Civil Society

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EU Commission chief seeks sanctions, partial trade freeze on Israel: What to know

The proposal comes in response to Israel’s actions in Gaza, but divisions among the EU’s 27 member states make it uncertain whether the measures will be adopted.

Demonstrators gather during an anti-government protest calling for action to secure the release of Israeli hostages held captive in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli universities, tech firms, cities to join strike over Netanyahu’s Gaza takeover plan

An increasing number of institutions and businesses are allowing their employees to join the general strike planned for Sunday, in protest of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to take control of Gaza City.

Flags of Jordan and the Muslim Brotherhood are waved with other protest signs denouncing the US-led Middle East economic conference in Bahrain, in the Jordanian capital, Amman, on June 21, 2019.

Jordan summons suspects accused of holding Muslim Brotherhood assets: What to know

The Hashemite Kingdom has taken a number of legal actions against the Islamist organization since banning them in April.

Egyptian blogger and activist Alaa Abdel-Fattah exits the police headquarters in Cairo following his release on December 25, 2011.

What to make of Egypt's removal of Alaa Abdel-Fattah from terror list

An Egyptian court has removed a prominent jailed activist from the country's terrorism list amid scrutiny over Egypt’s human rights record under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

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Turkey's opposition elects acting mayor as Imamoglu remains detained, protests persist

Newly elected interim mayor of Istanbul, Nuri Aslan of CHP, waits to speak to the media on March 26, 2025, in Istanbul, Turkey.

Canceled Syrian justice workshop sparks repression fears: What to know

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Feature

Christians in Syria hopeful but wary of Sharaa’s intentions

church

Elizabeth Hagedorn

By Elizabeth Hagedorn

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

After raid, Israel puts Jerusalem bookshop owners under house arrest: What to know

Educational Bookshop

Quake-hit displaced children play near tents set by Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) at Islahiye Atatürk Stadium in Islahiye near Gaziantep on Feb. 14, 2023, a week after a deadly earthquake struck parts of Turkey and Syria.

Earthquake orphans in Turkey, Syria face uncertain future

Thousands of requests poured into Turkey’s Social Affairs Ministry to foster children who survived last week's quakes, but the ministry maintains that its priority is to reunite kids with families or relatives, if they can.

An Egyptian Coptic Christian boy shouts slogans while holding a crucifix during a protest outside the Egyptian state TV building following sectarian clashes, Cairo, Egypt, March 10, 2011.

Culture

Egypt’s Coptic Christians outraged at government's mishandling of adoption case

The case of a little boy who was taken from his adoptive Christian parents by the Egyptian authorities and placed in an orphanage after being registered as a Muslim has triggered a backlash from rights advocates and brought the adoption laws under scrutiny.

This picture taken on March 21, 2020, shows an aerial view of the Ashrafieh district of Lebanon's capital, Beirut.

As Lebanon unravels, Beirut neighborhood takes security into its own hands

Amid Beirut’s unlit streets, men wield torches and batons to ensure security and safety in the neighborhood in an initiative that began in Achrafieh, one of Beirut’s oldest and most charming districts.

Joint List Party leader Ayman Odeh meets with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in New York on Dec. 9, 2022.

On US visit, Arab Israeli leader warns against Netanyahu’s new government

In a meeting with the United Nations secretary-general, Hadash-Ta’al party head Ayman Odeh blamed successive governments of neglecting to protect Israeli Arab citizens.

Mourners accompany the casket of one of the two protesters killed earlier in clashes.

Protests erupt in southern Iraq as man sentenced for tweeting against PMU

Security concerns for southern Iraq have risen following an attempted suicide attack near Karbala and deadly protests in Nasiriyah sparked by a prison sentence for a man accused of insulting security forces.

Israelis outraged over Netflix film showing IDF murdering Palestinians

Israeli actress Nataly Dadon canceled her Netflix subscription, protesting against the streaming giant adding the anti-Israeli/anti-IDF film "Farha" to the platform.

Jordan's Queen Rania opens the Paris Peace Forum

Israel skips Paris Peace Forum

Hosting young entrepreneurs and civil groups from across the globe, the Paris Peace Forum could have been an opportunity for Israelis to meet with counterparts from Algeria, Qatar and other countries that lack diplomatic relations with Jerusalem.

People walk past the Zara store in a shopping mall, Modiin, Israel, Feb. 21, 2021.

Arab Israelis boycott Zara over ties with Jewish ultranationalist

The street-initiated boycott against Zara shops in Israel demonstrates the force of the young Israeli Arab generation, seeking to bring about a change through social media.

This picture taken on March 7, 2021, shows a view of Egypt's new parliament headquarters, some 45 kilometers east of Cairo.

More prisoners released in Egypt ahead of national dialogue

A number of political detainees have been released in preparation for the start of a comprehensive dialogue between the government and the opposition.

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Israeli candidates treat violence in Arab towns as niche problem

Instead of treating the rise of violence in Arab society as a national problem, Prime Minister Yair Lapid and opposition head Benjamin Netanyahu are only making Arab Israelis promises to remedy the situation.

Turkish pop star Gulsen performs during a concert in Aydin, Turkey, on March 27, 2022.

Once a safe haven, Iranians in Turkey say civil liberties are at risk

Many Iranians feel that space for culture, freedom of speech and a secular lifestyle is steadily shrinking in Turkey, which until now has been serving as a safe haven for many Iranians to live freely.

A picture shows on Feb. 11, 2020, a general view of al-Atba district of Cairo, Egypt.

Culture

Egypt seeks two-child policy amid deteriorating economic conditions

The Egyptian government renewed its call for the necessity of having two children only in order to confront overpopulation amid the harsh economic conditions plaguing Egypt.