English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For May02/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
Jesus Drives Out Of the Temple Sellers and Money Changers ..He said to them: “Stop making my Father’s house a market-place”
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 02/13-25:”The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money-changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, ‘Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a market-place!’ His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for your house will consume me.’The Jews then said to him, ‘What sign can you show us for doing this?’Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’The Jews then said, ‘This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?’But he was speaking of the temple of his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken. When he was in Jerusalem during the Passover festival, many believed in his name because they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part would not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to testify about anyone; for he himself knew what was in everyone.”

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on May 01-02/2025
Devils, Scribes, Pharisees, and Trojans Tarnish the Reputation of Monsignor Mansour Labaki/Elias Bejjani/April 29/2025
The Vile and Lewd Attack by Hezbollah's Thuggish Street Mobs and Their Mouthpieces to Terrorize and Silence Director Youssef El Khoury/Elias Bejjani/April 28, 2025
Etienne Sakr – Abu Arz: The Culture of Denial and Denunciation
In a tweet related to Amer Fakhoury's case, US Representative Joe Wilson called on Lebanon to hold accountable anyone involved in human rights violations against US citizens.
When Hezbollah's Weapons Became an "Ideology"/Marwan al-Amin/Nidaa al-Watan/May 01/2025
A new era in UAE-Lebanon relations: Diplomatic reset and economic cooperation ahead
UAE to lift three-year Lebanon travel ban
Aoun: Decision of removing arms to be implemented across Lebanon but priority for South
President Aoun salutes Lebanese workers on Labor Day, vows continued support and reforms
UNIFIL Patrol Intercepted in Abbasiya
Lebanese Army dismantled 'over 90%' of Hezbollah infrastructure near Israel
Israeli drone strikes kill 4 in Lebanon; Lebanese army reclaims more territory from Hezbollah
Israel claims killing two Hezbollah members in South Lebanon strikes
Abi al-Muna Urges Arab Action to Stop Violations Against Druze in Syria
Jumblat urges Druze in Syria to reject 'Israeli interference'
Berri tells US generals Israeli violations harming state's recovery
Municipal Elections: Interior Minister Announces Electoral Silence Periods
It Goes on, Over and Over Again/Marc Saikali/This is Beirut/May 01/2025
HSBC freezes accounts over suspected Hezbollah, Hamas funding linked to crypto — the details
Lebanon’s Supreme Defense Council Urges Hamas to Hand Over Suspects in Rocket Attacks/Mohamed Choucair/Asharq Al Awsat/May 01/2025

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on May 01-02/2025
Damascus Says Security Operation Ends in Ashrafiyat Sahnaya
Syrian Druze leader Al-Hijri slams ‘genocidal campaign’, Israel issues warning
Syrian Druze spiritual leader slams government over deadly sectarian clashes
Damascus sectarian killings ‘unacceptable,’ says UN envoy
Druze shield or political tool? Israel’s Syria policy sparks backlash
Israel vows to respond with 'significant force' if Syria govt fails to protect Druze
15 Druze fighters killed in ambush near Syria capital
Weekend nuclear deal between Iran and the US postponed, says Oman's foreign minister
Iran accuses U.S. of 'provocative statements' ahead of nuclear talks
UK in talks with France, Saudi Arabia over Palestinian statehood
Gaza rescuers say Israeli strikes kill at least 29
Israeli Security Chiefs Believe U.S.-Iran Nuclear Agreement Likely
Trump threatens sanctions against buyers of Iranian oil after US-Iran nuclear talks are postponed
Netanyahu calls defeating Israel’s enemies the ‘supreme objective,’ not freeing hostages
IDF has hit 1,800 targets in Gaza since new operations began on March 18
Israeli reservists speak out against Gaza war as pressure on Netanyahu grows
US says minerals deal will strengthen Trump in talks with Russia
Turkey stresses opposition to decentralisation in Syria
Ukraine and the US have finally signed a minerals deal. What does it include?

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sourceson on May 01-02/2025
Calibrating US policy to constrain Iranian oil exports/Saeed Ghasseminejad/ Washington Examiner/May 1, 2025
Turkey: Sweeping Arrests, Torture, Censorship/Uzay Bulut/Gatestone Institute/May 01/2025
Putin ‘has to be dealt with differently’ Trump’s new perspective is correct/Clifford D. May/The Washington Times/May 01/2025
Syria’s Fragile Truce With the Kurds Is Falling Apart/Ahmad Sharawi/FDD/May 01/2025
How the road to Ukraine began in 1967/Ross Anderson/Arab News/May 01, 2025
Climate change a threat to Iraq’s stability/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/May 01, 2025
Energy and infrastructure are key to AI’s future/Lina Tayara/Arab News/May 01, 2025
Europe’s mobilization struggles prime for exploitation/Khaled Abou Zahr/Arab News/May 01, 2025

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on May 01-02/2025
Devils, Scribes, Pharisees, and Trojans Tarnish the Reputation of Monsignor Mansour Labaki
Elias Bejjani/April 29/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/04/142855/
Enough with the populism, leftist hypocrisy, immorality, and Trojan betrayal. Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to cast a stone at Monsignor Mansour Labaki.—shameless accusers! We are truly living in an age of moral collapse… a time ruled by devils, lawbreakers, and the profane.

The Vile and Lewd Attack by Hezbollah's Thuggish Street Mobs and Their Mouthpieces to Terrorize and Silence Director Youssef El Khoury
Elias Bejjani/April 28, 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/04/142815/
"Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ". (Galatians 01/01-24)
There is no doubt that President Aoun’s tenure, is expected to properly see that the Lebanese judiciary is not biased and execute its role with fairness in accordance to the laws, and is thus put to the test — either to confront the terrorist Hezbollah’s filthy judicial and media assaults targeting patriotic citizens who speak the truth, or to turn a blind eye and succumb.
The judiciary’s true stance will be judged by the way it handles the satanic and fabricated schemes aimed at intimidating and silencing director Youssef El Khoury and at crushing the will of sovereign and honorable voices.
Will the judiciary, in its so-called new form, possess the courage and integrity to confront and end the depravity and shamelessness of Hezbollah's Trojins and hired gung propagandists?
In this context, we condemn the injustice and the dirty, street-level slander to which the writer and director Youssef  Yaacoub El Khoury is being subjected, and we repeat what the Lord Jesus Christ said to the scribes and Pharisees who demanded that he silence the shouts of the believers as he entered Jerusalem: "If these keep silent, the stones will cry out." (Luke19/40)

Etienne Sakr – Abu Arz: The Culture of Denial and Denunciation
May 01/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/05/142905/
Etienne Sakr, head of the Guardians of the Cedars Party - Lebanese Nationalist Movement, has released the following statement:
The prevailing reactions to Israeli targeting of Hezbollah military sites is a swift condemnation from those in power, decrying these actions as violations of Lebanese sovereignty. They invariably appeal to influential nations to pressure Israel to cease its "attacks" on Lebanon.
However, this predictable policy of condemnation and denunciation masks a significant degree of deception and hypocrisy. It conveniently ignores several key facts that many are hesitant to acknowledge:
1-Israel's strikes against Hezbollah military installations within Lebanese territory are actually in line with the terms of the ceasefire agreement and its appendices, signed by the Lebanese and Israeli governments on November 26, 2024. This directly contradicts the narrative of sovereignty violation promoted by the current authorities.
2-The fundamental and ultimate cause of these Israeli actions lies in the Lebanese government's failure to uphold its obligation to confiscate Hezbollah's military arsenal, as mandated by relevant international resolutions and the aforementioned ceasefire agreement.
3-Furthermore, the widespread presence of illegal weapons depots belonging to terrorist militias within civilian homes and neighborhoods constitutes a genuine assault on Lebanon and a violation of its sovereignty. Their destruction is therefore a duty and a legitimate right.
Adding to these undeniable truths:
1-Without the decisive and sustained Israeli strikes against Hezbollah, particularly those in September of the previous year, the Lebanese state would not have recovered its autonomy, which had been held hostage for decades by the Iranian regime.
2-Without these strikes, the presidential candidate who endured over two years of imprisonment in the detention facilities of Beirut's southern Hezbollah's suburbs would not have been freed.
3-Without these strikes, a new government, at least minimally free from Iranian dominance and Hezbollah's control, would not have come into existence.
Meanwhile, the Salam government's current status resembles an ostrich burying its head in the sand to avoid confronting reality. Should it persist in its policies of denial, inaction, and ignorance, it will inevitably find itself lost in a labyrinth of defeat and utter failure. Let them take heed!
Long Live Lebanon
(Free translation from Arabic by: Elias Bejjani)

In a tweet related to Amer Fakhoury's case, US Representative Joe Wilson called on Lebanon to hold accountable anyone involved in human rights violations against US citizens.
X Website/April 1, 2025
US Representative Joe Wilson tweeted today saying that Hezbollah and its allies must be completely removed from the Lebanese security services and army, and that Lebanon must hold accountable anyone involved in human rights violations against US citizens.

When Hezbollah's Weapons Became an "Ideology"
Marwan al-Amin/Nidaa al-Watan/May 01/2025
(Translated freely from Arabic by Elias Bejjani)
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/05/142908/
Since its inception, Hezbollah has worked to transform the Shiite identity in Lebanon from a national affiliation into an ideological allegiance, deeply rooted in Iran’s Wilayat al-Faqih (Guardianship of the Jurist) project. To achieve this, the party initiated a series of internal "conflicts" aimed at asserting dominance over the Shiite community and dismantling the strong sense of Lebanese national belonging that Imam Musa al-Sadr had firmly established and institutionalized.
Early on, Hezbollah relied on two key pillars to consolidate its grip on the Shiite community: religion and armed "resistance." Yet, its efforts to impose the Wilayat al-Faqih ideology faced formidable resistance, especially given the deep-rooted spiritual and historical ties between Lebanese Shiites and the religious authorities in Najaf—figures such as Sayyid Muhsin al-Hakim, Sayyid Abu al-Qasim al-Khoei, and later, Sayyid Ali al-Sistani. These authorities belong to a jurisprudential tradition that categorically rejects the Iranian interpretation of Wilayat al-Faqih, advocating instead for the separation of religion from direct political rule.Additionally, influential independent clerics in Lebanon, such as the late Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad Hussein Fadlallah and the prominent Imam Muhammad Mahdi Shams al-Din, posed further obstacles. Shams al-Din in particular continued Imam al-Sadr’s legacy, promoting a vision of Shiite identity that was fully integrated into the Lebanese state, not opposed to it. Collectively, these figures formed a strong bulwark against Hezbollah’s ideological takeover of the Shiite community.
Confronted with the failure of its religious indoctrination campaign, Hezbollah pivoted to a more pragmatic and potent strategy: the slogan of "resistance." This rhetoric quickly gained traction, particularly in the context of the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon. Under the banner of "weapons for the liberation of the land," Hezbollah built popular and political legitimacy within the Shiite base. Yet over time, this narrative of resistance evolved—or rather, devolved—into a self-serving ideology: "weapons to defend the weapons." What began as a means of liberation ultimately revealed itself as a mechanism of domination and control. Through this shift, Hezbollah weaponized the very idea of resistance to deepen the divide between the Shiite community and the Lebanese state. Where the Wilayat al-Faqih ideology had faltered, the “ideology of weapons” succeeded. Arms were no longer just tools—they became symbols of identity, and tokens of absolute loyalty to Tehran, the sponsor of this new ideology. In this context, Hezbollah’s steadfast refusal to disarm is not merely a matter of military strategy or political leverage. These weapons have become sacred, the cornerstone of the party’s very existence. They have served as Hezbollah’s most effective tool to alienate Shiites from their state, to prevent their alignment with national interests, and to tether them emotionally and ideologically to the Iranian project. Thus, the disarmament of Hezbollah represents more than a shift in Lebanon’s security landscape—it signifies the potential liberation of the Shiite community from the grip of Wilayat al-Faqih. It would sever the artificial link tying the fate of Lebanon’s Shiites to Iran’s geopolitical interests, marking the collapse of Iranian influence in Lebanon. Today, caught between the failure to implant Wilayat al-Faqih and the military setback in the recent war—which critically undermined the "ideology of weapons"—the Iranian project in Lebanon stands at the precipice of decline.

A new era in UAE-Lebanon relations: Diplomatic reset and economic cooperation ahead
LBCI/May 01/2025
A notable shift has occurred in the trajectory of bilateral relations between Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates, marked by the first official visit of Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to Abu Dhabi. During the visit, President Aoun held a summit with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The talks were described as "extremely positive" and focused on enhancing cooperation across various sectors. One of the most significant outcomes of the summit was the UAE's announcement that it would lift the travel ban on its citizens visiting Lebanon—a restriction that had been in place for several years. The ban is expected to be officially lifted in the coming days, following the completion of logistical and technical measures to implement the political decision. Observers see this move as a signal of confidence in the beginning of a new phase of political and security stability in Lebanon, reinforced by Beirut's commitment to implementing measures that ensure the safety of both visitors and residents. According to information obtained by LBCI, the UAE will soon appoint an ambassador to Lebanon. A joint statement issued after the talks confirmed that the UAE would share its successful experiences in improving government performance and institutional excellence. A joint Emirati-Lebanese Business Council will also be established. The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development will also send a delegation to Lebanon to explore and assess opportunities for joint development projects.President Aoun's visit to the UAE is seen as the beginning of a new era in bilateral relations and may signal the start of Lebanon's re-engagement with the Arab world—particularly the Gulf—and its efforts to restore regional and international confidence.

UAE to lift three-year Lebanon travel ban
Agence France Presse/May 01/2025
The United Arab Emirates will lift a ban on its citizens traveling to Lebanon that was imposed during a diplomatic row in 2021, according to a joint statement on Thursday. The decision was announced a day after President Joseph Aoun met with his UAE counterpart Mohamed bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi. "The two sides agreed to allow citizens to travel after taking necessary measures to facilitate movement between the two countries and putting in place appropriate mechanisms," the statement said. In 2021, the UAE imposed a travel ban on its citizens and withdrew diplomats from Beirut in solidarity with Saudi Arabia after a Lebanese minister criticized the Riyadh-led military intervention in Yemen. Lebanese citizens were not banned from traveling to the UAE, although some experienced difficulties obtaining visas. The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, which supports infrastructure projects in developing countries, will send a delegation to Lebanon to study potential joint projects, the statement said. Ties between Beirut and Abu Dhabi soured in the past decade over Hezbollah's influence on Lebanon. But with the group weakened by its recent war with Israel, the UAE is the latest Gulf country to renew its interest in Lebanon. In March, Saudi Arabia said it would review "obstacles" to resuming Lebanese imports and ending a ban on its nationals visiting Lebanon. That announcement came after Aoun met Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on his first trip abroad since taking office in January. Aoun, the preferred candidate of both Riyadh and Washington, was elected after the weakening of Hezbollah and the overthrow of the group's ally Bashar al-Assad in Syria shifted the balance of power in Lebanon.

Aoun: Decision of removing arms to be implemented across Lebanon but priority for South

Naharnet/May 01/2025
President Joseph Aoun has stressed that “the decision of removing arms will be implemented across Lebanon but the priority is for the South.”“We’re in agreement with Speaker (Nabih) Berri over the issue of Hezbollah’s arms,” Aoun added, in an interview with Sky News Arabia broadcast as he departed to the UAE on an official visit.“The decision has been taken as to limiting weapons (to the hands of the state) and only implementation on the ground remains,” the president said, adding that “what’s important is the handover of heavy- and medium-caliber weapons, whereas light-caliber weapons are a culture for the Lebanese.”Noting that the army is “performing its duties without any objections or problems,” Aoun dismissed as baseless the reports that claimed that Hezbollah had refused the army’s entry into a Dahieh site to search it.
Calling for opening “the file of arms inside Palestinian camps,” the president stressed that “it is necessary to build the army’s capabilities,” adding that “the most important weapon is the unified stance behind the army.

President Aoun salutes Lebanese workers on Labor Day, vows continued support and reforms

LBCI/May 01/2025
Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun issued a message on Thursday, marking Labor Day, in which he praised the resilience of Lebanese workers and reaffirmed the state’s commitment to protecting their rights. “You have remained faithful and hopeful for a better tomorrow despite all the hardships,” Aoun said, addressing workers nationwide.He emphasized that the state remains committed to safeguarding workers’ rights and improving their conditions, noting that ongoing reforms aim to create job opportunities for young people and strengthen the country’s social protection system. “No matter how long the current crisis lasts, it will eventually come to an end,” he added. “We will emerge stronger and more resilient and continue building the Lebanon of tomorrow.”

UNIFIL Patrol Intercepted in Abbasiya

This is Beirut/May 01/2025
A UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) patrol was intercepted on Thursday by residents in the town of Abbasiya, located in the Tyre district of southern Lebanon, marking the third such incident in less than two weeks. The incident occurred at the al-Raz project site, where local residents stopped the patrol and forced it to change its route. In a video circulating on social media platform X, one resident expressed concern that the UNIFIL vehicles were moving between residential buildings without coordination or an escort from the Lebanese Army, which he said “caused anxiety” among the population. Similar confrontations have taken place recently. On Tuesday, residents in the town of Bint Jbeil intercepted a UNIFIL patrol that entered the area without a Lebanese Army escort. Just days earlier, on Friday, April 25, a UNIFIL convoy was blocked twice, albeit briefly, near the town of Tayr Dabba.

