English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For April 05/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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https://eliasbejjaninews.com/aaaanewsfor2025/english.April 05.25.htm

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Bible Quotations For today
Jesus sighed and said to the deaf man, ‘Ephphatha’, that is, ‘Be opened.’ And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 07/31-37:”Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, ‘Ephphatha’, that is, ‘Be opened.’ And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. They were astounded beyond measure, saying, ‘He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.’”

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on April 04-05/2025
The Proposal for a “National Defense Strategy”: A Circumvention of International Resolutions, a Violation of the Ceasefire Agreement, and a Renewed Surrender of Lebanon to Hezbollah After Its Defeat and the Disasters It Caused/ Elias Bejjani/April 05/2025
Anniversary of the Siege of Zahle/Elias Bejjani/April 02/ 2025
Palestinian Refugee camps in Lebanon are a time bomb/Etienne Sakr - Abu Arz/April 04, 2025
2 Video Commentaries by Journalist Ali Hamadeh shed light on the Objectives Behind Morgan Ortagus’s Visit to Lebanon
Video Link to a Commentary by Dr. Saleh Al-Machnouk from “Al Mashhad Channel”
Key Points from Engineer Alfred Madi’s Interview transparency platform
Lebanon central bank must counter money laundering and terrorist financing, new governor says
Israel kills Hamas 'commander' in strike on Sidon
Paris throws support behind Lebanon amid US-Israeli pressure
What will Lebanon leaders tell Ortagus?
Over 30 airport workers expelled over suspected Hezbollah ties
Lebanon's new central bank chief vows to fight money laundering and 'terrorism' funding
Israel says struck Hezbollah operative in Alma Al Shaab
Salam condemns Israeli strike on Sidon
IMF conditions: EU works with Lebanon's Ministries of Finance and Economy on aid and reforms
MP Samy Gemayel: Lebanon's government must establish a clear strategy to disarm Hezbollah
Roumieh Prison courthouse revamp: Lebanon fast-tracks terrorism trials to tackle overcrowding

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on April 04-05/2025
Israel expands ground offensive in Gaza City
Hamas says Israeli offensive in Gaza ‘highly dangerous’ for hostages
The U.S. Senate on Thursday overwhelmingly rejected a bid to block $8.8 billion in arms sales to Israel
King Abdullah, Bulgarian president co-chair Aqaba Process meetings in Sofia
‘No Longer an Impartial Court’: Hungary Announced Withdrawal From ICC
Saudi crown prince, Iranian president discuss regional developments
Houthi kidnappings increase amidst US airstrikes
Iranian personnel reportedly leave Yemen as US strikes intensify
Turkey's Fidan on Syria, Israel, Ukraine war, ties with U.S
Syria: From Assad's rule to Israel's incursions
Syrian government says studying Amnesty report on massacres
Kurdish fighters leave northern city in Syria as part of deal with central government
Red Cross warns of continued threat of landmines in Iraq
Trump dismisses stock market’s tariff plunge, says ‘China played it wrong’ by hitting back

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on April 04-05/2025
Turkey reportedly plans to take control of airbases in Syria/Ahmad Sharawi/FDD's Long War Journal//April 04/2025
Why inflation haunts Iran/Saeed Ghasseminejad/Globes/April 04/2025
How the ‘world order’ changes/Joseph S. Nye Jr./Arab News/April 04, 2025
Trump’s Middle East policy needs regional inputs/Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg/Arab News/April 04, 2025
Turkiye’s delicate balancing act in the Black Sea/Dr. Sinem Cengiz/Arab News/April 04, 2025
Too many blame those with the quietest voices/Peter Harrison/Arab News/April 04, 2025

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on April 04-05/2025
The Proposal for a “National Defense Strategy”: A Circumvention of International Resolutions, a Violation of the Ceasefire Agreement, and a Renewed Surrender of Lebanon to Hezbollah After Its Defeat and the Disasters It Caused
By: Elias Bejjani/April 05/2025
It is both sad and disappointing that President Joseph Aoun proposed from Paris the revival of the fallacy known as a "National Defense Strategy" that would discuss the Iranian terrorist Hezbollah's weapons through a so-called comprehensive Lebanese dialogue. This old-new proposal is the height of hypocritical cleverness and a blatant attempt to maintain the occupation hegemony of Hezbollah — a terrorist jihadist group entirely affiliated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and an enemy of Lebanon and its people.
This proposal hands Hezbollah and Iran a political lifeline to escape the implementation of the ceasefire agreement, which explicitly stipulates the complete disarmament of Hezbollah across all Lebanese territory and the exclusive use of force by the Lebanese Army alone.
In reality, this proposal is nothing more than a rescue operation for Hezbollah from its current predicament — an attempt to legitimize the illegitimate, and a clear circumvention of the ceasefire agreement signed by the previous Lebanese government under Prime Minister Najib Mikati, with the participation of Hezbollah's own ministers. The agreement was also approved and sponsored by Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, who is simultaneously the head of the Shiite Amal Movement, an ally of Hezbollah and its partner in the last war against Israel — a war that ended with Hezbollah's crushing defeat, the near-total destruction of the Bekaa, South Lebanon, and the southern suburbs of Beirut, the killing of most of its leaders, and the displacement of tens of thousands from the southern suburbs, the South, and the Bekaa.
Presidency and Government: An International Decision Imposed Despite Hezbollah, Berri, and All Components of Iran’s Axis of Evil
It is necessary to remind both President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam that neither of them reached their current positions through the will of Hezbollah nor with the approval of Nabih Berri. They were imposed by international and regional consensus following intense pressure to implement international resolutions — foremost among them the ceasefire agreement and Resolutions 1559, 1701, 1680, and the Taif Accord. All of these resolutions clearly call for the disarmament of all Lebanese and Palestinian militias and the exclusive handover of all weapons to the Lebanese Army without exception.
Therefore, any step taken by President Aoun or Prime Minister Salam that contradicts these obligations is a rebellion against international will and a dangerous squandering of the opportunity to rescue the Lebanese state from the grip of Iranian hegemony.
Aoun and Salam’s Positions: Total Submission to Hezbollah and Sabotage of State Liberation Efforts
What President Joseph Aoun — backed by Nawaf Salam — is proposing today is nothing short of a complete surrender to Hezbollah’s will and a humiliating submission to Nabih Berri. It is a direct obstruction of all international and regional efforts aimed at ending Hezbollah’s occupation of Lebanon and restoring the kidnapped state. Therefore, the call for “dialogue” regarding Hezbollah’s weapons is a misleading tactic that only serves to keep the weapons in place under the excuse of future agreement.
This position blatantly violates the ceasefire agreement, all international resolutions, and the Taif Accord. It offers dangerous political cover for the continued Iranian occupation of Lebanon. If the President and Prime Minister are either unwilling or unable to implement the commitments that brought them to power, then they must resign immediately — rather than serving as false witnesses to the crime of keeping Lebanon hostage to a terrorist, Iranian-controlled gang that is fully and directly affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Nawaf Salam: A Nasserist Leftist Living in the Time of Abdel Nasser
In the context of this rebellion against the ceasefire agreement, it is important to note that Nawaf Salam is not a sovereign Lebanese statesman. He is a product of the Nasserist-Arabist school that still lives in the delusions of Abdel Nasser and his dream of "throwing Israel into the sea." He previously worked with the Palestinian Liberation Organization and holds a deeply ideological hatred toward Israel, completely at odds with the new phase of building peace and stability in the region. This defeated ideological path followed by Salam and his peers cannot build a functioning state. Instead, it would drag Lebanon back to the era of occupation, destruction, and militias.
Morgan Ortagus in Beirut: Washington Is Not Pleased
Coinciding with these developments, American envoy Morgan Ortagus has arrived in Beirut, representing the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. During her official meetings, she is expected to convey the Trump administration’s dissatisfaction with the Lebanese state’s failure to implement the ceasefire agreement and its suspicious hesitation to form official committees to engage in talks with Israel about peace, normalization, and border demarcation. This hesitation is a clear evasion of explicit commitments endorsed unanimously by the previous government when it signed the ceasefire agreement. It also obstructs the path toward a settlement that aims to dismantle Hezbollah's Ministate and occupation and to restore a free, sovereign, and independent Lebanese state.
Israel Is Implementing the Ceasefire Agreement Precisely
In the face of ongoing distortions and a willful blindness toward the terms of the ceasefire agreement, it must be stated clearly: Contrary to the propaganda spread by the Lebanese government and Hezbollah’s media, Israel is not waging a war on Lebanon. Rather, it is strictly implementing the agreement’s provisions.
The agreement stipulates that if Israel detects any violation by Hezbollah, it must notify the Quintet Committee, which in turn informs the Lebanese state. If the Lebanese Army fails to address the violation, Israel has the right to eliminate the threat itself. What has been happening since the agreement was signed is the precise implementation of its articles. Meanwhile, Hezbollah's repeated violations are a blatant breach that exposes Lebanon to constant danger due to the absence of state authority and its subjugation to Hezbollah, a group fully subordinate to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
In Conclusion
What is required of President Aoun and Prime Minister Salam is to act as true statesmen, not as political cover for Hezbollah's Mini-State Occupation. They must fully uphold their international commitments without hesitation — or else resign if they are not up to the historical responsibility for which the international and regional consensus brought them to power: rescuing Lebanon and ending the Iranian occupation.

Anniversary of the Siege of Zahle
Elias Bejjani/April 02/ 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/04/54025/
A homeland whose people are unwilling to offer themselves as sacrifices on its altar will perish, and they will be reduced to humiliated slaves.
On April 2, 1981, the brave people of Zahle City, alongside all the free Lebanese under the banner of the Lebanese Resistance led by the Martyr of the Cedars, Sheikh Bashir Gemayel, defiantly said "No" to the Syrian occupier. They refused to bow to its terrorism, crimes, and barbarism.
With unwavering faith, honor, and resilience, they defended Zahle, offering hundreds of martyrs in a heroic stand that repelled the Syrian Assad Baathist onslaught.
The Holy Apostle, in his Epistle to the Hebrews, speaks of Christ’s redemptive death: "He had to taste death by the grace of God for the good of all."
Reflecting on Christ’s sacrifice allows us to embrace and transcend the unjust causes of death, focusing instead on its noble purpose. Similarly, the martyrs of Zahle, like Christ, had to taste death for the greater good—so that we, Zahle, and Lebanon might endure. Like a grain of wheat that must fall to the ground to bear fruit, their sacrifice did not perish with them; it multiplied in meaning and purpose.
On the evening of April 2, 1981, Sheikh Bashir Gemayel addressed the fighters of Zahle, giving them the choice to remain or leave.
He sad to them:"The road is open for only a few hours. If you leave, you will save your lives, but Zahle will inevitably fall, marking the end of our epic resistance. If you stay, you will have no water, medicine, food, or ammunition. Your mission will be to organize internal resistance, preserve the identity of the Lebanese Bekaa, and give meaning to our six-year struggle."
Then he issued the defining words:"If you decide to stay, know this: heroes die but do not surrender."
Their response was resolute: "We will stay." And from that moment, a legendary slogan was born. Zahle remained free, and Lebanon endured.

