1) At the Alma Center, Dr. Zoe Levornik analyses “The War Over Lebanon”: Mapping the Political Landscape of Lebanon.
“The developing debate in Lebanon surrounding direct negotiations with Israel is not merely a specific diplomatic issue. Rather, it is a clear expression of the deep struggle over the character of the Lebanese state, the distribution of power centers within it, and the central, and, unfortunately, as of the time of writing, rhetorical, question that has accompanied Lebanon for many years: is the Lebanese state the sole sovereign authority, or does Hezbollah continue to hold veto power over its foreign and security policy?”
2) At the ITIC, Dror Doron reports on Hezbollah’s Unit 121.
“The Lebanese government measures taken against Hezbollah and its decision to open direct negotiations with Israel increased the tension between Hezbollah and the Lebanese leadership, as senior figures in the organization and its supporters accused President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam of betraying the “resistance” and collaborating with Israel. […]
The concern that the escalation of Hezbollah’s rhetoric will threaten and possibly compromise the lives of Lebanese senior officials has put Hezbollah’s Unit 121 in the spotlight. The Unit is a covert entity subordinate to the organization’s secretary general and has been responsible for a series of assassinations of Hezbollah opponents in the political and security arena during the past two decades. The most prominent case was the assassination of former prime minister Rafik al-Hariri in February 2005.”
3) At the JISS, Dr Ariel Admoni discusses Qatari Involvement in South Africa’s Case Against Israel.
“South Africa’s December 2023 application against Israel under the Genocide Convention, heard by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), did not unfold in a diplomatic vacuum. Beyond the formal legal proceedings, Qatar appears to have played a role through diplomatic, economic, and media channels that helped shape the case and increase international pressure on Israel.”
4) At the FDD, Sinan Ciddi explains why Turkey’s Maritime Strategy Heightens the Risk of a New Eastern Mediterranean Crisis.
“Although Ankara’s new legislative initiative may initially appear technical or bureaucratic, it represents a deliberate, calculated escalation by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. This action is intended to challenge the regional order in the eastern Mediterranean, exert pressure on neighboring states, and position Turkey as the dominant maritime power between Europe and the Middle East.”
5) Orde F. Kittrie discusses The Dangerous Failure to Hold Hamas Accountable for Using Human Shields.
“During its war with Israel in Gaza, Hamas has used human shields—a war crime under international law—not only incessantly but also systematically and strategically, as a core part of its planning and goals. Hamas has committed this war crime by systematically embedding its fighters, command infrastructure, and weapons within civilian areas, including in a 300-mile military tunnel network under and into civilian buildings; by persistently firing from civilian buildings; by systematically using hospitals to conceal and support military operations; and by intentionally exposing Gaza’s civilians to danger by discouraging and preventing their evacuation from battle zones.
Despite these incessant, systematic, and strategic violations, Hamas’ commission of the war crime of using human shields has been entirely disregarded by the hundreds of pages of Gaza war resolutions, reports, and judicial opinions of the United Nations, the International Criminal Court (ICC), and the International Court of Justice (ICJ).”
