English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For May 13/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
He woke up & rebuked the wind & the raging waves; they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them Where is your faith?
Luke 08/22-25: “One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, ‘Let us go across to the other side of the lake.’ So they put out, and while they were sailing he fell asleep. A gale swept down on the lake, and the boat was filling with water, and they were in danger.They went to him and woke him up, shouting, ‘Master, Master, we are perishing!’ And he woke up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves; they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, ‘Where is your faith?’ They were afraid and amazed, and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?’”

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on May 12-13/2025
Mother’s Day: The Sacredness of Giving, the Embrace of Nations, and the Guardian of Family Unity/Elias Bejjani/May 11/2025
UNIFIL Discovers Over 225 Weapons Caches in South Lebanon
UN says found 225 arms caches since Israel-Hezbollah truce
Reports: Aoun may attend KSA talks with Trump, Bin Salman, Abbas and Sharaa
Emir of Kuwait, Lebanese president discuss historic opportunity to shape future
Aoun in Kuwait: A New Chapter in Lebanese-Kuwaiti Relations
Kuwait's emir raises level of diplomatic representation in Lebanon
Aoun from Kuwait: No one in Lebanon wants war
Salam vows to confront electoral bribery and security violators
35 held in North after stray bullets wound many including reporter
Minister Hajjar Reports 43% Voter Turnout in the North and Akkar, Vows Action on Election Violations
UK Charity Under Scrutiny for Alleged Hezbollah Ties
Bitar to reportedly issue indictment in port case on August 4
Stabilization in the Middle East: Necessary, but Not Sufficient
National Heritage Day: Lebanon Opens Heritage Sites for Free
Municipal Elections: Key Stakes and Early Results in North Lebanon and Akkar
The Qatari Model the Key to Lebanese-Israeli Relations?
Hezbollah’s Sheikh Qassem: Resistance Prevented Israeli Enemy from Achieving Its Goals in Lebanon

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on May 12-13/2025
Trump heads for Saudi Arabia on major Middle East tour
Trump hails US-Israeli hostage release as ‘monumental news’
Saudi Cabinet welcomes upcoming visit by US President Trump
Kurdish militant group PKK disbanding, ending decades of armed struggle
Trump signals possible sanctions relief for Syria
Presidents of UAE, Syria discuss regional developments during phone call
Remains of 30 people believed killed by Daesh militants found in Syria in a search by Qatar and FBI
Syria leader to miss Arab summit in Iraq: diplomatic source
Syria and neighbors urge Israel to stop bombings
Syrian, Turkish foreign ministers address security issues in Ankara
Netanyahu says will send Gaza negotiators to Qatar Tuesday
Israel is not committed to any ceasefire or prisoner release with Hamas
UN chief welcomes release of US Israeli hostage by Hamas
Israel urges ICC to drop arrest warrants against PM
Population of Occupied Palestinian Territories grows tenfold since Nakba, despite Israeli atrocities
Food security experts warn Gaza is at critical risk of famine if Israel doesn’t end its blockade
Hundreds march in West Bank against killings of Palestinian medics
Iran warns Europeans that reimposing sanctions could have irreversible consequences
India PM Modi warns Pakistan of more strikes if there is a ‘terrorist attack’

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sourceson on May 12-13/2025
What Most Palestinians Really Want/Bassam Tawil/Gatestone Institute/May 12, 2025
A new era of US-Middle East grand strategy/Salman Al-Ansari/Arab News/May 12, 2025
Trump visit will deepen US-Saudi economic relations/Steve Lutes/Arab News/May 12, 2025
What Trump’s second coming signifies for Saudi-US relations/Faisal J. Abbas/Arab News/May 12, 2025
Our doors and hearts are open to you, Mr. President/Prince Turki Al-Faisal/Arab News/May 12, 2025

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on May 12-13/2025
Mother’s Day: The Sacredness of Giving, the Embrace of Nations, and the Guardian of Family Unity
Elias Bejjani/May 11/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/05/143234/
Every year, we celebrate Mother’s Day, a moment of reverence for the greatest calling entrusted to a woman: motherhood. This is not just a date on the calendar—it is a time for reflection on the mystery of boundless giving, unconditional love, and tireless devotion. The mother is the beating heart of the family—the pillar that links the past to the present and paves the way for the future.
From the very first moment she holds her child, a mother embarks on a lifelong journey of sacrifice and nurturing. With sleepless eyes and a restless heart, she plants in her children the seeds of values, confidence, and security. A mother’s role goes far beyond physical care; she is a moral guide, a behavioral compass, and the silent architect of her children’s identity.
And when we look for the highest example of motherhood, our hearts and eyes turn to the Virgin Mary, who humbly accepted the message of the Archangel Gabriel. She embraced her divine calling, gave birth to the Lord Christ, and devoted her life to raising the incarnate Word. Her motherhood was not ordinary—it was adorned with patience, obedience, and total selflessness. She bore unimaginable sorrow for the sake of humanity’s salvation.
A mother gives without waiting for anything in return. Her love forgives endlessly. Her sleepless nights come without complaint. Her tears are hidden, and her strength often goes unseen. She is the symbol of sacrifice, the embodiment of unconditional love, and the living image of divine compassion on earth. No one can carry the burdens of a child’s pain, the confusion of adolescence, or the fatigue of a father, like a mother can. She is the living memory of the family—the eternal embrace that never fails.
The family is more than a social unit—it is the core building block of a healthy society. It is the first school where a human being learns to love, to respect, to share, and to face life’s challenges. For the family to succeed in this mission, both mother and father must dedicate their lives to their children. The balance between fatherhood and motherhood is essential to raising generations who are confident, grounded, and morally anchored.
Sadly, our world today is witnessing a dangerous shift. In the name of “freedom” and “modernity,” the definition of family has been distorted in many countries. We now see the legalization of same-sex unions—man with man, woman with woman—and even the normalization of gender reassignment and identity confusion. These corrupt ideas, championed by the destructive radical left, seek to dismantle the sacred concept of family, strip societies of their values, and produce rootless individuals with no identity or direction.
In an age of growing confusion, motherhood remains a radiant flame that never dims. It is the secret of life’s continuity, the source of true peace in our homes and communities. No law or ideology can erase the primal image of a child resting peacefully in a mother’s arms. As the poet once said:
"The mother is a school—if you prepare her well, you prepare a people of noble character."
So on Mother’s Day, let us pause to honor this sacred mission. Let us protect its dignity and stand against all attempts to corrupt or devalue it. For where there is motherhood, there is homeland. And without it, even nations can fall.

UNIFIL Discovers Over 225 Weapons Caches in South Lebanon
This is Beirut/May 12/2025
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) discovered more than 225 weapons caches in southern Lebanon and transferred the weapons to the Lebanese Army (LAF), the UN mission announced in a statement released Monday.
According to the statement, the LAF, supported by UNIFIL, has redeployed to over 120 permanent positions south of the Litani River since November. However, UNIFIL noted that full deployment remains obstructed by the continued presence of Israeli forces on Lebanese territory.
“UNIFIL continues to closely coordinate its operations with the Lebanese Armed Forces, with some activities conducted jointly,” the statement said. Furthermore, UNIFIL emphasized its ongoing efforts to maintain stability and enforce UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
The press release also made clear that more than 10,000 UNIFIL peacekeepers from around 50 contributing nations “continue to work tirelessly to impartially monitor and report all violations of Resolution 1701.”

UN says found 225 arms caches since Israel-Hezbollah truce
AFP/May 12, 2025
BEIRUT: The UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon said Monday that since a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah it had uncovered more than 225 weapons caches in the south and referred them to the army. Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem urged Lebanon’s government and the international community to act “more effectively” to make Israel comply with the November truce, which largely ended more than a year of hostilities between Israel and the Iran-backed group, including two months of all-out war. Under the deal, Hezbollah was to withdraw its fighters north of Lebanon’s Litani River and Israel was to pull all its forces from south Lebanon, however it has kept troops in five areas it deems “strategic.” The Lebanese army has been deploying in the area as Israeli forces have withdrawn and has been dismantling Hezbollah infrastructure there. Since the November 27 truce began, “peacekeepers have found over 225 weapons caches and referred them” to the Lebanese army, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon said in a statement. UNIFIL also has a seat on the ceasefire monitoring committee, alongside truce sponsors France and the United States, and the Israeli and Lebanese governments. “With UNIFIL support,” Lebanon’s army has “redeployed to more than 120 permanent positions south of the Litani,” the peacekeeping force said. “Full (army) deployment is hindered by the presence of Israeli forces in Lebanese territory,” it added. Israel’s military still carries out regular strikes in Lebanon, saying it is targeting Hezbollah operatives and infrastructure. The ceasefire deal was based on a UN Security Council resolution that says Lebanese troops and UN peacekeepers should be the only forces in south Lebanon, and that calls for the disarmament of all non-state groups.
Border positions
Hezbollah’s chief said on Monday that Lebanon and Hezbollah had fulfilled their commitments under the ceasefire, and the army has deployed in south Lebanon, “while Israel has not withdrawn, has not stopped its attacks.”In a televised speech, Qassem said that “Israel wants to end the resistance,” referring to Hezbollah. Israel “thinks that continuing its pressure and aggression could lead to the political end of the resistance,” he said, adding: “This will not happen.”After heavy Israeli strikes in the Nabatiyeh area of south Lebanon last week, Qassem said Israel was “playing with fire.”He urged the Lebanese state and ceasefire sponsors Paris and Washington to act “more effectively” and to let Israel and its backers “know that we will not submit to threats and pressure.”He also called for swift efforts toward reconstruction. President Joseph Aoun said last month the Lebanese army was now deployed in more than 85 percent of the south and that the sole obstacle to full control across the frontier area was “Israel’s occupation of five border positions.”Lebanese authorities have vowed to implement a state monopoly on bearing arms, though Aoun has said disarming Hezbollah is a “delicate” matter that requires dialogue.
Hezbollah, long a dominant force in Lebanon, was heavily weakened in its latest war with Israel.

Reports: Aoun may attend KSA talks with Trump, Bin Salman, Abbas and Sharaa
Naharnet/May 12, 2025
President Joseph Aoun may attend a meeting in Saudi Arabia with U.S. President Donald Trump, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, Syrian interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, media reports said.
“President Aoun will attend the summit based on Saudi Arabia’s request and the insistence of Prince Mohammad bin Salman,” the reports said.

Emir of Kuwait, Lebanese president discuss historic opportunity to shape future
Arab News/May 12, 2025
LONDON: Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah met with Lebanese President Gen. Joseph Aoun on Monday morning to discuss ways to enhance collaboration between their countries in various sectors. The meeting at Bayan Palace in Kuwait addressed the recent developments in Lebanon. Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, acting Prime Minister Sheikh Fahad Yusuf Saud Al-Sabah, and senior officials from both countries attended the meeting. Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah stated that the discussions centered on strengthening ties and exploring ways to develop them across all possible areas. Officials highlighted that Lebanon has a historic opportunity to shape its future, overcome past challenges, and initiate reconstruction and development to fulfil the aspirations of the Lebanese people for security and stability, the Kuwait News Agency reported. Sheikh Mohammad noted that the session also addressed key issues of mutual interest, methods to enhance unified Arab action, and recent regional and international developments.

