English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For March 31/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
Jesus Cures The Man With Unclean Spirit
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 05/01-20/They came to the other side of the lake, to the country of the Gerasenes. And when he had stepped out of the boat, immediately a man out of the tombs with an unclean spirit met him. He lived among the tombs; and no one could restrain him any more, even with a chain; for he had often been restrained with shackles and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and the shackles he broke in pieces; and no one had the strength to subdue him.Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always howling and bruising himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and bowed down before him; and he shouted at the top of his voice, ‘What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.’ For he had said to him, ‘Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!’ Then Jesus asked him, ‘What is your name?’ He replied, ‘My name is Legion; for we are many.’ He begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country.Now there on the hillside a great herd of swine was feeding; and the unclean spirits begged him, ‘Send us into the swine; let us enter them.’So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the lake, and were drowned in the lake. The swineherds ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Then people came to see what it was that had happened. They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the legion; and they were afraid. Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it.Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighbourhood. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed by demons begged him that he might be with him. But Jesus refused, and said to him, ‘Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy he has shown you.’And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on March 30-31/2025
Nawaf Salam does not deserve Saudi Arabia's warm welcome./Elias Bejjani/March 30/2025
The Healing Miracle of the Paralytic & The Power of Praying for Others/Elias Bejjani/March 30/2025
Palestinian Refugee Camps in Lebanon: Mini-States and Hotbeds for Terrorist Organizations, Islamists, and Fugitives from Justice/Elias Bejjani/March 30/2025
Netanyahu says Israel 'respects' Lebanon and its army
Aoun to hold meetings in Lebanon over latest Israeli escalation
US remarks on Lebanon's ceasefire violation and Israeli tensions raise questions: aimed at Lebanon or France?
Salam meets with Saudi crown prince in Mecca
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in Saudi Arabia: Paving the way for Lebanon's reform success and stronger ties
Lebanon makes arrests over rockets fired at Israel
General Security Steps Up Search for Those Responsible for Rocket Attacks on Israel
Macron Urges Israel to Stop the Strikes on Gaza and Respect Ceasefire in Lebanon
Iran urges 'decisive measures' from int'l community after Israel's attack on Dahieh
Border wall, buffer zone, open-fire orders—will Israel’s 'security' measures against Lebanon backfire?
Qassem threatens 'other options' if diplomacy fails
Amid destruction, a fragile Eid spirit lingers in southern Lebanon
Rai: As if Lebanon Were a Project of Positions Rather Than a Project of State
Audi: Demons That Have Corrupted Souls Prevent Reform and Progress
Al-Kurdi: The Lebanese Must Stand Behind Their Army and State to Liberate Our Occupied Land
Lebanon’s Grand Jaafari Mufti declares March 31, 2025, as Eid al-Fitr Day
US Seeks to Persuade Lebanon to Start Talks with Israel/Beirut: Mohamed Choucair/Asharq Al Awsat/March 30/2025
Conference on Trails and Mountain Routes in Lebanon/Welcome Speech by Fr. Khalil Alwan M.L.

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on March 30-31/2025
Iran rejects direct negotiations with US in response to Trump’s letter
Trump Threatens Iran With ‘Bombing’ if ‘Peace Deal’ Fails and Express Anger Toward Putin
King Salman, crown prince perform Eid Al-Fitr prayers
What We Know About Syria’s New Government
Syria’s president Al-Sharaa forms new transitional government
Nostalgia, relief and loss as some Syrians mark their first Ramadan back home in years
Israeli army says intercepts missile fired from Yemen
Netanyahu says military pressure on Hamas working, ‘cracks’ emerging in negotiations
Gaza rescuers say recovered 15 bodies after Israel fire on ambulances
Palestinian patients in Gaza dying due to lack of medical supplies, equipment: American surgeon
Gaza’s bakeries could shut down within a week under Israel’s blockade of all food and supplies
Jordanian authorities arrest 10 drug traffickers in major anti-narcotics operations
Sudan army chief vows no forgiveness for Dagalo’s men
European Orbital Rocket Crashes after Launch
Trump Says ‘Not Joking’ About Possible Third Term as Us President
Frankly Speaking: Russia’s view on talks in Saudi Arabia

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on March 30-31/2025
Don’t You Know This City Belongs to Muslims?’: The Persecution of Christians, February 2025/Raymond Ibrahim/Gatestone Institute./March 30, 2025
Gazans deserve a future free from fear/Hani Hazaimeh/Arab News/March 31, 2025
nternational Day of Zero Waste: turning waste into opportunities/Sami Dimassi/Arab News/March 30/2025
Creative residencies can bring artistic world to the region/Sara Al-Mulla/Arab News/March 30, 2025
America’s new McCarthyism/Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib/Arab News/March 30, 2025
What social media is not telling you about US deportations/Dalia Al-Aqidi/Arab News/March 30, 2025
Israeli peace’ is Not a Silver Bullet for The Levant/Eyad Abu Shakra/Asharq Al Awsat/March 30/2025

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on March 30-31/2025
Nawaf Salam does not deserve Saudi Arabia's warm welcome.
Elias Bejjani/March 30/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/03/141764/
In both the political and national spheres, with a loud voice and firm conviction, and based on Nawaf Salam’s history, practices, positions, and dealings, it is evident that this Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated, leftist, and spiteful figure harbors a deep-seated complex toward Rafik Hariri and Riad al-Solh. He is entirely undeserving of the warm reception he received in Saudi Arabia. As we and many others see him, he is ungrateful and unworthy of trust. Politicians like him are nothing but treacherous snakes, ruled by their deceitful and destructive instincts—no matter how many times they shed their skins. Simply put, one who lacks something cannot give it.

The Healing Miracle of the Paralytic & The Power of Praying for Others
Elias Bejjani/March 30/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/03/73457/
On the fifth Sunday of Lent, Catholic Maronites reflect with great reverence on the Gospel of Saint Mark (2:1-12), which recounts The Healing Miracle of the Paralytic. This powerful miracle underscores the immense value of intercession, affirming that prayers and supplications for others are faith-driven acts that Almighty God attentively hears and graciously answers.
Notably, the paralytic man in this Gospel passage did not personally seek Jesus' help, nor did he ask for healing, forgiveness, or mercy. Many theologians believe that Jesus frequently preached in Capernaum’s synagogue, the very town where this man lived, yet he remained distant—lacking faith, hope, and spiritual awareness. He did not believe that the Lord could cure him.
What makes this miracle particularly remarkable is the unwavering faith of the paralytic’s friends, relatives, or perhaps some of Jesus' disciples. They were convinced that if Jesus merely touched him, the man who had been crippled for 38 years would be healed. Their deep faith and determination compelled four of them to carry him on a mat to the house where Jesus was preaching. When they could not break through the crowd, they climbed onto the roof, made an opening, and lowered the paralytic before Jesus, pleading for his healing.
Moved by their faith, Jesus first forgave the man’s sins: "Son, your sins are forgiven." Only afterward did He heal his body, commanding: "Arise, take up your bed, and walk."
Like the scribes in the Gospel, many today question why Jesus prioritized the forgiveness of sins over physical healing. His divine wisdom reveals that sin is the true death, leading to eternal suffering in Hell. Sin cripples the soul, destroys faith and hope, erodes morals and values, and numbs the conscience, separating individuals from God. Jesus sought to restore the man’s soul before curing his body, teaching an eternal truth: "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?" (Mark 8:36-37).
Our merciful God never turns away those who seek Him in faith and humility. He listens with boundless love and responds in His divine wisdom, time, and manner:"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, it will be opened." (Matthew 7:7-8)
"Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praises. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will heal the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up." (James 5:15)
Within this divine context of mercy and intercession, prayers for others—whether they are living or deceased, loved ones or enemies, relatives or strangers—are acts of faith and compassion. God listens and responds because He never abandons His children, provided they turn to Him with sincere repentance and trust. Numerous biblical passages demonstrate God’s acceptance of prayers offered on behalf of others:
Jesus healed the Centurion’s servant at the request of the Centurion, not the servant himself. (Matthew 8:5-13)
Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead in response to the pleas of his sisters, Mary and Martha. (John 11:1-44)
Praying for others—whether family, friends, strangers, or even nations—reflects faith, love, and hope. Almighty God, as a loving and merciful Father, hears these prayers and answers them according to His divine wisdom, which often transcends human understanding:
"Whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." (Matthew 21:22)
God is always waiting for us, His children, to seek His mercy—whether for ourselves or for others. He never leaves us alone. Moreover, it is our duty of faith to extend a helping hand to those who cannot pray for themselves—the lost, the suffering, the unconscious, and the paralyzed. This spirit of intercession is why we also pray to the Virgin Mary and the Saints—not as objects of worship, but as intercessors who bring our pleas before the Lord.
O Lord, grant us the grace of faith, hope, wisdom, and patience.Help us to be loving, humble, and compassionate.Guide us on the path of righteousness.May we stand with the just on the Day of Judgment.God sees and hears us always—let us live in reverence to Him in all we think, say, and do.

Palestinian Refugee Camps in Lebanon: Mini-States and Hotbeds for Terrorist Organizations, Islamists, and Fugitives from Justice
Elias Bejjani/March 30/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/03/141716/
Refugee Camps or Armed Strongholds?
No country in the world—especially within Arab and Islamic nations—permits refugee camps to transform into armed mini-states beyond the authority of the state. However, in Lebanon, the 13 refugee Palestinian camps have been a glaring exception since the 1970s. These camps have become lawless zones, controlled by armed groups that operate beyond state control. They serve as hotbeds for terrorism, extremism, fugitives from justice, smuggling networks, and illicit drug trafficking.
A Historical Attempt to Occupy Lebanon
Since the eruption of the Lebanese Civil War in 1975, armed Palestinian factions allied with leftist and Arab nationalist forces attempted to impose their control over Lebanon, seeking to replace the Lebanese state with a Palestinian entity. These groups waged brutal wars against state institutions, security forces, and particularly Christian areas, turning Lebanon into a regional battlefield. Despite the official end of the war, the Taif Agreement, and the forced disbanding of Christian, Druze, and Sunni militias, Palestinian camps remained militarized strongholds. Similarly, terrorist factions such as Hezbollah, Amal Movement,, the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, the Ba'ath Party, and radical Islamist organizations never surrendered their arms. This was due to the influence of the Syrian Assad regime, which occupied Lebanon until 2005. After Assad's withdrawal, Hezbollah—an Iranian armed terrorist proxy—took over, ensuring that Palestinian camps remained armed and outside state authority, perpetuating the same destabilizing agenda. What were supposed to be humanitarian refugee settlements instead became closed military zones.
Palestinian Camps: Epicenters of Terrorism and Crime
The Palestinian camps—most notably Ain al-Hilweh in Sidon and Rashidieh in Tyre—have become safe havens for terrorist groups such as Hamas, Islamic Jihad, ISIS, and Al-Nusra Front. These factions stockpile weapons inside the camps, turning them into direct threats to Lebanese security and regional stability.
The 13 Palestinian Camps and the Armed Organizations that controls them
Lebanon’s Palestinian camps are distributed across various regions:
Sidon: Ain al-Hilweh, Mieh Mieh
Tyre: Rashidieh, Burj al-Shamali, Al-Bass
North Lebanon: Nahr al-Bared, Beddawi
Beirut: Burj al-Barajneh, Shatila, Mar Elias
Metn: Dbayeh
Baalbek: Al-Jalil, Wavel
Several armed organizations operate within these camps, including:
Hamas
Islamic Jihad Movement
Abdullah Azzam Brigades
ISIS
Al-Nusra Front
Jamaat Ansar Allah
Fatah Movement (armed factions)
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command
Fatah al-Islam (eliminated after the Battle of Nahr al-Bared but left a dangerous security legacy)
The Battle of Nahr al-Bared: A Case Study in Armed Anarchy
In 2007, a fierce battle erupted between the Lebanese army and the terrorist group Fatah al-Islam, which had entrenched itself inside the Nahr al-Bared camp. Hundreds of Lebanese soldiers were martyred, and numerous civilians lost their lives. The Syrian regime, which was still exerting control over Lebanon, provided political cover, weapons, and funding to the militants, obstructing state efforts to restore sovereignty.
The Taif Agreement and the Failure to Disarm the Camps
The Taif Agreement, which ended the Lebanese Civil War, stipulated the disarmament of all militias and the extension of state control over all Lebanese territory. However, under Syrian occupation, this was selectively enforced—only Christian and Druze militias were disarmed, while Hezbollah, the Amal Movement, the Ba'ath Party, the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, and Islamist factions were allowed to keep their weapons. Palestinian camps also remained outside state control, despite national consensus on the need to disarm them.
The Lebanese National Dialogue: A Useless Exercise
In 2006, the Lebanese National Dialogue, chaired by Nabih Berri and attended by Hassan Nasrallah and other political leaders, agreed on the necessity of disarming the camps. However, Hezbollah deliberately obstructed any implementation, as it benefits from the continued existence of these armed enclaves, which serve as rear bases for its fundamentalist allies.
UN Resolutions Ignored
United Nations Resolutions 1559, 1701, and 1680, as well as the Lebanese Armistice Agreement, mandate the disarmament of all militias in Lebanon. However, Hezbollah’s dominance, along with continued chaos in the camps, has prevented any enforcement. As a result, these camps remain breeding grounds for extremism and organized crime, endangering Lebanon and its people.
Palestinian Authority’s Calls for Disarmament Ignored
For years, the Palestinian Authority has urged Lebanon to disarm the camps and reassert full state control. However, Lebanon—whose political and military decisions are controlled by Hezbollah, Iran’s proxy—has failed to act. Iran, Hezbollah, and the Assad regime have exploited these camps for decades to serve their expansionist and terrorist agendas, at the expense of Lebanon’s security and sovereignty.
The Only Path Forward: Restoring Lebanese Sovereignty
Lebanon cannot achieve stability and sovereignty unless it decisively disarms Palestinian camps—just as Christian and Druze militias were forcibly disarmed after the war. The continued existence of these lawless enclaves ensures that Lebanon remains a hostage to armed chaos, foreign interference, and perpetual instability. The Lebanese people must demand an end to this dangerous anomaly. The state must reclaim its authority and enforce a monopoly on arms to build a sovereign, independent nation capable of protecting its citizens and ensuring lasting peace.

Netanyahu says Israel 'respects' Lebanon and its army
Naharnet/March 30/2025
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel is enforcing a tough and uncompromising policy in Lebanon. Commenting on the latest escalation, Netanyahu said that Israel “respects” Lebanon and its army. “Therefore we demand from them things that you demand from someone you respect,” Netanyahu added, speaking during a weekly cabinet session. “Lebanon is responsible for what comes out of its territory, and it must ensure that… no attacks against Israel come out of its territory,” Netanyahu said, apparently referring to recent rocket fire.

Aoun to hold meetings in Lebanon over latest Israeli escalation
Naharnet/March 30/2025
The Israeli attack that targeted Beirut’s southern suburbs for the first time since the latest war will be discussed in meetings that President Joseph Aoun is expected to hold following his return from France on Friday evening, informed sources said. “The attack that took place was a message to the Lebanese state regarding the file of Hezbollah’s weapons and the dismantling of its military infrastructure and facilities is a responsibility that falls on the shoulders of security authorities and agencies, especially the Lebanese Army,” the sources told al-Liwaa newspaper in remarks published Saturday. The sources also did not rule out that Aoun might convene Cabinet or the Higher Defense Council to discuss the developments.

US remarks on Lebanon's ceasefire violation and Israeli tensions raise questions: aimed at Lebanon or France?
LBCI/March 30/2025
After the Lebanese-French talks in Paris, two key U.S. positions emerged. The first position came from Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East, Morgan Ortagus, who said Lebanon violated the ceasefire agreement. She called on the Lebanese government to rein in the "terrorist groups" launching rockets, adding that the Lebanese army, which receives U.S. support, is not doing enough to confront them. The second position came from Republican Party member Tom Harb in an interview. Are these U.S. remarks aimed solely at the Lebanese government, or are they directed at France as well? These positions coincided with a security incident in southern Lebanon when Israeli military personnel fired near a French UNIFIL patrol close to the village of Rmeish. Diplomatic sources confirmed to LBCI that President Joseph Aoun has not changed his stance, which he has maintained throughout his tenure as head of the army: avoiding a confrontation with Hezbollah. This is reflected in the absence of footage showing the army destroying Hezbollah's military installations in the south. Meanwhile, Ortagus is expected to arrive in Beirut with a clear message, which includes the implementation of Resolution 1701, enforcement of the ceasefire agreement, and the establishment of diplomatic committees for negotiations. At the same time, Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem escalated tensions with Israel, threatening retaliation. He also warned the Lebanese government, stating that its "failure to fulfill its duties" could push the group to consider "other options."The U.S.-French "clash" is apparent in these developments, even if not openly stated. While the U.S. pressures Lebanon to fully implement Resolution 1701, claiming that Israel is acting within the agreement's framework, the French position contrasts, accusing Israel of attacking Lebanon and demanding an end to its aggressions. French President Emmanuel Macron reiterated this position during his meeting with the Lebanese President Aoun.

