Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on June 25-26/2024
Al-Rahi welcomes Vatican Secretary of State, calls for peace and dialogue
Parolin meets spiritual, political leaders in Bkerki amid Shiite boycott
Parolin’s Message: Safeguarding the Region’s Only Christian President
Parolin to TIB: Lebanon Should Remain a Message
Cardinal Parolin in Bkerke for a Spiritual and Political Meeting
US Senator Lindsey Graham: Iran must be liable for any major Hezbollah attack on Israel - interview
US warns Israel-Hezbollah conflict could spark regional war
Benny Gantz: Israel can destroy Hezbollah’s military in days
Israel launching attack on Hezbollah is 'collective suicide,' retired IDF general says
Gallant tells Blinken Israel prefers diplomatic solution to Hezbollah conflict, State Dept. states
Lebanon requests one-year extension for UNIFIL mandate in letter to UN
Israel eyes use of Musk's Starlink in event of war with Hezbollah, Calcalist reports
Borderline diplomacy: Diplomatic efforts to avert war with Lebanon
US cautions: Israel-Hezbollah conflict could spark regional war
Lebanon faces critical month: Nabih Berri warns of 'uncertain future' as country reacts to Hochstein's visit
Are Hezbollah and Israel on the brink of open warfare?/Ali Hamade/Arab News/June 25, 2024
Lebanon lacks optimism over international warnings/Eyad Abu Shakra/Arab News/June 25, 2024
World does not need another global front line in Lebanon/Nadim Shehadi/Arab News/June 25/2024

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on June 25-26/2024
High Court unanimously rules against exemption for haredim in IDF
Israel's high court orders the army to draft ultra-Orthodox men, rattling Netanyahu's government
New report suggests Israeli military views some Gaza journalists as ‘legitimate targets’
Israelis’ lawsuit says UN agency helps Hamas by paying Gaza staff in dollars
US military shows reporters pier project in Gaza as it takes another stab at aid delivery
Hamas stands firm against global pressure to accept hostage deal
Doha not pressing Hamas to leave Qatar, official says - exclusive
Russia reports exchanging 90 POWs with Ukraine
‘Iran-backed plot’ to destabilize Jordan thwarted
Saudi voices in the West: Faisal Abbas launches 'Anecdotes of an Arab Anglophile' book in London

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on June 25-26/2024
In Recognizing Palestinian State, Spain Displays Historical Amnesia, Enables Islamic Terrorism/Raymond Ibrahim/The Stream/June 25/2024
Will Hungary’s EU presidency moderate its views?/Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg/Arab News/June 25, 2024
Election offers little hope of change for Iran’s youth/Osama Al-Sharif/Arab News/June 25/2024

Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on June 25-26/2024
Al-Rahi welcomes Vatican Secretary of State, calls for peace and dialogue
NNA/June 25/2024
Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi, on Tuesday welcomed participants at the beginning of a meeting with religious leaders and parliamentary bloc heads, along with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, in Bkerki. Al-Rahi highlighted the importance of this "Lebanese family meeting for dialogue, allowing everyone to listen to one another, especially during these challenging times." He expressed hope that "the visit of the Vatican Secretary of State would bring peace and end the war.""The Vatican provides us with the hope we need, as we are people of hope and faith,” Al-Rahi emphasized. Cardinal Parolin also delivered a speech, expressing his wish "to find solutions for Lebanon and its suffering people." Cardinal Parolin stressed that "the Lebanese model of coexistence and unity must be preserved in this region that is witnessing more than one conflict," and he hoped "for everyone's cooperation to reach a way out of the crisis and find solutions that bring hope to Lebanon and its people."Attendees included Catholicos of the Armenian Orthodox Church Aram I Keshishian, Patriarch of the Armenian Catholics Raphael Bedros XXI, Greek Catholic Patriarch, Youssef Al-Absi, Syriac Orthodox Patriarch, represented by Bishop Mar Severus Roger Akhrass, Greek Orthodox Patriarch, represented by Bishop Elias Audeh, Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian, Sheikh Akl of the Unitarian Druze Community, Dr. Sami Abi Al-Muna, Head of the Alawite Islamic Council Sheikh Ali Khodr, the Apostolic Nuncio, Monsignor Paolo Borgia, Apostolic Vicar of Beirut for the Latins, Bishop Cesar Essayan, Head of the Chaldean community bishop Michel Kassarji, and Bishops Samir Mazloum, Hanna Alwan, Boulos Al-Sayyah, and Antoine Awkar. A representative of the Shiite community did not attend, despite the invitation extended to the Supreme Islamic Shiite Council. The meeting was also attended by Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Gebran Bassil, Marada Movement leader Sleiman Frangieh, MP Pierre Bou Assi representing Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, and MP Nadim Gemayel representing Lebanese Kataeb Party chief, Sami Gemayel. At the end of the meeting, Patriarch Al-Rahi held a luncheon banquet in honor of Cardinal Parolin and the attendees. Following the luncheon banquet, Mufti of the Republic, Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian, announced that the General Directorate of Islamic Endowments will circulate to preachers to dedicate next Friday’s sermon to pray for mercy for the people and martyrs in Gaza, south Lebanon, and various regions, and to pray to God Almighty to stop the war. Patriarch Al-Rahi also addressed the call to “all Christians to devote prayers next Saturday and Sunday for peace in Gaza and southern Lebanon and an end to the war.” In response to questions from the media, Patriarch Al-Rahi described the meeting as “great”, saying: “It was an important meeting between Muslims, Christians and politicians. We hope it will lead to positive results soon.”Regarding the “Shiite component” boycotting the meeting, Al-Rai said: “I do not know why they were absent, knowing that they had confirmed their attendance."

Parolin meets spiritual, political leaders in Bkerki amid Shiite boycott
Naharnet/June 25/2024
A “spiritual-national summit” was held Tuesday in Bkerki in the presence of the Vatican’s Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, amid an apparent Shiite boycott over recent remarks by Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi.
The summit was attended by al-Rahi, Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Daryan, Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Sami Abi al-Mona, Orthodox Armenian Catholicos Aram I, Catholic Armenian Patriarch Raphaël Bedros XXI, Islamic Alawite Council chief Sheikh Ali Qaddour, MP Pierre Bou Assi representing Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil, Marada Movement leader Suleiman Franjieh, and MP Nadim Gemayel representing Kataeb Party chief Sami Gemayel. According to MTV, the summit witnessed a handshake and a conversation between Bassil and Franjieh. Media reports said the summit tackled the pressing issues in Lebanon and the region, especially “reaching a unified stance on the need to end the presidential crisis and dissociate it from what’s happening in Gaza, in addition to rejecting war and emphasizing the need to keep it away from Lebanon.” “We are going through a very difficult situation, that’s why we will launch a call and prayer for peace and in rejection of war, seeing as our people cannot bear the consequences of this war,” al-Rahi said during the summit. Parolin for his part hope there will be solutions in Lebanon while acknowledging the suffering of the Lebanese people. The summit, which was called for by al-Rahi, was boycotted by Higher Islamic Shiite Council deputy head Sheikh Ali al-Khatib. Outspoken Shiite cleric Sheikh Ahmad Qabalan meanwhile appeared to explain the reason behind the Shiite boycott. “Some spiritual leaders in my country see the actions of (the Shiite community) and its resistance fighters as deplorable terrorism that should be deterred and prevented,” Qabalan said. Al-Rahi had on Sunday that Lebanon should no longer be “a launchpad for terrorist actions that undermine the region’s security and stability.” Higher Islamic Shiite Council sources told Annahar newspaper that Khatib would boycott the summit “in protest at the stances against the resistance.” Sources close to Bkerki had clarified, in remarks to al-Jadeed TV, that al-Rahi “has never called Hezbollah terrorist,” and that his remarks were about “the irregular and non-Lebanese factions that launch their operations from Lebanon as if we have returned to the Fatah Land era.”

Parolin’s Message: Safeguarding the Region’s Only Christian President
Bassam Abou Zeid/This Is Beirut/June 25/2024
In a move that highlights the Holy See’s deep concerns about the Christians’ situation in Lebanon, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin is visiting Lebanon since Sunday. His mission aims to break the deadlock in the presidential election, with the Vatican hoping to bridge differences among Christian parties and foster a national consensus leading to a positive outcome. This initiative from the Vatican is being coordinated with France, whose presidential envoy to Lebanon, Jean-Yves Le Drian, visited the Holy See following his recent trip to Beirut and met with Cardinal Parolin to explain the circumstances surrounding the Lebanese presidential elections and the positions of the concerned parties. Reportedly, both sides agreed on a key point: the importance of holding the presidential elections, primarily to safeguard the role of the only Christian president in the region, a role and position that should not be compromised. Some observers revealed that Cardinal Parolin, who was debriefed by the Apostolic Nuncio in Lebanon, as well as by France, the United States, and various Lebanese Christian parties, has a thorough grasp of the presidential dossier. However, this does not necessarily imply that Parolin’s mission will be straightforward. He is aware that the political stakeholders will perceive the Vatican’s initiative much like other international ones. In other words, they will support it if it aligns with their interests and oppose it if it does not. This holds true for Hezbollah, as well as for opposing parties, including mainly, the Lebanese Forces. The same sources have conveyed the concern of some Christian parties that the Vatican’s positions could be interpreted as favoring one political party over another. This issue is likely to arise in discussions and consultations, where Speaker of the House, Nabih Berri may seek to convince all participants, including the Vatican envoy, of his determination to elect a President of the Republic promptly. In this context, Berri would blame the opposition, who refuse to take part in a dialogue session led by him personally. However, Berri has expressed his willingness to convene successive parliamentary sessions, but without committing to guarantee the quorum nor a positive outcome. Sources closely monitoring Cardinal Parolin’s visit reported that the Vatican’s Secretary of State will look into claims that the presidential election is not linked to developments in Gaza and southern Lebanon. Most importantly, he will outline the required profile of the next president. According to Vatican sources, the Holy See aims for long-term political and security stability in Lebanon, deeming it essential for creating a functional state and the only way to stop the Christian exodus from the country.

Parolin to TIB: Lebanon Should Remain a Message
Elie Ziadé/This Is Beirut/June 25/2024
https://youtu.be/gDzbnrWOUyg
Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin told This is Beirut that “Lebanon should remain a message” during his tour at the Order of Malta Center in Chabrouh. Parolin stressed that given the present situation and circumstances, Lebanon is put at risk. “We need to do our best to contribute to a solution to the present crisis and appeal to Lebanese politicians to be wise and act in the interest of the common good of the country in order to preserve its identity”, he stated.

Cardinal Parolin in Bkerke for a Spiritual and Political Meeting
This Is Beirut/June 25/2024
The heads of religious communities and representatives of political parties gathered on Tuesday in Bkerke, in response to an invitation from the Maronite Patriarch, Bechara Rai, to meet the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
During the meeting, Cardinal Parolin said that Lebanon is experiencing many conflicts and that “it is imperative that Lebanon serves as a model for harmonious coexistence.” As for Rai, he pointed out that the Lebanese are the children of hope and courage, and that “the Vatican offers us the hope we need.” The Maronite Patriarch also called for a day of prayer on Sunday for peace in South Lebanon and Gaza. He stressed the importance of Tuesday’s meeting in Bkerke, hoping it would be fruitful. Among the personalities attending the meeting were Mufti Abdellatif Deriane, the Catholicos of the Armenian Orthodox, Aram I Kechichian, the Armenian Catholic Patriarch, Raphael Bedross Minassian XXI, the head of the Alawite Higher Council, Ali Kaddour, the head of the Free Patriotic Movement (CPL), Gebran Bassil, the head of the Marada, Sleiman Frangieh, and MP Pierre Bou Assi, representing the head of the Lebanese Forces (FL), Samir Geagea. Only the representative of the Shiite Supreme Council did not attend, insisting, however, on the importance of the relationship of the Council with the Vatican. The Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, arrived in Beirut on Sunday afternoon for a four-day visit of “friendship and trust,” at the invitation of the President of the Lebanese Association of the Knights of Malta, Marwan Sehnaoui.

US Senator Lindsey Graham: Iran must be liable for any major Hezbollah attack on Israel - interview
Tovah Lazaroff/Jerusalem Post/June 25/2024
In an interview with "The Post" Graham said that he plans to submit a congressional resolution next week, holding Iran responsible if Hezbollah launches an all-out attack against Israel. Tehran must be put on notice that any major attack by Hezbollah against the Jewish state would be considered as if Iran had acted against Israel, US Senator Lindsey Graham told The Jerusalem Post. If the US doesn’t stand with Israel in its battle against the Iranian proxy group Hezbollah, then “Iran will see this as yet another example of weakness and timidity, and they [it] will break out to a nuclear weapon,” he said.
Graham spoke after meeting in Washington on Sunday with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who held a high-level meeting with US officials just one week after the IDF approved operational plans for a military campaign against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. The IDF and Hezbollah have engaged in cross-border violence since the Hamas-led invasion of Israel on October 7, and the international community is working to avoid a Third Lebanon War now that the IDF military campaign in Gaza is winding down. Graham told the Post that he plans to submit a congressional resolution next week, holding Iran responsible if Hezbollah launches an all-out attack against Israel. It is feared that if Hezbollah did so, the Iron Dome system in the North would not be able to thwart all the missile launches. “I will be introducing a resolution when I get back to the Senate next week...basically saying that a major attack against Israel launched by Hezbollah that could overwhelm Iron Dome or destroy the State of Israel would be considered an attack by Iran against Israel.“I think it’s very important that we’re crystal clear to the world that if Hezbollah escalates and goes against Israel, the target [for retaliation] will not just be Beirut; it will be Tehran. I am telling my Senate colleagues that they should be thinking that way,” Graham said. Stopping Hamas will stop Hezbollah The senator is among the advocates for a military defeat of Hamas, noting that it was the best way to deter Hezbollah. “Crushing Hamas with US support sends a strong signal to Iran as well as Hezbollah,” he stated. Graham said he was particularly concerned that Iran would take advantage of the military chaos in the region “to sprint to the bomb,” stressing that “Israel can’t let that happen.”He said he would also push for Congress to receive a delayed report from the US director of national intelligence on Iran’s nuclear program, as well as clarification regarding the delay in arms shipments to Israel.

US warns Israel-Hezbollah conflict could spark regional war
AFP/June 25, 2024
WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant at the Pentagon on Tuesday, warning that a conflict between Israel and Hezbollah could spark a regional war and urging a diplomatic solution.
More than eight months of war in Gaza has heightened tensions across the region, with Israeli forces and Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah exchanging fire on a near-daily basis. “Another war between Israel and Hezbollah could easily become a regional war, with terrible consequences for the Middle East,” Austin said. “Diplomacy is by far the best way to prevent more escalation.”Gallant, speaking at the opening of the meeting with Austin, said that “we are working closely together to achieve an agreement but we must also discuss readiness on every possible scenario. The Israeli army said last week that plans for an offensive in Lebanon were “approved and validated” amid escalating cross-border clashes, but Washington is seeking to lower the temperature and head off another major conflict in the Middle East. Gallant is on a visit to Washington seeking to reaffirm the value of ties with Israel’s top ally after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly chastised the United States for what he said was a delay in weapons deliveries. The US government insists that only one shipment of bombs has been held up over concerns about their use in populated areas, and that other arms deliveries are proceeding as usual. The United States is Israel’s main supplier of weapons but the growing death toll from the Gaza conflict has piled pressure on President Joe Biden to take action and fueled tensions between his administration and Netanyahu. Gallant met with Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington the previous day, with the top US diplomat calling on Israel to avoid escalation in Lebanon. The Israeli minister also held talks with CIA chief Bill Burns, the key US point man in negotiations to free hostages from Hamas, which launched an unprecedented attack on Israel in October that sparked a devastating conflict in Gaza. Netanyahu has said Israeli forces are winding up the most intense part of the Gaza war and will redeploy to the northern border, although he has cast the move as defensive. Israel and Hezbollah last fought a full-scale war in 2006 when a cross-border Hezbollah attack sparked 34 days of fighting that took a heavy toll on Lebanon, especially the country’s south.

Benny Gantz: Israel can destroy Hezbollah’s military in days
Yonah Jeremy Bob/Jerusalem Post/June 25/2024
The IDF can destroy Hezbollah’s military capabilities in a matter of days, National Unity Party leader Benny Gantz said on Tuesday.Speaking at the 21st Herzliya Conference at Reichman University, Gantz said a major challenge for Israel is to “return the southern and northern residents back to their homes, even at the price of escalation.” He said he heard the reports about the Hezbollah threat to bring down Israel’s electrical grid, and responded, “We can bring Lebanon completely into the dark, and take apart Hezbollah’s power in days.” The former defense minister and IDF chief of staff said the price to “Israel will be heavy. We need to back up our institutions. We need to be ready for major incidents of harm [to the public]. We should try to avoid it, but if we need to do it, we cannot be deterred from it. “We cannot let Hezbollah keep threats close to the northern border,” he added, “we need to get the [northern] residents back by September 1.”
Forming a team
Another challenge for Israel that Gantz discussed was building a regional and global alliance against Iran. “We still have the opportunity of normalization with the Saudis and other states, to build what we started to build, the Middle East air defense, to form a stranglehold on the Iranian axis,” he said. He emphasized that Israel must work hard with the US “to build up Israel’s defenses and to be ready for ‘the Judgment Day’ of stopping Iranian nuclear weapons.”
The day after
A third challenge he noted was the long-term conflict with Hamas, including the need for a political plan to replace the terror group’s management of Gaza. He pushed hard for a hostage deal, even at the cost of ending the war for now. Gantz noted that the US only killed Osama Bin Laden of al-Qaeda in 2011, 10 years after 9/11, meaning that even a long ceasefire would in no way mean that Israel would allow Gaza Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar to live out his days without killing him. Rather, he said, it was clear that Hamas would continue to promote terror and their actions would give Israel the later excuse to eliminate him and other top Hamas leaders. In any event, he said it would take years to replace Hamas at a governance level, but credited the IDF with destroying Hamas’s existing military capacities. In matters relating to direct news of the day, Gantz praised the High Court of Justice for its ruling to order a draft for eligible ultra-Orthodox (haredi) men. He expressed his disappointment in the political class for mishandling the issue earlier, instead of passing the ball over and over again to the court. He further suggested that now the political class must create mechanisms for integrating haredim into the IDF in much higher numbers. Earlier at the conference, Reichman University President Boaz Ganor said, “Hamas is a tactical threat, Hezbollah is a strategic threat, and Iran is an existential threat.” He warned that Israel had fallen into Iran’s trap, spending nine months fighting a player of minimal importance and wasting large amounts of goodwill globally, while Tehran has mostly gotten to sit back and watch. Further, he said Iran is playing long-term chess, with Israel playing short-term poker.Ganor even argued that Iran knew more than Israeli intelligence has said, meaning that it really did plan the entire October 7 invasion. In addition, he argued that Iran and Hezbollah’s denials of knowing Hamas’s plans were also pre-coordinated. He did not specifically say that Tehran knew the date of the invasion, but Ganor has argued that Hamas was not sophisticated enough to pull off the coordinated massive rocket attack land invasion simultaneously on its own, nor was it capable of the extreme information security it undertook to avoid the IDF detecting the moment of the invasion.

Israel launching attack on Hezbollah is 'collective suicide,' retired IDF general says
Jerusalem Post/June 25/2024
Itzhak Brik says that Ukraine offered to help IDF prepare for Hezbollah attacks, but Israel showed no interest.
Maj.-Gen. (ret) Itzhak Brik wrote in his latest column for Maariv that "the initiative being rolled out in the security establishment to launch an attack on Hezbollah is collective suicide." Recently, on Radio North 104.5FM, Brik expanded on his statement. Regarding the "suicide" mission against Hezbollah, Brik said, "If we pay attention to what Hezbollah is doing to the Galilee in recent months – we find settlements crumbling, empty of people, on thousands of burned acres of land. Scenes that can be seen in Gaza are seen today in the North. The Iron Dome has been failing to stop the UAVs, rockets, and missiles for months. We did not prepare ourselves for dozens of missiles every day and not for the thousands that we will have in the next war." Brik then shared that Ukraine invited the Israeli army to learn from them how to deal with UAVs. The IDF, according to Brik, was not interested. Brik added: "When we don't have an army in one arena, how are we going to deal with six? How are we going to deal with thousands of missiles? The army must take a break from fighting in order to organize – which we haven't done for 20 years. We need to prepare the army for this war. "Now, we need to take a time-out in the war in Gaza, which has lost its purpose. We are sacrificing too many men while they are gaining strength underground and recovering. They have brought back all their fighters. We are destroying the cities above and the world is seeing destruction, but it is working against us. "In their tunnels," Brik continued, "they have the situation completely under control. We need to stop the fighting there for a year or two and return the hostages. I believe that if we stop there, then Hezbollah will also stop, and then we can prepare with four more divisions."
Residents of the North afraid to return home
"They are very right... I could have said that we should wait patiently until the IDF is strong enough and we can deliver the necessary blow. Today, not only will the IDF not give the required blow, but it will also collapse. They need to understand that if we start fighting in Lebanon today, we will bring about a regional war. This means that either way, residents of the North will not be able to return to their homes." In conclusion, Brik said, "Those who are running the war today have lost their brakes. They run red lights and get into fatal accidents – instead of starting to build the army. They are now investing $18 billion in planes that will arrive in five years and will not be relevant."

