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 Problem With Syria's Demographics

[caption id="attachment_55254218" align="aligncenter" width="900"] DAMASCUS, SYRIA - JANUARY 31: In this handout provided by the United Nation Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), Residents wait in line…

Majalla

Why Extremism Is on the Rise in Bangladesh

[caption id="attachment_55254221" align="aligncenter" width="900"] DHAKA, BANGLADESH - MARCH 22: Men study at the Jamia Rahmania Arabia madrassa, where Mufti Jasim Uddin Rahmani who is the the…

Majalla

Hunger Games

[caption id="attachment_55254224" align="aligncenter" width="900"] A malnourished boy sits in the sand outside a hut on April 14, 2000 in a camp for people looking for food and water in Danan in…

Majalla

Austerity Britain

[caption id="attachment_55254161" align="aligncenter" width="900"] Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May takes a sip of tea as she chats with youth activists during a visit to the Young Minds mental…

Majalla

Washington's Dead End in Syria

[caption id="attachment_55254175" align="aligncenter" width="900"] A 26-year old ex-military member from the US, nick-named by Kurdish fighters as Hewal Bahoz, poses for a photo on April 14, 2015, in…

Majalla

Globalization of Falafel

The Kerfuffle Over Food and Cultural Identity by Ghada Fathi The relationship between food and identity is inextricable. History books are full of “sha’abi foods” for almost all nations, and…

Majalla

The War After ISIS

[caption id="attachment_55254119" align="aligncenter" width="900"] Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani (C) attends Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's (not seen) meeting with…

Majalla

The Race for Deir Ez’zor

[caption id="attachment_55254116" align="aligncenter" width="900"] A convoy of US forces armoured vehicles drives in Syria on March 5, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / DELIL SOULEIMAN [/caption] Are the…

Majalla

The Names of Jihad

A Guide to ISIS' Noms de Guerre by Vera Mironova The situation was solemn, but hidden smiles played behind the eyes of those listening in. An Islamic State (ISIS) fighter was yelling for his…

Majalla