Israel

Football star Lamine Yamal's hoisting of Palestine's flag, and the Eurovision audience's booing of Israel's contestant, show how Israel has lost its PR edge

Egyptian officials believe US-Israeli pressure to rapidly disarm Hezbollah could backfire and plunge Lebanon into a new civil war

Ankara's national security priority is no longer Kurds or Gülenists, but Israel. Likewise, in Tel Aviv, Türkiye is increasingly seen as a future Israeli adversary. Both are preparing accordingly

Proponents of a peace deal argue that by reducing security risks with Israel, Lebanon can move from a volatile frontier market into a regional hub much like the UAE.

Many Israelis actually believe that they lost the war, with opposition leader Yair Lapid accusing the Israeli premier of having led the country into "strategic collapse and diplomatic catastrophe"

Israel's gloves-off approach since 2023 didn't emerge out of the blue; it is deeply rooted in Zionist and Israeli military thought.

Largely forgotten by history, leaders in Beirut and Tel Aviv shook hands on a plan for normal bilateral relations 43 years ago, after yet another Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon.

Given his reputation for being a staunch sovereignist, many trust him not to concede an inch of Lebanese land to Israel

Cairo is feeling the impact of the war and fears that some longer-term consequences may be existential. Meanwhile, saviours are few and far between.