Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on April 26-27/2024
The anniversary of the Syrian army’s Withdrawal from Lebanon, scarring its humiliation, defeat and disappointment/Elias Bejjani/April 26, 2024'
Elias Bejjani/Text & Video: Heartfelt greetings to the Armenian people on the anniversary of their genocide by the Ottoman Sultanate./Elias Bejjani/April 24, 2024
Israeli strike kills Lebanese militants in Beqaa area
150 shells hit Lebanese border towns in response to Israeli’s killing
Egyptian Delegation Arrives in Israel for Gaza Truce Talks
Report: French proposal involves 1701 and 3rd presidential choice
Reports: Quintet ambassadors may call for dialogue, Berri to chair it
Southern Front: Kfarchouba-Shebaa Heavily Bombed Overnight
Israeli killed in overnight Hezbollah border 'ambush'
Jumblat meets Hezbollah delegation as PSP prepares proposals for refugee crisis
Issam Abdallah’s Death: Government Adopts TNO Report
Maarab Unites the Opposition: 1701 the Only Way to Stability in South Lebanon
PSP Will Not Attend Maarab Conference
Jbeil’s Strict Measures on Illegal Syrians Within the District
LF Slams HRW’s ‘Intentional Mixing Report on Syrian Refugees’
Clean energy champions assemble: Shape the future at Middle East Clean Energy
The 1949 Armistice Agreement/Alissar Boulos/This Is Beirut/April 26/2024
Lebanese journalist Hussam Itani: There Is No Reason To Get Excited About The Pro-Hamas Protests At American Universities

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on April 26-27/2024
Gaza war: Latest developments
Egypt sends cease-fire delegation to Israel
Egypt takes key role in renewed diplomatic push for truce in Gaza
37 million tonnes of debris in Gaza could take years to clear: UN
Itamar Ben Gvir Survives Near-Fatal Car Crash
1 case dismissed, 4 on hold in UN investigation into Oct. 7 allegations against UNRWA staff
Netherlands will consider resuming support to Palestinian UNRWA agency
Turkiye’s Erdogan postpones tentative White House visit, sources say
Syrian woman is jailed for life over Istanbul killer blast; over 20 others also get prison sentences
King Charles to Resume Some Public Duties During Treatment

Titles For The Latest English LCCC  analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on April 26-27/2024
US Campuses: Incubating Terrorism/Alan M. Dershowitz/Gatestone Institute/April 26, 2024
Question: “Is it wrong to question God?”/GotQuestions.org/April 26, 2024
New US funding for Kyiv comes at a crucial moment/Luke Coffey/Arab news/April 26/2024
Gulf states, Turkiye playing key role in Iraq’s reemergence/SINEM CENGIZ/Arab News/April 26, 2024
Islamic thought can help the region attain a green future/RODRIGO TAVARES/April 26, 2024
Israeli Operation in Rafah: When, How and Why?/Natasha Metni Torbey/This Is Beirut/April 26/2024

Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on April 26-27/2024
The anniversary of the Syrian army’s Withdrawal from Lebanon, scarring its humiliation, defeat and disappointment
Elias Bejjani/April 26, 2024'
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/129186/129186/
April 26, 2005, marks not just a commemoration but a pivotal moment signifying the end of a painful era that commenced in 1976 with the Syrian army's incursion into Lebanon, orchestrated by the Syrian dictator's insidious agenda to occupy and dominate Lebanon's decision-making processes. Today, the Lebanese people reflect on the withdrawal of the Assad regime's oppressive army from Lebanon. This retreat carried with it the weight of defeat, disappointment, and humiliation, brought about by the peaceful and civilized pressure of the Cedar Revolution and its allies, with both international and regional backing. However, the void left by the Syrian army has been filled by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah, a terrorist, sectarian, and expansionist group, perpetuating occupation, suppressing freedom, and subjugating sovereign leaders and citizens.
While the Syrian occupation was executed by a foreign force, the Iranian occupation unfortunately operates through a Lebanese entity, yet entirely beholden to the Iranian mullahs. Hezbollah and its master in Iran and since 1982, have relentlessly sought to dismantle the Lebanese state and replace it with one subservient to the concept of Wilayat al-Faqih. Consequently, the Iranian occupation, facilitated through Hezbollah, poses a greater threat than its Syrian predecessor. Every Lebanese individual committed to Lebanon's coexistence, message, and peace must reject this occupation and tirelessly strive to rid the nation of its shackles. Ultimately, good triumphs over evil, and as Lebanon embodies goodness while the occupiers represent malevolence, Lebanon will inevitably prevail, and all occupying forces are bound for defeat, disappointment, and humiliation.
The most perilous threat among the Syrian and Iranian occupiers, in terms of national, cultural, and future prospects, lies in those Lebanese who, in name only, exhibit ingratitude and hatred. These individuals, reminiscent of the Devil, the epitome of vileness, were once among the most beautiful angels but, through their denial of divine dignity, have fallen from grace into the abyss of hell.
Although the Syrian army withdrew on April 26, 2005, its intelligence apparatus, collaborators, and local mercenaries, under the banner of Hezbollah, persist in their treachery and deceit. They shamelessly contravene Lebanon and its people through coercion, assassination, invasion, hypocrisy, and all manner of criminal, terrorist, and mafia tactics to thwart the restoration of sovereignty, independence, and freedom. Lebanon, with its message of peace, sanctity, and civilization, remains an eternal flame against those who seek to harm it, relentlessly punishing any who dare violate the dignity, freedom, and identity of its people.
On this historic and patriotic day, let us solemnly remember the souls of our beloved homeland's martyrs, yearning for the return of our heroic refugees, despite their forced exile in Israel, and the release of our abducted compatriots languishing in the dungeons of the criminal Assad regime.
In conclusion, sacred Lebanon will endure and triumph despite all tribulations, guarded by angels and embraced by Virgin Mary, who nurtures and safeguards it with her, prayers, intercessions, tenderness and love.

Elias Bejjani/Text & Video: Heartfelt greetings to the Armenian people on the anniversary of their genocide by the Ottoman Sultanate.
Elias Bejjani/April 24, 2024
The Annual Remembrance Day of the Ottoman massacres against the Armenians, Maronites, Syriacs, and Chaldeans between the years 1914-1915.
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/129151/129151/
In the archives of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there is a document dating back to the year 1916, which quotes the Minister of War of the Ottoman Empire at that time, Enver Pasha, as saying: “The empire must be cleansed of the Armenians and the Christians of Mount Lebanon. We eliminated the Armenians by the sword, and we will eliminate the Lebanese by famine.”
Sefo (killing by the sword): massacres targeting Assyrian Syrians and Iraqis, instigated by the Turkish army and carried out by Kurdish tribes. It began in 1914 and continued for several years, killing 400,000 Syriacs. The Turkish state denies its occurrence. Between 1914 and 2023, the proportions of Christians in the Near East declined to the point of extinction, something that only happened with the Mamluks.
Today, we also sadly remember the two hundred thousand Maronite martyrs of Mount Lebanon, who died in famine at the hands of the Ottomans from 1915-1918, in addition to the Sefo massacres, against the Chaldean Syriacs, Assyrians
Every April 24, we reiterate: Recognizing the massacres and genocide inflicted upon the Armenian, Syriac, Assyrian, and Chaldean peoples is a historical necessity for the path of honesty and truth.
Greetings to the resilient peoples who have preserved their collective memory, thrived, and excelled across all times and places. #Armenian_genocide #Sifo_massacres
The anniversary of the #ArmenianGenocide teaches us that justice is a cause that transcends generations and cannot be erased by the passage of years or even decades. Salutations to all  activists who have struggled and continue to struggle for the official recognition of this genocide, endeavoring to transform this solemn anniversary into a national day dedicated to purifying memory and delivering justice to the victims and their families.
From the depths of our hearts and with resounding voices, we extend our sincere salutations and reverence to the Armenian people for their unwavering commitment in defending their faith, beliefs, nationalism, existence, and civilization. Each year on April 24, the Armenian people renew their sacred vows and commitments to preserve and safeguard their faith, existence, and cause.
One hundred and nine years following the genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Sultanate against the Armenian people based on religious, ethnic, racial, barbaric, and instinctual grounds, this resilient people, dispersed throughout the world, continues to hold steadfast to their faith in their Lord and their inherent right to a dignified life and just cause. One and a half million Armenian civilians, including children, the elderly, men, and women, were ruthlessly slaughtered with premeditation and design at the hands of the criminal Ottoman forces. Those who survived the atrocities were subjected to abuse, forced emigration, and homelessness.
Heartfelt greetings and commendations to this steadfast and faithful people, who were the first in the world to adopt Christianity as their official religion. They are a people who have faced adversity with faith, piety, and patience, giving rise to numerous saints and righteous individuals, and continue to produce martyrs even today.
As a Lebanese Maronite Christian, I not only empathize with the Armenian people, share in their pain, support their just cause, and uphold their faith in Christ the Redeemer and all Christian values, including love, forgiveness, and redemption, but I also take pride in the active Armenian community in my homeland, Lebanon, which has contributed and continues to contribute to its preservation and defense.
In the twenty-first century, silence is no longer acceptable under any pretext concerning the Ottoman genocidal campaigns against the Armenian, Syriac, Aramaic, Chaldean, Maronite, and Greek peoples.
Today, it is imperative for all the peoples of the world, international human rights and humanitarian organizations, and religious institutions to acknowledge the genocide inflicted upon the Armenian people and to pressure the Turkish government to recognize this genocide, followed by the implementation of all necessary humanitarian and legal measures.
Heartfelt greetings to the Armenian people on the centenary of the Ottoman genocide they endured.
It remains certain that whoever evades earthly judgment and justice will not escape the accountability, justice, and fair reckoning of the Lord on the Day of Final Judgment.

Israeli strike kills Lebanese militants in Beqaa area
JERUSALEM (Reuters)/April 26, 2024
An Israeli strike in Lebanon's Beqaa region has killed two members of a Lebanese militant group that has fired rockets across the southern border at Israel, the group said on Friday. Israel's military said in a statement on Friday that its air force "struck and eliminated Mosab Khalaf in the area of Meidoun in Lebanon," saying he was a member of the Jama'a Islamiya group and had carried out attacks against Israel. In a statement, the Jama'a Islamiya said two of its field commanders - Khalaf and relative of his - were killed in the strike. A security source in Lebanon confirmed that Khalaf was a local official in the group's armed wing, the Fajr forces. The group has previously fired rockets at Israel. It was the first time Israel has confirmed having targeted a member of the Jama'a Islamiya in Lebanon, although more than a dozen members of the group have been killed in strikes in Lebanon, including targeting members of Palestinian faction Hamas in Lebanon. Hamas launched an attack on Israel in October that left 1,200 people dead and led to 253 being taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies. Israel responded with a military campaign on the Gaza Strip that has left more than 34,000 Palestinians dead. In parallel, Hezbollah and Israel have been trading fire across Lebanon's southern border. An Israeli strike killed two Hezbollah fighters on Friday, security sources in Lebanon said. More than 250 Hezbollah members and more than 70 civilians have been killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon since October. In Israel, missile fire coming from Lebanon has killed around a dozen troops and half as many civilians.

