Khamsin (magazine)
Khamsin was a socialist magazine published between 1975 and 1989, first in Paris and later in London. The name refers to a desert wind in the Middle East, and the magazine billed itself as the Journal of Revolutionary Socialists of the Middle East.
The idea for Khamsin emerged from a meeting in London in October 1974 among Moshé Machover, Eli Lobel, Emmanuel Farjoun, Leila Kadi and Sadik Jalal Al Azm, connected to the Israeli socialist group Matzpen. The publication began in Paris in 1975, coedited by Lebanese Leila Kadi and Israeli Eli Lobel. The first four issues were in French, published by Editions François Maspero.
In 1978 the editorial board expanded to include Avishai Ehrlich, Mikhal Marouan and Khalil Toama. From the fifth issue, Khamsin moved its headquarters to London and appeared in English until it folded with issue 14 in 1989. During the London period, Nira Yuval-Davis joined the editorial board. The magazine was published by Ithaca Press initially, and later by Zed Press (now Zed Books). It appeared quarterly in London.
Khamsin aimed to contribute to struggles for social liberation and to oppose nationalist and religious mystifications, with the ultimate goal of a united socialist Arab world. Its content included political, economic and social analysis, as well as book reviews, and often reflected Matzpen’s view of Israel as a colonial-settler state.
From issue 5 onward, each issue had a specific theme:
- Issue 5: Oriental Jewry
- Issue 6: Women in the Arab World
- Issue 7: Communist Parties in the Middle East
- Issue 8: Politics of Religion in the Middle East
- Issue 9: Politics of Religion and the Development of Capitalism in Egypt
- Issue 10: Israel and its War in Lebanon
- Issue 11: Modern Turkey: Development and Crisis
- Issue 12: The Gulf (Iran–Iraq) War
Contributor Israel Shahak argued in 1983 that Zionist politics had roots in the Talmud.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 22:18 (CET).