BY SETH J. FRANTZMAN 
The US President broke with convention on numerous occasions, but some things seem set in stone in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Why do people brag about a direct flight from Saudi Arabia to Israel?

Op-ed: A day after leaving Saudi Arabia, the American president’s speech seems to be a continuation of the traditional line adopted by all presidents since the 9/11 attacks. In lieu of the Trump who built his political career on condemning Islam and Muslims, we got Trump’s oath of allegiance to the Sunni narrative in the Middle East.

By Dr. Tsilla Hershco 
BESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 473

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Emmanuel Macron’s election as France’s president by an impressive majority was met by widespread relief in most of the EU countries and in the western world. It would be a mistake, however, to ignore the deep divisions in French society that the election revealed.

Just prior to US President Donald Trump’s arrival in Jerusalem May 22, the virtual emergency sirens that had screamed in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office had toned down somewhat. The chances that Trump would present his diplomatic initiative here had lessened.

 
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The US and its Arab allies are drawing up plans to suffocate the movement financially as a prelude to eventual militarily action

By Abdel Bari Atwan

 "Information Clearing House" - The US-led war on the Islamic Sate group under the banner of fighting terrorism may be viewed by many, especially by Arab members of the coalition that is waging it, as legitimate. But in our view it increasingly looks like a cover or smokescreen aimed at paving the way, or bestowing legitimacy on, a different war: one aimed at eliminating resistance to Israel in the region, and specifically the Lebanese Hizbullah movement.

Ted Galen Carpenter
Washington, DC perpetuated and deepened its Balkan blunder a few years after the Bosnia intervention when it intervened in Kosovo. Civil strife in Serbia’s restless, predominantly Albanian province, simmered and then flared in the mid-and late-1990s.

DEBKAfile Exclusive Analysis 

US President Donald Trump’s situation plummeted sharply in the 24 hours between Wednesday (May 17) and Thursday (May 18). In the five months since moving into the White House, he has struggled against daily firestorms ignited by his enemies in the political, media and intelligence establishments. 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan went to Washington hoping he could end US support for the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which are affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), a group recognized by both Turkey and the United States as a terrorist organization. However, neither Erdogan nor US President Donald Trump could change the outcome of their much trumpeted meeting. The problematic US-Turkish relationship will continue.

By Burak Bekdil 
BESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 460, May 7, 2017

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Optimists thought Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s inflammatory, anti-Western pre-referendum rhetoric was just election talk that would disappear after the ballots were counted, but that was a vain hope.

Analysis: Tehran’s hopes of becoming a regional power has raised a lot of concern in Israel in recent years. But despite its huge investment and alleged achievements in the region, the Islamic Republic has failed in creating a new Middle Eastern order which would serve its interests and has been losing fighters and influence.

“The mountain gave birth to a mouse” is a well-known Turkish saying for describing the disappointing results after big expectations.

SUMMARY
History will record Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s recent visit to Washington as the most unsuccessful presidential visit ever to Washington.

 By Chris Hedges

"Information Clearing House" - Forget the firing of James Comey. Forget the paralysis in Congress. Forget the idiocy of a press that covers our descent into tyranny as if it were a sports contest between corporate Republicans and corporate Democrats or a reality show starring our maniacal president and the idiots that surround him. Forget the noise.

 By John Moody
This weekend, while the Sunday talk shows obsess about Trump, Comey and secret recordings, a top-level gathering in China will kick off the biggest challenge ever to America’s place in the world economy: the creation of a 21st Century version of the ancient Silk Road travelled by Marco Polo.

Author Semih Idiz

Fethullah Gulen, the self-exiled Islamic cleric residing in Pennsylvania who Ankara accuses of masterminding July’s failed coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has become one of the main obstacles to improving Turkey’s ties with the United States and Europe.

The path out of from the European Union is marred with parliamentary battles and legal challenges.
Ted R. Bromund
When British prime minister Theresa May triggers Article 50 on Wednesday, the clock starts ticking on Britain’s exit from the European Union. Barring an extension of the exit negotiations—which would require a unanimous vote of all EU members—Britain will be out on March 30, 2019, deal or no deal.

DEBKAfile Exclusive Report

If the Arab summit opening in Amman Wednesday, March 9 meets the expectations of Washington and Jerusalem, the session will ratify a pivotal initiative for promoting an historic peace process between the Arab world and Israel. This effort, which matured through five months of mostly secret diplomacy, was launched by Donald Trump in November, shortly after he was elected US President.

By Michael Brady
Tensions in and around the Korean peninsula continue to escalate and there appears to be no end in sight as North Korea pursues its stated goal of building missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads to the US mainland.