150 shells hit Lebanese border towns in response to Israeli’s killing
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Arab News/April 26, 2024
BEIRUT: The Israeli army responded on Friday to the combined operation carried out by Hezbollah in the occupied Shebaa Farms district — also known as Har Dov — with artillery shelling and airstrikes targeting the Tumat Niha area on the outskirts of Western Bekaa. An Israeli was killed near the country’s northern border in a Hezbollah attack. Israeli forces launched an airstrike on the outskirts of Shebaa and fired artillery shells on the outskirts of the town of Kfarchouba at dawn.The outskirts of Shebaa, Kfarchouba and Helta were targeted with more than 150 Israeli shells.
BACKGROUND
Hezbollah has been trading almost-daily fire with the Israeli army since the day after Hamas carried out an unprecedented attack on Israel on Oct. 7. Hezbollah members set up on Thursday night a “combined ambush of guided missiles, artillery, and rocket weapons targeting an Israeli motorized convoy near the Ruwaizat Al-Alam site, in the occupied Lebanese Kfarchouba hills.”When the convoy arrived at the ambush point, according to Hezbollah’s statement, “it was targeted with guided weapons, artillery and rockets, destroying two vehicles.”The party said that the Israeli army created a “smokescreen to retrieve losses.” Hezbollah announced “targeting an Israeli force as it made it to the entrance of Al-Malikiyah site with artillery fire, and it was directly hit.”The Israeli army confirmed the killing of a truck driver, Sharif Sawaed — a resident of Wadi Salameh — by an anti-tank shell fired by Hezbollah toward Shebaa Farms. The Israeli army said that Sawaed was carrying out infrastructure work in the area targeted by the shell, where efforts are underway to set up a barrier on the border. The Israeli army said that it “succeeded in retrieving the body of the dead soldier after a complex operation that lasted for hours under fire.”The Israeli army said that warplanes later shelled Hezbollah positions in the villages of Kfarchouba and Ain Al-Tineh, a weapons depot, and a Hezbollah rocket launch pad in the Markaba area in southern Lebanon, and that two anti-tank shells were observed from Lebanese territory toward Shebaa Farms. Israeli airstrikes led to the destruction of a house in Shebaa, two houses in Kfarchouba, and damage to more than 35 houses. One house was destroyed in Yarine, and another was destroyed in Dhayra.Israeli artillery shelling targeted the area between the border towns of Yarine and Jebbayn.
Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that the Israeli army launched an investigation into the Har Dov incident, as the engineering force was supposed to operate in the dark to avoid being targeted by Hezbollah’s missiles. Israeli army spokesperson described what happened in the Shebaa Farms as “a difficult security incident on the Lebanese border.”This was the first confrontation during which the Israeli army revealed details of casualties and the developments taking place at the target site. The head of the Israeli Metula settlement council said: “It is insane how we lose houses and infrastructure every day,” adding that “Hezbollah is systematically and deliberately hurting the people of the north by doing so.” He said that Hezbollah had “successfully deepened the security belt here after it made us flee the northern settlements.”The Israeli army’s radio station has reported the death of 20 settlers on the Lebanese border since the start of the war more than 200 days ago. An Israeli military drone struck a car on the Dhahira–Zalloutieh road in the border region. The Israeli attacks against Lebanon, which have continued for 200 days, resulted in “1,359 casualties, including 344 dead people, most of whom are men,” according to a report published by the Lebanese Ministry of Health. Israeli media outlets stated that “4,000 missiles were launched toward northern Israel from Lebanon since the beginning of the Gaza war, according to the Israeli army’s estimations.” Hezbollah provided a detailed overview of the course of the military operations on the Lebanese southern border, stating that “it killed and wounded 2,000 Israeli soldiers, and carried out 1,650 diverse attacks, including downing five drones and targeting 67 command centers and two military factories.” The group added that it carried out 55 aerial attacks and forced 230,000 settlers to evacuate 43 northern settlements.

Egyptian Delegation Arrives in Israel for Gaza Truce Talks
This Is Beirut/April 26/2024
A delegation from Gaza war mediator Egypt arrived in Israel on Friday for a bid to reignite stalled ceasefire and hostage-release negotiations between Israel and Hamas, Israeli and Egyptian media reported. The signs of fresh truce talks come alongside Israeli preparations for a military push in Gaza’s southern city of Rafah, and with spillover from the war leading to stepped-up exchanges of fire over Israel’s northern border with Lebanon. There has been “noticeable progress in bringing the views of the Egyptian and Israeli delegations closer,” said Al-Qahera News, which is linked to Egyptian state intelligence services. Egypt, Qatar and the United States have been trying to achieve a ceasefire for the war in Gaza without success since a one-week halt to the fighting in November. The truce saw the exchange of 80 Israeli captives in return for 240 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.
Several Israeli media outlets, citing unnamed officials, said on Friday that Israel’s war cabinet discussed a new plan for a truce and hostage release ahead of the Egyptian delegation’s visit. Top Arab and European officials are expected to hold talks about Gaza, including about a potential truce, in Saudi Arabia’s capital on Monday. French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné and his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock are expected to attend the Riyadh meeting, which is also set to feature newly appointed Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa.

Report: French proposal involves 1701 and 3rd presidential choice
Naharnet/April 26/2024
Ahead of French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné’s arrival in Lebanon this weekend, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati has followed up with French Ambassador Hervé Magro on the latest French proposals for addressing the explosive situation on the Lebanese-Israeli border, a media report said. “These proposals include the implementation of Resolution 1701 within a complete package that involves endorsing a third presidential choice,” diplomatic sources told the Nidaa al-Watan newspaper in remarks published Friday. Governmental sources meanwhile told the daily that U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein “has expressed his willingness to return to Lebanon before a truce enters into effect should Lebanon accept to separate the southern front from Gaza.”Shiite Duo sources meanwhile told al-Joumhouria newspaper that “there will be no discussion of any settlement in the south before a ceasefire in Gaza.”“The French player is a marginal player, because the main negotiators over the southern file are the Americans and their envoy Amos Hochstein,” the sources added.

Reports: Quintet ambassadors may call for dialogue, Berri to chair it
Naharnet/April 26/2024
The ambassadors of the five-nation group for Lebanon are trying to resolve two lingering points: who should call for dialogue over the presidency and who should preside over it, an informed source said. “The new proposal that the quintet’s ambassadors will promote in their expected meetings with the parliamentary and non-parliamentary forces entails that it would be in charge of calling for dialogue while Speaker Nabih Berri would preside over it later, which means that each camp would be offering a concession,” the source told the PSP’s al-Anbaa news portal.

Southern Front: Kfarchouba-Shebaa Heavily Bombed Overnight
This Is Beirut/April 26/2024
Tensions and risks of escalation are increasing on the southern border as an Israeli civilian was killed in a Hezbollah ambush on Thursday night in the Shebaa farms area. The Israeli army responded by heavy shelling that targeted the villages of Shebaa and Kfarchouba. It said that it targeted a military truck which led to the death of the driver. Hezbollah announced in a statement, “Ambushing a motorized Israeli convoy near Rwaysat Al Alam, Kfarshuba at 23:10, targeting it with guided artillery and missile weaponry, which lead to the destruction of two vehicles.” According to the statement, the Israeli army “created a smoke screen to withdraw their losses by helicopter from the ambush site.”Israeli army spokesperson Avichae Adraee revealed on his X account that “as a result of Hezbollah firing anti-tank missiles in Har Dov (Shebaa) area, an Israeli citizen was injured and later died from his wounds.” Adraee also referred to a “difficult security event on the borders with Lebanon.”In this context, the Israeli army declared in a statement “striking the sources of fire and shelling the location of tank fire in Shebaa area.”“At midnight, a military truck driver was killed while targeting a Hezbollah site in Shebaa farms,” the statement revealed. The pro-iranian group did not confirm this information. According to the same text, “Israeli fighter jets struck Hezbollah’s terrorist infrastructure in Markaba, south of Lebanon.” In the early morning, Israeli warplanes destroyed two houses and damaged several others. Afterwards, they raided Jabour Abu Rashid heights, Rachaya al-Foukhar, Kfar Hamam, Al-Mari plain and Majidiya al Ghajar perimeter. In turn, Hezbollah responded with artillery and missile shelling on Israeli military gatherings in Shebaa and Sammaqa hills which led to a fire outbreak in the region. Later, at around 6 AM, intensive Israeli spy drone flights in Shebaa were recorded, accompanied by artillery shelling in Khiam, Hamames and Bab Al Thaniye.

Israeli killed in overnight Hezbollah border 'ambush'
Naharnet/April 26/2024
An Israeli was killed overnight in a Hezbollah attack in the occupied Kfarshouba Hills, the Israeli army said Friday. Hezbollah said it has targeted overnight in a combined attack an Israeli military convoy near the Ruweisat al-Alam post in the occupied Kfarhsouba Hills. The group said it used anti-tank missiles and artillery shells, destroying two vehicles. It said its fighters had ambushed the convoy shortly before midnight Thursday, adding that the Israeli army used smoke screen to evacuate the casualties. The Israeli army reported that two anti-tank missile strikes had hit northern Israel from Lebanon overnight, injuring an Israeli citizen who later died of his injuries. It said the man was an Israeli civilian doing infrastructure work in the area.Israeli media identified the man as Sharif Suad, a resident of the Bedouin town of Sallama. Artillery and warplanes bombed in retaliation the outskirts of Shebaa, Kfarshouba and Halta. The Israeli army said fighter jets struck Hezbollah "infrastructure" near Kfarshouba , including a weapon warehouse and a rocket launch pad. Hezbollah had on Thursday denied a comment by Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant that "half of Hezbollah's commanders in southern Lebanon have been eliminated" in the months of violence. On Friday, Israeli artillery and tanks shelled the outskirts of Dhaira, Yarin and al-Jebbayn and a house in Yarin.

Jumblat meets Hezbollah delegation as PSP prepares proposals for refugee crisis
Naharnet/April 26/2024
The Progressive Socialist Party will present to the Lebanese political forces a paper on Syrian refugees including practical ideas to help ease the crisis, starting next week, the National News Agency said. Former PSP leader Walid Jumblat who met Thursday in Clemenceau a delegation from Hezbollah, briefed the group on the paper his party had prepared, the NNA said. Hezbollah Secretary-General's political aide Hussein al-Khalil, and head of coordination and Liaison committee Wafiq Safa attended the meeting Thursday. So did MPs Wael Abu Faour and Hadi Abu al-Hassan. The meeting discussed ways to reach a unified Lebanese position about the refugee crisis and the latest domestic and regional developments, especially the military development in south Lebanon.

Issam Abdallah’s Death: Government Adopts TNO Report
This Is Beirut/April 26/2024
High tension gripped Ain el-Helweh camp in Saida early on Friday evening, where a Palestinian, identified as AS, has been killed. He was shot by armed men while in the vicinity of a vegetable market. In response, members of Fateh and the Youth of Islam (Chabeb el-Islam) swiftly deployed to the camp. Reports indicate that AS’ family has close ties to Fateh, a Palestinian movement led by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, as well as to the Palestinian national security forces.

