English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For May03/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice
John 10/11-16: “‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on May 02-03/2025
A Fruitful Meeting between Dr. Walid Phares and Mrs Morgan Ortagus
Lebanon warns Hamas not to carry out any attacks from its territories
Lebanon warns Hamas not to compromise country’s national security
Aoun says disarmament to happen through dialogue, not force
Berri reportedly warns that 'residents' may act to liberate 5 points
Report: Lebanon received Israeli offer for political negotiations
Abbas to discuss handover of Palestinian arms during Lebanon visit
2 men who attacked Sunni imam in Baalshmay arrested
Israeli strike in south Lebanon kills two
Joumblatt Meets Al-Sharaa, Calls for Accountability Over Tensions in Syria
Sheikh Sami Abi Al-Muna Urges Unity and Regional Stability Amidst Tensions in Syria
Lebanon to Grant Exceptional Entry Permits to Jaramana and Sahnaya Residents
Council of Ministers Approves Draft Law on Judicial Independence
Food Security: Economy Minister Launches Strategic Study With FAO and WFP
Lebanon expresses solidarity with Syria amid Israeli strikes, PM Salam says
Lebanon's PM Salam says judicial reform law a step toward restoring state credibility
Breaking: Lebanon's Cabinet approves judiciary independence law
Lebanon eyes recovery driven by reforms with $934M in preliminary funding

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on May 02-03/2025
Syria slams Israeli Damascus strike as ‘dangerous escalation’
Iran must ‘walk away’ from all uranium enrichment, Rubio says
Netanyahu's campaign against Iran's nuclear program is muted with Trump in power
US expects Iran talks soon but Trump presses sanctions
Netanyahu’s campaign against Iran’s nuclear program is muted with Trump in power
Gaza rescuers say 42 killed in Israeli strikes
West Bank residents losing hope 100 days into military assault
Israeli military strikes near Syria's presidential palace after warning over sectarian attacks
Israeli security cabinet backs plans to expand Gaza operation, media reports say
Drones strike ship carrying aid to Gaza, organizers say
Top UN court wraps a week of hearings on humanitarian aid to Gaza
Israel says downs missiles fired from Yemen
US meets Syria’s top diplomat, urges action to protect Druze minority
Greene furious over Ukraine minerals deal, Iran talks: ‘The base is not happy’

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sourceson on May 02-03/2025
Trump Should Oppose an Interim Nuclear Deal That Lets Iran Off the Hook/Andrea Stricker/The Algemeiner/May 02/2025
Europe's Illegal Land-Grab: Part II/Karys Rhea/Gatestone Institute/May 2, 2025
Donald Trump: Defender of Christendom?/Raymond Ibrahim/The Stream/May 02/2025
Question: “How can I be sure I am praying according to the will of God?”/GotQuestions.org/May 2, 2025
Canada's Islamist Takeover: 'It's Open Season On Jews And Jewish Institutes' – An Active Front In The Clash Of Civilizations/Steven Stalinsky/MEMRI/May 02/2025
The need for a UK-EU defense pact/Luke Coffey/Arab News/May 02, 2025
US democracy threatened by ‘antisemitism’ crackdown/Ray Hanania/Arab News/May 02, 2025
Journalism is not a crime/Daoud Kuttab/Arab News/May 02, 2025
Ankara, Washington, and Trump’s first 100 days/Dr. Sinem Cengiz/Arab News/May 02, 2025

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on May 02-03/2025
A Fruitful Meeting between Dr. Walid Phares and Mrs Morgan Ortagus
May 02/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/05/142943/
Dr. Walid Phares announced today on his social media accounts that he had met with Mrs.Morgan Ortagus and wrote: “I had an insightful and informative meeting today at the State Department with President Trump’s Deputy Envoy to the Middle East, Morgan Ortagus. She provided a detailed briefing on the latest developments surrounding the multiple tracks of the Abraham Accords and the potential next steps. I also shared my geopolitical assessments with Mrs. Ortagus on the situations in Syria and Lebanon, particularly focusing on the challenges facing civil societies and the prospects for peace”

Lebanon warns Hamas not to carry out any attacks from its territories
Bassem Mroue/AP/May 2, 2025
BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanese authorities warned the Hamas group Friday that it would face the “harshest measures” if it carried out any attacks from Lebanon. The warning by the Higher Defense Council, Lebanon’s top military body, came weeks after several Lebanese and Palestinians were detained on suspicion of firing rockets from Lebanon into northern Israel. “Hamas and other factions will not be allowed to endanger national stability,” the council said. “The safety of Lebanon’s territories is above all.”“The harshest measures will be taken to put a complete end to any act that infringes on Lebanon’s sovereignty,” according to a statement that was read by Brig. Gen. Mohammed al-Mustafa. Hamas officials did not immediately respond to requests by The Associated Press for comment. Since the Israel-Hamas war began in October 2023, the Palestinian militant group has carried out several attacks against Israel from Lebanon, where it has an armed presence. Israel has since carried out airstrikes that killed Hamas officials including one of its top military chiefs, Saleh Arouri, in Beirut. Lebanese authorities are seeking to establish their authority throughout the country, mainly in the south near the border with Israel after the 14-month Israel-Hezbollah war that ended in late November with the U.S.-brokered ceasefire. Authorities last month detained several people, including a number of Palestinians, who were allegedly involved in firing rockets toward Israel in two separate attacks in late March that triggered intense Israeli airstrikes on parts of Lebanon. Lebanon’s Hezbollah group denied at the time that it was behind the firing of rockets. The meeting of the Higher Defense Council was attended by senior officials including the country’s president, prime minister, army commander and heads of security services.
The council’s statement quoted Prime Minister Nawaf Salam as saying that all “illegal weapons” should be handed over to the state.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to visit Lebanon later this month.
Despite the ceasefire deal with Israel in November, Israel is continuing with near-daily airstrikes on Lebanon that have left dozens of civilians and Hezbollah members dead. Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported that an Israeli drone fired three missiles Friday morning at a gas station in the southern village of Houla, wounding five people. On Thursday, Israel said it killed an official with Hezbollah's elite Radwan Force in a drone strike in south Lebanon.

Lebanon warns Hamas not to compromise country’s national security
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Arab News/May 02, 2025
BEIRUT: Lebanon has warned Palestinian militant group Hamas not to conduct operations that compromise the country’s security or sovereignty, Beirut’s Supreme Defense Council said on Friday. The warning by Lebanon’s top military body came weeks after several Lebanese and Palestinians were detained on suspicion of firing rockets from Lebanon into northern Israel. The council recommended a series of decisions to Lebanon’s Cabinet, including “warning Hamas against using Lebanese territory to carry out any actions that threaten Lebanese national security.”It added that “any act that would violate Lebanon’s sovereignty will be met with the harshest measures.”The council session on Friday was presided over by President Joseph Aoun for the first time since his election. Brig. Gen. Mohammed Al-Mustafa, the council’s spokesperson, said that “military and security leaders have submitted multiple reports on the situation in several Lebanese areas, particularly concerning the firing of rockets from Lebanon toward the occupied territory, the suspects’ detention, and the issuance of necessary directives ensuring the proper enforcement of judicial procedures against them.”
Military and security bodies arrested several people suspected of launching rockets from Lebanese territory toward the Israeli side on March 22 and 28. The council was told that “the relevant bodies will begin their judicial proceedings next week against the detainees, as well as anyone deemed involved.”
According to Al-Mustafa, Aoun during the meeting underlined “the importance of boosting security, stability and extending state authority over all Lebanese territory, given its positive implications at various levels, based on the National Accord Document, the oath speech, and the government’s ministerial statement.”Aoun confirmed “the necessity of being firm with anyone attempting to turn Lebanon into a platform to disrupt stability, while emphasizing the importance of the Palestinian cause, and rejecting Lebanon’s involvement in any conflict or its exposure to danger.”
During the meeting, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stressed “the necessity to hand over illegal weapons, following the National Accord Document and the ministerial statement, and to prevent Hamas or any other faction from undermining Lebanon’s national security and stability.”He said that “the safety of Lebanese territory is above all else,” emphasizing “the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, under international law and the Arab Peace Initiative.”A security source revealed to Arab News that this measure comes in the context of the Lebanese army’s demand that Hamas hand over four individuals hiding in the Ain Al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp, suspected of involvement in planning rocket launches. They are considered military cadres, whereas the four individuals already detained by the army are merely executors who set up and launched the rockets. The source said: “Hamas attempted to dissuade the security agencies from arresting the four cadres through calls made by its leadership to political figures, particularly Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, an ally of Hezbollah.”However, the response was that the matter is under the jurisdiction of the Lebanese army, and no one would intervene in favor of Hamas against Lebanese interests. Hisham Debsi, director of the Tatweer Center for Strategic Studies and Human Development and a Palestinian researcher, said: “What Hamas has done has reached an unacceptable level of audacity, especially as the movement linked the handover of its weapons to the Lebanese authorities with Hezbollah handing over its own weapons.”Debsi said that “the process of disarming the Palestinian camps will proceed in phases and in coordination with the Palestinian Authority and the Fatah movement. Here lies the importance of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s upcoming visit to Lebanon on May 21.”This will be Abbas’s third visit to Lebanon after visits in 2007 and 2009.
Standing in front of the Presidential Palace after meeting with former President Michel Suleiman, Abbas had affirmed: “We will implement all that the Lebanese authorities’ requests about handing over Palestinian weapons, which no longer serve the Palestinian cause but rather work against it.”Debsi added: “Hezbollah, in contrast, prioritizes resolving the issue of weapons in the camps before discussing its own arms. In my opinion, this is a tactic to buy time. I believe this maneuver has failed, as evidenced by the Higher Defense Council’s position today, after Hamas crossed a Lebanese red line by launching rockets — a fatal mistake. “Overlooking the arms depots in the camps, whether they were smuggled by Hezbollah or others, is unacceptable,” Debsi said. “The Lebanese authorities are aware of the locations of rocket and ammunition depots. One such depot in the Burj Al-Shemali camp exploded, resulting in the killing of 24 people. “Handing over weapons and rejecting any security enclaves within the camps is a political matter,” he added. “What is required is to bring the camps under the law and hold Palestinians accountable according to the law.
“Disarming the camps is a step toward reconciling them with the Lebanese state, based on the rule of sovereignty and law in the camps.”
He said that “Palestinian refugees, both inside and outside their homes in the camps, are in a general state of discontent with all Palestinian parties, as their concerns lie elsewhere.”Ghassan Ayoub, a media official in Ain Al-Hilweh camp responsible for the wanted persons’ file, told Arab News: “The issue of Palestinian weapons has not yet been officially discussed between the Lebanese authorities and the Palestine Liberation Organization. When it is addressed, it must be based on the principle of rights and duties. We have bloody experiences with the matter of handing over weapons in the camps, which led in 1982 to the Sabra and Shatila massacre against unarmed Palestinians at the time.”Ayoub said the weapons found among Palestinian refugees in the camps are Kalashnikovs and handguns, which are commonly found in Lebanese homes as well.
He emphasized that such weapons are no longer effective when compared with the advanced Israeli weaponry used in the attacks on Lebanon, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. He added that the Palestinian camps initially expressed sympathy with the Hamas Al-Aqsa Flood operation, although public sentiment shifted as Palestinian suffering intensified. “Today, the priority for people is to stop the genocide of Palestinians and the stabilization of the lives of refugees in Lebanon’s camps,” Ayoub said. “We have no options, as we are affected by what happens in Lebanon. We are not expatriates here; we live our lives in every sense and do not want to be treated as foreigners.”

Aoun says disarmament to happen through dialogue, not force
Naharnet/02 May ,2025
President Joseph Aoun has stressed that the Lebanese Army is doing a “mighty job” and that its operations are still ongoing in the area south of the Litani River, despite the “geographic challenges and limited capabilities.”In a meeting with the editors-in-chief of Emirati newspapers on the sidelines of his visit to the UAE, Aoun added that the army is now focusing on “defusing the war possibility in the South Litani area.”“The decision of limiting arms to the hands of the state has been taken, through dialogue over concerns, not through force that leads to civil war,” the president said.
He added that he will not accept a civil war in the country under any circumstances.

Berri reportedly warns that 'residents' may act to liberate 5 points
Naharnet/02 May ,2025
In his latest meeting with the ambassadors of the five-nation group for Lebanon, Speaker Nabih Berri asked U.S. Ambassador Lisa Johnson and French Ambassador Herve Magro about their countries’ pledges regarding the ceasefire in Lebanon, reiterating that “Hezbollah has committed to the agreement while Israel is carrying out with its attacks,” a media report said. “Johnson responded that Washington would carry out the necessary contacts, prompting Berri to tell her, ‘Don’t embarrass us any further,’” An-Nahar newspaper reported on Friday. “Israel must first withdraw from the five points and residents cannot be prevented from heading to these sites to work on liberating them as long as they have not returned to their towns, especially the border towns,” Berri reportedly added.

Report: Lebanon received Israeli offer for political negotiations
Naharnet/02 May ,2025
President Joseph Aoun, Speaker Nabih Berri and PM Nawaf Salam have received an Israeli message through Qatar asking that Lebanon hold political negotiations with Israel instead of holding indirect negotiations through military officers, An-Nahar newspaper reported on Friday. “International parties told the officials that such a negotiations channel can be opened without signing a peace treaty with Tel Aviv nor opening an embassy for it in Beirut,” the daily added. But the Israeli proposal was “swiftly rejected by Speaker Nabih Berri and Hezbollah” and “was not welcomed by President Joseph Aoun and PM Nawaf Salam,” the newspaper said.

Abbas to discuss handover of Palestinian arms during Lebanon visit
Naharnet/02 May ,2025
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will make an official visit to Lebanon on May 21, Kuwait’s al-Rai newspaper reported on Friday. “The protocol arrangements of the visit have practically started, undertaken by Palestinian Ambassador to Lebanon Ashraf Dabbour, amid expectations that the issue of Palestinian weapons will be on the table of discussions as part of the visit’s official agenda,” informed Palestinian sources told the daily. “The handover of weapons will only take place through an official Lebanese-Palestinian dialogue led by Abbas, in his capacity as the president of the Palestine Liberation Organization and the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people,” the sources added. “This dialogue will represent a groundwork that allows for calm and gradual progress, away from any clash or security explosion inside the camps,” the sources said.

2 men who attacked Sunni imam in Baalshmay arrested
Naharnet/02 May ,2025
The army on Friday announced the arrest of two men who assaulted the imam of the mosque of the Mt. Lebanon town of Chbaniyeh in an incident apparently related to the sectarian violence between Druze and Sunnis in neighboring Syria.
An army statement said the two Lebanese citizens had assaulted the Sunni Muslim cleric in the Baabda district town of Baalshmay. Media reports identified the cleric as Sheikh Hussein Hamza, adding that he was with his family members during the incident.
In the statement, the army urged citizens to “show responsibility and not be dragged into acts that might harm civil peace during the critical period that our country is going through.”The religious council of Lebanon’s Druze community had earlier strongly condemned the incident, saying the perpetrators “insulted Mount Lebanon, its residents and its ethical, social and religious values before anything else.”It also said that it does not cover any security violator regardless of their motives. The council “reiterates what it had announced at the beginning of the incidents in Syria, that it rejects any outlawed practices, whether through the blocking of roads or through attacking any of the sons of the dear Sunni community, with whom we have tight relations and coexistence,” it added, while also refusing any harm against Syrian refugees.

Israeli strike in south Lebanon kills two
Agence France Presse/02 May ,2025
Lebanon's health ministry said two people were killed in Israeli strikes in the south of the country on Thursday, despite a fragile ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel. The ministry said in a statement that an "Israeli enemy" drone attacked a vehicle in the town of Mays al-Jabal, killing a Lebanese national and wounding two Syrians. Another person was killed in a separate strike in the town, the ministry said in a second statement. Israel's military said in a statement it had killed two Hezbollah militants in two separate strikes. Israel has continued to launch regular strikes in Lebanon despite the November 27 truce which sought to halt more than a year of hostilities with Hezbollah that culminated in a heavy Israeli bombing campaign and ground incursion. Under the deal, Hezbollah was to pull its fighters north of Lebanon's Litani River, some 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the border with Israel, and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure to its south. Israel was to withdraw all its forces from south Lebanon, but it has kept troops in five positions that it deems "strategic".President Joseph Aoun told Sky News Arabia on Wednesday that the Lebanese Army now controls more than 85 percent of the south. A Lebanese security source confirmed to AFP that Hezbollah withdrew from south of the Litani and has dismantled most of its military infrastructure in that area. A commission comprising Lebanon, Israel, the United States, France and the United Nations is responsible for overseeing the ceasefire's implementation. Beirut wants the international community to pressure Israel to end its attacks and withdraw from the five border positions where it has kept troops. Lebanon says it has respected its commitments and that Israel has failed to comply with the agreement.

Joumblatt Meets Al-Sharaa, Calls for Accountability Over Tensions in Syria
This is Beirut/02 May ,2025
In a surprise visit to the Syrian capital on Friday, former Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Joumblatt met with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa at the People’s Palace. The private meeting marks a notable shift in regional political dynamics and comes amid rising tensions in southern Syria. Joumblatt left the palace without making any public statements. However, Syrian state television later revealed details of the discussions, highlighting Joumblatt’s firm positions on several key issues. According to Syria TV, Joumblatt confirmed to President Sharaa his rejection of certain demands for international protection for the Druze community. He also stressed the importance of limiting the possession of weapons exclusively to the Syrian state, reinforcing his support for state sovereignty and centralized authority. In addition, Joumblatt called for the formation of a committee to identify those responsible for the recent incidents in Jaramana and Sahnaya, two towns that have witnessed episodes of unrest in recent days.

Sheikh Sami Abi Al-Muna Urges Unity and Regional Stability Amidst Tensions in Syria
This is Beirut/02 May ,2025
In a recent meeting at the Druze Unitarian Community House on Friday, Sheikh Sami Abi Al-Muna, the Grand Mufti of the Druze community, addressed a gathering of Arab ambassadors and accredited officials, emphasizing the importance of unity in the face of mounting tensions in Syria. He denounced the recent bloody events in Syria, labeling them as part of a “sedition project,” and urged influential Arab, Islamic and international countries to take responsibility. “We call upon you, brothers, and upon the influential Arab, Islamic and international countries to shoulder their responsibilities in controlling matters, preventing suspicious plots and curbing inflammatory rhetoric,” stated the Sheikh. Abi Al-Muna's remarks focused on the Druze community's long-standing loyalty to Islamic values and the unity of the region. He stressed that the Druze have always defended the sacred values of land, honor and religious duty, advocating for the preservation of Syria's territorial integrity and the building of a democratic state. He rejected any efforts to establish the Druze as an independent religion or nationality. The Sheikh called for a cooperative approach to resolving the ongoing conflict, appealing to the Syrian government to act responsibly in restoring order. He condemned the recent inflammatory speeches and sectarian attacks, recognizing the efforts of wise leaders in Syria who have worked to contain the violence. He stated, “We say to our people: Let us make room for this new administration so that it can prove its worth, reassure its people and instill confidence in its society first and foremost.”The meeting underscored the importance of diplomacy and dialogue in resolving conflicts, with the ambassadors agreeing that these tensions should be addressed through peaceful negotiations. Egyptian Ambassador Alaa Moussa, speaking on behalf of the ambassadors, echoed the Sheikh's sentiments, stating, “The focus of the discussion was the latest developments and what the Druze Unitarians are going through. It was a message from His Eminence the Sheikh, stressing the need for reason, calm and the search for commonalities.”In a separate statement, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam reaffirmed Lebanon's unwavering support for Syria, stating, “What matters to the Lebanese government is establishing security and stability in Syria, ensuring the safety of its people and fulfilling their hopes and aspirations.”He emphasized Lebanon's solidarity with Syria, srating, “Lebanon stands in solidarity with Syria in the face of Israeli attacks and is fully committed to preserving the unity of Syrian territory.”The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to preventing strife and ensuring the safety and unity of the Druze community and the region at large. The Sheikh's call for swift international intervention aims to avert the spread of violence, particularly in Lebanon, and to preserve peace among Syria’s diverse communities.

Lebanon to Grant Exceptional Entry Permits to Jaramana and Sahnaya Residents
This is Beirut/02 May ,2025
Lebanese General Security is set to issue exceptional one-month entry permits to residents of the Syrian towns of Jaramana and Sahnaya, sources told An-Nahar newspaper on Friday. The decision comes as part of ongoing security coordination between Lebanon and Syria amid escalating tensions in southern Syria.The permits will allow residents of the two towns to temporarily enter Lebanon, a move described as both a humanitarian gesture and a response to security concerns. This decision is expected to coincide with a policy under consideration that would waive the current border fee of LBP 4 million for Druze and Alawite Syrians entering Lebanon, effective for a limited period due to recent developments. The decision follows violent clashes between Syrian General Security Forces and armed Druze fighters in Sahnaya, which led to widespread fear and significant property damage. Syrian state media reported that an agreement had been reached in Jaramana between Syrian government officials and local leaders. According to Lieutenant Colonel Hussam al-Tahhan, Director of the Damascus Countryside Security Directorate, the agreement includes the immediate surrender of heavy weapons by local groups and an increased deployment of Syrian General Security forces to restore order. The goal of the agreement is reportedly to stabilize Jaramana, a suburb of Damascus with a complex social fabric and a history of security challenges, while facilitating the return to normal life in the area. The coordination between Lebanese and Syrian authorities reflects a broader effort to manage the movement of people across the border and address the evolving security and political realities in southern Syria. However, Lebanese authorities have not yet provided details on when the new entry procedures will take effect.

Council of Ministers Approves Draft Law on Judicial Independence
This is Beirut/02 May ,2025
Lebanon’s Council of Ministers approved the Judicial Independence Bill on Friday, marking a significant step toward strengthening the country’s legal system. The bill aims to ensure the impartiality of judges by protecting them from external pressures during the decision-making process. This measure is expected to restore public trust in the judiciary and enhance Lebanon's credibility both domestically and internationally. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam highlighted the importance of the legislation, stating, “This legislation reinforces the impartiality required of judges by protecting them from pressure or temptation in the course of issuing rulings.”He added that the bill would not only instill confidence in litigants, but also contribute to revitalizing economic activity by “restoring the trust necessary to attract investment.”Salam emphasized that the bill will also help “reestablish the balance that has been lacking between the judiciary and the legislative and executive branches.”The Cabinet also approved granting tax exemptions to individuals and businesses affected by the recent war. The Council also affirmed the recommendation of the Supreme Defense Council to issue a warning to Hamas, stressing the need to “put a definitive end to any such activities” that threaten Lebanese sovereignty. Minister of Information Paul Morcos further elaborated on the bill, saying, “The Minister of Justice explained the mechanism of the draft law on judicial independence in terms of financial independence and allocating a special budget for it within the Ministry of Justice.”Morcos also emphasized that the bill provides financial autonomy to the judiciary, ensuring that it operates independently of external influences.

Food Security: Economy Minister Launches Strategic Study With FAO and WFP
This is Beirut/02 May ,2025
The Minister of Trade and Economy, Amer Bisat, held talks with representatives of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Program (WFP), in the presence of the Director General of Cereals and Sugar Beet and the Director of Grain Silos. Discussions focused on the development of a national food security strategy and the reconstruction of storage silos, at the request of the Minister. This initiative is part of efforts to strengthen Lebanon's resilience to food crises and restore a key infrastructure of the national supply system.

Lebanon expresses solidarity with Syria amid Israeli strikes, PM Salam says
LBCI/02 May ,2025
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Lebanon is committed to supporting security and stability in Syria and to ensuring the safety and aspirations of the Syrian people.
He affirmed Lebanon’s solidarity with Syria in the face of ongoing Israeli attacks and emphasized Beirut’s firm stance on preserving Syria’s territorial integrity.

Lebanon's PM Salam says judicial reform law a step toward restoring state credibility
LBCI/02 May ,2025
Lebanon’s Cabinet approved a long-awaited draft law on Friday to boost judicial independence, a step Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said would help shield judges from political and financial interference and restore public trust in the country’s courts.
The proposed legislation, according to Salam, aims to protect judges from outside pressure, allowing them to issue rulings more impartially. Salam said the law will assure citizens that court decisions are not swayed by political, religious, or financial interests while also sending a signal of credibility to international partners and investors. He added that the move is key to reviving economic activity by rebuilding confidence in Lebanon’s legal system and restoring balance among the judiciary, parliament, and government. The bill is seen as a critical step in enhancing the state’s credibility both domestically and abroad.

Breaking: Lebanon's Cabinet approves judiciary independence law
LBCI/02 May ,2025
Lebanon's Cabinet has approved a new draft law aimed at ensuring the independence of the judiciary. The move is seen as a key step in addressing long-standing concerns about political interference in Lebanon's legal system.

Lebanon eyes recovery driven by reforms with $934M in preliminary funding
LBCI/02 May ,2025
You’ve probably heard about Lebanon’s participation in the 2025 Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group (WBG) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) — but what actually came out of it? The Lebanese delegation, led by Finance Minister Yassine Jaber and joined by senior advisors and officials, took part in dozens of official and bilateral meetings. They engaged with a broad range of stakeholders, including the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, international investors, global organizations, Arab and foreign funds, and key global figures. The outcome: both the World Bank and the IMF reaffirmed their support for Lebanon and its reform agenda. However, financial assistance is conditional — real progress on reforms is required. As part of the outcome, Lebanon secured preliminary approval for $934 million in funding. The package includes $250 million for the electricity sector under a signed loan agreement. The funding is designated for establishing a national control center, building "solar farms" expected to save $40 million annually, rehabilitating three hydroelectric plants, upgrading accounting and billing systems, and modernizing the electricity transmission network. An additional $256 million is allocated for the water sector, $200 million for agriculture, $200 million for social protection, and $28 million for digitalization. All financing will be offered on concessional terms, with repayment periods extending up to 50 years. These gains represent a critical opportunity to restore growth and stability. However, success depends on Lebanon accelerating reform legislation, continuing coordination with the IMF and World Bank, strengthening ties with the international community and the Lebanese diaspora, and adhering to its action plan with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). That plan aims to remove Lebanon from the grey list. Increased private sector engagement and investment in productive sectors will also be essential.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on May 02-03/2025
Syria slams Israeli Damascus strike as ‘dangerous escalation’
AFP/02 May ,2025
Syria’s rulers on Friday denounced an airstrike near the presidential palace as a “dangerous escalation,” as Israel called it a “clear message” not to harm the Druze minority. The dawn strike came hours after senior Druze clerics and armed factions reaffirmed their loyalty to Damascus and rejected any call for secession. They also urged the authorities to appoint local officials to official posts in their Sweida province stronghold. The statement followed sectarian clashes between Druze fighters and Syrian forces, including government-affiliated groups. More than 100 people were killed in Jaramana and Sahnaya near Damascus and in Sweida, war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Friday’s explosion from the presidential palace area was heard across Damascus, an AFP correspondent reported. Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee said “warplanes attacked... the area near Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa’s palace in Damascus,” referring to the president. In a joint statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz called it a “clear message” to Syria’s new rulers. “We will not allow forces to be sent south of Damascus or any threat to the Druze community,” they said. Syria’s presidency called the strike “a dangerous escalation against state institutions and its sovereignty,” and accused Israel of destabilizing the country. After this week’s sectarian clashes a de-escalation deal was agreed between Druze representatives and the government, prompting troop deployments in Sahnaya and tighter security around Jaramana. Syrian officials said the agreement also included the immediate surrender of heavy weapons. An AFP photographer saw troops taking over checkpoints from Druze gunmen in Jaramana, although no handover of weapons was witnessed.
‘Outlaw groups’ Qatar, a main backer of Syria’s new rulers, called Friday’s Israeli airstrike “blatant aggression against the sovereignty” of the country. A German foreign ministry statement said “Syria must not become the venue for regional tensions to be played out.”A 55-year-old who asked to be identified only as Ahmed said Friday’s blast woke his family. “Unfortunately, we have gotten used to explosions and Israeli strikes in Damascus. Curse them,” he said. Israel has attacked hundreds of military sites since opposition-led forces deposed longtime president Bashar al-Assad in December. It has also sent troops into the demilitarized buffer zone that used to separate Israeli and Syrian forces on the Golan Heights. On Wednesday Israel launched strikes near Damascus and threatened more if violence against the Druze continued. The unrest inside Syria was sparked by the circulation of an audio recording attributed to a Druze citizen and deemed blasphemous. AFP was unable to confirm its authenticity. Syria’s government said “outlaw groups” were behind the violence, but the Observatory and Druze residents said forces affiliated with the new authorities attacked Jaramana and Sahnaya and clashed with Druze gunmen. “The situation is calm, but we are scared. Everyone is terrified,” 35-year-old housewife Arij told AFP, adding that many Christians and Druze “have fled to Damascus.”

Iran must ‘walk away’ from all uranium enrichment, Rubio says
Reuters/02 May ,2025
Iran has to “walk away” from uranium enrichment and long-range missile development and it should allow American inspectors of its facilities, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday as a round of nuclear talks was postponed. Rubio’s comments underscore the major remaining divisions in talks between the countries to resolve the long-running dispute over Iran’s nuclear program, with US President Donald Trump threatening to bomb Iran if there is no agreement. “They have to walk away from sponsoring terrorists, they have to walk away from helping the Houthis (in Yemen), they have to walk away from building long-range missiles that have no purpose to exist other than having nuclear weapons, and they have to walk away from enrichment,” Rubio said in a Fox News interview. Iran has repeatedly said it will not give up its missile program or its uranium enrichment - a process used to make fuel for nuclear power plants but which can also yield material for an atomic warhead. On Thursday a senior Iranian official told Reuters that the scheduled fourth round of talks due to take place in Rome on Saturday had been postponed and that a new date would be set “depending on the US approach.”Rubio said Iran should import enriched uranium for its nuclear power program rather than enriching it to any level. “If you have the ability to enrich at 3.67 percent it only takes a few weeks to get to 20 percent then 60 percent and then the 80 and 90 percent that you need for a weapon,” he said. Iran has said it has a right to enrich uranium under the terms of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. It denies wanting to build a nuclear bomb. Rubio also said Iran would have to accept that Americans could be involved in any inspection regime and that inspectors would require access to all facilities, including military ones.

Netanyahu's campaign against Iran's nuclear program is muted with Trump in power
Associated Press/02 May ,2025
When the U.S. and Iran met for nuclear talks a decade ago, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu railed against an emerging deal from the world's most public stages, including in a fiery speech to Congress seen as a direct challenge to the Obama administration as it was wrapping up the talks.
Now, as the sides sit down to discuss a new deal, Netanyahu has fallen silent. Netanyahu sees an Iran with nuclear weapons as an existential threat to Israel, and he is just as wary of any new U.S. agreement with its archenemy that may not meet his standards. Yet he finds himself shackled with Donald Trump in the White House. Netanyahu is unwilling to publicly criticize a president who has shown broad support for Israel, whom he deems to be Israel's greatest friend, and who doesn't take well to criticism. He "can't do anything that goes against Trump. He's paralyzed," said Yoel Guzansky, an Iran expert at the Institute for National Security Studies, a Tel Aviv-based think tank. Israel is in a position of power against Iran after a series of strategic achievements over the past 18 months in the wars that have shaken the Middle East. It thrashed Iran's allies in Lebanon, Gaza and Syria, and directly attacked Iran last year, neutralizing some of its key air defenses. Experts say Israel now has a window of opportunity for what could be an effective strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, with possibly less regional blowback.
Yet Israel's leader was recently unable to galvanize Trump to prioritize a strike against Iran's nuclear facilities — which would likely hinge on U.S. military assistance to be successful. With the U.S. negotiating with Iran, Israel has little legitimacy to pursue a military option on its own. "Netanyahu is trapped," said Eytan Gilboa, an expert on U.S.-Israel relations at Bar-Ilan University near Tel Aviv. "He was banking on Israel's position relative to Iran to improve under Trump. In practice, it's the opposite."
Netanyahu and his nationalist supporters hoped Trump's return to the White House would be advantageous because of his history of support for Israel. They thought that, under Trump, the U.S. might back a strike on Iranian nuclear facilities. But Trump's approach to Iran — as well as on other issues, such as tariffs — has shown the relationship is more complicated, and that Trump's interests don't entirely align with Netanyahu's. Netanyahu has long accused Iran of developing a nuclear weapon and went on a global campaign against the Obama deal. He painted the nuclear program as an existential threat to Israel and the world, and said the agreement was too weak to contain it. Israel remains the Mideast's only nuclear-armed state, an advantage it would like to keep. With Netanyahu's strong encouragement, Trump backed out of the deal struck by Obama. And since returning to the White House, Trump has given Israel free rein in its war against Hamas in Gaza, been soft on the worsening humanitarian crisis in the territory and launched strikes against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, who have attacked Israel since the start of the war. But now that the U.S. has returned to the negotiating table with Iran, Netanyahu would risk jeopardizing his good ties with the president if he were to publicly oppose one of his administration's key foreign policy initiatives. The last time Netanyahu crossed the temperamental Trump was when he congratulated Joe Biden for his election win in 2020. Trump was apparently offended by the perceived disloyalty, and their ties went into deep freeze. Israel is communicating to Washington its priorities for any deal. As part of that, it understood that should Israel choose to carry out a strike on Iran, it would likely be doing so alone — so long as negotiations were underway, according to an Israeli official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomacy. In a speech in Jerusalem this week, Netanyahu said he had discussed his terms for a deal with Trump. He explained that it would need to dismantle all the infrastructure of Iran's nuclear program and that it should work to prevent Iran from developing ballistic missiles capable of delivering a bomb.
"I said to President Trump that I hope that this is what the negotiators will do. We're in close contact with the United States. But I said one way or the other – Iran will not have nuclear weapons," he said. Netanyahu has said he would favor a strict diplomatic agreement similar to Libya's deal in 2003 to destroy its nuclear facilities and allow inspectors unfettered access. However, it is not clear if Trump will set such strict conditions — and Iran has rejected giving up its right to enrich. The Trump-led talks with Iran began earlier this month and have advanced to expert discussions over how to rein in Iran's nuclear program and prevent it from being able to obtain atomic weapons, should it choose to pursue them. Iran says its program is for peaceful purposes, though some officials increasingly threaten to pursue the bomb.
While Trump has said a military option remains on the table, and has moved military assets to the region, he says he prefers a diplomatic solution. Planned talks between Iran and the United States this weekend were postponed on Thursday.
Since Trump scrapped the Obama-era agreement in 2018, Iran has ramped up its nuclear enrichment and increased its uranium stockpile. Netanyahu's 2015 speech to Congress against Obama's deal — at the invitation of Republicans — was made without consulting the White House. Obama did not attend.
That was just one of many instances in which Netanyahu was seen as cozying up to Republicans, driving a wedge in what has traditionally been bipartisan support for Israel. That, coupled with Netanyahu's strained relationship with the Biden administration over Israel's conduct in Gaza, has meant that Netanyahu can't rely on Democratic allies to take up his cause. Still, Netanyahu would struggle to find any Republicans willing to publicly confront the president on this issue. And he himself will struggle to criticize a deal if one is clinched; instead, he might send surrogates like his far-right allies to do so, said Gilboa of Bar-Ilan University. But until then, Gilboa said, Netanyahu's best hope is that the talks fail. "That, for him, will be the best case scenario."

US expects Iran talks soon but Trump presses sanctions
Agence France Presse/02 May ,2025
The United States said it expected new nuclear talks to take place soon with Iran but President Donald Trump vowed to enforce sanctions and called for global boycott of "any amount" of Iranian oil or petrochemicals. Iran said that a fourth round of talks with the Trump administration, which had been set to take place this weekend in Rome, had been delayed. Oman, which has mediated between the long-time adversaries, said that "logistical reasons" were to blame for the delay. But in Washington, State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said that the meeting's date and venue had never been decided. "We expect another round of talks that will take place in the near future," she told reporters. Trump, who ripped up an earlier nuclear deal in 2018, has voiced hope at securing a fresh agreement to resolve concerns and stave off the possibility of an Israeli military strike on Iran. Yet, he has openly spoken of his ambivalence. On returning to office, he vowed a return to "maximum pressure" but said he was doing so reluctantly, at the behest of hawkish advisors. Iran wants relief from sweeping sanctions imposed by Trump in the first term, including a U.S. attempt to bar all countries from buying Iranian oil. Trump on Thursday vowed enforcement, a day after the United States imposed sanctions on seven companies accused of transporting Iranian-origin petroleum products. "All purchases of Iranian Oil, or Petrochemical products, must stop, NOW!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. "Any Country or person who buys ANY AMOUNT of OIL or PETROCHEMICALS from Iran will be subject to, immediately, Secondary Sanctions," he wrote. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday warned Iran on social media over support to Yemen's Huthi insurgents, who are being pounded by US airstrikes over their missile firings in the Red Sea in purported solidarity with the Palestinians. "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," Hegseth wrote.
'Lack of goodwill' -
Iran's foreign ministry condemned what it called "the contradictory approach of American decision-makers and their lack of goodwill and seriousness in advancing the path of diplomacy."The sanctions mark the latest US attempt "to disrupt friendly and legal relations between developing countries through economic terrorism," it said.Steve Witkoff, Trump's business friend turned globe-trotting envoy, has led the talks and voiced optimism about the atmosphere with the Iranians. Witkoff had earlier hinted at more flexibility in the talks but Secretary of State Marco Rubio -- now also Trump's national security advisor -- has insisted that the goal is the complete dismantlement of Iran's program. Many Iran watchers believe Tehran will never give up its program as a whole and the previous 2015 agreement, negotiated under former president Barack Obama, allowed a pathway to a limited civilian nuclear program. The 2015 deal included Russia, China and three European powers -- Britain, France and Germany -- which unsuccessfully sought to dissuade Trump from ripping it up. The European powers had been set to meet as well with Iran on a technical level on Friday ahead of the U.S.-Iran talks. "Since that meeting is not taking place, the technical meeting is no longer relevant, at least at that time," French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told AFP on a visit to Washington. Western governments have long accused Iran of seeking to acquire a nuclear weapons capability -- a goal Tehran has consistently denied, insisting its program is for peaceful purposes only.

Netanyahu’s campaign against Iran’s nuclear program is muted with Trump in power
The Associated Press/02 May ,2025
When the US and Iran met for nuclear talks a decade ago, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu railed against an emerging deal from the world’s most public stages, including in a fiery speech to Congress seen as a direct challenge to the Obama administration as it was wrapping up the talks.
Now, as the sides sit down to discuss a new deal, Netanyahu has fallen silent. Netanyahu sees an Iran with nuclear weapons as an existential threat to Israel, and he is just as wary of any new US agreement with its archenemy that may not meet his standards. Yet he finds himself shackled with Donald Trump in the White House. Netanyahu is unwilling to publicly criticize a president who has shown broad support for Israel, whom he deems to be Israel’s greatest friend, and who doesn’t take well to criticism. He “can’t do anything that goes against Trump. He’s paralyzed,” said Yoel Guzansky, an Iran expert at the Institute for National Security Studies, a Tel Aviv-based think tank. Israel is in a position of power against Iran after a series of strategic achievements over the past 18 months in the wars that have shaken the Middle East. It thrashed Iran’s allies in Lebanon, Gaza and Syria, and directly attacked Iran last year, neutralizing some of its key air defenses. Experts say Israel now has a window of opportunity for what could be an effective strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, with possibly less regional blowback. Yet Israel’s leader was recently unable to galvanize Trump to prioritize a strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities — which would likely hinge on US military assistance to be successful. With the US negotiating with Iran, Israel has little legitimacy to pursue a military option on its own. “Netanyahu is trapped,” said Eytan Gilboa, an expert on US-Israel relations at Bar-Ilan University near Tel Aviv. “He was banking on Israel’s position relative to Iran to improve under Trump. In practice, it’s the opposite.”
Netanyahu hoped for alignment with Trump on Iran
Netanyahu and his nationalist supporters hoped Trump’s return to the White House would be advantageous because of his history of support for Israel. They thought that, under Trump, the US might back a strike on Iranian nuclear facilities. But Trump’s approach to Iran — as well as on other issues, such as tariffs — has shown the relationship is more complicated, and that Trump’s interests don’t entirely align with Netanyahu’s. Netanyahu has long accused Iran of developing a nuclear weapon and went on a global campaign against the Obama deal. He painted the nuclear program as an existential threat to Israel and the world, and said the agreement was too weak to contain it. Israel remains the Mideast’s only nuclear-armed state, an advantage it would like to keep. With Netanyahu’s strong encouragement, Trump backed out of the deal struck by Obama. And since returning to the White House, Trump has given Israel free rein in its war against Hamas in Gaza, been soft on the worsening humanitarian crisis in the territory and launched strikes against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, who have attacked Israel since the start of the war. But now that the US has returned to the negotiating table with Iran, Netanyahu would risk jeopardizing his good ties with the president if he were to publicly oppose one of his administration’s key foreign policy initiatives.
The last time Netanyahu crossed the temperamental Trump was when he congratulated Joe Biden for his election win in 2020. Trump was apparently offended by the perceived disloyalty, and their ties went into deep freeze. Israel is communicating to Washington its priorities for any deal. As part of that, it understood that should Israel choose to carry out a strike on Iran, it would likely be doing so alone — so long as negotiations were underway, according to an Israeli official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomacy. Netanyahu is hoping for a strict deal on Iran’s nuclear program. In a speech in Jerusalem this week, Netanyahu said he had discussed his terms for a deal with Trump. He explained that it would need to dismantle all the infrastructure of Iran’s nuclear program and that it should work to prevent Iran from developing ballistic missiles capable of delivering a bomb. “I said to President Trump that I hope that this is what the negotiators will do. We’re in close contact with the United States. But I said one way or the other – Iran will not have nuclear weapons,” he said. Netanyahu has said he would favor a strict diplomatic agreement similar to Libya’s deal in 2003 to destroy its nuclear facilities and allow inspectors unfettered access. However, it is not clear if Trump will set such strict conditions — and Iran has rejected giving up its right to enrich. The Trump-led talks with Iran began earlier this month and have advanced to expert discussions over how to rein in Iran’s nuclear program and prevent it from being able to obtain atomic weapons, should it choose to pursue them. Iran says its program is for peaceful purposes, though some officials increasingly threaten to pursue the bomb. While Trump has said a military option remains on the table, and has moved military assets to the region, he says he prefers a diplomatic solution. Planned talks between Iran and the United States this weekend were postponed on Thursday.
Netanyahu will also struggle to criticize a deal once one is clinched. Since Trump scrapped the Obama-era agreement in 2018, Iran has ramped up its nuclear enrichment and increased its uranium stockpile. Netanyahu’s 2015 speech to Congress against Obama’s deal — at the invitation of Republicans — was made without consulting the White House. Obama did not attend. That was just one of many instances in which Netanyahu was seen as cozying up to Republicans, driving a wedge in what has traditionally been bipartisan support for Israel. That, coupled with Netanyahu’s strained relationship with the Biden administration over Israel’s conduct in Gaza, has meant that Netanyahu can’t rely on Democratic allies to take up his cause. Still, Netanyahu would struggle to find any Republicans willing to publicly confront the president on this issue. And he himself will struggle to criticize a deal if one is clinched; instead, he might send surrogates like his far-right allies to do so, said Gilboa of Bar-Ilan University. But until then, Gilboa said, Netanyahu’s best hope is that the talks fail.
“That, for him, will be the best-case scenario.”

Gaza rescuers say 42 killed in Israeli strikes
AFP/May 02, 2025
GAZA CITY: Gaza’s civil defense agency said Israeli strikes killed at least 42 people Friday in the Palestinian territory, devastated by war and under a total Israeli aid blockade for two months. Israel resumed its military campaign in the Gaza Strip on March 18 after the collapse of a ceasefire that had largely halted the fighting. Nine people were killed when an Israeli air strike hit a home in Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, civil defense official Mohammed Al-Mughayyir told AFP. AFP footage in the aftermath of a strike on Bureij camp showed Palestinians searching for casualties in the rubble of a flattened building. “They gave us no warning, no phone call — we woke up at midnight to smoke, rubble, stones, and shrapnel raining down on us,” said Mohammed Al-Sheikh, standing among collapsed concrete slabs. “We pulled out martyrs — bodies and limbs from under the rubble.” Another six people were killed in a strike targeting the Al-Masri family home in the northern city of Beit Lahia, civil defense official Mughayyir added. In Gaza City, a strike on a community kitchen claimed the lives of six more, the civil defense agency reported. Across the Gaza Strip, at least 21 other deaths were reported in similar attacks, the agency said. The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said on Thursday that at least 2,326 people have been killed since Israel resumed its campaign in Gaza, bringing the overall death toll since the war broke out to 52,418. The war erupted after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. That attack 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. The Israeli government says its renewed campaign aims to force Hamas to free the remaining captives, although critics charge it puts them in mortal danger. Israel halted aid deliveries to Gaza on March 2, days before the collapse of the ceasefire which had come into effect on January 19. The United Nations has repeatedly warned of the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe on the ground, with famine again looming. On Friday, the International Committee of the Red Cross said the humanitarian response in Gaza was on the “verge of total collapse.”“This situation must not — and cannot — be allowed to escalate further,” its deputy director of operations, Pascal Hundt, said in a statement.

West Bank residents losing hope 100 days into military assault
AFP/May 02, 2025
JENIN: On a torn-up road near the refugee camp where she once lived, Saja Bawaqneh said she struggled to find hope 100 days after an Israeli offensive in the occupied West Bank forced her to flee. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been displaced in the north of the territory since Israel began a major “anti-terrorist operation” dubbed “Iron Wall” on Jan. 21. Bawaqneh said life was challenging and uncertain since she was forced to leave Jenin refugee camp — one of three targeted by the offensive, along with Tulkarm and Nur Shams. “We try to hold on to hope, but unfortunately, reality offers none,” she said. “Nothing is clear in Jenin camp even after 100 days — we still don’t know whether we will return to our homes, or whether those homes have been damaged or destroyed.” Bawaqneh said residents were banned from entering the camp and that “no one knows ... what happened inside.”Israel’s military in late February deployed tanks in Jenin for the first time in the West Bank since the end of the second intifada. In early March, it said it had expanded its offensive to more city areas. AFP footage this week showed power lines dangling above Jenin’s streets blocked with barriers made of churned-up earth. Wastewater pooled in the road outside the Jenin Governmental Hospital. Farha Abu Al-Hija, a member of the Popular Committee for Services in Jenin camp, said families living in the vicinity of the camp were being removed by Israeli forces daily. “A hundred days have passed like a hundred years for the displaced people of Jenin camp,” she said. “Their situation is dire, the conditions are harsh, and they are enduring pain unlike anything they have ever known.” Medical charity Doctors Without Borders in March denounced the “extremely precarious” situation of Palestinians displaced by the military assault, saying they were going “without proper shelter, essential services, and access to health care.” It said the scale of forced displacement and destruction of camps “has not been seen in decades” in the West Bank. The UN says about 40,000 residents have been displaced since Jan. 21.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has said the offensive would last several months and ordered troops to stop residents from returning. Israeli forces put up barriers at several entrances of the Jenin camp in late April, AFP footage showed. The Israeli offensive began two days after a truce came into effect in the Gaza Strip between the Israeli military and Gaza’s Hamas rulers. Two months later, that truce collapsed and Israel resumed its offensive in Gaza, a Palestinian territory separate from the West Bank. Since the Gaza war began in October 2023, violence has soared in the West Bank. Israeli troops or settlers have killed at least 925 Palestinians in the territory since then, according to the Ramallah-based Health Ministry.

Israeli military strikes near Syria's presidential palace after warning over sectarian attacks
Ghaith Alsayed And Sam Mednick/AP/May 2, 2025
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Israel’s air force struck near Syria's presidential palace early Friday after warning Syrian authorities not to march toward villages inhabited by members of a minority sect in southern Syria. The strike came after days of clashes between pro-Syrian government gunmen and fighters who belong to the Druze minority sect near the capital, Damascus. The clashes left dozens of people dead or wounded. Friday's strike was Israel's second on Syria this week, and attacking an area close to the presidential palace appears to send a strong warning to Syria's new leadership that is mostly made up of Islamist groups led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. On Thursday, Syria's Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri harshly criticized Syria’s government for what he called an “unjustified genocidal attack” on the minority community. Early Friday, the Druze religious leadership said the community is part of Syria and refuses to break away from the country, adding that the role of the state should be activated in the southern province of Sweida and authorities should be in control of the Sweida-Damascus highway. “We confirm our commitment to a country that includes all Syrians, a nation that is free of strife,” the statement said. In the Damascus suburb of Jaramana, where fighting occurred earlier this week, security forces deployed inside the area along with local Druze gunmen, and at a later stage heavy weapons will be handed over to authorities. As part of the deal, forces from the defense ministry will deploy around Jaramana without going inside.
Israeli fighter jets strike near the palace
The Israeli army said that fighter jets struck adjacent to the area of the Palace of President Ahmad al-Sharaa in Damascus. Its statement gave no further details.Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said the strike was a message to Syrian leaders. “This is a clear message to the Syrian regime. We will not allow the deployment of forces south of Damascus or any threat to the Druze community," said the joint statement. Pro-government Syrian media outlets said the strike hit close to the People’s Palace on a hill overlooking the city. Over the past two days the Israeli military said it had evacuated Syrian Druze who were wounded in the fighting. The Israeli army said in a statement Friday that a soldier was killed and three were lightly injured in an accident in the Golan Heights. An army statement added that the soldiers were evacuated to receive medical treatment at the hospital and that the circumstances of the incident are being investigated.
Clashes set off by disputed audio clip
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.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 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, largely in the southern Sweida province and some suburbs of Damascus. 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.

Israeli security cabinet backs plans to expand Gaza operation, media reports say
Reuters/May 2, 2025
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's security cabinet approved plans for an expanded operation in the Gaza Strip, Israeli media reported on Friday, adding to signs that attempts to stop the fighting and return hostages held by Hamas have made no progress. The decision came after comments from both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the head of the military, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir this week indicating that Israel intended to step up the campaign in Gaza. Since the collapse of an earlier ceasefire agreement in March, Israeli troops have been carving out wide buffer zones in Gaza, squeezing the 2.3 million population into an ever narrower zone in the centre of the enclave and along the coast and shutting off the entry of aid trucks. "As long as Hamas does not release our hostages, we will significantly deepen our military action," ynet, one of Israel's main news outlets quoted an unnamed Israeli official as saying. A spokesperson for Netanyahu's office declined to comment on the reports, which said the decision would be approved by the full cabinet on Sunday. On Thursday, Netanyahu said that while Israel was seeking the return of its hostages, of whom up to 24 are believed to be alive, its ultimate goal in Gaza remained to defeat Hamas. "In war, there is the ultimate goal – and that ultimate goal is the victory over our enemies," he said. Despite efforts by Egyptian and Qatari mediators to restore the ceasefire, neither Israel nor Hamas has shown willingness to back down on core demands, with each side blaming the other for the failure to reach a deal. Israel, which wants the return of 59 hostages still held in Gaza, has insisted that Hamas must disarm and be excluded from any role in the future governance of the enclave, a condition that Hamas rejects. The group, which ran Gaza since 2007, has insisted on agreeing a lasting end to the fighting and a withdrawal of Israeli forces as a condition for a deal that would see a release of the hostages. Earlier, Netanyahu's office issued a statement denying that it had rejected a ceasefire proposal put forward by Egyptian mediators, and saying Hamas was standing in the way of a deal to halt the fighting.
Israeli commanders have said the military was ready to step up its operations in Gaza at short notice. "We will use all the power at our disposal, we will increase the pace and intensity of the operation, and if required we'll do so soon," Zamir said at an Independence Day ceremony on Thursday. On Friday, Israeli strikes continued to hit different areas of Gaza, killing at least 25 Palestinians, Gaza health authorities said. Israel's campaign was triggered by the devastating Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, that killed 1,200 people in southern Israel and saw 251 taken hostage. It has so far killed more than 50,000 Palestinians and devastated Gaza where aid groups have warned the Israeli blockade risks a humanitarian disaster.

Drones strike ship carrying aid to Gaza, organizers say
Sam Mednick And Renata Brito/AP/ May 2, 2025
TEL AVIV, Israel — Drones attacked a vessel carrying aid to Gaza while it was in international waters off Malta on Friday, the group organizing the shipment said. A fire broke out but was brought under control, according to authorities. A nearby tugboat responded to a distress call from the Conscience, which was carrying 12 crew members and four civilians, Malta’s government said, adding that those aboard refused to leave their ship. The group was safe and no injuries were reported, it said. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition accused Israel of attacking its ship. It did not provide evidence of that or that the fire was caused by drones, but in a video it shared an explosion can be heard. Another video showed a fire blazing. The Israeli army didn’t respond to a request for comment. Israel has cut off Gaza from all imports, including food and medicine, since the beginning of March, leading to what is believed to be the worst humanitarian crisis in nearly 19 months of war with Hamas. Israel says it is an attempt to pressure the militant group to release hostages it took during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the conflict. Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel that day, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. Hamas is still holding 59 hostages, 24 of whom are believed to be alive. In response, Israel launched an offensive that has killed over 52,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were fighters or civilians. Israel’s bombardment and ground operations have destroyed vast areas of the territory and left most of its population homeless. When an aid flotilla attempted to break a blockade of Gaza in 2010, Israeli forces stormed a Turkish ship, Mavi Marmara, killing nine people on board. On Friday, the Conscience was hit about 16 miles (26 kilometers) from Malta, according to the Freedom Flotilla. Charlie Andreasson, who has been involved with the group for more than a decade, told The Associated Press that he had spoken to people on board who said there were two explosions and a fire broke out. Photos provided by the Cypriot authorities showed the ship with damage to its side. People on board the ship were not immediately reachable for comment. Earlier the group said the strike appeared to have targeted the ship’s generator, causing a “substantial breach in the hull” and leaving it without power. It said that put the vessel at risk of sinking. The incident comes as aid groups have warned that the humanitarian response in Gaza is on the verge of collapse. The International Committee of the Red Cross said Friday it will not have access to food, medicine, and life-saving supplies needed for many of its Gaza programs if aid deliveries don’t resume immediately. Programs at risk include “common kitchens” that often give residents the only meal they receive each day and could be forced to halt operations in a few weeks, the ICRC said. “Aid must be allowed to enter Gaza. Hostages must be released. Civilians must be protected,” it said. “Without immediate action, Gaza will descend further into chaos that humanitarian efforts will not be able to mitigate.”

Top UN court wraps a week of hearings on humanitarian aid to Gaza
AP/May 02, 2025
THE HAGUE: The top United Nations court on Friday wraps a week of hearings on what Israel must do to ensure desperately needed humanitarian aid reaches Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Last year, the UN General Assembly asked the International Court of Justice to give an advisory opinion on Israel’s legal obligations after the country effectively banned the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, the main provider of aid to Gaza, from operating. Experts say the case could have broader ramifications for the United Nations and its missions worldwide. The hearings are taking place as the humanitarian aid system in Gaza is nearing collapse and ceasefire efforts remain deadlocked. Israel has blocked the entry of food, fuel, medicine and other humanitarian supplies since March 2. It renewed its bombardment on March 18, breaking a ceasefire, and seized large parts of the territory, saying it aims to push Hamas to release more hostages. Israel denies deliberately targeting civilians and aid staff as part of its war with Hamas and did not attend the hearing. The country did provide a 38-page written submission for the court to consider.
What is at stake?
The hearings focused on provision of aid to the Palestinians, but the UN court’s 15 judges could use their advisory opinion to give legal guidance on the powers of the world body. “The court has the opportunity to clarify and address questions about the legal immunities of the United Nations,” Mike Becker, an expert on international human rights law at Trinity College Dublin, told The Associated Press. Advisory opinions issued by the UN court are described as “nonbinding” as there are no direct penalties attached to ignoring them. However, the treaty that covers the protections that countries must give to United Nations personnel says that disputes should be resolved through an advisory opinion at the ICJ and the opinion “shall be accepted as decisive by the parties.”“The oddity of this particular process,” Becker said, “is a clear response to any argument that the opinion is nonbinding.”
What has the ICJ been tasked with answering?
The resolution, sponsored by Norway, seeks the ICJ’s guidance on “obligations of Israel … in relation to the presence and activities of the United Nations … to ensure and facilitate the unhindered provision of urgently needed supplies essential to the survival of the Palestinian civilian population.” The United States, Israel’s closest ally, voted against it. Israel’s ban on the agency, known as UNRWA, which provides aid to Gaza, came into effect in January. The organization has faced increased criticism from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right allies, who claim the group is deeply infiltrated by Hamas. UNRWA rejects that claim.“We cannot let states pick and choose where the UN is going to do its work. This advisory opinion is a very important opportunity to reinforce that,” Becker said.
Do these proceedings matter for countries other than Israel?
Whatever the judges decide will have an impact beyond the current situation in Gaza, according to Juliette McIntyre, an expert on international law at the University of South Australia. “Are these immunities absolute or is there wiggle room? This is useful for where United Nations personnel are working in other places,” McIntire told AP. An authoritative answer from the World Court can have influence beyond judicial proceedings as well. “Every time a norm is breached, the norm gets weaker. The advisory opinion in this case could push the norm back,” said McIntyre.
In separate proceedings last year, the court issued an unprecedented and sweeping condemnation of Israel’s rule over the occupied Palestinian territories, finding Israel’s presence unlawful and calling for it to end. The ICJ said Israel had no right to sovereignty in the territories, was violating international laws against acquiring territory by force and was impeding Palestinians’ right to self-determination. According to McIntyre, the arguments presented this week reflect the opinion handed down just nine months ago. “Now the starting premise is that Israel is illegally occupying all of Palestine,” McIntire said.
What did the Palestinians and Israelis say?
On Monday, the Palestinian delegation accused Israel of breaching international law in the occupied territories and applauded the move to bring more proceedings to the court. “Our journey with the international institutions, be it Security Council, the General Assembly or the ICJ, is we are building things block on top of another block while we are marching toward the accomplishment of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including our right to self-determination, statehood, and the right of the refugees,” Palestinian UN envoy Riyad Mansour told reporters.
Israel has denied it is in violation of international law and said the proceedings are biased. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar hit back at the case during a news conference in Jerusalem on Monday. “I accuse UNRWA, I accuse the UN, I accuse the secretary-general and I accuse all those that weaponized international law and its institutions in order to deprive the most attacked country in the world, Israel, of its most basic right to defend itself,” he said. The court is expected to take months to deliver its opinion.

Israel says downs missiles fired from Yemen
AFP/May 02, 2025
JERUSALEM: The Israeli army said Friday it intercepted two missiles in 12 hours fired toward its territory from Yemen, with Iran-backed Houthi militants claiming both attacks. An explosion was heard over Jerusalem as the Israeli military said it was intercepting the second projectile. “The (army) has identified the launch of a missile from Yemen toward Israeli territory. Aerial defense systems are operating to intercept the threat,” the military said of the second attack. It later said it had “successfully intercepted” the missile. Israeli police reported a “rocket siren” was activated in northern and coastal districts and said they were searching for possible impact sites. The military said the first missile was shot down before it entered Israeli airspace. The Houthis, who control large parts of Yemen, claimed responsibility for both the attacks. The militants have launched dozens of missile and drone attacks on Israel since the war in Gaza erupted after Hamas’s October 2023 assault. The Houthis are part of Iran’s “axis of resistance” against Israel and the United States, presenting themselves as defenders of Palestinians in Gaza. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group’s “support operations will continue until the aggression against Gaza ceases and the siege is lifted.” Late Friday in a separate incident, the Israeli military said it intercepted a drone launched “from the east.” It did not elaborate. The Houthis have also repeatedly targeted merchant shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, drawing retaliatory strikes by Israel, the United States and Britain. Since President Donald Trump took office in January, the United States has intensified its bombing campaign against the Houthis, launching almost daily strikes for more than a month. Houthi media said this week that US strikes on the movement’s northern stronghold of Saada killed at least 68 people — all Africans being held at a center for “illegal migrants.” The United States said last month that its strikes since March 15 had hit more than 1,000 targets in Yemen and killed “hundreds of Houthi fighters.” On Friday, the Houthi-run Saba news agency said three people were wounded in a US air strike in Al-Wahda district the previous night, citing a preliminary toll.

US meets Syria’s top diplomat, urges action to protect Druze minority
AFP/May 02, 2025
WASHINGTON: The United States on Thursday confirmed meeting Syria’s top diplomat and called on the interim authorities to take action on concerns, as violence flares against the Druze minority. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani last Friday raised his new country’s flag at the UN headquarters, marking a new chapter after the overthrowing in December of longtime ruler Bashar Assad. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce confirmed that US representatives met the Syrian delegation in New York on Tuesday. She said that the United States urged the post-Assad authorities to “choose policies that reinforce stability,” without providing any assessment on progress. “Any future normalization of relations or lifting of sanctions... will depend on the interim authority’s actions and positive response to the specific confidence-building measures we have communicated,” Bruce told reporters. The demands were in line with those set out in December by the United States, then led by president Joe Biden, and include protecting minorities and preventing a role in Syria by Assad’s ally Iran. Since the Islamist fighters toppled Assad, sectarian clashes have repeatedly flared. The spiritual leader of the Druze community on Thursday alleged a “genocidal campaign” after two days of violence left 102 people dead. “We urge the interim authorities to hold perpetrators of violence and civilian harm accountable for their actions and ensure the security of all Syrians,” Bruce said of the violence against Druze.

Greene furious over Ukraine minerals deal, Iran talks: ‘The base is not happy’
Emily Brooks/The Hill/May 2, 2025
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) unloaded a heap of criticism Friday on recent actions and inactions by the Trump administration and fellow Republicans, bringing up the Ukraine minerals deal, talks with Iran, and more — while being sure to not criticize President Trump personally. “I represent the base and when I’m frustrated and upset over the direction of things, you better be clear, the base is not happy,” Greene said Friday in a lengthy post on the social platform X. “I campaigned for no more foreign wars. And now we are supposedly on the verge of going to war with Iran,” Greene said, in reference to ongoing talks with Iran over its nuclear program. A fourth round of talks that was slated to take place in Rome over the weekend has been postponed. “I don’t think we should be bombing foreign countries on behalf of other foreign countries especially when they have their own nuclear weapons and massive military strength,” Greene said. She then turned to the minerals deal the U.S. signed with Ukraine this week, which would give the U.S. a share of Ukraine’s natural resources if the U.S. sends more money to Ukraine as it fights off a Russian invasion. Greene argued that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “is a dictator who canceled elections” — which was due to the war — and was “involved of the first impeachment of Trump.”“Why on earth would we go over and occupy Ukraine and spend an untold amount of future American taxpayer dollars defending and mining their minerals as well as potentially putting American lives at risk and future war?” Greene said. “Why don’t we just mine our own rare earth minerals that are tied up on federal lands that the government confiscated years ago?”The post from the firebrand Georgia congresswoman is striking given that she has been one of Trump’s most vocal and prominent supporters. Greene also lamented that the COVID-19 vaccine “still has FDA [Food and Drug Administration] approval” and wondered if “those vicious attorneys and judges” who worked “against the American people in the last four years” would be “held accountable for the lives they ruined.”
She also took aim at Republicans in Congress, wondering when there would be a vote on budgetary recessions to codify actions by the Department of Government Efficiency and saying there is enough “outrage and moral courage to dispose of this treason” by “rogue judges” blocking Trump actions.
“When you are losing MTG, you are losing the base. And Trump isn’t on the ballot in the future, so do the math on that,” Greene said, implicitly dismissing the idea of Trump seeking a third term in 2028, which would require a constitutional amendment.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on May 02-03/2025
Trump Should Oppose an Interim Nuclear Deal That Lets Iran Off the Hook
Andrea Stricker/The Algemeiner/May 02/2025
“We’ll have something without having to start dropping bombs all over the place,” President Donald Trump declared on Monday.
The United States and Iran are set to meet for a fourth round of nuclear talks shortly, where the Trump administration aims to reach a deal to dismantle Tehran’s nuclear weapons program. The Islamic Republic will surely try tempting Washington to reach a so-called “interim” agreement, which could see Tehran cap its nuclear threat — albeit temporarily and superficially. The president should reject such a proposal.
Tehran might offer to limit its enriched uranium stockpile and reduce the purity level of this stock, while accepting some additional international monitoring. This would fundamentally leave intact the regime’s nuclear weapons capabilities — including advanced centrifuge-powered nuclear fuel production assets, covert efforts to construct nuclear devices, and intercontinental, nuclear-tipped ballistic missile delivery efforts.
Thus, an interim deal would fail to fulfill Trump’s, and his administration’s, repeated demands that Tehran dismantle its nuclear weapons capabilities. Much like the 2015 Obama nuclear accord with Iran — which Trump previously opposed due to its failure to block all the regime’s pathways to atomic weapons — an interim deal would also relieve pressure on Tehran just as President Trump has started rebuilding it.
In February, Trump reimposed maximum US pressure against Iran, which was in place during his first term. In March, he demanded Tehran negotiate restrictions over its nuclear program within 60 days, or face US and Israeli military strikes against its nuclear facilities. Those actions, as well as the president’s credible military build-up in the region and campaign to degrade Iran’s key proxies like the Houthis in Yemen, succeeded in bringing Iran to the negotiating table. In April, after initially refusing, Tehran participated in the first direct talks between the countries in years.
What could an interim deal that derails the president’s goals look like? The 2013 interim nuclear deal with Iran, known as the Joint Plan of Action (JPOA), preceded the fuller 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and provides insight into what such an accord could entail.
While the JPOA required that Tehran refrained from new advancements at its three uranium enrichment facilities and heavy water nuclear reactor, which provides a plutonium pathway to the bomb, those facilities remained intact. Although the regime permitted the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), to enhance its monitoring and inspections, Tehran was not required to explain its past and possibly ongoing atomic weapons work.
Under the JPOA, Iran halted enrichment of uranium over five percent purity but retained its stockpile of the material, while diluting half its stockpile of 20 percent enriched uranium. Retaining the ability to enrich uranium to five percent purity meant Tehran was still more than 70 percent of the way to making weapons-grade uranium.
Troublingly, Iran also showed it could succeed in extorting the West for massive sanctions relief. The JPOA provided the regime with the repatriation of $4.2 billion in assets seized abroad for its malign activities, as well as the ability to export precious metals, petrochemicals, and automotive goods. Before the JPOA, Tehran’s economy was reeling under Western economic pressure, but the deal, and then the 2015 JCPOA, provided more relief in return for limited and easily reversible Iranian concessions.
Today, Iran seeks similar relief as breathing room against growing domestic and economic pressure and possible US-Israeli military strikes against its nuclear facilities. The regime’s endgame has not changed: deflect pressure, buy time, and refine and maintain destructive nuclear and military capabilities.
In addition, an interim deal today would make a mere dent in Tehran’s nuclear weapons capabilities, which advanced precipitously under President Biden’s policy of maximum deference to the regime.
Iran has now enriched uranium to 60 percent — putting it days from 90 percent purity, which is weapons-grade — and can fuel more than 17 nuclear weapons. It has installed more than 13,000 advanced centrifuges and secreted away numerous machines. Only a few hundred of these fast-enriching centrifuges are needed to make weapons-grade uranium at a secret site. The regime also restricted IAEA monitoring and ejected inspectors from key nuclear sites.
Tehran is reportedly carrying out weaponization-related work and has a team looking to short-cut the regime’s route to nuclear weapons. It has dramatically advanced its nuclear missile-delivery program, nearing the capability to make long-range intercontinental ballistic missiles that could strike the United States.
To be sure, not all is lost — Iran is not yet nuclear weapons-armed — but Washington must bring much more to bear than a temporary fix.
Iran’s aging supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and his regime are under severe pressure at home, facing droughts, water shortages, social and political unrest, inflation, and currency devaluation. Trump’s team must seize this opportunity to achieve a maximalist accord that permanently removes Iran’s nuclear threat.
To do so, Washington must insist on nothing less than the full, verifiable, and permanent dismantlement of all three pillars of Iran’s nuclear program — including its nuclear fuel production and assets, weaponization, and missile-delivery work. If Tehran refuses, the president should consider following through on his threat of military strikes, double down on sanctions, and support the Iranian people in their quest for freedom.
Short-term fixes to address Iran’s enduring nuclear threat have failed — it’s time for the president to deliver a lasting solution.
*Andrea Stricker is a research fellow and deputy director of the Nonproliferation and Biodefense Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD). Follow her on X @StrickerNonpro. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focused on national security and foreign policy.

Europe's Illegal Land-Grab: Part II
Karys Rhea/Gatestone Institute/May 2, 2025
[T]he IDF tends to be... focused on immediate, critical threats from Lebanon, Syria, Gaza and Iran.
[Many in Israel] demand a zero-tolerance policy towards illegal construction, regardless of EU funding and lawsuits, and have called on the Israeli government to initiate a long-overdue diplomatic effort that will make it clear to the EU that it has established red lines that will be enforced.
It may even be that right-wingers such as [Finance Minister Bezalel] Smotrich and others have risen to power precisely because of growing Israeli frustration over fundamental threats such as this one having long gone ignored.
[Many in Israel] demand a zero-tolerance policy towards illegal construction, regardless of EU funding and lawsuits, and have called on the Israeli government to initiate a long-overdue diplomatic effort that will make it clear to the EU that it has established red lines that will be enforced. Pictured: Israeli soldiers stand next to an illegally-built structure in Area C, in Idhna, near Hebron, on April 28, 2025. (Photo by Mosab Shawer/Middle East Images /AFP via Getty Images)
In 1967, Israel fought a monumental six-day war against neighboring Egypt, Syria and Jordan, who attacked the small country with the declared goal of wiping the Jewish state off the map. To the amazement of the international community, Israel unexpectedly emerged victorious, gaining control over multiple territories, including the West Bank. Historically known as "Judea and Samaria," and before 1948 home to a thriving Jewish population, the West Bank was illegally occupied by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan without international recognition from 1948 to 1967. In that time, Jordan ethnically cleansed the Jewish residents and destroyed dozens of synagogues. It re-named the region the "West Bank," meaning "west of the Jordan River," to sever any Jewish connection to the land in an attempt to legitimize its occupation of territory that was never part of its internationally recognized borders.
When Israel wrested control of the West Bank from Jordan in 1967, it refrained from annexing the territory, immediately offering to exchange land for peace. This unprecedented overture was met with the resounding "Three No's" at the infamous 1967 Arab League Summit in Khartoum: "No peace with Israel. No negotiation with Israel. No recognition of Israel." Consequently, the West Bank came under Israeli military rule.
"For reasons I can't begin to explain, Israel thought it could make everyone happy. That's how this whole monster was created," says Naomi Kahn, International Director of Regavim, an NGO "dedicated to the protection of Israel's national lands and resources." The monster Kahn is referring to is the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) and its Civil Administration of Judea and Samaria. COGAT is a unit of the Ministry of Defense, and the Civil Administration is responsible for governing the West Bank's "Area C" (the parts that are not governed by the Palestinian Authority) and managing all issues there pertaining to civilians, both Jews and Arabs.
Instead of extending Israeli law to the territory liberated in 1967, Israel's leaders chose to "temporarily" maintain the existing legal framework until a negotiated solution with the Arabs could be reached. To this day, the IDF's Commander of the Central Region, rather than elected representatives, retains the ability to legislate and administer Area C. According to Kahn:
"I am personally living under military rule. It's not only inefficient, but also ridiculous. It's a massive bureaucracy that seems to be doing very little. The army – any army – is simply incapable of replacing the government. That's not what armies are meant to do."
While COGAT technically receives orders from the minister of defense, on a day-to-day basis it operates with autonomy. Israeli laws mandate that attempts to trespass and commandeer land must be intercepted, but COGAT commanders are wary of action and weary of global condemnation. The staff have learned to expect international headlines, along with formal complaints, threats and lawsuits from the European Union, when they so much as remove a corrugated roof from an illegal structure -- which the EU will likely rebuild anyway.
For every razed structure, five new ones take its place. That Palestinians are legally permitted to bring grievances against COGAT and the Civil Administration to Israel's Supreme Court further undermines enforcement. Both foreign and Israeli NGOs receive millions of euros every year to "protect" the Palestinians in the court system, which is backed up with appeals. In the meantime, the Palestinians build and build, engaging in a strategy of setting Israel's own system against itself.
While COGAT officers hold a diverse array of personal views about the Arab-Israel conflict, the IDF tends to be conformist and technically oriented, concerned with tactical training, readiness and counterterrorism, and focused on immediate, critical threats from Lebanon, Syria, Gaza and Iran. The defense establishment views the West Bank as a political dispute, as opposed to a national security issue.
But COGAT is well aware of the scope of the hostile takeover in Area C and is choosing not to enforce its legal mandate. Due to intense pressure from the EU, COGAT officers routinely speak with Palestinian Authority officials and work out agreements to refrain from demolishing specific infrastructure built under former PA Prime Minister Salman Fayyad's master plan. While COGAT does occasionally destroy unauthorized structures deemed to be dangerous from a security or safety point of view, such as those built close to IDF training or firing zones, abutting major traffic arteries, or those that were used as launching pads for terrorist attacks, these demolitions are exceedingly rare, and almost always receive massive international media coverage and condemnation.
Through a Supreme Court case, Regavim succeeded in forcing COGAT to reveal its list of established enforcement priorities. At the top of the list was prevention of Jewish construction on privately-owned or state land, while at the very bottom of the list were PA-EU orchestrated takeovers. In other words, Israel's Ministry of Defense was forced to admit by court order that its enforcement guidelines for land-use policy were tilted against Jews and in favor of Arabs. "They let the Palestinians do things they'd never think about allowing Jewish people to do," alleges Dr. Yishai Spivak, an investigative researcher with Ad Kan, an Israeli non-profit organization.
In addition, the PA never reports deaths in, or emigration from, Area C, and pads its population statistics with people who have never set foot in the Middle East — for instance, children who were actually born and raised abroad but had parents who once lived in the region. This serves the goal of portraying the area as flooded with Arabs. A far more serious problem, however, may be that the PA actively and publicly encourages residents of Areas A and B to move into Area C, an act possibly in violation of the Geneva Convention.
The Civil Administration, meanwhile, does nothing to protect Israeli national interests in this regard. It does not keep population figures, thereby enabling itself to conveniently claim that it serves an enormous number of residents, and purportedly justifying its budget. If a conversation about squandered Israeli and international resources and the needs of the current and future population is to begin, the first step is a census of the population.
Regavim and others have called to disband COGAT entirely. They demand a zero-tolerance policy towards illegal construction, regardless of EU funding and lawsuits, and have called on the Israeli government to initiate a long-overdue diplomatic effort that will make it clear to the EU that it has established red lines that will be enforced. "Israeli leadership as a whole is failing to behave like a sovereign government with a backbone that enforces the law and protects the security and national interests of the people," argues Kahn.
During Naftali Bennett's six-month tenure as Defense Minister in 2019-2020, he began referring to Area C as a battleground and PA mass illegal land use as a strategic military threat. With an uptick in enforcement, mild progress was made. Still, it was always a matter of scale. A shed would be knocked down, while the illicit electricity and water connections would be ignored because of the humanitarian issues to which the EU would draw attention. Avigdor Lieberman who served as Defense Minister in 2016-2018, similarly spoke out, but encountered uninterested bureaucrats and pushback from many Europeans, who have a direct line to their political counterparts in the Israeli government. Although the Ministry of Intelligence published a full report in June 2021 that presented a comprehensive analysis of the Palestinian illegal land grabs and demographic saturation of Area C, little has changed since the publication's report.
Ultimately, there has thus far been little political will in Israel to counter Palestinian illegal construction in Area C. Also for lack of political will, Israeli authorities allow illegal weapons to proliferate throughout Arab-Israeli communities, and Bedouin clans to establish illegal villages in the Negev Desert.
The government does not give definitive enforceable orders to COGAT — it wants to avoid negative press or a more violent confrontation with the Palestinians in the future. Israeli officials therefore approach the problem with local, Band-Aid solutions rather than a full-frontal assault. According to Brigadier General Amir Avivi (res.), founder of the Israel Defense and Security Forum:
"They are not treating this as a war, and it is a war. It's actually more dangerous than other wars. At the moment, the Palestinians are winning this war. In 20 or 30 years, this will be an existential threat. We need to wake up."
Spivak concurs, adding that there are two kinds of wars that Israel is fighting with the Palestinians. One is the terror war, in which Palestinians use physical violence to harm citizens of the State of Israel. The other is the non-violent, or civilian war, in which Palestinians attempt to delegitimize Israel via various channels, such as the UN, social media, or the global BDS movement.
Another reason Israeli leadership fails to treat the issue with the seriousness it deserves is because its ministers are generally in power for a short time and may be dismissed within their party in short order. For the one to two years they generally serve, they are primarily concerned with building their reputation, desperate to be internationally accepted. Put simply, the political system bolsters the bureaucrats. They know that to tackle a problem of this nature and magnitude, they would have to take extreme actions against the EU, the PA, and COGAT. With the painful, precarious status Israel has on the geopolitical landscape, it is unlikely that any foreseeable coalition will set the precedent and shift the pattern.
Even leaders of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria have failed to respond to this encroachment as an existential threat. In the town of Efrat, for instance, when Israelis complain to the mayor of about illegal Arab structures popping up around their neighborhoods, the most he will do, if anything, is to make a phone call to the Civil Administration, and then quickly forget about the matter.
Many of the elected Jewish leaders in the West Bank focus on addressing the needs of their small communities on a day-to-day basis. Their effectiveness is severely compromised because they are beholden to multiple government ministries for favors, including the transportation, defense, finance and interior ministries, who do not exercise direct jurisdiction over the "green line." These mayors have a limited number of asks and it is generally counterproductive to demand that structures be removed, especially when they will likely be rebuilt in a few weeks. For many leaders in Jewish towns and villages, as long as there is no peace process, the status quo is all they have to work with.
Nonetheless, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has taken several punitive measures against the PA and has leveled harsh words at the EU, pledging to block their aggressive activity, which he called "contrary to international law and incompatible with basic rules of diplomacy in relations between states." In a joint letter, dozens of Knesset members denounced the EU's confidential June 2022 document as a severe breach of the EU-Israel relationship whose gravity cannot be overstated, writing:
"Under the thin veneer of the EU's civility and manners and the concern for human rights, the same old blood libels can be found, along with the same flames of primitive hatred that seek this time to persecute – not the individual Jew, but the tiny Jewish state."
It may even be that right-wingers such as Smotrich and others have risen to power precisely because of growing Israeli frustration over fundamental threats such as this one having long gone ignored.
This article, slightly different, originally appeared as part if a 10-part series in Western Journal.
*Karys Rhea is a producer at the Epoch Times, a writing fellow with the Middle East Forum, a delegate for Israel365 Action, and a Rising Leader at the Global Liberty Institute. You can find her on X @rheakarys.
© 2025 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.

Donald Trump: Defender of Christendom?
Raymond Ibrahim/The Stream/May 02/2025
https://stream.org/donald-trump-defender-of-christendom/
Is Donald Trump on his way to becoming the world’s chief Defender of Christianity? That’s what various media have been reporting; one Fox News headline asserts that Trump is “Vowing to ‘Defend the Christian Faith.’”
These claims trace back to a White House statement released on Palm Sunday (April 13) wherein Donald Trump spoke of Jesus Christ and Easter, or Resurrection, Sunday in terms that would edify the most faithful of Christians. A few snippets from Trump’s statement follow:
This Holy Week, Melania and I join in prayer with Christians celebrating the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ—the living Son of God who conquered death, freed us from sin, and unlocked the gates of Heaven for all of humanity….
This week is a time of reflection for Christians to memorialize Jesus’ crucifixion—and to prepare their hearts, minds, and souls for His miraculous Resurrection from the dead.
… In His final hours on Earth, Christ willingly endured excruciating pain, torture, and execution on the cross out of a deep and abiding love for all His creation. Through His suffering, we have redemption. Through His death, we are forgiven of our sins. Through His Resurrection, we have hope of eternal life. On Easter morning, the stone is rolled away, the tomb is empty, and light prevails over darkness—signaling that death does not have the final word.
Wow; whoever thought you’d hear an American president speak like that? As Evangelist Franklin Graham observed,
[Trump’s] proclamation is historic and there has not been in my lifetime a president that has communicated the gospel as clearly as he has. … He’s not a preacher but [in] this proclamation he gave one of the best sermons for Easter that many pastors will give from the pulpit. Donald Trump is not afraid of his faith. He’s not ashamed of his faith, and he’s willing to let the world know it.
For those familiar with the perfunctory proclamations of previous administrations, it’s hard to deny Graham’s logic.
As for Trump’s vow to “defend” Christianity, here is the relevant excerpt from the president’s Palm Sunday proclamation:
This Holy Week, my Administration renews its promise to defend the Christian faith in our schools, military, workplaces, hospitals, and halls of government. We will never waver in safeguarding the right to religious liberty, upholding the dignity of life, and protecting God in our public square.
Interesting; but does all this make Trump a bona fide defender of Christianity—a Defensor Fidei (Defender of the Faith), an Athleta Christi (Champion of Christ), or even a Miles Christi (Soldier of Christ)—all epithets used to describe the great heroes of Christian history?
As the author of a book called Defenders of the West: The Christian Heroes Who Stood Against Islam—and as someone who has closely researched the historic defense of Christianity—I am, I think, rather qualified to answer this question.
A great many of the defenders I have read and wrote about were, like Trump, leaders of men—counts, kings, and even emperors. However, unlike Trump, these men were also warriors, whose defense of Christendom usually culminated with their taking to the field of battle, and often being at the very center of the fray. Many of them died fighting for the faith.
While this may suggest that Trump is not a defender of Christianity, we still have not accounted for context—for time and place. The Defenders I write of lived in a time when battle was necessary; when the enemy, in this case Muslims, were always at the gate and in need of being repulsed, sword in hand.
Our times are obviously different. Sure, Muslims are still terrorizing Europeans, but that’s not because they are invading Europe, but rather because Europe’s ruling elite are allowing them in and enabling them against the native, once Christian, population—which is a whole other bizarre topic with no historic precedent. In America, however, which is still nominally Christian, there are few physical attacks against Christianity, which would naturally require a physical defense, the sort which the Defenders of the West historically resorted to. (There are, to be sure, many attacks on churches, which are obviously physical, but they are already illegal and have law enforcement to contend with.) In short, Christianity in America need not be defended by force because the attacks on it are not by force.
Rather, attacks on Christianity—and these are many—are insidious and subtle; they revolve around entrenched polices, practices, and conduct.
As such, a defense of equal kind and measure—not one with swords and spears—is required. And to this end, the Trump administration is delivering.
Thus, two months before his recent Easter proclamation, on February 6, Trump “signed an Executive Order establishing a task force to end the anti-Christian weaponization of government and unlawful conduct targeting Christians,” according to a White House statement:
The task force, officially known as the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias … will review the activities of all departments and agencies to identify and eliminate anti-Christian policies, practices, or conduct… It will identify and address gaps in laws and enforcement that have contributed to anti-Christian conduct… The previous Administration engaged in an egregious pattern of targeting peaceful Christians while ignoring violent, anti-Christian offenses. President Trump will not tolerate this abuse of government and is taking action to ensure that any unlawful and improper anti-Christian conduct, policies or practices are identified, terminated, and rectified.
The allusion to the previous Biden administration is especially apt for our discussion of context and the times. The following are among the many anti-Christian measures that took place under the Biden administration,
The Biden Department of Justice brought felony charges and obtained multi-year prison sentences against nearly two dozen pro-life Christians for praying and peacefully demonstrating outside abortion facilities.
The Biden Department of Justice ignored hundreds of attacks on Catholic churches, charities, and pro-life centers.
In 2023, a Federal Bureau of Investigation memo asserted that traditional Catholics were domestic-terrorism threats and suggested infiltrating Catholic churches as “threat mitigation.”
The Biden Department of Education sought to repeal religious-liberty protections for faith-based organizations on college campuses.
The Biden Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sought to force Christians to affirm radical transgender ideology against their faith.
The Biden Department of Health and Human Services sought to drive Christians out of the foster-care system.
Even in the context of Easter, the Biden administration made it a point to mock Christianity: if Trump just vocally and unabashedly proclaimed Christ’s resurrection in 2025, in 2024, the Biden Administration declared Resurrection Sunday as “Transgender Day of Visibility.”So yes, all things being equal, and in the context of the times and circumstances, Trump is a Defender of Christianity. When compared to his contemporaries, Trump’s words and deeds are arguably even more impressive than those of history’s Christian defenders, when compared to their contemporaries.
But of course that, too, is a sign of the times: almost all premodern Christians were ready to fight for their faith, meaning the overall standard bar was much higher then. Put differently, any even moderately pro-Christian stance appears as an amazing achievement nowadays, though it would have been the expected norm in yesterdays.

Question: “How can I be sure I am praying according to the will of God?”
GotQuestions.org/May 2, 2025
Answer: Man’s highest aim should be to bring glory to God (1 Corinthians 10:31), and this includes praying according to His will. First, we must ask for wisdom. “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). In asking for wisdom, we must also trust that God is gracious and willing to answer our prayers: “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt” (James 1:6; see also Mark 11:24). So, praying according to the will of God includes asking for wisdom (to know the will of God) and asking in faith (to trust the will of God).
Here are seven biblical instructions that will guide the believer in praying according to God’s will:
1) Pray for the things for which the Bible commands prayer. We are told to pray for our enemies (Matthew 5:44); for God to send missionaries (Luke 10:2); that we do not enter temptation (Matthew 26:41); for ministers of the Word (Colossians 4:3; 2 Thessalonians 3:1); for government authorities (1 Timothy 2:1-3); for relief from affliction (James 5:13); and for the healing of fellow believers (James 5:16). Where God commands prayer, we can pray with confidence that we are praying according to His will.
2) Follow the example of godly characters in Scripture. Paul prayed for the salvation of Israel (Romans 10:1). David prayed for mercy and forgiveness when he sinned (Psalm 51:1-2). The early church prayed for boldness to witness (Acts 4:29). These prayers were according to the will of God, and similar prayers today can be as well. As with Paul and the early church, we should always be praying for the salvation of others. For ourselves, we should pray as David prayed, always aware of our sin and bringing it before God before it hinders our relationship with Him and thwarts our prayers.
3) Pray with the right motivation. Selfish motives will not be blessed by God. “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures” (James 4:3). We should also pray, not so our lofty words can be heard and we may be seen by others as “spiritual,” but mostly in private and in secret, so that our heavenly Father will hear in private and reward us openly (Matthew 6:5-6).
4) Pray with a spirit of forgiveness toward others (Mark 11:25). A spirit of bitterness, anger, revenge or hatred toward others will prevent our hearts from praying in total submission to God. Just as we are told not to give offerings to God while there is conflict between ourselves and another Christian (Matthew 5:23-24), in the same way God does not want the offering of our prayers until we have reconciled with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
5) Pray with thanksgiving (Colossians 4:2; Philippians 4:6-7). We can always find something to be thankful for, no matter how burdened we are by our wants or needs. The greatest sufferer that lives in this world of redeeming love, and who has the offer of heaven before him, has reason to be grateful to God.
6) Pray with persistence (Luke 18:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:17). We should persevere in prayer and not quit or be dejected because we have not received an immediate answer. Part of praying in God’s will is believing that, whether His answer is “yes,” “no,” or “wait,” we accept His judgment, submit to His will, and continue to pray.
7) Rely on the Spirit of God in prayer. This is a wonderful truth: “We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will” (Romans 8:26-27). We have the Spirit’s help in praying. At the times of our deepest depression or sorrow, those times when we feel that we “just cannot pray,” we have the comfort of knowing that the Holy Spirit is actually praying for us! What an amazing God we have!
What assurance we have when we seek to walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh! Then we can have confidence that the Holy Spirit will accomplish His work in presenting our prayers to the Father according to His perfect will and timing, and we can rest in the knowledge that He is working all things together for our good (Romans 8:28).
For Further Study
The Prayer That Turns the World Upside Down: The Lord’s Prayer as a Manifesto for Revolution by Albert Mohler

Canada's Islamist Takeover: 'It's Open Season On Jews And Jewish Institutes' – An Active Front In The Clash Of Civilizations
Steven Stalinsky/MEMRI/May 02/2025
سيطرة الإسلاميين على كندا: "موسم مفتوح لاستهداف اليهود ومؤسساتهم" – جبهة جديدة في صراع الحضارات
ستيفن ستالينسكي/ميمري/02 آيار/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/05/142961/
Media reports and videos on social media, immediately after the October 7, 2023 attack and to this day, document a significant segment of Canada's Muslim community's targeting, bullying, and trying to intimidate the Jewish community in the country, with disturbing protests often thousands strong. As one recent X post stated, "it's open season on Jews in Canada."
While the U.S. has had its share of extremist pro-Palestinian supporters, marching with signs, flags, and banners of Hamas, Hizbullah, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), and other terror groups, and targeting of the U.S. Jewish community, the size and scope of this phenomenon in Canada is even more pervasive and severe – and at times terrifying.
Since October 7, 2023, antisemitic incidents in Canada have increased by 670%, and members of the Jewish community have said they feel abandoned by the government. At the same time, Canada's Muslim community constitutes 4.9% of the population, and in some cities, including Toronto, it is rapidly approaching 10% - and in the Greater Toronto Area it is 12%-14%; the Canadian Jewish community is less than 1% of the total population.
The growing problem of support within Canada for jihadi groups, which is well documented on social media, has been growing in size and scope for a decade, and the virulent antisemitism and hatred for Israel on full view at these protests is only part of the protestors' ideology. In addition to the frequent calls for the destruction of Israel, the U.S., and Canada itself, there are calls for jihad and martyrdom. As this phenomenon continues to play out daily, there is a need for some pointed questions about who these protestors actually are. They should be named and exposed, and any who have so far broken laws with impunity should face consequences.
Violent Attacks On The Jewish Community: Schools, Synagogues, Senior Citizens
Self-identified Canadian Muslim supporters of designated terrorist organizations, including Canada's own Samidoun, a PFLP affiliate, have taken to the streets in full force targeting the Jewish community. They do this not only through aggressive and often frenzied protests, but also through recurring vandalism.
In the past year, this vandalism has included swastikas and graffiti at synagogues – in some cases as many as seven times – along with broken windows, arson attacks against community centers, Jewish schools, school property, more than one instance of firebombing; harassment of and physical attacks on Jewish elementary school students as well as university students and college campuses; multiple instances of gunfire; harassment of worshipers and theft of religious artifacts; shouting for violence against Jews outside Jewish hospitals and chanting support for "the resistance" – i.e. Hamas and Hizbullah – outside Jewish old age homes; picketing Jewish restaurants with terrorist flags; and delivering death threats to Jewish business owners. Just earlier this month, Mohamed Ilyess Akodad was charged with arson and related criminal offenses following his arrest for the December 2024 firebombing of a synagogue in a Montreal suburb.
Mobs have even thronged Jewish residential neighborhoods, going door-to-door to intimidate residents.
Recent Muslim Immigrants Call For Jews Whose Families Have Been In Canada Since The 1760s To "Go Back To Europe" Express Support For Hamas And Hizbullah
Participants in these violent Canadian protests comprise network of jihadi and Islamist sympathizers across the country best described as vile for what they stand for and how they express it. In Montreal, shortly after October 7, 2023, Canadian imam Adil Charkaoui called on Allah to "kill the enemies of the people of Gaza," shouting "Destroy the Zionist aggressors... Allah, count their number and slay them one by one, and spare not one of them," as the crowd repeated "Ameen." Charkaoui had been arrested in 2003, and was alleged to have trained at an Afghanistan camp, but was never formally charged.
A typical protest in Canada features calls for '"jihad," chants of "Jews go back to Europe," and even "death to Canada," as participants wave signs and banners with swastikas and the Hamas red triangle, used by Hamas in its videos to mark its targets. These keffiyeh-covered activists and Islamists harass Jews, including children and the elderly.
On a number of occasions, some have dressed up as Hamas fighters, including at universities, and re-enacted the "martyrdom" of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, including in Jewish neighborhoods. At their public rallies, they chant their support for the October 7 attacks and give Nazi salutes. At one Toronto rally, protestors praised Sinwar and another slain Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh, as well as "resistance fighters."
Pro-Palestinian rallies in Canada have also featured "kids' intifada corners" where children, including toddlers, can dress up as Hamas fighters and speakers tout the importance of teaching children to support "the resistance." Little children are often a feature of rallies and protests.
Mosques Hold Commemorations For Hizbullah Fighters And Iranian Jihadi Figures
The widespread support for Hamas in Canada over the past few years is accompanied by increasing signs of support for Hizbullah and other U.S.- and Canada-designated terrorist organizations, and for Iran. A January 7, 2025 memorial service at the Ahlulbayt Youth Collective in Windsor, Ontario for "martyrs murdered by Israel in Lebanon" highlighted slain Hamas deputy leader Saleh Al-Arouri and Hizbullah officials, as teen boys saluted posters of these "martyrs" while the song "Salute, Commander" played. This is a song that exhorts young people to serve as soldiers for Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and to emulate jihad fighters. Also, a Toronto vigil on January 3, 2025 marking the fifth anniversary of the killing of Iranian IRGC Qods Force commander Qassem Soleimani featured protestors burning U.S., Israeli, and U.S. Marine Corps flags and chanting "Down, Down Trump" and "Death to America!"
Another commemoration in Windsor, for Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah, took place September 29 at the Ahlul Bayt Mosque, a leading Shi'ite Islamic center in the city. This mosque regularly holds memorial services for slain Hizbullah fighters; a previous mass memorial, on June 22, honored over a dozen Hizbullah fighters. The mosque also frequently glorifies Hizbullah on its Instagram account and promotes a Telegram channel providing minute-by-minute updates on operations against Israel by Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hizbullah, and other terror organizations.
These celebrations of terrorism do not appear to faze local authorities: Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens was photographed at an event at the mosque in support of the family of a slain Hizbullah leader. In the photo, Dilkens stands next to Firas Al-Najim, a very active young supporter of the Iranian regime, who wore a scarf depicting Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
The Ahlulbayt Youth Collective memorial is only one reflection of the clash of civilizations that is growing by the day, not just in Canada and the U.S. but in Europe and Australia as well. As the speaker at the memorial said, in English: "We gathered today for loved ones who paid a price in this battle and in this war, the war of good versus evil... We hear from the evil side that this is not our fight to fight. They are wrong – this is the best time and the best fight."
In fact, the Islamist and pro-jihadi Canadians see their actions of targeting Jews and others as engaging in a battle of "good versus evil" – with them on the side of good. Their actions reflect deeply held ideological beliefs which are not properly understood by law enforcement, government officials, and others responsible for addressing this threat.
Canadian Law Enforcement Comes Under Criticism For Inaction In Every Case Of Support For October 7 Attack, Amid Accusations Of Political Surrender
Canadian law enforcement has been criticized for inaction in the face of this hatred. Shockingly, video footage of some incidents shows police present but not intervening – and even arresting victims of antisemitic attacks or Jews who fight back. Not a single instance of deportation of extremist activist non-citizens has been reported since October 7, nor has a single mosque exposed as extremist lost its government-granted status. We have also been been unable to find a single significant prison sentence handed down for assaults or property destruction against Jews.
In March, Canada's largest municipal police force, the Toronto Police Service (TPS), came under criticism for an official TPS podcast episode in which two Muslim liaison officers discussed the positive outcomes of the October 7 Hamas attack, saying that it had produced greater interest in Islam, including more people studying it and converting. The TPS later apologized and deleted the episode.
As disturbing as this law enforcement and judicial passivity is, what is even worse is the inaction or even acquiescence on the part of some of Canada's political leaders. The government appears to be too timid to deal with this threat. When a "Vigil For Resistance Leaders," titled "Lest We Forget Our Heroes" and commemorating "the great hero" Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, was planned by Canadian Defenders 4 Human Rights for November 26, 2024 at a public space in Mississauga, Ontario, the city's mayor responded to calls for its cancellation by defending the event. Saying "Your terrorist and somebody else's terrorist may be two different things," she went on to compare Sinwar to Nelson Mandela. Ultimately, the event did not take place.
Terror Plots, Government Documents Warn Of Coming Lone Wolf Attacks Against Jewish Community
The Islamist protests and violent antisemitic attacks are just one aspect of Canada's Islamist crisis; there is an omnipresent threat of major terror attacks in Canada as well. Terror plots are regularly disrupted by authorities, and the toxic brew of a growing jihadi threat in the country is reflected by the series of arrests over the past year of would-be terrorists and supporters of ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and other jihadi groups.
Actual terror plots against Jews have been foiled multiple times. In December 2023, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) arrested and charged "a young person" for "facilitation of a terrorist activity by communicating instructional material related to an explosive substance" and "knowingly instructing, directly or indirectly, a person to carry out a terrorist activity against Jewish persons."
In July 2024, a naturalized Canadian citizen originally from Egypt – who is also accused of war crimes committed outside the country in 2015 – and his son who has refugee status were caught before carrying out their plan for a mass attack against Jews in Toronto. According to a Canadian MP, "we were within a hair's breadth – minutes, hours or potentially days away – of a mass casualty event on the Toronto Jewish community." The man who killed 14 people in New Orleans on New Year's Day is also known to have travelled to Canada in July 2023; authorities are investigating.
Security guard Bezhani Sarvar was charged with firing multiple rounds from an assault rifle and throwing firebombs in Edmonton City Hall in January 2024, as a class of first graders was visiting. In a video manifesto recorded prior to the attack, he addressed "leaders and officials and anybody that has hands in" the "genocide that is going on in Gaza," saying "Inshallah, we will rise against you."
Also in January 2024, in Quebec, restaurant employee Ahmed May was arrested and charged with three counts of attempted murder, assault and obstructing police officers at his workplace. Immediately after his attack, he posted photos of himself in the restaurant pointing upward with his index finger in a jihadi gesture, with the words "Free Palestine." Previously, he had praised Hamas on social media.
In July, the RCMP arrested a father and son, Ahmed and Mostafa Eldidi, on terrorism-related charges, including "participation in the activities of a terrorist group." They were, according to the RCMP, "in the advanced stages of planning a serious, violent attack in Toronto." That same month, a British Columbia woman was arrested and charged with terrorism offenses; according to the RCMP, she had left Canada and traveled to Syria in 2015 to join ISIS. And, in August, a "person from the Greater Toronto Area who was allegedly participating in the activities of a listed terrorist group" was arrested and charged with "participating in the activities of a terrorist group and "counselling another person to commit a terrorism offence."
In March 2025, a Toronto man was convicted of criminal offenses for his threats a year earlier to "plant a bomb in every synagogue in Toronto and blow them up to kill as many Jews as possible."
These arrests reflect the serious threat of an attack on the scale of 9/11 – not only in Canada but also in the U.S. and Europe – with the very real possibility that the Jewish community will be targeted. In one close call, a man arrested in Canada in September had sought to carry out the "largest" U.S. attack "since 9/11," involving the "murder [of] as many Jewish people as possible" in New York, "all in support of ISIS." The attack was planned for around October 7, 2024. Canadian lawyer and author Warren Kinsella wrote in the Toronto Sun about reports from the Integrated Terrorism Assessment Centre (ITAC) – the Canadian federal body assessing terror threats in the country – that were declassified in 2024; one stated: "Amid (rising) antisemitic hate, an undetected lone actor could commit an act of serious violence in Canada at any time."
The very active PFLP-affiliated Samidoun organization, finally outlawed and designated as a terror group in Canada in October after it had been banned years ago by other countries, operated with impunity across the country, harnessing student movements to work for its Marxist and terrorist agenda and raising funds for the PFLP. As of this writing, it continues its activities wherever it is allowed.
Extremist Mosques And Imams Openly Incite Their Communities, With Calls For Violence – Including Calls For Jihad And Martyrdom, And Praise For Hamas And Hizbullah
Over the past year, MEMRI has monitored scores of extremist mosques and imams in Canada, documenting many of them flaunting their support for jihad, and openly and proudly posting videos of their lectures and sermons on social media for the world to see. Canadian authorities continue to avert their eyes from figures such as British Columbia's Sheikh Younus Kathrada, known for labeling Canadian society "evil and filthy" and regularly calling for the annihilation of the Jews. He was even invited to speak in November 2024 at the University of Victoria by the Muslim Student Association, but once this became public and an outcry ensued, the invitation was rescinded. One of his recent sermons praised Sinwar and denounced young Muslims who do not follow in his footsteps; he has also called Jews apes, pigs, and vermin. Other sermons of his are explicit calls for jihad and martyrdom – in other words, incitement to young Muslims to carry out suicide attacks to gain the rewards of martyrdom, including "72 black-eyed virgins." Despite being the object of mainstream media attention, Kathrada continues undisturbed by any government or legal action.
Kathrada is only one of the many extremist sheikhs in Canada who have openly mourned Hamas leaders responsible for the October 7 attack and other terror leaders eliminated by Israel. The main mosque in Hamilton, Ontario held a memorial service for Sinwar on October 18, 2024; the proceedings were broadcast by Qatar's Al-Jazeera TV. Also, at the Islamic Centre of Southwest Ontario in London, on October 25, Canadian imam Munir El-Kassem eulogized Sinwar at length, saying: "What a beautiful lesson Abu Ibrahim [Sinwar] gave us. What a beautiful lesson."
In the Vancouver area, in Coquitlam, imam Adnan, in his August 2, 2024 sermon, called jihad the "pinnacle of Islam" for which Allah has awakened desire. The "Jews – may Allah curse them," he added, had killed "the martyr" Hamas "mujahid leader" Ismail Haniyeh – just as they had attempted to poison Islam's Prophet Muhammad, according to a hadith. He concluded: "May Allah curse them and the Christians that are supporting them... [and] the Christian and atheist countries that are supporting them, the U.S., and everyone that is supporting them – may Allah curse you."
Ayman Taher, chaplain at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto – Canada's most research-intensive hospital and largest children's health center – praised Hamas and its founder Ahmed Yassin in his December 18, 2023 speech at Toronto Palestine House. Focusing on children, he exhorted his audience to have their children watch an interview with Yassin predicting Israel's end in 2027, because, he said, Yassin "never doubted that Allah is going to give victory to His religion, [and] we [also] should not, because he has inspired millions." He was later suspended from his position pending investigation.
Imams in Canada are inciting not just against Jews but also against Christians. In his April 25, 2025 Friday sermon at the Toronto and Region Islamic Centre, following the passing of Pope Francis, Canadian Islamic scholar Abdullah Hakim Quick spoke about the arrogance shown by Christians in Arabia against the Prophet Muhammad, likening it to the attitude of Christians in the Vatican today, saying, "You see them with their clothing, their arrogance, and their splendor." The Christians of Arabia were allowed to remain Christians, he said, but had to pay the jizya poll tax. Turning to Canada, he said that three things distinguish Muslims in the country from the Christian majority: Christians eat "swine flesh," use "pagan symbols" like the cross, and have no modesty or shame. Adding that Jesus is alive, he said that He will return to rule over the Muslims, and will he will slay the pigs and break the cross.
Despite The Threat Of Radicalization, Foreign Extremist Sheikhs Regularly Visit Canada
Another problem is that mosques and other venues in Canada regularly host extremist imams and sheikhs from outside the country, from the U.S. and elsewhere, who are allowed to freely enter the country to speak to large audiences. In August, for example, a touring Saudi cleric, Assim Al-Hakeem, who had said that "3,000 Jews did not go to work " on 9/11, was set to speak at a theater in Montreal, after an engagement earlier that month at a Winnipeg church. The Montreal event was eventually cancelled.
Muhammad Hijab, who has been condemned for inciting violence against the LGBT community, Jews, Hindus, and other groups, was scheduled to speak at a "Reviving Roots Conference" in Burlington, Ontario. The event was eventually cancelled following pressure from the community and politicians. The "2025 Khilafah [Caliphate] Conference" planned by the Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir Canada was initially slated to be held in Hamilton, Ontario before being moved to Mississauga, but eventually moved to online only, with no apparent consequences for anyone involved in it. This is despite the fact that Hizb ut-Tahrir is banned in many countries worldwide.
A Clash Of Civilizations Is Playing Out In Canada
The pro-Palestinian protests, often expressing outright support of designated terrorist and extremist groups, and the increasing extremism taking over the mosque pulpits – all from a bold new post-9/11 generation – are evidence of, in their words, a "clash of civilizations" between Islamists and Western society. Across the West – Canada, the U.S., Europe, and Australia – lines are being drawn, as children, teens, and susceptible young Westerners are indoctrinated in the virtues of jihad and martyrdom, and extremist sheikhs incite their followers to attack unbelievers. They demand that the Jews return to Europe, amid calls for "death to Canada" and to other Western countries where they reside.
Some Canadian government officials have proposed solutions to begin to address this challenge, including establishing and implementing a national plan to combat antisemitism and to protect Canadian democracy from pro-Hamas, pro-Iran, and jihadist movements. But to this day, no actual steps have been taken.
Canada is respected around the world for its welcoming of immigrants, its tolerance, and its vibrant multiculturalism. It has proudly accepted tens of thousands of refugees over the past decade from the Syrian civil war, and is reportedly now taking in 5,000 Palestinian refugees. Sadly, it appears to also be welcoming, as well as tolerating, those who seek to attack other Canadian communities, such as the Jews, and who also seek the destruction of Canada as we know it – with no ability to summon the will to change course.
*Steven Stalinsky, Ph.D. is Executive Director of MEMRI; Elliot Zweig is Deputy Director of MEMRI
https://www.memri.org/reports/canadas-islamist-takeover-its-open-season-jews-and-jewish-institutes-%E2%80%93-active-front-clash

The need for a UK-EU defense pact
Luke Coffey/Arab News/May 02, 2025
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in London late last month to discuss the future of UK-EU relations. The main purpose of the meeting was to prepare for a larger summit between London and Brussels this month that will focus on formalizing cooperation on security and defense.
Since the historic 2016 referendum that led to the UK formally leaving the EU four years later, there has been an ongoing political debate about what the future relationship between the UK and the EU should look like. Starmer last year campaigned on aligning the UK more closely with the EU, but he has so far acted cautiously, aware that many Labour voters supported Brexit. At the same time, he has sought to distinguish himself from his Conservative predecessors, who were widely seen as presiding over chaotic and unproductive negotiations with Brussels.
In the Labour Party’s 2024 election manifesto, a clear commitment was made to establish a new security pact with the EU. Both sides hope this agreement will be finalized later this month.
Both London and Brussels want a security agreement, but for different reasons. For Starmer, it is an opportunity to demonstrate that he represents a clean break from the past and can reset the UK’s relationship with Europe. That the first major agreement focuses on defense and security is no coincidence — this is a policy area where the UK has significant strengths and can bring a great deal to the table. The UK has one of the largest defense budgets in Europe, a global military presence and extensive intelligence and cybersecurity capabilities.
Security is a policy area where the UK has significant strengths and can bring a great deal to the table. From the EU’s perspective, a deal is also urgent. The bloc recently announced a €150 billion ($169 billion) initiative to invest in the European defense industry. But without a formal agreement with the UK, British defense companies will be largely excluded from participating. Cooperation with the UK would enhance Europe’s capabilities and bolster transatlantic security.
Despite lingering Brexit-related bitterness in some corners of Brussels, the geopolitical reality is that the EU can never be fully secure without close cooperation with Britain. The UK has been a major European power for centuries and this will remain the case regardless of its EU membership status. EU officials hope that success in forging a defense agreement this month could create momentum for deeper cooperation in other areas — especially fishing. Few issues are as contentious in the EU as fishing rights. Determining which country can fish where, and how much, remains deeply political. In fact, it is one of the key reasons countries like Norway have opted to stay out of the EU. Currently, the UK and EU are in a transitional phase until June 2026, during which EU coastal states may still fish in British waters. Some EU officials have hinted off the record that progress on defense cooperation may hinge on the UK offering assurances about future fishing access. At the very least, Brussels hopes that accommodating the UK on defense — an issue important to London — will generate reciprocity on fishing, which is an issue important to the EU. Beyond bilateral tensions, global events are pushing the UK and EU toward greater defense cooperation. First is Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which served as a wake-up call across the continent. It reminded policymakers that institutional affiliations are secondary to the more urgent need for security and deterrence. Debates about the EU’s role in defense compared to NATO, which previously consumed so much political bandwidth, now seem almost irrelevant in the face of such a clear and present danger. Without Russia’s aggression, it is likely there would be far less emphasis today on the need for renewed UK-EU security arrangements.
Second is the return of Donald Trump to the White House. During his first term, Trump criticized European allies for underinvesting in their own defense — criticism that many Europeans acknowledged as fair. In response, European states have begun increasing military spending. However, Trump’s second term has brought an even sharper tone, with Washington openly declaring a trade war on the EU and signaling a pivot to East Asia in its defense planning. This has further galvanized European leaders to look inward and strengthen their collective defense capabilities.
The geopolitical reality is that the EU can never be fully secure without close cooperation with Britain. Still, there is a risk that closer UK-EU cooperation could come at the expense of the UK’s special relationship with the US or NATO’s primacy in European security. That risk must be managed carefully. The UK has historically been one of NATO’s strongest supporters and has often acted in Brussels to block EU defense initiatives perceived as duplicative of NATO. Any new pact with the EU must preserve NATO’s central role in European defense, while allowing for collaboration in areas where the EU can play a complementary role — such as cyber threats, hybrid warfare, energy security, infrastructure protection and combating disinformation.
While it was still in the EU, the UK pursued bilateral defense agreements with European countries — most notably the 2010 Lancaster House Treaties with France. These agreements were intended to demonstrate that Britain could take a leadership role in European defense outside EU structures. Now, having left the bloc, the UK is naturally seeking to complement these bilateral relationships with a formal agreement with Brussels — without undermining NATO’s essential role.
There will no doubt be skepticism from some Brexit supporters and euroskeptic commentators in the UK about any formal defense cooperation with the EU. But as long as it is done in a way that prioritizes NATO and makes the continent of Europe safer, it could represent a win-win for all sides. The EU gets a stronger, more capable partner on defense and the UK reasserts its leadership role in European security — while ensuring that its alliances with both Washington and Brussels are fit for today’s geopolitical challenges.
• Luke Coffey is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute. X: @LukeDCoffey

US democracy threatened by ‘antisemitism’ crackdown
Ray Hanania/Arab News/May 02, 2025
Ever since university protests began in response to Israel’s indiscriminate bombings of civilian targets in Gaza, the pro-Israel movement in America has ratcheted up its long-running campaign to demonize Palestinians. Over the past two years, numerous reports asserting that there has been an increase in antisemitism have been released by the Anti-Defamation League, which has long been a forum for anti-Palestinian hate, and many other pro-Israel activist groups. Their assertions have been embraced without challenge by both the media and many mainstream American politicians.
It is true that many students at university campuses around the US have clashed over the issue of a ceasefire in Gaza, but the media, politicians and government officials have only addressed one side. Only the pro-Palestinian protesters have been accused of engaging in violence and antisemitism, even though many of them are Jewish themselves.
Despite the chorus of anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab hatred that we have seen but which has not been reported by the media or called out by politicians, many in the Jewish community do not agree with the assertions of the anti-Palestinian extremists.
To hear ‘death to Arabs’ chants coming from pro-Israel activists in America and seeing nothing done about it is shocking. If there is antisemitism at college campuses during the pro-Palestinian protests, there is certainly anti-Arab, anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian hate there too. Some of it manages to seep into the mainstream media, which cowers under the threat of being targeted by weaponized antisemitism.
There have been many instances of protesters in Israel chanting “death to Arabs.” And I can almost understand it happening in Israel, a state ruled by an apartheid government that discriminates against Christian and Muslim Arabs. But to hear the same chants coming from pro-Israel activists in America and seeing nothing done about it is shocking.
Reuters was one of the few that reported on an incident last month, in which pro-Israel activists surrounded pro-Palestinian protesters during a visit to New York by the racist Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. The difference in the story was that the reporting suggested doubts as to whether it was about an Arab woman being targeted by “death to Arab” chants or an incident that involved hate going in both directions.
That is part of the problem caused by the bias that exists in US politics and the media. When something allegedly happens to Jews, it is unquestionably “antisemitism,” to the point where action is immediately taken to punish, for example, the university where the protesters gathered.
When the incidents involve anti-Arab hatred, it is watered down and “balanced” by counter-accusations. Listen to how New York City Mayor Eric Adams described last month’s incident: “Initial reports indicate that one female protester was isolated from her group, harassed by counter-protesters and suffered injuries. In another incident, a second woman was surrounded and subjected to vile threatening by counter-protesters.”
Allegations of antisemitism are weaponized to silence critics of Israel and used as the basis for punitive actions. The threats against the Arab victim were described as her being “harassed” by the “counter-protestors,” even though she suffered injuries. But in the same sentence, Adams ramps up the emotion by asserting that another woman was subjected to “vile threatening” actions. He never describes the victims as being Arab. But when the victims are Jewish, they are always described as such to enhance the assertions of antisemitism.
Like most American politicians, Adams does not seem to see an equivalency between antisemitism and racist anti-Arab hate. Why? Because it is not in his political best interests to do so. The concern here is not about fighting hatred. Antisemitism is already a violation of the law, as are most other acts of hatred. But allegations of antisemitism are weaponized to silence critics of Israel and used as the basis for punitive actions, including students being expelled from college. Arab Americans, particularly those who speak out against the war crimes being committed by a foreign country, Israel, are being harassed, targeted and intimidated by the authorities. Victims include both citizens and noncitizens who are in the country legally. America is going through a period of enhanced repressive policies that undermine the constitutional rights accorded not only to citizens but also to individuals who have legal status as residents or students. The fundamental basis of American democracy is due process, which means ensuring that all of an accused’s legal rights — including being innocent until proven guilty — are respected.
While I am convinced that all these people will, in the end, win their cases against these exaggerated and illegal accusations, the cost to American democracy is so great that it may be irreparably damaged.
• Ray Hanania is an award-winning former Chicago City Hall political reporter and columnist. He can be reached on his personal website at www.Hanania.com. X: @RayHanania

Journalism is not a crime
Daoud Kuttab/Arab News/May 02, 2025
The world marks World Press Freedom Day on Saturday — a day to reaffirm the importance of a free and independent press. For Palestinian journalists, however, it serves as a grim reminder of the extraordinary sacrifices and grave dangers they face simply for doing their jobs. Across Gaza and the West Bank, reporters are under attack — not only by Israeli forces but also by their own leadership and armed groups. The Palestinian narrative is being silenced by Israeli war criminals, while Palestinian authorities in Ramallah and Hamas in Gaza show little tolerance for critical or independent reporting. The scale of violence against Palestinian journalists in Gaza is staggering. Nearly 200 journalists have been killed since Israel’s offensive began in late 2023, according to Reporters Without Borders. At least 43 of them died while actively reporting. Newsrooms have been destroyed, homes bombed and neighborhoods flattened — all while Israel justifies its actions by branding journalists as “Hamas affiliates” or “terrorist sympathizers.” These claims are not only baseless; they are lethal. International humanitarian law under the Geneva Conventions makes it clear: unless directly participating in hostilities, journalists — even those accused of disseminating propaganda — are civilians and must not be targeted.
As if the external threat were not enough, Palestinian journalists are also being silenced from within. In Gaza, Hamas has responded to protests and critical reporting with threats and intimidation. At least three journalists have received death threats or been physically attacked for covering public dissent or posting criticism online. One reporter, speaking anonymously to Reporters Without Borders, said he deleted posts after receiving direct threats from Hamas members.
As if the external threat were not enough, Palestinian journalists are also being silenced from within.
In the West Bank, the Palestinian government, through security forces, has also cracked down on press freedom. Journalists have been harassed, assaulted and arbitrarily detained by security forces. Al Jazeera correspondent Laith Jaar was beaten and threatened with a firearm by a Palestinian security officer while covering the Israeli bombardment of Tulkarem. Another journalist, Mohammed Atrash, was arrested for documenting Israel’s invasion of Jenin. In a further escalation, the Ramallah-based Palestinian government has ordered the shutdown of Al Jazeera and suspended the network’s operations in the West Bank, accusing it of “inciting” unrest — a charge often used to silence critical media.
Palestinian journalists now find themselves caught between occupation, repression and censorship. This is no longer just a national crisis, it is a global press freedom emergency. When media offices are bombed, journalists are killed with impunity and entire news outlets are shut down, it signals the systematic destruction of one of the last remaining avenues of truth and accountability. Ironically, these attacks — whether by Israel, Hamas or the Palestinian Authority — serve Israel’s interests, enabling it to control the global narrative with minimal scrutiny. This cannot go unanswered. But outrage alone is not enough. The international media must recognize its own failure, particularly in allowing Israel’s ban on foreign press access to Gaza to go largely unchallenged.
As someone who has worked in journalism for decades, I can say unequivocally: the exclusion of foreign reporters from Gaza has had a devastating effect. It has allowed the Israeli government to control the global narrative of the conflict with little resistance. Without international journalists present, the world is left with a false equivalency — the claims of the Israeli military versus those of local Palestinian journalists, who are often unfairly dismissed as biased regardless of their professionalism or documented video evidence.
If international correspondents had been allowed into Gaza — if they had been able to visit hospitals, document attacks and verify or debunk Israeli claims — the narrative would be dramatically different. Their presence would not just improve the quality of coverage, it could save lives. More cameras and independent eyes on the ground would raise the political cost of war crimes and increase the chances for accountability.
The refusal to allow foreign journalists into Gaza is not a logistical matter — it is a deliberate tactic to obscure the truth. The refusal to allow foreign journalists into Gaza is not a logistical matter — it is a deliberate tactic to obscure the truth. Every news story about the war, in any media outlet around the world, should clearly state that international reporters have been denied access. Omitting this fact contributes to an illusion of transparency that simply does not exist. This is not a normal reporting environment — it is abnormal and the world must acknowledge it as such.
Journalism cannot survive under these conditions unless journalists and media organizations everywhere raise their voices more forcefully and more consistently. Global media institutions must go beyond generic statements of solidarity. They must demand safe access for all journalists, press for international accountability and publicly denounce any offending government or party, Israeli or Palestinian.
Governments that claim to defend press freedom must back up their rhetoric with action. That includes diplomatic pressure, international legal complaints and even sanctions against those responsible for the targeted killing and silencing of journalists. Anything less is complicity. World Press Freedom Day should not be reduced to a symbolic gesture. It must be a turning point. We owe it to the fallen journalists of Gaza — and to the courageous reporters who continue to risk their lives — to declare, without hesitation: journalism is not a crime.If we fail to defend this principle now, we risk losing it for good.
• Daoud Kuttab is an award-winning Palestinian journalist and former Ferris Professor of Journalism at Princeton University. He is the author of ‘State of Palestine NOW: Practical and Logical Arguments for the Best Way to Bring Peace to the Middle East.’ X: @daoudkuttab

Ankara, Washington, and Trump’s first 100 days
Dr. Sinem Cengiz/Arab News/May 02, 2025
As Donald Trump marked the first 100 days of his administration in Washington, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: “I believe my friend Trump and I will bring very different momentum to US-Turkiye relations in the coming days." The two leaders understood each other, he said, particularly on the contentious issue of Syria, and he welcomed Trump’s awareness of Turkiye’s sensitivities.
After Trump declared victory in November, Erdogan was among the first world leaders to publicly congratulate him. His preference was not new: he had expressed support before. Since Trump’s election, the two leaders have held numerous phone calls and their teams have been preparing for their first face-to-face meeting, although no date has been set. Such a meeting could pave the way for an improvement in Turkish-American relations. Trump’s approach to foreign leaders, often described as unorthodox and at times careless of diplomatic protocol, has led some to question it. However, there are more similarities than differences in how Erdogan and Trump, confident leaders, approach international politics. Both prefer direct contact over bureaucratic or institutional frameworks. Although in the past personal rapport has also brought challenges, it is still the way they operate.
During Trump’s first term, there were moments of strain, but their unique chemistry — a bromance, if you like — prevented ties from fully collapsing, and the two leaders have managed to maintain a fragile stability in their relations. Given their previous experiences, it is now clear that they are focused on developing a collaborative agenda that benefits both. While Ankara remains cautiously optimistic, it is well-prepared for a second Trump term, and the US president’s attitude appears to align with the Turkish ruling elite’s expectations.
One area where Ankara holds high expectations from Washington is Syria. Erdogan’s specific mention of Syria as a point of mutual understanding with Trump is telling. Ankara also expects the US to end cooperation with the Kurdish militias in Syria, who Turkiye considers a national security threat. Moreover, the Turkish ruling elite has expressed frustration over Israeli actions in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria, which it views as a destabilizing factor in the region.
Israel poses a serious security threat not only to a unified Syria but also to Turkiye’s stability and its efforts to reintegrate Syria into the international fold. The Trump administration’s policy on Turkish-Israeli tension in Syria will have an important impact for both the broader region and Syria’s future. Israel, with its strong lobbying presence in the US, has worked to influence Washington’s stance on Turkiye’s role in Syria. However, Trump made his position clear during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, praising Turkiye’s involvement in Syria and emphasizing his strong relationship with Erdogan.
This suggests that the Trump administration may pressure Israel to respect Turkiye’s security concerns in Syria. It seems clear that Washington acknowledges and seeks to address Turkiye’s concerns, and that it will be committed to a pragmatic foreign policy approach. Both Turkiye and Israel are allies of Washington in the Middle East and as the Trump administration plans to withdraw from Syria, it appears determined to leave behind a region where its allies will not confront each other. Only time will tell whether Ankara’s expectations are met.
Turkiye also supports Trump’s vision for ending the Russia-Ukraine war. Turkiye, alongside Saudi Arabia, has played an important role in enabling dialogue between US and Russian officials. As with Trump, Erdogan has maintained a direct approach with Vladimir Putin, maintaining a delicate balancing act. This personal diplomacy has kept Turkish-Russian relations stable, despite conflicting interests in flashpoints such as Syria, Ukraine, and the Caucasus. Erdogan and Trump, who trust their negotiating skills, are likely to discuss the Ukraine-Russia peace when they finally meet.
As for Europe and NATO, Trump’s approach has actually strengthened Turkiye’s position in the eyes of Europeans. NATO in particular values Turkiye’s military strength and growing defense industry, especially in securing the southern flank of the alliance. Ankara seems to be leveraging this moment to improve relations with both the EU and the alliance. Additionally, Turkiye aims to gain European support for its concerns in the eastern Mediterranean, where its regional interests are often at odds with those of European and regional states.
With three years and nine months ahead, it is too early to make predictions about the future of Turkish-American relations. While Turkiye has realistic expectations of the Trump administration, it cannot predict the exact policy preferences of Trump and his Cabinet on geopolitical issues, especially given the shifting dynamics in the region. Gaza and Iran remain hot topics. Equally important will be how the two leaders navigate the structural issues that mark US-Turkiye relations. So all eyes are now fixed on a possible Trump-Erdogan meeting, which will set the tone for the next phase.
• Dr. Sinem Cengiz is a Turkish political analyst who specializes in Turkiye’s relations with the Middle East. X: @SinemCngz