Author Archives: jonathanspyer

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About jonathanspyer

Jonathan Spyer is a Middle East analyst, author and journalist specializing in the areas of Israel, Syria and broader issues of regional strategy. He is the director of the Middle East Center for Reporting and analysis (MECRA), a research fellow at the Jerusalem Institute for strategy and Security (JISS) and a Fellow at the Middle East Forum.

Analysis: The energetic Hamas Lobby

Posted on March 21, 2011 by jonathanspyer

Jerusalem Post- 22/04/2009 A meeting was meant to take place on Wednesday in the Grimond Room at Portcullis House, adjoining the House of Commons in London. The planned meeting was titled “Talk with Hamas” and was meant to feature a … Continue reading →

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What if Hizbullah Won?

Posted on March 21, 2011 by jonathanspyer

Jerusalem Post- 31/05/2009 With a week to go before Lebanon’s parliamentary elections, it is impossible to accurately predict the result. There are no reliable polls. It is clear, however, that the rival blocs – the pro-Western March 14 alliance and … Continue reading →

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Deraa demonstrators breach fear barrier – Assad will seek to rebuild it

Posted on March 21, 2011 by jonathanspyer

Jerusalem Post, 21/3/11 Demonstrations flared all weekend in the southern Syrian city of Deraa. On Friday, four people had died as Syrian security forces sought to quell the protests. On Sunday, participants in mass funerals for the dead called for … Continue reading →

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Analysis: Suddenly, the Arab World wakes up to Yemen’s Rebellion

Posted on March 21, 2011 by jonathanspyer

Jerusalem Post- 18/12/2009 The 30th summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council, meeting in Kuwait this week, expressed its solidarity with Saudi Arabia in its fight with the Shi’ite Houthi rebels in northern Yemen. The Kuwaiti emir noted that Saudi Arabia … Continue reading →

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Analysis: Arab States ‘just say no’ to Normalization

Posted on March 21, 2011 by jonathanspyer

Jerusalem Post- 05/08/2009 The idea of gestures of ‘normalization’ from Arab states to Israel is a central component in the US administration’s plan for reviving the Mideast peace process. The notion represents a variant of the Oslo-style approach whereby a … Continue reading →

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Al-Qaida-style Islamism comes to Gaza

Posted on March 21, 2011 by jonathanspyer

Jerusalem Post- 19/08/2009 Quiet has now returned to the Gaza Strip after the weekend violence which claimed the lives of 28 people. The last of the funerals of the Jund Ansar Allah fighters killed in the suppression of the organization … Continue reading →

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Analysis: US believes Syria is overplaying its Hand in Iraq

Posted on March 21, 2011 by jonathanspyer

Jerusalem Post- 17/09/2009 The scheduled meeting Thursday of the Syrian and Iraqi foreign ministers is unlikely to lead to a swift resolution of the simmering feud between the two countries. The government of Iraq is furious at the mounting evidence … Continue reading →

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Analysis: The internal Balance of Power

Posted on March 21, 2011 by jonathanspyer

Jerusalem Post- 18/06/2009 One would need a heart of stone not to be moved by the scenes emerging from Iran: Hundreds of thousands of youthful demonstrators, taking to the streets to express their frustration at the restrictions on life under … Continue reading →

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Analysis: Shi’ite Missiles, Zionist Cows and the Lebanese Army

Posted on March 21, 2011 by jonathanspyer

Jerusalem Post- 19/07/2009 The explosions in a Hizbullah arms storage facility in the south Lebanese village of Khirbat a-Silm on Tuesday are testimony to the successful efforts of this organization to rebuild its strength south of the Litani River. This … Continue reading →

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Analysis: Hizbullah turns up the Temperature in the North

Posted on March 21, 2011 by jonathanspyer

Jerusalem Post- 30/07/2009 Israel’s border with Lebanon is currently at its most tense since the cease-fire which ended the war of 2006. This tension has been brought on by the combination of a number of factors. Ongoing internal political frictions … Continue reading →

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