Maarab Unites the Opposition: 1701 the Only Way to Stability in South Lebanon
This Is Beirut/April 26/2024
The Lebanese Forces called for a dialogue meeting in Maarab on Saturday, in a step which expresses keenness on avoiding escalations through emphasizing the necessity of implementing UN Resolution 1701 as a mandatory path for stability in the southern part of the country. The gathering will be attended by LF and “opposition” MPs, and supporters of Resolution 1701, in the absence of FPM, according to MP Ghassan Hasbani. The “Maarab meeting will not tackle the presidential issue nor Syrian displacement. Consultations are ongoing to form a front that may be similar to the March 14 Front, but away from tomorrow’s meeting,” Hasbani said. In an interview with Voice of All Lebanon, Hasbani revealed that “the meeting gives a clear indication of the participants’ intentions to put forward ideas to avoid instability and the expansion of destruction, displacement and assassinations in Lebanon.”This is Beirut asked LF media sources about the motive for tomorrow’s meeting at this specific time. Sources described the opposition gathering as “a spontaneous national solidarity initiative, aiming to protect the Lebanese arena from internal and external dangers, in light of the absence of state authority where the ‘war or peace’ decision is in the hands of an armed group.” “The meeting will examine serious and practical steps to put an end to the disintegration of the state and assert the necessity of 1701 implementation,” sources continue. “The series of assassinations and loose borders, in addition to illegal weapons, pose a serious threat on civil peace,” sources conclude.Saturday’s debate comes after the Élysée meetings that brought together French President Emmanuel Macron with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Army Commander General Joseph Aoun. Élysée’s meeting was followed by an official French statement, which called for practical measures to avoid war, stressing the necessity of “searching for serious steps to get out of the state of stalemate and expedite the election of a president.”Hence, tomorrow’s gathering might be a reflection of the LF’s keenness to separate Lebanon from outgoing conflicts through neutrality. This was previously shown by the party’s responsible decisions after the assassination of LF Jbeil Coordinator Pascal Sleiman, when several Lebanese parties praised their wisdom in halting any chances of internal tensions which might have led to a “mini civil war.” LF stances come in support of the previous positions by Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai, back in 2020. At that time, the LF were among the first to support Rai’s call for neutrality, which was refused by the “Moumanaa” axis who claimed that neutrality is impossible due to the Lebanese geographic location and political status. This point-of-view intersection between the Lebanese Forces and Bkerke is not new, as the LF historically enjoyed positive and stable relations with the Maronite Patriarchy, notably late Cardinal Nasrallah Sfeir and current Patriarch Rai.

PSP Will Not Attend Maarab Conference
This Is Beirut/April 26/2024
The Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) will not participate in the national conference convened by the Lebanese Forces (LF) in Maarab on Saturday to discuss ways to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and end military operations in South Lebanon. Sources close to the LF say that the invitation was extended only to MPs and opposition figures, a group that the PSP is not part of. The same sources recall that several representatives of this party have already announced that they are positioned in the independent category. As such, they are neither with the pro-Iranian axis led by Hezbollah nor with the opposition led by Mr. Geagea.

Jbeil’s Strict Measures on Illegal Syrians Within the District
This Is Beirut/April 26/2024
The mayors of Jbeil district emphasized the need to take firm measures against illegal Syrian presence in the villages and towns of the region, and to cooperate with security and judicial authorities to implement this plan. The mayors were invited by MP Ziad Hawat (Lebanese Forces) to a meeting focused on this issue. They agreed on a practical and effective implementation of circulars issued by the Ministry of Interior to fight illegal Syrian presence, through decisions taken by municipalities. They fixed a deadline not exceeding a week for illegal displaced persons to leave the town of Jbeil, and decided to deny any official document for any displaced person who does not meet the required legal specifications. They also decided that those who do not meet the legal conditions for residency and work must vacate apartments and stores. They also agreed on strict enforcement of traffic laws regarding the legal status of vehicles and motorcycles and on prohibiting Syrian workers from circulating between 8:00 PM to 6:00 AM. The attendees emphasized the necessity of approaching this issue “realistically, as it is no longer acceptable or permissible for this presence to proliferate in villages and towns without active involvement from local authorities, especially in the absence of decisiveness from the central authority.”Another meeting will be held with mukhtars in villages where there are no municipalities to further discuss the matter and finalize the appropriate actions.

LF Slams HRW’s ‘Intentional Mixing Report on Syrian Refugees’
This Is Beirut/April 26/2024
The Lebanese Forces expressed deep regret over a recent Human Rights Watch report, criticizing the “intentional mixing between the deportation of Syrian refugee activists, which leads to their persecution and arrest in their country, and the assertion that 99% of refugees in Lebanon aren’t activists.”
The LF condemned this misrepresentation, considering that it is intended to keep refugees in Lebanon, whereas Lebanon can no longer sustain their presence. They emphasized that portraying refugees as activists and claiming their deportation leads to persecution is untrue, as most refugees aren’t activists and can return to non-regime-controlled areas in Syria. The LF noted that the number of activists does not exceed dozens, with most having left Lebanon due to the dominance of the Moumanaa axis and their pursuit, asserting that the majority of Syrian refugees don’t fit this category. The statement described the situation as unprecedented globally, with Lebanon hosting a refugee population equivalent to half its own amid significant financial collapse and political instability. “If Human Rights Watch is keen on the refugees, they should either help them relocate to other countries or return to Syria, to areas under both regime and opposition control. It should urge international associations to provide them with financial entitlements in these countries,” the statement said. The Human Rights Watch published a report on Thursday claiming that “Lebanese authorities have arbitrarily detained, tortured, and forcibly returned Syrians to Syria in recent months, including opposition activists and army defectors.” “Since the killing of a local political party official on April 7, 2024 (Pascal Sleiman, LF coordinator for Jbeil), which the Lebanese Army alleged was carried out by a group of Syrian nationals, Lebanese ministers and political officials have called for the return of Syrians in Lebanon, fueling ongoing violence against Syrians,” the report said. The organization considered that “the Army summarily deported thousands of Syrians, including unaccompanied children, to Syria in 2023, in violation of Lebanese law and Lebanon’s international human rights obligations,” adding that “deportations of Syrian opposition activists and Army defectors violate Lebanon’s obligations as a party to the UN Convention Against Torture and under the customary international law principle of nonrefoulment — that is, not to forcibly return people to countries where they face a clear risk of torture or other persecution.”

Clean energy champions assemble: Shape the future at Middle East Clean Energy
Naharnet/April 26/2024
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The 1949 Armistice Agreement
Alissar Boulos/This Is Beirut/April 26/2024
Since the beginning of the year, as part of diplomatic efforts to contain confrontations in southern Lebanon, Lebanese politicians have been referring to the 1949 armistice. On January 8, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati declared that “all international decisions must be implemented, led by the 1949 armistice declaration.”More recently, on April 7, former leader of the Progressive Socialist Party, Walid Joumblatt, expressed hope for a return to the same agreement. From Ain el-Tineh, where he was received by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, he emphasized the need to “find a way to break the wall of hatred and reach an acceptable settlement for the implementation of resolution 1701 and a return to the armistice agreement.”But what is this 1949 armistice agreement?
Historical Background
On May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion, the founding father of Israel, proclaimed the State of Israel in Tel Aviv one day before the British mandate over Palestine expired. Following the proclamation of this new state, which was recognized by the major world powers, the first Arab-Israeli war broke out.
The Arab armies of Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan, Syria and Lebanon entered Palestine, but they were defeated. The war allowed for the expansion of Israeli territory, with its capital being East Jerusalem.
On January 7, 1949, a ceasefire ended the hostilities. With demarcation lines to be determined and pending issues to be resolved, a series of armistice agreements were concluded.
Negotiations began on the Greek island of Rhodes on January 12, 1949, and the agreement was signed on February 23, 1949, between Egypt and Israel. On April 3, 1949, a similar agreement was signed between the State of Israel and Transjordan. The discussions were facilitated by the United Nations mediator, Ralph Bunche, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1950 for his role in the negotiations.
On their part, the Syrians reached an agreement on July 20, 1949, at the Israeli-Syrian border. In Lebanon, the document was signed in Ras el-Naqoura on March 23, 1949, by “Lieutenant Colonel T. Salem and Commander J. Harb on the Lebanese side, for and on behalf of the government of Lebanon.”
Since Iraq did not share a common border with Israel, no agreement was reached, and its forces simply withdrew from the arena. It was agreed that formal peace treaties would be signed subsequently. However, the lines drawn in Rhodes became de facto borders, later modified by other conflicts.
The Document
The text, the Lebanese-Israeli General Armistice Agreement, is divided into a preamble and eight articles, followed by an annex defining defensive forces. Let’s examine some articles of this agreement. Article I stipulates that military force shall not be used between the two parties in resolving the Palestinian issue. According to this article, armed forces (land, sea, air) shall not undertake or project any aggressive action against the population or armed forces of the other party.
Article III, given the current situation in Lebanon, may be the most interesting as it mentions military and paramilitary or irregular formations.
It is worth noting that during this first war with Israel, armed elements not belonging to the regular Lebanese armed forces crossed the border between Lebanon and Palestine, as well as the border between Palestine and Syria. These irregular forces of Arab volunteers fought under the banner of the Arab Liberation Army (ALA) created by the Arab League in September 1947. Led by Fawzi el-Qawakji, a former Syrian officer, the ALA was funded by all League countries. The nascent Lebanese army, under its then-commander-in-chief, Fouad Chehab, had to take its presence in southern Lebanon into account. On the Israeli side, the militias that prevailed during the British mandate were unified under the banner of the Israeli army upon the official proclamation of the State of Israel.
In Article III, we can read, “No element of land, naval, or air forces (military and paramilitary) of any of the parties, including irregular forces, shall commit any act of war or hostility against the military or paramilitary forces of the other party, or against civilians in the territory controlled by it; cross or cross for any purpose, the armistice demarcation line of this convention; enter or cross the airspace of the other party, or its territorial waters, within three miles of the coastline.”
Article IV determines the fundamental purpose of the demarcation line as a limit that armed forces are not allowed to exceed, within which military forces will be defensive. As for Article VII, it stipulates that the implementation of the provisions of the agreement shall be monitored by a Joint Armistice Commission which shall meet at the Naqoura border post (Lebanon) and north of Metula (Israel).
The Annex
The document attached to the agreement defines the defensive forces mentioned in Article IV. According to this text, no movement restrictions shall be imposed on both sides of the border as long as the demarcation line is not crossed.
Regarding defensive forces, each of the two countries could not have more than 1,500 military personnel, including officers and troops. On the Lebanese side, the military could not operate south of the general line “El Qasmiyé – Nabatiyé Ett Tahta – Hasbaiya.” On the Israeli side, the armed forces could not operate north of the general line “Nahariya – Tarshisha – Jish – Marus.”*
This limited military presence on both sides of the border and the exclusion zone between the two “general lines” outlined in the annex text closely resembles the same exclusion zone provided for in resolution 1701 south of the Litani River. Moreover, the text of resolution 1701 calls for respect for the Blue Line and emphasizes Lebanon’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence within its internationally recognized borders, as stipulated in the March 23, 1949 armistice agreement. Similarly, the UNIFIL press kit describes the Blue Line as the best approximation of the demarcation line of the 1949 armistice.
* The spelling is the one found in the official United Nations text.

