English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For April 16/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible Quotations For today
Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them: It is better for you to
have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 11/47-54:”So
the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the council, and said,
‘What are we to do? This man is performing many signs. If we let him go on like
this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both
our holy place and our nation. ’But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest
that year, said to them, ‘You know nothing at all! You do not understand that it
is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole
nation destroyed. ’He did not say this on his own, but being high priest that
year he prophesied that Jesus was about to die for the nation, and not for the
nation only, but to gather into one the dispersed children of God. So from that
day on they planned to put him to death. Jesus therefore no longer walked about
openly among the Jews, but went from there to a town called Ephraim in the
region near the wilderness; and he remained there with the disciples.”
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on April 15-16/2025
Video & Text/April 13, 1975 – April 13, 2025: From Wounds to Victory,
From Wars to Liberation and Peace/Elias Bejjani/April 13/2025
Lebanon’s Liberation from Hezbollah’s Occupation needs the following steps/Elias
Bejjani/April 12, 2025
Link to video commentary by journalist Ali Hamadeh
Elias Bejjani/The dire danger of inegrating Hezbollah terrorists in the Lebanese
Army
Link to another video commentary by journalist Ali Hamadeh
Lebanon assures Jordan of solidarity after foiled threats to national security
UN human rights office concerned about Israeli strikes on civilians in Lebanon
Lebanon–Qatar–UAE: Time for Business and Strategic Handshakes/Christiane Tager/This
Is Beirut/April 15/2025
Aoun travels to Qatar for official visit
Aoun and al-Sharaa Pay Successive Official Visits to Qatar
Aoun Reaffirms Anti-Corruption Drive and State Sovereignty
From words to action: President Aoun's vision for state-controlled arms, without
clashes with Hezbollah
Aoun says only qualified Hezbollah fighters can be integrated into army
Israeli army spokesperson: Drone strike kills Hezbollah operative in South
Lebanon
1 killed in Israeli drone strike on car in Aitaroun
Israeli report to sway US away: Hezbollah and Iran forge new paths for weapons
flow into Lebanon
Lebanese Army receives bomb disposal equipment from France
UN says Israel killed 71 civilians in Lebanon since ceasefire
Disarming Hezbollah no longer inconceivable, analysts say
Finance Minister says Lebanon hopes to meet foreign bondholders in coming year
Higher Judicial Council Convenes to Launch Judicial Reset
Parliament to Fast-Track Amendments to Private School Teachers' Compensation Law
Bassil accuses political system of blocking reforms, calls for full transparency
Hezbollah: No Backtracking on Disarmament/Bassam Abou Zeid/This Is Beirut/April
15/2025
Nuclear Deal or Not, Hezbollah Must Disarm/Hussain Abdul-Hussain/This is
Beirut/April 15/2025
From Firepower to Billboards: The Evolution of "May 7"/Johnny Kortbawi/This is
Beirut/April 15/2025
Regional leaders rally for sustainable development goals at Beirut forum/Miguel
Hadchity/Arab News/April 15, 2025
Naim Qassem explains Hezbollah’s vision for the future in first long-form
interview/David Daoud/FDD's Long War Journal/April 15, 2025
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on April 15-16/2025
Jordan foils plot involving rockets and drones; source says suspects
linked to Hamas
Netanyahu tells Macron that establishment of Palestinian state will ‘reward’
terrorism
What do we know about Israel's latest Gaza ceasefire proposal?
'Screw you': Netanyahu's son lashes out at Macron over plans to recognise
Palestine
Trump Envoy Witkoff Says Had ‘Compelling’ Meeting With Putin
Witkoff says US ‘finally’ got answer on Putin’s demands for peace
Confusion surrounds US-Iran nuclear talks venue as Tehran points to Oman over
Rome
Iran's Khamenei neither 'overly optimistic nor pessimistic' about US nuclear
talks
Would military strikes kill Iran's nuclear programme? Probably not/Francois
Murphy and John Irish/Reuters/April 15, 2025
Tehran says next round of Iran-US nuclear talks in Oman after Rome named by
officials
In Iran talks, Trump envoy stresses verification of nuclear program, omits
demand for dismantlement
Trump spoke to sultan of Oman about Iran talks: White House
Khamenei says Iran-US talks going well but may lead nowhere
Iran and Armenia simulate border threats in joint military drills
'They're Fake': Chinese Citizens Caught Fighting For Russia Tear Into Putin's
Forces
Jordanian intelligence thwarts plots threatening national security
Israeli airstrike hits hospital entrance in Gaza, killing medic and wounding 9
Hamas delegation heads to Qatar for indirect ceasefire talks with Israel
Syria's Alawites still face targeted attacks a month after brutal
counteroffensive
Saudi Arabia plans to pay off Syria's World Bank debts, sources say
Titles For
The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources
on April 15-16/2025
Turkey’s Military Presence in Syria is a Threat to Israel/Sinan Ciddi/FDD/April
15/2025
Trump, Khamenei, and the return to Muscat/Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Asharq Al-Awsat/April
15, 2025
Gaza’s impossible choice: extermination or forced transfer/Osama Al-Sharif/Arab
News/April 15, 2025
Bibi the peacemaker: how starvation, bombs became his tools for ‘stability’/Hani
Hazaimeh/Arab News/April 15, 2025
The Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on April 15-16/2025
Video & Text/April 13, 1975 – April 13,
2025: From Wounds to Victory, From Wars to Liberation and Peace
Elias Bejjani/April 13/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/04/142208/
On this very day, April 13, 1975,
Lebanon entered one of the darkest chapters in its history. What took place was
not merely the start of a civil war—it was the launch of a sinister and
calculated scheme designed to destroy Lebanon’s identity, shatter its national
unity, and transform it into a battlefield for foreign powers and their agendas.
This day marked the beginning of a period of blood and fire. Lebanon was dragged
into long, devastating conflicts that violated its sovereignty, spilled the
blood of its people, and opened the gates to foreign interventions. The state
collapsed, its institutions crumbled, and its independence was hijacked by
occupation plots, regional conspiracies, and internal betrayals.
But the most important truth remains: that dark day in Ain El-Remmaneh area was
not simply the outbreak of civil war—it was the launch of an evil masterplan to
annihilate Lebanon’s very existence, dismantle its society, and erase its unique
identity. The plotters, both domestic and foreign, believed they could engulf
our small nation. But they were met by a people of unwavering resilience and a
sacred land that cannot be desecrated.
The crisis began with the cold-blooded assassination of Lebanese citizen Joseph
Abu Aasi in Ain El-Remmaneh area and the attempted assassination of Sheikh
Pierre Gemayel, head of the Kataeb Party. This was no random incident—it was the
opening move in a deliberate conspiracy led by the Palestine Liberation
Organization (PLO). Backed by jihadist, leftist, Ba'athist, and Arab nationalist
movements, and aided by certain Arab regimes, the PLO aimed to turn Lebanon into
an alternative homeland for Palestinians at the expense of the Lebanese people.
Yet, the free Lebanese rose up—Christians and sovereign-minded patriots from all
sects united in resistance. Despite massacres, betrayals, and isolation, they
endured. The PLO was expelled. The project of turning Lebanon into a substitute
Palestinian homeland was defeated. And the right to national decision-making was
reclaimed by the Lebanese people. Lebanon proved then, as it does now, that it
is immune to foreign domination and cannot be ruled by the axes of political
Islam—be they Sunni, Shiite, or the demagogic left in all their branches.
With the collapse of the Palestinian scheme, the Syrian Ba'athist regime stepped
in. Under the false banner of the “Arab Deterrent Force,” President Hafez
al-Assad’s Syrian army invaded and occupied Lebanon. It spread terror, imposed a
reign of assassinations, arrests, massacres, and forced displacements. Freedoms
were crushed. The state was suffocated. And Lebanon entered a long, dark tunnel
of Ba'athist tyranny.
But Lebanon is no ordinary land—it is a divine endowment. The Syrian occupation
eventually collapsed under the weight of its crimes. The Cedar Revolution of
2005 forced Assad’s army into a humiliating retreat. Hope was rekindled that
Lebanon could rise again.
Yet that hope was short-lived. In place of the Syrian occupier came a more
insidious and dangerous one: the Iranian occupation, imposed through
Hezbollah—the Khomeinist, jihadist, terrorist militia. Cloaked in the false garb
of “resistance” and “liberating Palestine,” Hezbollah hijacked the state,
usurped the right to war and peace, and bound Lebanon to the Iranian regime’s
expansionist “Wilayat al-Faqih” project.
Hezbollah dragged Lebanon into needless wars, filled the graves of honorable
Shiites with its victims, and shattered the dreams of a generation. It severed
Lebanon’s ties with its Arab brothers and the world. On October 8, 2023, it
opened a reckless war front with Israel under direct orders from Tehran—another
war Lebanon never asked for. Thousands of lives were lost, homes destroyed, and
regions devastated. In the end, Hezbollah suffered a historic and crushing
defeat.
Now, on April 13, 2025, hope is reborn. The era of Hezbollah’s occupation and
Iranization is nearing its end. After its catastrophic failures, Hezbollah has
lost most of its leaders, strongholds, and legitimacy. Across the region, Iran’s
militias in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Gaza are collapsing. The Assad regime has
fallen. The Iranian expansionist project is in ruins. And the clerical regime in
Tehran is now retreating, exposed and disgraced.
The Lebanese have always been a people of dignity and resistance—armed not with
weapons of destruction, but with faith, hope, and a righteous cause. Their land
is sacred. Their history is deeply rooted in the soil. Lebanon is not just a
country; it is a divine inheritance. As the Old Testament says, it is the land
of prophets, saints, and martyrs—protected by God. Those who seek to conquer it
are destined to fall, because divine justice does not sleep.
We proclaim, with pride and certainty, that we have seen this divine justice
with our own eyes. The PLO was expelled. The Syrian Ba’athists were humiliated
and driven out. The Iranian regime and its militias are crumbling. Those who
funded and abetted the occupations—whether in Yemen, Libya, or Somalia—have been
scattered and broken. But Lebanon remains, sustained by its martyrs, its
righteous people, and its unshakable faith.
To Hezbollah—the Persian, jihadist, terrorist militia—we say: your occupation
has failed. Your weapons are a curse upon you. You are not a resistance but a
mercenary militia in the service of a foreign regime. Lebanon is not yours. It
never was, and it never will be.
In conclusion: because Lebanon is a sacred endowment to God, it will be
liberated from the Iranian occupation. The Lebanese people, by God’s will, will
prevail. The future belongs to them—not to any occupier, invader, or internal
traitor. Eternal glory to our righteous martyrs who offered their lives with
faith on the altar of freedom.
Lebanon’s Liberation from Hezbollah’s Occupation needs the following steps
Elias Bejjani/April 12, 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/04/142221/
Lebanon’s salvation lies in liberating its Shiite community from Hezbollah’s
grip.
Hezbollah has turned Lebanon into a failed, isolated, and impoverished state.
The resistance narrative is fraudulent and has served only Iran’s expansionist
agenda.
The state cannot coexist with a militia that operates above the law and
constitution.
There can be no reform without restoring Lebanese sovereignty and dismantling
Hezbollah’s parallel state.
International intervention under Chapter VII is necessary to enforce UN
Resolutions 1559 and 1701.
The current ruling elite is complicit and benefits from the existing corrupt and
criminal system.
Lebanon’s Shiites are victims of Hezbollah’s destructive ideology and policies.
A new national pact must be founded on state legitimacy, civil peace, and full
independence.
Dialogue is futile when conducted under the intimidation of illegal weapons.
The path forward requires courageous leadership that prioritizes national
interest over sectarian alliances.
The collapse of Hezbollah’s hegemony is the beginning of Lebanon’s rebirth.
Link to
video commentary by journalist Ali Hamadeh
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/04/142330/
Title: President Joseph Aoun Opens the Army to Hezbollah Members! What’s
Happening?
In this video, journalist Ali Hamadeh warns of the grave danger—and the outright
crime—of allowing members of the terrorist, jihadist, Iranian-backed Hezbollah
to join the ranks of the Lebanese Army.
April 15, 2025
Elias Bejjani/The dire danger of inegrating Hezbollah
terrorists in the Lebanese Army
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/04/142330/
It is absolutely unacceptable for any Iranian-affiliated, jihadist Hezbollah
member to be integrated into the Lebanese Army. Should this happen, it would
mean that Hezbollah has effectively taken control of the army, turning it into
an Iranian proxy force operating under Tehran’s command rather than serving the
interests of Lebanon and its people. Any official who facilitates such a
betrayal must be arrested and prosecuted for collaboration and high treason.
Link to another video commentary by journalist Ali Hamadeh
April 15, 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/04/142330/
Title: The Banking Secrecy Law and Banking Reform… Some Caveats
Available on the An-Nahar newspaper website, this video explores critical
concerns regarding the new banking secrecy law and the broader context of
banking sector reforms.
Lebanon assures Jordan of solidarity after foiled threats
to national security
Arab News/April 15, 2025
LONDON: Lebanon’s prime minister expressed solidarity with Jordan following the
arrest on Tuesday of several suspects accused of involvement in plots to
compromise Jordanian national security. During a telephone conversation with his
counterpart, Jafar Hassan, Nawaf Salam pledged Lebanon's full cooperation in
efforts to tackle threats to Jordan’s security and stability.Earlier, the
Jordanian General Intelligence Department arrested 16 people suspected of
“planning acts of chaos and sabotage,” the Jordan News Agency reported. Two of
the suspects, Abdullah Hisham and Muath Al-Ghanem, were believed to have visited
Lebanon to coordinate with a senior leader in the Muslim Brotherhood and receive
training, the agency added. Salam said Lebanese authorities were “fully
prepared” to cooperate with their Jordanian counterparts by providing
information about individuals suspected of involvement in the plots who received
training in Lebanon, the country’s National News Agency reported. “Lebanon
refuses to be a base or a launching pad for any action that would threaten the
security of any brotherly or friendly country,” the prime minister added. In a
message posted on social media platform X, Lebanese MP Fouad Makhzoum said the
case affects Lebanon’s relations with Arab and other foreign countries, and
urged the government to clarify the circumstances surrounding the suspects’
training. “All solidarity with Jordan in the face of malicious attempts to
undermine its stability,” he added. During a telephone call with Jordan’s
foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, Lebanon’s former prime minister, Najib Mikati,
similarly expressed his solidarity with Amman. The Palestinian Authority
condemned the “terrorist plots” and said they represented an attempt to
undermine national security. The president’s office said “attempts to target and
weaken Jordan are targeting and weakening Palestine,” the Palestinian News
Agency reported.
UN human rights office concerned
about Israeli strikes on civilians in Lebanon
Olivia Le Poidevin/Reuters/April 15,
2025
GENEVA (Reuters) - The U.N. human rights office voiced concern on Tuesday about
the protection of civilians in Lebanon as Israeli military operations have
continued to kill civilians there since a ceasefire in November. "Israeli
military operations in Lebanon continue to kill and injure civilians, and
destroy civilian infrastructure, raising concerns regarding the protection of
civilians," Thameen Al-Kheetan, spokesperson for the U.N. Office for the High
Commissioner of Human Rights, told reporters in Geneva. At least 71 civilians -
including 14 women and nine children - have been killed by Israeli forces in
Lebanon since the ceasefire came into effect on 27 November last year, and
92,000 are still displaced, according to OHCHR. "We are calling for
investigations into all allegations of violations...Each and every military
action where civilians are killed must be investigated," Al-Kheetan said. The
U.N's rights office raised concern about recent Israeli military operations
hitting civilian infrastructure, including a strike on April 3 which destroyed a
newly established medical centre run by the Islamic Health Society in Naqoura.
It also noted that at least five rockets, two mortars and a drone have been
launched from Lebanon towards the north of Israel, according to the Israeli
army, and that tens of thousands of Israelis remain displaced from the north.
"The ceasefire must hold and any escalation is a risk for stability in general
in Lebanon, Israel and the whole region," Al-Kheetan added. Despite the
ceasefire, Israeli airstrikes have kept up pressure on Hezbollah, which it
accuses of maintaining military infrastructure in the south. On Thursday a
senior Hezbollah official told Reuters the group is ready to hold talks with the
Lebanese president about its weapons if Israel withdraws from south Lebanon and
stops its strikes, as calls to disarm Hezbollah gain momentum. The most recent
conflict in Lebanon began when Hezbollah opened fire in support of Hamas at the
start of the Gaza war in October 2023.
Lebanon–Qatar–UAE: Time for Business and Strategic Handshakes
Christiane Tager/This Is Beirut/April 15/2025
Lebanon is stepping up its diplomatic and economic engagement with key Gulf
partners, as President Joseph Aoun embarks on a high-level tour of Qatar and the
United Arab Emirates. Beyond the warm welcomes and symbolic gestures, the visits
mark a renewed push to secure tangible support for Lebanon’s economic recovery,
and to position the country more firmly within the Gulf’s sphere of strategic
partnerships. The visit, which began Tuesday in Doha, aims to solidify bilateral
relations and formally acknowledge Qatar’s support during Lebanon’s recent
presidential election. However, beyond symbolic gestures, high-level discussions
will focus on economic recovery, energy cooperation, and Qatar’s potential role
in stabilizing Lebanon’s ailing economy. Doha reaffirmed its commitment to
Lebanese investment, particularly in the energy and hospitality sectors.