Gallant tells Blinken Israel prefers diplomatic solution to Hezbollah conflict, State Dept. states
Reuters/June 25/2024
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday that Israel would prefer a diplomatic resolution to the conflict with Hezbollah, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Tuesday. Shelling on Israel's northern border has led to the evacuation of tens of thousands of people from areas on both sides of the border, and has escalated in recent weeks, leading to fears of an all-out conflict.

Lebanon requests one-year extension for UNIFIL mandate in letter to UN
LBCI/June 25/2024
The Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has deposited a letter from Minister Abdallah Bou Habib to the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres with Lebanon's Permanent Mission to the UN, requesting the renewal of UNIFIL's mandate for an additional year. The letter emphasized Lebanon's appreciation for the role played by peacekeeping forces in the south and reaffirmed its commitment to the full implementation of Resolution 1701 (2006).

Israel eyes use of Musk's Starlink in event of war with Hezbollah, Calcalist reports
Reuters/June 25, 2024
Israel is looking to use Elon Musk's Starlink to maintain Internet connectivity should there be a potential all-out-war with Lebanese Hezbollah on the northern border that causes power outages in Israel, a newspaper report said on Tuesday. The Calcalist financial daily said that the finance and communications ministries were seeking to utilise Starlink's 5,000 low-orbit satellites to ensure stable data and information flow for state authorities during emergencies. Both ministries did not immediately comment to Reuters. In February, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi gave permission to Starlink, the satellite unit of SpaceX, to operate in Israel and the Gaza Strip. Iran-backed Hezbollah began attacking Israel shortly after Hamas' Oct. 7 assault sparked the war in Gaza, and the sides have been trading blows in the months since then. Hezbollah has said it will not stop until there is a ceasefire in Gaza. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant headed to Washington on Sunday to discuss the next phase of the Gaza war and escalating hostilities on the border with Lebanon, where exchanges of fire with Hezbollah have stoked fears of wider conflict. A full war in the north could lead to missile attacks on Israel's power grid and other infrastructure.

Borderline diplomacy: Diplomatic efforts to avert war with Lebanon
LBCI/June 25/2024
As tensions continue to escalate along the northern border between Israel and Hezbollah, residents of north Israel are demanding assurances for their safety. In response, National Security Council head Tzachi Hanegbi emphasized the ongoing diplomatic efforts, which have spanned several weeks and could potentially lead to a political settlement that prevents a war with Lebanon and an ensuing regional war. Hanegbi revealed that these intensified diplomatic efforts are being coordinated with Amos Hochstein, the US mediator in the talks with Lebanon. This coincides with the nearing completion of the Rafah operation, which is expected to advance the peaceful resolution and bring Hochstein back to the region soon, according to Hanegbi's statements. This statement comes amid significant efforts by northern Israeli town leaders to implement a secure plan that ensures the return of residents to their areas before the start of the new school year in early September. However, countering these diplomatic moves, Alex Nachumson, head of the Israeli Security Forum, advocates for military action against Lebanon. He outlined three potential options for Israel:
The first option relies on reaching an agreement to halt the war temporarily until developments in Gaza are clearer. The second option includes intensifying reciprocal attacks, including aerial strikes on Hezbollah targets. The third option is conducting a large-scale offensive similar to the onset of the First Lebanon War, involving a ground invasion to clear Hezbollah members from southern Lebanon. Critics have warned that such military action could exacerbate tensions with Washington, especially as Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant attempts to align with Hochstein and other American officials on necessary steps to ensure the safety and return of Israeli residents. On the ground, the Israeli military is intensifying its efforts to conclude the Rafah operation, with Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi claiming significant achievements against Hamas. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reconsidered his initial rejection of US President Joe Biden's proposal for a prisoner exchange and ceasefire, reaffirming his support for the proposal while insisting on continuing the fight and avoiding withdrawal from Gaza. This stance has once again put Netanyahu at odds with reserve soldiers who oppose the ongoing war in Gaza.

US cautions: Israel-Hezbollah conflict could spark regional war
AFP/June 25/2024
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant at the Pentagon on Tuesday, warning that a conflict between Israel and Hezbollah could spark a regional war and urging a diplomatic solution. "Another war between Israel and Hezbollah could easily become a regional war, with terrible consequences for the Middle East," Austin said. "Diplomacy is by far the best way to prevent more escalation."

Lebanon faces critical month: Nabih Berri warns of 'uncertain future' as country reacts to Hochstein's visit
LBCI/June 25/2024
US Envoy Amos Hochstein had barely left Beirut after informing all the officials he met that Israel might wage war on Lebanon within five weeks, following its battle in Rafah, if a diplomatic solution with Lebanon is not reached. Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri then stated that Lebanon is facing a critical month and the situation is not reassuring, especially since Hochstein did not return with answers after his talks in Tel Aviv.  Berri's remarks to "RT" sparked concern among the Lebanese people, prompting those involved in the detailed talks with the US mediator to attempt to alleviate these worries. Those concerned said that Berri has been saying from the beginning that the situation is delicate. However, this time, he issued a warning, stating that if Lebanon does not "strengthen itself," particularly by swiftly electing a President, it risks falling out of international focus. This is especially crucial during the European and American election periods, which could leave the regions of Gaza and the South vulnerable to various scenarios. The efforts to downplay the impact of Berri's statement come at a time when there are growing signs that diplomacy is making progress and becoming more likely than war. Currently, those concerned in the military field report that despite Hochstein's remarks about Washington's inability to ensure war prevention, there has been no alteration in the Israeli military presence in the northern region. Furthermore, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also affirmed that the positioning of these forces remains defensive. While it is true that Hezbollah and Speaker of Parliament Berri do not overlook the possibility of a widescale war, it is also true that Washington is pushing towards a diplomatic solution. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that this depends on Tel Aviv ensuring that tensions with Hezbollah do not escalate, and reaching a resolution that allows families on both sides of the border to return to their homes.

Are Hezbollah and Israel on the brink of open warfare?
Ali Hamade/Arab News/June 25, 2024
The military standoff between Hezbollah and Israel has intensified dramatically since Oct. 8, with recent clashes edging the two sides closer to full-scale warfare. The frequency and severity of the confrontations have surged in recent days, pushing the situation to the brink of open conflict. When we talk about the brink of war, we mean a full-scale conflict that both Hezbollah and Israel are perilously close to. The recent surge in hostilities suggests a significant shift in the conflict’s dynamics, with both parties shedding their previous caution, potentially setting the stage for a protracted and perilous engagement. This month’s retaliation by Hezbollah following the assassination of Abu Taleb, one of its highest-ranking field commanders, was forceful yet restrained. Israel, for its part, has been cautious not to cross any red lines. However, rising concerns center on the increasing intensity of strikes between the two parties.
Despite both Hezbollah and Israel’s apparent intent to avoid crossing dangerous thresholds, the ongoing war of attrition and the political deadlock over ending the conflict in Gaza heightens the risk of a major miscalculation by either side. Additionally, any sudden shift in the current rules of engagement could trigger a major war that neither side initially intended. The concerned parties are closely monitoring the gradual decline in the US administration’s interest in the Gaza war. This shift is primarily due to the conflict’s diminishing importance as an element in the US presidential election campaign, as it is being overshadowed by more pressing domestic issues. Lebanon is currently navigating a perilous phase, teetering precariously on the edge of the abyss. American voters are reportedly more focused on economic matters and immigration. The two leading presidential candidates are deeply engrossed in domestic politics, limiting the maneuverability of the incumbent and his administration.
The election campaign is expected to limit the Biden administration’s ability to exert pressure on conflicting parties in the region, particularly Israel. This scenario empowers the pro-Israel lobby in America to more effectively defend Israel’s stance against Hamas and hinder the Biden administration from applying more pressure on Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. This context underscores the gravity of the upcoming period. The departure of Benny Gantz — a key moderating influence who is often seen as a US-friendly figure — from the Israeli war council has not yet sealed the fate of the Israeli government. However, Netanyahu’s dissolution of the war Cabinet could have a detrimental impact on the Lebanese front. Lebanon is currently navigating a perilous phase, teetering precariously on the edge of the abyss. The country is threatened with becoming a major theater in a regional conflict that pits the Iran-backed Hezbollah against Israel. Israel perceives Hezbollah’s military posture, right on its doorstep, as a more profound existential threat than even Hamas in Gaza. This complex situation presents a formidable challenge not just for Israel but for the broader Western interests in the region. Hezbollah’s recent display of military prowess on the global stage, rather than bolstering its position, may in fact be setting the stage for its potential downfall. This heightened visibility raises concerns about the sustainability of the coexistence between Israel and Hezbollah. If not now, against the backdrop of the Gaza conflict, the likelihood of a major escalation in the coming years looms large. Such a scenario would undoubtedly escalate tensions to a catastrophic level. Meanwhile, ordinary Lebanese citizens are grappling with a pressing question: Is it not time to halt this conflict, which poses a far greater threat to Lebanon than to Israel?
*Ali Hamade is an editorial journalist at the Annahar newspaper in Lebanon. X: @AliNahar

Lebanon lacks optimism over international warnings
Eyad Abu Shakra/Arab News/June 25, 2024
News from Lebanon indicates a daily shift toward a grimmer and more pessimistic outlook. Despite claiming to oppose this trend, many parties seem to be sliding further into worsening conditions, like sleepwalkers heading toward disaster. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned days ago that “the world cannot afford another Gaza in Lebanon,” but reports from the ground indicate a serious escalation, prompting concern. This comes amid rising threats between Hezbollah and the Israeli authorities, along with US envoy Amos Hochstein issuing warnings to all involved during a crucial US election year. In Israel, the departure of two moderate voices from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's inner circle has left him largely unchecked. Netanyahu, seen as one of Israel’s most opportunistic politicians, now faces little restraint against any reckless or exploitative actions. The departure of former army chiefs of staff Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot from the team managing the “Gaza displacement war” is a significant development. This change is likely to unsettle even Washington’s Republican hawks. With such pragmatic officials gone and the war Cabinet disbanded, key decisions are now in the hands of opportunistic politicians like Netanyahu and extremist settler ideologues like Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.
In many cases, experienced and thoughtful military leaders tend to value human life, peace and understanding more than aggressive and populist politicians. Nasrallah persists in justifying his party’s independent war agenda, sidelining the state’s authority. It is notable how some Israeli military figures, after starting out in militant right-wing roles, later moved toward moderation after witnessing the true costs of war.Ariel Sharon shifted to the center, while Ezer Weizman even leaned left at times. This brings to mind a famous quote widely attributed to American Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman: “I am sick and tired of war. Its glory is all moonshine. It is only those who have neither fired a shot nor heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded who cry aloud for blood, for vengeance, for desolation. War is hell.”Following the resignations of Gantz and Eisenkot, the latter having lost his 25-year-old son in the current Gaza conflict, from the war Cabinet, the three extremists — Netanyahu, Ben-Gvir and Smotrich — who have never fought a day, continue to beat the drums, deliver provocative speeches and incite tensions.
What is even more paradoxical is that figures like these, adherents to Torah ideology — Netanyahu claiming such a stance — are adamant about exempting ultrareligious Torah followers from mandatory military service, yet simultaneously exploit Torah and Talmudic texts to justify wars and massacres. Meanwhile, in Lebanon, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah persists in justifying his party’s independent war agenda, sidelining the state’s authority. Despite Hezbollah’s months-long adherence to its rules of engagement with Israel, Nasrallah persists in coordinating communications through Nabih Berri, the speaker of Lebanon’s parliament, and his “friend” Hochstein, representing the US — once dubbed the “Great Satan.”In the past two weeks, alongside the Gaza conflict and escalating threats of war on Lebanon from Netanyahu’s team, tensions have risen on the Lebanese-Israeli front through exchanged messages.
After Hezbollah intensified its drone attacks, countered by Israeli assassinations and displacement operations, Nasrallah opened a new preemptive front — this time targeting Cyprus. This action bypassed any recognition or consultation with recognized state authorities. Nasrallah has warned Cyprus against allowing Israel to use its airports and bases, threatening that this would drag them into the conflict.
He claimed Hezbollah had intelligence suggesting Israel might strike Lebanon from these locations if Hezbollah targeted Israeli airports. Nasrallah also hinted at Israel’s fear of Hezbollah invading Galilee amid escalating tensions, emphasizing Hezbollah’s readiness, with new weaponry, for any scenario. His remarks coincided with Israel revealing operational plans for a potential Lebanon strike and Foreign Minister Israel Katz renewing threats against Hezbollah amid the ongoing border tensions, which have simmered since last October. Amid UN chief Guterres’ caution and US envoy Hochstein’s urgency for a swift Hezbollah-Israel resolution, Lebanon’s volatile situation remains a concern. This is compounded by domestic woes, while global attention focuses elsewhere.
**Eyad Abu Shakra is managing editor of Asharq Al-Awsat. X: @eyad1949

