Once upon a time, the ‘new Middle East’

First, there is Israel.A small country, barely twice the size of tiny Lebanon, whose planes and drones dominate the skies of the entire region to the point of being able, within a few weeks, to bomb four capitals — Beirut, Damascus, Tehran and Sanaa — without ever putting itself in danger.More powerful than all its adversaries combined, it dominates and crushes, while remaining incapable of ruling. One often hears, and increasingly so, that “without the U.S., Israel would do nothing,” that “Israel is digging its own grave,” that “Israel’s end is near,” and that “Israel has never been so isolated.”Perhaps that is true.But it is fair to doubt it. To note that for decades this discourse has been heard over and over again, and that as time passes, the gap in power separating Israel from other countries in the region only grows wider. In a...