Sam Menassa

Tom Barrack’s recent statements can no longer be dismissed as casual remarks or diplomatic slips. He is the US Envoy to Syria and Lebanon, and they should not be downplayed; indeed, explaining his rhetoric as political naivete is itself naive. Barrack speaks in his capacity as the official…

President Joseph Aoun’s unprecedentedly clear and candid speech, explicitly labeled Hezbollah’s arms unauthorized by the state, was a long-awaited turning point in the complex relationship between the Lebanese state and the party. Nonetheless, this clarity was not translated into unequivocal…

Hezbollah, through the statements of Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem and its paramilitary deputy Hussein Al-Hajj Hassan, preempted President Joseph Aoun’s recent speech, which reignited the spirit of his inaugural address and affirmed the state’s exclusive right to bear arms. The party also…

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…