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Marc Lynch. GW Professor, on leave AY24-25. The one true Abu Aardvark. AMERICA’S MIDDLE EAST (Hurst) on the way! Find me at https://abuaardvarkghost.ghost.io
Read about Stephane Lacroix’s spectacular new book on Egyptian salafis in today’s MENA academy roundup - possibly the last of the summer 😫
abuaardvarkghost.ghost.io/twilight-of-...
Stephane Lacroix's spectacular new book on Islamism in Egypt, plus (perhaps) the last MENA Academy scholarship roundup of the summer The end of the summer is fast arriving, I'm afraid. Last week, I o...
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Israel’s intention to occupy the full Gaza Strip Thursday, despite opposition from the Israeli military and wide swaths of Israelis who say the plan will sound a death knell for the hostages still held there.
“Conquering Gaza is a bad operational idea, a bad moral idea and a bad economic idea,” said Yair Lapid, the Israeli opposition leader.
Drone footage published at end of July shows former city of Beit Hanoun in north Gaza now rubble. (POV starts about here: 31.534634, 34.542251).
“The studies imply estimated [Gaza] life expectancy has fallen by more than 35 years, to ~ half the pre-war figure. In percentage terms…bigger than…during China’s Great Leap Forward; in absolute terms it is similar to the one in the Rwanda genocide” www.economist.com/interactive/...
Analysis by independent researchers reveals the scale of the destruction
I’d love to see some real reporting on how much of the craven behavior of university and college administrations has been shaped by their being the targets of this kind of abuse and personal threats.
The climate of fear caused by torrents of abuse, death threats, and doxxing that David French identifies here as affecting judges (even if he pretends it isn’t mostly from MAGA) have long been the normal experience for Middle East studies faculty, and no one cared.
We knew at the time that a deeply deeply horrific assault had occurred, but just absolutely shaken by this report detailing the massacre at Zamzam in April 2025. Genocide. Utterly shaken.
“They slaughtered us like animals” www.theguardian.com/global-devel... ‘
As the UK prepared to host a global summit on bringing peace to Sudan, the RSF paramilitary began a ‘genocidal’ massacre in Zamzam refugee camp. But when reports emerged of the killings, London held i...
This is such an important piece, by @jamellebouie.net. As I mentioned elsewhere, he has an uncommon ability to write essays that are erudite and informative, while also being easy and enjoyable to read.
This one puts the current moment and what's at stake in historical context.
Gift link.
The climate of fear caused by torrents of abuse, death threats, and doxxing that David French identifies here as affecting judges (even if he pretends it isn’t mostly from MAGA) have long been the normal experience for Middle East studies faculty, and no one cared.
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/07/o...
Israel’s destruction of Gaza has left starving Palestinians with access to only 1.5% of cropland that is accessible and suitable for cultivation, according to new figures from the UN. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...
Figure down from 4% in April, suggesting Israel has continued to target farmland in once-abundant Gaza Strip
