English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For March 06/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing
Matthew 06/01-04: “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.  But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,  so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on March 05-06/2025
Etienne Sakr – Abu Arz: Reform in Lebanon Between Illusion and Reality
Independent Arabiya Unveils US Congressional Bill Targeting Hezbollah and LAF
Bill presented to the USA Congress under the title: A Bill to progibit the availability of Federal Funds to support Armed Forces Of Lebanon, and for other purposes (PDF)
Lebanese, Syrian Presidents Stress Need for Border Control to Prevent ‘Violations’
Hezbollah Acknowledges ‘Shortcomings, Breaches’ in Operations, Security
The Druze: Riding the Tide in a Turbulent Middle East/Samar El-Kadi/This is Beirut/March 05/2025
Two wounded in Israeli drone strikes in Ras al-Naqoura
Israeli army opens fire to terrorize citizens in Mays al-Jabal
Aoun says no peace without liberating occupied land
Israel says killed Hezbollah 'navy commander' in Tuesday's strike
'Quiet' understanding between Lebanon, Israel and U.S. on five occupied hills
Hezbollah MP urges state to liberate land, stop Israel violations
Combating Paramilitary Financing: Key to Keeping Lebanon Off the Gray List/Bassam Abou Zeid/This Is Beirut/March 05/2025
LACC Advocates for Lebanon’s Sovereignty in Washington, D.C.

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on March 05-06/2025
Syria vows to rid itself of Assad's chemical weapons legacy
Report: US Holds Secret Talks with Hamas on Gaza Hostages
Trump issues ‘last warning’ to Hamas to release all remaining hostages held in Gaza
Israeli forces kill West Bank Hamas commander
Doha rejects Israeli probe linking Qatari aid to Hamas attack
Israel’s Gaza aid freeze risks breaking international law, UK and allies warn
Israel's Mission Against Hamas 'Not Accomplished', Says New Military Chief
Palestinians in Gaza Welcome an Arab Plan for Rebuilding the Territory
Israel Demolished 181 Palestinian Homes in East Jerusalem
Israel’s Settler Pressure on West Bank Villages Stirs Annexation Fears
Israel’s Shin Bet says October 7 attack could have been prevented as it admits fault and casts blame
UN Food Agency Says it Has Less than 2 Weeks' Worth of Supplies in Gaza
Zelenskiy Hails ‘Positive Movement’ in Relations with US
US Diplomats in Dissent Cable to Rubio Protest USAID Dismantling, Cut in Foreign Aid
Arab Parliament Speaker Praises Arab Summit Outcomes

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on March 05-06/2025
Trump: Redrawing the Future of the World/Drieu Godefridi/Gatestone Institute/March 5, 2025
Concern for Syria/Tariq Al-Homayed/Asharq Al-Awsat/March 05/2025
Admitting Defeat to Avoid Greater Defeats/Hazem Saghieh/Asharq Al-Awsat/March 05/2025
Starmer’s stark choice on Ukraine/Mohamed Chebaro/Arab News/March 05/2025
The impact of US foreign aid cuts on the Arab world/Zaid M. Belbagi/Arab News/March 05/2025
How Israeli strikes in Syria threaten regional stability/Hani Hazaimeh/Arab News/March 05/2025
The future of world order/Joseph S. Nye Jr./Arab News/March 05/2025
Let the world join forces, as it did in 1991/Hassan bin Youssef Yassin/Arab News/March 05/2025

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on March 05-06/2025
Etienne Sakr – Abu Arz: Reform in Lebanon Between Illusion and Reality
March 05/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/03/140899/
Amid all the talk of rescue and reform, and the lofty promises woven into ministerial statements, genuine reform remains an illusion unless two fundamental and non-negotiable conditions are met:
First, the complete and final disarmament of Hezbollah. Lebanon cannot reclaim its independence and sovereignty as long as an armed militia operates outside the law, imposing its will by force, obstructing the establishment of a real state, and turning the country into a mere pawn in Iran’s expansionist terrorist and denominational schemes. Any talk of a so-called “defensive strategy” is nothing more than empty rhetoric and a waste of time.
Second, a relentless and uncompromising fight against corruption—starting from the very top of the pyramid and reaching every official embedded in the web of graft that has metastasized like cancer within the Lebanese state. The era of allowing public funds to be looted by this corrupt system must end, especially while the Lebanese people are crushed under the weight of poverty and deprivation.
These two conditions are the only gateway to Lebanon’s salvation and the sole key to securing any external support. The international community will not inject its resources into a state that cannot impose its own sovereignty or hold its thieves accountable. Likewise, the International Monetary Fund will not open its doors to a government that continues to shield corruption and provide cover for Hezbollah’s illicit weapons.
Up till now, Lebanon’s ruling class has failed to take any real steps toward meeting these conditions. Instead, it persists in its familiar tactics of deception, procrastination, and empty promises, deluding itself into thinking it can fool both its people and the world. But the truth remains immutable:
No reform without sovereignty.
No economy without accountability.
No state without justice.
The pressing question remains: Will Lebanon’s so-called authorities confront these undeniable realities and assume their responsibilities, or will they continue down the path of chaos and improvisation—one that can only lead to inevitable collapse?
Beware.
Beloved Lebanon, we are Your Service
(Free translation from Arabic by: Elias Bejjani)

Independent Arabiya Unveils US Congressional Bill Targeting Hezbollah and LAF
This is Beirut/March 05/2025
Independent Arabiya has published details of a draft bill introduced to the US Congress by Republican Representative Greg Steube, aimed at pressuring the Lebanese government and military to curb Hezbollah’s influence. The proposed legislation, titled "Preventing Armed Groups from Engaging in Extremism Act," calls for stringent measures against Hezbollah and its allies while imposing strict conditions on US assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).
Defunding the Lebanese Army
According to Independent Arabiya, the bill—also referred to as the "Pager Act"—proposes the suspension of US funding to the Lebanese Armed Forces unless the Lebanese government meets several key conditions. These include officially revoking recognition of Hezbollah and its allied political factions, such as the Hezbollah and Amal Blocs, as well as severing all ties with Iran.
The bill further requires the LAF to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1559, which mandates the disarmament of all militias in Lebanon. It obligates the Lebanese military to expand its presence in Hezbollah-controlled areas to prevent the group’s repositioning, cease all coordination with Hezbollah or any other organization designated as a terrorist group by the US, terminate all forms of collaboration with Iran while dismantling any Iranian-supplied military infrastructure or weaponry, and halt legal proceedings against US citizens in Lebanon, particularly journalists critical of Hezbollah or those who have appeared on Israeli media platforms.
Restrictions on UN Aid to Lebanon
Additionally, the legislation seeks to cut US funding for UN development programs that support the LAF and Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces. Within 60 days of its enactment, the US government would be prohibited from financing any such initiatives unless Lebanon complies with the law’s provisions.
Sanctions and Oversight Mechanisms
The bill also proposes new sanctions, including the designation of Suhail Bahij, the head of military intelligence in southern Lebanon, as a global terrorist under US Executive Order 13224. This executive order targets individuals and entities accused of supporting terrorism. Furthermore, the legislation mandates biannual reports from the US Secretary of State, in collaboration with the Secretary of Defense and the CIA Director, assessing Hezbollah and Iran’s influence within the Lebanese government and the Ministry of Defense. Congressional committees on foreign relations and armed services would oversee the implementation of these measures.

مشروع قانون يحمل اسم “قانون بيجر” مقدم إلى الكونجرس الأمريكي يطالب بوقف الدعم المالي للجيش اللبناني في حال لم يتمكن من تنفيذ القرارات الدولية وتجريد حزب الله من سلاحه خلال فترة 60 يوماً
Bill presented to the USA Congress under the title: A Bill to progibit the availability of Federal Funds to support Armed Forces Of Lebanon, and for other purposes (PDF)
مشروع قانون أميركي لتقليص نفوذ “حزب الله” وحلفائه في لبنان قدمه النائب الجمهوري غريغ ستيوب إلى الكونغرس الأميركي ويحمل اسم “منع الجماعات المسلحة من الانخراط في التطرف” أو “قانون بيجر”
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/03/140925/
/05 آذار/2025

Lebanese, Syrian Presidents Stress Need for Border Control to Prevent ‘Violations’
Cairo: Asharq Al Awsat/Asharq Al-Awsat/March 05/2025
Lebanese President Jospeh Aoun held talks on Tuesday with Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa on the sidelines of the emergency Arab summit in Cairo. They discussed several pending issues between their countries and "agreed to coordinate through joint committees that will be established after the formation of the new Syrian government," said a Lebanese Presidency statement. They also stressed the need to control the border between their countries to "prevent all kinds of violations."Syria shares a 330-kilometer (205-mile) border with Lebanon, with no official demarcation at various points, rendering it porous and prone to smuggling. Syria and Lebanon have a fraught history of conflict and violence, with the ouster in December of President Bashar al-Assad after five decades of rule by his clan, offering an opening for a new start. Aoun’s January 9 election ended a two-year-long presidential vacuum in Lebanon, after Hezbollah, long the country’s dominant force, suffered staggering losses in a war with Israel. Hezbollah also lost its key supply route from backer Iran through Syria after Sharaa’s Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) opposition group ousted Assad.
Sharaa then became Syria’s interim president. While Aoun and Sharaa had spoken by phone in February, Tuesday marked their first in-person meeting. Syria’s new authorities announced last month the launch of a security campaign in the border province of Homs, aimed at shutting down arms and goods smuggling routes. They accused Hezbollah of launching attacks, saying it was sponsoring cross-border smuggling gangs. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor, the security campaign targeted drug smugglers and operators from the area with links to Hezbollah. Hezbollah fought side by side with Assad’s troops after intervening in the Syrian civil war, which the ousted leader sparked by cracking down on democracy protests in 2011.
Israeli withdrawal
At the summit, Sharaa urged the international community to pressure Israel to "immediately" withdraw from southern Syria, condemning its attacks that have targeted his country’s security and stability. The "hostile (Israeli) expansion is not only a violation of Syrian sovereignty, but also a direct threat to security and peace in the entire region", he said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month demanded "the complete demilitarization of southern Syria" and said his country would not accept the new Syrian authorities to be present there. Sharaa was attending his first Arab summit since ousting President Bashara al-Assad nearly three months ago. The Syrian presidency published images of Sharaa meeting with senior officials including United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas and European Union chief Antonio Costa on the sidelines of the summit. Guterres and Sharaa "exchanged views about the historic opportunity to chart a new course for Syria as well as the challenges facing the country", according to the UN. The United Nations envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen in a statement strongly condemned Israel's "military escalations" including air strikes" on its northern neighbor. Under Assad, Syria was suspended from the Arab League over his deadly 2011 crackdown on pro-democracy protests which spiraled into a devastating civil war. A UN Security Council committee approved a travel ban exemption for Sharaa, enabling him to visit Egypt for Tuesday's summit despite his inclusion on a sanctions list. The meeting was called in response to a widely criticized proposal by President Donald Trump for the United States to take over Gaza and force its Palestinian inhabitants to relocate to Egypt or Jordan. Sharaa has called Trump's proposal "a very huge crime that cannot happen".

Hezbollah Acknowledges ‘Shortcomings, Breaches’ in Operations, Security
Beirut: Paula Astih/Asharq Al-Awsat/March 05/2025
For the first time in more than three months since its truce with Israel took effect, a Hezbollah official acknowledged on Tuesday “shortcomings and security breaches.”According to Nawaf al-Moussawi, Hezbollah's head of resources and borders, the shortcomings and security breaches led to heavy losses for the Iran-backed party in the recent war. They contributed to the success of Israel’s 2024 pager attacks and the deaths of 4,700 Hezbollah fighters and commanders. Moussawi said Israel’s gains were not a result of superior intelligence but rather “our own shortcomings, and at times, negligence.” In a televised interview, Moussawi said Hezbollah could strike Israeli forces effectively if it addressed these weaknesses and resolved its technical and human security breaches. “The scale of the shortcomings and vulnerabilities is significant,” he added. His remarks came hours after a different assessment from Hezbollah lawmaker Ali al-Muqdad, who said the group had “fully recovered and restored its organizational structure.”Political analyst Qassem Kassir, an expert on Hezbollah affairs, said the group is restructuring its political and organizational framework, with some leadership changes already announced and others still undisclosed. “Hezbollah is currently in a phase of reassessment and reorganization,” Kassir told Asharq Al-Awsat. “The group is prioritizing evaluating recent events, rebuilding its infrastructure, reconstruction efforts, and preparing for upcoming municipal and parliamentary elections,” he explained. Retired Gen. Dr. Hisham Jaber, head of the Middle East Center for Strategic Studies, said that Hezbollah has not fully recovered and is still in the process of doing so. “The leadership gaps, especially in the new leadership and Shura Council, have not been filled yet, and the focus has mostly been on field commanders,” Jaber explained.He added that Hezbollah still has 90% of its manpower and a large weapons stockpile. Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Jaber noted that there have been no public information on internal breaches or betrayals within the group, and investigations are still ongoing. “Until these investigations are finished, it’s too early to talk about addressing the breaches that occurred during the war,” he said. Jaber clarified that restructuring Hezbollah and restoring its strength does not mean it will start another war with Israel. “Launching a war would require certain conditions. After Lebanon’s state-building, Hezbollah cannot unilaterally declare war, or it risks losing its influence,” he said. Last month, Hezbollah media published an image showing leaders who were killed in the latest war with Israel. The image included 35 leaders, as well as former Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah. Political activist and editor of the Janoubia news website, Ali Amine, said the war with Israel nearly ended Hezbollah. “The damage was severe and may never be fully repaired. The group’s security and military structure has been permanently weakened,” he explained. Amin added that while filling leadership roles within Hezbollah may not be difficult, the party’s influence and strength in the region have been seriously damaged. “Hezbollah is now more cautious in its dealings with Israel, while still declaring its commitment to Lebanon's state framework,” he said. “This reflects the current reality of Hezbollah, once seen by its leaders as a major force in Middle East politics.”

