On December 8, the 53-year reign of the al-Assad family came to an end as rebel groups took over Syria. The Syrian civil war has been raging for almost 14 years, starting in 2011, and many experts viewed the regime collapse as a sudden shift in the conflict’s power dynamics. 

We spoke to AUC Professor Bahgat Korany to better understand the causes, impact and future of Syria following the fall of the al-Assad regime.  

Korany believes the speedy fall of al-Assad is significant in itself, demonstrating “our misconception of confusing the state’s fierceness with its strength. On the contrary, in this case, fierceness is much more a demonstration of the lack of legitimacy and acceptability, indeed of the state’s weakness.” 

Korany explained how al-Assad’s regime was mainly maintained through force, by counting on the Alawite minority and other groups through bribery, along with foreign support from Iran and Russia. “The decline of resources available at the disposal of the regime (lack of finance) or of its allies (increasing involvement of Russia in Ukraine and Iran devoting its main resources to conflict escalation with Israel) created serious economic problems for members of the Syrian army. Many simply abandoned the regime,” he said.

Yet while the fall of the regime was welcomed by many, Korany said that “the attainment of political stability for Syrians is not for tomorrow. There are too many militias and warlords dispersed in Syria’s different regions, many with their independent base among the population.” Mohammed al-Bashir has been named interim prime minister, and a new government is expected to materialize by the time his term ends on March 1, 2025. 

“Though Bashar’s fall was really overdue, hard times are still ahead for both Syria and the Arab world as a whole. But the real process toward an alternative, though time-consuming, is now starting.”

Still, Korany warns that “at a time when the need for national unity is crucial, Syria’s sociopolitical fragmentation will make coordination, consensus and coalition-building for a working national regime a real challenge.” He speculated that it will also take a long time for Syria to recover its position as an active regional power.

Another point of concern has been Israel’s encroachment onto the newly liberated Syrian territory. Since the regime’s collapse, the Israeli military has carried out more than 480 strikes in Syria, allegedly destroying the majority of the Syrian army’s assets while seizing Syrian territory, breaching the border for the first time in decades.

“At a time when the need for national unity is crucial, Syria’s sociopolitical fragmentation will make coordination, consensus and coalition-building for a working national regime a real challenge.” 

“The easy way Israel managed the destruction of Syria’s maritime/military infrastructure shows the new military hierarchy of the Middle East,” said Korany. “The ‘new Middle East’ will be essentially dominated by regional powers such as Turkey and especially Israel.”

Korany concluded, “Though Bashar’s fall was really overdue, hard times are still ahead for both Syria and the Arab world as a whole. But the real process toward an alternative, though time-consuming, is now starting.”

Reliving our proudest moments of 2024, we showcase the AUC community's achievements, innovative initiatives, commitment to excellence and significant influence on the world.

Addressing contemporary challenges ranging from community-based development to climate action, AUC faculty and students from various disciplines actively engaged in the 12th World Urban Forum (WUF 12), the premier global conference on sustainable urbanization organized by UN-Habitat. 

Returning to Africa after more than 20 years since its inception, the forum was held in Egypt for the first time and featured over 24,000 participants from 182 countries. These included representatives of national, regional and international governments; academics; business and community leaders; and civil society organizations. 

Advancing Architecture 

Faculty from AUC’s Department of Architecture spearheaded discussions on diverse topics and conducted hands-on training sessions. Basil Kamel, professor of architecture and urban theory,  and Sherif Goubran ‘14, assistant professor of sustainable design, collaborated with EU-based and regional institutions to deliver a training workshop helping homeowner associations prioritize, optimize and finance retrofits in existing buildings to ensure their resilience to climate uncertainties, emphasizing that retrofitting should not only consider the buildings but the urban space that creates a community as well. “Retrofitting has to be redefined to consider a humane experience that goes beyond the building, extending to a social and communal enhancement,” said Kamel.

"I was incredibly proud to see our students and alumni take the stage at WUF, the world's largest event of its kind. They are truly well-equipped to make a meaningful impact." 

Nabil Mohareb, associate professor of spatial analysis and design, conducted a training session for students from national and private universities in Egypt based on sustainable development goals implementation metrics, which map local priorities.