World does not need another global front line in Lebanon
Nadim Shehadi/Arab News/June 25/2024
If the expected Israeli attack on Lebanon ends up with an occupation of part of south Lebanon and the creation of a buffer zone maintained by mutual deterrence, it will empower Hezbollah and create a front line for global confrontation in this increasingly bipolar world. The Ukraine war created such a front line and clarified the divisions. The war between Russia and Ukraine involves Europe and the US and their allies on Kyiv’s side and Iran, China and their allies in support of Moscow. Some countries have tried to keep a distance and remain neutral.
In Lebanon, the global front line will also not be solely between Lebanon and Israel. It will boost Hezbollah’s power and bring it support from Russia, China, Iran and their local and global allies. It will be a direct confrontation between the two sides involved in Ukraine, but one in which they have an advantage and in which very few will be able to be neutral.
An occupation of Lebanese territory would also be a gift to Hezbollah. The Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon in 2000 was a blow to its legitimacy. It turned it from a force resisting occupation into a resistance force in search of an occupation. The excuse of minor border irregularities, including the Shebaa Farms, was unconvincing and not enough to legitimate its arms, which it had started using against its internal opponents and critics. In early July 2006, there was an additional element to Hezbollah’s legitimacy problem. Syria had also withdrawn from Lebanon and there was pressure on Hezbollah to give up its arms and join in with rebuilding the country after the euphoria of the Cedar Revolution. Lebanon had been brought back in from the cold with what seemed like intensive international protection through several UN Security Council resolutions. Minor border and prisoner issues could be resolved through the help of the UN and there was intensive European mediation to do that. A clear indication of the war’s wider potential came when Nasrallah last week threatened Cyprus. This all changed when Israel launched a major attack on July 12, 2006, triggered by a Hezbollah guerilla operation across the border, kidnapping two soldiers and killing eight. Hezbollah regained its title as a resistance force against an aggressive neighbor with designs on its territory and it also became the protector, gaining popular support all over the Arab region. It declared victory by the mere fact that it survived and it continued, through assassinations and the maintenance of a constant state of war and paralysis, to control the country. Less than 20 years later, it reigns supreme over a hollowed-out and paralyzed state.
One of Hamas’ achievements in the Gaza war is that it has imposed itself as the main interlocutor with the West. When was the last time anyone visited Ramallah? Instead, officials and diplomats go to Cairo and Doha to negotiate indirectly with Hamas. Hezbollah has achieved this in Lebanon too. It has become the main interlocutor to avoid war. A clear indication of the war’s wider scope and potential came when Hassan Nasrallah last week threatened Cyprus, which is part of the EU and hence an ally of NATO and the West.
But Hezbollah’s control is not complete. There is opposition to its actions and a wide belief in the country that it is dragging it into an unnecessary and destructive war that it cannot handle. Hezbollah still silences opposition through assassinations, like that of cultural entrepreneur and activist Lokman Slim, or through pure bullying and accusations of treason, which journalists are subjected to daily. An Israeli occupation in south Lebanon would be a gift to Hezbollah and its allies in the region. It would regain its legitimacy and its critics would be silenced, without any arguments against its hold over the country. It would be another divine victory not over Israel but over the rest of Lebanon, which will then be completely under its control.
In this situation, the new border — maintained by mutual deterrence — will be turned into a front line between two global alliances. Hezbollah will be the vanguard of resistance against American hegemony and will receive aid and support from China, Russia, Iran, Venezuela and all the countries keen to see the defeat of Israel and the US on the global scene. America’s allies in the region and those aspiring for peace and normalization with Israel will also lose any arguments. This is not a front they can be neutral on and they will have to contend with a growing internal opposition to normalization after Gaza and Lebanon. Any prospects for peace and stability in the region will be on hold for a long time. Lebanon has always been the weather vane of regional stability. Historically, regional tensions appeared in Lebanon first because this is the only place where they can have expression. The battle of ideas that will shape the future of the region and indeed much of the global order has already started in Lebanon, and from there it can spread. If Israel creates such favorable circumstances, the beneficiaries will primarily be its enemies and also those of the EU and of the West.
Ukraine can look like a minor regional conflict with limited scope by comparison. The front line in south Lebanon will involve a confrontation between all the forces already active in Ukraine, in addition to the confrontation between the West and the Muslim world. The new front line will also dwarf the repercussions of the Gaza war. In the Gaza war, there is a semblance of two sides, and Israel can claim some justification following the Oct. 7 massacre by Hamas. On balance, it is obvious that Israel has lost more than it has gained in the court of global public opinion. The brutality that Israel has demonstrated in Gaza will translate as sympathy to Hezbollah and will further divide Western societies. It is impossible to exaggerate the consequences of opening another front line for global confrontation in south Lebanon. An Israeli invasion must therefore be prevented at any cost.
**Nadim Shehadi is an economist and political adviser. He has held positions in academia and think tanks in Europe and the US. He ran a program on the regional dimension of the Middle East Peace Process at Chatham House. X: @Confusezeus

Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on June 25-26/2024
High Court unanimously rules against exemption for haredim in IDF
Yonah Jeremy Bob/Jerusalem Post/June 25/2024
Likud: Peculiar that the High Court is forcing ultra-Orthodox conscription • Ruling also calls to freeze funding of yeshivas who do not comply. A full, extended nine-judge panel of the High Court of Justice on Tuesday ordered a full draft of haredim into the IDF and freezing all funds for institutions that do not comply starting April 1.The blockbuster ruling could lead to new elections or, if not, a change in the political landscape on the issue of haredim in the IDF. If the government and Knesset have been working slowly on the issue for months and years, hoping to stall a crisis, the pressure on haredi MKs and the government to arrive at a solution to restore their funding just jumped significantly. Curiously, the High Court's decision seemed to apply immediately, though its April ruling had left room for a delay to some fund freezing until August 8. At a hearing earlier in June, the justices had come out swinging. Part of what had been so surprising about the hearing was that three of the most conservative voices - Justices Noam Sohlberg, Alex Stein, and Yael Wilner – were among the roughest and most aggressive critics of the government.
Inside the court hearing
Sohlberg was furious that the IDF has offered as a minimum initial measure to take in 3,000 haredim out of over 60,000 eligible draftees over the course of the 2024 recruitment class, and that the government even refused this. Stein and Wilner laid waste to the government’s legal claims that mid-level IDF officers could have wide discretion to give broad exemptions to haredim from military service, even beyond specific individual extreme extenuating circumstances. In rare moments, one could tell that the justices were emotionally disturbed by the idea that during an ongoing Israel-Hamas war, which has taken the lives of around 1,500 Israelis, haredim still feel that asking them to do the same service is oppression. When a haredi man at the hearing vowed that the ultra-Orthodox he knew would rather die than be drafted, it seemed to ring hollower with the justices mid-war than in the past. If, in the past, such statements had a shock value, which made most Israelis who do serve in the IDF hold their heads in shock and decide to move on because the difficulty of negotiating with such a stubborn sector of the country was too great, the war seemed to have changed the atmosphere in the court building. In comical moments, Acting Chief Justice Uzi Vogelman (“acting” because Justice Minister Yariv Levin has blocked Yitzhak Amit from taking office since October 2023) told the government’s lawyer that in trying to sound coherent and reasonable, he had essentially adopted the arguments of both Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara and the NGOs who brought the petition to draft haredim. There seemed to be no question where the court was going with this – only how far. In late March, the court froze one-third of some government-sponsored funds for the around-1,750 haredi yeshivot (seminaries). However, this did not impact the vast majority of the over 60,000 haredim in play for IDF or national service, only a portion of the recent draft class. It also did not impact significant non-government funds that the haredi institutions raise. While Haredi advocates have talked about the reduction in funds as being a life and death issue, there has not seemed to be any evident push by their Knesset officials to reach a new compromise either in the government or in Knesset hearings on the issue, which started last week, but with no noticeable progress. The haredi political parties seemed to have judged that most of their government funding would not be touched earlier than August or Tuesday's ruling. The haredim also knew that they could somewhat freeze the current situation by going to new elections. In early June, it seemed like the High Court was leaning toward ordering the government and the IDF to draft a minimum of 3,000 new haredi IDF recruits immediately. This would not be insignificant, but it would still be less than 25% of the current haredi recruitment class and would not touch any older classes.

