English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For January 03/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible Quotations For today
Simeon; this righteous Man took Jesus in his arms and said: ‘Master, now you are
dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen
your salvation
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 02/25-35/:"Now there was a
man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout,
looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him.
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death
before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into
the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what
was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God,
saying, ‘Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your
word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the
presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to
your people Israel.’And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was
being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary,
‘This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to
be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be
revealed and a sword will pierce your own soul too.’"
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on January 02-03/2025
Elias Bejjani/Video and Text: "Astrologers Have Lied, Even If They Speak
the Truth"
Elias Bejjani/Text and Video: Our Faithful Wishes for the New Year: Love, Peace,
Faith, Fear of God, and the Last Day of Judgment
Israeli forces withdraw from Naqoura, advance into other Lebanese villages
Israel says struck Hezbollah rocket launchers in south Lebanon
Magro Hopes January 9 Will Be the Start of a New Era for Lebanon
Israel Retreats from Naqoura
Israel Raids Iqlim al-Tuffah for First Time Since Ceasefire Agreement
Audacity... Taken to a Whole New Level!
The State, a Lifeline for Hezbollah’s Political Survival
The Phenomenon of New Year Predictions: Between Superstition and Social
Decline/Salam El Zaatari/This is Beirut/January 02/2025
Lebanese must seize this opportunity for change/Khaled Abou Zahr/Arab
News/January 02, 2025
For the First Time Since the Taif Agreement, We Have an Opportunity to Build the
State/Hanna Saleh/Asharq Al-Awsat/January 02/2025
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on January 02-03/2025
Bashar Assad poisoned in Moscow: Report
Israel strikes Syrian army positions near Aleppo: monitor
Saudi Arabia Says Now Is Time for Syria’s Stability and Revival
Saudi defense minister discusses Syrian political transition with officials
Syria forces launch security sweep in Homs city: state media
11 years on, Syria protesters demand answers on abducted activists
Israeli military says commandos raided missile plant in Syria in September
Gaza’s Islamic Jihad says Israeli hostage tried to take own life
Israeli airstrikes kill at least 37 across Gaza, medics say
Heartbroken father pays tribute to Kareem Badawi, the Palestinian-American
university student killed in New Orleans attack
King Charles donates to International Rescue Committee’s Syria aid operation
After Ocalan visit, Turkiye opposition MPs brief speaker, far-right leader
Italy summons Iran's ambassador to demand release of Italian journalist arrested
in Tehran
Titles For
The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources
on January 02-03/2025
The Christian Emperor Who Defied ‘the Mad and False Prophet’/Raymond
Ibrahim/LifeSiteNews/January 02/2025
How 'Pro-Palestinian' Protestors Actually Harm Palestinians/Khaled Abu Toameh/Gatestone
Institute./January 02/2025
Ending Syria’s Captagon trade should be a priority/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab
News/January 02, 2025
A politics of hope is our best hope/Ngaire Woods/Arab News/January 02, 2025
The Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on January 02-03/2025
Elias Bejjani/Video and Text:
"Astrologers Have Lied, Even If They Speak the Truth"
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/01/138623/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qeu7gwAElnw
/02 January 2025
Have those who practice astrology, prophecies, lies, and hypocrisy replaced
Almighty God?
Have they truly become capable of reading the future and knowing the unseen?
There is no doubt that in Lebanon, almost all the owners of media facilities (TV
stations, radio stations, YouTube channels, newspapers, and online websites)
neither fear Almighty God nor the hour of His last reckoning. They brazenly
promote infidelity, hoaxes, and lies through programs that epitomize spiritual
decadence. These programs—whose stars are alleged astrologers claiming to know
and predict the future—are mere swindlers and hypocrites. Some of them are even
linked to regional and local intelligence groups that use misinformation to
propagate various conspiracies.This heretical media status is deeply flawed,
sad, disgusting, and frightening. Many Lebanese media institutions have sunk
into a mire of faithlessness and immorality.
To those responsible for these outlets—who promote the lies and trivialities of
heretics practicing magic, astrology, and false prophecies—we ask: Do you fear
God?
Do you believe in the Holy Scriptures? Are you aware of the dire consequences
awaiting those who engage in such satanic practices, condemned by Christian,
Jewish, and Islamic teachings alike?
We also ask Lebanese religious authorities: Why do you not take a firm stand
against every media outlet that promotes infidelity and Satanism through
programs of predictions, prophecies, and claims of knowledge of the unseen?
These programs blatantly defy all heavenly laws. Similarly, we question the
inaction of MPs, ministers, and other state officials: Why have you not enacted
laws to prevent these heresies, which are sinful according to all monotheistic
religions?
For those who follow the heresies promoted by most Lebanese media during the New
Year—whether in the homeland or the diaspora—this situation evokes memories of
the sinful eras of Sodom, Gomorrah, Noah, and Nimrod's arrogance. Have
astrologers, false prophets, and hypocrites replaced God Almighty, claiming to
read the future and uncover the unseen? Do clerics, politicians, media
professionals, and heretics not understand that only God knows the future? Even
the prophets and messengers were not granted this grace. The holy books of
monotheistic religions unequivocally condemn practices such as spirit
preparation, sorcery, divination, astrology, and the reading of horoscopes.
These are considered satanic acts, and believers are urged to reject and avoid
anyone who engages in them. Such practices divert believers from God, leading
them toward darkness and deception.
In Islam, astrology and all forms of fortune-telling are explicitly prohibited
and forbidden (haram). As the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) stated in
Sahih Muslim: “Whoever goes to a fortune-teller and asks him about anything, his
prayers will not be accepted for forty nights.” If merely consulting a
fortune-teller results in such consequences, what fate awaits the
fortune-tellers themselves?
Christianity and Judaism similarly denounce these practices. The Bible teaches
that Satan often masquerades as good, using astrologers, magicians, and
fortune-tellers to deceive people and lead them astray. Those who fall into
these traps risk distancing themselves from God and embracing satanic deception.
Astrologers and fortune-tellers often become victims of their own delusions,
unknowingly serving as tools of Satan. As humans created in God’s image, we are
called to seek His will through prayer, faith, and adherence to His teachings,
not through sorcery or astrology.
Anyone who believes in the false claims of astrologers and fortune-tellers
commits a grave sin, as these acts defy the core tenets of all monotheistic
religions. It is no wonder our country faces tribulations, hardships, and divine
wrath. As our society mirrors the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah, it should come as
no surprise that we endure God’s righteous judgment.
In conclusion, all who practice astrology, divination, and similar acts stand in
direct opposition to the teachings of heavenly religions. They defy God’s will,
becoming tools of Satan and slaves to sin, infidelity, and ingratitude. Those
who believe in or promote such practices are complicit in these acts and share
in their guilt.
We end with a verse from Leviticus 20:27 (Old Testament): "A man or a woman who
is a medium or spiritist among you must be put to death. You are to stone them;
their blood will be on their own heads."
Elias Bejjani/Text and Video: Our Faithful Wishes for the New Year: Love, Peace,
Faith, Fear of God, and the Last Day of Judgment
/January 01, 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2024/12/81879/
How transformative and healing it would be if each and every one of us were
fully ready to welcome the year 2025 with a clear conscience, a reconciled
spirit, and a renewed commitment to love and understanding. Imagine entering the
new year with a heart unburdened by the weight of past grievances, a mind freed
from the chains of hostility, hatred, and jealousy, and a soul glowing with
forgiveness and compassion.
Life, as fleeting as it is precious, unfolds in the blink of an eye. The gift of
life that Almighty God has granted us is a treasure that He may choose to
reclaim at any moment. These undeniable truths compel us to reflect deeply on
how we live our days and how we engage with those around us. Let us, therefore,
make a conscious decision to leave behind the pains, hardships, and
disappointments of 2024, embracing the opportunity for a fresh start.
As we turn the page to 2025, let us commit to filling the blank slate of this
new year with acts of kindness, gestures of goodwill, and moments of genuine
connection. Let us strive to build bridges where walls once stood, to sow seeds
of hope where despair had taken root, and to light the path of love where
shadows of division lingered.
For our beloved Lebanon, a nation enduring the heavy yoke of occupation and
oppression, let this new year ignite a collective yearning for peace and
freedom. May it inspire all its people—the impoverished, the marginalized, and
the oppressed—to find strength in unity, courage in faith, and resolve in their
pursuit of justice and sovereignty. Let us pray that 2025 brings a renewed
spirit of hope and the dawn of a brighter, liberated future for our homeland.
To every faithful and wise individual, the call is clear: Begin this new year
with open hands, a forgiving heart, and unwavering faith. Extend love to those
who may have wronged you, embrace the gift of reconciliation, and walk forward
with self-confidence and hope.
Let us usher in 2025 with prayers for a year marked by peace, love, and the fear
of God. May it be a time of renewal and blessings for all. From the depths of
our hearts, we wish everyone a Happy New Year filled with forgiveness, faith,
hope, and enduring love.
May Lebanon’s suffering come to an end, and may its people rise with strength
and dignity to reclaim their freedom and future.
Elias Bejjani/Video: Our
Faithful Wishes for the New Year: Love, Peace, Faith, Fear of God, and the Last
Day of Judgment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKkvH5SrJac
Elias Bejjani/January 01, 2025
Israeli forces withdraw
from Naqoura, advance into other Lebanese villages
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Arab News/January 02, 2025
BEIRUT: The Lebanese army was preparing to enter the southern coastal town of
Naqoura on Thursday to retake its positions after observing the withdrawal of
Israeli forces from the area. The army is paving the way for its redeployment by
conducting an initial engineering survey of the town to remove unexploded
ordnance. This is the third withdrawal of Israeli forces from towns into which
they advanced during the ground war in Lebanon launched by Israel on Oct. 1. The
ceasefire agreement, effective since Nov. 27, stipulated that Israel would
complete its withdrawal from the border areas it had entered within 60 days. On
Thursday, Israeli forces were seen withdrawing from neighborhoods in Naqoura
toward Ras Naqoura and Alma Al-Shaab, conducting sweeps with machine guns during
the retreat. The area of Israeli incursion remains devoid of residents — under
Israeli orders — until further notice. Meanwhile, the Lebanese army prohibits
citizens from returning to the towns until the army assumes control, seizes any
weapons found, and dismantles any Hezbollah assets, in line with UN Resolution
1701. The Lebanese army had repositioned in the town of Khiam about 10 days ago
and in the town of Chamaa shortly before the end of the year. Concurrently,
Israeli Merkava tanks continued to shell homes in an area between the towns of
Yater and Beit Lif in the Bint Jbeil district.An Israeli patrol, reinforced with
tanks and a bulldozer, advanced into the area on Thursday. Israeli forces are
still demolishing homes, bulldozing roads, and destroying facilities, rendering
the border area from Naqoura in the west to Shebaa in the east an uninhabitable,
scorched zone for years to come. A security source said that “Israeli forces
advanced for the first time since the start of the ground war to the outskirts
of Beit Lif, where soldiers searched some homes and wooded areas.”An Israeli
unit also advanced from the town of Ramyah, while another unit, equipped with
two bulldozers, moved toward the town of Majdal Zoun, simultaneously targeting
homes and neighborhoods with artillery shelling.
