English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For April 10/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
 Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.
Luke 11/37-41: "While he was speaking, a Pharisee invited him to dine with him; so he went in and took his place at the table.The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not first wash before dinner. Then the Lord said to him, ‘Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You fools! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? So give for alms those things that are within; and see, everything will be clean for you."

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on April 09-10/2025
Text & Video: The Heresy and Nonsense of the So-Called "National Dialogue for the Disarmament of the Terrorist Hezbollah"—A False Pretense and an Evasion of Confrontation/Elias Bejjani/April 09/ 2025
Ghassan Salamé and Tarek Mitri — Mummified Relics in the Government of the Hateful, Reactionary Nasserist Nawaf Salam/Elias Bejjani/April 07/2025
Video Link to an Exclusive Interview with Morgan Ortagus, U.S. Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East from Sky News Arabia
Lebanese President Sponsors Dialogue with Hezbollah on its Weapons, State Monopoly over Arms
Lebanese PM says there is no threat of a return to war if no timetable is set for ‘limiting weapons’
Ortagus says Trump administration has real vision for helping Lebanese people
President Aoun’s plan for disarmament: Gradual talks with Hezbollah on weapons control
Salam says state monopoly on arms to be discussed in cabinet soon
Hezbollah ready to discuss arms if Israel withdraws, report says
Rasamni tours Beirut port, denies reports of Hezbollah control
Reports: Upcoming US-Iran talks to affect Lebanon
Israel says struck weapon storage in Hawsh Tal Safiyeh in Baalbek
Israel says Hezbollah tried to rebuild arms site in Choueifat despite army inspection
Opportunity for girls in Lebanon to become an ambassador for a day
A fragile peace: Israel looks toward northern front ceasefire as military dissension grows
Israeli military: Drone downed in Lebanon due to technical malfunction, no risk of information leak
Hezbollah MP Raed Berro: No interest in disarming debate until Israel complies with Resolution 1701
Lebanon's Environment Minister discusses ministry's digital transformation initiative with UNDP official
US restores food aid for Lebanon, other nations
Two French judges to visit Lebanon, meet Bitar over port blast case
Lebanon judge refers ex-central bank chief for trial
Lebanon under pressure to pass key financial reforms—What are the IMF's conditions?
'Pay-To-Slay' – Lebanon Edition: The Lebanese Government Pays Hizbullah Operatives And Their Families Benefits 'Similar To Soldiers' Wages:' Hizbullah Opponents Call To Stop The Payments/N. Mozes/MEMRI/April 09/2025

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on April 09-10/2025
Trump: Israel would be 'leader' of Iran strike if Tehran doesn't give up nuclear weapons program
‘The Ball Is in America’s Court’: Iran Insists Against Trump That Forthcoming Nuclear Talks Will Be ‘Indirect’
Iran’s President Insists Tehran Does Not Seek a Nuclear Bomb and Dangles US Business Opportunities
Iran says open to US investment, against interference
US Issues New Sanctions on Iran as Trump Seeks Talks
Bombing Iran Will Not Pave the Way for Peace, Says Russia
Macron says France could recognise Palestinian state in June
US Senate Confirms Staunch Pro-Israel Conservative Huckabee as Israel Ambassador
Netanyahu-Trump meeting reveals unexpected gaps on key issues
Israel’s Netanyahu meets new CIA chief in Jerusalem
Gaza Rescuers Say 23 Killed in Israel Strike on Residential Block
OIC condemns Israeli decision to close 6 UNRWA schools in Jerusalem
Hamas Sources: Trump’s Displacement Remarks Inconsistent with US Messages
Israel orders closure of six UN schools in East Jerusalem after raids
UN, US warn of increasing Daesh activity in Syria
Turkey talks with Israel about deconfliction in Syria when needed, foreign minister says
Justice Department sharply criticizes judge who blocked enforcement of an order targeting a law firm
Trump Pauses Tariffs on Most Nations for 90 Days, Raises Taxes on Chinese Imports
US has hit more than 100 targets in Yemen since mid-March
Saudi crown prince, French president discuss relations
Saudi crown prince, UK prime minister discuss relations during call
Saudi FM meets US counterpart in Washington
India approves purchase of 26 French Rafale jets for navy, sources say
Ukraine says more than 150 Chinese mercenaries are fighting for Russia in Ukraine

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on April 09-10/2025
From dictatorship to occupation': Syrian civilians caught in Israeli advance
Nabih Bulos/LA Times/April 9, 2025
Iran cautious on talks with Trump administration/SETH J. FRANTZMAN/Jerusalem Post/April 9, 2025
Iran braces for possible US attack amid proxy setbacks/Janatan Sayeh/FDD's Long War Journal/April 09/2025
Ali Khamenei’s revealing glimpse into the Islamic Republic’s fears/Saeed Ghasseminejad/ Washington Examiner/April 09/2025
Is Europe Still Fighting Lost Energy Wars?/Drieu Godefridi/Gatestone Institute/April 09/2025
Makeshift Captagon Labs Emerge in Syria from Rubble of Assad’s Narcotics Trade/Ahmed el-Jouri/Asharq Al Awsat/April 09/2025
Trump, Iran, and Lessons for Hamas/Tariq Al-Homayed/Asharq Al Awsat/April 09/2025
How the US has squandered its soft power/Osama Al-Sharif/Arab News/April 09, 2025
Israeli aggression pushing Syria into Turkiye’s arms/Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib/Arab News/April 09, 2025
The UN in Gaza: When an institution becomes useless/Hani Hazaimeh/Arab News/April 09, 2025
America’s AI iron curtain hurting allies/Sona Muzikarova/Arab News/April 09, 2025

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on April 09-10/2025
Text & Video: The Heresy and Nonsense of the So-Called "National Dialogue for the Disarmament of the Terrorist Hezbollah"—A False Pretense and an Evasion of Confrontation
Elias Bejjani/April 09/ 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/04/142096/
In yet another act of political theater—an all-too-familiar Lebanese charade—the ruling establishment, across the three presidencies, the government, and Hezbollah’s propaganda apparatus, continues to promote the farcical notion of a so-called “national dialogue” and “national defense strategy” to address the armed presence of Hezbollah. As if this were merely a matter of differing viewpoints or strategic disagreement—not the blatant, armed, and declared Iranian occupation of Lebanon that paralyzes the state and threatens its very existence, sovereignty, and stability.
President Joseph Aoun’s oath of office was clear: exclusive legitimacy of arms must reside with the Lebanese state. His mandate, grounded in the internationally endorsed ceasefire agreement with Israel—signed not only by the Lebanese government but by ministers affiliated with Hezbollah and blessed by Speaker Nabih Berri, Hezbollah’s so-called “elder brother”—was to implement this agreement and disarm the terrorist militia. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s ministerial statement also affirmed unwavering commitment to this same agreement and to UN resolutions.
Yet the glaring and dangerous contradiction lies in the fact that President Aoun was not elected by national consensus, nor with the backing of Hezbollah or its allies. He was imposed by the international Quintet Committee (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the U.S., France, and Qatar) as a rescue candidate, entrusted with a singular mission: to enforce the ceasefire and dismantle Hezbollah’s military apparatus—not to maneuver, stall, or deceive.
The same betrayal of mission applies to Nawaf Salam, who swiftly abandoned the task entrusted to him. Yielding to the pressures of Nabih Berri and the mafia-like political class, Salam shamelessly handed key ministries—most notably the Ministry of Finance—back to the Amal Movement, thus reaffirming the dominance of the very forces he was supposed to oppose. His actions exposed the hollowness of his claims to neutrality, independence, and reform, and revealed his readiness to barter national responsibility for personal political gain.
More troubling still is President Aoun’s post-France visit retreat. Instead of honoring his oath, he regressed into the deceptive discourse of “national dialogue,” recycling misleading terminology such as “defense strategy” and “national security” to mask surrender and submission to Hezbollah’s narrative. This linguistic acrobatics is nothing but a shameful capitulation, a deliberate evasion of the urgent need for a bold, decisive stance: to disarm Hezbollah and dismantle its terrorist military, financial, and intelligence infrastructure.
President Aoun must now choose: either fulfill the mission for which he was internationally installed or resign. His current approach—marked by political acrobatics, equivocation, and appeasement—serves only to entrench Hezbollah’s occupation and reinforce its stranglehold over Lebanon’s security, sovereignty, and future.
As for Nawaf Salam, the mask has fully dropped. His Arab nationalist, Nasserist agenda—obsolete and counterproductive—has surfaced, echoing the flawed stances of figures like Tarek Mitri and Ghassan Salamé, who never hesitated to issue statements that align with Hezbollah’s interests and obstruct the enforcement of international mandates. Meanwhile many ministers have even grown too timid to utter Hezbollah’s name, speaking instead in vague terms like “components” and “stakeholders”—just as some avoid calling cancer by its name, as though truth itself were taboo.
The path forward is unequivocal: President Aoun, Prime Minister Salam, and their government must implement—word for word—the terms of the ceasefire agreement. They must set a strict, short-term timeline to disarm Hezbollah and dismantle its operational structure. If they cannot, or will not, they must resign. Lebanon cannot afford further betrayal or paralysis, especially now, when a rare and historic opportunity has emerged: the disintegration of the Iranian terror axis, the effective defeat of Hezbollah through the ceasefire, and the collapse of its logistical backbone following the Assad regime’s fall in Syria.
In this context, the message from Ms. Morgan Ortagus, President Donald Trump’s representative, was crystal clear: no financial aid, no investment, and no political support will come before Hezbollah is disarmed and the ceasefire implemented. Her statement was blunt, both to Lebanese officials and in media interviews: “Hezbollah is a cancer and must be eradicated from its roots.” This is the reality that Lebanon’s political class either fears or refuses to confront—but the consequences of fear or complicity are the same: no state.
Evidence of this cowardice and duplicity is overwhelming. As Al Arabiya reported on April 8, 2025, Hezbollah still fully controls the Port of Beirut—using it for rampant smuggling in full defiance of state authority, economic integrity, and national security. This flagrant breach exposes not only Hezbollah’s criminal impunity but the Lebanese government’s impotence in confronting it.
Ultimately, Lebanon stands at a crossroads. The choice is stark and urgent: either a unified, sovereign, and independent state—or the continued decay under Hezbollah’s Iranian-backed shadow-state that devours everything in its path.

Ghassan Salamé and Tarek Mitri — Mummified Relics in the Government of the Hateful, Reactionary Nasserist Nawaf Salam
Elias Bejjani/April 07/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/04/142042/
Lebanon’s sovereign interest demands the complete removal of Ghassan Salamé, Tarek Mitri, and Nawaf Salam from all national and political affairs. Their own words and actions expose them as mummified relics of a long-extinct, delusional, and defeatist Nasserist era.
Alongside them, every minister, official, and media figure steeped in the destructive culture and hollow slogans of the so-called “resistance” and “defiance” industry must also be dismissed. This failed rhetoric has brought only devastation upon Lebanon.
Lebanon and its people have had enough of the charlatans, scribes, Pharisees, Trojan agents, and delusional ideologues who parade as patriots while dragging the nation deeper into ruin

Video Link to an Exclusive Interview with Morgan Ortagus, U.S. Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East from Sky News Arabia
April 09/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/04/142110/
Strong and Clear U.S. stances: Full Disarmament of Hezbollah Across Lebanese Territory in Accordance with UNSCR 1701 – Emphasis on the Lebanese Army’s Capability to Enforce It – Call to Restore Lebanon as a Free, Sovereign, and Independent State.
In an exclusive interview with Sky News Arabia, Morgan Ortagus, Deputy Special Envoy of the United States to the Middle East, made a series of powerful statements regarding Lebanon. She stressed that the country is "bankrupt" and that there is no point in sugarcoating the reality. Ortagus urged Lebanese leaders to listen to the will of the people, affirming that reform is the only path to restoring trust—especially in southern Lebanon. She emphasized the necessity of disarming Hezbollah, citing the words of Lebanese Army Commander General Joseph Aoun, who reaffirmed that weapons must be solely in the hands of the state. Ortagus also underscored the importance of putting Lebanon back on the path toward being a free, sovereign, and independent nation—one that secures a better future for peace-seeking Lebanese citizens and rejects foreign meddling, particularly by Iran, and the imposition of wars on its people.

Lebanese President Sponsors Dialogue with Hezbollah on its Weapons, State Monopoly over Arms
Beirut: Mohamed Choucair/Asharq Al Awsat/April 09/2025
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and parliament Speaker Nabih Berri held a meeting at the Baabda presidential palace on Monday to pave the way for dialogue with Hezbollah leaders on the Iran-backed party’s possession of arms and need for the state to have monopoly over arms in the country. Official sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that dialogue with Hezbollah aims to test the waters and the extent to which it is prepared to reach an agreement on its arsenal. Berri, Hezbollah’s sole remaining ally in Lebanon, supports intervening on behalf of the party – if necessary – to bridge any divides in the dialogue.
Any agreement will be followed with the drafting of a national security strategy for Lebanon, including a defense strategy, added the sources. The sources said direct dialogue between Aoun and Hezbollah over the state monopoly over arms remains the better option than referring the issue to a dialogue table with other political parties seeing as agreements reached during past rounds of talks over the years were never implemented. Deputy US special envoy to the Middle East Morgan Ortagus, who was in Lebanon last week, expressed to Aoun her understanding of his desire to hold direct dialogue with Hezbollah. However, she stressed that time is not in Lebanon’s favor as it needs to resolve the issue which would pave the way for other solutions to its numerous crises. Ortagus met during her visit with Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Berri. Talks with the Lebanese leaders helped “soften the American stance” over Lebanon’s approach towards Hezbollah’s weapons possession because “resorting to force to disarm the party will jeopardize civil peace in the country,” said the sources. Ortagus stated she was willing to travel to Beirut for a third time this year, possibly at the end of April or early May, to follow up on financial reforms and efforts to limit the possession of weapons to the state.She has stressed the need for Lebanon to meet its obligations “as soon as possible” to avoid the dialogue becoming a waste of time and to prevent Lebanon from heading towards a collision course with the international community which has set as a priority the state achieving monopoly over arms. Fulfilling that demand will restore confidence in Lebanon and speed up international efforts to help it resolve its crises.
The sources said Hezbollah is aware that limiting the possession of weapons won’t happen “at the press of a button.” However, stalling over the issue will not provide it with excuses to renege on its commitment to implement United Nations Security Council resolution 1701 and declaration that it will stand by the state in reaching diplomatic solutions that would make Israel respect the ceasefire and withdraw from the South. Hezbollah has effectively become isolated with no allies but Berri. The party cannot escape local, Arab and international pressure to disarm, especially after the weakening of the “Resistance Axis”, which it is a part of, and Iran’s waning influence in the region, political sources told Asharq Al-Awsat. Iran’s sole concern now is protecting its regime, they stressed. So, Hezbollah has no choice but to join efforts to build a state and commit to conditions that have been imposed by the changes in the region and Lebanon, they went to say. Hezbollah’s launch of its “support front” with Gaza and dragging Lebanon into a reckless confrontation with Israel has cost it dearly and it can no longer rise from under the rubble – in the political sense – without outside financial and economic support to help it rebuild what Israel destroyed, said the sources. The question remains: will dialogue lead Hezbollah to disarm and agree to the state to have monopoly over weapons? Or will it use the dialogue to gain time as Iran seeks to improve its conditions as it prepares to hold negotiations with the US? European parties had advised the party to reassess its calculations and reconsider its stances so that it places Lebanon first in its political choices so that it can reconcile with its political parties after years of tensions sparked by its monopoly of the decision of war and peace.

Lebanese PM says there is no threat of a return to war if no timetable is set for ‘limiting weapons’
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Arab News/April 09, 2025
BEIRUT: Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said on Wednesday he has not received “any threat, neither from the Deputy US Special Envoy to the Middle East Morgan Ortagus nor from anyone else, regarding the possibility of a return to war if the government does not set a timetable for limiting weapons.”
A source in the prime minister’s office told Arab News: “Lebanon is committed to all security measures to protect the Port of Beirut, as well as the airport, and we have not received any information indicating complaints in this regard.” The government has “a clear security plan to protect its vital facilities,” the source added. On Tuesday, news channel Al-Hadath said reports by Western security agencies suggested “Hezbollah has begun using the sea to transport weapons from Iran, following air restrictions and the collapse of Syrian regime control. The Port of Beirut is considered the focal point for this activity, with Hezbollah operating freely through collaborators in customs and oversight mechanisms.”
Salam said: “The constitution, which is based on the Taif Agreement, stipulates the extension of state authority over all its territory through its own forces. All ministers are committed to this matter. “A ministerial statement also affirmed the exclusivity of weapons in the hands of the state, and all ministers are committed to that. The matter of war and peace lies solely in the hands of the state.”Salam was speaking after a meeting on Wednesday with Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi at the latter’s office in Bkerke, during which he briefed the religious leader on the outcomes of his meeting with Ortagus last week.In his comments following the meeting, the prime minister also emphasized the “urgent need for Israel to withdraw from the five occupied points” in Lebanon “as they hold no military, security or strategic value.
“We are currently in an era dominated by technology, satellites and surveillance, and military aircraft. Unfortunately, there are also networks of spies on the ground, which we have reiterated, particularly to Ortagus. This is a matter we are actively pursuing.”
Also on Wednesday, Lebanon’s public works and transportation minister, Fayez Rassamni, toured the Port of Beirut and met representatives of the security agencies operating there. In response to the reports of weapons passing through the port, he said: “Operations at the port are proceeding with the same intensity as those at the airport, and security here is firmly under control. We will not allow anyone to cast doubt, and if there is any information please provide us with evidence.”
Omar Itani, chairperson of the board and general manager of the port, said: “The port management does not have the authority to inspect the nature or content of the goods arriving at the port. Their role is limited to facilitating and overseeing logistics.
“Inspections and audits are conducted in coordination with the customs administration, the Lebanese army, and other security agencies present within the port, as part of a unified regulatory system aimed at preventing any potential violations. In recent years, these procedures have been significantly strengthened, particularly by the Lebanese army, to ensure that no infractions or smuggling occur.
“An agreement has been reached to enhance oversight and update equipment, including the introduction of modern scanning devices similar to those used in international ports. This initiative aims not only to bolster security but also to facilitate export activities, especially towards Gulf and European countries, thereby benefiting farmers and production sectors while increasing state revenues.”
Iranian airlines continue to be denied landing permits at Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut following Israeli allegations that Tehran was using them to deliver funds and weapons to Hezbollah.
Ortagus, the US envoy, visited Lebanon last weekend and held meetings with a wide range of politicians and economists in what was described as a constructive atmosphere. She also toured the National Museum in Beirut.
After leaving the capital, however, she raised her tone and in a series of statements since the start of the week has stressed that Hezbollah must be fully disarmed. She said the group “is like a cancer and Lebanon must eradicate it if it is to recover.”
During an interview with Sky News, she accused Iran of “dragging the Middle East into a perilous new phase of instability.” She said that “the Lebanese army, with its current capabilities, is able to disarm Hezbollah” and “disarming Hezbollah is part of President Donald Trump’s maximum-pressure policy on Iran.”
Ortagus added: “The only way for Lebanon to emerge from its crisis is to reject any role for Iran and its allies, and the US has optimistic expectations regarding Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri’s role in the next phase.
“We expect reforms in Lebanon but the Trump administration’s patience has limits. We want the Lebanese to feel safe when depositing their money in banks. I informed Lebanese officials not to count on the World Bank meeting without the approval of reforms by parliament. Lebanese officials must show the World Bank that they are serious, not just talking.”Meanwhile, a new Israeli violation of Lebanese sovereignty was reported when Israeli warplanes carried out an airstrike deep inside the country. The target was a residential building between the towns of Aadous and Hosh Tal Safiya in the Baalbek region of the eastern Bekaa. The strike was preceded by a warning raid that gave the Syrian residents time to evacuate the building.

Ortagus says Trump administration has real vision for helping Lebanese people
Naharnet/April 09, 2025
Deputy U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Morgan Ortagus has said that the Trump administration has a real vision for helping the Lebanese people, especially the residents of south Lebanon. In an interview with Sky News Arabia, Ortagus added that disarming Hezbollah is part of U.S. President Donald Trump’s so-called policy of “maximum pressure” against Iran, as she hoped that all parties commit to the ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel. Urging reforms in Lebanon and noting that the patience of the Trump administration has its limits, Ortagus said Lebanon has a golden chance to exit its crisis and that the only way to do so is through rejecting any role for Iran and its allies. Ortagus also revealed that Washington has optimistic expectations regarding Speaker Nabih Berri’s role in the coming period.

