English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For January 07/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
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Bible Quotations For today
Tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offence at me
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 07/18-30: “John summoned two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?’ When the men had come to him, they said, ‘John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” ’ Jesus had just then cured many people of diseases, plagues, and evil spirits, and had given sight to many who were blind. And he answered them, ‘Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offence at me.’ When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who put on fine clothing and live in luxury are in royal palaces. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written, “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.” I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John; yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.’(And all the people who heard this, including the tax-collectors, acknowledged the justice of God, because they had been baptized with John’s baptism. But by refusing to be baptized by him, the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God’s purpose for themselves.)”

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on January 06-07/2025
Lebanese army redeploys in Naqoura as Israeli ceasefire violations continue
Hochstein arrives in Beirut as truce deal shakes
Hochstein: Israel Will Withdraw From All Lebanese Territories
Lebanon rally calls for release of Islamists jailed during Syria war
Katz warns ceasefire in jeopardy if Hezbollah doesn't withdraw beyond Litani
What Is Najib Mikati Playing At?
Lebanese Army Deploys in Naqoura and Hamoul
Al-Rai Urges Election of Unifying Lebanese President
Lebanese-French Group: The Outcome of Presidential Vote to Shape Lebanon's Future
Pursuit of a President Defying the Detrimental Mini-State/Michel Touma/This Is Beirut/January 06/2025
Lebanon rally calls for release of Islamists jailed during Syria war
Indications That Hizbullah Is Preparing The Ground For Continued Military Action In South Lebanon Under The Guise Of 'Popular Resistance'

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on January 06-07/2025
Blinken calls for push to get Gaza truce deal over ‘finish line’
Over 45,850 Palestinians killed in Gaza offensive
'Palestinians by blood but Syrians at heart': Residents of Yarmouk refugee camp dream of revival
Israel says Hamas has not given ‘status of hostages’ it says ready to free
Shooting attack on a bus carrying Israelis in the occupied West Bank kills 3
Israel awaits ‘status of hostages’ in Hamas truce offer, WFP condemns strike on Gaza convoy
How Israeli raids on northern Gaza hospitals compound the enclave’s healthcare emergency
Why has ISIS not yet claimed the New Orleans vehicle attack?
Residents of Syria's Quneitra are Frustrated by Lack of Action to Halt Israeli Advance
Tell Congress to Stand with U.S. Allies in Syria
US temporarily eases some Syria sanctions
UAE foreign minister receives Syrian counterpart in Abu Dhabi
Türkiye's Erdogan Says End Is Near for Kurdish Militants in Syria
UN: Over 30 million in need of aid in war-torn Sudan
Trump responds to Trudeau's resignation with dig about Canada being 51st state
Who might replace Trudeau as Liberal Party leader?
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces resignation after facing major political pressure
France's ex-president Sarkozy on trial over alleged Gadhafi pact

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on January 06-07/2025
Canada, the Panama Canal and Now Greenland. What's Behind Trump's Expansionist Rhetoric?/Robert Spencer/Gatestone Institute/January 6, 2025
Equivocations/Charles Chartouni/This is Beirut/January 06/2025
From the 2014 Archive/Get Out, Christians, from Our Lands/Ahmad Al-Sarraf/Al-Qabas Kuwaiti Newspaper/June 24, 2014
Humankind set for more giant leaps in space in 2025/Dr. Amal Mudallali/Arab News/January 06, 2025
Israel’s pitiless war on Gaza continues apace/Chris Doyle/Arab News/January 06, 2025
German democracy seeing interference from both East and West/Mohamed Chebaro/Arab News/January 06, 2025
Iran Between Sinwar’s ‘Flood’ and Sharaa’s ‘Flood’/Ghassan Charbel/Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper/January 06/2025

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on January 06-07/2025
Lebanese army redeploys in Naqoura as Israeli ceasefire violations continue
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Arab News/January 06, 2025
BEIRUT: Lebanese army convoys entered the coastal city of Naqoura on Monday to be redeployed and repositioned following the withdrawal of Israeli forces that had invaded the area during last year’s war. The redeployment came as the quintet committee tasked with implementing the ceasefire agreement held a meeting in Ras Al-Naqoura, which US envoy Amos Hochstein attended for the first time. Lebanese army vehicles have gathered in the south of Tyre in preparation for their entry to Naqoura after the army’s bulldozers carried out sweeping operations in the area for the past two days following the Israeli army’s withdrawal. A security source said that the army was expected to reposition itself in the sites it had evacuated before the Israeli invasion last year. A US military representative, a French military representative and military members representing Lebanon, Israel and UNIFIL were present at the quintet committee’s meeting. The committee met amid increasing Lebanese and UNIFIL complaints about Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement.
FASTFACT
US envoy Amos Hochstein held talks with Lebanese Army Commander Gen. Joseph Aoun before the quintet committee’s session, followed by meetings with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Najib Mikati.
A significant Israeli violation took place last Saturday.
UNIFIL said in a statement: “The peacekeepers observed an Israeli army 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.”The peacekeeping force described the move as “deliberate and direct destruction of both clearly identifiable UNIFIL property and infrastructure belonging to the Lebanese armed forces, which is a flagrant violation of Resolution 1701 and international law.”
Earlier, Israeli bulldozers uprooted a Lebanese army observation tower 10 meters from where the quintet committee’s meeting would later take place at UNIFIL headquarters.
Hochstein, who helped draft the ceasefire agreement between the Israeli army and Hezbollah, arrived on Tuesday morning at Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport.
He held talks with Lebanese Army Commander Gen. Joseph Aoun before the quintet committee’s session, followed by meetings with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati.
Meanwhile, a patrol from UNIFIL removed the earthen barrier that Israeli forces had set up on Sunday at the southern entrance of the town of Burj Al-Muluk.
In the morning, Israeli forces demolished several houses in Naqoura before the scheduled deployment of the Lebanese army.
UNIFIL forces activated their alarm sirens in two phases, at level three and level two, from their headquarters in Naqoura. The Israeli army demolished several houses in the town of Al-Jabin, located in the Tyre district. The home of Lebanese Army Brig. Gen. Abbas Hassan Aqil was destroyed in the operation. Israeli violations during the past 48 hours included combing operations in the towns of Maroun Al-Ras and Aitaroun in the Bint Jbeil district, using heavy machine guns, and blowing up houses in Aitaroun. An Israeli force penetrated Taybeh, carried out a combing operation, and blew up several houses inside the town. Lebanese Army Command said: “In light of the violations by Israel of the ceasefire agreement and its assaults on Lebanon’s sovereignty and its citizens, hostile forces infiltrated the area of Taybeh–Marjeyoun on Sunday. “They proceeded to block three roads with earthen barriers. “Subsequently, a patrol from the army was dispatched to the incursion site to monitor the situation in coordination with the five-member committee overseeing the ceasefire agreement, and the roads were reopened.
Israel also fired shells at homes in Bint Jbeil, Wadi Al-Hujayr, Markaba, Mays Al-Jabal and Burj Al-Muluk. On Monday, civil defense personnel recovered the bodies of seven Hezbollah fighters who had died in previous confrontations with Israel in the town of Khiam. Some bodies in southern border villages have yet to be retrieved due to the Israeli incursion, despite 41 days passing since the ceasefire was reached.
Meanwhile, statements by Hezbollah officials asserting that the party has not been defeated provoked local reactions.
Hezbollah’s Liaison and Coordination Unit official Wafiq Safa said from Beirut that the party “has not been defeated and will not be defeated. It is stronger than iron, and there will be no possibility for anyone to break our morale.”Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem said: “Our patience with Israel's violations is linked to the appropriate time to confront the enemy. “It can run out before or after the 60-day deadline. When we decide to do something, you will directly see it.”
The statements sparked a series of responses. Former President Michel Sleiman said: “This is a Hezbollah official imposing a security veto against the state carrying out its responsibilities. “May God have mercy on those who lost their lives, houses and livelihoods due to unilateral war decisions. A futile support war that had catastrophic consequences.” The Tajadod (Renewal) parliamentary bloc said: “The positions expressed by Wafiq Safa confirm that Hezbollah is trying to cover up its losses, surrender, suicidal choices and continued disruption of the constitution and institutions. “It would have been better for Hezbollah, following the disastrous war it caused, to learn and return to its Lebanese identity just like any other component in the country. However, it insists on its behavior that contradicts the meaning of Lebanon as a diverse and open country and the concept of the state and its institutions. Enough is enough. The era of terrorizing the Lebanese people is over.”MP Sethrida Geagea addressed Safa, saying: “Wafik Safa, look at yourself. Feel your hands. You know very well what you have committed against your people and the Lebanese. A final phrase to summarize your situation: People with any sense of shame are a thing of the past.”MP Michel Daher said: “Should not Wafik Safa ask about who will take in the displaced again if war is renewed, God forbid? We are tired of this rhetoric and approach. We want a proper country.”

Hochstein arrives in Beirut as truce deal shakes
Naharnet/January 6, 2025
U.S. special envoy Amos Hochstein arrived Monday in Beirut, amid a fragile Lebanon-Israel truce, which took effect on November 27. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz had warned on Sunday that "there will be no agreement" if Hezbollah did not withdraw "beyond the Litani river", while Hezbollah new 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. Israel's state-run Public Broadcasting Corporation had also reported that Israeli soldiers will not withdraw from south Lebanon when the 60-day period stipulated in the ceasefire agreement expires. Hochstein led over a year of shuttle diplomacy to broker the ceasefire deal. He now co-chairs a U.S.-led monitoring committee that includes France, the U.N. peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon, Lebanon, and Israel. MTV channel reported that Hochstein will propose extending the 60-day implementation timeframe for an additional 60 days. It said he will warn Lebanese officials that the monitoring committee will step in to disarm Hezbollah in south Lebanon if the Lebanese army fails to send ten thousand soldiers south of the Litani. The local TV channel said Hochstein will also discuss the presidential file with Lebanese key players, pushing for the election of Army chief Gen. Joseph Aoun. "Hochstein will link the election of Aoun to the ceasefire and to Lebanon's reconstruction," MTV said. Head of Hezbollah's Coordination and Liaison Unit, Wafiq Safa, announced Sunday that his party does not have a "veto" on electing Aoun as president. "The only veto to us is on (Lebanese Forces leader) Samir Geagea."He said it is the Lebanese state's responsibility to address the Israeli violations and that Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri will discuss the violations with Hoschtein. Hochstein had met Sunday in Riyadh with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, before heading to Lebanon.

Hochstein: Israel Will Withdraw From All Lebanese Territories
This is Beirut/January 06/2025
US envoy to Lebanon Amos Hochstein announced on Monday the start of the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Naqoura. Following his meeting with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in Ain el-Tineh and Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati in the Grand Serail, Hochstein reiterated Washington's support for the Lebanese army. “Israeli forces will withdraw completely from southern Lebanon,” announced the American envoy. He further pointed out that “implementing the ceasefire agreement in southern Lebanon is not easy.” “Lebanon is at a critical moment politically and economically,” he added. The US envoy’s visit to Ain el-Tineh followed his meeting with Lebanese Army Commander-in-Chief General Joseph Aoun. The meetings took place against a backdrop of uncertainty about the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah and the approaching presidential vote in Parliament. “We are determined to support the Lebanese army,” said Amos Hochstein, adding that “it is the only entity that ensures the security of the population of southern Lebanon and the presence of the Blue Line, and I congratulate the monitoring committee on its work.”Following his meeting with Lebanese Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Mr. Hochstein again stressed the difficulties encountered in implementing the agreement. “The implementation of the agreement did not happen at the required speed”, he asserted, before insisting that this had nevertheless led to “a complete withdrawal of the Israeli army from the western sector and the deployment of the Lebanese army there”.Meanwhile, Mikati addressed ongoing Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement. “We demand a clear timetable for the completion of the Israeli withdrawal before the 60-day deadline”, he said, pointing that “the continuation of these violations and talks of extending the ceasefire deadline are strongly rejected”. “What is happening is now in the hands of the countries that sponsored the arrangement and the committee overseeing its implementation,” he added.
Joint statement
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the US and French embassies in Lebanon also released a joint statement that day that emphasized the Israeli withdrawal efforts. Amos Hochstein and US General Jasper Jeffers jointly chaired the ceasefire implementation committee, which held its third meeting at a UNIFIL site in Ras Naqoura, according to the release. French, Israeli, and Lebanese representatives, along with the UN Special Coordinator in Lebanon, were present. The statement said that plans were discussed for a phased withdrawal of Israeli forces from the whole area south of the Litani River, with the Lebanese army being deployed from the west to the east. Over the past month, the Lebanese army has been preparing for this operation by neutralizing more than 10,000 pieces of unexploded ordnance with the support of UNIFIL, thus enabling safe deployment. The withdrawal began at midday on Monday, with the Israeli forces in Naqoura moving south of the Blue Line. The statement also stressed that “the Lebanese army is the only institution responsible for the defense and security of Lebanon”. The commission is working closely with the Lebanese army leadership to support these strategic moves.