The Druze: Riding the Tide in a Turbulent Middle East
Samar El-Kadi/This is Beirut/March 05/2025
The Druze question has reemerged at the forefront of the current regional scene, following the regime change in Syria and Israel’s incursion into Syrian territory through the demilitarized zone in the occupied Golan Heights. All this is compounded by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s warning that Israel would intervene in Syria to protect the Druze.
Who are the Druze and where are they located?
For generations, the Druze, numbering just over 1 million across four countries in a volatile Middle East, have successfully navigated the region’s seismic geopolitical shifts.
Like a number of other ethnic groups in the Middle East, such as the Kurds, the Druze today live in several different countries, including Lebanon, Syria, Israel and Jordan, separated by borders drawn after the breakup of the Ottoman Empire in the early 1920s. But unlike the Kurds, who are largely Muslim, the Druze are a unique religious and ethnic group. Their esoteric faith dates back to the 11th century and incorporates elements of Islam, Hinduism and even classical Greek philosophy. After facing persecution under the Fatimid rule in 11th-century Cairo, where their faith originated, the Druze fled to lands to the east where they resettled and where their faith grew. They have since observed the self-protecting principle of “taqiyya” – the tactical concealment of religious belief in the face of persecution. But while adhering to the tenets of their faith, the Druze communities adapted to their surroundings, pledging allegiance to whichever state they find themselves in. In Lebanon, the Druze number roughly 300,000, making up an estimated 5.5% of the population. They are mainly located in Mount Lebanon, notably the Chouf and Aley districts, and in the southeastern portion of the country, in Wadi al-Taym, Hasbaya and Rashaya.
Despite being a minority, they wield significant political influence through the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP), the country’s main Druze party, under the leadership of the Joumblatt clan. Their attachment to the land is predominant, as they maintain the belief that while the political regimes may perish, the land remains. While Lebanon has the largest concentration of Druze, its much larger neighbor, Syria, has the largest Druze population – more than 700,000 in the early 2020s. They were early supporters of the ruling Arab Socialist Baath Party. In 1963, Druze military officers joined the coup that brought the party to power, which was later dominated with an iron fist by the Assad dynasty. The Druze of Syria are mainly concentrated in the southern part of the country, namely in Sweida and Jabal al-Druze (the Mountain of the Druze). Making up 3% of Syria’s population, the community has always aligned itself with the regime. During the war that erupted in 2011, local Druze militias were created to protect the area against attacks by opposition groups and Islamist rebels fighting Bashar al-Assad’s forces. With the ouster of Assad’s regime on December 8, 2024, at the hands of Islamist groups led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) under the command of former al-Qaeda operative Ahmad al-Sharaa, the community faces big challenges amid Syria’s uncertain future. While welcoming Assad’s fall, Syrian Druze are weary of the Islamist background of the country’s new rulers. The majority are hesitant about disarming and integrating in the “new Syrian army” before a new constitution is endorsed and the ruling system is clarified. While some have declared allegiance to Sharaa, a few Druze are in favor of self-rule and autonomy in southern Syria, a movement reportedly nurtured by the Kurds who run their own autonomous region in northeast Syria.
In Israel, the Druze community is estimated to number 150,000, roughly 2% of the country’s population, mostly living in the northern regions of the Galilee, Carmel and the Golan Heights. They are a close-knit community active in public life. They largely identify with Israel and for more than four decades, the Israeli military had a Druze infantry unit called the “Herev” or sword battalion, in contrast with Israeli Arabs, who are exempt from military service.
A tiny Druze community, estimated at 20,000, lives in Jordan. They are concentrated in the rural, mountainous areas west and north of Amman. The Jordanian government classifies them as Muslims. “Throughout history, even as storms of geopolitical upheaval raged around them, the Druze managed not only to avoid annihilation – if not always conflict – but also to hold on to their lands and their distinct identity while living alongside their Sunni and Shiite Muslim, Christian or Jewish neighbors,” Salah Takieddine, the Editor-in-Chief of PSP’s al-Anbaa publication, told This is Beirut in an interview.
“Their attachment to their land is key to their survival. They could navigate the upheavals of the region because wherever they are located, the Druze are attached to their State, regardless of the nature of the State, and they never interfere with other communities,” Takieddine continued. “In Syria, for instance, they were allied with the former regime in order to survive and protect themselves. And today, they will never accept to become like the Druze of the Golan Heights under the control of Israel. Estranging them from the Syrian state will be extremely difficult if not impossible,” he added.
Lebanese Druze leader, Walid Joumblatt, has been outspoken against any attempt to separate Syria’s Druze from the state, accusing Israel of fomenting dissent and scheming to partition the region into sectarian entities. According to Takieddine, Joumblatt will be visiting Damascus soon to urge the new Syrian ruler to take into account the status of the Druze community in the country’s future. “In other words, he would be telling Sharaa that the Druze should not be excluded from national congresses, future governments and legislation, and that their areas should be included in reconstruction, development and growth plans. Otherwise, he would be serving those in favor of autonomy and separation from the Syrian state,” Takieddine concluded.

Two wounded in Israeli drone strikes in Ras al-Naqoura
Agence France Presse/March 05/2025
Lebanese official media said two people were wounded Wednesday when Israeli drones struck a vehicle in the south, a day after a deadly raid and despite an Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire. "Israeli drones carried out more than one strike on a vehicle in Ras al-Naqoura, near a rubbish dump" south of a United Nations peacekeeping position, the National News Agency (NNA) said. "Two siblings who were collecting scrap metal" were wounded and taken to hospital, it added. The Israeli army said "a number of suspects were spotted transferring weapons to several vehicles in the Naqoura area of ​​southern Lebanon" and that an Israeli aircraft "attacked one of the vehicles to remove the threat.""The suspects' activities constitute a breach of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon," the Israeli army added. The strikes come a day after Israel's military said it killed a Hezbollah navy commander in the south, accusing the slain militant of violating the November 27 ceasefire. The truce largely halted more than a year of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, including two months of full-blown war during which Israel sent in ground troops. Israel has continued to carry out strikes on Lebanese territory since the agreement took effect. Israel was due withdraw from Lebanon by February 18 after missing a January deadline, but it has kept troops at five locations it deems "strategic."The ceasefire also required Hezbollah to pull back north of the Litani River, about 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the border, and to dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in the south. Last week, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israeli forces would remain indefinitely in what he called a "buffer zone" in south Lebanon.

Israeli army opens fire to terrorize citizens in Mays al-Jabal
Naharnet/March 05/2025
The Israeli army fired machine guns Wednesday from the Israeli post of al-Assi in northern Israel toward two areas in the southern border town of Mays al-Jabal, which was largely destroyed during the latest war between Israel and Hezbollah, Lebanon’s National News Agency said.The Israeli soldiers opened fire to “terrorize citizens and residents who were inspecting their destroyed homes,” NNA said. “A civilian car belonging to a citizen was damaged while no casualties were recorded,” the agency added.

Aoun says no peace without liberating occupied land
Naharnet/March 05/2025
President Joseph Aoun told the extraordinary Arab League summit in Cairo that Israel is still occupying Lebanese land and incarcerating Lebanese detainees. “We will not give up our land and we will not forget or abandon our captives,” Aoun added, referring to Hezbollah fighters captured during the latest war with Israel. “There is still daily aggression and there are still innocents from my people who are falling martyred or wounded every day … I bow in the face of their sacrifices and I hold my head up high because I’m from their country,” the president said. He stressed that “there can be no peace without liberating the last inch of our land that is internationally-recognized and documented, verified and delineated by the U.N.” “There can be no peace without the state of Palestine and no peace without regaining the legitimate and full rights of the Palestinians,” Aoun added. He also emphasized that Lebanon “should neither be violated by the wars of others nor a hub or passage of the policies of foreign influence.”“It should not be a place for occupations or hegemonies and it should not allow some of its components to use foreign forces against the sons of their country, even if these foreign forces are friends or brothers,” the president added.

Israel says killed Hezbollah 'navy commander' in Tuesday's strike
Agence France Presse/March 05/2025
Israel's military said it killed a Hezbollah navy commander in an air strike Tuesday in south Lebanon, accusing the slain militant of violating the November ceasefire. The Israeli air force "struck and eliminated" Khodor Saeed Hashem, a naval unit commander for the Lebanese armed group, near the town of Qana, a military statement said. It accused Hashem of "activities (that) posed a threat to the State of Israel and its citizens and constituted a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon."The Israeli military said Hashem was a member of Hezbollah's elite Radwan Force and played a role in "maritime smuggling operations."Lebanon's official National News Agency reported one person killed in an Israeli strike on a car in a village in the area of the southern district of Tyre, where Qana is located. Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Ezzedine called on a committee tasked with overseeing the November 27 truce deal with Israel to "put an end to this continued violation of our national sovereignty."He also urged the committee to "exert all pressure to expel the enemy from the lands it occupies," warning that failure to do so would "push our people and our citizens to exercise their right to resist" them. The truce deal largely halted more than a year of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, though Israel has continued to carry out strikes on Lebanese territory since the agreement took effect. The fighting, initiated by Hezbollah in support of its Palestinian ally Hamas, included two months of all-out war and killed more than 4,000 people in Lebanon, according to authorities. In Israel, 78 people were killed, as well as 56 troops killed inside Lebanon. Hundreds of thousands have been displaced in Lebanon, according to the U.N., and 60,000 in Israel. Under the terms of the ceasefire, Israel was due to complete its withdrawal from Lebanon by February 18 after missing a January deadline, but it has kept troops at five locations it deems "strategic." The ceasefire also required Hezbollah to pull back north of the Litani River, about 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the border, and to dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in the south. Last week, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israeli forces would remain indefinitely in what he called a "buffer zone" in south Lebanon.

'Quiet' understanding between Lebanon, Israel and U.S. on five occupied hills
Naharnet/March 05/2025
There is a "quiet understanding" between Lebanon, Israel and the U.S. that Israel's presence in south Lebanon will continue for several weeks or months "until the Lebanese army stabilizes the situation in southern Lebanon and ensures Hezbollah is no longer a threat," Axios said. Meanwhile, the U.S. has approved an exception to expend $95 million of foreign military funding to Lebanon's army, according to the American news website, which quoted a U.S. official as saying that Joseph Aoun's presidency is "a historic opportunity to change the reality in Lebanon for the better."
Aoun, a former army chief thought to be backed by Riyadh and Washington, was elected on January 9, ending a more than two-year power vacuum amid a crippling political and economic crisis. Aoun has good relations with Washington, the main financial backer of Lebanon's army. His election was seen as a blow to Hezbollah. A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect in November 27, after more than two months of all-out war during which Israel launched ground operations. Under the deal, Lebanon's military was to deploy in the south alongside United Nations peacekeepers as the Israeli army withdrew over a 60-day period that was later extended to February 18. Hezbollah was to pull back north of the Litani River -- about 30 kilometers from the border -- and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in the south. The Israeli army remained at five "strategic points" inside Lebanon, past the deadline for troop withdrawal from south Lebanon under a late November ceasefire agreement. Israel's Defense Minister said Israel has received a U.S. green light to "indefinitely" keep its forces on the five strategic hills. "We will leave small amounts of troops deployed temporarily in five strategic points along the border in Lebanon so we can continue to defend our residents and to make sure there's no immediate threat," Israeli military spokesman Nadav Shoshani had said. "This is a temporary measure until the Lebanese armed forces are able to fully implement the understanding," he added. During an Arab Summit in Cairo Tuesday, Aoun said "there can be no peace without the liberation of the last inch of our occupied land that is internationally-recognized and U.N.-documented."

Hezbollah MP urges state to liberate land, stop Israel violations
Naharnet/March 05/2025
Hezbollah would support a strong, just and sovereign state, Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah said Wednesday, calling on the state to start taking its war and peace decisions. "What is the state waiting for?" Fadlallah asked. "The enemy is known, our land is occupied, and the attacks from the south to the east are ongoing." He added that Hezbollah does not want war but wants the state to liberate the land and stop the Israeli violations, as it has vowed to do, "whether through diplomacy or any other means.""We want the state to be strong and capable," he said. "This will lift the burden off our shoulders."
Newly elected President Joseph Aoun and PM Nawaf Salam have both said that the state should be the sole bearer of arms and should be responsible of "liberating all Lebanese territory".During an Arab Summit in Cairo Tuesday, Aoun said "there can be no peace without the liberation of the last inch of our occupied land.""We want the state to have the decision of war and peace," Fadlallah said, but added that it must shoulder its responsibilities and prove to the Lebanese people and to the world that it is "capable."

New central bank chief to be named this month, says Jaber
Naharnet/March 05/2025
A new Central Bank governor will be named before the end of March to “secure the continuity of work at the bank,” Finance Minister Yassine Jaber has confirmed. The new governor must “enjoy a good reputation and a lengthy experience and he must be known and has a history in the financial and monetary field,” Jaber added, in an interview with Asharq Bloomberg. As for the issue of writing off deposits, the minister stressed that “this issue is out of the question,” noting that “the focus is on appointing a new governor who would present a monetary plan and address the issue of deposits.”“After achieving that, the issue of creditors would be resolved, seeing as banks have been instructed to postpone the issue of creditors until nearly 2028,” Jaber added.

