Analysis Israel’s Lebanon dilemma: Confront Hezbollah without angering Trump, triggering Iran Israeli sources point out that the pilot project for Israel's withdrawal and the Lebanese military taking control over the area is not working because of the government's reluctance to search for Hezbollah's weapons in private homes. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran sets conditions for reopening Strait of Hormuz Syria, Saudi Arabia to establish joint bank; Lebanon, UAE ink deals, deepen economic ties; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Lebanon, UAE ink deals, deepen economic ties on Emirati Beirut visit An Emirati business delegation signed the agreements in Beirut and met with President Joseph Aoun, indicating the UAE's interest in deepening economic ties with Lebanon. Lebanon
Newsletter: Business & Tech Iran keeps Hormuz reopening on hold Traffic in the Strait of Hormuz remained low, with only five commodity vessels transiting the waterway on Tuesday, according to data from maritime tracking firm Kpler. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Newsletter: Daily Briefing US lifts Syria's terror designation By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Five Lessons From Egypt'sSecond Revolution The dynamics of change in Egypt and the direction they will take. Egypt
Abu Mazen: I Will Not Utter The Words ‘Armed Resistance’ Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, while visiting Beirut, said he was ready to reconcile with Hamas and that he unequivocally rejected armed resistance against Israel, stressiong “peaceful” and “diplomatic” resistance. Palestine
A New Era for Egypt Though Mohammed Morsi was the legitimate, elected president of Egypt, he quickly lost actual popular legitimacy by isolating large segments of the Egyptian population. Egypt
Assir Crisis Reflects Deeper Lebanese Divide Although the Lebanese army successfully eliminated Salafist Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir, the societal divide that led to his emergence remains. Lebanon
Would Military Rule Work in Lebanon? The recent clashes with Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir and Egypt's example have renewed Lebanese pride for their military, but it seems unlikely that military rule could be successful in Lebanon. Lebanon
What Happened to Fadel Shaker? In a case rarely seen in Lebanese society, Fadel Shaker, one of the country’s most beloved pop stars, chose to embrace extreme piety and soon became wingman to Salafist sheikh Ahmad al-Assir. Lebanon
Lebanon's Sectarian Fall As the Syrian conflict continues to rage, tensions are on the rise between Lebanese Sunnis and Shiites as a result of their affiliations with divergent Syrian groups. Lebanon
Will Sheikh Tamim Rebalance Qatar’s Foreign Policy? In the first article of a two-part series, Qatar’s new emir will likely follow his father's course, but Qatar’s may be forced to adjust its approach to international affairs. Qatar
Two Futures for Egypt Clash In the Conflict of the Squares The war of the squares, or the mass rallies organized by Egypt's opposition and the Islamists, show each ideology trying to flex its muscles by mobilizing the street. Egypt
Rouhani calls for Moderation In First Speech as President-elect In his first speech as president-elect of Iran, Hassan Rouhani said Iran should avoid extremism. Lebanon
Why Kerry Wants a Fast Reboot Of Israeli-Palestinian Peace Talks US Secretary of State John Kerry wants a quick resumption of Mideast peace talks, hoping to elicit some flexibility from Israel and to head off UN countermeasures by the Palestinians. Palestine
Lebanese Shiites' Divisions Intensify Over Syria The murder of a student leader of an anti-Hezbollah Shiite group has served as a reminder of historical and shifting divisions within Lebanon’s Shiite community. Lebanon
