English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For January 06/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
John the Baptis Baptizes Jesus at The Jordan River

Luke 03/15-22/The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them. But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of his marriage to Herodias, his brother’s wife, and all the other evil things he had done, Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison. When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on January 05-06/2025
Elias Bejjani/Video and Text: "Astrologers Have Lied, Even If They Speak the Truth"
L’épiphanie, the Epiphany, الظهور الالهي /Charles Elias Chartouni
Lebanon ‘Seriously’ Dealing with Israeli Threat to Maintain its Occupation of Southern Regions
Israel Accuses Hezbollah of Violating Ceasefire Agreement
Katz warns ceasefire in jeopardy if Hezbollah doesn't withdraw beyond Litani
Israel Accuses Hezbollah of Violating Ceasefire Terms
Truce Violations Persist... Adraee: "Hezbollah Will Not Be Allowed to Rearm"
Safa: No veto on army chief, only veto on Geagea
UN accuses Israel of ceasefire breach as Qassem says Hezbollah losing patience
South Lebanon updates: Lebanese Army faces hurdles as Israel stalls withdrawal amid buffer zone talks
Blasts from Israeli demolitions reach Tyre amid border operations
Report: Israel to tell US it won't withdraw from Lebanon post 60-day period
Lebanese Army reopens blocked roads by Israeli forces in Taybeh and Marjaayoun in South Lebanon
Rai Emphasizes the Need for a President
Hezbollah leader Nasrallah was killed last year inside the war operations room, aide says
Israel warns that ceasefire in Lebanon is at risk
How decades of Assad regime interference left lingering scars on Lebanon’s political life/ANAN TELLO//Arab News January 05/2025
Lebanon should not be a security threat for the new Syria/Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib/Arab News January 05/2025
Lebanon is not serious about disarming Hezbollah/Hussain Abdul-Hussain/Asia Times/January 05/2025

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on January 05-06/2025
Hamas and Israel wrangle over talks as Israeli strikes in Gaza intensify
Hamas official says ready to release 34 hostages in ‘first phase’ of exchange deal
Hamas approves Israeli list of hostages for potential exchange: Reuters
Palestinian population in Gaza Strip decreased by 6% in 2024 during Israeli war
Israel releases Jordanian doctor detained during relief mission to Gaza
Israel blocks food supply to northern Gaza’s Indonesian hospital to force out doctors
Israeli helps former soldier leave Brazil over investigation into alleged war crimes in Gaza
Israeli forces kill Palestinian security member
Israeli soldiers face growing risk of arrest abroad after Gaza service
Israeli army says missile from Yemen intercepted
Gaza truce talks resume in Qatar as violence shows no let-up
Post-Assad economy: Syria's currency stabilizes as challenges persist
Syria monitor reports blasts at arms depots near Damascus
Syrian caretaker government to hike public sector salaries by 400 percent next month
KSrelief and UNHCR officials discuss enhanced humanitarian support in Syria
Syria's new Islamist rulers urge US to lift sanctions during visit to Doha
Syria's foreign minister visits Qatar as new authorities seek regional and global diplomatic ties
Red Cross Says Determining Fate of Syria’s Missing ‘Huge Challenge'
Fighting Intensifies between Pro-Türkiye Factions, SDF Near Syria’s Manbij
Erdogan Expects Support from Syria in Türkiye's Battle with PKK
New Orleans attacker's movements included trip to Ontario in July 2023, FBI says

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on January 05-06/2025
German Government Covering Up Islamist Attack?/Robert Williams/Gatestone Institute/January 5, 2025
2025 New Year's Resolution: Do Something Honorable Today and Every Day/Lawrence Kadish/Gatestone Institute./January 5, 2025
What next for the Palestinian Authority?/Dr. Ramzy Baroud/Arab News/January 05, 2025
Saudi Arabia and Syria: History and Reality/Abdulah bin Bijad Al Otaibi/Asharq Al-Awsat/January 05/2025January 05, 2025
The Significance of Christians in Our Societies/Ahmed Al-Sarraf/Al-Qabas/January 05/2025

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on January 05-06/2025
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."

L’épiphanie, the Epiphany, الظهور الالهي
Charles Elias Chartouni
Le temps de Noël s’organise sur le plan liturgique sur la base d’une structure sémantique isomorphe qui se déploie en quatre temps: la nativité (Matthieu, 1-2 Luc 1-2), l’épiphanie (Matthieu, 3/13…), le baptême (Matthieu 3/11, Luc 3/16, AC 1/ 5), et les noces de Cana( Luc, 2, 1-7). Dans la scène évangélique de la visite des mages et des bergers, l’évangéliste Matthieu s’inscrit dans la tradition vétérotestamentaire du Midrashim (la chaîne de transmission dans laquelle s’inscrivent les énoncés du nouveau testament/second testament). L’épiphanie se définit à partir du registre de la manifestation de la divinité qu’on retrouve indistinctement dans toutes les religions (hiérophanie). L’épiphanie ou la théophanie qu’on célèbre s’inscrit dans le corpus de l’ancien testament (premier), où Dieu se manifeste dans maints écrits de la Genèse à travers les trois mystérieux visiteurs à Abraham (Gn, 18/1-15), le combat de Jacob avec l’ange (Gn, 32), du livre de l’Exode dans lequel Moïse connaît deux épiphanies, le buisson ardent (Exode 3/17) et la remise des Tables de la loi au Mont Sinaï (les dix commandements, 34/1), le livre des Rois où Élie entend Dieu lui parler sur le Mont Horeb dans le « murmure d’une brise légère » (1 Rois, 19)...,. Dans le nouveau testament (second) Dieu ne se manifeste plus par l’intermédiaire des anges ou des signes, mais en prenant la condition humaine (l’incarnation)... “lorsqu’est venue la plénitude des temps, Dieu a envoyé son fils, né d’une femme.... Dieu a envoyé l’esprit de son fils dans nos cœurs...." (Paul, Galates 4/ 4-7). C’est ce que célèbre la fête de l’épiphanie (VI Siècle), Dieu se manifeste en Jésus Christ à l’humanité représentée par les mages et les bergers venus de contrées éloignées du monde (Matthieu, 3/13-17, Luc, 3/21-22, Marc, 1/ 11-19).

Lebanon ‘Seriously’ Dealing with Israeli Threat to Maintain its Occupation of Southern Regions
Beirut: Youssef Diab/Asharq Al Awsat/January 5, 2025
Israel announced that it may not withdraw from regions of southern Lebanon that it occupied during its latest war with Hezbollah, sparking alarm in the country. Israeli media reported that Tel Aviv may inform Washington that it may not pull out from the South at the end of the 60-day deadline stipulated in the ceasefire agreement that ended the war. Yedioth Ahronoth said Israel is hoping that the American officials will “understand’ this position, especially since Lebanon has not met its commitments towards the ceasefire. Lebanese military sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that they have not received any information about the withdrawal. Meanwhile, a Lebanese ministerial source stressed that the reports may be Israel’s attempt at “testing the waters” and perhaps an attempt “to pressure the Americans and Lebanon to complete the Lebanese army’s deployment in the South at a faster pace”. The Lebanese government is “seriously” handling these reports and caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati is intensifying his internal and international contacts to warn against Israel’s attempt to remain in the South, added the source. He will bring up this issue at cabinet after completing his talks, which include the US, it went on to say. The US heads the committee tasked with monitoring the ceasefire. Meanwhile, Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem warned that his party was ready to retaliate to the Israeli violations of the truce. “Our patience may run out during or after the end of the deadline,” he warned, while holding the Lebanese state responsible for implementing the ceasefire. “The resistance (Hezbollah) is not bound by any time schedule. The resistance’s leadership decides when and how to resist,” he stated. “Our morale remains high despite the wounds and pain,” he went on to say. Moreover, he noted that throughout the 64-day war with Hezbollah, Israel only managed to advance “a few hundred meters” in Lebanon. “It failed to advance deeper thanks to the power of the resistance,” he declared. “We confronted an unprecedented attack, persevered and broke Israel’s might.”Member of parliament Speaker Nabih Berri’s Liberation and Development bloc MP Qassem Hashem stressed that Lebanon will not allow Israel to remain an hour more in the South as soon as the deadline expires.
“We will be confronted by a very dangerous situation should Israel fail to withdraw from the territories it occupied,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat. He noted Israel’s incursion into Syrian territories and Lebanon’s commitment to the ceasefire; and yet, it seems that Israel is keen on occupying more areas.
“Lebanon has not officially received any request to amend the pullout date. Should Israel remain in Lebanon beyond the deadline, then all international norms and treaties give Lebanon and its people the right to fully liberate their territories through all means necessary,” he stressed. Hezbollah MP Mohammed Raad said Israel is “committing shameful violations to compensate for its losses on the field.”“It is everyone’s duty to preserve national sovereignty,” he stated after meeting with Berri. Talks with the speaker focused on the ceasefire committee’s work, as well as the upcoming presidential elections. On the ground and after 40 days since the ceasefire took effect, Israel continued its violations of Lebanese sovereignty. It blew up houses in the towns of Hayyan, Markaba, al-Taybeh and Rab Thalathin. Israeli artillery targeted the vicinity of the Imam al-Sadr sports complex west of Mays al-Jabal town. Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that an Israeli unit advanced on the town of Bourj al-Mamlouk and took up position in the area, blocking a road with barbed wire.The Lebanese army, in turn, closed three roads in the town that would give access to the Marjeyoun plain, thereby preventing any Israeli advance there.

Israel Accuses Hezbollah of Violating Ceasefire Agreement
Asharq Al Awsat/January 5, 2025
Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, accused Lebanon’s Hezbollah group of violating the terms of the ceasefire agreement reached between the two sides late in November, warning of the consequences. Katz said if Hezbollah does not withdraw from southern Lebanon, there will be no agreement,” and Israel will be forced to act. The Israeli minister emphasized that Hezbollah has not yet withdrawn “beyond the Litani River” in south Lebanon, believing this would reduce the threat by about 40 kilometers from its settlements. He added, "If this condition is not fulfilled, there will be no agreement, and Israel will be forced to act alone to ensure the safe return of the residents of the north to their homes," according to AFP. The deal struck on Nov. 27 to halt the Israeli-Hezbollah war required Hezbollah to immediately lay down its arms in southern Lebanon and gave Israel 60 days to withdraw its forces there and hand over control to the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers. So far, Israel has withdrawn from just two of the dozens of towns it holds in southern Lebanon. And it has continued striking what it says are bases belonging to Hezbollah, which it accuses of attempting to launch rockets and move weapons before they can be confiscated and destroyed, The AP reported. Hezbollah, which was severely diminished during nearly 14 months of war, has threatened to resume fighting if Israel does not fully withdraw its forces by the 60-day deadline. Yet despite accusations from both sides about hundreds of ceasefire violations, the truce is likely to hold, analysts say. That is good news for thousands of Israeli and Lebanese families displaced by the war still waiting to return home.

Katz warns ceasefire in jeopardy if Hezbollah doesn't withdraw beyond Litani
Naharnet/January 5, 2025 
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Sunday that if Hezbollah does not withdraw beyond the Litani River “there will be no agreement,” and Israel will be forced to act. “Israel is interested in the implementation of the agreement in Lebanon and will continue to enforce it fully and without compromise to ensure the safe return of the residents of the north to their homes,” Katz said during a visit to a military base in northern Israel where the army has set up a display of captured Hezbollah weapons. “But the first condition for the implementation of the agreement is the complete withdrawal of the Hezbollah terror organization beyond the Litani River, the dismantling of all weapons, and the [removal] of the terror infrastructure in the area by the Lebanese Army, something that hasn’t happened yet,” he added. “If this condition is not met, there will be no agreement, and Israel will be forced to act independently to ensure the safe return of the residents of the north to their homes,” Katz went on to say.

Israel Accuses Hezbollah of Violating Ceasefire Terms
This is Beirut/With AFP/January 5, 2025
Israeli Defense Minister Israël Katz accused Hezbollah on Sunday of not meeting the terms of a ceasefire, warning that if the militants continued to breach the deal, Israel would "be forced to act".Katz issued his warning after visiting the military's northern command, and it followed a similar accusation against Israel by Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem on Saturday. Katz said Hezbollah had still not withdrawn "beyond the Litani river" in southern Lebanon, as stipulated in the ceasefire deal. He added that "if this condition is not met, there will be no agreement, and Israel will be forced to act on its own to ensure the safe return of residents of the north to their homes." Other provisions had not been implemented, Katz said, such as the "dismantling of all (Hezbollah) weapons and the thwarting of terrorist infrastructures in the area by the Lebanese army". "We will not allow the creation of a renewed threat to the northern communities and the citizens of the state of Israel," Katz said in a statement issued by his office. On Saturday, Qassem accused Israel of violating the ceasefire and said the group was prepared to respond even before the expiry of a 60-day deadline for Israel to withdraw from southern Lebanon.
"We have said that we are giving an opportunity to prevent Israeli violations and to implement the agreement, and we will exercise patience," Qassem said. The fragile truce, which took effect on November 27 after two months of full-blown war between Israel and Hezbollah, has been marked by accusations of violations from both sides. 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 any remaining military infrastructure in the south. A committee composed of Israeli, Lebanese, French, and US delegates, alongside a representative of the UN peacekeeping force UNIFIL, is tasked with ensuring any ceasefire violations are identified and dealt with. The UN peacekeeping force has also repeatedly accused Israel of violating the ceasefire terms.