President Aoun’s plan for disarmament: Gradual talks with Hezbollah on weapons control
LBCI/April 09, 2025
President Joseph Aoun is expected to begin soon implementing a key pledge from his inaugural address: ensuring that all weapons are under state authority, including those held by Hezbollah. According to sources, the approach will be gradual and rooted in calm, pressure-free dialogue—certainly not through force. One idea being discussed is a phased process to withdraw weapons over time. For the presidency, the top priority remains Israel’s withdrawal from five occupied border points, the return of Lebanese prisoners, and resolving the dispute over 13 contested locations. Only after progress on those fronts can talks begin between the presidency and Hezbollah on the next phase—implementing U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 and the broader ceasefire terms. Still, some warn that past experiences show broad dialogue efforts often fail to produce concrete results.
Hezbollah, for its part, says it stands by President Aoun’s inaugural commitments but insists that any discussion of disarmament is premature while Israeli attacks persist. The party’s position is clear: return the land, and we’ll return the weapons. Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri is expected to play a central role in any talks between Baabda and Hezbollah’s leadership in Haret Hreik. Berri’s allies stress he has consistently supported and encouraged dialogue during critical national moments. Ultimately, the framework and form of the dialogue will be defined by President Aoun.

Salam says state monopoly on arms to be discussed in cabinet soon
Naharnet /April 09, 2025
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Wednesday after meeting Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi in Bkerki that cabinet will soon discuss the monopolization of weapons and extending the state's authority on all Lebanese territories. Salam also called for Israel's withdrawal from the five hills its troops are still occupying in south Lebanon. He said he has discussed this issue with Deputy U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Morgan Ortagus as she visited Lebanon Saturday. Ortagus during her visit emphasized the need for the Lebanese Army to assert control over all Lebanese territory, not just south of the Litani River.
During her meeting with Salam, she welcomed Lebanese officials’ willingness to engage in shuttle diplomacy to resolve Israel’s withdrawal from the five strategic hills. Israel maintains control over five strategic hilltops in southern Lebanon, citing their importance for security as they provide key vantage points to monitor Hezbollah movements and prevent potential threats along the border. "The five occupied hills have no (strategic) importance and Israel must withdraw from these hills as soon as possible," Salam said.

Hezbollah ready to discuss arms if Israel withdraws, report says
Naharnet /April 09, 2025
Hezbollah is ready to discuss its disarmament if Israel withdraws from the five strategic hills it is still occupying in south Lebanon, a report said. A senior Hezbollah official was quoted as saying that the group is ready to hold talks with President Joseph Aoun about its weapons in the context of a national defense strategy if Israel withdraws from south Lebanon and stops its strikes and violations. President Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam have both vowed to monopolize weapons in the country and extend the state's authorities across all Lebanese territories, but Aoun said that disarming Hezbollah could only happen through dialogue and communication and not by force. Hezbollah and Amal sources had told TV network al-Jadeed that "Hezbollah is not against the exclusivity of arms in the hands of the state" and has been cooperating with the army in the handover of its arms south of the Litani river - a claim validated by President Aoun. The sources said the resistance’s arms should be approached as part of a national strategy but only after the liberation of the five hills and the Lebanese captives and after Israel halts its strikes on Lebanon.

Rasamni tours Beirut port, denies reports of Hezbollah control
Naharnet/April 09, 2025
Minister of Public Works and Transport Fayez Rasamni carried out Wednesday an inspection tour of the Port of Beirut after media reports claimed that Hezbollah is receiving arms and cash through the port. In a press conference, Rasamni assured that "security at the Beirut Port is held with an iron fist," and warned against media reports saying otherwise. Al-Arabiya television had quoted Tuesday a Western security source as saying that Hezbollah has "re-imposed its control over Beirut’s port," following the 2020 catastrophic explosion at the facility that killed around 220 people and devastated swathes of the capital.

Reports: Upcoming US-Iran talks to affect Lebanon
Naharnet/April 09, 2025
The upcoming negotiations between the U.S. and Iran in Oman will have an impact on the region, including on Lebanon, political sources told al-Joumhouria newspaper in remarks published Wednesday. “The expected negotiations on Saturday will give an initial indication as to the course that the relation between Iran and the U.S. will take -- either the dialogue course or the escalation course,” the sources added.“It is normal that Lebanon will be negatively or positively affected by the outcome of things between Tehran and Washington,” the sources said.

Israel says struck weapon storage in Hawsh Tal Safiyeh in Baalbek
Naharnet/April 09, 2025
An Israeli airstrike targeted on Tuesday night a building in the Hawsh Tal Safiyeh area in the Baalbek district. The Israeli army said it struck a weapons storage facility belonging to Hezbollah's Aerial Defense Unit in the area of Beqaa in Lebanon. "The presence of weapons in the area poses a threat to the State of Israel and constitutes a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon," the Israeli army said.

Israel says Hezbollah tried to rebuild arms site in Choueifat despite army inspection
Naharnet/April 09, 2025
The Israeli army claimed Wednesday that Hezbollah tried to rebuild an “arms production site” in Choueifat after the war and that it concealed engineering vehicles during a Lebanese Army inspection visit. “This is how Hezbollah is trying to rebuild a production site in the southern suburbs, concealing its activity from the monitoring mechanism and lying to the Lebanese people: During a surprise inspection, the engineering vehicles disappeared and returned to work after it was completed, in violation of the ceasefire agreement,” Israeli army Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee said in a post on X, while also publishing “before and after” pictures. “The IDF (Israeli army) reveals that in recent months, Hezbollah has been trying to rebuild an underground weapons production site in the heart of the Choueifat neighborhood in the southern suburbs, which was established near a school and under residential buildings, after it was targeted in November 2024,” Adraee said. He clarified that “information about these attempts was transferred to the monitoring mechanism in early January, and accordingly it was decided to conduct a surprise inspection of the site.”“However, aerial photographs showed that Hezbollah, which had been informed in advance of the date of the inspection, had evacuated the engineering vehicles that had been operating at the site on the day the inspection was conducted, and then returned them after it had ended,” Adraee added. He warned that “this dangerous activity constitutes a flagrant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon under the ceasefire agreement,” adding that the Israeli army “remains committed to the continued implementation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon, and will continue to act to remove any threat to the State of Israel and prevent any attempt by the terrorist Hezbollah to position itself.”

Opportunity for girls in Lebanon to become an ambassador for a day
Naharnet/April 09, 2025
To mark International Women’s Day, the Embassies of the United Kingdom, Canada and Jordan are collaborating on the ‘Ambassador for a Day’ (AFAD) competition for the third year. Ambassador for a Day is a national essay competition for girls between 15-18 years of age. Each AFAD winner will get to shadow an Ambassador or senior UN Official in Lebanon for one day, to see first-hand how girls can become leaders and advocates for change. This promises to be an unforgettable opportunity to build skills in diplomacy, confidence, and leadership. We encourage all girls from all backgrounds living in Lebanon, aged 15-18 years old and not at university to apply. The competition closes midnight Monday 14 April 2025. The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day is For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment. To enter, participants should submit either a video or short essay in English or Arabic answering the question: "If you were an Ambassador for a Day, what actions would you take to accelerate gender equality including equal rights, power and opportunities?"Full competition details: How to enter and Terms and conditions : Opportunity for girls to become an Ambassador for a day - GOV.UK similar HP 902
Follow and like Facebook/X/Instagram: @UKinLebanon / @CanadaLebanon
Instagram: embassyofjordanbeirut //Facebook: سفارة المملكة الاردنية الهاشمية لدى الجمهورية اللبنانية //X: @joembassybeirut

A fragile peace: Israel looks toward northern front ceasefire as military dissension grows
LBCI/April 09, 2025
Israelis are cautiously optimistic about the possibility of reaching a long-term ceasefire on the northern front with Lebanon, following reports from a Hezbollah source to Reuters indicating the group's readiness to disarm after Israel withdraws from five occupied sites in Lebanon and releases prisoners. Tel Aviv is portraying this development as a victory, although some warn against overindulging in the euphoria of a definitive win. Simultaneously, rapid developments in U.S.-Iran negotiations have significant implications not only for Lebanon but also for Syria. In response, the Israeli military froze its preparations and training for a potential strike against Iran just a day after President Donald Trump confirmed the ongoing negotiations on Saturday. While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has kept the military option on the table should the talks fail, Israel's focus has shifted to handling the Syrian front. Netanyahu emphasized keeping the Syrian front open as part of Israel's strategic posture. The rosy atmosphere Netanyahu tried to cultivate upon his return to Tel Aviv on Wednesday was met with dissent within the military. Following protests from reservists about their mandatory military service, 950 pilots signed a petition refusing to serve, citing their opposition to government policies on prisoners and the ongoing Gaza war. Meanwhile, efforts by Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and Air Force Commander Tomer Bar have focused on preventing the petition's publication, hoping to avoid plunging the military into yet another internal crisis.

Israeli military: Drone downed in Lebanon due to technical malfunction, no risk of information leak
LBCI/April 09, 2025
The Israeli military said that one of its drones crashed inside Lebanese territory due to a technical malfunction. Authorities noted there was no risk of sensitive information being leaked from the downed drone.

Hezbollah MP Raed Berro: No interest in disarming debate until Israel complies with Resolution 1701
LBCI/April 09, 2025
Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc MP Raed Berro said that in the current context of ongoing Israeli occupation and attacks, with the international community's inability to enforce United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, armed resistance remains a source of national strength for Lebanon, in his view. "There is no benefit to opening this debate now before resolution 1701 is fully implemented," Berro told LBCI in a televised interview. He emphasized that Hezbollah is open to future dialogue on defense matters, but only within the framework of a comprehensive national defense strategy. In response to a question about whether the group would prefer a broad national dialogue or a bilateral discussion with the president, Berro noted that the proposal came from the president and that its format and details remain undefined. "Commenting before the picture becomes clearer is premature," he said. Addressing recent discussions about a gradual handover of Hezbollah's weapons, Berro dismissed such a step in the current phase as "illogical." However, he said the group remains open in the future to discussions about the country's "sources of strength" and how they can be harnessed in a way that enjoys national consensus.

Lebanon's Environment Minister discusses ministry's digital transformation initiative with UNDP official
LBCI/April 09, 2025
Lebanese Environment Minister Dr. Tamara Zein met with UNDP Resident Representative in Lebanon, Blerta Aliko, at her office to follow up on implementing the ministry's updated restructuring plan and the subsequent steps toward modernizing job descriptions. The meeting also included discussions on the digital transformation initiative, part of a broader strategy for institutional administrative reform and modernization of the ministry's operations. Several environmental projects to be executed through the Environment Ministry in coordination with the UNDP were also discussed during the meeting.

US restores food aid for Lebanon, other nations
Associated Press/April 09, 2025
The Trump administration has reversed sweeping cuts in emergency food aid to several nations while maintaining them in Afghanistan and Yemen, two of the world's poorest and most war-ravaged countries, officials said Wednesday.The United States had initially cut funding for projects in more than a dozen countries, part of a dramatic reduction of foreign aid led by billionaire Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency. Aid officials warned the cuts would deny food to millions of people and end health programs for women and children. The administration informed the World Food Program of its reversal on Tuesday, according to two U.N. officials. An official with the U.S. Agency for International Development confirmed that Jeremy Lewin, the Musk associate overseeing the dismantling of USAID, ordered the reversal of some of his weekend contract terminations after The Associated Press reported them. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media. The WFP said Monday it had been notified that USAID was cutting funding to the U.N. agency's emergency food program in 14 countries. Funding has been restored for programs in Somalia, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Ecuador, according to the USAID official and one of the U.N. officials. The status of funding for six other unidentified countries was not immediately clear. One of the U.N. officials said the decision to restore funding came after intense behind-the-scenes lobbying of members of Congress by senior U.N. officials. The cuts could prove disastrous for millions in Afghanistan and Yemen, reeling from decades of war and U.S.-led campaigns against militants.
The U.S. had been the largest funder of the WFP, providing $4.5 billion of the $9.8 billion in donations to the world's largest food aid provider last year. Previous administrations had viewed such aid as a way of alleviating conflict and combating poverty and extremism while curbing migration. The Trump administration has accused USAID of advancing liberal causes, and has criticized foreign aid more broadly as a waste of resources. U.S. officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce acknowledged on Tuesday that some of the programs had been cut by mistake and said funding had been restored, without providing details. More than half of Afghanistan's population — some 23 million people — need humanitarian assistance. It's a crisis caused by decades of conflict — including the 20-year U.S. war with the Taliban — as well as entrenched poverty and climate shocks.
Last year, the United States provided 43% of all international humanitarian funding to Afghanistan. Some $560 million in humanitarian aid has been cut, including for emergency food assistance, treatment of malnourished babies, medical care, safe drinking water and mental health treatment for survivors of sexual and physical violence, according to an assessment by current and former USAID officials and partner organizations. The figure has not been confirmed by the U.S. government. A separate WFP assessment obtained by the AP showed that food assistance to 2 million people in Afghanistan would be terminated later this year. More than 650,000 malnourished children, mothers and pregnant women would would lose nutritional support. The United Nations Population Fund said the U.S. had cut $100 million in support for maternal health services for millions of women, as well as gender-based violence services. The International Rescue Committee said the cuts would affect nearly 1 million people. Its programs include nutritional assistance for tens of thousands of children under 5, as well as counseling services. "Kids who have seen great violence, who benefit from social work and psychosocial care that we provide, will be cut off," said Bob Kitchen, head of global emergencies for the aid group.
The poorest Arab country was plunged into civil war in 2014 when Iranian-backed Houthi rebels seized much of the north, including the capital, Sanaa. The U.S. supported a Saudi-led coalition that intervened the following year on behalf of the government. The conflict has been at a stalemate in recent years.
The war has led to widespread hunger, and experts warned as recently as 2024 that parts of Yemen were at risk of famine. The U.S. cuts would end life-saving food assistance to 2.4 million people and halt nutritional care for 100,000 children, according to the WFP assessment.
The U.S. is carrying out a campaign of airstrikes against the Houthis in retaliation for their attacks on international shipping linked to the war in the Gaza Strip. The WFP had already suspended its programs in Houthi-ruled northern Yemen, where the rebels have detained dozens of U.N. staffers as well as people associated with aid groups, civil society and the now-shuttered U.S. Embassy. The latest cuts would affect southern Yemen, where the internationally recognized government opposed to the Houthis is based. The WFP assessment warned that halting aid there "carries significant political and security implications and risks deepening the economic crisis and exacerbating instability."Last year, the WFP assisted 8.6 million people in Yemen, more than a quarter of its population, including more than 330,000 internally displaced people and 1.2 million with disabilities. Half were women and children. Kitchen with the IRC said water, sanitation and health support for nearly 2 million people would end, and that while his group and others are seeking alternative sources of funding, there is no real substitute. "I am fearful that we are going to turn around in months to come and just see the numbers of people who are perishing because there's just not enough funding to keep them alive anymore," he said.

Two French judges to visit Lebanon, meet Bitar over port blast case
Agence France Presse/April 09, 2025
A French judicial delegation will travel to Lebanon this month to meet with the judge in charge of the investigation into the deadly explosion at the port of Beirut in 2020, a Lebanese judicial official told AFP on Tuesday. "Two French judges will arrive in Beirut in the last week of this month," said the official, who requested anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the media. The judges are expected to meet with the Lebanese judge in charge of the investigation, Tarek Bitar, as well as other judicial officials, and present "a detailed report on the evidence gathered during the French investigation," which was opened a few days after the tragedy. The French investigation is "separate from the one being conducted by Lebanon," the official said.

Lebanon judge refers ex-central bank chief for trial
Agence France Presse/April 09, 2025
A Lebanese judge on Tuesday referred former central bank governor Riad Salameh to court for trial over the alleged embezzlement of $44 million of the bank's funds, a judicial official said. The move came seven months after Salameh was arrested in Lebanon over the case.
Salameh, who headed the central bank for three decades, faces numerous accusations including embezzlement, money laundering and tax evasion in separate probes in crisis-hit Lebanon and abroad. On Tuesday, the judge issued a decision charging Salameh with embezzling "$44 million from the central bank", as well as illicit enrichment and forgery, the judicial official said, requesting anonymity as they were not authorized to brief the media. A request to release Salameh was rejected, along with a request to cancel arrest warrants issued in absentia for two of his alleged associates in the case, the official said.
The trio were "referred to the Beirut criminal court for trial", the official added. Salameh, who left office at the end of July 2023, has repeatedly said his wealth comes from private investment and his previous work at U.S. investment firm Merrill Lynch. He is widely viewed as a key culprit in Lebanon's economic crash, which the World Bank has called one of the worst in recent history, but has defended his legacy, saying he is a "scapegoat" for the crash. In May last year, Germany and France issued arrest warrants for Salameh over accusations including money laundering and fraud, though German prosecutors later cancelled their warrant, saying Salameh could no longer use his post to suppress evidence. In August last year, the United States announced coordinated sanctions with Canada and Britain against Salameh. Lebanon's new central bank governor Karim Souaid took office last week, pledging to advance key reforms demanded by international creditors to unlock bailout funds.

Lebanon under pressure to pass key financial reforms—What are the IMF's conditions?
LBCI/April 09, 2025
As Lebanon braces for the upcoming International Monetary Fund (IMF) Spring Meetings in Washington on April 21, pressure is mounting on the government and parliament to finalize crucial financial legislation. A visiting IMF delegation delivered a clear message to Lebanese officials: no dollar in foreign aid will reach Lebanon without compliance with the fund's conditions. These include the government's appointment of a new board for the Council for Development and Reconstruction and Parliament's approval of two long-stalled financial reform laws. The first law involves amendments to Lebanon's banking secrecy legislation. It has already been referred to Parliament and forwarded by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to the joint committees, which are set to begin discussions this coming Wednesday.
The bank restructuring and regulation law is the second—and more complex—law. The government failed to pass it in Tuesday's most recent Cabinet session. Ministers have been asked to submit written feedback to the Finance Ministry's expert committee that drafted the law, hoping to finalize it by the end of the week. This legislation outlines how banks will be evaluated—identifying which can recapitalize and continue operating, and which will be liquidated. Its implementation is closely tied to a third law: the Financial Gap Law, which will determine the size of banking sector losses and the mechanism for returning deposits. However, the IMF does not require this third bill before the April 21 deadline. Still, several Cabinet ministers have expressed reservations, particularly over moving forward without a clear calculation of the financial gap, warning that any change in loss estimates could upend the restructuring strategy. Concerns have also been raised about a provision stipulating that deposits in banks slated for liquidation be transferred to the Deposit Guarantee Institution, which currently only guarantees deposits up to LBP 75 million—around $830 at current rates. Even if the Cabinet manages to approve the restructuring bill by the end of the week, Parliament will be left with just two days to review and pass both laws before the IMF meetings. With that narrow timeline, lawmakers and observers are questioning whether the process can be completed in time. As doubts grow over whether Parliament can move fast enough, questions are resurfacing: Will opponents of the IMF deal attempt to derail these laws—and with them, Lebanon's last viable path to a financial rescue?