“WUF12 was an excellent opportunity to showcase and share AUC’s innovation as well as its regional and global leadership in questions of urbanity and cities,” said Mohareb. “At the event, AUC faculty and students emerged as thought leaders capable of mediating urban research, knowledge and action between the Global North and Global South.” 

As a panelist at the event, Mohareb discussed strategies for embedding climate action into the heart of urban planning, capitalizing on the University’s climate change initiative to integrate knowledge from COP27 into teaching, learning, and research. 

Held in Egypt for the first time, AUC is hosting the UN-Habitat’s biennial World Urban Campaign Assembly on November 6, featuring researchers, academics, students, urban planners, policymakers and NGOs who will engage in discussions on the future of urban planning. Watch the event’s livestream. 

“AUC’s selection to host this event signifies an acknowledgement of the role and weight of our institution as an anchor point to lead future sustainable urbanization in Egypt and the region,” said Momen El-Husseiny, assistant professor of architecture and co-organizer of the World Urban Campaign Assembly at AUC. “This selection came after the outstanding efforts of our faculty, researchers and students in tackling urban issues during the Egypt Urban Campaign over the past year.” 

El-Husseiny will moderate and present panels on a range of topics such as AUC’s role as a catalyst for urban transformation in New Cairo and downtown, micromobility infrastructures, the impact of gated communities and how proximity can help alleviate social inequalities by ensuring that services are accessible to all residents in urban areas.

The event will include as well as a conference held in collaboration with Sorbonne University in Paris, featuring faculty from AUC and 13 other universities worldwide to discuss the Global Observatory of Sustainable Proximities. French mayor Jean-Michel-Perret will be among the conference attendees. 

“AUC’s selection to host this event signifies an acknowledgement of the role and weight of our institution as an anchor point to lead future sustainable urbanization in Egypt and the region.”

The day will culminate in a public talk by Carlos Moreno, associate professor at the Sorbonne and author of The 15-Minute City, a people-first approach that is being implemented in global cities such as Paris, Milan and Buenos Aires. 

The World Urban Campaign Assembly is held in tandem with the World Urban Forum, where AUC faculty from various disciplines, including architecture and graphic design, will present talks. AUC alumni will also participate in panel discussions. These include Egypt’s Minister of Finance Ahmed Kouchouk ’99; Egypt’s Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat ’95; journalist Shahira Amin ’78 and Yuriko Koike (ALU ’71), Tokyo’s first female governor.

Bahia Shehab (MA ’09), professor of practice in graphic design, will present a talk at the panel titled, A Space for All, “I will explore the significance of digital and physical public spaces as centers of cultural expression, emphasizing how art and culture can bring communities together,” said Shehab. “I will also discuss my public art installations Pyramids of Garbage (2020) and Heaven and Hell in the Anthropocene (2022) exhibited at COP27, as well as my ongoing street art project At the Corner of a Dream, where I have painted verses by Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish in 16 cities around the world, from Hawaii to Tokyo.”

In addition, as part of the World Urban Forum, AUC architecture students actively participated in the Habitat UNI Booth held on November 5, where select universities from around the globe showcased their work in urban sustainability, presenting their research and solutions to address urban issues and challenges. At the booth, AUC students and faculty presented videos, posters and research projects covering issues related to sustainable urban development and climate crisis in education. The students highlighted their Cairo Bike project in downtown Cairo, design-and-build sustainable earth construction in Siwa, and the use of AI and spatial simulation in urban design studios.

“I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to be part of the World Urban Forum 12, representing my department and all the initiatives that we’ve been part of over the years!” 

Here’s what three architecture seniors had to say about the Habitat UNI Booth: 

“Presenting at the UNI Booth at the World Urban Forum was an intense ride — challenging yet electrifying! However, the boost of confidence that suddenly came into the three of us as we were presenting turned every hurdle into a confidence boost and propelled our work into the spotlight on a global stage."

Mariam Bechir
Architecture Senior, President, AUC's student-led Architecture Association

"I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to be part of the World Urban Forum 12, representing my department and all the initiatives that we’ve been part of over the years."

