This is Beirut - Damascus

The Shebaa Question: Sovereignty, Strategy, and the Price of Peace

Philippe Abi-Akl, 05/08 08:30 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

UN Security Council Damascus Donald Trump Hezbollah Shebaa

Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad and the rise of Ahmad al-Sharaa as Syria’s president, the political landscape has dramatically shifted. Long-held narratives have unraveled, and entrenched positions reversed, including those concerning territory, borders, and the disputed Shebaa Farms. No longer using Shebaa as a pretext for resistance under ...

Beirut Port: The Dormant Strategic Hub

Liliane Mokbel, 02/08 12:10 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Beirut Port Damascus

The Levant’s maritime landscape is rapidly shifting. Since the easing of Western sanctions on Syria, investors have flocked to its shores. Emirati logistics giant DP World has launched an $800 million investment plan to modernize Tartus port. Meanwhile, CMA CGM is investing $262 million in Lattakia, and China is expanding its footprint in ...

Azerbaijan: The Triumph of Pragmatism over Religious Identity

Mario Chartouni, 31/07 19:05 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

European Union Damascus Israel Middle East Tehran

In the heart of the Caucasus, Azerbaijan stands out for its unconventional geopolitical alignments. Though predominantly Shia in religious composition, this secular post-Soviet republic has positioned itself as one of Israel’s closest allies and a strategic partner to the West, all while maintaining a strained relationship with neighboring ...

Syrian, Israeli Ministers to Hold Meeting in Baku on Thursday: Diplomat

This is Beirut, 30/07 19:10 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Damascus Israel United States Syria Baku

A Syrian-Israeli ministerial meeting is set to take place Thursday in Baku to discuss security matters in southern Syria, a diplomat told AFP. The meeting between Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer follows a similar meeting between the two ministers in Paris last week. It will take ...

Turkey to Begin Supplying Azeri Gas to Syria from Saturday

This is Beirut, 30/07 12:20 - Reading : less than a minute

Damascus Turkey Gas Syria

Turkey will start exporting natural gas from Azerbaijan to Syria from Saturday, the energy minister said on Wednesday. Syria's authorities, who toppled Bashar al-Assad in December, are seeking to rebuild the country's infrastructure and economy after almost 14 years of civil war. The conflict badly damaged Syria's power infrastructure, leading ...

New Aid Convoy Enters South Syria Druze-Majority Province

This is Beirut, 28/07 16:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Damascus United Nations Druze Aid

A new humanitarian aid convoy reached southern Syria's Druze heartland on Monday, official media said, as the United Nations warned the humanitarian situation in Sweida province was critical after deadly violence. Clashes in Druze-majority Sweida province, which began on July 13 and ended with a ceasefire a week later, initially involved Druze ...

Syrian, Israeli Ministers Meet US Envoy in Paris: Senior Diplomat

This is Beirut, 25/07 08:55 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

USA Damascus Israel Tom Barrack

The US special envoy for Syria said he held talks with Syrian and Israeli officials in Paris on Thursday on de-escalating sectarian violence in Syria. "I met this evening with the Syrians and Israelis in Paris. Our goal was dialogue and de-escalation, and we accomplished precisely that," said the envoy, Tom Barrack, on X. "All parties reiterated ...

Syrian Government Rejects Kurdish Armed Autonomy Ahead of Integration Talks

This is Beirut, 24/07 21:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Damascus Washington

A Syrian government source said Thursday that it rejected allowing the Kurds — who control vast territories in the north and east of the country — to keep their weapons, as a new round of negotiations on their integration into the Syrian state was scheduled, according to state media. The Kurds are engaged in negotiations with central ...

Saudi Arabia Commits $6.4 Billion to Syria in Reconstruction Deals

This is Beirut, 24/07 16:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Saudi Arabia Damascus United Nations

Saudi Arabia on Thursday signed major investment and partnership deals with Syria, valued at $6.4 billion, to help rebuild the war-ravaged country's infrastructure, telecommunications and other major sectors. Saudi Arabia has been a major backer of the new Syrian government, which seized power after an Islamist-led offensive toppled longtime ...

The Druze of Syria: A Minority Seeking Stability in the Post-Assad Transition

Natasha Metni Torbey, 24/07 13:00 - Reading : 6 minute(s)

Damascus Israel Druze Minority

Since July 13, deadly clashes in Syria’s southern province of Sweida have left more than 1,300 people dead, including at least 630 local residents, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The violence erupted after the abduction of a merchant from the Druze community, triggering a wave of bloodshed that underscores the region’s ...

Turkey: A Global Power Broker

This is Beirut, 23/07 21:50 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Turkey Volodymyr Zelensky Damascus Europe Israel

From Ukraine to Syria, including Iran, Turkey has emerged in recent years as a pivotal diplomatic force, multiplying its mediation efforts across a spectrum of regional crises. This active, multi-front diplomacy serves both to safeguard its national security and to solidify its position as a key player on the global stage. Turkey’s strategic ...

Saudi Announces $5 Billion in Syria Investments

This is Beirut, 23/07 20:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Damascus Syria Saudi Arabia

A Saudi delegation visiting Damascus on Wednesday inked investment and partnership deals valued at $5 billion to help rebuild war-battered Syria, the oil-rich Gulf kingdom announced. Saudi Arabia has been a major backer of the new Syrian government, which seized power after Islamist-led rebels toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December ...

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