English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For July 24/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.”
Saint John 15/09-14:”As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. ‘This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.”

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on July 23-24/2025
The jihadist Ottoman Erdogan controls Al-Julani and poses a threat to the Arabs, their states, and  rulers./Elias Bejjani/July 23/2025
Video Link To An Interview with Hussain Abdul-Hussain, a researcher at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies from “Al-Badeel” Youtube Platform
Video Link To An Interview with Dr. Charles Chartouni – from the “DNA” Youtube Platform
Lebanon’s Hezbollah refuses to disarm causing fury within Lebanese state: Sources
Barrack meets Rahi, says everybody doing their best
Hezbollah categorically denies report on its 'readiness to clash with state' over arms
Berri says 'optimistic' after 'excellent' meeting with Barrack
Bahrain and Lebanon Summit: Support for Lebanese sovereignty, call for international conference on Palestine
Bahrain to establish permanent diplomatic mission in Beirut, King Tells President Aoun
Aoun: Arms monopoly decision irreversible, to be implemented patiently
Israeli drones flying over Beirut and southern suburbs: NNA
EU announces new €12.5M project to support Lebanese Army
Israeli forces question Lebanese and Syrians after south Lebanon incursion
Parliament lifts Boujikian's immunity, refers 3 ex-ministers to inquiry panel
Statement from MP George Bouchikian’s media office criticizes parliamentary session for denying defense opportunity
Kataeb leader calls for abolishing special tribunal, referring ministers to regular judiciary
UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon visits Israel to discuss 1701, November ceasefire
Geagea meets Jumblat in Clemenceau
Negotiations continue: Israel to join Azerbaijan talks on Syria despite tensions with US envoy
Between Dignity and Dictatorship: The Druze Confront Al-Sharaa/Makram Rabah/Now Lebanon/July 23/2025

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on July 23-24/2025
World Condemns Israel for Preventing Al Qaeda Genocide of Druze/Daniel Greenfield/Gatestone Institute/July 23, 2025
Video Link To A Commentary by Writer and Journalist Ibrahim Eissa on His YouTube Channel
Iran says it warned away US destroyer but US dismisses account
Iran agrees to visit by team from UN nuclear watchdog in coming weeks
Israel, Ukraine announce ‘dialogue’ on countering Iran
Saudi Arabia announces $5bn in Syria investments
Hamas confirms it responded to latest Gaza truce proposal
More than 100 NGOs warn ‘mass starvation’ spreading across Gaza
Witkoff plans to visit Mideast in push for Gaza ceasefire
Israeli strikes kill at least 21 as hunger deepens
Canada calls for immediate resumption of UN-led aid in Gaza
UK condemns Israeli aid system as ‘inhumane and dangerous’ at UN debate on Gaza
Israel, Palestinian envoys trade barbs at UN over Gaza
Wildfire kills 10 firefighters and rescue workers in Turkiye

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on July 23-24/2025
Why Do the Neo-Ottomans Insist on Using the Druze in Their Battle Against the Arabs?/Colonel Charbel Barakat/July 24/2025
Beware, International Community! Jews Did Not Burn the Church/Bassam Tawil/Gatestone Institute/July 23/2025
Will PLO elections serve the people or the status quo?/Hani Hazaimeh/Arab News/July 23, 2025
Damascus between the Druze, Alawites and Kurds/Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Asharq Al-Awsat/July 23, 2025
UK data leak highlights West’s flawed Afghanistan project/Mohamed Chebaro/Arab News/July 23, 2025
After the strikes, Iran’s only path may be a deal
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Al Arabiya English/23 July/2025

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on July 23-24/2025
The jihadist Ottoman Erdogan controls Al-Julani and poses a threat to the Arabs, their states, and  rulers.
Elias Bejjani/July 23/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/07/145583/
It has become evident—even to the blind and the ignorant—that Ottoman Erdogan is the sponsor and master of the jihadist Al-Julani, the puppet ruler of Syria, the godfather of the Muslim Brotherhood, and their protector.
In conclusion, all the massacres committed in Syria against the Syrian people, Druze, Muslims, Alewives and Christians aim, at their core are orchestrated by Erdogan, to enable Turkey to dominate the countries of the region.

Video Link To An Interview with Hussain Abdul-Hussain, a researcher at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies from “Al-Badeel” Youtube Platform
July 23, 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/07/145556/
A comprehensive and well-documented exposé of the practices of the jihadist, Erdoğan-aligned, and ISIS-inspired regime of Ahmad Al-Sharaa. The interview holds this regime fully accountable for the orchestrated invasions and violence in Sweida.
It includes a detailed explanation of Thomas Barrack’s ignorance of the region’s realities and power dynamics. It also reveals Al-Sharaa’s ambitions to subjugate the Druze population in order to become the absolute ruler of Syria — a dream that could lead to his own elimination by Turkey should he rebel against its interests. The interview stresses that the war in Sweida is far from over. Al-Sharaa is foolishly and ignorantly replicating the authoritarianism and hegemony of Hafez al-Assad — but with far greater brutality, marked by barbaric beheadings and extremist savagery.

Video Link To An Interview with Dr. Charles Chartouni – from the “DNA” Youtube Platform
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/07/145564/
July 23, 2025
Lebanon’s leaders must force Hezbollah—the terrorist organization—to surrender and submit, or else Israel will take on the mission militarily.
The era of ambiguity and foolish political maneuvering is over.
As for Aoun and Salam, they were mere puppets and hostages in Hezbollah’s grip—what exactly did they think they were doing?/
Lebanon’s leaders must force Hezbollah—the terrorist organization—to surrender and submit, or else Israel will take on the mission militarily.
The era of ambiguity and foolish political maneuvering is over.
As for Aoun and Salam, they were mere puppets and hostages in Hezbollah’s grip—what exactly did they think they were doing?

Lebanon’s Hezbollah refuses to disarm causing fury within Lebanese state: Sources
Al Arabiya English/23 July/2025
Lebanese group Hezbollah has informed its ally Speaker Nabih Berri that it will not give up its weapons, according to Al Arabiya sources. The sources added that the Iran-backed group informed Berri that it stands with its decision even if Israel withdraws from contested areas, adding that it is ready for confrontation if this is what the Lebanese state wants.Berri, the sources added, told US Special Envoy Tom Barrack that he cannot promise that Hezbollah will disarm north of the Litani River. The sources told Al Arabiya that this has not been well received within the Lebanese state where officials have described Hezbollah’s insistence to maintain its arms as a “lost opportunity” to resolve this issue. The government, however, remains keen on moving forward with its pledge to keep weapons within state control, the sources said. Hezbollah issued a statement later on Wednesday commenting on what the sources have said, but fell short from explicitly commenting on giving up its weapons. The group only said that it “denies” any intentions for a confrontation with the Lebanese state. The US has been pressing the new Lebanese authorities for action with regards to Hezbollah’s weapons after the group was weakened by war with Israel.Barrack has made several visits to Lebanon with the latest being this week to discuss a roadmap for the country centering on the issue of disarmament. During a meeting with Barrack earlier this week, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun handed the US envoy a “draft comprehensive memorandum for implementing Lebanon’s pledges” since the ceasefire, a presidency statement said. The draft emphasized the need to extend state authority to the entire country, restrict the bearing of weapons to the army and ensure “decisions of war and peace” rest with Lebanese constitutional authorities, according to the presidency statement. Hezbollah was engaged in war last year with Israel which led to it being significantly weakened. The conflict ended in a ceasefire agreement under which Hezbollah was to pull its fighters back north of the Litani river, about 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the Israeli border, leaving the Lebanese army and United Nations peacekeepers as the only armed parties in the region.Israel was to fully withdraw its troops from the country but has kept them in five areas it deems strategic. Israel, however, has repeatedly bombed Lebanon, mainly saying it is targeting Hezbollah operatives and infrastructure, and has warned it will continue to strike until the group has been disarmed. With AFP

Between Dignity and Dictatorship: The Druze Confront Al-Sharaa
Makram Rabah/Now Lebanon/July 23/2025
“The cup of bitterness is sweeter in dignity than the water of life in humiliation. Faith is charged with patience, preserved with justice, strengthened with certainty, and fortified with struggle. Return to your history, rich in heroism.”
— From the final testament of Sultan al-Atrash
These words of pride and defiance by Sultan al-Atrash, the legendary leader of the 1925 Great Syrian Revolt, echo once again through the mountains of southern Syria. Today, they resonate in Suwayda’s mourning villages, in the eyes of sheikhs and youth alike who have chosen to confront a regime that sees no distinction between citizen and enemy, faith and firepower.
The Druze, a monotheistic religious community rooted in the Arab East since the 10th century, have played pivotal roles in shaping the political contours of the region—particularly in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel. Their cohesion as a community, guided by a powerful sense of spiritual brotherhood known as al-Ikhwan, has long been the cornerstone of their resilience, enabling them to act as one in the face of existential threats.
Since the early 20th century, Jabal al-Arab (the Mountain of the Arabs) has been a political and military stronghold for the Druze, most famously during the Syrian revolt against French colonial rule led by al-Atrash. Their relationship with the central state has never been one of submission, but of negotiation and, at times, open defiance.
Today, Suwayda—home to most of Syria’s Druze—is witnessing another chapter of confrontation. Clashes have erupted between local Druze factions and the forces of Syria’s new president, Ahmad al-Sharaa. These are not isolated incidents, but the culmination of months of tensions and a stark revelation of the violent logic underpinning the “new” Syrian state.
What has particularly enraged the Druze community are the humiliations suffered at the hands of pro-regime militias: the shaving of religious leaders’ mustaches, desecration of their turbans, and violations of their sanctuaries and a clear mobilization for their ethnic cleaning. These acts are not merely symbolic assaults—they are existential threats to a community whose identity is rooted in spiritual dignity and historical autonomy. Many Druze consider such acts even more unforgivable than physical violence.
Al-Sharaa’s strategy hinges on a familiar blend: exploiting local unrest, framing dissent as lawlessness, and invoking the need to “restore state authority.” Yet his campaign has quickly devolved into indiscriminate repression. The regime’s forces, often composed of unruly and ideologically extreme militias, have blurred the lines between combatant and civilian, elder and child.
The conflict in Suwayda must also be understood as part of a broader effort by the regime to assert dominance over a historically autonomous region. Backed—tacitly or overtly—by American, Gulf, and Israeli actors, al-Sharaa has capitalized on internal Druze divisions to fracture the mountain’s defenses. His key demand: the surrender of Druze arms without constitutional guarantees regarding their status in the new Syrian order.
This demand has fractured Druze leadership. In Lebanon, political leader Walid Joumblatt has voiced support for the regime, as have Suwayda’s senior religious authorities, Sheikh Yusuf al-Jarbou and Sheikh Hammoud al-Hannawi. In stark contrast, Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri—the community’s third senior sheikh—has emerged as the main dissenter, refusing to prematurely disarm and warning of a future that could mirror the state-sanctioned extremism of groups like Jabhat al-Nusra.
Sheikh al-Hijri, supported by Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif, the spiritual leader of Druze in Israel, has become the voice of caution—insisting that participation in the new order must be premised on dignity, not coercion.
Al-Sharaa, drunk on the illusion of a quick victory, has used this internal dissent to launch a bloody crackdown. In one particularly disturbing escalation, a dispute between Suwayda locals and nomadic tribes in the desert was repackaged as a pretext for regime intervention—yet another recycled tactic from the Assad playbook.
Parallels with the Kurdish experience in northeastern Syria are hard to miss. Like the Kurds, the Druze are being punished for asserting local autonomy in a national context that offers no genuine pluralism. Al-Sharaa’s regime, much like its predecessor, prefers submission over partnership.
Meanwhile, diplomatic cover for this offensive has been quietly provided through meetings between al-Sharaa and U.S. envoy Tom Barrack, as well as backchannel communications with Israel, reportedly via Azerbaijan. But the regime’s brutal excesses—especially the torture and public humiliation of Druze elders—prompted Israel to launch limited airstrikes aimed at protecting Syria’s Druze population and appeasing its own Druze citizens.
Still, this Israeli intervention must not be misinterpreted as a green light for vengeance or a reason to prolong armed resistance. The Druze, known for their political acumen, must treat this moment not as an invitation to escalate, but as a chance to press for national recognition and protection under law—not arms.
The image of Sheikh Marhej Shahin (Abu Talal), an elderly Druze man from the town of Thaala, being tortured and forced to shave his mustache on camera, has become emblematic of the crisis. His pain reflects a truth that the new regime refuses to acknowledge: dignity cannot be negotiated, and loyalty cannot be extracted through humiliation.
These developments vindicate Sheikh al-Hijri’s warnings. Swapping a military uniform for a tailored suit, as al-Sharaa has done, does not signal the end of authoritarianism. The abuses of his so-called “liberation state” rival—and often exceed—those of Assad’s Syria. What is new is not necessarily better.
Sectarian incitement, such as the regime’s targeting of Alawite villages on the coast or its reliance on radical Sunni factions in the capital, underscores the danger of institutionalizing identity-based repression. The widespread documentation of torture and abuse on social media makes it impossible to dismiss these crimes as the work of rogue actors.
The result is a deepening sectarian rupture that no token reconciliatory gesture can mend. Blood does not dry easily. Initially divided, the Druze have now coalesced around Sheikh al-Hijri, recognizing that the conflict is no longer just about weapons—but about survival and self-respect.
President al-Sharaa claims to seek national sovereignty, a legitimate goal in principle. But his pursuit of it through brute force rather than constitutional consensus betrays that very ambition. Sovereignty cannot be built on the ashes of marginalized communities. Legitimacy comes from trust, not terror.
The Druze are neither submissive nor unapproachable. They are a community of honor, rooted in land and tradition. They are willing to engage—on the condition that their identity is respected and their dignity protected.
As the iconic Druze singer Samih Shuqair once sang during the early days of the Syrian revolution: “He who kills his people is a traitor, no matter who he is. And the people, like destiny, will not be silenced when they rise.”
Perhaps it is time President Ahmad al-Sharaa heard these words—not as a threat, but as an invitation to build a state, not just a regime.
**This article original appeared in Nidaa al-Watan
Makram Rabah is the managing editor at Now Lebanon and an Assistant Professor at the American University of Beirut, Department of History. His book Conflict on Mount Lebanon: The Druze, the Maronites and Collective Memory (Edinburgh University Press) covers collective identities and the Lebanese Civil War. He tweets at @makramrabah

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on July 23-24/2025
World Condemns Israel for Preventing Al Qaeda Genocide of Druze
Daniel Greenfield/Gatestone Institute/July 23, 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/07/145569/
Recently Al Qaeda/ISIS took over Syria. This development was greeted with cheers from world leaders who had been working toward this very goal from the Arab Spring days. Now, they assured us, Syria would become a democratic paradise full of human rights.
Three lessons here.
1. Letting Turkey put Al Qaeda in charge of Syria was a bad idea.
2. This is the Islamic norm. And anywhere they take power, this is what will happen to non-Muslims. Let's not let it happen to us.
3. When Israel prevents a genocide, it's accused of genocide.
Recently Al Qaeda/ISIS took over Syria. This development was greeted with cheers from world leaders who had been working toward this very goal from the Arab Spring days. Now, they assured us, Syria would become a democratic paradise full of human rights.
Al-Jolani, the former Jihadist leader, made his world tour while Jihadis in Syria began massacring the Druze population. The Druze are a minority group considered illegitimate by Islamists. Israel has a large Druze population which protested in the streets. And Israeli planes struck Al Qaeda government targets in Syria. And the world condemned Israel. There's been an official 'ceasefire' with the Al Qaeda regime in Damascus and videos still keep coming out of Jihadist massacres of Druze.
Three lessons here.
1. Letting Turkey put Al Qaeda in charge of Syria was a bad idea.
2. This is the Islamic norm. And anywhere they take power, this is what will happen to non-Muslims. Let's not let it happen to us.
3. When Israel prevents a genocide, it's accused of genocide.
**Daniel Greenfield is a Shillman Journalism Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center. Reprinted by kind permission of the Center's Front Page Magazine.
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/21775/world-condemns-israel-for-preventing-al-qaeda
**Follow Daniel Greenfield on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook
© 2025 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute.

Video Link To A Commentary by Writer and Journalist Ibrahim Eissa on His YouTube Channel
Occasion: Anniversary of July 13
Title: "Gamal Abdel Nasser – A Man Who Refuses to Die"
Date: July 23, 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/07/145574/
In this sharp and thought-provoking commentary, prominent Egyptian journalist Ibrahim Eissa critically revisits the legacy of Gamal Abdel Nasser on the anniversary of July 13. Eissa explores how Nasser—both as a figure and an ideology—continues to cast a long shadow over the Arab world, despite the decades that have passed since his rule.
He offers a sweeping critique of Nasser's policies, decisions, and the repeated failures—military, political, and ideological—that characterized his tenure. Eissa argues that the myths, delusions, and political heresies born during Nasser’s era are still being reproduced today, hindering progress and trapping societies in outdated, authoritarian mindsets.
"Abdel Nasser is a man who does not want to die," Eissa states. "Not because his achievements deserve resurrection, but because the regimes, masses, and political parties that followed him have refused to bury the illusions he left behind."
This commentary is a bold call to confront history honestly and stop romanticizing a legacy built on repression, disastrous wars, and false promises.

Iran says it warned away US destroyer but US dismisses account
Al Arabiya English/23 July/2025
Iran on Wednesday said it warned a US Navy destroyer to change course as it moved through waters close to Iran, but a US defense official said the interaction was safe and professional and had no impact on its mission. Iranian state media published images from a helicopter in visual range of the USS Fitzgerald guided missile destroyer. A crew member could be heard issuing what appeared to be a radio warning to the US warship to change course, saying it was approaching Iranian territorial waters. “US destroyer ‘Fitzgerald’ attempted to approach waters under Iran’s monitoring, in a provocative move,” Iranian state TV said, adding that the destroyer moved out of the area upon continued warning. A US defense official told Al Arabiya English: “At 10:50 a.m. today (Wednesday), USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) had a safe and professional interaction with an Iranian SH-3 ‘Sea King’ helicopter while operating in international waters.”The official added: “This interaction had no impact to USS Fitzgerald’s mission and any reports claiming otherwise are falsehoods and attempts by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to spread misinformation.”The incident follows US strikes last month on Iranian nuclear facilities that Washington says were part of a program geared towards developing nuclear weapons. Tehran maintains that its nuclear program is for purely civilian purposes. With Reuters

Iran agrees to visit by team from UN nuclear watchdog in coming weeks
Reuters/23 July/2025
Iran has agreed to allow a technical team from the UN nuclear watchdog to visit in the coming weeks to discuss relations between the International Atomic Energy Agency and Tehran, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on Wednesday. “The delegation will come to Iran to discuss the modality, not to go to the (nuclear) sites,” he told reporters during a visit to New York for meetings at the United Nations. The IAEA had no specific comment on his remarks, but said IAEA chief Rafael Grossi was “actively engaging with all parties involved in the Iran nuclear issue.”The IAEA has said it is essential for it to be able to resume inspections in Iran following air strikes by Israel and the US last month that aimed to destroy the country’s nuclear program in a bid to stop Tehran building a nuclear weapon. Tehran denies seeking a nuclear weapon and says its nuclear program is solely meant for civilian purposes. “Our Atomic Energy Organization is assessing, actually, the damages to the nuclear installations, and we are waiting to receive their report. In this regard, it’s a very dangerous work. We do not know what has happened there ... because of the risks of the radiation,” Gharibabadi said. Diplomats have in particular raised concerns about the fate of some 400 kg of highly enriched uranium stocks, which Iran has not updated the IAEA on. Gharibabadi said the IAEA has not officially asked about the fate of those stocks and that Tehran “cannot say anything now because we do not have any valid and credible report from (Iran’s) Atomic Energy Organization.”Any negotiations over Iran’s future nuclear program will require its cooperation with the IAEA, which angered Iran in June by declaring on the eve of the Israeli strikes that Tehran was violating non-proliferation treaty commitments. Gharibabadi said he would travel to Istanbul to meet with Britain, France and Germany on Friday. They, along with China and Russia, are the remaining parties to a 2015 nuclear deal that the US quit in 2018. Under the deal, sanctions on Iran were eased in return for restrictions on its nuclear program. Separately, Tehran and Washington have this year held five rounds of nuclear talks mediated by Oman. Gharibabadi said these are focused on negotiating transparency measures by Iran with regard to its nuclear program and the lifting of US sanctions.

Israel, Ukraine announce ‘dialogue’ on countering Iran
AFP/23 July/2025
Israel and Ukraine said Wednesday they had agreed to start talks on countering the “threat” posed by Iran, in a sign of deepening ties between the two countries. Both see Iran, a close ally of Russia, as a malign actor on the world stage. Israel has long accused Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons, an allegation Tehran denies, while Ukraine is regularly attacked from Russia by Iranian-designed drones. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described Iran as an “existential threat” to global security during a joint press conference in Kyiv with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar – the most senior Israeli official to visit Ukraine since 2023. Ukraine says US strikes on Iran justified to stop nuclear ‘threat’Ukraine says US strikes on Iran justified to stop nuclear ‘threat’ “Our countries face common security challenges. Today we have decided to launch a separate dialogue on the Iranian threat,” Sybiha said. Saar said any effort to curb Tehran’s access to weapons and technology contributed to the security of Europe and Ukraine. “I thank President (Volodymyr) Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian government for its position that Iran must not have nuclear weapons,” he said. Ukraine has expressed frustration at Israel’s neutral stance on the Russian invasion, but the two share common interests.Kyiv has long accused Tehran of supplying military hardware to Moscow. Last month, Israel launched a surprise bombing campaign against Iran with the stated aim of destroying military and nuclear sites, an action that Kyiv supported.

Saudi Arabia announces $5bn in Syria investments
Dayan Abou Tine/Arab Times/July 23, 2025
RIYADH: A Saudi delegation visiting Damascus on Wednesday announced investment and partnership deals valued at $5 billion to help rebuild war-battered Syria. The delegation of some 150 investors and representatives of the Saudi public and private sectors, led by Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih, attended a forum in Damascus. “The announced investments, valued at SR19 billion (about $5 billion), span vital and strategic sectors, including real estate, infrastructure, communications and IT, transportation and logistics, industry, tourism, energy, trade” and more, AFP reported citing a statement from the Investment Ministry. On Tuesday, the ministry had said the Damascus forum aimed to “explore cooperation opportunities and sign agreements that enhance sustainable development and serve the interests of the two brotherly peoples”. The Saudi delegation’s visit underscores the Kingdom’s growing support for Syria’s economic recovery and reconstruction efforts. As part of the visit, Al-Falih and Syrian Economy Minister Mohammed Nidal Al-Shaar inaugurated the Fayhaa White Cement Factory in Adra Industrial City, the first of its kind in Syria.
Cementing relations
Backed by a $20 million investment from Saudi Arabia’s Northern Region Cement Co., the plant is set to produce high-grade white cement while creating 130 direct jobs and more than 1,000 indirect employment opportunities. “The launch of this project reflects our commitment to Syria’s reconstruction and to opening new avenues for regional investment,” said Obaid Al-Sobiei, CEO of Northern Region Cement. The Kingdom will also fund the construction of Al-Jawhara Tower, a 32-storey skyscraper in the center of the Syrian capital, Damascus. Spanning 25,000 sq. meters with an estimated cost exceeding $100 million, the project marks one of the most significant Saudi investments in Syria. In April, Saudi Arabia and Qatar announced a joint initiative to settle Syria’s $15 million debt to the World Bank as part of broader efforts to support the financial recovery of the war-torn nation. Last month, Al-Falih conducted a virtual meeting with Syrian Economy Minister Mohammad Al-Shaar, and discussed opportunities for collaboration in both public and private sectors. The Syrian government this month also amended the country’s investment law, in a move that is expected to support more domestic and foreign investment. During a visit by a Saudi delegation last week, Al-Shaar said that the new law provides an attractive legal environment that promotes the entry of capital, SANA reported. The law will support the investment process and enhance the role of the private sector in reconstruction and economic development, the minister added.
Surge in Saudi-Syrian trade figures signals renewed ties
According to official data from Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Statistics, Syria was the Kingdom’s 53rd largest export destination in April, with non-oil exports rising by 153.3  percent year on year to reach SR81.9 million. These exports are composed primarily of plastics and rubber products, making up 33 percent, 26 percent plant products, and 14 percent prepared foodstuffs, beverages, and tobacco. The remaining exports comprise a variety of chemical products, articles made from stone, cement, ceramics, and glass, reflecting the expanding diversity of trade flows.
On the import side, Syria ranked 60th among countries supplying goods to Saudi Arabia, with imports totaling SR78.5 million in April, representing a sharp 149.7 percent year-over-year increase. The bulk of these shipments consists of animal and plant products, edible oils and fats, and processed food and beverages, indicating Syria’s agricultural and agri-food sector’s growing relevance to the Saudi market. This recent growth in trade volumes follows the rapid evolution of political dynamics between Riyadh and Damascus. In May 2024, the Kingdom formally reopened its embassy in Syria after a 12-year rupture following the outbreak of the Syrian conflict in 2011. Saudi Arabia does not export oil to the country primarily because of the comprehensive sanctions regime imposed on the Syrian government following the outbreak of the civil war in 2011. While Syria once produced and exported substantial quantities of oil, the war and sanctions effectively eliminated its export capacity after late 2011.
Today, production remains constrained, and Syria relies heavily on imports, particularly from Iran, to meet its domestic demand. The trade figures reported by GASTAT, while still modest in comparison to the Kingdom’s broader trade profile, are significant in light of where bilateral relations stood just two years ago. The tripling of trade volumes year on year, both in exports to and imports from Syria, illustrates how quickly economic engagement can rebound when backed by political will. Before the Syrian conflict erupted in 2011, the country enjoyed strong business ties with Saudi Arabia, with bilateral trade peaking at approximately $1.3 billion in 2010, marking the Kingdom as one of Syria’s most significant trading partners before the war began, according to a 2023 article by the Christian Science Monitor. World Bank data from the World Integrated Trade Solution confirms that Syria exported goods worth $543 million to Saudi Arabia in 2010, underscoring the depth of their commercial ties at that time. Saudi exports to Syria primarily included oil derivatives, petrochemicals, plant oils, and dates, while Syria exported fruits, vegetables, livestock, textiles, and furniture to the Kingdom. The two countries were founding members of the Greater Arab Free Trade Area, facilitating reduced tariffs and cross-border trade. Saudi investors also held over $700 million in joint projects within Syria by the late 1990s. These ties collapsed following the war, sanctions, and diplomatic breaks. With recent normalization and high-level visits, both nations are now reviving their economic relationship on the foundation of this previously robust partnership.

Hamas confirms it responded to latest Gaza truce proposal
AFP/July 24, 2025
GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories: Hamas confirmed on Thursday that it has responded to an Israeli proposal for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, after more than two weeks of indirect talks in Qatar have failed to yield a truce. “Hamas has just submitted its response and that of the Palestinian factions to the ceasefire proposal to the mediators,” the Palestinian militant group said in a statement on Telegram. The response included proposed amendments to clauses on the entry of aid, maps of areas from which the Israeli army should withdraw, and guarantees on securing a permanent end to the war, according to a Palestinian source familiar with ongoing talks in Doha. Negotiators from both sides have been holding indirect talks in Doha with mediators in an attempt to reach an agreement on a truce deal that would see the release of Israeli hostages. Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas’s 2023 attack, 49 are still being held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. But the talks have dragged on for more than two weeks without a breakthrough, with each side blaming the other for refusing to budge on their key demands. For Israel, dismantling Hamas’s military and governing capabilities is non-negotiable, while Hamas demands firm guarantees on a lasting truce, a full withdrawal of Israeli troops and the free flow of aid into Gaza. Israeli government spokesman David Mencer on Wednesday accused Hamas of obstructing talks. “Israel has agreed to the Qatari proposal and the updated (US special envoy Steve) Witkoff proposal, it is Hamas that is refusing,” Mencer told reporters, adding that Israel’s negotiating team was still in Doha and talks were ongoing. The United States said Witkoff will head to Europe this week for talks on a possible ceasefire and an aid corridor. More than 100 aid organizations warned on Wednesday that “mass starvation” was spreading in Gaza.

More than 100 NGOs warn ‘mass starvation’ spreading across Gaza
AFP/July 23, 2025
JERUSALEM: More than 100 aid organizations and human rights groups warned on Wednesday that “mass starvation” was spreading in Gaza, as the United States said its top envoy was heading to Europe for talks on a possible ceasefire and aid corridor.
Israel is facing mounting international pressure over the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, where more than two million people are facing severe shortages of food and other essentials after 21 months of conflict. But it denied blocking supplies, saying that 950 trucks’ worth of aid were in Gaza waiting for international agencies to collect and distribute. “We have not identified starvation at this current point in time but we understand that action is required to stabilize the humanitarian situation,” an unnamed senior Israeli security official was quoted as saying by the Times of Israel. On the ground, the Israeli military said it was operating in Gaza City and the north, and had hit dozens of “terror targets” across the Palestinian territory. Gaza’s civil defense agency told AFP that Israeli strikes killed 17 people overnight, including a pregnant woman in Gaza City. The United Nations said on Tuesday that Israeli forces had killed more than 1,000 Palestinians trying to get food since the US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) started operations in late May — effectively sidelining the longstanding UN-led system. A statement with 111 signatories, including Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Save the Children and Oxfam, warned that “our colleagues and those we serve are wasting away.” The groups called for an immediate negotiated ceasefire, the opening of all land crossings and the free flow of aid through UN-led mechanisms. The United States said its envoy Steve Witkoff will head to Europe this week for talks on Gaza and may then visit the Middle East. Witkoff comes with “a strong hope that we will come forward with another ceasefire as well as a humanitarian corridor for aid to flow, that both sides have in fact agreed to,” State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters. Even after Israel began easing a more than two-month aid blockade in late May, Gaza’s population is still suffering extreme scarcities. Israel says humanitarian aid is being allowed into Gaza and accuses Hamas of exploiting civilian suffering, including by stealing food handouts to sell at inflated prices or shooting at those awaiting aid. GHF said the United Nations, which refuses to work with it, “has a capacity and operational problem” and called for “more collaboration” to deliver life-saving aid. COGAT, the Israeli defense ministry body that oversees civil affairs in the Palestinian territories, said nearly 4,500 trucks entered Gaza recently, with flour, baby food and high-calorie food for children. But it said there had been “a significant decline in the collection of humanitarian aid” by international organizations in the past month. “This collection bottleneck remains the main obstacle to maintaining a consistent flow of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip,” it added. Aid agencies, though, said permissions from Israel were still limited and coordination to move trucks to where they are needed — and safely — was a major challenge. The humanitarian organizations said warehouses with tons of supplies were sitting untouched just outside the territory, and even inside, as they were blocked from delivering the goods.
“Palestinians are trapped in a cycle of hope and heartbreak, waiting for assistance and ceasefires, only to wake up to worsening conditions,” the signatories said. “It is not just physical torment, but psychological. Survival is dangled like a mirage,” they added.
“The humanitarian system cannot run on false promises. Humanitarians cannot operate on shifting timelines or wait for political commitments that fail to deliver access.”The head of Gaza’s largest hospital said Tuesday that 21 children had died due to malnutrition and starvation in the Palestinian territory over the previous three days. Mediators have been shuttling between Israeli and Hamas negotiators in Doha since July 6 in search of an elusive truce, with expectations that Witkoff would join the talks as they entered their final stages. More than two dozen Western governments called on Monday for an immediate end to the war, saying suffering in Gaza had “reached new depths.”Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has killed 59,219 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory. Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which sparked the war, resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.

Witkoff plans to visit Mideast in push for Gaza ceasefire
Associated Press/July 23, 2025
President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, planned to head to the Middle East as the U.S. tries once again to reach a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, the State Department's spokesperson said Tuesday.Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told reporters that Witkoff was going to the region with a "strong hope" that the U.S. can deliver a ceasefire deal as well as a new humanitarian corridor for aid distribution. "I would suggest that we might have some good news, but, again, as we know, this could be a constantly changing dynamic," said Bruce, who didn't have other details about where Witkoff would be going or what he had planned. Three U.S. officials said Witkoff is traveling to Europe this week to discuss a range of issues, including Gaza and the push for a ceasefire, but they had no details about Middle East stops and did not share where specifically Witkoff would travel to and when. The officials were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The State Department press office didn't respond to messages seeking more details on Witkoff's travel, and it wasn't immediately clear what his schedule would be this week.
An official familiar with ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas said a top adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Ron Dermer, was travelling to Rome to meet Witkoff on Thursday to discuss the state of the talks. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the sensitive negotiations.A breakthrough in talks on a ceasefire deal has eluded the Trump administration for months as conditions worsen in Gaza. The territory had its deadliest day yet for aid-seekers in over 21 months of war, with at least 85 Palestinians killed while trying to reach food Sunday. The Israeli army has said it fired warning shots, but says the reported death toll was greatly inflated. The United Nations' food agency accused Israeli forces of firing on the crowd of Palestinians seeking humanitarian aid. Bruce said the incident that took place while civilians were trying to reach aid entering through the Zikim crossing with Israel is "absolutely horrible" and reinforced why the U.S. is pushing for a new humanitarian corridor to be created as part of any truce. The sides have held weeks of talks in Qatar, reporting small signs of progress but no major breakthroughs. Officials have said a main sticking point is the redeployment of Israeli troops after any ceasefire takes place. The U.S. plan calls for a 60-day truce, during which Hamas would release some hostages while Israel would free Palestinian prisoners and allow a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza. During the 60 days, the sides are also to begin negotiations on a permanent end to the war. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue the war until Hamas yields power and is disarmed, while Hamas says it will not release all of the hostages until the war is over. It is seeking assurances that Netanyahu will not resume the war after the 60 days, as he did in March after an early ceasefire expired.Hamas is holding 50 hostages — 20 of whom are believed to still be alive.

Israeli strikes kill at least 21 as hunger deepens
AP/July 23, 2025
GAZA: Israeli strikes in Gaza killed at least 21 people late Tuesday and early Wednesday, health officials said, as hunger worsened among Palestinians struggling to live under the weight of the 21-month war. Desperation is mounting in the Palestinian territory of more than 2 million. An official familiar with the negotiations said Wednesday that special envoy Steve Witkoff planned to head to Rome for talks with an Israeli official as the US tries to reach a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. Experts say Gaza is at risk of famine because of Israel’s blockade and nearly two-year offensive. A breakdown of law and order has led to widespread looting and contributed to chaos and violence around aid deliveries. More than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since May while trying to get food in the Gaza Strip, mostly near aid sites run by an American contractor, the UN human rights office said Tuesday.
More than 100 human rights groups and charities signed a letter published Wednesday demanding more aid for Gaza and warning of starvation. More than 59,000 Palestinians have been killed during the Israel-Hamas war, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals. Its count doesn’t distinguish between militants and civilians, but the ministry says that more than half of the dead are women and children. The UN and other international organizations see it as the most reliable source of data on casualties.
Top adviser to Netanyahu will meet US envoy in Rome
An official familiar with ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas said a top adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Ron Dermer, was traveling to Rome to meet US special envoy Steve Witkoff on Thursday to discuss the state of the talks. The official spoke Wednesday on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the sensitive negotiations. US officials said Witkoff planned to head to Europe this week. The State Department spokesperson said he was headed to the Middle East in a sign that momentum may be building toward a deal. Human Rights Watch says Houthi attacks on Red Sea vessels amount to war crimes. The Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen attacked two ships, the Magic Seas and the Eternity C, on July 6 and 9, killing some of their crew and detaining others, Human Rights Watch said in a statement. The militia has been launching missile and drone attacks against commercial and military ships in the region in what the group’s leadership has described as an effort to end Israel’s offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. HRW, however, said the Houthis’ attacks on the two vessels “violates the laws of war applicable to the armed conflict between the Houthis and Israel.”“The Houthis have sought to justify unlawful attacks by pointing to Israeli violations against Palestinians,” said Niku Jafarnia, HRW’s Yemen and Bahrain researcher.Jafarnia called for the Houthis to end all attacks on ships that don’t take part in the Israeli-Hamas war and immediately release detained crew members.
Israel extends detention of senior Gaza health official
Dr. Marwan Al-Hams, acting director of Gaza’s field hospitals and the health ministry’s spokesman, was detained by Israeli troops earlier this week in the Palestinian territory. Alaa Al-Sakafi, head of Addameer, a Palestinian rights group, told The Associated Press Wednesday that lawyers have not been allowed to see Al-Hams. His detention in a southern Israel prison was extended until the end of the month, Al-Sakafi said. He said Al-Hams suffered from a gunshot wound in his leg, which he sustained during his detention in Gaza’s southern city of Rafah on Monday. Israel has not commented on Al-Hams’ detention.Israeli forces ‘deepening’ activity in Gaza City, military saysThe Israeli military said in a statement Wednesday that forces were operating in Gaza City, as well as in northern Gaza. It said without elaborating that in Jabaliya, an area hard-hit in multiple rounds of fighting, an air strike killed “a number of” Hamas militants. Troops struck roughly 120 targets throughout Gaza over the past day, including militant cells, tunnels and booby-trapped structures, among others, the military said.
Overnight strikes kill at least 21
More than half of those killed were women and children, health authorities said. One Israeli strike hit a house Tuesday in the northwestern side of Gaza City, killing at least 12 people, according to the Shifa Hospital, which received the casualties. The dead included six children and two women, according to the Health Ministry’s casualty list. Another strike hit an apartment in the Tal Al-Hawa area in northern Gaza, killing at least six people. Among the dead were three children and two women, including one who was pregnant. Eight others were wounded, the ministry said. A third strike hit a tent in the Naser neighborhood in Gaza City late Tuesday and killed three children, Shifa Hospital said. The Israeli military said it struck an Islamic Jihad militant in the strike that killed 12, saying the incident was under review because of reports of civilian casualties. It had no immediate comment about the other strikes. Israel blames Hamas for civilian casualties because the militants operate from populated areas.Human rights groups and charities demand more Gaza aid. In the letter issued Wednesday, 115 human rights and charity groups warned of a dire situation pushing more people toward starvation. They said they were watching their own colleagues, as well as the Palestinians they serve, “waste away.”The letter slammed Israel for what it said were restrictions on aid into the war-ravaged territory. It lamented “massacres” at food distribution points, which have seen chaos and violence in recent weeks as desperation has risen. “The government of Israel’s restrictions, delays, and fragmentation under its total siege have created chaos, starvation, and death,” the letter said.
The letter called for aid to be scaled up as well as for a ceasefire. `Israel says that it has allowed the entry of thousands of trucks since May and blames aid groups for not consistently delivering goods.

Canada calls for immediate resumption of UN-led aid in Gaza
Reuters/July 24, 2025
OTTAWA: The Canadian government said on Wednesday that Israeli military operations against civilians and aid workers in Gaza were unacceptable, and called for the immediate resumption of UN-led aid distribution in the war-torn enclave. “Israeli military operations against WHO staff and facilities, World Food Programme aid convoys, & the ongoing killing of Palestinians seeking urgently needed food and water are unacceptable,” the Canadian foreign ministry said on X. “Hunger in Gaza has reached catastrophic levels ... Canada calls for the immediate resumption at scale of UN-led aid,” the ministry added.

UK condemns Israeli aid system as ‘inhumane and dangerous’ at UN debate on Gaza
Ephrem Kossaify/Arab News/July 23, 2025
NEW YORK: The UK sharply criticized Israel’s humanitarian conduct in Gaza during a high-level UN Security Council debate on the Middle East peace process on Wednesday, describing the Israeli aid system as “inhumane, ineffective, dangerous and fueling instability.”Speaking at the council’s open debate, UK Ambassador to the UN Barbara Woodward called for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, saying that the suffering of Palestinian civilians and the continued holding of hostages by Hamas since Oct. 7 “must end now.”She said: “The IDF is shooting at desperate Palestinian civilians on an almost daily basis. Hamas is exploiting this disorder.”She called on Israel to stop such attacks, hold perpetrators accountable and work with the UN to implement a more effective aid delivery system that complies with international humanitarian law. Woodward reaffirmed the UK’s support for the UN’s humanitarian coordination office and condemned recent strikes on the World Health Organization in Deir Al-Balah. The ambassador also condemned Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz’s proposals to forcibly displace Palestinians to Rafah and criticized the expansion of settlements in the West Bank, calling it a “flagrant breach of international law” and “an accelerating campaign to prevent a Palestinian state.”While insisting Hamas must not govern Gaza or threaten Israel’s security in the future, Woodward warned that actions by the Israeli government were undermining the only viable alternative — the Palestinian Authority. She pointed to Israel’s withholding of $2.6 billion in tax revenues owed to the Palestinian Authority, which she said is crippling essential services and weakening Palestinian institutions. “This is not conducive to Israel’s long-term security,” she added. Woodward reiterated the UK’s commitment to a two-state solution and warned that London is prepared to take “further action” to stop what it sees as the erosion of prospects for peace..She noted that a high-level conference co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia next week will be a key opportunity to advance international support for a peaceful resolution.

Israel, Palestinian envoys trade barbs at UN over Gaza
Agence France-Presse/July 23, 2025
NEW YORK: Palestinian and Israeli envoys traded angry accusations Wednesday at the United Nations over the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, as aid and human rights groups warned of “mass starvation” in the war-torn territory. Israel is facing growing international pressure over chronic food shortages in Gaza, where more than two million people lack food and other essentials after 21 months of conflict. Even after Israel began easing a more than two-month aid blockade in late May, Gaza’s population is still suffering extreme scarcities. “Every day now we receive heart-wrenching messages from Gaza...‘I am hungry,’” Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour told the Security Council. “This is what our children are saying and every individual in Gaza is saying: ‘I am hungry. There is no food for my family. We are dying. Help us,’” he said. “What should we tell them? What should the Security Council tell them? That the whole world is against this starvation policy and yet it is worsening?“But Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon accused Hamas, which rules Gaza, of using the misery to “feed it into their propaganda machine.”“For Hamas, the suffering of its own people is their greatest weapon,” he said. Claiming Israel was making the Middle East safer, Danon accused the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs of “bias” against his country. OCHA is a “propaganda machine” against Israel, he said, which purposely undercounts aid trucks heading into Gaza. “We will not work with organizations that have chosen politics over principles,” Danon said, with Israel in future granting just one-month visas to the agency’s international staff. More than 100 aid and human rights groups said Wednesday that “mass starvation” was spreading in the Gaza Strip, and France warned of a growing “risk of famine” caused by “the blockade imposed by Israel.”“I don’t know what you would call it other than mass starvation — and it’s man-made,” World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters. The lack of food and water was affecting the ability of journalists to carry out their work documenting the conflict. AFP’s journalists in Gaza said this week that desperate hunger and lack of clean water is making them ill and exhausted. Some have even had to cut back on their coverage of the war, now in its 22nd month, with one journalist saying “we have no energy left due to hunger.”

Wildfire kills 10 firefighters and rescue workers in Turkiye
AP/July 23, 2025
ANKARA: At least 10 firefighters and rescue workers were killed Wednesday and many others injured while battling a wildfire in northwestern Turkiye, the forestry minister Ibrahim Yumakli said. The five forestry workers and five members of the AKUT rescue organization died while trying to put out the wildfire raging through a forested area of Eskisehir province, Yumakli said. At least 14 other rescuers and forestry workers were hospitalized, he said. The deaths bring the number of fatalities in wildfires that have flared amid strong winds, high temperatures and dry conditions so far in the country this year to 13. The minister said the wind suddenly changed direction, causing the flames to shift rapidly and surround the forest workers. It was not immediately clear what caused the fire.Turkiye has been battling wildfires since June 26. An elderly man and two forestry workers were killed in a wildfire that raged near the town of Odemis, in Izmir province, earlier this month.

The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on July 23-24/2025
Why Do the Neo-Ottomans Insist on Using the Druze in Their Battle Against the Arabs?
Colonel Charbel Barakat/July 24/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/07/145591/
LCCC Editor's Introduction
As the balance of power shifts in war-torn Syria following the collapse of Assad’s regime and the retreat of Iranian influence, new regional ambitions have emerged—chief among them the neo-Ottoman project led by Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Backed by Islamist forces under the banner of Sharia law, Erdoğan seeks to reshape Syria and extend his ideological and strategic reach deep into the Arab world. In this context, the Druze of Jabal al-Arab have inexplicably become a repeated target—despite their neutral stance and commitment to Syrian unity. Why? The answer lies in a calculated effort to destabilize moderate Arab regimes, provoke Israeli Druze reactions, and manipulate regional narratives. The following analysis by Colonel Charbel Barakat breaks down this complex situation into key thematic areas:
1. The Collapse of Iran’s Influence and Assad’s Fall
When Iran ignited a war against Israel via its key proxies—Hamas and Hezbollah—the resulting losses forced Hezbollah into accepting a humiliating ceasefire. With Iranian support weakened, Erdoğan’s allied militias swiftly moved to topple the Assad regime and took control of Syria with barely a fight. It was said Israel tolerated Assad’s removal due to his role in arming Iran’s proxies. However, Israel simultaneously destroyed Assad’s heavy weaponry to prevent it from falling into hostile hands. This ushered in a hopeful new phase, with early signs pointing toward a reconstructed Syrian state built on inclusive governance and a new constitution to replace decades of dictatorship and civil war.
2. The Neo-Ottoman Agenda Overrides Syrian Stability
But not all forces backing the new Syrian leadership shared that vision. Most of Ahmad Al Charra's militias—reportedly numbering over 30,000—are foreign fighters from Central Asia and even China’s Uyghur population. They serve a broader Islamist project led by Erdoğan and inspired by Muslim Brotherhood ideology. Their interest lies not in rebuilding Syria, but in extending neo-Ottoman control across the Arab world.
3. A Calculated Sectarian Offensive: Kurds, Alawites, and Now Druze
These militias began by confronting Kurdish forces, but backed off due to the U.S.-led coalition’s coordination with the Kurdish-led SDF. They then turned to Syria’s Alawite coastal communities, justifying their assault by linking Alawites to Assad. But when civilian deaths exceeded 10,000—including many noncombatants—the violence became untenable. Now their sights are set on the Druze of Jabal al-Arab, one of Syria’s most cohesive yet nonviolent communities. Historically, the Druze opposed Assad but never sought separatism, advocating for unity and peaceful reform. They pose no ideological or territorial threat—yet were attacked twice in rapid succession.
4. Arab Gulf States and the Islamist Threat
The Gulf States, especially Saudi Arabia and the UAE, had rejected both Assad’s tyranny and the Brotherhood’s extremist vision. These nations, deeply wary of political Islam, view such ideologies as existential threats to regional stability and modern governance—lessons learned vividly during Egypt’s brief Morsi era. Eager to avoid another violent regime, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman even urged President Trump to engage diplomatically with the new Syrian leadership. Trump obliged—meeting with President Shar’ (the new leader), lifting sanctions, and recognizing Syria’s potential to reintegrate into the international community.
5. Erdoğan’s Reluctance to Embrace Arab Moderation
Despite Arab outreach, the Syrian leadership—tightly controlled by Erdoğan’s Islamist forces—refused to align with regional moderation. With Iran sidelined, Erdoğan pushed forward, attempting to consolidate his influence. Thus began the aggressive targeting of the Druze. Their resistance to Assad, non-sectarian posture, and ties to fellow Druze communities in Israel and Lebanon made them pawns in a larger geopolitical game. But they were never a threat—so why attack them?
6. The Druze and a Manufactured Regional Crisis
Many suspect Erdoğan's regime seeks to provoke Israeli Druze into demanding protection for their Syrian kin, thereby fueling anti-Israel outrage in the broader Arab world. This mirrors Iran’s tactic of using Hamas and the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation to manipulate Arab sentiment. Erdoğan’s forces mobilized tribal militias to attack Druze villages—fabricating a conflict between Arab Bedouins and Druze that has no historical basis. For generations, Bedouin and Druze communities coexisted peacefully in southern Syria. The manufactured hostility aims to create a false sectarian narrative.
7. Regional Warnings Ignored
Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, recognizing the danger early, attempted dialogue with the Al Charaa Syrian regime. But his influence is limited. This crisis is no longer just about Druze in Lebanon or Syria—it’s about destabilizing Gulf states like Saudi Arabia and the UAE. By threatening internal unrest in these moderate societies—still vulnerable to remnants of Islamist extremism—Erdoğan hopes to extract influence and concessions.
8. A Call for Unity and International Support
Now is the time for unity among Syria’s minorities: Druze, Alawites, Kurds, and even unarmed Christians. They need the backing of the free world and moderate Arab regimes—not to divide Syria, but to rebuild it. What’s needed is a national constitution that ensures equality, protects religious coexistence, and outlaws extremism. The goal is a shared, inclusive Syrian future—not a fragmented state governed by foreign agendas or imposed ideologies.
Conclusion: The Crossroads Ahead
Can Syria rise from its ashes and become a model for peace and pluralism in the Middle East? Or will neo-Ottoman ambitions drag the region back into chaos?
The “Sultan” must realize that history doesn’t move backward. Regional peace requires cooperation, not conquest. While the dangers are real, we still dare to hope: that this painful transition is but the labor of rebirth—a future of peace arriving on a white horse, carrying blessings, progress, and the prosperity born from honest cooperation.

Beware, International Community! Jews Did Not Burn the Church
Bassam Tawil/Gatestone Institute/July 23/2025
There is no evidence... that Jews were behind the alleged arson.
[US Ambassador to Israel Mike] Huckabee should be commended for understanding that the Palestinians had lied to him when they claimed that Jews were behind the arson.
"In recent days, a despicable and false blood libel has been raging around the world against the settlements, reminiscent of dark periods in Europe, and it has so far managed to deceive quite a few lovers of Israel in the US... No 'nationalist crime' event by Jews was carried out, no church was set on fire, and no cemetery was desecrated. Exactly the opposite—Christian Arabs from the village of Taybeh set fire to open areas four times in one week to prevent Jews from grazing there." — Elisha Yered, a Jewish father of three living in the West Bank, X, July 21, 2025.
"Throughout the entire event, no damage was caused in any way to the church or the cemetery, and they certainly weren't 'completely set ablaze' or 'suffered heavy damage'—thanks in part to the residents who fought the fire with their bare hands. This is a fact, not an interpretation." — Elisha Yered, X, July 21, 2025.
"I have my Masters in archeology. I remember it's a Byzantine church. Let's go see how one burns down an ancient church made of stone. So, we're walking in. I don't see any signs of a fire. I don't see a church burned down.... And even on the outskirts or the outer walls there are no signs of fire. I can't find any. So, it doesn't look like the church has been burned down... So who has the interest to display this bonfire as the settlers burning down the church?" — Eliana Passentin, tour guide and archeologist, X, July 21, 2025.
"Contrary to the widely reported accusations, TPS-IL found evidence of firefighting efforts by local Jewish residents and raised serious doubts about the fire's origin – casting a shadow over the political motivations behind the allegation made by a promising Christian leader in the Holy land." — The Press Service of Israel (TPS-IL), July 20, 2025.
However, [Huckabee], like many in the media and the international community, does not appear to be familiar with the Palestinians' long-time practice of spreading lies and fabrications with the purpose of vilifying Israel and demonizing Jews.
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, like many in the media and the international community, does not appear to be familiar with the Palestinians' long-time practice of spreading lies and fabrications with the purpose of vilifying Israel and demonizing Jews. Pictured: Huckabee is led on a tour of the Church of Saint George in Taybeh, by the village mayor, Suleiman Khourieh (L), and others, on July 19, 2025. (Photo by Jaafar Ashtiyyeh/AFP via Getty Images)
Last week, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee visited the Palestinian Christian village of Taybeh in the Binyamin region of the West Bank, where he was told by local leaders that Jewish settlers had burned down the ancient Church of Saint George. There is no evidence, however, that Jews were behind the alleged arson. In fact, Jews living near the village actually helped extinguish a fire that was lit by Palestinians to prevent Jewish shepherds from grazing their cattle.
After the visit, Huckabee wrote on X:
"Taybeh is a quiet Palestinian Christian village south of Jerusalem w/ a lot of American citizens that has been vandalized-including fires set at ancient church. I visited there today. Desecrating a church,mosque or synagogue is a crime against humanity & God."
In another post on X, Huckabee wrote:
"I work for ALL American citizens who live in Israel-Jewish, Muslim or Christian. When they are terrorized or victims of crime I will demand those responsible be held accountable w/ real consequences. Was in Taybeh today to meet with people of that village to listen & learn."
Huckabee has always been a great friend of Israel and Jews. Although he did not claim Jews were responsible for the alleged arson, many Palestinians and Israel-haters around the world were quick to interpret his visit to Taybeh and subsequent statements as a full endorsement of claims that Jews had burned down a church.
On July 22, Huckabee clarified that he did not blame Jews for the arson:
"Investigation reveals no damage to ancient church in Taybeh & investigation of origin of fire continues. I have NOT attributed the cause of fire to any person or group as we don't know for sure. The press has. I have said that regardless, it was crime & deserves consequences."
Huckabee should be commended for understanding that the Palestinians had lied to him when they claimed that Jews were behind the arson.
Elisha Yered, a Jewish father of three living in the West Bank, commented:
"In recent days, a despicable and false blood libel has been raging around the world against the settlements, reminiscent of dark periods in Europe, and it has so far managed to deceive quite a few lovers of Israel in the US...
"No 'nationalist crime' event by Jews was carried out, no church was set on fire, and no cemetery was desecrated. Exactly the opposite—Christian Arabs from the village of Taybeh set fire to open areas four times in one week to prevent Jews from grazing there...
"The cattle herders at Rimmonim Farm in Binyamin have been suffering for a long time from harassments, attacks, and arsons in the grazing areas, including from the village of Taybeh—a nearby Christian village...
"The event that sparked the uproar happened on 07/07. For the second time that week, Arabs from the village set a fire that began spreading rapidly. The farm's residents rushed to the scene with motorized blowers and fire beaters—the ultimate tools for dealing with fires in open areas—and managed to gain control of the blaze. At the same time, the flames also spread toward the village, but the farm residents insisted on fighting to extinguish that hotspot as well, even though they could have easily said "let them eat the porridge they cooked," and they stopped the fire just before it reached the line of houses, where, among other things, there is a church and an ancient cemetery.
"Throughout the entire event, no damage was caused in any way to the church or the cemetery, and they certainly weren't 'completely set ablaze' or 'suffered heavy damage'—thanks in part to the residents who fought the fire with their bare hands. This is a fact, not an interpretation. See the drone photo that shows it clearly."
Tour guide and archeologist Eliana Passentin went to the church in Taybeh to check the facts, and said in a video filmed at the site of the ancient church:
"I've been getting phone calls from Christian friends all over the world, about the Jews, the Israeli settlers, burning down a church in Taybeh. I know that church. I have my Masters in archeology. I remember it's a Byzantine church. Let's go see how one burns down an ancient church made of stone.
"So, we're walking in. I don't see any signs of a fire. I don't see a church burned down. Here I am in the outskirts of the church. You can see the apse over here. And even on the outskirts or the outer walls there are no signs of fire. I can't find any. So, it doesn't look like the church has been burned down. But not far from the church, there was shrub that was most probably burnt in the fire. This happens all over Judea and Samaria. You can see that these stones would have stopped the fire, and I still believe it's important to find out who set the fire. So who has the interest to display this bonfire as the settlers burning down the church?
"Someone is behind this. 'The Jews are burning down the church.' Someone has an interest for you to believe that. If someone were to burn down a church, and it happened in our jurisdiction, we would make sure to put an end to it immediately. But that is not what happened. And when I get a phone call from our Christian friends saying,' how could you guys let that happen, burn down a church?,' I said, 'well, what are you imagining?'
"And they're imagining a wood structure, and that the settlers came in and threw a torch in and set it to fire. This is an ancient archeological site. I have very much respect for it. But even if I tried my hardest, there's no way to burn it down. So not only is that not what happened, but it makes a great story. And when you have enough funding and you can spread the word, everyone believes it.
"So I'm here to reach out to our Christian friends, who know us and believe in us. We are the guardians of the biblical heartland. This land was given to us by God. There is no reason for us to burn a church or to disrespect anyone else's religion. We do not do that. But we will find the truth. We will find out who put a fire to those fields, and they will pay the consequences."
An independent investigation by the Press Service of Israel (TPS-IL) has uncovered critical inconsistencies in claims that Israelis deliberately set fire to the 1,500-year-old church.
"Contrary to the widely reported accusations, TPS-IL found evidence of firefighting efforts by local Jewish residents and raised serious doubts about the fire's origin – casting a shadow over the political motivations behind the allegation made by a promising Christian leader in the Holy land."
The news agency noted that on July 14, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III, joined by Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and diplomats from 20 countries, visited the church in Taybeh. Theophilos declared:
"Radical Israelis from nearby settlements intentionally set fire near the town cemetery and the church of St. George. This is not a violation of property, but a targeted attack on a community that has been long a symbol of coexistence and peace."
According to TPS-IL:
"[A] closer inspection of the footage reveals something different: several young men from the adjacent Jewish farm can be seen running up the hill with fire extinguishing equipment and reflective vests, attempting to put out the flames — not start them.
"Video footage circulating on social media showed the teenager with what appeared to be a compressed air blower often used to help control and extinguish brush fires. But Palestinian social media posts labeled him an arsonist.
"TPS-IL spoke to one of the shepherds involved in the incident. Because he is a minor, he is being identified as Y. He told TPS-IL he was in the field grazing the animals when suddenly, a fire started a few meters away that scared them. Y. called the farmer to report the fire and tried to smother the fire with his shirt. While he was doing that, he saw several Palestinians coming out of the cemetery, shouting and throwing things at him.
"Furthermore, separate fires on July 7, 8, and 11 were documented in areas of pastureland dozens of meters away from the church compound. In all cases, a Jewish farmer whose farm is next to the church compound complained to the police that someone had torched the area where his shepherd was grazing. TPS-IL has obtained time-stamped documentation of these reports."
"'Instead of being leaders of truth, these church leaders have become players controlled on the board,' said Amit Barak, an expert on Christian affairs in Israel and former project manager of the Christian Empowerment Council. Barak has been working for years with the Christian community in Israel, helping its members integrate into the military and national service. Through this role, he has been exposed to the civil and political activities of the churches in the country.
"'They are pawns. In the past, people blamed the Jew. Today, they blame "the settler,"' he told TPS-IL.
"Barak said, 'These churches in Israel have very close ties with the World Council of Churches, a body that has always tried to play the game and wear masks. But in June, it issued a statement that removed all the masks and laid everything out on the table.' The June 24 statement called on churches and other institutions to sanction Israel, and support war crimes investigations, and label Israeli actions as 'apartheid,' among other things.
'Church leaders fall into the trap time and again,' Barak said. 'They simply don't check the facts. they're swept away by false accusations, and the campaign against Israel easily latches onto "the settlers."'"
In the wake of these revelations, all those who rushed to blame Jews for "burning down" a church should apologize for endorsing this new blood libel. Huckabee, a man of good intentions and a staunch advocate for Israel, knows the Jews very well. However, he, like many in the media and the international community, does not appear to be familiar with the Palestinians' long-time practice of spreading lies and fabrications with the purpose of vilifying Israel and demonizing Jews.
**Bassam Tawil is a Muslim Arab based in the Middle East. His work is made possible through the generous donation of a couple of donors who wished to remain anonymous. Gatestone is most grateful.
© 2025 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.

Will PLO elections serve the people or the status quo?
Hani Hazaimeh/Arab News/July 23, 2025
In a surprising political development, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday announced that elections for the Palestinian National Council — the legislative body of the Palestine Liberation Organization — will be held before the end of 2025. This is the first time such a step has been taken since the council’s inception in Jerusalem in 1964. The announcement, made through the official Palestinian news agency WAFA, stipulates that 350 representatives will be elected: two-thirds from within the Occupied Territories and one-third from the diaspora. On the surface, this declaration may appear like a long-overdue democratic revival. But its timing raises critical questions. Why now? Why in the midst of the most brutal and prolonged war on Gaza since 1948 — a war that has claimed the lives of more than 38,000 Palestinians and displaced more than 2 million? What purpose do elections serve when a large portion of the Palestinian people is either starving, under bombardment or buried under the rubble of their homes?
One cannot separate Abbas’ announcement from the broader political landscape. The PLO has long suffered from a legitimacy crisis. For years, the Palestinian Authority has governed parts of the West Bank under Israeli occupation, while Hamas has controlled Gaza since the 2006 legislative elections — ironically, the last time a national vote took place. That rift has rendered Palestinian politics fractured and paralyzed, with no clear roadmap for unity, nor for meaningful resistance. By calling for PNC elections now, Abbas may be aiming to reassert the relevance of the PLO as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people — especially at a time when many in Gaza, and even some in the diaspora, feel alienated from traditional political institutions. The decision also seems designed to counter growing criticism from both inside and outside Palestine that the PA has become increasingly disconnected from the realities on the ground. With Gaza engulfed in suffering and resistance rising to the forefront of regional and global discourse, the PLO leadership likely feels pressured to project a sense of political dynamism — even if symbolic.
Yet symbolism, in this context, may not be enough. What Palestinians need now is not just elections but transformation. They need leadership that reflects the reality of occupation, resistance and survival under siege. They require an inclusive democratic structure that transcends bureaucratic reshuffling and provides a unified vision for liberation. They need leaders who understand that credibility is not restored at a ballot box alone — but through action, sacrifice and standing firmly with their people, especially in Gaza.
The criteria for PNC membership, as outlined by Abbas — namely, commitment to the PLO’s political program and international legitimacy — may also be a double-edged sword. While they may ensure some ideological cohesion, these stipulations risk excluding key factions like Hamas and Islamic Jihad, both of which, regardless of political position, represent significant segments of Palestinian society and have borne the brunt of the current Israeli assault. Any elections that reinforce old divisions rather than healing them may only perpetuate the fragmentation that has plagued Palestinian politics for decades.
Furthermore, the war in Gaza continues to rage with horrifying intensity. According to UN estimates, more than 90 percent of homes in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed. Hundreds of thousands of people are on the brink of starvation. In this context, how realistic — or ethical — is it to talk about elections? What guarantee is there that Gazans will be allowed to participate freely and fairly in a vote, when their cities lie in ruins and their internet and electricity are regularly cut off?
There is also the question of diaspora representation. The announcement that one-third of PNC seats will go to Palestinians abroad is significant, as it nods to the historical breadth of the Palestinian cause. However, ensuring meaningful participation from refugee communities in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Europe and the Americas will require extraordinary logistical, legal and diplomatic coordination — something the PA has consistently struggled to deliver in the past.
The PLO leadership likely feels pressured to project a sense of political dynamism — even if symbolic. Let’s be clear: Palestinian elections are long overdue. Democratic renewal is essential — not just for optics, but for survival. The Palestinian people are not just victims of military aggression; they are active agents of their own future. They deserve a voice and they deserve leadership that does not treat elections as a mere rubber stamp, but as a tool for genuine change. However, if these elections are held merely to polish the fading image of the PLO without addressing the root causes of Palestinian disunity and institutional paralysis, they may backfire. They may reinforce the perception that the leadership in Ramallah remains detached from the daily struggles of Palestinians in Gaza, in refugee camps and under occupation in the West Bank. At this critical hour, Palestinians need more than announcements. They need justice. They need an end to the siege on Gaza, accountability for war crimes and a bold, united political front capable of speaking for all Palestinians, in all places. If the planned elections for the PNC can be a step toward that future — one that includes every voice, prioritizes resistance and breaks with the stagnation of the past — then perhaps they will be worth the effort.
But if not, then this may be yet another performance in a political theater long disconnected from the suffering of its own audience.
**Hani Hazaimeh is a senior editor based in Amman. X: @hanihazaimeh

Damascus between the Druze, Alawites and Kurds
Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Asharq Al-Awsat/July 23, 2025
It is true that Bashar Assad left the palace on the evening of Saturday, Dec. 7, and that Ahmad Al-Sharaa entered it the next day without a single shot being fired in the capital. This is a rare occurrence in history. Even so, the road ahead for the new leadership is neither paved nor smooth. The road to change from Idlib to Damascus was open because most Syrians — as well as regional and global actors — truly wanted change. But the actual uprooting of the Assad regime was a long and bloody process — perhaps one of the most complex transitions in the region. From this standpoint, we must interpret the current events within this context, rather than as a mere “moment of victory.” Optimism, enthusiasm and widespread support did not prevent political unrest: confrontations on the coast with Alawites, the bombing of a Christian church in Damascus and disputes with the Druze of Sweida and with the Syrian Democratic Forces in Raqqa. The crises that have already occurred — and those that may still come — are expected. The domestic consensus to remove Assad means the alternative system will need time to build trust. There is also a troubled regional environment, with actors harmed by the transition who will need time to test the waters, accept the new reality and choose to cooperate.
Amid these local confrontations, two dangerous factions threaten the new order. The first includes actors that are overtly hostile — such as remnants of the old regime, forces in Iran and local gangs like drug cartels.The domestic consensus to remove Assad means the alternative system will need time to build trust
These groups will repeatedly try to create a confrontational climate that escalates over time. They aim to shrink Syria, entangle Damascus in a prolonged battle and encourage the emergence of independent regions. The second faction comes from within the system — or considers itself part of it — and plays a role in fueling crises. It has its own views on how the country should be governed and how it should engage with the world. Though loyal, this faction is no less dangerous than the hostile one, because it ignites conflicts and deepens divisions. Its threat lies in dragging the Syrian authority into a confrontation with the regional order and inviting foreign powers to invest in a local civil war. These traps require wisdom in handling so that they do not distract the government from its most difficult task: building a new state that most Syrians are waiting for — one that improves living standards and transitions into a modern nation.
Al-Sharaa has domestic popularity that he must strengthen, lest it erode under the weight of looming challenges — most notably, bread shortages, inflation, low wages and delays in foreign aid. These are challenges unrelated to Iran or the regime’s remnants. They are compounded by the need to extinguish growing social strife, which risks becoming a civil war. Those engaged in this strife — whether in the name of freedoms or defending (or opposing) the regime — are stoking tensions among Syria’s deeply anxious and mistrustful communities.
The international community wants a civil state that manages a disciplined security and military apparatus. The new Damascus government needs time to organize itself and win over Syria’s diverse groups. Let us remember that Hafez Assad, while presenting himself as a protector of minorities, placed Abdul Halim Khaddam and Mustafa Tlass at his right and left. There are also forces in the region that have failed to establish extremist regimes — and now want Syria to become another Gaza or Afghanistan. The new Damascus government needs time to organize itself and win over Syria’s diverse groups
Upon entering the capital, Al-Sharaa immediately announced his openness to all, stressing that his concern is Syrian — not international. He displayed a moderation that surprised many and he has managed his relationships pragmatically, consistent with his promises.
That is why Syria will not follow the Iranian model — which is now nearing its end — nor should it fight on behalf of others, whether against Israel or Iran. Nor should it allow others to bring their wars onto Syrian soil. Amid these ethnic, sectarian and regional tensions, the road will remain difficult. The government has inherited a devastated country violated by both domestic and foreign forces. Fixing it will require political skill — not brute force — and a sixth sense that can anticipate crises and contain them.

UK data leak highlights West’s flawed Afghanistan project
Mohamed Chebaro/Arab News/July 23, 2025
The reverberations of the Western forces’ withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 keep on being felt in many nations, years after Taliban turned the page on 20 years of failed attempts by the US, UK, NATO and others to democratize the country.
The recently exposed leak of data about thousands of Afghans who had worked with British forces presents several unanswered questions, as well as billions of pounds in costs. Then there is the vetting process that remains less than comprehensive, to say the least, and open to abuse, especially as the Taliban have repeatedly claimed that they have not pursued or targeted those who cooperated with the pro-Western regime in Kabul or its many Western allies.
So, is it possible that the Afghans have been overexaggerating the level of threat to their safety for other reasons? Or has the West again been a victim of its oversensitivity to the protection of human rights, freedom of expression and women and other minorities from potential abuse by regimes such as the Taliban?
In less than a month’s time, on Aug. 15, it will be four years since Kabul fell back into the hands of the Taliban. The US-led Western troops’ pullout, negotiated by the first Trump administration and executed by the Biden administration, ended up being one of the most chaotic and humiliating withdrawals since American troops pulled out of Vietnam. Whatever the reasons behind the speedy collapse of the pro-Western government in Kabul, it showed once more that the Western efforts to supplant democracy and nation-building were flawed from the beginning.
The story for the UK of repatriating Afghans who had worked with its forces began then and continued under different Conservative governments. But the 2022 data leak did not come to public attention until a high court judge this month lifted a gagging order that was put in place in 2023, when the breach first came to light.In brief, the story goes back to February 2022, when the personal data related to nearly 19,000 Afghans who had applied to be repatriated to the UK after the Taliban seized power was leaked. The Conservative government under Rishi Sunak first learned of the breach in August 2023, when some of the details appeared on Facebook. A special resettlement scheme was set up at speed and more than 4,500 Afghans have since arrived in the UK.
But the existence of the leak and subsequent relocations were kept secret after the government obtained a superinjunction banning their disclosure. This was because the data contained the names, contact details and family information of people who had cooperated with the UK and could potentially be at risk of reprisals from the Taliban. The secret scheme, known as the Afghan Response Route, has already cost the UK £400 million ($541 million). And it is expected to cost a similar amount again, if not more, if the UK is to honor its pledge that 600 more Afghan soldiers and 1,800 of their relatives who are still in Afghanistan will be moved to Britain. More dangerously, the leak also revealed the details of more than 100 British officials, including members of the special forces and the intelligence services.
The data leak was a catastrophe and it exposed vulnerable Afghans, adding to the risk they faced. The government’s decision to try to protect them was right. But it is also fair to question how those risks were assessed and whether the secrecy and lack of public scrutiny improved the situation for those involved.
The Taliban’s swift takeover of the country surprised the Western powers for sure, but it did not come as a total surprise for a majority of Afghans. Throughout their country’s history, they have been capable of sensing the winds of change and maneuvering themselves to lean as necessary. Amid the hasty evacuation of tens of thousands of Afghans who had worked for the Western powers, not all of them were necessarily in imminent danger, but many also saw an opportunity to live outside Afghanistan.
The existence of the leak was kept secret after the government obtained a superinjunction banning its disclosure. The question that has remained unanswered since 2021 is whether there was a genuine case for repatriation or if it was pure opportunism and freeloading. And though human rights groups routinely speak of threats to some people who dwelled in the public sphere, from security to education and women’s rights, the dangers faced by those asking for asylum and evacuation remain unclear. Afghanistan is no different to any other nation that has frequently suffered internal strife and wars between its various ethnic and religious constituents. The rush to leave the country as the Western troops withdrew was a natural reflex for humans fearing the worst or sensing an opportune moment to change their lives.
As a reporter who covered various parts of the Afghan story, it was possible to notice a trait of Afghans holding the stick from the middle and never burning their bridges with any clan that could be a foe. If anything, the UK data leak highlighted how a poorly-thought-out intervention and poorly executed state-building project, followed by a poorly orchestrated withdrawal, caused damage to the West’s standing and reputation. Such poor efforts at the craft of state-building were especially likely to fail in a uniquely tribal and linguistically and ethnically diverse country such as Afghanistan.
**Mohamed Chebaro is a British-Lebanese journalist with more than 25 years’ experience covering war, terrorism, defense, current affairs and diplomacy.