Truce Violations Persist... Adraee: "Hezbollah Will Not Be Allowed to Rearm"
This is Beirut/January 5, 2025
The Lebanese army reopened three roads that had been blocked by Israel at dawn after the latter infiltrated the Taybeh-Marjeyoun area and obstructed the roads with dirt barriers, the Lebanese army said in a statement. The Israeli army advanced on Sunday toward the town of Taybeh, where it demolished several houses using explosives and conducted sweeps with automatic weapons. By the end of the day, Israeli bulldozers carried out razing operations on the outskirts of the border village of Dhayra. Additionally, Israeli forces demolished several houses in Aitaroun in the al-Zaqaq area. Earlier, around midday, the Israeli army bombed several houses in the Tayr Harfa-Jebbayn area. The explosions were heard as far as the city of Tyre and its surroundings. Israeli artillery also shelled the outskirts of Kfarchouba. Meanwhile, Avichay Adraee, the Arabic-language spokesperson for the Israeli army, reiterated in the evening that "Israeli forces will not allow Hezbollah to rearm and rebuild its capabilities to threaten Israel." Addressing Hezbollah directly, he added, "Do not test us." These remarks followed the Israeli army's confiscation of Hezbollah weapons in southern Lebanon. Citing informed sources, the Israeli website Walla reported that "the Israeli army will withdraw from Ras al-Naqoura in the coming days and hand it over to the Lebanese army under American supervision." However, the report added that "with the exception of Naqoura, Israel will not withdraw from Lebanon before the end of 60 days," contradicting the terms of the ceasefire agreement that took effect on November 27, 2024. “The withdrawal of the Israeli army from southern Lebanon is tied to the deployment of the Lebanese army and developments on the ground,” the sources cited by Walla added.

Safa: No veto on army chief, only veto on Geagea
Naharnet/January 5, 2025
The head of Hezbollah's Coordination and Liaison Unit, Wafiq Safa, announced Sunday that his party does not have a "veto" on electing Army chief Joseph Aoun as president. "The only veto to us is on (Lebanese Forces leader) Samir Geagea, because he is a strife and destruction scheme for the country," Safa added, from the site of the Sep. 27 airstrike that killed Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in Dahieh. "Hezbollah is stronger and firmer than iron and it is stronger than before," Safa added. "Hezbollah's capabilities have been repaired and it has the ability to confront any attack in the way it sees appropriate and let no one test us anymore," Safa went on to say, noting that "Speaker Nabih Berri will have a talk with U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein over the Israeli violations."Asked about Hezbollah's reaction if the Israeli army does not withdraw from Lebanon after the 60-day deadline, Safa said: "The Lebanese Army and the monitoring committee have not been informed of this matter, but after the 60 days expire, the issue will be left to Hezbollah and the resistance to decide what to do, and as Sheikh Naim Qassem said, this is the responsibility of the (Lebanese) state that signed the agreement and it will follow up on the ceasefire measures or violations."

UN accuses Israel of ceasefire breach as Qassem says Hezbollah losing patience
Agence France Presse/January 5, 2025
The U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon has accused Israel of a "flagrant violation" of the 2006 Security Council resolution that forms the basis of its November ceasefire with Hezbollah. The statement from the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) came as Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem warned the group's patience with Israeli violations could run out before the end of the ceasefire's 60-day implementation timeframe. The fragile truce, which took effect on November 27, has been marked by mutual accusations of violations from both sides. "This morning, peacekeepers observed an (Israeli military) bulldozer destroying a blue barrel marking the line of withdrawal between Lebanon and Israel in Labbouneh, as well as an observation tower belonging to the Lebanese Armed Forces immediately beside a UNIFIL position there," the peacekeeping force said. "The (military's) deliberate and direct destruction of both clearly identifiable UNIFIL property and infrastructure belonging to the Lebanese Armed Forces is a flagrant violation of Resolution 1701 and international law." The force, which is represented on the panel overseeing the ceasefire's implemenation, called on "all actors to avoid any actions, including the destruction of civilian property and infrastructure, that could jeopardize the cessation of hostilities." Under the terms of the ceasefire, the Lebanese Army is to deploy alongside U.N. 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 any remaining military infrastructure in the south. In late December, the U.N. peacekeeping force expressed concern at the "continuing" damage being done by the Israeli military in south Lebanon. Detailing its latest air strikes in Lebanon on Thursday, the Israeli military said it was acting to remove any threat to Israel "in accordance with the ceasefire understandings." Qassem said Hezbollah had decided to show patience, but warned that would not last indefintely. "We have said that we are giving an opportunity to prevent Israeli violations and to implement the agreement, and we will exercise patience," he said, stressing: "This does not mean that we will wait for 60 days. "The leadership of the resistance determines when to exercise patience, when to take initiative, and when to respond," he said.

South Lebanon updates: Lebanese Army faces hurdles as Israel stalls withdrawal amid buffer zone talks
LBCI/January 5, 2025
Officially, Lebanon has not been informed about the growing rhetoric in Israel suggesting that Israeli forces will not withdraw from South Lebanon by the end of the 60 days stipulated in the ceasefire agreement. Amid these Israeli declarations, calls for establishing a buffer zone in southern Lebanon are growing louder, while Israeli delays and incursions persist across several areas south of the Litani River. The Israeli military has failed to withdraw from key points such as Naqoura, Tayr Harfa, and other locations, contrary to earlier assurances that the Lebanese Army would take over these areas by 10 a.m. on Sunday. Despite preparing for a swift deployment into the vacated areas, Lebanese forces were met with renewed Israeli actions.  Instead of withdrawing, Israeli troops advanced into the Wadi Hamoul area in the western sector, occupied the Cyprianna Hotel, and continued demolition, arson, and bulldozing operations in Tayr Harfa and Aitaroun. Israeli machinery also moved towards Taybeh, conducting sweeping operations. On Saturday, Israel carried out demolitions in Chihine and Jebbayn while pushing into areas previously untouched, such as Aqabat Maroun near Bint Jbeil. In recent days, Israeli forces have penetrated deeper than ever into areas like Beit Lif, Wadi Al-Hujair, Qantara, and Aadchit El Qsair. These actions coincide with Israeli accusations against the Lebanese Army for allegedly slow deployment and failure to confiscate weapons or take control of Hezbollah-linked sites.
However, Lebanese military sources argue that their forces have promptly moved into every location vacated by Israeli troops, including Khiam, Biyyadah, and Shamaa. They argue that the delay stems from Israel's reluctance to follow through on its withdrawal commitments. Additionally, the Lebanese Army cannot operate in areas still under Israeli occupation. The Lebanese Army, in coordination with UNIFIL, has actively fulfilled its responsibilities south of the Litani River. Joint operations have targeted dozens of sites, with oversight from the ceasefire monitoring committee. U.S. committee head Jasper Jeffer commended the Lebanese Army for its professionalism, highlighting the removal of 9,800 explosive remnants from over 80 sites. Despite these efforts, large swathes of land south of the Litani remain under Israeli control or inaccessible to Lebanese forces. Israel is reportedly using this time to dismantle alleged Hezbollah infrastructure, including tunnels, weapons caches, and operational sites while continuing to demolish and booby-trap homes. These developments set the stage for the upcoming meeting of the ceasefire committee, which is expected to include U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein.

Blasts from Israeli demolitions reach Tyre amid border operations
LBCI/January 5, 2025
The Israeli army has conducted demolition operations since Saturday, targeting homes on the outskirts of the Lebanese town of Aitaroun. Explosions were also reported at the "Tayr Harfa-Jebbayn triangle," destroying several houses, with the blasts heard as far as the city of Tyre and its surrounding areas.

Report: Israel to tell US it won't withdraw from Lebanon post 60-day period
Naharnet/January 5, 2025 
Israel is not expected to withdraw its army from south Lebanon when the 60-day period stipulated in the ceasefire agreement expires, Israel's state-run Public Broadcasting Corporation has reported. "Israel will inform Washington that it will not pull out because the Lebanese Army is not abiding by the agreement and Hezbollah is reorganizing its ranks," the report said. "Israel is also expected to tell the United States that it will not allow the residents of the Lebanese towns near the border to return to their homes," the report added. Lebanon's pro-Hezbollah al-Akhbar newspaper meanwhile reported that some Lenanese Army officials received "serious signals" from the co-chair of the truce monitoring committee, U.S. general Jasper Jeffers, that "Israel intends to extend the 60-day deadline to 90 days, which might also be extended to April." "The matter hinges on Israel's realization of its goals as to guaranteeing the elimination of the resistance's abilities to launch an attack," the daily quoted Jeffers as telling the officials.

Lebanese Army reopens blocked roads by Israeli forces in Taybeh and Marjaayoun in South Lebanon
LBCI/January 5, 2025
The Lebanese Army announced that Israeli forces violated the ceasefire agreement early on January 5 by infiltrating the area of Taybeh-Marjaayoun in South Lebanon.
According to the statement, the Israeli forces blocked three roads in the area using earthen barriers. In response, a Lebanese Army patrol was dispatched to the incursion site to address the situation in coordination with the committee overseeing the ceasefire agreement. The army successfully reopened the blocked roads.

Rai Emphasizes the Need for a President
This is Beirut/January 5, 2025
On the first Sunday homily of the year, Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai reiterated the importance of electing a President of the Republic. Rai called for “praying for the parliamentary blocs for the success of identifying a President of the Republic.” He noted that “four days separate us from the ninth of this month when Parliament will meet to elect a president who will gain the trust of citizens and the confidence of the international community, work for national reconciliation, consolidate internal unity, plant hope in hearts and peace in souls, and draw his ideas and principles from the holy year of the Great Jubilee and World Peace Day.”Rai proposed three actions that can restore dignity to the lives of the people: The first act is to significantly reduce or forgive the international debts of impoverished nations, relieving them of burdens that hinder their progress and dignity.
The second act is to uphold the sanctity of human life by abolishing the death penalty and fostering a culture that values life from conception to natural death. The third act is to redirect a portion of military spending to establish a global fund to eradicate hunger, advance education and promote sustainable development in the poorest regions.

Hezbollah leader Nasrallah was killed last year inside the war operations room, aide says
KAREEM CHEHAYEB/Associated Press/January 5, 2025
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike last year while inside the militant group's war operations room, according to new details Sunday disclosed by a senior Hezbollah official. A series of Israeli airstrikes flattened several buildings in Beirut’s southern suburbs on Sept. 27, 2023, killing Nasrallah. The Lebanese Health Ministry said six people died. According to news reports, Nasrallah and other senior officials were meeting underground. The assassination of Nasrallah, who had led Hezbollah for 32 years, turned months of low-level strikes between Israel and the militants into all-out war that battered much of southern and eastern Lebanon for two months until a U.S.-brokered ceasefire took effect Nov. 27. “His Eminence (Hassan Nasrallah) used to lead the battle and war from this location,” top Hezbollah security official Wafiq Safa told a news conference Sunday near near the site where Nasrallah was killed. He said Nasrallah died in the war operations room. He did not offer other details.Lebanese media had reported that Safa was a target of Israeli airstrikes in central Beirut before the ceasefire but appeared unscathed. During the first phase of the ceasefire, Hezbollah is supposed to move its fighters, weapons and infrastructure away from southern Lebanon north of the Litani River, while Israeli troops that invaded southern Lebanon need to withdraw all within 60 days. Lebanese army soldiers are to deploy in large numbers and alongside United Nations peacekeepers be the sole armed presence in southern Lebanon. Lebanon and Hezbollah have been critical of ongoing Israeli strikes and overflights across the country and for only withdrawing from two of dozens of Lebanese villages it controls. Israel says that the Lebanese military has not done its share in dismantling Hezbollah infrastructure. Hezbollah’s current leader Naim Kassem in a televised address Saturday warned that its fighters could strike Israel if its troops don’t leave the south by the end of the month. Safa said that Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who negotiated the ceasefire deal with Washington, told Hezbollah that the government will meet with U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein soon. “And in light of what happens, then there will be a position,” said Safa. Hochstein had led the shuttle diplomacy efforts to reach the fragile truce.

