Analyzing the Impact of Covid-19 on the Middle East Conflicts: A Case Study of Syria, Yemen and Iraq

Abstract

The main question is why, at the same time as the outbreak of Covid-19 in the Middle East, military conflicts have become more persistent and intense? The research hypothesis is that the outbreak of Covid-19, and the involvement of regional governments in the Corona virus and efforts to contain and combat it, have led to disruptions and a security vacuum, so that the groups involved decided to take this opportunity to take advantage of this security vacuum. The study concludes that governments' perceptions of security threats and the type of threats in the Middle East are still based on military threats, and the spread of the Corona virus has not changed that perception. Hence, the perception of a common threat from Covid-19, which requires the cooperation and joint efforts of governments and stakeholders to contain and counter it; which does not exist in the Middle East. The method of collecting materials and data in this research is based on the library and documentary method and also the research method is based on descriptive-analytical research method.

Keywords

• qovid-19
• conflict
• middle east
• defensive realism
• threat balance