Our fortnightly round-up of the latest Arabic books covering a wide range of topics, reflecting some of the trends and thinking in the Arab world

US-led diplomatic talks were essentially a performance, doomed from the outset

A surprise offensive by the Turkish-backed HTS came after Israel warned Damascus it would pay a 'heavy price' if it keeps arming Hezbollah. How might Syria's stakeholders respond? Al Majalla explains.

There are positives within the latest review of Cairo's progress toward a further $1.3bn financial lifeline, but they come amid deepening economic problems at home, where the cost of living is rising

UN Resolution 181 was never implemented, and instead of getting half of their ancestral homeland, the Palestinians got nothing; 77 years later, the situation remains as bleak as ever.

While the US-brokered truce garnered international praise, there are serious reservations about its ability to be enforced and implemented

Netanyahu will not let Hamas rule post-war Gaza. In parts of the Strip, his army seems to be digging in for what could be a longer stay from the 'day after' the war ends.

Limited strikes could continue even after the truce

In 2015, Iran and world powers, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, China, France, and Germany, reached an agreement, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), that saw the…