International | Islamism on the edge

A religious revolution is under way in the Middle East

Can it survive the Gaza war?

Demonstrators shout slogans during a protest in support of the Palestinian people in Cairo, Egypt — Image: Getty Images

Nov 29th 2023|Beirut, Cairo and Doha

OLD STEREOTYPES are haunting the Middle East once more. The biggest butchery of Israeli civilians since the state’s creation, carried out on October 7th, has been followed by a slaughter of Palestinian civilians. America, which has funded, armed and defended Israel is again an object of ire. So are its Western allies. Together they are blamed for facilitating Gaza’s pummelling and the displacement of its people. A truce which began on November 24th, and which was set to expire as The Economist went to press, had led to the release of 81 hostages and 180 Palestinian detainees as of November 28th.

This article appeared in the International section of the print edition under the headline “Islamism on the edge”