Sam Menassa

The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime and the rise of Ahmed al-Sharaa to the Syrian presidency is the foundational episode of the regional transformation that is currently underway. It may well be one of the most consequential outcomes of the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation and its aftermath or even the…

Ceasefires are a lifeline to those languishing under relentless bombardment, suffering displacement, and struggling to find food- with no escape from their vast prison. Yet, the fact that discussions and negotiations for a ceasefire continue suggests that there is, as of yet, no horizon for an end…

It would be a mistake to overlook the unique opportunities presented by the region’s shifting strategic landscape following the resounding success of President Donald Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar. Until recently, this all seemed almost unimaginable, and seizing this opportunity…

It is difficult to single out one aspect of US President Donald Trump’s pivotal visit to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, as the most prominent or important. The visit was clearly not merely made for investment deals alone. Rather, it amounts to a turning point that consolidates…

There is now a pressing need to understand what Hezbollah truly wants at this stage. Indeed, the military losses and political defeats it has suffered, as well as those of its allies and backers in the region, will be difficult to overturn in the foreseeable future. What, then, does the party…

Last Tuesday, my colleague Nadim Koteich wrote a piece about the Middle East policy of the US under President Donald Trump on these pages, building on an interview that Trump’s envoy to the region, Steve Witkoff, had conducted with journalist Tucker Carlson. Koteich did not endorse a position and…

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s phone call about Ukraine has sparked controversy, with approval and condemnation both widespread. This is largely due to Trump’s persona and the radical, unprecedented shifts he has introduced to US policy, reshaping the balance of…

US President Donald Trump’s address to Congress, the longest in American history at 100 minutes, was made after the emergency Arab Summit in Cairo. The Summit had endorsed Egypt’s plan for the reconstruction of Gaza, firmly rebuffed the displacement of Palestinians from the enclave, proposed the…

After Jordan’s King Abdullah II visited Washington and met with President Donald Trump, the latter remained adamant about "resettling the residents of the Gaza Strip" and turning the area into a global tourism resort. This proposal blatantly disregards the Palestinian struggle and the Palestinian's…

Arab-international pressure on Lebanese politicians, both those in government and the opposition, allowed for the election of a president after the seat had been vacant for 26 months. Through an Arab-international consensus, the opportunity presented by the shifts that swept the region,…