English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For  December 22/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
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Bible Quotations For today
Jesus said: Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 08/01-11/:'Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him and he sat down and began to teach them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of them, they said to him, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?’They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, ‘Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus straightened up and said to her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’She said, ‘No one, sir.’ And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.’]]

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on December 21-22/2025
An Academic Ecclesiastical Study on Saint Mar Ignatius of Antioch….Bishop of Antioch – Theophoros – Apostolic Father and Martyr/Elias Bejjani/December 20/2025
A Lebanese era of debauchery, immorality, corrupted MP's and presidents who are mere tools of ignorance and subservience./Elias Bejjani/December 18, 2024
A video link to the press conference held today in Israel by Senator Lindsey Graham, in which he strongly addressed his opposition to the terrorism and jihadism of Hezbollah, Hamas, and Iran, emphasizing that they understand only the language of force.
One Dead in Israeli Strikes on South Lebanon
Lebanese PM to Asharq Al-Awsat: 2nd Phase of Disarmament to Begin Soon Covering Regions between Litani, Awali
Lebanese Deputy PM to Asharq Al-Awsat: No Political Negotiations with Israel
Salam says 2nd phase of disarmament to begin soon covering area between Litani, Awali
Back home for the holidays: Lebanese families reunite
Regional tensions grow: Israel pushes 'Black Line' buffer zone in South Lebanon
Banks Association sources say strike still an option if an unfair law is issued targeting depositors
Israeli army claims targeting Hezbollah member in Yater, South Lebanon
The IMF Sets an Example Through Lebanese Depositors: Unpacking One the Most Dangerous Laws in the Country’s History

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on December 21-22/2025
Israel’s Security Cabinet Approves 19 New Settlements in West Bank
Armed Groups Opposed to Hamas in Gaza Seen with New Weapons
Israeli Military Says Killed Two Palestinians in West Bank
Israeli FM urges Jews to move to Israel a week after Sydney attack
Foreign press group welcomes Israel court deadline on Gaza access
US, Qatar, Egypt, Türkiye, Urge Restraint in Gaza
Iranians celebrate Yalda festival as economic woes bite
UAE president and Macron discuss strategic relations in Abu Dhabi
France will build new aircraft carrier, Macron tells troops
Iraq Top Judge Says Armed Factions to Cooperate on Weapons
Iraq’s political future in limbo as factions vie for power
Rubio Says Immediate US Goal on Sudan is Cessation of Hostilities into New Year
Investigation reveals Colombian mercenaries fighting alongside Sudan’s RSF
Ukraine battles attempted Russian breakthrough in border region
UK’s Starmer discusses Ukraine peace efforts in call with Trump
Syrian security forces dismantle Daesh terror cell near Damascus
Jordanian border forces intercept drug-laden drone in southern region

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on December 21-22/2025
A detailed list of incidents of persecution of Christians in several countries during October 2025. Victims are sold in catalogs like property./Raymond Ibrahim/Gatestone Institute/December 21, 20255
The Israeli Narrative Was Repudiated by Ahmad Al-Ahmad/Amr el-Shobaki/Asharq Al-Awsat/December 21/2025
Chasing the region’s ‘grand bargain’/Alistair Burt/Arab News/December 21, 2025
Bondi Beach hero destroyed West’s false image of Muslims/Dalia Al-Aqidi/Arab News/December 21, 2025
Selected Face Book & X tweets for /December 21, 2025

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on December 21-22/2025
An Academic Ecclesiastical Study on Saint Mar Ignatius of Antioch….Bishop of Antioch – Theophoros – Apostolic Father and Martyr
Elias Bejjani/December 20/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/12/150363/
Introduction
The Catholic Church, and in particular the Eastern Catholic Churches, commemorates the feast of Saint Mar Ignatius of Antioch annually on December 20. This celebration honors one of the most eminent Apostolic Fathers of the Church and a faithful witness to Christ who sealed his confession of faith with martyrdom. Saint Ignatius occupies a central place in early Christian history, as he embodied a profound synthesis of theological depth, ecclesial authority, and heroic witness unto death.
The Identity of Saint Mar Ignatius of Antioch and His Historical Context
Saint Mar Ignatius of Antioch was a leading ecclesiastical figure of the late first and early second centuries. He was born and lived in the city of Antioch, located in present-day Syria, one of the principal centers of early Christianity, where the disciples of Christ were first designated as “Christians.”
Chronological Framework
Approximate date of birth: c. 35 AD
Active during the first century and the early decades of the second century
Date of death and martyrdom: c. 107–110 AD
According to ancient ecclesiastical tradition, Saint Ignatius was a disciple of the Apostles, particularly Saint John the Evangelist, and is also associated with the apostolic ministry of Saint Peter the Apostle.
Martyrdom – Time, Place, and Circumstances
Place of Martyrdom, Rome, Italy.
Circumstances and Manner of Martyrdom: Saint Ignatius was arrested and transferred under guard from Antioch to Rome by order of the Roman imperial authorities. He was condemned to death and exposed to wild beasts in the Roman amphitheater, a form of execution reserved for those accused of subverting Roman religious and political norms. His martyrdom was the direct result of his public profession of the Christian faith and his refusal to renounce allegiance to Jesus Christ. In his epistolary testimony, Saint Ignatius expressed a conscious and voluntary acceptance of martyrdom, famously writing: “Permit me to be food for the beasts, through whom it will be granted me to attain to God.”
Ecclesiastical Office and Hierarchical Status
Saint Mar Ignatius served as:
Bishop of Antioch, one of the most significant episcopal sees of the early Church
Traditionally regarded as the third Bishop of Antioch, following:
Saint Peter the Apostle
Saint Evodius
Unlike later ecclesiastical careers characterized by formal hierarchical progression, Saint Ignatius was entrusted with the episcopal office on the basis of his recognized holiness, doctrinal fidelity, apostolic zeal, and pastoral authority.
Recognition of His Sainthood
Saint Ignatius lived prior to the institutionalization of formal canonization procedures. His sanctity was acknowledged universally by the Church from the earliest centuries. Consequently, his recognition as a saint cannot be attributed to a specific papal decree or pontificate, as it predates the structured canonical processes of the post-Constantinian era.
Works, Witness, and Qualities Leading to Sainthood
Saint Mar Ignatius is distinguished by several enduring contributions and virtues:
Theological depth, particularly in his articulation of:
The mystery of the Incarnation
The Eucharist as the true Body and Blood of Christ
The seven authentic epistles, composed during his journey to martyrdom, addressed to:
The Churches of Ephesus, Magnesia, Tralles, Rome, Philadelphia, and Smyrna
Saint Polycarp of Smyrna
A clear and systematic defense of: Ecclesial unity
The central role of the bishop as a principle of communion
Orthodox Christology in opposition to docetic tendencies
A lived theology of martyrdom, exemplified by his explicit request that the faithful refrain from intervening to prevent his execution.
Reasons for His Condemnation to the Wild Beasts
Saint Mar Ignatius was sentenced to death because he:
Rejected the worship of pagan deities
Refused participation in the imperial cult
Publicly proclaimed Jesus Christ as the sole Lord and Savior
Exercised visible leadership within the Christian community
Affirmed Christianity as a salvific truth rather than a political or social threat
Spiritual Virtues and Capacity for Endurance
The spiritual and moral character of Saint Ignatius is marked by:
Exceptional courage in the face of suffering and death
Profound interior peace grounded in faith
Complete obedience to the will of God
Authentic humility despite his episcopal authority
Intense love for Christ and the Church
Remarkable resilience and perseverance amid extreme hardship
Spiritual Legacy and Ecclesial Significance
Saint Ignatius bears the title “Theophoros” (Bearer of God)
He is recognized as one of the Apostolic Fathers of the Church
His writings have exercised a lasting influence on:
Early Christian theology
The development of episcopal ecclesiology
The theology of martyrdom as participation in the redemptive sacrifice of Christ
His epistles remain foundational sources for the study of the early Church
Churches Dedicated to Saint Ignatius in Lebanon
Although an exact enumeration is difficult, numerous churches, monasteries, and ecclesiastical institutions in Lebanon bear the name of Saint Ignatius, particularly within: The Syriac Catholic Church, The Syriac Orthodox Church, Certain Maronite communities. Such dedications are found in regions including:
Beirut.Mount Lebanon (Metn) Zahle as well as in various monastic and pastoral institutions honoring his apostolic legacy.
Prayer to Saint Mar Ignatius of Antioch For Peace in the World and in Lebanon
O glorious Saint of God, Saint Mar Ignatius of Antioch, faithful witness to the Truth and Bearer of God,
who loved Christ unto the total gift of self and advanced toward martyrdom with joy and serenity,
Intercede for us before the throne of divine grace, that the Lord may bestow His peace upon our troubled world, extinguish the flames of war and hatred, and instill in human hearts the spirit of justice, reconciliation, and mercy. In a particular manner, we entrust to your intercession our homeland, Lebanon: preserve it from division, strengthen its people in hope, and transform its sufferings into a path of renewed resurrection.
O you who feared neither beasts nor swords, teach us steadfastness in faith and fidelity in witnessing to Christ in love and truth.Amen.
NOTE: The information in this article is cited from various documented ecclesiastical, theological, research, and media references.
*The author, Elias Bejjani, is a Lebanese expatriate activist
Author’s Email: Phoenicia@hotmail.com
Author’s Website: https://eliasbejjaninews.com

A Lebanese era of debauchery, immorality, corrupted MP's and presidents who are mere tools of ignorance and subservience.
Elias Bejjani/December 18, 2024
Berri's success today in securing a quorum for the parliamentary session confirmed that Salam, Aoun, and the majority of the corrupt MP's are mere tools of ignorance, acting according to Hezbollah's dictates.

A video link to the press conference held today in Israel by Senator Lindsey Graham, in which he strongly addressed his opposition to the terrorism and jihadism of Hezbollah, Hamas, and Iran, emphasizing that they understand only the language of force.
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/12/150412/
U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham delivers a critical briefing in Tel Aviv on the ongoing conflict in Israel, addressing Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran’s threat in the Middle East. He discusses ceasefire challenges, regional security, and the future of peace agreements, emphasizing the urgent need to disarm Hamas and Hezbollah to ensure lasting stability. Stay updated with this exclusive analysis from Israel.
US senator urges military action if Hamas, Hezbollah don’t disarm
Al Arabiya English/December 21/2025
US Senator Lindsey Graham called on Sunday for renewed military action against Hamas and Hezbollah if they fail to disarm and accused the Palestinian group of consolidating its power in Gaza.
The Republican politician, on a visit to Israel, is a staunch ally of US President Donald Trump.
Beginning in October, a fragile ceasefire has so far halted two years of war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip despite both sides trading accusations of truce violations. A separate ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah also came into effect in November 2024 after more than a year of hostilities, though Israel continues to carry out strikes on Lebanese territory. Israel has made dismantling the arsenals of both groups, allies of its arch-foe Iran, a key condition for any lasting peace. “It’s imperative we come up with a plan quickly, put Hamas on a time clock, give them a period of time to achieve the goal of disarmament,” Graham said at a press conference during his visit. “And if you don’t, I would encourage President Trump to unleash Israel to go finish off Hamas.”“It’s a long, brutal war, but you cannot be successful anywhere in the region until you deliver in dealing Hamas out of the future of Gaza and disarming them,” Graham added, insisting that the second stage of the truce would fail if Hamas remains armed. “Ninety days after the ceasefire, they are consolidating power in Gaza,” Graham said.He also called for military engagement against Hezbollah if it too does not surrender its weapons. “If Hezbollah refuses to give up their heavy weapons, down the road we should engage in military operations working with Lebanon, Israel and the United States, where we fly with Israel... to take Hezbollah out,” Graham said.
Opposition to Turkey
The Lebanese government has begun to disarm Hezbollah, starting in the country’s south, and insists it will complete the plan. Israel, however, has questioned the effectiveness of the Lebanese military, and Hezbollah itself has repeatedly refused to lay down its weapons. Graham’s remarks came a day after mediators the United States, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey urged both sides in the Gaza war to uphold the ceasefire. The mediators are pressing for the implementation of the second phase of the truce, which would involve an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the deployment of an international stabilization force and the establishment of an interim authority to govern the territory in place of Hamas. The second phase of the Gaza truce also envisages the demilitarization of the territory, including the disarmament of Hamas. Graham backed Israel’s opposition to Turkey being included in the stabilization force, saying it would “rock Israel to its core.”“There is no political support anywhere in Israel for having Turkey being involved in the stabilizing force,” he said.
Hamas, meanwhile, has called on the mediators and Washington to stop Israeli “violations” of the ceasefire in Gaza. On Sunday, Israeli artillery shelling was reported in several parts of Gaza’s southern area of Khan Younis, according to the civil defense agency. On Friday, six people, including two children, were killed in an Israeli bombing of a school serving as a shelter for displaced people, according to the agency. With AFP