Salam meets with Saudi crown prince in Mecca
Naharnet/March 30/2025
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam met Sunday in Mecca with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman after performing the Eid al-Fitr prayer with him at Mecca’s Grand Mosque. Al-Jadeed TV had reported that Salam traveled Saturday evening to Saudi Arabia aboard a private Saudi jet. A statement carried by the Saudi news agency said Salam and bin Salman discussed “the bilateral ties between the two countries, the developments of the situations in Lebanon and the region, and the efforts exerted toward them.”The Lebanese Premiership meanwhile said Salam lauded Saudi Arabia’s hosting of hundreds of thousands of Lebanese workers while praising the efforts to lift the ban on Lebanese exports and on the travel of Saudis to the country, noting that “Lebanon is carrying on with the policy of reforms, especially the financial and institutional among them, in order to boost investments and revive the country’s economy.” Salam also said that the Lebanese government “will continue to exert its authority across its territory, with its own forces, according to the Taif Agreement and in a manner that achieves the country’s safety and stability and creates a safe environment for investors and tourists.”The Saudi crown prince for his part underscored that “Saudi Arabia will always stand by Lebanon” and is “keen on the restoration of its prosperity in the various fields, through establishing security and stability and conducting the necessary reforms,” the Premiership said. The crown prince also called for “benefiting from all the chances available today to achieve that and overcome the continuous crises.”

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in Saudi Arabia: Paving the way for Lebanon's reform success and stronger ties
LBCI/March 30/2025
A private Saudi plane was sent to transport Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to Mecca, where he became the only non-Saudi official to join Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for Eid al-Fitr prayers. After the prayer, the Crown Prince hosted Salam for breakfast before they held a 40-minute meeting. The visit marked a significant moment for Prime Minister Salam's trip to Saudi Arabia. The discussions strongly supported Lebanon, with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman emphasizing that the kingdom consistently stands by Lebanon and is committed to its prosperity and necessary reforms. He underscored the importance of seizing every available opportunity to achieve these goals and address the ongoing crises. Salam, in turn, stressed the importance of strengthening the partnership between the two countries. He pointed to Lebanon's progress in implementing reforms, particularly in the financial and institutional sectors, to encourage investment and revitalize the economy. He also reiterated the Lebanese government's commitment to asserting its authority nationwide, ensuring a secure environment for investors and tourists. He called on Saudi Arabia to support Lebanon and restore confidence. In the afternoon, Salam returned to Beirut, supporting Lebanon's reform and stability agenda significantly, which can only be achieved through coordinated efforts.

Lebanon makes arrests over rockets fired at Israel
AFP/March 30, 2025
BEIRUT: Lebanese authorities said Sunday several suspects had been arrested after rockets were fired at neighboring Israel earlier this month, testing a fragile November ceasefire. Lebanon’s General Security agency said it had “arrested a number of suspects, and the relevant authorities have begun investigations with them to determine responsibility and take the appropriate legal measures.” Militant group Hezbollah, which fought a devastating war with Israel last year, has denied involvement in the rocket fire that took place on March 22 and 28.It however prompted an Israeli strike on Hezbollah’s Beirut stronghold for the first time since the truce went into effect in November.

General Security Steps Up Search for Those Responsible for Rocket Attacks on Israel
This is Beirut/March 30/2025
The Public Relations Office of the General Security Directorate announced on Sunday evening that it was “stepping up its intelligence operations to uncover those involved” in the rocket attacks on March 22 and 28. “Within the framework of monitoring the security situation and maintaining stability, particularly in light of recent events in southern Lebanon, which included the launching of rockets of unknown origin on March 22 and 28, the General Security Directorate has intensified its intelligence operations to uncover those involved in these acts,” the office announced. “Under the supervision of the relevant judicial authorities, the General Directorate of Public Security has arrested a number of suspects, and the competent authorities have begun investigations to determine responsibility and take the appropriate legal measures,” it said. Earlier in the day, the Lebanese Army has arrested several individuals suspected of involvement in recent rocket attacks launched from southern Lebanon toward Israel, according to a security source cited by Saudi media outlet al-Hadath. Among those detained are Syrian and Palestinian nationals. The ongoing investigation has reportedly uncovered key clues that could help identify the group responsible for the attacks. In a statement, the Lebanese Army reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining the ceasefire and implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701. It stressed that any attempts to violate the truce would not be tolerated, as it continues to conduct patrols and surveillance operations across the border region. Meanwhile, an Israeli drone strike targeted a gathering of civilians in the Sbeih area of Hula. In a separate development, Israeli forces fired approximately ten phosphorus shells at the southern part of al-Wazzani, while Israeli soldiers stationed at Roueissat al-Alam opened fire with machine guns toward the outskirts of Kfarchouba. Tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border have remained high in recent months, with repeated cross-border exchanges raising concerns of further escalation.

Macron Urges Israel to Stop the Strikes on Gaza and Respect Ceasefire in Lebanon
This is Beirut/AFP/March 30/2025
French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday urged Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stop the strikes on Gaza and respect the ceasefire in Lebanon, in a phone call between the two leaders. Macron's intervention comes at a time when Israel has resumed its bombardment of the besieged Palestinian territory following the collapse of a fragile truce with the Islamist group Hamas. "I called on the Israeli prime minister to put an end to the strikes on Gaza and return to the ceasefire, which Hamas must accept. I underlined that humanitarian aid must be delivered again immediately," the French leader wrote on the X social network. Israel resumed intense bombing of the Palestinian territory on March 18 and then launched a new ground offensive, ending a nearly two-month ceasefire in the war with Hamas which the Palestinian militant group sparked with its October 7, 2023 attack.
On Sunday, Gaza's civil defense agency said an Israeli air strike in Khan Yunis killed at least eight people, including five children, as the displaced Palestinians sheltering there were observing Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. Macron likewise "called on Israel to strictly respect the ceasefire" in Lebanon, where Israel on Friday bombed the southern Beirut suburb for the first time after four months of truce. The Beirut strike came after rockets were fired from Lebanon towards Israel on Friday, testing the fragile truce. Hezbollah, which like Hamas is backed by Israel's arch-rival Iran, has denied involvement. Netanyahu has insisted Israel will target anywhere in Lebanon it deems a threat, warning in a statement on Friday that "the equation has changed". Macron had previously denounced the Beirut strikes, which Lebanon's health ministry reported had killed five people, as an "unacceptable" violation.

Iran urges 'decisive measures' from int'l community after Israel's attack on Dahieh
Agence France Presse/March 30/2025
Iran has described the "excuses" put forward to justify Israel's attack Friday on a Beirut southern suburb as "completely unjustified and baseless."Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei called for "decisive measures" from the international community to address the "lawlessness" of Israel's continual use of military force from Gaza to Syria and Lebanon. The Israeli airstrike destroyed two buildings in the Beirut southern suburb of al-Jamous after Israel said two rockets were fired from Lebanon at northern Israel. Israeli strikes also targeted areas across south Lebanon, killing three people and wounding 18 others in the town of Kfar Tebnit. Two Syrian workers were also killed in Yohmor al-Shaqif.

Border wall, buffer zone, open-fire orders—will Israel’s 'security' measures against Lebanon backfire?
LBCI/March 30/2025
Israel has upheld its policy of direct retaliation, extending even to Beirut, for any rocket launched from Lebanon. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during his weekly Cabinet meeting that the military has been granted full authority to carry out immediate and forceful responses to any attacks from Lebanon, holding the Lebanese government responsible. Israel’s Security Cabinet, which met late Saturday, discussed how to address the latest developments regarding Lebanon. A military report presented at the meeting described Hezbollah’s efforts to rebuild its capabilities as the biggest challenge ahead, claiming that Israel had destroyed 90% of the group’s infrastructure before the ceasefire agreement.While some ministers called for intensified strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon and supported demands from northern Israeli residents for a buffer zone, the Cabinet agreed to continue discussions with Washington to ensure border security. Additionally, Israel decided to keep its five military positions inside Lebanon indefinitely. On the ground, the Israeli military is set to accelerate the construction of a border wall to block visibility between southern Lebanon and northern Israeli towns. The military has also reinforced orders for its deployed units to open fire on anyone approaching the wall, even if unarmed. It claimed it would continue operations to destroy any Hezbollah infrastructure or weapons it finds.

Qassem threatens 'other options' if diplomacy fails
Agence France Presse & Associated Press/March 30/2025
Hezbollah chief Sheikh Naim Qassem has said in a speech broadcast overnight that he could not accept continued Israeli attacks on Lebanon, a day after Israel’s first strike on Beirut since a November ceasefire. "This aggression must end. Israel... bombed Beirut's southern suburbs for the first time since the truce... we cannot allow this to continue," Qassem said in a televised address. "If Israel believes it can impose a new equation by using false pretexts... to attack the south, the Bekaa and the southern suburbs of Beirut, this is unacceptable," he added. The Beirut strike came after rockets were fired from Lebanon towards Israel on Friday, testing the fragile ceasefire. Hezbollah has denied involvement in the rocket fire. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz swiftly hit back, threatening fresh attacks on the Lebanese capital to punish rocket fire on northern Israel, regardless of the perpetrator.
"If there is no calm in Kiryat Shmona and communities in Galilee (northern Israel), there will be no calm in Beirut," he said. Israel has continued to carry out strikes on southern and eastern Lebanon in the months since the ceasefire, striking what it says are Hezbollah military targets that violated the agreement. Following the Beirut strike, Hezbollah canceled a rally it had been due to hold in the southern suburbs on Friday. "It is still possible to resolve the situation through political and diplomatic means, but... there is a limit to everything," Qassem warned, calling on the Lebanon state to act. If "the Lebanese state fails to achieve the necessary results politically, we will be forced to resort to other options," he added, without elaborating."We fully complied and we have no presence south of the Litani but Israel did not abide. Israel is carrying aggressions every day," Qassem said. "These (Israeli strikes) are not violations. They are an aggression that crossed all limits," Qassem added. He said Israel appears to be pressuring Lebanon to normalize relations with it, a move the Hezbollah totally rejects. "Israel will not get during peace time what it was not able to achieve by war," he said. "Let everyone know that this resistance (Hezbollah) is present and ready and at the same time is committed to the agreement.""We will not allow anyone to deprive us from using our force and capabilities to confront this enemy," said Qassem. He added that Hezbollah "is not weak in facing the projects of America and Israel." "Our patience so far aims to give a chance to solutions that could reduce the pains and casualties," Qassem said. Under the terms of the ceasefire, Israel was due to complete its withdrawal from Lebanon by February 18 after missing a January deadline, but it has kept troops in five places it deems "strategic."The agreement also required Hezbollah to pull its forces north of the Litani River, about 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the Israeli border, and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure in the south. The Lebanese Army has deployed in the south as the Israeli army pulled back. Hezbollah began launching rockets, drones and missiles into Israel the day after the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel by its Hamas allies ignited the war in Gaza. The Israel-Hezbollah conflict exploded into all-out war last September when Israel carried out waves of airstrikes and killed most of the militant group's senior leaders. The fighting killed over 4,000 people in Lebanon and displaced about 60,000 Israelis.

Amid destruction, a fragile Eid spirit lingers in southern Lebanon
LBCI/March 30/2025
In the damaged hall of a mosque in Wazzani, scattered supplies and belongings remain. Here, a family from the town spends Eid al-Fitr after losing their home and possessions. Walking through the rubble of the town facing the village of Ghajar, families mark Eid in the local school instead of their destroyed homes. This is where home, gatherings, and what remains of the holiday spirit endure. If not for a few children in Wazzani’s devastated neighborhoods, it would be hard to tell it is the first day of Eid al-Fitr. There is no joy, no festive atmosphere. Much of the town lies in ruins, with only 40 families having returned.  Many have lost their livelihoods, jobs, and agricultural harvests. Eid prayers were held in Kfarchouba, in the heart of the destroyed town square. Despite airstrikes and shelling just days ago, there were still sounds of joy, laughter, and children’s games set up among the wrecked homes. A local initiative also reached Halta, bringing a moment of happiness to children after months of displacement, fear, and uncertainty. The effort will continue across the Arkoub villages, reaching Wazzani and Marjayoun, in hopes of better years and future holidays filled with peace, prosperity, and stability.

Rai: As if Lebanon Were a Project of Positions Rather Than a Project of State
This is Beirut/March 30/2025
In his Sunday homily, Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai likened the Lebanese state to a paralytic. He believes that the country is suffering from immobility due to the loss of sovereignty, foreign interventions aimed at fueling division and disrupting political and democratic life, growing debt, increasing poverty, rising unemployment and stagnating agricultural and industrial production. Rai thanked the friendly countries that are helping Lebanon emerge from its paralysis. He stressed that the country can only recover and prosper with the concerted efforts of all its inhabitants. He took as an example the peoples of Europe, who learned from their tragedies, reconciled, purified their memories, distanced themselves from extremism and moved from a logic of military power to one of peaceful and economic power. Rai criticized the practices of the Lebanese, “If we look at Lebanon and consider how we have behaved after every crisis, trial, war and occupation, our faith in our national unity is threatened. It seems to us that our conflicts compete with and spoil the will to live together and that the mentality of gain prevails over the mentality of solidarity, as if Lebanon were a project of positions rather than a project of state.”Finally, he hoped that Lebanon would be equipped with a system of positive neutrality that would enable it to promote the message of peace, dialogue, protection of the rights of peoples, public freedoms, respect for the dignity of the human person and exemplary coexistence between Christians and Muslims.

Audi: Demons That Have Corrupted Souls Prevent Reform and Progress
This is Beirut/March 30/2025
Referring to the situation of the country, the Metropolitan of Beirut, Elias Audi, asked, “How can you build a country if some of its citizens don't believe in it? How can a society be reformed if some of its members cling to their own interests? How do you root out corruption in an administration that is always surrounded by the corrupt and never lets itself be discouraged?”He felt that many “demons manipulate the people of this country and its leaders (...). The demons of pride, envy, self-interest, hatred, exploitation, refusal of change, profit and exploitation and other demons that have corrupted souls and ruined the country, and unfortunately, they are still omnipresent and prevent reform and progress in the process of rebuilding this country, its administration, its institutions and its society.”Bishop Audi urged a return to self and a reform of what has become corrupt. He added, “Our country has been handed over, abused and killed again and again, and it needs new blood, a new mindset and a modern vision.”

Al-Kurdi: The Lebanese Must Stand Behind Their Army and State to Liberate Our Occupied Land
This is Beirut/March 30/2025
At the request of the Mufti of the Lebanese Republic, Sheikh Abdel Latif Derian, the Secretary of Dar al-Fatwa, Sheikh Amin al-Kurdi, delivered the Eid al-Fitr sermon at the Khatam al-Anbiya mosque in central Beirut. Al-Kurdi spoke of the “bleeding wounds” suffered by the Palestinian population and Lebanon. He declared, “Our land is still occupied, and today, more than ever, the people must stand behind their Army and their state to defend their country and strive to liberate any part of our land occupied by the Israeli enemy.”He called on the Lebanese to be “fraternal toward one another, avoiding sedition, nullifying the language of betrayal and showing one another the language of love and sincere intent.”Believing that “it is our destiny to live together and show a sense of humanity and good living,” he wished Lebanon and the Muslim nation more security and stability.”

Lebanon’s Grand Jaafari Mufti declares March 31, 2025, as Eid al-Fitr Day
LBCI/March 30/2025
Lebanon's Grand Jaafari Mufti Sheikh Ahmad Kabalan announced that Monday, March 31, 2025, will mark the first day of Eid al-Fitr. He wished the holiday would bring "goodness, mercy, and blessings," emphasizing the importance of unity among the Lebanese people and the country's collective national future.