Israeli reconnaissance planes continued to intrude into Lebanese airspace,
flying at low altitude to the southern suburbs of Beirut. Security reports
indicated that Israeli forces set fire to several homes in the town of Aitaroun
in the Bint Jbeil district on Wednesday night. The secretary-general of
Hezbollah, Sheikh Naim Qassem, said that he had given “the Lebanese state an
opportunity to prove itself and take responsibility for ensuring Israel’s exit
from Lebanon.”In a speech on the first day of the new year, he affirmed that
“the resistance has regained its strength,” referring to Hezbollah’s military
wing. In the same context, Hezbollah MP Hussein Hajj Hassan criticized “the
daily Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement in many forms. The areas
that the Israeli army could not reach during the aggression are now being
accessed in many villages following the ceasefire, under the watch of the
quintet committee and international public opinion,” he said. There are 23 days
left for the Israeli army to completely withdraw from the south under the
agreement. However, a political observer expressed concern that “Hezbollah will
be free to respond to Israeli violations after the end of the deadline, with a
calculated response that does not breach Resolution 1701.”On the political and
diplomatic front, Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on Thursday met with
US Maj. Gen. Jasper Jeffers, head of the supervisory committee overseeing the
implementation of the ceasefire, in the presence of US Ambassador to Lebanon
Lisa Johnson. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, who is in Beirut, met
with Berri and is scheduled to travel to Damascus on Friday to see Ahmad Al-Sharaa,
Syria’s de facto leader, before returning to Beirut and leaving from the city’s
Rafic Hariri International Airport to France. Barrot and French Armed Forces
Minister Sebastien Lecornu spent New Year’s Eve with UNIFIL French contingent
peacekeepers in south Lebanon. Lecornu returned to France the next day.
Israel says struck Hezbollah
rocket launchers in south Lebanon
AFP/January 02, 2025
JERUSALEM: The Israeli military said it struck Hezbollah rocket launchers in
south Lebanon on Thursday, despite a fragile ceasefire with the militant group.
The truce, which took effect on November 27, has been marked by mutual
accusations of violations from both sides. The Israeli military said Thursday’s
strike targeted medium-range rocket launchers in the Nabatieh area. Lebanon’s
official National News Agency reported at least three Israeli strikes in the
area. “Prior to the strike a request was sent to the Lebanese armed forces to
neutralize the launchers that posed a threat to Israeli civilians and...
troops,” the military said in a statement. “The launchers were struck only after
the request was not addressed by the Lebanese armed forces.”Under the terms of
the ceasefire, the Lebanese army is to deploy alongside UN peacekeepers in the
south as the Israeli army withdraws over a 60-day period. Hezbollah is to
withdraw its forces north of the Litani River — some 30 kilometers (20 miles)
from the border — and dismantle its military infrastructure in the south. In
late December, the UN peacekeeping force expressed concern at the “continuing”
damage done by Israeli forces in south Lebanon. On Thursday, the Israeli
military insisted it was acting to remove any threat to Israel “in accordance
with the ceasefire understandings.”
Magro Hopes January 9 Will Be the Start of a New Era for
Lebanon
This is Beirut/January 02, 2025
Hervé Magro, the French Ambassador to Lebanon, reiterated that France would “not
relax its efforts to work together (with the Lebanese) so that Lebanon and its
people regain the future they deserve” during his New Year’s greetings for 2025.
After two years and two months of presidential vacancy, Magro said in a press
release from the embassy’s press office on Thursday that he hopes “the elections
on January 9 will usher in a new era for Lebanon.” He also expressed hope that
2025 would be “marked by the hope of seeing Lebanon, which occupies a special
place in our hearts, take advantage of the historic opportunity to rediscover
the path of rebuilding a strong state, essential to economic recovery and
reconstruction, at the service of all its citizens.”“This war brought its share
of misfortune and destruction to a country already in the grip of a multifaceted
crisis involving institutional paralysis and a major economic collapse,” he
continued. Magro then emphasized France’s continued support “in these difficult
times” for Lebanon, its sovereignty and its people, recalling all the
“diplomatic efforts, together with other countries friendly to Lebanon, that
made it possible to end hostilities across the territory by establishing a
ceasefire agreement” between Israel and Lebanon, signed on November 27, 2024.
Furthermore, he stated that this agreement, along with United Nations Security
Council Resolution 1701, “are the cornerstones of our efforts to ensure the
stability of the territory and the security of the region’s populations,
particularly the inhabitants of southern Lebanon, alongside whom the men and
women of UNIFIL, including 700 French peacekeepers, serve.”“France also
continued its commitment to political stability through the mission of President
Macron’s personal envoy for Lebanon, Jean-Yves Le Drian, to resolve the Lebanese
presidential deadlock, which has been vacant since October 31, 2022,” he added.
In this context, the French ambassador also spoke of the work carried out by
France “with its counterparts in the Quintet” (the United States, Saudi Arabia,
Egypt and Qatar). Finally, Magro wished the Lebanese a year full of hope and
joy.
Israel Retreats from
Naqoura
This is Beirut/January 02/2025
Israeli forces retreated on Thursday from Naqoura toward Ras Al-Naqoura and Alma
Al-Shaab, accompanied by sweeping operations using machine guns. Meanwhile, an
Israeli drone has been flying at a low altitude over Beirut and its southern
suburbs since Thursday morning. According to the Israeli Broadcasting Authority,
the Israeli army reportedly destroyed an anti-aircraft missile system in
southern Lebanon. Quoting a well-informed source, the media outlet stated that
"the attack is part of Tel Aviv's policy within the framework of the ceasefire
agreement between Israel and Lebanon." Furthermore, an Israeli patrol,
accompanied by Merkava tanks and bulldozers, entered the vicinity of Beit Lif, a
locality it had not infiltrated before the ceasefire, and targeted a house with
two Merkava shells. In the outskirts of the village located in the Bint Jbeil
district, Israeli soldiers searched residences and wooded areas. Additionnally,
Israeli forces equipped with two bulldozers advanced towards the southern town
of Majdel Zoun.
Israel Raids Iqlim al-Tuffah for First Time Since Ceasefire
Agreement
This is Beirut/January 02/2025
Israeli airstrikes target Iqlim al-Tuffah for the first time since the
ceasefire. ©This is Beirut. Israeli fighter jets launched two successive attacks
on heights of Iqlim al-Tuffah and Rihan–Jabal al-Zaghreen for the first time
since the ceasefire. For the first time since the ceasefire, Israeli fighter
jets launched two successive attacks on Thursday, targeting the heights of Iqlim
al-Tuffah and Rihan–Jabal al-Zaghreen. Shortly thereafter, the Israeli army took
responsibility for targeting Hezbollah rocket launchers, claiming that the
Lebanese army “did not respond” to its request to eliminate them. Additionally,
the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation confirmed that “Israel destroyed an
anti-aircraft missile system in southern Lebanon.”Drones hovered over southern
Lebanon as Israeli troops positioned on the outskirts of Maroun al-Ras fired
heavy machine guns at the city of Bint Jbeil. Two drone assaults were reported
in the Ramya region, between Beit Lif and Yater in the caza of Bint Jbeil,
earlier Thursday, as Israeli soldiers withdrew from Naqoura.Three Israeli
Merkava tanks also entered a forested area in a dark valley on the outskirts of
Beit Lif, as the Israeli army fired machine gun rounds at areas between Yater,
Beit Lif and Ramya. Furthermore, an Israeli drone was reported to be flying over
Beirut and its southern suburbs at low altitude starting Thursday morning.
Audacity... Taken to a Whole New Level!
Marc Saikali/This is Beirut/January 02/2025
We can relax now: on the first day of the year, the self-proclaimed
Secretary-General of Hezbollah proudly announced that his militia had restored
its strength and rebuilt its forces. In truth, however, as they feel the ground
shifting beneath them and witness dissent growing even among their most loyal
followers, Hezbollah's leaders are desperately trying to keep a confident front.
It’s no surprise—criticism is becoming harder to ignore. Those who once believed
in the victory narrative are now asking when they will be able to return to
their villages and rebuild their homes. Many, particularly within the Shiite
community, are demanding accountability. The display of (illusory) military
power serves both to reassure and to silence them, but the real goal is clear:
to prevent any challenge to the party’s reckless policies. It’s also about
saving face just days before a session that could potentially elect a new
president. In essence, the message is: nothing has changed, we’re still here,
and we’re as strong as ever. We’re indispensable. But the reality tells a
different story. On both the ground and in the air, it’s the Israelis who are
calling the shots. Even the most die-hard supporters can’t ignore this.
But the most striking part of today’s statement is the claim that the Lebanese
state is now "tasked with proving its ability to take charge in the South." This
is a perfect example of bad faith. In other words, it doesn’t matter that
Hezbollah’s decisions have been a string of failures, that half the country lies
in devastation, that 4,000 people are officially dead, or that villages in the
South remain inaccessible. Responsibility, they claim, falls on the state to
address these issues. And how does the state respond to this rewriting of
disaster? With silence. But there are answers. Should we remind them that
Hezbollah never consulted the state before dragging the country into chaos?
Should we remind them that a militia waged a war against the will of the entire
nation? Should we remind them that the outcome was doomed from the start? Should
we remind them that Iran used Lebanon as cannon fodder for its own agenda?
Obviously, we must. And shifting the blame to the state and the people is simply
unacceptable. As Colin Powell, former American Secretary of State, once said,
"In a china shop, you break it, you own it." Well, since you’ve broken
everything but claim you're in great shape now, here’s the bill.
The State, a Lifeline for Hezbollah’s Political Survival
Bassam Abou Zeid/This is Beirut/January 02/2025
Hezbollah, which unconditionally agreed to the terms of the ceasefire with
Israel, is now leveraging certain Israeli actions in southern Lebanon as a
pretext to disengage from the agreement and keep its arsenal. Simultaneously, it
seeks to convince the Shiite community that their security hinges solely on
their military strength, claiming that the Lebanese Army, as an embodiment of
the state, is incapable of ensuring their protection. Hezbollah launched its
support war without prior consultation with the Lebanese state and later agreed
to a ceasefire without the state having any role in the formulation of its
terms. The Shiite group conducted negotiations indirectly through Parliament
Speaker and Amal Movement leader Nabih Berri, while the government lacked the
authority to either approve or object, as the decisive word rested entirely with
Hezbollah. At this stage, the latter has no grounds to criticize the Army, which
was neither involved in the war nor the ceasefire agreement. However, the Army
bore the burden of the war’s aftermath when it was tasked with implementing the
ceasefire agreement and UN Resolution 1701.