Lebanon rally calls for release of Islamists jailed during Syria war
Agence France Presse/January 06/2025
Hundreds protested in Lebanon's second city Tripoli, demanding that authorities release Islamists detained during the civil war in neighboring Syria, an AFP journalist said. The prisoners include Lebanese who had gone to fight with rebels and jihadists against the forces of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad during the conflict, which began in 2011, and were arrested upon their return to Lebanon. The rally on Sunday in Tripoli's Nour Square comes nearly a month after Islamist-led forces toppled Assad. "We want to increase pressure on the Lebanese authorities to release all Islamist detainees," said protester Ahmad al-Shimali.
"Islamist detainees in Lebanon's prisons were arrested in the context of the Syrian revolution," he said of the more than 13-year civil war. "Most went to Syria to fight, supported our people in Syria, or were found to have communicated with jihadists or fighters," Shimali added. "But today the Assad regime has fallen."Rights campaigners have long demanded fair trials for those accused of ties to Islamist extremism in Lebanon, some of whom have been behind bars for years without a trial. In late December, Prime Minister Najib Mikati told relatives of the detainees that the issue should be "definitively" resolved, but also said parliament must first decide on whether to issue a general amnesty. Parts of Tripoli saw clashes in the early days of the war in Syria, which was triggered by the Assad government's repression of democracy protests. Tensions had been simmering for years between the city's Sunni Muslim district of Bab al-Tebbaneh and nearby Jabal Mohsen, where the majority of residents are from the minority Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shiite Islam to which Assad belongs.

Katz warns ceasefire in jeopardy if Hezbollah doesn't withdraw beyond Litani
Naharnet/January 06/2025
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.

What Is Najib Mikati Playing At?
This is Beirut/January 06/2025
High-ranking parliamentary sources questioned the reasons that led caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati to place the draft law on bank restructuring on the Cabinet's agenda for its session tomorrow, and why he discreetly sent it as an annex last Friday. The same sources unanimously agreed that the draft law was rushed and prepared by a specific group of bankers close to the caretaker Prime Minister, his deputy Saadeh el-Chami and his advisor Nicolas Nahas. The parliamentary sources asserted that, through the passage of this draft law, the Prime Minister is attempting to present credentials to foreign parties by portraying the draft law as support for reforms. This would thereby open the door for him to be reappointed as Prime Minister in the next term. Otherwise, why is this project listed on the agenda of a session scheduled just two days before the presidential election session?
The sources emphasized that the draft law is essentially a continuation of the coup initiated by Hassan Diab’s government, which declared Lebanon bankrupt and shifted the country towards a cash-based economy that served Hezbollah and its allies. The project aims to liquidate the banking sector and its shareholders, erase depositors’ funds and legitimize certain pre-selected banks programmed to remain operational, or even attract foreign banks. The sources concluded by saying, “Najib Mikati may celebrate if the project is approved in the Cabinet, but it will face fierce opposition in Parliament, where nothing of it will survive, as anything built on falsehood is inherently false.”

Lebanese Army Deploys in Naqoura and Hamoul
This is Beirut/January 06/2025
The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) deployed in Hamoul and Naqoura in the western sector of South Lebanon on Monday, establishing positions in three locations. The deployment followed the simultaneous withdrawal of the Israeli army from the western area, according to Israeli media. Earlier on Monday, the Municipality of Naqoura indicated that the LAF had begun moving into their positions within the town. In a message to the residents of Naqoura, the municipality stated that “a force of the Lebanese Army and Civil Defense will provide support for [their] safe return after confirming that there is no more danger.”In the town of Khiam, the bodies of seven individuals were recovered by Civil Defense search and rescue teams, the General Directorate of Civil Defense said in a statement on Monday. The bodies were transferred to Marjayoun Hospital for identification, in full coordination with the LAF.“Search operations will resume Tuesday morning until all missing persons are found,” the statement added. In the meantime, the Israeli government stressed on Monday that if Hezbollah does not move north of the Litani River, the ceasefire deal with Lebanon could be jeopardized. It also reiterated that it will not permit Iran to send weapons to Hezbollah, in line with the ceasefire accord.

Al-Rai Urges Election of Unifying Lebanese President
This is Beirut/January 06/2025
Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai called on Lebanese MPs to elect a president who commands the trust of the Lebanese people and the support of international allies.During the Epiphany celebration on Monday, Patriarch al-Rai delivered his sermon and emphasized the need for a leader to meet the country’s challenges and promote unity and peaceful cooperation among its diverse communities. The statement comes ahead of a crucial parliamentary session on January 9 to elect a new president. The presidency has remained vacant since October 2022, leaving Lebanon in prolonged political uncertainty.

Lebanese-French Group: The Outcome of Presidential Vote to Shape Lebanon's Future
This is Beirut/January 06/2025
The Lebanese-French Coordination Committee and the World Lebanese Cultural Union-France expressed grave concerns about Lebanon's presidential election on January 9, 2025, stressing that the outcome will shape the nation’s future. They emphasized the critical role of the new president and the subsequent government in establishing long-term peace and stability for Lebanon. The groups called for international support, particularly from the United States and France, during this crucial period. In their statement issued on Monday, the organizations outlined their vision for Lebanon's recovery and future. They urged the future president to prioritize the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions (UNSCR), particularly 1701, 1680 and 1559, to ensure lasting peace. Rebuilding trust in Lebanon's institutions is essential, they said, calling on the incoming president to lead by example and remain free of corruption.
The committee highlighted the need for a strengthened Lebanese military, Interior Security Forces and General Security Forces to reclaim control over all state territory and secure borders with Israel and Syria. They called for Lebanon’s reintegration into the international community and proposed a roadmap for national recovery, including the full implementation of the Taif Accord, which advocates for the dissolution of militias and the decentralization of state functions. They further demanded the cessation of political practices, such as the formation of so-called “national unity governments,” which have hindered Lebanon’s democratic progress. The groups emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability, specifically regarding the investigation into the 2020 Beirut port explosion and the financial losses of Lebanese depositors. The committee also recommended revising national education curricula to promote citizenship and national identity. They urged the president to champion the modernization and digitization of Lebanon’s state institutions to foster transparency, reduce corruption and enhance public service efficiency. The Lebanese-French Coordinating Committee and the World Lebanese Cultural Union-France concluded by stressing the importance of political alignment to support the Lebanese Armed Forces in maintaining peace and stability, ensuring a prosperous future for Lebanon.

Pursuit of a President Defying the Detrimental Mini-State
Michel Touma/This Is Beirut/January 06/2025
The Iranian mullahs' camp and their local allies have adopted excessive tactics of intimidation, threats and coercive politics. They revel in flaunting their defiance, entrenched in denial, loudly proclaiming that the "resistance" remains intact, "strong" and poised for a swift revival. While listening to their rhetoric and observing the arrogance of their supporters, one could be led to believe that the highly strategic developments of recent months — which have decapitated and severely shaken Hezbollah in Lebanon, nearly crushed Hamas in Gaza and spectacularly brought down the Assad regime in Syria like a house of cards — were merely insignificant, fleeting incidents with no lasting impact. The latest act in this media-driven political spectacle unfolded late last week, as Hezbollah supporters mobilized by the dozens, staging an impromptu and noisy parade on their signature mopeds through the southern suburb and along the airport road. The demonstration was a protest against the decision by Beirut International Airport’s security authority to inspect a supposedly “civilian” Iranian plane — a significant detail given its ownership by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. Just days earlier, loyalists of the pro-Iranian group had staged a similarly disruptive show of force in a busy neighborhood of the capital during the funeral of one of their members. Whether through disruptive actions in the streets or intentionally belligerent posturing, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's foothold in Lebanon never misses an opportunity to reaffirm its sprawling and heavy-handed presence across multiple fronts. At the same time, leaks to the press suggest ongoing efforts to strengthen both militia and political power on various levels, with the aggressive rhetoric of Iranian leaders serving as a backdrop, repeatedly reiterating their determination to pursue their fight against the Western camp — down to the last Lebanese. History will soon reveal whether this multifaceted posturing is ultimately aimed at concentrating partisan efforts solely on internal fronts for petty power struggles, or whether it seeks to rekindle illusory military operations against Israel, along the endlessly elusive and unattainable road to Jerusalem. On the purely Lebanese level, either scenario is likely to prompt crucial decisions, especially regarding the presidential election, which now faces the critical deadline of January 9, the date set for the parliamentary session convened by the speaker of Parliament.
In light of the new order emerging in the region and its direct consequences for the Middle East — especially the resurgence of the destabilizing and subversive actions of Tehran’s mullah regime — and following the economic, financial, social, political, institutional and military-security crises that have plagued Lebanon since 2019, the country must urgently elect a president who is both wise and unifying. Above all, this leader must demonstrate firmness, political courage and determination in restoring the credibility and sovereignty of the state. This will also require solid, unwavering international support to effectively counter international terrorism and sectarian extremist movements. Under the current circumstances, the Lebanese population urgently needs a head of state (in every sense of the term) with a clear political (sovereigntist) vision — someone who will not compromise on upholding the authority of the central government, the monopoly on legitimate violence or the rejection of a militia-based mini-state that thrives by undermining state institutions and the country’s vital sectors. In the face of the new regional order and the widespread decay undermining the local scene, the Lebanese can no longer afford half-measures, compromises or a lack of political courage. They can no longer accept a president who might approach the country’s management with a focus on opportunistic dealings.
Lebanon can no longer afford, at the risk of its own survival, to embrace a president open to collaborating with entities fundamentally opposed to state-building and the safeguarding of Lebanon's unique identity. The population can no longer bear the prospect of another six years of sabotage and disintegration, which could be enabled by the complicity of a potential "compromise" president who, once confronted with transnational ideologies and agendas, may falter in upholding the core principles of sovereignty — doing so with both wisdom and, above all, firmness and determination.

Lebanon rally calls for release of Islamists jailed during Syria war
Agence France Presse/January 6, 2025
Hundreds protested in Lebanon's second city Tripoli, demanding that authorities release Islamists detained during the civil war in neighboring Syria, an AFP journalist said. The prisoners include Lebanese who had gone to fight with rebels and jihadists against the forces of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad during the conflict, which began in 2011, and were arrested upon their return to Lebanon. The rally on Sunday in Tripoli's Nour Square comes nearly a month after Islamist-led forces toppled Assad. "We want to increase pressure on the Lebanese authorities to release all Islamist detainees," said protester Ahmad al-Shimali. "Islamist detainees in Lebanon's prisons were arrested in the context of the Syrian revolution," he said of the more than 13-year civil war. "Most went to Syria to fight, supported our people in Syria, or were found to have communicated with jihadists or fighters," Shimali added. "But today the Assad regime has fallen." Rights campaigners have long demanded fair trials for those accused of ties to Islamist extremism in Lebanon, some of whom have been behind bars for years without a trial. In late December, Prime Minister Najib Mikati told relatives of the detainees that the issue should be "definitively" resolved, but also said parliament must first decide on whether to issue a general amnesty. Parts of Tripoli saw clashes in the early days of the war in Syria, which was triggered by the Assad government's repression of democracy protests. Tensions had been simmering for years between the city's Sunni Muslim district of Bab al-Tebbaneh and nearby Jabal Mohsen, where the majority of residents are from the minority Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shiite Islam to which Assad belongs.

