e-Journal

Extract of a Speech given to the “Israel-Palestine, moving towards needs-based solutions” Conference by Steven Aiello

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Steven Aiello, Director of the Debate for Peace program, gave this speech at the EP-med-PATRIR (European Platform for Middle East Dialogue) “Israel-Palestine, moving towards needs-based solutions” conference. In 2011, I was studying conflict resolution in a graduate program at the Interdisciplinary Center in Israel. The most lasting lessons I learned that year came not from … Continued

Editorial Note – May 2017

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Hello, and welcome to the May issue of Asfar’s e-journal in 2017! So much has happened in the world of politics since the last issue was published. Britain has started to pursue new trading relationships around the world, France has chosen a new President, and we have seen a significant number of defeats of ISIS/IS/Daesh in Iraq … Continued

New Hamas Policy Document – What do you think?

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I have chosen a few excerpts from the new Hamas policy document (published 1 May 2017). I have chosen not to include any analysis or criticisms so that you, the reader, can make up your own minds. Do you agree with this document? Will it prove successful or not? Is it an unnecessary addition to … Continued

Serbia’s Lasting Divisions

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The Balkan region has experienced an immense amount of change in the last three decades, with borders that have shifted and ethnic disparities distributed throughout different countries. But to the naked eye, it can seem to the outsider that the borders and countries are stable, with ethnic tensions being a mere question of the past. … Continued

Editorial Note – January 2017

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Hello, and welcome to the first issue of Asfar’s e-journal in 2017! The start of a New Year is a great time to reflect on the past year, both on a personal level, and on a wider global level. The year 2016 has been a year of profound political change, states have continued to be … Continued

Ras Al Khaimah: The UAE’s Juxtaposition

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The United Arab Emirates, and the wider Gulf as a whole, is well known for its contrasting differences, both geographically and socially. On a recent visit to Ras Al Khaimah, the most northerly Emirate in the UAE, I was struck by the sheer juxtaposition of the Emirate. Before I travelled there, via Dubai, I was … Continued

Why is Turkey such an important ally to the UK?

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  Turkey is one of the most geographically strategic countries in the world—a potentially lethal bridge between continents. İstanbul is the only city in the world that connects two continents. The city, which is located in both Asia and Europe, has been the capital city for many civilizations; for thousands of years throughout its history. … Continued

Fire in the Hole; Egypt and the fight for press freedom

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On all the roads leading out of Midan el-Tahrir, people marched home, jubilant, exhausted, revived. Fresh paint glinted along Mohamed Mahmoud Street, where the dead were commemorated in lively murals, and along Sixth October Bridge, cars caught in the gridlock sat under piles of teenagers waving flags. Many of those who had been in Tahrir … Continued

The Dichotomy of Tunisia

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For those looking to study the impact and the challenges of revolution, one should perhaps begin to pay greater attention to Tunisia. The nation that spawned the Arab Awakening in 2011 has become a complex experiment about the expansion of liberty, highlighting the duality of personal autonomy and the risks associated with it. While the … Continued

Editorial Note – November 2016

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Welcome to the November 2016 issue of Asfar’s e-journal! This is my first issue since taking on the senior editor role, and what I have tried to achieve in this edition is a combination of thought-provoking, timely, and interesting articles produced by our loyal writers and editors – who I would like to thank for … Continued

All writers' views in articles are their own and do not necessarily represent the opinion of the AsfarEurope team.

Published by AsfarEurope in London, UK - ISSN 2055-7957 (Online)