Egypt

What the Arab revolts leave unanswered

By Rami G. Khouri The Daily Star, Lebanon My pleasure at speaking this week in Ottawa at a gathering at the International Development Research Center of Canada was compounded by the very thoughtful questions and comments that members of the audience offered. The audience raised new questions in my mind […]

Egypt: Elections or Constitution First?

Political forces in Egypt today face a dilemma: either proceed ahead expeditiously to elections in order to end the post-revolutionary rule of the military or slow down the electoral timetable and prioritize the writing of a new constitution. New political parties want more time to organize; parties, movements associated with […]

More work for NGOs despite Arab spring clean

by Abdelhafidh Abdeleli, swissinfo.ch Swiss non-governmental organisations working in North Africa and the Middle East welcome changes underway in the region, but warn that not all problems will be solved. The NGOs say that while more democracy is on the cards, constitutional changes and more social justice are needed to […]

How new is Egypt’s ‘new’ foreign policy?

In the months since Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s resignation, his successors have signalled a shift in foreign policy by reaching out to former adversaries. Egypt’s government has welcomed Iranian diplomats and embraced the Palestinian group Hamas. Many interpret such moves as clear evidence of Egypt’s desire for a diplomacy that […]

Under the cover of democracy

US and its allies assist will be using neoliberal economic policies to make sure new Arab governments stay in line. For decades during the Cold War, the rhetoric of US and Western European imperial power was one of promoting democracy around the world. Indeed, as the Soviet model became attractive […]

Regional rivalries emerge from Arab Spring

By Robert Fisk, Middle East Correspondent Behind the Arab Spring lie its secrets. Turkey and Qatar have now developed a passionate anger towards Bashar al-Assad’s Syrian regime – the Turks even planning for a “safe haven” inside Syrian territory if they fear a tide of refugees approaching the Turkish border […]

New gateway for Gaza

Gil Yaron, Special to The Star JERUSALEM—It’s been a while since a jubilant mood reigned in the streets of Gaza, but on Friday, many people were almost euphoric. “Everyone is happy — this is the dawn of a new era,” Muhammad Dawwas, a journalist from Gaza City, said in an […]