“This is the most dangerous of regional wars. Its outcomes will shape roles, locations, maps and capitals. Benjamin Netanyahu took advantage of Yahya Sinwar’s ‘flood’ to launch a complete coup against the Iranian revolt that took place decades ago. Netanyahu enjoys American support and western…
In Tunis, Yasser Arafat used to gratefully look back on what he had presented to the Palestinian cause. Mohsen Ibrahim, the secretary-general of the Communist Action Organization in Lebanon, used to encourage him to reminisce about his time in Beirut. One day, Arafat asked: “Did we make Lebanon…
On October 7, 2023, Yehya al-Sinwar achieved half of his old dream. He dealt Israel an unprecedented blow to force it to release tens of thousands of Palestinian prisoners. The world was shocked by the extent of the surprise. Sinwar managed to reach that day due to several factors. Among them was…
The images coming from Lebanon are painful, terrifying and horrific. Bodies are being retrieved from under the rubble, and houses are burned or abandoned. A million refugees – a record number in the country’s history. They sleep in the open in the capital and others sleep in their cars because…
For nearly a year, the region has lived with the war that was sparked by the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation. It also seemed that Israel has started to live with the “war of support” launched by Hezbollah within certain rules of engagement. The impression was that the United States succeeded in preventing…
On Sunday, Israeli planes dropped leaflets over the Wazzani area in South Lebanon, demanding residents leave immediately under the pretext that Hezbollah was firing from the area. The most alarming part of the message was a phrase warning the population not to return “to this area until the end…
Whoever knows Jordan, knows that its fate is tied to the Palestinians. It cannot abandon the open Palestinian wound and doesn’t even want to. The establishment of the two-state solution is in Jordan’s higher interest. Keeping the bleeding wound open makes worry a daily part of life in Jordan. The…
Where will Benjamin Netanyahu take Israel? Where will he take the Middle East and United States? His rivals in Israel are warning that he is not concerned with a ceasefire unless it is preceded by a victory. They are warning that he is costing Israel too many losses. His opponents have failed to…
Ending a war is more difficult than deciding to wage one. The one backing down must offer a convincing story. He must offer explanations and justifications. He must compare the losses and gains and declared goals and which of them were achieved. He must say if he feels more secure after the…
People are drawn to strong leaders. Such a leader can either polish the image of his nation or conceal its fragility. He can curb the ambitions of enemies or thwart their plots. His strength offers a sense of invincibility, allowing his people to feel secure and proud. A strong leader imposes…