Palestinian Refugee camps in Lebanon are a time bomb.
Etienne Sakr - Abu Arz/April 04, 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/04/141974/
Last week's rocket attacks on northern Israel, and the Israeli response with an airstrike targeting a drone warehouse in Beirut's southern suburbs, are not a passing event or an isolated act. Rather, they represent a link in a chain of ongoing Iranian plots against Lebanon, aimed at luring Israel into a devastating war with Hezbollah that will destroy what remains of this country, both human and material.
Subsequent investigations revealed that the rocket launchers were a group affiliated with the terrorist organization Hamas, which operates in Lebanese territory from the Palestinian camps. This organization, along with its sister terrorist organizations, which are present in large numbers within these camps, conducts no security or military activity except in coordination and full understanding with Hezbollah, particularly in southern Lebanon. This means that Hezbollah is fully involved in the aforementioned rocket launching, both directly and indirectly, and that the cover-up by the Lebanese state is part of the state's policy of appeasement, flattery, and favoritism toward this party.
In this context, we ask: If the government refuses, is unable, or is reluctant to disarm Hezbollah, what prevents it from disarming the Palestinian organizations nested like mushrooms in these camps, which have been transformed into heavily fortified encampments, stockpiling all kinds of weapons and ammunition?
Official silence in the face of the imminent danger posed by these camps is a flagrant national crime. We therefore warn that leaving these "time bombs" as they are will sooner or later lead to the explosion of the Lebanese arena once again, as happened in 1975... and he who warns is excused.
Long Live Lebanon/Guardians of the Cedars.
(Free translation from Arabic by, Elias Bejjani)

2 Video Commentaries by Journalist Ali Hamadeh shed light on the Objectives Behind Morgan Ortagus’s Visit to Lebanon
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/04/141940/
April 04/2025
Morgan Ortagus in Lebanon on an urgent diplomatic mission aimed at preempting the escalation of military and security tensions in the region. Her visit carries several critical objectives:
*Convey the White House’s concerns regarding the Lebanese authorities’ ongoing procrastination and failure to disarm Hezbollah and fully implement the ceasefire agreement.
*Prevent Lebanon from slipping into a new cycle of violence by addressing the continued stagnation in establishing a concrete disarmament program and a timeline for reasserting state control over the area south of the Litani River, following its complete clearance.
*Initiate Lebanese-Israeli negotiations focused on resolving the remaining border disputes along the Blue Line.
*Engage with Lebanese officials on preparing the country for participation in the broader regional peace process.
*Kick off a comprehensive reform workshop aimed at jumpstarting economic, financial, and administrative reforms across the Lebanese state.
**Hamadeh underscores that this visit is a stark reminder to Lebanese officials of their national responsibilities and their international commitments—many of which remain unfulfilled.

Video Link to a Commentary by Dr. Saleh Al-Machnouk from “Al Mashhad Channel”
April 4, 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/04/141937/
The Truth As It Is: No Reconstruction in Lebanon Before Iranian Weapons Are Removed! 
In this bold episode from Beirut, journalist and writer Dr. Saleh Al-Machnouk sheds light on Lebanon’s complex political reality, affirming that reconstruction is impossible as long as Iranian weapons, represented by Hezbollah, remain in place.
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/04/141937/

Key Points from Engineer Alfred Madi’s Interview transparency platform
(Summarized, written, and adapted in both languages freely by Elias Bejjani)
04 April/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/04/141963/
*A strategic overview of the Zahle battle, which succeeded thanks to three key factors:
A clear national vision, sound political strategy, and unwavering faith.
Exceptional internal resistance.
Effective lobbying in the U.S., led by myself with the support of Dr. Charles Malik
*The Israeli air intervention in the Zahle battle was requested by the U.S. and based on its agreement with Syria, which prohibited Syrian entry into Christian areas or the use of airpower over certain regions of Lebanon.
*Hezbollah’s accusation that Christians are agents of Israel is nothing but projection—they’re shifting their own guilt onto others. In truth, the real collaborators are within Hezbollah itself, and recent events have clearly proven this.
*Peace with Israel is inevitable, either through mutual agreements or by force. Israel will not withdraw from Lebanon or Syria until  peace deala are reached.
*The current Lebanese leadership is lost, with no serious initiative to implement the terms of the ceasefire. If only Lebanon’s rulers understood the rules of the global game.
*Since 2005, all Lebanese political parties and governments have shared power with Hezbollah, in Parliament, Cabinet, and state institutions. This legitimized and empowered Hezbollah, allowing it to dominate the country and hijack national decision-making.
*Many Lebanese groups & sects lack true loyalty to Lebanon.
*Hezbollah did not build a state within the state by strength, but rather through the weakness of those who claim to oppose it. Everyone who accepted power-sharing with Hezbollah and endorsed the "Army, People, Resistance" formula is complicit and equally responsible.
*All the slogans of the Salam government and the Aoun presidency remain ink on paper. The current era reminds me of Amine Gemayel’s term—it ended before it even began.
*Joseph Aoun and Nawaf Salam were brought in by international decision-makers, not by the will of the Lebanese people. Samir Geagea was aiming for the presidency, but Saudi influence convinced him to back Joseph Aoun.
*An analysis of President Trump’s domestic and foreign policies, particularly regarding the Middle East.
*The alliance between the so-called resistance and Lebanon’s corrupt class continues. Nawaf Salam accepted political quotas, and so did the Lebanese Forces.
*A clear debunking of Hezbollah’s media propaganda, lies, and delusions. Their so-called "victories" are in fact crushing and catastrophic defeats.
*In 2006, Prime Minister Fouad Siniora’s government diverted Arab financial aid to Hezbollah’s Shiite duo, solidifying their control over the Shiite community—a grip that still holds today.
*Hezbollah’s military conflict with Israel ended in surrender. What remains of its weapons serves only to intimidate Lebanese citizens. The group should never have been allowed into the Salam government.
*Hezbollah’s rhetoric shows no intention of disarming. It is, in every sense, an Iranian army stationed in Lebanon, with its ideology, structure, and constitution proving full allegiance to Iran’s Supreme Leader.
*What exactly is Lebanon’s “National defense strategy”? In reality, it’s nothing but a grand lie—a smokescreen of manipulation and deceit designed solely to keep Hezbollah in control of the country.
*Lebanon has over 100,000 soldiers, and is fully capable of confronting Hezbollah and forcing it to surrender its weapons—especially since many in the Shiite community reject war and want peace.

Lebanon central bank must counter money laundering and terrorist financing, new governor says
Reuters/April 04, 2025
BEIRUT: Lebanon’s central bank must focus on fighting money laundering and terrorist financing, its newly appointed governor said on Friday, as he began the job of salvaging the fragile banking sector and getting it off a global watchdog’s “grey list.”The Financial Action Task Force placed Lebanon on its list of countries requiring special scrutiny last year in a move many have worried could discourage the foreign investment it needs to recover from a 2019 financial crisis that is still felt today. Terrorist financing and money laundering are top concerns for the US, which wants to prevent Hezbollah from using the Lebanese financial system and cash flows through the country to re-establish itself. Karim Souaid, who was appointed last week, listed his main priorities during his official handover with the outgoing acting central bank governor who preceded him. “The most important of these are combating money laundering and terrorist financing, and identifying and disclosing politically and financially influential individuals, their relatives, and those associated with them,” he said. Souaid replaces interim chief Wassim Mansouri, who has been overseeing the bank since long-serving governor Riad Salameh’s tenure ended in disgrace in 2023 due to the financial implosion and accusations of embezzlement, which Salameh denies. Triggered by widespread corruption and profligate spending by the ruling class, the financial crisis in Lebanon brought the banking system to a standstill, creating an estimated $72 billion in losses. Souaid said the central bank would work to reschedule public debt and pay back depositors, while calling upon private banks to gradually raise their capital by injecting fresh funds. Those banks unable or unwilling to do so, should look to merge with other institutions. Otherwise, they would be liquidated in an orderly manner, with their licenses revoked and depositors’ rights protected, he said. Souaid also pledged to safeguard the central bank’s independence from political pressure and prevent conflicts of interest.
“I will ensure that this national institution remains independent in its decision-making, shielded from interference, and grounded in the core principles of transparency and integrity,” he said.

Israel kills Hamas 'commander' in strike on Sidon
Agence France Presse/April 04, 2025
The Israeli military said it killed a commander of Palestinian militant group Hamas in a pre-dawn strike on the Lebanese port city of Sidon on Friday. "Overnight, the (army and the domestic security agency Shin Bet) conducted a targeted strike in the Sidon area, eliminating the terrorist Hassan Farhat, commander of Hamas’s western arena in Lebanon," the military said in a statement.The strike also killed Farhat's adult son and daughter. Hamas’s military wing the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades said in a statement that commander Hassan Farhat had been killed "inside his apartment in the city of Sidon, southern Lebanon, along with his martyred daughter Jinan Hassan Farhat, and his son" Hamza, also a member of the Palestinian group’s military wing. The Israeli military alleged that Farhat had orchestrated multiple attacks on Israeli soldiers and civilians during the hostilities that followed the outbreak of war in Gaza in October 2023. They included rocket fire on the Israeli town of Safed on February 14, 2024 that killed an Israeli soldier, the military added. An AFP correspondent saw the fourth-floor flat still on fire after the strike, which caused heavy damage to the apartment block and neighboring buildings and sparked panic in the densely populated neighborhood. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the strike as a "flagrant attack on Lebanese sovereignty" and a breach of the November 27 ceasefire in the war between militant group Hezbollah and Israel. Hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah spiraled into all-out conflict last September, and the group remains a target of Israeli air strikes despite the ceasefire. Under the truce, Hezbollah is supposed to redeploy its forces north of the Litani River, about 30 kilometers from the Israeli border, and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in the south. Israel is supposed to withdraw its forces across the UN-demarcated Blue Line, the de facto border, but has missed two deadlines to do so and continues to hold five positions it deems "strategic".

Paris throws support behind Lebanon amid US-Israeli pressure
Naharnet/April 04, 2025
France is clearly supporting the approach of President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in dealing with the situations in the country, a media report said. “Paris considers that there cannot be a shift from the tripartite ceasefire monitoring mechanism between Lebanon and Israel to a form of diplomatic normalization between them,” An-Nahar newspaper reported on Friday. “Paris rejects the Israeli operations in Lebanon, especially that Israel had agreed to the ceasefire agreement, and France is calling on the Hebrew state to withdraw from the five points it is still occupying in south Lebanon,” the daily said.
It added that France is emphasizing that “the Lebanese Army must continue its work and has so far demonstrated its ability to preserve stability in Lebanon.”“That’s why Israel must fully withdraw and spare Lebanon its attacks, because the priority today is for restoring Lebanon’s stability and enabling Lebanese authorities of regaining control, not only over the borders but across Lebanon, in addition to resolving the country’s financial crisis and facilitating the state’s work,” An-Nahar quoted French officials as saying. “High-level French officials have described the performance of President Joseph Aoun and PM Nawaf Salam as good and important, adding that France is determined to help them by organizing an international conference for offering support to Lebanon,” the daily added.

What will Lebanon leaders tell Ortagus?
Naharnet/April 04, 2025
As Deputy U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Morgan Ortagus is due in Beirut in a diplomatic bid to resolve several outstanding issues between Lebanon and Israel, Israel carried out Friday a strike on south Lebanon's port city of Sidon, killing a Hamas commander, despite a truce reached in late November. A senior official told al-Joumhouria newspaper that the three Lebanese leaders - Speaker Nabih Berri, PM Nawaf Salam and President Joseph Aoun - will tell Ortagus that Lebanon's priority is the implementation of the ceasefire agreement, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the five points where they are still deployed in south Lebanon and the cessation of Israeli attacks and violations. The sticking points between Lebanon and Israel that the U.S. is planning to address include the 5 points still occupied in south Lebanon and the release of Lebanese prisoners who were kidnapped during the war. But Washington also wants to address the remaining disputed points along the Blue Line on the Lebanese-Israeli border, by "bringing together Lebanon and Israel for talks aimed at diplomatically resolving" these issues. Lebanon, for its part, has refused direct negotiations and its leaders have said many times that Lebanon is not ready for normalizing ties with Israel. The official said that Lebanon wants the border demarcation to be negotiated through a military and technical committee and not through direct talks, like in 2022 when Lebanese and Israeli leaders separately signed a U.S.-brokered maritime demarcation deal after months of indirect talks.

Over 30 airport workers expelled over suspected Hezbollah ties
Naharnet/April 04, 2025
Lebanese authorities have started “curbing Hezbollah’s influence at the Rafik Hariri International Airport,” after the Airport Security Apparatus revoked the authorizations of a large number of airport workers who are loyal to Hezbollah, Saudi Arabia’s Asharq al-Awsat newspaper has reported. “More than 30 airport workers have been informed of the expiry of the permits granted to them and that it will not be possible to renew them,” an informed source at the airport told the daily. This decision “did not only involve workers who carry travelers’ luggage into and from the airport, but also those who carry luggage into and from planes, in addition to a number of employees who worked at the department of baggage inspection and lost items,” the source said. “The decision represented a shock to those affected by the expulsion, especially that they spent long years working at the airport while enjoying freedom of action and without any accountability,” the source added.These measures are aimed at “enhancing the security of the airport and travelers and weakening Hezbollah’s influence in it to the greatest extent,” the source went on to say, noting that those expelled were “Hezbollah’s eyes and ears inside the airport and a main source of the information it used to gather about the movement of travelers from and into the airport.”“Granting them work and airport access permits used to take place following requests and pressure from Hezbollah, and anyone who was not loyal to Hezbollah used to be denied such a permit, which broadened its influence at the airport for long decades,” the source added. A security source meanwhile told Asharq al-Awsat that similar measures will target members and officers from the customs administration, Internal Security Forces and General Security, adding that many are suspected of having facilitated Hezbollah’s transactions over the past period.

Lebanon's new central bank chief vows to fight money laundering and 'terrorism' funding
Associated Press/April 04, 2025
Lebanon's new central bank governor vowed Friday that the institution will fight money laundering and the financing of "terrorism" and will work independently away from political intervention. Karim Souaid, who was speaking after officially taking office in Beirut, added that he will work on restructuring the banking sector and public debt and returning money to depositors. Lebanon's economy has been witnessing its worst crisis in its modern history since 2019 and the state must implement reforms demanded by the international community. Such reforms are needed to unlock international aid, and on top of that, Israel's 14-month war with Hezbollah caused what the World Bank estimates were $11 billion in damages and economic losses. Lebanon's crisis is rooted in decades of corruption by the country's political and financial leaders that drained state resources and eventually led to a run on the banks in 2019 after which people have lost access to their deposits. The situation has since been made worse with Covid-19, the massive Beirut port blast in August 2020 and the Israel-Hezbollah war. Since the historic meltdown began Lebanon has been running on a cash economy and in October, the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force, or FATF, an international anti-money laundering watchdog, placed Lebanon on its "grey list." "We will work on implementing international laws on top of them combating money laundering and support for terrorism," Souaid said. The former asset manager added that banks in Lebanon should recapitalize by pumping new money and those that cannot and don't want to can merge with other lenders. He said that the priority will be to return deposits starting with people who have small accounts. He said the return of deposits should be the responsibility of the banks, central bank and the state. Souaid said the central bank will study all economic recovery plans put forward by previous governments to help the small nation get out of the crisis. Wassim Mansouri, who had been acting central bank governor since July 2023, said the central bank's reserves stood at 10.727 billion at the end of March. Souaid succeeds Riad Salameh, the embattled former governor of 30 years whose term ended with several international corruption cases lodged against him for embezzlement and other financial crimes. Salameh, currently in prison, was appointed in 1993, when Lebanon was scrambling to bounce back after a 15-year civil war.

Israel says struck Hezbollah operative in Alma Al Shaab
Agence France Presse/April 04, 2025
Israel’s military said it conducted an air strike targeting a Hezbollah operative in southern Lebanon on Thursday. "A short while ago, an IAF (Israeli air force) aircraft struck a Hezbollah terrorist who operated" in the area of Alma Al Shaab in southern Lebanon, a military statement said.

Salam condemns Israeli strike on Sidon
Naharnet/April 04, 2025
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned Friday an Israeli strike on the port city of Sidon as a "flagrant attack on Lebanese sovereignty" and a breach of the November 27 ceasefire. Hamas commander Hassan Farhat was killed in the strike on his apartment along with his daughter and his son, also a member of the Palestinian group’s military wing. A November ceasefire largely ended the war between Israel and Hezbollah, but Israel has continued to conduct strikes in south and east Lebanon despite the truce and has targeted Beirut's southern suburbs twice since the truce went into effect.The Israeli army has also kept troops in five places in south Lebanon it deems "strategic".

IMF conditions: EU works with Lebanon's Ministries of Finance and Economy on aid and reforms
LBCI/April 04, 2025
Lebanon is still searching for financial aid from various sources, including the Gulf, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the European Union. However, without significant reforms, the country's prospects for securing these funds remain bleak. Currently, the European Union has begun working with Lebanon's Ministries of Finance and Economy to establish programs that outline how the country could receive aid, contingent on implementing the necessary reforms. A European delegation, which met with Lebanon's Finance and Economy ministers, clearly stated that any serious support from donors or investors hinges on an agreement with the IMF. They emphasized that institutional reforms, banking sector restructuring, and infrastructure improvement are key requirements. The meetings between the EU and Lebanese officials are expected to intensify in the coming period, with the primary goal of identifying which sectors need support and development. The EU will focus on the micro-economy—assisting businesses, institutions, and individuals—differentiating it from the IMF's approach, which targets macroeconomic support for the state through government-level projects. Despite these discussions, Lebanon still lacks a clear set of priorities and has not yet provided specific figures regarding the size of the financial assistance it requires. According to sources from LBCI, there are still no clear priorities set or figures addressed on the amount of aid required.

MP Samy Gemayel: Lebanon's government must establish a clear strategy to disarm Hezbollah
LBCI/April 04, 2025
Kataeb Party leader MP Samy Gemayel called on the Lebanese government to establish a clear strategy to disarm Hezbollah, stating that the current imbalance in rights and responsibilities among political actors is unsustainable. On LBCI's "Jadal" talk show, Gemayel criticized Hezbollah's efforts to justify its possession of weapons, asserting that such a monopoly is unjustified and incompatible with national unity. "There can be no equality when one group claims rights the other does not have," he said, emphasizing that the Lebanese Army is the legitimate force tasked with protecting all citizens. Gemayel underscored that Lebanon's Shiite community is an integral part of the nation and should be engaged with respect and reassurance. However, he insisted there is no justification for the continued presence of illegal weapons outside state authority. "When the weapons project collapses, there will be no option but understanding," he said. "Israel does not target us because we lack illegal weapons or because we implement foreign agendas. If Israel ever expands geographically at Lebanon's expense, we will all resist together under the banner of the Lebanese Army and the state."
He dismissed the notion of an arms race with Israel as impractical, stating that Lebanon's security must rely on strategic alliances, not unilateral confrontation. Gemayel said countries willing to support Lebanon financially have the right to set conditions, but Lebanon equally holds the right to accept or reject them.
He emphasized that the main demand of the majority of Lebanese citizens remains the exclusive control of arms by the state. On the municipal elections, Gemayel noted a significant improvement in relations between the Kataeb and the Lebanese Forces, adding that both parties are seriously exploring cooperation in the upcoming municipal vote—possibly extending to future parliamentary elections. As for Beirut, he said all electoral options remain open, and nothing has yet been decided. On the financial and economic crisis, Gemayel stressed the government's responsibility to develop a clear plan addressing key issues such as deposit recovery, banking secrecy, and restructuring the banking sector. He said that once such a plan is in place, relevant draft laws would be easier to pass. Gemayel expressed optimism about the new leadership in government ministries, saying he believes Lebanon is on a path toward positive transformation and improved governance. He also justified Kataeb's approval of the 2024 budget being issued through a decree, citing it as the only available option under current circumstances.Regarding the visit of U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus to Beirut, Gemayel said it is necessary to wait for her statements while calling for serious implementation of the disarmament file through direct dialogue with Hezbollah. He stressed the importance of accountability, particularly concerning past political assassinations. "We cannot simply turn the page on the assassinations," Gemayel said. "Reconciliation does not mean halting the path to justice."He concluded by calling for mutual recognition of each community's experiences, asserting that Lebanon can only begin building a shared, respectful state and a renewed national identity through such acknowledgment.

Roumieh Prison courthouse revamp: Lebanon fast-tracks terrorism trials to tackle overcrowding
LBCI/April 04, 2025
On October 15, 2012, Interior Minister Marwan Charbel and Justice Minister Shakib Kortbawi inaugurated the courthouse at Roumieh Prison. At the time, the government decided to establish the building within the central prison to expedite the trial process for Islamist detainees and those accused of terrorism, in addition to reducing the security risks associated with transferring them to courts outside the prison. The state funded the courthouse's construction, with the Council for Development and Reconstruction overseeing the project for $2.5 million. The building was inaugurated with promises of speeding up trials, yet little progress was made. Most detainees remained without trial for years despite Roumieh being Lebanon's largest prison, operating at three times its capacity. In addition, prisoners face harsh living conditions, a lack of healthcare, and poor nutrition. The situation in Roumieh Prison escalated in 2014 when Islamist inmates staged a rebellion, taking control of parts of the prison. Security forces regained control and suppressed the revolt. The Interior and Justice Ministers announced plans to address the overcrowding issue in Lebanon's prisons by accelerating trials and activating the court within Roumieh to expedite the cases of Islamists and terrorist groups responsible for attacks on civilians and the Army. By accelerating the trials, a significant number of detainees who have been held in pretrial detention for extended periods without trial will have their cases addressed.
These trials include long-awaited cases such as those of detainees from the Nahr al-Bared camp events and the 2007 Fatah al-Islam terrorists, as well as members of Ahmed al-Assir's group, which attacked the Army in Aabra in 2013, and other detainees affiliated with terrorist organizations like al-Qaeda, ISIS, and other radical groups that carried out attacks against the Lebanese Army, bombings, and suicide missions against civilians in Beirut, Beirut's southern suburbs, Tripoli, and Bekaa, involving Lebanese, Syrians, and Palestinians. Ultimately, accelerating trials and resolving pending cases will help alleviate prison overcrowding and ensure that the necessary punishments are enforced and fair judgments are made according to the law for all detainees, whether convicted or not.
More importantly, it will bring justice to the victims' families and loved ones, both military and civilian, who these groups killed.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on April 04-05/2025
Israel expands ground offensive in Gaza City
AFP/April 04, 2025
GAZA, Palestinian Territories: Israel announced the launch of a new ground offensive in Gaza City on Friday, with rescuers saying military operations had killed at least 30 people across the Palestinian territory since dawn.
Israel has pushed since the collapse of a short-lived truce in the war with Hamas to seize territory in Gaza in what it has called a strategy to force the militants to free hostages still in captivity.
Simultaneously, Israel has escalated attacks on Lebanon and Syria, with a strike in the south Lebanese city of Sidon killing a Hamas commander along with his son, who was also a member of the militant group’s armed wing.
In Gaza City, the Israeli military said ground troops had begun conducting operations in the Shujaiya area “in order to expand the security zone.”Gaza’s civil defense agency said that Israeli military operations had killed at least 30 people in the Palestinian territory since dawn. A single Israeli strike on Khan Yunis killed at least 25 people, a medical source at the southern city’s Nasser Hospital told AFP. “The situation is very dangerous, and there is death coming at us from every direction,” Elena Helles told AFP via text message, adding that she and her family were trapped in her sister’s house in Shujaiya. Defense Minister Israel Katz had said on Wednesday that Israel would bolster its military presence inside the Gaza Strip to “destroy and clear the area of terrorists and terrorist infrastructure.” The operation would “seize large areas that will be incorporated into Israeli security zones,” he said, without specifying how much territory.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the army was dividing Gaza and “seizing territory” to force Hamas to free the remaining Israeli hostages seized in the militant group’s October 2023 attack on Israel which sparked the Gaza war.
On Thursday, Gaza’s civil defense agency said at least 31 people, including children, were killed in an Israeli strike on a school serving as a shelter for displaced Palestinians. Agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP that women and children were among the dead, while six people were still unaccounted for in the strike on Dar Al-Arqam School in the Al-Tuffah neighborhood, northeast of Gaza City. “One of the missing was a pregnant woman who was expecting twins,” he said. The Israeli military said it had struck a “Hamas command and control center in the area of Gaza City.” It was unclear whether it was the same attack that hit the school. “It was like Judgment Day. They bombed us with missiles and everything went dark. We started looking for our children and our belongings but everything was gone. We couldn’t find our children,” sobbed Raghda Al-Sharafa, who was among the displaced civilians sheltering in the school buildings. The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said 1,249 people have been killed in the Palestinian territory since Israel resumed intense bombing on March 18, bringing the overall death toll since the war began to 50,609.
The Israeli military said Thursday it had struck more than 600 “terror targets” across the Gaza Strip since fighting resumed.

Hamas says Israeli offensive in Gaza ‘highly dangerous’ for hostages
AFP/April 04, 2025
GAZA CITY: Hamas on Friday said Israel’s offensive in Gaza was creating a “highly dangerous” situation for the hostages held there, warning that half of the living captives were in areas where the army had ordered evacuations. “Half of the living Israeli (hostages) are located in areas that the Israeli occupation army has requested to be evacuated in recent days,” Abu Obeida, spokesman for Hamas’s armed wing, said in a statement. “We have decided not to transfer these (hostages)... but (this situation) is highly dangerous to their lives.”

The U.S. Senate on Thursday overwhelmingly rejected a bid to block $8.8 billion in arms sales to Israel
WASHINGTON, April 04 (Reuters)
The U.S. Senate on Thursday overwhelmingly rejected a bid to block $8.8 billion in arms sales to Israel over the human rights crisis facing Palestinians in Gaza following Israel's bombardment of the enclave and suspension of humanitarian aid deliveries.
The Senate voted 82-15 and 83-15 to reject two resolutions of disapproval over sales of massive bombs and other offensive military equipment. The resolutions were offered by Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, an independent who caucuses with Democrats.
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King Abdullah, Bulgarian president co-chair Aqaba Process meetings in Sofia
Arab News/April 04, 2025
LONDON: King Abdullah II of Jordan and Bulgarian President Rumen Radev co-chaired the third round of the Aqaba Process meetings in Sofia on Friday, bringing together international leaders to address pressing security challenges in the Balkans and beyond, the Jordan News Agency reported. The Aqaba Process Balkans III forum, jointly organized by Jordan and Bulgaria, tackled issues such as regional security, counterterrorism efforts, online radicalization and illegal migration. The participants also explored opportunities for greater international cooperation, including intelligence sharing and strategic partnerships in combating extremism. Attending the event were heads of state, government officials and security representatives from Serbia, Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Spain, Greece, Italy, France, the UK, US and Japan.Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad, King Abdullah’s personal envoy and chief adviser on religious and cultural affairs, was among the attendees, while several international organizations, including the EU, Interpol, Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, were also represented. On the sidelines of the forum, King Abdullah held meetings with several regional leaders, including Slovenian President Natasa Pirc Musar, Albanian President Bajram Begaj, Kosovan President Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu, North Macedonian President Gordana Siljanovska Davkova, Montenegrin President Jakov Milatovic and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. Launched by the king in 2015, the Aqaba Process is designed to enhance coordination between regional and international actors in the fight against terrorism and extremism. It fosters military, security and intelligence cooperation, focusing on counterterrorism strategies and the exchange of expertise. Previous meetings have been hosted by Jordan, Albania, Brazil, Indonesia, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Rwanda, Singapore, Spain, the US and the UN General Assembly. Discussions have covered diverse regions such as East Africa, Southeast Asia, Latin America, West Africa and the Sahel.

‘No Longer an Impartial Court’: Hungary Announced Withdrawal From ICC
FDD/April 04/2025
Announced During Netanyahu Visit: Hungary announced on April 3 that it would withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, which issued arrest warrants for two Israeli leaders last year. The announcement came hours after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Budapest. “This is no longer an impartial court, a rule-of-law court, but rather a political court,” Orban said during a news conference with Netanyahu. “This has become the clearest in light of its decisions on Israel.”
First EU State to Announce Exit: The move makes Hungary the first member of the European Union to withdraw from the ICC. A day after the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024, Orban said that Netanyahu was welcome to visit the country and would not be arrested there. Other ICC members, including France, Italy, Poland, and Germany have also indicated that they would not arrest Netanyahu.
U.S. Sanctions Against ICC: The ICC’s arrest warrants accused Netanyahu and Gallant of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip. The Biden administration denounced the warrants, saying that the court lacked jurisdiction, as Israel is not a member of the ICC. On February 6, President Donald Trump signed an executive order sanctioning the ICC, levying visa restrictions and financial sanctions against ICC officials found to have assisted in the court’s investigations of U.S. citizens or allies.
FDD Expert Response
“Hungary is right not to arrest Netanyahu. The ICC warrant for Netanyahu was a political move, unsupported by the facts or law, which was engineered by ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan in a desperate attempt to distract from his own sexual harassment scandal. While the ICC’s charter has often been characterized as requiring member states to arrest all persons for whom the ICC has issued warrants, that interpretation conflicts with international law’s longstanding provision that heads of state, particularly heads of states that are not ICC members, are immune from arrest by other states.” — Orde Kittrie, Senior Fellow
“The ICC is just one of many international institutions the Palestinians have hijacked in their quest to destroy the State of Israel. But it might have bitten off more than it can chew by issuing bogus arrest warrants for Israeli leaders fighting a defensive war against Hamas. Hungary’s departure could serve as a wake-up call for countries concerned about the court serving as a tool for terrorist groups and about the court holding the Jewish state to antisemitic double standards.” — David May, Research Manager and Senior Research Analyst

Saudi crown prince, Iranian president discuss regional developments
Arab News/April 04, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman shared a call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, the Saudi Press Agency reported early on Friday. During the call, the leaders discussed recent developments in the region and reviewed several issues of mutual concern.

Houthi kidnappings increase amidst US airstrikes
Bridget Toomey/FDD's Long War Journal//April 04/2025
The Houthis, the Iran-backed terrorist group ruling northern Yemen, have kidnapped more than 75 people since the US began its large-scale operation against the group, according to SAM, a Geneva-based human rights organization focused on the Middle East. The Houthis have a history of kidnappings and forced disappearances as part of their domestic control apparatus; however, the total is a significant increase in a short period. Local media reported on March 26 that at least 15 people had been detained in the Houthi capital, Sanaa. By March 27, more than 75 people had been kidnapped by Houthi intelligence and police agencies, according to Asharq al Awsat. Most of these individuals were taken from the city of Saada in the northern Houthi home governorate of Saada. The individuals detained in recent weeks have been accused of collaborating with US airstrikes. US Central Command (CENTCOM) has struck the Houthis more than 200 times since launching the large-scale operation against the group on March 15, according to the White House. The Houthis accused civilians of communicating with the US if they were deemed to be engaging in suspicious behavior, such as spending significant time on their phones during raids or filming the airstrikes. Even Houthi members have been accused of collusion and arrested or detained without an explanation. SAM also reported on five banking officials kidnapped by the Houthis. Local sources reported to Asharq al Awsat that at least five bank employees were arrested at checkpoints in Houthi-controlled territory. These arrests follow the US designation of the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) on March 4, which prohibits support to the group and restricts its ability to conduct financial transactions. In response, eight banks announced their intention to relocate from Houthi-controlled Sanaa to Aden, the interim capital of the Internationally Recognized Government of Yemen.
The Houthis’ record of arbitrary detentions
The Houthis have a long history of detaining individuals. On March 25, the United Nation’s International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members, the UN said 23 of the 52 UN personnel detained globally are being held by the groups in Yemen. In February 2025, the UN paused operations in the Houthi-controlled Saada Governorate, citing the “absence of the necessary security conditions and guarantees.” The UN made this decision after one World Food Programme employee died in Houthi detention following his kidnapping, along with seven other UN workers in January 2025. The Houthis also kidnapped UN personnel and aid workers in raids throughout 2024. The terrorist group generally targets local Yemeni employees of the UN and international aid organizations. Beyond aid workers, the Houthis detain Yemeni and foreign civilians and use kidnappings and forced disappearances as a tool of repression. A US State Department human rights report in 2023 recorded allegations of over 500 arbitrary detentions in one year by the Houthis. The terrorist group held the crew of the cargo ship Galaxy Leader, seized in November 2023, for over a year. The Houthis targeted the Galaxy Leader in their campaign against commercial vessels in the Red Sea in solidarity with Palestinians over the war in Gaza.
*Bridget Toomey is a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies focusing on Iranian proxies, specifically Iraqi militias and the Houthis.

