The October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and Israel’s subsequent invasion of the Gaza Strip will play a major role in shaping what unfolds in the Middle East in 2024. The Gaza war has manifestly and tragically affected Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank; so far, tens of thousands have been killed or injured and millions have been displaced. The war is also likely to have serious repercussions for neighboring countries, and indeed for the entire region, in 2024. And the war will continue to damage the reputation of the United States and western powers that by and large have stood by Israel in Gaza as it has violated the laws of war, international humanitarian law, and other international rules and norms.
Beyond Gaza, the Middle East continues to suffer from other problems that will have their own repercussions in 2024. From Syria’s authoritarian rule to Sudan’s war between its military elites, to Libya’s absence of a unifying political agreement, to Yemen’s search for a final accord to end its conflict, the region awaits an elusive peace and certainty. In the meantime, authoritarianism reigns supreme in the region, and many countries continue to experience economic crisis, social dislocation, and environmental degradation. To be sure, if no effective solutions are devised for the myriad of troubles expected in the Middle East in 2024, the year may move the region closer to a social and political explosion that has detrimental effects on the entire world.
To address important issues at hand in this vital region, Arab Center Washington DC (ACW) has asked some of its fellows and affiliates to offer reasoned perspectives about what they expect in 2024, including what may happen in US relations with the region. Issues not addressed here will undoubtedly be covered on our pages throughout the year by these and other experts.
Table of Contents:
- Deadly Conditions Await Internally Displaced People in Gaza in 2024
- Autocratic Resilience in the Middle East
- A Resurgence of Non-State Actors of the “Axis of Resistance”
- US Palestine Policy in 2024: More Challenges and Broken Promises
- The Western Media Must Assume Its Journalistic Duties in 2024
- Biden Administration Policy Will Worsen Conditions in the Middle East
- Biden’s Gaza Stand Does Not Bode Well for His Re-Election
- Expect More Repressive Measures Against Palestine Activism in the United States