Opinion

Instead of rejoicing over some form of justice being served, some have instead used the arrest as an opportunity to criticise the Sharaa government, hurling lofty insults from their ivory towers

Grand ambitions matter, but modest aspirations are indispensable.

While much is at stake for both sides in this seemingly intractable dispute, neither Trump nor Iran appears to be backing down from their entrenched positions

People have the right to question the righteousness of a cause that expects supreme sacrifice from its adherents

It is essential that Damascus permits political space for citizens to voice grievances without fear. Failure to do so risks a return to state repression that Syrians rose up against in 2011.

In 1983, negotiations collapsed because they failed to reflect the true balance of power inside Lebanon. But today, that internal balance has changed, as has the regional one.

A ceasefire extension is being discussed, but the US president says it might not be needed as he believes 'the war will end soon'.

Israel should avoid demands or preconditions that it knows Lebanon cannot meet. Without recognising this, negotiations are likely to quickly collapse.

The first is on the border against Israel, which seeks to seize their land and drive them northwards; the second is within Lebanon itself, against a state that seeks to marginalise them

The country has the international backing for direct talks, but lacks a unified national project to carry the momentum forward and sustain it long-term

History has shown that collapse is not a sudden act but a steady chipping away of the fortifications that prop up regimes.

Damascus needs to set clearer priorities and improve transparency and coordination or it risks remaining stuck in a cycle of crisis management