English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For November 26/2024
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible Quotations For today
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is
light.’
Matthew 11/25-30/:”‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you
have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed
them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have
been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father,
and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to
reveal him. ‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens,
and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am
gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke
is easy, and my burden is light.’
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on November
25-26/2024
Elias Bejjani/Text and Video: Dr. Charles Chartouni, who was forced to
leave Lebanon due to a politicized judiciary, is the voice of every free and
sovereign Lebanese rejecting Hezbollah's occupation
Elias Bejjani/Text & Video: Independence Day: A Mere Memory for Occupied Leban
IDF withdrawal and freedom of action: What’s in the Lebanon agreement?
UN calls on parties to 'accept a ceasefire' in Lebanon
Ben-Gvir warns Netanyahu against deal with Lebanon
Israeli cabinet to approve Lebanon deal Tuesday, US official says
Report: War's end to be declared in coming hours
Israel army says struck around 25 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon in one hour
12 killed in Israeli strikes in southern Tyre district
Israeli strikes hit Dahieh following heavy overnight raids
War-hit Lebanon suspends in-person classes in Beirut Monday
Israel braces for heavy Hezbollah attacks as cease-fire nears
Shiites voice growing criticism of Hezbollah as cease-fire stalls: 'You could
have prevented death and destruction'
US believes Israel, Lebanon have agreed terms to end Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire
- report
'Enemy forces retreating': 7th Brigade guards North from inside southern
Lebanon, commander says
Biden, Macron to Declare 60-Day Ceasefire between Hezbollah, Israel on Tuesday
'Optimism is artificial': Israel-Lebanon ceasefire still far away, analyst tells
Saudi media
Israel-Lebanon ceasefire drawing closer, agreement may be reached this week -
report
Tachles with Aviel – Israel must set the rules in Lebanon
Can Lebanon’s ancient cultural heritage be protected from war damage?
Israeli airstrikes intensify in Lebanon amid rumors of imminent ceasefire
agreement
Lebanese Politician Accuses Israel of Increasing Bombardment to Wring
Concessions
Shiite Muslims pay high price in Lebanon war
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on November
25-26/2024
‘Netanyahu is not Dreyfus,’ Palestinian envoy tells UN Security Council
Lebanon Condemns Attacks on UN Peacekeeping Mission
Israeli Ambassador to US Says Hezbollah Ceasefire Deal Could Come 'Within Days'
Those still in north Gaza ‘scavenging among the rubble’: UNRWA
Khamenei says Israeli leaders must be 'sentenced to death,' arrest warrants 'not
enough'
State Prosecution opposes Netanyahu's request to postpone testimony
Russia recruits hundreds of Yemeni mercenaries to fight in Ukraine, many under
duress - report
Saudi FM pushes for regional stability at G7-Arab foreign ministers meeting
Pontiff slams ‘invader arrogance’ in ‘Palestine’ and Ukraine
Egypt says 17 missing after Red Sea tourist boat capsizes
State Department Warns Turkey Against Hosting Hamas Headquarters
Israeli Military Action is Key to Stopping Iran’s Proxies in Iraq
Israeli Strikes Cause Damage to Bridges in Syria’s Homs Province, State Media
Says
Arab Foreign Ministers Call for Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza
Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources
on November
25-26/2024
Trump administration should target Chinese car manufacturers active in Iran/Saeed
Ghasseminejad/Washington Examiner/November 25/2024
What can work in Lebanon can also work in Gaza./Eyal Hulata/Ynetnews/November
25/2024
Why Palestinians Will Not Have New Leaders/Bassam Tawil/Gatestone
Institute./November 25, 2024
Dutch government creates new national strategy for combatting antisemitism/Mathilda
Heller/Jerusalem Post/November 25/2024
Battered by Israel, Iran and Hezbollah shift terror operations to southern
Syria/Fahad Almasri/Ynetnews/November 25/2024
IDF withdrawal and freedom of action: What’s in the Lebanon agreement?/Itamar
Eichner|/Ynetnews/November 25.2024
The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News &
Editorials published
on November
25-26/2024
Elias Bejjani/Text and Video: Dr. Charles Chartouni, who was
forced to leave Lebanon due to a politicized judiciary, is the voice of every
free and sovereign Lebanese rejecting Hezbollah's occupation
Elias Bejjani – October 24, 2024
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2024/11/137231/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0eOyrZSWsc
Our beloved Lebanon is currently
an occupied country, its free citizens are oppressed, its people are crushed and
subdued, its state is failed and rogue, and its rulers, along with the
political, parties, and religious establishments, are mere tools in the hands of
the Iranian occupier and its terrorist jihadist proxy, Hezbollah. As for the
judiciary in Lebanon, it has been transformed under the occupation into a mere
too run by Hezbollah, executing its orders and prosecuting free and sovereign
Lebanese citizens with fabricated charges and cases dictated to it, far removed
from any legality or constitutionality.
This judiciary, controlled by Hezbollah's oppressive, criminal, and Iranian
Mullahs' regime, has been forcibly silenced through intimidation and terror. It
has turned a blind eye to hundreds of crimes, including displacement,
assassinations, oppression, smuggling, money laundering, and property
confiscation, with the Beirut Port explosion being one of the most egregious
crimes.
Because of this politicized, hollow judiciary, stripped of all notions of
justice, law, treaties, and rights, and because its officials, due to their
submission and allegiance to the occupier, lack even a basic understanding of
their constitutional duties, and due to this paralyzed judicial body, Dr.
Charles Chartouni was forced to leave Lebanon today. Lebanon is his beloved
homeland, to which he dedicated his life, knowledge, and talents, serving it,
defending it, and fighting for its people, sovereignty, independence, and
freedoms at home and abroad across all fields.
The charges fabricated by the politicized judiciary against Dr. Chartouni under
the occupier's directives are, in reality, medals of honor on his chest and a
source of pride for every free Lebanese citizen. These accusations stem from his
fierce and relentless defense of sovereignty, independence, the constitution,
freedoms, and dignity. He bore witness to the truth loudly, like John the
Baptist, without fear or compromise. He exposed the lies, heresies, distortions,
and violations of the Iranian occupier embodied by Hezbollah, challenged its
terrorism, and called things by their true names.
Dr. Chartouni, a brave and heroic figure, represents all free Lebanese citizen,
regardless of their sect or affiliation, whether residing in Lebanon or in the
Diaspora. He rejects injustice, occupation, dependency, submission, and bowing
down, and stands steadfastly for the truth and justice.
We stand with Dr. Chartouni, with his struggle for peace, justice, freedoms, the
rule of law, independence, and liberation. We stand with his determination, his
bold voice against the occupation, and his unwavering faith in Lebanon. With all
the components of hope and resilience, we loudly say no—a thousand times no—to
intellectual oppression, to the occupation, to its symbols, and to its tools.
A thousand heartfelt salutes to Dr. Chartouni, the honorable, brave, and
steadfast fighter.
Elias
Bejjani/Text & Video: Independence Day: A Mere Memory for Occupied Lebanon
Elias Bejjani/November 22, 2024
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2024/11/137152/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0WxOm8g2Gc&t=4s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYvkf-jZcTo&t=43s
November 22, Lebanon’s Independence Day, was once a
celebration of freedom and sovereignty. However, today, the reality we live
stands in stark contrast to the values of independence. Independence has been
reduced to a mere memory, stripped of its core elements such as free
decision-making, liberty, law, equality, democracy, services, peace, security,
stability, and protected borders—the list goes on, and all are absent.
Today, Lebanon has completely lost its independence and against the will of its
majority, it finds itself under sectarian, jihadist, and terrorist Iranian
occupation. This occupation is enforced through a local armed militia comprised
of Lebanese mercenaries working under the command of Iran’s mullahs, operating
under the blasphemously named "Hezbollah." This armed Iranian proxy, through its
actions of force, terror, assassinations, wars, and displacement, stands against
everything Lebanon represents—justice, rights, love, peace, stability, identity,
and openness to the world.
As a result of this occupation, Lebanon is now witnessing a destructive war
between Iran's Hezbollah and the State of Israel. This is an Iranian-Israeli war
in which Lebanon and its vast majority have no stake. It is not Lebanon's war
while Hezbollah initiated it under direct orders from Iran, serving Tehran's
terrorist, expansionist, and colonial agendas.
There is no independence to celebrate today. Lebanon has effectively become a
Hezbollah state. This failed and rogue state continuously violates the
constitution and paralyzes governance. Hezbollah prevents the election of a
president, shuts down parliament, and dismantles state institutions.
The current parliament, subservient and failing in its constitutional duties,
was formed under an electoral law crafted by Hezbollah to ensure its dominance.
This law predetermined the election results before they even took place.
How can we celebrate Independence Day when state institutions are infiltrated,
the judiciary is controlled, citizens' savings have been stolen from banks,
borders are wide open for smuggling, and chaos reigns? Killings, theft, poverty,
displacement, and humiliation define the daily lives of Lebanese citizens.
The independence we should be celebrating today has become an empty memory. True
independence will not return to Lebanon until it is liberated from Hezbollah's
occupation and Iran's domination. Achieving this liberation requires
implementing all international resolutions pertaining to Lebanon, including the
Armistice Agreement and Resolutions 1559, 1701, and 1680. It also demands
conducting free parliamentary elections under a modern electoral law,
eradicating corruption, and holding the corrupt political class accountable.
Until then, Lebanon remains an occupied state, and Independence Day is but a
painful reminder of a freedom that is no more.
IDF withdrawal and freedom
of action: What’s in the Lebanon agreement?
Itamar Eichner|/Ynetnews/November 25.2024
With cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah reportedly imminent, deal outlines
60-day trial period, Lebanese Army and UNIFIL deployment, US-led international
enforcement committee and provisions allowing Israel to address threats and
violations
After nearly 14 months of clashes and exchanges of fire between Israel and
Hezbollah, cease-fire seems ever closer with Israel reportedly having given its
approval to end the hostilities. Lebanese officials and a Western diplomat told
Reuters that Washington has informed Beirut a cease-fire could be announced
"within hours," pending approval by the Security Cabinet, which is scheduled to
convene Tuesday. These are the key provisions of the emerging agreement. Israeli
withdrawal timeline: Under the proposed agreement, Israeli ground forces would
begin withdrawing from southern Lebanon within 60 days of the cease-fire's
implementation. he withdrawal, described as a “pilot phase,” aims to assess the
feasibility of the arrangement. Once completed, Israel plans to call on northern
residents displaced by the fighting to return home. During this interim period,
Hezbollah is expected to retreat north of the Litani River.
Border negotiations: The agreement also stipulates that Israel and Lebanon will
begin negotiations over disputed border points following the implementation of
the cease-fire. However, Israel cannot be compelled to accept specific
compromises.
Deployment of Lebanese Army and UN peacekeepers: The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF)
and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) would replace
withdrawing Israeli troops south of the Litani.
These forces would oversee the dismantling of remaining Hezbollah infrastructure
in the area and ensure the terror group does not reestablish its presence.
Additionally, LAF, with UNIFIL support, would monitor and prevent weapons
smuggling and production within Lebanon, bolstered by Western military aid from
the U.S., UK and France. International oversight
mechanism: A U.S.-led international enforcement committee would be established
to oversee compliance with the agreement, drawing on UN Security Council
Resolution 1701, which followed the 2006 Lebanon War.
The committee would include Britain, Germany and France, despite Israeli
opposition to French involvement. Israel has conditioned its acceptance of
France's role on assurances that Paris will not enforce International Criminal
Court arrest warrants against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or former
defense minister Yoav Gallant.The Lebanese sought involvement from the United
Arab Emirates, Egypt and Jordan in the agreement, but none of these countries
have officially declared they will take part in the committee. However, it is
likely that at least one Arab state will play some role. The international
mechanism is expected to assist the LAF and UNIFIL in enforcing their
responsibilities under the agreement. The committee is
also tasked with determining whether to allow one side to use force if the other
violates the agreement. On this issue, the agreement does not mandate a specific
timeline for a response. This means that if Israel identifies a threat from the
Lebanese side that breaches the agreement, it will be able to act immediately.
Hezbollah prisoners and targeted killings: The agreement stipulates that
Hezbollah operatives captured by Israel during ground operations will not be
returned to Lebanon. While Hezbollah sought guarantees against targeted killings
of its leaders, Israel refused to commit, leaving the issue unresolved.
U.S. security guarantee for Israel: A separate U.S.-endorsed document not
included in the Lebanese agreement preserves Israel's right to take immediate
military action against direct threats, such as rocket launches or bombings.
Israel would also retain the ability to interdict arms transfers from Syria to
Hezbollah. For non-immediate threats, Israel would first refer cases to the
enforcement committee. Israeli officials highlighted
differences between the emerging deal and UN Security Council Resolution 1701,
amid criticism from northern residents and local leaders directed at Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Unlike the 2006 resolution, the new agreement
establishes an international enforcement committee led by the U.S., which Israel
believes will be more robust than previous reliance on UNIFIL alone.
The agreement also recognizes Israel's right to prevent Hezbollah’s
rearmament and to address emerging threats south of the Litani River, which
Israeli officials view as a significant step toward ensuring long-term security.
Officials in Jerusalem expressed confidence that the incoming U.S.
administration, led by President-elect Donald Trump, will support Israel's
operational freedom under the deal.
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rkek008m7jl
UN calls on parties to
'accept a ceasefire' in Lebanon
Agence France Presse/November 25/2024
A senior U.N. official on Monday called on all parties involved in the conflict
in Lebanon to "accept a ceasefire," as new Israeli strikes targeted Beirut's
southern suburbs. "I welcome the ongoing diplomatic efforts to reach a cessation
of hostilities and urge the parties to accept a ceasefire anchored in the full
implementation of UNSCR 1701," Muhannad Hadi told the Security Council on behalf
of U.N. Middle East envoy Tor Wennesland, referring to a resolution adopted in
2006 to end regional violence.
Ben-Gvir warns Netanyahu against deal with Lebanon
Naharnet/November 25/2024
Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said Monday that a
ceasefire agreement with Lebanon would be "a big mistake and a missed historic
opportunity to eradicate Hezbollah," warning Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu that "it is not too late" to stop the looming deal. "I understand all
the constraints and reasons, and it is still a serious mistake. We must listen
to the commanders fighting on the ground, listen to the heads of authorities.
Precisely now, when Hezbollah is beaten and yearns for a ceasefire, we must not
stop," Ben-Gvir said. "As I warned in the past in Gaza, I warn now too: Mr.
Prime Minister -- it is not yet too late to stop this agreement! We must
continue until complete victory!" Ben-Gvir added. His remarks come hours after
Israel's state-run Kan broadcaster said that Israel had signed off on a
U.S.-backed ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon and thay Netanyahu was now
working on how to present it to the public. The aim is to present the truce not
as a “compromise” but as beneficial to Israel, Kan reported. The ceasefire
allows for Israel to retain the right to carry out military operations on the
Lebanon-Syria border, the report adds. Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem said
last week that the group had reviewed the truce proposal and submitted a
response and that the ball was now in Israel’s court.
Israeli cabinet to approve Lebanon deal Tuesday, US
official says
Naharnet/November 25/2024
Israel and Lebanon have agreed to the terms of the ceasefire agreement and the
Israeli Security Cabinet is expected to approve the deal on Tuesday, a senior
U.S. official told U.S. news portal Axios on Monday. The parties have not yet
announced an agreement. An Israeli official confirmed the cabinet would convene
Tuesday and the Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya channel said “the Israeli Security
Cabinet will sign off tomorrow on the Lebanon ceasefire agreement.” "We think we
have a deal. We are on the goal line but we haven't passed it yet. The Israeli
cabinet needs to approve the deal on Tuesday and something can always go wrong
until then," the U.S. official said.Four U.S. and Israeli officials told Axios
on Sunday that the deal was nearly final. The draft ceasefire agreement includes
a 60-day transition period during which the Israeli military would withdraw from
southern Lebanon, the Lebanese army would deploy in areas close to the border
and Hezbollah would move its heavy weapons north of the Litani River. The deal
includes a U.S.-led oversight committee to monitor implementation and address
violations. The U.S. has agreed to give Israel a letter of assurances that
includes support for Israeli military action against imminent threats from
Lebanese territory, and for action to disrupt things like the reestablishment of
a Hezbollah military presence near the border or the smuggling of heavy weapons,
Israeli and U.S. officials say. Under the agreement, Israel would take such
action after consultations with the U.S., and if the Lebanese military did not
deal with the threat. The agreement was nearing completion last Thursday when
the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, U.S.
and Israeli officials say. The news came while Netanyahu was meeting with U.S.
envoy Amos Hochstein, who has been mediating for a year between Israel and
Lebanon. Netanyahu was outraged, and grew even more angry after the French
Foreign Ministry announced that France would implement the court's ruling.
That threw a wrench into the negotiations, as Lebanon had wanted France to be
part of the oversight committee to monitor implementation of the agreement. On
Friday, Biden spoke to French President Emmanuel Macron to try to solve the
problem.