Notably, Qatar holds a 30% stake in the consortium overseeing offshore gas
exploration in Lebanon’s Exclusive Economic Zone – a project recently
reactivated with the backing of TotalEnergies. President Aoun’s Gulf tour
continues in Abu Dhabi, where he will meet UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin
Zayed Al Nahyan. The visit marks the formal restoration of diplomatic ties,
capped by an agreement to reopen the Emirati Embassy in Beirut. The move is
expected to pave the way for future cooperation in security, infrastructure and
regional investment.
Qatar–Lebanon: A Well-Oiled Economic Partnership
Though modest in scale, trade relations between Lebanon and Qatar are built on
solid and well-structured foundations, according to Mohammad Abou Haidar,
Director General at Lebanon’s Ministry of Economy. Speaking to This is Beirut,
Abou Haidar revealed that Lebanese exports to Qatar have reached $84.68 million
in 2024 – consisting primarily of food products (such as canned fruits and
vegetables, and meat), hot beverages (notably coffee, tea and maté), along with
soaps, spices, oils and detergents. Qatar’s exports to Lebanon, by comparison,
totaled $27.17 million, largely made up of polymers, aluminum, chemicals, as
well as second-hand household appliances. “Yes,” Abou Haidar remarked with a
hint of humor, “even refrigerators are making the journey.” This exchange leaves
Lebanon with a positive trade balance of $57.5 million. While encouraging, this
figure reflects a sharp drop from the $144.6 million surplus recorded in 2021.
Meanwhile, the UAE remains one of Lebanon’s most significant and long-standing
commercial partners in the Gulf. In 2024, Lebanese exports to the UAE were
significantly higher, reaching $516 million, driven largely by high-value
products such as pearls, essential oils, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. However,
imports from the UAE surged to $952 million with refined petroleum products,
plastics and pharmaceuticals leading the list – resulting in a substantial trade
deficit of $436 million for Lebanon, a dramatic shift from the previous year’s
deficit of just $57 million. Yet, trade balances alone don’t capture the full
scope of Lebanon’s ties with the Gulf. The UAE has long been a strategic
economic partner, and its presence in Lebanon extends well beyond goods. From
finance and real estate to infrastructure and development, Emirati investments
play a key role in Lebanon’s economic ecosystem. President Aoun’s diplomatic
overtures come at a time when Lebanon is actively seeking international support
to pull itself out of a prolonged and multifaceted crisis. In both Doha and Abu
Dhabi, the message is clear: Lebanon is open for business, committed to
stability, and in need of trusted partners to accompany it on the path to
recovery. For their part, both Qatar and the UAE have reiterated their readiness
to deepen economic ties and support Lebanon’s stabilization efforts. The
question now is whether these public expressions of goodwill will translate into
real, sustained momentum. And as the saying goes in Beirut: Yalla – now it’s
time to turn promises into action.
Aoun travels to Qatar for official visit
Naharnet/April 15/2025
President Joseph Aoun traveled Tuesday to Doha on an official visit, following
an invitation from Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani. Aoun was accompanied by
Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji and will be joined in Doha by Lebanese Ambassador
to Qatar Farah Berri.
The visit will continue until Wednesday afternoon and will involve bilateral
talks between Aoun and Sheikh Tamim and a broad meeting between the Lebanese and
Qatari sides.
Aoun and al-Sharaa Pay Successive Official Visits to Qatar
This is Beirut/April 15/2025
President Joseph Aoun arrived in Qatar on Tuesday for a 24-hour official visit
at the invitation of Prince Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, with bilateral talks
centered on Lebanon’s reconstruction efforts in the wake of the October 2024 war
with Israel.
The visit comes just hours ahead of a separate arrival by Syrian President Ahmad
al-Sharaa, marking a notable diplomatic sequencing in Doha. According to the
Lebanese Presidency, President Aoun is accompanied by Minister of Foreign
Affairs Youssef Rajji. Lebanon’s Ambassador to Qatar Farah Berri is expected to
join the delegation upon arrival. She will participate in broader discussions
following a one-on-one meeting between the two heads of state. The
reconstruction of Lebanon, heavily impacted by the conflict sparked when
Hezbollah opened a front against Israel in support of Hamas, is at the top of
the agenda. Qatar has expressed its readiness to support the rebuilding process,
though it has previously made clear that any assistance would be contingent on
the restoration of political and security stability in Lebanon.
During a visit to Beirut in February, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin
Abdulrahman Al Thani emphasized that Doha’s aid would depend on concrete steps
toward national stabilization. In addition to reconstruction, discussions in
Doha are expected to touch on broader strategic issues, including extending
state sovereignty across all Lebanese territory, reinforcing border control with
Syria and Israel, and advancing long-awaited reforms.
Prior to his departure, President Aoun reaffirmed his commitment to
consolidating all weapons under state authority. In interviews with al-Araby al-Jadeed
and Al Jazeera, he made it clear that the decision to centralize arms had
already been taken, ruling out any model akin to Iraq’s “Hachd al-Chaabi” Forces
to integrate Hezbollah into Lebanon’s armed forces. President Aoun is scheduled
to return to Beirut late on Wednesday morning.
Aoun Reaffirms Anti-Corruption Drive and State Sovereignty
This is Beirut/April 15/2025
President Joseph Aoun conducted a series of high-level visits to key security
and military institutions on Tuesday, underscoring his administration’s firm
stance against corruption and its commitment to asserting the sovereignty of the
Lebanese state. Early in the day, Aoun visited the General Directorate of State
Security in Ramlet el-Bayda, where he met with Director General Major General
Edgar Lawandos and senior officers. In a firm address, the President reiterated
that combating corruption remains a top priority for his presidency. “Your main
mission is to fight corruption, which is the root cause of the economic crisis
and the suffering of the Lebanese people,” Aoun declared. He issued a stern
warning emphasizing that “impunity will no longer be tolerated. No one is above
accountability. You must resist all forms of pressure.”Following this, Aoun
proceeded to the Ministry of Defense for discussions with Defense Minister
Michel Menassa, and then to Army Command Headquarters, where he met with Army
Commander General Rodolphe Haykal. During the visit, the President paid tribute
to soldier Fadi el-Jassem, who was killed the previous day while dismantling
unexploded ordnance in the Aaziye valley. Three others were wounded in the
incident. “The Lebanese army has paid the price of blood to defend the unity,
sovereignty and integrity of its territory. It will continue to fulfill its duty
despite the difficulties,” Aoun stated, urging the military to maintain its
cohesion amid ongoing challenges. An extended security meeting followed,
attended by Minister Menassa, General Haykal, the Military Council, and Head of
Military Intelligence Brigadier General Tony Kahwaji. Aoun Pursues Dialogue with
Hezbollah, Prepares for Doha Visit. On the eve of his official trip to Doha,
Aoun announced that dialogue with Hezbollah is ongoing, with a focus on
resolving the contentious issue of the state’s exclusive control over arms.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, he confirmed that “the decision to entrust all weapons
to the Lebanese state has been taken,” adding that implementation would occur
“not by force, but through thoughtful dialogue.”
The President also addressed critical strategic matters including the security
situation, reform efforts, Lebanon’s complex ties with Hezbollah, and
international pressures. On Israel’s continued occupation of southern Lebanese
territories, Aoun said diplomatic efforts are underway with Arab and
international actors including the US, France, and the European Union to compel
Israel to abide by international resolutions and release Lebanese detainees. He
commended the Lebanese army’s role in securing areas south and north of the
Litani River, highlighting recent operations in which tunnels and arms caches
were uncovered and dismantled without confrontation with Hezbollah. “This
indicates a degree of cooperation, even flexibility, on the part of the party,”
he noted.Regarding border demarcation, Aoun called for the establishment of a
committee similar to the one overseeing maritime borders, while firmly ruling
out any talks on normalization with Israel. He reaffirmed Lebanon’s adherence to
the Arab Peace Initiative launched in Beirut in 2002 and the resolutions of the
Riyadh summit.
Lebanese-Syrian Relations
Turning to Lebanon’s eastern frontier, President Aoun advocated for a gradual
normalization of relations with Syria based on mutual respect and sovereignty.
“Syria’s stability reflects on Lebanon. We need to rebuild a balanced
relationship,” he said, confirming the resumption of dialogue with the new
Syrian authorities. He hailed the recent defense ministers’ meeting between the
two countries, organized under Saudi mediation, as a breakthrough in restoring
bilateral security coordination particularly against smuggling. “Since this
meeting, no major incidents have been reported on our eastern and northeastern
borders,” Aoun noted, calling for the formation of joint committees to demarcate
land and maritime boundaries. On the contentious issue of Syrian displacement,
Aoun reiterated his position that conditions are ripe for a gradual return of
refugees. However, he pointed out that international sanctions on Damascus are
obstructing this process. “Without lifting the sanctions or providing economic
assistance to Syria, the return of refugees becomes nearly impossible,” he
warned. He urged international organizations to actively facilitate repatriation
and support reintegration efforts.
From words to action: President Aoun's vision for
state-controlled arms, without clashes with Hezbollah
LBCI/April 15/2025
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said the decision to restrict weapons exclusively
to the state has been made, emphasizing that the focus must now shift to
implementing the policy through dialogue, not force. Speaking to Al Jazeera
before departing for an official visit to Qatar, Aoun affirmed the ongoing
diplomatic efforts with Arab and international actors to pressure Israel into
withdrawing from South Lebanon and resolving the issue of prisoners. Aoun
reaffirmed Lebanon's readiness to revive the 1949 Armistice Agreements with
Israel through border demarcation, including forming a dedicated committee.The
president also commended the Lebanese Army for its extensive operations both
south and north of the Litani River. He noted that the military continues to
dismantle tunnels and weapons storage sites and to confiscate arms caches—all
without clashes with Hezbollah. He reiterated Lebanon's need for a national
security strategy involving Hezbollah through dialogue. However, what is the
difference between the defensive strategy previously discussed in Parliament and
Baabda Palace and the national security strategy Aoun envisions? The proposed
defensive strategy focuses mainly on Lebanon's military defense, Hezbollah's
weapons, and its ties with the state. The national security strategy he
envisions is broader. It would encompass health, economic, social, financial,
food, diplomatic, media, and judicial security—under which a defense strategy
emerges from within this larger framework. The president's remarks notably
included a reference to a recent army raid in the town of Barja in the Chouf
district, north of the Litani. According to military sources, the army has taken
control of several weapons depots in areas north of the Litani and into the
Bekaa Valley, either due to citizen reports or because the sites posed a public
safety risk. Sources said that these operations were not subject to the
same procedures followed in South Lebanon, where the Israeli army typically
informs the U.N. committee monitoring the implementation of the ceasefire of
suspected Hezbollah locations, which then notifies the Lebanese Army. South of
the Litani, the army has begun sealing off caves and facilities it had
previously secured, in a bid to prevent future use by any armed group.
Aoun says only qualified Hezbollah fighters can be
integrated into army
Naharnet/April 15/2025
President Joseph Aoun has said that “2025 will be the year of limiting arms to
the hands of the state,” reassuring that “Hezbollah will not be dragged into a
new war.”Speaking to Qatar’s al-Arabi al-Jadeed news portal ahead of a visit to
Doha, Aoun explained his vision for integrating Hezbollah’s fighters into the
army in the future. Aoun stressed that “the experience of Iraq’s Popular
Mobilization Forces will not be repeated in Lebanon” and that “no independent
unit of Hezbollah fighters will be introduced to the Lebanese Army.”
He added that “only the members who enjoy certain qualifications, possess
academic certificates and succeed in admission tests will be integrated” into
the military institution. As for the U.S. pressure on Lebanon to disarm
Hezbollah, the president said he informed U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus of his
keenness “not to jeopardize civil peace and risk a civil war,” revealing that he
called on the U.S. to press Israel to halt its attacks on Lebanon and to leave
the issue of resolving the file of Hezbollah’s arms to the Lebanese state. “The
decision of limiting arms to the hands of the state has been taken and
implementation will take place through dialogue,” Aoun added, noting that the
fall of the Assad regime and Iran’s advanced stances regarding Yemen’s Houthis
and Iraq’s al-Hashed al-Shaabi can contribute to the success of the dialogue
with Hezbollah.
Israeli army spokesperson: Drone strike kills Hezbollah
operative in South Lebanon
LBCI/April 15/2025
An Israeli military drone strike targeted the southern Lebanese town of Aitaroun
earlier on Tuesday, killing a senior Hezbollah operative, according to Israeli
army spokesperson Avichay Adraee. Adraee said the strike eliminated the
commander of a cell belonging to Hezbollah's special operations unit.
1 killed in Israeli drone strike on car in Aitaroun
Naharnet/April 15/2025
Lebanon's health ministry said an Israeli strike killed one person in the
country's south on Tuesday, the latest such attack despite a ceasefire between
Israel and Hezbollah. A "drone strike carried out by the Israeli enemy on a
vehicle in the town of Aitaroun killed one person and wounded three others
including a child," the health ministry said in a statement.Israel's military
claimed that the man killed was "a platoon commander in Hezbollah's Special
Operations Array."Israel has continued to strike Lebanon since the November 27
ceasefire that largely halted more than a year of hostilities with Hezbollah,
including two months of all-out war. The United Nations Human Rights Office said
Tuesday that "at least 71 civilians have been killed by Israeli forces in
Lebanon since the ceasefire came into effect."The truce accord was based on a
U.N. Security Council resolution that says Lebanese troops and United Nations
peacekeepers should be the only forces in south Lebanon, and calls for the
disarmament of all non-state groups. Under the truce, Hezbollah was to withdraw
fighters from south of Lebanon's Litani River and dismantle any remaining
military infrastructure there. Israel was to pull out all its forces from south
Lebanon, but it continues to hold five positions that it deems "strategic".
Lebanon's army has been deploying in the south near the border as Israeli forces
have withdrawn and has been dismantling Hezbollah sites.
Israeli report to sway US away: Hezbollah and Iran forge
new paths for weapons flow into Lebanon
LBCI/April 15/2025
Following Israel's inability to shape the direction of ongoing U.S.-Iran nuclear
negotiations, Israeli intelligence has intensified efforts to portray Iran as an
enduring regional threat. The Alma Center for Security Research released the
latest in a series of reports and claims that members of Iran's Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) are currently present in Lebanon, working
alongside Hezbollah to rebuild its military capabilities. According to the
report, the IRGC and Hezbollah are charting a new roadmap to ensure the
continued flow of weapons and funds to Lebanon following the effective closure
of the Iraq-Syria corridor.
The report outlines two alleged smuggling paths.
The first is a direct maritime route from Iran through the Red Sea, Suez Canal,
and Mediterranean Sea to Lebanon. The second is a mixed sea-land route, moving
from Iran to Sudan by sea, then overland through Libya and Egypt, before
reaching the Mediterranean and finally Lebanon. Given increasing restrictions on
traditional land, sea, and air routes through Syria, the report highlights a
growing Iranian interest in Sudan as an alternative logistical hub. It also
underscores Egypt's strategic significance in the alleged network, noting that
the 1,200-kilometer border between Egypt and Sudan remains largely unmonitored.
Much of this region consists of desert terrain, which offers ideal conditions
for clandestine movement, facilitated by existing local smuggling
infrastructure, according to the report. Israeli officials are said to be
sharing these findings with their American counterparts to sway Washington away
from any positive momentum in the nuclear talks, by emphasizing an ongoing and
evolving "Iranian threat" to regional security—particularly to Israel.
Lebanese Army receives bomb disposal equipment from France
Naharnet/April 15/2025
A French military plane carrying bomb disposal equipment donated to the Lebanese
Army landed Sunday at the Rafik Hariri International Airport, the army said on
Tuesday. “The donation was received in the presence of officers from the
Lebanese and French armies,” the Lebanese Army said in a statement. The
announcement comes hours after a Lebanese soldier was killed and three others
were wounded while dismantling mines in a Hezbollah tunnel in south Lebanon.
"While a specialized army unit was carrying out an engineering survey of a site"
in south Lebanon's Tyre district, "a suspicious object exploded, killing a
member of the unit and moderately injuring three others," an army statement
said. A statement from President Joseph Aoun's office said the soldiers had been
"dismantling mines and explosive materials in a tunnel" in the area.
UN says Israel killed 71 civilians in Lebanon since ceasefire
Agence France Presse/April 15/2025
Israeli forces have killed dozens of civilians in Lebanon since a ceasefire took
effect late last year, including a number of women and children, the United
Nations said Tuesday. The U.N. rights office reported that Israeli military
operations had killed and injured civilians in Lebanon in the four months since
the fragile truce between Israel and Hezbollah on November 27. "According to our
initial review, at least 71 civilians have been killed by Israeli forces in
Lebanon since the ceasefire came into effect," rights office spokesman Thameen
Al-Kheetan told reporters in Geneva. "Among the victims are 14 women and 9
children," he said, urging that "the violence must stop immediately."The
delicate truce between Israel and Hezbollah came after more than a year of
hostilities initiated by the Iran-backed militant group over the Gaza conflict,
including two months of all-out war when Israel also sent in ground troops. But
months after the agreed end to fighting, Kheetan warned that people in Lebanon
"remain gripped by fear, and over 92,000 are still displaced from their homes."
The rights office noted that Israeli strikes on Lebanese territory had hit
civilian infrastructure since the ceasefire, including residential buildings,
medical facilities, roads and at least one cafe. The southern suburbs of Beirut
were also hit in early April for the first time since the ceasefire took effect,
in two different incidents, Kheetan said, adding that the area targeted was near
two schools.
"A strike on a residential building in the early morning of April 1 killed two
civilians and caused significant damage to neighboring buildings," he said. Two
days later, "Israeli airstrikes hit a newly established medical center run by
the Islamic Health Society in Naqoura in southern Lebanon, completely destroying
the center and damaging two ambulances," he said. He added that "multiple
Israeli airstrikes on several towns in the south of Lebanon reportedly killed at
least six people" between April 4 and 8.