One Dead in Israeli Strikes on South Lebanon
Asharq Al-Awsat/December 21/2025
Israeli strikes in south Lebanon on Sunday killed one person and wounded another, the Lebanese health ministry said, as Israel's military said it targeted Hezbollah members. Israel has kept up regular strikes on Lebanon, usually saying it is targeting Hezbollah infrastructure or operatives, despite a November 2024 ceasefire that sought to end more than a year of hostilities with the Iran-backed group that erupted over the Gaza war. It has also kept troops in five south Lebanon areas that it deems strategic. The health ministry in Beirut said "two Israeli enemy strikes today, on a vehicle and a motorbike in the town of Yater" killed one person and wounded another.Yater is around five kilometers (three miles) from the border with Israel. In separate statements, the Israeli military said it "struck a Hezbollah terrorist in the area of Yater", adding shortly afterwards that it "struck an additional Hezbollah terrorist" in the same area. Also on Sunday, Lebanon's army said in a statement that troops had discovered and dismantled "an Israeli spy device" in Yaroun, elsewhere in south Lebanon near the border. Under heavy US pressure and amid fears of expanded Israeli strikes, Lebanon has committed to disarming Hezbollah and plans to do so south of the Litani River, about 30 kilometers from the border with Israel, by year end. Israel has questioned the Lebanese military's effectiveness and has accused Hezbollah of rearming, while the group itself has rejected calls to surrender its weapons. During a visit to Israel on Sunday, US Senator Lindsey Graham also accused Hezbollah of rearming. "My impression is that Hezbollah is trying to make more weapons... That's not an acceptable outcome," Graham said in a video statement issued by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office. More than 340 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon since the ceasefire, according to an AFP tally of Lebanese health ministry reports. This week at talks in Paris, Lebanon's army chief agreed to document the military's progress in disarming Hezbollah, the French foreign ministry said. On Friday, Lebanese and Israeli civilian representatives took part in a meeting of the ceasefire monitoring committee for a second time, after holding their first direct talks in decades earlier this month under the committee's auspices. Israel said Friday's meeting was part of broader efforts to ensure Hezbollah's disarmament and strengthen security in border areas.

Lebanese PM to Asharq Al-Awsat: 2nd Phase of Disarmament to Begin Soon Covering Regions between Litani, Awali
Beirut: Thaer Abbas/Asharq Al Awsat/December 21/2025
Lebanon would have completed the first phase of the army’s plan to impose state monopoly over arms, or the disarmament of Hezbollah, by the end of the year. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s office confirmed on Saturday that the first phase was close to completion. “The first phase of the weapons consolidation plan related to the area south of the Litani River is only days away from completion,” it said.“The state is ready to move on to the second ‌phase - namely (confiscating weapons) north of the ‍Litani River - based on the ‍plan prepared by the Lebanese army pursuant to ‍a mandate from the government,” Salam added. The cabinet will meet at the beginning of the new year after the first phase is completed. Salam, meanwhile, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the second phase of the disarmament will cover the areas between the Litani and Awali Rivers to its north. The third phase will cover Beirut and Mount Lebanon and the fourth covers the Bekaa followed by remaining regions. Lebanese sources said the army has completed most of its report on its disarmament efforts south of the Litani. It has completed the confiscation and destruction of thousands of tons of ammunition and military gear. It has discovered around a hundred military tunnels in the region. As it stands, the army is unlikely to ask for an extension of the deadline to complete the first phase by the end of the year. It may ask for a “technical” extension for a few weeks if necessary. Salam refused to go into the details of the government’s next step after it receives the army’s detailed report on the disarmament south of the Litani. “The military has succeeded in imposing complete state authority over the regions from south of the Litani to the southern border, except for the areas occupied by Israel and from where it should withdraw without delay,” the PM told Asharq Al-Awsat. He confirmed that the government will convene at the beginning of the year to assess the first phase of the disarmament, stressing that Israel must take reciprocal steps, such as ceasing its violations of the ceasefire. This will not prevent Lebanon from moving on to the second phase of implementing state monopoly over arms, he revealed. Progress hinges of Hezbollah’s cooperation with Lebanon’s efforts to limit possession of weapons to the state and move towards activating state institutions in the South and kick off the reconstruction process with the help of Lebanon’s friends, he added. “Imposing state monopoly over weapons is a Lebanese need before it is an international one,” he declared. Everyone should be concerned with facilitating the process to end the cycle of violence, he urged. Salam met on Saturday with Simon Karam, Lebanon's top civilian negotiator on the Mechanism committee overseeing the Hezbollah-Israel truce. Karam briefed Salam on the latest meeting of the Mechanism. Hezbollah continues to resist calls to disarm, saying the ceasefire with Israel does not cover areas north of the Litani. Party officials continue to tie disarmament to Israel’s withdrawal from regions it occupies in the South.

Lebanese Deputy PM to Asharq Al-Awsat: No Political Negotiations with Israel
Beirut: Paula Astih/Asharq Al Awsat/December 21/2025
Lebanon’s Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri denied on Saturday that the appointment of civilian negotiators between Lebanon and Israel means that political negotiations have been launched between the two neighbors. He told Asharq Al-Awsat that the negotiating team is primarily tasked with ensuring that the Lebanese army carries out Lebanon’s part of the ceasefire with Israel. The army is close to completing the first phase of the agreement to impose state monopoly over arms in southern Lebanon, he added. Other phases of the deal will follow to cover the whole of Lebanon. Mitri added that attention must be focused on not giving Israel excuses to attack Lebanon, meaning Lebanon must meet its ceasefire obligations. He warned, however, that Israel "could expand its military operations in Lebanon with or without excuses."He noted that the United States appears to be pressuring Israel against launching a new war against Lebanon. Lebanon is close to completing the disarmament of Hezbollah south of the Litani River, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said on Saturday, as the country races to fulfil a key demand of its ceasefire with Israel before a year-end deadline. The US-backed ceasefire, agreed in November 2024, ended more than a year of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah and required the disarmament of the Iran-aligned group, starting in areas south of the river adjacent to Israel. Lebanese authorities, ‌led by President ‌Joseph Aoun and Salam, tasked the Lebanese ‌army ⁠on August ‌5 with devising a plan to establish a state monopoly on arms by the end of the year. "Prime Minister Salam affirmed that the first phase of the weapons consolidation plan related to the area south of the Litani River is only days away from completion," a statement from his ⁠office said. "The state is ready to move on to the second ‌phase - namely (confiscating weapons) north of the ‍Litani River - based on the ‍plan prepared by the Lebanese army pursuant to ‍a mandate from the government," Salam added. The statement came after Salam held talks with Simon Karam, Lebanon's top civilian negotiator on a committee overseeing the Hezbollah-Israel truce. Since the ceasefire, the sides have regularly accused each other of violations, with Israel questioning the Lebanese army's efforts to disarm Hezbollah. ⁠Israeli warplanes have increasingly targeted Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and even in the capital. Israel has publicly urged Lebanese authorities to fulfil the conditions of the truce, saying it will act "as ‌necessary" if Lebanon fails to take steps against Hezbollah, which has refused to disarm.

Salam says 2nd phase of disarmament to begin soon covering area between Litani, Awali
Naharnet/December 21/2025
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has said that the first phase of the weapons monopolization plan related to the area south of the Litani River is "only days away from completion." “The state is ready to move on to the second ‌phase, namely (confiscating weapons) north of the ‍Litani River, based on the ‍plan prepared by the Lebanese Army,” Salam added in remarks to Asharq al-Awsat newspaper. Salam said the second phase will cover the areas between the Litani and Awali rivers in south Lebanon. The third phase will cover Beirut and Mount Lebanon and the fourth covers the Bekaa followed by remaining regions. Salam refused to go into the details of the government’s next step after it receives the army’s detailed report on the disarmament south of the Litani. “The military has succeeded in imposing complete state authority over the regions from south of the Litani to the southern border, except for the areas occupied by Israel and from where it should withdraw without delay,” the PM told Asharq al-Awsat. He confirmed that the government will convene at the beginning of the year to assess the first phase of the disarmament, stressing that Israel must take reciprocal steps, such as ceasing its violations of the ceasefire. This will not prevent Lebanon from moving on to the second phase of implementing state monopoly over arms, he revealed. Progress hinges on Hezbollah’s cooperation with Lebanon’s efforts to limit possession of weapons to the state and move towards activating state institutions in the South, he added. “Imposing state monopoly over weapons is a Lebanese need before it is an international one,” he declared. Everyone should be concerned with facilitating the process to end the cycle of violence, he urged. Salam met on Saturday with Simon Karam, Lebanon's top civilian negotiator on the Mechanism committee overseeing the Hezbollah-Israel truce. Karam briefed Salam on the latest meeting of the Mechanism. Hezbollah continues to resist calls to disarm, saying the ceasefire with Israel does not cover areas north of the Litani. Party officials continue to tie disarmament to Israel’s withdrawal from regions it occupies in the South.

Back home for the holidays: Lebanese families reunite
LBCI/December 21/2025
As the holiday season approaches, Lebanese families are welcoming a growing number of expatriates returning home. On Friday, nearly 16,000 visitors entered Lebanon, and the number is expected to rise to around 18,000 daily in the coming week, according to officials. The arrivals reflect a longstanding tradition: families and friends reunite during the holidays, with parents, children, and grandparents gathering to celebrate together. Many expatriates make the journey specifically to spend time with relatives and friends in Lebanon, maintaining ties despite years abroad.
Officials say the return of expatriates highlights the social and cultural importance of holiday gatherings across the country, reinforcing family bonds and connections to home.

Regional tensions grow: Israel pushes 'Black Line' buffer zone in South Lebanon
LBCI/December 21/2025
The Israeli army has designated what it calls the "Black Line" as a buffer zone it is imposing in South Lebanon, an area Israel is seeking to keep under its control under the pretext of preventing hostile elements from approaching the border.
According to plans outlined by the Israeli army and backed by security and military leaders, the zone is intended to provide Israel with additional defensive depth inside Lebanese territory. The 7106th reserve battalion currently patrols the area along with other military units. Israeli military operations initially focused on areas up to one kilometer from the border before expanding deeper into Lebanese territory, the plans show. Beyond military planning, Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich went further, saying a strike on Lebanon was inevitable ahead of the next parliamentary elections, remarks that added to already heightened tensions. Iran has also moved to the forefront of regional concerns following reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intends to seek a green light from former U.S. President Donald Trump during a meeting next week to launch a strike against Tehran. According to the reports, Netanyahu plans to present an intelligence assessment claiming Iran is accelerating its nuclear efforts and expanding its missile program to enable the production of up to 3,000 missiles per month, while continuing to finance its regional allies. At the same time, Tel Aviv is said to fear Washington may reject any Israeli plan to strike Iran. Israel also anticipates U.S. opposition to its demand to expand what it calls a "safe zone" in Syria, which it wants to stretch from Damascus to areas currently occupied by the Israeli army in southern Syria. Israel has cited recent U.S. strikes against the Islamic State group in Syria as justification for what it describes as an escalating threat on that front. Israeli officials argue that this risk prevents any withdrawal from occupied areas until full security guarantees are secured.

Banks Association sources say strike still an option if an unfair law is issued targeting depositors
LBCI/December 21/2025
Sources at the Association of Banks in Lebanon said the option of a strike remains on the table if the state insists on issuing what they described as an "unfair law targeting depositors." However, the sources stressed that Monday will be a normal working day and that banks will not go on strike during the holiday period.

Israeli army claims targeting Hezbollah member in Yater, South Lebanon
LBCI/December 21/2025
In a post on his X account, Avichay Adraee claimed that the Israeli army targeted a Hezbollah member in Yater, South Lebanon.