After the strikes, Iran’s only path may be a deal
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Al Arabiya English/23 July/2025
Many might assume that after Israel and the United States launched a wave of devastating strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, the Islamic Republic would retreat from diplomacy, hardened and humiliated, unwilling to engage in negotiations. On the surface, that may seem logical – why would a country whose pride and sovereignty were violated seek to sit down with its attackers at the negotiating table? But that logic misreads the internal dynamics of the Iranian government and the grave pressure it is under. In reality, despite the recent destruction of key nuclear infrastructure and the exposure of its military vulnerabilities, Iran is more desperate than ever to reach a deal with the United States. Not because it wants to – but because it has no choice.
At the top of the list of pressures is the threat of the reimposition of UN “snapback” sanctions, a mechanism embedded in the original 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). These sanctions are not just symbolic slaps on the wrist – they are devastating economic measures that would further cripple Iran’s already fragile economy. Over the past several weeks, the so-called EU3 – Britain, France, and Germany – have made it unequivocally clear that if Iran fails to reach a new agreement with the US by the end of August 2025, they will initiate the snapback process at the United Nations. This is no idle threat; the European powers are aligned and prepared, and Iran knows it.
To understand the gravity of this threat, it’s essential to grasp what the snapback sanctions entail. When the JCPOA was originally negotiated, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 2231, which lifted many of the previous multilateral sanctions that had crushed Iran’s economy throughout the 2000s. However, this resolution included a safety mechanism known as the “snapback” clause, allowing any of the participating parties to reimpose those sanctions if Iran was found to be in serious violation of its commitments. The snapback is unique in that it bypasses the standard Security Council veto process. If a participating country files a complaint and follows the procedural steps – including a 15-day dispute resolution window and referral to the UN Security Council – the reimposition of sanctions is automatic unless the Council affirmatively votes to continue lifting them. In other words, once the process starts, Iran is powerless to stop it.
If snapback sanctions are triggered, the consequences for Iran would be catastrophic. All the UN measures lifted under the JCPOA would come roaring back into effect. This includes a comprehensive arms embargo, a prohibition on ballistic missile development, restrictions on nuclear technology transfers, asset freezes on key Iranian officials, and, most devastatingly, a severe blow to Iran’s energy sector. Oil exports, which represent the backbone of the Iranian economy, would be strangled once again. International banking and trade would be further isolated, and European and Asian companies would face secondary sanctions for doing business with Iran. In short, the modest economic relief Iran has clung to since the collapse of the original deal would evaporate entirely, pushing the country deeper into financial crisis. The Iranian government knows this. Its leaders have no illusions about the implications.
But the looming economic pain is only one half of the equation. The second, and perhaps even more urgent, reason that Iran is most likely desperate for a deal is that it is at its weakest strategic and military point in decades. The twelve-day war in June 2025, marked by a series of Israeli and American airstrikes on Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure, exposed just how vulnerable the government truly is. Despite years of chest-beating rhetoric and boasts of self-sufficiency, Iran was unable to defend its most sensitive and critical sites. The Fordow underground enrichment facility was severely damaged. The Natanz facility suffered multiple direct hits. Missile and drone factories were either disabled or wiped out entirely. Iran’s air defense systems failed to intercept much of the incoming firepower, and the leadership was left stunned, humiliated, and scrambling to respond.
The consequences of these attacks go beyond material losses. They shattered the illusion that Iran could maintain a credible deterrent through its nuclear program. Tehran had long used the ambiguity around its enrichment levels and breakout timelines as a form of leverage, signaling to the world that it could, if cornered, dash toward a bomb. But now, with many of its enrichment facilities either destroyed or under surveillance, that leverage is gone. The United States and Israel have demonstrated both the capability and the willingness to strike again. President Donald Trump has made it clear that he is in “no rush to talk” and is prepared to authorize further military action if necessary. Iran’s nuclear bluff has been called – and it has little to show for it.
Faced with this reality, Iran sees a deal with the United States not as a diplomatic win but as a necessary act of survival. Tehran hopes that by reaching an agreement, it can secure certain assurances – chief among them, the end of further Israeli or American attacks. In the minds of Iranian decision-makers, a deal would buy time, restore a degree of international legitimacy, and potentially open the door to limited economic relief before the snapback hammer falls. They are not negotiating from a position of strength; they are cornered, exposed, and deeply anxious about the government’s future stability.
Internally, the political calculus has also shifted. Iranian leaders are not naive; they understand the United States holds nearly all the cards. But they also know that continued defiance could lead to more strikes, deeper sanctions, and the eventual unraveling of the Islamic Republic itself.
Meanwhile, Iran’s traditional allies – Russia and China – have been noticeably quiet. Moscow, bogged down in its own quagmire in Ukraine and facing increasing Western pressure, has offered little more than rhetorical support. Tehran is effectively isolated. It's only path out of the tightening noose is through Washington.
In conclusion, while it may seem counterintuitive that Iran would seek to negotiate in the wake of such a humiliating military defeat, that very humiliation is what makes diplomacy imperative. Iran is not entering talks from a place of power. It is entering them from a place of desperation. The government is facing the reimposition of crippling international sanctions, a shattered military posture, and a complete loss of nuclear leverage. Its economy is teetering. Its allies are distant. Its leadership is nervous. For Iran’s rulers, a deal is no longer a strategic choice – it is a matter of government survival. That is why, despite everything, they will likely be so eager to talk.
 

Selected Tweets for 23 July/2025
Marc Zell
The public outrage against the ethnic cleansing operations being perpetrated against the Druze and other minorities by the Syrian regime appears to be affecting relations between the Trump Administration and the Syrian government. Sanctions may be reimposed.
"Following disturbing reports from Suweida province in southern Syria this week, showing massacres of Druze civilians by regime forces, Western sources indicate a severe crisis has arisen in relations between the U.S. administration and the Syrian regime. This comes after President Trump implemented a series of measures favoring the regime. According to sources in Washington, the United States is reevaluating its stance toward the Syrian regime led by Ahmad al-Sharaa (al-Julani). The sources suggest that the "honeymoon period" between the White House and the Damascus regime may be over due to the deteriorating security situation in southern Syria and the brutal suppression of the Druze in Suweida. Washington may even be considering of returning to a policy of stringent sanctions against Syria, potentially imposing new economic measures that could push Damascus back into international isolation, with legislation already in preparation in Congress. Diplomatic sources claim that the U.S. Congress Financial Services Committee is currently advancing a draft bill aimed at expanding the "Caesar Act"—the U.S. sanctions law targeting the Syrian regime. The new version includes stricter conditions, emphasizing the personal accountability of senior Syrian officials for massacres and crimes against humanity.
Me: If true, this is HUGE.
Source: https://srugim.co.il/?p=1153715

Nadine Barakat
https://x.com/i/status/1947736249604755516
How was your meeting with berri?
He has good chocolate candy. He is thoughtful, brilliant and he is one of the best not only in Lebanon but also in the USA
Was he thoughtful when the US marines 1983 shit happened? Or does he not know what was berri role?! Or when he is allowing Hezbollah to still smuggle at ports and airports and whether drugs or weapons or cash?! Or the cash economy !!! Of course when he is having dinner in Lebanon with mikati nephews and some businessmen in the fuel cartels in leb…
Whatever! Very very very bad representation of the admin in Lebanon.
Disaster when it is far from being aligned with the cash economy policy and terror money.
@StateDept_NEA @StateDept @USTreasury @DNIGabbard

Eyal Yakoby
https://x.com/i/status/1947681480173408645
BREAKING: Hundreds of Christians in Munich, Germany formed a human chain around a synagogue to protect it from an Islamist demonstration that aimed to intimidate the local Jewish community.

Danny Danon
The UN Security Council will convene today at 10:00AM to discuss the situation in the Middle East. In my speech, I intend to expose the truth about the UN humanitarian agency OCHA, which has become a mouthpiece for the terrorist organization Hamas. Watch the session live: https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1e/k1ecfv4022

Dr. Reda Mansour
Good morning #Suwayda
Be proud. You stood alone in the face of the jihadi flood and prevailed. No matter how much they try to whitewash their massacres, the stain will forever appear on the face of this Syrian government.

ReemaNaisseh ريما نعيسه
The documented video footage emerging from the #Sweida massacre does not merely capture the brutality of the attackers who stormed the city and its people — it reveals a premeditated intent to kill and violate, with no connection to establishing the state’s authority.
When a person is killed for being Alawite, Druze, Christian, Sunni, Kurdish — or simply for being Arab in Singapore — this is not war; it is ethnic cleansing. Such crimes are non-negotiable. No bridges of goodwill can be built on top of them. This is how lines of partition are drawn… in blood.

Isaac Herzog
I met this evening, with Sheikh Muwaffaq Tarif, the spiritual leader of the Druze community in Israel, together with his team. We discussed the horrific massacre and the vile attacks against the Druze in the As-Suwayda region of Syria. The Druze community is an inseparable part of the State of Israel and of Israeli society. We must stand by them and protect their sons and daughters, their relatives, and their loved ones. I call on all to do everything possible to prevent further escalation.

Sara Al Hosani
He said, “I’m Druze.” So they shot him. Not because he fought. Not because he resisted. Just because of his faith….
What kind of world allows a man to be executed for his identity while cameras roll, and leaders stay silent?
Let’s be honest: this isn’t just war this is identity-based extermination.
Enough with the word games
This isn’t a “violation”
This isn’t a “clash”
This isn’t a “conflict”
It’s genocide in slow motion & the Middle East has seen it too many times before.
Where are the defenders of human rights? Where is the outrage when it isn’t convenient or trending?
You don’t need to belong to a sect to call out its extermination.
You just need to be human!

Ahmad Chrief Al Amri
@ahhmedshh
أحمد شريف العامري
The West must dismantle the Muslim Brotherhood in full, not just monitor it, not just debate it. Dissolve it. Shut down its networks, charities, and political fronts. Countries like Ireland, the UK, the US, France, and Germany must follow the example set by the UAE and Jordan. These aren’t just foreign policy moves, they’re acts of national defense.
Every day the Muslim Brotherhood is allowed to operate is a day it recruits, infiltrates, and rewrites the rules from within. This is not an organization with a place in civil society. It is a threat engineered to exploit it.
The UAE labeled the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization and removed it from every institution, educational, religious, financial, and civic. Jordan went even further: the Brotherhood formally dissolved itself after losing all political and legal ground. These were not gestures. They were deliberate state decisions to eliminate the roots of radicalism before they could bloom into violence.
The same clarity is needed across the West, before the same patterns take hold in new soil…

Walid Abu Haya
As time passes, the horrors of the massacre of Druze in the Suwayda Governorate by al-Julani’s death squad are coming to light. Disturbing images have emerged from the massacre at the National Hospital in Suwayda - patients and medical staff were brutally murdered in the most horrific way.
And the world remains silent! The #UN is silent! The #ICRC is silent! The WHOis silent!