an Israeli politician who currently serves as a member of the Knesset for Yisrael Beiteinu. Prior to his time in the Knesset, MK Forer enlisted in the Navy, completed naval officers course, and served in a variety of command positions. In the 20th Knesset, Oded Forer is a member of the Finance Committee; the Education, Culture and Sports Committee; and the Special Committee to Discuss the Motion for the Agenda on Difficulties in Reforming the Civil Service. Forer chairs the Lobby for the Promotion of Trade in Israel and Overseas and is member of the Lobby for Relations between Israel and African Countries, the Lobby for the Promotion of the Rights of Druze and Circassians in Israel, and more.
Winfield Myers, Director, Campus Watch (Project of the Middle East Forum)
Winfield Myers is director of the Middle East Forum's Campus Watch, which reviews and critiques Middle East studies in North American universities. He has taught world history and other topics at the University of Michigan, the University of Georgia, Tulane, and Xavier University of Louisiana. He was previously managing editor of the American Enterprise magazine and CEO of Democracy Project, Inc., which he co-founded. Mr. Myers has served as senior editor and communications director at the Intercollegiate Studies Institute and is principal author and editor of a college guide, Choosing the Right College (1998, 2001).
Twitter: @CampusWatchMEF
EJ Kimball, Director, Israel Victory Project (Project of the Middle East Forum)
EJ Kimball is a foreign policy and national security consultant with over 10 years' experience working in Washington, D.C. He most recently served as executive director of the Israel Allies Foundation. He previously served as foreign policy counsel to Rep. Sue Myrick (NC), staff director of the Congressional Anti-Terrorism Caucus, and director of government relations for Jorge Scientific Corporation. Kimball graduated from Boston University, earned his Juris Doctor from Western New England College, and received a Master's degree from the American University School of International Service. He currently serves as Director of Middle East Forum project, the Israel Victory Project.
Twitter: @IsraelVictory17
Ilan Berman, Senior Vice President, American Foreign Policy Council
Ilan Berman is Senior Vice President of the American Foreign Policy Council in Washington, DC. An expert on regional security in the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Russian Federation, he has consulted for both the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency and the U.S. Department of Defense, and provided assistance on foreign policy and national security issues to a range of governmental agencies and congressional offices. He has been called one of America's "leading experts on the Middle East and Iran" by CNN.
Website: http://www.ilanberman.com/
Twitter: @ilanberman
Congressman Paul Gosar
United States Representative from Arizona’s 4thCongressional District
Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S., is serving his fourth term in Congress as the Representative from Arizona’s Fourth Congressional District. First elected in 2010, he came to Congress with no prior political experience. Paul believes that the Constitution is the cornerstone of our Republic, and always pursues policies that allow for more individual liberty and less government involvement. He has focused his legislative work on natural resources issues and government accountability. Both areas stem from his work on the House Committee on Natural Resources and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Dr. Gosar is Chairman of the Natural Resources Energy and Minerals Subcommittee and Vice-Chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Interior Subcommittee.
Zuhdi Jasser
President and Founder of American Islamic Forum for Democracy
M. Zuhdi Jasser, M.D., is the Founder and President of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy (AIFD) and the author of A Battle for the Soul of Islam: An American Muslim Patriot’ s Fight to Save His Faith (Simon & Schuster, June 2012). On March 20, 2012, Jasser was appointed by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) where he served two terms both as a Commissioner and Vice-Chair until May 2016.
Sam Westrop
Middle East Forum’s Islamist Watch Director
Sam Westrop has headed Islamist Watch since March 2017, when MEF absorbed the counter-extremism unit of Americans for Peace and Tolerance (APT). Prior to this he was research director at APT, where he excelled at tracking Islamist activity across New England, and ran Stand for Peace, a London-based counter-extremism organization monitoring Islamists throughout the UK. Mr. Westrop is a senior fellow at the Gatestone Institute. His writings have appeared at such publications as National Review, National Post, and The Hill, and he has appeared on dozens of television and radio stations, including BBC, Al Jazeera, and Newsmax.
Today’s Guests
Daniel Pipes, President Middle East Forum
Abraham D. Sofaer, the George P. Shultz Senior Fellow in Foreign Policy and National Security Affairs, Emeritus.
Abraham Sofaer is a former United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and then a Legal Adviser to the United States State Department. After resigning from the State Department he became the George P. Shultz Senior Fellow in Foreign Policy and National Security Affairs at theHoover Institution, Stanford University. Sofaer's work focuses on the power over war within the US government and on issues related to international law, terrorism, diplomacy, and national security.
https://www.abesofaer.com/
Jonathan Spyer, Director of the Rubin Center, IDC Herzliya and Fellow at the Middle East Forum
Jonathan Spyer is a Middle East analyst, author and journalist focusing on Syria, Lebanon and Israeli strategic affairs. Jonathan Spyer is Director of the Rubin Center for Research in International Affairs in Israel. Spyer holds a Ph.D. in International Relations from the London School of Economics and an M.A. in Middle East Politics from the School of Oriental and African Studies in London.
Twitter ID: @jonathan_spyer
https://twitter.com/jonathan_spyer?lang=en
https://jonathanspyer.com/
Jim Hanson, President of Security Studies Group
Jim Hanson previously served in US Army Special Forces and conducted Counter-Terrorism, Counter-Insurgency as well as Diplomatic, Intelligence and Humanitarian operations in more than a dozen countries. He is the author of Cut Down the Black Flag – A Plan to Defeat the Islamic State.
Twitter ID: @Uncle_Jimbo
https://twitter.com/uncle_jimbo?lang=en
Netanyahu’s lingering police investigations have left the prime minister with no reliable coalition allies and made it difficult for him to resolve key issues before next year’s general elections as he puts the stability of his government ahead of problem solving. Yet it is difficult to see how this will harm his immediate reelection prospects. Ultimately, the Israeli voter’s priority centers on security and the economy - fields where Netanyahu has a marked edge over current challengers - with regional and international developments, another Netanyahu forte, strongly influencing poll results.
The Iran Nuclear Deal is perhaps the most discussed and least understood issues of the day, which is why the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) presents this Town Hall meeting. The panel included Gregg Roman, Director of the Middle East Forum, Nitin Chadda, Director on the National Security Staff at the White House, Congressman Frank LoBiondo, Yaron Sideman, Consul General of Israel, and Dr. Linda Maizels, Director of Israel & International Affairs with the Jewish Council of Public Affairs (JCPA) Washington office.