Managing Conflicts Instead of Resolving Them: Has the Concept of Victory Changed in the Middle East?

For decades, people have grown accustomed to the idea that wars end with a clear outcome: a victorious party imposing its terms and a defeated one accepting a settlement or surrender. However, following the trajectory of successive crises over the past years, from Gaza and Lebanon to Syria and Yemen, shows a different pattern: no final resolution, nor comprehensive settlements, but a series of “rounds” that are managed more than they are resolved. This raises the question: has managing conflicts become a goal in itself in the Middle East, or is it merely a transitional phase preceding major settlements that have not yet matured?