Middle East Forum

3 days ago | meforum.org | Jonathan Spyer

Along the newly established Morag Corridor, in the southern Gaza Strip, the IDF is continuing the daily, Sisyphean work of rooting out Hamas fighters and destroying the organization’s infrastructure. The corridor, named after a dismantled Jewish community in the area, is intended to drive a wedge between the Rafah and Khan Yunis brigades of Hamas, and then to destroy these formations.

6 days ago | meforum.org | Dalga Khatinoglu

Iran’s repeated threats to close the Strait of Hormuz and the dramatic decline in ship traffic through Bab el-Mandeb because of attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels have prompted regional countries to accelerate the development of alternative trade corridors. In recent weeks, Saudi Arabia launched a tender for a railway linking the Persian Gulf to the upper Red Sea, and Kuwait signed a to build a railway connecting it via land to Oman.

1 week ago | meforum.org | Lazar Berman

The vibes coming out of the first round of nuclear talks between Iran and the US are surprisingly positive — at least for the sides that engaged in them, if not for other interested parties. US lead negotiator Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke in person shortly after Saturday’s talks wrapped up. Araghchi himself acknowledged the face-to-face meeting, despite Iran insisting earlier in the week that there would be no direct talks between the sides in Oman.

2 weeks ago | meforum.org | Jules Gomes

Islamist organizations in Britain are cheering the U.K. government’s decision to stop financing a controversial project run by moderate Muslims established to monitor anti-Muslim hate incidents. On March 12, Islamist organizations Muslim Engagement and Development (MEND) and 5 Pillars UK applauded the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government for ending all funding to the Tell MAMA (Measuring Anti-Muslim Attacks) monitoring service.

2 weeks ago | meforum.org | Lazar Berman

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was looking forward to a pleasant trip abroad last week before the Passover holiday. He was heading to Budapest to meet Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a firm, outspoken backer of Israel. The trip was an opportunity for Netanyahu to thumb his nose at the International Criminal Court and wander freely around a European Union country with no fear of being arrested.