Thursday, February 2, 2017

Is China the new custodian of the Middle East?

By Shazar Shafqat

ASIA TIMES - January 16, 2017

Russia is calling all the shots in the Middle East. No, it’s the United States. Oh hang on; it’s the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member countries that pull the strings. Israel is the dominant player. You just can’t rule out Egypt. ISIL, perhaps? The list goes on. There’s lot more you’re going to hear about the Middle East in the days to come.  Israel, infuriated after the UNSC verdict, might be contemplating upping the ante. After all, the MidEast Peace Conference in Paris due January 15, 2017 is, in all its likelihood, going to uphold the two-state solution.  Media will provide you with all the varied opinions, thoughts and predictions for 2017. Barring aside few of the stories, majority of these are going to be all but hogwash. Don’t buy into every news story you’re pitched with.

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