Indications That Hizbullah Is Preparing The Ground For Continued Military Action In South Lebanon Under The Guise Of 'Popular Resistance'
MEMRI/January 6, 2025
Lebanon | Special Dispatch No. 11766
On December 26, 2024, about a month after the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon came into effect, Hizbullah supporters on social media circulated two messages by two previously unknown groups calling themselves the "Youth of the Villages of the Strip Bordering Occupied Palestine" and the "Youth of Beirut's Southern Dahiyeh." In the statements, the groups announced their intention to wage armed resistance against the Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, with one of the groups even asking Hizbullah to provide it with equipment and training. The groups justified their decision to fight Israel by accusing it of violating the Lebanon-Israel ceasefire agreement that was signed on November 27, 2024, and said that Israel is not deterred by the international parties charged with overseeing the ceasefire, nor by the Lebanese armed forces.
These messages were published against the backdrop of mutual accusations by Israel and Hizbullah regarding violation of the ceasefire agreement. Israel continues to dismantle Hizbullah infrastructures and thwart its efforts to protect its capabilities and weapons by transferring them north of the Litani River, instead of handing them over to the Lebanese military, whose capabilities are limited and which has so far shown no serious intention of dismantling Hizbullah's infrastructure.
The authenticity of the two groups that issued the announcements is difficult to ascertain. It is possible that they are branches of Hizbullah that were created in order to continue militant activity in South Lebanon under the guise of "popular resistance," and in light of Hizbullah's frustration with the ongoing damage to its military infrastructures and its desire to prevent the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement, as it has previously done with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.
It appears that figures close to the organization have already given the green light for these actions by stating that they "understand the anger of the residents" who "will not continue to remain silent" about Israel's operations in South Lebanon.[1] Ibrahim Al-Amin, board chairman of the pro-Hizbullah daily Al-Akhbar, wrote two days after the posting of the groups' messages that action against Israeli forces can be taken either by Hizbullah or by "new groups."
So far, these "popular" groups have expressed their readiness to act against the Israeli forces, but in the future they may also target the Lebanese security forces and UNIFIL troops, which are tasked with dismantling Hizbullah's infrastructure and seizing its weapons in accordance with the ceasefire agreement.
The use of fictitious groups and the waging of military action disguised as "popular resistance by locals" are well-known tactics used by Hizbullah and by the Iran-backed resistance axis, to which it belongs.[2] Over the recent years, Hizbullah operatives disguised as local residents have initiated several confrontations with UNIFIL forces that were seeking to prevent the presence of Hizbullah militant forces in South Lebanon. One example is the December 14, 2022 confrontation between "locals" and UNIFIL forces during which Sean Rooney, a peacekeeper from UNIFIL's Irish Contingent, was killed and three others were wounded. Contrary to Hizbullah's claims, the clashes with UNIFIL were not local and spontaneous initiatives, but rather deliberate actions carried out by Hizbullah operatives.[3] Another tactic used by Hizbullah is to disguise its military activity on the border with Israel – which is prohibited under Resolution 1701 – as activity by a local environmental organization known as "Green Without Borders."[4]
This report will provide an overview of the statements issued by the two new groups, along with translated excerpts from the article by Ibrahim Al-Amin regarding the legitimacy of their resistance to Israel.
Local Groups: We Will Wage "Popular Resistance" Against The Enemy's Forces In South Lebanon
On December 26, 2024, a group calling itself "The Youth of the Villages of the Strip Bordering Occupied Palestine" published a statement threatening to launch "popular resistance" using "weapons in its possession." Seeking to distance itself from Hizbullah, the group asserted that it has nothing whatsoever to do with any existing organization. The statement read:
"Since the ceasefire with Lebanon came into effect, the Israeli enemy has been deliberately violating the agreement… In the face of the Lebanese and international silence – and the inaction of the Lebanese government and of the military, which we trust to defend our lands, our property and the lives of all citizens – we, the youth of South Lebanon, residents of the villages that are being destroyed in violation of the agreement that was signed, claiming no political or organizational affiliation and out of faith in our land and in the liberty of our nation, declare that we are being forced to defend our villages and our property using the weapons that we have in our possession. We will not let the enemy continue this deliberate hostile and barbaric activity, and we are being forced to launch a popular resistance in the south in order to confront this aggression."[5]
On the same day, another group named the "Youth of Beirut's Southern Dahiyeh" likewise published a statement threatening to carry out armed operations against the Israeli forces in South Lebanon. The statement said that the group comprises residents of South Lebanon and of the Beqaa Valley, areas in which Israel carries out military operations. This group also called on Hizbullah to resume fighting and to arm and train its operatives. Its statement read:
"It caused us great pain today to see the tanks of the Israeli occupation defiling our beloved south and infiltrating the depth of the territory in Wadi Al-Hajir, without any right to do so and in flagrant violation of United Nations [Security Council] Resolution 1701 regarding the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon… We appealed to the Lebanese state but received no answer; we appealed to UNIFIL but received no answer; we appealed to the international community, represented by the ambassadors of the countries that guarantee the agreement, but received no answer. Therefore, we – the Youth of Beirut's Southern Dahiyeh, from among the residents of the south and of the Beqaa Valley – declare that we legally, Islamically, and morally empower that the Islamic resistance in Lebanon, which is represented by Hizbullah, to fight in order to defend the land, the honor and the nation. We [also] ask it to arm and train us so that we can resist the Israeli occupation and liberate our lands with our own hands…"[6]
The statement by the "Youth of Beirut's Southern Dahiyeh" (T.me/Electronhizbullah, December 27, 2024)
Pro-Hizbullah Daily Al-Akhbar: Resistance Against The Israeli Forces Is Legitimate, Whether By Hizbullah Or By New Groups
Two days after these statements were published, Ibrahim Al-Amin, board chairman of the pro-Hizbullah Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar, hinted at the existence of these groups, writing that Israel's violations of the ceasefire agreement grant legitimacy to action against the Israeli forces, whether by Hizbullah or by "new groups." In the article, titled "There Is No Choice but Resistance against the Enemy's Violations," he criticized the ceasefire agreement and said that none of the parties meant to oversee the agreement are taking responsibility and restraining Israel. He added that all the elements in Lebanon – including the commanders of the military, Lebanon's interim prime minister Najib Mikati, and Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri – have warned the U.S. about the dangers of Israel's behavior and called on it to stop this behavior, but the U.S. has not done a thing.
He emphasized: "The only thing accomplished by the operations of the occupation army [i.e. the Israeli army] is to grant renewed legitimacy to any action taken by the resistance – whether by Hizbullah or by new groups that believe they have a responsibility to stand up to what the enemy is doing. Even though the people are already weary of war and do not want to leave their homes again, the cost of conflict with the occupation forces will be less than the cost of surrendering to what the enemy is currently doing. Resistance is the only possible option in the face of the enemy's arrogance."[7]
It should be noted that, as of this writing, Hizbullah has not made any official reference to these new groups. People "close to" Hizbullah have denied any connection to the "messages," telling the Lebanese daily Al-Nahar that "the option of defending the homeland and defeating the occupier is the basis for Hizbullah's existence, and it has no need to hide behind fictitious messages or names." However, these individuals expressed support for these initiatives, essentially greenlighting them, explaining that they "understand the anger of the residents, who will certainly not continue to remain silent and will not agree to going backwards."[8]
[1] Al-Nahar (Lebanon), December 30, 2024.
[2] In 2020, Iran-backed Shiite militias in Iraq adopted a similar tactic in order to attack U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria without sparking a American military response against them. The tactic involved having various previously unheard-of "grassroots" groups, under different names, claim responsibility for attacks against U.S. forces and convoys. See: MEMRI Inquiry & Analysis Series No. 8640, New Iranian Tactic Unknown Group Issues Statement Of Responsibility For Attacks On U.S. Forces In Iraq, March 16, 2020; MEMRI JTTM Report Iran-Backed Shi'ite Militias In Iraq: We Will Declare War Against U.S. Forces If They Don't Leave By End Of 2021, December 30, 2021.
[3] For more about the conflicts between UNIFIL forces and Lebanese "locals," and about Hizbullah's threats against UNIFIL forces, see: MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 10390, Lebanese Journalists: Hizbullah Responsible For Death Of Irish UNIFIL Soldier, December 22, 2022; MEMRI JTTM Report Hizbullah Escalates Its Threats To UNIFIL Following UN Resolution To Extend Its Mandate For Another Year And Expand Its Authority, September 13, 2022; MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 9721, Lebanese Journalists: Hizbullah Behind Attacks By South Lebanon Residents On UNIFIL Forces, January 13, 2022.
[4] For more about "Green Without Borders," see MEMRI Inquiry & Analysis Series No. 1681, Locals In South Lebanon: Hizbullah Using Environmental Organization As Cover For Activity Near Israel-Lebanon Border, February 27, 2023.
[5] X.com/RaniaYounes16, December 26, 2024.
[6] T.me/Electronhizbullah, December 27, 2024.
[7] Al-Akhbar (Lebanon), December 28, 2024.
[8] Al-Nahar (Lebanon), December 30, 2024.
https://www.memri.org/reports/indications-hizbullah-preparing-ground-continued-military-action-south-lebanon-under-guise

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on January 06-07/2025
Blinken calls for push to get Gaza truce deal over ‘finish line’
Reuters/January 06, 2025
JERUSALEM/CAIRO: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Monday for a final push for a Gaza ceasefire before President Joe Biden leaves office, after a Hamas official told Reuters the group had cleared a list of 34 hostages as first to go free under a truce. “We very much want to bring this over the finish line in the next two weeks, the time we have remaining,” Blinken told a news conference in South Korea, when asked whether a ceasefire deal was close. Israel has sent a team of mid-ranking officials to Qatar for talks brokered by Qatari and Egyptian mediators. Some Arabic media reports said David Barnea, the head of Mossad, who has been leading negotiations, was expected to join them. The Israeli prime minister’s office did not comment. It remains unclear how close the two sides remain, with some signs of movement but little indication of a shift in some of the key demands that have so far blocked any truce for more than a year. US President-elect Donald Trump has said there would be “hell to pay” in the Middle East if hostages held by Hamas were not freed before his inauguration on Jan. 20, now viewed in the region as an unofficial deadline for a truce deal. According to Gaza health officials, nearly 46,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s assault on Gaza. The assault was launched after Hamas fighters stormed Israeli territory in October 2023, killing 1,200 people and capturing more than 250 hostages, by Israeli tallies. More than 100 hostages are still believed to be held in Gaza, and Hamas says it will not free them without an agreement that ends the war with Israeli withdrawal. Israel says it will not halt its assault until Hamas is dismantled as a military and governing power and all hostages go free. A Hamas official told Reuters the group had cleared a list submitted by Israel of 34 hostages who could be freed in the initial phase of a truce. The list provided by the official included female soldiers, plus elderly, female and minor-aged civilians. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the list had been given by Israel to Qatari mediators as far back as July, and Israel had so far received no confirmation or comment from Hamas about whether the hostages on it were alive.“Israel will continue to act relentlessly for the return of all our hostages,” it said in a statement. Israeli forces, which have intensified their operations in recent weeks, continued bombardments across the enclave, killing at least 48 people and wounding 75 over the past 24 hours, according to the Gaza health ministry.Harsh winter weather continued to exact a toll on the hundreds of thousands displaced into makeshift shelters, with officials saying a 35-day-old baby had died of exposure, at least the eighth victim of the cold in the past two weeks. Officials from Al-Awda Hospital in Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip said an Israeli airstrike at a school compound sheltering displaced families had wounded at least 40 people.While Israel’s military says Hamas has largely been destroyed as an organized military force, its fighters continue to hold out in the rubble of Gaza, which has been largely reduced to wasteland by the months of bombardment. On Monday, three rockets were fired from Gaza, one of which hit a building in the nearby Israeli city of Sderot without casing casualties, Israeli police said. In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, a separate Palestinian territory where violence has also surged since the start of the Gaza war, gunmen killed three Israelis and wounded several others when they opened fire on a car and bus near the Israeli settlement of Kedumim.

Over 45,850 Palestinians killed in Gaza offensive
AFP/January 06, 2025
GAZA CITY: The Health Ministry in Gaza said on Monday that 49 people were killed in the Palestinian territory in the past 24 hours, taking the overall death toll of the war to 45,854. The ministry also said in a statement that at least 109,139 people had been wounded in nearly 15 months of war between Israel and Hamas, triggered by the Palestinian group’s October 7, 2023 attack. Also on Monday, the UN World Food Programme said that Israeli forces opened fire on its convoy in Gaza on Jan. 5 in an incident it described as “horrifying.” The agency said that its convoy of three vehicles carrying eight staff members was struck by 16 bullets near the Wadi Gaza checkpoint, causing no injuries. The WFP statement said the convoy was clearly marked and had received prior security clearances from Israeli authorities. Israeli forces kept up their bombardment of Gaza on Monday, with the territory’s civil defense agency reporting 13 people killed in strikes in the territory. Mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and the US have been working for months to strike a deal to end the fighting in Gaza, but both warring sides have accused the other of derailing the negotiations. Israel said on Monday that Hamas had yet to clarify whether 34 hostages it claimed it was ready to free were dead or alive, throwing doubt on the group’s assertion that it needed time to ascertain their fate. The offer from Hamas came as Israel continued to pound the Gaza Strip, where rescuers said 13 people were killed on Monday.
In recent days, mediators have resumed indirect talks, and a senior Hamas official said late on Sunday that the group was prepared to release an initial batch of captives but would need “a week of calm” to determine whether they were still alive.
Israeli government spokesman David Mencer, however, rejected that claim on Monday. “They know precisely who is alive and who is dead. They know precisely where the hostages are,” Mencer told journalists in an online briefing. “Gaza is a very small place. Hamas know exactly where they are.”In an earlier statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Israel had not received any confirmation or comment from Hamas regarding the “status of the hostages,” adding those slated for inclusion were part of a list “originally given by Israel to the mediators” last year. The Hamas official had also said the group came from a list presented by Israel and would include all the women, children, elderly, and sick captives still held in Gaza. “Hamas has agreed to release the 34 prisoners, whether alive or dead,” the official said, but the group needed time “to communicate with the captors and identify those who are alive and those who are dead.”On Monday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken voiced confidence that a ceasefire deal would come together, but possibly after President Joe Biden leaves office on Jan.20. “If we don’t get it across the finish line in the next two weeks, I’m confident that it will get its completion at some point, hopefully, sooner rather than later,” Blinken said on a visit to Seoul. President-elect Donald Trump, who takes over on Jan. 20, has vowed even stronger support for Israel and has warned Hamas of “hell to pay” if it does not free the hostages. Israel’s left-leaning Haaretz newspaper reported Monday that negotiations with Hamas “are approaching a crossroads, and Israeli decision-makers are optimistic that a deal can be finalized within the next few days.”Some Israeli news websites reported that the chief of Israel’s spy agency, Mossad, was joining the country’s negotiators in Doha.

'Palestinians by blood but Syrians at heart': Residents of Yarmouk refugee camp dream of revival
Assiya HAMZA/FRANCE 24)/January 6, 2025
The Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp near Damascus was devastated by the Syrian civil war. The scene of violent clashes between Bashar al-Assad's regime and rebel militias, including the Islamic State (IS) group, little remains of a once-thriving area but ruins and desolation. Yet a number of its inhabitants have chosen to return, hoping to rebuild their “little Palestine”. It's an apocalyptic landscape, with ruined shells of buildings almost as far as the eye can see. Facades that are somehow still standing are riddled with bullets. The Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk, in the southern suburbs of Damascus, bears the scars of 13 years of brutal war in Syria. With the fall of the regime of Bashar al-Assad, the remaining inhabitants of the camp dream of seeing their “little Palestine” reborn. “In 1957, UNRWA (the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees) distributed land so that the Palestinians could build housing,” says Fahmi al-Mouhab, whose parents fled Galilee in 1948 during what he calls the Nakba, or catastrophe, the forced Palestinian exodus following the creation of the state of Israel. “People lived in tents. There was nothing. No water or electricity,” he says.
Years of suffering under Assad. Mouhab is at times interrupted by his family members, who don't let him finish his sentences, but he remains unperturbed. Fahmi takes the opportunity to slip away for a smoke in the alcove.

