Arab Center Washington DC

On October 5, 2026, Yemen’s internationally recognized government began an offensive with support from Saudi Arabia to retake the territory taken by Ansar Allah, also known as the Houthis, the previous month. On September 10, the Houthis seized the coastal city of Mokha, rapidly overrunning Yemeni government forces and taking the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait. The Saudis supported their allies with airstrikes on Houthi positions.

Professor & Director of the Center for Contemporary Arab Studies & Clovis and Hala Salaam Maksoud Chair in Arab Studies, Georgetown University Independent constitutional scholar specializing in Arab and Middle East constitutional reform Non-resident Senior Fellow Arab Center Washington DC Consultant on Mediterranean politics; Founder, Tunisian Institute for the Training of Elected Officials (TITEO) Associate Professor of Public Economics and PhD program coordinator, Doha Institute for...

When Ansar Allah—commonly referred to as the Houthis—seized Yemen’s Red Sea coastline and strategic islands in the Bab al-Mandab Strait on September 10, 2026, they appeared to gain the upper hand in Yemen’s long-running conflict. However, in early October Saudi-backed government forces began to retake some of the captured territory and Saudi Arabia launched a punishing assault on Houthi positions from the air.

This research paper was originally published in Siyasat Arabiya, Issue 82, September 2026. Abstract ​​​​​​This paper examines the impact of sustained exposure to the rhetoric and practices of US President Donald Trump’s administration on public moral values and ethical norms, in the United States and elsewhere, distinguishing between amoral politics and the justification of immoral political discourse and conduct.

For centuries, empires and regional powers have fought over the Strait of Hormuz, occupying its islands, fortifying its ports, taxing its commerce, and policing or disrupting its shipping. However, none of these powers could ever fully control this strategic waterway, located between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, through military force alone. Historically, Hormuz derived its value from its connections linking the strait’s two shores to the Indian Ocean.

I. Legislative Branch 1) Legislation Nearly All Senate Democrats Support Resolution Seeking Information on Israel’s Human Rights Practices. On September 29, the Senate blocked S.Res.852, a resolution introduced by Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) requesting information on Israel’s human rights practices under Section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.

On September 23, 2026, Israel’s Central Elections Committee disqualified every Arab-majority party from running in the October Knesset elections. The committee—composed of representatives from the outgoing parliament—oversees elections and can bar candidates or parties from running. On October 2, 2026, Israel’s Supreme Court unanimously overturned the bans.

For almost three years, Israel and the United States have repeatedly claimed that the war in Gaza would end if Hamas laid down its arms. In July 2026, however, when Hamas agreed to decommission its weapons as part of the US-led Board of Peace roadmap, Israel attacked the movement’s decision.

The recent recommencement of the conflict between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Ansar Allah movement, commonly known as the Houthis, raises important questions about the practical implications of the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement signed on August 7, 2026, and whether Saudi Arabia’s cosignatories, Pakistan and Turkey, may be asked to help the kingdom defend itself.

Staff Attorney, Palestine Legal Co-founder and President, Arab Canadian Lawyers Association Head of the Palestine/Israel Program and Senior Fellow Arab Center Washington DC Pediatrician and Co-founder, Anti-Palestinian Racism Research Group; Board Member, Women for Peace: Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom Executive Director & Senior Fellow Arab Center Washington DC About the Webinar Anti-Palestinian racism is widespread in the United States, yet its prevalence, institutional impact, and human cost...