The partial cease-fire brokered and imposed by Russia and Turkey, with Iran’s concurrence, on Assad and the ‘moderates’, might mark a turning point in Syria’s tortuous journey since 2011.
Terrorists pursuing an atavistic agenda through the brutal killing of common people are not performing jihad. They only seek to legitimize their vile acts in the name of Islam.
The most significant outcome of the Jordanian parliamentary election has been the participation of the Islamic Action Front (IAF), the political wing of the officially banned Muslim Brotherhood. In many ways, this election is a test of King Abdullah’s commitment to electoral reforms.
While a Russia-Turkey rapprochement is driven by their particular national interests, its trajectory and outcome are likely to be shaped by the interplay of several geo-economic and geo-political factors.
The coup has seriously dented Turkey’s image as a stable, secular, progressive and prosperous country. And Erdogan's witch-hunt has tarnished the country's reputation and credibility. Turkey’s polity and economy will take a long time to recover from the crippling attrition of recent days.
It is early days to speculate on the likely outcome and possible trajectory in Saudi-Israeli engagement, but Eshki’s visit has so far been the clearest indication of Saudi willingness to engage with the Jewish state.
Fatah at the Crossroads
Abbas needs to take steps for a gradual change of guard in the Fatah within a specified time-frame to keep the cause of Palestinian statehood alive.