Escalating Tensions Ignite at the Israeli Border

By Andrea

Fighting in Gaza continues. Israel has once again ordered the evacuation of Khan Younis, the second-largest city in the Gaza Strip. Over 250,000 Palestinians are being forced to flee. Additionally, the city is home to one of the last standing hospitals in the region, the Gaza European Hospital, as well as to a UN-managed desalination plant that supplies several cities. With the decrease in Gaza’s medical and clean water supplies since the beginning of the conflict, Israel’s renewed military operations in the city can make the already dire humanitarian situation even more worrying.



Apart from Israel’s continuous war on Gaza, this last week has been characterized by increased tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. The rhetoric has clearly escalated with Israel threatening to send Lebanon “back to the Stone Age”and Iran promising an “obliterating war" if Lebanon is attacked. Sadly, it wasn’t all just words. Israel assassinated one of Hezbollah’s high commanders on the 12th of June, for which the group responded by throwing over 200 rockets in a single day toward Israel’s northern region. Even though the attack did not cause much damage, it has been the most intense since last October.



While both sides claim not to wish for war, they also swear to be ready for it if provoked. The concerns of a wider conflict have prompted the US to launch diplomatic efforts to prevent further struggles in the region. Until the moment, the violence has remained within the border region. Nonetheless, strikes are getting deeper into both Lebanon and Israel. These ongoing conflicts have caused over 400 deaths (mostly soldiers and fighters) and almost a hundred thousand residents have had to flee their homes.





Presidential Elections in Mauritania: Ghazouani's Re-Election and Its Global Implications
By Laura

Expected victory. Expectations were met as Mohamed Ould Ghazouani was re-elected as President of Mauritania last Saturday, June 29, securing over 56% of the votes. Among the six opposition candidates, Ghazouani’s main rival, anti-slavery activist Biram Dah Abeid, garnered 22.14%, followed by Islamist Hamadi Sidi El Mokhtar with 12.8%. The voter turnout was of 55.33%. Opposition candidates have raised doubts about the election results, alleging irregularities and threatening to use their own electoral commission to proclaim the results. Concerns stem from previous instances of suspected rigging and the need for total transparency to ensure the Mauritanian people can freely choose their president.



Ghazouani’s tenure. During his presidency, Mohamed Ould Ghazouani has focused on economic diversification and political reforms, including proportional representation and an impartial electoral commission. He has made strides in inclusivity by appointing leaders from historically marginalized communities. However, his term has faced criticism for restricting freedom of expression, targeting political opponents under anti-corruption measures, and his ties to the military. As he secures re-election, expectations are high for him to address ongoing human rights issues, further reduce military influence in politics, and continue his efforts against corruption without political bias.



A key partner for the EU.Amidst the chaos in the Sahel, Mauritania has emerged as an unexpected yet crucial ally for the European Union. Standing tall as the most stable country in the region and a beacon of democratic elections, Mauritania is now central to the EU's Sahel strategy. The dire situation in neighbouring Mali, with its porous borders and escalating terrorist threats, underscores Mauritania's indispensable role in regional security. In 2024, the EU and Mauritania solidified their partnership with a groundbreaking migration and security agreement, aimed at promoting legal migration and tackling smuggling. Strategically positioned as a bridge between sub-Saharan Africa and the Maghreb, Mauritania links crucial security and migration interests pivotal to Europe. The country's relentless fight against internal extremism and its stringent border regulations are winning accolades from European partners, highlighting Mauritania’s skyrocketing importance in the global geopolitical arena.





EU Council: A Masterclass in Missing Strategy

By Valentina

The EU Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) gathered on June 24, 2024. The main plot twist and implications in Euro-Mediterranean cooperation?For the Middle East, the Council reaffirmed that a ceasefire is the only path to a political two-state solution between Israel and Palestine. This sounds ideal, but who’s driving this peace train? The US and France, of course – nations known for their balanced and impartial approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (…sike). With their history of siding with Israel, one might wonder if this "mediation" is more about optics than actual peace.



Shifting to EU-North Africa relations, Tunisia is currently the stage for a political farce. The FAC decided that the EU should first assess the political situation and then think about managing the partnership. This comes right after disbursing €150 million under an "urgent procedure" to support macroeconomic stability, sans impact assessment or parliamentary consultation. Tunisian President Kais Saied is now keen on revising the penal code to reduce the control on public spending – coincidentally, right after receiving those EU funds. With elections recently scheduled by Saied for October 6, 2024, the timing couldn't be more suspect.



