English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For May06/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
They said to him, ‘Sir, give us this bread always.’
John 06/28-34: "Then they said to him, ‘What must we do to perform the works of God?’Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’So they said to him, ‘What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, "He gave them bread from heaven to eat." ’Then Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’They said to him, ‘Sir, give us this bread always.’"

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on May 05-06/2025
Video Link To an Interview with Dr. Zeina Mansour
Video Link to aqn interview with Dr. Charles Chartouni from Assiyasa Website
Lebanese army seizes Captagon pills, equipment at Syrian border
Voter turnout 45.08% in Sunday's municipal polls
Iran condemns US calls for disarming Hezbollah
Rocket fallout: Lebanon advances with Hamas handovers, tensions ease
Militant suspected of firing rockets into Israel handed over to Lebanese Army by Hamas
A second Hamas suspect handed over to army over rocket fire
Israeli airstrikes target outskirts of Janta near Syrian border
Israeli drone targets Aitaroun with three strikes
UAE says citizens can again travel to Lebanon starting May 7
Lebanon holds local polls in first vote since Israel-Hezbollah war
IMF awaits action: Lebanon urged to pass banking, fiscal reform bills
Bassil: FPM drove results across all six districts in Mount Lebanon
Lebanon Sends Message of Confidence with First Local Elections

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on May 05-06/2025
Iran unveils new ballistic missile with 1,200 km range
Israel strikes Yemen after Houthi attack on Ben Gurion airport
Houthis say US bombed Yemen after strike on Israel's main airport
Hamas says Israel using Gaza aid delivery as 'blackmail'
Iran denies aiding Yemen Houthis in Israel airport attack
Belgian mother and son die in Jordan floods
Trump, asked about Israel’s Gaza plans, says US will help on food
plans to capture all of Gaza under new plan, officials say
Netanyahu says new Gaza offensive will be intensive
Iran says Israel’s Netanyahu dragging US into ‘disaster’ in region
Window open for Gaza deal during Trump Middle East visit, Israeli defense official says
EU ‘concerned’ over Israel Gaza plan, urges restraint
Israel cabinet approves plan including Gaza 'conquest'
Syria to Sign Deal to Import Electricity from Türkiye
Woman killed as gunmen attack Damascus nightclub: monitor, witness
Druze Group ‘Rijal al-Karama’ Rejects Disarmament, Calls for Weapons Regulation in Sweida
Syrian president expected to visit France soon
Syrians’ asylum applications to EU drop to lowest in decade
Trump-Putin meeting is necessary, but no specifics yet: Kremlin
Hegseth directs 20 percent cut to top military leadership positions
Pope Francis’s popemobile set to become health clinic for Gaza children

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sourceson on May 05-06/2025
What Are Palestinians Really Interested In?/Bassam Tawil/Gatestone Institute/May 5, 2025
Syria: Ethno-National Imbroglios and State Formation/Dr. Charles Elias Chartouni/This Is Beirut/May 05/2025
How Syria can overcome sectarian unrest to rebuild trust and national unity/ANAN TELLO/Arab News/May 05, 2025
The UK’s two-party system is creaking/Chris Doyle/Arab News/May 05, 2025
Wearing Sharaa Out or Breaking Syria Apart?/Ghassan Charbel/Asharq Al-Awsat/May 05/2025

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on May 05-06/2025
Video Link To an Interview with Dr. Zeina Mansour
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/05/143028/
Academic and political researcher Dr. Zeina Mansour offers bold and in-depth analysis of:
*The jihadist and ISIS conspiracy targeting the Druze in Syria
*Walid Jumblatt’s alliance with both Sunni and Shia political Islam — a stance hostile to Druze existance, future and interests
*The Abrahamic peace projects and the looming demographic changes facing the region
*The dominance of Fouad Siniora, former prime ministers, and the "Koluna Erada" movement over the traditional Tammam Salam and his corrupt & pro Hezbollah government.
*The background of Israeli protection of the Druze
*Lebanon’s choice between peace under the Egyptian or the Emirati models
*And several other critical Lebanese and Syrian issues shaping public opinion
*** Watch the full interview now on [Al-Badil] for a revealing perspective on regional power shifts.
May 05/2025

Video Link to aqn interview with Dr. Charles Chartouni from Assiyasa Website
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/05/143035/
05 May/2025
In a bold and patriotic conversation, Dr. Charles Chartouni addresses a wide range of critical local and regional issues facing Lebanon and the Lebanese people. His tone as always is sovereign, independent, and unflinchingly honest.
Key topics he covered include:
*The need for peace and normalization with Israel as a vital step toward Lebanese sovereignty and regional stability.
*Ending Hezbollah’s occupation and influence, which has devastated Lebanon’s institutions, economy, and international standing.
*The importance of the upcoming municipal and local elections, and their role in preserving democracy.
*The late Minister Michel El Murr’s crimes, particularly related to illegal naturalization policies, demographic manipulation, and alleged collaboration with the Assad regime—labeling him one of Lebanon's worst political figures.
*The destructive role of Hezbollah, especially through newly naturalized citizens used as political tools.
*The responsibility of the president and the cabinet to implement UN resolutions and abandon deals and political isolationism.
*A direct call to Nawaf Salam, ideologically aligned with Nasserism and Fatah, urging him to either resign or fully support peace and normalization efforts, especially since even Syria’s Bashar al-Assad has signaled openness to normalization.
*Stalled U.S.-Iranian negotiations, which are prolonging regional instability.
*A clear and firm stance in favor of peace with Israel, affirming that his stances are entirely independent: “No one dictates to me what I say, and no one forces me to change my convictions.”
*A strong condemnation of the unjust judicial case against him, stating that it lacks any legal or constitutional basis, and demanding that the new ruling authorities prove their credibility through proper legal conduct.

Lebanese army seizes Captagon pills, equipment at Syrian border
Updated 05 May 2025
CAIRO: The Lebanese Army seized large quantities of Captagon pills in a raid on a manufacturing plant on the Lebanese-Syrian border, the Lebanese News Agency reported on Monday. An army unit, supported by a patrol from the Directorate of Intelligence, seized large quantities of pills in addition to equipment for producing Captagon, along with raw materials used in drug manufacturing.

Voter turnout 45.08% in Sunday's municipal polls
Naharnet/May 05/2025
Voter turnout reached 45.08 percent in the first round of Lebanon’s municipal elections that was held in Mount Lebanon on Sunday, the Interior Ministry said. Turnout was highest in the Keserwan district with 60.94% and lowest in Northern Metn with 38.86%. Jbeil meanwhile recorded 57.46%, Chouf 45.75%, Aley 42.3% and Baabda 39.11%. The Ministry meanwhile received 500 complaints, most of them administrative, except for a few related to bribes.

Iran condemns US calls for disarming Hezbollah
Naharnet/May 05/2025
The Iranian foreign ministry on Monday condemned Washington’s calls for disarming Hezbollah in Lebanon, noting that “this decision is a domestic affair that no side has the right to interfere in.”“The issue of arms and defense is a domestic affair for any country and any third party should not be involved in it, especially if it is party to the conflict,” Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said. “America is not in a position that allows it to impose its stances on the Lebanese parties and this decision must be taken by all Lebanese components,” Baghaei added. “The right to resistance is part of the legitimate defense right and it is acknowledged by international law as an indispensable right, especially in our region which is facing an entity such as the Zionist entity,” the spokesman went on to say, adding that “it is not possible to speak of disarmament in the face of such an entity.”

Rocket fallout: Lebanon advances with Hamas handovers, tensions ease
LBCI/May 05/2025
Hamas has handed over a second suspect to the Lebanese army's Intelligence Directorate, who is suspected of involvement in the rocket attacks launched from southern Lebanon toward Israel on March 22 and 28. These attacks gave Israel a pretext to carry out raids in the south and Beirut's southern suburbs, resulting in casualties. According to sources, the second suspect was handed over to Beirut. His initials are Y.B. The handover took place hours after Hamas delivered the first suspect on Sunday at the Ain al-Hilweh camp. The handover of the two suspects follows decisions made by the Higher Defense Council and Hamas' commitment during meetings on Saturday to hand over four fugitive suspects involved in the rocket attacks within 48 hours. Two additional suspects remain to be handed over and are believed to be hiding in the el-Buss and Rashidieh camps in southern Lebanon. LBCI has learned that Hamas is committed to handing them over. However, some logistical issues delayed the simultaneous handover of all suspects. The process is moving forward positively, with a commitment to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 and the suspension of military and security operations, as well as the continued handover of the remaining suspects. While sources confirmed that one of the suspects is a Sheikh who has not yet been handed over, they assured that this would not impede the handover process, as Hamas has upheld its commitment. The group involved in the rocket attacks consists of six individuals. With the handover of the second suspect, the total number of detainees involved in the rocket launch operation rises to four. Two were detained by the Lebanese General Security and the Lebanese army following the attacks, while two others remain at large. Among the detained suspects, two are considered the main planners of the attacks.

Militant suspected of firing rockets into Israel handed over to Lebanese Army by Hamas
Associated Press/May 05/2025
Hamas has handed over a militant suspected of firing rockets into northern Israel, the Lebanese Army said. The Palestinian group turned over the suspect, who the Lebanese military only identified by the initials M.G., at the entrance of the Ain el-Helweh refugee camp, in the southern city of Sidon. The army says the militant was suspected of being involved in two rocket launches into Israel in March. The country's top military body Friday warned Hamas that it would face the "harshest measures" if it carried out any attacks from Lebanon, weeks after several Lebanese and Palestinians were detained on suspicion of firing rockets from Lebanon into northern Israel. Both attacks, months after a U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal went into effect last November, were met with widespread Israeli airstrikes across southern Lebanon and in southern Beirut. 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 have killed several Hamas officials, including senior military chief Saleh Arouri in Beirut. The low-level fighting in southern Lebanon between Hezbollah and Israel escalated months later, with Israel assassinating much of the Hezbollah leadership, including long-time secretary general Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. More than 4,000 people were killed in Lebanon. Israel still controls five hilltop points in southern Lebanon and has been critical of Hezbollah not being fully disarmed yet, and claims the group is trying to rearm in the south. Hezbollah says its military presence in southern Lebanon has subsided as per the ceasefire agreement, and has criticized Israel for its continued strikes in the area.

