About
The Middle East Forum Observer

The Middle East Forum Observer was founded in 2024 and provides rapid analysis on leading Middle East developments, from Marrakech to Mashhad and the Bab el-Mandeb to the Black Sea.

More than just an outlet for opinion and opeds, the Observer explores topics in greater depth than American newspapers or opinion essays, often drawing upon primary language research or technical expertise on topics like shipping, aircraft leasing, or counter-terrorism finance. Policymakers and intelligence analysts not only in the United States and Europe, but also across the Middle East regularly read Observer articles. Newspapers and policy journals from Israel to Iran excerpt and debate the Observer’s takes.

As with the Middle East Quarterly, Middle East Forum Observer is open access. All content is available without charge. The Middle East Forum Observer allows reposts of its articles as an integral whole with a citation that includes author, date, title, publication and original URL.

More from MEF
Schindler's grave in Jerusalem. The Hebrew inscription reads: "Righteous Among the Nations"; the German inscription reads: "The Unforgettable Lifesaver of 1200 Persecuted Jews".
Middle East Forum Online
How Nazism Explains the Difference Between ‘Moderate’ and ‘Radical’ Islam
Separating the Faith from the Faithful in Islam
February 20, 2025
 · 
Raymond Ibrahim
A map showing the Sinai territory and Gaza.
Middle East Forum Observer
Egypt and UNRWA Were for Trump’s Gaza Plan Before They Were Against It
Those Outraged by Trump’s Proposal May Not Recall That a Similar Plan for Palestinians Was Put Forth in 1953
February 20, 2025
 · 
Hussain Abdul-Hussain
A plane belonging to the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Middle East Forum Observer
The International Committee of the Red Cross’s Gaza Failure Emboldens Dictators and Serial Abusers
By Failing in Its Mission, the ICRC May Sow the Seeds of Its Own Demise
February 19, 2025
 · 
Elizabeth Samson
Press Releases
Middle East Forum and Artorias Announce Strategic AI Partnership
February 18, 2025
The active radar guided beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile Meteor of multirole fighter Eurofighter Typhoon at a 2022 exhibition in Berlin.
Middle East Forum Observer
Why Is France Undermining Security in the Eastern Mediterranean?
Limiting Turkey’s Ability to Challenge Greece and Israel in the Air Would Ensure Regional Stability and Security
February 18, 2025
 · 
Babak Taghvaee
The Everett McKinley Dirksen US Courthouse, which houses the Eastern Division of the US District Court in Chicago, is a prominent federal courthouse located in the heart of Chicago's Loop district.
Middle East Forum Online
Turkey Tries to Gather Intelligence on Critics Using Loopholes in U.S. Judicial System
Erdoğan’s Government is Manipulating the U.S. Legal System to Spy on and Harass Its Critics.
February 17, 2025
 · 
Abdullah Bozkurt
Aleppo, Syria.
Middle East Forum Online
The Northwest Syria Battles and the Local Defence Forces: Interview
Insider Testimony on Defections, Foreign Influence, the Fall of Aleppo, and the Regime’s Collapse
February 17, 2025
 · 
Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi
Darnah, Libya
Middle East Forum Online
Libya: The Battleground of Superpowers, Islamism, and Corruption
Since Gaddafi’s 2011 Assassination, Warlords, Extremists, and Foreign Powers Have Exploited Libya’s Instability, Fueling Terrorism, Migration Crises, and Russian Expansion; These Threats Endanger US Allies and Global Stability, Requiring Urgent Action.
February 17, 2025
 · 
Amine Ayoub
Winfield Myers
Middle East Forum Online
Trump’s Plan vs. Qatari Power
If Washington Is Serious About Forging a Solution to Gaza, Then It Must Address Contradictions in Its Relationship With Doha.
February 17, 2025
 · 
Hussein Aboubakr Mansour
Kurdish soldiers in Erbil, Iraq.
Middle East Forum Observer
Canceling Peshmerga Reform Undermines the Fight Against Iranian Militias
Kurds Deserve Democracy, and That Is an Illusion If Two Political Parties Sustain Control over Militias
February 17, 2025
 · 
Kamal Chomani