Bold initiatives are taking place in Lebanon to build peace between Christians and Muslims in a society where religious identity often defines where you live and go to school, as well as where you worship. Dr Martin Accad, a specialist in Christian-Muslim relations, spoke on SAT-7 ARABIC’s On the Go programme about the initiative “Bread and Salt”, an exciting project that promotes respect […]
Tensions between powerful Middle East rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran were catapulted to new levels when drones set two Saudi Arabian oil refineries ablaze (14 September). The resulting damage halved the Gulf kingdom’s oil output and reportedly cut world crude oil supplies by over five per cent. Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility, but the US blamed Iran for the […]
A religious feast brought a temporary reprieve to conflict-ridden Libya, while political changes and protests dominated its North African neighbours. The region marked one of the two main Islamic holidays this month. Eid al-Adha marks Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son, and Muslims celebrate either by slaughtering a lamb and distributing its meat to those in need or by donating […]
Amidst heightened tensions in the Persian Gulf and political standoffs and transitions from Turkey to North Africa, the cause of persecuted Christians was remembered in Iraq and in a UK Foreign Office report. Sudan remained in the headlines as the first mass demonstrations were held since the massacre at a sit-in protest last month. Protesters again took to the streets […]
Events in Sudan and the Gulf of Oman dominated headlines this month as the Middle East seemed set for a dangerous summer. Violence overtook months of peaceful protest in Sudan on 3 June. So-called Rapid Support Forces used live ammunition, severe beatings and rape to disperse a sit-in outside army headquarters in Khartoum. Two months before, pro-democracy demonstrators had succeeded […]
New developments are taking us into some uncharted territories in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Yet the familiar cycles of violence and patterns of control prevail. The plight of Middle Eastern Christians has been highlighted this month by an interim report commissioned by the UK government, which warned that they face being “wiped out” from parts of […]
The spirit behind the 2011 Arab protests that saw the ousting of old rulers was alive and kicking again this month. When the ailing president of Algeria announced he was going to run for a fifth term in office, nationwide strikes and protests erupted. Since a stroke in 2013, President Bouteflika, a veteran of Algeria’s war of independence, has made […]
It has been a month of high pressure for two major players in the region – with Saudi Arabia facing diplomatic censure and Iran experiencing a new economic squeeze. The Christians of Egypt, meanwhile, were grieving after another terror attack that security forces were unable to prevent. The fallout from the brutal murder of Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi continues. […]
While 2017 saw military power finally overwhelm the territorial ambitions of so-called Islamic State, the lasting effects of conflict, continuing struggles between regional powers, and increasingly forceful policies being pursued by some mean that this is set to be another challenging year for the region. Iran made headlines at the turn of the year in a way that no-one had […]
A US announcement this month brought a decades-long conflict to the fore, even as peace appeared on the horizon in Iraq with victory over Islamic State. Meanwhile, hopeful signs of religious tolerance emerged elsewhere in the region. The status of Jerusalem became a focus of anger this month. Since a 1995 vote by Congress, four US presidents have promised to […]
