The eastern Mediterranean, the Levant, is one of the oldest cultural regions on earth. Egyptians and Phoenicians, Greeks, Byzantines, Judaism and Christianity all have their roots here. This historical significance has been somewhat lost sight of recently; in the times of the Cold War, the focus was on other areas, and only the eternal battle… Continue reading The Mediterranean steps on the gas
Category: Middle East/ Levante
Latin: levare “to rise, elevate”; French: levant “East, Orient”
Lebanon in free fall
The situation for Lebanon's inhabitants is getting worse. Inflation in the country has reached a new, historic high, with one American Dollar now worth 12,000 Lebanese Lira on the black market. By 2019, as the real value of the currency has increasingly decoupled from the officially stated one, it was around LL 1,500. To this… Continue reading Lebanon in free fall
First Talks
Turkey has faced increasing isolation in recent years, at least in relation to its immediate neighbours and the surrounding area. The most painful alienation may have taken place in the case of Egypt. As the most populous country and historical powerhouse in the Arab world, the country is of paramount importance in the region. And… Continue reading First Talks
A historical omission?
Are the Arabs missing an opportunity they have been waiting for for centuries? A few ages have passed since the Arab caliphates were global centres of power. They were succeeded by the Ottomans, who dominated Middle Eastern politics for centuries, sometimes in competition with the Safavids. This was followed by the rule of the European… Continue reading A historical omission?
A forum of friendship
About a month ago, the so-called Philia Forum was held in Athens. Besides the host, representatives of Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt were present, and a French colleague was connected via livestream. The dominant theme was probably not the philia, the friendship, but rather the country that is now perceived… Continue reading A forum of friendship
Simon Dierich 