English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For February 18/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible Quotations For today
Strive side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, and do not be
intimidated by your opponents
Letter to the Philippians 01/21-30/:”For to me, living is Christ and
dying is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labour for me;
and I do not know which I prefer. I am hard pressed between the two: my desire
is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; but to remain in the
flesh is more necessary for you. Since I am convinced of this, I know that I
will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, so
that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you
again. Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that,
whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you
are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the
faith of the gospel, and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them
this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God’s
doing. For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in
Christ, but of suffering for him as well since you are having the same struggle
that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.”
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on February 17-18/2025
Text & Video: The Mullahs and Their Terrorist Proxy "Hezbollah" Are
Planning to Invade Lebanon with Thousands of Jihadists Under the Pretext of
Participating in Nasrallah's Funeral/Elias Bejjani/February 16/2025
Khamenei's, Hezbollah's, Berri's Thugs & all gangs of the so-called “Resistance”
understand only the language of their uncle, Netanyahu. We Ask Him to Discipline
Them./Elias Bejjani/February 15, 2025
Nasrallah's Funeral: A Litmus Test for Lebanon's Future/Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor/X
website/February 17/2025
Israel kills Hamas official in southern Lebanon
Israeli troops to remain in 5 Lebanese positions after Tuesday deadline
Trump reportedly halts Lebanon aid, wants to see 'achievements' first
Israeli officials voice conflicting remarks on Lebanon pullout as one threatens
continued strikes
Lebanon extends suspension of flights to and from Iran
Israeli army confirms it'll keep occupying 5 hills in south Lebanon
Aoun: Hezbollah arms should be part of solutions agreed on by the Lebanese
Hezbollah slams vandalization of president statue in Jezzine region
Lebanon urges ceasefire sponsors to pressure Israel to withdraw by deadline
Incomplete exit: Partial Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon leaves strategic
locations under occupation
Israel's ambitions for Lebanese land: Lebanese divisions fuel Netanyahu's vision
for a new Middle East
Walid Joumblatt: Israeli occupation of five hills in South Lebanon violates
ceasefire agreement
Lebanese authorities address airport security in response to Tehran-Beirut
flight suspension
Hezbollah delegation invites Saad Hariri to funeral of Hassan Nasrallah and
Hashem Safieddine
Red Cross recovers body of young girl in Houla after Israeli gunfire
Berri: We are not an Israeli colony and will never be
Jumblat: Lebanon doesn't want group of Lebanese to be tool in Iran's hand
Iran says to take part in Nasrallah funeral at 'high level'
Video Link for a commentary by Journalist Jimy Francis
Israeli Withdrawal from Lebanon Tomorrow/Colonel Charbel Barakat/February
17/2025
The Regalian Function and the Poor Exercise of Power/Charles Elias Chartouni/This
is Beirut/February 17/2025
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on February 17-18/2025
Israel security cabinet to discuss new phase of Gaza truce
Israel PM says 'committed' to Trump's Gaza displacement plan
King Abdullah reaffirms Jordan’s stance on Palestinian cause, rejects
displacement and resettlement
Israel defense minister announces agency for ‘voluntary departure’ of Gazans
Israel preparing to receive bodies of four hostages on Thursday, security
official says
Israel advancing plans for nearly 1,000 more settler homes in West Bank
Palestinian detainee says he was tortured in Israeli detention center
Saudi crown prince receives US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Riyadh
Arab summit on Trump's Gaza plan postponed to Friday
Some takeaways from first month of Trump's Mideast diplomacy
Syria arrests 3 men suspected of links to Tadamon massacre in which hundreds
were executed
Zelensky says arrived in Turkiye for talks with Erdogan
UN appeals for $6 billion for Sudan crisis aid in 2025
Titles For
The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources
on February 17-18/2025
Don't Be Fooled: The Palestinian Authority Did Not Halt Payments To
Terrorists/Bassam Tawil/Gatestone Institute/February 17, 2025
Arabs know their history and won’t let it be repeated/Dr. Ramzy Baroud /Arab
News/February 17, 2025
The American fog and Iranian year/Ghassan Charbel/Al Asharq Al-Awsat newspape/February
17/2025
Palestinians must be given the chance to rebuild Gaza/Chris Doyle/Arab
News/February 17, 2025
The Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on February 17-18/2025
Text & Video: The Mullahs and Their Terrorist Proxy
"Hezbollah" Are Planning to Invade Lebanon with Thousands of Jihadists Under the
Pretext of Participating in Nasrallah's Funeral
Elias Bejjani/February 16/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/02/140276/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj_JyWXCCNw&t=180s
Reports from Hezbollah in Lebanon indicate that thousands of its supporters are
coming from 70 countries to participate in the funeral of Hassan Nasrallah and
Safi Al-Din on the 23th of this month. Sources close to this Iranian gang state
that these trained fighters have been entering Lebanon daily in large numbers
for days.
In this terrifying and terrorist context, journalist Mariam Majdoline warned on
social media about this diabolical plot and wrote under the title "Attention and
Caution" the following:
"May God protect Lebanon from Khamenei’s tails and his criminal axis (supporters
and allies of the Popular Mobilization Forces, the Houthis, and others) who have
started entering Lebanon under the pretext of participating in Hassan
Nasrallah's funeral. What they did in Syria is a lesson for us all.
Attention, attention, attention. We cannot trust terrorists and mercenaries who
move with religious mandates."
In the same context, we draw attention to this satanic plot being executed by
the mullahs and their criminal, jihadist, and invasion-oriented Hezbollah aiming
to strike the new government in Lebanon, bring in Iranian funds through the
airport and via Algerian and Iraqi planes to reorganize the structure of their
organization and obstruct the implementation of the ceasefire agreement,
including international resolutions 1559, 1701, and 1680, along with the Taif
Agreement—all of which stipulate disarming all Lebanese and non-Lebanese
militias (primarily the defeated, broken, and surrendered Hezbollah) and
extending the state's legitimate authority across the entirety of Lebanese
territory.
What is frightening and confirms the seriousness of this Iranian jihadist
invasion plot under the guise of participating in Nasrallah and Safi Al-Din's
funeral is Hezbollah's violent and criminal actions along the airport road, in
Beirut, and in the south—acts of aggression, chaos, accusations of treason
against Presidents Aoun and Salam, attacks on the Lebanese army, assaults on
UNIFIL personnel, and threats of assassinations and civil war voiced by its paid
mouthpieces like Qassem Qasir. This is a clear and blatant coup attempt against
the government, a refusal to acknowledge defeat, and, more dangerously, a
rejection of implementing the ceasefire agreement, which unambiguously requires
Hezbollah to disarm and dismantle its military structures and weapons depots
across Lebanon.
In reality and actuality, Hezbollah poses an existential threat to the state,
its institutions, the peace, stability, and livelihood of all Lebanese
sects—foremost among them the honorable Shiite community, which it holds
hostage, exploits, and uses its youth to fight in all of Iran's wars.
The writer is a Lebanese expatriate activist
Writer's Email: Phoenicia@hotmail.com
Website Link:
https://eliasbejjaninews.com
Khamenei's, Hezbollah's, Berri's Thugs & all gangs of the so-called “Resistance”
understand only the language of their uncle, Netanyahu. We Ask Him to Discipline
Them.
Elias Bejjani/February 15, 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/02/140222/
Can someone tell us what happens to the stupidity, hysteria, terrorism, and
street-thug mentality of Nasrallah, Khamenei, and Berri’s gangs, when just one
Israeli drone appears over their rotten, hollow heads near the airport? Panic,
wailing, chaos, and infighting, without a doubt! And they will scatter like
rats, tripping over each other in terror. Enough of their filth and corruption!
Let them be buried in their cowardice. And to the government, the president, and
the army—take action! Discipline them, cleanse the country of their disease, and
finally fulfill the mission that the international community entrusted you with.
No more half-measures with Iran and its criminal proxies. Either get the job
done or step aside!
Nasrallah's Funeral: A Litmus Test for Lebanon's Future
Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor/X website/February 17/2025
(Translated and titled freely by Elias Bejjani)
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/02/140293/
I reiterate: If Hassan Nasrallah's funeral includes any official Lebanese
presence, at any level, it will signify not just a funeral, but the official end
of Lebanon. Accepting an official ceremony legitimizes a man who led a foreign
terrorist militia that destroyed Lebanon, held it hostage to a foreign agenda,
and plunged it into isolation, economic ruin, and security collapse.
If mourners are permitted to use the Camille Chamoun Sports City or any official
Lebanese building, this will not simply be a ceremony. It will be an official
declaration that the state has lost its decision-making power, that Lebanon no
longer belongs to free Lebanese citizens, but is completely subjugated to the
two armed Shiite militias and their Iranian project.
This is not an ordinary event, but a pivotal moment in Lebanon's history. Either
the state demonstrates its continued existence by preventing the desecration of
its national symbols, or it concedes that it has become a mere facade for an
occupying entity within.
Meanwhile, the suggestion of opening a second airport as a solution to the
security crisis at Beirut Airport is not a solution, but a humiliating
surrender, an evasion of reality, and a refusal to confront the truth. The
problem lies not with the airport itself, but with those who control it and
those who are transforming Lebanon into a lawless arena beyond any sovereignty.
The alternative to evasion and surrender is not opening more airports, but
liberating Beirut Airport and all of Lebanon from the grip of armed militias,
and re-establishing state sovereignty by force, not by acquiescing to a fait
accompli.
Lebanon needs no marginal or superficial solutions, but a decisive choice:
Restore the state, or acknowledge its demise.
Israel kills Hamas official in southern
Lebanon
Reuters/February 17, 2025
BEIRUT: Israel killed on Monday a Hamas leader in southern Lebanon’s Sidon area,
the Israeli military and a Hamas official said. The military said Muhammad
Shaheen was the head of the operations department of Hamas in Lebanon and that
he had recently been involved in promoting “terrorist plots” with Iranian
direction and funding from Lebanese territory against Israeli citizens. A Hamas
official confirmed Shaheen’s killing to Reuters. An Israeli strike on a car in
Lebanon’s southern port city of Sidon targeted an official in the Palestinian
militant group, two Lebanese security sources told Reuters earlier. Lebanon’s
state news agency said rescuers had removed one body from the car but did not
identify the victim. The Israeli military has been carrying out strikes against
members of Hamas, allied Lebanese armed group Hezbollah and other factions in
Lebanon, in parallel with the war in Gaza. Those armed groups have launched
rockets, drones and artillery attacks across the border into northern Israel.
Under a truce 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 Iran-backed Hezbollah since early October. That deadline
was later extended to February 18, but Israel’s military requested that it keep
troops in five posts in southern Lebanon, sources told Reuters last week.
Israeli troops to remain in 5 Lebanese positions after
Tuesday deadline
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Arab News/February 17, 2025
BEIRUT: Lebanon’s president on Monday voiced concern that Israel may fail to
withdraw its forces from the country by the Tuesday ceasefire deadline. Joseph
Aoun’s comments followed an Israeli drone strike in south Lebanon that killed a
Hamas commander and pledges from some Israeli officials to keep troops in 5
strategic positions across south Lebanon. The president is “following up on
contacts at various levels to push Israel to abide by the ceasefire agreement,
withdraw on the specified date and return the hostages,” his office said.
He called on the brokers of the Hezbollah-Israel ceasefire to “fulfill their
responsibilities and assist us.”During his meeting with the head of the UNIFIL
mission, Maj. Gen. Aroldo Lazaro, Aoun renewed his condemnation of last week’s
attack on a peacekeeping convoy. He reiterated his support for investigations
into the incident. Egyptian Ambassador to Lebanon Alaa Moussa joined Aoun in a
meeting of the envoys of the five countries monitoring Lebanese developments.
Moussa confirmed the commitment of the five countries to push Israel to withdraw
on the scheduled date. He said that the quintet is communicating with all
parties to achieve the withdrawal. Lebanon has not received any assurances
confirming that it will be completed on time, presidential spokesperson Najat
Charafeddine said.
Israeli troops have been stationed in Lebanon’s southern border area since last
October. Israeli officials have said the army will maintain control over five
strategic hills along the Lebanese border even after Feb. 18. Several
conflicting Israeli statements were issued regarding the complete withdrawal.
The Israeli Army Channel announced on Monday afternoon that Israel “will
withdraw tomorrow from Lebanon, except five strategic positions, where it will
remain indefinitely.”Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz claimed that the
Lebanese state “did not adhere to the ceasefire agreement, as Hezbollah is
rearming itself,” adding: “The army should not be withdrawn from Lebanon.”Citing
an Israeli official, some Israeli media outlets said that troops “will withdraw
on time,” while other outlets reported “direct threats to bomb Lebanon and
Hezbollah’s strongholds anywhere.”On Monday noon, Israel intensified its air and
land ceasefire violations by targeting a Hamas leader in Saida. More raids were
also launched deep inside Lebanese territory on Sunday night. Bulldozing
operations and burning of facilities were carried out in several towns on
Monday. On Monday morning, an Israeli drone targeted a car on Sidon’s coastal
road that was heading toward Beirut, killing its driver, later identified as
Hamas military official Mohammed Shahin. Shahin was head of Hamas’ operations
directorate in Lebanon, said Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee, adding
that the operation was a joint effort between the Israeli army and Shin Bet.
Adraee said that Shanin was “an important and experienced Hamas operative, and
was involved in carrying out various attacks during the war, including launching
rockets at Israel’s home front.”He had recently been working to promote plans
“under Iranian direction and funding from Lebanese territory,” the spokesperson
claimed. The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported that Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu left his trial session to approve the assassination.
An Israeli drone dropped a grenade in the town square of Kfarchouba to
intimidate residents who were monitoring an Israeli incursion into the center of
the town despite the deployment of the Lebanese army on its outskirts. Israeli
forces also set fire to several homes in the town of Odaisseh and carried out an
explosion in Yaroun. Israeli jets conducted airstrikes on locations in northern
Bekaa on Sunday evening, claiming that the sites were linked to Hezbollah. The
airstrikes coincided with a speech by Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim
Qassem in which he warned the Israeli army that Hezbollah would regard “the
presence of the Israeli army at any location as an occupation.”Qassem said:
“There is no justification for Israel to refrain from withdrawal, nor to remain
at five points or any other details. “While we will not specify how to deal with
the occupier, it is well understood by all how such situations are typically
addressed.” In a related development, Air France and
Emirates Airlines announced the cancellation of their flights to Lebanon on Feb.
23. The date coincides with the funeral of former Hezbollah secretary-general
Hassan Nasrallah and his successor, Hashem Safieddine.
Trump reportedly halts Lebanon aid, wants to see
'achievements' first
Naharnet/February 17/2025
U.S. President Donald Trump has decided to suspend U.S. aid to Lebanon and wants
to see “achievements” first, Al-Arabiya TV quoted a U.S. State Department
official as saying. “All U.S. aid to Lebanon has been suspended for revision and
ensuring that it conforms to Washington’s policy,” the official said.
“Washington will not distribute funds if the American people don’t get anything
in return,” the official quoted Trump as saying. “There will be no aid to the
Lebanese Army and the rest of institutions based on promises,” the official
reportedly added.
Israeli officials voice conflicting remarks on Lebanon
pullout as one threatens continued strikes
Naharnet/February 17/2025
The Israeli army will stay in five points inside Lebanon, reportedly strategic
hills near the border, after its withdrawal from southern towns in line with the
February 18 deadline, an Israeli political official told the Israel Hayom daily.
An Israeli official meanwhile told The Times of Israel on condition of anonymity
that Israel is planning on withdrawing from Lebanon on Tuesday. Israeli
Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer has previously said the Israeli army will
stay in five strategic locations in Lebanon’s south. The ongoing ceasefire with
Hezbollah stipulates that the pullout must be completed by a delayed deadline of
February 18. Hezbollah is also meant to vacate southern Lebanon, with the
Lebanese Army maintaining the only military presence there. “We intend to leave
and fulfill the agreement,” said the official. “And of course, enforcement will
continue,” he added, referring to potential strikes inside Lebanon. “As you see,
we just killed a senior Hamas official there in Lebanon -- in Sidon, not in
southern Lebanon. So we will continue with determined enforcement and what
happened before October 7 will not happen again,” the defiant official added.
“We will attack every threat we see, and we will make sure that Hezbollah does
not evade and does not receive funding from Iran… It just will not happen,” he
stressed.
Lebanon extends suspension of flights to and from Iran
Agence France Presse/February 17/2025
Lebanese authorities said on Monday they had extended the suspension of inbound
and outbound flights to Iran indefinitely, after originally barring Iranian
planes from landing in Beirut until February 18. Authorities have decided to
"mandate the Minister of Public Works and Transport to extend the suspension
period of flights to and from Iran," Lebanese presidency spokeswoman Najat
Sharafeddine told reporters, without specifying when flights would resume. Last
week, Lebanon had denied permission for two Iranian flights to land in Beirut.
The ban came after the United States, which helped broker a November 27
Hezbollah-Israel ceasefire, warned Israel might shoot the planes down, a
Lebanese security source told AFP earlier. Israel has on several occasions
accused Hezbollah of using the airport in Beirut to bring in weapons from Iran.
The group -- and Lebanese leaders -- have denied those allegations. Lebanon's
Directorate General of Civil Aviation said on Thursday it had "temporarily
rescheduled" some flights including from Iran until February 18 as it was
implementing "additional security measures." The move prompted protests from
supporters of Iran-backed Hezbollah, who blocked the road to the country's only
international airport in Beirut. Sharafeddine said authorities had given "strict
instructions" to security forces not to allow the airport road to be closed and
to reinforce the inspection of all planes at the airport. Lebanon's top diplomat
will also follow up on the matter and "ensure the return of Lebanese travelers
who are still in Iran," she said. On Friday, as Hezbollah supporters blocked the
road to Beirut airport, a United Nations convoy was attacked, leaving a vehicle
torched and two peacekeepers wounded. On Sunday, Hezbollah chief Sheikh Naim
Qassem said the government's decision to halt flights from Iran was
"implementing an Israeli order."
Israeli army confirms it'll keep occupying 5 hills in south
Lebanon
Agence France Presse/Associated Press/February 17/2025
The Israeli army said its forces will remain at five "strategic points" inside
Lebanon beyond Tuesday, when the deadline for troop withdrawal from south
Lebanon under a fragile ceasefire expires. "Based on the current situation, we
will leave small amounts of troops deployed temporarily in five strategic points
along the border in Lebanon so we can continue to defend our residents and to
make sure there's no immediate threat," Israeli military spokesman Nadav
Shoshani told journalists on Monday. "This is a temporary measure until the
Lebanese armed forces are able to fully implement the understanding," he added.
The Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire has been in effect since November 27, after more
than two months of all-out war during which Israel launched ground operations.
Under the deal, Lebanon's military was to deploy in the south alongside United
Nations peacekeepers as the Israeli army withdrew over a 60-day period that was
later extended to February 18. Hezbollah was to pull
back north of the Litani River -- about 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the border
-- and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in the south. A committee
involving the United States, France, Lebanon, Israel and U.N. peacekeepers is
tasked with ensuring any ceasefire violations are identified and dealt with.
"This is what we have discussed with the mechanism, and (this is what) is agreed
upon moving forward, a temporary placement of our forces in these five points
for the defense of our people," Shoshani said. Officials in Lebanon have
demanded Israel's full withdrawal by Tuesday, after Israeli forces missed the
earlier January deadline. Shoshani said the five locations provide vantage
points or are located across from communities in northern Israel. Israel is
committed to carrying out the withdrawal in “the right way, in a gradual way,
and in a way that the security of our civilians is kept," he told reporters.
President Joseph Aoun told reporters Monday that the ceasefire agreement “must
be respected,” saying “the Israeli enemy cannot be trusted.”He said Lebanese
officials “are working diplomatically to achieve the complete Israeli
withdrawal, and I will not accept that a single Israeli remains on Lebanese
territory.”
Aoun: Hezbollah arms should be part of solutions agreed on
by the Lebanese
Naharnet/February 17/2025
President Joseph Aoun stressed Monday that “the army is responsible for
protecting the border and it enjoys readiness.”“Hold us accountable if it (the
army) shows shortcomings,” Aoun added. Moreover, he said that “Hezbollah’s arms
should be part of solutions agreed on by the Lebanese.”Expressing concern that
Israel might not fully withdraw from south Lebanon by the February 18 deadline,
the president added: “I won’t accept that a single Israeli stay on Lebanese
soil, the war option is not useful because Lebanon can't bear a new war and
we’ll work with diplomatic means.”He also noted that the credibility of the U.S.
and France is at stake and that “they are working to secure the Israeli
withdrawal.”U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday that the United
States and Israel expect the Lebanese state to work towards disarming
Iran-backed Hezbollah, which fought a war with Israel last year. "In the case of
Lebanon, our goals are aligned in the same. A strong Lebanese state that can
take on and disarm Hezbollah," Rubio said in a joint address to reporters with
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. Netanyahu for his part
said "Hezbollah must be disarmed and Israel would prefer that the Lebanese Army
do that job.""But no one should doubt that Israel will do what it has to do to
enforce the understandings of the ceasefire and defend our security," Netanyahu
added.
Hezbollah slams vandalization of president statue in
Jezzine region
Naharnet/February 17/2025
Hezbollah on Monday condemned the vandalization of a statue honoring President
Joseph Aoun in the Jarmak-Aishiyeh area in the Jezzine region, calling it a
“suspicious attack” and “seditious act.”“This suspicious attack is a seditious
act, especially in this delicate timing, as the country readies for a pivotal
day represented in the Israeli withdrawal from the South,” Hezbollah said in a
statement. “This deplorable behavior strongly contradicts with the values and
principles in which Hezbollah believes, which were embodied in the leader of the
nation’s martyrs Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and is against his approach and
convictions,” Hezbollah added. Emphasizing its condemnation of “this act that
seeks to harm the relation (of Hezbollah) with the president,” the party called
for “thwarting any suspicious attempt that aims to shake domestic
stability.”According to footage circulated online, unknown assailants sprayed
Hezbollah’s logo over Aoun’s face on the statue and also wrote ‘Martyr Sayyed
Hassan Nasrallah’ in Arabic on it. Aoun hails from the Jezzine district town of
Aishiyeh.
Lebanon urges ceasefire sponsors to pressure Israel to
withdraw by deadline
Agence France Presse/February 17/2025
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun urged on Monday sponsors of a ceasefire deal
between Israel and Hezbollah to help pressure Israel to withdraw troops by a
deadline the following day. "We are continuing contacts on several levels to
push Israel to respect the agreement and to withdraw on the scheduled date, and
return the prisoners," Aoun said, according to a presidency statement. "The
sponsors of the deal should bear their responsibility to assist us," he added. A
fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has been in effect since November
27 after more than a year of hostilities including two months of all-out war
during which Israel launched ground operations. Under the deal, Lebanon's
military was to deploy in the south alongside United Nations peacekeepers as the
Israeli army withdrew over a 60-day period that was later extended to February
18. Hezbollah was to pull back north of the Litani River -- about 30 kilometers
(20 miles) from the border -- and dismantle any remaining military
infrastructure in the south. A committee involving the United States, France,
Lebanon, Israel and U.N. peacekeepers is tasked with ensuring any ceasefire
violations are identified and dealt with. Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem on Sunday
said it was the government's responsibility to ensure the Israeli army fully
withdraws by Tuesday's deadline. Last week, Lebanon's parliamentary speaker
Nabih Berri, a Hezbollah ally, said Washington had told him that while Israel
would withdraw on February 18, "it will remain in five locations".
Lebanon has rejected the demand. On Sunday, Israel
said it carried out strikes in Lebanon targeting Hezbollah military sites, as
official media reported three raids in the country's east. The official National
News Agency also said Israeli gunfire killed a young woman in the border town of
Houla on Sunday as people tried to go home. On Saturday, Israel said it targeted
a senior militant from Hezbollah's aerial unit, as Lebanese official media
reported two dead in an Israeli strike in the south. Karim Bitar, lecturer in
Middle East studies at Sciences-Po university in Paris, said "it appears that
there is a tacit if not an explicit U.S. agreement to extend the withdrawal
period". "The most likely scenario is that Israel would maintain control over
four or five hills that basically oversee most of south Lebanon's villages," he
said. Ramzi Kaiss from Human Rights Watch said Monday that "Israel's deliberate
demolition of civilian homes and infrastructure" was making it "impossible for
many residents to return."
Incomplete exit: Partial Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon
leaves strategic locations under occupation
LBCI/February 17/2025
The Lebanese Army is preparing to redeploy in its former positions in occupied
villages following the expected Israeli withdrawal on Tuesday. The army has
raised its readiness levels to facilitate the deployment and expedite efforts to
clear roads of war remnants, ensuring the safe return of displaced residents. As
the deadline for the second phase of the Israeli withdrawal nears, several
villages remain under occupation, including Wazzani, Sardah Al-Aamra, Kfarkela,
Odaisseh, Markaba, Houla, Meiss El Jabal, Maroun El Ras, Yaroun, and strategic
locations such as Tallet El Hamames, Jabal Blat, and Labbouneh. Some areas where
the Lebanese Army had already deployed also remain partially occupied. However,
the withdrawal will not be complete, as the Israeli army is expected to maintain
control over five key hills and positions inside Lebanese territory. These
locations include: Tallet El Hamames, east of Khiam, overlooking the Metula
settlement. A hill in Markaba, Wadi Hunin, near a UNIFIL post, facing the
Margaliot settlement. Jabal Al Bat – Jall Al-Deir, an elevated position between
Aitaroun and Maroun El Ras, overseeing Avivim and Al-Malkiyya settlements. Jabal
Blat, a strategic high ground separating the western and central sectors,
providing oversight of Zar'it and Shomera settlements. The Labbouneh hills in
the west overlook settlements in western Galilee, including Hanita, Nahariyya,
and Shlomi. The continued Israeli presence in these five locations extends
occupation beyond their immediate perimeters, affecting the surrounding areas up
to the border. According to sources in the ceasefire monitoring committee,
Israel has indicated that its decision to remain in these hills is not solely
for military strategic purposes but also to reassure northern settlers and
encourage their return starting in early March.
Israel's ambitions for Lebanese land: Lebanese divisions fuel Netanyahu's vision
for a new Middle East
LBCI/February 17/2025
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was confident after the departure of
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio from Tel Aviv that his ambitions for
Lebanese land, which his army is supposed to withdraw from by February 18, would
play a central role in his shared vision with Washington for a new Middle East.
With full U.S. backing, Israel is charting the
region's roadmap, and Netanyahu received a green light from Rubio during their
meeting to move forward with these plans. Israel closely monitors developments
in Lebanon, seeking to exploit every internal conflict, division, and even the
image of attacks on international forces, as well as the threats made by
Hezbollah's Secretary-General, Naim Qassem. Even more troubling is Israel's
intent to fuel further divisions within Lebanon by discussing the upcoming role
of President Joseph Aoun and the Lebanese Army.
Beyond these public matters, Israel has also revealed part of its strategy for
Lebanon in the new Middle East it envisions. It claimed that 20 religious Jews
crossed the Blue Line into South Lebanon, heading specifically toward the tomb
of Rabbi Ashi in the village of Houla. Israel arrested eight of them, alleging
they had infiltrated secretly. However, their claims were debunked when the
group revealed they had coordinated with the Lebanese Army. In fact, they had an
agreement with the military to restore the tomb and turn it into a religious
site within Lebanon, with plans for a special visit to celebrate the rabbi's
birthday on March 7. All of this is unfolding just 24 hours before the supposed
Israeli withdrawal from South Lebanon, despite Lebanon's diplomatic protests,
which seem to have fallen on deaf ears in both Washington and Tel Aviv.
Walid Joumblatt: Israeli occupation of five hills in South Lebanon violates
ceasefire agreement
LBCI/February 17/2025
Following his meeting with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, former MP Walid
Joumblatt stated that Israel's continued occupation of the five hills is a
violation of the ceasefire agreement. Joumblatt commented on the Iranian
aircraft's controversy, saying that the Public Works Minister should not bear
full responsibility. He clarified that while the minister oversees technical
matters related to aircraft, inspecting and verifying any materials fall under
the jurisdiction of the Interior Ministry through airport security. He added
that there is no objection to inspection procedures and called for an end to
political posturing.
Lebanese authorities address airport security in response to Tehran-Beirut
flight suspension
LBCI/February 17/2025
President Joseph Aoun chaired a meeting to discuss the developments related to
Beirut Airport, particularly the incidents on the airport road. Attendees
included Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Ministers of Defense, Foreign Affairs,
Interior, Public Works and Transport, and the head of airport security. The
Lebanese presidential spokesperson, Najat Charafeddine, addressed the statement
to the public, outlining that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Youssef Rajji,
was tasked with continuing diplomatic efforts to resolve the issue of flights
between Tehran and Beirut, ensuring the return of Lebanese passengers still
stranded in Iran. "Strict instructions were given to military and security
agencies to prevent any disruption or closure of the airport road and to
safeguard public property," the statement included. In addition, the Minister of
Public Works and Transport, Fayez Rasamny, was instructed to extend the
suspension of flights to and from Iran and to ensure that all aircraft undergo
thorough security checks. Moreover, airport security is tasked with overseeing
compliance with these directives.
Hezbollah delegation invites Saad Hariri to funeral of
Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine
LBCI/February 17/2025
Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri met with a delegation from Hezbollah that
included former Minister Mohammad Fneish and MP Amin Sherri, delivering an
invitation for Hariri to attend the funeral of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and
Hashem Safieddine.
Red Cross recovers body of young girl in Houla after
Israeli gunfire
LBCI/February 17/2025
The Red Cross entered the southern Lebanese town of Houla and recovered the body
of a young girl named Khadija Atwi, who was killed Sunday by Israeli army
gunfire. Her remains were transported to Tebnin Governmental Hospital.
Berri: We are not an Israeli colony and will never be
Naharnet/February 17/2025
Speaker Nabih Berri has said that the latest crisis over Iranian flights should
be addressed “responsibly, wisely and away from the media and furor.”“This
problem should be resolved through a direct, state-to-state dialogue between
Lebanon and Iran,” Berri told his visitors, according to al-Joumhouria
newspaper.
“It is totally unacceptable for the Israeli enemy to decide for us, as it is
trying to do in the issue of preventing Iranian planes from landing at Beirut’s
international airport,” Berri added. “If the enemy continues its insolence, what
guarantees that it doesn’t claim later, for example, that there are financial
transactions from expats in Africa that are going to Hezbollah, and then it
might threaten to target the central bank as it is currently threatening the
airport?” the Speaker went on to say. Stressing that “we are not an Israeli
colony and will never be,” Berri rejected “any foreign dictations that harm
national sovereignty” and called for “addressing the urgent crisis exclusively
in line with the Lebanese interest.”
Jumblat: Lebanon doesn't want group of Lebanese to be tool
in Iran's hand
Naharnet/February 17/2025
Druze leader Walid Jumblat has noted that “the previous equation in Lebanon has
changed due to the political and military circumstances,” adding that “it has
been agreed on the need to implement U.N. resolutions.”“There will be no return
to the past and the presence of military militias in Lebanon has become
something of the past,” Jumblat added, an in interview with Russia’s Sputnik.
Noting that “no one is opposed to political confrontation against Israel,” the
Druze leader pointed out that “the use of arms led to negative results despite
the major sacrifices that Hezbollah offered.”He added that “Lebanon does not
want a group of the Lebanese to be a tool in Iran’s hand” and that “after all
these wars the Lebanese have the right to enjoy stability.”
Iran says to take part in Nasrallah funeral at 'high level'
Agence France Presse/February 17/2025
Iran said on Monday that it will take part in this weekend's funeral of Sayyed
Hassan Nasrallah, the slain leader of Lebanon's Tehran-backed Hezbollah
movement, with a senior delegation. "We will participate in this ceremony at a
high level," Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told reporters,
without specifying who would attend Sunday's ceremony in Beirut. The
announcement came as Lebanese authorities cancelled flights from Tehran to
Beirut over security concerns. Hezbollah's current
leader, Naim Qassem, accused Israel of being behind the cancellations, saying
Lebanon's government was "implementing an Israeli order".Qassem also called for
widespread participation in Nasrallah's funeral as a demonstration of the
group's strength. Israel has repeatedly accused Hezbollah of using Beirut's
airport to smuggle weapons and funds from Iran, allegations denied by both
Hezbollah and Lebanese officials. Hezbollah was established in the 1980s
following Iran's Islamic Revolution as a Shiite political party with an armed
wing. Over the years, the group has received financial
and military support from Tehran, positioning itself as a key adversary of
Israel, Iran's arch-enemy. Nasrallah, a prominent figure in Hezbollah, led the
group for 32 years, during which it expanded its military capabilities and
regional influence.
Video Link for a commentary by Journalist Jimy Francis
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/02/140307/
Video Link for a commentary by Journalist Jimy Francis in which he harshly
responds to the lies, hypocrisy, heresies, immorality, and political rostitution
of the Shiite Duo (Berri and Hezbollah), Who Have Been recently carrying the
banners of sovereignty while in reality and for tens of years they were
marginalizing, killing, fighting, and Cursing Its Very Essence ….these Are the
Scoundrels. Sovereignty, in their satanic concept, is a pretext, nothing more
and nothing less.
Israeli Withdrawal from Lebanon
Tomorrow
Colonel Charbel Barakat/February 17/2025
(Free translation from Arabic by Elias Bejjani)
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/02/140316/
The first phase of the Israeli withdrawal was set for sixty days after the
ceasefire agreement and was scheduled to end on January 26th. However, it was
not fully implemented, as Israel requested an extension until February 18th to
complete its withdrawal. This initial withdrawal included vacating positions
occupied during the war to stop Hezbollah’s attacks. These positions, often
within villages and residential areas, required the Israeli army to evacuate
civilians before entering, conduct searches, engage in hostilities, and destroy
military installations as necessary.
UN Security Council Resolution 1701, issued after the 2006 war, stipulated the
withdrawal of Hezbollah elements from south of the Litani River. Israel's
objective was to reach the Litani and clear the area of Hezbollah fighters to
prevent attacks on its northern regions, enabling displaced Israelis to return
to their villages. The Lebanese government pledged to take responsibility for
preventing Hezbollah's presence south of the Litani and to restrict weapons to
state authorities. This commitment extended to enforcing UN Resolution 1559,
which called for the disarmament of all militias, forming the foundation for
Resolution 1701.
Despite these commitments, the Lebanese government failed to extend its control
over the south, merely assigning the Lebanese army to take over positions
vacated by the Israelis. This failure forced international sponsors of the
agreement into a difficult position, leading to compromises with Israel over its
implementation. Israel evacuated areas far from the border within the sixty-day
deadline but requested an extension to February 18th to clear the border areas
of fortifications and structures that could be used for future attacks.
The withdrawal process was anything but simple. Hezbollah launched a media
campaign that spurred a popular movement demanding the return of civilians to
villages from which the Israelis had not yet withdrawn or where the Lebanese
army had not yet deployed. This reckless push led to unnecessary deaths and
injuries, creating a dilemma for the new Lebanese government: either comply with
"enemy orders" or assist citizens in returning to their homes. As though the
return was simple, Hezbollah had imposed a year-long war of harassment,
destroying homes, infrastructure, and lives, using civilians as human shields,
and turning their homes into combat zones. The Lebanese government, now tasked
with facilitating this return, is forced to beg for loans and assistance to
rebuild what was destroyed and to provide temporary shelter until reconstruction
is complete.
Today, discussions revolve around the Israelis' full withdrawal from all
villages. However, Israel insists on maintaining a presence on five strategic
hills overlooking its border villages to reassure its residents will not face
future attacks like those experienced in Gaza. This demand, while
psychologically understandable, does not compromise Lebanon's right to reclaim
its lands or its sovereignty. A practical agreement could be reached on a
transitional security period, allowing the Lebanese state to prove its ability
to protect its borders, as it did for over twenty years without significant
incidents before the ill-fated Cairo Agreement. Alternatively, Lebanon could
negotiate regional understandings on permanent peace.
Yet, Hezbollah and its masters in Tehran will not accept any solution if their
input is sought. They thrive on chaos, using it to sustain their destructive
influence over Lebanon, turning the nation into a bargaining chip in the Middle
East's endless conflicts. While wars may end elsewhere, Lebanon remains trapped
because its leaders, still influenced by the Syrian regime’s mentality, seek
power without responsibility. They hide behind hollow slogans and leave critical
decisions to the street and the demagogues.
Thus, we warn of a bleak future where Lebanon risks becoming a rogue state,
potentially ruled by a UN-appointed official, as in Kosovo, or descending into
lawlessness, as in Somalia. If Lebanon’s new leaders—starting with the President
and Prime Minister—fail to distinguish between true national interest and mere
political survival, the country's future is grim. The hopes pinned on new
leadership will collapse, and the nation may soon face an irreversible crisis.
Does anyone hear or understand where this dangerous path is leading?
The Regalian Function and the Poor Exercise of Power
Charles Elias Chartouni/This is Beirut/February 17/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/02/140304/
The new government of Lebanon was welcomed as symptomatic of a new era.
Nonetheless, its shortcomings are obvious, and its inaugural performance is not
of good omen. The political subtext is plainly contradictory, and its steering
committee doesn’t seem to realize that its multiple inconsistencies are
self-defeating. Surfing on the false idea of technocratic neutrality and
non-partisanship, its ideological discrepancies and regalian exercise of power
betray its blatant partisanship and the inability of the cabinet to operate as
an integrated body with clearly stated policy objectives. Otherwise, the glaring
differences between the experts and the politicians seem to distort the
democratic decision process and the concentration of power within a coterie of
power holders with an obvious political agenda.
The latest political troubles are quite ominous and revelatory of the
multitudinous ideological and political incompatibilities and imbalances. The
cabinet formation scheme has utterly failed to create an integrated platform
whereby technicality and political expediency are complementary. To boot, the
implicit political assumption is explicitly dismissive of the strategic and
political facts generated by the Israeli counteroffensive and its manifold
consequences. The ideological blinders do not acknowledge these facts, and
policy-making mutates into political exorcism and denial of reality. The
lackluster implementation of the truce stipulation and the childish blame
externalization dictate the political agenda and account largely for the
inability to draft a coherent statement and deal with the vagaries of Shiite
fascism.
This cabinet should realize that it cannot navigate its course amidst political
inconsistencies and ideological blinders and be swayed by the sabotaging
politics of Hezbollah and the instrumentation of Iranian power politics. The
political silence of the current coalition displays its structural weaknesses
and political inadequacies. Leaving the unleashing insecurity in the hands of
poorly framed security measures and the flimsy structured military interventions
is a hazardous course that may expose the troops to the inconsistencies of the
executive power. Finally, the implementation of the international resolutions
cannot be confined to mere operational issues and dismiss the larger political
picture. Lebanon is not anymore able to steer its
political course through tactical tinkering, mendacity, and political
meandering. It has to make an explicit political statement on the urgency of a
negotiated peace treaty with the State of Israel lest it engage the final stage
of a self-generated process of political destruction initiated sixty years ago.
Lebanon has no more chance to survive unless it addresses the issue of peace
with Israel as an axial point in policy formation. I wonder whether the Salam
cabinet is willing to modify its ideological script, amend its policy plan, and
distance itself from Palestinian militancy and Iranian power politics that have
jointly challenged the negotiated peace process scenarios, albeit their
strategic differences.
The hackneyed topics of ontological enmity with Israel were recycled by the
incoming executive power, which was a repeated exercise in political futility,
political irresponsibility, and inability to imagine an alternative course to
the destructive cycles of violence that have plagued this country over the last
decades, let alone their lack of audacity and ideological subservience to the
dull and murderous ideology of absolutized enmity and essentialized hatred.
Lebanon is the last hostage of Iranian power politics and has no opportunity to
escape the damnation of the Shiite totalitarian panopticon unless Iran is
defeated, its tattered Islamic narrative discredited, and remaining proxies
annihilated.
The ideological delirium exhibited by the Hezbollah cohorts is the outcome of a
long-standing indoctrination and a hardwired string of networks operating on a
continuum of terrorism and organized criminality that accounts for the sturdy
knots that bind this primitive horde huddled around its totemic figures and
operational nexuses. Lebanon has no other alternative but to reckon with the
salient strategic and political issues and start acting as a coherent and
sovereign national actor; otherwise, its disintegration has come full circle,
and the loopholes are hard to find. Any executive in Lebanon has to come to
terms with the new realities on the ground, outgrow the infantilization driven
by a stunted political growth, and face the reality of peacemaking elicited by
the Abrahamic accords and their revolutionary ideological and political
inflections.
The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on February 17-18/2025
Israel security cabinet to discuss new phase of Gaza truce
Associated Press/February 17, 2025
Israel's security cabinet was set to discuss on Monday the next phase of the
ceasefire with Hamas, as top U.S. diplomat Marco Rubio began a visit to Saudi
Arabia where he will push Donald Trump's proposal for a U.S. takeover of Gaza.
Rubio travelled to Riyadh from Israel, where he kicked off his first Middle East
trip as Trump's secretary of state. "Hamas cannot continue as a military or a
government force... they must be eliminated," Rubio said in Israel of the
Palestinian group whose October 7, 2023 attack triggered a 15-month war that has
devastated Gaza. Standing beside him, Netanyahu said the two allies had "a
common strategy", and that "the gates of hell will be opened" if all hostages
held by militants in Gaza are not freed. The comments came a day after Hamas
freed three Israeli hostages in exchange for 369 Palestinian prisoners -- the
sixth such swap under the ceasefire deal, which the United States helped mediate
along with Qatar and Egypt. Israel and Hamas have accused each other of
violating the ceasefire, which has been further strained by Trump's widely
condemned proposal to take control of rubble-strewn Gaza and move its more than
two million residents out of the territory. "We discussed Trump's bold vision
for Gaza's future and will work to ensure that vision becomes a reality,"
Netanyahu said. The scheme that Trump outlined earlier this month as Netanyahu
visited Washington lacked details, but he said it would entail moving Gazans to
Jordan or Egypt.
'The only plan'
The United States, Israel's top ally and weapons supplier, says it is open to
alternative proposals from Arab governments, but Rubio has said for now, "the
only plan is the Trump plan". However, Saudi Arabia and other Arab states have
rejected his proposal, and instead favor the creation of a Palestinian state
alongside Israel. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday said a
Palestinian state would be "the only guarantee" of lasting Middle East peace.
After Saudi Arabia, Rubio will also travel to the United Arab Emirates. The
United States has been pushing for a potentially historic deal in which Saudi
Arabia would recognize Israel, but Trump's Gaza plan is complicating that
effort. Hamas and Israel are implementing the first, 42-day phase of the
ceasefire, which came close to collapse last week. "At any moment the fighting
could resume. We hope that the calm will continue and that Egypt will pressure
Israel to prevent them from restarting the war and displacing people," said
Nasser al-Astal, 62, a retired teacher in southern Gaza's Khan Younis. Since the
truce took effect on January 19, a total of 19 Israeli hostages have been
released in exchange for more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. Out of 251
people seized in Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, 70 remain in Gaza,
including 35 the Israeli military says are dead. In a statement, Rubio condemned
Hamas's hostage-taking as "sick depravity" and called for the immediate release
of all remaining captives, living and dead, particularly five Israeli-American
dual nationals. Negotiations on a second phase of the truce, aimed at securing a
more lasting end to the war, could begin this week in Doha, a Hamas official and
another source familiar with the talks have said. Netanyahu's office said he
would convene a meeting of his security cabinet on Monday to discuss phase two.
It said the prime minister was also dispatching negotiators to Cairo on Monday
to discuss the "continued implementation" of phase one. The team would "receive
further directives for negotiations on Phase II" after the cabinet meeting, the
office said.
'Finish the job'
The Gaza war has rippled across the Middle East, triggering violence in Yemen
and Lebanon, where Iran backs militant groups. Israel fought a related war with
Hezbollah, severely weakening it before a ceasefire took effect on November 27.
Israeli troops were meant to withdraw over a 60-day period but this was later
extended to February 18. Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem said Sunday "Israel must
fully withdraw" on the Tuesday deadline. "It is the responsibility of the
Lebanese state" to exert every effort "to make Israel withdraw", he said in a
televised address. There have also been limited direct strikes by Iran and
Israel against each other. Rubio called Iran the "single greatest source of
instability in the region". Netanyahu said that with the support of the Trump
administration, "I have no doubt that we can and will finish the job" against
Iran. Iran on Monday condemned Netanyahu's remarks, calling them "a gross
violation of international law and the United Nations Charter".Hamas's October 7
attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,211 people, according to an AFP
tally of Israeli official figures. Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed at
least 48,271 people in Gaza, the majority of them civilians, according to
figures from the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory that the United
Nations considers reliable.
Israel PM says 'committed' to Trump's Gaza displacement plan
Agence France Presse/February 17,
2025
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that he was "committed"
to U.S. President Donald Trump's plan for Gaza, which involves displacing more
than two million inhabitants of the Palestinian territory. "Just as I have
committed to, on the day after the war in Gaza, there will be neither Hamas nor
the Palestinian Authority. I am committed to U.S. President Trump's plan for the
creation of a different Gaza," Netanyahu said in a statement.
King Abdullah reaffirms
Jordan’s stance on Palestinian cause, rejects displacement and resettlement
Arab News/February 17, 2025
AMMAN: King Abdullah II on Monday reiterated Jordan’s stance on the Palestinian
cause, rejecting any form of displacement, resettlement, or the establishment of
an alternative homeland, the Jordan News Agency reported. Speaking at the Royal
Hashemite Court during a meeting with military retirees on the occasion of
Veterans Day and accompanied by his son Crown Prince Hussein, the king
reaffirmed his long-standing position. “For 25 years, I have been saying no to
displacement, no to resettlement, no to the alternative homeland,” the king
said. Despite ongoing regional challenges, the king said he remained optimistic,
attributing his conviction to the support of Jordanians, the Jordan Armed
Forces-Arab Army, security agencies, and retired military personnel. He also
praised veterans, acknowledging their continued readiness to serve the nation.
King Abdullah reflected on his recent visit to Washington, where he emphasized
Jordan’s commitment to maintaining stability and protecting national interests
during a meeting with US President Donald Trump. He stressed the importance of
reconstructing Gaza without displacing its residents and called for efforts to
de-escalate tensions in the West Bank. Reaffirming Jordan’s commitment to a just
and lasting peace, the king underscored that a two-state solution remained the
only viable path to stability in the region. Maj. Gen. Ismail Al-Shobaki,
speaking on behalf of the military retirees, praised King Abdullah’s leadership
and commitment to Jordanian interests, as well as his support for Arab allies,
particularly the Palestinian people.
Israel defense minister announces
agency for ‘voluntary departure’ of Gazans
AFP/February 17, 2025
JERUSALEM: Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz said Monday that a special
agency would be established for the “voluntary departure” of Gazans, after
Israel expressed commitment to a US proposal to take over the Palestinian
territory and expel its residents. “Defense Minister Israel Katz held a meeting
today (Monday) on the voluntary departure of Gaza residents, at the end of which
he decided that a directorate for the voluntary departure of Gaza residents
would be established within the ministry of defense,” a ministry statement said.
Earlier this month, Katz said he had ordered the army to formulate a plan to
allow Palestinians to leave Gaza, adding that he welcomed “Trump’s bold plan,
which could allow a large portion of Gaza’s population to relocate to various
places around the world.”An initial plan presented during the meeting on Monday
“includes extensive assistance that will allow any Gaza resident who wishes to
emigrate voluntarily to a third country to receive a comprehensive package,
which includes, among other things, special departure arrangements via sea, air,
and land,” the statement added. Earlier on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu said he was “committed to US President Donald Trump’s plan
for the creation of a different Gaza,” also promising that after the war, “there
will be neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority” ruling the territory.
Trump’s repeated proposal for a US “takeover” of Gaza and the resettlement of
Palestinians in other countries such as Egypt and Jordan lacks detail but has
triggered widespread international outrage. Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on
Israel sparked the Gaza Strip’s deadliest war and resulted in the deaths of
1,211 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official
figures. Israel’s retaliatory campaign has killed at least 48,284 people in
Gaza, the majority of them civilians, according to figures from the health
ministry in the Hamas-run territory that the United Nations considers reliable.
More than 15 months of war destroyed or damaged more than 69 percent of Gaza’s
buildings, displaced almost the entire population, and triggered widespread
hunger, according to the United Nations.
Israel preparing to receive
bodies of four hostages on Thursday, security official says
Reuters/February 17, 2025
JERUSALEM: Israel is preparing to receive the bodies of four hostages from Gaza
on Thursday and is working on bringing back six living captives on Saturday, an
Israeli security official said on Monday. If the two handovers are successful,
only four hostages, all presumed dead, would remain in Gaza of the 33 due to be
released in the first phase of a ceasefire agreement reached last month to halt
the war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. The ceasefire
deal, reached with the help of Qatari and Egyptian mediators, has remained on
track despite a series of temporary setbacks and accusations on both sides of
violations to the agreement that have threatened to derail it. Hamas has accused
Israel of blocking the delivery of housing materials for the tens of thousands
of Gazans forced to shelter from the winter weather among the ruins left by 15
months of Israeli bombardment. Israel has denied the accusation but Zeev Elkin,
a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet, confirmed that
a quantity of mobile homes was standing at the border. He said Israel would use
“any leverage” it had over Hamas to secure the return of the 33 hostages due to
come out in the first phase of the deal, which includes the release of Israeli
hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees and the
withdrawal of Israeli troops. “Israel has a goal of bringing forward the release
of the first phase hostages, certainly the living ones,” he told public
broadcaster Kansas. So far, 19 Israeli hostages have been returned, as well as
five Thais, who were handed over in an unscheduled release. Hamas has said 25 of
the 33 hostages due for release in the first phase are alive. The ceasefire deal
has been overshadowed by US President Donald Trump’s call for Palestinians to be
moved out and for Gaza to be taken over as a waterfront development under US
control. But officials say work has begun on the second phase of the deal, which
would would address the return of the remaining hostages and the Israeli
withdrawal. An Israeli team has already traveled to Cairo and the security
cabinet also cleared a high-level Israeli delegation to travel to Qatar for
talks on the second phase. “We all want to proceed to phase two and release the
hostages, the question is under what conditions is the war ended,” Elkin said.
“This is the main issue for the negotiations of the second phase.”The hostages
were taken in the Hamas-led cross-border attack on October 7, 2023, which also
killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel, according to Israeli tallies.
Israel’s retaliatory assault on Gaza has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians,
according to Palestinian health officials, laid waste to much of the enclave,
and displaced hundreds of thousands.
Israel advancing plans for
nearly 1,000 more settler homes in West Bank
Associated Press/February 17, 2025
Israel issued a tender for the construction of nearly 1,000 additional settler
homes in the occupied West Bank, an anti-settlement watchdog said Monday. Peace
Now says the development of 974 new housing units would allow the population of
the Efrat settlement to expand by 40% and further block the development of the
nearby Palestinian city of Bethlehem. Hagit Ofran, who leads the group's
settlement monitoring, said construction can begin after the contracting process
and issuing of permits, which could take another year at least. Israel captured
the West Bank, along with the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem, in the 1967 Mideast
war. The Palestinians want all three territories for their future state and view
the settlements as a major obstacle to peace, a position with wide international
support. President Donald Trump lent unprecedented support to the settlements
during his previous term. Israel has also steadily expanded settlements during
Democratic administrations, which were more critical but rarely took any action
to curb them. Israel has built well over 100 settlements across the West Bank,
ranging from hilltop outposts to fully-developed communities that resemble small
towns and suburbs, with apartment blocks, malls and parks. Over 500,000 settlers
live in the occupied West Bank, which is home to some 3 million Palestinians.
The settlers have Israeli citizenship, while Palestinians live under military
rule with the Western-backed Palestinian Authority administering population
centers. Major human rights groups have described the situation as apartheid,
allegations rejected by the Israeli government, which views the West Bank as the
historical and biblical heartland of the Jewish people and is opposed to
Palestinian statehood. Peace Now, which favors a negotiated two-state solution
to the conflict, accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government of
pressing ahead with settlement construction while dozens of hostages captured in
Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack languish in captivity in the Gaza Strip. "While the
people of Israel (set) their sights on the release of the hostages and an end to
the war, the Netanyahu government is operating 'on steroids' to establish facts
on the ground that will destroy the chance for peace and compromise," it said in
a statement.
Palestinian detainee says
he was tortured in Israeli detention center
Reuters/February 17, 2025
KHAN YOUNIS: Palestinian medic and ambulance worker Tarek Rabie Safi, freed from
an Israeli jail as part of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, said he
was underfed and abused during almost a year in captivity. Safi, a 39-year-old
father of two, was released along with 368 other Palestinian detainees on
Saturday, after Hamas freed three Israeli hostages from Gaza. Palestinian
prisoners and Israeli hostages have both complained of harsh treatment in the
hands of their captors. “I was held by the Israeli army in the Gaza ‘envelop’,
which is Sde Teiman where I stayed for four months (and I was subjected to)
torture of our bodies (physical torture) and hunger,” a gaunt-looking Safi said.
“(There was) no (decent) food, or drinks, or (medical) treatment. My arm was
broken, and they did not treat me, and they did not get me checked by a doctor.”
The Israeli military rejected the claims in an emailed response to Reuters’
queries, saying detainees are given food and drink regularly and have access to
medical care, and that if necessary, they are transferred to a medical facility
with advanced capabilities. Safi, who was detained in March last year near Khan
Younis in southern Gaza, said a detainee who was in the same room with him had
died as a result of his treatment. “A young man who was with me was martyred,
Mussab Haniyeh, may God have mercy on him, in the same room. This young man was
strong, but due to the lack of food, lack of drinks and frequent torture, he was
martyred in front of our eyes,” Safi said. After four months in the detention
center, Safi was moved to other Israeli jails until his release in Khan Younis,
where he was reunited with his family in emotional scenes. The Israeli military
said it is aware of incidents of detainee deaths, but cannot comment since
investigations are pending.
The Palestinian Prisoner Association, which documents Israeli detentions of
Palestinians, said that Israel is carrying out “systematic crimes and revenge
attacks” against prisoners, most recently in the Israeli-occupied West Bank’s
Ofer prison. Abdullah Al-Zaghari, head of the association, said that the group
had documented horrific testimonies, including severe beatings and shackling
prisoners for days and weeks without food or water. Reuters is unable to
independently confirm the reports.Human rights group Amnesty International said
last year that 27 released detainees it had interviewed consistently described
being subjected to torture on at least one occasion during their arrest.
Saudi crown prince receives US
Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Riyadh
Arab News/February 17, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received US Secretary of State
Marco Rubio at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh on Monday. The crown prince and Rubio
discussed aspects of relations between their countries and ways to enhance and
develop them in various fields, Saudi Press Agency reported. The latest regional
and international developments and efforts made toward them to achieve security
and stability were also discussed. The Saudi ambassador to the US Princess Reema
bint Bandar, US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and US Special Envoy to
the Middle East Steve Witkoff were among officials present at the meeting. Saudi
Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan receives US Secretary of State Marco
Rubio in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA) Earlier on in the day, Rubio was received by
the Kingdom’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Saudi Press Agency
reported. During the meeting, the diplomats reviewed Saudi-US relations and ways
to enhance them to serve the interests of both countries. They also discussed
regional and international developments and efforts made in this regard. Rubio
arrived in the Kingdom after a visit to Israel, the first leg of his first
Middle East tour in his current position. Next up on his tour will be the United
Arab Emirates.
