English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For December 12/2024
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible Quotations For today
It is impossible to restore again to repentance those who
have once been enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and then have
fallen away
Letter to the Hebrews 06/01-09: “Let us go on towards perfection,
leaving behind the basic teaching about Christ, and not laying again the
foundation: repentance from dead works and faith towards God, instruction about
baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgement.
And we will do this, if God permits. For it is impossible to restore again to
repentance those who have once been enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly
gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the
word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, since
on their own they are crucifying again the Son of God and are holding him up to
contempt. Ground that drinks up the rain falling on it repeatedly, and that
produces a crop useful to those for whom it is cultivated, receives a blessing
from God. But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and on the
verge of being cursed; its end is to be burned over. Even though we speak in
this way, beloved, we are confident of better things in your case, things that
belong to salvation.
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on December 11-12/2024
Elias Bejjani/Text & Video: The Rise of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham and the
Shadows of Daesh-like Islamic Governance in Syria
Elias Bejjani/Text & Video: The Fall of Assad’s Regime: A Faith Certainty and a
Foreshadowing for the Iranian Mullahs' Dictatorship
A very important video link/An analytical, realistic, field and historical
reading by the Egyptian media personality, writer, and historian Ibrahim Issa
about the crimes, dangers, and terrorism of the new jihadist rulers of Syria,
led by the terrorist al-Julani and funded by Qatar, Turkey, and the Muslim
Brotherhood. Syria has fallen under the occupation of Islamic jihadist terrorist
groups.
Top US Military Commander in the Mideast Visits Lebanon for Talks with Army
Chief
US announces first Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon under ceasefire deal
Syria new rulers say they respect Lebanon's sovereignty
Berri meets Bassil, Quint ambassadors over presidential file
5 killed in drone strikes in south Lebanon as Israel's violations continue
Mikati in Spain says Israel must commit to ceasefire, withdraw from south
LF and Change Movement file complaint against Assad and his regime
Bassil wants Hezbollah to focus on Lebanon not region
Ceasefire 'immunized' Lebanon, president will be elected on January 9, Berri
says
Lebanon, Middle East riven by wars, but moments of grace break the chaos
American Iranian Coalition for Democracy (AICD) Welcomes Fall of Assad but
Cautions Against Rise of Radical Groups in Syria
LIC Statement on the Fall of the Assad Regime
Don’t bet on the Lebanese Army to restrain Hezbollah/David Daoud/FDD's Long War
Journal/December 11/2024
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on December 11-12/2024
Syria’s al-Bashir Vows to Rebuild but Faces Cash Crunch
UN Chief Sees Hope in Syria after End of Assad Regime
Militants ‘did not receive any international support to confront the Assad
government,’ says HTS’ Al-Sharaa
Israel says Iran has itself to blame for Assad's fall
France urges Israel to withdraw forces from Syria buffer zone
US to recognize Syria govt. if it renounces terror, protects minorities
In 1st Contacts, US Officials Urge Syria’s Opposition to Support Inclusive
Lebanese Researcher Ali Hamie: HTS Leader Al-Jolani Was Abducted As A Child,
Raised By The Mossad, And Then Sent To Syria; Biden Supports The Luciferian
Movement
Syrians Flock to Morgues Looking for Loved Ones Who Perished in Assad’s Prisons
Syrians Head Home from Türkiye to 'a Better Life' after Opposition Takeover
Asharq Al-Awsat Reports Aftermath of Israeli Airstrikes on Qamishli’s ‘54th
Brigade’
Syrian Woman Haunts Assad’s Notorious Prison for Clues of Relatives’ Fate
Syrian Refugees in Europe Fear being Forced Home after Assad's Fall
Russia transported Assad in 'most secured way,' Russian Deputy FM tells NBC News
Syrian Opposition Works to Get the Capital’s Airport up and Running Again
Israel targets Syrian military bases and arsenals before new leaders can take
them over
Israeli warplanes pound Syria as troops reportedly advance deeper into the
country
UN Appeals for $4 Billion for Humanitarian Operations in Palestinian Territories
Turkish-Backed Syrian National Army Seizes Manbij from U.S. Allied, Kurdish-Led
Forces
‘Everything Assad Got From Iran and Russia Has Been Destroyed’: Israel Ramps Up
Attacks on Syria’s Arsenals
Australia Launches Antisemitism Task Force After Terrorist Arson Attack on
Melbourne Synagogue
Syrian Filmmakers Hail End of Assad Regime and Look to Rebuild Industry as an
‘Internationally Connected’ Community: ‘The War Is Finished, Let’s Go Back’
Saudi Arabia confirmed as 2034 World Cup host
Finding Bishop Paul Yazigi Alive in Adra Central Prison
Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources
on December 11-12/2024
Rebottled Jew-Hate: The Boycott of Jewish Genius/Nils A. Haug/Gatestone
Institute/December 11, 2024
The Israeli Jews who spied for Iran in biggest infiltration in decades/Jonathan
Saul/TEL AVIV (Reuters)/December 11, 2024
State Department defends Israeli occupation of Syrian Golan Heights/John
Bowden/independent/December 11, 2024
These Palestinians disappeared after encounters with Israeli troops in Gaza/Wafaa
Shurafa, Sarah El Deeb And Julia Frankel/DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP)
/December 11, 2024
Peace be upon you, Damascus/Bakir Oweida/Arab News/December 11, 2024
Elias Bejjani/Text
& Video: The Rise of
Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham and the Shadows of Daesh-like Islamic Governance in Syria
Elias Bejjani/December 11/ 2024
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2024/12/137865/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntqvXDKBGoA
The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s dictatorial regime in Syria brought joy to many
Syrians who had endured 54 years of brutal, inhumane, and oppressive rule.
However, the rise of jihadist and extremist groups, primarily Hay’at Tahrir
al-Sham (HTS), to fill the power vacuum left by Assad raises pressing questions
about Syria’s future. HTS, an extremist Islamist group deeply connected to
al-Qaeda and the global terrorist Muslim Brotherhood network, has a history of
jihadist violence in Iraq and Syria. Designated a terrorist organization by the
United States, the rise of HTS could plunge Syria into a new era of repression
and instability, akin to the darkness seen in Gaza, Yemen, Iran, Iraq, and
Afghanistan under Islamist rule.
HTS, under the leadership of Abu Muhammad al-Julani (Ahmed al-Sharaa), is known
for its violent tactics, oppressive governance, and exploitation of religious
doctrines to justify its actions. While the fall of Assad represents a pivotal
moment for the Syrian people, replacing one form of tyranny with another rooted
in extremist Islamist ideology poses an existential threat to Syria’s
ethnically, sectarianly, and culturally diverse fabric. Moreover, such a regime
could pose a serious threat to neighboring Lebanon and Jordan.
Under jihadist rule, countries often regress into authoritarian theocracies that
impose draconian laws, curtail freedoms, and suppress dissent. For instance, the
iron-fisted rule of the Taliban in Afghanistan has resulted in public
executions, restrictions on women’s rights, and suppression of opposition.
Similarly, Iran’s theocratic regime rules through fear, employing executions,
arbitrary arrests, and systemic oppression of minorities and women. Yemen’s
collapse under the control of extremist Islamist factions demonstrates how
radical governance exacerbates humanitarian suffering and stifles development.
HTS often projects a façade of moderation, particularly to gain local and
international support. This deceptive approach aligns with the concept of
taqiyya, an Islamic principle permitting deceit under certain circumstances to
safeguard religion. From this perspective, HTS’s promises of governance aligned
with the aspirations of the Syrian people must be scrutinized critically.
History has shown that such groups often make conciliatory statements to pacify
local populations and international observers while implementing oppressive
practices in reality.
HTS’s track record inspires little confidence. In areas under its control, the
group has enforced strict Sharia laws, silenced dissent, and marginalized
women’s rights. These actions contradict its claims of prioritizing justice and
the welfare of the Syrian people. Instead, HTS governance threatens to
institutionalize dhimmitude, relegating non-Muslims to second-class citizenship,
thereby undermining Syria’s pluralistic and diverse societal fabric.
One of the most dangerous aspects of HTS’s rule, should it come to fruition, is
its use of deception. Its application of taqiyya allows it to present a moderate
and acceptable face publicly while concealing extremist intentions. This
ideological duplicity makes it challenging to assess their true motives,
presenting a significant obstacle to international efforts to counter their
influence.
The rise of HTS under al-Julani’s leadership represents a grim and disheartening
scenario for Syria. The group’s extremist ideology and authoritarian practices
could plunge the country into an era of fear and regression. Syrians who fought
for freedom and dignity under Assad now face the prospect of losing those
hard-won rights under a new, ideologically driven oppressor.
Should HTS consolidate its power, the consequences could be dire. The group’s
strict interpretation of Sharia law might lead to harsh punishments, such as
public executions and amputations. Women would likely face severe restrictions
on their rights, including limitations on education and employment. Furthermore,
HTS’s ties to al-Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood organization could integrate
Syria into a global jihadist network, destabilizing the region and threatening
international security.
To prevent Syria from following the paths of Gaza, Yemen, Iran, or
Afghanistan, the international community and moderate Syrian forces must
collaborate to counter the influence of jihadist groups like HTS. This effort
should include advocating for inclusive, secular governance, promoting education
and human rights, and ensuring that Syrians do not exchange one form of tyranny
for another.
While the fall of Assad’s regime is a cause for celebration, it should also be a
moment for caution. Syrians must remain vigilant against the rise of extremist
groups like HTS, which threaten to impose a regressive and oppressive regime.
The lessons from other nations under Islamist rule are clear: the struggle for
freedom and justice does not end with the removal of a dictator but requires
constant vigilance to prevent the emergence of new forms of tyranny.
Elias Bejjani/Text & Video:
The Fall of Assad’s Regime: A Faith Certainty and a
Foreshadowing for the Iranian Mullahs' Dictatorship
Elias Bejjani/December 08/ 2024
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2024/12/137796/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNrwroj6KuY&t=861s
The fall of the tyrannical
Baathist Assad regime in Syria, after 55 years of oppressive rule, marks the
definitive end of an era rooted in serving the forces of evil, represented
symbolically by Lucifer, the prince of darkness. This regime’s collapse is a
testament to divine justice and a vivid reminder of the biblical principle that
all oppressive and malevolent systems inevitably meet their demise. The same
fate undoubtedly awaits the Iranian Mullahs' dictatorship, another regime
entrenched in terrorism and injustice.
Assad's downfall is not just a political event but a divine reckoning, foreseen
in scripture and faith. The Bible reminds us repeatedly that God, in His
infinite wisdom and justice, allows time for repentance but never neglects to
bring judgment upon evil. As it is written, "Your body is a temple of the Holy
Spirit within you, whom you have from God" (1 Corinthians 6:19). Assad's regime,
like all oppressive systems, desecrated this sacred principle by violating the
dignity and humanity of countless individuals in Syria, Lebanon, and beyond.
Biblical Parallels and Divine Justice
The fate of the Assad regime is mirrored in biblical prophecies:
"Woe to you, destroyer, you who have not been destroyed; woe to you, betrayer,
you who have not been betrayed! When you stop destroying, you will be destroyed;
when you stop betraying, you will be betrayed" (Isaiah 33:1). These words echo
the inevitable justice that awaits all oppressors. Assad's crimes against
humanity, his betrayal of his people, and his relentless destruction could only
lead to his shameful fall.
"Whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you" (John 16:23). The
prayers of the oppressed, the cries of the tortured, and the faith of the just
have been answered. This is a divine intervention, not merely a human effort,
ensuring that no injustice remains hidden, and no tyrant escapes judgment.
A Message to the Iranian Mullahs
The collapse of Assad's regime serves as a harbinger for the Iranian Mullahs.
Just as the Baathist dictatorship fell despite decades of ruthless control, the
Mullahs' regime, founded on oppression, terrorism, and the distortion of
religion, will face a similar destiny. History and faith assure us that regimes
built on lies and injustice are doomed to fail. The same divine justice that
dismantled Assad's regime will undoubtedly dismantle the Mullahs’ grip on Iran
and their regional proxies.
The Iranian regime has brought untold suffering, not only to its people but to
nations across the Middle East through its sponsorship of terrorism and its
hegemonic ambitions. The Bible's teachings emphasize that "there is nothing
concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known"
(Luke 12:2). This assurance reinforces our belief that the Mullahs' crimes will
not go unpunished.
Faith in Action
The fall of Assad's regime is a call to action for all who value justice and
human dignity. It is a moment to reaffirm faith in divine justice and to
actively oppose oppressive regimes that violate human rights. With faith,
prayer, and perseverance, the downfall of the Iranian Mullahs will follow. As
Christians and believers in the principles of justice, we are called to stand
firm in the truth, saying, "Yes, yes, or no, no," and rejecting all forms of
complicity or apathy in the face of evil.
The Road Ahead
We pray and work for a Middle East free of tyranny and terror. Assad’s fall is a
milestone, but it is not the end of the journey. The next chapter begins with
the dismantling of the Iranian regime, whose policies have perpetuated suffering
in Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and beyond. Let us remain steadfast, united in faith
and purpose, until the forces of darkness are vanquished and the light of
justice prevails.
In the words of scripture: "The righteous will rejoice when they see vengeance
done; they will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked" (Psalm 58:10). This
is not a call for violence but a prophetic assurance that justice, both divine
and earthly, will prevail.
Elias
Bejjani/A very important video link/An analytical, realistic, field and
historical reading by the Egyptian media personality, writer, and historian
Ibrahim Issa about the crimes, dangers, and terrorism of the new jihadist rulers
of Syria, led by the terrorist al-Julani and funded by Qatar, Turkey, and the
Muslim Brotherhood. Syria has fallen under the occupation of Islamic jihadist
terrorist groups.
Cairo and Al-Nas TV channel / December 11, 2024
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2024/12/137903/
Ibrahim Issa: The Muslim Brotherhood, jihadists, and terrorists are devils, and
taming these devils is impossible. They turn on anyone who trusts them and
allies with them, and there are hundreds of examples of this historically and
presently. The jihadists who occupy Syria... the Nusra Front after the fall of
Assad have no relation to the Syrian people. They are neither a revolution nor
anything of the sort. The Assad army surrendered and withdrew, and they entered.
In the event of an attack by the new rulers of Syria on the Druze community,
Netanyahu may occupy most of Syria's territory, just as he occupied the Golan
Heights and destroyed the Syrian fleet, weapons, and airports in the past few
days. Syria is under the occupation of terrorist groups."
Summary of the Video:
Ibrahim Issa's Claims: The Egyptian media personality, Ibrahim Issa, argues that
the new rulers of Syria, particularly groups like the Nusra Front, are terrorist
organizations with no legitimate claim to power.
Foreign Influence: He accuses these groups of being funded and supported by
foreign powers such as Qatar, Turkey, and the Muslim Brotherhood.
Threat to the Syrian People: Issa claims that these groups pose a significant
threat to the Syrian people and that they have no interest in the welfare of the
country.
Potential Israeli Intervention: He warns that if the new rulers of Syria attack
the Druze community, Israel might take advantage of the situation to expand its
control over Syrian territory.
Absence of Civil Society: Issa criticizes the lack of a strong civil society and
political opposition in Syria, which he argues has contributed to the country's
current problems.
Note: It is important to approach this analysis with a critical eye, as it
represents one perspective on a complex and ongoing conflict. It is always
advisable to consult multiple sources and consider a variety of viewpoints when
forming an opinion on such matters.
Top US
Military Commander in the Mideast Visits Lebanon for Talks with Army Chief
Asharq Al-Awsat/December 11/2024
The top US military commander for the Middle East was in Lebanon on Wednesday
meeting with the head of the Lebanese army. In the wake of shocking overthrow of
the government in neighboring Syria, the two military leaders discussed the
security situation in Lebanon, a statement from the country's army said. US Army
Gen. Erik Kurilla, who leads US Central Command, met with the head of the
Lebanese army Gen. Joseph Aoun to discuss ongoing American support for the
implementation of the US-and French-brokered ceasefire agreement, which ended
more than a year of war between Israel and the Lebanese militant group
Hezbollah. Israel has said the truce deal gives it the right to use military
force against perceived ceasefire violations, and has launched near-daily
strikes, mostly in southern Lebanon, that have killed dozens of people since the
ceasefire took effect on Nov. 27. Still, the shaky ceasefire appears to be
holding. Two people were killed Wednesday by Israeli strikes in two different
towns in the southern municipality of Bint Jbeil, Lebanon’s Health Ministry and
state news agency said. On Tuesday, Kurilla was in eastern Syria visiting US
military bases and meeting with members of a Kurdish-led Syrian force that is
backed by the US. He was assessing what CENTCOM described as efforts to counter
a resurgence of the ISIS group. He also visited Baghdad for talks with Iraqi
officials on regional security and counter-ISIS operations.
US
announces first Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon under ceasefire deal
Agence France Presse/December 11/2024
Israeli forces conducted a first withdrawal from a town in south Lebanon and
were replaced by the Lebanese military under a ceasefire deal, the U.S. Central
Command (CENTCOM) said on Wednesday. The command's leader General Erik Kurilla
"was present at the implementation and monitoring headquarters today during the
ongoing first Israeli Defense Forces withdrawal and Lebanese Armed Forces
replacement in Al-Khiam, Lebanon as part of the (ceasefire) agreement," CENTCOM
said in a statement.
Syria new rulers say they respect Lebanon's sovereignty
Naharnet/December 11/2024
Syria’s new Islamist-led administration “respects the sovereignty of the
Lebanese state over its territory,” its political affairs spokesman said. The
Lebanese “should not have fears over what might happen,” the spokesman, Obaida
Arnaout, reassured in remarks to Lebanon’s LBCI television. “The goal of the
Syrian revolution had been clear from the first day, which was the ouster of the
criminal regime of Bashar al-Assad. Now we want to build our country,” Arnaout
added. He also said that “the new Syria will be a civil state.”
Berri meets Bassil, Quint ambassadors over presidential
file
Naharnet/December 11/2024
The ambassadors of the five-nation group on Lebanon, which comprises the U.S.,
France, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt, met Wednesday with Parliament Speaker
Nabih Berri in Ain el-Tineh. Egyptian Ambassador to Lebanon Alaa Moussa said the
presidential election session on January 9 will be open with consecutive rounds
until a president is elected. U.S. Ambassador Lisa Johnson told journalists that
she feels "positive". Parliament is scheduled to convene on January 9 to elect a
new president, seeking to end more than two years without a head of state. The
country has been without a president since Michel Aoun's term ended in October
2022, with neither of the two main blocs -- Hezbollah and its opponents --
having the majority required to elect one, and unable to reach a consensus. "A
president will be elected on January 9," Berri told Asharq al-Awsat, in remarks
published Wednesday, vowing that the scheduled session will not be postponed.
Berri later met with Free Patriotic Movement leader Jebran Bassil who said the
efforts are serious and "things are going well.""We will, God willing, have a
president on January 9," Bassil said after the meeting.
5 killed in drone strikes in south Lebanon as Israel's
violations continue
Naharnet/December 11/2024
Three civilians were killed in an Israeli drone strike that targeted the
southern town of Bint Jbeil on Wednesday evening, media reports said. Machinegun
fire also targeted the town. Earlier in the day, an Israeli drone targeted a van
on a road between the southern towns of Beit Leef and Sribbine, killing Lebanese
citizen Hamza Morshed Baddah, the National News Agency said. Earlier, one person
was killed and another wounded in an Israeli drone strike on a house between the
southern towns of Ainata and Bint Jbeil, NNA reported. Israeli forces also blew
up a home in Naqoura as Israeli drones raided the Wadi Hassan area between
Majdal Zoun and Shihin, amid artillery shelling and machinegun fire at Majdal
Zoun’s outskirts. Separately, a 15-member Israeli force raided an inhabited home
owned by the al-Jouki family in the southern town of Burj al-Moulouk, NNA said.
“They searched the house thoroughly and interrogated two people who were in it,
confiscating their cellphones,” the agency added. “The enemy force asked them to
immediately evacuate the house and not to return to it until further notice,”
NNA said. Israel stepped up its campaign in Lebanon in late September after
nearly a year of cross-border exchanges launched by Hezbollah in support of
Hamas following its Palestinian ally's October 7, 2023 attack on southern
Israel. A ceasefire came into effect on November 27 and is generally holding,
though both sides have accused the other of repeated violations.
Under the terms of the ceasefire, the Lebanese army will deploy in the south
alongside UN peacekeepers as the Israeli army withdraws over a period of 60
days. Hezbollah is required to withdraw its forces north of the Litani river,
about 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the border, and dismantle its military
infrastructure in the south. Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA)
reported that UN peacekeepers entered the town of Khiam on Wednesday to "inspect
the road and verify the Israeli enemy army's withdrawal". It added that the
peacekeepers found the body of a man "in the vicinity of his house" in the
border town. Also Wednesday, the NNA said ambassadors from the United States,
France, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt met with parliament speaker and Hezbollah
ally Nabih Berri, who has scheduled a parliament session next month for
lawmakers to elect a president. Crisis-hit Lebanon has been without a president
for more than two years amid deadlock between Hezbollah and its allies and their
adversaries. On Monday, representatives of the United States, France, UNIFIL and
the Israeli and Lebanese militaries met in the border town of Naqura "to
coordinate their support for the cessation of hostilities", a joint statement
said. "UNIFIL hosted the meeting, with the United States serving as chair,
assisted by France, and joined by" the two armies, the statement said. "This
mechanism will meet regularly and coordinate closely to advance implementation
of the ceasefire agreement" and United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701,
it added. The resolution, which ended a 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah,
stated that only Lebanese troops and UN peacekeepers should carry weapons in the
south and demanded that Israeli troops withdraw from Lebanese territory.
Mikati in Spain says Israel must commit to ceasefire, withdraw from south
Naharnet/December 11/2024
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati met Wednesday with his Spanish counterpart
in Madrid. The two prime ministers discussed the relations between the two
countries and the latest developments in Lebanon and the Middle east. Mikati
stressed the need for Israel to commit to a U.S and French-brokered ceasefire in
Lebanon, to withdraw from southern towns where its troops are still present, and
to fully implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701. Spanish PM
Pedro Sánchez said Spain will provide more support for Lebanon's armed forces.
Spain has provided nearly 5,5 million euros in humanitarian aid for Lebanon in
2024 and over 12 tons of medicine and blankets. Spain's Aroldo Lázaro Sáenz has
been the head of the U.N. mission in Lebanon since 2022. There are currently
some 650 Spanish troops in Lebanon among an international contingent of 10,000
soldiers from 49 countries. The UNIFIL soldiers are tasked with monitoring the
Lebanese-Israeli border line. Israel and Lebanon agreed on a ceasefire last
month. During a 60-day transition period, the Israeli military would withdraw
from southern Lebanon. Alongside U.N. peacekeepers, the Lebanese Army would be
the exclusive armed presence in the south and would deploy in areas close to the
border while Hezbollah would move north of the Litani River. The United States
and France, in addition to UNIFIL peacekeepers, will monitor violations and
support the process.
LF and Change Movement file complaint against Assad and his
regime
Naharnet/December 11/2024
The Lebanese Forces and the Change Movement on Wednesday filed a complaint
before Lebanon’s State Prosecution against ousted Syrian president Bashar al-Assad
and officials from his regime over “the kidnap, forced disappearance and torture
of Lebanese citizens.”Speaking outside the Justice Palace in Beirut, former LF
lawmaker Eddie Abillama said the LF “filed a complaint against Assad, the Syrian
state and (former) interior and defense ministers, and (former Syrian) national
security bureau chief Ali Mamlouk.”“We have requested that arrest warrants be
issued against them,” Abillama added. “If this does not happen, we will resort
to other steps,” Change Mobvement leader Elie Mahfoud for his part said, noting
that he “filed documented information against Assad and his lieutenants, backed
by testimonies from liberated captives.”He added that he is willing to go to
Syria to “obtain further information about the Lebanese captives in Syrian
prisons.”
Bassil wants Hezbollah to focus on Lebanon not region
Naharnet/December 11/2024
Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil has criticized Hezbollah again for
focusing on the region's conflicts instead of prioritizing Lebanon. Bassil told
Reuters that Hezbollah must accept "that they are part of the Lebanese state and
are not parallel to the state," adding that he considers Hezbollah as a partner
but wants it to defend Lebanon politically "not militarily". Bassil said
Hezbollah should distance itself from the "Axis of Resistance" and focus on
domestic issues instead of focusing on the wider region. Bassil also told
Reuters that he is against the presidential candidacy of army chief Joseph. The
Christian leader had met on Wednesday with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri over
the presidential file and said after the meeting that efforts to elect a
president are serious and that "things are going well." "We will, God willing,
have a president on January 9," Bassil said.
Ceasefire 'immunized' Lebanon, president will be elected on
January 9, Berri says
Naharnet/December 11/2024
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has ruled out a negative impact for Syria's
events on Lebanon. Berri told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper, in remarks published
Wednesday, that the developments in Syria are in Israel's interest, and that a
U.S.-French brokered ceasefire reached last month has "immunized" Lebanon. After
the ceasefire was reached ending 13 months of clashes between Israel and
Hezbollah, Berri called for a parliamentary session on January 9 to elect a new
president, seeking to end more than two years without a head of state. The
country has been without a president since Michel Aoun's term ended in October
2022, with neither of the two main blocs -- Hezbollah and its opponents --
having the majority required to elect one, and unable to reach a consensus. "A
president will be elected on January 9," Berri said, vowing that the scheduled
session will not be postponed. Berri on Wednesday met with the ambassadors of
the five-nation group on Lebanon, which comprises the U.S., France, Saudi
Arabia, Qatar and Egypt. Egyptian Ambassador to Lebanon Alaa Moussa said after
the meeting that the presidential election session on January 9 will be open
with consecutive rounds until a president is elected.
Lebanon, Middle East riven by wars, but moments of grace
break the chaos
Associated Press/December 11/2024
An Israeli bomb hangs suspended in air, caught in a split-second image of a
suburb in Beirut before it slams into an apartment building, passersby already
bracing for the explosion. Across the Middle East this year, photographers froze
moments in time, reflections of the wars and their horrors that have upended
life across the region. But even in the worst, their lens captured haunting,
still moments reflecting how life carries on even in the chaos. In one image, a
volunteer kisses two kittens rescued from the rubble of another Israeli
airstrike in Beirut. His face is smudged with soot. One of the kittens, eyes
closed, meows with its tiny claws extended. In the Gaza Strip, another
photograph resembles a still life painting as golden rays of morning light hang
in the dusty air as a Palestinian man in shadow uses a shovel to clean away
debris from what was once a kitchen. Then there was for many the year's biggest
surprise in December. After more than 50 years of rule, the Assad family of
Syria lost control of the country in the face of a lightning rebel advance.
Rebels waved their assault rifles above their head in a street in Damascus, as
they raced by on a motorbike. And as 2025 looms, everything feels like it
remains in motion in the wider Middle East. Its only these images and the
fleeting moments they capture, that remain frozen.
American
Iranian Coalition for Democracy (AICD) Welcomes Fall of Assad but Cautions
Against Rise of Radical Groups in Syria
November 11, 2024
The American Mideast Coalition for Democracy welcomes the fall of the last of
the Baathist dynasties in the Middle East, a regime allied with the ruling
mullahs of Iran and was a major link in the “Shi’a crescent” extending from
Tehran to the Mediterranean Sea. For decades the Assad regime allowed Damascus
to become a major weapons delivery hub for Iran supplying Hezbollah in Lebanon.
We are optimistic now that Hezbollah has been decapitated by Israeli operations
and its weapons and financial support removed with the fall of Assad, Lebanon
will again emerge as the free and pluralistic country it once was. However, we
ask the Lebanese government in accordance with UNSCR 1701 to request the
relocation some of UNIFL forces in South Lebanon to the border between Lebanon
and Syria to protect the border and prevent radical groups in Syria from
entering Lebanon, and to demand the implementation of UNSCR 1680 and establish a
clear demarcation line between Lebanon and Syria.
We are also cautious about the rise of radical Islam which has spawned to the
Muslim Brotherhood and its many offshoots, such as Islamic Jihad, al Qaeda, and
ISIS. It is very likely these militias will take vengeance and severely oppress
the remaining Syriac, Orthodox, and Chaldean Christians and Kurds, the Jews
having been ethnically cleansed from Syria during the twentieth century.
“We can only hope that with the eyes of the world upon them, Hayat Tahrir
al-Sham will act in a responsible manner, but that remains to be seen,” said
AMCD co-chair, Tom Harb. “With the potential manpower of hundreds of thousands
of Syrians returning, it is hoped that the country can be rebuilt and remain at
peace with its neighbors.”
“Turkey is likely to have a major hand in the reconstruction of Syria,” added
AMCD co-chair John Hajjar. “And that’s not necessarily a good thing, especially
for minority ethnic groups like the Christians, Druze, Alawis, and Kurds. This
might be a good time to consider an independent Kurdistan, pledged to the
protection of Christians and minority ethnic groups, and allied with the West.”
“The chess pieces are moving quickly,” added AMCD Sr. advisor, Dr. Walid Phares.
“The US has already taken action to protect the Kurds and destroy some remaining
ISIS strongholds in Syria, and Israel is taking action to destroy Syria’s
military capability, including its navy, defense systems, military airfields,
missile depots, and dozens of weapons production sites. President Trump just met
with the President of the Kurdish region in Iraq, Nechirvan Barzani, in Paris.
Potentially, a Syrian Kurdish region could link up with the Iraqi Kurds to form
an independent Kurdistan, and eventually to include the Kurdish regions of Iran
as well.”
AMCD is cautiously hopeful that with the common-sense foreign policy of the new
Trump administration allied with Israel and the moderate Sunni leadership in
Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the entire region can turn the corner and cease the
promotion of radical jihadism, develop modern civil societies to include
protection for ethnic and religious minorities, and fully join the modern world.
December 11, 2024
rebeccabynum
LIC
Statement on the Fall of the Assad Regime
Washington, DC-December 10th, 2024
The Lebanese Information Center is delighted to congratulate both the Syrian and
Lebanese peoples on the fall of the Assad dynasty and the dawn of a new chapter
in the region - one that we hope will bring freedom, equality, and dignity to
the Syrian people and liberate Lebanon from decades of hegemonic rule.
Bashar al-Assad and his brutal cabal reigned through deceit, fear, and
oppression, killing and torturing hundreds of thousands of Syrians who dared to
speak against them. Meanwhile, they amassed fortunes through corruption and
lived a life of luxury. Their notorious prisons tell tales of the sheer
inhumanity, brutality, and terror that characterized their rule. They represent
a blemish on the annals of the United Nations, on countries that supported their
dictatorship, and on the international community that stood idly by while they
carried out their heinous crimes.
Not only did the Assad dynasty exercise ruthless domination and total disregard
for human rights and freedom of expression on its own people, but it also
extended its hegemony to neighboring Lebanon for nearly thirty years. During
that time, it wreaked havoc on every semblance of freedom, made a mockery of
state institutions, robbed the country, humiliated its people, massacred scores
of pro-democracy leaders, and jailed and tortured thousands of innocent
Lebanese. It nurtured and supported terrorist groups like Hezbollah and Hamas,
became a conduit for arms smuggling, and served as a refuge for outlaws from
across the region.
The LIC wishes the Syrian people Godspeed as they embark on the journey of
establishing a democratic state, rebuilding their economy, and returning to a
normal life where they can live happily, prosperously, and free of fear.
*The Lebanese Information Center in the U.S. is the largest grassroots
organization of Americans of Lebanese descent, committed to building a free,
sovereign, and democratic Lebanon for the good of the Lebanese people and in the
interest of the United States of America.
LEBANESE INFORMATION CENTER
601 Pennsylvania Avenue NW (#900), Washington, DC 20004
Phone: 202-505-4542 . Fax: 202-318-8409
Email: lic@licus.org www.licus.org
Don’t
bet on the Lebanese Army to restrain Hezbollah
David Daoud/FDD's Long War Journal/December 10, 2024
The Assad regime has fallen. Meanwhile, the dreaded Third Lebanon War, during
which Israel gave Hezbollah an unprecedented drubbing, is either over or in a
ceasefire-induced lull. But the Iranian-backed organization has neither been
conclusively defeated nor is it past the point of regeneration. Recognizing this
situation, the ceasefire deal’s drafter, US envoy Amos Hochstein, included
safeguards ostensibly meant to prevent Hezbollah’s regeneration—to ensure, in
his words, this would be the final Hezbollah-Israel war. However, Hochstein made
a critical mistake, one that will likely prove fatal to his anticipated
objectives: much like UN Security Council Resolution 1701, the latest agreement
made action by the Lebanese government and Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) against
Hezbollah the cornerstone of the ceasefire.
Time has always been Hezbollah’s friend—even more so after the November 27
ceasefire that halted its latest war with Israel. The more time that passes from
the conflict, the more time Hezbollah will have to take stock of the harm it has
suffered, regroup, and prepare for any potential hostile movement against it or
its arms in Lebanon. Time will allow Hezbollah to call upon its vast support
network—Iran and wealthy Shia supporters in Latin America and West Africa—to
refill its arsenal and coffers and begin the vital work of reconstruction that
will help the group rally its domestic support among Lebanese Shia.
Regardless of Hezbollah’s need to rally its base, there wasn’t much evidence
throughout this war that the group had lost a critical mass of supporters. A
January poll found up to 93% of Lebanese Shia supported Hezbollah, while a
September poll by Arab Barometer reported that only 5% of that demographic
distrust Hezbollah, and 85% trust the group. After the war, as hundreds of
thousands of predominantly Shia Lebanese returned to their destroyed homes and
villages ravaged and ruined by Hezbollah’s latest bout of adventurism against
Israel, there was no massive outpouring of anger against the group.
It is true that Hezbollah’s propaganda outlets and threats of violence can hide
or subdue minor and scattered flare-ups of outrage against the group. But such
efforts would be helpless to stem a tide of overwhelming Lebanese Shiite anger—a
reaction that has not happened.
To the contrary, many of the Lebanese returnees who were forced to evacuate
during the conflict have been praising Hezbollah and its “victory” over Israel,
waving the terror group’s iconic yellow-and-green flag amidst the rubble that
was their homes. Thousands appeared to attend Hezbollah’s post-war vigil for its
slain secretary-general, Hassan Nasrallah, at the location of his assassination.
The group is also planning a larger funeral for Nasrallah and his would-be
successor, Hashem Safieddine, at an undetermined future date—an event that will
be equal parts mourning for the fallen leaders and a show of domestic power by
the group.
Hezbollah wouldn’t likely be planning this public spectacle if its leaders
weren’t certain that throngs of supporters would flood the streets because doing
so would be gambling with their future if Nasrallah’s official funeral attracted
paltry numbers. In contrast, if hundreds of thousands turn out, Hezbollah will
have assertively staked its claim to a future in Lebanon. Whether those
supporters show up out of love, threats, or some other inducement is also
immaterial; their mere presence will demonstrate Hezbollah’s continued sway.
Proponents of the “Hezbollah’s demise is imminent” line of thinking will argue
that the anger will come in time—especially when reconstruction aid isn’t
forthcoming. However, this reasoning is based on the faulty and unsubstantiated
assumption that Hezbollah’s finances were entirely spent or destroyed during the
war with Israel, and its sources of future funding have dried up. Hezbollah is
already rolling out an Iranian-funded reconstruction plan, and assumptions about
its lack of resources fail to account for international reconstruction aid that
will be channeled through the Lebanese government, with whom Hezbollah has
already expressed its intention to cooperate financially.
Beirut will have no choice but to rebuild pro-Hezbollah Shia areas like all the
others damaged by the war, which will end up quelling potential anger and
freeing up resources for Hezbollah. If the Lebanese government opts to withhold
funding from these areas, then Hezbollah can flip the responsibility—and
anger—onto the government and away from itself. Either way, Hezbollah ends up
winning.
Regardless, Hezbollah is currently at its weakest point. Inside Lebanon, the
group’s organizational apparatus has been severely degraded by Israel, and
events in neighboring Syria have cut its most vital supply line. The time, then,
for the Lebanese government and LAF to act, if they ever intend to, is
now—before Hezbollah and Iran can establish alternate supply routes to Syria and
begin rebuilding the group.
The LAF’s proponents would counter that the army’s action will not come until a
prior political decision. But this, too, is unconvincing. The current government
could give that order, especially if—as is alleged—Hezbollah is so weakened and
public anger, including from within its Shia base, is so overwhelming. Despite
being a caretaker government, it would have complete legitimacy to act by virtue
of this alleged public backing. If, as is baselessly alleged, caretaker Prime
Minister Najib Mikati, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, and Druze chieftain Walid
Joumblatt have genuinely soured on Hezbollah, and LAF Commander Joseph Aoun is
raring to disarm the terror group, there will never be a better time than the
present.
Instead, Lebanese officials—including Berri’s closest aide—have returned to
their old word games to gut the ceasefire deal of any impact, as they did with
UN Security Council Resolution 1701 that ended the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war and
restated Lebanon’s obligations to disarm the group. In fact, Mikati insisted on
December 5 that the matter of Hezbollah’s arms would be resolved through
“national consensus” and dialogue.
The idea that electing a Lebanese president—a post vacant for two years—will set
in motion a process inevitably leading to Hezbollah’s demise is also
unconvincing. Taking this at face value, Lebanon’s next presidential election,
conducted by parliamentary rather than popular vote, is scheduled for January 9,
2025, a month during which Hezbollah can prepare for and discourage any
potential moves against it.
This line of thinking also presumes that parliament will succeed in electing a
president during the January 9 election, despite the failure of the current
legislative constellation to settle upon a figure for two years. If the election
fails, the situation buys Hezbollah more time. Believing that these political
developments will disarm Hezbollah also presumes that the president elected will
be one willing to give the order—rather than another “consensus” figure or even
a pro-Hezbollah president like Berri’s favored candidate, Sleiman Frangieh.
Even if this presidential election effort succeeds, it’s only one piece of the
puzzle. The order for LAF to disarm Hezbollah must also come from the cabinet,
Lebanon’s true executive power, which sets government policy in “all fields” and
controls the armed forces. The process of selecting a prime minister—whose
cabinet’s policy statement will then have to win the confidence of parliament or
else be powerless—will also take time and is not guaranteed to succeed in the
first round. Under the best of circumstances, this time-consuming process will
allow Hezbollah a further opportunity to recuperate—and it is far from clear
that the current constellation of parliamentary forces is even ready to elect a
president or endorse a cabinet that wishes to act against Hezbollah.
Assuming the war has, in fact, shifted public opinion against Hezbollah,
parliamentary elections could solve the problem. But dissolving the parliament
now requires a presidential decree, and Lebanon lacks a president. Otherwise,
the next Lebanese legislative elections—assuming they happen on time—are not set
to occur until 2026, giving ample time for public anger to subside and Hezbollah
to regain its footing.
As Hezbollah is afforded this time to shore up its domestic status,
Lebanon—assuming it possesses any willingness to act—will have to pay a higher
price to rein in or disarm the group. This delay will make it more difficult for
Lebanon to distance Hezbollah from south Lebanon, dismantle the group’s
infrastructure, or prevent weapons shipments from reaching it through Lebanese
borders. A regenerated Hezbollah will be even more discouraging to action from a
Beirut that only ever tepidly mumbled displeasure at the group’s behavior.
Regardless, there’s no indication that Lebanon has undergone a change of heart
against Hezbollah sufficient to move against the group. Some analysts believe
this may be the case, as Lebanese officials walked back their prior endorsement
of Hezbollah coupling the Lebanon and Gaza fronts on October 2, and later
accepted a ceasefire deal while Israel continued to occupy dozens of Lebanese
villages.
However, Lebanon acted similarly when Resolution 1701 ended the 2006
Israel-Hezbollah war in August of that year, while Israeli troops maintained a
presence in south Lebanon until October 1. As for the decoupling of Lebanon from
Gaza, this seems little more than a ruse by Beirut—empty promises, much like in
2006, induced by Israel’s war effort—to give Hezbollah a needed face-saving
off-ramp from its conflict with Israel. Now that the Israeli inducement appears
to have ended, Lebanon is showing all the signs of going back to business as
usual: obscuring the question of Hezbollah’s arms from the international
community in the labyrinth of Beirut’s dizzyingly byzantine politics until the
world, again, loses interest as more pressing crises demand its attention.
Various scenarios may play out, but what is virtually certain is that the
Lebanese government and LAF will not act significantly against Hezbollah.
*David Daoud is Senior Fellow at at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies
where he focuses on Israel, Hezbollah, and Lebanon affairs.
The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on December 11-12/2024
Syria’s al-Bashir Vows to Rebuild
but Faces Cash Crunch
Asharq Al-Awsat/December 11/2024
Syria's new interim prime minister said he aimed to bring back millions of
Syrian refugees, protect all citizens and provide basic services but
acknowledged it would be difficult because the country lacked foreign currency.
"In the coffers there are only Syrian pounds worth little or nothing. One US
dollar buys 35,000 of our coins," Mohammed al-Bashir told Italian newspaper Il
Corriere della Sera. "We have no foreign currency and as for loans and bonds we
are still collecting data. So yes, financially we are very bad."
UN Chief Sees Hope in Syria after End of Assad Regime
Asharq Al-Awsat/December 11/2024
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said there were signs of hope
in Syria following the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad by opposition
forces over the weekend. "As we speak, we are witnessing the reshaping of the
Middle East. ... We also see some signs of hope, and signs of hope namely coming
from the end of the Syrian dictatorship," Guterres said during a visit to South
Africa on Wednesday, Reuters reported. Syria was one of the most oppressive
police states in the Middle East during five decades of Assad family rule.
Guterres said after meeting South African foreign minister Ronald Lamola in the
capital Pretoria that the United Nations was committed to a smooth transition of
power in Syria. "It's our duty to do everything to support different Syrian
leaders in order to make sure that they come together, they are able to
guarantee a smooth transition, an inclusive transition in which all Syrians can
feel that they belong," Guterres told reporters. "The alternative doesn't make
any sense."
Militants ‘did not receive any international support to confront
the Assad government,’ says HTS’ Al-Sharaa
Arab News/December 12, 2024
DAMASCUS: The leader of Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham confirmed on Wednesday that the
militants did not receive any international support to confront former President
Bashar Assad’s government. HTS’ leader Abu Mohammed Al-Golani, now using his
real name Ahmed Al-Sharaa, said that the weapons they fought the Assad
government with were manufactured locally, according to Al Arabiya news channel.
He added: “The Syrian people are exhausted from years of conflict, and the
country will not witness another war.”Those responsible for killing Syrians, and
security and army officers in the former administration involved in torturing
will be held accountable by the Military Operations Department, said Al-Sharaa.
He said in a statement: “We will pursue the war criminals and demand them from
the countries to which they fled so that they may receive their just
punishment.”The leader confirmed that “a list containing the names of the most
senior people involved will be announced.”He added that “rewards will also be
offered to anyone who provides information about senior army and security
officers involved in war crimes.” Al-Sharaa said that the military leadership is
“committed to tolerance for those whose hands are not stained with the blood of
the Syrian people,” adding that it granted amnesty to those in compulsory
service.
Israel says Iran has itself to blame for Assad's fall
Agence France Presse/December 11/2024
Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz rebuffed on Wednesday Iranian accusation
of a U.S.-Israeli "plot" to oust Syria's Bashar al-Assad, saying Tehran has
itself to blame for the fall of its ally. Katz, on a tour of the Jordanian
border with military commanders, accused arch rival Iran of trying to establish
an "eastern front" against Israel in the neighboring kingdom, and vowed to
prevent it. Earlier on Wednesday, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
said that Assad's ouster this week by Islamist-led rebels "is the product of a
joint U.S.-Israeli plot," also blaming another unnamed "neighboring state of
Syria." Katz, according to a statement from his office, said that Khamenei
"should blame himself" and stop financing armed groups "in Syria, Lebanon and
Gaza to build the octopus arms he leads in an attempt to defeat the State of
Israel.""I came here today to ensure that Iran will not succeed in building the
octopus arm that it is planning and working to establish here, in order to
create an eastern front against the State of Israel," he said. Katz suggested
Iran was behind "attempts to smuggle weapons" into the Israeli-occupied West
Bank, which borders Jordan, as well as to "fund terrorism and promote" it. The
defense minister said he had instructed the army "to increase offensive
operations against any terrorist activity" in the West Bank, and to "accelerate
the construction of the fence on the Israel-Jordan border."Damascus under
Assad's rule had long been a strategic part of Iran's "Axis of Resistance"
against Israel, primarily in facilitating weapons deliveries to Hezbollah in
Lebanon. Other Iran-backed groups in the region include Palestinian Islamist
movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Houthi rebels in Yemen and smaller Shiite
Muslim militia groups in Iraq. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has
hailed Assad's overthrow, following a lightning rebel offensive that began in
late November, as the fall of a "central link in Iran's axis of evil." He called
it "a direct result of the blows we have inflicted on Iran and Hezbollah,"
Tehran's Lebanese ally which fought Israel throughout the Gaza war and until a
ceasefire took effect on November 27 -- the day the Syrian rebels launched their
offensive.
France urges Israel to withdraw forces from Syria buffer zone
Agence France Presse/December 11/2024
Israel must withdraw forces from the buffer zone separating the annexed Golan
Heights from Syrian territory, France's foreign ministry said Wednesday. "Any
military deployment in the separation zone between Israel and Syria is a
violation of the disengagement agreement of 1974... France calls on Israel to
withdraw from the zone and to respect Syria's sovereignty and territorial
integrity," a foreign ministry spokesman said.
US to recognize Syria govt. if it renounces terror, protects
minorities
Associated Press/December 11/2024
The Biden administration says it will recognize and support a new Syrian
government that renounces terrorism, destroys chemical weapons stocks and
protects the rights of minorities and women. Secretary of State Antony Blinken
said in a statement that the U.S. would work with groups in Syria and regional
partners to ensure that the transition from President Bashar Assad’s deposed
government runs smoothly. He was not specific about which groups the U.S. would
work with. Blinken says Syrians should decide their future and that other
countries should “support an inclusive and transparent process” and not
interfere. “The United States will recognize and fully support a future Syria
government that results from this process,” he said. “We stand prepared to lend
all appropriate support to all of Syria’s diverse communities and
constituencies.”
In 1st Contacts, US Officials Urge Syria’s Opposition to
Support Inclusive
Asharq Al-Asharq Al-Awsat/December 11/2024
The Biden administration has urged Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) that led the
ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad not to assume automatic leadership of
the country but instead run an inclusive process to form a transitional
government, according to two US officials and a congressional aide briefed on
the first US contacts with the group. The communications with HTS are being
conducted in coordination with Washington's Middle East allies, including
Türkiye. The administration is also in touch with President-elect Donald Trump's
team about the matter, one of the officials told Reuters. The discussions, which
have taken place over the last several days, are part of a larger effort by
Washington to coordinate with various groups inside Syria as it tries to
navigate the chaotic aftermath of the sudden collapse of the Assad regime on
Sunday. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the US has sent
messages to the group to help guide early efforts to establish a formal
governing structure for the country. The sources declined to say whether the
messages were being sent directly or via an intermediary. Washington believes
the transitional government should represent the desires of the Syrian people
and would not support HTS taking control without a formal process to select new
leaders, the officials said. The US National Security Council declined to
comment.
Lebanese Researcher Ali Hamie: HTS Leader Al-Jolani Was Abducted
As A Child, Raised By The Mossad, And Then Sent To Syria; Biden Supports The
Luciferian Movement
MEMRI/December 11/2024
In a December 7, 2024 appearance on Al-Masirah TV (Houthis-Yemen), Lebanese
researcher Dr. Ali Hamie claimed on the eve of the fall of the regime of Bashar
Al-Assad that HTS leader Abu Mohammed Al-Jolani was kidnapped by the Israelis as
a child, raised by the Mossad, and later sent to Syria to infiltrate it. Hamie
also stated that during the time Al-Jolani was believed to be in an American
prison, he was actually receiving training in Iraq. Additionally, Hamie argued
that U.S. President Joe Biden is the "biggest supporter of the Luciferian
movement," which he described as seeking to control people through monotheistic
religions.Ali Hamie: "The Israeli enemy is, indeed, an enemy. Its mere existence
on the land, even without actually attacking, constitutes an attack. "The
Israeli enemy continues its attacks, because its historical ideology – they were
the killers of the prophets and so on – is one of an aggressor. This is their
habit, and they will keep on attacking. "Al-Jolani was manufactured by Israel.
Perhaps he is one of the children who were abducted at a young age, and raised
by the Israeli Mossad, and now they sent him [to Syria] equipped with a fake
background... They said that he was arrested by the Americans, when, in fact, he
was training with them in Iraq, and all of a sudden he showed up to take over
the entire scene. Now they presented him in a clean, Western form. "The Israeli
enemy is trying to prove to the Western world that the Biblical prophecies are
coming true, and that they can defeat the Russian-Iranian army in the Battle of
Armageddon. Therefore, it is an ideological issue of a Satanic nature. Biden is
the biggest supporter of the Luciferian movement in the world, which is a
Satanic movement. Its strategy is to control people by means of the monotheistic
religions."
Syrians Flock to Morgues Looking for Loved Ones Who
Perished in Assad’s Prisons
Asharq Al-Awsat/December 11/2024
Mohammad Chaeeb spoke softly into his phone, telling a relative the grim news:
He found his brother at the morgue. “I saw him and said my goodbyes,” he said.
His gaze lingered on the blackened body of Sami Chaeeb, whose teeth were bared
and whose eye sockets were empty. It looked as if he had died screaming. “He
doesn’t look normal. He doesn’t even have eyes.”The dead man was jailed five
months ago, disappearing into a dark prison system under the rule of President
Bashar al-Assad. His body is just one of many found in Syrian detention centers
and prisons since Assad's government fell last weekend. Some of the prisoners
died just weeks ago. Others perished months earlier. Syrians across the world
are now circulating images of the bodies in hope of seeing slain loved ones
whose fate had been a mystery. At the morgue visited by The Associated Press on
Wednesday in Damascus, families flocked to a wall where some of the pictures
were pinned in a haunting gallery of the dead. Relatives desperately scanned the
images for a recognizable face. Mohammad Chaeeb never knew why his brother had
been imprisoned. “We heard stories — cannabis, organ trafficking, drugs, weapon
trading. But he had nothing to do with any of that,” he said. He rushed to the
morgue after another brother living in Türkiye sent him a photo of a body that
looked familiar. He was able to identify his brother by a mole under his ear and
a half-amputated finger, an injury from when he was 12. Standing over the body,
he lifted the drape and gently pulled out his brother’s left hand, examining it
closely. “Here,” he said, pointing to the stump. Nearby, forensic workers worked
rapidly to identify the bodies and hand them over to relatives. Yasser Qasser, a
forensic assistant at the morgue, said they received 40 bodies that morning from
the hospital that were being fingerprinted and having DNA samples taken. The
staff had already identified about eight, he said. “But dozens of families are
arriving, and the numbers don’t match.”Some bodies came from the notorious
Seydnaya Prison, still dressed in prisoner uniforms, Qasser said.
His colleague, Dr. Abdallah Youssef, said identifying all of them would take
time. “We understand the suffering of the families, but we are working under
immense pressure. The bodies were found in salt rooms, exposed to extreme cold,”
he said. Morgue officials who examined the corpses have seen bullet wounds and
marks that appeared to be the result of torture, he added. An estimated 150,000
people have been detained or reported missing in Syria since 2011. Under Assad’s
rule, any whiff of dissent could send someone to prison immediately. For years,
it was a sentence akin to death, as few ever emerged from the system. Citing
testimony from freed prisoners and prison officials, Amnesty International has
reported that thousands of Syrians were killed in frequent mass executions.
Prisoners were subjected to constant torture, intense beatings and rape. Inmates
frequently died from injuries, disease or starvation. Some fell into psychosis
and starved themselves, the human rights group said. Among the bodies at the
morgue Wednesday was Mazen al-Hamada, a Syrian activist who fled to Europe but
returned to Syria in 2020 and was imprisoned upon arrival. His mangled corpse
was found wrapped in a bloody sheet in Seydnaya. As they searched the morgue,
some families moved among the bodies, weeping quietly and pausing to look for
familiar features. The bodies lay covered in white shrouds, each marked with a
number and some bearing the label “unknown.”
Hilala Meryeh, a 64-year-old Palestinian mother of four, stood in the dingy
identification room, bags of bodies all around her. She had just found one of
her sons. She paused, screwed her eyes closed and turned her face toward the
ceiling, murmuring a prayer. Her four boys were arrested by the former Syrian
regime in 2013 during a crackdown on the Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk.
She still needed to find three.“I don’t know where they are,” she said. “Give me
my children, search for my children!”“Why did he do this to his people?” Meryeh
cried out. “Imprison them, we wouldn’t have objected. Try them, but to slaughter
them?”Other Syrians, like Imad Habbal, stood motionless in the morgue, coming to
grips with the reality and injustice of their loss. Habbal gazed at the body of
his brother, Diaa Habbal. “We came yesterday, and we found him dead,” he said.
“They killed him. Why? What was his crime? What did he ever do to them? Just
because he came back to his country?” Diaa Habbal, a Syrian who had been living
in Saudi Arabia since 2003, returned to Damascus in mid-2024 to visit his
family, his brother said. He was arrested by the Syrian military police six
months ago on charges of evading military service. With trembling hands, Imad
Habbal lifted the covering, his voice breaking as he wept and spoke to his
brother. “I told you not to come,” he said. “I wish you didn’t come.”
Syrians Head Home from Türkiye to 'a Better Life' after
Opposition Takeover
Asharq Al-Awsat/December 11/2024
Syrians lined up at the Turkish border on Wednesday to head home after
opposition ousted President Bashar al-Assad, speaking of their expectations for
a better life following what was for many a decade of hardship in Türkiye. "We
have no one here. We are going back to Latakia, where we have family," said
Mustafa as he prepared to enter Syria with his wife and three sons at the
Cilvegozu border gate in southern Türkiye. Dozens more Syrians were waiting to
cross. Mustafa fled Syria in 2012, a year after the conflict there began, to
escape conscription into Assad's army. For years he did unregistered jobs in
Türkiye earning less than the minimum wage, he said. "Now there's a better
Syria. God willing, we will have a better life there," he said, expressing
confidence in the new leadership in Syria as he watched over the family's
belongings, clothes packed into sacks and a television set.The civil war that
grew out of a 2011 uprising against Assad killed hundreds of thousands of people
and drove millions abroad. Türkiye, which hosts three million Syrians, has
extended the opening hours of the Cilvegozu border gate near the Syrian city of
Aleppo seized by opposition at the end of November.A second border gate was
opened at nearby Yayladagi in Hatay on Tuesday. Around 350-400 Syrians a day
were already crossing back to opposition-held areas of Syria this year before
the opposition rebellion began two weeks ago. The numbers have almost doubled
since, Ankara says, anticipating a surge now Assad has gone. Türkiye has backed
Syrian opposition forces for years but has said it had no involvement in the
rebel offensive which succeeded at the weekend in unseating Assad after 13 years
of civil war. Around 100 trucks were waiting to cross the border, carrying goods
including dozens of used cars. Security forces helped manage the flow of people,
while aid groups offered snacks to children and tea and soup to adults.
'OUR OWN PEOPLE' ARE NOW IN CHARGE
Haya was waiting to enter Syria with her husband and three children. They have
lived in a nearby container camp since devastating earthquakes in February 2023
killed more than 50,000 people in Türkiye and Syria. "We had good neighbors and
good relations, but a container is not a home," Haya said as she comforted her
six-month-old baby and her daughter translated her comments from Arabic. "We are
going back to Aleppo. Iman has school here, but we have nothing else. We are
going back home, to our family," Haya said, adding that her brother had been
released after years in prison following Assad's ouster. Syria's new interim
prime minister has said he aimed to bring back millions of Syrian refugees,
protect all citizens and provide basic services but acknowledged it would be
difficult because the country, long under sanctions, lacks foreign currency.
Mustafa voiced confidence in the new leadership after Assad was ousted by
factions led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a former al Qaeda affiliate which has
since downplayed its extremist militant roots. "Those who have taken power are
no strangers. They didn't come from the United States or Russia. They are our
own people. We know them," he said.
Asharq Al-Awsat Reports Aftermath of Israeli Airstrikes on
Qamishli’s ‘54th Brigade’
Asharq Al-Awsat/December 11/2024
After repeated Israeli airstrikes on the former Syrian Army's “54th Brigade” in
Qamishli, northeastern Syria, and its civilian airport, Asharq Al-Awsat visited
the site. The team saw the significant damage caused by explosions of weapons
and ammunition, with shrapnel hitting nearby areas. The attack resulted in one
civilian death and another serious injury, according to medical sources. The
Asharq Al-Awsat team toured the base, located on the southern edge of Qamishli.
Once the largest Syrian Army base in the region, it has become a key transit
point for Iranian militia fighters traveling to Deir Ezzor, passing through
areas once controlled by Syrian forces. Inside the compound, dozens of military
vehicles, tanks, and equipment were left behind, marking the bloody era of the
Assad regime. Torn photos of President Bashar al-Assad, his father Hafez, and
his late brother Bassel were found scattered across abandoned buildings, with
walls still displaying slogans praising the Assad family. The military base,
along with others in Hasakah province, remained under Syrian Army control until
the fall of the Assad regime last Sunday. Abandoned vehicles and tanks were
damaged by airstrikes, while ammunition and weapons in large trucks set for
smuggling were burned. Residents nearby said Russian forces had inspected the
base on Saturday before the regime’s fall, planning to remove it. Others
confirmed that the US military had warned the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) of
an imminent Israeli airstrike. An anonymous military source said the 54th
Brigade housed air defense systems, ammunition, and rocket launchers. Syrian
troops abandoned the base, leaving behind Russian-made vehicles, tanks, and
armored carriers. Israeli warplanes then hit the base, destroying the weapons.
Witnesses in Qamishli described hearing explosions late Monday night for over
two hours, with thick smoke and flames rising above the base and the airport.
Medical sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that a 27-year-old man was killed by
shrapnel, and another person was seriously injured when the shrapnel hit homes
in Qamishli during explosions at the ammunition storage at the military base.
The injured person underwent surgery to remove a shard from his chest and
remains in critical condition. A journalist from the Corniche neighborhood south
of Qamishli described how shrapnel hit her home, causing part of the roof to
collapse from the Israeli airstrike. She told Asharq Al-Awsat, “We were
terrified, hearing explosions around us. We never expected a large shard to hit
the upper floor, puncturing the guest room wall. Fortunately, no one was
inside.”The airstrikes caused panic, and many residents fled from neighborhoods
near the airport and military base to safer areas. Videos shared by local
activists on social media showed the intensity of the attack, with thick smoke
and flames rising from the base.
Syrian Woman Haunts Assad’s Notorious Prison for Clues of Relatives’ Fate
Asharq Al-Awsat/December 11/2024
When she heard the stunning news that the opposition had brought an end to
Syria's decades-old regime, Hayat al-Turki headed for a prison that had become
known as a slaughterhouse, praying that her brother and five more relatives held
there were still alive. But after four days of wandering around the notorious
Sednaya complex, she is still desperate for any clues about their fate in a
prison that human rights groups say is known for widespread torture and
executions. "I sleep here of course. I haven't been home at all," she said. She
had been hopeful of finding her brother, uncle or a cousin, she said, but they,
like the relatives of dozens of other Syrians searching the prison, seemed to
have disappeared. The 27-year-old found a document dated October 1, 2024,
listing more than 7,000 prisoners of various categories. "Where are they? Don't
they have to be in this prison?" she said, adding that a much smaller number had
walked free. Thousands of prisoners spilled out of President Bashar al-Assad's
merciless detention system after he was toppled on Sunday during a lightning
advance by the opposition that overturned five decades of his family's rule.
Many detainees were met by tearful relatives who thought they had been executed
years ago. In Sednaya, a hanging noose reminded visitors of the dark days their
relatives had spent there. "I search the whole prison ... I go into a cell for
less than five minutes, and I suffocate," Turki said before going into another
cell to search through belongings. "Are these for my brother for example? Do I
smell him in them? Or these? Or is this his blanket?" she said, holding up a
picture of her sibling -- lost for 14 years. Rights groups have reported mass
executions in Syria's prisons, and the United States said in 2017 it had
identified a new crematorium at Sednaya for hanged prisoners. Torture was widely
documented. The main commander of the opposition who toppled Assad said on
Wednesday that anyone involved in the torture or killing of detainees during
Assad's rule would be hunted down and pardons were out of the question. "We will
pursue them in Syria, and we ask countries to hand over those who fled so we can
achieve justice," Ahmad al-Sharaa, previously known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani,
said in a statement published on the Syrian state TV's Telegram channel. That
provided little comfort to Turki, whose hopes of finding her brother were
fading. "I don't know what he looks like, because I am seeing the photos of
prisoners getting out, they are like skeletons," she said. "We are sure that
people were here. Who are all these clothes and blankets for?"
Syrian Refugees in Europe Fear being Forced Home after
Assad's Fall
Asharq Al-Awsat/December 11/2024
Najem al-Moussa was delighted when news of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's
overthrow first beamed from the television in his tiny Athens apartment. Then
came a dreaded thought: what if Assad's fall meant he and his family would be
forced to return to the devastated country they had fled nine years before?
Events in Syria took a seismic turn on Sunday when opposition groups poured into
Damascus after a lightning offensive that forced Assad into exile in Russia and
raised hopes of an end to a 13-year civil war that has left the country in
ruins. Now, as European countries rethink their asylum policies for Syrians in
the light of developments, many fear they will have to go back. "I consider my
life to be here. Not just me but my children," said al-Moussa, a lawyer by
training who works as a cook in Athens and has been transfixed by the television
news for days. "The life that was provided in Greece, my country was not able to
offer."Hundreds of thousands of people have died in Syria's war, which began in
2011 and pitted Assad's army against various opposition groups. Whole cities
have been flattened by bombing. Millions fled or are in need of humanitarian
assistance. Thousands of civilians who moved to neighboring Türkiye and Lebanon
rushed back into Syria this week, their cars filled with people, luggage, and
hope of a peaceful homecoming. But eight Syrian refugees who spoke to Reuters in
Europe thought differently. Returning would mean an end to a new life they have
risked everything to build. Al-Moussa and his wife Bushra al-Bukaai fled
Damascus in 2015 after the birth of their second child. They spent everything
they had on a two-year journey that took them to Sudan, Iran, Türkiye and
eventually Greece. They now have five children who are all in school and speak
fluent Greek. None speak the Arabic of their parents' homeland. "When we talk,
they ask: 'Daddy, can we really go back to living in these areas? How did you
live there before?'," Al-Moussa said. His wife agrees. "I cannot imagine my
children building their future in Syria. Not at all." she said, their youngest
son in her lap.
JOY AND DESPAIR
First-time asylum applications by Syrians to the EU were highest in 2015 and
2016 - more than 330,000 in each of those years - before dropping off
significantly in the next three years, EU data show. But applications trebled
between 2020 and 2023 after a devastating earthquake and as violence and
economic hardship persisted. Thousands of those applications are now on hold
after several European countries including Greece this week suspended asylum
applications from Syrians while they consider if Syria is safer now that Assad
has gone. It is not clear if asylum seekers will be forced home. ProAsyl, a
German NGO that provides legal assistance to asylum seekers, said cases would be
in limbo until the foreign ministry publishes its updated security assessment
report on Syria, which could take months. ProAsyl spokesperson Tareq Alaows told
Reuters the decision could face legal challenges as authorities in Europe must
decide on asylum applications within three to six months of their
submission.Still, Al-Moussa's Greek residence permit is up for renewal and he is
worried. He is not alone. Syrian vet Hasan Alzagher was in a German language
class in the city of Erfurt on Monday when he heard that his asylum application
for Germany, which he hoped would be finalised by the end of the year, was put
on hold. "This is mentally devastating. It's difficult that after you set your
mind to live here, build a new life here, learn the language and integrate in
this country, you now have to return to your homeland where basic necessities
are still missing," he told Reuters by phone. In fear of being recruited into
the army or a militia group, Alzagher, 32, said he fled the city of Raqqa in
2018. He spent time in Lebanon, Iraq and Türkiye before heading to Germany in
2023. "The fall of Assad is a huge joy for all Syrians, but we who came here and
went into debt to finance this journey, every time we arrive in a new place, we
have to start over again. It's difficult to think about returning to Syria now."
Russia transported Assad in 'most secured way,' Russian Deputy FM
tells NBC News
Reuters/December 11/2024
(Reuters) - Russia transported Bashar al-Assad, who was ousted as Syria's
president by a lightning rebel offensive, very securely to Russia, the country's
deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, told NBC News in an interview aired on
Tuesday. The Kremlin said on Monday that President Vladimir Putin had made the
decision to grant asylum in Russia to Assad. His fall is a big blow to Iran and
Russia, which had intervened in Syria's 13-year civil war to try to shore up his
rule despite Western demands that he leave power. "He is secured, and it shows
that Russia acts as required in such an extraordinary situation," Ryabkov told
NBC, according to a transcript on NBC's website. He added that he would not
elaborate "on what happened and how it was resolved." Asked whether Russia would
hand over Assad for trial, Ryabkov said: "Russia is not a party to the
convention that established the International Criminal Court." Moscow has
supported Syria since the early days of the Cold War, recognising its
independence in 1944 as Damascus sought to throw off French colonial rule. The
West saw Syria as a Soviet satellite. On Tuesday, Syria's new interim leader
announced that he was taking charge of the country as caretaker prime minister
with the backing of the former rebels who toppled Assad. Separately, Ryabkov
said that Russia would "definitely be prepared to consider" another prisoner
swap, similar to the August exchange that involved Wall Street Journal reporter
journalist Evan Gershkovich and ex-U.S. Marine Paul Whelan. A new deal would be
"a healthy step forward, especially at the beginning of the next
administration," Ryabkov told NBC, adding he would not want to "pre-empt
anything."
Syrian Opposition Works to Get the Capital’s Airport up and Running Again
Asharq Al-Awsat/December 11/2024
With the fall of Damascus, security forces of the deposed Bashar al-Assad
government and staff withdrew from the Damascus International Airport, grounding
flights and stranding passengers. The airport has not been functional since.
Now, security members of the opposition alliance in control of Syria have taken
control of the airport, hoping to restore security, a sense of confidence, and
the legitimacy needed to restart flights out of the capital, and from one of the
country’s three international airports. “Damascus international airport is the
heart of the city because it is the gateway for international delegations and
missions,” Omar al-Shami, a security official with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the
faction that led the shock offensive that led to the fall of Assad, told The
Associated Press, calling it "the passage for Syria to breathe.”Al-Shami said
security was restored at the international airport nearly 12 hours after the
fall of Damascus. The factions entered the capital before dawn, and security
members of the opposition alliance took charge before sunset on Sunday. He said
he hoped the airport would be operational in less than a week. On Wednesday, a
handful of engineers were inspecting four planes that were on the tarmac.
Cleaning staff were removing broken furniture, glass windows, and trash from
ransacking by looters following the fall of Damascus. The attack, reportedly by
mobs and looters from the neighboring areas, left parts of the airport halls
destroyed, with smashed furniture and merchandise. “There was a lot of damage in
the airport’s equipment and facilities in 90% of the sections,” Anis Fallouh,
the head of the airport, told the AP. Fallouh said the operations to clean up
the airport aim to convince international airlines to resume their flights to
Damascus. “Soon in the coming days, flights will resume when we reopen air
traffic to Syria and inform countries that Damascus airport is operational. We
may start with domestic or test flights to ensure that everything in the airport
is operational and avoid any mistakes. Then we can resume international
flights.”Engineers were inspecting the four planes on the tarmac, from two
Syrian airlines. Some administrative staff were visiting the airport as the new
administrators of Damascus work to convince state officials to return to their
posts. “We are on the Airbus 320, the technical team. Because of the security
vacuum that happened on Sunday, some ill-intentioned people tried to cause
damage but thank God the plane is fine — the body, the engines and its systems.
Some things are missing and we are trying to fix that,” said Bassam Radi, the
engineer in charge of maintenance, said.
Israel targets Syrian military bases and arsenals before new leaders can take
them over
Nabih Bulos/LA Times/December 11/2024
Standing some 40 feet from the charred remains of the Syrian air force
helicopter, Ahmad Abu Leyl, a young rebel fighter, cocked his ear, listening for
the characteristic buzzing of an Israeli drone overhead.
“I don’t want to get closer," he said. "They might hit this place again if they
see we’re near.” Then he climbed on his motorcycle, gunned the engine and sped
away. It had been a difficult night for Abu Leyl and the small detachment of
rebel fighters tasked with protecting the Aqraba military air base just three
miles southeast of the edge of the capital, Damascus. They had arrived here
early Monday, a day after the Syrian army crumbled — along with the brutally
repressive government of Bashar Assad — and the rebels swept into power. All was
calm at first, with Abu Leyl and his fellow rebels doing little more than
stopping the occasional trespasser from looting the abandoned barracks and
officer's quarters. Then early Tuesday morning, a series of explosions turned
the base’s last functional helicopters — a pair of Soviet-era Mi-8s — into
blazing husks.
It was part of a massive, multiday airstrike campaign by Israel that saw its air
force and navy hit more than 350 targets across the country since Saturday,
destroying an estimated 70% of Syria’s strategic military capabilities,
according to the Israeli military.
“There were so many blasts we didn’t sleep,” said Abu Leyl, who gave a nom de
guerre because he was not authorized to speak to the media. Only one
forlorn-looking Mi-8 remained on the tarmac, but Abu Leyl dismissed it.
"It doesn't even work," he said. "I guess that's why they didn't bother bombing
it."
Israel is doing everything it can to prevent Syria's new leaders — Islamists who
trace their roots to Al Qaeda but say they have moderated their views — from
inheriting the old government's considerable arsenal. The Israeli military said
it targeted Syrian antiaircraft batteries, missile depots, manufacturing
facilities, drones, helicopters, fighter jets, tanks, hangars, radars and 15
naval vessels. The attacks come as Israeli ground forces pushed into the buffer
zone separating the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights from Syria. The troops now
occupy the Syrian side of Mt. Hermon, a strategic site that affords whoever
holds it a view of Damascus. Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Israeli Defense
Minister Israel Katz said the military was creating “a defensive sterile zone”
but did not elaborate on what that meant. “From here, I warn the rebel leaders
in Syria: Those who follow Assad’s path will end like Assad,” he said.
The moves sparked a wave of opprobrium from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and
Qatar, which accused Israel of attacking Syria’s sovereignty and territorial
integrity.
Geir Pedersen, the United Nations special envoy to Syria, also decried Israel’s
actions, saying they needed to stop. The Biden administration, which has done
little over the last year to constrain Israel’s military actions in the region,
said it hoped the incursions into the Golan Heights were temporary. "Israel has
said that these actions are temporary to defend its borders — these are not
permanent actions," said State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, pointing to
the abandonment of border positions by the Syrian army that has left a vacuum.
“And so ultimately, what we want to see is lasting stability between ... Israel
and Syria," he said. He called on "all sides" to uphold a disengagement
agreement between Israel and Syria that followed the 1973 Yom Kippur War and
that the U.N. says Israel is now violating.Israel's attacks are also aimed at
preventing Iran from preserving a foothold in Syria.Under Assad, Syria was part
of Iran’s "axis of resistance," a network of regional governments and
paramilitary factions Tehran wielded against the U.S. and Israel. Syria's
territory was used as a logistical passageway for the Lebanese Shiite militant
group Hezbollah, which has been at war with Israel since October 2023.
The relationship went both ways, with Hezbollah fighters serving as shock troops
that bolstered Assad’s flagging army — an intervention the group justified as
protecting Shiite minorities and shrines in Syria from Islamist and jihadi
factions in the opposition.
In the last few weeks, Israel has repeatedly hit border crossings between Syria
and Lebanon that it said were being used to smuggle weapons for Hezbollah’s
arsenal. Israel’s recent airstrikes have also had an effect on the group’s
presence in Syria, pushing many of its leaders and cadres to flee back to
Lebanon.
“Hezbollah? They all went home," said Rabie, a 39-year-old resident near Sayeda
Zainab, a Shiite shrine south of Damascus, who gave only his first name. "We
woke up this morning and none of them are around."In a statement Tuesday,
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel wanted to have “relations”
with Syria’s new government. “But if this regime allows Iran to reestablish
itself in Syria, or allows the transfer of Iranian weapons, or weapons of any
kind, to Hezbollah, or attacks us — we will respond forcefully and we will exact
a heavy price,” he said.
Times staff writer Tracy Wilkinson in Washington contributed to this report.
Israeli warplanes pound Syria as troops reportedly advance deeper into the
country
Abdulrahman Shaheen And Bassem Mroue/DAMASCUS, Syria (AP)/December 11, 2024
Israel carried out a wave of heavy airstrikes across Syria as its troops
advanced deeper into the country, a Syrian opposition war monitor said Tuesday,
and the Israeli defense minister announced that his forces had destroyed Syria’s
navy. Israel acknowledged pushing into a buffer zone inside Syria following the
overthrow of President Bashar Assad. But it remained unclear if Israeli soldiers
had gone beyond that area, which was established more than 50 years ago. Israel
denied that it was advancing on the Syrian capital of Damascus. The Israeli
military said Tuesday that it carried out more than 350 strikes in Syria over
the last 48 hours, hitting “most of the strategic weapons stockpiles” in the
country to stop them from falling into the hands of extremists. The targets
included air defense systems, military airfields, missile depots and dozens of
weapons production sites in Damascus and other cities. Associated Press
reporters in the capital heard heavy airstrikes overnight and into Tuesday
morning. Israeli missile ships also simultaneously struck two Syrian navy
facilities, where the military said 15 Syrian naval vessels were docked. Israel
did not specify how many vessels it struck, but the private security firm Ambrey
said it had seen evidence that at least six Soviet-era missile ships were hit.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel intended to establish a
demilitarized zone in southern Syria. Speaking at a navy base in Haifa, Katz
said the army will create a “defense zone free of weapons and terrorist threats
in southern Syria, without a permanent Israeli presence, in order to prevent
terrorism in Syria from taking root.”He gave few details on what that entailed,
but warned Syria’s rebels that “whoever follows Assad’s path will end up like
Assad. We will not allow an extremist Islamic terrorist entity to act against
Israel.” Israel has also long warned that the Syria-Lebanon border could be used
to smuggle weapons to Hezbollah militants. In an area where so many geopolitical
lines are packed closely together, any military movement can spark regional
fears. It is barely 25 miles (40 kilometers) from Damascus to the buffer zone,
and only a few more miles to Israeli territory. There was no immediate comment
from the insurgent groups — led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS – that have
taken control of much of the country. Their lightning advance brought an end to
the Assad family’s half-century rule after nearly 14 years of civil war, leaving
many questions about what comes next. Members of the ousted Syrian government
will gradually transfer power to a new transitional cabinet headed by Mohammed
al-Bashir, who reportedly headed the rebel alliance's “salvation government” in
its southwest Syrian stronghold.
Outgoing officials met for the first time Tuesday with al-Bashir, who told
reporters that the transitional period would last until the beginning of March.
‘Damascus is more beautiful now’
Life in the capital is slowly returning to normal after the overthrow of Assad,
who fled the country over the weekend and has been granted political asylum in
Russia. Private banks reopened on instructions from the central bank, said Sadi
Ahmad, who runs a branch in the upscale Abu Rummaneh neighborhood. He said all
his employees returned to work. Shops also reopened in the city's ancient
Hamidiyeh market, where armed men and civilians could be seen buying perfume and
ice cream. A clothing shop owner, who asked not to be named for fear of
retribution, said he hoped vendors would no longer have to pay bribes to
security officials. At Bakdash, a famous ice cream shop, a poster outside read:
“Welcome to the rebels of free Syria. Long live free Syria.” “Damascus is more
beautiful now," said Maysoun Qurabi, who was shopping in the market. “It has a
soul, and people feel at ease and secure.” Under Assad, she said, “people were
hungry and scared. The regime was strong." Syrians across the city celebrated
the fall of Assad, and hoped for an end to the relentless bribery demands that
governed much of life. “We are happy to get rid of the corrupt regime," said
Abdul-Jalil Diab, who was strolling through a square in western Damascus with
his brothers. Diab said he was living in Jordan until the city fell, studying
German in hopes of moving to Germany. Now he is reconsidering those plans. “The
whole country feels better,” he said. But there were also signs of disorder. The
United Nations said it is still receiving reports that humanitarian aid supplies
were looted at U.N. warehouses and warehouses belonging to the Syrian Arab Red
Crescent, including around Damascus.
Israeli incursion draws condemnation
In the immediate aftermath of Assad's fall, Israeli forces moved into a roughly
400-square-kilometer (155-square-mile) buffer zone inside Syria that was
established after the 1973 Mideast war, a move it said was taken to prevent
attacks on its citizens. Israel has a long history of seizing territory during
wars with its neighbors and occupying it indefinitely, citing security concerns.
Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed
it in a move not recognized internationally, except by the United States. The
Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which has closely tracked the
conflict since the civil war erupted in 2011, said Israel has carried out more
than 300 airstrikes across the country since the rebels overthrew Assad.The
Observatory, and Beirut-based Mayadeen TV, which has reporters in Syria, said
Israeli troops are advancing up the Syrian side of the border with Lebanon and
had come within 25 kilometers (15 miles) of Damascus, which the Israeli military
denied.
Israel denies advancing toward Damascus
Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesperson, said “reports
circulating in the media about the alleged advancement of Israeli tanks towards
Damascus are false.” He said Israeli troops are stationed within the buffer zone
in order to protect Israel. Israel's military had previously said troops would
enter the buffer zone “and several other places necessary for its
defense.”Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later confirmed the
airstrikes, saying they aimed to destroy the toppled government’s leftover
“military capabilities,” and said Israel wants relations with the new government
in Syria. He spoke in a video statement recorded after his first day of
testimony in his corruption trial. Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia have condemned
Israel’s incursion, accusing it of exploiting the disarray in Syria and
violating international law. Turkey, which has been a main backer of the Syrian
opposition to Assad, also condemned Israel’s advance. The Turkish Foreign
Ministry accused Israel of “displaying a mentality of an occupier” at a time
when the possibility of peace and stability had emerged in Syria. U.N. spokesman
Stephane Dujarric on Monday said Israel's incursion constitutes a violation of
the 1974 disengagement agreement and called on both Israel and Syria to uphold
it.
UN Appeals for $4 Billion for Humanitarian Operations in
Palestinian Territories
Asharq Al-Awsat/December 11/2024
The United Nations is asking donors for over $4 billion to fund humanitarian
operations in the Palestinian territories, most of it earmarked for war-ravaged
Gaza. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs also called for
the “lifting all impediments to the entry of aid” in its appeal issued
Wednesday. UN agencies say aid operations in Gaza are hindered by Israeli
restrictions and the breakdown of law and order. Israel says it allows enough
aid to enter and blames the UN for not distributing it within the territory. The
appeal for 2025 includes $3.6 billion for Gaza and about $450 million for
Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Israel’s offensive, launched
after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack, has destroyed vast areas of the besieged
territory and displaced around 90% of its population of 2.3 million. Many have
been displaced multiple times and are now crammed into squalid tent camps with
little in the way of food or other essentials. Most of the population relies on
international aid.
Turkish-Backed Syrian National Army Seizes Manbij from U.S.
Allied, Kurdish-Led Forces
FDD-Brief flash/December 11, 2024
Latest Developments
• Turkish-Backed Forces Advance on SDF Territory: On November 30, the
Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) launched “Operation Dawn of Freedom”
targeting the Manbij region with two main goals: disrupting supply lines
controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and creating a
corridor between the cities of al-Bab and Tel Rifaat, which the SNA captured on
December 1.
• Manbij is Key to Turkey’s Ambitions in Syria: Manbij, the last SDF-controlled
area west of the Euphrates, is key to Turkey’s goal of pushing the SDF eastward
beyond the river to thereby enable the Syrian National Army to advance toward
the city of Kobane on the Turkish border.
• Turkish Air Force Conducted Airstrikes against SDF: Turkish warplanes carried
out three airstrikes near the Qara Quzaq Bridge, a critical link between the
eastern and western banks of the Euphrates. In a separate incident, a Turkish
drone strike on a house in the SDF-controlled village of Al-Mustariha in
northern Raqqa killed 11 civilians from the same family, including six children.
FDD Expert Response
“Turkey’s opportunism is beginning to take center stage. While the world remains
focused on the fall of the Assad regime, Turkish-backed SNA fighters, supported
by Turkish Air Force jets and drones, are beginning to attack Kurdish
strongholds. The mission is to eliminate the SDF and end U.S. support for our
partners who have defended the world against ISIS. Erdogan frames this within
the parameters of counterterrorism, but it’s a ploy to bolster his domestic
standing with voters. Kurds will likely fight to the last person to protect
Kobane and Qamishli, but it’s important to note that without a safe and agreed
upon autonomous zone for Syria’s Kurds, a stable Syria is unlikely to
materialize.” — Sinan Ciddi, Non-Resident Senior Fellow
“The attacks by the SNA once again show how Turkey is exploiting the situation
in Syria to target the SDF. This is catastrophic for civilians because the SNA
has a terrible track record of human rights abuses in the areas it controls. The
United States should work to prevent more abuses by the SNA against civilians
who have already suffered horribly during the campaign to help defeat ISIS. The
fall of the Assad regime should not lead to a new conflict.” — Seth J. Frantzman,
FDD Adjunct Fellow
“The Syrian National Army framed its ‘Dawn of Freedom’ operation against the
Kurdish-led SDF as part of a campaign to overthrow the Assad regime. However, it
has become clear that the SNA functions primarily as an instrument of Turkish
policy, advancing Ankara’s strategic goals. Their attacks on SDF-controlled
areas should alarm Washington.” — Ahmad Sharawi, FDD Research Analyst
FDD Background and Analysis
‘Everything Assad Got From Iran and Russia Has Been Destroyed’: Israel Ramps Up
Attacks on Syria’s Arsenals
FDD-Brief flash/December 11, 2024
Latest Developments
• Hundreds of Strikes: The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on December 10
reported ‘hundreds’ of bombing sorties by Israeli warplanes against abandoned
Syrian military weapons and facilities since the weekend ouster of President
Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Israel’s Army Radio put the number of strikes at 300,
noting that these included missile-boat salvoes to destroy Syrian naval craft
and bases on the Mediterranean coast. In addition to chemical weapons facilities
and advanced missile and air-defense systems, the blitz targeted Syria’s MiG
fighter squadron. “Everything Assad got from Iran and Russia in recent years has
been destroyed,” said Nir Dvori, defense editor for Israel’s Channel 12 TV.
• False Reports of Israeli Tanks Advancing on Damascus: The IDF has not
commented on the Syria strikes, but it did push back on December 10 against
media reports that its tanks, which entered a formerly UN-run buffer zone east
of the Golan Heights over the weekend, had reached as far as the southwestern
outskirts of Damascus. “The reports circulating in the media about the alleged
advancement of Israeli tanks towards Damascus are false,” the statement said.
“IDF troops are stationed within the buffer zone, as stated in the past.”
• Rebels Try to Calm Concern: In a statement, Syria’s new, rebel-appointed
quasi-government sought to calm international concern about the most menacing
elements of Assad’s arsenal. “We have no intention or desire to use chemical
weapons or any weapons of mass-destruction under any circumstances,” it said in
a statement.
FDD Expert Response
“The war of survival that Israel has been waging since October 7 last year has
turned into a war of strategic success. After decimating Hamas’s military
capabilities in the Gaza Strip and severely degrading those of Hezbollah in
Lebanon, the Israelis are now teaching the world how to deal with post-coup
uncertainties in the Middle East. Syria’s people deserve to start afresh after
ridding themselves of Assad, and Israel deserves a Syria cleansed of strategic
weapons that might threaten it.” — Mark Dubowitz, CEO
“Hafez al-Assad, father of Bashar, spent 30 years and vast amounts of money to
build up his conventional forces and chemical weapons arsenal for a potential
showdown with Israel. His mission was not defense, but to avenge his defeats in
1967 and 1973, in wars that Arab nations forced on Israel. The weapons also
proved useful to both Hafez and Bashar for crushing internal dissent and
bullying their neighbors in Lebanon. If Syria’s new rulers plan to be at peace
with the people and at peace with the country’s neighbors, they have little
reason to regret the loss of the military equipment Israel has destroyed.” —
David Adesnik, Vice President of Research
“Observers of Middle East conflicts should not underestimate the importance of
Israel’s recent air campaign targeting military installations in Syria. This
operation may represent the most extensive assault on what was once the Syrian
Armed Forces since the Six-Day War. Central to this campaign are Israel’s
concerns regarding the potential pilfering of advanced arms and chemical weapons
to jihadist groups. By launching these strikes, Israel may have mitigated a
future security threat. However, should the new Syrian government adopt a
non-threatening posture toward Israel, the Jewish state will likely respond in
kind.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst and Editor at FDD’s Long War
Journal
FDD Background and Analysis
“‘Serious Concerns’: Israel Strikes Chemical Weapons Sites in Syria After Fall
of Assad Regime,” FDD Flash Brief
Australia Launches Antisemitism Task Force After Terrorist
Arson Attack on Melbourne Synagogue
FDD-Brief flash/December 11, 2024
• Task Force to Investigate Threats Against Jewish Community: Australia launched
an antisemitism task force on December 9, following an arson attack that ripped
through Melbourne’s historic Adass Israel Synagogue on December 6. The task
force, serving under the Australian Federal Police, has been named Special
Operation Abalight and will comprise experienced counter-terrorism investigators
focusing on threats against the Jewish community and members of parliament.
• Investigation Determines Arson Was Terrorist Act: Australian police originally
investigated the burning of the synagogue — built in the 1960s by Holocaust
survivors — as a criminal act but on December 9 redesignated it as a terrorist
attack. The designation unlocks additional resources for the investigation as
well as powers of preventative detention. Police are searching for three
suspects in connection with the attack.
• Australian Government’s Actions Blamed: On December 6, Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu said, “It is impossible to separate the reprehensible arson
attack from the federal government’s extreme anti-Israeli position.” Australia’s
Labor party-led government announced in August 2023 that it would refer to
eastern Jerusalem and the West Bank as “occupied Palestinian territories” rather
than “disputed” lands, said in April — not long after Hamas’s October 7 massacre
— that it would consider recognizing a state of Palestine, and voted in favor of
a UN resolution on December 3 demanding Israel withdraw unconditionally from all
disputed territories.
FDD Expert Response
“The rampant antisemitism targeting Jewish communities in Australia and
throughout the world has become an eighth front in Iran’s war against Israel.
While some of it is openly jihadist and annihilationist, very often, the
anti-Israel protestors mask their genocidal ambitions with a veneer of concern
for human rights. But these distorted defamatory accusations are merely blood
libels, concocted pretexts for promoting the medieval hatred of Jews.” — David
May, Research Manager and Senior Research Analyst
“The hostile response of some Adass Israel congregants to Australian Prime
Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to the destroyed synagogue is an important
sign that Jewish communities are fed up with politicians opposing antisemitism
with one side of their mouths while feeding the pro-Hamas bigots with the other
side. It’s way past time for speeches and words of assurance — what’s needed is
action from law enforcement and from interior ministries. That means recognizing
the painful truth that has struck Jews all over the world during the past year —
that anti-Zionism is now the dominant form of antisemitism, bringing with it
all-too-familiar tactics of violence and intimidation.” — Ben Cohen, FDD Senior
Analyst and Rapid Response Manager
Syrian Filmmakers Hail End of Assad Regime and Look to Rebuild Industry as an
‘Internationally Connected’ Community: ‘The War Is Finished, Let’s Go Back’
Nick Vivarelli and Alex Ritman/Variety/December 11, 2024
The stunning fall of the Syrian government early Sunday — a bloodless coup by
Islamist rebels that ended the brutal 50-year rule of the Bashar Assad regime —
has been reverberating across the global film community. There’s widespread
elation among displaced Syrian filmmakers, but also fear about what the future
holds. All are happy that Assad is gone. But some are weary that rebel Islamist
leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani, who managed to overthrow the Syrian dictator,
could lead the country into more mayhem — even though things can’t get much
worse than than they already were.
“This is a dream that we have all had; something I’ve been seeing in my dreams
since I was a child,” said multi-hyphenate Orwa Nyrabia, outgoing artistic
director of Amsterdam’s leading documentary festival IDFA. “And it’s come true.”
“It’s painful to see this after all of these losses. All of this displacement.
All of these people who were killed,” he added. “You feel how unnecessary a lot
of that massive pain was.”Syria’s 13-year civil war has led to more than 500,000
deaths and forced millions of Syrians to leave their homeland according to the
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. “Decades of terror, fear, struggle,
bloodshed and destruction are finally over,” said Los Angeles-based Syrian
director and producer Sam Kadi, who produced the Oscar-shortlisted animation
film “Lamya’s Poem,” about a Syrian refugee girl who draws strength from the
verses of ancient poet Rumi after violence forces her to flee from her country.
“I don’t actually remember being happier than I am right now that Assad is
finally ousted and that the Assad regime has fallen,” noted U.K.-based Hassan
Akkad, a documentary director and activist who filmed his 87-day journey from
Syria to the U.K. in 2015, footage which was later used in the BAFTA-winning
documentary “Exodus: Our Journey to Europe.”However, while there are no doubts
that toppling Assad marks the end of a horrific era, Alaa Karkouti, CEO and
co-founder of prominent Arab film distribution and marketing and talent agency
MAD Solutions — who left his native Syria for Cairo before the civil war —
struck a more cautious note. “For me, the basic question in these matters is
always: ‘Who owns the weapons?’ Because the weapons are not free. So someone is
behind it [Assad’s ouster],” he noted, citing the changing geopolitical scenario
which saw Assad flee to Russia when he was no longer able to rely on political
support from Iran, Russia and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia. “And of course, the
idea of anyone using religion [for political purposes] scares me,” Karkouti went
on to add, referring to the Islamist rebels, the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham fighters,
who have longtime ties to al-Qaida though their leader Golani has supposedly
shed those ties and is now projecting an image of himself as a champion of
pluralism and tolerance.
Government officials who have remained in Damascus after Assad fled, including
Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali, have met with the rebels to discuss the
power transfer. Hassan Kattan, a cinematographer and documentary director who
worked on powerful wartime short “One Day in Aleppo,” was also both happy and
scared. “The future of Syria is a difficult question and to be honest we are
afraid, because it’s a big responsibility for everyone who believes in freedom
and the revolution that has toppled the Assad regime,” he said.
“That was the first mission. Now we have to rebuild Syria and a new free Syrian
system. And also to correct everything and bring back unity and dignity. But I
have a fear for the future and not just from the Islamic groups, but from
Russia, the U.S.A. and Israel,” he added. “I hope that Syrians will have the
freedom to determine their own future now,” said Orlando von Einsiedel,
co-director of Oscar-winning short doc “The White Helmets”, about a first
responder Syrian rescue group. Regarding the prospects of a positive transition,
ideally to democracy, Von Einsiedel noted that “obviously the road ahead is
uncertain.” But he also pointed out that “Syrians are some of the bravest,
resourceful and most principled people I’ve ever met” and expressed optimism
they can “turn the page on this dark period of history under Assad’s rule.”
As for the role that Syrian filmmakers can play in helping their country’s rise
from the ashes, everyone Variety spoke to agreed they are ready to play their
part and that film and TV will be crucial in the reconstruction effort.
“We need way more films, and more stories that need to be told,” said Kadi. “For
me personally, at this particular moment I’m just not sure which one of these
stories needs to be told first,” he added, since “I’m still trying to digest and
comprehend the recent events.”“I think the fastest part [of rebuilding Syria]
will be the content creation part,” said Karkouti, “Whether it’s films, TV
series, theater and even music.”
Why? Because over the past 13 years, Syrians, including filmmakers and others in
the industry, “have spread around the world,” he said. And with the toppling of
Assad, it’s very likely that his iron fist in terms of censorship will also
evaporate. Now the filmmakers will say: “The war is finished, let’s go back,”
Karkouti pointed out. He also underlined that before the civil war, Syria was a
Middle East TV production powerhouse and physical production continued there,
albeit at a slower pace, even during all the turbulence.
“I think the key point is that we should not be sitting aside waiting to see
what they will do,” said Nyrabia, who also noted the importance of Syria’s TV
productions.
“Economically and in terms of public presence and influence, Syrian television,
mainly drama, is a very powerful platform,” he said, underlining that Syrian TV
shows are “an indispensable part of the Syrian presence, influence and vision.”
He added: “I do not think that anybody who is involved in shaping the country
will be opting for harming this industry.”As for the Syrian film sphere, “We are
citizens of the world,” he said.
“We are internationally connected now. We understand the field in a very
different way from when we were locked up inside Syria under Assad’s regime,”
Nyrabia added. “So the future of Syrian filmmaking will not be only limited to
inside Syria, it will also continue to exist internationally. And the film
sector inside Syria will be much more connected to the global stage than ever
before.”
Saudi Arabia confirmed as 2034 World Cup host
Ali Khaled/Arab News/December 11, 2024
RIYADH: The news Saudi Arabia and football fans across the region had been
waiting for was confirmed on Wednesday afternoon when FIFA made the official
announcement that the Kingdom will host the 2034 World Cup.
The Saudi bid was rubber-stamped by the applause of over 200 FIFA member
federations that took part remotely in an online meeting hosted in Zurich by
Gianni Infantino, president of football’s world governing body. The Saudi
Arabian Football Federation greeted the news by posting a message from Saudi
Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on its official X account. “We look
forward to hosting an exceptional and unprecedented edition of the FIFA World
Cup by harnessing our strengths and capabilities to bring joy to football fans
around the world,” the message said. Meanwhile, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki
Al-Faisal, minister of sport and Saudi Arabian Olympic and Paralympic Committee
president, and SAFF President Yasser Al-Misehal were presented with the FIFA
World Cup 2034 hosting certificate from FIFA. During a special presentation from
Riyadh, Prince Abdulaziz said: “We will host the best version of the World Cup
in history, and we will achieve our dream of hosting this tournament on our
land.” Alongside the decision to award Saudi Arabia the sole hosting rights in
2034, FIFA also officially approved the multi-host bid by Spain, Portugal and
Morocco for the 2030 World Cup. Spain, Portugal and Morocco will co-host in a
six-nation project, with Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay each getting one of the
104 games.
Finding Bishop Paul Yazigi Alive in Adra Central Prison
Social Media Posts/January 11, 2024
Bishop Paul Yazigi has been found alive inSyrian Adra Central Prison. It is
important to note that the criminal Al Assad regime had claimed that terrorist
groups had kidnapped him and his fellow bishop in 2014. This news is truly
shocking and reveals the true nature of this regime's crimes. Until now, his
fellow kidnapped bishop has not been found. The world must see the crimes of the
deposed dictator Bashar al-Assad. It is even more dangerous to consider the
allies of tyrant Bashar al-Assad, especially Hezbollah in Lebanon and those who
orbit around it.
The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources
on December 11-12/2024
Rebottled Jew-Hate: The
Boycott of Jewish Genius
Nils A. Haug/Gatestone Institute/December 11, 2024
"Since October 7 [2023], a sort of quiet boycott of Israeli researchers has
begun, of the kind that has never been seen before. This boycott is reflected in
the cancellation of invitations to joint conferences, the rejection of articles
for publication, the rejection of grants to Israeli researchers, and more." —
Israel's National Council for Civilian Research and Development, December 2023.
"Antisemitism was always premised on redefining Jewish existence as unnatural
and artificial. Jews were being denounced as colonizers as far back as the days
of Pharaoh.... The Jews, being Semites, do not belong in Europe. The Jews, being
European, do not belong in Israel. The Jews, being Zionists, do not belong at
progressive institutions like Harvard or Columbia. And the Jews, being
occupiers, do not belong in London.... it's not about Israel [but] has
everything to do with the Jews." — Daniel Greenfield, journalist, JNS, August 24
2024.
At this time of international turmoil, the world needs expertise and wisdom from
the finest minds and great statesmen, including the Jewish ones. It is to the
detriment of Western civilization and society, should this millennia-old
generational excellence be denied to the West at this dark time of post-truth,
post-morality and spreading barbarism, especially in the West.
Today's calls in the West to boycott Israelis and Jews are systemic and indicate
a widespread aggressive agenda globally to erase Jewish influence in academia,
science, technology and culture. The true explanation for these boycott
initiatives, it seems, is one of deep-seated Jew-hatred within various Western
societies.
Somewhat covertly, in November 2024, Ayelet Shaked, a former Israeli Minister of
Justice, was shockingly denied permission to enter Australia for the purpose of
participating in a conference discussing current Middle East events. The
conference was hosted by the Australia Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC),
and intended to be a Jewish community event.
Colin Rubenstein, executive director of AIJAC, denounced the visa denial, made
without a reason being disclosed at the time, by Australian Home Affairs
Minister Tony Burke. In Rubenstein's view, "The decision to refuse a visa to...
Shaked on the grounds that she would vilify Australians and incite discord among
the community is a disgraceful act of hostility towards a democratic ally."
Refusing entry to a Western country of a former Israeli cabinet minister is
simply a further incident in a global de-platforming movement against
Jewish-Israeli personalities. In January 2022, some 20 cultural acts withdrew in
protest against sponsorship by Israel's embassy in Australia of a performance by
the Sydney Dance Company, scheduled to be presented at Sydney's cultural
festival. The act was based on a work by Tel Aviv's Batsheva Dance Company, and
Israeli choreographer Ohad Naharin, but was vilified due to its Israel-Jewish
connection.
A December 2023 report, by Israel's National Council for Civilian Research and
Development, cautioned that an "unofficial boycott is taking place in Western
academia." The consequences for Israel could be serious, goes the report, as
these "discriminatory practices could harm the economy, which relies on
scientific capabilities as a start-up country." The report added:
"Since October 7, a sort of quiet boycott of Israeli researchers has begun, of
the kind that has never been seen before. This boycott is reflected in the
cancellation of invitations to joint conferences, the rejection of articles for
publication, the rejection of grants to Israeli researchers, and more."
The report mentions actions taken earlier, in March 2022, by the US-based Middle
East Studies Association (MESA), in which an academic boycott against Israeli
institutions, instigated by the BDS movement, was approved by a large majority
of MESA members but denounced by the Academic Engagement Agency, a watchdog
group.
In response to the ban, MESA's rival, the Association for the Study of the
Middle East and Africa (ASMEA), founded by the late professors Bernard Lewis and
Fouad Ajami, "pointed to the double standard in MESA's resolution and the harm
it will cause to academic freedom," according to JNS.
ASMEA chairman Professor Norman Stillman wrote in a statement:
"By passing this resolution to blacklist and boycott Israeli institutions of
higher learning, the membership of MESA has abandoned any pretext of being an
academic association in favor of an organization with a singular political
cause: to delegitimize Israel. Their abandonment of the basic principles of
academic integrity and freedom, namely the free expression of ideas, is deeply
rooted in old biases and prejudice."
While all attempts to delegitimize Jewish excellence on the world stage are to
be condemned outright, the hypocrisy of Western anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist
actors is highlighted by events surrounding the 1988 publication of Salman
Rushdie's book, The Satanic Verses. At a time of immense pressure from offended
Muslims to ban the book, Western nations were not inclined to do so. They
accurately claimed that academic freedom was part of their constitutional
tradition.
Then UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher justified the West's publication of the
controversial work. "Freedom of speech," she said, "was a principle of major
importance" and the matter involved, "national sovereignty and international
law" – none of which prohibited printing the text.
Compared to the principled stance by Western leaders of upholding academic
freedom and freedom of speech at the time of Rushdie's controversial book, when
it came to applying such rights to Jewish-Israeli writers, academics, achievers,
intellectuals, scholars, scientists and the like, all of a sudden, lauded
constitutional principles are being ignored -- even by prestigious academic
institutions such as the University of Pennsylvania.
In September 2023, and in the name of academic freedom, the University of
Pennsylvania hosted a "Palestine Writes Literature Festival" on its Philadelphia
campus, featuring, "some of the most notorious anti-Semites in the world." The
speakers selected were not acknowledged "writers, academics or literary
experts." The festival was described by a critic as an "antisemitic pro-BDS
hate-fest," advocating destruction of the Jewish state. Unsurprisingly,
Jewish-Israeli participants were not welcome.
In like mode, the "Palestine Festival of Literature" (Palfest), a self-described
"cultural initiative," in October 2024, "announced that over 1,000 writers have
signed on to a literary boycott of Israel," according to a report in the Wall
Street Journal.
"In a public letter, these writers declared that they will not allow their books
to be translated into Hebrew, contribute to Israeli magazines and newspapers,
attend conferences or give readings in Israel, or work with Israeli publishers
and literary agents... Palfest proudly describes its own effort as 'the largest
cultural boycott against Israeli institutions in history.'"
Signatories to the boycott letter include Pulitzer Prize winners, Nobel
Laureates, MacArthur Fellows and so on. Shortly thereafter, a further 5,000
writers signed on to the boycott.
These incidents are not isolated. They are systemic and indicate a widespread
aggressive agenda globally to erase Jewish influence in academia, science,
technology and culture. The strategy by enemies of Israel and the Jews is
reminiscent of the objectives of the Chinese Communist Party, say in Taiwan: to
completely isolate Taiwan from world affairs -- in all areas, politically,
financially, economically and culturally. In this, they would have been
successful if not for support for Taiwan by the US and other allies. The US and
the West should stand with Israel here, as well.
The arrogance behind the intent to cancel, dismantle, deprive, and deny the deep
wisdom, brilliance, and genius of outstanding men and women who have contributed
so much to the ethos, culture and greatness of Western civilization, is
difficult to comprehend. Of Nobel Laureates, 22% are Jewish (from 0.2% of the
world population) and include Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr (whose mother was
Jewish, thus putting him at risk during the Nazi era), Eli Wiesel and Milton
Friedman. These notables would also face being denied a platform should they
appear on the world stage today.
The true explanation, it seems, is one of deep-seated Jew-hatred within various
Western societies. This has been concealed for years within a façade of
tolerance and social niceties, but now, as Steven Spielberg says, antisemitism
"is no longer lurking, but standing proud" as it was in Germany during the
1930s.
Ari Ingel, executive director of the Creative Community for Peace said in
response to the October boycott letter:
"These boycott calls, now being led by members of the literary community
themselves, are reminiscent of the 1933 boycott of Jewish authors, when
antisemites burned over 25,000 books. The works of Jewish authors like Albert
Einstein and Sigmund Freud, alongside American works by Ernest Hemingway and
Helen Keller were burned. This is where things are once again headed."
The words of Count Stanislas de Claremont-Tonnerre, at the time of the French
Revolution, try to parse the animosity towards Jewish people: "Jews should be
denied everything as a nation, but granted everything as individuals... The
existence of a nation within a nation is unacceptable to our country." Stanislas
therefore denounced their existence as a nation, superbly refuted in 1948.
Journalist Daniel Greenfield notes that in the view of Western activists,
"Antisemitism was always premised on redefining Jewish existence as unnatural
and artificial. Jews were being denounced as colonizers as far back as the days
of Pharaoh.... The Jews, being Semites, do not belong in Europe. The Jews, being
European, do not belong in Israel. The Jews, being Zionists, do not belong at
progressive institutions like Harvard or Columbia. And the Jews, being
occupiers, do not belong in London."
He continues, "it's not about Israel," but "has everything to do with the Jews."
In plain words, cultural and academic ostracization is simply rebottled
Jew-hate.
At the same time, these actions also reflect the death throes of that malevolent
construct, which favors the group over the individual, known as identity
politics. It has caused vast divisive damage in the public arena, and now
manifests itself in a loud, irrational and angry prejudice under the guise of a
biased social justice claim against a nation, a religion, an ethnic group of
peace-loving scholars, intellectuals, scientists and creative geniuses who value
freedom, morality, innovation and excellence.
The Jewish nation has a divine calling to "bring light" to the world with
wisdom, truth and equal justice under the law. These values commenced with the
Mosaic codes, which introduced definitive rubrics of virtue. "The Jewish people
brought morality to the world thousands of years ago," remarked Safra Catz, CEO
of Oracle, "and some people are still mad about it."
At this time of international turmoil, the world needs expertise and wisdom from
the finest minds and great statesmen, including the Jewish ones. It is to the
detriment of Western civilization and society, should this millennia-old
generational excellence be denied to the West at this dark time of post-truth,
post-morality and spreading barbarism, especially in the West.
*Nils A. Haug is an author and columnist. A Lawyer by profession, he is member
of the International Bar Association, the National Association of Scholars, a
faculty member at Intercollegiate Studies Institute, the Academy of Philosophy
and Letters. Retired from law, his particular field of interest is political
theory and ethics interconnected with current events. He holds a Ph.D. in
Apologetical Theology. Dr. Haug is author of 'Politics, Law, and Disorder in the
Garden of Eden – the Quest for Identity'; and 'Enemies of the Innocent – Life,
Truth, and Meaning in a Dark Age.' His work has been published by First Things
Journal, The American Mind, Quadrant, Minding the Campus, Gatestone Institute,
National Association of Scholars, Israel Hayom, The James Wilson Institute
(Anchoring Truths), Document Danmark, Jewish Journal, and others.
© 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.
Analysis-The Israeli Jews who spied for Iran in biggest
infiltration in decades
Jonathan Saul/TEL AVIV (Reuters)/December 11, 2024
Israel's arrest of almost 30 mostly Jewish citizens who allegedly spied for Iran
in nine covert cells has caused alarm in the country and points to Tehran's
biggest effort in decades to infiltrate its arch foe, four Israeli security
sources said.
Among the unfulfilled goals of the alleged cells was the assassination of an
Israeli nuclear scientist and former military officials, while one group
gathered information on military bases and air defences, security service Shin
Bet has said. Last week, the agency and Israel's police said a father and son
team had passed on details of Israeli force movements including in the Golan
Heights where they lived. The arrests follow repeated efforts by Iranian
intelligence operatives over the past two years to recruit ordinary Israelis to
gather intelligence and carry out attacks in exchange for money, the four
serving and former military and security officials said. The sources asked not
to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter. "There is a large phenomenon
here," said Shalom Ben Hanan, a former top Shin Bet official, referring to what
he called the surprising number of Jewish citizens who knowingly agreed to work
for Iran against the state with intelligence gathering or planning sabotage and
attacks. Shin Bet and the police did not respond to requests for comment. Iran's
foreign ministry did not respond to questions. In a statement sent to media
after the wave of arrests, Iran’s U.N. mission did not confirm or deny seeking
to recruit Israelis and said that "from a logical standpoint" any such efforts
by Iranian intelligence services would focus on non-Iranian and non-Muslim
individuals to lessen suspicion. At least two suspects were from Israel's
ultra-Orthodox community, police and the Shin Bet have said.
Unlike Iranian espionage operations in previous decades that recruited a
high-profile businessman and a former cabinet minister, the new alleged spies
were largely people on the fringes of Israeli society, including recent
immigrants, an army deserter and a convicted sex offender, conversations with
the sources, court records and official statements show. Much of their activity
was limited to spraying anti-Netanyahu or anti-government graffiti on walls and
damaging cars, Shin Bet has said. Nonetheless, the scale of the arrests and
involvement of so many Jewish Israelis, in addition to Arab citizens, has caused
concern in Israel at a time it remains at war with Iran-backed Hamas in Gaza and
that a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah remains fragile. Shin Bet on Oct. 21 said
the espionage activities were "among the most severe the state of Israel has
known."The arrests also follow a wave of attempted hits and kidnappings linked
to Tehran in Europe and the United States. The unusual decision to provide
detailed public accounts of the alleged plots was a move by Israel's security
services to signal both to Iran and potential saboteurs inside Israel that they
would be caught, Ben Hanan said.
"You want to alert the public. And you also want to make an example of people
that may also have intentions or plans to co-operate with the enemy," he said.
Israel has achieved major intelligence successes over the past few years in a
shadow war with its regional foe, including allegedly killing a top nuclear
scientist. With the recent arrests Israel has "so far" thwarted Tehran's efforts
to respond, one active military official said. Iran has been weakened by
Israel's attacks on its proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the related fall of
Tehran's ally, former president Bashar al-Assad in Syria.
Iranian intelligence agencies often find potential recruits on social media
platforms, Israeli police said in a video released in November warning of
ongoing infiltration attempts. The recruiting efforts are at times direct. One
message sent to an Israeli civilian and seen by Reuters promised $15,000 in
exchange for information, with an email and number to call. Iran has also
approached expatriate networks of Jews from Caucasus countries living in Canada
and the United States, said one of the sources, a former senior official who
worked on Israel's counter espionage efforts until 2007.
Israeli authorities have said publicly some of the Jewish suspects were
originally from Caucasus countries. Recruited individuals are first assigned
innocuous-seeming tasks in return for money, before handlers gradually demand
specific intelligence on targets, including about individuals and sensitive
military infrastructure, backed by the threat of blackmail, said the former
official. One Israeli suspect, Vladislav Victorsson, 30, was arrested on Oct. 14
along with his 18-year-old girlfriend in the Israeli city of Ramat Gan near Tel
Aviv. He had been jailed in 2015 for sex with minors as young as 14, according
to a court indictment from that time. An acquaintance of Victorsson told Reuters
he had told her he had spoken to Iranians using the Telegram messaging app. She
said that Victorsson had lied to his handlers about his military experience. The
acquaintance declined to be named, citing safety fears. Igal Dotan, Victorsson's
lawyer, told Reuters he was representing the suspect, adding that the legal
process would take time and that his client was being held in tough conditions.
Dotan said he could only respond to the current case and had not defended
Victorsson in earlier trials. Shin Bet and police said Victorsson knew he was
working for Iranian intelligence, carrying out tasks including spraying
graffiti, hiding money, posting flyers and burning cars in the Hayarkon Park in
Tel Aviv for which he received over $5,000. According to the investigation made
public by the security services, he was found to have subsequently agreed to
carry out an assassination of an Israeli personality, throw a grenade into a
house and also look to obtain a sniper rifle, pistols and fragmentation
grenades. He recruited his girlfriend, who was tasked with recruiting homeless
people to photograph demonstrations, the security services said.
State Department defends Israeli occupation of Syrian Golan Heights
John Bowden/independent/December 11, 2024
The US State Department defended the Israeli military’s push into Syria amid
questioning on whether the occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights was a
violation of international law. Spokesman Matthew Miller insisted at his Monday
daily briefing in Washington that Israel’s military was undertaking an operation
in self-defense to prevent militant groups from occupying regions along the
border which could be used to launch offensives into its territory. He also
claimed that the occupation of five Syrian villages across the Golan Heights was
temporary, and would not amount to a permanent expansion of Israeli territory.
Israel itself, however, refuted that assertion directly just a few hours later,
once again putting the Biden administration in the almost certain position of
having spread falsehoods to the American public. “The importance of this
historic recognition has been underscored today. The Golan Heights will be an
inseparable part of the State of Israel forever,” tweeted Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. Parts of the Golan Heights were annexed by Israel
in 1981 after being taken in the Six-Day War and have long been recognized
internationally as illegally occupied territory.
Miller, like Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, portrayed the
occupation as necessary due to the abandonment of military posts in the region
by regime forces aligned with Bashar Al-Assad, the ousted dictator of Syria. It
still isn’t clear if the US or Israel have specific intelligence indicating that
militants aligned with the Islamic State or Al Qaeda were threatening Israeli
positions near the areas now under occupation. ”The Syrian army abandoned its
positions in the area around the negotiated Israeli-Syrian buffer zone, which
potentially creates a vacuum that could have been filled by terrorist
organizations that would threaten the State of Israel, would threaten civilians
inside Israel,” said Miller, notably not giving any evidence of those groups
having attempted to move in. “Every country has the right to take action against
terrorist organizations, and every country, I think, would be worried about a
possible vacuum that could be filled by terrorist organizations, especially in
volatile times as we obviously are in right now in Syria,” he continued.
Notably, US officials including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and others at
the White House have warned of a possible resurgence of fighters aligned with
the Islamic State in Syria coinciding with the downfall of Assad. The US
conducted strikes on at least 75 targets thought to be IS-affiliated over
Sunday, according to a senior White House official. Separate reports from the
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based human rights organization,
indicated on Monday that Israeli forces targeted numerous military sites and
potentially other targets across Syria for strikes. The statements left open the
possibility that Israel could seek to occupy the five villages — Ofaniya,
Quneitra, al-Hamidiyah, Samdaniya al-Gharbiyya and al-Qahtaniyah — indefinitely,
or at the very least until the establishment of a government in Syria with at
least tacit support from the Israeli government. Importantly, the occupation
comes just weeks before Donald Trump, a top ally of Benjamin Netanyahu known to
be largely deferential to his Israeli counterpart, is set to take office.
Miller would go on to say that “this is a temporary action that they have taken
in response to actions by the Syrian military to withdraw from that area” while
adding that the Biden administration, which has a little more than a month left
in office, would be “watching what steps [Israel] take[s] in the coming weeks”.
Marco Rubio is almost certain to take over for Antony Blinken at the State
Department and is expected to face one of the cleanest Senate confirmations of
any of Donald Trump’s nominees. Rubio, like Trump, is a vocal supporter of
Israel and is an opponent of the establishment of a Palestinian state, something
the Biden administration and US allies in the Middle East have argued is
necessary for ending the conflict in Gaza.
These Palestinians disappeared after encounters with Israeli
troops in Gaza
Wafaa Shurafa, Sarah El Deeb And Julia Frankel/DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP)
/December 11, 2024
Reem Ajour says she last saw her husband and then 4-year-old daughter in March,
when Israeli soldiers raided a family home in northern Gaza. She is haunted by
those chaotic last moments, when the soldiers ordered her to go – to leave
behind Talal and Masaa, both wounded.
Eight months later, the 23-year-old mother still has no answers about their
fate. The military says it does not have them. Troops leveled the house where
they were staying soon after the raid. “I am living and dead at the same time,”
she said, breaking down in sobs. Ajour is one of dozens of Palestinians that an
Israeli legal group, Hamoked, is helping in their search for family members who
went missing after being separated by Israeli soldiers during raids and arrests
in the Gaza Strip.
Their cases — a fraction of the estimated thousands who have gone missing during
the 14-month-long war — highlight a lack of accountability in how the Israeli
military deals with Palestinians during ground operations in Gaza, Hamoked says.
Throughout the war, the military has conducted what amounts to a mass sifting of
the Palestinian population as it raids homes and shelters and sends people
through checkpoints. Troops round up and detain men, from dozens to several
hundreds at a time, searching for any they suspect of Hamas ties, while forcing
their families away, toward other parts of Gaza. The result is families split
apart, often amid the chaos of fighting. But the military has not made clear how
it keeps track of everyone it separates, arrests or detains. Even if troops
transfer Palestinians to military detention inside Israel, they can hold them
incommunicado for more than two months — their whereabouts unknown to families
or lawyers, according to rights groups.
When people vanish, it’s nearly impossible to know what happened, Hamoked says.
“We’ve never had a situation of mass forced disappearance from Gaza, with no
information provided for weeks and weeks to families,” said Jessica Montell, the
director of Hamoked. Israel's High Court of Justice has refused to intervene to
get answers, despite Hamoked's petitions, she said.
Asked by The Associated Press about the cases of Ajour and two other families it
interviewed, the Israeli military declined comment.
4-year-old Masaa Ajour was shot, then separated from her mother
The Ajours were sheltering at a home in Gaza City that belonged to Talal's
family after being displaced from their own house earlier in the war. Israeli
troops raided the home on March 24, opening fire as they burst in, Ajour said.
Ajour, who was three months pregnant, was shot in the stomach. Talal was wounded
in his leg, bleeding heavily. Masaa lay passed out, shot in the shoulder –
though Ajour said she saw her still breathing.
As one soldier bandaged the little girl's wound, another pointed his gun in
Ajour’s face and told her to head out of Gaza City.
She said she pleaded that she couldn’t leave Masaa and Talal, but the soldier
screamed: “Go south!”
With no choice, Ajour collected her younger son and went down to the street. “It
was all in a blink of an eye. It was all so fast,” she said. Still bleeding, she
walked for two and a half hours, clutching her son.
When they reached a hospital in central Gaza, doctors treated her stomach wound
and found her fetus’ pulse. Weeks later, doctors found the pulse had gone. She
miscarried.
Ajour said that several weeks later, a Palestinian released from a prison in
southern Israel told her family he had heard her husband’s name called out over
a loudspeaker among a list of detainees.
The rumor has kept her hope alive, but the military told Hamoked it had no
record of Masaa or Talal being detained.
Another possibility is that they died on the scene, but no one has been able to
search the rubble of the family's building to determine if any bodies are there.
The storming of their building came as Israeli forces were battling Hamas
fighters in surrounding streets while raiding nearby Shifa Hospital, where it
claimed the militants were based. Troops cleared families out of nearby homes
and often then destroyed or set the buildings ablaze, according to witnesses at
the time.
The military itself may not know what happened to Ajour’s husband and daughter,
said Montell of Hamoked.
“That illustrates a broader problem,” she said.
Ajour and her son now shelter in a tent camp outside the central Gaza town of
Zuweida.
Masaa, she said, “was my first joy” — with blond hair and olive-colored eyes, a
face “white like the moon.”
Masaa’s fifth birthday was in July, Ajour said, sobbing. “She turned five while
she is not with me.”
Does the military document what troops do in Gaza?
Under a wartime revision to Israeli law, Palestinians from Gaza taken to
military detention in Israel can be held for over two months without access to
the outside world. Israel says the law is necessary to handle the unprecedented
number of detainees as it seeks to destroy Hamas following the Oct. 7, 2023,
attack on Israel that killed 1,200 and took around 250 people hostage inside
Gaza. The military has transferred some 1,770 of its Gaza detainees to civilian
prisons, according to rights groups, but it has not revealed the number still in
its detention.
Milena Ansari, a researcher at Human Rights Watch, said Israel is obligated
under international law to document what happens during every home raid and
detention. But the military is not transparent about the information it collects
on detainees or on how many it is holding, she said. Hamoked has asked the
military for the whereabouts of 900 missing Palestinians. The military confirmed
around 500 of them were detained in Israel. It said it had no record of
detaining the other 400.
The group petitioned Israel’s High Court of Justice seeking answers in 52 cases,
including that of Masaa and two other children, where witnesses testified that
the missing were handled by troops before their disappearances.
“The judges just dismiss the cases, without even inquiring what measures might
be necessary to prevent such cases in the future,” said Montell.
A court spokesperson said it often asks the military to provide additional
information but isn’t authorized to investigate if the military says it is not
detaining them.
In the cases of three missing adult Palestinians presented by Hamoked, the
military first claimed it was not holding them, then found records of them being
detained after being pressed by Hamoked to double-check.
In another case, military police discovered that two Palestinians they had
initially denied holding -- a father and his adult son -- had died in Israeli
custody. The U.N. Human Rights Office says at least 53 Palestinians are known to
have died in Israeli detention during the war. Ailing with cancer, Mahmoud
Alghrabli disappeared after raid. The last time the Alghrabli family saw their
76-year-old patriarch, Mahmoud Alghrabli, was when Israeli troops stormed their
district in Khan Younis on Feb. 4. The soldiers ordered residents out of the
area. The Alghrablis had to carry Mahmoud, suffering from cancer, out of their
building on a chair, his son Ahmed Algharbli told the AP. After detaining some
men, the soldiers ordered the rest to leave. Mahmoud Alghrabli made it to a sand
mound near the house. Ahmed Algharbli said his brother went to help the father,
but soldiers shouted at him to leave.
“He left our father by force, or he would have been shot,” he said.
The family returned a month later. There was no trace of Mahmoud. Ahmed
Algharbli said he “walked meter by meter” searching for traces, finding bones
but not knowing whose they were. He keeps them wrapped in a piece of cloth at
home.
Hamoked was told by the military there was no indication of him in Israeli
detention.
“By God, I don’t sleep at night,” said Mahmoud’s wife, Sabah Abdul-Salam.
Whether he was arrested or killed, she said, “let us know, we will rest.”
Mahmoud Almoqayed vanished while searching for his family
The only traces left of another missing man, 77-year-old Mahmoud Almoqayed, are
his torn shirt and pants with his ID in the pocket. They were found in the dirt
near the school where he and his family were sheltering when it was raided by
Israeli troops on May 23 in the northern town of Beit Lahiya. The soldiers
released Almoqayed and sent him and other men to another shelter, said his son,
Rani Almoqayed, a doctor working in Saudi Arabia who pieced together the account
from witnesses and family members. Once at the second shelter, the elderly
Almoqayed immediately turned back, determined to find his wife and grandchildren
left behind at the school, witnesses told his son. It was dark, well after 1
a.m., and troops were all around the area. Almoqayed was never seen by his
family again. Weeks later, his family found his abandoned clothes. They also
found skulls and body parts nearby, Rani Almoqayed said. The military police
told Hamoked it had no indication Almoqayed was detained.
Rani Almoqayed believes it's possible his father was killed and Israeli troops
took the body. Since December 2023, the military has returned at least 318
bodies and a sack of body parts to Gaza after seizing them to search for
hostages, a senior U.N. official in Gaza told the AP, speaking anonymously to
discuss confidential matters.
The bodies, with no identification and often decomposed, are buried in anonymous
mass graves. The family had Mahmoud Almoqayed declared officially dead, his son
said. “But the doubt will not stop and one’s heart won’t ease unless they see
the body.”
*El Deeb reported from Beirut, and Frankel from Jerusalem.
Wafaa Shurafa, Sarah El Deeb And Julia Frankel, The Associated Press
Peace be upon you, Damascus
Bakir Oweida/Arab News/December 11, 2024
The protection of Syrian lives and the prevention of harm to innocent civilians
of any sect represent fundamental rights for all Syrians — a country
historically defined by its ethnic diversity and cultural mosaic. This right
doubles as an obligation that now rests on the shoulders of armed group leaders
who, in a swift and almost seismic upheaval lasting just a few nights, toppled
Syria’s Baathist regime that had clung to power since 1963. The pressing
question now emerges: will these new leaders prove they have come to establish
genuinely different governance or will the coming days reveal that what they
revolted against has merely been reborn with different faces and names?
This question is not without merit. A quick glance at examples like Iraq, Libya
and Sudan shows a common thread. In all three cases, despite their distinct
circumstances, a significant portion of the population found themselves in an
ironic position — comparing the fallen regime they once celebrated overthrowing
with a disappointing present reality that delivered the opposite of their hopes,
particularly regarding stability, the bedrock of national security and social
peace. These comparisons are not about taking sides. If you were to ask people
across the globe a simple question: What do you want from life? The answers
would largely echo the same theme: physical well-being, peace of mind and inner
security. When any element of this triad is uprooted, achieving security within
any society becomes nearly impossible.
Now that the page has been has turned on Baathist rule, Syria’s future, its
people’s fate and the entire region’s trajectory remain uncertain
Now that Syria’s history — and the region’s with it — has turned the page on
Baathist rule, with all its merits and flaws, Syria’s future, its people’s fate
and the entire region’s trajectory remain uncertain. A crucial question
resurfaces: Are we witnessing a replay of Iraq’s example and Libya’s
fragmentation or will global power centers and major regional players prevent
such a scenario, which could ignite new conflicts within Syria — conflicts
likely to spill across borders? Political analysis naturally favors the second
scenario. However, uncertainty surrounds the position of Israel’s far-right
movement under Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership. This faction might see an
opportunity to dismantle Syria’s state institutions and eliminate its military
presence entirely, unless the incoming Trump administration takes a restraining
stance against Israeli hard-liners in line with White House priorities.
The phrase “Peace be upon you, Damascus” in the title of this article is thus a
heartfelt greeting directed first and foremost to Syria and its people, who
stand at the center of attention. But the country’s geographical resonance
extends to the greater Levant, from Gaza to Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, across the
Jordan River and the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates. Truly, has the time not
come for real and lasting peace to bless these lands?
*Bakir Oweida is a Palestinian journalist who pursued a professional career in
journalism in Libya in 1968, where he worked at Al-Haqiqa newspaper in Benghazi,
then Al-Balagh and Al-Jihad in Tripoli. He has written for several Arab
publications in Britain since 1978. He worked at Al-Arab newspaper, Al-Thadamun
magazine and the international Arabic newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat. He has also
worked as a consultant at the online newspaper Elaph.