Jana Gaafar
Architecture Senior, Vice President, AUC's student-led Architecture Association

“Showcasing the multiple initiatives of our department in an event as big as the World Urban Forum was an honor! It’s finally getting the attention and exposure it deserves.”

Rita Gabriel 
Architecture Senior

The candidates are current Vice President Kamala Harris representing the Democratic Party and former President Donald Trump, running on behalf of the Republican Party. 

Middle East Policy

On the most basic level, our faculty experts predict that Middle East policy would remain constant between the two candidates. However, they agree that Trump may be more supportive of Israel and less sympathetic to the humanitarian crises in Palestine and Lebanon. 

Mark Deets, assistant professor of history, expects Trump to cut back on some of the overseas assistance and aid: “Democrats generally spend more on development and Republicans on defense.” Deets explained that Harris is a “typical interventionist” who believes that American leadership is needed abroad, while Trump tends to take a “populist approach,” appealing to isolationists who believe the United States “should not be as involved in foreign affairs” with the exception of Israel.

Sean Lee, assistant professor of political science, corroborated this belief: “My suspicion is that U.S. policy would probably become less pro-Ukraine than it is right now if Trump wins the election, while the Middle East policy likely won’t change much.” 

 “Middle Eastern foreign policy can only move in one direction: the pro-Israel direction.” 

Lee argued that, despite more humanitarian language surrounding President Joe Biden’s conduct, the Biden-Harris administration has not made an effort to enforce domestic U.S. law, much less international humanitarian law in Gaza. “Documents show that the Biden administration has gone against its own State Department experts who found that Israel is blocking humanitarian aid to Gaza in order to maintain arms transfers to Israel. Under Trump, the situation is likely to get worse,” Lee said.

For example, it wouldn’t surprise Lee to see Trump sign off on an annexation of the West Bank based on his 2020 “peace plan” to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Likewise, “to the extent that there’s any pressure now for Israel to not maintain a permanent presence in Gaza, I wouldn’t be shocked if that goes away under a Trump administration,” he added.

In a nutshell, Lee believes that “Middle Eastern foreign policy can only move in one direction: the pro-Israel direction.” And while Deets would like to see the United States backing off from its support for Israel, he doesn’t “see it happening anytime soon, regardless of who wins.”

The Arab-American Vote

Following the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, many predict that the Arab-American vote will be a toss up. “The Biden-Harris administration has disappointed so many on its Gaza policy that a number of people are going to step back and either cast a throwaway vote or a third-party vote,” Deets said, sharing that some of these protest votes may swing in Trump’s direction.

“The feeling of abandonment by both candidates is especially true with the younger generation,” Deets added. “They’re very upset with Democrats for their support of Israel.” They’re also skeptical of Trump for his extreme support of Israel during his term and repeated use of the word ‘Palestinian’ as a slur, according to Deets. 

This could be significant as Arab-Americans represent a large number of voters in certain swing states such as Michigan. “I don’t know exactly what the polls are now in Michigan, but it’s one of those states where that issue could throw the election,” said Deets. In 2016, Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in Michigan — home to over 200,000 Arabs — by a mere 11,000 votes.

“The Biden-Harris administration has disappointed so many on its Gaza policy that a number of people are going to step back and either cast a throwaway vote or a third-party vote.”

The protest vote has gained traction through national movements such as Uncommitted and Abandon Harris, which have been lobbying Arab-American voters. Many have turned their support to Jill Stein, the Green Party candidate, and other independent or third party candidates.

U.S. Domestic Policy

Alaa El Hadidi, adjunct faculty in AUC’s Prince Alwaleed Center for American Studies and Research, broke down current American voter priorities into the following: Middle East policy and human rights, China policy, the economy, migrants and the environment.

While policies can be static, El Hadidi said to watch the different attitudes between the two parties, especially with foreign policy. “They have very different approaches to the region; however, the place of the Middle East in the overall American strategic interest will remain the same.”

This extends to each party’s China policy: “One of the very few things both parties agree on is that the rise of China is a threat and that they need to rival the country’s major economic trade partnerships in the Gulf and beyond, though each candidate has their own approach.”

