DAWN
@dawnmenaorg.bsky.social
Founded by Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, DAWN works to reform U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and North Africa, hold abusers accountable & magnify the voices of experts/activists from the region. dawnmena.org
The U.S. should halt its stated plan to take military action against the Iranian government, an unlawful use of force without authorization from Congress or the UN Security Council, said DAWN today. The UN should launch investigate the recent violence in Iran, and hold perpetrators accountable.
United States: Do Not Use Iran Protests as Pretext for War
The U.S. government should halt its stated plan to take military action against the Iranian government, an unlawful use of force without authorization from Congress or the United Nations Security Coun...
dawnmena.org
January 15, 2026 at 10:16 PM
The U.S. should halt its stated plan to take military action against the Iranian government, an unlawful use of force without authorization from Congress or the UN Security Council, said DAWN today. The UN should launch investigate the recent violence in Iran, and hold perpetrators accountable.
Palestinian Christians are "rarely acknowledged" by the West, writes Isabelle Hayslip.
Yet they bravely insist on recognition and acceptance "amid ongoing Israeli attacks as billions of people around the world celebrate the Advent season."
Yet they bravely insist on recognition and acceptance "amid ongoing Israeli attacks as billions of people around the world celebrate the Advent season."
Christmas in Palestine: Ecclesiocide and the Hope that Refuses to Die
That Western hypocrisy is particularly apparent during Christmas, a holiday celebrating the birth of a man whose teachings of kindness, love and forgiveness are revered by billions around the world. M...
dawnmena.org
January 15, 2026 at 4:25 PM
Palestinian Christians are "rarely acknowledged" by the West, writes Isabelle Hayslip.
Yet they bravely insist on recognition and acceptance "amid ongoing Israeli attacks as billions of people around the world celebrate the Advent season."
Yet they bravely insist on recognition and acceptance "amid ongoing Israeli attacks as billions of people around the world celebrate the Advent season."
(Washington, D.C., January 14, 2026) — The Trump administration's January 13, 2026 terrorism designations of the Jordanian, Egyptian and Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood organizations lack sufficient factual and policy justification and will not advance U.S. national interests, said DAWN today.
US: Trump’s “Terrorism” Designations of Muslim Brotherhood Groups Lack Evidence, Serve Abusive Middle East Governments
The Trump administration’s January 13, 2026 terrorism designations of the Jordanian, Egyptian and Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood organizations lack sufficient factual and policy justification and will no...
dawnmena.org
January 14, 2026 at 9:25 PM
(Washington, D.C., January 14, 2026) — The Trump administration's January 13, 2026 terrorism designations of the Jordanian, Egyptian and Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood organizations lack sufficient factual and policy justification and will not advance U.S. national interests, said DAWN today.
"A serious plan for Iranian democracy—one that is indigenous—requires hard work. It also requires patience," writes Nader Hashemi.
"Bombing Iran will feed the Islamic Republic’s narrative and strengthen the resolve of its supporters."
"Bombing Iran will feed the Islamic Republic’s narrative and strengthen the resolve of its supporters."
The Meaning and Impact of U.S. Strikes on Iran: 5 Key Questions with Nader Hashemi
The United States has a special moral obligation to support democracy in Iran because it toppled Iranian democracy in 1953. At this time, a CIA-led coup removed Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mossade...
dawnmena.org
January 13, 2026 at 10:05 PM
"A serious plan for Iranian democracy—one that is indigenous—requires hard work. It also requires patience," writes Nader Hashemi.
"Bombing Iran will feed the Islamic Republic’s narrative and strengthen the resolve of its supporters."
"Bombing Iran will feed the Islamic Republic’s narrative and strengthen the resolve of its supporters."
"As Yemen’s conflict grows more complex, the United States continues to look on from afar as the situation worsens," writes Karim al-Yemani, as recent Saudi-Emirati proxy fighting in south Yemen throws the anti-Houthi bloc into disarray.
Washington’s Absent and Ineffectual Role in Southern Yemen
As a global military, political and economic power, the United States could have played a more effective and active role in advancing peace in Yemen. However, solutions that were practical yesterday m...
dawnmena.org
January 12, 2026 at 10:17 PM
"As Yemen’s conflict grows more complex, the United States continues to look on from afar as the situation worsens," writes Karim al-Yemani, as recent Saudi-Emirati proxy fighting in south Yemen throws the anti-Houthi bloc into disarray.
