Syria
A Night of Terror
I recently returned to Syria with my family to reconnect with the loved ones I left behind when I moved to Lebanon a few years ago. What began as a peaceful evening in Jaramana, near Damascus, quickly descended into violence.
The Dilemmas of Syria’s Druze
After the fall of Assad, Syria’s Druze community is grappling with new anxieties, from Israel’s encroachment to the rise of anti-government militants.
Israel Wages War for Land and Water in Syria’s South
Israeli forces have moved into southern Syria following the fall of the Assad regime, seizing strategic points and vital water resources, with disastrous effects for the area’s farmers.
Why a Candid Conversation From 55 Years Ago Has Scandalized the Arab World
Rare audio of a candid conversation between Egypt's Gamal Abdel Nasser and Libya's Moammar Gadhafi in 1970 has scandalized the Arab world in recent days, ultimately revealing more about contemporary Middle Eastern politics than history.
In Post-Assad Syria, the Legacy of a Narco-State Lingers
Over four months after the fall of Assad, Syria is still struggling with the pervasive Captagon trade. Despite the new authorities vowing to dismantle drug networks, the illicit business continues, fueled by economic hardship and lingering connections from the previous regime.
Spiritual Women of the Wilderness
The Desert Mothers of early Christianity were as determined as male mystics to live solitary lives in the most testing of conditions. While their characters and lives are less well documented, what we do have gives intriguing glimpses into what it was like for a woman to be a recluse in a milieu dominated by men.
Talahons on Trial
Germany’s word of the year is “talahon.” It emerged from hip-hop as a meme characterizing Arab-German youth, morphed into a cultural phenomenon and was ultimately weaponized by the far right to gain unprecedented support in the recent federal elections.