This raises a critical question: Were those who finalized the agreement fully
transparent with the Army regarding all its written and unwritten details, as
well as the commitments they made to Israel in this context?
Both the ceasefire agreement and Resolution 1701 have strictly prohibited any
form of armed resistance. As such, statements from Hezbollah officials regarding
the strengthening of the resistance, rearming, or rebuilding its military
structure directly violate the agreement. Moreover, these statements give Israel
a pretext to maintain its occupation of Lebanese territory and continue its
attacks across various parts of Lebanon. Observers closely monitoring the
implementation of the agreement have emphasized that by accepting its terms,
Hezbollah made a conscious choice to transition from an armed militia to a
political party that refrains from using force to pursue its objectives. The
group also committed to distancing itself from Iran’s Islamic Revolution,
relinquishing any role in exporting or militarizing it. As a result, it became
crucial for Hezbollah to operate solely within Lebanese borders, assuming a
political role similar to that of other unarmed Lebanese parties. The collapse
of the Syrian regime has only further entrenched this shift, reinforcing the new
reality that Hezbollah must now confront.
In this context, observers are questioning why Hezbollah remains so determined
to retain its weapons. The liberation of Palestine is no longer part of the
equation, the protection of Assad's regime and the supply route from Tehran is
lost, and most importantly, the protection of the Lebanese people that Hezbollah
claims to offer has not materialized. At least half of the Lebanese population
rejects any form of protection from Hezbollah. For the other half, it is futile
to speak of protection when thousands have been killed or wounded, hundreds of
thousands of homes, businesses and institutions have been destroyed, dozens of
villages occupied and Hezbollah's top leaders, including Secretary-General
Hassan Nasrallah, along with senior political and military figures,
assassinated. The group’s security and military apparatus has been
systematically compromised, and more than a million people have been displaced.
Faced with this dire situation, Hezbollah had no choice but to urgently request
a ceasefire at any cost — and that is precisely what transpired.
What is required from Hezbollah today is to avoid attacking the state or the
Army to deflect attention from its fatal mistake. Instead, Hezbollah must fully
engage with the state, hand over all weapons, announce the dissolution of its
military structure and commit to upholding the law, the constitution and
national sovereignty. Only then can Hezbollah legitimately criticize the state.
The Phenomenon of New Year Predictions: Between
Superstition and Social Decline
Salam El Zaatari/This is Beirut/January 02/2025
As every New Year’s Eve approaches, Arab, and particularly Lebanese, television
screens transform into stages for predictors, fortune-tellers and astrologers.
These self-proclaimed “seers” flood the airwaves with vague prophecies, feeding
millions of viewers a cocktail of fear, hope and illusion. However, behind this
spectacle lies a deeper societal crisis—one where people, desperate and
disillusioned, cling to hollow words rather than face harsh realities. Centuries
ago, historian and philosopher Ibn Khaldun warned of the societal decay that
accompanies the rise of fortune-tellers and charlatans. In his renowned
Muqaddimah, he described how societies on the brink of decline become obsessed
with astrology and prophecy, seeking refuge in the supernatural as a response to
fear and helplessness. Ibn Khaldun wrote, “When astrologers multiply, and people
flock to them, know that the state is on its way to collapse.”
This statement feels eerily relevant today. How can a nation drowning in
political, economic and social crises believe that a few predictions on a
television show will provide answers? This phenomenon is not about
entertainment, it reflects a collective surrender—a society seeking solace in
illusions rather than confronting the brutal truths of its condition. All
Abrahamic religions stand firmly against fortune-telling. In the Quran, Allah
states, “Say: None in the heavens and the earth knows the unseen except Allah.”
(Surah An-Naml: 65) Similarly, the Bible warns in the Book of Deuteronomy, “Let
no one be found among you who practices divination or interprets omens… for
whoever does these things is detestable to the Lord.” (Deuteronomy 18:10-12)
The message is clear: Seeking knowledge of the unseen through fortune-tellers is
not just morally questionable, but spiritually corrupt. Yet, despite these clear
warnings, millions across the Arab world eagerly tune in to hear what the
stars—or rather, the charlatans—have to say about their future.
So Why Do People Believe? The human attraction to fortune-telling is not new,
but it becomes amplified in times of crisis. Economic despair, political
instability and social fragmentation drive individuals to seek certainty in
uncertain times. Predictions offer quick, effortless “answers” to complex
problems, while true solutions—education, critical thinking and systemic
reform—require time, effort and sacrifice.
Additionally, today’s society suffers from a culture of superficiality. The
pursuit of meaningful knowledge has been replaced by instant gratification, and
few are willing to question or analyze what they are being told. It’s sad to
witness how, year after year, the media is fueling the illusion.
Mainstream media, particularly in Lebanon, has played a central role in
normalizing and amplifying this phenomenon. Television networks dedicate hours
to airing these prediction shows, often knowing full well that the content is
fraudulent. Yet, they continue to do so, driven by one thing: ratings.
But here’s the irony—ratings in Lebanon don’t translate into financial gain. The
country’s economic collapse has crippled the advertising industry, rendering
television viewership numbers practically meaningless. So why persist? The
answer lies in a toxic mix of laziness, sensationalism and a misguided obsession
with staying “relevant” in the public eye. Rather than serving as platforms for
awareness and enlightenment, these networks have become megaphones for
superstition and fear, and in that broken compass lies the danger of collective
delusion
The real danger isn’t in the predictions themselves, but in how they shape
public consciousness. When a society begins to believe that its political
crises, economic downturns or even personal struggles will be magically resolved
in the coming months because an astrologer said so, it stops taking action.
This reliance on false hope paralyzes initiative, fosters complacency and breeds
collective resignation. It’s a cycle of delusion, reinforced year after year on
New Year’s Eve. I keep thinking of that inner struggle: Why are we so easily
misled?
Deep down, every individual knows that fortune-telling is a lie. Yet, people
continue to indulge because it soothes their inner fears. In a world plagued by
uncertainty, predictions offer a fleeting sense of control. But this comfort is
deceptive—it comes at the cost of clarity, reason and self-reliance.
The human mind, when confronted with hardship, often chooses the path of least
resistance. Why fight for change when a “prophecy” promises that everything will
be fine next June? Societies that place their fate in the hands of charlatans
are doomed to stagnate. The results are in front of our eyes, but we refuse to
see or change. The obsession with fortune-telling isn’t merely a cultural
quirk—it’s a symptom of a profound societal illness. Change begins with
accountability. Media outlets must recognize their role in perpetuating this
cycle of deception. Governments and educational institutions must prioritize
critical thinking and media literacy. And individuals must confront their own
susceptibility to false hope. As Ibn Khaldun taught us, societies fall not just
because of external enemies, but because of internal decay—when reason is
abandoned and illusion takes its place. The new year shouldn’t be marked by
hollow predictions and false prophets. It should be a time for reflection,
accountability and genuine hope, which is not built on vague words from a
televised fortune-teller, but on action, resilience and collective willpower.
It’s time to stop chasing shadows and start building a tangible future. The
clock is ticking.
Lebanese must seize this opportunity for change
Khaled Abou Zahr/Arab News/January 02, 2025
My first op-ed of last year was titled “Change in Syria could be the region's
black swan event of 2024.” The year ended with this change happening and Bashar
Assad being removed from power. My conclusion to that article of 12 months ago
was that such an event “could change the face of the Middle East in a manner
unseen since the time of decolonization and independence.”
There has indeed been a realignment of interests in the Middle East that might
bring surprises and new alliances. Syria’s historical central role in the region
will bring this forward. It is also a new page for Lebanon. During recent years,
it has been very clear that the Lebanese file had been put aside while Syria was
in turmoil. As various forces were battling on the ground in Syria toward an
unknown outcome, Lebanon was not worth the investment. There was no point,
beyond some international diplomatic patch-ups, in a strong commitment to
Lebanon before Damascus became stable again. Lebanon was secondary.
Damascus is now on this new path. In short, Tehran will no longer be able to use
Syria to extend its influence both militarily and politically to Lebanon and
beyond. This is what the Assad regime had bargained with Iran since the early
1980s, by being its logistical Arabic extension. But today’s change comes with a
new balance of power and influence. It still has a tough road ahead with its
domestic issues and a new regional role to be determined.
We can nevertheless rightly start to ask how this will impact Lebanon. How will
Beirut live through this change? Will it bring forward true change or will it be
more of the same under a new banner? The answers will not only come from
geopolitical deal-making, but they are also clearly in the hands of the
Lebanese.
The early signs are not encouraging. With losses and wins, the Lebanese old
guard of politicians are ready to reboot their political leverage through the
road they know best, Damascus. Obviously, Hezbollah is on the defensive and
cornered politically and militarily. It has a diminished, nonrenewable stock of
weapons after being hit severely by Israel. Yet, it will not be an easy way
forward.
It is time for a real and complete change, which today can only be brought
forward with a new federal system. Most pundits loyal to the old guard (from all
sides) have described federalism as the beginning of a new civil war or a plan
for secession. It is, in reality, the opposite and one of the best options for
keeping Lebanon united and safe. There is no better way to bring stability than
by giving each community more freedom in what matters to them.
We need to reduce fear and mitigate greed. And federalism is the best way to
achieve both. Fear and greed are what puts everything at risk. It is time to
choose a political system that cancels both. Federalism, by giving power to each
community, would break Lebanon free of this old dynamic.
There is no better way to bring stability than by giving each community more
freedom in what matters to them.
Nothing on the ground must be left to threaten communities, so the surrender of
Hezbollah’s arsenal should be a necessity. This is the only way to give the
initial green light for the respect of the single most important institution
today, the Lebanese Armed Forces. It urgently needs to assume its true role for
the sake of the country. Subsequently, there is an urgent need to establish
strong stability without dismantling existing institutions, despite their
weaknesses, while simultaneously pursuing a complete overhaul.
We now know that history never ends. And in the Middle East, reversals can
happen and what has been done can be undone, especially in volatile situations.
This also applies to Syria. While leaving the Syrian people to decide their own
future, it is high time to delink and de-risk both files. We now need to choose
Lebanon and avoid inviting too much influence from Syria. We need positive and
peaceful bilateral relations. However, we do not want the political fate of the
country to be the result of a balancing act between regional influences.
I do not wish to be aligned with a politician just because we are from the same
group. I want to align with a politician who brings a true vision for the
country and is capable of executing it. By putting greed and fear aside, we give
a new generation a chance to see this type of leadership, not simply a
geopolitical balancing act that brings forward the good dealmaker versus the
solid country-builder.
What we fail to understand is that change in the Levant is often out of the box;
different from what analysts were expecting. Lebanon, because of its constant
turmoil, seems adapted to this change. Yet, as we can all notice the beginnings
of a new battle for extreme transformation, I do not know which way it will go.
But I am certain that, short of a new political pact built on a new system such
as federalism, the risks of slipping into even more chaos, such as the ones that
we witnessed in the times of “decolonization and independence,” are real.
I nevertheless know that, to avoid the cycles of assassinations or worse that
this phase could bring, the Lebanese people need to stick together across all
religions and put forward a viable political solution before one is imposed on
them.
**Khaled Abou Zahr is the founder of SpaceQuest Ventures, a space-focused
investment platform. He is CEO of EurabiaMedia and editor of Al-Watan Al-Arabi.
For the First Time Since the Taif Agreement, We Have an
Opportunity to Build the State
Hanna Saleh/Asharq Al-Awsat/January 02/2025
January 9th, the date set for the parliamentary session to elect a president for
the Lebanese Republic, is one weekaway. If successful, it would end a vacancy
that has gone on for 26 months, and this is not the time for gray choices. More
than ever before, the president must be someone “whose present and future are
not ashamed of their past.” The president must be someone who has not been
implicated in corruption nor constrained by commitments; the president must
believe in the constitution and be in a position to ensure unity. If that
happens, the new year could promise the Lebanese an end to the hold of the
“nitrate regime” over their lives and fate, after its reign was crowned by
Hezbollah dragging Lebanon into a devastating conflict that crushed its
leadership, elites, and military capabilities, for the party and the entire
country have paid and will pay the terrifying price.
36 days into the "experimental phase of the ceasefire", Israeli aggression and
Hezbollah's attempts to circumvent this agreement that had been imposed by the
military balance of power, put its future in peril. However, Hezbollah
negotiated the agreement, which became binding on Lebanon after being approved
by the government Hezbollah dominates. With the fall of the Assad regime that
oppressed the Syrians for 54 years... Lebanon has a real opportunity to begin
taking a different path, provided that it addresses pressing national issues and
induces a transitional phase, starting at this critical moment, by ending the
era of sham presidencies. That would open the door to building a state that
embraces everyone and to the election of a president who does not undermine the
foundations of the country's democratic system.
Talk of a "consensus" figure, at this time, sends a negative signal to citizens
and the world. It sends a message that Lebanon's sectarian forces refuse to
recognize the scale of the domestic disaster and the steps needed to overcome
it, and that they insist on hiding the truth and ensuring that the forces of the
bribery regime are not held accountable, disregarding the massive shift that has
been underway since the fall of the oppressive regime in Damascus, the fracture
of the Persian Crescent, and the resounding collapse of the Iranian project.
This approach leaves the country on edge to divide spoils and reconstitute the
authorities through those who control the sects, leaving the country beholden to
“vetoes” that deepen the sectarian divisions, with one or more shadow presidents
yielding actual power and leaving Lebanon stuck in the swamp.
Today, the country has been defeated. The agreement it signed entails surrender.
Hezbollah, which prioritized the interests of the Iranian regime and put the
Lebanese and Lebanon at risk, is responsible. Partners share varying degrees of
the blame too− parties that turned a blind eye to the crime of the decision to
wage this war and its inevitable repercussions. Dangerously, Hezbollah insists
that the remnants of the authorities cover for it. Statements are being
released, one after the other, suggesting that it will stick to its tendency of
denying reality. They threaten to bring back the “resistance,” as though nothing
has changed. Deputy Hassan Fadlallah mocks calls to leave things to the state,
legitimate forces, and international bodies: “You have 60 days... We know this
enemy and we know that nothing will protect us but confronting it with the
weapon of resistance and the trilogy equation”.
Hezbollah has thrown Lebanon’s need for stability and sustainable security
against the wall. It clings to its role and its hold on national decisions,
which accelerated the disaster. Hezbollah refuses to accept that the era of the
"Islamic Resistance" and the "unity of arenas" is over, or that illegitimate
arms cannot provide security and have renewed the threat of occupation, through
the imposition of a new security belt that prevents the tens of thousands of
displaced families. Its actions indicate disregard for the fact that Lebanon's
fate will largely be determined by the test of its compliance with the
"cessation of hostilities", which serves the national interest and allows us to
enter the stage of rebuilding peace in Lebanon
In parallel, the government continues to take suspicious positions. The
international community is asked to protect us and deter Israel, compelling it
to withdraw from the areas it occupies. At the same time, the authorities have
not implemented the country's commitments to remove all illegitimate arms, in
accordance with UN Resolution 1701 and the mechanism for implementing the
agreement that was reached through international mediation led by the United
States. Worryingly, the government that unanimously signed the agreement has yet
to task the army with implementing it by taking responsibility for security and
confiscating illegitimate weapons, starting from the south and then all across
Lebanon.
The long years we spent without a president have confirmed that the presidency
is pivotal for the country's progress and its institutions. Today, more than
ever, a liberated presidency occupied by a credible person whose record is not
stained with corruption, and whose history is clear and bright, can ensure the
formation of a competent government that is not beholden to the corruption
regime. This government could wage a political and diplomatic confrontation to
protect and liberate the country, armed with internal confidence and the respect
of foreign actors, and it would be capable of putting the country on the path to
recovery by launching the wheel of political and economic reform to build the
state we seek.
After the disaster of a deliberate collapse that left universal impoverishment,
and the catastrophe of a war that could have been avoided, the Lebanese will be
vigilantly looking to hold their representatives accountable. One question
remains crucial: Where will the president you elected take the country?
The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on January 02-03/2025
Bashar
Assad poisoned in Moscow: Report
Arab News/January 02, 2025
LONDON: An assassination attempt by poisoning has been made on former Syrian
dictator Bashar Assad, The Sun reported. The ousted leader reportedly fell ill
on Sunday in Moscow, where he has resided since fleeing Syria in early December.
Assad, 59, requested medical help then began to “cough violently and choke,”
according to online account General SVR, which is believed to be run by a former
top spy in Russia. “There is every reason to believe an assassination attempt
was made,” it added. Assad was treated in his apartment, and his condition is
said to have stabilized by Monday. He was confirmed to have been poisoned by
medical testing, the account said, without citing direct sources.There has been
no confirmation of the event from the Russian government.
Israel strikes Syrian army
positions near Aleppo: monitor
AFP/January 03, 2025
BEIRUT: Israel bombed Syrian army positions south of Aleppo on Thursday, the
latest such strikes since the overthrow of longtime strongman Bashar Assad, a
war monitor and local residents said. Residents reported hearing huge explosions
in the area, while the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strikes
targeted defense and research facilities. The observatory said that “at least
seven massive explosions were heard, resulting from an Israeli airstrike on
defense factories... south of Aleppo.”There was no immediate information on
whether the strikes caused any casualties. Syrian state TV also reported about
an Israeli strike in Aleppo without providing details.A resident of the Al-Safira
area told AFP on condition of anonymity: “They hit defense factories, five
strikes... The strikes were very strong. It made the ground shake, doors and
windows opened — the strongest strikes I ever heard... It turned the night into
day.” Since opposition forces overthrew Assad in early December, Israel has
conducted hundreds of strikes on Syrian military assets, saying they are aimed
at preventing military weapons from falling into hostile hands.
Saudi Arabia Says Now Is
Time for Syria’s Stability and Revival
Asharq Al-Awsat/January 02/2025
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman said on Thursday that “it is
about time for Syria to become stable,” underlining the need for its revival and
for it to benefit from its own capabilities, most significantly its “brotherly
people.”He received in Riyadh a delegation from the new Syrian administration
that included Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani and Defense Minister Murhaf Abu
Qasra. Talks focused on the developments in Syria and ways to support its
political transition to meet the aspirations of the people and ensure the
country’s security, stability and territorial integrity. In a post on the X
platform, Prince Khalid said he held a “productive” meeting with the Syrian
delegation. “Our brothers and sisters in Syria have suffered from wars,
destruction and challenging living conditions,” he added. Saudi Foreign Minister
Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah also held a separate meeting with Shibani.
Syrian Defense Minister Asaad al-Shibani during the meeting with Prince Khalid.
(SPA) Shibani had arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday on his first foreign
visit since assuming his post. His accompanying delegation also included chief
of intelligence Anas Khattab. In a post on X, Shibani hoped the visit would
“open a new chapter in ties” between Syria and the Kingdom.
Saudi defense minister
discusses Syrian political transition with officials
Arab News/January 02, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi defense minister Prince Khalid bin Salman held a high-level
meeting on Thursday in Riyadh with senior officials from Syria’s new
administration, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The discussions focused on
advancing Syria’s transitional political process to meet the aspirations of the
Syrian people while ensuring the nation’s security, stability, and territorial
integrity, SPA added. The Syrian delegation was led by foreign minister Asaad
bin Hassan Al-Shaibani, accompanied by defense minister Major General Marhaf Abu
Qasra and Chief of the General Intelligence Service Anas Khattab.
The meeting also included prominent Saudi officials, among them Prince Faisal
bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Prince Abdulrahman bin
Mohammed, Deputy Minister of Defense and Chief of General Intelligence Khalid
bin Ali Al-Humaidan; The high-level Syrian delegation arrived in Saudi Arabia
Wednesday night. The delegation was received by Saudi Deputy FM Waleed
Elkhereiji at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport. Al-Shibani, said on X
on Monday that he had accepted an invitation from his Saudi counterpart Prince
Faisal bin Farhan to visit the Kingdom, in what would be his first foreign trip
since the ouster of former president Bashar Assad on Dec. 8. It follows comments
made by Syria’s new leader, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, who said Saudi Arabia had a major
role to play in his country’s future during an interview with Al Arabiya, which
aired on Sunday. “Saudi Arabia has a major role in Syria’s future, and I take
pride in everything it has done for us,” he said, adding that he spent his early
childhood in Riyadh and hoped to visit the city again. Al-Sharaa also praised
recent Saudi statements as “very positive” and commended Riyadh’s efforts toward
stabilizing Syria.
Syria forces launch security
sweep in Homs city: state media
AFP/January 02, 2025
DAMASCUS: Syrian security forces are conducting a security sweep in the city of
Homs, state media reported on Thursday, with a monitor saying targets include
protest organizers from the Alawite minority of the former president. “The
Ministry of Interior, in cooperation with the Military Operations Department,
begins a wide-scale combing operation in the neighborhoods of Homs city,” state
news agency SANA said quoting a security official. The statement said the
targets were “war criminals and those involved in crimes who refused to hand
over their weapons and go to the settlement centers” but also “fugitives from
justice, in addition to hidden ammunition and weapons.”Since Islamist-led rebels
seized power in a lightning offensive last month, the transitional government
has been registering former conscripts and soldiers and asking them to hand over
their weapons. “The Ministry of Interior calls on the residents of the
neighborhoods of Wadi Al-Dhahab, Akrama not to go out to the streets, remain
home, and fully cooperate with our forces,” the statement said. Rami Abdel
Rahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war
monitor, told AFP the two districts are majority-Alawite — the community from
which ousted President Bashar Assad hails. “The ongoing campaign aims to search
for former Shabiha and those who organized or participated in the Alawite
demonstrations last week, which the administration considered as incitement
against” its authority, he said. Shabiha were notorious pro-government militias
tasked with helping to crush dissent under Assad. On December 25, thousands
protested in several areas of Syria after a video circulated showing an attack
on an Alawite shrine in the country’s north. AFP was unable to independently
verify the footage or the date of the incident but the interior ministry said
the video was “old and dates to the time of the liberation” of Aleppo in
December. Since seizing power, Syria’s new leadership has repeatedly tried to
reassure minorities that they will not be harmed. Alawites fear backlash against
their community both as a religious minority and because of its long association
with the Assad family. Last week, security forces launched an operation against
pro-Assad fighters in the western province of Tartus, in the Alawite heartland,
state media had said, a day after 14 security personnel of the new authorities
and three gunmen were killed in clashes there.
11 years on, Syria protesters
demand answers on abducted activists
AFP/January 02, 2025
DOUMA, Syria: A few dozen protesters gathered in the Syrian city of Douma on
Wednesday demanding answers about the fate of four prominent activists abducted
more than a decade ago. Holding up photographs of the missing activists, the
demonstrators called on Syria’s new rulers — the Islamist-led rebels who seized
power last month — to investigate what happened to them. “We are here because we
want to know the whole truth about two women and two men who were disappeared
from this place 11 years and 22 days ago,” said activist Yassin Al-Hajj Saleh,
whose wife Samira Khalil was among those abducted. In December 2013, Khalil,
Razan Zeitouneh, Wael Hamada and Nazem Al-Hammadi were kidnapped by unidentified
gunmen from the office of a human rights group they ran together in the then
rebel-held city outside Damascus. The four played an active role in the 2011
uprising against Bashar Assad’s rule and also documented violations, including
by the Islamist rebel group Jaish Al-Islam that controlled the Douma area in the
early stages of the ensuing civil war. No group has claimed the four activists’
abduction and they have not been heard from since. Many in Douma blame Jaish
Al-Islam but the rebel group has denied involvement. “We have enough evidence to
incriminate Jaish Al-Islam, and we have the names of suspects we would like to
see investigated,” Hajj Saleh said. He said he wanted “the perpetrators to be
tried by the Syrian courts.”The fate of tens of thousands of people who
disappeared under the Assads’ rule is a key question for Syria’s interim rulers
after more than 13 years of devastating civil war that saw upwards of half a
million people killed. “We are here because we want the truth. The truth about
their fate and justice for them, so that we may heal our wounds,” said Alaa Al-Merhi,
33, Khalil’s niece. Khalil was a renowned activist hailing from the Assads’
Alawite minority who was jailed from 1987 to 1991 for opposing their iron-fisted
rule. Her husband is also a renowned human rights activist who was detained in
1980 and forced to live abroad for years. “We as a family seek justice, to know
their fate and to hold those resposible accountable for their actions,” she
added. Zeitouneh was among the 2011 winners of the European parliament’s human
rights prize, A lawyer, she had received threats from both the government and
the rebels before she went missing. Her husband Hamada was abducted with her.
Protesting was unthinkable just a month ago in Douma, a former rebel stronghold
that paid a heavy price for rising up against the Assads. Douma is located in
Eastern Ghouta, an area controlled by rebel and jihadist factions for around six
years until government forces retook it in 2018 after a long and bloody siege.
The siege of Eastern Ghouta culminated in a devastating offensive by the army
that saw at least 1,700 civilians killed before a deal was struck that saw
fighters and civilians evacuated to northern Syria. Douma still bears the scars
of the civil war, with many bombed out buildings. During the conflict, all sides
were accused of abducting and summarily executing opponents.
Israeli military says commandos raided missile plant in Syria in September
Reuters/January 03, 2025
JERUSALEM: Israel’s military said on Thursday its special forces raided an
underground missile production site in Syria in September that it said was
primed to produce hundreds of precision missiles for use against Israel by the
Iranian-backed Hezbollah. The complex near Masyaf, in Hama province close to the
Mediterranean coast, was “the flagship of Iranian manufacturing efforts in our
region,” Israeli military spokesperson, Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani told a briefing
with reporters. “This facility was designed to manufacture hundreds of strategic
missiles per year from start to finish, for Hezbollah to use in their aerial
attacks on Israel,” he said. He said the plant, dug into the side of a mountain,
had been under observation by Israeli intelligence since construction work began
in 2017 and was on the point of being able to manufacture precision-guided
long-range missiles, some of them with a range of up to 300 km (190 miles).
“This ability was becoming active, so we’re talking about an immediate threat,”
he said. Details of the Sept. 8 raid have been reported in the Israeli media in
recent days but Shoshani said this was the first confirmation by the military,
which usually does not comment on special forces operations of this type. At the
time, Syrian state media said at least 16 people were killed in Israeli
airstrikes in the west of the country. Shoshani said the hours-long nighttime
raid was “one of the more complex operations the IDF has done in recent years.”
Accompanied by airstrikes, it involved dozens of aircraft and around 100
helicopter-borne troops, who located weapons and seized documents, he said. “At
the end of the raid, the troops dismantled the facility, including the machines
and the manufacturing equipment themselves,” he said, adding that dismantling
the plant was “key to ensure the safety of Israel.” Israeli officials have
accused the former Syrian government of President Bahar Assad of helping the
Lebanese-based Hezbollah movement receive arms from Iran and say they are
determined to stop the flow of weapons into Lebanon. As Bashar Assad’s
government crumbled toward the end of last year, Israel launched a series of
strikes against Syrian military infrastructure and weapons manufacturing sites
to ensure they did not fall into the hands of its enemies.
Gaza’s Islamic Jihad says
Israeli hostage tried to take own life
Reuters/January 02, 2025
DUBAI: An Israeli hostage held by Gaza’s Islamic Jihad militant group has tried
to take his own life, the spokesperson for the movement’s armed wing said in a
video posted on Telegram on Thursday. One of the group’s medical teams
intervened and prevented him from dying, the Al Quds Brigades spokesperson
added, without going into any more detail on the hostage’s identity or current
condition. Israeli authorities did not immediately respond to a request for
comment. Militants led by Gaza’s ruling Hamas movement killed 1,200 people and
took 251 others hostage in an attack in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023,
according to Israeli tallies. Hamas ally Islamic Jihad also took part in the
assault. The military campaign that Israel launched in response has killed more
than 45,500 Palestinians, according to health officials in the coastal enclave.
Islamic Jihad spokesman Abu Hamza said the hostage had tried to take his own
life three days ago due to his psychological state, without going into more
details. Abu Hamza accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s
government of setting new conditions that had led to “the failure and delay” of
negotiations for the hostage’s release. The man had been scheduled to be
released with other hostages under the conditions of the first stage of an
exchange deal with Israel, Abu Hamza said. He did not specify when the man had
been scheduled to be released or under which deal. Arab mediators’ efforts,
backed by the United States, have so far failed to conclude a ceasefire in Gaza,
under a possible deal that would also see the release of Israeli hostages in
return for the freedom of Palestinians in Israeli prisons.Islamic Jihad’s armed
wing had issued a decision to tighten the security and safety measures for the
hostages, Abu Hamza added. In July, Islamic Jihad’s armed wing said some Israeli
hostages had tried to kill themselves after it started treating them in what it
said was the same way that Israel treated Palestinian prisoners. “We will keep
treating Israeli hostages the same way Israel treats our prisoners,” Abu Hamza
said at that time. Israel has dismissed accusations that it mistreats
Palestinian prisoners.
Israeli airstrikes kill at
least 37 across Gaza, medics say
Agencies/January 02, 2025
CAIRO: Israeli airstrikes killed at least 37 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip
on Thursday, including 11 people in a tent encampment sheltering displaced
families, medics said. They said the 11 included women and children in the Al-Mawasi
district, which was designated as a humanitarian zone for civilians earlier in
the war between Israel and Gaza’s ruling Hamas militant group, now in its 15th
month. The director general of Gaza’s police department, Mahmoud Salah, and his
aide, Hussam Shahwan, were killed in the strike, according to the Hamas-run Gaza
interior ministry. “By committing the crime of assassinating the director
general of police in the Gaza Strip, the occupation is insisting on spreading
chaos in the (enclave) and deepening the human suffering of citizens,” it added
in a statement. The Israeli military said it had conducted an intelligence-based
strike in Al-Mawasi, just west of the city of Khan Younis, and eliminated
Shahwan, calling him the head of Hamas security forces in southern Gaza. It made
no mention of Salah’s death. Other Israeli airstrikes killed at least 26
Palestinians, including six in the interior ministry headquarters in Khan Younis
and others in north Gaza’s Jabalia refugee camp, the Shati (Beach) camp and
central Gaza’s Maghazi camp. Israel’s military said it had targeted Hamas
militants who intelligence indicated were operating in a command and control
center “embedded inside the Khan Younis municipality building in the
Humanitarian Area.”Asked about the reported 37 deaths, a spokesperson for the
Israeli military said it followed international law in waging the war in Gaza
and that it took “feasible precautions to mitigate civilian harm.”The military
has accused Gaza militants of using built-up residential areas for cover. Hamas
denies this. Hamas’ smaller ally Islamic Jihad said it fired rockets into the
southern Israeli kibbutz of Holit near Gaza on Thursday. The Israeli military
said it intercepted one projectile in the area that had crossed from southern
Gaza. Israel has killed more than 45,500 Palestinians in the war, according to
Gaza’s health ministry. Most of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have been displaced
and much of the tiny, heavily built-up coastal territory is in ruins. The war
was triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 cross-border attack on southern Israel in
which 1,200 people were killed and another 251 taken hostage to Gaza, according
to Israeli tallies.