Combating Paramilitary Financing: Key to Keeping Lebanon Off the Gray List
Bassam Abou Zeid/This Is Beirut/March 05/2025
Lebanon's inclusion on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) gray list can largely be attributed to the lack of cooperation from Lebanese authorities in combating the financing of paramilitary groups, particularly Hezbollah, as well as other organizations like Hamas and the Islamic Jihad Movement.
The failure to address this issue was largely due to Hezbollah’s significant influence, which allowed the group to operate with relative freedom across various domains, especially in securing funding. This included direct cash deliveries to Hezbollah, either from Tehran through Beirut Rafic Hariri Airport, via a route from Tehran to Istanbul and then to Beirut, or by land through Syria into Lebanon. However, the recent conflict with Israel has notably reduced the flow of Iranian funds, and air shipments were the first to be affected, as security measures at the airport now prevent such transfers. Additionally, the ban on Iranian flights landing in Beirut has had a major impact on the movement of funds. On the ground, the collapse of the Syrian regime has further disrupted these financial channels. Despite these challenges, attempts to smuggle funds to armed groups in Lebanon, particularly Hezbollah, persist. Smuggling operations, whether by air or land, remain a risk due to the numerous available routes. However, Lebanese concerned authorities, particularly customs, have heightened vigilance at the airport, ports and land crossings. Any individual entering Lebanon with more than $10,000 must declare the amount, with failure to do so resulting in confiscation and legal action. Sources closely monitoring the issue have emphasized that the stringent measures to prevent the inflow of large sums of cash into Lebanon are crucial in the fight against money laundering and terrorism financing. Lebanon remains committed to this process under legislation passed by the Lebanese Parliament. Moreover, these strict controls help curb the cash-based and parallel economies, which have long posed risks to the legitimate economy, state treasury and financial markets. These sources expressed hope that Lebanon will continue its efforts, as these actions have generated positive responses from international financial institutions, donor countries and organizations. This signals that the Lebanese State is serious about reclaiming its sovereignty and ensuring its financial system meets international standards. Despite the challenges they face, Lebanese banks are already in compliance with these standards. However, it remains essential for the state to fulfill its obligations to prevent Lebanon from becoming a conduit for illicit funds with questionable origins and purposes. Additionally, the judiciary must take action to prosecute those involved in such activities. Should significant progress be made, Lebanon may have the opportunity to reconsider its position on the FATF gray list in either June or October of the coming year.

LACC Advocates for Lebanon’s Sovereignty in Washington, D.C.
The United States is in full support of the new elected President & PM and the implementation the inaugural oath address and the ministerial statement.
Washington, D.C. – The Lebanese-American Coordination Committee (LACC) recently concluded a diplomatic tour in Washington, D.C., engaging with key U.S. officials to advocate for Lebanon’s sovereignty, stability, and institutional strength. The committee focused on the following priorities:
Securing continued U.S. support for the President of Lebanon and the newly formed sovereign government to ensure full territorial control, implement governance reforms, enforce UN Security Council Resolutions 1701, 1559, and 1680, and strengthen the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) to counter Hezbollah and its allies’ obstruction of the rule of law.
Reaffirming U.S. commitment to providing aid while underscoring that support is contingent on the Lebanese Army’s adherence to the ceasefire agreement and its ability to disarm non-state actors.
Submitting a comprehensive working document to the UN Security Council and other international bodies, outlining Lebanon’s key challenges and calling for decisive action to restore sovereignty and stability.
During a meeting with Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Natasha Franceschi, the committee was informed that despite budget cuts under the Trump administration, the Lebanese Army would continue to receive the necessary support.
Franceschi also emphasized that “the more the Lebanese Army demonstrates its commitment to implementing the ceasefire agreement, the more countries like the United States could continue their assistance,” according to a statement released by the LACC on Tuesday.
During a meeting with Colin Brooks, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, it was also stressed that “the Lebanese Army must first prove its ability to collect all weapons and ammunition outside the state's legitimacy before requesting additional US support.”
Discussions with Congressman Darin LaHood focused on the importance of implementing United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701. According to the statement, pressure within Congress to secure additional aid for Lebanon's constitutional, military and security institutions would depend on the Lebanese government’s ability to enforce Resolution 1701.
Meanwhile, Congressman Darrell Issa, along with two other representatives, announced their intention to make repeated visits to Lebanon to ensure the full implementation of Resolution 1701.
Furthermore, Morgan Ortagus, Deputy Special Envoy of the US President for the Middle East, reaffirmed to the committee that Donald Trump is committed to achieving comprehensive peace in the region.
The committee also submitted a working document to the permanent missions of Switzerland, the Vatican, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and the United States at the UN Security Council, as well as to the Middle East Affairs Office of the UN Secretary-General.
This document outlines the main challenges facing Lebanon under the following key areas: security and sovereignty; judicial, economic and financial reform; sovereign border control and the elimination of all illegal weapons; Lebanon’s positioning amid geopolitical challenges.
In the document, the committee emphasizes that Lebanon’s new political leadership “represents a crucial opportunity to end decades of political stagnation, economic mismanagement and Hezbollah’s unchecked dominance. The weakening of Hezbollah, the fall of the Assad regime and the decline of Iranian influence offer Lebanon a historic window to restore its sovereignty and stability.”According to the LACC, “this opportunity will be lost if the Lebanese government, without strong international support, fails to take decisive measures to disarm all non-state actors, implement reforms and restore state control. A stable and democratic Lebanon is an essential pillar of cooperation with the United States.”

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on March 05-06/2025
Syria vows to rid itself of Assad's chemical weapons legacy
Reuters/March 5, 2025
THE HAGUE, (Reuters) - Syria's foreign minister vowed on Wednesday to swiftly rid the country of chemical weapons remaining after the downfall of the Bashar al-Assad's government, and appealed to the international community for help. Asaad Hassan al-Shibani spoke during closed-door meetings at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague, where he became the first Syrian foreign minister to address the disarmament agency. Following a sarin gas attack that killed hundreds of people in 2013, Assad-led Syria joined the agency under a U.S.-Russian deal and 1,300 metric tons of chemical weapons and precursors were destroyed. But three inquiries - by a joint U.N.-OPCW mechanism, the OPCW's Investigation and Identification team, and a U.N. war crimes probe - concluded that Syrian government forces under Assad used the nerve agent sarin and chlorine barrel bombs in attacks during the civil war that killed or injured thousands. As part of membership, Damascus was supposed to undergo inspections but for more than a decade the OPCW was prevented from uncovering the true scale of the chemical weapons programme. "Syria is ready ... to solve this decades-old problem imposed on us by a previous regime," Shibani told delegates. "The legal obligations resulting from breaches areones we inherited, not created. Nevertheless, our commitment is to dismantle whatever may be left from it, to put an end to this painful legacy and ensure Syria becomes a nation aligned with international norms." Earlier on Wednesday, OPCW chief Fernando Arias called Syria's political shift "a new and historic opportunity to obtain clarifications on the full extent and scope of the Syrian chemical weapons programme".Shibani said planning had begun, but that the help of the international community would be critical. Syria would require technical assistance, logistical assistance, capacity building, resources and expertise on the ground, he said. "Although the Assad regime stalled for many years, we understand the need to act quickly, but we also understand that this needs to be done thoroughly. For that, we cannot succeed alone," he said. Syria's declared stockpile has never accurately reflected the situation on the ground, OPCW inspectors have concluded. They now want to visit roughly 100 sites that may have been tied to Assad's decades-old chemical weapons programme.

Report: US Holds Secret Talks with Hamas on Gaza Hostages
Asharq Al-Awsat/March 05/2025
The Trump administration has been conducting secret talks with the Palestinian group Hamas on the possibility of releasing US hostages being held in Gaza, two sources briefed on the conversations told Reuters. US special envoy for hostage affairs Adam Boehler has been holding the direct talks with Hamas in recent weeks in Doha, the sources said, confirming a report by Axios. Until recently the US had avoided direct discussions with the group. The US State Department designated Hamas as a foreign terrorist organization in 1997. Such talks run counter to long-standing US policy against direct contacts with groups that Washington lists as terrorist organizations. The previous US role in helping to secure a ceasefire and hostage release deal in the Gaza war has been dealing with Israel and Qatari and Egyptian mediators but without any known direct communications between Washington and Hamas.
The Israeli embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Boehler's office declined to comment. It was unclear when or how the Israeli government was informed of the talks. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment, nor did representatives for Hamas. The sources said the talks have focused on gaining the release of American hostages still held in Gaza, but one said they also have included discussions about a broader deal to release all remaining hostages and how to reach a long-term truce. One of the sources said the effort includes an attempt to gain the release of Edan Alexander, of Tenafly, New Jersey, believed to be the last living American hostage held by Hamas. US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff plans to return to the region in coming days to work out a way to either extend the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal or advance to the second phase, a State Department spokesperson said on Monday.

Trump issues ‘last warning’ to Hamas to release all remaining hostages held in Gaza
AP/March 06, 2025
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued what he called a “last warning” to Hamas to release all remaining hostages held in Gaza, directing a sharply worded message after the White House confirmed that he had recently dispatched an envoy for unprecedented direct talks with the militant group. Trump, in a statement on his Truth Social platform soon after meeting at the White House with eight former hostages, added that he was “sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job.”
“Release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you,” Trump said. “Only sick and twisted people keep bodies, and you are sick and twisted!”
The pointed language from Trump came after the White House said Wednesday that US officials have engaged in “ongoing talks and discussions” with Hamas officials, stepping away from a long-held US policy of not directly engaging in the militant group.
Confirmation of the talks in the Qatari capital of Doha come as the Israel-Hamas ceasefire remains in the balance. It’s the first known direct engagement between the US and Hamas since the State Department designated the group a foreign terrorist organization in 1997.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt declined to provide detail on the the substance of talks, but said President Donald Trump has authorized his envoys to “talk to anyone.” Egyptian and Qatari intermediaries have served as mediators with Hamas for the US and Israel since the group launched its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that sparked the war. “Look, dialogue and talking to people around the world to do what’s in the best interest of the American people is something that the president ... believes is a good-faith effort to do what’s right for the American people,” she said.
Leavitt added that Israel has been consulted about the direct engagement with Hamas officials, and noted that there are “American lives at stake.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office offered a terse acknowledgement of the US-Hamas talks. “Israel has expressed to the United States its position regarding direct talks with Hamas,” the prime minister’s office said. Israeli officials say about 24 living hostages — including Edan Alexander, an American citizen — as well as the bodies of at least 35 others are believed to still be held in Gaza.
Adam Boehler, Trump’s nominee to be special envoy for hostage affairs, led the direct talks with Hamas. Boehler, founder and CEO of Rubicon Founders, a health care investment firm, was a lead negotiator on the Abraham Accords team during Trump’s first term that strove to win broader recognition of Israel in the Arab world. The talks, which took place last month, focused mainly on the release of American hostages, and a potential end of the war without Hamas in power in Gaza, according to a Hamas official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The official added that no progress was made but “the step itself is promising” and more talks are expected. Egyptian and Qatari mediators helped arrange the talks.
The direct engagement comes as continuation of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire remains uncertain. Trump has signaled that he has no intentions of pushing Netanyahu away from a return to combat if Hamas doesn’t agree to terms of a new ceasefire proposal, which the Israelis have billed as being drafted by US envoy Steve Witkoff. The new plan would require Hamas to release half its remaining hostages — the militant group’s main bargaining chip — in exchange for a ceasefire extension and a promise to negotiate a lasting truce. Israel made no mention of releasing more Palestinian prisoners, a key component of the first phase. Trump on Wednesday welcomed eight former hostages — Iair Horn, Omer Shem Tov, Eli Sharabi, Keith Siegel, Aviva Siegel, Naama Levy, Doron Steinbrecher and Noa Argamani — to the White House. “The President listened intently to their heartbreaking stories,” Leavitt said. “The hostages thanked President Trump for his steadfast efforts to bring all of the hostages home.” The talks between US and Hamas officials were first reported earlier Wednesday by the news site Axios. Leavitt, the White House press secretary, is one of three administration officials who face a lawsuit from The Associated Press on First- and Fifth-Amendment grounds. The AP says the three are punishing the news agency for editorial decisions they oppose. The White House says the AP is not following an executive order to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.

Israeli forces kill West Bank Hamas commander
Reuters/March 5/2025
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli forces killed a Hamas commander in the West Bank city of Jenin on Tuesday as they pushed ahead with a weeks-long operation against militant groups in the area that has sent tens of thousands of Palestinians fleeing their homes. The military said it had mounted a raid to arrest Aysar al-Saadi, the head of the Hamas network in the area and killed him in a gunfight in which another Hamas operative was also killed. Three other Hamas members were arrested, it said. The Gaza-based militant group, which has also built up a powerful presence in the occupied West Bank, confirmed the death of al-Saadi but said it would not affect its commitment to fight Israel. The West Bank operation, which began in January as fighting was halted in Gaza following a ceasefire agreement brokered by Qatar and Egypt, has been one of the biggest mounted in the area in years and followed a surge in violence since the start of the war in Gaza in 2023. Thousands of Israeli troops have swept through refugee camps in Jenin and other cities in the northern part of the West Bank, including Tulkarm and Tubas, demolishing houses and infrastructure and forcing tens of thousands to leave taking only what they could carry with them. On Tuesday, the military pushed out of the now-deserted Jenin refugee camp and into eastern areas of the city of Jenin itself, cutting off power supplies and digging up roads. The military says it does not forcibly evacuate Palestinians but has allowed residents who want to leave combat areas to go out through designated crossings. Palestinians say the Israeli operations, which have cut water and electricity supplies and demolished dozens of houses, leave them no choice but to leave.

