U.S. politics and the Middle East: Polarization and regional stability (Shibley Telhami, Sarah Yerkes, Adrianna Pita, Brookings)

https://www.brookings.edu/podcast-episode/us-politics-and-the-middle-east/

With Trump coming to the White House, what’s Obama’s exit calculus on the peace process? (Sarah Yerkes, Brookings)

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/markaz/2016/11/16/with-trump-coming-to-the-white-house-whats-obamas-exit-calculus-on-the-peace-process/

Why Morocco’s protests won’t usher in another Arab Spring (Sarah Yerkes, Brookings)

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/markaz/2016/11/02/why-moroccos-protests-wont-usher-in-another-arab-spring/

Obama's exit calculus on the peace process (Sarah Yerkes, Brookings)

As the Republican and Democratic parties convene in Cleveland and Philadelphia, we expect to see numerous signs of the deepening polarization that has dominated this campaign season. One issue that has traditionally shared bipartisan support is how the United States should approach the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. However, this year both parties have shifted their positions farther from the center and from past Democratic and Republican platforms. This swing impacts whether the Obama administration, which has devoted significant time and resources to the negotiations, will issue a parting statement on the conflict.

http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/markaz/posts/2016/07/27-obama-exit-strategy-peace-process-yerkes

One year after Sousse, it’s the economy—not security—that worries Tunisians (Sarah Yerkes, Brookings)

http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/markaz/posts/2016/06/30-sousse-tunisian-worries-yerkes

What Egypt under Sissi is really like for Coptic Christians (Sarah Yerkes, Brookings)

http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/markaz/posts/2016/06/20-egypt-coptic-christians-yerkes

Presence and voice: Women in foreign policy (Adrianna Pita, Tamara Cofman Wittes, Sarah Yerkes, Brookings)

http://www.brookings.edu/research/podcasts/2016/06/presence-and-voice-women-in-foreign-policy

What NGOs think about Israel matters (Sarah Yerkes, Brookings)

Today marks World Press Freedom Day, an annual event first enacted by the U.N. Security Council in 1993 to draw attention to violations of press freedom around the globe and to support journalists under fire. As part of the commemoration, last week Freedom House released its 2016 Freedom of the Press report. This year’s report made headlines both in and outside Israel by downgrading Israel from a ranking of “free” to “partly free.” The report cites the undue influence of pro-Netanyahu billionaire Sheldon Adelson’s Israel Hayom, a problem with ads (some government-funded) disguised as news stories, and issues with Netanyahu retaining the communications portfolio for himself.

http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/markaz/posts/2016/05/03-israel-ngo-law-yerkes

Could the latest blunder by Egypt’s Sissi be the nail in his coffin? (Sarah Yerkes, Brookings)

Today, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi is witnessing the most vocal and angry objection to his rule since he took power via a military coup in 2013. Across Cairo and beyond, Egyptians are gathering and chanting some of the same slogans from the January 2011 revolution—such as “the people want the fall of the regime” and “down with military rule.” These protests are not a spontaneous uprising. They were planned and announced on April 15, when thousands of Egyptians took to the streets, protesting the latest in a series of bold and controversial decisions that are slowly and steadily chipping away at Sissi’s once solid support structure abroad and at home.

http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/markaz/posts/2016/04/25-egypt-protests-sissi-yerkes

Fixing Tunisia’s terror problem should begin at home (Sarah Yerkes, Brookings)

The latest terror attack in Tunisia, it’s most deadly to date, has turned attention to the strength of the Islamic State’s foothold in Libya and sparked fear of a massive spillover into Tunisia. Shortly after the March 7 attack in Ben Gardane, President Beji Caid Essebsiexpressed concern that ISIS is actively trying to establish an emirate on Tunisian soil. While that outcome is not likely in the near future, there is no question that ISIS’ expansion in Libya has direct implications for Tunisia’s security.

http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/markaz/posts/2016/03/15-tunisia-terror-attack-yerkes