On August 12, 2025, Hebrew media abruptly began reporting on what they described as “months of quiet maneuvering behind the scenes” to install prominent Palestinian businessman Samir Hulileh as Gaza’s prospective governor.

The Syrian coast, still a stronghold of officers and remnants of the former Assad regime, remains a breeding ground for organized networks working to undermine the new Syrian state’s efforts to restore stability.

While innocent civilians in Gaza are being bombed and the besieged Strip is reduced to rubble, some Middle Eastern regimes have chosen not to side with the victims of aggression—but instead to deepen partnerships with those funding the Israeli Occupation.

"Tel Aviv’s" airstrikes and threats if Syria didn’t pull its troops from Sweida—and its move to portray itself as the protector of southern Syria—revealed a broader Israeli plan to reshape the regional order through minority groups.

In an interview with Al-Estiklal, specialist in Chinese foreign policy Razan Shawamreh discussed China’s growing role in the Middle East, highlighting its foreign policy approach, and the gap between its rhetoric and actions in relations with "Israel" and Iran.