English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For May 18/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
When you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 21/15-19:"When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Tend my sheep.’He said to him the third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ And he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.’(He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, ‘Follow me.’"

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on May 17-18/2025
The May 17, 1983, agreement between Lebanon and Israel was a fair opportunity for peace that Lebanon lost/With the Agreement/Elias Bejjani/May 17/2025
On May 16 We Remembering Saint Hardini, and the Criminals Nasser and Hafez Al-Assad Who Assassinated Mufti Hassan Khaled and Journalist Kamel Mrowa/Elias Bejjani/May 16, 2025
Municipal and mayoral elections are being held today in Beirut and the Bekaa.
Video link to an interview with writer and director Youssef Y. El-Khoury from “DNA Website,” prepared and presented by journalist Fadi Chehwan
Video Link To A Very Important Interview with Sheikh Abbas Yazbek — A Hezbollah Founding Figure/A Recollection of the Party’s Early Days and Its Transformation into an Iranian Armed Proxy
Israel says killed Hezbollah commander in south Lebanon
President Joseph Aoun arrives in Rome to represent Lebanon at inaugural mass for Pope Leo
UNIFIL's future at risk: US-Israeli pressure mounts for downsizing or complete withdrawal from Lebanon
Lebanese PM reaffirms commitment to Arab unity and regional stability
Municipal Elections: 500 Delegate Accreditations Go Missing in Hermel on the Eve of the Vote
Lebanese PM urges voter participation ahead of Beirut municipal elections
Lebanon's PM Salam meets UN's Guterres in Iraq
LIC Statement on President Trump’s Recent Remarks on Lebanon
A Final Plea to President Joseph Aoun: Act Before It’s Too Late – Or Say Farewell to Lebanon/Colonel Charbel Barakat/May 17, 2025

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on May 17-18/2025
Pope Leo to take charge of Catholic Church at grandiose inaugural Mass
Iran's Supreme Leader says Trump is lying when he speaks of peace
Iran’s President Pezeshkian says Trump speaks of peace and threatens at same time
Iran will not succumb to threats during US nuclear talks, says president
Iranian leaders dismiss Trump 'threats' amid nuclear talks
Israel says it intercepted missile from Yemen
Israeli strikes kill 146 Palestinians in Gaza in 24 hours, local health authorities say
Gaza ceasefire talks resume in Qatar as Israeli assault kills hundreds in 72 hours
Hamas, Israel confirm talks have resumed to end war in Gaza, release hostages
Hamas proposes releasing some hostages in fresh talks after new Israel offensive
Arab leaders promise to work on reconstruction of Gaza, press for ceasefire
Gaza dominates Arab League Summit as leaders push for ceasefire and pledge to work on reconstruction
Arab summit presses for end to Gaza ‘bloodshed’
Arab leaders toughen denunciations of Israel as it ramps up Gaza bombing
Syria announces commissions for missing persons, transitional justice
Syrian foreign minister hails sanctions relief, pushes for inclusive recovery at Arab Summit
Rubio signals Vatican not a broker in Russia-Ukraine peace deal after offer to host talks
Syrian government forces raid Islamic State hideouts in Aleppo
Kremlin says Putin could meet Zelenskiy if certain agreements are reached
Turkey discovers new natural gas reserve in Black Sea

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sourceson on May 17-18/2025
Iran Is Using North Korea's Playbook — And the US Is Falling for It Again/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Gatestone Institute/May 17, 2025
Trump just undermined America’s strategic partnership with India/Brahma Chellaney, opinion contributor/The Hill/May 17, 2025
Trump visit marks a new era of Saudi-US strategic ties/Dr. Ali Awadh Asseri/Arab News/May 17, 2025
Bridging the divide: Trump’s vision for a new Middle East/Dr. Turki Faisal Al-Rasheed/Arab News/May 17, 2025
Strategic posturing in a multipolar world/Dr. John Sfakianakis/Arab News/May 17, 2025

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on May 17-18/2025
The May 17, 1983, agreement between Lebanon and Israel was a fair opportunity for peace that Lebanon lost/With the Agreement
Elias Bejjani/May 17/2025
Today, we recall the May 17 Agreement, signed between the Lebanese Republic and the State of Israel on May 17, 1983, after months of difficult negotiations in Naqoura under American sponsorship. The Lebanese negotiating delegation, with remarkable national skill and professionalism, succeeded in asserting all elements of Lebanese sovereignty and rights, and in securing a full, peaceful, and unconditional Israeli withdrawal from all occupied Lebanese territories.
The agreement was approved by Parliament by a majority (65 votes) on June 14, 1983, and was cancelled on March 5, 1984, after President Amin Gemayel refused to sign it out of fear of Assad and as a result of his lack of vision for the future. His action was the greatest sin committed against Lebanon.
At the time, the agreement received widespread support from the Presidency, the Parliament, and the Cabinet, and was welcomed by the majority of the Lebanese people. It was also endorsed by most Arab countries and all nations of the free world, who saw it as a bold and realistic step on the path to peace. In truth, it represented a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to lift Lebanon out of the cycle of war, occupation, and proxy conflicts, and to put it on the track of peace and stability—just as Egypt had done in 1979, and Jordan would later do in 1994.
However, the Syrian Baathist regime, which had effectively occupied Lebanon since 1976, rushed to sabotage the agreement by force through its local proxies—mercenaries, fake “resistance” profiteers, extremist Islamists, and leftist chameleons who wore a thousand disguises but had no loyalty to Lebanon’s identity, history, or sovereignty. These groups served hostile regional agendas and were merely tools of Syrian influence. The Syrian regime and its agents resorted to assassinations, terrorism, and defamation campaigns to silence those who supported the agreement and to block its implementation.
The May 17 Agreement was a golden key to restoring sovereignty and ending the crime of “Lebanon the battlefield.” It could have brought an end to the destructive myths of “resistance” and “defiance,” which produced nothing but ruin, collapse, poverty, isolation, and chaos for Lebanon. Instead of embracing the opportunity, Lebanon surrendered to the will of the Syrian regime and its apparatuses, forfeiting a rare and invaluable chance for peace, development, and prosperity.
Ironically, President Amine Gemayel—under pressure from his father, Sheikh Pierre Gemayel, certain Kataeb leaders, and Arab states that feared early normalization with Israel—ultimately decided to suspend, and later cancel, the agreement. This was despite the fact that international powers did not pressure him to reverse course, as he himself confirmed in his memoirs. Sheikh Pierre Gemayel was known to repeat his famous phrase: “We don’t want to close 21 doors (Arab countries) just to open one (Israel),” reflecting the fear of Arab isolation—a fear that heavily influenced the cancellation decision.
But today, after Israel has dismantled Iran’s military arm in Lebanon—namely the terrorist group Hezbollah—eliminated its commanders, and forced it to sign a humiliating ceasefire… After the fall of the Assad regime… After the empty slogans of “resistance and defiance” were exposed as tools of destruction, takfir, and displacement… After Iran’s agents were expelled from several Arab countries… The time is ripe for Lebanon to reassess its strategic choices with a realistic and patriotic mindset.
Lebanon must sign a full peace agreement with the State of Israel—an agreement that ends the chronic state of war and grants the Lebanese people their rightful chance to live in peace and dignity, just as Egypt, Jordan, and most Arab nations have already done.
Enough hypocrisy. Enough trading in innocent blood. Enough gambling with Lebanon’s future in the name of a false and imaginary resistance that has brought nothing but devastation. Enough hollow slogans that have proven to be mere delusions, hallucinations, and fantasies.
The time has come for Lebanon to break free from the rule of the mini-state, from Iranian occupation, and to build a future that reflects the hopes and aspirations of its people.

On May 16 We Remembering Saint Hardini, and the Criminals Nasser and Hafez Al-Assad Who Assassinated Mufti Hassan Khaled and Journalist Kamel Mrowa
Elias Bejjani/May 16, 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/05/143385/
On May 16, the Lebanese memory stands at a crossroads marked by three defining events—each reflecting the eternal battle between light and darkness, between the sanctity and deep faith of Lebanon, and the savagery of tyranny and the terror of the so-called “Axis of Resistance,” which has only ever waged war on its own people, their dreams, and their freedoms.
On May 16, 1989, Lebanon was blessed with the beatification of Saint Nehmetallah Kassab Al-Hardini, the humble Maronite monk who embodied the pinnacle of holiness in his silence and seclusion. He dedicated his life to prayer, piety, and service—quietly and lovingly living out the Gospel through devotion and forgiveness. In the sanctity of Saint Hardini, we see the true face of Lebanon: a land of saints, a homeland of faith and renewal that refuses to bow to ugliness or falsehood, no matter how fierce the storms.
On May 16, 1984, the bloody hand of the Syrian Baathist regime assassinated Mufti Sheikh Hassan Khaled, the voice of wisdom and moderation. He stood firmly against the domination of Lebanon by the Assad regime, calling for sovereignty, independence, and coexistence. His pure blood became a deafening cry against occupation and subjugation. He gave his life for his unwavering national and unifying stance.
On May 16, 1966, the intelligence services of Gamal Abdel Nasser assassinated Kamel Mroueh, a pioneering Arab journalist and writer. Mroueh bravely rejected the lies of totalitarian pan-Arabism, exposed the hypocrisy of military regimes and their fake revolutions, and paid with his life for his commitment to free speech and independent thought. He became a martyr for journalism and freedom of opinion, silenced by bullets of ideological tyranny.
Three scenes from three different worlds:
– A silent saint consecrating Lebanon as a land of faith.
– A courageous Mufti defending the dignity of his nation with word and deed.
– A free journalist gunned down by murderous totalitarianism.
In each of these scenes, the enemy remains the same, though the faces change: the same forces of darkness. From Nasser to Hafez and Bashar Al-Assad, from Sunni and Shiite political Islam, to the idiotic and mob-like radical left, to the fake Arab nationalists—and at the center of them all, Hezbollah, the spearhead of the Iranian Mullah regime’s project and one of the most dangerous instruments of terrorism disguised as religion and resistance.
Today, Hezbollah stands exposed. It has been defeated on the battlefield, disgraced before its own people, and its falsehood of “resistance” has been unmasked as nothing but a cover for Iran’s occupation of Lebanon and a license to eliminate the free and the brave.
But Lebanon—this ancient land that has resisted massacres, occupations, and betrayals for centuries—still believes in its mission. Its people rise from the rubble, exposing the tyrants, and preparing to surgically remove the last cancer from the nation’s body: Hezbollah’s occupation.
This day, May 16, is not just another date. It is a living chapter in the ongoing story of the struggle between good and evil, between a nation yearning to rise and satanic gangs determined to drag it into hell.
Free Lebanon will prevail—because its saints walk beside it, and the martyrs of truth, courage, and faith bless its every step.

Municipal and mayoral elections are being held today in Beirut and the Bekaa.
LCCC/May 18, 2025
The second phase of municipal and mayoral elections is being held today in Lebanon in Beirut and the Bekaa.

Video link to an interview with writer and director Youssef Y. El-Khoury from “DNA Website,” prepared and presented by journalist Fadi Chehwan
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/05/143408/
Patriotics & sovereign readings and approaches to all current existential and fateful issues that concern the Lebanese, foremost of which is Hezbollah’s refusal to abide by the ceasefire agreement it signed and the UN, the duty of the state with all its institutions and rulers to fulfill its obligations to confront the heresies, braggadocio, and terrorism of Hezbollah and the depravity of its leaders who are entirely subservient to their masters, the Persian mullahs.
May 17, 2025

Video Link To A Very Important Interview with Sheikh Abbas Yazbek — A Hezbollah Founding Figure/A Recollection of the Party’s Early Days and Its Transformation into an Iranian Armed Proxy
May 17, 2025
Key Highlights from an Interview with Sheikh Abbas Yazbek – Published on Al-Badeel Website
(Transcript and free bilingual editorial adaptation by Elias Bejjani)
May 17, 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/05/143429/
This interview with Sheikh Abbas Yazbek, a prominent figure from Hezbollah’s founding generation, provides rare and critical insight into the group’s origins and its gradual transformation into an armed proxy of the Iranian regime.
Of particular significance is Sheikh Yazbek’s candid acknowledgment that Hezbollah members are incapable of abandoning their Iranian ideological indoctrination—making their integration into the Lebanese Army fundamentally impossible. Equally noteworthy is his firm rejection of the Iranian concept of Wilayat al-Faqih (Guardianship of the Jurist), along with the clear and compelling reasons he offers for this principled stance.
Most striking, however, is Sheikh Yazbek’s revelation that Israel’s withdrawal from South Lebanon in 2000 was the result of an agreement—not military resistance. Therefore, as he explains, Hezbollah should have laid down its arms and integrated into the Lebanese state, having lost its very reason for existence by abandoning its so-called resistance.
This powerful interview deserves serious attention and continued follow-up. Sheikh Yazbek’s voice is especially important as he openly rejects both the cultural and sectarian “Iranization” of the Lebanese Shiite community and the erosion of its national identity. His perspective is vital to understanding the internal dissent within Hezbollah’s base and the broader Shiite landscape in Lebanon.
Interview conducted by journalist Merwan Al Amin from Al Badel you tube platform

Israel says killed Hezbollah commander in south Lebanon
AFP, Beirut/17 May ,2025
Israel’s military said it killed a local Hezbollah commander on Saturday in south Lebanon, where authorities reported one dead in the fourth Israeli strike within days despite a November ceasefire. Lebanon’s health ministry said one person was killed in an Israeli “drone strike” on a vehicle in south Lebanon’s Tyre district.An AFP correspondent saw the charred wreckage of a vehicle in Abu al-Aswad, an area around 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the Israeli border. The Israeli military said in a statement that its forces “struck and eliminated... a commander” involved in “the re-establishment of Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure” in south Lebanon. Israel has continued to launch strikes on its neighbor despite the November 27 truce which sought to halt more than a year of hostilities with Hezbollah militants including two months of full-blown war. The Israeli military said that “the rebuilding of terrorist infrastructure and related activity constitutes a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon.”Earlier this week, the Israeli military said three separate strikes in south Lebanon targeted Hezbollah operatives. Under the ceasefire, the Iran-backed Hezbollah was to pull back its fighters north of Lebanon’s Litani River and dismantle any remaining military infrastructure to its south. Israel was to withdraw all its forces from Lebanon, but it has kept troops in five areas that it deems “strategic.”The Lebanese army has been deploying in the area as Israeli forces have withdrawn and has been dismantling Hezbollah infrastructure there.
At an Arab summit in Baghdad on Saturday, Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam denounced “daily Israeli violations” of Lebanese sovereignty and “the ongoing Israeli occupation of positions” in the south. He said Lebanon was working to “fully implement” a United Nations Security Council resolution that formed the basis of the ceasefire. The resolution says Lebanese troops and UN peacekeepers should be the only forces in south Lebanon, and calls for the disarmament of all non-state groups.
Salam again urged international pressure “to oblige Israel to stop its attacks and immediately and fully withdraw from all Lebanese territory.”

