English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For March 17/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible Quotations For today
Jesus said to the Jews: “You are from
beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.
herefore I said to you that you will die in your sins
John08/21-27/Then Jesus said to them again, “I am going away, and you
will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.” So the Jews
said, “Will He kill Himself, because He says, ‘Where I go you cannot come’?” And
He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world;
I am not of this world. herefore I said to you that you will die in your sins;
for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” Then they
said to Him, “Who are You?”And Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been saying
to you from the beginning. I have many things to say and to judge concerning
you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I
heard from Him.”They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on March 16-17/2025
The Passing of the Distinguished Lebanese Actor Antoine Kerbaj/Elias
Bejjani/March 16/2025
Healing Faith: The Miracle of the Bleeding Woman and Our Spiritual and National
Crisis/Elias Bejjani/March 16/2025
Are the Syrian Druze Left with Only Two Choices: Sharia Law and Ibn Taymiyyah’s
Fatwas, or Israel’s Protection?/Elias Bejjani/March 15/ 2025
Israeli Defense Minister Orders IDF to Respond to Gunfire from Lebanon That Hit
Car: The Times of Israel
The Israeli army is investigating the possibility of gunfire from Lebanon... and
this is what has been revealed!
Lebanese president urges international action amid ongoing border tensions
Israel's defense minister instructs army to respond to gunfire from Lebanon that
hit car: Times of Israel
Israel says killed two Hezbollah militants in south Lebanon
Strike Looms: Public Sector Contract Teachers Demand Fair Solutions
PSP Marks 48th and Last Anniversary of Kamal Joumblatt's Assassination
Jumblat warns Druze against being used to 'partition Syria and region'
Hezbollah Condemns US Strikes against Yemen, Stresses Solidarity
What is Hezbollah banking on?
Focus on Hezbollah as US weighs in on Lebanon’s next central bank chief/Maya
Gebeily, Humeyra Pamuk and Laila Bassam/The Arab Weekly/March 16/2025
The search for a BDL governor: How the US is vetting Lebanon's BDL candidates
Antoine Kerbaj: A Journey from the Stage of Life to the Realm of Legends
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on March 16-17/2025
"Sanctions on Syria" should be removed when/Dr Walid Phares/X site/March
16/2025
Military action against the Houthi terrorists in Yemen/Donald J. Trump Posts
From His Truth Social/March 16/2025
The Houthis have repeatedly tried to kill our soldiers/Mike Pompeo/X site/March
16/2025
'Pray for us. They've arrived': How Syria descended into revenge bloodshed
US Will Keep Hitting Houthis until Shipping Attacks Stop, Hegseth Says
US and Iran-Backed Houthis in Yemen Both Vow Escalation after Wave of US
Airstrikes
Iran Denies Aiding Yemen’s Houthi Militias after US Strikes
Families of Disappeared in Syria Want the Search to Continue on Conflict’s 14th
Anniversary
Iraq Seizes More than One Ton of Captagon Pills Shipped from Syria
Erdogan, Trump Discuss Ukraine, Syria, Defense Issues, Türkiye Says
Russia, Ukraine Continue Air Attacks with Ceasefire Prospects Uncertain
Israeli strikes kill 14 people in Gaza over past day, Palestinian medics say
Syrian Druze divided over first visit by religious elders to Israel in five
decades
Turkiye calls on EU to lift Syria sanctions ahead of international conference
Trump freezes US-funded media outlets including Voice of America
Justin Trudeau’s Replacement Slams ‘Crazy’ Marco Rubio in Debut as Canadian PM
Titles For
The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources
on March 16-17/2025
What loss of US aid might mean for Daesh detainee camps in northeast
Syria/ANAN TELLO/Arab News/March 16/2025
Saudi Arabia’s long-standing open-door policy/Hassan Al-Mustafa/Arab News/March
17, 2025
Direct US-Hamas talks break Israel’s Gaza narrative monopoly/Daoud Kuttab/Arab
News/March 17, 2025
Why Egypt refuses to administer Gaza/Dr. Abdellatif El-Menawy/Arab News/March
17, 2025
Why global governance is failing/Antara Haldar/Arab News/March 17, 2025
The Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on March 16-17/2025
The Passing of the Distinguished Lebanese Actor Antoine Kerbaj
Elias Bejjani/March 16/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/03/141290/
Today, death claimed the distinguished and esteemed actor Antoine Kerbaj, a
pillar of Lebanon’s golden artistic era. The late actor was a true icon,
renowned for his immense talent and unwavering contribution to the Lebanese
theater and film industry.
Kerbaj was a cornerstone of Lebanon’s artistic renaissance, standing alongside
the Rahbani Brothers, as well as legendary musicians, directors, and singers
such as Wadih El Safi, Zaki Nassif, Fairuz, Elie Shour, William Haswani,
Philemon Wehbe, Nasri Shamseddine, and many others. His presence and
performances helped shape a generation, leaving an indelible mark on the world
of Lebanese drama. We pray for the repose of his soul
and extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.
Healing Faith: The Miracle of the Bleeding Woman and Our Spiritual
and National Crisis
Elias Bejjani/March 16/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/03/127352/
"Jesus turned, and seeing her, He said, ‘Take heart, daughter; your faith has
made you well.’ And the woman was healed from that very hour." (Matthew 9:22)
Who among us is not bleeding—bleeding in values, relationships, actions, faith,
and the very foundations of hope—amidst this era of moral drought in which we
have strayed from the teachings of the Holy Gospel?
Yes, we have drifted away, deviated, and abandoned our principles, immersing
ourselves in a consumerist society that has ensnared us in the snares of demonic
selfishness. We have succumbed to the deadly plague of egotism, making it our
ultimate pursuit and direction.
It is disheartening that we shape our lives according to the whims of this
deceptive and misleading "self." We tailor our behaviors to its dictates,
aligning our words, actions, and relationships with its desires.
This lethal selfishness has dismantled the family unit—the cornerstone of
nations and societies. It has banished love from our hearts and consciences,
plunging us into darkness, leading us into temptation, and straying us from the
righteous path of salvation that Christ paved for us with His blood on the
cross.
We have lost everything because we have lost ourselves, turning a blind eye to
the divine wisdom: "What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet
loses his soul?"
Indeed, we have fallen into the traps of Satan and his temptations due to our
lack of faith and our blind pursuit of worldly possessions—wealth, power, and
influence. As a result, we continue to bleed relentlessly each time we commit
sin, which is spiritual death.
We bleed when we fail to resist evil and instead sink deeper into greed and
desires.
We bleed when we fail to love, forgive, and show mercy, when we neglect prayer
and refrain from spreading the Word of the Lord.
We bleed in our minds, souls, and hearts when we distance ourselves from faith
and surrender to temptation.
We bleed when we allow the fleeting pleasures of this material world to seduce
and consume us.
We bleed when we fail to fear God in our interactions with one another, within
our families, and in our communities.
We bleed when we abandon the essence of love—God Himself—which is best
manifested in self-sacrifice for the sake of others.
We bleed when we allow greed, envy, and avarice to govern our lives.
We bleed when we worship material possessions and forsake the worship of God,
rejecting His teachings.
We bleed when we dishonor the blood of martyrs and disregard the sacrifices of
those who laid down their lives for our nation, standing unwavering in truth and
refusing to cower in fear.
We bleed because we support corrupt leaders and politicians who exploit our
destiny, our livelihood, and our homeland.
We bleed because we have accepted the role of slaves and sheep, content to live
in enclosures.
And yet, do we still wonder why our beloved Lebanon has become a battlefield for
others, why we have lost our independence and sovereignty?
There is no salvation, no end to our hemorrhage, except through repentance,
prayer, fasting, and acts of penance. The Lord is merciful, forgiving, and
loving—He desires to help us and stop our bleeding if we turn to Him with
reverence, faith, and hope, just as the bleeding woman did.
The Lord redeemed us through His only Son, freeing us from the yoke of original
sin and showing us the path to salvation. Yet, He has left us with a choice: to
walk that path and reach the eternal home He has prepared for us in His kingdom,
where there is no suffering, hatred, or pain—or to stray from it, choosing the
roads of wickedness that lead to the torments of hell, where "there will be
weeping and gnashing of teeth, an unquenchable fire, and a worm that never
dies."
On this Sunday, let us take inspiration from the faith of the bleeding woman,
strengthening our trust in God, in His power, in His love, and in the grace of
forgiveness He offers to those who sincerely seek it in repentance. "He who
forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases." (Psalm 103:3)
Let us pray fervently for Lebanon’s salvation, for an end to the hemorrhaging
that has afflicted its institutions, and for its leaders to find the path of
faith, justice, and truth.
Are the Syrian Druze Left with Only Two Choices: Sharia Law and
Ibn Taymiyyah’s Fatwas, or Israel’s Protection?
Elias Bejjani/March 15/ 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/03/141227/
There is no doubt that the Syrian Druze now face a stark and existential choice:
submission to the rule of Sharia law, political Islam, and the fatwas of Ibn
Taymiyyah under Ahmad Al-Charaa’s regime, or seeking the protection of the State
of Israel? In such a dilemma, their survival and future dictate only one logical
path—aligning with Israel. Meanwhile, let the acrobat Walid Jumblatt continue
his empty rhetoric of Arabism and resistance and indulging in his endless
theatrics to his heart’s content.
May the Curse Be Upon the Political Parties and Officials Who
Betrayed the Cedar Revolution and Sold Out the March 14 Coalition
Elias Bejjan/March 14/ 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/03/116550/
On the anniversary of the March 14 uprising, we bow in reverence to the souls of
the righteous, sovereign, and heroic martyrs who sacrificed everything for
Lebanon’s freedom. Yet, their noble sacrifices were shamelessly betrayed by
mercenary Lebanese leaders, officials, and politicians who sold out the Cedar
Revolution and the March 14 Coalition. These opportunists disgraced the martyrs’
legacy by crawling into the Trojan presidential deal with the occupier—the
Iranian terrorist militia, Hezbollah.
History will forever brand these political dwarfs with humiliation and contempt.
If remembered at all, it will only be with disgrace. They will rot in history’s
dustbin, condemned for their treachery. Driven by greed and blinded by selfish
ambition, they succumbed to the temptations of power, betraying the very cause
for which so many gave their lives. They bartered away Lebanon’s sovereignty,
the people’s revolution, and the blood of the martyrs for authority and personal
gain. Their betrayal was a direct insult to those who paid the ultimate price
for freedom.
Because of their shortsightedness, narcissism, and servility, Hezbollah has
entrenched its full control over Lebanon. This heinous betrayal led to Lebanon’s
downfall—stripping it of its role, its message, and its sovereignty, and
surrendering it to Iranian occupation.
Yet, despite their treachery, the true spirit of March 14 remains alive. It
thrives in the hearts, minds, and consciences of the free and sovereign Lebanese
people. It is only dead in the corrupted hearts of the political parties,
officials, and politicians who betrayed it—those who traded Lebanon’s
sovereignty for personal benefits and power.
In times of darkness and oppression, the people of March 14 are a national
necessity. When submission and surrender dominate, the spirit of March 14 is the
answer. And in an era of deceit, cowardice, and the fraudulent rhetoric of
so-called "political realism," the people of March 14 have unmasked the Trojans,
exposing their lies and disgrace.
Even as self-interest prevails over national duty, the principles and values of
March 14 endure. While the blood of the martyrs is disregarded by the traitors,
the true March 14 faithful will never forget their sacrifices nor allow their
cause to be sold. In this era of betrayal, where Lebanon’s fate is dictated by
Trojans, scribes, and Pharisees dragging the nation into ruin, the presence of
the people of March 14 is essential. As corrupt politicians lose their moral
compass, abandoning the ideals of freedom and dignity, the goals and struggles
of March 14 remain the foundation, the solution, and the cornerstone of
Lebanon’s salvation. In the end, the spirit of March 14 is not just a memory—it
is a burning force that will continue to inspire resistance, unite the free, and
reignite the fight for Lebanon’s liberation.
Israeli
Defense Minister Orders IDF to Respond to Gunfire from Lebanon That Hit Car: The
Times of Israel
LBC/March 16, 2025
The Times of Israel reported Sunday that Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz
instructed the IDF to respond to Sunday's gunfire from Lebanon that damaged a
car in the border town of Avivim. "The claim that it was a stray bullet from the
funeral of a Hezbollah operative who was being held in a nearby village is
completely unacceptable," Katz said. He added that Israel "will not allow the
reality of shooting at residents of the north for any reason, and we will
respond to any violation of the ceasefire."
The Israeli army is investigating the possibility of gunfire from Lebanon... and
this is what has been revealed!