Israel says Hamas has not given ‘status of hostages’ it says ready to free
AFP/January 06, 2025
JERUSALEM: Israel said on Monday that Hamas had so far not provided the status of the 34 hostages the group declared it was ready to release in the first phase of a potential exchange deal. “As yet, Israel has not received any confirmation or comment by Hamas regarding the status of the hostages appearing on the list,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement after a Hamas official gave a list of 34 hostages the group was ready to free in the first phase.

Shooting attack on a bus carrying Israelis in the occupied West Bank kills 3
AP/January 06, 2025
JERUSALEM: A shooting attack on a bus carrying Israelis in the occupied West Bank killed at least three people and wounded seven others on Monday, Israeli medics said. Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service said those killed included two women in their 60s and a man in his 40s. Violence has surged in the West Bank since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack out of Gaza ignited the ongoing war there. The attack occurred in the Palestinian village of Al-Funduq, on one of the main east-west roads crossing the territory. The identities of the attackers and those killed were not immediately known. The military said it was looking for the attackers, who fled. Palestinians have carried out scores of shooting, stabbing and car-ramming attacks against Israelis in recent years. Israel has launched near-nightly military raids across the territory that frequently trigger gunbattle with militants. The Palestinian Health Ministry says at least 835 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank since the start of the war in Gaza. Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war, and the Palestinians want all three territories for their future state.
Some 3 million Palestinians live in the West Bank under seemingly open-ended Israeli military rule, with the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority administering population centers. Over 500,000 Israeli settlers live in scores of settlements, which most of the international community considers illegal.
Meanwhile, the war in Gaza is raging with no end in sight, though there has reportedly been recent progress in long-running talks aimed at a ceasefire and hostage release. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed across the border in a massive surprise attack nearly 15 months ago, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250. Some 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. Israel’s air and ground offensive has killed over 45,800 Palestinians in Gaza, according to local health authorities, who say women and children make up more than half of those killed. They do not say how many of the dead were militants. The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 fighters, without providing evidence. The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced 90 percent of the territory’s population of 2.3 million, often multiple times. Hundreds of thousands are enduring a cold, rainy winter in tent camps along the windy coast. At least seven infants have died of hypothermia because of the harsh conditions, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Aid groups say Israeli restrictions, ongoing fighting and the breakdown of law and order in many areas make it difficult to provide desperately needed food and other assistance.

Israel awaits ‘status of hostages’ in Hamas truce offer, WFP condemns strike on Gaza convoy
FRANCE 24/ January 6, 2025
Hamas has yet to clarify whether an initial batch of captives it said it was prepared to release were dead or alive, Israel said Monday, amid a months-long attempt to strike a deal to end the fighting in the besieged Palestinian enclave. The negotiations continue as Israel kept up its bombardment of the Gaza Strip, where the UN’s World Food Programme said one of its convoys was struck by Israeli fire. Israel said Monday that Hamas had yet to clarify whether 34 hostages it claimed it was ready to free were dead or alive, throwing doubt on the group's assertion that it needed time to ascertain their fate.
Mediators from Qatar, Egypt and the United States have been working for months to strike a deal to end the fighting in Gaza, but both Israel and Hamas have accused the other of derailing the negotiations. In recent days, mediators have resumed indirect talks, and a senior Hamas official said late Sunday that the group was prepared to release an initial batch of captives but would need "a week of calm" to determine whether they were still alive. Israeli government spokesman David Mencer, however, rejected that claim on Monday. "Gaza is a very small place. Hamas know exactly where they are."
The Israeli military did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the incident.

How Israeli raids on northern Gaza hospitals compound the enclave’s healthcare emergency
Sherouk Zakaria/Arab News/January 06, 2025
DUBAI: For months, prominent Palestinian pediatrician Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya had been pleading with the international community to protect medical staff and patients at the Kamal Adwan Hospital amid repeated Israeli assaults.As one of just two functioning hospitals in northern Gaza, Kamal Adwan served as a lifeline for thousands in need of medical assistance under an Israeli siege that has blocked the delivery of food, shelter materials, and medical supplies since Oct. 5. However, the pleas of Dr. Abu Safiya, the hospital’s director, fell silent on Dec. 27 when Israeli forces stormed the facility and detained him along with patients and other medical staff, alleging it was a “Hamas terrorist stronghold.” Since early October 2024, Israel has intensified its siege on northern Gaza, mounting a series of operations intended to root out Hamas fighters. The raid on Kamal Adwan knocked the hospital out of action, dealing a fresh blow to northern Gaza’s already devastated healthcare system.
Since early October 2024, Israel has intensified its siege on northern Gaza.
The following day, health officials said Israeli forces targeted Al-Awda Hospital, severely damaging the last functioning facility in northern Gaza. The hospital had been overflowing with patients after the Indonesian Hospital was reportedly put out of service earlier in the month. On Dec. 29, the Palestinian health ministry said Israeli strikes had left two facilities in Gaza City — Al-Ahli Arab Baptist Hospital and Al-Wafaa Hospital — with significant damage. “Hospitals have once again become battlegrounds, reminiscent of the destruction of the health system in Gaza City earlier this year,” the World Health Organization said in a statement.Israel has long accused Hamas of using civilian hospitals for military purposes, employing patients and medical staff as human shields — a claim that the Palestinian militant group that governs Gaza has consistently denied. In its latest raid on Kamal Adwan Hospital, the Israeli military said its troops had killed 20 “terrorists” and detained 240 others, including Dr. Abu Safiya on suspicion of being “a Hamas terrorist operative.”Israel has long accused Hamas of using civilian hospitals for military purposes. On Friday, Israel confirmed it was holding Dr. Abu Safiya, but did not specify where. In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces said he was “currently being investigated by Israeli security forces” as he was suspected of being a “terrorist” and for “holding a rank” in Hamas. Israel launched its military operation in Gaza in retaliation for the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel that killed some 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and saw around 250 taken hostage, including many foreign nationals. The air and ground campaign in Gaza has caused the death of some 45,400 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, and left 108,000 wounded, according to the Palestinian health ministry. Around 100 Israelis remain captive in Gaza, but a third are believed to be dead. Kamal Adwan Hospital has been the target of around 50 recorded attacks on or near the facility since early October 2024, according to the WHO.The latest raid left the hospital’s laboratory, surgical unit, engineering and maintenance department, operating theater, and medical store severely damaged by fire. Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesperson, denied troops had entered the facility or started the fire. “While IDF troops were not in the hospital, a small fire broke out in an empty building inside the hospital that is under control,” he said. A preliminary investigation had found “no connection” between the military operation and the fire, he added. Dr. Abu Safiya’s detention has sparked global outcry as UN agencies, rights groups, and non-governmental organizations demanded his immediate release.

Why has ISIS not yet claimed the New Orleans vehicle attack?
Analysis by Nick Paton Walsh, CNN/January 6, 2025
It is the deadliest attack by an ISIS supporter on the West in several years. But still, almost a week later, the group also known as Islamic State has yet to issue its trademark claim of responsibility for the horrific New Year’s violence in New Orleans. There may be a mundane, technical reason for a delay. Or there could be another explanation: that the group genuinely had no foreknowledge of the attack, and is reluctant to make a false claim. But many analysts have suggested a lack of foreknowledge has not stopped the group from trying to associate itself with attacks in the past. An extreme example is its brief attempt to claim the October 2017 mass shooting at a Las Vegas festival as its own operation. So, could there be another rationale behind the lack of a claim for the attack, which killed 14 people and injured dozens? It’s the kind of atrocity that many observers have warned ISIS has wanted to perpetrate on the United States as part of its revival. “There’s no question it was IS inspired,” said Edmund Fitton-Brown, senior adviser to the Counter Extremism Project. “So why would they not grab it gratefully? It seems an unmissable opportunity to claim a direct hit on the ‘biggest Satan.’”
Peter Neumann, professor of security studies at King’s College London, said: “It would be very unusual for ISIS not to claim this attack, given that the attacker openly declared his allegiance to the group and even put an ISIS flag on his truck.”
The group’s hierarchy, traditionally based in Syria and Iraq, is perhaps reeling from persistent US airstrikes, recently bolstered by the French, both Neumann and Fitton-Brown said. This could have disrupted the usual mechanism and leadership who would issue and approve such a message. Just as the Assad regime fell in Syria, the Biden administration announced that it had hit 75 ISIS targets on December 8, using B-52 bombers, F-15 jets, and A-10 warplanes. Eleven days later, US Central Command said a precision strike had killed an ISIS leader in Syria, Abu Yusif, aka Mahmud, in Deir Ezzor province. Neumann said while ISIS affiliates in Afghanistan and Africa were growing, the group remained “on the defensive” in Iraq and Syria. “That’s where many believe the group’s media operation, including its ‘news agency’ Amaq is situated,” he said.
However, Neumann added this possible disruption had not stopped ISIS from publishing its so-called weekly “newspaper” al-Naba, so it was curious the group could not simply publish a claim on social media about the New Orleans atrocity. He said he expected to see at least a reference to the attack in al-Naba, published Thursdays. (The New Orleans attack was in the early hours of Wednesday, so just prior to the last publication). Another possibility is that ISIS could be waiting longer to issue the claim, at a time when it might highlight the attack in the news cycle again and gain greater attention from the incoming Trump administration, which takes office on January 20. Separately, the New Orleans attacker’s personal history and circumstances might have influenced ISIS’s behavior. Shamsud-Din Jabar did pledge allegiance to ISIS prior to the summer, according to the FBI, in theory providing plenty of time for contact with the group. Unusually for an ISIS supporter, however, he was a veteran who had served in the US military in Afghanistan for about a year, which might have left the terror group squeamish about a close association.

Residents of Syria's Quneitra are Frustrated by Lack of Action to Halt Israeli Advance
Asharq Al Awsat/January 06/2025
A main road in the provincial capital of Quneitra in southern Syria was blocked with mounds of dirt, fallen palm trees and a metal pole that appeared to have once been a traffic light. On the other side of the barriers, an Israeli tank could be seen maneuvering in the middle of the street.
Israeli forces entered the area — which lies in a UN-patrolled buffer zone in the Golan Heights that was established by a 1974 ceasefire agreement between Syria and Israel — soon after the fall of President Bashar Assad last month in the country's 13-year civil war.
The Israeli military has also made incursions into Syrian territory outside of the buffer zone, sparking protests by local residents. They said the Israeli forces had demolished homes and prevented farmers from going to their fields in some areas. On at least two occasions, Israeli troops reportedly opened fire on protesters who approached them. Residents of Quneitra, a seemingly serene bucolic expanse of small villages and olive groves, said they are frustrated, both by the Israeli advances and by the lack of action from Syria’s new authorities and the international community.
Rinata Fastas said that Israeli forces had raided the local government buildings but had not so far entered residential neighborhoods. Her house lies just inside of the newly blocked-off area in the provincial capital formerly called Baath City, after Assad's former ruling party, and now renamed Salam City.
She said she is afraid Israeli troops may advance farther or try to permanently occupy the area they have already taken. Israel still controls the Golan Heights that it captured from Syria during the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed. The international community, with the exception of the US, regards it as occupied. Fastas said she understands that Syria, which is now trying to build its national institutions and army from scratch, is no position to militarily confront Israel.
“But why is no one in the new Syrian state coming out and talking about the violations that are happening in Quneitra province and against the rights of its people?” she asked. The United Nations has accused Israel of violating the 1974 ceasefire agreement by entering the buffer zone.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said troops will stay on "until another arrangement is found that will ensure Israel’s security.” He was speaking from the snowy peak of Mount Hermon, Syria’s tallest mountain known as Jabal al Sheikh in Arabic, which has now been captured by Israeli forces.
An Israeli official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment on the matter, said the military will remain in the area it has taken until it is satisfied that the new Syrian authorities do not pose a danger to Israel. The new Syrian government has lodged a complaint with the UN Security Council about Israeli airstrikes and advances into Syrian territory. The country’s new de facto leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, head of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has also publicly said Syria is not seeking a military conflict with Israel and will not pose a threat to its neighbors or to the West.
In the meantime, residents of Quneitra have largely been left to fend for themselves.
In the village of Rafid, inside the buffer zone, locals said the Israeli military had demolished two civilian houses and a grove of trees as well as a former Syrian army outpost. Mayor Omar Mahmoud Ismail said when the Israeli forces entered the village, an Israeli officer greeted him and told him, “I am your friend.”
“I told him, ‘You are not my friend, and if you were, you wouldn’t enter like this,’" Ismail said. Locals who organized a protest were met with Israeli fire. In Dawaya, a village outside the buffer zone, 18-year-old Abdelrahman Khaled al-Aqqa was lying on a mattress in his family home Sunday, still recovering after being shot in both legs. Al-Aqqa said he joined about 100 people from the area on Dec. 25 in protest against the Israeli incursion, chanting “Syria is free, Israel get out!”“We didn’t have any weapons, we were just there in the clothes we were wearing,” he said. “But when we got close to them, they started shooting at us.” Six protesters were wounded, according to residents and media reports. Another man was injured on Dec. 20 in a similar incident in the village of Maariyah. The Israeli army said at the time that it had fired because the man was quickly approaching and ignored calls to stop. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Dec. 25 incident. Adel Subhi al-Ali, a local Sunni religious official, sat with his 21-year-old son, Moutasem, who was recovering after being shot in the stomach in the Dec. 25 protest. He was driven first to a local hospital that did not have the capacity to treat him, and then to Damascus where he underwent surgery. When he saw the Israeli tanks moving in, “We felt that an occupation is occupying our land. So we had to defend it, even though we didn’t have weapons, ... It is impossible for them to settle here,” al-Ali said.
Since the day of the protest, the Israeli army has not returned to the area, he said. Al-Ali called for the international community to “pressure Israel to return to what was agreed upon with the former regime,” referring to the 1974 ceasefire agreement, and to return the Golan Heights to Syria. But he acknowledged that Syria has little leverage. “We are starting from zero, we need to build a state,” al-Ali said, echoing Syria's new leaders. “We are not ready as a country now to open wars with another country."

Tell Congress to Stand with U.S. Allies in Syria
Middle East Forum/January 06/2025
Following the collapse of Syrian dictator Bashar Al-Assad’s regime, Turkey seized the opportunity to coordinate an assault on the autonomous zone in northeast Syria, absorbing territory once held by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The Syrian National Army (SNA), a Turkish proxy army of criminals and jihadists, currently surrounds the border city of Kobane, an SDF stronghold, while Turkey bombards the town with artillery and airstrikes. By signing up, you can send letters to your elected officials in the House and Senate asking them to stand behind the SDF, a key U.S. ally in the fight to defeat ISIS and prevent its resurgence. Your letters will also call for crippling sanctions against Turkey if it continues directing attacks on U.S. allies, while pushing to designate elements of the SNA involved with committing serious war crimes and human rights abuses against Syrian minorities.
Turkey’s aggressive land grab comes during a political transition in the United States, and it isn’t clear how far the outgoing or incoming presidential administrations will go to support America’s SDF allies in Syria. Therefore, Congress must send a strong message demonstrating ironclad support for Syrian Kurds and other embattled minorities facing a Turkish-led invasion in northeast Syria. Turkey has refused to abide by the terms of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire around Kobane and has continued attacks against civilian targets in the area. The situation is rapidly deteriorating, and now is the time for lawmakers to show resolve and stand behind America’s closest ally in Syria.

US temporarily eases some Syria sanctions
AFP/January 06, 2025
WASHINGTON: The United States announced Monday that it was providing additional sanctions relief on some activities in Syria for the next six months to ease access to basic services following the fall of strongman Bashar Assad. The US Treasury said it had issued a new general license to expand the allowed activities and transactions with Syria while Washington continues to monitor developments under the militants who overthrew Assad last month. The move was made “to help ensure that sanctions do not impede essential services and continuity of governance functions across Syria, including the provision of electricity, energy, water, and sanitation,” the Treasury said in a statement. Monday’s actions build on existing authorizations that support the work of international organizations, non-governmental organizations, and humanitarian and “stabilization efforts” in the region, it said.“The end of Bashar Assad’s brutal and repressive rule, backed by Russia and Iran, provides a unique opportunity for Syria and its people to rebuild,” said deputy Treasury secretary Wally Adeyemo. “During this period of transition, Treasury will continue to support humanitarian assistance and responsible governance in Syria,” he added. The transitional government in Damascus has been lobbying to have sanctions lifted. But the international community has been hesitant to roll back restrictions, and many countries — including the United States — have said they are waiting to see how the new authorities exercise their power before doing so. The Treasury Department emphasized that it had not unblocked any property or other interests of people or entities currently on its sanctions blacklist. This includes Assad and his supporters, the Syrian central bank and Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, a former Al-Qaeda offshoot that played a key role in toppling the former government. It also does not authorize “any financial transfers to any blocked person other than for the purpose of effecting certain authorized payments to governing institutions or associated service providers in Syria,” the Treasury said.

UAE foreign minister receives Syrian counterpart in Abu Dhabi
AFP/Arab News/January 06, 2025
DUBAI: Syria’s new foreign minister, Asaad Al-Shaibani, was welcomed by United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi for high-level talks on Monday. The meeting focused on strengthening bilateral relations and reaffirming the UAE’s support for Syria’s independence, sovereignty, and stability. The UAE foreign minister expressed commitment to assisting the Syrian people in achieving their aspirations and ensuring security across the nation. During the meeting, he affirmed Abu Dhabi's firm position in supporting Syria's independence and sovereignty over its entire territory and the right of the Syrian people to a secure future and a decent life. He affirmed the importance of stability in Syria to achieve prosperity, progress, and development, the Emirates News Agency reported. Mohamed Mubarak Al-Mazrouei, the Emirati Minister of State for Defense Affairs, Reem bint Ibrahim Al-Hashimi, Minister of State for International Cooperation Affairs, Khalifa Bin Shaheen Almarar, Minister of State, and Hassan Ahmed Al-Shehhi, the UAE Ambassador to Syria; also attended the meeting. The Syrian delegation consisted of Murhaf Abu Qasra, the Minister of Defense; Omar Shaqrouq, the Minister of Electricity; Ghiath Diab, the Minister of Oil and Mineral Resources; and Anas Khattab, the Chief of the General Intelligence Service. Shaibani landed in the UAE Monday on his first visit to the country since rebels toppled president Bashar Assad last month, official news agency SANA said. “Shaibani, accompanied by defense minister Murhaf Abu Qasra and intelligence chief Anas Khattab, has arrived in the United Arab Emirates,” SANA reported. Shaibani also posted a picture of himself on X stepping off a plane, and said he looked forward “to building constructive bilateral relations.” The officials took office after Islamist-led rebels swept into Damascus in early December, toppling Assad after more than 13 years of civil war. Their trip to the UAE comes after they visited its Gulf neighbors Qatar on Sunday and Saudi Arabia last week. Both Qatar and Turkiye, which backed the anti-Assad opposition, reopened their embassies in Damascus in the aftermath of Assad’s flight to Moscow. Turkiye has long maintained a working relationship with the HTS rebels, leaving it with a direct line to Damascus.

Türkiye's Erdogan Says End Is Near for Kurdish Militants in Syria
Asharq Al Awsat/January 06/2025
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that the end of Kurdish militants in Syria was getting closer, and added there was no room for terror in Syria's future after the ousting of Bashar al-Assad last month. Speaking after a cabinet meeting in Ankara, Erdogan also threatened to mount a new cross-border operation into Syria against the Kurdish militia if it felt threatened. Türkiye, which has carried out several incursions into northern Syria, has made similar warnings before. “God willing, we have the capacity to do this. Everyone should make their calculations according to this,” he said.

UN: Over 30 million in need of aid in war-torn Sudan
AFP/January 06, 2025
PORT SUDAN, Sudan: More than 30 million people, over half of them children, are in need of aid in Sudan after twenty months of war, the United Nations said on Monday. The UN has launched a $4.2 billion call for funds, targeting 20.9 million people across Sudan from a total of 30.4 million people it said are in need in what it called “an unprecedented humanitarian crisis.”Sudan has been torn apart and pushed to the brink of famine by the war that erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Tens of thousands of people have been killed and more than eight million internally displaced, which, in addition to 2.7 million displaced before the war, has made Sudan the world’s largest internal displacement crisis. A further 3.3 million people have fled across Sudan’s borders to escape the war, which means over a quarter of the country’s pre-war population, estimated at around 50 million, are now uprooted. Famine has already been declared in five areas in Sudan and is expected to take hold of five more areas by May, with 8.1 million people currently on the brink of mass starvation. Sudan’s army-aligned government has denied there is famine, while aid agencies complain that access is blocked by bureaucratic hurdles and ongoing violence. Both the army and the RSF have been accused of using starvation as a weapon of war. For much of the conflict, the UN has struggled to raise even a quarter of the funds it has targeted for its humanitarian response in the impoverished northeast African country. Sudan has often been called the world’s “forgotten” war, overshadowed by conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine despite the scale of the horrors inflicted upon civilians.

Trump responds to Trudeau's resignation with dig about Canada being 51st state
Kelly Geraldine Malone/The Canadian Press/January 6, 2025
President-elect Donald Trump says Justin Trudeau resigned because he knows the United States will not put up with trade deficits with Canada and says many Canadians would love being the 51st state. Trump reiterated his rhetoric about Canada joining the U.S. in a post on Truth Social after Trudeau's announcement that he will resign as Liberal leader and prime minister as soon as a new leader is chosen. The president-elect has repeated the dig since the prime minister travelled to have dinner at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida in November. Experts say its unsurprising that Trump would take credit for Trudeau's decision. But they say the change in Canadian leadership could not come at a worse moment for the bilateral relationship with the U.S. Trump has threatened that when he takes office later this month he will impose 25 per cent tariffs against Canada and Mexico unless the two countries stop the flow of migrants and drugs into the U.S.

Who might replace Trudeau as Liberal Party leader?
Jessica Murphy - BBC News, Toronto/January 6, 2025
Justin Trudeau's nine years as Canadian prime minister is coming to an end after he announced he will step down as leader of the governing Liberal Party. It means his party must now find a new leader to compete in a general election in which polls suggest they are heading to defeat. Here are some of the people expected to enter the Liberal leadership race.
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Former Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland
The Toronto member of parliament became one of the most well-known members of Trudeau's team and is seen as one of the top contenders to replace the outgoing leader.
While she had long been seen as a trusted senior official in his inner circle, a rift with the prime minister's office led to her recent abrupt resignation in December.
Her criticism of Trudeau in her public resignation letter piled the pressure on him and made his departure seem inevitable. Born to a Ukrainian mother in the western province of Alberta, the 56-year-old was a journalist before entering politics. She entered the House of Commons in 2013 and two years later joined Trudeau's cabinet with a trade brief after he swept the party to power.
As Minister of Foreign Affairs she helped Canada renegotiate a free trade deal with the US and Mexico. She was later named deputy prime minister and minister of finance - the first woman to hold the job - and oversaw Canada's financial response to the Covid pandemic. Quitting last month, she criticised Trudeau as insufficiently strong in his handling of Donald Trump's threat to levy US tariffs on Canadian goods. A 2019 Globe and Mail profile said depending who you asked, Freeland is either a last, best hope for the liberal world order or an out-of-touch idealist. Her steadfast support of Ukraine earned praise in some quarters but the Harvard-educated MP has had her share of critics, including Trump who recently called her "toxic".
Former central banker Mark Carney
Trudeau himself admitted that he had long been trying to recruit Mark Carney to his team, most recently as finance minister. "He would be an outstanding addition at a time when Canadians need good people to step up in politics," he told reporters on the sidelines of a Nato conference in July 2024. Carney, 59, who has been serving in recent months as a special adviser to Trudeau, has long been considered a contender for the top job.
The Harvard graduate has never held public office but has a strong economic background, serving at the top of both the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England.
He also brings with him expertise on environmental matters through his role as the United Nations special envoy on climate action, recently calling the goal of net zero "the greatest commercial opportunity of our time". Carney is a champion of some Liberal policies that have been unpopular within the country's conservative circles like the federal carbon tax policy, the party's signature climate policy that critics argue is a financial burden for Canadians. He has also already criticised Pierre Poilievre, the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, saying his vision for the future of the country is "without a plan" and "just slogans". "I'm the one in the conversation who's actually been in business, who actually is in business, and makes decisions," he said.
Anita Anand, transport minister
Anand is often touted as one of the more ambitious members of the Liberal caucus.
The 57-year-old lawyer entered the political scene in 2019 when she was elected to represent the riding of Oakville, just outside of Toronto. An Oxford-educated academic, she has a background in financial market regulation and corporate governance.
She was immediately awarded the ministerial brief of public services and procurement, putting her at the helm of a mission to secure vaccines and personal protective equipment during the Covid pandemic. Anand was then appointed minister of defence in 2021, leading Canada's efforts to provide aid for Ukraine in its war against Russia and overseeing a personnel crisis at the Canadian Armed Forces mired by sexual misconduct scandals. When Anand was shuffled out of that department to oversee the Treasury Board, many saw it as a demotion and critics of Trudeau went as far as to speculate that it was punishment for her ambitions to one day lead the party. In December, she was moved again during a cabinet shuffle, into the role of transport minister and minister of internal trade.
François-Philippe Champagne, minister of innovation, science and industry
The former businessman and international trade specialist is another Liberal minister said to be eyeing the party's top job. But his journey through the ranks to a major portfolio was slower than Anand's. Champagne, 54, entered the Commons in 2015 but since then has gone through international trade, foreign affairs and most recently the department of innovation, science and industry. But there are several things that work in his favour. Champagne is from Quebec, a province whose voice has often been consequential in federal Canadian elections. He has also been dubbed "Canada's Energizer Bunny" by some pundits, who have watched his enthusiasm as he travelled around the world under his innovation portfolio with a mission to sell all that is Canada-made.
And because of his business acumen, political watchers see him as a viable option for luring centrist Liberals back into the fold.
Mélanie Joly, minister of foreign affairs
Like Trudeau, Joly represents a Montreal-area riding. To foreign leaders, the 45-year-old is a familiar face, having represented Canada on the world stage since 2021.
As the current foreign minister, she has taken several trips to Ukraine in a show of Canada's support. She travelled to Jordan to aid in the evacuation of Canadian citizens in the region when the Israel-Hamas war erupted. Joly has also been at the heart of some of the government's greatest foreign policy challenges, including the diplomatic crisis sparked by the alleged assassination of a Sikh separatist leader on Canadian soil by Indian agents.
The Oxford-educated lawyer is a well-connected francophone politician who previously ran for mayor of Montreal. She was tapped by Trudeau personally to run for a federal job in politics. "He would periodically call me to say, 'Mélanie you need to run, we want you to run,'" Joly has said. Senior advisers have hailed her ability to work a room of either seven or 700, and she has long held ambitions to run for Liberal party leader, close friends told Canadian magazine Macleans.
Dominic LeBlanc, minister of finance and intergovernmental affairs
LeBlanc, 57, is one of Trudeau's closest and most trusted allies.
Their friendship runs deep, with LeBlanc even babysitting Trudeau and his siblings when they were young. He has a record of stepping into portfolios at difficult moments, including becoming finance minister within hours of Freeland's bombshell resignation.
LeBlanc also took on the tricky assignment of accompanying Trudeau to Mar-a-Lago in November to meet Trump. The former lawyer has been a parliamentarian for more than two decades, having been first elected in 2000 to represent a riding in the Atlantic province of New Brunswick. Like Trudeau, LeBlanc was born into a political family. His father served as a minister in the cabinet of Trudeau's fabled father, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, and later as Canada's governor-general. LeBlanc has shown previous ambitions to lead the party, running in 2008 but losing to Michael Ignatieff. He did not run again in the next leadership race, which was won by Trudeau. He is in remission after cancer treatment and is known to be an affable and a strong political communicator.
Christy Clark, a former provincial premier
The former premier of British Columbia has expressed an interest in throwing her hat into the Liberal leadership ring. In a statement in October, she said she was "would want to be part of the conversation on the future direction of the Liberal Party and of the country" if Trudeau stepped down. Clark, 59, served as the leader of Canada's western-most province from 2011 to 2017, where she built a reputation of being able to balance environmental priorities while developing BC's energy industry.
She has repeatedly said in interviews in the past couple of years that Trudeau had become a drag on the federal Liberals. She has also reportedly been taking French lessons, according to broadcaster Radio-Canada. A fluency in French is considered a prerequisite for federal politicians in Canada.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces resignation after facing major political pressure
Marina Pitofsky and Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY/January 6, 2025
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday he intends to resign from his post but will stay until a new leader of the country's Liberal Party is in place, effectively ending nine years of power. Trudeau's departure comes amid mounting pressure for him to step aside before an upcoming election that his Liberal Party is forecasted to lose badly. The leader also has a complicated, oft-adversarial relationship with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who is set to be sworn in later this month. "Every morning I've woken up as prime minister, I've been inspired by the resilience, generosity and the determination of Canadians," Trudeau said in a news conference. "It is the driving force of every single day I have the privilege of serving this office." The Canadian leader's move also comes before an emergency meeting of Liberal legislators that was planned for Wednesday. Trudeau said at a news conference that parliament would be suspended until March 24. "This country deserves a real choice in the next election, and it has become clear to me that if I'm having to fight internal battles, I cannot be the best option in that election," he said.
Here's what you need to know.
How long has Justin Trudeau been prime minister?
Trudeau, 53, has been leader of Canada's Liberal Party for 11 years and prime minister of the country for nine. When he took over as Liberal leader in 2013, the party had been reduced to third place in the House of Commons for the first time, Reuters reported. Trudeau propelled the Liberals to power in 2015 promising "sunny ways" and a progressive agenda focused on women's rights and fighting climate change.
Why is Justin Trudeau resigning? PM under pressure, at odds with Trump
Calls for Trudeau to step aside have grown since December amid a series of polls showing his Liberal Party being trounced in the next election due to voter anger over high prices and a housing crisis, Reuters reported. Trudeau has also faced a series of mounting crises, including the abrupt resignation of Canada's finance minister Chrystia Freeland and Trump's threat of imposing crippling tariffs when he takes office. The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. said more than 50 Liberal members of parliament from Ontario − the most populous of the 10 provinces and the party's main stronghold − held a call on Dec. 21 and agreed Trudeau had to step down. Trudeau has attempted damage control, even jetting out to West Palm Beach, Florida, in late November for a meeting with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate days after the president-elect vowed to enact a 25% tariff on all products coming into the U.S. from Canada and Mexico. Trudeau has often been at odds with Trump, who has mocked Trudeau as "governor" of Canada while repeatedly joking that the nation should become the 51st U.S. state.
Canadian election to take place by October
Trudeau's exit leaves the Liberal Party without a permanent leader before the general election, which must be held on or before Oct. 20. The move was expected to spur fresh calls for the election to be moved up so that a stable government could be put in place quickly to deal with the Trump administration for the next four years.

