Rami Rayess is Lebanon Director at the Institute for Palestine Studies. He holds a Master's degree in Political Science from the American University of Beirut. He is a journalist and had previously served as editor-in-chief of numerous publications. He also worked as a University Instructor and translator. His first published book in Arabic (2020) is entitled: "Readings in Crises of Lebanon and the Region".
Rami Rayess 30/10 09:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Expecting a permanent ceasefire in Gaza or Lebanon just days before the end of President Joe Biden’s term is overly optimistic, if not entirely unrealistic. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is unlikely to offer a “gift” he withheld for over a year to a president on the brink of departure. Naturally, Netanyahu will be eagerly ...
Rami Rayess 23/10 08:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Hezbollah Israel Republicans US Election Democrats
Has United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 been effectively set aside, with political discussions now focusing on a new international resolution or a revised version of the existing one? Such a step would aim to halt the escalating Israeli war on Lebanon, which is increasingly targeting civilians, residential neighborhoods, densely ...
Rami Rayess 16/10 09:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
There is a significant distortion in some political concepts within the context of the Arab-Israeli conflict, which has taken new and dangerous turns in recent months following the events of October 7, 2023. A key aspect of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, with all its complexities and challenges, is the battle over narratives. It is well ...
Rami Rayess 09/10 10:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Ceasefire Hassan Nasrallah Hezbollah Israel Tehran United States
Some may argue that electing a new president before achieving a ceasefire and ending the Israeli war on Hezbollah is illogical, because it contradicts the natural course of events. How can MPs head to the Parliament and cast their votes under the pressure of Israeli airstrikes, even if those strikes are on the outskirts of the capital and not in ...
Rami Rayess 25/09 14:25 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
The dangerous turn of events in Lebanon in recent days, fueled by the open conflict with Israel, signals dire consequences that are likely to further worsen the existing situation. The high-stakes gamble that has unfolded for over ten months has now reached the point of no return, particularly after Israel has fully destroyed Gaza, making it ...
Rami Rayess 18/09 08:59 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
There are growing concerns about the future of the Middle East in light of the significant transformations the region has undergone since the events of October 7, 2023, and the subsequent Israeli war on Gaza, which has claimed over 40,000 lives and left the enclave completely devastated and uninhabitable for years to come. The battle rages on ...
Rami Rayess 11/09 09:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
The result of the Algerian presidential elections was almost a foregone conclusion, with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune re-elected for a second term. He received 94.65% of the votes – a high percentage that raised doubts among some, considering it is reminiscent of the overwhelming victories often seen in authoritarian regimes. However, the ...
Rami Rayess 04/09 09:29 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
The prolonged Israeli war against the Gaza Strip, now extending beyond ten months, has thrust into the forefront the fate of the 1993 agreement signed at the White House and endorsed by then US President Bill Clinton. The Oslo Accords were signed by Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) ...
Rami Rayess 28/08 09:01 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Whether Vice President Kamala Harris wins the upcoming United States presidential election in November, or former President Donald Trump returns to the Oval Office after a four-year absence, the challenge posed by China will remain a significant concern for Washington. However, the approaches may differ depending on who is in power. It is now ...
Rami Rayess 21/08 10:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
In addition to the significant economic challenge posed by Brexit, the security dimension was equally, if not more, crucial from a strategic perspective, given its serious implications for both Europe and Britain. The United Kingdom's departure from the European Union deprived it of access to shared European security and intelligence systems, ...
Rami Rayess 14/08 19:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
The slogan “unification of fronts” was popularized many years ago among the members of the “Axis of resistance,” or “Moumanaa axis,” which includes Iran, Syria, a number of Iraqi factions, the Houthis of Yemen, Hezbollah and the Islamic Jihad organization. Hamas, also a member, had distanced itself from the axis during the Arab ...
Rami Rayess 07/08 08:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
The twelve countries that founded the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on April 9, 1949, in Washington, D.C., possibly did not foresee that this alliance would last 75 years, including more than thirty years after the fall of its rival, the Warsaw Pact, which dissolved with the collapse of the Soviet-led socialist bloc before the ...
Rami Rayess 31/07 20:17 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
It's been nearly a year and a half since the Saudi-Iranian agreement, brokered under China's auspices, which surprised many observers. The decision by the two longtime rivals to turn to Beijing to settle their differences was unexpected. This agreement underscored the emerging role of Chinese diplomacy in a complex issue that had troubled the ...
Rami Rayess 24/07 10:52 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
The recent rise in regional tensions – marked by Houthi attacks on Tel Aviv and Israel’s unprecedented response of targeting the port of Hodeidah – signals a broadening of the Arab-Israeli conflict. This could usher in a new phase of military intervention that extends beyond traditional boundaries, without necessarily escalating into a ...
Rami Rayess 17/07 14:47 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
In the wake of the presidential debate between US President Joe Biden and his rival, former President Donald Trump, Biden's lackluster (if not catastrophic, as leading commentators and political analysts have described) performance has fueled expectations that Trump may achieve a decisive victory. Biden's frequent gaffes and almost daily slips of ...
Rami Rayess 10/07 09:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Whether US President Joe Biden continues his presidential race towards the White House or not – due to the political and public pressures following a presidential debate in which he did not perform well – it is clear that unprecedented turning points have emerged in the presidential battle. Although President Biden addressed many ...
Rami Rayess 03/07 09:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
The Iranian presidential elections were rescheduled following the tragic helicopter crash on May 19, which resulted in the immediate deaths of President Ebrahim Raisi, his Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian and several other Iranian officials. Raisi had previously contested against President Hassan Rouhani in 2017 but did not win. ...
Rami Rayess 26/06 07:53 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
The Israeli war against the Gaza Strip and the Russian-Ukrainian conflict have overshadowed the events in Sudan, including the armed conflict that has been raging since April 2023. This is happening amidst international and Arab indifference towards resolving the rift between the two warring military factions: the official Sudanese army and the ...
Rami Rayess 19/06 09:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
The connection between the southern Lebanese front and the Gaza war occurred the day after the events of October 7, 2023, when Hezbollah initiated a surprise attack on Israel, indicating a linkage between the two fronts which – it soon became apparent – would be irreversible. The war in the South was described as the “support front” for ...
Rami Rayess 14/06 09:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Since the announcement of the European parliamentary election results, there has been a surge of political and non-political analyses to understand their anticipated impact on the "old" continent and their implications for the future European trajectory. These concerns were amplified by the swift and surprising move by French President Emmanuel ...
Rami Rayess 29/05 09:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Seldom has Lebanon faced the international community with a unified position. It was the case this time, however, regarding one of the most important and pressing matters for the country; the Syrian migrants whose presence on Lebanese soil has become a burden that requires a thorough and responsible approach, away from grudge-bearing and hasty ...
Rami Rayess 22/05 09:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Iran is often described as the only country in the world where an elected president answers to a higher-ranking, unelected official—the Supreme Guide, who is not subject to any form of accountability. This is particularly significant since, in "Iranian Theology," the Supreme Guide represents divine authority and is above the mechanisms ...
Rami Rayess 15/05 09:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
The European Union (EU) faces a myriad of challenges spanning political, security, economic and monetary spheres. Debates within EU circles and among leaders often revolve around how to effectively address these challenges, ensuring the sustainability of the common union project while propelling it forward towards new directions. This includes ...
Rami Rayess 08/05 09:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
The dangerous presidential vacuum the country has known for almost two years now, has grown even more complicated, given Lebanon’s direct link to the regional events, notably the October 7 “Al-Aqsa Flood” operation – and the ensuing Israeli attack on Gaza that is still underway despite Hamas accepting the proposed truce as a first step ...
Rami Rayess 01/05 08:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
While some might believe that over two hundred days since the Gaza war erupted have brought about monumental changes in the region’s landscape, the impact on Israeli society cannot be overlooked. Unfortunately, this facet often remains rarely reported by the global media, partly due to the intensely violent nature of the conflict and to the ...
Rami Rayess 24/04 09:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
When former British Prime Minister David Cameron was appointed as Foreign Secretary in November 2023, many expected significant changes in foreign policy. With years of experience in government leadership, Cameron was well-versed in numerous international issues — including the Palestinian issue and the Arab-Israeli conflict — having ...
Rami Rayess 17/04 08:58 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Some are putting forward the fact that both Iran and Turkey are wary of any escalation in the Gaza conflict that could spiral into a full-blown regional war, given its potential international fallouts. Despite their divergent interests, these key regional stakeholders are on the same page regarding preventing such an escalation. As Turkey ...
Rami Rayess 10/04 11:02 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
The United Nations defines climate change as "long-term shifts in temperature and weather patterns. While these changes can occur naturally, driven by variations in solar activity or major volcanic eruptions, human activities have become their primary driver since the nineteenth century. This is mainly due to the burning of fossil fuels such as ...
Rami Rayess 03/04 09:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Among the many pending Lebanese projects is the writing of a unified history book for Lebanon. Many attempts were made to that end and failed, not for the lack of competent historians who possess the required skills, but for the absence of any political decision. Another obstacle is the conflicting views about Lebanon’s history, from its ...
Rami Rayess 27/03 09:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
An estimated 64 million Turkish voters will head to the polls on Sunday (March 31) to elect municipal and local councils across 81 provinces. These elections are fraught with political calculations, particularly for the ruling party, and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who seeks a decisive victory to solidify his popular legitimacy. In the ...