Should the Gulf countries maintain contacts with Israel if this would make life easier for Palestinians? Could having such ties propel the Middle East peace process forward? Read more »
Archives for July 2010
A Bad Omen: The Iraqi Elections Impasse
The Arab Gulf states have mostly sat on the sidelines since the 2003 war. Even Qatar, diplomatically the most active state in the Gulf, has been conspicuous by its absence from the Iraqi arena. Indeed, the peninsular emirate has recently successfully mediated similar situations in Sudan, Yemen and Lebanon — the latter crisis ending with the formation of a Lebanese government last November after five months of heavy-handed negotiations. Read more »
Moderate Saudi Voices Have Found a Home in the UAE
Over the last few years, an array of prominent Saudi intellectuals have come to call the UAE their home. As the midway point between the West and the East, the magnetic draw of the Emirates is understandable; it has become a cultural oasis for those who are intellectually hungry. Read more »
المثقفون السعوديون في الإمارات
How Do You Hold a Majlis in 140 Letters or Less?
What was once a platform to broadcast trivialities has, in the last year or so, matured into a powerful global phenomenon. Read more »