Al Majalla’s cover story last week tackled the possibility of Syrian intervention in Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah. Elie Kossaifi predicts that Trump’s idea is unlikely to materialise, while Michael Horowitz explains why such a gambit could backfire. Meanwhile, Subhi Franjieh and Omer Onhon offer perspectives from Damascus and Ankara, respectively. As for the Lebanon-Israel deal recently signed, Alia Mansour believes it will add more pressure on Hezbollah to disarm.

The other big story last week was the fall of British Premier Keir Starmer and the rise of Andy Burnham as a possible replacement. John Kampfner and Con Coughlin look at how Britain got to this place and the likely path forward in the coming months. Meanwhile, on the sidelines of the G7 summit, countries grappled with the politics of AI access. Marco Mossad explains that while Washington has no desire to open access to advanced AI models to everyone, it cannot entirely close the door on its allies.

In other political news, Robert Ford explains how New laws will embed Israel in US security agencies. “Legislation to fund the American military and intelligence services will include requirements that Israeli defence firms be involved in sensitive projects and that classified information be shared,” he writes, while explaining the likely implications of such a move. And Areig Elhag looks at a new US plan for Libya and asks whether it is a genuine effort to unify the country or simply a management of division. 

In Business & Economy, Neil Quilliam explains why, although the Strait of Hormuz is open, obstacles to trade still linger. “Even if diplomatic progress continues, the Strait could be closed again. As a result, the geopolitical risk premium attached to Gulf energy exports is unlikely to disappear entirely, “ he writes.

For his part, Abdel-Rahman Ayas turns our attention to the ongoing World Cup, explaining how the tournament has led to a meteoric rise in sports betting. Meanwhile, Bahaa Iy’ali highlights 10 books that showcase how football mirrors the world. And last but not least, Antoine Jockey pens a piece titled Umberto Eco and the construction of the enemy, where he explains how “a forgotten lecture traces the history of hatred through language, myth, and imagination.”