The World Ahead Globe Icon
The World Ahead | Middle East in 2024

Don’t give up on peace in the Middle East

But the process of getting there will be alarmingly fragile

A flying dove carrying a pen in its beak.
image: Alberto Miranda

By Edward Carr

IF 2023 was the year when the Palestinian conflict shook the Middle East, 2024 will be the year when it starts to become clear whether the Middle East can shake the Palestinian conflict. Terrible as it is to write after so much death, the region has not had a better chance of peace in two decades. Unfortunately, neither has the Palestinian conflict had a greater chance of spiralling out of control. Which will it be?

Explore more

This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition of The World Ahead 2024 under the headline “Don’t give up on peace in the Middle East”

Discover more

The World Ahead The World Ahead 2025

Ten business trends for 2025, and forecasts for 15 industries

A global round-up from The Economist Intelligence Unit

Illustration of power boats in the 2025 World Games in Chengdu, China

The World Ahead The year ahead

Calendar 2025

Our selection of events taking place around the world


The World Ahead Superforecasters in 2025

What the “superforecasters” predict for major events in 2025

The experts at Good Judgment weigh in on the coming year


The World Ahead Obituary in 2025

The rings of Saturn will disappear in 2025

First observed by Galileo, this occurs twice every 29 years

The World Ahead By Invitation: Science & technology in 2025

Casey Handmer says solar power is changing the economics of energy

Large-scale production of synthetic fuel is now feasible, argues the founder of Terraform Industries

The World Ahead Science & technology in 2025

Space missions to watch in 2025

Humans may fly around the Moon, and robots will explore new frontiers