Israel's high court orders the army to draft ultra-Orthodox men, rattling Netanyahu's government
Tia Goldenberg/AP/June 25, 2024
Israel’s Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled unanimously that the military must begin drafting ultra-Orthodox men for compulsory service, a landmark decision that could lead to the collapse of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition as Israel continues to wage war in Gaza.
The historic ruling effectively puts an end to a decades-old system that granted ultra-Orthodox men broad exemptions from military service while maintaining mandatory enlistment for the country’s secular Jewish majority. The arrangement, deemed discriminatory by critics, has created a deep chasm in Israel's Jewish majority over who should shoulder the burden of protecting the country. The court struck down a law that codified exemptions in 2017, but repeated court extensions and government delaying tactics over a replacement dragged out a resolution for years. The court ruled that in the absence of a law, Israel’s compulsory military service applies to the ultra-Orthodox like any other citizen. Under longstanding arrangements, ultra-Orthodox men have been exempt from the draft, which is compulsory for most Jewish men and women, who serve three and two years respectively as well as reserve duty until around age 40.
These exemptions have long been a source of anger among the secular public, a divide that has widened during the eight-month-old war, as the military has called up tens of thousands of soldiers and says it needs all the manpower it can get. Over 600 soldiers have been killed since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack. Politically powerful ultra-Orthodox parties, key partners in Netanyahu’s governing coalition, oppose any change to the current system. If the exemptions are ended, they could bolt the coalition, causing the government to collapse and likely leading to new elections at a time when its popularity has dropped. In the current environment, Netanyahu could have a hard time delaying the matter any further or passing laws to restore the exemptions. During arguments, government lawyers told the court that forcing ultra-Orthodox men to enlist would “tear Israeli society apart.” The ultra-Orthodox see their full-time religious study as their part in protecting the state. Many fear that greater contact with secular society through the military will distance adherents from strict observance of the faith. A statement from Netanyahu’s Likud party criticized the ruling, saying a bill in parliament backed by the Israeli leader would address the draft issue. Critics say it falls short of Israel’s wartime needs. “The real solution to the draft problem is not a Supreme Court ruling,” the statement said. In its ruling, the court found that the state was carrying out “invalid selective enforcement, which represents a serious violation of the rule of law, and the principle according to which all individuals are equal before the law.”It did not say how many ultra-Orthodox should be drafted, but the military has said it is capable of enlisting 3,000 this year. The security establishment must “act immediately to implement the ruling" and enlist at least that many ultra-Orthodox soldiers in the coming year, the Attorney General’s Office demanded in a letter to legal advisors for the defense establishment, the Finance Ministry and the Ministry of Education. Some 66,000 ultra-Orthodox men are now eligible for enlistment, according to Shuki Friedman, an expert on religion and state affairs and the vice-president of the Jewish People Policy Institute, a Jerusalem think tank. The ruling of Israel's highest court must be followed, and the military is expected to begin doing so once it forms a plan for how to draft thousands of members of a population that's deeply opposed to service, and which follows a cloistered and modest lifestyle the military may not be immediately prepared to accommodate. The army had no immediate comment. The court also ruled that state subsidies for seminaries where exempted ultra-Orthodox men study should remain suspended. The court temporarily froze the seminary budgets earlier this year. In a post on the social platform X, Cabinet minister Yitzhak Goldknopf, who heads one of the ultra-Orthodox parties in the coalition, called the ruling “very unfortunate and disappointing.” He did not say whether his party would bolt the government. Israel's ultra-Orthodox make up roughly 13% of the 9.9 million population. The community has a high birthrate, making it the fastest-growing segment of the population, at about 4% annually. Each year, roughly 13,000 ultra-Orthodox males reach the conscription age of 18 but less than 10% enlist, according to the Israeli parliament’s State Control Committee. Ultra-Orthodox men attend special seminaries that focus on religious studies, with little attention on secular topics such as math, English or science. Critics have said they are ill-prepared to serve in the military or enter the secular work force. Religious women generally receive exemptions that are not as controversial, in part because women are not expected to serve in combat units.
The court ruling does not address the status of Israel's Palestinian citizens, who are not expected to serve and most of whom do not. As descendants of Palestinians who remained in Israel after the 1948 war that led to its creation, their ties to the military are fraught and some in Israel see them as a fifth column because of their solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. Tuesday's ruling now sets the stage for growing friction within the coalition over the draft issue. Ultra-Orthodox lawmakers are likely to face intense pressure from religious leaders and their constituents and may have to decide whether remaining in the government is worthwhile for them. Previous court rulings on the issue and threats of enlistment have sparked protests and violence between the ultra-Orthodox and police. Friedman said the ultra-Orthodox “understand that they don’t have a better political alternative, but at the same time their public is saying ‘why did we vote for you?’”The exemptions have faced years of legal challenges and a string of court decisions has found the system unjust. But Israeli leaders, under pressure from ultra-Orthodox parties, have repeatedly stalled.
The Movement for Quality Government in Israel, which has helped lead the challenge against the exemptions, called on the government to immediately draft all eligible seminary students. “This is their legal and moral duty, especially in light of the complex security situation and the urgent need for personnel” in the army, said Tomer Naor, head of the group's legal department. Netanyahu’s coalition is buoyed by two ultra-Orthodox parties who oppose increasing enlistment for their constituents. The long-serving Israeli leader has tried to adhere to the court’s rulings while also scrambling to preserve his coalition. But with a slim majority of 64 seats in the 120-member parliament, he’s often beholden to the smaller parties. The government could try to draft a law that restores the exemptions, but doing so would be politically challenging in light of the court's ruling. Some moderate members of the government have indicated they will only support a law that enlists sizable numbers of ultra-Orthodox, and the legislative clock is running out with the Knesset soon to leave for summer recess. That could force the military to begin drafting religious men before any new law is in place. Netanyahu has been promoting a bill tabled by a previous government in 2022 that sought to address the issue by calling for limited ultra-Orthodox enlistment. But critics say that bill was crafted before the war and doesn’t do enough to address a pressing manpower shortfall as the army seeks to maintain its forces in the Gaza Strip while also preparing for potential war with the Lebanese Hezbollah group, which has been fighting with Israel since the war in Gaza erupted last October.

New report suggests Israeli military views some Gaza journalists as ‘legitimate targets’
Arab News/June 25/2024
LONDON: A new investigation has suggested that the Israeli military views some Gaza-based journalists as “legitimate targets.”The Guardian, in collaboration with the Paris-based non-profit Forbidden Stories, revealed that some members of the armed forces consider journalists working for Hamas-controlled or affiliated outlets as legitimate targets not covered by the same international protections as civilians. Media watchdogs Committee to Protect Journalists and Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism reported that around 30 percent of the 108 media workers killed since Oct. 7 in Gaza were employed by outlets affiliated with or closely tied to Hamas. This includes the largest Hamas-run outlet in Gaza, Al-Aqsa media network, which employs hundreds of people across its TV station, radio, and newspaper arms. The report, authored by Harry Davies, Manisha Ganguly, David Pegg, Hoda Osman, Bethan McKernan, and award-winning Israeli journalist and film director Yuval Abraham, noted that while “Al-Aqsa’s programming is unmistakably pro-Hamas, anti-Israel and, at times, antisemitic … simply working (for the media outlet) does not make someone a legitimate target to be killed.”
Janina Dill, a professor at the University of Oxford and expert in the laws of war, said: “Reporting the news is not direct participation in hostilities. “Even if they reported the news in a biased way, even if they did propaganda for Hamas, even if Israel fundamentally disagrees with how they report the news. That is not enough.”Since 2019, Israel has designated Al-Aqsa network as a terrorist organization, calling it “a propaganda arm of Hamas and a central platform for the distribution of inciting messages by the terror organization.”The media group has also been sanctioned by the US since 2010.
Its offices, evacuated after Hamas attacks on Oct. 7 to avoid Israeli retaliation, have been previously bombed by Israel over accusations of being used for military purposes. The report detailed how Israeli soldiers were given a “permissive approach” to targeting, with Hamas-affiliated media being told they existed in a “grey zone” and that some in the Israeli military hold the view that “anyone getting paid by Hamas” could be considered a legitimate target. “Hamas invests a lot of resources in its propaganda teams. They often won’t do an activity if they don’t have a photographer. They must document everything,” an unnamed military intelligence officer said. “So some will tell you: ‘Look, a Hamasnik is Hamasnik.’”An Israeli military spokesperson denied the report’s accusations, stating that while it “does not target civilian objects,” the outlet “employs terrorists and affords them the facade of journalists.”The spokesperson claimed that the Israeli military killed six Al-Aqsa workers who were alleged members of Hamas’s armed wing but did not provide evidence to support the claim. Experts warned that this approach puts Israel in a “troubling position” as it is often difficult to distinguish between combatants and civilians.
Many press freedom organizations expressed concerns about the military’s efforts to silence critical reporting. Irene Khan, the UN’s special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, stated that Israel had “spread disinformation about journalists being linked to militants” and failed to meet the “burden of proof” to make such claims.

Israelis’ lawsuit says UN agency helps Hamas by paying Gaza staff in dollars
AP/June 26, 2024
NEW YORK: Israelis who were taken hostage or lost loved ones during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack are suing the United Nations agency that aids Palestinians, claiming it has helped finance the militants by paying agency staffers in US dollars and thereby funneling them to money-changers in Gaza who allegedly give a cut to Hamas.But the agency, known as UNWRA, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the staffers were paid in dollars by their own choice. Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank don’t have their own national currency, and primarily use Israeli shekels.
The lawsuit, filed Monday in a US federal court in New York, marks the latest challenge to the beleaguered UN agency, which has been the main supplier of food, water and shelter to civilians during the Israel-Hamas war. The Israeli government has long assailed the over 70-year-old agency, and scrutiny has intensified during the eight-month-long war, prompting UNRWA to defend itself while grappling with a spiraling humanitarian crisis in Gaza. “UNRWA’s staff, facilities and ability to truck cash US dollars into Gaza formed a potent pillar of Hamas’ plan to undertake the Oct. 7 attack,” the lawsuit says, asserting that the UN agency “systematically and deliberately aided and abetted Hamas and its goals.” UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said Tuesday that he learned of the case only through the media.
“I don’t know what the status of this lawsuit is all about, but for the time being, I see this as an additional way to put pressure on the agency,” he said at a press briefing in Geneva. UNRWA has denied that it knowingly aids Hamas or any other militant group. Israel invaded Gaza after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, in which militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted about 250. The war has killed more than 37,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which doesn’t say how many were civilians or fighters. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of scores of Israelis including Oct. 7 attack survivors, victims’ relatives, and rescued captives. It echoes some complaints their government has raised, ranging from claims that UNRWA employs Hamas operatives to complaints about the content of textbooks in UNRWA-run schools.
But the suit also focuses on the agency’s practice of paying its 13,000 Gaza staffers in US dollars. The money is wired from a bank in New York and trucked into Gaza, according to the legal complaint, which says the payroll totaled at least $20 million a month from 2018 until last September.
UNRWA employees use local money-changers to convert their dollars to Israeli shekels, the complaint says. Some Palestinians also use dollars or Jordanian dinars, viewing them as stable and trusted currencies. The suit claims that Hamas, which has controlled Gaza since 2007, “runs the majority” of the currency exchangers and extracts a 10 percent to 25 percent fee from the rest, “ensuring that a predictable percentage of UNRWA’s payroll went to Hamas” in dollars useful for black-market weapons deals.
“Hamas’ ability to carry out the Oct. 7 attack would have been significantly and possibly fatally weakened without that UNRWA-provided cash,” the complaint says. The complaint points to an UNRWA-commissioned 2018 report about delivering aid in cash that noted risks of misappropriation, fraud or other diversion away from the intended purpose. UNRWA spokesperson Juliette Touma said in a message to the AP that Gaza staffers asked that “they are paid in $ because Gaza does not have an official national currency.”Touma said the UN, including UNRWA, and their officials are immune from lawsuits. She declined to comment further on the suit in question, saying the agency hadn’t officially been served with it. One of the plaintiffs’ lead lawyers, Gavi Mairone, said in a statement Tuesday that they didn’t believe the UN and officials named in the suit had immunity, “and certainly not from these claims.”
Formally called the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East, UNRWA was established to help the estimated 700,000 Palestinians who fled or were driven out of what is now Israel during the 1948 war surrounding the country’s creation. Their descendants now number nearly 6 million. The agency operates schools, health clinics, infrastructure projects and aid programs in refugee camps in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. Since the war began in Gaza, over 1.7 million people have taken shelter in UNRWA facilities. At least 500 displaced people have been killed when such facilities came under attack, according to UNWRA statistics released Friday. The agency has lost nearly 200 staffers. Two UN officials said Tuesday that the world body warned Israel that Gaza aid operations would be suspended unless protections for humanitarian workers improve.
Israel has accused UNRWA of letting Hamas exploit its aid and facilities, and Israel claimed this winter that a dozen UNRWA employees participated in the Oct. 7 attacks.
The allegations prompted the US and more than a dozen other countries to suspend hundreds of millions of dollars in contributions to the agency, though all but the US and Britain have resumed their funding. Lazzarini said Tuesday that new donors also have come on board, but the agency still faces a year-end shortfall of up to $140 million.

US military shows reporters pier project in Gaza as it takes another stab at aid delivery
AP/June 26, 2024
GAZA CITY: With US soldiers within shouting distance of Gaza’s bombed-out coast, the American military is taking another stab at delivering aid to hungry Palestinians by sea. After several fits and starts, a $230 million pier is up and running again. The US military invited reporters for a tour of it on Tuesday, marking the first time international media has witnessed its operations firsthand. International journalists have not been allowed to enter Gaza independently since the Israel-Hamas war began Oct. 7. The project, which first launched in mid-May, resumed operations last week after a recent pause due to rough seas. As journalists looked on Tuesday, US soldiers with machine guns directed the pier’s operations. US vessels carrying trucks loaded with humanitarian aid docked at the pier. Israeli and Cypriot drivers drove the trucks off the vessels and headed down the 400-meter (437-yard) causeway to the beach, where they unloaded pallets of aid. The trucks then returned to the vessels to be ferried to large cargo ships and reloaded. The cargo ships travel across the Mediterranean Sea from Cyprus. Col. Samuel Miller, the commander of a joint task force, US Army 7th Transportation Brigade, said the vessels can ferry aid to the pier at least five times a day. “Our mission out here is to receive those humanitarian assistance pallets offshore from a larger vessel onto that floating pier,” he said, shouting over waves crashing against the pier. “Over time, we are learning organization and we’ve gotten better.”
The floating pier was anchored back on Gaza’s shoreline on June 19 after heavy seas and high winds led the military to disconnect it from the beach. In May, similar conditions forced a two-week pause in operations after the pier broke apart and four US Army vessels ran aground, injuring three service members, one critically. Since coming back online, the pier has been delivering hundreds of pallets of aid a day to the shore, Miller said.
From the pier, Associated Press journalists could see aid piling up against a backdrop of near-total destruction. Israeli army vehicles slowly moved between blown-out buildings along the coast. Tents stood on beaches in the distance. The US military said about 6,200 metric tons (6,800 tons) of aid have so far been delivered from the project to Gaza’s shore. While aid from the pier is reaching the beach, it’s still difficult to get it to Palestinians in Gaza. The UN World Food Program has suspended aid delivery from the pier due to security concerns after the Israeli military appeared to use the area in a June 8 hostage rescue. Lawlessness around the pier, with hungry Palestinians seizing aid off trucks headed to delivery zones, also is a major concern. The US launched the project to bring relief to Gaza, where Israel’s military offensive against Hamas has displaced over 80 percent of the territory’s 2.3 million people and unleashed a humanitarian disaster. International officials say hundreds of thousands of people are on the brink of famine. UN and other international aid officials have voiced skepticism over the pier, saying its effectiveness is limited and it is no substitute for Israeli-controlled land crossings into the territory.
UN officials told the AP on Tuesday that they are considering suspending all aid operations across Gaza unless steps are taken to better protect humanitarian workers. That would plunge Gaza into an even deeper humanitarian catastrophe. Palestinians in Gaza are heavily reliant on UN aid, which has only trickled into the territory since Israel’s incursion in early May into Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost city, shut down a major land crossing and slowed deliveries from another major crossing. Still, the soldiers operating the pier Tuesday were hopeful. “I talk to my sailors on a daily basis,” said US Navy Capt. Joel Stewart. “They understand that our aid is necessary for the people of Gaza that are suffering under the conditions of war.”

Hamas stands firm against global pressure to accept hostage deal
Tovah Lazaroff/Jerusalem Post/June 25/2024
Hamas has reiterated its call for a full ceasefire, while Defense Minister Yoav Gallant met with US officials, including counterpart Lloyd Austin to discuss phases of the war.
Hamas stood firm Tuesday against global pressure that it accept the proposed three-phase deal, stressing that any deal which did not guarantee a permanent ceasefire from the start “was not an agreement.”The Qatar-based Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh released the statement after his sister was killed during an IDF airstrike in Gaza, accusing Israel of deliberately targeting her to pressure the group to take the deal. “If [Israel] thinks targeting my family will change our position or that of the resistance, they are delusional,” he said. He spoke out as Qatar and Egypt continued their efforts to close a deal; debate continued in Israel around the three-phase plan that US President Joe Biden first unveiled on May 31. US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters in Washington that Hamas had sent a written response to the deal several weeks ago. That response “rejected the proposal that had been put forward by Israel, [which] President Biden had outlined,” he said. Miller recalled that the United Nations Security Council approved the proposal. The deal would have delayed the issue of a permanent ceasefire, a sticking point between Israel and Hamas, to the second phase. It offered a first phase, during which talks over a permanent ceasefire would continue, while some 33 of the hostages would be freed in exchange for an immediate lull to the war. The absence of a deal was one of the topics on Defense Minister Yoav Gallant’s agenda during the conversations he held in Washington during his visit this week, including with his American counterpart Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon on Tuesday. Austin called on Hamas to accept the deal. “The onus is on Hamas to accept this roadmap to a durable end to this war,” he said. “The failure of Hamas to accept this important proposal is prolonging the agony of Palestinian civilians and Israeli civilians,” he said. “Israel recently conducted a daring operation to rescue four hostages unjustly held by Hamas in Gaza. We won’t rest until all the hostages are safely home. Including American citizens,” Austin said. He referenced the eight hostages with dual Israeli-US citizenship, of which five are still considered to be alive. Austin, other officials call for Israel to engage in mediation to return hostages
“The only way to bring them [the hostages] all home is principle diplomacy. We must not miss this moment, and we must not risk indefinite war or insurgency,” he said. In Israel, at the 21st Herzliya Conference, the country’s National Security Adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi, spoke of the importance of supporting the deal. “We need to stand firmly behind this, together with the whole world,” he said, adding that it begins the process of returning the remaining 120 hostages. Hanegbi’s words were a subtle dig at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who on Sunday said he partially supported the deal, and those in the government who have vocally opposed it, such as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. Netanyahu then backtracked in the Knesset plenum, pledged his support to the deal, and admitted that it was actually an Israeli proposal. Hanegbi said on Tuesday that “Time is working against the hostages,” adding that this is why the issue has to be prioritized. Adding that he was among those who are optimistic that an agreement was possible, even though almost a month has passed and Hamas has not accepted the deal. “I think that given the tremendous international pressure on Hamas today, there is a chance that it will do something,” Hanegbi said. He referenced the United Nations Security Council resolution to back the deal, noting that even those countries that usually side with Hamas had supported the resolution or didn’t oppose it.That resolution was based on “the Israeli proposal for a deal that  was adopted by Biden,” he said. “There’s tremendous pressure on Qatar. And it is also placing pressure on its side on the Hamas leadership in Qatar to accept this deal as it is,” Hanegbi said. It’s possible that both the regional and the international pressure could be effective, he added. Hanegbi recalled that he had just returned from Washington, where he and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer met last week with US officials, including US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. “We had a very intimate conversation very much focused on the issue of hostages,” Hanegbi said.“It’s our impression that the US’s commitment to the deal is 100%,” Hanegbi said. Reuters contributed to this report.

Doha not pressing Hamas to leave Qatar, official says - exclusive
Tovah Lazaroff Zvikaklein/Jerusalem Post/June 25/2024
Qatar has been pressuring Hamas to make a deal but has not threatened it with exile.
Qatar has not asked the Hamas leadership residing in its capital, Doha, to leave the country as a pressure tactic to force it to accept the three-phased hostage deal on the table, an official from that country told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday. The official rejected media reports stating that there has been no request from Qatar “for Hamas to leave.” The National reported that in such a scenario, Hamas could relocate to Iraq, a step that would strengthen its ties to Iran. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh had met and spoken with representatives of both the Iraqi and Iranian governments. Qatar and Egypt have been the main mediators for a deal to secure the release of the hostages, leading to an agreement in November that freed 105 of the captives. It is now pushing for a deal to free the remaining 120. Qatar's leverage in the conflict. Hamas’s presence in Qatar has given it leverage to play the mediator role, as well as strengthening the terrorist group’s relationship with Doha. If Hamas were to relocate from Qatar, that exit would undermine Doha’s ability to play that role, which could be damaging at a time when Qatar believes that a deal is possible. Qatar has been pressuring Hamas to make a deal but has not threatened it with exile.Speaking with reporters on Tuesday in Washington, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller addressed the possibility of Hamas’s relocation to Iraq. “We’ve made clear that no country should carry out business as usual with Hamas since the horrific actions of October 7,” Miller said. “We would hope no country would provide a safe haven for Hamas.”

Russia reports exchanging 90 POWs with Ukraine
LBCI/June 25/2024
Russia said Tuesday it had exchanged 90 captive soldiers with Ukraine in a deal mediated by the United Arab Emirates. "As a result of the negotiation process, 90 Russian servicemen who were in mortal danger in captivity have been returned from territory controlled by the Kyiv regime. In return, 90 prisoners of war of the Ukrainian armed forces were handed over," Russia's Defense Ministry said.