The IMF Sets an Example Through Lebanese Depositors: Unpacking One the Most Dangerous Laws in the Country’s History
This is Beirut/December 21/2025
What the government presented as the ‘Financial Gap Law’ is not merely a piece of financial legislation; it is a text that lays the foundations for the post-adoption economic order. It does not conceal its objective but states it calmly: ending a crisis that has lasted for years instead of resolving it, writing off deposits instead of restoring them, and absolving the state and the central bank at the expense of both the banking sector and depositors. Thus, the Lebanese depositor is transformed into an instrument of “discipline” within a model meant to be replicated, rather than a rights-holder who should be protected. A clause-by-clause reading of the law quickly reveals that the government has not drafted a rescue plan but rather a legal framework that legitimizes the most dangerous financial trajectory in Lebanon’s history. It strikes at the heart of property rights, legalizes the collective bankruptcy of banks, and eliminates any possibility of rebuilding a sound financial system, thus pushing the country toward a fragmented cash-based economy devoid of trust and without a banking sector. All of this is carried out under the banner of “reform” and in compliance with external dictates that have nothing to do with safeguarding Lebanese rights.
At its core, the draft reflects a clear political choice: full alignment with the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) approach and the abandonment of any sovereign alternative. The state that accumulated debt, financed deficits, fixed the exchange rate, squandered public funds, and then defaulted on its obligations removes itself from accountability. There is no mandatory contribution from the state budget and no direct assumption of the collapse’s cost. Instead, as stated in Chapter Five, the state merely acknowledges “in principle” the existence of a debt to Banque du Liban, leaving its size and terms to be determined later. This aligns with what it calls “public debt sustainability,” prioritizing the state’s interests over justice.
This alone is enough to invalidate any government rhetoric about assuming responsibility. Under this law, the state is not a binding party but a negotiator of its own liability, based on political and financial convenience rather than on the scale of the damage it has inflicted on the economy and society.
As for Banque du Liban, it emerges from the law with near-total immunity. Despite the explanatory memorandum acknowledging that the central bank’s monetary policies contributed to the deterioration of its asset quality and its inability to meet obligations toward commercial banks, the draft deliberately avoids applying Article 113 of the Monetary and Credit Law, which obliges the Treasury to cover central bank losses. Instead, this explicit legal obligation is turned into a mere “option” for the government, an outright violation of clear and binding law.
Once the state is exempted and the central bank shielded, only banks and depositors remain. The law, particularly Chapter Six (Articles 11 to 14), draws this path clearly: Deposits exceeding $100,000 will not be repaid in cash but converted into “asset-backed certificates” issued by Banque du Liban, maturing in 10, 15, or 20 years, with low interest rates and no real guarantees beyond uncertain future revenues of the central bank. In practice, this is not a recovery of deposits but a replacement of property rights with a financial instrument of unknown value. There is no clear projection of asset revenues, no explanation of how legally protected gold reserves would be used, and no clarity on how these obligations would be covered amid severe liquidity shortages. Worse still, mandatory reserves, which are depositors’ rights, are treated as if they were a ‘contribution’ from the central bank, a complete inversion of reality. Even more alarming, the law goes beyond a disguised write-off of deposits and goes so far as to criminalize depositors themselves. In Chapter Three, particularly Article Five, transfers made after October 17, 2019, are reopened and treated as suspicious, despite having been legal and approved by Banque du Liban. The draft also criminalizes the receipt of legitimate banking interest earned since 2016 and demands its reimbursement, explicitly violating the principle of non-retroactivity of laws and of acquired rights. What kind of law punishes citizens for complying with contracts, laws, and official circulars? Alongside the assault on depositors, the law strikes the banking sector at its roots. It starts by wiping out capital entirely, then demands recapitalization, while simultaneously burdening banks with 20 percent of the cost of long-term certificates. What bank can withstand such decades-long obligations? And what investor would inject capital into a sector that the law itself has already condemned to bankruptcy?
The fatal paradox is that the explanatory memorandum openly acknowledges the systemic nature of the crisis and the shared responsibility of the state and Banque du Liban. Yet, this admission is used to justify shifting losses onto depositors and banks, while exonerating the true decision-makers. In the background, the IMF has chosen to send a harsh message to banks heavily exposed to sovereign lending, not in the name of reform, but of deterrence. The IMF does not view Lebanon as an isolated case but as part of a broader global landscape in which banks have become the primary financiers of states through massive purchases of sovereign debt. Hence the punitive approach: banks must “think twice” when lending to states, because the cost of default may not fall on the state itself but on banks and their depositors. In this context, Lebanon is not treated as an exception but as a model quietly intended for replication. It is a model of how to punish banks and depositors without explicitly acknowledging that the bankrupt state is the primary cause of collapse and without openly declaring that what is happening in Lebanon is a precedent to be implemented gradually elsewhere. If this law is passed in its current form, the outcome is predetermined: collective bankruptcy of the banking sector and an organized loss of depositors’ funds. Capital write-offs, long-term burdens, and the obstruction of genuine recapitalization will inevitably lead to the collapse of banks one after another, all under a legislative cover that brands this collapse as “reform.”
In such a landscape, deposits cease to be rights and become mere accounting figures without value. Talk of social protection becomes an illusion. The state stands by as a spectator after granting itself legal immunity, while Banque du Liban emerges with “clean” balance sheets achieved by transferring losses onto the public.
In conclusion, what the government has prepared is not a rescue law but rather a liquidation law: liquidation of the banking sector, people’s deposits, and the principle of the state as a guarantor of rights. The objective is clear: presenting a “tidy” balance sheet to the IMF at any cost. Any government that adopts this law is not making a technical mistake; it is taking a historic political decision to legalize the largest confiscation of deposits in Lebanon’s history. This is the final picture drawn by the law, and it bears no resemblance whatsoever to rescue.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on December 21-22/2025
Israel’s Security Cabinet Approves 19 New Settlements in West Bank
Asharq Al-Awsat/December 21/2025
Israel's security cabinet approved the establishment of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, a move the country's far-right finance minister said on Sunday was aimed at preventing the establishment of a Palestinian state. The decision brings the total number of settlements approved over the past three years to 69, according to a statement from the office of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. The latest approvals come days after the United Nations said the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank -- all of which are considered illegal under international law -- had reached its highest level since at least 2017. "The proposal by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Defense Minister Israel Katz to declare and formalize 19 new settlements in Judea and Samaria has been approved by the cabinet," the statement said, without specifying when the decision was taken. Smotrich is a vocal proponent of settlement expansion and a settler himself.  "On the ground, we are blocking the establishment of a Palestinian terror state," he said in the statement. "We will continue to develop, build, and settle the land of our ancestral heritage, with faith in the justice of our path." UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has recently condemned what he described as Israel's "relentless" expansion of settlements in the occupied territory. It "continues to fuel tensions, impede access by Palestinians to their land and threaten the viability of a fully independent, democratic, contiguous and sovereign Palestinian State", he said earlier this month. Since the start of the war in Gaza, calls for the establishment of a Palestinian state have proliferated, with several European countries, Canada and Australia recently moving to formally recognize such a state, drawing rebukes from Israel. A UN report said the expansion of settlements was at its highest point since 2017, when the United Nations began tracking such data.  "These figures represent a sharp increase compared to previous years," Guterres said, noting an average of 12,815 housing units were added annually between 2017 and 2022. "These developments are further entrenching the unlawful Israeli occupation and violating international law and undermining the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination." Excluding east Jerusalem, which was occupied and annexed by Israel in 1967, more than 500,000 Israelis live in the West Bank, along with about three million Palestinian residents. Smotrich's office said the 19 newly approved settlements are located in what it described as "highly strategic" areas, adding that two of them -- Ganim and Kadim in the northern West Bank -- would be re-established after being dismantled two decades ago. Five of the 19 settlements already existed but had not previously been granted legal status under Israeli law, the statement said. While all Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territory are considered illegal under international law, some wildcat outposts are also illegal in the eyes of the Israeli government. Many of these, however, are later legalized by Israeli authorities, fueling fears about the possible annexation of the territory. US President Donald Trump has warned Israel about annexing the West Bank.  "Israel would lose all of its support from the United States if that happened," Trump said in a recent interview to Time magazine. Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967, and violence there has soared since the Gaza war erupted in October 2023 following Hamas's attack on Israel. Israeli troops or settlers have killed at least 1,027 Palestinians in the West Bank -- both gunmen and civilians -- since the start of the fighting in Gaza, according to an AFP tally based on Palestinian health ministry figures. At least 44 Israelis have been killed in the West Bank in Palestinian attacks or Israeli military operations during the same period, according to Israeli data.

Armed Groups Opposed to Hamas in Gaza Seen with New Weapons
Asharq Al Awsat/December 21/2025
Images circulated on social media of armed groups opposed to Hamas in Gaza brandishing new weapons. The factions have been presenting themselves as replacements to Hamas in ruling the enclave and have been developing new means to oust the movement. The factions are active in areas in Gaza that are controlled by Israel and have acknowledged working with Israel. Debate on social media revolved around whether the groups had acquired the new weapons from Israel or if they were seized by Israeli forces from Hamas and handed over to them. Speculation also centered on whether the groups had seized the weapons from Hamas tunnels.One video on social media showed Ghassan al-Dahini, who took over the Popular Forces after the killing of Yasser Abu Shabab weeks ago, as he brandished a Tandem modern RPG that Hamas had often used in recent years and during the Gaza war. Dahini was seen with several other gunmen as he inspected a box of new weapons. Dahini’s group is deployed mainly in Rafah in southern Gaza. Another video showed members of the so-called “Popular Army”, led by Ashraf al-Mansi, brandishing RPGs. The Popular Army is deployed in Jabaliya and Beit Lahia in northern Gaza. None of the groups opposed to Hamas have denied that they receive support from Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged in June that his government was backing these factions. Shawqi Abu Nasira, a former Palestinian security officer and now leader of one of these factions deployed east of Khan Younis, recently told Israeli television that Tel Aviv had supplied his group and others with weapons, funds and food. He said “great security coordination” was underway between them.

Israeli Military Says Killed Two Palestinians in West Bank
Asharq Al Awsat/December 21/2025
Israel's military said it killed two Palestinians in the north of the occupied West Bank Saturday, accusing one of throwing "a block" and the other an explosive at its soldiers. In a statement the military said that during an operation "in the area of Qabatiya, a terrorist hurled a block toward the soldiers, who responded with fire and eliminated the terrorist"."Simultaneously, during an additional operation in the Silat al-Harithiya area, a terrorist hurled an explosive toward the soldiers, who responded with fire and eliminated the terrorist." Both locations are near the city of Jenin.
The Israeli military reported no injuries among its troops. The Palestinian health ministry said that a 16-year-old boy died "from wounds caused by a bullet of the Israeli occupation forces", according to the official Wafa news agency.
It also reported that a 22-year-old man was killed by "a bullet to the chest during an occupation forces raid" on Silat al-Harithiya. Violence in the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967, has soared since the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023 triggered the Gaza war. It has not subsided despite the truce between Israel and Hamas that came into effect in October. Israeli troops or settlers have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians, many of them gunmen, but also scores of civilians, in the West Bank since the start of the Gaza war, according to an AFP tally based on Palestinian health ministry figures. At least 44 Israelis, both soldiers and civilians, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or Israeli military operations, according to official Israeli figures.

Israeli FM urges Jews to move to Israel a week after Sydney attack
AFP/December 22, 2025
JERUSALEM: Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called on Sunday for Jews in Western countries to move to Israel to escape rising antisemitism, one week after 15 were shot dead at a Jewish event in Sydney. “Jews have the right to live in safety everywhere. But we see and fully understand what is happening, and we have a certain historical experience. Today, Jews are being hunted across the world,” Saar said at a public candle lighting marking the last day of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. “Today I call on Jews in England, Jews in France, Jews in Australia, Jews in Canada, Jews in Belgium: come to the Land of Israel! Come home!” Saar said at the ceremony, held with leaders of Jewish communities and organizations worldwide. Since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, sparked by Hamas’s unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Israeli leaders have repeatedly denounced a surge in antisemitism in Western countries and accused their governments of failing to curb it. Australian authorities have said the December 14 attack on a Hanukkah event on Sydney’s Bondi Beach was inspired by the ideology of the Islamic State jihadist group. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Western governments to better protect their Jewish citizens. “I demand that Western governments do what is necessary to fight antisemitism and provide the required safety and security for Jewish communities worldwide,” Netanyahu said in a video address. In October, Saar accused British authorities of failing to take action to curb a “toxic wave of antisemitism” following an attack outside a Manchester synagogue on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, in which two people were killed and four wounded. According to Israel’s 1950 “Law of Return,” any Jewish person in the world is entitled to settle in Israel (a process known in Hebrew as aliyah, or “ascent“) and acquire Israeli citizenship. The law also applies to individuals who have at least one Jewish grandparent.zz

Foreign press group welcomes Israel court deadline on Gaza access
AFP/December 21/2025
The Foreign Press Association in Jerusalem on Sunday welcomed the Israeli Supreme Court’s decision to set January 4 as the deadline for Israel to respond to its petition seeking media access to Gaza. Since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, sparked by Palestinian militant group Hamas’s attack on Israel, Israeli authorities have prevented foreign journalists from independently entering the devastated territory. Israel has instead allowed, on a case-by-case basis, a handful of reporters to accompany its troops into the blockaded Palestinian territory. The Foreign Press Association (FPA), which represents hundreds of foreign journalists in Israel and the Palestinian territories, filed a petition to the supreme court last year, seeking immediate access for international journalists to the Gaza Strip. On October 23, the court held a first hearing on the case, and decided to give Israeli authorities one month to develop a plan for granting access. Since then the court has given several extensions to the Israeli authorities to come up with their plan, but on Saturday it set January 4 as a final deadline. “If the respondents (Israeli authorities) do not inform us of their position by that date, a decision on the request for a conditional order will be made on the basis of the material in the case file,” the court said. The FPA welcomed the court’s latest directive. “After two years of the state’s delay tactics, we are pleased that the court’s patience has finally run out,” the association said in a statement. “We renew our call for the state of Israel to immediately grant journalists free and unfettered access to the Gaza Strip. “And should the government continue to obstruct press freedoms, we hope that the supreme court will recognize and uphold those freedoms,” it added. An AFP journalist sits on the board of the FPA.

US, Qatar, Egypt, Türkiye, Urge Restraint in Gaza
Asharq Al Awsat/December 21/2025
The United States was joined Saturday by Qatar, Egypt and Türkiye in urging parties in the Gaza ceasefire to uphold their obligations and exercise restraint, the chief US envoy said after talks in Miami. Top officials from each nation met with Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump's special envoy, to review the first stage of the ceasefire that came into effect on October 10. "We reaffirm our full commitment to the entirety of the President’s 20-point peace plan and call on all parties to uphold their obligations, exercise restraint, and cooperate with monitoring arrangements," said a statement posted by Witkoff on X. Their meeting came amid continuing strains on the agreement. Gaza's civil defense said six people were killed Friday in Israeli shelling of a shelter. That brought to 400 the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli fire since the deal took effect. Israel has also repeatedly accused Hamas of violating the truce, with the military reporting of its three soldiers killed in the territory since October. Saturday's statement cited progress yielded in the first stage of the peace agreement, including expanded humanitarian assistance, return of hostage bodies, partial force withdrawals and a reduction in hostilities. It called for "the near-term establishment and operationalization" of a transitional administration which is due to happen in the second phase of the agreement, and said consultations would continue in the coming weeks over its implementation. Under the deal's terms, Israel is supposed to withdraw from its positions in Gaza, an interim authority is to govern the Palestinian territory instead of Hamas, and an international stabilization force is to be deployed. On Friday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed hope that countries would contribute troops for the stabilization force, but also urged the disarmament of Hamas, warning the process would unravel unless that happened.

Iranians celebrate Yalda festival as economic woes bite
AFP/December 21/2025
Iranians of all religions and walks of life mark the ancient Persian festival of Yalda Sunday, though many say economic hardships fanned by international sanctions will put a damper on this year’s celebrations. Yalda falls on the winter solstice and is characterized by family gatherings and the eating of nuts, sweets and fruits. “We mostly spend time with our families, our grandparents, aunts, cousins,” Maral Bagherpour, a smiling 16-year-old student, told AFP in northern Tehran’s Tajrish Bazaar. “We take fal-e Hafez, we drink tea or coffee. My grandma sings for us sometimes,” she said. “Taking fal-e Hafez” is a popular tradition that entails using the works of renowned 14th century Persian poet Hafez, an all-time favorite in Iran, to try to divine the future and deal with difficult situations. “On Yalda night the whole family gets together in my grandparents’ house. We reminisce about the good old days and eat nuts and fruits that are in season,” said Mary Goudarzi, 37. However, rampant inflation and a sharp depreciation of the national currency against the dollar have diminished people’s purchasing power to really push the boat out for Yalda. In early December, the central bank announced annual inflation was running at 41 percent. On Saturday, the US dollar was trading at around 1.32 million rials on the informal market -- almost double the rate at the same time last year. “Unfortunately, because of recent events such as the war and the dollar price that’s rising sharply, people’s purchasing power has fallen a lot,” said Goudarzi, an interior designer. “That’s why you can’t really see many of the items we used to see in previous years on every table,” she said while shopping for Yalda. In June, Israel launched an unprecedented attack on Iran, striking military and nuclear sites as well as residential areas, killing more than 1,000 people including nuclear scientists and military commanders. The attack triggered a 12-day conflict in which Iran responded with drones and missiles targeting Israel, and in which the United States joined Israel and hit Iranian nuclear sites.
‘Trying to cope’
Some shopping centers in Tehran put up decorations for Yalda, including artificial trees adorned with hanging pomegranates or displaying huge plates of fruits linked to the festivities. “Yalda has been around for a long time for families to get together, but with these high prices it’s not like it used to be when people would invite the whole family,” said Aliakbar Mohammadi, a fruit vendor at a well-stocked stall. He said the price of pomegranates has doubled since last year, and sales are down markedly. On Saturday, the reformist Ham Mihan daily had a cartoon entitled “Yalda Night,” showing what appeared to be a poor man trying to grab at a basket of fruit hanging from the moon. The implication was clear -- buying fruit for the festivity is out of reach for some families. “Inflation is high, the dollar price has gone up and subsequently all prices have increased including the commodities,” said 21-year-old nut and fruit shop owner Rahimi, who gave his last name only. “It’s hard for people to buy what they want. The state of the market and the economy is in turmoil. Sales are down significantly this year.” Iran has been under a biting international sanctions regime for years over its nuclear program, with the West accusing the Islamic republic of trying to build a nuclear bomb and Tehran vehemently denying the charge. “Conditions will be more difficult, but we’re trying to cope -- we have no choice,” said Rahimi. Yalda historically marks the victory of Good over Evil, and is also marked in Persian-speaking areas of some regional countries such as Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Both Yalda and the fire festival, celebrated on the last Tuesday of the Iranian calendar year which ends on March 20, date back to Zoroastrianism, a religion dominant in Iran until the seventh century.

UAE president and Macron discuss strategic relations in Abu Dhabi
Arab News/December 21, 2025
LONDON: UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed the historical and strategic relations between their nations. The meeting on Sunday at the Zayed National Museum in Abu Dhabi focused on strengthening ties in the economy, investment, culture, renewable energy, advanced technology, artificial intelligence, and sustainability. Sheikh Mohamed and Macron expressed their desires for ongoing progress and prosperity for both nations and their peoples, according to the Emirates News Agency, or WAM. Several Emirati ministers and senior officials attended the meeting, including Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi; Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs; and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, deputy chairman of the Presidential Court for special affairs. The French delegation accompanying Macron included several ministers and senior officials, according to WAM.

France will build new aircraft carrier, Macron tells troops
Reuters/December 21/2025
President Emmanuel Macron confirmed ‍on Sunday plans to build a new, larger and ‍more modern aircraft carrier to replace the ageing Charles de Gaulle carrier and boost France’s capacity as a maritime power. Macron, who originally touted the plans ⁠in 2020, was speaking to troops based at a French military base in Abu Dhabi located near the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial chokepoint for global oil flows. “The decision to launch this vast program was taken this week,” Macron said, ‍adding that the project would boost France’s industrial base, in particular ‍small ‍and medium-sized businesses. Army Minister Catherine ⁠Vautrin said on ‌X that the ⁠new vessel would enter ‍service in 2038, around the time that the Charles ⁠de Gaulle is expected to be retired. That vessel entered service ‌in 2001, some 15 years after it was commissioned. Some French lawmakers from the center and the moderate left have recently suggested that the ‍project to build a new aircraft carrier be postponed due to France’s strained state finances. France remains one of Europe’s leading military powers and is one of only five ‌official nuclear-armed countries.

Iraq Top Judge Says Armed Factions to Cooperate on Weapons
Asharq Al Awsat/December 21/2025
The head of Iraq's highest judicial body said Saturday that the leaders of armed factions have agreed to cooperate on the sensitive issue of the state's monopoly on weapons. However, the powerful Kataib Hezbollah group said that it would only discuss giving up its arms when foreign troops leave the country. "The resistance is a right, and its weapons will remain in the hands of its fighters," the group said in a statement. The leaders of three other pro-Iran factions designated by Washington as terrorist groups said that it is time to restrict weapons to state control, although they too have stopped short of committing to disarm -- a long-standing US demand. Faiq Zidan, the head of Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council, in a statement thanked "faction leaders for heeding his advice to coordinate together to enforcing the rule of law, restrict weapons to state control, and transition to political action after the national need for military action has ceased". After Iraq's general elections in November, the United States demanded that the new government exclude six groups it designates as terrorists and instead move to dismantle them, Iraqi officials and diplomats told AFP. But some of the groups have increased their presence in the new parliament and are members of the Coordination Framework, a ruling alliance of Shiite parties with varying ties to Iran that holds the majority. The blacklisted groups are part of the pro-Iran Popular Mobilization Forces, a former paramilitary alliance that has integrated into the armed forces. But they have also developed a reputation for sometimes acting on their own. They are also part of the Tehran-backed so-called "Axis of Resistance" and have called for the withdrawal of US troops -- deployed in Iraq as part of an anti-ISIS coalition -- and launched attacks against them. These groups include the powerful Asaib Ahl al-Haq faction, which won 27 seats in the elections. Earlier this week, the group's leader, Qais al-Khazali, a key figure in the Coordination Framework, said "we believe" in "the slogan to restrict weapons to the state", and "we are now part of the state". Two other groups, Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya and Kataeb Imam Ali, said on Friday that it is time to "limit weapons to the state".

Iraq’s political future in limbo as factions vie for power
AP/December 21, 2025
BAGHDAD: Political factions in Iraq have been maneuvering since the parliamentary election more than a month ago to form alliances that will shape the next government. The November election didn’t produce a bloc with a decisive majority, opening the door to a prolonged period of negotiations. The government that eventually emerges will be inheriting a security situation that has stabilized in recent years, but it will also face a fragmented parliament, growing political influence by armed factions, a fragile economy, and often conflicting international and regional pressures, including the future of Iran-backed armed groups.
Uncertain prospects
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani’s party took the largest number of seats in the election. Al-Sudani positioned himself in his first term as a pragmatist focused on improving public services and managed to keep Iraq on the sidelines of regional conflicts. While his party is nominally part of the Coordination Framework, a coalition of Iran-backed Shiite parties that became the largest parliamentary bloc, observers say it’s unlikely that the Coordination Framework will support Al-Sudani’s reelection bid. “The choice for prime minister has to be someone the Framework believes they can control and doesn’t have his own political ambitions,” said Sajad Jiyad, an Iraqi political analyst and fellow at The Century Foundation think tank. Al-Sudani came to power in 2022 with the backing of the Framework, but Jiyad said that he believes now the coalition “will not give Al-Sudani a second term as he has become a powerful competitor.”The only Iraqi prime minister to serve a second term since 2003 was Nouri Al-Maliki, first elected in 2006. His bid for a third term failed after being criticized for monopolizing power and alienating Sunnis and Kurds. Jiyad said that the Coordination Framework drew a lesson from Al-Maliki “that an ambitious prime minister will seek to consolidate power at the expense of others.”He said that the figure selected as Iraq’s prime minister must generally be seen as acceptable to Iran and the United States — two countries with huge influence over Iraq — and to Iraq’s top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani.
Al-Sudani in a bind
In the election, Shiite alliances and lists — dominated by the Coordination Framework parties — secured 187 seats, Sunni groups 77 seats, Kurdish groups 56 seats, in addition to nine seats reserved for members of minority groups. The Reconstruction and Development Coalition, led by Al-Sudani, dominated in Baghdad, and in several other provinces, winning 46 seats. Al-Sudani’s results, while strong, don’t allow him to form a government without the support of a coalition, forcing him to align the Coordination Framework to preserve his political prospects. Some saw this dynamic at play earlier this month when Al-Sudani’s government retracted a terror designation that Iraq had imposed on the Lebanese Hezbollah militant group and Yemen’s Houthi rebels — Iran-aligned groups that are allied with Iraqi armed factions — just weeks after imposing the measure, saying it was a mistake. The Coalition Framework saw its hand strengthened by the absence from the election of the powerful Sadrist movement led by Shiite cleric Muqtada Sadr, which has been boycotting the political system since being unable to form a government after winning the most seats in the 2021 election. Hamed Al-Sayed, a political activist and official with the National Line Movement, an independent party that boycotted the election, said that Sadr’s absence had a “central impact.” “It reduced participation in areas that were traditionally within his sphere of influence, such as Baghdad and the southern governorates, leaving an electoral vacuum that was exploited by rival militia groups,” he said, referring to several parties within the Coordination Framework that also have armed wings.Groups with affiliated armed wings won more than 100 parliamentary seats, the largest showing since 2003.
Other political actors
Sunni forces, meanwhile, sought to reorganize under a new coalition called the National Political Council, aiming to regain influence lost since the 2018 and 2021 elections. The Kurdish political scene remained dominated by the traditional split between the Kurdistan Democratic Party and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan parties, with ongoing negotiations between the two over the presidency. By convention, Iraq’s president is always a Kurd, while the more powerful prime minister is Shiite and the parliamentary speaker Sunni. Parliament is required to elect a speaker within 15 days of the Federal Supreme Court’s ratification of the election result, which occurred on Dec. 14. The parliament should elect a president within 30 days of its first session, and the prime minister should be appointed within 15 days of the president’s election, with 30 days allotted to form the new government.
Washington steps in
The incoming government will face major economic and political challenges.
They include a high level of public debt — more than 90 trillion Iraqi dinars ($69 billion) — and a state budget that remains reliant on oil for about 90 percent of revenues, despite attempts to diversify, as well as entrenched corruption. But perhaps the most delicate question will be the future of the Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of militias that formed to fight the Daesh group as it rampaged across Iraq more than a decade ago. It was formally placed under the control of the Iraqi military in 2016 but in practice still operates with significant autonomy. After the Hamas-led attack in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 sparked the devastating war in Gaza, some armed groups within the PMF launched attacks on US bases in the region in retaliation for Washington’s backing of Israel. The US has been pushing for Iraq to disarm Iran-backed groups — a difficult proposition, given the political power that many of them hold and Iran’s likely opposition to such a step. Two senior Iraqi political officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to comment publicly, said that the United States had warned against selecting any candidate for prime minister who controls an armed faction and also cautioned against letting figures associated with militias control key ministries or hold significant security posts. “The biggest issue will be how to deal with the pro-Iran parties with armed wings, particularly those... which have been designated by the United States as terrorist entities,” Jiyad said.