President Joseph Aoun arrives in Rome to represent Lebanon at inaugural mass for Pope Leo
LBCIMay 17, 2025
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and First Lady Neemat Aoun arrived on Saturday at Rome's Ciampino Military Airport to represent Lebanon at the first papal mass of newly elected Pope Leo XIV. The inaugural ceremony will be held Sunday morning in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. Speaking shortly after landing, President Aoun said it was an honor to return to the Holy See following his previous participation in the farewell ceremony for Pope Francis. "Today I witness another historic moment — the beginning of the papacy of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV," Aoun said. "This is not just a ceremonial visit. It reaffirmed the deep-rooted and enduring ties between Lebanon and the Holy See." Aoun recalled the longstanding historical relationship, citing Pope Leo's inaugural remarks, in which the pontiff referenced the biblical recognition of Jesus as the Son of God; a moment traditionally associated with the foot of Mount Hermon in Lebanon. The president congratulated Pope Leo XIV, wishing him success in a mission that "goes beyond the confines of the Church and speaks to the hopes of millions." He emphasized the need for a global message of unity and solidarity in an era of division and conflict. Highlighting Lebanon's unique religious and sectarian diversity, Aoun reaffirmed the country's commitment to its historical role as a symbol of freedom and pluralism. "Despite the many challenges we face, Lebanon remains more committed than ever to its message of coexistence—a message that Pope John Paul II once described as a mission," he said. "Dialogue is not a slogan," Aoun added. "It is a path that requires strong will—a belief that dignity, justice, and peace are rights for every human being, regardless of their faith or identity."

UNIFIL's future at risk: US-Israeli pressure mounts for downsizing or complete withdrawal from Lebanon
LBCI/May 17, 2025
As the U.N. Security Council prepares to vote in August on renewing the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), growing concerns are emerging in Beirut over reported opposition from Israel and pressure from the United States to reshape the mission. According to diplomatic sources and leaked reports, Israel is seeking to either prevent the renewal of UNIFIL's mandate or push for the force's complete withdrawal from Lebanon. Israeli officials reportedly argue that the mission has failed to stop Hezbollah from building military infrastructure, including near UNIFIL bases in South Lebanon. Meanwhile, U.S. discussions behind closed doors suggest a different approach: restructuring the peacekeeping mission by reducing its troops and transforming it into a smaller, more cost-effective observer force equipped with enhanced monitoring tools. Washington has reportedly raised concerns over what it sees as the mission's limited effectiveness.
Proposals circulating reportedly include eliminating or downsizing specific national contingents within UNIFIL. These ideas clash with Lebanon's official stance, which strongly supports maintaining the current scale and role of the international force.
In response to the emerging threats to the mission's continuity, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has tasked the Foreign Ministry with addressing the issue. Diplomatic efforts have already begun through Lebanon's mission to the United Nations and outreach to friendly countries. Lebanese officials hope France, the traditional lead on the UNIFIL file and the drafter of the renewal resolution, will align with Lebanon's position and help safeguard the mission. However, there are concerns that any attempt to extend the mandate could be derailed by a potential veto in the Security Council, particularly amid growing American and Israeli criticism of the mission.
The timing of recent incidents involving UNIFIL, including an altercation in the village of Jmaijmeh, has raised questions about whether such events are being used to justify reducing the force's scope. Sources close to the matter indicate Hezbollah did not orchestrate the incident, and Lebanese authorities have arrested the individual who attacked the UNIFIL vehicle. Supporters of the mission emphasize that UNIFIL plays a crucial role in helping Lebanon implement U.N. Resolution 1701, particularly in documenting Israeli violations and de-escalating tensions along the border.
With more than 10,000 foreign troops currently deployed, Lebanese officials warn that the army is in no position to fill the gap if UNIFIL were to be significantly reduced or withdrawn. Additionally, hundreds of Lebanese civilian employees working with UNIFIL contribute to the fragile economy in southern villages, further underscoring the mission's importance beyond its security role.

Lebanese PM reaffirms commitment to Arab unity and regional stability
LBCI/May 17, 2025
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam affirmed Lebanon's determination to reclaim its natural place within the Arab fold, expressing readiness to contribute to collective regional advancement. "Lebanon is fully prepared to participate in the joint Arab renaissance and remains committed to solidarity, not only during hardship. Our youth, both men and women, are our greatest investment," Salam said during his speech at the Arab League Summit in Baghdad. He stressed that development cannot be achieved without stability, noting that strengthened Arab cooperation is urgently necessary. Lebanon, he added, stands with its Arab brothers amid shared crises that hinder growth across the region. "Our region faces high unemployment, the burdens of displacement and refuge, desertification, and the need for reconstruction. Lebanon stands with its Arab partners in tackling these pressing challenges," Salam said.
He also described the current moment for Lebanon as foundational rather than transitional, emphasizing the need to restore the confidence of Lebanese citizens.
In closing, Salam thanked Iraq for its continuous support of Lebanon, acknowledging Baghdad's longstanding solidarity with the Lebanese people.

Municipal Elections: 500 Delegate Accreditations Go Missing in Hermel on the Eve of the Vote
This is Beirut/May 17, 2025
The qaimaqam (district administrator) of the Hermel region, Talal Kataya, has been placed under investigation following the disappearance of approximately 500 official delegate accreditations intended for representatives of various candidates, all against Hezbollah, in the Baalbeck-Hermel area, Al-Markazia news agency reported on Saturday. He was later released, at the request of Bekaa Attorney General Mounif Barakat, only because the electoral process needs the presence of the qaimaqam.
The incident occurred just one day before municipal and mukhtar elections are scheduled to take place in the Beqaa and Beirut mohafazats. The Governor of Baalbeck-Hermel, Bachir Khodr, has called on the State Security service to investigate the matter and determine who is responsible. Official accreditations are a necessary prerequisite for delegates to access polling stations and monitor the proper conduct of the vote. The disappearance of such a large number of these documents raises serious concerns about the transparency and integrity of the electoral process.

Lebanese PM urges voter participation ahead of Beirut municipal elections
LBCI/May 17, 2025
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam expressed complete confidence in the people of Beirut to uphold the city's diversity in the upcoming municipal and mukhtar elections.In a video message posted on X, Salam called on all citizens to take part in Sunday's vote, emphasizing the importance of public participation in shaping the future of the capital.

Lebanon's PM Salam meets UN's Guterres in Iraq
LBCI/May 17, 2025
On the sidelines of the 34th Arab League Summit in Baghdad, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam held talks with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, focusing on the ongoing Israeli assaults on Lebanese territory and the broader situation in Lebanon. During the meeting, Salam strongly condemned Israel's continued attacks, reiterating Lebanon's firm rejection of "blatant violations of its sovereignty." He emphasized the urgent need for an immediate halt to the aggression. "Israel's ongoing occupation of parts of Lebanese territory is a clear breach of international legitimacy, particularly United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701," Salam said. He also reaffirmed Lebanon's commitment to fully cooperate with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), stressing the peacekeeping mission's vital role in maintaining security and stability along the Blue Line.

LIC Statement on President Trump’s Recent Remarks on Lebanon
May 15, 2025
Washington, D.C. –The Lebanese Information Center (LIC) emphatically welcomes the recent remarks made by President Donald Trump during his visit to Saudi Arabia and Qatar, where he reaffirmed the United States’ support for the sovereignty and self-determination of Middle Eastern nations. Of particular significance were his comments about Lebanon and the vital role of its people and institutions in rebuilding a peaceful and prosperous future.
President Trump emphasized that the transformation underway in the region has been driven by the people of the Middle East themselves—not imposed from abroad, but led from within.
He affirmed: “The birth of a modern Middle East has been brought about by the people of the region themselves … developing your own sovereign countries, pursuing your own unique visions, and charting your own destinies.”
He went on to highlight Lebanon’s potential, stating: “My administration is ready to help Lebanon build a future of economic development and peace with its neighbors. There are wonderful people in Lebanon. Doctors, lawyers, great professionals. I hear it all the time.”
These remarks carry profound implications. They reinforce what the LIC has long advocated: Lebanon’s salvation will not come from outside; it must begin with decisive leadership from within.
The LIC calls on Lebanon’s President and Prime Minister to seize this moment and act with urgency. The time for delay and equivocation is over. The international community has offered its support, but only if Lebanon’s leadership proves willing to lead.
To this end, the LIC urges the Lebanese government to:
Fully implement international agreements and UN Security Council Resolutions, particularly UNSCR 1559, 1680, and 1701;
Move decisively to disarm Hezbollah and all other non-state militias, restoring the monopoly of arms to the Lebanese Armed Forces;
Enact long-overdue political and economic reforms, rooted in transparency, accountability, and the rule of law;
Affirm Lebanon’s commitment to neutrality and constructive engagement with the international community and its Arab neighbors.
Lebanon still has the human capital, the institutional memory, and the international goodwill necessary to recover. But none of this matters unless its own leaders act with courage and clarity of purpose.
**The Lebanese Information Center stands firm in its support for a sovereign, democratic, and peaceful Lebanon—one free of foreign domination, armed factions, and systemic corruption.

A Final Plea to President Joseph Aoun: Act Before It’s Too Late – Or Say Farewell to Lebanon
Colonel Charbel Barakat/May 17, 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/05/143420/
*President Aoun must not be deceived by the advice of those around him—advisors who have failed others before him, misled Lebanon repeatedly, and tarnished even his own image with their flawed theories.
*Morgan Ortagus is returning—perhaps for the last time—to deliver a final message to those in power: they have failed the test, and as such, they will be excluded from the next chapter.
*The question looms: has the honeymoon between Lebanon, President Aoun, and Prime Minister Tammam Salam ended before it even began? Are we on the brink of another sectarian war, even as major powers seek détente?
*The leadership must act decisively. The authority of the state must be imposed—not through consensus, but by force. Only then can Lebanon begin to correct its path.
*The state must boldly announce its intent to prosecute all those responsible for dragging the country into war and begin summoning anyone—regardless of position or rhetoric—who defies the rule of law.
*It is clear that the current government lacks the seriousness to impose its authority, especially on the matter of arms collection. Instead, it appears to have ceded its power to gangs of chaos and sabotage.
*Regardless of the obstacles he may face—even limitations on his powers—President Aoun is expected to act. He must forcefully steer the country toward internal peace by reasserting the state’s authority, so that fear of the law prevails and decisions are implemented.
Many had believed that the ceasefire and the international call to fully implement UN Resolution 1701 would finally dismantle the militias, disarm their operatives, and curb their growing influence. It was hoped that the newly elected president, bolstered by international support and the backing of a Lebanese majority weary of bloodshed, displacement, and destruction, would lead this effort without compromise.
Instead, disappointment followed. The president appointed advisors and a prime minister who refused to include even a single free Shiite voice outside the grip of the destructive dual Shia leadership. Once again, we hear the same rhetoric regurgitated by Hezbollah loyalists—the Speaker of Parliament, affiliated clerics, and others—as though nothing had happened. As though neighborhoods hadn’t been leveled and villages razed. As though lessons hadn’t been learned from the disaster that befell their sect.
President Aoun and his government received an early boost of confidence from the international community, thanks to his inaugural pledge to enforce the law without compromise. This led to renewed international interest in Lebanon and its leadership. But that attention quickly faded, as procrastination on disarmament and vague talk of negotiations replaced decisive action. This emboldened new militias—like Hamas and the Islamic Group—to begin asserting themselves, preparing to challenge the state and seize control of the streets. Meanwhile, neighboring Syria appears to be entering the peace process, backed by Saudi-Turkish coordination and U.S. endorsement. Syria, now filled with extremist remnants and wanted criminals, could easily offload its problems into Lebanon.
Has the honeymoon truly ended? Are we spiraling again toward sectarian conflict?
The state alone holds the power to eliminate extremism, end the misuse of arms, and stop the exploitation of the Palestinian and other causes. It must reassert its monopoly on the legitimate use of force. There can be no compromise. Weapons that challenge state authority must be confiscated—no matter the excuses. There can be no functioning nation without a state, and no state without the dignity of law and the supremacy of authority.
Once again, Morgan Ortagus returns to deliver a final warning: failure to act will sideline Lebanon’s leaders from the next phase. There is no room for weakness in the coming era. Reconstruction, prosperity, and strategic relevance will bypass those who hesitate.
Wisdom and restraint are valuable traits in a leader—but not in societies plagued for decades by armed outlaws. True wisdom comes after governance is reestablished, after the law is enforced, and after justice and equality prevail. Until then, what is labeled “wisdom” is merely weakness—one that emboldens saboteurs, infiltrators, and foreign agents to impose their will.
The state must immediately declare that those who instigated war will be held accountable, and those who defy the law—whether through threats or inflammatory rhetoric—will be summoned and prosecuted. The state must not tolerate anyone who incites people against its decisions, pretending they still wield authority. These individuals must be publicly confronted and escorted into custody. Only then will citizens regain respect for state institutions, and only then will other nations take Lebanon seriously.
Begging for support while relinquishing state duties is a declaration of failure. No one respects leaders who cannot impose respect, starting within their own borders.
The current government’s stance on arms collection reflects a dangerous surrender. The world has taken notice. Lebanon risks becoming irrelevant again—not due to isolation, but due to inaction. This is Lebanon’s second historic opportunity, following the 2005 uprising that led to the partial implementation of UN Resolution 1559 and Syria’s withdrawal. That momentum was squandered after the 2006 war by the indecisive Siniora government, which failed to act and allowed terrorism to fester for two more decades.
Today, Lebanon is on the brink once more. And again, it is the same failed advisors and theorists who surround the leadership, suffocating reform and preventing decisive action. Instead of reclaiming state sovereignty, they hesitate. Yet the only viable initiative now is to impose authority through the collection of arms, establish state supremacy, and join the regional peace process—one that would protect Lebanon from future aggression and restore its place at the decision-making table in the reshaped Middle East.
Even war-torn Syria, now represented by figures like “Al-Joulani”—a name synonymous with terrorism—is seeking entry into the peace train, rebuilding its state, and seeking global aid. Meanwhile, Lebanon’s leaders—known for their caution and indecision—are retreating without a fight.
Whatever the president’s challenges may be, he must now act decisively. He must restore peace by reasserting state authority, disarming militias, and pushing toward peace with neighboring states. This is the only way to prevent further aggression, infiltration, and foreign interference.
Lebanon briefly captured the world’s attention through the trials it endured. Yet it is rapidly losing its place, simply because it failed to seize the opportunity to dismantle terrorism and liberate its people. Instead of asserting control, the state now seems to be pleading with terrorism for permission to exist.
Will the world give Lebanon another chance? Or will those clinging to power finally realize that time is running out, and opportunities not seized in time are lost forever?
This is a final plea to President Joseph Aoun—a man once regarded as a beacon of hope. Do not waste this last opportunity. Do not fall for the illusions of advisors who failed others before you. Let courage define this new phase. Let vision restore the authority of the state. And let action finally release Lebanon from the bottle of hatred and repression in which it has been trapped for too long.
Colonel Charbel Barakat
***Colonel Charbel Barakat, a retired Lebanese Army officer, historian, terrorism expert, and author of numerous works on Lebanon, the Iranian regime’s schemes, and jihadist movements, has testified multiple times before the U.S. Congress on critical issues, including Iranian and Syrian terrorism, the Syrian occupation of Lebanon, jihadist threats, and the pursuit of Middle East peace.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on May 17-18/2025
Pope Leo to take charge of Catholic Church at grandiose inaugural Mass
Reuters/May 18, 2025
VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo XIV will formally take up his role as leader of the global Catholic Church on Sunday, with a Mass in St. Peter’s Square that will draw tens of thousands of well-wishers, including dozens of world leaders and European royalty. Crowds are expected to cram the Square and surrounding streets in Rome for the formal celebration, which starts at 10:00 a.m. (0800 GMT) and includes the first ride in the white popemobile by Leo, the first pope from the United States. Born in Chicago, the 69-year-old pontiff spent many years as a missionary in Peru and also has Peruvian citizenship, meaning he is also the first pope from that South American nation. Robert Prevost, a relative unknown on the world stage who only became a cardinal two years ago, was elected pope on May 8 after a short conclave of cardinals that lasted barely 24 hours. He replaces Pope Francis, from Argentina, who died on April 21 after leading the Church for 12 often turbulent years during which he battled with traditionalists and championed the poor and marginalized. US Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert who clashed with Francis over the Trump administration’s hard-line immigration policies, will lead a US delegation alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is also Catholic. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will also attend and would be happy to meet other leaders, a top aide has said, as he did at Francis’ funeral when he had face-to-face talks with US President Donald Trump in St. Peter’s Basilica.
Zelensky last met Vance in February in the White House, when the two men clashed fiercely in front of the world’s media. Also expected at the Vatican ceremony are the presidents of Peru, Israel and Nigeria, the prime ministers of Italy, Canada and Australia, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Many European royals will also be in the VIP seats near the main altar, including Spanish King Felipe and Queen Letizia.
FOCUS ON PEACE
In various sermons and comments since his election as pope, Leo has praised Francis repeatedly but has not offered many hints about whether he will continue with the late pontiff’s vision of opening the Church up to the modern world.
His homily on Sunday is likely to indicate some of the priorities for his papacy, having already made clear over the past 10 days that he will push for peace whenever possible. His first words in an appearance to crowds in St. Peter’s Square on the night of his election were “Peace be with you all,” echoing words Catholics use in their celebrations. In a May 14 address to officials of the eastern Catholic Churches, many of whom are based in global hot spots such as Ukraine and the Middle East, the new pope pledged he would make “every effort” for peace. He also offered the Vatican as a mediator in global conflicts, saying war was “never inevitable.” Sunday’s Mass will feature prayers in several languages, in a nod to the global reach of the 1.4-billion member Church, including Latin, Italian, Greek, Portuguese, French, Arabic, Polish, and Chinese. As part of the ceremony, Leo will also formally receive two items as he takes up the papacy: a liturgical vestment known as a pallium, a strip of lambswool which represents his role as a shepherd, and a special band known as the fisherman’s ring. The ceremonial gold signet ring is specially cast for each new pope and can be used by Leo to seal documents. It features a design of St. Peter holding the keys to Heaven and will be broken after his death, marking an end to his papacy.

Iran's Supreme Leader says Trump is lying when he speaks of peace
Reuters/May 17, 2025
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused Donald Trump on Saturday of lying when the U.S. president said during his Gulf tour this week that he wanted peace in the region. On the contrary, said Khamenei, the United States uses its power to give "10-ton bombs to the Zionist (Israeli) regime to drop on the heads of Gaza's children".Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One after departing the United Arab Emirates on Friday that Iran had to move quickly on a U.S. proposal for its nuclear programme or "something bad's going to happen". His remarks, said Khamenei, "aren't even worth responding to." They are an "embarrassment to the speaker and the American people," Khamenei added. "Undoubtedly, the source of corruption, war, and conflict in this region is the Zionist regime — a dangerous, deadly cancerous tumour that must be uprooted; it will be uprooted," he said at an event at a religious centre in Tehran, according to state media. Earlier on Saturday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Trump speaks about peace while simultaneously making threats. "Which should we believe?" Pezeshkian said at a naval event in Tehran. "On the one hand, he speaks of peace and on the other, he threatens with the most advanced tools of mass killing."Tehran would continue Iran-U.S. nuclear talks but is not afraid of threats. "We are not seeking war," Pezeshkian said. While Trump said on Friday that Iran had a U.S. proposal about its nuclear programme, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in a post on X said Tehran had not received any such proposal. "There is no scenario in which Iran abandons its hard-earned right to (uranium) enrichment for peaceful purposes..." he said. Araqchi warned on Saturday that Washington's constant change of stance prolongs nuclear talks, state TV reported. "It is absolutely unacceptable that America repeatedly defines a new framework for negotiations that prolongs the process," the broadcast quoted Araqchi as saying. Pezeshkian said Iran would not "back down from our legitimate rights". "Because we refuse to bow to bullying, they say we are source of instability in the region," he said. A fourth round of Iran-U.S. talks ended in Oman last Sunday. A new round has not been scheduled yet.

Iran’s President Pezeshkian says Trump speaks of peace and threatens at same time
Reuters/17 May ,2025
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Saturday that US President Donald Trump speaks simultaneously about peace and threat.
“Which should we believe?
“On the one hand, he speaks of peace and on the other, he threatens with the most advanced tools of mass killing,” Pezeshkian said. He said Tehran will continue Iran-US nuclear talks but is not afraid of threats. “We are not seeking war,” he added. Trump said on Friday that Iran had a US proposal about its nuclear program and knows it needs to move quickly to resolve a decades-long dispute.“More importantly, they know they have to move quickly or something bad — something bad’s going to happen,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One after departing the United Arab Emirates on Friday, according to an audio recording of the remarks. However, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in a post on X said Tehran had not received a US proposal. “There is no scenario in which Iran abandons its hard-earned right to (uranium) enrichment for peaceful purposes...” he said. Pezeshkian said Iran would not “back down from our legitimate rights.”“Because we refuse to bow to bullying, they say we are source of instability in the region,” he said. A fourth round of Iran-US talks ended in Oman last Sunday.
A new round has not been scheduled yet.

Iran will not succumb to threats during US nuclear talks, says president
Associated Press Reporter/May 17, 2025
Iran’s president has said his country will continue talks with the United States over its rapidly advancing nuclear programme but will not withdraw from its rights because of US threats. “We are negotiating, and we will negotiate, we are not after war but we do not fear any threat,” President Masoud Pezeshkian said during a speech to navy officials broadcast by state television on Saturday. “It is not like that they think if they threaten us, we will give up our human right and definite right,” Mr Pezeshkian said. “We will not withdraw, we will not easily lose honourable military, scientific, nuclear in all fields.”
The negotiations have reached the “expert” level, meaning the sides are trying to reach agreement on the details of a possible deal. But a major sticking point remains Iran’s enrichment of uranium, which Tehran insists it must be allowed to do and the Trump administration increasingly insists the Islamic Republic must give up. President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to unleash air strikes targeting Iran’s programme if a deal is not reached. Iranian officials increasingly warn they could pursue a nuclear weapon with their stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels.
Earlier on Friday, Mr Trump said Iran received a proposal during the talks, though he did not elaborate. During his trip to the region this week, Mr Trump at nearly every event insisted Iran could not be allowed to obtain a nuclear bomb, something US intelligence agencies assess Tehran is not actively pursuing, though its programme is on the cusp of being able to weaponise nuclear material. Mohammad Eslami, the head of Iran’s atomic organisation, stressed the peaceful nature of the programme, saying it is under “continuous” monitoring by the UN nuclear watchdog, state TV reported on Saturday.
“No country is monitored by the agency like us,” Mr Eslami said, adding that the agency inspected the country’s nuclear facilities more than 450 time in 2024 – “something about 25% of all the agency inspections” in the year. Meanwhile, Israel routinely has threatened to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities if it feels threatened, further complicating tensions in the Middle East already spiked by the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. In his first reaction to Mr Trump’s regional visit, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Mr Trump was not truthful when he made claims about creating peace through power.
“Trump said that he wanted to use power for peace – he lied. He and the US administration used power for massacre in Gaza, for waging wars in any place they could,” Mr Khamenei said on Saturday during a meeting with teachers broadcast on state television. The US has provided Israel with 10-ton bombs to “drop on Gaza children, hospitals, houses of people in Lebanon and anywhere else when they can” Mr Khamenei said. Mr Khamenei, who has the final say on all Iranian state matters, reiterated his traditional stance against Israel. “Definitely, the Zionist regime is the spot of corruption, war, rifts. The Zionist regime that is lethal, dangerous, cancerous tumour should be certainly eradicated, and it will be,” he said.

Iranian leaders dismiss Trump 'threats' amid nuclear talks
Simon Druker/United Press International/May 17, 2025
"We are not seeking war, we favor negotiation and dialogue, but we are not afraid of threats either, and we will in no way retreat from our legal rights," Pezeshkian told a group of gathered naval officers in the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas Saturday.
Pezeshkian did not elaborate on what threats he was referring to. Earlier in the week, U.S. officials imposed a new round of sanctions targeting Iran and an alleged oil smuggling network. The Trump administration is continuing to negotiate a new nuclear weapons deal with Tehran to curb Iran's uranium enrichment program. The latest round of talks in the Omani capital of Muscat last week were described by Iranian official as "difficult but useful." No further talks have been publicly announced. Trump this week did mention Iran in a speech in Saudi Arabia during his tour of the Middle East. The president referred to the Iranian regime as a corrupt government and chided the country's crumbling infrastructure while also touching on the ongoing nuclear talks between the two countries. Trump also told reporters during that trip that negotiations needed to progress quickly or "something bad's gonna happen." He has also indicated the two sides were close to a deal and had "sort of" reached an agreement. "No one but Trump himself believes his words against the Iranian nation," Pezeshkian said Saturday. "On the one hand, he speaks of peace and stability and, on the other hand, he threatens (us) with the most sophisticated tools for homicide and with contradictory statements. He simultaneously sends messages of peace, bloodshed and insecurity," he said. At a separate event Saturday, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Trump "lied," without specifying which comments he was referring to, adding they were unworthy of response.
Khamenei made the proclamation during a speech in Tehran, where supporters chanted "Death to America" in the crowd. "The level of those remarks is so low that they are a disgrace for the one who uttered them and a disgrace to the American nation," Khamenei said without elaborating.

Israel says it intercepted missile from Yemen
Reuters/May 18, 2025
CAIRO: The Israeli military said on Sunday that it intercepted a missile that was launched from Yemen toward Israel. Sirens sounded in several areas in Israel, the military added. Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis have continued to fire missiles at Israel in what they say is solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, although they have agreed to halt attacks on US ships. Israel has carried out strikes in response, including one on May 6 that damaged Yemen’s main airport in Sanaa and killed several people.

Israeli strikes kill 146 Palestinians in Gaza in 24 hours, local health authorities say
Reuters/17 May ,2025
Israel’s air force killed at least 146 Palestinians in new attacks on Gaza over the past 24 hours and injured many more, local health authorities said on Saturday, as the country appeared set to press ahead with a new ground offensive. Israeli strikes since Thursday have seen one of the deadliest phases of bombardment since a truce collapsed in March. The latest strikes came as US President Donald Trump ended his Middle East tour on Friday with no apparent progress towards a new ceasefire. “Since midnight, we have received 58 martyrs, while a large number of victims remain under the rubble. The situation inside the hospital is catastrophic,” said the director of the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza, Marwan Al-Sultan. Local health authorities said 459 people had been injured in Israeli strikes in the past 24 hours. Israel’s military said on Saturday it was conducting extensive strikes and mobilizing troops as part of preparations to expand operations in the Gaza Strip and achieve “operational control” in areas of the Palestinian enclave. The Gaza health system is barely operational with hospitals hit repeatedly by the Israeli military during the 19-month war and medical supplies drying up as Israel tightened its blockade since March. The escalation, which includes the build-up of armored forces along the border, is part of the initial stages of ‘Operation Gideon’s Wagons’, which Israel says is aimed at defeating Hamas and getting its hostages back.An Israeli defense official said earlier this month the operation would not be launched before Trump concluded his visit to the Middle East. “We are gradually increasing forces; Hamas remains defiant,” the military said on Saturday. United Nations experts warn that famine looms in Gaza after Israel blocked aid deliveries to the strip 76 days ago, with UN aid chief Tom Fletcher asking the Security Council this week if it would act to “prevent genocide.”Trump on Friday acknowledged Gaza’s growing hunger crisis and the need for aid deliveries, as international pressure grows on Israel to resume ceasefire talks and end its blockade of Gaza. A US-backed foundation aims to start distributing aid to Gazans by the end of May, using private US security and logistics firms, but the UN has said it won’t work with the foundation because it is not impartial, neutral or independent. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on May 5 that Israel was planning an expanded, intensive offensive against Hamas as his security cabinet approved plans that could involve seizing the entire Gaza Strip and controlling aid. On Friday Israel’s military ordered Gazans to move south after heavy strikes in the northern town of Beit Lahia and the Jabalia refugee camp. Residents, however, said tanks were advancing towards the southern city of Khan Younis. Israel’s declared goal in Gaza is the elimination of the military and governmental capabilities of Hamas, which attacked Israeli communities on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and seizing about 250 hostages. Its military campaign has devastated the tiny, crowded enclave, pushing nearly all its 2 million inhabitants from their homes and killing more than 53,000 people, according to Gaza health authorities. NBC News reported on Friday, citing five people with knowledge of the matter, that the Trump administration is working on a plan to permanently relocate as many as one million Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to Libya. Palestinians, including Hamas, and the rival authority of President Mahmoud Abbas reject any displacement of people outside their land.

Gaza ceasefire talks resume in Qatar as Israeli assault kills hundreds in 72 hours
Reuters/17 May ,2025
Israel and Hamas resumed ceasefire talks on Saturday in Qatar, both sides said, even as Israeli forces ramped up a bombing campaign that has killed hundreds of people over 72 hours, and mobilized for a massive new ground assault. Palestinian health authorities said at least 146 people had been confirmed killed in the third day of Israel’s latest bombing campaign, one of the deadliest waves of strikes since a ceasefire collapsed in March. Many hundreds more wounded were being treated in hospital, and countless others were still buried under rubble. Israel says it is mobilizing to seize more ground in Gaza in a new campaign dubbed “Operation Gideon’s Chariots”, which follows a visit this week to the Middle East by US President Donald Trump. It has halted all supplies entering Gaza since the start of March, leading to rising international concern over the plight of the enclave’s 2.3 million residents. Taher Al-Nono, the media advisor for the Hamas leadership, told Reuters a new round of indirect talks with the Israeli delegation in Doha began on Saturday, discussing all issues “without pre-conditions.” “The Hamas delegation outlined the position of the group and the necessity to end the war, swap prisoners, the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and allowing humanitarian aid and all the needs of the people of Gaza back into the strip,” he added. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz also said in a statement that negotiations on a deal to release Israeli hostages held by Hamas had resumed in Doha. He noted that the talks had started without Israel first agreeing to a ceasefire or to lift its blockade. Israel’s military said it was conducting extensive strikes and mobilizing troops with the aim of achieving “operational control” in parts of Gaza. Gaza health authorities said most of those killed on Saturday were in towns on the northern edge of the enclave, including Beit Lahiya and the Jabalia refugee camp, as well as in the southern city of Khan Younis. They said 459 people had been injured. Israeli forces had told people to leave the northern areas on Friday. “Northern Gaza is witnessing a systematic campaign of extermination,” Hamas said in a statement, calling on Arab leaders at a summit in Baghdad to take practical steps to stop the aggression and ensure the delivery of aid.
Famine looms
Talks since March have failed to restore a truce under which Hamas would release remaining hostages captured in the October, 2023 assault on Israel that precipitated the war. Hamas has long said it would not free them unless Israel ends its campaign; Israel says it will fight on until Hamas is dismantled.
At the Arab League summit, Egypt’s President Abdel-Fatah al-Sisi, whose country mediates Gaza peace talks alongside Qatar, said Israel’s actions aimed at “obliterating and annihilating” the Palestinians and “ending their existence in the Gaza Strip.”United Nations experts say famine now looms in Gaza more than two months after Israel halted all deliveries of supplies. UN aid chief Tom Fletcher asked the Security Council this week if it would act to “prevent genocide.”Israel blames Hamas for the suffering of civilians for operating among them and hijacking aid, which Hamas denies. Israel says enough food reached Gaza during the six-week ceasefire at the start of the year to stave off hunger for now. On Friday, Trump acknowledged Gaza’s growing hunger crisis and the need for aid deliveries. A US-backed foundation aims to start distributing aid to Gazans by the end of May using private US security and logistics firms. The UN has said it won’t work with the group because it is not impartial, neutral or independent. Gaza’s health system is barely operational with hospitals hit repeatedly by the Israeli military during the 19-month war and medical supplies drying up. The head of the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza, Marwan Al-Sultan, said huge numbers of wounded victims of the latest bombing campaign were in critical condition. “Since midnight, we have received 58 martyrs, while a large number of victims remain under the rubble. The situation inside the hospital is catastrophic,” he said on X. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on May 5 that Israel was planning an expanded, intensive offensive against Hamas as his security cabinet approved plans that could involve seizing the entire Gaza Strip and controlling aid. Israel’s declared goal in Gaza is the elimination of the military and governmental capabilities of Hamas, which attacked Israeli communities on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and seizing about 250 hostages. Its military campaign has devastated the tiny, crowded enclave, pushing nearly all inhabitants from their homes and killing more than 53,000 people, according to Gaza health authorities. NBC News reported on Friday, citing five people with knowledge of the matter, that the Trump administration is working on a plan to permanently relocate as many as one million Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to Libya. All major Palestinian political groups reject any such displacement.

Hamas, Israel confirm talks have resumed to end war in Gaza, release hostages
Karen Butler/United Press International/May 17, 2025
Hamas and Israel have confirmed that talks to end the war in Gaza and release hostages on both sides resumed Saturday. Hamas adviser Taher al-Nounou told the BBC that peace negotiations have begun anew in Doha, while Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Hamas negotiators are also in Qatar, engaged in indirect talks specifically regarding the hostages. The news broke after Israel's military surged into Gaza as part of its Operation Gideon's Chariots to take control of more territory and free the hostages Hamas has been holding since the war began after the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which killed nearly 1,200 people, most of them civilians. "The heroism of IDF soldiers, the unity of the people and the determination of the political echelon increase the chance of the return of the hostages -- as it was then and as it is now," Katz said, according to CBS News. Britain's The Guardian newspaper quoted United Nations Human Rights Chief Volker Turk as saying Friday that Israel's ramped-up ground offensive "and the denial of humanitarian assistance underline that there appears to be a push for a permanent demographic shift in Gaza that is defiance of international law and that is tantamount to ethnic cleansing." About 1.9 million Palestinians have been displaced amid the war and the death toll in Gaza, as of Friday, was more than 53,000.

Hamas proposes releasing some hostages in fresh talks after new Israel offensive
Rushdi Abualouf - Gaza correspondent, Wyre Davies - and Danai Nesta Kupemba/BBC/May 17, 2025
Hamas has proposed releasing more hostages under a new Gaza ceasefire deal in a fresh round of negotiations with Israel, which comes after Israel's military launched a major new offensive.Hamas has agreed to release nine hostages in exchange for a 60-day truce and Israel releasing Palestinian prisoners, an official told the BBC. Israel is yet to respond to the proposal, but said prior to the talks in Qatar on Saturday that it would not withdraw troops from Gaza or commit to an end to the war. Israel's military announced the launch of a new operation on Saturday amid the deadliest wave of strikes in the territory in months, where hundreds have died.At least 300 people have been killed in air strikes across Gaza since Thursday, say rescuers, including more than 200 people in Gaza's north in the past 48 hours, said the Hamas-run civil defence force. Thousands have died since Israel resumed strikes into Gaza on 18 March, following the collapse of a fragile ceasefire which lasted two months. The humanitarian crisis in the territory has also worsened, say aid agencies, as Israel has blocked supplies of food and other aid from entering the territory for 10 weeks.Strikes this week have hit hospitals and refugee camps in the north and south of the territory. Hamas and Israel began a new round of talks through Qatari and US mediators in Doha on Saturday afternoon local time.A senior Palestinian official familiar with negotiations said the new proposed deal reinstates the previous humanitarian protocol, including the entry of 400 aid trucks daily and the evacuation of medical patients from Gaza.
Israel, in turn, has demanded proof of life and detailed information about all remaining hostages. The new deal will also not include an explicit end to the war, nor any commitment by Israel to withdraw from Gaza, the BBC understands.Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this month promised a major military escalation in the war to occupy and control swathes of Gaza, force the Palestinian population to the south of the territory and "destroy" Hamas. Jeremy Bowen: Netanyahu's plan risks dividing Israel, killing Palestinians and horrifying world
'My children go to sleep hungry,' Gazans tell the BBC
On Saturday morning,the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) then declared the start of a new offensive called "Operation Gideon's Chariots".A journalist in the territory, Ghada Al Qurd, told the BBC Newshour programme there had been lots of "airstrikes, shellings, drones, shooting and even exploding, in the north and east. "It's terrifying and horrible," she said of Israel's new operation. She said her family had only been having one meal a day, because it is limited and expensive. "They are using food as a weapon," she said. The IDF on Saturday said it wouldn't stop operating "until Hamas is no longer a threat and all our hostages are home" and that it had "struck over 150 terror targets throughout the Gaza Strip" in 24 hours. Thousands of Israeli troops, including soldiers and reservists, could enter Gaza as the operation ramps up in the coming days. Israeli tanks have also been seen at the border, Reuters news agency reported.
The intensified offensive has been condemned by the UN and some European leaders. Commissioner-General of the UN's Palestinian refugee agency (Unrwa) Philippe Lazzarini expressed shock at Israel's military operation, saying: "How many more Palestinian lives will be wiped off from their homeland by bombardments, hunger or lack of medical care?"
"Atrocities are becoming a new norm, under our watch, making the unbearable bearable with indifference," he said. Following the new strikes, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani all called for a permanent ceasefire, while Germany's Foreign Ministry said the new offensive risked "worsening the catastrophic humanitarian situation for Gaza's population and the remaining hostages". Israel's ramped-up military offensive has also come as aid agencies have warned about the risk of famine among Gaza's 2.1 million population.
Israel has blocked food and other supplies from being delivered into the Strip following the breakdown of the ceasefire in March. US President Donald Trump said on Friday that "a lot of people were starving" in Gaza. The Israeli government has repeatedly rejected claims there is a food shortage in Gaza.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said on 5 May that Israel was preparing an "intense entry into Gaza" to capture and hold territory, but that it would not commence until US President Donald Trump completed his tour of the Middle East. Trump left the region on Friday. That day, residents in across northern and central Gaza were told to leave their homes or places of shelter - an order aid workers say is almost impossible because many have already been repeatedly made homeless during the war. Strikes on Saturday hit towns in the north of Gaza, including Beit Lahiya and the Jabalia refugee camp, as well as in the southern city of Khan Younis, the Hamas-run health ministry and civil defence forces said. Strikes this week have also hit near hospitals in the Strip. Victoria Rose, a British reconstructive surgeon working at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that her team were "exhausted" and staff had lost a "considerable amount of weight"."The children are really thin," she said. "We've got a lot of youngsters whose teeth have fallen out. "A lot of them have quite significant burn injuries and with this level of malnutrition they're so much more prone to infection and they've got so much less capacity to heal."Israel launched a military campaign to destroy Hamas in response to the group's cross-border attack on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage. Hamas still holds 58 hostages. At least 53,000 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry, including more than 3,000 people since March.

Arab leaders promise to work on reconstruction of Gaza, press for ceasefire
AFP/May 17, 2025
BAGHDAD: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Saturday called for increased pressure “to halt the massacre in Gaza,” speaking at an Arab League summit hours after Israel announced an intensified operation in the besieged Palestinian territory. UN chief Antonio Guterres told the Baghdad meeting that “we need a permanent ceasefire, now,” while Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi urged his US counterpart Donald Trump to “apply all necessary efforts... for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.”The summit comes straight after a Gulf tour by Trump, who sparked uproar earlier this year by declaring that the United States could take over Gaza and turn it into the “Riviera of the Middle East.”The scheme that included the proposed displacement of Palestinians prompted Arab leaders to come up with an alternative plan to rebuild the territory at a March summit in Cairo. Guterres said that “we reject the repeated displacement of the Gaza population, along with any question of forced displacement outside of Gaza.”The UN secretary-general also said he was “alarmed by reported plans by Israel to expand ground operations and more.”The Israeli military said it had launched “extensive strikes” on Saturday as part of the “initial stages” of a fresh offensive, more than 19 months into the war sparked by Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack. Sanchez, who has sharply criticized the Israeli offensive, said world leaders should “intensify our pressure on Israel to halt the massacre in Gaza, particularly through the channels afforded to us by international law.”He said his government planned a UN resolution demanding an International Court of Justice ruling on Israel’s war methods. The “unacceptable number” of war victims in Gaza violates the “principle of humanity,” he said. Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani told the summit that his country backs the creation of an “Arab fund to support reconstruction efforts” after crises in the region. He pledged $20 million to the reconstruction of Gaza and a similar amount for Lebanon.
Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said the Baghdad meeting would endorse previous Arab League decisions on Gaza’s reconstruction countering Trump’s widely condemned proposal. During his visit to the region this week, Trump reiterated that he wanted the United States to “take” Gaza and turn it into a “freedom zone.”
Iraq pledges $40 mn for Gaza, Lebanon reconstruction
Iraq has only recently regained a semblance of normality after decades of devastating conflict and turmoil, and its leaders view the summit as an opportunity to project an image of stability. Baghdad last hosted an Arab League summit in 2012, during the early stages of the civil war in neighboring Syria, which in December entered a new chapter with the overthrow of longtime ruler Bashar Assad. In Riyadh, Trump met Syria’s interim President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, a onetime jihadist whose Islamist group spearheaded the offensive that toppled Assad. Sharaa, who was imprisoned in Iraq for years after the US-led invasion of 2003 on charges of belonging to Al-Qaeda, missed the Baghdad summit after several powerful Iraqi politicians voiced opposition to his visit. Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani represented Damascus instead. The summit also comes amid Iran’s ongoing nuclear talks with the United States. Trump has pursued diplomacy with Iran as he seeks to avert threatened military action by Israel — a desire shared by many of the region’s leaders. On Thursday, Trump said a deal was “getting close,” but by Friday, he warned that “something bad is going to happen” if the Iranians do not move fast.

Gaza dominates Arab League Summit as leaders push for ceasefire and pledge to work on reconstruction
Orestes Georgiou Daniel/Euronews/May 17, 2025
Arab leaders gathered in Baghdad on Saturday for the annual Arab League Summit, where they announced they were working on a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip and vowed to contribute to the enclave's reconstruction. The summit in the Iraqi capital was attended by Arab leaders including Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez also attended as a guest, as did UN Secretary-General António Guterres. The Spanish prime minister, who in a speech to the Spanis parliament on Wednesday called Israel a "genocidal state", urged the international community to apply pressure on Israel "to halt the massacre in Gaza."Guterres called for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza and the flow of aid into the territory, which has been under a total blockade by Israel for more than two months. He also said the UN rejects any "forced displacement" of Palestinians. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani called for allowing aid to flow back into Gaza, which has been under a total blockade by Israel since early March. "This genocide has reached levels of ugliness not seen in all conflicts throughout history," he said, adding that Iraq will work on setting up an Arab fund for the region's reconstructionom which his country will pay $20 million for Gaza and a roughly similar amount for Lebanon. Egypt's el-Sissi said that his country was coordinating with Qatar and the US in "exerting intense efforts to reach a ceasefire", and that Egypt plans to hold an international conference for the Gaza's reconstruction "once the aggression stops". A notable absentee was new Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who sent his foreign minister instead. Iraqi Shiite militias and political factions wary of al-Sharaa’s past as a Sunni militant pushed back against his invitation to the summit. Al-Sharaa did nevertheless meet US President Donald Trump earlier in the week, who promised to remove US-imposed sanctions on Syria.
'Operation Gideon's Chariots'
The day before the summit took place, Israel announced the launching of a new announced a new phase in its Gaza offensive called "Gideon's Chariots", under which the IDF said it was "conducting extensive strikes and mobilising troops to achieve operational control in the areas of Gaza."The UN Secretary-General responded to the news by saying he was "alarmed by reported plans by Israel to expand ground operations and more."Separate to Israel's announcement of an expanded offensive, Euronews revealed the existence of documents dated December 2023 which revealed that creating a new entity in Gaza "the day after" a defeat of Hamas is one of the proposals the Israeli government has on the table. The meeting in Baghdad was the 34th Arab League Summit, where Arab leaders gather to address regional matters. The League was formed in 1945 and currently comprises of 22 members.

Arab summit presses for end to Gaza ‘bloodshed’
AFP, Baghdad/17 May ,2025
Arab leaders meeting Saturday at a summit in Baghdad urged the international community to press for a Gaza ceasefire, as Israel launched an expanded military offensive in the Palestinian territory. In a joint final statement, Arab League members also called for funding to back their Gaza reconstruction plan, after US President Donald Trump reiterated a proposal to take over the Strip.The Arab leaders called “on the international community... to exert pressure to end the bloodshed and ensure that urgent humanitarian aid can enter without obstacles all areas in need in Gaza.”They added that they “firmly” rejected any plans to displace Palestinians. It came hours after Israel’s military launched a new Gaza offensive, saying it was part of “the expansion of the battle in the Gaza Strip” aimed at defeating Palestinian militant group Hamas. Appearing at the summit as a guest, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez appealed for increased pressure “to halt the massacre in Gaza.”Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi urged his US counterpart Donald Trump to “apply all necessary efforts... for a ceasefire.”United Nations chief Antonio Guterres told the summit that “we need a permanent ceasefire, now.”Guterres said he was “alarmed by reported plans by Israel to expand ground operations and more.”“We reject the repeated displacement of the Gaza population, along with any question of forced displacement outside of Gaza.”
‘Unacceptable number’
Sanchez, who has sharply criticized the Israeli offensive, said world leaders should “intensify our pressure on Israel to halt the massacre in Gaza, particularly through the channels afforded to us by international law.”He said his government planned a UN resolution demanding an International Court of Justice ruling on Israel’s war methods. The “unacceptable number” of war victims in Gaza violates the “principle of humanity,” he said. The summit came days after a tour of the Gulf by Trump, who has sparked uproar by declaring the United States could take over Gaza and turn it into the “Riviera of the Middle East.”The scheme that included the proposed displacement of Palestinians was widely condemned, and prompted Arab leaders to come up with an alternative plan to rebuild the territory at a March summit in Cairo. During his visit to the region, Trump reiterated that he wanted the United States to “take” Gaza and turn it into a “freedom zone.”Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani told the summit his country backed the creation of an “Arab fund to support reconstruction efforts” after crises in the region. He pledged $20 million to reconstruct Gaza and a similar amount for Lebanon, after an all-out war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah. Israel has continued to launch strikes on Lebanon despite the November 27 truce.

Arab leaders toughen denunciations of Israel as it ramps up Gaza bombing
Ahmed Rasheed and Moayed Kenany/Reuters/May 17, 2025
BAGHDAD -Arab leaders at a summit in Baghdad called on Saturday for an immediate end to the war in Gaza, accusing Israel in starker language of trying to drive the Palestinians out of the enclave altogether after it ramped up its bombing campaign. Israel has killed hundreds of Palestinians since Thursday in one of the deadliest waves of bombardment since a truce collapsed in March, even as U.S. President Donald Trump wrapped up a Middle East tour on Friday. Egyptian President Abdel-Fatah al-Sisi, whose country is one of the main mediators in Gaza peace talks, described Israel's actions as "systematic crimes" aimed at "obliterating and annihilating" the Palestinians and "ending their existence in the Gaza Strip".Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, the summit's host, said Israel was engaged in genocide. U.N Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who addressed the summit, said "nothing justifies the collective punishment of the Palestinian people". After a six-week ceasefire, Israel imposed a total blockade of Gaza and resumed its military campaign in March. It blames Hamas fighters for harm to civilians for operating among them, which Hamas denies. Israel's declared goal is the elimination of the military and governmental capabilities of Hamas, which attacked Israeli communities on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and seizing more than 250 hostages. The military campaign has devastated the tiny, crowded enclave, pushing nearly all its 2.3 million inhabitants from their homes and killing more than 53,000 people, according to Gaza health authorities.Israel faces growing international pressure to resume ceasefire talks and allow food and medical supplies into Gaza. UN aid chief Tom Fletcher asked the Security Council this week if it would act to "prevent genocide". Iraq's prime minister announced the creation of a fund to help reconstruct Arab states after war, with an initial pledge of $20 million each for Gaza and Lebanon, where swathes of the south were destroyed last year in an Israeli campaign against the Hezbollah group.

Syria announces commissions for missing persons, transitional justice
AFP/May 18, 2025
DAMASCUS: Syria on Saturday announced the formation of a national commission for missing persons and another for transitional justice, more than five months after the ouster of longtime ruler Bashar Assad. Syria’s new authorities have pledged justice for victims of atrocities committed under Assad’s rule, and a five-year transitional constitution signed in March provided for the formation of a transitional justice commission. The fate of tens of thousands of detainees and others who went missing remains one of the most harrowing legacies of Syria’s conflict, which erupted in 2011 when Assad’s forces brutally repressed anti-government protests, triggering more than a decade of war. A decree signed by interim President Ahmed Al-Sharaa and released by the presidency announced the formation of an independent “national commission for missing persons.”
The body is tasked with “researching and uncovering the fate of the missing and forcibly disappeared, documenting cases, establishing a national database and providing legal and humanitarian support to their families.”A separate decree announced the formation of a national commission for transitional justice to “uncover the truth about the grave violations caused by the former regime.”That commission should hold those responsible to account “in coordination with the relevant authorities, remedy the harm to victims, and firmly establish the principles of non-recurrence and national reconciliation,” according to the announcement. The decree noted “the need to achieve transitional justice as a fundamental pillar for building a state of law, guaranteeing victims’ rights and achieving comprehensive national reconciliation.”Both bodies will have “financial and administrative independence” and act over all of Syrian territory, according to the decrees signed by Sharaa. In December, an Islamist-led coalition toppled Assad after five decades of his family’s iron-fisted rule and nearly 14 years of brutal war that killed more than half a million people and displaced millions more.
Tens of thousands of people were detained and tortured in the country’s jails, while Assad has been accused of using chemical weapons against his own people. Rights groups, activists and the international community have repeatedly emphasized the importance of transitional justice in the war-torn country.
In March, Sharaa signed into force a constitutional declaration for a five-year transitional period. It stipulated that during that period, a “transitional justice commission” would be formed to “determine the means for accountability, establish the facts, and provide justice to victims and survivors” of the former government’s misdeeds. This week, prominent Syrian human rights lawyer Mazen Darwish told AFP that lasting peace in Syria depended on the country building a strong judicial system giving justice to the victims of all crimes committed during the Assad era.