A U.S. official said Biden told Macron that Netanyahu was right to be angry, and
that it was not possible to mediate a deal while also pledging to arrest the
head of state of one of the parties. Macron told Biden he wanted to help but
that his Foreign Ministry was only making clear its legal obligations towards
the ICC. The French issued second statement to try to tamp down the tensions. On
Saturday, Hochstein sent a message to Netanyahu through Israeli Ambassador to
Washington Mike Herzog in which he threatened to withdraw as mediator if Israel
did not move towards a deal in the coming days, according to a source familiar
with the matter. The crisis was resolved in the last 24 hours, the U.S. official
said on Monday. France agreed to take steps to improve relations with Israel,
and Israel agreed that France could have a role in the implementation of the
deal. Netanyahu held a meeting about the ceasefire talks on Sunday that included
several senior ministers and intelligence chiefs, Israeli officials say. A
decision was taken to move towards the agreement, according to one senior
Israeli official, who said an announcement could come this week. A second
Israeli official who attended the meeting said "the direction is positive" but
that several issues remained unresolved. Two senior U.S. officials with direct
knowledge of the issue said on Sunday that the parties were getting close to a
deal, but it was not completed. On Monday, the Pentagon's top Middle East policy
official, Dan Shapiro, will arrive in Israel and meet with Defense Minister
Israel Katz and other Israeli officials.
Report: War's end to be
declared in coming hours
Naharnet/November 25/2024
The U.S. has informed Lebanese officials that a declaration of the war's end
will be made in the coming hours, Al-Arabiya quoted sources as saying on Monday
evening. “A decision has been taken to permanently cease fire between Israel and
Lebanon pending an official announcement,” the sources added. Israeli officials
meanwhile said that “a final version of the ceasefire agreement with Lebanon has
been reached.”
Israel army says struck around 25 Hezbollah targets in
Lebanon in one hour
Agence France Presse
The Israeli military on Monday said it had struck around 25 targets belonging to
Hezbollah across Lebanon over a one-hour period."Among the targets struck were
the Executive Council's command centers, and intelligence control and collection
centers, where Hezbollah commanders and operatives were located," the army said
in a statement. The strikes took place in Nabatiyeh, Baalbek, Bekaa Valley,
southern Beirut and the city's outskirts, it said.
12 killed in Israeli strikes in southern Tyre district
Agence France Presse/November 25/2024
Lebanon’s health ministry said 12 people were killed in Israeli strikes on two
locations in south Lebanon’s Tyre district on Monday. The ministry, in separate
statements, reported a strike on a road near the city of Tyre that left "six
dead and body parts" requiring identification, as well as four wounded, while
another left "six dead and four wounded" in the town of Maarakeh.
Israeli strikes hit Dahieh following heavy overnight raids
Agence France Presse/November 25/2024
Renewed Israeli strikes hit Beirut’s southern suburbs on Monday, after an
Israeli army evacuation warning and following heavy raids the previous night.
The official National News Agency reported "two consecutive strikes in the
vicinity of the Haret Hreik area", as AFPTV images showed heavy smoke rising
from two locations. Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee on social media
platform X said the military would target Hezbollah "facilities and interests"
in the southern suburbs, pinpointing several locations, including Hadath,
Tayyouneh and Ghobeiri.
War-hit Lebanon suspends in-person classes in Beirut Monday
Agence France Presse/November 25/2024
Lebanon has suspended in-person classes in the Beirut area for Monday, the
education ministry announced on Sunday, citing safety concerns after a series of
Israeli air strikes this week. Education Minister Abbas Halabi announced in a
statement "the suspension of in-person teaching" in schools, technical
institutes and private higher education institutions in Beirut and parts of the
neighboring Metn, Baabda and Shouf districts on Monday "for the safety of
students, educational institutions and parents, in light of the current
dangerous conditions". Private education institutions must also provide online
classes as an option until the end of December, it said.
Israel braces for heavy
Hezbollah attacks as cease-fire nears
Eitan Glikman, Korin Elbaz-Alush, Lior El-Hai, Lior Ben Ari, Yair Kraus/Ynetnews/November
25.2024
Stricter safety guidelines issued for border communities and Golan Heights;
schools in Nahariya and Acre remain closed; leaders slam Netanyahu: 'We refuse
to once again fall into the slumber dictated by international interests'
Amid reports that a cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah could be announced
"within hours," Israeli authorities in the north are bracing for an anticipated
surge in rocket fire.
Military officials believe Hezbollah may launch an intensified assault in the
final days of the fighting, prompting heightened readiness and revised civil
defense measures.
The IDF announced stricter guidelines following a security assessment. Frontline
communities in the northern Golan Heights, including Katzrin and Kidmat Tzvi,
will transition from "partial activity" to "limited activity" status.
Restrictions include a ban on educational activities, a maximum of 10 people in
outdoor gatherings and 100 in indoor spaces, and work permitted only where
access to shelters is immediate.
In Haifa and the Bay region, education will continue under the "yellow
protocol," requiring proximity to protected areas during activities. The
Security Cabinet is scheduled to meet Tuesday to approve the cease-fire
agreement, following reports that Israel had given preliminary approval to move
forward. However, northern residents remain on edge, with some referring to the
coming days as Hezbollah’s "farewell barrage."
Frustration is mounting in northern Israel, with residents accusing Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of "abandoning" them. Local anger has been
exacerbated by reports of progress in cease-fire talks, which residents claim
they are learning about only through the media. In Western Galilee’s Mateh Asher
Regional Council and in Nahariya, authorities preemptively announced that
schools would remain closed Tuesday, with all education shifted to online
platforms. Kindergartens, extracurricular activities and municipal services,
including city hall reception, have been suspended. Social activities in Mateh
Asher are permitted only under strict conditions and with the oversight of
community emergency teams. The tension is mirrored across the border, where
spontaneous celebrations were reported in the Lebanese city of Tyre following
news of the cease-fire negotiations.
Local leaders outraged
Acre Mayor Amihai Ben Shlush announced that no classes will be held Tuesday in
the city’s educational institutions, citing heightened security risks ahead of
the potential agreement. In a statement to residents, Ben Shlush explained,
"These days leading up to the signing of a cease-fire are particularly dangerous
for us. Some may view this decision unfavorably. I understand your frustrations
and difficulties, but I cannot accept accusations of abandoning children. That’s
simply not true."
He added, "I act solely based on professional considerations to ensure the
safety and well-being of our city’s residents. After discussions with Home Front
Command, I was informed that heavy barrages are expected, and we must be
prepared. I hope I’m wrong, but I’d rather err on the side of caution than risk
lives. I’ve decided to close all educational institutions, including informal
education programs, for 24 hours. Classes will continue via Zoom."
Moshe Davidovich, head of the Mateh Asher Regional Council and chairman of the
Confrontation Line Forum, responded to the reports, warning that any agreement
must include robust security measures for residents of the northern border
region before their return home."If a cease-fire agreement between Lebanon and
Israel is signed without substantial provisions to restore the security of
confrontation line residents—including a fortified buffer zone with a strong
international force and the removal of Hezbollah beyond the Litani River—it will
be a historic mistake," Davidovich said.
He added, "We cannot afford to face the same failures that left us vulnerable
after Lebanon and the Second Lebanon War, when unenforced agreements left us
exposed. I remind the Israeli government that northern residents are Israel’s
first line of defense, and as such, their security must be guaranteed."
Uri Kellner, head of the Golan Regional Council, urged the Israeli government to
"complete the mission of removing the threat over northern residents, rather
than agreeing to a cease-fire under fire." He also called on ministers to
"continue strengthening the Golan and the north by bolstering settlements and
communities."
Amit Sofer, head of the Merom HaGalil Regional Council, expressed strong
opposition to the emerging agreement, saying, "We hear the cabinet is set to
discuss the proposed deal, and I expect we won’t repeat the grave mistakes of
October 7, where 101 hostages remain in captivity. We cannot agree to an
arrangement that allows a return to northern border villages, each of which
serves as a Hezbollah terror outpost, ready to rebuild the terror infrastructure
we paid for in soldiers' blood to dismantle."
He added, "We refuse to once again fall into the slumber dictated by
international interests that seek to create the illusion of quiet and security
at the expense of confrontation line residents and the future victims. We’re
speaking about an agreement, but they’re speaking about a hudna—a temporary
truce to prepare for the next attack."
Shiites voice growing
criticism of Hezbollah as cease-fire stalls: 'You could have prevented death and
destruction'
Lior Ben Ari/Ynetnews/November 25.2024
Terror group's critics say agreement could have been reached months ago under
same conditions after 1 million people displaced and thousands killed; Shiite
cleric calls on community to reject sectarianism and unite as Lebanese. The war
in Lebanon is exacting a heavy price on civilians and on no group more than the
Shiite Muslims in Lebanon. While cease-fire negotiations continue and their
conclusion is reported to be in sight, some Lebanese Shiites accuse Israel of
targeting the entire sect and destroying its historic landmarks. They believe
they are being unfairly punished because they share a religious identity with
the Hezbollah terror group and often live side by side with them in the same
area. Hezbollah continued its rocket fire on Israel on Monday after launching
missiles at central Israel a day earlier. Millions were sent into shelters as
more than 250 projectiles were launched, causing injuries and damage. The IDF
also continued its strikes, including on Hezbollah's stronghold in Beirut, the
predominantly Shiite Dahieh district. According to Al-Akhbar, a pro-Hezbollah
newspaper, there are doubts in Lebanon that an agreement is within reach.
"Israeli and American leaks about a pending deal; Lebanon rejects speculations
and awaits the official response." Thus far at least 3,500 people were killed in
Lebanon in the war. Most are Hezbollah operatives but according to reports, 900
of the dead are civilian women and children. One million people have been
displaced from their homes and the devastation is estimated at a cost of at
least $8 billion. This has prompted some to wonder why Hezbollah had not
agreed to a cease-fire months earlier, when the same terms currently discussed,
could have been agreed upon.
This would have spared Lebanon “destruction, martyrs and losses worth billions
(of dollars),” Lebanese legislator Waddah Sadek, who is Sunni Muslim, wrote on
the X platform. Criticism of Hezbollah was also voiced by Bahaa Al Hariri, the
son of Lebanon's former prime minister Rafik al Hariri, who was assassinated in
a car bomb attack by Hezbollah terrorists in 2005. "Lebanon's Independence
Day falls at a historic and critical moment this year, in which the country
stands at a crossroads that would determine its future," he said in a post on X.
"The greatest challenge is our internal divisions and the attempts of some to
replace the state and its institutions, especially its military." Hariri
continued that real independence means getting rid of foreign guardians, of all
forms, and their militias. "The Lebanese people, of all sectors must join the
rebuilding of Lebanon." In an earlier post, he praised the killing of a senior
Hezbollah commander, Salim Ayyash, who was involved in his father's
assassination, in a strike attributed to Israel and also called on the terror
group to lay down its arms, after the assassination of its leader Hassan
Nasrallah in September. Shiite cleric Ali Al Amin, who has been critical of
Hezbollah in the past, slammed the group for deciding on its own to begin a war
with Israel, and called on other Lebanese Shiite leaders to declare that Lebanon
is an independent authority and to abandon anything that contradicts its
sovereignty or prevents it from fulfilling its role. "Ask your leaders why they
brought this destruction on Lebanon," he said according to a report in Saudi
Arabia's Al Arabiya network. "Opening a front in support of Hamas in Gaza, only
hurt Lebanon," he said adding that it is time to move forward toward
co-existence of all sectors. Some Shiites told the Associated Press that
they were concerned that all Shiites in Lebanon would suffer if Hezbollah is
weakened, while others said they hoped there could be "greater political
openness," that would allow a diversity of Shiite voices.
US believes Israel, Lebanon have agreed terms to end
Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire - report
Jerusalem Post/November 25/2024
CNN reported that several details are still being negotiated, and the agreement
will not be solidified until every issue is resolved. Israel and Lebanon have
agreed to the terms of a deal to end the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, Axios
reported on Monday citing an unnamed senior US official.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly approved a ceasefire with Lebanon
"in principle" while meeting with Israeli officials on Sunday evening, citing
outstanding issues before approval. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said that a
ceasefire agreement with Lebanon would hinge on enforcement that would keep
Hezbollah disarmed and away from the border. "The test for any agreement will be
one, not in words or phrasing, but in enforcement only of the two main points.
The first is preventing Hezbollah from moving southward beyond the Litani
(River), and the second, preventing Hezbollah from rebuilding its force and
rearming in all of Lebanon," Saar said in Knesset, in broadcast remarks. The
source said that Israel still has reservations about certain details, which will
reportedly be transferred to the Lebanese government on Monday. CNN reported
that several details are still being negotiated, and the agreement will not be
solidified until every issue is resolved. On both sides of the Israel-Lebanon
border, thousands of people have been displaced from their communities, leading
to copious fatality counts of both Israeli and Lebanese civilians. Israel's
motivation to finalize ceasefire. Overnight, reports from international media
suggested significant American guarantees were on the table. Other sources
pointed to Israel's motivation to finalize the ceasefire at this specific time.
Israeli state broadcaster KAN cited Israeli sources saying that an agreement
with Lebanon may already be reached this week.
'Enemy forces retreating': 7th Brigade guards North from
inside southern Lebanon, commander says
Jerusalem Post/November 25/2024
Over the past year and two months, the 7th Brigade has added another impressive
chapter to its legacy as the IDF's first armored brigade. The operational
activities of the IDF’s 7th Armored Brigade continue to achieve significant
results, uncovering vast troves of Hezbollah weaponry in southern Lebanon, the
brigade’s commander, Colonel Elad Zuri, said in a recent interview. Over the
past year and two months, the brigade has added another impressive chapter to
its legacy as the IDF's first armored brigade. Since October 7, they have not
stopped for a moment, participating in battles in Gaza and, for the past two
months, engaging in three rounds of fighting in Lebanon. "Our home is the
State of Israel, and it must be defended both in the south and in the north,"
said Zuri. The brigade's fighters have been operating for over a week in the
northern region overlooking the town of Metulla and the Hula Valley.
"We are finding significant amounts of weaponry. When we were fighting in Gaza,
I said it was hard to imagine the sheer number of tunnels. Here, I say—it's hard
to imagine the quantity of weapons Hezbollah has accumulated and hidden. Almost
every house we enter to search reveals weaponry. Some are wrapped in plastic and
stored in homes converted into emergency depots for the organization, but we’ve
also found launchers with missiles ready to fire at Israel," Zuri said. "When
you look southward, you see Israel, the northern communities. At a moment like
this, my soldiers and I are filled with a sense of purpose. We stand here
defending northern Israel—Metulla, the Hula Valley, and its
communities."According to Zuri, Hezbollah is in distress. "I have no doubt the
rocket fire shakes the public. However, our strikes against Hezbollah, at least
on the ground, are highly effective. We clear structures, operate in complex
terrain, and expose Hezbollah's assets. In recent days, there has been a
decrease in the volume of rocket fire into Israel. The goal of our operations
deep in the territory is to eliminate Hezbollah's threat and capabilities in the
area."
Is it time to end the fighting in Lebanon?
"A diplomatic move always complements a military one. Generally, that's how wars
end. The decision on when the military campaign has reached its conclusion lies
with the policymakers. Our role is to provide tools and expand the operational
boundaries to maximize achievements."
The 7th Brigade now faces the challenge of operating in the winter. Heavy rain
fell on Sunday morning in the area where the brigade was fighting, and by
evening, the temperatures had dropped to freezing. "We are well-prepared, but
it's still very cold," Zuri said.
Zuri also mentioned that the brigade constantly evaluates the routes used by
their tanks and engineering vehicles to prevent them from sinking or slipping in
the mud. "The Merkava tank has incredible resilience. Do we sometimes get stuck
in the mud? Absolutely. Do we sometimes slip? Certainly. Do we occasionally tip
over when a route collapses? It's a challenge. Due to the weather, we strive to
assess the routes and plan our movements in advance. Some anti-tank missiles
were fired at the tanks, but the ‘Trophy’ defense system worked well.
Nonetheless, the weather remains a significant challenge." Regarding Hezbollah’s
combat capabilities, Zuri commented, "We encounter many enemy forces retreating.
Northern Command has done a good job this year in striking Hezbollah's
formations. At the same time, we face an entrenched enemy operating from houses
and underground. We also encounter them in difficult face-to-face combat
scenarios. In Gaza, we dealt with drones and trajectory-dependent fire."
Although the 7th Brigade is a regular unit, it relies heavily on reserve forces.
"Reservists are incredible people, and the State of Israel owes them a great
deal. We are not a reserve brigade, but many of my forces are reservists. We aim
to provide clarity to the reservists—if we call them up for three weeks, we
strive to stick to that timeline and not extend it unnecessarily. Managing
reservist fatigue is a significant challenge, but we are handling it well. At
the brigade level, we've improved in our treatment of reservists, but is it
sufficient? No. There’s still work to be done."
Last Friday, the next commander of the 7th Brigade was named. In a few months,
Colonel Zuri will complete one of the most combat-intensive tenures for a 7th
Brigade commander since its establishment. He has expressed his desire to take a
year to study before pursuing another challenging position within the IDF’s
combat framework.
Biden, Macron to Declare
60-Day Ceasefire between Hezbollah, Israel on Tuesday
Washington: Ali Barada/Asharq Al Awsat/November 25/2024
US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron will declare on
Tuesday morning a 60-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon,
Asharq Al-Awsat learned from widely informed sources on Monday. Washington has
spoken of “cautious optimism” that the US proposal for a ceasefire could be a
success. The proposal calls for Hezbollah’s withdrawal from the area between the
Blue Line and Litani River in a manner that can be verified. In return Israeli
forces will withdraw from the regions they occupied since they carried out their
limited invasion of Lebanon.
