Country Risk Rating

We continue to see the possibility of another military confrontation between Israel and Hizbullah, with rhetoric between the two parties intensifying and a new intelligence report... 2008-12-23

The Palestinian Sunni Islamist group Fatah al-Islam continues to make the headlines, in spite of the army's apparently decisive campaign against it in 2007, most recently with the... 2008-12-11

In mid-November, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defence Minister Ehud Barak secretly visited Amman to hold talks with King Abdullah, who reportedly pleaded with his guests... 2008-12-11

Israeli ruling party leader Tzipi Livni has slammed the opposition Labor and Shas parties, after they withheld support for a planned economic stimulus package. The plan, of which... 2008-11-25

Adding to our view that Syria is headed for a rapprochement with the West, UK Foreign secretary David Miliband said in November that intelligence officers from the two countries had... 2008-11-21

An Egyptian court has ruled in favour of a motion to ban natural gas exports to Israel. Egyptian natural gas consortium EMG began exporting the shipments under a US$2.5bn deal, which... 2008-11-21

Lebanon may have a government, but it remains unable to agree on anything, and the opposition are now threatening to throw the country into paralysis again, by boycotting the cabinet.... 2008-10-24

Jordan's solid relations with the US were further enhanced by the news in late September that Washington intends to increase its aid to Amman by 43% this year to US$660mn, and continue... 2008-10-24

As we went to press, the ruling National Democratic Party was preparing for its annual conference, which is to be held between 1-3 November, under the tagline 'A New Style of Thinking... 2008-10-23

Respected Muslim Brotherhood mufti Youssef al-Qaradawi has suggested that Shi'a Muslims have 'infiltrated' Muslim countries, including Egypt, Sudan, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco.... 2008-09-29