Heartbroken father pays tribute to Kareem Badawi, the Palestinian-American
university student killed in New Orleans attack
Ray Hanania and Jonathan Lessware/Arab
News/January 02, 2025
CHICAGO/LONDON: The father of a Palestinian-American university student killed
in the New Orleans terror attack has described how the death of his “smart,
polite and athletic” son has left his family heartbroken. Kareem Badawi, 18,
from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was celebrating New Year with his friend Parker
Vidrine when a US Army veteran plowed his truck into the crowd in the city’s
French Quarter, killing 15 people. Kareem’s father Belal told Arab News that his
son was in his first year at the University of Alabama studying mechanical
engineering. “He was a smart little kid, an ‘A’ student,” he said. “He was full
of life. Very responsible. “He also just loved his friends. He had a lot of
friends here and at school. He enjoyed his social life, a good person always
treating people with respect. He loved people and loved to build relationships
and friends.”At 6 feet 5 inches tall, Belal said that his son loved athletics
and sport and excelled at sport, including football. “It’s so awful for our
family for him to be killed that way,” Belal said. “It just shocked the whole
family. He was an honest, smart kid, good-looking. “He just wanted to enjoy his
life.”Belal said that his son had traveled to New Orleans for New Year “where
everybody goes like Dubai for the holiday break.”His friend Parker, who attended
the same high school as Kareem, is in a critical condition. “We are praying for
Parker and his recovery,” Belal said. “They said he is stable and we pray for
him to get better.”Belal, a Muslim, described Kareem’s killer as evil and not
representative of the Muslim faith. “Kareem did no harm to anyone,” he said.
“This evil came and did what it did. I don’t think this is Islam. It is not the
religion of our people. It is wrong. What kind of people would hurt or harm
civilians, innocent people and others?”The FBI said the attacker, 42-year-old
Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, had posted videos on social media on the morning of
the attack saying he supported Daesh. Kareem Badawi was described by his father
as being very athletic and loving sport such as football. (Instagram). Belal
said that the FBI were still holding Kareem’s body and that all the family could
do was pray for their son and all the other victims of the attack. “They are not
releasing anything yet so we are mourning and suffering and praying,” he said.
“We pray for all the people who died and were injured including our son.“We
can’t sleep, for two days. It is very hard. It hurt us. This terrible thing has
broken my heart.”Kareem had joined the Sigma Chi fraternity at the University of
Alabama. The university’s President Stuart Bell described Badawi’s death as
“heartbreaking.”
“I learned today that Kareem Badawi, one of our students at the University of
Alabama, was killed in the terrorist attack in New Orleans,” Bell said in a
statement. “I grieve alongside family and friends of Kareem in their
heartbreaking loss.”He urged people to take a moment to pray for those impacted
by the tragedy.Badawi graduated from the Episcopal School of Baton Rouge in May
2024 along with Parker. The school said that it was “deeply saddened’ to learn
of Badawi’s death in the attack and that Parker had been critically injured. “It
is with a profound sense of sorrow and grief that we share difficult news
involving members of our Episcopal family,” the statement said. “Earlier today,
we learned of a horrific attack in New Orleans that has tragically impacted our
school community.”The statement added: “Please keep the Vidrine and Badawi
families in your thoughts and prayers.”The school has scheduled an evening
prayer service for the victims. An Instagram post by the Palestinian Youth
Movement described Badawi as a Palestinian-American who was a star athlete in
high school, excelling in both basketball and football. “He was beloved to all
in his community in Baton Rouge,” it said. The other victims identified in the
media so far include: Nicole Perez, a 28-year old mother; Tiger Bech, 27, a
Princeton University graduate; Nikyra Dedeaux, 18, an aspiring nurse from
Mississippi; Reggie Hunter, 37, a father of two from Baton Rouge; Matthew
Tenedorio, 25, an audiovisual technician, and Hubert Gauthreaux, 21, a graduate
from the Archbishop Shaw High School in New Orleans.
King Charles donates to
International Rescue Committee’s Syria aid operation
Arab News/January 03, 2025
LONDON: King Charles III has helped pay for urgent humanitarian aid needed in
Syria after the fall of Bashar Assad. Charles made an undisclosed donation to
International Rescue Committee UK to fund healthcare, protect children and
provide emergency cash. The king is the patron of the charity, which says Syria
is facing profound humanitarian needs despite the defeat of the Assad regime by
opposition forces. Khusbu Patel, IRC UK’s acting executive director, said: “His
Majesty’s contribution underscores his deep commitment to addressing urgent
global challenges, and helping people affected by humanitarian crises to
survive, recover and rebuild their lives. “We are immensely grateful to His
Majesty The King for his donation supporting our work in Syria. This assistance
will enable us to provide essential services, including healthcare, child
protection and emergency cash, to those people most in need.”The charity said it
was scaling-up its efforts in northern Syria to evaluate the urgent needs of
communities. Towns and villages have become accessible to aid groups for the
first time in years now that rebel forces have taken control of much of the
country. The charity said Syria ranks fourth on its emergency watchlist for 2025
and a recent assessment found that people in the northeast of the country were
facing unsafe childbirth conditions, cold-related illnesses, water
contamination, and shortages of medical supplies. Charles last month said he
would be “praying for Syria” as he attended a church service in London attended
by various faiths. The king met Syrian nun Sister Annie Demerjian at the event,
who described the situation in her homeland after the regime had been swept from
power.
After Ocalan visit, Turkiye opposition MPs brief speaker,
far-right leader
AFP/January 03, 2025
ISTANBUL: A delegation from Turkiye’s pro-Kurdish opposition DEM party met
Thursday with the parliamentary speaker and far-right MHP leader amid tentative
efforts to resume dialogue between Ankara and the banned PKK militant group.
DEM’s three-person delegation met with Speaker Numan Kurtulmus and then with MHP
leader Devlet Bahceli. The aim was to brief them on a rare weekend meeting with
Abdullah Ocalan, the jailed founder of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party who is
serving life without parole on Imrali prison island near Istanbul. It was the
Ocalan’s first political visit in almost a decade and follows an easing of
tension between Ankara and the PKK, which has waged a decades-long insurgency on
Turkish soil and is proscribed by Washington and Brussels as a terror group. The
visit took place two months after Bahceli extended a surprise olive branch to
Ocalan, inviting him to parliament to disband the PKK and saying he should be
given the “right to hope” in remarks understood to moot a possible early
release. Backed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the tentative opening came a
month before Syrian rebels began a lightning 12-day offensive that ousted Bashar
Assad in a move which has forced Turkiye’s concerns about the Kurdish issue into
the headlines. During Saturday’s meeting with DEM lawmakers Sirri Sureyya Onder
and Pervin Buldan, Ocalan said he had “the competence and determination to make
a positive contribution to the new paradigm started by Mr.Bahceli and
Mr.Erdogan.”Onder and Buldan then “began a round of meetings with the
parliamentary parties” and were joined on Thursday by Ahmet Turk, 82, a veteran
Kurdish politician with a long history of involvement in efforts to resolve the
Kurdish issue.
Italy summons Iran's
ambassador to demand release of Italian journalist arrested in Tehran
Nicole Winfield/The Associated Press/January 2, 2025
Italy summoned Iran’s ambassador on Thursday to demand the immediate release of
an Italian journalist detained in Tehran, as the government and opposition
ramped up public pressure on the politically sensitive case. Cecilia Sala, a
reporter for the Il Foglio daily newspaper, was detained in Tehran on Dec. 19,
six days after she arrived on a journalist’s visa. Tehran confirmed Monday that
Sala had been arrested on charges of violating the laws of the Islamic Republic
of Iran, according to the state-run IRNA news agency. The Italian foreign
ministry said it summoned Iran’s ambassador Mohammad Reza Sabouri to demand her
release and to ensure “dignified detention conditions in full respect of human
rights,” including consular access and visitations. Italy's opposition
Democratic Party also demanded her immediate release, citing Italian media
reports about a phone call Sala’s family received from her indicating she was
sleeping on the floor and had not received a second package of personal items
from the embassy. “The news of her conditions of detention are alarming,” the
Democrats said in a statement. “The inhuman treatment she is undergoing is
unacceptable.”
Sala’s case has dominated Italian headlines for days and even featured in
President Sergio Mattarella's end-of-year speech to the nation. Complicating
matters are indications that Sala's fate has become intertwined with that of an
Iranian man detained in Italy on Dec. 16. Mohammad Abedini-Najafabad was
arrested at Milan’s Malpensa airport on a U.S. warrant alleging he was involved
in the Jan. 28, 2024, drone attack in Jordan that killed three American troops.
U.S. federal prosecutors have charged Abedini and a co-defendant with export
control violations after FBI specialists analyzed the drone navigation system
used in the Jordan attack and traced it to them. The U.S. Justice Department
declined to comment on whether there was a link between the Sala case and its
drone investigation. Abedini’s Italian lawyer, Alfredo De Francesco, asked the
Milan court this week to grant him house arrest, a decision that is pending, De
Francesco said in an email. He declined to respond when asked to comment on the
U.S. charges or possible links to the Sala case. Italian media have reported
that Sala is essentially being used as a bargaining chip by Iran to secure
Abedini’s release. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani didn’t dispute that
scenario when he was asked about it during a call-in to the Rete4 broadcast
Sunday. Ever since the 1979 U.S. Embassy crisis in Iran, in which dozens of U.S.
hostages spent 444 days in captivity in Tehran, Iran has frequently used
prisoners with Western ties as bargaining chips in negotiations.
*Nicole Winfield, The Associated Press
The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources
on January 02-03/2025
The Christian Emperor Who Defied ‘the Mad and False
Prophet’
Raymond Ibrahim/LifeSiteNews/January 02/2025
An “exciting discovery” has been made at a Greek monastery: a portrait of
Constantine XI Palaiologos—“believed to be the only portrait of the last emperor
of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire”—was uncovered.
This is noteworthy, indeed. Like so many other Christian leaders, Constantine XI
(1404-1453) is a forgotten and unsung hero in the West’s long war with Islam,
not least due to his inspiring—though ultimately tragic—defense of
Constantinople against the Muslim Turks. That moving story is retold below.
On becoming Ottoman sultan in 1451, Muhammad II (1432-1481) “swore by the god of
their false prophet, by the prophet whose name he bore,” a bitter contemporary
chronicler retrospectively wrote, that “he was their [Constantinople’s] friend,
and would remain for the whole of his life a friend and ally of the City and its
ruler Constantine [XI].” Although the Christians believed him, Muhammad was
taking advantage of the basest arts of dissimulation and deceit afforded by
Islam. “Peace,” as Edward Gibbon observed, “was on his lips while war was in his
heart.”
What was in his heart became apparent a year later. In early 1452, Muhammad
blockaded Constantinople and began to destroy churches and monasteries. Emperor
Constantine sent him messengers inquiring about their peace treaty; they were
beheaded or impaled.
Seeing that Muhammad was clearly preparing to besiege Constantinople,
Constantine sent a final message: “As it is clear that you desire war more than
peace … so let it be according to your desire. I turn now and look to God alone
… However I release you from all your oaths and treaties with me, and, closing
the gates of my capital, I will defend my people to the last drop of my blood.”
The defenders were, however, totally outnumbered by the Muslims; and although
Constantine beseeched the West for aid, few came. Worse, “there were also some
worthless, cowardly noblemen and inhabitants of the City who fled with their
households, as they feared war and our adversaries,” writes George Sphrantzes, a
court historian and confidant of Constantine. “When this was reported to the
emperor, he took no action against them, but sighed deeply.”