Speaking of throwing EU money around, let's link Tunisia with Egypt. At the recent EU-Egypt Investment Conference, Egypt secured over €40 billion in commercial deals with EU companies and a €1 billion EU loan for macroeconomic stability. This partnership continues despite Egypt’s deteriorating human rights situation and growing debt to the IMF. It seems the EU's strategy is to throw money at the problem and hope for the best, even as President Al-Sisi’s regime grows more repressive by the day.

Lastly, the FAC meeting concluded with a mid-term evaluation of the NDICI-Global Europe instrument. The official line? It’s fit for purpose. Yet, the evaluation quietly notes some weaknesses: the need for stronger roles for civil society and local NGOs, better regional policy synergies, and a cushion for emerging challenges. In reality, NDICI-Global Europe often seems more lost than fit, especially when it comes to crafting effective regional strategies. So, as the EU Foreign Affairs Council wraps up yet another meeting, one thing is clear: while the stagecraft continues, genuine progress remains elusive.





What’s Cooking in Erdoğan’s Türkiye?

By Hafssa

To normalize or not to normalize, that is the question. Last week, Turkish President Erdoğan expressed his country’s willingness to restore diplomatic ties with Bashar al Assad’s Syria – yes, that’s the same Erdoğan that had called Assad “a murderer” about a decade ago. The affirmation came in response to Assad’s expression of his openness to initiatives on Syrian-Turkish relations following Iraqi mediation. Erdoğan stated that Ankara respects Damascus’ sovereignty. Pretty surprising, isn’t it? Türkiye maintains a heavy military presence in northern Syria – or occupation, for those who don’t like to sugar-coat facts.



“Do you want us to sell you to the PKK?” This is the sentence that many Syrians shouted at Turkish soldiers in Afrin. Indeed, selling Syrians to Assad is for many like selling Türkiye to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The latter is Ankara’s Achilles heel because the strengthening of rebel groups could be a catalyst for a PKK-sponsored autonomy project in neighbouring Syria. Erdoğan’s Syria policy is backfiring and the footage of angry Syrians desecrating Turkish flags says it all… or maybe it doesn’t. What actually does is the clashes involving armed demonstrators and the Turkish army.



Hey Syrian, will you be my scapegoat? This news coincides with a wave of violence directed at Syrians in Türkiye, fueled by the public perception that they are behind the country’s unchecked economic crisis. In various cities, including Antalya, Hatay, Istanbul and Kayseri, violent mobs are attacking Syrian homes and businesses. The attacks have resulted in material damage and the death from stabbing of a 17-year-old boy in Antalya. For the moment, Erdoğan is trying to assure Syrian refugees that everything will be fine, but his words are no longer taken at face value. But anyways, mending ties with Assad in exchange for the departure of refugees is not a piece of Baklava!





Now, a bit of culture...

In this section, we uncover some of the most listened and watched musicians, writers or YouTubers of the MENA or new publications, articles or books either from or on the region. If you have any suggestions, you’re always welcome to tell us via our email!



El-harb Jāye (the war is coming). If you have ever visited Lebanon, especially Beirut, you may have noticed that many Lebanese manage to live despite rampant economic crisis, political violence, and rampant Fasad*. The fact that ‘life goes on’ seems to be the reason. However, they are not living in dissociation as much as they are living in anticipation of violence. How is this paradox possible? This is what Sami Hermez tackles in War Is Coming: Between Past and Future Violence in Lebanon. A symptom of ‘getting used to violence’ is recollecting past violence while anticipating future one (though not fully); talking about the 2006 war while keeping in mind that a future war would erupt (or rah tūlaʿ as the Lebanese say). War Is Coming is an ethnographic work that tells the story of real-life characters, many of whom are the author’s relatives. This book is particularly relevant amid the war in Gaza and Israel’s cross-border attacks on Lebanon. It is a must-read for academics, students and anyone interested in political violence in the Levant.



*There is no exact English translation of the Arabic word Fasad (فساد) because it is used in various derogatory contexts. The word is derived from Fasid (فاسد) – rotten – and it refers to corruption and depravity.



A bit of Egyptology and Archaeology. If you are passionate about the intersection between Egyptology and medicine, hear us out! An Egyptian-Italian mission has discovered 33 ancient tombs in Aswan dating back to the Late Period of Ancient Egypt and the Graeco-Roman Period (7th century BC – 4th century AD). The discovery will provide invaluable information on the causes of death back then, especially since nearly 40% of the bodies belong to newborns and adolescents. Stay tuned for future findings!