Rubio Says Immediate US Goal on Sudan is Cessation of Hostilities into New Year
Asharq Al Awsat/December 21/2025
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday said Washington's immediate goal on Sudan is a cessation of hostilities going into the new year that allows humanitarian organizations to deliver assistance.Rubio, speaking to reporters at a news conference, said that Washington was engaging with the parties involved. "We've had the right and appropriate conversations with ‌all sides of this ‌conflict, because that is their ‌leverage. ⁠Without their support, ‌neither side can continue. So that's why we need to engage, and that's why we've engaged the parties involved in all of this," Rubio said. "We think that outside actors have the leverage and the influence over the players on the ground to bring about this humanitarian truce, and we are very focused ⁠on it. I had a conversation on it yesterday. We have spoken to ‌the UAE, we've spoken to Saudi, we've ‍spoken to Egypt," he added. US ‍President Donald Trump said last week he would intervene ‍to stop the conflict between the army and the RSF, which erupted in April 2023 out of a power struggle and has triggered famine, ethnic killings and mass displacement in Sudan, Reuters said.Previous efforts led by the US, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates have failed to bear fruit. The group submitted ⁠a proposal to the two forces in September. Sudan this month once again topped a watchlist of global humanitarian crises released by the International Rescue Committee aid organization, as warring sides press on with the conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people. More than 12 million people have already been displaced by the ongoing war in the African nation, where humanitarian workers lack resources to help those ‌fleeing, many of whom have been raped, robbed or bereaved by the violence.

Investigation reveals Colombian mercenaries fighting alongside Sudan’s RSF
Al Arabiya English/December 21/2025
Hundreds of Colombian ex-soldiers have been drawn to Sudan with the promise of bumper paychecks, according to an investigation by AFP. The investigation has uncovered how Colombian mercenaries ended up on the other side of the world through a network stretching from the Andes to Darfur. Using interviews with family members and mercenaries, corporate records and geolocation of battlefield footage, AFP said it was able to reveal how they came to bolster the ranks of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), accused of genocide. Some of the findings revealed that the mercenaries were initially recruited via WhatsApp, AFP said. The report added that geolocation of footage shot by the mercenaries themselves placed them at the scene of some of the worst fighting in Darfur. According to the former partner of a retired Colombian colonel, sanctioned by the United States, the mission was to place 2,500 men in the RSF’s ranks. Documents and testimonies obtained by AFP point to retired Colombian colonel Alvaro Quijano as the figure behind the recruitment. AFP said that on December 9, the United States sanctioned four Colombian nationals and their companies for their role in the transnational network. Since it erupted in 2023, Sudan has been torn apart by the war between the RSF and the army. The Colombians are sought after for their expertise in drone and artillery warfare, AFP said. In return, they were paid $2,500 to $4,000 a month, according to one former soldier, up to six times their army pension.
Colombian support
For months, fighters had besieged the army’s last stronghold, al-Fashir. Though the RSF reportedly commands tens of thousands of fighters, most are low-skilled foot soldiers. “Supported by Colombian fighters,” according to the United States, the RSF finally captured al-Fashir in October, amid evidence of mass killings, abductions and rape. Videos verified and geolocated by AFP show Colombians in and around the city before the takeover. In one clip, they drive past the charred ruins of Zamzam camp, listening to reggaeton. “It’s all destroyed,” says a man with a Colombian accent. The camp was overrun in April; more than 400,000 people fled and up to 1,000 were killed in what survivors said were ethnic massacres. Other images show the same man posing with boys holding assault rifles. In another, his comrades teach a fighter to fire a rocket launcher. A militia allied with the army says up to 80 Colombians joined the siege from August. Sudanese army-aligned authorities claim at least 43 were killed. Colombia’s foreign ministry says an unspecified number were “tricked” by trafficking networks into going to Sudan. Sources denied to AFP any use of mercenaries by RSF in the Sudan war.With AFP

Ukraine battles attempted Russian breakthrough in border region
AFP/December 21/2025
The Ukrainian army was battling an attempted Russian breakthrough in the Sumy region, it said on Sunday, following reports that Moscow forcibly moved 50 people from a border village there. This marks a renewed Russian advance in the part of the region previously largely spared from intense ground fighting since Ukraine regained land there in a swift 2022 counter-offensive. “Fighting is currently ongoing in the village of Grabovske,” Ukraine’s joint task force said, adding the troops were “making efforts to drive the occupiers back into Russian territory.”It has also refuted media reports saying that the Moscow troops were in the neighboring Ryasne village. Earlier on Sunday, the Ukrainian rights ombudsman said the enemy’s troops forcibly moved about 50 people from Grabovske to Russia. On Thursday, Russian soldiers “illegally detained about 50 civilians – residents of the village of Grabovske in the Sumy region,” ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said. He added that they were held incommunicado in poor conditions, before the Russians “forcibly took them to the territory of the Russian Federation” on Saturday. AFP is unable to verify the claims, and there was no official Russian comment on the matter.However, on Saturday, the Russian army said it had captured the village of Vysoke, a few miles from Grabovske. Sumy military administration said on Saturday it evacuated residents from the border communities in the area, who previously refused to leave, in armored vehicles. The breakthrough attempt comes as Russia slowly but steadily gains ground in eastern Ukraine amid renewed talks to end the four-year war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that over the week, “Russia has launched approximately 1,300 attack drones, nearly 1,200 guided aerial bombs, and 9 missiles of various types” against Ukraine.

UK’s Starmer discusses Ukraine peace efforts in call with Trump
Reuters/December 21/2025
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer discussed efforts to achieve ‍a “just and lasting end” to the war in Ukraine on Sunday ‍with President Donald Trump, Starmer’s Downing Street office said in a statement, after talks between officials in Florida. “The two leaders began by reflecting on the war in Ukraine,” Starmer’s office ⁠said in a readout of the call, adding they had discussed the work of the so-called “Coalition of the Willing” countries that have pledged to support Ukraine. “The Prime Minister updated on work by the Coalition of the Willing to support any peace deal and ensure a just and lasting end ‍to the hostilities.”US negotiators met Russian officials in Florida on Saturday for the ‍latest ‍talks aimed at ending ⁠the conflict, as Trump’s administration ‌tries to coax an ⁠agreement out of ‍both sides. The Miami meeting followed US talks on Friday with Ukrainian and ⁠European officials, the latest discussions of a peace plan that has sparked some ‌hope of a resolution to the conflict that began when Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. The Downing Street readout also said that Starmer and Trump discussed the ‍appointment of Christian Turner as ambassador to the United States after his predecessor Peter Mandelson was fired when supportive emails he sent to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein came to light.

Syrian security forces dismantle Daesh terror cell near Damascus
Arab News/December 21, 2025
LONDON: Syrian internal security units dismantled a cell of the Daesh terror group in the Daraya area southwest of Damascus on Sunday. Authorities, in coordination with the General Intelligence Directorate, raided a Daesh hideout and arrested several militants. Syria and the United States have accused the terror group of carrying out a deadly ambush earlier this month that resulted in the deaths of three Americans and injuries to two Syrian service personnel in Palmyra, in central Syria. Brig. Gen. Ahmad al-Dalati, head of internal security in the Damascus countryside, announced that the operation resulted in the dismantling of the cell and the arrest of a Daesh leader, along with six other members. Several weapons and ammunition were also seized, he added. He said the operation is part of the interior ministry’s broader strategy to eliminate terrorist sources, avert threats to community security, and maintain peace and stability in the country, the Syrian Arab News Agency reported. On Friday, the US military launched large-scale retaliatory strikes and group operations against Daesh targets and operatives in Syria.

Jordanian border forces intercept drug-laden drone in southern region
Arab News/December 21, 2025
LONDON: Jordanian border forces thwarted an attempt to smuggle drugs into the country via drone along the southern region and close to the western border on Sunday. Border guards in the Southern Military Zone, overseeing the areas of Aqaba, Ma’an, Tafilah, and Al-Karak, monitored the drug-laden drone, intercepting and downing it within Jordanian territory. The seized narcotic substances were submitted to the appropriate authorities for legal action, according to the Petra news agency. Jordan is known as a transit point for smuggling drugs that are typically bound for the Gulf countries from Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq. Smugglers are increasingly employing drones and balloons, which are guided by basic devices, to transport narcotics into Jordan from neighboring countries.

