While the COVID-19 pandemic continued to add new layers of distress in the region, there were signs of God at work. WATCH NOW: SAT-7 TÜRK reports on the easing of restrictions in Turkey Turkey was one of the first countries to be affected by the virus. Initially, its response was more successful than that of most European countries and […]
Passover, Easter and soon Ramadan will be marked in isolation in the Middle East this year. We look at how alarm over a string of man-made conflicts in the region has been overtaken by fear of a new enemy and how countries are responding. You could be forgiven for forgetting the fear that circled the globe following the US strike […]
War and peace have been the dominant themes of the Middle East this month. Iran and the United States stepped back from a major confrontation, and a much-delayed US peace plan was unveiled for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But Syria’s suffering has continued, and there are risks of a new front opening up after clashes between Syria and Turkey. Since 2018, […]
What has it meant for the country and for the Christian guest workers who represent 9% of the population? For the 10 million people living in the United Arab Emirates, 2019 has been the Gulf state’s “Year of Tolerance”. In a country where 89 per cent of the population are expatriates, the government initiative aims to “reject extremism” and “entrench […]
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 […]
In a region of strong leaders and deep states, this month saw their power being shaken in scenes reminiscent of the “Arab Spring” of 2011. Away from the political fray, Christians journeying to Easter Day look to worship a leader whose power was demonstrated in loving sacrifice. Six Fridays of peaceful mass protests against ailing long-term President Abdelaziz Bouteflika of […]
The first ever visit by a Catholic Pope to the Arabian Peninsula gave an important boost to religious coexistence in the region this month. During a three-day trip to Abu Dhabi (UAE), Pope Francis met with the Crown Prince, took part in a two-day “Conference on Human Fraternity” attended by 600 religious leaders and opinion shapers, and led a mass […]
While voters in Turkey conferred sweeping new powers on President Erdogan, populations that feel left behind in Iraq and Morocco are demanding more attention from their political rulers A new chapter has begun in Turkey after President Erdogan won an historic presidential election with more than 52 per cent of the votes. Thanks to an alliance with the Nationalist Movement […]
“I have no doubt in my mind that in the Arabian peninsula there’s easily ten million Christians,” says Venerable Bill Schwartz, OBE, Anglican Archdeacon in the Gulf and Chaplain of Qatar. Speaking at SAT-7’s NETWORK conference in April 2018, Schwartz spelt out some of the astonishing results of the region’s meteoric economic development, driven by oil wealth. Most notable is how […]
New complications in the region’s conflicts are threatening to divide powerful allies. At the end of last year, there was an emerging view that the Syrian war had reached its peak and was starting to de-escalate. The last few weeks, however, have pointed in the opposite direction, with some of the fiercest aerial bombing campaigns by forces loyal to Assad […]