Lebanese journalist Hussam Itani: There Is No Reason To Get Excited About The Pro-Hamas Protests At American Universities
MEMRI/April 26, 2024
Against the backdrop of the spreading pro-Palestinian protests on university campuses across the U.S., Lebanese journalist Hussam Itani, a prominent member of the editorial board of the Saudi website Al-Majalla, expressed his doubts about the protests' longevity and disputed the comparisons between these protests and the anti-Vietnam War protests on American campuses in the 1960s and early 1970s. against the Vietnam War. Explaining that the antiwar protestors 50 years ago demanded that the U.S. stop killing civilians and withdraw from Vietnam, he stressed that today's pro-Palestinian protests reflect support for Hamas and that the protestors are chanting slogans without indicating any clear vision for the future of the Palestinian people.
Columbia University protestor holds up his phone showing the Hamas logo. Source: Twitter.com/SafaaAlNuaimi, April 22, 2024.
Atini argued that the protests will not influence the Biden administration to change its policy, and that the praise lavished on the protestors can be compared to the praise voiced by French intellectual Michel Foucault at anti-Shah protestors in Iran in the late 1970s. He added that the latter ended with the persecution and execution of the protestors themselves.
Below is a translation of excerpts from Atini's article:
"Before we get too excited over the student demonstrations at the American universities and their calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and for the universities to cut all ties with Israel, we must first briefly consider the impression that can be left by a too-hasty glance at events, people, and periods in history.
"The widespread comparison made today between the students' activities at American universities – including some of the most important centers of academia – and the protests against the Vietnam War in the mid-1960s is undeniably tempting. However, it lacks precision and context, and therefore it cannot meaningfully predict the outcome of this current student activity.
"In contrast to the demonstrators of the 1960s, who came from the heart of American society with their ethnic and social affiliations in tow, the majority of today's demonstrators are new immigrants. In addition, only a minority of the young people in the '60s supported the Viet Cong, while the majority focused their pressure on the need to stop the killing of civilians and to withdraw from Vietnam. Meanwhile, [today's protestors] have adopted a stance that approaches open support for Hamas, and that [reflects] an unclear approach regarding the future of Palestine and the Palestinians – that is, except for slogans such as 'liberty,' 'independence,' and 'stop the genocide.'
"The big difference [between the two types of demonstrations] lies in what the Vietnam War represented with respect to the American domestic front: the death of tens of thousands of young men... and the ramifications of this for the political, economic, and even cultural structure in the U.S. Compare this with the battle being waged by two foreign forces [i.e. Israel and Hamas] which may not be of much interest to American citizens in an election year, in light of the acute polarization between the two great political forces: the Democratic Party and its rival Republican Party...
"If we want to examine similar cases of student [protest] movements, we can go back to [more] examples from the last century, such as the May 1968 revolution at universities in France and led to the resignation of [French president] Charles de Gaulle, but did not transform the French political regime. There were also the student protests in Lebanon during the first half of the 1970s, which ultimately contributed to laying the groundwork for the destructive civil war [there].
"In the same context, the praise for the student demonstrations at the American universities is most of all reminiscent of the praise heaped upon Iran's [Islamic] Revolution by the French philosopher Michel Foucault... who believed [at the time] that the protest against the regime of the shah included 'political spirituality'[1] that allowed millions of Iranians to challenge the oppression and the tyranny. Foucault qualified his positions with numerous clarifications and explanations until he was [finally] compelled to see how the [Iranian] 'political spirituality' persecuted its own people and its supporters, executed them, threw them into prison, or banished them from the country.
"The belief held by Foucault, who twice visited Iran, i.e. that the Iranian clerics were motivated by spirituality that could become a significant political influence and that they were expressing the fierce desires of the majority of the Iranian public that opposed what the shah represented, is similar to the wishful thinking that a few thousand students at the American universities will bring about a change in the Biden administration's position vis-à-vis Israel...
"In other words, in the discourse about 'the courage' of the students, those who are striking, and the demonstrators at Columbia, Yale, and other universities, and their challenge to the academic and political 'establishments' and their powerful reach, there is no consideration of the influence that this activity will have on the war in Gaza and on the whole of the conflict in Palestine...
"Foucault was one of the most important intellectuals and philosophers in 20th-century Europe. He was by no means naïve, and yet, according to many of his readers and disciples, it appears that his position on Iran's revolution reflected his desire to see something that would shatter the prevalent ideas of his time, as he did in his writings. Likewise, [today], great hopes are pinned on something that should be pondered most seriously before shouting it from the rooftops."[2]
[1] In 1978-79, Foucault published a series of articles about the rise of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and Iran's Islamic Revolution. In it, he expressed his awe at the prominence of spirituality in Khomeini's leadership and in the Islamic regime, commented on the feeling that this must have given the protestors in the streets, and underlined how there is no comparable experience in Europe.
[2] Majalla.com, April 24, 2024.

Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on April 25-26/2024
Gaza war: Latest developments
Agence France Presse/April 26, 2024
Palestinians mourned people killed in Israeli bombardment of Rafah, the crowded southern Gaza city where Israel says it is advancing plans for a ground invasion. Global concern has mounted over the looming operation against Hamas militants in Rafah, where much of Gaza's population has sought refuge from more than six months of war. Aid groups warn any invasion would add to already-catastrophic conditions for Gaza's 2.4 million people. Israeli officials have vowed to enter Rafah, near the Egyptian border, but even before any ground operation the area has been regularly bombed. Rafah resident Abu Abdallah said "a very powerful strike" hit a house where displaced Gazans were sheltering. "This is not a life," he told AFP. "We can no longer live in our home, our neighborhood, or walk anywhere. The war has been going on for too long."At the city's Al-Najjar Hospital on Thursday, among the mourners were two men crouching, grief-stricken, in front of a white body bag. Belgium said an Israeli strike on Rafah killed Abdallah Nabhan, 33, who worked for its Enabel development agency. Israeli government spokesman David Mencer said Israel's war cabinet was meeting Thursday "to discuss how to destroy the last battalions of Hamas".
Egyptian delegation
Several Israeli media outlets, citing unnamed officials, said the cabinet discussed a new plan for a truce and hostage release, ahead of a visit planned for Friday by an Egyptian delegation. Qatar, Egypt and the United States have mediated truce and hostage-release talks, so far without success since a one-week halt to the fighting in November. The war began with an unprecedented Hamas attack on October 7 that resulted in the deaths of about 1,170 people in Israel, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures. Israel vowed to destroy Hamas, with a retaliatory offensive that has killed at least 34,305 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.
Regional fallout
As protests in solidarity with Palestinians spread on U.S. campuses, President Joe Biden signed a law authorizing $13 billion in additional military assistance for close ally Israel and $1 billion in humanitarian aid for Gaza. The Pentagon said Thursday that the U.S. military had begun construction of a "temporary pier" off the besieged Gaza Strip's coast to boost shipments of desperately needed aid. Plans were first announced by Biden in early March as Israel had been accused of holding up deliveries of assistance by ground. U.N. and humanitarian officials have repeatedly stressed that sea or air deliveries are far less efficient than increasing the volume of aid allowed into Gaza on land routes from Israel and Egypt. The Gaza war has led to violence between Israel and Iran's proxies and allies, driving up regional tensions. Israel has struck increasingly deeper into Lebanon, while the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement has stepped up attacks on Israeli military bases across the border. In other regional fallout, U.S.-led coalition forces shot down an anti-ship missile launched by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels, American authorities said on Thursday. Britain's defense ministry said the Royal Navy shot down a missile fired at a merchant vessel in the Gulf of Aden.
'Deal on the table' -
In Gaza, witnesses reported clashes between militants and Israeli troops near the central Nuseirat refugee camp. Citing Egyptian officials briefed on Israeli plans on Rafah, the Wall Street Journal has said Israel was planning to move civilians to nearby Khan Yunis over a period of two to three weeks, before gradually sending troops. Senior Hamas official Ghazi Hamad told AFP that Israel "will not achieve what it wants" in Rafah, warning that an invasion "will undoubtedly threaten the negotiations" and show "that Israel is interested in continuing the war". Since the war started, between 80,000 and 100,000 Palestinians from Gaza have crossed into Egypt, the Palestinian ambassador to Cairo, Diab Allouh, told AFP. On Thursday the leaders of the United States, Britain, France and more than a dozen other countries expressed support for "the deal on the table" and called for Hamas to release the remaining captives. During their attack, militants seized hostages, 129 of whom Israel estimates remain in Gaza, including 34 whom the military says are dead. Hamas on Wednesday released a video of an Israeli-American man who identified himself as Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, and was among those captured on October 7. Israeli demonstrators have intensified protests, including on Thursday in Tel Aviv, for the government to reach a deal that would free the captives, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of prolonging the war. Iris Weinstein-Haggai, whose parents both died in captivity in Gaza, said: "We have to do everything to help the deceased come home to a respectful burial, and the ones who are alive to... reunite with their families."
Hundreds buried at hospital
Israel has repeatedly targeted hospitals during the war, accusing Hamas of using them as command centers and to hold hostages. Hamas denies the accusations. On Thursday, Yamen Abu Suleiman, head of Gaza's Civil Defense agency in Khan Younis, raised to 392 the number of bodies he said had been recovered from three mass graves at the city's Nasser Medical Complex. Families had identified 165 of them, he said, reiterating accusations that some are suspected of being killed and buried by Israeli forces. The Israeli army has acknowledged that "corpses buried by Palestinians" had been examined by soldiers searching for hostages, but did not directly address allegations that Israeli troops were behind the killings. Some Gazan parents told AFP the bodies recovered had been buried by relatives. The White House, European Union and the U.N. rights office have called for transparent and independent probes into the reported body discoveries.