The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on December 21-22/2025
A detailed list of incidents of persecution of Christians in several countries during October 2025. Victims are sold in catalogs like property.
Raymond Ibrahim/Gatestone Institute/December 21, 20255
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/12/150407/
The assaults resulted in the beheading of 30 Christians, widespread arson, and the destruction of at least five churches and 100 homes. Many other Christians — including women and their daughters — were herded away. — Daily Express, Ocotber 8 2025, Mozambique.
[S]ince Boko Haram's terrorist insurgency began in 2009, jihadist groups have torched and destroyed 19,100 churches, averaging nearly 100 each month. In that time, 125,009 Christians were slaughtered, as well as "60,000 Liberal Muslims... unless urgent action is taken, within the next 50 years Christianity in Nigeria is set to disappear." — International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law, August 10, 2o25, Nigeria.
"Since the law regarding night clubs and entertainment places passed in 2000, human trafficking and sexual slavery have been practiced with the approval of the state (including the police and other state institutions). Women and girls below the age of 18 are trafficked, abused as sex slaves and their passports are seized by the state [in charge of the Turkish-occupied territory in Cyprus]. The victims are sold in catalogs like property, like animals." — Derya Dogus, Turkish Cypriot politician, X.com, September 28, 2025, Cyprus.
The family reported the rape to police, who "collected evidence, and the medical report confirmed the assault.... Despite this, Haroon [the Muslim rapist] secured pre-arrest bail, leaving the family vulnerable to threats." — British Asian Christian Association, October 16, 2025, Pakistan.
The Muslims spray-painted "F**k Israel" and posted pro-Palestinian/Hamas stickers on the church. The Muslim Brotherhood-linked organization CAIR demanded that the charges be dropped against the three Muslims, because "graffiti is the language of the unheard," and because vandalizing a church was a First Amendment right. — The Post Millennial, October 5, 2025, United States.
[A] 49-year-old blind Christian, Nadeem Masih, was arrested after a Muslim accused him of insulting Islam's prophet, a charge punishable by death under Section 295-C of Pakistan's blasphemy laws. Masih, who earned a meager living providing a weighing scale for merchants, had long faced harassment from local Muslims.... In jail, Masih was beaten and coerced into admitting a false charge. — Morning Star News, October 31, 2025, Pakistan.
"We were simply holding a [Christian] burial service. It was meant to be a quiet, respectful moment to honor the departed. Instead, it ended with arrests. One of the women with us was told to pay nearly a thousand dollars or stay in prison." — Persecution.org, October 20, 2025, Sudan.
"A battle over church assets started several years ago, with the government favoring Muslim business interests taking over assets owned by ... churches in Khartoum and in other states of Sudan." — Morning Star News, October 29, 2025, Sudan.
On Oct. 8, the Islamic State Mozambique Province (ISMP) terror group launched a series of savage attacks targeting Christian communities in the Cabo Delgado and Nampula provinces of Mozambique. The assaults resulted in the beheading of 30 Christians, widespread arson, and the destruction of at least five churches and 100 homes.
The following are among the abuses and murders inflicted on Christians by Muslims throughout the month of October 2025.
The Muslim Slaughter of Christians
Mozambique: On Oct. 8, the Islamic State Mozambique Province (ISMP) terror group launched a series of savage attacks targeting Christian communities in Cabo Delgado and Nampula provinces. The assaults resulted in the beheading of 30 Christians, widespread arson, and the destruction of at least five churches and 100 homes. Many other Christians—including women and their daughters—were herded away. The Muslim terrorists later boasted of their handiwork by releasing photos of themselves beheading and shooting civilians at close range.
Democratic Republic of Congo: On Oct. 4, Allied Democratic Forces, an Islamic terror group allied to ISIS, slaughtered three Christians in Ituri Province. Three days later, on Oct. 7, the same terror group launched attacks on Christian villages, slaughtering another five Christians. A local witness recounted:
"They woke up early that morning, hoping to provide for their families. Then the rebels came out of nowhere and brutally ended their lives. Gunshots, screaming, and people running in every direction — it was horrifying... We call on the security services to act without delay... The population is tired and broken. We cannot continue to live in fear in our own villages."
Nigeria: According to an Oct. 2 report, Boko Haram launched a deadly night raid on the Christian community in Adamawa state. The Islamic terrorists massacred four Christians, injured many others, and destroyed homes, shops, and torched a local church. Hundreds of Christians were displaced. This attack followed a similar raid in July. Cyrus Ezra, a local resident, said, "Nobody wants to stay behind to witness this kind of incident again."
On Oct. 14, armed Fulani militias launched coordinated attacks on Christian villages in Plateau State, murdering at least 13 and injuring dozens.
On Oct. 2, Pastor James Audu Issa was found dead after being kidnapped on August 28. His Muslim Fulani captors had initially demanded 100 million naira ($62,500 USD). According to Peter, a local:
"The distraught family members of the pastor and the Ekati community were able to negotiate the sum down to 5 million naira [$3,125], which they paid in an effort to secure the pastor's freedom. After collecting the 5 million naira, the bandits exhibited extreme cruelty by demanding an additional 45 million naira [$28,125]. Tragically, before any further negotiation could take place, Rev. James Audu Issa was killed by the Fulani bandits."
"This harmless pastor has been cut down, one among many, leaving his wife, children, extended family, church and friends in agony," said another Christian leader. Another local added that this slaying is part of "many targeted attacks on Christians and their pastors."
Finally, a report by the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety) highlights the staggering depths of anti-Christian violence in the west African nation. According to it, since Boko Haram's terrorist insurgency began in 2009, jihadist groups have torched and destroyed 19,100 churches, averaging nearly 100 each month. In that time, 125,009 Christians were slaughtered, as well as "60,000 Liberal Muslims."
In the first 220 days of 2025 alone, 7,087 Christians were massacred, averaging 32 deaths a day, or four every three hours. More than 1,100 Christian communities, stretched over 20,000 square miles, were sacked and taken over. Over 600 clerics — 250 Catholic priests and 350 Protestant pastors — were targeted for abduction, and many were killed. Intersociety warns that, unless urgent action is taken, within the next 50 years Christianity in Nigeria is set to disappear.
Pakistan: On Oct. 5, Pastor Zafar Bhatti died of cardiac arrest—just two days after his release from prison. Bhatti, 62, had been wrongly imprisoned for 13 years under Pakistan's blasphemy laws, after a Muslim cleric accused him of texting disrespectful messages about Muhammad. The pastor was initially sentenced to life imprisonment in 2017, and then was given the death penalty in 2022, before the Lahore High Court overturned his conviction on October 2. Bhatti, during his imprisonment, had suffered severe heart problems. Previously, he had experienced multiple minor heart attacks and severe complications, prompting legal appeals for his release on medical grounds.
Muslim Rape and Abduction of Christian Women
Cyprus: According to Turkish Cypriot politician Derya Dogus, sex slavery has been widespread in the Turkish-occupied portion of the otherwise Christian, Greek island of Cyprus for the past 25 years:
"Since the law regarding night clubs and entertainment places passed in 2000, human trafficking and sexual slavery have been practiced with the approval of the state (including the police and other state institutions). Women and girls below the age of 18 are trafficked, abused as sex slaves and their passports are seized by the state [in charge of the Turkish-occupied territory in Cyprus]. The victims are sold in catalogs like property, like animals."
Pakistan: According to an Oct. 16 report, Kinza Bibi, a 14-year-old Christian girl, "was brutally raped by her Muslim neighbour, Muhammad Haroon. Kinza is now suffering from severe post-traumatic stress and has been relocated to a safer place, while her attacker remains free on pre-arrest bail." On the day of the rape, the girl was home alone, taking care of her 9-month-old baby sister, as the rest of her family were out. According to the report:
"Taking advantage of her isolation, Muhammad Haroon entered the house through the roof, dragged Kinza into the front room, and raped her despite her desperate pleas to be let go. When Rukhsana [her mother] returned home half an hour later, she found Kinza crying on the bed."
"I felt as if the sky had fallen on me," the mother later recalled. "I started weeping with my daughter while holding her in my arms." The family reported the rape to police, who "collected evidence, and the medical report confirmed the assault."
"Despite this, Haroon secured pre-arrest bail, leaving the family vulnerable to threats. Kinza's mother reported that Haroon's brothers, Basharat Ali and Ali, verbally abused her and threatened to kill the family if they did not drop the case. Rukhsana has filed a complaint with the District Police Officer, Hafizabad regarding these threats."
Nigeria: According to an Oct. 3 report, Muslim gunmen abducted a pastor's wife and another female church member. Pastor Samuel Nasamu had stepped out briefly when his wife, Patience, called him — but, as he recounted, "All I could hear was her voice of prayer." The attackers had tried to break down the door "with a hammer," then opened fire, forcing Patience to unlock it in fear. She and a church member were seized as they attempted to flee, leaving behind only the couple's three-month-old baby.
The kidnappers later demanded 50 million naira ($34,000 USD) ransom for their release. During the phone call, Patience could be heard crying, "My baby ... my baby. Who will help me out of this pain? Somebody, please, rescue me from this forest."
A relative added that "the condition in which they [the women] are being kept is unbearable."
Muslim Attacks on Christian Churches
United States: On Oct. 3, three Muslims were charged with vandalizing Uncommon Church, in Euless, Texas, reportedly because it displayed an Israeli flag after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks. The Muslims spray-painted "F**k Israel" and posted pro-Palestinian/Hamas stickers on the church. The Muslim Brotherhood-linked organization CAIR demanded that the charges be dropped against the three Muslims, claiming that "graffiti is the language of the unheard," and because vandalizing the church was their "First Amendment right."
According to one report, "The case highlights a pattern in Texas where Christians, churches, Jews, synagogues and pro-Israel Americans have been targeted with unprovoked violence by Muslims."
Separately, on Oct. 2, a 27-year-old man was arrested for initiating a bomb scare at St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church in Kendall, Florida, during Sunday Liturgy. He walked in claiming that he had a bomb in his backpack—which emitted a loud ticking noise — and later, terrifying congregants during the service, started crying "Allahu akbar."
Syria: On Oct. 3, Christian cemeteries in Suwayda were diabolically desecrated. Published images (here) show smashed coffins, exhumed graves, and corpses hurled on the floor. Father Tony Boutros lamented: "What lesson is there in disturbing the dead? They are already gone... where would you drive them?"
The Greek (Rûm) Catholic Diocese of Bosra, Hauran, and Jabal al-Arab denounced the act:
"This shameful act is not only a flagrant violation of the sanctity of the dead; it is also an assault on the human and religious values embodied in these cemeteries, which hold the remains of generations of the region's Christian community."
Indonesia: On Oct. 14, hundreds of Muslims protested the construction of a church. Opposition came from community leaders, local clerics, and the Indonesian Ulema Council. "We will mount a large-scale demonstration to cancel the construction if the government ignores our opposition," said one leader of the protest movement.
Another added: "We, representing the clerics ... oppose the construction of the church."
The report adds, "All church construction processes in Indonesia consistently face problems from Muslim extremist groups," and quotes an anonymous political observer, saying, "Church construction never proceeds without disruption."
Azerbaijan: Authorities denied Peace Church in Sumgait official registration and blocked its legal ability to hold worship gatherings. Although the constitution of the Muslim nation guarantees religious freedom, laws require approval from the state, with penalties for unapproved activity. "Our meetings were always held openly and transparently," the pastor said after authorities accused his church of "secret meetings." Peace Church is one of at least five Protestant congregations still awaiting registration, some for more than two years.
"We are being restricted from exercising our constitutional right to worship peacefully," the church stated. Historically, some churches have waited decades for approval, such as a Baptist church in Aliabad, which received permission to meet only after 25 years.
Muslim Attacks on Christian Apostates and Blasphemers
Uganda: On Oct. 13, a Muslim man savagely attacked his family for embracing Christianity and later demolished the church they attended. One day earlier, on Sunday, 41-year-old Kulusumu and her children, ages 12 and 9, attended a service at an evangelical church. Afterward, her husband, 44-year-old Soicha, called her repeatedly.
"My husband started quarrelling and insulting me that I was becoming a disgrace to the family and misleading the children in joining a religion which is contrary to Islamic religion... Fear came to me for risking the lives of my children and my own life."
The pastor arranged for her to stay at a Christian woman's home, and advised her to stay indoors until another safe place could be arranged. The following day, the Muslim husband suddenly appeared. According to one of the children:
"He then became very wild and pulled our mother outside the house and started beating her and shouting in a loud voice saying, 'You are disobeying and denouncing the religion of Allah, and you ought to die.'"
When the beaten woman's son tried to intervene:
"My husband hit my son with the walking stick several times, and he soon fell down screaming and wailing in great pain – he fractured the right arm... While my son was on the ground, my husband started beating up me and my daughter. Thank God, neighbors arrived, and my husband fled away."
The family was hospitalized for three days. While they were still in care, the husband gathered a Muslim mob and, on Oct. 15, demolished the church.
Iran: According to an Oct. 10 report:
"An Iranian court upheld the prison sentences for five Christian converts on Sept. 17. Each of the five believers will spend more than eight years in jail for activities related to their faith in Christ.
"Middle East Concern reported that 'the charges, under Articles 500, 500bis and 514 of the Islamic Penal Code, related to their participation in Christian training courses in Turkey, attendance at house-church meetings, participation in online meetings, and other online activities.'
"Mohabat News cited 'advertising and propaganda activities contrary to the Islamic law...[and] propaganda against the regime' among the official charges levied against the Christ followers. An additional charge of 'insulting the leadership' was also reportedly added for one of the individuals....
"In Iran, it is illegal for Muslims to convert to Christianity. Additionally, Bibles written in Farsi, Iran's national language, are prohibited.
"According to the U.S. Department of State, '[Iranian] law prohibits Muslims from changing or renouncing their religious beliefs. The only recognized conversions are from other religions to Islam. Under the law, a child born to a Muslim father is Muslim.'
"In Iran, it is illegal for Muslims to convert to Christianity. Additionally, Bibles written in Farsi, Iran's national language, are prohibited. According to the U.S. Department of State, '[Iranian] law prohibits Muslims from changing or renouncing their religious beliefs. The only recognized conversions are from other religions to Islam. Under the law, a child born to a Muslim father is Muslim.'
"The persecution of Christians in Iran, particularly those who have converted to the faith, has plagued the nation for decades."
Pakistan: According to an Oct. 31 report, a 49-year-old blind Christian, Nadeem Masih, was arrested after a Muslim accused him of insulting Islam's prophet, a charge punishable by death under Section 295-C of Pakistan's blasphemy laws. Masih, who earned a meager living providing a weighing scale for merchants, had long faced harassment from local Muslims. Masih's 80-year-old mother, Martha Yousaf, said:
"Sometimes kindhearted visitors would also give him more money due to his disability, but the park's Muslim workers used to steal it from his pocket. Some, including [Waqas] Mazhar, had taken loans from him but refused to return the money despite repeated requests....
"When Masih protested against their harassment [on the day of the arrest], Mazhar and another man manhandled him and forced him to sit on a motorcycle and took him to the Model Town Police Station."
In jail, Masih was beaten and coerced into admitting a false charge. The mother added:
"Every time I meet him, my heart bleeds and cries when he tells me how badly he is being treated, especially when he's taken for court appearances."
Naeem Yousaf, of the National Commission for Justice and Peace, underscored the injustice:
"Already burdened by poverty, blindness and social cruelty, he is now suffering even more behind the bars of a jail cell, a victim of injustice and human indifference."
After pointing to a number of discrepancies in the police report, the lawyer representing Masih said:
"It is very unfortunate that a blind person was subjected to such inhumane treatment by the police. We hope senior officials will take notice and act."
Afghanistan: According to an Oct. 10 report, Christians, mostly first-generation converts from Islam, face life-threatening danger under the Taliban's sharia courts, which consider converts apostates who risk execution if discovered:
"As the Taliban deepens its control and international attention wanes, many Afghans — especially those from minority faiths — face an uncertain and perilous future, caught between repression at home and dwindling options abroad."
Generic Muslim Abuse of Christians
Pakistan: According to an Oct. 2 report, Christian pastor Kamran Naz was targeted for but survived an assassination attempt in Islamabad. Traveling with his elderly mother to conduct Sunday worship, he was ambushed by two armed Muslim men on a motorcycle. One shot him in the right leg, while a second bullet "aimed at the pastor's head" narrowly missed. According to the report:
"Unfortunately, such attacks are not isolated events. Pastors and Christian leaders in Pakistan have often been subjected to intimidation, harassment, and violence because of their faith and community work. Despite these recurring threats, the Christian community has repeatedly shown resilience, holding firmly to their faith and continuing their worship."
Iraq: According to an Oct. 2 report, Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako revealed that Mosul's Christian population had collapsed from more than 50,000 Christians to fewer than 70 Christian families. He said "religious extremism and systematic discrimination" -- in the guise of ISIS, al-Qaeda, militia violence, and the Personal Status Law, "a law based on Islamic law," allowing the Islamization of minors -- have devastated Iraq's Christians.
United Nations: According to an Oct. 1 report:
"Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See's secretary for relations with states, addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York, warning that Christians face intensifying persecution worldwide and accusing the international community of 'turning a blind eye.' He declared, 'The data show that Christians are the most persecuted religious group worldwide, and yet the international community seems to be turning a blind eye to their plight,' adding that believers suffer 'physical violence, imprisonment, forced displacement, and martyrdom.'"
India: St. Rita's Public School in Palluruthy, run by the Latin Catholic Church, was forced to close for two days after a hijab-related dispute escalated into threats and disruption. The conflict began when a Muslim student arrived wearing a hijab, which the school's dress code expressly forbids. Her father, joined by six other Muslims, demanded she be allowed to wear it, creating a "provocative and threatening" situation on campus, according to Principal Sr. Heleena Alby, who filed a police complaint. She further cited "mental stress caused by the situation" and staff absenteeism in announcing the Monday-Tuesday closure, urging parents to respect the Christian school's dress and discipline code.
Indonesia: On Oct. 10, a job advertisement by the Tarakan Regency Ministry of Religious Affairs Office in North Kalimantan Province specified that applicants for custodial and office security positions must be Muslims able to recite the Koran. Michael Jama, chairman of a local Christian Student Movement, responded by citing the ad as proof of discriminatory government policy:
"How can maintaining office security or cleaning the office require specific religious qualifications? The Tarakan City Ministry of Religious Affairs Office does not belong only to Muslims, but to all Tarakan residents from various religious backgrounds."
Others cited the incident as reflective of other discriminatory policies:
"The Islamic traditional boarding school has no building permit, and its structure doesn't meet the building standards – collapsed, killing 67 students – and will be rebuilt with the state budget, while a church establishment without a building permit will drive its pastor to prison."
Sudan: According to an Oct 20 report, Christians in Khartoum are living under increasing fear of arbitrary attacks by the authorities — most recently, arrests for holding a Christian funeral service. In an interview, Pastor Peter Perpeny spoke candidly about the growing intimidation and the chilling effect on worship in the capital:
"We were simply holding a burial service. It was meant to be a quiet, respectful moment to honor the departed. Instead, it ended with arrests. One of the women with us was told to pay nearly a thousand dollars or stay in prison. That is not justice.... People are afraid to leave their houses. They know they could be picked up at any time, not for anything they have done, but because of who they are. Church used to be a safe place. Now, even gathering to pray feels like a risk. This fear has completely changed how we live."
Separately, on Oct. 28, police arrested a Christian pastor, Daud Fudul Kachu, after pressure from a Muslim businessman seeking to seize church property. Church members reported that officers initially feigned understanding when Pastor Daud requested to speak with the church attorney, but additional police forced him into a vehicle and jailed him overnight. "They [police officers] told us, 'The law is above your religion,'" a church member recalled. Police further demanded Daud sign a document relinquishing his objection to the property seizure, which he refused. The report adds:
"Pastor [Daud] Kachu, who has led the church for 30 years, was initially denied bail but police later released him after intervention by the church attorney.... Officers were reportedly seeking to question church council members named by the Muslim businessman. A battle over church assets started several years ago, with the government favoring Muslim business interests taking over assets owned by... churches in Khartoum and in other states of Sudan."
Egypt: On Oct. 22, Bola Adel Naguib Attia, an 18-year-old Christian student, was arrested and, according to a Coptic Solidarity report, subjected to severe violations of his legal and constitutional rights. After disappearing for over ten days, Bola appeared before the Supreme State Security Prosecution on November 2, facing charges including joining an illegal organization, disturbing public peace, misusing social media, and contempt of religion. He told the prosecution that he had been tortured during the first three days of detention and it was visibly obvious that he was suffering "extreme exhaustion and visible fear," but his statements were not recorded. The report adds:
"Bola is suffering from harsh and inhumane detention conditions in prison, without regard to the fact that he is a secondary-school student — a situation that endangers both his educational future and his psychological well-being.... We affirm that what Bola is being subjected to constitutes a serious violation of the legal and constitutional guarantees afforded to every Egyptian citizen, as well as of the provisions of international conventions to which Egypt is a signatory."
*Raymond Ibrahim, author of Defenders of the West, Sword and Scimitar, Crucified Again, and The Al Qaeda Reader, is the Distinguished Senior Shillman Fellow at the Gatestone Institute and the Judith Rosen Friedman Fellow at the Middle East Forum.
About this Series
While not all, or even most, Muslims are involved, persecution of Christians by extremists is growing. The report posits that such persecution is not random but rather systematic, and takes place irrespective of language, ethnicity, or location. It includes incidents that take place during, or are reported on, any given month.
*Follow Raymond Ibrahim on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/22131/persecution-of-christians-october-2025
© 2025 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.