Domestically, El Hadidi thinks human rights will be a huge voter issue. “The last time America was so polarized was during the Vietnam War, which happened almost at the same time as the civil rights movements,” he said. Today, the issue of human rights manifests through the Middle East policy, abortion rights and the migrant issue.

On migration, El Hadidi recalled Trump’s immigration ban on eight Muslim countries. “We can expect Trump to be more stringent on immigration rules, whether from Latin America or the Middle East.” Meanwhile, a Harris administration would be more flexible on immigration and more vocal about humanitarian crises, including along the U.S.-Mexico border.

One final issue to watch is the environment. “Trump now has his famous slogan to encourage increased production of fossil fuels: ‘Drill, baby, drill.’ With the Democrats, environmental policy is a dilemma. On one hand, they want cheap oil, but on the other, they want less oil produced,” said El Hadidi, explaining that the Biden-Harris environmental policy is costly to consumers.

Rashid Khalidi is a Palestinian-American historian of the Middle East and the Edward Said Professor Emeritus of Modern Arab Studies at Columbia University. This week, he spoke at an AUC webinar on the Palestinian struggle historically and today. Among other insights, Khalidi shared ideas about the inevitability of resistance, the recent birth of a Western narrative for the Palestinian cause and the need for Arab states to take more action.

Here's what history tells us about Palestine today, according to Khalidi:

1. The war on Palestine has always been a settler-colonial project fought through Western wars, based on Western interests. “This war today is not an Israeli war. It’s an Israeli American war.” Colonial strategic interests — not like or dislike for Jewish and Arab communities — have historically dictated the West’s foreign policy on Israel. “It’s pure Imperial interest strategy.” Today, “the United States sees Israel as a strategic asset.”
2. Resistance is a historical inevitability in the face of occupation. “Israel has taken a course that guarantees the continuation of resistance — unarmed, nonviolent and violent. Every occupation engenders resistance. Settler colonialism engenders an even fiercer resistance: unless they destroy the entire Palestinian population and empty South Lebanon permanently, there will be resistance… [it’s] a historical inevitability.”
3. Settler-colonialism is unlikely to succeed in the 21st century. “[Settler-colonialism] succeeds when it entirely eliminates or completely subjugates the indigenous population, and you can only do that if you have an enormous population imbalance, as in North America, Australia and New Zealand.” The only other way it can succeed is to “exterminate the population,” which Khalidi doubts Israel can do in the 21st century, even though “they came close … in Gaza were it not for Egyptian and Jordanian refusal to accept people expelled from Gaza.”

"Every occupation engenders resistance. … [it’s] a historical inevitability."

4. Western narratives have disadvantaged Palestinians, but this is starting to change. Within the Zionist movement, there have been “Westerners crafting a Western narrative for Western audiences in a way that [we] really haven’t had for the Arabs ever… Zionism grew up in the West. Its headquarters, motivation and finance were [European],” and this is something that “Arab countries [and] Palestinians especially, have [never] fully appreciated,” though this is now changing with Arab Americans and Western-educated Arabs. 
5. Public opinion can sometimes influence democratic governments, but it takes time. On Palestine, “public opinion has changed, [but] the elites have not; … elites nevertheless will continue to control policy.” Khalidi cited the Vietnam and Iraq wars, which went on for years after democratic opinion shifted. However, in some countries, public pressure has already achieved a lot. “The fact that Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Canada have restricted arms sales to Israel over the past few months is enormously important.” These are pro-Palestine decisions from pro-Israel government “on the basis of overwhelming pressure from [the public] to limit support for Israel’s war.” However, “until public pressure affects the United States in the same way, it doesn’t really matter, because all of the major weapon systems are American” — in other words, the “Israeli war machine” won’t really be stopped.

 “[Settler-colonialism] succeeds when it entirely eliminates or completely subjugates the indigenous population."

6. “Arab countries have the responsibility to do much, much more than they’re doing” by, at the minimum, imposing costs on Israel for its war in Gaza. “Every single Arab country, whether they have secret relations with Israel or ... embassies in Tel Aviv, [should, at a minimum, threaten] a complete freeze, if not a breaking of relations, [if Israel fails to meet certain conditions] beyond a certain date. There must be a cost for Israel. The second thing is, have an actual boycott. … The third is to make relations with the United States conditional on changes in American policy.” Khalidi added that the U.S. and Israel rely on the repression of pro-Palestine sentiment by some Arab governments, and this is furthered by the fact that “more than half of Arab governments have some form of relations with Israel, which they have been unwilling to break.”
7. Israel has never accepted Palestinian self-determination. The strategic objective of a two-state solution “foundered on the intransigence of Israel in the United States, which refused from the beginning until today, to accept a sovereign, independent Palestinian state. Israel has never accepted Palestinian self-determination. It’s never accepted full sovereign statehood.” Instead, they have repeatedly and openly offered Palestinians ‘less than a state’ where “Israel’s occupation continues.”
8. “The only possible resolution is one that accepts that [we] have two national groups here. One group are settlers, but there are settler colonial realities, like the United States, which have created nations. The Israelis have created a people, a nation… and I don’t think that can be changed.” Now, we have to find “a solution where the two peoples can live in complete equality and in a situation of justice.”

"Israel has never accepted Palestinian self-determination. It’s never accepted full sovereign statehood. ... [We have to find] a solution where the two peoples can live in complete equality and in a situation of justice."

9. Palestinians have not been given options other than subjugation or resistance. “People will not be pushed off their land. People will not have their property stolen. People will not allow settlers to take over their land. Their choice is essentially annihilation and subjugation, or resistance, and it’s not because they necessarily want to resist. It’s because really, literally, Israel and the U.S. give them absolutely no choice.”
10. U.S. elections might invite change. “After the elections and once there’s a new president, it may be possible for whichever president is in the White House in January of 2025 to tell the Israelis that it’s enough, that the harm being done to the American image in the world and to its standing as the supporter of a rules-based international order — which has become a meaningless term — is gravely compromised; that they’re harming themselves as well as the United States… There can be no positive end for Israel in what they’re doing.”

One year into the war on Gaza, an AUC faculty panel addressed the humanitarian crisis and the future of Gaza. Moderated by Khaled Ezzelarab, associate professor of practice in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, the event featured Rabab El Mahdi, associate professor in the Department of Political Science, Karim Haggag, professor of practice in the Department of Public Policy and Administration, and Hani Sayed, associate professor in the Department of Law.

Ezzelarab began the discussion with a stark comparison: “In proportion to the population of Gaza, the death toll is equivalent to 2,000 September 11 attacks. The main headline of what happened last year must be the unprecedented destruction of life and property,” said Ezzelarab.

Shifting Dynamics

Since October 7, 2023, many aspects of the conflict have transformed. Haggag walked us through “the revival of existential narratives on both sides,” from the memory of the Holocaust on the Israeli side to the Nakba on the Palestinian side. 

He also pointed out the agenda for “deciding the conflict in favor of Israel.” Part of that agenda, Haggag said, is a demonstrated intent to weaken and ultimately destroy the Palestinian National Authority, “the only address for Palestinian national aspirations … within the territory.” This comes alongside an “explicit annexationist agenda” and a very clear plan to forcibly displace Palestinians from the territories.

Simultaneously, Haggag shared, there is a trend by which Arab Israelis are identifying more and more with the Palestinian struggle itself. So, “in essence, we may not be talking about a Palestinian-Israeli national conflict” but “an Arab-Jewish ethno-religious conflict” among Israelis moving forward. 

“In proportion to the population of Gaza, the death toll is equivalent to 2,000 September 11 attacks. The main headline of what happened last year must be the unprecedented destruction of life and property.”

Sayed added that the Palestinian question is an issue of global justice. He criticized the tendency toward “legal fetishism,” or the pattern by which political discourse collapses “into an exchange of legal claims for justification and condemnation,” with a tendency to believe that arguments about freedom have the power to decide political questions.

Within the nature of the Israeli system of control over Palestine since 1948, “A peace process that accepts, legitimizes and embodies ethno-national political goals will necessarily fail,” said Sayed. The systemic control exercised by Israel over Palestine, he argues, is essential for any meaningful political process to address. This ethno-nationalist project inherently involves controlling populations, territories and resources, ultimately leading to recurring cycles of violence. 

Additionally, while the Global North is slowly recognizing the Palestinian struggle, Sayed said, “Palestine was never misunderstood in the Global South” as part of the shared anti-colonial narrative. He stressed the importance of viewing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza as a moral failure that speaks to patterns of normalized destruction of Palestinian lives. “What happens in Gaza is the template for how Israel aims to contain, subjugate and exclude the Palestinian population everywhere.”

Anti-Colonial Movements in a Historical Context

El Mahdi emphasized the historical role of armed resistance in anti-colonial movements. She argued that the right to armed struggle against an occupation is embedded in international law and that the context of popular resistance in Palestine is often ignored. “Armed resistance is a right that has been recognized … repeatedly through resolutions of the UN General Assembly,” said El Mahdi. “This is not to glorify violence, but I do not know of a liberation movement against settlement occupation that succeeded without some form of armed resistance.” 

“A peace process that accepts, legitimizes and embodies ethno-national political goals will necessarily fail.”

El Mahdi noted that Nelson Mandela’s party, the African National Congress, had an armed resistance faction while liberating subjects of apartheid in South Africa and is now the governing party. Even Gandhi, known for nonviolently liberating India from British rule, “did not exist in a vacuum.”

Paths Toward Peace

As comments from the audience addressed the future of Palestinian resistance and the regionalization of the Palestinian cause, Haggag questioned whether new strategies are needed to create change in the face of the current struggle. “Can we still talk about a two-state solution? Can we or do we need to shift focus?” He suggested a potential need to transition toward a struggle of civil rights within what is a one-state reality now emerging in the entire territory between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River.

As the situation in Gaza worsens, the panelists called for both solidarity and critical reflection on the future of the Palestinian cause.

Students in the Center for Arabic Student Abroad (CASA@AUC) program are back to taking classes in AUC’s oldest building, the historic palace, which has been overlooking downtown Cairo for more than 150 years. 

“This move serves as a symbolic homecoming, highlighting the program’s growth and reaffirming its success and commitment to offering students a dynamic environment for Arabic language learning and cultural immersion.”

CASA@AUC students had been studying at the historic palace before relocating to New Cairo in 2008 with the rest of the University. They didn’t remain there for long and returned to AUC Tahrir Square with a dedicated space in Hill House, allowing students to experience the vibrance of downtown and engage in cultural events that enrich their learning. This year, they are back to studying in the historic palace, where AUC originally conceived the program. 

“The return to the palace is highly significant, as CASA@AUC continues to fulfill its mission of immersive Arabic language and cultural education,” said Iman Soliman, senior instructor and chair of the Department of Arabic Language Instruction. “This move serves as a symbolic homecoming, highlighting the program’s growth and reaffirming its success and commitment to offering students a dynamic environment for Arabic language learning and cultural immersion.”

“[This] revives a longstanding tradition of teaching the liberal arts, which include the study of language, in a setting defined by beauty and heritage."

Hear what CASA@AUC students feel about studying in the historic palace:

“Studying Arabic in the heart of Cairo at the historic AUC Tahrir campus is such a privilege. The campus's beautiful grounds and architecture, coupled with its modern facilities, are like an oasis for study and reflection. And all at arm’s reach from the energy and excitement we love about downtown Cairo.”

Jaron Sutton 

“The return of the CASA@AUC program to the historic palace at AUC’s Tahrir Square campus revives a longstanding tradition of teaching the liberal arts, which include the study of language, in a setting defined by beauty and heritage. With its stunning architecture, lush greenery and walls adorned with the names of renowned scholars from the Islamic and Arab tradition, there is simply no better place for CASA@AUC to thrive. The campus serves as a reminder of Egypt’s rich intellectual heritage and an inspiration to carry this legacy forward.”

Dani Bin Abdul Rahim 

“I spent some time doing research at AUC's archives last year and came across several photos of Umm Kulthum and her takht performing at Ewart Hall. When I found out that CASA@AUC would be held at the old campus, these images immediately surfaced in my mind. I was beyond excited to study in a historic place where these monumental musicians once performed. I still pinch myself every morning as I walk past Ewart Hall on the way to class, thinking of Kawkab al-Sharq, Muhammad al-Qasabji and all the other greats who have walked these halls, filling the place with music.”

Kira Weiss

In the past two weeks, more than 1,000 people have been killed in Lebanon and 6,300 injured by Israeli strikes. Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, was also killed on September 27. While the looming implications of this conflict remain unclear, we asked AUC faculty members who study the region to share their thoughts.

Why Conflict? Why Now?

Bahgat Korany, professor of international relations and political economy, broke down Israel’s objectives into three points:

1. Militarily: eliminate the threat of an enemy, Hezbollah.
2. Domestically: allow Israelis in the north to return to their region and feel secure, and increase support for the current Israeli government while it is still on the defensive because of the hostage crisis. A direct objective of prolonging the violence is to save Netanyahu from being tried on corruption charges.
3. Regionally and strategically: show that Israel is the dominant power, omnipresent and multi-capable. It can do what it decides, and no deterrence whatsoever will work.

In a nutshell, “It is the present Israeli government that wants a regional war,” said Korany.

Jason Beckett, associate professor of law, gave an international law perspective. “Law of war contains two clear principles: the duty to distinguish between civilians and combatants, and the duty of proportionality.” In international law, “the targeting of walkie-talkies and pagers would probably be considered a war crime” and the targeted assassinations are also deemed “problematic."

“The number of casualties already approached in just two or three days what it was after 33 days [in the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah War].”

Social, Human Cost in Lebanon

The war has already had devastating effects in Lebanon, displacing as many as a million people internally and causing more than 30,000 people to flee to war-torn Syria. 

Sean Lee, assistant professor of political science, finds that the conflict’s human cost is “even worse than it was in the Israel-Hezbollah War in 2006” as “the number of casualties — the number of people killed and injured — already approached in just two or three days what it was after 33 days in 2006.”

Beckett said that prospects for human rights in Lebanon are “pretty awful,” speculating that essentially all rights will be broken. “The people of Lebanon suffer. They’ve been suffering anyway, but now they suffer more,” Beckett said, emphasizing the human impact of the attacks.

Economically, Korany said that “all indicators without exception show the deteriorating situation, from the worthlessness of the Lebanese currency to the shortage of medicine and basic goods.” Beyond economics, Korany pointed out that “Lebanon is already what we call in political science a ‘fragile/failed state,’ and with displacement from the south, the state’s incapacity to cope will increase.”

Prior to October 7, Lebanon was recovering from what the World Bank called one of the world’s worst financial crises since the 1850s. That crisis was exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic and domestic protests triggered by the Beirut port explosion on August 4, 2020. In the years since those pivotal events, Lebanon had reached a period of political deadlock and economic depression, lasting until the country was dragged into an active state of war over these past weeks. 

“The Lebanese lira lost 90% of its value, and about 80% of the population live around the poverty line. Israeli military attacks are making a bad situation far worse,” said Korany. State actors, including the government and Lebanese Armed Forces, remain mostly uninvolved in the current war.

"Lebanon is already what we call in political science a ‘fragile/failed state,’ and with displacement from the south, the state’s incapacity to cope will increase.”

Future Expectations

“The situation is bleak,” said Beckett, who has low faith in the international community’s willingness to take action, such as through sanctions and embargoes. The U.S. response is the most relevant to the situation, which Beckett said “is a problem as Biden, Harris and Trump all support the Gaza genocide.”

According to Lee, “If we take certain Israeli cabinet ministers at their word, they would like to see ground invasion and occupation, if not even annexation of South Lebanon.” Lee does not think the annexation is realistic, but he noted that “Israel has a long history of occupying South Lebanon,” invading it in 1978 and 1982 and occupying it from 1982 until 2000. “It would not surprise me if [there is a ground invasion that] leads to a longer occupation, but I think that would also be very costly for the Israelis in both treasure and blood,” he said.

Beckett said he would like a situation where Israeli aggression is permanently curtailed and there is no need for Hamas, Hezbollah, or the Axis of Resistance to exist, “But that seems unlikely.” What must happen, in his view, is a U.S. change of stance on arming Israel. “Criticizing Netanyahu is not enough, especially when you continue to arm and diplomatically protect him. The invasion [in Lebanon] will continue for as long as it has U.S. support.”

Korany believes that two critical measures are needed to save Lebanon from its worsening situation: (1) an immediate ceasefire and pressure on Israel to stop its plans; (2) foreign funds to help those who left their homes in the south and rebuild medical services and general infrastructure so that people may go back.

Beckett concludes, “Theoretically, states have a duty to prevent war crimes and ensure respect for international humanitarian law, but they will not.”

Three Columbia University graduate students decided to spend a semester abroad at AUC. Find out what brought them from New York to Cairo.

James Hebish, Juris Doctor Candidate at Columbia Law School

An Egyptian-American third-year law student, Hebish was thrilled to come to AUC for the University’s unique position. Hebish desires to improve his language skills and gain living experience in Cairo, a city that he is used to transiting through while visiting family in Beni Suef.

Since arriving at AUC, Hebish has been exploring downtown Cairo in his free time, eating koshary at Abou Tarek and watching the latest Arab films at Zawya Cinema. As an amateur oud player, Hebish is attending performances and concerts by Egyptian artists such as Omar Khairat. He is pleased to be immersed in Cairo’s entertainment culture and arts scene.

Academically, Hebish is impressed by the faculty’s critical approach and ability to question well-established subject matters. “The professors who speak about international law at AUC are informed by the history of the region. They’re coming at it with an alternative perspective,” said Hebish. His favorite AUC class is Introduction to International Human Rights Law and Critique with Associate Professor of Law Jason Beckett. 

Hebish has also taken pleasure in the sprawling campus and welcoming environment at AUC. “Everyone from the cafe workers to the security guards and even random people on the street are very eager to help,” said Hebish. “AUCians and Egyptians generally take pride in that kind of hospitality.”

Leah Daoud, Master of Public Administration Candidate at Columbia School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA)

A second-year student of Lebanese descent, Daoud was most excited to be in an Arabic-speaking country, where she can connect to her heritage language. “Everybody wants to come to Egypt; the history and culture are unparalleled,” she said.

Daoud feels that the rigorous course offerings in Arabic language and Middle East studies are enriching her SIPA specialization in ways that would not be possible in the States. “I’m taking classes that are really tailored to my interests, which are Middle East studies and human rights. Being at AUC gives me an opportunity to learn about the experiences of refugees in the region,” said Daoud.

Daoud is particularly engaged in her Arabic class with Shaimaa Hassanein, adjunct faculty of discipline. She is also taking Professor Beckett’s course in human rights alongside Hebish, and the two agreed that the professor’s willingness to critique traditional ideas is refreshing. “The innovative approach of AUC professors is so enriching to my education,” said Daoud.

Aside from academics and Egyptian kindness, Daoud is really enjoying AUC cats, which she said is the perfect antidote for homesickness. When on campus, Daoud carries around snacks to indulge their endless appetites, reminding her of her four cats back home.

Lucas Brooks, Master of International Affairs Candidate at Columbia School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA)

A serial study-abroad student, Brooks came to AUC to enrich his perspective of the world and widen his breadth of knowledge. “It’s almost strange to think about studying international affairs without an experience internationally, so the opportunity to study abroad really complements my greater education,” said Brooks.

Like the other Columbia students, Brooks has found that professors at AUC are ambitious and often less set in their ways than he is used to. Brooks said, “There’s more willingness to go off the traditional path at AUC, which is reflected here in the curriculum and classroom discussions.”

Professors at AUC are also more accessible than Brooks is accustomed to. For instance, he is currently taking courses with two former Egyptian ambassadors whom he refers to as “standout professors” whose courses are focused “much more on real instruction, real experience, and real applications in the world.”

He is grateful that professors anchor their teachings in the student experience, relating theoretical concepts to case studies in Egypt. “In classes, the model country for theoretical discussions is not just the U.S., even though this is an American University; it’s the U.S. and Egypt.” 

Aside from the professors, Brooks is most enjoying the AUC campus itself. “The campus was very intentionally built for the student experience, just like the instruction, as opposed to being built to look good on the outside.” 

With hopes of working in Washington, D.C. after he graduates, Brooks is confident that his time at AUC will inform his future decision-making and analysis of global events.