Israel warns that ceasefire in Lebanon is at risk
Israel's defense minister warned Sunday that the truce that ended more than a year of fighting with Lebanon's Hezbollah is at risk. Israel Katz said the agreement requires Hezbollah to withdraw to the north of the Litani River and Lebanese troops to eliminate militant infrastructure in the buffer zone — “something that hasn’t happened yet.” “If this condition is not met, there will be no agreement, and Israel will be forced to act on its own to ensure the safe return of the residents of (Israel's) north to their homes,” he said. Both sides have accused the other of violating the ceasefire agreement. Israel has withdrawn from just two of the dozens of towns it holds in southern Lebanon. And it has continued striking what it calls Hezbollah targets, accusing the militant group of attempting to launch rockets and move weapons before they can be confiscated and destroyed. The deal struck on Nov. 27 required Hezbollah to immediately lay down its arms in southern Lebanon. It gave Israel 60 days to withdraw its forces and hand over control to the Lebanese army and U.N. peacekeepers. Hezbollah, severely degraded after Israeli strikes, has threatened to resume fighting if Israel does not fully withdraw its forces by the 60-day deadline.

How decades of Assad regime interference left lingering scars on Lebanon’s political life
ANAN TELLO//Arab News January 05/2025

LONDON: After nearly half a century of Assad family rule in Syria, there is a glimmer of hope for neighboring Lebanon, which for decades endured military occupation, persistent interference in its political affairs, and a legacy of assassinations linked to the regime. Bashar Assad, who succeeded his father Hafez in 2000, was overthrown on Dec. 8, marking the conclusion of a devastating 13-year civil war. His ousting is likely to have major implications for neighboring countries — few perhaps more so than Lebanon. The Assad regime’s interest in Lebanon dates back to the period after the 1973 Arab-Israeli war, when it became part of Syria’s strategy to avoid being flanked by Israel through the Bekaa Valley, according to a 2005 paper by Bassel Salloukh of the Lebanese American University. But Israel was not the only perceived existential threat. The late Hafez Assad, who seized power in 1970, “lived in constant fear of coup and conspiracy,” Syrian historian Sami Moubayed told Arab News. “Lebanon was where many of his worst threats had been based.”These threats included Yasser Arafat’s Palestinian Liberation Organization, the Palestinian Fatah Movement, the Iraq-backed Fatah Revolutionary Command Council, and Assad’s comrade turned rival, Mohammad Umran, believed to have been killed by Syrian intelligence in 1972. In addition, Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein “invested heavily in Lebanon and would go on to support Michel Aoun’s War of Liberation against Syria during the last stage of the civil war,” Moubayed said. As such, Moubayed said, Hafez “simply could not afford to lose Lebanon.” “Due to its proximity with Syria and lax borders, anything could be smuggled to and from Lebanon; arms, spies, saboteurs, assassins, and revolutionary ideas,” he said. “If Lebanon fell to any of Assad’s abovementioned enemies, then his regime in Damascus would become endangered.” Rooted in Assad’s paranoia, the regime’s involvement escalated and became more pronounced with the Syrian army’s intervention in the Lebanese civil war, eventually leading to a 29-year Syrian occupation of Lebanon. In late spring 1976, a year into Lebanon’s 15-year civil war, Assad deployed troops to rescue the Maronite Christian militias under attack by the PLO and the Lebanese National Movement.
The National Movement coalition, formed in 1969 and dissolved in 1982, included leftist, pan-Arabist and pro-Syria groups. It was led by Druze leader Kamal Jumblatt, whose killing on March 16, 1977, is widely attributed to Assad’s brother Rifaat.
Assad’s alliance with the Maronite militias against the National Movement and the PLO might seem perplexing given the regime’s anti-Israel stance at the time. Indeed, Syria’s actions appeared to align with Israel’s main objectives in its 1982 invasion of Lebanon; destroying the PLO and installing a Maronite-led government. But Assad’s concerns about, and enmity toward, the National Movement had deep and complex roots, which ultimately led to his brief alliance with the Maronites. “The National Alliance actually predates the Lebanese civil war, and so does Hafez Assad’s annoyance with it,” Moubayed said. “On paper, however, they ought to have been inseparable allies, given their mutual support for the Palestinians. “There were many components in the National Alliance that Assad never liked, like Lebanese Baathists backed by Iraq and Kamal Jumblatt’s Progressive Socialist Party.”Moubayed added: “The Lebanese civil war came at a time when Assad was in the midst of a major standoff with the Iraq Baath, which had a spillover into Lebanon. “In mid-1975, and while the war was just starting to unfold in Lebanon, Iraq had mobilized its army and threatened to invade Syria (over water rights). Assad suspected that then Vice President Saddam Hussein would use the National Alliance to create trouble for Syria.” Moreover, according to Moubayed, the National Alliance’s relationship with Yasser Arafat was “troubling” for Assad, who feared a “Palestinian mini-state in Lebanon” could provoke Israeli intervention and allow Saddam Hussein “to corner him from both Iraq and Lebanon.”“When Christian leaders came seeking his help to clip the wings of Arafat in Lebanon, Assad saw it as a lifetime opportunity to destroy Abu Ammar (Arafat).” This may explain why Assad quickly turned against two Christian factions that defied Damascus by demanding its withdrawal and collaborating with Israel against a common Palestinian and Muslim enemy. In the summer of 1978, Syria launched rockets and artillery at the East Beirut strongholds of two Christian factions, the Phalangists and followers of former President Camille Chamoun, The New York Times reported. A third faction, led by former Lebanese President Suleiman K. Frangieh, broke with the others over their alliance with Israel.
Israel came to its Maronite allies’ rescue, then soon retreated, leaving behind a buffer zone controlled by the Southern Lebanon Army. Fearing a similar alliance between the Lebanese Forces in Zahle, eastern Lebanon, and local allies that could threaten the Syrian army’s presence in the nearby Bekaa Valley, Assad cracked down on the LF. This led to the Battle of Zahle, which lasted from December 1980 to June 1981. Israel invaded Lebanon again in 1982, capturing Beirut and forcing Syrian troops to retreat to the Bekaa Valley. The majority of the PLO, including its leader Arafat, were expelled on Aug. 30 that year as part of an international agreement to end the violence. Meanwhile, Assad, who used the rhetoric of resistance against Israel to strengthen his rule, seized the opportunity to gain control of the Palestinian issue in Lebanon.
For Assad, Moubayed said, controlling Lebanon was “almost as important as controlling Syria itself, and if it came at the expense of the Palestinians, then this was a price he was willing to pay.” In late 1982, Arafat’s stance was reportedly becoming more moderate toward Israel, and PLO dissidents in Lebanon’s northern city of Tripoli began organizing with Assad’s support. Within a year, and after Arafat returned to Lebanon, the Battle of Tripoli erupted between pro-Syrian Palestinian militant factions and the PLO. Arafat accused Assad of orchestrating the rebellion against him among PLO forces in Lebanon.
The conflict ended the PLO’s involvement in the Lebanese civil war.
“For Assad, it was as much about controlling the Palestinian issue as it was about controlling Lebanon,” Lebanese economist and political adviser Nadim Shehadi told Arab News. “Control of Lebanon gave Assad leverage over the resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. He held the cards and controlled the camps. “After Israel’s withdrawal in 1983 and the departure of the PLO, Syria systematically took control of PLO assets and organizations. Every party (in Lebanon) saw this, even the Kataeb (Phalangist) Party. “In each institution, pro-Fatah/PLO members were replaced by pro-Syrian ones,” he added, highlighting that this had culminated in the War of the Camps, the War of Brothers, and the takeover of Ras Beirut by the Amal Movement and pro-Syrian factions. Having influence over the resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict means that “Assad would hold the key variables, and no peace process would succeed without his conditions, approval, or the right price being extracted,” Shahadi said. “It gives him power over the region. This was demonstrated by the privileges he received in Lebanon through the Taif Agreement and the concessions made for Syria’s participation in the Gulf War coalition to expel Saddam from Kuwait. “In a nutshell, it gives him veto power and blocking power.”The Taif Accord, negotiated in Saudi Arabia in September 1989 and approved by Lebanon’s Parliament in November 1989, ended the civil war in 1990. While it called for the withdrawal of all foreign troops, it allowed Assad to impose a de facto protectorate over Lebanon and its political life. Between 1991 and 2005, the Assad regime had total control over Lebanon’s domestic and foreign policies. It capitalized on the leeway it was given, skillfully balancing relations between Lebanon’s many sects and factions and playing a key role in fueling many of the tensions that persist today. The Assads’ involvement in Lebanon was marked by a series of attacks that killed or wounded many anti-Syrian journalists and politicians. In 2005, during Bashar Assad’s reign, the wave of killings intensified. Under international pressure, the last Syrian soldiers withdrew from Lebanon on April 26 that year. In 2005 alone, at least six anti-Syrian Lebanese figures were assassinated, including former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, who was killed in a car bombing. His death, along with 21 others, was investigated by a UN-backed tribunal, which found no evidence linking Hezbollah’s leadership or Syria to the attack. However, the assassination occurred as Hariri and his political allies were debating whether to call for Syria’s withdrawal of forces from Lebanon, the AP news agency reported. The 2005 attacks on prominent anti-Syria figures also targeted journalists who were vocal in criticizing Assad’s policies in Lebanon, including history professor Samir Kassir; former MP Gebran Tueni, the editor and publisher of Annahar newspaper; and TV anchor May Chidiac, who survived an assassination attempt but lost an arm and a leg. Throughout their rule, both Hafez and Bashar Assad were notorious for maintaining tight control over the media, a practice that became especially evident during Syria’s civil war, which began in 2011. Although less pronounced, this strategy also extended to Lebanon during their reign. The withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon, nonetheless, did not end Assad’s influence over political life in Lebanon.

Lebanon should not be a security threat for the new Syria
Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib/Arab News January 05/2025

In a speech announcing the move, Bashar Assad said: “Syria’s withdrawal from Lebanon does not mean the absence of a Syrian role. This role is governed by many geographic and political and other factors. On the contrary, we (will be) more at liberty and more forthcoming in our dealings with Lebanon.”Through strategic political and military alliances, including with the Iran-backed Hezbollah and the Amal Movement, and under the guise of resistance against Israel, the Assad regime maintained significant influence over Lebanon’s domestic and foreign policies. In 2011, Lebanon found itself with a mainly pro-Syrian cabinet. The formation of this government came months after the eruption of anti-regime protests in Syria, making it critical for Assad to secure a friendly cabinet in Beirut. Although Assad’s demise signals a potential turning point for Lebanon as it approaches a long-awaited conclusion to its presidential election — ongoing since 2022 and potentially concluding on Jan. 9 — decades of Assad interference still loom large over Lebanese politics.
The Syrian regime “cloned itself in Lebanon” by penetrating “every institution and political party, including ministries, the army, the security services and even religious organizations,” Shehadi wrote in a recent op-ed for Arab News.
“Syria also facilitated the creation of Hezbollah, sponsored by its ally Iran, and balanced it out with Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.”
And despite Hezbollah being weakened by its recent war with Israel and the waning of Iran’s regional influence since Assad’s downfall, Shehadi predicts “a crisis over the formation of the Cabinet and the ministerial declaration following the election of a president.”He told Arab News: “The main variable here would be whether the Amal Movement can act independently of Hezbollah. I personally doubt it can, or that (Parliament Speaker) Nabih Berri would take the risk.
“The ministerial declaration upon the formation of the new government will have to address Hezbollah’s arms and the army’s prerogatives to take over and prevent rearming in south Lebanon.”It will also “have to reference (UN Security Council) Resolutions 1559,” which calls for the disbanding and disarmament of all militias in Lebanon. “Hezbollah will try to block this, and it will take a long time to find a suitable language that satisfies all parties.”Although the Assads are gone, their legacy is likely to linger. “For over 50 years, the Assad regime flourished by creating problems for its neighbors,” Shehadi said. “It will not be missed.”

