The Israeli-Iranian war reflects a shift in the dynamics governing regional relations in the Middle East. It embodies a significant development in Israel’s new security doctrine—moving from a defensive security perspective to a strategy of offence, dominance, and long-range deterrence. This expansion stretches from eastern Iran to southern Yemen. It aims at eliminating key threats that have evolved incrementally since…
Read More »The relationship between the Jordanian state and the original, now-banned Muslim Brotherhood has been a focal point of elite discussions and social media debates for several weeks. These debates often explicitly or implicitly take dangerous turns that affect internal cohesion. Critics of the Brotherhood sometimes generalise the discussion to broader national identity and unity themes. At the same time, Brotherhood…
Read More »The Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan stands today at a strategic crossroads in redefining its role and its relationship with both the state and society. While the current flashpoint revolves around a group of 16 youths—most of whom are affiliated with the Brotherhood—accused of manufacturing and possessing weapons, this case is only part of a broader and escalating crisis between the…
Read More »Major historical-political events or turning points are closely linked to the movement of ideas. They often lead to new intellectual waves that emerge after previous trends. The current war of extermination in Gaza, with its massive emotional and visual impact and the anger and resentment it stirs among broad segments of Arab societies, will undoubtedly have significant ideological and intellectual…
Read More »This material was published in the second issue of the Jordanian Politics and Society magazine (JPS). The concept of a national or regional role in analysing a country’s foreign policy is mated with other key central concepts, such as the concept of “status” and “sources of power,” general orientations of foreign policy, concepts of national interests, national security, sources of…
Read More »Despite Ahmad al-Shara’ (formerly Abu Muhammad al-Jolani) emphasizing the closure of past chapters and committing to a new methodology with a Syrian character—manifested in a wholly new ideological and political discourse distinct from that of global jihadist movements—the movement’s roots, context, and other facets represent a new model within jihadist movements. This is described by one of its most prominent…
Read More »The main question regarding Ahmad al-Shar’a and the controversial role of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in Syria’s future goes beyond personal or partisan dimensions. In other words, it’s not the core issue. The main question is whether al-Julani or HTS (in whatever political form it may take – a political party or an ideological alliance) will be a dominant actor…
Read More »In Amman, there is considerable interest in the return of Donald Trump as President of the United States, reflected in open and closed political and media discussions about its potential impact on Jordan. These discussions are split between two main viewpoints. The first argues that it is premature to pass judgment, exaggerate, or be alarmed about the potential outcomes, particularly…
Read More »The recent parliamentary elections in Jordan finally represented the first major exam of the political modernization plan, which was initiated a few years ago. Everyone was anticipating what itwould result in, either as an endorsement and a model of gradual political development, which was designed by the political modernization plan (with its resulting constitutional amendments, election laws, and new parties)…
Read More »Many Arab Governments, as well as many Western officials, have shown political short-sightedness by rushing into welcoming the assassination of Hamas’s leader Yahya Al-Sinwar and by concluding that the movement will be weak after his death, and that will open the door to a prisoner return deal, these are expectations or wishful thinking that ignore fundamental realities of the ongoing…
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