A second Hamas suspect handed over to army over rocket fire
Naharnet/May 05/2025
The Lebanese Army said Monday that Hamas handed over a second Palestinian suspected of involvement in rocket fire at Israel, one day after the first suspect was handed over and several days after authorities warned the militant group against harming the country's security. The two men are suspected of involvement in two rocket launches towards Israel from Lebanon on March 22 and 28, the army said. Israel responded to the rocket fire by bombing south Lebanon and Beirut's southern suburbs, where Hamas ally Hezbollah holds sway. Israel's military has continued to strike Lebanon despite a November ceasefire that sought to end more than a year of hostilities with Hezbollah, including two months of all-out war. The Israeli military often says it has targeted Hezbollah operatives or infrastructure, but also occasionally Hamas members or other allies. Two army statements said the suspects’ handover came based on the "recommendation of the Higher Defence Council and the Lebanese government decision." The council issued the recommendation on Friday, warning that "the utmost measures" would be taken to stop any action that violates Lebanese sovereignty.
Last month, the army arrested several Lebanese and Palestinian individuals accused of involvement in the March launches. A Lebanese security source told AFP at the time three Hamas members had been arrested.No group claimed responsibility for the rocket launches, and Hezbollah denied any involvement.

Israeli airstrikes target outskirts of Janta near Syrian border
LBCI/May 05/2025
Israeli warplanes struck the outskirts of the town of Janta in Lebanon’s eastern mountain range near the Syrian border on Monday. Israel's Channel 14 claimed that the airstrikes targeted Hezbollah infrastructure in the Bekaa region.

Israeli drone targets Aitaroun with three strikes
Naharnet/May 05/2025
An Israeli drone on Monday carried out three strikes on the southern town of Aitaroun near Israel’s border, the state-run National News Agency reported. “An Israeli drone conducted three consecutive strikes on an open area on the outsirts of al-Mahafer-al-Mteit in the town of Aitaroun in the Bint Jbeil district while no casualties were reported,” NNA said. Israel's military has continued to strike Lebanon despite a November ceasefire that sought to end more than a year of hostilities with Hezbollah, including two months of all-out war. The Israeli military often says it has targeted Hezbollah operatives or infrastructure.

UAE says citizens can again travel to Lebanon starting May 7
Agence France Presse/May 05/2025
Emirati citizens will be able to visit Lebanon as of May 7 after a ban imposed during a diplomatic row in 2021 was lifted, the official WAM news agency reported. The announcement comes after President Joseph Aoun met with his UAE counterpart Mohamed bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, after which it was announced that the ban would be lifted. In 2021, the United Arab Emirates imposed the travel ban and withdrew diplomats from Beirut in solidarity with Saudi Arabia, after a Lebanese minister criticized the Riyadh-led military intervention in Yemen. Lebanese citizens were not banned from traveling to the UAE, although some experienced difficulties obtaining visas. Ties between Beirut and Abu Dhabi had soured in the past decade over Hezbollah's influence on Lebanon. But with the group weakened by its recent war with Israel, the UAE is the latest Gulf country to renew its interest in Lebanon.
In March, Saudi Arabia said it would review "obstacles" to resuming Lebanese imports and ending a ban on its citizens visiting Lebanon.

Lebanon holds local polls in first vote since Israel-Hezbollah war
Agence France Presse/May 05/2025
Lebanon on Sunday held the first stage of long-delayed municipal elections, the first vote since a devastating war between Israel and Hezbollah and after a new national government was formed. Polls opened at 7:00 am (0400 GMT) for voters in the Mount Lebanon district, a heavily populated area with mixed political and religious affiliations that includes Beirut's southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold that was heavily damaged by Israeli strikes. "We have come to exercise our right and have our voices heard," said Hashem Shamas, 39, a Hezbollah supporter, after voting in south Beirut's Shiyyah neighborhood. According to the interior ministry, 9,321 candidates including 1,179 women ran in the Mount Lebanon district. Lebanon is supposed to hold municipal elections every six years, but cash-strapped authorities last held a local ballot in 2016. President Joseph Aoun emphasized the vote's importance to "give confidence to the people and internationally that Lebanon is rebuilding its institutions and is back on the right track."Aoun was elected in January and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam formed a government the following month, ending a more than two-year vacuum as Lebanon's balance of power shifted following the Israel-Hezbollah war. The new authorities have promised reforms in order to gain the trust of the international community, as well as unlock billions in bail-out funds amid a five-year economic crisis. They have also vowed a state monopoly on bearing arms. Hezbollah was left badly weakened in more than a year of hostilities with Israel, with a slew of commanders including the group's longtime chief, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, killed and its strongholds pummeled in the south and east and in south Beirut. Israel has continued to strike targets in Lebanon despite a ceasefire and still has troops in five areas it considers "strategic".
In April 2024, the municipal polls were postponed amid the hostilities, which escalated in September into a major Israeli bombing campaign and ground incursion before the ceasefire about two months later. Aoun urged voters not to let sectarian, "partisan or financial factors" impact their vote. Religious and political affiliations are usually key electoral considerations in multi-confessional Lebanon, where power is shared along sectarian lines. Municipal ballots however provide a greater margin for local community dynamics to play a role.
Polls closed at 7:00 pm on Sunday. Areas of northern Lebanon will vote on May 11, with Beirut and the country's eastern Bekaa Valley area set to go to the polls on May 18, while voters in the heavily damaged south will cast ballots on May 24.

IMF awaits action: Lebanon urged to pass banking, fiscal reform bills
LBCI/May 05/2025
A large delegation from the International Monetary Fund is expected to arrive in Lebanon later this month to begin discussions on the country’s stalled financial reforms. On one front, Parliament is reviewing a draft law on banking sector restructuring. On the other hand, the government is working on a financial gap law to identify losses and assign responsibility. Observers following the talks say Lebanon must pass both laws by July at the latest, as the IMF’s fall meetings are scheduled for October. The official Lebanese delegation is expected to present these two laws during the sessions. According to information obtained by LBCI, the Central Bank, under the guidance of Governor Karim Souaid, has begun drafting the financial gap law. Recent amendments to Lebanon’s banking secrecy law have granted the Central Bank access to bank accounts and the holdings of major depositors, enabling it to obtain key financial data. These steps are essential to defining the scope of restructuring, calculating the financial gap, assigning responsibility, and determining how to recover deposits.The Finance and Budget Committee, headed by MP Ibrahim Kanaan, is set to accelerate discussions on the restructuring law in preparation for joint committee review and a general vote. The draft will serve as a basis for gathering feedback from all relevant stakeholders—including the banks. Sources indicated that neither local nor international backers of the reform will accept legislation that goes against their interests. This also applies to the financial gap law. Lebanon can no longer afford delays in passing these two bills, which are seen as prerequisites for reviving the banking sector. If approved, the laws could help the sector attract investment, draw cash currently held outside the banking system, and curb the cash economy. However, banking sources said that lenders have yet to be consulted on the financial gap legislation. Questions remain about whether the restructuring and financial gap laws will be merged or kept as separate pieces of legislation.

Bassil: FPM drove results across all six districts in Mount Lebanon
LBCI/May 05/2025
Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) leader MP Gebran Bassil said the party participated in all six districts in Mount Lebanon. Speaking at a press conference, he said the party won seats alongside the people and its allies and proved to be a key driver on the ground. Bassil added that the results show the party's presence across Mount Lebanon and that it remains a major political force in the region. "Even in cities we lost, our goal was to affirm our presence," he said.

Lebanon Sends Message of Confidence with First Local Elections
Beirut: Nazeer Rida//Asharq Al-Awsat/May 05/2025
Lebanon completed the first phase of its municipal and mayoral elections on Sunday, in a vote overseen by political and security authorities and hailed by officials as transparent. The polls mark the country’s first electoral process under President Joseph Aoun, who sought to reassure voters that “the state is serious about safeguarding their right to express their views through the ballot box.”Aoun described the vote’s integrity as a “message of trust to the world that Lebanon is beginning to recover, rebuild its institutions, and is now on the right track.”Sunday’s vote covered Mount Lebanon province, the most populous region in the country. The area includes a mix of religious and political affiliations, including Beirut’s southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold heavily damaged during Israel’s bombardment in the latest war on Lebanon. Aoun made a field visit on Sunday to oversee Lebanon’s first municipal and mayoral elections since 2016, following years of delays caused by the country’s prolonged political and economic crises. The president began his tour at the Ministry of Interior, where he met with Interior Minister Ahmed Al-Hajjar and Justice Minister Adel Nassar. The discussions focused on measures in place to safeguard the electoral process from any security or legal disruptions. Both ministers assured the president of their full preparedness to address any challenges that may arise during the first phase of the vote, held in Mount Lebanon province. Speaking to staff in the central operations room, Aoun called for “active and serious efforts” to ensure a smooth electoral process and to reassure citizens that the state is committed to protecting their right to vote freely. He also urged voters to participate in large numbers and resist pressures based on sectarian, political or financial influences. “Do not let sectarian, partisan, or monetary factors sway your choice,” Aoun said. Local elections were held across the districts of Jbeil, Keserwan, Metn, Aley, Baabda, and Chouf - areas where family and clan loyalties often outweigh political or sectarian affiliations in Lebanon’s complex electoral landscape. As of late afternoon, with three hours remaining before polls closed, the Interior Ministry reported varying voter turnout rates across Mount Lebanon province. Keserwan led with more than 53% turnout, followed by Jbeil nearing 50%. Aley registered 36.66%, Chouf 38%, Baabda 33.11%, and Northern Metn around 33%.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on May 05-06/2025
Iran unveils new ballistic missile with 1,200 km range
Agence France Presse/05 May/2025
Iran has unveiled a new solid-fuel ballistic missile with a range of 1,200 kilometers (745 miles), state television reported, at a time of rising tensions with the West. "The solid propellant Ghassem Basir ballistic missile has a range of at least 1,200 kilometers and is Iran's latest defense achievement," the broadcaster said. Western nations have raised concerns about Tehran's missile capabilities, accusing it of destabilizing the Middle East. Iran supports the "axis of resistance" network of militant groups opposed to Israel, including Yemen's Houthi rebels, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Shiite armed groups in Iraq. In October last year, Iran and its sworn enemy Israel attacked each other directly for the first time. Israel struck military sites in Iran in response to an Iranian missile attack on October 1, itself launched in retaliation for the killing of Iran-backed militant leaders and a Revolutionary Guards commander. On Sunday, Iranian state television broadcast footage of the new missile during an interview with Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh. "If we are attacked and war is waged against us, we will respond with force and will target their interests and their bases," Nasirzadeh said. "We hold no animosity towards neighboring states, but American bases are our targets," he said. The new missile was shown after Tehran and Washington held Oman-mediated talks on Iran's nuclear program on three consecutive Saturdays from April 12. They were the highest level contacts since the United States withdrew in 2018 from a landmark agreement with world powers on Iran's nuclear program. On Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in an interview with Fox News called on Iran to "walk away" from uranium enrichment, saying "the only countries in the world that enrich uranium are the ones that have nuclear weapons". On April 27, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a credible deal must "remove Iran's capacity to enrich uranium for nuclear weapons" and prevent the development of ballistic missiles. Tehran denies seeking to acquire nuclear weapons, insisting that its nuclear ambitions are entirely peaceful and for civilian purposes. It has ruled out discussions with Washington on its military and defense capabilities, including its ballistic missile program. U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to attack Iran if diplomacy fails and has imposed additional sanctions targeting the country's oil sector.

Israel strikes Yemen after Houthi attack on Ben Gurion airport
AFP/May 05, 2025
SANAA: Israel struck Yemen on Monday in what the Houthis said was a joint raid with the United States, a day after the militia claimed missile fire at Israel’s main airport. The Houthi-run Al-Masirah television said six air strikes hit the port of Hodeida, on Yemen’s western coast, and reported an attack on Bajil district in the same province, blaming “US-Israeli aggression” for both.Israel confirmed it had carried out the strikes, while a US official denied any part in the raid. The Israeli military said its “fighter jets struck terror targets belonging to the Houthi terrorist regime along Yemen’s coastline and further inland.” In a statement, it said the Houthi-held Hodeida port “is used for the transfer of Iranian weapons, military equipment, and other equipment intended for terrorist purposes.”In Bajil, the military said it hit a “concrete plant... which functions as a significant economic resource for the Houthis.”A US defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that “US forces did not participate in the Israeli strikes on Yemen today.”Anees Al-Asbahi, spokesman for the Houthi-run health ministry, said in a post on X that 21 people were wounded in the attack on Bajil. Earlier the Houthis’ Saba news agency said US strikes hit the capital Sanaa and the airport road, wounding 16 people according to the rebels’ health ministry. Al-Masirah reported another four strikes in Sanaa and seven in the northern governorate of Al-Jawf. The reported strikes come after Israel said a missile fired from Yemen on Sunday struck inside the perimeter of Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv for the first time.The Houthis claimed responsibility, saying they fired a “hypersonic ballistic missile” at Ben Gurion airport, Israel’s main international gateway. The militia said it “will work to impose a comprehensive air blockade on the Israeli enemy by repeatedly targeting airports, most notably... Ben Gurion airport.”The missile gouged a wide crater in the ground near an airport parking lot, injuring six people and forcing airlines to suspend flights. The Houthis, who control swathes of Yemen including Sanaa, have launched missiles and drones targeting Israel and Red Sea shipping throughout the Gaza war that began in October 2023, saying they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians. US strikes against the Houthis began under former president Joe Biden but have intensified under his successor Donald Trump. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday vowed a tough response against the Houthis, as well as its main backer Iran, over the airport attack. In a video published on Telegram, Netanyahu said Israel had “acted against” the Houthis in the past and “will act in the future.”“It will not happen in one bang, but there will be many bangs,” he added. On social media platform X, Netanyahu said Israel would also respond to Iran at “a time and place of our choosing.”Iran on Monday denied supporting the attack, calling it an “independent decision” by the Houthis taken in solidarity with the Palestinian people. Reacting to Netanyahu’s threats, the Islamic republic warned it would retaliate against any attack on its territory. “Iran underlines (its) firm determination... to defend itself,” the Iranian foreign ministry said, warning Israel and the United States of “consequences.”An Israeli military spokesperson told AFP that Sunday’s attack was “the first time” that a missile has directly struck inside the airport perimeter. An AFP journalist inside the airport during the attack said he heard a “loud bang” at around 9:35 am (0635 GMT), adding that the “reverberation was very strong.”Flights resumed after being halted briefly, with the aviation authority saying on Sunday that Ben Gurion was “open and operational.” Some international airlines have canceled flights, including SWISS which extended its suspension until Sunday.

Houthis say US bombed Yemen after strike on Israel's main airport
Agence France Presse/05 May/2025
Yemen's Houthis on Monday accused the United States of carrying out strikes in and around Sanaa, after the Iran-backed rebels claimed a missile strike on Israel's main airport. The Houthi-run Saba news agency said the strikes included two on Arbaeen Street in the capital and the airport road, blaming them on "American aggression". Sixteen people were wounded, Saba cited the Iran-backed rebels' health ministry as saying. The accusation came after Israel said a missile fired from Yemen struck inside the perimeter of Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv on Sunday.
The Houthis claimed responsibility, saying they fired a "hypersonic ballistic missile" at Ben Gurion, Israel's main international gateway. The missile gouged a wide crater in the ground near an airport parking lot, wounding six people and forcing airlines to suspend flights. The Houthis, who control swathes of Yemen including the capital, have launched missiles and drones targeting Israel and Red Sea shipping throughout the Gaza war, saying they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed a tough response against the Houthis, as well as its main backer Iran, over the attack. In a video published on Telegram, Netanyahu said Israel had "acted against" the Houthis in the past and "will act in the future". "It will not happen in one bang, but there will be many bangs," he added, without elaborating. On social media platform X, Netanyahu said Israel would also respond to Iran at "a time and place of our choosing". Hours later, the Huthis threatened to launch more such strikes and warned airlines to cancel their flights to Israeli airports.
Iran denial
Iran on Monday denied supporting the attack, calling it an "independent decision" by the Yemeni rebels taken in solidarity with the Palestinian people. Reacting to Netanyahu's threats, the Islamic republic warned it would retaliate to any attack against its territory.
"Iran underlines (its) firm determination... to defend itself," the Iranian foreign ministry said, warning Israel and the United States of "consequences". Following Sunday's attack, an Israeli police video showed officers standing on the edge of a wide hole in the ground. "You can see the area just behind us: a crater was formed here, several dozen metres wide and several dozen metres deep," central Israel's police chief, Yair Hezroni, said in the recording. "This is the first time" that a missile has directly struck inside the airport perimeter, an Israeli military spokesperson told AFP. Israel's Magen David Adom emergency service said it had treated at least six people with light to moderate injuries. An AFP journalist inside the airport during the attack said he heard a "loud bang" at around 9:35 am (0635 GMT), adding that the "reverberation was very strong". "Security staff immediately asked hundreds of passengers to take shelter, some in bunkers," the journalist said.
'Panic' -
One passenger said the attack, which came shortly after air raid sirens sounded across parts of Israel, caused "panic". "It is crazy to say but since October 7 we are used to this," said the 50-year-old, who did not want to be named, referring to the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel that sparked the Gaza war.Flights resumed after being halted briefly, with the aviation authority saying on Sunday that Ben Gurion was "open and operational".On Sunday, Israel's army called up tens of thousands of reservists for an expanded Gaza offensive. "This week we are issuing tens of thousands of orders to our reservists to intensify and expand our operation in Gaza," said army chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir. The army would destroy all Hamas infrastructure, "both on the surface and underground", he added. Israel's security cabinet, in a meeting overnight, approved a plan to expand military operations in Gaza, including the "conquest" of the Palestinian territory, an official said Monday. U.S. strikes on Yemen's Houthi rebels began under former president Joe Biden, but have intensified under his successor Donald Trump.

Hamas says Israel using Gaza aid delivery as 'blackmail'
Agence France Presse/05 May/2025
Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas said Monday a new Israeli framework for aid delivery in Gaza amounted to "political blackmail" and blamed Israel for the war-ravaged territory's "humanitarian catastrophe". "We reject the use of aid as a tool of political blackmail and support the UN's stance against any arrangements that violate humanitarian principles," Hamas said in a statement, adding Israel's "continued obstruction of aid entry" since March 2 made it "fully responsible" for the "humanitarian catastrophe" in Gaza.

Iran denies aiding Yemen Houthis in Israel airport attack
Agence France Presse/05 May/2025
Iran on Monday denied supporting Yemen's Houthi attack on Israel's main international airport after the rebels claimed a missile strike the day. "The Yemeni action in support of the Palestinian people was an independent decision taken in solidarity" with them, said Iran's foreign ministry in a statement. A missile fired from Yemen on Sunday gouged a deep crater in the perimeter of Ben Gurion International Airport, wounding six people and briefly grounding flights. The Iran-backed Houthis claimed responsibility, saying they fired "hypersonic ballistic missile" at Ben Gurion and warning of more attacks on Israeli airports. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed a tough response to the Houthis and Iran over the attack. In a video published on Telegram, Netanyahu said Israel had "acted against" the Houthis in the past and "will act in the future".
"It will not happen in one bang, but there will be many bangs," he added, without elaborating. Later on social media platform X, Netanyahu said Israel would also respond to Iran at "a time and place of our choosing". Reacting to these threats, Iran on Monday warned it would retaliate to any attack against its territory. "Iran underlines (its) firm determination... to defend itself," the foreign ministry statement said, warning Israel and the United States of "consequences". The Houthis are part of Iran's "axis of resistance" against Israel and the United States, presenting themselves as defenders of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Belgian mother and son die in Jordan floods
Agence France Presse/05 May/2025
Jordanian rescue teams have recovered the bodies of a Belgian tourist and her young son who went missing during flooding in the south of the kingdom, authorities said Monday. The rescuers found "the bodies of a woman and her son, both Belgian nationals, who had been missing after flooding in the Shubak region", about 200 kilometers (125 miles) south of Amman, the General Security Directorate said in a statement. Her two other children were found alive and well. "The bodies found after several hours of searching in difficult weather and terrain conditions have been evacuated," the statement said, without giving further details. The Belgian woman and her three children were part of a group of tourists -- including 14 Czechs -- on an unguided "adventure trip" on Sunday, according to Maan governor Hassan al-Jabur, as reported by the official Al-Mamlaka TV channel. Authorities evacuated most of the group, but the family went missing, he said, adding rescue teams later found two of the children in "good health". Jordanian authorities on Sunday evacuated nearly 1,800 tourists from flooding in Petra, a UNESCO-listed World Heritage site.No casualties were reported after flooding hit the ancient site, according to an official. Jordan's meteorological authority published a video showing flash floods hitting the Petra, a major tourist attraction. It showed holidaymakers gathering at the entrance of the Treasury, one of the site's most iconic tombs, before being evacuated. Similar evacuations have occurred in the past, as the area witnesses increasing rains and storms which scientists say occur more frequently around the world due to climate change. Petra, famous for its stunning temples hewn from rose-pink cliff faces, was chosen as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in a 2007 online poll.

Trump, asked about Israel’s Gaza plans, says US will help on food
Reuters/May 05, 2025
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump repeated a US pledge to help get food to Palestinians in Gaza when he was asked at the White House on Monday about Israeli plans for an expanded offensive in the territory. Trump did not offer his views on Israel’s operations. He made the comments to reporters in the Oval Office. Israel’s security cabinet approved the expansion of military operations in Gaza including the “conquest” of the Palestinian territory, an official said Monday, after the army called up tens of thousands of reservists for the offensive. It comes as the United Nations and aid organizations have repeatedly warned of the humanitarian catastrophe on the ground, with famine again looming after more than two months of a total Israeli blockade. The Israeli official said the expanded operations “will include, among other things, the conquest of the Gaza Strip and the holding of the territories, moving the Gaza population south for their protection.”A different senior security official said “a central component of the plan is a large-scale evacuation of the entire Gazan population from the fighting zones... to areas in southern Gaza.”The plan, approved by the cabinet overnight, comes amid a push by Israel for Palestinians to leave the territory. A “voluntary transfer program for Gaza residents... will be part of the operation’s goals,” the senior security official added. The European Union voiced concern and urged restraint from Israel, saying the plan “will result in further casualties and suffering for the Palestinian people.”Israel resumed major operations across Gaza on March 18 amid deadlock over how to proceed with a two-month ceasefire that had largely halted the war with Hamas, which was sparked by the militants’ October 2023 attack. Israel has since carried out intensive aerial bombardments and expanded ground operations across the Palestinian territory. Gaza rescuers on Monday said Israeli air strikes killed at least 19 people.

plans to capture all of Gaza under new plan, officials say
AP/May 05, 2025
TEL AVIV: Israel approved plans on Monday to capture the entire Gaza Strip and remain in the territory for an unspecified amount of time, two Israeli officials said, in a move that if implemented would vastly expand Israel’s operations in the Palestinian territory and likely bring fierce international opposition. Israeli Cabinet ministers approved the plan in an early morning vote, hours after the Israeli military chief said the army was calling up tens of thousands of reserve soldiers. The new plan, which the officials said was meant to help Israel achieve its war aims of defeating Hamas and freeing hostages held in Gaza, also would push hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to southern Gaza, what would likely exacerbate an already dire humanitarian crisis. Since a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas collapsed in mid-March, Israel has unleashed fierce strikes on the territory that have killed hundreds. It has captured swathes of territory and now controls roughly 50 percent of Gaza. Before the truce ended, Israel halted all humanitarian aid into Gaza, including food, fuel and water, setting off what is believed to the be the worst humanitarian crisis in nearly 19 months of war. The ban on aid has prompted widespread hunger and shortages have set off looting.
Israel is trying to ratchet up pressure on Hamas
The Israeli officials said the plan included the “capturing of the strip and the holding of territories.” The plan would also seek to prevent the militant Hamas group from distributing humanitarian aid, which Israel says strengthens the group’s rule in Gaza. It also accuses Hamas of keeping the aid for itself to bolsters its capabilities. The plan also included powerful strikes against Hamas targets, the officials said. The officials said Israel was in touch with several countries about President Donald Trump’s plan to take over Gaza and relocate its population, under what Israel has termed “voluntary emigration” yet which has sparked condemnations from Israel’s allies in Europe and the Arab world. One of the officials said the plan would be implemented gradually. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing military plans.
For weeks, Israel has been trying to ratchet up pressure on Hamas and prompt it to show more flexibility in ceasefire negotiations. But international mediators trying to bring the sides toward a new deal have struggled to do so. Israel’s measures do not appear to have moved Hamas away from its negotiating positions. The previous ceasefire was meant to lead the sides to negotiate an end to the war, but that goal has been a repeated sticking point in talks between Israel and Hamas. Israel says it won’t agree to end the war until Hamas is defeated. Hamas meanwhile has demanded an agreement that winds down the war. Israel’s expansion announcement has angered families of the hostages. The Hostage Forum, which supports families, said on Monday that the plan puts every hostage at risk and urged Israel’s decision-makers to secure a deal and prioritize the hostages. At a Knesset committee meeting Monday, Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan is being held hostage, called on soldiers “not to report for reserve duty for moral and ethical reasons.”
Israel wants to prevent Hamas from handling aid
The Israeli officials did not disclose details on how the plan seeks to prevent Hamas from involvement in aid distribution. One said the ministers had approved “the option of aid distribution,” without elaborating. According to an internal memo circulated among aid groups and seen by The Associated Press, Israel told the United Nations that it will use private security companies to control aid distribution in Gaza. The UN, in a statement Sunday, said it would not participate in the plan as presented to it, saying it violates its core principles. The memo, sent to aid organizations on Sunday, detailed notes from a meeting between the Israeli defense body in charge of coordinating aid to Gaza, COGAT and the UN. Under COGAT’s plan, all aid will enter Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing, letting approximately 60 trucks enter daily and distributing 20 kilograms of aid parcels directly to people on the day of entry, although their contents were unclear as was how many people will have access to the aid.
The memo said the aid will be distributed at logistics hubs, which will be run by private security companies. The memo said that facial recognition will be used to identify Palestinians at the hubs and SMS alerts will notify people in the area that they can collect aid. Aid workers say the plan to centralize aid, rather than delivering it to Palestinians where they are, will forcibly displace people. The fighting has displaced more than 90 percent of Gaza’s population, often multiple times, and turned Gaza into an uninhabitable moonscape. The UN accuses Israel of wanting to control aid as a ‘pressure tactic’The UN said the plan would leave large parts of the population, including the most vulnerable, without supplies. It said the plan “appears designed to reinforce control over life-sustaining items as a pressure tactic – as part of a military strategy.”The memo says that the US government has voiced clear support for Israel’s plan, but it’s unclear who would provide funding for the private military companies or the aid. COGAT and the US Embassy in Jerusalem did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Earlier this week, the AP obtained dozens of documents about aid groups’ concerns that the hubs could end up permanently displacing Palestinians and forcing them to live in “de facto internment conditions”. Meanwhile, Israeli strikes across Gaza continued overnight, killing at least 17 people in northern Gaza, according to hospital staff. Strikes hit Gaza City, Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya and among the dead were eight women and children, according to staff at the Shifa hospital, where the bodies were brought. The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages. Israel says 59 captives remain in Gaza, although about 35 are believed to be dead. Israel’s offensive has killed more than 52,000 people in Gaza, many of them women and children, according to Palestinian health officials, who do not distinguish between combatants and civilians in their count. Israel occupied Gaza in the 1967 Mideast war and withdrew troops and settlers in 2005. Two years later, Hamas took over and has controlled the territory since.

Netanyahu says new Gaza offensive will be intensive
Agencies/05 May ,2025
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that a new offensive in Gaza will be an intensive military operation aimed at defeating Hamas, but stopped short of detailing just how much of the enclave’s territory would be seized. “Population will be moved, for its own protection,” Netanyahu said in a video posted on X. He said Israeli soldiers won’t go into Gaza, launch raids and then retreat. “The intention is the opposite of that,” he said. Israel’s security cabinet approved the expansion of military operations in Gaza including the “conquest” of the Palestinian territory, an official said Monday, after the army called up tens of thousands of reservists for the offensive. For the latest updates on the Israel-Palestine conflict, visit our dedicated page. It comes as the United Nations and aid organizations have repeatedly warned of the humanitarian catastrophe on the ground, with famine again looming after more than two months of a total Israeli blockade. The Israeli official said the expanded operations “will include, among other things, the conquest of the Gaza Strip and the holding of the territories, moving the Gaza population south for their protection.” A different senior security official said “a central component of the plan is a large-scale evacuation of the entire Gazan population from the fighting zones... to areas in southern Gaza.”The plan, approved by the cabinet overnight, comes amid a push by Israel for Palestinians to leave the territory. A “voluntary transfer program for Gaza residents... will be part of the operation’s goals,” the senior security official added. The European Union voiced concern and urged restraint from Israel, saying the plan “will result in further casualties and suffering for the Palestinian people.” Israel resumed major operations across Gaza on March 18 amid deadlock over how to proceed with a two-month ceasefire that had largely halted the war with Hamas, which was sparked by the militants’ October 2023 attack. Israel has since carried out intensive aerial bombardments and expanded ground operations across the Palestinian territory.
Gaza rescuers on Monday said Israeli airstrikes killed at least 19 people.
Most of Gaza’s population had resided in the north of the territory and nearly all have been displaced at least once during the war. The cabinet, which includes Netanyahu and several ministers, “unanimously approved” the plan aimed at defeating Hamas and securing the return of hostages held in the territory. The official source said the plan included “powerful strikes against Hamas,” without specifying their nature. The senior security source said the troop deployment would “allow a window of opportunity” for a possible hostage deal coinciding with US President Donald Trump’s upcoming visit to the Middle East in mid-May. The Gaza health ministry said Sunday that at least 2,459 people had been killed since Israel resumed its campaign on March 18, bringing the overall death toll from the war to 52,567. Hamas’ attack on October 7 resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people on the Israeli side, according to Israeli tallies. Militants also abducted 251 people, 58 of whom are still being held in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead. Israel says its renewed offensive is aimed at forcing Hamas to free its remaining captives, although critics charge that it puts them in mortal danger. An Israeli campaign group representing the relatives of hostages said the plan for an expanded offensive was “sacrificing” those held in Gaza. Alongside the plan for the expansion of the war, Netanyahu “continues to promote” a proposal by Trump for the departure of Gazans to neighboring countries, the official said. The US president’s plan, unveiled in early February, has been rejected by Arab nations and governments around the world and the Palestinians. Israel’s security cabinet also approved the “possibility of humanitarian distribution, if necessary” in Gaza, “to prevent Hamas from taking control of the supplies and to destroy its governance capabilities.”Israel has accused the Palestinian militant group of diverting aid, which Hamas denies. A grouping of UN agencies and aid groups in the Palestinian territory has said Israel is seeking to “shut down the existing aid distribution system... and have us agree to deliver supplies through Israeli hubs under conditions set by the Israeli military.” The plan “contravenes fundamental humanitarian principles and appears designed to reinforce control over life-sustaining items as a pressure tactic – as part of a military strategy,” the bodies said in a statement. Hamas said Monday the new Israeli aid framework amounted to “political blackmail.”Israel’s cabinet said there was “currently enough food” in Gaza.

Iran says Israel’s Netanyahu dragging US into ‘disaster’ in region
AFP/05 May ,2025
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of attempting to drag the United States into “disaster” in the Middle East, warning against any attempt to attack Iran. “Netanyahu is directly MEDDLING within the US Government to DRAG it into another DISASTER in our region,” Araghchi said on X, warning against “ANY mistake against Iran.”Araghchi also accused Netanyahu of “attempting to brazenly DICTATE what President Trump can and cannot do in his diplomacy with Iran.” “The world has also learned how Netanyahu is directly MEDDLING within the US Government to DRAG it into another DISASTER in our region,” he added. Iran’s top diplomat cited US support for Israel in its war in Gaza against Palestinian group Hamas since the unprecedented October 2023 attack by the militants. It also referred to the US retaliatory strikes against the Tehran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen, whose attacks have targeted Washington’s ally Israel and Red Sea shipping. “LETHAL support for Netanyahu’s Genocide in Gaza and waging WAR on behalf of Netanyahu in Yemen have achieved NOTHING for the American people,” he said. The remarks came after the latest round of nuclear talks with the US, which were meant for May 3, were delayed with mediator Oman citing “logistical reasons.”The two countries have held three rounds since April 12, their highest-level contact since Washington withdrew from a landmark deal with Tehran in 2018, during Donald Trump’s first term as US president. Netanyahu has called for dismantling Iran’s nuclear program, saying a credible deal must “remove Iran’s capacity to enrich uranium for nuclear weapons” and prevent the development of ballistic missiles. On Sunday, Trump said he would only accept “the total dismantlement” of Iran’s nuclear program, but also signaled openness to discussing one for civilian use. “Now, there’s a new theory going out there that Iran would be allowed to have civilian (program) -- meaning to make electricity,” he told NBC News, adding that he “would be open to hearing” the argument. Tehran has consistently denied that it was seeking atomic weapons, insisting that its atomic program is solely for civilian purposes.
Araghchi reiterated that if the goal was for Iran to not have a nuclear weapon, “a deal is achievable and there is only ONE PATH to achieve it: DIPLOMACY based on MUTUAL RESPECT and MUTUAL INTERESTS.”

Window open for Gaza deal during Trump Middle East visit, Israeli defense official says
Reuters/05 May ,2025
A senior Israeli defense official said on Monday there was a “window of opportunity” for a hostage deal in Gaza during US President Donald Trump’s visit to the region next week but that otherwise Israel would begin its new operation in the enclave.
“If there is no hostage deal, Operation ‘Gideon Chariots’ will begin with great intensity and will not stop until all its goals are achieved,” he said, following a decision by the security cabinet to approve an expanded operation.

EU ‘concerned’ over Israel Gaza plan, urges restraint
AFP/05 May ,2025
The European Union on Monday called for restraint from Israel after the country’s security cabinet approved the expansion of military operations in Gaza. “The European Union is concerned at the planned extension of the operation by Israeli forces in Gaza, which will result in further casualties and suffering for the Palestinian population. We urge Israel to exercise the utmost restraint,” EU spokesman Anouar El Anouni said.

Israel cabinet approves plan including Gaza 'conquest'
Agence France Presse/05 May/2025
Israel's security cabinet approved the expansion of military operations in Gaza including the "conquest" of the Palestinian territory, an official said Monday, after the army called up tens of thousands of reservists for the offensive. It comes as the United Nations and aid organizations have repeatedly warned of the humanitarian catastrophe on the ground, with famine again looming after more than two months of a total Israeli blockade. The plan, approved by the cabinet overnight, includes the holding of territories in the besieged Gaza Strip, the official said, and comes amid a push by Israel for Gaza's people to leave the territory. Israel resumed major operations across Gaza on March 18 amid deadlock over how to proceed with a two-month ceasefire that had largely halted the war with Hamas, which was sparked by the militants' October 2023 attack. Israel has since carried out intensive aerial bombardments and expanded ground operations across the Palestinian territory, with Gaza rescuers on Monday saying Israeli air strikes killed at least 19 people in the north. The Israeli official said the plan for expanded operations "will include, among other things, the conquest of the Gaza Strip and the holding of the territories, moving the Gaza population south for their protection."The majority of Gaza's population had resided in the north of the territory, particularly Gaza City, and nearly all have been displaced at least once since the war began. The cabinet, which includes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and several ministers, "unanimously approved" the plan aimed at defeating Gaza's rulers Hamas and securing the return of hostages held in the territory. The official source said the plan included "powerful strikes against Hamas", without specifying their nature.
'Sacrificing' hostages
On Sunday, army chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said the military was calling up "tens of thousands" of reservists to expand its offensive. Israeli media reported that the plan would not be implemented before U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to the region next week. The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said Sunday that at least 2,436 people had been killed since Israel resumed its campaign on March 18, bringing the overall death toll from the war to 52,535. Hamas' attack on October 7 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. Israel says its renewed offensive is aimed at forcing Hamas to free its remaining captives, although critics charge that it puts them in mortal danger. An Israeli campaign group representing hostages' relatives said the plan for an expanded Gaza offensive was "sacrificing" hostages held in the territory. Alongside the cabinet-approved plan for the expansion of the war, Prime Minister Netanyahu "continues to promote" a proposal by U.S. President Donald Trump for the voluntary departure of Gazans to neighboring countries such as Jordan or Egypt, the official said. Cairo and Amman, along with other Arab allies, governments around the world and the Palestinians themselves, have flatly rejected the proposal, but the notion has been seized on by Israeli ministers. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in February that a special agency would be established for the "voluntary departure" of Gazans.
'Political blackmail' -
Israel's security cabinet also approved overnight the "possibility of humanitarian distribution, if necessary" in Gaza, "to prevent Hamas from taking control of the supplies and to destroy its governance capabilities". The Axios news website on Friday reported that representatives from the United States, Israel and a new international humanitarian foundation were discussing a mechanism for resuming aid delivery to Gaza "without it being controlled by Hamas". A grouping of UN entities and NGOs in the Palestinian territory accused Israel of seeking to "shut down the existing aid distribution system... and have us agree to deliver supplies through Israeli hubs under conditions set by the Israeli military". The plan "contravenes fundamental humanitarian principles and appears designed to reinforce control over life-sustaining items as a pressure tactic –- as part of a military strategy", the Humanitarian Country Team of the Occupied Palestinian Territory said in a statement. "The UN Secretary-General and the Emergency Relief Coordinator have made clear that we will not participate in any scheme", it added. Hamas said Monday a new Israeli framework for aid delivery amounted to "political blackmail" and blamed Israel for the territory's "humanitarian catastrophe". Israel's cabinet said there was "currently enough food" in Gaza, although humanitarian organizations and UN agencies have warned of the blockade's dire consequences for Gaza's 2.4 million people. Crowds of desperate Gazans were seen piling up at a charity kitchen in the territory at the weekend, in photos published by AFP.

Syria to Sign Deal to Import Electricity from Türkiye
Asharq Al Awsat/May 05/2025
Syria is set to sign a deal to import electricity from Türkiye through a 400-kilovolt transmission line between the two countries "soon", the Syrian state news agency cited the country's energy minister as saying on Sunday. Syria is also working on establishing a natural gas pipeline connecting the Turkish border town of Kilis and Syria's northern city of Aleppo, minister Mohamed al-Bashir said. "The pipeline will allow the supply of 6 million cubic meters of gas per day to power plants in Syria which will contribute in improving the country's energy situation," he added. Syria has suffered from severe power shortages. On separate occasions, the country said it was working with partners including Gulf states, in the energy and electricity sectors.

Woman killed as gunmen attack Damascus nightclub: monitor, witness
AFP/May 05, 2025
DAMASCUS: Armed men opened fire inside a club in Damascus on Monday, killing a woman, according to a witness and a war monitor, the second attack in a week targeting the Syrian capital’s nightlife. The perpetrators or their motives were unknown. Some Syrians have expressed fears that the country’s new authorities would seek to impose restrictions on public behavior but it was unclear whether the attackers were linked to them. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, reported that “unidentified gunmen attacked the Al-Karawan nightclub in the Hijaz area with automatic weapons and opened fire, killing a woman and wounding others.”A witness, requesting anonymity for security reasons, said he “heard gunfire at dawn” as he was near the nightclub. He told AFP that he “did not dare to enter the club until some time after the firing stopped.”Inside the club, “I saw a woman’s body, blood stains on the ground, and chaos after the shooting,” he said. Contacted by AFP, the interior ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the deadly attack.
The club is located in a commercial area in the heart of Damascus, where many licensed nightclubs and bars have been operating for decades. A resident of the same street said security forces had been monitoring the venue from a vehicle for days. A local vendor said “there has never been any problem with the nightclub” in the five years he has worked in the area. Hours before the shooting, a video circulated on social media showing security camera footage from a previous attack on a nightclub in the same area. The footage, verified by AFP, shows gunmen entering the venue before beating fleeing men and women with their weapons. Authorities said on Sunday that the gunmen involved in the first incident had been arrested. “After initial investigations and reviewing the recordings, the individuals involved in the assault were identified, arrested and transferred to the judiciary,” the interior ministry said in a statement carried by Alekhbariah television. “Any transgression or assault affecting citizens or public facilities will be met with strict legal measures,” it added. Since the fall of longtime ruler Bashar Assad in December, the intentional community has been pressing Syria’s new rulers to respect personal freedoms, protect minorities and include all components of society in the transitional period.

Druze Group ‘Rijal al-Karama’ Rejects Disarmament, Calls for Weapons Regulation in Sweida
Damascus: Asharq Al Awsat/May 05/2025
A leading Druze movement said on Sunday that the issue of surrendering arms remains unresolved, even as local leaders in southern Syria announced the official start of implementing a peace agreement brokered by Druze clerics and dignitaries in Sweida province. Bassem Abu Fakhr, spokesman for the “Rijal al-Karama” movement, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the group's weapons were solely for defense and had never been used offensively. “The matter of handing over weapons falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defense, and no final decision has been made yet,” Abu Fakhr said. “Our arms have never posed a threat to any party. We have not attacked anyone, and our weapons exist to protect our land and honor.”He added that while the group does not object to regulating the presence of weapons, full surrender was out of the question.
“We have no issue with organizing arms under state authority, provided they remain within the province’s administrative boundaries and under state supervision,” he said. “But the matter of weapons remains unresolved.”Formed in 2013, Rijal al-Karama was established to protect the Druze community and prevent its youth from being conscripted into fighting for any side in Syria’s protracted conflict, which erupted after mass protests against then President Bashar al-Assad. The group continues to operate as an independent local defense force, separate from state security institutions. Abu Fakhr told Asharq Al-Awsat that a high-level meeting held last Thursday in Sweida—attended by senior Druze spiritual leaders Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri and Sheikh Hammoud al-Hanawi, along with local dignitaries and community members—resulted in an agreement to reactivate the police and judicial police under the Ministry of Interior. Abu Fakhr also denied recent reports claiming that Druze clerics, tribal leaders, and faction commanders had agreed to fully surrender their weapons to the state. “This issue has not been resolved by all parties in Sweida,” he said, reiterating the group’s position: “We have no objection to organizing the weapons under state oversight, as long as they remain within the administrative boundaries of the province, but not to surrendering them.”The statement underscores continuing tensions over the role of armed groups in Sweida, a province that has largely remained outside the control of both government and opposition forces throughout Syria’s civil war.

Syrian president expected to visit France soon
Reuters/May 06, 2025
Sharaa in February received an invitation from French President Emmanuel Macron to visit France in the ‘coming weeks’
Syria’s President Ahmed Al-Sharaa is expected to visit France soon, a statement by the Syrian president’s office said, without specifying a date.
Sharaa in February received an invitation from French President Emmanuel Macron to visit France in the “coming weeks.”

Syrians’ asylum applications to EU drop to lowest in decade
AFP, Brussels /05 May ,2025
Asylum applications filed by Syrians in the European Union dropped to their lowest in over a decade in February following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad, the EU’s asylum agency said Wednesday. Data from the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) showed Syrians lodged 5,000 requests in the 27-nation bloc plus Switzerland and Norway in February, down 34 percent on the previous month. “The latest asylum figures show how important stability in other regions is for Europe,” said Magnus Brunner, the EU’s migration commissioner. Longtime Syrian ruler Assad was toppled by extremist-led forces in December after more than a decade of civil war. Hundreds of thousands of Syrians who had sought shelter abroad have since returned home, according to the United Nations. Overall in February, the EU’s 27 states, Switzerland and Norway received about 69,000 asylum applications, following a decreasing trend that started in October 2024, the EUAA said. Syrians, who long accounted for the most applicants, were the third largest group, behind Venezuelans and Afghans. France was the main recipient nation, followed by Spain, and Germany -- which had been the top destination for years.

Trump-Putin meeting is necessary, but no specifics yet: Kremlin
Reuters/05 May ,2025
The Kremlin, asked on Monday about a possible meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Saudi Arabia, said that a meeting was necessary but that Putin had no trips to the Middle East planned for mid-May. Trump, who pledged to swiftly negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine shortly after retaking office, said over the weekend that he and his advisors have had “very good discussions” about Russia and Ukraine in recent days. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, asked by reporters about comments by Trump that he might considering meeting with Putin during a trip to Saudi Arabia this month, said the Kremlin chief had no trip there scheduled, but that “such a meeting is clearly on everyone’s lips.”“And in many ways we think it is certainly necessary,” Peskov said. “It has to be prepared accordingly and it requires efforts at various expert levels,” including continued contacts between Moscow and Washington, he added “But so far there are no specifics on this.”Trump will travel to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE later this month to take part in a summit with Gulf leaders, Axios reported. Putin has not met a sitting US president since he held a summit in Geneva in June 2021 with Trump’s predecessor Joe Biden. Putin and Trump have spoken by phone several times this year as the US leader works to broker an end to the war.

Hegseth directs 20 percent cut to top military leadership positions
AP/May 05, 2025
WASHINGTON: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday directed the active duty military to shed 20 percent of its four-star general officers as the Trump administration keep pushing the services to streamline their top leadership positions. Hegseth also told the National Guard to shed 20 percent of its top positions. In a memo dated Monday, Hegseth said the cuts will remove “redundant force structure to optimize and streamline leadership.”On top of the cuts to the top-tier four-star generals, Hegseth has also directed the military to shed an additional 10 percent of its general and flag officers across the force, which could include any one-star or above or equivalent Navy rank.

Pope Francis’s popemobile set to become health clinic for Gaza children
Reuters/May 04, 2025
VATICAN CITY: One of Pope Francis’s popemobiles is being transformed into a mobile health clinic for children in the Gaza Strip, fulfilling one of his final wishes, the Vatican’s official media outlet said on Sunday. The vehicle, used by the late pontiff during his 2014 visit to the Holy Land, is being outfitted with diagnostic and emergency medical equipment to help young patients in the Palestinian enclave, where health services have been devastated by the Israeli invasion. Pope Francis, who died last month, entrusted the initiative to the Catholic aid organization Caritas Jerusalem in the months before his death, Vatican News said. “This is a concrete, life-saving intervention at a time when the health system in Gaza has almost completely collapsed,” Peter Brune, Secretary General of Caritas Sweden, which is supporting the project, told Vatican News.
The mobile unit will be equipped with rapid infection tests, vaccines, diagnostic tools, and suture kits, and staffed by medical personnel. Caritas plans to deploy the clinic to communities without access to functioning health care facilities once humanitarian access to Gaza is feasible. “It’s not just a vehicle,” Brune added. “It’s a message that the world has not forgotten about the children in Gaza.”Gaza has a tiny Christian community and the Vatican has said Francis used to call the Holy Family Church in Gaza on an almost daily basis for much of the war, which started in October 2023 when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel. Francis had a number of popemobiles, with the one used in the 2014 visit to Israel and the Palestinian Territories staying in the region following his return to the Vatican. A conclave to elect a new pope starts on May 7.

The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on May 05-06/2025
What Are Palestinians Really Interested In?
Bassam Tawil/Gatestone Institute/May 5, 2025
"These fires put both Israelis and Palestinians at risk and are causing severe damage to the land these terrorists claim to be fighting for. These people are not pro-Palestinian, they are pro-terrorism against Jews." — Bassem Eid, Palestinian human rights activist, X, April 30, 2025
Decades of anti-Israel propaganda by Palestinian leaders and media outlets are directly responsible for this hatred. For that reason, any talk about a peace process with the Palestinians has unfortunately become nothing but a sick joke.
Palestinians are far more interested in murdering Jews and setting Israel on fire than they are in "coexisting." They do not want Israel "coexisting" on even one millimeter of the Jews' own historical homeland.
The world needs to realize that the Palestinians have raised a whole generation that worships destruction and death for the Jews -- and even for themselves -- far more than a better and prosperous life.
As fires raged in central Israel in late April, many Palestinians celebrated, brazenly demanded more fires, and called for Israeli homes to be reduced to "ashes." Palestinians are far more interested in murdering Jews and setting Israel on fire than they are in "coexisting."As fires raged in central Israel in late April, many Palestinians celebrated, brazenly demanded more fires, and called for Israeli homes to be reduced to "ashes."
All this happened on the day Israelis commemorated fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism and prepared to celebrate Independence Day.
"We ask God to protect our people and land. May these fires confuse the [Israeli] occupiers and their embattled settlers," wrote Palestinian social media user Hana Barghouti.
"In the name of Allah," another user, Umm Ibrahim, who posted images from of the blazes, wrote: "the Avenger, the Almighty."
Israeli authorities said that several Palestinians had been arrested on suspicion of setting the giant wildfires. This deliberate "ecocide" against nature on the land they claim to be fighting for shows that the Palestinians never truly cared about the land; they just want to seize it and kill as many Jews as possible. Will "green" groups denounce the Palestinians for this crime against nature? Do not hold your breath.
The Iran-backed Palestinian terrorist group Hamas praised the fires, called them "a soldier from God," and urged Palestinians to start more fires around Israel, writing on Telegram social media:
"Burn whatever you can of groves, forests, and settler homes. [Palestinian] Youth of the West Bank, youth of Jerusalem, and those inside Israel, set their cars ablaze."
A Palestinian group, Jenin News Network, called on Palestinians to "burn the groves near the settlements." The group posted a photo of a masked man setting fire to a field as a block of wood burned in the background. "Settlers' homes," ran the text, "will be reduced to ashes under the feet of the revolutionaries."
Another Palestinian media group, Jenin News, posted:
"Heroes of the West Bank and Jerusalem, today is your day. Take advantage of these fires and make them spread further. Gasoline and a spark are enough to turn the [Israeli] entity into a hellfire. Its settlements and forests are your target. Say 'Allahu Akbar!' (God is greatest), men of God, across all parts of the land."Many Palestinians describe Jews living in Israel as "settlers." They do not distinguish between a Jew living in Israel and a Jew living in a settlement in the West Bank. For these Palestinians, Israel is one big settlement that needs to be exterminated.
Palestinian social media influencer Khaled Safi wrote to his 322,000 followers on X:
"Fires have devoured 19,000 dunams of land near Jerusalem, which increased my confidence that the [Israeli] entity's demise is much easier than we think."
In another post on X, Safi posted a photo of Israelis fleeing the wildfire.:
"For your safety, it is recommended that you head west to Haifa, then to the port, and then to your home countries!"
Palestinian human rights activist Bassem Eid accused Palestinians of starting the fires intentionally:
"As Israel is battling major fires throughout the country, some of which were started intentionally, Palestinian terrorists are posting on social media celebrating and calling for people to set fires to Israeli towns, forests, and vehicles. These fires put both Israelis and Palestinians at risk and are causing severe damage to the land these terrorists claim to be fighting for. These people are not pro-Palestinians; they are pro-terrorism against Jews."
These are the same Palestinians who earlier this year celebrated and gloated as the Los Angeles fires raged. As far as many Palestinians are concerned, the US is also their enemy based on its longtime support for Israel.
Every time Israel faces a disaster or a Jew is murdered in a terror attack, Palestinians have a custom of celebrating.
In April 2024, as Iran launched 180 ballistic missiles at Israel, Palestinians poured out into the streets to celebrate. Even though some of the missiles fell in Palestinian areas in the West Bank, the celebrations did not even slow down.
The largest celebration took place on October 7, 2023, when, accompanied by 5,000 rockets and missiles launched into Israel, approximately 6,000 Hamas terrorists and "ordinary" Palestinians invaded Israel from the Gaza Strip and murdered more than 1,200 Israelis. Thousands of Palestinians turned out onto the streets of the Gaza Strip to celebrate the massacre and spit on the kidnapped Israeli men and women as they were being dragged to captivity in Gaza's tunnels.
When Palestinian terrorists carried out suicide bombings and stabbing attacks in Israel over the past three decades, similar celebrations always took place.
The Palestinians' celebrations of the recent wildfires in Israel are yet another indication of their intense loathing of Israel and Jews.
Decades of anti-Israel propaganda by Palestinian leaders and media outlets are directly responsible for this hatred. For that reason, any talk about a peace process with the Palestinians has unfortunately become noting but a sick joke.
Palestinians are far more interested in murdering Jews and setting Israel on fire than they are in "coexisting." They do not want Israel "coexisting" on even one millimeter of the Jews' own historical homeland.
The world needs to realize that the Palestinians have raised a whole generation that worships destruction and death for the Jews -- and even for themselves -- far more than a better and prosperous life.
*Bassam Tawil is a Muslim Arab based in the Middle East. His work is made possible through the generous donation of a couple of donors who wished to remain anonymous. Gatestone is most grateful.
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https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/21589/what-are-palestinians-interested-in

Syria: Ethno-National Imbroglios and State Formation
Dr. Charles Elias Chartouni/This Is Beirut/May 05/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/05/143023/
The recent clashes between the Syrian Druze community and the newly formed government in Damascus betray the inconsistencies of the current transition in Syria and its pitfalls. However positive the ongoing political evolutions in Syria are, they are still thwarted by major ideological and strategic hurdles that have prevented the actual government from honoring its proclaimed promises of inclusiveness, civil peace and smooth transition.
The deradicalization program enunciated by the current power incumbents is still marred by manifold obstacles: the inability of the reformist wing to convince or to force its choices on the recalcitrant groups that are unwilling to renounce their jihadist worldview; the brunt of regional and Muslim power politics and their imprints on the internal political dynamics still swaying the process of governance; the shortcomings of constitutional statehood, quite obvious despite the political evolutions pointing in this direction; a political culture still unable to internalize the predicates of pluralism and its management as part of the institutional engineering choices; Islam, Pan-Arabism, Islamism and contemporary authoritarianism being inherently inimical to the idea of democratization and liberalization as part of the political worldviews and mundane politics; the bloody legacy of the Alawite and Baathist dictatorship leaving no room for political accommodation.
The swift downfall of the Assad regime is attributed to a long-haul exhaustion process and the failure of the post-war interlude to usher in an era of transitional justice based on the notions of reconciliation politics, legal and moral accountability, and moral atonement. Unfortunately, these fundamentals are not part of the normative and political repertoire of tribal societies and remain impervious to various sorts of diplomatic mediation. The only option left is the deeply entrenched notion of power politics shorn of any moral and legal framing.
The proclamations of the new government in Damascus were undermined by counter-proclamations and political criminality, which targeted ethno-national groups, and by its inability to embrace pluralism as a political predicate. The challenges of Islamic radicalism and retributive politics are putting at stake the enunciated democratic course. The violent bouts and their iterations are no accident; they betray the worldview and the deep-seated culture of revenge prevalent in highly segmented tribal societies. The relatively peaceful downfall of the Assad regime was not associated with carefully negotiated transitional.
The incoming Islamist group started acting on the very basis of an originating legitimacy, which nobody conceded despite all declared intentions. It is assumed that other groups are automatically engaging the new dynamic and validating its central role in the presumed reconstruction era. The civil war in Syria and its overlapping wars are no coincidence; they have unveiled the well-embedded fractures of national and political formations in Syria and all along the Middle East.
The original sin lies in the incapacity to build national and political formations based on social contracts, institutional constructivism and constitutional patriotism. What held these political epicenters were asymmetric power relationships, hidden and obtrusive violence, and shifting regional political equilibriums. The rush into institution building in the absence of carefully negotiated political agreements among the various ethno-national groups is compromising the whole transition process and the viability of civil concord, barely tested after the repeated episodes of violence targeting ethno-national groups.
Aside from the political sociology of Syria, the geostrategic considerations are decisive whenever it comes to understanding the emerging political dynamics and the interlocking conflicts coming at their heels. The first striking feature is the challenge posed to the geopolitical order by these ethno-national groups and their reluctance to join back the political equations that have vanished. The case of the Kurds in Iraq, Syria and Turkey, and that of the Druze in Syria, are cases in point. The regional power players epitomized by Turkey, Iran and Israel are poised to adjudicate these conflict dynamics and deal with their rising actors.
The destruction of the Iranian geostrategic platforms leaves Syria, Iraq and Lebanon at the crossroads between the need to restabilize themselves on a consensual basis and reposition themselves on the basis of new strategic alliances to reshuffle the regional political order and engage Israel and Turkey on conclusive peace agreements and strategic understandings. Otherwise, the realm of chaos is going to expand in a region that has not yet found its geopolitical anchors and normative center of gravity. The absence of a political and moral compass is by far the most critical factor if we are to understand these imbroglios and their subtexts.
The clashes that took place between Israel and Turkey lately have set the demarcation lines between the two power brokers and defined the contours of the political game and its national security coordinates. The Syrian government is bound to change its political script if it were to stabilize Syria, delineate and secure its national borders, and reengage the international and regional communities. There are no chances for geostrategic stabilization unless the older narratives are discarded, and the pending controversial issues are negotiated on the basis of mutual acknowledgement and moral reciprocity.

How Syria can overcome sectarian unrest to rebuild trust and national unity
ANAN TELLO/Arab News/May 05, 2025
LONDON: In the Damascus suburb of Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, the sounds of prayer bells and muezzins used to blend peacefully into the rhythm of daily life. Here, families from Syria’s diverse communities — Sunni, Druze, Christian, and Alawite — shared neighbors’ bread and exchanged Eid and Christmas greetings with equal sincerity. But that culture of mutual respect, already strained by more than a decade of civil war, is now on the brink of disappearing altogether. A small audio clip uploaded online in late April was all it took to set off a chain of disruptive events. Within days, Syria’s fragile social compact broke down in places thought to be stable. Violent clashes erupted between armed groups and civilians. Security forces, once seen as protectors in these moments of tension, were either absent or accused of collusion. Entire neighborhoods were transformed into battlefields. For observers of Syria’s long and bloodied path since 2011, the resurgence of sectarian strife in recent months is a warning less about the past than about the road ahead. With a transitional government led by President Ahmad Al-Sharaa trying to navigate a volatile political landscape, and with major world powers distracted by other crises, some of Syria’s minorities are wondering where they belong in the nation’s future. The message of these regional analysts can be summed up thus: The Syrian government must be willing to listen to its citizens and open the door to political change — not military solutions or rule by militias. It must embrace and engage the country’s diverse ethnic and religious communities and commit to political inclusion.The latest wave of unrest began on April 26 when the audio clip — whose authenticity remains unverified — circulated across messaging platforms. The man accused of criticizing Prophet Muhammad in the voice recording was Marwan Kiwan, a respected Druze scholar known for his initiatives in interfaith dialogue. Kiwan quickly issued a video denial, saying: “Whoever made this is evil and wants to incite strife between components of the Syrian people.” His words did little to contain the rage.
The Druze, a small religious community that makes up about 3 percent of Syria’s population, have long walked a delicate line between asserting autonomy and pledging loyalty to the state. But by April 28, fighting had broken out in Jaramana and Ashrafiyat Sahnaya — suburbs once considered models of coexistence — between militants and local Druze groups.
INNUMBER
• 50% Minorities (Alawites, Kurds, Druze and others) as a fraction of Syria’s population.
• 60% Fraction of the population who were food insecure in 2021.
• $100bn Real GDP (purchasing power parity) of Syria in 2022.
Source: CIA’s The World Factbook
The violence quickly spread south, to villages in Suweida — Syria’s Druze heartland — such as Ira, Rasas and Al-Soura Al-Kubra. At least 100 people were killed over the course of a week. Mortar shelling and heavy machine-gun fire struck residential areas. On Thursday, Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hajari condemned the violence as an “unjustifiable genocidal campaign” against his community. He called for international intervention to help restore peace. By Friday, May 2, at least 100 people, including civilians, were reportedly dead. Other Druze religious figures took a more conciliatory tone. In a joint statement, they affirmed the community’s “commitment to a country that includes all Syrians, a nation that is free of strife,” the Associated Press news agency reported. They also urged the government to secure the vital Suweida-Damascus highway, a critical lifeline increasingly targeted by militants.
The authorities issued statements blaming the violence on “outlaw groups,” while local activists and human rights monitors accused pro-government militias of targeting Druze neighborhoods. Amid the chaos, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that his government had carried out airstrikes near the presidential palace in Damascus on May 2 to “send a message” following the attacks on Syria’s Druze population. For many Syrians, this only added to the confusion — and to the perception that sectarian politics had become a tool for foreign manipulation.
Joshua Landis, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, dismissed Israel’s posturing. “Israel has threatened the regime of Al-Sharaa by landing a few warning bombs, but it cannot protect the Druze,” he told Arab News. Worse, he added, the overtures could backfire. “Israel’s intervention on behalf of the Druze compromises them in the minds of many Syrians, who now accuse them of treason.”Ghassan Ibrahim, founder of the Global Arab Network, went further in his criticism of Israel’s role. “Israel doesn’t care about the Syrian Druze,” he said. “It focuses on the Druze within its borders and projects a false message that it wants to help the community in Syria, rather than offering meaningful support.”In a statement on Friday, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria said continued Israeli airstrikes could cause greater civilian harm and fragmentation. While the situation “remains fluid,” it noted that a tentative agreement had reportedly been reached between leaders in Suweida and authorities in Damascus. Still, it stressed the government’s obligation to protect all civilians within its jurisdiction.
The commission also pointed to earlier violence in Syria’s coastal areas in March as evidence of the country’s fragile security and the urgent need for de-escalation.
Regional analysts echoed the commission’s concerns, warning that foreign interference and deepening internal divisions jeopardize chances of long-term peace. Many urged the government to double down on reconciliation and called on the international community to support inclusive, Syrian-led solutions.
For Ibrahim, the true path to peace lies not in foreign intervention but in inclusive, homegrown governance. “The less negative external involvement we have, the better it is for Syrians to sit down and talk,” he said. “That process still requires support, including engagement with the UN and other organizations, to help Syrians find a path toward political compromise.”

The UK’s two-party system is creaking
Chris Doyle/Arab News/May 05, 2025
Were the local elections held in England last Thursday another seminal moment in British politics? The barnstorming success of the far-right populist Reform UK party, which gained 677 council seats, threatens to shatter the two-party system that has dominated the country’s politics for more than a century.
Both the governing Labour Party and the opposition Conservative Party had a bruising night. Neither of these two establishment behemoths appealed to voters, meaning seismic challenges to their parties and leaderships. Of course, it is not just in Britain that traditional parties have suffered in recent years. Where are the French Republicans and the Socialist Party? And in the US, the traditional Republican Party has effectively collapsed and been taken over by Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement. Anti-establishment parties are on the rise, to the left and the right, across Europe. About a third of Europeans now vote for nontraditional parties. Party allegiance is waning and voter trends are more changeable. It suggests widespread dissatisfaction at a time of economic crisis and identity politics. So, what is happening in Britain is far from unique.
The question on many people’s minds is whether this can supercharge Nigel Farage’s journey to Downing Street. Might the Reform leader become prime minister? This is now a valid question. He has the political talent and is one of the most effective political communicators in the country. He is a brand, is recognizable and is an ever-present in the media. Opportunism is his forte and there is no bandwagon he will not jump on if it assists his ascent to power. Neither of the establishment behemoths appealed to voters, meaning seismic challenges to their parties and leaderships
Reform has turned psephological predictions into voting reality. Since the Labour government under Keir Starmer came to power last summer, opinion polls have shown Reform rising fast. Last week’s elections were the first time this could be transmitted into actual political gains, including a fifth member of Parliament thanks to a by-election in which a large Labour majority was overturned.
It would be unwise for Labour and the Tories to see this as just a protest vote. The disaffection seems to run deeper than that, to the extent that more and more voters are prepared to trust Reform with their vote.
But a general election is not likely until 2029. Much will change between now and then. Labour may recover from the tough financial decisions it has made so far, including the imposition of unpopular taxes. The Tories may ditch ineffective new leader Kemi Badenoch, but for who? Some speculate a return for Boris Johnson, the only politician on the right who can compete for airtime with Farage and go head-to-head with him.
Reform has its own weaknesses. It is almost totally dependent on Farage. Without him, it collapses, rather like MAGA might without Trump. Beneath Farage, there are also some extremely unappealing characters with views their leader would not like aired. Reform is also riven with personality disputes. And as a new party it has little experience of actual government, so, as it starts taking control of local councils, Reform’s performance will be closely assessed.
Reform’s policies are yet to undergo the sort of forensic analysis that a general election would bring. Voters want the economy to be put back on the right track, but what does Reform offer here? An anti-immigration stance is in its DNA, but does it have the solutions? Will people be put off by its Islamophobic approach and what many see as thinly disguised racism in terms of attitudes to immigrants?
It would be unwise for Labour and the Tories to see this as just a protest vote. The disaffection seems to run deeper than that
To what extent has Trumpism affected matters? It has boosted populist forces across Europe and elsewhere. The MAGA movement has inspired many. Its followers like to see themselves as insurgent.
Yet, against that, Trump is also a liability. His tariff policies are barely welcomed anywhere outside the US. Trump’s closeness to Russian President Vladimir Putin is also an issue for the likes of Farage, who is conscious that he does not wish to be cast as Moscow’s puppet. Being prepared to stand up to Trump seems to offer an electoral advantage in certain countries. The Liberal Party was down and out in Canada, but Trump’s attacks allowed Mark Carney to claim an unlikely victory. In Australia, Anthony Albanese has won a landslide second term against an opponent billed as Australia’s Trump. Labour and the Conservatives have three years to turn things around and regain the trust of voters. This will be far from easy. Labour can appeal to the left and center of British politics, which will shy away from Reform, as well as ethnic minorities, who will be scared. The Conservatives face the familiar choice of whether to embrace Reform — perhaps even merging with it to create a single right-wing political bloc — or to find a way to differentiate itself more clearly from its rival. Do not be surprised if Badenoch has a short lifespan as leader. Either way, British politics is in for a bumpy ride. What the electorate craves is a competent government with a realistic plan. The mistake would be for other parties to mimic Reform as the way forward. This was “a plague on all your houses” vote. The solution for the mainstream parties is to up their game or face oblivion.
*Chris Doyle is director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding in London. X: @Doylech

Wearing Sharaa Out or Breaking Syria Apart?
Ghassan Charbel/Asharq Al-Awsat/May 05/2025
Benjamin Netanyahu is leading the region to the abyss. He is driving it into tunnels that will leave us in endless conflict if his project succeeds. Netanyahu is trying to capitalize on the blows his army has delivered in recent wars, with the aim of imposing new facts on the ground in neighboring countries. He dreams of an Israel surrounded by weak or fragmented states busy fighting domestic conflicts, allowing him to focus on moving forward with his displacement plans.
He acts as though Israel has the “right” to violate the airspace of neighboring countries and bombard any “threats” that currently exist or could arise in the future. He sees the world as a jungle in which the strong are entitled to impose their own laws and erase others’ rights.
The recent Israeli attacks on Syria are more dangerous than anything that has come before. It is by no means a trivial matter for Israel to point to the protecting a Syrian community to justify violations of Syria’s airspace and territory. Israel is really hoping to push Syria into a war among different communities, setting the country on a path toward perpetual disintegration. If Syria were to break apart, it would be a tragedy not only for Syria but also for its neighbors. This is a roaming project whose fires cut across borders.
Lebanon has every right to be concerned by this climate. The same goes for Iraq and Jordan, and even for Türkiye. In recent days, President Ahmad al-Sharaa has seemed to have been surrounded by wounds and mines, following the events on the coast and in light of the Druze and Kurdish demands.
An old politician well-versed in Syrian affairs and its relations with its neighbors surprised me recently. “The goal is bigger than an attempt to destabilize Ahmad al-Sharaa’s hold on power. These attacks are meant to destabilize Syria itself. We will probably never see the Syria we used to know again. We must not underestimate Netanyahu’s rhetoric about reshaping the Middle East, especially the countries around Israel. Netanyahu’s behavior suggests that his real project is to dismantle Syria, and Trump has clearly given him free rein, merely asking him not to clash with Türkiye.”
The politician went on to warn me about what he considered a dangerous international development. He said that the Trump administration acquiescing to Putin’s victory (not only in Crimea but also over one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory) amounts to a stark acknowledgment of the collapse of respect for states’ territorial inviolability and an explicit recognition of states’ right to use overwhelming force to redraw national borders.
Europe is not the only one concerned. Netanyahu, who refuses to set final borders for his country, would be among the first to benefit from the fall of states' territorial inviolability. Israel has coveted its neighbors for a long time, but it could now benefit from the repercussions of the conflict in Ukraine. If Russia is changing Ukraine’s map based on historical claims and security concerns linked to NATO, Israel constantly is using security fears as a pretext to establish “security belts” inside its neighbors territories.
The politician added that Netanyahu did not stop at punishing Bashar al-Assad for backing Iran’s ambitions and the “Axis of Resistance.” The Israeli prime minister went further, developing a plan to wear down Syria as a whole and to inflict permanent damage that would ensure the country shatters amid communal antagonism. Netanyahu does not merely want to prevent the rise of a strong government in Damascus; he wants to lay the groundwork for a weak Syria that is constantly busy dealing with its own wounds and landmines.
The politician then raised a series of questions. Can the Arab public, for example, accept the idea that we have just suffered an emphatic defeat far more dangerous than that of 1967, when the Israeli army broke the back of Arab armies? Is it tolerable to say that, on the eve of the “Al-Aqsa Flood” the situation in Gaza, despite the Israeli blockade, had been much better than it is now, after its people and infrastructure have been devastated? Did we need a new experiment to affirm the brutality of the Israeli entity and its lethal capacity? Is it fair, for example, for an observer to ask why Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar did not carry out an operation to kidnap an Israeli soldier or three, to exchange them for Palestinian prisoners since he had personally undergone this experience? Why did Sinwar launch a major operation that Israel could only respond to with a large-scale war? Was the “Flood” ultimately part of a broader attack in which Iran’s allies, across several maps, shared roles? And is this the reason that Lebanon’s Hezbollah and the Houthis entered the fray?
The politician also went on to note that, under both Assads, Syria had always signaled that threats came from outside its borders. It consistently refused to openly address domestic issues, especially concerns regarding the rights of its various communities and inter-communal ties. The previous regime saw any movement demanding rights as a plot orchestrated by foreign powers, presenting these movements as a conspiracy that deserves severe punishment. Thus, addressing such matters was effectively delegated to the intelligence services, which aggravated problems instead of solving them. Would the Kurdish issue have turned into a major problem under Ahmad al-Sharaa if Hafez al-Assad, and later his son Bashar, had treated the Kurds as equal citizens? Would the recent cruel developments on the coast have unfolded if not for the wounds and actions of the past, and if Syria’s mosaic of communities had come together under the umbrella of state institutions? Would Israel have been able to exploit the concerns of Syria’s Druze if Syria were a country of laws?
Many actors now stand at a dangerous crossroads. This applies to Gaza and the entire Palestinian cause. It also applies to Lebanon, if the country fails to embark on a journey that leads it back to being a normal state whose government makes decisions of war and peace. It applies even more to Syria, which seems to be in Israel’s sights once again.
The Israeli assaults go beyond merely wearing Sharaa down or blackmailing him. The aim is to break Syria’s back for decades. At present, al-Sharaa enjoys Arab backing and Turkish support. He has sent multiple signals that he has no intention of entering a conflict with Israel. However, standing up to Netanyahu’s project requires a firm decision from Trump. This decision will inevitably come at a cost to Sharaa’s Syria, and it will not be meager.