Middle East Program

Providing fresh analysis of the drivers of change in the Middle East

The CSIS Middle East Program provides fresh analysis of the drivers of change in the Middle East to decision makers and thought leaders in the United States and abroad.

The Middle East Program is a source for new ideas that go beyond the conventional wisdom, disseminated through written scholarship, events, and commentary in leading news outlets.

Follow us on Twitter @CSISMidEast and like us on Facebook.

Dr. Alterman serves as the director of the Middle East Program, a position he has held since 2002. Under his leadership, the Middle East Program has launched a biweekly podcast and numerous miniseries, convened events with many of the top thinkers in the field, and conducted innovative research on the Middle East including work on the Chinese influence, sustainability, and cultural shifts in the region.

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Photo: YAHYA HASSOUNA/AFP/Getty Images

Photo: YAHYA HASSOUNA/AFP/Getty Images

Israel Could Lose

In a new commentary, Jon Alterman explains that while Israel has the most formidable fighting force in the region, it needs to prioritize winning back global support, invigorating the Palestinian Authority, and splitting Hamas off from the population.

Commentary by Jon B. Alterman — November 7, 2023

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Babel: Translating the Middle East

A Mezze: Keeping Iraq's Solar Community on Message

With no government support, Iraq's solar community is collaborating to kickstart the solar market.

Podcast Episode by Lubna Yousef and Will Todman — August 15, 2023

CSIS Babel

Water in a Multipolar World: China and the Issue of Water Management

Senior Fellow Natasha Hall and Professor Ashok Swain argue that as water becomes scarcer, China’s financing and construction of dams worldwide could have profound social, security, and environmental consequences.   

Commentary by Natasha Hall and Ashok Swain — August 14, 2023

Babel: Translating the Middle East

Hana Al Omair: The Saudi Film Industry

Jon Alterman speaks with Hana Al Omair about the massive shifts underway in the Saudi film industry and emerging trends in Saudi cinema.

Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman Daniel Sharp and Will Todman — August 8, 2023

CSIS Babel
Babel: Translating the Middle East

A Mezze: Bride of the Beqqa

The mountain city of Zahle overlooking the Beqaa plateau is famed for its beauty, pleasant climate, and quality arak. But for many years, Zahle was also famous for having 24/7 electricity without relying on neighborhood generators.

Podcast Episode by Will Todman and Lubna Yousef — August 1, 2023

CSIS Babel
Babel: Translating the Middle East

Jason Rezaian: The Rise of Hostage Taking

Jon Alterman speaks with Jason Rezaian about the rising phenomenon of hostage taking and what the United States can do both to respond when an American is taken hostage and to deter hostage taking and wrongful detention altogether.

Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman Natasha Hall and Daniel Sharp — July 25, 2023

CSIS Babel

Israel’s Third Juncture in History

Jon B. Alterman, director of the Middle East Program, argues that Israel is facing a third juncture in its history. The current judicial reform bill will shape the kind of democracy it becomes and risks permanently disenfranchising millions of Israelis.

Commentary by Jon B. Alterman — July 24, 2023

Tunisia’s Hunger Games

In June 2023, a woman waited for the last customer to leave a grocery store in La Marsa, in northeastern Tunisia. She mumbled to the shopkeeper, “Do you have it?” The shopkeeper took her to a back room and handed her a small packet wrapped in a dark bag. Once she got home, she opened the bag and showed it to her husband. She had managed to secure a bag of coffee. Just a month earlier, she had to go through the same process to get butter, and prior to that, to obtain rice

Newsletter — July 24, 2023

Babel: Translating the Middle East

A Mezze: Saudis Take to the Streets

Through new urban planning projects, Saudi Arabia is encouraging its citizens to join a quiet revolution of walking. While many Saudi cities have improved their mobility index, the government still faces many challenges. A new Mezze from the CSIS Middle East Program.

Podcast Episode by Lubna Yousef and Layan Shaaban — July 18, 2023

CSIS Babel