English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For June 02/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible Quotations For today
Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. The one
who believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not believe
will be condemned.
Mark 16/15-20: “‘Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the
whole creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one
who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who
believe: by using my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new
tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and if they drink any deadly
thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they
will recover.’ So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up
into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and
proclaimed the good news everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and
confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied it.
Titles For The
Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on june 01-02/2025
Raiding the Home of Lebanese Writer and Journalist Wissam Saadeh and
Confiscating His Cell Phone: A Rejected and Condemned Act of Terror/Elias
Bejjani/May 29/2025
Save and Protect the Enduring Sanctuary of Saint Catherine's Monastery in Sinai/Cathryn
Papadopoulo/change org/May 30, 2025
Lebanese President Aoun reviews ties, cooperation with Iraqi official
Years of support on the line: President Aoun’s visit to Iraq deepens ties,
thanks Baghdad for vital help
Lebanon says one killed in Israeli strike on south
Iranian foreign minister to visit Lebanon on Monday
Morgan Ortagus, key figure on Lebanon's file, may step down as US deputy envoy
to the Mideast — what we know
Amid security risks, south Lebanon's farmers face uncertainty as agriculture
ministry pushes to revive farming
Lebanese army raids drug manufacturing sites, arrests suspects
Lebanon announces school holiday for Eid al-Adha from June 6 to 9
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on june 01-02/2025
Iran minister says Oman presented elements of a U.S. proposal for nuclear deal
US sends Iran nuclear proposal, White House says
Iran's spying game: How does Tehran get Israelis to betray their homeland?
Israel defense chief tells army to push ahead ‘regardless of any negotiations’
At least 31 Palestinians killed by Israeli fire while heading to Gaza aid hub
Arab ministers denounce Israeli ‘arrogance’ over blocking West Bank visit
Egypt’s foreign minister urges end to Israeli war in Gaza during call with
Witkoff
Saudi Arabia says Israel shows 'extremism' by blocking West Bank visit
Lavrov, Rubio discuss settlement of war in Ukraine, forthcoming talks, agencies
report
Ukraine's audacious drone attack sends critical message to Russia - and the West
Defence review to send 'message to Moscow' – Healey
Russia may attack Nato in next four years, German defence chief warns
After talks with Zelenskyy and Macron, US senators warn: Putin 'is preparing for
more war’
Explosions caused 2 bridges in western Russia to collapse, officials say. 7
people were killed
Nearly 250,000 Syrians in Turkiye returned home after Assad regime collapse
Syrian president meets Kuwait emir on official visit
Is Iraq ready to stand alone against extremist threats if US withdrawal goes
ahead?
Titles For
The Latest English LCCC analysis &
editorials from miscellaneous sources
on june 01-02/2025
Saudi Arabia Wants Progress for Itself and The World/Hassan Youssef
Yassin/Asharq Al-Awsat/June 01/2025
A Muslim in Israel: I was taught Jews unjustly took this land. I found
acceptance/Special to National Post/Ehsanullah Amiri/National Post/June 01/2025
Italy-KSA: A strategic partnership where heritage meets modernity/Carlo Baldocci/Arab
News/June 01, 2025
The US-China trade war’s consequences for agriculture/Dr. Turki Faisal Al-Rasheed/Arab
News/June 01, 2025
The Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on june 01-02/2025
Raiding the Home of Lebanese Writer and Journalist
Wissam Saadeh and Confiscating His Cell Phone: A Rejected and Condemned Act of
Terror
Elias Bejjani/May 29/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/05/143756/
Multiple social media outlets reported today that the home of Lebanese writer
and journalist Wissam Saadeh was raided by security forces, and his mobile phone
was confiscated, based on an order issued by Judge Fadi Akiki.
We affirm that this action is categorically rejected and strongly condemned, as
it constitutes a direct assault on freedom of expression and the essential role
of journalism in Lebanon.
This condut is, by all standards, an act of terror and a blatant violation of
the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Lebanese Constitution, foremost among
them freedom of the press and freedom of speech, which are sacred pillars in any
sound democratic system.
Pursuing journalists and free voices—rather than holding corrupt officials and
criminals accountable for dismantling the foundations of the state—reflects a
deeply troubling decline in the priorities of Lebanon’s judicial and security
institutions. Wissam Saadeh is a respected Lebanese writer, widely known for his
intellect, integrity, and constructive critical thinking. This blatant judicial
assault against him is not merely a personal attack—it is a warning to every
free voice daring to speak the truth at a time when the criminal and terrorist
grip of Iranian occupation, represented by the Hezbollah gang wholly loyal to
the IRGC, is beginning to falter.
In defense of truth and the preservation of freedoms, we call on the Minister of
Justice to put an immediate end to Judge Fadi Akiki’s abuses of power, and in
fact, to hold him accountable for the many baseless accusations he has
issued—and continues to issue—against writers, journalists, activists, and
ordinary citizens, without legal justification.
We reaffirm that freedom of the press is not a matter of opinion—it is a
cornerstone of national and democratic life. The continuation of this repressive
approach, embodied by Judge Akiki and those behind him, will not intimidate the
sovereign voices or silence the truth, but will further expose ongoing efforts
to subjugate the nation of the Cedars to fear, suppression, and
authoritarianism.
We demand an immediate end to such practices, and accountability for anyone who
abuses judicial or security authority. We also express our full solidarity with
writer and journalist Wissam Saadeh, and with every free voice that refuses to
submit to the machinery of repression, terror, and the assault on fundamental
freedoms.
Freedom of speech is a red line—and Lebanon can only be rebuilt on the
foundations of liberty, dignity, and justice.
«Save and Protect the Enduring
Sanctuary of Saint Catherine's Monastery in Sinai
Cathryn Papadopoulo/change org/May
30, 2025
https://www.change.org/p/save-and-protect-the-enduring-sanctuary-of-saint-catherine-s-monastery-in-sinai?recruiter=781503&fbclid=IwY2xjawKoSvVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFHanlacG96cGFXR0xyZXR6AR766riq_VwnRx4L9maK84g6KXV2854ReUuP6Ys661RQ7kTT--aWnK6vwwPXRw_aem_zBgNghilkwZSsDYPGayKUQ
To the esteemed Government of Egypt, the United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and global religious and civil
organizations:
Saint Catherine's Monastery, nestled at the foot of Mount Sinai, stands as a
profound testament to the enduring power of faith and interreligious harmony.
For over fourteen centuries, this UNESCO World Heritage Site has served not only
as one of the oldest continuously operating Christian monasteries but also as a
significant spiritual nexus revered by Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Its
historical and religious importance is immeasurable, a beacon of peace and
coexistence in a region rich with history.
Disturbing recent reports suggest potential actions by the Egyptian government
that could infringe upon the autonomy, or even lead to the confiscation or
nationalization, of this sacred site. Such actions would constitute a grave
violation of its unique status and a profound loss for the world's shared
cultural and spiritual heritage.
The sanctity of Saint Catherine's Monastery has been recognized throughout
history, notably by the Prophet Muhammad himself, whose covenant explicitly
ensured the safety and self-governance of its monastic community. To undermine
this long-standing protection now would inflict an irreparable wound upon our
collective memory and the principles of tolerance and respect for religious
sites.
Therefore, we urgently appeal for the safeguarding of this invaluable landmark
and call upon:
* The Government of Egypt: To unequivocally guarantee the full protection,
autonomy, and non-interference in the life and administration of Saint
Catherine's Monastery, upholding its status as a protected heritage site of
global significance.
* UNESCO: To proactively investigate any indication of potential encroachment
upon the monastery's sacred status and to take all necessary measures to ensure
its preservation as a World Heritage Site.
* Religious and Civil Organizations Worldwide: To unite in a collective voice to
defend Saint Catherine's Monastery, advocating for its continued sanctity and
autonomy as a living monument to faith and interfaith understanding.
This is not merely a matter of preserving a historical site; it is a stand for
religious freedom, cultural dignity, and the integrity of our shared human
heritage. Let us ensure that the sacred heart of Sinai remains untouched, a
testament to the enduring values of peace and faith for generations to come.
We implore you to add your voice to this urgent appeal. Please sign this
petition to demonstrate global solidarity in protecting Saint Catherine's
Monastery, a precious legacy for all humanity.
Lebanese President Aoun
reviews ties, cooperation with Iraqi official
Arab News/June 01, 2025
LONDON: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun discussed ties and cooperation with Iraqi
President Abdul Latif Rashid and Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani during
his visit to Iraq on Sunday. Aoun stressed the importance of establishing an
Arab mutual interest system to enhance shared interests among Arab countries
during his meeting with Al-Sudani. In a separate meeting with Rashid at the
Presidential Palace in Baghdad, Aoun commended Iraq’s support and donations,
including fuel shipments to generate electricity, for the Lebanese people during
the recent round of the Israeli-Hezbollah war, which flared up in September
2024. Aoun said that Lebanon and Iraq face the challenge of terrorism, which is
being addressed through security agencies in both countries.
The two presidents emphasized the urgency to end the Israeli war in the
Gaza Strip and to support the Palestinian cause without allowing it to be
compromised, according to the NNA agency. Aoun said that Israel must withdraw
from the five areas inside the Lebanese territory it has controlled since 2024
and stop its repeated attacks on the country that undermine peace efforts in the
region. Rashid affirmed Iraq’s support for Lebanon and said that Baghdad views
positively the recent developments in the country following the formation of the
new government in early 2025.
Years of support on the
line: President Aoun’s visit to Iraq deepens ties, thanks Baghdad for vital help
LBCI/June 01, 2025
President Joseph Aoun sought to make a special visit to Iraq soon after arriving
at the presidential palace, aware of the strong support Iraq has provided
Lebanon in recent years. During his meeting with Iraqi President Abdul Latif
Rashid, President Aoun expressed Lebanon's gratitude to Iraq for its support
during difficult times, whether by hosting displaced people and later
facilitating their return or through oil shipments necessary for electricity and
energy. President Aoun also highlighted the numerous challenges, especially in
the fight against terrorism, which both sides continuously coordinate on.
The Iraqi president confirmed readiness to cooperate with Lebanon in all fields,
wishing President Aoun success amid positive developments in the country.
Relations between the two countries date back to Lebanon's independence
and have been largely stable. The first agreement between them was signed in
1951. Iraq has been Lebanon's largest importer over the past decade, reaching
$125 million in 2021. Without Iraq, Lebanon would not
have enjoyed electricity in recent years. Since 2021, Iraq has provided fuel
valued at more than $1.2 billion. The platform for payments to Iraq — through
selling agricultural and industrial products and services in exchange for these
funds — has not yet been completed. During his meeting
with President Aoun, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani pledged
noninterference in Lebanon's internal affairs, condemned Israel's continued
violation of international law, and called on the world to apply United Nations
Security Council Resolution 1701 without selectivity.President Aoun emphasized
the importance of the conference called by France and Saudi Arabia in New York
to discuss establishing an independent Palestinian state within a just and
comprehensive peace. He drew inspiration from Iraq's top Shiite cleric, Ali
al-Sistani, in resolving regional crises. Iraq aims to revive the oil pipeline
from Kirkuk to Beddaoui, inactive for half a century, and to rehabilitate the
existing refinery so refined Iraqi oil on the Mediterranean coast can be
exported to Europe and beyond. Lebanon expressed its support for this.
Lebanon says one killed in Israeli strike on south
AFP/June 01, 2025
BEIRUT: Lebanon’s health ministry said an Israeli strike on the south of the
country Sunday killed one person, the third deadly raid in four days despite a
ceasefire with Hezbollah. The ministry said an “Israeli enemy” strike targeted a
motorcycle in the village of Arnoun, in the Nabatieh region about five
kilometers (three miles) from the Israeli border. Farther south, another strike
hit a car in Beit Lif, in the Bint Jbeil area, wounding one person, the ministry
said. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.
Israel has continued to strike Lebanon despite the ceasefire that took
effect on November 27, ending more than a year of conflict — including two
months of open war — with militant group Hezbollah, which emerged severely
weakened. On Thursday, two people were killed in Israeli strikes on the south,
and another died in a raid on Saturday. Under the
truce terms, Hezbollah fighters were to withdraw north of the Litani River,
about 30 kilometers from the border, and dismantle their military posts to the
south. Israel, for its part, was to pull all its
troops out of Lebanon but has maintained five positions it deems “strategic”
along the frontier. The Lebanese army has since deployed in those areas, where
it is the only force allowed to operate alongside UN peacekeepers.
Iranian foreign minister to
visit Lebanon on Monday
Naharnet/June 01, 2025
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will visit Lebanon on Monday, the
Iranian foreign ministry said. The visit comes amid a growing debate in Lebanon
over the thorny issue of the weapons of Iran-backed Hezbollah.It also comes amid
reported progress in the nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United
States.
Morgan Ortagus, key figure on Lebanon's file, may step down
as US deputy envoy to the Mideast — what we know
LBCI/June 01, 2025
In January 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump appointed Morgan Ortagus as Deputy
Special Envoy for the Middle East. Despite the appointment, Trump's announcement
carried a tone of implicit skepticism and a lack of enthusiasm, reflecting
personal reservations about the decision—even as Ortagus enjoyed "strong
Republican support."In addition to her regional responsibilities, Ortagus was
tasked with overseeing the Lebanon file and made two official visits to Beirut.
During her first visit in February 2025, Ortagus met with Lebanese officials and
said at a news conference that the United States had drawn a "red line" against
Hezbollah's participation in the Lebanese government. She claimed that Hezbollah
had been militarily defeated and should play no role in any future cabinet. In
her second round of talks in April, Ortagus reiterated the urgent need to disarm
Hezbollah and all other armed groups in Lebanon. A third visit to Lebanon had
been expected in the coming days, but media reports now indicate that Ortagus
will soon step down as part of broader changes within Trump's foreign policy
team. She is reportedly being reassigned to another post within the
administration. Although she had expressed interest in becoming the special
envoy to Syria, the role was instead given to Thomas Barrack. The White House
has not confirmed the change. Israel's Channel 14 reported that Ortagus'
departure is "not good news" for Israel, citing her strong support for efforts
to disarm Hezbollah.
Amid security risks, south Lebanon's farmers face
uncertainty as agriculture ministry pushes to revive farming
LBCI/June 01, 2025
Lebanese farmers in the Mazraat Sardah and Marjayoun plain areas live at the
mercy of Israeli forces stationed on El Hamames Hill in Lebanon. Half of the
Marjayoun plain—about 17 million square meters—is off-limits due to the ongoing
threat of Israeli military patrols, the latest of which residents documented on
Friday. This marks the third consecutive season that southern farmers have faced
uncertainty and fear. In response, the Ministry of Agriculture launched an
initiative to revive the sector by securing safety guarantees for farmers who
wish to return to their land.
Under the plan, interested farmers must file a request with their local
municipality, including their name, phone number, land registration area, and
type of agricultural activity. These requests will be forwarded to the ministry,
which will coordinate with the Lebanese army and UNIFIL to obtain safety
assurances for the farmers.The ministry aims to secure ongoing access, requiring
farmers to specify the number of planned visits based on the crop type and
growing season. Agricultural losses in front-line villages—from Kfarchouba to
Naqoura—have exceeded 80% due to wildfires and bulldozing operations. The
Agriculture Ministry attempted to offset some of these losses by planting olive
trees with support from international organizations.
Beyond crop damage, livestock losses have been devastating—even in second-line
villages. Many farms have been destroyed, and numerous herders were forced to
sell their animals at a loss to survive. While this initiative is a first step
toward recovery, results are far from guaranteed as long as Israel continues to
dictate the fate of Lebanon's southern border communities through force,
intimidation, and violence.
Lebanese army raids drug manufacturing sites, arrests suspects
LBCI/June 01, 2025
As part of ongoing efforts to combat drug manufacturing and trafficking, a unit
of the Lebanese army, supported by an intelligence patrol, raided Captagon pill
factories in the Harf al-Samaqa area of Hermel near the Lebanon-Syria border.
The army seized raw materials used to produce the pills and demolished the
manufacturing sites.In parallel with security operations, army units backed by
intelligence patrols conducted raids on the homes of wanted individuals, making
several arrests. Investigations into the suspects are underway under the
supervision of the competent judiciary.
Lebanon announces school holiday for Eid al-Adha from June 6 to 9
LBCI/June 01, 2025
Lebanese Education Minister Rima Karami announced that all public schools,
secondary schools, and vocational institutes will be closed for Eid al-Adha from
Friday morning, June 6, until Monday evening, June 9, 2025.
The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News
published
on june 01-02/2025
Iran minister says Oman presented elements of a U.S. proposal for nuclear
deal
US sends Iran nuclear proposal, White House says
Tara Suter/The Hill./June 01/2025
The U.S. has sent Iran a nuclear proposal, the White House told The Hill’s
sister network NewsNation. “President Trump has made it clear that Iran can
never obtain a nuclear bomb. Special envoy [Steve] Witkoff has sent a detailed
and acceptable proposal to the Iranian regime, and it’s in their best interest
to accept it,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told NewsNation.
“Out of respect for the ongoing deal, the administration will not comment on
details of the proposal to the media,” Leavitt added.
In a post Saturday on the social platform X, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas
Araghchi said his “dear brother @badralbusaidi, distinguished Foreign Minister
of Oman, paid a short visit to Tehran today to present elements of a US proposal
which will be appropriately responded to in line with the principles, national
interests and rights of the people of Iran.”Back in 2018, President Trump
withdrew from an Obama-era nuclear deal with Iran and imposed sanctions on the
Middle Eastern country. However, U.S. and Iranian officials have recently taken
part in multiple rounds of talks relating to Iran’s nuclear program.
On Friday, Trump indicated that the U.S. and Iran were “fairly close” to
coming to a new agreement. “I think we have a chance of making a deal with
Iran,” Trump said. “They don’t want to be blown up,”
he added. “They would rather make a deal, and I think that could happen in the
not-too-distant future.”Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Iran's spying game: How does
Tehran get Israelis to betray their homeland?
Farhad Mirmohammadsadeghi/Euronews/June 01/2025
Iran's spying game: How does Tehran get Israelis to betray their homeland?
Last week, news broke of the arrest in Israel of two 24-year-old Israelis, Roy
Mazrahi and Almoog Attias, on charges of spying for the Islamic Republic of
Iran's intelligence services. The two were childhood friends, residents of the
town of Nasher near the Israeli port of Haifa, had become addicted to gambling
and amassed a lot of debt, the Jerusalem Post reported. According to the report,
Mazrahi met an unknown person through an Internet group, who offers him good
money in exchange for doing seemingly irrelevant and harmless things. This young
Israeli sees the situation as an opportunity to escape his financial crisis.
At first, Mazrahi was asked to photograph the areas around his home and
then document the sales sign of a car dealership. His next assignment was to
burn a note containing a message against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu. As the missions went on, police said, they
found more dangerous aspects, and Mazrahi realised at some point that his
employers were Iranian. On another mission, he moved a briefcase, which he
thought contained a bomb, from place to place. Then
came the main mission. He bought CCTV cameras and rented a room in a hotel in
Tel Aviv, along with Almoog Attias, who had been attracted by the same
unidentified person. The two then went to the village of Kfar Ahim, the
residence of Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz in the south of the country.
Their mission was to install the camera facing the entrance road to Mr.
Katz's home, which was not successful due to the presence of security forces.
Israeli defence officials told the court that the CCTV work was part of a
larger operation to assassinate Katz.
However, although Roy Mazrahi and Almog Attias are the latest reported case of
such espionage operations, several other cases had already been recorded. In
fact, almost every few weeks, there is a new report of Israeli citizens being
recruited as spies by Iranian intelligence forces.
According to a report by Israel's Internal Security Agency (SHINBET), espionage
cases in Israel will increase by about 400 percent in 2024 compared to the
previous year. The detention of Roy Mazrahi and Almoog
Attias was the 20th case linked to espionage for Iran's intelligence services in
Israel in the past year, and Tehran appears to be seizing the opportunity of the
Israel-Hamas war in Gaza in their efforts to recruite Israeli citizens, said
Maor Goren, head of the security department of the Israeli police's National
Crime Combating Unit (Lahav 433). Spying has increased in the country.
Who do Iran's intelligence services target?
Although the stories of the cases vary, there are clear patterns in all of them,
the Jerusalem Post reported. The targetted persons are all facing financial
difficulties and looking for a shortcut way to pay off their debts. Many of
these people are immigrants who have recently arrived in Israel and have less
national and patriotic belonging than older Israelis.
Yossi Mellman, an expert on espionage affairs and author of the book “Spies
Against Armageddon,” said, “Most of the people being recruited are worthless and
from the fringes of Israeli communities. But the worrying thing is that a
country that is constantly calling for the destruction of Israel has been able
to infiltrate its society.”He said of the reason for the success of the Islamic
Republic of Iran: “This is linked to the social collapse of Israel in recent
years. The society has lost its sense of solidarity and cohesion. Even the
government is only concerned with its own survival. People say to themselves
that now that government officials are working for Qatar, why not work for
Iran?”Maor Goren stressed, however, that many of the people who contact Iranian
agents cut off contact after a while, and then brief the police.
The method of recruiting forces by the intelligence services of the
Islamic Republic of Iran is also relatively simple and does not require complex
planning or macro-investment. Iranian agents mostly carry out the recruitment
process through social networks and with simple messages.
According to the report, Iranian agents typically target specific groups
such as fundamentalist orthodox Jews opposed to Zionism, new immigrants, former
criminals, and ordinary citizens mired in financial hardship. Some of those
detained were immigrants from former Soviet states, and this may have led to a
general distrust of certain strata of society. In fact, social media has given
Iranian agents access to a part of Israeli society that was previously
unavailable or unknown to them.
How do the intelligence services of Iran operate?
According to the Jerusalem Post, the Islamic Republic of Iran's intelligence
services have contacted Israelis via WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram, LinkedIn,
Instagram and X, promising large sums in exchange for doing simple things such
as photographing specific locations or people or writing graffiti. They have
also occasionally published private detective search ads to gather intelligence
from Israeli officials. Iranian agents have also launched phishing campaigns to
collect information from Israeli citizens in the form of surveys.
In none of the recruitment methods has there been a sign of Iran at first, and
most intrigued Israelis have said they did not know at first that they were
working for Tehran.
Israel's Internal Security Agency (SHINBET) has had a successful performance in
deterring the actions of Iranian agents, and so far it appears that no serious
damage has been done to Israel's security. However, spying operations continue
and many may still have not been identified. Some
critics of Israel's legal system believe that the punishment for the
perpetrators attracted is too light, and that a few years in prison is not a
deterrent for people who have engaged in such acts in exchange for receiving
sums of money. Also, the exposure and detention of these individuals has no
particular consequences for Tehran. Iranian agents are only waiting for the next
victim to respond to their message. In another case,
Moshe Attias, an 18-year-old from Yabneh in central Israel, received such a
message: “Thank you for contacting Iranian intelligence. Message the user
account below to speak to our experts on Telegram.”Mr. Attias had received about
$1,800 in his digital wallet for documentation from the hospital in Maier, where
Naftali Bennett, the former Israeli prime minister, was hospitalized. He
identified himself as a relative of Mr Bennett and gave information, including
details of the security measures adopted at the site, to Iranian agents.
Yossi Mellman commented: “Getting this close to Mr Bennett is an
achievement for the Iranian agents and it shows that they are still continuing
their actions. But their influence in Israel is still negligible compared to
Israel's influence in Iran.”
In August last year, Israeli police detained Moti Maman, a 73-year-old Israeli
citizen on suspicion of plotting to assassinate Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu. According to the indictment, he travelled secretly to Iran twice to
meet with Iranian relations and requested $1 million in advance payments in Iran
to carry out the assassination. “Moti Maman had told
his contacts that he had no access to high-level officials and had offered to
target the mayor of Aka or Nahariya,” Mellman said. He
was sentenced to ten years in prison for espionage and plotting assassinations
last month. Cash for info - but is it worth it? Last
year, an Iranian intelligence network focusing only on Jewish immigrants from
the Caucasus region managed to attract a couple through an Israeli citizen from
Azerbaijan. According to the indictment, the couple received $600 a day for
gathering information about potential targets, including surveillance of
Mossad's main headquarters. A seven-member network
dubbed the “Haifa Cell” is also accused of imaging dozens of military bases,
Iron Dome systems and other strategic targets across Israel in exchange for $500
to $1,200 per mission. According to the indictment, one of their surveillance
targets was Navatim Air Base, which was later targeted by an Islamic Republic of
Iran missile attack. Not everyone attracted by Iranian agents, of course, is
Jewish. Last October, seven Palestinians living in East Jerusalem were detained
on suspicion of planning to assassinate a nuclear scientist and the mayor of one
of Israel's major cities. To date, Iran's intelligence
efforts in Israel do not appear to have achieved much success. Because no senior
Israeli official has been assassinated, and even if on occasion live and
simultaneous information has been passed to Tehran, this information appears to
have been superficial and did not lead to any specific action.
However, as Yossi Mellman warns: “We are ignorant of what we don't know,
and the most worrying thing is that some Israelis are willing to betray their
homeland for a fistful of dollars.”
Israel defense chief tells army to push ahead ‘regardless of any
negotiations’
AFP/June 01/2025
Israel’s defense minister said Sunday that he had ordered the army to push ahead
with its fight against Hamas “regardless of any negotiations,” after a US envoy
called the group’s latest response to a Gaza truce proposal unacceptable. “I
have instructed the IDF (military) to continue forward in Gaza against all
targets, regardless of any negotiations,” Israel Katz said in a statement.
“Either Hamas releases the hostages, or it will be destroyed.”
At least 31 Palestinians killed by
Israeli fire while heading to Gaza aid hub
AP/June 01, 2025
RAFAH, Gaza Strip: At least 31 people were killed and scores wounded Sunday as
they were on their way to receive food in the Gaza Strip, according to a Red
Cross field hospital and multiple witnesses. The witnesses said Israeli forces
fired on crowds around a kilometer from an aid site run by an Israeli-backed
foundation. The military did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The foundation said in a statement that it delivered aid “without incident”
early Sunday and has denied previous accounts of chaos and gunfire around its
sites, which are in Israeli military zones where independent access is limited.
Officials at the field hospital said at least 21 people were killed and another
175 people were wounded, without saying who opened fire on them. An Associated
Press reporter saw dozens of people being treated at the hospital.
New aid system marred by chaos
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation ‘s distribution of aid has been marred by
chaos, and multiple witnesses have said Israeli troops fired on crowds near the
delivery sites. Before Sunday, at least six people had been killed and more than
50 wounded according to local health officials. The foundation says the private
security contractors guarding its sites have not fired on the crowds, while the
Israeli military has acknowledged firing warning shots on previous occasions.
The foundation said in a statement that it distributed 16 truckloads of aid
early Sunday “without incident,” and dismissed what it referred to as “false
reporting about deaths, mass injuries and chaos.”
‘The scene was horrible’
Thousands of people headed toward the distribution site hours before dawn,
congregating at the Flag Roundabout, about a kilometer (1,000 yards) away, as
they waited for the site to open, according to witnesses. They said Israeli
forces ordered people to disperse and come back later – before opening fire.
“There was fire from all directions, from naval warships, from tanks and
drones,” said Amr Abu Teiba, who was in the crowd. He
said he saw at least 10 bodies with gunshot wounds and several other wounded
people, including women. People used carts to ferry the dead and wounded to the
field hospital. “The scene was horrible,” he said. Ibrahim Abu Saoud, another
eyewitness, provided a nearly identical account. He said the military fired
around 300 meters (yards) away. Abu Saoud said he saw many people with gunshot
wounds, including a young man who he said had died at the scene. “We weren’t
able to help him,” he said. Mohammed Abu Teaima, 33,
said he saw Israeli forces open fire and kill his cousin and another woman as
they were heading toward the distribution site. He said his cousin was shot in
his chest and died at the scene. Many others were wounded, including his
brother-in-law, he said. “They opened heavy fire directly toward us,” he said as
he was waiting outside the Red Cross field hospital for word on his wounded
relative.
The hub is part of a controversial new aid system
Israel and the United States say the new system is aimed at preventing Hamas
from siphoning off assistance. Israel has not provided any evidence of
systematic diversion, and the UN denies it has occurred. UN agencies and major
aid groups have refused to work with the new system, saying it violates
humanitarian principles because it allows Israel to control who receives aid and
forces people to relocate to distribution sites, risking yet more mass
displacement in the territory. The UN system has struggled to bring in aid after
Israel slightly eased its total blockade of the territory last month. Those
groups say Israeli restrictions, the breakdown of law and order, and widespread
looting make it extremely difficult to deliver aid to Gaza’s roughly 2 million
Palestinians. Experts have warned that the territory is at risk of famine if
more aid is not brought in. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into
southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians,
and abducting 251. They are still holding 58 hostages, around a third of them
believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire
agreements or other deals. Israel’s military campaign has killed over 54,000
people, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which
does not say how many of the dead were civilians or combatants. The offensive
has destroyed vast areas of the territory, displaced around 90 percent of its
population and left people almost completely reliant on international aid.
Arab ministers denounce Israeli ‘arrogance’ over blocking West Bank visit
Arab News/June 01, 2025
CAIRO: Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said the Israeli
government's refusal to allow Arab ministers to the occupied West Bank showed
its “extremism and rejection of peace.”His statements came during a joint press
conference with counterparts from Jordan, Egypt, and Bahrain in Amman. The Arab
ministers condemned what they described as the “arrogant” Israeli decision to
ban them from visiting the West Bank and its rejection of any peace efforts.
Members of the Ministerial Committee assigned by the Joint Extraordinary
Arab-Islamic Summit on Gaza met with Jordan's King Abdullah II in Amman earlier
today to discuss ceasefire efforts in the Gaza Strip and a post-war plan. During
their meeting at Al-Husseiniya Palace, King Abdullah and the ministers stressed
the importance of international support for Palestinians to secure their rights
and achieve peace through a two-state solution. The Ministerial Committee, which
consists of the foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and Bahrain,
along with the Secretary-General of the Arab League, held a video conference
meeting in Amman on Sunday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his
deputy, Hussein Al-Sheikh, and Mohammad Mustafa, the prime minister and minister
of foreign affairs. Ayman Al-Safadi, Jordan's Foreign Minister, said that the
“Israeli government continues to kill all the chances of peace in the region”
after the committee visit was blocked on Saturday. Prince Faisal bin Farhan
echoed these sentiments and added that the Palestinian Authority continued to
carry out its duties while facing a party that did not want any solutions.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty told Jordan News Agency that Jordan and
Egypt will strongly confront all Israeli plans to displace Palestinians from the
Gaza Strip and the West Bank. On Saturday, Israel said
it will not allow a planned meeting on Sunday in the Palestinian administrative
capital of Ramallah to go ahead. The ministers also discussed preparations for a
high-level international peace conference in New York this June, co-chaired by
Saudi Arabia and France, aimed at advancing the two-state solution based on 1967
borders with East Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital. The committee reaffirmed
support for ceasefire efforts led by Egypt, Qatar, and the US, and urged Israel
to allow unrestricted humanitarian access and cease its escalation in the West
Bank. It also emphasized the importance of a Gaza
reconstruction conference in Cairo following a ceasefire. The ministers
condemned Israel for blocking their planned visit to Ramallah, calling it a
violation of diplomatic norms. President Abbas welcomed the committee’s efforts,
reiterated his government’s commitment to reform, peace, and non-violence, and
called for international support and the release of withheld Palestinian funds.
Egypt’s foreign minister urges end to Israeli war in Gaza during call with
Witkoff
Arab News/June 01, 2025
LONDON: Egypt's Foreign Minister, Badr Abdelatty, stressed the urgent need for
an immediate cessation of Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip during a
phone call with Steve Witkoff, the US President's Special Envoy to the Middle
East. Abdelatty emphasized that alleviating the humanitarian suffering in the
Palestinian coastal enclave must be a priority for the international community
and called for unconditional access to humanitarian aid. He emphasized that a
just and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict requires a
comprehensive political settlement that aligns with President Trump's vision for
sustainable peace in the Middle East, the Emirates News Agency reported.
Abdelatty was a member of the Ministerial Committee designated by the
Joint Extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit on Gaza, which Israel prevented from
visiting the occupied West Bank on Sunday to meet with Palestinian officials in
Ramallah. Arab ministers from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain,
Jordan, and Egypt, along with the Secretary-General of the Arab League,
condemned what they described as the "arrogant" decision by Israel to block
their visit and its rejection of any peace efforts.
Saudi Arabia says Israel shows
'extremism' by blocking West Bank visit
Suleiman Al-Khalidi/ReutersJune
01/2025
AMMAN -Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud said the
Israeli government's refusal to allow a delegation of Arab ministers into the
occupied West Bank showed its "extremism and rejection of peace".
His statement came during a joint press conference in Amman with counterparts
from Jordan, Egypt and Bahrain, after they met as part of an Arab contact group
that was going to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah.
"Israel's refusal of the committee's visit to the West Bank embodies and
confirms its extremism and refusal of any serious attempts for (a) peaceful
pathway .. It strengthens our will to double our diplomatic efforts within the
international community to face this arrogance," the Saudi minister said. On
Saturday, Israel said it would not allow a planned meeting on Sunday that would
have included ministers from Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United
Arab Emirates, Palestinian Authority officials said.
Bin Farhan's visit to the West Bank would have marked the first such visit by a
top Saudi official in recent memory. An Israeli official said the ministers
intended to take part in a "provocative meeting" to discuss promoting the
establishment of a Palestinian state. Jordan's Foreign
Minister Ayman Safadi said blocking the trip was another example of how Israel
was "killing any chance of a just and comprehensive" Arab-Israeli settlement.
An international conference, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, is
due to be held in New York on June 17-20 to discuss the issue of Palestinian
statehood. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty
said the conference would cover security arrangements after a ceasefire in Gaza
and reconstruction plans to ensure Palestinians would remain on their land and
foil any Israeli plans to evict them. Commenting on
blocking the visit, Israeli Arab lawmaker Ayman Odeh said the Arab foreign
ministers' delegation aimed to end the Gaza war, enhance the Palestinian
Authority's role, and support a Saudi-French U.N. initiative to set up a roadmap
for a Palestinian state. Odeh told Saudi state-owned Al Arabiya Television that
the Saudi-French initiative could lead to broader international recognition of a
Palestinian state, a move he said contradicts Israeli government
policy.According to Odeh, the Israeli government seeks to undermine the
Palestinian Authority because it views it as the "nucleus of the Palestinian
state." He said Israel blocked the Arab foreign ministers' visit because it
could have helped strengthen the Palestinian Authority. Israel has come under
increasing pressure from the United Nations and European countries that favour a
two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, under which an
independent Palestinian state would exist alongside Israel.
Lavrov, Rubio discuss settlement of
war in Ukraine, forthcoming talks, agencies report
Reuters/June 02, 2025
“S.V. Lavrov and M. Rubio exchanged views on various initiatives concerning a
settlement of the Ukraine crisis Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US
Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed on Sunday prospects for settling the
conflict in Ukraine and Russia-Ukraine talks set for Monday in Turkiye, Lavrov’s
ministry said. “The situation linked to the Ukraine
crisis was discussed,” the ministry said in a statement on its website. “S.V.
Lavrov and M. Rubio also exchanged views on various initiatives concerning a
settlement of the Ukraine crisis, including plans to resume direct
Russian-Ukrainian talks in Istanbul on June 2.”The US State Department, which
noted the call was at Russia’s request, said Rubio reiterated US President
Donald Trump’s call for continued direct talks between Russia and Ukraine to
achieve “a lasting peace.”The ministry also said that during the conversation
Rubio expressed condolences over deaths that occurred when two bridges were
blown up in separate Russian regions bordering Ukraine. “It was stressed on the
Russian side that competent bodies will proceed with a thorough investigation
and the results will be published. The guilty parties will be identified and
will without doubt be subject to a worthy punishment.”Russian officials said at
least seven people were killed and 69 injured when the two bridges were blown up
on Saturday.
Ukraine's audacious drone attack sends
critical message to Russia - and the West
Paul Adams - Diplomatic
correspondent/BBC/June 1, 2025
It's hard to exaggerate the sheer audacity - or ingenuity - that went into
Ukraine's countrywide assault on Russia's air force.
We cannot possibly verify Ukrainian claims that the attacks resulted in $7bn
(£5.2bn) of damage, but it's clear that "Operation Spider's Web" was, at the
very least, a spectacular propaganda coup. Ukrainians are already comparing it
with other notable military successes since Russia's full-scale invasion,
including the sinking of the flagship of Russia's Black Sea fleet, the Moskva,
and the bombing of the Kerch Bridge, both in 2022, as well as a missile attack
on Sevastopol harbour the following year. Judging by
details leaked to the media by Ukraine's military intelligence, the SBU, the
latest operation is the most elaborate achievement so far.
In an operation said to have taken 18 months to prepare, scores of small
drones were smuggled into Russia, stored in special compartments aboard freight
trucks, driven to at least four separate locations, thousands of miles apart,
and launched remotely towards nearby airbases. "No intelligence operation in the
world has done anything like this before," defence analyst Serhii Kuzan told
Ukrainian TV. "These strategic bombers are capable of
launching long-range strikes against us," he said. "There are only 120 of them
and we struck 40. That's an incredible figure."It is hard to assess the damage,
but Ukrainian military blogger Oleksandr Kovalenko says that even if the
bombers, and command and control aircraft were not destroyed, the impact is
enormous. "The extent of the damage is such that the Russian military-industrial
complex, in its current state, is unlikely to be able to restore them in the
near future," he wrote on his Telegram channel. The strategic missile-carrying
bombers in question, the Tu-95, Tu-22, and Tu-160 are, he said, no longer in
production. Repairing them will be difficult, replacing them impossible.
The loss of the supersonic Tu-160, he said, would be especially keenly
felt. "Today, the Russian Aerospace Forces lost not
just two of their rarest aircraft, but truly two unicorns in the herd," he
wrote. Beyond the physical damage, which may or may not be as great as analysts
here are assessing, Operation Spider's Web sends another critical message, not
just to Russia but also to Ukraine's western allies. My colleague Svyatoslav
Khomenko, writing for the BBC Ukrainian Service website, recalls a recent
encounter with a government official in Kyiv.
The official was frustrated.
"The biggest problem," the official told Svyatoslav, "is that the Americans have
convinced themselves we've already lost the war. And from that assumption
everything else follows."Ukrainian defence journalist Illia Ponomarenko, posting
on X, puts it another way, with a pointed reference to President Volodymyr
Zelensky's infamous Oval office encounter with Donald Trump. "This is what
happens when a proud nation under attack doesn't listen to all those: 'Ukraine
has only six months left'. 'You have no cards'. 'Just surrender for peace,
Russia cannot lose'."Even more pithy was a tweet from the quarterly Business
Ukraine journal, which proudly proclaimed "It turns out Ukraine does have some
cards after all. Today Zelensky played the King of Drones."This, then, is the
message Ukrainian delegates carry as they arrive in Istanbul for a fresh round
of ceasefire negotiations with representatives from the Kremlin: Ukraine is
still in the fight. The Americans "begin acting as if their role is to negotiate
for us the softest possible terms of surrender," the government official told
Svyatoslav Khomenko. "And then they're offended when we don't thank them. But of
course we don't – because we don't believe we've been defeated." Despite
Russia's slow, inexorable advance through the battlefields of the Donbas,
Ukraine is telling Russia, and the Trump administration, not to dismiss Kyiv's
prospects so easily.
Defence review to send 'message to
Moscow' – Healey
Paul Seddon - Political reporter and Laura Kuenssberg - Political
editor/BBC/June 1, 2025
The defence review will send a "message to Moscow", the defence secretary has
said, as he warned Russia was launching cyber-attacks on UK military networks
"every day". onday, is expected to conclude the UK
faces a "new era of threat" and will warn of the "immediate and pressing" danger
posed by Russia and other countries, including China.
It will also commit £1.5bn to build six new factories to make munitions, in a
bid to revive Britain's industrial base. Healey expects UK to spend 3% of GDP on
defence by 2034
UK turns to AI and drones for new battlefield strategy
The real problem facing Britain's shrinking military
The new funding will see UK munitions spending hit £6bn during this parliament,
the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said, and create 1,800 new jobs. As part of its
defence review, the government said it would build new factories to make key
munitions and explosives to have an "always on" munitions production capacity
that could be scaled up quickly. Long-range weapons including drones and
missiles would be procured over several years. Ministers said the extra
investment - which came after Healey said that UK defence spending would rise to
3% of GDP by 2034 at the latest - would strengthen the armed forces and boost
British jobs. The war in Ukraine has highlighted serious deficiencies in the
West's ability to produce weapons and munitions, and senior British military
officers have long warned about the UK's depleted stockpiles.
On a visit to a factory in Stevenage on Saturday, where Storm Shadow missiles
are assembled, Healey said the government would support the procurement of up to
7,000 UK-built long-range weapons. He added: "This is a message to Moscow as
well. This is Britain standing behind making our Armed Forces stronger but
making our industrial base stronger, and this is part of our readiness to fight
if required."Senior Western military chiefs have long been warning the UK would
quickly run out of ammunition in the event of a war. In 2021, the former head of
the US Army in Europe, Gen Ben Hodges, told MPs in a simulated wargame most of
the British army's inventory was exhausted after just eight days. The former
head of the British army, Gen Sir Patrick Sanders, has also been calling for the
UK to boost weapons production.
He recently said the army's diminished stocks of artillery rounds and missiles
"would put hairs on the back of your neck". The threat posed by Moscow has been
a key part of the government's pitch ahead of Monday's review, which has
assessed the capabilities and equipment that would be needed by the UK's armed
forces in the coming years.
Healey said cyber attacks from Russia were taking place "every day" as part of
90,000 attacks on the UK's military networks from adversaries in the last two
years. In the run-up to Monday's announcement, the
government has already confirmed the review will recommend a new "cyber and
electromagnetic command" to lead the UK's defensive cyber operations. Alongside
the existing National Cyber Force, it will also play a role in offensive
operations - including degrading opponents' command systems, jamming signals
sent to drones or missiles, and intercepting military communications.
However, Healey suggested the overall size of the army might not begin
rising again until after the next general election, adding his "first job" was
to reverse a decline in numbers under the previous government. He added that he
then hoped an army target to return to a strength of 73,000 full-time soldiers
would be met "in the next Parliament". Defence
spending targets. Sir Keir Starmer has committed the government to spending 2.5%
of the UK's national income on defence by 2027, up from 2.3% currently. Shadow
justice secretary Robert Jenrick said he welcomed the government's commitment to
get to 2.5% - but added that the Tories wanted to see the higher 3% target met
before the election. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said Labour's target
to eventually hit 3% spending by 2034 was "far too late" and showed a "complete
lack of urgency". Healey declined to comment on reports the UK was considering
buying American-made combat aircraft capable of firing "tactical" nuclear
weapons, which are less powerful than conventional bombs. According to the
Sunday Times, the government is in talks with the US over the move, which would
expand Britain's nuclear capabilities after it moved to a submarine-based system
after the Cold War. Healey said he would not "get into the sort of discussions
that need to remain private" - but argued that maintaining a nuclear capability
provided the UK with the "ultimate guarantee of security" and was what
"[Vladimir] Putin fears most". Sir Simon Case, the UK's former top civil
servant, said having an additional means to launch nuclear weapons would give
the UK additional "resilience and flexibility". He added that the UK was
"unusual" among nuclear powers in relying on a single launch method, adding that
most had a "number of different systems".
Russia may attack Nato in next four
years, German defence chief warns
Frank Gardner - Security
Correspondent and Tessa Wong - Asia Digital Reporter/
BBC/June 01/2025
Members of the Western alliance Nato need to prepare for a possible attack from
Russia within the next four years, according to Germany's chief of defence.
General Carsten Breuer told the BBC that Russia was producing hundreds of
tanks a year, many of which could be used for an attack on Nato Baltic state
members by 2029 or even earlier. He also insisted that Nato, the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization, remains unified over the war in Ukraine, despite
differences of opinion expressed recently by both Hungary and Slovakia. Gen
Breuer was speaking on the sidelines of the Shangri-la Dialogue, a defence
summit in Singapore organised by the think tank International Institute of
Strategic Studies. His comments come weeks ahead of a summit of Nato nations at
The Hague where they are expected to discuss defence budgets, among other
topics.
Gen Breuer said that Nato was facing "a very serious threat" from Russia, one
that he has never seen before in his 40 years in service. At the moment, he
said, Russia was building up its forces to an "enormous extent", producing
approximately 1,500 main battle tanks every year. "Not every single tank is
going to [the war in] Ukraine, but it's also going in stocks and into new
military structures always facing the West," he said.
Russia also produced four million rounds of 152mm artillery munition in 2024,
and not all of it was going to Ukraine either, added Gen Breuer. "There's an
intent and there's a build up of the stocks" for a possible future attack on
Nato's Baltic state members, he said.
"This is what the analysts are assessing - in 2029. So we have to be ready by
2029... If you ask me now, is this a guarantee that's not earlier than 2029? I
would say no, it's not. So we must be able to fight tonight," he said. Many have
long feared an attack on a Nato state as it could trigger a larger war between
Russia and the US, which is a key member of Nato. Under Article 5 of the Nato
agreement, any attack on a member state would mean other members must come to
its defence. Gen Breuer singled out the so-called
Suwalki Gap, an area that borders Lithuania, Poland, Russia and Belarus, as one
of the most vulnerable. "The Baltic States are really exposed to the Russians,
right? And once you are there, you really feel this... in the talks we are
having over there," he said. The Estonians, he said, had given the analogy of
being close to a wildfire where they "feel the heat, see the flames and smell
the smoke", while in Germany "you probably see a little bit of smoke over the
horizon and not more".Gen Breuer said this showed the differing perspectives
among European states of the threat of a possible Russian attack. Russia's view
of the Ukraine war was different from the West's, he said, where Moscow sees the
war as more of a "continuum" in a larger conflict with Nato and is therefore
"trying to find ways into our defence lines and it's testing it". He cited
recent attacks on undersea cables in the Baltic Sea, cyber attacks on European
public transport, and unidentified drones spotted over German power stations and
other infrastructure. Nato members should therefore build up their militaries
again, Gen Breuer argued. "What we have to do now is really to lean in and to
tell everybody, hey, ramp up... get more into it because we need it. We need it
to be able to defend ourselves and therefore also to build up deterrence."
Asked by the BBC about Nato cohesion, given Hungary and Slovakia's closer
relations with Moscow, Gen Breuer insisted the alliance was still healthy. He
pointed to Finland and Sweden's decisions to join Nato shortly after the Ukraine
war began. "I've never seen such a unity like it is now" among nations and
military leaders, he said. "All of them understand the threat that is at the
moment approaching Nato, all understand that we have to develop a direction of
deterrence, into the direction of collective defence. This is clear to everyone.
The urgency is seen." Gen Breuer's remarks are yet another sign of a significant
change in attitudes in Germany towards defence and Russia. Like many Western
nations, including the UK, it has scaled down its investments in its military
over many years. But there has been a growing recognition of the need to reverse
this, with even the Green Party coming onboard a recent vote to lift
restrictions on Germany's defence spending. But as Western military and
political leaders say they are ready for the fight, questions remain on whether
this is a case of ambition outpacing reality.
It will take years for Europe's military industrial base to crank up to speed to
match anywhere near the scale of weaponry that Russia is churning out. The US
has also been drawing down, not building up, its defence commitments to Europe
to focus on the Indo-Pacific.
After talks with
Zelenskyy and Macron, US senators warn: Putin 'is preparing for more war’
Thomas Adamson/The Associated
Press/June 01/2025
PARIS — Russian President Vladimir Putin is stalling at the peace table while
preparing a new military offensive in Ukraine, two senior U.S. senators warned
Sunday, arguing that the next two weeks could shape the future of a war that has
already smashed cities, displaced millions and redrawn Europe’s security map.
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham and Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal
spoke to The Associated Press in Paris after meeting President Volodymyr
Zelenskyy and touring neighborhoods shattered by what they called the worst
Russian bombardments since the full-scale invasion began. In Paris for talks
with French President Emmanuel Macron — who they say is “100% aligned” with them
on the war — the senators warned the window to prevent a renewed assault is
closing. A sweeping U.S. sanctions bill could be the West’s last chance to choke
off the Kremlin’s war economy, they said — adding that they hope their firsthand
findings will shift momentum in Washington and help bring a skeptical President
Donald Trump on board. "What I learned on this trip was he’s preparing for more
war,” Graham said of Putin. Blumenthal called the sanctions proposed in
legislation “bone-crushing” and said it would place Russia’s economy “on a trade
island.”“It is crunch time for Putin and for the world because Russia is
mounting a new offensive,” he said. At the heart of their push is a bipartisan
sanctions bill, backed by nearly the entire U.S. Senate but still facing
uncertain odds in Washington. It would impose 500% tariffs on countries that
continue buying Russian oil, gas, uranium and other exports — targeting nations
like China and India that account for roughly 70% of Russia’s energy trade and
bankroll much of its war effort. Graham called it “the
most draconian bill I’ve ever seen in my life in the Senate."“The world has a
lot of cards to play against Putin,” he said. “We’re going to hit China and
India for propping up his war machine.”
Peace talks or stalling tactic?
With peace talks yielding little and Trump's approach to Ukraine highly
uncertain, Graham and Blumenthal have stepped into the breach — blunt emissaries
on a lonely mission. Political opposites moving in lockstep, they’re crossing
Europe, and the aisle, with the moral urgency of two men trying to forestall
another Russian offensive before it’s too late. Peace
talks are scheduled to resume Monday in Istanbul. But Ukrainian officials say
Moscow has yet to submit a serious proposal — a delay both senators described as
deliberate and dangerous. “Putin is playing President Trump," Blumenthal said.
“He’s taking him for a sucker.” The senator said Putin "is, in effect, stalling
and stonewalling, prolonging the conversation so that he can mount this
offensive and take control of more territory on the ground.”Graham added: “We
saw credible evidence of a summer or early fall invasion, a new offensive by
Putin. ... He’s preparing for more war.”Trump has yet to endorse the sanctions
bill, telling reporters Friday: “I don’t know. I’ll have to see it.” Graham said
the legislation was drafted in consultation with Trump’s advisers. Graham backed
the president’s diplomatic instincts but said, "By trying to engage Putin — by
being friendly and enticing — it’s become painfully clear he’s not interested in
ending this war.”Blumenthal hoped the bipartisan support for Ukraine at least in
the Senate — and the personal testimonies they plan to bring home to Congress
and the Oval Office— may help shift the conversation.
“He needs to see and hear that message as well from us, from the American
people,” he said of Putin.
A moral reckoning
In Kyiv, the senators said, the war’s human toll was impossible to ignore.
Graham pointed to what Ukrainian officials and Yale researchers estimate are
nearly 20,000 children forcibly deported to Russia — calling their return a
matter of justice, not diplomacy.
Blumenthal described standing at mass grave sites in Bucha, where civilians were
executed with shots to the head. The destruction, he said, and the stories of
those who survived, made clear the stakes of delay. “Putin is a thug. He’s a
murderer."
Both said that failing to act now could pull the U.S. deeper into conflict
later. If Putin isn’t stopped in Ukraine, Blumenthal said, NATO treaty
obligations could one day compel American troops into battle.
They see resolve in Europe
After a one-hour meeting with Macron in Paris, both Graham, of South Carolina,
and Blumenthal, of Connecticut, said they left convinced Europe was ready to
toughen its stance. “This visit has been a breakthrough moment because President
Macron has shown moral clarity in his conversations with us,” Blumenthal said.
“Today, he is 100% aligned with that message that we are taking back to
Washington.” Blumenthal pointed to the rare bipartisan
unity behind the sanctions bill. “There are very few causes that will take 41
Republicans and 41 Democrats and put them on record on a single piece of
legislation,” he said. “The cause of Ukraine is doing it.”
Ahead, Ukrainian military leaders are set to brief Congress and a
sanctions vote could follow. “President Trump said we’ll know in two weeks
whether he’s being strung along,” Graham said. “There will be more evidence of
that from Russia on Monday.”
Explosions caused 2 bridges in western Russia to collapse, officials say. 7
people were killed
The Associated Press/June 01/2025
Explosions caused two bridges to collapse and derailed two trains in western
Russia overnight, officials said Sunday, without saying what had caused the
blasts. In one of the incidents, seven people were killed and dozens were
injured. The first bridge, in the Bryansk region on
the border with Ukraine, collapsed on top of a passenger train on Saturday,
causing the casualties. The train's driver was among those killed, state-run
Russian Railways said. Hours later, officials said a second train derailed when
the bridge beneath it collapsed in the nearby Kursk region, which also borders
Ukraine. In that collapse, a freight train was thrown off its rails onto the
road below as the explosion collapsed the bridge, local acting Gov. Alexander
Khinshtein said Sunday. The crash sparked a fire, but there were no casualties,
he said.
Russia’s Investigative Committee, the country’s top criminal investigation
agency, said in a statement that explosions had caused the two bridges to
collapse, but did not give further details. Several hours later, it edited the
statement, which was posted on social media, to remove the words “explosions”
but did not provide an explanation. The committee said
that it would be investigating the incidents as potential acts of terrorism.
Rescue workers cleared debris from both sites, while some of those injured were
transported to Moscow for treatment. Photos posted by government agencies in
Bryansk appeared to show train carriages ripped apart and lying amid fallen
concrete from the collapsed bridge. Other footage on social media was apparently
taken from inside vehicles on the road that had managed to avoid driving onto
the bridge before it collapsed.
Bryansk regional Gov. Alexander Bogomaz announced three days of mourning for the
victims, starting Monday. Damage to railway tracks was also found Sunday by
inspectors working on the line elsewhere in the Bryansk region, Moscow Railway
said in a statement. It did not say whether the damage was linked to the
collapsed bridges.In the past, some officials have accused pro-Ukrainian
saboteurs of attacking Russia’s railway infrastructure. The details surrounding
such incidents, however, are limited and cannot be independently verified.
Ukraine’s military intelligence, known by the Ukrainian abbreviation GUR, said
Sunday that a Russian military freight train carrying food and fuel had been
blown up on its way to Crimea. It did not claim the attack was carried out by
GUR or mention the bridge collapses. The statement said Moscow's key artery with
the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia region and Crimea has been destroyed.
Russia forces have been pushing into the region of Zaporizhzhia in
eastern Ukraine since Moscow's full-scale invasion in February 2022. Russia took
Crimea and annexed it in 2014.
Nearly 250,000 Syrians in Turkiye returned home after Assad
regime collapse
Arab News/June 01, 2025
LONDON: Nearly 250,000 Syrian refugees living in Turkiye have returned to Syria
since the fall of Bashar Assad’s regime in December, which ended more than a
decade of civil strife in the country. Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya
announced on Sunday that data from the Turkish Immigration Directorate showed a
significant decline in the number of Syrians with temporary protection status,
with nearly 250,000 making a return journey to Syria. In May, the directorate
recorded 2,723,421 Syrians living in Turkiye, compared to 3,737,369 in May 2021,
according to the SANA news agency. It added that the fall of Assad’s regime in
December allowed for the voluntary return of tens of thousands of Syrian
refugees to their homes. The civil war in Syria, which began in 2011, has
displaced nearly 8.5 million people, almost half of the population. The majority
of them have ended up in Turkiye and refugee camps in Jordan and Lebanon.
Syrian president meets Kuwait emir on official visit
Arab News/June 01, 2025
CAIRO: Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa held official talks with Kuwaiti Emir
Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Sunday during a state-visit,
according to KUNA News Agency. The Syrian president arrived earlier in the day
accompanied by his Foreign Minister Assad al-Shibani and several high-profile
Syrian officials. Both leaders discussed bilateral
ties between the two brotherly countries and ways to enhance them in all fields,
the KUNA statement said. The talks also affirmed
Kuwait’s steadfast support for the unity of Syria and its sovereignty, it added.
The talks also covered the latest regional and international developments.
Al-Sharaa's visit to Kuwait aims to boost bilateral ties between the two
countries. Ties between Syria and Kuwait resumed last year, witnessing a notable
revival when Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya visited Damascus on Dec.
30. Since the visit, Kuwait launched the first flights of a humanitarian air
bridge to Syria, to help alleviate the suffering of Syrians, according to KUNA
News Agency. Kuwait, joining other GCC member states,
has underscored its unwavering support for Syria’s unity and sovereignty.
Al-Sharaa had previously visited Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and the United
Arab Emirates on his Gulf tour.
Is Iraq ready to stand alone against extremist threats if US
withdrawal goes ahead?
Jonathan Lessware/Arab News/June 01, 2025
LONDON: When Daesh extremists seized control of swathes of Iraqi territory in
2014, many wondered whether the onslaught could have been prevented had US
troops not withdrawn from the country three years earlier. As the militants
surged into Iraq’s second-largest city, Mosul, there were reports of members of
the Iraqi Security Forces stripping off their uniforms as they fled. “We can’t
beat them,” an unnamed army officer told Reuters amid the chaos. “They are
well-trained in street fighting, and we’re not. We need a whole army to drive
them out of Mosul.”After three years of fierce fighting that took Daesh within
25 kilometers of the capital, Baghdad, the extremists were finally driven back
and Mosul was liberated. The gargantuan military
effort was spearheaded by Iraq’s elite Counter Terrorism Service, bolstered by
the return of American troops and the US Air Force.
Images of the destruction in Mosul, along with the catastrophic impact of
Daesh’s occupation, might be playing on the minds of Washington officials as
they once again weigh whether or not to remove American troops still stationed
in Iraq.
As it stands, the US and Iraq have agreed to end Operation Inherent Resolve —
the US-led coalition’s mission to combat Daesh — by September. Most of the 2,500
US personnel in Iraq are scheduled to leave in the initial phase, with a small
number remaining until 2026. Many believe US President Donald Trump, acting
under his isolationist tendencies, will want to hasten the withdrawal of those
forces, or is unlikely to extend their stay if the Iraqi government requests it.
With reports of an increase in attacks by Daesh sleeper cells, fears of
instability across the border in Syria, and with Iran looking to shore up its
proxy militias in Iraq, there are concerns that another complete US withdrawal
will once again leave the country vulnerable. “The risk of premature withdrawal
from Iraq is that the Iraqi Security Forces will lose critical operational and
tactical support, and Daesh will seize the opportunity to reconstitute and once
again terrorize the Iraqi people and state,” Dana Stroul, research director at
the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and a former Pentagon official,
told Arab News. The mooted withdrawal of US troops comes more than 20 years
after the US-led invasion of Iraq toppled Saddam Hussain, freeing the country
from dictatorship, but ushering in a period of sectarian civil war. US forces
were drawn into cycles of violence and routinely became the target of two
mutually antagonistic sectarian forces: Iran-backed militias and an insurgency
in which Al-Qaeda played a prominent role. When President Barack Obama took
office in 2009, he vowed to end US involvement in the conflicts in Iraq and
Afghanistan, but not without first ordering a massive troop surge in an attempt
to salvage the mission. In Iraq, where more than
100,000 people were estimated to have died in the violence, there was widespread
public anger at the American presence. In the US, the war was also deeply
unpopular with thousands of American soldiers having been killed.
Some American and Iraqi officials wanted to maintain a US military presence in
the country, fearful of an Al-Qaeda resurgence. But attempts to negotiate an
agreement for a reduced force failed and in October 2011 Obama announced that
all of the remaining 39,000 US troops would be withdrawn by the end of that
year, bringing a close to the mission. The US spent $25 billion on training and
equipping Iraq’s security forces up to September 2012, alongside Iraq’s own
spending on fighter jets and other advanced materiel. So it was something of a
surprise that Iraqi forces were so quickly overrun when Daesh launched its
offensive in 2014, having emerged from the remnants of Al-Qaeda in Iraq. Images
of Daesh fighters driving around in US armored vehicles captured from the Iraqi
military symbolized how quickly Iraq’s armed forces had deteriorated since the
2011 withdrawal.
As the extent of Daesh’s brutality began to emerge, including the slaughter of
the Yazidi minority and the beheading of Western hostages on YouTube, the US
ordered its forces back to the region, as part of an international coalition, to
fight the extremists in both Iraq and Syria. After some of the most brutal urban
warfare seen since the Second World War, Iraq’s then-prime minister, Haider
Al-Abadi, declared the territorial defeat of Daesh in December 2017. US forces
continued to help their allies in Syria to defeat the extremists there in March
2019.
By December 2021, US forces in Iraq no longer held combat roles, instead working
on training, advisory, and intelligence support for the country’s military. The
remaining 2,500 US troops are spread between Baghdad, Irbil in the
semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, and Ain Al-Asad air base. However, soon after
Al-Abadi’s declaration of victory over the extremists, a new threat emerged in
Iraq in the shape of Iran-backed militias, originally mobilized to help defeat
Daesh. Having extended their reach over Sunni and Kurdish areas, these groups
began attacking US bases with rockets and drones in a bid to force their
immediate withdrawal. These attacks, sponsored by
Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, prompted President Trump,
during his first term, to order the killing of militia chief Abu Mahdi
Al-Muhandis and Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani in a drone strike
on their motorcade as they left Baghdad Airport on Jan. 3, 2020.
Soleimani’s death was a major setback for Iran’s proxies throughout the
region, but the attacks on US positions did not subside. In fact, with the onset
of the war in Gaza in October 2023, Iraq’s Shiite militias mounted a fresh wave
of strikes, ostensibly in support of Hamas. The deadliest of these occurred on
Jan. 28, 2024, when three US personnel were killed and 47 wounded in a drone
attack on Tower 22 just over the border in Jordan, prompting then-US president,
Joe Biden, to order a wave of airstrikes on militia positions in Iraq. Mindful
of the need to protect its proxies in Iraq, at a time where Lebanon’s Hezbollah
and Yemen’s Houthis have been weakened and the sympathetic Assad regime in Syria
has fallen, Iran appears to have forsworn further militia strikes on US forces.
The latest agreement to end the US presence was reached in September last year
with the aim of moving to a fully bilateral security partnership in 2026.
Meanwhile, the US Defense Department announced in April it would be
halving the number of troops in northeast Syria “in the coming months.”An
indication of Trump’s aversion to the continued US military presence came during
a speech in Saudi Arabia while on his tour of the Gulf in May when he decried
“Western interventionists.”A clear concern surrounding a US withdrawal is
whether Iraq’s security forces are now strong enough to withstand threats like
the 2014 Daesh assault. The disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan in August
2021 is also no doubt fresh in the minds of defense officials.
The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources on june 01-02/2025
Saudi Arabia Wants Progress for Itself and The World
Hassan Youssef Yassin/Asharq Al-Awsat/June 01/2025
Extraordinary progress has been made since the Custodian of the Two Holy
Mosques, King Salman, and his Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, introduced
Vision 2030 and set the Kingdom on a trajectory toward reform and innovation
eight years ago. I will not go over the list of everything that has been already
achieved, suffice to say that we have never seen progress at this pace in Saudi
Arabia and perhaps the world.
Yet, I’ve noticed the discontent in Western media. Some commentators criticize
the Kingdom’s approach and its bold, innovative mega-projects, raising doubts
about our ability to achieve our ambitions. Most of the criticism amounts to
little more than cheap shots and baseless unpersuasive claims. When they’re not
questioning NEOM’s capacity to present a new model for sustainability, they are
casting doubt, despite growing evidence that runs counter to their claims, on
our ability to turn a land that had once been known for its sand and camels into
a land of opportunity and hope.
Yet, Saudi Arabia’s efforts go far beyond its domestic metamorphosis. We have
taken meaningful steps to promote peace and facilitate compromise among
conflicting parties in our region and beyond. Our nation has exceeded
expectations, taking bold positions with regard to ending conflicts in Yemen,
Palestine, Iran, and Sudan. It has even played a leading role in efforts to end
the war in Ukraine.
We are a nation that is willing to take risks, adapt, and correct course when
needed. The world often reads our fortunes from the fluctuation of oil prices,
but our determination is the compass of the Saudi citizens. We are focused on
our ability to consolidate stability- not only in global markets and economies
but in international relations as well. Saudi Arabia is not vying to do well in
a global popularity contest; it is relentlessly pursuing every possible avenue
to improve the lives of its citizens, those of its Arab neighbors, and everyone
in the world. Those sowing doubt and leaving a bitter taste in our mouths should
know this: we are planting our seeds with care, patience, and adaptability. We
will only savor the sweetness of our fruits after they ripen.
Detractors have recently zeroed in on NEOM and The Line, claiming that these
projects will harm the environment. However, this project essentially seeks to
pioneer a new model of sustainability: a carbon-neutral city designed to become
home to millions, foster innovation, and prove that we can live and thrive in
harmony with the environment. Whatever it takes, Saudi Arabia will remain
committed to realizing these goals. As for the flimsy and baseless criticisms,
they will blow in the wind and be washed away by the rain. The Kingdom has
already demonstrated its resolve to lead and to innovate. It has become a global
frontier in artificial intelligence, biotechnology, urban development, fintech,
and cybersecurity. Our nation is opening new doors, not closing windows or
hiding behind excuses.
Instead of criticizing these genuine positive efforts, the West should take a
hard look at its own record. It remains the worst culprit of environmental
destruction, pollution, and climate change to this day. The scale of waste in
Western societies (of water and electricity, or through rampant overconsumption)
is staggering. As Alexander Clapp shows in his book “Waste Wars,” their
pollution is often concealed behind the convenient fiction of recycling. In
reality, their toxic waste is exported to the world’s poorest countries. The
media ought to investigate and confront this phenomenon instead of attacking
Saudi Arabia’s sincere efforts to offer new models of sustainability and
environmental responsibility.
Let them talk. Saudi Arabia is an optimistic nation driven by dynamism and
ambition. Our visionary leaders have opened up new and unexpected horizons for
national development and opportunity. We also understand that the road ahead
will not always be straight or smooth and that progress demands adaptability and
a willingness to make adjustments to address unforeseen obstacles. Our goal is
simple: imagining and pursuing deliberate change, opening new doors, and
sparking hope in progress for our people, our region, and the world. We welcome
everyone who shares this spirit of innovation and audacity; we need one another.
Amid fears of nuclear threats, conflicts fueled by artificial intelligence,
rising tensions, anger, and division, Saudi Arabia believes that it is time to
focus on progress, fresh thinking, and cooperation. We believe that we can help
reverse the negative trajectory of global politics. We want to see humanity
fulfill the divine promise not destroy the planet.
The challenge, today, is to seek and apply new solutions. We must present a bold
and constructive path forward for humanity while protecting our planet and the
environment. The only way to achieve this is through action, and that is exactly
what Saudi Arabia is doing.
A Muslim in Israel: I was taught Jews unjustly took this
land. I found acceptance
Special to National Post/Ehsanullah Amiri/National
Post/June 01/2025
https://ca.yahoo.com/news/muslim-israel-taught-jews-unjustly-110032502.html
JERUSALEM — For Muslims, Al-Aqsa Mosque is one of the top three most important
sites, after Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia. In the same compound on Temple
Mount as the golden Dome of the Rock that rises over Jerusalem, it is etched
into the minds of many Muslims. Growing up, I was taught to see Jerusalem, with
its rich and tumultuous history, as the sole property of Muslims, unjustly
occupied by Jews. This city has survived wars and massacres perpetrated by
Christians, Muslims and Jews alike.
Born in a remote, picturesque village in the mountains of central Afghanistan, I
spent much of my childhood surrounded by the beauty of nature. I had little
understanding of the world.
In the 1990s, our only link to the outside world was the crackling voice of the
radio my father owned, a rare wealth in our isolated valley. We listened to news
about Afghanistan’s civil war, as well as world news, including the conflicts
between Israel and Palestine.
When the shadow of the Taliban’s first reign, from 1996 to 2001, fell upon us,
my family fled as refugees to Pakistan. The neighbouring country not only
offered shelter, but continued the familiar narrative of hate for Israel that we
had known back home. Pakistan is a land where its government inserts a last page
in passports that says its citizens can travel to all countries except Israel.
The arrival of the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan in 2001, and the fall of
the rule of the Taliban, opened a new chapter in our lives. We returned to our
country, where a surge of media and access to the internet connected us to the
world, and opportunities to read and study.
I witnessed and still carry the terror of war and have a profound understanding
of its destructive nature. As a survivor, like countless Afghans, of Taliban
fundamentalism, I yearn for peace and coexistence. It is an ache that punctures
the soul to see innocents, children and the elderly among them, killed across
the globe, whether in Ukraine, Israel or Gaza. On Oct. 7, 2023, as I scrolled
through my phone, I was struck by horrifying footage: Hamas terrorists
descending upon Israel, seizing hostages, setting homes ablaze in a rampage,
dragging lifeless bodies through the streets of Gaza. Since the outbreak of war
between Israel and Hamas, the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians,
including children, and the widespread destruction in Gaza caused by Israeli
airstrikes have been devastating to me. It drove me to journey to Israel late
last year, a trip made possible by Sharaka, a non-profit organization born in
the wake of the historic Abraham Accords. Dedicated to promoting peace in the
Middle East and fostering bridges between Israel and Muslims worldwide, it
offered me a chance, as a journalist, to see beyond the shadows of my past and
seek a new understanding of Israel and Jews, their history, culture, struggles
and beliefs.
The delegation, consisting of fewer than a dozen people, mostly journalists and
civil activists from Pakistan, was accompanied by members of Sharaka and an
Israeli journalist working for a local newspaper. We headed south.
Our first stop was Nir Oz, a kibbutz in southern Israel just three to four
kilometres from the Gaza Strip. The place is no longer the vibrant enclave it
once was. Before the October 7 massacre by Hamas, it housed nearly 400 people; a
community full of life and love.
On our way there, we were briefed on how to take cover if a rocket came from
Gaza, a grim reality Israelis have faced for years — under constant threat,
peace perpetually feels out of reach. This reality reminded me of my own
experiences in Afghanistan, never knowing if you’d make it home alive at night,
always wondering if a suicide attack might kill you, as it did thousands of
Afghans.
Nir Oz is now mostly in ruins and abandoned, home to only a small number of its
remaining community members. Irit Lahav, a survivor of the attack, and the
daughter of one of the kibbutz’s founders, welcomed us at the main entrance.
Still reeling, she shared her story of survival as our conversation was
interrupted by the sound of explosions from Gaza. I was not bothered by those
booms, having witnessed so much of the same back home, but it was a stark
reminder of the relentless war, the absence of peace.
When Hamas Nukhba Brigade fighters stormed her kibbutz, Lahav and her young
daughter hid in a safe room for nearly 12 hours without food, water or a toilet.
“We communicated by text message,” she recounted, explaining how they stayed
silent to avoid detection. After their rescue, she learned the devastating toll:
about a quarter of her community, more than a hundred people, had been killed or
taken hostage.
Lahav and two other Nir Oz residents had been strong advocates for peace with
Palestinians and Gazans. She worked tirelessly to help Gazan children with
cancer or other serious illnesses, navigating bureaucratic hurdles, securing
funding, even driving them to Israel for treatment.
“While I was hiding in my safe room with my daughter,” she said, standing inside
a burnt-out house adorned with pictures of its owners, who were killed by Hamas,
“I felt deeply hurt because Palestinians knew three people from this kibbutz
were helping them.”
When asked if she still feels the same compassion for Palestinians, she replied:
“No. They were planning to kill me.” In return for her years of goodwill and
assistance, Hamas left Lahav with a shattered kibbutz, a community in ruins. She
offered flowers, but they returned bullets, she said. A 15-minute drive from Nir
Oz, in the middle of a desert, is the site of the Nova music festival massacre.
Once a venue for celebration, it has now become a graveyard honouring the
hundreds of people killed there on that tragic day.
Under the afternoon Mediterranean sun, photographs of the victims, mostly young
men and women, line the site, each accompanied by small biography tags. The
memorials are surrounded by flowers and Israeli flags that flutter in the gentle
breeze.
At one corner of the venue, we meet Tomer Hava, a 24-year-old reservist in the
Israel Defense Forces (IDF), who had recently spent months on duty in Gaza.
Struggling with limited English, he recounted how he narrowly escaped the Hamas
attack at Nova while celebrating with close friends. For hours, he hid in the
nearby fields. Tomer has also lost his younger brother in Gaza, killed while
fighting terrorism.
When asked if he had ever killed civilians in Gaza, Tomer firmly said no. But
explaining the complexities of guerrilla warfare or the tactics used by
insurgent groups proved difficult for him. Every war, whether between two armies
or a nation and a terrorist organization, claims civilian lives. This, I know so
well, is the ugliest aspect of conflict, whether caused by the Taliban, U.S.
troops or the U.S.-backed Afghan government.
In Afghanistan, the Taliban often used civilian homes as shields, forcing locals
to provide shelter, food and vantage points to attack troops. According to
Tomer, Hamas employs similar tactics, using people’s homes as shields in Gaza.
Israel has many sacred sites, and I explored several of them. In Jerusalem, the
Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built in the fourth century, is one of
Christianity’s holiest places. It welcomes visitors of all faiths. I also
visited the Western Wall, in the Old City of Jerusalem, where non-Jewish
visitors are required to wear a kippah, a traditional Jewish head covering.
Just a few metres away lies Al-Aqsa Mosque. My Israeli friend accompanied me to
the main entrance, which is guarded by Israeli security forces. After checking
my passport and visa, they allowed me through. Inside, Jordanians and
Palestinians handle administrative duties. “Are you Muslim?” one of the
Palestinians asked. “Yes, I am,” I replied with a smile. “No,” he snapped,
looking angry. “Say ‘Alhamdulillah,’” referring to the Arabic phrase Muslims use
to praise God for blessings. “Read me the Shahada,” another demanded, referring
to the Islamic oath, one of the five Pillars of Islam.
“You have my passport,” I said. “It says Afghanistan, a Muslim country. Do you
doubt me?”
They questioned my faith. I’ve visited numerous Muslim holy sites in Afghanistan
and Pakistan, yet never faced such scrutiny. The experience of a Muslim
questioning another Muslim’s faith at such a revered site was painful. It left
me unsettled.
“I think it’s disrespectful to test whether I’m Muslim,” I said.
“If you don’t recite the Shahada, I won’t let you in,” he replied.
Later, I asked Imam Mohammad Tawhidi, of the Global Imams Council, which is
comprised of scholars from all sects of Islam, about my experience at Al-Aqsa
Mosque. “Such treatment at the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque is unacceptable and has
no basis in Islamic law. Islam does not mandate testing individuals on their
faith as a condition for entry into a mosque, nor does it require Muslims to
prove their religious identity through recitation,” he said.
“Al-Aqsa Mosque, like all houses of God, is meant to be a place of worship and
spiritual reflection, open to all who seek to enter. Denying a Muslim access
based on arbitrary assessments is both unjust and un-Islamic, as it disregards
the fundamental Islamic principle that a person’s declaration of faith is
sufficient to affirm their identity as a Muslim,” the Imam said.
According to Tawhidi, demanding the recitation of the Shahada as a prerequisite
for entry not only violates personal dignity, but risks imposing conversion
elements upon non-Muslims who may not fully understand its implications. That is
contrary to Islamic ethics and the principle that faith must be embraced
willingly and with full awareness.
Throughout Jerusalem or Tel Aviv and even in Israel’s rural areas, you see the
toll of war on families. There are photos of Hamas victims everywhere, even
greeting you at Ben Gurion Airport. The pain is visible.
At Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, I met several people whose family members remain
in Hamas custody. They were living in tents in the square as they wait. As a
member of Hazaras, a persecuted minority in Afghanistan, and a journalist, I’ve
covered the Taliban’s abductions of my people in Kabul. I asked an elderly woman
in one of the tents how her daily life had changed since her loved one was
taken. Tears welled in her eyes. “I used to have a normal life. Now I can’t eat,
work or live. I’m always thinking about the hostages.” Waiting slowly kills you.
Outside the tents, men and women, mostly elderly, gathered in a circle, singing
songs with tragic lyrics in Hebrew while holding portraits of the victims of the
October 7 massacre. In the square, families of the victims have recreated a mock
Hamas tunnel that is open to the public — a dark, closed space filled with the
sounds of explosions. On the walls, people have written messages and marked the
number of days their loved ones had been held captive.
Later, in Tel Aviv, I was surprised to meet a young girl who said, “I am an
Afghan Jew.” I began speaking Dari, one of Afghanistan’s national languages, but
she replied in English, explaining that she was born in the United States and
now lives in Israel. Excited to meet someone from her ancestral land, she called
her grandmother, who lives in New York, and handed me the phone. Her grandmother
spoke fluent Dari with me, despite having been away from Afghanistan for more
than half a century. She reminisced about her time studying at a school in Kabul
and described the freedom and absence of antisemitism during Afghanistan’s last
monarchy.
“Those were the great years of Afghanistan,” she said. “There was peace.” When
the call ended, her granddaughter, Sarit Gad, told me, “You made her entire
month.”
Afghanistan once had a small Jewish community, but over the course of different
regimes and civil wars, nearly all of them fled the country. The last known Jew
fled in 2021, when the Taliban took control once again.
Save A Child’s Heart, a hospital in Tel Aviv, treats children with complex heart
conditions, mostly from Africa and Middle Eastern Muslim countries. Since 2017,
it has saved five Afghan children, including one in 2022. This was during
Taliban rule — the same group that supports Hamas, named a school after Yahya
Sinwar, a Palestinian militant and Hamas leader (killed in 2024), and celebrates
Hamas’s attacks on Israelis.
Israel is a multicultural, multi-ethnic nation, a fact rarely highlighted. Some
1.2 million Arab Israelis enjoy social freedoms and political representation.
About 250,000 Bedouins and Druze have equal rights alongside other Israelis. I
met members of both communities, some whom lost family in the Hamas attack
simply for being Israeli. On the road to Hebron in the
West Bank (known as Al-Khalil in Arabic), Israelis must travel in armoured
buses. As the road passes through enclaves where Palestinians live, parts of it
are flanked by tall concrete barriers to deter gunfire from surrounding areas.
Bullet marks were visible on the window of the bus beside my seat.
Hebron, one of the oldest cities in the Levant, is a holy site for
Muslims, Jews and Christians, with a long history of conflict and contested
land. The Tomb of Patriarchs and Matriarchs lies beneath a Crusader-era church.
Here, in a series of caves, are buried Abraham, Isaac, Sarah, Jacob, their tombs
adorned with inscriptions in Arabic — dating back to the Ottoman era — and in
Hebrew.
Orthodox Jews sing, study and pray in the synagogue section of the Tomb, and
Muslims pray and worship in their Mosque of Ibrahimi. Two sides of the same
Tomb. Male infants are also circumcised here, a procedure performed by a
traditional doctor. Once it’s done, the crowd breaks into song and the father
reveals the baby’s name.When the Muslim cleric delivers the adhan, the Islamic
call to prayer, the doors remain closed, and the Jewish worshippers are held
inside until the call for prayer concludes. Israeli Jews are not permitted in
the mosque. A large contingent of Israeli soldiers for the protection of Jews
are visible here and throughout Hebron.As I left the ancient city, I wondered
how Abraham would have felt, seeing his Jewish and Muslim descendants locked in
conflict rather than living in peace. As one local said, “We are all the
grandchildren of Abraham. Why shouldn’t we live in peace?”
Italy-KSA: A strategic partnership where heritage meets
modernity
Carlo Baldocci/Arab News/June 01, 2025
As Italy on Monday celebrates the 79th anniversary of the foundation of the
republic, which brought democracy, freedom and economic development after the
horrors of two world wars, I would like to take a moment to look into the
remarkable progress already achieved in the first part of this year in the
bilateral relationship between Italy and Saudi Arabia.In 2025, our two countries
achieved a milestone in their relationship by upgrading it to the level of a
strategic partnership. The historic visit to the Kingdom of Italian Prime
Minister Giorgia Meloni and her meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at
the end of January ushered in a new phase for our two countries. As ambassador,
I had the privilege to prepare the visit and assist my prime minister during
this landmark mission. In the Royal Camp of AlUla, in a traditional Saudi desert
tent, I witnessed two leaders discussing extensively and with passion not only
the present but also, most notably, the future. Our diplomatic relationship is
an old and very solid one, as it dates back to 1932. But it is also projected
into the future, as our two leaders fully understood: Italy and Saudi Arabia
have much to gain from seizing common opportunities and addressing common
challenges together.
First, let me dwell on the people-to-people relations, which are the basis for a
stronger and more mature strategic partnership. The Italian community in the
Kingdom is growing, in parallel with the number of Saudi citizens visiting and
doing business in Italy. We are indeed popular destinations for each other. I
believe our peoples share many aspects of a broader Mediterranean heritage and
therefore many values and habits are absolutely the same in the Kingdom and in
Italy. This makes our citizens feel at home in both countries.
Politically, our governments are fully committed to the principles of
de-escalation, stabilization and development of the Middle East and North Africa
region. We look through the same lens at regional dynamics and we are working
more and more closely on different dossiers. Italy, which is at the center of
the Mediterranean Sea and is a natural bridge between Europe and the Arab world,
has a key interest in a prosperous region and fully supports the Kingdom’s
positive agenda in this regard. Italy and Saudi Arabia
have much to gain from seizing common opportunities and challenges together. The
deep and accelerated reform process the Kingdom is undergoing also has the
potential to have a positive effect on the whole region, prioritizing
integration and development. Our economies are complementary and Italy is very
well placed to continue to contribute to the implementation of Vision 2030,
which is now very familiar to Italian stakeholders and public opinion.
We will continue to work with our Saudi counterparts with the spirit of
partnership that is an integral part of the Italian DNA abroad. We support the
Kingdom in achieving its objectives, through joint ventures and joint industrial
policies. This is the key ingredient for a sustainable partnership, as it will
enable our two countries to grow together and get stronger together, through
exchanges of know-how, technology transfer and the cross-fertilization of our
respective capacities.
During the January visit of PM Meloni, a high-level roundtable took place in the
iconic location of Maraya. With the marvels of AlUla as a backdrop, we
celebrated Saudi heritage — a powerful message on how the Kingdom’s
transformation is deeply anchored in its rich heritage and identity. The
beautiful and Italian-designed Maraya concert hall reminded us that our
tradition is inevitably a work in progress, which can benefit from our
cooperation and is enriched every day by both creativity and technology.
Key representatives from both countries were present in Maraya and signed a
significant number of agreements, not only business deals but also very relevant
initiatives in the arts, with archeology, restoration and design as the map of
our desire to share and experiment with our capacities. That event and that
spirit, I believe, symbolize very well the essence of our strategic partnership,
where heritage meets modernity and where our respective roots will guide us into
a more prosperous future.
*Carlo Baldocci is Italy’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
The US-China trade war’s consequences for agriculture
Dr. Turki Faisal Al-Rasheed/Arab News/June 01, 2025
The trade war initiated by the Trump administration, particularly focused on
China, has sparked widespread debate about its implications for various sectors,
especially agriculture. As tariffs have been imposed on numerous goods, the US
agricultural sector faces significant challenges, particularly concerning
essential exports like soybeans and corn. This article examines the consequences
of the trade conflict, especially regarding food security and weaponry, while
also assessing the position of developing countries, with a specific focus on
Saudi Arabia. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for formulating strategies
that mitigate negative impacts and foster collaboration in an increasingly
interdependent global economy. The US-China trade war
was started with the intent to rectify perceived trade imbalances and protect
American industries. The administration’s tariffs aimed to shield domestic
producers from foreign competition and address issues related to intellectual
property theft. However, the immediate fallout of these tariffs has been a
disruption in agricultural exports, particularly to China, which has
historically been one of the largest markets for US agricultural products.
American farmers, particularly those in Republican strongholds, have reported
significant declines in sales, leading to financial distress. The repercussions
extend beyond individual farms, threatening the broader agricultural sector’s
viability and influencing global food security. This conflict has highlighted
the fragility of agricultural markets, which are intricately linked to
international trade dynamics.
The imposition of tariffs has led to a significant decrease in US agricultural
exports to China, particularly in commodities like soybeans, which have seen a
dramatic fall in demand. As Brazil and Argentina have ramped up their production
and captured market shares, US farmers are finding it increasingly difficult to
regain access to these crucial markets. The historical example of the 1980s
grain embargo against the Soviet Union serves as a cautionary tale, illustrating
how protectionist measures can backfire, hurting domestic producers while
leaving foreign competitors relatively unscathed.
Additionally, the psychological burden on American farmers cannot be overlooked.
The uncertainty surrounding trade relations has led to fears of economic
instability, with farmers expressing concerns over unsold crops and the
long-term viability of their operations. Kenneth Hartman of the National Corn
Growers Association encapsulated this anxiety by emphasizing the dire
consequences of prolonged disconnection from the Chinese market.
Food security has historically been a pivotal aspect of international
relations. The US has often leveraged its agricultural prowess to exert
influence over other nations, particularly in developing countries. Following
its sanctions on Russia, the US sought to intertwine agricultural economies with
its own, thereby fostering dependency through strategic practices. This raises
questions about the ethical implications of using food security as a tool of
power.
In contrast, Saudi Arabia’s approach to agricultural self-sufficiency offers a
compelling counternarrative. By investing significantly in domestic agriculture,
the Kingdom aims to reduce reliance on external sources, thereby enhancing
national food security. This strategic pivot underscores the importance of
sovereignty in food production and highlights the potential of developing
nations to chart their own paths in the face of global trade pressures.
Historically, John R. Block, who was secretary of agriculture in the Reagan
administration, advocated for self-sufficiency in developing nations, promoting
the idea that countries should cultivate their agricultural capabilities to
reduce reliance on imports. However, this notion becomes paradoxical when
considering that many developing countries could achieve food security more
efficiently through American agricultural products. This dynamic illustrates a
broader strategy of domination: controlling food equates to wielding power. By
fostering dependency on US agricultural exports, America not only secures its
own economic interests but also reinforces its geopolitical influence.
A compelling counterexample to this paradigm is Saudi Arabia, where King Fahd’s
administration made a strategic pivot toward agricultural self-sufficiency,
directly challenging US recommendations that favored external dependence.
Recognizing the vulnerabilities associated with food imports, the Saudi
government invested heavily in domestic agriculture, focusing on initiatives
that would enhance local production capabilities. These investments led to
significant advancements in technology, irrigation systems and agricultural
practices, resulting in increased yields and a reduced reliance on imported
food.
This pursuit of self-sufficiency not only enhanced food security for Saudi
Arabia but also economically empowered its citizens by creating jobs, fostering
local industries and integrating them into the agricultural mainstream. Farmers
received training and resources that allowed them to contribute to a more robust
domestic agricultural sector, ultimately leading to greater national pride and
resilience against global market fluctuations. Saudi
Arabia's approach underscores the importance of national sovereignty in food
security, highlighting that self-sufficiency can be achieved through strategic
planning and investment rather than reliance on external sources. This
successful policy serves as a valuable lesson for other nations, particularly
those in similar geopolitical situations, emphasizing that prioritizing local
agricultural development can lead to sustainable food security and economic
empowerment.
Saudi Arabia’s pursuit of agricultural self-sufficiency serves as a valuable
lesson for other nations. Furthermore, as global food systems continue to
evolve, the Saudi model demonstrates that countries can effectively balance
self-sufficiency with international trade. By developing a robust domestic
agricultural sector while maintaining trade relationships, Saudi Arabia has
positioned itself to navigate the complexities of global food markets more
effectively. This dual approach not only secures its food supply but also
enables the country to play a more influential role in regional and global food
security discussions.
In conclusion, while the US promotes self-sufficiency in developing nations as a
means of encouraging independence, the Saudi experience illustrates that
achieving food security can also involve strategic investments in local
agriculture. By recognizing the interplay between self-sufficiency and
international cooperation, countries can develop more resilient food systems
that protect their interests while contributing to global food security efforts.
Developing countries, often caught in the crossfire of US-China trade tensions,
face unique challenges. Many of these nations rely on agricultural exports to
sustain their economies, making them particularly vulnerable to market
fluctuations triggered by trade wars. The trade conflict can exacerbate existing
inequalities, as wealthier nations with greater resources can better absorb the
shocks of tariffs and retaliatory measures.
In the context of Saudi Arabia, while the nation has made strides toward
agricultural self-sufficiency, it remains heavily dependent on imports for
various food products. The trade war complicates these dynamics, as rising food
prices and market instability can threaten food security for vulnerable
populations. The interplay of global trade and domestic agricultural policies
thus becomes crucial in ensuring that developing nations can navigate these
challenges effectively.
Given the complexities of the trade war and its implications for agriculture and
food security, several strategies can help mitigate negative impacts on both the
US and developing nations.
Firstly, pursuing diplomatic resolutions to enhance trade access with key
markets, particularly China, can create a more stable environment for
agricultural exports. Constructive dialogue focused on fair trade practices can
cultivate cooperation and trust.
Secondly, innovating through sustainable farming practices can enhance
productivity and food security. Investing in technology such as precision
farming can position US farmers to compete effectively in both domestic and
international markets.
Thirdly, forming strategic partnerships with countries facing similar
agricultural challenges can establish a united front in advocating fair trade
practices. Collaborating with nations with aligned agricultural interests can
bolster global food security.
Fourthly, encouraging farmers to diversify their export markets can reduce
dependence on any single nation. By exploring opportunities in emerging markets,
US agriculture can build resilience against trade disruptions.
Finally, providing support to developing nations through investment, technology
transfer and capacity building can help them achieve greater self-sufficiency in
food production. This, in turn, can enhance global food security by reducing
reliance on a few dominant suppliers.
In summary, the trade war’s impacts reach far beyond the immediate economic
consequences for US farmers. They challenge the very foundations of global food
security and the strategies employed to navigate this conflict will determine
the resilience of agricultural sectors worldwide. As nations strive to adapt to
these changes, the lessons learned from both the US and Saudi Arabia will prove
integral to developing sustainable pathways for food security and economic
cooperation in the future.
The ongoing trade war between the US and China has significant implications for
agriculture and global food security. As American farmers grapple with the
challenges posed by tariffs and market disruptions, it is essential to consider
the broader consequences of these actions on developing nations. By adopting a
balanced approach that emphasizes collaboration, innovation and strategic
engagement, the US can navigate the complexities of the global trade landscape.
The decisions made today will shape the future of agriculture and international
relations for generations to come. Through resilience and strategic foresight,
American agriculture can not only weather the storms of trade conflict but also
reaffirm its role as a leader in global food production. In an interconnected
world, fostering cooperation and embracing the realities of global trade will be
crucial for ensuring a sustainable and secure future for all nations.
**Dr. Turki Faisal Al-Rasheed is an adjunct professor at the University of
Arizona’s College of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences, in the
Department of Biosystems Engineering. He is the author of “Agricultural
Development Strategies: The Saudi Experience.” X: @TurkiFRasheed