Contemporary events in the Middle East — including conflicts, political developments, and humanitarian crises — are among the most discussed and debated topics in today’s classrooms. These subjects are often emotionally charged and touch on deeply held beliefs. When teaching about this region, educators play a critical role in modeling the habits of mind central to civic literacy: evaluating sources, identifying perspective and bias, and engaging thoughtfully with multiple viewpoints.
The news sources listed below offer substantive coverage of the Middle East and can serve as starting points for classroom inquiry. No single source provides a complete picture. Students benefit most when they are taught to read across perspectives with analytical rigor. Educators are encouraged to pair these resources with explicit instruction in source analysis, helping students develop the skills to read news critically — not just consume it.
GENERAL NEWS
NEWS MAGAZINES
- Foreign Policy
- Foreign Affairs
- The Atlantic
- The Economist
- The Free Press
JEWISH NEWS
- Jewish Telegraphic Agency
- Tablet Magazine
- The Forward
- Jewish Insider
- Daily Alert (Articles from a range of sources aggregated by The Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs)
THINK TANKS
- Washington Institute for Near East Policy
- Council on Foreign Relations
- Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings
- Dayan Center
- The Institute for National Security Studies
- Middle East Institute
- Foundation for Defense of Democracies
- The Atlantic Council
- Chatham House
- Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies
- Israel Policy Forum
ISRAELI NEWS
ARAB WORLD NEWS
AJC’s Center for Education Advocacy (CEA) includes experienced educators and content experts who work alongside school leaders to foster inclusive educational environments rooted in critical thinking, fact-based inquiry, civic education, and democratic values, while firmly rejecting antisemitism. Find all our resources at ajc.org/CampusResources, and learn more at ajc.org/CEA. To consult with us or request educational programming, email [email protected].
You can download a PDF of this guidance document here.
