Middle East

Tashnag Party Elects New Secretary-General

The Tashnag party has appointed Albert Balabanian as its new Secretary-General on Wednesday, succeeding Hagop Pakradounian, who has been elected to the party’s newly formed World Committee and assigned the role of Middle East Affairs Officer. Balabanian’s election was confirmed during a meeting held on Tuesday, where he was unanimously chosen ...

A New Era of Peace? The Middle East at a Crossroads

For decades, the Middle East has been synonymous with conflict, instability, and geopolitical power struggles. From Lebanon to Iraq, Syria to Palestine, and beyond, the region has suffered the consequences of prolonged wars, economic turmoil, and external interventions. But today, a new chapter may be unfolding—one driven by decisive shifts in ...

Middle East Peace Efforts Gain Momentum Under Trump Administration

WASHINGTON—U.S. efforts to broker lasting peace in the Middle East appear to be gaining traction, with senior officials expressing optimism about the potential for historic agreements in the region. “We are looking forward to peace, and we are aiming for peace, and by the grace of God, this will be achieved, hopefully soon,” ...

Massad Boulos: Peace Is 'Close'

US President Donald Trump's Middle East advisor, Lebanese-American businessman Massad Boulos, said that peace between Lebanon and Israel was “close,” during a meeting with Israeli politician Yossi Dagan in Washington. “We are looking forward to peace, and we are aiming for peace, and by the grace of God, this will be achieved, hopefully ...

Riyadh Welcomes US-Ukraine Meeting in Jeddah Next Week

Saudi Arabia welcomed on Friday the planned meeting between the United States and Ukraine, to be held in Jeddah next week, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Ministry underlined the Kingdom's “unrelenting efforts to achieve lasting peace and put an end to the Ukrainian crisis, which have been pursued over the ...

How the Center for a New Middle East Is Rethinking Regional Integration

The American Jewish Committee (AJC) convened a high-level gathering in Washington, D.C., bringing together Trump Administration officials, diplomats, and thought leaders to launch the AJC Center for a New Middle East. The event underscored the organization's vision for fostering greater regional cooperation in the wake of the October 7 attacks and ...

The Arab League: Striving for Unity Amidst De Facto Divisions

Countering the plans of Trump and Israel regarding the future of the Gaza Strip was the backdrop for the Arab League leaders’ gathering on Tuesday at the organization's headquarters in Cairo. At the end of the summit, they adopted a new reconstruction plan for the enclave, presented by Egypt, valued at $53 billion. This marked a rare moment of ...

The Druze: Riding the Tide in a Turbulent Middle East

The Druze question has reemerged at the forefront of the current regional scene, following the regime change in Syria and Israel’s incursion into Syrian territory through the demilitarized zone in the occupied Golan Heights. All this is compounded by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s warning that Israel would intervene in Syria to ...

Belarus President Proposes Hosting Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko offered in an interview published on Wednesday to host Russia-Ukraine peace talks that could involve US officials. "Tell (US President Donald) Trump that I expect him here with (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelensky," Lukashenko proposed in a video interview with ...

Saudi Aramco Profits Drop 12%

Oil giant Saudi Aramco posted a drop in annual profits on Tuesday as lower prices and volumes hit the linchpin of the Kingdom's ambitious economic reform plans. The world's biggest crude exporter said profits were down more than 12% to $106.25 billion in 2024, the second annual drop following a surge in oil prices in 2022. Expected dividends for ...

Zelensky, the Antihero

The debate between US President Donald Trump and his vice president on one side and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the other is far from customary in diplomatic norms or political traditions. But isn’t Trump a unique figure, unlike anything we have seen in past years, or even decades, in terms of his approach to politics? Trump sat ...

Lebanon Embraces Change as Aoun Presses for Hezbollah’s Inescapable Disarmament

There is no longer any doubt that the dramatic developments in Lebanon and the broader region have fundamentally shifted the balance of power, with no possibility of turning back. The wind of change is blowing softly, and those who wish to be part of the path to peace and stability in the Middle East must act quickly before it’s too ...