Doha rejects Israeli probe linking Qatari aid to Hamas attack
AFP/March 05, 2025
DOHA: Qatar on Wednesday rebuffed what it said were “false accusations” by Israel’s domestic security agency attributing funds from the Gulf state to an increase in Hamas’s military strength before its unprecedented October 7 2023 attack. “False accusations made by the Shin Bet security agency linking Qatari aid to the October 7 attack are yet another example of deflection driven by self-interest and self-preservation in Israeli politics,” Qatar’s International Media Office said in a statement. The security agency published findings from an internal probe on Tuesday acknowledging its own failings in preventing the over-border attack from Gaza on southern Israel which sparked 15 months of war in the Palestinian territory. The Shin Bet report also said “the influx of Qatari funds and their transfer to the military wing” was one of the “main reasons for the strengthening of Hamas that allowed it to launch the attack,” according to its executive summary. “It is well known within Israel and internationally that all aid sent from Qatar to Gaza was transferred with the full knowledge, support, and supervision of the current and previous Israeli administrations and their security agencies — including the Shin Bet,” the Qatari statement said.
“No aid has ever been delivered to Hamas’s political or military wing,” it added. Qatar has hosted Hamas’s political office since 2012, with the blessing of the United States, but also fueling accusations that it supports the Palestinian militants, which Doha has always denied.
The gas-rich Gulf state played a key role in securing a fragile truce in Gaza, mediating between Hamas and Israel alongside the United States and Egypt. Since the deal’s first phase ended at the weekend, after six weeks of relative calm that included exchanges of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, the parties have hit an impasse over the truce’s continuation. “At this critical juncture, the Shin Bet and other Israeli security agencies should focus on saving the remaining hostages and finding a solution that ensures long-term regional security, rather than resorting to diversionary tactics,” the Qatari statement said.
“Claims that Qatari aid went to Hamas are entirely false and serve as evidence that the accusers are intent on prolonging the war,” it added. Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, most of them civilians, while Israel’s military retaliation in Gaza has killed at least 48,405 people, also mostly civilians, data from both sides show.

Israel’s Gaza aid freeze risks breaking international law, UK and allies warn
David Hughes, PA Political Editor/PA Media: UK News/March 5/2025
The UK, France and Germany have warned Israel it risks breaching international humanitarian law by preventing aid entering Gaza. In a joint statement, David Lammy and his French and German counterparts said they had “deep concern” at Israel’s decision to stop goods and supplies from getting to Gaza.
They said humanitarian aid “should never be contingent on a ceasefire or used as a political tool”.Benjamin Netanyahu’s government halted aid entering Gaza on Sunday and warned of “additional consequences” if Hamas did not accept a US proposal for an extension of the first phase of the fragile ceasefire, which expired on Saturday. In their joint statement, the UK, France and Germany said: “It is vital that the ceasefire is sustained, all the hostages are released, and continued flows of humanitarian aid to Gaza are ensured. “We urge all parties to engage constructively in negotiating the subsequent phases of the deal to help ensure its full implementation and a permanent end to hostilities. We welcome Egyptian, Qatari and US efforts in mediating and seeking to agree an extension to the ceasefire.”But, they said: “The humanitarian situation in Gaza is catastrophic. We express our deep concern at the government of Israel’s announcement on March 2 to halt all entry of goods and supplies into Gaza.”The ministers said “a halt on goods and supplies entering Gaza, such as that announced by the government of Israel would risk violating international humanitarian law”. “Humanitarian aid should never be contingent on a ceasefire or used as a political tool,” the statement said. “We re-iterate that the civilians of Gaza who have suffered so much must be allowed to return to their homes and rebuild their lives. They called for the unconditional release of hostages by Hamas and urged “all parties to uphold the ceasefire and ensure it leads to a sustainable peace”. That would mean “the reconstruction of Gaza, and to allow for a credible pathway towards a two-state solution in which Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace”.

Israel's Mission Against Hamas 'Not Accomplished', Says New Military Chief
Asharq Al-Awsat/March 05/2025
New armed forces chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said during his inauguration in Tel Aviv on Wednesday that Israel's mission to defeat Palestinian group Hamas was "not accomplished". "I accept command of the (Israeli military) with modesty and humility... Hamas has indeed suffered a severe blow, but it has not yet been defeated. The mission is not yet accomplished," Zamir said, amid deadlock in negotiations on next steps in a ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Zamir that Israel is "determined" to achieve victory in the multi-front war that began with Hamas's October 2023 attack. "A very heavy responsibility rests on your shoulders, the results of the war will have significance for generations, we are determined to achieve... victory" Netanyahu told Zamir during his inauguration. Former tank commander and director of the defense ministry Zamir replaces outgoing chief of staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halev, who resigned admitting he failed to fulfil his mandate. Zamir, 59, is being sworn in at a sensitive time in Israel's war with Hamas, with the ceasefire that took effect on January 19 hanging in the balance. Announcing his appointment last month, Netanyahu said he had high hopes that Zamir would help achieve Israel's goal of "absolute victory" against Hamas. Zamir will also take over operations in the occupied West Bank, where the military has deployed tanks in recent weeks for the first time in 20 years.
His appointment also comes at a moment of high tension for Israel with its arch-foe Iran. Zamir wrote in a 2022 policy paper for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy that Israel needed to adopt a tougher approach in order to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Pushing for greater cooperation with the United States against what he called the "Iran axis", Zamir advocated "offensive action" in order to guarantee success. His position on Iran mirrors that of Netanyahu, who recently said that Israel plans to "finish the job against Iran's terror axis". Zamir, who led key operations during the second Palestinian intifada or uprising, served as Netanyahu's military secretary from 2012 to 2015. He is the founder of the right-wing think tank Israel Defense and Security Forum. In contrast to Halevi, who avoided the spotlight, Zamir comes across as a powerful figure. At a defense ministry event a day after his appointment, Zamir, a father of three, was quoted as saying that 2025 would be "a year of continued fighting". "The war has demonstrated that we must be self-reliant," he said. As head of the defense ministry, Zamir is credited with some of Israel's biggest and most significant defense procurements.
"He understands very well what big wars are all about and how to fight them," said Amir Avivi, a former Israeli general who now runs a network for former security officials. Zamir cuts a powerful frame, his burly build sending a clear message that he means business. Avivi, who has known Zamir for more than 20 years and spent a year with him at the Israeli College for National Security, described him as being "mission-oriented", "detail-oriented" and "strict". He said Zamir has a "deep understanding" of the Gaza front and even authored "a very detailed plan to conquer all of Gaza" while serving as head of Southern Command from 2015 to 2018. Saying he had spoken with Zamir since his appointment, Avivi added: "I think he has a very clear understanding that he was chosen for one thing -- to bring total victory to Israel on all fronts." Jonathan Conricus, a former Israeli army spokesman who served with Zamir, also said the incoming chief would have to "navigate strategic challenges of the most sensitive nature", including restoring public trust. Born in Israel's southernmost city Eilat, Zamir, whose paternal grandfather immigrated from Yemen and whose mother's family arrived from Syria, joined the military in 1984. Unlike previous chiefs of staff, who served in the distinguished paratroopers' unit or in the Golani infantry brigade, Zamir began his career in the Armored Corps. He served through the first and second intifadas holding senior combat and command roles. In 2002, he led a brigade that captured the refugee camp adjacent to the West Bank city of Jenin, a hotbed of Palestinian militancy. The army laid siege to the camp for more than a month amid fierce fighting that saw hundreds of homes levelled, and 52 Palestinians and 23 Israeli soldiers killed. Zamir was later appointed head of the army's southern command, where he led efforts to cut off Hamas tunnels.  From 2018 to 2021, he served as deputy chief of staff under Lieutenant General Aviv Kochavi, tasked with implementing the military's multi-year plan.

Palestinians in Gaza Welcome an Arab Plan for Rebuilding the Territory
Asharq Al-Awsat/March 05/2025
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip welcomed Arab leaders’ adoption of a plan to rebuild the territory without depopulating it. “We are satisfied with these decisions and this summit,” said Atef Abu Zaher, from the southern city of Khan Younis. “We are clinging to our land.” The plan advanced at the Arab summit in Cairo on Tuesday is seen as an alternative to US President Donald Trump’s proposal to resettle Gaza’s roughly 2 million Palestinians in other countries and redevelop it as a beach destination. Even as they welcomed the Arab plan, many Palestinians expressed doubts over whether it would be implemented. “The important thing is that the Arab countries are serious,” said Yasser Abed. He expressed hope they would follow through on the plan, “unlike the thousands of (other) decisions they have taken about our cause.”

Israel Demolished 181 Palestinian Homes in East Jerusalem
Asharq Al-Awsat/March 05/2025
An Israeli rights group says Israel demolished a record number of Palestinian homes in annexed east Jerusalem last year. Ir Amim, which closely tracks settlement activity and demolitions in the city, said Wednesday that 181 homes were destroyed last year, in addition to dozens of other structures. It said that more recently, Israel appears to have dropped a longstanding policy against demolishing homes during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which began last weekend. It said a residential building and three apartments have been destroyed over the past week. Rights groups say discriminatory policies make it nearly impossible for Palestinians to expand or redevelop their neighborhoods in east Jerusalem, forcing many to build without permits. Israel also demolishes the family homes of Palestinians who carry out attacks, The AP reported. Here's the latest: Israel demolished 181 Palestinian homes in annexed east Jerusalem Ir Amim, an Israeli rights group, says Israel demolished a record number of Palestinian homes — 181 — in annexed east Jerusalem last year. It said that more recently, Israel appears to have dropped a longstanding policy against demolishing homes during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which began last weekend. It said a residential building and three apartments have been destroyed over the past week. The Jerusalem municipality did not respond to a request for comment. Israel captured east Jerusalem, along with the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want all three for their future state.

Israel’s Settler Pressure on West Bank Villages Stirs Annexation Fears
Asharq Al-Awsat/March 05/2025
Just meters from the last houses in Bardala, a Palestinian village at the northern end of the occupied West Bank, Israel's army has been bulldozing a dirt road and ditch between the community and open grazing land on the hills behind it. Israel's military told Reuters the works were for security and to allow it to patrol the area following the killing of an Israeli civilian in August near the village by a man from another town. It did not detail what it was building there. Farmers from the fertile Jordan Valley village fear the army patrols and Israeli settlers moving in will exclude them from pastures that feed around 10,000 sheep and goats, as has happened in other parts of the West Bank, undercutting their livelihoods and eventually driving from the village. Israeli settler outposts have appeared around the village since last year, with clusters of blue and white Israeli flags newly fluttering from nearby hilltops. The settlers intimidated semi-nomadic Bedouin shepherds to abandon their camps in the area last year, four Bedouin families and Israeli human rights NGOs told Reuters. The tighter military control in the Jordan Valley and arrival of settler outposts in the area over the past months are new developments in a part of the West Bank that had mostly avoided the build up of Israel's presence on the ground in central areas of the Palestinian territory. With each advance of Israeli settlements and roads, the territory becomes more fractured, further undermining prospects for a contiguous land on which Palestinians could build a sovereign state. Most countries consider Israel's settlements in the occupied West Bank to be illegal. Over recent weeks, caravans and shelters have begun appearing on the scrub-covered hills a few hundred meters west of Bardala, on land behind the new track, Reuters reporters saw. Such temporary shelters have been the first signs of new outposts being built. Reuters was unable to contact any of the new arrivals in the outposts around the village. Ibrahim Sawafta, a member of the Bardala village council, said two dozen farmers would be prevented from reaching grazing land if soldiers and settler outposts obstruct their free movement. Unable to keep their large flocks in pens within the village itself, they would be forced to sell.
"Bardala would be a small prison," he said, sitting on a bench outside his house in the village. He said the overall goal was "to restrict people, to force them to leave the Jordan Valley."In response to Reuters questions, the army said the area behind the dirt road outside Bardala was designated as a live fire zone but included "a passage" manned by Israeli soldiers, suggesting limitations on free movement in the area. It said the passage would allow for "the continuation of daily life and the fulfilment of residents' needs," without giving further details. The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as well as the Yesha Council and the Jordan Valley Council, that represent settlers in the West Bank did not reply to requests for comment for this story. Sawafta said gunmen had been known to come into the area from towns to the west and the barrier appeared intended to make access more difficult and force traffic through main roads with security checkpoints under Israeli control. But he said the effect of the move would be to obstruct access to the land, which in some cases was owned by villagers. The activity around Bardala is part of a wider Israeli effort to reshape the West Bank. Over the year and a half since war broke out in Gaza, settlement activity has accelerated in areas seen as the core of a future Palestinian state. Meanwhile, Israel's pro-settler politicians have been emboldened by the return to the White House of Donald Trump who has already proposed that Palestinians leave Gaza, a suggestion widely condemned across the Middle East and beyond as an attempt to ethnically cleanse Palestinian territories. In recent weeks, army raids in refugee camps near volatile West Bank cities, including Jenin, Tulkarm and Tubas, near Bardala, have sent tens of thousands of people fleeing their homes, fueling fears of permanent displacement. The raids come amid a renewed push to formally absorb the West Bank as part of Israel, a proposal supported by some of US President Donald Trump's aides. Israel's military has occupied the West Bank since the 1967 Middle East war.
CORNFIELDS AND GREENHOUSES
Bardala, with a population of about 3,000, lies a few meters from the pre-1967 line separating the West Bank from Israel. It prospered quietly over the past 30 years as Israel's settlement movement swallowed up thousands of hectares of land in other parts of the West Bank. The cornfields and clusters of plastic-sheeted greenhouses where its farmers grow aubergines, peppers and zucchini for the markets of the West Bank and Israel underscore how fertile the land is in the narrow strip of valley alongside the Jordan River, running from the Dead Sea north towards the Sea of Galilee.
But the new Israeli-controlled path will squeeze the village against Highway 90, a road that runs north-south along the riverine border with Jordan from the Dead Sea. Highway 90 ends at the separating line between the West Bank and Israel, just outside the village. The separating line is marked by a high fence. Citing the experience of other villages, Dror Etkes, founder of Israeli rights group Kerem Navot, said the new track and settlement activity would block access for Palestinians to the area north of Bardala, "all the way up to the separation barrier." Kerem Navot tracks Israeli settlement and land management policy in the West Bank. The authorities "will take a few thousand dunhams, mainly of agricultural land and prevent the Palestinians from cultivating this land," he said. A dunham is a tenth of a hectare.
ANNEXATION FEARS
The West Bank, so named because of its relation to the river that separates it from Jordan, has long been seen by religious nationalist hardliners in Israel as part of a Greater Israel through historical and Biblical connections to the Jewish people. Jewish settlement building has roared ahead under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and allies in government such as hardline Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, himself a settler, who said last year he would push to gain Washington's support for annexation in 2025. Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said at the time that the government's position on annexation had not yet been settled. Israel's opposition to ceding control of the West Bank has been deepened by its fears of a repeat of the October 7, 2023 attack near Gaza. Since the start of the war in Gaza, 43 new outposts, the seeds of future settlements, have been built in the West Bank, according to Peace Now, an Israeli organization that tracks settlement building. Most are farm outposts that exclude Palestinians from agricultural land. At least seven were built in the Jordan Valley, according to Palestinian Authority figures. As in other areas of the West Bank, Palestinians and rights groups say the arrival of outposts coincided with more violence from bands of settlers, now free of the fear of US sanctions since Trump cancelled penalties imposed under former President Joe Biden for previous violence. For months, Bedouins living in semi-permanent stockades in the hills grazing sheep and goats around the Jordan Valley have been subjected to harassment by violent groups of settlers. In late January, the local school in Bardala itself was attacked, after the settlers said stones had been thrown at them. "The settlers would attack us every Saturday, not allowing us to leave the house at all," said Mahmoud Kaabneh, who left his home in Um Aljmal, an area in the hills some 20 km south of Bardala for Tubas, along with a dozen other families after repeated incursions by threatening bands of settlers. The creation in 2023 of the Settlements Administration, a civil department for the West Bank answerable to Smotrich, has fueled Palestinian concern that the move from military occupation to annexation is already happening by stealth. In his first term, Trump overturned decades of US policy by recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital. But he has not so far given US approval to the calls for full annexation. Extending Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank would end already slim hopes of creating an independent Palestine alongside Israel. But Trump's talk of redeveloping Gaza as a US-controlled waterfront resort, along with his aides' ties to the settler movement, has alarmed Palestinians, still haunted by the "Nakba," or catastrophe, in the 1948 war at the start of the state of Israel, when some 750,000 Palestinians fled or were forced out of their homes and never returned. For Sawafta, from the Bardala village council, developments like the one in his home village point to an effort to dispossess Palestinians in the way their parents and grandparents were dispossessed before. "Israel effectively and practically confiscates the land," he said.