Egypt sends cease-fire delegation to Israel
Associated Press/April 26, 2024
Egypt sent a high-level delegation to Israel on Friday with the hope of brokering a cease-fire agreement with Hamas in Gaza, two officials said. At the same time, it warned that a possible Israeli offensive focused on Gaza's city of Rafah — on the border with Egypt — could have catastrophic consequences for regional stability. Egypt's top intelligence official, Abbas Kamel, is leading the delegation and plans to discuss with Israel a "new vision" for a prolonged cease-fire in Gaza, an Egyptian official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the mission freely. As the war drags on and casualties mount, there has been growing international pressure for Hamas and Israel to reach an agreement on a cease fire. Friday's talks will focus at first on a limited exchange of hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners, and the return of a significant number of displaced Palestinians to their homes in northern Gaza "with minimum restrictions," the Egyptian official said. The hope is that negotiations will then continue, with the goal of a larger deal to end the war, he said. The official said mediators are working on a compromise that will answer most of both parties' main demands. Hamas has said it will not back down from its demands for a permanent cease-fire and full withdrawal of Israeli troops, both of which Israel has rejected. Israel says it will continue military operations until Hamas is defeated and that it will retain a security presence in Gaza afterwards. Ahead of the talks, senior Hamas official Basem Naim told The Associated Press "there is nothing new from our side," when asked about the negotiations. Meantime, Israel has been conducting near-daily raids on Rafah, a city in which more than half of Gaza's 2.3 million people have sought refuge. The Israeli military has massed dozens of tanks and armored vehicles in an area of southern Israel that is close to Rafah, in apparent preparations for an invasion of the city. Rafah also abuts the Gaza-Egypt border. While in Israel, Kamel, who heads Egypt's General Intelligence Service, plans to make clear that Egypt "will not tolerate" Israel's deployments of troops along that border, the Egyptian official said. The official said Egypt shared intelligence with the United States and European countries showing that a Rafah offensive would inflame the entire region.
A Western diplomat in Cairo also said that Egypt has intensified its efforts in recent days to reach a compromise and establish a short cease-fire in Gaza that will help negotiate a longer truce and avert a Rafah offensive. The diplomat spoke on condition of anonymity to freely discuss the developments.
On Wednesday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi cautioned that an Israeli attack on Rafah would have "catastrophic consequences on the humanitarian situation in the strip, as well as the regional peace and security."El-Sissi's comments came in a phone call with Prime Minister Mark Rutte of The Netherlands, the Egyptian leader's office said. Egypt has also said an attack on Rafah would violate the decades-old peace deal between Egypt and Israel. The Israel-Hamas war was sparked by the Hamas' Oct. 7 raid into southern Israel, in which militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took some 250 people as hostages. Israel says the militants are still holding around 100 hostages and the remains of more than 30 others. More than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war, according to local health officials, around two-thirds of them children and women.

Egypt takes key role in renewed diplomatic push for truce in Gaza
ARAB NEWS/Arab News/April 26, 2024
CAIRO: A high-level Egyptian delegation was in Israel for talks on Friday amid a new diplomatic push for a truce in the Gaza war and the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. The visit followed a trip to Cairo on Thursday by Israeli army chief Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi and Shin Bet domestic intelligence service head Ronen Bar. Officials in Israel described the latest moves as “an attempt by Egypt to restart the talks” after previous mediation efforts led by Qatar broke down. They told the Egyptian delegation that Israel was ready to give hostage negotiations “one last chance” to reach a deal before moving forward with an invasion of the southern city of Rafah. “Israel told Egypt that it is serious about preparations for the operation in Rafah and that it will not let Hamas drag its feet,” one official said.
FASTFACT
34,356 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip during more than six months of war between Israel and Hamas. Egypt is concerned about a potential influx of Palestinian refugees from Gaza if the war continues with the long-threatened Israeli offensive into Rafah, and has taken an increasingly active role in the negotiations. “The Egyptians are really picking up the mantle on this. Egypt wants to see progress, not least because it’s worried about a prospective Rafah operation,” the official said. Israel was increasingly looking past Qatar as a main broker, according to the official, after it failed to respond to Israeli demands to expel Hamas leaders from its territory or curb their finances. “Qatar is still involved but in a lesser capacity,” the official said. “It’s clear to everyone they failed to deliver, even when it came to expelling Hamas or even shutting down their bank accounts.”Hamas officials said they still considered Qatar a key mediator, alongside Egypt.White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said he saw fresh momentum in the talks. “I believe that there is a renewed effort … to try to find a way forward,” he said “Do I think that there is … new life in these hostage talks? I believe there is.”
No new proposals
An official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Israel had no new proposals to make, although it was willing to consider a limited truce in which 33 hostages would be released by Hamas, instead of the 40 previously under discussion. “There are no current hostage talks between Israel and Hamas, nor is there a new Israeli offer in that regard,” the official said. “What there is, is an attempt by Egypt to restart the talks with an Egyptian proposal that would entail the release of 33 hostages — women, elderly and infirm.”According to Israeli media reports, Israeli intelligence officials believe there are 33 female, elderly and sick hostages left alive in Gaza, out of a total of 133 still being held by Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups. There was no decision on how long any truce would last but if such an exchange were agreed, the pause in fighting would be “definitely less than six weeks,” the official said. The visit by the Egyptian delegation came a day after the United States and 17 other countries appealed to Hamas to release all of its hostages as a pathway to end the crisis in Gaza. Hamas vowed not to relent to international pressure. Hamas said it was “open to any ideas or proposals that take into account the needs and rights of our people.” However it stuck to central demands Israel has rejected, and said it criticized the statement for not calling for a permanent ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

37 million tonnes of debris in Gaza could take years to clear: UN
AFP/ 26 April 2024
GENEVA: There are some 37 million tonnes of debris to clear away in Gaza once the Israeli offensive is over, a senior official with the UN Mine Action Service said on Friday. And unexploded ordnance buried in the rubble would complicate that work, said UNMAS’ Pehr Lodhammar, who has run mine programs in countries such as Iraq.It was impossible to say how much of the ammunition fired in Gaza remained live, said Lodhammar. “We know that typically there is a failure rate of at least 10 percent of land service ammunition,” he told journalists in Geneva. “We do know that we estimated 37 million tonnes of debris, which is pproximately 300 kg per square meter,” he added. He said that starting from a hypothetical number of 100 trucks would take 14 years to clear away. Lodhammar was speaking as UNMAS launched its 2023 annual report on Friday. The war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas erupted when Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel on Oct. 7. Also on Friday, the head of an aid group warned that an Israeli assault on southern Gaza’s Rafah area would spell disaster for civilians, not only in Gaza but across the Middle East, Jan Egeland said the region faced a “countdown to an even bigger conflict.” Egeland, the secretary-general of the Norwegian Refugee Council, also said that 1.3 million civilians seeking refuge in Rafah — including his aid group’s staff — were living in “indescribable fear” of an Israeli offensive. Egeland urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to proceed with the operation.“Netanyahu, stop this. It is a disaster not only for the Palestinians, it would be a disaster for Israel. You will have a stain on the Israeli conscience and history forever,” he said.The NRC head spoke to Reuters in Lebanon, where he visited southern villages that he said were caught in a “horrific crossfire” between the Israeli military and Hezbollah. “I am just scared that we haven’t learned from 2006,” said Egeland, referring to the month-long war between Hezbollah and Israel that was the two foes’ last bloody confrontation, during which he headed the UN’s relief operations. “We do not need another war in the Middle East. At the moment, I’m feeling like (this is a) countdown to an even bigger conflict,” he said.

Itamar Ben Gvir Survives Near-Fatal Car Crash
This Is Beirut/April 26, 2024
On his way back from addressing journalists at the scene in the city of Ramla, Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir was involved in a spectacular car crash in which three people were lightly injured, police said. An AFP photographer at the scene saw two damaged cars, one which had flipped over. Israeli media reported Ben Gvir had been travelling in this vehicle. Police said the traffic department was investigating an “accident in Ramla involving two vehicles, including the vehicle of the Minister of National Security.” Ben Gvir had been holding a press conference at the scene of the stabbing, saying a civilian had killed the attacker and claiming that “weapons save lives”.“I was moved when I found out that the civilian got his gun four months ago as part of the gun reform that I advanced,” Ben Gvir had said. An AFP photographer at the scene of the stabbing saw a body bag and a large number of police officers. Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency medical service said it was alerted to the stabbing in Harduf Street at around 4:20 pm (1320 GMT). Medics treated the “conscious female in serious condition with a stab wound to her upper body” and took her to hospital, a spokesperson said.

1 case dismissed, 4 on hold in UN investigation into Oct. 7 allegations against UNRWA staff
EPHREM KOSSAIFY/Arab News/April 26, 2024
NEW YORK CITY: UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Friday that the organization’s internal oversight body has been investigating 19 employees of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees over allegations that they were affiliated with Hamas and other militant groups. Israeli authorities alleged in January that 12 UNRWA workers participated in the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas against Israel. The agency immediately cut ties with the named individuals, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in consultation with UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini, ordered an independent review to evaluate the measures taken by the agency to ensure adherence to the principle of neutrality and how it responds to allegations of breaches of neutrality, particularly in the challenging context of the situation in Gaza. In a wide-ranging report published this week, the investigators, led by Catherine Colonna, a former foreign minister of France, said Israeli authorities have yet to provide any evidence to support the allegations against UNRWA workers. They also noted that Israel had not previously raised concerns about any individuals named on the agency staffing lists it has been receiving since 2011.
They stated in the report: “In the absence of a political solution between Israel and the Palestinians, UNRWA remains pivotal in providing life-saving humanitarian aid and essential social services, particularly in health and education, to Palestinian refugees in Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the West Bank. “As such, UNRWA is irreplaceable and indispensable to Palestinians’ human and economic development. In addition, many view UNRWA as a humanitarian lifeline.”Guterres also ordered a separate investigation by the UN’s own Office of Internal Oversight Services to determine the accuracy of the Israeli allegations. The mandate of the OIOS, an independent office within the UN Secretariat, is to assist the secretary-general in the handling of UN resources and staff through the provision of internal audit, investigation, inspection and evaluation services. Dujarric said the 19 members of UNRWA staff under investigation included the 12 named by the Israeli allegations in January, whose contracts were immediately terminated, and seven others the UN subsequently received information about, five in March and two in April. Of the 12 employees identified by Israeli authorities in January, eight remain under OIOS investigation, Dujarric said. One case was dismissed for lack of evidence and corrective administrative action is being explored, he added, and three cases were suspended because “the information provided by Israel is not sufficient for OIOS to proceed with an investigation. UNRWA is considering what administrative action to take while they are under investigation.”Regarding the seven additional cases brought to the attention of the UN, one has been suspended “pending receipt of additional supporting evidence,” Dujarric said.
“The remaining six of those cases are currently under investigation by OIOS. OIOS has informed us that its investigators had traveled to Israel for discussions with the Israeli authorities and will undertake another visit during May. “These discussions are continuing and have so far been productive and have enabled progress on the investigations.”The initial allegations against some members of its staff threw the agency, which provides aid and other services to Palestinian refugees in Gaza and across the region, into crisis. The US, the biggest single funder of UNRWA, and several other major donors put their contributions to the organization on hold. In all, 16 UN member states suspended or paused donations, while others imposed conditions on further contributions, putting the future of the agency in doubt. Many of the countries, including Germany, later said their funding would resume. However, US donations remain on hold.

Netherlands will consider resuming support to Palestinian UNRWA agency
Arab News/April 26, 2024
AMSTERDAM: The Dutch government on Friday said it would consider resuming funding for the UN agency for Palestinians (UNRWA) in Gaza if the agency implements recommendations to strengthen its neutrality. The decision follows an investigation by the former French foreign minister Catherine Colonna released on Monday into whether some UNRWA employees were involved in the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas. The Colonna-led review of the agency’s neutrality concluded Israel had yet to back up its accusations that hundreds of UNRWA staff were operatives in Gaza terrorist groups. The Dutch government said it had already given its yearly donation to UNRWA in January, before the accusations against the agency came to light. It was one of several European countries that paused funding for the agency after the allegations were levied. It said it did not foresee any additional donations in the near future, but would consider UNRWA as a potential partner if requests for aid were made.