'Pay-To-Slay' – Lebanon Edition: The Lebanese Government Pays Hizbullah Operatives And Their Families Benefits 'Similar To Soldiers' Wages:' Hizbullah Opponents Call To Stop The Payments
N. Mozes/MEMRI/April 09/2025
Reports published in Lebanon over the past year indicate that, for the last 25 years, operatives of the Hizbullah terrorist organization have been enjoying equal status to that of soldiers in the Lebanese Armed Forces: the government pays pensions and compensation to them and their families, and provides economic benefits to a large segment of the organization’s supporters and operatives (allowances often referred to as "pay-to-slay"). These payments are made to fighters and operatives who were imprisoned (by Israel or the South Lebanese Army) for involvement in terrorism against Israel, to operatives injured in the course of such activity, and to families of fighters who were killed. The Lebanese state thus funds members of a militia that is not subordinate to its authorities and sometimes even acts against the state.[1] In this, it is similar to the Palestinian Authority (PA), which pays benefits and wages to Palestinians serving jail sentences in Israel for terrorist activities, including members of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, who fight against the PA.[2]
It should be mentioned that a large part of Lebanon’s budget comes from foreign aid, provided mainly by the U.S. and European countries,[3] many of which designate Hizbullah as a terrorist organization.
Some of the payments to Hizbullah operatives are provided monthly and have been paid for decades based on understandings reached in 1999 between the heads of the Lebanese state at the time, all of whom were allies of Hizbullah, namely parliament speaker and Amal movement head Nabih Berri, president Emile Lahoud and prime minister Salim Al-Huss. According to these agreements, fighters of the "Resistance," i.e., Hizbullah and Amal, who were wounded in the course of fighting with Israel, and the families of fighters who were killed, are entitled to compensation and benefits identical to those paid to soldiers of the Lebanese Armed Forces and their families. Some payments are provided directly by the authorities. For example, Law No. 364, enacted in 2001 – about a year after Israel’s withdrawal from South Lebanon – grants compensation or a regular pension to prisoners released from Israeli or South Lebanon Army prisons. The amount is based on the duration of imprisonment: longer terms of imprisonment are associated with higher pay. Other payments are transferred to Hizbullah and Amal operatives and their families through the Council for the South, a government body with a budget of tens of millions of dollars,[4] which is effectively controlled by these organizations.
Some of the payments and benefits are associated with specific circumstances, usually with rounds of fighting with Israel. For example, during the last round of fighting, which was started by Hizbullah on October 8, 2023, the Lebanese government at the time, headed by Najib Mikati, in which Hizbullah and its allies had a majority, approved the transfer of millions of dollars in aid to the residents of South Lebanon, including Hizbullah operatives. Moreover, the current Lebanese government, headed by Nawaf Salam, which received the blessing of the U.S.,[5] recently approved tax exemptions for "Lebanese affected by the war," without establishing clear criteria for receiving the aid and without excluding terror operatives.[6] The ambiguity of the criteria suggests that this is an indirect way of compensating Hizbullah supporters and operatives.
Over the past year, there has been growing criticism in Lebanon of the payments made by the state to Hizbullah operatives – which is seen as responsible for dragging the country into the war with Israel on orders from Iran – and there have been calls to stop these payments.
This report reviews the payments and the criticism voiced in this context.
Compensation And Payments To Hizbullah Operatives Hurt In The Recent Round Of Fighting With Israel
Following the latest round of fighting with Israel, initiated by Hizbullah on October 8, 2023 as part of what it called the "aid front" helping Gaza, the Lebanese government allocated several million dollars for compensation for property damage as a result of the war, and for payments to the wounded and the families of slain fighters, most of whom are members of Hizbullah or Amal. As stated, reports in the Lebanese media have it that some of the payments to the wounded and the families of the "martyrs" are made directly by the government itself, while others are transferred via the Council for the South, a government body controlled by Hizbullah and Amal. Moreover, according to one report, the family of a slain Hizbullah operative receives a monthly salary "just like [the family of] a soldier" in the Lebanese army.
The following are some of the benefits mentioned in the Lebanese media:
-- On November 30, 2023, it was reported that the government had allocated $10m for compensating "victims of the aggression," with payments to be channeled via the Council for the South, for property damage and to "the families of the martyrs and the wounded."[7] The Al-Quds Al-Arabi daily reported that individuals with permanent disabilities and the families of the "martyrs" would receive between $10,000 and $20,000.[8] An official in the Council for the South clarified that beneficiaries would include both civilians and armed operatives, stating, "The council will pay the families of the victims $20,000 for each person killed in the shelling... or killed as a member of Hizbullah." In addition, he said, families of Hizbullah martyrs would receive a "monthly salary, just like a soldier," noting that there were about 300 martyrs, "including Hizbullah operatives."[9]
-- On May 28, 2024, the Lebanese government complied with the request of the Council for the South to provide it with approximately $1 million for 52 families of martyrs, most of them Hizbullah fighters. A statement issued by then-prime minister Mikati said that the funds were intended for "families of the martyrs and for families displaced… as a result of the Israeli attacks since October 7, 2023."[10] However, MP Ghada Ayoub, of the anti-Hizbullah Lebanese Forces party, reported that the funds were meant for 52 families of martyrs that had applied for aid, and listed the names of the martyrs. Forty-nine of them were described as "martyrs of the resistance," i.e., as Hizbullah operatives,[11] and only three as "martyred civilians."[12]
The list of beneficiaries published by MP Ghada Ayoub (Source: X.com/DrGhadAyoub, June 9, 2024)
Tax Exemptions For Recent "War Victims"
Furthermore, in early May 2025 the current government under Nawaf Salam – whose establishment, as noted, was welcomed by the U.S. – approved a "draft bill for those affected by the Israeli war, granting them exemptions from certain taxes and fees."[13] Media reports about this did not specify the criteria to qualify for the exemption, and some in Lebanon saw the bill as an "election bribe" ahead of the upcoming municipal elections and as an attempt by Hizbullah and Amal, which are part of the government, to quell the anger of their voters over Hizbullah’s failure to adequately compensate its supporters for the extensive damages of the war.[14]
The bill in question may be the one drafted by Yousuf Khalil, the minister of finance in the previous government, which was not approved by that government. According to the pro-Hizbullah daily Al-Akhbar, that bill applies to individuals, companies and institutions in the Dahiya suburb of Beirut, in the Beqaa Valley and in South Lebanon that were affected by the war, and exempts them from income, municipal and property taxes, as well as from water, electricity and phone charges. The exemptions also apply to "the families of the martyrs."[15]
Hizbullah Casualties And Prisoners Receive The Same Status As Army Soldiers And Public Sector Employees
As noted, these government payments to Hizbullah operatives affected by the recent war are based on past understandings and laws which accord Hizbullah and Amal fighters the same status and rights as Lebanese army soldiers and public sector employees. In 1999 the then heads of the Lebanese state, all of them allies of Hizbullah – namely parliament speaker and Amal movement head Nabih Berri, president Emile Lahoud and prime minister Salim Al-Huss – agreed that slain and wounded fighters of the "resistance" (i.e., of Hizbullah and Amal) would be entitled to the same compensation and payments as soldiers of the Lebanese army.[16] A notable example was in May 2024, when the Lebanese government ordered the transfer of approximately $260,000 from the state budget reserves to the Council for the South "in order to ensure the payment of temporary compensation for 2024 to 383 families of resistance martyrs." The government specified that these payments were based on Decree No. 11227, issued by the cabinet on April 18, 2023, granting families temporary monthly compensation amounting to 75% of the deceased’s salary.[17] However, the original decree referred only to public sector employees and to members of the armed and security forces, not to operatives of the "resistance." So in this instance, Hizbullah fighters were accorded the same status as public sector employees and members of Lebanon’s security forces.[18]
Compensation And Pension Payments For Lebanese Citizens Released From Israeli Prisons
Lebanese citizens who were imprisoned in Israel or by the South Lebanon Army (SLA) are also entitled to compensation and pension payments from the state, the amount of which depends on the length of their incarceration. This is based on Law No. 364, which was passed in 2001, one year after Israel’s withdrawal from South Lebanon. The law awards a payment of 2.5 million Lebanese pounds (in 2001 this sum was equivalent to $1,600) to individuals imprisoned for one year or less, and five million pounds per year of imprisonment to those incarcerated for one to three years. Individuals imprisoned for more than three years can choose between two options: either a payment of five million pounds per year of imprisonment, or a monthly pension of 400,000 pounds plus a payment of 11,000 pounds for each year of imprisonment. Prisoners who were harmed during their incarceration are also eligible for compensation, regardless of the length of imprisonment. The family of a prisoner who died in prison is entitled to receive his pension, regardless of the length of imprisonment.[19]
The Council For The South – A State-Funded Government Body Serving Amal And Hizbullah
As mentioned above, some of the payments made by the state to Hizbullah operatives are funneled through the Council for the South, which was established by the government in 1970 and is subordinate to the prime minister. Its stated objectives are "to foster the steadfastness of the people of South [Lebanon], provide compensation for damage caused by Israeli attacks and transfer funds to public projects in the south."[20] The heads of the council over the years have been Amal officials, as is the council’s present head, Hashem Haidar.[21]
The council receives an annual budget from the state, supplemented by contributions from non-state actors.[22] According to a report from 2017, its budget that year was $40 million.[23] The anti-Hizbullah daily Nida Al-Watan reported in 2020 that the council’s budget that year was 200 billion Lebanese pounds (about $2.3 million at the current exchange rate).[24]
Some of the state funds funneled to the council end up in the hands of Hizbullah and Amal. In addition to repairing buildings damaged in Israeli airstrikes and carrying out infrastructure projects, the council compensates the families of armed operatives who were killed in the fighting with Israel. According to Qabalan Qabalan, who was head of the council until 2022, social benefits are provided to "the wounded, to released prisoners and to the families of those injured or killed… They are provided to [the families of] victims who carried arms and were killed in confrontations with the Israeli enemy… We have been doing this since 1999."
In the years since the council’s establishment, residents of the south have complained that it favors Hizbullah and Amal activists and their supporters. It was reported, for example, that the families of slain operatives of the Lebanese National Resistance Front[25] received compensation of 100,000 Lebanese pounds, while families of Hizbullah and Amal slain operatives received 20 million pounds. It was further claimed that the council favored Amal and Hizbullah strongholds over other localities on the border with Israel. Furthermore, the council pays rent to Amal for offices it uses that are owned by this movement.[26]
Criticism In Lebanon: The Lebanese Government Must Stop Funding Hizbullah Fighters
In recent months, there has been growing criticism in Lebanon against the payments made to Hizbullah, which is seen as responsible for dragging the country into the war per instructions from Iran and without regard for Lebanon’s interests. For example, following the government’s May 28, 2024 decision to transfer approximately $1 million to the Council for the South for payments to the families of 52 "martyrs," most of them Hizbullah fighters, MP Ghada Ayoub wrote on X: "On behalf of the Lebanese people and as representatives of the entire [Lebanese] nation, we submitted a question to the Lebanese government regarding the legality of taking money from the Lebanese people’s pockets – from the budget reserves – to pay about $20,000 to [each] family of the martyrs [who were killed] due to [Hizbullah’s] decision to start a war in order to help Gaza, a decision taken in contravention of Article 65 of the Lebanese Constitution.[27] We also stress that compensation must only be paid to innocent and unarmed civilians."[28]
Hizbullah Opponents: This Organization Dragged Us Into A War, And Now We Must Compensate It Out Of Our Own Pockets. What Kind Of Twisted Logic Is This?!
Lebanese politician Hadi Mashmoushi of the National Dialogue Party agreed with Ayoub, writing on X: "…We have nothing to do with the commanders and fighters of Hizbullah, which decided on its own to declare a war in disregard of the state and the constitution, as well as the will, the interest, the security and the stability of the Lebanese citizens. Furthermore, [this organization] threatens our lives and the lives of our children and forces the government to pay compensation out of our pockets. What kind of twisted logic is this?! I am sometimes amazed by the impudence of these liars, who dare to demand what they do not deserve."[29]
Lebanese journalist Pierre Jabour wrote on X: "Lebanon is at the mercy of Hizbullah. Ninety-three billion pounds [will go] to the south while the people are bankrupt. Hizbullah controls decisions of war and peace without oversight or supervision. The state is unable to hold it to account or to defend itself. The Lebanese people are going bankrupt and paying taxes to fund Hizbullah’s wars. Where is Hizbullah’s responsibility for the destruction of the south? People of the south who oppose Hizbullah should speak out. Those who cry out that they are ‘willing to sacrifice themselves for [slain Hizbullah leader Hassan] Nasrallah are the ones who should pay the price for his adventures.’[30]
Lebanese Journalist: Hizbullah Steals From The State Coffers Under The Auspices Of The Law – The Country Must Stop This
Similar criticism was expressed by Nida Al-Watan columnist Alain Sarkis, who alluded to Law No. 364, enacted in 2001, which deals with the payment of compensation to Hizbullah operatives released from Israeli or SLA prisons. He wrote that these payments are made at the expense of soldiers in the Lebanese army and are another expression of Hizbullah’s control of Lebanon’s decision-making:
"[Over the years] Hizbullah has managed to take control of Lebanon’s centers of power. The parliament, which [for many years] operated under the patronage of the Syrian regime, enacted laws that were funded by the Lebanese [state], so that some of the people pay taxes while Hizbullah enjoys these funds [and uses them] to ensure the welfare of its fighters…
"Following the first Israeli withdrawal on May 25, 2000, [then Lebanese president Emile] Lahoud and the [Lebanese] government took part in subordinating the state’s funds to Hizbullah and to its supporters at the expense of the wages of the [Lebanese army] soldiers, which were cut in order to transfer [funds] to south [Lebanon, i.e., to Hizbullah]. Automobile taxes were raised and [new] taxes were imposed and transferred indirectly to Hizbullah on the pretext of supporting the south.
"What is worse than all these duties and taxes is the law approved by parliament in 2001 [i.e. Law No. 364] at the behest of Hizbullah, [Emile] Lahoud and the Syrians, which treats any prisoner, including those detained in Israel or even in the prisons of the SLA, like a soldier in the Lebanese army and grants him compensation and a salary. This law is still in force. They manipulated the law to provide a permanent pension or compensation to every prisoner who was held by the SLA and to his family…
"The state still implements this law. Hizbullah exploited its influence to expand the circle of those who benefit from this law, with no accountability or oversight, especially after the release of the prisoners of 2008.[31] Then [Hizbullah] took over the Ministry of Finance[32] – [a move] that cost and continues to cost the state huge amounts – in order to [guarantee] that its fighters receive the same funding as the Lebanese Armed Forces… Now the parliament faces a serious issue: will it continue to finance Hizbullah’s fighters in a roundabout manner, or will it stop implementing the law [?]… How can the Lebanese government, which is trying to regain its sovereignty, treat Hizbullah’s operatives the same way it treats the soldiers of the Lebanese Armed Forces? Will the Lebanese people continue to pay taxes to fund Hizbullah’s fighters, especially considering that most of the [released] prisoners have returned to their activities in the service of Hizbullah[?] What depletes the state coffers more than anything else is the stipend paid to the wives and children of slain [Hizbullah] fighters. Will the parliament have the courage to stop wasting [money by] funding Hizbullah, or will it ignore what is happening?
"The government cannot continue the reform and the battle against corruption without abolishing the law enacted in 2001 and under the Syrian occupation. Abolishing it is part of the reform that will enable [us] to turn to the international community and attract investments. [A failure] to correct the law is likely to expose the country to sanctions, because the law no longer deals [only] with prisoners but is an unjust law for funding Hizbullah and its supporters.
"There is no doubt that the amounts paid out [under this law] have been very high… The fact that the wives and children of deceased prisoners continue to receive their salaries means the continued waste of state funds and the financing of Hizbullah with legal funds but in illegal ways. There is no transparency in this matter and the number of prisoners who receive [the payments] is concealed, but there are thousands, in addition to prisoners who are currently [held by Israel] and will be released in the future."[33]
[1] A prominent example of this was in May 2008, when Hizbullah gunmen took over parts of Beirut and areas in the Mount Lebanon region in response to a government decision to enforce its sovereignty over Beirut International Airport and to dismantle Hizbullah’s private communications network.
[2] For more information, see MEMRI Reports: Special Dispatch No. 11861 - Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas At Fatah Revolutionary Council Session: We Will Not Stop The Payments To The Prisoners And The Martyrs’ Families – February 28, 2025; MEMRI Daily Brief No. 97 - MEMRI President Yigal Carmon’s Testimony To House Committee On Foreign Affairs, July 6, 2016: Palestinian Authority Support For Imprisoned, Released, And Wounded Terrorists And Families Of ‘Martyrs’, July 6, 2016.
[3] Lebanon’s budget for 2024 was approximately $3.5 bn. It should be noted that the 2023 budget was not approved by the parliament in time and but was approved retroactively along with the 2024 budget. (http://77.42.251.205/LawView.aspx?opt=view&LawID=330076). According to a Blominvest Bank report, the foreign aid to Lebanon in 2023 amounted to over $1 bn, namely about a third of the annual budget (Blog.blominvestbank.com, May 27, 2024).
[4] It should be noted that in the early 2000s, one dollar was worth about 1,600 Lebanese pounds.
[5] See MEMRI Inquiry & Analysis Series No. 1814 - One Day After U.S. Draws ‘Red Line’ Over Hizbullah Participation In Lebanese Government, Triggering Threats Against It And Its Representative, Lebanon Announces New Government That Includes Hizbullah, And U.S. Gives In And Welcomes It – February 21, 2025.
[6] Al-Nahar (Lebanon), March 6, 2025. It should be noted that the previous government, headed by Mikati, also considered granting partial tax exemptions, including to "families of martyrs." Al-Akhbar (Lebanon), December 20, 2024.
[7] Al-Akhbar (Lebanon), November 30, 2023.
[8] Al-Quds Al-Arabi (London), December 1, 2023.
[9] Independantarabia.com, April 4, 2024.
[10] Najib-mikati.net, May 28, 2024.
[11] Among them were Ali Muhammad Marmar, Ahmad Hassan Mustafa and Mahdi Khalil Za’tar, for example, all of whom were described by Hizbullah itself as "jihad fighters" in the organization, Almanar.com.lb, October 28, November 30, 2023; and alahednews.com.lb, December 14, 2023.
[12] Info3.com, June 9, 2024; X.com/DrGhadAyoub, June 9, 2024.
[13] Al-Nahar (Lebanon), March 6, 2025.
[14] Nida Al-Watan (Lebanon), March 6, 2025.
[15] Al-Akhbar (Lebanon), December 20, 2024.
[16] Al-Safir (Lebanon), March 23, 1999.
[17] Pcm.gov.lb, May 30, 2024.
[18] Law.aspx?lawId=326444, April 18, 2023.
[19] 77.42.251.205/LawView.aspx?opt=view&LawID=181047, August 16, 2001.
[20] Councilforsouth.gov.lb.
[21] Al-Akhbar (Lebanon), August 15, 2011.
[22] Councilforsouth.gov.lb.
[23] Publicworksstudio.com.
[24] Nida Al-Watan (Lebanon), January 25, 2020.
[25] A military organization comprising several Lebanese and Syrian left-wing and socialist factions, including the Lebanese Socialist Party and the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, which operated against the Israeli army in 1982-1999.
[26] Independentarabia.com, December 27, 2023.
[27] This article states that taking decisions on basic issues, including issues of war and peace, requires the approval of two thirds of the government ministers (lp.gov.lb), i.e. is the responsibility of the government.
[28] X.com/DrGhadaAyoub, June 9, 2024.
[29] X.com/hadimashmoushi, June 9, 2024.
[30] X.com/PierreJabour14, May 30, 2024.
[31] The reference is to five Hizbullah operatives, chief of them the notorious terrorist Samir Kuntar, who were released in a prisoner exchange deal with Israel in June 2008.
[32] Since 2014, the position of finance minister has been held by Shi’ite politicians from Amal, which is allied with Hizbullah.
[33] Nida Al-Watan (Lebanon), February 20, 2025.
https://www.memri.org/reports/pay-slay-%E2%80%93-lebanon-edition-lebanese-government-pays-hizbullah-operatives-and-their-families

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on April 09-10/2025
Trump: Israel would be 'leader' of Iran strike if Tehran doesn't give up nuclear weapons program
Aamer Madhani/The Associated Press/April 09/2025
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Israel would be the “leader” of a potential military strike against Iran if Tehran doesn’t give up its nuclear weapons program. Trump made the comments ahead of this weekend's scheduled talks involving U.S. and Iranian officials in the Middle East sultanate of Oman. Trump earlier this week said the talks would be “direct” while Iran has described the engagement as “indirect” talks with the U.S. “If it requires military, we’re going to have military,” Trump said. "Israel will obviously be very much involved in that. They’ll be the leader of that. But nobody leads us, but we do what we want to do."Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this week said he supports Trump’s diplomatic efforts to reach a settlement with Iran. He added that Israel and the U.S. share the same goal of ensuring that Iran does not develop a nuclear weapon. Netanyahu, however, led efforts to persuade Trump to pull out of a U.S.-brokered deal with Iran in 2018. The Israeli leader, known for his hawkish views on Iran and past calls for military pressure, said he would welcome a diplomatic agreement along the lines of Libya’s deal with the international community in 2003. But that deal saw Libya’s late dictator Moammar Gadhafi give up all of his clandestine nuclear program. Iran has insisted its program, acknowledged to the International Atomic Energy Agency, should continue. “I think that would be a good thing,” Netanyahu said. “But whatever happens, we have to make sure that Iran does not have nuclear weapons.”The United States is increasingly concerned as Tehran is closer than ever to a workable weapon. But Trump said on Wednesday that he doesn't have a definitive timeline for the talks to come to a resolution.
“When you start talks, you know, if they’re going along well or not," Trump said. "And I would say the conclusion would be what I think they’re not going along well. So that’s just a feeling.”The U.S. and other world powers in 2015 reached a long-term, comprehensive nuclear agreement that limited Tehran’s enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. But Trump unilaterally withdrew the U.S. from the nuclear agreement in 2018, calling it the “worst deal ever.”Iran and the U.S., under President Joe Biden, held indirect negotiations in Vienna in 2021 aimed at restoring the nuclear deal. But those talks, and others between Tehran and European nations, failed to reach any agreement. Meanwhile, the U.S. Treasury Department earlier on Wednesday issued new sanctions targeting Iran’s nuclear program. Five entities and one person based in Iran are cited in the new sanctions for their support of Iran’s nuclear program. The designated groups include the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran and subordinates Iran Centrifuge Technology Company, Thorium Power Company, Pars Reactors Construction and Development Company and Azarab Industries Co. “I want Iran to be great,” Trump said Wednesday. “The only thing that they can’t have is a nuclear weapon. They understand that.”Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian again pledged Wednesday that his nation is “not after a nuclear bomb” and even dangled the prospect of direct American investment in the Islamic Republic if the countries can reach a deal. The comments by the reformist leader represent a departure from Iran’s stance after its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, in which Tehran sought to buy American airplanes but in effect barred U.S. companies from coming into the country. “His excellency has no opposition to investment by American investors in Iran,” Pezeshkian said in a speech in Tehran, referring to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “American investors: Come and invest.”

‘The Ball Is in America’s Court’: Iran Insists Against Trump That Forthcoming Nuclear Talks Will Be ‘Indirect’
FDD/April 09/2025
Iran Says Talks a ‘Test’ For America: Iranian officials have confirmed that negotiations with the United States over its nuclear program will be held on April 12. However, in contrast to President Donald Trump’s statement during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the talks would be held face to face, the Iranians said the negotiations would be “indirect.” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated on X that “Iran and the United States will meet in Oman on Saturday for indirect high-level talks. It is as much an opportunity as it is a test. The Ball is in America’s court.”
Foreign Minister Rejects ‘Libya-style’ Outcome: Araghchi will lead the Iranian delegation, while the U.S. delegation will be headed by U.S. presidential envoy Steve Witkoff. The negotiations will be held in the Omani capital of Muscat, with Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi expected to act as an intermediary, passing messages between the two sides. A day before Trump’s announcement, Araghchi told the Iran-aligned Al-Mayadeen that “the U.S. can only dream” of an outcome that would entail Iran following Libya’s 2003 example whereby it dismantled its WMD program in exchange for sanctions relief.
Iran-Russia Strategic Partnership Advances: On April 8, Russia’s lower house of parliament, the State Duma, ratified the 20-year Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Russia and Iran. The agreement, which was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian on January 17, would make Russia and Iran strategic partners in “all areas.” Israel’s ambassador in Moscow, Simona Halperin, said in January that the deal “is dangerous for the entire world and particularly for Israel.”
FDD Expert Response
“The regime in Iran is a master of delay and deception. If it does not agree to the full, verified, and permanent dismantlement of its nuclear weapons program as a basis for further talks, negotiators should call it a day and focus on bolstering President Trump’s economic and military threats.” — Andrea Stricker, Nonproliferation and Biodefense Program Deputy Director and Research Fellow
“The United States needs to build and maintain its leverage with Iran if direct talks are to yield meaningful dismantlement of the nuclear program. The United States should continue to impose financial pressure on Iran’s global network of oil and illicit finance while partnering with Israel to degrade Iranian proxies such as Hezbollah and the Houthi rebels in Yemen. Any talks that provide relief to Iran in exchange for time will fail, resulting in an emboldened Islamic Republic.” — Tyler Stapleton, Director of Congressional Relations, FDD Action

Iran’s President Insists Tehran Does Not Seek a Nuclear Bomb and Dangles US Business Opportunities
Asharq Al Awsat/April 09/2025
Iran's president again pledged Wednesday that his nation is "not after a nuclear bomb" ahead of talks between Tehran and the United States, going as far as dangling the prospect of direct American investment in his country if the countries can reach a deal. The comments by reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian represent a departure from Iran's stance after its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, in which Tehran sought to buy American airplanes but in effect barred US companies from coming into the country. "His excellency has no opposition to investment by American investors in Iran," Pezeshkian said in a speech in Tehran, referring to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. "American investors: Come and invest."Such a business proposal could draw the interest of US President Donald Trump, who withdrew America from Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers in his first term and now seeks a new agreement with the country. Pezeshkian, who campaigned on a platform of outreach to the West during his election last year, also added that Saturday's talks in Oman between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff would be conducted "indirectly." Trump has said the talks would be direct negotiations — something Tehran hasn't ruled out after the first round of discussions. "We are not after a nuclear bomb," Pezeshkian added. "You (in the West) have verified it 100 times. Do it 1,000 times again."

Iran says open to US investment, against interference
Associated Press/April 09, 2025
Iran's president again pledged Wednesday that his nation is "not after a nuclear bomb" ahead of talks between Tehran and the United States, going as far as dangling the prospect of direct American investment in the Islamic Republic if the countries can reach a deal. The comments by reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian represent a departure from Iran's stance after its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, in which Tehran sought to buy American airplanes but in effect barred U.S. companies from coming into the country. "His excellency has no opposition to investment by American investors in Iran," Pezeshkian said in a speech in Tehran, referring to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. "American investors: Come and invest." Such a business proposal could draw the interest of U.S. President Donald Trump, who withdrew America from Iran's nuclear deal with world powers in his first term and now seeks a new agreement with the country. Pezeshkian, who campaigned on a platform of outreach to the West during his election last year, also added that Saturday's talks in Oman between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff would be conducted "indirectly." Trump has said the talks would be direct negotiations — something Tehran hasn't ruled out after the first round of discussions. "We are not after a nuclear bomb," Pezeshkian added. "You (in the West) have verified it 100 times. Do it 1,000 times again."

US Issues New Sanctions on Iran as Trump Seeks Talks
Asharq Al Awsat/April 09/2025
The United States issued fresh sanctions on Iran on Wednesday, the Treasury Department said, two days after President Donald Trump announced the US planned direct talks with Tehran over its nuclear program. The department designated five entities and one person based in Iran for their support of Iran's nuclear program, Treasury said in a statement, with the aim of denying Iran a nuclear weapon. The designated groups played a crucial role in supporting two previously sanctioned entities that manage the country's nuclear program: the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) and its subordinate, The Iran Centrifuge Technology Company (TESA), Treasury said. The action comes after Trump made a surprise announcement on Monday that the United States and Iran were poised to begin direct talks on Tehran's nuclear program, but Iran's foreign minister said the discussions in Oman would be indirect. In a further sign of the difficult path to any deal between the two geopolitical foes, Trump issued a stark warning that if the talks were unsuccessful, "Iran is going to be in great danger."The Iran Centrifuge Technology Company is crucial to Iran’s uranium enrichment efforts through the production of centrifuges, Treasury said in a statement. The person targeted by the new sanctions is Majid Mosallat, managing director of the Atbin Ista Technical and Engineering Company, which Treasury said helps the company acquire components from foreign suppliers. "The Iranian regime’s reckless pursuit of nuclear weapons remains a grave threat to the United States and a menace to regional stability and global security," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in the statement.

Bombing Iran Will Not Pave the Way for Peace, Says Russia
Asharq Al Awsat/April 09/2025
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday that bombing Iran would not pave the way to peace with, and that Moscow hoped that talks between the US and Iran may help to avoid a crisis. Answering a question from Reuters, Zakharova said that the world is growing tired of "endless" threats against Iran, and that Russia advocated a reasonable approach to the dispute over Tehran's nuclear program.Russian Security Council secretary Sergei Shoigu held a call with the head of Oman's Palace Office, Sultan bin Mohammed al-Nu'amani, during which they discussed the Middle East, state news agency RIA reported on Wednesday. Iran and the US are set to hold talks in Oman this week, with tensions around Tehran's nuclear ambitions high. Russia has in recent years deepened ties with Iran.

Macron says France could recognise Palestinian state in June
Reuters/April 9, 2025
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday France could recognise a Palestinian state in June, adding that in turn some countries in the Middle East could recognise the state of Israel. "We need to move towards recognition (of a Palestinian state). And so over the next few months, we will. I'm not doing it to please anyone. I'll do it because at some point it will be right," he said during a interview on France 5 television. "And because I also want to take part in a collective dynamic that should also enable those who defend Palestine to recognise Israel in their turn, something that many of them are not doing."Even though Palestine has been recognized as a sovereign state by almost 150 countries, most major Western powers have not, including the United States, Britain, France, Germany and Japan. Among countries that do not recognize Israel are Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Syria and Yemen. "Our objective is somewhere in June, with Saudi Arabia, to chair this conference where we could finalise the movement towards reciprocal recognition by several countries," Macron said.

US Senate Confirms Staunch Pro-Israel Conservative Huckabee as Israel Ambassador
Asharq Al Awsat/April 09/2025
The US Senate on Wednesday backed former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel, installing a staunch pro-Israel conservative in the high-profile post amid war in Gaza and relations complicated by US tariffs. The Senate backed Huckabee by 53 to 46, largely along party lines, with Republicans all backing President Donald Trump's nominee and every Democrat except Pennsylvania's John Fetterman voting against him. An evangelical Christian, Huckabee has been a vocal supporter of Israel throughout his political career and a longtime defender of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank. Critics said the former Republican presidential candidate was too partisan to represent the United States given the sensitivity of negotiations to end the war in Gaza and avoid broader regional war. But Huckabee's supporters said he knew Israel well, having visited more than 100 times, and was well positioned to work closely with Trump. "We urgently need a qualified ambassador in the region, and I have no doubt Mike Huckabee is that person," Republican Senator Jim Risch of Idaho, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said as he urged support for the nominee.

Netanyahu-Trump meeting reveals unexpected gaps on key issues
Associated Press/April 09, 2025
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to Washington for a hastily organized White House visit bringing a long list of concerns: Iran's nuclear program. President Donald Trump's tariffs. The surging influence of rival Turkey in Syria. And the 18-month war in Gaza.
Netanyahu appeared to leave Monday's meeting largely empty-handed — a stark contrast with his triumphant visit two months ago. During an hourlong Oval Office appearance, Trump appeared to slap down, contradict or complicate each of Netanyahu's policy prerogatives.
On Tuesday, Netanyahu declared the meeting a success, calling it a "very good visit" and claiming successes on all fronts. But privately, the Israeli delegation felt it was a tough meeting, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. Netanyahu "didn't hear exactly what he wanted to hear, so he returns back home with very little," said Nadav Eyal, a commentator with the Yediot Ahronot daily, who added that the visit was still friendly, despite the disagreements. Netanyahu's second pilgrimage to Washington under Trump's second term was organized at short notice and billed as an attempt to address the new U.S. tariff regime. But it came at a pivotal time in Middle East geopolitics. Israel restarted the war in Gaza last month, ending a Trump-endorsed ceasefire, and tensions with Iran are rising over its nuclear program.
Netanyahu and his allies were thrilled with Trump's return to office given his strong support for Israel during his first term. This time around, Trump has not only nominated pro-Israel figures for key administration positions, he has abandoned the Biden administration's criticism of Israel's conduct in Gaza and the West Bank, and of Netanyahu's steps to weaken Israeli courts. Monday's meeting showed that while Trump remains sympathetic to Israel, Netanyahu's relationship with the president during his second term is more complicated and unpredictable than he may have expected. Here is a look at where Trump and Netanyahu appear to have diverged. Netanyahu has long pushed for military pressure against Iran
With Netanyahu's strong encouragement, Trump in 2018 unilaterally withdrew the United States from the agreement between world powers and Iran over its nuclear program. That deal, negotiated by the Obama administration, put curbs on Iran's nuclear program. It was denigrated by Netanyahu because he said it did not go far enough to contain Iran or address Iran's support for regional militant groups. Netanyahu has long maintained that military pressure was the best way to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Israel struck Iran last year in the countries' first direct conflict ever. But it did not target Iran's nuclear facilities, something Israel would likely need U.S. military assistance to do in order to strike targets buried deep underground.
Trump has suggested, including on Monday, that the U.S. could take military action if Iran doesn't agree to negotiate. But his announcement Monday that talks would take place between the U.S. and Iran this weekend flew in the face of Netanyahu's hawkish views.
Netanyahu gave a tepid endorsement, noting that both leaders agree that Iran cannot develop a nuclear weapon. He said he would would favor a diplomatic agreement similar to Libya's deal in 2003 to destroy its nuclear facilities and allow inspectors unfettered access. However, it is not clear if Trump will set such strict conditions. Eyal said the announcement with Netanyahu by Trump's side was meant to show the transparency between the countries' leadership. Netanyahu hoped for tariff relief and appeared to be rebuffed. A day before Trump's so-called Liberation Day unleashed global tariffs on the world last week, Israel preemptively announced that it would eliminate all levies on U.S. goods. But that didn't spare Israeli products from being slapped with a 17% tariff by its largest trading partner. Netanyahu was summoned to Washington ostensibly to make Israel's case against the levy. He was the first international leader to do so, in an encounter that may have set the stage for how other world leaders approach the tariffs. While Trump repeatedly praised the Israeli leader, he did not appear to budge on Israel's share of the burden. Asked if he might change his mind, he said "maybe not." He cited the billions of dollars the U.S. gives Israel in military assistance each year — money that is seen as the bedrock of the U.S.-Israel relationship and an insurance policy for U.S. interests in the region. "We give Israel $4 billion a year. That's a lot," he said, as though to suggest Israel was already getting enough from the U.S., and congratulated Netanyahu on that achievement.
Netanyahu was told to be reasonable on Turkey
Since the fall of the Assad dynasty in Syria late last year, Israel and Turkey have been competing in the country over their separate interests there. Israel fears that Syria's new leadership, which has an Islamist past, will pose a new threat along its border. It has since taken over a buffer zone in Syrian territory and said it will remain there indefinitely until new security arrangements are made. Turkey has emerged as a key player in Syria, prompting concerns in Israel over the possibility of Turkey expanding its military presence inside the country. Netanyahu said Tuesday that Turkish bases in Syria would be a "danger to Israel." Once strong regional partners, ties between Israel and Turkey have long been frosty and deteriorated further over the war in Gaza. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been an outspoken critic of the war, prompting angry reactions from Israeli officials. Netanyahu sought to hear support from his stalwart ally Trump on a country Israel perceives as increasingly hostile. Instead, Trump lavished praise on Erdogan for "taking over Syria," positioned himself as a possible mediator between the countries and urged Netanyahu to be "reasonable" in his dealings with the country. "Israel is not provided with a blank check here," said Udi Sommer, an expert on U.S.-Israel relations at Tel Aviv University. "There's no unconditional love here. It is contingent. It is contingent on Israel behaving a certain way."
Trump wants the war in Gaza to end
While both addressed the ongoing war in Gaza and the Israeli hostages who remain held there, the topic appeared to take a backseat to other issues. Netanyahu spoke of the hostages' plight and an emerging deal to free them, as well as the need to end the "evil tyranny of Hamas." Trump sympathized with the hostages and made another pitch for his plan to "own" Gaza and remove its Palestinian population, a once fringe idea in Israeli discourse that has now found acceptance among mainstream politicians, including Netanyahu. However, there were signs of differences on the horizon. Netanyahu broke the ceasefire last month and has been under major pressure from his governing allies to keep up the fighting until Hamas is crushed. He has appeared to be in no rush to end the war or bring home the remaining hostages. Trump, however, made it clear that he'd like to see the hostages freed and for the war to end. "And I think the war will stop at some point that won't be in the too distant future," he said.

Israel’s Netanyahu meets new CIA chief in Jerusalem
AFP/April 09, 2025
JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met on Wednesday with CIA chief John Ratcliffe in Jerusalem, a statement from the premier’s office said. “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Wednesday evening with the head of the American Central Intelligence Agency John Ratcliffe, along with the head of the Mossad, Dadi (David) Barnea,” the statement said, days before the US is due to hold nuclear talks with Iran and amid continued attempts to revive a Gaza ceasefire. Netanyahu returned from Washington on Wednesday morning following a meeting in the White House where President Donald Trump made a shock announcement that the US was starting direct, high-level talks with Iran over its nuclear program this coming Saturday. Following the announcement, however, Netanyahu said that “the military option” would become “inevitable” if talks between Washington and Tehran dragged on. “We agree that Iran will not have nuclear weapons,” Netanyahu said in a video statement ahead of his return to Israel. “This can be done in an agreement, but only if... they go in, blow up (Iran’s) facilities, dismantle all the equipment, under American supervision,” he said, adding that if talks drag on, “then the military option becomes inevitable.”Also during their meeting, the two leaders said that new negotiations were in the works aimed at getting more hostages released from captivity in Gaza. The United States, Qatar and Egypt brokered a fragile ceasefire whose first phase took effect on January 19. The ceasefire lasted until March 18, with Israel resuming intense air strikes on Gaza. The truce had allowed the return of 33 Israeli hostages, eight of whom were dead, in exchange for the release of some 1,800 Palestinians held in Israeli jails.

Gaza Rescuers Say 23 Killed in Israel Strike on Residential Block
Asharq Al Awsat/April 09/2025
Gaza's civil defense agency said an Israeli strike on a residential building in Gaza City killed at least 23 people Wednesday, most of them children or women, as the military said it targeted a "senior Hamas" fighter. The latest strike comes weeks into a renewed offensive by Israel's military on the war-battered territory, which has displaced hundreds of thousands, while an aid blockade has revived the specter of famine for its 2.4 million people. The strike took place in the Shujaiya neighborhood of Gaza City, the agency's spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP. "The death toll from the Shujaiya massacre has risen to 23 martyrs, including eight children and eight women," he said, adding that more than 60 people were wounded. "There are still people trapped under the rubble." Ayub Salim, a 26-year-old Shujaiya resident, told AFP he witnessed the strike on the four-storey block. He said the area was hit with "multiple missiles" and was "overcrowded with tents, displaced people and homes". "Shrapnel flew in all directions," he said, speaking of "a terrifying and indescribable scene". "Dust and massive destruction filled the entire place, we couldn't see anything, just the screams and panic of the people".
Salim said the dead were "torn to pieces". "Even now, emergency crews are still transporting the dead and the injured. It is truly a horrific massacre," he said. A crew from the Gaza civil defense agency rushed to the scene, only to find several people trapped under the rubble, a rescuer said. "This house was home to many people who believed they were safe. It was blown up over their heads," Ibrahim Abu al-Rish told AFP while men worked hard to clear out rubble behind him. He added that the strike hit while many children were playing inside. "The house was directly bombed, and the entire residential area was destroyed," he said. "We pulled out the remains of women and children. There are still people buried under the rubble." First responders and neighbors worked to break through the concrete floor of an entire storey that collapsed in the strike and trapped residents. Taking turns swinging a sledgehammer through the thick, hard surface, they eventually broke a hole through which the bodies of children were extracted and taken away wrapped in dusty blankets.
'Bloody massacre'
When asked by AFP about the strike, the Israeli military said it "struck a senior Hamas terrorist who was responsible for planning and executing terrorist attacks" from the area.
It did not give the target's name and renewed its claim that the group uses "human shields", which Hamas denies. Hamas condemned the strike as one of the "most heinous acts of genocide." "The terrorist Zionist occupation army has committed a bloody massacre by bombing a densely populated residential area filled with civilians and displaced people," the group said in a statement. "These ongoing massacres against our defenseless people -- with full support from the American administration, which is complicit in the aggression -- represent a stain on the conscience of the international community." The Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority's foreign ministry condemned the strike as a "heinous massacre". "The ministry considers it an official Israeli attempt to systematically kill our people en masse and destroy the very foundations of their existence in the Gaza Strip, thus forcing them to emigrate," it said in a statement. Israel resumed intense strikes on the Gaza Strip on March 18, ending a two-month ceasefire with Hamas. Efforts to restore the truce have so far failed. The health ministry in the Hamas-run territory said on Wednesday that at least 1,482 Palestinians have been killed in the renewed Israeli operations, taking the overall death toll since the start of the war to 50,846. Hamas's October 2023 attack that triggered the war resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. Hossam Badran, a member of Hamas's political bureau, told AFP on Tuesday that it was "necessary to reach a ceasefire" in Gaza. He added that "communication with the mediators is still ongoing" but that "so far, there are no new proposals". US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that new negotiations were in the works aimed at getting more hostages released from captivity in Gaza. Of the 251 hostages seized during Hamas's attack on Israel, 58 are still held in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.

OIC condemns Israeli decision to close 6 UNRWA schools in Jerusalem
Arab News/April 09, 2025
LONDON: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation condemned the Israeli authorities’ decision to close six schools of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in Jerusalem. The OIC condemned Israel’s decision as an illegal attempt to undermine the UN agency’s role in the occupied city, calling it a blatant violation of the UN Charter and Resolution 302 (IV), which established the agency’s mandate in December 1949. In 2024, Israel passed a law that prohibits the operations of UNRWA in East Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank. Since October 2023, Israeli attacks in Gaza have resulted in the demolition or damage of numerous UNRWA schools and health centers. On Tuesday, Israeli authorities notified six UNRWA schools in Jerusalem’s neighborhoods of Shuafat, Silwan, Sur Baher, and Wadi Al-Joz that they will be closed within 30 days. The OIC said the decision would deprive Palestinian refugee children of their fundamental right to education and seek instead to impose the Israeli curriculum on them. The OIC urged all states to support UNRWA with political, financial, and legal assistance to continue serving millions of Palestinian refugees and protecting their rights, as outlined in UN Resolution 194, the Wafa news agency reported.

Hamas Sources: Trump’s Displacement Remarks Inconsistent with US Messages
Gaza: Asharq Al Awsat/April 09/2025
US President Donald Trump’s recent comments about the war in Gaza have sparked cautious optimism for a potential ceasefire, while also raising serious concerns. During his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday, Trump said he expects the conflict to end “soon,” adding: “I want the war in Gaza to stop.”However, Trump reignited controversy by referencing a proposal he once floated early in his presidency: relocating the Palestinians from Gaza and placing the enclave under US control. While Hamas has not issued an official response, sources within the Palestinian group told Asharq Al-Awsat that Trump’s statements are inconsistent with what is being conveyed behind the scenes. “These remarks don’t align with what’s being shared with Hamas leadership or mediators,” they said. They pointed to a shift in US policy and noted that recent American positions conveyed through intermediaries show a more measured approach. They also highlighted strong Arab opposition to any forced displacement from Gaza, which they say has contributed to Washington distancing itself from such ideas - regardless of Trump’s public rhetoric. The meeting between Trump and Netanyahu also touched on the issue of Israeli hostages held in Gaza. Netanyahu said efforts to reach a new agreement were underway, while Trump confirmed that discussions about a new ceasefire are in progress, though he cautioned that securing the hostages’ release could be “a long process.”
Hamas sources confirmed the movement has received a new Egyptian proposal, which has also been shared with Israel, the United States, and other mediators. They linked Trump’s remarks to recent intensified mediation efforts involving Washington. Trump’s revival of the Gaza relocation idea was interpreted by some observers as a response to questions from Israeli journalists, rather than a serious policy stance. Hamas sources downplayed the significance of the statement, suggesting it did not reflect current US efforts on the ground. Meanwhile, Arab foreign ministers recently presented a unified plan in Doha to US envoy Steve Witkoff, centered on Gaza’s reconstruction and governance - without displacing its residents. The plan was reportedly well-received and seen as a foundation for future efforts to resolve the conflict.

