English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For January 16/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
God Of mercies and all consolation, consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction
Second Letter to the Corinthians 01/03-07/:”Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation, who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are abundant for us, so also our consolation is abundant through Christ. If we are being afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation; if we are being consoled, it is for your consolation, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we are also suffering. Our hope for you is unshaken; for we know that as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our consolation.”

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on January 15-16/2025
Elias Bejjani/ Text and Video: The Appointment of Joseph Aoun as President and the Designation of Nawaf Salam to Form the Government Confirm Lebanon's Chapter VII Status and the Irreversibility of the International and Regional Decision to End Iran's Era and Uproot its Proxies
The Path to the Success of the Covenant/Etienne Sakr - Abu Arz/January 15/2025
Unprecedented Step: A Presidential Spokeswoman
Lebanon Chooses Nawaf Salam, an Adversary of Israel, as New Prime Minister
Israel Is Overhauling Its Defense Ideology; Will Arab States Finally Support It?/Hussain Abdul-Hussain/Algemeiner/January 15/2025
Good news and bad news from Lebanon as Nawaf Salam elected premier/Hussain Abdul-Hussain/Asia Times/January 15/2025
Hezbollah and Political Changes/Colonel Charbel Barakat/January 15/2025
Berri to meet Salam after consultations' end amid efforts to contain Duo's discontent
Salam begins govt. formation consultations amid Shiite Duo boycott
Bassil: We don't accept anyone's exclusion and we call for extending state's authority
KSA, Kuwait reportedly express readiness to help Lebanon financially
LF wants govt plan to reflect president's inaugural speech
Al-Rahi says Aoun doesn't want to 'exclude' any component
Macron to visit Lebanon on Friday
Ziad K. Abdelnour/Open Letter to President Elect Joseph Aoun of Lebanon
Shiites Are No One’s Property/Hussein Ataya/Transparency Website/January 15/2025
Has the Lebanese system passed the test?/Nadim Shehadi/Arab News/January 15, 2025

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on January 15-16/2025
Qatar PM says Gaza truce, hostage release deal agreed
Saudi Arabia welcomes ceasefire agreement in Gaza
Gaza truce bittersweet for Biden as Trump takes credit
Netanyahu says Gaza ceasefire is still not complete, hours after US and Qatar announce deal
A look at the Gaza ceasefire deal
World leaders welcome Gaza ceasefire deal
World must keep pressure on Israel after Gaza truce: Palestinian PM
UN chief calls for major aid boost to ease ‘immense’ Palestinian suffering, as he welcomes Gaza ceasefire
Blinken offers most detailed picture to date of post-war Gaza plans
Fatah Says It Won’t Let Hamas, Iran Sacrifice Palestinians
Pro-Palestinian protesters target military and defense industry recruiters at UK universities
UN Security Council calls on countries to stop arming Houthis as Red Sea attacks continue
UN human rights chief calls for lifting Western sanctions on Syria as country rebuilds after Assad
Syria detains Egyptian after videos threatening Egypt's Sisi
Iran's navy unveils its first signals intelligence ship

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on January 15-16/2025
Jihad Must Have No Place in the West/Guy Millière/Gatestone Institute/January 15, 2025
Why Italy's release of wanted Iranian is a win for Tehran and blow to US/Sergio Cantone/Euronews/January 15, 2025
Israel Is Overhauling Its Defense Ideology; Will Arab States Finally Support It?/Hussain Abdul-Hussain/The Algemeiner/January 15, 2025
What comes after a Gaza ceasefire deal/Osama Al-Sharif/Arab News/January 15, 2025
Who is Nawaf Salam, the top UN judge appointed as Lebanon’s new prime minister?Sherouk Zakaria/Arab News/January 15, 2025

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on January 15-16/2025
Elias Bejjani/ Text and Video: The Appointment of Joseph Aoun as President and the Designation of Nawaf Salam to Form the Government Confirm Lebanon's Chapter VII Status and the Irreversibility of the International and Regional Decision to End Iran's Era and Uproot its Proxies
Elias Bejjani/ January 14, 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/01/139023/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Th3fzcFxJjw&t=2s
Today in Lebanon, Judge Nawaf Salam was tasked to for a new government, the first under President Joseph Aoun's tenure. His designation was unexpected, as until the early hours of the morning, Najib Mikati led by a significant margin, with over 73 MPs set to endorse him. However, suddenly, all the calculations Hezbollah was promoting and attempting to impose collapsed. Mikati was decisively defeated, receiving only 9 votes. Had those nine MPs delayed their visit to Baabda Palace by two hours, they would have likely shifted their support to Salam as well. This clearly indicates that most Lebanese MPs are mere puppets controlled by either local or international powers who brought them to parliament and who dictate their decisions.
This MP's puppet-like behavior was also evident during the election of Joseph Aoun as president on January 9, 2025. All MPs, both sovereignist and non-sovereignist, bowed to international and regional dictates, electing Aoun with 99 votes out of 128. Even MPs from Amal and Hezbollah had no candidate after MP, Suleiman Frangieh withdrew. They were seemingly coerced by the Iranian regime, following an Iranian-Saudi agreement, to accept Aoun's presidency in the realm of their recent defeat in the war against Israel and their surrender through the ceasefire agreement. Their attempt to delay the second voting session by two hours to 'negotiate' with Joseph Aoun was a farcical show, merely aimed at saving face and deceiving their base into believing they still hold power.
This same failed theatrical act repeated today when Hezbollah and Nabih Berri tried to postpone their visit to Baabda Palace to choose a prime minister until the next day. However, they backtracked when Nawaf Salam secured the majority, and their candidate, Mikati, failed. After meeting President Joseph Aoun, their parliamentary bloc leader, Mohammad Raad, stated they did not name a candidate and expressed dissatisfaction, implying a coup against the so-called 'national pact.' His comments suggested Hezbollah might boycott and obstruct the government under the pretext of the lack of Shiite representation, based on their distorted interpretation of the pact.
It is evident that Lebanon is currently under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, even if not officially declared. The international and regional communities are actively enforcing its provisions to end Hezbollah's era of terrorism, occupation, bullying, and Iranian influence, aiming to help the Lebanese reclaim their nation, independence, and sovereignty.
As for the 'national pact' that Hezbollah is threatening to use in a bid to sabotage Nawaf Salam's coming government, it constitutionally pertains to balance between Christian and Muslim sects, not political parties. Therefore, Nawaf Salam is legally entitled to appoint Shiite ministers from outside Hezbollah and Amal circles if those parties refuse to participate. This principle was echoed today by dozens of Shiite politicians and journalists opposing Hezbollah's total subservience to Iran's mullahs and its extremist ideology of Wilayat al-Faqih.
We would have preferred patriotic figures like MP Major General Ashraf Rifi, MP Fouad Makhzoumi, or the courageous academic Dr. Saleh Al-Machnouk to e tasked with forming the government. These figures have proven national credibility and experience in public service. Therefore, we see little hope in Nawaf Salam leading Lebanon into the much-needed peace era for the Middle East. His record reflects Arabist, leftist, and pro-Palestinian positions, marked by hostility towards Israel. He has also legally advocated for the resistance narrative against Israel both locally and internationally.
Given his ideological background, it is difficult to imagine Salam supporting the Abraham Accords or Lebanon's integration into peaceful agreements with Israel. Lebanon’s ability to join the Arab and Islamic peace treaties with Israel will be nearly impossible under a prime minister who remains ideologically driven by leftist, Arab nationalist, Nasserist, and pro-Palestinian sentiments.
Who is Nawaf Salam?
Nawaf Salam was born in Beirut on December 15, 1953. He is an international judge who was elected President of the International Court of Justice in February 2024. His name emerged prominently during the 2019 popular uprising and after Saad Hariri's resignation when he was proposed as a neutral compromise candidate, though Hezbollah and Amal rejected him, labeling him a U.S. nominee. Salam has a long history of supporting the Palestinian cause. He was an active member of Fatah and contributed alongside Mahmoud Darwish to drafting Yasser Arafat's famous 1974 UN speech. He holds a Doctorate in Political Science from the Institute of Political Studies in Paris and a Master of Laws from Harvard University. He represented Lebanon at the UN between 2007 and 2017. However, despite his distinguished academic qualifications, his hostile stances towards Israel significantly diminishes the chances of his government advancing peace with Israel.

The Path to the Success of the Covenant
Etienne Sakr - Abu Arz/January 15/2025
(Free Translation by: Elias Bejjani)
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/01/139109/
Now that the right man has assumed the right position at the right time, the eyes of the Lebanese people turn to His Excellency, the new President of the Republic, Joseph Aoun, with hope that this tenture will mark a pivotal chapter in Lebanon's history—one of advancement, reform, and prosperity. To ensure the success of His Excellency's presidential term over the next six years, we present the following proposals, inspired by the aspirations of the Lebanese people and their urgent desire to build a nation worthy of free and dignified lives:
Achievement Must Begin from Day One
A successful presidency is defined by bold steps and concrete achievements within the first months of its tenture. Lebanon can no longer afford delays, as any postponement of critical decisions means further losses for both the nation and its citizens.
Reform Begins with a New Government
Genuine reform, as pledged by His Excellency in his inaugural speech, cannot be achieved by relying on the same traditional system that led the country into its current state of collapse. Therefore, we call on His Excellency to form an entirely new government, starting with the appointment of a capable and honest Prime Minister, and including technocratic ministers chosen for their competence and innovative thinking, whether from residents or expatriates. This selection process must be free from the partisan and political quotas that have burdened the state and hindered progress.
A Small, Effective Government
We propose the formation of a streamlined, efficient government that works in harmony, avoiding administrative inflation that serves narrow interests. The government must operate with a unified vision, prioritizing the reconstruction of state institutions on scientific foundations, saving the national economy, reforming the banking system, and recovering looted public funds.
Abandoning the Patchwork Approach
The patchwork policies of previous eras have failed, leaving Lebanon in a state of severe deterioration. The nation's fabric has become so worn that it can no longer bear further patching. The only solution lies in resewing this national garment entirely, laying solid and sustainable foundations based on the rule of law and modern, advanced institutions.
We hope that Your Excellency's leadership will mark a true turning point for Lebanon—an era that restores dignity to its citizens, prestige to the state, and confidence in the eyes of the international community.
May God guide Your Excellency's steps in the noble mission to restore Lebanon's former glory and honor.
Lebanon at your service
Etienne Sakr – Abu Arz

Unprecedented Step: A Presidential Spokeswoman
Al-Modon, January 15, 2025
In an unprecedented move, journalist Najat Sharaf Al-Din has been appointed as the spokeswoman for the Lebanese Presidency, a newly created position under President Joseph Aoun's administration. Notably, she becomes the first woman to hold this role. Najat Sharaf Al-Din is married to former Finance Minister Ghazi Wazni, who was nominated by Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri in Hassan Diab’s government.A graduate of Beirut Arab University, Sharaf Al-Din began her media career at Future TV, founded by the late Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. She later continued her career at "Voice of All Lebanon" radio, where she hosted a political program for several years. Her media contributions include appearances, shows, and articles in various outlets such as Al-Araby TV, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, and the now-defunct As-Safir newspaper. Reports suggest that journalist Jean Aziz, a former advisor to President Michel Aoun, may join President Joseph Aoun’s team, along with former Director General of the Ministry of Information Mohammed Obeid, whose relationship with Speaker Berri is reportedly strained. Meanwhile, veteran journalist Rafik Shalala, who has served as head of the Media Office since President Amine Gemayel’s term, continues in his position, except during the presidencies of Elias Hrawi and Michel Sleiman.

Lebanon Chooses Nawaf Salam, an Adversary of Israel, as New Prime Minister
FDD/Flash Brief/January 15/2025
Latest Developments
International Court of Justice President Nawaf Salam Named as Prime Minister: ICJ President Nawaf Salam has been nominated as Lebanon’s next prime minister after consultations that followed Joseph Aoun’s election as the country’s president. Salam secured the support of more than two-thirds of the 128-member parliament with 84 votes for the prime minister position. Caretaker PM Najib Mikati received only nine votes. Hezbollah and Amal Withheld Support for Salam: Legislators from the Iranian-backed terrorist organization Hezbollah and its Amal allies abstained from endorsing a candidate for prime minister. Hezbollah’s parliamentary leader, Mohammed Raad, criticized the lack of reciprocity after their support for Aoun’s election, stating, “We extended a hand, but it was cut off.” Meanwhile, sources close to Al Jadeed, a Lebanese media outlet, reported that Salam conveyed reassurances to Hezbollah and Amal, emphasizing that his appointment seeks inclusion, not exclusion. Anti-Israel Salam Set To Be Replaced With Pro-Israel Judge Sebutinde: Salam presided over ICJ hearings initiated by South Africa alleging that Israel is committing “genocide” in Gaza. During his 11 years at the United Nations as Lebanon’s representative, he consistently attacked Israel, voting for anti-Israel resolutions on 210 separate occasions. Uganda’s Julia Sebutinde is poised to replace Salam at the helm of the ICJ. Sebutinde, currently the court’s vice president, voted against orders for Israel to restrain its war in Gaza.
FDD Expert Response
“Nawaf Salam, if he forms a cabinet that gains parliament’s confidence, will enter office with a heavy burden to bear. He will have to address Lebanon’s compounding crises — a collapsed economy, a worthless currency, bad infrastructure, political and judicial corruption, and reconstruction. All in a term that is likely to last just over a year. Expectations should therefore be kept low, especially when it comes to disarming or restraining Hezbollah. Salam is highly unlikely to juggle his uphill battle to extract Lebanon from near-total collapse while clashing — politically or otherwise — with one of the country’s most socially and politically powerful factions.”— David Daoud, FDD Senior Fellow
“Anti-Hezbollah politicians in Lebanon have long called for leadership change to demonstrate that Hezbollah can be disarmed through the Lebanese Armed Forces. They now have their desired prime ministerial candidate, one not endorsed by Hezbollah or favored by the Iran-backed group. However, despite this shift, Hezbollah maintains significant support, particularly among the Shia Muslim community. The new Lebanese government recognizes the importance of not alienating the Shia, ensuring Hezbollah’s continued influence. Expect some symbolic actions against the group, but they are unlikely to have any lasting impact.” — Ahmad Sharawi, FDD Research Analyst
“The ICJ case against Israel has been an inversion of reality from the beginning, trying to cast Israel as evil in its response to the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. Now, it is becoming clearer that the presiding judge was violating the court’s conflict of interest rules regarding political activity and previous involvement in the case, tarnishing the already invalid proceedings.” — David May, FDD Research Manager and Senior Research Analyst