Syrian foreign minister hails sanctions relief, pushes for inclusive recovery at Arab Summit
Arab News/May 17, 2025
BAGHDAD: Syria has begun taking serious steps toward national recovery and reconciliation, based on a commitment to inclusivity and sovereignty, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani said on Saturday during his address at the 34th Arab Summit in Baghdad. Delivering his country’s remarks at the high-level gathering, Al-Shaibani said Syria was entering a new phase of “inclusive national dialogue that embraces diversity, guarantees representation, and preserves dignity.”He added that the move marked what he described as an unprecedented effort to rebuild the nation on foundations that reject marginalization and exclusion. “Syria is for all Syrians, with no place for marginalization or exclusion,” he declared, underlining the country’s refusal to accept “guardianship” or to serve as a battleground for external conflicts. Al-Shaibani also welcomed the recent decision by US President Donald Trump to lift sanctions imposed on Syria, a move he hailed as a “positive and important step” on the path to national reconstruction. He credited “sincere Arab diplomatic efforts” for helping to bring about the breakthrough. The minister extended special thanks to Saudi Arabia and Turkiye for their role as effective mediators at a “pivotal historical moment,” and expressed deep gratitude to Qatar, the UAE, Jordan, and member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council for their support during what he called a “delicate stage” for Syria. “Lifting the sanctions is not the end, but rather the beginning of a path that we hope will be paved with real cooperation and the integration of Arab efforts,” he said. He also stressed the need to work together to bolster regional development, safeguard Arab national security, and enhance overall stability. Al-Shaibani revealed that Syria was finalizing preparations for a national parliament that would represent the full spectrum of Syrian society, alongside efforts to draft a permanent constitution aimed at protecting rights, upholding sovereignty, and establishing the rule of law. “Any project aimed at weakening or dividing the Syrian state under any pretext is categorically rejected by the Syrian state and people in all their components,” he said.

Rubio signals Vatican not a broker in Russia-Ukraine peace deal after offer to host talks
Steff Danielle Thomas/The Hill/May 17, 2025
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters Saturday that while the U.S. appreciates Pope Leo XIV’s offer to host Russia-Ukraine peace talks, the Vatican is not likely to help broker a peace deal in Eastern Europe. When asked if he intended to discuss the over three-year-long war during his meeting with Italian officials, Rubio said “Yes.”“Yes, and we thank the Holy See for its willingness to be involved in this process,” the secretary added. “Obviously there are a number of countries that have offered that as well, but we think it would be — we’ll talk about that, the status of the talks, the updates after yesterday, and the path forward.” A top Catholic official earlier this week told negotiators they were free to use the Vatican to continue brokering a peace deal between Moscow and Kyiv, saying “it is an availability of place.” The offer came after Russian President Vladimir Putin skipped discussions in Turkey earlier this week. Rubio was asked whether the Vatican would serve as a broker in the deal — especially after the pontiff openly called for a truce in the conflict. “Well, I wouldn’t call it a broker. But it certainly is a place that I would think that both sides would be comfortable coming,” he said, while honoring the Catholic Church for its efforts thus far to promote peace. “So, we are grateful for their longstanding efforts not simply on trying to broker peace but on the exchanges of prisoners; there are children that have currently been taken from their homes that the Ukrainians would like to see returned,” he continued. “And they, the Holy See, has been very involved in that regard.” The secretary added, “So we’ll talk about that and all of it, and obviously always grateful for the willingness of the Vatican to play this constructive and positive role.”The Vatican served as the location for a recent meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who were both in Rome for Pope Francis’s funeral. Vice President Vance is also expected to travel to Vatican City on Sunday with a U.S. delegation to attend the inauguration mass for Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pontiff. Rubio’s remarks came after negotiators met in Istanbul earlier this week. President Trump and Putin were notably absent, though Zelensky made the trek. Trump has in recent days appeared to be losing patience with both sides of the war as ceasefire talks stretch on. Rubio and the president have both signaled that an agreement — such as a pending 30-day ceasefire proposal — would likely require the U.S. and Russian leaders to meet face-to-face. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Syrian government forces raid Islamic State hideouts in Aleppo
Reuters/May 17, 2025
DAMASCUS -Syrian security forces raided Islamic State hideouts in Aleppo on Saturday and three militants were killed, authorities said, the first time the Islamist-led government has announced such an operation against the jihadist group in Syria's second city. A member of the security forces was also killed, and four Islamic State militants were detained during the raids, Interior Ministry statements said. The security forces seized weapons, bombs and uniforms with the security forces' insignia. A security source said the raids had targeted sleeper cells in four locations, and 10 people had been arrested. The source said that one of the Islamic State militants had blown himself up during the operation. Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who once led a branch of al Qaeda, has long been an adversary of Islamic State, and battled the group's self-declared caliphate during the Syrian war. U.S. President Donald Trump met Sharaa earlier this week, and praised him as an "attractive guy with a very strong past" after the encounter in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. Trump also declared the United States would lift sanctions, a major U.S. policy shift that should help revive the shattered economy and marked a major boost for Sharaa. Sharaa seized power in Damascus in December after the ousting of Bashar al-Assad. Sharaa cut ties with al Qaeda in 2016. Islamic State controlled swathes of Syria and Iraq at the height of its power, before being beaten out of the territory by enemies including a U.S.-led military alliance.In January, the Syrian authorities announced they had foiled an attack by Islamic State on the Sayeda Zeinab shrine in a Damascus suburb, a site of mass pilgrimage for Shi'ites, and had arrested members of the cell. Islamic State militants killed five members of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in eastern Syria last month, in one of their deadliest attacks in a while.

Kremlin says Putin could meet Zelenskiy if certain agreements are reached
Reuters/May 17, 2025
MOSCOW -The Kremlin said on Saturday that Russian President Vladimir Putin could meet Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskiy, but only if certain agreements were reached. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not specify what agreements would be required from Russia's point of view. Putin and Zelenskiy have not met since December 2019. President Zelenskiy had challenged the Kremlin leader to meet him in Turkey this week but Putin instead sent a team of aides and officials to meet Ukrainian negotiators on Friday for the first bilateral, face-to-face talks since March 2022. Ukraine said it had raised the issue of a Putin-Zelenskiy meeting at the talks. Peskov said Russia considered such a meeting was possible, but only as a result of work between the two sides to "achieve certain results in the form of agreements". He added: "At the same time, when signing documents that the delegations are to agree upon, the main and fundamental thing for us remains who exactly will sign these documents from the Ukrainian side."Peskov did not elaborate on that remark. Putin has previously challenged Zelenskiy's legitimacy as president because his elected term of office expired last year. Ukraine, under martial law as it defends itself against Russia, has not set a date for a new election.

Turkey discovers new natural gas reserve in Black Sea
AFP, Istanbul/17 May ,2025
Turkey has discovered a new natural gas reserve in the Black Sea that will meet its residential energy needs for more than three years, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday. “We have discovered 75 billion cubic meters (2,650 cubic feet) of new natural gas. With this amount, we will meet the needs of our homes alone for about 3.5 years,” he said. Erdogan valued the reserve as worth some $30 billion. “Our work at the Goktepe-3 well, which started on March 27 with our seventh-generation drilling ship Abdulhamid Han, was completed yesterday,” he said. Turkey is still highly dependent on imports to cover its energy needs, though Erdogan stressed Ankara’s desire to achieve energy independence. “We will continue on our path without stopping, without resting, and without paying heed to criticism or obstacles until we reach our goal of a fully energy-independent Turkey,” he said.

The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on May 17-18/2025
Iran Is Using North Korea's Playbook — And the US Is Falling for It Again
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Gatestone Institute/May 17, 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/05/143413/
Iran appears to be using diplomacy to stall, deceive and advance its nuclear capabilities behind closed doors, while securing financial and geopolitical concessions from the West.
The disturbing part is not that Iran's mullahs are following their usual tactics. The horror is that American officials and Western leaders appear to be falling for this shell-game all over again.
The problem with enriching hostile regimes to "buy quiet" is that this is the money they use to build nuclear weapons with which to attack us.
An additional problem, unfortunately, is that the Iranian regime has a well-documented history of lying.
No deal that permits any level of enrichment or allows Iran to keep its centrifuges intact will prevent Iran from building nuclear weapons.
We are trying to "deal" with theocrats who believe it is their divine duty to destroy Israel and America, and take over the oil-rich states in the Persian Gulf.
What makes the current situation even more exasperating is that despite decades of talks, deals and diplomatic theater with North Korea, Russia, China and Iran, we have watched them exploit Western weakness and lack of resolve time and again right under our noses. Yet, like Charlie Brown and the football, the West insists on accepting the same failed, bogus guarantees. We do not need another Swiss-cheese agreement filled with loopholes. We do not need photo-ops and press conferences proclaiming bogus triumphs.
Iran appears to be using diplomacy to stall, deceive and advance its nuclear capabilities behind closed doors, while securing financial and geopolitical concessions from the West.
As the United States continues negotiations with Iran to prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons, if it does not already have them, it has become clear that the Islamic Republic's regime is not pursuing these talks in good faith.
Far from viewing negotiations as a means toward a peaceful resolution, the Iranian regime appears to see them as a tool that has proven successful before, not only for itself but also for its authoritarian ally, North Korea.
Iran appears to be using diplomacy to stall, deceive and advance its nuclear capabilities behind closed doors, while securing financial and geopolitical concessions from the West.
The disturbing part is not that Iran's mullahs are following their usual tactics. The horror is that American officials and Western leaders appear to be falling for this shell-game all over again.
To understand how dangerously naïve the apparent US approach is, one only needs to revisit the trajectory of North Korea's nuclear program. In the early 1980s, North Korea under Kim Il Sung began developing nuclear technology under the pretense -- of course -- of producing only peaceful civilian nuclear energy. The international community -- credulous hopeful and thrilled to avoid confrontation -- pursued negotiations. The result was the 1994 "Agreed Framework" under President Bill Clinton, in which North Korea agreed to freeze its plutonium weapons program in exchange for aid, oil shipments and help with building light-water nuclear reactors.
U.S. officials celebrated it as a diplomatic victory. As the West congratulated itself, North Korea quietly advanced its nuclear weapons program to the goal line. By the time Washington discovered the deception, North Korea had successfully negotiated enough time to become a nuclear-armed state.
In 2006, North Korea shocked the world by conducting its first successful nuclear detonation. Today, North Korea possesses dozens of nuclear warheads and a large stockpile of ballistic missiles, including ICBMs capable of hitting cities in the continental United States. This is the true legacy of negotiating with tyrannical regimes.
The problem with enriching hostile regimes to "buy quiet" is that this is the money they use to build nuclear weapons with which to attack us.
With Iran, the parallel is pronounced. Iran's clandestine nuclear weapons program was first publicly exposed in 2002 by the National Council of Resistance of Iran, a dissident group that revealed the existence of secret nuclear facilities in Natanz and Arak. This revelation set off more than two decades of international efforts — diplomatic pressure, United Nations sanctions, and multiple rounds of talks, talks, talks — aimed at halting the regime's nuclear plans. Western governments, doggedly convinced they can negotiate their way to security, repeatedly return to the table.
Under President Barack Obama, the United States proudly spearheaded the disastrous 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which, according to the Obama administration, would "prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon," in exchange for sanctions relief. Unfortunately, the deal included a sunset clause "loophole": In just a few years -- which would have ended this October -- Iran would have legitimately been able to have as many nuclear weapons as it could acquire, along with the missiles to deliver them.
The administration heralded the deal as a historic breakthrough, but the facts – including the sunset clause provision -- tell a different story.
Meanwhile, Iran's leaders pocketed billions in sanctions relief, which they funneled into their military, their regional proxies, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. After reaping the benefits, Iran ramped up uranium enrichment to 60%, expelled international inspectors, and threatened to go beyond every previous red line. Just last week, satellite surveillance discovered yet another secret nuclear site in Iran.
An additional problem, unfortunately, is that the Iranian regime has a well-documented history of lying (here, here, here and here).
Two and a half decades have passed since the world first discovered Iran's nuclear weapons ambitions, and where are we? Iran is closer than ever to developing a nuclear bomb, if it has not done so already. According to recent reports, Iran possesses enough highly enriched uranium to build at least six nuclear weapons in a matter of weeks. Iran has developed advanced centrifuges, hardened its underground facilities, and honed its ballistic missile program. In other words, Iran's strategy has been working: feign interest in diplomacy, delay enforcement, outmaneuver weak foreign leaders, and emerge as a nuclear-armed state.
Despite this damning record, Western leaders continue to pretend that a new round of talks will yield different results. Even now, Iranian negotiators insist on their "inalienable right" to enrich uranium, and have refused any deal that would fully dismantled the country's nuclear infrastructure. This response should tell us everything we need to know. No deal that permits any level of enrichment or allows Iran to keep its centrifuges intact will prevent Iran from building nuclear weapons. Washington nevertheless continues to play this dangerous game, hoping that the mullahs will prefer complete dismantlement to "Plan B."
There has been not even been a firm timeline. President Donald Trump's original ultimatum to Iran of "two months" from March 7, 2025, is long gone. This statement, intended to show strength and resolution, is the second ultimatum Trump has blown through since taking office in January 2025. The first was that Hamas had to release all the Israeli hostages it holds in Gaza by a certain date, "or all hell is going to break out." Well, one hostage was released -- the American one -- while leaving the other hostages with Hamas, but no hell broke out. That makes strike two. So much for America's credibility. As the late renowned Middle East historian Bernard Lewis is credited as having said, "America is harmless as an enemy but treacherous as a friend."
Iran's theocratic regime openly chants "Death to America" and "Death to Israel." It no doubt plans to continue sponsoring terrorism, crushing dissent at home, seeking regional and global hegemony and "death" to both of its Satans. Hoping that such a regime will actually voluntarily disarm is most likely based on assumptions that are wobbly at best.
What makes the current situation even more exasperating is that despite decades of talks, deals and diplomatic theater with North Korea, Russia, China and Iran, we have watched them exploit Western weakness and lack of resolve time and again right under our noses. Yet, like Charlie Brown and the football, the West insists on accepting the same failed, bogus guarantees. We do not need another Swiss-cheese agreement filled with loopholes. We do not need photo-ops and press conferences proclaiming bogus triumphs. America needs a serious, uncompromising strategy that actually eliminates Iran's nuclear capabilities —permanently and completely: no centrifuges, no missiles, no uranium enrichment.
We are trying to "deal" with theocrats who believe it is their divine duty to destroy Israel and America, and take over the oil-rich states in the Persian Gulf.
Iran's mullahs have played us long enough. The U.S. and the international community need to stop letting hostile, savage regimes upend global security – now and for good.
*Dr. Majid Rafizadeh, is a political scientist, Harvard-educated analyst, and board member of Harvard International Review. He has authored several books on the US foreign policy. He can be reached at dr.rafizadeh@post.harvard.edu
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© 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/21627/iran-using-north-korea-playbook

Trump just undermined America’s strategic partnership with India
Brahma Chellaney, opinion contributor/The Hill/May 17, 2025
On May 7, India launched a calibrated military campaign against Pakistan in response to a brutal terrorist attack that had killed 26 civilians in Indian-administered Kashmir. Islamist gunmen had deliberately targeted Hindu tourists, exemplifying the persistent cross-border terrorism that India has long endured.
Yet few anticipated that the decisive external actor to intervene, President Trump, would seek not to de-escalate tensions impartially, but to tilt the scales in favor of the state sponsor of terror.
Pakistan’s military has enabled terrorist groups to operate from its soil for decades. Its terrorist proxies have carried out attacks in India with the support — tacit or overt — of Pakistan’s army, which has ruled the country directly or indirectly since its founding in 1947. But this time, when India hit back with precision and restraint, it wasn’t Pakistan that reversed the tide of battle. It was Washington.
The Trump administration stepped in at a pivotal moment, using coercive leverage to compel India to cease its operation prematurely. In doing so, Trump not only spared Pakistan the consequences of its actions but also damaged the foundation of U.S.-India strategic trust.
Trump has publicly boasted about his role. From Riyadh to Doha during his Middle East tour, he declared he had “brokered a historic ceasefire” between India and Pakistan. But behind that triumphant spin lies a less savory truth: The U.S. intervention was not about peace — it was about shielding a longtime “major non-NATO ally” from the fallout of its proxy warfare.
The Indian campaign lasted just three days, one of the shortest modern military operations, yet it achieved notable success. Indian forces degraded Pakistan’s air defenses and struck key air bases. In a display of technological prowess, both nations relied heavily on drones and precision missiles. But while Pakistan launched more projectiles, it failed to inflict meaningful damage on any Indian military installation.
India’s turning point came on the morning of May 10, when its military hit major Pakistani air bases, including Nur Khan — located near the army headquarters, the prime minister’s office and Pakistan’s nuclear command. At this point, India had seized the battlefield initiative.
Yet, just hours later, a ceasefire was accepted — under direct U.S. pressure, with Trump announcing it even before India or Pakistan. The ceasefire took effect at 17:00 Indian Standard Time that same day.
Trump later revealed that he had threatened trade sanctions to halt India’s advance. “If you don’t stop, we are not going to do any trade,” he said during a White House press conference. He reiterated in Saudi Arabia, “I used trade to a large extent to do it.”If true, the U.S. leveraged economic blackmail — not diplomacy — to protect a state that exports terrorism. That raises a chilling question: If Washington can use trade threats to dictate India’s conduct in a military crisis, what’s to stop it from weaponizing defense supply chains during the next one?
India has steadily increased purchases of U.S. military hardware. But this episode confirmed India’s greatest fear: in a real conflict, these systems could become liabilities if Washington turns off the tap. No country’s national security should hinge on platforms dependent on another power’s political whims.
Two days into India’s military campaign, the International Monetary Fund — under strong American influence — approved a $2.4 billion bailout for Pakistan, offering a financial lifeline to a country teetering on the brink of default. The timing of the bailout was telling, rewarding the most persistent terror sponsor in South Asia even as its proxies triggered a military crisis. The bailout signaled to the world that you can export jihadist terror and still enjoy Western protection — if you’re geopolitically useful enough. In fact, Trump has shown an unsettling willingness to engage with actors whom most nations deem beyond the pale. On May 14, he met with Syria’s self-declared president Ahmad al-Sharaa — better known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, a U.S.- and U.N.-designated terrorist and a former leader of Syria’s al Qaeda affiliate. Meanwhile, Trump has turned his sights toward Kashmir as a geopolitical bargaining chip. While remaining conspicuously silent on Pakistan’s role in exporting terrorism, he has proposed to mediate the Kashmir dispute, saying that both India and Pakistan are “great nations” that need help resolving it.
Such false equivalence — between the target of terror and its perpetrator — has justifiably infuriated both the Indian government and public. New Delhi has firmly rejected Trump’s mediation offers, underscoring that there can be no talks under the shadow of terror.
Kashmir is one of the world’s most complex territorial disputes. India controls 45 percent of the former princely state, Pakistan 35 percent and China the remaining 20 percent. Yet Trump, despite failing to resolve conflicts in Ukraine or Gaza, believes he can now “work to see if a solution can be arrived at concerning Kashmir.”
In reality, Trump is playing into the hands of Pakistan, which has long weaponized the Kashmir issue to justify its “war of a thousand cuts” through terrorist proxies against India. Even after bailing out Pakistan, Trump doubled down. On May 15, he rebuked Apple CEO Tim Cook for manufacturing iPhones in India, telling him, “I don’t want you building in India.” According to Trump, a chastened Cook promised to increase production in the U.S.
This pattern of behavior highlights the jarring truth that Trump’s America is not a reliable strategic partner for India. Paradoxically, India should be thankful for this wake-up call. The U.S. likes to portray itself as India’s natural partner in the Indo-Pacific, a region that will determine the next world order. But trust in any partnership is forged during a crisis. Trump may have forced India to pause its military campaign — but, in doing so, he accelerated the unraveling of trust between the world’s two largest democracies. That rupture, unless healed quickly, will not be easy to mend.
Brahma Chellaney is a geostrategist and the author of nine books, including the award-winning “Water: Asia’s New Battleground.”
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Trump visit marks a new era of Saudi-US strategic ties
Dr. Ali Awadh Asseri/Arab News/May 17, 2025
US President Donald Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia this week marked a decisive and strategic transformation of Saudi-US relations, producing outcomes that exceeded expectations. During his visit a wave of high-impact agreements were unveiled that reflect a remarkable alignment between the interests of the two nations and confirm the Kingdom’s elevated status as a regional leader. Trump’s emphatic endorsement of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, his public praise for Saudi Arabia’s reforms agenda, and his unreserved support on critical regional issues such as Iran, Syria, and security cooperation, signal a clear shift in Washington’s strategic calculus. The outcomes of the visit not only fulfill key Saudi priorities, but surpass them, signaling a new era of influence, investment, and diplomatic engagement for the Kingdom. Trump expressed unequivocal support for the crown prince, praised Saudi Arabia’s regional leadership, and reaffirmed US alignment with the Kingdom’s positions on defense, investment, Iran, Syria, and Gulf security.
The visit formalized a $600 billion Saudi investment commitment across US sectors such as energy, critical minerals, infrastructure, and advanced technology. These investments, previously pledged in principle, have now been operationalized, reinforcing economic interdependence while supporting the diversification goals of Saudi Vision 2030. US firms stand to benefit from capital inflows, industrial partnerships, and joint innovation ventures.
The presence of American CEOs, including Elon Musk, Jensen Huang, and Larry Fink, at the Saudi-US Investment Forum that took place during Trump’s visit underscored growing private sector confidence in Saudi Arabia’s economic trajectory. Agreements have been signed in areas such as clean energy, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, logistics, and advanced manufacturing, further embedding American technological leadership into Saudi development plans.
In defense, a $142 billion arms agreement constitutes the centerpiece of a revamped strategic agenda. It provides Saudi Arabia with advanced capabilities in air and missile defense, unmanned aerial systems, cybersecurity, and localized arms production. This enhances the Kingdom’s deterrent posture and operational readiness, especially amid escalating regional threats and persistent instability.
Crucially, this deal also signifies renewed American confidence in Saudi Arabia’s role as the anchor of Gulf security. Trump’s explicit reaffirmation of US military cooperation, intelligence sharing, and readiness to safeguard Gulf allies restores confidence shaken during previous US administrations.
The visit also confirmed alignment on Iran. Trump echoed Saudi concerns and made it clear that Tehran faces a binary choice: reintegration through behavioral change or continued isolation. His rhetoric during the US-Gulf Cooperation Council Summit emphasized the contrast between Saudi-led reformism and Iranian adventurism, sending a clear signal of strategic convergence.
The US continues to support pressure on Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, and on its regional proxies. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia maintains a calibrated policy that balances diplomatic channels, including the China-brokered detente, with a strengthened deterrent framework rooted in its US defense ties. The summit’s message highlights the emergence of a recalibrated Gulf security architecture, one shaped jointly by Saudi resolve and renewed American backing.
A notable outcome was the US shift on Syria. Trump’s informal meeting in Riyadh with the country’s new president, Ahmad Al-Sharaa, which was facilitated by the crown prince, marked a de facto endorsement of the Arab-led normalization effort. By lifting economic sanctions and deferring to regional leadership on the issue of the Syrian transition, Washington has implicitly acknowledged Riyadh’s central role in post-conflict diplomacy.
The White House’s affirmation of Saudi Arabia’s leadership sends a broader message: That a reformed and confident Saudi Arabia is integral to regional and global stability. Saudi Arabia has shaped the Arab League consensus on Syria, prioritizing reconstruction, stability, and a phased reintegration into regional institutions. This outcome underscores the Kingdom’s growing influence as a diplomatic broker capable of balancing internal Arab consensus and global alignment.
On the Palestinian issue, Trump encouraged progress toward peace, but avoided linking normalization to Palestinian statehood, or conditioning it on broader strategic ties with Gulf states. Instead, he conveyed that normalization should be determined by regional actors themselves, whether Saudi Arabia or Syria, at a time of their choosing.
At the US-GCC Summit, Gulf leaders, especially the crown prince, reiterated the centrality of a two-state solution to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, based on 1967 borders, as outlined in the 2002 Saudi-sponsored Arab Peace Initiative. Trump’s ambiguity on the wider issue of the Middle East peace settlement provides Riyadh with valuable strategic latitude. It allows the Kingdom to reaffirm its principled stance on Palestinian rights under the Arab Peace Initiative, while simultaneously preserving the option to explore normalization at its own pace, free from external linkage to final status negotiations. This approach not only strengthens Saudi diplomatic flexibility but also positions it as a credible and autonomous leader in regional peace efforts.
Taken together, these outcomes signify a broader policy realignment as the US-Saudi relationship evolves beyond transactional energy and defense ties into a comprehensive strategic partnership encompassing investment, regional diplomacy, and security coordination.
Saudi Arabia now leads on many regional initiatives, and the US is repositioning itself as a supportive, reliable partner. This shift has been evident not only in joint declarations but also in the tone and symbolism of Trump’s visit, from his remarks at the investment forum to the orchestrated choreography of the regional summit. It was further reinforced by his reiteration of US solidarity with the Arab Gulf when he visited Doha and Abu Dhabi after leaving Riyadh, and the additional agreements by Saudi Arabia’s key GCC allies to invest in the US economy.
Historically, the Saudi-US partnership has withstood Cold War rivalries, oil shocks, terrorism, and diplomatic strains. As was the case during his first term, Trump’s return to Riyadh after his second inauguration reflected the durability of this alliance and also marks a correction of earlier US disengagements from Middle East policy.
His unambiguous support for Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, the country’s social reforms, and regional engagement recognizes the Kingdom’s transition from oil-dependent conservatism to a dynamic and globally connected actor. The White House’s affirmation of Saudi Arabia’s leadership sends a broader message: that a reformed and confident Saudi Arabia is integral to regional and global stability.
Riyadh’s foreign policy increasingly emphasizes balance and diversification. The Kingdom has strengthened relations with China, deepened energy and investment ties with India, and engaged with Russia on the issue of OPEC+ coordination, all while remaining anchored in its foundational partnership with Washington.This strategic pluralism is not a rejection of US leadership but a reflection of Saudi Arabia’s rising agency. Trump’s embrace of this flexible approach, rather than viewing it as a threat, underscores a pragmatic redefinition of alliance management in a multipolar world.
While differences persist — notably over oil pricing, currency flows, and global alignments — these are manageable within the new framework of cooperation. What now binds the two nations is more substantive than ever: joint leadership in securing regional stability, counterterrorism, cyber cooperation, and long-term economic alignment.The Kingdom’s investments in US infrastructure and technology offer tangible benefits to American workers and industries, while American know-how accelerates Saudi Arabia’s transition to a post-oil economy.
Looking ahead, Riyadh expects strategic consistency and institutional continuity from Washington. In return, it offers capital, regional leadership, and a shared commitment to security and innovation.
If this trajectory is maintained, Trump’s visit will be remembered as the moment when Saudi-US relations entered a new phase defined not by hierarchy or dependency, but by mutual respect, long-term vision, and joint responsibility for shaping the future of the Middle East and beyond.
**Dr. Ali Awadh Asseri served as Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Pakistan (from 2001 to 2009) and Lebanon (from 2009 to 2016). He is deputy chairperson of Rasanah, the International Institute for Iranian Studies, in Riyadh. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Beirut Arab University, and is author of the book, “Combating Terrorism: Saudi Arabia’s Role in the War on Terror” (Oxford University Press). This article reflects his personal views.

Bridging the divide: Trump’s vision for a new Middle East
Dr. Turki Faisal Al-Rasheed/Arab News/May 17, 2025
The recent diplomatic maneuvers led by US President Donald Trump during his visit to Saudi Arabia and other nations in the Arabian Gulf represent a pivotal shift from the foreign policy frameworks established by his predecessors.
In an era marked by escalating conflicts and instability reminiscent of the pre-Second World War landscape, the Middle East has emerged as a critical stage on which to redefine global relations. Its abundant energy resources, financial power, and strategic location position it as a potential pivot point for international collaboration.
In a week characterized by what some have referred to as diplomatic improvisation, Trump’s engagement with Saudi Arabia highlights the sense of urgency in adapting to an evolving geopolitical landscape. This partnership underscores the potential of Gulf states as essential strategic allies of the US, providing not only vast natural resources such as oil, but also a critical geographical advantage that enhances global trade and connectivity. These intricate dynamics reveal the complex interplay of modern geopolitics and shifting power structures on the global stage.
During his address in Saudi Arabia, Trump boldly proclaimed an end to America’s longstanding practice of nation-building and military intervention, asserting that the US would no longer impose its values on other nations. This shift resonates with sentiments shared by many in the region, reflecting a growing frustration with the consequences of American interventionism.
“In the end, the so-called nation-builders wrecked far more nations than they built,” he told an investment conference in Riyadh. While this critique captures a crucial sentiment, it also invites scrutiny regarding the historical ramifications of US foreign policy over the past seven decades.
Through Trump’s lens, the Middle East is viewed as a landscape ripe for opportunity. Influenced by a circle of affluent advisers and unconventional think tanks, his vision intertwines with significant military interests and the region’s natural resources. Embracing the “Make America Great Again” mantra, Trump views engagement with the Middle East not only as a chance to redefine America’s global role but also as a departure from traditional diplomatic practices that have typically prioritized Israel as a key ally. However, it is essential to recognize the multifaceted dynamics that characterize the Middle East. American political commentator and New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman’s assertion that “this Israeli government is not our ally” underscores the need for a nuanced understanding of the region’s complexities.
Trump appears to acknowledge that shifting demographics and evolving political landscapes could significantly impact American strategic objectives. The statement by the US ambassador to Israel that America acts in its own interests without seeking permission raises ethical concerns about the implications of American foreign policy in the region. The Israeli occupation of Palestinian land starkly highlights these complexities, particularly in light of the recent violence in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s comments reveal a troubling strategy that risks further displacing Palestinians and exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis.
Such developments pose significant challenges to American interests, indicating a departure from traditional US support for Israeli policies, especially with regard to Syria, maritime routes in the Red Sea, and negotiations with Iran.
The establishment of a legitimate Palestinian state could serve as a linchpin for the transformation of regional relations.
Amid these challenges, Trump’s agenda seeks to reshape American interests by balancing traditional energy needs with the evolving geopolitical landscape. His discussions emphasized the importance of securing safe maritime routes while addressing the concerns of Arab allies regarding broader American intentions. Partnerships with nations such as Saudi Arabia, centered around peaceful energy initiatives, aiming to foster economic collaboration and mutual political respect.
For these partnerships to flourish, however, a just and comprehensive resolution to the Palestinian issue is paramount. The establishment of a legitimate Palestinian state could serve as a linchpin for the transformation of regional relations and the facilitation of Israel’s integration into a cohesive Middle East. Without acknowledgment of this necessity, agreements risk becoming mere formalities, burdened by distrust and dissatisfaction. Trump’s aspirations extend beyond mere diplomacy; he positions himself as a potential peacemaker. While this ambition could earn him accolades, such as the Nobel Peace Prize, its realization hinges on fostering balanced partnerships throughout the region. Arab nations hold considerable strategic leverage that, if wisely utilized, could align with Trump’s broader vision. A unified Arab stance is critical for efforts to counter foreign interference and address extremist threats that could escalate tensions.
As we delve deeper into this complex situation, three prominent dynamics emerge. The first encompasses the promotion of conflict, often perpetuated by the US military-industrial complex, right-wing elements within the Israeli government, and various special interest groups entrenched in Washington. This cycle of violence, frequently driven by economic motivations, detracts from genuine peace efforts.
The second dynamic involves the rising influence of global powers such as China and Russia, which are increasingly inserting themselves into international relations, thereby reshaping traditional geopolitical alliances.
Finally, there is a compelling call for sustainable development and the common good, with Saudi Arabia aiming to lead by example through its ambitious Vision 2030 initiative, which seeks to diversify the national economy and lessen its dependency on oil. Through this lens, Trump recognizes the potential of Saudi Arabia as a vital channel for dialogue with Russia. His administration sees the Kingdom’s role as a pivotal one in efforts to mitigate tensions and foster positive relations between Moscow and Washington. Given the ongoing crisis stemming from the war between Russia and Ukraine, Saudi diplomacy has demonstrated a sincere commitment to addressing global nuclear fears and the promotion of regional stability.
The Arabian Gulf and broader Middle East are not merely regions of contention; they represent opportunities for strategic partnerships. Over the past decade, Arab states have adeptly navigated their international relations, distancing themselves from partisan affiliations and asserting their agency in global affairs.
As the US faces a complex web of challenges, including a resilient military-industrial complex, economic sustainability pursuits and the emergence of new powers, it becomes clear that collaboration, rather than dominance, will be essential to achieve sustainable peace. As Trump embarks on this diplomatic journey, addressing the foundational issues that resonate within the Arab world, in particular the Palestinian cause, is crucial. A profound call exists for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, coupled with an urgent need to confront the grim realities of Israeli violations.The support of crisis profiteers for the interests of a few has perpetuated instability and conflict in the region. The current state of the Middle East reflects the consequences of historical missteps in US and wider Western foreign policies.
Ultimately, the nations of the Middle East aspire to stability and development, and are firmly opposed to cycles of violence. Achieving these objectives necessitates overcoming entrenched barriers and cultivating a dialogue-rich environment conducive to peace and prosperity.
By acknowledging and balancing the diverse aspirations of all stakeholders, Saudi-US relations stand poised to enter a new era, one that places an emphasis on cooperation and mutual benefit while effectively addressing historical grievances and shifting the focus from power struggles to shared ambitions for a better future.
Trump’s approach reflects a confluence of interests that offers a unique opportunity to formulate a politically astute strategy that recognizes the historical complexities of the Middle East. However, achieving a reciprocal balance is essential; without it, the persistent disconnect between American and Arab interests will hinder progress. Gulf leaders are increasingly cognizant of the futility of seeking agreements with the US, given past betrayals and the current geopolitical landscape.
As tensions persist, maintaining amicable relations with global powers such as Russia and China will be crucial to safeguarding energy markets and promoting economic growth. Lessons learned from previous American policies, particularly concerning oil-price manipulation, illuminate the dangers of misaligned interests. The solutions of one era often morph into the challenges of the next.
Thus a future-oriented approach must involve a careful calibration of alliances that serve the interests of both the US and Middle Eastern nations, ultimately striving for stability, peace, and mutual respect.
In navigating these new diplomatic frontiers there lies the potential for a more balanced and fruitful engagement with the Middle East, one that acknowledges the complexities of the region and affirms the dignity of all its peoples.
**Dr. Turki Faisal Al-Rasheed is an adjunct professor at the University of Arizona’s College of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences, in the Department of Biosystems Engineering. He is the author of “Agricultural Development Strategies: The Saudi Experience.” X: @TurkiFRasheed

Strategic posturing in a multipolar world
Dr. John Sfakianakis/Arab News/May 17, 2025
US President Donald Trump’s tour of the Gulf was far more than a ceremonial engagement. It was a choreographed exercise in strategic projection: part arms bazaar, part geopolitical theater, and part economic sales mission.
The timing was critical. US influence in the Middle East is no longer a given, and the region’s aspirations have outgrown their historical dependencies. With China extending its reach and Gulf monarchies pursuing bold visions of transformation, the visit tested Washington’s continued relevance in a world increasingly defined by multipolarity.
True to his brand as a dealmaker, Trump placed commerce at the center of his visit. Announcements of multibillion-dollar agreements dominated the headlines, ranging from expansive arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, to infrastructure investments, technology transfers, and fledgling partnerships in artificial intelligence and renewable energy.
For Trump, the logic was straightforward: These deals promise jobs back home, project strength abroad, and reinforce his campaign narrative of economic nationalism and American exceptionalism.
For Gulf states, Trump’s visit reaffirmed their centrality to US strategic calculations. In a region where optics carry geopolitical weight, his presence underscored a clear message: The US is still engaged, and transactional loyalty remains a currency that yields dividends.
Gulf leaders extracted more than symbolism. The visit aligned with their sweeping national agendas, from Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE’s industrial diversification to Qatar’s long-term investments in energy, education, and technology. Trump’s endorsement provides political cover for these domestic overhauls, while insulating them from Western scrutiny. Yet this is not a return to Cold War binaries. Gulf capitals understand the precariousness of relying too heavily on American guarantees, particularly in an era of growing US isolationism. Their strategy is pragmatic: Hedge alliances, broaden partnerships, and deepen autonomy.
Looming behind Trump’s Gulf tour was the expanding shadow of China. Over the past decade, Beijing has embedded itself across the region, investing in ports, logistics, digital infrastructure, and energy supply chains. It offers rapid deployment of capital, infrastructure efficiency, and diplomatic noninterference — an attractive alternative to the conditionality of Western engagement.
US President Donald Trump’s tour of the Gulf was far more than a ceremonial engagement. It was a choreographed exercise in strategic projection.
The Gulf is not forced to choose between Washington and Beijing. It is leveraging both to extract maximum strategic value. Trump’s mission was not to displace China but to reassert America’s competitive edge by offering what Beijing cannot: elite military capabilities, intelligence-sharing frameworks, and the legacy of long-term security cooperation. The defense and tech-focused agreements signed during this trip signaled a renewed American willingness to contest influence in the region, not relinquish it. One question haunts the cascade of contracts: How will Gulf states finance these commitments amid persistently low oil prices? Although regional economies have amassed significant sovereign wealth over the past two decades, fiscal pressure is mounting. Budget deficits are widening, subsidy cuts remain politically sensitive, and diversification efforts are still nascent in terms of revenue generation. The answer, for now, lies in the careful management of reserves, reprioritization of capital spending, and a bet that the return on strategic alignment with the US, in terms of security guarantees and investment access, will outweigh the short-term economic strain. But the risk is real; overextension, particularly in a volatile oil market, could jeopardize long-term fiscal stability and delay domestic reforms agendas.
Although not headline news during the visit, energy politics remained a critical undercurrent. Military alliances and diplomatic alignment invariably shape oil-production strategies. A revitalized US-Gulf relationship could yield informal coordination on output policy, especially in moments of global economic turbulence.
Yet the more profound shift is structural. Gulf economies are accelerating their transitions away from hydrocarbons, altering the very foundations of their relationships with the US. Investment, innovation and industrial collaboration are becoming the new pillars of engagement. This transition will redefine global capital flows, diminish the centrality of the petrodollar, and reshape energy diplomacy for decades to come.
Tactically, the visit delivered results. Trump walked away with deals he can market as economic and diplomatic victories. Gulf leaders secured visibility, AI deals, investment, and a reaffirmation of their strategic relevance.
But deeper uncertainties persist. Many agreements are aspirational or on the long-term horizon and could be derailed by future US policy reversals. Tying regional strategy too tightly to a single, polarizing figure risks instability should the American political landscape shift.
More fundamentally, the visit did not reverse the trajectory of an increasingly multipolar world. The US is now one player in a crowded strategic arena that includes China, Europe, and a rising class of autonomous regional actors.
Trump’s Gulf visit reinvigorated a crucial relationship. But it did not end the game. That contest continues to unfold — in Washington, in Beijing, and in the Arab Gulf capitals of Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, and Doha.
**Dr. John Sfakianakis is the chief economist and head of economic research at the Gulf Research Center.