Amid a global pandemic, economic recession and simmering racial tensions around the world, Israel's threat to formally annex parts of occupied Palestinian territory presents yet another international crisis in the making. This is because, with this outrageous move, the Israeli government threatens to unravel the rules-based system of international relations. Today's international law regime was established in the first half of the 20th century not only to regulate relations between states but also to assist the movements for self-determination across the world and oversee the end of colonialism. The looming Israeli annexation of Palestinian land and the global inaction on it evidence the failure of this regime to help end colonialism and put its very raison d'etre in question. Much of the narrative in international diplomatic circles around the issue of annexation has revolved around deterrence, with the rationale being the threat of tangible consequences to annexation will lead to a reconsideration of the move. Yet this narrative fails to acknowledge that we have reached a point, where Israel will annex yet another chunk of Palestinian territory precisely because deterrence has not worked.

"In the world of imagination, it is possible to envisage a cognitively and emotionally intelligent chief executive, who happens also to be an inspiring public communicator... and the possessor of exceptional political skill and vision. In the real world, human imperfection is inevitable, but some imperfections are more disabling than others .... Beware the presidential contender who lacks emotional intelligence. Fred Greenstein, an emeritus professor of politics at Princeton, wrote this in his book "The Presidential Difference" (third edition, 2009), which surveys the characters of American presidents from Franklin D. Roosevelt to Barack Obama and seeks to glean the characteristics needed to be a good leader. In his book, Greenstein goes deeper into the popular American habit of ranking presidents. The genesis of this method is usually ascribed to the American historian Arthur Schlesinger. In the 1940s, Schlesinger discovered a relatively empty niche in his field, American history, ...

Fox News Flash top headlines for Sept. 8 are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com At least one rocket was fired from the Gaza Strip at southern Israel on Sunday night, landing on the Gaza side just shy of the border, during a weekend that saw a string of violent incidents in the area. "A failed launch was spotted from the Gaza Strip. It did not cross into Israeli territory," the army said, as the Times of Israel reported.

JERUSALEM – The long shadow war between Israel and Iran has burst into the open in recent days, with Israel allegedly striking Iran-linked targets as far away as Iraq and crash-landing two drones in Hezbollah-dominated southern Beirut. These incidents, along with an air raid in Syria that Israel says thwarted an imminent Iranian drone attack, have raised tensions at a particularly fraught time. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is looking to project strength three weeks before national elections, while Iran has taken a series of provocative actions in recent months aimed at pressuring European nations to provide relief from crippling U.S. sanctions. Hassan Nasrallah, leader of the Iran-backed Hezbollah, vowed to retaliate after a drone crashed on the militant group's Beirut media office and another exploded midair early Sunday. Israeli forces along the border with Lebanon are on high alert, raising fears of a repeat of the 2006 war.

JERUSALEM – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday warned Iran and its Lebanese Shiite proxy, the militant Hezbollah group, that Israel "knows how to defend itself and how to pay back its enemies." Netanyahu's remarks came in response to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah's threats to retaliate against an Israeli airstrike in Syria that killed two Hezbollah members. Netanyahu said he heard the threats saying: "I suggest that Nasrallah relax." He also sent a message to Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, whom Israel accuses of masterminding a drone attack from Syria that it thwarted with its airstrike. "Be careful with your words and even more so be careful with your actions," Netanyahu said.

Former Israeli Air Force pilot Tal Keinan says Israeli policy is to interrupt the ambition of any regional power that wants to eradicate Israel. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday he supports "Israel's right to defend itself from threats posed by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps," after the Israeli military carried out an attack on targets inside Syria on Saturday in what it described as a successful effort to thwart a "very imminent" Iranian drone strike. Pompeo tweeted that he spoke with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday regarding the airstrikes in Syria. He wrote, "I expressed my support for Israel's right to defend itself from threats posed by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps & to take action to prevent imminent attacks against Israeli assets." Pompeo also tweeted, "We discussed how Iran is leveraging its foothold in Syria to threaten Israel and its neighbors. The Prime Minister Netanyahu noted that Israel would strike IRGC (The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) targets threatening Israel, wherever they are located."

NEW YORK – From the vast deserts of Saudi Arabia to the crowded neighborhoods of Beirut, a drone war has taken flight across the wider Middle East, raising the stakes in the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Iran. In the year since President Donald Trump withdrew America from Iran's nuclear deal, there's been an increasing tempo of attacks and alleged threats from unmanned aircraft flown by Tehran's and Washington's allies in the region. The appeal of the aircraft -- they risk no pilots and can be small enough to evade air-defense systems -- fueled their rapid use amid the maximum pressure campaigns of Iran and the U.S. As these strikes become more frequent, the risk of unwanted escalation becomes greater. The U.S. military nearly launched airstrikes against Iran after a U.S. military surveillance drone was shot down in June. Meanwhile, Israeli fighter jets attack targets in Syria on an almost weekly basis, including on Saturday night.

Fox News Flash top headlines for August 24 are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com The Israeli military carried out a late-night attack on targets inside Syria Saturday in what it described as a successful effort to thwart a "very imminent" Iranian drone strike. The airstrike appeared to be one of the most intense efforts by Israeli forces to tamp down Tehran's military action in the Damascus area and triggered anti-aircraft fire by Syrian forces. Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, a military spokesman, told The Associated Press that Israeli officials had been monitoring a plot for several months in which they believed Iran's Revolutionary Guards' Al Quds force, in conjunction with allied Shiite militias, had been planning to send explosives-laden attack drones into Israel.

As per Israeli authorities, no major damage has been done so far, but this could be the beginning of an even more serious hacking attempt. However, many also question if Hamas has the means to run any sort of a hacking campaign against Israel due to the condition of Palestine.

JERUSALEM – Israel's prime minister on Monday unveiled what he said was a "half ton" of Iranian nuclear documents collected by Israeli intelligence, claiming the trove of information proved that Iranian leaders covered up a nuclear weapons program before signing a deal with the international community in 2015. In a speech delivered in English and relying on his trademark use of visual aids, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that the material showed that Iran cannot be trusted, and encouraged President Donald Trump to withdraw from the deal next month. "Iran lied big time," Netanyahu declared. Netanyahu's presentation, delivered on live TV from Israeli military headquarters in Tel Aviv, was his latest attempt to sway international opinion on the nuclear deal. The agreement offered Iran relief from crippling sanctions in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program.