“We must take stock of the situation and realize our collective security is at stake. We have to ratchet up. Russia must not win, not only for Ukraine, but secondly, we are by doing so, ensuring our collective security for today and for the future.” President Macron, 27th February 2024
“Hezbollah remains adamant: it will not be displaced from its historic homelands in the south – and refuses to discuss the matter at all. If this threat is not removed diplomatically, we will not hesitate to take military action Israeli ministers repeatedly insist. A poll by the Israeli (Hebrew) newspaper Ma’ariv showed that 71% f Israelis believe Israel should launch a large-scale military operation against Lebanon to keep Hezbollah away from the border. Again, the US accepts the Israeli lead – that Israel needs to mount a military operation in Lebanon.” Alasdair Crooke, Strategic Culture Foundation, 26th February 2024
“US officials worry Ramadan may become the perfect storm, leading to a regional blow-up. Netanyahu’s capitulation to his far-right coalition partners regarding Israeli Arab’s access to the Temple Mount/Al Aqsa compound during Ramadan has alarmed US officials, though this is just one of many factors sparking concern that a series of worrying trends could coalesce and cause Middle East tensions to spill over during the next couple of weeks.” Israeli Media
1. Introduction
The world is walking into an abyss. The steps down into the abyss are many and slippery. They include: