Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- August 25, 2017

Israeli policemen detain a Palestinian during a demonstration against the closure of the main road in Jabaa area south of the West Bank city of Bethlehem January 17, 2015. Mussa Qawasma, Reuters

Daniel Levy, National Interest: Has Netanyahu Defeated the Palestinians?

Israel has undoubtedly scored some wins, while the Palestinian leadership has suffered from division and strategic ineptitude.

The long-running police investigations into the affairs of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to cross a Rubicon earlier this month. Netanyahu is under suspicion in a number of cases involving alleged bribery, fraud and breach of trust, among other things. A deal has now been reached by the State Prosecutor’s Office for Netanyahu’s former chief of staff, Ari Harow, to turn state’s witness—an arrangement rarely agreed to unless a strong case is being built against a more senior and serious criminal actor.

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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- August 25, 2017

How Bashar al-Assad Won the War in Syria -- Daniel R. DePetris, National Interest

Iraq war: Why the battle for Tal Afar matters -- Joan Soley, BBC

Analysis: Can Saudi Arabia reduce Iranian influence in Iraq? -- Seth J. Frantzman, The Jerusalem Post

Will Riyadh and Tehran ease tensions? -- Meir Javedanfar, CGTN

Turkish military upheaval continues at top levels -- Metin Gurcan, Al-Monitor

Why Donald Trump was right about Barack Obama’s North Korea policy -- Michael Knigge, DW

Can China Be Taken Seriously on its ‘Word’ to Negotiate Disputed Territory? -- Namrata Goswami, The Diplomat

Seeing China’s biggest blockbuster “Wolf Warriors 2” through the lens of its foreign policy -- Tom Harper, Quartz

A New G-2: China and the EU? -- Andrei Lungu, The Diplomat

NATO’s Black Sea Allies Look Divided and Vulnerable -- Eugene Kogan, Balkan Insight

Why Europeans Slack Off in August -- The Economist

Who's Making Our Diplomats in Cuba Go Deaf? -- John Sipher, Newsweek

A New Chance for Congress to Join the War on Terrorism -- Bloomberg editorial

Can Trump Be Trusted With Nukes? National Security Insiders Lean Toward ‘No’ -- John R. Schindler, Observer

The Uprising of the Global Middle Class - Moises Naim, The Atlantic

How to Deal With a $759 Million Lottery Jackpot -- Barry Ritholtz, Bloomberg