Israel orders closure of six UN schools in East Jerusalem after raids
Kareem Khadder and Dana Karni, CNN/April 9, 2025
Israeli forces raided six United Nations schools in East Jerusalem, ordering them to close within 30 days, according to UNRWA, the UN agency for the Palestinian refugees, and the Israeli Ministry of Education. Approximately 800 students will be directly impacted by the closure orders and may not be able to finish the school year, UNRWA’s Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said on social media. Schools run by the agency serve Palestinians in areas occupied by Israel, including East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza.
“UNRWA schools are protected by the privileges and immunities of the United Nations,” Lazzarini said. “Today’s unauthorized entries and issuance of closure orders are a violation of these protections.”Israel’s Ministry of Education said in a statement that parents were directed to register their students at other schools. “The professional staff at the Ministry of Education continue to support the educational framework for each student.”In October, Israel’s parliament passed a law banning UNRWA from activity within Israel and revoking the 1967 treaty that allowed the agency to carry out its mission.
Yulia Malinovsky, a member of the Israeli parliament who sponsored the bill to ban UNRWA, confirmed the closure orders. The schools will have until May 8, she said. “We’re also working very hard to close the water and electricity to all of UNRWA’s facilities (in areas occupied by Israel),” Malinovsky said. “We’re doing everything we can to implement the UNRWA bills fully in all institutions and in all aspects.”Israel has long sought to dismantle the UN agency, arguing that some of its employees are members of Hamas and that UNRWA’s education system teaches students to hate Israel. A UN-commissioned inquiry found that examples in textbooks of anti-Israel bias were “marginal” but nonetheless constituted “a grave violation of neutrality.”The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have alleged that a handful of UNRWA’s 13,000 employees in Gaza participated in the October 7 massacre. UNRWA has repeatedly denied these accusations, saying there is “absolutely no ground for a blanket description of ‘the institution as a whole’ being ‘totally infiltrated.’”UNRWA was founded by the United Nations a year after the 1948 creation of Israel that led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their homes in an event known by Palestinians as the “Nakba” (catastrophe). The agency, which began by assisting about 750,000 Palestinian refugees in 1950, now serves some 5.9 million across the Middle East, many of whom live in refugee camps in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East Jerusalem as well as in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria.In the Gaza Strip, which has been ravaged by a devastating Israeli war for more than a year, UNRWA serves some 1.7 million Palestinian refugees. In the West Bank and East Jerusalem, it assists around 871,500 refugees.
Deadly airstrike in Gaza City
On Wednesday, an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City killed at least 23 Palestinians, including eight children, according to Gaza’s Civil Defense, as the Israeli military said it targeted a senior Hamas militant. The strike destroyed a four-story residential building in the Al-Shujaiya neighborhood in Gaza City and wounded at least 60 others, the Civil Defense said. More than 30 Palestinians are also missing under the rubble, the organization said, including 19 members from one family. “I was heading out to fill water and, on my return back, all of a sudden an entire block was targeted with women and children,” said Hatem Jundyeh, who lives nearby. “What have we done? Are we Hamas so they strike us?” In the aftermath of the strike, rescue crews searched under the debris for any signs of life. One group pulled the body of young boy from the rubble, his body limp and his face bloodied. Another crew nearby tried to jackhammer through enormous slabs of destroyed concrete in a race to save anyone who might still be trapped. “What tools do we have? The entire world is fighting us,” said one volunteer with the Civil Defense. “We recovered a body of a child, but next to him there – his brothers and parents and siblings. The entire world is watching with silence.”Ambulances quickly filled with the wounded in a rush for medical treatment. At the hospital, Palestinians killed in the strike were wrapped in white cloths or rugs. Dr. Fadel Naim, director of Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza, said on social media that one of “the most harrowing cases I’ve witnessed during this war” was a 20-year-old woman who had both breasts and an arm amputated. “What crime did she commit to deserve such brutal disfigurement and the shattering of her future?” Naim asked. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said they struck a “senior Hamas terrorist” who planned and carried out attacks from northern Gaza. “Prior to the strike, numerous steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians including the use of precise weapons, aerial surveillance, and additional intelligence,” the IDF said in a statement after the strike. The IDF did not identify the target of the strike. The strike in northern Gaza comes as the IDF expands its operations in Rafah in the southern portion of the coastal enclave, as a source familiar with the matter tells CNN Israel is planning to hold a significant portion of Gaza for an “indefinite” period of time. Last week, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced a major expansion of the military’s operation in Gaza involving the seizure of large areas of land that would be “incorporated into Israel’s security zones.”The operation would also involve “large-scale evacuation of Gaza’s population from combat zones,” his statement said without specifying details. Katz said the military operation would expand to “crush and clear the area of terrorists and terror infrastructure, while seizing large areas that will be incorporated into Israel’s security zone.”
CNN’s Abeer Salman and Kareem Khadder contributed reporting from Jerusalem, while Ibrahim Dahman contributed from Cairo, Egypt. Khader Al-Za’anoun of Wafa, the official Palestinian news agency, contributed reporting from Gaza.

UN, US warn of increasing Daesh activity in Syria
Arab News/April 09, 2025
LONDON: The UN and US have warned that Daesh is increasing its activities in Syria, raising fears that it could try to free thousands of fighters currently held in prison camps run by Syrian-Kurdish forces. The US has sent troops to Syria in a bid to help stabilize the situation, nearly doubling the size of its presence in the country. Up to 10,000 Daesh fighters, as well as 40,000 of their relatives, are incarcerated in the camps in northeast Syria. “The crown jewel for the Islamic State (Daesh) is still the prisons and camps,” Colin Clarke, head of research for the Soufan Group, a global intelligence and security firm, told the New York Times. “That’s where the experienced, battle-hardened fighters are,” he said. “In addition to whatever muscle they add to the group, if those prisons are open, the pure propaganda value” would serve Daesh’s recruitment efforts for months, Clarke added. It is thought that the recent upheaval caused by the collapse of the Assad regime has provided Daesh with an opportunity to expand its operations in Syria. US intelligence experts fear that the group could now use this as a springboard to sow instability across the Middle East. President Donald Trump, however, has voiced doubts about America’s need for a permanent military presence in Syria. It was hoped that the successor government to the Assad regime would provide a dependable partner to the US, but the outbreak of sectarian violence in parts of Syria last month has raised concerns about how much control it has over the country. Despite its defeat by 2020, Daesh, which at one point controlled a vast swathe of territory across Syria and Iraq, has continued to spread its propaganda, having shot to prominence for its violence and repression, as well as a series of terror attacks in Europe. Last year, the group orchestrated high-profile attacks in Iran, Pakistan and Russia. A US Defense Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the NYT that Daesh claimed 294 attacks in 2024, up from 121 the year before. The committee established by the UN to monitor Daesh said it believed around 400 attacks were committed by the group last year. Prison breaks are not unprecedented. In 2022, nearly 400 people escaped after Daesh attacked a facility in Hasaka, which required US intervention to repel. A recent UN report revealed that Daesh fighters had escaped from Syria’s largest prison camp, Al-Hol, during the fall of the Assad regime.

Turkey talks with Israel about deconfliction in Syria when needed, foreign minister says
Reuters/April 9, 2025
Turkey has been holding technical talks with Israel for deconfliction in Syria when needed, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Wednesday. Fidan's remarks came a week after Israel stepped up airstrikes on Syria, declaring the attacks a warning to the new government in Damascus as it accused Turkey of trying to turn the country into a Turkish protectorate. Turkish military teams had scoped out at least three air bases in Syria where they could deploy forces as part of a planned joint defence pact before Israel hit the sites with airstrikes, Reuters reported last week. "While we are conducting certain operations in Syria, there needs to be a deconfliction mechanism with Israel, which flies aircraft in that region, similar to mechanisms we have with the U.S. and Russia," Fidan said on private broadcaster CNN Turk. "There are technical contacts to prevent combat elements from misunderstanding each other," Fidan said, adding technical teams are contacting each other "when needed."Fidan said technical talks with Israel are solely for deconfliction in Syria and do not aim at normalising relations. NATO member Turkey has fiercely criticised Israel over its attacks on Gaza since 2023, saying they amount to a genocide against the Palestinians. It has applied to join a case at the World Court against Israel while also halting trade.Israel denies the genocide accusations. Fidan last week told Reuters that Turkey wants no confrontation with Israel in Syria, but repeated Israeli strikes on military facilities there are eroding the new government's ability to deter threats from enemies, including Islamic State.

Justice Department sharply criticizes judge who blocked enforcement of an order targeting a law firm
Eric Tucker/The Associated Press/April 9, 2025
The Justice Department is sharply criticizing a judge who halted enforcement of a White House executive order meant to punish a prominent law firm, continuing a pattern of Trump administration attacks on the judiciary over decisions that officials don't like.
Attorney General Pam Bondi also told federal agencies that they retain the “authority to decide with whom to work" in spite of a court ruling last month that temporarily blocked the administration's efforts to bar Jenner & Block employees from having access to federal buildings and that directed that federal contracts held by the firm or its clients be reviewed and terminated. The law firm is among several prominent ones subject in recent weeks to similarly worded executive orders by the Republican president; some, like Jenner & Block, have sued over the orders, and others have reached settlements to avert being sanctioned by the White House. U.S. District Judge John Bates, an appointee of President George W. Bush, stopped key provisions of the executive order from taking effect last month and is considering a request by the firm to block its enforcement permanently. In a letter made public late Tuesday, Bondi and White House budget director Russell Vought notified agency heads about the judge's ruling but also lambasted him for it. “On March 28, 2025, an unelected district court yet again invaded the policy-making and free speech prerogatives of the executive branch, including by requiring the Attorney General and the OMB Director to pen a letter to the head of every executive department and agency," the two officials wrote. “Local district judges lack this authority, and the Supreme Court should swiftly constrain these judges’ blatant overstepping of the judicial power.”The letter was filed in federal court in Washington as part of a report on the status of the lawsuit brought by Jenner & Block.
“Of course, as noted in the court order, agencies are permitted to carry on their ordinary course of business which carries with it the authority to decide with whom to work,” it adds. It later adds: “As it remains the Executive Branch’s position that Executive Order 14246 was necessary policy the government reserves the right to take all necessary and legal actions regarding ‘lawfare,’ national security concerns, and discriminatory practices involving Jenner & Block.”That assertion could place the administration in conflict with the order from Bates, which directed the Trump administration to inform federal agencies to disregard broad swaths of its executive order. A separate provision of the order, mandating the suspension of active security clearances of employees at the firm, remains unaffected by the judge's ruling. Jenner & Block lawsuit, as well as WilmerHale, another firm targeted by an executive order, asked federal judges on Tuesday to permanently block enforcement of the orders against them. The executive order against Jenner & Block stemmed at least in par from the fact the firm once employed Andrew Weissmann, a lawyer who served on special counsel Robert Mueller’s team that investigated Trump during his first term in office over potential connections between his 2016 campaign and Russia. Weissmann, a frequent public target of Trump’s ire, left the firm several years ago. Mueller has retired from WilmerHale, but a White House executive order targeting that firm mentioned him as well as another retired partner and a current partner who all served on Mueller’s team. Besides Jenner & Block and WilmerHale, other firms targeted by executive order include Perkins Coie and Covington & Burling. Last month, after being confronted with a similar order, Paul Weiss struck a deal with the White House that resulted in the order being rescinded. Three other firms — Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, as well as Millbank and Willkie, Farr & Gallagher — have reached settlements with the Trump administration before they could be subject to an order.

Trump Pauses Tariffs on Most Nations for 90 Days, Raises Taxes on Chinese Imports
Asharq Al Awsat/April 09/2025
Facing a global market meltdown, President Donald Trump on Wednesday abruptly backed down on his tariffs on most nations for 90 days, but raised the tax rate on Chinese imports to 125%. It was seemingly an attempt to narrow what had been an unprecedented trade war between the US and most of the world to a showdown between the US and China. The S&P 500 stock index jumped nearly 7% after the announcement, but the precise details of Trump's plans to ease tariffs on non-China trade partners were not immediately clear.
Trump posted on Truth Social that because "more than 75 Countries" had reached out to the US government for trade talks and have not retaliated in meaningful way "I have authorized a 90 day PAUSE, and a substantially lowered Reciprocal Tariff during this period, of 10%, also effective immediately."The 10% tariff was the baseline rate for most nations that went into effect on Saturday. It's meaningfully lower than the 20% tariff that Trump had set for goods from the European Union, 24% on imports from Japan and 25% on products from South Korea. Still, 10% would represent an increase in the tariffs previously charged by the US government. The announcement came after the global economy appeared to be in open rebellion against Trump's tariffs as they took effect Wednesday, a signal that the US president was not immune from market pressures.
Business executives were warning of a potential recession caused by his policies, some of the top US trading partners are retaliating with their own import taxes and the stock market is quivering after days of decline.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the walk back was part of some grand negotiating strategy by Trump. "President Trump created maximum negotiating leverage for himself," she said, adding that the news media "clearly failed to see what President Trump is doing here. You tried to say that the rest of the world would be moved closer to China, when in fact, we’ve seen the opposite effect the entire world is calling the United States of America, not China, because they need our markets."
But market pressures had been building for weeks ahead of Trump's move.
Particularly worrisome was that US government debt had lost some of its luster with investors, who usually treat Treasury notes as a safe haven when there's economic turbulence. Government bond prices had been falling, pushing up the interest rate on the 10-year US Treasury note to 4.45%. That rate eased after Trump's reversal. Gennadiy Goldberg, head of US rates strategy at TD Securities, said before the announcement that markets wanted to see a truce in the trade disputes. "Markets more broadly, not just the Treasury market, are looking for signs that a trade de-escalation is coming," he said. "Absent any de-escalation, it’s going to be difficult for markets to stabilize."John Canavan, lead analyst at the consultancy Oxford Economics, noted that while Trump said he changed course due to possible negotiations, he had previously indicated that the tariffs would stay in place.
"There have been very mixed messages on whether there would be negotiations," Canavan said. "Given what's been going on with the markets, he realized the safest thing to do is negotiate and put things on pause."Presidents often receive undue credit or blame for the state of the US economy as their time in the White House is subject to financial and geopolitical forces beyond their direct control. But by unilaterally imposing tariffs, Trump is exerting extraordinary influence over the flow of commerce, creating political risks and pulling the market in different directions based on his remarks and social media posts. There still appears to be 25% tariffs on autos, steel and aluminum, with more imports set to be tariffed in the weeks ahead.
On CNBC, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian said the administration was being less strategic than it was during Trump's first term. His company had in January projected it would have its best financial year in history, only to scrap its expectations for 2025 due to the economic uncertainty."Trying to do it all at the same time has created chaos in terms of being able to make plans," he said, noting that demand for air travel has weakened. Before Trump's reversal, economic forecasters say his second term has had a series of negative and cascading impacts that could put the country into a downturn. "Simultaneous shocks to consumer sentiment, corporate confidence, trade, financial markets as well as to prices, new orders and the labor market will tip the economy into recession in the current quarter," said Joe Brusuelas, chief economist at the consultancy RSM. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has previously said it could take months to strike deals with countries on tariff rates, and the administration has not been clear on whether the baseline 10% tariffs imposed on most countries will stay in place. But in an appearance on "Mornings with Maria," Bessent said the economy would "be back to firing on all cylinders" at a point in the "not too distant future." He said there has been an "overwhelming" response by "the countries who want to come and sit at the table rather than escalate." Bessent mentioned Japan, South Korea, and India. "I will note that they are all around China. We have Vietnam coming today," he said.
What's not yet known is what Trump does with the rest of his tariff agenda. In a Tuesday night speech, he said taxes on imported drugs would happen soon.

US has hit more than 100 targets in Yemen since mid-March
AFP/April 09, 2025
WASHINGTON: The United States has struck more than 100 targets in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen since beginning the latest phase of its air campaign against the Iran-backed militia last month, a US defense official said Wednesday. American forces have hammered the Houthis with near-daily air strikes since March 15 in a bid to end the threat they pose to civilian shipping and military vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. “The US has hit more than 100 targets in Houthi-controlled parts of Yemen,” the defense official said in response to a question on the number of American strikes since mid-March.
“We have destroyed command and control facilities, weapons manufacturing facilities, and advanced weapons storage locations,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Despite the strikes, the Houthis — who control large swathes of Yemen and have been at war with the internationally recognized government since 2015 — have continued to claim attacks against both US vessels and Israel. The militants began targeting shipping in late 2023, claiming solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, which has been devastated by a military campaign launched by Israel after a shock Hamas attack in October of that year. Houthi attacks have prevented ships from passing through the Suez Canal — a vital route that normally carries about 12 percent of world shipping traffic — forcing many companies into a costly detour around the tip of southern Africa. The United States first began conducting strikes against the Houthis under the Biden administration, and President Donald Trump vowed last week that military action against the militia would continue until they are no longer a threat to shipping. “The choice for the Houthis is clear: Stop shooting at US ships, and we will stop shooting at you. Otherwise, we have only just begun, and the real pain is yet to come, for both the Houthis and their sponsors in Iran,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.

Saudi crown prince, French president discuss relations
Arab News/April 09, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received a phone call on Wednesday from French President Emmanuel Macron, the Saudi Press Agency said. The pair discussed enhancing bilateral relations and cooperation. They also tackled regional and international issues and efforts aimed at achieving security and stability.

Saudi crown prince, UK prime minister discuss relations during call
Arab News/April 10, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received a phone call on Wednesday from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the Saudi Press Agency said. The pair discussed ways of enchaining bilateral relations and cooperation. They also reviewed issues of mutual interest.

Saudi FM meets US counterpart in Washington
Arab News/April 10, 2025
RIYADH: Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs, met in the US capital on Wednesday Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The diplomats discussed boosting coordination and joint action regarding regional and international issues, including developments in the Gaza Strip, Sudan, Yemen, and the Russia-Ukraine crisis. They also reviewed enhancing bilateral strategic relations and opportunities in various fields, in addition to efforts aimed at achieving international peace and security. Princess Reema bint Bandar, Saudi ambassador to the US, attended the meeting. Prince Faisal arrived in the United States on Tuesday for an official visit.

