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 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 ...
Rami Rayess 20/03 14:50 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
In recent decades, the fluctuating Turkish-Syrian relations served as a poignant reminder that in politics, there are no permanent enemies or friends, only ever-changing calculations and interests. However, the extent to which these calculations align with the people’s best interests requires a deeper examination, as the population and ...
Rami Rayess 13/03 12:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Palestine Hezbollah Houthi Israel
The Red Sea area is a strategic one for countries in its vicinity and for the entire global trade. It is a point of transit that shortens distances, from the Far East to the Middle East and the Mediterranean, all the way to Europe and the northern areas. The importance of this maritime passageway cannot be overstated, as it reduces the ...
Rami Rayess 06/03 08:35 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
The Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over the contested region of Nagorno-Karabakh tends to resurface periodically, only to dwindle once armed hostilities cease. International attention wanes thereafter, despite the human casualties and the displacement of tens of thousands of people from their homes and lands. Similarly, the displacement of ...
Rami Rayess 28/02 08:59 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
China’s success in mediating a political solution for bridging the divide between Iran and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was perceived by some as a ‘historic’ move. They viewed this achievement as a significant shift in Chinese foreign policy towards the Middle East, given that the influential Asian nation, with its veto power as one of the ...
Rami Rayess 21/02 18:40 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
European Union Russia Ukraine United States
Even if the Russian-Ukrainian war has united Europe behind it, this does not mean that the old continent has overcome the many obstacles and issues that at times threaten to disintegrate and fragment it, contrary to what the early Europeans aspired to when they launched the unification project, which has made significant and historic ...
Rami Rayess 14/02 09:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
This is no recent question. But it must be asked at this first major test in the Arab World; it is a concern among Arab peoples who were highly optimistic about the capabilities of this institution in terms of common projects—whether economic, financial, political or otherwise. It is high time to recognize the fact that the structure of ...
Rami Rayess 07/02 09:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
The Israeli war on Gaza has diverted focus and public attention away from the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, which had been garnering substantial political momentum and extensive media coverage since its outbreak in February 2022. This shift aligns with several factors and elements related to the nature of the conflict in the region and the key ...
Rami Rayess 31/01 07:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
The slogan “Unity of Fronts” emerged some time ago to reflect the vision of the axis commonly referred to as the “Axis of Resistance” or simply the axis of “al-Moumanaa.” This term specifically denotes the alliance spearheaded by Tehran and encompassing an array of military arms across multiple countries in the region. Predominantly, ...
Rami Rayess 24/01 09:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Many challenges surround the notion of Arab identity or Arabism, more so in practicality than in theory. The theoretical aspect faces continuous criticism and scrutiny, raising questions about its feasibility and the advantages of steadfastly upholding it, given the significant global changes in power dynamics, which have undergone profound shifts ...
Rami Rayess 17/01 08:01 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Since the adoption in 1947 of the resolution to divide Palestine, the concept of a "two-state solution" was central in political discussions on ways to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict. This notion undertook a significant turn after the 1967 war and became the focal point of peaceful negotiations, especially during two major events: the ...
Rami Rayess 10/01 07:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
The main question on every Lebanese citizen’s mind since the Al-Aqsa Flood operation on October 7—which led to a political and military operation of seismic magnitude in Gaza—revolves around the nature of the conflict unfolding in southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah engaged Israel the following day. The key concern is whether it will escalate ...
Rami Rayess 2023-12-23 10:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
If the division among the Lebanese has been the predominant feature in national political life for decades, there are major strategic issues that demand immediate attention. These matters cannot be dealt with according to outdated traditional norms that have proven ineffective and have been overshadowed by significant events and changes, ...