Israel’s Shin Bet says October 7 attack could have been prevented as it admits fault and casts blame
Lauren Izso, Caitlin Danaher and Mick Krever, CNN/March 5, 2025
Israel’s Shin Bet security agency has said it “failed in its mission” to prevent Hamas’ October 7 attack by ignoring repeated warning signs. Shin Bet’s chief, Ronen Bar, said in a statement that if Shin Bet had “acted differently in the years leading up to the attack and on the night of the attack (…) the massacre would have been prevented.”“As the head of the organization, I will carry this heavy burden on my shoulders for the rest of my life,” he said. In a summary of an internal investigation published Tuesday evening, Shin Bet, officially the Israel Security Agency, said that a wide range of factors were responsible for Hamas’ ability to stage the catastrophic attack. Among them, Shin Bet said, were Qatar’s years-long payments to Hamas. Those payments were blessed by Israel, whose government believed it was beneficial to drive a political wedge between Gaza and the West Bank.
Qatar rejected Shin Bet’s accusations, saying in a statement Wednesday they are false and “are yet another example of deflection driven by self-interest and self-preservation in Israeli politics.” “It is well known within Israel and internationally that all aid sent from Qatar to Gaza was transferred with the full knowledge, support, and supervision of the current and previous Israeli administrations and their security agencies – including the Shin Bet,” Qatar said, adding that “no aid has ever been delivered to Hamas’s political or military wing.” Despite being made aware of Hamas’ plan for a broad offensive, known as “The Walls of Jericho,” in two different iterations in 2018 and 2022, the security agency failed to prevent the biggest terrorist attack in the country’s history.
The security agency received a sequence of signs that Hamas was preparing for an emergency, but decided the militant group were “not interested in escalation” and the plans were never perceived as an active threat, Shin Bet said. The report summary says that the agency had huge gaps in “the recruitment and operation of human agents” in Gaza and that it was unclear where the Shin Bet and Israeli military responsibilities for detecting an attack from Gaza lay. Hamas and its allies killed more than 1,200 people and took 251 hostage.
The investigation summary was published five days after an investigation by the Israeli military that highlighted gaps in intelligence gathering, flawed assumptions about Hamas, and “systemic” failures in the Israel Defense Force’s preparedness and response.
But Shin Bet says that it alone does not entirely carry the burden for the October 7 attack. Shin Bet also blamed policies enacted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government as contributing factors, setting off a political firestorm. Among the factors that contributed to Hamas’ decision to launch the attack, the report summary said, were Israeli politicians’ visits to the Al Aqsa compound in Jerusalem, “the treatment of prisoners, and the perception that Israeli society has been weakened due to the damage to social cohesion.”
The prime minister’s inner circle lashed out at the agency, with a source close to Netanyahu telling CNN the Shin Bet investigation “does not answer a single question.”
“The Shin Bet’s investigation conclusions do not match the magnitude of the organization’s and its leader’s enormous failure and negligence,” the source told CNN on Tuesday. The source close to Netanyahu also accused the Shin Bet chief of failing to wake up the prime minister on the night of the attack, despite it being “the most basic and obvious decision imaginable.” Netanyahu’s team has ramped up its criticism of the agency and Bar in recent weeks, especially after it was revealed that Shin Bet is investigating several people in Netanyahu’s office for inappropriately lobbying on behalf of Qatar’s government – something his office denies. He removed Bar and the head of the Mossad, David Barnea, from the negotiating team engaging in indirect talks with Hamas. Opposition leader Yair Lapid slammed Netanyahu for what he said was shirking responsibility for the devastating attack. “The prime minister continues to try to shift the blame onto others, this time it’s ‘they didn’t wake me up,’” Lapid said on X Tuesday.
“This country has been awake for 515 days, we still have hostages in Gaza. It’s time for you to wake up, apologize, take responsibility. This happened on your watch,” he added. Israel’s former defense minister Benny Gantz also criticized Netanyahu for “throwing mud at the Shin Bet” instead of apologizing. “There is no leadership, no responsibility and there is no limit to cynicism,” Gantz said on X.

UN Food Agency Says it Has Less than 2 Weeks' Worth of Supplies in Gaza
Asharq Al-Awsat/March 05/2025
The UN food agency says it only has enough food supplies in the Gaza Strip to keep public kitchens and bakeries open for less than two weeks, after Israel halted the entry of food, fuel, medicine and other supplies. The Israeli blockade over the weekend is aimed at pressuring Hamas to accept an alternative ceasefire arrangement six weeks into their fragile truce. Israel allowed a surge of humanitarian aid during the first six weeks of the ceasefire. But the World Food Program said Wednesday that its stocks are low because it prioritized delivering food to the population. The UN agency also warned that its fuel stocks would only last for a few weeks.
Palestinians in Gaza welcome an Arab plan for rebuilding the territory Palestinians in the Gaza Strip welcomed Arab leaders’ adoption of a plan to rebuild the territory without depopulating it. “We are satisfied with these decisions and this summit,” said Atef Abu Zaher, from the southern city of Khan Younis. “We are clinging to our land.”The plan advanced at the Arab summit in Cairo on Tuesday is seen as an alternative to US President Donald Trump’s proposal to resettle Gaza’s roughly 2 million Palestinians in other countries and redevelop it as a beach destination. WFP has enough food in Gaza to run kitchens for 2 weeks The World Food Program says it only has enough food supplies in the Gaza Strip to keep public kitchens and bakeries open for less than two weeks. Israel halted the entry of food, fuel, medicine and other supplies to the territory, home to some 2 million Palestinians, over the weekend to try and pressure Hamas to accept an alternative ceasefire arrangement six weeks into their fragile truce. Israel allowed a surge of humanitarian aid during the first six weeks of the ceasefire. But the WFP said Wednesday that its stocks are low because it prioritized delivering food to the population. The UN agency also warned that its fuel stocks would only last for a few weeks. Palestinians said prices spiked as people rushed to markets to stock up on supplies after Israel announced the tightening of its blockade. After more than 16 months of war, Gaza’s population is entirely dependent on trucked-in food and other aid. Most are displaced from their homes, and many need shelter. Israelis bid farewell to hostage Ohad Yahalomi Israelis lined the streets for the funeral procession of hostage Ohad Yahalomi, the last of eight Israelis whose remains were returned during the first stage of the ceasefire with Hamas. Yahalomi, who was 49 when he was kidnapped, was shot in the leg as he and his family were taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz. His wife and two daughters, one 10 and the other almost 2, escaped from militants attempting to take them into Gaza after running through fields for hours. Ohad and his oldest son, Eitan, then 12, were taken into Gaza but held separately. Eitan was released as part of a ceasefire in November 2023. Netanyahu’s office said Yahalomi was killed in captivity without releasing more details. Yahalomi worked for decades with Israel’s Nature and Parks Authority, and dozens of park rangers from across the country created a convoy from central Israel to the cemetery in Kibbutz Nir Oz. “We always felt safe and protected when you were by our side,” his wife, Bat-Sheva Yahalomi, eulogized him. “We never imagined that the darkness would come in the shape of hundreds of terrorists full of hate and it will succeed to extinguish you strong and precious spirit.”Israeli military's new chief of staff is sworn in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu oversaw the swearing-in ceremony of the new military chief of staff, reiterating the determination to achieve “total victory” against Hamas and other Iran-backed armed groups. Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir will replace Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, who resigned in part over the army’s failures during the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas' attack on southern Israel that ignited the war in Gaza. “For many years, the army has fulfilled its missions. On October 7, the army failed,” Halevi said at the ceremony. He called on Israel to establish a state commission of inquiry to fully investigate the failures that led to the deadly attack. The Israeli military and Shin Bet have recently released their own inquiries, but Halevi stressed a national commission that includes the political leadership is needed to “get to the root of the problems and enable corrections.”

Zelenskiy Hails ‘Positive Movement’ in Relations with US
Asharq Al-Awsat/March 05/2025
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday there had been "positive movement" in cooperation with the United States that could lead to another meeting between the two sides soon. Kyiv is eager to repair ties with its top military supporter against Russia's invasion after Zelenskiy publicly clashed with US President Donald Trump in the White House last week over how to end the war in Ukraine. "Today our Ukrainian and US teams began working on a meeting. Andriy Yermak and Mike Waltz spoke," Zelenskiy said in his evening address, referring to his chief of staff and the US national security adviser. "There is positive movement. We hope for the first results next week." Yermak said on X he had "exchanged views on security issues and the alignment of positions" with Waltz, and that they had scheduled a meeting of Ukrainian and US officials "in the near future to continue this important work".
Both statements came just hours after CIA Director John Ratcliffe said the US had paused intelligence-sharing with Ukraine.

US Diplomats in Dissent Cable to Rubio Protest USAID Dismantling, Cut in Foreign Aid
Asharq Al-Awsat/March 05/2025
Hundreds of diplomats at the State Department and US Agency for International Development have formally written to Secretary of State Marco Rubio protesting the dismantling of USAID, saying the move undermines US leadership and national security and leaves power vacuums for China and Russia to fill. In a cable filed with the Department's internal "dissent channel," which allows diplomats to raise concerns about policy anonymously, the diplomats said the Trump administration's January 20 freeze on almost all foreign aid also endangers American diplomats and forces overseas while putting at risk the lives of millions abroad that depend on US assistance. "The decision to freeze and terminate foreign aid contracts and assistance awards without any meaningful review jeopardizes our partnerships with key allies, erodes trust, and creates openings for adversaries to expand their influence," said the cable, a copy of which was seen by Reuters. More than 700 people have signed onto the letter, a US official speaking on the condition of anonymity said. The Republican president, pursuing what he has called an "America First" agenda, ordered a 90-day pause on all foreign aid on his first day back in office. The order halted USAID operations around the world, jeopardizing delivery of life-saving food and medical aid, and throwing global humanitarian relief efforts into chaos. "The freeze on life-saving aid has already caused irreparable harm and suffering to millions of people around the world," the letter said, adding that despite statements on waivers being issued for life-saving programs, the funding remained shut. The president tasked billionaire and adviser Elon Musk with dismantling USAID as part of an unprecedented push to shrink the federal government over what both say is wasteful spending and abuse of funds. "Foreign assistance is not charity. Instead, it is a strategic tool that stabilizes regions, prevents conflict, and advances US interests," the letter said. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In fiscal year 2023, the United States disbursed $72 billion of aid worldwide, on everything from women's health in conflict zones to access to clean water, HIV/AIDS treatments, energy security and anti-corruption work. Upon evaluating 6,200 multi-year awards, the administration decided to eliminate nearly 5,800 of them worth $54 billion in value, a 92% reduction, according to a State Department spokesperson. USAID fired and put on administrative leave thousands of staff and contractors. The letter also said that the government's failure to pay outstanding invoices to contractors and implementing partners has severe economic repercussions. "The resulting financial strain not only undermines confidence in the US government as a reliable partner, it also weakens domestic economic growth at a time of mounting global competition," the letter said. The US Supreme Court declined on Wednesday to let the administration withhold payments to foreign aid organizations for work they already performed for the government, upholding a district judge's order that had called on the administration to promptly release payments to contractors.

