Syria focuses on diplomacy amid Iran war
On April 9, Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Asaad Hassan al Shaibani traveled to Turkey, where he met with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. It was Damascus’s second meeting with...
Druze
The Lebanese Army Goes Rogue
The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), under its commander Rodolphe Haykal, has defied the state it is sworn to serve, effectively siding with Hezbollah at a moment when Lebanon teeters on the edge of the abyss. After...
Op-eds
Prisoner Exchange Between Central Government and Druze Factions is an Opportunity To Cement Stability in Syria
After the July 2025 Syrian government offensive in the south of the country that resulted in the deaths of at least 1,000 members of the Druze minority, reconciliation between Damascus and the Druze appeared...
Policy Briefs
For a Better Druze Future, Jumblatt Needs New Ideas
Walid Jumblatt, Lebanon’s most seasoned and cunning political operator, has navigated every twist of the country’s turmoil since taking the reins of the Druze community in 1977. Convinced that his...
Op-eds
A Month of Crisis in Syria and Its Regional Ramifications
Syria has experienced another dramatic transformation. After a month of clashes that began in Aleppo and spread to eastern Syria, Damascus announced on January 30 that it had reached an agreement with...
Op-eds
Third Time Lucky? Syrian Government and Kurdish-Led SDF Announce Latest Agreement
An escalation of conflict in northeastern Syria has been averted, at least for now. But questions persist over whether the disputes that sparked the recent offensive by Syrian government troops against...
Policy Briefs
The persistence of Israel’s ‘Periphery Doctrine’
The burgeoning relationship between Somaliland and Israel proves that the Jewish state is not hated and isolated in the region, despite the neighboring cluster of authoritarian states insisting otherwise.
Op-eds
Israeli Foreign Minister Follows up Recognition of Somaliland With Historic Visit
Latest Developments Sa’ar in Somaliland: Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar traveled to Somaliland on January 6, the first official diplomatic visit since Israel recognized the East African...
Flash Briefs
The US’ Syria Bet Just Turned Deadly
Despite lifting sanctions, Washington has failed to arrest radicalization within the Syrian government.
Op-eds
Lebanon Must Become Independent of Saudi Arabia Too
If Lebanon’s Shia are to finally divorce Iran and reclaim patriotism for their nation, other sects must also place Lebanon’s national interests above the diktats of foreign patrons. That means the...
Op-eds
Jordan carries out airstrikes in Syria against drug smugglers
The Kingdom of Jordan conducted airstrikes in Syria that targeted drug smugglers between December 23 and 25. The strikes came days after reports at the Jordan News Agency, a state media...
Op-eds
Lebanon Must Pick the Abraham Accords over the Muslim Brotherhood
It would be a grave mistake for Lebanon to swap the Islamist resistance axis of Iran for the Muslim Brotherhood of Turkey and Qatar. ...
Op-eds
Israel-Syria tensions continue after Israeli raid as White House urges ‘dialogue’
Tensions between Israel and Syria have continued in the wake of a November 27 raid in southern Syria by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). On December 4, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), a state...
Op-eds
Preventing Violence in Southern Syria Depends on Damascus and Jerusalem Reaching an Agreement
“Israel must maintain a strong and true dialogue with Syria,” President Donald Trump said on December 1, amid rising tensions between the two countries. On November 27, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF)...
Policy Briefs
Lebanon Must Answer the Pope’s Call for Peace
Lebanon, and the world, must heed the Pope of Peace over the so-called “Party of God,” Hezbollah. From the heart of Lebanon—a biblical land living under Hezbollah’s shadow—Pope Leo XIV issued...
Op-eds
Instability grows in Syria’s Druze heartland as ‘National Guard’ militia arrests opponents
On November 29, members of Suwayda’s National Guard, a militia affiliated with Druze spiritual leader Hikmat al Hijri that describes itself as the “official military institution that represents...
Op-eds
Syrian Government Condemns Israeli Prime Minister’s Visit to Troops in Southern Syria
Latest Developments ‘Violation of Sovereignty and Unity’: The Syrian government strongly condemned a November 19 visit to Israeli-controlled Syrian territory by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin...
Flash Briefs
Israeli prime minister and top officials visit Syria ‘buffer zone’ as Israel-Syria talks stall
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu led a large group of Israeli officials and military commanders to the buffer zone between Israel and Syria on November 19. The Israel Defense...
Op-eds
Will Al-Sharaa Meet the American Moment?
The Syrian president’s visit to the White House will be significant only if he can stabilize his country from within.
Op-eds
Why Normalization with Israel Will Revive Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia risks irrelevance by tying its future to the failed Palestinian cause. Saudi Arabia is rapidly losing regional relevance, with Sunni rivals Qatar and Turkey encroaching on its traditional...