Israel, Saudi Arabia: Tours de force.

Also: the US, China, Poland, Costa Rica and the Korean Peninsula.

Caravan of pilgrims in Ramleh, Yahya ibn Mahmud al-Wasiti, c.13th century, paint and gold on paper, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris.

Please note that Geopolitical Dispatch will take a break on Thursday and Friday this week. Our usual weekend Not in Dispatches will be published on Saturday.

ISRAEL. SAUDI ARABIA. Tours de force.

Seemingly routine vis…