Essays
Treaties and Treachery
Syria's presidents have been jailed, shot and exiled. Only one has left a memoir, and that has only recently been published. Its editor explains how Shukri al-Quwatli’s account changes what we know about Syria and Churchill, King Faisal and early Zionist leaders.
Phases of Consciousness
Over the centuries, layers of interpretation have mediated our experience and separated the self from the world, but glimpses of an older mode of consciousness can still be found. Even modern literature that is transfixed by the self and immersed in its workings can fleetingly reveal the older intimacy.
Sliman Mansour’s Art Captured the Palestinian Condition
Sliman Mansour spent a lifetime using his art to preserve Palestinian identity and connect people to their land, inspiring generations of artists in his wake. A writer who knew him from childhood as a close friend of her father remembers the gentle, humble man behind the iconic paintings.
History and Myth in the Holy Land
Advocates for the modern state of Israel often invoke the biblical past. A clearer sense of history and myth, including from American leaders, might be one step toward creating a more peaceful Israel-Palestine.
The Language of Terrorism Since 9/11
While the world’s media have retreated from using the word "terrorism," governments have applied it ever more broadly, with vast implications for law and society. How does this simultaneous avoidance and expansion of the use of the word affect how we understand and address the phenomenon of violence committed in the name of an ideal?
Mount Sinai’s Ancient Monastery Has Been Plunged Into Chaos
Sinai’s ancient Monastery of St. Catherine was recently stormed by force by its own abbot. After 15 centuries, its fate may be more uncertain than ever amid a spiraling dispute over landownership that has divided the monks and pitched them against the governments of Greece and Egypt.
From Caravan Traders to Corporate Boardrooms
Why does one area — Qassim — dominate the export trade in Saudi Arabia’s world-famous khalas dates? The answer lies in a historic merchant culture whose influence still shapes the Saudi economy today.