Right, so behold, Trump's Lebanon framework, presented in all its real-world mess. It’s turned out to be less art of the deal and more like finger painting whilst blindfolded.

It's a US-brokered plan that ties Israeli withdrawal to Lebanese army deployment and some supposed 'verified disarmament,' but there's no deadline anywhere. Israel even gets a say in when it's time to leave, which is a bit like letting the fox decide when the henhouse is safe.

Damaged buildings, smoke drifting over southern Lebanon, and Israeli attacks continue while Israeli ministers rehearse their squatters' rights routine as if they're about to teach a class on the subject

And Benjamin Netanyahu, the escape artist of politics, has somehow managed to lock himself inside his own box of tricks here and swallow the key. A typical Israeli Houdini act from al ...