India approves purchase of 26 French Rafale jets for navy, sources say
Shivam Patel/Reuters/April 9, 2025
NEW DELHI (Reuters) -India has approved the purchase of 26 Rafale fighter jets from France for its navy, two people aware of the decision said on Wednesday, a move aimed at deterring threats as rival China grows its naval presence in the Indian Ocean.
A deal is expected to be signed over the next few weeks, the people said, requesting anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to the media, after the purchase was approved by India's cabinet committee on security affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. India plans to buy 22 single-seater and four twin-seater fighters, made by France's Dassault Aviation, in a deal which would boost the Asian country's defence ties with its second-largest arms supplier. France's defence minister plans to visit India ahead of the signing, the people said. One person said the deal was valued at around 630 billion rupees ($7 billion). An Indian defence ministry spokesperson did not respond to a Reuters request for comment. The acquisition is also part of India's goals to modernise its military, wean itself off its Soviet-origin equipment and boost domestic weapons production after being the world's largest arms importer for years. It would also help deter potential threats at a time when the Indian Navy says China's naval presence in the Indian Ocean has increased over the last decade, and it has deployed dual-purpose Chinese vessels in the region. Beijing says it has deployed vessels in the region for scientific research and peaceful purposes.
China also has a military base in Djibouti, in the western Indian Ocean, since 2017. The Indian Air Force currently operates 36 Rafale fighters, while the navy's aircraft fleet mainly comprises Russian MiG-29 jets.
($1 = 86.5825 Indian rupees)

Ukraine says more than 150 Chinese mercenaries are fighting for Russia in Ukraine
AP/April 10, 2025
KYIV, Ukraine: Ukraine on Wednesday expanded on its claim that significant numbers of Chinese nationals are fighting for Russia’s invading army, saying it had gathered detailed intelligence on more than 150 mercenaries Moscow allegedly recruited through social media. In China, officials called the allegations “totally unfounded.”The Ukrainian accusation and Chinese denial come as the US strives to secure a ceasefire in the more than three-year war. President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Tuesday that the Ukrainian military had captured two Chinese men fighting alongside the Russian army on Ukrainian soil. It was the first time Ukraine had made such a claim about Chinese fighters in the war.On Wednesday, Zelensky said he was willing to exchange the two prisoners of war for Ukrainian soldiers held captive in Russia. Without providing evidence, Zelensky said officials in Beijing were aware of Russia’s campaign to recruit Chinese mercenaries. He stopped short of saying the Chinese government authorized the mercenaries’ involvement in Ukraine. Zelensky said Ukraine has the last names and passport data for 155 Chinese citizens fighting for the Russian army and that “we believe that there are many more of them.” He shared with journalists documents listing names, passport numbers and personal details of the alleged Chinese recruits, including when they arrived in Russia for military training and departed for service; the AP has not independently verified the documents.
China has provided strong diplomatic support for Russia since it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. It has also sold Russia machinery and microelectronics that it can use to make weapons, Western officials say, in addition to providing an economic lifeline through the trade in energy and consumer goods. China is not believed to have knowingly provided Russia with troops, weapons or military expertise.US officials have accused Iran of providing Russia with drones, while American and South Korean officials say North Korea has sent thousands of troops and ammunition to help Russia on the battlefield. With the US and Europe having provided substantial military support and diplomatic heft for Ukraine, the war has to some degree become a contest between power blocs. Tensions between the US and China have deepened in recent years. Disputes have centered on geopolitical influence, technology and trade — and recently escalating import tariffs between the countries have roiled global financial markets. Zelensky said US officials expressed “surprise” when informed of the presence of Chinese mercenaries in Ukraine.
US President Donald Trump is trying to follow through on a campaign promise last year to swiftly end the war in Ukraine. US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said at a briefing in Washington on Tuesday that reports of Chinese citizens fighting on behalf of Russia were “disturbing.”
“China is a major enabler of Russia in the war in Ukraine,” Bruce said. China provides nearly 80 percent of the dual-use items Russia needs to sustain the war, she claimed. But Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, said he is “not convinced yet” the Chinese personnel identified as fighting on behalf of Russia against Ukraine are more than mercenaries or volunteers. “There’s an axiom in the military, the first report is always wrong,” Kellogg said during a Wednesday appearance at Georgetown University. “And this is one of those let’s sit back and see how this plays out, because it could be volunteers.”Kellogg noted that Ukraine also has volunteers from other countries, including the United States, fighting on its behalf. He added that the early reports of Chinese personnel are not on par with North Korea’s deployment of thousands of troops to the frontlines.
The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, also called Beijing “the key enabler of Russia’s war.”Dual-use goods are entering Russia via China, she said in Brussels, adding “it’s clear that if China would want to really stop the support then it would have an impact.”
China has surged sales to Russia of machine tools, microelectronics and other technology that Moscow in turn is using to produce missiles, tanks, aircraft and other weaponry for the war, according to a US assessment last year.The Kremlin has effectively rejected a US proposal for an immediate and full 30-day halt in the fighting in Ukraine. The Kyiv government has consented to it. Both sides are believed to be readying spring-summer military campaigns. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said in Beijing that China has played a “constructive role in politically resolving the Ukraine crisis.”
Lin told a daily news briefing Wednesday that “the Chinese government always asks Chinese citizens to stay away from conflict zones, avoid getting involved in any form of armed conflict, and especially refrain from participating in any party’s military operations.”
His comments appeared to indicate that the captured Chinese had joined Russia’s ranks on their own initiative. Both Russia and Ukraine allow foreign soldiers to enlist. China has previously put forward a vague peace plan that was swiftly dismissed by most observers.
In the meantime, both countries have kept fighting a war of attrition along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line and targeted each other with long-range strikes. The city of Kramatorsk in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk endured a “massive drone attack” overnight, regional head Vadym Filashkin said, injuring an 11-year-old girl, her mother and her grandmother. Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 55 Shahed and decoy drones at the country overnight. The Russian Defense Ministry said that air defenses downed 158 Ukrainian drones over 11 Russian regions overnight but reported no casualties or damage.
Several Russian regions temporarily suspended flights at their airports because of the attack, however, and some Ukrainian drones reached Russia’s Orenburg region in the southern Urals located nearly 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) east of the Ukrainian border, the Defense Ministry said.

The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on April 09-10/2025
'From dictatorship to occupation': Syrian civilians caught in Israeli advance
Nabih Bulos/LA Times/April 9, 2025
The Israeli tanks — 15 of them, along with two armored bulldozers — growled as they advanced, their treads churning up the asphalt as they raced into this tiny village, a contingent of paratroopers in tow.
“Mine was the first house they entered. They lined us up — me, my wife, and four kids — against the wall, a soldier for each of us with his machine gun raised,” said Thyab, recounting that night in December when Israeli troops, following the lightning-fast collapse of President Bashar Assad’s regime, stormed into Rasm Al-Rawadhy and other villages on Syria's western edge. The soldiers, who said they were rooting out gunmen threatening Israel, rounded up residents and gave them less than two hours to gather belongings and leave. When they were allowed to return 38 days later, villagers said, they found their homes ransacked and half destroyed, and the fledgling signs of a permanent Israeli presence. “They even took the cow-milking machine. Who does that?” Thyab said. Sitting in his living room, he pointed to graffiti in Hebrew left on the walls by soldiers who had made his home an outpost before they pulled back to Rasm Al-Rawadhy’s edge; “Mom, I love you,” one read; another gave what appeared to be the rotation order for the outpost’s guard detail.
For years, Thyab and his neighbors had maintained a uneventful — if nevertheless wary — modus vivendi with Israel in Rasm Al-Rawadhy, which lies just beyond a U.N.-patrolled buffer zone between Syria and parts of the Golan Heights that Israel occupied in 1967.
But now, the Israelis are moving well beyond the 150-square-mile buffer zone. Last week, troops advanced near the city of Tasil, some 8 miles beyond the armistice line and the deepest they’ve reached into Syria since the collapse of the Assad government.
On a recent day, Thyab and his neighbors kept a wary eye on a pair of military vehicles standing sentinel up the road — one of several Israeli patrols that have become regular fixtures here and in neighboring villages.
“They keep harassing us, asking us if there are gunmen hiding here and if we have weapons,” said Ammar, a shepherd who like most interviewed did not want to give their full name to avoid reprisals. He shouted at his brother to corral the sheep before they strayed too close to the Israeli patrol. The impact of an explosion is visible on the roof of a hangar following an Isral. The impact of an explosion is visible on the roof of a hangar following an Israeli strike on a military airbase near Hama, Syria, on April 3. (Associated Press)
“We spent 14 years of [civil] war dealing with Assad and didn’t get the chance to celebrate getting rid of him,” Ammar said. “We went from dictatorship to occupation.”
This has become life in southwestern Syria, with the threat of ever-deeper Israeli incursions an omnipresent fear and deadly confrontations with residents feeding the prospect of an all-out war between Israel and Syria’s new authorities.
Israel characterized the incursion near Tasil as a “defensive operation” to destroy an encampment used by the Assad-era army, but it turned deadly when armed locals confronted them. In the ensuing firefight, the Israeli military scrambled drones and launched artillery, killing nine people and wounding more than a dozen others, Syrian health authorities said.
Accompanying the raid were dozens of airstrikes that obliterated major military installations across Syria — all part of an Israeli campaign to preemptively defang Syria’s new authorities.
Israel’s moves reflect a shift in its strategy since Oct. 7, 2023, when the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an attack that killed around 1,200 Israelis — two-thirds of them civilians — and kidnapped some 250 others. In its wake, Israel hardened its borders with Gaza and Lebanon, expanding outwards to establish demilitarized buffer zones.
On Thursday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a message posted to social media that the strikes in Syria served as a “clear message and a warning for the future.”
“If you allow forces hostile to Israel to enter Syria and endanger Israel’s security interests, you will pay a heavy price,” Katz said, addressing Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa by his former nom de guerre, Abu Mohammad al Jolani. In an earlier speech, he said Israel would remain in the area indefinitely, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would not allow forces of the new Islamist-led government to operate south of the capital Damascus. So far, Syria’s leaders have said they will adhere to the 1974 ceasefire agreement. Fearing more Israeli strikes, government-affiliated factions operating in south Syria transported much of their heavy materiel to Damascus, according to two commanders, while the foreign ministry complained in a statement that last week’s raids were “a deliberate attempt to destabilize Syria and exacerbate the suffering of its people.”
“We’re waiting for the state to tell us what to do. Is it going to be a matter of popular resistance, or is there a government working on the issue?” said a commander with a pro-government faction in the south. He spoke anonymously because he was not authorized to speak to the media. “We don’t want martyrs to keep on dying. The Israelis have drones, helicopters, tanks, infrared goggles. What do we have? Nothing.”
Meanwhile, signs of Israel establishing a new reality in southwest Syria abound.
Israeli troops have all but commandeered Highway 7, which links to Rasm Al-Rawadhy, forcing cars into arduous detours over narrow dirt tracks and preventing U.N. peacekeeping troops from approaching. An analysis by William Goodhind, a satellite imagery expert at Contested Ground, an open access research project, shows Israeli troops have cleared land and excavated tracks for a new road along the border that would connect to a number of outposts. The Israeli army announced it would organize hiking tours for intrepid day-trippers into areas inside Syria this month. The Israelis are the most recent in a series of unwelcome visitors that imposed their presence in southwestern Syria. During the civil war between Assad and the rebels, the area was taken over by Al Qaeda-linked groups and then the extremists of Islamic State before they were dislodged by the Syrian army and its Iran-backed militiamen.
In Al-Hamidiyah, a village just north of Rasm Al-Rawadhy that still bears the scars of war’s destruction, a squad of Israeli soldiers in a weathered Humvee stopped incoming vehicles to check IDs. Up the hill, enveloped in a late-morning fog, were the barely there outlines of a new Israeli military outpost. Residents complained soldiers restricted their movement and barred them from accessing grazing land for their livestock. “We keep telling the Israelis: There’s no Hezbollah here. There’s no Islamic State here. They’re all gone. There’s only us,” said a community leader who refused to be named criticizing Israeli troops' presence for fear of reprisals. As if addressing an Israeli, he said, “You’re an occupier. You cut me off from my areas, and you don’t want me to complain about you?”
Israel has used both carrot and stick in dealing with communities in the south. It said it would open up job opportunities for the area’s Druze minority, who share ties with Israeli Druze communities and have so far refused to fully integrate under Al-Sharaa’s Islamist-dominated government. Elsewhere, Israel offered aid packages — a boon for the poverty-stricken population but one that many rejected. “We have a government and a state. We don’t need this from the Israelis,” said Thyab. Besides, he added, aid packages could hardly compensate for the damage troops inflicted on his home.
“I lost more than $10,000 worth of equipment," he said. "They think a couple of boxes of rice are going to be enough? You want to compensate, come rebuild everything you destroyed.”Most villages have grudgingly acquiesced to Israel’s presence, but some remain defiant. Last month in Koawaya, a hamlet wedged near Syria’s border with Jordan and Israel, Israeli troops were running patrols to confiscate weapons when local men opened fire to prevent them from entering the village. In response, troops launched drones and an artillery barrage that killed six people, Syria's Red Crescent said, triggering an exodus of most of the village. “Any weapons we have are to protect our livestock from wild boars. Let the Israelis stay in their place, we stay in ours, and we won’t have any problems,” said Hani Mohammad, a retired school principal living in Koawaya who lost his daughter in the barrage. He added that he had told his neighbors it was pointless to fight, but the Israeli incursions were intolerable for many people here.
One of them is Maher, a 35-year-old farmer of tomatoes and zucchinis whose land was in the nearby Yarmouk Valley. He now sat on the porch steps of a house on Koawaya’s edge, a few dozen yards from an Israeli patrol, holding a rusty AK-47 and looking grim as his eyes scanned the sky for an Israeli drone buzzing above. “They’re stopping us from reaching our lands. What am I going to live on?” he said. Last week, the Israeli military dropped fliers above Koawaya, telling villagers they were forbidden from having arms when they moved around in the village and its environs. It also banned them from accessing the road toward the valley. “We warn you,” the flier read, “You must follow instructions, to preserve the order.”

Iran cautious on talks with Trump administration
SETH J. FRANTZMAN/Jerusalem Post/April 9, 2025
As Iran prepares to conduct indirect talks with the US in Oman, it responded to the recent comments by US President Donald Trump. It was also putting out other messages.
According to Iran’s state media reports on Tuesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that Tehran was committed to dialogue but that the United States also had to demonstrate a genuine intent for negotiations.
Pezeshkian made the comments on Monday, the same day that Trump said that the US and Iran would begin talks soon. Iran’s president said his country would not negotiate “at any cost.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that top Iranian and American officials would hold indirect negotiations in Oman on Saturday, according to Iran’s state media IRNA.
“Iran and the United States will meet in Oman on Saturday for indirect, high-level talks,” Araghchi wrote on social media on Tuesday.
“It is as much an opportunity as it is a test. The ball is in America’s court,” he added.
“We’re having direct talks with Iran – and they’ve started. It’ll go on [through] Saturday. We have a very big meeting [then], and we’ll see what can happen,” Trump said in a meeting at the White House, where he was hosting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry regards Oman as a constructive intermediary with the US.
On Monday, Iranian state media downplayed the possible talks in Oman.
By Tuesday, however, the country had confirmed that the talks would take place. Iran still sees these talks as “indirect.”
Also on Monday, the Iranian president said, “We are not seeking war, tensions, or nuclear weapons; we are seeking negotiations. However, the Americans must also prove that they are genuinely pursuing negotiations.”
The IRNA reported that “Iran’s nuclear doctrine is based on Ayatollah [Ali] Khamenei’s fatwa, which prohibits the production, possession, and stockpiling of nuclear weapons.”
It added that “Trump has called for direct negotiations with Iran to make a new deal to replace the one he unilaterally abandoned during his first term. However, he has also threatened to bomb Iran if an agreement is not reached.” Tehran has ruled out direct talks with the US so far.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry was still saying on Monday that Tehran had not received a response from the US about indirect talks.
However, this statement that was issued by the Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson, Esmail Baqaei, seemed to contradict reports from the US and also from Iran on Tuesday.
“Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Baqaei said that Tehran’s proposal for indirect negotiations with Washington was a ‘generous’ and ‘wise’ offer.”
Tehran received a letter from Trump on March 7, and on Monday, the American president said that talks were expected in the next several days. Iran has also urged the UK, France, and Germany not to trigger snapback sanctions on Iran.
Iran is also holding talks with Russia. Iran’s Ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, said a second trilateral meeting between Iran, Russia, and China on the nuclear issue will take place in Moscow on Tuesday, per the IRNA.
“In an interview with the IRNA on Monday, Jalali said that the Islamic Republic is engaged in ongoing discussions with both Russia and China regarding bilateral issues and developments in international and regional affairs, including the nuclear issue.”
Iran, Russia, and China met in China earlier this year. “These meetings have taken place in both Beijing and at the headquarters of international organizations in Vienna. Jalali emphasized that the upcoming meeting will build on the progress made in earlier discussion,” the IRNA reported.
The fact that Iran is talking to Russia and China at the same time as the indirect talks with the US in Oman indicates that Iran is hedging and that it wants to make sure it has Moscow’s and Beijing’s backing for any next steps taken with the US.

Iran braces for possible US attack amid proxy setbacks
Janatan Sayeh/FDD's Long War Journal/April 09/2025
An anonymous Iranian official told Reuters on April 6 that Islamic Republic Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has instructed Iranian armed forces to be on high alert. The source also said Tehran has threatened neighboring states with “severe consequences” if they allow the US to use their airspace to strike targets within Iranian territory.
In line with these threats, Iran’s state-controlled media has escalated its rhetoric by vowing to assassinate US President Donald Trump and disseminating propaganda videos. Iran’s Kayhan newspaper, closely affiliated with the supreme leader, called for the assassination of Trump for his role in eliminating former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF) General Qassem Soleimani in 2020. Iranian outlets also circulated an AI-generated video depicting an IRGC-led nuclear attack against the US base on the island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.
Tehran’s latest hostile messaging came shortly after news of a further American military buildup across the Middle East. In March, some 140 heavy transport aircraft delivered military assets to US bases in Qatar, Bahrain, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Jordan. The deployments included A-10 ground-attack aircraft to Jordan, F-35 multirole fighters to Saudi Arabia, and nearly one-third of the US’s B-2 stealth bomber fleet to Diego Garcia. Additionally, the US sent cargo planes transporting Patriot and THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) batteries for air defense purposes in the Persian Gulf, while additional deployments supported the USS Truman carrier strike group in the Red Sea.
Amid growing fears of a potential US or Israeli strike, Iran has sharply intensified its military posture across land, sea, and air. The IRGC has fortified islands in the Persian Gulf with fast-attack vessels equipped with new cruise missiles. These moves are part of a broader military buildup, including joint drills with Russia and China in the Gulf of Oman and large-scale exercises simulating strikes on nuclear infrastructure. Iran has also showcased drones with extended range and stealth capabilities while reinforcing defenses near key nuclear sites.
Israel prefers the “Libyan model” but signals a diplomatic solution is unlikely
During an April 7 meeting with Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly advocated for the 2003 “Libyan model” toward Iran, a template of exchanging economic benefits and sanctions relief for voluntary, complete dismantlement of Tehran’s nuclear program. Axios also reported that Jerusalem seeks to reach an understanding with Washington over targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure should negotiations fail, adding that Israel doesn’t view a renewed nuclear deal as likely.
Israel’s rhetoric, including consistent messaging against the Islamic Republic since the October 2023 Hamas terrorist attack, suggests that Jerusalem’s military establishment may see a war with Iran as inevitable.
Netanyahu described the November 2024 ceasefire with Lebanon and, by extension, Hezbollah, as an opportunity to “focus on Iran.” Similarly, on March 5, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir declared 2025 the year devoted to prioritizing a military confrontation with Tehran. The next day, the Israeli and US Air Forces conducted a joint exercise featuring F-15I and F-35I fighter jets alongside a B-52 bomber—assets Israel may rely on for a strike against Iran’s underground nuclear facilities. Israel’s airstrikes in October 2024 that targeted Iranian air defense systems paved the way for such an operation, also signaling its potential.
Iraqi militias reportedly prepare for disarmament
Major Iran-backed Iraqi militias have expressed a willingness to disarm amid escalating tensions between Tehran and Washington. The Kataib Hezbollah, Al Nujaba, Kataib Sayyid Al Shuhada, and Ansar Allah al Awfiyaa militias, all of which have leaders or are entities designated by the US as Specially Designated Global Terrorists or Foreign Terrorist Organizations, comprise the core of Tehran’s Iraqi proxies. This move comes after a series of meetings between IRGC-QF Commander Esmail Ghaani and Iraqi militia leaders in which Tehran has urged the network to avoid provoking Israel and the United States.
IRGC suffers losses in Yemen
A US airstrike on Tuesday that struck a Houthi gathering in Al Fazah, a coastal district of Hodeidah along the Red Sea, killed 70 individuals, including senior field commanders and Iranian IRGC experts, Yemen’s internationally recognized government announced on April 4. Yemeni Minister of Information Moammar al Eryani confirmed the strike, emphasizing its impact on both the Houthis’ leadership structure and their external military support network.
Amid a sustained US bombing campaign against the Houthis, Iran reportedly instructed its military personnel to withdraw from Yemen, signaling a recalibration of its regional strategy under mounting pressure from the Trump administration. Tehran had already urged the Houthis to de-escalate in the Red Sea as early as March 18, relaying this message through both its envoy and Oman.
*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.