The discussions the US government had on the Lebanon-Israel ceasefire were
positive and are headed in the right direction towards a deal, the White House
said on Monday. "We're close," said White House national security spokesperson
John Kirby. "The discussions ... were constructive, and we believe that the
trajectory of this is going in a very positive direction. But, yeah, nothing is
done until everything is done." The relative positivity prevailed in spite of
the ongoing wide-scale military operations between Israel and Hezbollah in the
South and Israel’s air raids deep in Lebanese territory. Hezbollah has also
fired rockets deep in Israel, reaching Tel Aviv. Analysts have said the intense
attacks suggest that both Israel and Hezbollah are trying to maximize their
leverage as diplomats conduct what they hope is a final round of ceasefire
talks, reported the New York Times on Monday. The New York Times reported on
Friday that the terms included a 60-day truce during which Israeli forces and
Hezbollah fighters pull back from border areas and the Lebanese Army and a
United Nations peacekeeping force increase their presence in a buffer zone. But
officials have also warned that the two sides may not be able to finalize a
deal, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has faced pressure from
right-wing allies not to end the military campaign. Israel’s hard-line national
security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, said in a social media post on Monday that
the proposed deal would be a “historic missed opportunity to eradicate
Hezbollah.” Observers meanwhile told Asharq Al-Awsat that all pending issues
related to the US proposal have been resolved from the Lebanese side, while
Israel has some lingering reservations. Israeli officials said Netanyahu’s
security Cabinet is set to convene on Tuesday to discuss the ceasefire proposal.
Two officials confirmed the Cabinet meeting is set for Tuesday, but they said it
is still not clear whether the decision-making body will vote to approve the
deal. The officials spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity
because they were discussing internal deliberations.
'Optimism is artificial':
Israel-Lebanon ceasefire still far away, analyst tells Saudi media
Maariv/November 25/2024
Author and researcher Bechara Khairallah claims that a ceasefire between Israel
and Hezbollah in Lebanon is not realistic in the near future. The ceasefire
initiatives with Lebanon are unrealistic, and optimism surrounding an agreement
with Israel is artificial, author and political researcher Bechara Khairallah
claimed in an interview with Saudi news channel Al-Hadath on Sunday. According
to Khairallah, "All this optimism is artificial. It’s an attempt to create a
sense of optimism and make people believe that an agreement is close,
particularly before the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump."Khairallah
stated that no settlement would occur before Trump’s inauguration on January 20
and that [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu would not grant outgoing President
Joe Biden any diplomatic victory before the end of his term. "All of Hochstein’s
moves hint at something, but they have no connection to reality," Khairallah
said. Regarding Lebanon, Khairallah claimed that one of the main obstacles to an
agreement is Hezbollah, which maintains independent military power and political
control within the country. "In Lebanon, any stable solution requires the
disarmament of Hezbollah—something Iran will never agree to." As a result,
Khairallah asserted, an agreement in Lebanon is unattainable as long as
Hezbollah retains its weapons. "I am quoting information, assessments, and
analyses that are all aligned. None of the proposed settlements, particularly
the one suggested by Israel, are implementable," Khairallah said. Iran fears a
ceasefire, Khairallah says .Khairallah also highlighted Iran’s fear of a
ceasefire, which could lead to an Israeli attack on Iranian facilities "the day
after the ceasefire."Khairallah explained, "The Iranians don’t want to see a
ceasefire that ends the war because they know it will pave the way for Israeli
progress toward those strategic objectives. I am certain that the Iranians are
fearful of a ceasefire in Lebanon today."In conclusion, Khairallah noted that
even if talks toward a settlement occur, they will not materialize anytime soon.
"The agreement hoped for in Lebanon is still very far away."
After Hezbollah rocket strikes UNIFIL base, Lebanon condemns attack
Jerusalem Post/November 25/2024
"Lebanon strongly condemns any attack on UNIFIL and calls on all sides to
respect the safety, security of the troops and their premises," Lebanese Foreign
Minister said.
Lebanon on Monday condemned attacks on the United Nations peacekeeping mission (UNIFIL)
stationed in its south, including last week's rocket strike in which four
Italian soldiers were lightly wounded. The 10,000-strong multi-national UNIFIL
mission is monitoring hostilities along the demarcation line with Israel, an
area hit by fierce clashes between the Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah terrorists
and IDF forces. "Lebanon strongly condemns any attack on UNIFIL and calls on all
sides to respect the safety, security of the troops and their premises,"
Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said during a conference in Rome.
Bou Habib spoke before attending a G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Anagni,
southeast of Rome, along with other colleagues from the Middle East, which was
set to discuss conflicts in the region.
Hezbollah responsibility
Bou Habib added: "Lebanon condemns recent attacks on the Italian contingent and
deplores such unjustified hostilities." Italy's defense ministry had initially
blamed the rocket attack on the IDF but later admitted Hezbollah was
responsible. Israel's newly appointed Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar had promised
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani an 'immediate investigation' into the
shell incident. An IDF review also determined that Hezbollah was responsible for
firing the rocket that hit the UNIFIL post. UNIFIL agreed with the IDF report
that these strikes were from Hezbollah, saying the rocket was “fired most likely
by non-state actors within Lebanon.”
Israel-Lebanon ceasefire drawing closer, agreement may be
reached this week - report
Jerusalem Post/November 25/2024
According to political sources, Netanyahu's discussion resulted in a preliminary
approval to move forward with the agreement with Lebanon. Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu convened a meeting on Sunday evening to discuss reaching a
ceasefire with Lebanon, Israeli media reported. The meeting concluded late at
night, with Israeli political sources signaling optimism with the developments.
"We are on the path to an agreement. It may not be signed tomorrow, but all
parties are willing, and the dynamics so far have been positive," a source told
Maariv. Overnight, reports from international media suggested significant
American guarantees were on the table. Other sources pointed to Israel's
motivation to finalize the ceasefire at this specific time. Israeli state
broadcaster KAN cited Israeli sources saying that an agreement with Lebanon may
already be reached this week. According to political sources, Netanyahu's
discussion resulted in a preliminary approval to move forward with the agreement
with Lebanon. This message was reportedly delivered to Lebanese officials via US
envoy Amos Hochstein, though gaps in the agreement remain. According to a report
by Axios, the draft agreement includes provisions for a US-led oversight
committee to monitor implementation and address any violations. The US is said
to have offered Israel written guarantees explicitly backing military action
against imminent threats originating from Lebanese territory. Additionally, the
US has pledged support for measures aimed at countering breaches by Hezbollah,
including reinstating military presence near the border or halting the smuggling
of heavy weaponry. Both Israeli and American officials stressed that any Israeli
action would be undertaken in consultation with the US and only if the Lebanese
Armed Forces failed to mitigate the threat.
The draft also proposes a 60-day transition period, during which the IDF would
withdraw from southern Lebanon. The Lebanese army would deploy along the border,
and Hezbollah would relocate its heavy weapons beyond the Litani River.
An American official stated on Sunday night that while progress is being made
toward a ceasefire agreement, several unresolved issues remain. Israeli sources
have expressed a willingness to advance the agreement despite these gaps.
Meanwhile, Lebanese reports suggest that Israel's urgency stems from concerns
that US mediation might cease if an agreement is not finalized in the coming
days. Hezbollah intensifies barrages to Israel to leave lasting impression. On
Sunday, Hezbollah fired some 250 rockets at Israel in multiple barrages,
wounding several people. Hits were detected in Haifa and Petah Tikva, and damage
was caused to property. Further, on Sunday, the IDF carried out two waves of
attacks on Hezbollah infrastructure in Beirut's southern suburbs. According to
Northern Command officers, Hezbollah's effort to intensify its rocket, drone,
and missile attacks aimed at "leaving a lasting impression on Israeli
consciousness with a final chord, to secure gains for itself. Everyone
understands that within days, an agreement is coming." Sources in Israel's
defense establishment disclosed that the US administration is applying pressure
for an agreement, a stance expected to continue with the next administration.
Coupled with the Lebanese side's willingness, one source told Walla, "There is
no other option but to sign the agreement."Another security official noted, "If
the agreement is not signed now, it won't happen for a very long time." Amid the
increased attacks from Lebanon, Defense Minister Israel Katz has ordered an
escalation in Israeli strikes within Lebanon, targeting pre-identified sites,
particularly in Beirut's Dahiyeh district. Defense sources emphasized that the
political echelon aims to avoid hitting Lebanese state infrastructure, focusing
instead on distinguishing between state assets and Hezbollah targets.
*Yonah Jeremy Bob, Keshet Neev, and Reuters
Tachles with Aviel – Israel
must set the rules in Lebanon
Aviel Schneider/Jerusalem Post/November 25/2024
Israel is at a turning point in the conflict with Hezbollah. Despite Israel’s
military successes, the planned agreement contains significant weaknesses that
could have a detrimental effect.
Hezbollah is in an extremely weakened position, security officials emphasize,
presenting an opportunity for Israel to definitively defeat the Shiite terror
militia in Lebanon and force its surrender. A strategic window has opened.
Israel’s military successes on the northern front against Hezbollah are
unprecedented. According to senior defense officials, Israel is currently
regarded as the victor in the conflict, with Hezbollah “brought to its knees.”
This situation creates an opportunity to take decisive steps toward the
long-term neutralization of the militia. Within the country, there are calls for
the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to immediately reach the Litani River and
establish a permanent position there. Subsequently, the entire area up to
Israel’s border should be cleared, including the destruction of all terrorist
infrastructure and the elimination of any remaining Hezbollah fighters in the
region. Will Israel change the reality on the ground, or miss this critical
moment?
Can Lebanon’s ancient
cultural heritage be protected from war damage?
Robert Edwards/Arab News/November 25, 2024
LONDON: Towering above the fertile Bekaa Valley, the Temple of Jupiter and
Temple of Bacchus in Baalbek stand as monumental symbols of Roman power, while
the ruins of Tyre echo the splendor of the Phoenician civilization. Today, these
UNESCO World Heritage sites, along with countless other historical landmarks,
face a grave threat as the conflict between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah
fighters encroaches on Lebanon’s unique and ancient heritage. After nearly a
year of cross-border exchanges that began on Oct. 8, 2023, Israel suddenly
escalated its campaign of airstrikes against Hezbollah targets across Lebanon.
In recent weeks, Baalbek’s famed Roman temples, celebrated for their
architectural sophistication and cultural fusion of East and West, have come
dangerously close to being hit. Although these structures have so far been
spared direct strikes, adjacent areas have suffered, including a nearby
Ottoman-era building. The city’s ruins, which have survived the test of time and
the 1975-1990 Lebanese civil war, are now at significant risk. The ancient city
has suffered multiple airstrikes since evacuation orders were issued on Oct. 30
by Israel, which has designated the area a Hezbollah stronghold.
FASTFACTS
• UNESCO World Heritage sites in Baalbek and Tyre are at risk of direct hit or
secondary damage under Israeli strikes. • ALIPH has allocated $100,000 to
shelter museum collections and support displaced heritage workers in Lebanon.•
Preserving heritage fosters resilience, identity, and post-conflict recovery,
say UNESCO and heritage advocates. The proximity of these airstrikes has left
archaeologists and local authorities fearing that damage, whether intentional or
collateral, could be irreversible. Even indirect blasts pose a serious risk, as
reverberations shake these ancient stones.
“The threats come from direct bombing and indirect bombing,” Joanne Farchakh
Bajjaly, a Lebanese archaeologist and founder of the non-governmental
organization Biladi, told Arab News. “In both ways, cultural heritage is at huge
risk.”Reports indicate that hundreds of other Lebanese cultural and religious
sites have been less fortunate. Several Muslim and Christian heritage buildings
have been reduced to rubble in southern towns and villages under shelling and
air attacks. “Some of them are known and already registered in the inventory
list and some of them unfortunately we know about them when they are destroyed
and inhabitants share the photos of them,” said Farchakh Bajjaly. Many of these
sites carry irreplaceable historical value, representing not only Lebanon’s
heritage but also that of the broader Mediterranean and Near Eastern regions.
Baalbek’s origins stretch back to a Phoenician settlement dedicated to Baal, the
god of fertility. Later known as Heliopolis under Hellenistic influence, the
city reached its zenith under the Roman Empire. The Temple of Jupiter, once
adorned by 54 massive Corinthian columns, and the intricately decorated Temple
of Bacchus, have attracted pilgrims and admirers across millennia. Cultural
heritage is a key reason people visit Lebanon. The cultural heritage of Lebanon
is the cultural heritage of all humanity.
Valery Freland, ALIPH executive director
Tyre, equally revered, was a bustling Phoenician port where the rare purple dye
from Murex sea snails was once crafted for royalty. The city is home to ancient
necropolises and a Roman hippodrome, all of which have helped shape Lebanon’s
historical identity.
Valery Freland, ALIPH executive director
Israel’s war against Hezbollah, once the most powerful non-state group in the
Middle East, has thus far killed more than 3,200 people and displaced about a
million more in Lebanon, according to local officials. The Israeli military has
pledged to end Hezbollah’s ability to launch rocket and other attacks into
northern Israel, which has forced around 60,000 people to flee their homes near
the Lebanon border. On Oct. 23, the Israeli military issued evacuation orders
near Tyre’s ancient ruins, and began striking targets in the vicinity. The
cultural devastation in southern Lebanon and Bekaa is not limited to UNESCO
sites. Across these regions, many cultural heritage sites of local and national
significance have been reduced to rubble. “Cultural heritage sites that are
located in the south or in the Bekaa and that are scattered all over the place …
were razed and wiped out,” said Farchakh Bajjaly.
“When you can see the demolition of the villages in the south of Lebanon … the
destruction of the cultural heritage is coming as collateral damage. The
historical sites, the shrines or the castles, aren’t being spared at all.”As a
signatory to the 1954 Hague Convention, Lebanon’s heritage should, in theory, be
protected from harm during armed conflict. However, as Culture Minister Mohammad
Mortada has appealed to UNESCO, these symbolic protections, like the Blue Shield
emblem, have shown limited effectiveness. In response to the escalation, the
Geneva-based International Alliance for the Protection of Cultural Heritage in
Conflict Areas, known as ALIPH, has provided emergency funding to Lebanon,
working alongside Biladi and the Directorate General of Antiquities. With
$100,000 in initial funding, ALIPH is sheltering museum collections across
Lebanon and providing safe accommodation for displaced heritage professionals.
Joanne Farchakh Bajjaly, a Lebanese archaeologist and founder of the
non-governmental organization Biladi. “We are ready to stand by our partners in
Lebanon, just as we did after the 2020 Beirut explosion,” Valery Freland,
ALIPH’s executive director, told Arab News.
“Our mission is to work in crisis areas… If we protect the cultural heritage
now, it will be a way (to stop this becoming) another difficulty of the
peacebuilding process.”Documentation has also become a critical tool for
preservation efforts, particularly for sites at risk of destruction. Biladi’s
role has been to document what remains and, where possible, secure smaller
objects. “Unfortunately we are not able to do any kind of preventive measures
for the monuments for several reasons,” said Farchakh Bajjaly. “One of the most
obvious ones is due to the weapons that are being used. If the hit is a direct
hit then there’s no purpose of taking any action. Nothing is surviving a direct
hit. “The only measures that we can do, as preventative measures … (are) to
secure the storage of museums and to find ways to save the small items and
shelter them from any vibrations and make sure storages are safe and secure.”
Farchakh Bajjaly describes a “dilemma of horror” arising from the conflict. When
the IDF issued its evacuation order for Baalbek, around 80,000 residents fled,
with some seeking refuge within the temples themselves.
“The guards closed the gates and didn’t let anyone get in,” she said, explaining
that, under the 1954 Hague Convention, using protected sites as shelters
nullifies their protected status. “If people will take refuge in the temples,
then it might be used by the Israeli army to target temples. Thereby killing the
people and destroying the temples.”
The displacement of Baalbek’s residents has added to Lebanon’s swelling
humanitarian crisis. With more than 1.2 million people displaced across the
country due to the conflict, the city’s evacuation order has compounded local
instability. Historic ancient Roman Bacchus temple in Baalbek, Lebanon. Despite
the harrowing reality, Farchakh Bajjaly insists that preserving cultural
heritage is not at odds with humanitarian goals. “Asking to save world heritage
is in no way contradictory to saving people’s lives. They are complementary,”
she said. “It’s giving people a place to find their memories, giving them a
sense of continuity when in war, usually, nothing remains the same.” UNESCO has
been actively monitoring the conflict’s impact on Lebanon’s heritage sites,
using satellite imagery and remote sensing to assess visible damage. “UNESCO
liaised with all state parties concerned, reminding (them of their) obligations
under the 1972 Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and
Natural Heritage,” Nisrine Kammourieh, a spokesperson for UNESCO, told Arab
News. The organization is preparing for an emergency session of the Committee
for the Protection of Cultural Property to potentially place Lebanon’s heritage
sites on its International List of Cultural Property under Enhanced Protection.
The importance of cultural preservation extends beyond mere aesthetics or
academic interest. “It’s part of the resilience of the population, of the
communities and it’s part of a solution afterward,” said ALIPH’s Freland.
Elke Selter, ALIPH’s director of programs, believes “protecting heritage is
essential for what comes after. You cannot totally erase the traces of the
past.”Indeed, the preservation of Lebanon’s cultural heritage is as much about
safeguarding identity and memory as it is about recovery. “Imagine that your
town is fully destroyed and you have to go back to something that was built two
weeks ago; that is very unsettling in a way,” Selter told Arab News, noting that
studies have shown how preserving familiar landmarks fosters a sense of
belonging after displacement. In the broader context of Lebanon’s recovery,
cultural heritage can play a key role in economic revitalization, particularly
through tourism. “For Lebanon’s economy, that’s an important element and I think
an important one for the recovery of the country afterwards,” said Selter.