“The Iranian government must stop treating its citizens as enemies to be feared and controlled. Tear gas, arrests, bullets, and crackdowns aren't responses to legitimate grievances. People’s right to a dignified life must be recognized and meaningfully addressed.”
— @sarahleah1.bsky.social, DAWN
— @sarahleah1.bsky.social, DAWN
January 10, 2026 at 8:51 PM
“The Iranian government must stop treating its citizens as enemies to be feared and controlled. Tear gas, arrests, bullets, and crackdowns aren't responses to legitimate grievances. People’s right to a dignified life must be recognized and meaningfully addressed.”
— @sarahleah1.bsky.social, DAWN
— @sarahleah1.bsky.social, DAWN
With Iran's latest protest movement, "a new patriotic discourse has emerged that frames the struggle in civilizational terms rather than purely political ones," writes Sheema Kalbasi.
That discourse is driving the protests in Iran today.
That discourse is driving the protests in Iran today.
Iran’s Current Uprising and the Collapse of Ideological Legitimacy
This recent movement could represent the most coherent challenge to the rule of the Islamic regime to date. Whether this implies imminent collapse depends on how much of the Islamic Republic’s suppres...
dawnmena.org
January 9, 2026 at 8:33 PM
With Iran's latest protest movement, "a new patriotic discourse has emerged that frames the struggle in civilizational terms rather than purely political ones," writes Sheema Kalbasi.
That discourse is driving the protests in Iran today.
That discourse is driving the protests in Iran today.
“Protests in Iran are not a vacuum for foreign agendas. They are the result of decades of unanswered demands and deeply-held grievances. Solidarity with Iranians means respecting their agency and rejecting efforts to co-opt their struggle.”
— Assal Rad
— Assal Rad
January 9, 2026 at 8:05 PM
“Protests in Iran are not a vacuum for foreign agendas. They are the result of decades of unanswered demands and deeply-held grievances. Solidarity with Iranians means respecting their agency and rejecting efforts to co-opt their struggle.”
— Assal Rad
— Assal Rad
“Once again, the Iranian authorities are responding with sheer brutality to the Iranian people’s desire for a government that is accountable to them...It's way past time for the authorities to allow a genuine democracy rather than their outdated, unpopular dictatorial rule.” @kennethroth.bsky.social
January 9, 2026 at 6:48 PM
“Once again, the Iranian authorities are responding with sheer brutality to the Iranian people’s desire for a government that is accountable to them...It's way past time for the authorities to allow a genuine democracy rather than their outdated, unpopular dictatorial rule.” @kennethroth.bsky.social
"While there can no doubt that the Israeli and American governments seek to exploit these protests to advance a repressive agenda, our solidarity should be clearly and unequivocally on the side of the democratic demands of the heroic people of Iran.”
— Naderal Hashemi, DAWN Fellow.
— Naderal Hashemi, DAWN Fellow.
January 8, 2026 at 8:58 PM
"While there can no doubt that the Israeli and American governments seek to exploit these protests to advance a repressive agenda, our solidarity should be clearly and unequivocally on the side of the democratic demands of the heroic people of Iran.”
— Naderal Hashemi, DAWN Fellow.
— Naderal Hashemi, DAWN Fellow.
“Targeted internet disruptions by the Iranian government are meant to silence protests and suppress coordination. These tactics reflect a state that is more invested in repression than resolution.”
— Assal Rad, DAWN Fellow. Scholar of modern Middle Eastern history.
— Assal Rad, DAWN Fellow. Scholar of modern Middle Eastern history.
January 8, 2026 at 8:12 PM
“Targeted internet disruptions by the Iranian government are meant to silence protests and suppress coordination. These tactics reflect a state that is more invested in repression than resolution.”
— Assal Rad, DAWN Fellow. Scholar of modern Middle Eastern history.
— Assal Rad, DAWN Fellow. Scholar of modern Middle Eastern history.
Mayor Mamdani's revocation of two executive orders designed to stifle advocacy for Palestinian human rights is an important move to restore the free speech rights of New Yorkers, said DAWN in a statement.
Mamdani Revocation of Executive Orders Stifling Criticism of Israel a Victory for Free Speech
(January 2, 2026, New York): Mayor Mamdani’s revocation of two executive orders designed to stifle advocacy for Palestinian human rights is an important move to restore the free speech rights of New Y...
dawnmena.org
January 6, 2026 at 7:25 PM
Mayor Mamdani's revocation of two executive orders designed to stifle advocacy for Palestinian human rights is an important move to restore the free speech rights of New Yorkers, said DAWN in a statement.
