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Eyal Zisser

Eyal Zisser is a lecturer in the Middle East History Department at Tel Aviv University.

The Arab public in Israel supports the Joint List because it is the only political force that claims to address its needs. This fact is testimony to the failure of the Zionist parties to recruit and integrate Israeli Arabs.
The only card Mahmoud Abbas has left to play is dismantling the Palestinian Authority. Such a move, however, will set the Palestinians back light years.
By rejecting the new U.S. peace initiative, the Palestinians are opting for the wrong side of history.
Israel’s regional status and its economic, diplomatic and military clout allow it to advance strategic and even historic initiatives it could only have dreamed of in the past.
Following the discovery of natural gas reserves under the Mediterranean, a combination of ego, politics and the prospect of billions of dollars now threatens to erupt into military conflict, with clear ramifications for Israel.
For Iran’s friends and foes alike, Qassem Soleimani was second only to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Tehran will struggle to find another strategist of his caliber.
Under both leaders, Israel found itself at an advantage while the Palestinians have floundered, failing to manage their affairs at home.
The Trump administration’s historic recognition of the settlement enterprise in Judea and Samaria is another and perhaps even the last nail in the coffin of the Palestinian state.
There is no doubt that Israel’s elimination of Baha Abu al-Ata has dented the self-confidence and arrogance of its enemies.
Due to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s “zero problems” doctrine, Turkey is now a country with zero friends.
The mass protests in Lebanon and Iraq have thrown Iran and in particular Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah off balance, even to the point of alarm, but ultimately are not likely to have a lasting effect.
Hatred for and fear of rival tribes leads to similar voting patterns in Lebanon ... and to the same political result.