“Cultural heritage in Lebanon was one of the key reasons why people would visit
Lebanon.” The tragedy facing Lebanon’s heritage is also a global concern. “The
cultural heritage of Lebanon is the cultural heritage of all humanity,” said
Freland. For Biladi and other heritage organizations, Lebanon’s current crisis
offers a test of international conventions that aim to protect heritage in times
of conflict. “If the conventions are being applied, then cultural heritage will
be saved,” said Farchakh Bajjaly. “Lebanon has become in this war a sort of a
field where it’s possible to test if these conventions work.”
Israeli airstrikes
intensify in Lebanon amid rumors of imminent ceasefire agreement
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Aran News/November 25, 2024
BEIRUT: Israeli attacks on targets in Lebanon intensified on Monday, as rumors
circulated in Tel Aviv and Beirut about the possibility of a ceasefire agreement
within two days.
US envoy Amos Hochstein has been leading complex negotiations between Israeli
and Lebanese authorities with the aim of ending the conflict, which began on
Sep. 23 with Israeli airstrikes, followed by ground incursions into border areas
on Oct. 1.
Since then, Israel has assassinated senior Hezbollah leaders, and the confirmed
death toll from the fighting stands at about 3,800. This figure does not include
Hezbollah members killed on the battlefield, the numbers of which are difficult
to ascertain because of intense shelling in southern areas.
The escalating war has also resulted in the destruction of thousands of
residential and commercial buildings in areas stretching from the south of the
country to the southern suburbs of Beirut and northern Bekaa. Tensions continue
to run high as the population lives in fear of the intense airstrikes, with
ambulances and fire trucks remaining on standby in all regions.
MP Elias Bou Saab, the deputy speaker of Lebanon’s parliament, said: “We are
optimistic about a ceasefire and there is hope. But nothing can be confirmed
with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. What might put pressure on him
is the battlefield.”
Israeli aggression intensifies whenever peace negotiations move closer to an
agreement, he added, in an attempt to put pressure on Lebanese authorities. “We
insist on our position regarding the inclusion of France in the committee
overseeing the ceasefire implementation,” said Bou Saab. “We did not hear
anything about Israel’s freedom of movement in Lebanon, and we still speak only
about UN Resolution 1701, with no additions and with an implementation
mechanism.”
Resolution 1701 was adopted by the Security Council in 2006 with the aim of
resolving the conflict that year between Israel and Hezbollah. It calls for an
end to hostilities, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon, the
withdrawal of Hezbollah and other forces from parts of the country south of the
Litani River, and the disarmament of Hezbollah and other armed groups. News
channel CNN quoted a spokesperson for the Israeli prime minister as saying talks
were moving toward a ceasefire. Another regional source told the network: “The
agreement is closer than ever. However, it has not been fully finalized yet.”
Israel’s ambassador to the US, Michael Herzog, said an agreement “could happen
in a few days” but “there are still some sticking points that need to be
resolved.”
The Israeli Broadcasting Authority quoted the country’s education minister as
saying that Hochstein has the green light to proceed with an agreement. It added
that a deal with Lebanon had been finalized and Netanyahu was considering “how
to explain it to the public.”
Also on Monday, diplomat Dan Shapiro from the US Department of Defense held
meetings with senior Israeli officials that focused on the members of a proposed
committee to monitor the ceasefire, most notably the participation of France,
and the details of a monitoring mechanism to be led by the US. One report
suggested Washington had agreed to provide Israel with a guarantee it would
support any military action in response to threats from Lebanon and to disrupt
any Hezbollah presence along the border.
According to news website Axios, the draft agreement for a ceasefire includes a
60-day transitional period during which the Israeli army would withdraw from
southern Lebanon, to be replaced by the Lebanese army in areas close to the
border, and Hezbollah would move its heavy weapons from the border region to
areas north of the Litani Line.
Against this backdrop of peace negotiations, the continual Israeli airstrikes on
the southern suburbs of Beirut intensified on Monday, following 10 strikes the
previous evening. The attacks targeted Haret Hreik, Hadath, Ghobeiry, Bir
Al-Abed and Sfeir.
Hundreds of buildings have been damaged or destroyed, and as Arab News visited
targeted areas, residents said “there have never been any Hezbollah offices in
these structures, neither now nor in the past, and the buildings are mainly for
residential purposes.”
A lawyer called Imad said the apartment building in the Hadath area in which he
lived collapsed when it was hit by an airstrike. “It is unbelievable that they
use Hezbollah as a pretext to destroy our homes, which we purchased through
financial loans to provide shelter for our families. They intend to annihilate
us all,” he said. The Israeli army said on Monday that an airstrike that hit the
Basta area of central Beirut early on Saturday had “targeted a command center
affiliated with Hezbollah.”
Efforts to help the injured and recover the bodies of the dead continued at the
scene of the attack until Sunday evening. The Lebanese Health Ministry said at
least 29 people were killed and 67 wounded. The Israeli army also carried out
numerous airstrikes in southern Lebanon, mainly targeting the cities of Tyre and
Nabatieh. Ten people were killed, including a woman and a member of the Lebanese
army, and 17 injured in three airstrikes on Tyre.
Also in Tyre, an Israeli drone killed a motorcycle rider in a parking lot near
the Central Bank of Lebanon. And three civilians were killed by an airstrike in
the town of Ghazieh, south of Sidon. From the southern border to the northern
banks of the Litani River, no area has been spared from Israeli airstrikes,
which have extended as far north as the city of Baalbek, and the town of Hermel
close to the border with Syria.
In the east, back-and-forth operations between the Israeli army and Hezbollah
continued as the former attempted to gain control over the town of Khiam. Its
forces advanced, supported by Merkava tanks, from the southern outskirts under
the cover of airstrikes and artillery bombardment, moving into the center of the
town and toward Ebel Al-Saqi and Jdidet Marjeyoun. The Israeli army also
deployed tanks between olive groves in the town of Deir Mimas after an incursion
into the town last week. It began advancing toward the Tal Nahas-Kfar
Kila-Qlayaa triangle. Elsewhere, Hezbollah and Israeli forces clashed in the
western sector of the Maroun Al-Ras-Ainata-Bint Jbeil triangle.
Hezbollah said it targeted Israeli army positions on the outskirts of the towns
of Shamaa and Biyada. Israeli forces carried out house-demolition operations in
Shamaa.
Hezbollah also continued to launch attacks against northern Israel. The group
said its rockets “reached the Shraga base, north of the city of Acre, and
targeted an Israeli army gathering in the settlement of Meron.”Israeli medical
services said one person was injured in Nahariya by falling fragments from a
rocket.
Lebanese Politician Accuses
Israel of Increasing Bombardment to Wring Concessions
Asharq Al Awsat/November 25/2024
Lebanon’s deputy parliament speaker has accused Israel of ramping up its
bombardment of Lebanon in order to pressure the government to make concessions
in indirect ceasefire negotiations with Hezbollah. Elias Bou Saab, an ally of
the Iran-backed group, said Monday that the pressure has increased because “we
are close to the hour that is decisive regarding reaching a ceasefire.”“We are
optimistic, and there is hope, but nothing is guaranteed with a person like
(Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu),” Bou Saab told reporters. Israel
has carried out heavy strikes in central Beirut in recent days, while Hezbollah
has increased its rocket fire into Israel. The United States is trying to broker
an agreement in which Hezbollah fighters and Israeli forces would withdraw from
southern Lebanon and Lebanese troops would patrol the region, along with a UN
peacekeeping force. Israel has demanded freedom of action to strike Hezbollah if
it violates the ceasefire, but Bou Saab said that was not part of the emerging
agreement. He also said Israel had accepted that France be part of the committee
overseeing the ceasefire after Lebanese officials insisted. There was no
immediate confirmation from the Israeli side. Israel has objected to France
being on the committee in the wake of the International Criminal Court’s
decision last week to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu, his former defense
minister and a Hamas military commander.France said it supports the court. It
said the question of whether it would arrest Netanyahu if he set foot on French
soil was a “complex legal issue” that would have to be worked out.
Shiite Muslims pay high
price in Lebanon war
Associated Press/November 25, 2024
The Lebanese civilians most devastated by the Israeli war are Shiite Muslims,
and many of them believe they are being unfairly punished because they share a
religious identity with Hezbollah militants and often live in the same areas.
"This is clear," said Wael Murtada, a young Shiite man who anxiously watched
paramedics search rubble after a recent Israeli airstrike destroyed his uncle's
two-story home and killed 10 people. "Who else is being attacked?" Israel has
concentrated its attacks on villages in southern and northeastern Lebanon and
neighborhoods south of Beirut. This is where many Hezbollah militants operate
from, and their families live side by side with large numbers of Shiites who
aren't members of the group. Israel insists its war is with Hezbollah and not
the Lebanese people – or the Shiite faith. It says it only targets members of
the Iran-backed militant group to try to end their yearlong campaign of firing
rockets over the border. But Israel's stated objectives mean little to people
like Murtada as growing numbers of Shiite civilians also die in a war that
escalated sharply in recent months. Shiites don't just measure the suffering of
their community in deaths and injuries. Entire blocks of the coastal city of
Tyre have been flattened. Large parts of the historic market in the city of
Nabatiyeh, which dates to the Ottoman era, have been destroyed. And in Baalbek,
an airstrike damaged the city's famed Hotel Palmyra, which opened in the late
19th century, and a home that dates to the Ottoman era. "Lebanese Shias are
being collectively punished. Their urban areas are being destroyed, and their
cultural monuments and building are being destroyed," said Mohanad Hage Ali, a
senior fellow at the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut. As Shiites flee
their war-torn villages and neighborhoods, the conflict is increasingly
following them to other parts of Lebanon, and this is fueling tensions.
Scores of people have been killed by Israeli airstrikes on Christian, Sunni and
Druze areas where displaced Shiites had taken refuge. Many residents in these
areas now think twice before providing shelter to displaced people out of fear
they may have links to Hezbollah.
"The Israelis are targeting all of Lebanon," said Wassef Harakeh, a lawyer from
Beirut's southern suburbs who in 2022 ran against Hezbollah in the country's
parliamentary elections and whose office was recently demolished by an Israeli
airstrike. He believes part of Israel's goal is to exacerbate frictions within
the small Mediterranean country, which has a long history of sectarian fighting
even though diverse groups live together peacefully these days. Some Shiites say
statements from the Israeli military over the years have only reinforced
suspicions that their wider community is being targeted as a means to put
pressure on Hezbollah. One commonly cited example is the so-called Dahieh
doctrine, which was first espoused by Israeli generals during the 2006 war. It
is a reference to the southern suburbs of Beirut where Hezbollah is
headquartered and where entire residential blocks, bridges and shopping
compounds were destroyed in both wars. Israel says Hezbollah hides weapons and
fighters in such areas, turning them into legitimate military targets. A video
released by the Israeli military last month has been interpreted by Shiites as
further proof that little distinction is being made between Hezbollah fighters
and Shiite civilians.
Speaking from a southern Lebanese village he did not name, Israeli military
spokesman Daniel Hagari called it "a terror base. This is a Lebanese village, a
Shiite village built by Hezbollah." As he toured a house and showed stocks of
hand grenades, rifles, night-vision goggles and other military equipment, Hagari
said: "Every house is a terror base."Another army spokesperson disputed the
notion that Israel tries to blur the line between combatants and civilians. "Our
war is with the terror group Hezbollah and not with the Lebanese population,
whatever its origin," said Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani. He denied that Israel was
intentionally trying to disrupt the social fabric of Lebanon, and pointed to
Israel's evacuation warnings to civilians ahead of airstrikes as a step it takes
to mitigate harm. Many Lebanese, including some Shiites, blame Hezbollah for
their suffering, while also decrying Israel's bombardments. Hezbollah began
firing rockets into Israel last year the day after Hamas attacked Israel and
started the war in Gaza; this went against the group's promises to use its
weapons only to defend Lebanon. Since last October, more than 3,500 people have
been killed in Lebanon, and women and children accounted for more than 900 of
the dead, according to the Health Ministry. More than 1 million people have been
displaced from their homes. Shiites, who make up a third of Lebanon's 5 million
people, have borne the brunt of this suffering. Israel says it has killed well
over 2,000 Hezbollah members in the past year.
The death and destruction in Lebanon ramped up significantly in mid-September,
when Israeli airstrikes began targeting Hezbollah's leaders, and once again in
early October, when Israeli ground troops invaded.
Early in the war, Israeli airstrikes killed about 500 Hezbollah members but
caused very little collateral damage. But since late September, airstrikes have
destroyed entire buildings and homes, and in some cases killed dozens of
civilians when the intended target was one Hezbollah member or official. On one
particularly bloody day, Sept. 23, Israeli airstrikes killed almost 500 people
and prompted hundreds of thousands of people – again, mostly Shiites -- to flee
their homes in panic.Murtada's relatives fled from Beirut's southern suburbs in
late September after entire blocks had been wiped out by airstrikes. They moved
22 kilometers east of the city, to the predominantly Druze mountain village of
Baalchmay to stay in the home of Murtada's uncle.
Then, on Nov. 12, the home where they sought refuge was destroyed without
warning. The airstrike killed nine relatives — three men, three women and three
children — and a domestic worker, Murtada said. The Israeli army said the home
was being used by Hezbollah. Murtada, who lost a grandmother and an aunt in the
strike, said nobody in the home was connected to the militant group. Hezbollah
has long boasted about its ability to deter Israel, but the latest war has
proven otherwise and taken a severe toll on its leadership. Some Shiites fear
the weakening of Hezbollah will lead to the entire community being sidelined
politically once the war is over. But others believe it could offer a political
opening for more diverse Shiite voices. Cease-fire negotiations appear to have
gained momentum over the past week. Some critics of Hezbollah say the group
could have accepted months ago the conditions currently under consideration.
This would have spared Lebanon "destruction, martyrs and losses worth billions
(of dollars)," Lebanese legislator Waddah Sadek, who is Sunni Muslim, wrote on
X.
The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on November
25-26/2024
‘Netanyahu is not Dreyfus,’ Palestinian envoy tells UN Security Council
Ephrem Kossaify/Arab News/November
25, 2024
NEW YORK CITY: The warrant issued last week by the International Criminal Court
for the arrest of Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has “nothing to
do with his faith and everything to do with his crimes,” the Palestinian envoy
to the UN told the Security Council on Monday. Riyad Mansour urged council
members to stand up to what he described as Netanyahu’s “diversions and
distortions, to his smearing, his threats and his attacks.”Netanyahu has
denounced the ICC decision as “antisemitic,” comparing it to the Dreyfus affair
in France more than a century ago. Alfred Dreyfus, a French army officer of
Jewish descent, was wrongfully convicted in 1894 of treason based on fabricated
evidence. “No, Netanyahu is not Dreyfus,” Mansour told the Security Council.
“The ICC, the ICJ (International Court of Justice), this council and the General
Assembly, the secretary-general and the United Nations are not antisemitic, and
Netanyahu’s efforts to frame efforts to uphold international law as antisemitic
must be firmly rebuked.”The council must “act now to restore primacy to
international law, to the humanitarian and human rights laws that Israel is
shredding to the detriment of all,” he added. He warned that the “genocide” in
Gaza is transforming the Middle East for generations to come, with “the gravest”
repercussions for the region and the wider world. “This fire will devour
everything in its path if it is not urgently stopped,” Mansour said, and so
states are faced with a “quite simple” choice: defend the rule of international
law or defend “the massacres perpetrated by this Israeli government.”
He called on politicians who have “difficulties making the right choice” to stop
“playing political games with our people’s lives,” and added: “Our children
should not be sacrificed for the sake of your political calculations and
ambitions.” Palestinians in Gaza are bracing themselves to endure another winter
living in makeshift tents, besieged and bombed, without any of the essential
infrastructure required to sustain life, while famine continues to loom over the
war-ravaged enclave, Mansour warned. “How much more suffering must they endure?”
he asked. “Their agony must be brought to an end and life and hope must be
restored. Israel’s war machine must be stopped in Palestine and in Lebanon. It
is sowing the conditions of insecurity and hatred for decades.”He urged council
members not to allow “a solvable political conflict to be transformed into an
eternal religious conflict. This would have terrible, unimaginable consequences
for our region and the world.”He added: “The fate of our region is being
determined in Gaza: either Gaza becomes the graveyard of international law or
the land of its resurrection.”Robert Wood, the deputy US ambassador to the UN,
told fellow council members that Washington remains opposed to the annexation of
the West Bank and the construction of settlements in Gaza. Such actions would
breach international law, he said, “sow the seeds of further instability and
create new obstacles to Israel’s full integration into the region.” He also
expressed concern about the “increasing extremist-settler violence in the West
Bank.”But Wood reiterated that the US rejects the ICC’s decision to issue arrest
warrants for Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, and blames
Hamas for the failure to reach a ceasefire agreement. He added that the militant
group must not be “let off the hook.”Dmitry Polyanskiy, Russia’s deputy
permanent representative, said: “The USA only demands, and continues to demand,
that we all put pressure on Hamas,” yet it is “clear” that Israel’s plan is “to
create yet another irreversible fact on the ground: a scorched, depopulated Gaza
that has been emptied of Palestinians.”He added: “How many more people need to
die for Gaza to at last see peace? Or will the USA obstruct this until all the
Palestinians have been exterminated and the question of the two-state solution
falls away by itself?”Moscow “will continue to insist on the adoption of the
most decisive measures to stop the bloodshed in Gaza,” Polyanskiy said.
Lebanon Condemns Attacks on
UN Peacekeeping Mission
Asharq Al Awsat/November 25/2024
Lebanon on Monday condemned attacks on the United Nations peacekeeping mission (UNIFIL)
stationed in its south, including last week's rocket strike in which four
Italian soldiers were lightly injured. The 10,000-strong multi-national UNIFIL
mission is monitoring hostilities along the demarcation line with Israel, an
area hit by fierce clashes between the Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah party and
Israeli forces. Since Israel launched a ground campaign across the border
against Hezbollah at the end of September, UNIFIL soldiers have suffered several
attacks coming from both sides. "Lebanon strongly condemns any attack on UNIFIL
and calls on all sides to respect the safety, security of the troops and their
premises," Lebanese caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said during a
conference in Rome. Bou Habib spoke before attending a G7 foreign ministers'
meeting in Anagni, southeast of Rome, along with other colleagues from the
Middle East, which was set to discuss conflicts in the region. Bou Habib added:
"Lebanon condemns recent attacks on the Italian contingent and deplores such
unjustified hostilities."Italy said Hezbollah was likely responsible for the
attack carried out on Friday against its troops in UNIFIL.Beirut's foreign
minister called for implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which
ended a previous war between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006 with a ceasefire that
has faced challenges and violations over the years. "Lebanon is ready to fulfil
its obligations stipulated in the above-mentioned resolution," Bou Habib said.
"This literally means and I quote: 'There will be no weapons without the consent
of the government of Lebanon and no authority other than that of the government
of Lebanon'."Hezbollah, militarily more powerful than Lebanon's regular army,
says it is defending the country from Israeli aggression. It vows to keep
fighting and says it will not lay down arms or allow Israel to achieve political
gains on the back of the war.
Israeli Ambassador to US
Says Hezbollah Ceasefire Deal Could Come 'Within Days'
Asharq Al Awsat/November 25/2024
The Israeli ambassador to Washington says that a ceasefire deal to end fighting
between Israel and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah could be reached "within
days."Ambassador Mike Herzog told Israeli Army Radio on Monday that there
remained "points to finalize" and that any deal required agreement from the
government. But he said "we are close to a deal" and that "it can happen within
days."Among the issues that remain is an Israeli demand to reserve the right to
act should Hezbollah violate its obligations under the emerging deal. The deal
seeks to push Hezbollah and Israeli troops out of southern Lebanon.
Israel accuses Hezbollah of not adhering to a UN resolution that ended the 2006
war between the sides that made similar provisions, and Israel has concerns that
Hezbollah could stage a Hamas-style cross-border attack from southern Lebanon if
it maintains a heavy presence there. Lebanon says Israel also violated the 2006
resolution. Lebanon complains about military jets and naval ships entering
Lebanese territory even when there is no active conflict. It is not clear
whether Lebanon would agree to the demand. The optimism surrounding a deal comes
after a top US envoy held talks between the sides last week in a bid to clinch a
deal. Hezbollah began attacking Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, a day after Hamas´ raid
on southern Israel, setting off more than a year of fighting. That escalated
into all-out war in September with massive Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon and
later an Israeli ground incursion into the country´s south. Hezbollah has fired
thousands of rockets into Israeli cities and towns, including some 250 on
Sunday.
Those still in north Gaza
‘scavenging among the rubble’: UNRWA
AFP/November 25, 2024
JERUSALEM: With an intensive Israeli military operation in Gaza’s besieged north
in its 50th day, remaining residents are left “scavenging among the rubble” for
food, said UNRWA spokeswoman Louise Wateridge. The Israeli army announced it
would intensify operations in the ravaged north of the territory on Oct. 6, with
troops encircling the northern city of Jabalia and adjacent areas at the time.
Speaking from Gaza City, where many of the north’s residents have fled since the
operation began, Wateridge gave insights gleaned from talking to displaced
Palestinians and colleagues from the UN agency for Palestinian refugees. She
said UNRWA estimates that between 100,000 and 130,000 people have fled north
Gaza since the beginning of the operation, which Israel said aims to keep
militants from regrouping in the area. “There is no access to food, no access to
drinking water. Eight of the UNRWA water wells in Jabalia stopped functioning
weeks ago. They’ve been damaged and destroyed. They’ve run out of fuel. There
were very horrific reports of continued strikes on hospitals, on shelters where
people are. “Here in Gaza City, I’m meeting people who have fled for their
lives, and they’re showing me these appalling videos where they’re running
through the streets, they’re navigating, you know, the rubble. There are bodies
of children around them. There are bodies of people who have been killed
everywhere that they have to walk and step over to get out. “Fifty days of
siege, it’s unfathomable, the destruction, the death, the pain, the suffering
that that will cause. “I met some children just in the last few days; you can
hear the planes going over, you can hear the drones, and they freeze, they
completely freeze, they don’t have anything to say, their teeth start
chattering, they’re absolutely paralyzed by fear from these experiences that
they’ve had over the last few weeks.”“(There are) around 65,000 people in these
besieged areas. We hear that they are scavenging from residential buildings,
scavenging among the rubble, trying to find any old tins of canned food, any
kind of source of food already in these residential buildings or among the
rubble.”“It was around this time last year that there were reports from northern
Gaza that was cut off, and people were going around. Our colleagues were going
around eating animal food to stay alive. So, people are just eating anything
that they can find at this point, and it really is complete survival. “Hearing
these stories of people’s families under the rubble and fleeing and having to
leave them behind, people are traumatized, people who haven’t managed to escape,
they’re absolutely traumatized.”“(There are) around 100,000 to 130,000 more
people forcibly displaced from Jabalia, Beit Hanoun, and these besieged areas.
And... they’re arriving (in Gaza City) to charcoal buildings, blown out
buildings, it’s raining, cold, and freezing. “They don’t have mattresses, they
don’t have tarps, they don’t have tents, they don’t have blankets, families are
crying, begging because their children don’t have clothes, they don’t have warm
clothes, babies don’t have anything to keep them warm. “It’s beyond appalling,
the conditions people are forced to live in here. So they’re among the rubble in
these facilities that should be protected by international law. “Horrific
stories of tanks arriving, of strikes on the schools, and then people being
forced to go back and shelter there because they simply don’t have anywhere else
to go.”
Khamenei says Israeli leaders must be 'sentenced to death,' arrest warrants 'not
enough'
Jerusalem Post/November 25/2024
His remarks came after the ICC issued arrest warrants on Thursday for Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei,
said on Monday that death sentences, rather than arrest warrants, should be
issued for Israeli leaders. "Netanyahu and the criminal leaders of this regime
must be sentenced to death," Khamenei said. His remarks came after the
International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants on Thursday for
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense minister Yoav
Gallant, and former Hamas military wing chief Mohammad Deif. "What the Zionist
regime did in Gaza and Lebanon is not a victory, it is a war crime," Khamenei
said in a speech that was quoted by Iranian state media IRNA. "Now, they have
issued a warrant for their arrest. This is not enough."Khamenei wrote in an
additional post to X/Twitter on Monday, "The stupid Zionists imagine that by
bombarding people's homes, hospitals, and places where people are gathered,
they're the victors. No, no one in the world considers that to be a victory."
Khamenei previously tweeted on Saturday to his X/Twitter account in Hebrew that
"All the political and military leaders of the criminal Zionist terrorist gang
must be prosecuted."
State Prosecution opposes Netanyahu's request to postpone testimony
Jerusalem Post/November 25/2024
Prosecutors have opposed PM Netanyahu's request to postpone testimony in Case
1000, emphasizing public interest in timely trial completion.
The State Prosecution filed a decision to oppose Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu's request to postpone his testimony in Case 1000 for an additional 15
days on Monday.
According to N12, Netanyahu’s lawyers argued in a letter that "The defense is
not prepared and will not be up to the task of being prepared for the start of
the defense case on December 2." Furthermore, the letter stated that the
issuance of the warrants in The Hague against him had damaged preparations.
"Naturally, this cynical and sad event has caused the cancellation of a number
of preparatory meetings," it said. In their response to the District Court,
prosecutors wrote, "Given the clear public interest in completing the trial as
quickly as possible and preventing delays, the long preparation time provided,
and lack of substantial reasons for changed circumstances since this decision,
the prosecution opposes the request."Additionally, the prosecution addressed the
manner of the prime minister’s testimony regarding security arrangements. "After
the Attorney General's consultation with the Shin Bet, who had initial contact
with the Courts Administration, several possible frameworks could be proposed to
ensure proper and continuous trial proceedings, considering the PM's security
needs." According to an investigation conducted by Walla, this refers to secure
courtrooms where the prime minister can testify, specifically at the Tel Aviv
District Court and Supreme Court, not the Jerusalem District Court. The
prosecution requested that the court administration complete the courtroom
preparation, where Netanyahu will testify by next Wednesday.
Incapacitation
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Attorney-General Gali
Baharav-Miara must submit their positions by next Sunday regarding petitions
requesting Netanyahu be declared incapacitated, decided on Monday by Judge Ruth
Ronen. The petition argues that the prime minister should be declared
incapacitated because he is expected to testify three days per week in his
cases. The petitioners further argued that if full incapacitation isn't decided,
he should at least be declared partially incapacitated - during the times he
testifies in court.
Russia recruits hundreds of Yemeni mercenaries to fight in Ukraine, many under
duress - report
Jerusalem Post/November 25/2024
Previous reports emerged that Russia has sought after foreign mercenaries from
countries with "difficult economic situations" to fight in Ukraine. Russia has
reportedly recruited hundreds of Yemeni men, many of them under duress, to fight
in the war against Ukraine, the Financial Times reported on Sunday. Many Yemenis
who were involved in combat shared their testimonies with the Times, saying that
those who were recruited were promised high salaries and even Russian
citizenship. These recruits arrived in Russia with the help of a company linked
to Houthi politician Abdulwali Abdo Hassan al-Jabri, the Times noted. According
to the report, Yemeni soldiers were recruited as early as July. Many did not
have military training and were reportedly coerced or manipulated into fighting
for Russia as they signed documents they were unable to read. Some said they
were forcibly taken to a facility from the airport, where a man speaking in
simple Arabic fired a pistol over their heads if they refused to sign the
enlistment contract, which was written solely in Russian. Eleven Yemenis
were allowed to leave Russia for Yemen through Oman earlier in November, with
the assistance of the International Federation of Yemeni Migrants, who pressured
the Yemeni government after public outcry. US officials believe that the
growing alliance between Russia and the Houthis in Yemen shows how far Russia
will go to extend the conflict even into the Middle East, the Times noted.
The Times quoted US special envoy for Yemen, Tim Lenderking, as saying, "We know
that there are Russian personnel in Sana'a helping to deepen this dialogue. The
kinds of weapons that are being discussed are very alarming and would allow the
Houthis to better target ships in the Red Sea and possibly beyond."Russia seeks
foreign mercenaries from countries with 'difficult economic situations'
The Kyiv Independent previously reported in March of this year that Russia has
sought after foreign mercenaries from countries with "difficult economic
situations" to fight in Ukraine, which include India, Nepal, Somalia, and Cuba.
In January, Nepal halted granting foreign work permits for citizens to work in
Russia until further notice due to the number of Nepalese mercenaries that were
killed fighting for Russia in Ukraine, the Kyiv Independent noted. At least 10
Nepalis were confirmed killed, and up to 200 were estimated to be fighting in
Ukraine for Russia as of January of this year. These reports also follow the
recent development of North Korean troops collaborating with Russia in the
battle in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that
confrontations had occurred between North Korean and Ukrainian soldiers in
Russia's Kursk region. North Korean troops were engaged in combat in Russia's
Kursk in recent days for the first time, two US officials told Reuters in early
November.
*Joanie Margulies contributed to this report.
Saudi FM pushes for regional stability at G7-Arab foreign ministers meeting
Arab News/November 25, 2024
RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan took part in an expanded
session of the second meeting between G7 foreign ministers and their
counterparts from Arab nations on Monday, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The
meeting was hosted in Italy under the theme “Together for the Stability of the
Middle East.”The session, which addressed pressing regional and international
challenges, was held with the participation of Saudi, Jordanian, Emirati, Qatari
and Egyptian officials, as well as the secretary-general of the Arab League. In
his address, Prince Faisal emphasized the importance of strengthening
partnerships to address these challenges effectively. He highlighted the ongoing
crises in Gaza and Lebanon, urging the international community to act
immediately to secure a ceasefire, facilitate unrestricted humanitarian aid, and
progress toward establishing an independent Palestinian state. He also called
for respect for Lebanon’s sovereignty, and renewed international efforts to
resolve the crisis in Sudan and alleviate the resulting human suffering. The
meeting was also attended by Prince Faisal bin Sattam bin Abdul Aziz, Saudi
ambassador to Italy, the SPA reported.
Pontiff slams ‘invader arrogance’ in ‘Palestine’ and Ukraine
AFP/November 25, 2024
CATICAN CITY: Pope Francis on Monday railed against the conflicts in Ukraine and
the Palestinian territories, where he said “the arrogance of the invader
prevails over dialogue.”The 87-year-old’s words, to diplomats at the Vatican,
came just days after he called for an investigation into claims Israel was
conducting “genocide” of Palestinians in Gaza. Marking 40 years of a peace deal
between Chile and his native Argentina, Francis recalled ongoing conflicts and
criticized the arms trade, highlighting “the hypocrisy of speaking about peace
and playing at war.”“This hypocrisy always leads us to failure,” he said in
Spanish, adding that “dialogue must be the soul of the international
community.”“I simply mention two failures of humanity today: Ukraine and
Palestine, where there is suffering, where the arrogance of the invader prevails
over dialogue,” he added in an unscripted remark. Francis, who took over as head
of the worldwide Catholic Church in 2013, regularly prays for the people of Gaza
and the “martyred” Ukraine, which Russia invaded in 2022. Francis has also
frequently called for the return of the Israeli hostages taken by Palestinian
militants Hamas during the unprecedented Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. In
extracts published this month of a forthcoming book, he called for claims that
Israel was conducting “genocide” in Gaza — claims strongly rejected by Israel —
to be “studied carefully.” The Hamas attack resulted in the deaths of 1,206
people, mostly civilians, according to a tally of Israeli official figures.
Israel’s retaliatory campaign in Gaza has killed at least 44,235 people, most of
them civilians, according to data from the Hamas-run territory’s health
ministry, which the UN considers reliable. The Vatican recognized the
Palestinian territories as a sovereign state in 2013, signing a treaty in 2015.
Egypt says 17 missing after Red Sea tourist boat capsizes
AFP/November 25, 2024
CAIRO: Egyptian authorities said 17 people including British nationals and other
foreigners were missing after a tourist yacht capsized off the country’s Red Sea
coast on Monday, with 28 others rescued. The vessel, which was carrying 31
tourists of various nationalities and a 14-member crew, sent out a distress call
at 5:30 am (0330 GMT), said a statement from Egypt’s Red Sea governorate. An AFP
tally confirmed that tourists involved in the incident include nationals from
the UK, China, Finland, Poland and Spain. The “Sea Story” embarked on Sunday on
a multi-day diving trip from Port Ghalib near Marsa Alam in the southeast, and
had been due to dock on Friday at the town of Hurghada, 200 kilometers (124
miles) north. Governor Amr Hanafi said that some survivors were rescued by an
aircraft, while others were transported to safety aboard a warship. “Intensive
search operations are underway in coordination with the navy and the armed
forces,” Hanafi added in a statement. Authorities have not confirmed the
nationalities of the tourists. Beijing’s embassy in Egypt said two of its
nationals were “in good health” after being “rescued in the cruise ship sinking
accident in the Red Sea,” Chinese state media reported. The Finnish foreign
ministry confirmed to AFP that one of its nationals is missing. Polish foreign
ministry spokesman Pawel Wronski said authorities “have information that two of
the tourists may have had Polish citizenship.”“That’s all we know about them.
That’s all we can say for now,” he told national news agency PAP.The Red Sea
governor’s office did not immediately respond to AFP’s request for comment about
the possible cause of the accident. According to a manager of a diving resort
close to the rescue operation, one surviving crew member said they were “hit by
a wave in the middle of the night, throwing the vessel on its side.”Authorities
in the Red Sea capital of Hurghada on Sunday shut down marine activities and the
city’s port due to “bad weather conditions.”But winds around Marsa Alam had
remained favorable until Sunday night, the diving manager told AFP, before
calming again by morning. By Monday afternoon, it became increasingly “unlikely
that the 17 missing would be rescued after 12 hours in the water,” he said,
requesting anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. The
Marsa Alam area saw at least two similar boat accidents earlier this year but
there were no fatalities. The Red Sea coast is a major tourist destination in
Egypt, a country of 105 million that is in the grip of a serious economic
crisis. Nationally, the tourism sector employs two million people and generates
more than 10 percent of GDP. Dozens of dive boats criss-cross between coral
reefs and islands off Egypt’s eastern coast every day, where safety regulations
are robust but unevenly enforced. Earlier this month, 30 people were rescued
from a sinking dive boat near the Red Sea’s Daedalus reef. In June, two dozen
French tourists were evacuated safely before their boat sank in a similar
accident. Last year, three British tourists died when a fire broke out on their
yacht, engulfing it in flames.