US Seeks to Persuade Lebanon to Start Talks with Israel
Beirut: Mohamed Choucair/Asharq Al Awsat/March 30/2025
Israel’s response to the launch of two unidentified rockets marks a shift as it coincides with the planned return of US Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East Morgan Ortagus to Beirut. In her second visit, Ortagus aims to persuade Lebanon’s government to engage in diplomatic negotiations with Tel Aviv. The proposed talks would involve three working groups tasked with securing the release of Lebanese detainees, overseeing Israel’s withdrawal from remaining occupied points, and delineating borders in accordance with the 1949 armistice agreement. The launch of two rockets marks the second such incident in less than a week. The first attack took place last Saturday, targeting the Israeli settlement of Metula with three rockets, which were intercepted and brought down by Israel near the Blue Line. The latest rocket fire coincided with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun’s meeting with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in Paris, in what appeared to be a message that the Lebanese army’s efforts to assert state authority over all national territory were insufficient—particularly as Ortagus prepares for her return to Beirut.
The identity of those behind the rocket launches remains unclear, as Hezbollah has repeatedly denied any involvement. Sources familiar with the security meeting chaired by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, who was in contact with Aoun during his talks with Macron, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the meeting closely examined the question of who was responsible for the attacks.
According to the sources, the assessment within the expanded security meeting was that Hezbollah had no interest in launching the rockets. Discussions among security officials, however, also ruled out Palestinian factions, as the rockets were fired from an area under Hezbollah’s influence.
Hezbollah, the sources noted, is sensitive to the prevailing mood among Lebanon’s Shiite community, which seeks stability in the south—a goal that remains elusive while the war continues. The group is wary of alienating its support base and has refrained from responding to Israeli ceasefire violations, despite the embarrassment this causes within its ranks. Currently, Hezbollah is aligned with the Lebanese government’s diplomatic efforts to pressure Israel into withdrawing from southern Lebanon, the sources said. President Aoun recently affirmed that the group is cooperating with the Lebanese army south of the Litani River. If the ongoing military intelligence investigation determines that neither Hezbollah nor any other local actor was involved in the rocket launches, questions may arise over whether Israel itself was behind the attack, given its history of ceasefire violations.
Israel, the sources added, has the most to gain from undermining the US-French-brokered ceasefire agreement. Hezbollah, meanwhile, has little to gain from escalating tensions, particularly as Lebanon enters Eid al-Fitr and Easter—holidays that traditionally bring an influx of expatriates and provide a much-needed economic boost.
The sources also questioned whether Israel, with its extensive surveillance capabilities, was truly unable to detect and prevent the launch of the two 107mm rockets. They pointed out that Israel maintains close aerial monitoring over southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley, and the Lebanese-Syrian border, frequently tracking and assassinating Hezbollah operatives. It has previously targeted the group’s military facilities but did not strike the site from which the rockets were launched, nor the platform used in the attack. Instead, Israel imposed a tit-for-tat equation, equating Kiryat Shmona with Beirut’s southern suburbs—just as it had earlier linked Metula to the Lebanese capital. The sources did not rule out the possibility that Israel orchestrated the attack through its agents—an angle security services continue to investigate. If no Lebanese group is found responsible, the sources suggested, the incident could be linked to internal divisions within Hezbollah, where some elements advocate military responses to Israeli violations, while others back the government’s diplomatic approach. Israel’s response, they added, fits within broader efforts to pressure Lebanon into direct negotiations—a move openly supported by Washington, as conveyed through Ortagus. The timing of the rocket launch, coinciding with the Aoun-Macron meeting, was seen as an attempt to push France toward aligning with the US position, rather than maintaining its current stance, which is more sympathetic to Lebanon’s perspective.
Ahead of Ortagus’s visit, Aoun outlined Lebanon’s approach to the US proposal from Paris, stressing that any negotiations must distinguish between three separate issues: the release of Lebanese detainees, Israel’s withdrawal from occupied points, and border demarcation under internationally recognized diplomatic protocols—without leading to normalization with Israel or forcing Lebanon into a “war or negotiations” scenario dictated by Tel Aviv.

Conference on Trails and Mountain Routes in Lebanon/Welcome Speech by Fr. Khalil Alwan M.L.
President of the Association for the Development of Pilgrimage and Religious Tourism in Lebanon (APL)
Conference on Trails and Mountain Routes in Lebanon
Bkerki – Lebanon
March 28, 2025
Your Beatitude and Eminence, Bechara Boutros Cardinal Rai,
Your Excellency, Minister of Tourism, Mrs. Laura El Khazen Lahoud,
Your Excellencies, the Bishops, Honorable Mayors, Trade Union Leaders, Rectors of Shrines in Lebanon, Esteemed Members of the Association, Dear Brothers and Sisters Engaged in Religious Tourism,
It is with great joy and gratitude that I welcome you all today to this important conference, held as part of the Jubilee Year 2025, proclaimed by His Holiness the Holy Father under the theme "Pilgrims of Hope." We also gather to celebrate the fifteenth anniversary of the founding of the Association for the Development of Pilgrimage and Religious Tourism in Lebanon (APL), and to officially launch the Caminos Lebanon – Lebanon Routes project.
Allow me, at the beginning of this gathering, to briefly present the mission and history of our Association.
Lebanon, in addition to its natural beauty, favorable climate, and vibrant seasons, is a sacred land — a land of saints and a land of mission. Jesus walked through Tyre and Sidon; synods were held in Beirut, Tripoli, and Tyre; hermits lived in its caves; monks were sanctified in its monasteries. The Qadisha Valley, the Al-Assi River, and the miracles attributed to the intercession of St. Charbel, St. Rafqa, St. Ne'metallah, and Father Jacob the Capuchin — as well as the virtuous lives of Father Bechara Murad, Patriarch Elias Howayek, and Patriarch Estephan Douaihy — all bear witness to the holiness of this land. Lebanon, thanks to its saints, has become an undisputed destination for pilgrimage and religious tourism.
It was only natural that an association would arise to preserve and develop this precious religious and touristic heritage. In 2006, the Maronite Patriarchal Synod recognized the importance of religious tourism at both the spiritual and national levels, and in 2007, our Association was founded to serve as an official ecclesiastical reference for all government bodies, non-governmental organizations, trade unions, associations, companies, and individuals involved in this field. The APL is apolitical and non-profit. It operates in full transparency and in coordination with all stakeholders, under the spiritual and administrative supervision of the Assembly of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Lebanon, and is officially recognized by the Lebanese State.
In recent years, I have had the honor of representing Lebanon at two international religious tourism conferences, at the invitation of the Holy See: the first in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, and the second in Cancún, Mexico. Our Association is also a permanent member of the Francophone Sanctuaries Rectors Association.We have published two books on religious tourism, collaborated with successive Ministers of Tourism to revise the ministry’s publications, and developed a comprehensive database of 165 Christian shrines. In 2010, we held our first joint conference with the Ministry of Tourism. In 2011, we took part in a workshop at the Grand Serail, and in 2017, we hosted a conference at Antonine University on spiritual parades and religious processions in Lebanon.
This year, as we celebrate a fruitful season for religious tourism, we chose to focus this conference on mountain trails — paths that lead to shrines and are closely tied to pilgrimages and vows. We have identified dozens of such trails that align with the liturgical calendars of various Churches, some of which are seasonal, others annual or monthly. We are convinced that reviving these historic routes — once walked by Christ, the Apostles, the saints, and our forefathers — transforms them into journeys of prayer, self-discovery, and human and spiritual encounter. These paths awaken in pilgrims a desire to explore the religious, cultural, and environmental heritage of our land, while contributing to the economic and social development of rural areas. It is in this spirit that we are proud to officially launch the Caminos Lebanon project today. We have appointed Dr. Nour Farra Haddad as the project manager, in coordination and collaboration with Dr. Suzy El Hage, the concept creator. Following this opening session, today's program includes four presentations showcasing a variety of inspiring journeys. We will conclude with an evaluation session, during which we will announce the date of our next conference, to be held this coming fall.
Before closing, I am pleased to share some good news with the members of our Association: we have been granted a permanent headquarters within the historic Church of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa. We extend our deepest thanks to the sanctuary’s leadership for this generous gesture.
Finally, I warmly thank Her Excellency the Minister of Tourism, who, like her esteemed predecessors, has chosen to be with us today — a sign of continued fruitful collaboration for the good of Lebanon and its people.
To His Beatitude, our gracious host and spiritual father, Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros Rahi, I extend our deepest thanks and heartfelt gratitude for his support, love, and presence at this event. Your Beatitude, you have our highest expressions of appreciation and reverence.
Thank you all.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on March 30-31/2025
Iran rejects direct negotiations with US in response to Trump’s letter
AP/March 30, 2025
DUBAI:Iran’s president said Sunday that Tehran had rejected direct negotiations with the United States in response to a letter from President Donald Trump over its rapidly advancing nuclear program. The remarks from President Masoud Pezeshkian represented the first official acknowledgment of how Iran responded to Trump’s letter. It also suggests that tensions may further rise between Tehran and Washington. Pezeshkian said: “Although the possibility of direct negotiations between the two sides has been rejected in this response, it has been emphasized that the path for indirect negotiations remains open.” It’s unclear, however, whether Trump would accept indirect negotiations. Indirect negotiations for years since Trump initially withdrew America from Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers in 2018 have been unsuccessful. Trump’s overture comes as both Israel and the United States have warned they will never let Iran acquire a nuclear weapon, leading to fears of a military confrontation as Tehran enriches uranium at near weapons-grade levels — something only done by atomic-armed nations. Iran has long maintained its program is for peaceful purposes, even as its officials increasingly threaten to pursue the bomb as tensions are high with the US over its sanctions and after the collapse of a ceasefire in Israel’s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Since Trump returned to the White House, his administration has consistently said that Iran must be prevented from acquiring nuclear weapons. A report in February, however, by the UN’s nuclear watchdog said Iran has accelerated its production of near weapons-grade uranium.

Trump Threatens Iran With ‘Bombing’ if ‘Peace Deal’ Fails and Express Anger Toward Putin
This is Beirut/March 30/2025
US President Donald Trump has threatened that Iran will be bombed if it persists in developing nuclear weapons, while expressing anger toward russian President Vladimir Putin on Ukraine. "If they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing," NBC News said the president told one of its correspondents in an interview late Saturday. It said he also threatened to punish Iran with what he called "secondary tariffs."Trump's language represented a sharpening of his comment a few days earlier that if Tehran refused to negotiate a new nuclear agreement, "bad, bad things are going to happen to Iran."It was not clear whether Trump was threatening bombing by US planes alone or in an operation coordinated with Israel. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar told Politico late last month that "in order to stop a nuclear Iranian program before it will be weaponized, a reliable military option should be on the table." Analysts have said Iran may be just weeks away from producing a deliverable nuclear weapon -- though Tehran denies it is building such arms. Either way, such an attack carries a risk of spreading to a wider conflict. Trump in 2018 pulled the United States out of an agreement to relieve sanctions on Iran in return for curbs on its nuclear program. Now, in his second term, he has said he is open to talks on a new deal that could reduce the risk of military escalation. Trump revealed in early March that he had sent a letter proposing such talks to Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Meantime, he has pushed ahead with his "maximum pressure" program of additional sanctions and the threat of military action. Tehran, deeply suspicious of the US administration after Trump's withdrawal from the original nuclear deal, has refused to negotiate directly with Washington. On Thursday, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told the official IRNA news agency that he had delivered a letter responding to Trump's outreach to Oman, which has served as an intermediary in the past.
“Pissed off” at Putin
The US President also said he was "very angry, pissed off" with Putin, NBC reported, marking a sharp change of tone as Washington seeks to end the war in Ukraine.
NBC's Kristen Welker said Trump had called her to express his anger over Putin questioning Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's future as a leader -- something that Trump himself has done. Welker, on her NBC show "Meet The Press" on Sunday, quoted directly from an early-morning telephone conversation with the president. Trump said that "if Russia and I are unable to make a deal on stopping the bloodshed in Ukraine, and if I think it was Russia's fault" then he would impose "secondary tariffs on all oil coming out of Russia."Welker said Trump told her "I was very angry, pissed off" when Putin started making comments about Zelensky's credibility and talking about new leadership in Ukraine. Trump has been pushing for a speedy end to the more than three-year war since taking office, but his administration has failed to reach a breakthrough despite talks with both sides. Putin rejected a joint US-Ukrainian plan for a 30-day ceasefire, and on Friday suggested Zelensky be removed from office as part of the peace process, further toughening Moscow's negotiating position and angering Kyiv.

King Salman, crown prince perform Eid Al-Fitr prayers
Arab News/March 30, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman performed Eid Al-Fitr prayers at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah on Sunday morning. The King was accompanied by various other royals and dignitaries. Elsewhere, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman performed Eid Al-Fitr prayers in Makkah alongside worshippers who filled the Grand Mosque and its surrounding courtyards. Joining the crown prince was Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, along with other princes, scholars, ministers, and senior officials. Following the prayer, the crown prince received princes, scholars, and senior officials who congratulated him. Those present then had breakfast with Prince Mohammed.

What We Know About Syria’s New Government
This is Beirut/March 30/2025
Syria's new government, dominated by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa's inner circle, faces the daunting challenge of gaining the trust of Syrians, as well as that of Western countries to secure sanctions relief. The transitional 23-member cabinet -- without a prime minister -- was announced on Saturday, more than three months after Sharaa's Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) led an offensive that toppled longtime president Bashar al-Assad. Succeeding the caretaker authorities in place since December, the formation of the government follows a constitutional declaration signed into force earlier this month, which experts and rights groups have warned concentrates power in Sharaa's hands and fails to include enough protections for minorities.
Allies in key roles
Some of Sharaa's closest supporters and other figures aligned with him make up the majority of the cabinet. Most members are Sunni Muslim, reflecting the demographic make-up of Syria, ruled for decades by the Assad clan which belongs to the Alawite minority.
Syria expert Fabrice Balanche said that key portfolios have been given to "former brothers-in-arms who were already part of the Salvation Government that ran Idlib province" in Syria's northwest, the rebel bastion controlled by HTS before Assad's fall.
These include Assaad al-Shaibani, who as caretaker foreign minister already met with numerous Western and Middle Eastern officials, and retained his cabinet post in the new government. Defence Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra, who as a rebel commander led the offensive that overthrew Assad, also kept his role. His main challenge is building a new national army. Anas Khattab, who has been sanctioned by the United Nations, was appointed interior minister after serving as intelligence chief in a caretaker capacity. The justice ministry went to Mazhar al-Wais, also from the Idlib rebel government. He replaced Shadi al-Waisi, who as interim minister faced criticism from activists and rights groups after old footage resurfaced linking him to the summary executions of two women accused of prostitution. The leader of the White Helmets, the Syrian rescuers who worked in rebel-held areas, Raed al-Saleh, was appointed minister of emergency situations and disasters.
Minority representatives
Amid international calls for an inclusive transition, the new government has four ministers from minority groups in Syria -- a Christian, a Druze, a Kurd and an Alawite, none of whom were handed key portfolios. "Mr Sharaa is seeking to broaden his support base well beyond" the ranks of Islamist groups that already back him, said Aron Lund of the Century International think tank. "Seeing a radical Islamist faction coming to power and including minorities, even in a symbolic way, may not be ideal but it could have been worse," added Lund.
Yarub Badr, who is Alawite and served in a government under Assad before the war, was appointed transportation minister. Veteran opposition figure Hind Kabawat, a member of Syria's Christian minority and longtime Assad opponent, was named social affairs and labour minister, the first woman to be appointed by Sharaa.
Challenges
The autonomous Kurdish-led administration in northwestern Syria rejected on Sunday the legitimacy of the new national government, saying it "does not reflect the country's diversity". About 15 percent of Syria's population is Kurdish. The sole Kurdish member of the new cabinet is not affiliated with the regional administration, which earlier this month had struck a deal with the national authorities to integrate into state institutions, eyeing unity after more than a decade of civil war. Some analysts have expressed concern that the deal was effectively dead on arrival as the Kurdish administration has since also criticised the transitional constitutional declaration. Lund said that in this context, "any government would have struggled to bring stability to the country." "The real question", according to him, has to do with the level of influence the ministers will actually have. With no prime minister, there is the risk of "extreme personalisation of power", Balanche warned. According to him, the National Security Council formed on March 13 under Sharaa's chairmanship "is the real government".

Syria’s president Al-Sharaa forms new transitional government
Reuters/March 30, 2025
The cabinet included Yarub Badr, an Alawite who was named transportation minister, while Amgad Badr, who belongs to the Druze community, will lead the agriculture ministry
Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa announced a transitional government on Saturday, appointing 23 ministers in a broadened cabinet seen as a key milestone in the transition from decades of Assad family rule and to improving Syria’s ties with the West. Syria’s new Sunni Islamist-led authorities have been under pressure from the West and Arab countries to form a government that is more inclusive of the country’s diverse ethnic and religious communities. That pressure increased following the killings of hundreds of Alawite civilians — the minority sect from which toppled leader Bashar Assad hails — in violence along Syria’s western coast this month. The cabinet included Yarub Badr, an Alawite who was named transportation minister, while Amgad Badr, who belongs to the Druze community, will lead the agriculture ministry. Hind Kabawat, a Christian woman and part of the previous opposition to Assad who worked for interfaith tolerance and women’s empowerment, was appointed as social affairs and labor minister. Mohammed Yosr Bernieh was named finance minister. It kept Murhaf Abu Qasra and Asaad Al-Shibani, who were already serving as defense and foreign ministers respectively in the previous caretaker cabinet that has governed Syria since Assad was toppled in December by a lightning rebel offensive. Sharaa also said he established for the first time a ministry for sports and another for emergencies, with the head of a rescue group known as the White Helmets, Raed Al-Saleh, appointed as the minister of emergencies. In January, Sharaa was named as interim president and pledged to form an inclusive transitional government that would build up Syria’s gutted public institutions and run the country until elections, which he said could take up to five years to hold. The government will not have a prime minister, with Sharaa expected to lead the executive branch. Earlier this month, Syria issued a constitutional declaration, designed to serve as the foundation for the interim period led by Sharaa. The declaration kept a central role for Islamic law and guaranteed women’s rights and freedom of expression.

Nostalgia, relief and loss as some Syrians mark their first Ramadan back home in years
AP/March 30, 2025
DARAYA, Syria: When Mariam Aabour learned of the ouster of Syrian leader Bashar Assad, she shed tears of joy. But as the time came to return to her homeland from Lebanon – where she fled years earlier – Aabour felt torn. She was happy about the homecoming, but sad to leave behind a son and a stepson who remained in Lebanon to work and pay off family debts. Months before her return, Aabour’s father died in Syria without her seeing him. Her Syrian home has been destroyed and there’s no money to rebuild, she said. Thus it’s been bittersweet experiencing her first Ramadan – the Muslim holy month – since her return. “We’ve all lost dear ones,” she said. “Even after our return, we still cry over the tragedies that we’ve lived through.” As they spend their first Ramadan in years in their homeland, many Syrians who’ve recently trickled back in from abroad have been celebrating the end of the Assad family’s rule in December after a fast-paced rebel offensive. They are relishing some new freedoms and savoring some old traces of the lives they once knew. They enjoy family reunions but many also face challenges as they adjust to a country ravaged by a prolonged civil war and now grappling with a complex transition. As they do, they grieve personal and communal losses: Killed and missing loved ones, their absence amplified during Ramadan. Destroyed or damaged homes. And family gatherings shattered by the exodus of millions. A time for daily fasting and heightened worship, Ramadan also often sees joyous get-togethers with relatives over food and juices. Aabour – one of the more than 370,000 Syrians the United Nations’ refugee agency, UNHCR, says have returned to the country since Assad’s ouster – delights in hearing the call to prayer from mosques signaling the end of the daily fast. In her Lebanon neighborhood, she said, there were no nearby mosques and she relied on phones to know when to break the fast. The hardest part, she added, is sitting for the fast-breaking meal known as “iftar” without some loved ones, including her father and a son, who she said was killed before the family fled Syria. She bitterly recalled how her child, who she said was about 10 when killed, liked a rice and peas dish for iftar and would energetically help her, carrying dishes from the kitchen. “I used to tell him, ‘You’re too young,’ but he would say, ‘No, I want to help you,’” she said, sitting on the floor in her in-laws’ house which her family now shares with relatives.
Faraj Al-Mashash, her husband, said he’s not currently working, accumulating more debt and caring for an ill father. The family borrowed money to fix his father’s home in Daraya. It was damaged and looted, but still standing.
Many Daraya homes aren’t.
Part of Rural Damascus and known for its grapes and its furniture workshops, Daraya was one of the centers of the uprising against Assad. The conflict devolved into armed insurgency and civil war after Assad crushed what started as largely peaceful protests; this Ramadan, Syrians marked the 14th anniversary of the civil war’s start. Daraya suffered killings and saw massive damage during fighting. It endured years of government besiegement and aerial campaigns before a deal was struck between the government and rebels in 2016 that resulted in the evacuation of fighters and civilians and control ceded to the government. Today, in parts of Daraya, children and others walk past walls with gaping holes in crumbling buildings. In some areas, a clothesline or bright-colored water tank provides glimpses of lives unfolding among ruins or charred walls.
Despite it all, Al-Mashash said, it’s home.
“Isn’t Daraya destroyed? But I feel like I am in heaven.”
Still, “there’s sadness,” he added. “A place is only beautiful with its people in it. Buildings can be rebuilt, but when a person is gone, they don’t come back.” In Lebanon, Al-Mashash struggled financially and was homesick for Daraya, for the familiar faces that used to greet him on its streets. Shortly after Assad’s ouster, he returned. This Ramadan, he’s re-lived some traditions, inviting people for iftar and getting invited, and praying at a mosque where he has cherished memories. Some of those who had left Daraya, and now returned to Syria, say their homes have been obliterated or are in no condition for them to stay there. Some of them are living elsewhere in an apartment complex that had previously housed Assad-era military officers and is now sheltering some families, mostly ones who’ve returned from internal displacement.
The majority of those who’ve returned to Syria since Assad’s removal came from countries in the region, including Lebanon, Jordan and Turkiye, said Celine Schmitt, UNHCR’s spokesperson in Syria. A main security fear for returnees is unexploded mines, Schmitt said, adding UNHCR provides “mine awareness sessions” in its community centers. It also offers legal awareness for those needing IDs, birth certificates or property documents and has provided free transportation for some who came from Jordan and Turkiye, she said.
The needs of returnees, so far a fraction of those who’ve left, are varied and big – from work and basic services to house repairs or construction. Many, Schmitt said, hope for financial help to start a small business or rebuild, adding that more funding is needed.
“We’re calling on all of our donors,” she said. “There’s an opportunity now to solve one of the biggest displacement crises in the world, because people want to go back.”Many of those who haven’t returned cite economic challenges and “the huge challenges they see in Syria” as some of the reasons, she said. In January, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said living conditions in the country must improve for the return of Syrians to be sustainable. Umaya Moussa, also from Daraya, said she fled Syria to Lebanon in 2013, returning recently as a mother of four, two of whom had never seen Syria before. Moussa, 38, recalls, at one point, fleeing an area while pregnant and terrified, carrying her daughter and clutching her husband’s hand. The horrors have haunted her. “I’d remember so many events that would leave me unable to sleep,” she said. “Whenever I closed my eyes, I would scream and cry and have nightmares.”In Lebanon, she lived for a while in a camp, where she shared the kitchen and bathroom with others. “We were humiliated ..., but it was still better than the fear we’ve lived through.”
She’d yearned for the usual Ramadan family gatherings.
For the first iftar this year, she broke her fast with her family, including brothers who, she said, as fighters against the Assad government, had previously moved to then rebel-controlled Idlib province. Missing from the Ramadan meal was her father who died while Moussa was away.
Like Moussa, Saeed Kamel is intimately familiar with the pain of a joy incomplete. This Ramadan, he visited the grave of his mother who had died when he was in Lebanon. “I told her that we’ve returned but we didn’t find her,” he said, wiping away tears.
And it wasn’t just her. Kamel had been hopeful that with Assad gone, they would find a missing brother in his prisons; they didn’t. Kamel had vowed never to return to a Syria ruled by Assad, saying he felt like a stranger in his country. His home, he said, was damaged and looted.
But despite any difficulties, he held out hope. At least, he said, “the next generation will live with dignity, God willing.” Kamel fondly recalled how – before their worlds changed – his family would exchange visits with others for most of Ramadan and neighbors would send each other iftar dishes. “Ramadan is not nice without the family gatherings,” he said. “Now, one can barely manage.”He can’t feel the same Ramadan spirit as before. “The good thing,” he said, “is that Ramadan came while we’re liberated.”

Israeli army says intercepts missile fired from Yemen
AFP/March 30, 2025
Jerusalem: The Israeli military said it intercepted a missile fired from Yemen on Sunday after it activated air raid sirens across multiple areas of the country. “Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in several areas in Israel, a missile launched from Yemen was intercepted by the IAF (air force) prior to crossing into Israeli territory,” the military said in a statement. The Iran-backed Houthis have regularly fired missiles at Israel since the war in Gaza broke out on October 7, 2023, following an attack on Israel by Hamas militants. The Houthis, who have also targeted shipping vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since the Gaza war began, say they are acting in solidarity with the Palestinian people. The rebels had paused their campaign during the weeks-long truce in Gaza, which ended on March 18 when Israel resumed its bombardment of the Palestinian territory.

Netanyahu says military pressure on Hamas working, ‘cracks’ emerging in negotiations
AFP/March 30, 2025
JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel’s intensified military pressure on Hamas in Gaza has been effective, stressing the Palestinian group must lay down its arms. “We are negotiating under fire... We can see cracks beginning to appear” in what the group demanded in its negotiations, Netanyahu told a cabinet meeting. Netanyahu’s remarks came as mediators — Egypt, Qatar, and the United States — continued efforts to broker a ceasefire and secure the release of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza.
A senior Hamas official stated on Saturday that the group had approved a new ceasefire proposal put forward by mediators and urged Israel to support it. Netanyahu’s office confirmed receipt of the proposal and said Israel had submitted a counterproposal.
However, the details of the latest mediation efforts remain undisclosed. On Sunday, Netanyahu rejected claims Israel was not interested in discussing a deal that would secure the release of hostages still held in Gaza, but insisted Hamas must surrender its weapons.“We are willing. Hamas must lay down its arms... Its leaders will be allowed to leave” from Gaza, he said. He said that Israel would ensure overall security in Gaza and “enable the implementation of the Trump plan — the voluntary migration plan.”Days after taking office, US President Donald Trump had announced a plan that would relocate Gaza’s more than two million inhabitants to neighboring Egypt and Jordan. His announcement was slammed by much of the international community. A fragile truce that had provided weeks of relative calm in the Gaza Strip collapsed on March 18 when Israel resumed its aerial bombardment and ground offensive in the Palestinian territory. On Sunday, an Israeli air strike killed at least eight people in Gaza’s Khan Yunis area, including five children, the territory’s civil defense agency reported.

Gaza rescuers say recovered 15 bodies after Israel fire on ambulances
AFP/March 30, 2025
GAZA CITY: The Palestinian Red Crescent said on Sunday it had recovered the bodies of 15 rescuers killed a week ago when Israeli forces targeted ambulances in the Gaza Strip. Bodies of eight medics from the Red Crescent, six members of Gaza’s civil defense agency and one employee of a UN agency were retrieved, the Red Crescent said in a statement. It said one medic from the Red Crescent remained missing. The group said the those killed “were targeted by the Israeli occupation forces while performing their humanitarian duties as they were heading to the Hashashin area of Rafah to provide first aid to a number of people injured by Israeli shelling in the area.” “The occupation’s targeting of Red Crescent medics ... can only be considered a war crime punishable under international humanitarian law, which the occupation continues to violate before the eyes of the entire world.” In an earlier statement the Red Crescent said the bodies “were recovered with difficulty as they were buried in the sand, with some showing signs of decomposition.” Gaza’s civil defense agency also confirmed that 15 bodies had been recovered, adding that the deceased UN employee was from the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, also known as UNRWA. The incident occurred on March 23 in Rafah city’s Tal Al-Sultan neighborhood, close to the Egyptian border, just days after the military resumed its bombardments of Gaza following an almost two-month-long truce. On Saturday, the Red Crescent had accused Israeli authorities of refusing to allow search operations to locate its crew. The Israeli military acknowledged its troops had opened fire on ambulances. It told AFP in a statement this week that its forces had “opened fire toward Hamas vehicles and eliminated several Hamas terrorists.” “A few minutes afterwards, additional vehicles advanced suspiciously toward the troops” who “responded by firing toward the suspicious vehicles,” it said, adding that several “terrorists” were killed. “Some of the suspicious vehicles... were ambulances and fire trucks,” the military statement said, citing “an initial inquiry” into the incident. It condemned “the repeated use” by “terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip of ambulances for terrorist purposes.”
Tom Fletcher, head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said that since resumption of hostilities on March 18, Israeli air strikes have hit “densely populated areas,” with “patients killed in their hospital beds. Ambulances shot at. First responders killed.”The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said on Saturday that at least 921 people have been killed in the Palestinian territory since Israel resumed its large-scale strikes.

Palestinian patients in Gaza dying due to lack of medical supplies, equipment: American surgeon
Arab News/March 30, 2025
LONDON: An American surgeon working in Gaza has described the dire conditions in hospitals, saying Palestinian patients have died due to a lack of medical supplies and equipment. Dr. Mark Perlmutter, who spent three weeks treating patients in Al-Aqsa and Nasser hospitals, told the BBC that doctors are operating without soap, antibiotics or X-ray facilities. “The small community hospital, Al-Aqsa, is a tenth the size of any of the facilities in my home state — maybe smaller — and it did well to manage those horrible injuries,” he told the broadcaster following his second trip to the Palestinian enclave. “Nevertheless, because of lack of equipment, many, many of those patients died, who would certainly not have died at a better-equipped hospital.”He described treating severely wounded children, including a 15-year-old girl hit by Israeli machinegun fire while riding her bicycle and a boy, the same age, who was in a car with his grandmother after receiving warnings to evacuate from the north. “They were both macerated and shredded by Apache gunships,” Perlmutter said. “The girl will be lucky if she keeps three of her limbs.”Perlmutter was inside Nasser Hospital when an Israeli airstrike targeted Hamas finance chief Ismail Barhoum. He said Barhoum was receiving medical treatment and had a right to protection under the Geneva Convention. The Israeli military said he was in the hospital “in order to commit acts of terrorism.”With most hospitals in Gaza barely functioning, Perlmutter praised the commitment and dedication of the Palestinian medical staff, which he said go above and beyond the efforts of foreign doctors like himself.
“They all abandon their families, they volunteer and often work without pay. We get to go home in a month, which they don’t,” he said. The UN’s humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, has called the situation in Gaza “dire,” noting that humanitarian aid remains blocked at border crossings. Israel’s onslaught has killed more than 15,000 Palestinian children in Gaza, the Hamas-run Health Ministry has said, adding that since Israel broke a ceasefire and resumed its strikes on March 18, 921 Palestinians have been killed. Perlmutter warned that if the Israeli attacks continue, hospitals operating without urgent medical supplies will see more wounded Palestinians die from treatable injuries.

Gaza’s bakeries could shut down within a week under Israel’s blockade of all food and supplies
AP/March 30, 2025
DEIR AL-BALAH: Gaza’s bakeries will run out of flour for bread within a week, the UN says. Agencies have cut food distributions to families in half. Markets are empty of most vegetables. Many aid workers cannot move around because of Israeli bombardment. For four weeks, Israel has shut off all sources of food, fuel, medicine and other supplies for the Gaza Strip’s population of more than 2 million Palestinians. It’s the longest blockade yet of Israel’s 17-month-old campaign against Hamas, with no sign of it ending. Aid workers are stretching out the supplies they have but warn of a catastrophic surge in severe hunger and malnutrition. Eventually, food will run out completely if the flow of aid is not restored, because the war has destroyed almost all local food production in Gaza. “We depend entirely on this aid box,” said Shorouq Shamlakh, a mother of three collecting her family’s monthly box of food from a UN distribution center in Jabaliya in northern Gaza. She and her children reduce their meals to make it last a month, she said. “If this closes, who else will provide us with food?”
The World Food Program said Thursday that its flour for bakeries is only enough to keep producing bread for 800,000 people a day until Tuesday and that its overall food supplies will last a maximum of two weeks. As a “last resort” once all other food is exhausted, it has emergency stocks of fortified nutritional biscuits for 415,000 people. Fuel and medicine will last weeks longer before hitting zero. Hospitals are rationing antibiotics and painkillers. Aid groups are shifting limited fuel supplies between multiple needs, all indispensable — trucks to move aid, bakeries to make bread, wells and desalination plants to produce water, hospitals to keep machines running. “We have to make impossible choices. Everything is needed,” said Clémence Lagouardat, the Gaza response leader for Oxfam International, speaking from Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza at a briefing Wednesday. “It’s extremely hard to prioritize.” Compounding the problems, Israel resumed its military campaign on March 18 with bombardment that has killed hundreds of Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to health officials. It has hit humanitarian facilities, the UN says. New evacuation orders have forced more than 140,000 Palestinians to move yet again. But Israel has not resumed the system for aid groups to notify the military of their movements to ensure they were not hit by bombardment, multiple aid workers said. As a result, various groups have stopped water deliveries, nutrition for malnourished children and other programs because it’s not safe for teams to move. COGAT, the Israeli military body in charge of coordinating aid, said the system was halted during the ceasefire. Now it is implemented in some areas “in accordance with policy and operational assessments ... based on the situation on the ground,” COGAT said, without elaborating.
Rising prices leave food unaffordable
During the 42 days of ceasefire that began in mid-January, aid groups rushed in significant amounts of aid. Food also streamed into commercial markets. But nothing has entered Gaza since Israel cut off that flow on March 2. Israel says the siege and renewed military campaign aim to force Hamas to accept changes in their agreed-on ceasefire deal and release more hostages. Fresh produce is now rare in Gaza’s markets. Meat, chicken, potatoes, yogurt, eggs and fruits are completely gone, Palestinians say. Prices for everything else have skyrocketed out of reach for many Palestinians. A kilo (2 pounds) of onions can cost the equivalent of $14, a kilo of tomatoes goes for $6, if they can be found. Cooking gas prices have spiraled as much as 30-fold, so families are back to scrounging for wood to make fires. “It’s totally insane,” said Abeer Al-Aker, a teacher and mother of three in Gaza City. “No food, no services. … I believe that the famine has started again. ”Families depend even more on aid. At the distribution center in Jabaliya, Rema Megat sorted through the food ration box for her family of 10: rice, lentils, a few cans of sardines, a half kilo of sugar, two packets of powdered milk. “It’s not enough to last a month,” she said. “This kilo of rice will be used up in one go.”The UN has cut its distribution of food rations in half to redirect more supplies to bakeries and free kitchens producing prepared meals, said Olga Cherevko, spokesperson for the UN humanitarian agency, known as OCHA. The number of prepared meals has grown 25 percent to 940,000 meals a day, she said, and bakeries are churning out more bread. But that burns through supplies faster.
Once flour runs out soon, “there will be no bread production happening in a large part of Gaza,” said Gavin Kelleher, with the Norwegian Refugee Council.
UNRWA, the main UN agency for Palestinians, only has a few thousand food parcels left and enough flour for a few days, said Sam Rose, the agency’s acting director in Gaza. Gaza Soup Kitchen, one of the main public kitchens, can’t get any meat or much produce, so they serve rice with canned vegetables, co-founder Hani Almadhoun said. “There are a lot more people showing up, and they’re more desperate. So people are fighting for food,” he said. Israel shows no sign of lifting the siege. The United States pressured Israel to let aid into Gaza at the beginning of the war in October 2023, after Israel imposed a blockade of about two weeks. This time, it has supported Israel’s policy. Rights groups have called it a “starvation policy” that could be a war crime.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar told a news conference Monday that “Israel is acting in accordance with international law.”He accused Hamas of stealing aid and said Israel is not required to let in supplies if it will be diverted to combatants.
He gave no indication of whether the siege could be lifted but said Gaza had enough supplies, pointing to the aid that flowed in during the ceasefire. Hunger and hopelessness are growing. Because its teams can’t coordinate movements with the military, Save the Children suspended programs providing nutrition to malnourished children, said Rachael Cummings, the group’s humanitarian response leader in Gaza.
“We are expecting an increase in the rate of malnutrition,” she said. “Not only children — adolescent girls, pregnant women.”During the ceasefire, Save the Children was able to bring some 4,000 malnourished infants and children back to normal weight, said Alexandra Saif, the group’s head of humanitarian policy. About 300 malnourished patients a day were coming into its clinic in Deir Al-Balah, she said. The numbers have plunged — to zero on some days — because patients are too afraid of bombardment, she said. The multiple crises are intertwined. Malnutrition leaves kids vulnerable to pneumonia, diarrhea and other diseases. Lack of clean water and crowded conditions only spread more illnesses. Hospitals overwhelmed with the wounded can’t use their limited supplies on other patients. Aid workers say not only Palestinians, but their own staff have begun to fall into despair. “The world has lost its compass,” UNRWA’s Rose said. “There’s just a feeling here that anything could happen, and it still wouldn’t be enough for the world to say, this is enough.”

Jordanian authorities arrest 10 drug traffickers in major anti-narcotics operations
Arab News/March 30, 2025
AMMAN: Jordan’s Anti-Narcotics Department arrested 10 alleged drug traffickers and smugglers in five high-profile cases as part of an ongoing crackdown on drug-related crimes across the country, a spokesperson for the Public Security Directorate announced on Sunday.
Among the most significant arrests was that of a notorious suspected synthetic cannabis dealer in Irbid Governorate. Authorities also detained three individuals said to be involved in the production and distribution of the potent “Joker” drug, which is a synthetic cannabinoid, also known as a neocannabinoid, which are designer drugs that mimic the effects of cannabis. A raid on the main suspect’s apartment led to the seizure of 6 kg of the substance, along with hazardous chemicals used in its manufacture. Three additional suspects were arrested in Ramtha District on suspicion of assisting in the operation. In Aqaba Governorate, an alleged drug dealer was apprehended in possession of 60 hashish pills, while another suspected trafficker in Madaba Governorate was caught with 10 palm-sized sheets of hashish, a quantity of crystal meth, and a weapon after resisting arrest. Meanwhile, authorities in Mafraq Governorate arrested an individual found with half a kilogram of crystal meth. Additionally, security forces intercepted a suspicious package arriving in Amman from an unamed neighboring country. Upon inspection, they discovered 10,000 narcotic pills. Further investigations led to the arrest of three individuals connected to the case. The Public Security Directorate reaffirmed its commitment to combating drug trafficking and bringing perpetrators to justice, emphasizing that efforts to dismantle criminal networks will continue nationwide, Jordan News Agency reported.

Sudan army chief vows no forgiveness for Dagalo’s men
Reuters/AFP/March 30, 2025
CAIRO: Sudanese army chief Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan has ruled out any reconciliation with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in a video statement in which he vowed to crush the group. “We will neither forgive, nor compromise, nor negotiate,” Al-Burhan said, adding that victory would only be complete when “the last rebel has been eradicated from the last corner of Sudan.” He also reaffirmed the military’s commitment to restoring national unity and stability. Burhan said fighters who “repent to the truth” could still be amnestied if they lay down their arms, particularly those who are in rebel-held areas. The Sudanese army has declared victory over the RSF in Khartoum, claiming control of most parts of the capital. RSF chief Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo admitted in a speech to fighters that the group had withdrawn from Khartoum. “I confirm to you that we have indeed left Khartoum, but ... we will return with even stronger determination,” Dagalo said. The conflict has unleashed waves of ethnic violence, created what the UN calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

European Orbital Rocket Crashes after Launch
This is Beirut/March 30/2025
The first orbital rocket launched from continental Europe crashed seconds after blast-off Sunday in a closely watched test for the continent's bid to build a new space economy. The Spectrum rocket, developed by German start-up Isar Aerospace, started smoking from its sides, then crashed back to Earth with a powerful explosion just after launching from Norway's Andoya Spaceport in the Arctic, in a live video broadcast on YouTube. Isar Aerospace, which had said it did not expect to reach orbit with the launch, said the two-stage rocket fell into the sea, adding that "the launchpad seems to be intact." Andoya Space, the Norwegian public firm that operates the spaceport, said "crisis response" measures had been activated following the "incident." Regional police said no injuries or damage beyond the rocket itself had been reported.
Orbital rockets are designed to place loads such as satellites into or beyond Earth's orbit.
'Great success'
Ahead of the launch, which had been repeatedly postponed due to weather conditions, Isar Aerospace had downplayed expectations, saying the goal was not to reach orbit in its first attempt. "Our first test flight met all our expectations, achieving a great success. We had a clean liftoff, 30 seconds of flight, and even got to validate our Flight Termination System," said Daniel Metzler, the firm's co-founder and chief executive. In an online press conference following the launch, Metzler insisted Isar was "very well positioned" to take advantage of the rocket-to-satellite market, adding that the company would "make the adjustments that are necessary" to the spacecraft. Two more Spectrum rockets are already in development, the company said. The 28-meter (92-foot) tall, two-meter diameter rocket has a one-ton carrying capacity but was unloaded for the test flight. Spectrum's blast-off was the first of an orbital launch vehicle from the European continent, excluding Russia, and Europe's first financed almost exclusively by the private sector. "Today is an important day for German and European space travel," said German Economy Minister Robert Habeck. "Isar Aerospace can and will make a decisive contribution to securing Europe's independent access to space."A first European orbital launch attempt was made in 2023 by billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson's Virgin Orbit. It attempted to use a Boeing 747 to launch a rocket into orbit from southwest England but failed, and the company folded.
'New Space'
Europe has had no access to Russian space stations or launchers since Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, which sent diplomatic relations on a downward spiral. Europe's space industry has also seen delays in the development of the Ariane 6 rocket and the suspension of the Vega-C satellite launcher after an accident. It wasn't until March 6, when the first commercial flight of an Ariane 6 rocket took off from French Guyana, that Europe was able to regain launch independence after several months without its own access to space for heavy payloads. While the US already has giants such as Elon Musk's SpaceX and Jeff Bezos-founded Blue Origin, in Europe, commercial space activities driven by private companies -- dubbed "New Space" -- are still in their infancy. Isar Aerospace was founded in 2018 in Munich. Europe is also home to Germany's HyImpulse and Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA), French groups Latitude and MaiaSpace, and Spain's PLD Space, all racing to establish themselves as key players in the sector. Sunday's launch generated "tonnes of data that the teams can now evaluate and learn from," an Isar Aerospace commentator said on the YouTube live stream. In parallel with the development of new rockets, a number of spaceport projects have emerged across Europe, from the Portuguese Azores to the British Shetland Islands and Norway's Andoya and Esrange in neighboring Sweden, many vying to be the first to launch.

Trump Says ‘Not Joking’ About Possible Third Term as Us President
This is Beirut/March 30/2025
Donald Trump on Sunday repeated his suggestion that he might seek a third term as US president, NBC News reported, which would defy the two-term limit stipulated in the US constitution. In a Sunday-morning phone call with NBC News, Trump said "I'm not joking," when asked to clarify a remark on seeking another term, adding: "There are methods which you could do it."The 78-year-old billionaire has a history of suggesting he might serve more than two terms, but Sunday's remarks were the most concrete in terms of referring to plans to achieve the goal.
Trump has launched his second presidency with an unprecedented blitz of executive power, using the world's richest man, Elon Musk, to dismantle swaths of the government, and said his supporters want even more. "A lot of people want me to do it," Trump told NBC News on Sunday. "But, I mean, I basically tell them we have a long way to go, you know, it's very early in the administration."Amending the US constitution to allow a third presidential term would require a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate, which Trump's Republican Party does not have.
Trump said it was "far too early to think about it," but told NBC he had been presented with plans that would allow him to seek reelection. When NBC asked Trump of a possible scenario whereby Vice President JD Vance would run for president and then abdicate the role to Trump, the US president said "that's one" method. He added that "there are others," but refused to share further details. If Trump does not approach Congress for the constitutional amendment, he would need to get support from two-thirds of the country's 50 states to call a constitutional convention that would propose changes to the charter. Whether he goes through Congress or the states, he would then require ratification from three-quarters of all states. Both routes appear to be unlikely, given the current number of states and Congressional seats under Republican control. A constitutional convention has never been successfully called in the United States, where all 27 constitutional amendments have been passed by the congressional method. In January, days after Trump took office, Republican Andy Ogles of Tennessee introduced a House joint resolution to amend the constitution to allow presidents up to three terms.

Frankly Speaking: Russia’s view on talks in Saudi Arabia
Arab News/March 30, 2025
RIYADH: Far from building bridges to end the war in Ukraine, the administration of former US President Joe Biden was part of the problem, Dmitry Polyanskiy, the first deputy permanent representative of the Russian Federation to the UN, has said.
In an interview with the Arab News current affairs program “Frankly Speaking,” Polyanskiy shared his insights on the complexities of the Ukraine conflict, the emerging role of Saudi Arabia in international diplomacy, and Russia’s perspectives on the crises in Gaza, Sudan, and Syria. Appearing on “Frankly Speaking” just days after Saudi Arabia hosted separate talks between US officials and their counterparts from Russia and Ukraine, Polyanskiy suggested that a change of “optics” could have resolved the conflict years ago.
“The previous (American) administration was unfortunately part of the problem, not part of the solution,” Polyanskiy told “Frankly Speaking” host Katie Jensen. “And it has done a lot to create this issue, to set up something that is better characterized as anti-Russia rather than (pro-Ukraine).”He argued that this “fatal decision to provoke Russia” had devastating consequences for Ukraine, leading to an escalation that ultimately triggered Moscow’s “special military operation” in February 2022. According to Polyanskiy, Washington’s actions directly contributed to the conflict. “The Biden administration was one of those who was fueling the war, who was trying to do everything to inflict a strategic (defeat) on Russia, and it hasn’t changed its course until the very end,” he said. In stark contrast, Polyanskiy praised the approach of US President Donald Trump, who returned to office in January, suggesting his administration had adopted a more realistic perspective aligned with the realities on the ground.
Dmitry Polyanskiy, the first deputy permanent representative of the Russian Federation to the UN, spoke on a wide range of geopolitical issues.
“The Trump administration views it absolutely differently, and this is the right approach,” he said.“They are realists. They understand the real situation on the battlefield. They understand that the Kyiv regime is now losing, and hence the new proposals that they are making, these are realistic proposals and really aimed at stopping hostilities, which would be a good scenario first and foremost for Ukraine.”He encapsulated this shift in approach with a concise observation: “President Trump has just changed the optics.”
Last week’s talks in Riyadh saw a draft agreement involving a ceasefire over the Black Sea in exchange for an easing of sanctions on Russia. A byproduct of these talks has been Saudi Arabia’s emergence as a hub for international diplomacy.
Polyanskiy acknowledged and welcomed this development, highlighting the changing landscape of global diplomacy. “The world is changing and new centers of diplomatic activity are emerging,” he said. “We used to have Geneva, for example, but Geneva is now very much compromised because of the position that the Swiss government has taken.
“They exploit a notion of neutrality, but they’re acting not as a neutral country.”
Polyansky expressed gratitude for Saudi Arabia’s proactive engagement in seeking a peaceful resolution. “Against this background, our Saudi brothers behaved in a very, very positive way, in a very forthcoming manner,” he said. “They reached out to us, they reached out to Americans, to Ukrainians, and it’s hard to overestimate the role that they played.”
He also conveyed the appreciation of Russia’s leaders for Saudi Arabia’s efforts in facilitating these crucial discussions.
“We thank them very much for their hospitality,” he said. “The talks were organized at an excellent level, and I think that my leaders also reached out to their Saudi counterparts thanking them for what they are doing.”
Polyanskiy envisioned a promising future for Riyadh as a center for international diplomacy, particularly in the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
“Riyadh right now has all the chances to transform into a diplomatic capital of the world, at least in terms of Russia-Ukraine, and the US-Russia-Ukraine negotiations,” he said.
“And it’s a very good start, and I think that there are all the chances that Saudi diplomacy will play a more instrumental role here, and we are very grateful for this opening.”
Expanding on the scope of the US-Russia talks, Polyanskiy noted that they encompassed broader issues beyond Ukraine, including the crisis in Gaza. He referenced Russian President Vladimir Putin’s previous statements affirming Russia’s support for the rights of the Palestinians.
When Arab News Editor-in-Chief Faisal Abbas interviewed Putin last year ahead of the BRICS summit in Kazan, the Russian president clearly stated Moscow’s support for a two-state solution and affirmed that the Palestinian people should not leave their land.
Responding to a question about Russia’s potential role in pressuring Israel to end the conflict in Gaza, Polyanskiy acknowledged the limitations of Moscow’s influence compared to that of Washington.
“It’s hard for us to put pressure on Israel, because I don’t think that we have the same leverage on Israeli politicians in comparison, for example, to the US, traditionally,” he said. “So of course the US role here is indispensable to put Israel on a more reasonable path.”
Polyanskiy expressed concern over the lack of progress in achieving a resolution and emphasized the importance of unified action by Arab countries.
“I think that very much will depend on the mobilization of Arab countries themselves,” he said. “We know that there was recently an Arab summit in Cairo. There were very good decisions about the future of Gaza, about the possible ways of settlement.”
He reiterated Russia’s consistent stance on the necessity of a two-state solution as the foundation for any meaningful efforts toward resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“Of course they are based on the two-state solution. This is the core principle that is indispensable for any efforts that are being deployed in this connection, including my country. My country has always been consistent in this, saying that the Palestinian problem should not be sidelined.”Polyanskiy criticized past attempts to normalize relations between Arab countries and Israel at the expense of addressing the Palestinian issue.
He expressed uncertainty regarding the new US administration’s approach to the Middle East, while emphasizing the significance of Arab countries’ collective efforts.
“It’s very hard to forecast how the new US administration will frame its line right now in the Middle East,” he said. “But I see that there is still quite a considerable mobilization of Arab countries that are saying the right things about the ways to break this vicious cycle of violence.”
Polyanskiy voiced optimism that these demands would be heeded and that the Palestinian issue would receive the attention it deserves in future interactions concerning Middle Eastern problems. “And I think that the louder they speak, the more chances there are to see that these very rightful and fair demands are heeded and the Palestinian issue is not being, will not be swept under the carpet in any possible interactions on the Middle Eastern problems.”
Reflecting on past mediation efforts, Polyanskiy highlighted the effectiveness of the moribund Middle East Quartet, consisting of the UN, US, EU, and Russia.
“The Quartet of international mediators was the best format that was capable of moving forward and finding the solution, a fair solution to the Palestinian problem in line with the decisions taken by the UN and by the UN Security Council in particular,” said Polyanskiy.
He expressed disappointment with the US approach to facilitating negotiations between Arab countries and Israel, which he believed had sidelined the Palestinian problem. “We were not happy, to put it mildly, by the efforts of the US to facilitate negotiations and peace between Arab countries at the expense of the Palestinian problem,” he said.He further elaborated on the perceived shift in priorities, suggesting that the sequence of addressing the Palestinian problem had been twisted, leading to the current challenges.
“We are not aware of the details of the arrangement. But in reality, it happened so that the Palestinian problem was a little bit sidelined and the US administration was speaking about the possibility of making bilateral arrangements between Arab countries and Israel and then to solve the Palestinian problem.”
Polyanskiy attributed the current state of affairs to this change in attitude and the abandonment of previously agreed-upon policies.
“This was international cooperation, international mediation in the framework of the Quartet. So, all of a sudden it was undermined and I think that now we are feeling the fallout from these decisions.”Ukraine's 24th Mechanized Brigade at an undisclosed location in the east of Ukraine, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (Oleg Petrasiuk/Ukraine's 24th Mechanized Brigade via AP) Turning to the crisis in Sudan, Polyanskiy discussed Russia’s perspective on the conflict and its support for the Sudanese authorities.
Since April 2023, the war in Sudan has seen mass displacement, humanitarian suffering, and the destabilization of the wider region.
In a major turning point last week, the Sudanese Armed Forces, led by Sudan’s de-facto leader, General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, retook the capital city, Khartoum, forcing the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces to retreat to their strongholds in Darfur and the south.
Polyanskiy said Russia welcomed the development. “We support the Sudanese authorities,” he said. “We think that they are right in continuing their fight against the RSF. So we are quite clear and we don’t think that the international community should put at the same level the RSF and the government of Sudan.”
Polyanskiy expressed optimism about the situation. “We are aware of the gains that were made on the battlefield and we think that the situation in Sudan is moving towards the right direction militarily. And we hope that this will also be a good opportunity to ensure stable and long-lasting peace in this country.”
Despite the widespread suffering in Sudan, Russia was recently the only nation to veto a UN Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire and declined to call the situation there a famine. Addressing the resulting criticism, Polyanskiy said: “This is not a very correct interpretation, with all due respect. “First of all, we vetoed this resolution not because there was a call for a ceasefire, but because there were, first of all, attempts to put at the same level the RSF and the government.”Polyanskiy explained that Russia’s concerns stemmed from attempts to equate the RSF with the government and the inclusion of language that could be interpreted as encouraging the RSF to engage in military actions against the government.
He suggested that the resolution’s pen holders, Britain, could have made the text more balanced and focused on humanitarian issues, including a ceasefire, which Russia would have been ready to support. Appearing on “Frankly Speaking” just days after Saudi Arabia hosted separate talks between US officials and their counterparts from Russia and Ukraine, Polyanskiy suggested that a change of “optics” could have resolved the Russia-Ukraine conflict years ago.
“But it happened so that they were insistent on this, and we had to veto this text,” he said, also highlighting Russia’s opposition to foreign interference in Sudan’s internal affairs.
“We couldn’t let it go and we couldn’t really see the situation when there is such foreign interference into the foreign affairs, or into the internal affairs of Sudan.”
He added: “As far as famine is concerned, the problem is that some countries, some Western countries are really trying to use this factor of famine as something to undermine the position and the efforts of the central government, which is not the right way to do it, because there is enough food in Sudan.”Polyanskiy attributed the distribution challenges and the availability of food to those in need as the primary issues, rather than a lack of food in the country.
“Hunger shouldn’t be instrumentalized and used as a tool in any propaganda campaign against any country, including Sudan,” he said.
Addressing the upheaval in Syria since December last year, Polyanskiy discussed Russia’s response to the ousting of Bashar Assad’s regime and the future of Moscow’s relations with Damascus. Russia suffered a major setback in December when the Assad regime, which Moscow had supported since 2015, was suddenly swept from power by opposition groups, forcing Assad and his family to seek asylum in Moscow.
Asked whether Moscow would consider handing over Assad to Syria’s transitional government, headed by President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, if requested, Polyanskiy said he would not be drawn on hypotheticals. Instead, Polyanskiy emphasized Russia’s desire for a peaceful transition in Syria, with inclusive authorities representing all Syrians and committed to combating terrorism. “We wanted to turn over this page of conflicts and problems that lasted for so long,” he said. “We want to see inclusive Syrian authorities that represent all Syrians that take on board the position of all Syrians. “We think that Syria should make serious efforts in combating terrorism to avoid the situation when terrorist elements in this country play a significant role.”
Polyanskiy reiterated Russia’s commitment to “maintaining close ties of friendship, traditional ties of friendship, between Russian and Syrian people that lasted for many decades.”
When pressed on the possible fate of Assad should the new government seek to prosecute him for crimes committed during the civil war, Polyanskiy maintained that the transitional authority had more pressing concerns. “Let’s not discuss hypothetical things,” he said. “We provided him with asylum for humanitarian reasons. And I think that there are channels to discuss these issues. So far I haven’t seen such a request. And I don’t think that this is the main problem that should be the concern of Syrian authorities right now.”
Asked whether he thought the Syrian people would welcome any aid or assistance offered by Moscow, Polyanskiy said the two nations shared a long history of friendship, and that Russia would like to help Syrian during this transitional period.
“We still have and we will have, I’m absolutely sure, very good and constructive relations with Syrians because it’s not the question of developments of recent months or weeks. It’s the question of long-term ties of friendship and brotherhood that links us to Syria. And I think that the very vast majority of Syrians view Russia as a friendly country and the same in Russia.
“We have very good basic elements to consolidate friendship and cooperation between our countries. And we are very eager to help Syrians during this transitional period to shape up this country in a way that they like and in a way that guarantees sustainable development of this country for years ahead.”

The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on March 30-31/2025
قائمة مفصلة بحوادث اضطهاد المسيحيين خلال شهر شباط/2025
’Don’t You Know This City Belongs to Muslims?’: The Persecution of Christians, February 2025
Raymond Ibrahim/Gatestone Institute./March 30, 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/03/141757/
Some accounts of the “pure genocide” experienced by Christians at the hands of Muslims. — Nigeria.
“We, all Muslims, residents of Paccerakkang, especially Neighbourhood 02 and 03 STRONGLY REJECT the Establishment of a Church and worship activities in our environment forever.” — Text printed on banners, majesty.co.id, February 11, 2025, Indonesia.
Coptic Christians, for some inexplicable reason, appear to have become the most careless and fire-prone people in the world: more Coptic churches than any other kind seem to keep on “catching fire.” — copticsolidarity.org, February 20, 2025, Egypt.
On February 5, a fire broke out in the Church of the Archangel Michael, in a village of Egypt’s Qena governorate. Egyptian authorities blame “natural causes,” apparently to explain away that church fires in Egypt have become commonplace in recent years. In August 2022 alone, 11 churches supposedly “caught fire.” Pictured: The Abu Sefein Coptic Christian church in Giza, Egypt, after a fire tore through it during Sunday mass on August 14, 2022, killing 41 people. (Photo by Islam Safwat/Getty Images)
The following are among the abuses and murders inflicted on Christians by Muslims throughout the month of February 2025.
The Muslim Slaughter of Christians
Democratic Republic of Congo: The beheaded corpses of seventy Christians—men, women, and children—were found inside a church. Earlier, on Feb. 12, Muslim militants of the Allied Democratic Forces, which is affiliated to the Islamic State, rounded up and marched 70 Christians to a Protestant church in Kasanga. There, the Christians were “tied up and decapitated with knives.” According to a regional expert,
“This was not just an act of terror. It was a targeted massacre of Christians, and it will not stop here… The ADF is part of a growing extremist network that wants to wipe out Christianity in the region. If nothing is done, more attacks will follow.”
“We don’t know,” local church elder said, “what to do or how to pray; we’ve had enough of massacres. May God’s will alone be done.”
The same Muslim militants slaughtered another 355 Christians “for their faith” in 2024.
Nigeria: Some accounts of the “pure genocide” experienced by Christians at the hands of Muslims:
In the very early morning hours of Sunday, Feb. 2, Muslim tribesmen stormed a village, setting fire to homes and opening fire on Christians, killing at least 16. Discussing this and other recent attacks, Edwin Ochai, president of a diaspora group from the area, said the Muslim terrorists were “leaving a trail of bloodshed, destruction and despair”:
“The most recent attack in Okpamaju, a hitherto peaceful community in Otukpo LGA, has claimed the lives of several innocent villagers, reduced homes to ashes, and shattered families. We condemn in the strongest terms the deafening silence and inaction of our leaders at all levels – local government chairmen, state legislators, federal representatives, and the senator representing Benue South.”
On Feb. 5, Fulani herdsmen—referred to by locals as “Muslim bandits”— “killed three Christians in Kaduna state, a week after three others were slain in the same area.” They also kidnapped “dozens” of Christians. According to spokespersons,
“We suffered yet another devastating attack by bandits in which lives were lost, and many more were left traumatized. We strongly condemn this heinous act, which is a blatant disregard for human rights and the safety of rural dwellers in our region. Has our government turned a deaf ear to our plight? We demand urgent action and protection for our communities!…. The killings and kidnappings by Muslim bandits have become a daily routine in Kauru Local Government Area.”
On Sunday, Feb. 9, Muslims from the Boko Haram terrorist organization murdered a Christian pastor. The Rev. Bala Galadima was in his home when gunmen in black robes broke in around 1 am and shot him to death while he still lay in bed. “Our hearts are heavy, as we are left alone in a complicated world with the killing of our pastor,” said one church member to Lami Sabo. “His courage, advice, teachings and generosity will be highly missed by us his church members.”
According to a Feb. 12 report, at least 22 Christians were killed in a series of Muslim attacks on Christian villages.
“We are killed because we are Christians,” one resident insisted: “Fulani are not attacking Muslim farmers in Plateau state, but Christians are attacked daily, and we don’t have guns to defend ourselves.” The report adds,
“The Nigerian government has not officially attributed these attacks to any ethnic or religious group, but media analysts have drawn comparisons between these armed groups and Boko Haram, citing a pattern of violence aimed at displacing Christian communities.”
On Feb. 22, Muslim herdsmen stormed into Elyon Paradise Ministry Church in Delta state, where they shot and injured Pastor Divine Omodia and kidnapped six church members.France: On Feb. 26, Brahim Aouissaoui, a 25-year-old Muslim of Tunisian background, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the slaughter of three Christians in a church in Nice. According to one report,
“On October 29 2020, Aouissaoui allegedly killed worshippers Nadine Vincent, 60, and Simone Barreto, a 44-year-old French-brazilian woman, and church worker Vincent Loques, 55. Police officers fired at the assailant as he lunged at them, shouting: ‘Allahu Akbar’ (God is great) and wielding a knife. Seriously wounded, Aouissaoui underwent two operations and was placed in intensive care. He has repeatedly told investigators that he cannot remember anything and has nothing to say. He has claimed that his parents are dead, when in fact they are not, and said he did not recognize himself on cctv footage of him entering the basilica. Expert psychiatrists and a neurologist determined that he does not suffer total memory loss.”
Libya: Feb. 15 marked the tenth anniversary of the 2015 slaughter of 21 Christians at the hands of Islamic State terrorists. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom commemorated their martyrdom in a statement:
“In February 2015, ISIS published the final moments of one Ghanaian and twenty Coptic Orthodox men working in Libya. ISIS militants had kidnapped the men in separate incidents, then forcibly marched them to a beach. There, all refused to renounce their faith before the militants executed them… Today we remember the 21 young men who were brutally murdered by ISIS solely for being Christian… The U.S. government must continue to be an unrelenting voice against violence that targets religious communities, including Coptic Christians.”
The Muslim Abduction, Forced Conversion, and Rape of Christian Girls
Egypt: On Feb. 28, yet another young Coptic Christian girl, 17-year-old Irene Emil, “vanished” off the streets of Cairo (Shubra district). According to her distraught parents, the girl, still in high school, was on her way to church but never reached it. When they tried calling her cell phone, they discovered it was turned off. This scenario—a young Christian girl travels to or from church, school, or work, disappears, and then her phone is turned off—has played out several times in Egypt. In August 2024, for instance, Christina Karim Aziz, a 20-year-old Christian girl, disappeared off the streets of Asyut, where she had gone to apply for a job. Her family immediately went to police, who responded with nothing. Earlier in 2024, and also in Asyut, another Irene (Ibrahim Shehata), a 21-year-old Christian, also disappeared under similar circumstances, including nonresponsive police, and the family crying out to President Sisi. (For more on this topic, see Coptic Solidarity’s report, “Jihad of the Womb: Trafficking of Coptic Women & Girls in Egypt.”)
Pakistan: A Muslim man twice abducted a married Christian mother of three, raped her, fraudulently converted her to Islam, and fabricated an Islamic marriage, said her Christian husband, Asif Masih (woman’s named withheld as a rape victim). The kidnapper, Muhammad, worked as a security guard where the 37-year-old mother worked as a cleaner. One day he told her of an opportunity to apply for financial aid, and she went with him to fill out what he said were governmental forms for economically challenged applicants; she also gave her thumbprint as part of the application. In fact, and unbeknownst to her, the documents she signed were marriage and conversion to Islam certificates:
“I had no clue about his real intentions and trusted his offer for assistance… I’m not literate, so I had no idea that he had obtained my thumbprints to prepare false religious conversion and marriage certificates. He then forcibly took me to his house, where his wife and two children were also present. He locked me in a room where I was kept hostage for eight days.”
Muhammad also called the woman’s husband, Asif, who is suffering from cancer, saying that she had willingly married him and converted to Islam:
“[But when Muhammad] claimed that she had changed her faith and married him, I immediately knew that it was a lie because she was a devout Christian and could not renounce Christ even if her life was at stake. She was clearly deceived by Sadiq, who used the false conversion certificate and marriage to deter efforts to recover her.”
After a council of elders pressured Muhammad to release the woman, on condition that the matter would be dropped without recourse to legal action, the kidnapper agreed—until Feb. 14, when he and two accomplices again abducted her:
“[Muhammad] held me hostage in a relative’s house and repeatedly tortured and raped me on gunpoint for three days.”
On Feb. 17, she managed to escape and return to her family:
“I had no money with me and begged passersby to give me some so that I could board a bus to Pattoki. I was traumatized by the assaults, but the hope of seeing my husband and children again gave me the strength to reach my family.”
Police were again alerted, but were reluctant to act, until an attorney got involved. He helped to get the woman’s statement recorded in court and facilitated a medical examination on March 4: “It is due to her support that the case has picked up pace, otherwise the police were not cooperating with us.”
Separately, on Feb. 18, another Muslim man kidnapped, also for the second time, a 15-year-old Christian girl. A year earlier, Arsalan Ali had abducted Muskan Salman, when he also forcibly converted her to Islam and coerced her into marrying her, until she managed to escape on Dec. 15. This time Ali kidnapped the girl while the family was away attending a Christian funeral for a close relative. According to her father, Salman Masih, Muskan was home with her 10-year-old cousin:
“When we returned home, we saw that my niece was crying in the courtyard while Muskan was missing. The child told us that she and Muskan were playing when the two men forced their way into the house and took Muskan with them.”
Although her father immediately informed police, officers refused to register his complaint:
“It’s been over 10 days since Muskan was taken, but the police are not taking any action. Ali is also missing, and we have no information about their whereabouts…. We are very concerned for our daughter’s safety, and the police’s indifference to our plight is exacerbating our fears that we may not be able to see her again.”
In a further incident, according to a Feb. 17 report,
“In yet another heartbreaking case of grooming and forced conversion, a 12-year-old Christian girl from Lahore has been taken by a Muslim man nearly three times her age. The abductor transported her to Sindh, where he forcibly converted and married her—despite laws prohibiting child marriage. Her distraught parents [have been] abandoned by law enforcement and denied justice…
Finally, according to a Feb. 19, report, a 14-year-old Christian girl was
“abducted by newly arrived Muslim neighbours, sparking deep concern among her family and the local Christian community. Police have arrested two suspects and uncovered their links to prostitution, leading to raids on multiple locations. However, the girl remains missing, intensifying fears that she has been trafficked. Her distraught parents continue to plead for urgent action, fearing for their daughter’s safety and well-being.”
Muslim Attacks on Christian Churches
Syria: On Feb. 27 in Damascus, “locals woke up to find two small [Christian] shrines vandalized by mobs who chanted Allahu Akbar, destroyed [the shrines] overnight,” then fled. This the behavior of mobs emboldened by HTS’s takeover of the country in December, 2024. (Video of their handiwork here.)
Indonesia: On Feb. 4 Christians in Paccerakkang awoke to banners telling them they were not welcome in the area. One banner read:
“We, all Muslims, residents of Paccerakkang, especially Neighbourhood 02 and 03 STRONGLY REJECT the Establishment of a Church and worship activities in our environment forever.”
The banner was placed near and was targeting the congregation of Toraja Church, which for the last two years had been meeting and worshipping in a member’s home. As the congregation grew and needed more space, they applied for and received a permit to build a proper church building, even though, as the Feb. 4 banners attest, some Muslims were obviously against it. Discussing that development, Ian Hidayat of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation said,
“Discriminatory actions like this cannot be tolerated and should have serious attention from law enforcement officers. There should be no prohibitions or restrictions on certain groups. It is clear that the banner is hate speech against certain beliefs.”
Spain: According to a Feb. 27 post by Catholic journalist, Sachin Jose,
“Islamic State terrorist organisation is threatening to attack Catholic cathedrals in Spain, as part of the ‘Tear Down the Cross’ campaign launched by the jihadists in August 2016, according to La Razon.”
Egypt: On Feb. 5, a fire broke out inside the Church of the Archangel Michael, in a village of the Qena governorate. Authorities were able to contain the fire before it spread or caused any casualties. Before full investigations were concluded, security sources said that the fire was likely caused by a lit candle inside the church. Pointing to such “natural causes,” apparently to explain away that church fires in Egypt have become commonplace in recent years. (See here, here, here, here, and here; in one month alone, August 2022, 11 churches supposedly “caught fire.” In one of these fires, 41 Christian worshippers, including many children, were killed.)
So many “accidental” fires suggest one of two things: either the “radicals” have—possibly with insider help, including from sympathizers within state security—become more sophisticated and clandestine in their attacks on churches (in one instance, a surveillance camera caught still another votary candle suddenly and randomly exploding and creating a fire); or else Coptic Christians, for some inexplicable reason, appear to have become the most careless and fire-prone people in the world: more Coptic churches than any other kind seem to keep on “catching fire.”
In addition, according to a Feb. 24 report based on numbers given by Adel Guindy, co-founder of the human rights organization, Coptic Solidarity, there is one mosque or prayer hall for every 40 or so Muslims in Egypt, but only one church or monastery for every 2,400 Christians. a 1:60 ratio of blatant discrimination. Guindy also pointed out that, although Coptic churches keep “catching fire” in Egypt, “accidental” fires in mosques—which, again, outnumber churches in Egypt by a ratio of 60 to 1—are completely unheard of, prompting him to wonder if the candles, wires, and electrical circuits of Egypt are also “radical” and biased against churches?
General Muslim Violence and Abuse against Christians
Uganda: On Feb. 15, Muslims beat and stabbed a Christian evangelist in the stomach; three other Christians were also thrashed in the assault. The attack came after Robert Kasozi, 39, and his team led a 75-year-old Muslim widow known as Hasifa to Christ during an open air event. According to an area contact,
“A relative of Hasifa named Jawadi and a shopkeeper saw all that took place – he came out of the shop and started shouting the Islamic slogan, ‘Inna lillahi wa Inna ilayhi raji’un [Indeed to Allah we belong and to him we shall return]’ and [jihadist slogan] ‘Allah akbar [God is greater].'”
As a result, many Muslims started to congregate around and insult the evangelists:
“A Muslim came and attacked Kasozi, piercing him in the stomach with a knife. While other attackers were shouting, ‘You infidels, why do you come to spread a wrong message into our city – don’t you know that this city belongs to Muslims? Stop what you’re doing now, because for us we know that Jesus is not the Son of God but a messenger from God just like our prophet Muhammad.’ Other Muslims started beating the three evangelists as Kasozi was lying in a pool of blood. They also grabbed their Bibles and tore them into pieces.”
Iran: On Feb. 6, authorities raided a gathering of roughly 80 Christian converts and arrested Somayeh Rajabi:
“Agents from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stormed the gathering, which occurred in Gatab, and confiscated Bibles, phones, and musical instruments. Agents reportedly ripped crosses from individuals’ necks and forced the Christians to divulge the passwords to their electronic devices… [A]gents also stopped emergency medical assistance from reaching the Christians. The day after her arrest, Rajabi was allowed one phone call to inform her family that she had been imprisoned in the town of Sari. Authorities have not yet announced formal charges against her.”
Pakistan: On Feb. 27, Muslims “abducted a Christian laborer, shaved his head and facial hair, blackened his face and paraded him on the back of a donkey for allegedly stealing wood from their property.” Since then, Wasif George, the 37-year-old Christian victim, has been inconsolable and his family fears he may commit suicide due to the humiliation he experienced before the entire village. According to his brother, Patras, their mother had asked Wasif to get some wood to prepare dinner. Although he only picked up dead branches near his employer’s property, they quickly accused him of stealing from their personal stash of firewood:
“My brother was gathering wood along the banks of a canal when the assailants came there and accused him of theft. They dragged Wasif to a poultry farm owned by Junaid Javed where they not only tortured [by beating] him but also got his head and facial hair shaved by a barber, Razzaq.”
His Muslim assailants then blackened Wasif’s face, forced him to sit on a donkey, and paraded him around the village:
“The entire village lined up on the streets and witnessed the inhumane treatment meted out to my brother. No one had the courage to stop his persecutors as they brandished guns and threatened to shoot any person who dared to rescue the Christian… If he had indeed committed any wrong act, the landowners could have had him arrested and charged under the law. But they instead used this as an opportunity to spread their fear in the village.”
Of his feelings on arriving at the scene and seeing his brother surrounded by gawking villagers, Patras said,
“I cannot describe the pain of seeing my younger brother in that condition. He just stood there, his head hung low, his eyes glazed with the pain of a soul shattered by the weight of humiliation… Wasif has turned suicidal after this public humiliation as the weight of public shame has broken the man inside him.”
Although police were notified, “None of the main accused were arrested despite our pleas”:
“Though police have registered a First Information Report [FIR], the accused have obtained pre-arrest bails and are now pressuring us to reconcile with them. The police’s bias is evident from the fact that it has been a week since the case was registered, but we haven’t once been called to the police station to record our statements.”
Aslam Sahotra, the chairman of a Christian humanitarian organization in Pakistan, said,
“The humiliation Wasif has suffered is more than just the public shaming – it is the destruction of his Christian identity and the tearing down of his sense of self…. The police’s inaction also amplifies the hurdles to justice for the vulnerable and marginalized people in Pakistan.”
Raymond Ibrahim, author of Defenders of the West, Sword and Scimitar, Crucified Again, and The Al Qaeda Reader, is the Distinguished Senior Shillman Fellow at the Gatestone Institute and the Judith Rosen Friedman Fellow at the Middle East Forum.
About this Series
While not all, or even most, Muslims are involved, persecution of Christians by extremists is growing. The report posits that such persecution is not random but rather systematic, and takes place irrespective of language, ethnicity, or location. It includes incidents that take place during, or are reported on, any given month.
Follow Raymond Ibrahim on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook
© 2025 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute.
“We have very good basic elements to consolidate friendship and cooperation between our countries. And we are very eager to help Syrians during this transitional period to shape up this country in a way that they like and in a way that guarantees sustainable development of this country for years ahead.”

Gazans deserve a future free from fear
Hani Hazaimeh/Arab News/March 31, 2025
As the crescent moon began rising, signaling the arrival of Eid Al-Fitr, millions across the Muslim world prepared to celebrate. At this usually joyful time, streets are adorned with colorful lights, families gather for festive meals and children run through neighborhoods, their laughter echoing through the night. But in Gaza, there is no celebration — only silence, grief and the relentless sound of warplanes overhead. The only lights piercing the darkness are those of explosions, the only gatherings are funerals and the only thing children receive is the unbearable trauma of war.
How can one celebrate when Palestinians in Gaza are burying their loved ones? How can one embrace joy when there is unimaginable grief? The contrast is too painful to ignore. Eid is meant to be a time of reflection, gratitude and renewal of faith. It marks the end of Ramadan, a month of patience, sacrifice and devotion. But for the people of Gaza, fasting was not by choice — it was forced upon them by an unrelenting siege, by bombed-out bakeries, by an economic stranglehold designed to starve them into submission. For decades, the Palestinian people have endured dispossession, displacement and systematic violence. But what the world is witnessing today is an escalation of brutality that surpasses even the horrors of the past. Hospitals have been turned into graveyards. Entire families have been wiped out. Children who survived one bombing wake up to find themselves orphaned after the next. The land beneath them is scorched, their dreams shattered before they even have the chance to imagine a future. Yet, despite the scale of the tragedy, the response from much of the world remains woefully inadequate. Statements of outrage flood social media, yet the siege remains unbroken. Protests erupt in capitals across the world, but governments still hesitate to take decisive action.
Diplomatic pressure is no longer enough. Economic sanctions, arms embargoes and political isolation should be on the table.
The suffering of Gaza is not an accident of war. It is the result of a deliberate strategy of occupation, blockade and collective punishment. Every airstrike, every demolished building, every restriction on food, water and medical supplies is part of a calculated effort to break the will of an entire people. And yet, despite clear evidence of war crimes, Western powers continue to supply Israel with weapons, diplomatic cover and unwavering political support. Where is the decisive action that matches the gravity of the moment? Diplomatic pressure is no longer enough. Economic sanctions, arms embargoes and political isolation should be on the table. There must be consequences for a regime that commits war crimes with impunity. If Western powers refuse to act because of their own strategic interests, then it falls upon the Arab and Islamic world to lead the way.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Arab League and other regional bodies must take coordinated, concrete steps — whether through legal action at the International Criminal Court, the severing of economic and trade relations or the provision of direct and sustained support to the Palestinians. The world must understand that the Palestinian struggle is not just a regional issue — it is a moral and humanitarian crisis that demands global intervention.
While governments and institutions bear the greatest responsibility, individuals cannot afford to be passive observers. Silence is complicity. The power of collective action has already shown its strength. Protests in cities across the world have kept Palestine in the global consciousness. Student movements, labor unions and civil society groups have mobilized in ways that challenge governmental and corporate complicity. The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement has proven that economic pressure works. The fight for Palestinian liberation does not end with a ceasefire — it ends only when occupation, apartheid and oppression are dismantled. The children of Gaza deserve to live, to laugh and to celebrate, just as every child should. They deserve more than temporary aid; they deserve a future where they are free from fear, where they are not trapped in an open-air prison, where they can dream beyond the next airstrike. Until that day comes, our joy will always be incomplete and our celebrations will carry the weight of their suffering.
**Hani Hazaimeh is a senior editor based in Amman. X: @hanihazaimeh

International Day of Zero Waste: turning waste into opportunities
Sami Dimassi/Arab News/March 30/2025
For the third consecutive year, the world is observing International Day of Zero Waste, marked annually on March 30. This year’s day, themed “Towards Zero Waste in Fashion and Textiles,” emphasizes the importance of reducing the impact of the clothing sector’s waste, and promotes sustainability and circularity.
Textile waste: a growing crisis
The textile industry is taking a heavy toll on the planet. It is responsible for 2 to 8 percent of global planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions and 9 percent of annual microplastic pollution ending up in oceans. The industry also consumes 215 trillion liters of water per year and uses about 3,500 chemicals in production, many of which are toxic for both humans and the environment, including soil, water, animal health, and plant life.
The linear business model of fashion and textile sector is fueling overproduction and overconsumption. Driven by an effective marketing machine that is being replicated by other sectors, coupled with lower prices, and the efficiency of online shopping, this trend is contributing to the global waste and pollution crises.
Each year, 92 million tons of textile waste are generated worldwide with an estimate that every second, the equivalent of a garbage truck full of clothing is disposed of around the world. Only 8 percent of textiles fibers in 2023 were made from recycled sources, with less than 1 percent of the total fiber market coming from textile-to-textile recycling and around 13 percent of clothing being recycled to mostly lower-value uses such as insulation and cleaning cloths. This lack of fiber recycling practices is estimated to equate to an annual material value loss of more than $100 billion.
Circularity is key
Through its Textile Initiative, the UN Environment Programme is focused on accelerating the transition toward a sustainable and circular textile value chain. The program has set out a roadmap for stakeholders to transform the sector using the life cycle approach, with the aim to generate business revenue from circular business models such as reuse, repair, and circular products, instead of selling products produced from virgin fibers. UN Environment Programme looks to reduce impact of textile waste, and promote sustainability. Moreover, consumer awareness and behavioral change is essential to turn the tide on overconsumption and overproduction, along with transparency in information sharing as to what goes into each product, covering both environmental and social issues. To that end, UNEP has also developed a Sustainable Fashion Communication Playbook whereby it calls for a commitment to all communication to be evidence-based and data-driven. In West Asia, UNEP established the West Asia Sustainable Fashion Academy in 2021, as an influential regional platform within the fashion industry to drive sustainability and circularity across the textile value chain in the region. WASFA has engaged with different stakeholders through capacity-building initiatives, behavioral change campaigns, as well as research.
Composting: a sustainable solution for organic waste
Zero waste is not limited to textile waste. In West Asia, over 50 percent of the municipal solid waste destined for land disposal is made of organic waste, 85 percent of which is food waste. Uncontrolled decomposition emits methane, a greenhouse gas, and waste is estimated to account for 20 percent of global methane emissions. This is where composting offers a solution. It consists of transitioning organic waste away from landfill disposal, and turning it into economic opportunities, transforming it through a natural recycling process into organic fertilizers improving soil quality and returning nutrients back to the soil. Guide on composting promotes recycling of organic waste through locally tailored techniques. The UNEP Regional Office for West Asia has developed a guide on “Composting Solid Organic Waste from Municipal Sources in West Asia” to promote the recycling of organic waste through locally tailored composting techniques, from planning, design, and operation of composting facilities.
Way forward
Managing waste requires a multi-stakeholder approach. Governments have a duty to enact stricter regulations to prevent waste generation and limit its production, while investing in sustainable infrastructure. Businesses must adopt circular economy principles, reducing waste through recycling and repurposing. Individuals must shift their mindset and embrace zero-waste by taking conscious and sustainable choices in their daily lives. Our aim for the future is not to commemorate the International Day for Zero Waste by covering problems, but we hope to highlight achievements that will “build a fairer, and more sustainable planet.”
*Sami Dimassi is UNEP representative and regional director for West Asia.

Creative residencies can bring artistic world to the region
Sara Al-Mulla/Arab News/March 30, 2025
There are places — too beautiful for words — that serve as muses for creative souls. The lavender fields of Provence, the shimmering blues of the French Riviera and the poetic cafes of Paris, for example, have inspired generations of writers, painters and filmmakers, from F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway to Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso. These places were more than just postcard pictures — they offered rich cultural histories, creative communities and character. Today, a new wave of inspiration is gaining momentum across the globe. Creative residencies rooted in nature are dreamy visions — part retreat, part creative catalyst — that give creatives the time, space and setting to dream, reflect and produce exceptional works. When these residencies are designed with cultural depth and local engagement in mind, they become more than personal journeys, they evolve into cultural connections, allowing creatives to experience settings not just as visitors but rather as artists-in-residence. Bijou in size, yet boundless in artistic possibilities — creative residencies have much to offer. They serve as immersive spaces where artists, writers, designers, filmmakers, fashion designers, musicians, artisans, chefs and thinkers can connect with inspiring possibilities. These residencies also act as cultural bridges, welcoming diverse talents from around the world to co-create, exhibit and share stories that celebrate both tradition and innovation.
Around the world, several creative residencies have become iconic for their unique blend of natural setting, heritage and creative exploration. Villa Medici in Rome is an exquisite Renaissance villa offering residencies set against the backdrop of the city’s rich heritage and decked out with a library containing almost 38,000 volumes, a sound and video studio and a photo lab. The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, nestled in the breathtaking Canadian Rocky Mountains, provides a sanctuary for artists to explore music, visual arts and literature in a space that encourages reflection and artistic flourishes. Meanwhile, MacDowell in New Hampshire is one of the oldest artist residencies in the US and offers secluded studios and a serene setting for artists, writers, composers and visual creators. Past fellows include novelist James Baldwin and composer Leonard Bernstein.
Creative residencies in the Middle East and North Africa could ignite a new wave of artistic expression, using the region’s natural landscapes and cultural heritage to inspire works that resonate far beyond its borders.
For instance, AlUla’s artist residency programs are redefining the creative landscape of the region, blending heritage, nature and contemporary artistic practices. Designed as immersive experiences encompassing various disciplines — including visual arts, design, landscaping, agriculture, botany, heritage and digital innovation — these residencies invite artists from around the world to immerse themselves in AlUla’s historical and natural setting in order to produce creative works. Whether collaborating with local scientists, exploring desert flora or imagining future ecologies through digital media, each program positions AlUla not just as a place of inspiration but as a living cultural canvas that shapes its evolving creative and cultural narrative.
The MENA region’s natural landscapes and cultural heritage can inspire works that resonate far beyond its borders.
If creative residencies were to flourish in the region, they would spark new works of art, celebrate the vibrancy of Arab culture and share the region’s natural and creative richness with the world. With the MENA region boasting a breathtaking tapestry of landscapes, many locations would be viable for this endeavor, from the city of Aswan in Egypt overlooking the banks of the Nile to the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, which echo with Berber traditions and enthrall creatives with their majestic ridges and ancient trails.
Creatives can also engage with culinary traditions, exploring the vibrant flavors and cooking techniques that define the region, while local crafts and fashion offer artists opportunities to incorporate traditional craftsmanship, such as embroidery or weaving, into their works. Poetry rooted in centuries-old traditions can provide inspiration for content creators, while the rhythmic beats of music and “hakawati” oral storytelling bring stories to life in novel ways.
Creative residencies in the MENA region should be designed to offer an immersive, enriching experience for anything from a few weeks up to a year, aligning with unique seasonal rhythms. Programs should blend time for solitude and artistic creation with a thoughtfully curated cultural calendar of events and tours.
For instance, fellows might join workshops with local artisans, explore heritage sites on guided walks or take part in cooking sessions that bring local recipes to life. Joint sessions with local creatives, storytelling salons and musical evenings could also produce new ideas. Guided tours to ancient ruins, mosques and souks can offer insights into their historical and cultural significance.
Residencies ultimately culminate in the presentation of new works — exhibited locally, either at the residency site itself or in neighboring cultural centers, in addition to digital platforms and exhibitions at prominent museums or galleries across the globe. Many of these works could evolve into longer-term projects, such as fashion collections, documentary films, publications or performances.
By hosting global creatives in the heart of MENA’s most breathtaking natural and cultural landscapes, creative residencies have the potential to transform participants into storytellers and ambassadors of the region’s beauty and heritage. For the creatives, residencies offer deep inspiration, opportunities for regional and international collaboration and access to financing solutions and new audiences. For host countries, the benefits are equally extensive, as these residencies align closely with national strategies for the creative economy, cultural tourism and cultural diplomacy — positioning the region as a vibrant hub for contemporary expression and global cultural exchange. The inspiring settings scattered across the MENA region offer an opportunity for today’s creative crowds to carve out their artistic dynasties in a memorable manner.
**Sara Al-Mulla is an Emirati civil servant with an interest in human development policy and children’s literature. She can be contacted at www.amorelicious.com.

America’s new McCarthyism
Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib/Arab News/March 30, 2025
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers last week detained a Turkish doctoral student at Tufts University without any charges or explanation. Rumeysa Ozturk was arrested in Somerville, Massachusetts, as she was going to meet friends for iftar. She was handcuffed and her phone was confiscated. Is this a case of deja vu? Yes, it has happened before. America is supposed to be the land of the free, but it has experienced an episode where the state was repressive. In the 1950s, there was a witch hunt against anyone who was suspected of being sympathetic to or of promoting communist ideas. This was McCarthyism. What we are witnessing today in the US is a new version of McCarthyism.
McCarthyism is named for Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy. He was a little-known junior senator from Wisconsin in February 1950, when he claimed to possess a list of 205 US State Department employees who were card-carrying communists. McCarthy then spearheaded a witch hunt against communists. This period was known as the “red scare.” The main targets were government employees, prominent figures in the entertainment industry, academics, left-wing politicians and labor union activists.
The new repressive wave in the US has started with the targeting of academics and students. Ozturk, who was accused by the Department of Homeland Security of engaging “in activities in support of Hamas,” was not the first to be detained. Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student, was reportedly detained for his role in the organization of a pro-Palestine encampment. The State Department is seeking to revoke his visa even though he has not been charged with any crimes. Khalil is a green card holder and is married to a US citizen.
President Donald Trump has promised to crack down on “un-American activity” and stated that the arrest of Khalil was “the first of many to come.”
The creators of Project 2025, which Trump distanced himself from while campaigning but was rumored to be his plan of action once he took power, last year unveiled another plan known as “Project Esther.” Esther is a biblical figure purported to have saved her people from the wrath of a Persian king. The project is supposed to fight antisemitism on campus. However, it foresees a plan to crack down on protests and deport pro-Palestinian activists.
The Trump administration did not only detain Khalil, it also withdrew $400 million in funding from Columbia University and told it to address the issue of “antisemitism.” The university bowed to the White House’s requests and the funding was restored. Among the many demands, Columbia was told to place its Middle Eastern, South Asian and African Studies department under new leadership. Columbia is not the only one in this situation. The Trump administration has warned at least 60 other universities of possible action over their alleged failure to comply with federal civil rights laws related to antisemitism. Academics are appalled that the state is using funds to control academia.
While pro-Israeli right-wingers praise the move as a crackdown on people who sympathize with Hamas, others are appalled.
Antisemitism is being used as a scarecrow in the same way communism was in the 1950s. It is being used to infringe on people’s rights and free speech. Ironically, Vice President J.D. Vance in February scolded Europe for not respecting free speech. In Vance’s view, Europe, which has tried to rein in far-right groups that are inherently antisemitic, is stifling free speech. However, at home, the administration is labeling any pro-Palestinian activism as antisemitic.
Also ironically, Jewish protesters this month gathered in the lobby of Trump Tower in New York demanding Khalil’s release. Supporters of the Jewish Voice for Peace, a progressive Jewish organization, carried banners and wore red shirts that read: “Jews say stop arming Israel.” However, 65 of them were arrested. It seems that, according to the current administration, Jews demanding the end of genocide or advocating for the release of Khalil are engaging in “pro-terrorist, antisemitic, anti-American activity.”
The courts are startled. A federal judge has ordered the government to explain the detention of Ozturk. The judge also restricted her transfer outside Massachusetts. Meanwhile, Jesse Furman, an observant Jewish judge, last week issued an order blocking Khalil’s deportation. The courts also ruled that Yunseo Chung, a Korean American student at Columbia University, cannot be deported for her pro-Palestinian activism.
This is creating a major point of contention in American society. While pro-Israeli right-wingers praise the move as a crackdown on people who sympathize with Hamas, others are appalled. Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy said that people should stand up for Khalil regardless of whether they agree with his views. He said they should support him because the assault on Khalil is an assault on free speech and they could be next.
The scene today is very similar to that of the 1950s. The state has created a bogeyman to increase its control over society. It infringes on the American people’s freedom on the pretext of saving them from communist — or, in this case, antisemitic — influence. Back then, people were summoned to appear in front of the government without any charges being brought against them. They were asked about their political views and asked to incriminate their friends and associates. If they did not cooperate, they risked going to jail or losing their job.
McCarthyism was a big blow to democratic institutions in the US. Even the Supreme Court was not able to stop that madness. What we are seeing today, starting with a few students, can evolve into a new McCarthyism. Will this administration use it as an excuse to attack the left and restrain the political spectrum? What would that mean in practice? It means moving the country toward authoritarianism. McCarthyism kept snowballing until it melted down. However, it lasted about 10 years and destroyed thousands of lives and careers on the way. The same will happen again unless the American people stop it — they must realize that what happened to Khalil could happen to them one day.
*Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib is a specialist in US-Arab relations with a focus on lobbying. She is co-founder of the Research Center for Cooperation and Peace Building, a Lebanese nongovernmental organization focused on Track II.

What social media is not telling you about US deportations
Dalia Al-Aqidi/Arab News/March 30, 2025
In the last several weeks, Arabic-language social media in the US has seen a rise in frightening and inaccurate information about immigration laws. This information has caused fear and confusion among green card holders and international students. Some are fearful of being deported or losing their legal status and others have even asked whether they have a future in the country. These fears, as understandable as they are, are often based on misinformation.
But here is the truth: the law in the US does not allow the government to deport someone just because they voice a political opinion or attend a peaceful protest. Freedom of speech is a core American value that the law protects.
At the same time, there are clear legal and moral aspects. Being a guest in the US entails some responsibilities. Freedom of speech is not protected to support certain specified terrorist groups, to harm others or to engage in a crime. And one may be arrested, deported or even barred from ever returning for engaging in such activities. This matter is not so much about shutting someone up as about following the law and safeguarding others.
The First Amendment protects everyone on American soil, including immigrants, from punishment for peaceful speech. That includes criticizing the government, expressing views on foreign conflicts and attending rallies. But the line is drawn at violence, incitement and illegal acts.
“You have the right to speak your mind in America,” said a spokesperson from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services. “But that right does not include vandalism, threats or supporting terrorism.” According to the Department of Homeland Security, "individuals who commit crimes while in the US on temporary visas, such as vandalism, assault or trespassing, may face removal proceedings. The law is clear that legal status comes with the expectation of lawful conduct.”
This means that students or green card holders who break the law by damaging property, intimidating individuals or supporting designated foreign terrorist organizations can be deported, not because of their opinions but because of their actions.
A student visa is not a blank check to do whatever one wants. It is a privilege. It means the US government has trusted someone enough to allow them to reside in the country temporarily, to study and grow. But with that trust comes responsibility. No country would tolerate a guest standing in the street and shouting, “Death to the country.” Freedom of speech is protected, yes, but no one should expect to stay welcome in any country while cheering for its destruction or supporting those who attack its people.
This is especially serious when it involves support, verbal or material, for groups labeled as terrorist organizations. Groups like Hamas, Al-Qaeda and Daesh are not just controversial; they are responsible for killing civilians, including Americans. American law makes it a crime to give material support to such groups, even through fundraising or online promotion. Former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson once said: “There is a difference between expressing sympathy and providing support. The latter is a crime under federal law.”
The law in the US does not allow the government to deport someone just because they voice a political opinion.
Recent campus protests have crossed the line of legality and some international students have been arrested for occupying buildings, destruction of property and intimidation. In one case, F-1 visa students took over a university building and barricaded the entrance, upon which police were called and immigration authorities were alerted. What began as a protest became a criminal matter.
Even lawful permanent residents (green card holders) can be removed from the country if they commit serious crimes or violate immigration law. The list of deportable offenses include fraud, assault, drug trafficking and terrorism-related activity.
“Green card status is not a shield against consequences,” said a statement from Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “Permanent residents who break the law may still face removal depending on the offense.” That does not mean that attending a protest or sharing their frustration online puts someone at risk. However, if political activity crosses into criminal territory, the legal protections start to fall away.
US citizens, whether by birth or naturalization, cannot be deported. That is a firm line in the law. Citizenship brings full legal rights and no one can be removed from the country unless they are found to have lied or committed fraud in the naturalization process.
Online rumors claiming that citizens can be stripped of their status for speaking out about Palestine or criticizing the government are false. Citizenship is permanent and protected, as per the US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Individuals from countries with oppressive regimes might not always believe governments are telling the truth. That is understandable. However, in the US, individuals have rights and the law provides ways of protecting them. That also implies knowing what the law permits and prohibits.
It is simple math: peaceful protest is protected, but harassment, threats and intimidation are not.
Online opinions are protected. However, openly advocating for terrorist groups is not.
Protests against policy are protected, but trespassing in buildings or damaging property is unlawful.
Social media posts may claim that students are being deported simply for protesting but, in reality, arrests have been made for offenses like trespassing or assault. It is essential to look beyond the headlines and understand the full context of what occurred.
Everyone in the country, whether a visitor on a visa or a citizen, has a role to play in maintaining peace, respecting others and using their voice with care. There is room for strong opinions, heartfelt protests and difficult conversations. However, there must also be respect for the law, the community and the country that has offered them a place to live and grow.
Social media and technology are now a significant part of everyday life, altering how people obtain news and express their opinions. With that power, however, comes responsibility. It is essential to be careful about what is posted and shared online. Misinformation spreads quickly, especially when it resonates with fear or uncertainty, creating public panic.
Platforms like TikTok, X and others are filled with opinions, but not everything seen there is accurate or trustworthy. People must take a moment to question what they read, check the source and avoid letting misinformation drive fear or division.
**Dalia Al-Aqidi is executive director at the American Center for Counter Extremism.

‘Israeli peace’ is Not a Silver Bullet for The Levant
Eyad Abu Shakra/Asharq Al Awsat/March 30/2025
Yesterday, in Jeddah, Syrian and Lebanese defense ministers Murhaf Abu Qusra and Michel Menassa signed a promising agreement to end lingering border issues between Lebanon and Syria. In truth, neither the new Syrian government nor the current Lebanese authorities contributed to these issues, which were inherited from the birth of the current Syrian and Lebanese territories during the French Mandate period and on the ruins of former Ottoman provinces and states.
The decades that followed brought tensions and understandings between the rulers of Damascus and Beirut, until Assad succeeded - with regional and international approval - in imposing Damascus' “hegemony” over Lebanese decision-making. Indeed, the Syrian security apparatus controlled Lebanon from the late 1970s until the departure of Syrian forces in 2005, following the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
Hariri's assassination created new facts on the ground, including Bashar al-Assad accepting that Damascus would exchange ambassadors with Beirut and recognize Lebanon's independence. However, the border issue remained complex and thorny in the north, center, and south. Keeping the issue “complex and thorny” became even more important as Iran, through Hezbollah, inherited Syria’s hegemony over Lebanon. In the south, the identity of the Shebaa Farms and Kfarshuba hills became a “pretext” to justify Hezbollah's “resistance” and ensure it could retain its weapons. In the north, some border villages inside the Syrian province of Homs became the initial justification for Hezbollah's participation in suppressing the Syrian uprising in 2011. Today, the Syrian and Lebanese entities, which in the past shared similar existential challenges, are now sharing (and will continue to share) similar existential dangers. In an era where Israel plays a hegemonic role in international decision-making capitals regarding the politics of the Middle East, the prospect of a disastrous “Israeli peace” looms large for the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean. “Israeli peace” appears to many as a powerful storm - too overwhelming to confront - especially given the current US administration’s total alignment with Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and the hardline Israeli right.
This right-wing faction has succeeded in dragging Iran into a war larger than it can handle and is now reaping the benefits of its “response” to the October 7, 2023 operation. Having managed, through unprecedented American support, to diminish Iran’s regional stature, it is now accelerating the imposition of its dominance - whether direct or indirect - over the Eastern Mediterranean region and its four Arab entities.
The major headlines here include the forced “transfer” of Palestinians and the implementation of an old plan to divide and fragment the region’s remaining entities along religious, sectarian, and ethnic lines. Israeli penetration of the region has been underway for some time across various components, but it is now nearly overt. The blow dealt to Hezbollah has “liberated” voices that were previously concealed or had dual allegiances (particularly within Syria and Lebanon) who are now openly calling for an “Israeli solution” to the issues of coexistence between majorities and minorities. In Syria, one can recall Rami Makhlouf’s warning to Israel - at the onset of the uprising - that the fall of the Syrian regime would not be in its interest. Some of the violent incidents involving the killing of civilians on Syria’s coast during the new government’s pursuit of remnants of the former regime ended up serving those who sought to add fuel to the fire. There’s also the matter of reckless statements made by certain separatist Kurdish leaders, which they quickly backed away from, especially after the commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Mazloum Abdi, proceeded to sign an understanding with the new Syrian leadership. In southern Syria, Israeli penetration is now taking on dangerous dimensions, particularly through Israel’s deliberate investment in the Druze community via arming, funding, and courting certain figures within the religious establishment. Simultaneously, a fierce media and social media campaign is currently underway targeting any Druze voices that oppose the “replication” of the Israeli model and its attempt to re-engineer the national and religious identity of Druze communities. The situation in Lebanon is not much different. Much of the alluring rhetoric that was once cloaked in the language of “change,” at times in “federalism,” and even “fighting corruption”, has since shed its cautious facade, revealing its true agenda of division and suspicious foreign alignment. The Eastern Mediterranean has long been part of what was known as the "Eastern Question" - a landscape marked by seismic fault lines between religions, sects, ethnicities, and fragile statelets. This is a historical reality. However, the only consistent and constructive way to deal with it has always rested on alleviating the fears of minorities and addressing the sense of injustice felt by majorities. As long as fear and resentment persist within fragmented, diminished entities whose decision-making lies elsewhere, the region will find no rest. It will continue to swing from one episode of exploitation to another, from one conflict to the next.
In more advanced parts of the world, political actors have managed to arrive at tailored arrangements that reflect the needs of each context, ranging from “federalism” to “administrative decentralization.”Some in our region reject federalism, arguing that it will lead to partition.
Perhaps so!
That may be true in certain tribal societies. But federalism has succeeded in most countries where it has been implemented—from Switzerland and Belgium to India and Brazil.
But what about administrative decentralization?
In the case of the Eastern Mediterranean, administrative decentralization is precisely the model outlined in the 1989 Taif Agreement in Lebanon. Yet the Damascus regime resisted its implementation—perhaps out of fear that it might actually work.
In my view, there can be no political solution to the crises facing any of the Eastern Mediterranean states unless it is based on administrative decentralization within a unified, sovereign, and independent state—one in which all citizens enjoy the same rights, responsibilities, and foundations of citizenship. When people feel justice and safety, their sense of belonging will grow. The cycle of oppression and counter-oppression will never be broken through reliance on foreign powers.