Op-ed

Dr. Shehab Al-Makahleh In one of the most unexpected political turns of the post-war Syrian landscape, Washington has hosted Ahmed al-Sharaa — formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Joulani — signaling what may be the beginning of a new American chapter in Damascus. The meeting, quietly held at the …

With Astana’s entry, the Abraham Accords have entered into a new phase. Today, in a monumental step, Kazakhstan joined Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Bahrain, and Sudan as the sixth member of the Abraham Accords. The decision may come as a surprise to many observers, who have …

Mohammed Ayoob Israeli maximalism and wavering US support do not bode well for a lasting Israel-Palestine settlement. After less than a month, the ceasefire in Gaza is already under immense pressure. In fact, one wonders if it is already irremediable. The trio of American mediators—Vice President JD Vance, …

Desmond Lachman President Trump’s management of the US economy is setting his party up for failure in the 2026 midterms. James Carville, Bill Clinton’s political advisor, famously said that when it came to elections, “it’s the economy, stupid.” This week’s convincing Democratic Party triumph at the polls in …

Rare earth elements (REEs) are a set of 17 metallic elements that have become indispensable to modern technology and defense industries. Although they are not truly “rare” in the Earth’s crust, they are difficult to find in concentrated deposits and are expensive to separate and refine. The group …

Dr. Gad Yishayahu Ultimately, the war has shredded more than a few assumptions about Israeli strategic and military limitations. Exactly twenty-four months after the October 7 massacre that ignited the October 7 War, the first stage of President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan has taken effect. Under …

Aaron Bartnick In competing with China in global markets, the United States should not seek to create an imitation command-economy from scratch. At an October 15 event promoting investment in the United States, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent remarked: “When you are facing a nonmarket economy like China then …

Alexander Langlois The Trump administration must be ready to apply pressure to Benjamin Netanyahu if it wants to save its peace plan. Any semblance of a ceasefire in Gaza died this week with Israel’s brief resumption of total war against Hamas on October 28. While Israeli Prime Minister …

Janan Ganesh A lack of rare earths is just one way in which nature disadvantages the continent As the European wine harvest ends, we might reflect on that controversial word “terroir”. It is hard to define but tends to refer to the non-human factors of production: the geographic …