State Department Warns Turkey Against Hosting Hamas Headquarters
Sinan Ciddi &Sophia Epley/Policy Brief/November 25/2024
U.S. discomfort over Turkish support for Hamas has reached a new threshold in
the wake of reports that the Iran-backed terrorist organization is moving its
headquarters from Qatar to Turkey, which is a member of the NATO alliance. At a
State Department briefing on November 18, spokesperson Matthew Miller expressed
the U.S. objections, declaring that Washington did not believe that “the leaders
of a vicious terrorist organization should be living comfortably anywhere, and
that certainly includes in a major city of one of our key allies and partners.”
Miller also noted that “Hamas is a brutal terrorist organization that has
murdered a number of Americans,” and which “continues to hold to this day seven
American citizens hostage” in Gaza following the October 7, 2023, atrocities in
southern Israel. He emphasized as well that Hamas leaders under U.S. indictment
“should be turned over to the United States,” whether they are located “in
Turkey or any other country.”
Ankara Denies Reports of Hamas Relocating to Turkey
For its part, Turkey has denied that Hamas leaders had relocated there. A
statement from its foreign ministry insisted that “Allegations that the Hamas
political bureau moved to Turkey do not reflect the truth,” while conceding that
“Hamas political bureau members visit Turkey from time to time.”
Speculation over a Hamas move from Qatar to Turkey intensified after a Qatari
foreign ministry spokesman said that the absence of a “mediation process”
between Hamas and Israel meant that the Hamas office in Doha created for the
“negotiating process … no longer has any function.” According to the spokesman,
Majed al-Ansari, Hamas leaders “move between different capitals,” adding that he
did not “want to get into details of what that means.” Al-Ansari noted that a
decision to permanently shutter the Hamas office in Qatar “is a decision that
you will hear about from us directly and shouldn’t be part of media
speculation.”
Hamas’s Current Status in Turkey
If Hamas were to leave Qatar entirely, its formal relocation to Turkey would be
a logical next step given its warm relationship with President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan’s regime. Hamas has been domiciled in Turkey since 2011, with active
offices in Istanbul and Ankara. The organization enjoys the active support of
Turkey’s government and uses its presence in the country to recruit operatives,
fundraise, plan terrorist attacks inside Israel, and ship weapons and materials
to terrorists in Gaza. Erdogan openly refuses to recognize Hamas as a terrorist
organization, instead referring to the group as “mujahideen waging a battle to
protect its lands and people.”
New Round of U.S. Sanctions Against Hamas Target Operatives in Turkey
Within hours of the State Department’s warning to Turkey, the U.S. Treasury
designated six leaders of Hamas — Abd al-Rahman Ismail abd al-Rahman Ghanimat,
Basem Naim, Mohammad Nazzal, Ghazi Hamad, Salama Mari, and Musa Daud Muhammad
al-Akari — at least half of whom are now based in Turkey. The latest sanctions
are the ninth set of sanctions issued by the United States against Hamas since
October 7.
Outgoing Biden administration officials must work closely with the incoming
Trump transition team and brief them on the substantive support that Turkey
offers to Hamas. Turkey’s political support infrastructure for Hamas remains
wholly intact and is championed by President Erdogan. Hence, the Trump
administration should compel Turkey to outlaw Hamas, dismantle its offices, and
extradite Hamas officials to Israel. If Turkey does not cooperate, the Trump
administration should sanction Turkish government officials who collude with the
organization.
NATO allies of Turkey must also take a stronger stance and forcefully condemn
Ankara’s open and unrestricted support for Hamas. NATO members should emphasize
that while there are countries within the alliance that are critical of Israeli
policies in Gaza and Lebanon, none would go so far as to advocate for and
materially support a terrorist organization.
**Sinan Ciddi is a non-resident senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of
Democracies, where Sophia Epley is an intern. Sophia is also a student at
Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. For more analysis from the
authors and FDD, please subscribe HERE. Follow Sinan on X @SinanCiddi. Follow
FDD on X @FDD. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute
focusing on national security and foreign policy.
Israeli Military Action is Key to Stopping Iran’s Proxies in Iraq
Ahmad Sharawi/FDD/Policy Brief/November 25/2024
Iranian-backed militias in Iraq continue to launch drone and missile attacks
against Israel in a show of solidarity with their allies in Gaza and Lebanon.
Although many claims remain unverified, some attacks have targeted Israeli
military personnel. On Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar urged the
UN Security Council to pressure Iraq to curtail the activities of Iran’s
proxies, emphasizing Israel’s right to self-defense under the UN Charter.
An Israeli airstrike on the Syrian city of Palmyra — a known hub for Iranian
proxies — resulted in the deaths of over 90 terrorists, including operatives
affiliated with Iraq’s Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba. This action suggests Israel
is intensifying its efforts to weaken these militias, which have operated with
relative impunity for over a year. Without stronger U.S. pressure on Baghdad to
rein in these groups, further Israeli retaliatory actions appear inevitable.
Baghdad Has Struggled to Contain Iran-Backed Militias
Despite their formal integration into the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and
legal operation under the Iraqi government, Iraqi militias often launch attacks
on Israel at the behest of their patrons in Tehran, enacting its strategy to
encircle Israel with a “ring of fire” in the wake of the October 7, 2023, Hamas
atrocities.
This allegiance has strained Iraq internally, with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia
al-Sudani struggling to control militia actions that frequently defy state
policy. Although reforms have aimed to limit their independence, these groups
often disregard Baghdad’s directives. Highlighting this tension, Ibrahim al-Sumaida’i,
advisor to the prime minister, warned that the “actions of the Iraqi resistance
embarrass the state” and stressed the need to prevent Iraq from becoming a
corridor for missiles and drones used by external actors.
Israel’s Patience Is Nearing Its Limit
Iranian-backed militias in Iraq have claimed responsibility for over 300 attacks
targeting Israel over the past year. Of these, 89 have reached Israel, where the
projectiles were either intercepted or landed in open areas. Notably, a UAV
attack on October 3 killed two Israeli soldiers in the Golan Heights.
The initiation of Israel’s ground operation in southern Lebanon has triggered a
surge in attacks from Iraqi militias, with 51 confirmed incidents since October
1 — a 75 percent increase in confirmed attacks compared to previous months.
This amounts to an intolerable situation for Israel. While currently engaged on
two fronts, Israel remains fully capable of addressing the threat from Iraq. The
Israeli strike in Palmyra may mark the beginning of Israel’s retaliatory
campaign against Iranian proxies following a year of restraint in the face of
persistent aggression.
Is U.S. Diplomatic Pressure on Iraq Capable of Preventing Escalation?
Washington has warned Baghdad that Israeli strikes are imminent unless the Iraqi
government curtails militia attacks against Israel. In response, Prime Minister
Sudani issued security directives to assert state control over military
operations. Despite these efforts, the proxies have continued their aggression.
Simply pressuring the Iraqi government is insufficient, as Iran has long
exploited Iraq as a vassal state and a hub for its proxy network. The solution
lies in bolstering Israel’s capacity to retaliate decisively, thereby
establishing deterrence — much like the United States achieved in February to
stop attacks on its own bases in Iraq and Syria.
*Ahmad Sharawi is a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of
Democracies (FDD), where he focuses on Middle East affairs, specifically the
Levant, Iraq, and Iranian intervention in Arab affairs, as well as U.S. foreign
policy toward the region. For more analysis from Ahmad and FDD, please subscribe
HERE. Follow him on X @AhmadA_Sharawi. Follow FDD on X @FDD. FDD is a
Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on national
security and foreign policy.
Israeli Strikes Cause Damage to
Bridges in Syria’s Homs Province, State Media Says
Asharq Al Awsat/November 25/2024
Syrian state media reported damage to several bridges in the Qusayr countryside
of Homs province, attributing it to an Israeli attack on Monday. Earlier, blasts
were heard in and around Qusayr, a town in the southern Homs province, and
authorities had said they were investigating the cause. The Israeli military
earlier on Monday confirmed a series of strikes targeting what they said were
Iranian weapons smuggling routes through Syria to Hezbollah in Lebanon, adding
that the operations disrupted efforts to transfer arms via Syrian territory.
Arab Foreign Ministers Call for
Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza
Asharq Al Awsat/November 25/2024
Several Arab foreign ministers, gathering in Rome on the sidelines of the Group
of Seven meeting, are calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon and
the provision of humanitarian aid to Palestinians. The ministers of Jordan,
Egypt, Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates, and the secretary general of the
League of Arab States, all participated in a Rome conference before joining G7
foreign minsters later in the day in nearby Fiuggi. “Gaza is now a graveyard for
children, a graveyard for human values, a graveyard for international law,” said
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi. The Mideast conflict was the top agenda
item Monday for the G7, amid reported progress on a possible ceasefire between
Israel and Hezbollah. Israel’s ambassador to the US said a deal could be reached
within days. “We all hope and pray that this ceasefire will be realized because
the absence of it will mean more destruction, and more and more animosity, and
more dehumanization, and more hatred, and more bitterness which will doom the
future of the region to more conflict and more killing and more destruction,”
Safadi said. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty reaffirmed that Cairo
would host a ministerial-level conference next Monday on mobilizing
international aid for Gaza. In remarks to the “Mediterranean Dialogues”
conference, he called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, the
release of hostages, provision of humanitarian aid for Palestinians and the
initiation of “a serious and genuine political process” to create a Palestinian
state.
The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources
on November
25-26/2024
Trump administration should target Chinese car manufacturers active in Iran
Saeed Ghasseminejad/Washington Examiner/November 25/2024
When President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House, the return of
“maximum pressure” is likely. During Trump’s first term, as sanctions took their
toll on the Islamic Republic of Iran’s economy and hard currency reserves,
Tehran found an ally in Beijing. China continued trading with Tehran and helped
it circumvent U.S. sanctions. However, Beijing’s support was opportunistic
rather than altruistic. It leveraged its assistance to Tehran to help China
tighten control over critical sectors of Iran’s economy, including the
automotive industry. Now, as Trump returns, his administration should target
precisely those industries, such as auto manufacturing, where China built up
control.
Iran’s automotive sector is one of the country’s most important industries.
Nearly a million Iranians work across manufacturing, parts production, and
related services. At its peak in 2011, the industry produced almost 1.6 million
vehicles annually. However, sanctions enforcement reduced production due to
Iran’s reliance on foreign parts and technology. By 2013, production had dropped
by more than half from its high just two years previously. Production rebounded
to 1.5 million vehicles in 2017 but again halved as Trump ratcheted up
sanctions. The Biden administration’s more relaxed enforcement of sanctions led
to another rebound. Iranian car manufacturers produced over 1.3 million vehicles
in 2023.
Historically, European firms such as Peugeot and Renault dominated Iran’s
automotive industry, alongside smaller contributions from Hyundai, Mazda, and
Daewoo. U.S. sanctions gradually forced Western companies to exit the Iranian
market. From Tehran’s vantage point, the domestic automotive industry not only
provides employment and offers prestige but also reduces Iran’s foreign currency
use by limiting the need to import new vehicles. From the consumer standpoint,
though, the pride has come at a cost as Iranians can only acquire overpriced,
low-quality cars.
Chinese manufacturers sought to thread the needle. While Chinese companies first
exported assembled vehicles and parts to keep the Iranian manufacturers afloat,
they quickly established joint ventures with Iranian manufacturers to produce
cars in Iran. Currently, Chinese partnerships account for one-fifth of all
vehicles produced in Iran.
Several Chinese firms now partner with Iranian companies. Chery, a state-owned
firm active in over 100 countries, exported over a million cars in 2023. Chery’s
Iranian partner, Modiran Khodro, is now the country’s third-largest car
manufacturer. In 2023, Modiran produced 148,000 vehicles, a 60% increase from
the previous year.
JAC Motors, another state-owned Chinese company, has also cemented its presence
in Iran. Established in 1964, JAC exported 170,000 vehicles in 2023. Its Iranian
partner, Kerman Motor, shifted from partnership with Hyundai to JAC after
Hyundai departed Iran. In 2023, Kerman Motor produced 70,000 vehicles, marking a
50% year-over-year increase. The Kerman deal also puts Chinese companies in the
orbit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The Mola al Movahedin Charity
owns both Kerman Motor and Mahan Air. In 2011, the U.S. Department of the
Treasury sanctioned Mahan for its role in transporting men and equipment for the
Quds Force.
After Mazda left Iran, Bahman Group, Iran’s fifth-largest car manufacturer,
turned to China, partnering both with Chery and the Dongfeng Motor Corporation,
one of China’s “Big Four” car manufacturers. Initially working with Iran Khodro
and Saipa, Dongfeng now collaborates with Bahman. Arian Pars Motor, the
sixth-largest car manufacturer in Iran, also produces Dongfeng’s T5 EVO under
the brand name EAMA. While Chinese companies limit their engagement with
state-owned giants such as Saipa and Iran Khodro, Chinese companies are likely
to expand their footprint when sanctions lift.
However, Chinese automakers do have an Achilles’ heel. The same Chinese
automakers that work in Iran have a global presence and operate joint ventures
with major brands such as Nissan, Volvo, Honda, Peugeot, and Citroen.
The return of maximum pressure policies presents an opportunity for the U.S.
Treasury Department to target these firms. By leveraging the threat of secondary
sanctions, the United States can pressure Chinese companies to sever ties with
Iran. Given the scale of their global operations, firms such as Dongfeng, Chery,
and JAC have much to lose by continuing to work in Iran.
To implement this strategy, the incoming administration must take two steps.
First, it should designate Iran’s top six car manufacturers — Iran Khodro, Saipa,
Modiran Khodro, Kerman Motor, Bahman Group, and Arian Pars Motor — under
existing sanctions targeting the automotive sector.
It should then issue a formal warning to Dongfeng, Chery, and JAC to provide
them a three-month window to wind down their partnerships with Iranian firms or
face direct sanctions.
By targeting Iranian manufacturers and their Chinese partners, the U.S. can
disrupt a critical sector of Iran’s economy, reinforce the effectiveness of
maximum pressure policies, and curb China’s appetite and ability to undermine
U.S. sanctions.
*Saeed Ghasseminejad, Ph.D., is a senior Iran and financial economics advisor at
FDD specializing in Iran’s economy and financial markets, sanctions, and illicit
finance. Follow him on X @SGhasseminejad.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/3239286/trump-administration-should-target-chinese-car-manufacturers-active-iran/
What can work in Lebanon can also
work in Gaza.
Eyal Hulata/Ynetnews/November
25/2024
*This article was originally published in Hebrew
If the Prime Minister agrees to end the war in Lebanon and withdraw the IDF
under less-than favorable terms, why should he not agree to end the war in Gaza
under even better terms in order to free the hostages?
The State of Israel, after recovering from the failure of October 7, has managed
to achieve unprecedented operational results: the elimination of Hamas and
Hizballah’s leadership and chain of command, the destruction of the
infrastructure threatening communities near the border, severe damage to masses
of terrorists and stockpiles of weapons, and demonstrating both defensive and
offensive superiority against Iran. These cumulative results, after a year of
fighting, are unprecedented in comparison to recent decades, and we can only
regret that we had to experience the horrors of October 7 in order to do this.
But alongside this considerable progress, the Israeli government faces a number
of issues and dilemmas that must be dealt with quickly. First and foremost, 101
hostages remain in Gaza, both alive and dead. A political controversy over them
rages, with many Israelis ready to forego the hostages’ return in exchange for
continuing the war. It is clearly Hamas that rebuffed the previous offers and is
to blame that no agreement has been reached so far. But if the Israeli
government is determined to secure the hostages’ return, then it must find a
solution. And the solution is within reach.
When the war in Gaza ends, “the day after the war” will begin. An operational
and political response is needed to prevent the smuggling of weapons from Sinai
to Gaza, as well as to manage civilian life in Gaza, establish public order, and
to begin the reconstruction process. And of course, there is the war in Lebanon.
From the terms under which Israel is apparently willing to end this war, it can
be understood that the Prime Minister considers the extensive damage to
Hizballah so far to be a satisfactory achievement. If, in light of the
achievements that have been reached, the Prime Minister is ready to reach an
agreement, he should be congratulated. But in order to return the residents to
the North at the end of the war, it is necessary to return to them a sense of
security, and that sense depends upon civilians’ trust that the operational
achievement will be maintained over the long term and that Hizballah will not
succeed in rebuilding its stockpile of missiles or its operational
infrastructure along the border. Israel cannot rely upon Russia, Syria, or the
deployment of the Lebanese army, UNIFIL, or any other foreign entity in south
Lebanon. There must be a decision that the IDF can operate freely against any
violation of the agreement by Hizballah. I believe and hope that the Prime
Minister took care to obtain these understandings from both the outgoing and
incoming President of the United States.
Those who agree to accept these terms in Lebanon cannot deny that, in every
category described regarding ending the war in Lebanon, Israel’s position
regarding the Gaza Strip is even stronger. The damage to Hamas in the Gaza Strip
is significantly greater than the damage to Hizballah. Hamas’ offensive
capabilities and leadership have been crushed by the IDF and Shin Bet, and the
main threat Hamas poses is to forces still present and operating in the Strip.
