English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For February 14/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible Quotations For today
I am among you as one who serves. ‘You are those
who have stood by me in my trials; and I confer on you, just as my Father has
conferred on me
Saint Luke 22/24-30: “A dispute also arose among them as to which
one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. But he said to them, ‘The kings
of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called
benefactors. But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like
the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. For who is greater, the one
who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I
am among you as one who serves. ‘You are those who have stood by me in my
trials; and I confer on you, just as my Father has conferred on me, a kingdom,
so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on
thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on February 13-14/2025
Gobran Bassil & Micheal Aoun Are Actually The Enemies Of The Lebanese
Christians/Elias Bejjani/February 12/2025
Theoretically, Nawaf Salam’s Interview Was Encouraging… But Doubt and Fear
Remain Regarding Implementation/Elias Bejjani/February 11/ 2025
It Is Astonishing to See a Rational Lebanese Praises Michel Aoun & Fails To See
Him For What He Truly Is/Elias Bejjani/February 11, 2025
Video Link to an interview with Engineer Alfarad Madi: Iran has sold out
Hezbollah and assigned Berri to represent the Shiites.
Berri: Lebanon Refuses Israeli Demand to Stay in Five Southern Locations After
Feb. 18
Confusion at Beirut Airport after Iranian Plane Prevented from
Flying...Hezbollah Supporters Block the Road and the Army Intervenes
France proposes deploying “UNIFIL” in sites in southern Lebanon that Israel
wants to extend its presence in
Renewed Israeli raids... and Lebanon refuses to postpone Israel's withdrawal
Israeli raids on the Litani River and the towns of Zebqin and Yater in southern
Lebanon
Lebanese President: Contacts are ongoing to compel Israel to withdraw on
February 18
Israel claims Hezbollah smuggling cash via Beirut airport
Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon: Latest developments
Berri and Paris don't trust US promises on Israel withdrawal
Top minister confirms Israel to keep 5 army posts in Lebanon
Aoun in contact with US, France over 'solution' for Israeli withdrawal
Hezbollah delegation invites Aoun to Nasrallah's funeral
Alfa Clarifies Service Outage, Announces Compensation for Subscribers
Is Saad Hariri Eyeing a Major Comeback to the Lebanese Political Scene?
Israel Extends Occupation of Southern Lebanon
Liberation and Justice!/Hanna Saleh/Asharq Al-Awsat/February 13/2025
Once More: From Political Politics to Societal Politics/Hazem Saghieh/Asharq Al-Awsat/February
13/2025
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on February 13-14/2025
Kremlin says Putin-Trump meeting needs to be organized 'promptly'
Trump Says he Would Probably Meet with Putin in Saudi Arabia
Trump and Putin set to meet in KSA, US denies it's a 'betrayal' of Ukraine
Egypt, Qatar 'overcome' Gaza truce obstacles
Hamas says 3 Israeli hostages will be freed on Saturday as planned
A ‘Country of Particular Concern’: Iran Rearrests Two Christians for Practicing
Their Faith
A ‘Country of Particular Concern’: Iran Rearrests Two Christians for Practicing
Their Faith
France Urges Syrian Transitional Govt to Partner Coalition Fighting ISIS
Britain to Adapt Syria Sanctions Regime
British PM Says Ukraine Must Be 'at the Heart' of Any Peace Talks
US hits international court's top prosecutor with sanctions after Trump's order
Titles For
The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources
on February 13-14/2025
Gaza: The New Switzerland of the East? What About Us?/Marc Saikali/This
is Beirut/February 13/2025
Trump’s question for Arab rulers Are they with America or against
America?/Clifford D. May/The Washington Times/February 13/2025
Resettling Gaza...Is it the right thing to do and can it work? Yes it
can./Daniel Greenfield/Gatestone Institute/February 13, 2025
The Trump Administration Acts to Arm Israel and Signals Desire to Reform U.S.
Security Assistance/Bradley Bowman/FDD-Insight/February 13/2025
The Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on February 13-14/2025
Gobran Bassil & Micheal Aoun Are Actually The
Enemies Of The Lebanese Christians
Elias Bejjani/February 12/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/02/140118/
Gebran Bassil, Michel Aoun, and the swarm of opportunists surrounding them, are
the last people on Earth who have any right or legitimacy to claim the
representation of Lebanese Christians or their rights. Someone should do Bassil
a favor and tell him that Lucifer, the king of the devils himself might
represent Lebanon’s Christians rights and governing positions a million times
more than he, his father-in-law Micheal Aoun, and their masters the Iranian
Mullahs and the toppled Syrian Assad, the butcher.
Bassil needs to drop the charade and stop masquerading as a defender of
Christian rights. His relentless media propaganda, filled with lies and
heresies, must come to an end. Lebanese Christians deserve a break from his
childish stupidity and shameless deception.
A free piece of advice: Gebran Bassil should back off and not forget—or pretend
to forget—that he is the only Lebanese Christian and Maronite in history to be
officially sanctioned for corruption by the United States. With that in mind, he
should drop the so-called "Christian rights" issue from his agenda, step aside,
and spare the people from his endless chatter and nonsense.
Theoretically, Nawaf Salam’s Interview Was Encouraging… But Doubt and Fear
Remain Regarding Implementation
Elias Bejjani/February 11/ 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/02/140093/
For years, I have never trusted the Nasserist Arab nationalist Nawaf Salam.
Today, despite his verbal constitutional and legal approaches in his interview
with TL , he has neither reassured me nor dispelled my doubts and fears. The
real judgment on his mission as as the PM will be based on actions, not words.
It Is Astonishing to See a Rational Lebanese Praises Michel Aoun & Fails To See
Him For What He Truly Is
Elias Bejjani/February 11, 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/02/140059/
Michel Aoun, by undeniable facts and evidence, is corrupt, a Judas, and an enemy
to his homeland. He abandoned his slogans, betrayed his people, and traded
Lebanon’s sovereignty for a presidential chair on which he was nothing more than
a ghost for six years. He built his popularity on opposing the Syrian occupation
and attacking it, only to later whitewash it as an “experience marred by some
mistakes.” Then, he signed a pact with Hezbollah—the party of Satan—dedicated to
erasing Lebanon, its identity, and its history.
We, as Maronites, have never known a leader or politician who has harmed us,
humiliated our history, and distorted our national conscience more than he has.
It is truly baffling that any sovereign-minded Lebanese, or any rational
person—could see Aoun, his son-in-law, or anyone of the opportunists who
remained with him after his disgraceful pact with Nasrallah, as anything other
than a Lasiffors of destruction, perhaps even more catastrophic than him by
light-years.
Video Link to an interview
with Engineer Alfarad Madi: Iran has sold out Hezbollah and assigned Berri to
represent the Shiites.
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/02/140165/
The Iranian duo specializes in lies, deception, and
historical falsification, while its concept of victories is mere hallucinations
and delusions.
If Hezbollah insists on maintaining its Iranian ideology, it should go to Iran.
Its leaders must be prosecuted, and legal action should be taken against Iran.
Berri: Lebanon Refuses
Israeli Demand to Stay in Five Southern Locations After Feb. 18
Asharq Al-Awsat/February 13/2025
Lebanon's powerful parliament speaker Nabih Berri said on Thursday that Beirut
rejected Israel's demand to remain in five locations in the south after the
deadline for fully implementing a fragile ceasefire deal next week. Israel's
public broadcaster said on Wednesday the US had authorized a "long term" Israeli
troop presence in southern Lebanon, after sources told Reuters Israel had sought
an extension to a Feb. 18 deadline to withdraw its forces. Under a truce deal
brokered by Washington in November, Israeli troops were granted 60 days to
withdraw from southern Lebanon where they had waged a ground offensive against
fighters from Lebanon's armed group Hezbollah since early October. Hezbollah
combatants were to leave the zone and Lebanese troops were to deploy in the area
within the same period. The initial deadline has already been extended from
January 26 until February 18. A Lebanese official and a foreign diplomat in
Lebanon told Reuters on Wednesday that Israel had now asked to remain in five
posts in the south for a further 10 days. Israeli public broadcaster KAN later
cited senior officials in Israel's security cabinet as saying that the US had
granted Israeli troops permission to stay "in several locations" in Lebanon
beyond February 18. It did not specify a new deadline. The US State Department
did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The US, Israel's closest
military ally, chairs a committee that oversees the implementation of the
Lebanon ceasefire.
Later on Wednesday, Israel military jets broke the sound barrier over the
Lebanese capital Beirut for the first time since the ceasefire was agreed. There
was no immediate response to a request for comment sent to Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office, but the head of the Israeli military's
Northern Command said he believed the terms of the deal would be executed. "I
think we will indeed reposition ourselves next week and the agreement will be
implemented," Major General Ori Gordon said on Wednesday, according to Israel's
GLZ radio. Israel's military spokesman Avichay Adraee said in a post on X on
Wednesday that Israeli troops remained in Lebanon after the first extension, and
ordered Lebanese citizens not to return to their homes in the country's south
"until further notice". In a written statement, Lebanon's presidency denied
reports that Beirut had agreed to a second extension and said President Joseph
Aoun had "repeatedly stressed Lebanon's insistence on the complete withdrawal"
of Israeli troops by Feb. 18. The ceasefire deal ended more than a year of
conflict between Israel's military and Hezbollah that was playing out in
parallel with the Gaza war. The fighting peaked in a major Israeli air and
ground campaign that uprooted more than a million people in Lebanon and left the
Iranian-backed Hezbollah badly weakened, with most of its military command
killed in Israeli strikes. Israeli forces have remained in parts of southern
Lebanon and its air force has continued to carry out strikes across the country
on what it says are Hezbollah weapons stores or attempts by the group to smuggle
arms. Hezbollah has said it does not accept Israel's justifications for staying
in Lebanon and has urged Lebanon's government to ensure the troops leave. The
group has not explicitly threatened to resume fighting.
Confusion at Beirut Airport
after Iranian Plane Prevented from Flying...Hezbollah Supporters Block the Road
and the Army Intervenes
Beirut: Youssef Diab/Asharq Al-Awsat/February 13, 2025
Beirut International Airport witnessed a state of confusion during departure
flights due to the blocking of all roads leading to and from the airport by
hundreds of Hezbollah supporters who prevented passengers from entering and
exiting it in their cars, in protest against not allowing an Iranian plane
carrying Lebanese passengers to take off from Tehran Airport on Thursday
afternoon and head to Beirut, which caused hundreds of passengers to be late to
the airport on time. The movement of Hezbollah supporters came against the
backdrop of the publication of videos on social media of dozens of Lebanese, who
were on a religious visit to Iran, protesting at Tehran Airport because they
were prevented from returning to Beirut. The activists announced in the
recordings they widely distributed that “the plane was supposed to take off at
2:30 pm Tehran time (1 pm Beirut time), and was prevented from taking off from
Tehran airport.” They said: “Our country’s government is unable to make a
decision to receive its citizens, due to a tweet by the Israeli army spokesman (Avichay
Adraee) in which he spoke about transferring Iranian money through it to
(Hezbollah).” Information indicated that the Directorate General of Civil
Aviation at Rafik Hariri International Airport informed Tehran airport that it
“would refrain from receiving the Iranian plane that was heading to Beirut
shortly before its takeoff time.” An informed source at Beirut airport
attributed the reason to “the availability of information indicating that this
plane is carrying money for (Hezbollah), and that this matter endangers the
airport’s security.” The source confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that “the decision
to ban the plane from taking off was issued by the Ministry of Public Works and
Transport, but it does not include all flights coming from Iran to Beirut so
far, but this flight in particular, due to doubts about its cargo, especially
since the airport is closely monitored, and its management is taking
precautionary measures to avoid endangering airport security.” What angered the
protesters was that the ban on the Iranian plane came hours after a tweet by
Avichay Adraee, who accused the Iranian Quds Force and Hezbollah of exploiting
Beirut International Airport over the past few weeks through civilian flights,
in an attempt to smuggle funds allocated to arm Hezbollah, with the aim of
carrying out attacks against Israel. Hundreds of cars were stuck on the old
airport road, and on the highway linking the airport to downtown Beirut. The
sources indicated that “dozens of passengers were forced to get out of their
cars and travel on foot, some on motorcycles.” This development required the
intervention of the Lebanese army, which sent more than 200 soldiers and
officers to the points where the road was blocked, and began procedures to open
them. A security source reported that the army “took the necessary measures to
open the airport road and return traffic to normal.” He confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat
that “the protesters have the right to express their rejection of what happened
to their relatives, but it is not permissible under any reason to block the
airport road and prevent passengers from arriving and catching their flights.”
He said, “We understand the dissatisfaction of the protesters who expressed
their anger, but the security of people heading to or leaving the airport and
their freedom of movement cannot be used as a means of pressuring the state or
others.”
France proposes deploying “UNIFIL” in sites in southern Lebanon that Israel
wants to extend its presence in
Paris/Asharq Al-Awsat/February 13, 2025
Paris announced on Thursday that it had proposed deploying soldiers from the
United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), including French
soldiers, in sites still occupied by the Israeli army in the south of this
country, in order to allow for a “complete and final withdrawal” of the Hebrew
state from its northern neighbor. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said
at a press conference in Paris at the end of the international conference on
Syria that “the ceasefire has been extended until February 18, the expected date
for the final Israeli withdrawal.” Vehicles of the United Nations peacekeeping
forces (UNIFIL) during a patrol in southern Lebanon on July 6, 2023... Spain
contributes about 700 soldiers to the UNIFIL forces (Reuters) But the Hebrew
state announced that it wanted to keep its forces in five locations in southern
Lebanon after February 18, a demand that Beirut strongly rejected. Barrot added:
“We worked on formulating a proposal that could meet the security aspirations of
Israel, which plans to stay for a longer period.” He continued: “We proposed
that certain forces from UNIFIL, including French forces, be deployed at these
observation points,” noting that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres “agreed”
to the French proposal. He pointed out that “it is now up to us to convince the
Israelis that this solution allows for a complete and final withdrawal.” Under
the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon, in effect since November 27,
the Lebanese army was to deploy in the south alongside the UN peacekeeping
force, while the Israeli army was to withdraw within a 60-day period, later
extended until February 18. The agreement also stipulated that during this
period, Hezbollah would dismantle its military infrastructure in southern
Lebanon, near the border with Israel, and withdraw from all areas south of the
Litani River.
Renewed Israeli raids... and Lebanon refuses to postpone
Israel's withdrawal
Al-Madina/Zainab Zaiter/Al-Madina/February 13, 2025
Israeli warplanes raided, in two waves, the riverbed between the towns of Yahmar
al-Shaqif, Deir Siryan and Zutar al-Sharqiya. The warplanes also launched three
raids on Wadi Maryamin between Zebqin and Yatar in southern Lebanon. Channel 14
reported that "the air force is attacking targets in Lebanon with artillery and
warplanes." Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee said in a statement that "air
force warplanes raided a short while ago, under intelligence guidance from the
Intelligence Authority and the Northern Command, military sites belonging to the
terrorist Hezbollah that contained combat equipment and missile platforms that
posed a direct threat to the Israeli home front." He added: "The terrorist
activities inside these sites constitute a blatant violation of the
understandings between Israel and Lebanon." He said: "The IDF continues to work
to remove any threat to the State of Israel and is determined to maintain the
understandings between Israel and Lebanon in order to prevent the repositioning
and reconstruction of Hezbollah." This comes as part of a series of Israeli
violations, which are heating up the Lebanese political scene, in addition to
the escalating crisis over the Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon.
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri met in Ain al-Tineh with the head of the
ceasefire monitoring committee, US General Jasper Jeffers, in the presence of US
Ambassador to Lebanon Lisa Johnson. During the meeting, Berri stressed his
rejection of any extension of the Israeli withdrawal deadline set for February
18, stressing his rejection of the deployment of any foreign forces on the
Lebanese border, considering that the Lebanese army and UNIFIL forces are ready
to carry out this mission. In a chat with journalists, Berri revealed that the
Americans informed him that the Israeli occupation will withdraw from the
villages it still occupies on the 18th of this month, but will remain in five
points, stressing that he informed them, in the name of the three presidents, of
"Lebanon's absolute rejection of this matter." He added: "I refused to talk
about any extension of the withdrawal period, and it is the Americans'
responsibility to impose this, otherwise they will have caused the biggest
setback for the government. If the occupation continues, the days will tell.
This is the responsibility of the Lebanese state, and the army is doing its full
duty south of the Litani. As for the north of the Litani, this matter is up to
the Lebanese and a dialogue table to discuss a defense strategy."
A decisive test
In light of these tensions, the Israeli newspaper "Haaretz" revealed that Israel
has requested to postpone the withdrawal of its forces from five strategic
points in southern Lebanon, indicating that the US administration has not yet
decided its position on this request. Bloomberg also quoted Israeli Minister of
Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer, as saying that Tel Aviv will keep these points
even after the ceasefire period ends, which raises questions about Israel's true
intentions and its ability to abide by international agreements. This Israeli
position puts the United States before a delicate test, especially since the
agreement it sponsored to end the war was part of its diplomatic efforts in the
region. Observers fear that the continued Israeli occupation of sites south of
the Litani will undermine Washington's credibility as a guarantor of the
implementation of Resolution 1701, especially since Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu continues to justify keeping his forces at these points with
security considerations. In light of these developments, President of the
Republic General Joseph Aoun intensified his contacts with the relevant
international parties, starting with French President Emmanuel Macron, asking
him to intervene to pressure Israel to abide by the terms of the agreement,
considering France a partner alongside Washington in sponsoring the agreement.
Aoun's moves also included communicating with a number of European countries to
mobilize a unified position against Israel's attempts to evade its obligations,
at a time when the Israeli army continues its violations of the ceasefire
agreement, threatening to re-escalate in southern Lebanon.
Israeli raids on the Litani River and the towns of Zebqin
and Yater in southern Lebanon
Beirut/Asharq Al-Awsat/February 13, 2025
Lebanese media reported that Israel launched raids on the Litani River and the
towns of Zebqin and Yater in the south of the country. In return, the Israeli
army said it bombed military sites belonging to Hezbollah that contained weapons
and missile launchers in southern Lebanon, as the targeted weapons posed a
direct “threat” to Israel. Under the truce agreement
brokered by Washington in November, Israeli forces were given 60 days to
withdraw from southern Lebanon, where they had launched a ground offensive
against Lebanese Hezbollah militants since early October. Hezbollah fighters
were scheduled to leave the area and Lebanese forces were scheduled to deploy
there during the same period.
Lebanese President: Contacts are ongoing to compel Israel
to withdraw on February 18
Beirut/Asharq Al-Awsat/February 13, 2025
The Lebanese National News Agency reported on Thursday that President Joseph
Aoun confirmed that his country is following up on contacts to compel Israel to
withdraw from Lebanese territory on February 18, in accordance with the
ceasefire agreement. Aoun stressed that Lebanon wants to restore the confidence
of countries and encourage “brothers from Arab and Gulf countries to invest in
Lebanon.” The ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, which was reached last November,
stipulates “the withdrawal of the Israeli army from southern Lebanon and the
removal of (Hezbollah) from the region with the deployment of the Lebanese army
within 60 days, and the agreement was extended until February 18.” The media
office of the Lebanese presidency denied, in a statement on Wednesday evening,
the accuracy of what was circulated by the media about an agreement between
Lebanon and Israel to extend the ceasefire until after Eid al-Fitr.
Israel claims Hezbollah smuggling cash via Beirut
airport
Naharnet/February 13/2025
The Israeli army claimed overnight that the Iranian Quds Force and Hezbollah
have been exploiting civilian flights landing at Beirut airport over the past
few weeks in an alleged attempt to “smuggle funds aimed at arming Hezbollah with
the objective of carrying out attacks against the State of Israel.”The Israeli
army “remains in contact with the ceasefire monitoring mechanism and
continuously relays specific information to thwart these transfers. Despite the
efforts made, we estimate that some of these money smuggling attempts have
succeeded,” Israeli army Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee said in a post
on X. He added that the Israeli army “will not allow Hezbollah to arm itself and
will act through all means at its disposal to enforce the implementation of the
ceasefire understandings in order to ensure the security of the citizens of the
State of Israel.” Earlier this month, the Iranian foreign ministry said media
reports claiming that Tehran was sending money to Hezbollah through Beirut
airport were “an Israeli media campaign aimed at obstructing reconstruction” in
Lebanon. The Wall Street Journal had reported that Israel had complained to the
U.S.-led ceasefire committee that "Iranian diplomats and others are delivering
tens of millions of dollars in cash to Hezbollah to fund the group’s
revival."The American newspaper said it had learned from a U.S. defense official
and other sources that Israel had threatened to strike Beirut’s international
airport if Iran kept using it to allegedly smuggle aid to Hezbollah.
According to the daily's sources, Israel claimed that Iranian envoys had been
flying from Tehran to Beirut’s airport with suitcases stuffed with U.S. dollars
and that Turkish citizens had also been smuggling money from Istanbul to Beirut.