Turkiye’s Erdogan postpones tentative White House visit, sources say
REUTERS/April 26, 2024
WASHINGTON/ANKARA: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has postponed a White House meeting with President Joe Biden, a source familiar with the situation and a Turkish official said on Friday of a visit that had been tentatively planned for May 9. A White House spokesperson, while not confirming the May 9 date, said: “We look forward to hosting President Erdogan at the White House at a mutually convenient time, but we have not been able to align our schedules and do not have any visit to announce at this time.” A new date will soon be set due to a change in Erdogan’s schedule, the Turkish official said, requesting anonymity. The source familiar with the matter, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it was unclear what prompted the postponement. The White House never formally announced the visit but a US official told Reuters in late March that following Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s visit to Washington, the White House offered and Ankara had accepted May 9 for a meeting between Biden and Erdogan. That would have been the first bilateral visit to Washington since 2019 when Erdogan met with then President Donald Trump, a Republican. He and Biden have met a few times at international summits and spoken by phone since the Democratic US president took office in January 2021. Ties between the US and Turkiye have been long strained by differences on a range of issues. While they have thawed since Ankara ratified Sweden’s NATO membership bid earlier this year, tensions persist over Syria and Russia and the war in Gaza. Erdogan visited neighboring Iraq this week. Last weekend, he met with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Istanbul, the first meeting between Erdogan and a Hamas delegation headed by Haniyeh since Israel began its military offensive in the Gaza Strip following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack.

Syrian woman is jailed for life over Istanbul killer blast; over 20 others also get prison sentences
ARAB NEWS/April 27, 2024
JEDDAH: A Syrian woman who planted a bomb that killed six people in Istanbul’s main shopping street 18 months ago was jailed for life on Friday. Ahlam Albashir was given a total of seven life sentences by a Turkish court for carrying out the attack in Istiklal Avenue on Nov. 13, 2022. Six Turkish citizens, two members each from three families, died in the blast in the busy street packed with shoppers and tourists. About 100 people were injured. More than 30 other people were accused in connection with the explosion. Four were released from prison on Friday, and a further 10 were ordered to be tried separately in their absence because they could not be found. Twenty others were given prison sentences ranging from four years to life. Of those, six received aggravated life imprisonment for murder and “disrupting the unity and integrity of the state.”Turkiye blamed Kurdish militants for the explosion, and said the order for the attack was given in Kobani in northern Syria, where Turkish forces have conducted operations against the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia in recent years. The YPG and the outlawed PKK Kurdish separatist group, which has fought a decades-old insurgency against the Turkish state, denied involvement in the attack. No group admitted it.Istanbul has been attacked in the past by Kurdish, Islamist and leftist militants. A wave of bombings and other attacks began nationwide when a ceasefire between Ankara and the PKK broke down in mid-2015. More than 40,000 people have been killed in the PKK’s conflict with Turkiye since the militant group took up arms in 1984. It is considered a terrorist organisation by Turkiye, the EU and the US.

King Charles to Resume Some Public Duties During Treatment
AFP/This Is Beirut
British head of state King Charles III will make a limited return to public duties next week, after doctors said they were “very encouraged” by the progress of his treatment for cancer. His first engagement with Queen Camilla would be to a cancer treatment center on Tuesday. The couple will also host Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan for a state visit in June. The announcement follows a difficult spell for the royal family after both Charles, 75, and his 42-year-old daughter-in-law Catherine, Princess of Wales, revealed that they had cancer. Catherine, the wife of heir to the throne Prince William, made the shock announcement that she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy just over a month ago in a video posted to social media. Announcing Charles’s limited return, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said it was “too early to say” how much longer his treatment would continue. But they noted that his medical team were “very encouraged by the progress made so far and remain positive about the king’s continued recovery”. “The pacing of the king’s program will be carefully calibrated as his recovery continues, in close consultation with his medical team,” the spokesperson added.
The king and Queen Camilla will host the Japanese royal couple at Buckingham Palace in late June, the palace said, confirming reports in the Japanese media last month. The Japanese royals both attended the state funeral of Charles’s mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in September 2022, in their first overseas trip after the emperor’s enthronement. They also attended the reception the king hosted at Buckingham Palace the evening before the funeral for heads of state and official overseas guests. An earlier state visit which had been planned for early 2020 had to be postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
‘Deeply Touched’
Neither Charles nor Catherine has disclosed the exact type of cancer they are suffering from. Charles was just 17 months into his reign when the palace announced in early February that he had cancer and would be pausing all public-facing engagements as he began treatment. He had been admitted for surgery for a benign prostate condition in January, which saw him spend several days in hospital. The king has continued with behind-the-scenes work and holding some in-person meetings and increasingly attending official events. He made his most high-profile appearance over the Easter weekend, attending a Sunday church service at Windsor Castle, west of London.

Latest English LCCC  analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on April 26-27/2024
US Campuses: Incubating Terrorism
Alan M. Dershowitz/Gatestone Institute/April 26, 2024
Some of the signs say "pro-Palestine", "ceasefire now" and "end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza". But these benign statements hide a far more malignant agenda, the end of Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people, the end of America as the world's leading power and the end of democracy and the free market economy. Even if there were a unilateral ceasefire, accompanied by massive humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza, many of these protests would continue, because Gaza is merely an excuse for a much wider agenda: to destroy Israel and destroy America.
One never sees a sign calling for a two-state solution or for peace between Israel and the Palestinians. These are not the goals. What is demanded is the end of any Jewish presence in the Middle East. "Death to America," similarly, means the end of America's influence and Western values.
Many of the signs call for "revolution." These are not directed against Israel, but rather against America, American Jews and all other Western democracies.
As in the 1960s, many of these students are being groomed to be the terrorists of the future -- in the manner of Kathy Boudin and Bernardine Dohrn back then – and, in the United States, a fifth column, the aim of which is taking down America.
That these useful idiots are young does not make them less dangerous. Young students were instrumental in bringing to power tyrants such as Hitler, Stalin, Castro, Pol Pot and Mao.
Where are the armed guards escorting Jewish students to class, as there were escorting the threatened Black youths to integrated school in the 1960s in the South? Universities are failing not only their Jewish students but all their students by refusing to educate them about what behavior is acceptable and what is not. Some of the signs say "pro-Palestine", "ceasefire now" and "end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza". But these benign statements hide a far more malignant agenda, the end of Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people, the end of America as the world's leading power and the end of democracy and the free market economy. Pictured: Pro-Hamas and anti-Israel protesters outside of Columbia University on April 24, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
Thousands of young students – from universities, high schools and even middle schools – are joining in demonstrations, marches and protests against Israel, against the United States and against Jews. Some even are Jews. They are joining Muslim and Arab anti-Zionists, radical anarchist anti-Americans and community organizers who oppose Israel's right to exist.
Some of the signs say "pro-Palestine", "ceasefire now" and "end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza". But these benign statements hide a far more malignant agenda, the end of Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people, the end of America as the world's leading power and the end of democracy and the free market economy. Even if there were a unilateral ceasefire, accompanied by massive humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza, many of these protests would continue, because Gaza is merely an excuse for a much wider agenda: to destroy Israel and destroy America. During recent protests in New York, there were calls to repeat the barbarity of October 7 "a thousand times." There were shouts of "We are Hamas", "Death to America", "Burn Tel Aviv to the ground", "Israel go to hell" and "Jews to back to Poland." The chant of "from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" is pervasive. Free of what? Free of Jews. The goal is to make all of Israel Judenrein – ethnically cleansed of all Jews. One never sees a sign calling for a two-state solution or for peace between Israel and the Palestinians. These are not the goals. What is demanded is the end of any Jewish presence in the Middle East. "Death to America," similarly, means the end of America's influence and Western values.
Many of the signs call for "revolution." These are not directed against Israel, but rather against America, American Jews and all other Western democracies. The war in Gaza, started by Hamas on October 7, has provided the most recent excuse for anarchists, revolutionaries and America-haters to organize and recruit young people, many of whom have no idea what they are marching for or against. They know that many of their professors support the radical agenda. For example, Columbia University Professor Joseph Massad praised the events of October 7, 2023, which included rapes, beheadings, kidnappings, and the murder of 1,200 Israelis. Other professors from many universities encourage student involvement in the protests.
As in the 1960s, many of these students are being groomed to be the terrorists of the future -- in the manner of Kathy Boudin and Bernardine Dohrn back then – and, in the United States, a fifth column, the aim of which is taking down America.
For the most part, the groups protesting are comprised of four elements: the first consists of Arab and Muslim haters of Israel and Jews, who see this as an opportunity to call for the end of the nation-state of the Jewish people and the substitution of a Muslim caliphate or a radical Arab state; the second consists of old line radicals, anarchists, communists and America-haters who use any opportunity to seek to essentially overthrow Western democracies; the third are the organizers who stand ready to obtain funding and organizational logistics for well-planned systematic protests; and the fourth are the "useful idiots" who are recruited by the professors, the organizers and others.
Most of these young people have little or no knowledge of the substantive issues. They simply want to be part of current protest movements, which are popular on campuses and among many of their peers. It is this last group that is most troubling, because many of its members are good and decent people who are being led into dangerous territory by their elders. They are even more dangerous than the first three groups, because many of them come from influential backgrounds and may well become future leaders. The other groups tend to include mostly marginalized outsiders.
That these useful idiots are young does not make them less dangerous. Young students were instrumental in bringing to power tyrants such as Hitler, Stalin, Castro, Pol Pot and Mao. But the fact that they are young and ambitious makes them more amenable to change. And alternative influences.
Some of these student radicals seek to enter professions such as law, medicine, engineering, business and the media. Many of these professions would not look favorably on Hamas supporters, revolutionaries, America-haters and antisemites. That is probably why so many of the current protesters wear masks, to hide their identities and avoid future employers learning about their activities. That is why pro-Israel organizations such as Canary Mission seek to identify these anti-Israel and anti-American protesters. The marketplace is open to all ideas, but in the real world there are consequences for expressing some of them -- which these students are not being taught. Where are the armed guards escorting Jewish students to class, as there were escorting the threatened Black youths to integrated school in the 1960s in the South?
There should also be consequences – including arrest and prosecution – for physically intimidating, blocking and harassing Jews or any minorities. Such actions are not protected by the First Amendment, university disciplinary rules, or employers after graduation.
Victims of those illegal actions have rights, too. They must be protected and their rights enforced. Universities are failing not only their Jewish students but all their students by refusing to educate them about what behavior is acceptable and what is not.
**Alan M. Dershowitz is the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law, Emeritus at Harvard Law School, and the author most recently of War Against the Jews: How to End Hamas Barbarism. He is the Jack Roth Charitable Foundation Fellow at Gatestone Institute, and is also the host of "The Dershow" podcast.
© 2024 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.