In addition, the ability to prevent the restoration of Hamas’ offensive
capability is much more possible than preventing the strengthening of Hizballah
in Lebanon. Instead of agreements with Russia and Syria, Israel can reach
agreements on Gaza with the U.S., Egypt, and regional countries. Israel should
have reached an agreement long ago with the U.S. and Egypt for building an
underground barrier on the Gaza-Sinai border. Since the construction of the
“Slurry Wall” on the Gaza-Israel border, not a single tunnel has been dug that
crosses the border with Israel. This can also happen on the Sinai-Gaza border.
The Rafah border crossing also needs to be upgraded under close Israeli
supervision and the IDF must maintain complete freedom of action against any
violation of the agreement. All of this will dramatically limit the arming of
Hamas, with much greater confidence than that which the Israeli government is
agreeing to regarding Hizballah in Lebanon.
Furthermore, while we cannot prevent Hizballah from continuing to rule in
Lebanon, the Israeli government is already working behind the scenes to find
solutions that will distance Hamas from managing civilian life in the Gaza
Strip. The Prime Minister is energetically promoting this plan, although it is
likely to run into political difficulties with the extremist elements in his
government that are striving to implement military rule in the Gaza Strip and to
rebuild Netzarim and Gush Katif. But these are not among the goals of the war,
and the IDF cannot be instructed to remain in the Gaza Strip for the sake of
such madness.
There remains the issue of releasing prisoners in exchange for the hostages,
about which, according to media reports, there are understandings, including
agreements regarding the possibility of expelling the senior officials out of
the Gaza Strip. So why are they not reaching a deal? Hamas, which the Prime
Minister correctly blames for not having agreed to a deal so far, is demanding
an end to the war and the IDF’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. The Prime
Minister of Israel declared today that he is not ready to end the war in the
Gaza Strip. But if the Prime Minister agrees to end the war in Lebanon and to
withdraw the IDF on less-than favorable terms, why should he not agree to end
the war in Gaza for even better terms in order to free the hostages? On this
question, the Prime Minister of Israel must give an answer to the families and
the public.
The time is running out. The hostages that are still alive are in danger of
dying, and the Israeli public is waiting for all of them, alive and dead, to
return home.
*Dr. Eyal Hulata is Israel’s former National Security Advisor and head of the
National Security Council. He is currently a senior international fellow at the
Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD).
Why Palestinians Will Not Have New Leaders
Bassam Tawil/Gatestone Institute./November 25, 2024
For the past three decades, leaders of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Hamas
have systematically targeted political activists, journalists, social media
users, students, professors and human rights activists as part of an ongoing
campaign to silence critics and deter others from speaking out against the lack
of democracy and freedom of speech. Torture included beatings, solitary
confinement, feet-whipping, threats and taunts, and forcing detainees into
various painful positions for extended periods. [Human Rights Watch] commented
that "the habitual, deliberate, widely known use of torture, using similar
tactics over years with no action taken by senior officials in either authority
to stop these abuses, make these practices systematic."
This abuse has transformed the PA-controlled areas in the West Bank and the
Hamas-run Gaza Strip into Palestinian dictatorships similar to those that have
long existed in most Arab countries. In addition, it has resulted in the
suppression of the emergence of new leaders capable of leading the Palestinians
towards security, stability and prosperity.
Palestinians still remember how political activist and human rights defender
Nizar Banat, an outspoken critic of corruption in the Palestinian Authority, was
beaten to death by PA security officers in Hebron in 2021. Until today, no one
has been punished for the killing of Banat.
The family of the slain political activist was naïve enough to believe that the
ICC or any other international agency would serve them justice.
The ICC does not care about crimes committed by Palestinians against their own
people. Instead, the court's antisemitic prosecutor is busy searching for ways
to punish Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav
Gallant for daring to fight back in a war that was launched by Hamas on October
7, 2023.
Palestinians have not only been deprived of a large portion of the international
financial aid -- stolen by corrupt Palestinian leaders -- but also of the right
to elect new leaders and representatives through free elections.
Those who are hoping that a new (and pragmatic) Palestinian leadership will take
over one day are in for a disappointment. Even after 89-year-old PA President
Mahmoud Abbas is gone, his cronies and inner circle will continue to run the
show. They will not, under any circumstances, share the cake with other
Palestinians.
The same applies to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. No Palestinian will
agree to play any role in the administration of the Gaza Strip after the current
Israel-Hamas war, as long as the Iran-backed terrorist group and its friends are
still around. That is why it is necessary to eliminate Hamas completely and make
sure that it loses its military, political and civilian capabilities in the Gaza
Strip. This could take a few more months or years, but it is far better than
ending the war in a way that keeps Hamas in power.
Palestinians still remember how political activist and human rights defender
Nizar Banat, an outspoken critic of corruption in the Palestinian Authority
(PA), was beaten to death by PA security officers in Hebron in 2021. Until
today, no one has been punished for the killing of Banat. Pictured:
Plain-clothed PA security officers beat a man in Ramallah on June 26, 2021,
during a demonstration to protest Banat's killing.
Palestinian leaders have a long history of cracking down on their political
rivals and opponents. For the past three decades, leaders of the Palestinian
Authority (PA) and Hamas have systematically targeted political activists,
journalists, social media users, students, professors and human rights activists
as part of an ongoing campaign to silence critics and deter others from speaking
out against the lack of democracy and freedom of speech.
In 2017, Magdalena Mughrabi, Deputy Middle East and North Africa Director at
Amnesty International, warned that "the last few months have seen a sharp
escalation in attacks on journalists and the media by the Palestinian
authorities in the West Bank and Hamas in Gaza in a bid to silence dissent." She
added: "This is a chilling setback for freedom of expression in Palestine."
Since then, the situation has only worsened, as a growing number of Palestinians
have found themselves targeted by both the PA and Hamas.
In 2018, Human Rights Watch (HRW) published a report exposing 86 cases of
arbitrary arrests and torture of peaceful dissenters by both the Palestinian
Authority and Hamas, based on personal interviews with the victims and their
families. Torture included beatings, solitary confinement, feet-whipping,
threats and taunts, and forcing detainees into various painful positions for
extended periods. HRW commented that "the habitual, deliberate, widely known use
of torture, using similar tactics over years with no action taken by senior
officials in either authority to stop these abuses, make these practices
systematic."
Another Amnesty International report published in 2019 found that "Palestinian
security forces in the West Bank and Gaza routinely used torture and other
ill-treatment with impunity" and noted that during that year (2019) there were
143 allegations of torture in the West Bank and 156 in Gaza.
This abuse has transformed the PA-controlled areas in the West Bank and the
Hamas-run Gaza Strip into Palestinian dictatorships similar to those that have
long existed in most Arab countries. In addition, it has resulted in the
suppression of the emergence of new leaders capable of leading the Palestinians
towards security, stability and prosperity.
That is the main reason the Palestinians' only choice today continues to be the
current Palestinian Authority and Hamas leaders. It is hard to find Palestinian
political activists in the West Bank and Gaza who would agree to speak out
publicly against the PA or Hamas, or even demand reform and democracy. These
activists are afraid to express their opinion in public because they do not want
to end up in a PA or Hamas prison. Others are afraid of being killed or fired
from their jobs in the Palestinian public sector.
Palestinians still remember how political activist and human rights defender
Nizar Banat, an outspoken critic of corruption in the Palestinian Authority, was
beaten to death by PA security officers in Hebron in 2021. Until today, no one
has been punished for the killing of Banat.
Banat's family has urged the International Criminal Court (ICC) to prosecute
those responsible, saying they had lost confidence in the PA's judiciary. "For
those of us who live in corrupt countries where genuine justice is out of reach,
the ICC remains our hope for an unpoliticised investigation and prosecution of
criminals," Banat's brother, Ghassan, said outside the court in The Hague. "The
way they [PA security officers] killed him and are trying to get away with it
reflects the level of impunity and of moral corruption that plagues this [PA]
regime."
The family of the slain political activist was naïve enough to believe that the
ICC or any other international agency would serve them justice.
The ICC does not care about crimes committed by Palestinians against their own
people. Instead, the court's antisemitic prosecutor is busy searching for ways
to punish Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav
Gallant for daring to fight back in a war that was launched by Hamas on October
7, 2023. Then, thousands of Hamas terrorists and "ordinary" Palestinians invaded
Israel from the Gaza Strip, murdering 1,200 Israelis and wounding thousands.
Many of the victims were raped, beheaded, tortured or burned alive, while 240
others were kidnapped to the Gaza Strip, where 101 remain in captivity. The PA
and Hamas crackdown does not bode well for the future of the Palestinians living
in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. These Palestinians have not only been deprived
of a large portion of the international financial aid -- stolen by corrupt
Palestinian leaders (here, here and here) -- but also of the right to elect new
leaders and representatives through free elections.Those who are hoping that a
new (and pragmatic) Palestinian leadership will take over one day are in for a
disappointment. Even after 89-year-old PA President Mahmoud Abbas is gone, his
cronies and inner circle will continue to run the show. They will not, under any
circumstances, share the cake with other Palestinians.
If the international community wants to see new faces in the Palestinian
leadership, it must exert pressure on Abbas and the "old guard" leadership to
stop targeting young political activists, journalists, and human rights
defenders. This can be done, for example, by threatening to suspend or cut off
financial aid.
The same applies to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. No Palestinian will
agree to play any role in the administration of the Gaza Strip after the current
Israel-Hamas war, as long as the Iran-backed terrorist group and its friends are
still around. That is why it is necessary to eliminate Hamas completely and make
sure that it loses its military, political and civilian capabilities in the Gaza
Strip. This could take a few more months or years, but it is far better than
ending the war in a way that keeps Hamas in power.
*Bassam Tawil is a Muslim Arab based in the Middle East. His work is made
possible through the generous donation of a couple of donors who wished to
remain anonymous. Gatestone is most grateful.
© 2024 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do
not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No
part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied
or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.
Dutch government creates new national strategy for
combatting antisemitism
Mathilda Heller/Jerusalem Post/November 25/2024
The strategy will take effect immediately and encompasses all facets of society,
including sports, education, immigration, and security.
In the pursuit of a "Netherlands without antisemitism," the Dutch government has
unveiled a new national strategy for combating antisemitism, to last from 2024
to 2030. Among other things, the strategy involves the release of an additional
4.5 million euros for tackling antisemitism from 2025, and the establishment of
a "Taskforce for Combating Antisemitism."
The new strategy is to take a multi-year approach, and the cabinet will review
its efficacy and take extra measures on a yearly basis. It is to be coordinated
by the Justice and Security Ministry, and the National Coordinator for Combating
Antisemitism is to play a central role in advising the cabinet, as well as
ensuring implementation of policy.
"With the current strategy, the government makes it clear that the fight against
antisemitism concerns all Dutch people," the Cabinet said. "We all have a
responsibility, as a society, to combat antisemitism and the insecurity of Jews.
The Netherlands stands for an open, reasonable, and tolerant society. Jewish
life is a very explicit part of that." According to the statement, the Dutch
Jewish community, which numbers about 50,000 (about 0.3% of the total
population), "lives in great insecurity" and "without freedom."
The new taskforce, led by the Justice and Security Ministry, will be established
immediately and last for at least a year. It will have a particular focus on
antisemitism within university settings, and will take on tasks such as the
banning of antisemitic speakers at colleges. The Cabinet added that the
taskforce will consist of representatives from a range of ministries, including
mayors, the education sector, the sports sector, the cultural sector, the public
transport sector, and other social parties. Representatives of the Jewish
community will also form part of the taskforce.
Outline of the strategy
The new national strategy is based on three pillars. The first is "protect,
monitor and follow-up," which involves protecting Jewish institutions, punishing
perpetrators, and supporting victims. The second is "education and prevention,"
which involves eliminating the breeding ground for antisemitism and fighting
antisemitism in sports. The third is "commemoration and celebration," which
involves keeping Jewish memory alive and celebrating and educating on Jewish
life in the Netherlands. Pillar one: Protect, monitor and follow-up
The first pillar stresses that perpetrators of antisemitism "must be dealt with
severely."
The strategy notes that relatively few reports of antisemitism are made to the
police, and therefore many incidents are unreported. It references a 2018 EU
report that found that 74% of Dutch Jews who experience antisemitism do not
report it to anyone. Even in cases of violent antisemitism, the percentage is
only 52%. Therefore, the strategy hopes to put measures in place that increase
the willingness to report incidents, and that make victims feel confident that
their reports will be followed up. "By reporting incidents as standard, more
incidents can be followed up, but there is also better insight into where
antisemitism occurs and where it comes from."This will be achieved by setting up
a "Safety Fund" to financially support Jewish institutions with their security
systems, so they do not have to bear the financial burden disproportionately.
The Cabinet is also revising the current reporting system with municipal
anti-discrimination facilities (ADVs) to make sure victims of antisemitism can
confidently report it. The strategy added that many victims report antisemitism
to CIDI (Center for Information and Documentation Israel) and not local centers,
so the strategy promises to liaise with CIDI and develop protocols for
information sharing. There is also the goal of providing aftercare for victims,
with a certain budget allocated specifically for this purpose.
The Justice Minister has also requested an official investigation into the
bottlenecks among victims of antisemitism when reporting and filing a report to
begin in 2025. The results will be used to develop new measures. The cabinet has
also put forward a bill, which, if adopted, will increase the maximum prison
sentence imposed for antisemitic offenses by one-third. The task force will also
gain insight into online antisemitism by carrying out an annual study into
online antisemitism in the Dutch language. Public prosecutors from 15 European
countries have also met to exchange knowledge on the criminal justice approach
to antisemitism, something which the report called "successful."The Netherlands
brought in a new law on October 1, 2024, which made all forms of Holocaust
denial a criminal offense.
Pillar two: Education and Prevention
The second pillar considers the proliferation or "breeding grounds" for
antisemitism and how to stem the spread of conspiracy theories. It draws on a
2022 study that found that, of 200,395 expressions of online antisemitism, more
than 11% of the total messages related to Judaism. The key to combating this is
in education, the strategy states. Part of this will come as part of citizenship
education (about the Dutch state), which the Cabinet says "plays an important
role in combating antisemitism and other forms of discrimination."There will
also be a focus on improving Holocaust education, which "among the Dutch has
fallen to a worryingly low level."A four-year scheme for Holocaust education and
forgotten stories of WWII will, therefore, come into effect in 2025. The ‘Learn
about the Holocaust’ campaign will start in January 2025. In the fall of 2025,
the House of Representatives will be informed about the progress of the
implementation of the National Plan for Strengthening Holocaust Education, the
plan adds.In order for new immigrants to pass the integration exam, they will
now also have to show knowledge of the Holocaust. This will come into force on 1
July 2025. New immigrants will also face questions about antisemitism. The
National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security, alongside the police,
has also developed a "Symbol Bank" where professionals can look up information
on extremist and antisemitic symbols that they encounter. It is intended to
"enable professionals to recognize symbols and to act on them" if needed.
The Digital Services Act (DSA) will now also come into full force. This means
that internet users will have better ease of access when reporting illegal
content. After receiving a report, platforms will be obliged to assess the
statement and will be held liable if they do not take action. Online platforms
must then send moderation decisions to the European Commission, which then
includes them in the so-called 'DSA Transparency Database.'
The European Commission monitors compliance with the obligations and can take
enforcement action, for example, by imposing fines, which can amount to up to 6%
of the global turnover of these parties.
Antisemitism in football
The strategy notes that antisemitic slogans and chants in and around football
stadiums are often repeated in schools. Research quoted by the report finds that
students largely adopted antisemitism from football. Furthermore, "the vast
majority of criminal discrimination offenses involving antisemitism are in the
context of football."As a result, the KNVB has drawn up the National Guideline
for combating verbal violence and racist and antisemitic chants. This means that
if a chant occurs, the guideline is followed, and the audience is addressed by
the stadium's speaker. Football fans who are guilty of chanting antisemitic
slogans may, at the request of the club, need to participate in the "Chanting
Project," which is supported by the Anne Frank Foundation. The project focuses
primarily on raising awareness among supporters of the harmful effects of
antisemitic chants.
Pillar three: Commemoration and celebration
As a result of its role in WWII, the Dutch government bears a "special
historical responsibility in the fight against antisemitism in Dutch society, as
well as the responsibility to preserve what remains of pre-war Jewish life, such
as buildings and other cultural objects."
As a result, the Cabinet stated that "the tangible and intangible history of the
Second World War must be safeguarded and passed on to future generations."
As part of the national strategy, January will be made into Holocaust Education
Month.
"This campaign is intended to draw more attention to the importance of Holocaust
education and the available material and activities, especially in education."
The House of Representatives has also declared the 25 April the National Day
Against Antisemitism. In terms of celebrating and safeguarding Jewish life, the
government has also called on institutions and the business community to take
more account of Jewish and Islamic holidays, the Sabbath and dietary
restrictions and to pay attention to, among other things, Jewish holidays, "in
line with the initiatives that exist around other holidays."
Finally, the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science, which provides a
structural subsidy under the Heritage Act to the Jewish Cultural Quarter for
public activities and the management and preservation of the collection of the
Jewish Museum, has designated an additional 80 (former) synagogues and 71 Jewish
cemeteries as national monuments.
This means that they are now protected, and the owners are eligible for
financial support for their maintenance.
Statistics and background information
The cabinet noted that antisemitism within the Netherlands has risen
significantly. The police received 880 reports of antisemitism in 2023, as to
549 in 2022. Forty-three of the cases in 2023 were considered violent
antisemitism, up from 28 in 2022. The Public Prosecution Service registered 181
antisemitic offenses in 2023, as to 94 in 2022. While the Cabinet states that
Dutch agencies do not publish perpetrator groups relating to antisemitic
incidents, the most recent Terrorism Threat Assessment in the Netherlands found
that antisemitism is present within "left-wing extremism, jihadism, and
right-wing extremism."The report also added that the "conflict in Gaza lowered
the threshold for radical Islamic individuals who do not adhere to the jihadist
ideology, but who do see the violence in Gaza as a justification for attacking
Israeli or Jewish objects or people."Interestingly, football was found to be the
most common context in which students insult Jews, according to a Panteia study
into antisemitism in secondary education commissioned by the Anne Frank
Foundation. While such insults typically come from Western students, insults
relating to the Middle Eastern conflict were found to come mainly from
Dutch-Moroccan or Dutch-Turkish students.These groups more often have a negative
attitude towards Jews than people with a Dutch background, Surinamese and
Caribbean Dutch people, the report added.
Battered by Israel, Iran and Hezbollah shift terror operations to southern Syria
Fahad Almasri/Ynetnews/November 25/2024
Analysis: Hezbollah and pro-Iranian militias establish new bases and relocate
forces to evade further strikes while maintaining strategic footholds near Golan
Heights
“Those miscreants will destroy Syria and Lebanon. They’ve fallen into their own
trap. They’ll be allowed to enter Al-Qusayr and wreak havoc wherever they can in
Syria, only to be exhausted before being finally eliminated.” This is what
Lieutenant General Hekmat Al-Shehabi, former chief of staff of the Syrian Army,
told me about Hezbollah just before they occupied the city of Al-Qusayr. Over
the past month, a noticeable acceleration in Iranian tactics has become evident,
as Iran has been shifting its assets across the region. Hezbollah, for example,
has evacuated many of its bases in southern Syria near the Golan Heights. These
bases have been taken over by Iraqi "Hashed Militias," whose members were
granted Syrian citizenship by President Bashar al-Assad. They now wear the same
military uniforms as the “Fourth Division,” a transparent and clumsy attempt at
deception. This change occurred shortly after Israeli strikes on the villa of
Maher al-Assad, leader of the Fourth Division, in Ya’afour, a western suburb of
Damascus, at the end of last September. The attack was a clear Israeli message
to Assad and his brother.
Over the past month, Syrian intelligence agencies have launched a disinformation
campaign in Arab media, claiming that the leadership of the Fourth Division has
ordered a halt to weapons transfers to Hezbollah and prohibited the
accommodation of Iranian militants in its headquarters and bases. These
fabricated claims appear to be a desperate attempt to avoid further Israeli
strikes.
It is particularly striking that Hezbollah militants, who have retreated from
southern Syria, southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley and the southern suburbs of
Beirut, have relocated to Homs, Latakia and Tartus. Notably, significant public
tension has emerged in Homs due to the large influx of Hezbollah militants into
the city, alongside the deployment of Al-Fuhood militias, which are overseen by
Syrian military intelligence and supported by Iran.
Latakia, Tartus, and particularly Al-Qardaha, have effectively transformed into
militarized zones due to the heavy presence of Hezbollah forces. These militants
have taken positions in secret tunnels and rocket-launching sites previously
identified with the assistance of the Movement of Free Alawite Officers, which
opposes Assad. Key locations include Beit Zantout, Al-Jofeah, Shiddaytah, Al-Maiseh
and several other areas.
It is also noteworthy that these developments coincide with information I
received from Al-Qardaha about 30 days ago. This intelligence suggests that the
Iranian Revolutionary Guards have begun intensive dialogue sessions with
hundreds of Alawite officers to mobilize them into working more closely with
Iranian forces.
Meanwhile, over the past three weeks, tons of Captagon have been smuggled from
various locations in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, Hermel and Baalbek—areas previously
targeted by Israeli strikes. These smuggled drugs have reportedly been hidden in
multiple sites across the suburbs of Damascus, Daraa and Sweida. One of the
paradoxes in the Syrian scene is that the Iranian Revolutionary Guards have sent
approximately 200 militants from the Polisario Front—supported by Algeria and
Iran—to southern Syria. These militants have been deployed at the Al-Thaala
military airport, an air defense base in Sweida, and the 90th Brigade, which is
located only 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the Golan Heights. Notably, over the
past three years, Iran has been training Polisario Front militants at Syrian
Army bases in the countryside of Daraa.
The benefits Algeria might gain by supporting the Polisario Front’s unjustified
antagonism against Morocco remain incomprehensible. Similarly, it is difficult
to understand what Algeria hopes to achieve by backing Assad’s regime, aligning
with Iran and supporting its unwarranted hostility toward the Syrian people. Why
does Algeria permit Iranian penetration into its affairs and the buying of
allegiance from certain Algerians? How does the Algerian regime tolerate insults
to its sovereignty, such as when Iran threatened to block the Strait of
Gibraltar? Are Algerians not aware of the threat posed by the Polisario Front to
their national security now that it has become a tool of Iran, which trains and
supports the group and dictates its actions?
In 2015, Algeria’s Al-Chorouk newspaper referred to me as a “mobile data bank”
following an interview in which I discussed Islamist and terrorist
organizations. During that interview, I warned of a potential war in Algeria,
Iran’s suspicious activities in the country and the dangerous role played by
Ameer Musawi, an officer in the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. However, Algerians
were not fully aware of the looming threat. It has always been clear to me that
wherever Iran intervenes, destruction and devastation are sure to follow.
The involvement of the Polisario Front in Syria underscores my call for the
international community to classify this rogue organization as a terrorist
entity. Today, the Polisario Front poses a real threat not only to the national
and territorial sovereignty of Morocco but also to the stability of the entire
region. Serious action must be taken to dismantle this group and hold
accountable all parties involved in supporting and training it. In Syria, Iran
operates 63 militias and 82 military bases in the south of the country, as part
of a broader network of 529 bases across Syria. These include 52 military bases
and 477 military detachments distributed across 117 locations in Aleppo, 109
sites in the suburbs of Damascus, 77 locations in Deir ez-Zor, 67 in Homs, 28 in
Hama, 27 in Idlib, 20 in Quneitra, 17 in Daraa, 14 in Raqqa, 13 in Sweida, 9 in
Tartus, 8 in Al-Hasakah and 7 in Damascus. To reinforce its military operations
launched from Syrian and Iraqi territories, Iran has redeployed Hezbollah and
its affiliated militias to extend the range of their operations and alleviate
the military pressure on Hezbollah in Lebanon. Consequently, Hezbollah militants
have tactically shifted their positions, relocating rockets, weapons and
ammunition to other areas of Lebanon that were previously outside its control.
This move aligns with a broader plan that risks plunging Lebanon into civil
war—a scenario that is increasingly likely and alarmingly close to becoming a
reality.
Following Israeli airstrikes targeting various areas in Bekaa, Hermel and
Baalbek, weapon smuggling activity has been observed—not only within Lebanon but
also across the border into Syrian territories. This smuggling occurs through
the mountains, the Al-Zabadani crossing, Jusiyah and a network of tunnels along
the Syria-Lebanon border, including a tunnel built by Hezbollah beneath the Al-Zabadani
plains.
Recent Israeli airstrikes on Al-Qusayr, a long-standing hub for weapon storage
and a key transit point for arms deliveries from the port of Latakia to Lebanon
and other regions in Syria, have forced Iran to establish new warehouses in
surrounding villages near Al-Qusayr.
Despite Hezbollah's diminished presence in the Al-Qalamoun area, including its
towns, villages and some neighborhoods of Yabroud City, the group still controls
strategic locations such as Talaet Musa Mountain, Syria's second-highest peak
after Mount Hermon. It remains unclear whether the rocket-launching base in the
Hermel mountains continues to operate.
Additionally, redeployment operations involving Iranian militias have been
observed in Mayadeen and Al-Bukamal, cities located in Syria’s eastern Deir
ez-Zor region.
In Damascus and its suburbs, many might be surprised to learn that Iran began
working toward its dominance in the region as far back as 2003, coinciding with
the arrival of Iraqi refugees to Syria. Many of these refugees were loyal to
Iran. Since then, Iran has established warehouses for weapons, rockets and
ammunition beneath the Sayyidah Zainab shrine in the southern suburbs of
Damascus. This area has become strikingly similar to Beirut’s southern suburb in
Lebanon—a military base hidden beneath a residential neighborhood. Sayyidah
Zainab is connected to nearby areas such as Najha, Aqraba, Bab Bila, Sbeneh,
Sheba’a, Housh Plas and Ghuzlaniyah, extending to the old headquarters of
Damascus Airport. This network of tunnels houses command centers, operations
rooms and military warehouses for weapons, ammunition and rockets. Most of the
residents in these areas are members of Iranian militias and their families. Two
key issues have drawn my attention while analyzing the Israeli strikes on
various areas in Lebanon:
I. The quality of weapons used in the attacks, as shown by the Israeli military
in videos displaying arms found in Hezbollah’s tunnels and hideouts in southern
Lebanon, clearly indicates that these are the same weapons Hezbollah previously
received from Assad’s regime.
In February 2012, I was one of the founders of the Joint Command of the Free
Syrian Army inside Syria and served as its spokesman. The command was first
established in the countryside of Homs, and my position gave me detailed
knowledge of the situation and developments, including battles across Syria.
During that time, we uncovered a meeting between Jabhat al-Nusra and Hezbollah
in Baalbek, which I exposed to Lebanese media before Hezbollah looted the
largest military warehouses of the Syrian Army in Maheen.
On October 21, 2013, Hezbollah, in collaboration with Jabhat al-Nusra and other
military factions aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood, carried out the
operation. They looted 32 warehouses containing 200 compartments. Each
compartment held between 6 to 40 tons of weapons and ammunition.
Under the Assad regime's oversight, Hezbollah transported the contents of 200
trucks loaded with weapons, including 10,000 Grad rockets, 107 mm rockets, over
20,000 mortar shells of 120 mm caliber, 10,000 anti-tank missiles, 4,000 hand
grenades, Thousands of 9M133 Kornet and 9M113 Konkurs anti-tank missiles,
thousands of rocket-launching pads, andmines, thousands of AK-47 assault rifles
and PKS machine guns, large quantities of ammunition, anti-aircraft machine guns
of 23 mm and 14 mm caliber and numerous other types of weapons.
II. On July 19, 2013, I revealed to the international media that Hezbollah had
received two shipments of chemical weapons from Damascus, along with all the
necessary mixing machines and production tools. These weapons were stored in
four key locations in Lebanon, designated for Hezbollah’s strategic arsenal.
Some of these sites have been targeted recently by the Israeli military. The
locations are as follows:
Warehouses and caves in the Al-Hermel forests, adjacent to the Akkar forests
near Mechmech town. This site includes training centers and research
laboratories staffed by Iranian experts and officers.
Bases in Sannine Mountain, near Al-Matn in the direction of Bednayel town in the
Bekaa region.
Warehouses in Ouyoun Orghosh, located between Ainata, Al-Arz,and Bsharri. These
facilities were established in 2012, turning the area into a military zone
controlled by Hezbollah.
Warehouses in the wilderness of Yammona, in the western part of Baalbek’s
countryside. This area is also known for widespread cannabis cultivation.
All of Hezbollah’s military and strategic weapons warehouses are located in the
western mountain range in central Lebanon. Due to their strategic importance,
these sites remain on high alert for potential usage or redistribution to other
locations as needed. Hezbollah often creates a false impression that its
military assets are concentrated in the eastern mountain range, drawing
attention to areas such as Nabi Chit and Brital in Baalbek. However, this is a
deliberate distraction. While these locations serve as important security zones
and house some weapons, they do not contain Hezbollah’s most critical or
strategic military stockpiles. The organization uses these eastern sites to
divert attention from its primary arsenal hidden in the western mountain range.
Despite the dangers posed by Hezbollah’s reservoir of weapons, ammunition and
rockets—and the fact that some of these military assets have been exposed by
explosions in tunnels and warehouses under residential areas during Israeli
airstrikes on southern Lebanon—Hezbollah continues to hide its arsenal in
isolated wilderness areas and mountaintops far from inhabited zones. The
organization deliberately conceals these weapons from public view and passersby.
Additionally, Hezbollah has banned grazing in areas near its strategic military
stockpiles and heavily fortifies its bases from both security and military
perspectives. Farmers are prohibited from accessing their fields near these
sites, and even the Lebanese Army is barred from approaching or knowing the
contents of these warehouses.
These military depots are located near towns and villages that serve as
Hezbollah’s social strongholds, where local residents pledge full allegiance to
the group.
Israel has no viable alternative other than the full implementation of UN
Resolution 1559, which calls for the disarmament of Hezbollah—not just in
Lebanon but also in Syria—to eliminate threats to the security of Israel, its
citizens and the broader region.
Without disarmament, this war will lack meaningful resolution. If the process is
delayed or suspended, Hezbollah will rebuild its military capabilities, becoming
more dangerous and hostile than ever. It will continue destabilizing Lebanon,
Syria and the entire region.
Relying on the Lebanese Army to disarm Hezbollah is futile, as the army has been
deeply infiltrated by Hezbollah and Iran since 2005, following the assassination
of former prime minister Rafik Al-Hariri.
As Lebanon edges closer to civil war, the deployment of an international
inspection team has become an urgent necessity. This team should be tasked with
locating and dismantling all of Hezbollah’s military stockpiles. Additionally,
the Syrian-Lebanese border, Lebanese airports, and Beirut’s seaport must come
under the full control and supervision of NATO to ensure regional stability and
security.
*Fahad Almasri is president of the National Salvation Front in Syria.
IDF withdrawal and freedom of action: What’s in the Lebanon
agreement?
Itamar Eichner|/Ynetnews/November 25.2024
With cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah reportedly imminent, deal outlines
60-day trial period, Lebanese Army and UNIFIL deployment, US-led international
enforcement committee and provisions allowing Israel to address threats and
violations. After nearly 14 months of clashes and exchanges of fire between
Israel and Hezbollah, cease-fire seems ever closer with Israel reportedly having
given its approval to end the hostilities. Lebanese officials and a Western
diplomat told Reuters that Washington has informed Beirut a cease-fire could be
announced "within hours," pending approval by the Security Cabinet, which is
scheduled to convene Tuesday. These are the key provisions of the emerging
agreement. Israeli withdrawal timeline: Under the proposed agreement, Israeli
ground forces would begin withdrawing from southern Lebanon within 60 days of
the cease-fire's implementation. he withdrawal, described as a “pilot phase,”
aims to assess the feasibility of the arrangement. Once completed, Israel plans
to call on northern residents displaced by the fighting to return home. During
this interim period, Hezbollah is expected to retreat north of the Litani River.
Border negotiations: The agreement also stipulates that Israel and Lebanon will
begin negotiations over disputed border points following the implementation of
the cease-fire. However, Israel cannot be compelled to accept specific
compromises. Deployment of Lebanese Army and UN peacekeepers: The Lebanese Armed
Forces (LAF) and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) would
replace withdrawing Israeli troops south of the Litani.
These forces would oversee the dismantling of remaining Hezbollah infrastructure
in the area and ensure the terror group does not reestablish its presence.
Additionally, LAF, with UNIFIL support, would monitor and prevent weapons
smuggling and production within Lebanon, bolstered by Western military aid from
the U.S., UK and France. International oversight mechanism: A U.S.-led
international enforcement committee would be established to oversee compliance
with the agreement, drawing on UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which
followed the 2006 Lebanon War.
The committee would include Britain, Germany and France, despite Israeli
opposition to French involvement. Israel has conditioned its acceptance of
France's role on assurances that Paris will not enforce International Criminal
Court arrest warrants against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or former
defense minister Yoav Gallant.
The Lebanese sought involvement from the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Jordan
in the agreement, but none of these countries have officially declared they will
take part in the committee. However, it is likely that at least one Arab state
will play some role. The international mechanism is expected to assist the LAF
and UNIFIL in enforcing their responsibilities under the agreement. The
committee is also tasked with determining whether to allow one side to use force
if the other violates the agreement. On this issue, the agreement does not
mandate a specific timeline for a response. This means that if Israel identifies
a threat from the Lebanese side that breaches the agreement, it will be able to
act immediately. Hezbollah prisoners and targeted killings: The agreement
stipulates that Hezbollah operatives captured by Israel during ground operations
will not be returned to Lebanon. While Hezbollah sought guarantees against
targeted killings of its leaders, Israel refused to commit, leaving the issue
unresolved. U.S. security guarantee for Israel: A separate U.S.-endorsed
document not included in the Lebanese agreement preserves Israel's right to take
immediate military action against direct threats, such as rocket launches or
bombings. Israel would also retain the ability to interdict arms transfers from
Syria to Hezbollah. For non-immediate threats, Israel would first refer cases to
the enforcement committee. Israeli officials highlighted differences between the
emerging deal and UN Security Council Resolution 1701, amid criticism from
northern residents and local leaders directed at Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu. Unlike the 2006 resolution, the new agreement establishes an
international enforcement committee led by the U.S., which Israel believes will
be more robust than previous reliance on UNIFIL alone. The agreement also
recognizes Israel's right to prevent Hezbollah’s rearmament and to address
emerging threats south of the Litani River, which Israeli officials view as a
significant step toward ensuring long-term security. Officials in Jerusalem
expressed confidence that the incoming U.S. administration, led by
President-elect Donald Trump, will support Israel's operational freedom under
the deal.
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rkek008m7jl