When France set up a meeting to boost Lebanon's state military, it seemed so easy and clear. If only. Alas, very few things are easy and clear in Lebanon and the Middle East.
No single event has a greater potential of triggering a regional war than an incendiary incident at Al-Aqsa during Ramadan — especially against the backdrop of Israel's brutal war on Gaza
Hezbollah's debilitation presents a perfect opportunity to shape Lebanon's political dynamics by turning the army into a better-equipped and more effective US security partner
The arrest of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya in northern Gaza shows that destruction is not the only aim of the occupation; humiliation is also a key component of Israel's war of annihilation
The lack of transparency threatens to derail Syria's aspirations for a democratic and inclusive future, transforming what should be a period of hope and progress into one of missed opportunities
Despite some softening of Cairo's diplomatic position toward Damascus, it is unnerved by the threat of political Islam nearby and the wider ambitions of states such as Türkiye