Lebanon is not serious about disarming Hezbollah
Topping the list of reasons for lack of Lebanese interest, all presidential hopefuls need Hezbollah votes
Hussain Abdul-Hussain/Asia Times/January 05/2025
Lebanon is not serious about enforcing the UNSC Resolution 1701 mechanism agreement that it signed with Israel on November 27 and that ended 14 months of war.
Before the ceasefire, the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) watched Hezbollah hollow out 1701. The military justified its idleness by blaming the executive power for not issuing orders. After Lebanon’s caretaker cabinet endorsed the deal, LAF continued to drag its feet, for no obvious reason other than the political ambitions of its chief, presidential hopeful Joseph Aoun.
US Envoy Amos Hochstein is scheduled to visit Beirut on Monday to discuss Lebanese failure in meeting deadlines set by the ceasefire’s timetable.
Hezbollah now seems to have a new tactic. Instead of boasting about its capabilities in warring with Israel, the Iran-backed militia has instructed caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati to pretend that Lebanon has lived up to its part of the deal, and that it is now incumbent on the Jewish state to stop its “violations” and accelerate its withdrawal from Lebanese territory.
What Mikati called violations were in fact Israel enforcing 1701 by striking Hezbollah’s rearmament shipments, an arrangement that Lebanon had signed on to. The deal also stipulated that the Israeli military would control up to five miles of Lebanese territory as long as Hezbollah maintains its ability to reconstitute. Israel promised to return the no-man’s land when the LAF has disarmed Hezbollah and neutralized its threat.
From the sliver of Lebanese territory that Israel controls, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) dug up Hezbollah arms caches, confiscating 85,000 items, including missiles, rockets and launchers, enough to arm a mid-size army.
Meanwhile, Mikati and Aoun visited the southern town of Marjaayoun, signaling that the state had now restored its sovereignty south of River Litani. But the Lebanese state and its army have yet to show a single bullet that they have confiscated from Hezbollah.
Unlike the IDF, the Lebanese army busted rings of narcotics trade and petty crime. The LAF posted pictures of the arms that it had confiscated, not enough to field a neighborhood militia.
In its social media posts, the LAF went farther by depicting Israel not as a partner in disarming Hezbollah but as an aggressor that was prompting the LAF to deploy reinforcements to contain the Israeli “aggression on Lebanon.”
Five weeks after Lebanon promised to enforce the 1701 mechanism, the LAF has yet to bust a single Hezbollah arms depot. Even a busload of explosive drones that Lebanese civilians had wrestled from Hezbollah’s fighters during the war and handed over to Lebanese authorities was released back to the Iran-backed militia by order from a pro-Hezbollah judge. Not only did the state of Lebanon and its army fail to find a single Hezbollah handgun, the militia carried on with its efforts of rearmament – forcing the IDF to strike Hezbollah assets on more than one occasion. Israel warned that war might resume if Lebanon failed to disarm the Iran-backed militia as agreed upon in the ceasefire deal.
Reasons behind Lebanon’s unwillingness or inability to disarm Hezbollah are many.
First are the political ambitions of presidential hopefuls like Aoun. Election requires two thirds of lawmakers, and that is impossible without the Hezbollah-led parliamentary bloc.
Second is Hezbollah’s bullying of Lebanese politicians and the general population. Wafiq Safa, Hezbollah’s fearsome tsar of Lebanese domestic affairs, emerged as the only survivor from the militia’s top echelons. Safa had cut his teeth on bullying opponents and twisting arms. His presence continues to be felt. Third is the utter incompetence of Hezbollah’s opponents. Even though the parliament has a solid bloc of 31 (out of 128 lawmakers) that calls for the militia’s disarmament, the opposition has failed to expand its ranks or to pose any serious political threat to Safa or his militia.
Fourth is the failure of world capitals to agree on a coherent strategy. These capitals also disagree over who should be elected president. France has $30 billion worth of contracts with Iran that it hopes to see revived one day and has thus emerged as an ally of Hezbollah.
America’s “de-escalation” band-aid policy, under which it has endorsed the appeasing Aoun as its candidate for president, has undermined Saudi Arabia’s support for Lebanese Forces Party chief Samir Geagea, the most serious anti-militia candidate and one who has survived a Hezbollah attempt on his life.
Lebanon has yet to understand that Israel is dead serious about disarming Hezbollah, and that the Jewish state is not in the mood for pretend games. Unless Beirut understands this, its policy risks reigniting the deadly and devastating war.
Hussain Abdul-Hussain is a research fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies (FDD). Follow him on X @hahussain
https://asiatimes.com/2025/01/lebanon-is-not-serious-about-disarming-hezbollah/

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on January 05-06/2025
Hamas and Israel wrangle over talks as Israeli strikes in Gaza intensify
Reuters/January 05, 2025
CAIRO/GAZA: Israel and Hamas wrangled on Sunday over the details of a deal to halt fighting in the Gaza Strip and return hostages home, as Palestinian officials said intensified Israeli bombardments had killed more than 100 people over the weekend. A Hamas official said the group had approved a list of 34 Israeli hostages to be returned as part of a deal that could eventually lead to a ceasefire. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office swiftly issued a statement saying Hamas had not provided a hostage list. A renewed push is underway to reach a ceasefire in the 15-month war between Israel and Hamas, and return Israeli hostages who were taken to Gaza, before US President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20. The effort comes amid a surge in Israeli military action in the enclave. This weekend, Israeli airstrikes in Gaza killed 105 Palestinians, medics said. The Israeli military said it had killed dozens of Hamas militants.The US State Department said Israel must comply with international law and do “significantly more to ensure the protection of civilians.” It added, however, that it supports Israel’s right to defend itself. Israeli negotiators were dispatched on Friday to resume talks in Doha brokered by Qatari and Egyptian mediators, and US President Joe Biden’s administration, which is helping to mediate, has urged Hamas to agree to a deal. Hamas said on Friday it was committed to reaching an agreement as soon as possible, but it was unclear how close the two sides were. A Hamas official told Reuters any agreement to return Israeli hostages would hinge on a deal for Israel to withdraw from Gaza and a permanent ceasefire or end to the war. “However, until now, the occupation continues to be obstinate over an agreement over the issues of the ceasefire and withdrawal, and has made no step forward,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Netanyahu has consistently said the war will only end once Hamas is eradicated as a military and governing force. Israel launched its assault on Gaza in response to an Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas militants on communities in southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel’s military campaign has since leveled swathes of the enclave, driving most people from their homes, and has killed 45,805 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry.
Fighting rages
Israeli military strikes continued throughout the Gaza Strip on Sunday, with an airstrike killing five people in a house in the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, Gaza health officials said, and another killing four in Jabalia in the north of the enclave. Later in the day, an airstrike hit a police station in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, killing five people, medics said. It was not immediately clear if all the dead were police officers. At nightfall, medics said an Israeli airstrike had killed three people in Bureij camp in central Gaza, bringing Sunday’s death toll to 17. The Israeli military said it had struck Hamas militants operating from the humanitarian area in Khan Younis, and an Islamic Jihad militant who it said had carried out attacks from the humanitarian area in Deir Al-Balah. In Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, relatives and neighbors rushed to the Zuhd family’s house, which was struck by an Israeli airstrike late on Saturday, killing seven people, medics said. The search continued on Sunday morning for four others believed to be trapped under the rubble. Three men dug away debris with their bare hands to retrieve bodies and search for possible survivors. The Israeli military said on Sunday its forces had attacked more than 100 targets across Gaza over the weekend, killing dozens of Hamas militants. It said it had also destroyed rocket launching sites that had been used to wage attacks on Israel in recent days. Later on Sunday, it said it had killed last week in the Jabalia area an Islamic Jihad militant who had participated in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

Hamas official says ready to release 34 hostages in ‘first phase’ of exchange deal
AFP/January 05, 2025
GAZA STRIP, Palestinian Territories: A senior Hamas official told AFP on Sunday that the Palestinian militant group was ready to release 34 Israeli hostages in the “first phase” of a potential prisoner exchange deal. “Hamas has agreed to release 34 Israeli prisoners from a list presented by Israel as part of the first phase of a prisoner exchange deal,” the official said. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Hamas has yet to provide a list of hostages to be released under a deal. The Hamas official, requesting anonymity as he was not authorized to discuss ongoing indirect negotiations with the media, said the 34 hostages to be included in the initial swap include all the women, children, elderly people and sick captives still held in Gaza. The official said Hamas requires time to determine whether they were alive. “Hamas has agreed to release the 34 prisoners, whether alive or dead. However, the group needs a week of calm to communicate with the captors and identify those who are alive and those who are dead,” the official said. Out of 251 hostages seized during the October 7, 2023 attack that triggered the war, 96 remain in Gaza including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.

Hamas approves Israeli list of hostages for potential exchange: Reuters
Hira Humayun and Lauren Izso, CNN/January 5, 2025
Hamas has approved an Israeli list of 34 hostages to be exchanged in a possible ceasefire deal, Reuters reported, citing a Hamas official. The Israeli government denied receiving a list of hostages from Hamas, but did not directly respond to the substance of the Reuters report. The Reuters news agency reported on Sunday, citing an anonymous Hamas official, that the release of the hostages would be contingent on reaching an agreement regarding Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a permanent ceasefire. Israel and Hamas are also still negotiating the number and identities of Palestinian prisoners who would be released in exchange for the hostages. The report suggested the list had been presented by Israel. However, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office appeared to cast doubt on the report. “Contrary to what was claimed, Hamas has yet to provide a list of hostages,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement. CNN has asked the Prime Minister’s Office if Israel had put forward a list of 34 hostages. It is not clear which hostages are on the list reported by Reuters, or whether they are living or dead. In recent weeks, Israel has told CNN they have yet to receive a full list of living hostages from the militant group. This comes just days after indirect negotiations for a ceasefire-for-hostages deal resumed in Doha, talks that have so far shown few signs of progress, according to Israeli and Egyptian officials. On Saturday, Hamas turned up the pressure on Israel at the negotiating table, releasing a video of 19-year-old hostage Liri Albag. Albag’s family called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to seize the opportunity to do a ceasefire deal, describing the footage as having “torn our hearts to pieces.”CNN has reached out to Hamas and the hostage families forum for comment. As of December 5, Hamas was still holding 100 hostages in Gaza, most of whom were abducted during the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. At least 36 are believed to be dead, according to the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office.

Palestinian population in Gaza Strip decreased by 6% in 2024 during Israeli war
Arab News/January 05, 2025
LONDON: The population of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip decreased by 6 percent in 2024, while the total number of Palestinians in the Occupied Territories, inside Israel, and globally reached almost 15 million. The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics’ 2024 consensus published on Sunday reported that the Gaza Strip’s population decreased by 6 percent in 2024, resulting in a loss of nearly 160,000 Palestinians, bringing the total population to 2.1 million. The report confirmed the deaths of 45,484 individuals during the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, as of December 2024. The casualties included 17,581 children, 12,048 women, and 11,000 individuals who were missing and believed to be dead under the rubble. Additionally, 108,090 people were injured, and nearly 100,000 Palestinians have fled the coastal enclave since the Israeli military aggression began in October 2023. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the figures were “terrifying,” and showed the extent of the Israeli occupation’s “brutality and its bloody massacres against our people,” the WAFA News Agency reported. The total number of Palestinians reached 14.9 million in 2024, of which, according to the Bureau of Statistics, 7.3 million lived between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. Of these, 5.5 million resided in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza, with 65 percent being under 30 and only 4 percent above 65. About 3.4 million people lived in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, 2.1 million in the Gaza Strip, while 1.8 million were Palestinian citizens of Israel. Around 6.4 million Palestinians resided across various Arab countries, including Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, the UAE, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. The remaining 1.2 million Palestinians belonged to the diaspora in Western countries, including Europe and North America.

Israel releases Jordanian doctor detained during relief mission to Gaza
Arab News/January 05, 2025
LONDON: Israeli authorities released Abdullah Balawi, 38, a Jordanian doctor who had been detained in December while attempting to cross into the Gaza Strip to take part in a medical relief mission. Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign and Expatriates Affairs Sufian Al-Qudah said that Jordan engaged in “intensive” diplomatic efforts via the kingdom’s embassy in Tel Aviv to secure the release of Balawi on Sunday, according to the Petra agency. Israeli authorities arrested Balawi on Dec. 19 at Allenby crossing, also known as Sheikh Hussein Bridge, which borders Jordan with the Occupied West Bank. He was returned through diplomatic channels at the Sheikh Hussein Bridge on Sunday, with Jordanian Embassy staff present, Petra added. Balawi told Al-Mamlaka TV after his release that his mission as a doctor is to relieve those who need help. His family could not contact him for 11 days during his detention in Israel. Al-Qudah said that Amman closely monitored Balawi’s detention and contacted his family. Since October 2023, Jordan has launched several medical, airlift and aid relief missions to assist Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Some of these missions have been supervised personally by King Abdullah in response to Israeli military operations that have damaged multiple hospitals in Gaza and resulted in almost 45,000 deaths.

Israel blocks food supply to northern Gaza’s Indonesian hospital to force out doctors
Sheany Yasuko Lai/Arab News/January 05, 2025
JAKARTA: Israeli forces have blocked food and water supply to the Indonesia Hospital in northern Gaza to force out the doctors who are refusing to leave their patients behind, the nongovernmental organization that funded it said on Sunday. The hospital in Beit Lahiya, a four-story building located near the Jabalia refugee camp, was built from donations organized by the Jakarta-based Medical Emergency Rescue Committee. It has been sheltering more than a dozen patients, caregivers and health workers from Gaza’s Kamal Adwan hospital, which was destroyed in December after months of relentless Israeli attacks. The remaining doctors are defying orders to leave the Indonesia Hospital, MER-C said, adding that they last received food aid from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. “They are still holding out. The condition is deteriorating, there’s a lack of water and food,” Marissa Noriti, a MER-C volunteer in Deir el-Balah in central Gaza, told Arab News via WhatsApp. “The Israeli occupation forces are blocking supply … The doctors are staying for the patients. They refuse to leave them behind.”Indonesia Hospital is no longer in service after it was severely damaged by frequent Israeli attacks since October 2023. But the facility was still sheltering critically ill patients, despite not having electricity, water or supplies, according to UNOCHA. The hospital operated under limited capacity last year, but Israeli bombardments forced the patients and medical staff to transfer to the Al-Shifa hospital in southern Gaza last December, with only a few doctors staying behind. On Friday, as the hospital was surrounded by Israeli forces attacking the area, the doctors were ordered to leave the facility and the patients. “We are monitoring the situation. Israel’s occupation forces are cutting off all supplies to force them out; this is their strategy to empty north Gaza, to empty all the hospitals in the north so the people have no place to go to seek help,” Sarbini Abdul Murad, chairman of MER-C’s board of trustees in Jakarta, told Arab News. “We ask that the international community act by any means to save Palestine from the crimes of the IDF (Israel Defense Forces).”Israel has frequently targeted medical facilities in the Gaza Strip, saying that they are used by Palestinian armed groups. The attacks have pushed the enclave’s healthcare system to the brink of collapse. Israel’s war on Gaza has killed more than 45,000 Palestinians and wounded over 108,000 since Oct. 7, 2023. The real death toll is believed to be much higher, with estimates published by medical journal The Lancet indicating that, as of July, it could be more than 186,000.


