Nobody wanted to fight
When the Israeli–Palestinian conflict escalated dramatically in early ... ... observers jumped to a grim conclusion that, from then onward, the Middle East was hurtling at an ever-increasing speed toward another ... ... overnight.
Along the line of confrontation between the IDF and Hezbollah forces on the Israeli–Lebanese border, nothing extraordinary ... ... Palestinian radicals and the Muslim Brotherhood movement (banned in Russia) at home, which has been driven deep underground, but was,...
... efforts. For example, during the Second Lebanon War, then-French President Nicolas Sarkozy brokered on behalf of the EU. So, the assistance of an extra-regional actor was instrumental in reaching a ceasefire agreement and resolving the crisis between Israel and Hezbollah.
Another case study is the work of the Middle East Quartet, which included the U.S., Russia, the UN and the EU. There are different opinions about its effectiveness, but it functioned nonetheless. Members of the Middle East Quartet were in contact with both the Israelis and the Palestinians. The question was not so much about a comprehensive ...
A Regional Rumble in Syria
Israel’s National Security: What’s at issue?
Since its foundation,... ... Turkey, Saudi Arabia, etc.) and substate actors (such as Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic State [Da’esh], Jabhat Fatah al-Sham [al-Qaeda’s ... ... striking military targets, all the while communicating with its Russian partners.
From Israel’s Binoculars: A View of Damascus
... ... Islamic fundamentalist state. Russia’s main objective is that the Middle East remains stable while Syria was heading towards anything ...
... Ukraine-style. Many observers predict these, or similar, scenarios for the Middle East, which is already permeated by chronic conflicts, border disputes and territories populated largely by religious, ethnic and other minorities.
Do you see any role in the Middle East settlement for Russia?
The Iranian issue remains of paramount importance for Israel, thousands or maybe even dozens of thousands of the latest missiles targeted by the Hezbollah against northern Israel from Lebanon, as well as the threat of shelling from the Gaza Strip.
Israel relies on Russia in its search for amenable solutions on Iran's nuclear program and the prevention of modern weapons supplies to the already ...