Al-Markaziya/March 16, 2025
Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper revealed, citing sources, that "it appears that the
shooting that hit a car in Avivim came from a funeral held in the town of Maroun
al-Ras in southern Lebanon." Israeli Army Radio reported that an Israeli car was
hit by gunfire in the settlement of Avivim in the Upper Galilee. It indicated
that the Israeli army is investigating the report and whether the gunfire came
from Lebanon.The radio reported that no injuries resulted from the gunfire.
Later, Yedioth Ahronoth reported, citing security sources, that the shooting at
a car in Avivim likely originated in Maroun al-Ras in southern Lebanon, and that
residents of Avivim in the Upper Galilee have been instructed to remain indoors
while the army continues its investigation.
Lebanese
president urges international action amid ongoing border tensions
Arab News/March 15, 2025
BEIRUT: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Saturday called on the international
community to fulfil its commitments to Lebanon and translate its supportive
stances into concrete actions. Speaking at Dar Al-Fatwa on Saturday evening,
Aoun stressed the importance of implementing UN Resolution 1701 and enforcing
the ceasefire agreement, warning that Lebanon cannot achieve stability while
tensions persist along its southern borders. “The implementation of UN
Resolution 1701 and the ceasefire agreement is a pivotal issue requiring
attention and care,” Aoun said. He emphasized that Lebanon’s sovereignty,
security, and stability depend on the enforcement of international resolutions,
the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and the return of Lebanese detainees. Aoun
underscored that normal life cannot resume in affected areas without concrete
steps to uphold Lebanon’s territorial integrity. He urged international actors
to take responsibility and ensure that Lebanon's security is safeguarded. His
remarks came amid renewed violence along the Lebanese-Israeli border. On
Saturday, an Israeli drone strike targeted a vehicle in the village of Bourj El-Mlouk,
killing one person. The Israeli military claimed the victim was a member of
Hezbollah, though Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency did not provide
further details. The airstrike is the latest in a series of attacks following a
US-brokered ceasefire that ended a 14-month conflict between Israel and
Hezbollah in late November.
Despite the truce, sporadic violence has continued, raising concerns over the
fragility of the ceasefire and the potential for renewed hostilities.
Israel's
defense minister instructs army to respond to gunfire from Lebanon that hit car:
Times of Israel
LBCI/March 16/2025
Times of Israel reported Sunday that Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has
instructed the army to respond to Sunday's gunfire from Lebanon that damaged a
car in the border town of Avivim. "The claim that it was an errant bullet from
the funeral of a Hezbollah operative held in a nearby village is completely
unacceptable," Katz said.He added that Israel will "not allow a reality of
shooting on the residents of the north for any reason, and we will respond to
any violation of the ceasefire."
Israel says killed two Hezbollah militants in south Lebanon
Agence France Presse/March 16/2025
Israel's military said it killed two Hezbollah militants Sunday in two separate
strikes on Lebanon, its latest deadly raids in the country more than three
months into a fragile ceasefire. The Lebanese health ministry confirmed one
person was killed in an Israeli strike and state media reported the other
fatality. "Earlier today, the IDF (Israeli army) struck and eliminated two
Hezbollah terrorists who were surveillance operatives and took part in directing
terror attacks in the area of Yatar and Meiss El Jabal in southern Lebanon," the
military said in a statement. The National News Agency reported that an Israeli
drone carried out "a strike on a vehicle in the town of Meiss El Jabal,
resulting in one fatality."The agency said it was the third Israeli strike on
southern Lebanon within 24 hours. Earlier on Sunday, the health ministry said an
Israeli drone strike killed one person and wounded another when it targeted a
four-wheel-drive vehicle near Yater in Bint Jbeil district at around 2:00 am,
the NNA reported."The Israeli enemy's air strike on a vehicle in the town of
Yater resulted in the martyrdom of a citizen and the injury of another," the
ministry said in a statement carried by NNA. It comes a day after the ministry
said one person was killed in an Israeli strike on a vehicle in the southern
border town of Burj al-Moulouk.Following that raid, the Israeli military said it
"struck a Hezbollah terrorist who took part in terrorist activity in the area of
Kfarkela in southern Lebanon."And on Tuesday, the Israeli military said it
carried out a strike in southern Lebanon that killed a senior Hezbollah
militant. That came as Lebanon received four detainees who had been taken to
Israel in the wake of the war with Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group, with a
fifth detainee, a soldier, released on Thursday after he was taken earlier this
month. A November 27 truce largely halted more than a year of hostilities
between Hezbollah and Israel, including two months of full-blown war in which
Israel sent in ground troops. Israel has continued to carry out periodic strikes
on Lebanese territory since the agreement took effect. Israel had been due to
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.
Strike Looms: Public Sector Contract Teachers Demand Fair
Solutions
This is Beirut/March 16/2025
The Syndicate of Contract Teachers in the Public Sector in Lebanon issued a
statement on Sunday in response to recent comments by the Minister of Education
and Higher Education, Rima Karami, regarding the increase in the hourly rate for
contract teachers. According to the syndicate, "The new rate, which combines the
base salary and temporary allowance, now stands at $8.20 per hour, down from
about $9 previously, when the pay included the productivity bonus. Moreover,
uncertainties remain regarding the monthly payment of salaries, as the
productivity bonus used to provide teachers with a stable income." In light of
this situation, the syndicate raises several concerns, justifying its call for a
strike to defend the rights of teachers: How will this
salary reduction be compensated? Why isn't the hourly rate for contract teachers
calculated using a coefficient of 13, as with permanent teachers, instead of
staying at 11? How can a decent income be ensured for teachers working fewer
than 20 hours per week, who represent the majority and will see their income
significantly reduced? How will teachers without a tax number be paid,
particularly those receiving funds from independent sources, totaling more than
2,000 people?
What compensation mechanisms will be put in place for months affected by
closures and reduced working hours? Will the Ministry of Finance apply tax
deductions to these salaries, further lowering the hourly rate? Will salaries be
paid monthly, as with the OMT system, which previously ensured a regular income
for teachers? How will the new system account for these adjustments?
Will the February payments be made on March 20th, as planned,
before the holidays? The syndicate stresses that these
issues directly impact the livelihood of teachers, whose monthly income barely
reached $375. "How will they survive if this income decreases or if payments are
no longer made monthly as before?" the syndicate asks.The syndicate also notes
that these legitimate concerns were directly communicated by the teachers
themselves, who are calling for a strike to protect their rights. While
acknowledging the current financial difficulties and praising Minister Karami's
willingness to engage in dialogue, the syndicate emphasizes that "the priority
remains ensuring decent living conditions for teachers."
PSP Marks 48th and Last Anniversary of Kamal Joumblatt's Assassination
This is Beirut/March 16/2025
On the 48th anniversary of the assassination of Druze leader Kamal Joumblatt,
former Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) chief Walid Joumblatt announced the end
of the annual March 16 commemoration. This decision comes amid a significant
shift in Lebanon and the region, following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime
in Syria and the arrest of Ibrahim Huweija, the official responsible for
Joumblatt’s assassination. Large crowds converged on
Mukhtara since early morning on Sunday to mark the last official commemoration.
Lebanese officials and foreign ambassadors, including Saudi Ambassador Walid al-Bukhari,
attended the memorial held under the slogan “we were patient, steadfast and
victorious.” Joumblatt highlighted the perseverance of the struggle, stating,
“For 48 years, we gathered on March 16, reciting Al-Fatiha and placing a red
flower on Kamal Joumblatt’s grave. It was a moment to reaffirm our commitment to
resistance, remembrance and resilience.”Joumblatt described the anniversary as a
time of tribute to the sacrifices of the fallen, emphasizing that their legacy
remains deeply rooted in Lebanon’s political history.
Addressing regional developments, he noted, “With the dawn of freedom in Syria
and the fall of a regime of oppression after 54 years, justice has finally
prevailed with Huweija’s arrest. Therefore, I declare the end of this tradition,
as history has taken its course.”Looking ahead, Joumblatt called for a new phase
of struggle within the PSP, one focused on a more humane form of socialism. He
stressed the need for an intellectual revival within the party, led by his son
Teymour and his comrades.He called for ending Israel’s presence in south
Lebanon, reconstructing the war-devastated areas, demarcating the land and
maritime borders with Israel and rebuilding Lebanese-Syrian relations on an
equitable basis. Addressing the Druze of Syria, Joumblatt urged them to stick to
their Arab identity, warning against Israel’s plans to divide Syria under the
pretext of protecting the minorities.
Jumblat warns Druze against being used to 'partition Syria
and region'
Naharnet/March 16/2025
Lebanon's Druze leader Walid Jumblat on Sunday called on the Druze of Syria to
preserve their "Arab identity.""Preserve your stance in the face of the
occupation of Arab territory in the Syrian Golan," Jumblat said in a speech
marking the 48th anniversary of the assassination of his father Kamal Jumblat at
the hands of Assad regime agents."Preserve your Islamic heritage and beware of
the Zionist intellectual infiltration that wants to turn you into an ethnicity,"
Jumblat added. "Beware of being used by some as a wedge to partition Syria and
the rest of the region under the slogan of the alliance of minorities that was
opposed by Kamal Jumblat, who was martyred due to his opposition to it," Jumblat
went on to say. He added: "The visits that are religious by nature do not negate
that the lands of Palestine and the Golan are occupied."Dozens of clerics and
others from Syria’s minority Druze community crossed into the Israeli-controlled
side of the Golan Heights Friday for the first time in decades.The nearly 100
Syrian Druze crossed the heavily-fortified border area in three buses, escorted
by members of the Israeli military. They visited a religious shrine on the
Israeli side of the border. The rare visit came three months after the end of a
five-decade grip on power by the Assad family in Syria. Israel has said it is
ready to protect the Druze of Syria if they come under attack by the country’s
new rulers. Many Druze have rejected Israel’s overtures, and critics accuse
Israel of trying to weaken and divide Syria following the overthrow of President
Bashar Assad. Nevertheless, a group of Druze from the Israeli-controlled Golan
heights welcomed the Syrian Druze at the crossing point who waved the
multi-colored flag of the religious minority, chanting in Arabic “It is written
on our doors, welcome to our beloved ones.”
Hezbollah Condemns US Strikes against Yemen, Stresses
Solidarity
Asharq Al Awsat/March 16/2025
Lebanon’s Hezbollah party condemned on Sunday the large-scale military strikes
by the US against Yemen’s Houthis, according to a statement. The strikes on
Saturday targeting Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis have killed at least 31 people,
according to the Houthi-run health ministry. US President Donald Trump said he
ordered a series of airstrikes on the Houthi-held areas in Yemen on Saturday.
Trump promised to use “overwhelming lethal force” until the Iran-backed militias
cease their attacks on shipping along a vital maritime corridor.
What is
Hezbollah banking on?
Lebanon 24/ March 16/2025
While ministers and representatives of the Lebanese Forces began demanding that
weapons be placed in the hands of the army, Hezbollah's deputy executive council
member, Sheikh Ali Damoush, declared that "weapons cannot be restricted to the
state under the Israeli occupation." This was a direct response to those calling
for a defense strategy during this sensitive period in the country, amid Israeli
violations and attacks on Lebanon, civilians, and Lebanese villages. In his
statement, Damoush clearly indicated that Hezbollah does not agree, is not
prepared, and does not want to surrender its weapons while the country
languishes under occupation, while the Israeli government works to increase its
gains on the ground by annexing territory in Syria, Palestine, and Lebanon. The
same party official also announced his rejection of normalization with Israel,
calling on the concerned countries—namely, the United States and France, which
are responsible for monitoring the ceasefire agreement—to pressure Tel Aviv and
exercise their role. He explained that the "resistance" is committed to the
resolution, which entered into force on November 27, 2024. Meanwhile, the enemy
continues to violate it daily, violating Lebanese airspace and towns. Hezbollah
still believes that diplomacy is insufficient to pressure Israel to withdraw
from the occupied Lebanese territories, but it has entrusted the state with the
task of "political resistance," as it is militarily incapable of liberating the
points where the enemy remains present, after cutting off supply routes from
Syria and tightening airport controls on funds coming from Iran. However,
Hezbollah is also wary of diplomatic engagement. If the government succeeds in
urging the Trump administration, France, and Britain to assist the army in
extending its control over the entire Lebanese border, and by demanding that
Israel withdraw from Lebanese territory in exchange for supporting and
strengthening the armed forces, this could mean that Hezbollah's bet has failed,
and that official Lebanon is capable, through international contacts, of pushing
the enemy back into occupied Palestine. It should also be noted that Hezbollah
opposes direct diplomatic contact between Lebanon and Israel, as it considers
this a prelude to normalization with the enemy. It insists that the ceasefire
monitoring committee play an effective role in implementing the resolution and
halting Israeli attacks. Political circles believe that Israel embarrassed
Hezbollah when it released five Lebanese prisoners a few days ago. Hezbollah
launched a military operation in 2006, targeting an Israeli patrol, which led to
the country's entry into war with the enemy. Its goal was to capture Israeli
soldiers and exchange them for Lebanese prisoners. This week's developments
indicate that President Joseph Aoun's contacts with the West have been
successful. The government in Tel Aviv has released Lebanese citizens arrested
after the war in the south ceased. Political circles add that the party wants
diplomatic efforts to succeed in pushing the Israelis to withdraw from the
south, demarcate the border, and release its prisoners, so as to avoid entering
into a new confrontation with the Israeli army. However, it fears that the
communication movement between Lebanon and the countries concerned with the
ceasefire file will lead to the delegitimization of its weapons and its right to
resistance, in addition to normalization with Israel if all border disputes are
resolved.