Israel had also faced attacks since the truce took effect, Kheetan said. Since
last November, at least five rockets, two mortars and a drone were launched from
Lebanon towards northern Israel, he said, citing figures from the Israeli army,
adding that "tens of thousands of Israelis are still reportedly displaced from
the north."Kheetan demanded that all parties to the conflict "respect
international humanitarian law, including the principles of distinction,
proportionality and precaution." "There must be prompt, independent and
impartial investigations into all allegations of serious violations of
international humanitarian law, and those found responsible must be held to
account."
Disarming Hezbollah no longer inconceivable, analysts say
Agence France Presse/April 15/2025
The once unthinkable disarmament of Hezbollah could finally be within reach, as
the United States pushes Lebanon to act and applies pressure to the group's
backer Iran over its nuclear program, analysts said. Hezbollah was left badly
weakened by more than a year of hostilities with Israel, beginning with the
group's campaign of rocket fire at its arch-foe in support of ally Hamas, and
culminating in a major Israeli bombing campaign and ground incursion into
Lebanon. In the months after the war, which devastated parts of the country and
killed many of the movement's top leaders, Lebanon elected a president and
formed a government after a more than two-year vacuum as the balance of power
shifted. The war "clearly changed the situation on ground in Lebanon", said
David Wood from the International Crisis Group. "It's conceivable to think that
Hezbollah could move towards disarmament and potentially even participate in
that process willingly," Wood told AFP. Hezbollah was the only group that did
not disarm after Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war. Bolstered by an arsenal once
considered more powerful than that of the Lebanese army, it long presented
itself as the country's best line of defense against Israeli aggression. But
both its stockpiles and its senior leadership were sapped by the conflict, with
longtime leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah among the commanders killed.
Under a November 27 truce, Hezbollah was to withdraw its fighters to the north
of Lebanon's Litani River and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in
the south, while the Lebanese army was to deploy in the area. Israel was meant
to withdraw its troops, but it still remains in five points it deems "strategic"
and conducts regular strikes on what it says are mostly Hezbollah targets. A
source close to Hezbollah told AFP that the group had ceded to the Lebanese army
around 190 of its 265 military positions identified south of the Litani.
Visiting U.S. deputy special envoy for the Middle East Morgan Ortagus, who is
spearheading Washington's campaign to pressure the Lebanese government to disarm
Hezbollah, this month said it should happen "as soon as possible".
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who has pledged a state monopoly on bearing
arms, has said the issue requires dialogue.
'Inevitable'? -
Hezbollah -- which was established after a 1982 Israeli invasion -- has already
agreed to significant political compromises this year, including declining to
stand in the way of the selection of the new president. Hanin Ghaddar from The
Washington Institute told AFP that Hezbollah's disarmament was "inevitable". The
only alternative to the Lebanese state disarming the group "is that Israel is
going to do it" militarily, said Ghaddar, a critic of the group. Retired south
Lebanon intelligence chief General Ali Shahrour said after Hezbollah's recent
setbacks "it is certainly not in its interest to engage in any war (with Israel)
or confrontation against the (Lebanese) state" in opposition to disarmament.
He said talks between Iran and the United States on curbing Tehran's nuclear
program would impact Iran-backed groups across the region. Those negotiations
kicked off last weekend, with U.S. President Donald Trump threatening military
action against Iran if they failed to reach a deal. Several Hezbollah officials
have said the group is ready for dialogue on Lebanon's defense strategy,
including the issue of the group's weapons, but is not prepared to surrender
them now. Ghaddar said current Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem and the chief of its
parliamentary bloc, Mohammed Raad, likely wanted "to play the time game" to
avoid disarmament. Hezbollah wants "to survive" as a military institution, she
said, adding any internal divisions would center on "how to go about it".
Several experts said Israel's ongoing troop presence along the border played
into the group's hands. "The Israelis are certainly providing Hezbollah with
justification to retain its weapons," said Shahrour, the retired intelligence
official.
- US-Iran talks -
The source close to Hezbollah, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said
Lebanon's army lacked "the military capability to defend the south" against
Israel. They accused Washington of insisting Hezbollah's rockets be destroyed,
rather than confiscated, in order to keep Lebanon's army weak. The Crisis
Group's Wood said Beirut's options included dismantling Hezbollah's military
infrastructure or integrating its weapons and fighters into the regular army.The
"safest approach" is "to move cautiously and take time", he said.
"It is possible that Iran would seek to trade its support for regional allies,
including Hezbollah, for concessions in negotiations with the U.S.," Wood added.
Karim Bitar, a lecturer in Middle East Studies at the Sciences Po university in
Paris, said the issue of what should come first -- Israel's full withdrawal or
Hezbollah's disarmament -- was "a chicken and egg situation". Hezbollah would
likely surrender some heavy weapons while denying responsibility for arms held
by individuals aligned with the group, he told AFP. "In the absence of an
Iranian green light, I doubt that Hezbollah would willingly relinquish its
weapons to the Lebanese army, even if they are offered to form an autonomous
battalion within the Lebanese army," he said. "A lot of this will depend on the
U.S.-Iranian negotiations."
Finance Minister says Lebanon hopes to meet foreign
bondholders in coming year
Reuters/This is Beirut/April 15/2025
Lebanese officials hope to meet international bondholders to talk about
restructuring debt in the next 12 months but are not planning any meetings at
the World Bank/IMF Spring meetings next week, Finance Minister Yassine Jaber
said Tuesday. Jaber spoke to Reuters just days before travelling to Washington
for the Spring meetings - one of the biggest gatherings for financial policy
makers and investors - where Lebanon will seek to show it has made progress on
economic reforms to address the underlying causes of its financial crash. Asked
whether he planned to meet international bondholders in the next year, Jaber
said, "definitely, definitely, this is as they say the elephant in the
room.""You can't escape it in the end. Lebanon is keen to resolve this issue,
God willing," he said. But the country needed to make progress on reforms -
including reforming the banking sector and boosting government revenues through
reforms to tax systems and customs collection - before it could start talks,
Jaber said. "We wanted, first of all, to do our homework, to put the whole
reform process on the right track to get started. You can't have a house in
total disorder and then say, 'I want to negotiate,'" he said. The Lebanese
delegation to the spring meetings will be the first outing at an IMF/World Bank
meeting for Lebanon's new government, which took the reins in February and
pledged to seek a new IMF program. Jaber said it would be the first time a
Lebanese finance minister attends in more than a decade. Economy Minister Amer
Bisat is scheduled to give an outlook on Lebanon's economy at a JPMorgan
investor conference held on the sidelines, according to documents seen by
Reuters.
Higher Judicial Council Convenes to Launch Judicial Reset
This is Beirut/April 15/2025
The Higher Judicial Council met on Tuesday under the leadership of Judge Souheil
Abboud, marking its first session since October 2024. With newly appointed
members, the Council aims to relaunch judicial operations after years of
political deadlock and institutional paralysis. Judge Abboud thanked President
Joseph Aoun, PM Nawaf Salam and Justice Minister Adel Nassar for swiftly filling
judicial vacancies. He also called on judges to uphold their duties with
integrity and independence, despite Lebanon’s ongoing challenges.
The Council established criteria for future judicial appointments – prioritizing
integrity, competence and seniority – and proposed partial appointments to
complete the makeup of top courts. Other decisions included setting up
indictment chambers, reviewing death penalty pardon requests, and consulting on
judicial appointments to the Court of Justice.
Parliament to Fast-Track Amendments to Private School
Teachers' Compensation Law
This is Beirut/April 15/2025
An agreement has been reached in Parliament to urgently amend the recently
enacted law governing compensation for private school teachers. Deputy Speaker
of Parliament Elias Bou Saab announced on Tuesday that a revised draft law,
fast-tracked for urgent approval, will be reviewed during the next legislative
session. The announcement came after a meeting in Parliament that brought
together the Education Parliamentary Committee, representatives from the Union
of Private Schools, the Teachers’ Syndicate and the Director of the Compensation
Fund. “Although the law was properly passed by Parliament, it was unjustly
obstructed. It has now been published in the Official Gazette and is fully in
effect,” said Bou Saab following the meeting.
Bassil accuses political system of blocking reforms, calls
for full transparency
LBCI/This is Beirut/April 15/2025
Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader Gebran Bassil said in a press conference
that Lebanon's political crisis goes beyond corruption, accusing what he
described as an entrenched system of obstructing reform efforts. "Our problem is
not just with corruption, but with the system that protects and sustains it,"
Bassil said during a televised speech. "For the second time, we find ourselves
outside that system and have never remained silent— we have submitted reform
laws."Bassil criticized the parliamentary majority, which he described as part
of the same system, for failing to pass key legislation proposed by his bloc. He
highlighted the draft law amending banking secrecy, saying it was a partial
success because it allowed retroactive access to public officials' bank
accounts. "There should be no time limit when it comes to uncovering the
financial records of those in public service. This iron curtain shielding the
accounts of public officials must fall," he said. Bassil also addressed the
stalled banking sector reform law, warning that its implementation is contingent
on passing a complementary law to address the financial gap. "The law states it
will not go into effect unless the financial gap law is approved. That second
law must be introduced as part of an integrated process for the first to be
valid," he explained.
Hezbollah: No Backtracking on Disarmament
Bassam Abou Zeid/This Is Beirut/April 15/2025
The reconstruction of areas devastated by the war between Hezbollah and Israel
hinges on two key conditions: the disarmament of the Iranian-backed group and
the adoption and implementation of structural reforms. Without meaningful
progress on both fronts, Lebanon will remain stalled in paralysis and
increasingly vulnerable to deepening political, security, and economic
instability. This is the assessment of a senior Lebanese official, who stresses
that Hezbollah is fully aware that no serious reconstruction effort can begin
without meeting these two prerequisites—particularly given that the disarmament
clause directly targets the group. Any delay or obstruction in this regard, the
source warns, will indefinitely hinder reconstruction and place full
responsibility squarely on Hezbollah—whether for the ongoing displacement within
its own social base, Israeli strikes on its military infrastructure and weapons
depots, or the targeted assassinations of its operatives. "The consequences of
this deadlock will not be limited to Hezbollah," the official cautions. "Lebanon
as a whole could be dragged back into full-scale war, compounding an already
devastating financial and economic crisis."According to the same source,
Hezbollah is currently weighing the political cost of disarmament against the
strategic advantage it believes it still gains from retaining its arsenal. For
now, it seems to favor the status quo—even at the expense of reconstruction.
However, this stance is increasingly seen as out of step with shifting regional
dynamics, marked by a major reshuffling of power balances that no longer favor
Hezbollah’s axis. The official notes that the group should have recognized this
shift long ago—first through the scale of the Israeli strikes, and later, in the
very terms of the ceasefire agreement, which explicitly prohibits any form of
rearmament. Hezbollah reportedly pursued a strategy of circumvention from the
outset of the ceasefire. However, this approach has encountered increasing
resistance: from a broad Lebanese majority calling for an end to its military
adventures, from an unprecedented official stance reaffirming the state’s
exclusive authority over arms and decisions of war and peace, from an
increasingly firm international and Arab consensus, and from Israel’s clear
determination to continue its military campaign until Hezbollah’s military role
is declared over and its armed infrastructure dismantled. In conclusion, the
official underscores that the president’s recent statements regarding
Hezbollah’s arsenal leave no room for ambiguity: there will be no backtracking
on this issue. The upcoming dialogue between General Joseph Aoun and Hezbollah
will not address any potential future military role for the group, but will
instead focus solely on the terms and process of disarmament. According to the
most optimistic forecasts, this process should be completed within a year.
Nuclear Deal or Not, Hezbollah Must Disarm
Hussain Abdul-Hussain/This is Beirut/April 15/2025
The Shia of Lebanon who pledge allegiance to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei
should ask themselves these questions: Why do they boycott American products
when Khamenei invites Americans to invest in Iran and promises Washington $4
billion in contracts? Why do these Shia have to live in tents, erected atop
their razed homes, and not surrender Hezbollah’s arms in return for
reconstruction money? Why does Khamenei concede on his nuclear program while
Hezbollah fights for a worthless sliver of border territory disputed with
Israel?
The answer to all these questions is one: Since 1979, Islamist Iran has been
using the Shia in Arab countries as fuel for the massive bonfire it has lit to
blackmail the world. Iran solicits the highest international bidder to
extinguish or contain the flames—until it needs to light the fire again.
Pro-Iran Shia of Lebanon should wake up and smell the coffee. There will be no
global Shia Islamist republic. There will be no liberation of Palestine. There
will be no salvation. It is what it is. Every nation is fighting for its own
survival and interests. It is high time the Shia realize that cash and arms from
Iran are short-term gains that come at a high cost—in blood and treasure.
Nothing, absolutely nothing, justifies the death of over 5,000 of the best and
brightest Shia men in the war that Hezbollah started with Israel. Jerusalem is
not Lebanese, and the road to it should not be lined with Lebanese Shia blood.
Shia voices should rise up and say: enough is enough. Speaker Nabih Berri, the
top Shia official in Lebanon, must give up populism and tell the Shia what is in
their interests, not what the pro-Iran Shia like to hear. Detaching the Shia of
Lebanon from Islamist Iran is imperative and is in the best interests of the
Shia and Lebanon at large. Pro-Iran Shia should stop behaving as a fifth column
and endorse Lebanon, whose national interests are their own.
Although they are not Shia, President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam
must step up and treat the Shia of Lebanon as Lebanese citizens—not as a
separate entity. Invite Hezbollah to surrender its arms and give it a deadline.
If it does not, rally the Lebanese and the army to disarm Hezbollah, forcefully
if need be. If pro-Iran Shia are crazy enough and enjoy suicide from time to
time, the state should not let them drag Lebanon into their endless infernos.
Islamist Iran may strike a deal with America—or it may not. Aoun and Salam have
thus far waited and watched. If a deal is reached, they will avoid confronting
Hezbollah. If no deal is made and Iran is struck, they will likely intensify
pressure on Hezbollah to disarm. Regardless, Beirut must act to disarm
Hezbollah—with or without an American nuclear agreement with Iran. Aoun and
Salam can rescue Lebanon from regional conflagration by neutralizing the
militia. If they fail to do so, no amount of reconstruction or reform will be
enough to fix the country. As for Lebanon’s pro-Iran Shia, they must reexamine
the fallacies they continue to peddle day and night. The claim that Hezbollah’s
arms protect them has proven false. When it came to facing Israel, the Jewish
state chewed up Hezbollah and spat it out—killing Nasrallah and dozens of his
lieutenants, razing Hezbollah strongholds, and seizing five strategic hills. If
Hezbollah’s weapons were meant for defense, they failed. Instead, they brought
death and destruction to Lebanon and the Shia. The late Hassan Nasrallah often
mocked the adage that “Lebanon’s strength lies in its weakness,” insisting
instead that Hezbollah’s might had empowered Lebanon and deterred Israel. So
where is Nasrallah now, and what remains of his theory about Lebanon’s strength?
Nasrallah is dead, and with him, Lebanon must bury the flawed thinking that
overestimated the power of Hezbollah and the state it claimed to serve.
Lebanon’s strength does indeed lie in its weakness—in its distance from regional
entanglements. The sooner Aoun and Salam realize this and act swiftly to disarm
Hezbollah, the safer Lebanon will be.
From Firepower to Billboards: The Evolution of "May 7"
Johnny Kortbawi/This is Beirut/April 15/2025
It’s striking how much Hezbollah’s projection of power has changed over the
years. Once firmly gripping Lebanon’s state institutions, the party sought to
assert dominance over the entire political spectrum—often by force. There was a
time when Hezbollah stormed Beirut with weapons and fire, burned down the TV
studios of its political rival, the Future Movement, and forced new terms onto
the national political scene—reshaping the game for 16 years, until its defeat
in the 2024 war with Israel. Another chapter saw its black-shirted supporters
flood the streets to pressure lawmakers into appointing Najib Mikati as prime
minister, bypassing their original choice, Saad Hariri. Back then, Hezbollah
simply had to raise its voice—or its weapons—and it would get its way in
Lebanese politics. Today, the party’s strongest expression of resistance is
tearing down billboards. Specifically, promotional posters along the airport
road—long adorned with Hezbollah’s slogans and the image of its late leader—were
replaced by Lebanon’s national flag and the slogan: “A New Era for Lebanon.” The
state wanted to send a message of unity and renewal to arriving travelers.
But in response, Hezbollah supporters—acting in apparent coordination—set the
new posters ablaze, not once, but repeatedly. It’s a symbolic tantrum,
expressing discomfort with a shifting political reality. Burning these posters
has become, in effect, their loudest act of defiance. And since the current
leader doesn’t carry the same emotional weight, the return of the former
leader’s face to the walls is now the most they can hope to achieve
domestically. The state, for its part, must hold its ground. If the posters are
burned, they should be replaced the next day—and again the day after that. No
concessions. No surrender to old symbols of imposed authority. While these acts
play out on the surface, a deeper narrative is taking shape—voiced not by top
officials, but by second-tier Hezbollah allies like political commentator Rafiq
Nasrallah. In a recent interview, he laid bare what the party won’t say
outright: that handing over weapons should come with a political price—such as
increased influence in state institutions, a reshuffling of the top leadership
posts, and replacing power-sharing with sectarian majority rule. But perhaps the
most telling moment was his “slip” when discussing electoral reforms to benefit
Hezbollah’s base: he threw in a call for a “civil state” and the abolition of
sectarianism. This well-worn slogan—presented as progressive—has repeatedly been
used as a Trojan horse to entrench sectarian dominance under the guise of
secularism. In Lebanon, no one pushes this slogan without a hidden agenda. It’s
never just about reform—it’s about power. This reality isn’t new, but it
deserves renewed scrutiny in light of today’s shifting dynamics. Those pushing
so-called civil state ideals often cloak sectarian ambitions in the language of
rights and reform. It’s a façade. True statehood comes when weapons are handed
over and the state belongs to all—not when an armed faction attempts to rule it
by force.
Regional leaders rally for sustainable development goals at
Beirut forum
Miguel Hadchity/Arab News/April 15, 2025
Held under the patronage of Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, the three-day
event—titled “Restoring Hope, Raising Ambition”—is organized by the UN Economic
and Social Commission for Western Asia, in collaboration with the League of Arab
States and other UN agencies. The forum focuses on advancing the Sustainable
Development Goals across the Arab region, highlighting both achievements and
persistent challenges.
As a vital platform ahead of two key global gatherings — the Second World Summit
for Social Development in Doha this November and the Fourth International
Conference on Financing for Development — the forum helps shape regional
priorities around inclusive growth, social equity, and financial inclusion.
A central theme of the forum was the urgent need to advance financial inclusion
in the Arab region, where approximately 197 million adults — representing 64
percent of the population— remain unbanked, the highest rate globally. In a
panel titled “Advancing Financial Inclusion in the Arab Region,” experts
emphasized that true inclusion goes far beyond opening bank accounts—it’s about
transforming lives and building economic resilience. Nasser Al-Kahtani,
executive director of the Arab Gulf Program for Development, underscored the
need to view financial inclusion as a strategic investment, not just a policy
goal. Sherif Lokman, sub-governor of Egypt’s Central Bank, highlighted the need
for national commitment, stating: “Every head of state should look to financial
inclusion as something top important. A central bank cannot alone make financial
inclusion happen.” He detailed Egypt’s efforts, including training 12,000 bank
employees in sign language to better serve people with disabilities. Maher
Mahrouq, director general of Jordan’s Association of Banks, outlined Jordan’s
target to raise financial inclusion to 65 percent by 2028 and reduce the gender
gap to 12 percent. Meanwhile, Fatma Triki from Tunisia’s Enda Inter-Arabe noted
that her country had already achieved 75 percent financial inclusion in 2021.
The UN Special Rapporteur on Disability Rights, Heba Hagrass, called for at
least 80 percent inclusion to ensure marginalized groups are not left behind.
“One of the main obstacles to full financial inclusion are policies,” she said,
urging reforms to dismantle barriers. Lebanon’s reform agenda and call for Arab
unity
During a ministerial discussion on the road to the Fourth International
Conference on Financing for Development, Lebanon’s Finance Minister Yassine
Jaber urged the adoption of a unified Arab strategy to fund sustainable
development.
“We need a combined effort between governments and international funders,” he
said, as he outlined Lebanon’s reform program aimed at recovery from years of
economic crisis.
Speaking to Arab News on the sidelines of the forum, Jaber elaborated on the
country’s efforts to rebuild trust in its banking sector after a prolonged
financial collapse. He identified the appointment of new leadership at the
central bank as a crucial first step in restoring public confidence and
promoting financial inclusion. “During the coming weeks, we’ll be appointing a
new vice governor and the new bank control commission, so that the whole team
will be there to start preparing for a solution to this banking crisis,” Jaber
told Arab News.
He added: “Also, we just passed two laws. One amends the Bank Secrecy Law to
allow the Bank Control Commission to have more access. The second law regulates
the banking system to ensure banks are healthy, have good capital adequacy, and
can operate in a trustworthy way.”Jaber also noted the central bank’s plans to
implement a gradual approach to returning deposits, prioritizing smaller account
holders. “There’s no banking system in the world that can give back all the
deposits to all the people at the same time. So we’ll start with the smaller
depositors, then move to higher amounts.”Reflecting on regional economic
collaboration, Jaber expressed frustration over long-standing obstacles.
Recalling his role in the 1990s as economy minister, he said: “I still remember
how hard we worked … and always had obstacles that actually a lot of them still
exist. With globalization falling apart, the Arab world has to create its own
regional cooperation system.” He also underscored the significance of Lebanon
hosting the Arab Forum for Sustainable Development, despite the country's
ongoing challenges. “The important thing is that this is happening here, in
spite of everything, we still have this conference happening. We still have
ESCWA here. Lebanon is stretching its hand out for cooperation.”Jaber concluded
by noting Lebanon’s plans to participate in the upcoming IMF-World Bank meetings
in Washington, signaling its readiness to re-engage with the international
financial community.
Challenges and commitments
The forum also featured remarks from Ahmed Aboul Gheit, secretary-general of the
Arab League, who acknowledged that conflict and instability continue to obstruct
sustainable development across the region. Yet, he struck an optimistic tone:
“Despite these challenges, we see a strong and determined Arab will to transform
obstacles into opportunities.”Echoing this call for resilience, ESCWA Executive
Secretary Rola Dashti stressed the need for tangible results over rhetoric.
“Hope is not restored through words and promises—it is restored through action,
accountability, and justice,” she said. The Arab Forum for Sustainable
Development comes at a critical juncture, as preparations ramp up for the Second
World Social Summit in Doha, which will address longstanding gaps in social
development. The UN has positioned the summit as an opportunity to “reaffirm our
dedication to social progress” and ensure that no one is left behind. ESCWA’s
Annual SDG Review 2025, released during the forum, shed light on persistent
inequalities in financial access across the Arab world. The report revealed that
only 29 percent of Arab women have access to bank accounts—the lowest rate
globally—while just 36 percent of adults use digital payments, compared to a
global average of 67 percent. The review also highlighted Lebanon’s acute
banking trust crisis. Despite relatively moderate access to financial services,
actual usage drops to just 10 percent, reflecting widespread public mistrust in
the financial system. As the forum’s second day wrapped up, participants
emphasized the importance of digital finance, regulatory reform, and stronger
regional cooperation to close these gaps. With Lebanon working to restore its
financial footing and Arab nations seeking unified solutions, the AFSD has laid
the groundwork for meaningful dialogue ahead of November’s global summit.
Naim Qassem explains Hezbollah’s vision for the future in first
long-form interview
David Daoud/FDD's Long War Journal/April 15, 2025
On March 09, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem gave his first lengthy
interview to Manar Sabbagh from Al Manar, Hezbollah’s satellite TV station,
after assuming his post. Qassem’s predecessor, Hassan Nasrallah, often gave
similar interviews to Al Manar and Al Mayadeen, another Lebanese channel,
delving deeper into issues that Hezbollah considered important. These
engagements allowed Nasrallah to buttress the group’s narrative around such
issues and develop both his own cult of personality, which helped retain and
grow Lebanese Shiite support, and the reputation of other figures deemed
critical to the Iran-led “Axis of Resistance.”
In last month’s interview, Qassem dealt with issues ranging from Nasrallah’s
funeral to Hezbollah’s conduct during the war and the group’s future in Lebanon.
Sabbagh interjected with questions meant to build up the new secretary-general’s
cult of personality—a status that made Nasrallah very effective but almost
indispensable.
Nasrallah’s funeral
Qassem said Hezbollah delayed holding Nasrallah and Hashem Saffiedine’s funeral
to protect the people, “but the delay allowed us to find a burial plot near the
airport, and the opportunity to allow the people to participate.” This
participation, he said, turned out to be “exceptional” and showed a commitment
to the future, expressing Hezbollah’s supporters’ belief that “the resistance
isn’t an idea or a phase; it is their food and drink and the blood coursing in
their veins.”
Qassem insisted funeral attendance was so massive that “even [our] foes could
not ignore the crowds.” He had an interest in exaggerating attendance, of
course. However, the most credible estimate, offered by Lebanese consulting
group Information International, put attendance at 690,000–900,000
overwhelmingly Lebanese attendees. Qassem insisted the funeral attendance was
both an outpouring of grief and “a message” that the group’s supporters remained
committed and willing to offer more sacrifices.
Nasrallah’s death and succession
After Nasrallah’s assassination, Qassem conferred with Hashem Safieddine,
Hezbollah’s Executive Council chairman and Nasrallah’s heir apparent, on the
succession. Qassem claims he insisted that Safieddine, whom he deemed more
qualified, succeed Nasrallah. He said the two agreed to parcel out roles, with
Safieddine overseeing military matters and Qassem handling political issues.
“That is why I spoke on September 30 as deputy secretary-general, while [Safieddine]
attended to the military mission,” Qassem said. He claims Safieddine was indeed
elected by Hezbollah’s Consultative Council but was assassinated by Israel on
Thursday, October 3, 2024, before his election was announced that weekend.
Qassem described Safieddine’s assassination as an “earthquake.” He said he felt
reassured by Safieddine being next in line after losing Nasrallah, and
Safieddine’s death turned his life upside down and left him temporarily lost.
However, Qassem alleges a quick internal dialogue and divine inspiration helped
him regain his bearings and determination to continue in his predecessors’
path—after which, he turned to calm his colleagues in Hezbollah with assurances
of divinely promised victory.
The interviewer interjected to exaggerate Qassem’s bravery, saying, “Those
around you described you as exceptionally brave, possessed of a calmness” and—to
also highlight Qassem’s erudition—claimed the Hezbollah leader even requested
books. Feigning humility, Qassem described his need to constantly read in his
free time.
Qassem steps up
Qassem said his announcement as secretary-general was delayed until September 30
to confirm Safieddine’s September 19 death, bury him on September 23, and allow
a week to pass out of respect. Qassem said he then began liaising with
Hezbollah’s military leadership to assess the group’s remaining capabilities and
determine the proper tempo of continued attacks on Israel. “I coordinated a
program with them for daily strikes, where to strike, the means, the details,
when we’d hit Tel Aviv, when we’d hit Haifa,” he claimed. Qassem said he
followed the minutiae of the operations so he could set war goals.
Qassem claimed Israel intended its rapid assassinations to create an internal
“earthquake” in Hezbollah and “end” the group. However, he claims that he helped
Hezbollah regain its footing within 10 days, aided by the group possessing a
“big body.”
“We have endless commanders and immense capabilities,” he said, claiming they
soon filled all vacancies and allowed Hezbollah to continue its daily strikes
and hit major Israeli cities.
Hezbollah’s strength and the ceasefire deal
Qassem claimed Hezbollah’s strength remained largely intact, citing daily
attacks on northern Israel and the “endurance” of its fighters “on the
frontline.” This strength, he said falsely, prevented Israel from reaching the
Litani River. Qassem once again suggested that Hezbollah obstructed Israel’s
real war aim of reaching Beirut and forced Jerusalem to demand a ceasefire.
“When the ceasefire occurred, it was based on [our] existing strength, and when
we stopped [attacks] on the day of the ceasefire, we did so from a position of
strength. … We … still possess this capability,” he alleged.
Qassem said Hezbollah constantly communicated with Parliament Speaker Nabih
Berri during Lebanon’s ceasefire negotiations with Israel on the deal’s content.
Ultimately, he claimed, Hezbollah accepted the ceasefire not out of weakness but
because it never wanted the war. Thus, when Israel agreed to a ceasefire based
on Security Council Resolution 1701, “we had no objection.”
Qassem insisted Hezbollah had exclusively focused its attacks on Israeli
military targets, despite also boasting about strikes on Tel Aviv and Haifa. He
also insisted that his group remained “well and will continue” despite the
damage it absorbed during the war. Sacrifices and “heavy price[s],” he said,
were a natural part of Hezbollah’s resistance vocation, but the group prevailed
“against Israel with all of its murderousness, and America with its tyranny,
murderousness, capabilities, weapons, and cooperation of European powers.”
Qassem sought to explain Hezbollah’s setbacks with this oft-repeated
exaggeration so the group could spin a clear defeat into a victory by virtue of
survival. “We paid a heavy price, but the resistance is continuing, thank God,”
he said.
Hezbollah under the ceasefire agreement
Qassem said Hezbollah rejected the US-Israel letter of assurance. He said the
group agreed to the November 27 Lebanon-Israel ceasefire deal—as it applied to
the presence of armed groups and their infrastructure and unauthorized border
crossings—on the basis that it complied with Lebanon’s idiosyncratic
understandings of Security Council Resolution 1701and was operative only “south
of the Litani River.” “Now we consider the [Lebanese] state responsible,” he
said.
However, Qassem suggested that the state was failing to live up to its
responsibilities. He pointed to visits of religious Jews to the Tomb of Rav Ashi/Sheikh
Abbad—bifurcated by the Blue Line—near Houla in south Lebanon as proof of this
failure and Israel’s incremental but “massive expansionism project from the
Mediterranean to the Gulf.” Qassem then threatened Israel over its continued
presence in five points of south Lebanon past the ceasefire’s February 18
withdrawal deadline.
“This resistance and its people will not allow you to remain,” Qassem said,
advising Israel to seize the “opportunity” to withdraw peacefully while “the
Lebanese state is addressing the matter, to which we have agreed.”
Lebanon, Hezbollah, and the future of the group’s arms
Qassem rejected claims Hezbollah was fighting anyone else’s war on Lebanese
land, pointing to all the “fighters, martyrs, and the land occupied” being
Lebanese. He said that Hezbollah differed from its accusers in their responses,
though both rejected the Israeli occupation. “Hezbollah says the occupation must
be confronted with the resistance, the people, and the army if it continues.
They choose diplomacy, even if diplomacy costs us Lebanon.”
Qassem said Hezbollah had withdrawn north of the Litani River, and so Israel
lacked any excuse for its continued “violations” of Lebanese sovereignty. But
Israel, he said, needed no excuses to commit aggression, and therefore, he
cautioned Lebanese officials against blaming Hezbollah. Qassem called on the
group’s domestic opponents, disparaging them as “self-described sovereigntists,”
to cooperate with Hezbollah and direct their verbal attacks at Israel instead
“because we live in one country.” In any case, he said, Hezbollah “will not stop
resistance, try what you may. We’ll see where it will get you.”
Qassem also insisted that Hezbollah’s principles, including its adherence to
Khomeinism, remain unchanged. The group would continue confronting Israel’s
expansionism “to liberate our land” and also “help the Palestinians to achieve
liberation” based on Hezbollah’s current circumstances and means. Qassem said
Hezbollah also supports “building an effective and just state to satisfy the
needs of the people. When we participated in the parliamentary elections
[beginning in 1992], or the government [beginning in 2005], or municipal
elections, we did so to represent the people and offer our model. … So, I
repeat, we’re continuing.”
Qassem rejected the idea this government engagement meant Hezbollah would lay
down its arms and pursue an exclusively political course. “When we say the
resistance is continuing, and while we speak of a strong state, what do we mean
by ‘continuing?’ With books?! It is continuing on the battlefield,” he said.
Qassem stated that the participation of Hezbollah’s Radwan Force in Nasrallah’s
funeral was meant to convey Hezbollah’s intention to “remain in the [battle]field,
we are continuing.”
Qassem insisted that only Hezbollah’s “methods, means, and time” would change.
However, he said, its principles, including resistance, would continue, because
“resistance is part of our principles … if resistance ends, will there even be a
Lebanon?” He pointed to Israel’s operations in Syria after Bashar al Assad’s
ouster as proof of Israeli designs on Lebanon. “We’d see this all in Lebanon if
not for the existence of the resistance,” he said.
Qassem continued:
The Israelis know well today that if they don’t leave [Lebanese] land, they will
confront resistance. Not now. But later. Later when? In a day, in a month, after
some time. I don’t know. We are being patient. Because the [Lebanese] state is
now responsible. But that does not mean matters will always remain like this.
They must know this. Some changes happened, and we must adapt our tactics and
methods. What do we say to the people? We tell them that now, we won’t respond
every time Israel strikes like we did in the past. No. There were rules of
engagement [lit. “an equation”], but they no longer exist. New rules of
engagement will arise, and we certainly won’t allow Israel to set them. We will
set rules of engagement that will protect our future and our country and will
lead, in steps, toward liberation. Part of the rules by which we are now
operating is giving the state the full opportunity for political action, so we
can prove to the entire world that Israel only withdraws by force and only
understands weapons.
Qassem asked the group’s supporters for patience and to utilize the current
respite in the long war with Israel while trusting that Hezbollah’s “leadership,
resistance and legendary fighters” remain present and are acting wisely.
“Possessing wisdom and faith means I must act appropriately to suit the
situation,” he said, and that a delayed response demonstrated Hezbollah’s
strength, not its defeat. “We chose patience. We have our means. Our people are
with us. Our direction is there. Our principles remain. Our presence remains.
But we believe we must now be patient, to see where the [ceasefire] deal will
lead us.” Hezbollah, Qassem insisted, was acting according to its “realistic and
pragmatic” nature.
Qassem confessed that tremendous domestic pressure backed by the United States
and Israel—including halting Iranian airliners from landing in Beirut—sought to
deny Hezbollah any rest. But the group, he said, remained ready and willing for
any confrontation, which it would conduct “as appropriate—partially politically,
partially through media/information,” and partially through “other” unspecified
means. Hezbollah was dealing with all these matters, Qassem claimed, through
increased cooperation with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and granting Prime
Minister Nawaf Salam the party’s confidence in parliament. He said that this
collaboration had already overcome some of the issues, such as American
objections to Hezbollah’s presence in Salam’s government.
Qassem said it was premature to judge Hezbollah’s relationship with Aoun and
Salam but insisted that “there’s a certain positive warmth with the president.”
The Hezbollah leader said he supports the prime minister, and Hezbollah seeks
cooperation with him but has yet to determine his intentions. Nevertheless,
Qassem said, Hezbollah wants to help the Lebanese government with all its
challenges, but also stop any American attempts to interfere in domestic
politics.
Hezbollah retains the weight to remain politically influential, Qassem said,
pointing to the 30 parliamentarians it shares with Amal, “or almost one-fourth
of parliament … five ministers, and an extraordinarily cohesive [Shiite] sect,
as well as allies.” He further stressed that Amal and Hezbollah together had won
45% of all votes cast during the last parliamentary election, overwhelmingly
from Shiite voters. “We operate within the state based on our popular support,”
he said, claiming that MP Mohammad Raad, head of Hezbollah’s Loyalty to the
Resistance parliamentary bloc, received 47,918 votes, equaling those received by
23 other parliamentarians from smaller districts.
Qassem then addressed Hezbollah’s position on the state’s monopolization of
weapons:
We’re not against the Internal Security Forces (ISF) and Lebanese Army being
responsible for security in Lebanon and defense. We reject the idea of militias
or anyone partnering with the state for defense. But we have nothing to do with
this matter. We are a resistance, a resistance against the Israeli enemy. We
defend our lands when the enemy attacks us. Now they say the state is sufficient
to repel the Israeli enemy. They’re welcome to show us what they can do with
this enemy. We have no objection to them confronting [Israel]. But we as a
resistance consider Israel a danger—a danger when it is occupying [Lebanese
land] or when it seeks occupation, a danger when it is in occupied Palestine.
Israel is a danger by all measures. So, the resistance has a right to continue,
and that has nothing to do with the administration of the state, the state’s
weapons, or maintaining domestic security. If some consider the words of the
president … to be directed at us, we don’t. … No, it’s not directed at us. We
are with monopolization [of arms by the state]. Domestic security and defending
the country aren’t our responsibility. It’s theirs. So, let the army, the ISF,
and other agencies carry out those responsibilities. We are a resistance.
Qassem said that Israel, not Lebanon or any actor in it, controlled the decision
of war and peace. “If they can prevent Israel from launching wars, great. Then
they can monopolize the decision of war and peace. This has nothing to do with
someone acting in self-defense when they sense danger,” he said. Qassem again
claimed Israel intended to launch the recent war irrespective of Hezbollah,
citing former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant pressing Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu to attack Hezbollah as early as October 11, 2023. However,
Hezbollah began attacking Israel on October 8, 2023.
Hezbollah and Lebanese elections
Qassem seemed unconcerned by attempts to create a parliamentary Shiite
opposition bloc. “Let them do what they want, and we’ll do the same,” he said.
Qassem insisted that Lebanese Shiites would remain loyal to Hezbollah, citing
failed prior attempts by “the American Embassy to use the Embassy Shiites” (a
pejorative for anti-Hezbollah Shiites) to unseat the group.
Qassem said that a previous understanding between Nasrallah and Berri was
guiding Hezbollah and Amal’s current cooperation on upcoming municipal
elections, including in villages on the Lebanon-Israel frontier. He was also
positive about the group’s relationship with the Druze Progressive Socialist
Party and the possibility of an electoral alliance during municipal elections
and insisted Hezbollah’s relationship remained strong with the Free Patriotic
Movement and Suleiman Frangieh’s Marada Party. Qassem also said there was ample
room for agreement with Saad Hariri’s Future Movement.
“We’ve worked with him and his father [Rafic Hariri], may he rest in peace, so
we wish them success and influence inside the country because we can work with
them,” he said.
Reconstruction issues
Qassem again said the Lebanese state was responsible for post-war reconstruction
because Hezbollah didn’t start the war. The group, he said, opened a mere
support front, “but support fronts don’t lead to war. … That was an Israeli
decision.” He also rejected preconditioning reconstruction aid.
Qassem said that post-war reconstruction was an inseparable part of the Salam
government’s promised reforms. He stated that Hezbollah had already helped
236,000 of 286,000 refugees permanently return to their homes and would
supplement the state’s future reconstruction efforts—despite it being the
state’s exclusive responsibility. Qassem blamed Hezbollah’s domestic foes for
reconstruction delays and framed any conditioning of aid (implicitly upon
Hezbollah’s disarmament) as an attack on the Shiite sect. Qassem claimed Berri
also opposed conditioning aid, describing the Amal Party and Hezbollah as
virtually inseparable on the issue.
Hezbollah and regional affairs
Qassem rejected Lebanese normalization with Israel, describing Netanyahu as an
American puppet and normalization as a Western imperialist tool to gradually
control the region “from the Nile to the Euphrates.” He said it must be
confronted, describing US President Donald Trump as a “true tyrant” and “beast”
whose quest for world domination would only succeed if he remained undeterred.
Qassem said that the United States and Israel were not guaranteed success. Trump
could change, and Netanyahu’s term would end “or he may be killed before that,
who knows, God willing.”
Qassem said the United States knows that an American strike on Iran would
endanger the entire US military presence in the region and have dire global
repercussions. “Trump will be very cautious, even though Israel, which seeks to
use the United States as a front, is very excited,” he said. Qassem also
insisted the Iran-led Axis of Resistance “will continue and is present,” despite
suffering severe setbacks “in Palestine and Lebanon.”
Qassem said it was premature to judge Syria’s course. “We wish Syria stability …
to establish a system that makes Syria strong and ends Israeli expansionism.” He
opposed dividing up Syria and denied any involvement in Syria’s internal
affairs. He also feigned ignorance regarding the rise of any resistance in that
country but said:
I don’t consider it farfetched that a resistance in Syria will arise against the
Israeli enemy. Because the Syrian people are very Arab nationalistic, Islamic,
nationalistic, were raised on the hatred of Israel, and reject occupation. It’s
long been known that the Syrian people were the Palestinian cause’s primary
support … but … whatever will happen is the responsibility of the Syrians.
Qassem ended his interview by sending his salutations to Hezbollah’s fighters
and the wounded.
*David Daoud is Senior Fellow at at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies
where he focuses on Israel, Hezbollah, and Lebanon affairs.
The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on April 15-16/2025
Jordan foils plot involving rockets and drones; source says suspects linked to
Hamas
Reuters/April 15, 2025
AMMAN (Reuters) - Jordan said on Tuesday it had arrested 16 people, thwarting a
plot that threatened national security, involving rockets, explosives and a
factory to make drones.A security source said the suspects were connected to the
Palestinian militant movement Hamas. The group, which has been at war with
neighbouring Israel since October 2023, has been accused of instigating
anti-government street protests in Jordan, which has a large Palestinian
population. The authorities said at least one rocket was ready to be launched in
the case, which had been under surveillance by security forces since 2021. A
drone factory was also found, according to a statement by the General
Intelligence Department released on state media. "The plot aimed at harming
national security, sowing chaos and causing material destruction inside the
kingdom," the statement said. Over the past year, Jordan has said it has foiled
attempts to smuggle weapons by infiltrators linked to pro-Iranian militias in
Syria.
Netanyahu tells Macron that establishment of Palestinian state will ‘reward’
terrorism
FRANCE 24/April 15, 2025
Israel’s Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Tuesday told French President
Emmanuel Macron in a phonecall that the creation of a Palestinian state would
“be a huge reward” for terrorism. Macron, who last week said his country may
recognise such a state, for his part said the suffering of Gaza civilians “must
end” and that only a ceasefire will secure the release of the Israeli hostages
still held by Hamas in the enclave. Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu
told French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday that the establishment of a
Palestinian state would be a “huge reward for terrorism”. Macron, meanwhile,
posted on X that he had told Netanyahu the suffering of civilians in Gaza “must
end” and only a ceasefire in the war with Hamas would free the remaining Israeli
hostages in the territory. A statement released by Netanyahu’s office said the
two leaders spoke by phone and the Israeli prime minister expressed to the
French president his “strong opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian
state, stating that it would be a huge reward for terrorism”.For his part, the
French president said he told Netanyahu that “the ordeal the civilian
populations of Gaza are going through must end", and called for “the opening of
all humanitarian aid crossings” into the besieged Palestinian territory.
What do we know about
Israel's latest Gaza ceasefire proposal?
FRANCE 24/April 15, 2025
Senior Hamas officials have said that Israel has delivered a new ceasefire
proposal to the Palestinian militant group nearly one month after Israel's
renewed bombardment and ground assault on Gaza broke the previous truce. Here's
what we know so far. Nearly a month after Israel resumed its aerial and ground
assaults across Gaza to pressure Hamas into releasing the remaining hostages in
the territory, the Palestinian militant group says it had received a new
ceasefire proposal from Israel. A senior Hamas official told AFP that the group
would "most likely" respond within 48 hours. The proposal was delivered to the
group's delegation in Cairo over the weekend by Egyptian officials, who are
mediating in the ceasefire talks.
What's the proposal?
Another senior Hamas official told AFP late on Monday that Israel had proposed a
45-day ceasefire in exchange for the release of 10 living hostages. During
Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which sparked the war in Gaza,
Palestinian militants abducted 251 hostages, 58 of whom are still held in Gaza,
including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.
'Screw you': Netanyahu's son lashes out at Macron over
plans to recognise Palestine
Clea Skopeliti/Euronews/April 15, 2025
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's son, Yair, lashed out at the French
president after he said Paris planned to recognise a Palestinian state in June.
“Screw you!” Yair Netanyahu wrote on X on Saturday night, responding to a post
by Emmanuel Macron in which he had endorsed a “Palestinian state without
Hamas” and “the pursuit of a political two-state solution”. “I support the
legitimate right of Palestinians to a state and to peace, just as I support the
right of Israelis to live in peace and security, both recognized by their
neighbors,” Macron had written on X. Following the crude insult, Yair
Netanyahu's post continued: “Yes to independence of New Caledonia! Yes to
independence to French Polynesia! Yes to independence of Corsica! Yes to
independence of the Basque Country! Yes to independence of French Guinea!”It
appeared that Yair Netanyahu may have confused Guinea, a country in West Africa,
and French Guiana, an overseas department of France on South America’s northeast
coast. Guinea has been an independent nation since 1958. The exchange followed
Macron’s announcement that Paris intended to recognise a Palestinian state in
June. He told a French television station last week: "Our goal is, sometime in
June, to chair this conference with Saudi Arabia where we could finalise the
movement of reciprocal recognition," he said. "I will do it ... because I think
that at some point it will be fair and because I also want to participate in a
collective dynamic, which must also allow all those who defend Palestine to
recognise Israel in turn, which many of them do not," he continued. France will
chair a two-day UN conference with Saudi Arabia in New York in June focused on a
two-state solution after 18 months of the Israel-Hamas war.
Trump Envoy Witkoff Says Had
‘Compelling’ Meeting With Putin
Akayla Gardner and John
Harney/Bloomberg/April 15, 2025
President Donald Trump’s special envoy described his talks with Russian leader
Vladimir Putin last week as “compelling,” saying they discussed steps that could
end the war in Ukraine and perhaps lead to business opportunities. At the end of
a nearly five-hour meeting, the envoy, Steve Witkoff, told Fox News in an
interview on Monday, Putin made his request to secure “a permanent peace,” a
development Witkoff said “took a while for us to get to.”The key to an overall
agreement revolves around “five territories,” Witkoff said, without providing
more details. Russia insists that its military seizure of parts of Ukraine since
2014, including Crimea and large areas of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, must
be recognized in any accord. The renewed diplomatic push came after Trump
expressed frustration at the pace of negotiations with Russia, which has so far
declined to accept his proposal for a truce in Ukraine as a starting-point for
broader peace talks. The president wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform
last Friday that “Russia has to get moving” to help bring about a ceasefire. “It
isn’t easy to agree the key components of a settlement” with the US, Russian
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview with the Kommersant
newspaper published on Tuesday. “They are being discussed.” Russia has linked
efforts to stop the fighting to sanctions relief and also demanded a suspension
of arms deliveries to Ukraine as a condition for a ceasefire. While Putin has
previously demanded that Ukraine be barred from ever becoming a member of NATO,
Witkoff said he also raised issues related to the bloc’s central tenet that an
attack on one member constitutes an attack against all members.
Trump Again Accuses Zelenskiy of Starting War as Talks Grind On
“This peace deal is about these so-called five territories, but there’s so much
more to it,” Witkoff said. “I think we might be on the verge of something that
would be very, very important for the world at large.”In the wake of the
meetings in St. Petersburg, Witkoff said he saw “a possibility to reshape the
Russian-United States relationship through some very compelling commercial
opportunities that I think give real stability to the region too.”Earlier
Monday, Trump again blamed Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for the war
amid questions about which side is responsible for the failure to achieve a
ceasefire. Trump’s comments came after Ukraine said at least 34 people were
killed and 117 injured when Russian missiles struck the city of Sumy on Palm
Sunday morning. Ukraine “responded positively” to US proposals last month for a
full and unconditional truce, while Russia “has been openly refusing to cease
fire,” Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address late on Monday. “Putin
remains focused on continuing the war,” he said. “Ukraine has never wanted this
war, not for a single second.”
Witkoff says US ‘finally’
got answer on Putin’s demands for peace
Sarah Fortinsky/The Hill/April 15, 2025
U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said Monday that he “finally” got an answer to
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s demands for peace during their meeting last
week in Moscow. Witkoff, who’s taken a leading role in Russia-Ukraine ceasefire
talks, called his five-hour meeting with Putin “compelling” and said he sees a
deal “emerging,” speaking in an interview on Fox News Channel’s “Hannity” on
Monday night. “It was a compelling meeting,” Witkoff said. “And toward the end,
we actually came up with — I’m going to say ‘finally,’ but I don’t mean it in
the way that we were waiting, I mean it in the way that it took a while for us
to get to this place — what Putin’s request is to get, to have a permanent peace
here.”“So, beyond a ceasefire,” he added. “We got an answer to that.”Witkoff did
not detail Putin’s demands for a permanent truce but said the peace deal “is
about these so-called five territories,” adding that “there’s so much more to
it.”“There’s security protocols. There’s no NATO, NATO, Article 5,” the envoy
continued. “I mean, it’s just a lot of detail attached to it. It’s a complicated
situation from, you know — rooted in some real problematic things happening
between the two countries.”“And I think we might be on the verge of something
that would be very, very important for the world at large,” he said. The envoy
also noted that he thinks there could be further commercial partnerships with
Russia and the U.S. going forward. “On top of that, I believe there’s a
possibility to reshape the Russian-United States relationship through some very
compelling commercial opportunities that I think give real stability to the
region too,” he said. Witkoff’s latest visit with Putin on Friday was his third
meeting with the Russian leader in recent months. The meeting also comes as
Trump has signaled a desire to speed up peace talks. The president posted to
Truth Social on Friday that Russia “has to get moving.”“Too many people are
DYING, thousands a week, in a terrible and senseless war,” Trump wrote. “A war
that should have never happened, and wouldn’t have happened, if I were
President!!!”Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This
material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Confusion surrounds US-Iran
nuclear talks venue as Tehran points to Oman over Rome
Sertac Aktan/Euronews/Tue, April 15, 2025
Iran insisted on Tuesday that the next round of nuclear talks between Tehran and
Washington would take place in Oman, contradicting earlier reports that
negotiations would take place in Rome. However, American officials have not
confirmed the location of the talks yet. On Monday, US President Donald Trump
separately expressed frustration about the pace of the nuclear discussions. "I
think they're stringing us along," he said in the Oval Office during a meeting
with El Salvador's president. Satellite photos show a second US aircraft
carrier, USS Carl Vinson, is now operating in Middle East waters ahead of the
talks as Trump insists Iran must not obtain nuclear weapons and has threatened
military action if negotiations fail. The Vinson's arrival came as Iran's
supreme leader Ali Khamenei endorsed the progress of the talks. "We shouldn't be
overly optimistic about this dialogue, nor overly pessimistic. The first steps
have been taken well and executed properly. From here on, the process should be
followed carefully. The red lines are clear, both for the other side and for us.
We may or may not reach a result, but either way, it's worth pursuing," he said.
Khamenei also urged officials "not to tie the country's affairs" to the talks.
"Of course, we don't fully trust them — we know who we're dealing with.”Italian
sources insist on Rome as the designated venue. According to an Italian
government source who spoke anonymously to AP, talks will take place in Rome on
Sunday. "We received the request from the interested parties, via Oman, which is
acting as mediator, and we gave a positive response," Italian Foreign Minister
Antonio Tajani told reporters during a trip to Osaka. "We are ready to host, as
always, meetings that can yield positive outcomes, particularly on the nuclear
issue."Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp, speaking at a meeting in
Luxembourg, also stated that the upcoming talks would be in Rome. Additionally,
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reportedly said on Monday that the talks
would happen in Rome while speaking to his Iraqi counterpart, according to the
state-run Iraqi News Agency. However, early on Tuesday, the state-run IRNA news
agency quoted Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei as saying the
talks would return to Oman, without providing further details.
Tehran warns of pursuing nuclear weapons development
The first round of talks over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear programme took
place last weekend in Oman. Trump has repeatedly threatened to launch air
strikes targeting Iran's nuclear facilities if no agreement is reached.
Meanwhile, Iranian officials have increasingly warned that they could pursue a
nuclear weapon using their stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade
levels. Trump said, "I want them to be a rich, great nation," but added, "These
are radicalised people, and they cannot have a nuclear weapon."
In the meantime, the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog separately
confirmed that he would visit Iran later in the week, possibly to discuss ways
to improve inspectors' access to Tehran's activities. The 2015 Joint
Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), widely known as the Iran nuclear deal, was
heralded as one of the major diplomatic accomplishments of its time. It saw
Tehran receive sanctions relief for limitations on its nuclear programme. But
just three years later, Trump pulled the US out of the pact, calling it a "bad
deal" and claiming he could do better himself. The US withdrawal did not
entirely destroy the JCPOA, but it did further inflame US-Iran tensions and made
it harder for the deal's European members to keep it active.
Iran's Khamenei neither
'overly optimistic nor pessimistic' about US nuclear talks
Reuters/April 15, 2025
DUBAI (Reuters) - Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday he was
neither "overly optimistic nor pessimistic" about talks with the U.S. on Iran's
nuclear programme, in an apparent move by Tehran to play down growing public
expectations of a deal. Failure to reach a deal with President Donald Trump to
end Iran's decades-long dispute with the West could profoundly hurt the Islamic
Republic, Iranian politicians and insiders have said, even if Washington is
subsequently portrayed by Tehran as the guilty party. After last weekend’s talks
between Tehran and Washington in Oman, which both sides described as positive,
Iranian expectations of economic relief have soared, according to Iranians
reached by telephone and by messages posted by Iranians on social media. The two
sides have agreed to hold more talks on April 19 in Oman. Iran's battered rial
currency has gained some 20% against the dollar in the past few days, with many
Iranians hoping an deal to end Iran's economic isolation may be within reach.
"We are neither overly optimistic nor pessimistic regarding them. After all, it
is a process which was decided and its first steps have been well implemented,"
Khamenei said in a meeting with lawmakers, according to state media. Tehran has
approached the talks warily, doubting the likelihood of an agreement and
suspicious of Trump, who abandoned Tehran's 2015 nuclear pact with six powers
during his first term in 2018 and has repeatedly threatened to bomb Iran if
there is no deal. "From here on, it (the talks) must be followed through
carefully, with red lines clearly defined for both the other side and for us.
The negotiations may lead to results, or they may not," said Khamenei. "Avoid
linking the country’s fate to these talks." Since relations with Washington
collapsed after Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution that ousted the U.S.-backed Shah,
enmity toward the United States has always been a rallying point for Iran's
clerical rulers. But inflation, unemployment and lack of investment as a result
of crippling sanctions, reimposed after Trump ditched the 2015 nuclear pact,
persuaded Khamenei to support talks with the Trump administration. The United
States, Israel and Western powers accuse Tehran of seeking nuclear weapons, but
Iran says its programme is for civilian purposes only.
Analysis-Would military strikes kill Iran's nuclear
programme? Probably not
Francois Murphy and John Irish/Reuters/April 15, 2025
VIENNA (Reuters) - The recent U.S. deployment of B-2 bombers, the only planes
able to launch the most powerful bunker-busting bombs, to within range of Iran
is a potent signal to Tehran of what could happen to its nuclear programme if no
deal is reached to rein it in. But military and nuclear experts say that even
with such massive firepower, U.S.-Israeli military action would probably only
temporarily set back a programme the West fears is already aimed at producing
atom bombs one day, although Iran denies it. Worse, an attack could prompt Iran
to kick out United Nations nuclear inspectors, drive the already partly buried
programme fully underground and race towards becoming a nuclear-armed state,
both ensuring and hastening that feared outcome. "Ultimately, short of regime
change or occupation, it's pretty difficult to see how military strikes could
destroy Iran's path to a nuclear weapon," said Justin Bronk, senior research
fellow for airpower and technology at the Royal United Services Institute, a
British defence think-tank. "It would be a case of essentially trying to
reimpose a measure of military deterrence, impose cost and push back breakout
times back to where we were a few years ago."Breakout time refers to how long it
would take to produce enough fissile material for a nuclear bomb, currently days
or weeks for Iran. Actually making a bomb, should Iran decide to, would take
longer. The landmark 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and major powers placed
tough restrictions on Iran's nuclear activities that increased its breakout time
to at least a year. After President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of
the deal in 2018 it then unravelled, and Iran pushed far beyond its limits. Now
Trump wants to negotiate new nuclear restrictions in talks that began last
weekend. He also said two weeks ago: "If they don't make a deal, there will be
bombing."Israel has made similar threats. Its Defence Minister Israel Katz said
after taking office in November: "Iran is more exposed than ever to strikes on
its nuclear facilities. We have the opportunity to achieve our most important
goal – to thwart and eliminate the existential threat to the State of Israel."
BIG, RISKY
Iran's nuclear programme is spread over many sites, and an attack would likely
have to hit most or all of them. Even the International Atomic Energy Agency,
the U.N. nuclear watchdog, does not know where Iran keeps some vital equipment,
like parts for centrifuges, the machines that enrich uranium. Israel could take
out most of those sites by itself, military experts say, but it would be a risky
operation involving repeated attacks and would have to deal with
Russian-supplied anti-aircraft systems - although it managed to do so in far
more limited strikes on Iran last year. Uranium enrichment is at the heart of
Iran's nuclear programme, and its two biggest enrichment sites are the Fuel
Enrichment Plant at Natanz, located about three floors underground, apparently
to protect it from bombardment, and Fordow, dug far deeper into a mountain. The
United States would be far better equipped to take out those hard targets with
its most powerful bunker buster, the 30,000-pound (14,000 kg) Massive Ordnance
Penetrator, which only B-2 bombers like those recently moved to Diego Garcia in
the Indian Ocean can currently fire and which Israel does not have. "(Israel)
don't have enough 5,000 pounders," to take out Fordow and Natanz, said retired
U.S. Air Force General Charles Wald, who now works for the Jewish Institute for
the National Security of America, which promotes close defence ties between the
United States and Israel. He was referring to the biggest bunker-buster in
Israel's arsenal. With the U.S., an attack would be quicker and more likely to
succeed, though Wald estimated it would still take days.
THEN WHAT?
"A strike by the United States could probably cause more damage than an Israeli
strike, but in either case you're talking about buying time and there's a real
risk that it drives Iran toward rather than away from a bomb," said Eric Brewer
of the Nuclear Threat Initiative, a former U.S. intelligence analyst. "A strike
can disrupt and delay the program, but it can't destroy it." While sites can be
eliminated, Iran's now advanced knowledge of uranium enrichment cannot.
Preventing rebuilding would be a constant, extremely difficult task, analysts
and officials said. "What happens the day after? Iran responds to attacks on its
nuclear program by hardening its facilities and expanding its program," said
Kelsey Davenport of the Arms Control Association. Having already undone
additional IAEA oversight introduced by the 2015 deal, many analysts see a risk
that, if attacked, Iran would kick out IAEA inspectors acting as the world's
eyes at sites like Natanz and Fordow. "The continuation of external threats and
Iran being in a state of #military_attack may lead to deterrent measures,
including #expulsion_of_inspectors from IAEA and cessation of cooperation," Ali
Shamkhani, long Iran's top security official and now an adviser to Supreme
Leader Ali Khamenei, said on X last week. The only other country to do that is
North Korea, which then tested its first nuclear bomb. "If you bomb Iran, Iran
is going to almost certainly in my judgement chuck out international inspectors,
make a dash for the bomb," said James Acton of the Carnegie Endowment for
International Peace.
Tehran says next round of
Iran-US nuclear talks in Oman after Rome named by officials
Maria Grazia Murru, Jon Gambrell And
Chris Megerian/The Associated Press/April 15, 2025
ROME (AP) — Talks between Iran and the United States over Tehran’s rapidly
advancing nuclear program appeared ready to leave the Middle East on Monday, as
an Italian source and others said the next round of negotiations would take
place in Rome. But early Tuesday, Iran insisted the next round would again be
held in Oman. It wasn't immediately clear where the negotiations would be held
after Tehran's overnight announcement. American officials have not said where
the talks would be held. President Donald Trump separately complained Monday
about the pace of nuclear talks between the United States and Iran as the two
countries start a new round of pivotal negotiations. “I think they’re tapping us
along,” he said in the Oval Office during a meeting with El Salvador's
president. The next meeting had been expected to take place on Saturday in Rome,
according to a source in the Italian government who spoke on condition of
anonymity to The Associated Press because they weren't authorized to speak
publicly. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani also signaled the talks would
take place there. “We received the request from the interested parties, from
Oman, which plays the role of mediator and we gave a positive response,” Tajani
told reporters during a trip to Osaka, Japan. “We are ready to welcome, as
always, meetings that can bring positive results, in this case on the nuclear
issue.” Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp, speaking at a meeting in
Luxembourg, also said the coming talks would be in Rome. And Iranian Foreign
Minister Abbas Araghchi reportedly said Monday the talks would happen in Rome
while speaking to his Iraqi counterpart on Monday, according to the state-run
Iraqi News Agency. Then early Tuesday, the state-run IRNA news agency quoted
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei as saying the talks would
be back in Oman, without elaborating on the reason. Easter Sunday will be this
coming weekend, a major holiday in Rome, which surrounds Vatican City, the home
of the Roman Catholic church. The first round of talks over Tehran’s rapidly
advancing nuclear program took place over the past weekend in Oman. The stakes
of the negotiations couldn’t be higher for the two nations closing in on half a
century of enmity. Trump repeatedly has threatened to unleash airstrikes
targeting Iran’s nuclear program if a deal isn’t reached. Iranian officials
increasingly warn that they could pursue a nuclear weapon with their stockpile
of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels. Speaking of Iran, Trump said
“I want them to be a rich, great nation.” However, he said “these are
radicalized people, and they cannot have a nuclear weapon."Meanwhile, the head
of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog separately confirmed he would be taking
a trip to Iran later in the week, possibly to discuss ways to improve access for
his inspectors to Tehran's program.
IAEA chief to head to Iran ahead of talks
The talks will follow a visit by Rafael Mariano Grossi of the International
Atomic Energy Agency to Iran later this week. The IAEA played a key role in
verifying Iran's compliance with its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers and has
continued to work in the Islamic Republic, even as the country's theocracy
slowly peeled away its access after Trump unilaterally withdrew America from the
accord in 2018. “Continued engagement and cooperation with the Agency is
essential at a time when diplomatic solutions are urgently needed,” Grossi wrote
on X. Grossi will arrive in Iran on Wednesday night and will meet with Araghchi
and President Masoud Pezeshkian, the state-run IRNA news agency reported,
quoting Kazem Gharibabadi, a deputy foreign minister.
Sanctions relief and enrichment remain top issues
The 2015 nuclear deal saw Iran agree to drastically reduce its stockpile of
uranium and only enrich up to 3.67% — enough for its nuclear power plant at
Bushehr. Today, Iran enriches up to 60%, a short, technical step from
weapons-grade levels and has enough stockpile for multiple nuclear bombs, should
it choose to build them. The deal lifted economic sanctions on Iran and unfroze
assets around the world. The deal's collapse refroze those funds and limited
Iran's ability to sell crude oil abroad — though it still sells to China, likely
at a sharp discount. While the U.S. can offer sanctions relief for Iran’s
beleaguered economy, it remains unclear just how much Iran will be willing to
concede. Judging from negotiations since 2018, Iran will likely ask to keep
enriching uranium up to at least 20%. However, neither side has offered any
public statements about what it is specifically seeking in the talks. “There
must definitely be guarantees in place regarding the fulfillment of
commitments," Baghaei said Monday. "The issue of guarantees is especially
important given the history of broken promises in the past. God willing, the
negotiating team will continue its work with all these factors and points in
mind.”He added: “As long as the language of sanctions, pressure, threats, and
intimidation continues, direct negotiations will not take place.” However,
Araghchi and U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff did meet and speak face to face
after some two hours of indirect talks mediated by Omani Foreign Minister Badr
al-Busaidi. Speaking to journalists on Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said he
met with Witkoff and that his envoy had “very good meetings on the Middle
East.”“We’ll be making a decision on Iran very quickly," Trump said, without
elaborating.
In Iran talks, Trump envoy
stresses verification of nuclear program, omits demand for dismantlement
Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN/April 15, 2025
US envoy Steve Witkoff has said that moving forward, talks with Iran would be
about verification of its nuclear program, stopping short of calling for Tehran
to dismantle it altogether. “The conversation with the Iranians will be much
about two critical points,” Witkoff told Fox News on Monday. The first is
verification of uranium enrichment, “and ultimately verification on
weaponization, that includes missiles, type of missiles that they have
stockpiled there, and it includes the trigger for a bomb.”Witkoff did not
mention a demand to fully dismantle Iran’s nuclear program, as other US
officials have, saying only that Iran does not need to enrich uranium past 3.67%
to run a civilian program. Other officials have been more hawkish on what the US
expects from Iran. On Sunday, a day after Witkoff started talks with Iranian
negotiators in Oman, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called on Tehran to fully
dismantle its nuclear program. “Iran, come to the table, negotiate, full
dismantlement of your nuclear capabilities,” he said on Fox News, echoing
earlier remarks by US National Security Adviser Michael Waltz, who told CBS last
month that US President Donald Trump would demand a “full dismantlement.”Iranian
officials have dismissed that proposal as a non-starter, accusing the US of
using it as a pretext to weaken and ultimately topple the Islamic Republic.
Tehran is entitled to a civilian nuclear energy program under a UN treaty. The
UN nuclear watchdog has however warned that Iran has been accelerating its
enrichment of uranium to up to 60% purity, closer to the roughly 90% level that
is weapons grade. Uranium is a powerful fuel used in nuclear energy and weapons.
When enriched, it can be used either to generate electricity or make bombs,
depending on how much it is enriched. On Friday, semi-official Tasnim news
agency reported that Iran had set strict terms ahead of the talks with the US,
saying that “red lines” include “threatening language” by the Trump
administration and “excessive demands regarding Iran’s nuclear program.” The US
must also refrain from raising issues relating to Iran’s defense industry,
Tasnim said, likely referring Iran’s ballistic missile program, which the US’
Middle Eastern allies see as a threat to their security. Witkoff began talks
with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday, which both sides
described as positive. The next round of talks will take place on April 19, and
a person familiar with the planning told CNN they will likely be in Rome, but
the plan isn’t fully nailed down. It is unclear how the deal Trump envisions
would differ from the one brokered by the Obama administration in 2015, which
Trump withdrew from three years later. Trump has vowed to strike a “stronger”
agreement this time around.
In his first comments on the issue since Iranian and American negotiators met
over the weekend, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned on Tuesday
against repeating the “mistake we made” in the last negotiations with the US. He
said Iranians should not “tie the country’s issues to these talks.” “A deal may
come to fruition, or it may not,” he said. Israel has been among the loudest
advocates for Iran to fully dismantle its nuclear program. Speaking alongside
Trump at the Oval Office last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu touted a
Libya-style nuclear deal between the US and Iran, which in 2003 dismantled the
North African nation’s nuclear program in the hopes of ushering in a new era of
relations with the US after its two-decade oil embargo on Muammar Qaddafi’s
regime. After relinquishing its nuclear program, Libya descended into civil war
following a 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled Qaddafi’s regime and led to
his killing. Iranian officials have long warned that a similar deal would be
rejected from the outset.
Trump spoke to sultan of
Oman about Iran talks: White House
Reuters/April 15, 2025
President Donald Trump spoke on Tuesday with the sultan of Oman about the next
round of Iran talks scheduled for Saturday in Oman, the White House said. White
House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Trump's bottom line in the
talks, which included an initial session last Saturday, is he wanted to use
negotiations to ensure Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon. Trump and the
Omani leader also discussed ongoing U.S. operations against Yemen's Houthis, she
said.
Khamenei says Iran-US talks going well but may lead nowhere
AFP/April 15, 2025
TEHRAN: Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday he was
satisfied with talks with arch-foe the US but warned they could ultimately prove
fruitless. Tehran and Washington are due to meet again in Muscat on Saturday, a
week after top officials held the highest-level talks since the landmark 2015
nuclear accord collapsed. US President Donald Trump, who pulled out of the deal
during his first term, revived his “maximum pressure” sanctions campaign after
returning to office in January. In March, he sent a letter to Khamenei urging
talks and warning of possible military action if Iran refused. Saturday’s talks
were “well carried out in the first steps,” Khamenei said, quoted by state
television. “Of course, we are very pessimistic about the other side, but we are
optimistic about our own capabilities.”But he added that “the negotiations may
or may not yield results.”Despite having no diplomatic ties since Iran’s 1979
Islamic Revolution, both sides described the talks as “constructive.”Iran
insists discussions remain “indirect” and mediated by Oman. On Monday, Trump
again threatened to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities if no deal was reached,
calling Iranian authorities “radicals” who should not possess nuclear weapons.
Iran and Armenia simulate
border threats in joint military drills
Euronews/April 15, 2025
Iran and Armenia conducted two days of joint military drills, involving
high-level military personnel, which the two said involved simulated terrorist
threats targeting border checkpoints. The exercises were conducted last week on
Iranian and Armenian territory along their 44-kilometre shared border, involving
both light and heavy weaponry, as well as sniper scenarios. For the drills,
Tehran had sent in Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) elite forces, based
in Tabriz, overseen by General Valiollah Madani, Deputy Commander of the IRGC
Ground Forces. Iranian officials said the exercise was conducted "to consolidate
the security of the borders based on the shared interests of the two countries,"
according to Iranian state media. Armenia's Ministry of Defence said that the
exercises were related to "attacks by simulated terrorist groups" on border
crossings, but it did not disclose the number of military personnel involved.
The joint military exercises come amid ongoing tensions over Iran's nuclear
program and the longstanding conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The regime
in Tehran has found itself mired in multiple conflicts, sponsoring and backing
the likes of Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen. At
the same time, it has been accused of providing Shahed drones to Moscow amid its
ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine, now in its fourth year. Despite
Armenia's recent shift towards closer ties with the West, it maintains warm
relations with Tehran. Meanwhile, the South Caucasus country's borders with
Azerbaijan and Turkey have been closed for over three decades. Last month, both
Armenia and Azerbaijan announced that progress has been made on the text of a
peace treaty to end their nearly four-decades-long conflict over the region of
Karabakh.
'They're Fake': Chinese
Citizens Caught Fighting For Russia Tear Into Putin's Forces
Kate Nicholson/HuffPost UK/April 15, 2025
Vladimir Putin's troops are not "as strong as they say," according to two
captured Chinese prisoners of war who were fighting alongside the Russians. via
Associated Press
The two Chinese citizens who were captured fighting alongside Russian troops in
Ukraine have hit out Vladimir Putin’s military. Wang Guanjung and Zhang Renbo
told reporters in Ukraine that the Russian forces are not as strong as they
claim to be. The two men, handcuffed by Ukrainian soldiers and wearing military
clothing, told a news briefing organised by national news agency Ukrinform: “All
Russia fed us are lies. They’re fake. “Russia isn’t as strong as they claim, and
Ukraine isn’t as backwards as they say.”Putin has made no secret of his
ambitions to have the second largest military in the world, with 1.5 million
serving troops. However, the account from the prisoners of war align with
reports from the UK’s Ministry of Defence suggesting Putin’s forces have a very
high rate of attrition, live in poor conditions and have exceptionally low
morale, with many soldiers turning to alcohol.
The two Chinese men also told the media that Russian camps had little water,
food or electricity. They said they had been taken captive as soon as they
arrived on the frontline and had not killed any Ukrainian soldiers.Wang said: “I
understand that punishment is possible and I am prepared for it, because it’s
clear that for participating in war and such actions, there can be consequences.
Still, I want to return home to my family. “For those Chinese compatriots who
wish to join the war against Ukraine, I just want to say – don’t join this
war.”Russia has not yet commented on the claims that Putin is trying to recruit
from abroad. It comes months after around 11,000 North Korean troops were found
to be fighting on the frontline for the Kremlin, in line with a mutual defence
agreement between Putin and Kim Jong Un. However, these soldiers were not
permitted to fight in Ukraine, only in the battles in the previously-occupied
Russian region of Kursk. They have reportedly withdrawn after huge
casualties.The discovery of the two Chinese men is not quite the same, because
it appears that they were not sent on behalf of the Chinese government. Although
Volodymyr Zelenskyy initially referred to the Chinese civilians as soldiers, the
two prisoners of war insisted they were recruited online as mercenaries. The
Ukrainian president has also claimed there were at least 155 Chinese nationals
fighting for Putin in the war – but Beijing claims that is a “irresponsible”
remark.China has also denied that significant numbers of its troops were serving
in the army, that nationals are advised to avoid joining any military
operations, and that Beijing is a “staunch supporter of peace” in Ukraine.
Jordanian intelligence
thwarts plots threatening national security
Arab News/April 15, 2025
AMMAN: Officials at Jordan’s General Intelligence Department said on Tuesday
they had foiled a series of plots targeting the country’s national security, the
Jordan News Agency reported. The GID arrested 16 individuals suspected of
“planning acts of chaos and sabotage,” according to the agency. Authorities said
the department had been monitoring the group’s activities since 2021. The foiled
plans reportedly involved the manufacture of missiles using both locally sourced
materials and imported components. Explosives and firearms were also found.
Investigators additionally uncovered a missile that had been concealed and
prepared for deployment. In addition to the weapons cache, the suspects were
allegedly engaged in efforts to develop drones, recruit and train individuals
within the country, and send others abroad for further training. All the
individuals arrested have been referred to the State Security Court for legal
proceedings, the GID confirmed. A televised report aired on Jordanian television
on Tuesday revealed further details about the cell, identifying three main
operatives behind the plot, which was allegedly spearheaded by Ibrahim Mohammad
— a key instigator affiliated with the unlicensed Muslim Brotherhood group, the
JNA reported. Ibrahim, who is already on trial in a separate case involving the
transport and storage of nearly 30 kilograms of high-grade explosives including
TNT, C4, and SEMTEX-H, reportedly urged others to manufacture rockets inside
Jordan. According to confessions from the suspects, two members of the cell —
Abdullah Hisham and Muath Al-Ghanem — were sent to Lebanon to coordinate with a
senior figure in the organization and receive training. A third operative,
Muhsen Al-Ghanem, was tasked with transferring funds from abroad to finance the
operation, JNA added. The group established operational hubs in the governorates
of Zarqa and Amman, setting up a manufacturing site and a warehouse in the
Nuqaira area of the capital. The warehouse, concealed behind a camouflaged
cement door, was used to store raw materials, prototype rocket parts, and
completed assemblies. Security forces uncovered metal components in the
suspects’ homes, including tubular and conical shapes consistent with improvised
rocket designs. When assembled, the parts formed short-range rockets modelled on
the GRAD system, ready to be fitted with explosives, turbines, and detonators.
Technical analysis suggested the seized materials were sufficient to produce up
to 300 such rockets, each with a range of 3–5 kilometers.
Israeli airstrike hits hospital
entrance in Gaza, killing medic and wounding 9
Wafaa Shurafa And Samy Magdy/AP/April
15, 2025
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — An Israeli airstrike hit the northern gate of a
field hospital in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, killing a medic and wounding nine
other people, a spokesman for the hospital said. The strike hit the Kuwaiti
Field Hospital in the Muwasi area, where hundreds of thousands have sought
shelter in sprawling tent camps. The wounded were all patients and medics, and
two of the patients were in critical condition after the strike, said Saber
Mohammed, a hospital spokesman. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli
military. In a separate development, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
reiterated his opposition to Palestinian statehood in a phone call with French
President Emmanuel Macron, who had said France aimed to recognize a Palestinian
state later this year.
Strikes on Hospitals
The military has struck and raided hospitals on several occasions during the
18-month war, accusing Hamas militants of hiding out in them or using them for
military purposes. Hospital staff have denied the allegations and accused Israel
of recklessly endangering civilians and gutting Gaza's health system. On Sunday,
Israel struck the last major hospital providing critical care in northern Gaza
after ordering an evacuation. A patient died during the evacuation, and the
strike severely damaged the emergency room, pharmacy and surrounding buildings,
according to Al-Ahli Hospital. The Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, which runs
the hospital, condemned the strike. Israel said it targeted a Hamas command and
control center within the facility, without providing evidence. Hamas denied the
allegations. The war began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on
Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251.
Fifty-nine hostages are still inside Gaza, 24 of whom are believed to be alive,
after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals.
Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed over 51,000 people, according to an
updated toll released by Gaza's Health Ministry on Tuesday. That includes more
than 1,600 people killed since Israel ended a ceasefire and resumed its
offensive last month to pressure Hamas to accept changes to the agreement. The
ministry is led by medical professionals but reports to the Hamas-run
government. Its toll is seen as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and
independent experts, though Israel has challenged its numbers. Israel says it
has killed some 20,000 militants, without providing evidence. The ministry does
not say how many were civilians or combatants but says women and children make
up more than half of the dead. The offensive has destroyed much of the territory
and displaced around 90% of its population of roughly 2 million Palestinians.
Netanyahu rejects Palestinian state in call with Macron
In the call with Macron, Netanyahu said the creation of a Palestinian state
would be “a huge reward for terrorism” and result in a militant-run entity just
miles from Israeli cities. In his own statement posted on X, Macron called for
another ceasefire, the release of hostages and renewing the delivery of
humanitarian aid to Gaza, which Israel has blocked for over a month. He did not
mention recognition of a Palestinian state. Macron said last week that France
should aim to recognize a Palestinian state by June when it joins Saudi Arabia
in hosting an international conference on implementing a two-state solution. The
creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel is widely seen internationally
as the only realistic way to resolve the decades-old conflict. Israel captured
Gaza, the West Bank and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war, and the
Palestinians want all three for a future state. The last serious and substantive
peace talks broke down after Netanyahu returned to power in 2009. A number of
European states have recently recognized a Palestinian state in what is largely
a symbolic move aimed at reviving the peace process.
Hamas delegation heads to Qatar for indirect ceasefire talks with Israel
Emma De Ruiter/Euronews/April 15,
2025
Hamas is sending a delegation to Qatar to continue indirect ceasefire talks with
Israel over the war between the two, saying they are reviewing a proposal for
the release of ten hostages in exchange for a 45-day truce. The talks in Doha
are meant to take place later this week or next, the official said. The proposed
ceasefire deal would allow for the entry of food and shelter into Gaza, on which
Israel has imposed a blockade for over one month. However, the Hamas official
said a major sticking point remained over whether the war would end as part of
any new deal. The war started on 7 October 2023, when Hamas militants killed
1,200 people, mostly civilians, during the attack on southern Israel and took
251 people captive. Some have since been freed in ceasefire agreements and other
deals. Fifty-nine remain in Gaza, 24 of whom are believed to be still alive.
Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire in January that lasted eight weeks before
Israel resumed the war last month. The initial ceasefire agreement was meant to
bring the sides toward negotiating an end to the war. Israel, however, wants to
defeat Hamas first. A senior Hamas official told Al Jazeera that the proposal
they received from Egypt includes a clause calling for their disarmament,
something they firmly rejected. He reportedly added that disarmament "is not
just a red line. It is a million red lines."The official further emphasised that
Hamas wants a permanent ceasefire and Israeli withdrawal from Gaza to be central
to the deal. Officials from Israel and Qatar had no immediate comment. Since the
ceasefire fell apart last month, Israel has blocked aid from entering Gaza and
forces have also seized swaths of the coastal enclave in a bid to ratchet up
pressure on Hamas to agree to a deal more aligned with Israel's terms. On
Monday, the United Nations aid office warned that the humanitarian situation in
Gaza is now likely to be “the worst” since Israel launched its war on Hamas in
response to the militant group's 7 October attack. UN spokesperson Stephane
Dujarric told reporters: “No fuel has come in, no food has come in, no medicine
has come in.”
Syria's Alawites still face targeted attacks a month after brutal
counteroffensive
BASSEM MROUE and KAREEM CHEHAYEB/AP/April
15, 2025
BEIRUT (AP) — A month after a wave of revenge attacks left hundreds of Alawite
civilians dead, members of the Syrian religious minority are still living in
fear, with dozens killed in smaller attacks since the start of April. The Muslim
minority group was seen as a privileged minority under the rule of the Alawite
Assad family, but since Bashar Assad ’s government fell late last year members
have feared revenge from the country’s Sunni majority. The new government
promised to protect minority groups, but when a group of Assad loyalists
attacked security forces near the coastal city of Latakia last month, it sparked
a counteroffensive that took a brutal toll on the coastal region’s largely
Alawite population. Britain-based war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human
Rights estimates that more than 1,700 people, most of them civilians, were
killed in March. While no official figures have been released by the government,
other human rights groups have given similar estimates. It was the worst
violence since an insurgency led by Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham
overthrew Assad last December.
Militias target Alawites
Rights groups reported widespread revenge killings as militants from Syria's
Sunni majority targeted Alawites, regardless of whether they were involved in
the insurgency. “Several people told me that when these militia members entered
their home, in addition to asking if they were Alawite or Sunni, they blamed
them for what happened to them under the former Assad government,” said Diana
Semaan, Amnesty International’s Syria researcher who investigated dozens of
killings that took place in Baniyas and spoke to eyewitnesses and survivors.
While there has not been another outbreak of violence on the same scale,
Alawites continue to report incidents of harassment, shakedowns and sometimes
worse.
An Alawite who lives in the Latakia area said there are still regular attacks
targeting Alawites, most of whom had nothing to do with the Assad government or
security forces. “Everyone from the regime or close to it fled a long time ago,”
he told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity out of fear for
his life. He said a 20-year-old factory worker who was the breadwinner of his
family was shot by guards at a local checkpoint, even though he had not served
in the army under Assad. “He would pass the checkpoints on his motorcycle every
day. He and the guards would even greet each other," he said.
Attacks spread along the coast
Attacks on Alawites spread from Latakia into the nearby province of Tartus, with
some later hitting the major city of Homs inland. Rami Abdurrahman, who heads
the Observatory, said 42 people have died in sectarian killings since the Muslim
feast of Eid el-Fitr that marks the end of Ramadan on March 30. “The killings,
did not stop but now they are individual acts,” Abdurrahman said. Mohammed Saleh,
an activist from the central city of Homs who spent 17 years imprisoned during
the rule of Bashar Assad and his father because of his opposition to the
government, said victims of the attacks included Alawites who opposed Assad’s
rule. Saleh said 18 people he knew personally who had previously been detained
by Assad’s forces were killed in last month’s attacks. Saleh said he is worried
that Syria is turning from one dictatorship to another. “What we want is to have
serious national army and security agencies whose job is to protect everyone and
that they include everyone and not be made up of one sect or one religion,”
Saleh said. “There cannot be a state for everyone when security agencies belong
to one sect.” One high school in the city of Baniyas in Tartus province, posted
a list on Facebook of almost 80 teachers, students and relatives and alumni who
were killed in attacks over the past month. A video widely shared on social
media showed the bodies of two young men with their mother standing by them, as
the person filming scolded her and said her sons deserved to die because they
were Alawite.
Tens of thousands of Alawites flee to Lebanon
Alawites and other Syrians from coastal areas are fleeing into Lebanon through
unofficial border crossings, some carrying babies and helping tired elderly
people and pregnant women as they cross over a river dividing the two countries.
Some 30,000 Alawite Syrians have fled to Lebanon over the past month, the United
Nation’s refugee agency says, scattered in some 30 towns and villages in
northern Lebanon. While there is little assistance for them in Lebanon, many
don’t feel safe enough to go back.
Attacks test the interim government's promises
Ongoing attacks have been a major letdown for Syrians who hoped that Assad's
sudden fall would spell an end to violence against the country's many religious
and ethnic groups after over a decade a war that killed hundreds of thousands of
people. The new government has promised to create an inclusive state that holds
perpetrators of crimes to account, and interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa has
vowed to hold the perpetrators of recent attacks to justice and set up a
committee to investigate the attacks. A few arrests have been reported, and the
committee has said it is continuing its investigation in the coastal province,
though they have not yet disclosed their findings. Right groups say the interim
government faces a test. “What happens now is extremely important because it
will literally set the path towards justice. We’re no longer talking about
addressing past violations and holding those perpetrators accountable, which is
already a huge endeavor,” said Amnesty International's Semaan. “Now we’re
looking at how the government at how it will set paths towards justice for the
violations that it (has) committed.“
Saudi Arabia plans to pay off Syria's World Bank debts, sources say
Timour Azhari, Suleiman Al-Khalidi and Pesha Magid/Reuters/Mon, April 15/2025
BEIRUT/AMMAN (Reuters) -Saudi Arabia plans to pay off Syria's debts to the World
Bank, three people familiar with the matter said, paving the way for the
approval of millions of dollars in grants for reconstruction and to support the
country's paralysed public sector.
The plans, which have not been previously reported, would be the first known
instance of Saudi Arabia providing financing for Syria since Islamist-led rebels
toppled former leader Bashar al-Assad last year. It may also be a sign that
crucial Gulf Arab support for Syria is beginning to materialize after previous
plans, including an initiative by Doha to fund salaries, were held up by
uncertainty over U.S. sanctions. Last month, Qatar announced a plan to provide
Syria with gas via Jordan to improve the nation's meagre electricity supply, a
move that sources told Reuters had Washington's nod of approval. A spokesperson
for the Saudi Ministry of Finance told Reuters, "We do not comment on
speculation, but make announcements, if and when they become official."The Saudi
government's media office, a World Bank spokesperson and a Syrian government
official did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Syria has around $15 million in arrears to the World Bank which must be paid off
before the international financial institution can approve grants and provide
other forms of assistance. But Damascus is short of foreign currency and a
previous plan to pay off the debts using assets frozen abroad did not
materialize, according to two people familiar with the matter. World Bank
officials have discussed providing financing to help reconstruct the country's
power grid, heavily damaged by years of war, and also to support public sector
pay, two of the sources said. A technical delegation from the World Bank met
with Syria's Finance Minister Mohammed Yosr Bernieh on Monday, according to the
Syrian state news agency Sana. The meeting, which was the first public meeting
between the Syrian government and the World Bank, included discussions on
strengthening financial and economic ties between the two sides. Bernieh also
highlighted the negative effects of the international sanctions imposed on Syria
and policies of the former regime on the country's financial and banking sector.
Reuters reported on Saturday that Syria would send a high-level delegation to
Washington for the yearly spring meetings of the World Bank and IMF later this
month, marking the first visit by Syrian officials to the U.S. since Assad's
ouster. It is unclear whether the Syrian delegation will meet with any U.S.
officials. Tough U.S. sanctions imposed during Assad's rule remain in place. In
January, the U.S. issued a six-month exemption for some sanctions to encourage
humanitarian aid, but this has had limited effect. Last month the U.S. gave
Syria a list of conditions to fulfil in exchange for partial sanctions relief
but the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has otherwise engaged
little with the country's new rulers.
That is in part due to differing views in Washington on how to approach Syria.
Some White House officials have been keen to take a more hard line stance,
pointing to the new Syrian leadership's former ties to Al-Qaeda as reason to
keep engagement to a minimum, according to diplomats and U.S. sources.