Question: “Is it wrong to question God?”
GotQuestions.org/April 26, 2024
Answer: At issue is not whether we should question God, but in what manner—and for what reason—we question Him. To question God is not in itself wrong. The prophet Habakkuk queried God concerning the timing and agency of His plan. Rather than rebuke Habakkuk for his questions, God patiently answered, and the prophet ended his book with a song of praise to the Lord.
Many questions are put to God in the Psalms (Psalms 10, 44, 74, 77). These are the cries of persecuted ones desperate for God’s intervention and salvation. Through the prophet Jeremiah, God says, “Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come” (Jeremiah 33:3, NLT). How could it be wrong to question God when Jesus Himself encouraged, “Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened” (Matthew 7:7–8, HCSB).
Many godly men in the Bible expressed doubts to God about their ability to serve Him. Moses implored, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11; see also Exodus 4:1, 10–13; 6:12, 30; Numbers 11:13–15). Gideon (Judges 6:15, 17, 36–40), Elijah (1 Kings 19:3–4, 10, 14), and Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:6; 15:10) were all fraught with uncertainty about their place in God’s plan. Abraham doubted God’s promises (Genesis 15:8; 17:17–18). Joshua questioned God’s actions (Joshua 7:7–8). Even the Lord’s disciples voiced their reservations (Matthew 11:2–3; Mark 6:37; John 20:25). Although God does not always answer our questions the way we want or expect, we can conclude from these passages that God welcomes any sincere question from an earnest heart. Insincere questions, or questions from a hypocritical heart, are a different matter. The Pharisees and Jewish leaders often presented their questions to trick or trap Jesus (John 7:53–8:11; Matthew 21:23–27; 22:15–22; ), but He refused to answer them. The Bible says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). Unbelief is a failure to trust the Lord (Psalm 78:22) and a sign of rebellion and disobedience against God (Hebrews 3:12; 11:31). After King Saul disobeyed God, his questions went unanswered (1 Samuel 28:6).
Wondering why God allowed a particular event is entirely different from directly questioning God’s goodness or truthfulness (see 1 John 5:10). Having doubts is not the same as questioning God’s sovereignty and attacking His character. Those attitudes stem from spiritual blindness (2 Corinthians 4:3–4; Romans 1:21; Ephesians 4:18). People who do not belong to God question His works (John 5:38; 8:44–45; 10:22–42; 12:37–40). In short, an honest question is not wrong or sinful. But cross-examination from a bitter, untrusting, or rebellious heart is the fruit of unbelief. God is not intimidated, shocked, or displeased by our heartfelt questions. He understands our weaknesses and fears (Hebrews 4:15–16; 5:2) and invites us to seek transparent fellowship with Him. When we “question God,” our attitude should reflect a humble spirit, trusting heart, and open mind. We can question the Lord, but we should not expect to receive an answer unless we truly believe in Him and accept His sovereign perspective. God knows our hearts (Psalm 44:21; Romans 8:27) and whether we genuinely desire Him to enlighten us. Our inner intentions determine whether it is right or wrong to question God.

New US funding for Kyiv comes at a crucial moment
Luke Coffey/Arab news/April 26/2024
After months of delays in the US Congress, an overwhelming bipartisan majority approved a new $61 billion aid package for Ukraine. Last week’s vote was a long time coming: the last time Congress authorized funding for Ukraine was December 2022. Before that, the US had allocated a total of $116 billion in aid for Ukraine. While this might seem like a lot of money, it is less than 0.02 percent of America’s gross domestic product over the same period. Additionally, most of the money allocated to support Ukraine never actually leaves the US: it remains in America supporting US defense industry production.
Even so, the issue of supporting Ukraine became a hotly contested topic of political debate inside the Republican Party, which holds a wafer thin majority in the House of Representatives. One small but vocal faction of isolationists had called for the end of US aid to Ukraine (and Israel and Taiwan, too). Meanwhile, the more traditional “Reaganesque” wing of the party wants more aid to be provided.
It all came down to House Speaker Mike Johnson to manage the divisions inside his own party. Soon after Russia’s invasion in 2022, he was supportive of Ukraine. As the months went by, he changed his views and voted against additional US aid. Since becoming speaker he has kept his cards close to his chest and would not commit to a timetable for a vote. Finally, after months of delay, Johnson decided to bring a vote forward on Ukraine aid in the House. This paved the way for Senate approval and President Joe Biden signing it off.
There are three reasons why Johnson changed his mind. The first was that Donald Trump did too. The week before the vote, Johnson visited the former president at his residence in Florida. Nobody knows for sure what they discussed, but Ukraine seems likely. That Trump did not directly criticize the aid package for Ukraine after the meeting, following months of disapproval, was a sign of his indirect support. Johnson thus felt politically reassured to push for more Ukraine aid despite pressure from the isolationists in his own party.
If recent aid packages are any gauge, $61 billion should last Ukraine a long time.
Secondly, intelligence briefings would have played a role. The House speaker is second in the presidential line of succession, so Johnson is privy to high-level and sensitive intelligence briefings that most members in Congress are not. It is likely that the briefings he received about Russia’s activities in Ukraine convinced him it was time to provide more American aid.
Finally, Iran’s large-scale missile and drone barrage against Israel probably forced Johnson to support a vote for Ukraine aid. Many in Washington’s foreign policy community recognize that military cooperation between Moscow and Tehran is a threat: what happens in Ukraine can affect other regions such as like the Middle East. For example, the technology used by the Iranian drones that flew through Iraqi and Jordanian airspace before targeting Israel was perfected in Ukraine.
And, in the same way that additional US support for Ukraine is divisive for some Republicans, additional support for Israel is also controversial for some Democrats. If Johnson wanted to get more aid for Israel passed, the easiest way was to do it alongside an aid package for Ukraine.
So what are the implications of all this for US politics and the presidential race? If recent aid packages are any gauge, $61 billion should last Ukraine a long time. This was by design, as it means no new heated political debate about Ukraine before the US elections in November. However, the issue was never likely to feature prominently in the presidential campaign. Unless Americans are directly involved in a conflict, the average voter does not think much about foreign policy. Most go to the polls for bread and butter issues such as the economy, the cost of groceries and access to affordable healthcare. Furthermore, most Americans remain supportive of helping Ukraine. It is elements on the fringes of the political scene that remain the most critical of US support.
More American support for Ukraine could not come at a more crucial time in the war. US funding for Ukraine had run dry. Although Europe filled the gap, the lack of American assistance has been felt on the front lines. The Russian capture of Avdiivka from Ukraine in February was the most apparent example of how the lack of US aid impacted the battlefield. Shortages of artillery shells and anti-aircraft missiles have been widely reported. When I visited Ukraine last month, I was shocked to learn that Ukrainian soldiers were rationing ammunition for their rifles. With this new injection of aid, this dire situation will change.
Russia is on a war footing and has shown no desire for a negotiated settlement. Meanwhile, Ukrainians know they are fighting a war for national survival. With Congress finally acting, it is now up to the White House to use this new funding to arm Ukraine with the weapons it needs, not just to survive but to win.
• Luke Coffey is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute. X: @LukeDCoffey

Gulf states, Turkiye playing key role in Iraq’s reemergence
SINEM CENGIZ/Arab News/April 26, 2024
Over the past decade or more, the Middle East’s center of gravity has shifted to the Arabian Gulf, as the Gulf states have started to play more active roles in the region, while the geopolitical influence of countries such as Iraq, Syria and Egypt has relatively declined. However, recent developments are reasserting the prominence of some of these countries in regional politics, particularly with Iraq reemerging as a significant actor.
After decades of conflict, Iraq is trying to pitch itself as a regional actor not only in mediating disputes but also facilitating economic integration and cooperation. For example, Iraq, which has often been an arena for rivalry between regional actors, was instrumental in planting the seeds for last year’s China-brokered Saudi Arabia-Iran deal. The Iraqi government is now trying to leverage its relationships with Turkiye, the Gulf states and the West to shift the country’s status from being a victim of foreign interference to becoming a platform for cooperation. This has not gone unnoticed by Turkiye and the Gulf states.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday paid a long-anticipated visit to neighboring Iraq, his first since 2011, accompanied by a large entourage. The trip occurred at a critical juncture and led to mutual understanding between the two parties, culminating in the signing of 26 agreements and memorandums of understanding on various areas.
One of the most concrete outcomes was the signing of the four-way memorandum of understanding for joint cooperation on the Development Road project between Turkiye, Iraq, Qatar and the UAE. This $17 billion plan aims to establish road and railway infrastructure linking the Gulf with Turkiye via Iraq, leveraging Iraq’s geographical status and its numerous borders to facilitate transportation and trade. The project is to be carried out in three phases: the first to be completed in 2028, the second in 2033 and the third in 2050.
With Iran not in this picture, it might be an indication that Iraq is keen to get out of the Iranian shadow.
Should the Development Road project achieve its goal of reaching the Turkiye-Iraq border through collaborative efforts between the two countries, it has the potential to catalyze a fresh era of economic cooperation. Such success could mitigate existing conflicts and prompt Ankara and Baghdad to explore alternative approaches toward each other. This would also prove that political disputes can be ironed out through economic and development initiatives. Ankara and Baghdad have been collaborating closely on the project for some time, with one of the key considerations being the involvement of countries in terms of funding. The participation of Qatar and the UAE addresses this concern.
The Gulf countries’ engagement with Iraq is mostly due to Washington’s proactive efforts to draw Baghdad into closer alignment with the Gulf orbit of influence in a bid to contain Iran’s influence, as well as Turkiye’s engagement in Iraq. When Baghdad announced the Development Road project, it hosted a one-day conference that brought together ministers from the Gulf Cooperation Council states, Turkiye, Iran, Syria and Jordan to discuss the initiative. With Iran not in this picture, it might be an indication that Iraq is keen to get out of the Iranian shadow.
Qatar, meanwhile, is keen on establishing a direct economic connection with Turkiye. Doha has also shown an interest in expanding its investments in Iraq. This commitment started with an initial pledge of about $10 billion earmarked for infrastructure and service projects. Regarding the UAE, Iraq is aiming to leverage the expertise of Emirati firms in managing large ports. The UAE has chosen to assist Iraq, particularly in financing the project, for two main reasons: to support Iraq’s distancing from Iran and to participate in a regional initiative, aligning with its broader vision for development.
However, both Gulf states need to safeguard their investments against Iraq’s unpredictable political landscape. This entails making a sustained, strategic effort to shape Iraq into an area of influence.
It is noteworthy that, aside from helping to ease tensions between Riyadh and Tehran, Iraq also facilitated a meeting between the Qatari and Emirati leaderships after years of tension between the two countries. Therefore, the infrastructure project will not only enhance Turkish-Iraqi relations and Ankara’s relations with the Arab world in general, but it will also foster intra-GCC cooperation as the Gulf states expand their footprint in Iraq. Intra-GCC cooperation would provide strategic depth for the Gulf states in Iraq, making their investments resilient to external and internal pressures. The UAE and Qatar need to safeguard their investments against Iraq’s unpredictable political landscape.
However, while the Development Road could potentially improve Iraq’s relations with Turkiye and be beneficial for the Gulf states that are involved, it could also complicate the existing economic and political disputes between Kuwait and Iraq, including their disagreements over maritime borders. However, in light of these disagreements, a healthy political dialogue is necessary to ensure the successful implementation of the project. Here, Turkiye and the other GCC states’ roles are important. While being cautious, it might be possible that the project could prompt Baghdad to engage in negotiations with Kuwait to address the maritime dispute. Such discussions could prove beneficial for both sides, fostering collaboration in their development initiatives and easing tensions. Another aspect casting doubt on the feasibility of the Development Road’s implementation is the presence of numerous competing regional connectivity initiatives, such as the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative and the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor. However, the region can undoubtedly accommodate more than one economic corridor. It is not a zero-sum game. In today’s evolving regional landscape, the Gulf states are playing a significant role in helping Iraq’s reappearance in regional politics. Economic initiatives like the Development Road project signify a shift toward cooperation and regional integration, keeping contentious issues aside. While challenges and competing projects do exist, collaboration among stakeholders, including Turkiye and the Gulf states, promises a more prosperous and interconnected region.
*Sinem Cengiz is a Turkish political analyst who specializes in Turkiye’s relations with the Middle East. X: @SinemCngz

