Middle East Research and Information Project

Critical Coverage of the Middle East Since 1971

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Hicham Safieddine

Hicham Safieddine is associate professor and Canada Research Chair in History of the Modern Middle East at the University of British Columbia.

From Oslo to Offshore—The Rise of Energy Normalization in the Eastern Mediterranean — An Israeli gas platform in the Mediterranean, 2014. Amir Cohen/Reuters

Issue 315-316

From Oslo to Offshore—The Rise of Energy Normalization in the Eastern Mediterranean

When US President Donald Trump’s first administration unveiled its “Peace to Prosperity” plan in January 2020, the glossy document promised Palestinians a share in regional growth. Part of its vision was an Eastern Mediterranean Energy Hub anchored in Egypt, designed to coordinate gas development and boost exports from the

Hicham Safieddine • 8 min read

Consequences of US Financial Warfare in the Middle East — MERIP-logo_black-red-dot-1024x657

MER Article

Consequences of US Financial Warfare in the Middle East

When the COVID-19 pandemic spiked in Iran in March 2020, calls for lifting financial restrictions to allow the import of much needed medical supplies fell on deaf ears in President Donald Trump’s administration. The White House had no intention of putting the brakes on an increasingly forceful tool of

Hicham Safieddine • 10 min read