The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources
on April 15-16/2025
Turkey’s Military Presence in Syria is a Threat to Israel
Sinan Ciddi/FDD/April 15/2025
Syria’s interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, received a warm welcome at the
Antalya Diplomatic Forum in Turkey on April 11, where his Turkish counterpart,
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, lambasted Israel as a “terrorist state.” Together with 20
other heads of state, Sharaa also heard Erdogan’s pledge “to work toward a
future in which Syria experiences years of stability, prosperity, and peace” — a
formula increasingly understood in Israel as code for growing Turkish domination
and control over Syria, with which both Jerusalem and Ankara share a border.
Erdogan’s statement came just two days after Turkish and Israeli officials met
in Azerbaijan for talks aimed at establishing deconfliction mechanisms amid both
countries’ ongoing military operations in Syria.
Concerns Rise Over Turkey’s Intentions in Syria
Since the ousting of former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad by Sharaa’s rebel
organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Erdogan has sought to influence the new
regime, seizing on the opportunity left by the reduced sway of Assad’s primary
supporters, Russia and Iran.
Turkey’s involvement in Syria goes back to 2012, when Ankara began supporting
jihadist forces to topple the Assad regime and engineer regime change. In the
wake of Assad’s downfall, Ankara has offered to train a new Syrian army and
modernize the country’s military bases and airports. Additionally, Turkey
maintains a direct military presence inside Syria, comprising thousands of
Turkish troops.
Israel has voiced growing concern over Turkey’s deepening role in Syria,
particularly fearing that the Sharaa’s government will open the door for
Islamist terrorist groups hostile to Israel to gain a foothold in southern
Syria. On April 3, Israeli warplanes struck the T4 airbase, a facility formerly
used by the Assad regime, which reports indicate was being prepared for use as a
Turkish air base that could house Turkish fighter jets and drones. Israel sent a
clear message that the Jewish state would not tolerate Turkey’s goal of
dominating the Middle East by projecting military power from within Syria.
Meeting in Azerbaijan
According to a statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s
office, the Israeli delegation — led by National Security Council Director
Tzachi Hanegbi and composed of senior Defense Ministry and security officials —
met with Turkish officials to explore avenues for coordination. Both sides
agreed to continue dialogue to help preserve regional stability. Host Azerbaijan
is a close strategic partner of Turkey and a longstanding diplomatic ally of
Israel. Despite this, Israel’s Kan news agency reported that Turkey denied
overflight permission to the Israeli delegation en route to the talks in
Azerbaijan, forcing the Israelis to reroute over the Black Sea.
The talks in Azerbaijan presented Israel with the opportunity to convey its
concerns about Turkey’s military buildup inside Syria. Syrian military bases
that are occupied by the Turkish military present an unacceptable security
challenge.
Since the beginning of Israel’s war on Hamas, Erdogan has offered maximum
support to Hamas, to the point of urging the destruction of Israel. On April 10,
Israeli police and the Shin Bet intelligence agency announced that they had
uncovered a terror financing network linked to Hamas in Turkey. Operated by
Israeli Arab citizens, the network funneled millions of dollars from Hamas
operatives in Turkey into the West Bank to support terrorist activities.
In addition to the talks in Azerbaijan, the United States has an opportunity to
convince Turkey to back down in Syria. Erdogan has expressed a strong interest
in meeting with President Donald Trump in April and purchasing $20 billion in
military equipment. A meeting of the two leaders would permit Trump to relay
Israel’s security concerns to Erdogan.
**Sinan Ciddi is a nonresident senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of
Democracies (FDD). Follow him on X @SinanCiddi. For more analysis from Sinan and
FDD, please subscribe HERE. Follow FDD on X @FDD. FDD is a Washington, DC-based,
nonpartisan research institute focused on national security and foreign policy.
Trump, Khamenei, and the return to Muscat
Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Asharq Al-Awsat/April 15, 2025
Twelve years ago, former US President Barack Obama’s team and Iran began secret
negotiations that lasted two years and led to what became known as the Joint
Comprehensive Plan of Action. It was implemented for three years before
President Donald Trump came into office and courageously tore the treaty apart,
despite it having been ratified by the UN. He was succeeded by President Joe
Biden, who chose not to revive it, turning the deal into a thing of the past.
Though the agreement was marketed as a peace initiative, its aftermath brought
more crises and conflicts than existed before its signing.
Today, the Americans and Iranians are returning to negotiations under critical
circumstances. So, how will the new Muscat talks differ from the 2013
negotiations? Trump has said that his first choice is a solution through
negotiation, and if that fails, his second option is war. In my view, both
parties are inclined toward a political solution, despite the aggressive
rhetoric. But what kind of solution are they talking about? A “negotiated
solution” is a broad concept. Obama did, in fact, achieve an agreement that
compelled Iran to give up enriched uranium, which was then sent to Russia. But
the nuclear issue was merely a bargaining chip that Iran skillfully used to
preserve its regional and international military activities. Obama deliberately
sidelined key stakeholders from the talks, particularly the Gulf states and
Israel, and ignored the concerns of countries in the region.
The Iranians are not in a favorable position
Iran treated the agreement as a license to expand its influence and dominate
Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and Gaza, while threatening others. Tehran spent
over $100 billion in frozen assets — released with Washington’s approval — on
military activities that destabilized much of the region.
In the negotiations in Oman’s capital, the faces may have been new, but the core
issues remained the same as those raised in March 2013: halting Iran’s
militarized nuclear program, ending its support and funding for regional
militias, and refraining from interfering in other nations’ affairs. Obama had
settled for a deal focused solely on the nuclear issue.
Can we place our bets on Trump?
So far, the US leader’s approach has been clearer and more assertive compared
with that of Obama, who backed down in the face of Iran’s supreme leader
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and retreated from his infamous “red line” after the
Assad regime used chemical weapons in Syria. Trump had already set the stage
politically ahead of the Muscat negotiations. He has deployed more US forces to
the region, launched operations to dismantle Houthi capabilities in Yemen,
tasked his envoy Steve Witkoff with initiating contact with Tehran, sent a
direct message to Iran’s supreme leader, imposed new sanctions on Iranian oil
exports, welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House,
and publicly spoke of the military option. All these steps aim to strengthen his
hand at the negotiating table. The Iranians are not in a favorable position, but
they have responded with their own moves. Khamenei adopted a hard-line stance,
while leaving it to the government to give final approval. Tehran issued its
response to Trump via an opinion piece by its foreign minister in The Washington
Post. On the ground, Hezbollah no longer seems to be complying with its
agreement with Israel, and the Houthis have rejected Washington’s call to stop
attacking maritime navigation — despite being bombed about a month ago — which
is likely to strengthen Tehran’s negotiating position.
The balance of power now tilts toward Israel
The most significant detail in Trump’s leaked letter to Khamenei is that he
expressed his willingness to negotiate, but set a strict two-month deadline to
reach a deal, which might be extended if the initial talks show promise.
However, he also warned that if an agreement is not reached, Iran’s nuclear
facilities would be targeted — and “Israel would carry out the mission,” as he
declared while seated next to Netanyahu. This scene is entirely different from
the atmosphere surrounding Obama’s negotiations and his conciliatory image.
Trump comes into this with a fearsome reputation for not shying away from
confronting half the world. His team is now heading to the table as Iran finds
itself in its weakest state — after Israel dismantled its foreign arms, namely
Hezbollah and Hamas, and with the Assad regime collapsed. Trump has a strong
chance of securing an unprecedented “good” deal with Iran if he maintains his
firm stance and if his team can counter Tehran’s shrewd tactics. The balance of
power now tilts toward Israel, which has crippled Iran’s regional proxies,
stripping Tehran of the “proxy card” it once used as a threat and negotiation
tool. Additionally, Trump has begun delivering on his promise to deprive Tehran
of oil revenue, placing the country in financial distress unless it reaches a
deal. Therefore, Iran’s options have become limited, making a real possibility
for peace more tangible, starting in Muscat and potentially continuing with
broader regional peace agreements.
Abdulrahman Al-Rashed is a Saudi journalist and intellectual. He is the former
general manager of Al-Arabiya news channel and former editor-in-chief of Asharq
Al-Awsat, where this article was originally published. X: @aalrashed
Gaza’s impossible choice: extermination or forced transfer
Osama Al-Sharif/Arab News/April 15, 2025
The second chapter of Israel’s war on Gaza, which Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu launched after the end of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement
last month, is not about returning the Israeli captives, alive or dead. The
Israeli public knows this by now, and so do thousands of Israeli reservists who,
for the first time in the history of the state, are refusing to report for duty.
The second chapter of the war is also not about destroying Hamas, as Netanyahu
claims. Much of the militant group’s military capacity had been destroyed many
months before. The movement has been decapitated both militarily and
politically. This is the conclusion of many of Israel’s generals. And the
resumption of the war is not about reoccupying the entire enclave. That is a
secondary objective. Netanyahu is now seeking to fulfill a more sinister goal —
the forced transfer of millions of Palestinians in Gaza. By cutting off all
kinds of aid for more than a month now, by indiscriminately bombing tent camps
to kill as many civilians as possible, and forcing hundreds of thousands of
hapless people to move to the beaches of Gaza at Al-Mawasi, Israel is physically
choking off the Palestinians and forcing them to embrace the only choice they
have if they want to stay alive: leave. We do not know what happened during
Netanyahu’s unscheduled and rushed visit to the White House two weeks ago.
Israeli reports suggest that the Israeli leader was summoned to meet President
Donald Trump, but not to talk about recently imposed US tariffs on Israeli
products — and it now seems that it was not to suspend the renewed attacks on
Gaza. The talks failed to resolve the deadlock regarding the release of Israeli
captives held by Hamas.
Netanyahu is now seeking to fulfill a more sinister goal
Trump wanted to inform Netanyahu that the US has decided to negotiate with Iran
to reach a new agreement regarding Tehran’s nuclear program. Netanyahu was told
to stay put and not interfere or disrupt the new round of negotiations. The
Israeli media announced that a stunned Netanyahu left Washington empty-handed.
But the Israeli leader did not leave empty-handed. He was not told by the
Americans to end the war in Gaza or to embrace a new ceasefire deal. In fact,
after his return to Israel, Netanyahu told Israelis that he was going to win the
war and bring the hostages back. How to achieve both remains unclear. Indeed,
tens of thousands of Israelis who protested last Saturday do not believe him.
And now, while mired in legal and political challenges, Netanyahu is facing an
unprecedented mutiny in the armed forces. Still, he sees a rare opportunity to
carry out the scheme of all time: to empty Gaza of its inhabitants and reclaim
the enclave. His army has leveled the southern governorate of Rafah and is now
moving into parts of Khan Younis. His Minister of Defense, Israel Katz, boasts
that Israel has now created buffer zones in all of northern Gaza, and has
created a new military corridor in the south that has reduced the enclave’s area
by one-third. There is more to come, he says. Katz claims these buffer zones —
created through the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians — are meant to force Hamas
into accepting a deal to return the captives.
Ironically, Hamas made such an offer weeks ago. More recently, in Cairo, Hamas
said that it was willing to free all Israeli captives in return for ending the
war and the complete withdrawal of Israel. Netanyahu said no. Israel is moving
from carrying out a genocidal war to total extermination. And why not? It has
the backing of the US president and most US lawmakers. Instead of calling on a
wanted war criminal to cease, the US is welcoming Netanyahu with open arms.
Furthermore, those who dare investigate Israel for war crimes and genocide, such
as the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice, are
threatened with sanctions. The second chapter of the Gaza war is about the
threat of extermination to force millions to leave. The starvation, the
indiscriminate bombings, the destruction of hospitals, the bombing of tents to
kill as many civilians as possible, the leveling of entire governorates, and the
forced displacement of hundreds of thousands will undoubtedly achieve that
egregious objective.
The failure to stop this crime of the century is astounding
What is mind-boggling is that the world knows exactly what the end game in Gaza
is about. Still, the failure to stop this crime of the century is astounding.
The world has been unable to force Israel to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza
for weeks now. The UN Security Council is deaf and blind, allowing the
deliberate execution of 15 medics by Israel to go unpunished. The ICC and the
ICJ have become silent witnesses to this bloodbath. The case against what Israel
is doing in Gaza is impossible to defend or justify. And yet, while millions
protest weekly around the world against the genocide, no government has dared
challenge or punish Israel. Never mind that international humanitarian law, the
Geneva Conventions, the laws of war, and Security Council resolutions have all
been trampled by a rogue regime. Never mind that all governments are now
directly or indirectly made into accessories in this crime of the century. The
outcome of this bloody saga will haunt the world for decades. Israel may succeed
in forcing an exhausted, starving, and grieving population to leave Gaza, not by
free choice, but to survive. How and where will they go? Netanyahu has no
answer, nor does he care. He will throw the fate of millions at the feet of the
world. This is a blemished insult to humanity. Netanyahu’s sinister scheme can
still be stopped. But what has been lacking so far is the resolve of world
leaders. There is no indication that the current trajectory will change.
Palestinians in Gaza are now at the mercy of a ruthless killer.
**Osama Al-Sharif is a journalist and political commentator in Amman. X:
@plato010
Bibi the peacemaker: how starvation, bombs became his tools for ‘stability’
Hani Hazaimeh/Arab News/April 15, 2025
As the world watches in horror, Israel’s war on Gaza rages on with unrelenting
brutality. What began as a stated military campaign has morphed into a
systematic effort to destroy an entire population’s will to exist. The suffering
is unimaginable. The destruction is relentless. And at the center of it all
stands Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose policies have made
starvation, bombardment, and forced displacement the cornerstones of his
so-called strategy for “stability.”Netanyahu has repeatedly obstructed
diplomatic efforts, vetoed ceasefire initiatives, and weaponized humanitarian
aid. What he frames as self-defense has become a campaign of annihilation. In
recent weeks, the world has witnessed the unthinkable: the deliberate targeting
and destruction of hospitals, medical staff, and ambulances in Gaza. The few
functioning health facilities that remain are overwhelmed, operating without
electricity, medical supplies, or safe corridors. Entire wards — neonatal units,
intensive care, surgery— have been turned to rubble. The international
humanitarian principle of medical neutrality has been trampled underfoot with
impunity. This is not a war against Hamas. It is a war against the very idea of
Palestinian identity. By turning Gaza’s healthcare system into a battlefield,
Netanyahu is not merely violating international law, he is challenging the
conscience of humanity. Through siege, starvation, and bombings, he aims to
erase a people. But history tells us that such attempts always fail. The memory
of the 1948 Nakba — when over 700,000 Palestinians were forcibly expelled from
their homes — and the displacement following the 1967 war are not distant events
relegated to textbooks. They are living history, woven into the collective Arab
consciousness. These traumas, still raw and unresolved, are the context within
which today’s horrors are unfolding. Palestinians remember. And they resist.
Gaza’s pain has become a shared human experience
Netanyahu’s miscalculation lies in his assumption that brute force can
extinguish the Palestinian spirit. He underestimates the power of memory,
resilience, and rootedness. He believes that if the suffering becomes
unbearable, the people of Gaza will simply vanish — cross into Egypt, scatter
into permanent exile, and relinquish their land. But this is not 1948. It is
2025. The world is watching live. Every airstrike, every bloodied child, every
collapsing hospital is documented and broadcast globally. Gaza’s pain has become
a shared human experience. Its people, now symbols of endurance, have shown the
world what it means to stand tall in the face of systematic erasure. Netanyahu’s
strategy is not only morally reprehensible, it is also politically
self-defeating. Every targeted hospital, every blockade that prevents food and
medicine, further isolates Israel on the world stage. Traditional allies are
wavering. Within Israel, the narrative of national security is being challenged
by the families of hostages and soldiers who see the war dragging on without
clear purpose — except, perhaps, to protect Netanyahu himself from mounting
legal and political pressure. Facing corruption charges and widespread public
dissent, the Israeli leader has weaponized war as a political shield. It is an
old tactic: stoke fear, provoke nationalism, distract from domestic failures.
But this time, the cost is devastating — not only to Palestinians, but also to
Israel’s moral standing and long-term security. And yet, much of the
international community continues to offer only muted objections. World leaders
speak of “both sides” even as one side demolishes entire neighborhoods, flattens
hospitals, and turns children into orphans. Humanitarian agencies warn of famine
and disease, but still, convoys are blocked, aid workers killed, and ceasefires
undermined. How many more hospitals must be bombed before the world speaks
plainly? How many more infants must die in incubators without electricity before
we say: enough?
It is time for a clear, unified voice from humanity
To the Arab world, this is a historic test. The tragedies of 1948 and 1967 must
not be repeated. Gaza is not a buffer zone. It is home to over 2 million people
— families, students, doctors, poets, children with dreams. They do not need
pity. They need protection. They need political action, humanitarian aid, and
justice.This war is not about eliminating Hamas. It is about redefining the
Palestinian question — reducing it to a humanitarian crisis rather than a
political struggle for rights, land, and self-determination. But that effort,
too, will fail. Because Palestinians are not a charity case. They are a people,
with a history, a culture, and an unbreakable bond with their land. Netanyahu
should study the fate of empires that sought to erase indigenous peoples. From
the crusaders to colonial powers, they all eventually left. But the people
remained.
Palestinians will remain. That is not in question. The question is whether the
international community will stand with them before Gaza is reduced entirely to
ashes. Before the moral stain becomes permanent. Before the world’s silence
becomes complicity.
It is time for a clear, unified voice from humanity. Palestine belongs to its
people. And no prime minister — however ruthless, however relentless — can
change that.
**Hani Hazaimeh is a senior editor based in Amman. X: @hanihazaimeh