Al Majalla selected The Struggle for Power as the title of this week’s cover story because Israel’s elections raise questions that reach far beyond the identity of the next prime minister. They reveal a deeper contest over the nature of political authority, the limits that define it, and the balance that governs the state’s institutions. Early results indicate that the ballot box may prolong the political stalemate rather than bring it to an end. Benjamin Netanyahu does not appear to command a clear majority, while his opponents face the daunting task of converting any electoral advantage into a coalition capable of governing. The implications of this struggle reach far beyond Israel’s borders. The next government will influence the trajectory of the confrontation with Iran, the future of Gaza, tensions with Lebanon and Syria, and relations with Washington and the Arab states.

The Portfolio Model of Foreign Assistance

[caption id="attachment_55254345" align="aligncenter" width="900"] A young boy rests by empty USAID vegetable oil tins in the Dagahaley refugee camp which makes up part of the giant Dadaab refugee…

Majalla

Will Iran Become the Next North Korea?

[caption id="attachment_55254300" align="aligncenter" width="900"] A picture taken on August 20, 2010 shows an Iranian flag fluttering at an undisclosed location in the Islamic republic next to a…

Majalla

Will al Qaeda Make a Comeback?

[caption id="attachment_55254295" align="aligncenter" width="900"] Fighters from Al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate Al-Nusra Front drive in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo flying Islamist flags as they…

Majalla

President Trump’s Syria Conundrum

[caption id="attachment_55254291" align="aligncenter" width="900"] US President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin shake hands during a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in…

Majalla

Siemens’ Crimea Scandal

[caption id="attachment_55254232" align="aligncenter" width="900"] A man looks at electricity supply meters at a house in Simferopol on November 22, 2015. Crimea declared a state of emergency on…

Maia Otarashvili