Focus on
Hezbollah as US weighs in on Lebanon’s next central bank chief
Maya Gebeily, Humeyra Pamuk and Laila Bassam/The Arab Weekly/March 16/2025
The US is weighing in with Lebanon’s government on the selection of the
country’s next central bank governor in a bid to curtail corruption and illicit
financing for the armed group Hezbollah through Lebanon’s banking system, five
sources familiar with the issue said. Washington’s feedback on the candidates
for the top role in shaping Lebanon’s monetary policy is the latest example of
the US’ unusually hands-on approach to the Middle Eastern country, where a more
than five-year financial crisis has collapsed the economy. It also demonstrates
the US’ continued focus on weakening Hezbollah, the Iran-backed group whose sway
over the Lebanese government has been reduced after the group was pummelled by
Israel in last year’s war. Since then, Lebanon has elected US-backed Joseph Aoun
as president, and a new cabinet without a direct role for Hezbollah has taken
power. That government must now fill vacant posts, including at the central
bank, run by an interim governor since July 2023. The US is reviewing the
profiles of a handful of candidates for the role, according to three Lebanese
sources briefed on the issue, one Western diplomat and an official from US
President Donald Trump’s administration.
The sources spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss Washington’s role in the
selection process, the details of which have not been previously reported. US
officials met with some potential candidates in Washington and at the US embassy
in Lebanon, two of the Lebanese sources and the Trump administration official
said. The Lebanese sources, who were briefed on the meetings, said the US
officials asked candidates questions, including how they would fight “terrorist
financing” through Lebanon’s banking system and if they were willing to confront
Hezbollah.The State Department, White House and the office of Lebanon’s prime
minister did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for
the Lebanese presidency declined to comment on the US role, saying the most
important thing was to pick a qualified person. The Trump administration
official said the meetings were part of “normal diplomacy,” but said the US was
making its guidance on candidates’ qualifications clear to the Lebanese
government.
“The guidelines are, no Hezbollah and nobody who has been caught up in
corruption. This is essential from an economic perspective,” the official told
Reuters.
“You need somebody who is going to implement reform, demand reform, and refuse
to look the other way whenever people try to do business as usual in Lebanon,”
the official said. The Lebanese sources said some of the candidates being
considered included former minister Camille Abousleiman, Firas Abi-Nassif, head
of an investment firm, Jihad Azour of the International Monetary Fund and
Philippe Jabre and Karim Souaid, both heads of their own asset management firms.
The next governor will play a major part in any economic and financial reforms,
which Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam have pledged to prioritise to help
Lebanon emerge from a devastating financial meltdown that began in 2019.
Triggered by widespread corruption and profligate spending by the governing
political elite, the economic crisis impoverished most Lebanese, demolished the
Lebanese pound and brought the banking system to a standstill. Lebanon’s new
government is looking to resume talks with the IMF for a financing programme,
but the reforms remain a prerequisite. Western and Arab countries have also set
reforms as a condition to provide any reconstruction support to Lebanon, large
swathes of which were left in ruins by Israel’s military campaign last year. In
that vein, US officials were discussing the candidates for central bank governor
with Saudi Arabia, according to the Western diplomat and the Trump
administration official. The Saudi government’s media office did not immediately
respond to a request for comment. The incoming governor would replace interim
chief Wassim Mansouri, who has been overseeing the bank since the 30-year tenure
of longtime head Riad Salameh ended in disgrace in 2023. Through most of his
time as central bank chief, Salameh was feted as a financial wizard and enjoyed
the backing of the US, which has a keen interest in the position because it
oversees Lebanon’s broader banking system and helps keep it compliant with US
laws preventing the financing of groups designated as “terrorist” factions,
including Hezbollah. But Lebanon’s financial collapse tainted Salameh’s legacy.
A month after he left office in 2023, Salameh was sanctioned by the United
States, Britain and Canada, which accused him of corrupt actions to enrich
himself and his associates, and is facing charges of financial crimes in Lebanon
and broad. Last year, Lebanon was placed on a financial watchdog’s “grey list”
after failing to address concerns about terrorism financing and money laundering
through its financial system.
The
search for a BDL governor: How the US is vetting Lebanon's BDL candidates
LBCI/March 16/2025
Following recent security and military appointments, Prime Minister Nawaf
Salam’s government is now confronted with a critical new challenge: selecting a
new Banque du Liban (BDL) governor. However, sources indicate that the vetting
process is unfolding not in Beirut but in Washington. The selection of the next
BDL governor has become an international matter, given the financial reforms
demanded by the global community. Moreover, a
key outcome of the recent war has been efforts to curb Hezbollah’s financial
channels—a development reflected in Lebanon’s ceasefire agreement and its
political implications. The process of choosing a new governor mirrors that of a
private company filling a high-level vacancy. Lebanon’s evolving political
landscape, particularly following the Israeli assault, has seen key
decisions—ranging from the election of Army Commander Joseph Aoun as president
to the appointment of Nawaf Salam as prime minister and the formation of his
government—shaped under the influence of the Quintet Committee, particularly
Saudi Arabia, the United States, and France. In this context, Washington has set
clear criteria for the role, primarily focusing on combating corruption and
preventing Hezbollah from utilizing Lebanon’s banking system for illicit
financial activities. According to Reuters, citing three Lebanese sources, a
Western diplomat, and a U.S. official, Washington is currently reviewing the
profiles of multiple candidates. The vetting process has extended beyond
reviewing resumes to conducting interviews in Washington and at the U.S. Embassy
in Beirut. Candidates have reportedly been asked direct questions, including:
“How do you plan to combat terrorist financing within Lebanon’s banking system?”
and “Are you prepared to stand up to Hezbollah?” Among the leading contenders
for the position are former Labor Minister Camille Abou Sleiman, investment firm
executive Firas Abi Nassif, IMF official Jihad Azour, and asset management
executives Philippe Jabr and Karim Said. While U.S. officials frame their
involvement as standard diplomatic engagement, emphasizing the importance of
appointing a reform-driven candidate committed to financial integrity, the
Lebanese presidency has maintained a reserved stance, stating only that the
priority is selecting a qualified individual for the role.
Antoine Kerbaj:
A Journey from the Stage of Life to the Realm of Legends
NNA /March 16, 2025
Lebanese acting legend Antoine Kerbaj passed away today at the age of 90,
following a long struggle with illness and Alzheimer’s disease, which distanced
him from the vibrant social life he once cherished.
Biography
Born in Zabouga, at the foot of Mount Sannine, Lebanon, Antoine Kerbaj came from
a traditional Lebanese family. His father was Shukri Kerbaj, and his mother was
Irasama Karam. He was the eldest of four brothers and a sister.
He received his education at public schools before pursuing history and
geography at the Teachers' College, later graduating from Saint Joseph
University. In
1966, he married Laure Gharib, a renowned poet, journalist, and painter, and
together they had three children: Walid, Rula, and Mazen.
Kerbaj’s passion for acting emerged early—at just nine years old, he was already
writing and performing sketches with friends and family. His theatrical journey
took off in the late 1950s, when he participated in university plays at Saint
Joseph University’s Oriental College while studying history. His first major
theatrical role came in Morocco, in the play Atlal wa Layl.
He later collaborated with Mounir Abu Debs before joining the
legendary Rahbani Brothers in 1968, marking the beginning of his ascent in
Lebanese theater. His film career began with "Garo" (1965) and "Safar Barlek"
(1967), but it was not until 1974 that he entered the world of television drama
with the series Les Misérables. After a twenty-year
absence from the Baalbek stage due to war, Kerbaj made a triumphant return,
performing once again alongside Fairuz before the passing of Mansour Rahbani and
theater director William Haswani.
Despite the challenges Lebanese drama faced due to war and political turmoil,
Kerbaj never surrendered to adversity. He stood tall against the collapse of the
industry, refusing to be silenced even as warlords threatened Lebanon’s cultural
heritage. He defied the destruction of Lebanese drama, starring in productions
like Women in Danger and taking to the stage in Your Order, Our Master,
fearlessly performing in the midst of chaos. Tonight,
Antoine Kerbaj departs to reunite with the legends who preceded him—the Rahbani
Brothers, Nasri Shams El-Din, Philemon Wehbe, Joseph Nassif, Romeo Lahoud, Salwa
Al-Katrib, and many others. He also departs to where
his beloved Laure awaits him, as together, they play the final melody of his
life—one that echoes in the timeless rhythm of "Ya Laure, Your Love Has Burned.
kerbaj
The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on March 16-17/2025
"Sanctions on Syria" should be removed
when
Dr Walid Phares/X site/March 16/2025
1. ALL militias operating in Syria will be disarmed, a political solution
reached.
2. Referendums will be organized.
3. A confederal system established
4. Terror groups dismantled.
Removing sanctions now will empower the jihadists dominating #Damascus, as the #IranDeal
empowered the Islamic regime in Iran.
My advice to the
@realDonaldTrump
administratiom is to block billions from reaching al Qaeda and al Nusra
offshoots, the HTS regime.
Military action against the Houthi terrorists in Yemen
Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth
Social/March 16/2025
Today, I have ordered the United States Military to launch decisive and powerful
Military action against the Houthi terrorists in Yemen. They have waged an
unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism against American, and
other, ships, aircraft, and drones.
Joe Biden’s response was pathetically weak, so the unrestrained Houthis just
kept going. It has been over a year since a U.S. flagged commercial ship safely
sailed through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, or the Gulf of Aden. The last
American Warship to go through the Red Sea, four months ago, was attacked by the
Houthis over a dozen times. Funded by Iran, the Houthi thugs have fired missiles
at U.S. aircraft, and targeted our Troops and Allies. These relentless assaults
have cost the U.S. and World Economy many BILLIONS of Dollars while, at the same
time, putting innocent lives at risk.
The Houthi attack on American vessels will not be tolerated. We will use
overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective. The Houthis have
choked off shipping in one of the most important Waterways of the World,
grinding vast swaths of Global Commerce to a halt, and attacking the core
principle of Freedom of Navigation upon which International Trade and Commerce
depends.
Our brave Warfighters are right now carrying out aerial attacks on the
terrorists’ bases, leaders, and missile defenses to protect American shipping,
air, and naval assets, and to restore Navigational Freedom. No terrorist force
will stop American commercial and naval vessels from freely sailing the
Waterways of the World.
To all Houthi terrorists, YOUR TIME IS UP, AND YOUR ATTACKS MUST STOP, STARTING
TODAY. IF THEY DON’T, HELL WILL RAIN DOWN UPON YOU LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE EVER
SEEN BEFORE!
To Iran: Support for the Houthi terrorists must end IMMEDIATELY! Do NOT threaten
the American People, their President, who has received one of the largest
mandates in Presidential History, or Worldwide shipping lanes. If you do,
BEWARE, because America will hold you fully accountable and, we won’t be nice
about it!
The Houthis have repeatedly tried to kill our soldiers
Mike Pompeo/X site/March 16/2025
The Houthis have repeatedly tried to kill our soldiers, they shut down global
shipping at a critical passageway, and they drove up costs for every American.
I’m grateful that President Trump took action that was long overdue.
'Pray
for us. They've arrived': How Syria descended into revenge bloodshed
Maggie Michael, Feras Dalatey, Reade Levinson and Maya Gebeily/DAMASCUS
(Reuters)/March 16, 2025
The cries for revenge reached fever pitch on March 6.
Dozens of messages posted by various armed factions on social media, and shared
with hundreds of thousands of Syrians, called for a "general mobilization" - or
"al nafeer" - to help crush a fledgling insurgency by supporters of deposed and
widely hated leader Bashar al-Assad.
Hundreds of pickup trucks full of fighters, as well as tanks and heavy weaponry,
poured down major highways towards the coastal heartlands of the minority
Alawite sect to which Assad belonged. They were seeking revenge against
loyalists to the ousted president, mostly his Alawite former officers. Some of
them had allegedly carried out a spate of hit-and-run attacks on the new
military in an effort to stage a coup against the Sunni Islamist-led government.
Overnight and in the early hours of March 7, pro-government fighters fell on the
neighborhood of Al-Qusour in the city of Baniyas, among the first major highway
exits, opening fire on residential buildings and killing families in their
homes. Similar attacks unfolded in a string of towns and villages further north
along the coast including Al-Mukhtariya, Al-Shir, Al-Shilfatiyeh and Barabshbo
where the ethno-religious Alawite community is concentrated. "I heard children
screaming, gunfire, and my father trying to calm down the children," said Hassan
Harfoush, an Alawite from Al-Qusour who's now living in Iraq, describing a phone
call with his family before his parents, brother, sister and her two children
were shot dead in the town on the afternoon of March 7, a Friday. "My father was
telling me: Pray for us. They've arrived."
Harfoush said he'd left Syria months earlier following Assad's ouster at the
urging of his father who feared a wave of retaliation against Alawites: "He told
me to at least have one of us alive." Within about six days, hundreds of Alawite
civilians lay dead, according to Reuters reporting and several monitoring
groups. Just three months after Assad’s ouster in December ended his brutal rule
and almost 14 years of civil war, parts of western Syria had descended into
vengeful bloodletting. Reuters pieced together the events that culminated in the
deadly rampage from interviews with more than 25 survivors and relatives of
victims, as well as drone footage and dozens of videos and messages posted on
social media. The news agency was unable to determine if there was any
coordinated plan by security forces to attack the Alawite enclaves or target
civilians. The Syrian government, which is now run by former members of the
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebel group, didn’t respond to a request for comment
for this article.
Syria's interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa denounced the mass killings as a
threat to his mission to unite the country. He has promised to punish those
responsible, including those affiliated to the government if necessary. "We
fought to defend the oppressed, and we won't accept that any blood be shed
unjustly, or goes without punishment or accountability, even among those closest
to us," he told Reuters in a previous interview this week. While he blamed Assad
loyalists for provoking the violence, Sharaa acknowledged that in response "many
parties entered the Syrian coast and many violations occurred". It became an
opportunity for revenge for years of pent-up grievances, he said. Reuters
reached out for comment to several Assad loyalists who had posted messages
online urging violence who didn’t respond.
Monitoring groups including Syria Network for Human Rights (SNHR) - an
independent UK-based group - said over 1,000 people died in the violence, more
than half killed by forces aligned with the new authorities and others by Assad
loyalists. SNHR said the dead included 595 civilians and unarmed fighters, the
vast majority Alawite. Reuters counted more than 120 dead bodies in at least six
locations in the coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartous by geolocating videos
posted to social media by residents, family members and the killers themselves.
The toppling of Assad, whose Alawite sect is an offshoot of Shi'ite Islam, saw
the ascendancy of a new government led by HTS, a Sunni Islamist group that
emerged from an organization once affiliated to al Qaeda. Many of Syria's
Sunnis, who make up more than 70% of the population, felt politically and
economically marginalized by Bashar al-Assad and his father Hafez, who both
harshly cracked down on Sunni-dominated protests against their rule. The new
government is striving to integrate into its security forces dozens of rebel
factions, born out of the long civil war. It relies on its own as well as newly
recruited fighters in a group known as the General Security Service (GSS), other
militias - including some foreign fighters - have been needed to fill a security
vacuum left after the dismantling of Assad’s defence apparatus. The mass
killings were mostly carried out by gunmen from various factions aligned with
the new government, including GSS, according to several of the witnesses. Video
posted to Facebook and verified by Reuters showed some men in uniforms and arm
patches similar to those worn by GSS participating in the violence in the
coastal city of Jableh. GSS did not respond to a request for comment. A member
of the GSS said he and dozens of other members of the unit had been deployed to
the coast on March 6 with the mission of rooting out pro-Assad fighters, and
returned to their base in Aleppo this week. He said GSS fighters hadn't targeted
non-combatants as far as he knew, adding that the general mobilisation calls on
social media had drawn in other undisciplined fighters who had killed civilians
en masse.
"Anyone who had weapons joined," he added.
'STRIKE WITH AN IRON FIST'
Assad's 24 years in power has left a toxic legacy after his escape to Moscow in
December. Many among Syria's Sunni community, which makes up the bulk of the
population, harbour deep resentment at loyalists of the former president who
have staged a low-level insurgency this month. The temperature rose on March 6,
when the government said that fighters led by Alawite former officers in Assad's
military staged one of their deadliest attacks yet, killing 13 members of the
government-led security forces in Latakia province, a large Alawite centre. No
one has claimed responsibility for the killings. Reuters was able to review
several messages calling for Syrians to head to the coast for the general
mobilization. For example, one Facebook page with more than 400,000 followers
that says it is affiliated with GSS posted calls for Arab tribes in Syria to
mobilize to support government fighters against Alawite insurgents. It also
posted videos of armed groups sending fighters and vehicles to the coast to join
the fight. Reuters could not immediately determine who runs the page. Calls to
arms also appeared in at least three WhatsApp groups each comprising hundreds of
people in three different parts of northern Syria. The messages were localized,
identifying specific meeting points in each area from which convoys would set
off towards the coast. On the same day, residents in major cities Damascus and
Aleppo told Reuters they heard some Sunni mosques blaring out the calls for
jihad on their loudspeakers. One imam at a mosque in Damascus denounced the
alleged attack on security forces by Assad’s Alawite loyalists and called for
Sunnis to take up arms against their sectarian enemies in a sermon broadcast on
Facebook and seen by Reuters. The Damascus imam, Mohsen Ghosn, didn’t respond to
a request for comment via his Facebook page. Syria’s religious affairs ministry,
which is in charge of all mosques, also didn’t respond. Reuters was unable to
determine how many fighters were mobilized to the cause. Drone footage of the
highway east of the coastal city of Latakia, near the village of Al-Mukhtariya,
shows hundreds of vehicles - including trucks with fighters in the back, some
military vehicles and at least two tanks - were coming into the area in the
morning of March 7. The U.N. Human Rights Office told Reuters its inquiries
indicated the mobilisation of fighters in support of the security forces
included armed groups and civilians and happened very fast. "Many of the
attackers were unidentified as they were masked, and it is therefore very
difficult to tell who did what. It was very chaotic," a spokesperson said. "We
don't have a clear picture of the structure of the chain of command inside the
caretaker government's security forces."
FIGHTERS GO HOUSE TO HOUSE
Al-Qusour neighborhood, where Harfoush's family met with tragedy, saw some of
the worst massacres, according to six witnesses and relatives of those slain.
One resident told Reuters fighters first fired heavy ammunition, artillery, and
anti-aircraft guns at residential buildings. Shortly after, the militants began
going house to house, killing civilians, he added. The resident said about 15
militants stormed his home in three different groups, including some members of
the GSS whom he identified by their uniforms as well as two Afghan fighters
whose language he recognized.
Only his identity as a Christian saved him and his family, he said. One GSS
officer had discouraged the other militants from killing them, he added.
The resident's neighbours were less fortunate.
Two other Al-Qusour residents said several of their family members were killed.
Another woman listed about 50 people she said she knew were killed, including
her parents, their neighbours and the neighbours' three-year-old child. A fourth
resident said militants had dragged people from homes and killed them, including
his 28-year-old nephew. Fighters stole cars, phones and money from residents,
forced women to hand over their jewellery at gunpoint and torched houses, shops,
and restaurants, according to survivors. Reuters was unable to independently
confirm these accounts. That same day, March 7, and in ensuing days, militants
also descended on a string of towns and villages further north along the coast
and in hills around the city of Latakia. Reuters was able to verify footage of
dozens of bodies lying in those villages that were shared online in the days
after the killings. One video posted online on March 7 showed the bodies of at
least 27 men, many elderly, lying by a roadside in Al-Mukhtariya. On the same
day in Al-Shilfatiya, a 20-minute drive away, the bodies of at least 10 people
in civilian clothing were laid out on the ground outside a pharmacy and along
the road, a video posted to Facebook and verified by Reuters showed. Many were
still bleeding.
US Will
Keep Hitting Houthis until Shipping Attacks Stop, Hegseth Says
Asharq Al Awsat/March 16/2025
The United States will keep attacking Yemen's Houthi until they end attacks on
shipping, the US defense secretary said on Sunday, as the Iran-aligned militias
signaled they could escalate in response to deadly US strikes the day before.
The airstrikes, which killed at least 31 people, are the biggest US military
operation in the Middle East since President Donald Trump took office in
January. One US official told Reuters the campaign might continue for weeks. The
Houthi political bureau described the attacks as a "war crime" and said Houthi
forces were ready to "meet escalation with escalation", while Moscow urged
Washington to cease the strikes. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Fox
News: "The minute the Houthis say we'll stop shooting at your ships, we'll stop
shooting at your drones, this campaign will end, but until then it will be
unrelenting." "This is about stopping the shooting at assets ... in that
critical waterway, to reopen freedom of navigation, which is a core national
interest of the United States, and Iran has been enabling the Houthis for far
too long," he said. "They better back off."The Houthis, who have taken control
of several regions of Yemen over the past decade, said last week they would
resume attacks on Israeli ships passing through the Red Sea if Israel did not
lift a block on aid entering Gaza. They had launched scores of attacks on
shipping after Israel's war with Hamas began in late 2023, saying they were
acting in solidarity with Gaza's Palestinians.Trump also told Iran, the Houthis'
main backer, to stop supporting the militias immediately. He said if Iran
threatened the United States, "America will hold you fully accountable and, we
won't be nice about it!"
IRAN WARNS US NOT TO ESCALATE
In response, Hossein Salami, the top commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards,
said the Houthis took their own decisions. "We warn our enemies that Iran will
respond decisively and destructively if they carry out their threats," he told
state media. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told CBS News' "Face the Nation"
program: "There's no way the ... Houthis would have the ability to do this kind
of thing unless they had support from Iran. And so this was a message to Iran:
don't keep supporting them, because then you will also be responsible for what
they are doing in attacking Navy ships and attacking global shipping."Russian
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called Rubio to urge an "immediate cessation of
the use of force and the importance for all sides to engage in political
dialogue", Moscow said. Trump has been pressing Russia to sign a US proposal for
a 30-day ceasefire in its war with Ukraine, which Kyiv accepted last week, but
Moscow has said needs to be reworked. Trump is also increasing sanctions
pressure, and hoping to enlist Russian help, to try to bring Tehran to the
negotiating table over its nuclear program. Most of the 31 people confirmed
killed in the US strikes were women and children, said Anees al-Asbahi,
spokesperson for the Houthi-run health ministry. More than 100 were injured.
Residents in Sanaa said the strikes hit a neighborhood known to host several
members of the Houthi leadership. "The explosions were violent and shook the
neighborhood like an earthquake. They terrified our women and children," said
one of the residents, who gave his name as Abdullah Yahia. In Sanaa, a crane and
bulldozer were used to remove debris at one site and people used their bare
hands to pick through the rubble. At a hospital, medics treated the injured,
including children, and the bodies of several casualties were placed in a yard,
wrapped in plastic sheets, Reuters footage showed. Strikes also targeted Houthi
military sites in the city of Taiz, two witnesses said on Sunday.
HOUTHIS' RED SEA ATTACKS DISRUPT GLOBAL TRADE ROUTE
Another strike, on a power station in the town of Dahyan, led to a power cut,
Al-Masirah TV reported early on Sunday. Dahyan is where Abdul Malik al-Houthi,
the leader of the Houthis, often meets visitors. The Houthi attacks on shipping
have disrupted global commerce and set the US military off on a costly campaign
to intercept missiles and drones. The militants suspended their campaign when
Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza in January. But on March 12, the
Houthis said their threat to attack Israeli ships would remain in effect until
Israel reapproved the delivery of aid and food into Gaza. Joe Biden's previous
US administration had also sought to degrade the Houthis' strike power. But US
officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Trump had authorized a more
aggressive approach. The US military's Central Command described Saturday's
strikes as the start of a large-scale operation across Yemen. The strikes were
carried out in part by fighter aircraft from the aircraft carrier Harry S.
Truman in the Red Sea, officials said. Iran condemned the strikes as a "gross
violation" of the UN Charter and international law. Iranian Foreign Minister
Abbas Araqchi said the US government had "no authority, or business, dictating
Iranian foreign policy".
US and Iran-Backed Houthis in Yemen Both Vow Escalation
after Wave of US Airstrikes
Asharq Al Awsat/March 16/2025
The United States and Iran-backed Houthi militias in Yemen are both vowing
escalation after the US launched airstrikes to deter the militants from
attacking military and commercial vessels on one of the world's busiest shipping
corridors.