Iranian personnel reportedly leave Yemen as US strikes intensify
Janatan Sayeh/FDD's Long War Journal/April 4, 2025
Iran has ordered its military personnel to leave Yemen amidst the ongoing US bombing campaign in the country, The Telegraph reported on April 3. The newspaper’s source added that regime officials’ concerns over the Trump administration have eclipsed discussions on Tehran’s regional proxies, dominating every meeting and sidelining previous strategic priorities. The move is part of a broader pattern of the Islamic Republic recalibrating its regional strategy in response to the Trump administration’s efforts to curtail Tehran’s influence in the Middle East and threats to potentially strike Iran’s nuclear sites. Iran had previously urged the Houthis to “cool tensions” in the Red Sea on March 18, with Iranian officials claiming the request was conveyed to the Houthi envoy in Tehran and that Iran asked Oman to communicate the same message. The US has launched an extensive military campaign against the Tehran-backed Houthi terrorist group in Yemen, with daily attacks since March 15. US officials stated that the first wave, which targeted radars, air defenses, and missile and drone systems, was in response to the Iranian proxy’s attacks against commercial vessels and warships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The White House also claimed that the strikes eliminated a high-ranking missile expert, with National Security Advisor Mike Waltz stating that the first attack wave targeted “[the Houthis’] head missileer.”This extensive bombing campaign followed President Donald Trump’s January 22 announcement of re-designating the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and the State Department’s official FTO designation on March 4.
Escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran
Soon after Washington’s renewed “maximum pressure” strategy against Tehran, Trump sent a letter to Islamic Republic Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The letter threatened military action against Iran should the regime not halt its nuclear and missile programs and regional doctrine of financing and supplying weapons to terrorist groups. The US also reinforced its military presence in the region, deploying aircraft carrier strike groups and additional naval forces to secure the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime chokepoint for global energy trade. In addition, the US “has deployed at least six nuclear-capable B-2 bombers” to its base at Diego Garcia, which is “within striking distance” of Iran and Yemen. Given heightened tensions, Iran is bracing for a potential confrontation with the United States by expanding its military footprint in the Persian Gulf, reinforcing its presence on the contested islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa with advanced missile systems and infantry units. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy has armed its fast-attack vessels with cruise missiles, while large-scale military exercises across the region have tested Iran’s defensive capabilities and demonstrated its ability to strike enemy bases and warships. Tehran has also unveiled new long-range drones and naval assets, seeking to bolster deterrence against Israel and the US.
Trump has pushed Iran into a defensive posture
Trump’s rigorous stance against the Islamic Republic’s regional ambitions after he assumed office has forced Tehran to adopt a defensive posture. Iraq’s Iran-backed Shia militias refraining from provoking Israel and the United States since December 2024 was the first sign of Iran’s new approach. More recently, Esmail Ghaani, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF), which executes the regime’s external operations, has traveled to Iraq frequently to instruct these groups to halt attacks against American and Israeli targets. On March 19, Ghaani made an unannounced covert visit to Baghdad for high-level talks with Coordination Framework figures, Popular Mobilization Forces commanders, and Iran’s ambassador to Iraq to reassure the network of Tehran’s support amid the uncertainties surrounding Washington’s Iran policy.
**Janatan Sayeh is a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies focused on Iranian domestic affairs and the Islamic Republic’s regional malign influence.

Turkey's Fidan on Syria, Israel, Ukraine war, ties with U.S
Reuters/April 4, 2025
Interview with Turkish FM Hakan Fidan in Brussels
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Turkey's foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, discussed Israeli strikes in Syria, the U.S. policy U-turn and sanctions, and a possible Ukraine-Russia peace deal in an interview with Reuters on the sidelines of a NATO meeting in Brussels on Friday.
Here are some of his key comments:
SYRIA, ISRAEL, UNITED STATES:
"We don't want to see any confrontation with Israel in Syria because Syria belongs to Syrians. Syria doesn't belong to Turkey; Syria doesn't belong to Israel.""We cannot talk on behalf of the Syrians. The Syrian security should be decided by the Syrians. If they want to partner with certain countries and certain international communities, they're welcome. If they want to have certain understandings with the Israelis, it's their business.""Unfortunately, Israel is taking out, one by one, all these capabilities that a new state can use against ISIS and other terrorist attacks and threats. So basically, what Israel is doing in Syria is not only threatening the security of Syria, but also is paving the way for future instability of the region. I don't think it is good for Israel's future in the region."
"I think (the U.S.) are reviewing their policy because they are a new administration. They are just reviewing every file, and they are also reviewing the Syrian file as well. They understand that there is a need to make a change on sanctions policy because that was introduced for a different regime and different threat assessment. Now we have a new Syria. I think that new Syria requires a different approach. So as friends and allies of the United States and European Union, I think we've been giving our best advice."
U.S. SANCTIONS ON TURKEY:
"CAATSA sanctions (imposed on Turkey by the U.S. in 2019 over it acquisition of Russian S-400 defence systems) are something that should have never happened between two big NATO allies, namely the United States and Turkey. I think that was a historical anomaly. I think it should be corrected. This is what we are trying to do with the new administration.""This is what we are trying to do with the new (U.S.) administration. Work had started with the previous administration a year ago but it was not finalised. I think Mr. Trump this time, with his problem-solving techniques and his team, will be able to come up with some sort of solutions."
POSSIBLE UKRAINE-RUSSIA DEAL:
"The peculiarities of the current situation (in Ukraine) is not easy and will never be easy. So... it will be extremely difficult to digest any proposal. But when we look at the other option, which is more death and destruction, I think whatever the conditions that we have...will be more reasonable" than the alternative.
"If we reach an agreement and (it is) agreed by both sides, I think we should expect that it is honoured."
IRAN AND U.S.:
"Our region cannot tolerate another war, another big source of instability. And we don't know what type of escalation might occur in case of such an attack. So we don't want to see any (U.S.) attack on Iran taking place. We need to see, as was the case in the past, peaceful negotiations employed by both sides and interested parties."
NEW U.S. FOREIGN POLICY:
"Now Europe is facing a crisis, but that crisis might lead also (to) an opportunity to really become more independent and less dependent in certain areas on the United States."

Syria: From Assad's rule to Israel's incursions
Associated Press/April 05, 2025
Israeli aircraft carried out two strikes on military targets near Damascus late Thursday, war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Humans Rights said. "Israeli warplanes carried out air strikes on military positions and posts" in the vicinity of Al-Kiswah and Al-Muqaylibah outside Damascus, the Observatory said, adding that there were no immediate reports of casualties. The attacks came less than a day after similar Israeli attacks on military targets and a ground incursion killed 13 people. Israeli strikes had killed at least nine people in the southwest of the country on Thursday, as Israel accused Turkey of trying to build a "protectorate" in Syria. Syrian state news agency SANA said that those who died in the strikes were civilians, without giving details. Britain-based war monitor The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that they were armed residents from the Daraa province.Israel had also struck five cities in Syria late Wednesday, including more than a dozen strikes near a strategic air base in the city of Hama, where Turkey, a key ally of interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, reportedly has interests in having a military presence. Syria's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the strikes had resulted in the "near-total destruction of the Hama military airport and the injury of dozens of civilians and military personnel." Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar accused Turkey of playing a "negative role" in Syria."They are doing their utmost to have Syria as a Turkish protectorate, it's clear that this is their intention," he told a news conference in Paris on Thursday. "We don't think that it was good when Syria was an Iranian proxy .... And we don't think that Syria should be" a Turkish protectorate."Turkey's Foreign Ministry responded with a statement accusing Israel of "undermining efforts to establish stability in Syria." "Israel has become the greatest threat to the security of our region with its attacks targeting the territorial integrity and national unity of the countries in the region," it said. Israel has seized parts of southwestern Syria and created a buffer zone there since the fall of former Syrian President Bashar Assad, saying it's to secure Israel's safety from armed groups. But critics say the military operations have created tensions in Syria and aim to prevent any long-term stability and reconstruction for the war-torn country.
In the city of Nawa in western Daraa province, thousands took part in a procession through the streets to bury the dead. Imad al Basri, an activist from the city, said that Israeli forces had advanced on Nawa for the first time on Thursday and arrived to the surrounding rural area when "people started to come out with light arms to the area of the incursion and there was an exchange of fire from both sides."Israeli soldiers withdrew and the Israeli military began to target the area with artillery shelling and airstrikes, he said, adding that ambulances were prevented from reaching the wounded and dead until the morning. He called on Syria's new rulers to take a stronger stance.
"Why is the government silent about these incursions?"
Last month, residents in the village of Koawaya in the province had clashed with Israeli troops trying to cross through agricultural land. On Thursday, the Israeli military dropped flyers in the area of Koawaya warning residents not to carry weapons and not to cross a road on the southwestern edge of the village. Syria's interim leadership has struggled to appeal to non Sunni Muslim communities. Tensions are still simmering with the Druze community in the south, and the Alawites on the coast are still fearful after clashes between security forces and Assad loyalists led to revenge killings. Amnesty International said that the killings should be investigated as war crimes and accused government-affiliated militias of deliberately killing civilians. "Our evidence indicates that government affiliated militias deliberately targeted civilians from the Alawite minority in gruesome reprisal attacks — shooting individuals at close range in cold blood," Agnès Callamard, secretary-general of the international human rights group, said in a statement. "For two days, authorities failed to intervene to stop the killings."
The new authorities have, however, made progress in relations with Kurdish-led forces, which control much of the country's northeast. Turkish-backed former insurgent groups allied with the new authorities in Damascus had been fighting with Kurdish forces, but the clashes subsided after a landmark deal was reached between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces and the government in Damascus last month. On Thursday, SANA reported that a prisoner exchange had taken place in Aleppo between the SDF and forces affiliated with the new government in Damascus, with 250 prisoners slated to be released by both sides.

Syrian government says studying Amnesty report on massacres
AFP/April 05, 2025
Damascus: Syria’s government said late Friday it was “closely following” the findings of a new Amnesty International report urging an investigation into sectarian massacres last month.Amnesty called on the Syrian government in a report on Thursday to ensure accountability for the massacres targeting the Alawite minority, saying they may constitute war crimes. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor has said security forces and allied groups killed more than 1,700 civilians, mostly Alawites, during the violence. Interim President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, whose Islamist group Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) led the offensive that toppled longtime ruler Bashar Assad in December, has vowed to prosecute those responsible.In a statement on Friday, the government said it had been “following closely the Amnesty report” and its “preliminary findings.”“It is up to the Independent National Commission for Investigation and Fact-Finding to evaluate them, in accordance with the mandate, independence, and broad powers granted to it by presidential decree,” it said. The Syrian authorities have accused armed Assad supporters of sparking the violence by attacking the new security forces.The government on Friday complained the report failed to note “the broader context of the events.”It said the violence began with a “premeditated assault” by the “remnants of the previous regime, targeting army and internal security personnel.”In the ensuing chaos, “acts of retaliation and serious violations occurred,” it said, vowing that these would be investigated and a report issued within a month.

