Keep US aid and wartime replenishment off Israel’s 2026 base budget
Finance Minister Smotrich's 2026 defense budget must exclude US aid and wartime replenishment to ensure readiness against future threats.
Druze
The Lebanese Demand Peace with Israel
“Break the taboos; we demand peace,” declared Marcel Ghanem, host of Lebanon’s premier talk show. “Demanding peace [with Israel] is not a crime,” he emphasized, challenging entrenched...
Op-eds
Israeli operations in Lebanon against Hezbollah: October 6–12, 2025
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) conducted numerous operations throughout Lebanon against Hezbollah between October 6 and October 12, 2025. Activities intensified last week relative to a trend over the...
Op-eds
After Gaza’s Deal, A Momentum in the Region for More Peace Stability in Syria, Lebanon?
U.S. President Donald Trump’s push for a peace deal to end the Gaza war has proven to be initially successful. He was able to bring together delegations from Qatar, Egypt, Turkey, Israel, and Hamas in...
Op-eds
Erdogan Demands SDF Complete Integration With Syrian Government
Erdogan Demanding Full Kurdish Integration: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Syrian Kurds to integrate with the Syrian government following a ceasefire between the Kurdish-led...
Flash Briefs
Ceasefire Gives Breathing Room to Syrian Government and Kurdish-Led Forces
A ceasefire between the government in Damascus and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), agreed to on October 7, pulls Syria back from the brink of bloodshed. Tensions, already high, rose the...
Policy Briefs
After sectarian clashes in Aleppo, US, SDF, and Syrian government officials meet in Damascus
Several rounds of meetings between US and Syrian leaders over the last two days reflect a push for integrating eastern Syria with Damascus and an attempt to reduce tensions between the Syrian...
Op-eds
New Syrian Parliament Takes Shape as Local Bodies Appoint Legislators Under Post-Assad Interim Constitution
Syria Announces First Results: The Syrian authorities announced preliminary results of the first parliamentary selection process since the toppling of President Bashar al-Assad’s...
Flash Briefs
Will Syria’s New President Live Up to the World’s Hope? The Signs Aren’t Good
Last week, Ahmad Sharaa became the first Syrian president in 60 years to visit New York for the UN General Assembly’s annual meeting.
Op-eds
The New Syrian Regime’s Dilemma
On September 24, Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara’a addressed the UN General Assembly in New York, where he is still on the UN sanctions list for his leadership of an al-Qa’ida affiliate (though...
Op-eds
Tom Barrack’s diplomacy of optics: Fast deals, fragile peace
Tom Barrack’s high-speed diplomacy in Syria and Lebanon backfired, fueling instability, alienating allies and deepening mistrust across the region.
Op-eds
From Pariah to Partner? Inside Syria’s Washington Comeback Bid
Syria’s transitional President Ahmed al-Shara’a and Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani travelled to Washington and New York for a week of key meetings in the third...
Op-eds
The United States Should be Prudent Regarding al-Sharaa’s Turn
Al-Sharaa’s turn away from the Nusra Front upon his seizure of power needs to be treated with prudence by the United States.
Op-eds
Druze Resist U.S.-Brokered Syria Stability Plan
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Policy Briefs
The Saudi-Qatari Competition for Influence in Syria
With the Syrian state still in its formative stage, lacking a defined political identity, two Gulf monarchies – Qatar and Saudi Arabia – are seeking to dominate Syria. This competition will only intensify...
Op-eds
IDF Discloses Arrests of Iranian IRGC Operatives in Syria
Unit 840 Suspects Arrested: The IDF revealed on September 12 that during a series of special operations over the past several months, it had arrested and eliminated at least seven...
Flash Briefs
Will Lebanon Disarm Hezbollah, or Not?
The Lebanese cabinet heard, on Friday, a presentation from Army Chief Rodolphe Haykal on a confidential plan to monopolize arms, as tasked by the government on August 5. The cabinet then issued a statement,...
Op-eds
Profiles of militias in newly formed Druze national guard in Suwayda, Syria
On August 23, armed factions in the Suwayda province, Syria announced the formation of a national guard under the leadership of the Druze spiritual leader Hikmat al Hijri, the most prominent...
Op-eds
Tensions grow between Damascus and eastern Syria amid continuing efforts to integrate factions
On September 2, the state-controlled Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported that Damascus intercepted an arms shipment destined for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the US-supported military force...
Op-eds
Syria Is No Longer a Narco-State, But the Captagon Trade Rolls On
Interim Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa pledged to dismantle his country’s massive illegal drug trade when he took power in December, but the dangerous amphetamine captagon is still flowing. On September...