Middle East Desk was launched in 2006 as a gateway for journalists to informed, engaged analysis and commentary on the most important stories from the Middle East and North Africa. The site is intended to help reporters covering breaking stories, editors and producers looking for comment on those stories, and assignment editors looking for ideas for in-depth features. Middle East Desk is not a news aggregator or a wire service, but a guide to resources for understanding and explaining the news.

Each of the country pages on the site features datebooks of newsworthy events; contact information for country specialists; a brief synopsis of the country’s recent history and pressing issues in its current affairs; almanac-style data; and links to background articles from the award-winning Middle East Report.

Don’t see what you’re looking for? Contact us at (202) 223-3677 or bhamid@merip.org.

Middle East Desk is a joint project of the Middle East Research and Information Project (MERIP) and the Hagop Kevorkian Center for Near Eastern Studies at New York University. MERIP was founded in 1971 by activists for peace and social justice to bring to the public critical analysis of Middle Eastern political economy and US policy toward the region. MERIP publishes an award-winning magazine, Middle East Report. The Kevorkian Center at NYU was created in 1966 to foster the interdisciplinary study of the modern and contemporary Middle East and to enhance public understanding of the region.

Editors
Shiva Balaghi, NYU
Chris Toensing, MERIP

Managing Editor
Bayann Hamid, MERIP

Assistant Editor
Jonathan Guyer, MERIP
Canay Ozden, NYU
Simone Popperl, MERIP

Researchers
Andrew Armentano, Sarah Atwood, Alexa Bordner, Hilary Falb, Carla Humud, Henry Huttinger, Katy Kalemkerian, Geoffrey King, Shane Minkin, Elizabeth Nickle, Umbreen Shaikh, Max Shmookler, Max Sternberg, Joseph Tannir, Helena Zeweri

Design
Geoff Hartman
Radical Designs