Aoun in Kuwait: A New Chapter in Lebanese-Kuwaiti Relations
This is Beirut/May 12/2025
President Joseph Aoun concluded a 24-hour visit to Kuwait on Monday, during which the Emir of Kuwait, Mashaal al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, promised to “raise the level of diplomatic representation between Kuwait and Lebanon." During the talks with Aoun, the Emir reaffirmed “Kuwait’s commitment to supporting Lebanon and strengthening Kuwaiti-Lebanese relations, as well as ties with the Gulf.”For his part, Aoun thanked the Emir of Kuwait for "the affection he has shown toward Lebanon and Kuwait's support for the Lebanese people,” expressing his gratitude for Kuwait’s hospitality toward the Lebanese community residing in the country.
A First Step Toward Restoring Normal Relations
In practical terms, the emirate’s decision to elevate the level of its diplomatic representation means the appointment of a new ambassador to Beirut, following the departure of the former ambassador Abdel Aal Al-Qinai in June 2022. However, no information has been provided regarding a possible lifting of the travel ban currently imposed on Kuwaiti nationals visiting Lebanon. Lebanon-Kuwait relations are thus entering a new phase. Concrete measures are expected, including facilitating the entry of Lebanese citizens into Kuwait and encouraging the return of Kuwaiti nationals to Lebanon. The development of bilateral relations is expected to focus on two main areas: tourism and investment. However, such progress remains contingent upon Lebanon’s ability to carry out serious reforms and ensure that the use and possession of weapons are restricted solely to state forces. This was clearly reflected in the Emir’s remarks that his country “stands by Lebanon and supports its security, stability, and all measures taken by the state to assert its sovereignty.”“We support the efforts of the Quintet Group to resolve Lebanon’s political crisis, implement economic reforms, and support the army so it can continue fulfilling its role,” he added, while condemning the ongoing Israeli raids on Lebanese territory. The Emir of Kuwait called for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and a ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel. For his part, Aoun praised the results of the meeting: "What I heard from the Emir of Kuwait reflects great interest and deep care for Lebanon," he said in a press statement. "His words also reflect a profound love for the Lebanese people, equal to the affection the Lebanese hold for the Kuwaitis."Earlier, Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Fahd Al-Sabah assured Aoun that “Kuwait will continue to support Lebanon in all forms,” and that “the Kuwaiti government remains willing to respond to assistance requests made by Beirut.”Addressing security concerns, Sheikh Fahd Al-Sabah emphasized the effective cooperation between Lebanese and Kuwaiti security services, particularly in combating drug trafficking. He noted that information sharing between the two countries had helped thwart several smuggling attempts into Kuwait. President Aoun, who is pursuing a diplomatic campaign to reintegrate Lebanon into the Arab world, has expressed hope that his visit would lead to tangible outcomes, particularly the return of Kuwaiti nationals to Lebanon, which he described as their “second homeland.”

Kuwait's emir raises level of diplomatic representation in Lebanon
Naharnet/May 12, 2025
President Joseph Aoun on Monday stressed the need to activate Lebanese-Kuwaiti relations and develop them in all fields, during a meeting in Kuwait with the Gulf country’s emir Sheikh Mishaal al-Ahmed Al-Sabah. “Lebanon will stay alongside the brotherly countries,” Aoun said, welcoming the emir’s decision to raise the level of diplomatic representation in Lebanon. The president also lauded Kuwait’s “permanent support for Lebanon and its supportive stances in the regional and international forums, especially as to the repeated Israeli attacks and Israel’s failure to abide by the ceasefire agreement.”Sheikh Mishaal for his part condemned the continuous Israeli attacks against Lebanon, demanding an implementation of Resolution 1701 and the ceasefire agreement. Aoun also invited the emir to visit Lebanon, prompting Kuwait’s ruler to say that he will visit Lebanon “with or without an invitation,” reminiscing the historic Lebanese-Kuwaiti relations and stressing Kuwaitis’ keenness to return to Lebanon.

Aoun from Kuwait: No one in Lebanon wants war
Naharnet/May 12, 2025
President Joseph Aoun has stressed that “diplomacy is the way to restore Lebanon’s full sovereignty,” adding that “no one in Lebanon wants war and everyone understands the need to limit arms to the hands of the state.”“Lebanon is committed to the unified Arab stance and it cannot be a launchpad or passage for any harm against any Arab state,” Aoun added during a visit to Kuwait, in an interview with Kuwaiti news agency KUNA. The president also emphasized that he is practicing his role as “a president who is entrusted with the constitution,” calling on all parties to cooperate to pull Lebanon out of its crises and reactivate the work of its institutions. Aoun had arrived Sunday in Kuwait for a two-day official visit. On Monday he held talks with Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah al-Khaled Al-Sabah. He also held met with Kuwait’s acting PM Sheikh Fahad al-Youssef Al-Sabah, who said that he agreed with Aoun on facilitating the entry of Lebanese citizens into Kuwait and on the return of Kuwaiti tourists to Lebanon. Sheikh Fahad also said that Kuwait will carry on with its assistance to Lebanon and that it is ready to fulfill everything that the country might request in this regard.

Salam vows to confront electoral bribery and security violators
Naharnet/May 12/2025
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said the municipal and mayoral elections were conducted “successfully” in north Lebanon on Sunday thanks to the “responsible management” of the Interior Ministry. “Electoral bribery, regardless of its source, will be met with strict measures, and we will continue the investigations to reach the source of the bribe and take the appropriate judicial measures, seeing as no one enjoys a cover,” Salam added in remarks on the X platform. “As for the scene of weapons and stray bullets, which resulted in dangerous injuries, it is a scene that is rejected ethically and legally. This is a shameful and primitive phenomenon that must stop,” Salam said.“The relevant authorities, especially the army, arrested many shooters and there will be leniency in continuing the security and judicial course and imposing the severest penalties on security violators,” the premier added. “I urge citizens to put an end to this dangerous trend, seeing as weapons are not a way of expression nor a way to impose a situation that defies the principle of the state,” Salam went on to say.

35 held in North after stray bullets wound many including reporter
Naharnet/May 12/2025
Celebratory gunfire that erupted Sunday in the wake of north Lebanon’s municipal elections wounded several people, including LBCI reporter Nada Andraous. Andraous was lightly injured in her left thigh as she was leaving Tripoli following the end of her coverage of the elections, LBCI said. A child was meanwhile critically wounded in the Minieh district town of Bhannine, amid reports that a man was also killed in the town. The army meanwhile issued a statement announcing the arrest of 35 people suspected of firing in the air after the elections. It also said that it seized arms and ammunition and that are efforts are underway to arrest more suspects. Interior Minister Ahmad al-Hajjar said the electoral process was conducted successfully despite a flurry of clashes and security incidents.“There were 675 complaints in total, while around 143 security incidents and around 120 scuffles and fistfights were recorded,” Hajjar added. He also said that the elections saw a 43.29% voter turnout.

Minister Hajjar Reports 43% Voter Turnout in the North and Akkar, Vows Action on Election Violations
This is Beirut/May 12/2025
Minister of Interior Ahmad al-Hajjar announced on Monday that voter turnout in the northern regions reached a general rate of 43.29% during the latest round of municipal elections, with 37.25% turnout in North Lebanon and 49.33% in Akkar.
Speaking at a press conference, Hajjar described the electoral process as having proceeded “well,” despite facing several logistical and security-related challenges that began on Saturday and extended into Sunday. “There were difficulties, particularly concerning security at a number of polling centers,” he said. According to the figures provided by the minister, 675 complaints and appeals were filed, 143 security incidents were reported and about 120 cases of scuffles or assaults were recorded. Seven people were arrested for their involvement in disturbances, and 15 cases of alleged bribery are currently under investigation. One person was arrested on suspicion of ballot forgery. Hajjar also expressed his concerns over celebratory gunfire following the announcement of certain results, which led to several people being injured, including LBCI journalist Nada Andraos. One of the injured is reportedly in critical condition. He added, “We are working to arrest those responsible. The Lebanese army has already begun conducting raids, resulting in 34 detentions so far.” The minister called on the Lebanese people to abandon these dangerous practices. Addressing concerns over the prevalence of weapons, Hajjar emphasized the government’s commitment to enforcing arms regulations. “Our approach is clear, no weapons should be in civilian possession without a permit. The state is serious about extending its authority across all Lebanese territory,” he stated. “The shootings were carried out by individual citizens, not any specific political group, and those involved will face legal action,” he asserted. Hajjar also commented on a controversial incident involving the Governor of the North, Judge Ramzi Nohra. “One individual filed a complaint against the governor. The governor attempted to defend himself publicly, but that was inappropriate,” Hajjar said. “I told him to allow me to respond instead. No one is above accountability, and all public officials are subject to scrutiny.”
The minister denied reports of a ballot box being stolen in Akkar, asserting that all ballot boxes were “properly handed over to the vote-counting commissions after the ballots were counted in the polling stations, under the escort of Internal Security Forces agents.”
‘Responsible Management’ Later, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam issued a statement commending the “responsible handling” of the municipal elections in North Lebanon, and expressed his appreciation to the Ministry of Interior for its effective organization. He reaffirmed his commitment to combating electoral corruption, emphasizing that “any instance of fraud will be met with firm and decisive action.”Salam also condemned the gunfire, describing it as “morally and legally unacceptable.” He assured that the harshest penalties would be imposed on those responsible for such acts, and called on citizens to “refrain from using weapons as a means of expression.”

UK Charity Under Scrutiny for Alleged Hezbollah Ties
This is Beirut/May 12/2025
Since Saturday, the names of Hussein Harake and Zeinab Basma have been at the center of a growing controversy in the United Kingdom. The pair—Harake, a former British Airways security employee at Heathrow Airport, and Basma, an NHS doctor—are accused of raising hundreds of thousands of pounds for Lebanon through a group alleged to have ties to Hezbollah. The allegations, first reported by The Times on May 10, have drawn serious concern from British authorities and triggered investigations into the couple’s activities and the legitimacy of their organization, Zayir UK. According to the report, 29-year-old Harake had his security clearance revoked after security officials flagged a series of social media posts in which he praised Hezbollah fighters killed in combat, referring to them as “heroic martyrs.” Given his position at one of the world’s busiest airports, the posts alarmed intelligence agencies and led British Airways to promptly alert national security services. The airline described the incident as “extremely serious.”Zayir UK, the organization run by Harake and his 28-year-old wife Zeinab Basma, a graduate of University College London (UCL), has reportedly raised over £300,000. Much of the funding came through donation drives at prominent academic institutions including UCL, King’s College London and SOAS, often with the support of religious student groups. However, Zayir UK is not registered with the UK’s Charity Commission, the body responsible for overseeing charitable organizations in England and Wales. The Times’ investigation alleges that Zayir UK has connections to the southern suburbs of Beirut, a stronghold of Hezbollah, and that videos and images from the organization’s activities show its leaders alongside Hezbollah-affiliated symbols. The report also claims Harake has acknowledged communication with Hezbollah’s social services in Lebanon. Moreover, Zayir UK’s Facebook page previously featured funeral notices for prominent Hezbollah members, though those posts have since been deleted. Adding to the controversy is the involvement of Shiite cleric Hussein Makki, one of Zayir UK’s key supporters. Makki has participated in events in the UK where Lebanese and Palestinian flags were displayed and slogans seen as sympathetic to Hezbollah were chanted. Notably, his visa was revoked in Australia after he was seen attending the funeral of former Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah. The UK’s Charity Commission confirmed that Zayir UK’s application for charitable status had been rejected following a detailed review of its activities and aims. A spokesperson emphasized that organizations seeking charitable status must demonstrate a commitment to serving the public interest without political or sectarian affiliations.

Bitar to reportedly issue indictment in port case on August 4
Naharnet/May 12/2025
Beirut port blast investigator Judge Tarek Bitar is on the verge of issuing his indictment in the case, after he reached a complete conclusion about the issue of the ammonium nitrate shipment -- where it came from, how it entered the port and how it exploded, al-Joumhouria newspaper reported on Monday. “He will complete his interrogations before issuing the indictment, which will likely be released on the disaster’s fifth anniversary on August 4,” the daily added. It also noted that a French judicial delegation that visited Lebanon recently did not present any extra evidence, after media reports said that Paris would submit documents to the Lebanese judiciary.

Stabilization in the Middle East: Necessary, but Not Sufficient
Michel Touma/This is Beirut/May 12/2025
The Lebanese are understandably focused on the upcoming municipal elections, but they remain deeply unsettled by regional developments. As the situation evolves, it often feels as though little changes. Today, the primary concern is the ongoing negotiations between Washington and Tehran, and, more critically, the fate of various Iranian proxies that continue to exert considerable influence over Lebanon’s future. The central question that haunts the Lebanese is whether, as American leaders consistently assert, the tentacles of the Iranian mullah regime across several Arab countries, particularly in Lebanon, will truly and permanently be neutralized. In other words, could Hezbollah’s militia be “spared” in a potential US-Iranian agreement, possibly at the expense of Lebanese sovereignty? Or, are the US calls for Hezbollah’s full dismantling genuinely serious? Similarly, is the recent ceasefire with the Houthi militia in Yemen, announced by Washington just days ago, a precursor to an agreement with Tehran, or is it simply the result of the militia’s capitulation, as former President Donald Trump suggested? This latter scenario appears increasingly likely. By the end of April, a senior Pentagon source confirmed that, since mid-March, more than a thousand Houthi positions and strongholds had been bombed by US aircraft. These relentless airstrikes, sometimes involving British aircraft and more recently Israeli bombers, have been carried out at an unyielding pace, reaching as many as 30 to 50 attacks in a single day. This was not merely a series of isolated and limited operations but rather represented a full-scale war launched by the Trump administration against the Yemeni militia. Senior US officials openly acknowledged that these airstrikes served as a sharp warning to Iran. And with good reason: despite setbacks, the mullah regime has continued to foster an anti-Western and belligerent atmosphere across multiple countries in the region, particularly through its proxies. This has persisted even as the US and Israel have dealt severe blows to Iran’s military-security apparatus in the Middle East, especially through its Revolutionary Guards. The overwhelming firepower and advanced technological capabilities of the US, British and Israeli Air Forces have significantly weakened the Houthi militia's ability to cause harm. However, it has not been fully eradicated. The Iranian-backed militia continues to launch long-range missiles at Israel and poses a threat to maritime trade in the Red Sea. This highlights the recklessness of the Iranian military arsenal, which has been funneled into Yemen for years, transforming the territory controlled by Tehran’s proxies into a sprawling weapons and missile depot from one end to the other.
A similar scenario has unfolded in Gaza, where, over the years, tens of billions of dollars, approved by the Israeli government, have been directed to Hamas. However, instead of investing these funds in development projects, Hamas used them to construct hundreds of underground tunnels, effectively turning Gaza into a stronghold of militia control. The stockpiling of weapons and missiles in Gaza’s underground bunkers has primarily served to launch missiles at Israeli towns, providing the Hebrew State with the justification for airstrikes on this territorial Strip.
Much like the ceasefire agreement with the Houthis, the late-night announcement on May 11 of an agreement between Washington and Hamas introduces a new dynamic that significantly shifts US efforts to reshape the Middle East. In an official statement, Hamas agreed for the first time to allow Gaza to be managed, after hostilities cease, by an “independent professional body, ensuring peace and stability for many years.” This reference to stability lasting “many years,” (rather than a permanent peace), raises a crucial question: Are we truly witnessing the dawn of a hypothetical transitional agreement with Tehran, aimed at bringing its ally in Gaza into line? And could this lead to a resurgence of Iran's radical and belligerent policies in the years to come?
Given the current upheavals in the Middle East, it is more critical than ever to remember a fundamental factor: there are numerous signs on the ground suggesting that the dogmatic advocates of “exporting the Islamic Revolution,” a project launched by Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979, have neither given up nor abandoned their ideological mission. In the past, they have demonstrated their resolute determination through massive support for the Assad regime, a central hub for the expansion of the Revolutionary Guards, and through the establishment of Tehran-affiliated militias in Iraq. Most notably, the unchecked and disproportionate strengthening of Hezbollah in Lebanon, fueled by continuous flow of financial, military, logistical, socio-economic and political aid, has been a cornerstone of this strategy. This invasive sponsorship in Lebanon resulted in the large-scale construction of weapons and missile depots, along with dozens of underground tunnels exclusively dedicated to militia operations, across significant parts of territory controlled by Hezbollah.
In light of these realities, it is impossible not to ignore uncomfortable but crucial questions: How is it that such an extensive military infrastructure was built and deployed, especially in Gaza and southern Lebanon, without any immediate reaction from Israeli authorities, either in media or political forms? More troubling still, what has been the true purpose of the Iranian arsenal deployed across Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Gaza, if not to bring death, destruction, devastation and displacement of populations in these regions?
Additionally, how can we rationally and transparently explain that this unlimited military aid has failed to advance the cause of “the path to Jerusalem” even the slightest bit? Was the mullah regime’s network of proxies in select parts of the Arab world merely about strengthening Iran’s negotiation position with the United States and consolidating its regional expansion, or was it also about securing leverage in a broader ideological and “cultural” confrontation with the West? Supporters of this strategy in Iran (seemingly numerous) have made their voices heard loud and clear in internal debates, as reported by Iranian media. While dismantling the Iranian proxies in Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq is undoubtedly a necessary step for long-term stability in the Middle East, it is far from enough. Failing to address the root cause of the issue—radically, within Tehran itself, at the level of the hardline ideologues—would only leave the source of the problem intact, granting it a temporary reprieve. This would mean settling for a brief pause, while sowing the seeds for a future resurgence of the conflict and a renewed anti-Western struggle in the medium to long term.

National Heritage Day: Lebanon Opens Heritage Sites for Free
This is Beirut/May 12/2025
In celebration of National Heritage Day, museums and archaeological sites across Lebanon will open their doors free of charge on May 14, 15 and 16. The initiative invites the public to explore the country’s cultural landmarks without entrance fees during official working hours. The annual occasion, observed on the third Thursday of May, is dedicated to promoting Lebanon’s rich historical legacy. As part of the event, a range of cultural and educational activities will be held at select locations to encourage public engagement with the nation's heritage. Participating sites include the National Museum, Beiteddine Palace Museums and numerous archaeological landmarks overseen by the Directorate General of Antiquities. The initiative is part of broader efforts to foster appreciation for Lebanon’s diverse and layered past.
The Ministry of Culture's General Directorate of Antiquities is spearheading this effort to encourage citizens to explore and appreciate Lebanon's diverse cultural heritage. In addition to free access, several sites will host cultural and educational activities designed to raise awareness and inspire citizens to explore and appreciate their national heritage.

Municipal Elections: Key Stakes and Early Results in North Lebanon and Akkar
Alissar Boulos/This is Beirut/May 12/2025
Municipal elections took place on Sunday in the governorates of North Lebanon and Akkar, shedding light on evolving political balances across both Christian strongholds and predominantly Sunni regions. Voter turnout in the North and Akkar reached an overall rate of 43.29%, with 37.25% in the North and 49.33% in Akkar specifically. According to preliminary results, the elections highlighted key political dynamics in Christian areas such as Batroun, Zgharta and Bsharre, where electoral contests were particularly intense. Meanwhile, in Sunni-majority regions like Tripoli and Akkar, the vote reflected shifting allegiances in the absence of the Future Movement and amid the lingering regional effects of the Syrian conflict.
Tripoli Results Still Pending
In Tripoli, the capital of North Lebanon, even preliminary results had yet to be released by Sunday night, with apparent efforts to delay any disclosure until the official announcement by the Ministry of Interior. Voter turnout stood at a low 27%, signaling continued voter apathy, a trend also observed during the 2016 municipal elections. The absence of major figures like former Prime Minister Saad Hariri appeared to leave the field open for fragmented competition among several electoral lists.
Higher Turnout in Minyeh-Denniyeh
In the Minyeh-Denniyeh region, a predominantly Sunni area, voter turnout exceeded 50%, reflecting a stronger mobilization. However, results have not yet been fully reported.
Rise of the LF-Kataeb-Sovereigntist Alliance
In Christian areas of North Lebanon, the political momentum seen earlier in Mount Lebanon was reaffirmed. The alliance between the Lebanese Forces (LF), the Kataeb Party and independent candidate Majd Harb scored notable victories, especially in towns like Tannourine and Chekka. However, the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) managed to retain a foothold in other areas such as Eddeh and Selaata. In Zgharta, the Marada Movement maintained control over the town, fending off a competing list made up of opposition figures and independents. Yet, in several surrounding villages, the LF-Kataeb alliance, backed by Michel Moawad, gained ground. In Bsharre and across its district, the Lebanese Forces retained their dominance, as widely expected. Meanwhile, in the Koura district, the election appeared to hinge more on family dynamics than on traditional party politics.
FPM Holds Ground in Akkar
In Akkar, where turnout hovered around 48%, early results from Christian areas indicated that the Free Patriotic Movement continues to hold influence, particularly through victories in mukhtar races. The region remains relatively favorable to the FPM, consistent with trends observed during the 2022 parliamentary elections. Results from Sunni-majority areas of Akkar are still pending on Monday, as is the case in Tripoli. In an interview with the daily Al-Anbaa on Sunday, Minister of Interior Ahmad al-Hajjar stated, “The organization of the municipal and mukhtar elections was a true test for us. The state has proven that it is standing strong, respecting its constitutional deadlines and exercising its prerogatives.”Regarding the elections in the North and Akkar, Hajjar affirmed that the start was positive, “Citizens exercised their democratic right freely.”
These elections not only reflect local political shifts but also hint at broader questions about leadership vacuums, voter engagement and the evolving landscape of Lebanon's fragmented municipal politics.

The Qatari Model the Key to Lebanese-Israeli Relations?
Bassam Abou Zeid/This is Beirut/May 12/2025
Political sources reported that Lebanese officials have been repeatedly and directly informed by multiple parties that the only viable way to resolve the ongoing issues with Israel, including the withdrawal from occupied territories, an end to ongoing violations and the resolution of disputes along the Blue Line, is through direct negotiations with Israel. In return, Lebanon would be expected to honor its commitments under the recent ceasefire agreement and implement international resolutions 1559, 1680 and 1701, all of which ultimately aim at a single objective: the dismantling of Hezbollah's military infrastructure. The political sources further suggested that direct talks between the two sides should not be restricted to military delegations. The Lebanese side is expected to include diplomatic officials and civilian representatives, thereby elevating the discussions beyond the scope of purely military negotiations, while still stopping short of full normalization talks. In this regard, well-informed sources outlined that Lebanon could follow the Qatari model in its dealings with Israel, where relations between the two countries are confined to discussions on key issues, without agreements on normalization or peace. Under this model, there are no embassies or liaison offices, and this arrangement could persist for many years. The sources cautioned that Lebanon’s failure to take such a step could lead to Israel intensifying its strikes against Lebanese territory by targeting Hezbollah's military personnel and infrastructure. The intensity of these attacks may vary, depending on Israeli strategy, while the looming threat of a full-scale war against Lebanon remains a significant concern. On the other hand, according to sources, Lebanese officials remain reluctant to take any steps that could be interpreted as normalization with Israel, given Hezbollah’s continued ability to disrupt Lebanon’s internal stability and escalate tensions on the ground. These sources emphasized that Lebanon remains steadfast in its commitment to indirect military talks with Israel and is prepared to adhere to the ceasefire agreement and international resolutions and to return to the armistice agreement—an essential step toward long-term stability and a lasting resolution between Lebanon and Israel. The sources further stressed that Israel must take meaningful steps to enable the Lebanese government to move forward with implementing the ceasefire terms and relevant international resolutions, beginning with the issue of Hezbollah’s weapons. According to them, the most significant step in this context would be a full Israeli withdrawal from all remaining occupied Lebanese territory, which would strengthen the Lebanese state’s position in confronting Hezbollah.
Additionally, the sources revealed that the United States and Israel are working to narrow the gap between the two sides and are actively exploring steps toward withdrawal, viewing it as serving the interests of both countries.

Hezbollah’s Sheikh Qassem: Resistance Prevented Israeli Enemy from Achieving Its Goals in Lebanon
Al-Manar Website/May 12/2025
Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem affirmed that “the resistance demonstrated legendary steadfastness in the Battle of Mighty Warriors and prevented the Israeli occupation from achieving its goals.” He warned that the recent Israeli strikes on Nabatieh and Iqlim Al-Tuffah amounted to “playing with fire,” stressing that Hezbollah would not yield to threats or pressure: “We will not submit—we will confront.”
Honoring Senior Hezbollah Commander
In a televised speech aired via Al-Manar TV marking the ninth anniversary of the martyrdom of senior commander Sayyed Mustafa Badreddine (Sayyed Zulfikar), Sheikh Qassem initiated by offering condolences to Sayyed Badreddine’s family and to the families of martyrs across Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, Iraq, Iran, and other regions where sacrifices have been made in defense of resistance. He described Sayyed Badreddine as a pivotal figure who fought Israeli forces following the 1982 invasion and sustained injuries in combat. He led the notable Ansariya operation in 1997, personally overseeing its execution. Sheikh Qassem also recalled Badreddine’s early involvement in supporting the Iranian revolution and his leadership in media operations, including coverage following the martyrdom of Hadi Nasrallah, son of Hezbollah’s Secretary-General. “He was both a commander and a mentor—respected for his strategic mind and deeply loved by his comrades.”
Hezbollah Sayyed Mustafa Badreddine
Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem honors senior commander martyr Sayyed Mustafa Badreddine on the 9th anniversary of his martyrdom (May 12, 2025)
A Regional Struggle
Sheikh Qassem framed the resistance as part of a long-standing battle against an Israeli project dating back to 1948—one backed by US and Western powers aiming to reshape the region through military dominance and colonization.
He stated that the Israeli occupation has been gradually annexing Palestinian land over the decades, from the 1948 territories to the 1967 occupation and beyond, including parts of neighboring Arab countries.
Gaza and the Fight for Survival
Sheikh Qassem hailed Gaza’s endurance in the face of ongoing Israeli attacks, crediting the leadership of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and other Palestinian factions, along with the broader Palestinian people, for exposing the brutality of the Israeli state.
He described the Israeli enemy’s current military campaign as an attempt at total destruction. “What’s happening in Gaza today is not war—it’s mass killing. Civilians in tents—children, women, and men—are being targeted indiscriminately.”
Sheikh Qassem affirmed the Zionist Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeks to “eradicate life in Gaza” in a bid to crush the Palestinian resistance and destroy its future, asserting.“He has failed—and will continue to fail—even if the war drags on.”
Resistance: A Strategic Necessity
Referring to the failed May 17 Agreement of 1983, Sheikh Qassem said, “The Israeli enemy sought to gradually annex parts of Lebanon, but it failed to impose this plan.”His Eminence stated that the Israeli occupation’s ambitions in Lebanon have repeatedly been thwarted by resistance. Sheikh Qassem noted that the Israeli enemy maintained its occupation through the creation of the South Lebanon Army, aiming to control territory indirectly. However, “In 2000, full liberation was achieved, and the Israeli enemy was forced to withdraw without realizing its goals.”Sheikh Qassem asserted that ever since the Israeli enemy’s defeat in the July 2006 war, the resistance has successfully blocked any further Israeli advances, creating a climate of security that enabled economic stability across southern Lebanon and the country at large.
Hezbollah Sheikh Qassem
Reflecting on the broader implications, he asked, “Had the Israeli enemy managed to gradually seize parts of Lebanon over the years, what would the country look like today?”Sheikh Qassem hailed the steadfastness shown during the recent battle of Mighty Warriors, calling it “legendary.”“Resistance is real, necessary, and effective. It is a defensive strategy, a political vision, and a guarantor of sovereignty and dignity.”His Eminence reiterated Hezbollah’s commitment to resistance: “We remain firmly committed to defending our land, our rights, our people, and our future.”
Warning Against Escalation
Commenting on recent Israeli aggression on Nabatieh and Iqlim Al-Tuffah, Sheikh Qassem warned that such provocations are dangerous and “will not allow the Israeli enemy to achieve its objectives.” He called on the Lebanese state and the international sponsors of agreements to take more decisive action. “We will not bow to threats or pressure. Any attempt to weaken our resistance without detailed coordination with the Lebanese state is delusional,” Sheikh Qassem confirmed. “Lebanon is moving toward stability, and it is the Israeli aggression that threatens this path. This new era under President General Joseph Aoun brings great hopes, as we are partners in it and a part of it,” His Eminence clarified.
Hezbollah Sheikh Qassem
Message to Supporters and Critics
Addressing Hezbollah supporters, Sheikh Qassem said, “Our resilience on the battlefield has proven our strength. You are the ones reclaiming land. You are Lebanon’s promising future alongside the army and the people.”
To those aligned with the Israeli enemy, he responded, “Your history is one of destruction and betrayal. You are harming Lebanon. The priority now must be halting aggression, ending violations, and releasing detainees — and the Lebanese state must act with full force.”
Reconstruction and Elections
Hezbollah’s Sheikh Qassem urged the government to prioritize post-conflict reconstruction and demanded that it be placed on the agenda of the first cabinet session. Regarding recent municipal elections, His Eminence praised Lebanese enthusiasm for state-building and highlighted electoral successes achieved in coordination with the Amal Movement, particularly in Mount Lebanon.
Solidarity with Yemen
Sheikh Qassem concluded by congratulating Yemen on what he described as a “victory over the US,” commending its continued support for Palestine and its stance against the Israeli occupation.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on May 12-13/2025
Trump heads for Saudi Arabia on major Middle East tour
AFP/May 12, 2025
JOINT BASE ANDREWS, US: US President Donald Trump on Monday left for Saudi Arabia on what he called a “historic” tour of the Middle East that will mix urgent diplomacy on Gaza with huge business deals. Air Force One took off on a journey that will include visits to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates — and possibly talks in Turkiye on the Ukraine war. Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza will hang heavy over the first major tour of Trump’s second term — but in one sign of progress, US-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander was handed over to the Red Cross just as the president boarded his plane. “It’s big news,” Trump said at the White House shortly before departing. “He’s coming home to his parents, which is really great news. They thought he was dead.”Trump has in recent weeks seemed to cool on his efforts to end the Gaza war — despite boasting before taking office that he would be able to bring the conflict to a swift end. He has also been increasingly at odds with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Gaza, as well as over strikes on Yemen’s Houthis and on how to handle Iran’s nuclear program. Trump said there were “very good things happening” on talks between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear ambitions — though he added that Iran “can’t have a nuclear weapon.”The US president said that he hoped for more developments on Gaza during his trip to the Gulf, noting that his tour involved “three primary countries” in the region. “I hope that we’re going to have other hostages released too,” he said when asked if he expected further progress toward a ceasefire in the Palestinian enclave. Hamas asked Trump to “continue efforts” to end the war after freeing hostage Alexander, while Netanyahu said he would send mediators to Qatar on Tuesday for further negotiations. Qatar has played a key role as a middleman in talks on ending the war. Trump said he could change his plans and fly to Istanbul on Thursday if talks between Russia and Ukraine happen there and make progress. “I don’t know where I’m going to be at that particular point, I’ll be someplace in the Middle East. But I would, if I thought it would be helpful,” Trump told reporters Monday. Trump added that he thought both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin could attend — raising the prospect of a landmark summit. Trump’s Middle East tour will start in Saudi Arabia — the same place he began his debut overseas trip in his first term in 2017, and memorably posed over a glowing orb with the leaders of Egypt and Saudi Arabia. But on that occasion he also visited Israel, whereas this time it is not on the itinerary. His decision to once more bypass traditional Western allies to visit the Gulf states underscores their pivotal geopolitical role — as well as his own business ties there.

Trump hails US-Israeli hostage release as ‘monumental news’
AFP/May 12, 2025
WASHINGTON: Donald Trump on Sunday celebrated an announcement by Hamas that it would release US-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander from Gaza, with the US president saying he hoped all hostages would be released and fighting ended.
“I am grateful to all those involved in making this monumental news happen,” Trump said in a post on social media, describing the release as a “good faith gesture,” adding: “Hopefully this is the first of those final steps necessary to end this brutal conflict.”

Saudi Cabinet welcomes upcoming visit by US President Trump
Arab News/May 12, 2025
RIYADH: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman chaired the weekly Cabinet session in Riyadh on Monday, where ministers welcomed the upcoming official visit of US President Donald Trump to the Kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The Cabinet expressed optimism that the visit would serve to deepen the strategic partnership between Riyadh and Washington across various sectors in line with shared interests and long-term visions, SPA added. In a statement to SPA, Minister of State, Cabinet Member for Shura Council Affairs, and Acting Minister of Media Essam bin Saad bin Saeed said the Cabinet reiterated its strong condemnation of the Israeli occupation authorities’ incursion into the Gaza Strip and Palestinian territories. It also denounced ongoing violations of international humanitarian law by Israeli forces, and reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s steadfast support for the Palestinian cause and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. Ministers also welcomed the ceasefire agreement reached between Pakistan and India last week, affirming the Kingdom’s continued commitment to working with international partners to support efforts aimed at achieving lasting peace between the two South Asian neighbors. The Cabinet said that Saudi Arabia’s hosting of the Munich Security Conference Leaders’ Meeting in the fourth quarter of 2025 reflects its commitment to multilateralism and to advancing global peace, security, and stability. The Cabinet also hailed Saudi Arabia’s election as the Arab Group’s representative to the International Civil Aviation Organization Council. During the session, the Cabinet approved a memorandum of understanding between the Saudi Ministry of Energy and the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security for cooperation in the energy sector. The Cabinet further authorized the Minister of Education, or a deputy, to negotiate and sign an MoU with the US focused on cooperation in the field of education and training. In the field of health regulation, the Cabinet approved an MoU between the Saudi Food and Drug Authority and the Chinese National Medical Products Administration to enhance cooperation in the regulation of drugs, medical devices, and cosmetics. It also approved an MoU between the Saudi Presidency of State Security and Oman’s General Secretariat for Communications and Coordination concerning the combatting of terrorism and its financing.

Kurdish militant group PKK disbanding, ending decades of armed struggle
AP/May 12, 2025
ISTANBUL: The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) on Monday announced its dissolution and the end of its armed struggle, drawing a line under its deadly four-decade insurgency against the Turkish state. Founded in the late 1970s by Abdullah Ocalan, the PKK took up arms in 1984, beginning a string of bloody attacks on Turkish soil that sparked a conflict that cost more than 40,000 lives. The PKK “has decided to dissolve... and end its armed struggle,” it said in a statement after a landmark leadership congress. “The PKK has fulfilled its historical mission” and brought “the Kurdish issue to a point where it can be resolved through democratic politics,” it said. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan hailed the move as an “extremely important step” for both domestic and regional security. “The decision taken by the PKK is a historic and important decision, especially in terms of permanent peace and stability in our region,” he told reporters, saying there was “much to be done” to ensure its implementation. The move was also welcomed as a boost for regional security by top officials in Syria and Iraq, and hailed by the European Union as a key step to resolving the Kurdish issue. Ocalan had in February urged his fighters to disarm and disband in a letter from Imrali prison island where he has been held since 1999. He also asked the PKK to hold a congress to formalize the decision.
The declaration was the culmination of seven months of work to renew long-stalled talks that began in October when Ankara offered Ocalan an unexpected olive branch. With PKK fighters present in both Syria and Iraq, the movement’s dissolution is likely to reverberate in both nations.Syria’s top diplomat Asaad Al-Shaibani said it was “a pivotal moment” not only for Turkiye, “but for the stability of our region as a whole.”And Nechirvan Barzani, president of Iraq’s Kurdistan region — a crucial powerbroker in Kurdish affairs with close ties to Turkiye — praised the declaration as a boost for regional security. The PKK decision “demonstrates political maturity and paves the way for a dialogue that promotes coexistence and stability in Turkiye and the region,” he said. Brussels urged “all parties to seize the moment” to resolve the decades-long Kurdish question — echoing a call by Turkiye’s pro-Kurdish opposition DEM party, which played a key role in the process. “The door to a political solution to the Kurdish problem has been thrown wide open,” DEM spokeswoman Aysegul Dogan told reporters, saying the decision was of “historic importance.” “We should not waste this great opportunity.. Peace is no longer a dream.” Although key players in the process had initially mooted early release for Ocalan, who has spent more than 25 years serving life in solitary confinement, it was unlikely he would leave Imrali prison island. “The conditions of his detention will be eased.. meetings with DEM and his family will also be more frequent,” an AKP source told the pro-government Turkiye daily. The move was also important for Erdogan. “If the PKK announces it is disbanding and finalizes the process without any road accidents, that will be a huge win for Erdogan,” Gonul Tol of the Washington-based Middle East Institute told AFP. She said seeking a rapprochement with the Kurds was very much related to domestic politics, coming just months after Erdogan’s AKP suffered a blow at the ballot box. Analysts say a deal with the Kurds could allow Erdogan to amend the constitution and extend his term in office, while simultaneously driving a wedge between pro-Kurdish parties and the rest of Turkiye’s opposition. “The main driver behind this Ocalan opening has always been about consolidating Erdogan’s rule. Because if this whole process succeeds, he will go into the 2028 elections as a stronger candidate who is facing a divided opposition,” Tol said.