The report said a Lebanese security official assured that Beirut's airport is
under tight control to prevent smuggling cash to Hezbollah but that valuable
items like gemstones and diamonds could pass undetected.
Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon: Latest developments
Naharnet/February 13/2025
Israel is still pressing to win U.S. approval for retaining five strategic hills
in south Lebanon that it deems as strategic for the security of its settlements,
something that Lebanon has categorically rejected, media reports said. “France
has once again launched a mediation and French President Emmanuel Macron
communicated with President (Joseph) Aoun and informed Israel of the Lebanese
stance that rejects any extension of occupation,” informed sources told al-Akhbar
newspaper. Other sources told the daily that U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus will
return to Beirut next week and will “brandish the five posts card in the faces
of Lebanese officials.”Israel’s Kan channel meanwhile said that the Israeli army
has started constructing five posts inside Lebanese territory after Israel won a
U.S. permission for keeping military forces in these posts after Tuesday’s
ceasefire deadline.
Berri and Paris don't trust US promises on Israel
withdrawal
Naharnet/February 13/2025
Speaker Nabih Berri “does not trust all the promises that are being made by the
Americans” regarding the Israeli army’s withdrawal from south Lebanon by the
Feb. 18 deadline, his visitors said. The French who are part of the ceasefire
monitoring committee have also not concealed their lack of confidence in
Washington’s desire to press Israel to withdraw from all the locations it has
occupied, the visitors told al-Joumhouria newspaper. Official Lebanese sources
meanwhile told the daily that “intensive contacts have taken place with the U.S.
and French ceasefire sponsors to settle that the Israeli withdrawal will take
place on time.” “The French side is in continuous contact with the Israeli side
and is exerting major efforts to finalize the withdrawal on time,” the newspaper
quoted “credible” sources as saying.
Top minister confirms Israel to keep 5 army posts in
Lebanon
Naharnet/February 13/2025
Israel will hold onto five strategic high points just inside Lebanon after next
Tuesday’s ceasefire deadline requiring it to withdraw all troops, a top Israeli
government official told U.S. news outlet Bloomberg. The Israeli army will
redeploy but retain those five positions “until Lebanon implements its treaty
obligations,” Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, who’s one of Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s closest confidants, said in a telephone interview.
Dermer also said that Lebanon’s obligations do not involve pushing Hezbollah
away from the border but rather removing its arms.
Aoun in contact with US, France over 'solution' for Israeli
withdrawal
Naharnet/February 13/2025
President Joseph Aoun said Thursday that he is continuing his contacts to compel
Israel to withdraw its forces from south Lebanon by the February 18 deadline. In
a meeting with a delegation from Lebanon’s Press Syndicate, Aoun said he is
communicating with influential countries, especially the United States and
France, in order to reach the “appropriate solution.”A top Israeli government
official has told U.S. news outlet Bloomberg that Israel will hold onto five
strategic high points just inside Lebanon after next Tuesday’s ceasefire
deadline that requires it to withdraw all troops. The Israeli army will redeploy
but retain those five positions “until Lebanon implements its treaty
obligations,” Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, who’s one of Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s closest confidants, said in an interview. Dermer
also said that Lebanon’s obligations do not involve pushing Hezbollah away from
the border but rather removing its arms.
Hezbollah delegation invites Aoun to Nasrallah's funeral
Naharnet/February 13/2025
A Hezbollah delegation led by MP Mohammad Raad on Thursday handed President
Joseph Aoun an invitation to attend the funerals of slain Hezbollah leader
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and his successor Sayyed Hashem Safieddine. Hezbollah
officials have been visiting the country’s leaders and heads of political
parties to invite them to the funeral that will be held on February 23 at
Beirut’s Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium. Hezbollah supporters and invitees
from 79 countries are supposed to fill the stadium and the neighboring streets.
"After security conditions prevented holding a funeral" during two months of
all-out war between Hezbollah and Israel that ended on November 27, Hezbollah
has decided to hold "on February 23 a grand... public funeral" for Nasrallah,
Hezbollah’s current leader Sheikh Naim Qassem said in a televised speech earlier
this month. "We hope that it will be a grand funeral procession befitting this
great personality," he said. Safieddine will be buried "as Secretary-General" or
leader of Hezbollah, because "we had... elected His Eminence Sayyed Hashem as
Secretary-General... but he was martyred on October 3, a day or two before the
announcement," Qassem added. Nasrallah will be buried on the outskirts of Beirut
"in a plot of land we chose between the old and new airport roads," while
Safieddine will be buried in his hometown of Deir Qanoun in southern Lebanon, he
said. Nasrallah had been temporarily buried elsewhere due to security concerns,
Qassem said. Shiite Muslim rites provide for such a temporary burial when
circumstances prevent a proper funeral or the deceased cannot be buried where
they wished. Last October, a source close to the group had told AFP that
Nasrallah had been buried in a secret location, for fear Israel would target a
large funeral. Nasrallah led Hezbollah since 1992, and is seen as a
transformative leader to the group, which grew from a local militant group into
a regional paramilitary force with an influential political presence in Lebanese
government. The deeply religious Safieddine, a cleric with family ties to
Nasrallah, had been widely viewed as the most likely candidate for the party's
top job. Safieddine, a member of the group's governing Shura Council, had strong
ties to Iran after undergoing religious studies in the Islamic republic's holy
city of Qom.
Alfa Clarifies Service Outage, Announces Compensation for
Subscribers
This is Beirut/February 13/2025
Alfa, the mobile operator, explained the reasons behind Wednesday’s disruption
of several of its services. In a statement, the company attributed the outage to
a technical issue that occurred while updating an outdated router used for data
transmission.
Alfa apologized to its subscribers and reassured them that its network is
undergoing modernization to accommodate technological advancements and a
significant increase in data consumption, which reached 164,000 terabytes in
2024. The operator also committed to providing prior notice for future major
updates to prevent similar disruptions. Furthermore, Alfa revealed plans to
offer a “commercial gesture” to affected subscribers as compensation. The
details of this gesture will be shared in the coming days via the company’s
official channels, including social media and SMS.
Is Saad Hariri Eyeing a Major Comeback to the Lebanese Political Scene?
Natasha Metni Torbey/This is Beirut/February 13/2025
February 14, 2025, could mark a turning point in the current political
landscape. After six years away from the Lebanese political scene, following his
resignation as prime minister in 2019, and 20 years after the assassination of
his father, Rafic Hariri, Saad Hariri may be preparing a significant comeback.
At least, that is what his team has been hinting at in recent weeks, ahead of a
speech he is set to deliver on the 20th anniversary of his father’s tragic
death. Rafic Hariri, a statesman who profoundly shaped the country’s modern
history, remains a pivotal figure. Saad Hariri’s anticipated return has sparked
questions: Is this the prelude to a full-fledged political comeback?
The country is currently undergoing a period of transition. A government led by
Nawaf Salam saw the light recently, awaiting a vote of confidence from
Parliament in the upcoming days. With the main objective of stabilizing the
country on several fronts ahead of the next legislative elections, scheduled for
May 2026, the new cabinet has about a year and a half to steer Lebanon out of
the deep political and economic crisis in which it has been mired for several
years. In this context, the key question being raised is the timing of Saad
Hariri's return, as outlined by the media campaign launched to support it. Can
the former prime minister regain his leadership role within the Lebanese Sunni
community, and perhaps more broadly in national politics? Is he positioning
himself to leverage the timing and the upcoming legislative elections to
reaffirm his political standing? This comes at a time when, after years of
instability and the absence of an obvious leader for the Sunni community, Saad
Hariri's return is seen by some as a response to the expectations of part of the
population—especially those who believe that his leadership is needed now more
than ever to ease internal tensions and ensure a measure of political stability
within the community.
However, the situation remains complex. The Lebanese political landscape has
evolved, and beyond the internal issues within the Sunni community, national
politics is now fragmented. With Salam’s government in place, any attempt by
Saad Hariri to make a political comeback would need to occur within a political
framework different from the one in which he navigated a few years ago. This is
a daunting task, fraught with challenges.
A Comeback That Falls Short
The issue of a “political change” in Lebanon has been raised repeatedly since
the launch of the media campaign regarding Saad Hariri's potential return to the
country. “Certainly, the reasons for Hariri’s departure are no longer relevant
today,” notes Antoine Andraos, former MP and former vice president of the Future
Movement. “The situation has evolved, and while we are waiting for his speech, I
remain personally skeptical about a true political comeback on his part.
However, it is certain, based on the information I have, that he will launch an
initiative within his party to prepare for his participation in the upcoming
legislative elections.” Until then, the former prime minister, who resides in
Abu Dhabi, is unlikely to settle in Lebanon, though he may visit occasionally.
Ahmad Hariri, Secretary General of the Future Movement, has already begun paving
the way for his cousin's political return. He toured various regions of Lebanon
in recent months, “with the goal of gauging public opinion and assessing the
true popularity and influence of Saad Hariri,” as Andraos explained to This is
Beirut. According to the former vice president of the party, Saad Hariri will
need to carefully evaluate his participation in the upcoming legislative
elections by first reviewing the electoral law, which, in the last elections,
allowed the Lebanese Forces (LF) to gain ground. “This is a crucial factor he
must consider, as the law is clearly unfavorable to him,” says Andraos, adding
that such a step “represents one of the most significant challenges for his
political future.”
Relations with Regional and International Powers
Saad Hariri has long been seen as a figure closely aligned with Saudi Arabia, a
key ally in the region. However, in recent years, relations between Lebanon and
Saudi Arabia have been tested, particularly following Hariri’s resignation in
2019. Back then, the sense of foreign interference in Lebanon’s internal affairs
further exacerbated political tensions. Today, while the situation remains
delicate, it seems that the relationship between Saad Hariri and Saudi Arabia
may not be as strained as it appears. There are indications that the Kingdom
might be open to a “gradual” return of the Sunni leader, although factors such
as the situation in Syria, internal rivalries in Lebanon and shifting regional
dynamics could affect the outlook. “I don't believe that Saudi Arabia has given
Saad Hariri a clear green light for a strong political comeback,” notes Andraos.
“The Kingdom would certainly not oppose his initiative regarding the legislative
elections, but it seems unlikely that it will now focus all its efforts and
support on one individual,” he adds. “It is still premature to make a definitive
assessment, and Saudi Arabia will most likely give Nawaf Salam a chance.”
Furthermore, Andraos pointed out that it would be wise for Hariri to strengthen
his relations with the Christian communities. As Saad Hariri contemplates a
potential comeback to the Lebanese political scene, he faces a dual challenge: a
weakened Lebanon and the need to restore the trust of a population weary of
unfulfilled promises. His upcoming speech on February 14 could mark the first
step toward this reconciliation, but it will also need to address the pressing
question on the minds of his supporters: What direction does Saad Hariri truly
intend to take?
Israel Extends Occupation of Southern Lebanon
Beirut: Youssef Diab/Asharq Al-Awsat/February 13/2025
The Israeli Army is seeking an extension to a Feb. 18 deadline to withdraw its
forces from southern Lebanon, Israel's public broadcaster said on Wednesday,
despite Beirut’s rejection and contacts made by the authorities with diplomatic
missions to pressure Israel into completing its pullout by next Tuesday. Israel
said the United States has authorized it to remain at several points in Lebanon
beyond the agreed date for its full withdrawal, public broadcaster Kan TV
reported, citing senior cabinet officials. However, the office of the Lebanese
presidency dismissed media reports claiming that Lebanon and Israel had agreed
to extend the ceasefire beyond Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, which falls at the end
of March this year. President Joseph Aoun “has repeatedly emphasized Lebanon’s
insistence on the full withdrawal of the Israeli forces within the set deadline
of Feb. 18,” his office said in a statement. Israeli media revealed that
“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked US President Donald Trump to
delay the withdrawal from Lebanon once again.”Furthermore, it claimed that
“Israel presented evidence to the Americans that the Lebanese army has not
addressed Hezbollah's violations.”Under a truce deal brokered by Washington in
November, Israeli troops were granted 60 days to withdraw from southern Lebanon
where they had waged a ground offensive against fighters from Hezbollah since
early October. The initial deadline has already been extended from January 26
until February 18.
A Lebanese official and a foreign diplomat in Lebanon told Reuters on Wednesday
that Israel had now asked to remain in five posts in the south for a further 10
days. Lately, Lebanon has been exerting pressure on Israel through diplomatic
channels to respect the scheduled withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern
Lebanon. On Wednesday, Aoun urged European Union countries to apply pressure on
Israel to complete its withdrawal within the deadline set for Feb. 18.
Meanwhile, a Lebanese security source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Lebanese
army is preparing to deploy, before the 18th of this month, in all villages
where the Israeli occupation forces are currently stationed. “The Lebanese state
will reject any change of the ceasefire agreement,” the source said, adding that
any extension to the Feb. 18 deadline is “unjustified.”The source held the
international committee responsible for overseeing the implementation of the
agreement. He refused to say what could happen if the occupation forces were to
remain in southern Lebanon even one hour after the deadline. But the source
added: “The Lebanese army will implement any decision the government will take
on the matter.”Meanwhile, the Israeli forces continued to bomb houses in the
villages they occupy in southern Lebanon, demolishing what remained of the
structures. They have not yet removed their military positions as a prelude to
their withdrawal. Former Lebanese government coordinator to UNIFIL General Monir
Shehadeh told Asharq Al-Awsat that if Israel does not withdraw on Feb. 18, Aoun
and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam will exert pressure on the sponsors of the
ceasefire agreement, especially the United States and France. On Monday, The
Jerusalem Post wrote that the US conveyed to Israel that its forces must
withdraw from southern Lebanon by Feb. 18, with no further extensions to the
ceasefire being granted. US National Security Council Spokesperson Brian Hughes
told the newspaper that “Israel’s withdrawal remains on the existing timeline,
and they did not request an extension.”In case the Israeli forces refuse to
respect the ceasefire agreement, Shehadeh said southern Lebanon might witness a
popular rally like the one that happened at the end of the 60-day deadline.
“Civilians will attempt to enter the occupied villages with bare chests,” he
said. As for Hezbollah’s reaction to any extension of the withdrawal, Shehadeh
said: “The resistance (Hezbollah) might attack Israeli occupation positions
inside Lebanese towns.”However, he said, such decision would have negative
consequences, including the return of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah and
the displacement of thousands of residents from their homes. “Hezbollah does not
want this, unless it is dragged into a new war,” he said.
Liberation and Justice!
Hanna Saleh/Asharq Al-Awsat/February 13/2025
"Liberation and Justice" is a hypothetical title for the ministerial statement
of Lebanon's "reform and rescue" government. Nawaf Salam’s appointment as prime
minister, following the election of President Joseph Aoun, was seen as a
positive surprise by the public.
This shock soon gave rise to immense optimism about the formation of the new
president’s first government. Its prime minister revived the principles of the
Taif Agreement and the constitution in forming the government, breaking with the
Doha Agreement's ad hoc conventions: the "blocking third" under the pretext of
"sectarian balance". He largely succeeded in appointing non-partisan ministers,
favoring so-called "competent figures", and presenting a government that does
not resemble any of the governments that have been formed since the Taif
Agreement and have taken us to rock bottom. As a result, this government almost
looks like a normal government in a functional country.
Despite the significant political shift that led to his appointment (largely
propelled by the winds of the October Revolution), the government has a notable
flaw: none of the "October" youths are represented, although they have vast
capabilities and expertise. Their exclusion could have been avoided, as most
cabinet members were imposed by Salam. Ignoring these October activists thus
marks an extension of the policy of sidelining elites who had played a pivotal
role in exposing the corrupt system, forcing it into the defensive, and bringing
Salam to the fore as the October-endorsed candidate to lead a government of hope
and change. The serious October forces, despite recognizing this flaw in the
reform and rescue government, are developing their organizational structures to
build a strong popular bloc that pushes for change. This bloc seeks to present
the Lebanese with a program that underpins their campaign in the spring 2026
general elections, in which they will nominate candidates for every seat in
Lebanon’s 128-member parliament.
That said, this effort will not prevent them from engaging selectively with the
government, which includes many figures who share the October movement's vision.
As the country awaits the ministerial statement, a broad set of challenges and
pressing tasks loom. Full liberation is at the heart of this challenge- success
is pivotal to reclaiming the hijacked state. Achieving this objective demands a
firm approach to securing a permanent ceasefire, the enforcement of Israel’s
unconditional withdrawal, and implementing UN Resolution 1701 within a short
time frame. It also entails ensuring that only legitimate state forces have the
right to bear arms, as well as the deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces along
the southern, eastern, and northern borders.
It is clear that the international community will not provide aid- whether for
reconstruction or economic recovery- if those goals are not achieved. The first
step is putting an end to Hezbollah’s narrative of both the ceasefire agreement
and the UN resolution. Disregarding the fact that the resolution applies to all
of Lebanon, starting with the south, is unacceptable. The government must also
remain vigilant and stand against any attempts by Hezbollah to compensate for
its military losses.
The era of illegal arms has ended. Hezbollah has lost its legitimacy and can no
longer override the constitution, national interests, and the will of the
people. It has lost the war, and with it, every justification it has used to
defend its arsenal- justifications that were never valid in the first place.
What was once described as a deterrence force has instead led to the country's
destruction and drawn occupation of our territory. Even within Hezbollah’s own
base, that militarization is futile. With Iranian influence waning in Syria, its
grip on Lebanon must also come to a definitive end.
As for ensuring justice, it is the ultimate test- the standard by which
everything else will be measured. Trust in the government will either be
solidified or completely evaporate depending on this issue. Justice must begin
with an independent judiciary capable of delivering accountability for Beirut,
the victims of the port explosion, and those wounded during the revolution. This
must be a binding commitment. Moreover, justice for the Lebanese people, who
have suffered immensely, must be non-negotiable. Their deliberate impoverishment
and the judiciary’s subjugation by politicians have deprived citizens of their
basic rights and left tens of thousands of families living in destitution.
The major challenge in ensuring justice is formulating a fiscal reform plan that
breaks with the policies of the past five years, which have placed the burden of
the crisis on the most vulnerable segments of society while completely
disregarding the people's economic hardships.
It must be emphasized that without a just resolution to the deliberate crisis of
deposits, the government cannot be one of "rescue and reform." If it fails to
act, it risks losing the trust of the public, and Lebanon risks failing to
restore confidence in its banking sector, which needs to be rebuilt from the
ground up. Without a functioning banking system, we cannot have a productive
economy, and consequently: we would not create employment opportunities, grow
our economy, or prosper.
Nawaf Salam’s government, which is supposed to lay the foundations of a new era,
faces another challenge. Beyond the critical issue of the Ministry of Finance
and its implications, there is mounting apprehension that the government could
be gridlocked by the 10 cabinet members who are either board members of banks or
legal representatives of banks. Was Judge Nawaf Salam given assurances that the
cabinet he has assembled will adhere to the long-disregarded principle of
justice in Lebanon? This is a country where immunity, special courts, and laws
ensuring impunity have long shielded the powerful. Will this government truly
break that cycle, or will it fall into familiar patterns?
Once More: From Political Politics to Societal Politics
Hazem Saghieh/Asharq Al-Awsat/February 13/2025
A striking phenomenon has been observed over the past few weeks: the extreme
elation of most Syrian and Lebanese citizens has been conjoined with extreme
caution. Without the elation disappearing, caution has entered the frame -
coupled with suspicions in some cases, criticism in others, and negation tinged
with despair in others still. Behind these sentiments stand legitimate questions
about communal relations in both societies, and whether the new political elites
can mend the cracks or defuse the explosive potential of these social schisms.
It is as though, in this part of the world, we are condemned to apprehension
looming over our joy and disconcertion permeating our attempts to perceive
developments, making the temporary permanent and turning wary anticipation into
a national sport.
If the Assad family had firmly sealed off politics in Syria, the Lebanese have
had two (March 14, 2005, and October 17, 2019) practice runs of mixed
expectations and the betrayals of hopes.
However, the more cautious, and less trusting of appearances, among us worry
because of some past events in neighboring countries that reinforce their
caution. In Iraq, for instance, celebrations of Saddam’s overthrow were
short-lived; some even went as far as mourning his horror-ridden era. As for the
Libyans, their country was swept by a civil war almost immediately after they
put Gaddafi under the dust.
There are certainly many differences that distinguish each of the cases above
from the others - some are tied to the countries themselves, others to the phase
in which the events unfolded or the scale of the setbacks. Nevertheless, it
might be time to plainly assert that our countries do not have a reliable
interior, or that they have several inherently conflictual interiors that all
dismiss the others. That is the reason for the exceptional significance of (both
negative and positive) external powers’ roles. In this sense, the "struggle for"
our countries renders the talk of "sovereignty" nothing more than lyrical prose.
These countries’ experiences are largely defined by the collapse of national
loyalties at the hands of two opposing forces: military-security regimes and
Islamist movements - or, in Lebanon’s case, the alliance between spoil-sharing
and the containment of political life through militias and the magic of
"resistance." With these sickles, national identities were nipped in the bud,
and consensus on every question of what the homeland stood for was debilitated.
"Who are we?" continues to elicit a multitude of divergent answers in each of
these countries. Even when there is broad consensus on nominal identification
with the country, as a functional fait accompli, the essence of this national
identity and the direction it should take remain subjects of dispute.
Is "Lebanese identity," for instance, defined by fighting Israel or steering
clear of conflicts? Is suspicion of Iran inherent to "Iraqi identity," or does
this identity encourage aligning with Iran? In Syria, the reemergence of the
debate over whether the republic is simply "Syrian" or "Arab Syrian" speaks
volumes - to say nothing about the battle over which of the two flags represents
the country.
Of course, the frailty of our countries’ national fabric - even before this
problem was exacerbated by military regimes, militias, and rampant corruption -
has fed on several factors. One is the profound legacy of rejecting the
"Sykes-Picot statelets" without presenting alternatives, except the two
miserable experiments of Faisal’s Kingdom in Damascus and the "United Arab
Republic."
For a number of reasons, nothing ever came of the kernels of modern and
modernist politics; these forces never grew into influential political actors
capable of transcending sectarian and ethnic divisions or forging bonds that cut
across communities. This state of affairs is especially apparent during moments
of intense polarization when the need for political forces grows but such hopes
are swiftly dashed. As a result, vengeance has become a powerful feature of our
debates, in which distant origins and histories are prominent themes that are
accompanied by rivalries of rural roots, over "heroism,manhood," and
"martyrdom."Our societies, therefore, do not gain much from simplistic modernist
narratives built on the dichotomies like "the people" versus "the regime" or
"society" versus "the authorities," or the poor dichotomies propelled by this
narrative ("patriotic" and "unpatriotic,corrupt" and "un-corrupt,bourgeois" and
"toiling masses") with the expectation that a revolution or reforms will do away
with the bad guys and ensure the good guys’ victory. Putting such
oversimplification aside, the middle ground between the opposite sides of the
binary is not necessarily destined to disappear in the way European Marxism had
predicted, with the petty bourgeoisie eventually "sorted" into one of the two
camps, joining either the bourgeoisie or the proletariat.
This does not imply that no faction can address typical political questions
better than another, be it in terms of having more of a national consciousness
or less of the radical consciousness embodied by military and resistance
movements. However, it does mean that our problem extends beyond politics in the
conventional sense. Our society is multiple societies, and its culture is
multiple cultures, just as even the unity of authority is itself constantly
threatened with fragmentation under the weight of communal, sectarian, ethnic
and regional discord. If we were to use the language of art, we could say that
those societies are three-dimensional rather than two. Their surface is
determined not by their height and width, but height, width, and depth at the
same time... This deserves a share of our intellectual attention, which today
remains overwhelmingly focused on political politics.
The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on February 13-14/2025
Kremlin says Putin-Trump meeting needs to be organized 'promptly'
Agence France Presse/February
13/2025
The Kremlin said Thursday that a face-to-face meeting between Donald Trump and
Vladimir Putin needed to be organized "promptly", after the two presidents held
a lengthy phone call the day before. "There is definitely a need to organize
such a meeting quite promptly, the heads of state have a lot to talk about,"
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. The Kremlin added it not only
wanted negotiations on Ukraine with the U.S., but also on European security and
the "concerns" of Moscow, which in 2021 demanded that NATO roll back to its 1997
borders. "Certainly, all issues related to security on the European continent,
especially in those aspects that concern our country, the Russian Federation,
should be discussed comprehensively, and we expect that to be the case," Kremlin
spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
Trump Says he Would
Probably Meet with Putin in Saudi Arabia
Asharq Al-Awsat/February 13/2025
US President Donald has said that he would “probably” meet in person with
Russian leader Vladimir Putin in the near term, suggesting that could happen in
Saudi Arabia. Trump said on Wednesday that he and Putin had agreed to begin
negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine. Trump said he spent more than an hour
on the phone with Putin and “I think we’re on the way to getting peace." He
noted that he later spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, but he
was noncommittal about whether Ukraine would be an equal participant in US
negotiations with Russia. “I think President Putin wants peace and President
Zelenskiy wants peace and I want peace," Trump told reporters in the Oval
Office. “I just want to see people stop being killed.”Of his conversation with
Putin, Trump said, “People didn’t really know what President Putin’s thoughts
were. But I think I can say with great confidence, he wants to see it ended
also, so that’s good — and we’re going to work toward getting it ended and as
fast as possible.”In a post on his social media platform, he said Secretary of
State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, national security adviser
Michael Waltz and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff would lead negotiations on
ending the war. Zelenskiy's office said the conversation with Trump lasted for
about an hour. "I had a meaningful conversation with @POTUS. We... talked about
opportunities to achieve peace, discussed our readiness to work together ...and
Ukraine's technological capabilities... including drones and other advanced
industries," Zelenskiy wrote on X. No Ukraine peace talks have been held since
the early months of the conflict, now approaching its third anniversary.
Trump and Putin set to meet in KSA, US denies it's a 'betrayal' of Ukraine
Associated Press/February 13/2025
Several NATO allies stressed on Thursday that Ukraine and Europe must not be cut
out of any peace negotiations as U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth denied that
the United States is betraying the war-ravaged country.
European governments are reeling after the Trump administration signaled that it
is planning face-to-face talks with Russia on ending the Ukraine war without
involving them, insisted that Kyiv should not join NATO, and said that it's up
to Europe to protect itself and Ukraine from whatever Russia might do next.
"There can be no negotiation about Ukraine without Ukraine. And Ukraine's voice
must be at the heart of any talks," U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey told
reporters at NATO headquarters, as the organization's 32 defense ministers met
for talks on Ukraine. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said: "For me,
it's clear … that Europe must be involved in the negotiations — and I think
that's very easy to understand," particularly if Europe is "supposed to play a
central or the main role in the peace order." Europe, he said, "will have to
live directly" with the consequences, so "it goes without saying that we must be
part of the negotiations." Hegseth denied that the U.S. has betrayed Ukraine by
launching negotiations about its future without Kyiv's full involvement. After
talks with Putin and then Zelenskyy, Trump said on Wednesday he would "probably"
meet in person with the Russian leader in the near term, possibly in Saudi
Arabia. "There is no betrayal there. There is a recognition that the whole world
and the United States is invested and interested in peace. A negotiated peace,"
Hegesth told reporters. Hegseth warned that the war in Ukraine must "be a wakeup
call" for NATO's European allies to spend more on their own defense budgets.
Twenty-three of the 32 member countries were forecast to have met the
organization's guideline of spending 2% of gross domestic product on their
national defense budgets last year, but a third still do not. But Hegseth's
French counterpart, Sébastien Lecornu, described the wrangling over greater
defense spending as "a false debate," saying that governments and parliaments
across Europe are already approving more weapons purchases and bigger military
budgets while helping Ukraine stave off an invasion. Lecornu warned that the
future of NATO itself is now in question. "To say that it's the biggest and most
robust alliance in history is true, historically speaking. But the real question
is will that still be the case in 10 or 15 years," he said, after the U.S. — by
far NATO's biggest and most powerful member — signaled that its security
priorities lie elsewhere, including in Asia. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte,
who was chairing Thursday's meeting, said that whatever agreement is struck
between Russia and Ukraine, it is crucial that the "peace deal is enduring, that
Putin knows that this is the end, that he can never again try to capture a piece
of Ukraine." Touting Europe's investment in Ukraine, Swedish Defense Minister
Pål Jonson said European nations provided about 60% of the military support to
Kyiv last year and must be involved, especially given U.S. demands that Europe
take more responsibility for Ukraine's security in the longer term. "It's very
natural that we're engaged into the discussions," Jonson said. His Estonian
counterpart, Hanno Pevkur, underlined that the European Union has driven
sanctions against Russia, has invested heavily in Ukraine's defense, and will be
asked to foot the bill for rebuilding the war-ravaged country. "We have to be
there. So there is no question about it. Otherwise this peace will not be long
lasting," Pevkur warned.
Egypt, Qatar 'overcome'
Gaza truce obstacles
Agence France Presse/February 13/2025
Egypt and Qatar have successfully "overcome obstacles" hindering the completion
of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, Egyptian state-aligned media reported Thursday.
Citing an official source, Extra News said that Israel and Hamas were now
committed to fully implementing the deal following a round of disputes that had
called it into question. The fragile ceasefire faced a significant test after
Hamas said it would delay the next release of hostages scheduled for Saturday,
alleging Israel has violated the truce by firing on people in Gaza and not
allowing the agreed-upon number of tents, shelters and other vital aid to enter
the territory. Since the truce started on Jan. 19, Israeli fire has killed at
least 92 Palestinians and wounded more than 800 others, said Munir al-Bursh,
director general of the Health Ministry, on Tuesday. The Israeli military says
it has fired on people who approach its forces or enter certain areas in
violation of the truce. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with the
support of President Donald Trump, has warned that Israel would resume fighting
if hostages are not freed on Saturday. Trump has threated that “all hell” will
break out if the militant group does not release the remaining Israeli hostages
held in Gaza by Saturday.
Hamas says 3 Israeli hostages will be freed on Saturday as planned
Associated Press/February 13/2025
The Palestinian militant Hamas group said Thursday it would release the next
group of three Israeli hostages as planned, in a reversal of its previous
statement and raising the prospect of resolving a major dispute over the
ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Hamas had threatened to delay the next release of
Israeli hostages, accusing Israel of failing to meet its obligations to allow in
tents and shelters, among other alleged violations of the truce. Israel had
threatened to renew its offensive if hostages were not freed. There was no
immediate comment from Israel on Hamas’ announcement but if the hostages are
freed, that would allow the ceasefire to continue for now, though the its future
remains in doubt. The fragile ceasefire has mostly held since it started on Jan.
19. During the first phase of the ceasefire, Hamas has committed to freeing a
total of 33 hostages captured in its Oct. 7, 2023, attack in exchange for Israel
releasing nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. The sides have carried out five
swaps since Jan. 19, freeing 21 hostages and over 730 Palestinian prisoners so
far. The war could resume if no agreement is reached on the more complicated
second phase of the ceasefire, which calls for the return of all remaining
hostages and an indefinite extension of the truce.
A ‘Country of Particular Concern’: Iran Rearrests Two Christians for Practicing
Their Faith
FDD/February 13/2025
Latest Developments
Iran’s Renewed Discrimination: The Islamic Republic once again incarcerated two
Christians in Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison for practicing their faith, the
religious freedom group Article 18 reported on February 10. Iran had previously
arrested the pair — Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh, a Christian convert from Islam, and
Joseph Shahbazian, an Iranian-Armenian — and sentenced them to 10 years in
prison for their leadership of house churches. However, the regime pardoned them
before they completed their sentences, releasing Gol-Tapeh in October 2022 after
nearly five years in jail and Shahbazian in September 2023 after more than a
year in jail. A Leading Persecutor of Christians: While the Islamic Republic’s
constitution formally recognizes Christians as a protected religious minority,
the clerical regime has long sought to repress the faith. According to the 2025
annual report of the Christian advocacy group Open Doors, Iran ranks ninth among
the world’s top persecutors of Christians. The report notes that Tehran regards
Christian converts from Islam as a particular threat, with the regime “stating
that they are influenced by Western countries to undermine Islam and the
regime.” In prison, the report further observes, “Christian converts are treated
worse than other inmates, denied exercise, phone calls, and subjected to torture
and extended interrogation.” U.S. Commission Condemns Iran’s Religious
Persecution: The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has
repeatedly condemned Iran’s violations of religious freedom. In its 2024 annual
report, USCIRF urged the State Department to continue designating Iran as a
“country of particular concern” pursuant to the International Religious Freedom
Act of 1998, thereby subjecting the Islamic Republic to key sanctions.
FDD Expert Response
“The continuing persecution of Christians by Iran’s rulers should serve as a
timely reminder that the Islamic Revolution of 1979 produced the first modern
nation-state committed to jihad against the West. Israel is merely the country
that is closest and most vulnerable. That Iran’s rulers are taking these actions
at a time when President Trump is deciding how best to prevent them from
acquiring nuclear weapons is, if nothing else, audacious.” — Clifford D. May,
Founder and President ز “Four decades of Islamist rule
in Iran have led to widespread disillusionment among many Iranians. Polls and
other evidence indicate that an increasing number of Iranians are seeking
spiritual fulfillment in other religions and beliefs, such as Christianity or
Zoroastrianism, while a significant portion of society is abandoning faith
altogether. As a result, many traditional Muslims have come to see the Islamic
Republic not as a defender of their religion but rather as one of its greatest
adversaries.” — Saeed Ghasseminejad, Senior Iran and Financial Economics Advisor
ز “The Islamic Republic’s only truly equal practice is
its persecution of religious minorities, regardless of sect or faith. Despite
the regime’s claims of differentiating its treatment of ‘people of the book’ —
Jews, Christians, and Sunni Muslims — from unrecognized faiths like the Bahais,
its Shia supremacist ideology ultimately targets any religious groups that do
not conform to its doctrine.” — Janatan Sayeh, Research Analyst
FDD Background and Analysis
“Iran Sentences 10 Women From Baha’i Religious Minority to Lengthy Prison
Terms,” FDD Flash Brief
“Jewish Man Facing Execution Under Iran’s Apartheid Laws Targeting Minorities,”
FDD Flash Brief
“Executions Surge in Iran as Protests Persist,” FDD Flash Brief
France Urges Syrian
Transitional Govt to Partner Coalition Fighting ISIS
Asharq Al-Awsat/February 13/2025
France's president urged Syria's new authorities to consider a partnership with
the Iraq-based international coalition fighting ISIS to prevent the country
being destabilized in its transition period. Syria's foreign minister attended
an international conference in Paris on Thursday where regional and Western
powers looked into how to shield the country during its fragile transition amid
ongoing instability across the Middle East. Asaad Hassan al-Shibani was leading
a delegation for a first trip to the European Union since the December overthrow
of Syria's autocratic President Bashar al-Assad, and a few days after President
Emmanuel Macron invited Syria's transitional President Ahmed al-Sharaa to
France. Speaking at the conference, France's president said Paris was ready to
do more to help the country tackle terrorist groups and to prevent Syria
becoming once again a platform for Iranian militias to destabilize the region.
"Syria must clearly continue to fight against terrorist organizations that
spread chaos in your country and who want to export it. That's why the fight
against Islamic State and all terrorist groups is an absolute priority," Macron
said, adding that the transition should consider working with the Western-led
Inherent Resolve operation in neighboring Iraq. Regional ministers, including
from Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Lebanon, were joined by Western partners at the
gathering, though the US had only a low-level diplomatic presence. The meeting
aimed to coordinate efforts to ensure Syria's sovereignty and security through
its transition, and mobilize its main neighbors and partners to coordinate aid
and economic support, the French foreign ministry said.
"We want Syria to stop being used to destabilize the region. On the contrary, we
want the Syrians to be able to focus today on the success of the transition and
the recovery of their country," French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said at
the start of the meeting. The participants also planned to discuss transitional
justice and the fight against impunity for those accused of abuses during
Syria's 13-year-long civil war. The meeting did not aim to raise funds, which
will be left to an annual pledging conference in Brussels on March 17, but
issues such as the lifting of sanctions imposed on Syria during Assad's
iron-fisted rule were to be discussed. The EU agreed in principle last month to
lift sanctions but there has been no follow-through due to Greek and Cypriot
objections to maritime boundary talks between Syria and Türkiye that affect
waters claimed by Greece and Cyprus.
Greece and Cyprus also want assurances that sanctions could be restored quickly,
two diplomats said. They said they were hopeful a compromise could be reached
this month. Barrot, whose country was expected to announce the reopening of the
French embassy in Damascus on Thursday, said sanctions-lifting was a work in
progress and German counterpart Annalena Baerbock said it would be done "step by
step". Ahead of the meeting, the main international aid donors met in Paris to
take stock of Syria's humanitarian situation, notably in the northeast, where
the impact of US aid cuts has had a "terrifying" impact, according to a European
official.
Britain to Adapt Syria Sanctions Regime
Asharq Al-Awsat/February 13/2025
Britain said on Thursday it would adapt its Syria sanctions regions following
the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's rule late last year, but will ensure asset
freezes and travel bans imposed on members of the former government remain in
place. "We are making these changes to support the Syrian people in re-building
their country and promote security and stability," said Stephen Doughty,
minister for Europe, North America and overseas territories. "The Government
remains determined to hold Bashar al-Assad and his associates to account for
their actions against the people of Syria."
British PM Says Ukraine Must Be 'at the Heart' of Any Peace
Talks
Asharq Al-Awsat/February 13/2025
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Thursday that Ukraine had to be "at
the heart" of any negotiations to end the conflict with Russia. Starmer's
remarks come amid fears in Kyiv and its European allies that the US might strike
a peace deal without involving them, Reuters reported. President Donald Trump
spoke separately to both Russia's Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelenskiy by phone on Wednesday and said both had expressed a desire
for peace. "We must make sure that Ukraine is at the heart of this. There can't
be any negotiations without Ukraine being at the heart of it," Starmer told
reporters in London. Starmer has been walking a diplomatic tightrope as he
attempts to avoid Trump imposing tariffs on Britain while also pursuing a reset
in relations with the European Union, but on the question of Ukraine he said it
was vital that the country had a strong position in any talks. "It's really
important that Ukraine is in the strongest possible position, whether that's in
discussions or whether it's continued fighting," Starmer said.
US hits international
court's top prosecutor with sanctions after Trump's order
Jennifer Peltz And Fatima Hussein/UNITED NATIONS (AP)
The U.S. sanctioned the International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor
Thursday, following up on President Donald Trump’s order last week targeting the
court over its investigations of Israel. The prosecutor, Karim Khan, was added
Thursday to Washington’s list of “Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked
Persons.” Those on the list are barred from doing business with Americans and
face restrictions on entry to the U.S. The Hague-based court is tasked with
prosecuting war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. The U.S. never has
recognized the ICC's authority, and Trump has criticized the court for years.
His first administration sanctioned Khan’s predecessor, Fatou Bensouda, and the
Biden administration subsequently lifted those sanctions. After returning to
office last month, Trump signed a Feb. 7 executive order imposing sanctions on
the ICC. He accused the court of “illegitimate and baseless actions targeting
America and our close ally Israel," citing the ICC's arrest warrant for Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over
alleged war crimes in Gaza. They deny the accusations, and Netanyahu has called
the warrant “absurd.”Trump's order foreshadowed “tangible and significant
consequences” for those responsible for the court’s “transgressions.” Khan was
seen as a likely figure. The court’s president has condemned Trump's order, and
United Nations deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq on Thursday called the ICC “a
fundamental pillar of international justice.” The court is independent, but the
U.N. was instrumental in creating it, and the ICC’s top prosecutor sometimes
briefs the U.N. Security Council. The Trump administration didn’t immediately
say whether Khan would be allowed to travel to the U.N. headquarters in New
York. Meanwhile, the court's oversight body has asked a U.N. watchdog agency to
investigate allegations that Khan tried to coerce a female aide into a sexual
relationship and groped her against her will, according to an AP investigation.
He has said there's “no truth” to the claim.
The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources
on February 13-14/2025
Gaza: The New
Switzerland of the East? What About Us?
Marc Saikali/This is Beirut/February
13/2025
When Donald Trump wakes up, even his smallest remark makes global
headlines—that’s just how it is. As the most powerful man on Earth, he wields
arguments that are not just compelling and consequential but sometimes…
explosive. For now, any statement he makes triggers shockwaves. Case in point:
“Ukraine could one day become Russian.” A short comment, but it detonated like a
bomb that few dared to address. The most surprising issue, however, is Gaza.
According to the American president, Egypt and Jordan should take in the
Palestinians because reconstruction will take about fifteen years, and the
territory has become uninhabitable. With that, a political missile is launched.
Arab countries issue lukewarm protests, to which Trump responds: “If you have a
better plan, propose it!” Predictably, no credible alternatives come forth.
Even Saudi Arabia was subtly called out, with a pointed remark about its vast
territory being capable of absorbing displaced people… For now, Lebanon is
slipping through the cracks. A word of advice: let’s strictly apply UN
resolutions, stop making foolish speeches about illusory victories, and keep a
low profile. It may not be glorious, but it’s realpolitik. As the weak link,
Lebanon cannot afford to expose its vulnerabilities.
Back to Gaza—the US plan even envisions transforming the former Hamas stronghold
into a Riviera under American control. One thing is certain: Trump is a tough
negotiator and a shrewd businessman. He may be raising the stakes in hopes of
securing a very favorable deal for himself in Gaza. Or perhaps these are his
true intentions.
The next discussion will inevitably focus on the future of Palestinians in the
West Bank. Annexation by Israel is no longer taboo and is gradually becoming
inevitable. The Palestinian Authority holds little control, while Hamas
continues to stir unrest. In every scenario, the famous “two-state solution”
seems increasingly out of reach. It’s unclear where a Palestinian state could
even assert geographical sovereignty. If Trump hopes to turn his vision into
reality, it will take tens of billions of dollars—for Gaza’s reconstruction, for
a large-scale incentivized “voluntary departure” of Palestinians (of whom 66%
are already refugees in the Strip). Significant sums will also be needed to
pressure Arab countries into possibly accepting some of them.
Where does Lebanon fit into all this? It also needs billions to rebuild and
restart its economy after Persian adventurism. But who will provide those
billions, and why? Generosity alone won’t be enough—there will be conditions.
The first will be the complete disarmament of Hezbollah. Then, discussions will
inevitably turn to Lebanon’s 174,000 Palestinian refugees—a highly sensitive
issue that partly led to the 1975 war. Their return home remains uncertain. Will
countries like the US or Canada step in, or will some be permanently resettled
in Lebanon in exchange for "financial incentives"?
The future remains unpredictable. Nothing is certain. As Henry Kissinger once
said: “When asked to summarize the Middle East, I always use one word:
‘complex.’ When asked to elaborate, I say: ‘very complex.’”
Trump’s question for Arab
rulers Are they with America or against America?
Clifford D. May/The Washington Times/February 13/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/02/140149/
More than 6 million Syrians fled
their homeland during that country’s almost 14-year-long civil war. Other
nations took them in. It was the humanitarian thing to do, and it fulfilled
their obligation under international law.
Since Hamas initiated a full-blown war against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, almost no
Gazans have managed to flee because no countries – not even Egypt whose Sinai
Peninsula borders Gaza – were willing to take them in.
Was that because the value of Gaza’s civilians as Hamas’ “human shields” –
sacrificial pawns in the jihad against Israel – overrode humanitarian and legal
concerns? I report, you decide.
Prior to the current conflict it could be credibly argued that “the Palestinian
cause” could be achieved with the creation of a Palestinian state.
It’s now become obvious that, for Hamas and its supporters, the Palestinian
cause is and always has been the extermination of Israel, the resurrected Jewish
homeland, a tiny island amid an ocean of Arab and Muslim states.
“Two-state solutions” were offered to Palestinian leaders in 1937, 1947, 1967,
1978, 2000, 2001, and 2008. Palestinian leaders declined them all and proposed
no alternatives.
However, if you think about it, a kind of two-state solution was in effect the
day before Hamas terrorists breached Israel’s border and staged the worst orgy
of murder and other atrocities against Jews since the Holocaust.
Gaza has been ruled by Palestinians since 2005, when Israel withdrew from the
territory without preconditions in the hope of securing peace. Initially, that
meant Palestinian Authority, dominated by the Fatah movement, governed. Two
years later, Hamas ousted Fatah and established its unfree one-party rule with
no further elections.
Gazans have been among the largest recipients of aid from the “international
donor community” on a per capita basis.
Food, medicine, and construction materials were routinely transported from
Israel each day into Gaza. Israel supplied Gazans with electricity. Thousands of
Gazans were permitted to enter Israel to take jobs.
Hamas delegated to UNRWA and other U.N. agencies the provision of most social
services. Hamas gave the U.N. orders, and the U.N. agreed without complaint –
even when munitions were stored in schools and command-and-control centers set
up in hospitals.
Had Hamas been willing to peacefully coexist with Israel, Gaza could have become
a successful nation-state confederated in some way with the Palestinian entity
on the West Bank.
Instead, Hamas built an army and spent hundreds of millions of dollars
constructing a subterranean fortress in which its troops would hide during the
war it planned to launch.
Early in the conflict, as innocent hostages were being held and tortured by
Hamas, the Biden administration demanded that Israel not just deliver aid – food
and fuel that Hamas would of course steal – but also formulate a plan for “the
day after.”
How odd those demands seem in any historical context. Can you imagine Roosevelt
and Churchill providing aid to Germany and formulating the Marshall Plan before
the Nazis surrendered?
It’s against this backdrop that President Trump has now raised an audacious idea
for post-war Gaza. “The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job
with it,” Trump announced last week.
He said the almost 2 million Gazans – who self-identify as “refugees from
Palestine” even though they live in a Palestinian territory – should relocate to
other countries. At the same time, the U.S. will dismantle “all of the dangerous
unexploded bombs and other weapons.” He added that, at present, Gaza is “a
demolition site,” with “nothing to move back into.”
The feasibility of this proposal notwithstanding, I strongly suspect it was a
way of saying to Arab rulers, particularly Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi
and Jordanian King Abdullah II: “You don’t get to just watch and kibbitz. If you
don’t like my idea, come up with a better one!”
Remember that following the 1948 British withdrawal from Mandatory Palestine,
Egypt ruled Gaza. That rule ended in 1967 after Egypt launched and lost a war
against Israel. Note: Egypt never attempted to establish a Palestinian state in
Gaza.
As for Jordan, it was carved from the British Mandate for Palestine in 1921. In
that new polity, then named Transjordan, the British installed an emir – a
Hashemite, a member of a noble clan resettled from Arabia.
The territory remained a British protectorate until 1946, when it was granted
independence as the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
Two years later Jordan conquered Judea and Samaria, expelled all the Jews,
renamed those territories the West Bank, and annexed them. Jordan lost them in
the 1967 war.
Most Jordanians are Palestinians. Among them is Queen Rania, wife of the current
king of Jordan, Abdullah II. If their son, Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah,
succeeds to the throne, he will be the first Palestinian king in history. The
Egyptian and Jordanian responses to President Trump’s proposal have so far been
unhelpful. They have reiterated their opposition to taking in Palestinians, even
temporarily. They insist that Palestinians lead Gaza’s reconstruction,
neglecting to specify which Palestinians would be up to the task. Though
President Trump is famously unpredictable, I wouldn’t be astonished – based on
remarks he’s made over recent days – if he were to tell Mr. Sissi and King
Abdullah something along these lines:
“You receive huge amounts of American aid along with vital security assistance.
These are not entitlements.
“I’m trying to put an end to endless wars in the Middle East. That requires that
Gazans not be ruled by Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, or the mullahs in Tehran.
“So, are you with me or against me? Are you an ally? Because I expect America’s
allies to contribute to the collective security and give at least as much as
they take. Is that you or not?
They should think hard before answering.
**Clifford D. May is founder and president of the Foundation for Defense of
Democracies (FDD), a columnist for the Washington Times, and the host of the
“Foreign Podicy” podcast.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/11/arab-rulers-america/
Resettling Gaza...Is it the right thing to do and can it
work? Yes it can.
Daniel Greenfield/Gatestone Institute/February 13, 2025
Many, if not most, "peace plans" propose the further resettlement of hundreds of
thousands of Jews living in Judea and Samaria to make way for a "Palestinian"
state. Even as they object to resettling Gazan Muslims in Arab countries, they
refer to Jews living in the "West Bank" as settlers, refer to their communities
as "settlements," and propose that they be resettled elsewhere.
The same people who insist that it's morally wrong and impractical to resettle 2
million Muslims out of Gaza also argue that it's morally right and practical to
resettle nearly half a million Jews....
Despite being told it was impossible, Israelis evacuated hundreds of thousands
of Gazans to make way for military operations. During the beginning of the war,
around one million Gazans left the north for the south of the Gaza Strip, and
the UN would later claim that as many as 1.5 million Muslim settlers in Gaza had
been displaced.
The resettlement of large numbers of "Palestinians" has happened before in the
Middle East. While the resettlement of Gaza would take place on a larger scale,
it would not be that much larger than the resettlements during the war or in the
aftermath of the Gulf War.
The objections to it [resettlement], both moral and practical, are groundless.
Resettlement is feasible and moral. If the Kuwaitis and the Jordanians could
resettle the "Palestinians" out of their countries on far less grounds than the
atrocities of Oct 7, the Israelis certainly have the right to do it.
The PLO and Hamas used terrorism at every turn to press for more Israeli
concessions while giving nothing in return. Their leaders have said again and
again that they intend to destroy Israel.
After Oct 7, everyone is finally taking them at their word.
The same people who insist that it's morally wrong and impractical to resettle 2
million Muslims out of Gaza also argue that it's morally right and practical to
resettle nearly half a million Jews. Pictured: A car loaded with mattresses
drives through Gaza on February 1, 2025.
The objections could be roughly divided into the moral and the practical. The
"moral" objection was that it is "wrong" to resettle the population currently
occupying Gaza, and the "practical" objection was that it would be impossible to
accomplish. Both objections do not hold up.
The Jewish population of Gaza was resettled twice, once after the Egyptian
invasion and conquest of Gaza during the 1948-49 War of Independence, and the
second time after the 2005 "disengagement" forcibly eliminated 21 Jewish
communities and expelled families living there.
Not only did politicians and the media not object to the forcible removal of the
Jewish communities of Gaza, but they celebrated it as a step forward for peace
in the region.
Many, if not most, "peace plans" propose the further resettlement of hundreds of
thousands of Jews living in Judea and Samaria to make way for a "Palestinian"
state. Even as they object to resettling Gazan Muslims in Arab countries, they
refer to Jews living in the "West Bank" as settlers, refer to their communities
as "settlements," and propose that they be resettled elsewhere.
UN Security Council Resolution 242 has been interpreted by many politicians and
the media to mean that Israel must withdraw from territory, including parts of
Jerusalem, where 450,000 Jews live. The same people who insist that it's morally
wrong and impractical to resettle 2 million Muslims out of Gaza also argue that
it's morally right and practical to resettle nearly half a million Jews in
Israel.
Opponents of Trump's proposal don't believe it's wrong to resettle a population;
they would just rather expel and resettle Jews than expel and resettle the Arab
Muslim colonial population.
They don't oppose resettlement, they support terrorism.
With the moral question out of the way, what about the practical one: is it even
possible?
Some say that the Gaza Arab Muslim population could not be moved without
"door-to-door fighting." But Israel's recent experience in the war after October
7, 2023 shows that's clearly not true.
Despite the false claims of genocide, the Israelis kept civilian casualties to a
minimum by evacuating as much as the "civilian" population as possible from one
part of Gaza to another.
Despite being told it was impossible, Israelis evacuated hundreds of thousands
of Gazans to make way for military operations. During the beginning of the war,
around one million Gazans left the north for the south of the Gaza Strip, and
the UN would later claim that as many as 1.5 million Muslim settlers in Gaza had
been displaced. Most of those in Gaza followed orders and got out of the way of
the fighting.
Looking to examples beyond Israel, the Black September war between Jordan and
the PLO in 1970 resulted in the deaths of some 4,000 terrorists and as many as
25,000 civilians, according to Yasser Arafat, and some 20,000 "Palestinians"
were resettled in "refugee camps" in Lebanon
After the Gulf War in 1991, Kuwait punished the "Palestinians" who had
collaborated with Iraq's Saddam Hussein, by expelling some 280,000 of them in a
mass purge that was later joined by Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other Gulf allies
for a total estimated by "Palestinian" advocates at 400,000.
Kuwait shelled "Palestinian" neighborhoods and sent in death squads to massacre
them. Tanks and troops were deployed, checkpoints were set up and most of the
"Palestinians" were driven from Kuwait and their neighborhoods were eliminated.
Parts of Hawally, where the "Palestinians" used to live, were bulldozed and
turned into an amusement park.
This was done with the support of the George H.W. Bush administration.
"I think we're expecting a little much if we're asking the people in Kuwait to
take kindly to those that had spied on their countrymen that were left there,
that had brutalized families there, and things of that nature," Bush told
reporters at a press conference on July 1, 1991.
Saudi Arabia deported over 50,000 "Palestinians," Bahrain, the UAE and Qatar,
which has since become a state sponsor of Hamas, also began firing, expelling
and deporting "Palestinians."
None of these events occasioned much protest or commentary. They occurred with
the support of western governments who, like Bush, compared it to the reactions
of the French against collaborators after the Nazi occupation, and life soon
went on as it had before.
The resettlement of large numbers of "Palestinians" has happened before in the
Middle East. While the resettlement of Gaza would take place on a larger scale,
it would not be that much larger than the resettlements during the war or in the
aftermath of the Gulf War.
Such a resettlement is both practical and morally defensible since there are no
other options.
The underlying problem in the conflict is that Israel resettled some 800,000
Jewish refugees from the Muslim world, while the Arab Muslim nations who
attacked it failed to do likewise. Along with the UN, they insisted on
maintaining them under the fake identity of "Palestinians" as a perpetual army
of occupation, forming into terrorist groups for an endless war with Israel.
"You have to learn from history. You can't keep doing the same mistake over and
over again," Trump pointed out.
Every possible effort has been made to create a "Palestinian" state for over 30
years. After multiple peace proposals, land concessions, endless rounds of
negotiations and taxpayer funding (over $2 billion through USAID to the
"Palestinians" since Oct 7 alone) nothing worked.
When Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, leaving behind greenhouses and plans for
new industries, along with sizable international funding, Hamas turned it into a
war zone.
Two-state solutionists continue to argue that if Israel were to offer even more
land, expel and resettle more Jews, the Muslim terrorists would finally agree to
a permanent peace.
But there has never been a single shred of evidence that would work. None of the
Israeli proposals or concessions undertaken since the late 1980s have led to any
kind of peace. The PLO and Hamas used terrorism at every turn to press for more
Israeli concessions while giving nothing in return. Their leaders have said
again and again that they intend to destroy Israel.
After Oct 7, everyone is finally taking them at their word.
Diplomats insisted that peace could not come without the expulsion and
resettlement of Jews from Judea and Samaria. Trump has flipped the table by
suggesting that it can't come without the resettlement of Arab Muslims from
Gaza. Which makes more sense?
Debate is still going on about Trump's proposal for an American role in Gaza.
Many Americans and Israelis see the move as unnecessary. They would prefer to
have Israel take care of business alone with the political support of the United
States. Just as Bush senior provided political support for the Kuwaitis to expel
the "Palestinian" population from their country.
Trump is a visionary and his idea reframed the entire view of the conflict, and
while it may only be an opening for a negotiating position, like his talk of
annexing Canada or Greenland, there is no doubt that it has shaken up all the
conventional wisdom in the Middle East. His basic premise, that Gaza is a lovely
place that will be a source of conflict as long as it is populated by Islamic
terrorists and their supporters, is fundamentally sound.
The objections to it, both moral and practical, are groundless. Resettlement is
feasible and moral. If the Kuwaitis and the Jordanians could resettle the
"Palestinians" out of their countries on far less grounds than the atrocities of
Oct 7, the Israelis certainly have the right to do it.
The politicians, diplomats and reporters who advocated for the mass resettlement
of nearly half a million Jews have no moral grounds for opposing the
resettlement of Gaza Muslims.
And after trying everything else, including decades of failed efforts to make
peace with the terrorists or trying to coexist with them in the absence of
peace, it's time to do what makes the most sense for everyone, and the only
thing that has any hope of bringing peace to the region.
**Daniel Greenfield is a Shillman Journalism Fellow at the David Horowitz
Freedom Center. Reprinted by kind permission of the Center's Front Page
Magazine.
**Follow Daniel Greenfield on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook
© 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.
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/21388/resettling-gaza
The Trump Administration
Acts to Arm Israel and Signals Desire to Reform U.S. Security Assistance
Bradley Bowman/FDD-Insight/February 13/2025
The Trump administration formally notified Congress on Friday that it plans to
sell Israel over $8 billion in weapons, advancing sales that the Biden
administration slow-rolled for months. The Trump administration’s decision to
use lawful means in this instance to bypass one member of Congress’s efforts to
block the sales demonstrates the White House’s more assertive approach to
security cooperation, as well as its support for the Jewish state and the
realization that a strong and well-armed Israel advances America’s interests.
This laudable step on Friday by the Trump administration demonstrates an
eagerness to restore regular order in Congress when it comes to security
assistance and may signal a political willingness to undertake a much broader
and desperately needed effort to reform the process by which the United States
delivers weapons and munitions to allies and partners.
Necessary Weapons
The State Department formally notified Congress on February 7 of four different
arms sales cases to Israel consisting of three foreign military sales (FMS) and
one direct commercial sale (DCS). FMS is a mechanism in which a foreign
government places an order but the Defense Department contracts with industry on
behalf of the foreign government to procure the system or service. In the DCS
mechanism, U.S. defense companies sell directly to foreign buyers, but the
export licenses are approved by the U.S. government and submitted to Congress if
they are above a designated dollar threshold.
One FMS for Israel announced last week consists of $6.75 billion in air-launched
munitions, including 2,166 GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bombs and 2,800 MK 82
500-pound bomb bodies, as well as thousands of Joint Direct Attack Munition
Guidance Kits and associated fuzes for a variety of munitions, including large
2,000-pound bombs and BLU-109 bombs designed to penetrate bunkers. A second FMS,
worth $660 million, includes 3,000 AGM-114 Hellfire Air-to-Ground Missiles,
which are launched by Israeli AH-64 Attack Helicopters. A third FMS, worth
$312.5 million, is for 10,000 155mm artillery shells. This sale was not widely
reported because it was a modification or addition to an existing contract and
therefore did not require a second public press release. The package of
notifications also includes a $688 million DCS for 15,500 JDAMs and 615 SDBs. In
January, the Trump administration released a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs that
the Biden administration decided to stop in May over concerns related to Israeli
operations in southern Gaza. These munitions will help
Israel deter and defeat future aggression by replenishing stockpiles depleted in
combat with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon after the terrorist
groups started attacking Israel again in October 2023. The Small Diameter Bombs
and BLU-109 bunker penetration bombs, as well as the guidance kits that convert
unguided bombs into precise munitions, are especially useful for striking
high-value targets while mitigating civilian casualties in urban operating
environments. Even as Israel seeks to buy as many munitions as possible from the
United States, it is simultaneously seeking to create additional domestic
production capacity for the weapons that a future U.S. administration might
refuse to provide Israel, namely air-launched munitions.
Congressional Dynamics
Once the State Department adjudicates and approves a requested arms sale to a
foreign government above a certain dollar threshold, the department submits an
informal notification to the Senate and House foreign relations committee. This
process, known as a “tiered review,” permits the leaders of these two committees
and their staffs to raise concerns, ask questions, and potentially impose a
“hold” on the proposed arms sale. If one of the four leaders of these two
committees places a hold on a proposed sale, the State Department usually does
not proceed with the formal notification to Congress necessary to advance the
sale. This practice is intended to facilitate a constructive consultative
process between the executive and legislative branches but in practice permits a
single member of Congress to prevent the provision of American weapons to an
ally or partner before the U.S.-government-approved sale has even been submitted
formally to the legislative branch for consideration.
This practice, while longstanding and usually respected by administrations
controlled by both parties, is not required by law as noted by the Congressional
Research Service and the State Department’s Office of the Inspector General.
Accordingly, the administration can lawfully decide to move ahead with formal
notification to Congress even if a “hold” is in place, and that is what the
Trump administration did on Friday. In this case, Rep.
Gregory Meeks (D-NY), the ranking member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee,
opposed the weapons sales to Israel and used a “hold” to try to stop them,
consistent with his previous actions. The DCS case had been in informal, or
tiered, review since October, according to one source, and the three FMS cases
had been under review for more than 20 days. These delays were exacerbated by
the fact that the Biden administration had slow-rolled many Israeli requests for
months. The Republican chairs of the two committees
supported the sales, and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) lifted her hold. Trump’s
State Department answered questions from Rep. Meeks and offered briefings, but
he kept his hold in place. Only then, after a significant amount of time, the
Trump administration decided to proceed with formal congressional notification.
Rep. Meeks responded by issuing a press release on February 7 that
accused the Trump administration of making a “decision to bypass Congress and
immediately proceed with billions of dollars in arms sales to Israel.” That is
not accurate. In fact, the Trump administration submitted the sales to Congress
for review pursuant to the Arms Export Control Act and is now waiting the
required time period before proceeding with the sales, consistent with the law.
If he chooses to do so, Rep. Meeks can now file a joint resolution of
disapproval in an effort to stop the sales. But if past is prologue, such an
effort will fail to muster even a simple majority in either chamber, much less
the super-majority in both the House and Senate necessary to overturn a
presidential veto. Perhaps that’s because Americans understand the horror of
what happened on October 7, support Israel’s right to exist, and want the
world’s only majority Jewish state to have the means to defend itself against
enemies that hate the United States as much as they do Israel.
To be sure, the tiered review process offers a valuable mechanism for key
congressional leaders and staff to conduct oversight, ask questions, raise
concerns, and shape outcomes. That process should be retained and respected, but
no administration should allow one or two members of Congress to abuse
non-statutory tools indefinitely to unilaterally cancel a government-approved
arms sale to our closest beleaguered democratic allies even before other members
of Congress and their staffs have had a chance to review the facts.
It is widely understood that the American foreign military sales process is
broken. It takes far too long for valuable allies and partners confronting
current or potential aggression to acquire from the United States the weapons
they need, leaving them vulnerable or encouraging them to look elsewhere for
self-defense. One of the causes for many of those delays is a congressional
tiered review process that is too often abused. It is time for reform, and the
Trump administration has now taken a vital first step to begin to fix a broken
process.
**Bradley Bowman serves as senior director of the Center on Military and
Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, where he focuses
on U.S. defense strategy and policy. He served as a national security advisor to
members of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees.