English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For February 22/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/aaaanewsfor2025/english.february22.25.htm

News Bulletin Achieves Since 2006
Click Here to enter the LCCC Arabic/English news bulletins Achieves since 2006 

Click On The Below Link To Join Eliasbejjaninews whatsapp group
https://chat.whatsapp.com/FPF0N7lE5S484LNaSm0MjW
اضغط على الرابط في أعلى للإنضمام لكروب Eliasbejjaninews whatsapp group

Elias Bejjani/Click on the below link to subscribe to my youtube channel
الياس بجاني/اضغط على الرابط في أسفل للإشتراك في موقعي ع اليوتيوب
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAOOSioLh1GE3C1hp63Camw

Bible Quotations For today
Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 05/38-48/:"‘You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth."But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you. ‘You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy." But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on February 21-22/2025
Narallah's Funeral is for for a terrorist & Criminal/Elias Bejjani/February 21, 2025
The culture of terrorism (sahsouh) forced a Lebanese newspaper to deny the content of a scandalous report it published/Elias Bejjani/February 21, 2025
Text & Video: Iranian Sympathizer's Theatrics at Beirut Airport: A Hezbollah Production Aimed at Mobilizing Participation in Nasrallah's Funeral/Elias Bejjani/February 21, 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
Questions to God About His Party/Dr. Ali Khalifa/Nidaa Al Watan/February 21/2025
Etienne Sakr - Abu Arz: Between Slogans and Implementation/February 21, 2025
Link For A video interview with Jan Fghali from Voice of Lebanon: Nasrallah’s funeral is not a national event and there is a green light from Israel to carry it
US Senator Darrell Issa discusses full implementation of Resolution 1701, Israeli withdrawal, support for Lebanese Army
Lebanon's President Aoun receives invitation from Egypt's Sisi to attend Arab Summit
Judge Tarek Bitar interrogates security and staff officials in Beirut Port blast case
Lebanese leaders urge congressional delegation for US pressure on Israel to leave occupied areas
EU official says Lebanon funding outlay depends on banking restructure, IMF deal
Thousands of supporters of Hezbollah’s slain leader Nasrallah fly into Beirut for his funeral
Aoun holds security meeting to discuss situations, Nasrallah funeral
Hezbollah MP says Berri to represent Aoun at Nasrallah funeral
Hajjar vows to preserve security, facilitate traffic during Nasrallah funeral
Salam urges pressing Israel to withdraw in talks with Congress delegation
Israel says strikes Lebanon-Syria border crossings used by Hezbollah
French court postpones decision on freeing Georges Abdallah
PSP calls for 'national moment' during Nasrallah's funeral

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on February 21-22/2025
Israel says hostage body returned by Hamas not Bibas mother
Hamas rejects Netanyahu 'threats' over hostage Shiri Bibas
Israel to release 602 prisoners in Gaza swap Saturday
Arab leaders gather in Saudi Arabia to hash out Gaza plan
Hamas confirms it will release six Israeli hostages Saturday
Netanyahu orders 'intensive' West Bank operations after Israel bus blasts
Palestinian foreign ministry condemns Israel PM’s ‘storming’ of West Bank camp
UAE ramps up Gaza aid ahead of Ramadan
Syrian Jews hope for revival of ancient heritage
Syria’s new president meets Chinese envoy for first time since Assad’s fall
EU to suspend Syria banking, energy, transport sanctions
Syria's national dialogue conference is in flux amid pressure for political transition
Saudi Crown prince discusses Gaza with leaders from Gulf, Jordan, Egypt

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on February 21-22/2025
Is Western Victimization the Root Cause of Islam’s Many Problems?Raymond Ibrahim/The Stream/February 21/2025
What we can learn from Burckhardt’s writings/Dr. Badran Al-Honaihen/Arab News/February 21, 2025
A tribute to Princess Nourah, my inspiration/Princess Lamia bint Majed Saud Al-Saud/Arab News/February 21, 2025
A ‘Vision 2030’ for Europe’s security/Dr. Diana Galeeva/Arab News/February 21, 2025
The Trump-Putin Riyadh Summit is a big deal/Jason D. Greenblatt/Arab News/February 21, 2025
Why is the EU turning to Turkiye now?/Dr. Sinem Cengiz/Arab News/February 21, 2025

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on February 21-22/2025
Narallah's Funeral is for for a terrorist & Criminal
Elias Bejjani/February 21, 2025
The funeral of a criminal and terrorist, and therefore Lebanese who are patriotic and opposes Hezbollah-Iran occupation of Lebanon, their crimes, their destructive and hostile project MUST not participate in the funeral by any means
Jan Fghali to Voice of Lebanon: The is an okay and a green light from Israel to carry on the funeral of Nasrallah and Hashem/Lebanese full readiness of all elements of the armed forces.

The culture of terrorism (sahsouh) forced a Lebanese newspaper to deny the content of a scandalous report it published
Elias Bejjani/February 21, 2025
Before and after terrorism threats (sahsouh): A well-known Lebanese newspaper apologized after publishing a report that slandered 99% of corrupt politicians.. The culture of terrorism (sahsouh) does not change the facts

Text & Video: Iranian Sympathizer's Theatrics at Beirut Airport: A Hezbollah Production Aimed at Mobilizing Participation in Nasrallah's Funeral
Elias Bejjani/February 21, 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/02/140401/
Investigations by Lebanese media, intelligence, and security sources, both Lebanese and Arab, have revealed that the Lebanese woman, a Hezbollah sympathizer, who carried a picture of Hassan Nasrallah in a Beirut Airport hall upon her arrival from Iran, performed a pre-planned theatrical role. This production was written, produced, and directed by what remains of Hezbollah's diminished media apparatus. Every word and gesture of the boastful woman was scripted as part of this farcical play. The performance aimed to manipulate the emotions of the Shia community because, according to reliable sources, the number of people Wafiq Safa and his associates managed to mobilize for Nasrallah's funeral was disappointingly small. This theatrical stunt was therefore staged to compensate. The woman declared loudly, provocatively, condescendingly, and theatrically that they were the ones who had made sacrifices, and that anyone who takes orders from Israel and the United States should emigrate, as the country belongs to them.

Text & Video: Hassan Nasrallah's Funeral: An Insult to Lebanon and the Lebanese, and a Promotion of Terrorism, and Participation in It Is a Grave Mistake
Elias Bejjani / February 19, 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/02/140359/
On the twenty-third of this month, the southern suburb of Beirut, the stronghold of the Iranian, terrorist, and sectarian Hezbollah, is preparing for a festival and a play of burying the body of the terrorist Hezbollah's secretary-general, Hassan Nasrallah. This funeral, to which the terrorist Hezbollah has invited political, religious, media, and official figures from Lebanon and abroad, is a sad occasion not for mourning a "leader," but for reminding the Lebanese of the magnitude of the national tragedy left by this man, who was never in his life anything but an enemy of the Lebanese people in general, and the Shiite community in particular.
Nasrallah's Criminal Legacy
Nasrallah's legacy is a criminal one by all standards. In the modern history of Lebanon, the Lebanese have not known a criminal of Nasrallah's magnitude, nor a leader who embroiled his environment, his country, and the Arab countries to this extent of blood, tears, and blind subservience to the mullahs of Iran. Since assuming the Secretary-Generalship of the terrorist Hezbollah, he has led Lebanon into futile wars, assassinated his political opponents, destroyed the nation's economy, and turned the Lebanese into hostages in a large prison run from Tehran.
The Heavy Toll of Nasrallah's Legacy
The toll of Nasrallah's legacy is heavy, from the assassination of PM, Rafik Hariri, through the July 2006 war, the invasion of Beirut and the Chouf mountains, to the blatant intervention in the Syrian war, the terrorist attacks on Egypt, Gaza, the West Bank, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Arab Gulf states, and hundreds of terrorist operations in many countries around the world. All of these are bloody milestones that claimed thousands of victims and drowned Lebanon in a quagmire of sectarian and regional conflicts. As for the blind loyalty to Iran, Nasrallah declared it publicly, boasting shamelessly and outrageously of his absolute subordination to the mullahs' Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist, disregarding Lebanese sovereignty and identity.
Burying Nasrallah in Beirut
The Iranian Decision to Bury Nasrallah in Beirut is a provocation and consolidation of Iranian Influence The decision to bury Nasrallah in Beirut instead of his hometown in the south is not only a blatant provocation of the Lebanese people's feelings, but also a consolidation of Iranian influence in the heart of the Lebanese capital. Beirut, which was once a beacon of freedom and culture, is being humiliated today by this vile display of the body of a man who destroyed Lebanon and drained its human and economic resources... It is worth mentioning here that most of the properties in the southern suburb of Beirut are not owned by the terrorist Hezbollah, but were occupied and their lands confiscated, and their original inhabitants forcibly displaced by the terrorist Hezbollah.
Participation in the Funeral
Meanwhile it should be very clear to all those concerned that participation in the funeral is a criminal act and betrayal. Therefore participation in Nasrallah's funeral, under any pretext, is a criminal act in itself, and a betrayal of the blood of innocent people who fell because of his dark policies in Lebanon, Syria and all countries of the world. It is an implicit endorsement of the mullahs' and the terrorist Hezbollah's project, which seeks to turn Lebanon into a permanent arena of conflict, serving Tehran's agenda.
A Call for Boycott and Opposition
Therefore, we call on all honorable and sovereign patriots to boycott this funeral, which is an insult to Lebanon, the Lebanese, and all human values, and even to confront it morally and through the media. Silence at such historical junctures is betrayal, and participation in this grim funeral scene is complicity with terrorism and submission to it.
An Appeal to Rulers, Church Leaders, Sects, and Parties
Loudly, we direct a fervent appeal to the rulers in Lebanon, to the heads of churches and sects, and to the so-called parties, which are in practice family and commercial businesses and agencies for foreign powers and jihadists: Do not participate in this insulting funeral. It is not a religious occasion, but a dirty political show of an Iranian terrorist Hezbollah. Any participation in it will constitute a cover-up for the terrorist Hezbollah's crimes, a polishing of a murderer's image, and a furtherance of the criminal, expansionist, and sectarian schemes of the mullahs of Iran.
In Conclusion: Nasrallah's Departure is an Opportunity for Accountability and National Revival In conclusion, the departure of Hassan Nasrallah should be a national occasion for self-reflection and a profound review of the course imposed on Lebanon by the terrorist Hezbollah's weapons. It is time for the Lebanese to rise up against this bitter reality, to reclaim their homeland from the clutches of Iranian terrorism, and to build a free, sovereign, and independent state whose loyalty is to Lebanon only, and not to any leader or regime outside the country's borders.
*The author, Elias Bejjani, is a Lebanese expatriate activist
Author’s Email: Phoenicia@hotmail.com
Author’s Website: https://eliasbejjaninews.com

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

Questions to God About His Party
Dr. Ali Khalifa/Nidaa Al Watan/February 21/2025
(Free translation from Arabic by: Elias Bejjani)
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/02/140440/
I am filled with doubt, O God, as I gaze upon Your ancient face and the insolence of Your so-called party. Which of You is the impostor? Your blood-red divinity, spanning the ages of monotheism, cannot be monopolized by a gang of criminals, thugs, bandits, and mercenaries. So, who truly belongs to “Hezbollah”? And why, O God, do You withdraw from the eternity of the ages, only to descend into the decayed alleys and the imposed borders of misery—feeding on the corpse of the state, thriving on the suffering and agony of the people?
And who stands outside the ranks of this so-called divine party? Are they, O God, condemned as enemies of faith, of Your kingdom—dismissed as polytheists? Must everyone who opposes this faction, even with rightful cause, be cast into the party of Satan or the ranks of Your supposed enemies, instead of Hezbollah?
O Lord of Majesty and Honor, how can You allow Your name to be trampled beneath the butts of rifles, reduced to nothing more than a hateful, paid-for command? How can You watch as the emblem of imminent death and the tool of perpetual war rise in Your name? How does the banner of “Hezbollah” wave above rivers of tears, torrents of blood, and mountains of destruction—usurping Your name as justification?
How can Your so-called men slaughter in Your name—spilling the blood of their own brothers in the South, the suburbs, the mountains, Keserwan, and the Bekaa? How do they justify murdering the innocent, the opposition, the competition, journalists, thinkers, activists, and mere passersby? And beyond Lebanon—how do they kill in Your name in Aleppo, Qusayr, Zabadani, Damascus and its countryside, Hama, Daraa, Idlib, Raqqa, and Deir ez-Zor? How do they uproot entire communities, displace the helpless, and spread terror without remorse? And yet, they boast in Your name: “Hezbollah is victorious!”
Do You truly grant these people victory and conquest? Do You really extend Your hand to them, arming them to kill, spill blood, violate honor, terrorize, and spread corruption? Are they truly the ones You have chosen? Have You appointed them as Your representatives on earth, given them authority over others, entrusted them with Your divine mission? Do they truly act on Your behalf, proclaiming their tyranny as Your will, claiming to be Your shadow on earth?
Are they truly infallible? Are they truly pure, untainted by sin and corruption? Is this the party of God? Are these men truly Your chosen ones, Your family, Your Shiites?
How, O God, can You—knowing truth, nobility, and virtue—permit Your name to remain entangled with the lies and deception of this so-called party of God? But God did not answer. He passed like a violent storm.
For four decades, the Lebanese believed He had vanished from their sight. Perhaps He finally spoke—by abandoning His so-called party. He did nothing but forsake the gang that claimed His name, bearing witness, through the funerals of their two former secretaries, to the ultimate burial of Hezbollah’s crimes and the colossal sins that have poisoned the hearts of those who deified them.

Etienne Sakr - Abu Arz: Between Slogans and Implementation
February 21, 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/02/140459/
(Free translation by: Elias Bejjani)
The head of the Guardians of the Cedars Party - Lebanese National Movement, Etienne Sakr, issued the following statement:
The ministerial statement is filled with promises and lofty aspirations—words the Lebanese people have heard repeatedly in every previous government’s statement. Yet, the real test lies in implementation; without it, these statements remain mere ink on paper.
We have consistently emphasized that the only viable path to fulfilling the government's promises begins with the security file, followed immediately by the reform file. If the government ignores this glaring reality, it will inevitably drown in stagnation and failure.
Time has already run out for addressing Lebanon’s dire security situation—especially in disarming Hezbollah, as pledged in the presidential inauguration speech. The failure to act has led to a dangerous security vacuum, manifesting in the closure of Beirut’s airport road, violent clashes between the army and Hezbollah-affiliated demonstrators, and brazen attacks on UNIFIL personnel. Any further delay in confronting this abnormal security reality will cripple the government’s ability to implement its reform agenda.
As for the fight against corruption, we harbor serious doubts about the government’s willingness—or ability—to tackle it, despite the presence of some competent and honest ministers. The obstacle lies in key portfolios, particularly the finance ministry, which remains under the grip of officials loyal to the Speaker of Parliament—one of the pillars of Lebanon’s entrenched corruption network. Can corruption truly eradicate itself?
The fate of this government is inextricably tied to its success in addressing security and reform. If it fails, it will be incapable of gaining the trust of the international community, let alone securing the financial support needed to implement its stated projects.
Successful governance is built on three pillars: vision, courage, and integrity. Without them, all efforts will be in vain.
At your service, Lebanon.

Link For A video interview with Jan Fghali from Voice of Lebanon: Nasrallah’s funeral is not a national event and there is a green light from Israel to carry it
Voice of Lebanon/February 21, 2021
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/02/140454/
The editor-in-chief of the news at the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation, Jan Fghali, in an interview with the Voice of Lebanon station, described the occasion of Hezbollah’s funeral of its two general secretaries, Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safi al-Din, as a “purely sectarian party event” and not a national one due to the failure to extend invitations to Chritian parties “Phalanges, Free Nationalists, Lebanese Forces” , which means excluding a basic Christian component in the domestic political scene, stressing the non-participation of the Future Movement, at a time when former MP Walid Jumblatt is keen to take into account the interest of the Mountain and his electoral calculations and his close relationship with Nabih Berri, stressing the existence of a green light from Israel to carry on the aforementioned event, noting the full readiness of all Lebanese armed forces. Fghali pointed to the attempt of the Shiite duo, especially those in charge of Hezbollah, to take advantage of some morale to compensate for their disastrous defeat in the last war on Lebanon, describing it as the “audio state,” focusing at its failure to respond to the Israeli army’s violations in the southern Shiite villages, where it refrains from carrying out any military activity, and if the opposite is the case, then It would have announced its suicide, especially with the enormous destruction that the towns of the south are witnessing, which exceeds the destruction of the city of “Stalingrad,” confirming the absence of any resistance in Lebanon against Israel.

US Senator Darrell Issa discusses full implementation of Resolution 1701, Israeli withdrawal, support for Lebanese Army
LBCI/February 21, 2021
U.S. Senator Darrell Issa led a congressional delegation that visited Baabda Palace, where he outlined the American stance on Israel's continued presence in South Lebanon. During the meeting, he emphasized that the full implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 will eventually take place, which includes Israel's return to historically recognized borders, ensuring both Lebanese and Israeli sides can live without the fear of crossing each other's borders with weapons. The delegation heard from Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who stressed the importance of Washington exerting pressure on Tel Aviv to complete its withdrawal from territories occupied during the last war. In response, Senator Issa detailed the conditions for fully implementing Resolution 1701. "Israelis withdrew from most Lebanese territories, except for five areas. The Lebanese Army has strengthened its control over the Lebanese lands. However, what has not yet happened, and what I discussed with President Aoun and other leaders this week, is the destruction of large weapon depots. Every day, there are explosions due to the destruction of weapons and the discovery of new tunnels full of weapons. Therefore, there will be a longer transitional period to eliminate these," Issa said. As discussions in Lebanon intensified over the possibility of new American sanctions targeting several individuals, Issa clarified that cooperation with Lebanon's legitimate government meant sanctions would not be necessary.  "One of the challenges is lifting some of the previous sanctions that have hindered efforts to provide 24-hour electricity to Lebanon. We expect the opposite, which is the removal of certain sanctions. But we also expect the Lebanese to recognize that today's world sees one government, and if they do not cooperate with it, the world will stand behind it, not those who oppose it."Support for the Lebanese Army also came up during the discussions at Baabda.  The U.S. delegation affirmed that the army has strong backing from the Pentagon, the State Department, and politicians from both the Republican and Democratic parties. Aid to the Lebanese Army will be expected to continue, including additional training and necessary equipment.

Lebanon's President Aoun receives invitation from Egypt's Sisi to attend Arab Summit
LBCI/February 21, 2021
President Joseph Aoun received a written message from the Egyptian Ambassador to Lebanon, Alaa Moussa, which contained an invitation from President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to participate in the extraordinary Arab Summit.
The summit will be held in Cairo on March 4, 2025, to discuss the Palestinian issue.

Judge Tarek Bitar interrogates security and staff officials in Beirut Port blast case
LBCI/February 21, 2021
Judge Tarek Bitar, the investigative judge in the Beirut port explosion case, questioned Port Security Chief Ahmad Kassabieh for three hours before deciding to keep him under investigation. He also interrogated Marwan al-Kaaki, the port’s Director of Personnel, who announced his retraction of the procedural objections he had raised two weeks earlier. Judge Bitar decided to release him on bail at the end of the session, according to the National News Agency (NNA).Next Friday, the investigating judge is set to question two Lebanese Army officers.

Lebanese leaders urge congressional delegation for US pressure on Israel to leave occupied areas
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Arab News/February 21, 2025
BEIRUT: Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Friday emphasized the need for the US to exert pressure on Israel for a prompt and complete withdrawal from the territories it continues to occupy. Salam made the remarks during his meeting at the Grand Serail with a delegation from the US Congress led by Rep. Darrell Issa. “There is no military or security justification for Israel’s occupation of these points,” Salam said. “This is a continued violation of the ceasefire arrangements, Resolution 1701, international law, and Lebanon’s sovereignty.”
FASTFACT
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam briefed members of the Arab diplomatic corps, led by Palestinian Ambassador to Lebanon Ashraf Dabbour, on the discussions he had with various Arab officials to apply diplomatic pressure on Israel to withdraw from all Lebanese territories as soon as possible. According to Salam’s office, the US delegation reaffirmed its support for Lebanon and the Lebanese army.
President Aoun received a phone call from US National Security Adviser Michael Waltz two days earlier. Waltz assured Aoun that the US administration was keeping track of developments in southern Lebanon following Israel’s “incomplete withdrawal and its continued occupation of several border points.” He commended the Lebanese army’s role in deploying to the positions vacated by the Israelis.
He highlighted the US commitment to Lebanon to solidify the ceasefire and resolve outstanding issues diplomatically. Salam briefed members of the Arab diplomatic corps, led by Palestinian Ambassador to Lebanon Ashraf Dabbour, on the discussions he had with various Arab officials to apply diplomatic pressure on Israel to withdraw from all Lebanese territories as soon as possible. He emphasized “the importance of a unified Arab stance in facing common challenges, especially the plan to displace Palestinians.”Salam informed the diplomatic delegation that the “ministerial statement prepared by his government, which is currently pending parliamentary approval, commits to restoring Lebanon’s standing among its Arab neighbors and ensuring that Lebanon does not serve as a platform for attacking Arab and friendly nations.”Salam called on Arab communities to return to investing in and engaging in tourism in Lebanon in light of the new government and the favorable conditions it aims to create.Meanwhile, the European Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Suica held meetings with President Aoun and Salam.
The European Commission confirmed that it has allocated a €1 billion ($1.045 billion) package for Lebanon, with an additional €500 million to be provided.
However, this extra funding depends on specific conditions, including restructuring the banking sector and reaching an agreement with the International Monetary Fund.
A security meeting was held at the presidential palace two days before Hezbollah is set to hold the funeral for its former Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and his successor Hashem Safieddine.
Aoun presided at the meeting.
Defense Minister Michel Menassa, Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar, Acting Army Commander Maj. Gen. Hassan Audi and senior officers from security agencies attended the talks. Preparations are being made at Sports City, located at the southern entrance of Beirut, to accommodate mourners in the stadium and nearby areas. Hezbollah expects attendees to exceed the stadium’s capacity of around 60,000 people. Large posters of Nasrallah, Safieddine, and Lebanese flags were displayed on the outer walls. The Lebanese army and Internal Security Forces will ensure safety in the surrounding areas and streets, while Hezbollah members will oversee the discipline and organization of the event. During a security meeting at the Interior Ministry, the protocols and measures for maintaining order and ensuring the safety of attendees and citizens were reviewed. The measures also aim to ensure the smooth flow of traffic, according to Interior Minister Ahmad Al-Hajjar Hussein Fadlallah, head of the funeral organizing committee. He provided details about the logistical arrangements for the event at a press conference. “We have secured 50 parking lots and set up giant screens along the roads to broadcast the funeral for those unable to attend in person,” Fadlallah said. “Both the presidency and parliament of Lebanon will be participating in the funeral.”

EU official says Lebanon funding outlay depends on banking restructure, IMF deal
Agence France Presse/February 22, 2025
A visiting EU official said Friday that disbursing half a billion euros in funding to Lebanon was conditional on a banking sector restructure and reaching an agreement with the International Monetary Fund. In May last year, the European Union announced one billion euros ($1 billion) in aid for Lebanon to help stem irregular migration to the bloc, with the assistance designed to strengthen basic services including education and health amid a severe economic crisis. The EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Suica on Friday said that of the allocated funds, "500 million (euros) was already adopted in August last year, and another 500 million will come soon, but there are some conditions". "The main precondition is the restructure of the banking sector... and a good agreement with the International Monetary Fund," she told a press conference after meeting with President Joseph Aoun. "Once these conditions will be fulfilled we will continue of course with disbursing" the funds, she added. The international community has long demanded Lebanon enact reforms to unlock billions of dollars to boost the economy after a financial crisis widely blamed on mismanagement and corruption took hold in 2019. Lebanon last month elected a new president after a more than two-year vacuum. This month it formed a government, replacing the previous administration that had been operating in a caretaker capacity. This week, the IMF said it was open to a new loan agreement with Lebanon following discussions with its recently appointed finance minister. Suica also said she discussed with Aoun a "new pact for the Mediterranean" which means "we will start bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership agreements with countries including Lebanon", without providing details. She and Aoun also discussed issues including a ceasefire in the recent war between Israel and Hezbollah, as well as Lebanon's army and the Syria crisis, she added. Suica was scheduled to meet with other senior officials including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and parliament speaker Nabih Berri during the visit, according to an EU statement. The EU is desperate for stability in the Middle East and the Mediterranean region as it hopes to avoid major flows of migrants to Europe.Lebanon says it hosts some two million Syrians, the world's highest number of refugees per capita, and has also been a launchpad for Europe-bound migrants.

Thousands of supporters of Hezbollah’s slain leader Nasrallah fly into Beirut for his funeral
AP/February 22, 2025
BEIRUT: Nearly five months after he was killed in an Israeli airstrike, thousands of supporters of the longtime leader of Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group have flown into Beirut for Hassan Nasrallah’s funeral on Sunday. Nasrallah was killed on Sept. 27 when Israel’s air force dropped more than 80 bombs on Hezbollah’s main operations room in southern Beirut. It was the biggest and most consequential of Israel’s targeted killings in years. The death of Nasrallah, one of the Iran-backed Shiite group’s founders and Hezbollah’s leader of more than 30 years, was a huge blow to the group he had transformed into a potent force in the Middle East. Hezbollah, which the US and some of its allies has designated a terrorist organization, has suffered significant losses in the latest war with Israel, including the killing of several of its most senior military and political figures. His cousin and successor Hashem Safieddine, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike on a Beirut suburb a few days later, will be laid to rest in his hometown in southern Lebanon. The two had temporarily been buried in secret locations. Hezbollah earlier this month announced plans for their official funerals. Crowds are expected to gather on Sunday at Beirut’s main sports stadium for a funeral ceremony before Nasrallah’s interment. Flights from Iraq, where Hezbollah has a huge following among Iraqi Shiites, have been full for days on end. According to an Iraqi transportation ministry official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the flights, up to 6,000 people have flown to Beirut over the past days.Among those who arrived from overseas was also American commentator Jackson Hinkle, who regularly spreads false information on social media, especially in support of Russia and its war on Ukraine.
“I am honored to be attending the funeral,” Hinkle posted on the social media platform X after arriving this week in Beirut. Hinkle posted a photo of himself visiting a war-wrecked southern Lebanese border village, waving a Hezbollah flag. Nasrallah, idolized by his supporters and with large followings among the Shiites and the Islamic world, also held the title of sayyid, an honorific meant to signify the Shiite cleric’s lineage dating back to the Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam. However, Lebanese authorities have revoked permission for a passenger plane from Iran, leaving dozens who had wanted to attend the funeral stranded in Tehran and triggering protests by Hezbollah supporters in Lebanon. The ban came after the Israeli army accused Iran of smuggling cash to Hezbollah by way of civilian flights, leading some in Lebanon to allege that their government had caved in the face of a threat from Israel.
Some of those who were expected to fly in from Iran were now coming to Lebanon via Iraq. Also, members of Iran-backed groups in the region also were traveling to Beirut to attend Nasrallah’s funeral. Kazim Al-Fartousi, spokesman for the Iran-backed Kataib Sayyid Al-Shuhada group in Iraq, arrived on Friday. He said Nasrallah was “the father, commander and the book that we read every day to learn about freedom.”US Republican Rep. Joe Wilson criticized Lebanese politicians who were planning to attend the funeral. “Any Lebanese politician who attends the funeral of the murderous terrorist Hasan Nasrallah is standing with the Iranian Regime,” Wilson said on X.

Aoun holds security meeting to discuss situations, Nasrallah funeral
Naharnet/February 22, 2025
President Joseph Aoun on Friday presided over a security meeting at the Baabda Palace.The meeting tackled “the security situations in the country and the security measures that will be taken during the funeral of Hezbollah’s secretaries-general Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Sayyed Hashem Safieddine,” the Presidency said. The meeting was attended by Defense Minister Michel Menassa, Interior Minister Ahmad al-Hajjar, acting army chief Maj. Gen. Hassan Audi, Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Imad Othman, General Security acting chief Maj. Gen. Elias Bayssari, State Security’s deputy chief, and the head of the army’s intelligence directorate. Hezbollah is preparing for a massive turnout for Nasrallah’s funeral on Sunday, an opportunity for a show of strength by the group after a bruising war with Israel. Nasrallah's death nearly five months ago in a huge Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs left Hezbollah supporters in disbelief and sent shockwaves across Lebanon and the region.The country will stop for Sunday's funeral, to be held at 1:00 pm (1100 GMT) at the Camille Chamoun sports stadium on the capital's outskirts. Hezbollah has announced strict security measures and urged security forces to help manage crowds that are expected to number in the tens of thousands, with people pouring in from Hezbollah strongholds across the country, as well as from abroad. Hezbollah has also invited senior Lebanese officials including the president. Its key foreign backer Iran has said it will participate "at a high level", without specifying who will attend. The ceremony is expected to last around an hour, including a speech by current leader Sheikh Naim Qassem, who has called for a huge turnout. A procession will follow to Nasrallah's burial site near the airport road, now lined with yellow Hezbollah flags and images of him and other slain Hezbollah figures. Civil aviation authorities said Beirut airport will close exceptionally and flights will be suspended from midday until 4:00 pm. The U.S. embassy has urged Americans to avoid the area. Hezbollah was battered by more than a year of hostilities with Israel that culminated in two months of full-blown war before a ceasefire took effect on November 27. After Nasrallah was killed on September 27, the group delayed his funeral due to security concerns. Iraqi Airways and Lebanon's Middle East Airlines have increased services between Baghdad and Beirut ahead of the funeral.
Representatives of Iraq's main pro-Iran factions are to participate, while several Iraqi lawmakers are expected to attend privately.

Hezbollah MP says Berri to represent Aoun at Nasrallah funeral
Naharnet /February 22, 2025
Loyalty to Resistance bloc MP Ali Fayad said the funeral of slain Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Sunday will witness “a million-person rally that is unprecedented in Lebanese political history.”“Hundreds of delegations from 65 countries have confirmed their attendance, in addition to hundreds of Lebanese figures and 400 foreign officials,” Fayad added, in remarks to LBCI television. “I have learned that Speaker Nabih Berri will attend the funeral and will be representing the president. This occasion is not exclusive to the Shiite sect but rather a national occasion,” Fayad said. Hezbollah is preparing for a massive turnout for Nasrallah’s funeral on Sunday, an opportunity for a show of strength by the group after a bruising war with Israel. The country will stop for Sunday's funeral, to be held at 1:00 pm (1100 GMT) at the Camille Chamoun sports stadium on the capital's outskirts. Hezbollah has announced strict security measures and urged security forces to help manage crowds that are expected to number in the tens of thousands, with people pouring in from Hezbollah strongholds across the country, as well as from abroad. The ceremony is expected to last around an hour, including a speech by current leader Sheikh Naim Qassem, who has called for a huge turnout. A procession will follow to Nasrallah's burial site near the airport road, now lined with yellow Hezbollah flags and images of him and other slain Hezbollah figures. Civil aviation authorities said Beirut airport will close exceptionally and flights will be suspended from midday until 4:00 pm. The U.S. embassy has urged Americans to avoid the area. Hezbollah was battered by more than a year of hostilities with Israel that culminated in two months of full-blown war before a ceasefire took effect on November 27. After Nasrallah was killed on September 27, the group delayed his funeral due to security concerns. Iraqi Airways and Lebanon's Middle East Airlines have increased services between Baghdad and Beirut ahead of the funeral.
Representatives of Iraq's main pro-Iran factions are to participate, while several Iraqi lawmakers are expected to attend privately.

Hajjar vows to preserve security, facilitate traffic during Nasrallah funeral
Naharnet/February 22, 2025
Interior Minister Ahmad al-Hajjar said Friday that the country’s security chiefs have reviewed the measures that will be taken on Sunday during the funeral of slain Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. “The main objective is to preserve the occasion’s security and the security of participants and non-participants, and to facilitate traffic,” Hajjar added. His remarks followed a security meeting in Baabda under the chairmanship of President Joseph Aoun that saw the participation of the ministers of defense and interior, the acting army chief and the heads of security agencies. Hezbollah is preparing for a massive turnout for Nasrallah’s funeral on Sunday, an opportunity for a show of strength by the group after a bruising war with Israel. Nasrallah's death nearly five months ago in a huge Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs left Hezbollah supporters in disbelief and sent shockwaves across Lebanon and the region. The country will stop for Sunday's funeral, to be held at 1:00 pm (1100 GMT) at the Camille Chamoun sports stadium on the capital's outskirts. Hezbollah has announced strict security measures and urged security forces to help manage crowds that are expected to number in the tens of thousands, with people pouring in from Hezbollah strongholds across the country, as well as from abroad. Hezbollah has also invited senior Lebanese officials including the president. Its key foreign backer Iran has said it will participate "at a high level", without specifying who will attend. The ceremony is expected to last around an hour, including a speech by current leader Sheikh Naim Qassem, who has called for a huge turnout. A procession will follow to Nasrallah's burial site near the airport road, now lined with yellow Hezbollah flags and images of him and other slain Hezbollah figures. Civil aviation authorities said Beirut airport will close exceptionally and flights will be suspended from midday until 4:00 pm.The U.S. embassy has urged Americans to avoid the area. Hezbollah was battered by more than a year of hostilities with Israel that culminated in two months of full-blown war before a ceasefire took effect on November 27. After Nasrallah was killed on September 27, the group delayed his funeral due to security concerns. Iraqi Airways and Lebanon's Middle East Airlines have increased services between Baghdad and Beirut ahead of the funeral.
Representatives of Iraq's main pro-Iran factions are to participate, while several Iraqi lawmakers are expected to attend privately.

Salam urges pressing Israel to withdraw in talks with Congress delegation
Naharnet /February 22, 2025
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam held talks Friday at the Grand Serail with a delegation from the U.S. Congress led by Representative Darrell Issa, in the presence of U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Lisa Johnson. “The delegation offered congratulations to Salam” on his appointment as premier, stressing its “support for Lebanon in the various fields, alongside the continuous support for the Lebanese Army,” Salam’s press office said. Salam for his part stressed “the need for U.S. pressure on Israel so that it fully withdraws from the points it is still occupying as soon as possible,” noting that “there is no military or security justification” for its continued military presence in south Lebanon.“It is a continued violation of the ceasefire arrangements, Resolution 1701, international law and Lebanon’s sovereignty,” Salam added.

Israel says strikes Lebanon-Syria border crossings used by Hezbollah
Agence France Presse
Israel said Friday it struck crossings on the Lebanon-Syria border used by Hezbollah to smuggle weapons, with a Syria war monitor reporting an unspecified number of people wounded in the attack. The Israeli military said its air forces "struck crossing points in the area of the Lebanon-Syria border" used by Hezbollah "in attempts to smuggle weapons into Lebanese territory". "These activities constitute a blatant violation of the ceasefire understandings between Israel and Lebanon," the statement added. A fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has been in place since November 27, after more than a year of hostilities including two months of all-out war. Both sides have accused the other of violating the deal. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said the overnight strikes put an "illegal crossing" near Lebanon's frontier town of Wadi Khaled, which borders Syria's Homs province, "out of service" and wounded a number of people. The raids came "after a convoy of smugglers' vehicles was observed headed from Syria towards Lebanon", added the Britain-based Observatory, which has a network of sources inside Syria. Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman reported "heavy material damage to buildings and vehicles".Lebanon's official National News Agency reported "enemy aircraft flying at low altitude over the city of Hermel" and villages in the Bekaa Valley in the country's northeast near the Syrian border. Under the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire, Lebanon's military was to deploy in south Lebanon alongside U.N. 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 remaining military infrastructure in the south. Israel announced just before the latest deadline that it would temporarily keep troops in "five strategic points" near the border. Earlier this month, the Israeli military said it carried out an air strike targeting a tunnel on the Syria-Lebanon border used by Hezbollah to smuggle weapons. In January, Israel carried out air strikes in Lebanon targeting areas in the east and south according to Lebanese state media, with the Israeli military saying it hit Hezbollah targets including smuggling routes along the border with Syria. Syria shares a 330-kilometer (205-mile) border with Lebanon, with no official demarcation. Hezbollah lost a supply route when Islamist-led rebels in December ousted ally Bashar al-Assad in Syria, where Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes since war broke out in 2011. Hezbollah holds sway in large parts of the Lebanese-Syrian border region, and had fought alongside Assad's troops during the war.

French court postpones decision on freeing Georges Abdallah
Agence France Presse/February 22, 2025
A French court on Thursday postponed a much-awaited decision on freeing pro-Palestinian Lebanese militant Georges Ibrahim Abdallah, jailed 40 years ago for the 1982 killings of two foreign diplomats. The Paris appeals court, which had been scheduled to deliver its verdict on Thursday, said it needed more time and would now revisit the case on June 19. Abdallah, 73, was sentenced to life in prison for his involvement in the murders of U.S. military attaché Charles Robert Ray and Israeli diplomat Yacov Barsimantov. The United States, a civil party to the case, has consistently opposed his release but Lebanese authorities have repeatedly said he should be freed from jail. In November, a French court ordered his release conditional on Abdallah, first detained in 1984 and convicted in 1987 over the murders, leaving France. But France's anti-terror prosecutors, arguing that he had not changed his political views, appealed the decision which was consequently suspended. Abdallah has always insisted he is a "fighter" who battled for the rights of Palestinians and not a "criminal". This was his 11th bid for release. The appeals court said Thursday the delay was prompted by the unresolved question of whether Abdallah had proof that he had paid compensation to the plaintiffs, something he has consistently refused to do. His lawyer, Jean-Louis Chalanset, called the court's motive "judicial pettiness". He said imprisoned members of other extremist groups active in the 1970s and 80s -- including "political prisoners" belonging to French group Action Directe, or Corsican and Basque extremists -- had all been set free. He added the court's stance risked creating a "de facto life imprisonment". Abdallah is one of the longest serving prisoners in France -- most convicts serving life sentences are freed after less than 30 years. Several hundred people demonstrated on Thursday in Toulouse, around 100 kilometers (65 miles) from the Abdallah's prison, demanding his release. Police however banned any such protests in the Paris region, saying they feared a disturbance to public order because of "a tense social and international context". Abdallah still enjoys some support from public figures in France, including left-wing deputies and Nobel prize-winning author Annie Ernaux, but has mostly been forgotten by the general public.

PSP calls for 'national moment' during Nasrallah's funeral
Naharnet/February 22, 2025
The Progressive Socialist Party on Thursday said it salutes “the souls of the martyrs who fell throughout the long history of the confrontation against the Israeli enemy,” calling on all Lebanese to demonstrate a “national moment” on Sunday, during the funeral of slain Hezbollah leaders Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine. “Their martyrdom represents the culmination of their course in resistance, away from all differences,” the PSP said in a statement. Lauding “the spirit of national solidarity that appeared during the phases of the Israeli aggression against Lebanon,” the party said “this new phase requires everyone’s solidarity and cooperation based on the principles of partnership and understanding.”The PSP also called for Israel’s full withdrawal from south Lebanon, urging the international sponsors to exert the needed pressure on Israel.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on February 21-22/2025
Israel says hostage body returned by Hamas not Bibas mother
Associated PressAgence & France Presse/February 22, 2025
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says a body that Hamas militants released during the handover of remains of Israeli hostages is that of a woman from Gaza instead of that of Shiri Bibas, the mother of two young boys whose bodies were returned on Thursday. In a statement released Friday, Netanyahu criticized the handover of the wrong remains as a "cruel and malicious violation" of the ceasefire agreement, which has halted fighting in the Gaza Strip, and said Hamas would "pay the full price" for the action.Hamas militants turned over four bodies on Thursday under the tenuous ceasefire, which has paused over 15 months of war. Israeli confirmed one body was that of Oded Lifshitz, who was 83 when he was abducted during the Hamas attack on Israel that started the war on Oct. 7, 2023. The remains of Shiri Bibas' two young sons, Ariel and Kfir Bibas, were positively identified, the Israeli Defense Forces said, but added the fourth body was not that of their mother, nor of any other hostage. "We will work with determination to bring Shiri home together with all our hostages — both living and dead — and ensure that Hamas pays the full price for this cruel and malicious violation of the agreement," Netanyahu said. "The sacred memory of Oded Lifshitz and Ariel and Kfir Bibas will be forever enshrined in the heart of the nation. May God avenge their blood. And so we will avenge," he added.- Hamas says body of Bibas likely mixed with others in Gaza rubble - A Hamas official told AFP on Friday that it was likely the body of captive Shiri Bibas had been "mistakenly mixed" with others who were killed and buried under the rubble in Gaza."It is likely that Mrs Bibas' body was mistakenly mixed with others found under the rubble," the official said on condition of anonymity, adding that the group was "investigating" the issue.

Hamas rejects Netanyahu 'threats' over hostage Shiri Bibas
Agence France Presse/February 22, 2025
Hamas rejected on Friday Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's "threats" to make the Palestinian Islamist group pay after he accused it of violating the ceasefire by not returning the hostage Shiri Bibas. "We reject the threats issued by Benjamin Netanyahu as part of his attempts to improve his image," Hamas said in a statement and called on Israeli authorities to return the body of a Gazan woman that the group had handed over on Thursday, claiming it was that of Bibas. The movement affirmed its "seriousness and full commitment" to its responsibilities under the ceasefire, and said it had "no interest in failing to comply or holding on to any bodies." However, it admitted "the possibility of an error or mix-up of bodies," which it attributed to Israeli bombing of the area where the Bibas family was located along with other Palestinians. Hamas said it would inform mediators of the results of its "investigation and examination" into the circumstances of the body's return.

Israel to release 602 prisoners in Gaza swap Saturday
Agence France Presse/February 22, 2025
Israel will free 602 inmates from jails on Saturday as part of a hostage-prisoner swap with Hamas under an ongoing Gaza ceasefire deal, according to the Palestinian Prisoners' Club advocacy group. Among those released, 445 are individuals from Gaza who were arrested after Hamas' October 7 attack that sparked the war, 60 are serving long sentences, 50 are serving life sentences, and 47 were re-arrested after a 2011 prisoner exchange, Amani Sarahneh, spokeswoman for the NGO, told AFP.

Arab leaders gather in Saudi Arabia to hash out Gaza plan
Agence France Presse/February 22, 2025
Arab leaders were gathering in Saudi Arabia on Friday to hammer out a recovery plan for Gaza aimed at countering President Donald Trump's proposal for U.S. control of the territory and the expulsion of its people. Trump's plan has united Arab states in opposition to it, but disagreements remain over who should govern the war-ravaged Palestinian territory and how to fund its reconstruction. "We're at a very important historic juncture in the Arab-Israeli or Israeli-Palestinian conflict... where potentially the United States under Trump could create new facts on the ground that are irreversible," Andreas Krieg, a King's College London expert said. Trump triggered global outrage when he proposed the United States "take over the Gaza Strip" and relocate its more than two million residents to Egypt and Jordan. A source close to the Saudi government told AFP that Arab leaders would discuss "a reconstruction plan to counter Trump's plan for Gaza". The Gaza Strip is largely in ruins after more than 15 months of war between Israel and Hamas, with the United Nations recently estimating that rebuilding would cost more than $53 billion. During a meeting with Trump in Washington on February 11, Jordan's King Abdullah II said Egypt would present a plan for a way forward.
'Egyptian plan' -
The Saudi source said the delegates would discuss "a version of the Egyptian plan".
The official Saudi Press Agency, citing an official, confirmed on Thursday that Egypt and Jordan were participating in the Riyadh summit along with the six country members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). It also said decisions issued by the "unofficial fraternal meeting" would appear on the agenda of an emergency Arab League summit to be held in Egypt on March 4. An Arab diplomat told AFP the meeting was supposed to start at 3 pm (1200 GMT). Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi arrived in Saudi Arabia on Thursday, his office said. The Qatari emir's office also confirmed the country's ruler Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani would attend the Friday talks. Previously, a Saudi source told AFP the Palestinian Authority would also take part in the talks. Rebuilding Gaza will be a key issue after Trump pointed to the need for reconstruction as a justification for relocating its population. Cairo has yet to announce its initiative, but former Egyptian diplomat Mohamed Hegazy outlined a plan "in three technical phases over a period of three to five years".
Financing -
The first phase, lasting six months, would focus on "early recovery" and the removal of debris, he said. The second would require an international conference to provide details of reconstruction and focus on rebuilding utilities infrastructure. And the final phase, Hegazy said, would entail urban planning, the reconstruction of housing, provision of services and the establishment of a "political track to implement the two-state solution". An Arab diplomat familiar with Gulf affairs told AFP: "The biggest challenge facing the Egyptian plan is how to finance it."The Saudi source said an agreement should be reached between Arab leaders. "It would be inconceivable for Arab leaders to meet without reaching a common vision, but the main thing lies in the content of this vision and the ability to implement it," the Arab diplomat added. Krieg said it was a "unique opportunity" for the "Saudis to rally all the other GCC countries, plus Egypt and Jordan, around on this matter, to find a common position to answer to what is a kind of very coercive statement that Trump has been making".

Hamas confirms it will release six Israeli hostages Saturday
Agence France Presse/February 22, 2025
Hamas's armed wing confirmed it will hand over Saturday six hostages held alive in the Gaza Strip as part of the ongoing ceasefire deal with Israel. The Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades said in a statement on Friday that the release would occur as planned. Israeli campaign group the Hostages and Missing Families Forum published the names of the six hostages earlier this week, naming them as Eliya Cohen, Tal Shoham, Omer Shem Tov, Omer Wenkert, Hisham Al-Sayed and Avera Mengistu.

Netanyahu orders 'intensive' West Bank operations after Israel bus blasts
Agence France Presse/February 22, 2025
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday ordered an "intensive operation against centers of terrorism" in the occupied West Bank, his office said, after three buses exploded in central Israel without causing any reported injuries.Three devices detonated on buses in the city of Bat Yam on Thursday evening and two others were being defused, according to police, with Israel's defense minister accusing "Palestinian terrorist" groups of being behind the blasts. Netanyahu's office said on social media early Friday that he had completed a security assessment with top officials, ordering fresh counterterrorism operations as well as stepped up security in Israeli cities. "The Prime Minister has ordered the IDF (military) to carry out an intensive operation against centers of terrorism in Judea and Samaria," Netanyahu's office said on X, using the biblical term for the West Bank. "The Prime Minister also ordered the Israel Police and the ISA (internal security agency) to increase preventative activity against additional attacks in Israeli cities," he added. A large number of police were deployed to search for suspects after the "suspected terror attack", the police force said in a statement. "Police bomb disposal units are scanning for additional suspicious objects. We urge the public to avoid the areas and remain alert for any suspicious items," it added. Tzvika Brot, the mayor of Bat Yam, said in a video statement that there were "no injured in these incidents". Security forces and bomb disposal units were seen by an AFP journalist as they inspected the remains of destroyed buses. Israeli media said that bus drivers countrywide had been asked to stop and inspect their vehicles for additional explosive devices.
'Intensify' West Bank raids
A police commander from central Israel, Haim Sargarof, said in a televised briefing that the devices used to set off the blasts were similar to those found in the West Bank. Separately, Defense Minister Israel Katz said he ordered the military to "intensify operations to thwart terrorism" in West Bank refugee camps, particularly Tulkarem. The military has been carrying out near-daily raids in West Bank cities and camps for several weeks now targeting Palestinian militants. Multiple Palestinian civilians have also been killed in the raids, while Israeli security forces have destroyed homes and infrastructure. The military operation has displaced more than 40,000 Palestinians, according to the United Nations. Violence in the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967, has escalated since the October 2023 outbreak of war in the Gaza Strip. At least 897 Palestinians including militants have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers in the West Bank since the Gaza war began, according to an AFP tally based on figures provided by the Palestinian health ministry in Ramallah. At least 32 Israelis, including some soldiers, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or confrontations during Israeli operations in the West Bank over the same period, according to official Israeli figures.

Palestinian foreign ministry condemns Israel PM’s ‘storming’ of West Bank camp
AFP/February 21, 2025
RABAT: A Moroccan court overturned on Thursday a decision to deport a member of China’s Uyghur Muslim minority wanted by Beijing, ordering his release from prison, according to his lawyer. Yidiresi Aishan has been detained in the North African kingdom since 2021, when he arrived in Casablanca from Turkiye with an Interpol arrest warrant against him though it was later rescinded. That same year, Morocco agreed to extradite him to China, where he has been wanted by the authorities for alleged acts of terror. A Rabat court “ruled in favor of his release, annulling the deportation order to China,” his lawyer, Miloud Kandil, told AFP. He said his client, a father of three in his thirties, had left Morocco, without providing further details. China accuses Aishan of “terrorist acts committed in 2017” belonging to a terrorist organization, allegations he denies. In 2021, United Nations human rights experts urged Morocco to halt Aishan’s extradition, citing “the credible risk of grave violations of his human rights.” Returning him to China could have exposed him to “arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance or torture,” the experts had said. Beijing stands accused of detaining more than a million Uyghurs and other Muslims in its northwestern region, in a campaign that the United Nations has said may constitute “crimes against humanity.” China vehemently denies the allegations, saying the policies have rooted out extremism in Xinjiang and brought about economic development. Authorities have detained Uyghurs with overseas connections and confiscated their travel documents since a crackdown in the mid-2010s, according to researchers, campaigners and members of the Uyghur diaspora.

UAE ramps up Gaza aid ahead of Ramadan
Arab News/February 21, 2025
DUBAI: The UAE is stepping up its aid operation into Gaza ahead of Ramadan with cargo planes flying in hundreds of tonnes of food supplies on Friday. The airlift comes after five convoys delivering a wide range of humanitarian aid from the UAE reached the Palestinian territory this week, state news agency WAM reported. The convoys crossing from Egypt into Gaza amounted to 73 trucks carrying more than 1,185 tonnes of aid, including food, tents and other essential supplies. Israel’s devastating 15-month war on the territory has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians and displaced 90 percent of the population.
Since a ceasefire took effect last month, aid has surged into the territory. On Friday, 257 tonnes of Ramadan food supplies were flown from the UAE, destined for Gaza as part of Operation Chivalrous Knight 3. The supplies were flown from Fujairah as part of an effort between the Hamad bin Mohammed Al-Sharqi Foundation for Humanitarian Works and the Fujairah Charity Association, or FCA. Saeed bin Mohammed Al-Raqbani, chairman of the FCA, said that the initiative aligned with the UAE’s leadership to “extend support to Palestinians and provide them with essential supplies.” The UAE has delivered more than 37,300 tonnes of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people as part of the operation.

Syrian Jews hope for revival of ancient heritage
AFP/February 22, 2025
DAMASCUS: Syria’s tiny Jewish community and Syrian Jews abroad are trying to build bridges after Bashar Assad’s ouster in the hope of reviving their ancient heritage before the community dies out. This week, a small number of Jews living in Damascus, along with others from abroad, held a group prayer for the first time in more than three decades, in the Faranj synagogue in Damascus’s Old City. “There were nine of us Jews (in Syria). Two died recently,” community leader Bakhour Chamntoub told AFP in his home in the Old City’s Jewish quarter.
“I’m the youngest. The rest are elderly people who stay in their homes,” the tailor in his sixties added in a thick Damascus accent. After Islamist-led rebels finally toppled Assad in December last year after nearly 14 years of conflict, the country’s dwindling community has recently welcomed back several Syrian Jews who had emigrated. Syria’s millennia-old Jewish community was permitted to practice their faith under Assad’s father, Hafez, and had friendly relations with their fellow countrymen. But the strongman restricted their movement and prevented them from traveling abroad until 1992. After that, their numbers plummeted from around 5,000 to just a handful of individuals, headed by Chamntoub, who oversees their affairs.
AFP correspondents met with Chamntoub, known to neighbors and friends as “Eid,” after he returned from burying an elderly Jewish woman. “Now there are seven of us,” he said, adding that a Palestinian neighbor had looked after the woman during her final days.
The 1967 Arab-Israeli war cast a heavy cloud over the Jewish communities in several Arab countries. Syria lost most of the strategic Golan Heights to Israel, which later annexed them in a move never recognized by the international community as a whole. Chamntoub said the community did not experience any “harassment” under Bashar Assad’s rule. He said an official from the new Islamist-led administration had visited him and assured him the community and its properties would not be harmed. Chamntoub expressed hope of expanding ties between the remaining Jews in Syria and the thousands living abroad to revive their shared heritage and restore places of worship and other properties. On his Facebook page, he publishes news about the community — usually death notices — as well as images of the Jewish quarter and synagogues in Damascus. He says nostalgic Syrian Jews abroad often make comments, recalling the district and its surroundings. At the Faranj synagogue, Syrian-American Rabbi Yusuf Hamra, 77, led what he said was the first group prayer in decades. “I was the last rabbi to leave Syria,” he said, adding that he had lived in the United States for more than 30 years. “We love this country,” said Hamra, who arrived days earlier on his first visit since emigrating. “The day I left Syria with my family, I felt I was a tree that had been uprooted,” he said. His son Henry, traveling with him, said he was happy to be in the synagogue. “This synagogue was the home for all Jews — it was the first stop for Jews abroad when they would visit Syria,” the 47-year-old said. When war erupted in Syria in 2011 with Assad’s brutal suppression of anti-government protests, synagogues shuttered and the number of Jews visiting plummeted. In the now devastated Damascus suburb of Jobar, a historic synagogue that once drew pilgrims from around the world was ransacked and looted, with a Torah scroll believed to be one of the world’s oldest among the items stolen. Chamntoub said his joy at publicly worshipping in the Faranj synagogue again was “indescribable.”He expressed hope that “Jews will return to their neighborhood and their people” in Syria, saying: “I need Jews with me in the neighborhood.”Hamra said that like many emigrants, he was hesitant about returning permanently. “My freedom is one thing, my family ties are another,” he said, noting that many in the 100,000-strong diaspora were long established in the West and reluctant to give up their lives and lifestyles there. Chamntoub said many Jews had told him they regretted leaving Syria but that he doesn’t expect “a full return.”“Maybe they will come for trips or to do business” but not to stay, he said. He expressed hope of establishing a museum in Syria to commemorate its Jewish community. “If they don’t return or get married and have children here, we will end soon,” he said.

Syria’s new president meets Chinese envoy for first time since Assad’s fall
Arab News/February 22, 2025
DAMASCUS: Syria’s new President Ahmed Al-Sharaa met China’s ambassador to Damascus in the first public engagement between the two countries since the overthrow of Bashar Assad in December, Syrian state media said on Friday.
China, which backed Assad, saw its embassy in Damascus looted after his fall, and Syria’s new Islamist rulers have installed some foreign fighters including Uyghurs, a mainly Muslim ethnic minority in China that Western rights groups say has been persecuted by Beijing, into the Syrian armed forces. Beijing has denied accusations of abuses against Uyghurs. Syria’s state news agency SANA reported Sharaa’s meeting with Ambassador Shi Hongwei but gave no details of what was discussed. The decision to give official roles, some at senior level, to several Islamist militants could alarm foreign governments and Syrian citizens fearful of the new administration’s intentions, despite its pledges not to export Islamic revolution and to rule with tolerance for Syria’s large minority groups. In 2015, Chinese authorities said many Uyghurs who had fled to Turkiye via Southeast Asia planned to bring jihad back to China, saying some were involved in “terrorism activities.”Chinese President Xi Jinping had vowed to support Assad against external interference. He offered the veteran Syrian leader a rare break from years of international isolation since the start of Syria’s civil war in 2011 when he accorded him and his wife a warm welcome during a visit to China in 2023. Assad was toppled a year later in a swift offensive by a coalition of rebels led by the Sharaa-led Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), a former Al-Qaeda affiliate, that ended 54 years of Assad family rule.

EU to suspend Syria banking, energy, transport sanctions
AFP/February 21, 2025
BRUSSELS: The European Union will suspend sanctions on Syria’s banking, energy and transport sectors Monday, diplomats said, in a bid to help the country’s reconstruction after the ouster of Bashar Assad. Syria’s new leaders have been clamouring for the West to ease sanctions on the country imposed to target Assad’s regime during the civil war. But Europe and other powers have been reluctant to move before clear signals from the new Islamist-led rulers in Damascus that they are serious on having an inclusive transition. The step due to be greenlit at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels is a formal move after the bloc struck a preliminary accord last month to suspend sanctions in key areas. Diplomats talking on Friday said the sanctions could be reimposed if Syria’s new leaders break promises to respect the rights of minorities and move toward democracy. The United Nations said on Thursday that at current growth rates, Syria would need more than 50 years to get back to its economic level before the outbreak of its devastating civil war. Much of Syria’s infrastructure was destroyed and the country’s economy ravaged by years of international isolation after Assad’s 2011 crackdown on opposition sparked the civil war. The EU and other international powers are jostling for influence in Syria after the ouster of Assad, who was backed by Russia and Iran.

Syria's national dialogue conference is in flux amid pressure for political transition
Associated Press/February 22, 2025
An official with the committee preparing a national dialogue conference in Syria to help chart the country's future said Friday that it has not been decided whether the conference will take place before or after a new government is formed. The date of the conference has not been set and the timing "is up for discussion by the citizens," Hassan al-Daghim, spokesperson for the committee, told The Associated Press in an interview in Damascus Friday. "If the transitional government is formed before the national dialogue conference, this is normal," he said. On the other hand, he said, "the caretaker government may be extended until the end of the national dialogue."The conference will focus on drafting a constitution, the economy, transitional justice, institutional reform and how the authorities deal with Syrians, al-Daghim said. The outcome of the national dialogue will be non-binding recommendations to the country's new leaders. "However, these recommendations are not only in the sense of advise and formalities," al-Daghim said. "They are recommendations that the President of the republic is waiting for in order to build on them." After former President Bashir Assad was toppled in a lightning rebel offensive in December, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, the main former rebel group now in control of Syria, set up an interim administration comprising mainly of members of its "salvation government" that had ruled in northwestern Syria. They said at the time that a new government would be formed through an inclusive process by March. In January, former HTS leader Ahmad al-Sharaa was named Syria's interim president after a meeting of most of the country's former rebel factions. The groups agreed to dissolve the country's constitution, the former national army, security service and official political parties. The armed groups present at the meetings also agreed to dissolve themselves and for their members to be absorbed into the new national army and security forces. Notably absent was the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, which holds sway in northeastern Syria. There has been international pressure for al-Sharaa to follow through on promises of an inclusive political transition. U.N. special envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen said this week that formation of a "new inclusive government" by March 1 could help determine whether Western sanctions are lifted as the country rebuilds. Al-Daghim said the decisions taken in the meeting of former rebel factions in January dealt with "security issues that concern the life of every citizen" and "these sensitive issues could not be postponed" to wait for an inclusive process. In recent weeks, the preparatory committee has been holding meetings in different parts of Syria to get input ahead of the main conference. Al-Daghim said that in those meetings, the committee had heard a broad consensus on the need for "transitional justice and unity of the country." "There was a great rejection of the issue of quotas, cantons, federalization or anything like this," he said. But he said there was "disagreement on the order of priorities." In the coastal cities of Latakia and Tartous, for instance, many were concerned about the low salaries paid to government workers, while in Idlib and suburbs of Damascus that saw vast destruction during nearly 14 years of civil war, reconstruction was the priority. The number of participants to be invited to the national conference has not yet been determined and may range from 400 to 1,000, al-Daghim said, and could include religious leaders, academics, artists, politicians and members of civil society, including some of the millions of Syrians displaced outside the country.The committee has said that the dialogue would include members of all of Syria's communities but that people affiliated with Assad's government and armed groups that refuse to dissolve and join  the national army -- chief among them the SDF -- would not be invited. Al-Daghim said Syria's Kurds would be part of the conference even if the SDF is not. "The Kurds are a component of the people and founders of the Syrian state," he said. "They are Syrians wherever they are."

Saudi Crown prince discusses Gaza with leaders from Gulf, Jordan, Egypt
Arab News/February 22, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman hosted a meeting of leaders from Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Jordan, and Egypt in Riyadh on Friday. The meeting discussed joint efforts in support of the Palestinian cause, and developments in Gaza, along with other regional and international issues, Saudi Press Agency reported. The meeting was attended by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Jordan’s King Abdullah, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and Bahrain’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa. The leaders welcomed the holding of the emergency Arab Summit in Cairo on March 4.

The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on February 21-22/2025
Is Western Victimization the Root Cause of Islam’s Many Problems?/February 21/2025
Raymond Ibrahim/The Stream/February 21/2025
We recently looked at William Polk’s book, Crusade and Jihad: The Thousand-Year War between the Muslim World and the Global North. Although it’s a mighty tome containing some 550 pages and claims to cover “the thousand-year war between the Muslim World and the Global North,” most of the years between 634 (when Islam first invaded the West) to 1800 (when it went on the retreat) received only some 30 pages of coverage.
In other words, those many centuries which saw Muslims conquer most of Christendom’s original territory and invade more — with all the attendant massacres, enslavements, and destruction of churches — received a few sanitized pages, mostly alluding to how Islam “spread” through trade and the glories of al-Andalus.
So what is the rest of this book about? In fact, about 520 of the 550 pages of this book on the “thousand-year war” are confined to the last two centuries, when Europe finally went on the offensive against Islam. Here Polk meticulously describes in vivid (and hyperbolic) detail every conceivable sin the West committed against Muslims. Here’s a typical excerpt:
Beginning at various times after Christopher Columbus led the way across the Atlantic and the Portuguese plunged down the West African coast, the actions of the North have been uniformly destructive and sometimes genocidal…. The first cause of the danger and insecurity [i.e., Islamic terrorism] we feel today is the long history of imperialism. A century or more of invasion, occupation, humiliation, and genocide has left scars that are still not healed, and cannot heal if they are constantly reopened.
Of course, having whitewashed the first millennium of jihad on the West, it’s easy for Polk to make Europeans appear as unprovoked aggressors — greedy monsters come to destroy the glories of Islam.
Ignoring the Point
Yet he fails to mention that Columbus sailed west precisely because the Mediterranean was an Islamic terror zone (with Turkic Ottomans and Egyptian Mamluks slaughtering and enslaving any Christian that appeared over the horizon); and he presents Russian expansion into Tatar regions as a merciless enterprise without explaining that the Tatars — known in Russian chronicles as the “heathen giant who feeds on our blood” — had terrorized and enslaved Russians centuries earlier.
As more balanced historians such as Bernard Lewis explain:
[T]he whole complex process of European expansion and empire … has its roots in the clash of Islam and Christendom. It began with the long and bitter struggle of the conquered peoples of Europe, in east and west, to restore their homelands to Christendom and expel the Muslim peoples who had invaded and subjugated them. It was hardly to be expected that the triumphant Spaniards and Portuguese would stop at the Straits of Gibraltar, or that the Russians would allow the Tatars to retire in peace and regroup in their bases on the upper and lower Volga — the more so since a new and deadly Muslim attack on Christendom was underway … threatening the heart of Europe. The victorious liberators, having reconquered their own territories, pursued their former masters whence they had come.
Regardless, Polk habitually harps that “[m]emories of [Western] imperialism are deep [among Muslims], and they helped create much of the world’s disorder and danger today…. [T]he humiliation and wholesale massacres of populations carried out by imperialists, though largely forgotten by the perpetrators, remain today vivid to the descendants of the victims.” As such, every Islamic terror group, including the Islamic State, is a product of “the anger and frustration of Muslims.”
Is Imperialism Really the Problem?
Again, one need only look to real history to appreciate the folly of his deterministic reading which sees Muslims as perpetual victims of an imagined history. After a millennium of actual European victimhood — a millennium of Muslim invasions that saw the conquest of three-quarters of Christendom’s original territory, the enslavement of five million Europeans (between just the fifteenth and eighteenth centuries), and the slaughter of countless people — “backwards” Europe still managed to rise triumphant, and did so without any apologies or appeasements from Muslims.
Why can’t Islam do the same? Could it be that its problems are intrinsic and have nothing to do with the purported sins of Europe?
For instance, in a chapter titled “Somalia, the ‘Failed State,’” imperialism is again cited as the blame-all. Yet in 1855, decades before Europeans colonized it, adventurer Richard Burton described Somalia in very unappealing terms, adding that Somalis “are extremely bigoted, especially against Christians … and are fond of Jihading.”
Today Somalia remains one of the world’s most “failed states.” Al Shabaab (“the Youth”) is its jihadist vanguard, and any Somali “outed” as a Christian is beheaded.
Is European colonialism really necessary to explain such continuity?
This is the crux of the issue: in order to exonerate the problems plaguing and emanating from the Muslim world — from socio-economic-political issues to rampant Islamic radicalization and terrorism — Islamophiles like Polk are committed to two premises: 1) that for centuries Islam was a beacon of light in a dark world (and thus something must have gone horribly wrong since); and 2) that which went wrong begins and ends with Western meddling via colonization, etc.
As should be evident by now, the reverse is true: Islam always did what Islam does, and was constrained only during that brief era of Western assertion.
Reverse History
The greater irony is that whereas jihads often culminated in slavery, depopulation, and devastation, European colonialists abolished slavery and introduced their Muslim subjects to the boons of modernity, from scientific and medicinal advances to the radical concepts of democracy and religious freedom.
Writing in the early twentieth century, a Coptic Christian summarized the status of Egypt under British rule as follows:
In a word, we say that the Egyptian State was at the highest degree of justice and good order and arrangement. And it removed religious fanaticism, and almost established equality between its subjects, Christian and Muslim, and it eliminated most of the injustice, and it realized much in the way of beneficial works for the benefit of all the inhabitants.
Or consider that North Africa was once among the most prosperous and civilized regions of Christendom — home to Carthage and St. Augustine, etc. — but centuries of “jihading,” ransacking, and the enslavement of countless souls turned it into a desert. Then, once it was entirely populated by Muslims, North Africa subsisted entirely on enslaving Europeans — centuries before the colonial era.
In fact, the United States’ first war as a nation was with these “Barbary States,” as the Christians referred to North Africa, meaning it was a land of “barbarians.” When Thomas Jefferson and John Adams asked Barbary’s ambassador why his countrymen were enslaving American sailors, he said nothing about “open scars” or the “anger and frustration of Muslims,” to use Polk’s words. Rather the
ambassador answered us that it was founded on the laws of their Prophet, that it was written in their Koran, that … it was their right and duty to make war upon them [non-Muslims] wherever they could be found, and to make slaves of all they could take as prisoners….
Sadly, Crusade and Jihad represents the academic and mainstream opinion concerning the relationship between Islam and the West. As is typical of the social sciences — and increasingly the hard sciences as well — reality, in this case history, has been recast to conform to the accepted narrative, one which follows a familiar matrix: anything white and Christian equals hypocrisy, intolerance, greed, and exploitation; anything nonwhite and non-Christian equals honesty, tolerance, fair-mindedness, and benevolence.
Thus, despite how Muslims persecuted Spain’s Christians for centuries, here is how Polk describes the indigenous liberators vis-à-vis the invading occupiers: “Over the centuries … the warlike Christian states … pushed south until, in 1492, they drove away tens of thousands of Muslims … and put an end to one of the most advanced societies in Europe.”
The lesson is clear: from a historical point of view, Islam can do no wrong — even when it invades, conquers, and persecutes; and the West can do no right, even when it defends, liberates, and civilizes. While we are to exonerate contemporary Muslim terrorism as a product of “grievances” against (an imagined) history of colonialism and abuse, only condemnation remains for those premodern Christians who set so many wrongs to rights.
Such are the pseudo-histories that have long plagued the West’s understanding of its relationship to Islam. It is in large part to combat these false narratives that I wrote my book, Sword and Scimitar: Fourteen Centuries of War between Islam and the West. Not only does it document the politically incorrect facts of history, but every century gets its fair due.
**Raymond Ibrahim, author of Defenders of the West and Sword and Scimitar, is the Distinguished Senior Shillman Fellow at the Gatestone Institute and the Judith Rosen Friedman Fellow at the Middle East Forum.

What we can learn from Burckhardt’s writings
Dr. Badran Al-Honaihen/Arab News/February 21, 2025
Johann Ludwig Burckhardt was a prominent Swiss traveler, historian and orientalist who visited the Arabian Peninsula in the early 19th century. He is known for his accurate and fair observations. Burckhardt studied Islamic religion and the Arabic language in Britain before embarking on a journey with a pilgrimage caravan to Makkah during the era of the First Saudi State.His writings are considered a significant contemporary source of historical information. He relied on his personal observations and social analysis of the society at that time, in addition to oral narratives and a limited number of written sources, and he produced remarkable works about the period following the founding of the First Saudi State. How can the concept of the state accommodate the population of the Arabian Peninsula, the majority of whom are composed of nomadic tribes?
How can the concept of exploitation and plunder through influence and power, which involves seizing the spoils from the weaker, be eradicated so that the populace can develop the vision of a state founded on integrity, Islamic principles, security, and peace?Burckhardt addressed these inquiries, conveying a detailed historical account through the pages of his books.
Burkhardt presented an orientalist vision from outside the Arabian Peninsula, which articulated the existence of state values that the inhabitants had not previously recognized. This perspective imposed upon them, as individuals accountable to the state, the concepts of stability and peace, which had been absent for centuries in the region. It also addressed the management of tribal relations and governance, the importance of respecting the judiciary for the first time in centuries, and the prohibition of the use of force and weaponry.
This wisdom represented a novel vision and direction for the residents of the Arabian Peninsula, emphasizing that the state bears responsibility for their welfare.
The judiciary was the authority to which all tribes turned for arbitration, and it represented one of the most significant outcomes of the state’s legal framework, originating from Diriyah, the capital, and extending beyond it through individuals known for their integrity. The state directly allocated funds as a new legal system, replacing the traditional customs that had been prevalent among the inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula in previous centuries, where expenses were incurred by the disputing parties to discuss and resolve their cases. In the judicial system, the right to appeal a decision was also guaranteed under the First Saudi State across all its regions, specifically through the review process in Diriyah, to consider the appeal of the decision, representing a new development in a judicial system that differs from previous practices in the region’s history.
Security for all
Burckhardt also discussed how the early Saudis approached the concepts of security and peace for all inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula. The state entrusted the complete responsibility for investigating thefts occurring within their territories to tribal leaders and local rulers. They were penalized with fines equivalent to the value of the livestock or property that had been stolen. The leaders of the regions and the chiefs of the tribes were thus tasked with protecting their neighbors and travelers just as they would safeguard their own properties. Consequently, there was a cessation of thefts and acts of plunder that had previously occurred. This level of order following the establishment of the state had not been experienced by the inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula since the time of the Prophet and the era of the rightly guided caliphs. Burckhardt noted that a merchant could traverse the Arabian Peninsula alone with complete safety, and that the Bedouins slept without fear of nighttime thieves targeting their livestock and possessions. Burckhardt wrote about the personal guards of the imam, known as the Munqiya, who were recognized as some of the bravest knights of the Arabian Peninsula and formidable warriors. They were permanently stationed in Diriyah and served as a regular force for the state. To join this elite group, one needed to be a distinguished knight with a notable reputation among his people before gaining recognition from others. Each member was provided with a suitable horse or camel from the royal stables, received a salary, and was equipped to the highest standards. The horses or camels were outfitted with gear made from wool covered with felt, which offered significant protection against swords and spears.
State protocols
In Burckhardt’s writings, there is a notable emphasis on the social details pertaining to the state, particularly highlighting the era of Imam Saud bin Abdulaziz. This historical account is rarely found among local historians, who express admiration for the imam’s elegance and his keen attention to his appearance and pleasant demeanor. Additionally, it is noted that he took great care in grooming his mustache and beard, distinguishing himself from others primarily through the opulence and cleanliness of his attire, as well as the fragrances emanating from his headscarf.
Burkhardt elaborated on intricate details of royal etiquette. He discussed the protocol of the Salwa Palace, located in the At-Turaif District, which was home to Imam Saud, and the manner in which princes from various countries and tribal leaders were received. Additionally, he described the palace’s engagement in hosting guests, including the provision of lunch and dinner, as well as the care for horses and camels of the visiting dignitaries.
The majlis’s reception times were designated for three specific periods: early morning after dawn; after the afternoon prayer until sunset; and again after the evening prayer late into the night. This latter time was often reserved for the family of the imam and his descendants who happened to be present in Diriyah.
Anyone wishing to meet the imam could simply approach the majlis. The common titles used by the public to address the imam included Saud, Abu Abdullah, and Abu al-Shawarib. The majlis was always enriched with the recitation of the Qur’an, discussions of Hadith, interpretations, and cultural insights from the scholars of the court. Imam Saud would conclude the session by addressing the book intended for explanation, followed by a serious discussion among the scholars regarding its contents and a thoughtful exchange of perspectives.
According to Burkhardt’s testimony, Imam Saud excelled over others in his profound cultural knowledge, dialogue, and persuasive abilities. This was evident in his high-level writings that demonstrated his skill in persuasion. His eloquence and melodious voice particularly sparked curiosity and admiration, enabling his words to resonate deeply with the hearts of the Arabs around him. The generosity of the imam and his hospitality toward his guests astonished this orientalist, particularly in his description of the stable housing 2,000 Arabian horses. Additionally, he noted the presence of 500 family members and attendants, all of whom were provided with ample food, including rice, bulgur, dates, and lamb, sufficient to accommodate both them and the palace guests.
The imam as a father
Burkhardt illustrates the imam’s dedication to the upbringing of his children, particularly his son Abdullah, who would later become an imam himself. At the age of five, he was taught to ride horses, allowing him to experience the thrill of galloping. Additionally, the imam is said to have closely observed his children’s behavior and imparted wisdom and sound advice to them. His fondness for fatherhood is evident to anyone who visits the At-Turaif District, where the proximity of the imam’s palace to his sons’ residences is apparent.
Imam Saud exemplified wisdom and the ability to address issues swiftly. He was highly educated, possessing a profound understanding of politics. He garnered significant popularity among the inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula. His military engagements began at the age of 12.
One of the most emotionally significant family moments for Imam Saud occurred during his pilgrimage when he stood before the Kaaba as the people of Saudi Arabia were adorning it with a new covering from Al-Ahsa. While he was preoccupied with observing the pilgrims circumambulating the Kaaba, his son Fahd’s wife approached him, cradling her child in her arms. She had come to fulfill the fifth pillar of Islam and was eager for Imam Saud to meet his grandson, whom he had never seen before. In a tender moment witnessed by all the pilgrims, the imam took the child into his arms, embracing and kissing him affectionately for an extended period.
I appreciated Burkhardt’s awareness of social details and the sincerity of his expression; this is what distinguishes a writer from any nation when viewed from an external perspective with a different Western lens. He captures intricate details that may have seemed insignificant to people at the time, which later became a vital source for studying the history of the era.
Thank you, Burkhardt, for that account which transported us to the First Saudi State with remarkable detail and precision.
***Dr. Badran Al-Honaihen is the special projects executive director at the Diriyah Gate Development Authority.

A tribute to Princess Nourah, my inspiration
Princess Lamia bint Majed Saud Al-Saud/Arab News/February 21, 2025
As we celebrate Saudi Founding Day, it offers us a moment to reflect on the profound role that women have played in shaping Saudi Arabia. One woman whose legacy stands out is Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman, the older sister of King Abdulaziz. Her impact on the Kingdom’s early years cannot be overstated. Princess Nourah was a guiding force whose intellect, wisdom and strength helped lay the foundations for Saudi Arabia’s success.
Princess Nourah was more than King Abdulaziz’s sister, she was his trusted adviser and confidant. Their bond, forged through shared struggles, was essential to the Kingdom’s unification. King Abdulaziz often expressed his deep admiration for her, famously saying, “I am Nourah’s brother,” highlighting the respect he had for her wisdom and guidance. Her counsel was crucial in shaping the Kingdom’s path and ensuring its success.Princess Nourah’s diplomatic skill reflected her belief in building strong, strategic relationships for the future.
What truly set Princess Nourah apart was her exceptional wisdom. Described as possessing “the brain of 40 men,” she was renowned for her intellect and foresight. When the telephone was introduced to Riyadh in the 1930s, the first line was laid between the palaces of King Abdulaziz and his sister, illustrating the importance of their communication and her integral role in decision-making. Princess Nourah’s judgment was valued not only by her family but by everyone who knew her. She was admired for her clarity of thought and her strong sense of right and wrong.
Though the title of first lady did not exist in Princess Nourah’s time, her role was no less impactful. She played a key role in the Kingdom’s early diplomatic efforts, welcoming foreign dignitaries and offering valuable counsel. Her ability to connect with others, both personally and politically, helped lay the groundwork for Saudi Arabia’s international ties. Princess Nourah’s diplomatic skill reflected her belief in building strong, strategic relationships for the future.
Princess Nourah’s advocacy for women’s education was far ahead of its time. One of the few women of her era to read and write, she understood the transformative power of education. She incentivized girls to complete the Qur’an, helping nurture a culture of learning. Her vision for women’s empowerment through education lives on today in the form of Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, the world’s largest all-female educational institution, named in her honor. Princess Nourah’s contributions to women’s education continue to inspire generations.
Princess Nourah’s legacy is a testament to her exceptional character and leadership. She was loved by the people of Saudi Arabia. Her wisdom, humility and generosity made her a role model for many. She became a symbol of integrity, with her name often given to girls across the Kingdom.
It is important to recognize the foundational role that women like Princess Nourah played in shaping the Kingdom.
As we reflect on Saudi Founding Day, it is important to recognize the foundational role that women like Princess Nourah played in shaping the Kingdom. Women have always been key players in the country’s development, shaping its values, vision and future. On this Founding Day, we honor the memory of Princess Nourah. Her wisdom, courage and leadership were integral to Saudi Arabia’s foundation and continue to inspire us today. Her example of leadership, service and dedication will continue to guide future generations. As we celebrate Saudi Arabia’s founding, we also celebrate the women whose strength helped shape this nation into the beacon of progress it is today.
**Princess Lamia bint Majed Saud Al-Saud is Secretary-General of Alwaleed Philanthropies. She is also the CEO of Rotana Media Group. X: @lamia1507

A ‘Vision 2030’ for Europe’s security
Dr. Diana Galeeva/Arab News/February 21, 2025
Last weekend, the 61st Munich Security Conference took place in Germany. The agenda was linked to a “pivotal” moment of change, including a new US administration, a new cycle of European legislature in Brussels and the upcoming German parliamentary elections.
One of the panels was titled “Ready, Steady, 2030? Accelerating the Balkans’ EU accession.” I would like to adopt the same logic and link it to some familiar narratives for Middle Eastern politics, based on the conference’s outcomes, to offer my own predictions for the future of Europe up to 2030. In other words, this article aims to suggest a “Vision 2030” for European security.
Firstly, it seems the trend in Europe is toward a more neo-realist approach, with the prioritization of defense. This will certainly be developed, as expenditure will increase. Most speakers agreed that Europe needs to increase its defense spending: currently, the NATO-mandated minimum is 2 percent of gross domestic product, but this is expected to increase to 3 percent.
US President Donald Trump has urged NATO’s European members to spend 5 percent of their national income on defense. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has also urged member states to increase their defense spending. And in her address, “The EU in the World,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed an increase in public investments, including defense expenditure.
Secondly, relations between Europe and the US are at a transformative stage. Panels that involved the US included titles such as, “Doing More with Less US? Strengthening European Defense,” “The US in the World,” “Strategic investment: The Future of US-Ukraine Security Cooperation,” “Pitfalls and Priorities: The New US Administration’s Middle East Policy,” and “Pay or Prey? NATO, the US and Transatlantic Security.”
In his speech, US Vice President J.D. Vance discussed the importance of shared values, which he accused European countries, including the UK, of retreating from, while ignoring voter worries on free speech and migration. This speech was labeled “brilliant” by Trump, but it was met with silence in the hall. This can be seen as illustrative of a period of growing tension and uncertainty in Europe-US relations. Markus Soeder, the minister-president of Bavaria and leader of the Christian Social Union party, acknowledged that Europe’s relations with the US need “a fresh start.” He added: “We should not be complaining … We need a change.” The European Vision 2030 might require an alternative method to deal with this US administration.
Zanny Minton Beddoes, the editor-in-chief of The Economist, who moderated the session on “Building or Burning Bridges: Economic and Development Cooperation Amid Multipolarization,” argued that within three weeks a new administration in the US had ended the previous geopolitical status quo in many fundamental ways. It did this through very different approaches to conflict areas (e.g., the Middle East and Ukraine) and a fundamentally different approach to foreign assistance and how the global trading system and tariffs should look. Trump’s plan to enforce a 25 percent tariff on all steel and aluminum imports from next month was a sign there are very clear rifts between Washington and Europe on several matters, from trade to dealing with Russia.
The third point on European security concerns policies toward saving the EU’s economies, securing its interests and offering agreements that would work for all, ensuring all members are prosperous and secure.
The European Vision 2030 might require an alternative method to deal with this US administration
Fourthly, expansionist Russian policies are another major point of concern for the future of European security. One of the dominant concerns is the outcome of the Ukraine war. The new US administration’s approach does not make it any easier, as American and Russian officials met in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to lay the groundwork for peace talks. The Ukrainian and European leaders were not invited, but they noted that they must be included for any ceasefire to be reliable.
Instead, on Monday, an emergency summit of European leaders took place in Paris to discuss the Ukraine war. There, Von der Leyen noted that Ukraine deserved “peace through strength.” In both cases, talks without key players (in the first case, without Ukraine and the EU and, in the second, without Russia) further complicate the European security agenda.
Therefore, Russian wars, including hybrid conflicts such as in the Baltic Sea or in the post-Soviet space, including Georgia, Armenia and Moldova, are a complicated and urgent question. This was seen in Munich during discussions in panels such as “Down to the Wire: Countering Hybrid Warfare in the Baltic Sea,” “Nuclear Multipolarity” and “Spotlight on Georgia.”
One of the central themes was multipolarization. In the panel on “Building or Burning Bridges,” the growing number of actors with importance in terms of global decision-making was noted.
The conference discussed matters relating to the Middle East, in addition to China and Venezuela. This links to another direction and challenge that has been discussed in Europe: the growing importance and influence of the countries of the Global South. It can be further discussed within the expanding BRICS agenda. Finding a collective approach based on pluralism, democracy and “defending philosophical ideas, which behave as the engine of our prosperity or stability here in Europe,” as suggested by Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno, would offer another dimension of the Vision 2030 for European security to share with the rest of the world.
While Russia, which is part of BRICS, is perceived as trying to burn bridges, the Europeans should try to rebuild them. This can be another fundamental agenda for Europe up to 2030: rebuilding bridges with the rest of the world.
To sum up, the Vision 2030 for European security is based on a neo-realist approach, increasing defense spending and prioritizing security matters. This is because, as Von der Leyen stated, peace comes through strength. And Europe must be stronger than ever. It faces challenges with the US administration, which could require Europe to find new ways to maintain its defense, as well as challenges in the economic system, with the US and other actors aiming to reshape the existing financial systems. The imperialist vision of Russia also directly challenges European stability and security by conducting hybrid wars on European territory. In addition, it needs to continue finding ways to attract the rest of the world, while other players aim to challenge the existing global order.
• Dr. Diana Galeeva is an academic visitor to Oxford University. X: @Dr_GaleevaDiana

The Trump-Putin Riyadh Summit is a big deal
Jason D. Greenblatt/Arab News/February 21, 2025
The White House has announced plans for US President Donald J. Trump to meet his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to discuss the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and other issues.
That the talks are taking place somewhere other than Europe has scandalized some. To me, it is a breath of fresh air. It shows that the parties are serious about getting a deal done, with the US playing an appropriate role in the process. The Europeans have no credibility with Putin — and vanishing credibility in the rest of the world — which makes it nearly impossible for them to bring him to the table. Furthermore, according to some estimates, Europe has allocated approximately $138 billion of aid to Ukraine while the US has contributed about $119 billion. Why the US has contributed nearly half of the combined European and American aid is baffling.It reminds me of when President Joe Biden touted in his 2022 State of the Union address how he had “spent months building a coalition of other freedom-loving nations,” including European countries, “to confront Putin,” and had to spend “countless hours unifying our European allies.”
It should not fall to the president of the US to build a coalition of European nations. The leader of the free world should not have to waste time “unifying” Europe to deal with its biggest challenge in decades. Trump’s message makes sense: No, Europe, a peace summit does not belong in Brussels, Paris or Berlin. You could not get your act together, not even when it came to keeping Europe safe. Instead of allowing the Johnny-come-lately Europeans to host and have a hand in the discussions, the president went in a totally different direction.
Holding the negotiations in Riyadh is practical and highly symbolic. It recognizes and reinforces Saudi Arabia’s growing influence on the global stage as an ally trusted by nations around the world, including the US, particularly as a mediator.
The choice of the Kingdom as the location, and the expected direct involvement of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the discussions, reflects the fact that Saudi Arabia is now “open” not only when it comes to attracting investment, tourism and strategic cooperation, it is also “open” as a center for diplomacy and world affairs. A shift is underway toward a more proactive Saudi role in fostering global stability; in other words, using its name, talent and vast resources for good.
It seems that Saudi Arabia, and other Gulf countries including the UAE and Qatar, are becoming the trusted mediators European nations once were. Saudi facilitation of dialogue between the US and Russia could cement the Kingdom’s status as neutral ground on which contentious issues can be addressed constructively. Building giga-project cities is a big deal — but helping to build a stable international order is another level of achievement. There is another important dynamic at play in these discussions. The fact that presidents Trump and Putin seek to engage in direct talks is noteworthy, given the strained relations between the two nations in recent years.Direct dialogue is crucial. As a nuclear power, Russia’s actions have far-reaching implications for global security. Trump has long emphasized the importance of maintaining a working relationship with Russia. “It’s a big country, it’s a nuclear country,” he famously said in 2018. “It’s a country that we should get along with.”
He said this with good reason. Historically, attempts to subdue Russia through military means have proven futile. From Napoleon’s campaign to the Second World War, Russia has shown that it is not where you want to sink deeper into war.
Some argue that this approach amounts to appeasement. But if the US is no longer willing to bankroll Ukraine’s defense, and the Europeans had to be pushed together to help Ukraine at the start of the war, and even today Europeans cannot agree to what extent they are prepared to defend Ukraine and any peace agreement, perhaps it is time to recognize that Trump’s realist approach is the most workable one.
A shift is underway toward a more proactive Saudi role in fostering global stability; in other words, using its name, talent and vast resources for good
In any case, it is not appeasement to seek a compromise that will put an end to ongoing death and destruction.
Regardless of one’s positions on the war and Putin (even some Republicans have voiced their disagreement with Trump), those who disagree with Trump’s approach must remember that his primary responsibility is to safeguard American interests. By initiating talks with Russia, he aims to strike a balance ensuring that an end to the war does not somehow jeopardize American interests. Hosting discussions in Saudi Arabia aligns with this strategy: It strengthens US-Saudi relations and empowers Saudi Arabia to continue to grow as a stabilizing force in the region and beyond. Saudi diplomatic leadership bodes well for the Middle East, for an American public that would like to focus its attention on the home front, and an administration that wants to focus its foreign policy on China and other matters.
Trump appreciates, and is advancing, a pragmatic approach to international relations. He acknowledges that global challenges require innovative coalitions capable of getting any counterpart to the negotiating table, and eventually to reach a workable compromise. Gulf leaders are pragmatic and business-oriented. Their goal is to prosper in a calm world, and they recognize that this requires significant investment of time and talent. That is why they are natural candidates to host meetings, especially when other topics that affect the US and Russia, beyond Ukraine, are sure to arise.
Altogether, the decision to hold the Trump-Putin meeting in Riyadh is a big deal. It is emblematic of a broader strategy to entrust emerging global players with seats at the table. That strategy should play a larger role in the coming years, as other heads of state follow the Trump model.
Trump will not be the last to embrace realistic foreign-policy approaches that prioritize each nation’s interests. Nor is he the only leader who wants to work with counterparts who want to work with him, not against him. That is a lesson European, and some other, leaders will have to learn fast if they do not want to be left out of more key discussions. Surprisingly, thus far, those leaders do not seem to grasp it.
Saudi Arabia facilitating high-stakes discussions shows that we are witnessing a remarkable period in international diplomacy. Traditional alliances will need maintenance or fade away, while newer ones are bearing fruit.
The world is quickly learning why pragmatic Gulf nations have emerged as homes for negotiated solutions to complex situations. They have leadership that seeks peace, stability and prosperity. They elevate smart, forward-looking individuals who actually lead and do not just spout empty words and diplomatic niceties. They do not throw tantrums when they do not get their way. Their approach is a far cry from European disunion and the political games that seem to dominate there.
Anyone with the right attitude, who is willing to work with Trump to achieve those goals, will be welcome at his table.
• Jason D. Greenblatt was the White House Middle East envoy in the first Trump administration. He is the author of “In the Path of Abraham: How Donald Trump Made Peace in the Middle East — and How to Stop Joe Biden From Unmaking It” and the founder of Abraham Venture LLC. X: @GreenblattJD

Why is the EU turning to Turkiye now?
Dr. Sinem Cengiz/Arab News/February 21, 2025
The EU is facing increasing insecurity due to several factors that bring Turkiye’s role in European security to the forefront. Historically, Turkiye’s relations with the EU have been affected by both domestic and international shifts. Major developments at the international level, such as the end of the Cold War, or more recently, the Syrian crisis at the regional level, have affected the EU’s security and its relations with Turkiye.Recently, on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos met with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. Following the meeting, in a post on X, Kos said that “Turkiye is a candidate country and a strategic partner in southeast Europe, as well as the Eastern neighborhood.”
Every element of her statement carries significant weight. With Europe’s growing vulnerability, the EU has come to realize Turkiye’s strategic importance more than ever. It has been years since Brussels last emphasized the value of Ankara’s EU membership and Turkiye’s place in Europe. However, it was not surprising that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made one of her first foreign visits of her second term to Turkiye in December, where she met with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Analysts following Turkish-EU relations highlight the rapprochement between the EU and Turkiye, and agree that progress toward Ankara’s membership is more likely than at any point i
For Europe, Russia continues to be the most immediate threat
The primary drivers behind this shift are the current geopolitical dynamics in Europe, particularly the war in Ukraine, and the Middle East, including the Gaza conflict and the situation in Syria. However, the most important factor is Washington’s approach toward Europe. These developments have left the EU with little choice but to develop a new approach toward Turkiye, a NATO member with the second-largest military force within the alliance.
The EU’s revised approach seems to be centered on a defense strategy that requires closer security cooperation with Turkiye. For Europe, Turkiye’s role has long been tied to its own security concerns, and Europe is now more dependent on Turkiye, militarily and politically, than ever.
Obviously, Turkiye is well aware of this situation and is likely to use the opportunity to advance its own interests.
The historical context of Turkiye’s relationship with Europe is important. On Sept. 9, 1979, during a conference in Istanbul, Bernard Lewis quoted Field Marshal Sir William Slim as saying: “Turkiye is the only European country in the Middle East (and) the only Middle Eastern country in Europe.” Turkiye remains a central player in the Middle East, Eastern Mediterranean, and Black Sea regions, where European and Russian interests often clash.
The EU has also clashed with Turkiye when it came to the Eastern Mediterranean, where there has now been a de-escalation mood, thanks to the improvement in Turkish-Greek relations. Some EU member states, such as Greece and France, have even vetoed Ukraine’s request to buy Turkish drones and artillery shells from Turkiye with EU funds. Although Turkiye refrained from joining Western sanctions on Russia, it has consistently supported Ukraine’s security. For much of the past decade, some EU member states have viewed Turkiye more as a rival than a partner, and missed the opportunity to cooperate with Turkiye at a time when Russia continued bolstering its power at the expense of Europe.
There must be an alignment of strategic interests by both sides
For Europe, Russia continues to be the most immediate threat. Additionally, there is now a growing concern that Europe and the US may soon diverge on policy toward Russia and Ukraine. With growing skepticism about US foreign policy toward Russia, Europe feels an immediate need to bolster its defense capabilities, particularly on its southeastern flank. This skepticism is pushing the EU to consider integrating Turkiye into its security framework to strengthen collective defense and manage migration effectively.
However, Turkiye is not an “every-minute-ready” player to enter the EU’s game whenever needed. There must be an alignment of strategic interests by both sides and a careful navigation of the existing thorny issues between two sides if a new chapter is set to start. More importantly, Turkiye has had long-standing expectations from the EU in regard to its membership. In 1987, Turkiye took one of the most important and promising steps toward further integration when Ankara applied for EU membership.
Accession talks officially began in 2005, but the application has been repeatedly delayed. Thus, the decades-long process between Turkiye and the EU turned into a “never-promised membership.” The EU has failed to offer Turkiye a fair and realistic accession process. In response to the EU’s dubious approach, Turkiye has leveraged its position, using migration control and relations with Russia as bargaining tools. Meanwhile, the Turkish elite and public have also lost any enthusiasm about joining the EU.
In recalling the history of Turkish-EU relations, one wonders whether the bloc’s new approach will be another failed attempt to advance Turkiye’s EU membership. Now, Turkiye’s position is stronger than ever, and this could be understood from Fidan’s statement that “EU could become a more influential power in the region with Turkiye’s participation, and this is a critical opportunity for Europe’s security.” Yes, this is an opportunity for the EU to reassess its policy toward Ankara’s membership and consider integrating the country into the EU security architecture. Thus, the EU cannot hope to deter Russia effectively, in the absence of US support, without closer cooperation with Ankara. However, EU member states must have an unified stance toward Turkiye and then expect Ankara to respond to their call for closer cooperation.
**Dr. Sinem Cengiz is a Turkish political analyst who specializes in Turkiye’s relations with the Middle East. X: @SinemCngz