Trump signals possible sanctions relief for Syria
AFP/May 12, 2025
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Monday he was considering offering sanctions relief to Syria as it seeks to rebuild after a grinding decade-plus civil war. “We are going to have to make a decision on the sanctions, which we may very well relieve. We may take them off of Syria because we want to give them a fresh start,” Trump told journalists at the White House prior to departing on a trip to the Middle East. Syria’s authorities, who toppled longtime president Bashar Assad in December, are working to rebuild the country’s infrastructure and economy after almost 14 years of devastating conflict. The new government has been pushing for Assad-era sanctions to be removed to revive the country’s battered economy and support reconstruction. Syria’s foreign ministry welcomed Trump’s remarks and said it “considers them an encouraging step toward ending the suffering of the Syrian people.”The foreign ministry statement said Assad-era sanctions “directly target the Syrian people and hinder the recovery and reconstruction process.”Syrians “look forward to the full lifting of sanctions as part of steps that support peace and prosperity in Syria and the region, and open the possibility for constructive international cooperation,” the statement added. Some countries have said they would wait to see how the new authorities exercise their power and ensure human rights are respected before lifting sanctions, opting instead for targeted and temporary exemptions. A February United Nations Development Programme report estimated that at current growth rates, Syria would need more than 50 years to return to the economic level it had before its devastating civil war, and called for massive investment to accelerate the process.

Presidents of UAE, Syria discuss regional developments during phone call
Arab News/May 12, 2025
DUBAI: UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed received a phone call Sunday from Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, WAM News Agency reported. The two leaders discussed relations between their countries and explored ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in a manner that benefits their peoples, WAM added. They also exchanged views on several regional developments of mutual interest.Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed affirmed the “UAE’s commitment to supporting all efforts aimed at fulfilling the aspirations of the Syrian people for stability, development, and a future marked by security and prosperity.”Al-Sharaa expressed his appreciation for the UAE’s steadfast support for the Syrian people, and praised the UAE’s constructive role in advancing regional peace and stability.

Remains of 30 people believed killed by Daesh militants found in Syria in a search by Qatar and FBI
AP/May 12, 2025
DAMASCUS: The remains of 30 people believed to have been killed by the militant Daesh group have been found in a remote Syrian town in a search led by Qatari search teams and the FBI, according to a statement from Qatar on Monday. The Qatari internal security forces said the FBI had requested the search, and that DNA tests are currently underway to determine the identities of the people. The Qatari agency did not whom the American intelligence and security agency is trying to find. Dozens of foreigners, including aid workers and journalists, were killed by Daesh militants who had controlled large swaths of Syria and Iraq for half a decade and declared a so-called caliphate. The militant group lost most of its territory in late 2017 and was declared defeated in 2019. Since then, dozens of gravesites and mass graves have been discovered in northern Syria containing remains and bodies of people Daesh had abducted over the years. American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, as well as humanitarian workers Kayla Mueller and Peter Kassig are among those killed by Daesh. John Cantlie, a British correspondent, was abducted alongside Foley in 2012, and was last seen alive in one of the extremist group’s propaganda videos in 2016. The search took place in the town of Dabiq, near Syria’s northern border with Turkiye. Mass graves have also found in areas previously controlled by Syrian President Bashar Assad who was ousted in a lightning insurgency last December, ending his family’s half-century rule. For years, the Assads used their notorious security and intelligence agencies to crack down on dissidents, many who have gone missing. The United Nations in 2021 estimated that over 130,000 Syrians were taken away and disappeared during the uprising that began in 2011 and descended into a 13-year civil war.

Syria leader to miss Arab summit in Iraq: diplomatic source
AFP/May 12, 2025
BAGHDAD: Syria’s interim president, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, will not attend an upcoming Arab League summit in Baghdad, an Arab diplomatic source said Monday, as powerful Iraqi politicians have rejected hosting a former jihadist leader. Sharaa, whose Islamist group spearheaded the offensive that toppled Syria’s longtime ruler Bashar Assad in December, was imprisoned for years in Iraq on charges of belonging to Al-Qaeda following the 2003 US-led invasion. The Iraqi government has invited Sharaa for the meeting planned for Saturday, but he “will not attend the Arab Summit,” the diplomatic source told AFP on condition of anonymity. Instead, Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani will lead the Syrian delegation. Several powerful Iraqi politicians have voiced opposition to Sharaa’s planned visit to Iraq. They include former prime minister Nuri Al-Maliki, a leading member of Iraq’s main pro-Iran coalition that holds a parliamentary majority. Armed groups aligned with Tehran have also joined the call against Sharaa, including the powerful faction Kataeb Hezbollah which has previously fought in Syria alongside Assad’s forces. Several Iraqi security sources told AFP that an old arrest warrant for Sharaa from his time as a member of Al-Qaeda remains in place. However, authorities seek good relations with Syria’s new leadership to help maintain regional stability, the sources said. The fall of Assad, who was a close ally of the government in Baghdad, has complicated relations between the neighboring countries. Iraq, where the majority are Shiite Muslims, remains deeply scarred by decades of conflict following the US-led invasion, which triggered sectarian violence and the rise of Sunni jihadist groups including Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.

Syria and neighbors urge Israel to stop bombings
AFP/May 12, 2025
ANKARA: The foreign ministers of Syria, Turkiye and Jordan, meeting Monday in Ankara, called on Israel to cease attacks on Syria and to withdraw troops from the country. Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes on Syria since longtime ruler Bashar Assad was ousted in December, often targeting military sites and killing dozens of people. Israeli officials have also described Syria’s new authorities as jihadists and claimed to defend the country’s Druze minority with a recent spate of attacks. Turkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told a press conference with his Jordanian and Syrian counterparts that “Israel’s expansionism poses a significant threat to the security, stability and future of Syria.”“This must come to an end. And we are on the same page about this. Syria needs to be supported to prevent terrorist organizations from settling in this region,” Fidan added, noting that Syria shares a 900-kilometer (560-mile) border with Turkiye. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani told the joint press conference that “our borders are constantly violated by Israeli attacks.”The Israeli strikes are “calculated escalations aimed at destabilising Syria and dragging the region into a new cycle of conflict,” Shaibani said, decrying “systematic violations of international law and explicit provocations.”He called on the international community to put Israel under “increased pressure” to halt the bombings. Jordan’s top diplomat, Ayman Safadi, said attacks on Syrian soil “will not bring security to Israel and will bring nothing to Syria except ruin and destruction.”

Syrian, Turkish foreign ministers address security issues in Ankara
Arab News/May 12, 2025
LONDON: Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani met his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, in Ankara on Monday. The officials convened during trilateral talks, which included Jordan’s foreign minister, to address joint security and economic issues in the region. The ministers discussed various issues, including Israeli actions in the southern Syrian Arab Republic since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, as well as coordination with Arab states and the international community to support Syria’s security, stability and sovereignty.

Netanyahu says will send Gaza negotiators to Qatar Tuesday
Agence France Presse/May 12/2025
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he would send mediators to Qatar on Tuesday to discuss the release of hostages held in Gaza after Hamas announced the release of U.S.-Israeli Edan Alexander. Following a meeting with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee, "the Prime Minister instructed to send a negotiation delegation to Doha tomorrow," Netanyahu's office said in a statement Monday. Netanyahu also thanked US President Donald Trump for helping to secure the expected release of the US-Israeli hostage, which Hamas has said was part of direct contact with the Americans. The statement from Netanyahu's office said that in a phone call, he "thanked President Trump for his assistance in the release of (Israeli military) soldier Edan Alexander," a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen who has been held in the Gaza Strip since Hamas' October 2023 attack.

Israel is not committed to any ceasefire or prisoner release with Hamas
Reuters/May 12, 2025
DUBAI: Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there would be no ceasefire in exchange for Hamas’s release of a US-Israeli hostage, who a source close to the group said could be freed Monday. Hamas on Sunday said it would release Edan Alexander, a US-Israeli soldier held in Gaza, ahead of a visit by US President Donald Trump to the region, and as the group revealed it was engaged in direct talks with Washington towards a ceasefire. No date was given, but a source close to Hamas told AFP 21-year-old Alexander would “most likely” be released on Monday or Tuesday. “Most likely, Edan will be released today or tomorrow, Tuesday, but this requires securing field conditions,” the source said. Hamas had demanded that American envoys ensure a “halt to all Israeli military operations... to create a safe corridor” for his transfer to the Red Cross, the source added. The source said the Palestinian militant group had decided not to hold a public ceremony for the handover. Netanyahu meanwhile said that “Israel has not committed to a ceasefire of any kind or the release of terrorists but only to a safe corridor that will allow for the release of Edan”. Negotiations for a possible deal to secure the release of all hostages would continue “under fire, during preparations for an intensification of the fighting”, Netanyahu added. Hamas had said Alexander would be released “as part of efforts towards a ceasefire” and the reopening of aid crossings. Trump, who is due in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, hailed the “monumental news”in a post on social media, describing it as a “good faith gesture”.
“Hopefully this is the first of those final steps necessary to end this brutal conflict,” he added. Egypt and Qatar, who along with the US have mediated talks between Hamas and Israel, also welcomed the development, describing it in a joint statement as a “a gesture of goodwill and an encouraging step toward a return to the negotiating table”. Earlier, two Hamas officials told AFP that talks were ongoing in Doha with the United States and reported “progress”. Israeli strikes meanwhile continued, with Gaza’s civil defence agency reporting that at least 10 people were killed in an overnight Israeli airstrike on a school housing displaced people. Israel ended a two-month ceasefire on March 18, launching a major offensive in Gaza and ramping up its bombardment of the territory.It has also cut off all aid to Gaza, saying it would pressure Hamas to release the remaining hostages. Washington had for decades publicly refused to engage directly with Hamas, which it labels a terrorist organisation, before first doing so in March. Hamas has continued to insist on a deal that ends the war and on April 18 rejected an Israeli proposal for a 45-day truce and hostage-prisoner exchange. In its statement on Sunday, the group said it was willing to “immediately begin intensive negotiations” that could lead to an agreement to end the war and would see Gaza under a technocratic and independent administration. Earlier this month, the Israeli government approved plans to expand its offensive in the Gaza Strip, with officials talking of retaining a long-term presence there. While ceasefire negotiations have yet to produce a breakthrough, Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Saar, on Sunday “fully” endorsed a US plan to restore aid to Gaza, under a complete blockade since March 2. The plan has drawn hefty international criticism for sidelining the United Nations and existing aid organisations, with the UN's agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, saying it was “impossible” to replace it in Gaza.The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said on Sunday that at least 2,720 people have been killed since Israel’s assult on Gaza bringing the overall death toll since the war broke out to 52,829.

UN chief welcomes release of US Israeli hostage by Hamas
Caspar Webb/Arab News/May 12, 2025
NEW YORK CITY: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the release of Edan Alexander, a US Israeli dual national who was taken hostage during the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas. The militant group said on Sunday it would release Alexander, 21, as part of efforts to reach a ceasefire with Israel. Alexander was believed to be the last living US hostage held in Gaza. Guterres “is profoundly relieved that Mr. Alexander has been freed and is now returning to his family and loved ones after this harrowing ordeal,” the secretary-general’s spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said on Monday. “The secretary-general renews his urgent call for an immediate permanent ceasefire, and the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining hostages. Hostages must be treated humanely and with dignity,” he added. Alexander’s parents, who live in the US, traveled to Israel for the handover, and said they were grateful to the administration of US President Donald Trump for securing their son’s release. Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, said on Sunday that Hamas had agreed to release Alexander as a gesture of goodwill to the president, who is making a high-profile visit to Saudi Arabia this week. Alexander, an Israeli soldier who grew up in New Jersey, was abducted from his military base during the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. In his statement, Guterres called on all parties to “immediately ensure the rapid, unhindered, and safe humanitarian relief, including the delivery of critical services, for all civilians in need. “Aid is not negotiable,” he added. The secretary-general praised the “sustained efforts” of mediators Egypt, Qatar and the US to bring an end to the Israel-Hamas conflict. All parties must “build on today’s release to reach a comprehensive agreement that will ensure the release of all hostages, an end to the hostilities, the provision of humanitarian aid and the long-overdue alleviation of the human suffering in Gaza,” he added. Hamas had been in direct contact with the US government over the release, said Khalil Al-Hayya, a senior leader of the militant group in Gaza. He added that Hamas is ready to “immediately start intensive negotiations” to secure a long-term truce with Israel. The militant group said in a statement: “The Izz Ad-Din Al-Qassam Brigades (Hamas’ military wing) released the captured Israeli soldier, Edan Alexander, a US citizen, a short while ago, following contacts with the US administration. “This comes as part of the efforts being made by mediators to achieve a ceasefire, open the crossings, and allow aid and relief to reach our people in the Gaza Strip.”

Israel urges ICC to drop arrest warrants against PM
AFP/May 12, 2025
THE HAGUE: Israel has asked the International Criminal Court to dismiss its arrest warrants against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant while ICC judges reconsider complex jurisdictional questions.In a 14-page document dated May 9 but posted on the ICC website on Monday, Israel argued the warrants issued in November were null and void while judges weigh a previous Israeli challenge to the ICC’s jurisdiction in the case. In a ruling that made headlines around the world, the ICC found “reasonable grounds” to believe Netanyahu and Gallant bore “criminal responsibility” for war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the war in Gaza. The court also issued a war crimes warrant against top Hamas commander Mohammed Deif over the October 7 attacks that sparked the conflict. The case against Deif was dropped in February after his death. Israel, not one of the ICC’s 125 members, challenged the court’s jurisdiction but judges on the ICC’s “Pre-Trial Chamber” dismissed the bid and issued the arrest warrants. But last month, the ICC’s Appeals Chamber ruled the Pre-Trial Chamber was wrong to dismiss the challenge and ordered it to look again in detail at Israel’s arguments. Israel says now that the arrest warrants should not stay in place while this complex and lengthy process is ongoing. “Unless and until the Pre-Trial Chamber has ruled on the substance of the jurisdiction challenge... the prerequisite jurisdictional finding does not exist,” Israel argued. “It follows that the arrest warrants issued on 21 November 2024 must be withdrawn or vacated pending the Pre-Trial Chamber’s determination of Israel’s jurisdictional challenge.” Israel and its allies reacted furiously to the warrants issued on November 21, Netanyahu describing it as an “anti-Semitic decision” and then US president Joe Biden slamming it as “outrageous.”Technically, any member of the ICC is required to arrest Netanyahu if he travels there, although the court has no independent power to enforce warrants. Israel argued in its submission that Netanyahu could theoretically be arrested while the court was still weighing whether it had jurisdiction in the case. “Depriving persons of their liberty on the basis of an arrest warrant issued in the absence of the necessary legal pre-conditions is an egregious violation of fundamental human rights and of the rule of law,” Israel argued. Allowing the warrants to stay in place during the deliberations “is unlawful and undermines the legitimacy of the court,” said Israel.

Population of Occupied Palestinian Territories grows tenfold since Nakba, despite Israeli atrocities
Arab News/May 12, 2025
LONDON: The population of the Occupied Palestinian Territories has increased tenfold since 1948, the year in which the Nakba, or “catastrophe,” displaced almost a million Palestinians from their homes to neighboring Arab countries, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics said that 957,000 people out of a population of 1.4 million were displaced by Israeli militias, many of them to other countries, some to Gaza and the West Bank, during the establishment of modern-day Israel 77 years ago this month. The remainder, about 450,000, were already in Gaza and the West Bank, where the population now stands at 5.5 million. This represents more than a tenfold increase since the Nakba, which Palestinians commemorate on May 15 each year. Ola Awad, the president of the bureau, said: “The atrocities of Zionist forces (in 1948) also included more than 70 massacres in which more than 15,000 Palestinians were martyred.”According to the bureau’s statistics, Israeli forces destroyed 531 Palestinian towns and villages during the Nakba. A further 200,000 people were displaced from the occupied territories to neighboring countries by the Six-Day War in June 1967, which led to the occupation of Gaza, the West Bank and the Syrian Golan Heights. Awad said the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, which began in October 2023, has reduced the Palestinian population in the occupied territories by 10 percent, as more than 52,000 people have been killed and thousands displaced. The statistics bureau said that since 1948, an estimated 154,000 people have been killed in the occupied territories or Arab countries as a result of Israeli attacks or armed clashes. The majority were Palestinian, but some were citizens of other Arab countries. Nearly 34 percent of them lived Gaza and were killed in the past two years.

Food security experts warn Gaza is at critical risk of famine if Israel doesn’t end its blockade
AP/May 12, 2025
TEL AVIV: The Gaza Strip is at critical risk of famine if Israel doesn’t lift its blockade and stop its military campaign, food security experts said in a stark warning on Monday. Outright famine is the mostly likely scenario unless conditions change, according to findings by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, a leading international authority on the severity of hunger crises. Nearly a half million Palestinians are in “catastrophic” levels of hunger, meaning they face possible starvation, the report said, while another million are at “emergency” levels of hunger. Israel has banned any food, shelter, medicine or other goods from entering the Palestinian territory for the past 10 weeks, even as it carries out waves of airstrikes and ground operations. Gaza’s population of around 2.3 million people relies almost entirely on outside aid to survive, because Israel’s 19-month-old military campaign has wiped away most capacity to produce food inside the territory.
Desperate scenes as food is running out
Food supplies are emptying out dramatically. Communal kitchens handing out cooked meals are virtually the only remaining source of food for most people in Gaza now, but they too are rapidly shutting down for lack of stocks. Thousands of Palestinians crowd daily outside the public kitchens, pushing and jostling with their pots to receive lentils or pasta. “We end up waiting in line for four, five hours, in the sun. It is exhausting,” said Riham Sheikh el-Eid, waiting at a kitchen on Sunday. “At the end, we walk away with nothing. It is not enough for everybody.”The lack of a famine declaration doesn’t mean people aren’t already starving, and a declaration shouldn’t be a precondition for ending the suffering, said Chris Newton, an analyst for the International Crisis Group focusing on starvation as a weapon of war. “The Israeli government is starving Gaza as part of its attempt to destroy Hamas and transform the strip,” he said.
Israel demands a new aid system
The office of Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, did not respond to a request for comment. The army has said that enough assistance entered Gaza during a two-month ceasefire that Israel shattered in mid-March when it relaunched its military campaign.
Israel says the blockade aims to pressure Hamas to release the hostages it still holds. It says it won’t let aid back in until a new system giving it control over distribution is in place, accusing Hamas of siphoning off supplies. The United Nations denies substantial diversion of aid is taking place. It says the new system Israel envisages is unnecessary, will allow aid to be used as a weapon for political and military goals, and will not meet the massive needs of Palestinians. The United States says it is working up a new mechanism that will start deliveries soon, but it has given no timeframe. The UN has so far refused to participate, saying the plan does not meet humanitarian standards. Monday’s report said that any slight gains made during the ceasefire have been reversed. Nearly the entire population of Gaza now faces high levels of hunger, it said, driven by conflict, the collapse of infrastructure, destruction of agriculture, and blockades of aid. Commenting on the report, the head of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization said any delay in restoring the flow of aid “bringing us closer to famine.”“If we fail to act, we are failing to uphold the right to food, which is a basic human right,” FAO Director-General QU Dongyu said. Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas after the group’s Oct. 7, 2023, surprise attack on Israel, in which militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 hostage, most of whom have been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Israel’s offensive has killed over 52,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, whose count does not distinguish between civilians or combatants.
Three criteria for declaring famine
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, first set up in 2004 during the famine in Somalia, groups more than a dozen UN agencies, aid groups, governments and other bodies. It has only declared famine a few times — in Somalia in 2011, and South Sudan in 2017 and 2020, and last year in parts of Sudan’s western Darfur region. Tens of thousands are believed to have died in Somalia and South Sudan. It rates an area as in famine when at least two of three things occur: 20 percent of households have an extreme lack of food, or are essentially starving; at least 30 percent of children six months to five years suffer from acute malnutrition or wasting, meaning they’re too thin for their height; and at least two people or four children under five per every 10,000 are dying daily due to starvation or the interaction of malnutrition and disease. The report found that the first threshold was met in Gaza, saying 477,000 people — or 22 percent of the population — are classified as in “catastrophic” hunger for the period from May 11 to the end of September, and another million area at “emergency” levels, meaning they face very large gaps in food and high levels of acute malnutrition. The malnutrition and deaths thresholds were not met. The data was gathered in April and up to May 6. Food security experts say it takes time for people to start dying from starvation. The report warned of “imminent” famine in northern Gaza in March 2024, but the following month, Israel allowed an influx of aid under US pressure after an Israeli strike killed seven aid workers.
Malnutrition is rising
Aid groups now say the situation is the most dire of the entire war. The UN humanitarian office, known as OCHA, said on Friday that the number of children seeking treatment at clinics for malnutrition has doubled since February, even as supplies to treat them are quickly running out.
Aid groups have shut down food distribution for lack of stocks. Many foods have disappeared from the markets and what’s left has spiraled in price and is unaffordable to most. Farmland is mostly destroyed or inaccessible. Water distribution is grinding to a halt, largely because of lack of fuel.

Hundreds march in West Bank against killings of Palestinian medics
AFP/May 12, 2025
RAMALLAH: Hundreds of Palestinian Red Crescent staff marched in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah on Monday to protest the killing of medical workers in Gaza over the past 19 months of war. Gathering in the city’s Clock Square, medical personnel, support staff and volunteers wore white and orange vests and waved flags bearing the Red Crescent’s emblem. The demonstration marked World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day, usually observed on May 8, and called for the “protection for medical and humanitarian workers.”In a statement released Monday, the Red Crescent said 48 of their staff members have been killed in Gaza and the West Bank since the war began on October 7, 2023 — including 30 who “were killed while performing their humanitarian duty wearing the Red Crescent emblem.”Protesters carried symbolic white shrouds bearing the names and pictures of the dead, as well as signs demanding the release of three staff members who have been detained by the Israeli army for over a year. Some 1,400 humanitarian and medical workers have been killed in Gaza since the beginning of the war, according to the statement, which added that “dozens of medical personnel working in Gaza... were detained while performing their humanitarian duties.”It highlighted a particularly deadly attack in March in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, when 15 first responders including eight Red Crescent paramedics were killed by the Israeli army. The first responders were answering distress calls after Israeli air strikes. The incident drew international condemnation, including concern about possible war crimes from UN human rights commissioner Volker Turk.An Israeli military investigation, the results of which were published, acknowledged “professional failures” and “violations of orders” during the shooting.

Iran warns Europeans that reimposing sanctions could have irreversible consequences
John Irish/Reuters/May 12, 2025
PARIS - Iran's foreign minister warned Britain, France and Germany on Monday that a decision to trigger a U.N. mechanism reimposing sanctions on Tehran could lead to an irreversible escalation of tensions. Under the terms of a U.N. resolution ratifying a 2015 nuclear pact, the three European powers could reimpose United Nations sanctions against Tehran before October 18, known in diplomatic circles as the "snapback mechanism". "Iran has made its position clear. We have officially warned all JCPOA (nuclear pact) signatories that abuse of the snapback mechanism will lead to consequences — not only the end of Europe's role in the agreement, but also an escalation of tensions that could become irreversible," Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi wrote in a column in French weekly magazine Le Point. U.S. President Donald Trump exited Tehran's 2015 nuclear accord with six world powers in 2018 during his first term and reimposed tough sanctions that have devastated Iran's economy. The European powers are not part of current negotiations between Iran and the United States, the fourth round of which ended in Oman on Sunday. But the three powers have sought to coordinate closely with Washington with a view to whether and when they should use the snapback mechanism to raise pressure on Iran over its nuclear programme.Trump said on Monday that Iran was "talking intelligently."
"We want Iran to be wealthy and wonderful and happy and great, but they can't have a nuclear weapon, it's very simple. So I think they understand that I mean business and I think they're being very reasonable thus far," he told reporters.
Talks between the so-called E3 and Iran in Rome earlier in May were postponed. Araqchi said that a meeting between Iran's deputy foreign minister and E3 counterparts had since taken place, describing them as a "promising, but fragile start."
France's foreign ministry declined to comment. The British and German foreign ministries were not immediately available to comment. According to diplomats and a document seen by Reuters, the E3 countries may trigger a snapback by August if no substantial deal can be found by then. The window closes on October 18. Relations between the E3 and Iran have worsened over the last year despite sporadic meetings, against a backdrop of new sanctions imposed on Tehran over its ballistic missile programme, its detention of foreign citizens and support for Russia in its war against Ukraine. Iran, which has long said its nuclear programme is peaceful, has breached the 2015 pact's nuclear curbs since 2019, including "dramatically" accelerating its enrichment of uranium to up to 60% purity, close to the roughly 90% level that is weapons-grade, according to the U.N. nuclear watchdog. It denies it is seeking nuclear weapons.

India PM Modi warns Pakistan of more strikes if there is a ‘terrorist attack’
Reuters/May 12, 2025
NEW DELHI/ISLAMABAD: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned Pakistan on Monday that New Delhi would target “terrorist hideouts” across the border again if there were new attacks on India and would not be deterred by what he called Islamabad’s “nuclear blackmail.”Modi’s first public comments since Indian armed forces launched strikes on what New Delhi said were “terrorist camps” across the border last week indicated a hardening of India’s position on ties with its neighbor, which were icy even before the latest fighting. Pakistan denies Indian accusations that it supports militants who attack it and says the locations hit by India last week were civilian sites. Modi was speaking two days after the nuclear-armed neighbors agreed to a ceasefire, announced by US President Donald Trump. The truce was reached after four days of intense exchanges of fire as the old enemies targeted each other’s military installations with missiles and drones, killing dozens of civilians. The military confrontation began on Wednesday, when India said it launched strikes on nine “terrorist infrastructure” sites in Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmir following an attack on Hindu tourists by militants in Indian Kashmir last month that killed 26 men. Islamabad denied any links to the attack and called for a neutral investigation. “If there is a terrorist attack on India, a fitting reply will be given... on our terms,” Modi said, speaking in Hindi in a televised address. “In the coming days, we will measure every step of Pakistan... what kind of attitude Pakistan will adopt.”“India will strike precisely and decisively at the terrorist hideouts developing under the cover of nuclear blackmail,” he said, and listed New Delhi’s conditions for holding talks with Islamabad and lifting curbs imposed after the Kashmir attack. “India’s position is clear: terror and talks cannot go together; terror and trade cannot go together. And water and blood cannot flow together,” he said, referring to a water sharing pact between the two countries New Delhi suspended.
There was no immediate response to his comments from Islamabad.
Military talks
Hindu-majority India and Muslim Pakistan both rule part of the Himalayan region of Kashmir, but claim it in full. They have fought two of their three wars since independence in 1947 over the region and there have been several other more limited flare-ups, including in 2016 and 2019.
The latest military conflict between the South Asian neighbors spiralled alarmingly on Saturday and there were briefly fears that nuclear arsenals might come into play as Pakistan’s military said a top body overseeing its nuclear weapons would meet. But the Pakistani defense minister said no such meeting was scheduled. Military analysts said this may have been Pakistan’s way of hinting at its nuclear option as Islamabad has a “first-use” policy if its existence is under threat in a conflict. Modi’s address came hours after the military operations chiefs of India and Pakistan spoke by phone, two days after they agreed to the ceasefire. “Issues related to continuing the commitment that both sides must not fire a single shot or initiate any aggressive and inimical action against each other were discussed,” the Indian army said. “It was also agreed that both sides consider immediate measures to ensure troop reduction from the borders and forward areas,” it added. There was no immediate Pakistani readout of the military operations chiefs’ talks. In Washington, Trump said the leaders of India and Pakistan were “unwavering,” and the US “helped a lot” to secure the ceasefire, adding that trade was a “big reason” why the countries stopped fighting. “We are going to do a lot of trade with Pakistan... and India. We are negotiating with India right now. We are soon going to negotiate with Pakistan,” he said, just ahead of Modi’s speech. Pakistan has thanked the US for brokering the ceasefire while India, which opposes third-party involvement in its disputes with Pakistan, has not commented on Washington’s role.
Markets soar
Pakistan’s international bonds rallied sharply on Monday, adding as much as 5.7 cents in the dollar, Tradeweb data showed. Late on Friday, the International Monetary Fund approved a fresh $1.4-billion loan and also the first review of its $7-billion program. Pakistan’s benchmark share index closed up 9.4 percent on Monday, while India’s blue-chip Nifty 50 index closed 3.8 percent higher in its best session since February 2021. In Beijing the foreign ministry said China, which also controls a small slice of Kashmir, was willing to maintain communication with both its neighbors, and play a “constructive role in achieving a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire” and maintaining peace. India blames Pakistan for an insurgency in its part of Kashmir that began in 1989, but Pakistan says it provides only moral, political and diplomatic support to Kashmiri separatists.

The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on May 12-13/2025
What Most Palestinians Really Want
Bassam Tawil/Gatestone Institute/May 12, 2025
Palestinians who are saying that they are unaware of Hamas's October 7 atrocities against Israelis are either engaged in self-deception or influenced by Hamas's venomous propaganda machine, including the Qatar-owned Al-Jazeera TV network, which has long been serving as the terror group's unofficial mouthpiece. Notably, according to several polls, Al-Jazeera is the most watched TV station in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. If, according to the polls, most Palestinians are saying that they want Hamas to keep its weapons and remain in power in the Gaza Strip, it means they want the terror group to carry out more atrocities against Israel and Jews. If the Palestinians are saying that they prefer Hamas over any other Palestinian party, it means that they do not support any peaceful settlement with Israel. It means that the Palestinians want to see Israel obliterated and replaced by an Islamist state, armed and funded by Iran and its other terror proxies, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen. One can only hope that the Trump administration and other international parties will read the results of the Palestinian polls to get a better understanding of what many Palestinians really want: to murder as many Jews as possible and displace Israel. A few weeks after October 7, 2023, a poll published by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research showed that 72% of the Palestinian public believe that Hamas's decision to launch the attack was "correct." The center's latest poll, conducted this month, shows that an overwhelming majority of the Palestinians (85% in the West Bank and 64% in the Gaza Strip) oppose disarming Hamas to stop the war with Israel.
An overwhelming majority of the Palestinians (87%) believe that the Iran-backed Palestinian terror group Hamas did not commit atrocities against Israeli civilians, including women and children, on October 7, 2023, according to a public opinion poll conducted in early May by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research. When asked if Hamas had committed the atrocities seen in the videos shown by international media displaying the acts committed by Hamas members against Israelis in their homes on that day, these Palestinians said the group did not commit such atrocities, while only 9% said it did.
The poll, conducted in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, shows that many Palestinians are living in denial, and trying to protect themselves from a truth that is apparently too painful for them to accept: that many Palestinians support terrorism and that most of the victims of the October 7 massacre were innocent civilians.This, despite the fact that many of the Hamas terrorists who invaded Israel on October 7, murdering 1,200 people and injuring thousands, used GoPro cameras and cellphones to document the attack. Many of the crimes were also documented by Israeli security cameras, car dashboard cameras, traffic cameras and first responders. During the attack, a Hamas terrorist used an Israeli woman's cellphone to call his parents: "Father, I just killed 10 Jews, their blood is in my hands, thank God. Tell mom, your son is killing Jews."
CNN reported on October 26, 2023:
"At least a half-dozen of the [Hamas] militants who breached the Gaza border and attacked Israeli communities had cameras strapped to their bodies, in an apparent attempt to collect propaganda material during the incursion....
"The videos, some of which have been posted to social media, provide a harrowing first-person view of the Hamas fighters' final hours of life, and the death and destruction they caused during their unprecedented assault. They show the slaughter of civilians, indiscriminate shooting in Israeli communities, and the taking of hostages — clear evidence of war crimes that undermines Hamas' claims that its fighters did not enter Israel with the intent of killing civilians."A few weeks after October 7, 2023, a poll published by the same center showed that 72% of the Palestinian public believe that Hamas's decision to launch the attack was "correct." The poll, in addition, showed that support for Hamas has more than tripled in the West Bank compared to three months earlier. In the Gaza Strip, support for Hamas increased from 38% before the October 7 massacre to 42%.
The latest poll also shows that an overwhelming majority of the Palestinians (85% in the West Bank and 64% in the Gaza Strip) oppose disarming Hamas to stop the war with Israel. When asked whether they support or oppose the eviction of some Hamas military leaders from the Gaza Strip as a condition for stopping the war, 65% said they oppose it, while 31% expressed support for their removal. When asked which political party they support, the largest percentage (32%) said they prefer Hamas, followed by Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas's ruling Fatah faction (21%). Thirty-four percent said they do not support any of them or do not know. If new PA parliamentary elections were held today, 43% of the Palestinians said they would vote for Hamas, 28% for Fatah, eight percent for third parties, and 19% have not decided yet. The last parliamentary elections, held in 2006, resulted in a Hamas victory. A year later, Hamas staged a violent coup against the PA and seized full control of the Gaza Strip.
The results of the recent poll show that most Palestinians are not only in living in denial regarding the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7, but that they continue to support a terror group that has brought death and destruction on tens of thousands of the residents of the Gaza Strip.
Palestinians who are saying that they are unaware of Hamas's October 7 atrocities against Israelis are either engaged in self-deception or influenced by Hamas's venomous propaganda machine, including the Qatar-owned Al-Jazeera TV network, which has long been serving as the terror group's unofficial mouthpiece. Notably, according to several polls, Al-Jazeera is the most watched TV station in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Sadly, the Palestinians' widespread support for Hamas, especially in the aftermath of the October 7 carnage, shows that many continue to support the group's terrorism and call for the destruction of Israel. Their strong support is the direct result of decades of universal Palestinian incitement against Israel and Jews. The incitement finds expression in schools, the media, mosques, even in crossword puzzles, as well as the rhetoric of Palestinian leaders and officials.
This ever-present incitement is why it is hard to find Palestinians who are prepared to condemn, let alone acknowledge, the October 7 atrocities against Israelis. This incitement is also why it would not be a good idea to hold general elections in the PA: it is clear – according to the polls – that the Palestinians still do not consider it a mistake they made when, in 2006, most of them voted for Hamas.
If, according to the polls, most Palestinians are saying that they want Hamas to keep its weapons and remain in power in the Gaza Strip, it means they want the terror group to carry out more atrocities against Israel and Jews. If the Palestinians are saying that they prefer Hamas over any other Palestinian party, it means that they do not support any peaceful settlement with Israel. It means that the Palestinians want to see Israel obliterated and replaced by an Islamist state, armed and funded by Iran and its other terror proxies, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen.
One can only hope that the Trump administration and other international parties will read the results of the Palestinian polls to get a better understanding of what many Palestinians really want: to murder as many Jews as possible and displace Israel.
*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.
© 2025 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/21613/what-most-palestinians-really-want

A new era of US-Middle East grand strategy
Salman Al-Ansari/Arab News/May 12, 2025
Some view US President Donald Trump as the pioneer of transactional relationships. That may be partially true, but in reality, a series of transactional deals can lay the foundation for a new and enduring strategic vision. The era of the US focusing on meaningless idealism, at least in its Middle East policy, is over. And even if a future Democratic administration eventually takes power, that shift will be hard to reverse. The golden rule for any government should be simple: Serve the national interest. Yet, the concern with previous US administrations was that they often appeared to willingly make decisions that ran directly against America’s core interests, especially in the Middle East. Some of this could be chalked up to incompetence or ignorance. But the greater fear is that it was intentional, driven by the rise of global far-left agendas that harbored resentment toward their own country’s history, conduct, and identity.
We have witnessed grievance politics, “woke” ideology, and an all-out war against family values, faith, and basic common sense — a new radical version of postmodernism that perhaps deserves to be called the “post-common-sense era.”
Despite fierce criticism, the Trump administration arguably saved the US — and by extension the broader Western world — from falling into that abyss. It did so by enacting dramatic course corrections to stabilize America’s future trajectory.
Now, four months into his second term, Trump is doubling down on this approach, particularly in the Middle East.
In regional policy, the US leader has remained clear-eyed, and impatient with rigid bureaucracy. He wants real, immediate change, not decades of incremental steps that often lead nowhere. One major obstacle to US interests in the region has long been the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While the US has maintained strong relations with most Middle Eastern countries, the potential for deeper, more beneficial partnerships has been limited by this unresolved dispute, which fueled widespread distrust and resentment across the region.
Trump now has a chance to deliver one of the most historic achievements of the 21st century: finally ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict — not by endless negotiations that lead nowhere, but by pushing both sides toward a lasting peace. Such a breakthrough would not only strengthen US interests and regional stability, but also would deal a devastating blow to the extremists and radicals who have always thrived on chaos and hatred. Trump wants real, immediate change, not decades of incremental steps that often lead nowhere. This would also be a service to Israeli citizens, liberating them from the dangerous self-destructive policies of their own extreme leadership.
Trump understands the language of prosperity. And prosperity cannot happen without security. He knows that for economic growth to flourish, peace must prevail. He will likely mobilize his network of right-wing American Jewish officials and business leaders to apply real pressure on the Israeli government — pressure that previous administrations hesitated to use. For years, some factions within Israel have exploited American goodwill without offering meaningful concessions in return. During his first term, Trump gave Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unprecedented political support: He recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, moved the US Embassy to Jerusalem, endorsed Israeli settlements, brokered the Abraham Accords, and delivered major financial and military aid. No US president had done more.
Yet Netanyahu responded with four major problems: no flexibility on Gaza, constant pressure to push the US into a war with Iran, reckless military adventures in Syria, and alleged interference in US political affairs. From Trump’s perspective, the Israeli leader took everything and gave nothing meaningful back.
Trump has now seen Netanyahu’s true face, without filters. He also now clearly understands Saudi Arabia’s longstanding position regarding the importance of resolving the Palestinian issue for lasting regional peace.
The US president is unlikely to view Netanyahu as an asset anymore. Rather, he will see him as a free rider — a liability Washington can no longer afford if it is serious about an “America First” foreign policy. That does not mean the US will abandon Israel; quite the opposite. True friendship means helping Israel avoid its own self-destruction and securing a future where it can peacefully coexist with its neighbors. Trump now has a golden opportunity to shift the longstanding dynamic of the US taking dictation from Israel on Middle Eastern affairs. Instead, he can reestablish an independent American foreign policy that serves American interests first. And, as history often shows, what is good for America tends to be good for the wider world as well. If a figure as bold as Trump cannot redirect this relationship, it is unlikely that any future American president can.
As a historical reflection, many believe the US replaced Britain as the world’s leading power immediately after the Second World War. But the true turning point came in 1956, during the Suez crisis, when the US forced Britain, France, and Israel to halt their aggression against Egypt. That moment redefined global perceptions of power. If the US still aspires to reclaim that kind of moral and strategic credibility, it must be willing to remind its allies, including Israel, of the natural order of partnership. In the end, that will not only protect American interests, but also safeguard Israel’s future by saving it from the dangerous path charted by leaders like Netanyahu.
*Salman Al-Ansari is a geopolitical analyst who is a frequent guest on the BBC, CNN and France 24. In 2021, he was ranked as the most influential political pundit in the Middle East and North Africa by Arab News. X: @Salansar1

Trump visit will deepen US-Saudi economic relations
Steve Lutes/Arab News/May 12, 2025
This year marks a significant milestone in the strategic partnership between the US and Saudi Arabia, as we celebrate 80 years of robust bilateral relations. The relationship between our two nations has evolved into a multifaceted, multigenerational alliance, encompassing economic, political and cultural dimensions. While we applaud the successes we have shared and the strong economic ties we enjoy, the focus of the US Chamber of Commerce is on the future of our commercial and innovation collaboration — and what our economic future can become. The burgeoning of US-Saudi relations traces back to the historic meeting between President Franklin Roosevelt and King Abdulaziz aboard the USS Quincy on Feb. 14, 1945. This pivotal meeting laid the foundation for a strategic partnership based on mutual trust, respect and benefit that has endured through the decades. While this partnership has shown itself adaptable to shifting geopolitical landscapes, commercial cooperation and shared economic interests have served as a sturdy anchor of the US-Saudi relationship. American companies have long served as key partners in Saudi Arabia’s economic development, providing best-in-class products, cutting-edge technology and an exceptional workforce. This collaboration has been particularly evident in the energy sector, where American businesses have played a pivotal role in the exploration and development of Saudi Arabia’s vast natural resources. American companies have also been integral as suppliers and partners supporting US-Saudi cooperation in defense and security, vital in addressing common threats and bringing security and stability to the Gulf region and beyond.
Our mutual economic focus has expanded beyond energy and defense to embrace the knowledge-based innovation economy.
In recent years, our mutual economic focus has expanded beyond energy and defense to embrace the knowledge-based innovation economy. The Vision 2030 initiative, which aims to diversify the Saudi economy, is fueling an economic transformation in the Kingdom focused on technology and innovation and serves as the cornerstone in this new chapter in our countries’ relationship. The US Chamber and American businesses have been a strong partner to the Kingdom in working to fulfill the economic objectives of Vision 2030 by fostering new partnerships in innovation, promoting investments in technology and cultivating a business climate significantly spurring more US tech investment. In fact, nearly 80 years to the day after that meeting on the USS Quincy, the Chamber was in Riyadh for LEAP 2025, an annual conference in Saudi Arabia focused on advancing digital technologies and artificial intelligence. At LEAP, the new era of the US-Saudi economic partnership was on full display, with American technology companies announcing partnerships to support the Kingdom’s digital transformation goals and workforce development through AI skilling programs, investments in digital infrastructure and expansions of cloud services.
President Donald Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia this week presents an important opportunity to significantly enhance the bilateral US-Saudi economic relationship through a series of strategic agreements and mutually beneficial investments and commercial collaborations.
We should expect strategic deals with American companies strengthening defense ties, as well as deals in the energy sector building on decades of partnerships and shared success — and, hopefully, a new commitment to partnering in developing the Kingdom’s estimated $2.5 trillion in mineral reserves. And we should expect deals with American companies bringing their expertise and technologies to support the Kingdom’s giga-projects and infrastructure priorities.
We should forge a strategic partnership in AI and digital technologies as the key to our shared economic future.
What else should we focus on? We should forge a strategic partnership in AI and digital technologies as the key to our shared economic future, akin to that which our nations have developed in energy and defense. Saudi Arabia is intensely focused on achieving a digital economic transformation and becoming a global AI hub. This vision, combined with its energy resources, investment capital and highly educated workforce, is already attracting significant attention and activity with American technology companies and investors. A strategic partnership between our governments that creates a framework for collaboration in AI, digital infrastructure, data connectivity, quantum computing and cloud services is critical to the path forward. One outcome of President Trump’s trip to Saudi Arabia is certain: there will be a deepening of economic ties between our nations. At the US Chamber, we strongly support a broader, more dynamic US-Saudi economic relationship that not only builds on our strong legacies but that also merges the ambitions, capabilities and resources of each country to create mutual prosperity through an alignment in AI technologies, digital infrastructure and innovation.
*Steve Lutes is vice president (Middle East) for the US Chamber of Commerce.

What Trump’s second coming signifies for Saudi-US relations
Faisal J. Abbas/Arab News/May 12, 2025
As President Donald Trump prepares to return to Saudi Arabia for what is expected to be the first international stop in this new chapter of his political life, the significance of the visit cannot be overstated — nor could its timing be more crucial. The world today is in flux. The global order is being tested by war, economic uncertainty, rising extremism, and shifting alliances. In the midst of this complexity, Trump’s “second coming” to the Kingdom sends a loud and clear message: The US recognizes that the challenges of today cannot be tackled without working closely with reliable allies. And when it comes to stability, mediation, and real influence, no one is better positioned than Riyadh. Whether it is Ukraine and Russia — where Saudi Arabia enjoys strong, trust-based relations with both sides — or the escalating crisis in Sudan, the Kingdom has stepped up time and again. Riyadh has taken on the tough assignments others shy away from. When many assumed that a phone call and a press release would suffice to de-escalate the India-Pakistan standoff, Saudi Arabia quietly dispatched one of its most seasoned diplomats, Adel Al-Jubeir, to mediate face-to-face. These are not acts of vanity but strategic contributions to global peace, and, frankly, they serve American interests, too.
Putting America first does not mean ignoring opportunities abroad; it means seizing them. A more stable Middle East is not just good for Saudi Arabia; it is good for the world, reducing migration pressures, helping to stabilize energy markets, and curbing the spread of extremist ideologies. It is this exact logic that fuels Saudi Arabia’s longstanding advocacy for a two-state solution in Palestine. Riyadh has always maintained that correcting the historic injustice faced by Palestinians is not only morally imperative, but also the most secure path to lasting peace — for Israelis, Arabs, and the wider region. The longer the occupation persists, the more fertile the ground becomes for extremism. Without justice, there can be no peace, and without peace, there can be no prosperity. Of course, some critics — mostly the usual suspects in the Western commentariat — will dismiss this visit with a tired, reductionist take: “Trump is just going where the money is.” That line of thinking is not only outdated, it is insulting — both to the Kingdom, which is in the midst of a profound transformation under Vision 2030, and to a US administration that has chosen, unapologetically, to put American interests first.
But putting America first does not mean ignoring opportunities abroad; it means seizing them. Trump understands, perhaps better than any of his predecessors, that if American companies do not engage with fast-growing markets like Saudi Arabia, others will. We have seen this play out before: in 5G technology, infrastructure, and defense contracts. Strategic gaps left by the US were quickly filled by competitors.
The business delegation accompanying Trump will witness a new Saudi Arabia, one that is younger, more open, more dynamic. And make no mistake, there will be billions of dollars of deals signed during this visit — but not because Saudi Arabia has spare change to throw around. These agreements are being forged because a country the size of Western Europe, with one of the top 20 economies in the world, is diversifying, modernizing, and building for the future. From artificial intelligence to renewable energy to nuclear cooperation, we need credible partners — and American firms are among the best.
Let us also not forget that the door swings both ways. The business delegation accompanying Trump will witness a new Saudi Arabia, one that is younger, more open, more dynamic, and bursting with investment opportunities across every sector. From tourism and tech to sports and sustainability, those who missed out last time won’t want to miss out again — and Trump won’t want them to, either. So, let us welcome President Trump, his team, and the business community he brings with him. Let us talk, sign, build, and grow — together. And, yes, let us make Saudi-US relations great again.
*Faisal J. Abbas is the editor in chief of Arab News. X: @FaisalJAbbas

Our doors and hearts are open to you, Mr. President
Prince Turki Al-Faisal/Arab News/May 12, 2025
You have come among kin and may you tread an easy path. That is the traditional Arab greeting for visitors summarized by two words in Arabic: Ahlan Wa Sahlan.
You arrive at what has become a hackneyed adjective: a “crucial” time. So many crucial times have come and gone without any finality for an egregious denial of the basic rights of the Palestinian people. Rectifying that situation would be a crowning achievement not only for you, Mr. President, as the man who would have brought peace to the holy land, but also for all the values that your country has promoted throughout its history. It would also stop the endemic killing of innocent people on both sides of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The killing of one innocent human being is like killing all of humankind. This is part of a Qur’anic verse. Mr. President, the leadership and people of our country are committed to strong and strategic partnerships with you and the American people. This commitment is historic, as witnessed by the accord reached by King Abdulaziz and President Franklin Roosevelt 80 years ago. It has been reaffirmed by the mutual benefits of our economic and military cooperation. It is confirmed by the number of our students who have studied and continue to study in your universities. More than a million of them have done so over that time. It is clear from the permanent presence of an American community living and working in the Kingdom. Thousands have done that. Most importantly, that commitment has survived and thrived through the differences that we have had over the past eight decades. That is a measure of the strength of the relationship.
Your friend is he who tells you the truth, not he who tells you what you want to hear. These are words that you already heard from King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in your first term.
So, welcome, Mr. President. Our doors and hearts are open to you. • Prince Turki Al-Faisal served as the chief of the General Intelligence Directorate — Saudi Arabia’s main foreign intelligence service — from 1977 to 2001. He was appointed Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the UK in October 2002. He served in that position until July 2005, when he was appointed Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the US. He retired in February 2007. He is the founder and trustee of the King Faisal Foundation and chairman of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies.