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Gulf states rush to normalize Israel ties: Analysts

A flurry of visits by senior Israeli officials to Arab Gulf states reflects a rush by Gulf countries to “befriend” with Israel, analysts believe. “The peace rail link between Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the Gulf countries is an economic normalization at the expense of...

Israel’s Gaza op failed to achieve objectives: Analysts

Gaza-based political experts say Israel’s brazen incursion into Gaza on Sunday was meant to "disrupt and confuse" Palestinian resistance groups, especially Hamas, which has governed the strip since 2007. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least seven Palestinians, including a...

Saudi admission over critic's killing shields crown prince

Saudi Arabia's admission -- after emphatic denials -- over the killing of critic Jamal Khashoggi is aimed at shifting the responsibility away from the powerful crown prince, whose position so far appears unshaken, analysts say. The kingdom sacked two top aides to Crown Prince Mohammed...

Conflict of interest mounts between Russia, Iran in southern Syria

(Zaman Al Wasl)- Once the Syrian regime and key ally Russia took the Syria south from rebels, a power struggle has begun to appear between these forces. each side is now trying to win over the support of civilians by rallying the youth and spreading ideas that back up its military, economic and...

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham: Syria regime's toughest foe in Idlib

The Syrian regime and its Russian ally are threatening an offensive to retake the northwestern province of Idlib, Syria's last rebel bastion, where jihadist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham holds sway. The jihadist alliance, the core of which is formed by the former Al-Qaeda branch in Syria,...

What next in Idlib?

Syria's northern province of Idlib is home to the last major rebel bastion in the country, and part of it could be the next target of Russian-backed government forces. An operation looks imminent but may be limited in scope, giving more time for a deal with Turkey, which also has forces...

The reality of Daesh in Iraq: Far from dead

At his post-summit news conference with President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki Monday, President Donald Trump praised the U.S.-led coalition’s “successful campaign” that had “just about eradicated” Daesh (ISIS) in Syria. Daesh, however, is far from dead in the region. I...

Daesh attacks in Syria signal further violence

Daesh (ISIS) may have lost most of its territory in Syria but recent deadly attacks against pro-regime fighters are a foretaste of more to come, analysts say. Despite pro-government forces ousting Daesh from urban centers in eastern Syria last year, surprise raids there in past weeks have killed...

The princes, the president and the fortune seekers

After a year spent carefully cultivating two princes from the Arabian Peninsula, Elliott Broidy, a top fundraiser for President Donald Trump, thought he was finally close to nailing more than $1 billion in business. He had ingratiated himself with crown princes from Saudi Arabia and the...

Russia has won in Syria, will it challenge U.S. in Lebanon next?

Lebanon held on Sunday its first parliamentary elections in nine years, as citizens expressed cautious optimism that the country's rigid, oft-deadlocked sectarian political system could be swayed. Behind the scenes, however, one of the world's leading powers has quietly eyed the small state as...

Blair endorses Syria strike, calls for International Intervention

(Zaman Al Wasl)-Even though 15 years have passed since the invasion of Iraq, the picture of the former Prime Minister of the UK Tony Blair is still haunting many as the biggest engineer, warmonger, and influencer of that invasion. Today, Blair’s name is trending again as the...

'Absentees law' could see millions of refugees lose lands

As thousands of Syrians flee their homes in Eastern Ghouta to escape a fierce air and ground offensive led by pro-government forces, President Bashar al-Assad has introduced a new law which can potentially see the state confiscating the lands of millions of displaced people. Law Number...

Here’s What the Trump Administration Is Really Plotting in Syria

By Hassan Hassan , Michael Weiss (The Daily Beast)- “We’re knocking the hell out of ISIS. We’ll be coming out of Syria, like, very soon. Let the other people take care of it now.” So spoke the president of the United States in Richfield, Ohio on...

At volatile Syrian front line, US, Turkey on opposing sides

Perched on a green hilltop, Kurdish and Arab fighters face a tense front line separating them from Turkish-backed forces in this part of northern Syria. Behind them, American troops drive up and down the roads. Their aim: Make their presence known to prevent bursts of gunfire from spiraling...

Trump promise to get out of Syria 'very soon' could be a win for Russia

(CNN)- If President Donald Trump makes good on his promise to get out of Syria "very soon," one of the biggest winners will be Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian government. Although the Kremlin has tried to cast its involvement in Syria as primarily an air campaign, there...

Where is Yemen heading after three years of war?

This week, Saudi Arabia has seen an attack unprecedented since the first day of its military intervention in Yemen's war in March 2015. On Sunday evening, Seven missiles struck four different regions in the kingdom, including in Riyadh. It was the first time the Yemen war has directly...

For Pyongyang, Mideast offers cautionary nuclear tale

As North Korea considers negotiating over its nukes, it may find lessons in the Middle East, where leaders imperiled, paranoid or pugnacious have long used the doomsday weapon threat to secure a wobbly perch. It is a delicate dance - and getting the balance wrong can end badly. Holding...

'Pigs Brought to Slaughterhouse': Russian Mercenaries in Syria

(Zaman Al Wasl)- If it is right to say the 7th of February events represent the "mother of battles" that Washington fought directly in Syria because of the large number of fatalities, the Russian side represents what can be described as "the mother of the fighter" and for the same reason,...