Israeli helps former soldier leave Brazil over investigation into alleged war crimes in Gaza
Sam Mednick And Wafaa Shurafa/JERUSALEM (AP)/January 5, 2025
Israel has helped a former soldier leave Brazil after legal action was initiated against him by a group accusing Israelis of war crimes in the Gaza Strip based in part on soldiers' social media posts. Israel’s Foreign Ministry on Sunday said it had helped the former soldier safely leave Brazil on a commercial flight after what it described as “anti-Israel elements” sought an investigation last week. It warned Israelis against posting on social media about their military service. The Hind Rajab Foundation, named for a 5-year-old Palestinian girl killed in Gaza, said Brazilian authorities had launched an investigation into the soldier after it filed a complaint based on video footage, geolocation data and photographs showing him taking part in the demolition of civilian homes. The foundation described the move as a “pivotal step toward accountability for crimes committed in Gaza" during nearly 15 months of war.There was no immediate comment from Brazilian authorities. Brazilian media reported Saturday that the investigation was ordered by an on-call federal judge in Brazil’s Federal District. The decision was issued on Dec. 30 but first reported over the weekend. Israel has faced heavy international criticism over its war against Hamas in Gaza, with the International Criminal Court issuing arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister. The International Court of Justice is separately investigating genocide allegations. The Brazil case raised the prospect that rank-and-file Israeli troops could also face prosecution while traveling abroad. Israel adamantly rejects the international allegations, saying its forces in Gaza are acting in accordance with international law and that any violations are punished within its judicial systems. It blames Hamas for civilian deaths, saying the militant group conceals tunnels and other infrastructure in residential buildings, necessitating their demolition. Throughout the war, Israeli soldiers have posted numerous videos from Gaza that appear to show them rummaging through homes and blowing up or burning residential buildings. In some, they chant racist slogans or boast about destroying the Palestinian territory. The military has pledged to take disciplinary action in what it says are a handful of isolated cases. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250. Some 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third believed to be dead. Israel’s offensive has killed over 45,800 Palestinians in Gaza, according to local health officials. They say women and children make up over half the dead but do not distinguish between civilians and militants. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. Israeli airstrikes on Sunday killed five people in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza and four in the southern city of Khan Younis, according to health workers. Gaza's Health Ministry said at least 88 people had been killed in the past 24 hours. The war has caused widespread destruction in Gaza and displaced around 90% of the population of 2.3 million people, with many forced to flee multiple times.

Israeli forces kill Palestinian security member
(AP)/January 5, 2025
In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Israeli forces killed a member of the Palestinian security services, calling him a wanted militant. Israel's paramilitary Border Police said Sunday they carried out an operation in Meithaloun village overnight to arrest Hassan Rabaiya. They said he was killed in a shootout while trying to escape. Israeli authorities released helmet-cam footage that showed the police shooting the suspect and blowing up what police said was an explosives lab in his home. The Palestinian security services identified Rabaiya as a first lieutenant in its Preventive Security force, saying he was killed while “performing his national duty.” Meithaloun is near the West Bank city of Jenin, an epicenter of Israeli-Palestinian violence in recent years. The Palestinian Authority has been waging a rare crackdown on militants in Jenin, angering many Palestinians. The internationally recognized Palestinian Authority exercises limited autonomy in parts of the West Bank and cooperates with Israel on security matters. But Israel has long accused it of inciting violence and turning a blind eye to militants, while Palestinian critics view it as a corrupt and ineffective body that aids the occupation. The West Bank has seen a surge of violence during the war in Gaza. Israel captured both Gaza and the West Bank, as well as east Jerusalem, in the 1967 Mideast war, and the Palestinians want all three territories for their future state.


Israeli soldiers face growing risk of arrest abroad after Gaza service

Dana Karni and Tim Lister, CNN/January 5, 2025
A former Israeli soldier on vacation in Brazil fled the country suddenly after a case was brought against him there alleging he was responsible for war crimes while serving in Gaza. The case is the latest in a series of lawsuits brought by the Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) that has tracked the activities of hundreds of Israeli soldiers serving in Gaza. Last week, a Brazilian judge ordered police to investigate the soldier, based on the complaint brought by the HRF, accusing him of “participating in massive demolitions of civilian homes in Gaza during a systematic campaign of destruction.”The lawyer who brought the case on behalf of the foundation, Maira Pinheiro, was quoted in Brazilian media as saying that as Brazil is a signatory to the Rome Statute, it is obliged to ensure that the crimes provided for in the statute (war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide) are investigated and punished.
The HRF is a pro-Palestinian NGO that says it is dedicated “to breaking the cycle of Israeli impunity and honoring the memory of Hind Rajab and all those who have perished in the Gaza genocide.” Rajab was a 5-year-old girl who was killed by Israeli tank fire while in her family’s car in Gaza. The Israeli foreign ministry said Sunday that “following an attempt last weekend by anti-Israeli elements to investigate a discharged Israeli soldier who visited Brazil, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar immediately activated the Foreign Ministry to ensure that the Israeli citizen was not in danger.”The Israeli embassy in Brazil had ensured “his swift and safe departure from Brazil.”The foreign ministry added that it drew Israelis’ attention “to posts made by them on social media regarding their military service, and to the fact that anti-Israeli elements may exploit these posts to initiate baseless legal proceedings against them.”HRF has also sought the apprehension of Israeli soldiers visiting Thailand, Sri Lanka, Chile and other countries, according to its website. In the Sri Lankan case, the organization posted a photograph of the soldier and said that it had appealed to Sri Lankan authorities, the International Criminal Court and Interpol, demanding his arrest over the killing of a civilian in Gaza. There is no confirmation that any Israeli soldier has been detained or arrested as a result of the cases it has brought. The Brazilian case has kicked off a political furor in Israel. The leader of the opposition, Yair Lapid, said: “The fact that an Israeli reserve soldier had to flee Brazil in the middle of the night to avoid being arrested for fighting in Gaza is a monumental political failure of a government that is simply incapable of functioning.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar shot back, saying: “Even the empty Lapid knows that what we are witnessing is a systematic and anti-Semitic campaign aimed at denying Israel’s right to self-defense. Countless international actors and many countries are complicit in this.”“Moms Up,” a group of Israeli soldiers’ mothers, has written to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the IDF Chief of Staff following the case in Brazil, saying: “We see you as the sole responsible party for removing the legal risk facing our children.”It added that the Israeli military had been “forced to operate within a political vacuum and under pressure from extremist groups, without the vital legal protection that would safeguard its soldiers from malicious actors worldwide.”A former senior officer in Israel’s Judge Advocate General’s department told CNN that there was a rising number of attempts overseas to bring charges against Israelis who served in the war, but so far none had resulted in arrest or trial. He said that unlike in the past, activist groups were not going after high-ranking officers and politicians but ordinary soldiers. The lawyer declined to be identified for this report. The Foreign Affairs and Security Committee in the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, will discuss
the action being taken against Israeli soldiers around the world on Monday.

Israeli army says missile from Yemen intercepted
Agence France Presse/January 05, 2025
The Israeli military said Sunday it had intercepted a missile launched from Yemen, the latest in a series of recent attacks. "Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in Talmei Elazar, a missile launched from Yemen was intercepted prior to crossing into Israeli territory," the military said in a statement posted to Telegram. Yemen's Houthi rebels, who control much of northern Yemen including the capital Sanaa, said in a statement Sunday they had launched "a hypersonic ballistic missile" targeting a power station south of the Israeli city of Haifa.
On Friday, Israel's military said it had shot down a missile and a drone launched from Yemen, where Iran-backed rebels have stepped up their attacks since a November ceasefire in Lebanon between Israel and another Iran-backed group, Hezbollah.
Like Hezbollah -- which began trading cross-border fire with Israel after Hamas' October 7 attack last year -- the Huthis say they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians, and have vowed to continue until there is a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
While most of the missiles and drones launched from Yemen have been intercepted, one missile wounded 16 people in Tel Aviv in December, according to Israel's military and emergency services. In response, the Israeli air force has struck Houthi targets in Yemen, including Sanaa's international airport. The Houthi rebels have also been firing at ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden -- destabilizing a vital shipping lane and prompting reprisal strikes by the United States and sometimes Britain. The group's Saba news agency and Al-Masirah TV reported three raids on Sunday east of the city of Saada, in northern Yemen, attributing the operations to the United States and Britain. Washington and London did not immediately comment on that report. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei on Sunday said Tehran "strongly condemned the American and British air strikes against infrastructure in Saada province."

Gaza truce talks resume in Qatar as violence shows no let-up
Agence France Presse/January 05, 2025
Israel confirmed on Saturday that negotiations for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal had resumed in Qatar, as rescuers said more than 30 people had been killed in fresh bombardment of the territory. The civil defense agency said a dawn air strike on the home of the al-Ghoula family in Gaza City killed 11 people, seven of them children. AFP images from the neighborhood of Shujaiya showed residents combing through smoking rubble. Bodies including those of small children were lined up on the ground, shrouded in white sheets. As the violence raged, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed that indirect negotiations with Hamas had resumed in Qatar for the release of hostages seized in the October 2023 attacks. The minister told relatives of one of the hostages, woman soldier Liri Albag, that "efforts are under way to free the hostages, notably the Israeli delegation which left yesterday (Friday) for negotiations in Qatar," his office said. Katz said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had given "detailed instructions for the continued negotiations."He was speaking after Hamas' armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, released a video of Albag in captivity in Gaza. In the undated, three-and-half-minute recording that AFP has not been able to verify, the 19-year-old conscript called in Hebrew for the Israeli government to secure her release.
In response, her family issued an appeal to Netanyahu, saying: "It's time to take decisions as if it were your own children there."A total of 96 Israeli hostages remain in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead. Campaign group the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said the latest video was "firm and incontestable proof of the urgency of bringing the hostages home." Hamas had said late on Friday that the negotiations were poised to resume. The militant group, whose October 7, 2023, attack on Israel triggered the Gaza war, said they would "focus on ensuring the agreement leads to a complete cessation of hostilities (and) the withdrawal of occupation forces."Mediators Qatar, Egypt and the United States have been engaged in months of effort that have failed to end nearly 15 months of war. In December, Qatar expressed optimism that "momentum" was returning to the talks following the U.S. election of Donald Trump, who takes office in 16 days. But Hamas and Israel then accused each other of setting new conditions and obstacles. As the clock ticks down to the handover of power in Washington, the outgoing administration of President Joe Biden notified Congress of an $8 billion arms sale to Israel, a source familiar with the plan said on Saturday. "The department has informally notified Congress of an $8 billion proposed sale of munitions to support Israel's long-term security by resupplying stocks of critical munitions and air defense capabilities," the official said. The United States is Israel's largest military supplier.
'Everything was shaking'
Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal said the Ghoula home in Gaza City "was completely destroyed" by the dawn strike. "It was a two-story building and several people are still under the rubble," he said, adding Israeli drones had "also fired on ambulance staff.".l Contacted by AFP, the Israeli army did not immediately comment.
"A huge explosion woke us up. Everything was shaking," said neighbour Ahmed Moussa.
"It was home to children, women. There wasn't anyone wanted or who posed a threat."
Elsewhere, the civil defense agency said an Israeli strike killed five security officers tasked with accompanying aid convoys as they drove through the southern city of Khan Younis.
The Israeli army said the five had been "implicated in terrorist activities" and were not escorting aid trucks at the time of the strike. Rescuers said strikes elsewhere in Gaza killed 10 other people. AFP images showed Palestine Red Crescent paramedics in Gaza City moving the body of one of their colleagues, his green jacket laid over the blanket that covered his corpse. The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said a total of 136 people had been killed over the previous 48 hours. On Sunday, the Israeli military said it intercepted a missile launched from Yemen in the latest of a series of attacks. Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels have been firing missiles and drones at Israel -- as well as at ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden -- in what they say is a solidarity campaign with Palestinians during the war in Gaza. The Hamas attack that triggered the war resulted in the deaths of 1,208 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. Israel's retaliatory military campaign has killed at least 45,717 people in Gaza, the majority of them civilians, according to figures from the Gaza health ministry which the United Nations considers reliable.

Post-Assad economy: Syria's currency stabilizes as challenges persist
LBCI/January 05, 2025
In Syria, the use of foreign currencies such as the U.S. dollar or Turkish lira is now permitted, marking a significant shift from the strict currency controls imposed during Assad's rule. Previously, using non-Syrian currencies was punishable by imprisonment.
This relaxation, combined with the return of thousands of Syrians from abroad carrying foreign currencies, has contributed to a recent improvement in the value of the Syrian pound. The currency, which had plummeted to over 40,000 pounds per U.S. dollar in some regions during the final days of Assad's rule, has now stabilized at around 15,000 pounds per dollar. However, economic analysts caution that this recovery is temporary. The country faces a severe shortage of foreign currency reserves, a critical factor for stabilizing the exchange rate. Syria's central bank lacks sufficient reserves, leaving the economy vulnerable. One of the primary challenges is the continued enforcement of the Caesar Act sanctions since 2020. These sanctions have forced Syria to rely on alternative and often illicit methods to acquire foreign currency, including:
- Captagon trade which generates over $5 billion annually.
- Smuggling goods, including oil, from neighboring countries like Lebanon.
- Humanitarian aid was boosted after the February 2023 earthquake.
-Support from allies such as Iran.
- Remittances that Syrian expatriates send are estimated at $2 billion annually.
With the Assad regime no longer in power, sanctions remain in place. Experts emphasize that lifting these sanctions is crucial for economic recovery.
Nonetheless, this depends on the new authority's adherence to standards set by Western and regional nations, including inclusive governance and the protection of minority and women's rights.

Syria monitor reports blasts at arms depots near Damascus
AFP/January 05, 2025
BEIRUT: A Syria war monitor said explosions on Sunday rocked an area near Damascus housing weapons depots used by the toppled government of Bashar Assad. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said the blasts in Kisweh, south of the Syrian capital, may be the result of an Israeli air strike. The Israeli military, which has struck many military sites in Syria in recent weeks, told AFP in Jerusalem it did not attack the site.The Britain-based Observatory, which has a network of sources in Syria, said that “loud blasts resonated in the wider capital area.”The explosions occurred “at ammunition depots of the former regime forces... near the town of Kisweh,” sending a thick cloud of smoke billowing over the site, the Observatory said. Israel, which rarely comments on its actions in neighboring Syria, has carried out hundreds of air strikes on military sites since Islamist-led forces ousted president Assad and seized Damascus last month. Israel has said it was seeking to prevent weapons from falling into hostile hands. Most recently, the Observatory said Israeli war planes hit sites of the now defunct Syrian army in the Aleppo area on Friday. In late December, the Observatory said 11 people died in an explosion at an arms storage facility in the Adra area north Damascus, adding that it was possibly the result of an Israeli strike. Israel denied any involvement.

Syrian caretaker government to hike public sector salaries by 400 percent next month
Reuters/January 05, 2025
DAMASCUS: Syria’s finance minister said on Sunday the government would hike salaries for many public sector employees by 400 percent next month after completing an administrative restructuring of ministries to boost efficiency and accountability. The increase, estimated to cost 1.65 trillion Syrian pounds, or about $127 million at current rates, will be financed by existing state resources plus a combination of regional aid, new investments, and efforts to unfreeze Syrian assets held abroad. “(This is) the first step toward an emergency solution to the economic reality in the country,” Mohammed Abazeed, the finance minister in Syria’s caretaker government, told Reuters, adding that this month’s wages for public sector staff would be paid out this week. These measures are part of a broader strategy by Syria’s new caretaker government to stabilize the country’s economy following 13 years of conflict and sanctions. Salaries of Syria’s public sector employees under toppled President Bashar Assad’s regime were around $25 a month, putting them below the poverty line, along with the majority of the country’s population, Abazeed said.
The hike would follow a comprehensive evaluation of up to 1.3 million registered public sector employees to remove fictitious employees from the payroll and would affect those with sufficient expertise, academic qualifications, and the necessary skills for reconstruction.
Syria’s state treasury is facing liquidity challenges emerging from a war. The majority of money available in the central bank is Syrian currency, which has lost much of its value. However, the new government was promised assistance from regional and Arab countries, the minister said. “The launch of investments in the country in the near future will also benefit the state treasury and allow us to finance this salary increase,” he said, adding the central bank currently has sufficient funds to finance the next few months. The government expects to retrieve up to $400 million in frozen Syrian assets abroad, which could co-finance the initial government expenses. Syria’s caretaker government is also discussing exempting taxpayers, as much as possible, from penalties and interest and working on overhauling the tax system within the next three months to achieve tax justice for all taxpayers, with a first draft expected within four months. “By the end of this year, we expect having a well-designed tax system that takes the interests of all taxpayers into account,” he added.

KSrelief and UNHCR officials discuss enhanced humanitarian support in Syria
Arab News/January 05, 2025
DAMASCUS: Officials from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees met in Damascus on Sunday to discuss coordinated efforts to assist the Syrian people, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The meeting, focused on bolstering humanitarian and relief operations in the region, was attended by Abdullah bin Saleh Al-Harees, charge d’affaires of the Saudi Embassy in Syria. During the discussions, UNHCR officials praised their strategic partnership with KSrelief, highlighting the importance of their joint initiatives to support refugees and displaced persons in Syria. Both parties also reiterated their commitment to ensuring that vulnerable populations have access to essential resources and services to live with dignity. The humanitarian crisis in Syria remains one of the most pressing in the world, especially after the fall of Bashar Assad’s regime in December of last year, following over a decade of civil war. Assad’s ouster came after years of intensified international sanctions and a lightning offensive across key cities by opposition militias, culminating in his government’s collapse. An estimated 6.8 million Syrians remain displaced within the country, while more than 5.5 million have sought refuge in neighboring countries such as Turkiye, Lebanon, and Jordan. Humanitarian organizations like KSrelief and UNHCR play a crucial role in addressing these challenges, providing essential aid such as food, shelter, and medical care. In Syria, UNHCR has been a critical player in responding to the humanitarian crisis, assisting the millions of displaced Syrians and advocating for sustainable solutions to their plight. Its collaboration with partners such as KSrelief has been key to addressing the evolving needs of those affected by the conflict.


Syria's new Islamist rulers urge US to lift sanctions during visit to Doha
Nayera Abdallah, Menna AlaaElDin and Andrew Mills/DOHA (Reuters)/January 5, 2025
Syria's new Islamist rulers said on Sunday that U.S. sanctions on Syria were an obstacle to the war-torn country's rapid recovery and urged Washington to lift them during a visit by Syrian officials to Qatar. "These sanctions constitute a barrier and an obstacle to the rapid recovery and development of the Syrian people who await services and partnerships from other countries," Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani told reporters after meeting with Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who also serves as foreign minister. "We reiterate our calls for the United States to lift these sanctions, which have now become against the Syrian people rather than what they previously were: imposed sanctions on the Assad regime," he said.Shibani, on his second foreign trip less than a month after former President Bashar al-Assad was ousted by rebels on Dec. 8, said that Qatar will be a partner in the new phase in Syria. Doha had not normalised ties with Assad over his government's violent response to 2011 protests and backed the Syrian opposition instead. Shibani, who was joined by Syrian Defence Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra and Head of Intelligence Anas Khattab, met with other senior Qatari officials including Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed Al-Khulaifi, a Qatari official told Reuters earlier. Shibani presented the Qataris a clear roadmap for the near future in Syria and steps that would be taken by the new Syrian administration, Al-Khulaifi told reporters after the meeting. "We are working together to prevent any foreign interference in Syrian affairs," Al-Khulaifi added. Shibani said the roadmap is meant to "rebuild our country, restore its Arab and foreign relations, enable the Syrian people to obtain their civil and basic rights, and present a government that the Syrian people feel it represents them and all their components." He is expected to also visit the United Arab Emirates and Jordan this week to "support stability, security, economic recovery and build distinguished partnerships," according to his account on X. Shibani embarked on his first foreign trip to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, less than a month since former President Bashar al-Assad was ousted by rebels on Dec. 8, where Saudi officials discussed how best to support Syria's political transition. (Reporting by Andrew Mills in Doha, Nayera Abdallah in Dubai, and Menna Alaa in Cairo.Editing by Mark Potter and Sharon Singleton)

Syria's foreign minister visits Qatar as new authorities seek regional and global diplomatic ties
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP)/January 5, 2025
Syria's new foreign minister met with his Qatari counterpart and Qatar's prime minister in Doha on Sunday, as Syria’s new de facto authorities under Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, establish diplomatic ties with regional and global governments. Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani posted on X that he’s also set to visit Jordan and the United Arabs Emirates to develop strategic partnerships, and support Syria’s security and economic recovery. Al-Shibani met with his Saudi counterpart in Riyadh on Thursday. And he also welcomed the foreign ministers of Germany and France in Damascus on Friday. HTS led a lightning insurgency that ousted President Bashar Assad on Dec. 8 and ended his family's decades-long rule. From 2011 until Assad's downfall, Syria's uprising and civil war killed an estimated 500,000 people. Much of the world ended diplomatic relations with Assad because of his crackdown on protesters, and sanctioned him and his Russian and Iranian associates. Now, Syria under Islamist rule hopes to reestablish those ties and lift sanctions slapped on HTS and leader Ahmad al-Sharaa to help make Syria's battered economy viable again. Assad was backed by Russia, Iran and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. HTS now hopes Syria can strengthen ties with Arab countries in the region. Qatar supported opposition groups that fought against Assad and his allies, and was one of a few Arab countries that opposed restoring ties with the ousted Assad and Syria's return to the Arab League in 2023. “We conveyed to Doha our concerns about the challenges related to the economic sanctions imposed on the Syrian people, and we renew our call on the United States to lift those sanctions,” Syrian radio station Sham FM quoted Al-Shibani as saying. Around 90% of Syrians live in poverty, while more than half of the population doesn't know where their next meal will come from, according to the United Nations. Al-Sharaa has said he will hold a national dialogue summit that includes different groups across Syria to agree upon a new political road map leading to a new constitution and an election. He vowed to dissolve HTS during the summit and has said in an interview with Saudi television network Al-Arabiyya that the de facto rulers are all of the same political background during this transitional phase for the sake of efficiency in running the country. Still, it's unclear whether Washington will lift sanctions anytime soon. Europe, meanwhile, appears hesitant because of fears over how religious minorities and women will be treated.

Red Cross Says Determining Fate of Syria’s Missing ‘Huge Challenge'
Asharq Al Awsat/January 5, 2025
Determining the fate of those who went missing during Syria's civil war will be a massive task likely to take years, the president of the International Committee for the Red Cross said. "Identifying the missing and informing the families about their fate is going to be a huge challenge," ICRC president Mirjana Spoljaric told AFP in an interview. The fate of tens of thousands of detainees and missing people remains one of the most harrowing legacies of the conflict that started in 2011 when President Bashar al-Assad's forces brutally repressed anti-government protests. Many are believed to have been buried in mass graves after being tortured in Syria's jails during a war that has killed more than half a million people. Thousands have been released since opposition factions ousted Assad last month, but many Syrians are still looking for traces of relatives and friends who went missing. Spoljaric said the ICRC was working with the caretaker authorities, non-governmental organizations and the Syrian Red Crescent to collect data to give families answers as soon as possible. But "the task is enormous," she said in the interview late Saturday. "It will take years to get clarity and to be able to inform everybody concerned. And there will be cases we will never (be able) to identify," she added. "Until recently, we've been following up on 35,000 cases, and since we established a new hotline in December, we are adding another 8,000 requests," Spoljaric said. "But that is just potentially a portion of the numbers."Spoljaric said the ICRC was offering the new authorities to "work with us to build the necessary institution and institutional capacities to manage the available data and to protect and gather what... needs to be collected". Human Rights Watch last month urged the new Syrian authorities to "secure, collect and safeguard evidence, including from mass grave sites and government records... that will be vital in future criminal trials". The rights group also called for cooperation with the ICRC, which could "provide critical expertise" to help safeguard the records and clarify the fate of missing people. Spoljaric said: "We cannot exclude that data is going to be lost. But we need to work quickly to preserve what exists and to store it centrally to be able to follow up on the individual cases."More than half a century of brutal rule by the Assad family came to a sudden end in early December after a rapid opposition offensive swept across Syria and took the capital Damascus. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, says more than 100,000 people have died in detention from torture or dire health conditions across Syria since 2011.

Fighting Intensifies between Pro-Türkiye Factions, SDF Near Syria’s Manbij
Ankara: Saeed Abdulrazek/Asharq Al Awsat/January 5, 2025
Fighting intensified on Saturday between the Türkiye-backed Free Syrian Army and the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the Tishrin Dam region southeast of Manbij city in the Aleppo countryside. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Turkish jets struck SDF positions in the area, as well as in the city of Deir Hafir southeast of Manbij. In a statement, the SDF said the pro-Türkiye factions launched a broad attack on several villages south and east of Manbij, but its forces managed to repel them.
The factions have for days been seeking to seize areas surrounding the Tishrin Dam on the Euphrates River. The SDF added that the factions, with support from Turkish drones and modern tanks, launched violent attacks on the villages of al-Atshana, Khirbet Tueni, Khirbet Zamala, al-Mastaha, Alloush and others near Manbij. The SDF managed to repel “all attacks”, kill several members of the factions and destroy Turkish vehicles, stressed the statement. SDF members were killed and eight others were wounded in the fighting. Fifty members of the factions were also killed, said the Observatory, which confirmed the attacks on the Manbij countryside. The SDF has since detonated mines in the area to slow down the factions’ advance. It has also bolstered the deployment of its forces in anticipation of air strikes, added the Observatory. The fighting has been ongoing since December when the factions seized Manbij and Tal Rifaat. Since then, neither side has managed to claim any major victory against the other or capture any territory. Meanwhile, Turkish drones struck and damaged a power plant in the Tabaqa countryside in the western Raqqa province. Two members of the SDF security forces were also wounded in a drone strike on the municipality building in the countryside. Türkiye has been targeting infrastructure in the regions held by the People’s Protection Forces (YPG) - the military backbone of the SDF - in northern and eastern Syria. Turkish artillery also targeted areas in Hasakeh. There have been no reports so far of casualties. Elsewhere, American forces and the US-led international coalition to fight ISIS continued to send military reinforcements to areas held by the SDF.
A 20-truck American military convoy entered Syria through the Iraqi Kurdistan region and headed towards the Tal Baydar and Qasrak bases in the Hasakeh countryside on Saturday. The Observatory said the US forces sent 13 armored vehicles, as well as fuel tankers, from these bases to Ain al-Arab, or Kobane, in the eastern Aleppo countryside to complete the construction of a military base there.

Erdogan Expects Support from Syria in Türkiye's Battle with PKK
Asharq Alawsat/January 05/2025
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that Syria's new leadership is determined to root out separatists there, as Ankara said its military had "neutralized" 32 members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, in the country.
A rebellion by groups close to Türkiye ousted Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad last month. Since then, Türkiye-backed Syrian forces have occasionally clashed in the north with US-backed Kurdish forces that Ankara deems terrorists. "With the revolution in Syria... the hopes of the separatist terrorist organization hit a wall," Erdogan told his party's provincial congress in Trabzon. "The new administration in Syria is showing an extremely determined stance in preserving the country's territorial integrity and unitary structure," he said. "The end of the terrorist organization is near. There is no option left other than to surrender their weapons, abandon terrorism, and dissolve the organization. They will face Türkiye's iron fist," Erdogan added. The defense ministry separately announced the armed forces' operation in northern Syria that it said had "neutralized" - a term that usually means killed - the 32 PKK members. It said Türkiye's military had also "neutralized" four PKK members in northern Iraq, where the militants are based.

New Orleans attacker's movements included trip to Ontario in July 2023, FBI says
CBC/January 5, 2025
FBI officials on Sunday said their investigation into the deadly truck attack in New Orleans is now "crossing state and international borders," and that the attacker had travelled to both Egypt and Canada. Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. citizen from Houston, travelled to Egypt and Canada before the New Year's Day attack, although it was not yet clear whether those trips were connected to the attack, Christopher Raia, the agency's deputy assistant director, said at a news conference. Jabbar travelled to Cairo from June 22 to July 3, 2023. A few days later, he flew to Ontario on July 10 and returned to the U.S. on July 13. "Our agents are getting answers to where he went, who he went with and how those trips may or may not tie into his actions here," said Lyonel Myrthil, FBI special agent in charge of the New Orleans field office. Authorities say Jabbar had also travelled to New Orleans ahead of the attack in October. Myrthil said video shows him riding through the French Quarter on a bicycle wearing Meta smart glasses, which are capable of recording or livestreaming. Investigators previously said Jabbar, a 42-year-old former U.S. army soldier, had proclaimed his support for the Islamist militant group ISIS in online videos posted hours before he struck on Bourbon Street early last Wednesday, killing 14 people and injuring dozens. Police fatally shot Jabbar during a firefight at the scene.
Thirteen people remain hospitalized after the attack.
Raia reiterated on Sunday that the FBI believes Jabbar acted alone.
"All investigative details and evidence that we have now still support that Jabbar acted alone here in New Orleans," Raia said. "We have not seen any indications of an accomplice in the United States, but we are still looking into potential associates in the U.S. and outside of our borders." The RCMP has not responded to previous requests by CBC News for comment on Jabbar's movements in Canada and whether the police force is working with the FBI on the investigation. U.S. President Joe Biden planned to travel to New Orleans with his wife, Jill Biden, on Monday to "grieve with the families and community members impacted by the tragic attack." The youngest victim was 18 years old and the oldest 63. Most victims were in their 20s. They came from Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, New Jersey and Britain. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said the innocent lives lost will never be forgotten as he declared a period of mourning for the victims that is scheduled to begin on Monday. A different victim is to be remembered each day. "However, Louisiana and her people will never cower in fear," he said. "Instead, we will unite and come back stronger in honour of every person who lost their lives that day."


The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on January 05-06/2025
German Government Covering Up Islamist Attack?

Robert Williams/Gatestone Institute/January 5, 2025
"He [Christmas market attacker Taleb al-Abdulmohsen] himself claimed to be a Wahhabi. He had open contacts with Hamas people, as well as with supporters of IS. He threatened ex-Muslim and secular associations, as well as women who had fled from Saudi Arabia and renounced Islam. The association and the women legally defended themselves against him. He attacked the Central Council of Ex-Muslims as well as me as a member. All the major critics of Islam blocked Taleb because everyone received confused messages and threats. He never directly criticized Islam or its associations. While we protested in front of mosques, he fought us. He also repeatedly defended Saudi Arabia." — Ali Utlu, German ex-Muslim, X, December 21, 2024.
The German government, it appears, is covering up an Islamist terror attack at a Christmas market as "Islamophobic." Perhaps the ruling coalition of Social Democrat and Green parties is seeking new votes in next month's elections; perhaps it is seeking to pretend away its own massive failure at stopping a terrorist about whom the authorities were warned so many times.
Evidently, the German government does not consider disinformation a problem, so long as it is the German government that is doing it.
The German government, it appears, is covering up Saudi Arabian Taleb al-Abdulmohsen's Islamist terror attack at a crowded Magdeburg Christmas market as "Islamophobic." Abdulmohsen drove 200 meters into the market on December 20, murdering a nine-year-old boy and four women, while wounding more than 200 people, 40 critically. The German city of Magdeburg was written into the sad history of terrorist attacks by Muslim migrants, when Saudi Arabian terrorist Taleb al-Abdulmohsen drove 200 meters into a crowded Christmas market on December 20, murdering a nine-year-old boy and four women, while wounding more than 200 people, 40 critically.
It has been a quarter of a century since German authorities first identified an Islamist terrorist cell in the country. In 202, that cell was preparing a terrorist attack on a Christmas market in Strasbourg, France. Since then, and especially after German Chancellor Angela Merkel's policy of leaving Germany's borders wide open to Muslim migrants in 2015, Islamist terrorism has been the major security threat in Western Europe, especially in Germany, where Christmas markets have been an especially coveted target. Author and journalist Douglas Murray calls it, "one of the Continent's newest traditions: the Christmas market terrorist attack." In December 2016, an Islamist also rammed a vehicle into a Christmas market in Berlin, murdering 12 people and wounding 50.
What have 25 years of terrorism experience taught German authorities? Apparently, nothing.
The German authorities, and their unofficial spokespeople in the legacy media, would have Germans believe that Abdulmohsen was a hate filled right-winger and ex-Muslim who hated the adherents of his allegedly former religion. While the investigation of his attack is still ongoing, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser nevertheless told reporters, "We can only say with certainty that the perpetrator was obviously Islamophobic."
"With certainty"? Never mind that Saudi Arabia warned German authorities repeatedly that Abdulmohsen posed a danger. Never mind that he reportedly threatened a terror attack in Germany more than 10 years ago, in 2013, referring to the Boston Marathon bombing. According to The Telegraph:
"Abdulmohsen, angry that a German medical association had requested more paperwork before allowing him to practise as a psychiatrist, threatened the association on the phone with the words: 'Did you see what happened in Boston? Something similar will happen here too.'"
He made a similar threat a year later, but the German authorities appear not even to have noticed it: In 2016, he was granted asylum in Germany.
Never mind that a Saudi woman in Germany had repeatedly attempted to warn German authorities that he wanted to murder random Germans. Never mind that he made Islamist postings on X, threatening, "We will return Hamas to Gaza and if you like we can bring Hamas to your home so you can taste it." In fact, Abdulmohsen commented on a post by Nancy Faeser on her own X account that he was going to murder people: "It is likely that I will die this year to ensure justice," he wrote to Faeser prior to his attack. German authorities, so zealous in prosecuting "hate" on X that they are arresting pensioners, totally ignored a real threat.
While Abdulmohsen posed as an ex-Muslim atheist who was a fan of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and Elon Musk, a few genuine ex-Muslims saw through it and recognized it as taqqiyah – dissimulation to advance the goals of Islam.
"I'll say it again: many people who have had contact with Taleb, like me, deny that he was ever an atheist or ex-Muslim," wrote Ali Utlu, a German ex-Muslim.
"He himself claimed to be a Wahhabi. He had open contacts with Hamas people, as well as with supporters of IS.
"He threatened ex-Muslim and secular associations, as well as women who had fled from Saudi Arabia and renounced Islam. The association and the women legally defended themselves against him. He attacked the Central Council of Ex-Muslims as well as me as a member. All the major critics of Islam blocked Taleb because everyone received confused messages and threats.
"He never directly criticized Islam or its associations. While we protested in front of mosques, he fought us. He also repeatedly defended Saudi Arabia. For what?
"Dozens of people are sharing screenshots of conversations where he threatened people because they are ex-Muslims."
The German authorities – so desperate to prevent "hate" and "misinformation" that they arrest German citizens over innocent internet postings, such as the 64-year-old who had his home raided, electronic devices seized and was arrested for calling Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck an idiot on social media – apparently decided that it would be politically opportune to amplify Abdulmohsen's taqqiyah as incontrovertible fact. The German government, desperate to keep the AfD out of power, jumped at the chance to make a link between Abdulmohsen and the political party that is threatening the German Left's hold on power.
Interior Minister Faeser, apart from proclaiming Abdulmohsen's identity as an "Islamophobe" with "certainty," appears -- as has been customary in the German government since Merkel's time in office -- hell-bent on denying that Germany might have a problem with Islamist terrorism. When, last summer, three people were murdered in a stabbing attack by a Syrian in Solingen, Faeser's main concern was that the attack not be used to "sow hatred."
"We will not allow ourselves to be divided in such times, but stand together and will not allow such a terrible attack to divide society," she said at the time.
Faeser appears to have only one objective in mind: for the German Left to stay in power indefinitely. In September 2023, she proposed that foreigners and migrants who have spent as few as six months in Germany should be allowed to vote in local elections.
The German government, it appears, is covering up an Islamist terror attack at a Christmas market as "Islamophobic." Perhaps the ruling coalition of Social Democrat and Green parties is seeking new votes in next month's elections; perhaps it is seeking to pretend away its own massive failure at stopping a terrorist about whom the authorities were warned so many times.
Evidently, the German government does not consider disinformation a problem, so long as it is the German government that is doing it.
*Robert Williams is based in the United States.
© 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.
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/21270/germany-attack-cover-up

2025 New Year's Resolution: Do Something Honorable Today and Every Day
Lawrence Kadish/Gatestone Institute./January 5, 2025
The New Year has become a traditional time to reflect on the year past and ponder the year to come.
Invariably, the forecasters focus on the next 12 short months while failing to appreciate the sweep of history that has brought us to this next chapter of American history. The pessimistic "Bears" among us will warn that there are systematic threats to our economy, our nation, and the stability of the world. The optimistic "Bulls" will tout the enormous advances in technology, Wall Street confidence, and a resilient American economy that continues to set the pace for the rest of the planet.
In truth, they are both right, and the reality of America at the start of 2025 is far more nuanced than any one side would have you believe.
With an appreciation of history, one needs to look at our nation as a democracy that has demonstrated time and time again an enormous resiliency to profound changes that would have fractured any other country, and that has been so literally since our independence.
As President, George Washington had to send troops to put down the Whiskey Rebellion when a band of angry citizens of a new United States violently protested a tax on alcohol levied to pay off Revolutionary War debts. Without a strong response, America could have disintegrated at the start.
Economic cycles of boom and bust could have dismantled our democracy. Few Americans recognize how close our nation came to the political edge during the Great Depression of the 1930s, when massive unemployment led to despair among millions.
World War II propelled America into its role of a global superpower it continues to hold today. Its legacy created a pathway for civil rights, the expansion of the middle class, an interstate highway system that connected us to all points of the compass, a strong and resilient government that avoided nuclear war through strength, leading to our ultimate victory in the Cold War. So as forecasters hope to peer into the next 12 months, our past reminds us that if we focus exclusively on the day-to-day ebb and flow of our nation's pulse, we miss seeing the incredible achievements of a country that remains a beacon of freedom and opportunity. While pundits and prognosticators will dominate our attention during the next several days of the New Year, in the end, look to the historians for guidance: they have studied the past and can best appreciate the enormous future potential of a strong, dynamic and resilient America.
*Lawrence Kadish serves on the Board of Governors of Gatestone Institute.
© 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.

What next for the Palestinian Authority?
Dr. Ramzy Baroud/Arab News/January 05, 2025
The latest news from the Palestinian Authority’s “Protecting the Homeland” operation in the Jenin refugee camp paints a grim picture. Nine Palestinian lives have been claimed in this ongoing crackdown, which began on Dec. 5, including a young journalist, Shaza Al-Sabbagh. The assault, as reported by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, has expectedly received a stamp of approval from the Israeli occupation army. Meanwhile, Israel’s Channel 14 confirmed that Tel Aviv had issued a clear deadline to the PA to finish the task — effectively eradicating what remains of the resistance in Jenin in the name of ending lawlessness and apprehending outlaws. It is an irony that has become all too familiar: the Palestinian entity that was supposed to represent the will of the people and lead them toward freedom has become complicit in crushing resistance in one of the most marginalized and impoverished areas of the West Bank. This is the heart of the Palestinian paradox in the West Bank. For years, the PA has demanded unflinching obedience from the Palestinian people in the name of preparing Palestine for sovereignty and statehood. Yet, as the years have passed, this pledge has slipped further and further away. In its place, the PA seems to have become complicit in the expansion of Israel’s territorial control and the erosion of Palestinian rights. This might be a difficult conclusion to digest, but the killing of innocent Palestinians in Jenin at the hands of Palestinian security forces, while Israel and its settlers are cracking down on Palestinians elsewhere in the West Bank, should be all the proof needed to support this claim.
Moreover, the PA’s strategy of appeasing Israel through “security coordination” has done little to hinder its systematic land grab and the continued construction of illegal settlements. There is a deep-seated belief among some that a public confrontation with the PA would lead to greater disunity.
The operation in Jenin is a clear manifestation of how Israel uses the PA to carry out its dirty work. The Jenin refugee camp, which covers an area of less than 0.5 sq. km, has always been a symbol of Palestinian resistance. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, Israel has raided Jenin 80 times in the last year alone, killing more than 220 Palestinians and wounding hundreds more. But Jenin remains unbowed. What complicates this crisis even further is the silence of many Palestinian intellectuals, both in the West Bank and the diaspora, who have failed to confront the PA with the same vigor with which they criticize the Israeli occupation. But why have so many prominent voices, intellectuals and political analysts remained mute on this issue? The answer lies in a complex mixture of fear, political pragmatism and historical inertia. For decades, the PA has maintained a stranglehold on the political landscape of Palestinian life. It controls the levers of power. Palestinian intellectuals, particularly those in the West Bank, are all too aware of this reality. Additionally, there is a deep sense of paralysis within the Palestinian intellectual community in the West Bank, in part due to their leadership’s failure to confront Israel over the ongoing genocide in Gaza. But there is more to this ongoing paralysis.For years, the PA has framed itself as the “sole legitimate representative” of the Palestinian people. Many intellectuals who would normally criticize Israel’s occupation are unwilling to take on the PA for fear of further fragmenting the Palestinians. There is a deep-seated belief among some that a public confrontation with the PA would lead to greater disunity, which could play into Israel’s hands. But can the PA be saved? The answer may not even matter. What matters is whether the Palestinian people can, through their collective will and resistance, liberate themselves from Israel’s settler colonialism. The events of the coming weeks and months will be decisive.
**Dr. Ramzy Baroud is a journalist and author. He is editor of The Palestine Chronicle and nonresident senior research fellow at the Center for Islam and Global Affairs. His latest book, co-edited with Ilan Pappe, is “Our Vision for Liberation: Engaged Palestinian Leaders and Intellectuals Speak Out.” X: @RamzyBaroud

Saudi Arabia and Syria: History and Reality

Abdulah bin Bijad Al Otaibi/Asharq Al-Awsat/January 05/2025January 05, 2025
Sense and political realism oblige writers to contain their emotions and focus on methodology and intellect, expressing joys and sorrows cautiously and only within reason. However, if our brief time on this earth is measured against history, we can bear witness to exceptional events worthy of expressing emotions unconstrained by reason and realism, without undermining either. The Assad regime is evil by every metric. It was built by Hafez and brought to its current state by Bashar. The Syrian people have suffered from the brutality, tyranny, and extraordinary viciousness of this regime for more than half a century, and it was compounded by international agreements that extended its survival. Their suffering has aggravated since 2011, when Bashar chose to fully align with militias, abandoning Hafez's balanced strategy and leaving Syria prey to criminal sectarian militias from Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, Pakistan, and elsewhere.
The Syrian people must keep the history of this regime in the memory - its massacres, prisons, murder, torture, and its manufacture and trafficking of drugs. Museums should be established on these very sites, serving as historical monuments to the most thuggish regime of the modern era. Their rule is a disgrace to the humanity of the 21st Century. Anyone curious to better understand Hafez’s reign can read the novels of Abdul Rahman Munif, such as East of the Mediterranean, and dozens of similar works. Or they can read the media leaks, complete with documents and photographs, that document Bashar's.
At the start of its modern history, Syria stood at the forefront of the resistance to the mighty Ottoman rulers and the oppressive "Turkish Caliphate." Al-Kawakibi wrote "The Nature of Despotism" and "Umm Al-Qura" (Mother of All Villages). Rashid Rida fled Syria to Egypt and founded Al-Manar magazine, and Jamal Al-Din Al-Qasimi, a tolerant jurist, was also pressured. Sultan Al-Atrash, the Druze leader seeking independence, rose up against the French and declared revolution, while Fares Khoury, a Christian, fought colonialism and sought unity.
Nicholas Van Dam's “The Struggle for Power in Syria” is a seminal work that every researcher must read. It has served as the foundation of many authors’ work, including Patrick Seale’s book on Hafez Al-Assad. Van Dam wrote that when Syria gained its independence in 1946, it was a state but not a nation, a political entity, but not a political society. Shortly afterward, the Baath Party rose to power. According to Mutaa Safadi, "the Baath was originally a sectarian movement." This deep academic discourse differs greatly from the language of contemporary politics, delving into far more profound questions. social convictions do not change overnight. They cannot be buried by decades of "minority brutality" or threatened by "fundamentalist brutality." Syria was once the seat of the Umayyad Caliphate. Founded by Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan - "the uncle of the believers," the scribe of divine revelation, and the founder of the Arab Caliphate. Centuries of history cannot be undone by a few deviant decades.
Throughout modern history, Saudi Arabia has always been Syria's greatest supporter, helping both the state and its people. King Abdulaziz, the Kingdom’s founder, would proudly say: "Most of my men are Syrians." Distinguished Syrians held prominent roles in his court, including figures like Yusuf Yassin and Khayr al-Din al-Zirikli. In 1928, Syrians offered to have his son Faisal rule the country as the king of Syria, but he declined the offer because of his keen insight, choosing instead to support Syria in every possible way. Relations between the two nations remained special and exceptional. Even during the rule of the sectarian Baath regime, Saudi Arabia remained the Syrian people's largest political and humanitarian backer. Media outlets have reported the resumption of this historic provision of aid by Saudi Arabia, led by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center. Its political support was also evident from the fact that it hosted the new administration in Riyadh for its foreign minister’s first foreign visit. Supporting regional political stability has always been Saudi Arabia’s policy. In our current "age of triviality" and the culture of "sandwich knowledge," it is remarkable to see people seeking books that offer basic knowledge about the relevant people, groups, ideas, and terms. Even fewer turn to Google or Wikipedia. If only it stopped at their superficial pursuit of knowledge for personal development, but no. They eagerly go on to disseminate this rudimentary knowledge in podcasts or on social media, as though their work were the ultimate intellectual achievement to be emulated. Finally, the Syrian people remain Saudi Arabia and the Arab world’s strongest allies in Syria. While the evils of the past are worth remembering, anticipating the threat of the future is equally vital.

The Significance of Christians in Our Societies
Ahmed Al-Sarraf/Al-Qabas/January 05/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/01/138745/
(Free Translation by Elias Bejjani)
One of the often-overlooked truths in Arab countries is the vital role that Christians have played—and continue to play—in our societies. Yet, there persists an unjust tendency to marginalize their contributions, despite their profound political, cultural, educational, and national impact, particularly in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Egypt.
Following the unexpected collapse of Assad's Syria, an event so sudden it felt like a dream to many, a cautious optimism began to take root among Syrians. However, skepticism lingers, especially among the Christian community, who make up approximately 10% of the population. Their concerns were powerfully expressed in the moving New Year's Mass address delivered by Patriarch John X. His words, echoing centuries of historical faith and sacrifice, resonated deeply:
"From Antioch, the beacon of light that gave the disciples the name 'Christians.' From Antioch, blessed with the glory of its Lord. From Maryam of Damascus, where Paul heard the voice: 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?' From the snows of Lebanon, whose cedars the Psalmist praised, and from Hermon, whose melted snows baptized Christ in the Jordan. From these ancient lands, where even the stones whisper with the echoes of Paul and the heartbeats of Ananias.
From the heart of this East, where Christ was born—an East of Easts—we stand today, bearing witness to two millennia of Christian presence in this land. We are the wheat of Christ in the East, rooted in this soil that bakes its bread in thanksgiving to the Creator, that presses its vineyards for His glory, and whose olive trees still echo the prayers from Gethsemane. We are from the roar of the Jordan, where He was baptized, from the snows of Hermon, and from the cedars of Lebanon. We are from Damascus, Paul, and Ananias. From Beirut, Quartz, Tyre, and Sidon. From the vineyards of Zahle, the authenticity of the Bekaa, and from Baalbek, the city where eternity was carved into the stones of its fortress.
We are from Tripoli, which embraces the heart of Homs, and from Akkar, where Syria and Lebanon beat as one. We are from the towering heights of Mount Lebanon, which shakes hands with Aleppo's authenticity, and from Latakia, sitting beside Antioch, city of the apostles. We are from the olives of Idlib and the valor of Daraa, where Quneitra and the Golan bathe in the waters of Tiberias. We are from Homs and Hama, which cradle Hauran and Suwayda. We are from Baghdad, which kisses the faces of Mersin and Adana, and reads history in the pages of Diyarbakir and Erzurum.
We belong to this geography, extending from the East to the entire world, where Christianity was woven into the fabric of the souls of its people, as churches were hewn from its stones. Through the rise and fall of kingdoms, the faith we inherited from the apostles has endured—a Gospel nursed with our mothers' milk, a sacrifice shaped by hardship and sweetness alike. Our survival here is not a borrowed grace; it is our legacy."
Patriarch John X continued, addressing Syria's evolving future:
"Today, as Syria enters a new phase, we look forward, together with our Muslim brothers, to a dawn crowned with freedom, justice, and equality. Our light shines from the true brotherhood we have shared with Muslims through every era, despite all the challenges. I declared it in Tartous in 2013, repeated it days ago, and reaffirm it today: My Muslim brothers, between us and you, the dividing 'waw' (and) has dissolved. This letter falls in a society built on true citizenship, where all faiths are respected and every group has its place in a modern constitution crafted by all of us—Christians included.
This constitution should not be shaped by the language of minority and majority but by the principles of partnership and shared purpose. It should draw from the openness of Levantine Islam and the depth of Eastern Christianity, upholding mutual respect and shared life. We seek a constitution that guarantees equality for all Syrians—politically and socially."
He further reminded the congregation of the historic unity Christians and Muslims have shared:
"We are from the Church of Patriarch Elias IV Moawad, the 'Patriarch of the Arabs,' who, in February 1974, spoke on behalf of all Arabs—Muslims and Christians—at the Lahore Islamic Summit, where his voice resounded for Jerusalem. This legacy was reaffirmed by Patriarch Ignatius IV Hazim at the Taif Islamic Summit in 1981. Our Church has never distinguished between the faiths it served during hardship, including during the First World War. Our cross will forever embrace the crescent of tolerance on this land, as it has throughout history."
Concluding his address, Patriarch John X extended a direct message to Syria's emerging leadership:
"I personally address Mr. Ahmad Al-Sharaa, wishing him and his administration health and strength in leading the Syria every citizen dreams of. We have extended our hand to collaborate in building a renewed Syria, but we await a reciprocal gesture. Despite widespread media coverage about an upcoming Syrian unity conference, no official communication has yet reached us. It is worth recalling that since independence, Syrian Presidents have visited this very Patriarchal House of the Mariamites of Damascus. We welcome you here, as always, for dialogue and reconciliation.
Is there no one who hears this voice of reason and wisdom? When will our sectarian, tribal, religious, and racial conflicts end? Must we remain shackled by this backwardness forever?"
The Patriarch's words echo as both a plea and a challenge—an invitation for true national healing and a rejection of divisive ideologies. May they inspire the dawn of a just, united Syria where all its children, regardless of faith, can thrive together.