Ghassan Charbel

This man does not tire of killing. It is his job, and perhaps his calling. He doesn’t believe in talk about peace. The only rival he can trust is a dead one. “Peace” is an odd word in this thorny part of the world. What they call “peace” is at best a form of fragile truce. It is an open arena to…

The Houthi youth cannot believe what he is reading. Positive messages have emerged from the Iranian-American meeting in Muscat. He had never expected that the supreme leader would allow Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi to meet with Steve Witkoff – the envoy of the man who ordered the killing of…

When US Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East Morgan Ortagus was born on July 10, 1982, the scene was as follows: General Ariel Sharon’s tanks were surrounding Beirut from all sides and his jets were bombing the capital without mercy. The general of the city of the time was Yasser Arafat, who…

Iran is a major and prestigious country that the region has an interest in seeing become stable and prosperous, away from the rhetoric of threats to shut the Hormuz Strait and support Houthi rockets attacks in the Red Sea. The Khomeini revolution was not just a major coup in Iran, but its…

It was a pleasant night in Beirut. The seaside cafes were full late into the night. The city has a habit of concealing its wounds and disappointments, to challenges death and the rubble, and to convince the visitor that bright days are ahead despite the challenges. We used to count the losses and…

The veteran politician said the latest American strikes against Houthi positions may be the last from the Donald Trump administration to Iran before the decisive moment arrives for its nuclear program. He said the region may be headed towards a major crisis should the Iranian supreme leader fail in…

Anyone in Beirut observing the developments unfolding in Syria will be gripped by fear. It is very dangerous to try to turn back the hands of time. The collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime was a major shock that surprised his allies and opponents alike. In Syria, some refuse to believe that the…

He rubbed his eyes, as if doubting what he saw. The scene was unbelievable—stunning, unexpected. Luck had never been this generous to him. He asked the guard for a big amount of ice and a bottle worthy of an unprecedented celebration. The guard hesitated—his master was not one to drink. He was an…

A journalist can occasionally be plagued by a certain subject during their career. It seems I have been cursed with the issue of assassinations. I was very close to danger during one assassination and was on the other line of the phone when one figure was assassinated. Add to that that…

The diplomat is familiar with Washington and its hallways where decisions are made. He used to visit at the beginning of presidential terms and return with as many answers and expectations as possible to report to his superiors. This time, however, he found himself confronted with a difficult…