“We’re not going to have these people controlling which ships can go through and
which ones cannot. And so your question is, how long will this go on? It will go
on until they no longer have the capability to do that," Secretary of State
Marco Rubio told CBS on Sunday. He said these are not the one-off retaliation
strikes the Biden administration carried out after Houthi attacks. President
Donald Trump on Saturday vowed to use “overwhelming lethal force” until the
Houthis cease their attacks, and warned that Tehran would be held “fully
accountable” for their actions. The Houthi-run Health Ministry said the
overnight strikes killed at least 31 people, including women and children, and
wounded over 100 in the capital of Sanaa and the northern province of Saada, the
militias’ stronghold. Trump’s national security adviser, Michael Waltz, on
Sunday told ABC that the strikes “actually targeted multiple Houthi leaders and
took them out.” He didn't identify them or give evidence. Rubio said some Houthi
facilities had been destroyed. The Houthis’ political bureau has said the
militias will respond to the US strikes and “meet escalation with escalation.”
The Houthis have repeatedly targeted international shipping in the Red Sea and
launched missiles and drones at Israel in what the militants have called acts of
solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel has been at war with
Hamas, another Iranian ally. They sank two merchant vessels. Rubio said that
over the past 18 months, the Houthis had attacked the US Navy “directly” 174
times and attacked commercial shipping 145 times with “guided precision
anti-ship weaponry.”The attacks sparked the most serious combat the US Navy had
seen since World War II. The overnight US airstrikes were one of the most
extensive attacks against the Houthis since the war in Gaza began in October
2023. The Houthi attacks stopped when a fragile Israel-Hamas ceasefire took hold
in Gaza in January, but last week the militants said they would renew attacks
against Israeli vessels sailing off Yemen after Israel cut off the flow of
humanitarian aid to Gaza this month. There have been no Houthi attacks reported
since then.On Sunday, Iran responded to Trump's warning and denied aiding the
Houthis. The head of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, Gen. Hossein
Salami, denied his country was involved in the Houthis' attacks, saying it
“plays no role in setting the national or operational policies” of the militant
groups it is allied with across the region, according to state-run TV. Iran's
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, writing on X, urged the US to halt its
airstrikes and said Washington cannot dictate Iran's foreign policy. The US and
others have long accused Iran of providing military aid to the militias. The US
Navy has seized Iranian-made missile parts and other weaponry it said were bound
for the Houthis. The United States, Israel and Britain previously hit Houthi-held
areas in Yemen, but the new operation was conducted solely by the US It was the
first strike on the Houthis under the second Trump administration. The USS Harry
S. Truman carrier strike group, which includes the carrier, three Navy
destroyers and one cruiser, are in the Red Sea and were part of the mission. The
USS Georgia cruise missile submarine has also been operating in the region.
Iran Denies Aiding Yemen’s Houthi Militias after US Strikes
Asharq Al Awsat/March 16/2025
Iran on Sunday once again denied aiding Yemen's Houthi militias after the United
States launched a wave of airstrikes against them and President Donald Trump
warned that Tehran would be held “fully accountable” for their actions.
The Houthi-run Health Ministry said the strikes killed at least 31 people,
including women and children, and wounded over 100. The Houthis said one strike
hit two homes in northern Saada province, killing four children and a woman. The
Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV showed images of what it said were the bodies.
The Houthis have repeatedly targeted international shipping in the Red Sea and
launched missiles and drones at Israel in what the militias said were acts of
solidarity with the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where Israel has been at war
with Hamas, another Iranian ally. The attacks stopped when a fragile
Israel-Hamas ceasefire took hold in Gaza in January, but the Houthis had
threatened to renew them after Israel cut off the flow of humanitarian aid to
Gaza this month. The US and others have long accused Iran of providing military
aid to the Houthis and the US Navy has seized Iranian-made missile parts and
other weaponry it said were bound for the group, which controls Yemen's capital,
Sanaa, and the country's north. Gen. Hossein Salami, head of Iran's paramilitary
Revolutionary Guard, denied his country was involved in the Houthi attacks,
saying it “plays no role in setting the national or operational policies” of the
militant groups it is allied with across the region, according to state-run TV.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in a post on X, urged the US to halt
the strikes and said Washington cannot dictate Iran's foreign policy. Trump on
Saturday had vowed to use “overwhelming lethal force” until the Houthis cease
their attacks on shipping along the vital maritime corridor. The airstrikes come
a few days after the Houthis said they would resume attacks on Israeli vessels
sailing off Yemen in response to Israel’s latest blockade on Gaza. There have
been no Houthi attacks reported since then. The Houthis had targeted over 100
merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two and killing four sailors,
during their campaign targeting military and civilian ships between the start of
the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023 and January of this year, when the
ceasefire in Gaza took effect. The United States, Israel and Britain have
previously hit Houthi-held areas in Yemen, but Saturday’s operation was
conducted solely by the US It was the first strike on the Houthis under the
second Trump administration.
Families of Disappeared in Syria Want the Search to
Continue on Conflict’s 14th Anniversary
Asharq Al Awsat/March 16/2025
Family members of Syrians who disappeared in the 14-year civil war on Sunday
gathered in the city of Daraa and called on the interim government to not give
up on efforts to find them. The United Nations in 2021 estimated that over
130,000 Syrians were taken away and disappeared, many of them detained by Bashar
al-Assad's network of intelligence agencies, as well as by opposition fighters
and the extremist ISIS group. Advocacy group The Syrian Campaign says some
112,000 are still missing to this day. When opposition led by group Hayat Tahrir
al-Sham overthrew President Bashar Assad in April, they stormed prisons and
released detainees from the ousted government's dungeons. Families of the
missing quickly rushed to the prisons seeking their loved ones. While there were
some reunions, rescue services also discovered mass graves around the country
and used whatever remains they could retrieve to identify the dead. Wafa Mustafa
held a placard of her father, Ali, who was detained by the Assad government's
security forces in 2013. She fled a week later to Germany, fearing she would
also be detained, and hasn't heard from him since. Like many other Syrians who
fled the conflict or went into exile for their activism, she often held protests
and rallied in European cities. Now, she has returned twice since Assad's
ouster, trying to figure out her father's whereabouts. “I’m trying, feeling both
hope and despair, to find any answer on the fate of my father,” she told The
Associated Press. “I searched inside the prisons, the morgues, the hospitals,
and through the bodies of the martyrs, but I still couldn’t find anything.” A
United Nations-backed commission on Friday urged the government led by interim
President Ahmed al-Sharaa to preserve evidence and anything they can document
from prisons in the ongoing search for the disappeared and to pursue
perpetrators. Some foreign nationals are missing in Syria as well, notably
American journalist Austin Tice, whose mother visited Syria in January and met
with al-Sharaa. Tice has not been heard from other than a video released weeks
after his disappearance in 2012 that showed him blindfolded and held by armed
men. Syria’s conflict started as one of the popular uprisings of the so-called
2011 Arab Spring, before Assad crushed the largely peaceful protests and a civil
war erupted. Half a million people have been killed and more than 5 million left
the country as refugees.
Iraq Seizes More than One Ton of Captagon Pills Shipped
from Syria
Asharq Al Awsat/March 16/2025
Iraq's security forces have seized an estimated 1.1 ton of captagon pills hidden
inside a truck that entered Iraq from Syria via Türkiye, the Interior Ministry
said on Sunday.
The drug shipment, the largest ever seized in Iraq, was tracked and intercepted
with the assistance of "important information" provided by Saudi's drug
enforcement agency, the Interior Ministry spokesperson Brigadier Muqdad Meri
said in a televised statement. Western anti-narcotics officials say the
addictive, amphetamine-type stimulant known as captagon has for years been
mass-produced in Syria. Captagon - a mix of amphetamines also known as the "poor
man’s cocaine" - is one of the more popular recreational drugs in the Middle
East.
Erdogan, Trump Discuss Ukraine, Syria, Defense Issues,
Türkiye Says
Asharq Al Awsat/March 16/2025
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke by phone with US President Donald
Trump and discussed efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine and to
restore stability in Syria, Erdogan's office said on Sunday. He told Trump that
Türkiye supports his "decisive and direct initiatives" to end the war between
Russia and Ukraine and that Türkiye will continue to strive for a "just and
lasting peace", the statement said. Erdogan also spoke of "the importance of
jointly contributing to the lifting of sanctions on Syria to restore stability,
make the new administration functional and support normalization," the statement
said, adding that this would enable Syrians to return to their homeland.
Russia, Ukraine Continue Air Attacks with Ceasefire
Prospects Uncertain
Asharq Al Awsat/March 16/2025
Russia and Ukraine continued aerial attacks on each other, inflicting injuries
and damages, officials said early on Sunday, as the fate of a proposed ceasefire
to the three-year-old war remained uncertain. Russian President Vladimir Putin
said on Thursday he supported in principle Washington's proposal for a 30-day
ceasefire with Ukraine but that his forces would fight on until several crucial
conditions were worked out. Both sides have since traded heavy aerial strikes,
and Russia moved closer on battlefield to ejecting Ukrainian forces from their
months-old foothold in the western Russian region of Kursk. The Russian defense
ministry said on Sunday that its air defense units destroyed a total of 31
Ukrainian drones over Russian territory. Of those, 16 were downed over the
southwestern region of Voronezh, nine over the territory of the Belgorod region
and the rest over the Rostov and Kursk regions, the ministry said on the
Telegram messaging app. In a Ukrainian drone attack on the Russian border region
of Belgorod, three people were injured, including a 7-year-old, regional
Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said earlier on the Telegram messaging app. Two of
the people were injured after a drone hit their house, sparking a fire in the
Gubkinsky district of the region, while the other person was injured in a drone
attack on the village of Dolgoye, Gladkov said. Alexander Gusev, governor of
Voronezh, said on Telegram that there was no immediate reports of injuries or
damage. The acting governor of the southern Russian region of Rostov said there
were no immediate reports of injuries or damage reported there either. In
Ukraine, authorities reported several Russian drone strikes, including on the
northern region of Chernihiv, where firefighters were battling a blaze at a
high-rise building that was sparked by Russian drone attack, Ukraine's state of
emergency service said. Ukrainian media reported a series of explosions in the
region surrounding the capital Kyiv, after Ukraine's air force issued warnings
of a threat of drone attacks on Kyiv and a number of other central Ukrainian
regions. By 0300 GMT on Sunday, there was no official information about damage
in the Kyiv region.
Israeli strikes kill 14 people in Gaza over past day,
Palestinian medics say
Nidal al-Mughrabi/Reuters/March 16, 2025
CAIRO (Reuters) - Israeli military strikes have killed at least 14 Palestinians
in the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours, the enclave's Health Ministry said on
Sunday, as Arab and U.S. mediators work to shore up a fragile ceasefire between
Israel and Hamas. Palestinian officials say dozens of people have been killed by
Israeli fire despite the January 19 truce that halted large-scale fighting in
Gaza. Israel's military has said its forces have intervened to thwart threats by
"terrorists" approaching its troops or planting bombs since the ceasefire took
effect. Gaza's Health Ministry said most of the latest deaths took place on
Saturday when an Israeli airstrike killed nine Palestinians including four
journalists in the town of Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip. The Israeli
military said six men that it had identified as members of the armed wings of
Hamas and the allied Islamic Jihad militant group had been killed in the strike.
It said some of the militants had operated "under the cover of
journalists".Salama Marouf, the head of the Hamas-run Gaza government media
office, said the military's statement about the incident included the names of
people who were not present. It was based on inaccurate social media reports
"without even bothering to verify the facts", Marouf said. At least four more
Palestinians were killed in separate Israeli strikes on Saturday, the Gaza
health officials said. An Israeli drone had fired a missile at a group of
Palestinians in the town of Juhr Eldeek in central Gaza on Sunday, killing a
62-year-old man and wounding several others, the medics said. Several others
were hurt when an Israeli drone fired a missile towards a group of people in
Rafah, they added. The Israeli military said it was not familiar with the
reported drone strikes.
CEASEFIRE TALKS
Persistent bloodshed in Gaza underscores the fragility of the three-stage
ceasefire agreement mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, which have
stepped in to hammer out a deal between Israel and Hamas over how to proceed.
Israel wants to extend the ceasefire's first phase, a proposal backed by U.S.
envoy Steve Witkoff. Hamas says it will resume freeing hostages only under the
second phase that was due to begin on March 2. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu's office said on Saturday negotiators had been instructed to be ready
to continue talks based on the mediators' response to a U.S. proposal for the
release of 11 living hostages and half of the dead captives. Hamas on Friday
said it had agreed to release American-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander and four
bodies of the hostages if Israel agreed to begin talks immediately on
implementing the second phase of the agreement. Israel responded by accusing
Hamas of waging "psychological warfare" on the families of hostages. The war
began when Hamas carried out a cross-border raid into southern Israel on October
7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and capturing 251 hostages, according to Israeli
tallies. Israel's subsequent assault on Gaza has killed more than 48,000
Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials, reduced much of the territory
to rubble, and led to accusations of genocide and war crimes that Israel denies.
Syrian
Druze divided over first visit by religious elders to Israel in five decades
The Arab Weekly/March 16/2025
A delegation of Druze religious elders from Syria crossed into Israel on Friday
for the first such visit in more than 50 years, dividing the Druze community
amid growing tensions between Israel and the new government in Damascus. Around
100 Druze sheikhs from villages on the slope of Mount Hermon in Syria,
overlooked by the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, were due to visit shrines
including sites held to be the tomb of prophet Shuayb, west of Tiberias, in the
Lower Galilee. After entering the Golan Heights, cheered by Druze in traditional
black clothes and white and red head dress, some waving the white, blue, yellow,
red and green flag of the Druze, they travelled by bus to the town of Julis in
Israel to meet Mowafaq Tarif, spritual leader of the group in Israel. A source
close to the delegation said that the visit followed an invitation from the
Druze community in Israel, but that had been met with “strong opposition” from
other Druze in Syria. Friday’s visit was intended to be a purely religious event
but its political significance was underscored by Israeli airstrikes on what
Israel described as command centres of the Iranian-backed Islamic Jihad movement
in Damascus a day earlier. Israeli ministers have expressed deep misgivings
about the new government of President Ahmed al-Sharaa, describing his Hayat
Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) movement as a Jihadist group. The HTS group was formerly
affiliated with Al Qaeda but later renounced the connection. Israel, which has
been posturing as a backer of the Druze has been suspected of trying to keep
Syria weak and divided, following the overthrow of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad
in December. It has sent truckloads of aid including oil, flour, salt and sugar,
most to the southern province of Suwayda. Following the ouster of Assad in
December, Israel carried out hundreds of air strikes on Syria and sent troops
into the demilitarised buffer zone of the Golan in southwest Syria. During a
visit to military outposts in the UN-patrolled buffer zone between Israel and
Syria on Tuesday, Defence Minister Israel Katz said that Israel would remain in
the area and ensure “the protection of the Druze”.In early March, following a
deadly clash between government-linked forces and Druze fighters in the suburbs
of Damascus, Katz said his country would not allow Syria’s new rulers “to harm
the Druze”. Druze leaders immediately rejected Katz’s warning and declared their
loyalty to a united Syria. The Druze account for about three percent of Syria’s
population and are heavily concentrated in the southern province of Sweida. They
live in an area straddling Lebanon, Syria, Israel and the Golan Heights,
connected across the borders by a web of kinship ties. In Israel and the
occupied Golan Heights, there are around 150,000 Druze, with most of those
living in Israel holding Israeli citizenship and serving in the army. However,
of the some 23,000 living in the occupied Golan Heights, most do not hold
Israeli citizenship and still see themselves as Syrian nationals. Israel seized
much of the strategic Golan Heights from Syria in a war in 1967, later annexing
the area in 1981 in a move largely unrecognised by the international community.
Turkiye
calls on EU to lift Syria sanctions ahead of international conference
AFP/March 16, 2025
ISTANBUL: Turkiye on Sunday called on the European Union to unconditionally lift
sanctions on the Syrian Arab Republic, ahead of an international aid conference
in Brussels to which the war-torn country’s new authorities have been invited.
Ankara, allied with Syria’s new rulers who ousted president Bashar Assad and
took power in December, views such a step as necessary for a “peaceful
transition” in the country, Turkiye’s foreign ministry said in a statement. The
European Union on Monday will host the ninth international conference in support
of Syria. For the first time, representatives of Syria’s government — the new
interim authorities — have been invited to attend. The event aims to raise
international support for Syria’s transition and recovery after more than 13
years of civil war. The European bloc on February 24 already announced an easing
of sanctions on Syria’s energy, transport and banking sectors to relieve some of
the challenges facing Ahmed Al-Sharaa, Syria’s interim president. But Europe and
other powers remain wary over what direction Sharaa’s Islamist group Hayat
Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) — which spearheaded the lightning offensive that toppled
Assad on December 8 — may take Syria.
While there are hopes Sharaa’s authorities can stabilize the country and usher
in an inclusive future, recent deadly violence targeting the Alawite minority to
which Assad belongs has kept doubts floating.EU foreign ministers have warned
that the sanctions they eased could be reimposed if Syria’s new leaders break
promises to respect the rights of minorities and move toward democracy.“Syria’s
economic security is essential for the country’s stability and security,”
Turkiye’s ministry said, adding that “economic opportunities and jobs need to be
created.” “The sanctions must be lifted unconditionally and for an indeterminate
period,” it said. Turkiye, which hosts nearly three million Syrian refugees,
also urged reconstruction of Syria “to encourage returns.”Turkish deputy foreign
minister Nuh Yilmaz will attend the Brussels conference. under “life-threatening
conditions.” Civiroglu said that “despite the US push and the SDF’s appeal to
the international community, there has been little progress in that
regard.”Since 2017, Iraq has repatriated more than 17,796 of its nationals from
Syria, according to the Rojava Information Center, but Western countries remain
reluctant to do the same. “The responsibility for these detainees extends beyond
the region, as it is an international issue that should involve the UN, the UN
Security Council, the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh, the US, and the
governments of the detainees’ home countries,” said Can. Harout Ekmanian, an
international lawyer at Foley Hoag in New York, also believes that during this
critical transitional period in Syria, countries with citizens in the camps have
an obligation to repatriate them and ease the pressure on local authorities.
“Third states with citizens in these camps should take responsibility by
facilitating the repatriation of their nationals, providing consular assistance,
and ensuring that they are either prosecuted in accordance with fair trial
standards or rehabilitated and reintegrated,” he told Arab News. “With the
collapse of the Syrian regime, the restoration of diplomatic channels has become
more feasible, leaving no justifiable reason for countries in Europe and beyond
to continue delaying the repatriation of their citizens and their families.
“This should not be seen as a favor or charity for Syria, but rather an
international obligation for all states with citizens in these camps.”UN
Security Council Resolutions 2178 and 2396 explicitly call on states to
prosecute, rehabilitate or reintegrate foreign terrorist fighters, underscoring
the responsibility of countries to take action on this matter.“These prisons
house individuals responsible for some of the most egregious international
crimes, including the Yezidi Genocide between 2014 and 2017,” said Ekmanian.
Children of Daesh inmates in northern Syria live in overcrowded condition. (AFP
file) “Syria is not adequately equipped to manage the accountability mechanisms
and legal procedures required for such a large number of Daesh members.
Therefore, third states must ensure criminal accountability via their national
courts for those responsible for these crimes, as part of their repatriation and
reintegration efforts.
“Additionally, it would be ideal for Syria to collaborate with international
partners to develop the necessary capabilities and mechanisms to prosecute Daesh
members held in these camps. This issue is also closely tied to the broader need
for transitional justice in Syria.”Can said that while local authorities in
northeastern Syria have engaged with international actors to seek long-term
solutions, including efforts to repatriate foreign detainees, “many governments
remain reluctant to take responsibility for their citizens.”He added: “At this
stage, there is no fully sufficient alternative plan that could compensate for
the loss of international support,” and warned that “any major funding gap could
deepen existing security risks and create further instability. “Given the global
implications of this issue, sustained international attention and
responsibility-sharing are critical.”
Trump
freezes US-funded media outlets including Voice of America
AFP/March 16, 2025
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump’s administration on Saturday put journalists
at Voice of America and other US-funded broadcasters on leave, abruptly freezing
decades-old outlets long seen as critical to countering Russian and Chinese
information offensives. Hundreds of staffers at VOA, Radio Free Asia, Radio Free
Europe and other outlets received a weekend email saying they will be barred
from their offices and should surrender press passes and office-issued
equipment. Trump, who has already eviscerated the US global aid agency and the
Education Department, on Friday issued an executive order listing the US Agency
for Global Media as among “elements of the federal bureaucracy that the
president has determined are unnecessary.” Kari Lake, a firebrand Trump
supporter put in charge of the media agency after she lost a US Senate bid, said
in an email to the outlets that federal grant money “no longer effectuates
agency priorities.” The White House said the cuts would ensure “taxpayers are no
longer on the hook for radical propaganda,” marking a dramatic tone shift toward
the networks established to extend US influence overseas. White House press
official Harrison Fields wrote “goodbye” on X in 20 languages, a jab at the
outlets’ multilingual coverage. VOA director Michael Abramowitz said he was
among 1,300 staffers placed on leave Saturday. “VOA needs thoughtful reform, and
we have made progress in that regard. But today’s action will leave Voice of
America unable to carry out its vital mission,” he said on Facebook, noting that
its coverage — in 48 languages — reaches 360 million people each week. The head
of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which started broadcasting into the Soviet
bloc during the Cold War, called the cancelation of funding “a massive gift to
America’s enemies.”“The Iranian ayatollahs, Chinese communist leaders, and
autocrats in Moscow and Minsk would celebrate the demise of RFE/RL after 75
years,” its president, Stephen Capus, said in a statement. US-funded media have
reoriented themselves since the end of the Cold War, dropping much of the
programming geared toward newly democratic Central and Eastern European
countries and focusing on Russia and China. Chinese state-funded media have
expanded their reach sharply over the past decade, including by offering free
services to outlets in the developing world that would otherwise pay for Western
news agencies. Radio Free Asia, established in 1996, sees its mission as
providing uncensored reporting into countries without free media including
China, Myanmar, North Korea and Vietnam. The outlets have an editorial firewall,
with a stated guarantee of independence despite government funding. The policy
has angered some around Trump, who has long railed against media and suggested
that government-funded outlets should promote his policies. The move to end
US-funded media is likely to meet challenges, much like Trump’s other sweeping
cuts. Congress, not the president, has the constitutional power of the purse and
Radio Free Asia in particular has enjoyed bipartisan support in the past.
Advocacy group Reporters Without Borders condemned the decision, saying it
“threatens press freedom worldwide and negates 80 years of American history in
supporting the free flow of information.”Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the
House Foreign Affairs Committee, and senior Democratic congresswoman Lois
Frankel said in a joint statement that Trump’s move would “cause lasting damage
to US efforts to counter propaganda around the world.”One VOA employee, who
requested anonymity, described Saturday’s message as another “perfect example of
the chaos and unprepared nature of the process,” with VOA staffers presuming
that scheduled programming is off but not told so directly. A Radio Free Asia
employee said: “It’s not just about losing your income. We have staff and
contractors who fear for their safety. We have reporters who work under the
radar in authoritarian countries in Asia. We have staff in the US who fear
deportation if their work visa is no longer valid.”“Wiping us out with the
strike of a pen is just terrible.”
Justin
Trudeau’s Replacement Slams ‘Crazy’ Marco Rubio in Debut as Canadian PM
Liam Archacki/The Daily Beast/March 16/2025
New Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney slammed Marco Rubio as “crazy” in his
debut as Justin Trudeau’s replacement. Carney, while taking questions after
being sworn into office, fired back at the American secretary of state cosigning
President Donald Trump’s “51st state” chatter. At a media event in Quebec for
the G7 Summit, Rubio was pressed about his boss’s oft-repeated proposition that
Canada join the United States. The idea was initially thought to be a joke, but
Trump has doubled and tripled down on it. “The president has made his argument
as to why he thinks Canada would be better off joining the United States, for
economic reasons,” Rubio told reporters on Friday. Hours later, Carney kept his
rejoinder simple: “It’s crazy. His point is crazy. That’s it.” The new Liberal
Party leader smirked as those present broke into laughter. At a different point,
Carney said, “We will never, ever, in any way, shape or form, be part of the
United States. America is not Canada.”Carney—a former Bank of England boss with
no real political experience—handily won his party’s election earlier this
month. He takes over from Trudeau, who announced his intention to resign in
January, amid faltering confidence in his leadership. Since entering his office
in January, Trump has been waging a trade war with Canada—one of America’s
closest allies, both geographically and otherwise. Meanwhile, the American stock
market has taken a nosedive. Carney also took aim at Trump’s tariffs on Friday,
saying that one of his top priorities in the new role is “protecting Canadian
workers and their families in the face of unjustified foreign trade
actions.”Politicians on both sides of the aisle in Canada, including Trudeau,
have disavowed Trump’s suggestion that the northern giant become an American
state—even as Trump has said it would bring an end to the tariffs. Even the
leader of Canada’s Conservative Party, Pierre Poilievre—who, as an outspoken
right-wing populist, is widely regarded as the country’s counterpart to
Trump—was angered by the suggestion. “Canada will never be the 51st state,” he
wrote on X back in January. “Period. We are a great and independent
country.”Rubio was Trump’s least controversial Cabinet pick. He was unanimously
confirmed by the Senate—an indication of the respect the former senator
commanded for his expertise in foreign affairs. However, the secretary of state
has yet to publicly challenge his boss’s at-times confounding approach to
international relations, such as the proposal to annex Canada. Trudeau
officially stepped down on Friday after 12 years as his party’s leader and 10 as
prime minister. “Thank you, Canada,” he wrote in a farewell post on X, “for
trusting in me, for challenging me, and for granting me the privilege to serve
the best country, and the best people, on earth.”
