CURRENT ISSUES IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Mgr. Eva Taterova, M.A., Ph.D.
Faculty of Social Studies
Masaryk University
Full text of the 'Treaty of Peace' signed by Israel and the United Arab Emirates | The Times of
Israel

FINAL EXAM
•Final Exam: January 14, January 28, February 11 (12 CET)
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•6 open questions sent by e-mail (cover lectures and readings from the whole semester)
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•Time: 1 hour
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•Submission: Information System of Masaryk University
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•Total: 60 points
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GRADES
•A 92 - 100
•B 84 - 91
•C 76 - 83
•D 68 - 75
•E 60 - 67
•F less than 60 points
page 3

AMBIGUOUS (AND STILL OPEN) CONSEQUENCES
OF THE ARAB SPRING
•A stable but often very brutal autocracy sinks into chaos (Syria, Yemen, Libya) or the resurgence
of autocracy (Egypt).
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•In the ongoing chaos, radicals of all kinds are strengthening - from secularists (clan warlords in
Syria or Kurdish militias) to religious extremists (ISIS, An-Nusra).
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•Weakening US power, slightly strengthening influence of Russia (Syria), China, regional power
Turkey is trying to become a local hegemon.
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AMBIGUOUS (AND STILL OPEN) CONSEQUENCES
OF THE ARAB SPRING
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•Intra-Islamic religious disputes are politicized and sharpened (Saudis and their allies versus
Iran and its allies), the Israeli-Arab conflict (but not the Israeli-Palestinian conflict) is
de-escalating.
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•Giant refugee waves, humanitarian disasters, devastation or stagnation of economies, rising
inequality and poverty.
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El-Sissi's uncle, the Haganah member | The Times of Israel
Abdel Fattah el-Sisi

Situation after the Arab Spring

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Výsledek obrázku pro middle east before arab spring

THE ARAB SPRING LED TO THE STRENGTHENING OF THREE ALLIANCES:
•1. "Saudi" - inaccurately "Sunni" bloc
•maintaining the conservative regimes of the Middle East (mainly Saudis, UAE + Bahrain, Egypt) +
Israel
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•2. "Iranian" - inaccurately "Shiite" bloc
•Iran, Syria, Lebanese Hezbollah, largely the government in Iraq
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•3. Qatar and Turkey
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•Proxy Wars - Iraq, Syria, Yemen, etc.




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POSITION OF ISRAEL
•Normalization of the diplomatic relations with selected Muslim countries in 2020:
•United Arab Emirates.
•Bahrain.
•Sudan.
•Morroco.
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Full text of the 'Treaty of Peace' signed by Israel and the United Arab Emirates | The Times of
Israel
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US President Donald Trump, and UAE Foreign Minister
Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan

2019 AND TURKEY AS A NEW KEY PLAYER
•Member of NATO (2nd strongest army).
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•Fighting Kurds (YPG / PKK).
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•It benefits from the problems of Syria.
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•An important role in the context of the migration crisis.
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•Increasing domestic and foreign influence of President Erdogan.
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•Business partner of the United States.
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Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

CURRENT POLITICAL CHALLENGES
strana 12
•Change in US foreign policy - gradual abandonment of the Middle East.
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•High unemployment in post-war states (Iraq, Syria).
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•High debt and corruption.
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•Political and religious instability.
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•Missing and insufficient infrastructure.
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•Consequences of covid-19 pandemy for the region.

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•THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION