English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For June 10/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible Quotations For today
Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies,
it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John
12/20-28/:”Among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks.
They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, ‘Sir,
we wish to see Jesus.’Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went
and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be
glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth
and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world
will keep it for eternal life.Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am,
there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honour. ‘Now
my soul is troubled. And what should I say “Father, save me from this hour”? No,
it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.’
Then a voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it
again.’
Titles For The
Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on June 09-10/2025
Aoun and Salam's Condemnations of Israeli Strikes Expose Their Failure,
Blindness, and Submission to Hezbollah’s Delusional Logic/Elias Bejjani/June
07/2025
Video Link to an Interview with Engineer Tom Harb from "Voice of Lebanon"
platform
Reports: US, Israel mulling end to UNIFIL's presence
As threats grow on border, Israel questions value of UN peacekeepers in Lebanon
Tenenti: No Discussions Have Taken Place Regarding UNIFIL’s Funding
With no progress on reconstruction, Lebanon bets on donors to unlock funding
US official denies reports of plans to end UNIFIL mission
Israeli Drone Strike Kills One in Nmairiya, South Lebanon
Airstrike targets vehicle on south Lebanon road
UNIFIL faces local pushback in Lebanon’s south amid Israeli calls to end mission
— what’s next for the force?
Israel's army conducts bulldozing operation near southern Lebanon village,
gunfire reported in separate incident
Palestinian Disarmament: Is Pandora’s Box Forever Closed?
Beirut Airport Sees Record Passenger Traffic in May 2025
Plan to Repatriate Syrian Refugees in Lebanon Finalized (Asharq al-Awsat)
Lebanon/Iran: The Root Causes of the Crisis/Michel Touma/This Is Beirut/June
09/2025
Lebanon Marks 164th Anniversary of ISF
Lebanon, the Unraveling Country /Charles Chartouni/This is Beirut/June 09/2025
Will Lebanon learn form al-Sharaa’s government?/Abdulrahman al-Rashed/Asharq Al-Awsat/June
09/2025
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on June 09-10/2025
2 people killed in shooting on Las Vegas Strip near Bellagio
fountains, police say
Iran to present counter-proposal to US, Trump says talks to resume
Trump says Iran is involved in Gaza hostage negotiations
IAEA chief relays Iran warning against Israeli strikes on nuclear facilities
Iran obtaining IAEA documents is 'bad', shows poor cooperation, Grossi says
Trump says meeting on Iran planned for Thursday
IAEA chief says information obtained by Iran 'seem to refer' to Israeli nuclear
research site
An Israeli soldier was taken hostage on October 7. In ceasefire plea, his mother
releases video of his brutal capture
Israel kills three rescuers, journalist in strikes on Gaza city, Palestinian
media report
Palestinians say Israel and its allies fired on crowd near Gaza aid site.
Hospital says 6 killed
Wafaa Shurafa And Samy Magdy, The Associated PressAid to Gaza hangs by a thread
amid looting and starvation
Israeli forces seize Gaza-bound aid boat and detain Greta Thunberg and other
activists
Trump's travel ban on citizens from 12 countries takes effect
As new U.S. travel ban arrives, some Canadian dual nationals are worried
Russia has plans to test NATO's resolve, German intelligence chief warns
Russia says plan to boost role in Africa includes 'sensitive' security ties
Trump's White House Redirects Thousands Of Missiles Meant For Ukraine's Use,
Zelenskyy Says
Kremlin says NATO air defence plan is confrontational and will cost European
taxpayers
Trump Calls on Qatar to Fund Kennedy Center’s MAGA Makeover
Canada to hit 2 percent defense NATO spending target this year: Carney
Titles For
The Latest English LCCC analysis &
editorials from miscellaneous sources
on June 09-10/2025
Why Iran Will Never Give Up Its Nuclear Weapons/Amin Sharifi/Gatestone
Institute/June 09/2025
Fresh grounds to snap back Iran sanctions — and block it from getting a nuclear
bomb
Andrea Stricker/New York Post/June 09/2025
Who will replace Muhammad Sinwar as the leader of Hamas in Gaza?/Joe Truzman/
FDD's Long War Journal/June 09/2025
Palestinians Weigh In: The Real Reason Hamas Wants To 'Sacrifice' Them/Khaled
Abu Toameh/Gatestone Institute./June 09/2025
The Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on June 09-10/2025
Aoun and Salam's Condemnations of Israeli
Strikes Expose Their Failure, Blindness, and Submission to Hezbollah’s
Delusional Logic
Elias Bejjani/June 07/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/06/144037/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aho_QczoPZQ&t=117s
It is with sadness and deep
disappointment that we affirm the complete failure of Joseph Aoun’s presidential
tenure. His role has been reduced to protocol receptions, hollow press releases
devoid of constitutional substance, and ceremonial foreign visits. All the hopes
that once accompanied his appointment (not election) have now collapsed. He
remains hesitant and fearful, appeasing Hezbollah and flattering it at the
expense of Lebanon, the Lebanese people, the constitution, and binding UN
resolutions.
Facts on the ground now confirm that the Lebanese state, under its new
leadership, remains a hostage of Hezbollah’s occupation. It continues to operate
under the dictates of Nabih Berri, a symbol of corruption, sectarianism, and
moral decay.
Regarding Israel’s daily military operations against the terrorist,
Iranian-backed Hezbollah, multiple official American statements have affirmed
that Israel is acting within its rights to implement the ceasefire and all
related UN resolutions on Lebanon. The continued silence of the international
security committee—chaired by an American general—and its refusal to condemn any
Israeli operation further confirms Israel’s compliance with the Ceasefire
Agreement and UNSCR 1701 Plus.
As for Presidents Aoun and Salam’s statements condemning Israeli strikes, they
are nothing but bundles of confusion and ignorance. Without question, these
statements were conceived, drafted, and issued by advisors affiliated with
Hezbollah—individuals who are little more than slaves, mercenaries, and echo
chambers for the Iranian occupation’s propaganda.
In short, Presidents Aoun and Salam remain, to this day, symbols of
subservience, failure, hesitation, procrastination, and blind detachment from
the sweeping international and regional shifts reshaping the future of Lebanon
and the broader Middle East.
Video Link to an Interview
with Engineer Tom Harb from "Voice of Lebanon" platform
June 09/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/06/144098/
During an interview with "Voice of Lebanon," Engineer Tom Harb emphasized the
imperative for the Lebanese army to disarm Hezbollah across Beirut, Mount
Lebanon, the North, and the region spanning from Akkar to Zahle. He critically
noted that the sovereignty-related accomplishments of both Joseph Aoun and the
Salam government amount to "zero cubed." Harb concluded that Joseph Aoun's
current tenure appears to be a direct extension of Michel Aoun's presidency,
characterized by the same policies, advisors, and a consistent pattern of
appeasing Hezbollah.
Summary of Tom Harb's Interview
Tom Harb, Director of the American Mideast Coalition and a Republican Party
member, stated during his intervention that Lebanon is not a priority for the
US. He emphasized there's no American retreat from the Lebanese file, as the
nuclear issue, the Gaza file, the Ukraine file, and neighboring countries' files
are higher on the US agenda. He noted that Syria has made significant progress
through what Al-Shara presented. The Trump administration exerted effort for
Lebanon, but Lebanese officials did not take responsibility, instead waiting for
the outcomes of Iranian-American negotiations.
Harb expressed a dire concern: "I fear one thing: After 20 years in Afghanistan,
the Americans returned to dealing with the Taliban. Consequently, the United
States might take the same step with Hezbollah, given that the Lebanese state
has not execute the tremendous work required of it.
Harb asserted that the Lebanese army must clear areas from Beirut to Akkar and
Zahle of Hezbollah's weaponry. He added, "We support not renewing UNIFIL's
mandate. Today, we will not accept its presence because it is not a factor of
stability for the region, and its work should shift to north of the Litani,
extending to the Beqaa."
Harb further stated, "As a US-Lebanese working team in America, we have been
discussing the non-renewal of UNIFIL's mandate for some time. The Lebanese state
has declared that it has cleared south of the Litani of Hezbollah's weapons, and
now we belive the UNIFIL is required to move its operations north of the Litani.
Harb, questioned, "Does President Joseph Aoun accept the existence of drone
factories near the Ministry of Defense? And how is it that President Aoun has
not taken any steps regarding the exclusivity of weapons until now?, and pointed
out that, according to the Ceasefire Agreement, Israel has been given
guarantees, and Hezbollah signed off on this "humiliation and shame." He
emphasized that Resolution 1701 is meaningless; Resolution 1559 is what matters,
and Israel is attacking Lebanon because Lebanon is is not abiding by the
ceasefire Agreements articles.
He concluded by saying, "As long as there is blood in our veins, there will be
no break with Lebanon, but the Lebanese state's position is weak, and voices may
rise, and the strategy may change."
Key Concerns Expressed by Tom Harb
*The Lebanese army must clear areas from Beirut to Akkar and Zahle of
Hezbollah's weaponry.
*The achievements of Joseph Aoun and the Salam government regarding sovereignty
are "zero cubed."
*It appears that the second term of Aoun (referring to Joseph Aoun) is a
continuation of the first Aoun era (Michel Aoun), marked by a "bundle of zeros"
in terms of achievements concerning sovereignty.
*Resolution 1701 is crrently deemed meaningless, with Resolution 1559 being the
relevant one.
*Harb fears that the US might eventually deal with Hezbollah, similar to their
approach with the Taliban in Afghanistan, if the Lebanese state fails to take
decisive action.
Harb advocates for non-renewal of UNIFIL's mandate and proposes its operations
shift north of the Litani River.
Reports: US, Israel mulling
end to UNIFIL's presence
Naharnet/June 09/2025
U.S. officials are considering pulling American support from UNIFIL, the United
Nations peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, in a bid to cut costs associated
with its operations, the Israel Hayom newspaper reported Sunday evening, with US
sources later confirming to The Times of Israel that the option was on the
table. Should the U.S. move ahead with its decision to pull support from the
U.N. body, Israel will back the decision, Israel Hayom reported, both out of a
desire to align itself with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump
and in light of the Israeli security establishment’s “cooperation with the
Lebanese army since the ceasefire in November,” the Times of Israel said.
According to Israel Hayom, the presence of the Lebanese Armed Forces in southern
Lebanon has proven relatively effective in “beating back the threat of
Hezbollah” and keeping the group from rearming itself, making “redundant” much
of UNIFIL’s operations in the region. Sources familiar with the matter told The
Times of Israel that the U.S. has not yet made up its mind regarding its future
support for UNIFIL, but that it wants to see major reforms, which could mean
pulling support. As UNIFIL’s mandate is granted through a U.N. Security Council
resolution each year, the U.S. could simply veto the next resolution, due to be
put forward in August. UNIFIL has been operating in southern Lebanon since 1978,
when it was created to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the area
following the end of Israel’s first invasion of south Lebanon.
The U.N. peacekeeping force expanded its mission following the 2006 war between
Israel and Hezbollah, allowing peacekeepers to deploy along the Israeli border
to help the Lebanese military extend its authority into the country’s south for
the first time in decades.
Aimed at ending the 2006 war, Resolution 1701 also called for a full cessation
of Israeli-Hezbollah hostilities and the disarmament of Hezbollah. UNIFIL’s
mandate has been renewed annually ever since, although critics have questioned
the efficacy of the force.
Following the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, which put an end to more
than a year of hostilities with Hezbollah, including two months of all-out war,
the Lebanese Army moved into southern Lebanon to enforce the terms of the
ceasefire, which itself is based on Resolution 1701.
The resolution requires Hezbollah to withdraw its fighters north of the Litani
River — about 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the border — and dismantle all
military infrastructure in southern Lebanon.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam told the Wall Street Journal last month that his
government had achieved 80 percent of its objectives regarding the disarmament
of Hezbollah and other militias in the country’s south.
At the same time, the Israeli army has continued to launch strikes on Hezbollah
operatives and infrastructure, alleging violations of the truce agreement.
According to the Israeli army, over 180 Hezbollah operatives have been killed
since the truce came into effect.
As threats grow on border, Israel questions value of UN
peacekeepers in Lebanon
LBCI/June 09/2025
Israeli officials have described the international forces operating in southern
Lebanon as ineffective, as the Israeli lobby, in coordination with Washington,
pushes within the United Nations not to renew the mandate of these forces,
according to security officials.
According to a security report, Israel’s view of the international forces has
shifted. It no longer believes their presence in southern Lebanon is preferable
to their absence, especially since, in Israel’s view, these forces have failed
to deter Hezbollah’s strength.
Reports also note that indirect coordination — conducted through countries
allied with Tel Aviv — with the army has proven effective. The actions of the
Lebanese army on the ground have become more significant than what the United
Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) can deliver. Israeli officials
concluded in internal discussions and security assessments that the combination
of security concerns and political interests now leans toward joining the U.S.
position, which opposes renewing the mandate — or at least calls for expanding
UNIFIL’s powers. More importantly, according to a senior security official,
current deliberations are focusing on how to restore full freedom of action for
Israel to protect its northern border. The official warned that even if UNIFIL’s
mission is terminated, Israel will not abandon the northern front, and the
Israeli military is prepared for any scenario. Through indirect cooperation with
the Lebanese army and with intelligence and technological capabilities, Israel
will be able to effectively respond to growing threats along the border. This
evolving Israeli stance toward both UNIFIL and the Lebanese army raises
questions about the credibility of Israel’s earlier claims that the Lebanese
army was incapable of fulfilling its duties — a position that now appears
inconsistent unless Tel Aviv seeks to drive a wedge between the army and
Hezbollah supporters in Lebanon.
Tenenti: No Discussions Have Taken Place Regarding UNIFIL’s
Funding
This Is Beirut/June 09/2025
UNIFIL spokesperson in Lebanon Andrea Tenenti said on Monday that no discussions
have taken place regarding a reduction in international funding for UNIFIL’s
mission in Lebanon, two months before the annual renewal of its mandate.
“We are committed to ensuring security and stability in southern Lebanon, and we
aim to hand over all our duties on the ground to the Lebanese Army,” Tenenti
said in comments to Sky News Arabia. He said that the future of the peacekeeping
force and the reported reduction of its funding have not been discussed, and it
“is a matter for the UN Security Council” to decide. “Our numbers in southern
Lebanon have not changed so far,” he noted, adding that “48 countries have
supported our mission in Lebanon since 2006, and our presence creates a ‘sense
of hope’ in the southern region.”
“We support the Lebanese Army in its deployment in southern Lebanon. Our support
for the Lebanese Army is the ‘cornerstone’ of this process,” he said, noting
that the presence of Israeli forces in southern Lebanon hinders the Lebanese
Army’s deployment and the international community's ability to fulfill its
mission in Lebanon. Tenenti’s comments came in apparent response to Israeli
media reports that Tel Aviv and Washington have allegedly reached an
understanding not to renew UNIFIL’s mandate, which is set to expire at the end
of August. UNIFIL’s mission is traditionally renewed annually through a vote at
the UN Security Council.
