English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For February 10/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible Quotations For today
What will it profit them if they gain the
whole world but forfeit their life
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 16/24-28: “Then
Jesus told his disciples, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny
themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save
their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.
For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their
life? Or what will they give in return for their life? ‘For the Son of Man is to
come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone
for what has been done. Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will
not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on February 09-10/2025
The Maronites Commemorate Their Patron and Church Founder/Elias Bejjani/February
09/ 2022
Text & Video: Ortagus Delivers a Stark Message To Aoun & Salam—No Rewards for
Hezbollah’s Defeat/Elias Bejjani/February 07/2025
Israel says strikes Syria-Lebanon border tunnel used by Hezbollah for arms
smuggling
Thousands of Lebanese Return to Aitaroun Only to Find their Homes in Ruins
Israeli Airstrikes Target Southern Lebanon, the Bekaa and Hermel
Syrian Artillery Bombs Border Areas
6 killed in Israeli drone strike in Lebanon near eastern border with Syria
Joseph Aoun Invited to Algiers
Who are some of Lebanon's new ministers?
Lebanese Army deploys in eastern sector of South Lebanon, Israeli forces block
roads
A roadmap for reform and stability: Lebanon's new government prepares
ministerial statement
Lebanon's reform path: What is next for the Quintet Committee in Lebanon?
Beyond entitlement: Are Lebanese officials truly 'public servants'?
Algerian envoy meets Speaker Nabih Berri, affirms strong bilateral ties
Lebanese Army vehicles overturn in South Lebanon's Marjaayoun, soldiers sustain
minor injuries
La Salle College in Cairo Hosts the 5th Conference of Francophone Catholic
Schools in the Middle East/Fady Noun/This is Beirut/February 09/2025
Al-Rahi warns Lebanon over ‘axis of degradation’
Patriarch al-Rahi’s Homily on the Feast of Saint Maron in the Presence of
President Aoun, His Wife, and Presidents Berri and Salam: "Just as We Must
Remain Positively Neutral Toward Regional Axes, We Must Align Ourselves with the
Axis of Civilization, Renaissance, and Progress"
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on February 09-10/2025
Israeli delegation in Qatar for Gaza ceasefire talks
Saudi Arabia reiterates rejection of Israeli comments on displacement of
Palestinians from their land
Two Palestinian women killed in Israeli West Bank raid
Palestinians say Israeli forces kill 3 in West Bank raid
Israeli forces withdraw from key Gaza corridor as concerns mount over extending
ceasefire
UN humanitarian chief says Gaza ceasefire has averted famine but any truce
collapse brings danger
West Bank and Gaza crowds greet 183 Palestinians released from prisons by Israel
Netanyahu says 'we'll do the job' of executing Trump Gaza plan
Palestinians in the West Bank Describe How Israeli Settlers Are Seizing Land
’No-one has the power’ to remove Palestinians from Gaza: Turkiye’s Erdogan
Egypt to host emergency Arab summit on Feb. 27 to discuss ‘serious’ Palestinian
developments
Peace remains a distant hope as Sudan’s battle lines shift
Trump to meet with leaders of Saudi Arabia and Egypt: Israeli president
Analysts: Trump's Gaza plan derails Saudi-Israel ties
Trump says Musk will help uncover 'hundreds of billions' in US government fraud
Titles For
The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources
on February 09-10/2025
The Palestinian People Does Not Exist/Nils A. Haug/Gatestone
Institute./February 09/2025
Arab world carves out a niche in crowded AI market/Arnab Neil Sengupta/Arab
News/February 09, 2025
Neighbors emerge as new allies in Turkiye’s regional policy/Dr. Sinem Cengiz/Arab
News/February 09, 2025
Why Saudi Arabia insists on a Palestinian state/Hassan Al-Mustafa/Arab
News/February 09, 2025
Transfer of Palestinians an existential threat to Jordan/Osama Al-Sharif/Arab
News/February 09, 2025
Gaza…the Riviera and the Pit/Tariq Al-Homayed/Asharq Al Awsat/February 09/2035
The Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on February 09-10/2025
The Maronites Commemorate Their Patron and Church Founder
Elias Bejjani/February 09/ 2022
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/02/140004/
Today, Maronites in Lebanon and across the diaspora celebrate the feast of Saint
Maroun, the father and founder of our Church and our revered patron. This sacred
and joyous occasion embodies the essence of over 1,600 years of faith,
perseverance, and sacrifice—an unbroken legacy of devotion to truth and
righteousness that defines our nation, people, and Syriac Eastern Church. On
this day, we humbly offer our prayers, seeking to fortify the faith, resilience,
and steadfastness of our people and clergy. Through the intercession of our
father Maroun and Our Lady of Lebanon, the Virgin Mary, we beseech God to
safeguard Lebanon, the Land of the Holy Cedars, from wars, conflicts, and
unrest. May our homeland remain a beacon of love, tolerance, coexistence,
freedom, democracy, equality, and fraternity.
Saint Maroun: A Legacy of Faith and Asceticism
Saint Maroun, the fourth-century ascetic who lived in the mountains of Cyrrhus,
north of Antioch, remains deeply ingrained in our hearts, minds, and collective
consciousness as his Maronite children. Today, we honor his memory not only in
Lebanon—our spiritual and national center—but also across the world, wherever
Maronite communities have flourished. Saint Maroun’s life was a testament to
asceticism. He embraced simplicity, rejecting worldly indulgences in food,
drink, and possessions. His journey was one of piety, humility, and
self-sacrifice, walking the arduous path of all the righteous and saints. His
devotion revolved around prayer, worship, contemplation, and ascetic discipline.
Isolated from the material world, he lived under a simple hair-cloth tent,
enduring both summer’s heat and winter’s chill. Pilgrims sought his prayers and
blessings, yet he redirected their focus away from himself and toward God, the
fountain of all goodness. This is the way of the righteous—they do not seek
personal recognition but rather guide others to divine truth.
The Saint’s Enduring Influence
Saint Maroun’s piety and holiness spread far and wide, drawing admiration from
figures such as Saint John Chrysostom, who, from exile, wrote to him: “The bonds
of love and affection that connect me to you make me see you as if you were
before me. Love transcends distance, and the passing years do not weaken it. I
wish I could write to you more often, but the vast distances and scarcity of
travelers make it difficult. Know that I never cease to remember you, for you
hold a special place in my heart. Please write to me, as news of your well-being
brings me immense joy, despite the hardships I endure. It comforts me in my
exile and solitude and fills my soul with great happiness to know that you are
in good health. Above all, my dearest request is that you pray for me.”A Church
Rooted in Mission and Identity. Saint Maroun’s spirituality shaped our Maronite
Church, which carries his name and flourished like wheat from a single grain.
Ours is a church of faith, a cause, and a mission. For over 1,600 years, it has
embraced its people, preserving the spirituality of its founder while upholding
the unity and tradition of Antioch. Open to dialogue, it remains firmly anchored
in its rich Syriac Eastern heritage and distinct identity.
A Call for Renewal and Unity
In these turbulent times, we Maronites must renew our commitment to faith,
unity, and solidarity. We must cast aside hatred, selfishness, and personal
ambition. Both clergy and laity must embody the example of Saint Maroun—not
living for ourselves alone, but extending a helping hand to those in need.
How many among us today have been crushed by hardship, unable to rise again?
They need the support of their brethren to regain their footing. A nation cannot
thrive unless its people work together to rebuild it. Now is the time for every
Maronite and every Lebanese to reject selfish ambition and narrow personal
gains. No one can save themselves alone. The harsh reality is undeniable: as
Lebanese—Maronites and non-Maronites alike—we are all sailing in the same
battered ship, weakened by lack of faith, selfishness, and moral decay.Our fate
is one: if the ship sinks, we all perish; if it survives, we are all saved. But
salvation requires true fear of God—not merely in words, but in deeds,
regardless of the sacrifices required.
Betrayal of Maronite Principles
As we reflect on Saint Maroun’s life, virtues, and sacrifices, we must ask: How
could some Maronite leaders betray the very principles upon which our Church and
heritage stand? Can they truly claim to be followers of Saint Maroun while they
glorify weapons of occupation, align with foreign forces, and trample Lebanon’s
sovereignty for the sake of personal gain, hatred, and revenge? Indeed, we live
in dark times. These so-called leaders epitomize the words of the Prophet
Isaiah: “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from
me. They worship me in vain, teaching human precepts as doctrines.”
A Prayer for Lebanon’s Redemption
We ask the Lord to grant us wisdom to understand and embody the teachings of our
father Maroun. May we unite our ranks, strengthen our bonds with our fellow
Lebanese at home and abroad, and work together with sincerity and devotion to
restore Lebanon to its former glory—a land of prosperity, stability, and lasting
peace. Through Saint Maroun’s intercession, we pray for our clergy, leaders, and
people, that they may remain steadfast in faith and hope, unmoved by hardship or
temptation. May no allure of power or wealth lead them astray. On this holy
occasion, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to our Maronite brethren and
all Lebanese. Together, we pray that the Lord may grant us the grace to follow
in the footsteps of Saint Maroun—living with reverence for God, detachment from
worldly vanities, love for humanity, humility, and self-sacrifice.
A Final Plea for Repentance
In particular, we pray for the repentance of corrupt and treacherous Maronite
leaders who, despite experiencing exile and humiliation, failed to learn from
their past. Lebanon was liberated through the sacrifices of its sons, yet these
leaders returned to power with striking arrogance, focused solely on personal
gain, authority, and wealth. For these Maronite Judases, we pray that they may
repent and return to the path of righteousness. Otherwise, their reckoning on
Judgment Day is inevitable—where “there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
We conclude with the words of Saint Paul (Romans 12:15-18): “Rejoice with those
who rejoice; weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not
be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be
conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in
the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at
peace with everyone.”
Elias Bejjani/Text & Video: Ortagus Delivers a Stark Message
To Aoun & Salam—No Rewards for Hezbollah’s Defeat
Elias Bejjani/February 07/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/02/139944/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSR8NOEsHYY&t=57s
The message from U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus, delivered today from Baabda Palace,
was unmistakable: Hezbollah, the Iranian terrorist militia that dragged Lebanon
into devastation and lost its war against Israel, must not be rewarded with a
seat in the new government. Ortagus made it clear that Washington stands firm in
ensuring Hezbollah’s exclusion and preventing its continued stranglehold on
Lebanon.
Hezbollah and its so-called "resistance" have always been built on lies,
delusions, and empty bravado about throwing Israel into the sea. The truth is,
they only understand force. Their so-called victories are nothing but
hallucinations, and their leaders—many of whom turned out to be foreign
agents—have led Lebanon into ruin. As for Nabih Berri, his corruption is
well-documented, and rather than clinging to power, he belongs in court facing
accountability, possibly even on the U.S. sanctions list.
Today’s blunt message from Ortagus was not just a condemnation of Hezbollah but
a direct warning to President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister-designate Nawaf
Salam: The U.S. brought them to power despite Lebanon’s corrupt political class,
and they are expected to act accordingly. Washington will not tolerate any
compromise with the Iranian proxy or its enablers, including Berri, Naiem Qassem,
and Mohammad Raad, nor will it allow Lebanon to be held hostage by Tehran’s
puppets.
Echoing this stance, Lebanese nationalist leader Etienne Sakr (Abu Arz) tweeted
today: "After this shameful failure in forming a government and the disgraceful
theatrics surrounding it, the best course for the new era is to immediately
replace Nawaf Salam with a leader of greater courage and integrity." His words
ring true—Salam is a relic of the outdated Nasserist era, ideologically unfit
for the battle to rescue Lebanon from Iran’s grip.
Former Minister Youssef Salameh also weighed in, warning the Presidency against
repeating past mistakes. He underscored that Ortagus’s remarks indicate:
A new set of U.S. conditions that Lebanon must implement,
An unclear relationship between the Lebanese Presidency and President Trump’s
administration.
Salameh cautioned that if the Presidency miscalculates again, it will mark “the
end of Lebanon the Message.”
Meanwhile, Hezbollah and its paid mouthpieces reacted with hysteria, resorting
to their usual incoherent and delusional rhetoric. Figures like Mohammad Raad
and Mufti Qabalan scrambled to respond, but their outbursts only confirmed the
severity of their defeat.
The reality is clear: Hezbollah lost its reckless war, and its place is not in
Lebanon’s future. The time has come for the country to break free from Iran’s
stranglehold and reclaim its sovereignty.
Israel says strikes
Syria-Lebanon border tunnel used by Hezbollah for arms smuggling
AFP/February 09, 2025
JERUSALEM: The Israeli military said it carried out an air strike on Sunday
targeting a tunnel on the border between Syria and Lebanon used by the Lebanese
militant group Hezbollah to smuggle weapons. Israeli “aircraft conducted a
precise intelligence based strike on an underground tunnel crossing from Syrian
territory into Lebanese territory that was used by Hezbollah to smuggle
weapons,” the military said a day after it struck a weapons depot used by
Palestinian militant group Hamas in southern Syria. In its strikes on Sunday,
the military said it also struck “several other Hezbollah sites” in Lebanon.
Lebanon’s official National News Agency on Sunday reported “hostile Israeli
warplanes” launching several raids at the Lebanon-Syria border, including one
which targeted a crossing. A fragile Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire has been in
place since November 27, after more than a year of hostilities including two
months of all-out war. Despite the ceasefire, Israel has continued to carry out
strikes on Lebanon, and both sides have repeatedly accused the other of
violating the truce. Under the deal, Lebanon’s military was to deploy in the
south alongside UN peacekeepers as the Israeli army withdrew over a 60-day
period.
Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes in Syria since its civil war broke
out in 2011, mainly on Iranian-linked targets. After a lightning rebel offensive
toppled longtime Syrian strongman Bashar Assad in December, Israel carried out
hundreds more air strikes on Syrian military assets in what it said was a bid to
prevent them from falling into hostile hands. Israeli troops also entered the
UN-patrolled buffer zone separating Israeli and Syrian forces in the Golan
Heights.
Thousands of Lebanese
Return to Aitaroun Only to Find their Homes in Ruins
Beirut: Asharq Al Awsat/February
09, 2025
Residents of Aitaroun, a border town in South Lebanon, have begun returning to
their homes, only to find widespread destruction left by Israeli attacks.
Asharq Al-Awsat documented the scene as the Lebanese Army escorted
families back, working to clear sand barriers blocking the town’s entrance.
Meanwhile, explosions and Israeli airstrikes continued. The latest attack, on
Saturday, targeted the Janta border crossing between Lebanon and Syria in the
eastern BeKaa region. The scale of devastation in Aitaroun was overwhelming,
with homes, infrastructure, electricity, water networks, and roads severely
damaged by Israeli bombardment. “We entered the
village from the western side, reaching the main square and parts of the eastern
sector. However, access to the entire eastern side remains impossible due to the
continued presence of the Israeli army,” a resident told Asharq Al-Awsat.
He estimated that over 95% of properties have been damaged, calling for urgent
support from the government and international donors to restore essential
services. Another resident noted that most of the
destruction occurred after the ceasefire, with homes, shops, and agricultural
lands deliberately targeted. Farmers, who were forced to flee, lost their entire
annual tobacco harvest while airstrikes destroyed irrigation ponds, burned
hundreds of trees, and killed large numbers of poultry, cattle, and beehives.
Aitaroun overlooks Israel’s Yiftah military base, as well as the Hula
Valley, the Avivim settlement, and the Dishon and Jall Al-Deir military outposts
near Maroun Al-Ras. Before the war, the town had a population of over 9,000
residents, mainly working in agriculture, education, and healthcare, out of
21,000 registered citizens. Many had already migrated to Australia and Canada
due to previous Israeli aggressions.
Since the 2006 Lebanon War, the number of residential buildings in Aitaroun had
doubled to nearly 1,000, extending to the border for the first time. The town
also saw growth in commercial businesses, stone and marble factories, dairy
farms, and large grocery stores. As Morgan Ortagus, Deputy US Envoy for the
Middle East, visited Lebanon on Saturday—ten days before the ceasefire extension
deadline on February 18—Israeli attacks on southern villages continued. Israeli
forces detonated homes in Kfar Kila and set fire to houses in Adaisseh, with
flames spreading to nearby forests. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes hit Janta in
eastern Lebanon, near the Syrian border. During her
visit to South Lebanon, Ortagus toured Bayada and Shamaa, accompanied by acting
Lebanese Army Commander General Hassan Ouda and senior officers.
In response to ongoing Israeli operations, municipalities in Western and
Central sectors issued warnings to residents, journalists, and visitors about
the dangers of landmines left behind by Israeli forces.
Israeli Airstrikes Target
Southern Lebanon, the Bekaa and Hermel
This is Beirut/February 09, 2025
The Israeli army launched a series of airstrikes on Sunday evening on
Hezbollah’s positions in Southern Lebanon, the Bekaa and the Hermel region. The
raids hit sites in Iqlim el-Tuffah, Jabal al-Rihane, in the Jezzine district, as
well as in the areas of Harabta and Sabuba in the Bekaa. The site targeted in
Jabal el-Rihane, located between Western Bekaa and the Jezzine district, is one
of the most important for the Iran-backed group. Hezbollah had set up a landing
strip there, which had already been targeted by Israeli aviation last summer.
Israeli aircraft also targeted the Kald el-Sabeh crossing point on the border
between Lebanon and Syria, in the Hermel region. The Israeli army's
Arabic-speaking spokesperson, Avichai Adraee, announced that warplanes had
struck a tunnel in the Bekaa, "used for the transfer of weapons between Lebanon
and Syria."He reminded that this tunnel had been targeted in the past, stating
that "the Israeli army remains determined to prevent its use and
reconstruction." Adraee mentioned that the Israeli military had also targeted
"several Hezbollah sites where military equipment, including missile launch
ramps, were stored." "These sites pose a direct threat (to Israel) in Lebanese
territory and represent a violation of the agreements made between Lebanon and
Israel," he added. Meanwhile, Israeli warplanes were flying at low altitude over
Beirut and northern Lebanon. Earlier during the day, the Lebanese Army announced
that it’s continuing its deployment in southern Lebanon, as part of the ongoing
implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701. According to
a statement from the Army's Directorate of Orientation, military units have
positioned themselves in the villages of Rab al-Thalathin, Bani Hayan, and
Tallousseh in the eastern sector. The deployment was carried out "in
coordination with the International Monitoring Committee of the ceasefire
agreement," following the withdrawal of Israeli forces from these areas. The
Israeli military is expected to complete its withdrawal from southern Lebanon by
February 18.
The Army further stated that its units are "continuing to open roads within
these villages," urging residents to follow the instructions of the soldiers to
ensure their safety. Local municipal councils have also advised residents to
avoid entering these villages until the Army completes its clearance operations
and secures the areas. The spokesperson for the Israeli Army, Avichai Adraee,
issued a similar warning to the residents, urging them to stay clear of the
affected zones. Meanwhile, the Israeli army has cut off roads connecting Rab al-Thalathin
to the village of Odaisseh using earth mounds and has continued to destroy homes
in Kfar Kila.
Syrian Artillery Bombs Border Areas
This is Beirut/February 09, 2025
Tensions remain high on the Lebanese-Syrian border, with violent clashes
continuing, particularly in Matraba, between armed elements in Hermel and Syrian
security forces. Sunday afternoon, the Lebanese army has sent reinforcements to
Masharih el-Qaa, on the border. This afternoon, shells struck the official
school in Qanaf and the locality of Kwakh. Heavy artillery and missile exchanges
took place along the northern border of Hermel, with Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham
shelling border areas from its artillery positions in Syria’s al-Qusayr region.
Rockets fired from Syrian territory targeted the Qald al-Sabaa checkpoint in the
Hermel heights. Syrian security forces have deployed reinforcements to the
border area to sustain their operations, Al-Hadath TV reported on Sunday. The
Syrian Department of Military Operations confirmed it is maintaining security
sweeps along the border, utilizing reconnaissance aircraft to track smuggling
networks. Additionally, two drones operated by Syrian militants were shot down
over the Al-Jarmash border area. The vice-president of the municipality of Jwar
al-Hashich, Ali Jahjah Jaafar, explained in an interview with the National News
Agency that "the ongoing fighting is taking place at a distance of 10 to 15
kilometers from the village of Al-Jarmash, which is located in Lebanon and is
not part of Syrian territory."According to him, "Syrian fighters are targeting
the Lebanese areas of al-Qasr, Sahlet al-Maa, al-Zakba, al-Midan, Marah al-shaab,
Qanafed, and al-Hoshriyah, all of which are inhabited Lebanese villages, as well
as positions of the Lebanese army."
6 killed in Israeli drone strike in Lebanon near eastern
border with Syria
Associated Press/February 09, 2025
Six people were killed and two injured in Lebanon on Saturday in an Israeli
drone strike in the area of Janata near the eastern border with Syria, Lebanon’s
state-run National News Agency reported. The Israeli military said in a
statement that it struck “Hezbollah operatives” who “were operating in a
strategic weapons manufacturing and storage site” belonging to the militant
group. Israel has continued to launch near-daily strikes on what it says are
Hezbollah facilities in Lebanon since the implementation of a ceasefire
agreement in late November that ended the latest Israel-Hezbollah war. The
ceasefire document stipulates that both Israel and Lebanon maintain the right to
act in “self defense” but does not define what qualifies as self defense. The
original 60-day deadline for implementing the terms of the ceasefire agreement
expired in late January, but Lebanon and Israel agreed to extend it until Feb.
18.
Joseph Aoun Invited to Algiers
This Is Beirut/February 09, 2025
The Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Attaf, handed over to President
Joseph Aoun an invitation from his Algerian counterpart, Abdelmadjid Tebboune,
to visit Algiers. “Algeria and Lebanon have a shared history full of solidarity,
cooperation and mutual support on issues of concern to our two brotherly
peoples. Our positions have always been identical in defending the issues of our
Arab nation in all forums,” wrote Algeria’s president Tebboune. During his visit
to Beirut on Sunday, the Algerian Presidential Envoy met with President Aoun,
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and the designated Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, as
well as outgoing Prime Minister Najib Mikati. President Aoun affirmed during the
meeting his determination to develop Lebanese-Algerian relations in all fields,
praising Algeria’s positions in the UN Security Council alongside Lebanon. For
his part, Minister Attaf affirmed his country’s support for Lebanon, calling for
advancing economic relations and activating the work of the joint body of
Lebanese and Algerian businessmen.“Lebanon is going through a critical phase in
its history, one of strengthening its institutions, reviving its economy and
establishing security. In all these phases, Algeria cannot but stand firmly by
Lebanon's side,” Attaf asserted.
Who are some of Lebanon's new ministers?
Agence France Presse/February 09, 2025
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam formed a government on Saturday after weeks of tough
political deliberations over its 24 ministers, ending more than two and a half
years of caretaker leadership. Salam has vowed not to name members of political
parties, which often follow sectarian lines and have long been accused of
corruption. But in a country where power is shared according to sectarian
quotas, cabinet members were selected after consultations with political
leaders. Who are some of the most notable ministers in Lebanon's new government?
Finance -- Yassine Jaber -
Yassine Jaber is a former economy and transport minister who is close to Speaker
Nabih Berri. Jaber was previously a lawmaker and part of Berri's
Hezbollah-allied Amal bloc, although he is not officially a member of a party.
His naming had been leaked and criticized by some as a boon for Berri. Long
dominated by the two Shiite parties, the strategic portfolio will be key at a
time when Lebanon needs funding to rebuild after the Israel-Hezbollah war and
years of economic collapse.
Environment -- Tamara Elzein -
Tamara Elzein has been secretary-general of Lebanon's National Council for
Scientific Research since 2022. She is vice president of the Lebanese National
Commission for U.N. cultural body UNESCO. She holds a doctorate in physical
chemistry from France's Universite de Haute-Alsace.
Culture -- Ghassan Salame -
An academic, politician and diplomat, Ghassan Salame previously held the
position.
The former United Nations envoy to Libya also worked as an adviser to former
U.N. secretary-general Kofi Annan and to the U.N. mission in Iraq.
Social Affairs -- Haneen Sayed -
Haneen Sayed is an economist and author who has worked extensively with the
World Bank, including on its response to Lebanon's gruelling economic crisis and
to the war in neighboring Syria.
Energy -- Joe Saddi -
Joe Saddi holds an MBA from Cornell University in the United States and worked
in consulting. He was Senior Partner and Chairman of consulting firm Strategy&'s
Middle East business and had previously been a chairman of the board at Booz &
Company.
His LinkedIn profile says he was based in the United Arab Emirates and had led
privatization programs in the energy, mining, and steel sectors and advised
Middle East governments on deregulation and policy. It is the first time in
years that the energy minister was not named by the Free Patriotic Movement -- a
Christian party once a close Hezbollah ally before relations soured over
hostilities with Israel. The party has no ties to the current government.
Displaced, Tech, AI -- Kamal Shehadi -
Kamal Shehadi is minister for the displaced and state minister for technology
and artificial intelligence -- a challenge in a country where electricity cuts
often last most of the day. Shehadi's LinkedIn profile says he was based in the
United Arab Emirates, worked in telecommunications and technology and obtained
degrees from Columbia and Harvard universities in the United States.
Lebanese Army deploys in eastern sector of South Lebanon,
Israeli forces block roads
LBCI/February 09, 2025
Lebanese military units have been deployed in the southern towns of Rab El
Thalathine, Bani Haiyyan, and Tallouseh in the Marjaayoun district following the
Israeli army's withdrawal. The deployment is being carried out in coordination
with the mechanism committee overseeing the ceasefire agreement. The army units
conduct engineering surveys and clear roads within these areas to ensure
accessibility and safety. The Lebanese Army Command has urged residents to
adhere to the instructions of the deployed forces to prevent any risks.
Meanwhile, the army continues to coordinate closely with the United Nations
Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) regarding the situation in the border regions,
which aligns with U.N. Resolution 1701. Despite the Israeli pullout, tensions
remain high. According to the National News Agency (NNA), Israeli forces have
placed barriers, blocking roads connecting Rab El Thalathine to the town of
Odaisseh, further complicating movement in the area.
A roadmap for reform and stability: Lebanon's new
government prepares ministerial statement
LBCI/February 09, 2025
Since January 9, Lebanon has undergone significant political transformations,
moving from one phase to another in what some describe as a political upheaval.
With the election of a new president and the formation of a government markedly
different from its predecessors, attention now turns to drafting the ministerial
statement. The statement, serving as the government's roadmap, must be clear and
direct, outlining key priorities without ambiguity. It will be presented before
Parliament to secure a vote of confidence and is expected to address several
pressing issues: Full implementation of U.N. Resolution 1701, particularly
concerning Hezbollah's weapons south and north of the Litani River, following
Israel's withdrawal from Lebanese territory. Reconstruction of areas devastated
by Israeli attacks. Reviving the national economy after years of severe
financial collapse. Ensuring parliamentary and municipal elections are held on
time. Completing administrative appointments and filling vacancies in public
institutions. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has set the broad framework of the
ministerial statement, which will be further refined by a ministerial committee
expected to include Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Metri, Culture Minister Ghassan
Salameh, Finance Minister Yassine Jaber, and Foreign Minister Youssef Raji,
among others. The committee will hold its first meeting on Tuesday at the
Presidential Palace in Baabda. This time, the approach to the statement is
notably different. It will be based on the president's oath speech and Salam's
address to the Lebanese people upon his appointment. Unlike previous
governments, there is little expectation of contentious debates over the "Army,
People, Resistance" formula. According to available information, the statement
will rely on a passage from the Taif Agreement concerning the weaponization
issue, emphasizing that the Lebanese state's authority will gradually extend
across all Lebanese territory through its legitimate forces. The ministerial
statement will be the government's first official message to the Lebanese public
and the international community. Beyond securing parliamentary confidence, its
broader objective will be to gain the trust of Arab and global partners, whose
support is crucial for Lebanon's stability and recovery.
Lebanon's reform path: What is next for the Quintet
Committee in Lebanon?
LBCI/February 09, 2025
The Quintet Committee, formed in 2023 and comprised the United States, France,
Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Qatar, was initially established to push Lebanese
officials toward holding presidential elections, followed by structural reforms.
With the presidential process now completed and a government in place, what
remains of the committee's role? According to LBCI sources, the committee will
continue as a consultative framework to oversee the full implementation of
reforms, including financial and monetary policies. It will also ensure that
previously agreed-upon measures are carried out, particularly judicial reforms
and upholding the rule of law, emphasizing the investigation into the 2020
Beirut Port explosion. Additionally, the committee will monitor Lebanon's
commitment to international resolutions, especially the implementation of U.N.
Security Council Resolution 1701, as well as adherence to agreements issued by
the Arab League. Ultimately, the Quintet Committee aims to see Lebanon emerge as
a functional state, with government ministers prioritizing the public interest
without being influenced by political parties.
Beyond Lebanon, the committee's member states each have their own strategic
interests. The United States seeks to maintain its presence in Lebanon,
historically a battleground in its broader confrontation with Iran, while also
ensuring Israel's security and regional stability. On the other hand, France is
keen to maintain its foothold in the Middle East through Lebanon, protecting its
economic and political interests, particularly its energy and infrastructure
investments. A prime example is the work of TotalEnergies in offshore gas
exploration. Saudi Arabia is working to reclaim its historical influence in
Lebanon after years of political tensions and regional interventions,
particularly by Iran through Hezbollah. The kingdom's renewed engagement aligns
with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's 2018 vision for reshaping the region's
political, economic, and security landscape as part of Vision 2030, which seeks
to position Saudi Arabia as a hub for investment and economic transformation.
Qatar is also looking to expand its political influence, invest in Lebanon's gas
and energy sector, and act as a mediator. The Gulf nation aims to present itself
as a neutral player capable of maintaining good relations with all Lebanese
factions, including Hezbollah. Egypt's presence in the committee underscores its
role as a key regional power in Arab affairs, reinforcing its influence in
Lebanon and the broader Middle East.
Beyond entitlement: Are Lebanese officials truly 'public
servants'?
LBCI/February 09, 2025
In Lebanon, the people fund the salaries of the President, Prime Minister,
Parliament Speaker, parliament members, and ministers. This money comes from the
state budget, which the government finances through public revenues, including
taxes, fees, loans, and, at times, international financial aid. From the
President down, government officials are classified as 'public servants.' Their
primary duty is to serve the people and improve citizens' lives rather than
pursue personal interests. This concept has often been overlooked in Lebanon,
where many politicians have historically operated through patronage networks and
political favoritism rather than genuine public service. In contrast, officials
in some developed nations have demonstrated a different approach. During the
COVID-19 crisis, Italian President Sergio Mattarella waited in line for 45
minutes to receive his vaccine like any other citizen. In the UAE, Dubai's
ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, was seen patiently respecting pedestrian
crossing signals. In Thailand, the prime minister used public transportation,
specifically the metro, for daily commutes. Such scenes are rarely witnessed in
Lebanon, where many officials distance themselves from the public, enjoying
privileges that set them apart from ordinary citizens. Titles such as "His
Excellency" and "His Highness" continue to dominate the political sphere,
reinforcing a culture of entitlement. As Lebanon undergoes significant change,
it may be time to redefine leadership, demand accountability, and remind
officials that they are, first and foremost, public servants. The era of
unquestioned privilege may be coming to an end, making way for a governance
model where politicians are truly answerable to the people they serve
Algerian envoy meets Speaker Nabih Berri, affirms strong bilateral ties
LBCI/February 09, 2025
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri received Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmad
Attaf, the special envoy of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, at the second
presidency in Ain el-Tineh. Berri's media advisor, Ali Hamdan, attended the
meeting.
Minister Attaf conveyed President Tebboune's greetings to Speaker Berri, who, in
turn, emphasized the deep-rooted historical ties between Lebanon and Algeria. He
appreciated Algeria's unwavering support for Lebanon across various
international platforms and in multiple fields. Berri also extended his
gratitude to the Algerian leadership and people. The talks covered the general
situation in Lebanon and the region, particularly developments in southern
Lebanon in light of ongoing Israeli violations of U.N. Resolution 1701 and the
ceasefire agreement. The discussion also touched on bilateral relations and
areas of cooperation between the two countries.
Lebanese Army vehicles overturn in South Lebanon's
Marjaayoun, soldiers sustain minor injuries
LBCI/February 09, 2025
The Lebanese Army announced in a statement that two military vehicles overturned
in the southern town of Tallouseh, Marjaayoun, during a deployment mission in
the South Litani area. The incident resulted in minor injuries among several
soldiers, according to the statement.
La Salle College in Cairo Hosts the 5th Conference of
Francophone Catholic Schools in the Middle East
Fady Noun/This is Beirut/February 09/2025
They are 400,000 students—half of them in Lebanon—deeply rooted in Francophonie,
immersed in a culture of unrivaled richness and diversity.
Teaching these 400,000 students and instilling in them the values of
coexistence—while half of them envision their future beyond the Arab Francophone
world where they grew up—is one of the most sobering findings of the 5th
Francophone Catholic Schools Conference, held at La Salle College in Cairo on
February 6-7. Organized at the initiative of L’Œuvre d’Orient, the conference
was titled “Passing on Knowledge in Times of Adversity”—a theme that aptly
reflects the current political reality of a region steadily losing its elites.
The event brought together around 470 school leaders and representatives from
300 institutions across the Arab Francophone world, including Lebanon, Syria,
Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, the Palestinian Territories and Turkey.
Featuring several roundtable discussions, the conference opened in the presence
of Coptic Catholic Patriarch Ibrahim Ishak, Apostolic Nuncio to Cairo Archbishop
Nicolas Thevenin, French Ambassador to Egypt Éric Chevallier, writer Robert Solé,
Charles Personnaz, president of the Fonds des Écoles d’Orient and, of course,
Monsignor Pascal Gollnisch, director general of L’Œuvre d’Orient.
The figures mentioned earlier offered a glimpse of the threats looming over a
sector that L’Œuvre d’Orient is struggling to sustain, in part through French
public funding allocated for Francophonie.
In Lebanon, there are 63 Francophone schools, both religious and secular, of
which only 40 are Catholic. These Catholic institutions educate 20% of Lebanese
students, while the rest are either secular or affiliated with non-Christian
communities, such as Makassed, Orfan and Mahdi. Yet, they all face the same
challenges. A key speaker at the conference, Father Joseph Nasr, president of
the General Secretariat of Catholic Schools in Lebanon and the Middle East-North
Africa (MENA) region, outlined four categories of challenges affecting
Francophone education in Lebanon: political instability, poverty, emigration and
the marginalization of Christians. “By marginalization,” he explained, “I mean
the phenomenon whereby Christians are forced to live and evolve in environments
alien to their culture.”
These challenges are present, with variations unique to each region. However, at
first glance, the political and economic challenges seem to overshadow the
purely academic ones. “Is this region doomed to perpetual crisis?” questioned
Monsignor Gollnisch, who is deeply attuned to the upheavals shaking the Middle
East and introducing an element of instability that skews all predictions. “We
work with young people at an age defined by crises and choices. It is our
responsibility to guide them,” he further emphasized.
Academic Challenges
In addition to the challenges arising from political and economic factors, there
are also significant academic and educational issues, including low salaries,
lack of resources, inadequate administrative and teaching staff, and the impact
of technology and the digital world, among others.
In this context, the testimony of Sister Marcelle Karam, president of the
educational office of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Saint Vincent de Paul
and head of the educational office of the Sisters of Charity, reflects the
situation at nearly all schools in Lebanon: teachers are underpaid due to the
collapse of the Lebanese pound, and the compensation they receive in dollars is
inconsistent, as parents—who are the sole source of funding—cannot always afford
it. This, evidently, creates a vicious cycle that can only be broken through
sacrifices.
Addressing the challenge posed by the growing dominance of English,
Franco-Egyptian writer Robert Solé offered a perspective that should resonate
with the Lebanese, “Defending the French language is about defending pluralism
against uniformity. It’s not about turning away from English. I always talk to
students about the importance of having a strong command of Arabic, English and
a chosen cultural language like French. The future belongs to trilingual
speakers!”
As for French Ambassador Éric Chevallier, he emphasized “the importance of
coexistence and the sense of fraternity among communities, which enables them to
preserve the diversity and pluralism that define this region.”
To highlight this reality, Sister Marcelle Karam noted that in one of their
schools in Beirut’s southern suburbs, which had been bombed, only 14 out of 700
students do not belong to the Shiite community.
But the greatest challenge facing young Francophones in the Middle East, and
even more so Catholic youth among them, is the “silent invasion” of social
media.
The most insightful response to this challenge came from Apostolic Nuncio
Nicolas Thévénin, who stated, “There is no point in banning without first
educating. We live in a highly permissive world, and we must not believe that
our societies will always be immune to its influence. With social media, it no
longer takes a generation to manipulate young people, and the divide between
rural and urban areas has diminished. Schools and parents must therefore be
supported in helping young people understand the concept of freedom. A young
person who realizes they can become enslaved by false needs or an excessive
desire for validation becomes more aware of the need to set boundaries on what
social media offers. They will learn not to depend on majority opinions out of
fear of being excluded. They will develop a ‘politeness of the heart,’ putting
their intellect at the service of their conscience. It is the responsibility of
Catholic schools to remind parents of this duty and to teach young people to
take ownership of their actions and mistakes.”Crucial words to conclude a
conference of great significance.
Al-Rahi warns Lebanon over ‘axis of degradation’
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Arab News/February 09, 2025
BEIRUT: Lebanon’s Maronite Patriarch Bechara Al-Rahi has warned that the country
risks “slipping into degradation,” and called on its leaders to end what he
described as national “stagnation.” Delivering a sermon in St. George Cathedral
in Beirut on Sunday to celebrate the Feast of St. Maron, the patron saint of the
Maronites, Al-Rahi urged Lebanon’s political leaders and state institutions to
“end the procrastination, the undermining of the judiciary, the loss of
sovereignty and dignity, and the violation of the constitution.” He added:
“People are suffocating from the stagnation. Offer them a solution.” Al-Rahi
warned that “the real danger facing Lebanon is slipping into the axis of
degradation. “As much as we must remain neutral in a positive way, we must align
ourselves with the axis of civilization, renaissance, and progress.”He said:
“Neutrality is more about preserving Lebanon’s unity than ensuring its survival.
Neutrality equals internal security and foreign defense.” Al-Rahi’s comments
came a day after Lebanon formed a new government led by Prime Minister Nawaf
Salam, a move that ended a two-year political deadlock in the country. Salam and
President Joseph Aoun attended the celebrations on Sunday along with Parliament
Speaker Nabih Berri.
Following the Cabinet formation, Aoun said that the government did not include
ministers affiliated with political parties.
“They will be cohesive, united, and work as a strong team to undoubtedly serve
all Lebanese because their goal is only the interest of Lebanon,” he said. Aoun
said that the formation of the “reform and rescue government was based on
competence, experience, specialization, and the ministers’ good reputation.”
The US, France, and the UK congratulated Lebanon on the government formation.
French President Emmanuel Macron personally phoned Aoun and Salam, and called on
the new prime minister to carry out essential economic reforms.
According to the Elysee’s statement, Macron emphasized that “it is important
that all parties collaborate to implement the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon.”He
also called on Israel to continue its withdrawal. Macron affirmed France’s
willingness to help establish stability on the Syrian–Lebanese borders. The
Lebanese government will carry out its duties until May 2026 when the next
parliamentary elections will be held. Most of the ministers appointed in Salam’s
Cabinet graduated from the American University of Beirut, Universite
Saint-Joseph de Beirut, or other leading American and French universities.
Both ministers proposed by Hezbollah and the Amal Movement are doctors at the
American University of Beirut Medical Center.
Dr. Rakan Nassereddine, a specialist in arterial surgery, is the new minister of
health. The 36-year-old surgeon, who is from Hermel, is the youngest minister in
the government. Dr. Mohammed Haidar, director of nuclear medicine at AUBMC, has
been appointed minister of labor.
The government is set to hold a meeting next Tuesday to form the committee
tasked with drafting the ministerial statement. The US Embassy in Lebanon
welcomed the formation of the government. In a statement, it urged “the drafting
of a ministerial declaration that would assist Lebanon overcome the crisis and
chart a course toward achieving its objectives.”In reviewing the biographies of
the appointed ministers, it is evident that a primary characteristic of the
prevailing government is the expertise in the portfolios assigned to them.
The Foreign Minister, Youssef Raji, has held various diplomatic positions in
Jordan, Ivory Coast, Morocco, and at the UN in Geneva, Belgium, and Washington.
Yassine Jaber, the minister of finance, is a former minister and MP representing
the Shiite seat in the Nabatieh and southern regions.
He has been active in the construction sector in Lebanon since 1978 and
continues to be involved to this day.
Gen. Michel Menassa, minister of defense, is a retired officer who served for
several decades in the Lebanese Army.He later became the Inspector General at
the Ministry of Defense before his retirement.
Interior Minister Ahmed Al-Hajjar, a retired brigadier-general in the Internal
Security Forces, was formerly head of the Internal Security Forces Institute.
Minister of Economy Amer Bizat is an investment expert who previously held the
position of global head of Emerging Markets Fixed Income at BlackRock.
He also held portfolio management roles at UBS and Morgan Stanley Investment
Management.
Joseph Saddi, the energy minister, previously worked at Strategy&.
Patriarch al-Rahi’s Homily on the Feast of Saint Maron
in the Presence of President Aoun, His Wife, and Presidents Berri and Salam:
"Just as We Must Remain Positively Neutral Toward Regional Axes, We Must Align
Ourselves with the Axis of Civilization, Renaissance, and Progress"
NNA/February 9, 2025
At 11:00 AM today, the President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun, and his
wife, the First Lady of Lebanon, Mrs. Naamat Aoun, along with Speaker of
Parliament Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Dr. Nawaf Salam and his wife, Mrs.
Sahar Baasiri, attended the Divine Liturgy held at Saint George Maronite
Cathedral in downtown Beirut. The Mass was celebrated on the occasion of the
feast of Saint Maron, the patron saint of the Maronite Church.
The service was presided over by Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi,
assisted by Bishop Paul Abdel Sater, the Maronite Archbishop of Beirut, Bishop
Khalil Alwan, and a number of priests. The ceremony was attended by prominent
political, diplomatic, military, and religious figures.
Upon President Aoun's arrival at the cathedral’s outer courtyard, the army band
played the national anthem and the honor march, while a battalion from the
Republican Guard Brigade saluted him. The President was then received by Bishop
Abdel Sater and proceeded inside the church alongside the First Lady, where they
were greeted with applause. They then exchanged greetings with Presidents Berri
and Salam, former presidents, and other dignitaries. Before taking his seat,
President Aoun lit a candle before the relics of Saint Maron.
Among the attendees were Greek Catholic Patriarch Youssef Absi, Syriac Catholic
Patriarch Ignatius Joseph III Younan, as well as several bishops from various
Christian sects, religious leaders, and the Papal Nuncio to Lebanon, Monsignor
Paolo Borgia.
Also present were former Presidents Amine Gemayel and his wife Joyce Gemayel,
former President Michel Sleiman, as well as Mrs. Solange Gemayel and Mrs. Mona
Hrawi. Former Prime Ministers Najib Mikati, Fouad Siniora, and Tammam Salam
attended the ceremony as well.
Additionally, the event was attended by Deputy Speaker of Parliament Elias Bou
Saab, Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri, several current and former ministers,
Arab and foreign ambassadors accredited to Lebanon, current and former MPs, Dean
of the Consular Corps in Lebanon, Consul General Joseph Habis, President of the
Constitutional Council Judge Tannous Mechleb, heads of regulatory bodies, senior
judges, security officials, professional syndicate heads, university presidents,
media figures, and a large congregation of believers.
Patriarch al-Rahi’s Homily
After the reading of the Gospel, Patriarch al-Rahi delivered his homily,
stating:
"Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but
if it dies, it bears much fruit" (John 12:24).
"Your Excellency, Mr. President, you have restored the splendor of our national
feast celebrating our father, Saint Maron, by your election to the presidency
after a two-year vacancy. Your election has revived trust in your leadership
among the Lebanese people, as well as among Arab and Western nations, who had
long awaited such a moment. This trust was further strengthened yesterday with
the formation of the new Lebanese government, described as a ‘government of
reform and salvation.’
We extend our congratulations to you, Your Excellency, as well as to Prime
Minister Judge Nawaf Salam and his newly appointed ministers, all of whom bring
promise. We pray that Saint Maron intercedes on behalf of your government so
that it may fulfill its mission of ‘reform and salvation.’
We thank Almighty God for protecting Lebanon through the prayers of its people,
the cries of the poor and deprived, and the blood of the martyrs who have
sanctified this land. Their blood, like that of Abel, cries out to God from the
earth (Genesis 3:10)."
He continued:
"I greet you, Your Excellency, on behalf of the Archbishop of the Diocese, our
brother Bishop Paul Abdel Sater, the clergy, monks, nuns, and the faithful of
this diocese. We also extend our greetings to the First Lady, the Speaker of
Parliament, the Prime Minister, and all esteemed religious and political
dignitaries present here to celebrate the feast of our father, Saint Maron, and
to reflect on his virtues and what they teach us in these challenging times."
He elaborated:
*"The grain of wheat that falls into the ground and dies is, above all, our Lord
Jesus Christ. Like a seed, He died on Mount Golgotha and rose again, giving
birth to the Church, both in its divine and human dimensions, which will endure
forever. The Church remains a mystery of salvation for all humanity, a mother
and teacher for all nations. She imparts truth with the gentleness of a mother
and the firmness of a teacher.
Saint Maron, like a grain of wheat, died in 410 AD on Mount Cyrrhus, between
Antioch and Aleppo. From him emerged the Syriac Maronite Antiochian Church,
which was later organized into the Monastery of Saint Maron on the Orontes River
in the region of Apamea (now Qalaat al-Madiq). From this monastery, the Maronite
Church spread to Mount Lebanon in the 6th century, and by the late 7th century,
it had established an independent Patriarchate of Antioch. This Church embraced
the Chalcedonian faith, upheld a monastic character, maintained full communion
with the Roman Apostolic See, and was deeply rooted in the Lebanese and
Levantine environment, as well as in the diaspora."*
Saint Maron’s Legacy and the Current Reality
Patriarch al-Rahi recounted:
*"Saint Maron distinguished himself through the virtues of asceticism, living in
the open wilderness under a simple tent erected on the ruins of a pagan temple
in the Mount Simeon area, near Qal’at Kaluta in the Diocese of Cyrrhus, 30 km
from Aleppo. He devoted his life to asceticism, prayer, and meditation on the
Word of God. Gifted by God with healing abilities, he attracted crowds from all
directions, curing them physically, mentally, and spiritually through one
remedy: prayer.
From him flowed a deep evangelical spirituality, an unshakable faith, and a pure
Christian witness that made the humble and persecuted Maronite people an example
of steadfastness in Christian faith, cultural openness, and unwavering human and
national loyalty."*
A Call to Action for Lebanon’s Future
The Patriarch then posed the question:
*"What does Saint Maron say to us today on his national feast? After fifty years
of war, economic, financial, social, cultural, and moral decline, he tells us:
My homeland is a land of sanctity, not of iron and fire!
My homeland is a land of love, not of hatred!
My homeland is a land of peace, not of war!
My homeland is a land of civilization, not of decadence!
My homeland is a land of openness, not of isolation!
Stop the delay and procrastination! Stop undermining the judiciary! Stop the
erosion of sovereignty and dignity! Stop the attacks on the constitution and the
political crisis! The people are suffocating from stagnation; offer them real
solutions, genuine settlements, and undeniable truths.
The real danger facing Lebanon is its slide into the axis of decline. Just as we
must remain positively neutral toward regional conflicts, we must align
ourselves with the axis of civilization, renaissance, and progress.
Neutrality is not just about preserving Lebanon’s existence but about
safeguarding its unity. Lebanon will endure regardless, but we want it to remain
a beacon of peace, a meeting place, and a force for fraternity across the
Mediterranean. True neutrality protects diversity in all its dimensions and
grants every component of society the right to practice its differences with
civility and peace. Neutrality ensures internal security and external defense.
It strengthens trust among Lebanon’s various communities by unifying their
national and political allegiance to Lebanon."*
Conclusion
The Patriarch concluded:
"We pray to God, through the intercession of Saint Maron, to grant us the grace
to walk in his footsteps in asceticism and prayer, for His greater glory."
The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on February 09-10/2025
Israeli delegation in Qatar for Gaza ceasefire talks
Reuters/February 09, 2025
CAIRO/JERUSALEM: An Israeli delegation arrived in Qatar on Sunday for more Gaza
truce talks, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s spokesperson said, as its
military withdrew from an important crossing point in the enclave, as agreed
under the truce with Hamas. Indirect negotiations between Israel and the
Palestinian militant group Hamas on the next stage of the ceasefire are set to
start this week following Netanyahu’s visit to the United States last week.
However, a source in Netanyahu’s office said the Israeli delegation at this
point will only discuss technical issues, rather than the bigger matters which
are supposed to be hammered out, including the administration of post-war Gaza.
Last week, US President Donald Trump made a surprise call for Palestinians to be
displaced from Gaza and for the enclave to come under the ownership of the US,
which would rebuild it.
US officials have since walked back some of Trump’s remarks, saying Palestinians
could return to Gaza once it was cleared of unexploded ordnance and rebuilt.
Still, Trump’s plan was widely panned with some critics saying it amounted to
“ethnic cleansing.” Israeli officials have welcomed it.
Netanyahu’s security cabinet was scheduled to discuss Trump’s proposal, as well
as the second stage of the ceasefire, on Tuesday, the source in his office said.
The first stage of the ceasefire which began on January 19 is meant to last six
weeks and includes the release by Hamas of 33 Israeli hostages in return for
Israel freeing almost 2,000 Palestinian detainees and prisoners from its jails.
Images of three hostages freed on Saturday, looking gaunt and weak, shocked
Israelis. “Yesterday we got our father back. He lost much of his weight but not
his spirit,” said Yulie Ben Ami, whose father Ohad was freed. “He survived
hell.”Withdrawal. Washington, Qatar and Egypt mediated the ceasefire, which has
largely held. In keeping with the deal, on Sunday the Israeli military completed
its withdrawal from its remaining positions in the Netzarim Corridor, which
bisects Gaza.
Crowds of people were seen traversing the corridor as Hamas announced the
Israeli withdrawal, while a long line of cars waited to pass through. An Israeli
security source confirmed the military was leaving its positions there. The
Hamas-run police force deployed to the area to manage the flow Palestinians
crossing through and Reuters footage showed what appeared to be Israeli military
vehicles moving away from the coast and toward the Israeli border. Hamas
military and police forces have increased their public presence since January’s
ceasefire, in what analysts say is an intentional message that the group has not
been defeated. Former American soldiers employed as private contractors have
been deployed to inspect vehicles passing through the corridor in recent weeks
following the ceasefire agreement that was implemented on January 19 after more
than 15 months of war. Israel had occupied the roughly 4 mile-long (6km)
corridor south of Gaza City that stretches from the Israeli border to the
Mediterranean Sea.The corridor cut off Gaza’s northern communities, including
its largest metropolitan area, from the south. Thousands of Palestinians have
streamed through the corridor in recent weeks, returning to their homes in the
north from southern Gaza where they had sought shelter from the war. Much of
northern Gaza has become a wasteland following Israel’s devastating campaign.
After finding their homes destroyed, some Gazans have gone back to the south,
while others have set up tents where their homes once stood. Israel vowed to
destroy Hamas for its October 2023 attack in which 1,200 people were killed,
most of them civilians, and 251 taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies.
More than 48,000 people have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory assault,
according to Palestinian health authorities, most of them civilians. Gazan
medics said that on Sunday four Palestinians, including an elderly woman, had
been killed by Israeli gunfire in two separate incidents near Khan Yunis and in
Gaza City. The Israeli military said soldiers had fired warning shots at
“several suspects” and that “several hits were identified,” when asked about the
Gaza City incident where medics said three Palestinians had been killed and five
wounded. The military was not aware of the incident where the woman was
allegedly killed.
Saudi Arabia reiterates rejection of Israeli comments on
displacement of Palestinians from their land
Arab News/February 09, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Sunday reiterated its categorical rejection of
statements regarding the displacement of the Palestinian people from their land,
particularly those made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The
Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it rejected “such statements
that aim to divert attention from the continuous crimes committed by the Israeli
occupation against the Palestinian brothers in Gaza, including the ethnic
cleansing they are subjected to.”The ministry likewise expressed its
appreciation of the “condemnation, disapproval and total rejection announced by
the brotherly countries” regarding the Israeli leader’s comments. “The Kingdom
also points out that this extremist, occupying mentality does not understand
what the Palestinian land means to the brotherly people of Palestine and their
emotional, historical and legal connection to this land, and it does not think
that the Palestinian people deserve to live in the first place, as it has
completely destroyed the Gaza Strip, killed and injured more than 160,000, most
of them children and women, without the slightest human feeling or moral
responsibility,” the Saudi Foreign Ministry statement said. “The Kingdom affirms
that the Palestinian people have a right to their land, and they are not
intruders or immigrants to it who can be expelled whenever the brutal Israeli
occupation wishes. #Statement | The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia appreciates the
condemnation, disapproval and total rejection announced by the brotherly
countries towards what Benjamin Netanyahu stated regarding the displacement of
the Palestinian people from their land and the Kingdom values the…
pic.twitter.com/ebj2sVHx4w
“The Kingdom notes that the proponents of these extremist ideas are the ones who
prevented Israel from accepting peace by refusing peaceful coexistence,
rejecting the peace initiatives adopted by the Arab countries, and
systematically practicing injustice toward the Palestinian people for more than
75 years, with disregard to the truth, justice, law and the values established
in the United Nations Charter, including the human’s right to live in dignity on
his land,” the statement added. The Saudi Foreign Ministry also reiterated that
the right of the Palestinian people “will remain firmly established and no one
will be able to take it away from them no matter how long it takes.” It added
lasting peace would only be achieved by “returning to the logic of reason and
accepting the principle of peaceful coexistence through the two-state solution.”
Egypt earlier condemned as “irresponsible” statements by Israeli officials
suggesting establishing a Palestinian state on Saudi territory, with its Foreign
Ministry emphasizing that the suggestion was a “direct infringement of Saudi
sovereignty.” It added that the Kingdom’s security was a “red line for Egypt.”
The Jordanian Foreign Ministry described the Israeli remarks as “inflammatory
and a clear violation of international law, relevant UN resolutions and state
sovereignty.”
Spokesperson Sufian Qudah criticized what he described as Israel’s continued
provocative policies and rhetoric, stressing that such statements reflect an
exclusionary and hostile approach that undermines regional stability, Petra
reported. Jordan, he added, stands in full solidarity with Saudi Arabia against
these statements, urging international actors to take a firm stance against
irresponsible rhetoric that threatens peace efforts. The UAE also strongly
condemned and denounced Netanyahu’s “reprehensible and provocative” statements
regarding the establishment of a Palestinian state in Saudi Arabia and “affirmed
its categorical rejection of these unacceptable statements.”Jassim Al-Budaiwi,
the secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council, on Sunday condemned the
Israeli statements, describing them as “dangerous and irresponsible.” He noted
that the GCC countries strongly supported Saudi Arabia’s advocacy for the
legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and the establishment of a
Palestinian state within the pre-1967 borders. Al-Budaiwi urged the
international community to take a “serious and decisive” stand against
aggressive Israeli statements that threaten the security and stability of the
region. The Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs also rejected Netanyahu’s
statements and expressed its support for Saudi Arabia in defense of its
stability and sovereignty. Bahrain said that these Israeli comments were
“irresponsible,” and the suggestion of establishing a Palestinian state on Saudi
territory was “a flagrant violation of international law and the UN Charter.”The
Bahraini Ministry of Foreign Affairs added that Manama was fully supportive “of
the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and stands by its security, stability, and
sovereignty.” It added that preserving the rights of Palestinians and preventing
their displacement from their lands, alongside establishing a Palestinian state,
was the only path to a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East. Qatar
also condemned Netanyahu’s comment suggesting establishing a Palestinian state
inside Saudi territory, the Qatari foreign ministry said in statement. Qatar, a
key mediator in Gaza ceasefire negotiations between Hamas and Israel, described
Netanyahu’s statement as “provocative.”
– with Reuters
Two Palestinian women
killed in Israeli West Bank raid
Reuters/February 09/2025
Two Palestinian women, one of them pregnant, were killed by Israeli forces in
the occupied West Bank on Sunday, the Palestinian health ministry said, as
Israel stepped up raids on militants in the area. The ministry said Israeli
forces in Nur Shams in the northern West Bank shot 23-year-old Sundos Jamal
Mohammed Shalabi, who was eight months pregnant and whose unborn child did not
survive, and critically wounded her husband. The Israeli military said the
incident was being probed by its military police criminal investigation unit.
Details of the deaths were not immediately clear. The Palestinian state news
agency cited eyewitnesses as saying that Shalabi and her husband were shot as
they were trying to leave their home. Another woman, aged 21, was shot dead in a
separate incident, the Palestinian health ministry said. The Israeli military
said its forces were scanning a house for a militant and that they called on
inhabitants to exit the building. The woman did not come out and was fatally
wounded when they used force to breach the door, the military said. It added
that it regrets harm to civilians, which it tries to prevent. Earlier on Sunday,
the military announced it was expanding a counter-terrorism operation in the
north of the West Bank to Nur Shams, a historic refugee camp close to the
Palestinian town Tulkarm. Israel's military, police and intelligence services
started the counter-terrorism operation in Jenin on January 21, described by
officials as a "large-scale and significant military operation". The operation
expanded to Tulkarm, Al Faraa and Tamun, with the military saying it was
targeting militants. Israel, viewing the West Bank as part of a multi-front war
against Iranian-backed groups established around its borders, launched the
operation after reaching a ceasefire in its war in Gaza against the Palestinian
militant group Hamas. Thousands of Palestinians have fled West Bank homes in the
wake of the military campaign and widespread destruction. Palestinians have said
the Israeli campaign is one of the most destructive in recent memory. Dozens of
Palestinians have been killed, according to the Palestinian Authority’s Health
Ministry. The Israeli military has said it has killed militants.
Palestinians say Israeli forces kill 3 in West Bank raid
AFP/February 09, 2025
TULKAREM: The Palestinian health ministry reported that Israeli forces in the
occupied West Bank shot dead three people on Sunday, including a woman who was
eight months pregnant. Israeli forces launched an operation in the Nur Shams
refugee camp, on the outskirts of Tulkarem in the northern West Bank, at dawn on
Sunday, as part of an ongoing offensive in nearby camps, the military said. The
Palestinian health ministry said 23-year-old Sundus Jamal Muhammad Shalabi was
killed in a pre-dawn incident, with her husband Yazan Abu Shola critically
injured. The mother-to-be was dead when she arrived at a local hospital, the
ministry said.“Medical teams were unable to save the baby’s life due to the
(Israeli) occupation preventing the transfer of the injured to the hospital,” it
added. When asked by AFP about the shooting of the pregnant woman in Nur Shams,
the Israeli military said “following the incident an investigation was opened by
the Military Police Criminal Investigation Division." Murad Alyan, a member of
the popular committee in the Nur Shams camp, told AFP that the couple was
“trying to leave the camp before the occupation forces advanced into it. They
were shot while they were inside their car.”
The Palestinian foreign ministry condemned what it described as “a crime of
execution committed by the occupation forces,” accusing Israeli forces of
“deliberately targeting defenseless civilians.”The health ministry later said a
second woman, 21-year-old Rahaf Fouad Abdullah Al-Ashqar was killed in a
separate incident in Nur Shams.A source in the camp’s popular committee said she
was killed and her father wounded when the “Israeli forces used explosives to
open the door of their family house.”And late on Sunday the health ministry
announced that a third Palestinian, Iyas Adli Fakhri Al-Akhras, 20, had been
killed “after being shot by Israeli forces” in the camp.AFP footage from Nur
Shams showed army bulldozers clearing a path in front of buildings in the
densely packed camp, which is home to about 13,000 people.The Israeli military
earlier said its forces were “expanding the operation in northern Samaria,”
using the biblical term for the north of the West Bank, which Israel has
occupied since 1967.“The combat team of the Ephraim Brigade began operations in
Nur Shams,” the military said in a statement, adding that soldiers had “targeted
several terrorists and arrested additional individuals in the area.”The
Palestinian health ministry has said at least 70 Palestinians have been killed
by Israeli fire in the West Bank this year. Violence there has escalated since
the October 2023 outbreak of war in the Gaza Strip. According to the Palestinian
health ministry, at least 887 Palestinians including militants have been killed
by Israeli forces or settlers in the West Bank since the Gaza war began. At
least 32 Israelis, including some soldiers, have been killed in Palestinian
attacks or confrontations during Israeli operations in the West Bank over the
same period, according to official Israeli figures.
Israeli forces withdraw from key Gaza corridor as concerns mount over extending
ceasefire
AP/February 09, 2025
MUGHRAQA, Gaza Strip: Israeli forces withdrew from a key corridor in Gaza on
Sunday, Israeli officials and Hamas said, the latest commitment under a tenuous
ceasefire that faces a major test over whether the sides can negotiate its
planned extension. Israelis’ shock at the sight of three emaciated hostages
released Saturday has added pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to
extend the truce instead of returning to fighting when the ceasefire’s first
phase ends in early March. Israel and Hamas appear to have made little progress
on negotiating the deal’s second phase, which is meant to extend the ceasefire
and lead to the release of more Israeli hostages held by Hamas. Talks had been
due to start on Feb. 3. Netanyahu was sending a delegation to Qatar, a key
mediator, but it included low-level officials, sparking speculation that it
won’t lead to a breakthrough. Netanyahu is also expected to convene key Cabinet
ministers this week. The 4-mile (6-kilometer) Netzarim corridor separating
northern and southern Gaza had been used by Israel as a military zone during the
16-month war, but no troops were seen in the vicinity Sunday. As the ceasefire
began last month, Israel began allowing hundreds of thousands of displaced
Palestinians to cross Netzarim and return to the north. Separately on Sunday,
the Palestinian Health Ministry said two women, one of them eight months
pregnant, were killed by Israeli gunfire in the occupied West Bank, where
Israeli troops have been carrying out an operation.
The ceasefire’s extension is not guaranteedThe ceasefire that began on Jan. 19
has held, raising hopes that the war that led to seismic shifts in the Middle
East may be headed toward an end. But it remains fragile. On Sunday, civil
defense first responders in Gaza said three people were killed by Israeli fire
east of Gaza City. Israel’s military noted “several hits” after warning shots
were fired and again warned Palestinians from approaching its forces. Cars
heaped with belongings headed north through a road that crosses Netzarim. Under
the deal, Israel should allow cars to cross uninspected.
The Israeli officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t
authorized to discuss troop movement with the media, did not say how many
soldiers withdrew or to where. Troops remain along Gaza’s borders with Israel
and Egypt.
Hamas spokesperson Abdel Latif Al-Qanoua said the troops’ withdrawal showed the
militant group had “forced the enemy to submit to our demands” and that it
thwarted “Netanyahu’s illusion of achieving total victory.”Israel has said it
won’t agree to a complete withdrawal from Gaza until Hamas’ military and
political capabilities are eliminated. Hamas says it won’t hand over the last
hostages until Israel removes all troops from the territory. During the 42-day
first phase of the ceasefire, Hamas is gradually releasing 33 Israeli hostages
captured during its Oct. 7, 2023, attack that sparked the war in exchange for
the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and a flood of humanitarian
aid to Gaza. The deal also stipulates that Israeli troops will pull back from
populated areas. In the second phase, all remaining living hostages would be
released in return for a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and “sustainable
calm.” But details beyond that are unclear.
Trump’s Gaza proposal poses a challenge
Families of hostages gathered Sunday in Tel Aviv to again urge Netanyahu to
extend the ceasefire. “We know that for a year, that they are dying there, so we
need to finish this deal in a hurry,” said Ayala Metzger, the daughter-in-law of
hostage Yoram Metzger, who died in captivity. But Netanyahu is also under
pressure from far-right political allies to resume the war after the first phase
so that Hamas, which carried out the deadliest attack on Israelis in their
history, can be defeated. Complicating things further is a proposal by US
President Donald Trump to relocate the population of Gaza and take ownership of
the Palestinian territory. Israel has expressed openness to the idea while
Hamas, the Palestinians and much of the world have rejected it outright. The
suggested plan has moral, legal and practical obstacles. It may have been
proposed as a negotiation tactic by Trump to pressure Hamas or make an opening
gambit in discussions aimed at securing a normalization deal between Israel and
Saudi Arabia. That deal appeared to be rattled on Sunday as Saudi Arabia
condemned remarks by Netanyahu who said Palestinians could create their state
there.
Saudi Arabia said his remarks “aim to divert attention from the successive
crimes committed by the Israeli occupation against our Palestinian brothers in
Gaza, including the ethnic cleansing they are being subjected to.”Qatar on
Sunday called Netanyahu’s comments “provocative” and a blatant violation of
international law. The war in Gaza, sparked by Hamas’ attack that killed 1,200
people and took 250 hostage, has killed more than 47,000 Palestinians, according
to local health authorities, who do not differentiate between fighters and
noncombatants in their count. Vast parts of the territory have been obliterated.
Violence in the occupied West Bank
Violence has surged in the West Bank throughout the war and has intensified in
recent days with an Israeli military operation in the territory’s north. The
shooting of the pregnant woman, Sundus Shalabi, happened in the Nur Shams urban
refugee camp, a focal point of Israeli operations against Palestinian militants.
The Palestinian Health Ministry said another woman, Rahaf Al-Ashqar, 21, was
also killed.Israel’s military said its police had opened an investigation.
Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on Sunday the expansion of the
operation, which started in Jenin several weeks ago. He said it was meant to
prevent Iran from establishing a foothold in the West Bank.
UN humanitarian chief says Gaza ceasefire has averted
famine but any truce collapse brings danger
AP/February 09, 2025
CAIRO: Famine has been mostly averted in Gaza as a surge of aid enters the
territory during a fragile ceasefire, the United Nations humanitarian chief said
Sunday. But he warned the threat could return quickly if the truce collapses.
Tom Fletcher spoke to The Associated Press after a two-day visit to Gaza, where
hundreds of trucks carrying humanitarian aid have arrived each day since the
ceasefire began on Jan. 19. “The threat of famine, I think, is largely averted,”
Fletcher said in Cairo. “Those starvation levels are down from where they were
before the ceasefire.”He spoke as concerns grow over whether the ceasefire can
be extended and talks are meant to begin on its more difficult second phase. The
six-week first phase is halfway through. As part of the agreement, Israel said
it would allow 600 aid trucks into Gaza each day, a major increase after months
of aid officials expressing frustration about delays and insecurity hampering
both the entry and distribution of food, medicines and other badly needed items.
The UN humanitarian office has said more than 12,600 aid trucks have entered
Gaza since the ceasefire took effect. Fletcher urged both Hamas, which quickly
reasserted its control of the territory in the hours after the ceasefire took
effect, and Israel to stick to the deal that has “saved so many lives.”“The
conditions are still terrible, and people are still hungry,” he said. “If the
ceasefire falls, if the ceasefire breaks, then very quickly those (famine-like)
conditions will come back again.”The internationally recognized mortality
threshold for famine is two or more deaths a day per 10,000 people. For months
before the current ceasefire, food security monitors, UN officials and others
had been warning of possible famine in parts of devastated Gaza, especially the
north, which had been largely isolated since the earliest weeks of the 16-month
war. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have been able to return to the north
under the ceasefire. “We can’t ... sit by and just allow these people to starve
to death,” Cindy McCain, the American head of the UN World Food Program, told
CBS in December. The Biden administration repeatedly urged Israel to allow more
aid deliveries and warned that failing to do so could trigger US restrictions on
military support. Fletcher said more food and medical supplies are crucially
needed for the territory of more than 2 million people, most of them displaced,
and he expressed concerns about disease outbreaks due to the lack of basic
health supplies. He also called for scaling up the delivery of tents and other
shelters to those who have returned to their home areas, as winter continues.
“We must get tens of thousands of tents very rapidly in, so that people who are
moving back, particularly moving back into the north, are able to take shelter
from those conditions,” he said. Fletcher entered the Palestinian territory
through the Erez crossing between Israel and northern Gaza, where he said he
drove through “bombed-out, flattened and pulverized” areas.“You can’t see the
difference between a school or a hospital or a home,” he said of the north.He
said he saw people trying to find where their homes had been and collecting the
bodies of loved ones from the rubble. He saw dogs looking for corpses in the
rubble, too.“It is a horror movie. It’s a horror show,” he said. “It breaks your
heart again and again and again. You drive for miles and miles and miles, and
this is all you see.”Fletcher acknowledged that some Palestinians have been
angry at the international community over the war and its response. “There was
despair and anger. And I can understand the anger at the world that this has
happened to them,” he said. “But there was also a sense of defiance as well.
People were saying, ‘We will go back to our homes. We will go back to the places
that we have lived for generations, and we will rebuild.’”
West Bank and Gaza crowds greet 183 Palestinians released
from prisons by Israel
Gavin Blackburn/Euronews/February 09/2025
Huge crowds in the West Bank and Gaza have welcomed home 183 former Palestinian
prisoners released from jails by Israel. They were freed as part of the fifth
round of hostages-for-prisoners exchange to take place under the Gaza ceasefire
deal between Israel and Hamas which has largely held since 19 January. Almost
every Palestinian has a friend or family member who has been jailed by Israel at
some point, for militant attacks or lesser offences like rock-throwing,
protesting or membership of a banned political group. Some are held for months
or years without trial in what is known as administrative detention, which
Israel says is needed to prevent attacks and avoid sharing sensitive
intelligence. Israel views the security prisoners as terrorists, while many
Palestinians see them as freedom fighters resisting a decades-long military
occupation."The dream of a prisoner is to meet his family, to eat a proper meal
and feel full," said former prisoner Ziad Younis after arriving in the West
Bank. But some prisoners arriving home to Gaza claimed they had been mistreated
by Israeli prison guards. "Their treatment is brutal, barbaric. Even when they
released us, they beat us and put handcuffs on our hands, a torture that only
God knows about. They left the dogs to attack us while our eyes were covered,"
said Mohammad Sleim. Seven Palestinians have reportedly been transferred to
hospitals for immediate treatment but no details about their health conditions
have been released. 18 of the former prisoners released on Saturday had been
sentenced to life and 54 were serving long sentences for their involvement in
deadly attacks against Israelis.Some have been in jail for two decades. In the
West Bank town of Beitunia, whistling crowds greeted the released prisoners as
heroes, waving flags and chanting in support of Hamas. Some of the released men
dropped to their knees as they stepped off the bus, weeping as they kissed the
ground. They were greeted by tearful relatives before traveling on to their
homes throughout the West Bank. They include Iyad Abu Shakhdam, 49, who has been
locked up for nearly 21 years over his involvement in Hamas attacks in crowded
civilian areas that killed dozens of Israelis during the Palestinian uprising of
the early 2000s. That included a notorious 2004 suicide bus bombing in Israel’s
southern city of Beersheba that killed 16 people, including a four-year-old
child.
Anger in Israel
But those scenes of jubilation in the West Bank and Gaza stood in contrast to
the shock and anger among Israelis after three of their citizens were released
by Hamas. Eli Sharabi, 52, Ohad Ben Ami, 56, and Or Levy, 34, were released
earlier on Saturday afternoon and appeared to be in much poorer physical
condition than any of the other 18 hostages released so far. Israel's Ambassador
to the United Nations, Danny Danon, demanded Secretary General Antonio Guterres
"unequivocally condemn Hamas’s cruel and inhuman treatment of our hostages."
The International Committee of the Red Cross said that it is concerned about the
way Hamas frees hostages, criticising the heavily stage-managed events and
forced statements that accompany their release.
And in a video statement, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed
Hamas as "monsters" and again vowed to destroy the militant group.
Netanyahu says 'we'll do
the job' of executing Trump Gaza plan
Agence France Presse/February 09/2025
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has hailed U.S. President Donald
Trump's widely criticized plan to move Palestinians out of the war-battered Gaza
Strip, saying Israel is willing to "do the job". In a Fox News interview aired
late Saturday as the premier was wrapping up a visit to Washington, Netanyahu
defended Trump's proposal, which has sparked concern and condemnation across the
Middle East and the world. "I think that President Trump's proposal is the first
fresh idea in years, and it has the potential to change everything in Gaza,"
Netanyahu said, adding that it represents a "correct approach" to the future of
the Palestinian territory. "All Trump is saying, 'I want to open the gate and
give them an option to relocate temporarily while we rebuild the place
physically'," Netanyahu said. Trump "never said he wants American troops to do
the job. Guess what? We'll do the job," Netanyahu declared.
Israel seized the Gaza Strip in 1967 and maintained a military presence in the
territory until 2005, when it pulled out settlers and its troops. It
subsequently imposed a crippling blockade on the Hamas-ruled territory and
placed it under siege after the war began in October 2023. Israel and armed
groups in Gaza have fought several wars in recent years, but the latest --
sparked by the unprecedented 2023 Hamas attack on Israel -- has been the
deadliest and most destructive. Netanyahu said Trump's plan was a departure from
the "same old, same old, same old -- we leave, Gaza becomes again occupied by
these terrorists who use it as a base to attack Israel... It doesn't go
anywhere." "I think we should pursue it," he added, cautioning that "the real
issue" was finding a country that would agree to take in displaced Gazans. The
Israeli leader also said that relocated Palestinians would have to "disavow
terrorism" to be allowed to return to Gaza. For Palestinians, any attempts to
force them out of Gaza would evoke dark memories of what the Arab world calls
the "Nakba", or catastrophe -- the mass displacement of Palestinians during
Israel's creation in 1948.
"Everybody describes Gaza as the biggest open-air prison in the world,"
Netanyahu said. "Get the population out, allow them to leave. Not forcible
eviction, not ethnic cleansing -- getting people out of what all these countries
and all these do-gooders say is an open-air prison. Why are you keeping them in
prison?
Palestinians in the West Bank Describe How Israeli Settlers
Are Seizing Land
Dalia Hatuqa/Rolling Stone/February 09/2025
AL-FARISIYAH, West Bank — On the morning of December 17, 2023, Luai Abu Mohsen
and his brother Barakat took their flock to graze close to where they live in
al-Farisiyah, a village in the West Bank’s Jordan Valley.
Within a few hours, an Israeli man from the settlement of Rotem drove his truck
through the sheep, killing two. He then got out of his vehicle and drove a sharp
object through Barakat’s leg, injuring him. The Israeli police and army came,
but the settler had left by then. They did not do anything to locate, let alone
arrest him, says Barakat, who was taken to a hospital nearby for his leg injury.
Abu Mohsen says that this has become a frightening routine. Settlers harass the
Palestinian Bedouin families living here, while the police and army look the
other way. Sometimes, it’s worse: They join in on the attacks.
Ten years ago, 15 Palestinian Bedouin families lived in al-Farisiyah, a village
in the West Bank’s Jordan Valley, earning a livelihood as shepherds and farmers.
Despite living in ramshackle corrugated steel shacks and huts that were not
connected to power or water grids, the families managed to make ends meet.
For years, the village, which is surrounded by Israeli settlements — Givat Salit
and Mehola to the north; Shadmot Mehola and Rotem to the east; and Maskiyyot to
the south — was subject to demolitions by Israeli authorities. In 2010, al-Farisiyah
was completely destroyed under the justification that its residents did not own
the necessary permits to build — a policy settlers nearby did not have to adhere
to.
But the demolitions did not deter the people of al-Farisiyah. They remained on
their land despite the heavy price they had to pay: They were forced to rebuild
their structures from scratch. Their children were forced to walk more than
three miles each way to school at a nearby village. Water was only available
through private companies at exorbitant prices, when Israeli authorities denied
them access to water sources — which their settler neighbors enjoyed with far
greater access. Despite their greatest efforts to eke out a living, families
began to flee when settlers started targeting them and their property. It
started in 2021 with settlers bringing their own livestock to graze on the land
of al-Farisiyah. Then they began stealing the families’ water tanks. Shortly
after, sheep started to disappear or were found dead, stabbed or shot. It wasn’t
long after that that settlers, often accompanied and under the protection of
Israeli soldiers, started preventing Palestinians in the area from grazing their
flocks, taking over the land for their own animals to roam freely. This is
according to Shamekh Daraghmeh, 49, who still lives in the community with his
family of six, and relies on herding a 300-head sheep flock.
Pastoral settlement succeeded in causing Palestinian families to flee when
demolitions in the area largely failed, bringing down the number of families in
al-Farisiyah to five. Daraghmeh’s callused hands and his wrinkled, tanned face
are a testament to the Palestinian Bedouin struggle to straddle two worlds: the
nomadic lifestyle of ancestors and the harsh reality of forced displacement.
Farming or pastoral settlement — while not new or official — has escalated since
the Israeli war on the besieged Gaza Strip began in October 2023, shortly after
Hamas launched deadly incursions into southern Israel. It has involved reducing
the amount of land available for Palestinians’ livestock to graze, blocking or
denying access to water supply, and using checkpoints to isolate the Jordan
Valley from the rest of the occupied West Bank.
Settlers have also taken advantage of “Operation Iron Wall” — a series of
military raids on Jenin, Tulkarem, and other West Bank cities and towns — to
attack Palestinians and their property. Since the operation was launched on
January 21, nine Palestinians have been injured, and eight vehicles and over 120
trees, mostly olive, were damaged by settlers.
Israeli authorities have also declared much of the Jordan Valley as “firing
zones” (training areas for the Israeli army) or nature reserves, so it becomes
virtually impossible for these pastoral communities to build legally and to have
access to water and electricity. But the violence perpetrated by settlers, which
residents say has ramped up since the October 7 attacks, has made it nearly
impossible to live in the Jordan Valley.
“I used to be able to go far for my sheep to graze. Now I cannot go farther than
50 to 100 meters from my tent. The settlers are there with their own livestock
and we are not allowed near them, so they effectively are able to close off
hundreds of dunams (1 dunam = 1,000 square meters) which we cannot access,”
Daraghmeh says. “Every day, settlers attack us and try to steal our sheep,” he
continues. “I’ve personally been assaulted more than once, as have others,
pushing them to leave the area. But since October 7, the harassment and assaults
have intensified. I’ve been beaten and shot at, and settlers told me they have
no qualms about killing me.”Pastoral settlement enables settlers to take over
large swaths of land without the issuance of military orders, said Amir Daoud of
the Palestine Liberation Organization’s (PLO) Wall and Settlements Commission,
making it far more dangerous than land appropriation for housing units.“Whereas
building settler housing can involve, for example, taking over five dunams
(5,000 square meters) within a specific area, pastoral settlement does not
adhere to any borders of any kind — The boundaries of their outposts is as far
as their sheep can reach,” Daoud says. Today, their pastures cover almost twice
as much land as built-up settlements, he adds.
Settler farms are now proliferating throughout the West Bank. Since October 7,
at least 40 pastoral outposts have been established, most of which have been
built in the eastern slopes of the West Bank and the Jordan Valley, in addition
to Masafer Yata, near Hebron, Daoud said. The total number of these outposts now
nears 120, Daoud explains. (Israeli settler watchdog Peace Now puts the number
at 113). “These pastoral outposts, which have become a launching pad for
settlers to carry out attacks, have led to the expulsion of 29 Palestinian
Bedouin community clusters since October 7,” Daoud says.
The Israeli army says that it does not condone violence and that its soldiers
often act against Israelis involved in “violent incidents or incidents aimed at
Palestinians and their property.” However, some Israeli settlers acknowledge
that these outposts are the best way to control land, and last year, the Israeli
government gave over $20 million to farming outposts even though they are
technically unauthorized. JORDAN VALLEY, WEST BANK, PALESTINE - 2024/07/17:
Palestinians fill their tanks with water from the Uja River canal marked with an
Israeli flag drawn by Jewish settlers to harass the Palestinians near the city
of Jericho in the northern Jordan Valley. Palestinians fill their tanks
with water from the Uja River canal marked with an Israeli flag drawn by Jewish
settlers near the city of Jericho in the northern Jordan Valley.