Ali Khamenei’s revealing glimpse into the Islamic Republic’s fears
Saeed Ghasseminejad/ Washington Examiner/April 09/2025
When Iran’s supreme leader speaks, the world expects a predictable mix of praise for his Palestinian allies, blustery predictions of Israel’s demise, and bitter denunciations of the Great Satan (the United States). Any departure from Ali Khamenei’s usual script is worth noting.
In his recent Eid al-Fitr prayer sermon, Khamenei added something as surprising as it was revealing: an emphatic expression of anxiety unusual for a regime that normally projects omnipotence.
Of course, his sermons are rarely purely religious but rather signals of policy and national sentiment from the commanding heights of the Islamic Republic. This year, Khamenei laid bare the nightmare haunting the regime’s leadership: the specter of foreign military intervention, the persistent possibility for mass internal unrest framed as “sedition,” and the targeted assassination of top officials. Most telling, perhaps, was the implicit acknowledgment that the convergence of these threats could pose no less than an existential challenge to the regime, especially after a series of Israeli strategic victories and a toughening of American resolve.
For the leader of any power to reveal so much vulnerability should be taken seriously. If the leader is worried, his followers cannot be far behind. Cracks in the armor of authoritarian regimes tend to spread when morale is shaken.
First among his articulated fears is the possibility of an external attack. Khamenei addressed this directly, stating, “If malice comes from outside, which is unlikely, they will certainly receive a strong reciprocal blow.” The qualifier “unlikely” attempts to project confidence, yet the very act of addressing the threat underscores its presence in Tehran’s strategic calculus. In a region simmering with tension, particularly involving long-standing adversaries such as Israel and the United States, this preemptive warning serves both as deterrence and possibly as preparation for the domestic audience.
Equally palpable is the leadership’s anxiety over internal dissent, which Khamenei characteristically framed as foreign-instigated “sedition” or fitna. He warned, “If the enemy, like in previous years, thinks of creating sedition internally, the nation, like in those years, will give a strong response to the seditionists.” The phrase “previous years” is a clear reference to significant waves of protest that have shaken the regime over the last decade, waves of widespread demonstrations in 2017 and 2019, and protests following the death of Mahsa Amini, who was arrested simply for not wearing the hijab.
Since 2017, there has been a significant shift in Iran’s political arena. On one side, the revolution discourse has replaced the reform discourse, and on the other hand, the appeal to patriotism has overshadowed Islamism.
By labeling possible future unrest as enemy-driven “sedition,” the regime continues its long-standing practice of attempting to delegitimize genuine popular grievances. However, this rhetoric also betrays an underlying awareness that the embers of discontent remain potent and could easily reignite, requiring a promise of forceful suppression.
The third specific fear highlighted was the possibility of targeted assassination of officials, a threat Khamenei explicitly attributed to external foes. “Israel assassinates and says, ‘I assassinated,’” Khamenei asserted, adding pointedly that “America and Western governments support [it]” while “the rest watch.” This points to a vulnerability that directly affects the regime’s operational capacity and morale.
The loss of key military commanders, scientists, or political figures through targeted strikes and assassination is a tangible threat that has materialized in the past. More recently, homegrown lone wolves have been targeting the regime’s officials. The convergence of an Israeli and possibly American assassination campaign with lone-wolf operations to eliminate regime officials paints a picture of a regime feeling vulnerable at its core.
These are not isolated, separate anxieties. A major external conflict could exacerbate domestic economic hardship, fuel internal unrest, and prevent the regime from effectively mobilizing domestic security forces. Conversely, significant internal turmoil could create perceived opportunities for external adversaries or weaken the regime’s ability to respond effectively to attacks or assassinations.
Khamenei’s Eid sermon paints a picture of a regime feeling besieged from without, wary of its own population within, and vulnerable to precise, possibly decapitating strikes. The constant reliance on blaming external enemies and promising forceful repression highlights a possible brittleness beneath the hardened exterior. The anxieties voiced by Iran’s supreme leader suggest a leadership acutely conscious that its grip on power faces a complex challenge and that stability is far from guaranteed.
**Saeed Ghasseminejad is a senior adviser 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.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/beltway-confidential/3372482/ali-khamenei-revealing-glimpse-islamic-republic-fears/

Is Europe Still Fighting Lost Energy Wars?
Drieu Godefridi/Gatestone Institute/April 09/2025
The signal is clear: in the United States, no one any longer jokes with those who hinder the economy and trample on the rights of others under the guise of idealism.
Greenpeace would apparently like organizations such as itself to directly or indirectly cause hundreds of millions of dollars worth of damage, while preventing any court from intervening.
The applicability of the EU anti-SLAPP directive to the judgment in question is doubtful...
It looks as if the EU, through this directive, once again is trying to dictate the law on American soil. Transatlantic tensions, already fuelled by trade disputes, issues of free speech, NATO funding and the war in Ukraine, would mount further.
In a spectacular decision, a court in North Dakota ordered the environmentalist organizations that comprise Greenpeace to pay $665 million in damages for "defamation, trespass, nuisance, civil conspiracy and other acts," to Energy Transfer, the company behind the Dakota Access Pipeline. Pictured: Activists who attempted to block construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline set structures on fire at the Oceti Sakowin protest camp, on February 22, 2017 in Cannon Ball, North Dakota. (Photo by Stephen Yang/Getty Images)
The news came down like a thunderbolt. In a spectacular decision, the Morton County courthouse in Mandan, North Dakota, ordered the environmentalist organizations that comprise Greenpeace to pay $665 million in damages to Energy Transfer, the company behind the Dakota Access Pipeline. The figure appears a monumental slap in the face to Greenpeace, which was sued by Energy Transfer for "defamation, trespass, nuisance, civil conspiracy and other acts," following demonstrations against the pipeline project in 2016 and 2017.
The North Dakota jury did not pull any punches. Greenpeace was declared liable; its methods illegal and its actions harmful. Greenpeace has already announced that it will appeal.
Beyond the legal wrangling, this ruling raises the question: what if this case marks the start of a major transatlantic rift between an America defending its energy interests and a Europe mired in its green romanticism?
Let us look at the facts. The Dakota Access Pipeline -- a nearly 1,900-kilometer artery that carries crude oil from North Dakota's Bakken shale formation to Patoka, Illinois -- has been the focus of much passion. As early as 2016, Sioux and Cheyenne Indian tribes, supported by an armada of activists, celebrities and organizations including Greenpeace, denounced the project as threatening sacred tribal lands as well as water resources. Tens of thousands of signatures poured in on petitions, and protests at the construction sites paralyzed the work -- all costing Energy Transfer some $300 million in delays and extra costs.
The anger often degenerated into outright violence and large-scale vandalism, much to the annoyance of local populations, who became fed up with these crusaders who had appeared from elsewhere. Faced with this chaos, President Donald J. Trump, freshly inaugurated in 2017, issued a presidential memorandum to speed up the project, while brushing aside what he called an "incredibly cumbersome and horrific authorization process."
The pipeline became operational in May 2017. Energy Transfer nevertheless immediately decided to go on a legal offensive. According to Energy Transfer, Greenpeace had orchestrated the demonstrations, financed the disorder and spread lies about the pipeline.
The jury in Mandan, North Dakota, agreed on March 19, 2025, and ruled that Greenpeace International, Greenpeace USA and Greenpeace Fund Inc. must pay combined damages of $665 million to Energy Transfer, a sum that sounds like a declaration of war on environmentalist NGOs. The days of omnipotence and de facto impunity for environmentalist NGOs were over.
Greenpeace USA is now crying that it will be forced into bankruptcy. Really? With its network of donors -- small, large and mega-large -- the NGO should be able to bounce back. The signal is clear: in the United States, no one any longer jokes with those who hinder the economy and trample on the rights of others under the guise of idealism.
Meanwhile, Europe is getting restless. Greenpeace International has invoked the European anti-SLAPP directive -- an EU initiative to protect individuals, especially journalists and activists, from abusive lawsuits (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) aimed at silencing criticism or public participation, by providing safeguards like early dismissal of unfounded claims and financial protections. The anti-SLAPP directive, adopted in April 2024 by a European Union always ready to support and finance the most extremist NGOs, concretely aims to immunize these organizations against legal proceedings. Greenpeace International filed a lawsuit against Energy Transfer under the anti-SLAPP directive in the Netherlands, in February 2025.
Greenpeace related the incident to broader environmental concerns, according to its statement:
"Based in the Netherlands, Greenpeace International is citing Dutch law on torts and abuse of rights, as well as Chapter V of the EU Directive, adopted in 2024, which protects organisations based in the EU against SLAPPs outside the EU, and entitles them to compensation. The Directive, along with existing Dutch law, paves the way for GPI to pursue remedies against three entities in ET's corporate group... for the damage it has suffered and continues to suffer as a result of the SLAPP suits and related actions in the US. Greenpeace International sent Energy Transfer a Notice of Liability in July 2024, summoning it to withdraw its lawsuit in North Dakota and pay damages, or face legal action. Energy Transfer refused to do so."
Greenpeace would apparently like organizations such as itself to directly or indirectly cause hundreds of millions of dollars worth of damage, while preventing any court from intervening.
The applicability of the EU anti-SLAPP directive to the judgment in question is doubtful, because:
The anti-SLAPP directive in question has not yet entered into force in the Netherlands.
It is first and foremost Greenpeace USA that has been found liable (for $400 million) for acts committed in the USA, while the EU's anti-SLAPP directive is solely related to cross-border disputes. According to Article 1 of the anti-SLAPP directive, it pertains to clearly baseless claims or exploitative legal actions in civil cases that have cross-border elements, targeting individuals or entities — known as SLAPP targets — due to their involvement in public participation. The requirement of 'cross-border implications' means that SLAPPs related solely to domestic cases are not covered by the directive.
Greenpeace was found liable for activities that led to violence, not for having expressed its opinion. Incitement to violence is not an opinion, and the EU anti-SLAPP directive does not cover acts of violence. Its primary focus is on protecting individuals and entities engaged in public participation from manifestly unfounded claims or abusive court proceedings in civil or commercial matters with cross-border implications.
If judges in the Netherlands nevertheless find in favor of Greenpeace International, anything is possible: such a ruling would be another slap(p) in the face to the United States. Would the Trump administration let stand a new European encroachment on US sovereignty? It looks as if the EU, through this directive, once again is trying to dictate the law on American soil. Transatlantic tensions, already fuelled by trade disputes, issues of free speech, NATO funding and the war in Ukraine, would mount further.
Beyond this legal duel, there is a clash of civilizations at play. On one side, Trump's America, driven by the mantra "drill, baby, drill" and a newfound pride in fossil fuels. Shale oil and gas, abundant and cheap, have made America the world's leading producer of hydrocarbons. The US is seeing energy independence boosted by massive exports of liquefied natural gas.
On the other side, a Europe stubbornly pursuing its Green Deal, a project as costly as it is illusory, sacrificing its competitiveness on the altar of environmentalist dogma. While in Europe, factories are closing, they are reopening in the United States. The contrast between pragmatism and ideology is striking.
What can we learn from all this? America has chosen its side: energy sovereignty, prosperity, an end to impunity for NGOs that engage in illegal activities. Greenpeace may appeal and its activists may cry "gagging prosecution," but the tide clearly seems to be turning.
**Drieu Godefridi is a jurist (University Saint-Louis, University of Louvain), philosopher (University Saint-Louis, University of Louvain) and PhD in legal theory (Paris IV-Sorbonne). He is an entrepreneur, CEO of a European private education group and director of PAN Medias Group. He is the author of The Green Reich (2020).
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https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/21523/eu-greenpeace-dakota-access-pipeline

Makeshift Captagon Labs Emerge in Syria from Rubble of Assad’s Narcotics Trade
Ahmed el-Jouri/Asharq Al Awsat/April 09/2025
Syria has not only endured a war that shattered its cities, but also a quieter conflict—one that devours lives long before bodies fall. Amid the charred ruins of burned-out neighborhoods, an entire generation has grown up under the grip of a cheap pill originally intended for export but now flooding the local market. The story began when the former Syrian regime transformed Captagon—a synthetic stimulant made from amphetamine and theophylline—into a lucrative war currency. Once a controlled substance, it soon became a torrent surging through the country's alleys and streets, robbing youths of their futures and turning dreams into nightmares. By 2020, the crisis had deepened. The price of a single Captagon pill plummeted from $1.50 to just five cents—cheaper than a cup of tea.
The drop reflected a cascade of events: the enforcement of the Caesar Act sanctions, sweeping sanctions targeting the Assad government, Lebanon's economic and banking collapse in late 2019, restrictions on dollar transactions and withdrawals from Lebanon, and tighter control over land borders that slightly curbed smuggling. This Asharq Al-Awsat investigation, drawing on field visits to areas of post-Assad Syria and interviews with pharmacists and doctors in Amman and Erbil, retraces the production pipeline of Captagon.
It also features testimonies from addicts and their families, painting a stark portrait of a drug that fuels despair in a nation already exhausted by war.
In the crumbling streets of Damascus, where tangled electric wires dangle like specters above weary passersby, a toxic trade thrives under innocent names—“energy pills”, “happiness tablets” and others depending on the dealer. But behind the playful labels lies a systematic crisis. Syria's youth are not falling to addiction by chance—they are being consumed by design. According to the International Labor Organization, 39.2% of working-age Syrians (15 and older) were unemployed in 2023. But statistics say little about how people like Ahmed, 19, spend their days. Slumped on a crumbling curb in Damascus' Rukn al-Din district, Ahmed stares at his tattered shoes as a nearby dealer leans in: “This pill will make you a man... you'll work like a horse without feeling tired.”Ahmed didn't know that the “man” he was promised would become enslaved to a handful of blue pills. The long hours at a bombed-out workshop turned into a nightmare only numbed by more doses.
His story is far from unique. It echoes across Syria like a shared curse in a land battered by war and poverty. In this darkness, Captagon glimmers like a false shooting star. Sources recount how the pill knocks down young people one after another, like dominoes—girls included. Even the dream of escape has become part of the tragedy. Some sell family land to fund a risky boat journey out of the country. One man made it only as far as a Turkish prison—addicted, penniless, landless, and with no future.
This investigation collected over a dozen testimonies from across Syria—either directly from addicts or their families—offering a window into a drug crisis that has taken a darker turn since the fall of Assad's regime. What was once a tightly controlled trade, reliant on pharmaceutical infrastructure and exports while feeding a growing domestic market, has devolved into a chaotic, deadly business claiming more lives through overdoses and despair.
Yasser, 17, from Aleppo, was kicked out of his family home and now lives in a basement room owned by his uncle-in-law. “My friends used to laugh when they took the pills,” Yasser told Asharq Al-Awsat. “They told me it felt like being the hero in a video game. I tried them to prove I was brave like them. Now, I wander the streets like a ghost. I hear my mother's voice haunting me. On cold nights, I sneak back to our house, touch the locked door and imagine a shell falling on me... maybe death would offer me a forgiveness I don't deserve,” he added. In the northeastern city of Hasaka, Ali, 22, from Deir Ezzor, spoke after a grueling day of physical labor. “One day, I carried sacks of flour on my back for 10 straight hours,” he recalled. “My boss was watching, then tossed me a pill and said, 'Take this—it'll make your back like iron.' Now, my back carries more than weight... the heaviest burden is what I see in my children's eyes. When I get home, I pretend to sleep so they won't come near me. I hear them whisper, 'Papa sleeps like he's dead.'”
Mohammad Abu Youssef, 45, rubs his cracked hands and gazes at a photo of his eldest son.
“I sold my health, worked myself to the bone just to pay his school fees. But Captagon stole him from me,” he said. “When I found him trembling like a leaf in the corner, I screamed, 'Why didn't you die in the bombing?!' I tried sending him to Europe with smugglers, but he fled the truck halfway and returned months later—his eyes are just two black voids. Now, I've locked him in the house. I buy the pills for him myself and pray every night that God takes him.”
No rehab, no way out: Syria's addicts face slow death
In a country ravaged by war and addiction, the absence of rehabilitation centers is proving fatal for many. Without treatment options, a growing number of Syrians are left to spiral deeper into dependency—with no support, no shelter, and no escape.
Dr. Rawan al-Hussein, who requested using an alias for safety reasons, works with a branch of the health directorate and also consults for a non-governmental organization focused on addiction cases. Each day, she sifts through piles of case files, trying to salvage what's left of shattered lives. “Just last week, a frail young man came to me carrying his infant daughter,” she recalled. “He said, 'Take her before I sell her for pills. I don't even have a bed to put her in.'”With rehab facilities scarce or nonexistent in many areas, stories like his are becoming tragically common—leaving medical workers overwhelmed and addicts trapped in a slow-motion collapse. Al-Hussein exhaled deeply as she gathers water-damaged papers from her desk. “International organizations send us boxes of medicine without assessing our needs,” she said. “Our youth are dying because the toxins are already in their blood. What are we supposed to do with bandages for wounds no one can see?”
The real tragedy, she explained, lies not just in the spread of addiction, but in the absence of mental health and rehabilitation services. Staff working in Syria with the UNHCR and the World Health Organization told Asharq Al-Awsat that as of February 2025, there were no more than 10 specialized rehabilitation centers across the country, while the need is estimated at over 150. With more than 70% of health facilities damaged or destroyed by war, accessing emergency care or psychiatric treatment has become nearly impossible.
“Even the programs that do exist are struggling,” al-Hussein added. “They rely heavily on volunteers and lack basic psychiatric medications.”
But the crisis runs deeper than infrastructure. Stigma, too, is a powerful barrier. “In Daraa, for example, residents rejected plans to open a rehab center out of fear it would tarnish the area's reputation,” a local organization told Asharq Al-Awsat.
Caught between a crumbling healthcare system and a society that shuns them, Syria's addicts are left to fight a silent war with little hope of rescue.
Captagon after Assad: Makeshift labs and a generation being wiped out by doses
The fall of the Assad regime did not mark the end of Syria's suffering—instead, it ignited a new phase of chaos, more fragmented and deadly. As state institutions collapsed during years of war, young people became easy prey to a cheap addiction. Now, the regime's toxic legacy is playing out in the shadows through a deadlier, more decentralized Captagon industry. While the new authorities dismantled public-facing drug labs in the wake of Assad's downfall, they failed to anticipate what would come next: the splintering of production into informal workshops run by former smugglers and recovering addicts navigating a shattered economy. The once-affordable pill that had flooded the streets is now scarcer—and more expensive—driving many addicts to work inside the very workshops that sustain their addiction. These makeshift labs operate with no safety standards, mixing dangerous chemicals by hand, without protective gear, and relying on improvised recipes that often push the drug's potency to lethal extremes.
In this post-Assad vacuum, Syria's Captagon trade has not disappeared—it has mutated, dragging a generation deeper into a cycle of desperation, exploitation, and overdose.
In the immediate aftermath of Assad's fall, Syria's new leadership launched a sweeping military and security campaign aimed at dismantling the country's Captagon empire—a key source of funding for the ousted regime. The crackdown succeeded in destroying dozens of large-scale production facilities in the rural outskirts of Homs and Damascus. But what seemed like a victory soon spiraled into a deeper crisis. With the collapse of organized production, the price of a single Captagon pill soared—from just five cents to more than $1.50, according to pharmacists and users interviewed by Asharq Al-Awsat.
Primitive material used to manufacture Captagon in the village of Hawik. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The price surge has pushed many addicts into a state of desperation, willing to pay or do anything for a fix. It's a Russian doll of catastrophe: inside every crisis, a smaller one waits. The fall of Assad did not dismantle the machinery of death—it merely scattered it into thousands of dangerous fragments. The addicts once hooked on the “cheap high” of mass-produced Captagon are now trapped in a darker spiral: counterfeit pills from unregulated workshops, mixed with unknown chemicals, sold on the black market.
To stave off withdrawal, users are turning to theft or joining smuggling rings. Families who once believed that regime change would bring their sons and daughters back from the brink have instead watched as they became statistics—new entries in the growing toll of addiction and overdose. What began as a crackdown has, for many Syrians, morphed into a new chapter of the same tragedy—only now, it's less visible and harder to stop.
Captagon under Assad: A state-engineered drug empire disguised as pharma
Under the Assad regime, Captagon production was far from a rogue operation. It was a state-run enterprise cloaked in the legitimacy of Syria's once-thriving pharmaceutical sector.
Before the war, Syria boasted one of the most advanced pharmaceutical industries in the Middle East. The regime exploited that infrastructure to manufacture synthetic drugs on a large scale. Licensed factories in Aleppo and Damascus—equipped with modern technology—became the backbone of a sophisticated narcotics operation. Inside, chemists and pharmacists engineered carefully calibrated formulas designed to hook users without causing immediate deaths. Three former pharmacists who worked in separate Syrian pharmaceutical firms told Asharq Al-Awsat that official state laboratories were covertly used to develop these drug blends. At times, authorities would shut down or confiscate equipment from legitimate factories under false pretenses—creating space for Captagon experts to refine new chemical compositions. A chemical engineer who worked in a factory in Al-Kiswah, south of Damascus, said the effort was supported by foreign expertise.
“Iranian and Indian specialists were brought in to help perfect the formula,” the source revealed. “There were strict protocols in place. The regime wanted addictive pills without scandals. That's why Syrian Captagon became the most sought-after on the market.”
Lighter versions of the drug were even rebranded and sold as “party pills”, offering users a temporary high and masking the addiction beneath. Assad's narcotics machine wasn't just a revenue stream. It was a calculated instrument of control, designed to addict both domestic users and foreign buyers while preserving plausible deniability.