Lebanese Army dismantled 'over 90%' of Hezbollah infrastructure near Israel
Agence France Presse/May 01/2025
The Lebanese Army has dismantled "over 90 percent" of Hezbollah's infrastructure near the border with Israel since a November ceasefire, a security official said. "We have dismantled over 90 percent of the infrastructure in the area south of the Litani," the official, who requested anonymity as the matter is sensitive, told AFP.President Joseph Aoun meanwhile said in an interview with Sky News Arabia that the army was now in control of over 85 percent of the country's south. The November truce deal, which ended over a year of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, was based on a U.N. Security Council resolution that says Lebanese troops and United Nations peacekeepers should be the only forces in south Lebanon. Under the deal, Hezbollah was to pull its fighters north of Lebanon's Litani River, some 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the Israeli border, and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure to its south. Much of Hezbollah's robust underground infrastructure in the south was "filled and closed" by the army, the official said. Soldiers have also reinforced their control of crossing points into the area south of the Litani "to prevent the transfer of weapons from the north of the river to the south."Aoun, on a visit to the United Arab Emirates, said the Lebanese Army was "fulfilling its role without any problems or opposition."He said the single obstacle to the full deployment of soldiers across the border area was "Israel's occupation of five border positions."Under the ceasefire agreement, Israel was to withdraw all its forces from south Lebanon, but its troops remain in five positions that it deems "strategic".The security official meanwhile said that Hezbollah has been cooperating with the army. "Hezbollah withdrew and said 'do whatever you want'... there is no longer a military (infrastructure) for Hezbollah south of the Litani," the official said. The official added that most of the munitions found by the army were either "damaged" by Israeli bombing or "in such bad shape that it is impossible to stock them," prompting the army to detonate them.

Israeli drone strikes kill 4 in Lebanon; Lebanese army reclaims more territory from Hezbollah
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Arab News/May 01, 2025
BEIRUT: The Israeli military resumed drone strikes on targets in southern border areas of Lebanon on Thursday. One such attack on a vehicle in Mays Al-Jabal killed three people collecting scrap from damaged buildings. The Lebanese Health Ministry said the two passengers in the vehicle were Syrian nationals. Hezbollah media outlets identified the driver as Lebanese citizen Izzat Karout. Less than two hours later, another drone attack in the same area killed a motorcycle rider, said to be a former paramedic who had been injured in a previous Israeli raid. Mays Al-Jabal municipality gave his name as Oussama Bahij Farhat, a volunteer with Lebanese Civil Defense. Citing a security source, Israel’s Channel 12 news reported that the “second attack was carried out to target a Hezbollah member.”Since the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah came into effect in November, deaths caused by Israeli attacks have continued to be daily occurrences, with more than 2,000 Israeli violations of Lebanese sovereignty recorded in the south of the country, Beirut’s southern suburbs and areas in the east along the border with Syria. Also on Thursday, intensive activity by Israeli reconnaissance planes in Lebanese airspace was observed, particularly in the skies over Beirut and its southern suburbs. A political source told Arab News the latest activity was “proof that Israel has not responded to any diplomatic pressure aimed at halting its violations.”
The ceasefire agreement, mediated by the US and France, stipulated that Hezbollah must withdraw from border areas south of the Litani River and dismantle its military infrastructure, allowing the Lebanese army to strengthen its presence there in coordination with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon.
Israeli forces, which carried out a ground offensive in southern Lebanon in October, withdrew following the peace deal but maintained a presence on five hills they describe as strategic locations. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who returned to Beirut on Thursday after an official visit to the UAE, said the “Lebanese army controls more than 85 percent of the south after clearing it, in a military sense, as part of its commitments to the ceasefire agreement.”Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Lebanon said Maj. Gen. Michael Leeney was joining the Cessation of Hostilities Implementation Mechanism, the international group set up to monitor the implementation of the ceasefire agreement, “as a full-time senior US military leader in Beirut.” His appointment continues the strong relationship between the Lebanese Armed Forces and the US military, it added. Maj. Gen. Jasper Jeffers, will continue to chair the mechanism while fulfilling his other duties as commander of US Special Operations Forces in the Levant, Gulf and Central Asia, the embassy said. During meetings with Leeney, Lebanese officials were united in their calls for action to halt “Israel’s continued violations of the agreement.”After a meeting with Lebanon’s army commander, Gen. Rodolf Haykal, MP Ghassan Skaff told Arab News: “About 90 percent of the area south of the Litani River is now free of Hezbollah facilities, and the army has gradually tightened its control over the area. “The Lebanese army is counting on dialogue regarding the defense strategy to address the issue of Hezbollah’s weapons north of the Litani River, and work is underway on this matter. “The army command believes that the pressure being exerted on Israel is still insufficient to stop its violations. Israel’s continued violations are occurring with American support, and Israel no longer looks for justifications to bomb Beirut’s southern suburbs, for example.”Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the UN’s special coordinator for Lebanon, previously warned: “Residents of the Bint Jbeil and Tyre districts are still unable to return to their homes due to the massive destruction of infrastructure and property caused by the recent war. “The humanitarian situation in southern Lebanon is extremely concerning and there is an urgent need to restore basic services. “Temporary solutions are no longer sufficient as the humanitarian crisis worsens, and rapid action is required from the Lebanese state and the international community to rebuild and provide the essentials for a dignified life for the displaced and affected citizens.”

Israel claims killing two Hezbollah members in South Lebanon strikes
AFP/May 01/2025
Israel's military claimed it killed two Hezbollah members on Thursday in separate strikes in an area of southern Lebanon, despite a fragile ceasefire between the armed group and Israel. "Earlier today, the Israeli military struck and eliminated a 'terrorist' in Hezbollah's Radwan Force in the Meiss El Jabal area of southern Lebanon," an army statement said, adding that it had killed "an additional Hezbollah terrorist" in the same area in another attack.

Abi al-Muna Urges Arab Action to Stop Violations Against Druze in Syria

This is Beirut/May 01/2025
Sheikh Sami Abi al-Muna, the spiritual leader of Lebanon’s Druze community, spoke over the phone with Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Walid Bukhari on Thursday. Abi al-Muna briefed him on the alarming developments in the town of Ashrafiyat Sahnaya and surrounding areas near Damascus, Syria, where clashes are still ongoing between Druze and Sunni fighters. Both sides discussed the need to convene an emergency meeting at the Druze Community House, bringing together ambassadors from influential countries involved in the Syrian file. The aim of the proposed meeting would be to push for an international stance that can help de-escalate the situation, stop the bloodshed, and prevent further acts of violence against civilians. The call follows reports of fabricated audio recordings and a rise in extremist and sectarian rhetoric, which have reportedly contributed to acts of violence against Druze residents in their homes and villages. In addition, Abi al-Muna emphasized the urgency of calling on both the Syrian government and key international powers to immediately intervene and halt what he described as serious security breaches and abuses targeting Druze communities in villages near Damascus and on the outskirts of Sweida.
He also warned that the deteriorating situation could have broader repercussions, including potential spillover into Lebanon and other regions, in line with “Israel’s long-standing objectives in the area.”

Jumblat urges Druze in Syria to reject 'Israeli interference'
Agence France Presse/May 01/2025
Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblat has urged members of the minority community in Syria to reject "Israeli interference" following Israeli threats against Damascus authorities if they harm the Druze. "Preserving the (Druze) brothers (in Syria) involves rejecting Israeli interference," Jumblat said following a meeting with Druze figures in Beirut to discuss sectarian violence that erupted in Syria this week. Clashes near Damascus between security forces and local Druze fighters have reportedly killed 39 people in two days. The violence followed the circulation of an audio recording attributed to a Druze citizen and deemed blasphemous. The Israeli military said its troops were instructed to "prepare to strike" Syrian government targets "should the violence against Druze communities continue." "A stern message was conveyed to the Syrian regime -- Israel expects them to act to prevent harm to the Druze community," said a statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office. Jumblat accused Israel of seeking to drag the Druze into an "endless war against Muslims," accusing Israeli Druze chief Mowafaq Tarif of supporting Israeli objectives. The Druze, an esoteric offshoot of Islam, live mostly in Lebanon, Israel and Syria, including the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. Israel, which sees the Islamist forces who ousted longtime Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad in December as jihadists, has previously threatened to attack should the Druze be harmed. Syrian Druze leaders had rejected the Israeli warning and declared their loyalty to a united Syria.

Berri tells US generals Israeli violations harming state's recovery

Naharnet/May 01/2025
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri held talks Wednesday in Ain el-Tineh with the new head of the ceasefire monitoring committee, U.S. major general Michael Leeney, who was accompanied by the committee’s outgoing head Major General Jasper Jeffers.
During the meeting, Berri lamented “the persistent Israeli attacks and violations,” noting that “the Lebanese side has committed to everything requested from it, whereas the Israeli side is not committed to the ceasefire and has not withdrawn from the territory it is still occupying in the South.”“The continued Israeli aggression and violations are harming the state’s recovery process in terms of stability, reforms and sovereignty,” Berri warned. He also called on the U.S. to “work on compelling Israel to immediately implement the agreement.”Major General Leeney for his part assured that the committee will hold periodic meetings to follow up on the situation.

Municipal Elections: Interior Minister Announces Electoral Silence Periods

This Is Beirut/May 01/2025
The Minister of Interior and Municipalities, Ahmad Hajjar, has announced the schedule for the electoral silence periods to be observed during the upcoming municipal and mokhtar elections. In accordance with current electoral legislation, electoral silence begins 24 hours before polling starts and ends at the closure of the polls.During this period, “It is prohibited for the media to broadcast any advertising, propaganda or electoral appeals,” according to a circular issued by the ministry.
“On election day, media coverage is limited to reporting facts related to the conduct of the electoral process,” the circular adds.As a reminder, here is the voting schedule by governorate (mohafazat):
Mount Lebanon: Sunday, May 4, 2025
North Lebanon and Akkar: Sunday, May 11, 2025
Beirut, Bekaa and Baalbeck-Hermel: Sunday, May 18, 2025
South Lebanon and Nabatiyeh: Saturday, May 24, 2025

It Goes on, Over and Over Again
Marc Saikali/This is Beirut/May 01/2025
There was a time when the “army, people, resistance” triptych formula served as little more than a fig leaf, masking Hezbollah’s grip on Lebanon and its role as a proxy for Iran and its now shattered expansionist ambitions.
This illusion has collapsed: the militia has lost the war.For years, Hezbollah claimed that its weapons were meant to maintain a balance of terror with Israel, a simple deception. There was never any real balance, only an absurd standoff between technological superiority and ideological obstinacy.
Yet, Hezbollah stubbornly clings to its arsenal, as if nothing had changed, entrenched in a fiction that does not convince anyone. Despite its battlefield losses and mounting international pressure to disarm, the group persists in holding onto its weapons.
Domestically, Hezbollah deflects blame, accusing the state of obstructing reconstruction—a cynical reversal, where the arsonist faults the firefighters.In his latest speech, Hezbollah’s Secretary-General only fueled this downward spiral. Still in denial, he spoke of imminent victory, invoking the same worn-out triptych that once served Lebanon so poorly. Meanwhile, Hezbollah's leadership appears indifferent to the consequences of its recklessness, pushing the country ever closer to the brink. As Hezbollah doubles down on outdated narratives, its rhetoric grows increasingly detached from logic. But what, exactly, does it hope to achieve? Despite the deep concerns of the vast majority of Lebanese, who long for nothing more than a simple daily life, Hezbollah remains deaf to the threat of internal collapse. This is precisely the danger that the president seems intent on avoiding. Joseph Aoun has opted for a softer approach—namely, bilateral discussions—in an effort to bring about Hezbollah’s disarmament. But as the Lebanese saying goes, one hand cannot clap alone. Eventually, whether willingly or not, the Iran-backed militia will have to come to terms with reality. Meanwhile, the threat to stability is real. Continued intransigence risks pushing Lebanon beyond the point of no return, and could invite renewed Israeli military action, especially in light of recent operations in Gaza. If it comes to that, nothing, absolutely nothing, will stand in Israel’s way. The next four Sundays will see municipal elections, a key test of Hezbollah’s popular support, especially within its own community. That is, assuming voters are free to express themselves without intimidation or “friendly encouragement” from armed partisans. Beyond the domestic front, another deadline looms: ongoing US-Iran negotiations. Three rounds of talks have already occurred, alternating carrots and sticks. Until this geopolitical chess match is resolved, Lebanon will remain hostage, and the cost of delay will only rise due to staggering blindness.
Isaac Asimov once wrote, “Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.” And in Lebanon today, incompetence is in no short supply.

HSBC freezes accounts over suspected Hezbollah, Hamas funding linked to crypto — the details

LBCI/May 01/2025
New details have emerged regarding the closure of accounts at HSBC bank.
According to reports, HSBC in London has frozen four accounts belonging to Iraqis and two held by Lebanese nationals amid suspicions that these individuals were involved in transferring funds to Lebanon, allegedly used to finance Hezbollah and Hamas, with part of the money being invested in cryptocurrencies, particularly to fund Hamas. U.S. officials discussed the use of cryptocurrencies in Lebanon, speculating that they may be used to finance groups designated by the U.S. as terrorist organizations, with Hezbollah at the forefront. U.S. officials believe that if Lebanon were to regulate and monitor cryptocurrency transactions, it could generate revenue for the country’s treasury. This topic has been raised multiple times by the U.S. with Lebanese officials, especially those at the Central Bank of Lebanon. According to sources, U.S. officials believe cryptocurrency trading in Lebanon could be worth billions of dollars, although they lack solid evidence to confirm the figures. The data they have is based on online sources and input from industry experts in Lebanon. Lebanese monetary authorities, however, do not have concrete numbers on this issue, as cryptocurrency trading platforms are not based in Lebanon. Many platforms operate in the U.S. and rely on the KYC standard, which the U.S. believes provides accurate information. However, other platforms, notably those in China, do not adhere to this standard. In their response to U.S. officials, Lebanese monetary authorities stated they are unable to track any buy or sell transactions involving cryptocurrencies, particularly if the holder decides to sell directly to another individual. Although the Americans have currently suspended discussions with Lebanese authorities on the issue of digital currencies due to a lack of adequate cooperation, their sources confirm they will not abandon efforts to address this matter. They are also "scrutinizing" Lebanon’s cash-based economy, particularly because both issues involve the U.S. dollar—a currency U.S. officials are determined to track due to its widespread circulation within Lebanese territory.

Lebanon’s Supreme Defense Council Urges Hamas to Hand Over Suspects in Rocket Attacks
Mohamed Choucair/Asharq Al Awsat/May 01/2025
A senior Lebanese source has revealed that authorities will demand Hamas to hand over remaining individuals implicated in recent rocket attacks launched from Kfartebnit and Qaqaiyat al-Jisr—two towns located north of the Litani River, overlooking southern Lebanon—toward the Israeli settlements of Metula and Kiryat Shmona. The suspects are also believed to have stored rockets and launchers in a warehouse raided by the Lebanese Army, which seized several of the weapons, some prepared for imminent use. The source told Asharq Al-Awsat that this demand will top the agenda of the first meeting of the Supreme Defense Council, scheduled for Friday and to be chaired by President Joseph Aoun. The Council is also expected to discuss the security situation in southern Lebanon amid Beirut’s unilateral commitment to the ceasefire agreement, contrasted by what it views as Israel’s noncompliance. The session will further address recent incidents in which local residents blocked UN peacekeepers (UNIFIL) from entering certain villages, citing the lack of coordination with the Lebanese Army. Additional topics include logistical, administrative, and security preparations by the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities ahead of the first round of municipal elections in Mount Lebanon this coming Sunday. According to the source, the Lebanese Army’s intelligence directorate has, under judicial supervision, compiled a list of wanted Hamas members based on interrogations with detained suspects involved in the rocket attacks.
The source did not rule out the possibility that the suspects may have sought refuge in Palestinian refugee camps, particularly Ain al-Hilweh in southern Lebanon, where Hamas may be protecting them in neighborhoods controlled by extremist factions. The source argued that Palestinian weapons have lost their original purpose of defending against Israeli attacks and are now largely used for internal conflict and endangering nearby communities. Disarming Palestinian groups inside the camps, the source said, aligns with the insistence of both Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s government that all arms remain under the state’s authority. The matter is also expected to feature prominently in upcoming talks between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) and Lebanese officials during his mid-month visit to Beirut. On broader security concerns, the source noted that Lebanon is stepping up containment measures around the camps to prevent the militarization of nearby towns, especially those close to the Litani River.Regarding Sunday’s Israeli airstrike on a warehouse in Beirut’s southern suburb, the source confirmed that the Lebanese Army had received no prior warning through the United States. Instead, Lebanese officials learned of the strike via media reports. This prompted Aoun to make urgent calls to several countries, including the US and France, which are considered guarantors of the ceasefire agreement. Subsequent information reportedly disproved Israel’s stated justification for the attack.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on May 01-02/2025
Damascus Says Security Operation Ends in Ashrafiyat Sahnaya
Damascus: Asharq Al Awsat/May 01/2025
The head of security in Syria’s Damascus countryside, Hussam Al-Tahan, said a security operation in the flashpoint town of Ashrafiyat Sahnaya had concluded, with Syrian forces now deployed across all neighborhoods to restore calm and stability. State-run SANA news agency quoted Tahan as saying security forces had taken full control of the area, located southwest of the capital, and were launching measures to secure civilians and stabilize the situation. Syrian state television reported that large reinforcements from General Security had entered the town to pursue what it described as “outlawed groups,” with forces now deployed at all entry and exit points to prevent further violence. At least 75 people were injured over the past 48 hours in Sahnaya, according to state television, amid heavy gunfire and attacks blamed on armed groups. The clashes have stoked fears of deepening sectarian tensions in the area.
In an effort to defuse the crisis, local dignitaries and religious leaders from the Druze community held a meeting with the governors of Damascus countryside, Sweida, and Quneitra. Syria’s top cleric, Grand Mufti Sheikh Osama Abdul Karim Al-Rifai, called on citizens to reject sectarian strife. “Any act of revenge or retaliation is unjust,” the Mufti said in a televised address on Wednesday. “Syrian blood is sacred. Do not listen to calls for revenge – extinguishing this strife will save lives,” he added, urging Syrians to allow justice to take its course. The Interior Ministry said in a statement that armed militants had launched a surprise assault on several General Security checkpoints in Ashrafiyat Sahnaya using light weapons and rocket-propelled grenades, injuring a number of personnel. In response, security forces fanned out across the area. But snipers from the armed groups reportedly took up positions on rooftops, targeting officers and killing five General Security members and wounding others.In the early hours of Wednesday, the ministry added, militants opened fire on a vehicle arriving from the southern province of Daraa, killing six civilians inside. General Security forces have since tightened control in and around the town, sending additional units to contain the violence and ensure the safety of residents. A curfew was imposed on Tuesday after gunmen based in a nearby town launched an attack on security posts surrounding Ashrafiyat Sahnaya. The situation briefly calmed after General Security forces took up positions at the town’s eastern entrance, but clashes flared again overnight and continued into Wednesday morning. A security source in Damascus said a wide-scale sweep was underway to arrest armed groups accused of using the town as a base for launching “terrorist operations” against civilians. Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, residents described a harrowing night of intense gunfire, explosions, and drone activity. “We didn’t sleep. The sound of gunfire and mortars didn’t stop,” said one civilian source. “Snipers were on rooftops, and drones hovered all night.”With no reliable news source other than conflicting and fear-inducing social media updates, residents expressed confusion about the unfolding events. Locals called on Syrian civil society to act and protest against incitement and militia activity, urging the disarmament of rogue groups. They warned that armed factions from outside Sahnaya were launching attacks from the town’s outskirts, including a shooting incident on Tuesday that targeted a General Security checkpoint. Tensions flared further in and around the Syrian capital as the town of Jaramana, south of Damascus, held funerals on Wednesday for seven people killed in overnight clashes earlier this week. The city witnessed heavy fighting between Monday and Tuesday night, part of a broader wave of unrest in southern Damascus and surrounding areas.

Syrian Druze leader Al-Hijri slams ‘genocidal campaign’, Israel issues warning
AFP/May 01, 2025
DAMASCUS: Syrian Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri on Thursday condemned what he called a “genocidal campaign” against his community after two days of sectarian clashes left 101 people dead. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned his country would respond “with significant force” if Syria’s new authorities fail to protect the Druze minority. The violence poses a serious challenge to the new Syrian authorities who ousted longtime ruler Bashar Assad in December. It comes after a wave of massacres in March in Syria’s Alawite heartland on the Mediterranean coast in which security forces and allied groups killed more than 1,700 civilians, mostly Alawites, according to rights groups. It was the worst bloodshed since the ouster of Assad, who is from the minority community.
The government (should) protect its people
Hijri in a statement on Thursday denounced the latest violence in Jaramana and Sahnaya near Damascus as an “unjustifiable genocidal campaign” against the Druze. He called for immediate intervention by “international forces to maintain peace and prevent the continuation of these crimes.”Israel has ramped up its support for Syria’s Druze, with Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on Thursday urging the international community to “fulfil its role in protecting the minorities in Syria — especially the Druze — from the regime and its gangs of terror.”In a later statement, Katz said: “Should the attacks on the Druze resume and the Syrian regime fail to prevent them, Israel will respond with significant force.”The fighting had involved security forces, allied fighters and local Druze groups. The Britain-based monitor, which relies on a network of sources in Syria, said the death toll included 30 government loyalists, 21 Druze fighters and 10 civilians, including Sahnaya’s former mayor, Husam Warwar. In the southern province of Sweida, heartland of the Druze minority, it said 40 Druze gunmen were killed, 35 in an “ambush” on the Sweida-Damascus road on Wednesday. The monitor told AFP the fighters were killed “by forces affiliated with the ministries of interior and defense and gunmen associated with them.”Blasphemous audio The violence was sparked by the circulation of an audio recording attributed to a Druze citizen and deemed blasphemous. AFP was unable to confirm the recording’s authenticity. Truces was reached in Jaramana on Tuesday and in Sahnaya on Wednesday. The government announced it was deploying forces in Sahnaya to ensure security, and accused “outlaw groups” of instigating the clashes. However, Hijri said he no longer trusts “an entity pretending to be a government... because the government does not kill its people through its extremist militias... and then claim they were unruly elements after the massacres.” Should the attacks on the Druze resume and the Syrian regime fail to prevent them, Israel will respond with significant force
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz
“The government (should) protect its people,” he said. Syria’s new authorities, who have roots in the Al-Qaeda jihadist network, have vowed inclusive rule in the multi-confessional, multi-ethnic country, but must also contend with pressures from radical Islamists. On Wednesday, a foreign ministry statement vowed to “protect all components” of Syrian society, including the Druze, and rejected “foreign interference.”
Israeli air strikes
Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani on Thursday reiterated Syria’s rejection of demands for international intervention, posting on X that “national unity is the solid foundation for any process of stability or revival.”“Any call for external intervention, under any pretext or slogan, only leads to further deterioration and division,” he added. Israel sees the new forces in Syria as jihadists and carried out strikes near Damascus on Wednesday. Israel said its forces were ordered to hit Syrian government targets “should the violence against Druze communities continue.”“A stern message was conveyed to the Syrian regime — Israel expects them to act to prevent harm to the Druze community,” a statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said. Israel has attacked hundreds of military sites in Syria since Assad’s overthrow. It has also sent troops into the demilitarised buffer zone that used to separate Israeli and Syrian forces on the Golan Heights and voiced support for Syria’s Druze. Israel’s military said Thursday two injured Syrian Druze had been evacuated to northern Israel for treatment. A United Nations statement urged “all parties to exercise maximum restraint” and “uphold their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law.”.”


Syrian Druze spiritual leader slams government over deadly sectarian clashes
Ghaith Alsayed And Kareem Chehayeb/AP/May 1, 2025
DAMASCUS — Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri on Thursday harshly criticized Syria's government for what he called an “unjustified genocidal attack" on the minority community during deadly sectarian fighting in Druze-majority areas south of Damascus this week. Syria’s Information Ministry said 11 members of the country’s security forces were killed in two separate attacks, while Britain-based war monitor The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 56 people in Sahnaya and the Druze-majority Damascus suburb of Jaramana were killed in clashes, among them local gunmen and security forces.The clashes broke out around midnight Monday after an audio clip circulated on social media of a man criticizing Islam’s Prophet Muhammad. The audio was attributed to a Druze cleric. But cleric Marwan Kiwan said in a video posted on social media that he was not responsible for the audio, which angered many Sunni Muslims. On Wednesday, 15 Druze men were killed in a highway ambush as they were heading to support armed groups south of Damascus against pro-government gunmen. No group has immediately claimed responsibility for the attack on the convoy. “This collective killing is systematic, clear, visible, and documented,” Al-Hijri's statement read. “We no longer trust a group that calls itself a government, because the government doesn’t kill its own people through extremist gangs that are loyal to it, and after the massacre claims they are loose forces.”On Wednesday afternoon, the Syrian government said a deal was reached between Druze dignitaries and official representatives after which security forces and pro-government gunmen entered Sahnaya and Druze gunmen withdrew from the streets. Videos on social media showed what appear to be pro-government militias beating Druze men they had captured in Sahnaya and making offensive sectarian remarks. The Druze religious sect is a minority group that began as a 10th-century offshoot of Ismailism, a branch of Shiite Islam. More than half of the roughly 1 million Druze worldwide live in Syria. Most of the other Druze live in Lebanon and Israel, including in the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Mideast War and annexed in 1981. In Syria, they largely live in the southern Sweida province and some suburbs of Damascus. Syria's leadership, former insurgents who toppled former President Bashar Assad in December, has promised to protect minority groups but they're led by Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, which has had affiliations in the past with the Sunni Muslim extremist al-Qaida group and is viewed by the minorities with suspicion. Most Druze spiritual leaders and factions have opted to air their grievances in closed communication with the new government, but concerns have heightened after a crackdown on Assad loyalists in Syria's coastal province turned into a series of targeted revenge attacks against the Alawite minority group. Videos widely circulated of houses burned down and bloodied bodies of Alawites on the streets. Tens of thousands of Alawites fled south to neighboring Lebanon and many are too scared to return. The Druze have since become reluctant to lay down their arms, which they say they need for protection.

Damascus sectarian killings ‘unacceptable,’ says UN envoy
Caspar Webb/May 01, 2025
NEW YORK CITY: The UN’s special envoy for Syria condemned a spate of sectarian violence in Damascus as well as Israeli strikes on the capital as “unacceptable.”It follows a week of killings and tensions in the predominantly Druze towns of Ashrafiyat Sahnaya and Jaramana, on the outskirts of Damascus. Fighting broke out earlier this week in Ashrafiyat Sahnaya when gunmen attacked a security checkpoint. A second clash occurred a day earlier in Jaramana, with at least 30 people, including civilians, being killed in the two attacks. “The reports of civilian casualties, and casualties among security personnel, are deeply alarming,” Special Envoy Geir Pedersen said in a statement. “Immediate steps must be taken to protect civilians, de-escalate tensions and prevent any further incitement of communal conflict,” he added. Syrian security forces intervened in an attempt to quell tensions, closing off roads and sending armed personnel, the interior ministry said. Tensions were compounded by Israel’s intervention with a series of strikes on the outskirts of Damascus. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli forces had launched attacks on an “extremist group that was preparing to attack the Druze population south of Damascus.”A second Israeli strike in the Damascus countryside killed a Syrian security officer. Maj. Gen Eyal Zamir, Israel’s chief of staff, threatened to carry out strikes on Syrian government sites “if the violence against the Druze does not stop.”Pedersen condemned the Israeli attacks and said that “Syria’s sovereignty must be fully respected.”He called on Syrian parties to engage in “genuine inclusion, trust-building and meaningful dialogue” in a bid to reduce tensions. The condemnation came a week after Pedersen’s appearance before the UN Security Council alongside Asaad Al-Shaibani, Syria’s foreign minister. There, Pedersen hailed the “opening of a new chapter in Syria’s history” and praised the Syrian people, “who, amidst continued suffering, and many uncertainties and dangers, show overwhelmingly that they want this political transition to succeed.”The events in Damascus follow months of sectarian violence around Latakia and the Syrian coast, involving clashes between members of the Alawite minority and other groups. “The people of Syria have suffered too much for too long,” Pedersen said. “They deserve peace, dignity, and a future built on dialogue, not destruction.

Druze shield or political tool? Israel’s Syria policy sparks backlash
LBCI/May 1, 2025
Israel's involvement in Syria has come into focus following its acknowledgment of striking the Ashrafiyat Sahnaya area in the Damascus countryside under the pretext of defending the Druze community. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed the continuation of this policy during an emergency meeting of the security cabinet. The meeting addressed developments in Syria and how to reinforce Israel’s strategy of appealing to the Druze community by advancing the narrative of protecting them. The Israeli leadership sought to highlight full coordination with the Druze community in Israel and its spiritual leader, Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif, regarding its actions in Syria. A photo was circulated showing military and political officials, including Education Minister Yoav Kisch, alongside Tarif and several members of the Druze community.
However, this coordination is facing opposition from a significant portion of Druze citizens, who view the effort as an Israeli attempt to sow division within the community and use it as a tool to advance expansionist policies in Syria.
As in Lebanon and Gaza, this strategy is becoming more visible in Syria. During a tour of occupied areas there, chief of the military staff Eyal Zamir reaffirmed that Israel would not withdraw from this front — a position previously stated by both Katz and Netanyahu. The stance highlights Israel’s ambitions in Syria despite the “protecting the Druze” narrative, which critics say is being used by Tel Aviv to establish a foothold in the country.

Israel vows to respond with 'significant force' if Syria govt fails to protect Druze
AFP/May 01/2025
Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Thursday that Israel will respond forcefully if Syria's Islamist-led government fails to protect the Druze minority, following two days of deadly sectarian clashes near Damascus. "Should the attacks on the Druze resume and the Syrian regime fail to prevent them, Israel will respond with significant force," Katz said in a statement.

15 Druze fighters killed in ambush near Syria capital

Agence France Presse/May 1, 2025
Assailants killed 15 fighters from the Druze minority in an ambush near the Syrian capital, a war monitor said Thursday, after days of deadly sectarian clashes. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on a network of sources on the ground in Syria, said the attack was carried out on Wednesday by forces linked to the Islamist-led government as the Druze fighters were traveling to the town of Sahnaya. The deadly ambush was also reported by local media outlet Suweyda 24.

Weekend nuclear deal between Iran and the US postponed, says Oman's foreign minister
Gavin Blackburn/Euronews/May 1, 2025
Weekend nuclear deal between Iran and the US postponed, says Oman's foreign minister. Planned negotiations between Iran and the United States this weekend over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear programme have been postponed, Oman has announced. Oman's Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi made the announcement in a post on the social platform X. "For logistical reasons we are rescheduling the US Iran meeting provisionally planned for Saturday May 3rd," he wrote. "New dates will be announced when mutually agreed." Al-Busaidi, who has mediated the talks through three rounds so far, did not elaborate. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei issued a statement describing the talks as being "postponed at the request of Oman's foreign minister." He said Iran remain committed to reaching "a fair and lasting agreement."Meanwhile, a person familiar with the US negotiators said that Washington "had never confirmed its participation" in a fourth round of talks in Rome. However, the person said the US expected the talks to occur "in the near future." Two other rounds of talks have been held in Muscat, the Omani capital. The talks seek to limit Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting of some of the crushing economic sanctions the US has imposed on the country. The negotiations have been led by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and the US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.
Trump threatens air strikes
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to unleash air strikes on Iran's nuclear sites if a deal isn't reached. Iranian officials have warned that they could pursue a nuclear weapon with their stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels. The landmark 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, did limit Tehran's nuclear activities. But Trump unilaterally withdrew from it in 2018, setting in motion years of attacks and tensions. The wider Middle East region also remains on edge over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Meanwhile, the US continues an air strike campaign, called "Operation Rough Rider," that targets the Houthi rebel group in Yemen, who have long been backed by Iran. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a warning to Iran earlier on Thursday about their support for the militant group. "Message to IRAN: We see your LETHAL support to The Houthis. We know exactly what you are doing," he wrote. "You know very well what the U.S. Military is capable of — and you were warned. You will pay the CONSEQUENCE at the time and place of our choosing."


Iran accuses U.S. of 'provocative statements' ahead of nuclear talks
Reuters/May 1, 2025
DUBAI - Iran accused the United States on Thursday of "contradictory behaviour and provocative statements" after Washington warned Tehran of consequences for backing Yemen's Houthis and imposed new oil-related sanctions on it in the midst of nuclear talks. Washington and Tehran have been conducting negotiations over the past month on a deal to curb Iran's nuclear programme in return for the lifting of financial sanctions. A fourth round of talks is due to be held in Rome on Saturday. On Wednesday Washington imposed sanctions on entities it accused of involvement in the illicit trade of Iranian oil and petrochemicals. Separately, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned Iran that it would face consequences for supporting the Houthis, who control northern Yemen and have attacked ships in the Red Sea in what the group says is solidarity with the Palestinians. Washington has been bombing the Houthis intensively since mid-March, hitting more than 1,000 targets. Tehran says the Houthis act independently. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei criticised "the contradictory approach of American decision-makers and their lack of goodwill and seriousness in advancing the path of diplomacy", state media reported. "The responsibility for the consequences and destructive effects of the contradictory behaviour and provocative statements of American officials regarding Iran will lie with the American side," Baghaei said. U.S. President Donald Trump, who abandoned an earlier nuclear deal between world powers and Iran during his first term in 2018, has threatened to attack Iran unless it agrees a new deal. Both sides have so far described the previous rounds of talks, held weekly and mediated by Oman, as productive.

UK in talks with France, Saudi Arabia over Palestinian statehood
Arab News/May 01, 2025
LONDON: The British government is in talks with its French and Saudi counterparts over official recognition of a Palestinian state, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy has revealed. Discussions are set to take place at a conference at the UN in June, The Guardian reported. So far, 160 countries recognize Palestine, including most recently Spain, Norway and Ireland. If a deal can be reached, it would mean adding two permanent UN Security Council members — and key allies of Israel — to that list. Lammy told the House of Lords International Relations Select Committee that EU countries’ recognition of Palestine had made little to no difference on progress toward statehood, and that the UK wanted something more than to make a symbolic gesture. “It’s unacceptable for any group of people to have lived with no state for longer than I’ve been alive,” he told the committee. “No one has a veto on when the UK recognizes that Palestinian state … We’ve always said that recognition isn’t an end in of itself, and we’ll prefer recognition as a part of a process to two states. “(French) President (Emmanuel) Macron has had a lot to say about that, most recently, alongside the Saudis, and of course we’re in discussion with them at this time.”Lammy said a viable state could not include Hamas remaining in power in Gaza, and a full demilitarization process of the enclave would need to be undertaken. He added that the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank is a threat to a two-state solution, and that settler violence against Palestinians is “shocking.”He also took aim at Israel for its continuing prevention of aid entering Gaza, saying: “The blockade of necessary aid into Gaza is horrendous, the suffering is dire, the need is huge, the loss of life is extreme.”On April 9, Macron said France would likely recognize a Palestinian state at the June conference, following an official visit to Egypt. He later said the move, which would be the first such act of recognition by a G7 state, is intended to “trigger a series of other recognitions … including the recognition of Israel by states that do not currently do so.”Michel Duclos, a special adviser at the Paris-based think tank Institut Montaigne, told The Guardian that the outcome of the June conference “may be nothing more than a roadmap or set of proposals.”He added: “The dilemma for France may soon become more challenging — can it continue postponing its recognition of Palestine while waiting for a true two-state momentum? Or would further postponement undermine its credibility?” Saudi Arabia has made clear that normalizing ties with Israel is conditional on a pathway to achieving a two-state solution.

Gaza rescuers say Israeli strikes kill at least 29
AFP/May 01, 2025
GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories: Gaza’s civil defense agency said Thursday Israeli bombardment killed at least 29 people since midnight in the war-ravaged territory, which has been under Israeli aid blockade for nearly two months. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meanwhile said that while the military’s mission was to bring home all the hostages from Gaza, its “supreme goal” was to achieve victory against Hamas.Israel resumed its campaign in the Gaza Strip on March 18, after a two-month truce collapsed over disagreements between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas whose 2023 attack triggered the conflict. Civil defense official Mohammed Al-Mughayyir said Thursday’s toll included eight people killed in an air strike on the Abu Sahlul family home in Khan Yunis refugee camp in southern Gaza. Four people were killed in an air strike east of Shaaf in Gaza City’s Al-Tuffah neighborhood, he told AFP. At least 17 more were killed in other attacks across the Palestinian territory, including one that hit a tent sheltering displaced people near the central city of Deir el-Balah, the agency said. “We came here and found all these houses destroyed, and children, women and young people all bombed to pieces,” said Ahmed Abu Zarqa after a deadly strike in Khan Yunis. “This is no way to live. Enough, we’re tired, enough! “We don’t know what to do with our lives any more. We’d rather die than live this kind of life.”
At Nasser Hospital
AFP images showed residents digging through rubble in search of bodies, which were carried away on stretchers under blankets.At Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, rescuers rushed a screaming wounded child out of an ambulance, as a group of women mourned. “What have the children done wrong? What have we done wrong? Enough is enough. Just drop a nuclear bomb on us,” said Ghada Abu Sahlul as she mourned the death of a relative. The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said on Thursday that at least 2,326 people have been killed since Israel resumed strikes, bringing the overall death toll since the war broke out to 52,418. The Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.Militants also abducted 251 people, 58 of whom are still being held in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.

Israeli Security Chiefs Believe U.S.-Iran Nuclear Agreement Likely
FDD/May 01/2025
Latest Developments
Deal More Likely Than Not: Israeli security chiefs believe that a nuclear deal between the United States and Iran is more likely than not, according to the Israeli network Kan. The assessment came ahead of the fourth round of indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran in Rome on May 3. Israel’s political and security cabinets are expected to meet on May 4 to examine the latest developments.
’A Deal Will Be Reached,’ Says Trump: President Donald Trump said on April 27 that the negotiations were going “very well,” adding that “a deal will be reached … We’ll have something without needing to start bombing.” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was more cautious, stating, “Some of the disagreements are serious … but… the progress so far has been good.” While the details of a potential deal remain unknown, U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) lauded Trump’s public stance that Iran’s nuclear infrastructure must be taken apart, adding: “The only solution is Iran completely dismantling its [nuclear] program, or we should do it for them.”
Iran Accuses Israel of ‘Dictating’ to Trump: On April 28, Araghchi accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of “brazenly … dictating what President Trump can and cannot do in his diplomacy with Iran.” He further warned that Iran possesses the “capabilities to thwart any attempt by malicious external actors to sabotage its foreign policy or dictate its course.”
FDD Expert Response
“What are the chances that Iran’s rulers — committed for almost half a century to ‘Death to America!’ and now allied with the Axis of Aggressors of Russia, China, and North Korea — will agree to verifiably dismantle their nuclear weapons program? Zero to none if they are not convinced that Washington is ready, willing, and able to ‘do it for them.’ More likely, the United States will need to ‘do it for them.’” — Clifford D. May, Founder and President
“Either Washington has gotten Iran to agree to the full, verifiable, and permanent dismantlement of its nuclear weapons capabilities, or there has been a collapse of this key American demand and the trajectory is toward a fatally flawed interim deal. Such a deal would leave Iran’s nuclear weapons assets intact, remove the threat of U.S. military strikes that brought Tehran to the negotiating table, and relieve pressure on the regime just as President Trump was starting to rebuild the pressure campaign. Congress and the president’s key Republican allies must firmly oppose this and demand Iran fully dismantle its nuclear program.” — Andrea Stricker, Nonproliferation and Biodefense Program Deputy Director and Research Fellow
“Congress should hold the line on no enrichment in Iran. It should equip the president with the leverage to ensure any deal that is attained actually addresses the Iranian nuclear challenge. Cotton’s comments are a helpful start, and if amplified by the legislature, can offset Iranian efforts to build leverage at the negotiating table.” — Behnam Ben Taleblu, Iran Program Senior Director and Senior Fellow
FDD Background and Analysis
“No Clear Progress at Third Session of U.S.-Iran Nuclear Talks, Next Round Scheduled,” FDD Flash Brief
“The Iranian Negotiating Tactic the Trump Administration Doesn’t Get,” by Reuel Marc Gerecht and Ray Takeyh
“U.S. and Iran Hold Second Round of Nuclear Talks in Rome,” FDD Flash Brief
“FAQ: What Should Be Washington’s Position on Iran’s Nuclear Dismantlement?” by Andrea Stricker and Janatan Sayeh
“Iran’s Nuclear Disarmament,” by Orde Kittrie, Andrea Stricker, and Behnam Ben Taleblu

Trump threatens sanctions against buyers of Iranian oil after US-Iran nuclear talks are postponed
Jon Gambrell/DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)/May 1, 2025
President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened sanctions on anyone who buys Iranian oil, a warning that came after planned talks over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program were postponed. Trump wrote on social media that “All purchases of Iranian Oil, or Petrochemical products, must stop, NOW!” He said any country or person who buys those products from Iran will not be able to do business with the United States. The threat came after Oman announced planned nuclear negotiations for this coming weekend had been postponed. A message online from Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi made the announcement in a post on the social platform X. “For logistical reasons we are rescheduling the US Iran meeting provisionally planned for Saturday May 3rd,” he wrote. “New dates will be announced when mutually agreed.”Al-Busaidi, who has mediated the talks through three rounds so far, did not elaborate. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei issued a statement describing the talks as being “postponed at the request of Oman’s foreign minister.” He said Iran remain committed to reaching ”a fair and lasting agreement."Meanwhile, a person familiar with the U.S. negotiators said that America “had never confirmed its participation” in a fourth round of talks in Rome. However, the person said the U.S. expected the talks to occur “in the near future.” The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door negotiations. Rome soon will see the Vatican begin the conclave on Wednesday to pick a new pope after the death of Pope Francis. Two other rounds of talks have been held in Muscat, the capital of Oman. The talks seek to limit Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of some of the crushing economic sanctions the U.S. has imposed on the Islamic Republic closing in on a half-century of enmity. The negotiations have been led by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff. Trump has repeatedly threatened to unleash airstrikes targeting Iran’s program if a deal isn’t reached. Iranian officials increasingly warn that they could pursue a nuclear weapon with their stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels. Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers did limit Tehran’s program. However, Trump unilaterally withdrew from it in 2018, setting in motion years of attacks and tensions. The wider Middle East also remains on edge over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, the U.S. continues an airstrike campaign, called “Operation Rough Rider,” that has been targeting Yemen's Houthi rebels, who long have been backed by Iran. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth early Thursday warned Iran over the rebels. “Message to IRAN: We see your LETHAL support to The Houthis. We know exactly what you are doing,” he wrote. “You know very well what the U.S. Military is capable of — and you were warned. You will pay the CONSEQUENCE at the time and place of our choosing.” Last Saturday's round of talks, which included experts drilling down into the details of a possible deal, also took place as an explosion rocked an Iranian port, killing at least 70 people and injuring more than 1,000 others.

Netanyahu calls defeating Israel’s enemies the ‘supreme objective,’ not freeing hostages
Jeremy Diamond and Eugenia Yosef, CNN/May 1, 2025
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that defeating Israel’s enemies is more important than securing the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza. While the prime minister acknowledged that freeing the 59 remaining hostages is a “very important goal,” he described Israel’s fight against its enemies as the “supreme objective” of the war. “We have many objectives, many goals in this war. We want to bring back all of our hostages,” Netanyahu said. “That is a very important goal. In war, there is a supreme objective. And that supreme objective is victory over our enemies. And that is what we will achieve.”Netanyahu’s remarks, which came on Israel’s Independence Day, mark the first time that the prime minister has explicitly described returning the hostages as a secondary goal of the war. He has previously described defeating Hamas and securing the release of the hostages as the primary goals of Israel’s war in Gaza. His comments drew a backlash from representatives of hostage families. “Prime minister, the return of the hostages is not ‘less’ important – it is the supreme goal that should guide the government of Israel,” the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement. “The families of the hostages are concerned.”Netanyahu’s comments put him at odds with the majority of the Israeli public, which overwhelmingly supports a deal to release all the hostages and end the war in Gaza, according to recent opinion polls. But it puts the prime minister in the company of Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who recently made similar comments. “We need to tell the truth – bringing back the hostages is not the most important goal. It is, of course, a very, very, very, very important goal,” Smotrich said last week. “But anyone who wants to destroy Hamas and eliminate the possibility of another October 7 must understand that in Gaza, there can’t be a situation where Hamas remains present and intact.”Members of Netanyahu’s governing coalition have been pushing the prime minister to continue fighting. Senior Israeli officials have warned for weeks that the military will intensify its operations in Gaza if there is no ceasefire agreement with Hamas. A source familiar with the matter told CNN that Netanyahu is set to meet with senior defense officials on Friday as Israel prepares to expand the war. Israel says its bombardment of Gaza, coupled with a two-month total blockade, is an attempt to put pressure on Hamas to make concessions in ceasefire negotiations. Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas and said it cannot continue to rule the enclave.
Pressure mounts on Netanyahu
This is the second time this week that Netanyahu has faced backlash from the families of hostages. On Monday, his wife Sara was overheard on a microphone saying that “fewer” than 24 hostages are still alive in Gaza. The remark outraged families and prompted demands for clarity on what the government knows about their loved ones’ fate, as well as questions on why the prime minister’s wife has sensitive information about their loved ones that they do not. “You sowed indescribable panic in the hearts of the families of the hostages – families already living in agonizing uncertainty,” the forum said in a statement. “If there is intelligence or new information regarding the condition of our loved ones, we demand full disclosure.”Israel has publicly said in recent weeks that it believes up to 24 of the 59 remaining hostages are still alive. Sara Netanyahu’s claim appears to be an indication that the government may have information that some of the 24 hostages have died. Israeli officials told CNN last week there are “grave concerns” about three of the hostages but would not say whether Israel knows for certain that they are dead. For months, Israeli officials used the same language to refer to hostages Shiri Bibas and her two children, whose bodies were returned in the most recent ceasefire. Pressure has also been mounting on Netanyahu from military reservists who have become increasingly vocal in their opposition to the war, with several public letters saying that the Gaza war mainly serves the political and personal interests of officials, not the country’s security interests.


IDF has hit 1,800 targets in Gaza since new operations began on March 18
Seth J. Frantzman/ FDD's Long War Journal/May 1, 2025
The Israeli military has struck more than 1,800 targets in Gaza since renewing operations against Hamas on March 18, according to data released by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on April 26. The IDF continues to carry out precision strikes on terrorists in the territory as the overall tempo of operations remains relatively low intensity. The Israeli military has continued consolidating control of areas in southern Gaza while maintaining a security zone near the border in the rest of the territory. On April 24, IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir traveled to Gaza to meet with Israeli officers. He said that Israel could expand its operations in the territory if there is no hostage deal. “We are continuing with the operational pressure and tightening the ring around Hamas as needed, and if we see no progress in the return of the hostages, we will expand our activities to an intense and even more significant move until we reach the defeat [of Hamas],” Zamir said. He added, “Hamas is mistaken when it comes to our abilities, intentions and determination, just like [deceased Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan] Nasrallah and his top command.”
IDF Spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin highlighted the current campaign’s objective on April 21. “We are here in the Morag Corridor, the corridor located between the Khan Yunis and Rafah, as you saw earlier. I want to clarify the goal of the operation: to increase pressure on Hamas in order to bring the hostages home and to dismantle both the Hamas government and the Hamas military wing,” Defrin said.
The IDF’s claim that it has struck more than 1,800 targets comes 10 days after it said it had hit 1,200 targets, indicating the Israeli military has conducted around 60 strikes per day in the interim.
Three Israeli divisions continue to operate in Gaza. The 252nd Division, which has been operating south of Gaza City in the Netzarim Corridor, is also fighting within Gaza City. The 36th Division is responsible for fighting in Rafah and the new Morag Corridor in southern Gaza. The Israeli military also announced on April 26 that the Gaza Division is fighting in the Shabura and Tel Sultan neighborhoods in Rafah. “Thus far, the troops have destroyed dozens of tunnel shafts, weapons stockpiles, terrorist infrastructure, deepened control in the area, and eliminated several terrorists,” the IDF stated.
In fighting in northern Gaza, a tank driver from the IDF’s 14th Armored Brigade was killed by sniper fire, according to reports on April 24. In addition, Israeli forces in Beit Hanoun were targeted by anti-tank fire. The IDF also said that terrorists had targeted the 401st Armored Brigade in Daraj Tuffah near Gaza City on April 25. In another incident on April 25, four Israeli soldiers from the 205th Armored Reserve Brigade were wounded, one seriously, by an explosive device in the Philadelphi Corridor area of southern Gaza. An IDF soldier was killed in the Shejaiya neighborhood in northern Gaza the same day.
The increasing Israeli casualties in Gaza illustrate that the IDF is increasingly coming into contact with militants. Over the first month of renewed combat in the territory, there were few firefights with terrorists, who mostly appeared to retreat in the face of the Israeli military advance. The increased incidents come as the IDF slowly expands operations into areas such as Shejaiya, Beit Hanoun, and Daraj Tuffah in northern Gaza while also attempting to clear areas of southern Gaza. The IDF continues to search for new targets in the territory. On April 22, the Israeli Air Force struck engineering equipment, including construction-type vehicles, it said was used during the October 7 massacre. The operation was a follow-up to March 24 strikes on pick-up trucks used by Hamas. The Israeli military also struck a site used as a command-and-control center by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Jabaliya in northern Gaza. The IDF previously cleared Jabaliya of hundreds of terrorists between October and December 2024 in one of several sweeps of the neighborhood. It appears that terrorists returned to the area. The IDF also targeted terrorists who participated in the October 7 attack with other precision strikes between April 21 and April 30. The Israeli military continues to improve its capabilities while fighting in Gaza. Several new defense systems have been deployed during the war, including unmanned vehicles and precision mortars. The “Bar” rocket is the latest system the IDF said it has employed for the first time. The 282nd Artillery Brigade, part of the 36th Division, utilized the weapon. “The system features a navigation mechanism adapted to challenging combat environments,” the IDF said on April 28.
*Reporting from Israel, Seth J. Frantzman is an adjunct fellow at FDD and a contributor to FDD’s Long War Journal. He is the senior Middle East correspondent and analyst at The Jerusalem Post, and author of The October 7 War: Israel’s Battle for Security in Gaza (2024).

Israeli reservists speak out against Gaza war as pressure on Netanyahu grows
Paul Adams - BBC News, Jerusalem/May 1, 2025
Israel's war in Gaza grinds on, but opposition is growing.
In recent weeks, thousands of Israeli reservists – from all branches of the military – have signed letters demanding that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government stop the fighting and concentrate instead on reaching a deal to bring back the remaining 59 hostages being held by Hamas. Eighteen months ago, few Israelis doubted the war's logic: to defeat Hamas and return the hostages. For many, the January ceasefire and subsequent return of more than 30 hostages raised hopes that the war might soon end. But after Israel broke the ceasefire and returned to war in mid-March, those hopes were dashed. "We came to the conclusion that Israel is going to a very bad place," Danny Yatom, a former head of the spy agency Mossad told me. "We understand that what mainly bothers Netanyahu is his own interests. And in the list of priorities, his interests and the interests of having the government stable are the first ones, and not the hostages." Many of those signing recent letters are, like Yatom, long time critics of the prime minister. Some were involved in the anti-government protests that preceded the outbreak of war on 7 October 2023 following Hamas's attack on Israel. But Yatom says that's not why he decided to speak out. "I signed my name and I am participating in the demonstrations not because of any political reason, but because of a national reason," he said. "I am highly concerned that my country is going to lose its way."A woman stands in protest holding up two signs - one showing the image of two Gazan children killed in the war and another that says in Hebrew, Arabic and English: "Stop the War". The first open letter to be published, in early April, was signed by 1,000 air force reservists and retirees. "The continuation of the war does not contribute to any of its declared goals," they wrote, "and will lead to the death of the hostages". The signatories urged Israelis to follow their lead before time ran out on the estimated 24 hostages still thought to be alive in Gaza. "Every day that passes is further risking their lives. Every moment of hesitation is a crying shame."In the weeks since, similar letters have appeared from almost every branch of the military, including elite fighting and intelligence units, along with a number of decorated commanders.
More than 12,000 signatures all.
After 7 October, hundreds of thousands of Israeli reservists answered the call, eager to serve. But now, more and more are refusing, with reports suggesting that reserve attendance has dropped to as little as 50-60%. Anti-Hamas protests on rise in Gaza as group's iron grip slips. As an Israeli hostage turns 48, his wife waits for blue ticks on her messages. 'Part of us is still in Gaza': Freed Israeli hostages fight for a new ceasefire. For a military that depends heavily on reservists to fight its wars, it's a looming crisis on a scale not seen since Israel's first Lebanon war in 1982. In a leafy Jerusalem park, I met "Yoav" (not his real name), an infantry reservist who asked not to be identified. Yoav served in Gaza last summer but said he wouldn't do it again. "I had the feeling that I needed to go to help my brothers and sisters," he told me."I believed I was doing something good. Complicated but good. But now, I don't see it in the same way anymore."The government's determination to keep fighting Hamas, while hostages risk death in the tunnels of Gaza, Yoav said, was misplaced.
"We are very strong and we can beat Hamas, but it's not about beating Hamas," he said. "It's about losing our country."
During his time in Gaza, Yoav told me, he tried to be "the best moral soldier that a man can be". But the longer the war goes on, critics say, the harder it is for Israel to claim, as government officials often do, that its military is the most moral army in the world. In a recent column in the left of centre newspaper Haaretz, the retired general Amiram Levin said it was time for soldiers – starting with senior commanders - to think about disobeying orders. "The risk of being dragged into war crimes and suffering a fatal blow to the Israel Defense Forces and our social ethos," he wrote, "make it impossible to stand idly by". Some of Israel's critics, including those who have brought cases before the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice, argue that such lines have already been crossed. Netanyahu has lashed out at the protesters, dismissing their concerns as "propaganda lies", spread by "a small handful of fringe elements – loud, anarchist and disconnected pensioners, most of whom haven't served in years". But polls suggest the protest letters reflect a growing public conviction: that the release of the remaining hostages should come before everything.
In Tel Aviv, where noisy anti-war demonstrations have been held for well over a year, images of the hostages are held aloft, while other protestors sit on the road, cradling pictures of Palestinian children killed during the war.
Amid the row generated by the letters, such emotive displays appear to have rattled the authorities. On 20 April, the police briefly told protesters that "pictures of children or babies from Gaza" would not be permitted, along with posters displaying the words "genocide" or "ethnic cleansing".

US says minerals deal will strengthen Trump in talks with Russia
Reuters/May 1, 2025
KYIV/WASHINGTON -Kyiv and Washington on Thursday hailed a deal giving the United States preferential access to new Ukrainian minerals as a milestone which a top U.S. official said would allow President Donald Trump to negotiate with Russia on a stronger basis. The Kremlin was silent on Wednesday's agreement, but former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said it meant Trump had "broken the Kyiv regime" because Ukraine would have to pay for U.S. military aid with mineral resources. The accord, which was signed in Washington and heavily promoted by Trump, establishes a joint investment fund for Ukraine's reconstruction as the U.S. president tries to secure a peace settlement in Russia's war in Ukraine. The agreement also gives the U.S. preferential access to new Ukrainian minerals projects. It is central to Ukraine's efforts to mend ties with the White House, which frayed after Trump took office in January, but is yet to be considered by the Ukrainian parliament. The deal will show the "Russian leadership that there is no daylight between the Ukrainian people and the American people, between our goals," U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox Business Network in an interview. "And again, I think this is a strong signal to theRussian leadership, and it gives President Trump the ability tonow negotiate with Russia on even a stronger basis," he said. His remarks appeared to send a signal to Russia that Washington remains aligned with Kyiv despite question marks over its commitment to its ally since Trump's return to power upended U.S. diplomacy. Senior Trump administration officials said three agreements had been signed - a framework deal and two technical accords - and that they expected Ukraine's parliament to approve them within a week. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he hoped there would be no delays in securing parliament's approval, although some lawmakers said they expected it to take longer than a week. "The agreement has changed significantly in the preparation process," Zelenskiy said in a video posted on Telegram, hailing what he called a "truly equal agreement" that created opportunities for investment in Ukraine and the modernisation of industry and legal practices in his country. He and Bessent both underlined the important role in securing a deal that had been played by talks Zelenskiy and Trump held in Rome during Pope Francis' funeral on April 26. "In fact, now we have the first result of the Vatican meeting, which makes it truly historic," Zelenskiy said. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Syhiba said the deal marked "an important milestone" in U.S.-Ukrainian relations aimed at strengthening Ukraine's economy and security.
U.S. FRUSTRATIONS
Kyiv has been highly dependent on U.S. military supplies since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022 and says Moscow has intensified attacks on Ukraine since the U.S. stepped up efforts to secure a peace settlement. Washington has been signalling its frustration with the failure of Moscow and Kyiv to agree on terms, and Trump has shown signs of disappointment with Russian President Vladimir Putin for not moving faster towards peace. Medvedev, who is now a senior security official in Russia, suggested Ukraine had been forced into the agreement. "Trump has broken the Kyiv regime to the point where they will have to pay for U.S. aid with mineral resources," he wrote on Telegram. "Now they (Ukrainians) will have to pay for military supplies with the national wealth of a disappearing country." Ukraine's international debt rallied after the signing of the minerals deal, which financial analysts said had come with better terms for Ukraine than they had originally thought likely. Ukraine is rich in natural resources including rare earth metals used in consumer electronics, electric vehicles and military applications, among others. Global rare-earth mining is dominated by China, which is locked in a trade war with the U.S. after Trump's sharp tariff increases. Ukraine also has large reserves of iron, uranium and natural gas. First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said Ukraine has no debt obligations to the U.S. under the agreement, but the deal provided no concrete U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine, one of Kyiv's initial goals. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal met parliamentary factions at a closed meeting on Thursday to present the deal. Some members of parliament complained they had not seen the text of the agreement or been properly consulted. One lawmaker, Yaroslav Zheleznyak, said it may take until mid-May for parliament to vote on the deal.

Turkey stresses opposition to decentralisation in Syria
Reuters/May 1, 2025
ANKARA - Turkey rejects any plans that undermine the central government in Syria or threaten its sovereignty and territorial integrity, Turkish sources said, responding to demands from Kurds for Syria to adopt a decentralised system of government. Turkey backed rebels against former President Bashar al-Assad for years and is seen as the closest foreign ally of Syria's new Islamist leaders, vowing to help them rebuild and stabilise a country devastated by 14 years of war. Ankara sees decentralisation demands by Syria's Kurds as a threat because of what it says are their cross-border links to Kurdish militants in Turkey, while it looks to end a decades-old conflict with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militia. Rival Syrian Kurdish parties, including the dominant Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the northeast, agreed at a meeting on Saturday on a common political vision for the country's Kurdish minority and decentralisation, a call rejected by Syria's leadership. Turkish sources elaborated on comments by President Tayyip Erdogan, who said on Wednesday that decentralisation demands in Syria were "nothing more than a raw dream". "Turkey does not accept any initiative that targets Syria's territorial integrity, that will damage its sovereignty, or that allows weapons to be carried by others not in the Syrian central authority," a Turkish Foreign Ministry source said. Turkey, a NATO member, views the U.S.-backed SDF as a terrorist organisation. Ankara welcomed a March deal between the SDF and Damascus to merge Kurdish-led governing bodies and security forces with the central government, but said it must also ensure the dismantling of the YPG militia spearheading the SDF, and of the SDF's chain of command.
PROVIDING 'SPACE'
The source said Turkey had provided "the necessary space" for Damascus to address Turkey's concerns over Kurdish militants in Syria. Ankara has previously warned of military action if its concerns are not alleviated. A Turkish defence ministry source said on Wednesday that demands for autonomy could harm Syria's sovereignty and regional stability. "We cannot consent to the disintegration of Syria's territorial integrity and the deterioration of its unitary structure under any guise," the source told a briefing in Ankara. "We are against autonomous region and/or decentralised rhetoric or activities, just as is the new Syrian administration."Late on Wednesday, Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Oncu Keceli said all regional countries must contribute to Syria's security and stability, calling on Israel to halt "its air strikes that harm the unity and integrity of Syria". Israel has been mounting air strikes inside Syria, which Turkey has called an unacceptable provocation to harm Syria's unity in the post-Assad era. Ankara has been a fierce critic of Israel since it launched the Gaza war. Ankara also wants all Western sanctions imposed on Syria to be fully lifted and for U.S. troops stationed in the northeast to withdraw.

Ukraine and the US have finally signed a minerals deal. What does it include?
Samya Kullab/The Associated Press/May 1, 2025
KYIV, Ukraine — After months of tense negotiations, the U.S. and Ukraine signed a deal that is expected to give Washington access to the country’s critical minerals and other natural resources, an agreement Kyiv hopes will secure long-term support for its defense against Russia. According to Ukrainian officials, the version of the deal signed Wednesday is far more beneficial to Ukraine than previous versions, which they said reduced Kyiv to a junior partner and gave Washington unprecedented rights to the country's resources. The agreement — which the Ukrainian parliament must ratify — would establish a reconstruction fund for Ukraine that Ukrainian officials hope will be a vehicle to ensure future American military assistance. A previous agreement was nearly signed before being derailed in a tense Oval Office meeting involving U.S. President Donald Trump, U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. “We have formed a version of the agreement that provides mutually beneficial conditions for both countries. This is an agreement in which the United States notes its commitment to promoting long-term peace in Ukraine and recognizes the contribution that Ukraine has made to global security by giving up its nuclear arsenal,” Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, who signed the deal for Ukraine, said in a post on Facebook. The signing comes during what U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said would be a “very critical” week for U.S.-led efforts to end the war that appear to have stalled. Ukraine sees the deal as a way to ensure that its biggest and most consequential ally stays engaged and doesn’t freeze military support, which has been key in its 3-year-old fight against Russia’s full-scale invasion. “This agreement signals clearly to Russia that the Trump administration is committed to a peace process centered on a free, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine over the long term,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who signed for the U.S., said in a statement.
Here is a look at the deal.
What does the deal include?
The deal covers minerals, including rare earth elements, but also other valuable resources, including oil and natural gas, according to the text released by Ukraine's government. It does not include resources that are already a source of revenue for the Ukrainian state. In other words, any profits under the deal are dependent on the success of new investments. Ukrainian officials have also noted that it does not refer to any debt obligations for Kyiv, meaning profits from the fund will likely not go toward the paying the U.S. back for its previous support. Officials have also emphasized that the agreement ensures full ownership of the resources remains with Ukraine, and the state will determine what can be extracted and where. It does not mention any explicit security guarantees to deter future Russian aggression that Ukraine has long insisted on. The text of the deal lists 55 minerals but says more can be agreed to. Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in Ukraine's rare earth elements, and some of them are included in the list, as are other critical minerals, such as titanium, lithium and uranium.
What are rare earth elements?
They are a group of 17 elements that are essential to many kinds of consumer technology, including cellphones, hard drives and electric and hybrid vehicles. China is the world’s largest producer of rare earth elements, and both the U.S and Europe have sought to reduce their dependence on Beijing, Trump’s chief geopolitical adversary.They include elements such as lanthanum, cerium and scandium, which are listed in the deal.
How will the fund work?
The agreement establishes a reconstruction investment fund, and both the U.S. and Ukraine will have an equal say in its management, according to Svyrydenko. The fund will be supported by the U.S. government through the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation agency, which Ukraine hopes will attract investment and technology from American and European countries. Ukraine is expected to contribute 50% of all future profits from government-owned natural resources into the fund. The United States will also contribute in the form of direct funds and equipment, including badly needed air defense systems and other military aid. Contributions to the fund will be reinvested in projects related to mining, oil and gas as well as infrastructure. No profits will not be taken from the fund for the first 10 years, Svyrydenko said. Trump administration officials initially pushed for a deal in which Washington would receive $500 billion in profits from exploited minerals as compensation for its wartime support. But Zelenskyy rejected the offer, saying he would not sign off on an agreement “that will be paid off by 10 generations of Ukrainians.”
What is the state of Ukraine's minerals industry?
Ukraine’s rare earth elements are largely untapped because of state policies regulating the industry, a lack of good information about deposits, and the war. The industry’s potential is unclear since geological data is thin because mineral reserves are scattered across Ukraine, and existing studies are considered largely inadequate, according to businessmen and analysts. In general, however, the outlook for Ukrainian natural resources is promising. The country's reserves of titanium, a key component for the aerospace, medical and automotive industries, are believed to be among Europe’s largest. Ukraine also holds some of Europe’s largest known reserves of lithium, which is required to produce batteries, ceramics and glass. In 2021, the Ukrainian mineral industry accounted for 6.1% of the country’s gross domestic product and 30% of exports. An estimated 40% of Ukraine's metallic mineral resources are inaccessible because of Russian occupation, according to data from We Build Ukraine, a Kyiv-based think tank. Ukraine has argued that it's in Trump’s interest to develop the remainder before Russian advances capture more.

The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on May 01-02/2025
Calibrating US policy to constrain Iranian oil exports
Saeed Ghasseminejad/ Washington Examiner//May 1, 2025
Shortly after President Donald Trump started his second term, his new Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, promised, “We are committed to bringing the Iranians to going back to the 100,000 barrels a day of oil exports.” Fulfilling that commitment appears far off. In February, Iran exported 1.7 million barrels per day, mostly to China; the following month, Iran’s oil exports declined slightly but were still 15 times Bessent’s goal. Simply put, absent an effective strategy to counter China’s purchase of Iranian oil, it will be difficult to make sanctions against Iran effective. The difficulty lies in the complex network facilitating Iranian oil exports and Beijing’s efforts to keep Tehran afloat. Over the years, Tehran has fine-tuned its sanctions evasion, including ship-to-ship transfers, falsified documentation, and the use of “shadow fleets.” To counter these, Washington must be willing to impose real pain on Beijing to coerce a change in behavior. It is critical to focus on end-users in China. U.S. authorities must not only exert diplomatic pressure on Beijing but also apply primary and secondary sanctions to entities that trade with Iran, especially those with an international footprint. Earlier this year, the United States targeted a small Chinese private refinery for the first time. It is essential to target Chinese refineries that are processing Iranian oil, but the U.S. Department of the Treasury should also use its designation authority to designate the entities that buy their products further. Targeting board members and key managers of these companies increases the effectiveness of sanctions. An escalation of the tanker confiscation campaign is necessary. The U.S. Navy and allied maritime forces should seize vessels engaged in illicit Iranian oil transport. This necessitates enhanced intelligence gathering to identify and track these vessels and a legal framework to facilitate confiscation and asset forfeiture. The message must be clear: Engaging in Iranian oil trade carries immediate financial consequences. Iran will try to retaliate in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, so the U.S. and allied navies must be prepositioned to deter and respond.
The designation of key economic operatives is also essential. The Trump administration sanctioned Iran’s oil minister in March. A horizontal and vertical expansion of such measures is necessary. The Treasury Department must prioritize the designation of board members, executives, and major shareholders of entities facilitating sanctions evasion. Washington should also move beyond the designation of shadow fleets to ports and port operators, storage facilities, banks, and insurance providers that facilitate Iranian oil exports. Disrupting these nodes can further limit Iran’s ability to access global markets. The Chinese banks that store or transfer Iran’s oil revenue would be prime targets.Covert actions targeting key sanctions busters are also necessary. Washington should deal with Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps financiers the same way it deals with ISIS and al Qaeda financiers. This would involve strategic disruption of critical nodes in the Iranian oil trade network, including individuals and entities that facilitate sanctions evasion. According to the Biden administration, 27 nations facilitate illicit oil trade between Iran and China. Clear and consistent communication from the State and Treasury Departments, outlining the consequences of sanctions evasion, especially to partners such as the United Arab Emirates and Turkey, is essential. A united front, involving key allies and international organizations, can amplify the effect of sanctions, though it may require coercion against partners disinclined to take the Iran threat as seriously. U.S. policy is at its weakest when it confuses rhetoric with reality. The goal of reducing Iran’s oil exports to 100,000 barrels per day is welcome, but absent a systematic strategy to fulfill that goal, it will remain an aspiration. There is simply no way to fulfill Bessent’s goal absent tackling Beijing’s dual desires to profit from discounted Iranian crude and empower Tehran in its war by terrorist proxy.
Saeed Ghasseminejad is a senior adviser for Iran and financial economics at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, specializing in Iran’s economy, financial markets, sanctions, and illicit finance. Follow him on LinkedIn and X @SGhasseminejad.

Turkey: Sweeping Arrests, Torture, Censorship
Uzay Bulut/Gatestone Institute/May 01/2025
On March 19, just days before the March 23 primaries of Turkey's main opposition party, the Republican People's Party (CHP), Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu -- the CHP's leading candidate who was thought by many possibly to win the next presidential election against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan -- was arrested on contested charges of "corruption and terrorism."
A day earlier, on March 18, Imamoglu's university degree was revoked, "citing 'nullity' and 'clear error' as grounds for cancellation... The decision affects Imamoglu and 27 other individuals whose academic credentials have now been invalidated...."
"All of the detainees, absolutely all of them, were tortured terribly while being detained. They were tortured terribly in the detention vehicle, while being taken to Gayrettepe [police station]. There are young people among them who are in really bad shape. What is terrible is that there is nothing [as evidence against them] in their investigation files, not even a photo against them. ..... [T]hese are revenge trials. The prosecutors who took testimonies of detainees yesterday, today do not talk with the lawyers, in any way... This is not a [proper] judiciary." — Sezgin Tanrıkulu, MP from the CHP opposition party, March 27, 2025.
Meanwhile, Erdogan's regime has arrested many dissident journalists and continues to apply financial and judicial pressure on media outlets that refuse to operate as mouthpieces for the regime.
"There was no chance for a defense.... The decision appears prepared beforehand." — Elif Taşdöğen, attorney, medyanews.net, January 22, 2025.
Meanwhile, the government continues to pardon and release imprisoned Turkish Hizbullah terrorists.
The Erdogan regime's support for Islamic terror groups such as Hamas and ISIS (Islamic State) is also well-documented.....
Meanwhile, do Europeans really want the possibility of up to 87 million more Turkish citizens flooding Europe?
On March 19, the regime of Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrested Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, Erdogan's main rival in the next presidential election, on contested charges of "corruption and terrorism." Meanwhile, Erdogan's regime has arrested many dissident journalists and continues to apply financial and judicial pressure on media outlets that refuse to operate as mouthpieces for the regime. Pictured: Erdogan addresses a meeting of his party in Ankara, on February 23, 2025. (Photo by Adem Altan/AFP via Getty Images)
On March 19, just days before the March 23 primaries of Turkey's main opposition party, the Republican People's Party (CHP), Istanbul's Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu -- the CHP's leading candidate who was thought by many possibly to win the next presidential election against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan -- was arrested on contested charges of "corruption and terrorism."
A day earlier, on March 18, Imamoglu's university degree was revoked, "citing 'nullity' and 'clear error' as grounds for cancellation... The decision affects Imamoglu and 27 other individuals whose academic credentials have now been invalidated...." according to Turkiye Today.
Imamoglu's detention sparked one of the biggest street demonstrations against Erdogan since he was first elected as national leader in 2002.
On March 29, hundreds of thousands of protesters gathered in Istanbul for a mass rally called by the CHP to oppose the jailing of Imamoglu.
On March 23, Beylikdüzü Mayor Mehmet Murat Çalık and Şişli Mayor Resul Emrah Şahan were also jailed. The same day, both Imamoglu and Çalık were suspended from office.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on March 27 that 1,879 people had been detained, 260 arrested, and judicial control decisions were issued for 468 of those detained and arrested, while 489 were released. The legal procedures for 662 people are currently under review.
Sezgin Tanrıkulu, a CHP Member of Parliament reported on March 27:
"We spoke with lawyers... All of the detainees, absolutely all of them, were tortured terribly while being detained. They were tortured terribly in the detention vehicle, while being taken to Gayrettepe [police station]. There are young people among them who are in really bad shape. What is terrible is that there is nothing [as evidence against them] in their investigation files, not even a photo against them.... these are revenge trials. The prosecutors who took testimonies of detainees yesterday, today do not talk with the lawyers, in any way."
Tanrıkulu told Sözcü TV:
"We were at Çağlayan Courthouse for the last two days, with lawyers and our MP friends. We witnessed it in person, not just heard from lawyers. We spoke to those who were brought from police custody and taken to the judgeship, we listened to their statements....
They [the police] kicked young girls between the legs and made them bleed. I have never heard anything like this before.... The prosecutor decided to arrest them without taking their testimonies."
The lawyers, Tanrıkulu added, wanted to explain the situation of the detainees with a petition to the prosecutors, but an investigating prosecutor said he would not take petitions from lawyers and a judge told the lawyers in the courtroom to "Get out, I have arrested them all."
"This is not a [proper] judiciary," Tanrıkulu said.
Turkish authorities have, in the meantime, continued to crack down on media coverage of the protest movement. On March 29, Swedish journalist Joakim Medin was arrested on charges of "membership of an armed terrorist organisation" and "insulting the president." Andreas Gustavsson, editor-in-chief of Dagens ETC newspaper, disclosed that Medin, who was in Turkey to cover the ongoing protests against the arrest of Imamoglu, had not been heard from for two days.
Thirteen Turkish journalists covering the protests were also arrested, although 11 were freed on March 27, including AFP photographer Yasin Akgul.
Turkish authorities also deported BBC correspondent Mark Lowen after holding him for 17 hours on the grounds that he posed "a threat to public order." Erdogan's regime has additionally incarcerated many opposition mayors, members of parliament, politicians, and party members.
In past decade alone, Erdogan's regime has arrested hundreds of Kurdish mayors, politicians and political activists over "terrorism" charges -- a standard accusation against anyone critical of the Turkish government or members of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP). Several HDP members of parliament, including the party's co-heads Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ, were jailed after finding their immunity lifted.
Democratically elected Kurdish mayors, deputy mayors, municipal council- and staff-members of the HDP and its sister party, DBP (Democratic Regions Party), have also been suspended, dismissed or arrested for alleged terrorism-related offenses, later replaced by government-appointed trustees. Turkey's Constitutional Court is currently in the process of deciding whether to close the HDP party.[1]
The extremely broad, vague terrorism-related articles in the Turkish Anti-Terror Law and the Turkish Penal Code have long been criticized by international human rights organizations, The World Organization Against Torture stated in a briefing on June 13, 2022:
"Turkey has been employing counter-terrorism and national security legislation to restrict rights and freedoms and silence the voices of human rights defenders... In the last three months of 2021 alone, no less than 1,220 human rights defenders suffered judicial harassment or reprisals..."
In 2024, Erdogan's regime continued arbitrarily to arrest opposition mayors. Turkey's Foundation of Human Rights (TIHV) reported:
"In 2024, many members and executives of political parties, mayors, and municipal council members were detained and arrested, and pressure was exerted on them through lawsuits filed against them. Trustees were appointed to the municipalities. Summaries of proceedings against members of parliament were sent to the Turkish parliament and there were attacks on members of political parties and their buildings."
According to the findings of the TIHV, in just the first 11 months of 2024:
"8 people elected to municipalities, including 3 mayors or co-mayors and 5 municipal council members, were detained by police, and 3 people were arrested.
"43 journalists were detained. 11 journalists were jailed. 1 journalist was prevented from entering the country. At least 3 journalists were attacked, because of which at least 1 journalist was injured. 14 journalists were threatened. Investigations were launched against 42 journalists. 253 cases opened against 534 press workers continued to be heard."
On October 30, 2024, the Mayor of Esenyurt Municipality in Istanbul, Ahmet Özer, a CHP member, was detained "within the scope of the investigations carried out to identify the members and activities of the PKK/KCK [Kurdistan Workers' Party] terrorist organization", was removed from office, and a trustee was appointed in his place.
On November 4, 2024, Mardin Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ahmet Türk, Batman Mayor Gülistan Sönük and Mayor Mehmet Karayılan of Halfeti (in Kurdish-majority southeast Turkey) were dismissed from office over "terrorism" charges. Türk's dismissal was based on his 10-year prison sentence in the Kobani case and the ongoing cases and investigations against him.[2]
Meanwhile, Erdogan's regime has arrested many dissident journalists and continues to apply financial and judicial pressure on media outlets that refuse to operate as mouthpieces for the regime.
On January 29, Halk TV's editor-in-chief Suat Toktaş, program coordinator Kürşad Oğuz, and journalist Barış Pehlivan were detained for broadcasting a recorded phone conversation with an expert witness. While Pehlivan and Oğuz were released under judicial control measures, Toktaş was arrested. Pehlivan and Oğuz have been banned from leaving the country. Halk TV is one of Turkey's largest private TV channels that is critical of Erdogan's government.
According to the International Press Institute (IPI), in January 2025 alone, at least nine journalists were arrested, six sentenced to prison, five detained, 23 faced investigations and one encountered police obstruction.
On February 5, a coalition of international press freedom organizations, led by the IPI, called on Turkish authorities to halt what they describe as an escalating crackdown on independent journalism.
"The frequent use of arbitrary arrests, detentions, judicial control measures, and convictions poses an existential threat to independent media, democratic discourse, and fundamental human rights in the country.
"Turkey must ensure that its practices align with international standards for the protection of freedom of expression and press freedom."
Among the most alarming cases cited by IPI and its partners is the January 17 detention of six Kurdish journalists — Reyhan Hacıoğlu, Necla Demir, Rahime Karvar, Vedat Örüç, Velat Ekin and Ahmet Güneş, who, after a series of coordinated police raids in Istanbul, Diyarbakır, Van and Mersin, were held without access to legal representation. Five journalists were jailed; Güneş was released on February 4. The journalists are accused of "terror organization membership" over their professional activities.
Their lawyer, Elif Taşdöğen, criticized the judicial process as "a predetermined ruling that disregarded fundamental rights," adding:
"There was no chance for a defense. The court's approach, dismissing the need for proper questioning and forwarding the case directly to a ruling, exposes the state of our legal system. The decision appears prepared beforehand."
IPI and its partners presented in their statement a timeline documenting an acceleration of violations of press freedoms over just the last month:
On January 2, authorities launched an investigation against journalist Aslıhan Gençay for her reporting on corruption in Hatay. They blocked access to her article and charged her with multiple offenses, including violations of the "disinformation law" -- an apparent attempt to suppress investigative journalism.
On January 7, the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation against 21 journalists who covered the Kobani trial's final hearing. The journalists face potential fines for alleged unauthorized photography -- a move that effectively criminalizes routine court reporting.
On January 21, Rudaw TV correspondent Rawin Sterk Yıldız faced police interference while documenting a detention in Istanbul's Beyoğlu district. Despite clearly identifying himself as a journalist, he was prevented from documenting the public incident.
On January 23, a troubling verdict resulted in five journalists – Yakup Çetin, Ahmet Memiş, Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu, Ünal Tanık, Yetkin Yıldız, Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu – receiving harsh sentences—ranging from 25 months to over six years in prison -- in a "terrorism"-related case, despite the absence of credible evidence.
On January 24, the arrest of journalist Eylem Babayiğit once again demonstrated the arbitrary use of "membership of an organization" charges.
On January 28, the launch of an investigation into T24 columnist Şirin Payzın for alleged "terror propaganda" over social media posts indicates a concerning expansion of surveillance and criminalization of online expression.
On January 28, the conviction of journalist Safiye Alagaş, former news editor for the pro-Kurdish JINNEWS, resulted in a six years and three months prison sentence. Alagaş has already spent a year in pretrial detention and is currently free while awaiting appeal.
The IPI statement also highlights how Turkey's broadcast regulator's decisions threaten press freedom:
"Turkey's broadcast regulator RTÜK has demonstrated a concerning pattern of targeting critical media outlets. Just before the journalists' detention over broadcasting a recorded phone conversation, the RTÜK Chair Ebubekir Şahin, signaling the impending crackdown, warned of potential consequences for media outlets and journalists regarding the broadcast. signaling the impending crackdown. In his statement, he criticized Halk TV for recording and broadcasting a phone conversation with an expert witness without permission and allegedly attempting to influence ongoing legal proceedings.
"This incident reflects a broader pattern of regulatory pressure on critical media. In 2024, RTÜK imposed 24 broadcast bans resulting in fines totaling 81.5 million Turkish lira (approximately €2.2 million or $2.3 million), with the majority targeting media critical of the government....
"In a recent example, following the devastating hotel fire in Bolu that erupted in the early morning hours of January 20, 2025, claiming 78 lives, the RTÜK Chair directed media outlets to report solely on information from official sources. Shortly after this directive, the Bolu 2nd Criminal Court of Peace imposed a broadcasting ban on coverage of the disaster at the request of the Bolu Chief Public Prosecutor's Office."
The statement called Turkey's judicial control measures against journalists "a new tool for censorship".
"While there appears to be a decrease in the number of journalists in prison, this masks a troubling shift toward using judicial control measures—such as travel bans, regular check-ins at police stations, and house arrest—as alternative means of restricting press freedom. This trend represents an equally antidemocratic practice aimed at controlling journalists' freedom of movement and expression. The systematic implementation of these measures, combined with increasing online censorship, appears to be replacing traditional detention as a method of silencing independent journalism....
'[T]he arbitrary imposition of travel bans, house arrests and other restrictions continues to impede their ability to perform their professional duties effectively. These measures, originally intended as exceptional remedies to ensure judicial proceedings, are increasingly being weaponized to create a chilling effect on press freedom."
Meanwhile, Turkey also appears to be targeting journalists outside its borders. Kurdish journalists Nazım Daştan, 32, and Cihan Bilgin, 29, who had Turkish citizenship, were murdered in a Turkish drone strike on December 19, 2024 in northern Syria, while covering clashes between Turkey-backed jihadist forces and US-allied Kurdish forces.
After the murders of the two journalists, the Istanbul Bar Association, on its official X account, called on Turkey to "adhere to international humanitarian law."
The president of the Istanbul Bar Association, Ibrahim Kaboglu, and 10 board members now face criminal charges carrying prison sentences of up to 12 years, for their statements regarding those murders: for allegedly "disseminating the propaganda of a terrorist organization" and "publicly disseminating misleading information through the press."
Journalists' organizations in Turkey -- including the Dicle Fırat Journalists Association, the Mezopotamya Women Journalists Association and the Press Workers Union -- organized a protest in Istanbul to condemn the murder of the two journalists. Fourteen people, including seven journalists, are now facing "terrorism"-related charges for participating in the protest.
Turkey has been in the top ten list of the worst jailers of journalists, prepared by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and has taken first place five times in recent years (2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, and 2018).
Although dozens of journalists have been freed since 2022, most are still under investigation or awaiting trial, placing a stranglehold on the country's critical media, CPJ's research shows.
"Even if there were zero journalists in prison today, 200 journalists may be arrested tomorrow," said Barış Altıntaş, co-director of the Media and Law Studies Association. "The government determines the number of arrested journalists, even when it is low."
As Özgür Öğret, CPJ's Turkey representative, asks:
"Why is Turkey—a NATO member with close ties to the West—frequently ranked alongside authoritarian states like Iran and Egypt in CPJ's prison census?"
On March 27, Turkey's Radio and Television Supreme Council (TRUK) imposed penalties on TV channels -- such as Sozcu TV, Halk TV, Tele 1 and NOW TV -- that refused to toe the line for Erdogan's regime in their broadcasts of the nationwide protests, starting with the detention of Imamoglu. Sozcu TV, TRUK announced, would be taken off the air for 10 days.
Fines and program-suspension penalties were imposed on Halk TV, Tele 1 and NOW TV on the grounds that they were "inciting the public to hatred and hostility" during their coverage of the protests, including a speech delivered by the head of the CHP party.
Meanwhile, the government continues to pardon and release imprisoned Turkish Hizbullah terrorists. On March 29, Erdogan pardoned the sentences of Şehmus Alpsoy and Hamit Çöklü, who were sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment in a Hizbullah case, on the grounds that "they have chronic illnesses". Turkish Hizbullah is also responsible for the torture and murders of hundreds of civilians in the 1990s.
The Erdogan regime's support for Islamic terror groups such as Hamas and ISIS (Islamic State) is also well-documented. His regime reportedly participated in the oil business with ISIS, dispatched arms to jihadists, and allowed ISIS members to pass through Turkey on their way to fight in Syria and Iraq. In August 2014, an ISIS commander told the Washington Post: "Most of the fighters who joined us at the beginning of the war came via Turkey, as did our equipment and supplies."
Erdogan's regime also allowed Hamas to engage in money laundering, granted Hamas terrorists Turkish passports, let them open bank accounts and run offices in Turkey.
According to the website Double Cheque:
"It seems that Hamas has chosen to manage its secret investment portfolio in Turkey because of the weak financial system in Turkey, which enables Hamas to hide its money laundering activity and tax violations from the regulatory bodies."
The late journalist Burak Bekdil reported in 2014:
"Erdogan has never hidden that he is ideologically a next of kin to the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas. Hamas's overseas command center happens to be based in Turkey. Erdogan has been Hamas's staunchest (non-Hamas) cheerleader in the last decade, and the Brotherhood's key regional ally. Press reports say that Turkey has recently welcomed in the Brotherhood's top brass, who were expelled on Sept. 13 from their five-million-star hotels in Qatar. Ankara has not denied that it is offering a safe haven to the leaders of the Islamist organization."
Israel's police and the Shin Bet internal security service announced on April 10 that they had uncovered a terror financing network linked to Hamas members in Turkey.
Meanwhile, in a ten-day offensive in Syria in December 2024, the al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), conquered Damascus and toppled the Assad regime in Syria.
Ties between Turkey and HTS run deep: Turkey and HTS both been have been occupying and exploiting parts of northwest Syria since at least 2017.
Erdogan reportedly provided assistance to the HTS during its December advance to Damascus, in the form of arms and by allowing the terror group to run a key border crossing in northwest Syria. Since HTS took over Syria, jihadist massacres against the members of the Alawite minority, and the persecution of Syrian Christians, have skyrocketed.
In 1999, Turkey was granted "candidate status" by the European Union and in 2005, began negotiations for EU accession. Will the EU executive take action to help secure the release of detained and abused mayors, politicians, dissenters and journalists in Turkey, so they can carry out their professional work without unwarranted governmental pressure, violations and censorship? How, otherwise, can the EU seriously consider Turkey's candidacy? Meanwhile, do Europeans really want the possibility of up to 87 million more Turkish citizens flooding Europe?
Uzay Bulut, a Turkish journalist, is a Distinguished Senior Fellow at Gatestone Institute.
[1] The names of the democratically elected HDP mayors imprisoned in Turkey, as released by the press office of HDP, include Hakkari Municipality Co-Mayor, Mehmet Sıddık Akış, Co-Mayors of Akdeniz Municipality, Hoşyar Sarıyıldız and Nuriye Arslan, Former Diyarbakir Metropolitan Municipality Co-Mayor, Adnan Selçuk Mızraklı, Former Hakkari Municipality Co-Mayor, Cihan Karaman, Former Karayazi Municipality Co-Mayor of Erzurum, Melike Goksu, Former Co-Mayor of Yüksekova, Remziye Yasar, Former Co-Mayor of Iğdır, Yasar Akkus, Former Halfeli Municipality Co-Mayor of Iğdır, Hasan Safa, Former Van Metropolitan Municipality Co-Mayor, Bekir Kaya, Former Co-Mayor of Siirt Eruh Municipality, Huseyin Kilic, Former Co-Mayor of Bitlis Yolalan Municipality, Felemez Aydın, Former Bozova Municipality Co-Mayor of Urfa, Zeynel Taş, Former Co-Mayor of Muş Malazgirt Municipality, Halis Coskun and Former Co-Mayor of Adıyaman Coal Municipality, Hüseyin Yuka.
Officials who have been imprisoned due to trumped-up, terrorism related charges include, Leyla Güven, HDP Members of Parliament for Hakkari, Semra Güzel, an MP from Diyarbakir, Dilek Yağlı, HDP Women's Assembly member, Pervin Oduncu, member of the HDP Central Executive Board, Ali Ürküt, a member of pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM), Nazmi Gür, former HDP MP from Van, Alp Altınörs, the Deputy Co-Chairman of the HDP and a member of the Central Executive Board, and Günay Kubilay, HDP's Deputy Co-Chair for Economy, Agriculture and Social Policies and Party Spokesperson, among others.
[2] According to a 2017 public statement by the HDP party, since July 2016, 1,478 Kurdish politicians -- including 78 democratically-elected mayors – have been arrested.
According to a 2019 report prepared by the HDP, since 2015, 530 people have been detained in police operations targeting the party and its components, and 6,000 people, including 750 members and executives of the party, jailed. In addition, 89 provincial co-chairs, 193 district co-chairs and a town's co-chair of the HDP were arrested since. The report noted: "Following the March 31 [2019] elections, 17 of our co-mayors were arrested and trustees were appointed to 28 of our municipalities. Since July 2015, 16 of our MPs, 7 Central Executive Board members, 21 Party Assembly members, and over 750 provincial and district administrators have been arrested, along with our Co-Chairs. Currently, 7 of our MPs are under arrest. In addition, 11 MPs have had their MP status revoked. 93 municipality co-mayors, including deputy mayors, have been arrested and trustees have been appointed to 84 municipalities. As a result of the political genocide operations conducted since February 2017, a total of 5,098 people have been detained. 14 natural, 62 elected, and a total of 76 of our delegates have been arrested. Currently, 26th Term Deputies Figen Yüksekdağ, Selahattin Demirtaş, Çağlar Demirel, İdris Baluken, Gülser Yıldırım, Selma Irmak, Abdullah Zeydan are being held hostage [as prisoners]."
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https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/21582/turkey-arrests-torture-censorship

Putin ‘has to be dealt with differently’ Trump’s new perspective is correct
Clifford D. May/The Washington Times/May 01/2025
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/apr/29/putin-understands-strength-time-trump-show/
A year ago, amid indications that Iran’s rulers were preparing to launch a direct attack on Israel, President Biden publicly warned them: “Don’t!”
But Iran’s rulers did.
Neither fearing nor respecting Mr. Biden, they launched more than 300 missiles and drones at Israel. The extent of death and destruction would have been enormous had Israel’s air defense systems, with U.S. and other support, not intercepted almost all the projectiles before they reached their intended victims.
I was reminded of this battle last week, after Russian President Vladimir Putin fired 70 missiles and 145 drones at Ukraine, targeting residential buildings in Kyiv. At least a dozen people were killed and nearly a hundred injured, many trapped beneath rubble.
On Thursday, President Trump wrote on Truth Social: “I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV. Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying. Let’s get the Peace Deal DONE!”
Which raises this question: Does Mr. Putin fear and respect Mr. Trump?
On Friday, a Russian drone struck an apartment building in the Ukrainian city of Pavlohrad killing three people, one of them a child.
Mr. Trump posted: “There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days. It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through ‘Banking’ or ‘Secondary sanctions?’ Too many people are dying!!!”
Sen. Lindsey Graham agrees. On Saturday, he posted on X: “As to additional sanctions on Putin’s Russia, I have bipartisan legislation with almost 60 cosponsors that would put secondary tariffs on any country that purchases Russian oil, gas, uranium, or other products.” The message passing such legislation would send could be emphasized by increasing the military aid Ukrainians need both to defend themselves, such as Patriot air defense systems, and to reduce Russian military capabilities, such as Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS).
America’s European friends can pay for these American munitions using their own money or roughly $300 billion in frozen Russian funds. Another possibility would be a lend-lease program with Ukrainian minerals as collateral. I’ll remind you, too, that over the last three years less than 3% of the Pentagon budget has gone to help the Ukrainians degrade the military power of America’s No.2 adversary. Can you name a better return on investment? Meanwhile, Russia has been receiving drones and missiles from the Islamist regime in Tehran, KN-23 ballistic missiles (used in last week’s attack on Kyiv) from the dynastic dictatorship in North Korea, and critical military technologies from the Communist regime in Beijing.
These authoritarian states don’t hate Ukrainians. They simply recognize that if Mr. Putin can use military force to crush a pro-American neighbor, that will set a precedent for similar aggressions by them against their American-allied neighbors.
During an impromptu meeting with President Trump on Saturday at the Vatican, where both were attending Pope Francis’ funeral, Mr. Zelensky reiterated his desire for a “full and unconditional ceasefire.”That would halt the carnage to which President Trump so justifiably objects and could lead to a long-range truce. Korea provides a model. The war between the north and the south never ended; it has just been on ice for more than 70 years. Over that period, South Korea evolved into an economically vibrant and democratic ally of the U.S.
North Korea, by contrast, remains a hellhole, albeit a hellhole that possesses nuclear weapons thanks to American diplomats who overvalued their persuasive skills and undervalued American power. Let’s be clear about what a Russian-Ukrainian armistice would entail. No one seriously expects Mr. Putin to give up the eastern Ukrainian lands he invaded and now occupies, much less Crimea, which he invaded and annexed in 2014. But it would be a mistake to formally recognize Russia’s erasure of international borders by military aggression – a fundamental principle of international law established and defended by the United States for generations. It’s also unrealistic to think that Ukraine can join NATO anytime soon. That would require a unanimous vote by all existing members and that’s not likely. However, Ukraine should not be prohibited from applying for membership since that would imply that Ukraine is – as Mr. Putin insists – a Russian possession rather than an independent and sovereign nation-state that has the right to seek defense alliances as its elected leaders see fit.
President Trump has found brokering a Moscow-Kyiv deal frustrating and warned that he might walk away. But he also said last week: “I want to save a lot of lives!”
His advisors should remind him that if he ends American intelligence-sharing with Ukraine and cuts off military aid, Mr. Putin will slaughter many more Ukrainian men, women, and children. It’s lovely to think that everyone prizes peace. But if that were true, Mr. Putin wouldn’t have begun this war, and he would have sought an “offramp” when it became clear that the Ukrainians would fight like wolverines rather than surrender their freedom. Nor is Mr. Putin crying salty tears over his own troops ending up as cannon fodder. That’s a price he’s more than willing to pay to drag Ukraine back into the Russian empire. Should he succeed, expect him to press bayonets to the backs of Ukrainian soldiers and order them to march west. Our European friends understand that. On Friday, Reuters published a Ukraine-European proposal that would include a “full, unconditional ceasefire in the sky, on land, and at sea.” President Trump can get this “Deal DONE!” He has the cards. By playing them now, he’ll also be making clear that he won’t be “tapped along.”
*Clifford D. May is founder and president of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), a columnist for the Washington Times, and host of the “Foreign Podicy” podcast.

Syria’s Fragile Truce With the Kurds Is Falling Apart
Ahmad Sharawi/FDD/May 01/2025
The agreement between the interim government in Syria and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), signed just two months ago, is already on the brink of collapse. If it breaks down completely, northeastern Syria — home to key oil reserves and vital water infrastructure — could spiral back into conflict. The deal, brokered largely with U.S. involvement, was seen as a breakthrough: a pathway toward unifying Syria under a central government and creating a national army. It also marked the first substantive cooperation between Damascus and the SDF, Washington’s chief partner in the fight against ISIS. The SDF, a Kurdish-led force that controls roughly 30 percent of Syria’s territory, played the lead role in dismantling the ISIS caliphate and continues joint counterterrorism operations with U.S. forces in the region. In April, the SDF agreed to withdraw from the Kurdish-majority neighborhoods of Ashrafieh and Sheikh Maqsud in Aleppo, transferring security control to Damascus’s General Security Service. The two sides also conducted a limited prisoner exchange, signaling early steps toward implementation. But the deal is now unraveling — fast.
Kurds Push for Federal System
Syria’s Kurdish parties convened a major conference on April 26 to present a cohesive political vision for the country’s future. SDF commander Mazloum Abdi rejected accusations of separatism: “My message to all Syrian constituents and the Damascus government is that the conference does not aim, as some say, at division.” Instead, he called for building “a decentralized democratic Syria that embraces everyone,” anchored in a new constitution that guarantees political rights for all components of Syrian society. That message has only deepened the rift. Syria’s new constitution, unveiled by interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, centralizes authority in the presidency and was drafted without Kurdish participation. Ilham Ahmed, the co-president of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, the administrative body for the northeast of the country, said bluntly, “We want to participate in drafting the constitution and managing the country.”
Security Collapse at Tishrin Dam
Tensions are now flaring on the ground. Damascus issued a rebuke of the Kurdish unity conference, declaring: “We clearly reject any attempt to impose a partition or create separatist cantons under the terms of federalism.” Just one day later, on April 27, Syrian army units deployed near the Tishrin Dam — violating a localized agreement that left the dam under SDF control after Turkish-backed forces withdrew. Damascus also established new checkpoints in the area, likely in response to the Kurds’ political demands. The seizure of the Tishrin Dam signals Damascus’s willingness to undermine the deal in pursuit of full control — and its disdain for Kurdish autonomy. Equally troubling is the role of former Syrian National Army commanders now embedded within Syria’s new army. Men like Mohammad al-Jasem (Abu Amsha) and Sayf Boulad — both under U.S. sanctions for human rights abuses against Kurds — now hold senior command roles. Their involvement only heightens Kurdish fears of repression under the new regime.
U.S. Influence in Northeast Syria Remains Pivotal to Prevent Collapse
Despite a recent U.S. troop drawdown, Washington’s role in Syria remains vital. The SDF continues to lead front-line operations against a resurging Islamic State, backed by remaining U.S. special forces. Late last year, the Pentagon temporarily ramped up its footprint in Syria in response to increased ISIS activity. The justification for this year’s reduction was that the surge had contained the threat — but the long-term risk remains. If the March agreement collapses, not only would Damascus and the Kurds return to open hostility, but U.S. gains against ISIS could unravel. Thousands of Islamic State fighters are still held in SDF-run prisons and camps, and any chaos could trigger mass escapes and a resurgence of violence. Washington must remain engaged in preventing the collapse of the March agreement. Preserving this fragile deal is the best hope of avoiding renewed war. Moreover, Washington should treat Kurdish political inclusion as a litmus test for any future recognition of Syria’s interim government. No inclusivity, no recognition.
**Ahmad Sharawi is a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), where he focuses on Middle East affairs, specifically the Levant, Iraq, and Iranian intervention in Arab affairs, as well as U.S. foreign policy toward the region. For more analysis from Ahmad and FDD, please subscribe HERE. Follow Ahmad on X @AhmadA_Sharawi. Follow FDD on X @FDD. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.

How the road to Ukraine began in 1967

Ross Anderson/Arab News/May 01, 2025
There is much angst among the Western liberal cognoscenti over the “peace agreement” with Russia currently being foisted on the Ukrainian people by the Trump administration in Washington, chiefly on the ground that it is less a peace agreement and more a capitulation. Russia’s reward for more than three years of naked aggression will be to keep the 20 percent of Ukrainian territory it now occupies, including the Crimean Peninsula it annexed in 2014. The only crumb of comfort for Kyiv is that, while the US will recognize Russian sovereignty over this captured territory, Ukraine need not — and nor need anyone else. With the possible exception of China, it seems unlikely that anyone will. Currently, the only countries that recognize Crimea as Russian are Afghanistan, Cuba, Nicaragua, North Korea, Syria and Venezuela: peculiar company for the US to be keeping. Vitriol has been directed at Donald Trump in particular for his personal role in driving this process forward, and it is true that he and his various administrations have executed some bewildering U-turns on the issue. In 2014, when he was still best known as a reality TV host and the White House was no more than a glint in his eye, Trump was already expressing his admiration for Vladimir Putin: “I think he’s a very capable leader … what he did with Crimea is very smart.”
Four years later, however, when Trump had been president for two years and had perhaps learned that being the powerful “leader of the free world” came with certain responsibilities, his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made clear what the official view was: “The US reaffirms as policy its refusal to recognize the Kremlin’s claim of sovereignty over territory seized by force in contravention of international law.”
Vitriol has been directed at Donald Trump in particular for his personal role in driving this process forward
What Pompeo was “reaffirming” was the Welles Declaration, issued by a predecessor, Sumner Welles, after the Soviet Union annexed Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in 1940. “The people of the United States are opposed to predatory activities no matter whether they are carried on by the use of force or by the threat of force,” Welles said. Washington refused to recognize Moscow’s sovereignty over the three Baltic states for 50 years, until the Soviet Union collapsed and they gained their independence. The declaration was followed in 1941 by the Atlantic Charter, signed by the US and the UK, in which Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill insisted that there should be “no territorial changes that do not accord with the freely expressed wishes of the peoples concerned.”All this, Trump’s critics say, has been official US policy for 85 years — until now. The charge against the president is that, in recognizing Russia’s right to govern territory captured by force in Crimea and eastern Ukraine, he is upending the policy of every White House administration since Roosevelt’s, including his own first term.
But is he really? Surely I cannot be alone in detecting a whiff of hypocrisy here. Since 1967, excluding Trump, there have been 10 US presidents: Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Joe Biden. While most of them have paid lip service to various UN resolutions, all of them without exception have in practice accepted Israel’s right to occupy and populate the territory it seized by force that year, along with the vast tracts of Palestinian land it has settled since. The “freely expressed wishes of the peoples concerned,” to repeat the grand words of the Atlantic Charter, appear no longer to matter.
Since 1967, when Israel captured (and I make no apology for repeating “by force,” since that is the key phrase in the original 1940 Welles Declaration) and annexed East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, and occupied the West Bank, it has claimed the right to 5,640 sq. km of land stolen from Jordan, 365 sq. km stolen from Egypt and 1,200 sq. km stolen from Syria, and illegally settled more than 700,000 Israelis on land stolen from the Palestinian people.
It did not stop there. Since it began its blood-soaked assault on Gaza in October 2023, Israel has reoccupied 30 percent of the Palestinian enclave, it has pushed troops farther into Syria and it occupies five strategic hilltops in southern Lebanon. Its justification for these land grabs (again, by force) is that, for security reasons, Israel requires “buffer zones” — which is a curious irony given the ethnic composition of the people doing the grabbing: the right to “lebensraum,” or “living space,” was a key policy tenet of the Nazi party in Germany in the 1930s, used by Hitler to justify the invasion of Poland. And look how that ended. Unlike the Palestinians in the West Bank, settlers enjoy the luxury of being subject to Israeli civilian law
Unlike the Palestinians in the West Bank whose land they have stolen, who suffer under arbitrary military law, settlers enjoy the luxury of being subject to Israeli civilian law: evidence that Israel considers this stolen land to be part of Israel.
If anyone doubts the malign intent behind any of this, I urge you to watch “The Settlers,” a documentary by the filmmaker Louis Theroux broadcast last week by the BBC. The film is Theroux’s second attempt to delve inside the heads of Israeli settlers. His first, “The Ultra Zionists,” in 2011, was merely disturbing: the new one is positively chilling.
Theroux describes people pursuing “an openly expansionist ethnonationalist vision while enjoying the benefits of a separate and privileged legal regime.” One settler claimed to be living in “the heart of Judea.” Another said: “I believe that Gaza is ours and we need to be living there.” A rabbi said Lebanon should be “cleansed of these camel riders.” Another settler declared: “We were in this land planting vineyards before Muhammad was in the third grade,” displaying a level of gratuitously offensive religious bigotry and ignorance that beggars belief — this is about land, not religion. As for the historical claim, it has always been absurd: by settler logic, the tribal elders of the Lenape people, the original inhabitants of Manhattan who now live in Oklahoma and Wisconsin, have the right to establish a reservation on Fifth Avenue.
Remember all this the next time someone tells you that Trump has overturned decades of settled US policy against the capture and occupation of other people’s land by force: that ship sailed nearly 60 years ago.
*Ross Anderson is associate editor of Arab News.

Climate change a threat to Iraq’s stability

Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/May 01, 2025
Iraq is grappling with a combination of soaring temperatures, rapidly declining rainfall, increased desertification and the deterioration of once-thriving agricultural lands. The UN ranks it among the five countries most vulnerable to climate change globally.
Since the beginning of this century, Iraq’s average temperature has increased by nearly 0.5 degrees Celsius per decade, a rate much faster than the global average. Projections suggest that, if current emissions continue unchecked, Iraq’s temperatures could be as much as 5.6 C higher than pre-industrial times by the end of the century. Such an increase would not only devastate the country’s fragile ecosystems but would also exacerbate economic hardship, displacement and social instability.
Already, the country is facing longer and harsher droughts, increasingly violent sandstorms and a sharp decline in water resources — a combination that threatens millions of lives and livelihoods.
Human Rights Watch in March released a sobering report titled “Iraq’s Climate Crisis is a Human Rights Crisis,” bringing global attention to the humanitarian dimension of Iraq’s environmental catastrophe. It underscores that the crisis is not just a matter of rising temperatures or drying rivers, it is about the fundamental rights of Iraq’s people — the right to water, food, health, shelter and even life itself.
The crisis is not just a matter of rising temperatures or drying rivers, it is about the fundamental rights of Iraq’s people
The report documented how Iraqi communities, especially marginalized populations such as the Marsh Arabs and rural farmers, are being displaced, their traditional ways of life destroyed and their access to essential resources cut off. As the government struggles to respond adequately, many find themselves increasingly vulnerable to hunger, disease, poverty and forced migration.
The consequences of Iraq’s climate crisis have been devastating across every sector. For example, agricultural production, a cornerstone of Iraq’s economy and food security, has plummeted. Water shortages and soil degradation have made farming in many areas impossible, leaving thousands of families without a source of income. The Mesopotamian Marshes, an ecosystem that once covered thousands of square kilometers and supported a rich cultural heritage, have shrunk dramatically due to upstream water diversions and rising salinity levels. This environmental tragedy threatens not only biodiversity but also the ancient communities whose livelihoods depend on these wetlands.
Moreover, Iraq has witnessed an alarming increase in the frequency and severity of sandstorms, events that blanket cities in thick dust, shut down airports, destroy crops and cause widespread respiratory illnesses among the population. Hospitals in Baghdad and other cities report spikes in patients suffering from asthma and other respiratory diseases after each storm. Environmental degradation is not an isolated problem for farmers or villagers, it is a nationwide crisis impacting public health, economic stability, education and national security. The effects of Iraq’s climate crisis are not confined within its borders. The drying of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which are essential water sources for Iraq, Syria and parts of Turkiye and Iran, is a regional catastrophe in the making.
As upstream countries build more dams and divert water to serve their own growing populations and industries, Iraq is left gasping for water. This competition for dwindling water resources has already heightened tensions between nations and threatens to ignite new conflicts in an already volatile region.
Severe droughts, linked directly to human-induced climate change, have devastated large areas of Syria, contributing to mass migration, internal displacement and instability — dynamics that could easily worsen in Iraq and spill over into neighboring countries. Thus, Iraq’s environmental collapse risks triggering broader humanitarian disasters, refugee crises and security challenges that will reverberate throughout the Middle East and beyond. What is happening in Iraq is a stark warning for the entire region: environmental degradation knows no borders.
The international community, particularly the world’s most powerful nations, cannot afford to turn a blind eye to Iraq’s plight. Iraq did not cause the climate crisis on its own; historically, its carbon emissions have been relatively small compared to major industrialized countries. Yet it finds itself suffering disproportionately from a problem largely driven by global trends. Justice demands that wealthier nations, which have contributed most to the problem, step up to help Iraq adapt and survive.
Furthermore, helping Iraq is not just a moral obligation, it is a matter of enlightened self-interest. Instability in Iraq, fueled by climate collapse, could trigger waves of migration, regional conflicts and economic shocks that will impact Europe, Asia and beyond. Assisting Iraq in building resilience to climate change today will help avert future crises that might require far greater humanitarian and military interventions. The international community must recognize that Iraq’s fate is intertwined with global security, human rights and the broader fight against climate change.
There are concrete actions that can and must be taken immediately to help Iraq confront this existential challenge
There are concrete actions that can and must be taken immediately to help Iraq confront this existential challenge. One major area of focus should be strengthening water management systems. Iraq needs modern, efficient infrastructure to store, distribute and conserve its limited water supplies. Revitalizing irrigation systems, repairing aging dams and implementing water-saving technologies could make a tremendous difference.
Sustainable agricultural practices must be promoted to replace traditional methods that are no longer viable under current conditions. Encouraging the use of drought-resistant crops, soil conservation techniques and smart farming technologies would help revive Iraq’s agricultural sector and secure food supplies.
Developing renewable energy sources, particularly solar and wind, is another critical step. Iraq is blessed with abundant sunlight and wind, and shifting away from fossil fuels would not only reduce emissions but also create jobs and diversify the economy.
Vulnerable communities must receive targeted assistance, including emergency relief, healthcare and relocation support when necessary. Building new schools, clinics and infrastructure adapted to extreme weather conditions would help these communities survive and thrive. Moreover, Iraq and its neighbors must engage in cooperative regional agreements to manage shared water resources fairly and sustainably. Such diplomacy would help prevent conflicts and foster long-term stability.
Finally, wealthy nations and international organizations must mobilize significant financial and technical aid to support Iraq’s adaptation efforts. Climate finance should not be limited to generic programs — it must address Iraq’s unique needs and vulnerabilities directly, ensuring that the most affected populations are prioritized.
In conclusion, in terms of facing the climate crisis, Iraq’s struggle is humanity’s struggle. The suffering of Iraqi farmers, children and communities points to the urgent need for collective action. Iraq must not be left to confront this catastrophe alone. By extending meaningful support, sharing technology and resources and upholding the basic principles of justice and human rights, the international community can help Iraq.
**Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a Harvard-educated Iranian American political scientist. X: @Dr_Rafizadeh

Energy and infrastructure are key to AI’s future
Lina Tayara/Arab News/May 01, 2025
At the heart of the artificial intelligence surge is infrastructure. Rapid advances in AI are driving a record-breaking demand for data centers. But a shortage of reliable power is becoming a major bottleneck, sparking a global wave of investment in both energy and digital infrastructure. Today, AI is increasingly seen not as a passing trend, but as a new essential utility — just like electricity or the internet. Private markets are riding this wave of optimism. AI-related deals now make up about 3 percent of all transactions, but a hefty 15 percent of total capital invested. At the same time, venture capitalists are pouring money into AI application platforms at a dizzying pace, showing early signs of a possible investment bubble. Funding for AI platforms has soared to 10 times previous levels, with valuations running five times higher than typical venture capital investments.
For these AI companies, the median funding multiple is about 25 times revenue — and for the top performers, it is as high as 40 times. These eye-watering figures reflect strong expectations for future growth and profits. Large technology firms have also become ever more intertwined with the global economy, now representing about $15 trillion, or about 15 percent of global gross domestic product.
If momentum continues, this figure could grow to $35 trillion — or even $50 trillion if AI’s influence continues to expand, accounting for about 35 percent of global GDP.
Supporting all this growth requires massive infrastructure expansion. During the original internet boom, the US built about 2 gigawatts of data center capacity over 16 years. In the cloud computing era, this rose to 6 gigawatts. While the opportunities in AI are huge, building the power and infrastructure needed to support it will be one of the world’s greatest challenges. Today, thanks to AI, the US is adding between 2 to 7 gigawatts of capacity every year — half of it driven by hyperscale companies.
The Middle East, meanwhile, is perfectly placed to capitalize on the AI era, thanks to its affordable, abundant energy. Global investment firm KKR recently announced a $5 billion investment in Gulf Data Hub, a UAE-based data center company, with 300 megawatts of new capacity aimed at boosting AI growth across the GCC — including a major expansion in Saudi Arabia, unveiled at LEAP. AI’s hunger for computing power is also fueling massive investments in graphics processing units. Over the past six to eight years, the size of processor clusters used for AI model training has exploded by 20 to 40 times, leading to the rise of enormous “giga campuses” with up to 1 million processors.
But with all this expansion, two big questions loom. Can the flow of capital keep up? And can infrastructure projects scale fast enough? KKR points to two global megatrends that could shape the future: An estimated $100 trillion needed for infrastructure investment over the next 15 years, and another $200 trillion required to achieve global net-zero emissions by 2050. The bottom line: While the opportunities in AI are huge, building the power and infrastructure needed to support it will be one of the world’s greatest challenges.
• Lina Tayara is a consultant in the digital infrastructure industry driving business development, market research and thought leadership on her platform Let’s Talk Tech.

Europe’s mobilization struggles prime for exploitation

Khaled Abou Zahr/Arab News/May 01, 2025
Joseph Stalin is rumored to have once asked, “How many divisions does the pope have?” The story goes that the Soviet leader said it during the 1943 Tehran Conference, a turning point in the Second World War. Others attribute it to a different time and place. Nevertheless, it is a statement that carries an undeniable truth about the importance of military might and how Moscow analyses military situations.
The rhetorical question was meant to denigrate anything that is not real power symbolized by armies. There is nothing that can be gained on the front line without material power. In short, military strength is the ultimate determinant during wars and, hence, in the balance of international relations.
A similar question could be asked today: “How many divisions does Europe have?” It is clear that Europe finds itself facing a tricky dilemma. As the old continent contemplates sending troops to stabilize Ukraine, the question of military capability remains central. According to a report in The Times this week, European nations that are part of the “coalition of the willing” are struggling to assemble even a proposed 25,000-strong military force for a potential peacekeeping or deterrence mission in Ukraine, far short of an initially suggested target of 64,000 troops.
The shortfall is attributed to understaffed and underfunded European armies. London, which was pushing for this initiative, has reportedly scaled back its plan to deploy a large number of troops due to high risks and inadequate forces, opting instead to offer limited training missions in western Ukraine, such as near Lviv. Europe’s struggle to mobilize troops reveals a weakness that will undoubtedly have a direct consequence on Europe’s capacity to shape the geopolitical outcome of the war. This incapacity to align sufficient military resources with the ongoing discussions about supporting a peace deal in Ukraine makes the future of Europe fragile, not only at its borders but also from within. This situation destroys any deterrence capacity.
The harsh reality of the current situation in Ukraine reinforces that hard power is ultimately the only thing that matters
The harsh reality of the current situation in Ukraine reinforces that hard power is ultimately the only thing that matters. In comparison, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies’ 2024 “Military Balance” report, Russia has about 1.1 million active troops, including 500,000 in the army, along with 1.5 million reservists. This is despite the heavy losses it has suffered in Ukraine. As of late 2024, 95,000 to 165,000 Russian soldiers had been killed and up to 700,000 injured. Desertions exceed 50,000, reflecting low morale in a force that is still large but is less robust than its Soviet predecessor. During the Second World War, the Soviet Union lost at least 8.8 million military personnel and suffered 15 to 17 million civilian deaths. There is no doubt that, if it were not for the Eastern Front and these deaths, the war in Europe would have lasted much longer. Now, there is no doubt that even Russia cannot sustain such losses alone and the presence of North Korean soldiers on the front line in Ukraine underlines this. Yet, Moscow’s numbers and, more importantly, its willingness and capacity for sacrifice are still much higher than Europe’s.
The EU’s 27 member states, plus the UK, collectively have about 1.5 million active-duty military personnel, according to estimates from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. The largest force is Italy’s with 338,000, followed by France with 304,000 and then Spain at 199,000. Germany has 181,000 and Poland about 150,000. Poland is aiming for 300,000 by 2035 and other countries are following the same path. However, as highlighted by the inability to send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine, many are not combat-ready. At a time when Europe is looking to build up its deterrence without the US, this is a weak signal that will be exploited. More importantly, internal divisions and a lack of will are making it worse.
Moscow’s numbers and, more importantly, its willingness and capacity for sacrifice are still much higher than Europe’s
Everyone understands that, despite the ruthlessness of the war in Ukraine, there have been guardrails that have prevented it spiraling into a full-blown “anything goes” type of war. Everyone has also noticed the new technologies, such as drones, entering the battlefield. But everyone has also noticed how counter-drone technology has come into effect, how quickly a technological stalemate was reached and how this translated into infantry-heavy combat in trenches reminiscent of the two world wars.
Europe’s troop shortfall puts its easternmost countries in a tough situation, as they are the first line of defense and have smaller armed forces. This is why any decisions that might cause an escalation of the conflict must be carefully considered at this stage. Understanding this reality must ensure a pragmatic and street-smart approach. If Europe cannot mobilize the troops needed for peacekeeping or even agree on the principle, then this is not a deterrence but an invitation. It will need to rebuild this deterrence as soon as possible; this not only applies to troop numbers, but also industrial capacity.
Moreover, this also means that if Europe cannot implement the steps following a ceasefire agreement, it will have even less influence on the outcome of the negotiations. Ukraine demands a complete Russian military withdrawal and the restoration of its 1991 borders, including Crimea, while Moscow insists on recognition of its control over these territories. Ukraine is paying in kind for its position and is showing its will. So, the equation for Europe is simple, either accept what the facts on the ground say or increase its military involvement. In this case, Europe will not only have to boost its divisions, but also its will to sacrifice. This underlines the absolute necessity for a negotiated breakthrough as soon as possible.
**Khaled Abou Zahr is the founder of SpaceQuest Ventures, a space-focused investment platform. He is CEO of EurabiaMedia and editor of Al-Watan Al-Arabi.