Lessons from Lebanon’s Frustration: From the Christians Yesterday to the Shia Today After the civil war ended in 1990, Lebanon entered a new phase of rebuilding state institutions and ending internal conflict. However, that phase was not equitable for all Lebanese groups: A significant portion of the Christian community felt that they had lost the leading role they had played before the war. Understanding this experience is not a mere return to the […]

📄 Mark Daou argues that when a Lebanese faction chooses to save the nation over external power struggles, it is protecting Lebanon’s future. Engaging with the state, even from weakness, is the hardest path but the most viable.
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Washington Policy Weekly: Trump Increases Number of Troops in Middle East The Pentagon is moving to deploy around 3,000 troops from the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East, alongside thousands of Marines already being sent to support operations related to Iran.

Ingie Gohar covers Democrats’ sanctions push on violent West Bank settlers, Trump’s Iran invasion planning and oil remarks, and Gavin Newsom’s reversal on Israel.

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arabcenterdc.org/resource/washington-poli...

Jordanian Security and the US-Israel War on Iran Eid al-Fitr should be a time of joy, but for Jordanians, and for so many others across the region, this year it was accompanied by air raid sirens, missiles, and drone strikes. For the Hashemite Kingdom, the Iran war is the latest in a long string of security threats and challenges. Jordan’s reaction to the conflict therefore needs to be […]

📄 Curtis Ryan analyzes #Jordan’s response to the #US-#Israel war on #Iran as a familiar strategy of balancing external threats while containing domestic pressures. But the conflict has heightened tensions with both #Iran and key allies, deepening the kingdom’s insecurity.
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The Conflicting Agendas of the Iran War The Trump administration and Israel appear to stand united against Iran, but a closer look reveals a divide over what either nation hopes to achieve

🗺️ Operation Epic Fury has become a conflict over regime change and regional dominance. The #UnitedStates and #Israel appear aligned in weakening the #IslamicRepublic, while #Iran is using selective retaliation to pressure the #US to end the war.
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The Iran War and the End of the US-Gulf “Oil for Security” Deal In early March 2026, Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz in response to the war launched by the United States and Israel, making it impossible for oil and gas to be exported from the Gulf without its agreement. The Hormuz blockage is the biggest market disruption in the history of the oil industry and delivered a major blow to […]

📄 Jim Krane argues that #Iran’s closure of the Strait of #Hormuz has disrupted the #US-#Gulf oil-for-security bargain and exposed the fragility of global energy and supply chains. Read more 👇
arabcenterdc.org/resource/the-iran-war-an...

Israel, Christian Zionism, and Mike Huckabee In late February 2026, influential right-wing media figure and former Fox News host Tucker Carlson interviewed the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee. It turned out to be an intense exchange that elicited an array of conservative criticisms of Carlson. Not least among Carlson’s provocative questions was his suggestion that Huckabee was regularly placing Israel’s interests above those of the […]

📄 Gary Burge argues that #MikeHuckabee’s Christian #Zionism elevates biblical claims over law and history, risking a more distorted and destabilizing #US approach to #Israel-#Palestine.
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arabcenterdc.org/resource/israel-christia...

Why Lebanon’s Olive Branch to Israel Is Misguided and Dangerous France has reportedly proposed a plan to end Israel’s war on Lebanon that includes Lebanon’s recognition of Israel. The plan involves mutual steps by both countries to create the necessary conditions for peace along the border, particularly ending Hezbollah’s attacks on Israel and implementing the 2006 UN Security Council Resolution 1701. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun openly called for direct talks with the […]

Imad K. Harb argues that proposals for Lebanon to normalize relations or make concessions toward Israel are misguided and dangerous. Harb contends that Israel’s war on Lebanon reflects expansionist and colonial ambitions rather than a genuine interest in peace.
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Washington Policy Weekly: Despite the War, Trump Allows Iran to Sell Its Oil The US Department of the Treasury waived sanctions on Iranian oil purchases at sea for 30 days, in an effort to bring down surging energy prices amid the Iran war.

Ingie Gohar reports on new Republican efforts to further restrict immigration from Middle Eastern countries, #Trump’s threat to attack #Iran’s power plants, a possible $200 billion Iran war request, and eased sanctions on some Iranian oil sales.
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The GCC States and the War on Iran: Rethinking Responses to Unwanted Consequences Four years and four days after President Vladimir Putin committed an act of aggression by launching the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, the United States and Israel initiated a war of choice against Iran that leaders across the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states had long sought to avert. On February 28, 2026, one day after a last-ditch dash to […]

📄 Kristian Coates Ulrichsen argues that the US-Israeli war on Iran has exposed Gulf states to severe economic and security shocks. The crisis may push GCC leaders to deepen cooperation and rethink regional security and reliance on external partners.
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Turkey and the War on Iran: Between Opportunity and Catastrophe The launch of the US-Israel war on Iran did not surprise Ankara, but it did not please it either. Turkey, along with other regional powers including Saudi Arabia, had made intensive efforts to prevent it, but when these failed, Ankara chose the next best option: to stay out, keep the channels open to all concerned, and wait. This stance has […]

📄 Salim Çevik examines Turkey’s restraint in response to the US–Israel war on Iran as Ankara seeks to stay outside the conflict while preserving ties with all sides. A weakened Iran could also open regional space for Turkish influence.
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Syria A landmark new history of Syria—a country forged in conflict, cursed by civil war and dictatorship, and pivotal to the future of the Middle East “A maste...

In Syria: A Modern History, our Senior Editor Daniel Neep traces how Syrians have endured tragedy while sustaining a rich, complex, and diverse society. This comprehensive account centers ordinary people in Syria’s history.
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Crime in Palestinian Society Inside Israel: Securitization Discourse and Redefining Responsibility Introduction Recently, the phenomenon of violence and organized crime in Palestinian communities inside Israel has become a central issue in political, media, and research discourse in the country.1 Media coverage is not limited to reporting facts or documenting events, but also contributes to reframing the phenomenon by choosing the angle of the story, identifying the causes and perpetrators of crime, […]

Saher Ghazawi examines how Israeli discourse frames crime in Palestinian society inside Israel through security and order, shifting responsibility from the state onto Palestinian society and privileging policing over structural solutions.

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Washington Policy Weekly: Trump Will End Iran War When He Feels It in His Bones President Trump told Fox News that he did not think the war with Iran “would be long,” but said that it would end when he felt it “in [his] bones.”

Ingie Gohar reports on a bid to censure Rep. Ogles over anti-Muslim comments; Democrats’ concerns over the US strike on an Iranian school and possible troop deployment; Hegseth’s claim that Arab states could join strikes on Iran; and CENTCOM’s confirmation of US use of AI in the war.
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Crisis and Solidarity in Lebanon The widening of hostilities following the March 2026 US-Israeli attacks on Iran has placed Lebanon on a dangerous trajectory. Hezbollah’s decision to enter the fray in support of Iran has provoked large-scale Israeli strikes across Lebanon, including in densely populated civilian areas. Israeli ground incursions in the south, the rapid displacement of some 700,000 people from communities near the border […]

Patricia Karam argues that #Israel’s escalating conflict with #Hezbollah risks deepening Lebanon’s humanitarian and political crisis arabcenterdc.org/resource/crisis-and-soli...

Unpacking the War on Iran: Political Implications and Global Repercussions - Arab Center Washington DC Experts discuss the US-Israel war on Iran, the Trump administration's strategy, and the Israeli end goals.

On February 28, 2026, the #UnitedStates and #Israel launched large-scale airstrikes on #Iran. Join us for a webinar on the ongoing #US-#Israel war on #Iran, its regional implications, and the prospects for a ceasefire.
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Why Netanyahu Chose to Strike Iran Now After threatening war for decades, the Israeli leader saw his window of opportunity closing.

Yousef Munayyer analyzes #Netanyahu’s motivations for choosing to attack #Iran at this particular moment.
foreignpolicy.com/2026/03/10/iran-war-us-i...

After Khamenei: Operation Epic US–Iran Stalemate? There is no doubt that the United States will continue assassinating Iranian leaders in the belief that this strategy will deliver a political silver bullet to the regime. But rather than opening a path to democratic transition, more such killings could ignite more internal conflict and accelerate national fragmentation in Iran.

Daniel Brumberg examines the prospects for #Iran after #Khamenei. Under the de facto leadership of Ali Larijani, Tehran is likely to prolong the war to pressure the United States. arabcenterdc.org/resource/after-khamenei-...

A Timeline of Key Events in Sudan This timeline traces the key political and military developments in Sudan from the 2018 uprising that toppled former President Omar al-Bashir to the ongoing war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), highlighting the collapse of Sudan’s democratic transition, shifting territorial control, and a deepening humanitarian crisis through early 2026.

Ingie Gohar traces the key political and military developments in #Sudan from the 2018 uprising that toppled Omar al-Bashir to the ongoing war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). arabcenterdc.org/resource/a-timeline-of-k...

Whither Palestine and the Palestinians?  Let down by the international community, Arab states, and their own leadership, Palestinians have survived more than 75 years of war, persecution, and isolation. Despite numerous United Nations resolutions in their favor, they now find themselves subjected to a genocidal campaign that seeks to ethnically cleanse them from their homeland. Always resilient, Palestinians have not run out of options despite the fierce campaign against them by an aggressive right-wing Israeli government that is supported by the full economic and military power of the United States. Numbering […]

Nabeel Khoury argues that Palestinians today face shrinking prospects for statehood amid Israeli military dominance, settlement expansion, and fragmented leadership. arabcenterdc.org/resource/whither-palesti...

The Economic Impact of the Iran War YouTube video by Arab Center Washington DC

Jim Krane and Khalil E. Jahshan explore the economic fallout of the war on #Iran, highlighting how the conflict is reshaping global #oil and #gas markets.

The Huckabee Affair: Whose Foreign Policy Is It Anyway? It is not unusual for the US ambassador to Israel to be a political appointee. Since Martin Indyk secured the post in 1995, only three of the eight men who have held it have been career diplomats. Nor is it unusual for political appointees to this post—like former AIPAC staffer Indyk and each of his successors from outside the Department […]

Mouin Rabbani argues that Ambassador Mike #Huckabee is taking advantage of policy incoherence in Washington to advance an annexationist, Christian Zionist agenda at odds with longstanding official US positions. arabcenterdc.org/resource/the-huckabee-af...

The US-Israel War on Iran: Analyses and Perspectives The United States has joined Israel in an all-out war on the Islamic Republic of Iran. On February 28, 2026, a US armada of two aircraft carrier strike groups and scores of advanced aircraft, together with the Israeli air force, launched a sustained military attack on Tehran and other Iranian cities, destroying military and other official targets and killing the […]

The United States has joined #Israel in an all-out war on #Iran, triggering swift Iranian retaliation across the #MiddleEast. Read our fellows' perspectives on the ongoing conflict. arabcenterdc.org/resource/the-us-israel-w...

Disarming Hamas: What Analysts Get Wrong On November 17, 2025, United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2803 authorized the international stabilization force proposed by the United States to be deployed in Gaza as part of Phase 2 of President Donald Trump’s ceasefire initiative. On January 16, 2026, Trump announced his “Board of Peace,” a three-tier governing system that includes an international stabilization force with the mandate […]

Yazan Alhamdan discusses Washington’s efforts to apply the Hezbollah model to the disarmament of Hamas. arabcenterdc.org/resource/disarming-hamas...

Contrary to claims from #Trump and #Netanyahu, Arabs remain overwhelmingly opposed to normalization with #Israel, according to the largest public opinion survey conducted in the #MiddleEast. To learn more, visit ArabOpinionPoll.com

Negar Mortazavi argues that any #nuclear agreement between #Iran and the Trump administration would closely resemble the #JCPOA negotiated by Obama in 2015.

Did Mike Huckabee Just Green-Light Israel to Invade Half the Levant? A remark in an interview with Tucker Carlson has set off a firestorm in the Middle East.

#Huckabee’s latest interview with Tucker Carlson is roiling the #MiddleEast and making it clear to regional players that their very low expectations for the #Trump administration were not quite low enough. Read this op-ed by Yousef Munayyer
newrepublic.com/article/2069...

#Arabs consider #Israeli and American policies as the two greatest threats to the region. To learn more about the largest public opinion survey in the #MiddleEast, visit ArabOpinionPoll.com

Saudi Arabia Confronts the Israel–UAE Alignment in Somalia Israel’s December 2025 decision to recognize Somaliland’s unilateral declaration of independence was of grave concern to Saudi Arabia. Riyadh sees Somalia’s territorial integrity as essential to security in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. From the Saudi perspective, Israeli and Emirati support for Somaliland threatens Riyadh’s interests as well as regional stability. Reports of Israeli plans to establish a […]

Giorgio Cafiero analyses #Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, which he argues has pushed #SaudiArabia to defend #Somalia’s territorial integrity as vital to Red Sea security and domestic stability. arabcenterdc.org/resource/saudi-arabia-co...

The Shrinking Space for Kurdish Autonomy in Syria In January 2026, clashes between Syrian government forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) resulted in Damascus regaining large parts of territory that had been under the control of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North-East Syria (DAANES). After its creation in 2015, the multi-ethnic SDF enjoyed having the United States as its principal patron in its campaign against remnants of […]

Gregory Aftandilian argues that after losing most of its territory and US backing, the #SDF has little leverage despite securing limited cultural and administrative concessions from #Damascus. arabcenterdc.org/resource/the-shrinking-s...

The Future of US-Iran Engagement: Domestic Unrest, Regional Tensions, and Prospects for Diplomacy - Arab Center Washington DC Experts assess the impact of domestic developments in Iran, the role of regional geopolitics, and the Trump administration’s approach toward Tehran.

What motivates regional players, and will #US-#Iran talks deliver results, or deepen escalation risk? How much sway does Israel have over Trump’s approach, and is regime change on the agenda?

📅 Join the Arab Center Washington DC on Feb. 26 👇