AIPAC doesn’t want you to know who runs it. But we found out, and what we discovered is bigger than one organization.
DAWN's “Faces of AIPAC” project reveals 50 people who run AIPAC—a network of networks in leadership positions across pro-Israel institutions.
Learn more: aipacwhoweare.org
DAWN's “Faces of AIPAC” project reveals 50 people who run AIPAC—a network of networks in leadership positions across pro-Israel institutions.
Learn more: aipacwhoweare.org
December 24, 2025 at 10:28 PM
AIPAC doesn’t want you to know who runs it. But we found out, and what we discovered is bigger than one organization.
DAWN's “Faces of AIPAC” project reveals 50 people who run AIPAC—a network of networks in leadership positions across pro-Israel institutions.
Learn more: aipacwhoweare.org
DAWN's “Faces of AIPAC” project reveals 50 people who run AIPAC—a network of networks in leadership positions across pro-Israel institutions.
Learn more: aipacwhoweare.org
With Kazakhstan joining the Abraham Accords, "the so-called 'Circle of Peace' is no longer confined to a specific geography, but is now global in dimension and scope," writes Saahil Menon.
A Mirage of Peace: The UAE’s Role in Kazakhstan Joining the Abraham Accords
Beyond this aggressive tourism push is an interest in accelerating Kazakhstan’s digital evolution, expanding its buoyant start-up ecosystem. Attracting high-value professionals from tech-savvy nations...
dawnmena.org
December 24, 2025 at 4:47 PM
With Kazakhstan joining the Abraham Accords, "the so-called 'Circle of Peace' is no longer confined to a specific geography, but is now global in dimension and scope," writes Saahil Menon.
"The Islamic Republic is not easing its grip; in key areas it is hardening it," writes @sinatoossi.bsky.social.
But "public debate about its strategic choices, from foreign alignments to cultural and social norms" is expanding in unprecedented ways.
But "public debate about its strategic choices, from foreign alignments to cultural and social norms" is expanding in unprecedented ways.
Iran After the War is Not What Washington Thinks
Successful diplomacy requires mutual movement. Agreements endure when neither side walks away exactly as it entered. Recognizing this symmetry is essential for any U.S. policy seeking not simply to pr...
dawnmena.org
December 22, 2025 at 7:17 PM
"The Islamic Republic is not easing its grip; in key areas it is hardening it," writes @sinatoossi.bsky.social.
But "public debate about its strategic choices, from foreign alignments to cultural and social norms" is expanding in unprecedented ways.
But "public debate about its strategic choices, from foreign alignments to cultural and social norms" is expanding in unprecedented ways.
Responding to new U.S. sanctions on International Criminal Court judges, "@sarahleah1.bsky.social, the executive director for DAWN, said Rubio is 'coddling Israeli war criminals.' She added that the court should 'not wait to prosecute him for interfering with justice.'"
US sanctions more ICC judges, citing ruling on Israeli war crime probe
International court has repeatedly decried US sanctions amid its ongoing investigation into Gaza war crimes.
www.aljazeera.com
December 19, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Responding to new U.S. sanctions on International Criminal Court judges, "@sarahleah1.bsky.social, the executive director for DAWN, said Rubio is 'coddling Israeli war criminals.' She added that the court should 'not wait to prosecute him for interfering with justice.'"
Reposted by DAWN
See DAWN's full statement: dawnmena.org/aipac-stop-h...
AIPAC: Stop Hiding Identities of Officers and Directors
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) should stop hiding the board members and executive staff who govern and direct its operations from its public website, said DAWN today.
dawnmena.org
December 18, 2025 at 6:42 PM
See DAWN's full statement: dawnmena.org/aipac-stop-h...
Reposted by DAWN
"Our research revealed that AIPAC's board is not just a group of any 50 individuals – it is a nexus connecting virtually every major pro-Israel institution in America," said DAWN's Isabelle Hayslip. "Documenting AIPAC's leadership also exposes who controls the entire pro-Israel ecosystem."
December 18, 2025 at 6:42 PM
"Our research revealed that AIPAC's board is not just a group of any 50 individuals – it is a nexus connecting virtually every major pro-Israel institution in America," said DAWN's Isabelle Hayslip. "Documenting AIPAC's leadership also exposes who controls the entire pro-Israel ecosystem."
Reposted by DAWN
"These 50 officers and directors shouldn't try to hide behind the AIPAC name. US nonprofit law makes them personally responsible for the organization's conduct ... its board members and officers are legally on the hook. That is why we are putting faces to the names."" said DAWN's Raed Jarrar.
December 18, 2025 at 6:42 PM
"These 50 officers and directors shouldn't try to hide behind the AIPAC name. US nonprofit law makes them personally responsible for the organization's conduct ... its board members and officers are legally on the hook. That is why we are putting faces to the names."" said DAWN's Raed Jarrar.
Reposted by DAWN
"AIPAC has obfuscated the identities of its directors and officers from the American public, so today we're providing the transparency this organization refuses to offer ... The public has a right to easily know who they are," said @sarahleah1.bsky.social, DAWN's executive director.
December 18, 2025 at 6:42 PM
"AIPAC has obfuscated the identities of its directors and officers from the American public, so today we're providing the transparency this organization refuses to offer ... The public has a right to easily know who they are," said @sarahleah1.bsky.social, DAWN's executive director.
Reposted by DAWN
See DAWN's "The Faces of AIPAC" gallery:
The Faces of AIPAC
Unlike comparable organizations of its size and influence, American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) does not maintain a public leadership page identifying the individuals who govern and direct...
aipacwhoweare.org
December 18, 2025 at 6:42 PM
See DAWN's "The Faces of AIPAC" gallery:
Reposted by DAWN
AIPAC should stop hiding board members and executive staff who lead its operations from its public website, said DAWN, in launching "The Faces of AIPAC, identifying 50 individuals who run one of D.C.'s most powerful lobbying forces—to make available to the public those responsible for AIPAC's work.
AIPAC: Stop Hiding Identities of Officers and Directors
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) should stop hiding the board members and executive staff who govern and direct its operations from its public website, said DAWN today.
dawnmena.org
December 18, 2025 at 6:42 PM
AIPAC should stop hiding board members and executive staff who lead its operations from its public website, said DAWN, in launching "The Faces of AIPAC, identifying 50 individuals who run one of D.C.'s most powerful lobbying forces—to make available to the public those responsible for AIPAC's work.
AIPAC should stop hiding board members and executive staff who lead its operations from its public website, said DAWN, in launching "The Faces of AIPAC, identifying 50 individuals who run one of D.C.'s most powerful lobbying forces—to make available to the public those responsible for AIPAC's work.
AIPAC: Stop Hiding Identities of Officers and Directors
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) should stop hiding the board members and executive staff who govern and direct its operations from its public website, said DAWN today.
dawnmena.org
December 18, 2025 at 6:42 PM
AIPAC should stop hiding board members and executive staff who lead its operations from its public website, said DAWN, in launching "The Faces of AIPAC, identifying 50 individuals who run one of D.C.'s most powerful lobbying forces—to make available to the public those responsible for AIPAC's work.
Egypt's failure to end the genocide in Gaza "should not land on the shoulders of a similarly oppressed society," writes Ahmed Abdelhalim.
"The Egyptian regime—not its people—has let down Gaza."
"The Egyptian regime—not its people—has let down Gaza."
The Silent Public: Why Aren't Egyptians Revolting?
The Egyptian people do not accept Israel’s war of annihilation, nor the daily and tragic manifestations inflicted on the peoples of the Middle East as a result of the West’s colonial project. Yet, thi...
dawnmena.org
December 17, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Egypt's failure to end the genocide in Gaza "should not land on the shoulders of a similarly oppressed society," writes Ahmed Abdelhalim.
"The Egyptian regime—not its people—has let down Gaza."
"The Egyptian regime—not its people—has let down Gaza."
"Winter in the Gaza Strip has become a life-threatening nightmare," writes Ola Almadhoun, as Israel continues its blockade of Gaza, despite a ceasefire.
"For women and girls in particular, winter has become a season of danger, deprivation and systemic neglect."
"For women and girls in particular, winter has become a season of danger, deprivation and systemic neglect."
A Season of Danger: How Winter is Exacerbating Gaza’s Humanitarian Crisis, Disproportionately Impacting Women and Girls
Tens of thousands live in primitive, open-air “tents” that can only be described as little more than tarpaulins and makeshift support beams, with no flooring, insulation or drainage, while more than 7...
dawnmena.org
December 17, 2025 at 2:34 PM
"Winter in the Gaza Strip has become a life-threatening nightmare," writes Ola Almadhoun, as Israel continues its blockade of Gaza, despite a ceasefire.
"For women and girls in particular, winter has become a season of danger, deprivation and systemic neglect."
"For women and girls in particular, winter has become a season of danger, deprivation and systemic neglect."