France's ex-president Sarkozy on trial over alleged Gadhafi pact
Naharnet/January 06, 2025
France's former President Nicolas Sarkozy goes on trial Monday over alleged illegal financing of his 2007 presidential campaign by the government of late Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. The so-called "Libyan case," the biggest and possibly most shocking of several scandals involving Sarkozy, is scheduled to run until April 10, with a verdict expected at a later date. Sarkozy, 69, faces charges of passive corruption, illegal campaign financing, concealment of embezzlement of public funds and criminal association, punished by up to 10 years in prison. Sarkozy, who served as president from 2007 to 2012, has denied any wrongdoing. The trial involves 11 other defendants, including three former ministers. Franco-Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine, accused of having played the role of intermediary, has fled in Lebanon and is not expected to appear at the Paris court. Sarkozy is looking forward to the hearings "with determination," his lawyer Christophe Ingrain said in a statement. "There is no Libyan financing of the campaign," the statement said. "We want to believe the court will have the courage to examine the facts objectively, without being guided by the nebulous theory that poisoned the investigation."
Gadhafi's alleged agreement
The case emerged in March 2011, when a Libyan news agency reported that the Gadhafi government had financed Sarkozy's 2007 campaign. In an interview, Gadhafi himself said "it's thanks to us that he reached the presidency. We provided him with the funds that allowed him to win," without providing any amount or other details. Sarkozy, who had welcomed Gadhafi to Paris with great honors in 2007, became one of the first Western leaders to push for a military intervention in Libya in March 2011, when Arab Spring pro-democracy protests swept the Arab world. Gadhafi was killed by opposition fighters in October that same year, ending his four-decade rule of the North African country. The next year, French online news site Mediapart published a document said to be a note from the Libyan secret services, mentioning Gadhafi's agreement to provide Sarkozy's campaign 50 million euros in financing. Sarkozy strongly rejected the accusations, calling the document a "blatant fake" and filing complaints for forgery, concealment and spreading false news. However, French investigative magistrates eventually said in 2016 the document has all the characteristics of an authentic one, although there is no definitive evidence that such a transaction took place.The official cost for Sarkozy's 2007 campaign was 20 million euros.
Accusations of witness tampering
French investigators scrutinized numerous trips to Libya made by people close to Sarkozy, then the interior minister, between 2005 and 2007, including his chief of staff Claude Guéant. They also noted dozens of meetings between Guéant and Takieddine, a key player in major French military contracts abroad. The investigation gained traction when Takieddine told news site Mediapart in 2016 that he had delivered three suitcases from Libya containing millions in cash to the French Interior Ministry. However, Takieddinne reversed his statement four years later. Since then, a separate investigation has been launched into alleged witness tampering as magistrates suspect an attempt to pressure Takieddine in order to clear Sarkozy. Sarkozy and his wife, former supermodel Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, were given preliminary charges as financial prosecutors said the former president is suspected of "benefitting from corruptly influencing" Takieddine.
11 other defendants
The other accused are three former French ministers, including Guéant, and a former adviser close to Sarkozy. Like Takieddine, Franco-Algerian businessman Alexandre Djouhri is accused of having been an intermediary. The case also involves Gadhafi's former chief of staff and treasurer Bashir Saleh, who sought refuge in France during the Libyan civil war then moved to South Africa, where he survived a shooting in 2018, before settling in the United Arab Emirates. Other defendants include two Saudi billionaires, a former Airbus executive and a former banker accused of having played a role in the alleged money transfers. Shukri Ghanem, Gadhafi's former oil minister who was also suspected, was found dead in the Danube River in Vienna in 2012 in unclear circumstances. French investigators were able to find Ghanem's notebook, which is believed to document payments made by Libya. Gadhafi's spy chief and brother-in-law Abdullah al-Senoussi told investigative judges millions have indeed been provided to support Sarkozy's campaign. Accused of war crimes, he is now imprisoned in Libya. Sarkozy convicted in 2 other cases. Sarkozy has been convicted in two other scandals — yet the Libyan case appears as the one most likely to significantly affect his legacy. France's highest court, the Court of Cassation, last month upheld a conviction against Sarkozy of corruption and influence peddling while he was the head of state. He was sentenced to one year in house arrest with an electronic bracelet. The case was revealed as investigative judges were listening to wiretapped phone conversations during the Libya inquiry. In February last year, an appeals court in Paris found Sarkozy guilty of illegal campaign financing in his failed 2012 reelection bid.

The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on January 06-07/2025
Canada, the Panama Canal and Now Greenland. What's Behind Trump's Expansionist Rhetoric?
Robert Spencer/Gatestone Institute/January 6, 2025
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/21274/trump-canada-panama-canal-greenland
Trump is once again being true to his America-First convictions.
[Trump's] question to Trudeau was pointed, and remains unanswered: "So your country can't survive unless it's ripping off the U.S. to the tune of $100 billion?"
Trump explained that the Panama Canal "was given to Panama and to the people of Panama, but it has provisions, you gotta treat us fairly and they haven't treated us fairly."
There's the bottom line: if the United States doesn't control the Panama Canal and Greenland, China or Russia likely will, and the consequences could be severe both for the American economy and for national security.
President-elect Donald Trump recently said that the Panama Canal should once again come under American control, and that the US should buy Greenland from Denmark. If the United States doesn't control the Panama Canal and Greenland, China or Russia likely will, and the consequences could be severe both for the American economy and for national security. Pictured: An aerial view of ships passing the Pedro Miguel locks in the Panama Canal, in May 2023. (Photo by iStock/Getty Images)
First, President-elect Donald Trump tweaked Canada's far-left Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about becoming governor of the 51st state of the United States of America. Then he said that the Panama Canal should once again come under American control. Make that the 52nd state. And now, are you ready for a 53rd state? Last month, Trump renewed a call he made during his first term: that the United States should buy Greenland from Denmark. Could the man possibly be serious?
Maybe not. The left's propaganda arm, also known as the mainstream media, loves to portray Trump and his supporters as angry, bitter, ignorant people lashing out against the people who know better what's good for them. Trump has never gotten credit for his sense of humor, despite the fact that he is easily the funniest man to occupy the White House since Ronald Reagan, and may even surpass the Gipper.
Much of Trump's humor goes entirely unnoticed. Few have taken any note of the fact that his new Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, recalls the Doge internet meme that Elon Musk briefly made Twitter's logo in 2023. And Trump's teasing of "Governor" Trudeau went so far over the head of MSNBC that the far-left garbage machine actually put out an article ascribing the gibe to Trump's "confusion."
On the other hand, there was nothing funny about Trump's statement that the U.S. should resume control of the Panama Canal. "Has anyone ever heard of the Panama Canal?" Trump asked the crowd at AmericaFest. "Because we're being ripped off at the Panama Canal like we're being ripped off everywhere else."Trump explained that the Panama Canal "was given to Panama and to the people of Panama, but it has provisions, you gotta treat us fairly and they haven't treated us fairly."
"If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to the United States of America in full, quickly, and without question."
Trump wasn't being funny about Greenland, either. "For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World," he wrote on December 22, "the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity."
This got the same reception that it got during Trump's first term. Greenland's Prime Minister Mute Egede said haughtily the next day that "Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland. We are not for sale and we will not be for sale." He doesn't seem to have mentioned that Greenland is not an independent state, but is Danish territory. Even in floating the idea, however, along with his statements about the Panama Canal, Trump has become the most forthrightly expansionist president since William McKinley. Is this all about personal vainglory, as the left contends, or is there more substance to it? The answer is clear: Trump is once again being true to his America-First convictions.
His question to Trudeau was pointed, and remains unanswered: "So your country can't survive unless it's ripping off the U.S. to the tune of $100 billion?" Trump asked Trudeau this question when the Canadian prime minister complained that the tariff Trump threatened to levy if Canada continued to do nothing to control its long border with the U.S. would destroy Canada. That's where the Canada-as-the-51st-state gibe originated; it's really all about Trump protecting American interests.
With the Panama Canal, it's the same situation. Trump contends that we're not being treated fairly. Politico reported that he "also said he would not let the canal fall into the 'wrong hands,' warning of potential Chinese influence in Panama."
Regarding Greenland, it's once again the same story. Harvard International Review noted in an August 2024 article:
"While Greenland remains closely linked to Scandinavia as an autonomous region of Denmark, global powers such as the United States, China, and Russia are racing to extend military and economic influence in the region as it becomes more habitable."
There's the bottom line: if the United States doesn't control the Panama Canal and Greenland, China or Russia likely will, and the consequences could be severe both for the American economy and for national security. So while the leftist intelligentsia laughs at Trump's revival of the Manifest Destiny imperative, there is, as is so often the case, a method to his madness. Trump is playing the great power game at a time when the left wants nothing more than for America to stand down and let China be the world's great power. It's yet another reason why leftists hate him so passionately.
Robert Spencer is the director of Jihad Watch and a Shillman Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center. He is author of 28 books, including many bestsellers such as The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades), The Truth About Muhammad, The History of Jihad, and The Critical Qur'an. His latest book is Muhammad: A Critical Biography. Spencer has led seminars on Islam and jihad for the FBI, the United States Central Command, United States Army Command and General Staff College, the U.S. Army's Asymmetric Warfare Group, the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), the Justice Department's Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council and the U.S. intelligence community. He is a senior fellow with the Center for Security Policy. Follow him on X/Twitter here.
*Reprinted by kind permission of the author and Jihad Watch.
© 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.

