In The News

Los Angeles Times: Criticism of Israel and Anti-Semitism

Jaweed Kaleem and Teresa Watanabe September 13, 2018
Protesters and their targets increasingly reflect upon strategies and whether methods change or harden public stances. Specific questions emerge with protests and calls for boycotts and divestment targeting Israel as related to Palestinian issues, explain Jaweed Kaleem and Teresa Watanabe for the Los Angeles Times: “How much is Jewish identity tied to the modern nation of Israel? Is there a point...

The Guardian: Syria Summit Opens in Tehran

Patrick Wintour September 7, 2018
The Syrian civil war – resulting in more 400,000 deaths and the displacement of millions since 2011 – may be winding down as Syrian forces plan to attack the last rebel stronghold. A large number of rebels, including extremists as well as moderates and democracy supporters supported by Turkey and the United States, have been corralled in Idlib. Leaders of Russia, Iran and Turkey are meeting in...

Los Angeles Times: Syria Prepares for Final Showdown With Rebels

Nabih Bulos August 29, 2018
The Syrian government is eager to end the civil war that has raged since 2011 and prepares “for a multi-front offensive it hopes will provide a path for finally ending a grinding civil war, the fate of Idlib province and its 3 million residents is now the subject of diplomatic jockeying among the world powers that have had a hand in the war,” reports Nabih Bulos for the Los Angeles Times. After...

The Conversation: How Globalization Transformed Mecca Pilgrimage Market

Seán McLoughlin August 22, 2018
Islam requires adherents to travel at last once for the annual Hajj to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Modern transportation made the journey more feasible, and the number of pilgrims increased from 100,000 in the 1950s to more than 3 million in recent years. Saudi Arabia has imposed restrictions in recent years: Muslim-majority nations are subjected to a Hajj quota of 1,000 pilgrims per million of...

Spiegel: Syria's Uncertain Future

Christoph Reuter, Fritz Schaap and Christian Werner August 16, 2018
Syria’s civil war is winding down with Bashar al-Assad still in power. The country is devastated with more than 400,000 people dead and more than 11 million displaced. One estimate of the war’s damages is $250 billion, and the economic losses could be much higher. Assad, a dictator, and his supporters, a minority, regard the rebels who initially tried peaceful protests as terrorists, and the fate...

The Economist: Refugees as Pawn in the Struggle for Syria

August 14, 2018
Syria’s Assad regime seemed destined for collapse at the start of the rebellion that began seven years ago. However, the Syrian leader is on the verge of victory over the rebels that attempted to institute a change in governance. The Economist notes: “the only rebels left are boxed into a corner of Syria’s north-west, in Idlib province. Regime forces are mustering at its edge, having recently...

The Guardian: Trump’s Sanctions Against Iran Breach of International Law

Gholamali Khoshroo August 14, 2018
The Trump administration has threatened economic retaliation against nations that maintain economic ties to Iran. Writing for the Guardian, Iran’s Ambassador to the United Nations Gholamali Khoshroo argues that such a position is “a clear rejection of diplomacy and multilateralism” and “a clear call for confrontation rather than cooperation.” After withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal in May –...