The Israeli Narrative Was Repudiated by Ahmad Al-Ahmad
Amr el-Shobaki/Asharq Al-Awsat/December 21/2025
The Sydney attack that targeted Jewish Australian citizens that everyone condemned, Arabs and non-Arabs, Eastern and Western alike, and was denounced even by the staunchest supporters of the Palestinian cause because it assaulted civilian citizens solely because of their Jewish faith, after a father and his son fell into the clutches of fanaticism and committed a repugnant terrorist act.Certainly, the ISIS ideology, which one of the perpetrators had been interrogated over but eventually released due to a lack of evidence, has burdened not only on the Palestinian cause, but also on Arabs and Muslims more broadly. It is the pretext far-right forces in the West and in Israel use to paint Muslims with the brush of terrorism, presenting it as a structural problem rooted in their creed rather than an aberrant deviation rejected by the vast majority of Arabs and Muslims, who have suffered more than anyone else from its violence.
The truth is that the reaction of the occupying power to this operation was both pre-meditated and contradictory. On the one hand, the Israeli government has shown a desire to annihilate the people of Gaza, not only Hamas, on religious and ethnic grounds. It hates Palestinians, not those of them who bear arms.
Statements about annihilating Gaza’s population or dropping a nuclear bomb on them reflected an “existential” rejection of their very existence on this land merely because they are Arabs and Palestinians. This is essentially the ISIS worldview, which punishes its enemies with death, even if they are Muslims.
The Sydney attack was an opportunity for Israel to claim victimhood and highlight antisemitism - to argue that Jews are targeted by Arabs and Muslims because they are Jews, and that Israel is targeted by “Islamic terrorism” because it is a Jewish state, not because it is the last settler-colonial state in the world. In truth, however, the courageous and humane actions of a young Australian of Syrian origins, Ahmad Al-Ahmad, dealt a fatal blow to the Israeli narrative that constantly seeks opportunities to push suspicion and hostility of Arabs and Muslims worldwide, portraying them as “potential terrorists” and depicting Jews everywhere as victims of this terrorism.
The truth is also that the Israeli narrative, which proceeds from a notion of “cultural stigma” attached to Arabs, particularly the Palestinians, whose ideological and religious creed they claim encourage terrorism, went further, adopting a socio-political interpretation of this attack. It argued that the incident was also the result of Australia’s recognition of the Palestinian state, its tolerance of protests supporting the Palestinian cause, and its condemnation of Israeli crimes in Gaza, moves that it claims encouraged a climate of antisemitism.
In scholarship and in political choices, cultural interpretation and value judgments have proponents and champions on the far right, just as socio-political interpretations have proponents among progressive and liberal forces that reject blank judgments on nations, religions, or civilizations - be they Jewish, Muslim, or Christian. Introducing political and social considerations into conceptions of violent phenomena and terrorism is an effort to explain them, not to justify them. For example, it is untenable to argue that the existence of armed violent organizations in the Palestinian territories is due solely, or even primarily, to creed: that some individuals’ deeply puritanical religious views legitimize this violence in isolation from the political state of the occupied Palestinian territories, which drives them to take up arms and choose violent resistance.
It is true that Israel’s extremist government is prepared to fabricate ideas and political positions in order to entrench its misleading narrative. It consistently highlights the cultural narrative that Palestinians - not only Hamas - are “terrorists,” and that it is fighting terrorism, forgetting, or pretending to forget, that it is an occupying power. The emergence of the heroic Australian citizen Ahmad Al-Ahmad completely shattered Israel’s narrative and that of its “friends” among the far-right forces, which seek to reinforce the idea that Arabs and Muslims are incapable of integrating into advanced democratic societies because of their culture and religion, and that they are all “potential terrorists.” Ahmad Al-Ahmad appeared not only as a hero who confronted terrorism unarmed, but also because he showed humanity, never seen from the Israeli government, in how he engaged with the attacker: he disarmed him without killing him and left it to law-enforcement to deal with him. Al-Ahmad acted out of his peaceful instincts as a human being and as an Australian citizen who refuses to stand by as people are harmed, regardless of their religion. At the same time, his decency and courage, deeply rooted in Arab culture and values, ran through his veins. Al-Ahmad’s instinctive action has refuted the narrative of generalization and value judgments imposed on Arabs and Muslims. It is no coincidence that he was the only one to act: it signals to the West that it needs its Arab arrivals, because they have values and principles that have receded in Western societies: courage and helping others. They have sound instincts, they fight terrorism like everyone else and refute the Israeli narrative that renders Arab and Muslim identity an accusation.