Israel Is Overhauling Its Defense Ideology; Will Arab States Finally Support It?
Hussain Abdul-Hussain/Algemeiner/January 15/2025
Israel is perhaps the most muscular and influential power in the Middle East today. When Israel changes its defense ideology, as per the Nagel Committee Report released last week, the region must take notice.
Under the new doctrine, Israel will not wait for its enemies to build lethal capabilities but will preemptively deny them the pathway to becoming a threat. Islamist Iran and what is left of its proxies remain the top threat to the Jewish State. Turkey is on its watch list. Moderate Arab countries face similar threats from Iran and Turkey, and have an interest in making common cause with Israel.
“Following the October 7 disaster,” the report reads, Israel must move “from a ‘containment’ and defense concept to a ‘prevention’ and readiness concept, alongside building capabilities for immediate and sometimes even disproportionate response.”
Another key recommendation is for Israel to decrease its reliance on importing arms, and reenergize its defense industry — a capable sector that was scaled back to avoid producing weapons and ammunition deemed not commercially competitive on the global market.
With some European countries and Canada threatening bans on arms sales, and with America holding up some ammunition every now and then to apply pressure, Israel has concluded that — even if it doesn’t have an industrial base of scale — producing arms is an issue of utmost national interest, one connected to the state’s existence, not one that must make economic sense.
Media reports state that the Israeli government has already awarded contracts to local companies to produce heavy bombs in order to reduce reliance on the US. Less reliance on foreign powers means that Arab governments, which once hoped to use their leverage with world capitals to extract concessions from Israel, will have less ability to influence the policy and behavior of the Jewish State. But since the moderate Arab capitals have vast overlapping interests with Israel, whether in curbing Iranian troublemaking and restricting uninvited Turkish meddling — and since world capitals will not stir Israeli policy the way that some Arab governments might want to — the best option for these Arabs would be to directly coordinate regional policy with Israel.
It is imperative that moderate Arab states and leaders realize the gravity of October 7 and how it has been changing the region. The event ushered in the third phase in relations between the Arabs and Israel.
In the first phase, between 1948 and 1990, the Arabs believed that they could set their population and economic weight against that of puny Israel and its economy, in order to force the world to make a choice. Israel won that round. The second phase was when most Arabs realized that, in a US-led unipolar world, their best option was a two-state solution. Israel played along. Thirty-three years later, October 7 proclaimed the end of that phase.
Now, in the third phase, starting in 2023, with America believing that the Middle East is not as geo-strategically important as it used to be — and therefore shrinking its footprint in the region while pursuing band-aid crisis-management policies — and with Russia watching its effort in Syria go to naught, and with China becoming preoccupied with its stalling economy, the Middle East is on its own. Israel, Iran, and Turkey emerge as the successors of the great powers.
From an Arab perspective, of the three regional powers, the least expansive and intrusive is Israel, followed by Turkey, which puts its economy ahead of imperial ambitions and therefore limits its regional adventures. To the Arab people and other Arab states, an always expansive and war-obsessed Islamist Iran is the biggest threat, almost an existential one to most of them.
Against such background, it goes without saying that, of the three regional powers, Israel is the best option for the Arab states. Perhaps waiting for the Palestinians to figure out what they want, or who speaks for them, undermines both Arab and Palestinian interests. Arab states should reach out to Israel right away. If they don’t, they risk becoming regionally irrelevant, sitting back and watching three powers vie for dominance while they wait to see who will emerge as the next boss. Hedging, at this point, and reaping the rewards of taking the right side, might be much better than waiting for the new regional boss to emerge, and dictate their will.
During World War I, Arab leaders did bet on the winning horse — the Allies. They did not get exactly what they wanted, but their choice proved to be much better than the disaster of flirting with the Nazis that some Palestinians and Iraqis did in World War II.
In the unfolding Middle East race, Israel has demonstrated its prowess. Betting on it looks like the safest choice for the Arab governments that seek stability to grow their economies and secure their futures.
Hussain Abdul-Hussain is a research fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies (FDD).
*The opinions presented by Algemeiner bloggers are solely theirs and do not represent those of The Algemeiner, its publishers or editors. If you would like to share your views with a blog post on The Algemeiner, please be in touch through our Contact page.
https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/01/14/israel-is-overhauling-its-defense-ideology-will-arab-states-finally-support-it/

Good news and bad news from Lebanon as Nawaf Salam elected premier
Hussain Abdul-Hussain/Asia Times/January 15/2025
Israel-bashing president of the International Court of Justice hardly seems the one to bring peace with neighbor
The good news from Lebanon is that Hezbollah’s incumbent prime minister, Najib Mikati, has lost the race for another term, causing the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia to complain that it was being pushed out of the political process.
The bad news is that the one who got the call on Monday to form a cabinet was International Court of Justice President Nawaf Salam, whose staunch anti-Israel stances make it hard to imagine that he could lead Lebanon back to the 1949 truce with the Jewish state, let alone suing for peace and normalization.
The build up to Salam’s call started with the opposition bloc of 35 lawmakers nominating one of its own, Fouad Makhzoumi, to the position. The opposition has been the only bloc, in Lebanon’s 128-member parliament, to demand, out loud, the disarmament of Hezbollah. An independent bloc of 17 MPs nominated Salam. “The smaller bloc should have endorsed Makhzoumi, but they did not budge,” Samir Geagea, the leader of the Lebanese Forces Party, the biggest bloc within the opposition told Alhadath channel. “Had we not endorsed their candidate, Salam, the result would have been another term for [Hezbollah’s candidate] Mikati.”
The 52 votes for Salam started snowballing. By the time lawmakers disclosed their choices to President Joseph Aoun, who had been elected president last week, Salam’s endorsement had reached 84 votes. Mikati received only nine. Seeing the defeat coming, the two Shia blocs of Hezbollah and Amal, with 30 votes, abstained from nominating anyone to the premiership. Aoun asked Salam to form a cabinet.
Hours after the nomination, Geagea gave his interview to Alhadath, in which he outlined how his coalition imagined the post-Hezbollah era: “President Aoun and Prime Minister Salam should sit with Hezbollah and tell them, ‘Listen, we are all Lebanese compatriots. Either ship your arms back to Iran or surrender them to the Lebanese army.” Geagea said that this was how all civil war militias, including his own, surrendered their arms in 1991.
But Salam brings to the Lebanese premiership a lot of global political baggage. While serving as Lebanon’s envoy to the UN, including two years as a non-permanent member at the Security Council, Salam bashed Israel dozens of times in his various speeches. As president of the International Court of Justice, Salam presided over accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, a highly controversial decision that top legal experts have disputed. With Salam’s bias against Israel, it becomes hard to imagine that the UN judge would be the best fit to lead the process of disarming Hezbollah and restoring Lebanese sovereignty, let alone demarcating the land border and suing for peace and normalization.
Blue-blooded Salam family
Salam hails from a blue-blooded feudal family that rose to prominence with the rise of Beirut itself as a major port and Mediterranean city. His grandfather represented the Beirut Velayet in the Ottoman parliament in Istanbul and his uncle, Saeb, played a major role in the country’s politics – including as prime minister. Saeb became famous for smoking cigars and going around with a white carnation pinned to his lapel. Like most Sunni Muslims in the Levant, whether in Lebanon, Syria or Palestine, Saeb Salam opposed the creation of those states. He led Beirut’s Sunni opposition in demanding that Lebanese join a Hashemite, pan-Arab kingdom, in Damascus, which proved to be short-lived. Saeb Salam later changed course and championed Lebanese nationalism against pan-Arabism.
Saeb Salam’s influence started shrinking as Yasser Arafat and the Palestinian militias dominated Lebanon, starting in 1969. But in 1982, when Israel invaded Lebanon to eject the Palestinian militias that were attacking its north, it was in Saeb Salam’s traditional mansion in the Lebanese capital where all Muslim and Druze leaders – usually the supporters of Arafat – gathered and demanded that the Palestinian chief and his militias leave the country to spare it further destruction.
Muslim Saeb Salam continued to lend political cover to Christian President Amin Gemayel in talks with Israel that resulted in parliament’s ratification of the May 17, 1983, Peace Agreement between the two countries. Syria’s Hafez Assad sent in his militias to blow up the deal. Salam went to live in exile in Europe.
While his uncle was lending a hand to Arafat’s ejection, young Nawaf stuck with the Palestinian chief – perhaps inspired more by his peers than by his family heritage. Nawaf Salam maintained his pro-Palestinian position for a long time, but in 2005, he stood as a proponent of the anti-Assad and anti-Hezbollah “March 14 coalition.” (The group’s name commemorated a massive protest – the biggest in the country’s history – one month after Prime Minister Rafic Hariri was assasssinated in 2005.) He was rewarded by being appointed Lebanon’s envoy to the UN, where he became friends with his American counterpart Susan Rice. In 2008, the Hezbollah militia punished and finished off the March 14 coalition. But Salam, hedging his bets, stayed at the UN and started reporting to a pro-Hezbollah government in Beirut. He hoped that by staying on the fence he would eventually get a call to form a cabinet.
In 2019, the Lebanese who took to the streets in the “October 17 Revolution” protesting Hezbollah and corruption shouted Salam’s name. Since then he has been popular with the opposition and anti-establishment types. October 17 lawmakers were behind his getting the call on Monday.
But not everyone shouting Salam’s name is praising him. He has made a lot of enemies on the world stage. If he brings those animosities with him to the premiership, Lebanon’s global standing may end up suffering.
**Hussain Abdul-Hussain is a research fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies (FDD). Follow him on X @hahussain
https://asiatimes.com/2025/01/good-news-and-bad-news-from-lebanon-as-nawaf-salam-elected-premier/

Hezbollah and Political Changes
Colonel Charbel Barakat/January 15/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/01/139098/
Hezbollah inherited the Syrian occupation and its hegemony over Lebanon, solidifying its grip through power and weapons while serving as an instrument of Iranian control over the region. To secure this dominance, it employed all available means, including money, weapons, and unchecked violence. Exploiting both domestic and international laws, it engaged in smuggling, drug trafficking, and money laundering, disregarding the sovereignty of states, principles of good neighborliness, and the foundations of brotherhood or friendship. Hezbollah has even gone so far as to appoint governments and public officials at will, assassinate opponents without fear of accountability, and betray those who refuse to submit—unless they could be bought with the illicit funds provided by the Iranian mullah regime.
This organization has swelled with arrogance, blind to its own overreach, reminiscent of La Fontaine’s fable of the frog that sought to inflate itself to match the size of a bull, only to burst from its own ambition. Hezbollah now imagines it can challenge Israel and “throw it into the sea,” yet it finds itself losing leaders, fighters, and its long-treasured missile arsenal. It is dismantling everything the Shiite community built through hard work over generations, showing no regard for the destruction and suffering it has caused. Still, Hezbollah believes it can silence dissent and manipulate public opinion through intimidation or bribery.
Today, Hezbollah is overwhelmed by political shifts and unable to adapt. Desperate, it begs for a ceasefire, pledging to implement international resolutions, but it clings to the illusion that, as in 2006, it can delay and manipulate agreements once the immediate threat passes. However, this time the winds have changed. Syria’s situation has shifted dramatically—its ally Assad’s regime has collapsed, supply lines have been severed, and the Iranian militias have been scattered. Hezbollah can no longer restock its weapons, explosives, or drones, nor secure funding from the Revolutionary Guards. Meanwhile, Israel has targeted its financial network, including Al-Qard Al-Hassan and other illicit financial hubs, which Hezbollah had crafted to replace Lebanon’s collapsed banking system. With state institutions paralyzed, depositors robbed, and financial reserves depleted, Hezbollah faces a dire crisis. There are no more resources to pay off cronies, mobilize the masses, or intimidate opponents.
Hezbollah, once capable of paralyzing Lebanon’s institutions, blocking presidential elections, and orchestrating violent takeovers like the May 7 events, is now reaping the consequences of its overreach. It delayed the presidential election for two years to install its ally Michel Aoun and further tighten its grip on Lebanon’s institutions. Now, with Aoun’s presidency ending in disgrace, Hezbollah has again paralyzed the political process, blocking the election of a successor while handing the country to a caretaker government led by Najib Mikati—handpicked by Hezbollah without national consensus. Believing it fully controlled Lebanon, Hezbollah declared wars and dictated terms of peace, but it now faces the collapse of its control. Its weapons are ineffective, its bribery funds have dried up, and Israel continues to hold it in check while international actors closely monitor Lebanon’s compliance with disarmament agreements.
A new government is forming, tasked with restoring national sovereignty and implementing international resolutions. If it fails, Lebanon will remain a hostage of the recklessness and myopia of the Iranian proxy. What will Hezbollah tell the families it has orphaned, the homes it has destroyed, and the people it has displaced? What excuse will it offer to the residents of the Bekaa Valley and Beirut’s southern suburbs whose neighborhoods it has transformed into weapons depots and missile launch pads, exposing them to destruction? How will it justify betraying the border communities it once promised to protect, only to turn them into human shields and targets?
For years, Hezbollah dictated the so-called “rules of engagement” with Israel, but it never grasped a fundamental truth: a defeated force forfeits the right to maintain military installations. Hezbollah turned entire southern villages into fortresses, and Israel is now systematically dismantling these positions. It remains unclear if these areas will ever be restored or how they will be secured in the future. Hezbollah’s hatred for the border communities, who resisted its presence for two decades, drives its continued efforts to erase any positive memories of past stability and cooperation with their Israeli neighbors. Instead, it turned their homes into bunkers, inviting further destruction.
Still intoxicated with power, Hezbollah persists in using assassination and chaos to enforce its will. Just recently, one of its operatives murdered a car showroom owner in Dbayeh, coldly stealing a vehicle. However, the security forces of today are not those of yesterday—the killer has been arrested, and justice must extend further to dismantle Hezbollah’s assassination cells, intelligence units, and paramilitary networks, which have no purpose but sabotage. The so-called “resistance” has brought nothing but destruction. These structures must be disbanded, their weapons confiscated, and their members demobilized. It is time they learned productive trades instead of terrorizing the streets on motorcycles, awaiting orders from failed, short-sighted commanders.
Hezbollah must be dissolved, its presence banned from Lebanese territory, and its leaders prosecuted for the devastation they have caused to Lebanon’s people and institutions. It has never been a Lebanese party—neither in ideology, actions, nor objectives. It stands against coexistence, promoting discord among Lebanon’s diverse communities while openly admitting allegiance to the Iranian regime and its Revolutionary Guards, pursuing foreign agendas that contradict Lebanon’s national interests.
The upcoming government will be the first in decades not imposed by Hezbollah. Free Lebanese Shiites, long silenced by threats and coercion, will participate in shaping the nation’s future. No longer will anyone care for the scowls of Muhammad Raad or the theatrics of his henchmen, who falsely claimed to represent Lebanon’s honorable Shiite community. Without Iranian funding, the cheerleaders will vanish, and the people will finally hold the corrupt accountable.
Hezbollah’s reign is ending. Let the Lebanese celebrate the lifting of this oppressive burden. Let the many free Shiites who reject the humiliation imposed upon them by this foreign-backed militia rise. Together, the Lebanese can build a prosperous, free future, one that bears no resemblance to the era of hatred and fear imposed by Hezbollah and its Iranian and Syrian masters, who hijacked Lebanon’s freedom and drowned it in darkness for far too long.

Berri to meet Salam after consultations' end amid efforts to contain Duo's discontent
Naharnet/January 15/2025
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri will meet Friday with Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam, a day after non-binding consultations boycotted by Amal and ally Hezbollah. Berri told LBCI that he doubts that Amal and Hezbollah's MPs would meet Salam. The parliamentary consultations to form a new government will be held on Wednesday and Thursday. Hezbollah and Amal boycotted the consultations, to voice their objection against Salam's appointment, as Hezbollah accused unnamed parties of reneging on an agreement that promised the re-appointment of former PM Najib Mikati. The boycott does not necessarily mean that the two parties will not take part in the new government. Berri told LBCI that "Lebanon needs to move forward," and said that he did not have a call with French President Emmanuel Macron, who is reportedly seeking to resolve the Shiite Duo's discontent. Asharq al-Awsat newspaper reported Wednesday a call between Macron and Berri and another between the French president and his newly-elected counterpart Joseph Aoun. Berri confirmed that a call with Macron was scheduled. Asharq al-Awsat also said that Aoun is seeking to contain the situation and convince Amal and Hezbollah to take part in the new government. Berri told the daily that "things are not that bad," before telling LBCI that he cannot confirm that Amal and Hezbollah's blocs would meet Salam. Macron is due to visit Lebanon on Friday to mark "the unwavering commitment of France to support Lebanon, its sovereignty and unity," his office said. He will also follow up on the implementation of a U.S.-French brokered ceasefire reached in late November between Israel and Hezbollah. Macron said Monday that Salam's appointment represented "hope for change" in Lebanon and hoped Salam's government could be both "strong" and "represent all the diversity of the Lebanese people."

Salam begins govt. formation consultations amid Shiite Duo boycott
Naharnet/January 15/2025
Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam on Wednesday began two-day non-binding consultations with MPs for forming a new government, amid a boycott by the parliamentary blocs of Hezbollah and the Amal Movement, known in Lebanon as the Shiite Duo. MP Qassem Hashem of Amal’s Development and Liberation bloc said the boycott does not mean that the two parties will not take part in the government. Hezbollah and Amal have objected against the manner in which Salam was named premier on Monday, accusing unnamed parties of not honoring an alleged agreement for the re-appointment of Najib Mikati as premier. Both parties had voted for President Joseph Aoun in Thursday’s presidential election session, after reports said that they received “guarantees” regarding several issues. “PM-designate Salam is showing openness and does not have an intention to exclude anyone,” Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab said after meeting Salam at the beginning of the parliamentary consultations. MP Waddah al-Sadek of the Change bloc meanwhile stressed that “no state has interfered in the elections and consultations and those saying that are lying.” His colleague in the same bloc MP Mark Daou called for a “small” government after he met with Salam along with al-Sadek and MP Michel Doueihi. The head of the Democratic Gathering MP Taymour Jumblat -- whose bloc’s votes were crucial for Salam’s appointment -- stressed "the need to communicate with everyone and launch a dialogue with everyone," emphasizing that "no one can eliminate the other." Kataeb leader Sami Gemayel called after meeting Salam for a "government of competencies." He said what's happening is not aimed at excluding Hezbollah and Amal. MP Michel Mouawad of the Tajaddod bloc meanwhile said that "the presence of Hezbollah and the Amal Movement in the opposition does not mean that it is an exclusion of Shiites." "We hope this government will contain the biggest number of political blocs, and it would be better if everyone joins it, so that it carries out a national reconciliation," Mouawad added, after his talks with Salam. Salam is scheduled to hold the second day of consultations on Thursday. Salam said Tuesday that he will not marginalize any side in Lebanon, an apparent reference to Hezbollah, which in past years opposed his appointment as prime minister and this year indicated its preference for another candidate. "I'm not an advocate of exclusion but rather unity and my hands are extended to everyone so that no citizen feels marginalized," Salam stressed. Salam, who has served as the head of the International Court of Justice, said that he will work on spreading the state’s authority on all parts of the country. Over the past years, Hezbollah and its allies have blocked Salam from becoming prime minister, casting him as a U.S.-backed candidate. “The time has come to say, enough. Now is the time to start a new chapter,” Salam said on Tuesday, adding that people in Lebanon have suffered badly because of “the latest brutal Israeli aggression on Lebanon and because of the worst economic crisis and financial policies that made the Lebanese poor.”“Both my hands are extended to all of you so that we all move forward in the mission of salvation, reforms and reconstruction,” Salam said.Neither Salam nor Aoun, an army commander who was elected president last week, is considered part of the political class the ruled the country after the end of the 1975-90 civil war.

Bassil: We don't accept anyone's exclusion and we call for extending state's authority
Naharnet/January 15/2025
Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil announced Wednesday that the FPM “will facilitate the government formation process” and that it will not insist on retaining the energy portfolio. “We have not asked the PM-designate for anything in the governmental issue, we’re ready to help and in our opinion the government must represent the parliamentary forces through experts,” Bassil added, following his bloc’s talks with PM-designate Nawaf Salam during the non-binding parliamentary consultations for forming a new government. As for the Shiite Duo’s dismay over Salam’s appointment, Bassil said: “We don’t accept the exclusion or marginalization of anyone and we demand that the ministerial statement mention the implementation of 1701 and the ceasefire agreement and extending state’s authority across Lebanon.” “We must rally around the PM-designate and President Joseph Aoun and there is a chance for a new balance in the country and real partnership,” the FPM chief added. He also called for “a quick return of Syrian refugees, equal relations with the Syrian state, financial reform through the forensic audit, and the restructuring of the banking sector to return the depositors’ funds.”

KSA, Kuwait reportedly express readiness to help Lebanon financially
Naharnet/January 15/2025
Senior Saudi and Kuwaiti officials have expressed readiness to offer aid to Lebanon to assist it in the reconstruction process after the latest Israeli war, informed sources said. Speaking on the sidelines of international financial meetings, the Gulf officials said such assistance should exclusively pass through the Lebanese state through a legal mechanism, the sources told al-Akhbar newspaper in remarks published Wednesday. “The Saudi side has been talking about Lebanon for the past three weeks and the International Monetary Fund has received an official letter from Riyadh asking about Lebanon’s financial situation,” the sources added. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman has also asked a number of Saudi businessmen to carry out contacts with Lebanese economic parties, calling on them to study projects that had been frozen in recent years following Riyadh’s decision to boycott Lebanon, the sources said.

LF wants govt plan to reflect president's inaugural speech
Naharnet/January 15/2025
Lebanese Forces MP George Adwan called Wednesday for dropping "national consensus governments", after his bloc held with Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam non-binding consultations for forming a new government. "We don’t want a return to the army-people-resistance equation," Adwan said. "And we want the state to extend its authority over all Lebanese soil," he added. Adwan demanded that the government's plan reflect President Joseph Aoun's inaugural speech. In his speech, Aoun vowed that the state would have "a monopoly" on arms, and pledged to carry out reforms, fight corruption, and to rebuild war-hit Lebanon. Salam's first speech followed suit. The parliamentary consultations will be held in parliament on Wednesday and Thursday amid a boycott by the parliamentary blocs of Hezbollah and Amal. The Duo objected against Salam's appointment, accusing unnamed parties of reneging on an agreement that promised the re-appointment of former PM Najib Mikati. The boycott does not necessarily mean that the two parties will not take part in the new government. Adwan said that Hezbollah and Amal have the largest Shiite representation, hoping that they will take part in the new government. Salam on Tuesday said he will not marginalize any side in Lebanon, an apparent reference to Hezbollah and Amal.

Al-Rahi says Aoun doesn't want to 'exclude' any component
Naharnet/January 15/2025
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi held a meeting Wednesday at the Baabda Palace with President Joseph Aoun. “President Aoun believes in what he said in his (inaugural) speech, nothing happens overnight and what he said is clear,” al-Rahi said after the talks. “President Aoun hopes the government will be formed as soon as possible and that no one will be excluded,” al-Rahi added, stressing that “the hands of President Aoun and PM-designate (Nawaf) Salam are extended to everyone.” “We have to be optimistic not pessimistic and we want to live hope and rise together,” the patriarch said.

Macron to visit Lebanon on Friday
Agence France Presse/January 15/2025
French leader Emmanuel Macron is due to visit Lebanon on Friday, both countries said, in the second such trip by a head of state since Lebanon elected a president last week. The office of new Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said he met the French ambassador to Beirut on Tuesday to discuss preparations for Macron's visit. Macron's office confirmed the date. The trip comes after Lebanese lawmakers on Thursday elected Aoun president after more than two years of the position being vacant, under international pressure including from former colonial power France. On Monday, Aoun named international judge and diplomat Nawaf Salam as prime minister, giving him the tricky task of forming a cabinet to pull the country out of a crippling, five-year-long economic crisis. Macron's office said the French president planned to mark "the unwavering commitment of France to support Lebanon, its sovereignty and unity."His trip follows a ceasefire in November between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which was announced by Macron and U.S. President Joe Biden. Under that deal, there is a 60-day period during which the Lebanese Army is expected to deploy alongside U.N. peacekeepers in southern Lebanon as the Israeli army withdraws. At the same time, Hezbollah is required to pull its forces north of the Litani River, some 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the border, and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure it has in the country's south. A committee composed of Israeli, Lebanese, French and U.S. delegates, alongside a representative from the U.N. peacekeeping force UNIFIL, has been tasked with monitoring the implementation of the deal. "The trip will also be the occasion to work on the implementation of the ceasefire... and to reiterate France's commitment towards this within UNIFIL," his office said. Macron said on Monday that Salam's appointment represented "hope for change" in Lebanon. Macron's office said he hoped Salam's government could be both "strong" and "represent all the diversity of the Lebanese people."A Paris conference on funding for Lebanon in October raised around $800 million for humanitarian aid in the Mediterranean country.
Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides visited Lebanon on Friday.

 Ziad K. Abdelnour/Open Letter to President Elect Joseph Aoun of Lebanon
His Excellency President Joseph Aoun President of the Republic of Lebanon Baabda Palace Beirut, Lebanon
New York 11/01/2025
Dear Mr. President Joseph Aoun,
On behalf of the US Committee for a Free Lebanon and Builders Group, allow me to extend my heartfelt congratulations on your election as President of Lebanon.
As an American of Lebanese origin and a long-time advocate for Lebanon’s sovereignty, prosperity, and stability, I am filled with hope and optimism for the future under your leadership.
My name is Ziad K. Abdelnour, Founder of the US Committee for a Free Lebanon and Builders Group, and President & CEO of Blackhawk Partners, Inc. a global private equity investment fund, I have dedicated much of my career to fostering economic growth, promoting freedom, and advancing the aspirations of the Lebanese people both at home and abroad.
Your election signifies a pivotal moment for Lebanon. The nation stands at a crossroads, facing challenges that demand decisive leadership and transformative reform. We trust that your presidency will mark the beginning of a new era—one of unity, accountability, and renewed hope for all Lebanese citizens. I wish you strength, wisdom, and unwavering resolve as you lead Lebanon through these pivotal times.
With deepest respect and steadfast support, we are committed to keeping you informed and updated on our ongoing initiatives. We eagerly anticipate the transformative progress that Lebanon so urgently requires under your esteemed leadership. Should you require any assistance or have specific recommendations for us to follow, please do not hesitate to reach out.
May your presidency be marked by wisdom, resilience, and success.
Sincerely,
Ziad K. Abdelnour,
Founder, US Committee for a Free Lebanon and Builders Group President & CEO of Blackhawk Partners, Inc.
445 Park Avenue New York, NY 10022
Email: Ziad@blackhawkpartners.com

Shiites Are No One’s Property
Hussein Ataya/Transparency Website/January 15/2025
(Free Translation from Arabic by: Elias Bejjani)
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/01/139101/
The Shiite community has never belonged to a leader or a party, nor has it ever been sectarian or isolated from its Lebanese identity and Arab heritage. Historically, the Shiite community remained deeply connected to Lebanon and Arabism, maintaining openness to all segments of the nation until the late 1970s.
Shiites were among the most open Lebanese groups to leftist ideas, Arabism, and global civilizations. This openness stemmed from their widespread diaspora across the world, contributing to intellectual and scientific progress in various fields. However, this dynamic changed with the rise of the oppressive regime in Tehran in the late 1970s. The Iranian regime, dominated by mullahs and turbans promoting the alien ideology of Wilayat al-Faqih, introduced a doctrine foreign to Arab Shiites and Islamic values. Its heresies, peculiar ideas, and traditions stood in stark contrast to the faith and culture of Arab Shiites.
Hezbollah, as Tehran's creation, imported these Safavid doctrines into Lebanon, enforcing alien practices on the Lebanese Shiites. This included the imposition of the chador and unfamiliar rituals, along with linguistic influences carrying Persian accents, all detached from Lebanon's Arab history and identity.
The new era must approach Lebanese Shiites as free citizens, not as mere followers of Hezbollah or the Amal Movement. Hezbollah's bloc, in particular, diverges significantly from the authentic Lebanese Shiite values, traditions, and identity.
For the past forty years, the Shiites of Lebanon have suffered unparalleled repression, persecution, and defamation. This began in the late 1980s with the Apple region conflict and the hostile takeover of the resistance following major assassinations targeting militants of the National Resistance Front (Jamoul) and others. Hezbollah monopolized the resistance, aligning it with Tehran’s interests, turning the Shiite areas into mere extensions of foreign ambitions rather than genuine Lebanese spaces.
The new leadership must abandon the outdated mindset of previous eras and acknowledge the Lebanese Shiite community as a powerhouse of national talent and competence. The stranglehold imposed by the Hezbollah-Amal duo on the Shiite representation was enforced through intimidation, violence, and manipulation. Elections have repeatedly revealed this reality, with instances of treason accusations, violence against dissenters, and bribery, all documented in Lebanese and international media, including the 2022 elections.
This is a pivotal moment to restore dignity and justice to the Shiite community, long abused and suppressed by the duo's practices. Shiites have never been private property for any party. They have made immense sacrifices for Lebanon and deserve respect, appreciation, and justice.
Since the current leadership has introduced figures from outside the corrupt, mafia-like system that once controlled Lebanon, it is imperative for the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister-designate to prioritize the restoration of Shiite rights. This requires liberating the community from its oppressors through the deployment of state institutions in the South, Dahieh, and Bekaa. Only by dismantling the duo's unlawful influence can the Shiite community once again thrive in dignity, free from oppression and exploitation.

Has the Lebanese system passed the test?
Nadim Shehadi/Arab News/January 15, 2025
Miracles happen, sometimes with a lot of suspense and a unique alignment of the stars. In the midst of major regional and international developments, and after 24 months of a political vacuum and complete paralysis, the Lebanese parliament has produced a new president and a new prime minister. Does this mean that the political system works? This question about the uniquely Lebanese power-sharing formula has troubled generations.
Lebanon’s system is sometimes seen as an example of coexistence to be followed by others and at other times there are calls for partition or some form of separation like federalism because coexistence is impossible.
The answer is not obvious. In October 2019, people took to the streets in a blanket condemnation of the political class, political parties, the economic system and the power-sharing formula. The revolutionary slogan was “all means all” — nothing was right and everyone was guilty. Bankers, politicians and corrupt government officials were all responsible for what seemed like a total collapse of the country. Lebanon was also abandoned by the world because it was considered a hopeless case. For many, this meant the end: there was no future and no hope with the current system. Until the last few days, nothing had happened to prove them wrong.
Now, suddenly, there is euphoria and optimism that the country could be on the right path once again, even though the actors are probably going to be more or less the same. Lebanese politicians somehow pulled it off and managed to get out of the paralysis, but the questions about the system and reforming it to avoid further paralysis in the future remain and the answers are not straightforward. The system failed and succeeded at the same time.
Now, suddenly, there is euphoria and optimism that the country could be on the right path once again
The election of Joseph Aoun as president was a triumph of diplomacy and deal-making. He is perceived to be a man of integrity with an impeccable track record who had won the confidence of the international community. But it was also a malfunction of the political process that necessitated external intervention, albeit a friendly one. The choice was also from outside the political class, which could not bring in one of its own. Aoun is the fourth consecutive current or former military chief to be parachuted into the presidency for lack of a viable alternative through the system.
Aoun’s election resembles a military coup but with a Lebanese twist: when politicians fail, the military steps in and takes over. The difference is that, in Lebanon, it is done by consensus and through parliament. Politicians admitted their inability and handed over power by electing the general who switches to a business suit and tie. Exceptionally, the constitution was amended for “one time and one time only” — for the third time. But let’s not kid ourselves, this should be the last exception, otherwise it becomes the rule.
However, the appointment of Nawaf Salam as prime minister was a shining example of civil society and the political establishment reaching what was seen as the best possible result at the last minute. An academic and a diplomat, Salam previously headed the UN Security Council and presided over the International Court of Justice during the high-profile Gaza genocide case.
Just the day before, it seemed like a choice between two other candidates. All things considered, for such a small country, it could be viewed as a better choice than American voters had a couple of months earlier. We went to bed thinking that caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati was not only leading but was also the inevitable international choice. He represented stability and continuity and had made successful transitions before.
But who wants continuity? There were protests and an intensive social media campaign. We were flooded with emails, WhatsApp messages and social media posts calling for the nomination of Salam as an alternative. The next day, unpredictably, a crescendo of declarations from MPs started naming Salam, one block after the other and from the most unexpected parties. It was too much excitement for one day and, considering what had just happened in Syria, it was enough excitement for a generation.
Reforming the system to prevent another breakdown is the main task that lies ahead for Aoun and Salam
In 1952, Georges Naccache, the owner of the newspaper L’Orient and a sharp political commentator, diagnosed the problem. People had gone on to the streets to protest what was perceived as a corrupt establishment. They managed to force a president to resign and bring about the election of a popular outsider. Naccache wrote that it is all very well for the Lebanese to congratulate themselves when the country comes out of a crisis, but he warned that if the solution did not come from within the system, this was also a failure. It is all too easy to blame one man and to think that, by deposing him, the system has rid itself of all its ills. He drew attention to the fact that the events in Lebanon were accompanied by disturbances in Egypt, Iran and Syria, with repercussions that had to be taken into account when answering questions about Lebanon’s existence, character and the chances of its survival and its role in the world.
For Naccache, the significance of the 1952 uprising, regardless of how successful or unsuccessful it was, is that it was the first attempt since independence to mobilize the country for a single cause. The danger there was that this was done outside parliament and outside the normal democratic process. He warned that, if Lebanese institutions were not reformed to contain future events of that sort, they would be done away with on the next occasion. Today, reforming the system to prevent another breakdown is the main task that lies ahead for the new president and prime minister.
While it is true that the system has broken down many times in the country’s history, it did so under the weight of regional factors such as Nasserism, the Palestine Liberation Organization or Syrian and Iranian control, which affected the whole area. Now that these have eased, we will see how it quickly bounces back, even if it needs a little help.
The country is technically still at war with Israel, there are hundreds of thousands of people displaced, entire villages destroyed and forming a government looks impossible. Lebanon is not only recovering from a war, but also from 54 years of the Assad regime as its neighbor.
But with all the challenges ahead, after these last few days in Lebanon, everything feels possible. A friend texted me while I was writing this piece: “My God, we look like a real country.”
*Nadim Shehadi is an economist and political adviser. X: @Confusezeus

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on January 15-16/2025
Qatar PM says Gaza truce, hostage release deal agreed
AFP/January 15, 2025
DOHA: Qatar’s prime minister announced that Israel and Hamas had agreed Wednesday to a ceasefire and the release of hostages held in Gaza, adding he hoped the deal would pave the way for a permanent end to the fighting. After mediators earlier said a deal had been reached, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cautioned that some issues in the framework remained “unresolved,” though it hoped the “details will be finalized tonight.”Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who holds a largely ceremonial role, said the deal was the “right move” to bring back hostages seized during Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack that sparked the war.Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani told a press conference that the ceasefire would take effect on Sunday. “The two belligerents in the Gaza Strip have reached a deal on the prisoner and the hostage swap, and (the mediators) announce a ceasefire in the hopes of reaching a permanent ceasefire between the two sides,” he said. The first phase of the deal would see Hamas release 33 captives, he added, “including civilian women and female recruits, as well as children (and) elderly people... in return for a number of prisoners who are being held in Israeli prisons.”Demonstrators in Tel Aviv calling for the release of the hostages embraced as news of the agreement spread, while thousands across Gaza celebrated the deal to halt the hostilities that have devastated much of the Palestinian territory. “I can’t believe that this nightmare of more than a year is finally coming to an end. We have lost so many people, we’ve lost everything,” said Randa Sameeh, a 45-year-old displaced from Gaza City to the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. Hamas said the ceasefire was the “result of the legendary steadfastness of our great Palestinian people and our valiant resistance in the Gaza Strip for over 15 months.” Pressure to put an end to the fighting had ratcheted up in recent days, as mediators Qatar, Egypt and the United States intensified efforts to cement an agreement. On Wednesday, Qatar’s Sheikh Mohammed said the three countries would monitor the implementation of the ceasefire via a body based in Cairo. US President Joe Biden said he was “thrilled” at the development, adding the deal would “halt the fighting in Gaza, surge much needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and reunite the hostages with their families.”
The agreement came after months of failed bids to end the deadliest war in Gaza’s history, and days ahead of the inauguration of Biden’s successor Donald Trump, who hailed the deal even before it was officially announced by the White House. Trump had warned Hamas of “hell to pay” if it did not free the remaining captives before he took office, and envoys from both his incoming administration and Biden’s outgoing one had been present at the latest negotiations. “This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November,” Trump said on social media.The president-elect added that his White House would “continue to work closely with Israel and our Allies to make sure Gaza NEVER again becomes a terrorist safe haven.”Hamas sparked the war in Gaza by staging the deadliest-ever attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of 1,210 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures. Palestinian militants also took 251 people hostage during the attack, 94 of whom are still being held in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead. Israel’s retaliatory campaign in Gaza has killed 46,707 people, most of them civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry that the UN considers reliable. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi pointed to the “importance of accelerating the entry of urgent humanitarian aid” into Gaza, as he welcomed news of the deal. Egypt’s state-linked Al-Qahera news outlet cited a security source as saying coordination was “underway” to reopen the Rafah crossing on Gaza’s border with Egypt to allow the entry of international aid. The state-owned Al-Ahram newspaper also reported that talks were underway to open the crossing. Among the sticking points in successive rounds of talks had been disagreements over the permanence of any ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli troops and the scale of humanitarian aid for the Palestinian territory. The UN’s Palestinian refugee agency, UNRWA, facing an Israeli ban on its activities set to take effect later this month, said it will continue providing much-needed aid.
Netanyahu, who vowed to crush Hamas in retaliation for the October 7 attack, has opposed any post-war role for the militant group in the territory.

Saudi Arabia welcomes ceasefire agreement in Gaza
Arab News/January 15, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi authorities welcomed the announcement of a Gaza ceasefire agreement on Wednesday and expressed the Kingdom’s appreciation for the efforts of mediators from Qatar, Egypt and the US. The Kingdom stressed the need for adherence to the deal, an end to Israel’s aggression against Gaza, and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territory and all other occupied Palestinian and Arab lands. It also highlighted the importance of building on the agreement by addressing the underlying reasons for the conflict and enabling the Palestinian people to secure their rights, the foremost of which is the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Saudi Arabia expressed hope that the ceasefire deal would mark a permanent end to a brutal Israeli war that claimed the lives of more than 45,000 Palestinians and wounded more than 100,000.

Gaza truce bittersweet for Biden as Trump takes credit
AFP/January 15, 2025
WASHINGTON: The Gaza ceasefire clinched Wednesday was a bittersweet victory for US President Joe Biden days before he hands over the White House to Donald Trump, who claimed credit — and, most experts say, deserves some. Biden first proposed the outlines of the deal between Israel and Hamas on May 31 but diplomatic efforts repeatedly came up short, even when Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned in Tel Aviv in August that it may have been the last chance for a deal. Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff marched into Netanyahu’s office on Saturday, forcing the Israeli leader to break the sabbath, and pushed to seal the ceasefire. The timing has echoes of a 1981 deal on US hostages in Iran, freed from 444 days of captivity moments after Republican Ronald Reagan succeeded Democrat Jimmy Carter, although this time the outgoing and incoming administrations worked together. In scenes unprecedented in recent US history, Witkoff and Biden’s Middle East adviser Brett McGurk met jointly with the emir of Qatar — a key intermediary between Israel and Hamas — when sealing the deal. Trump quickly boasted that the “epic” deal “could only have happened” due to his election as US president in November. Asked if Trump deserved credit, Biden quipped: “Is that a joke?“
Speaking hours before a previously scheduled farewell address to the nation, the outgoing president said he included the Trump team in negotiations so that the United States was “speaking with one voice.”
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said it was not unexpected for all sides to seek credit for positive news. “What I can say is, the president got it done,” she said, referring to Biden.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said the Trump team’s presence was about demonstrating “continuity” rather than the Republican exerting new pressure. Biden faced heated criticism from the left of his Democratic Party during its unsuccessful election year over his staunch support of Israel since Palestinian group Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack.
Biden authorized billions of dollars in weapons for Israel’s relentless retaliatory campaign on Gaza, despite criticizing the strategic US ally for the civilian death toll — which authorities in Gaza say is in the tens of thousands. “The Biden administration was terrified of the political cost of being seen to be pressing Israel in any way,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, executive director of the rights group Democracy for the Arab World Now. Trump, while vowing to be even more pro-Israel, was able to make clear to Netanyahu that “I do not want to inherit this,” Whitson said. “It made me think that all of this would have been possible months ago and we could have saved thousands of Palestinian lives,” she said. Trump had warned Hamas of “hell to pay” if it did not agree to a deal, which includes in its first phase the release of 33 hostages seized on October 7. David Khalfa, an expert on Israel at the Jean Jaures Foundation in Paris, said that Trump’s unpredictability likely impacted Hamas. He also pointed to Netanyahu’s political position heading a hard-right but shaky coalition government. “There is today an ideological alignment between the American populist right and the Israeli prime minister. So he has very weak room to maneuver against a Trump who doesn’t face the pressures of reelection,” said Khalfa. Brian Katulis, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Middle East Institute, said a desire by Israel and others for the right optics as Trump takes over could have played a role in sealing the deal. But a larger factor than Trump was the changing dynamics in the region — the major blows inflicted both on Hamas and its patron Iran, he said. Israel has devastated Iranian ally Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran’s own air defenses, with Tehran’s main ally in the Arab world, Syria’s Bashar Assad, ousted last month by rebel forces.“I don’t think any of the threats and bluster that we saw from Trump were a huge factor on either side. I think it’s mostly a baby that’s fathered by Biden and his team,” Katulis said.
“But I think the sense that there were big question marks on what was coming might have motivated those who were stonewalling,” he said. Jon Alterman, director of the Middle East program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, agreed that the uncertainty following Trump’s victory contributed to the deal. Israel and Hamas were negotiating “under the terms that each side had become familiar with” and knew there was a high risk “that the parameters were about to change.”
And if the deal falls apart?
“Then it doesn’t matter who implemented it; there will be plenty of blame to go around,” Alterman said.

Netanyahu says Gaza ceasefire is still not complete, hours after US and Qatar announce deal
AP/January 16, 2025
JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the ceasefire agreement with Hamas is still not complete and final details are being worked out. “An official statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be issued only after the completion of the final details of the agreement, which are being worked on at present,” his office said in a statement released at midnight. Netanyahu has not said explicitly whether he accepts the deal announced hours earlier by Qatar’s prime minister and President Joe Biden. In a statement, Netanyahu said he would only issue a formal response “after the final details of the agreement, which are currently being worked on, are completed.”Netanyahu’s statement comes hours after the United States and Qatar announced the deal, which would pause the devastating 15-month war in Gaza and clear the way for dozens of hostages to go home. The conflict has destabilized the Middle East and sparked worldwide protests. Egyptian, Qatar and US negotiators will head to Cairo on Thursday for further talks on implementing all aspects of the ceasefire deal, according to a senior US official. The official said the negotiators are focused on making sure expectations are clear to both Israel and Hamas, and that implementation of the agreement is carried out as smoothly as possible. The official was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Gaza’s second-largest militant group after Hamas, hailed the ceasefire deal as “honorable.”Hamas had needed the group’s support for the deal in order to avoid a potential disruption in the process. “Today, our people and their resistance imposed an honorable agreement to stop the aggression,” Palestinian Islamic Jihad said in a statement.The group said the deal between Israel and Hamas includes the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza as well as an “honorable” prisoner exchange. It said that militant groups in Gaza “will remain vigilant to ensure the full implementation of this agreement.”Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s fighters took part in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and have since been battling Israeli forces in Gaza. Large crowds of joyful Palestinians took to the streets in Gaza when the agreement was announced, cheering and honking car horns. “No one can feel the feeling that we are experiencing now, an indescribable, indescribable feeling,” said Mahmoud Wadi in central Gaza’s Deir Al-Balah before joining a chanting crowd. The Israel Hamas-war has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to health authorities there. The Health Ministry does not distinguish between fighters and civilians, but says women and children make up more than half the fatalities.
Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza began on Oct. 7, 2023, when militants stormed into southern Israel and killed about 1,200 people and abducted around 250. A third of the 100 hostages still held in Gaza are believed to be dead.

A look at the Gaza ceasefire deal
AP/January 16, 2025
DOHA: Key mediator Qatar said on Wednesday that 33 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza would be released in the first stage of a ceasefire deal aimed at ending the war in the Palestinian territory. Two sources close to Hamas earlier told AFP that Israel would release about 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, while an Israeli government spokesman said hundreds would be released. Below are the key details of the expected initial phase of the deal according to Qatari, US, Israeli and Palestinian officials and media reports:
Qatar said Wednesday that Israel and Hamas had agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza starting on Sunday and a hostage and prisoner exchange after 15 months of war. Thirty-three Israeli hostages will be released in the first, 42-day phase of the agreement that could become a “permanent ceasefire,” said Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani. Those first released would be “civilian women and female recruits, as well as children, elderly people... civilian ill people and wounded,” he said.
Israeli government spokesman David Mencer said on Tuesday Israel was “prepared to pay a heavy price — in the hundreds” in exchange for the 33 hostages. An anonymous Israeli official said “several hundred terrorists” would be freed in exchange for the hostages, with the final number depending on how many of the 33 hostages are alive. Two sources close to Hamas told AFP that Israel would release about 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, including those with “lengthy sentences.” Sheikh Mohammed said the number of Palestinian prisoners to be released in exchange for the Israeli hostages in the second and third phases would be “finalized” during the initial 42 days. The 33 are among the 94 hostages held in Gaza since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which triggered the ongoing war. The total includes 34 captives the Israeli military has declared dead.
According to the Times of Israel, Israeli officials believe the 33 hostages are alive, though confirmation from Hamas is pending.
Gaza humanitarian situation, by the numbers
At least 1.9 million people are displaced
92 percent of housing units are destroyed
68 percent of the road network is destroyed or damaged
There are “zero” fuel reserves to operate generators at hospitals
88 percent of school buildings need rebuilding or major repairs
Food aid amounting to three months’ of rations for Gaza’s population are waiting to enter
During the initial, 42-day ceasefire Israeli forces will withdraw from Gaza’s densely populated areas to “allow for the swap of prisoners, as well as the swap of remains and the return of the displaced people,” Qatar’s prime minister said. Negotiations for a second phase would commence on the “16th day” after the first phase’s implementation, an Israeli official said. This phase would cover the release of the remaining captives, including “male soldiers, men of military age, and the bodies of slain hostages,” the Times of Israel reported. Israeli media reported that under the proposed deal, Israel would maintain a buffer zone within Gaza during the first phase. Israeli forces were expected to remain up to “800 meters inside Gaza stretching from Rafah in the south to Beit Hanun in the north,” according to a source close to Hamas. Israeli forces would not fully withdraw from Gaza until “all hostages are returned,” the Israeli official said.
Haaretz newspaper reported that Israel would allow the movement of residents from southern Gaza to the north. The source close to Hamas said Israeli forces would withdraw from the Netzarim corridor westward toward Salaheddin Road to the east, enabling displaced people to return through an electronic checkpoint equipped with cameras. “No Israeli forces will be present, and Palestinian militants will be barred from passing through the checkpoint during the return of displaced persons,” he said. Joint mediators Qatar, the United States and Egypt will monitor the ceasefire deal through a body based in Cairo, Sheikh Mohammed said, urging “calm” in Gaza before the agreement comes into force. There was “a clear mechanism to negotiate phase two and three,” Sheikh Mohammed added. “We hope that this will be the last page of the war, and we hope that all parties will commit to implementing all the terms of this agreement,” Qatar’s prime minister said as he unveiled the deal. Under the arrangements outlined by Qatar, the details of phases two and three will be “finalized” during the implementation of phase one. US President Joe Biden said the as-yet unfinalized second phase would bring a “permanent end to the war.”
Biden said phase two would comprise an exchange for the release of remaining hostages who are still alive, including the male soldiers. Then all remaining Israeli forces would withdraw from Gaza, the US president said.

World leaders welcome Gaza ceasefire deal
Arab News/With AP and Reuters/January 15, 2025
Biden and Trump both give early responses to the ceasefire
Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Qatar among regional powers to welcome deal
Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal on Wednesday pausing a devastating 15-month war in Gaza and raising the possibility of winding down an Israeli military operation that has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians.
The deal, coming after weeks of painstaking negotiations in the Doha, promises the release in phases of dozens of hostages held by Hamas since it led an attack on Israel in October 2023 that killed at least 1,200 people. International response to the deal, which is yet to be confirmed by Israel, overwhelmingly welcomed the agreement.
US President Joe Biden
"I can announce a ceasefire and a hostage deal has been reached between Israel and Hamas," Biden said at the White House. "Fighting in Gaza will stop, and soon the hostages return home to their families."
US President-elect Donald Trump
"We have a deal for the hostages in the Middle East. They will be released shortly. Thank you!" he said in a post on his Truth Social platform.
"With this deal in place, my National Security team, through the efforts of Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will continue to work closely with Israel and our Allies to make sure Gaza NEVER again becomes a terrorist safe haven," Trump said in a second post.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres
"The United Nations stands ready to support the implementation of this deal and scale up the delivery of sustained humanitarian relief to the countless Palestinians who continue to suffer," he told reporters.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan
He told reporters in Ankara the ceasefire deal was an important step for regional stability. Fidan also said Turkish efforts for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would continue.
Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani
The prime minister called for calm in the Gaza Strip between now and Jan. 19 when the ceasefire deal takes effect.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi
He welcomed the Gaza ceasefire deal, according to a post on X, and stressed the importance of a fast delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs
In a statement, the Kingdom stressed the need for adherence to the deal, an end to Israel’s aggression against Gaza, and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territory and all other occupied Palestinian and Arab lands. It also highlighted the importance of building on the agreement by addressing the underlying reasons for the conflict and enabling the Palestinian people to secure their rights, the foremost of which is the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Saudi Arabia expressed hope that the ceasefire deal would mark a permanent end to a brutal Israeli war.
UAE's Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed
Sheikh Abdullah "stressed the need for both parties to abide by the agreements and commitments reached in order to end the suffering of Palestinian prisoners and Israeli detainees." He called for "the urgent and sustainable delivery of humanitarian aid to those in need and to allow its flow by all means and without obstacles to end the critical humanitarian conditions facing civilians for more than 15 months."
Ursula Von Der Leyen, President of the European Commission
"I warmly welcome the ceasefire and hostage release agreement in Gaza. Hostages will be reunited with their loved ones and humanitarian aid can reach civilians in Gaza. This brings hope to an entire region, where people have endured immense suffering for far too long. Both parties must fully implement this agreement, as a stepping stone toward lasting stability in the region and a diplomatic resolution of the conflict,” she said.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer
"After months of devastating bloodshed and countless lives lost, this is the long-overdue news that the Israeli and Palestinian people have desperately been waiting for," Starmer said in an emailed statement.
"For the innocent Palestinians whose homes turned into a warzone overnight and the many who have lost their lives, this ceasefire must allow for a huge surge in humanitarian aid, which is so desperately needed to end the suffering in Gaza. "And then our attention must turn to how we secure a permanently better future for the Israeli and Palestinian people - grounded in a two-state solution that will guarantee security and stability for Israel, alongside a sovereign and viable Palestine state."
Alexander De Croo, Belgium's Prime Minister
“After too many months of conflict, we feel tremendous relief for the hostages, for their families and for the people of Gaza.
Let’s hope this ceasefire will put an end to the fighting and mark the beginning of a sustained peace. Belgium stands ready to help.”
German Foreign Secretary Annalena Baerbock
"In these hours there is hope that the hostages will finally be released and the deaths in Gaza will come to an end. Everyone who bears responsibility should now ensure that this opportunity is seized."
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere
"The Palestinian institutions must be strengthened and prepared to assume full control and responsibility, including in Gaza. Both Israel and Palestine must receive credible security guarantees, and the solution must be anchored regionally."

World must keep pressure on Israel after Gaza truce: Palestinian PM
AFP/January 15, 2025
OSLO: The international community will have to maintain pressure on Israel after an hoped-for ceasefire in Gaza so it accepts the creation of a Palestinian state, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa said on Wednesday. A ceasefire agreement appears close following a recent round of indirect talks between Israel and Hamas, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying late Tuesday that a deal to end the 15-month war was “on the brink.”“The ceasefire we’re talking about ... came about primarily because of international pressure. So pressure does pay off,” Mustafa said before a conference in Oslo. Israel must “be shown what’s right and what’s wrong, and that the veto power on peace and statehood for Palestinians will not be accepted and tolerated any longer,” he told reporters. He was speaking at the start of the third meeting of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, gathering representatives from some 80 states and organizations in Oslo. Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, the host of the meeting, said a “ceasefire is the prerequisite for peace, but it is not peace.”“We need to move forward now toward a two-state solution. And since one of the two states exists, which is Israel, we need to build the other state, which is Palestine,” he added. According to analysts, the two-state solution appears more remote than ever.
 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, firmly supported by US President-elect Donald Trump, is opposed to the creation of a Palestinian state. Israel is not represented at the Oslo meeting. Norway angered Israel when it recognized the Palestinian state, together with Spain and Ireland, last May, a move later followed by Slovenia. In a nod to history, Wednesday’s meeting was held in the Oslo City Hall, where Yasser Arafat, Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994. The then-head of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, Israeli prime minister and his foreign minister were honored for signing the Oslo accords a year earlier, which laid the foundation for Palestinian autonomy with the goal of an independent state.

UN chief calls for major aid boost to ease ‘immense’ Palestinian suffering, as he welcomes Gaza ceasefire
Ephrem Kossaify/Arab News/January 16, 2025
NEW YORK CITY: Following the announcement on Wednesday of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, the secretary-general of the UN said the primary focus now must be efforts to alleviate the “immense suffering” of civilians in the territory. Antonio Guterres called for a “major increase” in the amount of urgent, lifesaving humanitarian aid for “the countless Palestinians” who continue to suffer. “It is imperative that this ceasefire removes the significant security and political obstacles to delivering aid across Gaza so that we can support a major increase in urgent, lifesaving humanitarian support,” he said. “The humanitarian situation is at catastrophic levels.”After weeks of painstaking negotiations in Doha, the ceasefire agreement was announced by the prime minister of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, who said it would come into effect on Sunday. The deal includes the phased release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel, and will enable hundreds of thousands of displaced people in Gaza to return to what is left of their homes. It also promises to clear the way for a surge in the amount of much-needed humanitarian aid entering the enclave, which has been devastated by 15 months of conflict. As he welcomed the announcement of the ceasefire agreement and hostage deal, and praised the mediators for their “unwavering commitment,” Guterres called on all parties to ensure the agreement is fully implemented. The deal is a “critical first step,” he said as he stressed the need to intensify efforts to achieve broader objectives, such as maintaining the unity, contiguity and integrity of the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Palestinian unity is vital for lasting peace and stability, he added, and ensuring unified Palestinian governance must remain a top priority. “I urge the parties and all relevant partners to seize this opportunity to establish a credible political path to a better future for Palestinians, Israelis and the broader region,” Guterres said. “Ending the occupation and achieving a negotiated two-state solution, with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security, in line with international law, relevant UN resolutions and previous agreements, remain an urgent priority.“Only through a viable two-state solution can the aspirations of both peoples be fulfilled.”Guterres paid tribute to the civilians who lost their lives during the conflict, including UN personnel and humanitarian workers. “The United Nations is steadfast in its commitment to supporting all efforts that promote peace, stability and a more hopeful future for the people of Palestine and Israel, and across the region,” he added.

Blinken offers most detailed picture to date of post-war Gaza plans
Jennifer Hansler, CNN/January 15, 2025
Secretary of State Antony Blinken offered his most detailed picture yet of his long-awaited plans for post-war Gaza on Tuesday as he stressed the importance of not leaving a power vacuum in the decimated enclave. Blinken presented the “core elements” in a speech at the Atlantic Council just days before his term as top US diplomat comes to an end. Although he said the plans would be handed over to the incoming Trump team, there is no evidence that the new administration intends to follow through with them. The war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has raged on for more than a year, with more than 46,000 people killed in the besieged enclave, according to the Palestinian health ministry. The majority of those killed have been women and children as efforts to achieve a ceasefire and hostage deal have only in recent weeks gained traction. Blinken on Tuesday expressed optimism about such an agreement, saying that it is “ready to be concluded and implemented” if Hamas accepts. In what could be his final public remarks as secretary of state, Blinken sought to defend the Biden administration’s policy on Gaza – a policy that has faced sharp criticism from some Democratic lawmakers and current and former US officials, as well as human rights organizations that say Israel is carrying out genocide. The Biden administration and the Israeli government have rejected that conclusion. In a speech interrupted multiple times by protestors calling him “bloody Blinken,” the top US diplomat acknowledged the deep divisions over the administration’s policy on Gaza, noting, “I wish I could stand here today and tell you with certainty that we got every decision right. I cannot.”
‘Hard decisions’ to come
“I wish I could tell you that leaders in the region always put their people’s interests ahead of their own interests. They did not,” Blinken said as he stressed the need for the day-after plans to be executed. He said those plans would require “all parties to summon the political will to make hard decisions, to make hard compromises,” he said, including reform from the Palestinian Authority (PA) and acceptance by the Israeli government of eventual PA rule over a unified Palestinian state. The State Department has worked for months with partners to draw up a day-after plan for security, governance and reconstruction in Gaza, arguing that the international community could not afford to wait until a ceasefire to have such plans. In the more immediate post-war period, “we believe that the Palestinian Authority should invite international partners to help establish and run an interim administration with responsibility for key civil sectors in Gaza, like banking, water, energy, health, civil coordination with Israel,” Blinken described. “The international community would provide funding, technical support and oversight.”Blinken said that interim administration would include Palestinians from Gaza and members of the PA. They “would hand over complete responsibility to a fully reformed PA administration as soon as it’s feasible,” he said. The administrators would work closely with a senior UN official “who should oversee the international stabilization and recovery effort,” Blinken said. “An interim security mission would be made up of members of partner nation security forces and vetted Palestinian personnel. Its responsibilities would include creating a secure environment for humanitarian and reconstruction efforts and ensuring border security, which is crucial to preventing smuggling that could allow Hamas to rebuild its military capacity,” he described. “We would stand up a new initiative to train, to equip, to vet a PA-led security force for Gaza to focus on law and order and gradually take over for the interim security mission,” Blinken said, noting that “these arrangements would be enshrined in a UN Security Council Resolution.”
Path to a Palestinian state
Without naming specific countries, Blinken said that “some of our partners have already expressed their willingness to contribute troops and police for such a mission, but if and only if it is agreed that Gaza and the West Bank are reunified under a reformed PA as part of a pathway to an independent Palestinian state.”Blinken said that path must be “time-bound” and “conditions-based,” saying those “principles are mutually reinforcing.”“Time-bound, because no one will believe or accept an endless process,” he said. “Conditions-based because while Palestinians have a right to self-determination, with that right comes responsibility. No one should expect Israel to accept a Palestinian state that’s led by Hamas or other extremists.”The top US diplomat raised the prospect of the elusive Israel-Saudi normalization deal as “the best opportunity to achieve the long sought goal of Israel’s greater integration in the region, and it’s also the best incentive to get the parties to make tough decisions necessary to fully realize the aspirations of Israelis and Palestinians.”Blinken nodded to the extremism of far-right Israeli officials like Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, saying that “Israelis must abandon the myth that they can carry out de-facto annexation without cost and consequence to Israel’s democracy, to its standing, to its security.” “We sincerely hope the parties will be prepared to make tough choices going forward, and yet, the unimpeachable reality is that up to this point, they’ve either failed to make these difficult decisions or acted in ways that put a deal and long-term peace further from reach,” he continued. “Israel’s government has systematically undermined the capacity and legitimacy of the only viable alternative to Hamas: the Palestinian Authority,” Blinken said. “Israel continues to hold back PA tax revenues that it collects on behalf of the Palestinians, funds that belong to the Palestinians and to the PA needs to pay people who provide essential services like health care and security in the West Bank, which is vital to Israel’s own security.”“Israel is expanding official settlements and nationalizing land at a faster clip than any time in the last decade, while turning a blind eye to unprecedented growth of illegal outposts. Violent attacks by extremist settlers against Palestinian civilians have reached record levels,” Blinken continued. Blinken said the US has stressed to the Israeli government “that Hamas cannot be defeated by a military campaign alone, that without a clear alternative, a post-conflict plan and a credible political rise to the Palestinians, Hamas or something just as abhorrent and dangerous will grow back.”“That’s exactly what’s happened in northern Gaza since October 7. Each time Israel completes its military operations and pulls back, Hamas militants regroup and re-emerge because there’s nothing else to fill the void,” he said. “Indeed, we assess that Hamas has recruited almost as many new militants as it is lost. That is a recipe for an enduring insurgency and perpetual war.”

Fatah Says It Won’t Let Hamas, Iran Sacrifice Palestinians
FDD/Flash Brief/January 15/2025
Terrorism Has Increased in the West Bank: Fatah, the ruling party of the Palestinian Authority (PA), slammed Hamas and its backer, Iran, saying in a statement on January 12 that it would not “allow Hamas, which sacrificed the interests of the Palestinian people for Iran and caused destruction in the Gaza Strip, to replicate its actions in the West Bank.” With Israel’s dismantling of Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Hezbollah in Lebanon, Palestinian militant factions in the West Bank have been attempting to fill the vacuum and boost terrorist attacks on Israelis.
PA Security Forces Crackdown in Jenin: After years of letting multiple terrorist groups spread in parts of the West Bank, the PA has initiated its own crackdown on terrorist cells affiliated with Iran-backed groups. Since early December, Palestinian security forces have engaged in operations in the West Bank city of Jenin, a stronghold for militants affiliated with Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, as well as in the cities of Tubas and Tulkarm. According to the most recent poll of West Bank residents, published in September by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, 36 percent responded that they supported Hamas, while 21 percent favored Fatah. Hamas and Israeli Officials Indicate Hostage Deal Nearly Finalized: The dispute with Fatah has erupted just as Hamas and Israel appear closer to finalizing a deal for a ceasefire and the release of additional hostages abducted during the October 7, 2023, atrocities. The first phase of the deal would see a 42-day ceasefire allowing for the release of 33 living hostages and the release of Palestinian terrorists in Israeli jails. Israel would also retain a buffer zone in Gaza, and IDF troops would remain there until all hostages are released.
FDD Expert Response
“Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas must rein in the Iran-backed terrorists in the West Bank, which pose a threat not only to Israel but to the PA in Ramallah. If these terror organizations like Hamas go unchecked, the PA will fall, and the West Bank will quickly begin to resemble Gaza. Abbas has no choice but to fight for his survival and the survival of the PA.” — Enia Krivine, Senior Director of FDD’s Israel Program and National Security Network“Without meaningful action on the ground, Fatah’s rhetoric rings hollow. Since 2021, Iran-backed terrorist groups have fomented chaos in the West Bank, taking advantage of the Palestinian Authority’s failure to exercise effective governance. The PA’s reluctance to reestablish the rule of law has allowed factions like Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas to become deeply entrenched, creating a substantial security threat for both Palestinians and Israelis alike. Unless the PA reestablishes a long-lasting security presence in many of the troubled areas in the northern West Bank, its current actions against Hamas and other armed groups will be nothing more than window dressing.”
* Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst and Editor at FDD’s Long War Journal

Pro-Palestinian protesters target military and defense industry recruiters at UK universities
Arab News/January 15, 2025
LONDON: The UK’s military and defense industries are being forced to avoid university careers fairs because of pro-Palestinian protesters. Student activists have targeted representatives of the Royal Air Force in recent months during events at which they were attempting to recruit graduates, The Times newspaper reported. Videos and images shared on social media show RAF recruiters shutting down display stands or leaving them while the protests take place. About 20 defense companies have stopped attending university careers events because of security concerns about the protests, it was reported last week. The demonstrations are part of the widespread activism in the UK in response to Israel’s military operations in Gaza that have killed more than 46,000 Palestinians since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks on Israel in which about 1,200 people were killed and at least 250 taken hostage. Protesters have also targeted the factories of UK defense companies that supply Israel, and called on the British government to halt arms deliveries. One protest group, called “Newcastle Apartheid Off Campus,” claimed to have shut down a recruitment fair at Newcastle University at which the RAF and defense firm BAE Systems were represented.And about 20 students surrounded the recruitment stands of GE Aerospace, the RAF and BAE Systems at Glasgow University in October. “The students managed to kick out BAE Systems, RAF and (defense and intelligence company) CGI,” the Glasgow University Justice for Palestine Society said in a message posted on Instagram. “Shame on Glasgow University, we continue to demand divestment and cutting all ties with these genocidal companies.”Similar disruptions took place at a recruitment fair at York University in October and during an RAF talk at Cardiff University the same month. In a letter to ministers, Lord Walney, the UK government’s independent adviser on political violence and disruption, warned that the protests go beyond peaceful assembly and could “seriously undermine our nation’s security and technical edge.”A Ministry of Defence spokesperson told The Times: “We continue to engage widely with our industry partners to highlight the importance and significant benefits of a career in the defense sector. “This government recognizes the vital role of the defense sector as an engine for growth, strengthening our security and economy.”

UN Security Council calls on countries to stop arming Houthis as Red Sea attacks continue
Ephrem Kossaify/Arab NewsJanuary 16, 2025
NEW YORK CITY: The UN Security Council on Wednesday adopted a resolution that extends by six months the requirement for the secretary-general to provide monthly reports on attacks by the Houthis in Yemen against ships in the Red Sea. The reporting obligation was established by the adoption of Resolution 2722 in January 2024, which was introduced in response to the repeated attacks on commercial shipping. The Iran-backed Houthis vowed to continue targeting vessels until Israel ended its war in Gaza. The attacks prompted retaliatory strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen by the US, UK and Israel. Meanwhile, the EU launched Operation Aspides, a defensive mission based in Greece that aims to safeguard and escort vessels in the Red Sea but does not participate in any offensive action. The text of the extension resolution was drafted by Greece and the US, the co-penholders on the issue of the Red Sea crisis. Twelve members of the Security Council voted in favor, while Algeria, China and Russia abstained. A source at the Russian mission in New York told Arab News that although the safety of maritime navigation is of the utmost importance to Moscow, it considered the language of Resolution 2763 to be “highly politicized and unbalanced” because it failed to mention “the attacks on the sovereignty of Yemen” in the form of airstrikes by the US, UK and Israel. The text of the resolution, which was seen by Arab News, demands that the Houthis immediately cease all attacks against merchant and commercial vessels and release the cargo ship Galaxy Leader and its crew. The Houthis hijacked the vessel in November 2023 and 25 crew members remain detained by the group. The new resolution also emphasizes the need “to address the root causes of these attacks, including the conflicts contributing to regional tensions and the disruption of maritime security.”It notes the use of advanced weaponry by the Houthis and demands that UN member states stop supplying the group with arms. Greece’s permanent representative to the UN, Evangelos Sekeris, told fellow council members that the “Houthis’ constant attacks against vessels are still disrupting international commercial shipping. Maritime security conditions remain degraded and are expected to further deteriorate, while rerouting of shipping companies continues in favor of safer but costlier alternative maritime routes.”Sekeris lamented that fact that “we are still witnessing the Houthis’ ongoing aggressiveness and escalatory actions through launching unjustified attacks, with the systematic use of advanced weaponry such as anti-ballistic missiles and drones, even against civil infrastructure, including oil terminals under the control of the government of Yemen.” He added: “The humanitarian repercussions are severe. We need to put an end to this, by looking thoroughly into the origins of the use of advanced weaponry and by preserving the applicability of the targeted arms embargo.” This year, Greece, which has a keen interest in maritime security, took over from Japan as the co-penholder on the issue of the Red Sea crisis. Maritime security is also a key concern for Denmark, Pakistan, Panama and Somalia, who took their seats as newly elected nonpermanent members of the Security Council at the start of this year. Ships owned or operated by companies from Denmark, Greece and Panama have been targeted by the Houthis in the Red Sea, while Pakistan has participated in maritime-security operations in the Western Indian Ocean. Somalia has been dealing with piracy off its coast for several years.

UN human rights chief calls for lifting Western sanctions on Syria as country rebuilds after Assad
Albert Aji And Omar Albam/DAMASCUS, Syria (AP)/January 15, 2025
The United Nations human rights chief on Wednesday called for the lifting of Western sanctions imposed on Syria over its yearslong civil war, now that former leader Bashar Assad has been ousted and sent into exile. While visiting Syria, Volker Türk also urged transitional justice for victims, saying it enhances public trust in state institutions as the county moves ahead under its de facto new leaders. “Revenge and vengeance are never the answer,” Türk said, a month after the Assad family's decadeslong dynasty ended when insurgent groups captured Damascus. Türk said he met with Ahmad al-Sharaa, who leads Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the group leading the new authority in Syria. He said al-Sharaa assured him of the importance of respecting human rights for all Syrians, and said authorities will work on social cohesion and institutional reform. Syria’s conflict broke out in early 2011 and left nearly half a million people dead and millions displaced, including many who are now refugees. The war caused wide destruction that will need tens of billions of dollars to rebuild. “The people of Syria need every ounce of help they can get to rebuild a country that works for all Syrians,” Türk said. He added that there are still threats to Syria’s territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty which must be fully respected. “The ongoing conflicts and hostilities must end,” he said. European countries and the United States imposed sanctions on Assad’s government shortly after the conflict started. They have been wary over the Islamist roots of the former insurgents who now lead an interim government. “It will be critical to bear in mind the impact sanctions have on the lives of the Syrian people,” Türk said. “I therefore call for an urgent reconsideration of sectoral sanctions with a view to lifting them.”Also Wednesday, a Syrian Interior Ministry official said authorities have detained an Egyptian militant who recently released videos vowing to work on overthrowing the government in Egypt. Ahmad al-Mansour has been living in Syria for years and was among the fighters that toppled Assad's government. The ministry official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, said al-Mansour was detained late Tuesday. Al-Mansour’s arrest is likely to ease concerns in some Arab countries, including Egypt, that Syria will not be used as a base to plot against regional nations.
Albert Aji And Omar Albam, The Associated Press

Syria detains Egyptian after videos threatening Egypt's Sisi
DAMASCUS (Reuters) /January 15, 2025
Syria's new authorities have detained an Egyptian Islamist militant who fought against Bashar al-Assad's rule over threats he made to the government in Cairo, a Syrian interior ministry source and an Arab security source told Reuters on Wednesday. The move could help ease concern in Cairo over the rise to power of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebels, who led the overthrow of Assad last month, in light of the Egyptian government's crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood at home. The militant, Ahmed al-Mansour, has posted several videos saying Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi would meet the same fate as Assad. He also posed in front of a banner for a group calling itself the "Revolutionaries of January 25," a reference to the uprising that toppled Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in 2011."Neither the tall gates nor tunnels will save you, because it's your turn, dictator," he said in one video.
Mansour was arrested on Wednesday and is currently in a detention centre, the sources said. Egyptian security sources said that while they did not directly request the arrest, Cairo had expressed its anger at the re-emergence of militant dissidents in Syria via intelligence contacts with third-party countries.
Egypt feels the upheaval in Syria could help such Islamist factions to regroup, the sources said. On Sunday, Egyptian foreign minister Badr Abdelatty said Egypt supported Syria's security and sovereignty, but stressed that the international community needed to work to prevent Syria from becoming a safe harbor or hub for terrorist groups, "which may pose a threat to any of the countries in the region," speaking at a summit in Riyadh. Egypt's interior and foreign ministries did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Egyptian state-linked media have been more explicitly critical of the change in power in Damascus and expressed fears about the resurgence of the Brotherhood encouraged by Syria's rulers, who are led by HTS. The Brotherhood, one of the Arab world's most influential and oldest Islamist movements, is banned in several Arab countries including Egypt and was banned in Syria under Assad. "Syria is free to do what it wants...but when Damascus is used as a platform to attack the Egyptian state, the Egyptian state must speak. This is unacceptable," said television host Amr Adib on Saturday. "This (arrest) is a signal to Cairo, which sees this issue as extremely important," said the Arab security source. Thousands of Sunni Muslim foreigners joined Syria's rebels early in the 13-year civil war to fight against Assad's rule and the Iran-backed Shi'ite militias who supported him. Another of them, Alaa Mohammed Abdelbaqy, who Egypt sentenced to life in prison in absentia over terrorism charges in 2016, was given a military rank in the Syrian armed forces late last month. In December, a photo of Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa meeting Mahmoud Fathy, another wanted Egyptian militant, was spread widely by Egyptian regime-aligned personalities, though the government did not comment.

Iran's navy unveils its first signals intelligence ship
Reuters/January 15, 2025
Iran's navy received its first signals intelligence ship on Wednesday, semi-official Tasnim news organisation reported, a few days after the country's army took delivery of 1,000 new drones. The Zagros is a new category of military vessel equipped with electronic sensors and the ability to intercept cyber-operations and conduct intelligence monitoring, Tasnim said. "The Zagros signals intelligence ship will be the watchful eye of Iran's navy in the seas and oceans," Navy Commander Shahram Irani said. Earlier this month, Iran started two-month-long military exercises which have already included war games in which the elite Revolutionary Guards defended key nuclear installations in Natanz against mock attacks by missiles and drones. The military drills and procurement come at a time of high tensions with arch-enemy Israel and the United States under incoming U.S. president Donald Trump. In October, the spokesperson of Iran's government said the country plans to raise its military budget by around 200% to face growing threats.

The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on January 15-16/2025
Jihad Must Have No Place in the West
Guy Millière/Gatestone Institute/January 15, 2025
That the attacks are jihadist is rarely mentioned, or only briefly. Then everything gets forgotten until the next jihadist attack.
In many American universities, tenured professors have openly supported radical Islam for years, described Hamas as a liberation movement, supported terrorism, shown their hatred of the United States and brainwashed students. Radical imams in many US mosques have incited their followers to hate and even murder Jews, and appear to be trying to legitimize jihad.
Political Islam, support for Islamic terrorism and incitement to jihad -- Islamic holy war -- need to be squarely faced and defeated.
It is hoped that the Trump administration will allow no place for jihad in the US or the West.
The jihadist attack in New Orleans on January 1, in which 14 people were murdered by an American convert to Islam, should come as no surprise. In many US universities, professors have openly supported radical Islam for years, described Hamas as a liberation movement, supported terrorism, shown their hatred of the US and brainwashed students. Radical imams in many US mosques have incited their followers to hate and even murder Jews, and appear to be trying to legitimize jihad.
The jihadist attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans on January 1, 2025, in which 14 people were murdered by an American who converted to Islam and became an Islamist, should come as no surprise.
This was not the first time that a jihadist in the United States or Europe had attacked in "vehicular jihad." The Islamic State (ISIS) appears to have "encouraged" it in 2010. ISIS even recommended that to cause "maximum carnage," it be used preferably in "pedestrian only" sites.
In the US, jihadist attacks, vehicular and other, include 9/11/2001, the Boston Marathon bombing, the Fort Hood slayings and the New Orleans attack (for more, see Appendix 1).
In Europe there have been at least 15 vehicular jihad attacks, including two on Christmas markets in Germany; one in Nice, France on July 14, 2016, and more in France, Spain, the UK and Sweden. There have also been countless non-vehicular jihadist attacks there, including the London Underground attacks of 2005, the slaughter at the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, the mass-murder at Bataclan Theater, among many others (see Appendix 2).
In Israel, jihadist attacks, including vehicle-rammings, missiles and drones, bombings, shootings, stabbings and rock-throwing have been a daily way of life for more than 100 years. There were nearly 20,000 terrorist attacks in 2024 alone, according to data from the National Public Diplomacy Directorate in the Prime Minister's Office.
Every time a jihadist attack takes place, the mainstream media often react the same way: the attack is described as "horrific," often presented as "heinous and cowardly." The terrorists are described by their neighbors as nice and quiet people, or suffering from a some mental or drug-related disorder. Commentators describe them as "radicalized," without ever using the word "Islam". That the attacks are jihadist is rarely mentioned, or only briefly. Then everything gets forgotten until the next jihadist attack.
Radical Islam does not "forget". It is on the offensive almost everywhere, every day, every minute.
Western authorities and media always seems to shy away from three essentials: honesty (telling the public all the facts), prevention, and the need for harsh measures.
In terms of prevention, the Biden administration, since January 2021, has released 10.8 million possibly unvetted illegal immigrants into the United States, including at least 1.7 million "gotaways" about whom we know -- plus others about whom we do not know. A House Judiciary Committee report from August 2024, states that 375 illegal aliens on the U.S. government's terrorist watch list were apprehended at the border, and several released into the country.
The report also notes that "The terrorist threat to the homeland has skyrocketed". The "transnational criminal organization" Tren de Aragua, for instance, which originated in the prisons of Venezuela, has so far set up bases in at least 18 states, and is considered "a major player in the criminal underworld".
For the Biden administration, the fight against terrorism seems never to have been a priority. The administration has always had targets other than terrorists, such as Roman Catholics who attend Latin Mass; parents who protest men in women's locker rooms; demonstrators who entered the Capitol on January 6, 2021 while police held the doors open for them, and "white supremacists," whom President Joe Biden called the "most dangerous terrorist threat" to the nation.
On August 26, 2022, in Bethesda, Maryland, Biden designated his main enemy, the "MAGA Republicans" as "a threat to our very democracy" and as dangerous people resorting to "political violence", while neglecting even to mention the Black Lives Matter "Summer of Love" in 2020, which destroyed at least $2 billion of property and killed several people (for instance here, here and here).
Just a few weeks ago, December 12, 2024, after months of protests that incited hatred of Israel and Jews -- in major American cities and on university campuses, where Jewish students and professors were threatened and sometimes assaulted (such as here, here and here) -- the Biden administration put in place a National Strategy to Counter Islamophobia and Anti-Arab Hate, and reported that "threats against American Muslim and Arab communities have spiked" and that "Muslim and Arab students, faculty, and staff, have been subject to violence, discrimination, hate, harassment, bullying, and online targeting."
In many American universities, tenured professors have openly supported radical Islam for years, described Hamas as a liberation movement, supported terrorism, shown their hatred of the United States and brainwashed students. Radical imams in many US mosques have incited their followers to hate and even murder Jews (here, here and here), and appear to be trying to legitimize jihad.
Masjid Bilal, the mosque frequented by New Orleans terrorist Shamsud-Din Jabbar, issued a statement on January 1 urging worshipers not to talk to police and to direct whoever might ask questions to the Islamic Society of Greater Houston and to the Council on American–Islamic Relations (CAIR), an organization whose leaders will not condemn Islamic terrorism, and which the United Arab Emirates has designated a terrorist organization.
Despite what CAIR is, the Biden administration has consulted it several times to define its positions on anti-Semitism.
It is fortunate that jihadist terrorist attacks have not been more frequent in the United States, where the situation is not nearly as deadly as in Western Europe.
Journalist Melanie Philips notes that myopia about the topic of jihadist attacks is widespread and "derives from a refusal by the Western establishment to acknowledge that Islamic radicalism is rooted in Islamic theology." Too many members of Western elites, she adds, "parrot the claim that Islam is a 'religion of peace'"; fail to mention that the history of Islam "identifies it as a religion of war and conquest", and that "the faithful who interpret these words literally regard it as a religious duty to conquer and Islamize the non-Islamic or not-Islamic-enough world". The results have been visibly gruesome
Political Islam, support for Islamic terrorism and incitement to jihad -- Islamic holy war -- need to be squarely faced and defeated.
It is hoped that the Trump administration will allow no place for jihad in the US or the West.
Dr. Guy Millière, a professor at the University of Paris, is the author of 27 books on France and Europe.
Appendix 1: The Unites States
Vehicular jihadist attacks: In the US, on November 28, 2016, Abdul Razak Ali Artan, a Somali refugee, drove his car into the courtyard of Ohio State University in Columbus and wounded 13 people. On October 31, 2017, Sayfullo Habibullaevic Saipov, an Uzbek national who had pledged allegiance to ISIS, drove a rented pickup truck into cyclists and runners on the "Highline," a Hudson River park in Lower Manhattan, murdering eight people and wounding 13. On May 21, 2024, Asghar Ali, a Pakistani immigrant yelled "I'm gonna kill all the Jews" and tried to run over Orthodox Jewish children and a rabbi outside a Brooklyn school; fortunately, there were no casualties.
Non-vehicular jihadist attacks: U.S. Army Major Nidal Hasan murdered 13 people and wounded more than 30 others on November 5, 2009, on Fort Hood military base.
Since 2000, there have been countless deadly jihadist attacks in the United States, resulting in thousands of deaths. These include the 9/11/2001 attack on the World Trade Center in New York City, Lancaster Pennsylvania, and the Pentagon in Washington DC, in which nearly 3,000 people were murdered and 6,000 wounded, not including an estimated 17,000 first responders who later suffered from diseases linked to 9/11; the Boston Marathon bombing on April 15, 2013, the Queens hatchet attack on October 23, 2014; the attack on the Curtis Culwell Center during a 'Draw Muhammad' cartoon art exhibit in Garland, Texas; the attack on two military installations in Chattanooga, Tennessee on July 16, 2015, the San Bernardino attack on December 2, 2015 ; the mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida on June 12, 2016: the New York and New Jersey bombings on September 17–19, 2016. On August 12, 2022, British writer Salman Rushdie was savagely stabbed during a public lecture in Chautauqua, New York.
Appendix 2: Europe
Vehicular jihadist attacks: In France, on July 14, 2016, Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, a Tunisian citizen, drove a 19-tonne cargo truck into crowds celebrating Bastille Day on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice: 86 people were murdered, 434 were wounded. In Germany, on December 19, 2016, Anis Amri, an asylum seeker from Tunisia, drove a truck he had stolen into the Christmas market next to the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church at Breitscheidplatz in Berlin: 12 people murdered killed, 56 were wounded. In Spain, on August 17, 2017, Moroccan Younes Abouyaaqoub, drove a van into pedestrians on La Rambla street in Barcelona, murdering 13 people and wounding 130 others. In Sweden, on April 7, 2017, Rakhmat Akilov, an Uzbek, hijacked a truck and drove it through a crowd along Drottninggatan in Stockholm, murdering five and wounding 14. In the UK, on August 14, 2018, Salih Khater, a refugee from Sudan, hit people with his car near the Houses of Parliament: three people were wounded. In Germany again, on December 20, 2024, Taleb Al Abdulmohsen, a German of Saudi origin, drove a rented SUV into a Christmas market in Magdeburg, murdering 6 people and wounding at least 299 others.
Non-vehicular jihadist attacks: In Spain, on 11 March 2004, six Islamic terrorists planted bombs in Madrid's Atocha train station and on trains leaving the station: they murdered 200 people and wounded around 2,500. In the UK, on July 7, 2005, four Islamic terrorists (three British-born sons of Pakistani immigrant, and a convert born in Jamaica) carried out suicide attacks targeting commuters travelling on London's public transport. In Belgium, on March 22, 2016, six Islamic terrorists coordinated terrorist attacks in and close to Brussels, murdering 32 and wounding 340. In the UK, on May 22, 2017, Salman Abedi, a British citizen of Libyan origin, committed a suicide bombing at the Manchester Arena, murdering 22 and wounding 1,017. In Germany, on August 23, 2024, an Islamic terrorist stabbed to death three people and wounded eight others in Solingen.
France was particularly affected. On March 19, 2012, Mohammed Merah, a criminal of Algerian origin murdered a rabbi and three children in the schoolyard of a Jewish school in Toulouse; in the previous days he had murdered two off-duty uniformed French soldiers in Montauban. On January 7, 2015, two French-born Algerian Muslim brothers, Saïd and Chérif Kouachi attacked the office of the French satirical weekly magazine Charlie Hebdo, murdering 12 and wounding 11. Two days later, on January 9, Amedy Coulibaly, attacked a kosher supermarket in Paris, murdering 5 dead and wounding 9. On June 26, 2015, Yassin Salhi beheaded his employer, Hervé Cornara, in Saint-Quentin-Fallavier. On November 13, 2015, Islamist terrorists shot people in cafes and at the Bataclan Theater, murdering 130 dead and wounding 416. On July 26, 2016, a Catholic priest, Jacques Hamel, was murdered in his church in Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray by two Islamists. On April 4, 2017, Sarah Halimi, a retired French Jewish doctor, was tortured and murdered by Kobili Traore, an immigrant from Mali, in her Paris apartment. On March 23, 2018, Mireille Knoll, an 85-year-old French Jewish woman and Holocaust survivor, was murdered in her apartment by Yacine Mihoub, a French criminal of North African origin. On October 16, 2020, Samuel Paty, a high school teacher, was beheaded in Éragny by Abdoullakh Abouyezidovich Anzorov, a Chechen asylum-seeker. On October 13, 2023, Mohammed Mogouchkov, an immigrant of Ingush origin, stabbed to death Dominique Bernard, a high school teacher, in the Gambetta-Carnot secondary school in Arras.
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https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/21312/jihad-in-the-west

Why Italy's release of wanted Iranian is a win for Tehran and blow to US
Sergio Cantone/Euronews/January 15, 2025
Why Italy's release of wanted Iranian is a win for Tehran and blow to US
Iranian engineer and businessman Mohammad Abedini may have returned home safely from Milan to Tehran, but not all his possessions made it back with him. The 38-year-old — who was detained in Italy in December on a US warrant over a drone attack in Jordan that killed three Americans last year — was released from prison on Sunday after Italy's justice minister filed to revoke his arrest. However, a number of his belongings, including his phone, laptop and hard drives, remain in a safe in the Milan prosecutor's office, according to Italian media. The US reportedly believes that Abedini's devices contain highly sensitive material, and wants Rome to send them to Washington for inspection. Abedini, who has Iranian and Swiss citizenship, was freed after Iran released Italian journalist Cecilia Sala. She had been seized in Tehran three days after Abedini's arrest in Milan last month.
Iranian state TV said Abedini's release came after talks between the two countries' intelligence services, while Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said that a "diplomatic triangulation" with Tehran and Washington was key to securing Sala's freedom.
Nevertheless, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) told the Italian daily La Repubblica that it was "deeply disappointed" by Rome's decision to release Abedini, having pushed for his extradition. Washington accuses Abedini of supplying the drone technology to Iran used in a January 2024 attack on a US outpost in Jordan that killed three troops. Italy's justice ministry said it could not have extradited Abedini to the US because the potential charge against him under the US International Economic Emergency Powers Act “did not correspond to any conduct recognised by Italian law as a crime".
While Washington was hoping for another outcome with Abedini, the agreement between Rome and Tehran appears to have been a classic case of hostage diplomacy — albeit one heightened by the severity of the US accusations at a time of global tensions.
Swiss connection
Abedini's arrest in Milan was made at the request of Washington for allegedly violating US sanctions laws by sending sophisticated US-made electronic components to Iran. The engineer is also accused by the US of providing material support — in the form of UAV guidance systems applied in military drones — to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which Washington considers a foreign terrorist organisation, resulting in the deadly drone strike in Jordan last year. According to court documents, Abedini is the founder and managing director of an Iranian company, San’at Danesh Rahpooyan Aflak Co (SDRA), that manufactures navigation modules used in the IRGC’s military drone program, the DOJ said.
Abedini established a Switzerland front company for SDRA, Illumove SA, to procure sensitive US-made technologies — including components used in military drones — and supply them to Iran, according to the DOJ's charges. "The Illumove company seems to have been included in the list of companies under US sanctions somewhat at the last minute, last December, only a few days before Abedini's arrest," said Jacques Baud, a retired colonel from the Swiss military intelligence services. Abedini took advantage of the dual-use technology trade between the US and Switzerland, two countries that traditionally have excellent political, economic and diplomatic relations, according to Swiss media reports."I doubt that Abedini's suitcase bound for Iran was full of electronic components," Baud told Euronews. "I think he had a sampler in it, like the kind you take abroad to promote a sale. I don't think we can talk about export."
Iran's technological capabilities
However, even a single technological sample can have large-scale industrial developments. It is well known how much the Islamic Republic needs sophisticated military components developed in the West, especially for its missiles and drones. "The Iranian military industry is a case study of how a sector has grown and consolidated, especially in certain sectors, starting with drones and missiles (despite) an increasingly stringent regime of embargoes and sanctions," Pietro Batacchi, editor of the Italian military magazine RID (Rivista Italiana Difesa), told Euronews. ‘However, technology of Western origin is more reliable, especially when it comes to navigation systems, gyroscopes and inertial platforms," he said. In fact, another characteristic of Iran's military industry over the past 30 years has been reverse engineering Western weapons systems for its benefit, according to Batacchi.
Iran's engineers learnt to copy and reproduce Western technologies for the maintenance of Western-made weaponry acquired by the regime of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi before 1979, like the still extremely effective F-14 Tomcat fighter jets, Batacchi said.
"This is something we can also find in the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, where we discovered that Russian missiles, especially in the first phase of the war, were full of Western components in the navigation and guidance systems," he said. "This applies all the more to Iran, which (from the point of view of technological development) is not Russia," Batacchi concluded.

Israel Is Overhauling Its Defense Ideology; Will Arab States Finally Support It?
Hussain Abdul-Hussain/The Algemeiner/January 15, 2025
https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/01/14/israel-is-overhauling-its-defense-ideology-will-arab-states-finally-support-it/
Israel is perhaps the most muscular and influential power in the Middle East today. When Israel changes its defense ideology, as per the Nagel Committee Report released last week, the region must take notice.
Under the new doctrine, Israel will not wait for its enemies to build lethal capabilities but will preemptively deny them the pathway to becoming a threat. Islamist Iran and what is left of its proxies remain the top threat to the Jewish State. Turkey is on its watch list. Moderate Arab countries face similar threats from Iran and Turkey, and have an interest in making common cause with Israel.
“Following the October 7 disaster,” the report reads, Israel must move “from a ‘containment’ and defense concept to a ‘prevention’ and readiness concept, alongside building capabilities for immediate and sometimes even disproportionate response.”
Another key recommendation is for Israel to decrease its reliance on importing arms, and reenergize its defense industry — a capable sector that was scaled back to avoid producing weapons and ammunition deemed not commercially competitive on the global market.
With some European countries and Canada threatening bans on arms sales, and with America holding up some ammunition every now and then to apply pressure, Israel has concluded that — even if it doesn’t have an industrial base of scale — producing arms is an issue of utmost national interest, one connected to the state’s existence, not one that must make economic sense.
Media reports state that the Israeli government has already awarded contracts to local companies to produce heavy bombs in order to reduce reliance on the US.
Less reliance on foreign powers means that Arab governments, which once hoped to use their leverage with world capitals to extract concessions from Israel, will have less ability to influence the policy and behavior of the Jewish State.
But since the moderate Arab capitals have vast overlapping interests with Israel, whether in curbing Iranian troublemaking and restricting uninvited Turkish meddling — and since world capitals will not stir Israeli policy the way that some Arab governments might want to — the best option for these Arabs would be to directly coordinate regional policy with Israel.
It is imperative that moderate Arab states and leaders realize the gravity of October 7 and how it has been changing the region. The event ushered in the third phase in relations between the Arabs and Israel.
In the first phase, between 1948 and 1990, the Arabs believed that they could set their population and economic weight against that of puny Israel and its economy, in order to force the world to make a choice. Israel won that round. The second phase was when most Arabs realized that, in a US-led unipolar world, their best option was a two-state solution. Israel played along. Thirty-three years later, October 7 proclaimed the end of that phase.
Now, in the third phase, starting in 2023, with America believing that the Middle East is not as geo-strategically important as it used to be — and therefore shrinking its footprint in the region while pursuing band-aid crisis-management policies — and with Russia watching its effort in Syria go to naught, and with China becoming preoccupied with its stalling economy, the Middle East is on its own.
Israel, Iran, and Turkey emerge as the successors of the great powers. From an Arab perspective, of the three regional powers, the least expansive and intrusive is Israel, followed by Turkey, which puts its economy ahead of imperial ambitions and therefore limits its regional adventures. To the Arab people and other Arab states, an always expansive and war-obsessed Islamist Iran is the biggest threat, almost an existential one to most of them.
Against such background, it goes without saying that, of the three regional powers, Israel is the best option for the Arab states. Perhaps waiting for the Palestinians to figure out what they want, or who speaks for them, undermines both Arab and Palestinian interests. Arab states should reach out to Israel right away. If they don’t, they risk becoming regionally irrelevant, sitting back and watching three powers vie for dominance while they wait to see who will emerge as the next boss. Hedging, at this point, and reaping the rewards of taking the right side, might be much better than waiting for the new regional boss to emerge, and dictate their will.
During World War I, Arab leaders did bet on the winning horse — the Allies. They did not get exactly what they wanted, but their choice proved to be much better than the disaster of flirting with the Nazis that some Palestinians and Iraqis did in World War II.
In the unfolding Middle East race, Israel has demonstrated its prowess. Betting on it looks like the safest choice for the Arab governments that seek stability to grow their economies and secure their futures.
*Hussain Abdul-Hussain is a research fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies (FDD).

What comes after a Gaza ceasefire deal
Osama Al-Sharif/Arab News/January 15, 2025
A long-awaited ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas appears imminent, according to US, Israeli, Qatari and Palestinian sources. After months of fruitless negotiations, the two sides are now closer than ever to sealing a multi-phased agreement that would bring an end to the bloodletting, allow for the release of Israeli captives and Palestinian prisoners, and ensure a gradual Israeli withdrawal from war-ravaged Gaza.
Details are sketchy, but what is clear is that US President-elect Donald Trump has stepped in and put pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to embrace a deal before his inauguration on Jan. 20. President Joe Biden also spoke of an agreement to be sealed soon, while Secretary of State Antony Blinken unveiled his vision for a postwar Gaza on Tuesday. Speaking about his own foreign policy achievements, Biden mentioned the plight of the people of Gaza, “who have been through hell,” and spoke of the right of Palestinians to self-determination. Trump, on his part, said on Monday: “We are very close to getting it done. There has been a handshake, and they are getting it finished. If it won’t happen, there will be a lot of trouble.”
It is ironic and sad that Trump has been able to push all parties to accept a deal when Biden could have done the same months ago, thus sparing many innocent lives on both sides. The fact that Biden and Blinken have allowed Netanyahu and his far-right coalition to carry out the worst genocide in modern times, all while supplying Israel with tens of billions of dollars-worth of arms, is an indelible stain that has made the US complicit in the Gaza carnage.
Netanyahu, who wasted no opportunity to derail an agreement that could have been reached many months ago, finds himself in a corner
Trump will take credit for stopping the massacre and ending what had become the most horrific war against civilians in the 21st century. Netanyahu, who wasted no opportunity to derail an agreement that could have been reached many months ago, finds himself in a corner. He has not delivered a “total victory,” nor has his army been able to free all hostages. Under the proposed agreement, the Israeli military will withdraw from key positions in Gaza, culminating in total withdrawal in the final phase of the ceasefire agreement.
The end of the war — a final cessation of hostilities that is yet to be agreed upon — will trigger a political crisis in Israel. Netanyahu’s far-right partners have threatened to quit the coalition. Pressure will rise in Israel for an independent inquiry into the events of Oct. 7, 2023. Netanyahu’s trial on corruption charges will resume. His margin of maneuverability will become much smaller. It is unlikely that he will be able to survive politically as captives begin to return home and the world has a first glance at the level of mass destruction Israel has inflicted on Gaza.
Regarding the “day-after” scenario, Blinken’s vision of a reformed Palestinian Authority role, with Arab participation, will depend on how the Trump team sees things. While Hamas has sustained significant losses in its leadership structure and military prowess in Gaza, it has survived as a political force. What role it will have in Gaza in the future depends on the Trump White House, Israel and, to some extent, the PA.
Much also depends on what the people of Gaza want. They have paid the ultimate price for the events of Oct. 7, 2023, and it is up to them to determine their own future. They should be allowed to do so. The biggest challenges once a ceasefire deal is adopted are to facilitate the passage of humanitarian assistance and the documentation of war crimes in Gaza. That last challenge will not be mentioned in the ceasefire deal. But even if the war ends, the world should not ignore the fact that Israel has committed serious breaches of international law. Independent investigators and foreign journalists must be allowed into the stricken Strip. They have to report to the world the horrific war crimes that Israel has committed over the past 15 months. Accountability must be a cornerstone of any lasting agreement involving Gaza.
What role Hamas will have in Gaza in the future depends on the Trump White House, Israel and, to some extent, the PA
Meanwhile, one has to be wary of Israel’s commitment to the ceasefire deal. In Lebanon, Israel has allegedly violated the agreement with Hezbollah hundreds of times. The same will happen in Gaza. Israel will find excuses to derail the deal and resume its aggression in Gaza. The guarantors — the US, Qatar and Egypt — must make sure that an end to the war is lasting and that Israel will have no reason to resume its attacks. Two complex issues are: who will end up ruling Gaza and when can reconstruction begin. Trump has yet to unveil his Middle East policy, especially regarding the future of the West Bank and the PA. He is reportedly eager to complete what he started with the Abraham Accords. He is to make clear his stand on Palestinian statehood and the right to self-determination. These are issues that will shape the region and the future of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. More than 15 months of the Israeli war on Gaza have failed to liquidate the Palestinian issue. Despite the destruction, the targeting of women and children, journalists, doctors, medics, academics and aid workers, the world today is more aware of the just cause of the Palestinians than ever before.
And then there is the issue of inter-Palestinian reconciliation. The Palestinian leadership must conclude that reconciliation and unity are the bulwark of a just cause that the world must address and rectify. After more than 46,000 fatalities — although that figure could double once the war ends — the Palestinians must overcome their differences and find common ground if they are to plead their case to the world. And, as much as there must be Israeli accountability, there will also have to be a Palestinian revision of the consequences of the events of Oct. 7, 2023, and the geopolitical changes that have occurred as a result. Palestinians have the right to resist the occupiers but they must agree on how to conduct their resistance. Israel has used the Hamas attacks to launch a genocidal war that has claimed tens of thousands of innocent lives and wreaked inconceivable destruction on Gaza, home to more than 2.3 million Palestinians. There will have to be lessons learned. No outside actors can tag what has happened as a victory or a loss. It is for the people of Gaza to decide. After all, it is they who have paid the ultimate price.
**Osama Al-Sharif is a journalist and political commentator based in Amman. X: @plato010

Who is Nawaf Salam, the top UN judge appointed as Lebanon’s new prime minister?من هو نواف سلام ماضياً وحاضراً ؟
Sherouk Zakaria/Arab News/January 15, 2025
DUBAI: From the halls of a top UN courthouse to steering a nation in turmoil, Nawaf Salam has been named as Lebanon’s new prime minister, signaling a shift in the political landscape toward consensus after two years of paralysis.
Salam, 71, a former president of the International Court of Justice at The Hague, arrived in Beirut on Tuesday tasked with forming a new government capable of implementing reforms to pull Lebanon out of the economic mire and spearhead postwar recovery.
He was nominated after securing 84 votes from the 128-member legislature, compared to nine votes for Najib Mikati, the caretaker prime minister, during consultations with parliamentary blocs on Monday led by Lebanon’s new President Joseph Aoun.
Thirty-four legislators abstained, opting instead for a “non-designation” stance after it became clear Mikati would lose.
Salam’s nomination was another strong indication of an emerging political consensus in Lebanon after last week’s election of army chief Aoun as president ended a two-year power vacuum.
Like Aoun, Salam does not hail from the country’s traditional political class or follow any political bloc.
The outcome was seen as a reflection of a growing momentum behind addressing Lebanon’s chronic governance challenges, restoring hope in the possibility of breaking the nation’s political gridlock amid a deeply divided parliament.
The choice of Salam also underscored the significant shift that has taken place in the balance of power among Lebanon’s sectarian factions in which the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia had long held sway.
Lawmakers from Hezbollah and its Shiite ally, the Amal Movement, failed to rally behind Mikati or delay the consultative process, which could have disrupted Salam’s designation.
In past years, Hezbollah has repeatedly blocked Salam from becoming prime minister, casting him as a US-backed candidate.
His appointment over Mikati, who is backed by the Hezbollah-led alliance, reflected the militia’s declining influence following its recent pummeling by Israel and the toppling of its Syrian regime ally Bashar Assad in December.
Hezbollah and Amal’s decision to abstain, without explicitly naming an alternative candidate, indicated they currently do not intend to participate in Salam’s government.
Salam won the backing of Christian and Druze factions, as well as prominent Sunni MPs, including Hezbollah allies and opponents who have long demanded the militant group give up its powerful arsenal, arguing it has undermined the state. In a surprising turn, the Lebanese Forces announced their decision to withdraw the nomination of MP Fouad Makhzoumi for prime minister-designate and back Salam instead. Signaling his satisfaction with the decision, Makhzoumi said: “Having multiple opposition candidates will inevitably lead to everyone losing.”Salam’s prospects were further strengthened by the withdrawal of MP Ibrahim Mneimneh, who cited the need for consensus to address Lebanon’s many challenges during what he called a “foundational and transitional” phase.
In another unexpected development, Free Patriotic Movement leader Gebran Bassil declared his support for Salam’s nomination as prime minister.
Sunni MPs, the Kataeb party’s bloc, the Renewal Bloc, Change MPs and several independents initially supportive of Makhzoumi and Mneimneh, shifted their votes to Salam.
Salam’s background in law and diplomacy has bolstered his image as a figure of professionalism and integrity, resonating well with widespread calls for reform. The prime minister-designate holds a doctorate in political science from France’s prestigious Sciences Po university as well as a doctorate in history from the Sorbonne. He also has a Master of Laws degree from Harvard Law School. Salam hails from a prominent Sunni family from Beirut. His late paternal uncle, Saeb Salam, was one of the Lebanese leaders who fought for the country’s independence from France and later served as prime minister four times between 1952 and 1973.
His cousin, Tammam Salam, also served as prime minister for two years in 2014-16.
Salam’s father, Abdullah Salim Salam, was the founder of Lebanon’s national airline, while his grandfather, Abi Salam, served as mayor and deputy of Beirut during the Ottoman era and was a leading advocate for reform.
Salam began his career in 1984 as a lawyer in several Lebanese courts, serving as a legal adviser to several local legal bodies and as a legal representative for international organizations until 2007.
In parallel, he pursued an academic path starting in 1979 as a lecturer at the Sorbonne, specializing in the modern history of the Middle East.
He later became a visiting fellow at Harvard University’s Weatherhead Center for International Affairs and a lecturer at the American University of Beirut where he taught international law and relations, served as a visiting professor and associate professor in political science, and rose to become the head of the Department of Political Studies and Public Administration in 2007.
Salam is also an accomplished author, with contributions in law, international law, history, and political science.
In 2007, he was named Lebanon’s permanent representative to the UN in New York, where he served for 10 years. During his tenure, Salam presided over the 67th session of the UN Security Council and served as vice president of the General Assembly until 2013, where he became an advocate for Lebanon’s vital interests and broader Arab and international issues.
In 2018, Salam became a judge at the ICJ and, in February last year, was elected president of the court, becoming the first Lebanese citizen to hold the post. He took over the court’s presidency as it held its first hearing in 2024 on a case filed by South Africa accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza, which Israel has dismissed as baseless. He is set to be replaced by Ugandan judge Julia Sebutinde, who will now oversee the case.
During his tenure at the ICJ, Salam issued a historic advisory opinion condemning the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and called for the halt of the expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
Earlier, Salam played a significant role in electoral reform during his three-year tenure as a member of the executive office of Lebanon’s Economic and Social Council and as a rapporteur in the National Commission for Electoral Law Reform until 2005.
Salam now faces one of the biggest challenges of his career as he begins consultations with MPs to form a new cabinet.
Lebanese political leaders and President Aoun, in his inaugural address, have emphasized that the new government must be built on national unity to address the urgent needs of the Lebanese people and navigate the country’s dire economic, social, and political crises.
Salam faces the challenge of rebuilding areas damaged by Israeli airstrikes during its war with Hezbollah and implementing reforms to satisfy international donors amid the country’s worst economic crisis in its history.
One of the most sensitive tasks ahead of him is the disarmament of Hezbollah, consolidating all weapons under state institutions in accordance with national laws and as pledged by Aoun in his inaugural address.
Salam’s government will need to craft new political understandings to redefine Lebanon’s approach to Hezbollah. This includes guiding the militia’s transition from its historical reliance on Iranian and Syrian ties to a framework that prioritizes national interests. Deploying the Lebanese army to reclaim full sovereignty over national borders and to secure the return of territories occupied by Israel — particularly those seized during the recent conflict — will be critical. These efforts will involve leveraging regional and international support to implement UN Resolution 1701, which mandates an end to hostilities with Israel under international law. Salam’s appointment has already garnered widespread support, particularly from Saudi Arabia, alongside other Arab nations, Western allies, the Arab League, and the UN, which have expressed their commitment to Lebanon’s democratic process and the incoming government. Shortly after the announcement of the new prime minister, Mikati called Salam to congratulate him and wish him success in his mission to form a new administration.
Mikati said his caretaker government, which navigated Lebanon during a tumultuous period, had laid the foundations for postwar recovery through issuing draft laws ready for parliamentary approval and preparing reform projects. He stressed the need for unity and consensus to lead the next phase for Lebanon. “Past experiences have shown that there is no alternative to consensus and that an approach of defiance has cost us many opportunities for recovery,” Mikati said. “The challenges we face are undoubtedly great, but the will of our people is stronger.”
Congratulating Salam, EU Ambassador to Lebanon Sandra De Waele called for a swift government formation to launch much-needed reforms and revive state institutions. The regional and international support for Salam’s designation is likely to lead to a flow of funds from Western and Arab nations, crucial in helping his new cabinet in the reconstruction process and Lebanon’s recovery.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2586590/middle-east