Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on February 05-06/2024
‘Genuine opportunity’ for peace on Lebanese border
Time running out' for diplomatic solution in south Lebanon, Israeli FM says
French Minister Séjourné's mission: Bridging perspectives between Israel and Lebanon
Israeli government informs US Envoy of Hezbollah violations, seeks diplomatic solutions
Diplomatic crossroads: Israel's balancing act with Hezbollah and Gaza ceasefire talks
US presents new blueprint to push Hezbollah away from Israeli border
Border clashes resume ahead of possible Gaza truce
Israeli officials see positive signs towards diplomatic path with Lebanon
Israel says struck thousands of Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, Syria during Gaza war
Berri says Quintet supports president consensus through 'consultations'
Berri signs budget bill, refers it to cabinet
Farewell Letter from the President of the Lebanese Information Center

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on February 05-06/2024
UN Security Council to meet on US strikes in Iraq and Syria
Saudi crown prince meets with Blinken in Riyadh
Blinken heads to Mideast to press for Gaza truce
UN aid convoy hit by Israeli gunfire in northern Gaza
At least 6 Kurdish-led fighters killed in drone attack on US base in Syria
US warns of further retaliation if Iran-backed groups continue their attacks
What to know about the situation in the Middle East this week
Saudi defense minister discusses regional developments during call with US
Syria's 'miracle' quake baby, other orphans mark first year without families
Statement by the UN Secretary-General – on UNRWA
Iran starts constructing new nuclear reactor
Israel to provide evidence of 'UNRWA's ties to terrorism'
UN agency says Israeli naval fire hit food convoy in Gaza
Iran uses UK bank accounts to escape from sanctions, Financial Times says
Russian shelling of Kherson kills four, official says
US official reveals injuries to Syrian Democratic Forces in Al-Omar oil field attack
About 40 killed in violence near disputed Sudan-South Sudan border
US House speaker rejects Senate border-Ukraine aid deal
King Charles, 75, Announces Cancer Diagnosis, Postpones All Future Engagements

Titles For The Latest English LCCC  analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on February 05-06/2024
Regional war is upon us if Biden does not halt the Gaza carnage/Baria Alamuddin/Arab News/February 05, 2024
The land of wars, surprises and earthquakes/Ghassan Charbel/AAsharq Al-Awsat/February 05, 2024
Biden's 'Two-State Solution' To Reward Palestinian Terrorism, Destroy Israel/Bassam Tawil/Gatestone Institute./February 5, 2024
Israelis Won’t Stand for Anything Short of Victory in Gaza/Gadi Taub/The Tablet/February 05/ 2024
Report: ‘Raymond Ibrahim Documents the Persecution of Christians, Also in Europe’/Raymond Ibrahim/February 05/ 2024

Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on February 05-06/2024
‘Genuine opportunity’ for peace on Lebanese border
NAJIA HOUSSARI/February 05, 2024
BEIRUT: Hostile operations on Lebanon’s southern border between Hezbollah and the Israeli army entered their fifth month on Monday, with intensive diplomatic efforts in Beirut and Tel Aviv offering prospects for peace. Israel’s Channel 12 said on Monday morning that “eight rockets were fired from Lebanon towards the Upper Galilee region and the Israeli army responded with artillery shelling.” Hezbollah announced the targeting of the Al-Sammaqa Israeli military base in the Kfar Shuba Hills and Shebaa Farms “with missiles, resulting in direct hits.” Israeli artillery targeted the outskirts of Lebanese border towns, namely Al-Fardis, Rashaya Al-Fakhar, Al-Khraibeh, Wadi Hamul, Al-Labouneh, Naqoura, Wadi Hassan and Majdal Zoun, along with the forest area between the towns of Tayr Harda and Chamaa. Israeli jets also struck the town of Marwahin, while Israeli drones bombed Yaroun in the Bint Jbeil district.
Hezbollah announced the death of three fighters: Mohammed Hasssan Faqih from the town of Aitaroun, Abbas Ahmed Al-Kharsa from the town of At-Tiri and Abbas Khoder Nasser from the town of Yaroun, all of which are border towns. On Sunday night, Israeli airstrikes hit a home in the town of Yaroun, resulting in deaths and injuries. The Amal Movement, Hezbollah’s ally, joined the fight on Sunday, announcing “the targeting of the Adamit Barkat Risha barracks, the Margaliot settlement, the sites of Hanita and Arab Al-Aramshe, along with the Eilon settlement,” in response to Israeli bombardment that killed two of its members in the town of Blida. Hezbollah revealed the results of missions it carried out over 120 days in a report that recorded 961 operations between Oct. 8 last year and Feb. 4 — an average of eight operations per day. The group’s military media said that 56 military vehicles, including four logistical vehicles, 28 armored personnel carriers and 24 tanks were targeted, along with 26 command centers and 178 positions. About 500 Israeli housing units were also destroyed. The report added: “237 technical equipment, two military factories, 316 personnel positions, 25 border walls, 14 artillery positions, two Iron Dome platforms, and five drones and planes were also targeted.”
Hezbollah’s military media said that its forces had inflicted up to 2,000 casualties on the Israeli side. The group’s operations “varied between 72 targeting settlements, 670 targeting border sites, 61 backline sites and 122 border points.”
The report added: “Hezbollah forced Israel to evacuate the northern settlements at a depth of 5 km. The number of evacuated settlements reached 43, while the declared number of displaced persons reached 81,000 individuals. However, the actual estimates of the displaced reached 230,000 individuals.”
During that period, Hezbollah used a variety of weapons in its operations. According to the military media, its forces conducted “323 artillery bombardments, 244 surface-to-surface missile attacks, 68 machine gun shootings, 40 actions with air defense systems, 23 drone attacks, 385 guided missile strikes, 85 direct weapon military operations, nine engineering operations and 72 operations with different types of weapons.”On the other hand, over 120 days, Hezbollah mourned 184 dead fighters, most of them from the south and some from the Bekaa region.
Municipalities in the villages along the southern border reported that about 130,000 residents from different Lebanese sects have been displaced. These reports documented the destruction of residential neighborhoods and the burning of forests due to repeated attacks from the Israeli army using phosphorous bombs.As the bombardment continues on both sides of the border, Lebanon has witnessed a flurry of diplomatic activity to quell tensions and attempt to separate the border issue from events in Gaza. Hezbollah has insisted its military activity is a consequence of Israel’s war in Gaza. Hezbollah MP Hussein Hajj Hassan said on Monday that the group “will continue to carry out its operations as long as they are necessary, because we are concerned with preventing the Zionist enemy from winning in Gaza. The enemy’s defeat in Gaza will be reflected in the entire region.”Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari said: “Regular and reserve forces are conducting training on land, sea and air in anticipation of any war in the north.”The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation said on Monday that there are “encouraging indications of calm between Israel and Hezbollah with the help of US mediation.”
Israeli officials highlighted the “genuine opportunity” to resolve tensions with Hezbollah, pointing to a US proposal for the militia to withdraw from the border and allow displaced Israelis to return to settlements in the north. US envoy Amos Hochstein met Israeli government officials on Sunday evening, and, according to Israeli Channel 12, proposed a two-step plan. The first step involves Hezbollah’s withdrawal from southern Litani and the reinforcement of UNIFIL and Lebanese army forces in the area. The second step includes negotiations between Lebanon and Israel to define the land borders and resolve disputes over occupied and disputed areas. Israel must make concessions for the proposal to function. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said Monday: “Time is running out to find a diplomatic solution in southern Lebanon … if a political solution is not reached, there will be military action to return the residents of Israeli towns on the Lebanese border.” Lebanon is preparing to receive more international delegates this week, including French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne on Tuesday.

Time running out' for diplomatic solution in south Lebanon, Israeli FM says
Agence France Presse/February 05/2024
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said Monday "time is running out" to reach a diplomatic solution in south Lebanon, as tensions flare between the two countries, with daily cross-border fire. "Israel will act militarily to return the evacuated citizens" to its northern border area if no diplomatic solution is reached to end the violence, Katz told his visiting French counterpart Stephane Sejourne, according to a statement issued by the Israeli foreign ministry.

French Minister Séjourné's mission: Bridging perspectives between Israel and Lebanon
LBCI/February 05/2024
The message French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné will convey from Israel to Lebanon will not differ from that of British Foreign Secretary David Cameron.
However, Amos Hochstein had conveyed and can convey the issue again regarding the necessity of de-escalating the situation in southern Lebanon, preventing a further slide into war, removing Hezbollah fighters from the thorny border strip, supporting the Lebanese army and deploying them in larger numbers in cooperation with UNIFIL in order to implement Resolution 1701. Implementing Resolution 1701 is the main subject of the French Foreign Minister's mission in Beirut, where he will arrive on Tuesday and listen to the Israelis' perspectives who want to neutralize Hezbollah's weapons and the return the settlers to the north. He will carry many ideas related to the implementation of Resolution 1701, expressing that France is committed to playing the role of mediator in any talks related to this matter while realizing the difficulty of accomplishing anything related to Lebanon before a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, according to what the Secretary-General of Hezbollah repeatedly stressed. While the French Minister will stress his country's continued support for the army and its commitment to work in the UNIFIL forces that are supposed to be neutralized from the conflict, he will also inform the Lebanese of the necessity of accelerating the election of a president of the republic. France is pursuing efforts in this framework on the unilateral level on the one hand and in the race of the Quintet committee on the other hand, and the French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian is in charge of the details of this file.

Israeli government informs US Envoy of Hezbollah violations, seeks diplomatic solutions
LBCI/February 05/2024
The spokesperson for the Israeli government announced on Monday that they had briefed the US envoy, Amos Hochstein, on the ongoing violations by Hezbollah along the northern borders of Israel. The discussions also explored diplomatic solutions to address the situation in southern Lebanon.

Diplomatic crossroads: Israel's balancing act with Hezbollah and Gaza ceasefire talks
LBCI/February 05/2024
The possibility of any ceasefire in Gaza may not extend to the southern front this time. After 120 days of conflict between Hezbollah and Israel and carrying Hezbollah out 961 military operations against Israeli army sites and points, there are 43 northern Israeli settlements evacuated, which is equivalent to a minimum of 81 thousand settlers who were displaced from them. This pressing reality of the Israeli occupation may make a ceasefire impossible in southern Lebanon if a truce agreement is reached in Gaza. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant confirmed that Tel Aviv would not ceasefire on the border with Lebanon against Hezbollah even if there is a ceasefire in Gaza. Concurrently with this statement and in light of talk about an expected truce in Gaza, American envoy Amos Hochstein arrived in Israel on a visit about which some Israeli media published positive signals. The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation spoke about solutions regarding the possibility of ending the tension between Hezbollah and Israel in a diplomatic manner. According to leaked information about Hochstein's proposal to Israelis, the plan in its initial stage calls for Hezbollah's withdrawal from southern Litani, strengthening the presence of the Lebanese Army and UNIFIL forces, and the return of residents of the northern settlements. In the second stage, negotiations would take place between Lebanon and Israel to demarcate land borders, resolving disputes over occupied and contested areas, with Israel willing to make concessions. Meanwhile, Yedioth Ahronoth published an article discussing progress in negotiations between the United States, France, Lebanon, and Hezbollah. It suggests that Israel might settle for a Hezbollah withdrawal of 8 to 12 kilometers from the border to eliminate perceived security threats and secure settlers' return.
In return, Israel might agree to return secondary points of disputed land. The newspaper reports that the majority of Hezbollah's elite force of 2000 members has withdrawn 4 to 6 kilometers from the border. However, the reports in the Israeli media about negotiations, progress, and withdrawals find no basis on the Lebanese side. The talk of a withdrawal of part of Hezbollah's elite force from the border has no field basis at all, and all Lebanese field sources deny it, sarcastically noting that the concerned Lebanese side is unaware of any negotiations to speak of progress and agreement.
Hezbollah, as its Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah stated, will not engage in talks or negotiations before a ceasefire in Gaza.

US presents new blueprint to push Hezbollah away from Israeli border
Naharnet/February 05/2024
U.S. President Joe Biden's Middle East envoy Amos Hochstein has outlined the key elements of a proposed political settlement to deescalate tensions between Israel and Hezbollah during his visit to Israel on Sunday, Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported. “The plan consists of two phases: In the first, Hezbollah would cease hostilities along the border with Israel and will retreat between eight to ten kilometers north from the border,” the daily said. “Israeli residents will return to their homes, and a significant deployment of the Lebanese army and UNIFIL peacekeeping forces will maintain stability in southern Lebanon and along the border,” the newspaper added. “In the second phase, Israel and Lebanon will begin negotiations to demarcate the land border, including discussions on 13 points on disputes along their shared boundaries. Simultaneously, the U.S. and the international community will explore offering ‘economic incentives’ to Lebanon,” Yedioth Ahronoth said. According to the daily, Hochstein has received the green light from the Lebanese government for his proposal, though it remains unclear whether Hezbollah agrees with the arrangement. The envoy, who on Sunday met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Minister Benny Gantz urged Israel to give his plan a chance, Yedioth Ahronoth said. Gallant for his part clarified to Hochstein that Israel is committed to improving the security situation in northern Israel, which includes returning northern residents to their homes after “eliminating the threat of raids and direct fire from Lebanese territory.” Gallant and Hochstein discussed various options for advancing diplomatic efforts to end the conflict, with Gallant emphasizing Israel's “commitment to its northern residents above all else,” stating that Israel is prepared to resolve the crisis diplomatically but is ready for any contingency. Gallant also thanked Hochstein for his extensive efforts to achieve a political solution and alter the situation at the northern border. Gantz for his part expressed his appreciation for “the significant efforts and the crucial role the United States plays in addressing current regional challenges” during his meeting with Hochstein. Gantz's office further reported that he emphasized to Hochstein that Lebanon bears responsibility for “terrorism emanating from its territory” and that Israel will expand and intensify its military actions to eliminate the threat unless the international community and Lebanon take steps to do so, regardless of the developments in the war in Gaza.

Border clashes resume ahead of possible Gaza truce
Naharnet/February 05/2024
Hezbollah announced Monday the death of three of its members, as Israeli artillery shelled the outskirts of Dhaira, Tayr Harfa, al-Jebbayn and Zibqine in south Lebanon. Hezbollah later claimed two attacks on Israeli posts in the occupied Shebaa Farms and Israel bombed the border towns of Mays al-Jabal, Rashaya al-Fokhar, Baraachit, al-Labbouneh, al-Naqoura, and Shihine. Israeli warplanes had struck overnight the southern border towns of Yaroun and Maroun al-Rass while Hezbollah targeted Sunday six posts in northern Israel, three of them in the occupied Shebaa Farms. On Sunday, local media outlets reported for the first time attacks by Hezbollah's ally, Amal. Amal has not announced any attack on Israel since the cross-border clashes began between Hezbollah and Israel on October 8 but announced the death of an Amal fighter in an Israeli drone strike in the South on November 11. Two Amal members were wounded in that strike. Two Amal fighters were also killed in an Israeli airstrike Friday night in the southern border town of Blida. Israeli artillery shelled the town as soldiers fired machine guns from the Bayad Blida post during the fighters' funeral procession Sunday. The mourners nonetheless continued with the ceremony. This was not the first time Israel strikes near a fighter's funeral procession in the south. In the past months of daily clashes, Israel had shelled and carried airstrikes near Hezbollah fighters' funeral processions in the south, including in Aita al-Shaab, Aytaroun and Kfarkila. Amal chief and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said Sunday that Amal is "resisting" in the south "within its military capabilities," which are far inferior to those of Hezbollah. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant had warned days ago that a potential pause in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza will not apply to the ongoing hostilities with Lebanon’s Hezbollah. The comments came amid negotiations via mediators between Israel and Hamas over a potential agreement that would see 136 hostages — almost three dozen of them confirmed dead — returned home in exchange for the release of a yet-to-be-determined number of Palestinian security prisoners as well as an extended pause in the fighting. Since the outbreak of war between Hamas and Israel on October 7, the Lebanese-Israeli border has witnessed near-daily exchanges of fire, mainly between the Israeli army and Hezbollah. The previous weeklong truce agreement in late November, in which 105 hostages were released, saw both Israel and Hezbollah hold their fire on the northern border, even though this wasn’t part of the agreement inked between Israel and Hamas via Qatar and Egypt.

Israeli officials see positive signs towards diplomatic path with Lebanon
Naharnet/February 05/2024
Senior White House adviser Amos Hochstein held talks overnight with senior officials in the Israeli government as part of American efforts to ease tensions on the border between the Israeli army and Hezbollah, as Israel’s Channel 12 reported “positive indicators and initial signs towards a diplomatic path that may lead to a political settlement that ensures that the war does not expand.”The channel added that Hochstein brought with him to Israel “indications that there is room for a diplomatic settlement,” and said that these signals would not have existed “without the tacit approval” of Hezbollah.
According to Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, Hochstein has outlined to Israel the key elements of a proposed two-phase political settlement. In the first phase of the plan, Hezbollah would cease hostilities along the border and retreat between eight to ten kilometers north from the frontier.

Israel says struck thousands of Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, Syria during Gaza war
Agence France Presse/February 05/2024
Israel has attacked more than 50 Hezbollah targets in Syria and 3,400 in Lebanon since the war with Hamas in Gaza began in October, Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari said. "Since the beginning of the war, we have attacked, from the ground and air, more than 50 such targets of Hezbollah spread throughout Syria," Hagari told reporters, adding that more than 3,400 similar strikes against the group had been carried out in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah has for years been fighting on the side of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in his country's war, and is an ally of Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.
Israel rarely comments on individual strikes targeting Syria, but it has repeatedly said it will not allow arch-foe Iran, which backs Assad, to expand its presence there. Since the outbreak of war between Hamas and Israel on October 7, the Lebanese-Israeli border has witnessed near-daily exchanges of fire, mainly between the Israeli army and Hezbollah. At least 218 people have been killed in Lebanon, mostly Hezbollah fighters but also at least 26 civilians, according to an AFP tally. Hagari on Saturday said more than 200 "terrorists and commanders" had been killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon.
In northern Israel, nine Israeli soldiers and six civilians have been killed since the war in Gaza began, Israeli officials have said.

Berri says Quintet supports president consensus through 'consultations'
Naharnet/February 05/2024
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has heard from the Quintet's ambassadors that there is no veto on any presidential candidate. Berri told al-Jadeed TV on Sunday that all the ambassadors including the Saudi ambassador have told him that the Quintet has no candidates and no veto on any name but would rather help the Lebanese choose their own president. The Speaker had met last week with the ambassadors of the member states of the five-nation group for Lebanon, which comprises the U.S., France, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt. He said after the meeting that the stance was unified and the meeting was promising. "We agreed that electing a president requires consensus," Berri said, adding that the ambassadors have suggested to call the pre-vote talks "consultations" instead of "dialogue." "Without consultations, we would fail to elect a president even if we hold fifty consecutive sessions," Berri explained, as neither of the two main parliamentary blocs -- Hezbollah and its opponents -- have the majority required to elect one. "I cannot prevent any party from boycotting the sessions because it is a constitutional right," Berri said, adding that what is needed is a quorum of 86. "I am not asking for unanimity," he said. Opposition MPs have criticized Berri's call for dialogue, urging Berri to call instead for consecutive sessions to elect a president, as the opposition considers that a president should be elected through a vote in parliament and not through dialogue.
Berri stressed that the Quintet's ambassadors are unified and willing to help the Lebanese end their presidential crisis. He added that he doesn't mind that deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab head the talks.

Berri signs budget bill, refers it to cabinet
NNA/February 05/2024
House Speaker, Nabih Berri, on Monday signed the 2024 budget bill and referred it to the Council of Ministers.

Farewell Letter from the President of the Lebanese Information Center
Washington, DC-February 5th, 2024
Dear friends and supporters,
After 25 remarkable years, it is with a mix of pride, gratitude, and nostalgia that I announce my departure from the Lebanese Information Center (LIC) presidency and my planned relocation to Lebanon. Founding the LIC in 1999, and steering it with many of you to become a vital voice for the Lebanese-American community and a trusted partner in fostering a free, sovereign, and democratic Lebanon, has been an immense privilege.
Our mission from the outset was simple yet powerful: to advocate for a Lebanon that thrives on the betterment of its people, on liberty and prosperity, and in line with the broader interests of the United States. From our Washington D.C. base, we worked tirelessly to achieve this.
Over the past quarter-century, the LIC has:
Helped shape key pieces of legislation and executive policies in line with the shared interests of Lebanon and the United States
Produced over 200 policy papers and research reports informing stakeholders in the U.S. government and the United Nations.
Issued over 100 letters and statements advocating for critical issues affecting Lebanon and the Middle East.
Built close relationships with members of consecutive U.S. administrations, members of Congress, United Nations agencies, think tanks, and academics
Organized events in Washington, including the Cedar Revolution commemorations on Capitol Hill as well as fireside talks and panels featuring key figures from Lebanon’s political scene
Facilitated meetings and connections between visiting Lebanese figures and U.S. counterparts.
Collaborated closely with other Lebanese American organizations, forming robust coalitions that amplified our collective voice.
This journey would not have been possible without the incredible dedication of our team of volunteers and the unwavering support of hundreds of members across the nation. To each and every one of you, I express my deepest gratitude. Through your continued efforts, the LIC can and will continue its mission.
I am confident in the future of the LIC under the capable leadership of Dr. Elie Semaan as the incoming president. I remain deeply committed to the cause and will continue to lend my support to the LIC's work, especially upon my return to Lebanon.
As I depart, I will cherish the profound relationships forged over the years with U.S. officials, foreign diplomats, non-governmental colleagues, Lebanese-Americans, and those from diverse backgrounds who believed in - and threw their weight behind - our vision for Lebanon.
Thank you for your trust, collaboration, and unwavering dedication to the dream of a strong and peaceful Lebanon. May the LIC continue to be a beacon of hope and a force for good in the years to come.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Joseph Gebeily

Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on February 05-06/2024
UN Security Council to meet on US strikes in Iraq and Syria
AFP/February 05, 2024
Meeting requested by Moscow, which labelled the US strikes acts of aggression against sovereign states and said they were raising tensions in the Middle East.
US military struck targets in Syria and Iraq overnight on Friday to Saturday, in retaliation for a Jan. 28 drone attack on a base in Jordan that killed three US soldiers
The UN Security Council was to convene Monday at Russia’s demand to discuss US air strikes on Iran-backed groups in Iraq and Syria in retaliation for a deadly drone attack on American soldiers. The meeting scheduled for 4:00 p.m. (2100 GMT) was requested urgently by Moscow, which labelled the US strikes acts of aggression against sovereign states and said they were raising tensions in the Middle East as the Israel-Hamas war rages. The US military struck targets in Syria and Iraq overnight on Friday to Saturday, in retaliation for a January 28 drone attack on a base in Jordan that killed three US soldiers.
The White House said Sunday it plans more US retaliation. The American strikes on dozens of targets — said by Washington to be Iran-backed militias — drew criticism from Iraq and Syria and also from Iran, which denies any role in last month’s drone attack. “There is no group affiliated with the Islamic Republic of Iran’s armed forces, whether in Iraq, Syria or elsewhere, that operates directly or indirectly under the control of the Islamic Republic of Iran or acts on its behalf,” Iran’s UN ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani said in a letter to the Security Council that was published Monday.

Saudi crown prince meets with Blinken in Riyadh
ARAB NEWS/February 05, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Riyadh on Monday, Saudi Press Agency reported. Blinken arrived in Riyadh earlier on in the day, on the first stop of his fifth regional tour since the beginning of the Israel-Gaza war. Blinken is later expected to visit Israel, Egypt and Qatar. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and the Kindom’s ambassdor to the US Princess Reema bint Bandar attended the meeting. Ahead of the trip, Blinken stressed the need for “urgently addressing humanitarian needs in Gaza,” after aid groups have repeatedly sounded the alarm over the devastating impact nearly four months of war have had on the besieged territory. The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said at least 27,478 people have been killed in the territory in nearly four months of war between Palestinian militants and Israel. A ministry statement said 66,835 people have been wounded since fighting erupted on Oct. 7.

Blinken heads to Mideast to press for Gaza truce
Agence France Presse/February 05/2024
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken headed to the Middle East for another crisis tour on Monday in a bid to secure a new truce in the Israel-Hamas war, as southern Gaza saw no let-up in fighting. On his fifth trip to the region since Hamas's October 7 attack that triggered the war, Blinken is expected to visit Saudi Arabia, Israel, Egypt and Qatar. Ahead of the trip he stressed the need for "urgently addressing humanitarian needs in Gaza", after aid groups have repeatedly sounded the alarm over the devastating impact on the besieged territory of nearly four months of war. "The situation is indescribable," said Said Hamouda, a Palestinian who fled his home in the Gaza Strip to the southern city of Rafah on the border with Egypt. Dubbed a "pressure cooker of despair" by the United Nations, Rafah now hosts more than half of Gaza's population, displaced due to Israel's assault. Over the weekend, Israel pressed further south towards the densely-crowded border city, warning its ground forces could advance on Rafah as part of its campaign to eradicate Hamas. On Monday morning, sources told AFP they could hear artillery shelling in the areas of eastern Rafah and Khan Younis, where Israel believes high-ranking Hamas officials are hiding. At least 128 people, mostly women and children, were killed in Israeli strikes overnight to Monday, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-ruled territory. The Hamas government media office said Israeli bombardments have continued across the centre and southern end of the coastal Strip, including near hospitals. The Israeli military said troops operating in the northern and central Gaza Strip had "killed dozens of terrorists," and were engaging with Hamas militants in the Khan Younis area. Hamas's armed wing said its militants attacked Israeli troops southwest of Gaza City.
No agreement yet
Blinken is expected to discuss a proposed truce thrashed out in a Paris meeting in January of top U.S., Israeli, Egyptian and Qatari officials. The diplomatic push has become more urgent with a surge in attacks across the region by Iran-backed groups in solidarity with Hamas, triggering counterattacks by the United States. The proposed truce would pause fighting for an initial six weeks as Hamas frees hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, according to a Hamas source. Hamas has said no agreement has yet been reached, while some Israeli officials have expressed opposition to any perceived concessions. The war was sparked by Hamas's unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Militants also seized around 250 hostages. Israel says 132 remain in Gaza -- including at least 28 believed to have been killed, according to updated figures from the prime minister's office. Vowing to eliminate Hamas, Israel launched a massive military offensive that has killed at least 27,365 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-ruled territory's health ministry.
Gazans have faced dire humanitarian conditions, and the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said on X that "there is very limited access to clean water and sanitation amid relentless bombardment". UNRWA itself is facing a major controversy after accusations that 12 staff members were involved in Hamas's October 7 attack. More than a dozen countries, led by the United States, suspended their funding to the agency after the claims surfaced. On Sunday, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warned that nations suspending funding to UNRWA were threatening the existence of an agency providing "vital aid to more than 1.1 million people in Gaza suffering from catastrophic hunger and the outbreak of diseases".
Humanitarian crisis -
Before departing for the region, Blinken said the humanitarian crisis would be one of his focuses. "Urgently addressing humanitarian needs in Gaza and advancing stability in the Middle East are priorities we share with Saudi Arabia," Blinken said he told Saudi foreign minister Faisal bin Farhan. The Gulf state had been mulling establishing formal relations with Israel before the war. After talks in January with de facto Saudi ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Blinken said he still saw a "clear interest" in pursuing normalisation. Blinken's latest Middle East visit comes as Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir told the Wall Street Journal that its key ally had not shown sufficient support. "Instead of giving us his full backing, (U.S. President Joe) Biden is busy with giving humanitarian aid and fuel (to Gaza), which goes to Hamas," he said in an article published Sunday. His outburst followed Washington imposing sanctions on four settlers amid rising violence against Palestinian civilians in the occupied West Bank. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hit back at Ben-Gvir, saying: "I don't need help to know how to navigate our relations with the U.S. and the international community, while standing firm on our national interests."As well as divisions within his cabinet, Netanyahu is also facing public fury over the fate of the remaining hostages. Hundreds of people rallied Saturday in Tel Aviv to demand early elections. Since the Gaza war broke out, Israel has also traded almost daily rocket fire with Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah across its northern border with Lebanon and evacuated many towns and communities there. Foreign Minister Israel Katz said Monday that "time is running out" to reach a diplomatic solution in south Lebanon. "Israel will act militarily to return the evacuated citizens" to its northern border area if no diplomatic solution is reached to end the violence, Katz told his visiting French counterpart Stephane Sejourne.

UN aid convoy hit by Israeli gunfire in northern Gaza
ARAB NEWS/February 05, 2024
LONDON: A UN humanitarian convoy carrying food aid was hit by Israeli naval gunfire while trying to cross into the northern Gaza Strip on Monday, the The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East said. Philippe Lazzarini, the agency’s commissioner general, said that although the agency notifies Israel of all aid convoys and coordinates with authorities on their movements, they continue to come under fire. He added that civilians and the convoys delivering humanitarian aid to them must be protected at all times. In a message posted on social media platform X, Tom White, the director of UNRWA Affairs in Gaza, said that no one was injured in the attack on Monday. Bahraini activist Nabeel Rajab condemned the incident, stating on X: “Israel is still acting as a rogue state or above international law. It has done everything contrary to what the International Court of Justice demanded.”Footage shared by UNRWA of a truck that was targeted circulated widely on social media. “We cannot deliver humanitarian aid under fire,” the agency said. “Safe and sustainable humanitarian access is urgently needed everywhere, including to the north of Gaza.”

At least 6 Kurdish-led fighters killed in drone attack on US base in Syria
Associated Press/February 05/2024
A drone attack on a base housing U.S. troops in eastern Syria killed six allied Kurdish fighters late Sunday, in the first significant attack in Syria or Iraq since the U.S. launched retaliatory strikes over the weekend against Iran-backed militias that have been targeting its forces in the region. The U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said Monday the attack hit a training ground at al-Omar base in Syria's eastern province of Deir el-Zour, where the forces' commando units are trained. No casualties were reported among U.S. troops. An umbrella group of Iran-backed Iraqi militias, dubbed the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, released a video claiming responsibility for the attack and showing them launching a drone from an unspecified location. In late January, a drone attack by the same group killed three U.S. troops and wounded dozens more at a desert base in Jordan. The U.S. military launched dozens of retaliatory strikes targeting Iran-backed militant groups in western Iraq and eastern Syria and also struck the Houthis in Yemen. The SDF initially accused "Syrian regime-backed mercenaries" of carrying out Sunday's attack but in a second statement blamed "Iran-backed militias" after investigating the attack. The umbrella group has launched dozens of drone attacks on U.S. military bases and troops in Iraq and Syria, and has called for the withdrawal of American soldiers from both countries. The attack comes as tensions flare across the Middle East amid the Israel-Hamas war, which was sparked by Hamas' rampage in southern Israel on Oct. 7. Meanwhile, Britain-based opposition war monitor Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least seven SDF fighters were killed in the attack on Sunday and at least 18 others wounded, some in critical condition. The attack late Sunday came two days after the U.S. military carried out strikes against militant targets linked to Iran in Syria and Iraq. The SDF said it has the right to respond to the attack. The U.S. military said it struck four anti-ship missiles on Sunday that were prepared to be fired at vessels in the Red Sea from Houthi rebel-controlled areas in Yemen. In a statement early Monday, the U.S. Central Command said the strikes were in self-defense and came after forces determined the missiles "presented an imminent threat to U.S. Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region." Sunday's strikes came a day after the U.S. and Britain launched a second wave of strikes against the Houthis, meant to degrade the Iranian-backed group' capabilities to attack vessels in the Red Sea. The U.S. and Britain said they hit 36 Houthi targets.

US warns of further retaliation if Iran-backed groups continue their attacks
Associated Press/February 05/2024
After a weekend of retaliatory strikes, the United States warned Iran and the militias it arms and funds that it will conduct more attacks if American forces in the Mideast continue to be targeted, but that it does not want an "open-ended military campaign" across the region. "We are prepared to deal with anything that any group or any country tries to come at us with," said Jake Sullivan, President Joe Biden's national security adviser. Sullivan said Iran should expect "a swift and forceful response" if it — and not one of its proxies — "chose to respond directly" against the U.S.
Sullivan delivered the warnings during a series of interviews with TV news shows after the U.S. and Britain on Saturday struck 36 Houthi targets in Yemen. The Iran-backed militants have fired on American and international interests repeatedly in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war. An air assault Friday in Iraq and Syria targeted other Iranian-backed militias and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in retaliation for the drone strike that killed three U.S. troops in Jordan last weekend. The U.S. fired again at Houthi targets on Sunday. "We cannot rule out that there will be future attacks from Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Syria or from the Houthis," Sullivan said. He said the president has told his commanders that "they need to be positioned to respond to further attacks as well." The U.S. has blamed the attack at the Tower 22 base in Jordan on Jan. 28 on the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of Iranian-backed militias. Iran has tried to distance itself from the drone strike, saying the militias act independently of its direction. Biden "is not looking for a wider war," Sullivan said, when questioned about the potential for strikes inside Iran that would expand the conflict in the volatile region. But when asked about the possibility of direct escalation by the Iranians, he said: "If they chose to respond directly to the United States, they would be met with a swift and forceful response from us."While pledging to respond in a "sustained way" to new assaults on Americans, Sullivan said he "would not describe it as some open-ended military campaign."
Still, he said, "We intend to take additional strikes and additional action to continue to send a clear message that the United States will respond when our forces are attacked or our people are killed." There will be more steps taken, he said. "Some of those steps will be seen. Some may not be seen." The U.S. attack on dozens of sites in Iraq and Syria hit more than 85 targets at seven locations. These included command and control headquarters, intelligence centers, rockets and missiles, drone and ammunition storage sites and other facilities that were connected to the militias or the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force, the expeditionary unit that handles Tehran's relationship with, and arming of, regional militias. The Biden administration has so far appeared to stop short of directly targeting Iran or senior leaders of the Quds Force within its borders.
The U.S. military does not have any confirmation at this time of civilian casualties from those strikes, Sullivan said. "What we do know is that the targets we hit were absolutely valid targets from the point of view of containing the weaponry and the personnel that were attacking American forces. So, we are confident in the targets that we struck."
Some of the militias have been a threat to U.S. bases for years, but the groups intensified their assaults in the wake of Israel's war with Hamas following the Oct. 7 attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw 250 others taken hostage. More than 27,000 people have been killed by Israel's offensive against Hamas in Gaza, the territory's Health Ministry has said. The Houthis have conducted almost daily missile or drone attacks against commercial and military ships transiting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden and they have made clear that they have no intention of scaling back their campaign despite a new international force to protect vessels in the vital waterway. U.S. strikes overnight Sunday struck across six provinces of Yemen held by the Houthi rebels, including in Sanaa, the capital. The Houthis gave no assessment of the damage but the U.S. described hitting underground missile arsenals, launch sites and helicopters used by the rebels."These attacks will not discourage Yemeni forces and the nation from maintaining their support for Palestinians in the face of the Zionist occupation and crimes," Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said. "The aggressors' airstrikes will not go unanswered." Meanwhile, Iran warned the U.S. over potentially targeting two cargo ships in the Mideast long suspected of serving as forwarding operating bases for Iranian commandos. The statement from Iran on the Behshad and Saviz ships appeared to signal Tehran's growing unease over the U.S. strikes across the region.
The ships are registered as commercial cargo ships with a Tehran-based company the U.S. Treasury has sanctioned as a front for the state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines. The Saviz, then later the Behshad, have loitered for years in the Red Sea off Yemen, suspected of serving as spy positions for Iran's Revolutionary Guard. In the video statement by Iran's regular army, a narrator describes the vessels as "floating armories." The narrator describes the Behshad as aiding an Iranian mission to "counteract piracy in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden." But Iran is not publicly known to have taken part in any of the recent campaigns against rising Somali piracy in the region off the back of the Houthi attacks. Just before the new campaign of U.S. airstrikes began, the Behshad traveled south into the Gulf of Aden. It's now docked in Djibouti in East Africa just off the coast from a Chinese military base in the country.
The statement ends with a warning overlaid with a montage of footage of U.S. warships and an American flag. "Those engaging in terrorist activities against Behshad or similar vessels jeopardize international maritime routes, security and assume global responsibility for potential future international risks," the video said. The U.S. Navy's Mideast-based 5th Fleet declined to comment over the threat. The Saviz is now in the Indian Ocean near where the U.S. alleges Iranian drone attacks recently have targeted shipping.
Sullivan appeared on NBC's "Meet the Press," ABC's "This Week," CNN's "State of the Union" and CBS' "Face the Nation."

What to know about the situation in the Middle East this week
Associated Press/February 05/2024
The United States and Britain have struck Iran-backed armed groups in Syria, Iraq and Yemen, while Israel presses ahead with its offensive against Hamas in Gaza. Here is what to know about what is happening in the region now, and why:
US ATTACKS ON GROUPS BACKED BY IRAN
On Friday, the U.S. struck Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq and Syria in retaliation for the killing of three American soldiers at a U.S. base on the Syria-Jordan border. At the same time, Washington emphasized that it doesn't want to escalate the conflict with Iran into outright war. To date, the militias have not struck back, indicating that they don't want all-out war with the U.S. either.
WHY THE US IS IN THE REGION
U.S. troops maintain a presence in the area to fight the Islamic State group. They returned to Iraq in 2014 after the extremists overran much of the country's north and started a genocidal campaign against the Yazidis, a religious minority. U.S. forces are also present in Syria, where they work with Kurdish-led fighters to keep pressure on IS, as well as in Jordan, a long-standing Western ally. The U.S. rushed additional warships to the region after Hamas' attack on Israel on Oct. 7 and the start of the war in Gaza to deter Iran and its clients from further escalation.
STRIKES ON YEMEN'S HOUTHI REBELS OVER RED SEA ATTACKS
Separately, American and British forces have repeatedly struck Houthi rebels in Yemen, who are also backed by Iran. This was in response to persistent Houthi missile and drone attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea, one of the world's most important shipping lanes. The Houthis say their attacks are to put pressure on Israel to cease its campaign in the Gaza Strip. The U.S. and Britain say their goal is to protect free navigation and trade in the Red Sea, which has already seen a big drop in cargo traffic as a result of the attacks.
THE WAR IN GAZA IS AT THE HEART OF IT ALL
All these events are linked to the war in Gaza, which began with Hamas' Oct. 7 raid into southern Israel. Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 Israelis and kidnapped around 250 that day. Israel responded with an air and ground campaign that has so far killed over 27,000 Palestinians. The United States, Qatar and Egypt are trying to negotiate a cease-fire to free the remaining hostages and provide relief to the Palestinian people, most of whom are displaced from their homes. More than 100 captives were released during a weeklong truce in November in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
HOW THE WAR COULD AFFECT THE REGION IN THE LONG TERM
The Israel-Hamas war is reverberating across the entire Middle East. The U.S. and Israel on one side and Iran and its militant allies on the other each see themselves as responding to and deterring aggression from the other. Israel views Iran as its greatest threat, while Iran considers its alliance of militant groups a way to pressure Israel and deter an attack by Israel or the United States. Neither side is believed to be seeking a broader war, but a miscalculation could send the region spiraling toward one. The danger may be the biggest across the Israel-Lebanon border, where Israeli forces and the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah have engaged in low-intensity fighting since the war in Gaza started.

Saudi defense minister discusses regional developments during call with US
SAEED AL-BATATI/Arab News/February 05, 2024
AL-MUKALLA: Yemen’s Houthi militia is ready to make peace with Saudi Arabia, the groups’ deputy foreign minister said on Monday, accusing the US of obstructing efforts to reach a settlement. Speaking to reporters in Sanaa, Hussein Al-Ezzi expressed “special gratitude” to Saudi Arabia for its unwillingness to join US-UK strikes on Yemen, adding that the militia is “eager” to enter peace negotiations with the Kingdom. “Sanaa is prepared for peace with Riyadh despite the challenges posed by the US and its associated Yemeni groups,” Al-Ezzi said.
The US and UK have carried out about 300 strikes in Yemen since Jan. 12, the official said, threatening to make the US pay a “heavy price” for the attacks. “America is the one assaulting us, and it will not escape retribution, and we will never remain mute about the aggression against our nation, and it will have no impact on our stance toward Gaza and Palestine.”Since November, the Houthis have seized a commercial ship and launched dozens of missiles and drones at civilian as well as military vessels in the Red Sea. Al-Ezzi said that the militia, in a show of support to Palestine, only targets Israel-linked ships or vessels on their way to the country. US and UK military and commercial ships were added to the militia’s list of targets after the two countries launched strikes on Yemen, he added. The Houthi warning to strike US and UK ships came as Houthi media and Yemenis in the Houthi-controlled western province of Hodeidah reported explosions on Sunday night when jets struck targets in the Ras Isa, Al-Zaydiyah and Al-Hawak districts. On Monday afternoon, the Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV channel claimed that the US and UK forces conducted attacks on Hodeidah’s Al-Katheeb area. Meanwhile, Yemen’s internationally recognized government said that UN pressure to end its offensive on Hodeidah city in 2018 had led to the escalating Houthi violence on the Red Sea since last year. Yemeni Information Minister Muammar Al-Eryani on Sunday blamed the UN and its former Yemen envoy, Martin Griffiths, for pressuring the Yemeni government to abandon its military offensive on the Houthi-controlled port city and sign the UN-brokered Stockholm Agreement. Government forces controlled Hodeidah’s airport, as well as the city’s southern and eastern entrances, and were only a few kilometers from the city’s port before the UN urged an end to the offensive, he added. At the time, the UN warned that conflict in Hodeidah would halt the supply of 70 percent of the country’s humanitarian aid and other essential items through the city’s port. “The entire world is paying the price for ignoring government warnings about the dangers of allowing the Iranian regime and its arms in the region, most notably the Houthi militia, to control the city of Hodeidah and its ports,” Al-Eryani said, according to the SABA news agency.

Syria's 'miracle' quake baby, other orphans mark first year without families
Associated Press/February 05/2024
Aya al-Sudani, a bubbly toddler with a toothy smile, will mark her first birthday on Tuesday, but there will be no celebration with cake and presents. The day also marks a dark memory. On Feb. 6, 2023, a massive earthquake hit Syria and Turkey and the baby girl was pulled alive from the rubble of her family's house in the town of Jinderis in northern Syria. She was still attached by an umbilical cord to her dead mother. The girl was named "Baby Aya" — Aya is Arabic for "a sign from God" — by hospital workers but nicknamed Afraa in memory of her mother by the relatives who are now her guardians. The newborn was the only surviving member of her immediate family after the devastating quake that killed more than 59,000 people. She was one of hundreds of children orphaned or separated from their families by the disaster, on top of many more who have lost their parents in the country's nearly 13-year civil war. Some 542 children were found "unaccompanied and separated" after the earthquake throughout Syria, said Eva Hinds, a spokesperson for the United Nations children's agency or UNICEF. Some were eventually reunited with their parents, others placed with "close relatives or extended family, and some have been supported with alternative care," she said. Local authorities in northwest Syria say at least 537 children lost a parent to the quake, although of those only 61 were recorded as having lost both their mother and father. The real number is likely higher. A year later, those children have begun to adjust to their new reality, most of them living now with extended family while smaller numbers have ended up in foster homes or orphanages. For many of them, losing their parents in the earthquake was only the latest in a string of tragedies. "Almost everyone in Syria at this point has a personal connection to loss because of the conflict," said Kathryn Achilles, a spokesperson for Save the Children 's Syria response office. "It's not something that children should have to learn to live with … having to deal with loss and deal with displacement and deal with losing family and community." Yasmine Shahoud was 11 when the earthquake struck. Her family had been displaced from their hometown of Maarat al-Numan to the town of Armanaz in northwest Syria, about 70 kilometers (45 miles) away. Despite the war, she remembers many carefree hours playing and laughing with her siblings after school.
On Feb. 6, their house collapsed, and she was buried under the rubble for 20 hours before rescue workers pulled her out. Yasmine's arm and leg were crushed, requiring a series of surgeries. For the first few weeks, no one had the heart to tell the badly injured girl that her family was dead.
"When I arrived at the hospital, the child Yasmine was in a state of shock and didn't understand what had happened," said Ghaitha al-Ibrahim, a social worker with the Syrian American Medical Society who has followed her case.
The girl stayed for several months in an orphanage to be near the hospital and because she needed intensive physical therapy. Now she is living with her grandfather, aunt and uncle and cousins, with whose help, she said, "I made it through a lot of hard steps." Although she still walks with difficulty, she has gone back to school. She hopes eventually to become a pharmacist.
The first period was "very, very hard," Yasmine said, but "thank God, I'm getting better."
In the town of Harem in Idlib province, where 8-year-old Hanaa Shreif now lives with her grandfather and uncle's family, she likes to play with her baby cousin, born after the earthquake, who was named Mahmoud at Hanaa's request after her deceased father.
Hanaa's parents and sister died in the quake and Hanaa was trapped under the rubble for 33 hours. At first, doctors thought her hand would have to be amputated. "She asked about her family, her mother and her father, and bit by bit we told her that they had gone to heaven," said her uncle, Ali Shreif. After the earthquake, some children "were found in the streets, in garbage dumps, in front of mosques or among the fields who had been abandoned," said Alaeddin Janid, founder of Child Houses, a non-governmental organization that runs two shelters for orphaned or abandoned children. The organization works to reunite them with family members or place them in foster homes. Islam generally does not recognize legal adoption but encourages providing long-term guardianship to orphans. Their center was badly damaged in the earthquake — although staff and children managed to get out safely — and they had to quickly secure another location to be able to receive the flood of children orphaned or separated from their families by the quake. Some of the shelter staff buried their own loved ones and then came back to work. They were soon caring for about 100 children in their shelters, which before would host no more than 35. "About 70% of them, we were able to find their relatives and 30%, their family was all dead or the relatives had abandoned the child," Janid said. In those cases, he said, the group worked to place the children with vetted foster families. "An orphanage is not a suitable place for any child to begin his life."
Despite the tragedy of her birth, Baby Aya — or Afraa — was one of the lucky ones. With no memory of the family she lost, the only parents she knows are her aunt and aunt's husband who took her in. Their four daughters and two sons have become like her sisters and brothers. The family has an apartment in Jinderis where they stay in the daytime, but at night they crowd into a tent in one of the area's displacement camps, still afraid to sleep in a concrete building lest another earthquake should bring it down on their heads. Since the earthquake, the area lacks both work opportunities and schools.
The baby's uncle and guardian, Khalil al-Sawadi, said he hopes she will have the chance to study — possibly outside of Syria — and "take the highest degree, not like my children." The family will not celebrate her first birthday because "this day is a painful memory." But he said, "I have hope at the same time because of the presence of Afraa, and we will tell her about this memory when she gets older."

Statement by the UN Secretary-General – on UNRWA
UNIC/New York, 5 February 2024”
NNA - Below is a statement by the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, on the issue of UNRWA: “The Secretary-General, in consultation with UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini, has appointed an independent Review Group to assess whether the Agency is doing everything within its power to ensure neutrality and to respond to allegations of serious breaches when they are made. The review will be led by Catherine Colonna, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs of France, who will work with three research organizations: the Raoul Wallenberg Institute in Sweden, the Chr. Michelsen Institute in Norway, and the Danish Institute for Human Rights. The Review Group will begin its work on 14 February 2024 and is expected to submit an interim report to the Secretary-General late March 2024, with a final report expected to be completed by late April 2024. The final report will be made public.
This review is in response to a request made by UNRWA Commissioner-General Lazzarini earlier this year. The Review Group’s terms of reference are:
To identify the mechanisms and procedures that the Agency currently has in place to ensure neutrality and to respond to allegations or information indicating that the principle may have been breached; To ascertain how those mechanisms and procedures have, or have not, been implemented in practice and whether every practicable effort has been made to apply them to their full potential, taking into account the particular operational, political and security environment in which the Agency works;
To assess the adequacy of those mechanisms and procedures and whether they are fit for purpose, including in relation to the management of risks and taking into account the particular operational, political and security context in which the Agency works;
To make recommendations for the improvement and strengthening, if necessary, of the mechanisms and procedures that are currently in place or for the creation of new and alternative mechanisms and procedures that would be better fit for purpose, taking into account the particular operational, political and security context in which the Agency works; The Secretary-General notes that these accusations come at a time when UNRWA, the largest UN organization in the region, is working under extremely challenging conditions to deliver life-saving assistance to the 2 million people in the Gaza Strip who depend on it for their survival amidst one of the largest and most complex humanitarian crises in the world.  This independent external review will take place in parallel with an investigation currently underway by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) into allegations of the involvement of 12 UNRWA personnel in the 7 October attacks. The cooperation of the Israeli authorities, who made these allegations, will be critical to the success of the investigation.

Iran starts constructing new nuclear reactor
AFP/February 05/2024
Iran announced on Monday that it has begun the construction of a new nuclear reactor for research purposes in Isfahan, days after declaring the construction of a complex for nuclear power plants in the south. The Iranian news agency quoted Mohammad Eslami, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, saying, "Today, the process of pouring concrete to lay the foundations of the reactor in Isfahan has begun."The Isfahan Nuclear Research Center in central Iran currently houses three main reactors. The agency stated that the new research reactor, with a capacity of 10 megawatts, is being built to create a vital source of neutrons. It further mentioned that the reactor will have a range of applications, including fuel and nuclear material testing, production of industrial radioactive isotopes, and radioactive pharmaceuticals.

Israel to provide evidence of 'UNRWA's ties to terrorism'
AFP/February 05/2024
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said on Monday that his government has evidence of the connection between the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and "terrorism" and that they will present it to the new committee formed by the UN Secretary-General to assess the agency's work. Katz wrote on X, "We will present all the evidence that shows UNRWA's ties to terrorism and its detrimental effects on regional stability. It is essential for this committee to reveal the truth."

UN agency says Israeli naval fire hit food convoy in Gaza
Agence France Presse/February 05/2024
The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees said Monday that a Gaza food convoy was struck by the Israeli navy, which controls the waters off the territory. "This morning a food convoy waiting to move into northern Gaza was hit by Israeli naval gunfire," UNRWA's Gaza chief Thomas White wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Iran uses UK bank accounts to escape from sanctions, Financial Times says
AFP//February 05/2024
Iran used the British bank Lloyds and the British branch of Santander, the Spanish bank, to transfer money and evade US sanctions, according to the Financial Times newspaper. The banks reportedly opened accounts for dummy companies based in the United Kingdom, but in reality, these were linked to a petrochemical company controlled by Tehran, subject to US sanctions since 2018, as per the financial documents reviewed by the newspaper. The report states that this company is part of a "network accused by the United States of collecting millions of dollars for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and working on behalf of Russian intelligence agencies to raise funds for militias loyal to Iran." A spokesperson for Santander in the UK told AFP that the bank "has not violated any US sanctions according to our investigations," emphasizing compliance with sanctions-related requests and proactive cooperation with British and US authorities. Lloyds spokesperson told AFP that the British bank's activities "are carried out by sanctions laws" and cannot provide information on specific clients or suspicious activities reported to authorities due to legal restrictions. A source close to Lloyds affirmed that the client mentioned in the report is not subject to British or US sanctions. Immediate comments from the British government were not available.

Russian shelling of Kherson kills four, official says
Agence France Presse/February 05/2024
Russian shelling of the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson killed four people and injured one other person on Monday, a local official said. "As of this hour, there are four dead and one wounded," said Roman Mrochko, head of the Kherson city military administration.

US official reveals injuries to Syrian Democratic Forces in Al-Omar oil field attack
LBC/February 05/2024
A US defense official told Al Jazeera on Monday that the attack on the Al-Omar oil field base resulted in multiple injuries among the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

About 40 killed in violence near disputed Sudan-South Sudan border
REUTERS/February 05, 2024
JUBA: About 40 people, many of them civilians, have been killed in violence in a disputed area on South Sudan’s border with Sudan over the weekend and hundreds have sought refuge in a UN peacekeepers’ compound, a government official said on Monday.
Frequent clashes have taken place in Abyei region between rival factions of the Dinka ethnic group because of a dispute over the location of an administrative boundary where significant tax revenue is collected from cross-border trade. Abyei is an oil-rich area that is jointly administered by South Sudan and Sudan, which have both staked claims to it. The region’s information minister, Bulis Koch, said: “In the attacks that took place on Feb. 2 and 3, several markets were set on fire, property looted and altogether 19 civilians got killed and 18 others were wounded.”A further 18 people were killed in separate attacks on Sunday, he said. Among those killed were three children and a local staff member working for Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). The clashes also displaced hundreds of people, who sought refuge in the compound of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) peacekeeping force. Koch said young men from neighboring Warrap state and from a militia linked to rebel and spiritual leader Gai Machiek had taken part in the violence. Warrap State’s information minister Willima Wol, MSF South Sudan and UNISFA did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In late January at least 54 people including women, children and two UN peacekeepers were killed in attacks in the same area. More than 2,000 people were now sheltering at UNISFA’s compound due to the fighting in January and this past weekend, Koch said.

US House speaker rejects Senate border-Ukraine aid deal
Associated Press/February 05/2024
Senators have released a highly anticipated $118 billion package that pairs border enforcement policy with wartime aid for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies, but it quickly ran into a wall of opposition from top House Republicans, including Speaker Mike Johnson. The proposal could be the best chance for President Joe Biden to resupply Ukraine with wartime aid — a major foreign policy goal that is shared with both the Senate's top Democrat, Sen. Chuck Schumer, and top Republican, Sen. Mitch McConnell. The Senate was expected this week to hold a key test vote on the legislation, but within hours of the text being released Johnson said on social media that it would be "dead on arrival" if it reaches the House. With Congress stalled on approving $60 billion in Ukraine aid, the U.S. has halted shipments of ammunition and missiles to Kyiv, leaving Ukrainian soldiers outgunned as they try to beat back Russia's invasion.
Senators have been working for months on the carefully negotiated compromise intended to overcome opposition from conservatives who have tired of funding Ukraine's fight. But the coming days will be a crucial test of whether congressional leaders can once again muscle their members to support a package designed to assert American strength — and commitment — around the world. They will also be weighing whether to continue pressing on one of the most fraught issues in American politics — border and immigration legislation. Biden said in a statement that the Senate proposal "allows the United States to continue our vital work, together with partners all around the world, to stand up for Ukraine's freedom and support its ability to defend itself against Russia's aggression."And on the border, Biden said that the immigration system has been broken for too long, and it's time to fix it. "It will make our country safer, make our border more secure, treat people fairly and humanely while preserving legal immigration, consistent with our values as a nation," the Democratic president said. The proposal would overhaul the asylum system with faster and tougher enforcement, as well as give presidents new powers to immediately expel migrants if authorities become overwhelmed with the number of people applying for asylum. The new bill would also invest in U.S. defense manufacturing, send $14 billion in military aid to Israel, steer nearly $5 billion to allies in the Asia-Pacific, and provide humanitarian assistance to civilians caught in conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. In a call with reporters after releasing the legislation, Schumer said he has never worked so closely with McConnell. He called the bill a "monumental step" toward strengthening national security at home and abroad.
Without the Ukraine aid, Schumer said, he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin "could be rolling over Ukraine and even into Eastern Europe." McConnell said in a statement that the Senate must be "prepared to act."
"America's sovereignty is being tested here at home, and our credibility is being tested by emboldened adversaries around the world," McConnell said. "The challenges we face will not resolve themselves, nor will our adversaries wait for America to muster the resolve to meet them." In a bid to overcome opposition from House Republicans, McConnell had insisted last year that border policy changes be included in the national security funding package. However, in an election-year shift on immigration, Biden and many Democrats have embraced the idea of strict border enforcement, while Donald Trump and his allies have criticized the proposed measures as insufficient.
Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, said on social media, "I've seen enough. This bill is even worse than we expected, and won't come close to ending the border catastrophe the President has created."Republicans have been reluctant to give Biden a political win on an issue they see as one of his biggest vulnerabilities and argue that presidents already have enough authority to curb illegal border crossings — a stance that would ensure immigration remains a major issue in the presidential election. Yet at the same time, House Republicans have also pushed for their own, stricter version of border security legislation.
That bill, which passed the House last year without a single Democratic vote, currently has no chance of gaining the Democratic support it would need in the Senate. GOP senators also attempted to add it on to other legislation last year, but that effort only gained 46 votes. Johnson indicated Saturday that the House will vote on a separate package of $17.6 billion of military aid for Israel — a move that allows House Republicans to show support for Israel apart from the Senate deal.
It is also unclear if the bill will pass in the Senate. Senate Republicans have been divided on the bill, with several in McConnell's ranks arguing that it isn't strong enough. Some quickly said they would vote against it. "The 'border deal' is an easy NO. It reads like a parody of an actual border security bill," Sen. Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican, posted on social media. The bipartisan proposal is aimed at gaining control of an asylum system that has been overwhelmed by historic numbers of migrants coming to the border.
Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford, who negotiated the bill for Republicans, told reporters that GOP critics were missing parts of the bill that would give Republicans wins on issues they have talked about for years. He said it provides border-wall money, expands deportation flights, increases the number of border officers and creates a faster process for deportation. Republican critics, he said, should look at "how it clears up a lot of the long-term issues and loopholes that have existed in the asylum law and it gives us an emergency authority that stops the chaos right now on the border."
Migrants who seek asylum, which provides protection for people facing persecution in their home countries, would face a tougher and faster process to having their claim evaluated. The standard in initial interviews would be raised, and many would receive those interviews within days of arriving at the border. Final decisions on their asylum claims would happen within months, rather than the often years-long wait that happens now. They would also be given work permits if they pass the initial screenings. "America is and continues to be a bastion of hope for true asylum seekers," Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, an Arizona independent who negotiated the border proposal, told reporters on a phone call. "But it is not an open door for economic migrants. It has been, as we know, exploited dramatically by cartels in the last four to five years." If the number of illegal border crossings reaches above 5,000 daily for a five-day average, an expulsion authority would automatically kick in so that migrants who cross illegally are expelled without an opportunity to make an asylum claim. If the number reaches 4,000, presidential administrations would have the option of using the new authority. Under the proposal, migrants could still apply at ports of entry.
Biden, referencing the authority, has said he would use it to "shut down the border" as soon as the bill is signed into law. The bill would allot $20 billion to immigration enforcement, including the hiring of thousands of new officers to evaluate asylum claims and hundreds of Border Patrol agents, as well as funding local governments that have seen influxes of migrants.
Among Democrats, the tougher asylum standards have raised concern, especially from progressive and Hispanic lawmakers. Sen. Alex Padilla, a Democrat of California, said in a statement that the proposal would cause "more chaos at the border, not less."
Immigration advocates were highly critical of new limits on asylum, with some urging that the bill be rejected in its current form. The $14 billion in the package intended for military support for Israel could also splinter Democratic votes. Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent of Vermont, is pushing to strip $10 billion for offensive weaponry for Israel from the package while maintaining money for defensive systems. Schumer said he would schedule a key test vote on the legislation Wednesday.

King Charles, 75, Announces Cancer Diagnosis, Postpones All Future Engagements for
Stephanie Petit/People/February 5, 2024
"During The King's recent hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, a separate issue of concern was noted. Subsequent diagnostic tests have identified a form of cancer," the palace said in a statement. "His Majesty has today commenced a schedule of regular treatments, during which time he has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties. Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual," they continued. "The King is grateful to his medical team for their swift intervention, which was made possible thanks to his recent hospital procedure. He remains wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible," the statement added. "His Majesty has chosen to share his diagnosis to prevent speculation and in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer." PEOPLE understands King Charles told his sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, about the diagnosis himself. A source says William, 41, is in regular contact with his father while Harry, 39, who relocated to California with his wife, Meghan Markle, in 2020, is expected to travel to the U.K. in the coming days. The King also personally informed his siblings, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, before the news was made public. King Charles was seen with Queen Camilla attending church on Sunday at St. Mary Magdalene Church near Sandringham, where the royal family traditionally attends mass on Christmas Day. It marked the monarch's first outing since leaving the hospital on Jan. 29 following a three-day stay after his prostate procedure. King Charles returned to London from Sandringham on Monday to commence treatment as an out-patient.The monarch had stepped away from public duties amid his recovery from prostate surgery, and it's not known when he will return to royal engagements given his cancer diagnosis. PEOPLE understands he will continue to receive red boxes, the monarch's daily delivery of documents needing his attention, and process state documents during his treatment. There are currently no plans to appoint Counsellors of State to act on King Charles' behalf. Last week, Queen Camilla, 76, visited Maggie’s Royal Free to officially open the new cancer support center at the Royal Free Hospital in London ahead of World Cancer Day. On Sunday, the royal family marked the day of recognition on social media by sharing photos of the Queen's outing. Buckingham Palace revealed that the King was seeking treatment for an enlarged prostate on Jan. 17. “In common with thousands of men each year, The King has sought treatment for an enlarged prostate. His Majesty's condition is benign and he will attend hospital next week for a corrective procedure,” the palace statement said. “The King’s public engagements will be postponed for a short period of recuperation.” He disclosed his diagnosis in hopes that it would inspire men to get checked. His decision proved to make an impact: after his announcement, there was a 1,000% increase in searches about prostate enlargement on the U.K.’s National Health Service website. Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! It was announced earlier on Monday that Prince William will return to public duty this week. The Prince of Wales and heir to the throne, 41, cleared his schedule as his wife, Kate Middleton, had abdominal surgery on Jan. 16. After a 13-day hospital stay, the Princess of Wales, 42, is continuing her recovery at home in Windsor.

Latest English LCCC  analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on February 05-06/2024
Regional war is upon us if Biden does not halt the Gaza carnage
Baria Alamuddin/Arab News/February 05, 2024
The recent missile strikes against Iran-backed Al-Hashd Al-Sha’abi militants in Iraq may have been one of America’s largest military interventions in years, but they were just one maneuver in a rapidly escalating conflict across many states, encompassing increasingly fierce military exchanges with the Houthis in Yemen. Israel has simultaneously been carrying out a succession of targeted killings of Revolutionary Guard officers in Syria. Tehran invariably fulminates that such assassinations “will not go unanswered” — although, if that is true, we are still awaiting retribution for the US killing of Qassem Soleimani in 2020.
The US attacks were retaliation for the drone strike that killed three US soldiers in a military base at the strategically crucial intersection between Jordan, Syria and Iraq. US troops there have labored to prevent Daesh from reestablishing transregional networks, while obstructing Tehran-backed paramilitaries from consolidating a corridor of control through to the Mediterranean.
So, it is not surprising that these proxies have incessantly attacked this location, seeking to compel the Americans to leave altogether, with more than 160 attacks on US targets since Oct. 7 alone. An Iraqi spokesman accused the US of turning Iraqi territory into a “battleground for settling scores,” perfectly encapsulating how Iraq has been exploited for too many years. Iraqi factions such as Harakat Hezbollah Al-Nujaba and Kata’ib Hezbollah have been dangerously goading each other
The Al-Hashd Al-Sha’abi umbrella coalition of Iran-backed militants was constituted in 2014, supposedly to fight Daesh. But since Daesh’s defeat, these forces have doubled in size to about 240,000 personnel, with a commensurate expansion of their budget, generously provided by the Iraqi state. This entity’s “axis of resistance” pretentions highlight its aspiration to dominate not just Iraq and Syria, but the entire region. As with the Houthis, many of the Hashd’s component factions were established, armed and trained under the tutelage of the Quds Force and Lebanese Hezbollah.
While these militias operate at Iran’s behest, they are like a sack of wildcats, uncertainly wielded by Quds Force Commander Esmael Ghaani and engaging in fierce rivalry to dominate their respective mafia fiefdoms. Iraqi factions such as Harakat Hezbollah Al-Nujaba and Kata’ib Hezbollah have been dangerously goading each other into which can most brazenly attack foreign forces.
However, at the first sign of a more serious American response, a rapidly backpedaling Kata’ib Hezbollah leader Abu Hussein Al-Hamidawi said the group was halting missile attacks. Even though the group has Quds Force personnel in its leadership council, Al-Hamidawi vigorously denied any Iranian coordination. Meanwhile, Harakat Hezbollah Al-Nujaba mocked its rival’s “cowardice” and pledged to continue its attacks. Kata’ib Hezbollah’s assertion that it had halted attacks to “prevent embarrassment to the Iraqi government” was risible, given how the group has forged a career out of undermining Iraqi sovereignty. It was also an acknowledgment of tensions among these paramilitary groups that hold seats in government at the same time as staging attacks against a superpower that Iraq is highly dependent on.
Ayatollah Khomeini once said that maintaining the Islamic Republic was a duty “above all duties.” And, as CIA director William Burns aptly noted, this regime is “ready to fight to its last regional proxy” in the cause of self-preservation, even if it must incinerate its paramilitary armies and the entire region in the process. Lebanon particularly fears being dragged into a regionwide war that would displace and kill hundreds of thousands. Even if the worst-case scenario is avoided, the conflict has already chronically destabilized this bankrupt, crisis-ridden nation, with widespread use of phosphorus bombs further crippling agriculture in southern areas that are still impacted by unexploded cluster ordnance from 2006.
The only route out of this inexorable hour-by-hour escalation is to bring the Gaza war to an end
The Gaza conflict has made US President Joe Biden deeply unpopular among young, multiethnic pro-Palestinian demographics in crucial swing constituencies: hence the ludicrous announcement of sanctions on a grand total of four Israeli settlers complicit in the tsunami of violence against West Bank Palestinians.
On the subject of strikes on US forces in Iraq and America’s response, White House security spokesman John Kirby said: “The goal here is to get these attacks to stop. We’re not looking for a war with Iran.” But regionwide attacks will not stop without Tehran being held definitively to account.
At the risk of stating the obvious, the only route out of this inexorable hour-by-hour escalation is to bring the Gaza war to an end. Israel has spectacularly failed to eradicate Hamas, so operations there now appear solely designed to retain Benjamin Netanyahu in power at the cost of tens of thousands of Palestinian lives — but they could easily trigger something infinitely worse. By all accounts, the US has been engaged in frantic high-level diplomacy to achieve comprehensive Arab rapprochement with Israel in exchange for Israel’s recognition of a two-state solution, along with Hamas releasing its hostages. The success of such a grandiose scheme would indeed be transformative, though it requires Netanyahu to halt the bloodshed and waive his hostility to a Palestinian state. It also relies on Tehran not deploying its proxies in a blocking role. Consequently, as well as taking decisive action to demonstrate to the ayatollahs that warmongering will only bring catastrophe to the gates of Tehran, Biden must bend Israel to his will in a manner America has never done before. It is not as if Washington lacks the levers: Israel is dependent on US military aid, American support at the UN Security Council and the US’ ability to mobilize global support. It is also not as if Biden has much to lose from falling out with a politically dead in the water Netanyahu. Conversely, if the conflict was allowed to worsen and Iran’s proxy militias, with their hundreds of thousands of soldiers and vast missile arsenals, did decide to embark on war, the US and its allies would be instantly drawn into this morass to prevent Israel being utterly destroyed.If not for the sake of humanity, Biden certainly wishes to avoid this doomsday scenario in an election year. He must therefore jettison the ludicrous half measures that only create the illusion of doing something and use all levers at his disposal to compel Netanyahu to immediately halt this futile, genocidal war.
*Baria Alamuddin is an award-winning journalist and broadcaster in the Middle East and the UK. She is editor of the Media Services Syndicate and has interviewed numerous heads of state.

The land of wars, surprises and earthquakes
Ghassan Charbel/AAsharq Al-Awsat/February 05, 2024
The developments in the Middle East are not simple. Operation Al-Aqsa Flood unleashed an earthquake and, the very next day, it sparked a limited war launched by Hezbollah across the Lebanese-Israeli border. A decision is in place to prevent that war from spiraling out of control.
Soon after, pro-Iran factions in Iraq launched a battle to expel the Americans from the country. The confrontation there is on the verge of turning into a war or what looks like a war. Elsewhere, the Houthis played their card by threatening marine navigation in the Red Sea, even though they have claimed that their battle is against Israeli vessels or vessels headed to Israel. It is not simple to watch American and British jets launch strikes on Houthi positions in Yemen and to watch jets strike Iranian targets in Syria and Iraq.
Throughout all of this, Washington keeps saying it does not want a large-scale war in the region. Tehran is also making the same statements. In such a precarious region and amid such volatile conditions, the game could slip from the hands of the players to become greater and even more dangerous.
Amid the tragedy unfolding in Gaza, a story has been presented that is worth pausing to listen to. It says that Hamas’ leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, definitely planned a sophisticated operation that would revive the dormant scene. It adds that, in spite of the small number of attackers, Sinwar was hoping that they would abduct several Israeli soldiers to force Tel Aviv to negotiate their release and force it to ease the stifling siege on Gaza.
The story stresses that the Hamas fighters were surprised by the weakness of the Israeli security measures in the areas they attacked and the extent of the infiltration they achieved. They ended up abducting far more Israelis and left far more Israeli victims than they had anticipated.
The story also stresses that the Israeli authorities were taken by surprise by the extent of Hamas’ breach. They were left with no choice but to launch a wide-scale, destructive war. The shocks did not end there. Israel was also surprised at the extent, complexity and depth of Hamas’ tunnels and the movement’s ability to keep on fighting in spite of the massive losses incurred in its ranks and among civilians.
America itself was surprised by Hamas’ operation, which shook the settlements and settlers to the core and exposed the weakness of Israel’s security measures. Washington was quick to intervene and side firmly with Israel, sending its warships to prevent the war from spilling over into the region.
The story also says that Sinwar expected Israel’s response to be strong and for it to take a similar, or perhaps firmer, approach to those adopted in its previous wars on Gaza. He did not expect Israel to launch an all-out war aimed at eliminating Hamas completely from Gaza — and even eliminating Gaza itself by displacing its people. On the other side, Iran was surprised by the war threatening to take Gaza out of the confrontation between the Palestinians and the Israelis, which would effectively take the Palestinian ring away from the “axis of resistance” that is so important to Iran’s agenda in the region. The story adds that Iran’s decision to kick off the battle to expel the Americans from Iraq and Syria was aimed at exerting pressure on it to stop the war or reap compensation should Israel succeed in eliminating Hamas. Iran needed to up the pressure, so it turned to the Houthis to remind everyone that it controls the security of navigation in the Red Sea. Iran turned to the Houthis to remind everyone that it controls the security of navigation in the Red Sea.
This is how the Middle East has found itself confronted with a series of wars even though all concerned have repeatedly stressed that they do not wish to expand them. The war of uprooting Hamas from Gaza and preventing it from playing any military role in the enclave. The war launched by Hezbollah in Lebanon. The war to expel the Americans waged by the Iraqi factions. The war of targeting vessels in the Red Sea.
The Biden administration concluded that the war in Gaza has become larger than Gaza and has started to threaten the American military and political presence in parts of the Middle East. It also realized that Iran is the thread that connects all these wars.
Many believed that the Biden administration, which is preoccupied with the upcoming elections, would make do with offering unlimited support to Israel. They believed it would not want to use force against the factions that are attacking its bases in Iraq and Syria.
The developments again surprised the players. America retaliated to the killing of three of its soldiers by carrying out attacks on “Iranian targets” in Syria and Iraq. America set the limit for itself in this war by choosing not to attack targets in Iran.
By reclaiming the role of policeman, which the people of the Middle East thought was done and dusted, America launched a war of deterring the Houthis in retaliation for their attacks in the Red Sea. The region now finds itself confronted with a different war, raising the question: Where are Iran’s borders in the region? Where are America’s borders? Iran attempted a coup against America’s military deployment in some parts of the Middle East and the US retaliated by seeking to “trim the nails of the Iranian proxies.”
Observers of the situation in Gaza believe that Hamas is beginning to realize that it will not be in power there in the “day after.” The search is now focusing on forming a “consensus” Palestinian government that is approved by the factions and in which the movement does not enjoy direct representation. This will be coupled with reforms to the Palestinian Authority, preparing it for the difficult role that awaits it. This scenario also envisages pledges to reconstruct Gaza and offer aid.
The most important point, however, is the conviction of Western countries that the establishment of a Palestinian state is necessary for both the Palestinians and the Israelis. It is important for Israel because it would never rid itself of future “floods” if a Palestinian state were not established side by side with it. Western officials also believe that the establishment of a Palestinian state would deprive Iran of the Palestinian card that it uses to control decisions in several countries. Wars and their solutions are never simple.
• Ghassan Charbel is editor-in-chief of Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper.

Biden's 'Two-State Solution' To Reward Palestinian Terrorism, Destroy Israel
Bassam Tawil/Gatestone Institute./February 5, 2024
The declared policy... of the US and Britain since the 1993-95 Oslo Accords has been that a two-state solution should come as part of a negotiated settlement between Israel and the Palestinians.
If the Oslo Accords are so cavalierly abrogated, what do any international agreements mean, and why would any country sign one in the future?
The assumption that normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia in return for the establishment of another failed and corrupt Arab state would bring peace, security and stability to the Middle East is a deadly fantasy.
The Americans and British are evidently no longer demanding that the Palestinians halt their homicidal incitement against Israel and Jews or stop paying financial rewards to Palestinian terrorists who murder Jews.
The Americans and the British are also ignoring the fact that most Palestinians are opposed to the idea of a two-state solution because they want a Palestinian state to replace Israel, not have a state next to it.
Those who are promoting the idea of creating a Palestinian terror state next to Israel -- again capitulating to terrorists and rewarding terrorism -- are paving the way for more October 7-like massacres. They are essentially asking Israel to commit suicide at a time when its soldiers are fighting to eradicate Hamas and ensure that the Gaza Strip will no longer serve Hamas, or its terror master Iran, as a base for murdering Jews, Americans or anyone else in the West.
The US administration and the British government have come out with statements that they are considering recognizing a Palestinian state. They are evidently no longer demanding that the Palestinians halt their homicidal incitement against Israel and Jews or stop paying financial rewards to Palestinian terrorists who murder Jews. Pictured: Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal (R) and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas (L) are hosted by Qatar's then Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani at a ceremony in Doha, Qatar on February 6, 2012.
In the span of two days, both the US administration and the British government came out with similar statements that they are considering recognizing a Palestinian state. The statements send a message to the Iran-backed Hamas terrorist group and other Palestinians that the Americans and British want to give them a prize for the October 7 attack on Israel in which 1,200 Israelis were murdered, decapitated, raped, tortured and burned alive.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has asked the State Department to conduct a review and present policy options on possible US and international recognition of a Palestinian state after the current Israel-Hamas war, the American Axios media outlet reported on January 31. According to the report:
"The Biden administration is linking possible normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia to the creation of a pathway for the establishment of a Palestinian state as part of its post-war strategy. This initiative is based on the administration's efforts prior to Oct. 7 to negotiate a mega-deal with Saudi Arabia that included a peace agreement between the kingdom and Israel."
Hours after the Axios report surfaced, UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron regrettably announced that his country could officially recognize a Palestinian state after a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip without waiting for the outcome of talks between Israel and the Palestinians on a two-state solution. "What we need is do is to give the Palestinian people a horizon towards a better future, the future of having a state of their own," Cameron said.
The declared policy, however, of the US and Britain, ever since the painstakingly negotiated the 1993-95 Oslo Accords, has been that a two-state solution should come as part of a negotiated settlement between Israel and the Palestinians. If the Oslo Accords are so cavalierly abrogated, what do any international agreements mean, and why would any country sign one in the future?
To many, this appears to be yet another lawless decision by Biden to advance his chances for reelection without any thought to the outcome for the people on whom these decisions are being inflicted. The plan appears to many in the same vein as claiming that illegal migrants are ostensibly legal in order to flood the US with future voters for the Democratic Party and to create an extremely undemocratic, authoritarian one-party government in America – all in the name of "democracy."
The Axios report also indicates a change in US government policy. The US government had previously stated that it remains committed to a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and believes that Israelis and Palestinians alike deserve equal measures of freedom, security and prosperity.
In 2021, the UK government also clarified that it is committed to the objective of a sovereign, prosperous and peaceful Palestinian state through a negotiated peace agreement. Cameron's remarks suggest that Britain is now ready to recognize a Palestinian state without waiting for a negotiated Israeli-Palestinian agreement. This turnabout in US and British policy aims to create facts on the ground by establishing a terrorist genocidal Arab state on Israel's doorstep, on either side of Israel, and encourage the Palestinians not to resume peace negotiations with Israel.
Can the Biden administration and the British government guarantee that Iran and its Palestinian proxies will not use this new Palestinian state as a launching pad to attack Israel and murder Jews? No. It is clear that we are looking at another Afghanistan: all promises from the Taliban, and no delivery.
There was a Hamas-led potential Palestinian state in the Gaza Strip before October 7. Instead of using the billions upon billions of dollars that were given it by the international community to build a "Singapore in the Mediterranean," that "state" built hundreds of kilometers of terror tunnels, initiated war against Israel, and has continued to attack Israel for more than four months after its terrorists bulldozed over its border with Israel.
The Biden administration and the British government are now saying that they nevertheless want to copy-paste the Hamas-led state and import it to the West Bank and to the heart of Jerusalem. Do they see that this would mean bringing Iran and its terror proxies right to the hilltops overlooking Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities in a country smaller than New Jersey?
No country, including Saudi Arabia, would be able to prevent a Palestinian state at this time from turning into another terror state. Some Arab states, such as Qatar, have shown no interest in preventing the Gaza Strip from turning into a Hamas terror enclave.
The assumption that normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia in return for the establishment of another failed and corrupt Arab state would bring peace, security and stability to the Middle East is a deadly fantasy.
Why should any Palestinian leader return to the negotiating table with Israel when the Americans and British are already offering them a state on a platter, unilaterally and unconditionally? By making such statements, the US and Britain are sending a message to the Palestinians that they can continue to carry out terrorist attacks against Israel and do not need to renounce terrorism, dismantle the multiple armed groups in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, recognize Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people or do anything at all. The Americans and British are evidently no longer demanding that the Palestinians halt their homicidal incitement against Israel and Jews, or even stop paying financial rewards to Palestinian terrorists who murder Jews.
One month before the Hamas carnage, Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas justified the Holocaust when he told leaders of his ruling Fatah faction:
"They say that Hitler killed the Jews because they were Jews and that Europe hated the Jews because they were Jews. Not true. It was clearly explained that [the Europeans] fought [the Jews] because of their social role, and not their religion. The [Europeans] fought against these people because of their role in society, which had to do with usury, money and so on and so forth. This was not about semitism and antisemitism."
The Americans and the British are also ignoring the fact that most Palestinians are opposed to the idea of a two-state solution because they want a Palestinian state to replace Israel, not have a state next to it. A public opinion poll published by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research in December 2023 showed that 64% of the Palestinians oppose the idea of a two-state solution. Another 69% of the Palestinians said they support a return to "confrontations and armed intifada" (terrorism) against Israel.
The US administration and the British government are also ignoring that the Palestinian leadership has refused to resume the peace negotiations with Israel and turned down every Israeli offer for a settlement that could have given them a state many years ago. Perhaps they have refused to negotiate precisely in the hope of receiving such a silver-platter resolution, in which they not be required to make any concessions whatsoever.
In 2014, Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations were suspended after the Palestinian Authority concluded yet another "unity agreement" with Hamas, a US and European Union-designated Iran-backed terrorist organization. The agreement called for the establishment of a "unity" Palestinian government. "Israel will not negotiate with a Palestinian government backed by Hamas, a terrorist organization that calls for Israel's destruction," Israel's security cabinet announced then. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated:
"Instead of choosing peace, Abu Mazen [Abbas] formed an alliance with a murderous terrorist organization that calls for the destruction of Israel. The agreement between Abu Mazen and Hamas was signed even as Israel is making efforts to advance the negotiations with the Palestinians. Abu Mazen has refused to even discuss recognizing Israel as the national state of the Jewish people. Whoever chooses the terrorism of Hamas does not want peace."
Abbas's PA continues to see Hamas as a legitimate player in the Palestinian arena. On January 27, Palestinian Authority presidential spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudaineh revealed that the PA was planning to "hold contacts with Hamas" to discuss ways of achieving Palestinian "unity."
PA Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said on December 10, 2023 that "Hamas is part of the Palestinian political fabric, and when Israel says it is determined to eliminate it, it is impossible and unacceptable."
Another senior PA official, Jibril Rajoub, said on December 14, 2023:
"Our contacts with the Hamas movement have not ceased, and we look forward to work with our brothers in Hamas to formulate a [joint] political and organizational policy to achieve the unity of the [Palestinian] cause, and the unity of leadership and decision-making."
It is no wonder then that the PA has until now refused to condemn Hamas's October 7 atrocities. It is not because the PA is afraid of Hamas. Instead, it is because Abbas and his cohorts consider Hamas an integral and indispensable part of Palestinian society, as well as a future partner in a Palestinian government.
Abbas has, over the past decade, repeatedly voiced opposition to recognizing Israel as a Jewish state. Saying he withstood international pressure in the past to recognize Israel as a Jewish state, Abbas said: "They [the international community] are pressing and saying, 'No peace without the Jewish state.' There is no way. We will not accept."
Abbas has since turned down Israeli offers to resume the peace talks and insisted that Israel accept unconditionally, and without negotiations, the creation of an independent Palestinian state on the entire West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem.
During the botched Camp David summit in 2000, PLO leader and PA President Yasser Arafat rejected an offer from Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and US President Bill Clinton for the establishment of a demilitarized Palestinian state on some 92% of the West Bank and 100% of the Gaza Strip, as well as the establishment of the Palestinian capital in east Jerusalem. An enraged Clinton banged on the table and said to Arafat: "You are leading your people and the region to a catastrophe."
Commenting on Arafat's rejection of the offer, Barak said:
"He [Arafat] did not negotiate in good faith; indeed, he did not negotiate at all. He just kept saying no to every offer, never making any counterproposals of his own..."
"What they [Arafat and his colleagues] want is a Palestinian state in all of Palestine. What we see as self-evident, [the need for] two states for two peoples, they reject. Israel is too strong at the moment to defeat, so they formally recognise it [referring to Arafat's 1993 letter to Israeli PM Yitzhak Rabin, claiming that the PLO recognizes Israel]. But their game plan is to establish a Palestinian state while always leaving an opening for further 'legitimate' demands down the road. They will exploit the tolerance and democracy of Israel first to turn it into a 'state for all its citizens'... Then they will push for a binational state and then demography and attrition will lead to a state with a Muslim majority and a Jewish minority. This would not necessarily involve kicking out all the Jews. But it would mean the destruction of Israel as a Jewish state. This, I believe, is their vision...."
Clinton and Barak were right. The Palestinians are not interested in a two-state solution. As Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal explained on January 18, 2024:
"The West says that October 7 has opened up prospects for a political vision, so they have returned to talk about their old commodity, which is the two-state solution. The 1967 borders represent 21% of Palestine, which is practically one fifth of its land, so this cannot be accepted. Our Palestinian project, which has a quasi-Palestinian national consensus, is that our right in Palestine from the [Mediterranean] sea to the [Jordan] river cannot be waived."
Those who are promoting the idea of creating a Palestinian terror state next to Israel -- in addition to again capitulating to terrorists and rewarding terrorism -- are paving the way for more October 7-like massacres. They are essentially asking Israel to commit suicide at a time when its soldiers are fighting to eradicate Hamas and ensure that the Gaza Strip will no longer serve Hamas, or its terror master Iran, as a base for murdering Jews, Americans or anyone else in the West.
*Bassam Tawil is a Muslim Arab based in the Middle East.
© 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.

Israelis Won’t Stand for Anything Short of Victory in Gaza
Gadi Taub/The Tablet/February 05/ 2024
https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/israel-middle-east/articles/israel-hostages-victory-gaza-war
Leveraging the fate of the hostages to compel an Israeli surrender to Hamas is a sick, manipulative strategy that is doomed to political failure
Something fundamental changed in Israel on Oct. 7. We were reminded of the mortal danger our complacency and fantasies about our neighboring enemies pose to our survival. This in turn awakened in us a fierce determination to prevail and a spirit of self-sacrifice we thought we no longer had. At the same time, our political concepts, habits, alliances, and enmities remain those of Oct. 6. In our public square, or what modern states have for a public square—newspapers, TV shows and social media—we still revert to fighting old battles. These fissures are being exacerbated, if not driven, by the preferences and demands of our biggest ally, the United States.
The Biden administration recently tasked CIA Director William Burns with brokering an ambitious deal that, as The Washington Post reported, would include the release of all the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza in exchange for a six-week ceasefire, the release of Palestinian prisoners at a 3-to-1 ratio, the repositioning of Israeli troops in Gaza, and an increase in humanitarian aid to the Strip. All this spells an end to the war short of an Israeli victory—which is to say, it would be a victory for Hamas.
Against the backdrop of this American initiative, internal scuffling has resumed in Israel. The U.S. posture reinvigorated the belief among die-hard Israeli supporters of the “two-state solution” that what they cannot sell to voters will now be more easily imposed on an Israel chastened by a deal which would in effect spell an Israeli defeat. This hope has seduced some of them into making a gross political miscalculation: a chillingly cynical attempt to leverage the suffering of the hostages and their families in order to promote the deal that would stop the war.
The suspicion that the hostages may be used in this way was there from day one. Less than 24 hours after Oct. 7, media strategist and well-known veteran of the anti-Bibi protests, Ronen Tzur, organized a forum for the families of the abducted. The forum and its supporters, along with left-leaning politicians and, importantly, the press, then launched a very public and very loud campaign that demanded prioritizing the return of the hostages to their families: “Bring Them Home, Now!”
The campaign to bring back the hostages at any cost is trying to marginalize the imperative of victory in this war. Any politician who embraces this position will face the full wrath of the voters.
Had the campaign stuck to the slogan “Bring Them Home,” the whole country would easily have been on board. Add “Now!” and you begin to lose some of the traction. Attach the demand to end the war with the hostage deal of “all for all”—all the terrorists in Israeli jails, numbering over 6,000, for all 136 hostages—and the support narrows down mostly to the suffering families and to those who still want Netanyahu’s removal above all else, such as the two-staters who believe that toppling the prime minister will open the door to a resolution of the conflict with the Palestinians. That does not add up to a large percentage of Israelis. But this social segment includes strategically positioned elites: the press, the bureaucracy, academia, leftist politicians, and the upper echelons of the IDF and the security services. Call them all the Oct. 6 progressive elites.
Because the divisive call for a hostage deal that would effectively end the war is nested inside the widely shared empathy for the abducted and their families, the Never-Bibi crowd and their promoters in the press believe they have made a clever play, and consequently have deafened themselves to the public mood. As a result, they are now on a collision course with something greater than a vibe. They are going up against Israel’s instinct for self-preservation, the ferocity of which is manifest now like it has never been in our lifetime.
Keep in mind that the current generation serving in the military is the one that sociologists and pundits bemoaned as the Israeli version of Gen Z—self-absorbed, semi-illiterate and addicted to screens, faking superficial glamour on social media by taking pictures of their food, and also eventually bound to adopt the infantile pseudo-morality, increasingly prevalent in the U.S., of victim-worship and “safe spaces.” Or so we assumed. But look at these soldiers now, with their newly adopted slogan, lo noflim midor tachach! (Not Falling Short of the ’48 Generation!). The declaration, staccato sounding and as grammatically incomplete in Hebrew as it is in the English translation, refers to the pioneers, the warriors, and the heroes of the founding generation, which lost more lives in battle than any other generation, in proportion to the pre-Independence Jewish community in the land of Israel. That is a high bar to set for oneself. But so many have already proven their mettle.
The “Bring Them Home, Now!” campaign not only assumes Israeli weakness. It also assumes that emotions have triumphed over rational thought, that as soft, first-world netizens we’ll be willing to relieve our present pain at the cost of mortgaging our future security, and that we have lost the nerve required to make wise strategic choices. It assumes that the Israeli public’s sympathy, and its devotion to the ideal of pidyon shvuyim—the Jewish moral imperative to free the abducted—will blind it to the obvious fact that clamoring for the hostages’ return Now! only weakens our bargaining position—as evidenced by a document, possibly written by Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, that the IDF discovered in Gaza. The first line reads: “Distribute pictures and videos of the hostages, due to the psychological pressure they create.” The document adds the following instructions: “Keep spreading the message that Netanyahu is responsible for what has happened” and “Damage the Israeli narrative that claims that the ground offensive helps secure the return of hostages.”
But worst of all, the campaign to bring back the hostages at any cost is trying to marginalize the imperative of victory in this war, and, in fact, is demanding we resign ourselves to defeat. Any politician who embraces this position will face the full wrath of the voters.

Report: ‘Raymond Ibrahim Documents the Persecution of Christians, Also in Europe’
Raymond Ibrahim/February 05/ 2024
Danish journalist Peder Jensen recently wrote a report about my talk in Copenhagen for the website Document.dk. Titled, “Raymond Ibrahim Documents the Persecution of Christians, Also in Europe,” an English translation of it, as well as the photo accompanying the report, follow:
Raymond Ibrahim (right) on a visit to Copenhagen. Seen here together with activist and politician Rasmus Paludan. Photo: Peder Jensen.
Author and translator Raymond Ibrahim was born in the United States to Coptic Christian immigrants from Egypt. He is fluent in Arabic and English and has written for many years about the relationship between the Islamic world and the Western world.
Among his books are Defenders of the West : The Christian Heroes Who Stood Against Islam . There are also a number of videos where Ibrahim shares his considerable historical knowledge.
Although we both contribute texts to the Gatestone Institute , I had never met Ibrahim before. When the Press Freedom Society invited him to Copenhagen to give a lecture on Christian persecution, I chose to participate. Unfortunately, the topic is relevant.
Raymond Ibrahim appears as a knowledgeable and friendly man who can talk about deeply serious subjects without losing his sense of humor. In that way he reminds a bit of Mark Steyn.
Ibrahim focused on the persecution of Christians, a problem he has thoroughly documented over a long period of time. In certain countries, such as communist North Korea, Christians are also oppressed.
Ibrahim pointed out, on the other hand, that in about 80% of the cases where Christians are today subjected to serious harassment or murder because of their faith, it is Muslims who are behind it.
Robert Spencer, Soeren Kern , Raymond Ibrahim and others have for many years documented how Muslim persecution of Christians is gradually spreading more and more in European countries such as Italy, Spain and not least France. It can be anything from vandalism against churches, which now happens almost weekly in France, to arson and regular terrorist attacks.
Data shows a 44 percent increase in attacks against Christians in Europe from 2021 to 2022 . In particular, an increase in arson against Christian institutions was recorded. Such incidents increased by 75 percent in one year. In total, 231 attacks were reported in Germany alone, a development the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party warns against.
Harassment and threats against Christians in Europe seem to be increasing as the Muslim immigrant population grows. Despite this, the EU has shown no significant interest in combating violence against the continent’s indigenous population or their religious buildings .
On the other hand, the EU has a coordinator who specifically has to fight so-called Islamophobia in Europe. Currently, this coordinator is a French woman, Marion Lalisse . She was appointed to this position in February 2023 by the European Commission , the unelected government of the European Union. EU equality commissioner Helena Dalli assures that they will fight Islamophobia in all parts of society.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) constitutes the largest permanent voting block in the UN. They have led the UN to establish an official day to combat alleged Islamophobia on March 15 each year.
51 Muslims were killed on 15 March 2019 in a shooting massacre in Christchurch, New Zealand. Although this was a heinous attack, Raymond Ibrahim pointed out that thousands of Christians are killed for their faith every year, the majority of them by Muslims. Yet the UN has not created a day to combat harassment of Christians.
Ibrahim argued that violent Islamic attacks in many different countries and against different religious groups often have great similarities. This is because they share the same Islamic religious justification for warfare, jihad.
Basically, Islam has not changed very much in the last thousand years. On the other hand, Europe has changed a lot in recent decades and has become weaker.
Virtually all nations bordering the Mediterranean or the Black Sea have for centuries been subject to Muslim campaigns of violence and slave raids. Sometimes Islamic conquests reached even further north. Greeks, Italians, Serbs, Croats, Hungarians, Poles, Spaniards, French, Ukrainians, Russians and others fought, bled and died by the tens of thousands to keep Islam out of Europe.
Now millions of Muslims are being let into Europe without firing a single shot. Raymond Ibrahim commented that never before in history has a civilization voluntarily absorbed large numbers of people from an actively hostile culture.
Weak Christian leaders, both Protestant and Catholic, are trying to make common cause with Muslims who despise them. Pope Francis has hardly met a Muslim illegal immigrant he doesn’t like and appears to be one of the worst leaders the Catholic Church has ever had.
If you look at it historically, Christians have only managed to repel Islamic aggression when Christianity has been combined with a warrior culture, as with Karl Martell, Jan III Sobieski or during the Battle of Lepanto.