Game of Thrones – Brexit edition

So now what? We're gonna build a wall and they'll turn into wildlings? #Brexit — Paola Lepori (she/her) 🇺🇦🇵🇸 (@PaolaLeporiEU) June 24, 2016 Continue reading →

The French initiative and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

We have so many troubles in the Middle East right now that for the past two years little has been said and even less has been done about the most long-standing trouble, some would say the mother of all the troubles in the region: The Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The various national conflicts, first and foremost the … Continue reading →

Syrian opposition women team in Rome

Syrian HNC women team in Rome (19-21 May) met with the representatives of Italian institutions and civil society and to make an official visit to the Vatican.
Europe must raise its voice and force Assad to listen, said the group. Addressing the humanitarian situation on the ground is paramount for credible negotiations about political transition, they added. Continue reading →

Why a Turkish military base in Qatar?

Developments in the regional geostrategic layout My latest for L’Indro is a brief analysis on the strategic rationales that brought Turkey and Qatar to sign a military cooperation agreement. Erdogan‬ will send 3,000 troops to the Arab emirate, along with naval and air units. Both Ankara and Doha‬ seek to diversify their allies and make their move on … Continue reading →

Turkey and Israel: Real rapprochement?

The energy factor behind the normalisation of relations. I had a chat with fellow SOAS alumnus and dear friend Matteo Colombo, ISPI researcher, to enquire into the thawing of relations between Ankara and Tel Aviv. My article for L’Indro briefly recalls the previous episodes in Turkey and Israel’s on-again, off-again relationship. Turkey’s strategic re-alignment is … Continue reading →

Saudi Arabia and Muslim Brotherhood

A matter of strategy Saudi Arabia and Muslim Brotherhood relationship is changing yet again. Geo-strategy is the reason behind rapprochement. What consequences can be expected? King Salman, obsessed with the struggle against Iran, seems to be willing to recruit the Muslim Brotherhood in his Sunni front. However, Hasan al-Banna’s ideology runs contrary to everything the … Continue reading →

Palestinians from Syria: Recurring displacement

Host countries turn Palestinians back They are among the most vulnerable victims of the Syrian crisis. Besieged in their camps within Syria, they face typhoid and starvation. Host countries in the region turn them back. Palestinians from Syria are forced to leave their homes, once again. In host countries they are discriminated against, face abuse, … Continue reading →

Egypt: an analysis of the current situation

President al-Sisi’s troubles The President has lost control on the economic situation and security, especially in the Sinai. Low turn out marked parliamentary election. The Gulf is ready to replace al-Sisi with a more amenable candidate. My brief analysis for L’Indro is available here. Continue reading →

Listen to Syria

A little background: Last month, I was asked to write an op-ed for Il Manifesto Sardo, a Sardinian left-wing fortnightly magazine published on line. It is not an analysis and it does not claim objectivity or neutrality. This piece conveys my very personal point of view – a perspective undoubtedly influenced by the time I spent in Damascus, … Continue reading →

Moderate Islam: en-Nahda

Social sciences institute ‘Nicolò Rezzara’ of Vicenza, in co-operation with University of Palermo, organised the “Second Mediterranan Dialogue – religion, pluralism and democracy: the expectations of the Mediterranean youths“. Speakers of different religious background, from a number of Arab countries, attended the event. In Rome, I met Imen Ben Mohamed, a young MP from Tunisia, who … Continue reading →