The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources
on March 16-17/2025
What loss of US aid might mean for Daesh detainee
camps in northeast Syria
ANAN TELLO/Arab News/March 16/2025
LONDON: Camps and prisons housing Daesh-linked detainees in the northeast of the
Syrian Arab Republic have become a ticking time bomb, amid the power vacuum
created by the collapse of the Assad regime and cuts to aid from the US.
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, which helped the US defeat Daesh in
2019, has since then been overseeing Ghuwayran prison, Al-Hol camp and Al-Roj
camp, which hold about 56,000 Daesh fighters, their wives and their children.
US assistance has been critical in efforts to secure the camps, which are widely
considered to be breeding grounds for extremism and a regional security concern.
But last month, Washington told the UN Security Council its support “cannot last
forever.”
Dorothy Shea, the acting US ambassador to the UN, said: “The US has shouldered
too much of this burden for too long. Ultimately, the camps cannot remain a
direct US financial responsibility.”
Without a replacement for American aid, the resources of the SDF-affiliated
Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria risk being stretched thin,
leaving the camps and prisons vulnerable to revolt or mass escape attempts.
“If US financial assistance is cut without a replacement, it will create
significant challenges,” Polat Can, a researcher in international relations and
Middle Eastern security, told Arab News. Even with US support, the camps and
prisons had been starved of sufficient funding and manpower.
“External financial support has never fully covered the costs of maintaining
prison security, managing detainees and sustaining camp residents,” said Can.
Other foreign donors have helped support the maintenance of camps and prisons
but the US remains the largest contributor. In 2021, the UK provided $20 million
to expand a prison in Hasakah, according to the Iraq-based Rudaw news network.
Meanwhile, the US spent the much larger sum of $155 million in 2022 alone to
train, equip and pay the personnel guarding detainees. The Syrian National Army
offensive that began on Dec. 8 — which has displaced tens of thousands of
civilians, many of them ethnic Kurds, from the Shebha region — has placed
further strain on the SDF. The Syrian National Army is backed by Turkiye,
apparently as a bulwark against the perceived threat posed by Kurdish militants
linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which recently declared a
ceasefire in its decades-old conflict with Ankara.
Washington-based Kurdish affairs analyst Mutlu Civiroglu told Arab News that the
SDF has redeployed about half of its personnel that was guarding the prisons to
“defend the region from Turkish attacks.”
These developments have made it increasingly difficult for the SDF to contain
the threat of a potential Daesh resurgence. As recently as November, a Daesh
operative reportedly infiltrated Al-Hol camp and helped fighters to escape.
“The region’s resources are limited, and without external funding the ability to
maintain security at these facilities will be increasingly strained,” Can said.
“In the worst-case scenario, this could lead to security vulnerabilities that
Daesh cells may attempt to exploit, particularly as the group remains active in
the Syrian desert and continues efforts to infiltrate” northeastern areas
controlled by the autonomous administration. The SDF has warned in recent months
that the Daesh threat is greater than ever, citing the presence of active
sleeper cells in Al-Hol camp and concerns about detainees escaping from
Ghuwayran prison.
These fears have intensified since US President Donald Trump announced plans to
withdraw US troops from northeastern Syria. “Syria is its own mess,” he said in
late January. “They got enough messes over there. They don’t need us involved in
every one.”The SDF has also warned that Daesh is attempting to infiltrate the
eastern Deir ez-Zor province from the western bank of the Euphrates River. The
UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has recorded at least 37 Daesh
operations in the province since the start of the year, including armed attacks
and bombings targeting security forces in areas controlled by the autonomous
administration
Until Dec. 11, Deir ez-Zor was under SDF control. However, after a coalition led
by Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham ousted the Assad regime on Dec. 8, it seized the
oil-rich eastern city. The SDF remains a presence in parts of the countryside.
In a historic move on March 10, the SDF’s commander-in-chief, Mazloum Abdi, and
Syria’s new president, Ahmad Al-Sharaa, signed a deal to integrate
SDF-controlled civilian and military institutions with the new Damascus
administration.
The agreement, signed as Al-Sharaa faced international pressure over the killing
of Alawites by government-linked militias in western Syria, could ease the
pressure on the SDF, particularly by securing a nationwide ceasefire.
However, the accord, which is set to be implemented by the end of this year, is
unlikely to bring any immediate changes to the situation in the Daesh camps and
prisons, said Can. “The issue of detainees — both militants in prisons and their
families in camps — remains a major financial, logistical and security challenge
in northeastern Syria,” he added. The US aid freeze will not only affect prison
management but also many humanitarian and civilian infrastructure projects,
which had long eased some of the financial pressure on the autonomous
administration. Civiroglu said the suspension of aid from the US could create
“further uncertainty, especially for initiatives related to displaced persons,
refugees, rehabilitation and health services.”
He added: “Syria has long been under siege, embargo and civil war, and Rojava —
Kurdish Syria — has been affected even worse. On one side, there’s the
opposition group; on the other, the Turkish border, which stretches 910
kilometers and has been closed for years.” He warned that projects in
northeastern Syria established by the US Agency for International Development
“have been negatively affected, with many halted.” But Washington’s aid freeze
will impact Syria as a whole, he added.
USAID was one of the first targets of the Department of Government Efficiency,
which was established by the Trump administration to root out what it views as
waste and fraud in the federal bureaucracy. As a result, the organization and
all of its programs essentially have been shut down, creating a massive black
hole in the international humanitarian aid budget, with major consequences for
fragile states such as Syria.
The Syrian economy is reeling after 14 years of civil war and sanctions. The
interim government said the country owes between $20 billion and $23 billion in
external debt, a figure that far exceeds its 2023 gross domestic product of
$17.5 billion, according to the World Bank. After the civil war broke out in
2011, Daesh exploited the chaos to expand, attracting tens of thousands of
fighters from around the globe. By 2014, the group had conquered an area about
the size of Great Britain, spanning Iraq and Syria, where it declared a
caliphate. However, US-led coalition efforts, an SDF ground offensive, and
Russian airstrikes wore the group down until its eventual territorial defeat in
Baghuz, eastern Syria, in March 2019.
After Daesh’s collapse, foreign fighters and their families were detained. Even
now, at least 42,000 women and children — about 80 percent of all detainees —
from 110 countries remain in overcrowded, squalid conditions in Al-Hol and
Al-Roj, according to the UN. Rights groups have consistently urged countries to
repatriate their nationals who are detained in the camps. New York-based Human
Rights Watch has said the continuing detention of these foreign nationals is
“unlawful,” noting that they are held
Saudi Arabia’s long-standing open-door policy
Hassan Al-Mustafa/Arab News/March 17, 2025
A few years ago, I attended a celebration in Dammam, eastern Saudi Arabia, to
mark National Day. I sat listening to a poem recited by a woman from Safwa city.
Although her voice was soft, the sincerity of her words and the expressions on
her face were evident.A year later, the poem was released in a video clip
produced by young individuals from Qatif. It was broadcast as part of the
Kingdom’s National Day celebrations, gaining widespread attention and receiving
high acclaim. Approximately two years later, a young
man from the city of Al-Awamiyah reached out to me after reading an article I
had published on my personal account on the X platform regarding Saudi Vision
2030. This gesture brought him joy, as he perceived it as a form of moral
support from me. The young woman and the young man in
these stories spent several years outside the Kingdom, influenced by the ideas
that emerged following the so-called Arab Spring in 2011. The events that
unfolded in the Qatif region of eastern Saudi Arabia later escalated into riots
and terrorist attacks, resulting in casualties among both civilians and military
personnel. These incidents caused significant discontent among citizens due to
the damage inflicted on public life.
Some individuals left with enthusiasm, without considering their future or what
they truly desired and aimed for. Consequently, after traveling to European or
Arab countries, and even the US, many encountered challenges in their daily
lives. Others realized the reality of foreign policies that had exploited them
for purposes unrelated to human rights. This led several of them to critically
reassess their anti-Saudi government rhetoric and to seriously contemplate
returning.
This return was neither difficult nor fraught with danger, as some may claim.
Instead, when the girl and boy whose stories I have recounted returned, they
encountered a positive response from the state. They were neither punished nor
incarcerated. Rather, there was a flexible policy aimed at reintegrating these
returnees into Saudi society, enabling them to become productive members
actively participating in the ongoing process of change and reform. Today, there
exists a concept of a ‘Saudi national identity’ that unites all citizens,
transcending regional, tribal and sectarian divisions.
I witnessed these stories and many others firsthand. The Saudi government has a
vision aimed at harnessing the potential of the new generation while preventing
external entities from exploiting these young men and women. This is
particularly important as many of them lack the political experience that would
prevent others from exploiting or pushing them into positions ostensibly in
favor of human rights, while actually serving the agendas of other states.
At the same time, Saudi Arabia is pursuing a policy aimed at eliminating both
external and internal issues, while fostering an environment conducive to
religious and social reform, economic development and diversification of income
sources. Consequently, the safe return of Saudis living abroad — who may have
engaged in oppositional activities or been exploited by political factions or
regional states — along with their integration into Saudi society, will serve as
a supportive factor in the effort to eliminate problems, whether small or big,
regardless of whether these dissenting voices have a significant impact or
limited popularity. Today, there exists a concept of a
“Saudi national identity” that unites all citizens, transcending regional,
tribal and sectarian divisions. This identity possesses the capacity to embrace
cultural and intellectual diversity, as well as constructive criticism, provided
it is scientific and aims to positively develop and improve government
performance and address any past or potential shortcomings.
Hence, one can grasp the context in which Abdulaziz Al-Howairini, head of the
Presidency of State Security, spoke this month. He emphasized that “the
invitation is extended to those who wish to return, particularly those who were
misled and exploited by malicious individuals who provided them with money at
some point.” He assured that “the state welcomes them and they will not face any
punishment if their dissent is limited to ideological differences and they do
not have any specific legal issues within the country.”
During his appearance on the program “Hekayat Waad” on MBC, Al-Howairini
clarified that the government “has not publicly named any citizen who has
requested to return from abroad.” He emphasized that the state “addresses issues
rather than punishes,” unless the individual committed an act related to
“private rights” or a murder prior to leaving the country.
These remarks by the head of state security hold significant importance,
as they come from a highly influential figure who rarely engages in media
appearances. Notably, Al-Howairini clarified that his statements are not his own
but rather a reflection of the views expressed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin
Salman. This indicates a strong directive to close this matter and prevent any
external exploitation, as well as a clear intention to facilitate the safe
return of Saudis living abroad to their homeland without the risk of punishment
or imprisonment. There is a long historical context
regarding the open-door policies of Saudi kings, beginning with the founding
monarch, King Abdulaziz. He welcomed Mohammed Tahir Al-Dabbagh, a staunch critic
of the new Saudi regime, and facilitated his return to the Kingdom. Furthermore,
King Abdulaziz appointed him to oversee the General Directorate of Education and
tasked him with establishing a school for the education of princes in Riyadh at
a time when there was no Ministry of Education in place.
**Hassan Al-Mustafa is a Saudi writer and researcher interested in Islamic
movements, the development of religious discourse and the relationship between
the Gulf Cooperation Council states and Iran. X: @Halmustafa
Direct US-Hamas talks break Israel’s Gaza narrative
monopoly
Daoud Kuttab/Arab News/March 17, 2025
When I read about the recent direct talks between an official representative of
the US and a high-level Hamas official, it jogged my memory back to the time of
the First Intifada. Back then, I was traveling in the Occupied Territories with
a foreign journalist — I believe it was Dan Fisher of the Los Angeles Times —
when members of the Israeli military stopped us. The first thing they did was
separate us because they knew they could not harass me the way they would, with
a foreigner — especially a journalist — watching.
Except for an attempt to bully me, and a slap to my face, I was able to return
to my colleague with little harm. But the incident, repeated in different
circumstances more than once, was an indication to me of how the occupier always
wants to monopolize control. And to do that, it needs to remove anyone who can
weaken an occupier-occupied relationship that is overwhelmingly weighted in
favor of the former. The importance of a third party —
even a larger, biased one such as the US — is that its presence helps to
partially adjust the asymmetry that exists in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
The attempt to monopolize the narrative can be best seen in the way Israel deals
with the media. Palestinian journalists are not recognized as such unless they
work for foreign media outlets. As far as I know, no Palestinian journalist
working for a Palestinian media organization has ever been issued with a press
card by the Israeli government’s press office. Lately, of course, even Al
Jazeera, which was previously permitted to work as an international media
outlet, has been prevented from doing so by an anti-press freedom law in Israel.
However, perhaps the best example of this vicious Israeli effort to control the
narrative presented to the outside world can be seen in the ways in which its
army and foreign policy have dealt with the war on Gaza. For more than 17
months, Israel has refused to allow a single foreign journalist into the
territory. It has killed nearly 200 Palestinian journalists and destroyed
buildings containing media offices in a clearly targeted effort at silencing
Palestinians. Israel has spent hundreds of millions of dollars bullying
politicians and the foreign press to accept its narrative.
The Foreign Ministry has spent hundreds of millions of dollars bullying
politicians and the foreign press to accept its narrative, which at times has
included feeding fake stories to the White House about children being burned in
ovens and mass rapes, without shame or apology for embarrassing their most
powerful ally.Israel feels no shame in regularly lying and distorting the facts
on the ground, even when there is unmistakable visual proof to the contrary. By
spinning the reality to justify its continued war crimes, Israeli authorities
have attempted to ensure they can literally get away with murder.
In the case of the peace talks, Israel has used the same tactic to confuse and
obfuscate negotiators in an attempt to make them believe whatever it wants them
to believe about where Hamas stands on various issues. By flooding the airwaves
with falsehoods, they have often succeeded in creating enough of a public
opinion pause to get away with whatever they want. The
Israeli public, especially the families of the hostages, eventually realized
what was happening and were able to debunk the continuous lies of their own
government. But for the most part, Americans, including certain people in the
White House who depend on only one particular TV station for news, have often
been duped into believing that Hamas was always the obstacle.
But the moment that an authorized US representative this month met a senior
Hamas leader without any Israeli officials around to try to alter the story, the
American representative stated progress was being made. He also, accurately,
stated that his job was to represent the interests of the US and he was not an
agent of Israel — a clear jab at many of the current administration’s powerful
Zionists. It is not clear whether the US will continue
its efforts to engage in direct negotiations. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a
strongly pro-Israel member of the US government, said the meeting was a one-off
and will not be repeated. That might be so, but the
genie is now out of the bottle and the Americans realize, through firsthand
experience, how much and for how long they have been duped by Israel.
Nevertheless, the attempt to end a peace effort that appeared to be making
progress is itself further proof of Israel’s desire to continue to monopolize
the narrative, even in its dealings with its best ally, the US.
If talks for a permanent ceasefire and an end to the war on Gaza continue
to stumble, I am not convinced that the White House will not attempt to send its
envoy back to find out more directly from Hamas.
The Israeli power, both on the ground in the Occupied Territories and in the
corridors of power in Washington, is not to be belittled. But still, the attempt
to continuously monopolize the narrative cannot go on forever.
**Daoud Kuttab is an award-winning Palestinian journalist. X: @daoudkuttab
Why Egypt refuses to administer Gaza
Dr. Abdellatif El-Menawy/Arab News/March 17, 2025
Egypt has firmly rejected the proposal made last month by Israeli opposition
leader Yair Lapid that suggested Egypt take over the administration of the Gaza
Strip for up to 15 years in exchange for the cancellation of its external debt.
The Egyptian response was clear and decisive, with the Foreign Ministry stating
that such proposals are an “attempt to circumvent Egypt’s and the Arab world’s
firm stance,” emphasizing the need for Israel to withdraw from occupied
Palestinian territories and for an independent Palestinian state to be
established.
This rejection is not just a passing political stance but a continuation of
Egypt’s long-standing position on the Palestinian issue. Egypt has consistently
opposed any proposals that reinforce the occupation or undermine the Palestinian
cause. Previously, it also refused to participate in international forces within
Gaza, further demonstrating its firm stance against assuming security or
administrative responsibilities in the enclave. The
idea of Egypt managing Gaza is not new, as Egypt governed the territory between
1948 and 1967. Initially, Gaza was under the administration of the All-Palestine
Government, which was supported by Cairo but lacked effective international
recognition. As a result, Egypt later placed Gaza under direct military rule
without formally annexing it.
During this period, Gaza faced severe economic and humanitarian challenges,
worsened by the influx of more than 200,000 Palestinian refugees after the Nakba
in 1948. Egypt never had a long-term political plan for governing Gaza; rather,
it saw its administration as a temporary responsibility until a comprehensive
solution to the Palestinian issue was found.
Egyptian rule in Gaza ended after the 1967 war, when Israel occupied the enclave
along with the West Bank and Sinai. Since then, Egypt has not played a direct
role in Gaza’s administration but has remained a key player in security matters
and political mediation. Egypt’s rejection of Lapid’s proposal is rooted in
multiple concerns, with national security being the most critical. Cairo fears
that assuming control of Gaza would create a significant security burden,
particularly given the complex internal dynamics of the enclave and the presence
of armed factions outside the control of the Palestinian Authority. If Egypt
were to take administrative responsibility, it might find itself in direct
confrontation with resistance groups, leading to unwanted conflicts that could
destabilize Egypt’s internal security.
Additionally, Egypt is wary of Gaza becoming an unstable zone that extremist
groups could exploit as a base for attacks on northern Sinai. To avoid such
scenarios, Cairo is keen to prevent any situation that would entangle it in a
complex security challenge on its eastern border. Egypt has consistently opposed
any proposals that reinforce the occupation or undermine the Palestinian cause.
Egypt also rejects any role that would make it act as a security enforcer for
Israel. From Cairo’s perspective, Lapid’s proposal is an attempt to shift
responsibility for Gaza onto Egypt, allowing Israel to evade its obligations.
Instead of shouldering the costs of reconstruction after the devastation caused
by Israeli military operations, Tel Aviv appears to be seeking to offload the
burden onto Egypt. This aligns with Egypt’s policy of
refusing to serve as an instrument for implementing Israeli strategies that do
not contribute to a comprehensive resolution of the Palestinian issue. Cairo
understands that any direct involvement in Gaza’s administration could be
perceived as serving Israeli interests at the expense of Palestinian rights.
Egypt is also deeply concerned that taking over Gaza’s administration
could serve as the first step in a larger plan to permanently separate the
enclave from the West Bank, effectively dismantling the Palestinian cause. If
Gaza is removed from the broader Palestinian equation, it could pave the way for
initiatives aimed at resettling Palestinians outside the West Bank — an idea
that Egypt has consistently opposed.
There is also a strong fear that accepting control over Gaza could lead to a
broader plan of relocating Palestinians from the enclave into the Sinai
Peninsula. Egypt firmly rejects such a scenario, as it would not only undermine
its national sovereignty but also pose a serious threat to its stability.
Another key factor in Egypt’s rejection of the proposal is the belief that its
economic challenges do not justify compromising its national policies. Despite
the economic incentives included in Lapid’s proposal, particularly the offer to
cancel Egypt’s debts, Cairo has made it clear that it will not trade its
strategic positions for financial relief. Egyptian officials have repeatedly
emphasized that, despite the country’s economic difficulties, accepting such an
offer could lead to political and security repercussions that far outweigh any
temporary economic benefits.
Lapid’s proposal was not the first attempt to persuade Egypt to take on Gaza’s
administration. In 2023, the US made a similar suggestion of Egypt temporarily
overseeing Gaza’s security, but Cairo rejected that as well. Then-CIA Director
William Burns discussed the idea with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi,
who firmly declined the proposal. Moreover, Egypt has
refused to participate in any international forces inside Gaza, believing that
such involvement would make it a direct party to a prolonged conflict, leading
to unpredictable consequences.
Egypt has not merely rejected the idea of governing Gaza but has also proposed
alternative solutions that focus on Palestinian self-governance. One such
solution is reinstating the PA’s control over Gaza as a step toward Palestinian
unity and an end to internal divisions.
Additionally, Cairo has suggested forming a nonpartisan Palestinian government
to oversee both the West Bank and Gaza — a proposal that Israel has opposed.
Egypt has also offered to provide limited security and logistical support, such
as border monitoring and training Palestinian security personnel, while firmly
refusing any direct administrative role.
Egypt’s position on Gaza is clear and strategic: it refuses any direct
administrative role within the enclave and opposes any plans that could
undermine the Palestinian cause. This stance is evident in its repeated
rejection of Israeli and American proposals, despite political pressure and
economic incentives.
From Cairo’s perspective, the solution to Gaza’s crisis does not lie in Egyptian
administration but in a comprehensive settlement that includes ending Israel’s
occupation, restoring PA control over Gaza and ensuring the Palestinian people’s
right to establish an independent state. Egypt remains committed to its role as
a mediator, but it refuses to become a direct party to a crisis that it believes
should not be its responsibility.
**Dr. Abdellatif El-Menawy has covered conflicts worldwide. X: @ALMenawy
Why global governance is failing
Antara Haldar/Arab News/March 17, 2025
The UN was established in 1945, succeeding the failed League of Nations, in a
bid to pull humanity back from the brink of self-destruction. It was a bold
experiment in collective security, designed to prevent another world war and
manage conflicts through diplomacy rather than violence.
Yet, 80 years later, we find ourselves back on the precipice of disaster. Global
temperatures have breached the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold that scientists see
as a Rubicon for reining in climate change over the long term. Public trust in
institutions — and in democracy — is critically low and geopolitical tensions
are rising. What happened? The UN has, justifiably, drawn criticism for a
variety of reasons. The composition of the Security Council is antiquated.
Violent conflict and even genocide still occur with alarming frequency. And the
organization has proven to be generally ineffectual, overly bureaucratic and
unfair in its treatment of the Global South. But the
inadequately diagnosed problem is that the UN is bringing a 20th-century logic
to bear on the 21st century’s fundamentally planetary problems. Today’s most
urgent challenges — such as climate change, pandemics, artificial intelligence
regulation, financial contagion and supply chain disruptions — do not respect
national borders, yet UN institutions remain stuck in a framework of nation
states jealously guarding their sovereignty. Our international institutions
simply were not designed to address essentially systemic issues indifferent to
national borders. The UN is not just slow, it is structurally incapable of
tackling such problems at scale.
With even conventional governance structures faltering in the face of heightened
tribalism and nationalism, any proposed new paradigm of planetary governance
runs the risk of sounding utopian. Fortunately, the world already has a
serviceable blueprint: the EU. For all its flaws, this bloc has demonstrated
that a supranational federation can work, allowing previously warring countries
to pool sovereignty in exchange for economic and political stability. Nor is
this such a radical idea. In a 1946 Gallup poll, 54 percent of Americans
believed that “the UN should be strengthened to make it a world government with
power to control the armed forces of all nations, including the US.”In 2024, by
contrast, 58 percent of Americans thought that the UN was doing a “poor job.”
This description suggests that the UN needs to take a bolder approach. Big,
planetary issues like global warming are what philosopher Timothy Morton calls
“hyperobjects.” They are “entities of such vast temporal and spatial dimension”
as to require a fundamentally different kind of human reasoning. To change how
we think about such problems calls for both an intellectual and a psychological
shift — beyond the nation state, or what Benedict Anderson famously called
“imagined communities.”The UN is bringing a 20th-century logic to bear on the
21st century’s fundamentally planetary problems.
Intellectually, planetary thinking requires its own theoretical framework. This
demand is not new. In the 20th century, John Maynard Keynes saw a need for a
global currency and proposed the “bancor” to replace the dollar-focused Bretton
Woods institutions. Hannah Arendt also advanced her own vision of planetary
politics. And Pierre Teilhard de Chardin developed his concept of the
“noosphere” (collective human consciousness). In more recent scholarship — from
Johan Rockstrom’s work on “planetary boundaries” to Bruno Latour’s description
of our ecological age — the intellectual elements of a new planetary paradigm
are beginning to come together.
Psychologically, we need a new narrative. The historian Yuval Noah Harari argues
that human civilization is built on shared myths, such as nationalism and
capitalism. If planetary governance is to succeed, it needs to tell a compelling
new story, one that moves beyond outdated ideas about sovereign nation states to
acknowledge humanity’s interconnectedness. To reach
people where they are, rigorous planetary thinking must be accompanied by
stronger local thinking. Improvements to our governance structures must look
both “up” and “down,” as the Berggruen Institute’s Jonathan Blake and Nils
Gilman have put it. Global governance cannot succeed without resilient,
empowered local structures. The nation state would remain one element, but
cities, regions and local networks would be given more attention and integrated
into planetary decision-making. This kind of nested approach could offer an
alternative to the outdated system of nation states without requiring its
wholesale dismantling.The growing urgency of planetary crises — from the 2008
financial crash to pandemics and climate change — graphically illustrate the
inadequacies of the UN in its current form. The UN itself emerged from the shell
of the League of Nations and now it is time to build anew. Governance must pivot
from the nation state-based logic of the Bretton Woods system to the planetary
sensibilities of the bancor. Even if the UN had succeeded in uniting the world’s
nations, its current design would be unequal to a moment defined by inherently
planetary challenges. It is time to imagine new communities centered on our
planetary realities.
**Antara Haldar, Associate Professor of Empirical Legal Studies at the
University of Cambridge, is a visiting faculty member at Harvard University and
the principal investigator on a European Research Council grant on law and
cognition. ©Project Syndicate