Arab Parliament Speaker Praises Arab Summit Outcomes
Asharq Al-Awsat/March 05/2025
Speaker of the Arab Parliament Mohammed Al Yamahi has praised the outcomes of the Extraordinary Arab Summit hosted by Egypt.
He stressed the parliament's full support for them and reiterated that the summit reaffirmed the steadfast Arab position that rejects the displacement of the Palestinian people from their historic land under any pretext, considering it a crime of ethnic cleansing and a crime against humanity. The summit also reiterated that the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital is the only strategic option to achieve security, stability, and peace in the region, according to SPA. In a statement, Al Yamahi expressed the parliament's full support for the plan presented by Egypt, which was unanimously adopted, regarding the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. The plan aims to ensure the Palestinian people remain on their historic land without displacement. He called on the international community, particularly the UN Security Council, influential countries, and international and regional financing institutions, to swiftly provide all necessary support for the plan and contribute positively and effectively to its implementation on the ground. Al Yamahi also urged all countries to promptly respond to the summit's decision to hold an international conference in Cairo on Gaza's reconstruction and establish a trust fund to implement reconstruction projects. He commended the sincere and tireless efforts made by Arab leaders to support the Palestinian cause and uphold the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, especially during this critical phase in which the Palestinian cause faces grave challenges.

The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on March 05-06/2025
Trump: Redrawing the Future of the World
Drieu Godefridi/Gatestone Institute/March 5, 2025
The true analogy [of Trump's deal with Zelenskyy] is with the assistance granted by the United States to the United Kingdom during World War II: the Lend-Lease Act of 1941. Under Lend-Lease, the US provided Britain with goods and services... over the course of the war.... Adjusted for inflation to today's dollars (as of February 2025), this amount equates to roughly $550 billion.
What, however, happens once the debt is repaid? Without a lasting strategic framework, financial leverage alone might not be enough to guarantee long-term security. The case of Hong Kong is a sobering precedent: the West was deeply invested in the city's economy, but when communist China asserted control, international businesses largely packed up and left rather than confront Beijing.
At the moment, Trump's unconventional proposal is probably the best offer for Ukraine -- and the only realistic one. It gives the US "skin in the game," enables Trump to have leverage when he approaches Russia, and prevents Putin, at least for a while, from retaking that part of the former Soviet Union.
Russia already has hundreds of miles of peaceful borders with NATO countries, including the Baltic states, and did not kick up a fuss when Finland joined NATO last year. The only country where joining NATO ostensibly appears to be a problem is Ukraine. Perhaps this exception should be regarded as a flashing red light, warning that Putin still might have his eye on Ukraine for its minerals, agricultural land and outlet on the Black Sea.
Trump has been a supporter of NATO but not as its guarantor. His worldview at the moment is that he rejects war, except as a last resort. To him, it seems, America's true rival in the 21st century is not Europe, or Russia, and certainly not the amorphous, inconsistent entity known as the BRICs. It is China.
At the moment, President Donald Trump's unconventional proposal is probably the best offer for Ukraine -- and the only realistic one. It gives the US "skin in the game," enables Trump to have leverage when he approaches Russia, and prevents Putin, at least for a while, from retaking that part of the former Soviet Union. Pictured: Trump greets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as he arrives at the White House on February 28, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Although Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky finally agreed to the "Golden Parachute" US President Donald J. Trump offered him as a first step to have Russian President Vladimir Putin negotiate a ceasefire to the war he began three years ago, the meeting on February 28 between Trump and Zelensky -- as the world, to its shock, saw on television -- collapsed.
Trump seems to have been anticipating a signing ceremony; Zelensky seems to have been anticipating receiving assurances of greater security. Trump's ultimate message apparently was: a Trump final offer is a Trump final offer.
Trump was gracious enough to offer Zelensky the opportunity to return if he changed his mind -- as his did on March 4. Trump also in the did not preclude the possibility that the US would consider coming to Europe's military assistance should it be needed at some future time.
For a long time, it was difficult to express doubts about Ukraine's success without immediately being branded a "Putinist". It was as if the horror of war forced everyone to take sides: only "Putinists" and "Slava Ukraini" remained.
Britain's daily Telegraph, which is usually more discerning, labeled the US demand for repayment of the hundreds of billions invested in war matériel for Ukraine as a "stranglehold."
The Telegraph compared it to the reparations imposed on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles after World War I -- an analogy all the more shocking, they argued, because Ukraine is the victim, not the aggressor.
Trump has asked that Ukraine repay the enormous sums advanced by the United States -- especially after he found out that the money given to Ukraine by European countries had been loans, not grants. Trump proposed a deal whereby the US would help to develop Ukraine's minerals, such as lithium and titanium, and help to develop Ukraine's infrastructure, and suggested that such a business collaboration would serve as an adequate deterrence against renewed Russian aggression, making the security guarantees Zelensky was seeking unnecessary, at least at least during his tenure.
Reports suggest the US would own 50% of these assets or their revenues, as a repayment to US taxpayers for past aid. Zelensky said that he was open to investment but needed stronger security guarantees.
Critics of Trump called his request exploitative, akin to a colonial resource-grab, while supporters seemed to see it as a potential win-win if US investment would help to rebuild Ukraine's economy – a kind of new "Marshall Plan." Details have not yet been confirmed.
The true analogy is with the assistance granted by the United States to the United Kingdom during World War II: the Lend-Lease Act of 1941. Under Lend-Lease, the US provided Britain with goods valued at approximately $31.4 billion (in 1940s dollars) over the course of the war. This figure represents the total value of aid shipped to Britain, including everything from military equipment like ships, aircraft and tanks, to civilian necessities like food and oil. Adjusted for inflation to today's dollars (as of February 2025), this amount equates to roughly $550 billion.
This amount was then rolled into the broader Anglo-American Loan Agreement of 1946, with a substantial rebate. Alongside settling Lend-Lease, the US extended a new $3.75 billion loan at 2% interest to help Britain's postwar recovery, bringing the total package to $4.4 billion (plus Canada's separate $1.19 billion loan). The UK began repaying this combined sum in 1950, with payments stretching over decades. The final installment —covering both the Lend-Lease settlement and the postwar loan — was paid off on December 29, 2006, when Britain sent its last check of about $83 million to the US Treasury.
In reality, a Ukraine-US agreement on debt repayment is assuredly one way to keep America engaged in Ukraine for decades to come — and thus at least a non-military security guarantee. One does not allow a debtor owing $300 billion to be crushed. A long-term debt repayment agreement between Ukraine and the United States could serve as a powerful mechanism to ensure sustained American engagement in Ukraine's security. Financial obligations of such magnitude — potentially in the hundreds of billions — create an inherent incentive for the creditor to protect the debtor from existential threats. No country, one hopes, allows a strategic partner with outstanding debts of that scale to be destabilized or overrun. What, however, happens once the debt is repaid? Without a lasting strategic framework, financial leverage alone might not be enough to guarantee long-term security. The case of Hong Kong is a sobering precedent: the West was deeply invested in the city's economy, but when communist China asserted control, international businesses largely packed up and left rather than confront Beijing.
For Ukraine, if economic leverage alone is not enough, what structures might be built to ensure that Ukraine's security does not become another Vietnam, Hong Kong or Afghanistan, where outside powers ultimately choose to walk away? According to reports, such questions are to be addressed after a negotiated ceasefire.In the meantime, the debt would be repaid by a US-Ukraine "partnership" in mining Ukraine's natural resources and rebuilding its economy. At the moment, Trump's unconventional proposal is probably the best offer for Ukraine -- and the only realistic one. It gives the US "skin in the game," enables Trump to have leverage when he approaches Russia, and prevents Putin, at least for a while, from retaking that part of the former Soviet Union.
The Error
Unlike his predecessors, Trump acknowledged that NATO had pledged not to expand beyond East Germany. For the past three years, merely stating this fact had led to being labeled a "Putinist," an attempt at permanent discreditation. The facts, however, are clear: James Baker, Secretary of State under President George H.W. Bush, made an unambiguous public commitment, confirmed by NATO's secretary-general himself. To be clear: these declarations do not have the status of a treaty or international law, but they were commitments, at best a kind of unilateral undertaking.
On the other hand, so was the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, under which Russia, the United States and Ukraine agreed that Ukraine's borders would be respected in exchange for giving up the nuclear weapons it had at the time. Both Russia and the US failed to uphold their part of the agreement.
NATO, as may have postulated, does not really seem to be the problem. Russia already has hundreds of miles of peaceful borders with NATO countries, including the Baltic states, and did not kick up a fuss when Finland joined NATO last year. The only country where joining NATO ostensibly appears to be a problem is Ukraine. Perhaps this exception should be regarded as a flashing red light, warning that Putin still might have his eye on Ukraine for its minerals, agricultural land and outlet on the Black Sea.
As long as Ukraine is not in NATO, Putin might regards it as fair game. As for the potential deal with Trump, it might well appear to Putin that some of Ukraine is better than none of Ukraine -- especially after already having successfully captured all of Crimea and a good chunk of Georgia. It also might help to remember that, for better or worse, Putin will not be around forever. What appears to terrify Putin the most is a democracy 250 miles from Moscow -- where people inside Russia might see up close what it is like to live in a free society.
Towards a Yalta?
The main risk for Europe is that the Ukraine crisis formalizes its geopolitical downgrade. Europe lacks the resources to challenge the United States and can only confront Russia due to NATO's support. In short, Europe does not count. So far, at least, Europe has not wanted to pay, and has not wanted to fight.
Trump has been a supporter of NATO but not as its guarantor. His worldview at the moment is that he rejects war, except as a last resort. To him, it seems, America's true rival in the 21st century is not Europe, or Russia, and certainly not the amorphous, inconsistent entity known as the BRICs. It is China. To counter this threat, Trump needs a cooperative Europe that finances more of its own defense. Russia may be an impoverished empire but it still thinks of itself as an impoverished one. It flexes its influence -- based on oil and nuclear weapons -- and power beyond its borders, but primarily when its economy is stable and flush with resources. When Russia is financially strained or "broke," its imperial ambitions take a backseat. It was the Biden administration's energy policies that bolstered Russia's economic position, and actually provided the funds that fueled its military actions, especially the invasion of Ukraine. Biden's restrictions on domestic energy production in the US and a shift away from energy independence drove up global oil and gas prices, filling the coffers of Russia, which relies on energy exports. Russia does not want NATO a stone's throw from Moscow, just as the United States did not want Soviet missiles in Cuba. The United States, nevertheless, does not go around invading other countries; Russia does. It is no secret, even to Trump, that Russia is the aggressor here, and probably determined to keep acting that way.
In the Caribbean, near the US, are islands that belong to France, the Netherlands and the UK -- and no one loses sleep over them. Russia, China, North Korea and Iran, on the other hand, have been acting as predators. It is not just that they flex their muscles; they act as if they expect the West to give them a pass to overthrow it without any consequences. The US is not out to conquer Asia, but Russia, China, Iran and North Korea seems hell-bent on carving out their empires one aggressive move at a time.
Today, three military powers dominate the world: China, Russia and the United States. Europe, if not on the list, has only itself to blame. Economically on par with the US until the year 2000, the old continent has since succumbed to a morbid environmentalist fantasy—the "Zero-Carbon Society," a totalitarian myth for which the European Union sacrificed everything: the economy, citizens' well-being, freedom of speech, and perhaps eventually its culture and democratic form of government. Consider this: the average European pays four times more for home heating than the average American. Why? Because in Europe, fracking for gas is banned, oil is despised, electricity is dependent on wind turbines and solar panels, and perfectly functional nuclear reactors are being decommissioned. Now Russia is trying to repair the Nord Stream II gas pipeline so that Europe can depend on Putin. Good luck with that. Trump has the ambition, the means, and the momentum for a new Yalta. The Russians will be only too happy to return to the negotiating table. Cursing and shivering, the Europeans will be of enormous help. *Drieu Godefridi is a jurist (University Saint-Louis, University of Louvain), philosopher (University Saint-Louis, University of Louvain) and PhD in legal theory (Paris IV-Sorbonne). He is an entrepreneur, CEO of a European private education group and director of PAN Medias Group. He is the author of The Green Reich (2020).
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Concern for Syria
Tariq Al-Homayed/Asharq Al-Awsat/March 05/2025
There is concern for Syria, its security, stability, and unity. This concern is justified for several reasons. Despite my firm conviction that Syria is off today, after the criminal Bashar al-Assad has fled, its path is riddled with wolves and mistakes. Some of these mistakes that ultimately serve its interests are more dangerous than the enemy itself. Israel’s totally unjustified malicious intervention is concerning. Rather, these interventions are an insidious attempt by Israel and Netanyahu to aggravate and inflame the situation in Syria, to create chaos.
Another concern is the regime remnants now being backed by certain regional states, not necessarily by the states as such but by particular factions within them: Hezbollah in Lebanon and the militias backed by Tehran in Iraq.
As for Iran, it has not hidden its distress over Assad’s downfall, as he had been the linchpin of its project to export the revolution in the region. His regime protected the supply and financing line of Iranian influence, from Lebanon to Gaza, all the way to the Mediterranean. Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Commander Hossein Salami has openly spoken of Iran’s disconcertion, saying that Syria was a "bitter lesson for Iran." He also quoted remarks by the Supreme Leader: "Syria will be liberated by its heroic youth,and requires time, immense perseverance, unwavering determination, and sublime faith." The conspiracies against Syria are ongoing. Some may argue that concern is justified, especially since Assad's fall and the rise of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. However, I believe that only a few of those who voice this sentiment do so genuinely, a larger number have ulterior motives, especially those who had consistently flattered Hezbollah and defended its actions, or those who continue to defend Hamas to this day.
Moreover, concern for Syria can be summed up in a few key points. The first is the new regime’s hesitation to make swift and serious domestic decisions to push things along: most notably, the formation of a genuinely competent government that makes use of all the talents available to it.
The second is a lack of commitment to transparency. Syrians, as well as partners in the Arab region, are not being adequately informed of developments through regular media briefings, which is particularly crucial given the rapid pace at which developments are unfolding. That encompasses updating Syrians on living conditions statistics and the challenges they face.
The third is the slowdown in the momentum that the regime built in the first two months, both regionally and internationally. Visits to Arab, regional, and international actors must be made to raise the alarm about the threats being posed by Israel and Iran. A simple example of the need to engage with significant developments is the case of Walid Jumblatt. When he expressed his desire to visit Syria following Israeli statements about the Druze, Damascus should have immediately welcomed the initiative and extended an open invitation. Doing so would have highlighted the dangers of Israel’s actions and reinforced Syria’s unity. The fourth is that Damascus should have reminded the international community, through an official statement, of the statement Sharaa had sent Trump, as well as reiterating his past remarks about how Syria has been exhausted by futile wars. It should also have stressed the peril of Israel’s actions, as well as those of Iran and its proxies. Highlighting the risks of maintaining or failing to lift sanctions on Syria is also crucial, as is implementing reforms more quickly, as doing so would leave foreign actors in an awkward position and prove that the new government is serious about making Syria a proactive Arab and international player - that is, to take the opposite approach that Assad and his Iran-backed supporters had pursued.
This is the advice of someone who cares and is genuinely concerned.

Admitting Defeat to Avoid Greater Defeats
Hazem Saghieh/Asharq Al-Awsat/March 05/2025
One self-evident condition for solving a problem is recognizing that it exists, and the problem in Lebanon is its defeat. However, Hezbollah does not acknowledge this defeat. As for the occupation and destruction, this defeat's extremely visible and undeniable consequences, they are attributed to the quasi-metaphysical evil of a belligerent and peculiar disposition.
Yet, the party is asking the Lebanese state to liberate and build- that is, to erase the traces of the defeat that it led us to and then claimed had never happened. In saying this and refusing to take any responsibility, Hezbollah is announcing "victory" over the rest of the country, as claiming "victory" over Israel is untenable. This all amounts to nothing more than the party rubbing salt on the deep wound of our communal schisms.
In fact, some of its spokesmen have now begun to threaten, without any equivocation, nothing less than a civil war awaiting us behind the door. Meanwhile, Hezbollah’s "moderates" are demanding that the state carry out a suicide mission and replicate what the resistance had, or else there will be doom and misery.
This deep paralyzation of domestic politics, which stands in the way of everything else and creates limitless harm, feeds on circumstances weakening us further, especially in confronting the immense challenge posed by Israel. We are coming out of a bankrupt experience that has worn us out- and that Hezbollah is primarily responsible for putting us through- and aggravated the rifts in our frayed national fabric. Addressing such a situation responsibly requires, above all, that we speak with blunt humility and self-awareness, clinging to the extremely scarce matters of national consensus that the new government and political order are seeking to represent and foster. There is no doubt that hounding and defaming this government and political order that, amid the comprehensive devastation left by the party and its war, have nothing but scattered bits of symbolic capital, amounts to summoning collective suicide.
This approach, which combines denial of defeat with a refusal to take personal responsibility, slander of the regime and government, and indulgent caprice, notably through tricks and ruses to avoid disarmament, could well ultimately be exploited as a pretext for expanding and deepening Israel’s intervention in Lebanon, to say nothing about its potential repercussions for reconstruction, even if the tools we need to rebuild were obtained. It would be the last poisoned gift the resistance offers Lebanon, or rather, the Shiite sect itself.
Yes, it is always crucial, as we seek to disarm the party, to make this sect feel embraced by the country and to avoid creating the impression that the Shiites are partners in the defeat of the Khomeinist party. However, the key to realizing this objective remains in the hands of Hezbollah: acknowledging its defeat and agreeing to hand over its arms would open the door to reassuring its sect and encourage its reintegration into political life. As for refusing to acknowledge its defeat, clinging to its arms, and threatening civil war, that would perpetuate the fears of non-Shiites- if not of the weapons themselves then of what may come of them. Such apprehensions would deprive Lebanon’s other communities of the luxury of reassuring others, as they would be demanding reassurances for themselves.
This is happening amid a bleak regional and international climate. We cannot fail to notice the scale of Israel’s region-wide victory, which has been coupled with growing fissures between communities and the political drought left by the Assad and Hezbollah regimes. As the defeat remains shrouded in denial, indications that the Jewish state plans to be the region’s police force are stacking up, and it seems that we, in Syria and Lebanon, could become its border guards and buffer states between Israel and Türkiye.
From its strategy of building buffer zones along the border to the potential resumption of its war on Gaza and its threats of continuing it "on seven fronts,” there are many causes of concern that must not be underestimated nor addressed with empty ‘’machismo.” Moreover, it is plainly obvious that Israel now has a free hand to toy with the insides of Levantine countries and exploit their sectarian and ethnic tensions. Meanwhile, we are being raided by segmentation that is not happy to merely split communities apart, it is also eliminating any space for "moderate" positions or attempts at a compromise "to save face,” whether by officials or in the intellectual and cultural space.
If the worst happens in Syria- whether it starts from the South, the East, or the coast- it would become all but impossible for Lebanon to save itself.
As for the position of small countries in the current balance of power, the heinous White House meeting between Trump and Zelensky has removed the need for much speculation about it. And with regard to what remains of Lebanon’s friendships and influence, it could be dissipated once it faces an extremely harsh test: clinging to illegitimate arms and demanding rewards for a victory that its proponents are themselves not convinced of. Accordingly, Hezbollah and its supporters are doing everything that should be avoided in order to prove that politics and diplomacy serve no purpose, and to show that what we should do is commit collective suicide by embracing the notion that “we are all resistance fighters.”However, in the face of illusions that the old man will become young again, which directly translates to evading Resolution 1701, standing together shoulder to shoulder- as a unit that has been defeated seeking to cut our losses- becomes the ultimate obligation and the only "narrow" path to some sort of recovery.

Starmer’s stark choice on Ukraine
Mohamed Chebaro/Arab News/March 05/2025
It is true that Prime Minister Keir Starmer seems to have, in just a few moves, put the UK back on the world stage as a “bridge” between the US and the EU over Ukraine. But be under no illusion that the events of the last week could be a double-edged sword that carry the ire of an impatient Donald Trump, who represents himself as the sole owner of any deal vis-a-vis Ukraine, US-European relations, NATO, world trade or anything else that seem to move him domestically or internationally.
London now appears to be at the heart of Europe again. While this is unlikely to induce a reversal of Brexit, the UK is looking to become central to the continent’s defense and security rebuilding project — and that could be at the expense of its so-called special relationship with the US. Starmer is right in his efforts to mediate the US’ neo-maximalist posturing under the new administration to try to smooth its sharp edges, which have primarily been hurting America’s allies. But in doing so he could be, to his detriment, on the receiving end of a power that prefers its allies to be compliant.
Until recently, Starmer had little foreign policy experience. But he is now enjoying his moment as an international statesman, spearheading efforts to bridge the differences between Europe and America over Russia’s war in Ukraine. However, the odds are against him. During a blitz of meetings last weekend at a London-EU-NATO summit, Starmer walked a tightrope between US President Trump and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky. He has put the UK firmly back into the international diplomacy game and spearheaded efforts to reassure a shaken Ukraine and a wobbling EU.
But is this really a post-Brexit turning point? And is the UK back at the heart of the action, having become accustomed since 2016 to following European decisions from afar? No one can be certain at this stage, but clearly Starmer has made it a personal mission to place his country in the role of a bridge between Europe and Trump’s America, driven by his interest in securing a fair peace deal to end the Russia-Ukraine war. One point that is in Starmer’s favor is his sincere effort to keep a peace plan involving the US on track, while also pushing ahead with the Europeans to forge more consolidated and better-financed defense policies to support Ukraine. This could constitute a prelude to something more permanent with the EU and lead to a softening of attitudes in Brussels toward British demands to ease post-Brexit ties with the bloc. But let us not forget that Starmer’s recent rapprochement was a question of circumstance, as the EU is clearly not best placed to play the bridging role with a US administration that is increasingly aligned with Russia over Ukraine, regardless of EU interests.
It is true that Brexit did not stop London collaborating with the EU over Ukraine, but it remains to be seen if the UK will become part of the EU-wide defense planning and if it will potentially receive European cash for any joint military procurement and manufacturing, which is usually limited to members of the single market. Starmer’s trademark pragmatism might yet pay off, at least domestically. This cautious, restrained and thoughtful lawyer is quickly refining his political philosophy and diplomatic skills, raising his popularity, which had sunk dramatically since his party’s landslide election victory last summer. A More in Common survey released on Monday found that Starmer’s rating on who would make a better prime minister had risen six points over the weekend, showing that the Ukraine negotiations had boosted his credentials.
The four-point plan to secure a sustainable peace in Ukraine — including forming a “coalition of the willing” that is prepared to play a role in protecting any ceasefire — announced at the end of the summit of European leaders surprised many. Those four steps are arguably the most concrete path to peace in Ukraine yet written down and came after Trump last month stunned America’s allies by opening unilateral talks with Russia in a bid to end the three-year-old war. Caution, however, should also prevail as, despite his successes, Starmer last week returned from the US capital with no security guarantee from Trump that would deter Russia from violating any ceasefire agreement. He also did not come back with any evidence that Trump was firmly onside for a UK-US trade agreement.He is enjoying his moment as an international statesman, spearheading efforts to bridge the differences between Europe and America.
Major questions remain over what a truce might look like, while it is also unclear how many European countries will sign up to the so-called coalition of the willing and commit to sending troops to Ukraine to enforce any ceasefire. We should be wary of getting ahead of ourselves, as the new resident of the White House is unpredictable to say the least. Starmer so far seems to be shielded despite taking the UK back into the heart of Europe and potentially daring to propose a rival initiative to Trump’s plan for Ukraine. To suggest it is a post-Brexit turning point toward Europe is unrealistic, as Trump could still change his mind a number of times. The risk is that he might turn his guns on Starmer and the UK’s role in Europe is always there. Starmer and Europe could quickly wake up to the new reality in front of them: that the old world has changed. While there remains a need to keep the US in alliance with both Europe and the UK as a means to protect the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, the sooner the serious work can start for the UK to recalibrate its military, political, intelligence and foreign policy work to align more with the EU, the better.
At some stage, London might have to make the stark choice between being at the heart of Europe or being associated with a White House that is promoting what is seen in Europe as a subjugation, not a peace deal in Ukraine.
*Mohamed Chebaro is a British-Lebanese journalist with more than 25 years of experience covering war, terrorism, defense, current affairs and diplomacy.