About 700,000 Israeli settlers live in the occupied West Bank and East
Jerusalem, according to the United Nations’ human rights office. Dror Etkes, a
leading Israeli expert on settlements, says the point of pastoral settlement is
to push Palestinian communities out of their land as part of “a greater campaign
to empty the West Bank of Palestinian presence, which was maintained for
generations by herders”. Etkes, who has spent the last two decades documenting
and monitoring settlements in the West Bank, speaks of a pattern to take over
herding areas: Settlers assault Palestinians in the meadows and in open areas,
going as far as attacking families, including children, inside their tents and
shacks. Once the community flees, you see an outpost popping up.
Whether or not the settlers want to use the land for herding is irrelevant, he
says. “The bottom line is that herding activity is deliberately being used as a
means of displacement and dispossession and to push away Palestinian communities
from big areas of the West Bank.”The more isolated and smaller Palestinian
communities are, the more vulnerable they are to settler attacks, Etkes says.
“It’s a system,” he explains. “Once the community is forced to leave, settlers
move to the next community and so on.”
This system is maintained and bolstered by Israeli soldiers, he says, who are
often indistinguishable from the settlers themselves: “Nothing happens in the
West Bank without the involvement of the army. These outposts are equipped and
tolerated by the military.
The military is the main player.”
Pastoral settlement has received a boost from recent changes made by Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right coalition. In May, as part of a deal to
solidify Netanyahu’s rule, the Israeli military shifted civil governance duties
in the West Bank from the Civil Administration and military coordination arm,
COGAT (Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories), to a new
portfolio in the defense ministry overseen by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
Smotrich is one of the most hardline figures in Israeli politics today. His
ideology is shaped by an ultranationalist, theocratic vision that prioritizes
Jewish supremacy in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. His party,
Religious Zionism, represents the radical fringe of Israel’s right-wing,
combining religious fundamentalism with expansionist policies. His positions
align with Kahanist ideology, named after the banned extremist movement of Meir
Kahane, which calls for the expulsion or subjugation of Palestinians. Smotrich
has also long seen abolition of the Civil Administration as a means to expand
and develop settlements further, thereby extending Israeli sovereignty in the
West Bank, with annexation being the end goal. Recently, Smotrich — himself a
prominent settler — voiced hopes that a new term headed by President Donald
Trump would be an opportunity to support plans to officially annex the occupied
West Bank in 2025. Many Palestinians would be displaced or expelled should this
happen.
“I have directed the start of professional work to prepare the necessary
infrastructure to apply Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria,” he said, on
X, shortly after President Donald Trump’s election win in November. “I have no
doubt that President Trump, who showed courage and determination in his
decisions during his first term, will support the State of Israel in this move,”
he added. Israel’s claims of sovereignty in the West Bank being recognized by
the second Trump administration have a precedent, given the president recognized
the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights as officially part of the state during his
previous years in office. The area, recognized by the international community as
a part of southern Syria, was officially annexed by Israel in 2019, with a
settlement named after Trump himself.
Such a move would likely mean Daraghmeh’s family, and many others across the
West Bank, having their dwellings demolished (again) and being officially banned
from their land by military order. Since October 2023, a total of 24 Palestinian
Bedouin communities, consisting of 266 families (1,517 people), have been
forcibly displaced from their areas, according to the Wall and Settlements
Commission. Daraghmeh fears his family is next. They have already had their
tents, tools, water tanks, and belongings stolen once before, and he doesn’t
think it will be the last attempt by settlers to intimidate them into leaving
the area.
“We are living in miserable conditions,” he says. “We are surrounded by settlers
and their cattle and livestock. They started grazing in places where our cows
and sheep grazed for years. We are constantly subject to near-daily attacks and
threats. Shortly after October 7, [2023], a settler chased me to my tent and
said: ‘We are at war now. If I see you again, I will shoot you.’ I believe him.”
’No-one has the power’ to remove Palestinians from Gaza:
Turkiye’s Erdogan
AFP/February 09, 2025
ISTANBUL: Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sunday no one had the
power to remove Gazans from their war-devastated homeland, dismissing Donald
Trump’s plan to expel the Palestinians and let the US take control. “No one has
the power to remove the people of Gaza from their eternal homeland that has been
around for thousands of years,” he told a late-night news conference at Istanbul
airport before flying to Malaysia. “Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem
belong to the Palestinians.”Trump’s proposal to oust more than two million
Palestinians living in Gaza and redevelop it prompted a global backlash that has
enraged the Arab and Muslim world. The US president announced his proposal on
Tuesday at a joint news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu, who hailed it as “the first good idea that I’ve heard” on what to do
with the tiny war-torn territory.
But Erdogan appeared to dismiss it as worthless. “The proposals on Gaza put
forward by the new US administration under pressure from the Zionist leadership
have nothing worth discussing from our point of view,” he said. In an interview
with Palestinian television earlier on Sunday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan
Fidan ruled out the idea of forcing out the Palestinians from Gaza. “The
displacement of Palestinians is unacceptable,” he told the station in remarks
quoted by Turkish state news agency Anadolu, describing Trump’s proposal as
historically ignorant. The billionaire businessman said he would make the
war-battered territory “unbelievable” by removing unexploded bombs and rubble
and economically redeveloping it. But he has not said how he envisaged removing
its inhabitants. “The US will take over the Gaza Strip and we will do a job with
it, too. We’ll own it,” Trump said.
Egypt to host emergency Arab summit on Feb. 27 to discuss ‘serious’ Palestinian
developments
AFP/February 09, 2025
CAIRO: Egypt will host a summit of Arab nations on February 27 to discuss “the
latest serious developments” concerning the Palestinian territories, its foreign
ministry said in a statement on Sunday. The “emergency Arab summit” comes as
Egypt has been rallying regional support against US President Donald Trump’s
plan to relocate Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to Egypt and Jordan while
establishing US control over the coastal territory. Sunday’s statement said the
gathering was called “after extensive consultations by Egypt at the highest
levels with Arab countries in recent days, including Palestine, which requested
the summit, to address the latest serious developments regarding the Palestinian
cause.”That included coordination with Bahrain, which currently chairs the Arab
League, the statement said. On Friday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty
spoke with regional partners including Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab
Emirates to shore up opposition to any forced displacement of Palestinians from
their land. Last week, Trump floated the idea of US administration over Gaza,
envisioning rebuilding the devastated territory into the “Riviera of the Middle
East” after resettling Palestinians elsewhere, namely Egypt and Jordan. The
remarks have prompted global backlash, and Arab countries have firmly rejected
the proposal, insisting on a two-state solution with an independent Palestinian
state alongside Israel.
Peace remains a distant hope as Sudan’s battle lines shift
Jonathan Lessware/Arab News/February 09, 2025
LONDON: When two shells exploded 100 meters from Al-Nau Hospital in the Sudanese
city of Omdurman last week, medical staff felt the explosion and feared the
worst. A few days earlier, a blast at a busy market nearby killed 54 people and
injured 158. Medics had battled to treat the dozens of bloodied casualties
brought through the doors. This time the explosions killed six people, including
a hospital volunteer. Even within the devastation of Sudan’s war, two such
deadly attacks taking place within days of each other shocked those working at
the hospital. The shelling came amid an escalation in fighting across the
heavily populated Khartoum state as the Sudanese army (SAF) and its allies
attempt to retake full control of the capital from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)
militia. If successful, it would be a victory that reshapes the conflict but,
analysts say, is unlikely to bring it to an end. Jean-Nicolas Armstrong
Dangelser, Sudan emergency coordinator for the charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF),
was in Al-Nau Hospital’s emergency room at the time of the two attacks. “The map
of the conflict is changing literally by the hour,” he told Arab News. “It’s
obviously coming with a big increase of violence, because there is fighting now
spreading on multiple front lines. “The hospital staff are seeing the direct
impact of the conflict with the war wounded coming in and a lot of civilians
being affected.”The market attack and shelling near Al-Nau Hospital was blamed
on the RSF as it rapidly withdraws from greater Khartoum, which includes
Omdurman.
Trump to meet with leaders of Saudi Arabia and Egypt:
Israeli president
LBCI/Reuters/February 09, 2025
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said Sunday that U.S. President Donald Trump was
set to meet with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and possibly Saudi
Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, although he gave no dates for the
talks.
The comments, delivered in an interview with Fox News' Maria Bartiromo, came in
response to a question about Trump's recently unveiled proposal to take over and
redevelop the Gaza Strip. Herzog did not say when or where the meetings would
take place, nor did he discuss their potential content. He also noted that Trump
is due to meet with Jordan's King Abdullah in the coming days, which Jordan's
state news agency has already reported. "President Trump is due to meet with
major, major Arab leaders, first and foremost the king of Jordan and the
president of Egypt and I think also the crown prince of Saudi Arabia as well,"
Herzog said. "These are partners that must be listened to, they must be
discussed with. We have to honor their feels as well and see how we build a plan
that is sustainable for the future," Herzog added.
Analysts: Trump's Gaza plan
derails Saudi-Israel ties
Agence France Presse/February 09, 2025
U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to take over Gaza will imperil attempts to
forge landmark ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel and fuel anti-American
sentiment in the oil-rich kingdom, analysts said. Trump's proposal to redevelop
Gaza and oust the more than two million Palestinians living in the territory
prompted a global backlash and enraged the Arab world, making it difficult for
the Saudis to consider normalisation. "If this is going to be his policy, he
shut the door on Saudi recognition of Israel," James Dorsey, researcher at the
Middle East Institute of the National University of Singapore, told AFP.
Recognition of Israel by Saudi Arabia, home to Islam's holiest sites, is seen as
a grand prize of Middle East diplomacy intended to calm chronic tensions in the
region. But Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter and the Middle East's
largest economy, now faces the spectre of instability on its borders if
neighboring Jordan and Egypt suddenly house large numbers of Gaza exiles. At the
same time, Riyadh must maintain cordial relations with Washington, its long-time
security guarantor and bulwark against key regional player Iran. "When it comes
to security, Saudi Arabia has nowhere to go but to Washington," Dorsey said.
"There's nobody else. It's not China. They're not willing and they're not
able."And post-Ukraine, do you want to rely on Russia?"
Quick reaction -
The Saudis were engaged in tentative talks on normalisation via the United
States until the outbreak of the Gaza war, when they paused the negotiations and
hardened their position. They reacted with unusual speed to Trump's proposal,
made during an appearance with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in
Washington. About an hour after his comments, at around 4:00 am Saudi time, the
foreign ministry posted a statement on X that "reaffirms its unequivocal
rejection of... attempts to displace the Palestinian people from their land." In
the same statement, the Saudis rejected Netanyahu's comment that normalisation
was "going to happen", repeating their insistence there would be no ties without
a Palestinian state. Trump's plan carries real risks for Riyadh, which is
throwing everything at an ambitious post-oil economic makeover that relies on
stability to attract business and tourism. If Gazans are displaced to Egypt and
Jordan, it "will weaken two countries essential to regional stability and
particularly to Saudi security", said Saudi researcher Aziz Alghashian. "Trump's
plan, coupled with Netanyahu's approach, poses major risks for Saudi Arabia."It
highlights that they are not true partners for peace in Riyadh's eyes --
especially Netanyahu, who appears to want all the benefits without making
concessions."
'Making normalisation harder' -
Trump's declarations "will further destabilise the region and fuel anti-American
sentiment, particularly in Saudi Arabia", said Anna Jacobs, of the Arab Gulf
States Institute in Washington. "He is making Saudi-Israel normalisation harder,
not easier." Andreas Krieg of King's College London said Saudi Arabia would not
agree meekly to normalisation if ordered by Washington. Prior to the Gaza war,
the Saudis were negotiating for security guarantees and help building a civilian
nuclear program in return for Israeli ties. "They are not a U.S. vassal state
and so they're not just taking a diktat from Trump," said Andreas Krieg of
King's College London. "And I think it will stand firm on their positions,
willing to negotiate here and there. But the principal red lines remain. "Nobody
in Saudi Arabia has an interest in selling out Palestinian statehood. That is
the last and the most important bargaining chip that the Saudis have in terms of
authority and legitimacy in the Arab and Muslim world."But the question is how
Saudi Arabia and its 39-year-old de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin
Salman, will proceed. "I don't think that the Saudis will take any major steps
now," said Krieg. "They obviously have their own levers that they can use for
pressure on America, particularly in the energy sector. I don't think the Saudis
will want to use it at this point."
Trump says Musk will help uncover 'hundreds of billions' in
US government fraud
LBCI/AFP/February 09/2025
President Donald Trump said in remarks airing Sunday that Elon Musk, who is
presiding over a purge of U.S. government jobs, will help find "hundreds of
billions of dollars of fraud" in federal agencies. Speaking in a Fox News
interview set to air before the Super Bowl football championship, Trump said the
American people "want me to find" waste and that Musk, the world's richest man
and the leader of the president's cost-cutting efforts, will help "find
billions, hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud and abuse."
The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources
on February 09-10/2025
'The Palestinian People Does Not Exist'
Nils A. Haug/Gatestone Institute./February 09/2025
"The Palestinian people does not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is
only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel for our
Arab unity. In reality today there is no difference between Jordanians,
Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do
we speak today about the existence of a Palestinian people, since Arab national
interests demand that we posit the existence of a distinct 'Palestinian people'
to oppose Zionism." — Senior PLO official Zuheir Mohsen, interviewed by James
Dorsey, Trouw, March 31, 1977.
Jordan... actually was in possession of Jerusalem, if illegally, between 1948
and the 1967 Six-Day War. Jordan nevertheless, the first day of the war,
insisted on joining the other Arab countries in attacking Israel, even though
General Moshe Dayan had warned Jordan's King Hussein at the time to stay out of
it....
The Al-Aqsa Mosque would therefore have been constructed six years after
Muhamad's death: c. 570- June 8, 632 CE.
"The Palestinian people does not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is
only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel for our
Arab unity. In reality today there is no difference between Jordanians,
Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do
we speak today about the existence of a Palestinian people, since Arab national
interests demand that we posit the existence of a distinct 'Palestinian people'
to oppose Zionism." — Senior PLO official Zuheir Mohsen, interviewed by James
Dorsey, Trouw, March 31, 1977. Pictured: Mohsen in 1975.
While Islamism can be understood as an extremist political and ideological facet
of Islam, Palestinianism comprises a narrow ideological expression of such
Islamism. In particular, Palestinianism can be regarded as a subset of the
broader jihadist Islamist agenda; one of its "action-arms" so to speak.
On the world stage and promoted by the legacy media, the Palestinian issue is
relentlessly and often callously exploited by ruthless jihadist Islamists and
their sympathizers, despite the immense suffering of many innocent civilians
from both parties to the conflict. It is the gross misuse of the Palestinian
people's predicament for tactical purposes that has led to the fabricated
ideology of Palestinianism. Admittedly, the Islamist propaganda "machine" has
been partially successful in persuading the West as to the justice, however
fabricated, of the Palestinian cause.
Islamist land claims pertaining to Palestine (by which they infer all of Eretz
Yisrael - the land of Israel) are, unfortunately, based on false allegations of
illegitimate colonialist actions by the Jewish people of the area. The Jews
have, it is claimed, usurped the rights of Muslim Palestinians to their
historical land. These allegations, however, are merely a façade for covering
the true motives of jihadist Islamists who control the public narrative.
The less-than-elevating background to the "Palestinian movement" was exposed by
leading Harvard Law School Professor Alan M. Dershowitz in his June 2024 article
on the notion of Palestinianism. He explained that the dispute over land has
escalated in recent times from "a resolvable conflict over land to an
irresolvable conflict over religion." The true nature of the conflict is thus
one of religion.
The late senior PLO official Zuheir Mohsen even openly admitted in the Dutch
daily Trouw in 1977 that the Palestinian cause is actually, well, fake:
"The Palestinian people does not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is
only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel for our
Arab unity. In reality today there is no difference between Jordanians,
Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do
we speak today about the existence of a Palestinian people, since Arab national
interests demand that we posit the existence of a distinct "Palestinian people"
to oppose Zionism. Yes, the existence of a separate Palestinian identity exists
only for tactical reasons, Jordan, which is a sovereign state with defined
borders, cannot raise claims to Haifa and Jaffa, while as a Palestinian, I can
undoubtedly demand Haifa, Jaffa, Beer-Sheva and Jerusalem. However, the moment
we reclaim our right to all of Palestine, we will not wait even a minute to
unite Palestine and Jordan."
— Zuheir Mohsen to James Dorsey, "Wij zijn alleen Palestijn om politieke reden",
Trouw, March 31, 1977.
Palestinianism has nevertheless accelerated on the world stage through an
intersection of Western ideologies based on the neo-Marxist premise that if
someone succeeds, it can only have happened because they have oppressed someone
else. A situation of win-win capitalism -- with unions protecting workers, and
profit-sharing plans and investments that share the opportunity so that if an
enterprise is successful, all the investors win (and if it is not, they all
share the risk and lose) -- does not occur to them. For the Marxists, there must
always be an oppressor and an oppressed.
Recent ideologies have related, for instance, to critical race and sex-gender
constructs; allegations of settler-colonialist conflicts -- one in particular
referred to as Zionism, whereby the purportedly rightful landowners (Muslims)
are displaced by Jews, even though Jews have also lived on the land continuously
for nearly 4,000 years. Human rights violations are supposedly committed only by
Israel, whether in war or peace.
Some leaders of Western nations are complicit, whether by commission or
omission, in encouraging or tolerating Palestinianism, notwithstanding countless
violent crimes committed in the name of the "Palestinian cause" by jihadists and
their supporters. Nations that blame only Israel include Ireland, Norway, Spain,
France, Netherlands, Germany, USA, Canada and UK.
Eli Wiesel, during his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, reminded the world
that, "We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the
victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented."
Most Western leaders fail to counter jihadist attacks, jihadist sexual grooming
and mass rape of children, violence against women, stabbings, vehicular ramming
and other sociopathic behavior. They apparently want every vote.
The true motive of Islamists -- in exploiting the Palestinian issue -- might
well be to take control and ownership of the holy city of Jerusalem and the rest
of the land to which, since the Ottoman Empire, they appear to believe they are
entitled. Jordan, however, actually was in possession of much of Jerusalem, if
illegally, between 1948 and the 1967 Six-Day War. Jordan nevertheless, the first
day of the war, insisted on joining the other Arab countries in attacking
Israel, even though General Moshe Dayan had warned Jordan's King Hussein at the
time to stay out of it;
"Moshe Dayan, as Israel's Defense Minister, did attempt to keep Jordan out of
the Six-Day War in 1967. On the eve of the conflict, Dayan cautioned army
commanders in Jerusalem to avoid provoking Jordanian forces. Additionally, on
the morning of June 5, 1967, as Israel launched its preemptive strike against
Egypt, Prime Minister Levi Eshkol sent a message to Jordan's King Hussein,
stating that if Jordan made no hostile move, neither would Israel. Despite these
efforts, Jordan ultimately joined the war on June 5, 1967, after receiving false
reports of Egyptian success against Israel. This decision led to intense
fighting between Israeli and Jordanian forces, particularly in Jerusalem and the
West Bank."
All other declared reasons apart from conquering Israel are simply a mask to
distract from the real strategy for capturing all of Jerusalem and all of the
land that now constitutes Israel. In this effort, they are happily aided by
willing, often ignorant, Jew-hating sympathizers in the West, and jihadists in
various Islamic states. For this reason, a two-state solution has been
continually rejected by Islamists since even before the days of PLO Chairman
Yasser Arafat, despite the 1993-95 Oslo Accords promoting the sharing of
Israel's land. Islamists want all of it, not just portions. Israel and the
Jewish people of the world can never allow that, nor should they. The root of
Israel's current conflict with Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iran therefore
seems to focus first on Jerusalem – as does Turkish President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan. Jerusalem is the religious center of Israel and the heart of claims by
the world's three great monotheistic faiths: Judaism, Christianity and Islam --
despite Islam, among the three, having only the slightest legitimate entitlement
to the city:
The primary Islamic claim to Jerusalem, as noted by journalist Roy Hirsch and
Dr. Tanveer Zamani, founder of the People's Party of Pakistan, is based on:
"The Quranic chapter Ibrahim 14:37 recounts that God instructed Abraham to leave
Hagar and Ishmael in the barren valley of Mecca, while Isaac stayed in Canaan.
This deliberate landmark separation not only highlights the distinct identities
of these religious civilizations but also provides insights into resolving
contemporary disputes over land claims.
"The Islamic connection to Jerusalem is linked to Prophet Muhammad's brief,
one-time stop at the farthest Temple Mount during his nocturnal journey to
Heaven in 620 CE, as mentioned in Quran, Al-Isra -17:1.
["Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the
Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order
that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and
seeth (all things)." Al-Isra -17:1]
"This passage describes a fleeting visit that should not be misused as a lasting
religious claim. The stop at the Temple Mount was an initial stage of Prophet
Muhammad's nocturnal journey to Heaven, involving the witnessing of heavenly
signs on Earth before his ascension. These Holy sites, associated with earlier
prophets such as Abraham, and Isaac, lineage; Jacob, Moses, David, Solomon, and
Zakariya, served as a prelude to his ultimate ascent to Heaven. The Al-Aqsa
Mosque, established by Caliph Umar in 638 CE, was not even present during the
Prophet's time."
The Al-Aqsa Mosque would therefore have been constructed six years after
Muhamad's death: c. 570 - June 8, 632 CE
The two holiest sites for Muslims, and exclusive to them, do not include either
the Al-Aqsa Mosque or Jerusalem, but are the Sacred Mosque in Mecca (in the
direction of which Muslims pray daily) and the Mosque of the Prophet in Medina –
neither of which is anywhere near Jerusalem. Hence, declarations by Islamists
claiming Jerusalem are not founded on history, reality nor legitimacy,
notwithstanding the Palestinian Authority in 2000, "passing a law declaring
Jerusalem to be their capital."
In the result, the propagated basis for the invasions of Israel during times of
intifada and particularly on October 7, 2023, ostensibly to prevent a Jewish
take-over of the Al-Aqsa mosque, are simply false -- part of Palestinianism
propaganda claims first proposed as a pretext by Hitler's ally, the Grand Mufti
of Jerusalem, Amin al Husseini.
The October 7 jihadist operation, named "Al-Aqsa flood" supposedly to "liberate"
that part of Jerusalem's Temple Mount where the mosque is located, was therefore
founded on a gross deception. The jihadist utilization of Palestinianism was,
however, successful in gathering a mass of terrorists in a common cause to
execute the Islamist agenda of conquering Israel, "liberating" Jerusalem, and
killing all occupants. Hence the slogan, "from the river to the sea, Palestine
will be free." Again, the jihadist strategy was doomed to failure -- as are all
attempts to annihilate Israel and its people.
In 2010, Eli Wiesel explained the exclusive sacred nature of Jerusalem to Jews:
"For me, the Jew that I am, Jerusalem is above politics. It is mentioned more
than six hundred times in Scripture -- and not a single time in the Koran. Its
presence in Jewish history is overwhelming. There is no more moving prayer in
Jewish history than the one expressing our yearning to return to Jerusalem. To
many theologians, it is Jewish history, to many poets, a source of inspiration.
It belongs to the Jewish people and is much more than a city, it is what binds
one Jew to another in a way that remains hard to explain. When a Jew visits
Jerusalem for the first time, it is not the first time; it is a homecoming."
Historically, Jerusalem indisputably belongs to the Jewish people. Ever since
King David declared Jerusalem to be the capital of the nation, some 3,000 years
ago, the Jews have occupied and controlled the city -- apart from only two
occasions in history: once during the period of Roman rule and the other in more
contemporary times when Jordan refused access to the Jews before the 1967
Six-Day War.
The enduring importance of Jerusalem is not only its historical connotations but
the belief, by Jews, Christians and Muslims alike, that the city and its
surrounds is to be the redemptive center of world events leading up to the
culmination of human history (see here and here).
As regards Islam's attitude to Jerusalem:
"Islamic eschatology, as described in various Hadith and teachings, features
Jerusalem in relation to the events of the end times. The emergence of the Mahdi,
a significant figure in Islamic eschatology, is believed to occur in Jerusalem.
Additionally, Islamic belief holds that Dajjal, a false messiah, will make an
appearance, further emphasizing Jerusalem's place in eschatological narratives."
Religious Islamists, undoubtedly aware of these beliefs, would like to control
Jerusalem, in addition to Mecca and Medina, for their own purposes. Their
intent, however, can never become a reality. As Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu forcefully declared in his July 2024 address to the America's joint
Congress, "For nearly 4,000 years, the land of Israel has been the homeland of
the Jewish people. It's always been our home; it will always be our home."
Israel, with its capital of Jerusalem, is the ancestral land of the Jewish
people; they have nowhere else to call their own.
*Nils A. Haug is an author and columnist. A Lawyer by profession, he is member
of the International Bar Association, the National Association of Scholars, a
faculty member at Intercollegiate Studies Institute, the Academy of Philosophy
and Letters. Dr. Haug holds a Ph.D. in Apologetical Theology and is author of
'Politics, Law, and Disorder in the Garden of Eden – the Quest for Identity';
and 'Enemies of the Innocent – Life, Truth, and Meaning in a Dark Age.' His work
has been published by First Things Journal, The American Mind, Quadrant, Minding
the Campus, Gatestone Institute, National Association of Scholars, Jewish
Journal, James Wilson Institute (Anchoring Truths), Document Danmark, and
others.
© 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.
Arab world carves out a niche in crowded AI market
Arnab Neil Sengupta/Arab News/February 09, 2025
It is undeniable that, as of today, the Arab region is viewed mainly as an avid
consumer of technology, not a manufacturer or an innovator. Despite young Arabs’
natural affinity for smart devices and gaming and their addiction to digital
platforms and social media, it is rare to come across a cool tech gadget
assembled or manufactured in an Arab country. But that imbalance between
consumption and creation is set to narrow — and soon. As the world rapidly
embraces artificial intelligence, the initiatives some Arab countries are
undertaking in terms of research, development and investment have the potential
to transform the destiny of the region.
Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds have increased their AI investments an
estimated fivefold in the past year, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE leading the
regional push. This strategy aligns with the two countries’ broader economic
diversification efforts, which are aimed at reducing dependence on oil and gas
by investing heavily in AI and other cutting-edge technologies. Indeed, both
Arab Gulf states have made bold moves in recent years to position themselves as
global AI leaders through a combination of strategic investments, farsighted
policies and international partnerships.
They are utilizing their oil wealth to build AI ecosystems through
multibillion-dollar funding, the establishment of strategic ministries and
tie-ups with tech giants such as Google and Microsoft. Saudi Arabia aims for AI
to contribute 12 percent of its gross domestic product by 2030, while the UAE
projects a $96 billion boost from AI adoption over the same period. Other Gulf
nations have signaled an interest in tech investments, though specific incentive
figures remain unconfirmed.
In today’s continuously evolving digital environment, where the average shelf
life of skills is estimated to be less than five years, building a future-ready
workforce is easier said than done. By equipping their science and engineering
graduates with expertise in AI development, automation principles and data
science methods, the Gulf countries hope to nurture a generation of
entrepreneurs who can build AI-powered solutions tailored to public and private
sector needs.
Saudi Arabia dominates in financial scale and infrastructure, while the UAE
excels in policy innovation and private sector growth. Both aim to position the
region as a global tech corridor, rivaling Silicon Valley, by reducing reliance
on hydrocarbons and building sustainable knowledge economies. Last November,
Saudi Arabia launched Project Transcendence, a $100 billion AI initiative to
build data centers, support startups and develop infrastructure. This initiative
aligns seamlessly with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 strategy to diversify away from
oil.
The initiatives some Arab countries are undertaking have the potential to
transform the destiny of the region.
The country’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, valued at more
than $900 billion, is no longer merely an investor in Uber, Zoom, Live Nation
and Activision Blizzard. It has also become a driving force behind AI
development through the Saudi Company for Artificial Intelligence, which focuses
on large-scale AI deployments. In 2019, Saudi Arabia established the Saudi Data
and AI Authority to oversee its national AI strategy. Since then, it has
partnered with Google to invest up to $10 billion in Arabic-language AI models
and localized applications. The PIF is in negotiations with US investors for a
$40 billion AI fund, underlining its intention to be a key player in the AI
sector.
In 2017, the UAE became the first country in the world to appoint a minister of
state for AI, Omar Sultan Al-Olama. It also created the Artificial Intelligence,
Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications Office to implement its National
Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031. This office has been collaborating
with companies like Samsung and UiPath to deploy AI solutions across government
services. Since 2019, the UAE has established the Mohamed bin Zayed University
of Artificial Intelligence, which produced more than 300 AI research papers in
2024, and launched blockchain initiatives to strengthen its tech ecosystem.
Additionally, Abu Dhabi has launched a $10 billion fund targeting AI and other
sectors, with its state-backed entities G42 and Mubadala Investment Company
emerging as key Gulf investors in AI-driven projects ranging from climate
modeling to semiconductor development. MGX, which is backed by Mubadala and G42,
has partnered in fundraising efforts for OpenAI and Anthropic, while pursuing
investments in AI infrastructure and semiconductor manufacturing.
MGX’s investment areas range from AI core technologies to advanced applications
in fields such as software, data, life sciences and robotics. By tapping into
Abu Dhabi’s deep financial resources and global partnerships, it aspires to
become a dominant player in the AI and advanced technology landscape.
These bold and strategic moves by Saudi Arabia and the UAE will result in a
shift in global perceptions of the Arab region’s role in tech research and
development. The hope is that, as these initiatives mature, the Arab world will
get an opportunity to transition from being an adopter to a developer of
cutting-edge technologies. By nurturing AI talent today, Arab countries are
laying the groundwork for homegrown innovators who will power tomorrow’s digital
economy.
• Arnab Neil Sengupta is a senior editor at Arab News. X: @arnabnsg
Neighbors emerge as new allies in Turkiye’s regional policy
Dr. Sinem Cengiz/Arab News/February 09, 2025
During Syrian Arab Republic President Ahmad Al-Sharaa’s visit to Ankara last
week, reports surfaced that Turkiye and Syria were considering a joint defense
pact, including establishing Turkish airbases in central Syria and training for
Syria’s new army. However, Turkish officials told the media that it was too
early to talk about any pact on military bases. At the same time, they did not
deny the reports over Turkiye’s support to improve the capacity of the Syrian
army. This is the first time that any elements of a strategic defense
arrangement with Damascus have come to light.
For many years, Turkiye provided political and military support to the Syrian
forces fighting the regime and other elements in the war-torn country. However,
signing a pact to train Syria’s new army would mark a step forward. A similar
pact, in the form of a memorandum of understanding, was last year signed between
Turkiye and another of its neighbors, Iraq.
Last April, Ankara and Baghdad agreed on a broad and comprehensive range of
areas of cooperation, such as military training. Turkish President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan stated that the accord aimed to enhance the capabilities of the Iraqi
security forces, maintain dialogue in the fight against common threats and
contribute to regional security. The accord was the outcome of Turkiye’s
diplomatic efforts in Iraq after many years of tension in their relations.
These efforts have borne fruit, as the Iraqi National Security Council took
significant action by banning the activities of the PKK, which Turkiye
designates as a terrorist organization and views as a threat to Iraq’s security.
Al-Sharaa has also vowed that his government would prevent the PKK and the YPG
from using Syria as a base for operations against Turkiye.
The PKK and its offshoots in Iraq and Syria have long been an issue of
contention in Turkiye’s relations with its neighbors. Due to both domestic and
bilateral reasons, this issue has rarely been a point of cooperation. Instead,
it has often been used as a tool by governments that sought to challenge Ankara,
such as the ousted Assad regime.
In the past, Turkish-Iraqi relations were seriously strained by the military
operations conducted by Turkish troops in northern Iraq against the PKK. The
presence of Turkish troops in Bashiqa camp, which was established in 2015 near
the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, was a major factor. However, as a result of
the new accord, a joint training and cooperation center in Bashiqa is to be
established, in which responsibility will lie with the Iraqi armed forces.
The reality is that Ankara is focused on securing defense pacts with Syria and
Iraq primarily due to concerns over terrorism linked to the PKK and its
offshoots. Aligning with both Damascus and Baghdad on this issue provides
Turkiye with a sense of relief, while sparking expectations over the end of the
terrorist group. Defense agreements often lead to economic cooperation, as
countries in such pacts tend to collaborate on resource-sharing initiatives.
