Hamdullah Baycar

Prioritized Intermediate Zone: China’s New Third Worldism in the Middle East China has a long-standing diplomatic tradition rooted in Third Worldism. This ideological stance, centered on anti-colonialism and anti-imperialism, cultivated a sense of shared experiences and mut...

My co-authored article with Jiuzhou Duan in Middle East Critique explores China’s revival of Third Worldism and its framing of the Middle East as an intermediate zone—amid growing scrutiny of U.S. policy and rising attention to China’s intentions.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Why China's Inaction on Palestine and Iran Weakens its Global Standing Karadeniz, Turkiye (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) - If China wants to rival the United States, it must stop watching and start acting. Beijing wants the world to believe that a new multipolar ...

The blank check given by Europe and the US to Israel is pushing regional powers to seek alternatives—but China’s caution on Gaza and Iran shows the limits of its global role.
I explore this for
@jricole.bsky.social www.juancole.com/2025/07/inac...

Lebanon at a Crossroads: Can Saudi Arabia Counter Iran's Waning Influence? Trabzon, Turkey (Special to Informed Comment, Feature) - The recent visit of Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan to Lebanon on 23 January marks a critical moment for Saudi Arabia-...

Saudi FM visit to Beirut marks a shift in Saudi-Lebanon ties after years of strain. With Iran’s influence waning, Riyadh seizes the moment to re-engage. Could this signal a new era for Lebanon? My piece for Informed Comment (@jricole.bsky.social)

juancole.com/2025/02/leba...

Rivals in the Gulf: Yusuf al-Qaradawi, Abdullah Bin Bayyah, and the Qatar-UAE contest over the Arab Spring and the Gulf crisis Published in British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies (Ahead of Print, 2025)

My review of Rivals in the Gulf by David Warren is out in the British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies. The book explores how Qatar and the UAE used Qaradawi & bin Bayyah to legitimize rival Islamic narratives during the Arab Spring & Gulf Crisis. www.tandfonline.com/eprint/BFU5P...

Why the UAE approaches the new Syria with caution The new Syrian administration’s Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani, Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra, and intelligence chief Anas Khattab last week paid their first official visit to the United Arab ...

My latest @amwajmedia.bsky.social article analyzes the #UAE's cautious approach to post-Assad #Syria. Featuring quotes from Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, Courtney Freer, Neil Quilliam, and Hamdullah Baycar. amwaj.media/article/why-...

Saudi Arabia finds itself between ambitions and obstacles as it gears up for the 2034 World Cup - Manara Magazine As Saudi Arabia prepares for the 2034 World Cup, the global community will watch closely. Will the event catalyze genuine reform and progress?

Saudi Arabia hosting the #WorldCup2034 marks the Gulf's second turn on the global stage. While often compared to Qatar, Riyadh’s goals might differ—due to different demography and economic challenges, it seeks quick and transformative outcomes.
See our piece with @sana25.bsky.social Manara Magazine

Saudi Arabia finds itself between ambitions and obstacles as it gears up for the 2034 World Cup - Manara Magazine As Saudi Arabia prepares for the 2034 World Cup, the global community will watch closely. Will the event catalyze genuine reform and progress?

✍🏾 My latest with Dr. @hamdullahbaycar.bsky.social analyses the domestic & regional implications of the KSA 🇸🇦 winning the bid for hosting the FIFA 2034. #menasky
manaramagazine.org/2025/01/saud...

Sultan Haitham’s Visit to Türkiye: From Low Ties to Strategic Partnership - Gulf International Forum Sultan Haitham bin Tarik visited Türkiye on 28-29 November 2024, marking the first-ever official visit by an Omani state leader to that country. Sultan Haitham...

A historic first: Sultan Haitham's visit to Türkiye signals a new chapter for Oman-Türkiye ties. From defense deals to a $5B trade goal, both nations are laying for a strategic partnership. #Oman #Türkiye #GCC

See my piece for Gulf International Forum

gulfif.org/sultan-haith...

BBC Four - Secrets and Deals: How Britain Left the Middle East How, in 1971, Bahrain, Qatar, and the UAE ceased to be part of the British Empire.

The documentary highlights colonial fears of rising Arab nationalism and features insights from local scholars like Wafa Alsayed and Abdulkhaleq Abdulla.

To watch the documentary www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p...

Secrets and Deals: How Britain Left the Middle East Published in Journal of Arabian Studies: Arabia, the Gulf, and the Red Sea (Vol. 13, No. 2, 2023)

The UAE-Iran dispute over three islands has been a long-standing topic of scholarly debate. BBC's Secrets and Deals: How Britain Left the Middle East explores pre-occupation discussions among Iranians, Arabs, and the British. Highly recommended!
Read my review: tandfonline.com/eprint/KRJZX...

Congrats Sana! 👏

🎉 Super excited that my first ever peer reviewed article is finally published in the special issue of “Reorient the Gulf” in Journal of Arabian Studies.

What will Trump's Second Term mean for the Middle East? Trabzon, Turkey (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) - The U.S. presidential elections are among the most consequential for the Middle …

In my piece for Informed Comment, I argue due to Trump's America First policy, regional leaders could push him to reconsider his unwavering support for Israel. By highlighting the risks to their relations with U.S, the US may prompt a more balanced approach.

www.juancole.com/2024/11/trum...

I can’t bring myself to share images that depict Palestinians in moments of humiliation and vulnerability. But let me stress that these are the images widely seen across the Arab world and the Gulf, and the brutality they reflect are consonant with normalisation and the Abraham Accords.

Analyses of UAE-Syria Rapprochement: Emirati Perspective When the mass protests in Syria intensified starting in 2011, and the response to these protests became violent, many states and organizations cut or downgraded

My paper for Harmoon Center for Contemporary Studies discusses the motivations behind the #UAE's normalization with the al-Assad regime.

Israel prepares Lebanon cease-fire plan as ‘gift’ to Trump, officials say An Israeli government minister discussed the proposal with Trump and Jared Kushner at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday before traveling to the White House for talks.

Jared Kushner's private equity firm has taken in billions in investments from Middle Eastern countries including Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar.

He should not be anywhere near negotiations on policy in the region.

Netanyahu warns Lebanon of 'destruction like Gaza' - BBC News Benjamin Netanyahu's appeal came as Israel expanded its ground invasion against Hezbollah.

Netanyahu warns Lebanon to “throw out Hezbollah” (as if that were something any Lebanese actor could do) to avoid “destruction like we see in Gaza.” If international law still meant anything, the ICJ and ICC would be taking careful notes and disregard the passive voice.

www.bbc.com/news/article...

Blinken’s Request to Censor Al Jazeera: Against All American Values The Qatari state-owned media network has long been subject to American and Israeli attacks for its unfavorable coverage.

Despite Biden’s Democratic Party affiliation, one sees little difference from its predecessors in policy towards Israel-Palestine. Indeed, Bush praised Biden for his unconditional support of Israel after Oct 7.
My piece for Carnegie's Sada about US request to censor the coverage of Israeli crimes.

War on Gaza: US foreign policy needs a reset in 2024 Rather than continuing to prop up Israel at all costs, Washington should work towards a genuine peace in the region

Many people across the region see the US as an enemy, largely due to its unwavering, immoral and unjustifiable support for Israel. See our piece with
Ali Bakeer for Middle East Eye.

My latest write up with the newly minted Dr. @hamdullahbaycar.bsky.social 🤩 #PalestineWillBeFree

GCC National Days Celebrations in the Shadow of the Gaza War - Gulf International Forum The end of the year usually brings forth a wide array of religious and secular anniversaries and celebrations around the globe. In the Arab world,...

The ways in which Gulf states approached their national day celebrations during the Israel aggression in Gaza highlights their priorities, as they seek to cash in on cultural diplomacy while also seeking to calm public anger. See our piece with @sana25.bsky.social for Gulf International Forum

American Arabs, Muslims and allies, you won’t be voting for Biden, right?

What does the Gaza Conflict Mean for the UAE, the Abraham Accords and Saudi Normalization? Exeter, UK (Special to Informed Comment; Featured) - When the United Arab Emirates (UAE), along with several Arab states such …

If UAE-Israel normalization can set up an example, Saudi Arabia should be aware of normalization does not bring leverage on Israel. See my piece for Informed Comment. www.juancole.com/2023/11/conf...

Israel-Palestine war: Europe is following the US into another disastrous war UK and EU leaders blindly following US foreign policy on Israel and Gaza obviously learned nothing from the catastrophic western interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan

“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”, see our piece with Ali Bakir on why UK and Europe should be more cautious in following US unconditional support of Israel.

www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/isra...

Trying to work but distracted by not just the ongoing atrocity being committed in Gaza but also checking to make sure it's still legal in Britain to use words and phrases like "P*lestine", "From the r*ver to the sea"...