Chasing the region’s ‘grand bargain’
Alistair Burt/Arab News/December 21, 2025
The geopolitical landscape of 2025 has been dominated by President Donald Trump’s US and the ongoing agony of Gaza, along with its consequences in the region. Europe and its friends and allies in the Middle East have had to come to terms with the second Trump administration, which will be barely 25 percent fulfilled at the turn of the year. A world order, built from the ashes of the 20th century’s European disasters and the diplomacy that followed, with its values base and postwar institutions, has run its current course. It will not disappear but inevitably it will be reshaped by this past year and the next few to come. It will be built on transactions with, and accommodation of, an uncertain leading figure, but its outline is becoming clearer and it ought to allow some reasonable prediction and forecasting. No one scoffs now at the concept of “the art of the deal” being applied to issues that have occupied old-school diplomacy for decades. It may not be likeable but it accurately describes where we are. The year opened with a unilateral readjustment of US trade tariffs, to be applied according to a formula whose precision was unclear. It did not much matter, as renegotiation was not built on any formula but on how the president’s demands could be accommodated. It was an accurate foretaste of what was to come. Gaza stands as testimony to this change. In the first place, Oct. 7, 2023, and all that followed could easily be labeled as “the failure of absolutely everything” in diplomatic terms. Decades of traditional activity had neither resolved the issue of Palestinian self-determination, nor of Israel’s security. Trump’s challenges, firstly the extraordinary “Riviera” plan, then by the end of the year the ceasefire, the Board of Peace and the 20-point way forward, have forced the hand of all those with an interest in the issue. Perhaps the most decisive event affecting US diplomacy was Israel’s extraordinary attack on Doha. “You tell me it’s not the answer,” he might say to the doubters, of which there are many, “but what have you got?” And it was a deliberate irony that he chose to confirm his plan via a UN Security Council resolution — perhaps the defining symbol of diplomatic failure over the years and a venue usually reserved for the president’s disdain. 2025 confirmed what many believed on Oct. 7, 2023: that everything that followed the original atrocity would compound it into catastrophe and that we were in whole new territory, militarily and diplomatically. Gaza is laid waste, hundreds of thousands are dead or displaced, and Israel’s stock in the world has plummeted to new lows, from widespread public polling to governmental reaction.
This new world has wider consequences, not least on long-term relationships. Nations such as the UK, France and other long-time allies of Israel have recognized the state of Palestine and been accused by Tel Aviv of supporting terror in doing so. But for many nations, not least in the Global South, the failure of many of Israel’s allies to condemn the nature of its warfare, or to back legal redress through resolute support for international legal agencies, smacks of double standards and has provided a stick with which to beat the West in many other forums and on other issues. This will have a lasting impact.
Some relationships have proved more enduring. No Arab state that signed up to the Abraham Accords with Israel has broken from them, despite a recognition that the nature of the conflict has outraged millions across the region. Longer-term interests, such as pursuing a new Middle East into which Israel, with its economy, technology and security expertise, would fit, have held firm. But this is not the same as believing that nothing has changed.
The failure of the accords to take Palestinian issues fully into account as the region looked forward looks unlikely to be repeated. The sharp criticism of Israel’s actions by some Abraham Accords states, plus what appears now to be an unwavering determination by Saudi Arabia to resist any calls for “normalization” without the clearest path to a Palestinian state, seems destined to be at the heart of regional relationships in the future.
Those of us that believed the “new territory” post-Oct. 7 would include the relegation of the West and the increasing influence of significant regional actors in resolving issues were only partially correct. Europe, both EU nations and those outside, have struggled for a place on the stage, but the US is back — for now. Ever since the uncertainty of Barack Obama’s red lines on Syria, the region has had to account for a different relationship with a less engaged US. The Gaza proposition, and the support of Israel’s attack on Iran, has altered that calculation. But perhaps the most decisive event affecting US diplomacy was not any action of its own at all, but Israel’s extraordinary attack on the mediation efforts going on in Doha on Sept. 9. The repercussions of this — in terms of the president’s evident outrage, which drove his determination to bring a rapid end to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s war in Gaza — marked a shift in a hitherto unbreakable relationship between the US and Israel. Coupled with a loss of support for that unblinking alliance among “Make America Great Again” supporters in the US, this shift may not be temporary. But it cannot be taken for granted and urgent work is required.
Trump’s anger was clearly shared by regional Gulf states. In the perceptive analysis of one of the region’s leading figures, Gulf states have in recent decades gone from dependency to agency and now to leadership. They are not going back. Already shaken by Iranian reprisals on Doha as an element of the brief exchange with Israel, Sept. 9 will have confirmed that no regional state is currently safe from an unexpected aggressive action — and perhaps also reaffirmed that there is no peace in the region without a comprehensive resolution of issues.
Is the “grand bargain” back on the table? Gaza, Iran’s changed situation, the fall of the Assad regime and Hezbollah’s taming in Lebanon all present opportunities, but also obvious risks to the region of further instability and violence, ruining the model to which most aspire. There is now a real urgency for those in leadership in the region to take action to ensure that states do not fracture, that militias are not funded to seize the moment and that aggressive state actors remove their threats.
And there is the added incentive that the chance of delivering a successful grand bargain would surely keep Trump’s attention and involvement.
If the opportunity for stability is not realized, other partnerships will be less effective than they might be. The EU’s well-intentioned Pact for the Mediterranean, launched recently, has received lukewarm support, with a history of underachievement of such grand schemes. But it and the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor mark a genuine effort to share the benefits of new artificial intelligence technology, energy development and contemporary connectivity. The second China-Arab States Summit will be held in China in 2026, as Beijing safeguards itself against potential Western reprisals for its activities, cementing its growing investment across the region in energy and power, finance and nuclear technology.
Gulf Cooperation Council gross domestic product and its consumer spending are immensely positive and attractive — but all at risk if security fails.
The horror of the Gaza landscape is a reminder, as if one were needed, of what happens if unresolved issues in the region are allowed to fester in the belief that “management” is a more successful policy than leadership and action. Against all odds, it is essential that 2026 is the year that opportunities are taken, not added to the catalogue of lost chances of the past.
**Alistair Burt is a former UK member of Parliament who has twice held ministerial positions in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; as parliamentary undersecretary of state from 2010 to 2013 and as minister of state for the Middle East from 2017 to 2019. X: @AlistairBurtUK

Bondi Beach hero destroyed West’s false image of Muslims
Dalia Al-Aqidi/Arab News/December 21, 2025
The eyes of the world were frozen on television screens last week as a horrific terrorist attack unfolded in full view on Bondi Beach in Sydney, one of Australia’s largest and most open cities. What should have been a moment of joy, families gathering by the sea to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, turned into a scene of terror, blood and chaos. The footage raced across social media, raw and unfiltered, beyond anyone’s ability to contain it. Unlike traditional news outlets, which try to protect viewers from the worst horrors, these videos exposed everything. Bloodied bodies lay scattered across the sand — children, women and men turned into victims in a place meant for life and joy. Screams and chaos filled the air. One gunman was clearly visible, firing into the crowd with no hesitation, no mercy and no regard for human life. Bullets rained down indiscriminately. Within minutes, it became clear that this was not random violence. It was a targeted act of terror.
As news channels filled with commentators, analysts and experts, the familiar language of condemnation followed. Politicians spoke and panels debated. The world watched in shock.
Then something unexpected happened.
From the chaos emerged a man no one knew. With nothing but courage, he moved toward the second gunman. He fought him at close range, tearing the weapon from his hands. He placed his own body between the attacker and the fleeing crowd, men, women and children screaming, running, clinging to life. He was shot. He was wounded. Still, he stood his ground. He stopped the second attacker and saved many lives. Later, the truth about the killers came out. They were extremists, a father and son of Indian origin, who carried out the attack calmly and deliberately, driven by extremist beliefs and deep hatred. Once again, the conversation returned to radicalism. Once again, the West was forced to confront an old and painful question: How has this ideology managed to radicalize minds within open societies, turning individuals into killers under the banner of extreme views? But this time, the story did not end there. The identity of the man who stopped the massacre was finally revealed. His name is Ahmed Al-Ahmed, a Syrian-born Muslim. He did not pause to calculate risk. He did not think of his own safety, his family or his future. He did not ask who the victims were or what faith they followed. He acted because innocent lives were in danger. In that moment, Al-Ahmed did what years of political speeches, academic papers and televised debates have attempted to do: He exposed a truth that many have tried to explain. What he did in Sydney was not an isolated act of bravery. It was the culmination of years of moderate Muslim activism in the West — quiet, persistent and often ignored activism that insists on one essential truth: There is a real and fundamental difference between Muslims and extremists.
Al-Ahmed did not issue a statement or chant a slogan. He acted. In doing so, he reminded Western societies of the values that millions of Muslim immigrants live by every day. People like Al-Ahmed do not merely defend Muslims from collective blame; they raise the moral standard for everyone. They bring pride not only to Muslims but to humanity as a whole.
For decades, politicians, analysts, activists and community leaders have tried to draw a clear line between Islam as a faith and Islamism as a radical political ideology. These efforts have often been attacked by both ends of the political spectrum. The far left dismisses the distinction as “Islamophobia.” The far right rejects it entirely, claiming it excuses terrorism. That brave man drew that line without words. Radicalism is not Islam. It never was and will never be. Al-Ahmed did not ask who the victims were or what faith they followed. He acted because innocent lives were in danger. Political Islamism is an ideology of power, not faith. It seeks domination, not coexistence. It feeds on grievance, not spirituality. And when given space, it produces violence. This is not a theoretical argument. It is a historical fact.
From the Muslim Brotherhood emerged Al-Qaeda, Daesh and Hamas. This ideology did not appear overnight. It was cultivated, organized and exported, often hiding behind the language of social justice, civil rights and religious freedom.
Some Arab states recognized this danger early. Countries like Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt took decisive action. They named the threat, banned the organizations and dismantled their networks. However, most Western countries did not.
Instead, Islamist movements learned how to exploit Western political systems and democratic freedoms. They mastered the language of victimhood. They weaponized accusations of racism and Islamophobia. They infiltrated universities, charities, political parties and civil institutions. Under the banner of free speech, the flags of Daesh, Hamas, Hezbollah and the Al-Qassam Brigades have been raised openly in Western cities. Calls for a “global intifada” have echoed through streets and campuses, clear and explicit calls to target Jews everywhere.
Slowly and dangerously, a false image took hold that every Muslim is a potential terrorist. This lie has harmed Muslims profoundly. It has erased the voices of those who reject violence. It has silenced reformers. It has punished entire communities for the crimes of an ideology they did not create and do not support.
Then Al-Ahmed shattered that image.
A Muslim immigrant from an Arab country stopped terror with his bare hands. He did not protect Jews because they were Jews. He protected humans because they were human. But this story is not only about heroism. It is a warning. Western governments must finally act with seriousness. Monitoring radicalization is not oppression; it is protection. Watching those who glorify violence, praise terrorist groups or openly call for death is not discrimination; it is a responsibility. Peaceful criticism of governments and policies is a constitutional right. Celebrating terror is not. Some mosques must be held accountable when they become centers of indoctrination and recruitment. But radicalization does not happen only in prayer halls. It happens online, in chatrooms, videogames and social media spaces, targeting young minds. At the same time, Western governments must open real channels of cooperation with moderate Muslim leaders, those who reject extremism and political Islam and believe in citizenship, law and coexistence. These voices exist. They must be empowered, not sidelined.
Most urgently, the Muslim Brotherhood and the organizations that serve as its civil cover must be designated as terrorist entities and banned. No democracy can survive if an antidemocratic ideology is allowed to operate freely within its institutions.
Responsibility also falls on the Muslim communities themselves. Silence is no longer an option. Political Islamists have aligned themselves with the far left, exploiting the language of social justice while spreading intolerance. This alliance is dangerous, for Muslims, for Jews and for Western societies alike. Once again, thank you, Ahmed Al-Ahmed. You did not just stop a terrorist. You exposed an ideology.
And we must always remember: what begins with the Jews does not end with the Jews.
**Dalia Al-Aqidi is executive director at the American Center for Counter Extremism.

Selected Face Book & X tweets for /December 21, 2025
Hussain Abdul-Hussain
on 24 news
1. A gap is now opening between Lebanon and Hezbollah. Lebanon is abiding by the Cessation of Hostilities that Hezbollah signed, which stipulates that, starting south of the Litani, Beirut will disband all militias across Lebanon, including Hezbollah. Hezbollah believes completing disarmament in south of the Litani fulfills its compliance.
2. President Aoun has shifted the debate, breaking the circle drawn by Hezbollah and prohibiting discussion of peace or talks with Israel. Aoun is now normalizing these themes.
3. The Tripoli video against Christmas is an alarm that, as Shia Islamist Iran weakens, Sunni Islamist Qatar and Turkey will try to fill the vacuum—just as happened in Syria.