The Gap in Coverage
Most international media covers the region through a lens of conflict. The work of diplomacy — the agreements, negotiations, and human connections that make peace possible — rarely gets the same attention.
Why We
Exist
Merlows was built around a single conviction: the story of Middle East peace deserves journalism that rises to meet its significance.
2024
Founded
Peace
Focused
6
Perspectives
Why We Exist
The Middle East’s diplomatic story is one of the most consequential of our era. It deserves journalism that matches its complexity.
The Cyrus Accord
A potential landmark agreement between Israel and Iran. Merlows was created, in part, to provide the sustained, authoritative coverage this historic development demands.
The Abraham Accords Legacy
The normalisation agreements between Israel and Gulf states transformed regional dynamics. Merlows tracks their continuing development with the depth that transformation deserves.
Solutions Journalism
We believe journalism has a role in making peace more imaginable. Our framing is constructive without sacrificing rigour — we show what’s possible, not just what’s broken.
Our Editorial Commitment
Four commitments define our relationship with readers, sources, and the subjects we cover.
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Factual Rigour
Every claim is sourced. Every diplomatic development is cross-referenced against multiple independent sources. When we’re wrong, we say so clearly and publicly.
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Independent Voice
Merlows has no government affiliation, no institutional funder with a stake in the outcome, and no commercial interest in any diplomatic process we cover.
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Balanced Perspectives
We cover all parties in diplomatic processes with equal seriousness. Israeli, Iranian, Arab, and international voices all appear in our reporting without hierarchy.
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Constructive Framing
We do not report conflict for its own sake. Every piece of analysis asks: what does this mean for the prospect of peace? What comes next?
The Merlows Standard
What it means to publish under the Merlows name — the criteria every piece must meet.
Original Reporting
We do not aggregate. Every article is original, sourced, and adds something to the existing coverage landscape.
Regional Expertise
Our contributors have lived or worked in the region. We prioritise ground-level knowledge over metropolitan commentary.
Treaty Literacy
Our editorial team ensures every article involving the Cyrus Accord, Abraham Accords, or regional agreements reflects the actual terms of those documents.
No Advocacy
We cover peace processes without advocating for any particular outcome. Our job is clarity, not campaigning.
Timely Corrections
Corrections are published at the top of the original article with a clear explanation of what changed and why.
Source Protection
We protect the identity of sources where their safety or professional standing requires it — with editorial oversight on every such decision.
The Vision
What we’re working toward — not just as a publication, but as a contribution to the region’s future.
“A Middle East where dialogue has more coverage than division, and where every step toward peace is documented with the seriousness it deserves.”
Sustained Coverage
The stories that matter most are not breaking news — they’re the slow, difficult work of diplomacy over years. We’re here for the long term.
Regional Voices
Our long-term goal is an editorial network with contributors embedded across the region — Israeli, Iranian, Arab, international.
The Historical Record
Every Merlows article becomes part of the documentary record of this era’s diplomacy. We publish with that weight in mind.
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Read, contribute, and stay informed as history unfolds.