History and Politics of the Modern Middle East
Published in the Jewish Chronicle.
During the 1950s and 60s, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser guided and shaped Arab public opinion.
Nasser emerged as the undisputed leader of the Arab world by championing pan-Arabism — a secular ideology that advocated Arab unity and freedom from Western influence. It also championed the liberation of Palestine, a euphemism for the creation of a Palestinian Arab state on the ruins of Israel.
Continue reading “A Humiliated Arab World Turns to Islamism”
Published in BESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 472.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Egypt under Gamal Abdel Nasser once shaped and guided Arab public opinion. Cairo was the capital of the Middle East, and Nasser’s secular pan-Arab ideology challenged the West, Israel, and other Arab states. Nasser’s Egypt showed how a developing country with a large population could persevere despite tremendous economic, political, and military challenges. As the 50th anniversary of the 1967 War approaches, Egyptians and Arabs of that generation might reflect with nostalgia on a bygone era when Cairo dominated the Middle East.
Continue reading “Nasser’s Legacy on the 50th Anniversary of the 1967 War”
Published in Your Middle East.
Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, leader of the largest Arab nation during the 1950s and 1960s, was one of the most popular and charismatic statesmen of the twentieth century. In his 1954 memoir, The Philosophy of the Revolution, Nasser claimed that Egypt’s unique geography and historical legacy enhanced its ability to influence Africa, the Muslim world, and the Arab world. Of these three significant regions, it was the Arab world which captivated Nasser’s attention the most: “I always imagine that in this region in which we live there is a role wandering aimlessly about in search of an actor to play it.”
Nasser’s ultimate vision was to become the undisputed leader of the Arab world, and to exert his influence beyond Egypt’s borders. He implemented a brief union with Syria (1958-61) and renamed both nations as the United Arab Republic, but the project collapsed because Syrians viewed it more as an Egyptian occupation rather than a merger of equals.
Published in Your Middle East.
On March 25, Saudi Arabia led a pan-Arab military campaign in Yemen known as “Decisive Storm” to expel the Iranian-backed Houthis, who seized control of the country in January after deposing President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.
While much has been said about Sunni-Shia sectarianism, the conflict should really be viewed as a struggle for regional influence between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The proxy war in Yemen is also about whether Yemen is part of the pro-Western Sunni Arab alliance that includes Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan, or if it’s part of the anti-Western Shia alliance led by Iran and its allies, Hezbollah and Syria. Continue reading “Egyptian Attitudes Toward the Yemen War”
Published in Sharnoff’s Global Views on Dec. 31, 2012.
Since the 1993 Oslo Accords, a lasting peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians has remained elusive. The politically correct paradigm proffered by the international community including Israel, the Palestinian Authority and the United States has been two states, two peoples: an independent Palestinian state including the West Bank and Gaza alongside Israel. Continue reading “Will Jordan and Egypt Play a Greater Role in Palestinian Affairs in 2013?”
My interview on the situation in Syria with the Greek-based program Terra Incognita.
Jordan, a nation which lacks natural resources and is heavily dependent on foreign assistance, is a strong US ally. While King Abdullah has prevented “Arab Spring” uprisings like in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Yemen and Syria, he faces unprecedented challenges. A growing number of Jordanians are advocating that Jordan transform from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy. A few have faced criminal charges for directly criticizing the King. Continue reading “October 1-8, 2012 Links”
While the Obama Administration is busy figuring out the best course of action in response to Egyptian President Morsi’s ambivalence towards Tuesday’s Embassy attack, Eric Trager and David Schenker offer policy recommendations in the New York Daily News. Continue reading “Weekend Thinking: Copts & Egyptian-American Ties”
Michael Sharnoff, PhD 