Arab Center Washington DC

I. Legislative Branch 1) Personnel and Correspondence Bipartisan Senators Meet with Syrian President. On July 8, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara.

CEO and Founder, Gulf State Analytics Associate Professor and Researcher, Centre for Middle Eastern Studies, Lund University Award-winning Journalist and Political Commentator; Senior Non-Resident Fellow, Center for International Policy Executive Director, Gulf International Forum President and CEO, Center for International Policy Executive Director Arab Center Washington DC The recent Israel-US war on Iran has permanently disrupted the traditional balance of power in the Middle East and...

Israel is preparing for new elections, whether they take place on time at the end of October 2026 or are brought forward to an earlier date in September. In recent weeks, there has been a significant escalation in the pace of preparations by Israeli parties, especially those of the opposition, as they seek to reorganize their ranks and internal affairs.

On May 21, 2026, an Ankara appeals court annulled the 2023 congress of Turkey’s main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP). It removed the chairman who had led the party to its first nationwide victory over President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) in 2024 and reinstated the deeply unpopular predecessor the party had voted to replace.

I. Legislative Branch 1) Legislation House Bill to Restore Judicial Review of TPS Terminations. On June 29, Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) introduced H.R.9523, which would amend the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) statute to explicitly permit judicial review of decisions terminating TPS designations. The bill responds to the Supreme Court’s June 25 that allowed the Trump administration to terminate TPS for Syrians living legally in the United States. House Bill Targets Judicial Enforcement of Sharia Law.

Drone warfare in South-West Asia and North Africa has expanded dramatically in recent years. For many belligerents, drones have become the weapon of choice, not only because they are relatively inexpensive, hit targets with precision, and can terrorize troops and civilians, but also because they can shift power dynamics, giving the weaker party the ability to outlast the stronger one.

I. Legislative Branch 1) Legislation House Resolution Condemns Hezbollah. On June 23, Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Mike Lawler (R-NY) introduced H.Res.1379, condemning Hezbollah for “its repeated violations of ceasefire agreements” and calling on the Lebanese government to ensure that the group immediately ceases all attacks and disarms in accordance with the US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. Senate Approves One Iran War Powers Resolution, Rejects Another After Trump Pressure.

On 26 June, the United States announced that a “trilateral framework” had been agreed between Lebanon and Israel – with US support, redefining the nature of the conflict between them.1 This followed five rounds of US-sponsored direct negotiations since 14 April.

The war in Sudan, which began in April 2023, has entered its fourth year and remains the world’s largest displacement and hunger crisis. The conflict has forced some 14 million people from their homes, including nine million displaced internally and an estimated 4.4 million who have crossed into neighboring countries. Egypt is the single largest recipient of people fleeing Sudan, with around 1.5 million new arrivals since the conflict began.

When President Donald Trump, in close partnership with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, attacked Iran on February 28, 2026, he anticipated the total capitulation of the Islamic Republic. Although the opening phase of the campaign inflicted significant damage on Iran’s military and nuclear infrastructure, and eliminated the top echelon of its political leadership, Tehran refused to yield.