Dr. Brenda Shaffer, faculty member at the School of Political Sciences at the University of Haifa, analyzes the developments of the “Arab Spring” and their implications for the establishment of democratic governments in the Middle East. Her view on the future direction of MENA unrest is thought provoking as she points out that “it is not clear in what direction the regimes will develop in the Middle East and there is no direct trajectory that the demise of an autocratic regime is followed by the establishment of democratic government.” In addition, Dr. Shaffer argues the events may bring a general weakening of state structures, which may not help to deal with the major social and economic problems that plague the region.