The personal account of Issandr Amrani, author of The Arabist blog. Mostly MENA politics and culture. Usual caveats apply. Also at @arabist@mastodon.social
All over the place
Joined December 2007
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You are a disgrace.
My dad used to say, “Joey, when you get knocked down, get up.” I’ve leaned on those words my whole life, in politics and with my family, through the best days and the hardest ones. I write about that and more in my new book, PROMISE ME, AMERICA. It’s out November 17th, and you can preorder it now at PromiseMeAmerica.com. I’m looking forward to folks reading it.
arabist retweeted
It’s notable to see progressives reclaiming the flag.
A head-turning new "Michigan First" ad from @AbdulElSayed - he names some issue he agrees with MAGA voters on, then plays a supercut of Fox News hosts/Tucker praising him or bashing Mike Rogers. semafor.com/article/10/23/20…
arabist retweeted
“One Day, Even The People Who Did This Will Have Always Been Against It”
One of many critical points in Jon Finer's excellent post-elections Israel policy agenda for Democrats: "A new approach should also start from the principle that U.S. policy will distinguish occupied territory and Israel proper."
nytimes.com/2026/10/23/opini…
arabist retweeted
The muzzling of Egypt’s last remaining independent media, the arrest of the Matsadaash team, and the case against Mada Masr’s editor-in-chief could signal that something is brewing in the coming days, necessitating a complete media gag by the ruling regime.
arabist retweeted
Algeria’s rupture with the UAE reflects mounting tensions over Abu Dhabi’s regional interventions, particularly in Libya and the Sahel, which Algiers sees as undermining its security.
The fallout could deepen regional rivalries and further destabilise North Africa and the Sahel
NEW COMMENTARY | How Algeria’s Rupture with the UAE Could Roil the Region
Algiers has severed diplomatic ties with Abu Dhabi, following years of discord. It has become a rivalry that could put regional stability at risk.
crisisgroup.org/cmt/middle-e…
arabist retweeted
My brilliant friend @Linaattalah is one of the bravest journalists I know. Along with 118 organizations, we demand Egypt end attacks on Lina, @MadaMasr @matsda2sh & independent journalism. Their work is vital for Egyptians & the world to understand the Arab world's largest nation
In less than 24 hours, 119 civil society orgs & independent media outlets from around the world have come together to stand in solidarity with @MadaMasr Editor-in-Chief @Linaattalah following her referral to trial in Egypt. TIMEP is proud to be among them: timep.org/2026/10/23/urgent-…
arabist retweeted
The GRU hacked into Jared Kushner's iPhone. Dutch military intelligence (MIVD) then recruited a GRU spy who gave them access to the hacked phone. What MIVD discovered was that Kushner had access to two bank accounts --one Azerbaijani, the other Israeli --where Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Emirati ruler Mohammed bin Zayed deposited money. It sounds like a slightly far-fetched episode of "Slow Horses," but it's real. And it proves just how eye-poppingly corrupt this administration was and continues to be as its "special envoy" decides the fate of tens of millions in Europe in the Middle East. Simply incredible reporting by Matthew Cole, drawn from his new book on Kushner. vanityfair.com/story/jared-k…
Terrible. Karak is a lovely place, and very sad to see this attack on the thriving Christian community in Jordan.
Video documents the moment terrorists attacked the Greek Orthodox church in the village of Hamoud, in the city of #Karak, Jordan and opened fire on those who were attending a funeral.
Cowards !
arabist retweeted
Important info on Egypt's growing crackdown on its few remaining independent journalists. I note how a weak international response encouraged Egypt to continue. Failing to stop this will greatly impair our understanding of a strategically critical country at a very sensitive time
Egypt has jailed an entire newsroom and referred @MadaMasr Editor-in-Chief Lina Attalah to trial, in an escalating campaign to silence the country’s remaining independent media.
Read CPJ’s analysis of Egypt’s unprecedented crackdown on the press by @m_medhaat:
cpj.org/2026/10/whos-next-in…
He’s right and more Dems should be saying it and campaigning for it - end it like it started, unilaterally.
arabist retweeted
Il faut comprendre pourquoi le lien officiel entre le CRIF et l’armée 🇮🇱 prouvé par ces documents est important politiquement : le CRIF ne peut pas être à la fois un acteur de la vie civile française et le canal de transmission d'un État tiers et son armée génocidaire.
🧵👇
🔴ALERTE INFO
🚨⚖️🇫🇷🇮🇱 Cinq ans d’inéligibilité avec exécution immédiate ont été requis ce mercredi soir contre le député #LFI Sébastien Delogu, poursuivi pour avoir révélé sur les réseaux sociaux des documents personnels d’Isidore Aragones, ancien président du #CRIF de Marseille, afin de dénoncer ses liens et son soutien à l’armée israélienne (Tsahal).
🇵🇸🇮🇱 👉 Ces documents évoquaient notamment son soutien moral et financier à cette armée, ainsi qu’un projet de visite d’une base militaire israélienne et de rencontre avec des soldats israéliens, alors que les massacres de civils de l’armée israélienne à #Gaza ont été qualifiés d’actes constitutifs de génocide par une commission d’enquête indépendante de l’ONU, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, les ONG israéliennes B’Tselem et Physicians for Human Rights Israel, ainsi que l’Association internationale des chercheurs sur les génocides.
arabist retweeted
This is huge.
A just-released SEC filing makes an extraordinary revelation: Mark Zuckerberg is getting ready to pay California’s 5% billionaire wealth tax and has signed an agreement to remain in California for 8 years.
We are witnessing a global turning point unfold before our eyes. 🧵
Absolutely correct. Whatever one may think about Lana Nusseibeh, the UAE connection should be a disqualifier, just like you should not elect a SG from Iran, or Russia, or the US.
arabist retweeted
I’ve wondered what the name is for that slime that builds up in uncleaned toilets.
Vivek. It’s called Vivek.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy doubled down on the controversial campaign ad featuring the estranged mother of his opponent in the Ohio governor's race, Amy Acton, calling her a "liar."
"If she feels that there's anything that's unfair or inaccurate about the criticisms leveled against her, she should be willing to defend herself on a debate stage," he said on Wednesday.
Acton's campaign and her brother denounced the ad as a "despicable low."
arabist retweeted
For those who like their metaphors blindingly obvious: washingtonpost.com/national-…
