2023 has been a year of major shake-ups and transformative events in the Middle East. From the earthquakes that devastated Turkey and Morocco, to China’s rise as an interlocutor, to the deadliest war in Gaza following the worst attack on Israel on Oct. 7, there is no question about the impact of 2023 on the region for decades to come. It was also a year of Arab Gulf states taking a global seat with the United Arab Emirates on the United Nations Security Council and hosting COP28, Qatar hosting the World Cup and Saudi Arabia emerging as a sporting hub.
In this series of articles, Al-Monitor’s journalists will recap the events of 2023 and what lies ahead.
2023 in review: Lebanon reels from void, a triggered Hezbollah-Israel front
2023 in review: The year that shook Israel to the core, exposed vulnerabilities