Turkiye cannot change its neighbors, but it does have the ability to shape its
relations with them. Looking back in history, Ankara’s first rapprochement with
the Middle East was driven more by the needs of realpolitik (the securitization
of Turkish borders) than by any deeper interest in allying with regional states.
An example of this is the Saadabad Pact, which was a defense accord signed in
1937 between Turkiye, Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan. It was one of the earliest
attempts to create a regional security framework in the Middle East, reflecting
the desire of these countries to cooperate at a time of great instability.
Although it did not last long due to the events of the Second World War, the
pact marked an important moment in regional diplomacy, particularly for Turkiye
and its neighbors.
Another key defense agreement Turkiye was involved in was the Baghdad Pact,
signed in 1955, which was aimed at countering Soviet influence during the Cold
War. After Iraq’s withdrawal in 1958, the pact was renamed the Central Treaty
Organization, with its headquarters moved to Ankara. However, this alliance also
gradually dissolved. These examples highlight how regional pacts have
historically brought neighboring countries together in response to common
threats.
While the memorandum of understanding signed with Iraq and the potential one
with Syria are not on the same level as these historic pacts, they reflect
ongoing efforts to bring regional countries together under a security framework.
This is also evident in Ankara’s plans to collaborate with Syria, Iraq and
Jordan to combat the remnants of Daesh. Such a move could allow the US to
distance itself from the YPG elements it currently backs in Syria. Turkish
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated: “Turkiye, Iraq, Syria and Jordan need to
unite to fight Daesh. We are capable of doing that and, God willing, this is the
step we will take as four countries in the near future. We have already held
preliminary talks for this process.”
One final point to highlight is that defense agreements often lead to economic
cooperation, as countries in such pacts tend to collaborate on resource-sharing
initiatives. Turkiye, Iraq and Syria share significant transboundary river
basins, making water a key issue of concern between them. However, the defense
agreement signed with Iraq also paved the way for a multibillion-dollar
strategic water agreement with Turkiye. A similar arrangement could be adopted
with Syria, transforming water from a point of contention into an area of
cooperation, especially in a situation where the three countries work together
to address security threats. The strategic interests of Turkiye, Iraq and Syria
are deeply interconnected within their shared region. New defense pacts or their
equivalent, with enhanced technology and intelligence sharing, could build a
more integrated and resilient security framework for the region.
*Dr. Sinem Cengiz is a Turkish political analyst who specializes in Turkiye’s
relations with the Middle East. X: @SinemCngz
Why Saudi Arabia insists on a Palestinian state
Hassan Al-Mustafa/Arab News/February 09, 2025
In September 2024, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman addressed the opening
of the ninth session of the Shoura Council, stating unequivocally: “The
Palestinian issue is at the forefront of our country’s attention, and we renew
the Kingdom’s rejection and strong condemnation of the crimes of the Israeli
occupation authority against the Palestinian people.” He emphasized that “the
Kingdom will not cease its tireless work toward the establishment of an
independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital,” and
underscored that “the Kingdom will not establish diplomatic relations with
Israel without that.”
This statement represents one of the most significant diplomatic addresses from
Saudi Arabia in recent decades, as it emerged within a highly sensitive
political and security context. This period has witnessed pivotal changes in the
Middle East, including Israel's genocidal actions in Gaza, which were followed
by military actions in Lebanon and territorial annexations in Syria. These
developments have propelled the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu, allied with the extreme religious right, toward increased aggression
and a desire to terminate the two-state solution, thereby imposing a new fait
accompli in favor of Israel, not only in Palestine but also regionally, under
which Israel is crowned as the leader of the Middle East. This situation is
clearly rejected by Riyadh.
In addition, in the latter months of President Joe Biden’s administration, the
US actively pursued normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel. However,
Riyadh, which supports the peace process, has established very challenging yet
realistic and straightforward conditions. These conditions include the desire
for a strategic security and defense agreement with the US, as well as a clear
and reliable commitment from the Israelis to advance a path that ensures the
rights of the Palestinians and the establishment of an independent state with
East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with UN resolutions.
Some people perceive these Saudi policies as a maneuver, particularly in light
of the critical discourse from the Kingdom regarding certain Palestinian
factions or the mismanagement of the Palestinian Authority. Additionally, the
fact that some of these factions are allied with Iran or maintain an
antagonistic stance toward Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council
countries contributes to this perception.
However, it is often overlooked that Saudi Arabia is not an emotional state and
its policies are not based on reactive measures. Instead, the country operates
according to a strategic vision that prioritizes its national security first and
the broader Arab national security second. Consequently, Riyadh has not limited
itself to narrow calculations but has instead considered the larger context of
the Middle East.
It recognizes the genuine threat posed by aggressive Israeli policies,
understanding that the destruction of Gaza, assaults on the West Bank and the
displacement of Palestinians will not lead to peace. Rather, these actions are
likely to foster further extremism and violence, potentially creating a new
generation that is willing to take up arms against Israel — not only within the
Occupied Territories but also among sympathizers from various countries around
the world, which could lead to wider conflicts.
It is often overlooked that Saudi Arabia is not an emotional state and its
policies are not based on reactive measures.
Hence, the rapid issuance of a clear statement by the Foreign Ministry last week
can be understood within this context, as it refuted and rejected the
discussions that took place between US President Donald Trump and Netanyahu
regarding the resettlement of Palestinians in Egypt and Jordan, as well as Saudi
Arabia’s stance on relations with Israel.The Saudi statement issued shortly
after the meeting between Trump and Netanyahu emphasized that Saudi Arabia’s
position regarding the establishment of a Palestinian state is “firm and
unwavering.” Furthermore, “this firm stance was explicitly affirmed” by the
crown prince at the Shoura Council meeting last September.The statement also
reiterated Riyadh’s firm rejection of “any actions that undermine Palestinian
rights, including Israeli settlement expansion, land annexation, and any
attempts to forcibly displace Palestinians from their homeland.” The statement
emphasized that “a just and lasting peace cannot be achieved without ensuring
the Palestinian people receive their full legitimate rights under international
resolutions, a position Saudi Arabia has made clear to both the previous and
current US administrations.”
Riyadh is keen to maintain a distinguished relationship with Washington,
particularly following a phone conversation between the crown prince and
President Trump last month, during which discussions took place regarding
investments potentially worth up to $600 billion, with the possibility of more.
Additionally, Trump praised the crown prince and his achievements in an
interview with Al Arabiya during his election campaign. However, this does not
imply that Saudi Arabia will unconditionally accept American policies; rather,
Riyadh will assert its role as a significant regional power with its own
international standing and independent policies. The Kingdom will vigorously
pursue efforts to solidify this position, aiming to achieve regional peace.
Saudi Arabia recognizes that peace cannot be achieved without the involvement of
the Palestinians. Its status as the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques
necessitates an active role in the Islamic world. The Kingdom cannot accept the
policies of Trump and Netanyahu aimed at displacing the Palestinians, as such
actions pose a significant threat to both Saudi national security and the
stability of Arab nations. This critical aspect has been overlooked by Trump and
ignored by Netanyahu in their discussions.
This will be a particularly challenging phase. However, Saudi Arabia has
extensive experience in engaging with US presidents. This experience is
characterized by a combination of firm stances and diplomatic flexibility, as
well as strong security and economic partnerships. Furthermore, Riyadh’s
relationship with Washington is state-to-state, facilitated through
institutional frameworks, providing greater sustainability. Through this
approach, Saudi Arabia aims to foster closer cooperation while ensuring that its
interests remain intact and that the already-fragile Arab security is not
compromised.
**Hassan Al-Mustafa is a Saudi writer and researcher interested in Islamic
movements, the development of religious discourse and the relationship between
the Gulf Cooperation Council states and Iran. X: @Halmustafa
Transfer of Palestinians an existential threat to Jordan
Osama Al-Sharif/Arab News/February 09, 2025
Tens of thousands of Jordanians across the kingdom battled cold and rain after
Friday prayers to demonstrate against President Donald Trump’s shocking
declaration that the US would “take over” and “own” Gaza, while displacing more
than 2 million Palestinians who live there. Trump made the outrageous remarks
during last week’s press conference at the White House with Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A few days before, he had called for the
displacement of Gaza residents to Jordan and Egypt, supposedly on humanitarian
grounds. He suggested that Gazans would remain in exile temporarily or
long-term.
His statements were quickly rebuffed by the leaders of Jordan and Egypt, as well
as by the Palestinian Authority, Saudi Arabia, the Arab League and dozens of
world capitals. More importantly, they were rejected by war-weary Gazans who are
trying to cope with catastrophic living conditions in the wake of a shaky
ceasefire agreement following 15 months of an Israeli onslaught that left 90
percent of the Strip in ruins and more than 50,000 dead.
Following Trump’s declaration, which sent ripples across Washington and world
capitals, his aides tried to contextualize what had been said. They said that no
US troops would be sent to Gaza and that Gazans would not be forcibly removed
from their native land. They added that the US was willing to help in the
cleanup effort but would not be involved in the reconstruction.
Trump’s call on Jordan to receive the people of Gaza came less than a week
before King Abdullah was scheduled to meet the US president at the White House.
The call to displace millions of Palestinians, while quickly welcomed by Israeli
extremists, sent shock waves through Amman. No one had imagined that a sitting
US president would depart so far from decades-old policy on the
Israeli-Palestinian issue in a way that would also threaten the stability of a
close ally — in this case, Jordan.
King Abdullah managed to cope with Trump’s Middle Eastern policy during his
first term, but not without significant political losses. Trump’s recognition of
Jerusalem, including the occupied Eastern part, as Israel’s capital delivered a
severe blow to the two-state solution, which Jordan, along with the rest of the
international community, champions. That move undercut Jordan’s role as
custodian of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. And when Trump unveiled his peace plan
to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, King Abdullah was quick to reject it,
along with the Palestinians.
Now, Trump has come up with a provocative proposal that Jordan and Egypt receive
almost 2 million Palestinians from Gaza. And when the two countries reject such
a proposal, Trump doubles down by saying they will eventually do just that.
So, just two weeks after Trump was sworn in, Jordan has found itself in the eye
of a political storm as a result of the president’s crude suggestion. The fact
that the displacement of Palestinians is against international law — a crime of
ethnic cleansing — does not seem to have deterred Trump. On Thursday, he
suggested that Israel should hand over Gaza after finishing off Hamas, a
disturbing sign that the war could resume at any moment.
The fear is that Israel could use the US president’s suggestions to push for the
annexation of the West Bank.
But aside from the legal caveats to Trump’s proposal, what is worrying to Jordan
is that the US president is now embracing an extremist Israeli proposition that
seeks to expel Palestinians from their historical homeland and transfer them to
Jordan. The Likud and other ultranationalist Israelis have peddled the notion
that Jordan should become the de facto Palestinian state.
King Abdullah has made the transfer of Palestinians, especially from the West
Bank, a red line for the kingdom. His foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, has said
that any transfer would be interpreted as a declaration of war. Jordanian
lawmakers have called for the enactment of a law that prohibits the transfer of
Palestinians into Jordan.
Jordan has become an even closer ally of the US in the past decade, joining the
war against Daesh and, more recently, allowing America to use Jordanian
airbases. The kingdom’s military importance for the US has grown following the
latter’s withdrawal from Afghanistan. In return, the US supports the Jordanian
treasury with billions of dollars annually through grants and soft loans.
Trump’s decision to suspend all USAID activities worldwide has particularly hit
Jordan. The US agency is involved in tens of projects covering health,
education, sanitation, Syrian refugee support, water, and economic and political
development. Amman fears that Trump could use Jordan’s financial and economic
dependency on the US as a tool to extract concessions.
But while a majority of pundits believe that Trump’s Gaza proposal will never
fly, the fear is that Israel could use the president’s suggestions to push for
the annexation of the West Bank, which would eventually lead to forcing its
Palestinian inhabitants to leave for Jordan.
Unlike Egypt’s relationship with the people of Gaza, tens of thousands of West
Bankers are also Jordanian citizens. The crossings between the kingdom and the
West Bank have been open since the 1967 war and thousands use the bridges
between the two banks of the River Jordan every day.
Israel has been waging a vicious war against Palestinian refugee camps in the
West Bank for three weeks now. Under this far-right Israeli government,
Palestinians in the West Bank have been subjected to a wave of settler attacks,
economic strangulation, expropriation of land, mass incarceration and collective
punishment — all aiming to push residents to leave.
The death of the two-state solution and normalization of such calls to transfer
Palestinians pose an existential threat to the kingdom.
Transfer would mean the end of the right of return for almost 2 million
Palestine refugees already living in Jordan. While supporting Palestinian
steadfastness on their land is the first line of defense, Jordan is taking
nothing for granted.
Trump’s Gaza proposition is dangerous and must be rejected outright by all.
However, the future of Gaza is now a significant challenge for the world
community. What Trump has failed to understand is that the fundamental
Palestinian right to self-determination must be honored and recognized. They
have earned that right and must be allowed to exercise it.
Jordan will never be an alternative homeland for the Palestinians. Transfer can
never be normalized or considered as an option.
*Osama Al-Sharif is a journalist and political commentator based in Amman. X:
@plato010
Gaza…the Riviera and the Pit
Tariq Al-Homayed/Asharq Al Awsat/February 09/.2035
President Donald Trump bewildered everyone—in the region, the world, and the
United States—with his “idea” to displace the people of Gaza to Jordan and
Egypt, rebuild it as an American territory, and transform it into the “Riviera
of the Middle East.”
The confusion continues as Trump continues to develop and elaborate on this
unfeasible idea that would require deploying three times as many troops as the
US sent to topple Saddam Hussein's regime. It would also require immense
financial resources that neither Trump's Washington nor regional nations can
afford. The outrage seen in the Arab world, where the “idea” of displacing
Gaza’s inhabitants has been roundly rejected and denounced, is understandable
and justified. However, we must remember that this is the same President Trump
who wanted to annex Canada to the United States, take Greenland as well, reclaim
the Panama Canal, and rename the Gulf of Mexico—in other words, change the map
of the world!
That is not feasible, and it would likely do nothing but create more confusion
globally. How could the US own or seize Gaza, attempt to annex Canada and
Greenland—both being the “land of the people”—while simultaneously waging war
alongside Europe against Russia over Ukraine and antagonizing China over Taiwan?
True, the idea of displacing Gaza’s inhabitants is dangerous and insane. But is
it the only insane idea concerning Gaza? Certainly not. Far more dangerous ideas
have been implemented and are being implemented. This has been the case for
years, but it has not provoked such forceful reactions. Let’s compare. Which is
more dangerous: displacing Gaza’s inhabitants or destroying Gaza, causing the
deaths of nearly 50,000 people, injuring over 96,000, and leaving 60% of its
buildings either destroyed or damaged, making it take no less than five years to
rebuild? Which is worse: displacement or forcing over two million people to
endure five wars over a territory that spans just 360 square kilometers?
Which is more dangerous: displacement or the ongoing Palestinian split that
makes the dream of statehood impossible? Which is worse: displacement or Gaza
being ruled by Hamas, with half its members living in tunnels and the other half
staying at hotels, while its people live under an open sky, exposed to Israeli
airstrikes? Which is more dangerous: displacement or Gaza’s fate being dictated
by Iran’s “Beirut room,” which was overseen by Hassan Nasrallah at the time, and
before him, by Qassem Soleimani?
And which is more dangerous: Trump’s insane idea or the Palestinian Authority
admitting that before the war even ends, it has no plan for the day after?
Which is more dangerous: negotiating with Iran over Gaza or negotiating with
Trump over his displacement “idea”? The answer is very simple: they are all
dangerous—Trump’s “idea,” Hamas’ actions, the Palestinian Authority’s
short-sightedness, and its failure to rise to the occasion and understand their
implications for the Palestinian cause as a whole. Therefore, all insane ideas
must be rejected with one voice and equal outrage, and a plan for the day after
must be implemented immediately. The first step, before even considering
reconstruction or the completion of a ceasefire, must be for the Palestinian
Authority to take control of Gaza and implement the needed reforms. Anything
less would amount to nothing but running in circles, leaving the door open for
more insane “ideas” that could destroy not just Gaza, but the entire Palestinian
cause. Otherwise, Gaza and the cause itself risk falling into a continuous cycle
of decline: “from a hole to a pit,” as the old proverb goes.