Equivocations
Charles Chartouni/This is Beirut/January 06/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/01/138779/
The situation in both Lebanon and Syria is still shrouded in ambiguities, deliberate equivocations, and malevolence. Nothing seems clear, and actors continue to operate in grey zones, let alone in the dark alleys that persist throughout.. The chances of negotiations and constructive engagement are quite narrow and are not part of the political scripts. Shiite fascism is adamant about resuming its offensive towards domestic domination as a compensation for its regionally compounded failures. HTS takeover in Syria, aside from its accommodating scenario and benevolent declarations of intent, has to address several thorny issues related to national security, societal and political pluralism, reform of governance, and regional relationships. The positive vibes emitted by the late transformations in both contexts are overshadowed by old reminiscences casting their shadows over the daily political and societal affairs.
The late declarations of the remnant Hezbollah leadership are quite worrying since they display their disinclination to revise their political course, let alone their political narrative. They demonstrate their unwillingness to review critically the disastrous outcomes of their domination politics and take responsibility for what they have done. Their psychotic posture is blind to the dismal failure of the integrated battlefields around which they have constructed their military strategy in a joint undertaking with Iran and its military surrogates in the region. The strategic continuum is already shattered; the logistics corridors are shut down between Teheran and its panhandles, the whole ideological scheme is in tatters, and the Iranian profligacy has come to an end under the pressure of deteriorating economic and social conditions, strained public finances, and the twilight of the Islamic revolutionary rhetoric.
Their only bet is on controlling back Lebanon under the threat of rekindled civil war at a time when the open wounds of the unfinished war are not yet attended. They are maneuvering around the implementation of the internationally mandated and monitored truce, waffling on dismantling the military infrastructure, surrendering the arms, and putting an end to their extraterritoriality. The brinkmanship politics are reaching a dead end since the truce timetable is narrowing and its penalties are increasing by the day. The chances of reaching a political agreement in Lebanon are shrinking, threatening civil peace. Meanwhile, the imponderables of the Syrian maelstrom are not fully probed and its geopolitical fallouts not yet clear.
The positive incidences of the changing political tides are not yet thoroughly tested to be validated. The destructive power politics of Iran and its proxies have not terminated so far because the Iranian regime is instrumenting ISIS and trying to negotiate the territorial spoils in both Syria and Lebanon with its Turkish nemesis. The smooth takeover of power in Syria reveals hidden weaknesses concerning its tutelary powers, their agendas, and their ability to maneuver the fractured Syrian and jihadist political and military landscapes. Otherwise, the internal cohesion of the terrorist cohorts, their pliability to the inter-Islamic power politics, and the sway of ideological irredentism, terrorism, and organized crime tropism are highly challenging.
he liberalizing and modernizing outlook harbored by Ahmad al Share’h is quite persuasive but still in need of intellectual refinement and a systematic review of the erstwhile ideological pillars of terrorist Islamism. The absence of a coalition cabinet, the monolithic and unprofessional leadership of the new army, and their high dosage of jihadist controls matched with the rushed and truncated reform of educational textbooks, sexist prejudices, religious discrimination and the vindictive justice and its mixture of savagery and Islamic jurisprudence are not appropriate if TSH is serious about its reformist claims and its budding democratic claims. Having said that, one fully understands the difficulties and pitfalls of the politics of transition in a political and cultural context where the ingredients of a liberal and democratic culture are inexistent and should be part of the foremost reformist endeavors.
The political pronouncements are assuaging and are to be credited with the soft transition and its liberal overtones. Nonetheless, the implements of a constitutional state are missing, and the compounded ethos of tribalism, state, and Islamic terrorism and their framing rhetorics account for the untrammeled savagery. The legacy of institutional savagery, the morally flawed and criminal nature of the Assad regime and its ineptitude, account for its brutal and meteoric demise. Fortunately, the transition has been relatively stable despite the lurking downsides of a declining bloody autocracy. However, the monumental undertakings of an awkward transition is to be monitored and assisted if it displays enough openness to negotiated solutions and principled commitment to democratic and liberally oriented reforms.

**Elias Bejjani/This below article by the well known Kuwaiti writer Ahmad Al-Sarraf is a powerful and satirical critique against fanaticism and hatred. It uses sarcasm to expose the absurdity of sectarian extremism and the dangers of rejecting diversity. His exaggerated statements aim to shame those who promote intolerance by showing the horrific consequences of such thinking.
From the 2014 Archive/Get Out, Christians, from Our Lands
Ahmad Al-Sarraf/Al-Qabas Kuwaiti Newspaper/June 24, 2014
(Free translation by Elias Bejjani)
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/01/138765/
Warning the Christians:
“Get out of Egypt and the countries of the Middle East so we can focus on killing one another and destroying our homelands.”
Leave, Christians of Damascus, Yabroud, and Maaloula from our lands. Leave, Christians of Mosul, Nineveh, and Baghdad from our countries. Leave, Christians of Lebanon from our mountains and valleys. Leave, Christians of Palestine and the Arabian Peninsula from our shores and soil. Leave, all of you, from beneath our skins. Leave, all of you, for we despise you and do not want you among us. Leave, for we are weary of progress, civilization, openness, tolerance, love, brotherhood, coexistence, and forgiveness! Leave so we can focus on killing one another. Leave, for you are not from us, nor are we from you. Leave, for we are tired of you being the origin of Egypt, Iraq, Syria, and Palestine. Leave, so we don’t feel ashamed when our eyes meet yours, questioning what has happened? Leave and abandon us with our disasters, for you have those who will welcome you elsewhere.
We will remain here, far from you, your claims, talents, competencies, knowledge, and experiences. Leave and abandon us to our fanaticism, hatred, and hostility. Leave, for we have grown exhausted from enduring your so-called civilization. With your departure, we will focus on ending it, erasing its traces, and destroying the idols, statues, and relics left by your ancestors—whether stone, poetry, or literature. Leave, for neither Iraq, Egypt, Syria, Kuwait, Palestine, Jordan, nor the fragrant North Africa need you or those who lived among us before you—whether gypsies, Jews, or stones.
Go, leave, and take mercy with you, for after the likes of Al-Nusra, ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and the Brotherhood’s latest offspring, we no longer need mercy or compassion. Blood will flow, violence will spread, hearts will break, livers will be devoured, tongues will be torn out, necks will be severed, knees will collapse. We will return to ancient medicine, herbal remedies, old books, and divination on the beach sands seeking fortune.
Depart, our Christians, and take with you all the relics and remains of Gibran Khalil Gibran, Sargon Boulus, Badawi Al-Jabal, Anastas Al-Karmali, Youssef Al-Sayegh, Saadi Al-Malih, the sons of Takla, Al-Yaziji, Al-Bustani, and Al-Akhtal Al-Saghir. Take with you your universities and hospitals, close your missions. We do not even need Mikhail Naimy, nor should you forget May Ziadeh, the sons of Maalouf, Sarouf, Ghali, Zaidan, Khazen, Bustros, Thabet, and Sakakini. All these are not of us, and we are not of them.
Yes, depart from us, for we wish to return to our deserts. We miss our swords, sands, and beasts. We do not need you, your civilization, or your linguistic and poetic contributions. We have enough from our factions of murderers and blood spillers.
Begone, Christians, with your culture, for we have replaced it with the culture of digging graves!

Humankind set for more giant leaps in space in 2025
Dr. Amal Mudallali/Arab News/January 06, 2025
Our new year, 2025, is shaping up to be a watershed year for space and space policy. With the inauguration of Donald Trump as US president on Jan. 20, two of the most pro-space advocates that America has probably ever known will come to prominence in the new administration. One is Elon Musk, a titan of space exploration with the brains, vision and means to propel space policy to new heights. And the other is Jared Isaacman, Trump’s nominee to be NASA administrator, an astronaut and a trailblazer who made history as the first person to go to space and to walk in space on a private mission.
But space is not only for the US. The world discovered space in 2024, making it a historic year, although America created the lion’s share of that history.
From China to Japan, India and many other countries, people wanted to fly to the moon and be in space, believing what British astronomer Fred Hoyle once said, that “space isn’t remote at all. It’s only an hour’s drive away if your car could go straight upwards.” All these countries contributed to making 2024 a historic year, with space now closer than ever and cheaper to explore and visit. There is no picture that stirs the imagination and foretells the future of space better than SpaceX’s capture of the rocket booster of its giant Starship by the “chopstick” arms of the launch tower. This broke new ground for SpaceX’s Starship and, as the company’s manager of quality systems engineering Kate Tice put it, it was a day “for the engineering history books,” as well as for the future of space launches and their cost.Last year was also a turning point because it witnessed the entry of the private sector into space, replacing governments and raising expectations and ambitions about a new space economy that is expected to quadruple in less than a decade.Last year was also a turning point because it witnessed the entry of the private sector into space
The first private sector spacecraft to land on the moon was Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus lander last February, making it the first American landing on the moon since the Apollo missions of the 1970s. It was carrying a payload for NASA and what was referred to as commercial and cultural cargo, including a chip containing the works of Pablo Picasso, Michaelangelo, Jeff Koons’ sculpture “Moon Phases” and others. It also carried undisclosed payloads from commercial companies and educational institutions — a controversial issue for some space law purists, who require transparency in what humans take to the moon.
Japan also landed on the moon in 2024, but upside down. Its Moon Sniper touched down in January, making Japan the fifth nation to reach this historic milestone. Although the landing was not perfect and the solar panels were not directed toward the sun, the lander was able to send images back to Earth, making its mission a success.
China’s Chang’e-6 probe landed successfully on the far side of the moon in 2024 — a historic first for the main space competitor to the US. The Chinese achievement included bringing samples from the lunar surface back to Earth, another first for humans.
The first private sector spacewalk took place in 2024, when Isaacman and the Polaris Dawn crew flew to space and made history.
And in December, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe made history by flying just 6.1 million km from the surface of the sun. Unlike Icarus of Greek mythology, who flew too close to the sun and saw his wings melt, the Parker Solar Probe survived the sun’s wrath and “phoned home” to Earth and provided details of its mission. Hundreds of payloads and satellites were launched into space in 2024, supplying the International Space Station and making communications better on Earth, but also adding to congestion and increasing the danger of space debris. SpaceX alone flew 138 missions in 2024 through its Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy and Starship launches (compare this to the NASA Space Shuttle fleet that flew 135 times in 30 years). Space has become so crowded that space debris now presents a real danger to satellites and spaceships, as well as humans on Earth. Last week, an object weighing half a tonne, believed to be a piece of space junk resulting from a rocket launch, fell onto a village in Kenya. Unfortunately, this will become more common if nothing is done to enforce rules and norms on space debris, security and sustainability.
This year will be even more exciting for the space sector, but also concerning for regulators and experts
This new year will be even more exciting for the space sector, but also concerning for regulators and space policy experts. More moon trips and landings are planned by many countries in 2025, with hundreds of launches planned. NASA’s Artemis program astronauts are planning to fly around the moon without landing this year, while a series of moon missions are planned by American companies FireFly Aerospace and Intuitive Machines (which will launch its second lander, Athena) and Japan’s Ispace will launch its second attempt to land on the moon. SpaceX’s first launch of the year on Friday saw it send the Thuraya-4 mobile connectivity satellite into space for UAE company Space42.
Jeff Bezos and Blue Origin might become the story of 2025, with his possible challenge to Musk thanks to the planned launch of his New Glenn rocket, whose booster, like SpaceX’s Falcon 9, is reusable. Starlink will also have competition from Bezos’ Project Kuiper, which aims to provide internet access from space via its constellation of satellites.
SpaceX is reportedly aiming for 25 launches of its Starship in 2025 and India is targeting 10 launches, while China plans to focus on asteroids, launch rockets and the continuation of its lunar exploration programs. The moon and the space economy will be the real story of 2025.
But we know from Musk that he has his eyes on Mars, with a nod from President-elect Trump, and not the moon, even if he fulfills his contract with NASA to fly their astronauts there. The question on everyone’s mind here is what changes will there be to US space policy under the new administration? The answer is simple: whatever Elon Musk wants. While this is exciting for many, not everyone is jumping for joy here or around the world or is seeing eye to eye with Musk on how to handle space.
**Dr. Amal Mudallali is an international affairs adviser for Think and a former Lebanese ambassador to the UN.