The impact of US foreign aid cuts on the Arab world
Zaid M. Belbagi/Arab News/March 05/2025
Since US President Donald Trump returned to office in January, his administration has implemented a series of policies with significant implications for the Middle East and North Africa region. One of the most controversial moves was a drastic cut in foreign aid. This included a reduction of 90 percent in the US Agency for International Development’s foreign aid contracts and an overall reduction of $60 billion in US assistance worldwide. Since the announcement, the State Department and USAID have ended almost 10,000 foreign aid grants and contracts.
With a support base that is broadly isolationist and of the view that federal money is better invested domestically, the US administration has been keen to make this policy a focus of its first 100 days. However, this move has triggered concerns in many MENA countries, some of which rely heavily on American aid to sustain their economic development, security and humanitarian assistance. For decades, USAID has been fundamental to US foreign assistance, funding vital programs worldwide. Between 2014 and 2024, the agency gave out $314.3 billion of a total of $635.2 billion in US foreign aid. In fiscal year 2023 alone, the US government allocated $71.9 billion for foreign assistance, supporting a wide range of initiatives, including humanitarian assistance, economic development and democracy promotion.
The Arab world has been one of the largest beneficiaries of US aid. In 2023, Jordan and Egypt were the fourth and fifth-largest recipients, respectively. Jordan received $1.6 billion and Egypt received $1.5 billion.
The fallout from the US’ foreign aid cuts is already hitting hard. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that “the consequences will be especially devastating for vulnerable people around the world.” In Lebanon, UNICEF has been forced to scale back or suspend crucial programs, worsening an already severe food crisis, with more than half of children under the age of two in the country’s east now facing extreme food poverty. Meanwhile, in conflict zones like Sudan and Nigeria, at least 2 million people have been cut off from essential services due to funding reductions.
The ripple effect extends across multiple humanitarian sectors. Organizations that are highly dependent on Washington aid and which provide lifesaving healthcare and humanitarian assistance are now scrambling to ensure stable funding. The International Rescue Committee revealed that it has lost 46 grants from USAID and the State Department. This loss directly affects aid operations in vulnerable areas such as Sudan, Yemen and Myanmar, where millions are already suffering from war, famine and displacement.
Beyond the immediate humanitarian crisis, Washington’s decision will force countries with incredibly precarious socioeconomic models to reassess their economic policies, given the specter of a further cut in US aid.
This shift provides an opportunity for Amman to adapt its economic and diplomatic strategies by reducing its dependence on foreign aid, while maintaining its status as one of the most stable countries in the region. Egypt is looking beyond US aid to build new economic partnerships with China and the Gulf states. Washington’s decision will force countries with incredibly precarious socioeconomic models to reassess their economic policies.
Whether Jordan, Egypt or Syria can transition toward a more sustainable economic model that is not reliant on US foreign aid is a pressing question. Fostering stronger ties with Gulf countries, which have been major contributors in terms of financial assistance, is not a long-term solution. The Gulf states are asserting themselves in foreign aid and regional affairs but they cannot finance their neighbors without end. Yet, in the midst of this crisis lies an opportunity. The US’ recent move poses a significant challenge for the Arab world’s flailing economies, but it may compel these states to end their reliance on American aid, making it a turning point in the region’s economic history. In recent years the Arab world has made efforts to seek economic and political diversification, with the expansion of its partnerships with China, Russia, India and South Korea. For example, Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative has already expanded its footprint across the region, offering infrastructure investment and economic opportunities. Russia, too, has deepened its security and energy partnerships with the Middle East.
To successfully navigate this transition away from American aid, the Arab world will need to ensure that it does not switch to another source of aid, but rather uses international support to build domestic manufacturing capabilities and enhance regional economic integration.
*Zaid M. Belbagi is a political commentator and an adviser to private clients between London and the Gulf Cooperation Council. X: @Moulay_Zaid

How Israeli strikes in Syria threaten regional stability
Hani Hazaimeh/Arab News/March 05/2025
Israel’s continued military incursions into Syria have become a defining feature of the region’s security landscape, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu employing a strategy that not only undermines Syria’s sovereignty but also risks a broader regional escalation. These repeated airstrikes, assassinations and aggressive military operations — justified under the pretext of countering Iranian influence — serve a broader Israeli agenda aimed at ensuring Syria remains weak and fractured. The implications of this policy, however, extend far beyond Syrian borders. Netanyahu’s approach has the potential to ignite a wider conflict, one that could destabilize the entire Middle East and lead to consequences that even Israel may not be prepared to handle.
Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war, Israel has conducted hundreds of airstrikes across the country, primarily targeting Iranian-backed militias such as Hezbollah, Syrian military installations and key arms depots. These operations, rather than mere defensive measures, are part of a deliberate strategy to prevent Syria from regaining full sovereignty and military strength. Netanyahu has framed these attacks as necessary to contain Iran’s influence, but they have also served as a tool to prolong Syria’s instability, ensuring that Damascus remains unable to challenge Israel’s military superiority in the region.
Beyond its military objectives, Netanyahu’s aggressive posture in Syria cannot be separated from Israel’s internal political dynamics. Facing mounting domestic crises — including corruption trials, mass protests and deepening divisions within Israeli society — Netanyahu has long used military aggression as a convenient distraction. By escalating tensions with Syria, he rallies nationalist sentiments at home, positioning himself as Israel’s ultimate defender against external threats. This tactic has been a hallmark of his political career, allowing him to deflect attention from scandals and maintain power by fostering a perpetual state of conflict. The problem, however, is that this strategy carries enormous risks, not just for Syria but for the entire region. Each Israeli strike brings Syria closer to retaliating in a way that could trigger a much larger confrontation. Iranian-backed forces, already emboldened by years of Israeli aggression, may eventually choose to escalate their responses, leading to a direct military conflict between Israel and Iran. Hezbollah, which has long been entrenched in Syria, may also intensify its operations, opening a new front against Israel from the Syrian border.
Russia’s presence in Syria further complicates the situation. While Moscow has so far tolerated Israeli airstrikes, allowing limited operations to continue without direct retaliation, Netanyahu’s increasing willingness to target strategic locations risks straining this fragile understanding. If Israel’s attacks begin to undermine Russia’s interests in Syria, Moscow may decide to take a firmer stance, which could lead to direct confrontations between Israeli and Russian forces — a scenario that would have unpredictable and potentially catastrophic consequences.
Meanwhile, Syria itself remains in a fragile state, still recovering from more than a decade of war. Israeli strikes have crippled infrastructure, military installations and economic assets, ensuring that any attempts at rebuilding remain stunted. This is not just about Israel’s fight against Iran; it is about keeping Syria weak, divided and unable to pose any future challenge. The cost, of course, is borne by the Syrian people, who continue to suffer under the weight of war, economic collapse and foreign intervention.
Netanyahu’s aggressive posture in Syria cannot be separated from Israel’s internal political dynamics. Netanyahu’s reckless policies are not only undermining Syria’s sovereignty but also fueling resentment across the region. Anti-Israel sentiment is deepening, not just among governments but among ordinary citizens who see these strikes as yet another example of Israel acting with impunity. This growing hostility will only serve to strengthen resistance movements, from Hezbollah to Palestinian factions, all of whom are increasingly aligning their struggles under a broader anti-Israel front.
Despite these ongoing violations of international law, Israel continues to enjoy unwavering support from the US and its Western allies. Washington has shielded Israel from international condemnation, allowing Netanyahu to act with near-total impunity. However, the global landscape is shifting. China and Russia are asserting greater influence in the Middle East and if Netanyahu continues his unchecked aggression, he may find that Israel is no longer able to act without consequences.
Netanyahu’s military incursions into Syria represent a reckless gamble — one that is destabilizing an already volatile region for the sake of political survival and military dominance. His strategy of perpetual conflict is unsustainable. At some point, Syria, Iran, Hezbollah or even Russia will be forced to push back in a way that Israel may not anticipate. The question is not if this escalation will come, but when. If the international community continues to ignore Israel’s unchecked military aggression, Netanyahu’s dangerous game may ultimately set the entire region on fire.
• Hani Hazaimeh is a senior editor based in Amman. X: @hanihazaimeh

The future of world order
Joseph S. Nye Jr./Arab News/March 05/2025
US President Donald Trump has cast serious doubts on the future of the postwar international order. In recent speeches and UN votes, his administration has sided with Russia, an aggressor that launched a war of conquest against its peaceful neighbor, Ukraine. The White House’s policy of imposing tariffs on trading partners has raised questions about long-standing alliances and the future of the global trading system, while its withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement and the World Health Organization has undercut cooperation on transnational threats.
The prospect of a wholly disengaged, self-focused US has troubling implications for world order. It is easy to imagine Russia taking advantage of the situation to try to dominate Europe through the exercise or threat of force. Europe will have to show greater unity and provide for its own defense, even if a US backstop will remain important. Likewise, it is easy to imagine China asserting itself more in Asia, where it openly seeks dominance over its neighbors. Those neighbors will surely have taken note.
In fact, all countries will be affected, because the relationships among states and other major transnational actors are interconnected. An international order rests on a stable distribution of power among states; norms that influence and legitimize conduct; and shared institutions. A given international order can evolve incrementally without leading to a clear paradigm shift. But if the preeminent power’s domestic politics change too radically, all bets are off. Since relations among states naturally vary over time, order is a matter of degree. Before the modern state system, order was often imposed by force and conquest, taking the form of regional empires such as China and Rome (among many others). Variations in war and peace between powerful empires were more an issue of geography than of norms and institutions. Because they were contiguous, Rome and Parthia (the area around modern-day Iran) sometimes fought, whereas Rome, China and the Mesoamerican empires did not. Empires themselves depended on both hard and soft power. China was held together by strong common norms, highly developed political institutions and mutual economic benefit. So was Rome, especially the Roman Republic. Post-Roman Europe had institutions and norms in the form of the papacy and dynastic monarchies, which meant that territories often changed governance through marriage and family alliances, regardless of the subject people’s wishes. Wars were often motivated by dynastic considerations, though the 16th and 17th centuries brought wars born of religious fervor and geopolitical ambition, owing to the rise of Protestantism, divisions within the Roman Catholic Church and increased interstate competition.
At the end of the 18th century, the French Revolution disrupted the monarchical norms and the traditional restraints that had long sustained the European balance of power. Although Napoleon’s pursuit of empire ultimately failed after his retreat from Moscow, his armies swept away many territorial boundaries and created new states, leading to the first deliberate efforts to create a modern state system, at the 1815 Congress of Vienna. The post-Vienna “Concert of Europe” suffered a series of disruptions over the following decades, most notably in 1848, when nationalist revolutions swept the continent. Following these upheavals, Otto von Bismarck launched various wars to unite Germany, which assumed a powerful central position in the region, reflected in the 1878 Congress of Berlin. Through his alliance with Russia, Bismarck produced a stable order until Kaiser Wilhelm II fired him in 1890.
The prospect of a wholly disengaged, self-focused US has troubling implications for world order
Then came the First World War, which was followed by the Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations, whose failure set the stage for the Second World War. The subsequent creation of the UN and the Bretton Woods institutions (the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the precursor to the World Trade Organization) marked the most important institution-building episode of the 20th century. Since the US was the dominant player, the post-1945 era became known as the “American Century.” The end of the Cold War in 1991 then produced a unipolar distribution of power, allowing for the creation or strengthening of institutions such as the WTO, the International Criminal Court and the Paris climate agreement. Even before Trump, some analysts believed that this American order was coming to an end. The 21st century has brought another shift in the distribution of power, usually described as the rise (or, more accurately, the recovery) of Asia. While Asia had accounted for the largest share of the world economy in 1800, it fell behind after the Industrial Revolution in the West. And like other regions, it suffered from the new imperialism that Western military and communications technologies had made possible.
Now, Asia is returning to its status as the leading source of global economic output. But its recent gains have come more at the expense of Europe than the US. Rather than declining, the US still represents a quarter of global gross domestic product, as it did in the 1970s. While China has shrunk the US lead substantially, it has not surpassed the US economically, militarily or in terms of its alliances. If the international order is eroding, America’s domestic politics are as much of a cause as China’s rise. The question is whether we are entering a totally new period of American decline, or whether the second Trump administration’s attacks on the American Century’s institutions and alliances will prove to be another cyclical dip. We may not know until 2029.
• Joseph S. Nye Jr., Professor Emeritus at Harvard University, is a former US assistant secretary of defense and author of the memoir “A Life in the American Century” (Polity Press, 2024). Copyright: Project Syndicate

Let the world join forces, as it did in 1991
Hassan bin Youssef Yassin/Arab News/March 05/2025
On Nov. 29, 1990, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 678, empowering a US-led coalition to use “all necessary means” to remove Iraqi troops from Kuwait had they not left by Jan. 15, 1991. It was a historic vote in the UNSC, with neither China nor the Soviet Union resorting to their veto power. China abstained and the Soviet Union voted for the resolution. This ultimately led to a 42-country coalition enforcing the UN resolution militarily and with success. Just as in 1991, the world order is today shifting and there are new opportunities for the world to come together to end disputes and foster a new atmosphere of cooperation. There is no denying that US President Donald Trump is upending old methods and alliances, forcing a new world order. While we may not all be fans of the new president or his impulsiveness, there is clearly an opportunity to contribute to a new world order that can be focused on ending disputes and promoting greater cooperation worldwide. On a geostrategic level, President Trump is moving from confrontation to greater dialogue and cooperation with the great powers that are Russia and China. The US remains the world’s most influential power and has the capacity to provide an impulse similar to that which led to a global coalition removing Saddam Hussein from Kuwait. There is an opportunity to contribute to a new world order that can be focused on ending disputes and promoting cooperation.
Hassan bin Youssef Yassin
An American reconciliation and enhanced cooperation with Russia and China can set the stage for a more peaceful and collaborative world order. If President Trump can push Russia and Ukraine to end their conflict and embark upon an era of peace, then I believe we can get Israel to do the same in the Arab world. The US has the ability to make this age-old dispute a conflict of the past. It is clear to everyone that Israel and the Arab world must coexist peacefully, with major gains available to all in terms of stability, trade and a regional economy that could really take off. President Trump also realizes that Israel cannot occupy Palestine and areas of Lebanon and Syria indefinitely. As a result, a great play for peace is there for him to seize. If these objectives are within the reach of a new world order of coexistence and cooperation, perhaps those who currently oppose Trump should give him a chance, encourage him and allow him to claim credit for achieving the objectives of global peace and stability. We once lived in an age of mutually assured destruction; let us at least try an age of mutually advisable cooperation. Just as the war in Ukraine can be ended through cooperation and innovative solutions, so can the Arab-Israeli conflict, as well as the crisis that is facing our planet and our environment. Mother Nature could also be a win for President Trump, if he is given the right reasons and motivations. There should be no red zone or black zone anymore, just one single zone of cooperation. Perchance President Trump is onto something. Perhaps we can all give him the benefit of the doubt and do what we can to help him achieve goals that will benefit us all. Medicine does not always taste good, but if it is effective then we should all be open to it to usher in a new era of peace, stability and cooperation.
*Hassan bin Youssef Yassin worked closely with Saudi petroleum ministers Abdullah **Tariki and Ahmed Zaki Yamani from 1959 to 1967. He headed the Saudi Information Office in Washington from 1972 to 1981 and served with the Arab League observer delegation to the UN from 1981 to 1983.