Middle East Research Center Ltd

The best in Middle East policy research and commentary today. RT = of interest not endorsement.

[Syria Source @SyriaSource]

French Illustrator Titwane provides stunning visual accounts of Idlib civilians and thoughts on opposition forces' last stand https://t.co/m4pDI9Ub5T

[Roz Rothstein @RozRothstein]

GREAT NEWS! @StandWithUs applauds South Carolina's Governor Henry McMaster as South Carolina becomes the First State to Codify the Definition of Anti-Semitism!! https://t.co/JC6yWIJ8sz

[EgyptSource @EgyptSource]

The Egyptian parliament discusses a bill which will grant impunity to military officials for any unlawful acts committed during the transitional period https://t.co/OkdoNs6S2k

[OCHA Syria @OCHA_Syria]

Hostilities in southern #Syria displaced up to 325,000 people, including some 189,000 near the Golan Heights and some 59,000 near the Jordanian border. Conditions are dire and an estimated 70% of those by the Golan Heights do not have shelter.
https://t.co/P20jGBA9xH

[Syria Source @SyriaSource]

Syrian opposition groups stated that talks with Syria-allied Russia about handing over territory failed, as the rebel groups refused to give up their arms https://t.co/AOchLvnNFk

[EgyptSource @EgyptSource]

Watchdog organization Amnesty International warns that Egypt's brewing media and cyber crime laws would give the state near-total control over print, online, and broadcast media, calling on the Egyptian parliament to reject the bills
https://t.co/NZo4HBAZsJ

[MEMRI @MEMRIReports]

Protesters in Tehran Shout: Our Enemies Are Right Here! America Is Not Our Enemy! No to Gaza, No To Lebanon!

[Steven Heydemann @SHeydemann]

A new paper I wrote for Brookings on Syria reconstruction, and the limits of fragility-based models of post-conflict reconstruction in “fierce states.” Comments welcome, including critical comments! https://t.co/3Qy0MTzKyD

[StandWithUs @StandWithUs]

Palestinians speak up saying that BDS only harms them! https://t.co/dh3i8c3mFJ

[Prime Minister of Israel @IsraeliPM]

Today I made an unprecedented offer to Iran that can help save countless lives.

For more information:
https://t.co/8DJHABqYEY
https://t.co/PCrkkFn4vC

[Andrew J. Tabler @Andrewtabler]

A devastating piece from @LeeSmithDC . I hope I’m around when the records are released on this episode. The more Obama’s folks talk, the less this decision makes sense. https://t.co/GAKowesr1m

[Philip Klein @philipaklein]

Let this sink in. Obama lied to the U.S. Congress to funnel more money to the leading state sponsor of terrorism on top of all of the official concessions made as part of the deal. https://t.co/GQXqC450ix

[Brookings Foreign Policy @BrookingsFP]

How America's oil boom is reshaping the geopolitics of energy, by @Jeff_Ball: https://t.co/dRRrKwC1Mn

[Boris Zilberman @rolltidebmz]

“The Senate should take up the nomination of David Schenker as Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, and the Trump Administration ought to nominate a U.S. Ambassador to Egypt as soon as possible.” https://t.co/IBd9xYSVBF

[Steven Heydemann @SHeydemann]

Entirely predictable, and predicted. Kurdish groups reach out to Assad regime to discuss future of northeast. Further steps toward a regime-Kurdish-Russian-Turkish security framework w/regime returning to pre-war borders. https://t.co/lH7EdouBVl

[Aron Lund @aronlund]

Fearing that the US won't protect them much longer, Kurdish leaders look to Damascus for a new, Russian-made safety net. Bit of a long shot, given the lack of US buy-in/facilitation, Turkey's importance to Russia, and the bloody-mindedness of all involved. https://t.co/NguZVRfts1

[Secretary Pompeo @SecPompeo]

We’re watching reports that #Iran plans to increase its enrichment capacity. We won’t allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon. Iran is aware of our resolve. It’s another example of Iran foolishly squandering its resources. It should surprise no one if protests in Iran continue.

[Middle East Research Center Ltd @MERCLnews]

Obama-era license aimed to let Iran convert money in dollars https://t.co/njXF4fMXiN

[FDD @FDD]

.@FDD's @TzviKahn for @thehill: In #Iran’s water crisis, #Tehran sows the seeds of its own decline: https://t.co/dL1RIgp9SN

[Middle East Research Center Ltd @MERCLnews]

#Iran Foreign and Defense Policy: Nice in-depth from Kenneth Katzman, https://t.co/NHqWStxzNu #Congressionalresearchservice #CRSreport #IRGC @Iran