In the Wake of the Israel-UAE Deal, Whither the Arab and Muslim World?

An agreement between Israel and the UAE to establish diplomatic relations, a Saudi-Pakistani spat over Kashmir, feuds among the Gulf States, and strife between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and the Emirates drive nails into the notion that the component countries in the Arab and Muslim world share common geopolitical interests on the basis of ethnicity or religion and wish to embrace one another in solidarity.

Will Erdoğan’s God Stop the Turkish Lira’s Slide?

Burak Bekdil
August 20, 2020
Paper No. 1701

The Turkish lira’s unprecedented slide, on top of soaring interest and inflation rates, record unemployment, and recession, is contributing to a looming economic collapse. In the face of such gloom, President Erdoğan is offering his conservative supporters a new deal: I’ll give you more conservatism if you ignore the economic picture.

The Iranian Nuclear Program as a Catalyst for the Israel-UAE Peace Agreement

Many factors contributed to the peace agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, but it appears that the primary contributor was Israel’s steadfast stand against Iran’s nuclear program and its military expansion in the region.

The Israel-UAE Peace Agreement Opens the Door

It took the Arab world 41 years to produce another Sadat. The UAE’s brave soldier and strongman prince Sheikh Muhammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan proved his diplomatic vision by striking a deal to normalize relations with Israel. Bahrain has welcomed the deal and is expected to be the next Arab state to reach a public rapprochement with Israel. Oman and Morocco are interested as well.

Implications of the Israel-UAE Peace Deal

While normalization between the UAE and Israel is probably not the game-changer some believe it to be, it does firm up a changing regional environment. The deal will create a new dynamic on three levels: domestic, regional, and international. Expect more pieces to fall into place soon as other countries adjust.

The Israel-UAE Peace Agreement Spells Trouble for Ankara and Tehran

In an extraordinary breakthrough, the United Arab Emirates and Israel have agreed to establish open diplomatic relations after years of secret contacts. Other than the Palestinians, Turkey and Iran are the biggest losers from this development.

The Israel-UAE Agreement: Busting Myths and Sending Messages

The Israeli peace agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is transforming strategic alliances in the Middle East. It formalizes the Israeli-Sunni Arab bloc against the aggressive and violent Iranian Shiite crescent that spreads from Tehran via Iraq and Syria to Lebanon and from Tehran to Yemen. The agreement sends messages to Iran, the Palestinians, the EU, and Joe Biden. It shows that the Arab states are no longer ready to sacrifice vital strategic interests for Palestinian rejectionism of peace proposals, most recently the Trump peace plan. It also busts myths about Israel and Middle Eastern politics.

The Israel-UAE Peace Deal Highlights Morocco’s Diplomatic Eclipse

The Israel-UAE peace deal was an unpleasant surprise to the Moroccan diplomatic and intelligence community as it foiled the general expectation that Rabat would be the third regional power to hold the distinction of normalizing relations with Jerusalem. Reliance on past accomplishments in relationship-building, sentimental historical ties, and informal alliances with lobby groups are no longer sufficient if Morocco still wishes to play a leading role in this geopolitical chess game. Rabat can still come out ahead if it adopts an assertive strategic policy reorientation, even if it has lost the advantage of being the first to make a move.

Understanding Societal Change by Analyzing Polarization

In extremely confusing times, strategists look for additional analytic instruments with which to understand trends. One such tool is the study of polarization. Today, areas of polarization that warrant examination include Western-Chinese relations, tensions between white and non-white people, and tensions between the super-rich and the poor.

Israel’s Dilemma in the New Cold War

Israel will be caught on the horns of a dilemma as China projects itself commercially, politically, and militarily into the Middle East. The commercially driven new Cold War between the US and Beijing will force Israel to make difficult choices regarding its economic and strategic interests.

Perspectives Papers