During the siege, which began in April 1453, many implored Constantine to quit
the city; he could fight the Ottomans more effectively without than within his
walls, they argued, and possibly get aid. “I thank all for the advice which you
have given me,” responded Constantine, but “how could I leave the churches of
our Lord, and His servants the clergy, and the throne, and my people in such a
plight? What would the world say about me? I pray you, my friends, in future do
not say to me anything else but ‘Nay, Sire, do not leave us!’ Never, never will
I leave you! I am resolved to die here with you!”
“And saying this,” the eyewitness adds, “the Emperor turned his head aside,
because tears filled his eyes; and with him wept the Patriarch and all who were
there.”
A few days before the Muslims launched their final assault, when all seemed
lost, his leading men again implored Constantine to quit the city; the exhausted
emperor collapsed during their harangue. “Remember the words I said earlier!” he
cried out on reviving: “Do not try to protect me! I want to die with you!” to
which they replied, “All of us will die for God’s church, and for you!”
On May 27—as Constantinople was being “engulfed by a great darkness” that
“hovered above the city” and “shocked and horrified” the people—Constantine
learned that, contrary to recent promises of outside aid, no relief forces were
coming. He leaned against a wall and “began to weep bitterly for grief.”
On May 28—even as the Ottoman camp was being whipped into a jihadist
frenzy—large-scale Christian religious processions were ordered within the city:
all churches were packed with petitioners; barefoot and weeping, carrying
crosses and icons and chanting Kyrie eleison—“Lord have mercy”—clergy led women
and children along the walls, “begging God not to deliver us” to this “most
wicked of all” enemies.
The spent emperor delivered a defiant speech before his assembled officials, lay
and clergy: “You know well the hour has come: the enemy of our faith wishes to
oppress us … with the entire strength of his siege force, as a snake about to
spew its venom … For this reason I am imploring you to fight like men with brave
souls, as you have from the beginning unto this day, against the enemies of our
faith.”
“This wretch of a sultan,” Constantine continued, sought to transform their
churches “into shrines of his blasphemy, shrines of the mad and false prophet,
Muhammad, as well as into stables for his horses and camels.”
The emperor then went into Hagia Sophia “and devoutly received, with tears and
prayers, the sacrament of the holy communion.” He proceeded to the palace,
begged pardon of any he might have offended during his life, bid his wife
farewell (he had no children) and returned to defend the wall.
Finally, on May 29, around 2 a.m., Muhammad shattered the quiet of night by
unleashing all hell on Constantinople. By sunrise, thousands of Muslim invaders
flooded in and slaughtered the outnumbered defenders; others were trampled
underfoot and “crushed to death” in the press.
Crying “the City is lost, but I live,” Constantine stripped and flung off his
royal regalia and “spurred on his horse and reached the spot where the Turks
were coming in large numbers.” With his steed he “knocked the impious from the
walls” and with “his drawn sword in his right hand, he killed many opponents,
while blood was streaming from his legs and arms.”
Inspired by their lord, men shouting “Better to die!” rushed into and were
consumed by the oncoming throng. “The Emperor was caught up among these, fell
and rose again, then fell once more,” never to rise again.
Thus, concludes a chronicler, “he died by the gate with many of his men, like
any commoner, after having reigned for three years and three months.”
And on that May 29, 1453, the 2,206-year-old Roman state died with him, and “the
saying,” observed another contemporary, “was fulfilled: ‘It started with
Constantine [the Great] and it ended with Constantine [XI].’”
In the ensuing orgiastic bloodbath that consumed Constantinople for days—and
which saw thousands of Christians massacred, raped, and enslaved, and churches
desecrated and torched—only one thing remained to make Muhammad’s triumph
complete: the head of his archenemy, Constantine XI. So a noggin claimed to be
that of the fallen emperor was rushed to him and nailed onto a column.
Standing before it, the sultan exulted: “Fellow soldiers, this one thing was
lacking to make the glory of such a victory complete. Now, at this happy and
joyful moment of time, we have the riches of the Greeks, we have won their
empire, and their religion is completely extinguished. Our ancestors eagerly
desired to achieve this; rejoice now since it is your bravery which has won this
kingdom for us.”
Muhammad then ordered the severed head skinned, stuffed with bran, and “sent as
a symbol of victory to the governors of Persia and Arabia”—a reminder to the two
older Muslim peoples that it was a Turk who did what for centuries they had
tried but could not. Whether that was Constantine’s head or no, we now know what
that brave defender of the faith looked like—and his face is every bit as noble
as he was in life. All quotations in the above account were excerpted from and
documented in the author’s book, Sword and Scimitar: Fourteen Centuries of War
between Islam and the West. Raymond Ibrahim is a Shillman Fellow at the David
Horowitz Freedom Center, a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Gatestone
Institute, and a Judith Rosen Friedman Fellow at the Middle East Forum.
How 'Pro-Palestinian' Protestors Actually Harm Palestinians
Khaled Abu Toameh/Gatestone Institute./January 02/2025
Is there a free media in "Palestine?" No. Is there a functioning parliament? No.
Are there general elections? No. Are there no consequences for protesting
against the leaders' abuses?
The "pro-Palestinian" activists just keep showing that all they have to offer is
hatred for Jews and Israel. The real "pro-Palestinian" advocates are those who
want to see a good life for the Palestinians, not those who encourage them to
embrace a brutal and corrupt Hamas. Would they encourage the Iranian people to
submit to the ayatollahs, or the Uyghurs to embrace the Communist Chinese Party?
Instead of sitting in a comfortable campus where no one will arrest, torture or
kill them for speaking out, these activists should be urging Hamas to release
the 100 Israeli hostages it has been holding in the Gaza Strip since the
atrocities of October 7, 2023. That would be the best and fastest way to end the
current war in the Gaza Strip. The real message is: if you do not want your
people killed, do not start a war.
If these protestors in the West really want to help Palestinians, instead of
offering messages of hate, they could offer good salaries and jobs.
Sadly, "pro-Palestinian" protests have shown themselves to be nothing more than
a backdoor way of spreading hate, delegitimizing Israel and demonizing Jews.
The "pro-Palestinian" activists just keep showing that all they have to offer is
hatred for Jews and Israel. The real "pro-Palestinian" advocates are those who
want to see a good life for the Palestinians, not those who encourage them to
embrace a brutal and corrupt Hamas. Pictured: Pro-Hamas and anti-Israel
protesters outside of Columbia University on April 24, 2024 in New York City.
(Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
The organizers and leaders of the anti-Israel protests in the US and Canada,
including on university campuses, continue to ignore the real suffering of the
Palestinians living under the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank and
the Iran-backed Islamist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
These Palestinians are living under two corrupt dictatorships, both of which
place the interests of their leaders above those of the people.
We never hear the voices of these protesters when the Palestinian Authority (PA)
and Hamas commit human rights violations against their own citizens.
The massive violations of Palestinian leaders against their own people for the
past 30 years include ruthless crackdowns on journalists, political opponents,
human rights activists, lawyers and university students.
It is hard to say that the anti-Israel protesters are unaware of these
violations, They have been widely documented by Palestinian and foreign human
rights groups.
Is there a free media in "Palestine?" No. Is there a functioning parliament? No.
Are there general elections? No. Are there no consequences for protesting
against the leaders' abuses?
The last parliamentary election was held in 2006; the last presidential election
in 2005. This means that PA President Mahmoud Abbas is about to enter the 19th
year of his four-year-term.
Even when Palestinian and international human rights organizations have
expressed alarm about the human rights violations committed by the PA and Hamas,
we do not see or hear any protests at university campuses in the US, Canada or
Europe.
The so-called pro-Palestinian individuals and groups in the West deliberately
turn a blind eye to the predicament of the Palestinians living under the PA and
Hamas. The reason? As long as Israel cannot be blamed for the human rights
violations, the "pro-Palestinian" protesters apparently do not care. As far as
most of the international media is concerned, these unremitting abuses against
the Palestinian people never took place.
Foreign journalists covering the Israeli-Palestinian conflict tend to look the
other way when Palestinians complain about the oppression at the hands of the PA
and Hamas. These journalists appear to be busy searching exclusively for any
story that will reflect negatively on Israel. They are only interested in
stories if they have an anti-Israeli angle.
One has to ask, are the protesters really pro-Palestinian or are they just
looking for a "respectable," politically correct, way to vent a loathing for
Jews?
Had the "pro-Palestinian" activists in the US and Canada paid attention to
Hamas's repressive measures against their own people in the Gaza Strip, the
Palestinians there would have been in a far better situation today. They would
have a real education system instead of one designed to indoctrinate them with
hate. They would have been taught skills to enable them to find lucrative jobs.
They would have had responsible governance, freedom of speech and the press, and
equal justice under the law – liberties the protesters freely enjoy but appear
to take for granted.
Did we ever hear a word from these activists when Hamas was depriving their
people of international aid and diverting international funds to build a vast
network of tunnels and manufacture weapons instead of creating a "Dubai on the
Mediterranean"? Not once.
Did we ever hear a word from these self-righteous protesters when Hamas police
officers and militiamen were beating, arresting and shooting residents of the
Gaza Strip who took to the streets to protest economic hardship or when
journalists were arrested, tortured or killed ? Never.
The same is true for the Palestinians in the West Bank. We have rarely, if ever,
heard "pro-Palestinian" individuals and groups in the West speak out against the
financial and administrative corruption in PA's governing institutions.
Pro-Palestinians there know all too well what could happen to them if they did.
In the past few weeks, Palestinian Authority security officers shot and killed
six Palestinians in Jenin Refugee Camp in the northern West Bank. One of the
victims, journalist Shatha al-Sabbagh, was reportedly shot by a PA sniper as she
was standing in front of her home in the camp.
There have also been many reports about human rights violations by the PA,
including beatings, torture and arbitrary arrests (such as here, here, here,
here and here).
We are still waiting to see if "pro-Palestinian" activists on Western university
campuses will organize a protest against any of the PA crackdowns. No one
organized such protests when PA security officers beat to death prominent
Palestinian human rights activist Nizar Banat in 2021.
It is probably not realistic to expect the "pro-Palestinian" protesters to come
out against human rights violations by the PA and Hamas. Deep down, one
suspects, these professors and students do not really care about Palestinians at
all, only about hating Jews.
The "pro-Palestinian" individuals and groups might try to see that by siding
with Hamas, they are harming, not helping, the very people -- the Palestinians
-- they claim to support. They also might try to see that by directing their
hate against Israel, they are emboldening Hamas and the radicals among the
Palestinians to increase their abuse.
The "pro-Palestinian" activists just keep showing that all they have to offer is
hatred for Jews and Israel. The real "pro-Palestinian" advocates are those who
want to see a good life for the Palestinians, not those who encourage them to
embrace a brutal and corrupt Hamas. Would they encourage the Iranian people to
submit to the ayatollahs, or the Uyghurs to embrace the Communist Chinese Party?
Instead of sitting in a comfortable campus where no one will arrest, torture or
kill them for speaking out, these activists should be urging Hamas to release
the 100 Israeli hostages it has been holding in the Gaza Strip since the
atrocities of October 7, 2023. That would be the best and fastest way to end the
current war in the Gaza Strip. The real message is: if you do not want your
people killed, do not start a war.
Instead of calling for boycotts and sanctions against Israel, the
"pro-Palestinian" students might invite Israelis and Palestinians to their
campuses to build, not destroy, bridges between the two peoples. If these
protesters in the West really want to help Palestinians, instead of offering
messages of hate, they could offer good salaries and jobs.
Sadly, "pro-Palestinian" protests have shown themselves to be nothing more than
a backdoor way of spreading hate, delegitimizing Israel and demonizing Jews.
*Khaled Abu Toameh is an award-winning journalist based in Jerusalem.
*Follow Khaled Abu Toameh on X (formerly Twitter)
© 2025 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.
Ending Syria’s Captagon trade should be a priority
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/January 02, 2025
The Syrian conflict, marked by more than a decade of war and widespread
displacement, not only devastated the lives of millions but also created an
environment ripe for the proliferation of Captagon, an addictive
amphetamine-like drug often called “poor man’s cocaine.” Captagon has emerged as
a significant challenge in the Middle East, with Syria becoming its largest
producer and exporter. Captagon’s surge in Syria is deeply tied to the
instability wreaked by years of conflict. The drug became a lucrative source of
income for the Bashar Assad regime. As a result, Captagon production, with its
low manufacturing costs and high profit margins, became an attractive option.
Factories sprung up in areas controlled by the regime and its allies, often
shielded by complicit officials. The drug’s production expanded from small-scale
operations to industrial levels, turning Syria into a global hub for Captagon
manufacturing.
The smuggling of Captagon from Syria has posed a significant challenge to
neighboring countries and beyond. Smugglers exploit Syria’s porous borders and
weak enforcement to transport the drug across the region, particularly to the
Gulf states.
The drug’s proliferation has far-reaching consequences, particularly for the
youth in the Middle East. Captagon’s stimulant effects make it appealing to
young people. However, its addictive nature ensnares users, leading to long-term
health issues, psychological disorders and social instability. Families are
often left to deal with the devastating consequences of addiction, including
financial strain, broken relationships and lost futures.
Captagon addiction also tears at the fabric of society. Families are the first
to feel the impact, as addiction often leads to a neglect of responsibilities,
domestic violence and financial ruin. In communities, the prevalence of drug
abuse contributes to higher crime rates, a loss of productivity and a general
decline in social cohesion. The youth, who should be the cornerstone of societal
progress, are instead trapped in a cycle of addiction, making recovery and
development even more challenging. The new Syrian government, under the
leadership of Ahmad Al-Sharaa, has inherited a nation grappling with the
remnants of war and the scourge of Captagon. In his victory speech, Al-Sharaa
acknowledged Syria’s role as the world’s leading producer of the drug and called
for the country to be “purified.” This acknowledgment is a crucial first step,
but eradicating the Captagon trade requires a comprehensive and sustained
effort. The protracted war, coupled with economic hardship, created fertile
ground for the drug trade to thrive. The new government must prioritize securing
Syria’s borders to prevent the smuggling of Captagon. This involves deploying
well-trained border patrols, utilizing advanced surveillance technologies and
establishing cooperation with neighboring countries. Joint operations and
intelligence sharing can significantly enhance the effectiveness of
anti-smuggling efforts.
The international community has a vested interest in supporting Syria’s efforts
to combat this issue. Identifying and dismantling the Captagon production
facilities within Syria is essential. This requires coordinated efforts between
law enforcement agencies, the military and international partners. Targeting the
financial networks that fund these operations can also weaken their ability to
produce and distribute the drug. Public awareness campaigns are crucial in
combating Captagon addiction. The government should invest in educational
programs that highlight the dangers of drug use, targeting schools, universities
and community centers. Collaborating with religious leaders, nongovernmental
organizations and media outlets can amplify these efforts and foster a culture
of prevention. Addressing addiction requires more than just punitive measures.
The government must establish rehabilitation centers to provide medical and
psychological support for those struggling with addiction. These centers should
be accessible and adequately funded to ensure they meet the needs of the
population. Tackling Captagon production and trafficking is not a challenge
Syria can face alone. The international community has a vested interest in
supporting Syria’s efforts to combat this issue. Assistance can come in the form
of technical expertise and capacity building for law enforcement agencies.
Regional cooperation is particularly important, as neighboring countries are
directly affected by the Captagon trade.
Addressing the Captagon crisis is not just about combating a drug; it is about
rebuilding a nation and safeguarding its future. Allowing the drug trade to
persist undermines the rule of law, fuels corruption and perpetuates the cycles
of poverty and instability that have plagued Syria for years. By making drug
trafficking a top priority, the new government can send a strong message that it
is committed to restoring order and protecting its citizens.
Effective measures against Captagon will also have a ripple effect on the
region. Reducing the supply of the drug will alleviate the burden on neighboring
countries, fostering better relations and cooperation. Moreover, tackling the
root causes of drug production and addiction can contribute to long-term
stability and development. In summary, the Captagon crisis is a reminder of the
challenges that Syria faces in its path to recovery. Years of war and
instability have turned the country into a hub for drug production and
trafficking, with devastating consequences for its people and the region. By
prioritizing the eradication of Captagon, the new Syrian government can take a
significant step. Strengthening border security, dismantling production
facilities, raising public awareness, providing rehabilitation services and
fostering international cooperation are all essential components of this effort.
**Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a Harvard-educated Iranian American political
scientist. X: @Dr_Rafizadeh
A politics of hope is our best hope
Ngaire Woods/Arab News/January 02, 2025
After a year in which political incumbents around the world were either voted
out of office or forcibly removed from power, one statement, repeated in various
forms by UAE Minister of Cabinet Affairs Mohammed Al-Gergawi, stands out: “The
role of government is to design a future which gives citizens hope.” In 2025,
political leaders should take this message to heart and shift their focus from
constant crisis management to crafting a bold, hopeful agenda. The global
anti-incumbent wave has been breathtaking. In March, Senegalese President Macky
Sall was decisively defeated after trying and failing to postpone the
presidential election. In June, the African National Congress — which had ruled
South Africa since the end of apartheid — lost its majority for the first time
in three decades, forcing the party to form a coalition government. The same
month, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party also lost
its parliamentary majority.
This trend continued through the summer and fall. In July, the Labour Party won
the UK’s general election in a landslide, ending the Conservative Party’s
14-year rule. In October, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s ruling
Liberal Democratic Party lost its majority for the first time since 2009. Then,
in December, Michel Barnier became the first French prime minister to be ousted
by a no-confidence vote since 1962. A few days later, German Chancellor Olaf
Scholz lost a vote of confidence, paving the way for an early election, while
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau fired his finance minister, plunging his
country into political uncertainty.
Other established leaders were ousted by popular uprisings. In August,
Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country aboard a military
helicopter as protesters stormed her official residence. And, of course, Syrian
President Bashar Assad was forced to flee to Russia after his regime collapsed
last month. Why are incumbents losing? One possible explanation is social media.
Studies have shown that increased internet access often erodes trust in
government and deepens political polarization. In the US, for example,
Democratic and Republican-leaning voters have become increasingly polarized,
with each side becoming more deeply entrenched in its partisanship. Social media
fosters connections between people who consume similar content, reinforcing
their worldviews and amplifying the psychological effect known as “conformity.”
Social media algorithms act as powerful megaphones for simple, emotionally
charged messages, making these platforms fertile ground for conspiracy theories
and fearmongering.
But while early evidence suggests that social media bolsters support for
far-right populists, recent election results show that this is not always enough
to gain power. In Mexico, Spain, Greece, Ireland, the UK, Japan and South
Africa, incumbents or other mainstream parties emerged victorious, albeit
significantly weakened.
Consequently, one clear takeaway from the historic election year of 2024 is that
governments must learn to use social media more effectively. A good place to
start is to engage directly with voters’ concerns. During 2024, two advisers to
Keir Starmer visited the town of Grimsby in northeastern England and asked
residents to describe the government in one word. The responses they received
mirror what I have heard in many other countries: “irrelevant,” “authoritarian,”
“distant,” “elitist,” “inaccessible,” “self-serving,” “unambitious,”
“untrustworthy,” a “joke.”
Social media algorithms act as powerful megaphones for simple, emotionally
charged messages. Another major takeaway is that to restore trust leaders should
focus on economic growth and citizens’ empowerment. A comprehensive 2022 study
of the political economy of populism highlights strong evidence that economic
conditions, such as rising unemployment and cuts to social spending, have a
profound impact on people’s views of government.
This helps explain why voters in Spain and Greece in 2023 and Ireland in 2024
chose to reelect incumbent leaders, while French voters rejected the ruling
party. In 2022, Spain’s economy grew by 5.7 percent and Greece’s by 6.2 percent.
By contrast, in Germany, which will hold an early election in February after the
government lost a parliamentary no-confidence vote, the economy shrank by 0.3
percent in 2023 and was expected to contract by 0.1 percent in 2024. France
fared slightly better, with gross domestic product projected to grow by 1.1
percent last year, after growing by 0.9 percent in 2023.
Beyond boosting short-term economic growth, political leaders must consider the
future they are offering their citizens. Too many politicians’ and policymakers’
plans are limited to annual budget cycles and focused largely on cuts.
Meanwhile, voters — grappling with rising living costs, post-pandemic austerity
and a pervasive sense that they have lost control over their lives — need
leaders who give them reasons for hope.
Budgetary constraints should not be an excuse for failing to envision a better
future. Some of the boldest government initiatives have been conceived during
times of economic hardship. Notable examples include US President Franklin
Roosevelt’s New Deal in the 1930s, Britain’s postwar welfare state, Dubai’s
post-1958 infrastructure boom and Singapore’s rapid development after 1959.
Political leaders must draw inspiration from these bold programs and be more
ambitious in addressing the root causes of their citizens’ frustrations. The
good news is that every country and community has creative individuals — both in
the private and public sectors — whose work requires them to think ahead and
plan for the future. Leaders must identify and reach out to such visionaries,
who are rarely included in policy discussions, and leverage their expertise.
A politics of hope is essential to restoring faith in democratic institutions.
In Grimsby, local residents said they longed for a politics that is “realistic,”
“meaningful,” “passionate,” “hopeful” and “empowering.” A government that can
fulfill these aspirations will prove itself worthy of its citizens’ trust.
**Ngaire Woods is Dean of the Blavatnik School of Government at the University
of Oxford. ©Project Syndicate