Israel’s pitiless war on Gaza continues apace
Chris Doyle/Arab News/January 06, 2025
Northern Gaza is no more, at least not as a livable, populated area. This was not an asteroid strike or a tsunami. But such a fate might have been kinder to the nearly 3 million people who have been compelled to undergo deprivations most of us can barely understand. The Israeli war on Gaza remains pitiless, nowhere more so than the northern part of this enclave. Israeli leaders declared openly what they were going to do, did it and now promise more. They have made clear that this is irreversible. Palestinians will not be allowed to return. This has been an exercise in ethnic cleansing, as bold and atrocious in design as any on record.
Few times in modern history have such shocking aims been executed with such cold determination. Israeli leaders showed zero hesitation. Not even the International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued against the serving prime minister or the International Court of Justice’s ongoing investigation into whether Israel is perpetrating genocide in Gaza have acted as a partial break.
Some apologists for Israeli crimes have argued, quite falsely, that the initial few months of terrorizing Gaza with carpet bombing was understandable, given the desire for revenge after the Oct. 7 atrocities. But such an immoral argument definitely cannot be trotted out after 15 months, getting on for 500 days. This is not Israel acting in the heat of the moment. It is cold-hearted, premeditated carnage.
This is not Israel acting in the heat of the moment. It is cold-hearted, premeditated carnage
Israel tosses out the usual propaganda. Its spokespeople claim that hospitals in northern Gaza were all Hamas command centers and therefore “legitimate military targets.” During the last 15 months, they have made such claims but are yet to provide any substantive evidence. At one moment last week, Israel denied that it was holding Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of the Kamal Adwan Hospital, only to confirm that it had in fact detained him. His whereabouts, like thousands of others, are unknown. Their fate is unlike the hostages, never mentioned by leaders of the US or EU powers.
Not one single hospital now operates in northern Gaza. Healthcare staff continue to be targeted. The dismantling of the healthcare system here is more than a few notches more severe than in the rest of the Strip. Aid access is nonexistent for those Palestinians who have not fled. The UN made more than 160 attempts in the last two months of 2024 to reach civilians in northern Gaza, with “almost zero access.” The winter rains are flooding makeshift tents and the freezing weather is lethal, not least for newborns. Israel still blocks fuel and electricity. Disease is spreading, with ever greater contamination of the residual water. Settler groups dream of colonizing this area once again. Yet already the Israeli military is healing itself. Its soldiers get a military hotel in northern Gaza, flush with all the luxuries of massages, pedicures and a barber. As Gazans die of thirst, Israeli soldiers can make use of a desalination site to provide them water from the sea.
The Israeli message is: “We can do whatever we want and there is nothing that you, the Palestinians, the UN and the human rights community, can do about it.”
As Gazans die of thirst, Israeli soldiers can make use of a desalination site to provide them water from the sea
Yes, Israel has banned journalists from entering Gaza, but it was never too concerned about the footage that has emerged. It serves a purpose. Palestinians understand those images and their message in full. Israel knows it can browbeat the Western media to downplay them because these videos and photos were taken by local Palestinian journalists and are, in their view, invalid.
Where to now? Will pulverizing the north suffice? Possibly for some Israeli leaders, given that the rest of Gaza has had 75 percent of the same treatment already. But not for others. Eight members of the Knesset have already penned a letter to the defense minister demanding that Israel destroy all sources of water, food and energy for Palestinians in Gaza. They argue that Israel should do to the rest of Gaza what it has been doing to the north. One of the signatories was Ariel Kallner, chair of the all-party Knesset group on Israel-EU relations. Who would bet against him still having a warm welcome on his next visit to Brussels?
For Benjamin Netanyahu, ethnic cleansing is a negotiating card. Ceasefire talks continue, but the Israeli position is clear. If Hamas does not cave in to each and every one of Netanyahu’s demands, the next area of Gaza can be lined up for exterminatory-level force.
For Israel’s allies, it is simply business as usual. Ever generous, US President Joe Biden leaves office with a parting gift of an $8 billion arms deal for Israel. Congress will undoubtedly wave it through.
In an imaginary world that treats Palestinians as humans, what is happening in northern Gaza alone would be universally condemned as genocide. Ministers would be tripping over themselves to condemn the ethnic cleansing. Israel would be on the receiving end of the same cold, deadening hand of sanctions as Russia. That it is not is precisely why this horror continues.
Chris Doyle is director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding in London. X: @Doylech

German democracy seeing interference from both East and West
Mohamed Chebaro/Arab News/January 06, 2025
It would not be an exaggeration to say that Germans in 2025 are stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea, as their country starts the new year with an increasingly heated election campaign that is attracting clear attempts to influence its voters from two opposing forces for two diametrically opposed reasons. But both are likely to pose an existential threat for German democracy not seen since the rise to power of Adolf Hitler in the 1930s. The general election due to be held on Feb. 23 came about after the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s unruly three-party coalition, as it was unable to agree a solution for the country’s ailing industries.
But this election will be held amid an extremely polarized German landscape due to targeted social media campaigns orchestrated by foes, as well as friends. All that while war still rages not far from Germany, as Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine unabated, despite all the Western help afforded to Kyiv. This, no doubt, will be compounded by the arrival of the new president in the White House.
Fears of foreign interference in politics in general is nothing new in Europe’s biggest economy, but this time it looks like Germany will suffer a pincer movement from East and West, with both sides seeking to destabilize its democracy in favor of populist and far-right politics.
And Germany is not alone among Western nations in terms of being flipped by various means toward hard-right politics. If left unchecked, this shift is likely to change the values and ethos that have governed the Western world by the end of this decade. The Russian meddling is not new, but its intensity is starting to be felt, as a current of anti-establishment sentiment is starting to take root. This is also driven by populists in America, who are magnifying the anti-migrant, “anti-other” sentiment, especially in the formerly Soviet-controlled parts of Eastern Germany.
This election will be held amid an extremely polarized German landscape due to targeted social media campaigns
For some time, German intelligence chiefs have been raising the alarm about reported Russian attempts to erode public trust in the country’s leadership and institutions and weaken Germany’s resolve to stand by Ukraine. This has no doubt been a force that helped the rise of the hard-right Alternative for Germany, which has enjoyed electoral success in the eastern provinces of Germany. The Russian influence campaign has been composed of both covert and deniable overt acts aimed at sowing discontent through hybrid communications and direct action, while looking like acts of insecurity that magnify the failure of the German authorities on issues related to integration, migration and the economy.
Germany’s domestic intelligence services have often pointed to Russia or Russia-aligned entities as being active in spreading disinformation online and launching cyberattacks aimed at weakening public confidence in democracy, as well as undermining public support for NATO and the EU. Both these issues feature as priorities on the agenda of the Alternative for Germany.
But what is believed to be keeping German politicians and the security establishment awake at night is the influence campaign led by Elon Musk, the owner of X and an influential and outspoken adviser to the incoming US president. He has been using his social media platform to magnify the Alternative for Germany’s political messaging, an act not denied by the party. This has led the German chancellor to hit back, reminding voters that “You, the citizens, decide what happens next in Germany. The owners of social media do not decide that.” Scholz’s party’s co-leader even went on the record accusing Musk of “trying the same thing as Vladimir Putin,” in wanting Germany “to be weakened and pushed into chaos.”
Germans need to wake up. Anything short of policing the internet and the assiduous communication campaigns to their smallest details is unlikely to fend off the historic blow that awaits German democracy.
Make no mistake, the Alternative for Germany is likely to have a greatly increased presence in the new Bundestag
Yes, it is easy to think that Friedrich Merz, the leader of the Christian Democratic Union/ Christian Social Union parliamentary alliance, is likely to make it as the next chancellor, either alone or with the decimated Social Democratic and Green parties. But make no mistake, the Alternative for Germany is likely to have a greatly increased presence in the new Bundestag as a result of a unique act of meddling in an election of an allied nation.
Musk, it seems, has Germany in his sights. His unrelenting posts on his social media platform are evidently trying to prop up the hard right and undermine the traditional political elite, public institutions and order. His pro-Alternative for Germany opinion article, translated and published in the conservative German newspaper Die Welt last month, ought to be seen as scandalous by most Germans, who still believe that the US is a model democracy.
One could easily dismiss Musk’s political initiatives as being closely linked to him furthering his economic interests, especially as he has repeatedly criticized the EU as undemocratic. This follows the bloc seeking to curb what it believes to be rampant disinformation on social media through new content laws, regulations and accountability.
Come Feb. 23, Germany’s voters should not be envied. Whatever choice they make is likely to change the face of their democracy, unless voters know how to fend off the East-West pincer movement against their democracy and vote in a way that ensures the survival of their country.
Their nation’s standing could be in the balance, as well as the EU project, even if we believe that those protagonists from East and West are demonstrating a mere frustration with liberal democracy and are not part of the more malign campaigns that are also affecting the UK and France, with support afforded to the controversial Reform party of Nigel Farage or Marine Le Pen’s National Rally.
*Mohamed Chebaro is a British-Lebanese journalist with more than 25 years of experience covering war, terrorism, defense, current affairs and diplomacy. He is also a media consultant and trainer.

Iran Between Sinwar’s ‘Flood’ and Sharaa’s ‘Flood’
Ghassan Charbel/Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper/January 06/2025
January has painful connotations in Tehran. Iran cannot forget what happened on the third of that month in 2020. A man far away crossed what it considered a red line. Qasem Soleimani was killed near Baghdad Airport. The commander of the Quds Force, the architect of the "proxies strategy" and the project of a "big strike" against Israel, was killed.
This January, Tehran cannot help dreading the 20th. That day, the White House will once again fall into the hands of the man who ordered Soleimani’s assassination. The man who had withdrawn from the nuclear agreement and clogged the veins of Iran’s economy.
The pain associated with this month might have been bearable if not for the bitterness of the terrible month that preceded it. A man named Bashar al-Assad, whom Iran had thrown the kitchen sink to keep in power, fell. Soleimani had managed to convince Vladimir Putin to intervene and save him from the “flood” of popular opposition, and that is what happened. The Iranian-Russian intervention extended the life of Assad’s regime, but "Mr. President" chose to save himself from the “flood” that a man named Ahmad al-Sharaa had precipitated from Idlib.
Bashar boarded a plane to go into exile with no desire to fight it out in the ring, avoiding the defiance that had ended the lives of Muammar Gaddafi and Ali Abdullah Saleh. He left the stage without a masterful final scene, an art perfected by Saddam Hussein, his Baathist “comrade.”
Assad’s flight crowned a year of painful months for Iran that witnessed the assassinations of Hassan Nasrallah and Yahya Sinwar, as well as Ismail Haniyeh’s assassination while he was being hosted by the IRGC in Tehran. Benjamin Netanyahu responded to Sinwar and Nasrallah with a “flood” of flames that devastated Gaza and Lebanon, sparing none of the Iranian “advisers” in Syria. The result: Assad’s regime fell like a ripe fruit.
In his office in Tehran, Masoud Pezeshkian flips through documents and days. His misfortune was that he became president during the time of floods. The man had dreamt of gradually, cautiously opening windows, forging a durable truce if ending the wars was impossible. He had hoped to focus more on the economy and improving the living conditions of his people to regain their trust after a series of betrayals and disappointments. However, the escalating roars of the region are alarming, leaving him no room to catch his breath. True, the Syria dossier and Iran’s proxies were never the president’s prerogative. They are handled by the generals of the IRGC and the Quds Force, under the Supreme Leader's watchful eye. Yet, it is equally true that pressing challenges cannot be ignored.
Understanding the state of play is necessary, even if the conclusions are as painful as the analysis itself. Pezeshkian knows that Hamas has fought ferociously. But he also knows that Gaza will soon step out of the military arena to focus on reconstruction and tending to its wounds. Even if a deal to exchange prisoners is concluded, leading to the release of Palestinian detainees, the fact remains that Gaza has been devastated and has paid a heavy price in human lives.
He paces in his office. In the border villages, Hezbollah fought fiercely and paid a heavy price. However, this does not change the fact that it suffered two monumental losses: the loss of its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, who left a void that will be nearly impossible to fill, and the loss of its strategic depth in Syria, which is impossible to replace because of simple geography. Without its Syrian depth, Hezbollah cannot wage war against Israel, especially after the recent conflict exposed the immense gap in capabilities between it and Israel.
Hezbollah has to choose between difficult options. The Lebanese-Israeli border is being monitored by UN Resolution 1701 and an American general. Meanwhile, Soleimani’s road to Beirut from Tehran has been firmly sealed.
The shocks in Syria were too great to endure. The Resistance Axis crumbled. Several countries have recently issued firm statements: “The era of armed factions and parallel armies must end.” “Factions must be brought back to their territories.” “They do not have the right to launch rockets and drones on regional missions.” “Only the state should have the right to bear arms. The treasury cannot pay the salaries to paramilitaries accused of terrorist acts.” Iraq refuses to be a battleground, and the missiles of the Houthis cannot compensate for the silence of other proxies.
The punishment was severe. The Israeli machine is now threatening Iran itself, and the US is on the same page. The US has made two demands of Iran: no regional proxies and no nuclear bomb. These are extremely tough times for the country and the Supreme Leader.
Pezeshkian sifts through the Syrian scenes. It is clear that Damascus draws from an entirely different lexicon. Ahmed al-Sharaa, now spending his time reassuring guests, has suggested that the map has been redrawn, nothing more- "flooding" is not on the agenda. Yet the Resistance Axis’ Syrian linchpin has been crushed, leaving its string of alliances in disarray. Visitors speculate about what goes on in Sharaa’s mind. He began his tenure by demanding that factions dissolve and join the Ministry of Defense. Will he attempt to emulate the Turkish model, or will the tides bring a more hardline approach? One thing is certain: the visitors did not shed a tear over Iran's removal from Syria.
Bringing Syria back into the flood for the Resistance Axis seems exceedingly unlikely in the foreseeable future. Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces and Lebanon’s Hezbollah do not have the capacity to do so. Pezeshkian faces many questions. Should Iran change its approach in the region and settle for a more limited role? Had Putin grown weary of Assad’s obstinance and left him to his fate? Has the Sultan of Istanbul decided to punish the Governor of Damascus for repeatedly refusing to shake his hand? The Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, has accused Israel and America of being behind what happened in Damascus. He also stated that “one of Syria’s neighbors played a role,” hinting at Türkiye. The Middle East is a harsh place laden with traps, hardships, and surprises. Pezeshkian is well aware of the painful resonance that this month carries in Tehran. The bitterness of the current scene is only compounded by the many bitter months since Sinwar’s “flood” and al-Sharaa’s “flood.”