Eyad Abu Shakra

Eyad Abu Shakra

Lebanon… In Barrack and Ortagus’ Court

The US Envoy to Lebanon Ambassador Tom Barrack and his colleague, Morgan Ortagus, are expected soon in Lebanon for a visit that comes on the heels of significant developments on both the Syrian and Lebanese fronts. Their trip also comes in the wake of the United Nations’ announcement that the Gaza…

Our Specialty Is Turning Mistakes into Sins  

Many were shocked by Benjamin Netanyahu’s statements last week, as well as those of his fanatical minister, Bezalel Smotrich. They stressed their firm belief in the inevitability of achieving “Greater Israel” and their relentless drive to turn its “map” in reality on the ground, no matter the cost…

The Region's Crises Deserve More than Amateurs and Passersby

In 1997, I took part in an international conference hosted by an Arab country and organized by an American institute with global political interests. There, I got the chance to meet distinguished American and Arab thinkers, officials, journalists, and strategic experts. The conference covered…

For All These Reasons, Syria is Still Being Monitored Internationally

The recent meeting between the United States, France, and Syria remains the subject of much speculation and debate, with much of the focus on what was actually agreed upon... This state of affairs is neither new nor surprising, given the unusual circumstances in which the meeting was held and…

The Levant Swings Between Dreams and Deals

The talk of a new Middle Eastern “deal” we have been hearing over the past few days is jarring. The agreement reportedly being cooked up sees Syria cede the Golan Heights to Israel... in return for the Lebanese city of Tripoli. The “official” reactions of Lebanese parties, of course, mixed…

The World in the Spectator Seats ... Waiting for November 2026!

Listening to the speeches of US President Donald Trump leaves one with the impression that the man is convinced he can change realities he does not like. Theoretically, this “conviction” could be well founded. He is the absolute ruler of the most powerful country in the world. I use the word …

Democracies Rediscover the Importance of Bread, Housing, and a Decent Life!

The rise of Zohran Mamdani, who has won the Democratic mayoral primary in New York City, the largest and most impressive city in the United States, has jolted the American public out of its slumber, which has seemed endless since Trump entered the White House. To avoid drawing hasty conclusions…

The Israel-Iran War Is Bigger Than Its Protagonists… And Its Spectators

The ongoing exchange of missiles, and the accompanying psychological and intelligence warfare, seems like a foregone conclusion, because all the supposed dividing lines in the Israeli-Iranian conflict have collapsed. These lines collapsed as the possibility of saving the Middle East, alongside the…

Isn't it Time for Us Arabs to Rationally Think of the Future? 

When a nation’s options are narrowed by dramatic developments, it is left with two choices: gloating or denial... Both affirm that this nation has resigned itself to a life on the margins of history. We Arabs currently constitute a strong majority in West Asia and North Africa. Our…

Us and the Bickering in Washington 

What links the ongoing rift between US President Donald Trump and his “fleeting ally,” billionaire Elon Musk, the visible divergences between US positions and the policies of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, and the looming clouds over the approach of the US and Israel to Iran? This question…