Trump, Iran, and Lessons for Hamas
Tariq Al-Homayed/Asharq Al Awsat/April 09/2025
There are several ways to interpret what we saw from the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. However, one thing we are sure of is that Trump knows exactly what he wants and how to get it, and he pursues it relentlessly.
Netanyahu, especially with regard to tariffs and the war in Gaza, had the recent experience of the Ukrainian president at the White House in mind, and he keenly avoided allowing any disagreement or divergence to rise to the surface.
This was obvious in the discussion about the war in Gaza and Israel’s aggressive actions in Syria. Trump stressed he has a good relationship with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and that Netanyahu should be "reasonable" in his demands, seemingly setting limits on Netanyahu. After saying that the war in Gaza would end "soon," the conversation turned to Iran. Trump announced that the US would be meeting with the Iranians, for "direct" talks, the following Saturday. He surprised everyone, as it signaled that Tehran had made a significant concession after having rejected even the idea of negotiations.
Whether the meeting is actually "direct," or “could become direct if the first round in Oman succeeds” as was reported later, it goes against the bluster in Iran that we have seen from the Supreme Leader and other Iranian officials. The negotiations between the Americans and Iranians certainly won’t be easy, and it’s hard to predict how they will go. What we do know is that the ultimate outcome will have major repercussions. As an Arab official once told me, “Don’t be surprised if President Trump, who shook hands with the North Korean leader, ends up shaking hands with the Iranian Supreme Leader.”
In politics, anything is possible. Washington and Tehran could reach a surprising agreement, either positive or negative. The balance could also tip in favor of Netanyahu, who is pushing for military strikes against Iran. This prospect remains on the table, especially given the US administration's insistence that any negotiations must end with Iran being stripped of the capacity to produce nuclear weapons.
It is clear that Iran is well aware of the state of play. Just days ago, Reuters reported that Tehran had approved the request of its proxy militias in Iraq to avoid any actions that could provoke a military confrontation with the United States or Israel.
We’ve also seen Iranian officials make statements that distance the country from the Houthis, claiming that the group is not under Tehran’s control. Iran now says it does not seek any military confrontation, and we could see even firmer stances against the Houthis once the negotiations in Muscat begin. All of this brings us to the position of Hamas in Gaza, which is both the weakest and most perilous. The suffering in the Gaza Strip has aggravated; Netanyahu’s war and the ground incursions continue. Each side, Netanyahu and Hamas, has irreconcilable objectives. Hamas wants to remain in power and go back to the status quo of October 6, 2023. Netanyahu, meanwhile, wants to resolve all of his internal political battles and crush his rivals in Israel; thus, there is no talk of a peace process or any steps toward a two-state solution. Accordingly, Iran is now backing down. Its proxies are being broken. The Popular Mobilization Forces in Iraq are hunkering down. The Houthis are facing their inevitable fate. Hezbollah is being weakened. Hamas is not prioritizing Palestinian national interests, and it has made no clear or realistic demands. This is madness.

How the US has squandered its soft power
Osama Al-Sharif/Arab News/April 09, 2025
For decades, as a triumphant Second World War power and the wealthiest among nations, the US created a semblance of equilibrium between its soft and hard powers to extend its global influence. Its soft power, manifested through its cultural and financial prowess, was used to create and preserve alliances, especially during the Cold War. It reverted to hard power, its military, only when direct threats to its national security or the security of its closest allies appeared imminent. America’s soft power was unrivaled in a polarized world. After President John Kennedy created the US Agency for International Development in 1961, American support for multifaceted humanitarian, developmental and cultural programs in the developing world saved millions of lives. More importantly, it brought about political gains that helped America secure its ranking as the world’s No. 1 superpower.
Kennedy, defending the creation of USAID, said in 1962: “The people who are opposed to aid should realize that this is a very powerful source of strength for us. It permits us to exert influence for the maintenance of freedom. If we were not so heavily involved, our voice would not speak with such vigor.”
In recent years, USAID’s budget ranged between $40 billion and $60 billion annually, less than 1 percent of the US’ annual budget. However, its influence over and support of US foreign policy has been tremendous. USAID has been involved in many projects across the developing world, supporting water, health, education and environmental projects and pushing for democratic, economic and political reforms. Hundreds of projects across the globe have been terminated overnight. The fallout has been dramatic. But America’s hard power was not absent from this reality. The US has used its mighty military globally. It has supported despots, removed democratically elected governments and engaged in costly wars that have failed to serve America’s national security interests. These wars have come at a hefty cost to the US taxpayer.
As a result of President Donald Trump’s second-term decisions, the concept of America’s soft power is now disintegrating. USAID has been canceled. Its budget has been slashed and few of its programs have been kept. No one really knows if the agency will survive. Hundreds of projects across the globe have been terminated overnight. The fallout has been dramatic. The consequences of the end of USAID and other aid programs are yet to be known. The administration’s policies now affect educational exchanges and scholarships, cultural diplomacy programs, international broadcasting and media outreach, economic aid and development programs, diplomatic efforts and public diplomacy initiatives.
Some pundits believe that, despite America’s soft power initiatives, it has failed to be recognized as a world leader and a superpower in a unipolar world, while failing to provide a model for budding liberal democracies.
Despite its soft power, the US waged criminal wars on Iraq and Afghanistan and has supported an apartheid regime in Israel. America’s post-9/11 wars resulted in the deaths of millions. The “regime change” mantra of the neoconservatives only succeeded in destabilizing most of the Middle East without resolving any of its problems, which linger to this day.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has circumvented America’s soft power by eliminating USAID while triggering a global trade war. Both will undermine America’s closest and most vulnerable allies. By imposing tariffs on some of America’s closest partners while suspending US aid, the White House is wasting the country’s geopolitical influence. The discussion over the tariffs is ongoing. No one knows how this latest move will affect world trade, globalization and America’s influence worldwide.
Such a major departure from the established US foreign policy approach will change the dynamics of global relations. Today, it is clear that many of America’s allies will suffer from its aid cuts and tariffs. Such a major departure from the established US foreign policy approach will change the dynamics of global relations. The loss of direct US aid means that many countries will alter their policies as they seek alternatives. If it happens, a trade war will polarize the world even further, giving new superpowers like China the opportunity to fill the gap.
But more importantly, America’s withdrawal from the international stage means that, as globalization falters, new regional economic coalitions will pick up the mantle and try to replace the existing economic world order. That means economic coalitions like BRICS and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will try to fill the vacuum left by the US as a political, military and economic leader.
No one really knows how the US gambit will turn out. The attempt to force the world into adopting a new trade deal looks desperate, as financial markets continue to slide. Geopolitically, the US is wasting its soft power and is about to lose it completely. Trump’s goal of restoring America as a main global industrial hub appears elusive. Overall, the White House is giving up America’s soft power, hoping to save the US economy. Few have discussed the meager amount the US has invested to maintain such control. The cost of the US relinquishing its leading role as a supporter of humanitarian and developmental projects worldwide will be tremendous. No other country can today replace America’s funding of hundreds of projects aimed at containing global disease, stabilizing nascent democratic regimes and supporting developmental projects across the planet.
America’s loss of its soft power will certainly ignite new global geopolitical crises. The US is not a perfect model to be idolized, but the fact that it has helped millions of people fight disease and other challenges means that its withdrawal will leave a troubled world.
*Osama Al-Sharif is a journalist and political commentator in Amman. X: @plato010

Israeli aggression pushing Syria into Turkiye’s arms
Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib/Arab News/April 09, 2025
Israel last week bombed Syrian military bases, claiming that it was a warning for Turkiye to keep its assets away. However, Tel Aviv does not understand that its belligerence only increases Syria’s need for Turkish protection. Syria condemned the unprovoked and unjustified strikes. However, Israel does not care. Its military success — namely decapitating Hezbollah’s leadership — has increased its confidence and arrogance. The Israelis now feel they can subjugate everyone around them. In addition to its military success, Israel is backed by a new US administration that will empower it like no other administration before. Therefore, it plans to take advantage by maximizing its gains and setting new parameters over the course of the four-year window it now has. Subjugating neighboring states and emerging as the regional hegemon is becoming increasingly clear as Israel’s intended goal. This way, it will impose its will on everyone and be free to move whenever and wherever it wants within the neighborhood. Israeli leaders have even bluntly spoken about a new Middle East — a Middle East that they shape and control.
Though its declared enemy is Iran, Turkiye is also bad news for Israel. In fact, any strong country in the neighborhood is bad news for Israel. Last week’s strike was supposed to be a warning for Turkiye to keep its hands off Syria and leave the country as a playground for Israel. Tel Aviv is flexing its muscles in front of the Turks, while its discourse is saying it does not seek confrontation. However, Israel’s actions are inviting a confrontation. Its continuous harassment of Syria and breaches of the country’s sovereignty make Turkish intervention a necessity and not a luxury for Damascus.
The Israeli aggression started as soon as the rebels took Damascus. Turkiye was not in the picture at that stage. Its allied forces were still in the northeast. According to one Western diplomat I spoke to, Israel went into Syria because it could. The fact that the world remained silent in the face of its atrocities in Gaza, while the West, particularly the US, kept supplying it with arms despite the civilian death toll, gave Israel the impression it could do whatever it wanted whenever it wanted to. Subjugating neighboring states and emerging as the regional hegemon is becoming increasingly clear as Israel’s intended goal
This is bad news for the region, even those countries that have good relations with Israel. Israel is so arrogant that it feels it does not need to have a good relationship with anyone. It can just impose its will on anybody it wants. Though it is in the best interest of Israel to have a good relationship with Egypt, it simply does not seem to care. It is now putting pressure on Cairo to dismantle its military structures in Sinai, while there is a serious threat from the Israeli side to push the Palestinians into that region.
Egypt therefore faces a double threat from Israel. Israel, supported by the Trump administration, has declared its intention to transfer the Gazans to Egypt — and yet they are asking Cairo to remove its reinforcements at the border. Israel last month set up an agency to advance the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza. Is it now asking Egypt to clear the way for forcible displacement? In fact, the actions of Israel only make Egypt want to further increase its reinforcements in the Sinai.
Israel is burning bridges with everyone. Countries that were thinking of normalizing with it are now thinking of strengthening ties with their neighbors in order to contain Israeli expansionism. Therefore, Tel Aviv is unlikely to find any allies in the region. With its aggression in Syria, Israel is putting those countries that want Syria to be stable on edge — and this is not only Turkiye. However, for Turkiye, Syria is more than an economic or a political issue, it is a prime security issue.
Israel has been poking the Druze in the south of Syria in order to encourage separatism. This effort did not start with the collapse of the Assad regime, it has been ongoing for several years. It was hoping that the Druze would declare independence, or seek autonomy of some sort, and that Israel would control their entity. This endeavor has largely failed, although it has succeeded in creating some disturbances in Syria. Meanwhile, Israel’s foreign minister has been in Brussels trying to convince European leaders that Syria needs to become a federation. Of course, it would be a federation in which Tel Aviv would engage with the Kurds and the Druze and create a permanently weak and unstable country. Fortunately, these Israeli calls have not been answered.
Turkiye will not accept a federal Syria. For Ankara, this would be an existential threat. A federal Syria would empower Kurdish separatism at home. When the rebels took over Damascus, Turkiye was reluctant to get involved, but it has now been pushed to interfere. Syrians, on the other hand, were fed up with the Iranian and Russian interference in their country as they want Syria to be a sovereign, independent state.
With such a belligerent neighbor, the Syrians can have no stability without a protector that can create a deterrent to Israel
They want to live in a peaceful state. As soon as Ahmad Al-Sharaa took over, he announced that he would comply with the 1974 Disengagement Agreement with Israel. Nevertheless, Israel immediately started bombing the country, destroying its military installations. The aggression did not stop there. Israel encroached into the southern part of the country. Hence, with such a belligerent neighbor, the Syrians can have no stability without a protector that can create a deterrent to Israel. The Syrians, like everyone else, know that Israel does not abide by any agreement. They saw how Tel Aviv last month unilaterally broke the Gaza ceasefire at the end of phase one. How will they believe in any deal with Israel when they are facing an arrogant foe that reneges on its commitments whenever it suits its interests? The logical thinking of Al-Sharaa or anybody else is in his place is to seek to balance them out. Al-Sharaa definitely does not want to be at the mercy of a merciless neighbor. Does Israel think that by bombing Syria it is going to block a defense agreement between Turkiye and Syria? On the contrary, it has pushed Syria to want such a deal even more and to accelerate its implementation. While Israel is thinking that it can subjugate its neighbors — foes and friends alike — it is pushing everyone on to the same page to face its expansionism. All countries in the region know that, if Syria is subjugated, it will only be a matter of time until they are next.
*Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib is a specialist in US-Arab relations with a focus on lobbying. She is co-founder of the Research Center for Cooperation and Peace Building, a Lebanese nongovernmental organization focused on Track II.

The UN in Gaza: When an institution becomes useless
Hani Hazaimeh/Arab News/April 09, 2025
The ongoing Israeli war on Gaza has once again exposed the UN as a paralyzed, ineffective institution incapable of upholding its own charter, let alone protecting the innocent. More than 61,000 Palestinians — most of them women and children — have so far been killed in an onslaught that has reduced the Gaza Strip to rubble. More than 110,000 people have been injured, while over 14,000 remain missing and are presumed dead. Entire neighborhoods have been flattened. Hospitals, schools and UN shelters have been obliterated. And what has the UN done in response? Issued statements. Held meetings. Released press releases. In other words, nothing meaningful. The international community is witnessing, in real time, the systematic destruction of a civilian population. Israeli forces have targeted hospitals where wounded children lie in intensive care. Journalists and humanitarian workers have been killed despite being clearly identified. UNRWA facilities — schools, clinics and warehouses — have been struck repeatedly, often despite prior notification of their coordinates to Israeli forces. More than 180 UN workers have been killed since Oct. 7, 2023 — the highest death toll of humanitarian workers in any conflict in the organization’s history. And yet, despite these blatant violations of international law, the UN remains frozen in its tracks, incapable of taking decisive action. Why? Because the institution has become a hostage to geopolitics. The Security Council — designed to ensure global peace and security — has become a theater of power politics. Any resolution that dares to criticize or attempt to restrain Israel’s actions is immediately vetoed by the US, rendering international law effectively toothless. This is not a failure of oversight. It is a failure of will, a failure of structure and a failure of purpose. The very mechanisms designed to hold aggressors accountable have been hijacked by those determined to protect them. In this case, the US government has used its veto power to shield Israel from scrutiny and responsibility — effectively making the UN complicit in its silence.
Despite Israel’s blatant violations of international law, the UN remains frozen in its tracks, incapable of taking decisive action. Meanwhile, UNRWA — the only lifeline for more than 2 million Palestinians in Gaza — is being dismantled from within. Western nations, under Israeli pressure and based on unproven allegations against a few employees, have suspended or cut funding to the agency altogether. The result? Starving families. Collapsing healthcare. Children deprived of education. These are not just policy decisions — they are death sentences for an already besieged population. Instead of defending its own agency and the people it serves, the UN appears to be surrendering.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has issued repeated warnings about the catastrophe in Gaza, but they have fallen on deaf ears. When he invoked Article 99 of the UN Charter in December 2023 — the first such move in decades — to draw attention to the crisis, the UNSC still failed to act. A US veto blocked a ceasefire resolution supported by more than 150 countries. The message was clear: even genocide can proceed uninterrupted, so long as one superpower permits it. The consequences of this moral collapse are profound. Not only is the UN failing the Palestinians, but it is also sending a dangerous message to oppressed peoples everywhere: that international law is selective and human rights are negotiable. What faith can anyone have in the global order when it tolerates collective punishment, ethnic cleansing and the targeting of civilians? What good are the Geneva Conventions if there is no one to enforce them? This failure also carries long-term costs. The credibility of the UN — already in question — is now in freefall. In the Global South, where memories of colonialism and double standards still linger, the UN’s impotence in Gaza is seen as further proof of its irrelevance. Countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America are increasingly asking whether the current global order truly serves their interests or merely those of the powerful few.
It is time to confront an uncomfortable truth: the UN, in its current form, is no longer fit for purpose. If the UN cannot act when its own buildings are bombed, when its staff are killed and when an entire population is pushed to the brink of extermination, then what exactly is it for? Diplomatic theater? A stage for the powerful to polish their image while atrocities rage on? There must be a reckoning. The UN must either undergo fundamental reform — starting with the abolition of the UNSC veto — or it must accept that it has become a relic of a bygone era. An institution born from the ashes of the Second World War, with the solemn promise of “never again,” now finds itself watching helplessly as “again” unfolds in real time.
The UN must either undergo fundamental reform or it must accept that it has become a relic of a bygone era. What does reform look like? It means empowering the General Assembly to override UNSC vetoes in cases of mass atrocities. It means insulating humanitarian agencies like UNRWA from political manipulation. It means establishing mechanisms to enforce international law that do not rely on the will of superpowers. Most of all, it means recognizing that the current structure rewards inaction, breeds impunity and undermines the very ideals the UN was created to uphold.
The people of Gaza do not need more speeches. They need action. They need protection. They need justice. As bombs continue to fall and families are buried in mass graves, the clock is ticking — not only on their survival but on the moral relevance of the international community itself. The world does not need another powerless institution issuing empty statements while war crimes are broadcast live. It needs structures that can act, enforce the law and protect the defenseless. If the UN cannot do that, then it must step aside and make room for new mechanisms of accountability. Regional organizations, coalitions of conscience or even emerging international tribunals may ultimately take up the mantle the UN has so shamefully dropped. In Gaza, we are witnessing not just a humanitarian disaster, but the collapse of the global order’s moral foundation. Unless the UN finds the courage to act — not merely speak — it will be remembered not as the guardian of peace and justice, but as a bystander to genocide.Until then, Palestinians will continue to suffer and the UN will remain what it has tragically become: an institution that watches but never acts.
* Hani Hazaimeh is a senior editor based in Amman. X: @hanihazaimeh

America’s AI iron curtain hurting allies
Sona Muzikarova/Arab News/April 09, 2025
As we enter the second half of the 2020s, artificial intelligence capabilities are increasingly becoming the key determinant of economic and military might. Hence, after years of ratcheting up US controls on exports of advanced semiconductors to China, the Biden administration, as one of its final acts in office, issued an “interim final rule” to establish a Framework for Artificial Intelligence Diffusion. If this AI Diffusion Rule (as it is known) remains intact, the US inputs needed to develop frontier AI models will be accessible to only a tight circle of allies. In fact, even most NATO and EU members would be sidelined from AI development — a prospect that could ultimately undermine America’s own strategic objectives. For example, Central and Eastern Europe — Europe’s industrial powerhouse — needs access to frontier AI chips to remain economically competitive and militarily secure over the next decade. Yet, if America is no longer a reliable partner and supplier, the region’s economies could gravitate toward China.
Specifically, the AI Diffusion Rule creates a three-tiered hierarchy of access. The bottom tier comprises China, Russia and the other usual suspects, which are effectively barred from the market. The most privileged tier comprises 18 trusted allies and trade partners, including the other members of the so-called Five Eyes — America’s intelligence-sharing alliance with Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK — and Asian technology powerhouses such as Taiwan and South Korea.
That leaves the middle tier, which includes most NATO and EU members. Despite being close US allies, they face rigorous restrictions, including a cap on imports of high-end AI chips (50,000 per country through 2027). Moreover, the rule extends beyond hardware to include things like model weights (which embody an AI’s learned capabilities). Any country that wants to access such assets must pass through stringent, burdensome security protocols.
By relegating Central and Eastern Europe to second-tier status, the US has threatened the region’s economic future
Without these hurdles, Central Europe would be well placed to build on its robust industrial base to drive technological progress for all of Europe. Poland, among the best capitalized economies in the region, recently launched a $240 million initiative to help develop the first Polish large language model. Just days before the US tightened its AI chip restrictions, the Polish government announced plans to invest nearly $1.2 billion in AI-based technologies this year. And in February, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk signed a memorandum of understanding with Alphabet (Google) CEO Sundar Pichai to speed up AI adoption in cybersecurity, health, energy and other sectors.
By relegating Central and Eastern Europe to second-tier status, the US has threatened the region’s economic future in at least three ways. First, the restrictions will make it more difficult to upgrade legacy industries such as auto manufacturing at a time when Europeans need to press ahead with autonomous and self-driving vehicles, AI-augmented manufacturing and predictive maintenance technologies.
Second, now that the region’s AI aspirations depend on the whims of policymakers in Washington, long-term planning and many new investments are on hold. As import-dependent US companies are also recognizing, there is nothing worse for business than persistent policy uncertainty. Third, with high-performance chips out of reach, Central and Eastern Europe’s budding AI startup ecosystem may be forced to migrate to tier-one countries, crippling a strategic sector before it has the chance to mature. If its startups leave or wither away, the region will be set back at least a decade. No wonder public discontent has rippled across European capitals, from Brussels and Prague to Riga and Warsaw.
It makes no sense to maintain limits on Central and Eastern Europe’s ability to develop these technologies. Of course, US policymakers would say that they are making a calculated trade-off: safeguarding America’s technological edge and national security interests, even if that means causing friction with long-standing allies. But the AI chip restrictions also risk fracturing NATO’s cohesion and stalling its military modernization. The war in Ukraine has shown that combat increasingly revolves around AI capabilities — from cyber defenses to drones. Given that the Trump administration wants NATO’s European members to step up and do more, it makes no sense to maintain limits on Central and Eastern Europe’s ability to develop these technologies.
True, most countries in the region cannot yet reach the quota imposed by the AI Diffusion Rule anyway, owing to a lack of computing power and other requirements. But as their capacities grow, they may begin to look for other partners. In 2023, Hungary alone absorbed 44 percent of Chinese foreign direct investment in Europe — eclipsing France, Germany and the UK combined. Similarly, despite Poland’s strong Western orientation, China is already one of its largest trading partners, while the broader Central and Eastern European automotive cluster has robust indirect supply links to China.
Given that these ties could facilitate a broader geopolitical realignment, the US would do well to devise a more targeted approach. Ultimately, AI leadership is not just about controlling the hardware and the software. It is also about setting global standards for how the technology is developed, deployed and governed. By sidelining allies from the AI frontier, the US risks losing influence over the technology’s trajectory. That cannot possibly be what America wants.
**Sona Muzikarova, a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and a Mason fellow at Harvard Kennedy School, is a former economist at the European Central Bank, a former diplomat at the OECD and a former senior adviser to the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic.
Copyright: Project Syndicate