‘Iran-backed plot’ to destabilize Jordan thwarted
ARAB NEWS/June 26, 2024
JEDDAH: Jordanian security forces have detonated a cache of explosives found concealed in a commercial warehouse in an industrial area southeast of Amman, thwarting what authorities said was part of an Iran-backed plot to destabilize the kingdom. Officials said the material was hidden by the same gang who stored explosives uncovered on Saturday in a crowded residential area close to a military airport. Security sources said both incidents were terror related based on the quantity of explosives found, and were linked to Iran’s clandestine efforts to recruit agents to destabilize the kingdom with acts of sabotage.
Over the past year Jordan has foiled numerous attempts to smuggle weapons by infiltrators linked to pro-Iranian militias in Syria who have crossed its borders with rocket launchers and explosives. Some of the weapons managed to get through undetected, and security sources say some of the arms are bound for the occupied West Bank. Several Jordanians linked to Palestinian militants have been arrested.

Saudi voices in the West: Faisal Abbas launches 'Anecdotes of an Arab Anglophile' book in London
LBCI/June 25/2024
At an event held at the Society of Authors headquarters in London, a seminar focused on Arab-British relations was highlighted by the launch of Faisal J. Abbas's new book, "Anecdotes of an Arab Anglophile."Faisal Abbas, the Editor-in-Chief of "Arab News," published his book in English through London-based Nomad Publishing. Moderated by Chris Doyle, Director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding, the seminar discussed the book's key themes, including cultural bridge-building, understanding societal customs, and addressing questions about Saudi Arabia's reforms under Vision 2030 and their significance. Saudi Arabia calls for recognition of Palestine, ceasefire in Gaza. Saudi Arabia's High-Tech Hajj: Innovations and Economic Impact for 2024 Doyle remarked, "It is quite positive that for once, we British are going to listen to the views of an outsider about some of our strengths and weaknesses, our traditions," describing the book as "a very nuanced, well-observed account of life in Britain." At the event, Faisal emphasized the importance of showcasing the West from Arab perspectives. Prince Khalid bin Bandar bin Sultan, Saudi ambassador to Britain, expressed appreciation in his opening remarks to "Arab News" and Faisal Abbas for facilitating his role as an ambassador through literary works. He noted the shift from predominantly Western perspectives on the Middle East in published books and highlighted mutual cultural exchange as part of Saudi Arabia's Renaissance in culture, economy, trade, and more. "For most of my life, we've seen our part of the world looked at from the outside. The majority of my time on this earth has been spent experiencing the Middle East, particularly Saudi Arabia, through external perspectives. I think it's part of an awakening that you're seeing in a country like Saudi Arabia," the Saudi ambassador said. From the British perspective, Sir Ben Elliot emphasized the significant role such books play in fostering respect and understanding between the two countries. He underscored the importance of cultural exchange and expanding awareness through travel, respect, and open dialogue. "If you haven't been recently, there is an extraordinary transformation in every single way. If you know Faisal personally, you will know what a sophisticated and observant man he is," Elliot said. Referring to Faisal, he further commented, "You are a true epitome of Saudi ambition."The seminar concluded with a book signing session and a networking event attended by members of parliament, lords, former politicians, prominent journalists, and academics from Britain and the Arab world.

Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on June 25-26/2024
In Recognizing Palestinian State, Spain Displays Historical Amnesia, Enables Islamic Terrorism
Raymond Ibrahim/The Stream/June 25/2024
Responding to Spain’s recent recognition of a Palestinian state, a few weeks ago Israel Foreign Affairs Minister Israel Katz tweeted:
If this ignorant, hate-filled individual [Spain’s deputy prime minister, Yolanda Díaz] wants to understand what radical Islam truly seeks, she should study the 700 years of Islamic rule in Al-Andalus — today’s Spain.
What could Katz be referring to? Indeed, if anything, the history of al-Andalus is often touted as an example of Muslim tolerance and coexistence with Jews and Christians.
Katz is referring to the actual — though habitually suppressed — history of Muslim-conquered Spain. To recap:
In 711 AD, hordes of North African Muslims (“Moors”) “godlessly invaded Spain to destroy it,” to quote from the Chronicle of 754. They did not pass “a place without reducing it, and getting possession of its wealth,” boasted al-Hakam, an early Muslim chronicler, “for Allah Almighty had struck with terror the hearts of the infidels.”
Such terrorism was intentionally cultivated in keeping with the Koran (e.g., 3:151, 8:12). In one instance, the invaders slaughtered, cooked, and ate or pretended to eat their Christian captives, prompting hysteria among the people “that the Muslims feed on human flesh,” and thereby “contributing in no small degree to increase the panic of the infidels,” wrote another Muslim chronicler.
Emboldened by their coreligionists’ initial victories — and reminiscent of what is happening today — swarms of Africans “crossed the sea on every vessel or bark they could lay hold of,” the Muslim chronicler wrote. They so overwhelmed the peninsula that “the Christians were obliged to shut themselves up in their castles and fortresses, and, quitting the flat country, betake themselves to their mountains.”
It’s important for the U.S. to understand history, because the fundamental nature of Islam has not changed over the centuries — and the Biden administration has for the last few years been importing radicals from all over the world and spreading them around the nation at taxpayer expense. As a result, we are now poised to suffer either a Moscow theater-style attack or our own Oct. 7 surprise.
Raping and Pillaging
One year after the Islamic invasion, the Muslims had, in the words of the Chronicle of 754, “ruined beautiful cities, burning them with fire; condemned lords and powerful men to the cross; and butchered youths and infants with the sword.” Several other early sources corroborate the devastation and persecution. The oldest account, the Tempore belli, tells of Muslims “sacking Christian temples [churches] and homes, burning the cities of those who resisted, and taking their young women as sexual slaves, all creating an indescribable terror.” As usual, the plight of Christian women — “infidels” — under Muslim control was obscene.
From the very first jihadist landing onto Spain in 711, Tarek bin Ziyad had sought to further entice his men to war by citing the women they would find “awaiting your arrival, reclining on soft couches in the sumptuous palaces.” These European women were, moreover, “as beautiful as houris,” said the jihadist leader. (In Islam, houris are supernatural sex-slaves — “big-bosomed” and “wide-eyed” says the Koran [56:22, 78:33] — created for the express purpose of pleasuring Allah’s favorites in perpetuity.)
After subjugating and utterly plundering Spain of its wealth, in 715, Tarek and his overlord, Musa, traveled to Damascus to submit vast treasures in tribute — including 30,000 Spanish slaves — to Umayyad Caliph Al-Walid. He, according to al-Maqqari, was utterly delighted by “the resources of all the people of Spain,” especially “its riches and the beauty of its young girls.”Thereafter, and because the “Umayyads particularly valued blond or red-haired Franc or Galician women as sexual slaves,” writes historian Dario Fernandez-Morera, “al-Andalus [Muslim-controlled Spain] became a center for the trade and distribution of slaves” (The Myth of the Andalusian Paradise, p. 159). Christian subjects were sometimes even required to make an annual tribute, “not of money, or horses, or arms, but of a hundred damsels (all to be distinguished for beauty) to ornament the harems” (Spain and Portugal, Mercer, p. 132).
Islamic Antisemitism
Nor, it should be added, was life for Jews under Muslim rule in Spain much better. It is true that, so long as they paid the jizya tribute, embraced second-class status, and served their Muslim overlords, Jews were tolerated — by medieval, not modern, standards. However, once the fire of Islam was kindled (which was often), they too were persecuted. Anyone doubting this — and there are many who criticized Israel Katz for not appreciating that, “during the Muslim rule of Andalusia, the Jews lived in a period of great security” — should consult Dr. Andrew Bostom’s tome, The Legacy of Islamic Antisemitism. In an article devoted to debunking the persistent “Myth of Cordoban Ecumenism,” Bostom highlights several examples giving the lie to the supposed “golden age” Jews enjoyed under Muslim rule in Spain.
Ibn Hazm (994–1064), a Muslim “poet” celebrated in the West for his supposedly “progressive” views, was, for Bostom, “a viciously anti-Semitic Muslim theologian whose inflammatory writings helped incite the massive pogrom against the Jews of Granada which killed 4,000, destroying the entire community in 1066.” Averroes — another Muslim celebrated as a philosopher in the West — also “rendered strong anti-infidel Sharia rulings and endorsed classical jihadism.” And al-Kinani (d. 901), a student of the Cordovan jurist Ibn Habib (d. 853) — “known as the scholar of Spain par excellence” — warned against “the Jew or Christian who is discovered trying to blend with the Muslims by not wearing the riqā [cloth patch bearing an emblem of an ape to identify the wearer as a Jew, or a pig for a Christian] or zunnār [belt].”
Confusing Cultures
Incidentally, these draconian attitudes were being articulated and expressed precisely during the so-called “golden age” of al-Andalus. From there, and with the arrival of two ISIS-like Muslim dynasties from North Africa — the Almoravids and Almohads — things got dramatically worse. Thus, “what Maimonides escaped in the 12th century — disguised as a Muslim — was nothing less than a full-blown Muslim Inquisition under the Muslim Almohads.” Bostom concludes:
The jihad depredations of the Almohads (1130–1232) wreaked enormous destruction on both the Jewish and Christian populations in Spain and North Africa. This devastation — massacre, captivity, and forced conversion — was described by the Jewish chronicler Abraham Ibn Daud and the poet Abraham Ibn Ezra. Suspicious of the sincerity of the Jewish converts to Islam, Muslim “inquisitors” (antedating their Christian Spanish counterparts by three centuries) removed the children from such families, placing them in the care of Muslim educators. The simple and verifiable historical truth is that Moorish Spain was more often a land of turmoil than it was of tranquility. … Tolerance? Ask the Jews of Granada who were massacred in 1066, or the Christians who were deported by the Almoravids to Morocco in 1126…
Many of those criticizing Katz’s rendition of history also stressed that it was the Christians, not the Muslims, who were the truly diabolical persecutors and destroyers of “multicultural” Spain. This too overlooks the fact that Medieval Christian hostility for Jews was fiercely exacerbated by the European conflation of Jews with the chief enemy: Muslims. As Daniel Pipes, author of the just released Israel Victory: How Zionists Win Acceptance and Palestinians Get Liberated, wrote in his review of The Jew as Ally of the Muslim: Medieval Roots of Anti-Semitism (1986): “(1) Medieval Christians feared and hated Muslims. (2) Medieval Christians saw Jews as the allies of Muslims. (3) Therefore, medieval Christians feared and hated Jews. . . . This is a radical new approach” and “makes great sense; indeed, it adds a whole new dimension to our comprehension of the way Christian-Jewish relations developed.”
In short, yes, Spain should look to its own history with Islam for a better understanding of the international struggle against jihad, including its latest iteration against Israel. It also should look to its own present as Muslim migrants continue to “cross the sea on every vessel or bark they could lay hold of” — as the a Muslim chronicler wrote of their jihadist ancestors of old — and inundating Spanish territory, especially the Canary Islands, where they commit all the same sort of crimes, including murdering Christian clergymen, habitually destroying and desecrating churches, and, of course, engaging in gang rape.
Spain should look to those things — and so should we.

Will Hungary’s EU presidency moderate its views?
Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg/Arab News/June 25, 2024
Hungary will next week assume the rotating EU presidency, to the chagrin of many European leaders, who consider the country to be an outlier, to say the least, in terms of domestic governance, immigration and foreign policy, including the war in Ukraine and relations with Russia.
In addition to these intra-EU differences, Budapest has at times been the sole dissenter to the bloc’s attempts to forge a united front on the Gaza war and help reach a peaceful resolution to the Arab-Israeli conflict. Hungary has also been one of the main places where Islamophobia has been weaponized in domestic politics.
Since the Gaza war started on Oct. 7, Hungary has been consistently pro-Israel and anti-Palestinian within the EU. For example, in February, all EU countries jointly called for a ceasefire in Gaza and urged Israel not to launch its planned assault on Rafah. But Budapest refused to endorse the call, despite pressure from other capitals. It also single-handedly derailed EU plans to collectively slap sanctions on violent Israeli settlers, first introduced in December following repeated attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank.
In a rare airing of foreign policy differences, 26 of the 27 EU member states isolated Hungary and issued a statement calling for “an immediate humanitarian pause that could lead to a sustainable ceasefire” in besieged Gaza.
Hungary has joined a handful of countries at the UN in voting against resolutions on Palestinian rights and ceasefire calls
In May 2021, during an earlier Israeli attack on Gaza, the EU foreign ministers called for a ceasefire but failed to reach unanimity because of Hungary’s sole objection, as the EU’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell revealed at the time.
That pattern has been consistent. Hungary has joined a handful of countries at the UN in voting against resolutions on Palestinian rights and ceasefire calls. It has also opposed action by the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice on the Israel-Palestine conflict. Activists and academics in Hungary have reported bans on pro-Palestine protests and other forms of peaceful expression.
In addition to the particulars of the Palestine-Israel conflict, Islamophobia has been weaponized in Hungary’s politics. This is a departure from the historically amicable relations between the country and the Muslim and Arab worlds. It is also at odds with Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s declared desire to forge strong ties with Muslim and Arab countries, along with the positive statements made during his frequent visits to the region and meetings with leaders from these countries.
Given the absence of a sizable Muslim population in Hungary — there are about 5,000 in a population of 10 million — Muslim-bashing has been almost cost-free. They have served as a scapegoat for the far-right parties, which fancy themselves as defenders of Europe in the face of both the “corrupt, liberal West” and the imagined “invading Eastern hordes.”
According to research conducted at the Budapest-based Political Capital Institute, in collaboration with the Brookings Institution, Hungary underwent a dramatic transition after gaining independence in 1989, following four decades of Soviet control. This research is part of the multiyear Brookings project “The One Percent Problem: Muslims in the West and the Rise of the New Populists.”
In 1999, Hungary became a full-fledged NATO member and it joined the EU in 2004. Until 2010, Hungary was cited by Western observers as a prime example of a successful political and economic transformation. However, since then, it has departed somewhat from the EU-preferred political model to what has been described as a “competitive authoritarian” or “hybrid” model.
While fear of uncontrolled illegal migration is understandable, turning it into irrational xenophobia is not
The EU and US have lamented that democratic institutions exist in theory in Hungary, but the rule of law and civil liberties have been “severely limited” in practice. Reflecting the drastic changes in Western perspectives, in 2010, the country scored 1 in Freedom House’s Freedom of the World rankings, its highest score, as a “fully free democracy,” but that fell to 2.5 in 2018 and the country was also downgraded to “partly free” status in terms of press freedom. In 2021, press watchdog Reporters Without Borders put Orban on its list of “predators,” the first time a Western European leader had been placed in the lineup of heads of state or government who “crack down massively” on press freedom.
According to the Political Capital Institute, there has been a rising trend of intolerance in Hungary since 1989 and xenophobia has been higher there than in most of the former Soviet republics. In 1992, 15 percent of Hungarians expressed xenophobic attitudes, but that figure increased to 39 percent by 2014 and reached a peak of 67 percent in October 2018. These views are particularly strong when it comes to Muslims. According to the Pew Research Center, 72 percent of Hungarians had unfavorable views of Muslims in 2016 compared to the EU median of 43 percent, even though (or rather because) Hungary has practically no Muslim population.
Hungarians were also more likely to consider refugees a burden or a major threat than the average European. In a 2017 survey, 64 percent of respondents from Hungary agreed with the statement that “all further migration from mainly Muslim countries should be stopped.” The refugee crisis was also weaponized in Hungarian politics. In 2014, 18 percent of Hungarians said immigration was one of the most pressing issues for the EU and only 3 percent thought it was one of the main challenges for Hungary, but in 2018, 56 percent of Hungarians said that immigration was one of the two most pressing issues facing the EU.
While fear of uncontrolled illegal migration is understandable, turning it into irrational xenophobia directed mostly at Muslims is not. And translating that into taking extreme views on the Gaza war is destructive.
Budapest’s defiance of EU consensus has been a thorn in Brussels’ side and has isolated Hungary within the bloc, although recent gains by far-right parties in the European Parliament’s elections may make it less isolated. However, being a spokesman for the bloc for the next six months may propel Hungary to become more conciliatory and closer to the center of the EU consensus. Hopefully, its presidency will drive Hungary to reassess its extreme positions on the Gaza war and the wider Middle East conflict and work to improve its relations with Muslims, both within the country and at large.
**Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg is the Gulf Cooperation Council assistant secretary-general for political affairs and negotiation. The views expressed here are personal and do not necessarily represent the GCC. X: @abuhamad1

Election offers little hope of change for Iran’s youth
Osama Al-Sharif/Arab News/June 25/2024
Iranian voters will head to the polls on Friday to pick the country’s next president. This special presidential election was necessitated by the death in a helicopter crash of President Ebrahim Raisi, along with top aides, last month. His death came a year before his first four-year term as president was due to end.
Raisi, a hard-liner, had little impact on the Islamic Republic’s foreign policy and many wonder if he had done much to improve the lives of the 85 million Iranians. His death upset the plans of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to prepare Raisi as his possible successor. Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian also succumbed in the crash, dealing a blow to the country’s robust new approach to normalize ties with its neighbors, pursue a strong anti-Israel policy and initiate indirect dialogue with the Biden administration through mediators to lift sanctions and renew the nuclear deal.
The election will take place almost two years after the Islamic Republic was rocked by nationwide protests in the wake of the death of a young Kurdish woman, Mahsa Amini, in police custody in 2022. Protesters challenged the country’s 45-year-old clerical rule, demanding an end to the suppression of personal freedoms and denouncing the dire economic conditions.
The government’s ruthless clampdown on protesters resulted in at least 200 deaths, according to the government, but the real figure may be in the thousands, according to rights groups. Thousands were arrested, several activists were tried and seven were executed. The crackdown on the protests underlined the clerical regime’s refusal to make concessions or revise its policies.
According to a Dutch survey, at least 65 percent of voters will boycott the upcoming election. In March, a UN fact-finding mission accused the regime of serious rights violations, many amounting to crimes against humanity. The mission found that the Iranian authorities committed murder, torture, rape and other crimes during the crackdown.
The aftershocks can still be felt across Iran, especially by the youth. According to a Dutch survey, at least 65 percent of voters will boycott the upcoming election. There is a feeling among the youth that, whoever becomes president, little will change.
Under the 1989 constitutional reforms, the prime minister’s office was abolished and his powers were transferred to the president. However, the supreme leader holds the real power, especially concerning foreign policy, the nuclear program and significant domestic reforms. Since then, Iranians have elected five presidents: two reformists and three conservatives, including Raisi. All had gone through a rigorous vetting process by the Guardian Council, which is affiliated with Khamenei, before they were allowed to run. Even then, there have always been allegations of election fraud. In 2009, reformist Mir-Hossein Mousavi, a former prime minister, was believed to have won the election but was denied victory, prompting protests, especially by the youth, in what became known as the Green Movement. This time, only six candidates — five conservatives and one reformist — have been allowed to run out of at least 80 applicants. The moderate candidate, Masoud Pezeshkian, is believed to have been allowed to run to appease the reformists. When Raisi ran in 2021, no reformist candidates were allowed to contest the election.
Pezeshkian’s candidacy may be to woo back the disgruntled youth following the 2022 protests. Still, he faces tough competition in the poll. Among his main rivals is Parliament Speaker Mohammed Baqer Qalibaf, who is also a former mayor of Tehran. He has run before without success. Other candidates include former Interior Minister Mostafa Pourmohammadi, Saeed Jalili, a former chief nuclear negotiator, and current Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani.
Pezeshkian’s candidacy may be to woo back the disgruntled youth following the 2022 protests. Pourmohammadi is proving to be the biggest threat to Pezeshkian, as he is also targeting the youth. Departing from the main conservative line, Pourmohammadi has vowed to end the controversial morality police, relax the blocking of social media networks and push for negotiations with the US. Last week, he appeared on state TV with his daughter, who holds a doctorate in economics and is his senior adviser. He asked her to speak about the pain of US sanctions and the need to lift them through talks. He is now pushing himself as a moderate conservative to distance himself from the more extreme conservatives. On the other hand, Pezeshkian, a heart surgeon, former health minister and longtime member of parliament, has won the endorsement of Javad Zarif, who served as foreign minister under President Hassan Rouhani. This could endear him to the West if he wins — Pezeshkian has vowed to push diplomacy to revive the nuclear deal and lift US sanctions.
Reformist presidents in Iran tend to prioritize issues such as social freedoms, human rights and diplomatic engagement with the international community. They often advocate for more moderate policies compared to the hard-liners within the government. Some key characteristics of a reformist president in Iran include a willingness to negotiate with other countries, support for greater civil liberties and a desire to improve Iran’s image on the world stage.
The other candidates are more in line with the ayatollah’s anti-Western position and his rejection of concessions on diverse issues, from talks with the US to easing the grip of the morality police and revising women’s rights. They are also close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its policies, especially concerning the backing of pro-Iran proxies. It remains unclear who will win and whether the state will interfere in the election’s outcome. There will likely be a runoff before the new president’s name is known. But the real question remains: Who will replace Khamenei, who is now 85? He holds the real power in Iran and it is he who will have the final say on how the country proceeds on crucial issues such as its nuclear program, its relations with its neighbors and how it runs its proxy wars. Discussion of a successor to the supreme leader is not a public issue in Iran. For most Iranian youth, little is expected to change regarding the challenges facing them, such as unemployment, personal freedoms and women’s rights. For most, Iran’s regional ambitions are not a priority and, until there is a significant shift in the country’s national priorities, apathy and indifference are likely to prevail.
*Osama Al-Sharif is a journalist and political commentator based in Amman. X: @plato010