Kurdish fighters leave northern city in Syria as part of deal with central government
AP/April 04, 2025
ALEPPO, Syria: Scores of US-backed Kurdish fighters left two neighborhoods in the Syrian Arab Republic’s northern city of Aleppo Friday as part of a deal with the central government in Damascus, which is expanding its authority in the country. The fighters left the predominantly Kurdish northern neighborhoods of Sheikh Maksoud and Achrafieh, which had been under the control of Kurdish fighters in Aleppo over the past decade. The deal is a boost to an agreement reached last month between Syria’s interim government and the Kurdish-led authority that controls the country’s northeast. The deal could eventually lead to the merger of the main US-backed force in Syria into the Syrian army. The withdrawal of fighters from the US-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces came a day after dozens of prisoners from both sides were freed in Aleppo, Syria’s largest city. Syria’s state news agency, SANA, reported that government forces were deployed along the road that SDF fighters will use to move between Aleppo and areas east of the Euphrates River, where the Kurdish-led force controls nearly a quarter of Syria. Sheikh Maksoud and Achrafieh had been under SDF control since 2015 and remained so even when forces of ousted President Bashar Assad captured Aleppo in late 2016. The two neighborhoods remained under SDF control when forces loyal to current interim President Ahmad Al-Sharaa captured the city in November, and days later captured the capital, Damascus, removing Assad from power.
After being marginalized for decades under the rule of the Assad family rule, the deal signed last month promises Syria’s Kurds “constitutional rights,” including using and teaching their language, which were banned for decades. Hundreds of thousands of Kurds, who were displaced during Syria’s nearly 14-year civil war, will return to their homes. Thousands of Kurds living in Syria who have been deprived of nationality for decades under Assad will be given the right of citizenship, according to the agreement. Kurds made up 10 percent of the country’s prewar population of 23 million. Kurdish leaders say they don’t want full autonomy with their own government and parliament. They want decentralization and room to run their day-to day-affairs.

Red Cross warns of continued threat of landmines in Iraq
Arab News/April 04, 2025
LONDON: The International Committee of the Red Cross said on Friday that landmines and explosive remnants of war continue to pose a severe threat in Iraq, contaminating an estimated 2,100 sq. km. In a statement issued to coincide with the International Day for Mine Awareness, the organization said landmines from past conflicts, including the Iran-Iraq War and the 2014–17 battle against Daesh, remained a major hazard. The contamination had resulted in civilian casualties, forced displacement, restricted farmland access and slowed reconstruction efforts, it said. Between 2023 and 2024, the ICRC recorded 78 casualties from landmines and remnants of war in Iraq. Earlier this year, three students were killed in an explosion in Abu Al-Khasib, Basra. The ICRC has appealed for greater efforts to reduce contamination and support mine-affected communities. Clearance operations continue in cooperation with national authorities and humanitarian partners. The call for action comes at a time when several NATO member states, namely Poland, Finland and the Baltic states, have signaled their intention to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, the international treaty banning antipersonnel landmines. They cited the growing military threat from Russia as the reason for reconsidering the ban.Meanwhile, the US, previously the largest funder of global mine clearance efforts, has cut back support due to a foreign aid review under the Trump administration. Washington had contributed over $300 million annually, covering 40 percent of total international mine action funding, according to the 2024 Landmine Monitor report, which led to major clearance efforts in Iraq, Afghanistan and Laos. A State Department official said last month that the US had restarted some global humanitarian demining programs but provided no details.

Trump dismisses stock market’s tariff plunge, says ‘China played it wrong’ by hitting back
AFP/April 05, 2025
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump goaded China on Friday after the US’s chief economic rival retaliated against his tariffs, and he dismissed falling stock markets over the growing global trade war, touting it as a chance to “get rich.”“China played it wrong, they panicked — the one thing they cannot afford to do!” Trump posted on Truth Social, writing the message in his trademark all-caps. For a second day, markets plunged, wiping vast sums off investment and retirement portfolios alike. US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell warned the tariffs were likely to spur “higher inflation and lower growth.”Wall Street went into free fall, following similar collapses in Asia and Europe. The Dow Jones dropped 5.5 percent and the S&P 5.97 percent. Trump, who unveiled his barrage of import duties against dozens of countries Wednesday, was unrepentant, posting that “my policies will never change.”“This is a great time to get rich,” he wrote. The 78-year-old Republican, who was spending a long weekend golfing at his course in Palm Beach, Florida, is banking on the theory that the might of the world’s biggest economy will force foreign companies to manufacture on US soil, rather than continue to import goods.“ONLY THE WEAK WILL FAIL!” Trump touted in yet another Truth Social post Friday. China, however, responded by announcing its own new 34 percent tariffs on US imports starting April 10. Beijing said it would sue the United States at the World Trade Organization and also restrict export of rare earth elements used in high-end medical and electronics technology.Other big US trading partners held back as they digested the unfolding international standoff and fears of a recession. EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic said the EU, which Trump hit with a 20 percent tariff, will act in “a calm, carefully phased, unified way” and allow time for talks.However, he also warned the bloc “won’t stand idly by.”
EU leaders mull retaliation
France and Germany have said the 27-nation EU could respond by imposing a tax on US tech companies.Economy Minister Eric Lombard urged French companies to show “patriotism” after President Emmanuel Macron argued it would send the wrong message if they pressed ahead with investments in the United States. Lombard said the EU’s retaliation would not necessarily involve tit-for-tat tariffs and could use other tools, pointing to data exchange and taxes instead. In Tokyo, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba called for a “calm-headed” approach after Trump slapped 24 percent tariffs on Japanese-made goods.
Trump said he’d had a “very productive” call with Vietnam’s top leader after the southeast Asian manufacturing hub was hit with extraordinary 46 percent US duties.Separate US tariffs of 25 percent on all foreign-made cars went into effect this week, and Canada swiftly responded with a similar levy on US imports. Stellantis — the owner of Jeep, Chrysler and Fiat — paused production at some Canadian and Mexican assembly plants. But Japanese carmaker Nissan said on Friday it would revise plans to reduce production in the United States. And Sweden’s Volvo, owned by China’s Geely, said it would increase its US production.“Messing around with people’s lives”Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar lashed out at the tariffs, saying they would hurt regular Americans. Trump is “messing around with people’s lives... while he’s out golfing!” she said. And there was rare criticism from the right too, with Trump loyalist Republican Senator Ted Cruz worrying that the tariffs could “hurt jobs and hurt America.”The Fed chairman’s speech also highlighted concerns that the tariff shockwaves will reach deep into the US economy. But minutes before Powell suggested the Fed will continue to hold off from cutting its benchmark lending rate, Trump pressured him to do so. “CUT INTEREST RATES, JEROME, AND STOP PLAYING POLITICS!” he posted — once again defying the longstanding custom in which the White House respects the central bank’s independence. In a more concrete sign of how tariffs are impacting trade, Nintendo announced it was delaying preorders of its hotly anticipated Switch 2 gaming console while it assesses “evolving” conditions.

The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on April 04-05/2025
Turkey reportedly plans to take control of airbases in Syria
Ahmad Sharawi/FDD's Long War Journal//April 04/2025
Media reports indicate that Turkish forces are planning on deploying to the Tiyas Airbase, also known as the T4, and the Palmyra military airport in Syria’s Homs province—two sites recently targeted multiple times by Israeli airstrikes. According to several sources, Turkey plans to install Hisar-O and Hisar-U air defense systems and potentially the long-range SIPER system at these locations. The deployment of a Russian-made S-400 system is also under consideration, pending Moscow’s approval. The move appears aimed at deterring Israeli air operations, countering Islamic State activity, and asserting Turkish influence amid the waning presence of Iranian and Russian forces in Syria. If approved, deploying the S-400 could mark a strategic shift with broad implications and may serve as Turkey’s most significant leverage in Syria.
A Turkish military delegation traveled to the T4 airbase from the Turkish-held bases in Idlib. The delegation conducted reconnaissance operations but has not brought any vehicles or military reinforcements to the sites so far.
Turkish forces began constructing a new military base inside the Menagh military airport, located 6 kilometers south of the city of Azaz in the northern countryside of Aleppo Governorate. Military sources confirmed to Al Arabi Al Jadid at the time that the Turkish army was preparing the airport, including deploying armored vehicles, logistical materials, and construction equipment. These developments suggest the base may become a key hub for Turkish forces in northern Aleppo soon. T4 Airbase is located near the village of Tiyas, 60 kilometers east of Palmyra in the Homs Governorate. It is Syria’s largest airbase, featuring a main runway and two secondary runways that each total 3 kilometers. During the Syrian Civil War, the airbase was used by the Bashar al Assad regime’s Syrian Arab Army and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF) to launch attacks on rebel-held areas. In December 2016, after the Islamic State seized Palmyra from Assad’s forces, the group attacked T4 and claimed to have destroyed four Syrian Air Force jets. In 2018, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) struck the base, destroying the main air control tower. Later, in April 2018, another attack destroyed a hangar used to store drones and an Iranian-supplied Tor missile system before it could become fully operational. The airbase has also served as a launch point for drone strikes by Iran-backed Shia militias targeting US bases in northern Syria.
On October 8, 2021, Israeli warplanes once again targeted T4 with missiles at around 9:30 pm, injuring six Syrian soldiers, according to Syrian media. Israel maintains that Iranian forces continued to use the base. In early December 2024, T4 was captured by the US-backed Syrian Free Army.
Israel is concerned that the Syrian government may allow Turkey to establish military bases within its territory, potentially hindering Israel’s freedom of operation in Syria. The concern comes amid growing cooperation between Syrian President Ahmad al Sharaa and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government. Over the past two weeks, Israel has targeted key military airbases in Syria, including the T4 base, to send a clear message about protecting its operational freedom in Syria. Israeli strikes on Syrian airfields aim to complicate Turkish military logistics and Ankara’s ability to operate in the region. Recent satellite images confirm that Israeli airstrikes have caused some damage to the T4 airbase, creating craters on the runway that can prevent heavy-lift transport planes from landing. The IDF airstrikes targeting T4 and other Syrian airbases over the past week are unlikely to be the last. Israel harbors significant concerns about Ahmad al Sharaa’s Islamist inclinations, and in light of the shifts in Jerusalem’s security posture following Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023, Israel’s approach has become more proactive and risk-averse. The deployment of advanced air-defense systems to an airbase just 140 miles from Israel’s borders is unlikely to sit well with the country’s political and security leadership.
**Ahmad Sharawi is a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies focused on Iranian intervention in Arab affairs and the levant.

Why inflation haunts Iran
Saeed Ghasseminejad/Globes/April 04/2025
With a month-on-month increase of 3.3% and an annual rate of 37.1%, inflation reflects the struggles of millions of Iranians. As the Trump administration begins to revive the maximum pressure campaign, the Iranian economy remains trapped in a relentless cycle of inflation, underscored by the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) data for March 2025. With a month-on-month increase of 3.3% and an annual rate of 37.1%, inflation reflects the struggles of millions of Iranians. This latest figure is symptomatic of a longstanding pattern, in which the average annual inflation since the 1979 revolution (approximately 20.8%) exceeds both Iran’s pre-revolutionary inflation rates and regional and global averages. There are several reasons for this. Chronic government fiscal irresponsibility creates persistent budget deficits. The regime often finances these deficits by borrowing from the Central Bank of Iran, resulting in continuous monetary base expansion. Such unchecked expansion fuels inflationary pressures, eroding purchasing power and destabilizing the economy. Compounding fiscal challenges, the Central Bank of Iran itself faces severe institutional limitations. Its lack of independence undermines its credibility and effectiveness. The bank operates under outdated regulatory frameworks and weak supervisory systems, constraining its capacity to execute impactful monetary policies. Current regulatory practices impose stringent quantitative limits on the balance sheets of banks. Although these policies ostensibly curb inflation, they fail in their stated mission while restricting the flow of credit essential for fostering private-sector investment and innovation.
The government also skims from the National Development Fund, which then Islamic Republic founded in 2011 to support long-term development projects. Such misallocation not only diverts resources from critical infrastructure and investment but also signals a willingness to prioritize short-term fiscal relief over sustainable economic growth. Moreover, politically mandated lending exacerbates inefficiencies within the financial sector. By directing scarce financial resources toward politically favored projects, these mandates disrupt market signals and crowd out productive private-sector investments. Such interference significantly contributes to Iran’s chronic economic stagnation and perpetuates inefficiencies throughout the economy.
External factors amplify these economic vulnerabilities. Iran’s strained international relationships, particularly due to prolonged sanctions and political isolation, restrict foreign currency inflows and economic engagement with the global community. This limitation inevitably results in a volatile exchange rate environment, marked by persistent depreciation of the Iranian rial in unofficial markets. This depreciation inflates import costs dramatically, particularly impacting essential commodities. Food prices, for instance, rose by 4.9% in a single month, disproportionately harming lower-income households and further exacerbating socioeconomic inequalities.
The persistent interplay of high inflation and stagnant economic growth has diminished living standards for a significant portion of the Iranian population. Real incomes have steadily declined, savings erode, and economic opportunities remain limited. Since 1979, Iran’s economic growth rate has lagged behind pre-revolution rates and regional and global benchmarks. Real GDP per capita has yet to surpass its pre-revolutionary peak, illustrating decades of lost potential and economic regression. Addressing Iran’s inflation crisis requires moving beyond short-term policy fixes. The current policy and political framework – characterized by fiscal indiscipline, weak monetary controls, political interference, and international isolation – perpetuates inflationary pressures while stifling economic development. A paradigm shift is urgently needed.
This shift entails establishing an independent Central Bank with clearly defined and enforceable mandates focused explicitly on controlling inflation and stabilizing the financial system. Robust regulatory reforms within the banking sector are necessary to enhance transparency, accountability, and resilience. Equally critical is a disciplined fiscal policy approach, prioritizing strategic long-term investments over immediate budgetary needs and short-term political considerations. Additionally, reducing political interference in economic policymaking, particularly in financial markets, would allow market mechanisms to operate efficiently, fostering a conducive environment for private-sector growth and innovation. Iran must also pursue improved international economic relations, reducing geopolitical tensions to stabilize its exchange rate and attract foreign investment, crucial for sustained economic development.
The persistent inflationary crisis in Iran is not merely a symptom but a reflection of deeper structural deficiencies within the current political and economic policy framework. Without structural reforms, inflation will remain an entrenched challenge, undermining Iran’s economic stability and jeopardizing the welfare and prosperity of future generations.
After four decades of theocratic rule, the Islamic Republic has proven incapable of enacting the essential reforms needed to curb inflation and achieve stability at a low rate. Iranians are right to question whether the problem today is simply inflation, or rather a political system that is unable to tackle endemic problems and manage the economy professionally. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini famously quipped, “You can’t have a revolution over the price of a watermelon.” If today’s stewards of Iran’s economy are not careful, they may prove the Islamic Republic’s founder wrong.
*Dr. Saeed Ghasseminejad is a senior advisor for Iran and financial economics at FDD, specializing in Iran’s economy and financial markets, sanctions, and illicit finance. Follow him on LinkedIn and X @SGhasseminejad.

How the ‘world order’ changes
Joseph S. Nye Jr./Arab News/April 04, 2025
After the Berlin Wall came down in 1989 and almost a year before the Soviet Union collapsed in late 1991, US President George H.W. Bush proclaimed a “new world order.” Now, just two months into Donald Trump’s second presidency, Kaja Kallas, the EU’s top diplomat, has declared that “the international order is undergoing changes of a magnitude not seen since 1945.” But what is “world order” and how is it maintained or disrupted?
In everyday language, order refers to a stable arrangement of items, functions or relations. Thus, in domestic affairs, we speak of an “orderly society” and its government. But in international affairs, there is no overarching government. With arrangements among states always subject to change, the world is, in a sense, anarchic.Anarchy is not the same as chaos, though. Order is a matter of degree: it varies over time. In domestic affairs, a stable polity can persist despite a degree of ungoverned violence. After all, organized and unorganized violent crime remain a fact of life in most countries. But when violence reaches too high a level, it is seen as an indication of a “failed state.” Somalia may have a common language and ethnicity, but it has long been a site of battling clans; the “national” government in Mogadishu has little authority outside the capital.
The German sociologist Max Weber famously defined the modern state as a political institution with a monopoly on the legitimate use of force. But our understanding of legitimate authority rests on ideas and norms that can change. Thus, a legitimate order stems from judgments about the strength of norms, as well as simple descriptions of the amount and nature of violence within a state.
When it comes to world order, we can measure changes in the distribution of power and resources, as well as in adherence to the norms that establish legitimacy. We can also measure the frequency and intensity of violent conflict.
A stable distribution of power among states often involves wars that clarify a perceived balance of power
A stable distribution of power among states often involves wars that clarify a perceived balance of power. But views about the legitimacy of war have evolved over time. For example, in 18th-century Europe, when Prussia’s King Frederick the Great wanted to take the province of Silesia from neighboring Austria, he simply took it. But after the Second World War, states created the UN, which defined only wars of self-defense as legitimate (unless otherwise authorized by the Security Council).
To be sure, when Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine and occupied its territory, he claimed that he was acting in self-defense against the eastward expansion of NATO. But most UN members voted to condemn his behavior and those that did not — such as China, North Korea and Iran — share his interest in counterbalancing American power.
While states can lodge complaints against others in international courts, these tribunals have no capacity to enforce their decisions. Similarly, while the UNSC can authorize states to enforce collective security, it has rarely done so. The five permanent members (the UK, China, France, Russia and the US) each wield a veto and they have not wanted to risk a major war. The veto functions like a fuse or circuit-breaker in an electrical system: it is better to have the lights go out than to have the house burn down.
Moreover, a world order may become stronger or weaker because of technological changes that alter the distribution of military and economic power; domestic social and political changes that alter a major state’s foreign policy; or transnational forces like ideas or revolutionary movements, which can spread beyond governments’ control and alter public perceptions of the prevailing order’s legitimacy.
For example, after the 1648 Peace of Westphalia, which ended the European wars of religion, the principle of state sovereignty became enshrined in the normative world order. But in addition to changes in the principles of legitimacy are changes in the distribution of power resources. By the time of the First World War, the US had become the world’s largest economy, allowing it to determine the outcome of the war by intervening militarily. Although US President Woodrow Wilson tried to change the normative order with his League of Nations, US domestic politics pushed the country toward isolationism, which allowed the Axis powers to attempt to impose their own order in the 1930s.
In addition to changes in the principles of legitimacy are changes in the distribution of power resources
After the Second World War, the US accounted for half of the world economy, but its military power was balanced by the Soviet Union and the UN’s normative power was weak. With the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991, the US enjoyed a brief “unipolar moment,” only to overextend itself in the Middle East, while permitting the financial mismanagement that culminated in the 2008 financial crisis. Believing the US was in decline, Russia and China changed their own policies. Putin ordered an invasion of neighboring Georgia and China replaced Deng Xiaoping’s cautious foreign policy with a more assertive approach. Meanwhile, China’s robust economic growth allowed it to close the power gap with America.Relative to China, American power did decline; but its share of the world economy has remained at around 25 percent. As long as the US maintained strong alliances with Japan and Europe, they would represent more than half the world economy, compared to a mere 20 percent for China and Russia. Will the Trump administration maintain this unique source of America’s continued power, or is Kallas right that we are at a turning point? The years 1945, 1991 and 2008 were also turning points. If future historians add 2025 to the list, it will be a result of US policy — a self-inflicted wound — rather than any inevitable secular development.
• Joseph S. Nye Jr., a former dean of Harvard Kennedy School, is a former US assistant secretary of defense and author of the memoir “A Life in the American Century” (Polity Press, 2024). Copyright: Project Syndicate

Trump’s Middle East policy needs regional inputs
Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg/Arab News/April 04, 2025
The Middle East policy of US President Donald Trump’s administration appears to be a work in progress. Some parts are being shaped by events, including Israel’s war in Gaza and Houthi attacks in the Red Sea: others are a continuation of his first administration, such as the “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran. As part of the latter, the US has increased sanctions against Tehran. On Tuesday it imposed penalties on six entities and two individuals believed to be involved in the procurement of key components for Iran’s drone and ballistic missile programs. The US said it would use “all available means” to disrupt these programs and weapons proliferation, including pressure on third countries who conceal the acquisition of arms and the transfer of sensitive technology.
On Yemen, the administration has scaled up attacks against the Houthis to degrade their ability to attack shipping in the Red Sea: it has designated them a foreign terrorist organization and tightened sanctions. On Wednesday, the US imposed sanctions on the “financial facilitators, procurement operatives, and companies operating as part of a global illicit finance network” supporting the Houthis, including financier Sa’id Al-Jamal, who is believed to be backed by Iran. This network has procured millions of dollars’ worth of commodities, including weapons, dual-use materials, and Ukrainian grain, for shipment to Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, according to the US State and Treasury departments.
On Gaza, the administration has not only refrained from commenting on the current ferocious Israeli attacks on civilians, but it has also accelerated deliveries of the weapons used in those attacks. UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said on Thursday: “I think America has made clear that its support for Israel at this moment is unequivocal and that there isn’t a message of restraint as there might have been."
Trump initially supported Israeli proposals to forcibly remove the people of Gaza to other countries and rebuild the enclave. Now administration officials say they still support displacement, but it must be voluntary and temporary.
While these are important policy threads, they leave significant gaps, which US regional partners need to fill. The US appears to be waiting for sustainable solutions for the region’s crises, from Gaza to Yemen to Syria and Sudan.
Trump will visit Saudi Arabia soon, possibly in May. It is likely to be the first foreign trip of his term of office, as it was in 2017 at the start of his first term. The visit will raise expectations about America’s regional role and put pressure on everyone involved to come up with creative solutions to match the administration’s novel approach to policy.
Trump has said that he aspires to end wars and make peace, and is thought to covet a Nobel peace prize. That is by no means out of the question, because the US is well placed to shape the future of this region, despite its declared desire not to be involved. On Gaza, there needs to be a more serious discussion of the Arab plan adopted by the Cairo summit on March 4. The administration’s dismissal of that plan is counterproductive, because it meets most if not all of Washington’s asks. It sidelines Hamas and calls for the appointment of an independent, non-partisan committee unaffiliated with any faction to be in charge of security and economic recovery in the Strip, paving the way for extending the Palestinian authority to Gaza. There are obviously many details to be worked out and explained. The summit designated a committee headed by the Saudi foreign minister to travel to key capitals to mobilize support for the plan. Washington will certainly be one of its stops.
The Trump administration has clearly appreciated Saudi Arabia’s efforts since the start of the Ukraine war to reach a ceasefire there and initiate peace talks, and its hosting of meetings of American, Russian and Ukrainian delegations to that end. The US would also do well to engage with Riyadh and its Arab partners when they talk about Gaza and the underlying Israel-Palestine conflict.
On Iran, and parallel to maximum pressure, the administration has engaged in indirect diplomacy with Tehran. However, it seems to repeat previous mistakes by focusing solely on the nuclear program. The GCC has long called for the talks with Iran to be comprehensive and not limited to its nuclear program, important as it is. They should include Iran’s missile and drone programs, and its regional role. The GCC countries have also asked to be included in those talks, as the closest neighbors to Iran, and not be sidelined. At the same time, they have opposed military action, suggested by Israel, instead favoring diplomacy coupled with robust defense and credible deterrence.
On Yemen, while stopping Houthis from attacking ships in the Red Sea is an important goal, it will be sustainable only as part of the UN-mediated political solution of the crisis in Yemen. Following the designation of the Houthis as a foreign terrorist group, the roadmap previously negotiated may be difficult to implement for the time being, calling for new creative solutions. The resulting economic squeeze together with military pressure on Sanaa should prompt the parties, led by the UN, to search for ways to sit at the negotiating table to work out practical political solutions, including the prevention of Houthi attacks on maritime trade. On Syria, the US administration has continued Joe Biden’s cautious approach. The US deputy assistant secretary for the Levant and Syria presented Syria’s foreign minister with a list of demands at a Syria donor conference in Brussels last month: they included destruction of any remaining chemical weapons, cooperation on counterterrorism, ensuring that former foreign fighters are not installed in senior roles in Syria’s governing structure, and a more inclusive government. This list appears to be reasonable, and the US should continue to engage with the new government in Damascus, in coordination with regional partners such as Saudi Arabia. As part of that approach, it should restrain Israel from destabilizing Syria and stop its relentless attacks on the fledgling government.
Partnership with Saudi Arabia and the GCC should be central to US Middle East policy, as they share the same goals of sustainable peace and shared prosperity. In his first term, Trump enjoyed a close relationship with GCC countries. They can again be reliable and significant partners, politically, economically and strategically. US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff has said that this region had the potential to be “much bigger than Europe” in terms of its importance for the US. This can happen only if the US and GCC are able to leverage their close ties to address regional crises effectively, and increase their economic cooperation. The infrastructure is already in place in the shape of GCC-US Strategic Partnership and its counterparts between the US and individual countries.
• Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg is the GCC assistant secretary-general for political affairs and negotiation. The views expressed here are personal and do not necessarily represent those of the GCC. X: @abuhamad1

Turkiye’s delicate balancing act in the Black Sea
Dr. Sinem Cengiz/Arab News/April 04, 2025
The Black Sea has historically been a region of strategic value for Turkiye, Russia and the West. Russia’s war on Ukraine has increased its importance as the region became the center of gravity for Western-Russian rivalry.
Turkiye’s navy is the strongest in the Black Sea, which is also bordered by Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania, and Georgia. Western allies in the Black Sea, vulnerable to Russia’s policies, are seeking a stronger Turkish presence to enhance NATO’s deterrence and defense capabilities on its southeastern flank. However, the Black Sea is a “gray zone” for Ankara: it cannot fully commit to one side or the other.
This was evident when Turkiye did not join the Western-led sanctions against Russia, and invoked the Montreux Convention to close the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits to the warships of “belligerent powers.” The 1936 agreement gives Turkiye the authority to regulate naval access between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean via those straits. The decision left Moscow unable to reinforce its Black Sea Fleet against Ukrainian attacks, although it also prevented NATO warships from entering the Black Sea to help Ukraine.
This is an excellent example of how Turkiye’s position, as the gatekeeper of the Black Sea, is crucial for the balance of power between Russia and the West in this region. It has the ability to shape events while watching from the sidelines. For this reason, both the West and Russia have accelerated efforts to integrate Turkiye into their Black Sea policies, which will be crucial when the war finally ends. Concerned about its inability to contain a postwar Russia without US support, NATO is establishing a cooperation initiative with Turkiye through Romania and Bulgaria, both NATO members.
Turkiye is also wary of antagonizing Russia, a dominant power in the Black Sea and viewed as a threat by the West — although not by Ankara
One form this takes is a proposed new NATO command HQ that will be responsible for improving operational coordination among NATO allies in the Black Sea. Last year, Turkiye, Romania and Bulgaria also established a mine countermeasures task force in the Black Sea, reflecting Turkiye’s commitment to maritime safety. NATO aims to extend this cooperation.
Turkiye’s openness to regional cooperation with coastal states in the Black Sea and its efforts to support Ukraine’s navy are crucial for postwar security.
However, Turkiye is also wary of antagonizing Russia, a dominant power in the Black Sea and viewed as a threat by the West — although not by Ankara, because its perception of threats is different. For example, the eastern Mediterranean holds greater strategic significance for Turkiye than the Black Sea. Turkiye prioritizes positioning its powerful navy in the eastern Mediterranean to protect its interests, which clash with several actors. The increase in Turkiye’s naval capacity in the eastern Mediterranean is not welcomed by NATO allies, while at the same time they seek Turkiye’s support in the Black Sea against Russian dominance. European states have often excluded Ankara from discussions on the eastern Mediterranean.
This European policy has played into the hands of Russia, which filled the void by deepening economic cooperation with Turkiye: for example, the TurkStream pipeline across the Black Sea. Russia also chose to go along with Turkiye’s balancing act, for example accepting the Turkish role in negotiating the 2022-2023 Black Sea grain deal between Russia and Ukraine: this maintained communication between Moscow and Ankara, which is mostly personal rather than institutional — unlike the Turkish-European/NATO relationship.
Turkiye’s approach to the Black Sea is not driven solely by the current leadership: it is rooted in a long-standing strategic policy
The seemingly cozy leadership ties between Turkiye and Russia are shaping their policies in the Black Sea and beyond. For example, in 2023, when Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Vladimir Putin, he referred to the Black Sea as “our Black Sea” to indicate common interests and destiny. However, when relations were tense in 2016, Erdogan said the Black Sea had become a “Russian lake” and advocated a greater NATO presence in the region. Russia will remain the most important factor in Turkiye’s Black Sea policy, shaped by the cooperative and competitive nature of Turkish-Russian relations.
Turkiye’s approach to the Black Sea is not driven solely by the current leadership: it is rooted in a long-standing strategic policy, similar to Russia’s, which views the Black Sea as the gateway to warm waters and the Mediterranean. Navigational safety is therefore crucial for all. For Moscow, it would ease Russian agricultural exports; for the West, it would provide a lifeline for Ukraine’s economic and military survival; for Ankara, it would increase its leverage with the other two.
Thus, Turkiye’s position in the Black Sea will probably affect the balance of power in the eastern Mediterranean and the Caucasus. It is, after all, Turkiye’s historical backyard. If it carefully reads the situation, Turkiye will stand to be the greatest beneficiary in shaping new dynamics in the Black Sea region.
• Dr. Sinem Cengiz is a Turkish political analyst who specializes in Turkiye’s relations with the Middle East. X: @SinemCngz

Too many blame those with the quietest voices
Peter Harrison/Arab News/April 04, 2025
There was a post on X last month that quoted an elderly British couple as supposedly saying they were leaving England “due to the amount of foreigners.” The account telling the story, Lord Miles Official, went on to say: “They told me they sold their property portfolio because foreigners kept not paying rent. They both had branded aluminum hand luggage worth $3k. Millionaires leaving the UK.”
Campaigner Brendan Cox responded with the question: “Leaving England because of the number of foreigners … to find a country with er … less foreigners?!”
There is not much else that really needs to be said about the absurd remarks of this couple or the Lord Miles Official account. But the level of misinformation being spouted by people like this seems to be getting worse.
I mentioned some figures in a previous op-ed I wrote that showed that, of the migrants coming into the UK, most were students on academic visas or health professionals on employment visas. The problem is that, rather than educating the electorate, politicians are simply pandering to certain misinformed views that are largely centered on hate.
A quick search on ChatGPT, which sourced His Majesty’s Government, The Independent, the Migration Observatory, The Times and the Evening Standard, found the following: “In the year ending December 2023, net migration to the UK was estimated at 685,000, a 10 percent decrease from the revised figure of 764,000 for the previous year. This suggests a potential downward trend, though it is too early to confirm.”
Politicians do not seem to be talking about the overseas students who pay inflated tuition fees or the health professionals who move to the UK to help with the shortage of qualified British doctors and nurses. Nor do they mention that the introduction of the Graduate Route visa is projected to yield a net fiscal benefit of £8.1 billion ($10.6 billion) over 10 years, as per a Migration Observatory analysis of Home Office figures.
And contrary to the views of some, while domestic students in the UK pay approximately £9,500 to £10,000 per year for an undergraduate course, overseas students pay double that.
Rather than educating the electorate, politicians are simply pandering to certain misinformed views that are largely centered on hate
I recently had a conversation with a fellow compatriot who told me, when I mentioned Brexit and the damage it had done and was still doing to the British economy, that I should get past this and move on. But the cost to the country’s economy resulting from leaving the EU is climbing. Bloomberg columnist Matthew A. Winkler wrote last year: “Parting ways with the EU … has been disastrous for the UK.” The same publication reported in 2023 that Brexit was costing the British economy £100 billion every year through lost investment and labor shortages, among other factors.
Before Brexit, people from the European mainland would travel to the UK for seasonal work picking fruit and vegetables. Freedom of movement enabled them to do this and the farmers welcomed them with open arms. It was a workforce of willing and able people who turned up, did the work and then left. Some may have stayed, but most went back home to their families.
So, are politicians admitting this was a mistake and looking to repair the damage? Apparently not, as many are sticking to the hate-fueled anti-migrant message, because hate is easier to peddle. Another group of people seemingly targeted by the politicians are those in receipt of benefits. Last month, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones used the example of pocket money when talking about benefits cuts for disabled people. The government’s own analysis suggested that more than 3 million families would be an average of £1,720 a year worse off by 2030 due to its welfare cuts. But the minister said this analysis did not take into account “extra cash for training,” adding that it was like his children getting a Saturday job on top of their pocket money. He later apologized after his comments were branded “offensive” and “patronizing,” admitting they were “tactless.”
But would he have apologized had the criticism not been so fast?
The truth is that there are people perfectly capable of working in the UK who do not because they say they would be worse off than if they remained on benefits. But they are a tiny minority.
Of course, it is much easier to blame others, especially those with a different mindset, set of beliefs or skin color
According to the Office of National Statistics, in the final quarter of 2024, 4.4 percent of people in the UK of working age were unemployed — that is 1.6 million people. But fewer than 20,000 of them were simply “discouraged” or unwilling to work. Something needs to be done about those people, but they are not the drain on resources the government seems to want us to believe. The intriguing thing is that, despite all this information being freely available, people around the world are still being driven by hate. And of course, it is much easier to blame others, especially those with a different mindset, set of beliefs or skin color.I remember a conversation I had about 20 years ago, in which I said Western politics had hit a wall and that ultimately the voting public would tire of the cyclical nature of one group of well-intended politicians in gray suits taking over from another. I argued that people would start to recognize that little was changing, irrespective of who was in power.
British politics will continue in this loop until major wholesale changes take place. I suspect this will be through a change in the voting system that could ultimately force political parties to work together. But until this happens, politicians will probably continue blaming those with the least amount of power, whether that is single parents, unemployed disabled people or those driven away from their home countries by abject poverty or war.
Little in British society will change, but many will continue to blame those with the quietest voices.
• Peter Harrison is a senior editor at Arab News in the Dubai office. He has covered the Middle East for more than a decade. X: @PhotoPJHarrison