Bad Timing: Israel Allows Oil Exploration in Golan

Akiva Eldar writes that the decision to allow a US energy company to explore for oil in the Golan is not meant to antagonize President Obama in advance of his visit to Israel, but a sign that Israel considers the Golan an integral part of the state.

Israel

No Conditions on Syrian Dialogue

Al-Monitor’s coverage and analysis of the demonstrations in the West Bank, the role of Hezbollah in Syria, and the urgency of starting negotiations between the Syrian government and the opposition without conditions.

Palestine

Syrian Government Insists: No Conditions on Dialogue

A Syrian official says Damascus is in principle open to dialogue, but not with preconditions, reports Jean Aziz.

Lebanon

Israel Should Build Field Hospital On the Golan Border

When the IDF assisted seven wounded Syrian rebels who reached the Israeli border, it was a one-time event, but Shlomi Eldar suggests that Israel open a field hospital to plant the seeds of reconciliation.

Israel

Syria War Spurs US Military Aid To Lebanon

The Obama administration intends to continue aid to the Lebanese army to help prevent the spread of sectarian fighting from Syria and to counter the influence of Hezbollah.

Lebanon

Nasrallah Threatens Israel Again

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has again threatened Israel, but the threats may stem from Hezbollah's fortunes declining as a result of the war in Syria, writes Shlomi Eldar.

Israel

Iraqi Kurdistan Struggles to Meet Needs of Displaced Syrian Kurds

The Kurdistan Region of Iraq is struggling with the number of displaced Syrian Kurds flowing into the region, writes Abdel Hamid Zebari.

Iraq

Hezbollah Defends Shiite Villages In Syria War

A recent military operation by Hezbollah to defend Lebanese Shiite villagers in Syria is another sign that the Syrian conflict is spreading to Lebanon, argues Nasser Chararah.

Lebanon

SNC Cites Hezbollah Role in Syria

Syrian opposition forces claim Hezbollah is playing a growing role in the Syria conflict, reports Ali Hashem.

Lebanon

Turkey-Iran Ties Strained By Iraq, Syria

Tehran and Ankara are struggling to keep up appearances as differences over Iraq and Syria begin to take a toll on their bilateral relationship, writes Semih Idiz.

Syria

Syria’s Oil Crisis

Since the Syrian regime lost its grip on oil production, domestic oil prices have soared, increasing the civil war's burden on the Syrian economy, writes Mohammad Harfoush.

Lebanon

Syria Between Dialogue, Disaster

As the Syrian conflict intensifies, Nassif Hitti argues that the only way out of the crisis is through a mutual understanding between the regime and opposition based on the Geneva Declaration.

Lebanon