Skip to main content

The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Main navigation

Analysis
Experts
About
Support
Maps & Multimedia

Trending:

Democracy & Reform
Terrorism

Lebanon
Iran
Israel
Syria

Regions & Countries

Egypt
Gulf States
Iran
Iraq
Israel
Jordan
Lebanon
Middle East
North Africa
Palestinians
Syria
Turkey

Issues

Arab & Islamic Politics
Arab-Israeli Relations
Democracy & Reform
Energy & Economics
Great Power Competition
Gulf & Energy Policy
Military & Security
Peace Process
Proliferation
Terrorism
U.S. Policy

TWI Arabic: اللغة العربية Fikra Forum

Search Policy Analysis

Breadcrumb

Policy Analysis

Syria

Policy Analysis on Syria

Filter by:

Keyword

Issue

Type

Israel's Response to Lebanese Border Skirmishes

Since March 28, 2002, the first day of Operation Defensive Shield—Israel's attempt to dismantle the Palestinian terrorist infrastructure—Lebanese Hizballah fighters have attacked northern Israeli settlements and military outposts on an almost daily basis. These unprovoked attacks have included the use of antitank missiles, mortars, katyusha rockets, and antiaircraft weapons directed

Hizballah's Vision of the Lebanon-Israel Border

On February 28, Hizballah fired 57mm antiaircraft missiles at Israeli planes flying over the Shebaa Farms area. According to Hizballah information officer Hassan Azzedin, "the current line of Israeli withdrawal ('blue line') is not consistent with the international boundary and not recognized by the Lebanese government. That's why we're pursuing

Avi Jorisch

Toward a Lebanese-Style War of Attrition?

Lebanon may well have come to the West Bank and Gaza. Over the past year and a half, Hamas has adopted traditional Hizballah guerilla tactics such as roadside bombings, short-range rocket and mortar launchings, using squads of terrorists from a variety of groups, and videotaping attacks and potential suicide bombers

Matthew Levitt

Deterioration along the Israel-Lebanon Border

In the past month there have been no less than six incidents in which Hizballah's antiaircraft batteries opened fire against Israeli civilian and military aircraft flying in Israel's northern airspace. This in addition to its repeated and unprovoked attacks on Israeli outposts in the Mount Dov region, next to the

Syria and the War on Terrorism (Part II):

Challenges for U.S. Policy

With its longstanding support for terrorism, both pre- and post-September 11, Syria poses a unique challenge to U.S. antiterror strategy. Unlike Iran -- whose leaders orchestrate public chants of "Death to America, death to Israel" and thereby provide rhetorical context to their sponsorship of terrorism -- Damascus proclaims its desire

Matthew Levitt

Syria and the War on Terrorism (Part I):

A Post–September 11 Assessment

As the Bush administration surveys options for the next phases in the war on terrorism, scant attention has been focused on Syria -- despite the fact that Dr. Bashar al-Asad's regime has been among the world's most active supporters of terrorism, even after September 11. Background Syria is a charter

Matthew Levitt

Syria's Accession to the UN Security Council and U.S. Policy

The internal Bush administration debate over the "broad coalition/narrow target versus narrow coalition/broad target" in the war against terrorism will be put to a test Monday, when the United Nations General Assembly is scheduled to vote in secret ballot on the nomination of Syria as a non-permanent member of the

Robert Satloff

In-Depth Reports

Bashar's First Year:

From Ophthalmology to a National Vision

A detailed look at the first year of Bashar al-Asad's often-unpredictable regime.

Yossi Baidatz

The Lebanon-Syria-Israel Triangle:

One Year after Israeli Withdrawal

While the violence in the West Bank and Gaza captures most of the attention, arguably more important developments in the last year have occurred in the Syria-Lebanon-Israel triangle. The Collapse of the Syrian-Israeli Peace Process The collapse of the Geneva summit in March 2000 formalized the demise of the negotiations

Hariri in Washington

A preview of Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri's first visit to Washington since returning to office in September 2000.

Yossi Baidatz

From Tehran to Beirut to Jerusalem:

Iran and Hizballah in the Palestinian Uprising

As Arab leaders gather in Amman for the first regular Arab summit in a decade, non-Arab Iran is keenly watching to see whether Arab heads-of-state once again make grandiose promises to support the Palestinians. If Arab leaders fail to deliver on these promises, as has been the case with Arab

Between Hong Kong and Hanoi

The behind-the-scenes conflict between liberal and illiberal forces within Lebanon's political structure is spilling into public view.

Yossi Baidatz

Syria’s Foreign Policy Challenges U.S. Interests

This is the second of a two-part series marking the six months since Bashar al-Asad became president of Syria on July 17, 2000. Read Part I. For a region used to the late Hafiz al-Asad’s stodgy predictability, his son Bashar’s six-month-old presidency has displayed a surprisingly active foreign policy, including

Alan Makovsky

Syria under Bashar al-Asad:

The Domestic Scene and the 'Chinese Model' of Reform

This is the first of a two-part series marking the six months since Bashar al-Asad became president of Syria on July 17, 2000. Read Part II. On January 11, a petition signed by a thousand Syrian intellectuals appeared in the Lebanese press demanding -- inter alia -- freedom of expression

Alan Makovsky

From Sheba’a to al-Quds:

The Evolution of Hizballah

Rather than exploiting the Israeli withdrawal from the "security zone" in May 2000 to focus on internal Lebanese politics, Hizballah is maintaining its military strategy against Israel at the risk of triggering a full-scale war.

Yossi Baidatz

The Israeli-Lebanese Border Dispute and Resolution 425:

Recent Declarations by the United States and the United Nations

"The Arab leaders affirm that just, comprehensive peace will not be achieved except with . . . the restoration of all the occupied Arab territories, including full Israeli withdrawal from . . . southern Lebanon to the internationally recognized borders, including Shebaa farms, the release of Arab prisoners in Israeli

Hizballah's Kidnapping:

An Opportunity to Test Bashar al-Asad

The kidnapping of IDF soldiers from the Israel-Lebanon border presents Washington with its first opportunity to test the intentions and capabilities of Syria's new and inexperienced president, Bashar al-Asad.

Yossi Baidatz

The Hizballah Kidnapping and the Potential for a 'Second Front'

Hizballah's capture of three IDF soldiers in the disputed Lebanese-Israeli eastern Har Dov/Shebaa Farms border area Saturday marked the most serious outbreak of IDF-Hizballah hostilities since the Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon in May. The well-planned and executed ambush underscored the continued threat to Israel posed by Hizballah's highly-skilled guerrilla

Lebanese Elections:

Syrian Key Interests Preserved, For Now

The stunning success of several prominent opposition candidates in Lebanon's recent parliamentary elections has been portrayed by much of the Western press as a "defeat" for Syrian interests in Lebanon, and a "loosening" of Syria's grip over its smaller neighbor. Now that the elections are over, the next step in

Hizballah and the Upcoming Lebanese Elections:

Shifting Priorities

Hizballah is shifting its focus from armed resistance to internal matters in anticipation of the upcoming parliamentary elections. Hizballah hopes to translate its "victory" over the IDF and South Lebanon Army into a greater share of domestic political power. Hizballah Secretary-General Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah acknowledges the shift in priorities, stating

Pagination

Previous page
First page
…
Page 82
Page 83
Page 84
Page 85
Current page 86
Page 87
Page 88
Page 89
Page 90
Last page
Next page

Supported by the

Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics

The Washington Institute's Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics focuses on social, political, and economic developments in the Arab world, with an emphasis on the Arab countries of the Levant.

Sign Up for Email Updates from The Washington Institute

Never miss a breaking event on U.S. policy interests in the Middle East. Customize your subscription to our expert analysis, op-eds, live events, and special reports.

Featured experts

Andrew J. Tabler

Andrew J. Tabler

Andrew J. Tabler is the Martin J. Gross Senior Fellow in the Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics at The Washington Institute, where he focuses on Syria and U.S. policy in the Levant.

Grant Rumley

Grant Rumley is the Meisel-Goldberger Senior Fellow and Director of the Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation Program on Great Power Competition and the Middle East at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

David Schenker

David Schenker is the Taube Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute and director of the Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics. He is the former Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs.

Elizabeth Dent - source: The Washington Institute

Elizabeth Dent is a Senior Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, where she focuses on U.S. foreign and defense policy toward the Gulf states, Iraq, and Syria.

1111 19th Street NW - Suite 500
Washington D.C. 20036
Tel: 202-452-0650
Fax: 202-223-5364

Footer contact links

Contact
Press Room
Subscribe

The Washington Institute seeks to advance a balanced and realistic understanding of American interests in the Middle East and to promote the policies that secure them.

The Institute is a 501(c)3 organization; all donations are tax-deductible.

Footer quick links

About TWI
Support the Institute
Alumni

Social media

The Washington Institute on Facebook
The Washington Institute on X
The Washington Institute on YouTube
The Washington Institute on LinkedIn

© 2025 All rights reserved.

Footer

Employment
Privacy Policy
Rights & Permissions