Islamic thought can help the region attain a green future
RODRIGO TAVARES/April 26, 2024
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s recent visit to China underscored the urgency of addressing climate change. While she expressed concerns about the adequacy of China’s efforts in combating this existential threat, Chinese officials asserted their commitment to their own vision of sustainability encapsulated in the concept of “Ecological Civilization.”
This vision seeks to harmonize economic prosperity with ecological preservation over a century-long period. While the Joe Biden administration’s Western approach draws inspiration from seminal works including “Small is Beautiful” by E.F. Schumacher and “Silent Spring” by Rachel Carson, China’s perspective is deeply entrenched in indigenous philosophies such as Taoism and Confucianism. These two views on sustainability are not irreconcilable, but they are distinct.
Over the past half-century, less established environmental perspectives have often been met with wariness rather than recognized as valuable indigenous wisdom deserving documentation, amplification, and integration into a comprehensive global framework rooted in bulletproof science, and which should be embraced by communities worldwide, all of whom should feel directly impacted by climate change issues and recognize their role as part of the solution.
Take, for instance, Islamic thinking, which carries a long tradition of sustainability and environmental stewardship. While we in Europe and North America were shaping many new environmental concepts, a set of Saudi Arabian scholars pioneered the “Islamic Principles for the Conservation of the Natural Environment” in 1983. This 25-page Islamic study, which proved influential in shaping policies across various Muslim states, asserted that the “protection, conservation and development of the environment and natural resources is a mandatory religious duty to which every Muslim should be committed.” It was published with support from the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources and the Saudi Arabia government. Using language that we were not used to in the West, the document boldly called upon Muslim “rulers, administrative and municipal agencies and organizations” to protect the environment as a “common social duty.” Anticipating the concept of “sustainable development” later outlined in the seminal UN-sponsored 1987 Brundtland report, the “Islamic Principles” advocated for “a balanced and planned international system for the protection and conservation” of humans and their environment and “for the maintenance and perpetuation of a suitable, prosperous life for the present and future generations.” It was also one of the forerunners of the modern concept of “leakage” typically used in carbon markets and of “do no significant harm” used in sustainable finance. It stated that “developmental actions and projects undertaken in one country should not lead to or result in any kind of damage, harm or degradation in the natural environment of another country.”If Saudi Arabia is currently undertaking plans to plant 10 billion trees, it is worth noting that as far back as 1983, those Saudi scholars advocated for the “revival, restoration, or recovery of lands” based on Qur’anic principles. And as encapsulated in a saying of Prophet Muhammad: “On Doomsday, if anyone has a palm shoot in hand, he should plant it.”While we in Europe and North America were shaping many new environmental concepts, a set of Saudi Arabian scholars pioneered the Islamic Principles for the Conservation of the Natural Environment in 1983.
Rodrigo Tavares
The world’s 1.8 billion Muslims may interpret the religious knowledge system differently, and likewise, they may not have a uniform interpretation of climate change. However, several Qur’anic verses and principles, such as Tawhid (unity of creation, including humans and nature), Mizan (maintaining the balance and proportion God has built into his creation), Khalifah (humans as stewards of God’s creation), and Maslahah (care for future generations), have been applied to address environmental concerns.
Indeed, Muslims hold the belief that humanity bears the responsibility of stewardship, or khalifah, over the planet, understanding that divine accountability awaits them. The Qur’an contains around 200 verses addressing environmental matters. One of the pioneers of Islamic environmentalism was the Iranian philosopher Seyyed Hossein Nasr, who, in the 1960s, highlighted the links between environmental degradation and the spiritual crisis of the modern world. More recent contributions include the ones by Iraqi Islamic eco-theologian Mawil Izzi Dien, Saudi Arabia’s environmental planner Othman Llewellyn, Kurdish Islamic environmentalist Ibrahim Ozdemir and the Sri Lankan eco-theologian Fazlun Khalid. Building on scientific insights, many Islamic scholars point to human activities, including heavy industrial production, waste incineration, reliance on fossil fuel-based mobility, and deforestation, as the primary drivers of ongoing climate change.
But what efforts are Muslim-majority countries and communities making to steward the environment and address the climate emergency? Undoubtedly, there is still a considerable journey ahead. It is noteworthy that many of these countries rank low on the Yale Environmental Performance Index, despite being particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Ideals hum a sweet melody, but reality has its own offbeat rhythm. However, taking a long-term perspective, numerous oil-producing nations in the Gulf region have embraced decarbonization plans and strategic visions focused on environmental sustainability. For instance, Saudi Vision 2030 serves as a widely recognized national masterplan among the country’s citizens, signaling a commitment to environmental stewardship.
From the bottom-up, various Muslim organizations have embarked on reforestation, recycling, and energy efficiency initiatives. They have built low-carbon mosques and disseminated guidelines on conducting the Hajj and the Umrah in an environmentally-conscious manner. There are also non-profit organizations, such as the Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environmental Sciences, whose goal is to encourage Muslims to live up to their responsibilities as stewards and work toward leaving a livable earth for future generations. Survey data further demonstrate that the majority of Muslims recognize climate change as a significant societal challenge.
The success of the global environmental agenda hinges on its diversification. This entails more than just formally inviting different people to participate; it is about having a sincere interest in the value they could add.
• Rodrigo Tavares is an invited full professor of sustainable finance at NOVA School of Business and Economics, founder and CEO of the Granito Group, former head of the Office of Foreign Affairs of the Sao Paulo state government, nominated Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, and the author of four books.

Israeli Operation in Rafah: When, How and Why?
Natasha Metni Torbey/This Is Beirut/April 26/2024
The city of Rafah could mark the last military chapter of the war launched by Israel against Hamas. As negotiations leading to a potential truce struggle to advance, the Hebrew State remains committed to its project to launch a large-scale offensive in this roughly 64 km2 area south of Gaza, home to approximately one and a half million Palestinians (many of whom sought refuge there following Hamas’ attack on Tel Aviv on October 7). Why Rafah? When and how, strategically, do Israelis envision their military operation unfolding? What measure or measures will be taken for civilian evacuation? And what will happen after Rafah? A clarification.
In March of this year, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the military plan of attacking Rafah, without a set timetable. Tel Aviv sought to launch the attack, despite adamant warnings from the international community, before mid-March. While it was slightly delayed due to sustained international pressure, it seems on the brink of beginning. This is affirmed, at the very least, by retired General Maroun Hitti, during an interview with This is Beirut (TIB): “In my opinion, Israel has already initiated its offensive through intensified artillery bombardments and airstrikes. This forms part of what the Anglo-Saxons call ‘battlefield preparation’.” “In democratic regimes and in military strategy, once an offensive begins, the armed force will persist until objectives are achieved, even if it means putting at risk the combatants’ lives,” he added.
What are these objectives? By conducting its offensive against Rafah, Israel intends to strike the “last” bastion of Hamas, where, according to figures provided by Israeli officials, approximately four “units” are believed to operate. Yet, caution is advised regarding these figures, as General Hitti notes, the question is whether these are battalions, regiments, divisions or brigades… “What is certain,” he indicates, “is that Hamas currently lacks the logistical capability to sustain more than 2,000 to 3,000 combatants.”
Hostages’ Release
This operation would thus fulfill one of the three main objectives that Israel has set for itself in this war: destroying Hamas. “It is clearly not about the total annihilation of the militant group,” Hitti emphasizes. What Israel seeks “is, at the very least, executing, if not neutralizing or move away from the Gaza Strip, the military command of Hamas, represented physically by the two top Hamas officials, Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Deif,” clarifies the retired General.
On the other hand, Israel intends, through its military operation in this city, to achieve the release of the hostages currently held there. “Since negotiations have failed due to Hamas conditions deemed ‘unrealistic’ by Israelis, the hostage issue will be resolved by force of arms, hence the attack on Rafah,” he explains.
By invading the last “geographical spot” in the Gaza Strip, the Hebrew State seems to be fulfilling a third objective: the administrative transfer of Gaza to an authority other than Hamas. This appears to be concretizing, as asserted by General Hitti, “The people of Gaza are now at the mercy of international assistance, which will be further materialized by the construction of the temporary floating port off the coast of Gaza, expected to start receiving aid trucks in early May.” This development could pave the way, according to Hitti, for the “establishment of an administrative authority sponsored by the United States and certain European countries, especially given that neither Egypt is willing to assume such responsibility, nor Jordan.”General Hitti suggests that “the Israelis, refusing the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) assuming control of Gaza, would lean towards notable figures from the Strip. However, Hamas strongly opposes this, considering any attempt at collaboration with Israel as punishable by death.”
How Would the Offensive Be Conducted?
During an interview with This is Beirut (TIB), retired General Khalil Helou explains the staged nature of the operation in Rafah once initiated. “It is urban warfare, involving underground passages and tunnels.” According to Hitti, it would be “prolonged and costly.” It is worth noting that “the Israelis would initially need to discover the entrance of each tunnel, then potentially proceed with a demining operation within these installations, before allowing dogs, robots, and military engineers to enter prior to the ground troops.”
Evacuation of Civilians
With an offensive in this border town adjacent to Egypt, the fate of approximately one and a half million civilians hangs in the balance. “Satellite images have shown several encampments being set up, particularly to the north of Rafah, and especially near Khan Younis,” Helou affirms.
It is noteworthy that the Netanyahu government has purchased 40,000 tents to facilitate the evacuation of civilians, as announced by Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. According to information, each tent could accommodate 12 people, potentially providing shelter for approximately 480,000 Palestinians out of the total population of around one and a half million.
Furthermore, General Helou also raises the question, “How will their survival be ensured, especially when only 70 out of the required 500 food trucks enter the Gaza Strip daily to meet the basic needs of the population?”
In this context, according to Hitti, the construction of the American bridge serves as “a support point for aid distribution.” He further explains that Israelis could create exit corridors for civilians to move to designated camps or be resettled in the northern part of Gaza.
That being said, the offensive in Rafah will sure have local consequences. Observers in Lebanon are concerned about a potential expansion of the conflict, with Hezbollah possibly intensifying its strikes against Israel, eliciting an equally or even more violent response.