Arab summit on Trump's Gaza plan postponed to Friday
Agence France Presse/February 17, 2025
A planned Saudi meeting of Arab leaders in response to US President Donald
Trump's plan to take control of Gaza has been postponed by a day and expanded,
Arab diplomats said on Monday. "The mini Arab summit in Riyadh has been
postponed from Thursday to Friday, February 21," a Saudi source told AFP. An
Arab diplomatic source confirmed the new date. Three Arab states had been
expected to attend the summit, but the Saudi source said the expanded meeting
will "include the leaders of the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries along
with Egypt and Jordan to discuss Arab alternatives to Trump's plans in the Gaza
Strip". The member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council are the United Arab
Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait. The Saudi source said
that "an influential Gulf country expressed its dissatisfaction at being
excluded from the Riyadh summit, which prompted the organizers to include all
the Gulf countries", without specifying which country was involved. Trump had
proposed taking over the war-batted Gaza Strip and moving its more than two
million residents to Jordan or Egypt -- a plan experts say would violate
international law. Arab countries have unanimously rejected the idea or any
prospect of displacing Palestinians from their lands. US Secretary of State
Marco Rubio said on Thursday that Washington was open to proposals from Arab
countries concerning the Palestinian territory, where a fragile ceasefire in the
Israel-Hamas war came into effect on 19 January after more than 15 months of
fighting. Rubio said he hoped to be able to discuss these ideas during a tour
that took him to Israel on Sunday, Saudi Arabia on Monday, and on to the United
Arab Emirates.
On Tuesday Jordan's King Abdullah II met with Trump at the White House and
"reiterated Jordan's steadfast position against the displacement of
Palestinians", according to a statement issued later, saying this was "the
unified Arab position".
Trump doubled down on his plan during the meeting.
Some takeaways from first month of Trump's Mideast
diplomacy
Associated Press/February 17, 2025
When Hamas threatened to call off the planned release of three Israeli hostages
last week, U.S. President Donald Trump stepped into the picture with an
unexpected ultimatum. Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump called on Hamas to
release all of the more than 70 hostages it is holding by noon on Saturday.
Otherwise, he warned, "all hell is going to break loose.""They'll find out what
I mean. Saturday at 12," Trump declared. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu, in lockstep with the president, hinted the entire deal could
collapse. Hamas ended up releasing the three hostages as originally planned.
Netanyahu freed scores of Palestinian prisoners in return, and Trump's noon
deadline came and went with no further hostage releases. The drama was the
latest glimpse of Trump's Mideast diplomacy — a world of big declarations,
chaotic unpredictability and mixed results. In some cases, this approach has
yielded great dividends — most notably the 2020 Abraham Accords between Israel
and four Arab countries. But it also has threatened to destabilize an already
unstable region and shown little success resolving Israel's decades-old conflict
with the Palestinians. Here are a few takeaways from Trump's first month in
office:
A surprise Gaza proposal
Trump has built his career on tough talk, threats and ultimatums — along with
surprises that supporters say are meant to shake up the status quo. Trump's
boldest and most controversial plan so far has been his call for all of Gaza's 2
million people to be removed from the territory, for the U.S. to then take
"ownership" and then to oversee a yearslong reconstruction process. The
Palestinians, he says, would not be allowed to return — a nightmare for a people
whose core grievance is the mass displacement they suffered during Israel's
creation 76 years ago. The Palestinians have rejected the plan out of hand.
Trump has not said how this plan would work, where Palestinians would go, who
would take them in or who would pay. Human rights groups and international law
experts believe the plan would amount to a war crime. It is not clear whether
the plan is a serious proposal or an attempt to shock the region's players into
returning to the negotiating table. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu said Sunday the plan "is right on the dot. It's the right plan."
Israelis love him
If Israel were part of the United States, it would be a bright red state when it
comes to presidential politics. Opinion polls last November showed Israelis
overwhelmingly believed Trump would be better for their country than Democratic
nominee Kamala Harris. That support has shown no signs of softening. Early this
month, Netanyahu was warmly received as the first foreign leader to visit the
White House, where Trump unveiled his plan for Gaza. While the idea of a mass
transfer of Palestinians was once an idea of Israel's most radical
ultranationalist fringe, Netanyahu has warmly embraced it since it was floated
by Trump. Since then, the Israelis appear to be taking their cues from Trump.
Netanyahu repeatedly consulted with the Americans during last week's standoff.
Hosting U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Netanyahu once again called Trump
"the greatest friend that Israel has ever had" in the White House. He said the
two nations stood "shoulder to shoulder" in confronting archenemy Iran and that
he was working in "full cooperation" with Trump on a postwar plan for Gaza. He
even adopted Trump's language in threatening to open "the gates of hell" on
Hamas if remaining hostages aren't released. Yet he has continued with ceasefire
talks at the prodding of the Americans.
Arab angst
America's closest Arab allies have rejected Trump's plans, which pose an
existential threat to the Palestinian cause and their own stability. But some
also face the threat of Trump cutting off badly needed aid. King Abdullah II of
Jordan, one of Trump's hoped-for destinations for uprooted Palestinians, gently
refused the plan during his own White House visit last week. Egypt, which
borders Gaza and has been named as another potential landing spot for displaced
Palestinians, has also ruled it out.
A key test for Trump is Rubio's visit to Saudi Arabia on Monday. Trump and
Netanyahu have made clear they would like to see the establishment of full
diplomatic relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. But the Saudis oppose the
mass transfer of Palestinians out of Gaza and want a clear pathway for
Palestinian independence as part of any normalization deal with Israel. Saudi
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's accusations that Israel committed "genocide"
in Gaza could also complicate the talks.
After the war
Trump's postwar plan has sent shockwaves across the region. Endorsing the forced
expulsion of millions of Palestinians would be risky for U.S. allies. The
populations of countries like the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and
Egypt are deeply sympathetic to the Palestinian people and going along with such
a plan could trigger domestic unrest. Egypt has warned it could endanger its
peace agreement with Israel — a cornerstone of regional stability for nearly
half a century. At the same time, Trump's plan appears to have bred a sense of
urgency. Egypt says it is now working on its own postwar plan for Gaza and is
set to host an Arab summit later this month. Rubio has said that if others don't
like the American ideas, they should offer an alternative. "It may have shocked
and surprised many, but what cannot continue is the same cycle where we repeat
over and over again and wind up in the exact same place," he said. From the
Arabs' perspective, what has been tried and failed for decades is America's
unquestioning support for Israel as it occupies lands the Palestinians want for
a future state, expands settlements and tries to impose a military solution on
the conflict — all of which is set to accelerate under Trump.
More uncertainty ahead
Trump's Mideast team, led by envoy Steve Witkoff, played a key role in securing
the current six-week ceasefire, even before taking office. The current phase of
the ceasefire is set to expire in two weeks, and Netanyahu has sent mixed
signals about what happens next. Netanyahu has repeatedly threatened to resume
the war, as demanded by the hard-line partners in his governing coalition. But
he also has committed to continuing negotiations on a second stage that could
ultimately end the war. It's impossible to say which path he and his
unpredictable friend in the White House will choose.
Syria arrests 3 men suspected of links to Tadamon massacre in
which hundreds were executed
AP/February 17, 2025
TADAMON: Security forces in Syria said on Monday that they arrested three people
involved in the execution of hundreds of civilians by government forces in
Damascus in 2013, two years after the country’s 13-year civil war began. Dozens
of police and security trucks lined the streets of Tadamon, a Damascus suburb
near the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp, where they carried out the arrests in
the same streets that once bore witness to mass executions. Masked,
rifle-wielding men moved through hollowed-out buildings, remnants of a war that
turned the district into a front line between government forces and opposition
fighters. In 2022, a leaked video dated April 16, 2013, appeared to contain
harrowing footage of the executions. The near seven-minute clip showed members
of Syria’s notorious Military Intelligence Branch 227 leading a line of about 40
blindfolded prisoners, their hands tied behind their backs, into an abandoned
building in Tadamon. One by one, the gunmen pushed or kicked the prisoners into
a trench filled with old tires, shooting them as they fell. One of the three men
arrested was Monzer Al-Jazairi, a resident of the Zahira neighborhood and a
former operative with the military security that operated before the fall of
Bashar Assad in December 2024. “We used to bring detainees arrested at
checkpoints, put them under the buildings here and execute them, and then after
we’re done, explode the buildings over them,” Al-Jazairi told The Associated
Press. It was unclear whether Al-Jazairi, flanked by security men as he spoke,
was speaking under duress or voluntarily. “Every batch constituted around 25
(people),” he said, adding that “around one week” passed between one batch and
the next. He estimated that he and his colleagues killed “around 500” people.
Damascus Security Chief Lt. Col. Abdul Rahman Al-Dabbagh corroborated the
number, citing additional confessions from those arrested. “Many of those killed
used to be collected at checkpoints and security (detention) centers, brought to
Tadamon neighborhood, where they were executed,” Al-Dabbagh told the AP. The two
other arrested suspects were identified as Somer Mohammed Al-Mahmoud and Imad
Mohammed Al-Mahmoud. Years after the Syrian war’s worst massacres and mass
disappearances, most alleged crimes have not been investigated and remain
unpunished. Since Assad’s ouster, Syrian security forces, under the new
leadership led by the Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham group, have been tracking down and
arresting remnants of the former government and military across the country.
“The operation is ongoing to apprehend all those involved in violations and
massacres against Syrians,” Al-Dabbagh said.
Zelensky says arrived in Turkiye for talks with Erdogan
AFP/February 17, 2025
JERUSALEM: Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Monday
that Hamas militants must surrender their arms and leave Gaza. He was speaking
ahead of a cabinet meeting to discuss the next phase of the truce between Israel
and Hamas Palestinian militants. Smotrich in a video statement said he “will
demand a vote” by ministers on US President Donald Trump’s plan and that Israel
must “issue a clear ultimatum to Hamas — immediately release all hostages, leave
Gaza for other countries, and lay down your arms.”“If Hamas refuses this
ultimatum, Israel will open the gates of hell,” said Smotrich, echoing an
expression used by both Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A strong
opponent of stopping the war, he has threatened to quit Netanyahu’s ruling
coalition if the war is not resumed after the end of the first stage of the
ceasefire. Trump’s plan lacked detail but has triggered widespread outrage
internationally for his call to resettle Palestinians in other countries such as
Egypt and Jordan under a US “takeover” of Gaza. Smotrich said Israel should go
for a “complete conquest” of the territory. According to Israeli media, the
security cabinet convened on Monday evening to discuss phase two of the fragile
ceasefire which began on January 19. More than 15 months of war destroyed or
damaged more than 69 percent of Gaza’s buildings, displaced almost the entire
population, and triggered widespread hunger, according to the United Nations.
“It’s them or us. Either we crush Hamas, or God forbid, Hamas will crush us,”
Smotrich said. “I call on the prime minister to declare that once the war
resumes after Phase One, Israel will, from the first day, seize 10 percent of
Gaza’s territory, establish full sovereignty there, and immediately apply
Israeli law,” he added. “Furthermore, it must be announced that once combat
resumes, all humanitarian aid will be completely halted.”Smotrich further said
that according to a plan currently in preparation “Gaza’s residents will be
allowed to leave, but only in one direction — with no possibility of return.”
“The loss of territory is the only heavy price our enemies understand — the only
thing that will make them realize we are serious,” Smotrich added. Since the
first phase of the truce began last month, 19 Israeli hostages have been
released in exchange for more than 1,100 Palestinian prisoners. Out of 251
people seized in Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which sparked the
war, 70 remain in Gaza, including 35 the Israeli military says are dead.
“Official visit with the First Lady to Turkiye. Meetings with President Erdogan
and First Lady Emine Erdogan,” Zelensky said on his Telegram account.
UN appeals for $6 billion for Sudan crisis aid in 2025
AFP/February 17, 2025
GENEVA: The UN appealed Monday for $6 billion to provide desperately-needed aid
to people in war-ravaged Sudan and millions of refugees fleeing “appalling”
conditions. The aim is to provide assistance to nearly 26 million people this
year, the United Nations’ humanitarian agency OCHA and refugee agency UNHCR said
in a joint appeal. Since April 2023, Sudan has been locked in a brutal conflict
between army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan
Dagalo, who leads the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
The UN agencies said the civil war has displaced 12 million people, of whom
around 3.5 million have fled the country. They stressed that at the same time,
nearly two-thirds of Sudan’s population needs emergency aid, as swathes of the
country face famine conditions. “Sudan is a humanitarian emergency of shocking
proportions,” UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said in a statement. “Famine is
taking hold. An epidemic of sexual violence rages. Children are being killed and
injured. The suffering is appalling.” Famine conditions have already been
reported in at least five locations in Sudan, including in displacement camps in
Darfur and in the western Nuba Mountains, the UN statement said. And
“catastrophic hunger is expected to worsen by May when the lean season begins,”
it warned. The UN said it was appealing for $4.2 billion to reach nearly 21
million people inside Sudan with life-saving aid and protection. Fletcher said
the UN plan would provide “a lifeline to millions.” The United Nations said it
would also need $1.8 billion to support 4.8 million people – both Sudanese
refugees and their host communities – in the Central African Republic, Chad,
Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, South Sudan and Uganda. “Today, one-third of Sudan’s
entire population is displaced,” UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi said in the
statement, highlighting that “the consequences of this horrific and senseless
conflict spread far beyond Sudan’s borders.”The UN cautioned that without
immediate funding, two-thirds of refugee children would be denied access to
primary education, “threatening an entire generation.” And “up to 4.8 million
refugees and host community members will continue to face severe food
insecurity, with at least 1.8 million going without food assistance,” it said,
warning that “already strained health systems may collapse.”Last year,
humanitarian organizations received $1.8 billion for Sudan – 66 percent of the
$2.7 billion requested – and managed to reach more than 15.6 million people
across the country.
They also provided life-saving food assistance to over a million people in
neighboring countries, as well as medical support to half a million and
protection services to over 800,000, the statement said.
The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources
on February 17-18/2025
Don't Be Fooled: The Palestinian Authority Did Not
Halt Payments To Terrorists
Bassam Tawil/Gatestone Institute/February 17, 2025
"Abbas claims to have ended the 'Pay for Slay' program – but it's just a
rebranding... Terrorists and their families will still receive payments, just
through a 'foundation' under Abbas's control instead of a ministry. The new
foundation remains tied to the PA, making this a deceptive move, not real
reform. The PA must truly end terror payments and incitement - not just change
how they guise them." — Misgav Institute for National Security and Zionist
Strategy, X.com, February 12, 2025.
The Palestinian Authority has made it clear that it is making this change not
because it believes it is wrong to fund terror, but because it needs US money.
The Arabic version of the decree clearly states that the main goal is to
"restore international aid programs that were suspended in the past years, which
we need to implement development and economic recovery programs."
While several international media outlets continue to argue that Abbas halted
the payments to the terrorists, Monica al-Jaghoub, a senior official with the
PA's ruling Fatah faction (headed by Abbas), denied the claims.
The reality is that Abbas did not -- and never will -- stop the payments to
terrorists and their families.
Did Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas halt payments to
Palestinian terrorists and their families? Or is he just trying to fool the
Americans to persuade them to resume financial aid to the PA?
The reality is that Abbas did not -- and never will -- stop the payments to
terrorists and their families.
On February 10, the American media outlet Axios reported:
"Abbas has issued a decree revoking the system of payments to families of
Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails or to families of Palestinians who were
killed or wounded during attacks against Israelis."
The payment program is known as "Pay for Slay."
PA officials told Axios that they hope Abbas's decision will improve relations
with the Trump administration and with Congress and lead to the resumption of US
financial aid to the PA.
In 2018, US President Donald Trump signed into law the Taylor Force Act to stop
American aid to the PA until it ceases paying stipends through the PA's "Martyrs
Fund" to individuals who commit acts of terrorism and the families of deceased
terrorists.
Abbas, however, has not ended the "Pay for Slay" program. He simply changed its
name, with the aim of deceiving and misleading the US and other Western donor
countries.
Abbas's move is not a policy change. It is nothing but a sneaky maneuver
designed to attract more international funding.
The Palestinian Authority has made it clear that it is making this change not
because it believes it is wrong to fund terror, but because it needs US money.
The Arabic version of the decree clearly states that the main goal is to
"restore international aid programs that were suspended in the past years, which
we need to implement development and economic recovery programs."
"Abbas claims to have ended the 'Pay for Slay' program – but it's just a
rebranding," according to the Misgav Institute for National Security and Zionist
Strategy.
"Terrorists and their families will still receive payments, just through a
'foundation' under Abbas's control instead of a ministry. The new foundation
remains tied to the PA, making this a deceptive move, not real reform. The PA
must truly end terror payments and incitement -- not just change how they
disguise them."
The reports about the alleged cancellation of the payments to the terrorists
were based on a "presidential decree" issued by Abbas on February 10:
"President Mahmoud Abbas... issued a decision-law to cancel articles contained
in the laws and regulations related to the system of paying financial allowances
to the families of prisoners, martyrs, and the wounded... transferring the
computerized cash assistance program, its database, and its financial, local,
and international allocations from the Ministry of Social Developments to the
Palestinian National Foundation for Economic Empowerment.
"All families that benefited from previous laws, legislation, and regulations
are subject to the same standards applied without discrimination to all families
benefiting from protection and social welfare programs,"
Abbas is actually saying that the payments will no longer be made by the PA
government, but by a new NGO managed by a Board of Trustees appointed by him.
The move is aimed at avoiding being directly blamed by the US for maintaining
this program under the pretext that the allowances are now coming from private
parties, not the PA government. The decree simply "restructures" the payment
system so that its beneficiaries will receive the same benefits from the
Palestinian National Foundation for Economic Empowerment.
"Did the Palestinian Authority stop paying imprisoned terrorists?" wrote Itamar
Marcus, founder and director of Palestinian Media Watch (PMW), which played a
vital role in exposing the "Pay for Slay" program.
No. The PA has not stopped paying imprisoned terrorists, but because of US
pressure, it will be paying from a different account that also includes welfare
recipients. According to several PA/Fatah sources, the salaries will remain very
high, identical to what they were, while according to a different reading of the
law, they will be based on social welfare needs. The law seems intentionally
ambiguous.
"The difference between the PA terror payments for people who murder and its
welfare payments for people in need is shocking.
"The PA currently rewards terrorists in prison between 1,400 to 12,000 shekels
[$400 - $3500] a month, depending on how long there have been incarcerated. PA
welfare benefits based on financial need range from 250 to 600 shekels/month
[$75 - $170]."While several international media outlets continue to argue that
Abbas halted the payments to the terrorists, Monica al-Jaghoub, a senior
official with the PA's ruling Fatah faction (headed by Abbas), denied the
claims. In an interview with the Saudi-owned Al-Hadath TV channel, al-Jaghoub
said:
"These reports are false. President Abbas did not stop the salaries of anyone.
President Abbas issued a law transferring these salaries, in their entirety, to
another body. Instead of receiving their salaries from the Palestinian
Prisoners' Commission, the prisoners will from now on be paid by the social
welfare system. The salaries will not be affected."
Palestinian columnist Dalal Iriqat wrote:
"The decree may be to restructure the mechanism for proving support to prisoners
and families of martyrs in a way that reduces the financial and political
targeting of the Palestinian Authority... Instead of disbursing allocations
directly, released prisoners will be included in 'economic empowerment'
programs, a step that may be an attempt to circumvent Israeli measures..."
Iriqat is referring to the Israeli law passed in 2018 to deduct the amount that
the PA pays to the terrorists from the taxes and tariffs Israel collects on
behalf of the PA.
The reality is that Abbas did not -- and never will -- stop the payments to
terrorists and their families. He knows that the moment he does so, his people
will revolt against him, denounce him as a traitor, and try to kill him.
It is time to remind the world of what Abbas himself said in the past:
"If we had one single penny left, we would spend it on the families of the
martyrs and the prisoners. We consider the martyrs and the prisoners to be stars
in the sky of the Palestinian people and struggle. We value and respect this
group of people. They way we see it, they are paving the path for the liberation
of Palestine for the sake of future generations."
**Bassam Tawil is a Muslim Arab based in the Middle East. His work is made
possible through the generous donation of a couple of donors who wished to
remain anonymous. Gatestone is most grateful.
© 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.
Arabs know their history and won’t let it be repeated
Dr. Ramzy Baroud /Arab News/February 17, 2025
Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, said in a 2020 interview
that he had “read 25 books” on the Middle East. Such intellectual bravado would
not matter if it were not for the fact that Kushner served as the president’s
Middle East adviser during his first term and was essentially the main architect
of Trump’s policies in the region. Trump’s successor did not fare any better, as
the Biden administration largely adhered to Trump’s major mistakes and
ultimately sustained the Israeli genocide, which killed — as per the latest
estimates — more than 55,000.
Joe Biden, too, proved to be a reader; although, unlike Kushner, he did not
publicly brag about his intellectual prowess. On Nov. 29, a photo emerged of him
holding a book by Palestinian historian Rashid Khalidi entitled “The Hundred
Years’ War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance,
1917-2017.”Though American leaders and officials claim to base their decisions
on a thorough understanding of the complexity of the Middle East, they are
repeating the same mistakes over and over again.
Trump has repeatedly insisted that the US will take ownership of Gaza, displace
its population and turn their destroyed homeland into a real estate opportunity,
while threatening them with “hell” should they not follow his diktats. Trump is
using such language based on the misguided idea that these threats will allow
him to restore the political leverage that Washington lost over the course of
its 15 months of blind support for the Israeli genocide in Gaza.
No rational thinker, in the Middle East or beyond, would actually imagine a
scenario in which Palestinians leave en masse due to Trump’s threats. They
refused to do so after more than 85,000 tonnes of mostly US-supplied explosives
were dropped on Gaza, destroying nearly all of the Strip. Empty threats will
certainly not change that. Even though Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
and his extremist government have taken advantage of Trump’s words to repair,
however temporarily, their struggling coalition, turning Trump’s supposed new
doctrine on Gaza into a reality is impossible.
Israel has, in fact, tried to create the circumstances that will lead, in the
words of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, to the “voluntary emigration” of
Palestinians out of Gaza. Instead, on Jan. 27, nearly 1 million displaced
Palestinians who had been driven to southern Gaza began their awe-inspiring
march back to the north.
It behooves the US administration to stop discounting history, as any wrong move
or policy could lead to disastrous outcomes. Historically, the ethnic cleansing
of Palestinians has been the main objective of all Israeli policies, even before
the establishment of the Israeli state on the ruins of historic Palestine in
1948. Aside from the immorality of that act, the pain of which continues to be
felt by generations of Palestinian refugees, the event was catastrophic to the
Middle East region as well. Aside from millions of refugees displaced in
Palestine itself, millions more live in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, other parts of
the Middle East and around the world. Currently, there are nearly 6 million
registered Palestinian refugees, according to UNRWA, though a large number
remain unaccounted for. That political earthquake of 77 years ago remains one of
the most decisive events that shaped, and continues to shape, the Middle East to
this day. Its reversal will remain elusive unless justice finally prevails in
Palestine — justice that is dictated by international and humanitarian laws, not
impulsive statements from American officials.
Jordan, Lebanon and Syria were the Arab countries that hosted most Palestinian
refugees and whose political dynamics, as well as conflicts, were shaped by the
mass displacement of Palestinians.
Palestinian groups became part of the political fabric of these societies,
sometimes becoming involved in internal struggles and sometimes being used to
balance out existing demographic conflicts. Hardly a major event in the Middle
East did not involve Palestinians, or the price of which was not
disproportionately shouldered by them. Anyone who knows the fundamentals of
modern Middle Eastern politics ought to know this.No rational thinker would
actually imagine a scenario in which Palestinians leave en masse due to Trump’s
threats. One can only imagine what would happen if 2.2 million more Palestinian
refugees were pushed into Jordan, Egypt and other Arab countries, as per Trump’s
proposal. It would arguably be the most earth-shattering event in the region
since the Nakba. No Arab government can possibly entertain such a scenario under
any circumstances. While the prospects of another Gaza Nakba were born dead, the
real worry is the fact that nearly 50,000 Palestinians have already been
internally displaced in the West Bank. This ongoing ethnic cleansing is no less
dangerous than the US-Israeli designs in Gaza. The uninformed US policy on
Palestine, which continues to be led by the extremely dangerous policies of the
politically bankrupt government of Netanyahu, is once again unifying the Arabs
around a common cause.
The Arabs know their history very well. It is time for them to prove to Israel
that the lessons of history have been learned and will never be repeated.
**Dr. Ramzy Baroud is a journalist and author. He is editor of The Palestine
Chronicle and nonresident senior research fellow at the Center for Islam and
Global Affairs. His latest book, co-edited with Ilan Pappe, is “Our Vision for
Liberation: Engaged Palestinian Leaders and Intellectuals Speak Out.” X: @RamzyBaroud
The American fog and Iranian year
Ghassan Charbel/Al Asharq Al-Awsat newspape/February 17/2025
The diplomat is familiar with Washington and its hallways where decisions are
made. He used to visit at the beginning of presidential terms and return with as
many answers and expectations as possible to report to his superiors.
This time, however, he found himself confronted with a difficult task. He came
across a Washington that was shrouded in heavy fog and with the world focused on
the return of the “strongman” to the White House. Fog covered the whole of the
US and the diplomat came back with more questions than answers.
There is a feeling at the White House that the country is at a major turning
point. Donald Trump will not make do with changing the furniture at the White
House; he is dreaming of changing the country’s political and economic features.
The diplomat said that the new American compass is so shaky that it has confused
allies and enemies alike. Going along with Trump is like driving on a bumpy road
in an almost impenetrable fog. He returned with the impression that he wanted to
end the Russia-Ukraine war, not only because he has his sights set on the Nobel
Peace Prize, but to reserve a place for himself in the history books. He seems
to be relying on his old friendship with Vladimir Putin to achieve that goal, as
it appears that the war has not soured ties between them.
Europe seemed to panic at the possibility of the Ukraine war being decided
without it and President Zelensky
The diplomat also sensed that Washington was insistent on firmly tackling the
Iranian file on the basis of preventing Tehran from developing a nuclear bomb
and from mobilizing its “parallel armies” to destabilize the region. It does not
take a lot to realize that Trump wants to make peace in the Middle East. The
diplomat paused, however, at Benjamin Netanyahu’s success in securing a close
and influential alliance with the Trump administration.
Ever since he returned to the White House, Trump has bombarded the world with a
series of statements and posts that have created confusion. He is on the brink
of launching a trade war, is tackling the Ukraine file by recognizing the
reality on the ground imposed by the Russian war and has created disarray by
outrageously suggesting that Gaza’s residents be removed from the enclave so
that it can be transformed into a beautiful riviera.
This confusion and fog appear to be absent when it comes to the Iranian nuclear
file, on which the Trump administration is not backing down from its positions.
Fog enveloped Europe when J.D. Vance, speaking from Munich, rebuked the
countries of the continent for their alleged stifling of freedoms, criticizing
them for their approach toward the far right. Europe seemed to panic at the
possibility of the Ukraine war being decided without it and President Volodymyr
Zelensky. Vance seemed to echo Trump’s past remarks that the US will not pay the
price of protecting Europe forever.
Important deadlines are approaching in the Palestinian territories, Iran and
Ukraine amid the dense American fog
Trump made such a statement back in 1987, when he was a real estate developer
far removed from the world of politics. That year, he visited Moscow and admired
the opportunities available there. He declared that Europe could cover the costs
of defending itself.
As the Europeans become preoccupied with the fate of the war in Ukraine, the
people of the Middle East will be preoccupied not only with peace, but with what
will happen with Iran. This is unquestionably Iran’s year. Trump has
categorically declared that Iran will not be allowed to possess a nuclear bomb.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated that position from Israel on Sunday
after meeting Netanyahu, who shared his stance.
The prevailing impression is that there can be no new deal with Iran that does
not cover its rocket arsenal and destabilizing role in the region. The question
is: Will the Iranian supreme leader agree to make such huge concessions over
Iran’s role, especially in the wake of its losses in Syria and Lebanon?
Important deadlines are approaching in the Palestinian territories, Iran and
Ukraine amid the dense American fog. Syria, Lebanon and Iraq are also concerned
with the fog and the choices America will make. A deep and detailed dialogue
with the Trump administration is necessary because protesting is not a form of
policy and does not protect stability or rights. An Arab vision for peace based
on the two-state solution is necessary. This is the only way to end this chronic
conflict.
With its political and economic weight, Saudi Arabia is the leading Arab and
Islamic country capable of playing a role to that end. Its hosting of
American-Russian meetings ahead of a summit is a testament to that role. It is
also recognition by Washington and Moscow of Saudi Arabia’s Arab, Islamic and
international standing. The current consultations to prepare an alternative plan
to Trump’s Gaza proposal reflect this standing. Moreover, Saudi Arabia can
benefit from the strong ties it has forged with heavyweights China and India, as
well as the EU.
We must be prepared for the Iranian year. An American-Iranian agreement will
mark a major turning point in the region. Israel’s destruction of Iran’s nuclear
facilities — with American support — will be another major and dangerous
development that we must prepare for. The heavy fog should not be an obstacle to
safe navigation if countries are prepared, use their strengths and hold dialogue
with the Trump administration based on mutual interests, the benefits of
stability and revenues from investments and prosperity.
- Ghassan Charbel is editor-in-chief of Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper. X: @GhasanCharbel
Palestinians must be given the chance to rebuild Gaza
Chris Doyle/Arab News/February 17, 2025
Does US President Donald Trump have a point? To an extent, maybe. Gaza is a
“hellhole.” In fact, it has been a hellhole for years as a result of previous
Israeli bombardments. Rebuilding Gaza will be some challenge. The UN estimates
there is about 50 million tonnes of rubble, intermingled with an array of
unexploded ordnance. Technically, it would be easier to empty Gaza temporarily.
The trouble is that this was not what Trump was suggesting. Trump wants a
Palestinian-free Gaza to indulge his real estate dreams. He made it clear
Palestinians would not be allowed to return — a violation of international law
constituting the forced displacement of a civilian population. This plan
exhibits no understanding of the historical Palestinian experience, whereby 70
percent of the Palestinian population became refugees between 1947 and 1949,
hundreds of thousands were displaced again in 1967 and, during the last 16
months, 90 percent of the population of Gaza was again forcibly displaced. This
was no great humanitarian proposal, as the White House tried to make out.
Palestinians have long demonstrated a determination not to be forcibly displaced
yet again. It is their right to stay on the land. They show no signs of leaving
it. Anti-Palestinian groups argue that Palestinians in Gaza could leave
voluntarily. There can be nothing voluntary about leaving in a situation where
they have already been bombed and starved into near-oblivion.
This dream was not an off-the-cuff moment. Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner made
similar comments about cleaning up Gaza last year. Trump was shown ambitious
plans for the Gaza riviera development that were devised by an economics
professor at George Washington University, Joseph Pelzman.
Why can Palestinians not dream of their riviera on the Mediterranean in Gaza? Is
this so outlandish? Just as most of the world argued that any solution for the
Syrian Arab Republic must be Syrian-led, any solution for Palestine has to be
Palestinian-led. Gaza is for Palestinians and all designs on the future of the
Strip must be devised by them, for them and with them. Pelzman’s paper was
decidedly not this and it reads as if it had been drafted by a committee of
Israeli settler pogromists. It states that the administration of Gaza would be
“subcontracted to the selected investors and/or their representatives.” The
education curriculum would be based on those from other states. Gaza is for
Palestinians and all designs on the future of the Strip must be devised by them,
for them and with them
Arab states are hurriedly devising their own plans. This includes the state of
Palestine. This is vital given the need to demonstrate that there is a workable
alternative — and there certainly is — to the suggestions emanating from the
White House. The costs will be astronomic — the UN estimates about $50 billion.
However, until a proper assessment is carried out, it is only educated
guesswork.
No donor state will fund this, nor will private businesses invest unless there
are cast-iron guarantees that Israel will not flatten Gaza again. Who would even
dare to suggest that Israel pays compensation, let alone contribute to the
reconstruction costs, as it should? It should be understood that Gaza was not,
as Trump described, a “demolition site.” It has been bombarded into rubble as a
deliberate Israeli strategy. Israel has a responsibility, though few suggest
that Israel should offer temporary shelter to Palestinians with no homes.
Reconstruction requires the blockade to be lifted and the unimpeded entry of
construction materials and equipment. The dual-use system Israel enforces has to
be ditched, as it prevents the import of essential construction materials. The
systematic Israeli destruction of the healthcare system means that hospitals
need to be rebuilt. The Israeli-orchestrated scholasticide also saw the bombing
of every single university site in Gaza, while 87 percent of schools have been
damaged or destroyed. This means that the education system also needs to be
rebuilt. The entire water, sanitation and power infrastructure has to be
rebuilt. To encourage the return of proper economic life in Gaza, which has been
throttled by decades of occupation and siege, it needs a port, an airport and
safe passage to the West Bank, all of which were agreed to under the Oslo
Accords.
The political system needs to be rebuilt too. It requires a Palestinian
administration in Gaza that, first and foremost, has the support of
Palestinians. It also has to attract the confidence of the international
community. This is unlikely to be Hamas. So, who? A refreshed Palestinian
political order is a medium- to long-term project for Palestinians, but a
technocratic government would be a start.
Israel should not have a veto, nor should the US. If Israel wants security and
not territory, then a thriving Gaza is definitely in its best interest.
Palestinians are capable of rebuilding Gaza themselves, if permitted, although
genuine international assistance would be welcome. They have the skills, the
motivation and the experience. But they cannot do this with the dead weight of
the Israeli occupation blunting any endeavor.
• Chris Doyle is director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding in
London. X: @Doylech