Author Archives: jonathanspyer

The Australian, 10/2 The neighbourhood of Hay al-Arabi in eastern Mosul city has the appearance of a place recently visited by apocalypse.  This was one of the last areas east of the Tigris River vacated by the Islamic State organization, … Continue reading →

Jerusalem Post, 10/2 Israel’s success over many decades  in the field of military endeavor has long fascinated observers.  The focus on this area was imposed on Israel and the early Zionist movement out of necessity.  But defense industries have today … Continue reading →

Jerusalem Post, 3/2   In recent years, it has become customary in much analysis of the Middle East emerging from Israel to divide Middle Eastern countries into a series of alliances or ‘camps.’  These camps are identified in a variety … Continue reading →

Jerusalem Post, 6/1. The latest reports from Syria indicate that the ceasefire brokered by Russia and Turkey in Syria is already in trouble.  Fighting has continued in the Wadi Barada area north west of Damascus as regime forces and Hizballah … Continue reading →

American Interest, 15/12 (Co-authored with Benjamin Weinthal) The instability that has swept over the Middle East over the past half-decade has its winners and its losers. For the most part, the much-beleaguered Kurds are to be numbered in the former … Continue reading →

Jerusalem Post, 16/12 The battle for Aleppo is over.  The Assad regime and its Russian, Iranian and Shia paramilitary allies have achieved victory. The process of evacuation of civilians and rebels is yet to be completed.  Syrian oppositionists are alleging … Continue reading →

Jerusalem Post, 2/12 Two incidents this week showcase the complexity of the challenges facing Israel on its northern front. In the first, an air strike killed four members of the Islamic State-affiliated Khalid Ibn al-Walid Brigade after a patrol of … Continue reading →