English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For March 23/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
But if you had known what this means, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice”, you would not have condemned the guiltless.
Matthew 12/01-14: “At that time Jesus went through the cornfields on the sabbath; his disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. When the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, ‘Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the sabbath. ’He said to them, ‘Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him or his companions to eat, but only for the priests. Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbath the priests in the temple break the sabbath and yet are guiltless? I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. But if you had known what this means, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice”, you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.’ He left that place and entered their synagogue; a man was there with a withered hand, and they asked him, ‘Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath? ’ so that they might accuse him. He said to them, ‘Suppose one of you has only one sheep and it falls into a pit on the sabbath; will you not lay hold of it and lift it out?How much more valuable is a human being than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the sabbath.’Then he said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out, and it was restored, as sound as the other. But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.”

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on March 22-23/2025
Text & Video: To Aoun and Salam: Citizens Can Condemn, But Leaders Must Act/Elias Bejjani/March 22/2025
Journalist Bchara Charbel/Nawaf missiles/March 22/2025
Aoun Condemns Attempts to Drag Lebanon Anew into Violence
Truce Shaky as Israel Strikes Lebanon in Response to Rocket Fire
Israel launches more strikes on Lebanon after rocket fire
Katz says Metula's fate same as Beirut's after 3 rockets fired from Lebanon
Assassination of Radwan Awada in an Airstrike on Tyre… Who Was He?
Ministry of Health: Seven Martyrs and Forty Wounded in Today's Israeli Airstrikes on Lebanese Areas
Israeli Newspaper: Toward New Borders with Lebanon – No Return to the Armistice Line!
Israeli army chief holds assessment after rocket fire from Lebanon
After rockets from Lebanon, Israeli mayor asks northern chief if he still thinks it's safe to return
Metula mayor says army, govt. trying to 'normalize' rocket fire from Lebanon
Aoun condemns 'attempts to drag Lebanon anew into cycle of violence'
Lebanese presidency reportedly rules out deterioration after rockets at Israel
Salam urges security measures to assert that state controls war and peace decisions
Rockets Fired at Border Village of Metula, Katz Threatens the Lebanese State
Lebanon says one killed in Israeli strike on Tyre city
Israel strikes 50 sites in Lebanon in response to rocket fire towards Metula: Israeli Army Radio
Israeli Airstrikes in South Lebanon Resume Fiercely, Causing Casualties
Israel wages evening strikes on Lebanon, causing casualties in Tyre city
2 dead, 8 hurt as Israel strikes across south Lebanon after rocket fire
Hezbollah denies responsibility for rocket fire on Israel
Witkoff: Normalization Between Israel and Lebanon Is Possible
Rockets in South Lebanon: A Message of Military and Political Escalation/Bassam Abou Zeid/This Is Beirut/March 22/2025
Rediscovering Jean Ducruet: The Man Who Preserved Saint Joseph University/Fady Noun/This Is Beirut/March 22/2025
A pen, a voice, a legacy: The life and legacy of Hoda Chedid

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on March 22-23/2025
Trump Envoy Says US Trying to Win Iran’s Trust
Syrian Security Forces Intensify Operations against Remnants of Ousted Regime
Sources: Qaani Warns Iraqi Factions against Provoking the Americans
Fatah urges Hamas to cede power to safeguard ‘Palestinians’ existence’
Military pressure will bring hostages back from Gaza, Israeli official says
Hostages as Leverage: What Is Hamas' Gamble in Gaza?
UK, France, Germany Urge Gaza Ceasefire, Ask Israel to Restore Humanitarian Access
Hamas receives Egyptian-Qatari proposal for re-establishing Gaza truce
Israeli supreme court freezes govt decision to sack intel chief
Israel anti-government protests flare after dismissal of top security agency chief
King Abdullah II urges UK’s PM Starmer to push for Gaza ceasefire reinstatement
Egypt Rejects Israeli Claims of Relocating Gazans to Sinai
Co-founder of sanctions movement addresses pro-Palestine protest in Dublin
Detained Istanbul mayor faces second day of questioning as protests over his arrest intensify
In Türkiye, Mass Protests Give Vent to Long Simmering Anger
Russia accuses an 'unfriendly state' of planning the 2024 Moscow concert hall assault
Houthi media accuses US of attacking airport in Yemen

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on March 22-23/2025
The EU Must Stop Undermining Efforts to Save it/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Gatestone Institute/March 22, 2025
How Netanyahu got his Gaza war back/Osama Al-Sharif/Arab News/March 22/2025
Netanyahu and the sacking of the Shin Bet chief/Yossi Mekelberg/Arab News/March 22, 2025
Europe turns to the Gulf to strengthen energy, security ties/Andrew Hammond/Arab News/March 22, 2025

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on March 22-23/2025
Text & Video: To Aoun and Salam: Citizens Can Condemn, But Leaders Must Act
Elias Bejjani/March 22/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/03/141473/
It is natural for ordinary citizens to condemn illegal acts and threats to their safety, livelihood, and security. But what about those in power? Leaders and officials are not there to simply issue statements of condemnation—if that’s all they do, then how are they any different from the people they govern? A state is not run by words but by laws, enforcement, and accountability. As officials at all levels, your duty is to uphold the law and hold violators accountable, no matter who they are.
You know very well that the Iranian-backed jihadist terrorist group Hezbollah does not recognize laws, nor does it respect the state, international resolutions, or even the ceasefire agreement that it, along with Nabih Berri and their Iranian masters, signed in bad faith.
Hezbollah is nothing more than an Iranian proxy, executing Tehran’s agenda at Lebanon’s expense.
The rockets fired today from southern Lebanon at Israel caused no damage—not even to a chicken coop—but their real message was directed at you: the authorities, the government, the legal system, and every free Lebanese citizen who believes in the rule of law.
Hezbollah has no regard for the Lebanese state and continues to trample on its sovereignty to serve Iran’s interests.
Your duty is clear: enforce the law, arrest those responsible for launching the rockets, and prosecute them. They are not unknown—they publicly brag about their crimes!
These farcical performances no longer fool anyone. The real instigators—whether through direct rocket fire or political cover—are Nabih Berri, the provocateur Mufti Qabalan, the disgraceful ministers Tarek Mitri and Lara Al-Zein, Hezbollah’s pawn Wafic Safa, Al-Qamati, and Hezbollah’s chief Naim Qassem, who hides in his bunker. Every single one of them, along with their enablers, is complicit.
Hezbollah’s useless fireworks were not aimed at Israel—they were fired at Baabda Palace, the Grand Serail, the Quintet Committee, UN resolutions, and the Lebanese people themselves!
What is needed is not empty rhetoric, rehearsed speeches, and hollow condemnations. What is required is decisive action: officially designating Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, arresting those responsible for the rocket attacks, and fully committing to the implementation of UN resolutions.
If you have the will and the courage, step up and do your duty. If you don’t—if you lack the resolve—then resign and admit your failure before the entire country collapses under the weight of your complicity and silence.
Appeasement and political maneuvering are a losing game. Their only outcome is chaos, collapse, the continued occupation and dominance of Hezbollah, and the complete lack of funding for reconstruction. The ones who continue to suffer the most are the Shiites whom Hezbollah has taken hostage, using them as pawns and sacrificing them in Iran’s wars, and the Mullahs’ expansionist evil schemes.

Journalist Bchara Charbel
Nawaf missiles/March 22/2025
The Israeli Defense Minister is rushing to hold the Lebanese government responsible for the rockets fired from the south this morning. They effectively targeted the Grand Serail and Nawaf Salam's decisive statements, effectively eliminating the "people-army-resistance" equation. A natural reaction, but it would have been better if Hezbollah had replaced it with a fiery statement by Sheikh Ahmad Qabalan.

Aoun Condemns Attempts to Drag Lebanon Anew into Violence
Asharq Al Awsat/March 22/2025
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned on Saturday Israel’s attempts to drag Lebanon once again into the endless “spiral of violence”, following Israeli claims that it had intercepted three missiles launched from south Lebanon. A statement released by the Lebanese Presidency said that Aoun called for "avoiding any repercussions and ensuring control over any violations that could endanger the nation during these sensitive times." Aoun has directed the Army Commander, General Rodolphe Haikal, to “take all necessary field measures to ensure the safety of citizens and conduct investigations regarding the incident”, added the statement. Also in a statement, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, asked the Lebanese military to take all necessary measures in the south, but said the country did not want to return to war. He reaffirmed that “only the state holds the authority to decide on matters of war and peace." The Prime Minister also contacted Janine Plasschaert, the UN Secretary-General's Personal Representative in Lebanon, during which he urged the United Nations to "intensify international pressure on Israel to fully withdraw from the occupied Lebanese territories”. He emphasized that Israel’s “occupation violates UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and the ceasefire arrangements established by the previous government in November, to which Lebanon remains committed". On Saturday, Israeli artillery and airstrikes hit south Lebanon after Israel said it had intercepted rockets fired from across the border, a clash endangering a shaky truce that ended a year-long war between Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah. That conflict marked the deadliest spillover of the Gaza war, rumbling across the border for months before escalating into a blistering Israeli offensive that wiped out Hezbollah's top commanders, many of its fighters and much of its arsenal.

Truce Shaky as Israel Strikes Lebanon in Response to Rocket Fire
Asharq Al Awsat/March 22/2025
Israeli artillery and airstrikes hit south Lebanon on Saturday after Israel said it had intercepted rockets fired from across the border, endangering a shaky truce that ended a year-long war between Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah. That conflict marked the deadliest spillover of the Gaza war, and a blistering Israeli offensive after months of cross-border exchanges of fire wiped out Hezbollah's top commanders, many of its fighters and much of its arsenal. Hezbollah denied responsibility for Saturday's strikes, saying it had "no link" to the rocket launches and that it remained committed to the ceasefire. No group claimed responsibility for the attack. An Israeli official said the identity of the group which fired the rockets had not been confirmed. Six rockets were fired, the official said, three of which crossed into Israel and were intercepted. Saturday's exchange was the first since Israel in effect abandoned a separate ceasefire in Gaza with Palestinian group Hamas, an ally of Hezbollah, both backed by Israel's arch-foe Iran."We expect Lebanon to take care of its part of the agreement," Ophir Falk, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's foreign policy adviser, told Reuters. "The Israeli army will do whatever it takes to enforce the ceasefire and to make sure that our civilians can get back home safely and securely," Falk said. Israel's military said early on Saturday it had intercepted three rockets launched from a Lebanese district about six km (four miles) north of the border towards the Israeli border town of Metula, the second cross-border launch since the US-brokered ceasefire in November ended fighting. In retaliation, Netanyahu ordered the military to "act forcefully against dozens of terror targets in Lebanon". Israel's military said it had struck dozens of Hezbollah rocket launchers and a command center from which the group's fighters had been operating, in southern Lebanon. Lebanon's state news agency reported Israeli airstrikes and artillery barrages in the country's south, including border towns and hilltops around eight km inside Lebanese territory. Two people were killed and eight wounded by Israeli airstrikes in the south near the border, the state news agency NNA said, quoting Lebanon's health ministry. There were no reports of casualties in Israel. In Gaza, health authorities said five Palestinians had been killed by Israeli fire, including a child, in incidents in Beit Lahiya and Gaza City in the north of the enclave. The Israeli military said a number of militants in a vehicle were identified approaching its troops in northern Gaza who "posed a threat to them" and the military struck them. An Israeli airstrike on the city of Rafah, which abuts Gaza's southern border with Egypt, killed two Palestinians, Gazan medics said. Israel's military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
UN ALARMED BY BORDER VIOLENCE
Under the November ceasefire deal, Hezbollah was to have no weapons in southern Lebanon, Israeli ground troops were to withdraw and Lebanese army troops were to deploy into the area. The agreement specifies that Lebanon's government is responsible for dismantling all military infrastructure in southern Lebanon and confiscating all unauthorized arms. President Joseph Aoun ordered the Lebanese army to secure "any violation" that could threaten stability in Lebanon. The army said it had found and dismantled three "primitive rocket launchers" in the south. Netanyahu said Israel was holding Lebanon's government responsible for "everything taking place within its territory" and that Israel would not allow any harm to its citizens and sovereignty. The United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon said it was alarmed by the "volatile" situation and that any further escalation could have "serious consequences for the region." Prime Minister Nawaf Salam warned of a renewal of military operations in the south of Lebanon, adding: "All security and military measures must be taken to show that Lebanon decides on matters of war and peace."The ceasefire ended Israel's intense bombardment and ground operations in Lebanon and Hezbollah's daily rocket barrages into Israel. Each side has accused the other of failing to implement the deal in full. Israel says Hezbollah still has military infrastructure in the south. Lebanon and Hezbollah say Israel is occupying Lebanese land by continuing to carry out some airstrikes and keeping its troops at five hilltop positions near the frontier.

Israel launches more strikes on Lebanon after rocket fire
AFP/March 22, 2025
BEIRUT: Israel launched a new wave of strikes on Lebanon in response to a rocket attack from across the border on Saturday, as militant group Hezbollah denied responsibility for the launch. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered “a second wave of strikes against dozens of Hezbollah targets in Lebanon,” the defense ministry said, in the largest escalation since a November 27 ceasefire. It said the strikes were “a response to rocket fire toward Israel and a continuation of the first series of strikes carried out this morning” against southern Lebanon.
Lebanon’s official National News Agency reported one girl among five people killed in an Israeli strike during the day on the southern town of Touline. The agency later said three people were killed in an Israeli strike on the city of Tyre, targeted in the second wave of strikes on the south and east, with multiple injuries also reported. Bilal Kachmar, spokesman for the Tyre Disaster Management Unit, told AFP two people were killed and two wounded when “an Israeli strike targeted an apartment in a residential building in the Al-Raml neighborhood of Tyre,” a key coastal city targeted for the first time since the ceasefire.
A security source told AFP that a Hezbollah official was targeted in the Tyre strike, without confirming whether he had been killed. Israel’s military said six rockets, three of which were intercepted, were fired from Lebanon into northern Israel Saturday, setting off air raid sirens.
Hezbollah denied any involvement in the rocket attack, and called Israel’s accusations “pretexts for its continued attacks on Lebanon.”Hezbollah said it stands “with the Lebanese state in addressing this dangerous Zionist escalation on Lebanon.”
While Hezbollah has long held sway over parts of Lebanon bordering Israel, other Lebanese and Palestinian groups have also carried out cross-border attacks. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam warned that renewed military operations on the southern border risked “dragging the country into a new war,” his office said. Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi called for “pressure on Israel to stop the aggression and escalation and contain the dangerous situation on the southern borders.”
Israeli defense chiefs say they hold the Lebanese government responsible for all hostile fire from its territory, regardless of who launches it. “We cannot allow fire from Lebanon on Galilee communities,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said of towns and villages in the north, many of which were evacuated after Hezbollah began firing at Israel in support of Hamas in October 2023. “The Lebanese government is responsible for attacks from its territory. I have ordered the military to respond accordingly,” Katz said. The United Nations peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon said it was “alarmed by the possible escalation of violence” following Saturday morning’s rocket fire. France, which helped broker the ceasefire, condemned the rocket fire and urged Israel to show “restraint,” while Jordan called for immediate international action to “stop the Israeli aggression against Lebanon.”
Hezbollah has long had strongholds in south and east Lebanon, as well as south Beirut, but the war with Israel dealt the group devastating blows, leaving it massively weakened. Under the ceasefire, Hezbollah is supposed to pull its forces back north of the Litani River, about 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the Israeli border, and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in the south. Israel is supposed to withdraw its forces across the UN-demarcated Blue Line, the de facto border, but has missed two deadlines to do so and continues to hold five positions it deems “strategic.” Israel has carried out repeated air strikes during the ceasefire, targeting what it said were Hezbollah military sites that violated the agreement. The Lebanese army said it had dismantled three makeshift rocket batteries in an area north of the Litani on Saturday. Saturday’s flare-up came five days into Israel’s renewed offensive against Hamas in Gaza, which shattered the relative calm since a January 19 ceasefire there. On Saturday in Gaza City, Sameh Al-Mashharawi said “seven people were martyred” in a strike on his family’s house that killed his two brothers, their children and wives. Katz said Friday he had ordered the army to “seize more territory in Gaza.”“The more Hamas refuses to free the hostages, the more territory it will lose, which will be annexed by Israel,” he said. When the first stage of the Gaza ceasefire expired early this month, Israel rejected negotiations on the promised second stage, calling instead for the return of all its remaining hostages under an extended first stage. That would have meant delaying talks on a lasting ceasefire, and was rejected by Hamas as an attempt to renegotiate the original deal mediated by the United States, Qatar and Egypt.

Katz says Metula's fate same as Beirut's after 3 rockets fired from Lebanon
Agence France Presse/March 22/2025
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned the military would hit back after intercepting three rockets fired from Lebanon into northern Israel on Saturday. "We cannot allow fire from Lebanon on Galilee communities," Katz said in a statement. "The Lebanese government is responsible for attacks from its territory. I have ordered the military to respond accordingly."Air raid sirens sounded at 7:30 am (0530 GMT) in Metula, an Israeli settlement near the Lebanese border.The Israeli military later said three rockets had entered Israeli territory but were intercepted. "We promised security to Galilee communities, and that is exactly what will happen," Katz said. "Metula's fate is the same as Beirut's." The official National News Agency in Lebanon said Israeli warplanes flew over eastern areas of southern Lebanon and that interceptor missiles exploded. NNA said Israeli ground troops were strafing the Hamames hills with automatic weapon fire. It also reported Israeli artillery fire on the Nabatieh district in the south and the town of Khiam, which was hit by "three shells (fired by) Merkava tanks."The Israeli military also fired automatic weapons at the border villages of Houla, Markaba and Kfar Kila. A November 27 truce largely halted more than a year of fighting between Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel, including two months of full-blown war during which Israel sent in ground troops.

Assassination of Radwan Awada in an Airstrike on Tyre… Who Was He?
Janoubia/March 22, 2025
In a significant escalation, the Israeli army announced on Saturday the assassination of a senior Hezbollah figure.
In a statement, the army declared: “We have killed Radwan Salim Awada, a Hezbollah operations commander, in an airstrike on Tyre, South Lebanon.”
Who Was Radwan Awada?
Initially, Israel’s Army Radio revealed that one of the primary targets of the airstrikes was “a prominent figure within the party,” raising speculation about the identity of the person targeted. Despite Israeli claims, Hezbollah has not issued any official statement regarding the incident. However, pro-Hezbollah media pages published an official obituary confirming his death. The obituary stated that Awada was from the town of Shaheen in South Lebanon and would be buried on Sunday afternoon in Bourj Al-Shamali.
Awada was known by his military alias, “Jihad.”
The Death Announcement of Radwan Awada
Local sources reported that the airstrike on Tyre was carried out by a drone targeting an apartment in a ten-story building. “Divine providence prevented a massacre among civilians residing in the targeted building,” sources said, adding that the strike resulted in the deaths of Tyre resident Safi Bahr and Rania Houmani, as well as injuries to over ten other civilians.
The Martyr Safi Bahr
On Saturday, Israel launched a series of airstrikes in two waves across South Lebanon, resulting in seven deaths and 40 injuries, according to a statement from the Ministry of Health issued Saturday evening. The strikes followed the launch of six rockets from South Lebanon toward Israeli-occupied territories by an unidentified group. Hezbollah has denied any involvement in the attack.

Ministry of Health: Seven Martyrs and Forty Wounded in Today's Israeli Airstrikes on Lebanese Areas
Janoubia/March 22, 2025
The Public Health Emergency Operations Center of the Ministry of Public Health announced that "a series of airstrikes carried out by the Israeli enemy on several Lebanese areas resulted in the martyrdom of seven individuals and the injury of forty others."According to detailed reports, the casualties are as follows:
Touline: Five martyrs, including a child, and eleven wounded, among them two children.
Tyre: One martyr and ten wounded, including a child.
Al-Qulaila: One martyr and five wounded, including two children.
Kafr Kila: Two wounded.
Yohmor Al-Shaqif: One wounded.
Housh Al-Sayyed Ali: Six wounded.
Israeli warplanes launched a series of airstrikes today on vast areas in South Lebanon and the Beqaa, targeting the city of Tyre for the first time since the ceasefire came into effect three months ago.
The villages and towns subjected to Israeli attacks this evening:
Deir Qanoun Al-Nahr
Wadi Sanya - Kfar Melki
Nabi Sheet - Sarain
Tyre (drone strike)
Mounts of Iqlim Al-Tuffah
Al-Qusayr
Wadi Al-Aziya - Zbqeen
The valley between Houmeen Al-Tahta and Roumine
Al-Qulaila
Al-Qasr (border town)
Housh Al-Sayyed Ali
Loubieh - Al-Saksakieh
Touline
Meanwhile, Israel's Army Radio reported that "the military attempted to assassinate a senior Hezbollah figure today, and security agencies are currently verifying whether the operation was successful."
Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee claimed that "the Israeli army targeted Hezbollah command centers, infrastructure, operatives, rocket platforms, and a weapons depot in South Lebanon," following the launch of several unidentified rockets from Lebanese territory toward the Israeli settlement of Metula in occupied Palestinian territory.

Israeli Newspaper: Toward New Borders with Lebanon – No Return to the Armistice Line!
Exclusive – Janoubia/March 22, 2025
Israeli political and media voices are increasingly rejecting the idea of returning to the Blue Line, the land border separating Lebanon and Israel. These voices are demanding security guarantees for northern Israeli settlements, calling for border adjustments based on terrain to ensure their defense. Israeli journalist Aharon Greber wrote: "Israel has begun discussions on delineating a mutually agreed border with Lebanon. However, it is crucial to safeguard Israeli interests, primarily by establishing a defensible border that ensures the safety of northern settlements."
Israeli Demands in South Lebanon
Greber asserts that Israel has “historical claims” in southern Lebanon. He recalls that early Zionist leaders viewed the Litani River as Israel’s natural northern boundary and that parts of southern Lebanon were previously owned by Jews. However, despite these historical claims—unlike the situation in the Golan Heights—Israel is not seeking to annex southern Lebanon. Instead, he argues that "this historical context justifies necessary border adjustments, particularly in areas where the terrain naturally creates a security buffer that guarantees stability up to the new border line."
According to Greber, "this would allow us to restore the way of life that was disrupted by the war Lebanon initiated." He further emphasizes that "the new border should be determined based on the results of the war and Israel’s victory—not by redrawing the outdated mandate-era border that was set a century ago."
He highlights that since Israel’s withdrawal from South Lebanon in 2000 and the subsequent international recognition of the Blue Line, around 13 disputed border points have remained unresolved. Hezbollah has exploited these disputes as a pretext to justify its growing military power and ongoing threats to invade the Galilee.
Time for Border Redefinition
The journalist claims that for nearly a year, Hezbollah has continuously fired at northern Israel, causing the destruction of homes in Israeli settlements. He also cites Operation “Northern Arrows” as evidence of Hezbollah’s large weapons stockpiles, allegedly intended for massacres against Israeli civilians. Now, after Israel has destroyed key Hezbollah targets that were meant to facilitate attacks on northern settlements, Greber insists that the time has come to "redraw the borders in a way that prevents further aggression and guarantees effective defense." He states: "Nasrallah was the aggressor in this war, aligning himself with [Yahya] Sinwar and Hamas. Now, Lebanon must pay the price."Since the escalation, the Israeli army has taken positions beyond the border fence in strategically significant locations. Greber stresses that Israel must maintain this new reality and establish new borders that ensure lasting security and deter future attacks.
Capitalizing on Victory
Greber argues that Israel’s victory over Hezbollah must translate into tangible geopolitical changes. He believes that achieving peace with neighboring countries requires making it clear to Israel’s enemies that war will only lead to their further decline. He concludes: "Israel currently enjoys strong support in Washington. Now is the time to shift our military doctrine, redraw the border with U.S. backing, and align it with Israel’s long-term security interests."Finally, Greber asserts that "a mutually agreed, defensible border will guarantee safety for the Galilee, create deterrence against future attacks, and lay the groundwork for peace agreements from a position of strength—ultimately contributing to global stability."

Israeli army chief holds assessment after rocket fire from Lebanon
Naharnet/March 22/2025
Israeli army chief Eyal Zamir held a situational assessment Saturday over the rocket fire from Lebanon that targeted the northern settlement of Metula in the morning, the Israeli army said. The army added that it holds the Lebanese government responsible for the ceasefire violation and that it will respond to the attack "severely."It added that there are no changes to the Israeli army's Home Front Command instructions.

After rockets from Lebanon, Israeli mayor asks northern chief if he still thinks it's safe to return
Naharnet/March 22/2025
Kiryat Shmona Mayor Avichai Stern on Saturday asked the Israeli military’s Northern Command chief if he still believes it is safe for residents to return to the north after three rockets were fired from Lebanon at Metula earlier in the morning.
“I have just one question for the head of the IDF’s Northern Command, Maj. Gen. Ori Gordin, who said there is nothing preventing a return to the north — do you still think that?” Stern said in a statement cited by Israeli media outlets.

Metula mayor says army, govt. trying to 'normalize' rocket fire from Lebanon
Naharnet/March 22/2025
The mayor of the northern Israeli settlement of Metula, David Azoulai, accused the government and the Israeli army's Northern Command of trying to "normalize" a situation of occasional rocket fire from Lebanon, after three rockets were fired from south Lebanon on Saturday morning. “We won’t allow them to normalize this. I call on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and of course IDF Northern Command head Maj. Gen. Ori Gordin to act offensively and make it so that not one bullet is fired ever again at northern communities,” he told the Ynet news site. “This is a failure, this is exactly the policy of containment of October 7. Instead of dealing with nonsense, start providing security to the country’s residents,” he urged.

Aoun condemns 'attempts to drag Lebanon anew into cycle of violence'
Naharnet/March 22/2025
President Joseph Aoun on Saturday condemned “the attempts to drag Lebanon anew into the cycle of violence,” after Israel said it intercepted three rockets fired from south Lebanon at north Israel. In a statement, Aoun asked the army to “take the necessary measures to preserve citizens’ safety” and to launch an investigation. “What happened today in the South and what has been continuing there since Feb. 18 represent a blow to the project of rescuing Lebanon on which the Lebanese have unanimously agreed,” Aoun warned. He accordingly called on “all the forces concerned in the Lebanese south, especially the monitoring committee emanating from the Nov. 2024 agreement, and the army to follow up on what’s happening with utter seriousness in order to avoid any repercussions and control any violation or chaos that might endanger the country in these delicate circumstances.”

Lebanese presidency reportedly rules out deterioration after rockets at Israel
Naharnet/March 22/2025
Contacts are underway at the highest levels with the parties concerned with the ceasefire agreement to prevent a deterioration of the situation, after rockets were fired at Israel from south Lebanon, Lebanese presidency sources told Saudi Arabia’s Asharq news outlet. The Lebanese presidency sources “ruled out a deterioration in south Lebanon amid the ongoing contacts,” Asharq said. “The Lebanese Army is carrying out a thorough investigation to unveil the details of the rocket launches and the party responsible,” the sources added. “The Lebanese Army is trying to determine whether the rockets were fired from Lebanon at Israel and whether the party that launched them is Lebanese,” the sources said.

Salam urges security measures to assert that state controls war and peace decisions
Naharnet/March 22/2025
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam called Defense Minister Michel Menassa on Saturday, after three rockets were fired at Israel from south Lebanon, stressing “the need to take all the necessary security and military measures to assert that the state alone takes the decisions of war and peace.”Salam also warned against a renewal of military operations on the southern border, saying that “carries a risk to drag the country into a new war that would bring tragedies for Lebanon and the Lebanese.”Moreover, the premier held phone talks with U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, calling on the U.N. to “double international pressure on Israel to fully withdraw from Lebanese territory, seeing as this occupation violates Resolution 1701 and the arrangements related to the cessation of hostilities that was approved by the previous government in November and Lebanon is committed to.”

Rockets Fired at Border Village of Metula, Katz Threatens the Lebanese State
This is Beirut/March 22/2025
A new escalation of tensions was reported on Saturday morning in southern Lebanon following the launch of five rockets from Lebanon toward the border village of Metula. A series of explosions caused by Israeli interceptor missiles was reported in the airspace of southeastern Lebanon. Three rockets were intercepted, while two landed on Lebanese soil. In response, Israeli artillery shelling targeted the Haret al-Ain neighborhood in the locality of Yohmor al-Shaqif, the villages of Khiam and Hula, the outskirts of Arnun and Kfar Tibnit near the Al-Khardali River, as well as the vicinity of Markaba. Additionally, the Israeli army conducted a sweeping operation with automatic weapons from its position on the Hamames hill. The outskirts of Hula, Markaba, and Kfar Kila were also targeted by heavy machine gun fire from adjacent Israeli positions, with military aircraft flying over the eastern sector. Level 3 alert sirens were activated at UNIFIL centers in Deir Siryan and Aadchit. Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee announced on X that “the Air Force intercepted three rockets fired from Lebanon toward Israel. The alert sirens were activated at 07:32 and 07:34 in the border town of Metula.”
"The defense forces will respond with force to these shootings," he added. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz issued threats, holding the Lebanese state responsible for the incident and vowing retaliation.
“We will not allow fire from Lebanon to target communities in the Galilee. We have promised to ensure the security of Galilee’s residents, and that is exactly what will happen. The law of Metula is the same as that of Beirut. The Lebanese government is responsible for any fire originating from its territory. I have instructed the Israeli army to respond accordingly,” he stated.
President Joseph Aoun warns against escalation in South Lebanon
In this context, the President of the Republic, Joseph Aoun, condemned attempts to drag Lebanon back into a cycle of violence. He considered that “the events that have occurred in South Lebanon since February 18 constitute a persistent aggression against the country and a threat to the national rescue project supported by the Lebanese”. Aoun also called on all parties concerned, including the Monitoring Commission set up following the ceasefire agreement reached in November 2024, and the army, to closely monitor the situation to prevent any escalation.
He asked the army's Commander-in-Chief, Rodolphe Haykal, to take the necessary measures to ensure the safety of citizens, and to investigate the circumstances of the incident (the rockets fired at Metula from Lebanon). According to LBCI, Hezbollah told President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam that it was not involved in the events in the south, stressing its commitment to the ceasefire and its support for the Lebanese state. According to the same sources, Hezbollah refused to “engage in any further escalation, in light of the current security tensions on the southern front”.
For his part, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam warned against the risk of a “new war”, calling for international pressure against Israel. Salam contacted the Minister of National Defense, Michel Menassa, emphasizing the need to take all necessary security and military measures and reaffirming that only the state has the right to decide on matters of war and peace. The Prime Minister also reached out to the United Nations Secretary-General’s personal representative in Lebanon, Jeanine Plasschaert, urging the UN to "intensify international pressure on Israel to fully withdraw from the occupied Lebanese territories." He stated that "this occupation constitutes a violation of UN Resolution 1701 and the ceasefire agreements approved by the previous government last October, to which Lebanon has committed." As for the Parliament Speaker, Nabih Berri, he called on the Lebanese army, the judicial and security authorities and the ceasefire monitoring committee to “quickly clarify the circumstances of what happened this morning in the south”, stressing that the sole beneficiary of these developments is Israel. He mentioned that Israel is responsible, “so far, for more than 1,500 violations of resolution 1701 and the terms of the ceasefire agreement, while Lebanon and Hezbollah are fully committed to respecting all its provisions”. Berri reiterated his call to “all Lebanese, especially the political forces, to control political discourse, to rally around the state as well as its constitutional, judicial, military and security institutions”.

Lebanon says one killed in Israeli strike on Tyre city
LBCI/March 22/2025
An Israeli strike on the Lebanese coastal city of Tyre killed one person and wounded seven others on Saturday, according to Lebanon's health ministry. "The Israeli enemy strike on the city of Tyre led to an updated toll of one dead and seven wounded," the health ministry was quoted as saying by state news agency NNA.

Israel strikes 50 sites in Lebanon in response to rocket fire towards Metula: Israeli Army Radio
LBCI/March 22/2025
The Israeli Army Radio stated that Israel's Air Force carried out airstrikes targeting 50 sites in Lebanon on Saturday, responding to the launch of six rockets towards the Israeli town of Metula. The strikes targeted various locations, including Tyre, Hermel, Houmine El Tahta.

Israeli Airstrikes in South Lebanon Resume Fiercely, Causing Casualties
This Is Beirut/March 22/2025
Tension has been prevailing since Saturday morning on the southern front, after six rockets were fired towards Metula from southern Lebanon, three of which penetrated Israeli airspace and were intercepted, according to Israeli military sources. The Israeli air force launched on Saturday afternoon a wide aerial attack. The Israeli army claimed responsibility for strikes against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, while the Israeli Ministry of Security announced that these attacks were in response to the bombing of Metula on Saturday morning. An airstrike targeting the town of Tulin (Nabatiyeh) destroyed a house, killing two people, including a child, and wounding eight, including two children. Debris removal work is still ongoing, according to the Ministry of Health's Public Health Emergency Operations Center (PHEOC). Meanwhile, the PHEOC issued a statement announcing that two citizens were injured in Kfar Kila as a result of the Israeli army's aggressive actions. They were hospitalized for treatment. Israeli air raids targeted the Salhani area on the outskirts of the town of Beit Lif in the Bint Jbeil district, the valley on the outskirts of Tayr Harfa and the outskirts of the town of Ain Qana. The Israeli army also carried out raids on Beslayya, Birkat al-Jabbour, the outskirts of Kfar Houneh, al-Rihan and al-Mahmoudiyeh, on the outskirts of Aaychiyeh in the Jezzine region. A series of airstrikes hit the outskirts of Sejoud, the Jabal Safi and Jabal al-Rafi'a heights, the vicinity of Mlita, the outskirts of Ain Qana and Kfar Milki in the Iqlim al-Tuffah area. In addition, the Israeli army carried out a raid that coincided with the first raid, targeting Wadi Zebqin in the western sector. The Israeli army’s radio reported, citing two security sources, “Our response to the shooting is not over yet and there will be more attacks within hours.”As far as Hezbollah is concerned, the party issued the following statement: “Hezbollah denies any involvement in the firing of rockets from southern Lebanon into the occupied Palestinian territories, emphasizing that the Israeli enemy's claims are part of the pretexts for its continued attacks on Lebanon, which have not stopped since the ceasefire was announced. Hezbollah reaffirms its commitment to the ceasefire agreement and stands behind the Lebanese state in addressing this dangerous Zionist escalation against Lebanon.” The UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti stated on Saturday that “UNIFIL remains alarmed by the possible escalation of violence following the detection of four projectiles launched at around 7:30 am from Lebanon into Israel in the vicinity of Metula and triggering immediate retaliation by the IDF”.He urged “all parties to avoid jeopardizing the progress made, especially when civilian lives and the fragile stability observed in recent months are at risk. Any further escalation of this volatile situation could have serious consequences for the region”.“The situation remains extremely fragile, and we encourage both sides to uphold their commitments. UNIFIL peacekeepers remain in all positions,” he concluded.

Israel wages evening strikes on Lebanon, causing casualties in Tyre city
Naharnet /March 22/2025
Israel carried out a second wave of airstrikes in Lebanon on Saturday evening, including in the southern city of Tyre and the Bekaa region, in response to three rockets that were fired by unknown individuals from Lebanon at north Israel.
The Israeli strike on Tyre killed one person and wounded seven others, according to Lebanon's health ministry. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered "a second wave of strikes against dozens of Hezbollah targets in Lebanon" late Saturday, the defense ministry said. It said the strikes were "a response to rocket fire towards Israel and a continuation of the first series of strikes carried out this morning" against southern Lebanon, where a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect in November. The Israeli army claimed that its evening strikes targeted "Hezbollah command centers, infrastructure, militants, rocket launchpads and an arms depot." Five people were killed and 11 others wounded in an Israeli airstrike on the southern town of Touline, the Health Ministry said. It added that six people were killed and 31 others wounded in the two waves of Israeli airstrikes on the South and the Bekaa.

2 dead, 8 hurt as Israel strikes across south Lebanon after rocket fire
Agence France Presse/Associated Press/March 22/2025
Israel launched at least 18 air strikes on at least 11 areas across south Lebanon on Saturday after intercepting cross-border rocket fire, with Lebanese state media reporting two people killed and eight wounded in the southern town of Touline. Israel's Prime Minister's office said it instructed the army to act forcefully against dozens of targets in Lebanon, adding: “Israel will not allow any harm to its citizens and sovereignty." Israel's army said carrier out strikes on dozens of alleged Hezbollah targets in south Lebanon. The Israeli army said three rockets were fired from Lebanon into northern Israel in the morning, setting off air raid sirens in the region for the first time since a November ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah. The Israeli military said all three rockets were intercepted and there was no immediate claim of responsibility from any group. But Israeli defense chiefs said they held the Lebanese government responsible for all hostile fire from its territory regardless of who launched it. "We cannot allow fire from Lebanon on Galilee communities," Defense Minister Israel Katz said, referring to settlements in the north, many of which were evacuated after Hezbollah began firing on Israel in support of Hamas in October 2023. "The Lebanese government is responsible for attacks from its territory. I have ordered the military to respond accordingly," Katz said. "We promised security to Galilee communities, and that is exactly what will happen. Metula's fate is the same as Beirut's."Armed forces chief Eyal Zamir warned the military would "respond severely". "The state of Lebanon bears responsibility for upholding the agreement," he said, referring to the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah which was signed by the government on the Lebanese side. Lebanon's official National News Agency said Israeli air strikes and shelling had targeted several areas of the south. NNA had earlier reported Israeli strikes wounded two people in the border village of Kfarkila.
U.N. 'alarm'
The U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon said it was "alarmed by the possible escalation of violence" following the morning's rocket fire. "Any further escalation of this volatile situation could have serious consequences for the region," it said. "We strongly urge all parties to avoid jeopardizing the progress made, especially when civilian lives and the fragile stability observed in recent months are at risk."There was no immediate claim for the rocket fire on Israel. Although Hezbollah launched the great majority of the rockets fired during the past two years, the Lebanese arm of Palestinian militant group Hamas claimed some attacks. Under the terms of the ceasefire, Hezbollah was supposed to pull its forces back north of the Litani River, some 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the Israeli border and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in the south. Israel has carried out repeated air strikes during the ceasefire that it said targeted Hezbollah military sites that violated the agreement. The Lebanese Army said it had dismantled three makeshift rocket batteries in an area north of the Litani on Saturday. Gaza assault enters day five  Saturday's flare-up on the Lebanese border came as Israel's renewed offensive against Hamas militants in Gaza entered its fifth day.Israel's resumption of military operations on Tuesday shattered the relative calm that had reigned since a January 19 ceasefire.

Hezbollah denies responsibility for rocket fire on Israel
Agence France Presse/March 22/2025
Hezbollah denied firing rockets at Israel on Saturday, as Israel struck southern Lebanon in response to three rockets it said were launched from across the border.
"Hezbollah denies any involvement in the rocket fire from southern Lebanon into the occupied Palestinian territories (Israel)," the group said in a statement, calling Israel's accusations "pretexts for its continued attacks on Lebanon."

Witkoff: Normalization Between Israel and Lebanon Is Possible
This Is Beirut/March 22/2025
US Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steven Witkoff, recently stated that the normalization of relations between Lebanon, Syria, and Israel is no longer a distant dream, but a real and tangible possibility. In an interview with Tucker Carlson, Witkoff suggested that these countries could eventually establish formal diplomatic ties with Israel, a process that could mark a significant turning point in the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East. He added that the normalization of relations between Lebanon and Israel, followed by Syria and Israel, could be part of a broader process aimed at bringing peace to the region. Speaking about Syria’s transitional President, Ahmed al-Shareh, Witkoff stated that "people change." "You are a completely different person at fifty-five than you were at thirty-five. Personally, I realize that at sixty-eight, I am no longer the same person I was thirty years ago. Perhaps Ahmed al-Shareh, who was once known as Abu Mohammad al-Joulani in Syria, has also become a different person. They’ve expelled Iran from there," he explained. "Imagine the situation if Lebanon normalized its relations with Israel, followed by Syria, and if Saudi Arabia signed a normalization agreement with Israel after securing peace in Gaza. This is a crucial prerequisite for normalization with Saudi Arabia," he added. "Such steps would lead to the formation of an alliance among the Gulf States, working together to ensure regional stability," he concluded.

Rockets in South Lebanon: A Message of Military and Political Escalation
Bassam Abou Zeid/This Is Beirut/March 22/2025
Lebanese security services are working to identify those truly responsible for the rockets launched from southern Lebanon toward Israel on Saturday. Military intelligence views the attack as suspicious, believing it is an attempt to drag Lebanon back into war. In response, Lebanese authorities are intensifying diplomatic efforts—particularly with the United States—to prevent further escalation. From a military perspective, neither the method of attack nor its strategic impact—both insignificant compared to Israel’s firepower—matter most.
The key issue lies in the broader implication: regardless of who is responsible, the incident proves that southern Lebanon remains a staging ground for those seeking to inflame tensions with Israel, reignite cycles of violence and expose both the local population and the entire country to renewed dangers. This reality is widely rejected, especially by the people of the South. The rockets were fired from crude wooden launchers—a technique previously employed by Palestinian factions such as the Popular Front General Command, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, as well as by radical Islamist groups. However, this does not rule out the possibility of involvement by other actors, including Hezbollah, despite its official denial. Notably, Hezbollah took five hours to issue its denial, raising key questions: Why such a delay? Was it due to difficulties in coordinating a response with its leadership? Or was it an internal verification process to ensure that no faction within the group had acted independently? Another intriguing detail is that a Hezbollah flag and a photo of Hassan Nasrallah were found near the launch site. Was it an attempt to frame the group? Or could individual Hezbollah members have been involved without official authorization?
Reports suggest growing internal divisions within Hezbollah between those advocating adherence to the ceasefire and implementation of UN Resolution 1701 and those who insist that weapons must remain the decisive factor, regardless of the consequences. Some within the latter camp argue that if Hassan Nasrallah were still alive, he would never have accepted a ceasefire in southern Lebanon while the war in Gaza continued. Under this logic, Saturday’s rocket attack was a direct response to Israel’s renewed military operations in Gaza—an effort to reignite Hezbollah’s military support strategy.
At the same time, there is growing speculation over how Israel, with its extensive surveillance capabilities, failed to detect the preparations for this attack. The launch area—between Kfar Tebnit and Arnoun—is under constant Israeli drone surveillance, frequently tracking Hezbollah operatives and even carrying out targeted assassinations. As the situation unfolds, some sources stress the urgency of fully implementing Resolution 1701, particularly its core provision: the disarmament of Hezbollah. Lebanon’s timeframe to comply is rapidly shrinking, and the United States is increasing pressure to accelerate negotiations between Beirut and Tel Aviv. The objective is to establish lasting stability along the border—not necessarily full normalization, but a framework that goes beyond a temporary truce as an initial step.

Rediscovering Jean Ducruet: The Man Who Preserved Saint Joseph University
Fady Noun/This Is Beirut/March 22/2025
The chaplaincy of Saint Joseph University (USJ) had the inspired idea this year to honor Father Jean Ducruet (1922–2010), rector of USJ from 1975 to 1995, by dedicating its 8th Jesuit Week (March 10–14) to him. This tribute coincided with the 150th anniversary of the university’s founding in 1875. To rediscover Father Jean Ducruet, one need only turn to L’Université et la Cité, a meticulously curated collection of his texts compiled by the university. This work highlights the breadth, diversity, and depth of his knowledge, the incisiveness of his reflections, and the unwavering determination with which he steered an institution that, without his leadership, might have faltered—but which he instead transformed into a leading private Lebanese university. Indeed, in 1972, the Society of Jesus had contemplated closing the university altogether. The book compiles speech transcripts spanning twenty years of his rectorship. From this extraordinary compilation emerges a man whose foreword highlights one of his greatest qualities: dedication. This virtue is beautifully illustrated in a quote from General de Gaulle. Speaking in 1931 at Saint Joseph University’s College in Beirut, de Gaulle—then only a commander—stated:
“For collective tasks, energy and aptitude are not enough. Dedication is a must. One should be willing to sacrifice something of oneself for the common goal.”This quote offers a glimpse of Father Jean Ducruet—a man of vision, endurance, and self-sacrifice. The phrase "speech transcripts" may seem misleading. There is no banality in these texts, no matter how simple or circumstantial their occasion. Readers quickly realize that the rector fully embraces the weight of his office and always transcends the moment to address essential concerns. The book exemplifies this approach as every text carries the dual concern of learning and cultural and spiritual education; and every technical discussion connects back to the human and social dimensions of education.
"Resignation Is Not Lebanese"
No detail escaped Father Ducruet’s keen awareness. One striking example is his discourse on the importance of dialogue between doctors and nurses:
“How can a medical team remain motivated if they believe, rightly or wrongly, that the procedures they are asked to perform amount to therapeutic obstinacy?”
This remark, from a speech on the nursing profession, reflects the impact of Lebanon’s wartime struggles. Addressing a graduating class of nurses, he urged them “never to give up”—whether to poorly executed work or to the partitioning of their homeland.
“Do not give up,” he insisted, “because, through your profession, you will witness the suffering of the wounded, the rebellion of the maimed, the despair of families, and the misery of the poor.”And he solemnly concluded: “Resignation is not Lebanese.”
Father Ducruet carried this patriotic message to all campuses—whether addressing students in humanities, law, economics, management, medicine, or engineering.
On Saint Joseph’s Day (March 19), his speeches took on a pedagogical tone. He analyzed the social realities of war, the conditions needed to restore social bonds, and the actions required to make the rule of law more than just an abstract concept—transforming it into “the historical horizon of fragmented narratives.” His speeches indeed serve as roadmaps for rebuilding the nation.
"Allowing Freedom to Emerge"
At the heart of his philosophy, citing Paul Ricoeur, he defined the mission of a worthy university education: “To a great extent, it consists of inscribing each individual’s project of freedom within a shared history of values.”
To this illuminating definition, he added: “Helping someone in their education means, first and foremost, helping them bring their freedom to life within the constraints that shape them.” (March 18, 1995, Patronal Feast of the University).
How far removed this vision is from the diploma factories into which so many institutions have degenerated! In a Middle East shaken by fundamentalism and violent upheavals, Father Ducruet patiently cultivated in his students a sense of history and hope, making them aware that they were part of a nation in the making. This Christian sense of hope—as a driving force of history—shone through in a graduation address at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities (January 8, 1994). Speaking at a university inspired by Christian values (though never doctrinally rigid), Father Ducruet reflected on Lebanon’s rich multilingual literary scene, saying: “Observing the thousands of books in diverse languages at these exhibitions, I thought of great rivers that, near their mouths, split into sluggish streams… I felt compelled to turn from these sometimes polluted waters and journey upstream to the source—the water that springs from the rock.”
Abraham, the Common Ancestor
He then made a profound observation: “These sources of our literature and civilization—need they even be named? They are Greek literature, which unveiled the universal human, and Biblical literature, which—before Christianity and Islam—revealed God within human history.”He concluded: “This new understanding of history, both personal and collective—how can we not see it embodied in the figure whom Jews, Christians, and Muslims revere as their common ancestor: Abraham, father of all wandering peoples? He believed in God’s promise, foreseeing a reality not yet visible. He awakened humanity to history—the history of a promise fulfilled. And with him, responding to the call of the migrant God, a God who is both on the road and the road itself, we became nomads. From then on, our existence, now carrying the promise of the future, became history.”
There is no doubt that L’Université et la Cité is a goldmine of reflections, a majestic portrait of a university captured through the words of a man who remains, thanks to this legacy, one of its pillars.
USJ: Guardian of Collective Consciousness
As Pope John Paul II once affirmed: “Born in Europe within the Church, the university institution is one of humanity’s masterpieces.”Citing the venerable universities of Bologna, Paris, Oxford, Krakow, Salamanca, and Coimbra, he noted how they played an essential role in shaping European culture. No less esteemed than its predecessors, Saint Joseph University belongs to this same lineage of institutions. Without it, Lebanon would not be what it is today. For many, USJ has had the immense privilege of nurturing Lebanon’s collective consciousness—shaping awareness of national identity and freedom.
In tribute to his legacy, Beirut’s municipality named a modest street near the USJ rectorate after Father Ducruet, running alongside the rectorate from Damascus Street to the Lycée.
Yet this gesture falls short. For so great an educator, there should be a grand square—a crossroads worthy of his name.

A pen, a voice, a legacy: The life and legacy of Hoda Chedid
LBCI/March 22, 2025
Who knows what's behind that smile? What's hidden behind this love, hope, and determination? Behind it all is a life lived by Hoda Chedid, filled with both sweetness and hardship. Life and war were harsh on Hoda, known by her nickname "Hodhod." As a young girl, her family sent her to a boarding school, where she searched daily for the love that once filled her distant home in Zgharta. Since then, Hoda understood that love is not just something you receive, but also something you give. As she grew, her heart filled with love for the whole world. The little girl grew up, and her village, Rachiine, and even Zgharta—the place she loved—became limiting, stifling her will and ambition. Her eyes turned to Beirut, pen in hand, where she sketched the details of her life and dreams. While studying political science at Saint Joseph University of Beirut, Hoda began her journalism career. Amid her dreams, her heart belonged to Ziad, and she rediscovered a love she had lost in her youth. She envisioned a future with a family and children. But suddenly, the dream vanished, and illness came. Cancer struck Ziad, leaving him with only a few months to live.
Hoda, who had been planning a future with her love, suddenly found her life at a standstill. But as always, Hoda stood up, faced the challenge, and decided to marry the love of her life. She wore her white dress and entered the Saydet el Hosn Church, hand in hand with Ziad, knowing what awaited her. To the heavens, she said, "Oh Lord, let Your will be done."At 21 years old, she never left her beloved for a minute, even through his pain in the hospital and at home. With her smile and strength, she stood by his side. When Ziad passed away, "Hodhod" was left alone. Her pen, which she had used to write her pain in silence, became her weapon. With that pen, Hoda transformed it into a tool and set a goal. Journalism became her lover, family, friend, and everything else.With her smile, presence, strong personality, knowledge, and precision, she carved a path in the tough world of media. With that same pen, she wrote for Al Liwaa, An-Nahar, and L'Orient-Le Jour. Her voice reached the airwaves through Voice of Lebanon. With that same pen, she wrote for LBCI, where she showed not only her professionalism but also her femininity to the people. Every step she took in her career proved she was a journalist at a time when journalism was waning. In times of truth, her perspective became a voice to be reckoned with. Throughout her time at LBCI, she covered both war and peace. With politicians, she remained steadfast. No pressure affected her, and no money could tempt her. Her story was the story, and wherever there was truth, Hoda was there. At headquarters, she sought out the scoop. She knew when to speak and when to remain silent and could de-escalate conflicts rather than provoke them. At LBCI, she constantly pushed ahead of herself, never following the crowd—a challenge she embraced. As the years went by, Hoda succeeded and spread joy. But suddenly, the disease returned. Cancer, which Hoda had prayed would not come back, struck again. At that moment, Hoda thought her world was over. She spoke to LBCI chairman Sheikh Pierre El Daher, telling him she wouldn't return to work. But a message surprised her: "We're waiting for you, with or without hair, with or without a scarf. We'll fight this battle together, and you will win."
Like a rock, she stood firm, her smile lighting up the screen. Undergoing treatment in both the United States and Lebanon, amid pain, tears, and smiles, she said, "One week of treatment, one week of work, and it will pass."Eight years later, Hoda beat the disease, living those years as she wanted. She wrote her story, full of hope. But time passed, and the disease returned. This time, she feared the treatment would cause her hair to fall out. Once again, the answer came from Pierre El Daher, the brother, friend, and support she had always counted on, when he said: "You will appear as you are." Hoda challenged herself, embraced the beautiful woman within, and faced the world with her scarf. Her heart nearly stopped from fear, but her mind told her: "Come on, Hoda, stand tall."She stood, said "hope," and became a lesson in strength, faith, ethics, and laughter. Hoda was the sweet spirit who passed through our lives, and what is dearer than the spirit? Hoda, you went too soon, leaving behind a legacy of strength, hope, and courage. Your journey inspired all who knew you, and your spirit continues to live on in the hearts of many. We say: we love you.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on March 22-23/2025
Trump Envoy Says US Trying to Win Iran’s Trust
Asharq Al Awsat/March 22, 2025
Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said the US president was trying to head off armed conflict with Iran by building trust with Tehran in remarks broadcast Friday. In an interview with online news anchor Tucker Carlson published on X, Witkoff said Trump's recent letter to the Tehran government had not been intended as a threat. The United States and Iran are longtime foes and relations are at a new low after new Israeli strikes against targets in Gaza and threats to shipping from Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi militias. On March 7, Trump said he had written to Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei urging a resumption of negotiations about the Iranian nuclear program. He also warned of potential military action and Khamenei, in a televised speech on Friday said: "The Americans should know threats will get them nowhere when confronting Iran." But Witkoff, defending Trump's outreach, told Carlson that Trump has the military upper hand and it would be more natural for the Iranians to push for a diplomatic solution. "Instead, it's him doing that," he said of the letter. "It roughly said: 'I'm a president of peace. That's what I want. There's no reason for us to do this militarily. We should talk,'" Witkoff said. "We should create a verification program so that nobody worries about weaponization of your nuclear material... because the alternative is not a very good alternative." Witkoff said that US discussions with Iran continue through "back channels, through multiple countries and multiple conduits." Trump, he said, is "open to an opportunity to clean it all up with Iran, where they come back to the world and be a great nation once again... He wants to build trust with them."

Syrian Security Forces Intensify Operations against Remnants of Ousted Regime
Asharq Al Awsat/March 22, 2025
Syrian security forces have intensified their operations against remnants of the ousted regime of President Bashar al-Assad. Reports said they arrested Abdul Karim al-Muhaimid, who was responsible for clan attacks in the eastern Deir Ezzor region. They also arrested his son Ahmed and another suspect, Mohsen al-Ali. On Thursday, the forces arrested the head of an Iran-affiliated faction that fought alongside Assad's troops. Moayad Abdul Samad al-Douaihy founded and led a faction known as the Sayyida Zeinab Brigade, affiliated with Iran's Revolutionary Guards. The forces had previously arrested Yasser Matroud, a media official working for the National Defense Militias that is loyal to the regime. All of these arrests were made in Deir Ezzor. In the Damascus countryside, the security forces arrested several remnants of the regime, including Bashar Mahfoud, the official in charge of recruiting members of the 25th Division, led by Suheil al-Hassan and Khaled Othman. The security forces also continued to discover weapons and drugs caches in various regions. Sources close to the general security agency in Damascus told Asharq Al-Awsat that the security challenges are the greatest threat facing the new government. Acts of revenge and violations continue to be reported across the country. They are threatening civil peace because these crimes are being promoted on social media. Moreover, hundreds of members of the former regime are still armed and at large. Furthermore, dozens of drug smugglers remain, as well as several criminals who were released from prisons the night the regime was toppled and its jails were opened to free people who had been disappeared. The criminals and remnants of the regime are sowing chaos after their sources of income came to a stop with the collapse of the regime. Some have started to group up and are carrying out abductions, robberies and promoting drugs. Most dangerous of all is that some of these groups are following a foreign agenda, warned the sources.
List of crimes
Sources in Deir Ezzor said al-Muhaimid was responsible for stoking clashes between clans and the Syrian Democratic Forces at Iran’s behest. Al-Douaihy's Sayyida Zeinab Brigade was disbanded in 2015 on suspicion of corruption. Al-Douaihy converted to Shiism during the war, was affiliated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and suspected to committing several crimes. Mahfoud is accused of war crimes and of forming abduction and robbery gangs after the collapse of the regime. In the Damascus countryside, security forces arrested Mowafaq Hammoud, who is accused of taking a photo as he stands over the corpses of victims of the Assad regime. In Aleppo, security forces arrested a drug smuggler, seizing a cache of some 3 million Captagon pills.

Sources: Qaani Warns Iraqi Factions against Provoking the Americans
Baghdad: Ali Saray/March 22, 2025
Trusted sources informed Asharq Al-Awsat that commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Forces Esmail Qaani has warned Iraqi armed factions “against provoking the Americans and Israelis” or risk the US attacking them the way it is the Houthis in Yemen. The pro-Iran factions in Iraq have for weeks been toning down their rhetoric and hostile activity after coming under international pressure and given the American strikes against the Houthis. The sources revealed that Qaani had delivered his message from the Iranian leadership during a recent visit to Iraq. He asked them against carrying out “any military activity during their critical phase.”“A single spark could ignite the Iraqi front,” he warned. The factions were “relieved” by the message given the pressure they have been facing for months, said the sources. Tehran believes that the US “will not hesitate in attacking Iraq if the factions there act to support the Houthis,” they went on to say. Media reports said Qaani had visited Baghdad last week where he met with politicians in the pro-Iran Coordination Framework and leaders of armed factions. His visits are often held in secret but not this time. Qaani reiterated Tehran’s “commitment to supporting its allies in Baghdad should they come under American pressure,” added the reports.
Houthis shut Iraqi HQ
Meanwhile, the Yemeni Houthis shut a “strategic” headquarters in a high-class neighborhood near the Green Zone in Baghdad, revealed the sources. They told Asharq Al-Awsat that a Shiite party from the Framework had helped the Houthis set up the headquarters in 2023. The facility had raised Houthi banners and posters of its leader Abdel Malik al-Houthi. The sources explained that the position oversaw business and media operations in Baghdad that intensified after Hamas’ al-Aqsa Flood Operation against Israel in October 2023 that sparked the war on Gaza and prompted the Houthis to start attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. The Houthi center was shut in wake of the US strikes on Yemen and at the “firm advice of a Shiite faction,” said the sources. The Houthis complied with the demand and shut the center after noting the Shiite consensus in Baghdad on halting any provocative acts. The Houthis boast two other centers in Baghdad and another in southern Iraq that they may also close under pressure from the Framework. The Iraqi government had denied a Foreign Policy report that the Houthis were training their members in the Diyala province. On March 18, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth discussed with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani the military operations aimed at “eliminating the Houthi threat to American commerce and restoring American freedom of navigation,” said the Pentagon. Meanwhile, the legitimate Yemeni government confirmed that it was “monitoring Houthi militia activity in any country and the harm they are causing to Arab national security.” In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani called on the Iraqi government to “stand firmly against any Houthi media, political or logistic activity on Iraqi territories.”He urged it to take “clear steps to ensure that Iraq is not used as a platform or a haven for any entity that threatens the security of Yemen or the region.” The Yemeni government “is confident that Iraq will not allow itself to be part of the chaos that Iran is seeking to impose through its proxies in the region,” he added. For a week, the US has been striking Houthi positions in the Yemeni capital Sanaa and the provinces of Saada, al-Bayda and al-Jawf in response to their attacks on Red Sea shipping. US President Donald Trump vowed to “annihilate” the Houthis, warning Iran against continuing to support them. The Houthis remained defiant, saying they will continue to attack American vessels in the Red Sea.

Fatah urges Hamas to cede power to safeguard ‘Palestinians’ existence’
AFP/March 22, 2025
GAZA CITY: Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas’s Fatah movement called on its Islamist rivals Hamas on Saturday to relinquish power in order to safeguard the “existence” of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. “Hamas must show compassion for Gaza, its children, women and men,” Fatah spokesman Monther Al-Hayek said in a message sent to AFP from Gaza. He called on Hamas to “step aside from governing and fully recognize that the battle ahead will lead to the end of Palestinians’ existence” if it remains in power in Gaza. Hamas seized power in Gaza in 2007 from the Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority, and subsequent attempts at reconciliation have failed. The territory has been devastated by an Israeli offensive in retaliation for the attack by Hamas and other Palestinian militants on Israel on October 7, 2023. Hamas has said repeatedly it is willing to leave power in Gaza once the war is over but categorically excludes giving up its weapons. “We are ready to accept any agreement regarding the administration of Gaza (post-war), and are not interested in participating in it,” Hamas spokesman Abdul Latif Al-Qanou said in a statement Saturday. “What’s important to us is the national consensus,” he added, recalling that Hamas has endorsed an Egyptian proposal for an independent committee of professionals and technocrats to manage Gaza post-war and oversee reconstruction. Abbas says the committee must report to the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority, the sole legitimate entity to govern Gaza according to him, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has rejected this. Following disagreement over the next steps in a January 19 ceasefire in the Gaza war, Israeli resumed air strikes on Tuesday, followed by ground operations the day after. On Friday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened to annex parts of Gaza unless Hamas frees the remaining Israeli hostages seized in the October 7 attack. Of the 251 hostages taken that day, 58 are still being held, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead. Hamas’s 2023 attack on Israel resulted in 1,218 deaths, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures. Nearly 50,000 people in Gaza have been killed in the war, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry. The latest Israeli offensive has caused a new exodus of thousands of Palestinians from Gaza. “We are exhausted by the cycle of displacement,” Ramadan Houdoud told AFP in a tent camp in Al-Zawayda in the center of the territory, after fleeing from Gaza City. Displaced woman Umm Khaled lamented the destruction, adding: “There is no water, no food, and no rest.”“Where can we go? We need a solution. Are there really no more Muslims to help us?” she asked.

Military pressure will bring hostages back from Gaza, Israeli official says
James Mackenzie/JERUSALEM (Reuters)/March 22, 202
Israel will keep striking Hamas targets in Gaza to ensure the return of hostages, a senior adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday, as European countries called for a ceasefire and access for aid supplies. Ophir Falk, Netanyahu's foreign policy adviser, said military pressure pushed Hamas to accept the first truce in November 2023, in which some 80 hostages were returned. He said this was also the surest way to force release of the remaining 59 hostages. "The only reason they went back to the negotiating table was military pressure, and that's what we're doing right now," he told reporters. After weeks of relative calm in Gaza, following a ceasefire deal reached in January, attempts to agree an extension of the halt in fighting stalled and Israel resumed its air strikes and deployed ground troops in areas across the strip. Falk declined to give details of negotiations to restore the ceasefire. But he said Israel had accepted proposals from U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff for an extended truce until after Ramadan and the Jewish Passover holiday next month. "I can't get into the details of the negotiations. What I can say is that we're going to achieve all our war objectives." Hamas has accused Israel of breaking the terms of the January ceasefire agreement by refusing to begin negotiations for a final end to the war and a withdrawal of its troops from Gaza but has said it is still willing to negotiate and was studying Witkoff's "bridging" proposals. Palestinian health authorities say hundreds have been killed in the strikes, with at least 130 killed and 263 wounded in the last 48 hours. The return to the air strikes and ground operations that have devastated Gaza has drawn calls for a ceasefire from Arab and European countries. Britain, France and Germany issued a joint statement calling on Israel to restore access for humanitarian aid. Israel has blocked the entry of goods into Gaza and Falk accused Hamas of taking aid for its own use, a charge Hamas has previously denied. "We stopped the supply going in because Hamas was stealing it for its own use," he said. Israel launched its campaign in Gaza after a devastating Hamas attack on Israeli communities around the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023 that killed some 1,200 people, according to an Israeli tally, and saw 251 abducted as hostages. The Israeli campaign has killed more than 49,000 Palestinians, according to Palestinian health authorities, and devastated much of the coastal enclave leaving hundreds of thousands of people in tents and makeshift shelters.

Hostages as Leverage: What Is Hamas' Gamble in Gaza?
Gaza/Asharq Al Awsat/March 22, 2025
Despite heavy setbacks since the start of Israel's war on Gaza in October 2023, Hamas continues to project defiance and resilience against the Jewish state. In recent days, the group has pursued a political track despite a surprise Israeli strikes on Gaza early on Tuesday that killed hundreds of Palestinians, including several Hamas leaders and fighters.The group held back from a military response until the third day of the renewed escalation, launching only three rockets toward Tel Aviv. Analysts say both sides are using military pressure to gain leverage, particularly after Israel expanded its limited ground operations in key areas, including the Netzarim corridor, which separates northern Gaza from its central and southern regions. Since the war began, Hamas has relied on its main bargaining chip—the Israeli hostages in its custody. The group surprised Tel Aviv with the number of living captives, a fact revealed during the first phase of a ceasefire that began on January 19 and lasted 42 days before continuing unofficially. Tensions escalated again after 58 days, culminating in a series of assassinations targeting senior Hamas figures.
Despite the Israeli attacks, Hamas continues to prioritize the political route, holding firm to its key bargaining chip—the Israeli hostages. The group remains confident that the hostages represent its strongest leverage, especially as it monitors developments within Israeli society, particularly the pressure from families of the captives on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government. This pressure is mounting for the government to pursue a prisoner swap, alongside Israel's clear intent to use military force to recover the hostages. Hamas sees this as a strategic opportunity.
Sources within Hamas told Asharq Al-Awsat that the group has numerous cards to play and believes these could ultimately force Israel to accept a permanent ceasefire. While the Israeli captives are a pivotal factor, they are not the only leverage Hamas holds. The sources added that the group has military tactics at its disposal, which could be employed on the ground if negotiations fail and reach a deadlock.
Hamas aims to avoid appearing weak both to Israel and the Palestinian public, insisting on the withdrawal of Israeli forces from all parts of Gaza, including the Salah al-Din, or Philadelphi, corridor. Sources within Hamas stress that the group has no option but to restore Gaza to its pre-October 7, 2023, status to secure breathing space. Once that is achieved, Hamas would be open to transferring power to the Palestinian Authority or to a government formed through national Palestinian consensus. Hamas is betting on its ability to retain control over Gaza, despite Israeli strikes, allowing it to claim that it has thwarted efforts to topple its rule. Over 15 months of military conflict, Israel has failed to completely dismantle Hamas's military and governance capabilities. While the group was forced to operate in a limited capacity due to Israeli efforts to target its leaders at various levels, it regained strength in areas from which Israeli forces withdrew. Furthermore, Hamas quickly regained momentum after the ceasefire, as evidenced by the resumption of its government ministries, political bodies, and the military wing: the al-Qassam Brigades. This was particularly evident during the handover of Israeli captives. Hamas appears to rely on its continued support base in Gaza, despite heavy losses, and remains firm in refusing to compromise on certain demands. Sources within Hamas told Asharq Al-Awsat that it is natural for the group to rely on its loyalist base in Gaza to continue resisting Israel. This strategy is not new for Palestinian factions, which have faced significant setbacks over decades but have consistently emerged stronger and more resilient after each blow. Hamas acknowledges that the situation in Gaza may have changed after the war, but likens it to Israel's Operation Defensive Shield in the West Bank in 2002. While Israel succeeded in dismantling many Palestinian factions' cells at the time, those groups later re-emerged and became active again. This, the sources say, underscores the failure of Israel's military approach, which has never decisively won any battle.
Recently, Hamas has sought to demonstrate its strength in Gaza's streets. Dozens of its fighters took part in military displays, and members of its police and security forces were seen conducting arrests of suspects involved in both criminal and security-related activities. The group also reactivated new and partially damaged facilities for its security forces. During the first phase of the ceasefire, which lasted 42 days and extended for an additional 16 days due to efforts to prolong the agreement, Asharq Al-Awsat observed an increase in Gaza residents visiting police stations to file complaints, including some related to criminal cases. Civilian staff from various ministries also carried out tasks, such as monitoring market prices. After recent assassinations and the resumption of fighting by Israel, the future actions of Hamas remain uncertain, particularly if the current wave of violence continues. Hamas leaders from various political, military, and governmental levels have once again gone into hiding, and the group has struggled to control rising market prices, which has significantly impacted ordinary Gazans. Sources within Hamas told Asharq Al-Awsat that the assassinated leaders—such as Issam al-Daalis, Yasser Harb, and Mohamed al-Jamasi—were crucial in restructuring the group's organizational and governmental operations. This suggests that Israel has dealt a significant blow to Hamas by targeting key leaders who were tasked with revitalizing the movement and regaining full control over Gaza once the war ends.
Many believe that Hamas's popularity has waned, even among some of its supporters, due to the devastating impact of the war on Palestinians and Israel's threats of further displacement. Additionally, there is increasing public criticism of Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack, with some questioning the disastrous consequences it has had for the Palestinian people. Despite a decline in both its popularity and legitimacy, some view Hamas's potential willingness to cede power not as a sign of weakness but as an effort to avoid a larger, more prolonged conflict that could decimate the remaining leadership and active members of the group.Hamas sources maintain that the group's leadership is united in its readiness to relinquish control, but only if there is a national consensus. This decision, they insist, will not be made in response to Israeli or US pressure to remove the group from the Palestinian political landscape. The group remains focused on preventing further conflict for Gaza's residents, emphasizing that their primary concern is not just their own survival but the well-being of the population, according to Hamas sources. Some analysts believe that Hamas will remain a key player in Palestinian politics for many years to come, whether publicly or in the shadows—even if it steps down from governing Gaza after the current war.

UK, France, Germany Urge Gaza Ceasefire, Ask Israel to Restore Humanitarian Access
Asharq Al Awsat/March 22, 2025
The governments of Germany, France and Britain called for an immediate return to a ceasefire in Gaza in a joint statement on Friday that also called on Israel to restore humanitarian access. "We call on Israel to restore humanitarian access, including water and electricity, and ensure access to medical care and temporary medical evacuations in accordance with international humanitarian law," the foreign ministers of the three countries, known as the E3, said in a statement. The ministers said they were "appalled by the civilian casualties," and also called on Palestinian Hamas fighters to release Israeli hostages. They said the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians could not be resolved through military means, and that a long-lasting ceasefire was the only credible pathway to peace. The ministers added that they were "deeply shocked" by the incident that affected the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) building in Gaza, and called for an investigation into the incident.

Hamas receives Egyptian-Qatari proposal for re-establishing Gaza truce
Agence France Presse/March 22, 2025
A Palestinian source close to the ceasefire talks told AFP late Friday that Hamas had received a proposal from mediators Egypt and Qatar for re-establishing a truce and exchanging hostages for Palestinian prisoners "according to a timeline to be agreed upon."The source said the proposal "includes the entry of humanitarian aid" into Gaza, which has been blocked by Israel since March 2. Israel resumed intensive bombing of Gaza on Tuesday, citing deadlock in indirect negotiations on next steps in the truce after its first stage expired this month. The territory's civil defense agency said Israeli strikes killed 11 people on Friday -- three in pre-dawn strikes and eight more during the daytime. On Thursday, it had reported a death toll of 504 since the bombardment resumed, one of the highest since the war began more than 17 months ago with Hamas's attack on Israel. In a statement Friday, Israeli Defense Minister Katz said: "I ordered (the army) to seize more territory in Gaza... The more Hamas refuses to free the hostages, the more territory it will lose, which will be annexed by Israel". Should Hamas not comply, Katz also threatened "to expand buffer zones around Gaza to protect Israeli civilian population areas and soldiers by implementing a permanent Israeli occupation of the area".The military urged residents of the Al-Salatin, Al-Karama and Al-Awda areas of southern Gaza to evacuate their homes Friday ahead of a threatened strike. AFP images from northern Gaza showed donkey carts piled high with belongings as residents fled their homes along rubble-strewn roads.
'Pressure points'
Israeli forces said Friday that they had killed the head of Hamas's military intelligence in southern Gaza in a strike a day earlier, the latest official targeted in recent days. Israel's resumption of large-scale military operations, coordinated with US President Donald Trump's administration, drew widespread condemnation. The foreign ministers of Germany, France and Britain called for an immediate return to a Gaza ceasefire in a joint statement late Friday, calling the new strikes "a dramatic step backward". Turkey's foreign ministry condemned what it called a "deliberate" attack by Israel on a Turkish-built hospital in Gaza. "The IDF (military) struck terrorists in a Hamas terrorist infrastructure site that previously had served as a hospital in the central Gaza Strip," a military spokesperson told AFP in response to a question about the Turkish accusations. In a statement, the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza condemned "the heinous crime committed by the occupation (Israel) in bombing the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital", calling it "the only hospital designated for the treatment of cancer patients in the Gaza Strip".The ministry said Israeli forces had used the hospital as "a base for its forces throughout the period of its occupation of the so-called Netzarim axis". Israeli President Isaac Herzog expressed worry about the government's actions in a video statement Thursday, saying it was "unthinkable to resume fighting while still pursuing the sacred mission of bringing our hostages home". Thousands of protesters have rallied in Jerusalem in recent days, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of resuming military operations without regard for the safety of the hostages. Of the 251 hostages seized during Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack, 58 are still held by Gaza militants, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.
Projectiles from Gaza, Yemen
Israel's military said late Friday that it had intercepted a missile launched from Yemen, after air raid sirens sounded in Jerusalem and parts of central Israel. It is the fourth missile launched from Yemen towards Israel since Tuesday, after Houthi rebels threatened to escalate attacks in support of Palestinians following Israel's renewed attacks on Gaza. In a statement early Saturday, the Iran-backed group said it had "targeted Ben Gurion airport" near Tel Aviv with a ballistic missile. Israeli airspace would remain unsafe "until the aggression against Gaza stops", the group said in the statement. Earlier on Friday, Israel's military said it intercepted two projectiles fired from northern Gaza, which Hamas's armed wing said was in response to "massacres against civilians". Katz said Israel would "intensify the fight with aerial, naval and ground shelling as well as by expanding the ground operation until hostages are freed and Hamas is defeated, using all military and civilian pressure points". He said these included implementing Trump's proposal for the United States to redevelop Gaza as a Mediterranean resort after the relocation of its Palestinian inhabitants to other Arab countries.

Israeli supreme court freezes govt decision to sack intel chief
Agence France Presse/March 22, 2025
Israel's supreme court on Friday froze the decision by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to sack the domestic intelligence agency chief, in order to review appeals filed against the dismissal. "It is hereby ordered that a provisional measure be taken to stay the effect of the decision subject to the appeals until another decision is made," the court said in a document obtained by AFP. It added that the freeze will remain in place until the appeals are presented to the court before April 8.

Israel anti-government protests flare after dismissal of top security agency chief
Emily Rose/TEL AVIV (Reuters)/March 22, 2025
Thousands of Israelis demonstrated in Tel Aviv on Saturday against the decision by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to dismiss the head of the Shin Bet domestic intelligence service and resume fighting in Gaza. Netanyahu said this week he had lost confidence in Ronen Bar, who has led Shin Bet since 2021, and intended to fire him effective April 10, prompting three days of protests. Israel's Supreme Court issued an injunction on Friday temporarily freezing the dismissal. Netanyahu has dismissed accusations the decision was politically motivated, but his critics have accused him of undermining the institutions underpinning Israel's democracy by seeking Bar's removal. Israel returned to war in Gaza this week, shattering a ceasefire that saw the exchange of hostages being held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails and brought respite to the battered enclave. In Tel Aviv's Habima Square, protesters waved blue and white Israeli flags and called for a deal that would see the release of the remaining Israeli hostages being held in Gaza. "The most dangerous enemy of Israel is Benjamin Netanyahu," protester Moshe Haaharony, 63, told Reuters. "Benjamin Netanyahu, for 20 years, doesn't care about the country, doesn't care about the citizens." Since the start of the war, there have also been regular protests by families and supporters of hostages seized by Hamas during the October 7 attack that have sometimes echoed the criticisms of the government. "We are a year and a half later after we had very fierce fighting in Gaza and Hamas is still in power," protester Erez Berman, 44, told Reuters. "It still has tens of thousands of fighters. So the Israeli government actually failed in getting its own goals out of the war." With the resumption of Israel's campaign in Gaza, the fate of 59 hostages, as many as 24 of whom are still believed to be alive, remains unclear and protesters said a return to war could see them either killed by their captors or accidentally by Israeli bombardments. "We're going to do whatever it takes to bring the hostages home," Ophir Falk, Netanyahu's foreign policy adviser, told Reuters. "Hamas unfortunately understands military pressure, and only military pressure. In November 2023 we got over 80 hostages out for one reason, military pressure... The only reason they went back to the negotiating table was military pressure. And that's what we're doing right now," Falk said.

King Abdullah II urges UK’s PM Starmer to push for Gaza ceasefire reinstatement
Arab News/March 22, 2025
AMMAN: Jordan’s King Abdullah II called on the international community to take urgent action to halt Israel’s attacks on Gaza and reinstate a ceasefire during a phone call with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Saturday. The king also urged the need to resume aid deliveries to Gaza, warning of the worsening humanitarian crisis, Jordan News Agency reported. Reiterating Jordan’s firm opposition to any displacement of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, King Abdullah warned against continued attacks on Palestinians and violations of Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem. Discussing Syria, the King Abdullah also reaffirmed Jordan’s support for the Syrian Arab Republic’s unity, sovereignty and stability. Starmer highlighted his deep concern about the renewed Israeli military action in Gaza and the lack of humanitarian aid to the enclave, a statement from Downing Street said. The British premier thanked King Abdullah for his country’s leadership and efforts aimed at a political solution to the Israel-Palestine crisis. He welcomed the Arab plan for Gaza and commended the efforts of Jordan and regional partners in developing it. The leaders agreed to continue urging Israel and Hamas to return to the ceasefire. Starmer said that the UK remained a strong partner to Jordan and the two leaders agreed to keep in close contact.

Egypt Rejects Israeli Claims of Relocating Gazans to Sinai
Cairo: Asharq Al Awsat/March 22, 2025
Egypt on Friday dismissed as "baseless" claims by Israeli media that it plans to relocate 500,000 Palestinians from Gaza to its North Sinai province that borders the enclave, stressing its commitment to a reconstruction plan for the war-ravaged territory.
Former head of the Egyptian army’s Department of Morale Affairs Maj. Gen. Samir Farag described the allegations as an attempt to "deflect from Israel’s internal crises and test Cairo’s response.""Egypt is determined to implement the Gaza reconstruction plan, and such attempts will not deter it from continuing or securing international support," Farag told Asharq Al-Awsat. Egypt on Friday firmly denied media reports claiming it was prepared to temporarily relocate 500,000 Palestinians from Gaza to a designated city in North Sinai as part of reconstruction efforts, the State Information Service (SIS) said in a statement. The SIS dismissed the allegations as "false and unfounded," emphasizing that they "completely contradict Egypt’s firm and principled stance," which it has maintained since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023. Cairo "categorically and unequivocally rejects any attempt to forcibly or voluntarily displace Palestinians from Gaza, especially to Egypt, as it would undermine the Palestinian cause and pose a serious threat to national security," the statement added. Egypt’s firm stance against the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza underpins the reconstruction plan it proposed at the recent Cairo Arab Emergency Summit, which was unanimously approved, the SIS affirmed. The plan aims to rebuild the Gaza Strip without forcing a single Palestinian to leave, the statement stressed. On Friday, Israel’s i24 News cited a report from Lebanon’s Al-Akhbar newspaper alleging discussions about Egypt receiving 500,000 Gazans in North Sinai. However, the newspaper attributed the claim to Israeli media without citing official sources. Farag reiterated that Egypt has opposed the displacement of Palestinians "since the first day of the Gaza war" and remains committed to its reconstruction plan. "These claims are merely a test of Egypt’s resolve, a psychological warfare tactic, and an attempt to shift the crisis onto Egypt," he said, adding that they come as Israel faces internal turmoil and as Cairo continues efforts to push for a ceasefire and a return to negotiations.

Co-founder of sanctions movement addresses pro-Palestine protest in Dublin
Cillian Sherlock/PA Media: UK News/March 22, 2025
It is “un-Irish to give up hope”, a co-founder of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement has said as he urged protesters in Dublin to continue their support for Palestine. Thousands of people participated in a solidarity march through the Irish capital on Saturday, calling for the Government to impose sanctions on Israel. Demonstrators, some wearing keffiyehs and waving banners and Palestinian flags, stopped for a series of speeches outside Ireland’s national parliament at Leinster House. Speakers led chants of “free, free Palestine” and addressed the large crowd on the re-escalating conflict in the Middle East. The protesters called for the end of Israel’s military activity in Gaza, for states to stop arming Israel, and the cessation of use of Irish airspace for transporting weapons. The rally, organised by the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC), is the 14th national demonstration of its kind since October 2023 and is supported by several trade unions and civil society groups. The IPSC has also called for the enactment of the Occupied Territories Bill, which would ban the import of goods from illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land, along with the Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill.
The Government has committed to implementing the Occupied Territories Bill with changes limiting its scope to trade, but it is not on the legislative calendar for this term. Protesters also carried a giant sphere in the style of the logo of Ireland’s Central Bank with the words “stop funding genocide” painted on it. Israel chose the Central Bank of Ireland to be the designated authority to approve prospectuses for Israel Bonds in the EU. Pro-Palestinian supporters want the Bank to stop approving their sale. The group also wants a suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement and for the Irish Government to roll back on its adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance working definition of antisemitism, which it sees as an effort to prevent criticism of Israel. Speakers at the rally included Omar Barghouti, Palestinian intellectual Ghada Karmi, and IPSC chairwoman Zoe Lawlor. Mr Barghouti, who co-founded the BDS movement which stands for boycott, divestment and sanctions, said there was a “profound moral duty” to continue to support Palestine. Speaking to the PA news agency, he said: “I’m here to say that given Israel’s continued genocide against 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza, we need to escalate non-violent pressure on Irish Government, Irish corporations, Irish institutions to end complicity. “Palestinians are not asking for charity, we’re asking for ending complicity – to do no harm to us. “The Irish Government continues to allow the transit of US weapons to Israel, this has to stop.
“The Central Bank of Ireland continues to profit from genocide through the sale of Israel government bonds, this has to stop.”Mr Barghouti added: “The Government is blocking the Occupied Territories Bill and the Divestment Bill, this has to end. They have to take measures to end complicity. “Some people in Ireland might say ‘we’ve been demonstrating for 17 months throughout this genocide, we don’t see any hope’. “But it is so un-Irish to give up hope. The Irish have resisted colonialism for centuries under enormously difficult hardships and they’ve never given up hope. “Similarly, Palestinians for 100 years, we’ve been resisting oppression and doing everything we can to live in peace, justice, dignity, equality and self-determination like everyone else. “We cannot give up, it is a profound moral duty to do no harm. So we need to escalate people power and pressure to end complicity.”Senior figures in Israel’s government have accused leaders in the Irish coalition of encouraging antisemitism, with the Israeli embassy in Dublin announcing last year that it would close. Israeli politicians have criticised Ireland’s decision to intervene in South Africa’s case against Israel, with Dublin asking the International Court of Justice to broaden its interpretation of what constitutes genocide. The protest came days after hundreds of pro-Palestinian demonstrators staged a sit-down protest on O’Connell Bridge in Dublin city centre on Wednesday, causing significant delays to transport in the Irish capital. At Saturday’s rally, there were brief scuffles between some of the demonstrators – who came from disparate groups and were not necessarily associated with IPSC – and Irish public order police. A spokesman at the event said at least one attendee had been arrested but An Garda Siochana said it had no record of any incident.

Detained Istanbul mayor faces second day of questioning as protests over his arrest intensify
The Canadian Press/March 22, 2025
Hundreds of supporters gathered in front of an Istanbul courthouse on Saturday, where detained Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu faced further questioning over allegations of corruption and terror links. His arrest this week intensified political tensions and sparked widespread protests across Turkey, with demonstrators rallying in multiple cities to voice their opposition. Police questioned Imamoglu for around five hours on Saturday as part of an investigation into allegations of aiding the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, the Cumhuriyet newspaper reported. A day earlier he was questioned for four hours over the corruption accusations. The mayor rejected all charges during both interrogations. He was later transferred to a courthouse for questioning by prosecutors along with some 90 other people who were also detained with him.
The authorities barred access to the courthouse using barricades on local roads and closing nearby metro stations. Hundreds of police officers and over a dozen water cannon trucks were deployed. Still, hundreds gathered in front of the building shouting: “Rights, law, justice!”Crowds also began to rally outside the city hall for a fourth night in a show of support to the mayor. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya posted on social media that 343 suspects had been detained in protests in major cities on Friday night, adding “There will be no tolerance for those who seek to violate societal order, threaten the people’s peace and security, and pursue chaos and provocation.” The cities listed included Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Adana, Antalya, Canakkale, Eskisehir, Konya and Edirne.
Growing protests in reaction to the arrest
Imamoglu, who is a popular opposition figure and seen as a top challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was detained on Wednesday following a dawn raid on his residence over allegations of financial crimes and links to Kurdish militants. Dozens of other prominent figures, including two district mayors, were also detained. Many view the arrest as a politically driven attempt to remove a popular opposition figure and key challenger to Erdogan in the next presidential race, currently scheduled for 2028. Government officials reject accusations that legal actions against opposition figures are politically motivated and insist that Turkey’s courts operate independently.
His arrest has ignited protests that have steadily increased in intensity.
On Friday, police in Istanbul used pepper spray, tear gas and rubber bullets to push back hundreds of protesters who tried to break through a barricade in front of the city’s historic aqueduct while hurling flares, stones and other objects at officers. Police also dispersed groups that had rallied outside of the city hall for a third night running, after the opposition Republican People’s Party leader, Ozgur Ozel, delivered a speech in support of the mayor. Simultaneously, police broke up demonstrations in Ankara, the capital, as well as in the Aegean coastal city of Izmir, resorting to forceful measures at times, according to television images. Thousands marched in several other cities calling on the government to resign. Earlier, Erdogan said the government would not tolerate street protests and accused the opposition party of links to corruption and terror organizations. The Istanbul governor's office announced it was expanding a ban on demonstrations until March 26 and imposed restrictions on the entry and exit of vehicles deemed to be transporting people “likely to participate in unlawful activities.”Erdogan on Saturday accused the CHP’s leadership of turning the party “into an apparatus to absolve a handful of municipal robbers who have become blinded by money.”He also accused it of “doing everything to disturb the public peace, to polarize the nation.”
Presidential primary to be held
Imamoglu’s arrest came just days before he was expected to be nominated as the opposition Republican People’s Party’s presidential candidate in a primary on Sunday. Ozel has said that the primary, where around 1.5 million delegates can vote, will go ahead as planned. The opposition party has also urged citizens to participate in a symbolic election on Sunday — through improvised ballot boxes to be set up across Turkey — to show solidarity with Imamoglu. In a tweet posted shortly before his arrival at the courthouse, Imamoglu urged the public to safeguard the ballot boxes for Sunday’s primary, “Don’t forget: they are very afraid of you and your democratic right to vote.” In an earlier message, Imamoglu described his arrest as a “coup" and accused the government of exploiting the judiciary and worsening the country’s troubled economy.

In Türkiye, Mass Protests Give Vent to Long Simmering Anger
Asharq Al Awsat/March 22/2025
The massive street protests gripping Türkiye may have been triggered by the arrest of Istanbul's popular opposition mayor, but they reflect a much broader sense of frustration, observers say. "There is a great anger. People are spontaneously taking to the streets. Some young people are being politicized for the first time in their lives," said Yuksel Taskin, a lawmaker from the main opposition CHP. Wednesday's arrest of Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu -- President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's most powerful political rival -- came just days before the CHP was to formally name him their candidate for the 2028 presidential race. The move sparked a wave of protest which spread within 48 hours to more than two-thirds of Türkiye’s 81 provinces, even including strongholds of Erdogan's ruling AKP such as the central area of Konya, as well as Trabzon and Rize on the Black Sea. Despite a ban on protests and a heavy police presence on the streets, huge crowds of protesters have taken to the streets, including many university students who are not normally seen as politically engaged. The protests are the biggest in Türkiye since the massive demonstrations of 2013, which began at Istanbul's Gezi Park to protest its demolition and spread across almost the entire country. "The feeling of being trapped -- economically, socially, politically, and even culturally -- was already widespread," Kemal Can, journalist and author of numerous books on Turkish society told AFP.
Imamoglu's arrest, he said, had sparked a strong reaction, "especially among young people worried about their future in a country where freedoms are increasingly restricted. It's a reaction that goes well beyond Imamoglu.""We're the children of the 'raiders' who have now grown up," reads a slogan carried by many young protesters, using an old-fashioned term that Erdogan coined for the 2013 Gezi Park protesters when he was prime minister. "This is not only about the CHP, but about everyone. The question is whether Türkiye will live under an authoritarian regime or be a democratic country," said Ilhan Uzgel, who handles the party's external relations. In a bid to highlight the non-partisan nature of the protest movement, the CHP has invited all Turks, not just party members, to join its symbolic primary vote on Sunday when Imamoglu is to be named the party's presidential candidate. "We are determined to hold this primary although (the government) is trying to block it. But it will go ahead," insisted Uzgel. The pro-Kurdish opposition DEM, the third party in parliament, has also thrown its support behind the protests which have taken place for three nights in a row outside Istanbul City Hall.
"By using the judiciary, they are trying to reshape the opposition in order to consolidate the regime," explained DEM lawmaker Ibrahim Akin. DEM is regularly accused by the government of having ties with the banned Kurdish militant PKK, which is blacklisted by Ankara as a terror group. But in recent months, the Turkish government has sought to end the decades-long conflict and last month, jailed PKK founder Abdullah Ocalan urged his fighters to lay down their weapons and disband. "For several years, the government has sought to split the opposition, or keep it tied up with internal issues. It has succeeded several times. But this time, the opposition has thwarted this strategy," said Can. For Gonul Tol of the Washington-based Middle East Institute, the government's efforts to "drive a wedge" between DEM and CHP through its peace overtures towards the PKK had clearly failed, after DEM came out strongly against Imamoglu's arrest. "The government now seems to be seeing how long this wave of discontent will last, hoping to weaken it through pressure, protest bans and arrests," said Can. "If the opposition gives in to threats from the authorities who are accusing it of provoking the street, and gives the impression its determination has weakened, the government will increase the pressure," he said.
"The coming days will be crucial."

Russia accuses an 'unfriendly state' of planning the 2024 Moscow concert hall assault
Associated Press/March 22, 2025
Russian officials on Saturday accused “the special services of an unfriendly state” of planning and organizing last year's attack on the Moscow concert hall in which 145 people died. The aim, according to a statement by Svetlana Petrenko, the representative of the Russian Investigative Committee, was to "destabilize the situation in Russia.” Though she did not specify the “unfriendly state,” she noted that “six Central Asians” currently outside of Russia had been charged in absentia and placed on Russia’s wanted list for allegedly recruiting and organizing the training of four of the suspected perpetrators. The four suspects, all of whom were identified in the media as citizens of Tajikistan, appeared in a Moscow court at the end of March last year on terrorism charges and showed signs of severe beatings. One appeared to be barely conscious during the hearing. The attack on Moscow’s Crocus City Hall on March 22, 2024, was the worst in Russia for years. Hundreds of people were wounded. According to Petrenko, 19 people are currently in custody in Russia in relation to the attack. A faction of the Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the massacre in which gunmen shot people who were waiting for a show by a popular rock band and then set the building on fire. But Russian officials including President Vladimir Putin have persistently claimed, without presenting evidence, that Ukraine had a role in the attack. Kyiv has vehemently denied any involvement. A memorial to the victims of the attack at was unveiled Saturday outside Crocus City Hall, where members of the public came to lay flowers, teddy bears and candles on the first anniversary.

Houthi media accuses US of attacking airport in Yemen
AFP/March 22, 2025
SANAA: Houthi militant media in Yemen accused the United States Saturday of attacking the airport in Hodeida, the latest such claim since Washington announced heavy strikes against the rebels one week ago. Al-Masirah TV, blaming “American aggression,” said three attacks had targeted the airport in Hodeida on the Red Sea coast. Between Wednesday and Friday the Iran-backed militants’ television channel made similar accusations, after United States Central Command on Wednesday confirmed “continuous operations” against the militants and President Donald Trump said they will be “annihilated.”On March 15 the United States announced a wave of air strikes that officials said killed senior Houthi leaders, and which the militants’ health ministry said killed 53 people. The strikes, the first since Trump resumed office, came after the militants threatened to renew attacks on Israeli shipping.

The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on March 22-23/2025
The EU Must Stop Undermining Efforts to Save it
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Gatestone Institute/March 22, 2025
It is high time for Europe -- while posing as the pinnacle of virtue -- to stop hiding behind US and Israeli actions. The EU needs to cut off trade, impose severe sanctions, and isolate Iran completely. Anything less is complicity.
Even as Iran deepens its military alliance with Russia by supplying drones and missiles that are used to create scorched earth in Ukraine's cities, the EU has refused to sever its financial connections to Tehran. Iranian-made Shahed drones have devastated Ukrainian infrastructure, yet European businesses are still trading with the very country producing them. This is not just hypocrisy — it is an active betrayal of Europe's own security interests.
The EU would do well to take the following steps immediately: Sever all economic ties with Iran. No more trade, no more investment, no more financial engagement. Every euro that flows into Iran is a euro that strengthens a regime that threatens European, as well as global, stability. Impose the harshest possible sanctions. Target Iran's energy sector, its financial institutions, and its military industries. The EU needs to make it clear that Iran's actions will face an unbearable economic cost. Trigger the snapback sanctions.
If European leaders are too weak to act themselves, at least support those who are preventing Iran from becoming a nuclear power, devouring the region and "revolutionizing" the West. The EU needs to openly declare its backing of any Israeli military operation against Iran's nuclear facilities.
The European Union has spent years enriching Iran by choosing economic gain over security, morality, and strategic interests, making a calculated choice to prioritize money over principles, over the safety of its own citizens, and over the security of its allies. Iran is supplying weapons that kill Ukrainians, is on the brink of acquiring nuclear weapons and has been taking Europeans hostage with no consequences.
The European Union has spent years enriching Iran by choosing economic gain over security, morality, and strategic interests.
While the Iranian regime continues to fuel war, repression and terrorism, the EU has clung to its trade partnerships and business deals, while refusing to take meaningful action against a regime that actively threatens the continent's stability as well as that of the globe.
The EU is not being naive — it is making a calculated choice to prioritize money over principles, over the safety of its own citizens, and over the security of its allies. This really needs to end. Iran is supplying weapons that kill Ukrainians, is on the brink of acquiring nuclear weapons and has been taking Europeans hostage with no consequences. The EU nevertheless continues to do business with Iran. The EU provides the regime with the economic resources it needs to expand its influence and finance its nuclear program, military operations and terror proxies.
It is high time for Europe -- while posing as the pinnacle of virtue -- to stop hiding behind US and Israeli actions. The EU needs to cut off trade, impose severe sanctions, and isolate Iran completely. Anything less is complicity.
Even as Iran deepens its military alliance with Russia by supplying drones and missiles that are used to create scorched earth in Ukraine's cities, the EU has refused to sever its financial connections to Tehran. Iranian-made Shahed drones have devastated Ukrainian infrastructure, yet European businesses are still trading with the very country producing them. This is not just hypocrisy — it is an active betrayal of Europe's own security interests.
By continuing trade with Iran, the EU is directly enabling the regime's ability to fund its military operations, arm its proxies, and support terrorism across the Middle East and the West. European leaders appear not to recognize that every deal made with Iran strengthens a regime that seeks to destabilize the region and threatens Europe itself.
More importantly, Iran is closer than ever to becoming a nuclear-armed state, yet the EU has refused to take a firm stance. Iran is openly advancing its program while watching Europe stand idly by. Instead of triggering the "snapback" mechanism to reinstate UN sanctions, instead of cutting all diplomatic and economic ties, the EU has done virtually nothing. This is not a policy of diplomacy — it is a policy of weakness, of preferring trade relations over taking the difficult but necessary steps to stop Iran's nuclear march as well as the regime's endless brutality to its own people (such as here, here and here). The EU would do well to cut off all remaining financial ties at once.
One of the most disgraceful aspects of the EU's relationship with Iran is Europe's failure to respond decisively to Tehran's increasing hostage-taking of European citizens. Iran has repeatedly arrested and imprisoned Europeans on fabricated charges, using them as bargaining chips to extract political and economic concessions. The Iranian regime has perfected the art of hostage diplomacy, knowing full well that the EU will do nothing but issue weak statements and pursue quiet, ineffectual negotiations.
The EU's failures have only encouraged Iran to continue its hostage-taking operations, treating European nationals as commodities to be traded. European governments must abandon their feeble responses and impose automatic and severe consequences for every European citizen detained by Iran. That means immediate, crippling sanctions, diplomatic expulsions, and a full cessation of all trade and financial interactions. By allowing the Iranian regime to detain its citizens with impunity, the EU is signaling to the ruling mullahs that they can act without consequence.
The EU would do well to take the following steps immediately:
Sever all economic ties with Iran. No more trade, no more investment, no more financial engagement. Every euro that flows into Iran is a euro that strengthens a regime that threatens European, as well as global, stability.
Impose the harshest possible sanctions. Target Iran's energy sector, its financial institutions, and its military industries. The EU needs to make it clear that Iran's actions will face an unbearable economic cost.
Trigger the snapback sanctions: Iran has blatantly violated its commitments under the nuclear deal, yet the EU has refused to use the mechanisms available to reinstate UN sanctions. This needs to change immediately.
Support all military options against Iran's nuclear program. Military action has to be on the table.
Finally, and most importantly, stand with Israel in its fight against the buzzsaw regime of Iran. Israel has been at the forefront of countering Iran's threats and taking meaningful action where the EU has failed. If European leaders are too weak to act themselves, at least support those who are preventing Iran from becoming a nuclear power, devouring the region and "revolutionizing" the West. The EU needs to openly declare its backing of any Israeli military operation against Iran's nuclear facilities.
The EU has spent years prioritizing trade and appeasement policies with the Islamic Republic of Iran, a brutal, expansionist dictatorship that uses every resource available to spread chaos, repression, and war.
The EU's continued engagement with Iran is not just misguided — it is dangerous, reckless, and a betrayal of European values and security interests. The EU needs to cut diplomatic ties, impose maximum pressure through sanctions, and take a hard stance against Iran's nuclear ambitions and military aggression. History has shown what happens when the free world allows a dangerous regime to grow unchecked: Europe's failure to confront Nazi Germany early on led to devastation. The EU must not repeat the same mistake with Iran.
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh, is a political scientist, Harvard-educated analyst, and board member of Harvard International Review. He has authored several books on the US foreign policy. He can be reached at dr.rafizadeh@post.harvard.edu
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https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/21485/eu-undermining-iran-efforts

How Netanyahu got his Gaza war back
Osama Al-Sharif/Arab News/March 22/2025
The Gaza ceasefire that Israel has now so devastatingly shattered was only ever a political convenience for Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu: the incoming US president wanted it before taking office, and the Israeli prime minister obliged.
The fragile truce that began in January had nothing to do with halting the carnage in Gaza and little to do with bringing home Israeli captives held by Hamas, and Netanyahu was never going to honor it: as most Israelis now know, his sole concern has only ever been his own political survival.
Netanyahu has been under tremendous domestic pressure to set up an independent inquiry into the Oct. 7 attacks that would have established his culpability. Army top brass have already admitted responsibility and resigned. Close Netanyahu aides are engulfed in scandals revolving around foreign money being passed to Hamas in Gaza, allegedly with kickbacks. Nadav Argaman, head of the Shin Bet internal security service until October 2021, pointed the finger publicly at Netanyahu and threatened to divulge his darkest secrets.
Far-right cabinet minister Itamar Ben-Gvir quit over the ceasefire deal, and another extremist partner, Bezalel Smotrich, threatened to do the same if Israel embraced the second phase of the agreement that called for the end of the war and total Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Netanyahu was also rattled by direct negotiations between the US and Hamas for the handover of the one surviving American captive and the bodies of four others.
Then Netanyahu found a way to derail the talks on phase two of the truce: he proposed an extension of the first phase, whereby Hamas would release more captives without any concessions by Israel. When Hamas insisted on adherence to the original deal, Netanyahu — in a shameless act of defiance and arrogance — ordered a complete block on humanitarian aid into Gaza, followed by a wave of deadly airstrikes and further military operations on the ground: essentially a resumption of the war. The US sided with Israel and few Western countries offered any meaningful objections other than weasel words.
This is not about ending the war but killing as many Palestinians as possible to trigger displacement. So Netanyahu got his war back, but this time he has wider plans: a final solution, the permanent displacement of Palestinians from Gaza.
Israel was unnerved by the Arab embrace of a multibillion-dollar plan to reconstruct Gaza, replace Hamas with a civil administration of governing technocrats, and deploy observers — all without the forced displacement of Palestinians. The plan was adopted at an emergency Arab summit in Cairo and backed by key Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia.
The Arab proposal is a riposte to Trump’s absurd plan to turn Gaza into the “Riviera of the Middle East” while forcibly displacing two million Palestinians to other countries. Netanyahu now sees an opportunity to scuttle the Arab plan, which has gained widespread international backing, while paying lip service to Trump’s scenario. This is not about ending the war but killing as many Palestinians as possible to trigger displacement, and there are no limits to how far Netanyahu and his handpicked generals will go to achieve that end.
Ironically, the only hope now for Gaza could come from inside Israel itself. The families of the captives know that Netanyahu could have freed their loved ones months ago, but he didn’t. They know that Hamas was willing to stick to its part of the deal — it had no other option — but that was not to Netanyahu’s liking. Now a maelstrom is brewing in Israel, led by the families of the captives but also by those who see Netanyahu bent on creating authoritarian rule and endangering Israel’s democratic foundations. For Netanyahu, the geopolitical gains made by Israel in the past 18 months are a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to enforce its hegemony across the region: the fate of a few Israeli captives and a couple of million Palestinians is an acceptable price for such a grandiose endeavor.
**Osama Al-Sharif is a journalist and political commentator in Amman. X: @plato010

Netanyahu and the sacking of the Shin Bet chief
Yossi Mekelberg/Arab News/March 22, 2025
There is never a dull moment in Israeli politics, and as much as the announcement by the Israeli government of the dismissal of Ronen Bar, the chief of the Shin Bet (one of Israel’s security services), had been expected for some time, the timing of it was still a surprise. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has always, behind the masquerade he has created of being a great strategist and ideologist of the right, been mostly a self-serving and manipulative politician for whom the country and its people are mere tools for fulfilling his own political and personal ambitions.
However, the more he and his close political advisers become embroiled in investigations into lawbreaking activities, including allegations of acting against the interests of state security, and because Netanyahu himself feels the pressure while giving evidence in court in his corruption case, the more toxic his attacks on the democratic system’s gatekeepers become.
Netanyahu’s justification for his attempt (it is still to be deliberated in court) to remove Bar from his post was what he claimed to be “ongoing distrust” in the head of one of the country’s most important and powerful security organizations. Had Bar not been a civil servant, he would probably have declared his own mistrust of Netanyahu, to whom he reports. To be sure, the loyalty of the head of Shin Bet is supposed to be to the country and its people, not to his boss.
As head of the organization that failed to avert Oct. 7, with such deadly consequences, Bar had the integrity and honesty to admit, almost immediately and in common with many military commanders, responsibility for his part in this colossal failure. He vowed to leave his post before the end of his tenure, should the war end and all the hostages be returned before that date. Bar’s conduct stands in stark contrast to that of Netanyahu, who still has not accepted any responsibility for Oct. 7, the most death-dealing onslaught against Israelis in a single day since the country was established. Instead he has put the entire blame on the security forces and, shamefully and grotesquely, on his personal and political opponents.
What irked and angered Netanyahu in particular, causing him to completely lose all sense of judgment and composure, was the decision by Shin Bet to launch an investigation, with the Israeli Police, into two of Netanyahu’s spokespersons and a former strategic adviser over financial ties to a foreign entity.
One of them, Eli Feldstein, a spokesperson in the prime minister’s office who had no security clearance, was arrested on suspicion of leaking stolen, classified intelligence information to be published in the foreign press. It was information he should not have been privy to, and was allegedly leaked with the intention of undermining a ceasefire deal. These investigations into the activities of some of Netanyahu’s closest advisers seem to have rattled the prime minister more than ever, indicating that the allegations may well be true and he himself may also have a few questions to answer.
A few days before the attempt to dismiss Bar, the intelligence chief’s immediate predecessor in the job, Nadav Argaman, dropped a bombshell during an interview on Israel’s Channel 12 news when he claimed to be in possession of a wealth of information that would compromise Netanyahu, and threatened to make it public should the prime minister be shown to have broken the law. Netanyahu responded with a complaint to the police and by accusing Argaman of blackmailing him.
Netanyahu should not be allowed to fiddle while everything around him burns.
It might be true that Argaman could have expressed himself better and, most importantly, if he indeed knows anything about the prime minister that would be in the interest of the public to know, or which might compromise national security, he should take it to the police rather than announce it on TV.
However, Argaman’s exasperation with the current government, and especially the person who leads it, reflects similar sentiments held by many people from all walks of life, who are dedicated to serving their country and who feel they can no longer remain silent when faced with a prime minister who cynically and relentlessly polarizes the country for his own personal interests, and appears to be seeking the destruction of the very foundations of the democratic system while the country is in the middle of a security emergency.
Even setting aside the reasons and the timing of the efforts to replace Bar, the utter disrespect for legal procedure is also a grave cause for concern, especially given the conflict of interest at a time when Shin Bet is investigating allegations of criminal behavior in the prime minister’s office.
It is because of this that Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has insisted Netanyahu must consult her first before making such consequential decisions that have implications for the country’s security.
Alas, the prime minister wants her to go, too. Baharav-Miara is a thorn in his side, for all the right reasons: she is not afraid of him and fears only the collapse of the rule of law.
In terms of protecting Israeli democracy, she increasingly resembles the mythical Little Dutch Boy who plugged the leak in the dike with his finger all night long to prevent the waters from bursting through and flooding Haarlem. In her case, Baharav-Miara is preventing a flood of antidemocratic legislation, the firing of people without due process, and appointments to senior government positions of people without the necessary qualifications for the jobs, while she simultaneously attempts to ensure that the government abides by the rule of law.
The hope is that by fighting these battles there will still be democracy in Israel come the next election, and even if it is battered and bruised it will still be capable of resuscitation.
Populist authoritarianism has always been part and parcel of the methods of Netanyahu and certain elements in Likud, but now it is entirely what characterizes them and dominates their behavior. However, it is also a sign of panic, as is, to a large extent, the resumption of the war in Gaza.
Netanyahu is increasingly losing his cool and composure when he gives evidence in his corruption trial. He presents himself as a victim of a “deep state” that exists only in his mind, and the mere suggestion that he appoint a state commission of inquiry into the failures of Oct. 7 visibly angers him. He refuses to meet the Israeli press, communicating with the public through social media and recorded statements.
It all makes him look weaker and more vulnerable than ever — albeit also more dangerous, especially if the opposition is foolish enough not to take advantage of this.
Netanyahu’s behavior increasingly reminds many of us of those authoritarian leaders who, in the winter of their political lives, lose touch with reality and, in their paranoia, eliminate (not necessarily physically) those they believe to be standing in their way — mainly because, deep down, they know that their days in power are numbered.The move to dismiss Ronen Bar is further evidence of this from Netanyahu but nevertheless, he should not be allowed to fiddle while everything around him burns.
**Yossi Mekelberg is a professor of international relations and an associate fellow of the MENA Program at Chatham House. X: @YMekelberg

Europe turns to the Gulf to strengthen energy, security ties
Andrew Hammond/Arab News/March 22, 2025
The relationship between the Middle East and Europe has been shaped by centuries of cultural, political, and economic interaction. Today, energy security and geopolitics, in particular, have become even bigger drivers of the important bilateral relationship.
Only last week, Jasem Al-Budaiwi, the Gulf Cooperation Council secretary-general, spoke with EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Suica about a proposed new Gulf-European conference on energy security. This happened in a meeting on the sidelines of the Brussels Ninth Conference on Syria, which focused on helping ensure the success of the post-Assad transition. On the geopolitical front, too, key European nations, including France, Germany, Italy, and the UK, are engaging in the Arab plan to rebuild Gaza. These nations are among the key proponents of a renewed ceasefire leading to a sustainable, fair plan for peace. Europe is concerned by how much political instability has grown in the Middle East in recent times, with the conflict in Gaza spreading to other areas, including Lebanon. While economic relations with Europe have been largely unaffected so far, this will not inevitably be the case in the future.
These discussions build from recent EU-Arab summits, organized in cooperation with the Arab League and European Parliament, to identify and promote common interests and values collectively — specifically, singling out key priority areas for cooperation, taking into account regional and global challenges.
Yet, it is the GCC economic agenda that is perhaps the most prominent in the Europe-Middle East dialogue at present. Not only is a Gulf-European conference on energy security being explored, there is also new impetus for a GCC-EU trade agreement to be agreed during Ursula von der Leyen’s second term as European Commission president in the period till late 2029.
This is a key part of the EU’s plans to engage key emerging market powers much more, following the election of Donald Trump to the US presidency, and also Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In recent weeks, von der Leyen has agreed a trade deal with the Mercosur bloc, including Brazil and Argentina, in South America; kick-started trade talks in India; and visited South Africa, the host of this year’s G20 summit. The GCC, with its headquarters in Riyadh, is another top economic target. The bloc — Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and Kuwait — is a major source of global economic activity with total economic output of around $2 trillion in 2022. According to the World Bank, if the GCC continues to grow at a “business as usual” rate, combined GDP will grow to a projected $6 trillion by 2050.
One of the big prizes for the EU of a GCC deal could be further, open access to investment from Gulf sovereign wealth funds. These tend to be cross-sector investors that often take a long-term, multi-decade economic perspective.
Energy security and geopolitics are likely to remain at the heart of current Europe-GCC dialogues.
The EU is the second-largest trade partner for the GCC countries, generating €170 billion ($185 billion) in trade in 2023. Much of this exchange is related to natural resources.
In 2023, imports of mineral fuels accounted for over 75 percent of EU imports from GCC countries. Moreover, since 2020, fuel imports have more than tripled, in large part due to a sharp shift in the EU’s supply sources caused by Russia’s invasion.
According to the European Council on Foreign Relations think tank, of more than 180 new energy agreements agreed by the EU since the Ukraine war began, the GCC is the region that has signed the largest number of deals. Well over one-fifth of such agreements have been inked with the UAE (24 deals) leading the way, alongside Qatar (11), Saudi Arabia (four), Oman (two), and Bahrain (one). At present, EU-GCC relations are based on a cooperation agreement signed in 1989 that established regular dialogue on topics including economic relations, climate change, energy, and the environment. However, the EU would like a trade deal and, in 2022, Luigi Di Maio, the former Italian foreign affairs minister, was appointed as the first ever EU Special Representative for the Gulf to try to develop a stronger, comprehensive, and more strategic partnership.
In 2023, the EU ramped up efforts to try to revitalize EU-GCC negotiations for a trade agreement. The GCC has signed relatively few such agreements to date, including a pact with South Korea in 2023, more than 15 years after talks began.
The GCC also entered into trade talks with the UK in 2022, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Saudi Arabia and the UAE last December. Total bilateral trade is worth about £59 billion, making the GCC bloc as a whole equivalent to the UK’s fourth-largest non-EU export market behind the US, China, and Switzerland. It is possible that wider developments could reinforce this dynamic of closer GCC-Europe economic cooperation. This includes potential steps toward implementation of a proposed India-Middle East-Europe corridor to foster connectivity and integration with Asia via a proposed route from India through the UAE, Saudi Arabia and into Greece. The corridor concept, which would comprise vast road, railroad, and shipping networks, was given new impetus in September 2023 at the G20 summit in New Delhi. A memorandum of understanding was signed to try to develop the project by the governments of India, the US, UAE, Saudi Arabia, France, Germany, Italy, and the 27-member EU bloc.Taken together, energy security and geopolitics are likely to remain at the heart of current Europe-GCC dialogues. These would be boosted significantly if trade deals are agreed in the second half of the 2020s with the Starmer and von der Leyen administrations.
**Andrew Hammond is an associate at LSE IDEAS at the London School of Economics.