War in the Gaza Strip demonstrates yet again that the current governance paradigm for the Palestinian people has failed. Terrorists financed and supplied by Iran control Gaza; the Palestinian Authority is broken, probably irretrievably; and economic development is stalled in Gaza and the West Bank. Palestinians are suffering the consequences of regional power struggles played out through them as surrogates. ...more

January 7, 2009

Israel and the Shiite militia Hezbollah on Wednesday conducted a prisoner exchange, with two coffins containing the bodies of abducted Israeli soldiers swapped for five Lebanese prisoners, including a convicted murderer. ...more

July 17, 2008

France's president said Saturday that Syria and Lebanon will open embassies in each other's countries for the first time. But Syria's leader cautioned there is still work to be done before that can happen. ...more

July 13, 2008

After losing both houses of Congress in the 1994 election, Bill Clinton expostulated: The president of the United States is not irrelevant! ...more

June 3, 2008

Israel handed over a convicted Hezbollah spy to Lebanon on Sunday and, in a surprise move, the Islamic guerrilla group turned over what it said were the body parts of Israeli soldiers killed in a 2006 war. ...more

June 2, 2008

Israel and Syria announced Wednesday that they were engaged in negotiations for a comprehensive peace treaty through Turkish mediators, a sign that Israel is hoping to halt the growing influence of Iran, Syria's most important ally, which sponsors the anti-Israel groups Hezbollah and Hamas. ...more

May 22, 2008

An agreement reached by Lebanese political factions Wednesday amounted to a significant shift of power in favor of the militant Shiite group Hezbollah and its allies in the opposition, who won the power to veto any Cabinet decision. ...more

May 22, 2008

Lebanon hung between fears of all-out war and hopes of political compromise Sunday as government supporters and opponents battled in the mountains overlooking the capital. ...more

May 12, 2008

Hezbollah and its allies began withdrawing their gunmen in this capital Saturday evening, raising hopes for a political settlement after four days of street battles that left at least 29 people dead. ...more

May 11, 2008

Heavily armed Hezbollah fighters seized control of much of western Beirut on Friday, patrolling the deserted streets in a raw show of force that underscored the Shiite militia's refusal to back down in its escalating confrontation with the American-backed government. ...more

May 10, 2008