03Sep/21

The Egyptian TikTok Girls

Beehive: Middle East Social Media

In August issue of Beehive, Nir Boms analyses the Egypt’s recent restrictive policy on social media and its impact on young bloggers.


Campaign to release Mawada al-Adham, from facebook
Campaign to release Mawada al-Adham. From facebook, 3 August 2020.

Amidst a new wave of authoritarianism and repression in Egypt, the Internet remains one of the only platforms of alternative expression, although perhaps, not for long.

Aside from Covid-19, the water crisis of the Rival Nile Dam, and the ongoing economic challenge, Egyptian news also dealt with the visible arrest of two young “TikTok stars.” Haneen Hossam, aged 20, was sentenced in absentia by a Cairo court to ten years in prison while Mawada al-Adham, aged 23, who appeared before the court, was sentenced to six.[1]


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25Jul/21

Israel-Gaza 2021: A moment for the emerging moderates?

The more tolerant Arab states have no incentive to support the extremist theocrats like Hamas and Hezbollah that rally for resistance rather than renaissance.by Jul 24, 2021, Newsi, South Africa

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Commons; Signing of Abraham Accords, White House, Credit: Avi Ohayon

Extremists of all types have had their debut moment in the 11 days fighting between Israel and Gaza. By launching rockets at the holy sites of Jerusalem, Hamas – the Muslim Brotherhood affiliate running the Gazan enclave – has sought to place itself at the center of Palestinian political life. Hamas’s rhetoric has also empowered extremist elements inside Israel and has spurred attacks between mobs from both Israeli Jewish and Arab communities. They lit a fire. But will it continue to burn?

This round of fighting has also gone further on social media than before. Platforms like TikTok spread incitement while proudly showing young Arab mobs attacking Jews in the middle of the street. Antisemitism levels have gone up 80% in a month. In America, the socialist wing of the Democratic party has been pushing hard to overturn the traditional moderate position of the party. Those such as Rep. Rashida Tlaib, have openly spoken about the destruction of Israel.

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21May/21

The Future of the Abraham Accords (Duke University)

In 2020, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, and Sudan normalized their relations with Israel, the first Arab countries to do so since Jordan in 1994. What does this mean for the future of the Israeli-Palestinian relations? Will the Abraham Accords improve or worsen the prospects for Middle East Peace? And what should the Biden administration do in the aftermath of the agreements? A panel with Dr. Nir Boms and Dr. Najat Al-Saied