With no progress on reconstruction, Lebanon bets on donors
to unlock funding
LBCI/June 09/2025
Since the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, no meaningful progress has
been made on reconstruction. Lebanon had been awaiting the World Bank’s approval
of a $250 million loan on June 12, but reports now suggest the discussion of the
loan may be postponed indefinitely.If the delay carries a message, it is a
familiar one: no funds will be released without Lebanon fulfilling its promises.
Still, the government remains determined to secure the funding needed for
reconstruction, which is expected to come from donor countries and international
agencies. The prime minister’s office has scheduled a donor conference for
Tuesday at the Grand Serail to announce that the first step in the process will
be the $250 million loan. The loan is earmarked for debris removal and road and
infrastructure repairs, mostly in densely populated areas—not in the heavily
damaged front-line villages of southern Lebanon. According to government
sources, Lebanon plans to ask donors to help increase the loan amount—first to
$450 million, and eventually to $1 billion. The government also intends to
present an outline of the overall reconstruction plan. The prime minister’s
office is banking on some positive developments, including key appointments at
the Council for Development and Reconstruction, which will oversee the execution
of the projects. Government sources have described the conference as
exploratory, aiming to gauge the intentions of donor countries, particularly
Gulf states and Arab funds. However, the most that can be expected, according to
the sources, are promises of funding contingent on the continued implementation
of reforms and concrete steps to ensure stability in Lebanon—especially the
disarmament of Hezbollah. Related Articles. Amid reconstruction talks, Hezbollah
urges Lebanon to act on available donor funds — the details
US official denies reports of plans to end UNIFIL mission
LBCI/June 09/2025
A U.S. State Department official said reports that the United States and Israel
are planning to end the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) mission
are “not accurate,” Hiba Nasr, the Washington Bureau Chief for Asharq News,
reported Monday.
Israeli Drone Strike Kills One in Nmairiya, South Lebanon
This Is Beirut/June 09/2025
An Israeli drone strike targeted a vehicle on the Wadi al-Nmairiya, Zefta road,
near an unfinished mosque, killing Hassan Hijazi, a resident of Kawthariyat al-Sayyad.
The attack occurred around 5:10 PM, when two guided missiles hit the car,
setting it on fire and pushing it off the road. Following the strike, Israeli
drones continued flying at low altitudes over Nmairiya, increasing alert levels
in the area. Earlier in the day, the Lebanese Army recovered two Israeli drones
that crashed in the towns of Hula (Marjayoun district) and Beit Lif (Bint Jbeil).
Army patrols secured the crash sites and transferred the drones to specialized
units for investigation. Additionally, two Israeli drones dropped bombs over the
border areas of Ras al-Naqoura and Ramya without causing injuries. Israeli
bulldozers, supported by armored units, were seen clearing land near a newly
established Israeli position at the al-Abbad site junction between Markaba and
Hula in Marjayoun. Heavy Israeli drone activity was reported over most towns in
the Marjayoun, Nabatieh and Zahrani districts, with reconnaissance aircraft
flying at medium altitude. Earlier, Israeli forces fired from the occupied
Hamames hill at a pickup truck on the Ain Arab–Wazzani road. The driver,
identified as J. Sh., survived unharmed. The Israeli army also carried out a
machine gun sweep from Hamames hill toward the Marjayoun plains. Surveillance
drones flew at very low altitude over villages east and west of Baalbeck, and
another drone was spotted above Beirut’s southern suburbs. In related
developments, Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Israeli
intelligence is finalizing investigations into Hezbollah’s locally manufactured
drones. According to the report, Hezbollah’s Unit 127, recently targeted by the
Israeli army, oversees domestic drone production. The group assembles drones
from basic components, often purchased online, making them difficult to detect
as security threats. The report also highlighted Iran’s role in supplying
Hezbollah with drone parts, simple explosives and financial support, and in
helping the group establish local production lines for drones and missiles.
Airstrike targets vehicle on south Lebanon road
LBCI/June 09/2025
An airstrike struck a vehicle Monday on the Zefta-Nmairiyeh road in southern
Lebanon, according to local reports.
UNIFIL faces local pushback in Lebanon’s south amid Israeli
calls to end mission — what’s next for the force?
LBCI/June 09/2025
Amid Israeli calls to oppose the renewal of the United Nations Interim Force in
Lebanon's (UNIFIL) mandate in the country's south and end its mission in August,
a series of incidents and protests has emerged in southern villages. Local
residents have objected to UNIFIL patrols operating in their neighborhoods and
on their land without accompaniment by the Lebanese army. Why, then, is UNIFIL
conducting patrols and missions without the army? Or, put differently: If the
presence of the army helps ease tensions between UNIFIL and the
Hezbollah-supportive population, why isn’t the army always present?
According to Lebanese sources, UNIFIL carries out daily joint operations with
the army but also conducts separate patrols and missions on its own. The limited
number of army personnel in the south does not allow for the accompaniment of
all UNIFIL patrols, and Resolution 1701 grants the U.N. peacekeeping force the
right to move independently. Most UNIFIL patrols, whether or not accompanied by
the army, do not result in incidents. The sources add that local objections
often stem from specific actions UNIFIL carries out — such as entering private
property or filming homes — actions that typically do not occur when the army is
present. Trust between the local population and UNIFIL remains low, especially
as it frequently conducts operations near Hezbollah-affiliated villages and
facilities and sometimes brings media crews along. Meanwhile, it is seen as
doing little in practice to confront Israeli violations or enforce the
ceasefire. The recurrence of incidents involving specific units has led some
Lebanese observers to suggest that there may be an internal push within UNIFIL
to assert its role and presence, even in the face of local objections.
This could serve to build momentum for modifying the mission ahead of its
renewal in two months, aligning with Israeli efforts to end or alter the current
UNIFIL mandate. According to the same sources, the current Israeli pressure to
terminate the mission resembles the kinds of pressure applied in past years as
the renewal deadline approached each August. This time, it is being framed as
part of a broader push on Lebanon and Hezbollah to accept a change in UNIFIL’s
role — particularly in light of the new reality following the war, the losses
Hezbollah has sustained, its military pullback from south of the Litani River,
and the dismantling of its infrastructure in the area. While several sources
confirm that Hezbollah has not decided to escalate or intentionally provoke
recent incidents with UNIFIL, the group insists that UNIFIL’s activities must be
carried out in coordination with the Lebanese army.
Israel's army conducts bulldozing operation near southern
Lebanon village, gunfire reported in separate incident
LBCI/June 09/2025
The Israeli army carried out a bulldozing operation Monday near a newly
established military position at the Al-Abbad junction, between the southern
Lebanese towns of Markaba and Houla, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency
reported. In a separate incident, gunfire was reported from the Hamames Hill
area toward a pickup truck traveling on the Ain Arab–Wazzani road. The driver
escaped unharmed, according to the agency.
Palestinian Disarmament: Is Pandora’s Box Forever Closed?
Sana Richa Choucair/This Is Beirut/June 09/2025
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s recent visit to Beirut has reignited
discussions on Lebanese sovereignty, as Lebanon embarks on a tangible plan to
disarm Palestinian factions in refugee camps. Against a backdrop of shifting
regional dynamics and a fragile domestic balance, Lebanon is striving to heal a
wound that has festered for over half a century. For the first time since the
signing and subsequent annulment of the Cairo Agreement, a formal and tangible
process has been launched to disarm Palestinian factions in the country’s
refugee camps. On May 21, 2025, President Abbas met with Lebanese President
Joseph Aoun at the Baabda Presidential Palace. In a joint statement released
after the meeting, the two leaders affirmed the need to place all weapons under
the authority of the Lebanese state and to strengthen coordination between
Lebanese and Palestinian institutions to ensure stability in and around the
camps.This initiative could mark a decisive turning point – not only in
Lebanese-Palestinian relations but, more importantly, for Lebanon’s sovereignty.
New Context, New Approach
“The Lebanese-Palestinian dialogue committee has existed for over two decades,”
explains Ali Hamadeh, a journalist and political analyst. “But it remained
dormant, as addressing the issue of Palestinian weapons was impossible due to
geopolitical constraints.” “This initiative was already included in President
Joseph Aoun’s inaugural speech and reaffirmed in the new government’s general
policy statement,” he adds. What has changed, according to Hamadeh, is that “an
official and tangible mechanism to withdraw Palestinian arms is now being
pursued, made possible by the evolving geopolitical landscape in the region.”
The fall of the Syrian regime, the waning of Iranian influence and renewed
political momentum around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have all reshaped
internal and regional dynamics. Abbas’s recent visit to Beirut is a clear sign
of this shift.
Political Maneuvers on a Minefield
But what exactly does this disarmament entail, and what obstacles lie ahead?
The disarmament of Palestinian camps is scheduled to commence shortly after Eid
al-Adha in mid-June, beginning with the Beirut camps – Burj el-Barajneh, Sabra,
Chatila and Mar Elias. The operation will then expand to the North, the Beqaa
and finally, the South. The toughest resistance is expected in Saida’s Ain al-Helweh
camp, a sprawling “city” of nearly 150,000 residents. This camp hosts a complex
mosaic of armed groups, ranging from Fatah and Hamas to radical Islamist
factions. “There are at least 15 factions present across the camps, some openly
hostile to both Fatah and the Palestinian Authority,” explains Hamadeh. “This
will be a delicate process, driven by political negotiations, potentially
protracted and likely to unfold over several months.” The key question remains
whether political will alone will suffice. The multiplicity of armed actors and
tangled allegiances render implementation highly complex. Is Abbas’s clear
endorsement of Lebanese sovereignty enough? Some Fatah officials have already
expressed public reservations. To succeed, will the Lebanese state need to
individually negotiate with each faction? According to sources cited by
newspaper al-Anbaa, Lebanon should confine itself to a single interlocutor: the
Palestinian Authority, the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.
For now, the signals are cautiously optimistic. At the first meeting of the
joint commission on May 23, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam praised the Palestinian
initiative and urged the relevant authorities to expedite the establishment of
“a clear mechanism with a precise timetable.”
Is a Page of History Finally Being Turned?
This initiative carries profound symbolic weight. It appears poised to finally
enact the official repeal of the Cairo Agreement – an annulment ratified by the
Lebanese Parliament as early as 1987. Signed in 1969, the agreement granted
Palestinian military autonomy within Lebanese territory. A true Pandora’s box,
it transformed refugee camps into lawless zones and helped trigger Lebanon’s
Civil War. The Palestinian Authority’s formal acknowledgment of the treaty’s
demise marks a crucial milestone. According to sources cited by Houna Loubnan,
President Abbas reportedly told his Lebanese counterparts that Palestinian arms
significantly undermine Lebanese sovereignty – and paradoxically, harm the
Palestinian cause itself. “These weapons have long ceased to serve any purpose
in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and have instead become a source of internal
Palestinian division,” notes Hamadeh. While progress is being made on the
Palestinian issue, the question of Lebanese militias remains “exceptionally
complex,” Hamadeh cautions, “given Hezbollah’s categorical rejection of any
disarmament north of the Litani River.” Moreover, “Hezbollah represents a
substantial portion of Lebanon’s population and holds all 27 Shia parliamentary
seats, underscoring the magnitude of the challenge,” he adds. Will the
disarmament of Palestinian camps nevertheless close a painful chapter of
violence? Lebanon, increasingly anchored in its official institutions, hopes so.
Yet for this hope to become reality, promises must be translated into decisive
action – and the state must finally assert full authority over its entire
territory.
Beirut Airport Sees Record Passenger Traffic in May 2025
This Is Beirut/June 09/2025
Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport (BIA) recorded a major uptick in
passenger traffic in May 2025, posting its highest numbers for the month since
2019. Nearly 300,000 travelers arrived in Lebanon, reflecting a significant
rebound in international travel and renewed momentum ahead of the summer holiday
season. In total, 560,050 passengers passed through the airport during May,
marking a 10.26% increase compared to the same month last year, which saw
507,892 passengers. Arrivals accounted for 299,700 passengers, a 12% rise from
May 2024, while 260,322 travelers departed, up 8.37%. Airport authorities
attributed this surge to the start of summer vacations and the end of the
academic year for Lebanese students abroad. “This positive trend indicates a
strong start to the summer season,” the airport said in an official statement.
The first five months of 2025 also showed a steady increase, with 2,409,387
passengers using the airport. This marks a 5% rise compared to 2,292,764 during
the same period in 2024. Flight activity rose as well, with 4,607 commercial
flights handled in May 2025, an increase of 7.28% year over year. This included
2,304 incoming flights, up 7.11%, and 2,303 outgoing flights, up 7.46%. Flights
were operated by Lebanese, regional and international carriers. The data
confirms a continuing recovery for Lebanon’s main gateway, with May’s figures
offering a hopeful outlook for the upcoming peak travel months.
Plan to Repatriate Syrian Refugees in Lebanon Finalized (Asharq
al-Awsat)
This Is Beirut/June 09/2025
The Lebanese ministerial committee tasked with resolving the Syrian refugee
crisis has finalized a comprehensive repatriation plan, which it intends to
present to the Cabinet for approval in the coming days, Asharq al-Awsat reported
on Monday.
Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri, who heads the committee, said the first phase
of the voluntary return plan is expected to begin before the start of the
academic year in early September. The government estimates that between 200,000
and 300,000 Syrian refugees could be repatriated during this phase, depending on
how smoothly the operation proceeds. Mitri explained in an interview with the
Saudi newspaper that the plan is structured in stages and acknowledges that “a
large number of Syrians, for various reasons, have already begun returning to
their country.” However, he noted that no accurate data exists on the actual
number of returnees so far. A recent survey conducted by the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) found that many Syrian refugees have expressed
a willingness to return. Mitri also pointed out that the current Syrian
administration, led by President Ahmad el-Chareh, has not objected to their
return, though it has expressed concerns over living conditions and housing
availability, that Mitri said make a phased voluntary return “feasible.”
Organized and Unorganized Returns
The return process will be divided into two categories: organized and
unorganized. Under the organized return scheme, refugees will register their
names and be transported via buses to Syria, receiving $100 per person in
assistance. Those opting for unorganized returns will arrange their own travel
but will still receive the same financial support. In a further incentive, the
Lebanese General Security Directorate will waive fines for refugees whose
residency permits have expired, provided they do not return to Lebanon after
departure.
Mitri added that several donor agencies and foreign governments have pledged to
assist with reintegration efforts in Syria, with the goal of discouraging
economically motivated re-entry into Lebanon. He also emphasized that forced
mass deportations are not part of the government’s strategy.
Refugee Statistics
Lebanon is currently home to approximately 1.4 million Syrians, including
717,657 officially registered with the UNHCR. According to the agency’s latest
figures, 507,672 refugees have returned to Syria from neighboring countries as
of December 8, 2024, of whom 172,801 departed from Lebanon.
For years, Lebanese political factions have called for a shift in international
aid policy, arguing that financial support should be reallocated to those
returning to Syria rather than sustaining long-term displacement in Lebanon.
Declining Services
Compounding the urgency of the repatriation effort, UNHCR recently informed
Lebanon’s Ministry of Health that it will halt healthcare support for Syrian
refugees beginning in November 2025 due to a significant drop in donor
contributions.
UNHCR spokesperson Lisa Abou Khaled confirmed that hospital care funding will be
fully withdrawn by year’s end, while primary healthcare services have already
been suspended, impacting an estimated 80,000 refugees.
Cash assistance programs have also been scaled back significantly. “Since
January, our ability to reach beneficiaries has dropped by 65%,” Abou Khaled
told Asharq al-Awsat, adding that aid to 350,000 vulnerable refugees has already
been discontinued, with 200,000 more at risk of losing support after
September.Educational programs will also be affected. UNHCR will end its
literacy and basic numeracy programs for out-of-school refugee children by July
2025, a move expected to impact around 15,000 children. The agency will also cut
30% of its workforce this year, leading to the loss of more than 150 key staff
members. UNHCR Eyes Voluntary Return of 400,000
Despite the challenges, UNHCR and its humanitarian partners in Lebanon have
crafted a joint action plan aimed at enabling the voluntary return of up to
400,000 Syrian refugees, including 5,000 Palestinian refugees from Syria,
throughout 2025. This plan includes logistical support, assistance with
documentation, and transportation for returnees. Abou Khaled acknowledged that
the current context may offer a “positive opportunity” for a substantial number
of returns but stressed that significant humanitarian needs persist inside
Syria. Furthermore, she emphasized the need for international support to ensure
that returnees have access to education, housing, livelihoods, and humanitarian
aid, warning that many refugees remain hesitant to return amid ongoing
uncertainties.
Lebanon/Iran: The Root Causes of the Crisis
Michel Touma/This Is Beirut/June 09/2025
Nine buildings were completely destroyed; nearly 70 others damaged; 115 homes
reduced to rubble and more than 850 seriously affected; around 50 cars wrecked;
and some 175 businesses damaged – this is the toll borne by residents of
Beirut’s southern suburb following a wave of roughly twenty Israeli airstrikes
on Thursday, June 5. The raids targeted warehouses and drone manufacturing
facilities operated by Hezbollah, located in the basements of densely populated
neighborhoods that the Shia party has turned into a stronghold and tightly
controlled zone for its pro-Iranian militia.
A few days earlier, for the third time in less than three weeks, the security
forces of the new regime in Damascus seized a large shipment of ammunition and
anti-tank rockets near the Syrian village of Qousseir, close to the Lebanese
border. The weapons were intended to be smuggled into Lebanon for Hezbollah.
Meanwhile - coincidence or not - attacks by “residents” (the height of
Hezbollah’s hypocrisy) against UNIFIL patrols in southern Lebanon have
increased. Each time, the “residents” carefully raise the yellow Hezbollah flag
on the United Nations peacekeeping vehicles.
Some Lebanese officials - and many Western leaders and analysts - continue to
overlook an undeniable reality: the warmongers within Iran’s radical faction,
especially the Pasdaran, along with their Lebanese proxy Hezbollah, have neither
disarmed nor backed down. They remain fully armed and active in more ways than
one.
The pro-Iranian faction has willingly become fully dependent - ideologically,
culturally, financially, militarily, and politically - on its backers for every
strategic decision. So, it’s pointless to ask Hezbollah’s leadership the
question that won’t go away: For whom, for what purpose, and how long will the
Lebanese population - especially the Shia community - remain hostage to the
Islamic Republic’s broader geopolitical ambitions?
It would be utterly unrealistic to expect a vassal to rebel against its patron
and lay down its arms. Pursuing endless “dialogue” and “understanding” to
reverse the Iranian fait accompli aimed at dismantling Lebanon’s central state
would be a suicidal course. It’s important to recall that talks about illegal
weapons and a unified national defense strategy have been ongoing since 2006 -
with no success, obviously. The relationship between the state and Hezbollah
follows a simple rule: the stronger the central government, the weaker Hezbollah
becomes; the weaker the state, the more Hezbollah tightens its grip…
Faced with hardliners backed by a tyrannical and deeply theocratic regional
power, relying on soft power only plays into the hands of these para-state
groups. They exploit any weakness within the state to buy time, regroup, rebuild
their arsenal, and wait for a shift in the international balance - only to
strike again. The repeated attempts to smuggle weapons to Hezbollah through
Syria, the storage and production of drones in the basements of the southern
suburbs, and the ongoing attacks on UNIFIL patrols all clearly expose Tehran’s
true agenda.
Without a resolute international strategy toward the Islamic Republic, any firm
stance at the local level risks being undermined. Tehran remains the root cause
of the region’s instability. Accepting half-measures that grant Iran’s radical
faction a temporary respite will only prolong Lebanon’s chronic turmoil,
increase threats to maritime traffic in the Red Sea, drag the region into
another pointless war down the line, and—most importantly—enable the Pasdaran to
reestablish their strategic foothold in Syria. With belligerent, hardline
ideologues, a soft approach often results in a devastating boomerang effect.
Lebanon Marks 164th Anniversary of ISF
This is Beirut/June 09/2025
Top Lebanese officials paid tribute on Monday to the Internal Security Forces (ISF)
as the country marked the 164th anniversary of the force’s founding, praising
the ISF’s role in preserving national security amid ongoing political and
economic turmoil.
In a statement released by the presidency, President Joseph Aoun highlighted the
ISF’s central role in upholding public order and pledged renewed support for the
institution. “The Internal Security Forces are not merely an apparatus of
order,” Aoun said. “They represent loyalty and dedication in the service of the
nation and its people.” He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to
enhancing the ISF’s operational capacities and improving the working conditions
of its personnel. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam also expressed his gratitude,
underscoring the resilience of the security institution through Lebanon’s
turbulent recent history. “On its 164th anniversary, we salute the Internal
Security Forces, the institution that stood firm in the face of assassinations
and crises, and remained vigilant to protect the homeland and society,” Salam
said in a message posted on X (formerly Twitter). Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar
joined in the tributes with a personal message to the force. “On this day, and
as one of your own, I bow to your sacrifices and salute your ongoing efforts to
safeguard citizens,” Hajjar wrote. He described the ISF as “a fortress of
national stability” and called for collective efforts to build “a state worthy
of your commitment, where every citizen can live in safety and dignity.”Security
Forces Step Up Crackdown on Violations in Hezbollah-Dominated AreasSecurity
Forces Step Up Crackdown on Violations in Hezbollah-Dominated Areas. Lebanese
Army Arrests Suspects Behind Rocket Attacks on IsraelLebanese Army Arrests
Suspects Behind Rocket Attacks on Israel Al-Hajjar Praises Swift Arrest of
Pharmacy and Shops' RobberAl-Hajjar Praises Swift Arrest of Pharmacy and Shops'
Robber
Lebanon, the Unraveling Country
Charles Chartouni/This is
Beirut/June 09/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/06/144094/
Lebanon is disintegrating. The country faces a myriad of challenges, including
economic collapse, political instability and social unrest, which threaten to
unravel the fabric of society and plunge its citizens into further despair. The
mere observation of political and security events in Lebanon yields the
unequivocal impression of a decaying country. The purported political transition
that took place 5 months ago has plummeted brutally, and the situation borders
on irreparability. This country has no more institutions, let alone the
semblance of statehood.
The late presidential election and the formation of a completely dysfunctional
government send us to a state of bolting void, whereby the very notion of
statehood and nationhood is empty rhetoric and relegates the country to
irrelevance. Lebanon’s national and political statures are euphemistic and refer
to unsubstantiated realities. The new incumbents have already undermined their
credibility and lost whatever legal and moral credentials they may have had
while trying to uphold their faltering legitimacy.
The new team owes its ascent into power to the emerging dynamics created by the
Israeli counteroffensive and to the unraveling of the “integrated operational
platform” devised by Kassem Suleimani. Paradoxically enough, they started acting
as if they were operating in a self-contained environment and away from the
impact of a profoundly transforming geostrategic landscape.
Their shenanigans and ideological scripts are mandated by their shifting power
games, relationship to the organized crime piloted by Hezbollah and the
political blinders of a decrepit narrative weaved during the Cold War era on the
crossroads between Palestinian militancy, the paltry rhetoric of Third World
Marxism and political opportunism (Nawaf Salam). Obviously, these were not the
kind of profiles that Lebanon was in need of at a time when it urgently
requested a balanced transition that would enable it to end 65 years of
open-ended cycles of violence.
Rather than seizing on the rising dynamics and engaging the US and the
international community after negotiating a truce with Israel, they
deliberately, each in its own right, overlooked the interim that was offered to
them and reengaged Shiite fascism on its own terms while forgetting about the
volatility of the regional environment — scotomization at its best. They forgot
about the commissioned demilitarization mandates, simulated action in this
respect, while the Israeli Army was destroying the leftovers of the Hezbollah
military infrastructures daily and enjoying what they know best: blame
externalization. In counterpart, they were fully coordinating the division of
political, financial and economic spoils with the Shiite mafias in power and
their oligarchic partners.
What’s pathetic is their inability to look retrospectively at what they have
done and correct the course before it’s too late. It's a cycle that perpetuates
instability, as lessons from the past remain unheeded. Until there is a genuine
willingness to confront their actions and acknowledge the consequences, the
pattern will only lead to further chaos and suffering for all involved. While
making a separate political arrangement with Shiite fascists and their Iranian
mentor, they employed deceptive tactics to placate the mediators and conceal
their deceit. This fallacy has come to term with or without the end of the US
negotiations; the destruction of the Iranian imperial forays is on its way.
One wonders whether the incumbents in power are likely to stay in power or
should stay in power; obviously not. Lebanon’s sovereign constituencies ought to
distance themselves away from them and start considering alternative routes,
building new coalitions structured around strategic and institutional options
that break away decisively from the cumulative geostrategic impasses.
The key to understanding the knotty and convoluted nature of these open-ended
conflicts is the geostrategic bolts. The ending of the Iranian tangled web of
power nodes and the prevention of the emergence of their Islamist corollaries
have become inevitable, and none of this is likely to be achieved without a
peace treaty with Israel. I think that the current interlude is finished, and it
couldn’t be otherwise. We have to reckon with the hard facts of power politics
and draw the proper conclusions if we are to move away from the deadweight of a
decaying regional order and its hardwired illusions.
The late security breakdowns are symptomatic and far from being incidental. The
Shiite fascists' political agenda and its trail of power politics are unlikely
to be accommodated from a democratic perspective. The illusion of a negotiated
political solution is based on the denial of political realities. It's about
time to set a new course, be it at the geostrategic or at the national level.
There are two ways to go about this: either to negotiate this major political
shift or to surrender to the fatality of a doomed political predicament.
No matter what, we have to reckon with the death of a certain political,
strategic and institutional configuration and stop dwelling on the relics of a
past buried under the rubble of sixty-five years of imperial warfare and
domination politics, which destroyed the very idea of a pluralistic and
democratic Lebanon. It's about time.
Will Lebanon learn form al-Sharaa’s government?
Abdulrahman al-Rashed/Asharq Al-Awsat/June
09/2025
about 150 days since Joseph Aoun and Nawaf Salam took office. On one hand,
Lebanon is experiencing its best chapter in two decades. On the other hand,
there are concerns about the slow pace of progress – and that another war is on
the verge of erupting.
Regardless of whether the fighters on both sides of the Litani River are
preparing for a decisive battle – which is unlikely or not—the road is long
before Lebanon can fully reclaim its sovereignty from both Israel and Hezbollah.
Israeli forces still occupy Lebanese land, and Hezbollah has handed over only a
fraction of its weapons – barely the tip of the iceberg.
The repeated rhetoric in both presidents’ speeches about the “Israeli enemy”
carries no real weight today, nor is it necessary in modern political discourse.
The bitter truth, for some, is this: it is Israel – not the Lebanese authorities
– that will determine the shape of Hezbollah’s future. Israel will define its
size, the limits of its capabilities, and its influence. Neighboring Syria is
facing a similar situation, but has chosen a different approach. Bashar
al-Assad’s regime has collapsed, just like Hezbollah’s grip has weakened,
leaving behind a complex legacy to navigate with the region’s “superpower”
neighbor. Israeli forces are also present on Syrian soil and continue to target
Syrian sites frequently. Amid this complex situation, President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s
government has managed to turn crisis into opportunity – and has earned global
praise not only for what it has done, but for what it has deliberately chosen
not to do. It quickly abandoned the ostrich-head-in-the-sand approach of
previous regimes, which had failed to address internal and external politics
with realism. Al-Sharaa did not attack Israel in his speeches. He did not
mobilize his forces or instruct his militias to clash or even respond to Israeli
fire. Nor did he inflate government statements with false claims of
confrontations and victories. In fact, he never even referred to Israel as “the
enemy,” nor did he reject mediation or negotiations with the “evil” neighbor. He
made it clear: his goal is to stabilize war-torn Syria – not destabilize those
around it.
Lebanon’s president and prime minister come from elite circles – military and
civilian alike. Salam is a graduate of the Sorbonne in France and Harvard in the
US – arguably the most internationally qualified leader in Lebanese political
history. In contrast, President al-Sharaa is a product of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham
and had seen nothing of the world before assuming power except what lay between
Iraq’s Anbar and Syria’s Idlib. You don’t need a magnifying glass to see that
al-Sharaa has advanced Syria’s recovery, securing deals with both friendly and
hostile powers. He has neutralized threats from Israel, Iran, Iraqi factions,
and US sanctions – through dialogue – and has lured foreign investors with
contracts to build and operate airports, ports, energy facilities, and
industrial projects.
We recognize that the challenges in Beirut differ from those in Damascus.
Nevertheless, Lebanon today has a rare opportunity – perhaps once in forty years
– to end decades of foreign domination, from the Palestinians to the Syrians and
now the Iranians. This moment demands flexibility and a new approach, unlike the
rigid policies of the past. Looking at the two warring sides – Hezbollah and
Israel – Hezbollah has only three possible futures. First: It could return as a
cross-border regional force, threatening Israel, managing Yemen’s Houthis, and
operating in Syria and Iraq. But that now seems impossible given Israel’s
insistence on a policy of preempting any force that poses a border threat. Note
that Egypt, Jordan, and Syria – under their treaties with Israel –agreed to
regulate weapons types and distances from the border, something Hezbollah used
to reject. Yet under the ceasefire agreement, it accepted withdrawal from south
of the Litani River, surrendering heavy weapons, military production platforms,
and dismantling its infrastructure. Second: Hezbollah could reposition itself as
a purely local force. That would require acknowledging the shift in the balance
of power and abandoning its role as a threat to Israel or as a bargaining chip
for Iran. It may try to keep its weapons to maintain dominance in Lebanon. To
counter that, Lebanese and Israeli authorities are cooperating – Israel provides
Beirut with intelligence on hidden arms, and the Lebanese side carries out raids
and seizures.
But Hezbollah is skilled at the game of hiding – though the current environment
is tougher than before. This time, there’s no escape, even after sidelining US
mediator Morgan Ortagus, whom Hezbollah and its allies portray as Netanyahu’s
puppet. The reality is: it’s Israel – not the US – that now dictates Lebanon’s
course. This is underscored by the unprecedented scale of Israeli strikes on the
southern suburbs – the first since the war’s end.
The Lebanese presidency has promised to restore full state sovereignty by
disarming Hezbollah and ending Lebanon’s role as a proxy warfront. So far, it
hasn’t succeeded. Without this, stability will remain fragile, and investment
will stay limited. Lebanon’s future over the next 10- or 20-years hinges on what
happens in these very days – transforming the country from a militia playground
into a sovereign state focused on its internal affairs and the needs of its
citizens. This is exactly what al-Sharaa is doing in Syria – with courage and
cunning – even though his circumstances are arguably far more difficult and
dangerous than those faced by Lebanon’s leadership. And it’s false to claim that
the world simply rushed to support al-Sharaa – not at all. He set his priorities
clearly, forged his own alliances, and refused to be blackmailed by local or
regional propaganda about “jihad” or the “enemy.” His task now is to fight
remnants and separatists, repair the economy, and focus on building a state
that’s been collapsing since the end of the Cold War.
The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on June 09-10/2025
2 people killed in shooting on Las Vegas Strip near Bellagio
fountains, police say
The Associated Press/June 9, 2025
LAS VEGAS — Two people were shot and killed late Sunday on the Las Vegas Strip,
not far from the landmark Bellagio fountains, in what authorities said was being
investigated as an “isolated incident” between people who knew each other. The
suspected shooter surrendered Monday at a police station in the nearby city of
Henderson, Las Vegas police said. They identified him as 41-year-old Manuel Ruiz
and said he is expected to be charged with two counts of murder with a deadly
weapon. The case and details for a possible attorney for Ruiz were not available
Monday morning in online court records, and the Clark County Public Defender's
Office said it wasn't immediately clear if he had been appointed a public
defender. Undersheriff Andrew Walsh told reporters in a briefing that the
suspect and victims had been feuding on social media. Officers on patrol heard
gunfire and then found two people lying on the sidewalk, Walsh said. They were
pronounced dead at the scene. Police didn't immediately identify the victims.
The shooting happened on one of the busiest stretches of the Strip. The dancing
Bellagio fountains, which soar up to 460 feet (140 meters) into the air, play
every 15 minutes on the weekends between 8 p.m. and midnight.
Iran to present
counter-proposal to US, Trump says talks to resume
Reuters/Mon, June 9, 2025
DUBAI/WASHINGTON -Iran said on Monday it will soon hand a counter-proposal for a
nuclear deal to the United States in response to a U.S. offer that Tehran deems
"unacceptable," while U.S. President Donald Trump said talks would continue.
Trump made clear that the two sides remained at odds over whether the country
would be allowed to continue enriching uranium on Iranian soil. "They're just
asking for things that you can't do. They don't want to give up what they have
to give up," Trump told reporters at the White House. "They seek enrichment. We
can't have enrichment."Earlier, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil
Baghaei said Tehran was preparing a counter-offer to the U.S. proposal that was
presented in late May. He said there was no detail about the timing of a sixth
round of talks. While Trump said the next round of talks would take place on
Thursday, a senior Iranian official and a U.S. official said Thursday was
unlikely. Following Trump's remarks, Baghaei said "based on recent
consultations, the next round of Iran–U.S. indirect negotiations is being
planned for next Sunday in Muscat", according to the ministry's Telegram
channel. The U.S. official said the talks, led by U.S. special envoy Steve
Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, could be on Friday or
Sunday, possibly in Oman or Oslo. "The U.S. proposal is not acceptable to us. It
was not the result of previous rounds of negotiations. We will present our own
proposal to the other side via Oman after it is finalised. This proposal is
reasonable, logical, and balanced," Baghaei said. "We must ensure before the
lifting of sanctions that Iran will effectively benefit economically and that
its banking and trade relations with other countries will return to normal."
Reuters previously reported that Tehran was drafting a negative response to the
U.S. proposal. An Iranian diplomat said the U.S. offer failed to resolve
differences over uranium enrichment on Iranian soil, the shipment abroad of
Iran's entire stockpile of highly enriched uranium and reliable steps to lift
U.S. sanctions. Last week, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dismissed the
U.S. proposal as against Iran's interests, pledging to continue enrichment on
Iranian soil, which Western powers view as a potential pathway to building
nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear programme is only for peaceful purposes.
Trump said Iran was the main topic of a phone conversation he had on Monday with
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu's office said the president
had told him talks with Iran would continue at the end of the week. During his
first term in 2018, Trump ditched a 2015 nuclear pact between Iran and six
powers and reimposed sanctions that have crippled Iran's economy. Iran responded
by escalating enrichment far beyond that pact's limits. Iran says the West has
turned a blind eye to Israel's nuclear programme even while pushing against
Iran's. Israel neither confirms nor denies that it has nuclear weapons. Baghaei
said sensitive Israeli documents, which Iran has previously promised to unveil,
would demonstrate "that parties constantly questioning Iran's peaceful nuclear
programme actively work to strengthen Israel's military nuclear programme". The
negotiating parties should not allow Israel to disrupt diplomatic processes, he
added.
Trump says Iran is involved in
Gaza hostage negotiations
Reuters/June 9, 2025
WASHINGTON -U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday Iran is involved in
negotiations aimed at arranging a ceasefire-for-hostages deal between Israel and
Hamas. "Gaza right now is in the midst of a massive negotiation between us and
Hamas and Israel, and Iran actually is involved, and we'll see what's going to
happen with Gaza. We want to get the hostages back," Trump told reporters during
an event in the White House State Dining Room. Trump did not elaborate and the
White House did not immediately respond to a request for details of Iran's
involvement. Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York did not
immediately respond to a request for comment. The United States has proposed a
60-day ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Israel said it would abide by the
terms but Hamas thus far has rejected the plan. Under the proposal 28 Israeli
hostages - alive and dead - would be released in the first week, in exchange for
the release of 1,236 Palestinian prisoners and the remains of 180 dead
Palestinians. The United States and Iran are also separately trying to negotiate
a deal on Tehran's nuclear program.
IAEA chief relays Iran warning
against Israeli strikes on nuclear facilities
Reuters/09 June ,2025
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi said Iranians
warned him that an Israel strike on the country’s nuclear facilities could cause
Iran to be more determined about developing a nuclear weapon, according to an
interview broadcast and published on Monday. “A strike could potentially have an
amalgamating effect, solidifying Iran’s determination – I will say it plainly –
to pursue a nuclear weapon or withdraw from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation
of Nuclear Weapons,” Grossi said in the interview, published on the Jerusalem
Post website and broadcast on i24 TV on Monday. Grossi, however, doubted that
Israel would strike Tehran’s nuclear facilities, the Jerusalem Post reported.
The Iranian nuclear program “runs wide and deep,” Grossi told the Jerusalem
Post. “Disrupting them would require overwhelming and devastating force.”Tehran
and Washington have recently engaged in Oman-mediated nuclear talks. Iran is set
to hand a counter-proposal for a nuclear deal to the United States via Oman,
Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday, in
response to a US offer that Tehran deems “unacceptable.” Last week, US President
Donald Trump said he had warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to
take actions that could disrupt nuclear talks with Iran. “I told him this would
be inappropriate to do right now because we’re very close to a solution now,”
Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “That could change at any moment.”
Iran obtaining IAEA documents is 'bad', shows poor
cooperation, Grossi says
Francois Murphy/Reuters/June 9, 2025
VIENNA -Iran's acquisition of confidential U.N. nuclear watchdog documents is a
'bad' step that goes against the spirit of cooperation that should exist between
the agency and Tehran, its chief Rafael Grossi said on Monday. The International
Atomic Energy Agency said in a confidential report on Iran to member states on
May 31 seen by Reuters that it had "conclusive evidence of highly confidential
documents belonging to the Agency having been actively collected and analysed by
Iran". The report said that "raises serious concerns regarding Iran's spirit of
collaboration" and could undermine the IAEA's work in Iran, but Tehran said in a
statement to member states last week that the accusation in the report was
"slanderous" and had been made "without presenting any substantiated proof or
document". The IAEA's 35-nation Board of Governors is holding a quarterly
meeting this week. The United States, Britain, France and Germany plan to
propose a resolution for the board to adopt that would declare Iran in breach of
its non-proliferation obligations over other failings outlined in the report.
"Here, unfortunately, and this dates to a few years ago ... we could determine
with all clarity that documents that belong to the agency were in the hands of
Iranian authorities, which is bad," Grossi told a press conference. "We believe
that an action like this is not compatible with the spirit of cooperation."
Asked about the nature of the documents and whether they were originally Iranian
ones that had been seized by Israel and supplied to the agency, Grossi said:
"No. We received documents from member states, and also we have our own
assessments on documents, on equipment, etc."
Trump says meeting on Iran
planned for Thursday
Reuters/09 June ,2025
US President Donald Trump on Monday said the US and Iran would continue talks on
Thursday for a nuclear deal, adding that Tehran was a tough negotiator and that
the main impediment to an agreement was over enrichment. “We’re doing a lot of
work on Iran right now,” Trump told reporters at an economic event at the White
House. “It’s tough. ... They’re great negotiators.”“They’re just asking for
things that you can’t do. They don’t want to give up what they have to give up,”
he added. “They seek enrichment. We can’t have enrichment. We want just the
opposite. And so far, they’re not there.”
“They have given us their thoughts on the deal. And I said, you know, it’s just
not acceptable,” Trump said as Tehran plans to hand Washington a
counter-proposal. Trump also said he discussed Iran among other topics with
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, adding that the call went
well.
IAEA chief says information obtained by Iran 'seem to
refer' to Israeli nuclear research site
Stephanie Liechtenstein/The Associated Press/June 9, 2025
VIENNA — The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency said Monday that the
information Iran claimed it seized regarding Israel’s nuclear program “seems to
refer” to the country's Soreq Nuclear Research Center, the first acknowledgment
outside of Tehran of the theft. The office of Israel's prime minister had no
immediate response on the remarks by IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi,
who spoke during a news conference in Vienna. The alleged theft comes at a time
of renewed tensions over Iran's nuclear program, which enriches uranium a short,
technical step away from weapons-grade levels and looks poised to reject a U.S.
proposal over a possible deal on its atomic program.
“We have seen some reports in the press. We haven’t had any official
communication about this," Grossi told reporters. "In any case, this seems to
refer to Soreq, which is a research facility which we inspect by the way. We
don’t inspect other strategic parts of the program, but this part of the program
we do inspect."He did not elaborate on where he received his information, though
the IAEA maintains a confidential reporting system for nations to report
security incidents involving their nuclear programs. Soreq, located 20
kilometers (12 miles) south of Tel Aviv, is a national laboratory for nuclear
science established in Israel in 1958, engaged in nuclear science, radiation
safety and applied physics. The IAEA has so-called “item-specific safeguards
agreements” with Israel, Pakistan and India, all countries that are not party to
the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Under Israel's
agreement, the IAEA monitors Soreq but has no access to Israel's nuclear
facility at Dimona, believed to provide the fuel for Israel's undeclared nuclear
weapons program. Over the weekend Iranian state
television and later the country's intelligence minister claimed without
offering evidence that Tehran seized an “important treasury” of information
regarding Israel’s nuclear program. Israel, whose
undeclared atomic weapons program makes it the only country in the Mideast with
nuclear bombs, has not acknowledged any such Iranian operation targeting it —
though there have been arrests of Israelis allegedly spying for Tehran amid the
Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. Iranian
Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib claimed thousands of pages of documents had
been obtained which would be made public soon. Among them were documents related
to the U.S., Europe and other countries which, he claimed, had been obtained
through “infiltration” and “access to the sources.”He did not elaborate on the
methods used. However, Khatib, a Shiite cleric, was sanctioned by the U.S.
Treasury in 2022 over directing “cyber espionage and ransomware attacks in
support of Iran’s political goals.”For Iran, the claim may be designed to show
the public that the theocracy was able to respond to a 2018 Israeli operation
that spirited out what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as a “half
ton” of documents related to Iran’s program. That
Israeli announcement came just before President Donald Trump in his first term
unilaterally withdrew America from Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers,
which greatly limited its program in exchange for the lifting of economic
sanctions. This week, Western nations are expect to go
before the IAEA’s Board of Governors with a proposal to find Iran in
noncompliance with the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog. It could be the first
time in decades — and likely would kick the issue to the U.N. Security Council.
That could see one of the Western countries involved in the 2015 nuclear
deal invoke the so-called “snapback” of U.N. sanctions on the Islamic Republic.
The authority to restore those sanctions by the complaint of any member of the
original 2015 nuclear deal expires in October — putting the West on a clock to
exert pressure on Tehran over its program before losing that power.
An Israeli soldier was
taken hostage on October 7. In ceasefire plea, his mother releases video of his
brutal capture
Jeremy Diamond, CNN/June 9, 2025
The family of an Israeli soldier held hostage by Hamas has released new footage
of the moment he was pulled from his tank and captured by Palestinian militants
during the October 7 attacks. The video shows the soldier, Matan Angrest,
surrounded by a dozen men atop the turret of an Israeli tank. The men, whose
faces are blurred in the video, then lower Angrest, head first, off the tank
into the arms of Palestinian militants, who barely catch him. It is unclear
whether Angrest is conscious in the video. His body is limp and tumbles forward
as he is tossed off the side of the tank. One man can be seen kicking Angrest
before he is thrown off the tank. Another man below appears to slap Angrest as
he falls to the floor. In an interview, Angrest’s mother said she decided to
publish the video because she fears that her son has been “left behind” and
wants the public to know that he is in a critical situation. “I don’t feel the
commitment of the government for Matan as an Israeli soldier like I felt the
commitment of Trump to American citizens – a big gap,” Anat Angrest said. “If
the government wants soldiers to still serve her, she has to worry about the
soldiers and to bring them home like the other citizens.”
While her husband saw the video months ago, she only watched it for the first
time on Sunday night. “For me as a mother, it’s the hardest thing to watch – to
know about my son. Every mother knows that her kid from the first cry of a baby,
we are worried about our children,” Anat Angrest said. “It’s the hardest
situation for me as a mother.”This is the latest attempt by Angrest’s family to
sound the alarm about his deteriorating medical condition in captivity. They say
he is suffering from chronic asthma, has untreated burns and has suffered
infections during his captivity, according to the testimony of hostages who were
held with Angrest. Keith Siegel, the American-Israeli hostage who was released
in February, told CNN last month that he was extremely concerned for Angrest’s
physical and mental wellbeing. The two were held together for more than two
months. The video released Monday appears to have been recovered by the Israeli
military from the belongings of Palestinian militants, according to the
watermark on the video. Angrest said her family did not release the video for
months at the urging of the Israeli military, but said she now feels she has no
choice as the Israeli government pushes for yet another partial deal that would
see about half the remaining hostages released. “We were quiet about it for a
year and a half, but we understood that our quiet is very comfortable to leave
Matan behind,” she said. Angrest is one of 55 hostages still held by Hamas and
one of 20 still believed to be alive, according to the Israeli government. As a
male Israeli soldier, Angrest is believed to be at the bottom of the list of
hostages to be released – considered a high-value hostage by Hamas and one for
whom the Israeli government will likely have to pay a steep price. Anat Angrest
believes her son’s concerning medical condition should be taken into account
and, like many of the hostage families, called for the release of all the
hostages and an end of the war. Ceasefire and hostage deal negotiations between
Israel and Hamas have sputtered along in recent weeks, yielding no agreement. A
framework proposed by the US would see about half the living and deceased
hostages released in exchange for a 60-day temporary ceasefire. Hamas has
insisted on stronger guarantees from the US that negotiations to end the war
will continue – and the fighting will not resume – after that temporary
ceasefire expires.
Israel kills three
rescuers, journalist in strikes on Gaza city, Palestinian media report
Reuters/Mon, June 9, 2025
CAIRO -Israel killed three medical services staff and a journalist during
strikes on Tuffah neighborhood in Gaza City, Palestinian media including
Hamas-linked Shehab news agency said on Monday. The three rescuers were killed
while working to save wounded people and recover dead bodies in the
neighborhood, Shehab said. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a
request for comment. It said earlier that its forces continued to operate
against what it deemed "terrorist organizations" throughout the Gaza strip.
Hamas-led militants took 251 hostages and killed 1,200 people, most of them
civilians, in an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. In response, Israel's
offensive has since killed more than 54,927 Palestinians, most of them
civilians, according to health authorities in Gaza, and flattened much of the
heavily built-up coastal territory.
Palestinians say Israel and its allies fired on crowd near
Gaza aid site. Hospital says 6 killed
Wafaa Shurafa And Samy Magdy/The Associated Press/June 9, 2025
KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — Palestinians say Israeli forces and allied local
gunmen fired toward a crowd heading to an Israeli- and U.S.-supported food
distribution center in the Gaza Strip early Monday. Gaza's Health Ministry said
six people were killed.
The gunmen appeared to be allied with the Israeli military, operating in close
proximity to troops and retreating into an Israeli military zone in the southern
city of Rafah after the crowd hurled stones at them, witnesses said. The Israeli
military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Israel recently
acknowledged supporting local armed groups opposed to Hamas.
The latest in a string of shootings
It was the latest in a number of shootings that have killed at least 127 people
and wounded hundreds since the rollout of a new food distribution system,
according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Israel and the United States say the new
system is designed to circumvent Hamas, but it has been rejected by the U.N. and
major aid groups. Experts have meanwhile warned that Israel's blockade and its
ongoing military campaign have put Gaza at risk of famine. Palestinians say
Israeli forces have repeatedly fired toward crowds heading to the food centers
since they opened last month. In previous instances, the Israeli military has
said it fired warning shots at people who approached its forces near the
centers, which are in military zones off limits to independent media. The Gaza
Humanitarian Foundation, the Israeli- and U.S.-supported private contractor
running the sites, says there has been no violence in or around the centers
themselves. But GHF repeatedly warns would-be food recipients that stepping off
the road designated by the military for people to reach the centers represents
“a great danger.” It paused delivery at its three distribution sites last week
to hold discussions with the military about improving safety on the routes. GHF
closed the Rafah site on Monday due to the “chaos of the crowds,” according to a
Facebook site associated with the group. A GHF spokesperson did not immediately
respond to a request for comment.
Shots fired from the ‘dangerous zone’
Heba Joda, who was in the crowd Monday, said gunfire broke out at a roundabout
where previous shootings have occurred, around a kilometer (half a mile) from
the aid site. She said the shots came from the “dangerous zone” where Israeli
troops and their allies are stationed.
She said she saw men from a local militia led by Yasser Abu Shabab trying to
organize the crowds into lines on the road. When people pushed forward, the
gunmen opened fire. People then hurled stones at them, forcing them to withdraw
toward the Israeli positions, she said. The Abu Shabab group, which calls itself
the Popular Forces, says it is guarding the surroundings of the GHF centers in
southern Gaza. Aid workers say it has a long history of looting U.N. aid trucks.
GHF has said it does not work with the Abu Shabab group.
Hussein Shamimi, who was also in the crowd, said his 14-year-old cousin was
among those killed. “There was an ambush … the Israelis from one side and Abu
Shabab from another,” he said. Mohamed Kabaga, a Palestinian displaced from
northern Gaza, said he saw masked men firing toward the crowds after trying to
organize them. “They fired at us directly,” he said while being treated at
Nasser Hospital, in the nearby city of Khan Younis. He had been shot in the
neck, as were three other people seen by an Associated Press journalist at the
hospital. Kabaga said he saw around 50 masked men with 4x4 vehicles in the area
around the roundabout, close to Israeli military lines. "We didn’t receive
anything,” he said. “They shot us.”Nasser Hospital said several men had been
shot in the upper body, including some in the head. Zaher al-Waheidi, head of
the Health Ministry's records department, said six people were killed and more
than 99 wounded, some of them at another GHF center in central Gaza.
A new aid system marred by controversy and violence
Israel has demanded GHF replace the U.N.-run system that has distributed food,
medicine and other supplies to Palestinians since the war began. Israel accuses
Hamas of siphoning off aid and using it to fund militant activities, but U.N.
officials say there is no evidence of any systematic diversion. The U.N. and
other humanitarian groups have rejected the GHF system. It says the mechanism is
incapable of meeting Gaza's huge demands and that it is being used for Israel's
military purposes, including its goal to move Gaza's entire population of more
than 2 million people to the south of the territory around the food centers.
Throughout the war, the U.N.-led network has delivered supplies at hundreds of
distribution points around Gaza, meaning large crowds haven't had to trek for
hours past Israeli troops to receive aid. Israel sealed off Gaza from all food,
medicine and fuel at the beginning of March, shortly before it ended a ceasefire
with Hamas. It began allowing small amounts of aid in last month, but U.N.
agencies say they have struggled to deliver it because of Israeli restrictions,
the breakdown of law and order and widespread looting.
The 20-month war rages on
The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023,
killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. They are still
holding 55 hostages, more than half of them believed to be dead, after most of
the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Israel's military
campaign has killed over 54,900 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health
Ministry, which has said women and children make up most of the dead. It does
not say how many of those killed were civilians or combatants. The war has
destroyed vast areas of Gaza, displaced some 90% of the population and left the
territory almost completely reliant on international aid. Hamas has said it will
only release the remaining hostages in return for a lasting ceasefire and an
Israeli withdrawal. Israel says it will continue the war until all the captives
are returned and Hamas is defeated or disarmed and sent into exile. Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that even then, Israel will maintain
open-ended control over Gaza and facilitate what he refers to as the voluntary
emigration of much of its population to other countries, a plan rejected by most
of the international community, including the Palestinians, who view it as a
blueprint for their forcible expulsion.
Wafaa Shurafa And Samy Magdy, The Associated PressAid to
Gaza hangs by a thread amid looting and starvation
Tim Lister, Ibrahim Dahman, Eyad Kourdi and Oren Liebermann,
CNN/June 9, 2025
Israel’s blockade of Gaza may have been partially lifted – and a new US-backed
plan to deliver aid has begun. But there are multiple indications that the
plight of Gazans is rapidly worsening. Restrictions imposed by the Israeli
military on aid routes, ongoing airstrikes, a lack of security and the
continuous displacement of tens of thousands of people are aggravating an
already alarming situation, according to the UN and other aid agencies. The
supplies that do get in risk getting looted. “People in Gaza are starving. This
demands the urgent opening of all crossings and allowing unimpeded access for
humanitarian organizations to deliver aid at scale, through multiple routes,”
the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in its
latest assessment. One woman, Umm Zuhair, who was
trying to get food for her family on Sunday at one of newly established aid
distribution sites, told CNN: “We’re so hungry that we’re willing to risk
getting shot just for a kilo of flour.”The number of children in Gaza with acute
malnutrition is rising, the UN reported Saturday, while a lack of fuel threatens
to close hospitals that are still operating. The Israeli agency handling the
inspection of aid going into Gaza, the Coordinator of Government Activities in
the Territories (COGAT), said Saturday that 350 trucks containing humanitarian
aid had entered the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom crossing in the last
week – less than 20 per cent of the volume of goods getting into Gaza before the
conflict. And even the aid that gets in frequently does not make it to the most
desperate. UN agencies report continuing difficulties with getting distribution
routes within Gaza agreed with the Israeli military. OCHA said that out of 16
truckloads ready for distribution last Thursday, five were rejected, including
fuel and water, and six failed to reach their destination. Additionally, the
looting of aid convoys in Gaza has risen sharply in recent weeks. “Operations
have faced unprecedented levels of insecurity and a very high risk of looting,
with partners reporting that most looting incidents are conducted by desperate
civilians,” according to OCHA. Nahed Shehaibar, head
of the Private Transport Association in Gaza, said on Saturday that transport of
aid had been suspended “for the third consecutive day due to repeated attacks on
trucks, including gunfire that has damaged and put several trucks out of
service.” Last week the association reported that one
driver was killed and another injured while trying to deliver aid, but Shehaibar
said on Sunday that 11 trucks of commercial goods had reached merchants in Deir
al-Balah in central Gaza successfully. The
distribution of aid through the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the US and
Israeli-backed aid initiative that started operating late last month, has been
dogged by security issues. A CNN investigation last
week pointed to the Israeli military opening fire on crowds of Palestinians as
they tried to make their way towards one of GHF’s hubs on Sunday June 1, killing
at least 31, according to the Palestinian ministry of health The IDF disputed
the accounts of the incident. There were similar deadly incidents last Monday
and Tuesday; the IDF said in those instances that it had fired warning shots at
“suspects” who had approached its positions, but challenged the casualty
figures. On Sunday, GHF said it operated three
distribution sites - two in southern Gaza and one in central Gaza - to hand out
more than 17,000 boxes of food. In addition, GHF said in its daily update that
it gave more than 10,000 meals to community leaders north of Rafah in what the
organization called a pilot test of “direct-to-community distribution.”
But many people who went to the Netzarim site in central Gaza left empty-handed.
Mohammad Salim told CNN: “I went at 6 a.m. and found nothing. What’s happening
is shameful. I’m holding an empty cardboard box – there’s nothing inside, not
even lentils.”
He said some people took more than they needed and complained there was no
ID-based distribution system, as operated by the UN. CNN has previously reported
that GHF has no system in place to screen aid recipients. Nader Musleh, who had
walked from Al-Mawasi several kilometers away, agreed. “Some people took five or
10 boxes, and there’s no organization at all,” he said. Mohammad Abu Akouz was
one of several civilians who alleged that some people were injured after coming
under Israeli tank fire as they made their way to the site. An Israeli military
official told CNN that Israeli forces fired what they called “warning shots”
from an armored vehicle approximately a kilometer from the distribution site.
The official said the area is an active war zone. GHF
said it had been unable to open its sites on Saturday, accusing Hamas of making
threats against its operations, including against drivers and Palestinian
workers. It said the threats had made it impossible to proceed without putting
innocent lives at risk. A driver familiar with the
operation, who asked not to be named for security reasons, told CNN on Sunday
that Hamas had “threatened the bus drivers responsible for transporting workers
to the three American aid distribution points, warning them not to continue the
transfers.”The drivers had been scheduled to move 180 employees to the three
distribution sites, he added. GHF said on Friday that it had distributed more
than 140,000 boxes of food, with each box intended to feed a family for half a
week. The boxes contain pasta, lentils and cooking oil, among other products.
GHF says its goal is to distribute boxes containing enough food for 4.5 million
meals each day. After last week’s shootings, GHF
appealed to people not to arrive at distribution points “before the official
opening time or gather near the gates ahead of schedule. This is for your safety
and the safety of others.” The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Saturday in a
post on X that gathering outside distribution centers outside of announced hours
was “strictly prohibited,” and warned that the areas around the aid hubs were
closed military zones between 6 p.m. (11 a.m. ET) and 6 a.m. (11 p.m. ET).
The UN says that the use of the Israeli and American-backed GHF has militarized
aid distribution and is inadequate for the huge task of feeding families in
Gaza. GHF has no presence in northern Gaza. In its latest assessment, OCHA said
that 90 per cent of families in Gaza lack the cash needed to buy what little
food remains available in markets. “Meat, dairy, vegetables and fruit are nearly
absent from people’s diets,” it said. Half of the
community kitchens in Gaza have been forced to stop cooking due to lack of
supplies or displacement orders, according to OCHA. The UN Relief and Works
Agency (UNRWA) – the main agency for supplying aid in Gaza – said Saturday that
a nutrition study had found that the percentage of children under 5 suffering
from acute malnutrition had risen from 4.7% in the first half of May to 5.8% in
the second half of the month.
UNRWA said the number of children forced to fend for themselves had pushed an
increasing number into “dangerous survival strategies. Children are reported
working on the streets, participating in looting or gathering within large
crowds in search of food supplies at insecure distribution points.”It’s not just
food that is running chronically short. Dr. Mohamed
Abu Salmiya, director of Al-Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza, told CNN on Sunday
that the few hospitals in Gaza still operating “will completely shut down within
two days if fuel does not enter.”He added that “a large number of the wounded
cannot be treated due to the lack of blood supplies and medical equipment,” and
medical staff faced difficult choices about which patients to save. The
Palestinian health ministry said Sunday that Al-Shifa Hospital and the Baptist
Ahli Hospital, both in northern Gaza, were at risk of shutting down service
within 24 hours. It said that would mean the collapse of what remains of the
healthcare system in Gaza City. In the south, the ministry said the Nasser
Medical Complex was operating on a limited fuel supply that will last no more
than two days.
Israeli forces seize Gaza-bound aid boat and detain Greta
Thunberg and other activists
Yesica Fisch And Tia Goldenberg/June 9, 2025
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli forces seized a Gaza-bound aid boat and detained Greta
Thunberg and other activists who were on board early Monday, enforcing a
longstanding blockade of the Palestinian territory that has been tightened
during the war with Hamas.
The activists had set out to protest Israel's ongoing military campaign in the
Gaza Strip, which is among the deadliest and most destructive since World War
II, and its restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid, both of which have
put the territory of some 2 million Palestinians at risk of famine. The Freedom
Flotilla Coalition, which had organized the voyage, said the activists were
“kidnapped by Israeli forces” while trying to deliver desperately needed aid to
the territory. “The ship was unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew
abducted, and its life-saving cargo — including baby formula, food and medical
supplies — confiscated,” it said in a statement. It said the ship was seized in
international waters some 200 kilometers (120 miles) from Gaza. Israel's Foreign
Ministry portrayed the voyage as a public relations stunt, saying in a post on X
that "the ‘selfie yacht’ of the ‘celebrities’ is safely making its way to the
shores of Israel.”It said the activists would return to their home countries and
the aid would be sent to Gaza through established channels. It circulated
footage of what appeared to be Israeli military personnel handing out sandwiches
and water to the activists, who were wearing orange life vests.
Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesperson, said the ship was
still en route to Israel around midday Monday. It was expected to dock at the
port of Ashdod.
A weeklong voyage
Thunberg, a climate campaigner, was among 12 activists aboard the Madleen, which
set sail from Sicily a week ago. Along the way, it had stopped on Thursday to
rescue four migrants who had jumped overboard to avoid being detained by the
Libyan coast guard. “I urge all my friends, family and comrades to put pressure
on the Swedish government to release me and the others as soon as possible,"
Thunberg said in a pre-recorded message released after the ship was halted. Rima
Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian
descent, was also among the volunteers on board. She has been barred from
entering Israel because of her opposition to Israeli policies toward the
Palestinians. She was among six French citizens aboard
the boat. French President Emmanuel Macron asked Israel to allow them to return
to France as soon as possible, his office said in a statement. Adalah, a rights
group in Israel that said it was representing the activists, said Israel had “no
legal authority” to take over the ship because it was in international waters
and because it was headed not to Israel but to the “territorial waters of the
state of Palestine.” “The arrest of the unarmed activists, who operated in a
civilian manner to provide humanitarian aid, amounts to a serious breach of
international law,” Adalah said in a statement. After a 2 1/2-month total
blockade aimed at pressuring Hamas, Israel started allowing some basic aid into
Gaza last month, but humanitarian workers and experts have warned of famine
unless the blockade is lifted and Israel ends its military offensive.
An attempt last month by Freedom Flotilla to reach Gaza by sea failed
after another of the group’s vessels was attacked by two drones while sailing in
international waters off Malta, organizers said. The group blamed Israel for the
attack, which damaged the front section of the ship.
An 18-year blockade
Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of blockade on Gaza since Hamas
seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. Israel says the blockade is
needed to prevent Hamas from importing arms, while critics say it amounts to
collective punishment of Gaza's Palestinian population. Israel sealed Gaza off
from all aid in the early days of the war ignited by the Hamas-led attack on
southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, but later relented under U.S. pressure. In
early March, shortly before Israel ended a ceasefire with Hamas, the country
again blocked all imports, including food, fuel and medicine. Hamas-led
militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the Oct. 7 attack and
abducted 251 hostages, most of whom have since been released in ceasefire
agreements or other deals. Hamas is still holding 55 hostages, more than half of
them believed to be dead. Israel’s military campaign has killed more than 54,000
Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which doesn't distinguish
between civilians and combatants but has said women and children make up most of
the dead. The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced around 90% of
the territory’s population, leaving people there almost completely dependent on
international aid. Efforts to broker another truce have been deadlocked for
months. Hamas says it will only release the remaining hostages in exchange for a
lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal, while Israel has vowed to continue
the war until all the captives are returned and Hamas is defeated or disarmed
and exiled.
Trump's travel ban on citizens from 12 countries takes
effect
Euronews/June 9, 2025
US President Donald Trump's sweeping ban on travel to the US by citizens of 12
countries took effect on Monday amid rising tensions over immigration.
The 12 countries targeted include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of
Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
Nationals from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and
Venezuela are partially restricted. On Wednesday, Trump warned in a video that
new countries could be added to the list as "threats emerge around the
world."The ban comes more than eight years after his first travel ban in 2017,
which denied entry to citizens from mainly Muslim-majority countries, sparking
chaos at numerous airports and prompting months of legal battles.
Unlike Trump's first ban, no such disruption was immediately discernible at
airports and other entry points. Experts expect the new proclamation, which is
broader and more carefully crafted, to withstand legal challenges partly due to
its focus on the visa application process. The ban does not revoke visas issued
to citizens of countries included on the list. However, unless the applicant
meets narrow criteria for an exemption to the ban, their application will be
rejected from Monday. Travellers with previously issued visas should still be
able to enter the US even after the ban takes effect.
The announcement that the ban would take effect on Monday was overshadowed by
other immigration battles, including widespread protests in Los Angeles against
Trump’s deportation raids. The demonstrations prompted the deployment of the
National Guard, despite objections from California’s governor.
The policy targets explicitly citizens of Haiti and Afghanistan, though it makes
exceptions for individuals who collaborated closely with the US government
during the two-decade war. It also imposes stricter
measures on Venezuelan nationals, who have faced increased pressure under the
Trump administration in recent months, including abrupt deportations to a
detention facility in El Salvador, which have ignited a legal battle.
The measure has been denounced by groups that provide aid and
resettlement help to refugees. “This policy is not about national security — it
is about sowing division and vilifying communities that are seeking safety and
opportunity in the United States,” Abby Maxman, president of Oxfam America,
said. Trump has justified the ban by claiming that
some countries had "deficient” screening for passports and other public
documents or have historically refused to take back their own citizens. The
nationals in the countries included on the list impose "terrorism-related” and
“public-safety” risks, as well as risks of overstaying their visas.
He also tied the ban to a hate crime attack in Colorado, which wounded a
dozen people, saying it underscored the dangers posed by visitors who overstay
visas in the US. The man charged in the incident is from Egypt, a country not
included in Trump's list.
As new U.S. travel ban arrives, some Canadian dual
nationals are worried
CBC/June 9, 2025
Christian Kodia is accustomed to visiting the United States on a weekly basis,
but with a new travel ban coming into effect on Monday, he's not sure if that
will continue. Kodia is a dual national with
citizenship from both Canada and the Republic of Congo, one of 12 states whose
citizens U.S. President Donald Trump has now banned from entering that
country."I travel to the United States of America, I would say, every weekend. I
go to visit my family, I go for business, I go for friends," said Kodia,
president of the Congolese-Brazzaville Community of Ottawa-Gatineau. Even though
Kodia has a Canadian passport, he's unsure of what kind of welcome to expect
from U.S. customs. "It's going to be difficult," he told Radio-Canada,
predicting that the ban would have a "huge, negative impact" for many people.
Citing national security, Trump said Thursday his administration would block
entry for citizens of Afghanistan, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial
Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Trump
also announced restrictions to limit the entry of nationals of seven other
countries: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
In the case of the Republic of Congo, Trump cited high rates of overstaying
among citizens visiting the United States: 29.6 per cent of those on temporary
business or tourism visas, and 35 per cent of students and exchange visitors.
Darlène Lozis, president of 3R International, says she thinks the court has made
the best decision and she is glad the mayor has decided not to pursue the matter
further. Darlène Lozis, an organizer with the Haitian community in Gatineau,
Que., worries that with much of her homeland controlled by gangs, Haiti's
government won't be able to push back against the U.S. travel ban. (Boris Proulx/Radio-Canada)
For other countries he cited links to terrorism, failure to accept deportees or
a lack of central authority as justification for barring their citizens. "If we
had a government, a strong one, one that we elected, they [would] be able to
deal with [Trump]," said Darlène Lozis, a Haitian community organizer in
Gatineau, Que. Lozis said with much of her home country controlled by armed
gangs, she doesn't think Haiti's government will be able to advocate for the
rights of its citizens. "Whatever we do won't change anything. That man is a
fool," she said, referring to Trump. "He will continue doing and saying whatever
he wants."
Entering 'the lion's den'
Dual nationals like Kodia are now trying to establish whether they can still
legally enter with their Canadian passports. But Ottawa immigration lawyer Betsy
Kane suggests that given the potential risks,"it's not even about what's
legal."Kane said she's asking her business clients whether it's worth risking
the well-being of their staff by sending them to the United States, especially
if they are dual nationals from one of the banned countries. "It's about putting
yourself in the lion's den," said Kane, stressing that she's not a U.S.
immigration specialist. U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents have wide
discretion whether to admit travellers to the United States — even if they have
a valid visa. They also have the power to detain
people for questioning and to search their electronic devices. In April, Global
Affairs Canada updated its travel advisory for the United States, warning
Canadians to "expect scrutiny," which could include those devices. It also
warned that Canadians denied entry could be detained while awaiting deportation.
In an interview with the Canadian Press on Friday, U.S. Ambassador Pete
Hoekstra said if a Canadian faced device searches, or detainment at the border,
it was "an isolated event" and "not a pattern."
Russia has plans to test
NATO's resolve, German intelligence chief warns
Thomas Escritt/Reuters/June 9, 2025
BERLIN -Russia is determined to test the resolve of the NATO alliance, including
by extending its confrontation with the West beyond the borders of Ukraine, the
Germany's foreign intelligence chief told the Table Media news organization.
Bruno Kahl, head of the Federal Intelligence Service, said his agency had clear
intelligence indications that Russian officials believed the collective defence
obligations enshrined in the NATO treaty no longer had practical force. "We are
quite certain, and we have intelligence showing it, that Ukraine is only a step
on the journey westward," Kahl told Table Media in a podcast interview.
"That doesn't mean we expect tank armies to roll westwards," he added. "But we
see that NATO's collective defence promise is to be tested." Germany, already
the second-largest provider of armaments and financial support for Ukraine in
its war with Russia, has pledged to step up its support further under the new
government of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, promising to help Ukraine develop new
missiles that could strike deep into Russian territory. Without detailing the
nature of his intelligence sources, Kahl said Russian officials were envisaging
confrontations that fell short of a full military engagement that would test
whether the U.S. would really live up to its mutual aid obligations under
Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty. "They don't need to dispatch armies of
tanks for that," he said. "It's enough to send little green men to Estonia to
protect supposedly oppressed Russian minorities." Russia's 2014 annexation of
Crimea involved occupation of buildings and offices by Russian soldiers in
unmarked uniforms and civilian clothes, who came to be known as the "little
green men" when Moscow initially denied their identity. Kahl did not specify
which officials in Moscow were thinking along these lines. Merz, who visited
Donald Trump in Washington last week, pushed back against the U.S. president's
assertion that Ukraine and Russia were like two infants fighting, telling Trump
that where Ukraine targeted Moscow's military, Russia bombed Ukraine's cities.
Kahl said his contacts with U.S. counterparts had left him convinced they took
the Russian threat seriously. "They take it as seriously as us, thank God," he
said.
Russia says plan to boost role in Africa includes
'sensitive' security ties
Reuters/June 9, 2025
MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia plans to step up cooperation with African countries,
including in "sensitive areas" such as defence and security, the Kremlin said on
Monday. Russian mercenary group Wagner said last week
it was leaving Mali after helping the military junta there in its fight with
Islamist militants. But the Africa Corps, a Kremlin-controlled paramilitary
force, said it would remain in the west African country. Asked what this meant
for Russia's role in Africa, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "The Russian
presence in Africa is growing. We really intend to comprehensively develop our
interaction with African countries, focusing primarily on economic and
investment interaction. "This also corresponds to and
extends to such sensitive areas as defence and security. In this regard, Russia
will also continue interaction and cooperation with African states."Russia's
growing security role in parts of the continent, including in countries such as
Mali, Central African Republic and Equatorial Guinea, is viewed with concern by
the West, and has come at the expense of France and the United States.
Russia's Africa Corps was created with the Russian Defence Ministry's
support after Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin and commander Dmitry Utkin led a
failed mutiny against the Russian army leadership in June 2023 and were killed
two months later in a plane crash.About 70-80% of the Africa Corps is made up of
former Wagner members, according to several Telegram chats used by Russian
mercenaries seen by Reuters.
Trump's White House Redirects Thousands Of Missiles Meant
For Ukraine's Use, Zelenskyy Says
Kate Nicholson/HuffPost UK/June 9, 2025
Donald Trump’s administration has redirected 20,000 anti-drone missiles away
from Ukraine, according to Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The Ukrainian president told ABC
News’ This Week that the missiles are needed to deter Russia’s ongoing strikes
using Iranian-design Shahed drones. Moscow has been ruthlessly attacking Ukraine
from the skies throughout the war, but it has elevated its strikes recently. On
June 1, it launched its largest drone assault of the war with 472 strikes just
in one night. According to Zelenskyy, the Biden administration had already
agreed to send Ukraine anti-drone technology before Trump’s second term began.
Zelenskyy explained: “We have a big problem with Shaheds... we will find all the
tools to destroy them. “We counted on this project – 20,000 missiles. Anti-Shahed
missiles. It was not expensive, but it’s a special technology.”The Wall Street
Journal first reported the diversion on June 4, after US defence secretary Pete
Hegseth allegedly alerted Congress to the “urgent” re-allocation of weaponry.
That report also came out the same day Trump spoke extensively to
Vladimir Putin over the phone. The weapons were instead sent to the American
forces in the Middle East amid brewing fears of a possible US-Iran clash over
their delayed nuclear deal and concerns over the Houthi rebels in Yemen. But
there are also Russia has not finished retaliating against Ukraine after its
surprise “Operation Spiderweb” attack on Russian airbases last week.
Reports say Russia is looking to launch more than 500 long-range drones
per night in future attacks. Under Trump, the White House has been far less
consistent in its backing of Ukraine and often expressed sympathy with Putin
over his ongoing land grab. The US president has
halted the approval of new military aid packages for Ukraine ever since he
returned to office in January. Hegseth also became the first US defence chief
not to attend a Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting on June 4 since Putin’s
invasion began in February 2022. In his bid to secure a quick resolution to the
war, Trump briefly stopped military shipments going to Ukraine and refused to
share intelligence with the beleaguered country until it agreed to a ceasefire
framework in March. Meanwhile, Trump has refused to impose sanctions on Russia,
claiming it could disrupt its attempts to get a peace deal.
But Zelenskyy remains publicly optimistic that the American president is
the only way for the war to end. He said “hard pressure” from Washington and its
European allies would force Putin to be “pragmatic”.The Ukrainian president
added: “Then they will stop the war. I am convinced that the president of the
United States has all the powers and enough leverage to step up.”
Kremlin says NATO air defence plan is confrontational and will cost European
taxpayers
Reuters/June 9, 2025
MOSCOW -The Kremlin said on Monday that NATO's plan for a huge boost to its air
and missile defence capabilities was confrontational and would come at the
expense of European taxpayers who were being asked to pay to defuse a threat
that did not exist.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who is pushing for members to boost defence
spending to 3.5% of GDP and commit a further 1.5% to broader security-related
spending, was due to use a speech in London on Monday to say that the alliance
needed a 400% increase in air and missile defence. Asked about Rutte's planned
remarks on air and missile defence, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told
reporters: "(NATO) is not an instrument for
maintaining stability and security on the continent. It is an instrument created
for confrontation and has so far kept its true nature disguised. Now it is
showing its real nature." Peskov said European taxpayers were the ones who would
suffer. "European taxpayers will spend their money to
defuse some threat that they say comes from our country, but it is nothing but
an ephemeral threat," said Peskov.
Trump Calls on Qatar to Fund Kennedy Center’s MAGA Makeover
Emell Derra Adolphus/The Daily Beast/June 09/2025
President Donald Trump is aiming to give the Kennedy Center a MAGA makeover, and
he has reportedly called on the country that gifted him his “palace in the sky”
to do it.The Wall Street Journal reported that the Republican president’s
dramatic takeover of the longtime performing arts institution has led to
plummeting ticket sales. Last month, Trump set the
tone of his hostile takeover by dissing the institution’s history of programming
and its physical space during a dinner with the center’s board members.
“The building is falling apart,” Trump said as his dinner guests let out
uneasy laughter. “I don’t want to scare people. It’s in fine shape, but it’s
falling apart.”To fix this, The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump has put
out calls to the Middle East to bankroll a renovation or two—which could include
rehabbing its VIP suites and even building a marina next to the venue so the
nautical elite can pull up and enjoy the center’s programming from the water.
Reportedly on the call list was Qatar, which gifted Trump his $400 million
“palace in sky” Boeing jet, which he plans to use as his Air Force One until he
pockets the aircraft for personal use at the end of his presidential term.
“The back of the house and the front of the house have been left in an
embarrassing state. I am proud to be a small part of a team where the boss
eschews partisan politics in favor of putting American culture, heritage, and
excellence first,” Richard Grenell said in a statement. He was named executive
director of the Kennedy Center in February. Les
Misérables, the president’s favorite musical, will open the center’s programming
this week, and some of MAGA’s most faithful followers have shilled out $2
million to join the president at the performance.
Canada to hit 2 percent
defense NATO spending target this year: Carney
AFP/09 June ,2025
Canada will reach NATO’s defense spending target of two percent this year, Prime
Minister Mark Carney announced Monday, arguing the country had to revitalize its
military “to defend every inch of our sovereign territory.”Carney’s speech at
the University of Toronto included stark warnings about the global security
order being shaken by US President Donald Trump. But it extended beyond his
concern over future US relations. The prime minister warned Canada has not done
enough to prepare itself for evolving threats from China, Russia, cyberattacks
and the advancing national security implications of climate change. “The
long-held view that Canada’s geographic location will protect us is becoming
increasingly archaic,” Carney said. With threats facing the country multiplying,
the prime minister said Canada “will achieve NATO’s two percent target this year
– half a decade ahead of schedule.”“We are too reliant on the United States,” he
added. Trump has repeatedly pressured NATO members to increase defense spending,
arguing the United States was paying more than its fair share for collective
security. In April, the alliance announced that 22 of its 32 members hit the two
percent spending target. But Trump has pushed NATO members to spend even more
and warned the United States could refuse to protect countries that don’t commit
what he considers enough resources to defense. Carney said Canada had become
used to a post-war order with the United States as “the global hegemon,” and
Canada’s “closest ally and dominant trading partner.”“Now the United States is
beginning to monetize its hegemony: charging for access to its markets and
reducing its contributions to our collective security,” he said, condemning
Trump’s trade war. Carney said Canada would pursue new security relationships
with “like-minded partners,” with a specific focus on Europe. “We are actively
seeking to strengthen transatlantic security,” he said, indicating a Canada-EU
summit this month will be “will be more important than ever.”
‘Vulnerable’ Arctic
Since taking office in mid-March, Carney has emphasized the changing security
landscape in Canada’s Arctic, where receding ice caused by climate change is
opening the region’s vast natural resources to fierce competition. Carney has
previously announced plans to substantially expand Canada’s military presence in
the region, and on Monday he said the “Arctic is becoming more accessible and
vulnerable to commercial and military activities.”Russia and China are seen as
two major rivals who could present increasing Artic security challenges in the
years ahead. Carney framed Monday’s military spending announcement as a move
designed “to protect Canadians, not to satisfy NATO accountants.” He noted the
country’s military infrastructure was ageing, with only one of four submarines
deemed seaworthy, and less than half of maritime fleet and land vehicles
operational.
The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources
on June 09-10/2025
Why Iran Will Never Give Up Its Nuclear Weapons
Amin Sharifi/Gatestone Institute/June 08/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/06/144090/
Iran's ruling elite, bluntly, believes that both its survival and its mission
depend on acquiring nuclear weapons. They saw what happened to Libya and Ukraine
when their leaders gave up their nuclear weapons, and understood that this was
not the way to go.
The regime's goal is the bomb.
Iran's Supreme Leader is not just a political figure, but is considered divine,
with a legitimacy given not by man but by Allah.
"And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by
which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them
whom you do not know [but] whom Allah knows. And whatever you spend in the cause
of Allah will be fully repaid to you, and you will not be wronged." — Qur'an
8:60 (Sahih International Translation).
This verse is used by the IRGC not just as a call for defense, but as a
religious endorsement of nuclear armament. In this view, nuclear weapons are not
only permitted, but also necessary. They are both a shield against the regime's
many enemies and a divine tool for the end-times struggle they believe is
coming.
Iran's leadership sees deception not as dishonorable, but as strategic. The
Islamic doctrine of taqiyya, or religiously sanctioned deception, allows lying
to infidels in the name of survival or victory.
The regime's lack of response to Soleimani's killing revealed something
essential: the mullahs understand only strength.
Iran's nuclear program must be completely and permanently dismantled. Even if
ideology were not part of the equation, Iran's corruption, mismanagement and
incompetence would still make it unfit to operate any nuclear facility. Senior
officials are appointed through favoritism, cronyism or family ties. Industry is
collapsing. Accountability is nonexistent.
The day we wake up to hear that Iran is about to use its nuclear bomb will be
the day the world changes forever.
Iran's nuclear program must be completely and permanently dismantled. Even if
ideology were not part of the equation, Iran's corruption, mismanagement and
incompetence would still make it unfit to operate any nuclear facility. Senior
officials are appointed through favoritism, cronyism or family ties. Industry is
collapsing. Accountability is nonexistent. Pictured: The Isfahan uranium
enrichment facility in Isfahan, Iran. (Photo by Getty Images)
Iran's ruling elite, bluntly, believes that both its survival and its mission
depend on acquiring nuclear weapons. They saw what happened to Libya and Ukraine
when their leaders gave up their nuclear weapons, and understood that this was
not the way to go. To Iran's rulers, their nuclear program is not just a policy
objective to protect the continuation of their regime, but the centerpiece of
Iran's ideology and propaganda.
Despite having some of the world's richest oil and gas reserves, the regime has
accepted crushing sanctions and economic ruin, all under the excuse of pursuing
nuclear power. The regime's goal is the bomb.
Many different groups were involved in the 1979 revolution that overthrew the
monarchy of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, but Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah
Khomeini quickly eliminated his rivals and imposed an Islamist system unlike
anything else in modern history: Velayat-e-Faqih, or "the rule of the Islamic
jurist." In this vision, drawn from a radical interpretation of Twelver Shiism,
political power belongs not to the people, but to Allah, and through Him to the
clerical class acting as representatives of the Twelfth Iman, known as the
"Hidden Imam." This belief forms the foundation of the Supreme Leader's
authority. Iran's Supreme Leader is not just a political figure, but is
considered divine, with a legitimacy given not by man but by Allah.
In Iran, the Supreme Leader is the only absolute ruler. He appoints the
judiciary, controls the military, dictates foreign policy, and approves or
rejects all applicants for election candidacy. Elections exist, but are
meaningless ceremonies. Presidents and parliaments do not govern, they obey.
What is absent from the Islamic Republic of Iran is a "republic."
The West still fails to grasp this regime's worldview. It is not just
authoritarian, it is theological. It sees the world in binary terms: believers
and infidels, Shiites and non-Shiites. It also believes that history is heading
toward a final confrontation, in which Iran will be prepared militarily and
spiritually to lead. That is why the Iranian nuclear program is not negotiable.
It is holy, sacred.
Iran's private militia, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), embodies
the most radical interpretation of the Quran. For example, Surah al-Anfal, verse
8:60, which commands Muslims:
"And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by
which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them
whom you do not know [but] whom Allah knows. And whatever you spend in the cause
of Allah will be fully repaid to you, and you will not be wronged." (Sahih
International Translation)
This verse is used by the IRGC not just as a call for defense, but as a
religious endorsement of nuclear armament. In this view, nuclear weapons are not
only permitted, but also necessary. They are both a shield against the regime's
many enemies and a divine tool for the end-times struggle they believe is
coming.
Iran's leadership sees deception not as dishonorable, but as strategic. The
Islamic doctrine of taqiyya, or religiously sanctioned deception, allows lying
to infidels in the name of survival or victory. Combine this with their reading
of Islamic sources such as the Islamic Prophet Mohammed's saying that "war is
deceit", therefore, any agreement, verbal or written, is ultimately meaningless
to a regime that views deception as doctrine.
Western diplomats still behave as if they're dealing with a conventional
authoritarian state. They're not. They're dealing with an absolutist religious
movement that uses treaties as cover and smiles as strategy. The Obama
Administration's 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) agreement with
Iran never involved real concessions from the Islamic Republic. It was an
Iranian delay tactic, a calibrated pause to outlast and outmaneuver naive
Western governments.
The silence of then US President Barack Obama during Iran's 2009 Green Movement
protests betrayed millions of Iranians fighting for freedom. Instead of
supporting the people, he chose to preserve nuclear negotiations, a decision
that allowed the regime to survive and rebuild.
By contrast, President Donald J. Trump's withdrawal from the JCPOA in 2018 and
his killing of IRGC Quds Force commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani
represented a break from this pattern of appeasement. The regime's lack of
response to Soleimani's killing revealed something essential: the mullahs
understand only strength.
The Biden administration revived the failed engagement policies, and Iran became
bolder than ever. From backing Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the Hamas
invasion of Israel on October 7, 2023, to direct launching ballistic missiles
and drones at Israel in 2024, the Iranian regime acted without fear. If these
events did not convince the West of the consequences of compromise with Tehran,
what will?
When Iran released a video simulating the assassination of Trump, it clearly
never expected him to return to power. But now, Iran's goal is simple: survive
the next four years by dragging out talks and buying time to acquire nuclear
bombs and rebuild the air defenses that Israel destroyed.
While the West was playing this game of hide-and-seek bogus diplomacy, Iran
managed to deploy more advanced centrifuges, enrich uranium to higher levels
(weapons-grade), build and expand deeper underground facilities, and find more
sophisticated ways to conceal its nuclear progress.
Here is the bitter truth: A new deal with Iran might look like a solution. In
reality, a deal will only give Iran more time and more cover to evade whatever
it agrees to. The regime will invent distractions to advance its program
underground. Another war. Another proxy. Another crisis.
Iran's nuclear program must be completely and permanently dismantled. Even if
ideology were not part of the equation, Iran's corruption, mismanagement and
incompetence would still make it unfit to operate any nuclear facility. Senior
officials are appointed through favoritism, cronyism or family ties. Industry is
collapsing. Accountability is nonexistent.
Nobody wants to see a Chernobyl-like nuclear disaster caused by Iranian
incompetence or something even worse, caused by ideological intent.
Iran's regime cannot be reformed. Most especially, it cannot be trusted. It will
never voluntarily give up its nuclear ambitions. Those ambitions are not just
political. They are theological.
The day we wake up to hear that Iran is about to use its nuclear bomb will be
the day the world changes forever.
*Amin Sharifi is an expert in international relations and the Middle East. He is
presently based in Sweden.
© 2025 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do
not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No
part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied
or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/21670/iran-give-up-nuclear-weapons
Fresh grounds to snap back Iran sanctions — and block it
from getting a nuclear bomb
Andrea Stricker/New York Post/June 09/2025
Nonproliferation and Biodefense Program Deputy Director and Research Fellow
The International Atomic Energy Agency just pulled back a veil from Iran’s
secretive nuclear plans. And what was revealed is as disturbing as it is
unsurprising.
The IAEA last week released a long-awaited comprehensive report on Iran’s
violations of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The report details Tehran’s
failure to comply with a nearly eight-year IAEA investigation into the regime’s
illicit nuclear-weapons work.
It also shows an elaborate Iranian coverup that continues today.
When the IAEA’s Board of Governors meets next week, the United States (along
with the United Kingdom, France and Germany) plans to seek a resolution finding
Iran in formal non-compliance with the NPT — one step away from a referral to
the UN Security Council.
That is simply not enough. The West must immediately trigger the process of
restoring suspended UN sanctions on Iran. The IAEA report includes new findings
about Tehran’s undeclared activities and use of nuclear material at four sites:
Lavisan-Shian, Marivan, Turquz-Abad and Varamin.
Even though the sites haven’t been in operation for some time, the regulatory
body found man-made uranium particles and pieced together evidence that
nuclear-weapons experiments and tests had been carried out in violation of
safeguards — without the IAEA’s knowledge. The IAEA mentions Iran’s preparation
of pilot and production-scale facilities — the former for learning how to build
atomic bombs; the latter for churning out a larger nuclear arsenal. Iran was
even preparing a “cold test” of a nuclear weapon (a type of simulation with
unenriched uranium), one of the last steps before it could certify its weapons
functioned as desired. The IAEA says Iran provided unsatisfactory explanations
about its activities, delayed timely access to sites, carried out sophisticated
sanitization efforts and even stole confidential IAEA documents.
Iran refuses to disclose its construction of new nuclear facilities, raising
concern about the existence of additional secret nuclear-weapons sites. While
the IAEA has a mandate to ensure all nuclear material and activities are devoted
to peaceful uses, it says it can’t determine whether missing nuclear material in
Iran “has been consumed, mixed with other declared material, or is still outside
of safeguards.”
Troublingly, the IAEA underscores, “The fact that Iran is the only
non-nuclear-weapon State in the world that is producing and accumulating uranium
enriched to 60 percent remains a matter of serious concern.”A separate IAEA
report drawn from recent agency inspections at Iran’s nuclear sites indicates
Iran has enough 60% highly enriched uranium to fuel roughly 10 nuclear weapons,
and enough for 11 more with further enrichment of Iran’s low-enriched uranium
stocks. (It’s actually a short step from any level of enrichment to the 90%
needed for a bomb). There are other signs Iran’s nuclear-weapons activities are
continuing apace.Aided by recent nuclear-weapons work by Iranian scientists,
Iran would likely require around six months to produce a so-called “crude”
nuclear device (i.e., one with minimal testing) — and thus potentially evade
detection until near the end of this timeline.
The West hasn’t a moment to lose. The United States
and its allies should follow through with their planned IAEA censure resolution
— but they must also refer Tehran’s case to the UNSC for the “snapback” of
suspended multilateral sanctions before their expiration on Oct. 18. Those
sanctions, suspended by the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and UN Resolution 2231, bar
Iran from enriching uranium and prohibit nuclear, missile and military trade
with the regime — key legal restrictions worth saving. With or without the
IAEA’s referral, the Security Council can take up to 30 days to vote to fully
reimpose UN sanctions. Yet in October, Russia takes the council’s helm. So the
West must seek that vote before Sept. 1 to avoid leaving the scheduling to
Russia. Once it’s on the table, Moscow and Beijing can’t use their council
vetoes to block the move. The IAEA has done its job and delivered a robust
report.
The West must now act to ensure Iran does not escape accountability for its
decades of nonproliferation violations. And then figure out what else they’re
going to do stop Iran from getting a nuclear bomb.
**Andrea Stricker is a research fellow and deputy director of the
Nonproliferation and Biodefense Program at the Foundation for Defense of
Democracies. Twitter: @StrickerNonpro.
https://nypost.com/2025/06/05/opinion/fresh-grounds-to-snap-back-iran-sanctions-and-block-it-from-getting-a-nuclear-bomb/
Who will replace Muhammad Sinwar as the leader of Hamas in Gaza?
Joe Truzman/ FDD's Long War Journal/June 09/2025
https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2025/06/analysis-who-will-replace-muhammad-sinwar-as-the-leader-of-hamas.php
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the death of Hamas chief
Muhammad Sinwar during a parliamentary session on May 28. Netanyahu said that
Sinwar was eliminated in a May 13 strike targeting a Hamas command center
beneath the European Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF)
acknowledged the killing of Sinwar on May 31, adding that the strike also killed
Hamas’s Rafah Brigade commander, Muhammad Shabana, and the south Khan Yunis
battalion commander, Mahdi Kawara. Muhammad Sinwar had
risen to prominence following the killing of Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar, his older
brother, by the IDF in October 2024. Israel and the United States charged that
Yahya Sinwar was the mastermind behind Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on
Israel, which escalated into the ongoing conflict. After Yahya’s death, Muhammad
assumed the leadership of Hamas in Gaza until his elimination last month.
Hamas has not formally acknowledged the death of Sinwar or Shabana. The Islamist
organization has kept a policy of not disclosing the deaths of most of its
members and senior leaders during active conflict.
Nevertheless, the deaths of Sinwar and Shabana have tightened the increasingly
small circle of remaining Hamas leaders in Gaza who were responsible for
launching the October 7 surprise attack on southern Israel.
Izz al Din al Haddad.Among the most prominent remaining Hamas members who
could succeed Sinwar is Gaza Brigade Commander Izz al Din al Haddad, also known
as “Abu Suhaib.” Haddad has been a member of Hamas since the group declared
itself as the Islamic Resistance Movement in 1987. Since his start in the
nascent organization, Haddad has risen through the group’s ranks and eventually
replaced Gaza Brigade Commander Bassem Issa, who was killed by Israel in 2021
during Operation Guardian of the Walls.During the ongoing conflict, Israel has
attempted to eliminate Haddad but has thus far failed. However, the IDF
successfully targeted and killed both of his sons, Suhaib and Moaz. The IDF
recently underscored that Haddad remains a high-priority target by circulating
leaflets in Gaza featuring his image with a warning that he would receive a
“ticket to hell.”
Raed Saad.
Another top Hamas military figure who has evaded Israeli elimination is Head of
Operations Raed Saad, aka “Abu Moaz.” In June 2024, there were reports that the
IDF killed Saad in a strike in Gaza City, but confirmation of his elimination
never materialized.
In general, Hamas does not disclose details about its senior members. However, a
2005 article in Fajr al Intisar named Saad a “leader in Gaza.” Furthermore, a
Ynet report stated that Saad devised the Jericho Wall invasion plan as a
countermeasure to Israel’s construction of an underground border barrier.
From left to right: Khudayfah al Kahlout, Haytham al Hawajri, and Hussein
Fayyad. Other Hamas figures who have survived the war,
including Khudayfah al Kahlout (also known as Abu Obeida), Al Shaati battalion
commander Haytham al-Hawajri, and Beit Hanoun battalion commander Hussein
Fayyad, are potential contenders to fill the ranks of Hamas’s depleted
leadership. However, Kahlout is a spokesperson and likely lacks the operational
command experience required for military leadership. While Hawajri and Fayyad
possess battlefield experience, neither has demonstrated the strategic
leadership or organizational influence necessary to guide a Hamas that will
likely face a period of profound reconstruction should it remain in power in
Gaza. That said, if any of these individuals survive the war, their standing
within the organization will almost certainly rise.
Hamas’s future in Gaza remains uncertain, as does the identity of its next
leader in the territory. While the group maintains an external leadership
structure based in Qatar, Turkey, and elsewhere, it ultimately requires a
commander on the ground in Gaza to maintain control and legitimacy. However, at
present, Hamas has not publicly said it has appointed a new leader in the Strip,
likely due to the high risk of Israeli elimination (A secret leadership
appointment has happened before). The IDF has inflicted significant damage on
Hamas’s leadership cadre, particularly by eliminating senior figures with
decades of operational experience against Israel. Still, if Hamas manages to
continue ruling Gaza after the war, it will select a new leader and rebuild, as
it has in past conflicts.
**Joe Truzman is an editor and senior research analyst at FDD’s Long War Journal
focused primarily on Palestinian armed groups and non-state actors in the Middle
East.
Palestinians Weigh In: The Real Reason Hamas Wants To
'Sacrifice' Them
Khaled Abu Toameh/Gatestone Institute./June 09/2025
Like most senior Hamas leaders, [Khalil] al-Hayya and his family members live
outside the Gaza Strip, having fled the Gaza Strip before the October 7 attack
on Israel. These Hamas leaders are leading safe, often resplendent lives in
Qatar, Lebanon, Algeria, Turkey and other comfortable countries.
Hamas, [these Palestinians] say, has decided to sacrifice tens of thousands of
Palestinians to please its patrons in Qatar and Iran.
"Khalil al-Hayya's statement of sacrificing Gaza isn't a slip of the tongue –
it's the mask coming off. When he says Gaza 'offered itself as a sacrifice,'
what he means is that the people of Gaza were handed over...to foreign capitals
and thrones... Gaza wasn't 'offered'- it was 'traded.' Traded for relevance in
Tehran, applause in Doha, and invitations to summits where men in suits
congratulate themselves for their loyalty [to Iran and Qatar] while entire
neighborhoods [in the Gaza Strip] are flattened. What al-Hayya revealed – with
disturbing pride – is that Hamas has never seen Gaza as a society to build or
protect, but as a tool to elevate themselves in the eyes of unelected monarchs
and ideological overlords.... to secure long-term contracts of power and
protection from the patrons they truly serve..... [f]or the Qatari ruling elite
who fund the fire from a safe distance, then host the [Hamas] arsonists as
statesmen. Hamas offers Gaza as a sacrifice ... because they know that a Gaza in
ruins keeps them relevant, funded, and feared." — Hamza Howidy, a Gaza-born
peace and human rights advocate, X, June 6, 2025.
"[O]ur lives have been stolen. People in Gaza... are furious. They're asking:
how dare he (Khalil al-Hayya) speak in our name while he lives safely abroad
with his family in Qatar? His words echo something even more horrifying once
said by the late Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh: 'We need the blood of children and
women to awaken the spirit of revolution within us.' What kind of ideology is
this? What twisted logic allows men living in comfort to turn the suffering of
an entire people into a slogan? I can't describe how infuriated I feel right
now. I want to smash my head against the wall." — "Alaa from Gaza," X, June 5,
2025 [Emphasis in the original].
"Khalil al-Hayya's statement of sacrificing Gaza isn't a slip of the tongue –
it's the mask coming off. When he says Gaza 'offered itself as a sacrifice,'
what he means is that the people of Gaza were handed over... Traded for
relevance in Tehran, applause in Doha..." — Hamza Howidy, a Gaza-born peace and
human rights advocate.
On the eve of the Islamic feast of Eid al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice), Hamas
leader Khalil al-Hayya -- in charge of the negotiations to release the hostages
and reach a ceasefire agreement with Israel -- delivered a speech in which he
said: "Gaza has offered itself as a sacrifice for the Muslim ummah [nation] and
deserves its full support in return."
Al-Hayya's statement triggered a wave of angry reactions and condemnations from
many Palestinians, especially those from the Gaza Strip who have been facing
death and destruction since October 7, 2023, when Hamas and thousands of
"ordinary" Palestinians invaded Israel and murdered 1,200 Israelis and foreign
nationals. Another 251 people were kidnapped to the Gaza Strip, where 55 – dead
and alive – remain in captivity.
In Islamic tradition, Eid al-Adha honors the willingness of the patriarch
Abraham to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God's command. In the
Koran, the story of Abraham's sacrifice is a pivotal event, showcasing his
unwavering obedience to God. Abraham received a vision in a dream to sacrifice
his son. Just as he was about to fulfill the vision, God intervenes, replacing
his son with a ram.
Like most senior Hamas leaders, al-Hayya and his family members live outside the
Gaza Strip, having fled the Gaza Strip before the October 7 attack on Israel.
These Hamas leaders are leading safe, often resplendent lives in Qatar, Lebanon,
Algeria, Turkey and other comfortable countries.
Palestinians expressed outrage that the senior Hamas official compared them to
lambs offered as sacrifices in the terror organization's jihad (holy war)
against Israel. According to Hamas, more than 55,000 Palestinians have been
killed since the beginning of the war, which Hamas initiated on October 7, 2023.
For these Palestinians, al-Hayya's remarks are an example of the total disregard
displayed by Hamas leaders for the lives of the residents of the Gaza Strip, who
continue to pay a heavy price because of the terror group's refusal to hand over
all the hostages, disarm and relinquish control of Gaza. Hamas, they say, has
decided to sacrifice tens of thousands of Palestinians to please its patrons in
Qatar and Iran.
Hamza Howidy, a Gaza-born peace and human rights advocate, pointed out that the
leaders of Hamas have decided to sacrifice their people in service to Qatar and
Iran.
"Khalil al-Hayya's statement of sacrificing Gaza isn't a slip of the tongue –
it's the mask coming off. When he says Gaza 'offered itself as a sacrifice,'
what he means is that the people of Gaza were handed over – not to a cause, not
to liberation, but to foreign capitals and thrones that see Palestinian blood as
nothing more than leverage.
"Gaza wasn't 'offered'- it was 'traded.' Traded for relevance in Tehran,
applause in Doha, and invitations to summits where men in suits congratulate
themselves for their loyalty [to Iran and Qatar] while entire neighborhoods [in
the Gaza Strip] are flattened...
"What al-Hayya revealed – with disturbing pride – is that Hamas has never seen
Gaza as a society to build or protect, but as a tool to elevate themselves in
the eyes of unelected monarchs and ideological overlords. It's death on
commission. It's turning a population into a spectacle of martyrdom to secure
long-term contracts of power and protection from the patrons they truly serve.
"The 'Muslim nation' he invokes isn't some united moral force. It's a euphemism
for the [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] IRGC. For the Qatari ruling elite
who fund the fire from a safe distance, then host the [Hamas] arsonists as
statesmen. Hamas offers Gaza as a sacrifice not to God, not to freedom, but to
the very forces who benefit most from the endless war – because they know that a
Gaza in ruins keeps them relevant, funded, and feared."
A resident of the Gaza Strip, "Alaa from Gaza," noted that al-Hayya's statement
proves that the leaders of Hamas living in Qatar are oblivious to the suffering
of their people in the Gaza Strip.
"It's the eve of Eid Al-Adha across the Islamic world, a time that used to bring
joy and celebration in Gaza before October 7. But our lives have been stolen....
"People in Gaza, including my family and friends, are furious. They're asking:
how dare he [Khalil al-Hayya] speak in our name while he lives safely abroad
with his family in Qatar?...
"His words echo something even more horrifying once said by the late Hamas chief
Ismail Haniyeh: 'We need the blood of children and women to awaken the spirit of
revolution within us.'
"What kind of ideology is this? What twisted logic allows men living in comfort
to turn the suffering of an entire people into a slogan? I can't describe how
infuriated I feel right now. I want to smash my head against the wall. I
genuinely cannot understand how this so-called leadership thinks." [Emphasis in
the original]
Zaher Abu Hussein, another Palestinian, commented:
"Khalil al-Hayya offers the blood of Gaza's children and women as a sacrifice...
to the arms of the Supreme Persian (Iranian) Leader....
"After all of Gaza was sacrificed on the altar of the Iranian project, after
homes turned into graves, and neighborhoods into ashes, Khalil al-Hayya came out
in public to complete the ritual: the ritual of loyalty and submission [to the
Iranian regime]...
"Khalil al-Hayya does not represent us. Rather, he represents the Iranian agency
in Palestine, he represents the project that has turned the [Palestinian] issue
into a hired gun, and the martyrs into negotiating cards. Whoever hands over
Gaza to Iran is not from Palestine."
Abu Karmel, yet another Palestinian, wrote on X:
"In the teachings of Islam and Sharia, there is no such thing as offering human
'sacrifices' for a worldly or political purpose. Sacrifices are offered to God,
but not in the form of human bodies for the sake of redeeming a group or a
political organization, as Khalil al-Hayya and his gang want...
"Did anyone consult the people of Gaza before offering them as 'sacrifices' on
the altar of the [Muslim] Brotherhood? [Hamas is an offshoot of the Muslim
Brotherhood organization]...
"These statements issued by Hamas leaders, in which they disregard Palestinian
blood, makes us wonder about the mental capabilities of this group that views
our people in Gaza as sheep and human sacrifices on the altars of their agendas
[to serve] the Muslim Brotherhood and Tehran.
"Are these people mentally ill?
Is this the mentality of political leaders who present themselves in the name of
the Palestinian people?
Do they suffer from psychological and mental problems that make them make such
statements?...
"How long will this [Muslim] Brotherhood gang continue to justify the killing of
our people in the name of resistance and religion?"
Ihab Hassan, a Palestinian human rights activist, remarked:
"We are dealing with psychopaths who are willing to sacrifice all of Gaza – as
they've always made clear. Down with Hamas!"
Respected Palestinian political analyst Fouad Alkhatib, a former resident of the
Gaza Strip who moved to the US, denounced Hamas as a "death cult."
"There's a social media revolt among Palestinians in Gaza who are furious with
remarks made by Hamas's chief Khalil al-Hayya about Eid Al-Adha. He sent Eid
wishes and said that Gaza has presented itself as a 'sacrificial Qurban,' or
'sacrificial lamb' for all Arab and Muslim nations! I've said this time and
again: Hamas is a death cult that's engaged in human sacrifice and must be
stopped from being allowed to sacrifice what's left of Gaza!"
In another post on X, Alkhatib wrote:
"Hamas is a medieval terror organization that's quite literally engaged in the
human sacrifice of the Palestinian people of Gaza. If you still support this
evil Islamist group of thugs, you are inherently anti-Palestinian; do not speak
about the plight of Palestinians if you do."
The reactions of these Palestinians to the statement of the Hamas leader signal
that a growing number of Palestinians are aware that the Iran-backed terror
group does not care about their safety or welfare and is prepared to sacrifice
as many people as possible to achieve its goal of killing Jews and destroying
Israel. Such criticism, however, is not enough to remove Hamas from power. If
the Palestinians of the Gaza Strip do not want to be treated as sheep for
slaughter, they must revolt against Hamas and distance themselves from Qatar and
the Iranian regime. Until then, sadly, more Palestinians will continue to be
sacrificed to appease the Muslim Brotherhood terrorist organization and the
rulers of Qatar and Iran.
**Khaled Abu Toameh is an award-winning journalist based in Jerusalem.
**Follow Khaled Abu Toameh on X (formerly Twitter)
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