English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For May 27/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
Mary and her sister Martha sent a message to Jesus saying, ‘Lord, Lazarus whom you love is ill
Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world. But those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not in them
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 11/01-16/:”Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, ‘Lord, he whom you love is ill.’ But when Jesus heard it, he said, ‘This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.’ Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, ‘Let us go to Judea again.’The disciples said to him, ‘Rabbi, the Jews were just now trying to stone you, and are you going there again?’ Jesus answered, ‘Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world. But those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not in them.’ After saying this, he told them, ‘Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him.’ The disciples said to him, ‘Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right.’ Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was referring merely to sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead. For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.’ Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow-disciples, ‘Let us also go, that we may die with him.’”

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on May 26-27/2025
The Possible Appointment of Nejad Fares as Lebanon’s Ambassador to Washington Raises Serious Questions/Elias Bejjani/May 26/2025
Video and Text: The “Liberation of the South Day” Is a Lie, a Distortion of History, and Must Be Cancelled and Forgotten/Elias Bejjani/May 25/ 2025
Video link to an interview with Dr. Imad Murad on MTV titled “Palestinians in Lebanon”
President Aoun Meets Raad Amid Arms Handover Tensions
President Aoun Urges UN Aid Shift to Syria, Tackles Arms in Palestinian Camps
Syrian Authorities Seize Weapons Cache Allegedly Bound for Hezbollah
Three Israeli airstrikes target outskirts of Brital
Hezbollah captives may be freed as part of deal involving Israeli-Russian researcher
Aoun confirms disarmament to start mid-June in 3 Palestinian camps in Beirut
New proposal involves release of 10 Gaza hostages, 70-day truce
Salam Launches Economic Recovery Plan and Renews Ties with UAE
Salam: We won't remain silent over any arms outside state control
Two wounded in overnight strikes on Beit Leef and Majdalzoun
Israel Reconfigures Northern Border Defenses

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on May 26-27/2025
Canadians welcome King Charles after Trump takeover threats
Trump hints at announcement in 'next two days' on Iran nuclear talks
Sykes-Picot divided Syria and the broader region for imperial gain
Hamas-led groups execute four for looting aid trucks amid some Gaza dissent
French journalists call on France to help evacuate collaborators from Gaza
Head of controversial Israel-backed Gaza aid group resigns
Israeli far-right police minister visits Al-Aqsa mosque site ahead of Jerusalem rally
Syria's government and Kurds reach agreement on returning families from notorious camp
US envoy says Gaza ceasefire deal is on the table, as Israel prepares for ‘unprecedented attack’
Palestinian official says Hamas agrees to Gaza proposal, Israel dismisses it
Israeli strike on Gaza school sheltering displaced Palestinians kills dozens, officials say
A new aid system in Gaza has started operations, a US-backed group says
Chanting 'Death to Arabs,' Israeli nationalists gather for annual march in Jerusalem
Kremlin on Trump's remark about Putin being 'crazy': there is some emotional overload
President Donald Trump says Russian leader Vladimir Putin 'has gone absolutely CRAZY!'
These women are defying Iran's hijab laws — despite fear of reprisal
Macron plays down apparent shove from wife in Vietnam
Tens of thousands flock to see a Spanish saint's remains more than 440 years after her death
Daesh cell ‘planning attacks’ held in Damascus
Jordan eyes new economic partnership with Syria during official visit

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sourceson on May 26-27/2025
Do Not Be Fooled by Iran: What They Really Want Is to Destroy America, Israel Is Just in the Way/Bassam Tawil/Gatestone Institute/May 26/2025
The 'Two-State Solution' to Kill Jews, Destroy Israel/Bassam Tawil/Gatestone Institute/May 26, 2025
The Syrian uplift/Dana Hourany/Now Lebanon/May 26/2025
Boko Haram's resurgence: Why Nigeria's military is struggling to hold the line/Taiwo Adebayo/The Associated Press/May 26, 2025
Sykes-Picot Agreement and Political Islam/Colonel Charbel Barakat/May 27/2025
Washington attack was wrong and does not help Palestine/Daoud Kuttab/Arab News/May 26, 2025
UK in long overdue change of tune on Gaza/Chris Doyle/Arab News/May 26, 2025

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on May 26-27/2025
The Possible Appointment of Nejad Fares as Lebanon’s Ambassador to Washington Raises Serious Questions
Elias Bejjani/May 26/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/05/143687/
Last week, social media platforms circulated news about intensive deliberations taking place at the highest levels in Lebanon to choose a new ambassador to the United States. The leading candidate appears to be Mr. Nejad Fares, a prominent figure in the "American Task Force for Lebanon" (ATFL), who is reportedly receiving special backing from president Joseph Aoun. As discussions around this appointment intensify, it is essential to pause and raise a number of questions and observations—not out of personal suspicion, but from a standpoint rooted in Lebanon’s national interest, its sovereignty, and the ongoing regional shifts and domestic challenges Lebanon faces in its struggle to reclaim its independence and liberate itself from the Iranian-Hezbollah occupation.
The first and most obvious question is this, why is a dual U.S. citizen being considered for this crucial post, when Lebanon and the Lebanese diaspora are home to hundreds of highly qualified, sovereign-minded individuals who meet all legal requirements and do not need to renounce any foreign citizenship to comply with Lebanese laws?
Doesn't this indicate a troubling narrowness in the selection process—especially in president's  Aoun’s choices?
And why, during such a critical and sensitive period, the focus is on nominating figures who spark political controversy and raise many questions?
If it is indeed true that president Aoun is pushing for Mr. Nejad Fares to be appointed to this position, then it is Mr. Fares’s duty—first and foremost—to clearly and publicly declare to the Lebanese people, and to the regional and international actors striving to help Lebanon break free from Iranian occupation:
Where does he stand on the key United Nations Security Council resolutions related to Lebanon, particularly:
Resolution 1559, which calls for the disarmament of all militias,
Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war and reasserted the sovereignty of the Lebanese state,
Resolution 1680, which called for the demarcation of borders with Syria.
And most importantly, his clear stance on all the provisions of the ceasefire agreement issued following the end of the war that Hezbollah launched against the State of Israel—on orders from Iran, not Lebanon—in support of Hamas’s terrorist war.
We must ask: Does Mr. Fares support the full implementation of these resolutions? Or does he, like president Joseph Aoun, adhere to the failed notion of “dialogue with Hezbollah”—a theory that has proven disastrous over the past two decades? Hezbollah has never once abandoned its weapons. It has rejected every call for dialogue, broken every national accord, and each time it sat at the dialogue table, it later returned to impose its terms on the Lebanese people by force of arms.
The national and moral responsibility falls on Mr. Fares—if he truly intends to take on this diplomatic post—to issue an unambiguous and public statement detailing his position on Hezbollah and the aforementioned international resolutions. He must express his full commitment to these resolutions and affirm his belief that only the Lebanese state should possess arms—no one else.
Ultimately, if the reports of Mr. Nejad Fares’s nomination are accurate, then many inside Lebanon and within the diaspora view this choice as highly unfortunate, one that raises serious doubts about its timing and implications.
In conclusion, Lebanon today needs ambassadors with a sovereign and independent track record—diplomats committed to confronting the Iranian project and ending Hezbollah’s occupation. It is time to appoint ambassadors who genuinely represent a Lebanon that seeks peace, liberation, and an end to Hezbollah’s grip and to all forms of violence and hostility.

Video and Text: The “Liberation of the South Day” Is a Lie, a Distortion of History, and Must Be Cancelled and Forgotten
Elias Bejjani/May 25/ 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/05/143643/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_sxlCM-F4Y&t=104s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77eZt5HiaXc
May 25, 2000, was portrayed as a turning point for South Lebanon. The Israeli army withdrew, fulfilling a promise made by then- Isaeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak ahead of the Israeli elections. But what followed was not liberation—it was betrayal. A secret deal between Israel, Iran, and Syria sealed the fate of the "Southern Security Zone", and handed it over to terrorist and Jihadist armed forces.
The Lebanese citizens of the "Southern Security Zone", along with their defender the South Lebanon Army—were abandoned to the Syrian Ba'athist occupiers and Iranian jihadist militias operating under the deceptive and blasphemous name “Hezbollah.”
Though Barak’s move was packaged as a fulfillment of a democratic promise, the reality was far darker. Hidden negotiations took place behind the scenes, brokered through envoys from Germany, Sweden, and Jordan. These talks led to an arrangement with the authoritarian regimes in Syria and Iran that effectively delivered the "Southern Lebanon Security Zone"—and its people—into Hezbollah’s hands.
This deal dismantled the South Lebanon Army and sealed the border with Israel, leaving the region vulnerable to Hezbollah’s violence and domination.
What Hezbollah falsely markets as “liberation” was nothing more than a calculated political maneuver, based on lies, betrayal, and international hypocrisy. The annual celebration of May 25 by both the Lebanese government and Hezbollah, under the name “Liberation Day,” is a national disgrace and a historical fabrication.
Let us not forget that, just days before the Israeli withdrawal, Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah appeared on every available media outlet to issue direct threats to the people of the "Southern Security Zone". He terrorized them with blood-curdling warnings about beheadings and revenge killings. These threats forced tens of thousands of innocent civilians to flee to Israel, where they continue to be unjustly labeled as “collaborators” and are forbidden from returning to their homes.
The reality is clear: the so-called “liberation” was not the result of heroic resistance, but a consequence of foreign-brokered deals and Syria’s military occupation. The myth of Hezbollah’s victory was crafted in Damascus and Tehran—not on the battlefields of the South.
The people of the "Southern Security Zone" were betrayed and abandoned. They deserve justice—not propaganda, not fear, and certainly not lies wrapped in the flag of so-called resistance.
We firmly assert that the so-called “Liberation Day” must be abolished from Lebanon’s national calendar and erased from the collective memory of its people.
Hezbollah is not a resistance movement—it is a terrorist, criminal, and jihadist militia operating as a proxy of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. Its killed leader, Hassan Nasrallah, has repeatedly admitted this affiliation with pride, acting as a Trojan horse within Lebanon’s borders.
On October 8, 2023, Hezbollah dragged Lebanon into a war by attacking Israel on orders from Iran. This reckless act was carried out without the consent of the Lebanese people or its government. Therefore, Hezbollah bears full responsibility for the devastating retaliation that has followed and still going on—the deaths, destruction, and displacement.
Despite the loss of many of its leaders and suffering crushing blows in the ongoing conflict, Hezbollah still hijacks the Lebanese state. It is not Lebanese. It is not Arab. It is not a representative of Lebanon’s Shiite community. It has taken the Shiites hostage—killing their youth, destroying their towns, and disfiguring their history and identity.
This Iranian armed Jihadist proxy is not just a political problem; it is a national, ethical, and civilizational disaster. It engages in terrorism, smuggling, assassinations, and organized crime. It is one of the most dangerous mafias on Earth. Accordingly, Lebanon will never be saved until the Hezbollah occupation is ended—politically, militarily, culturally, and institutionally.
For all these reasons, President Joseph Aoun, the Lebanese government, and all political leaders—regardless of sect or affiliation—must summon the courage to speak the truth. They must name Hezbollah for what it truly is: a terrorist Iranian proxy militia. The false label of “resistance” must be stripped away, and Lebanon must fully and publicly support the implementation of all relevant United Nations resolutions and the recent ceasefire agreement.
The military, security, and political structure of Hezbollah must be dismantled—by force if necessary—to liberate the Shiite community and the rest of Lebanon from this foreign-imposed nightmare.
No Hezbollah member should ever be allowed to serve in the Lebanese Armed Forces or any state security agency. The group’s remaining leaders must be prosecuted and permanently banned from political life. The time for hollow dialogue has passed. Hezbollah must be disarmed, and its intelligence networks and parallel state apparatus dismantled.
In conclusion: A draft resolution must be urgently submitted to Parliament to abolish the lie of “Liberation Day.” This toxic myth must be buried, so that Lebanon may finally begin to heal.

Video link to an interview with Dr. Imad Murad on MTV titled “Palestinians in Lebanon”
A historical and current reading of the Palestinian presence in Lebanon and the developments in the region that facilitated the decision to demilitarize the Palestinian camps and place them under Lebanese authority.
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/05/143675/
May 25, 2025

President Aoun Meets Raad Amid Arms Handover Tensions
This is Beirut/May 26, 2025
President Joseph Aoun received MP Mohammad Raad, the head of the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc, at the Presidential Palace in Baabda on Monday, as Lebanon moves forward with its plan to disarm Palestinian camps by mid-June. The issue of weapons and the restoration of full Lebanese sovereignty was at the heart of their meeting, which lasted almost an hour and marked the first visit by a senior figure from Hezbollah to President Aoun since his election in January 2025. The timing of the encounter is particularly significant, coming just one day after Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem delivered a speech stating that “weapons are a tool to be used, when necessary, in the appropriate way and with proper judgment.”“Don’t ask anything of us anymore, let Israel withdraw, end its aggression, and release the captives. After that, we’ll talk,” he added. His remarks stand in stark contrast to the official Lebanese position, with both President Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam reiterating on Monday the state’s commitment to ending the presence of unauthorized weapons and restoring state authority across all Lebanese territory. The message appears to have struck a nerve. In an interview with Sky News Arabia, Salam reiterated the government’s position, saying, “The era of exporting the Iranian revolution is over,” and emphasizing public support for a strong, centralized state. Following the meeting, Raad declined to comment on Prime Minister Salam’s statements. In response, Raad said, “I prefer not to comment… to preserve what remains of mutual goodwill,” highlighting the resistance bloc’s rejection of the disarmament initiative. However, he did describe his talks with the president as “positive.” He stated that there was “a broad space for understanding” with the president, adding that his bloc would “continue to support efforts that promote sovereignty and fair representation.”In a measured response to the disarmament debate, MP Raad signaled a willingness to engage – though on his own terms. “We are not bound by timing, locations or mechanisms to engage in dialogue,” he said, emphasizing that what truly matters is the president’s “sincere commitment” to national priorities, including political and administrative reforms, and securing essential rights and services for all Lebanese citizens. On the contentious issue of Hezbollah’s arms and the state’s exclusive control over weapons, Raad maintained a cautious openness: “There are no closed doors when it comes to exchanging views with the president. This openness has existed since the presidential election and will continue.” However, he added a pointed caveat: “The state cannot demand privileges without fulfilling its duties. Mutual understanding comes when responsibilities and obligations are equally met.”Earlier on Monday, President Aoun assured a visiting US Congressional delegation, led by Senator Angus King, that the implementation of the disarmament plan would proceed “step by step,” adding, “The decision has been made and there is no turning back.” Three camps have already been dismantled, and joint committees are supervising the process. According to al-Anbaa news channel, Lebanon has been given an eight-month deadline to resolve the issue of illegal arms and restore full state control. International aid and reconstruction funds are reportedly being withheld until the process is completed.
US Congressional Delegation Expresses Support
Beyond the disarmament issue, President Aoun affirmed to the US delegation that Lebanon remains committed to UN Resolution 1701 and has already deployed troops south of the Litani River. He also accused Israel of non-compliance, citing its ongoing occupation of Lebanese territory and refusal to release detainees. On Syria, Aoun welcomed recent US sanctions relief, suggesting it could facilitate refugee return and enhance border security through renewed cooperation with Damascus.

President Aoun Urges UN Aid Shift to Syria, Tackles Arms in Palestinian Camps
This is Beirut/May 26, 2025
President Joseph Aoun called on the international community to reconsider its approach to the Syrian refugee crisis, urging the United Nations to focus aid efforts inside Syria rather than in Lebanon. “The United Nations should deliver assistance to displaced persons within their own country, not in Lebanon,” Aoun stated during a meeting on Monday with a US congressional delegation led by Senator Angus King. He highlighted that easing US sanctions on Syria could be a key step toward resolving the refugee issue. “Lifting US sanctions on Syria is a positive move,” he said, explaining that a stronger Syrian economy would encourage refugees to return home and contribute to rebuilding their country. On internal security, President Aoun announced the creation of joint Lebanese-Palestinian committees aimed at tackling the ongoing problem of armed groups in Palestinian refugee camps. “Work is set to begin mid-next month in three Palestinian camps in Beirut to address the presence of weapons,” he added, without specifying the camps involved.

Syrian Authorities Seize Weapons Cache Allegedly Bound for Hezbollah
This is Beirut/May 26, 2025
Syrian media reported on Monday that internal security forces in the city of Homs had seized a significant cache of weapons and rockets near the Syrian-Lebanese border, in what is believed to be a foiled smuggling operation coordinated with Hezbollah.
According to reports, the intercepted shipment included automatic weapons and rockets, which were allegedly intended for Hezbollah. The seizure took place in a rural area near the border, though specific details about the location and those involved remain unclear. The discovery followed an earlier announcement by Al-Hadath TV channel on Sunday evening, which reported the unearthing of a weapons depot close to the Lebanese border. The cache reportedly included a wide array of military-grade equipment stored in preparation for cross-border transfer. While initial reports pointed to Hezbollah as the intended recipient of the arms, Syrian authorities have not yet issued an official statement confirming the identities of those responsible for the stockpile or providing further information on the scope of the operation. The incident has once again raised alarms about the continued movement of arms across the porous Syrian-Lebanese border.

Three Israeli airstrikes target outskirts of Brital
Naharnet/May 26, 2025
Israeli warplanes on Monday carried out three airstrikes on the Sraj area in the outskirts of the Baalbek district town of Brital, the state-run National News Agency said. Two people were injured in overnight strikes on the southern towns of Beit Leef and Majdal Zoun, the Health Ministry said Monday. Israel has continued to launch near-daily airstrikes in southern and eastern Lebanon and sometimes in Beirut’s suburbs despite a November 27 truce that sought to halt more than a year of hostilities with Hezbollah including two months of full-blown war. Under the terms of the ceasefire deal, the only armed bodies in southern Lebanon are meant to be U.N. peacekeepers and Lebanon's army, though Israel has retained its forces in five areas it has declared strategic. Speaking Sunday on the anniversary of Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000, Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem reiterated the Lebanese group’s stance that it will not discuss giving up its remaining weapons until Israel withdraws from the five border points it occupies in southern Lebanon and stops its airstrikes.
"We adhered completely" to the agreement, Qassem said, adding: "Don’t ask us for anything else from now on. Let Israel withdraw, stop its aggression, release the prisoners and fulfill all obligations under the agreement. After that, we will discuss each new development."

Hezbollah captives may be freed as part of deal involving Israeli-Russian researcher
Naharnet/May 26, 2025
There is an available chance to reactivate the file of the release of Lebanese captives held by Israel in conjunction with the expected release of Israeli-Russian researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov, who was kidnapped by Iraq in 2023 by the Iran-backed Ketaeb Hezbollah group, which is not linked to Lebanon’s Hezbollah, Western diplomatic sources said. The sources told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper that Hezbollah’s leadership prepared a list containing the names of 15 Lebanese captives, of whom seven were captured during the latest Israel-Hezbollah war and eight were detained during the ceasefire period. The daily added that the deal also involves an Iranian citizen and a Palestinian national. Sky News had reported Saturday that an agreement was reached to exchange prisoners between Iraq, Iran and Israel, which involves “Hezbollah members, a Lebanese sea captain, an Israeli-Russian academic and an Iranian citizen.”

Aoun confirms disarmament to start mid-June in 3 Palestinian camps in Beirut
Agence France Presse/May 26, 2025
The disarmament of the first Palestinian camps in Lebanon will begin in mid-June in three Beirut camps, President Joseph Aoun confirmed Monday. A joint Lebanese-Palestinian committee met for the first time last week following an accord between Lebanese and Palestinian leaders on disarming Palestinian camps as Lebanon seeks to impose its authority on all its territory. The Lebanese and Palestinian sides agreed on starting a plan "to remove weapons from the camps, beginning mid-June in the Beirut camps, and other camps will follow," a Lebanese government official told AFP on Friday. Lebanon hosts about 222,000 Palestinian refugees, according to the United Nations agency UNRWA, many living in 12 overcrowded official camps. Most are descendants of Palestinians who fled or were expelled from their land during the creation of Israel in 1948.

New proposal involves release of 10 Gaza hostages, 70-day truce
Agence France Presse/May 26, 2025
A Palestinian source familiar with negotiations aimed at securing a truce between Israel and Hamas in Gaza said Monday that a new proposal involved the release of 10 hostages, a 70-day ceasefire and a partial Israeli withdrawal. The outline of the new potential deal comes as Israel ramps up its offensive in the Palestinian territory, and follows previous rounds of talks that have failed to reach a breakthrough ever since a two-month ceasefire fell apart in mid-March. "The new proposal, which is considered a development of the path and vision of U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, includes the release of 10 living Israeli hostages held by Hamas in exchange for a 70-day truce, a partial withdrawal from the Gaza Strip (and) the release of a number of Palestinian prisoners," the source close to negotiations told AFP.The source added that mediators presented the proposal "over the past few days", without specifying whether it came from the United States, Egypt or Qatar, all of which have been involved in the ceasefire talks throughout the war. The proposal would involve the release of "five living Israeli hostages during the first week of the agreement's implementation, and five others before the end of the truce period". A second Palestinian source familiar with the talks told AFP that "Israel and Hamas will study the proposal and both sides will respond to the mediators".
Israel said last week that it was recalling its senior Gaza hostage negotiators from Doha "for consultation", while leaving some of its team in the Qatari capital. Israel has recently intensified its campaign in Gaza, calling it an "expansion of the battle" against Palestinian militant group Hamas. mThe last ceasefire between the sides fell apart amid disagreements over how to move forward, with Israel resuming its operations in Gaza on March 18. On March 2, Israel imposed a total aid blockade on the territory that it said was aimed at forcing concessions with Hamas, with U.N. agencies since warning it has created critical shortages of food, clean water, fuel and medicines. Israel partially eased the blockade last week, and aid trucks have begun to trickle back into Gaza, though humanitarian groups have urged it to allow more supplies to enter faster.

Salam Launches Economic Recovery Plan and Renews Ties with UAE
This is Beirut/May 26, 2025
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced Monday that Lebanon has launched an ambitious economic and financial recovery plan, signaling a renewed commitment to structural reform and stronger cooperation with the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The announcement came during the opening of the UAE-Lebanon Government Knowledge Exchange Forum held at the Grand Serail in Beirut. In his remarks, Salam underscored the historical and ongoing support of the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, which he described as a “trusted partner” in Lebanon’s development journey since the late 1970s. “We look forward to reactivating this historic relationship in line with our national priorities,” Salam said. The Prime Minister highlighted that the forum, organized for the first time in Lebanon, offers a strategic opportunity for Lebanese officials to benefit from the UAE’s pioneering experience in public sector innovation, digital governance, artificial intelligence, competitiveness, and institutional reform. Additionally, he outlined three key pillars of the government’s recovery agenda: achieving economic and financial stability, enhancing governance and institutional performance, and investing in human capital, particularly in education, healthcare, and job creation. Acknowledging the devastating impact of recent years, including economic collapse, currency devaluation, soaring inflation, and destruction caused by conflict, Salam reiterated his government’s determination to push forward with “serious structural reforms” under the leadership of President Joseph Aoun. He also called on Arab partners, especially the UAE, to engage in long-term strategic investments in Lebanon’s reconstruction, infrastructure, and public sector renewal, affirming Lebanon’s intent to rejoin the Arab fold with full force. Representing the UAE government, Abdullah Lootah – Assistant Minister for Competitiveness and Knowledge Exchange – conveyed greetings from UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Vice President Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. He emphasized that the Emirati delegation’s visit, made at the instruction of UAE leadership, marks the start of a “long-term cooperation” aimed at supporting Lebanon’s government modernization. Furthermore, Lootah affirmed the UAE’s readiness to collaborate closely with Lebanon, describing his team as “an extension of the Lebanese public administration.”He expressed confidence that the forum’s sessions would leave a lasting impact on Lebanon’s governmental efficiency and quality of public services.The event was attended by senior Emirati officials, representatives from the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, and Lebanon’s key ministers and public administrators, marking a significant step toward renewed bilateral cooperation.

Salam: We won't remain silent over any arms outside state control
Naharnet/May 26, 2025
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said “the region has grown tired of Iranian-U.S. polarization,” hoping Arabs will return to Lebanon. “We will not remain silent over any arms outside the state’s control,” Salam added, in an interview with Sky News Arabia.
“The majority of the Lebanese people stands by us and my strength comes from regaining the people’s confidence in the state and my project is the rebuilding of the state,” the premier said. Asked about the chants that accused him of being a “Zionist” during a recent football match, Salam said he was not “provoked” by the chants, noting that “treason accusations in Lebanon have become political weapons.”“I’m sad because a part of Lebanon is occupied and we are advocates of peace, but we want a just and sustainable peace,” the PM added. As for the Palestinian arms in Lebanon’s refugee camps, Salam said: “What’s dangerous about the camps’ arms is that they may lead to an inter-Palestinian strife, and Palestine’s strength today does not come from arms, but rather from international recognition and diplomacy.”

Two wounded in overnight strikes on Beit Leef and Majdalzoun
Associated Press/May 26, 2025
Two people were injured in overnight strikes on the southern towns of Beit Leef and Majdalzoun, the Health Ministry said Monday. The overnight strikes targeted two motorcycles, one in Tyre's Majdalzoun and the other in Beit Leef in the district of Bint Jbeil. On Monday, an Israeli drone overflew Beirut's southern suburbs for several hours. Israel has continued to launch near-daily airstrikes in southern Lebanon and sometimes in Beirut’s suburbs despite the November 27 truce that sought to halt more than a year of hostilities with Hezbollah including two months of full-blown war.Under the terms of the ceasefire deal, the only armed bodies in southern Lebanon are meant to be U.N. peacekeepers and Lebanon's army, though Israel has retained its forces in five areas it has declared strategic.Speaking Sunday on the anniversary of Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000, Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem reiterated the Lebanese militant group’s stance that it will not discuss giving up its remaining weapons until Israel withdraws from the five border points it occupies in southern Lebanon and stops its airstrikes."We adhered completely" to the agreement, Qassem said, adding: "Don’t ask us for anything else from now on. Let Israel withdraw, stop its aggression, release the prisoners and fulfill all obligations under the agreement. After that, we will discuss each new development."

Israel Reconfigures Northern Border Defenses
This is Beirut/May 26, 2025
Six months after the November 2024 ceasefire with Lebanon, Israel is adjusting its military deployment along the northern frontier, signaling a shift toward a more routine defensive posture. According to Israeli military radio, the Israeli Army Northern Command has reassigned control of the Lebanese border to the 91st Division, also known as the Galilee Division. This unit will now oversee the entire stretch from Ras Naqoura on the Mediterranean coast to Mount Hermon in the east, taking over from the 146th Armored Division. The 91st Division had been the primary force along the border prior to the October 2023 war. However, amid escalating hostilities with Hezbollah, its responsibilities were split with the 146th Division, one of Israel’s largest reserve units, typically deployed during high-intensity operations. The re-deployment of the Galilee Division and the withdrawal of the 146th mark a significant moment, the first return to a more standard defensive configuration since the outbreak of the war. Despite this normalization, Israeli officials remain on high alert due to the continued threat of escalation along the Lebanese frontier. The 146th Division played a pivotal role during the war, having been deployed to counter Hezbollah’s elite Radwan forces in southern Lebanon. Initially assigned to Gaza operations, its command also oversaw military efforts in the West Bank and northern regions. In October 2024, the Israeli army confirmed the unit’s involvement in “limited, localized, and targeted” missions in southwest Lebanon.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on May 26-27/2025
Canadians welcome King Charles after Trump takeover threats
AFP/May 27, 2025
OTTAWA: King Charles III was given an enthusiastic welcome on Monday by Canadians who turned out in droves to see their monarch on his historic visit to open parliament, as part of the pushback against US President Donald Trump’s annexation threats. The 76-year-old king, who is Canada’s head of state as part of the Commonwealth, was greeted at the airport by Prime Minister Mark Carney, who has invited him to give an address opening Canada’s new legislature on Tuesday. “This historic honor matches the weight of our times,” Carney said. On their first stop in the Canadian capital, the royals visited a farmer’s market, where they were cheered by thousands of Canadians. The king also dropped the puck for a street hockey game. The so-called throne speech outlining the government’s priorities is typically given by the British monarch’s representative in Canada, the governor general. Queen Elizabeth II, the king’s late mother, delivered a throne speech in Canada just twice during her long reign, in 1957 and 1977. Charles, making his first visit to Canada since his coronation, has never commented on Trump’s repeated talk of making Canada the 51st US state. But he will be closely watched for any comments on Canada’s sovereignty, and on trade. Trump has slapped tariffs on Canadian goods including sector-specific levies on autos, steel and aluminum, rattling the Canadian economy, although he has suspended some of them pending negotiations. Queen Camilla is accompanying Charles on the 24-hour visit to Ottawa. Carney has said his newly-elected government has been given a mandate “to define a new economic and security relationship with the United States,” a neighbor he believes Canada “can no longer trust.”He has promised to curb reliance on trade with the United States by boosting internal commerce while forging deeper economic ties with allies overseas. The government’s path to build up Canada and create new relationships will be outlined in Charles’s speech, Carney said Monday. A government statement described the visit as “a momentous and historic occasion that underscores Canada’s identity and sovereignty as a constitutional monarchy.”Trump repeatedly returned to his annexation musings during Carney’s Oval Office visit earlier this month, insisting it would be a “wonderful marriage.” Carney stood his ground, saying Canada was “never for sale.”Trump’s envoy to Canada, Ambassador Pete Hoekstra, dismissed the notion that inviting Charles to open parliament was an effective way to make a statement on annexation. According to him, the annexation issue is “over.”But, among the throngs that showed up to welcome the royals, Robert Brown, 64, said: “I think it’s a very subtle form of diplomacy. A good one.”After Charles and Camilla landed in Ottawa in the afternoon, they were received by Governor General Mary Simon and other dignitaries before meeting community organizations. They also planted a tree at the governor general’s estate, and Charles held audiences with Carney and Indigenous leaders.
At the Senate on Tuesday, the monarch will receive full military honors before delivering the throne speech. Noah Marshall told AFP he couldn’t miss this “once in a lifetime opportunity to come see the royals.” The 24-year-old also noted that because Trump seems to respect the King, “that’s a good kind of signal to him.” Gaelle Hortop, 46, said she is “optimistic that it’ll be positive for Canadian morale” too.

Trump hints at announcement in 'next two days' on Iran nuclear talks
Associated Press/May 26, 2025
U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated there was progress with Iran on its nuclear program and hinted that an announcement could come in the "next two days." He was notably more upbeat than the Omani mediator of the talks between the United States and Iran, who said Friday that the two nations made "some but not conclusive" progress in the fifth round of negotiations in Rome. "We've had some very, very good talks with Iran," Trump told reporters in northern New Jersey after leaving his golf club, where he spent most of the weekend. "And I don't know if I'll be telling you anything good or bad over the next two days, but I have a feeling I might be telling you something good."He emphasized that "we've had some real progress, serious progress" in talks that took place on Saturday and Sunday. "Let's see what happens, but I think we could have some good news on the Iran front," Trump said. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff and Michael Anton, the State Department's policy planning director, represented the U.S. at the talks at the Omani Embassy in Rome. The two countries are discussing how to curb Iran's nuclear program in exchange for lifting some economic sanctions that the U.S. has imposed on the Islamic Republic.

Sykes-Picot divided Syria and the broader region for imperial gain
Ambassador Tom Barrack/X platform/May 26, 2025
A century ago, the West imposed maps, mandates, penciled borders, and foreign rule. Sykes-Picot divided Syria and the broader region for imperial gain—not peace. That mistake cost generations. We will not make it again.
The era of Western interference is over. The future belongs to regional solutions, but partnerships, and a diplomacy grounded in respect. As President Trump emphasized in his May 13th address in Riyadh, ”Gone are the days when Western interventionalists would fly to the Middle East to give lectures on how to live, and how to govern your own affairs."Syria’s tragedy was born in division. Its rebirth must come through dignity, unity, and investment in its people. That starts with truth, accountability—and working with the region, not around it. We are standing with Türkiye, the Gulf, and Europe—this time not with troops and lectures, or imaginary boundaries, but shoulder-to-shoulder with the Syrian people themselves. With the fall of the Assad regime the door is open to peace—by eliminating sanctions we are enabling the Syrian people to finally open that door and discover a path to renewed prosperity and security.

Hamas-led groups execute four for looting aid trucks amid some Gaza dissent
Nidal al-Mughrabi/Reuters/May 26, 2025
CAIRO -Hamas has executed four men for looting some of the aid trucks that have begun entering Gaza, sources familiar with the incident said on Monday, as a clan leader in southern Gaza issued a challenge to the militant group over guarding the convoys. One source said the four were involved in an incident last week when six security officials were killed by an Israeli airstrike as they were working to prevent gang members from hijacking aid trucks. "The four criminals, who were executed, were involved in the crimes of looting and causing the death of members of a force tasked with securing aid trucks," one of the sources told Reuters. Seven other suspects were being pursued, according to a statement issued by an umbrella group identifying itself as the "Palestinian Resistance". Humanitarian assistance began trickling into Gaza last week after Israel yielded to international pressure and lifted a blockade it imposed in early March that has left half a million people facing starvation, according to a global hunger monitor. Aid groups have said that deliveries have been hampered by looting, but they have blamed Israel for creating a situation in which hundreds of thousands of people have been driven to desperation by the blockade.
Israel has accused Hamas of stealing aid, which the group denies, and the issue of control over the aid trucks has been hotly disputed. Israeli military officials say the security teams put in place by Hamas are there to take delivery of the supplies not to protect them, but it has provided no evidence of Hamas looting since it eased its blockade last week. Hamas, which took power in Gaza in 2007, has long cracked down hard on signs of dissent among Palestinians in Gaza but it has faced sizeable protests in recent months over the war and faced challenges to its control by armed groups of looters, some of whom it has punished by shooting them in the legs in public. Yasser Abu Shabab, a leader of a large clan in the Rafah area, now under full Israeli army control, said he was building up a force to secure aid deliveries into some parts of the enclave. He published images of his armed men receiving and organising the traffic of aid trucks. Hamas, which is unable to operate in the Rafah area where Abu Shabab has some controls, has accused him of looting international aid trucks in previous months and maintaining connections with Israel. On a Facebook page in his name Abu Shabab denies that he has acted as an alternative to the government or other institutions and rejects accusations of looting. On the page Abu Shabab is described as a "grassroots leader who stood up against corruption and looting" and who protected aid convoys. But a Hamas security official called Abu Shabab a "tool used by the Israeli occupation to fragment the Palestinian internal front". Asked if the U.N. was working with Abu Shabab, a spokesperson for the U.N. humanitarian agency OCHA said it did not pay anyone to guard aid trucks. "What we do is talk to communities regularly, build trust and engage with the authorities on the urgent need for more aid to come in through more routes and more crossings," the spokesperson said.

French journalists call on France to help evacuate collaborators from Gaza
RFI/May 26, 2025
Several French journalist associations are calling on the French government to help the evacuation of Palestinian journalists, fixers and drivers who have been covering or helping to cover the war in Gaza for the past 18 months. “Without them, Gaza would be a black hole of news,” reads a statement signed by associations of journalists of about 20 French media organisations, including RFI. French news organisations have relied on local journalists and support staff for reporting from Gaza, which has been under bombardment from Israel since Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, killing over 1,200 people and abducting over 250. Local journalists “keep you informed about the ongoing horror in the territory, while the Israeli government has constantly hindered coverage of the war by the international press by denying access to the Gaza Strip”, the statement continues. The journalist associations have called on the French government to help evacuate the employees, much like it did for Afghan interpreters and other support staff for the French army. The journalists are in particular danger now that Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu has threatened to take control of Gaza, the journalist associations warn."Our colleagues and their families are in mortal danger," the statement reads.

Head of controversial Israel-backed Gaza aid group resigns
Tom Bennett - BBC News/May 26, 2025
The head of an organisation set up to distribute aid in Gaza as part of a controversial Israel-backed plan has resigned, saying it could not work in a way that adhered to "humanitarian principles". Jake Wood quit the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) late on Sunday, saying it would not be able to fulfil the principles of "humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence". The plan, also backed by the US, envisions private contractors delivering aid to Palestinians via Israel-designated distribution sites. It was heavily criticised by the United Nations, which says it will not participate. Israel insists the plan is needed to stop Hamas stealing aid, which the armed group denies doing. Under the GHF plan, Palestinians would be expected to collect boxes weighing up to 20kg (44lbs) containing food and basic hygiene items from four distribution points in southern Gaza. It is unclear how the weak or injured would be able to collect the aid. UN aid chief Tom Fletcher said it would force further displacement, restrict aid to only one part of Gaza and make "starvation a bargaining chip."'Situation is dire' - BBC returns to Gaza baby left hungry by Israeli blockade
Israeli strikes across Gaza kill 54, officials say
In his resignation statement, Wood, a former US marine, said: "Two months ago, I was approached about leading GHF's efforts because of my experience in humanitarian operations. "Like many others around the world, I was horrified and heartbroken at the hunger crisis in Gaza and, as a humanitarian leader, I was compelled to do whatever I could to help alleviate the suffering." He said he was "proud of the work I oversaw, including developing a pragmatic plan that could feed hungry people, address security concerns about diversion, and complement the work of longstanding NGOs in Gaza."
But, he said, it had become "clear that it is not possible to implement this plan while also strictly adhering to the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence, which I will not abandon." In response, the GHF said it would "not be deterred" by Wood's resignation and would begin delivering aid on Monday, with an aim to reach one million Palestinians by the end of the week. The group said that critics "who benefit from the status quo have been more focused on tearing this apart than on getting aid in, afraid that new, creative solutions to intractable problems might actually succeed."
It added: "Our trucks are loaded and ready to go."An Israeli official said "the goal of this new approach is to eliminate the Gazan population's dependence on Hamas". Israeli media reported that the first of four distribution centres would be opened by GHF on Monday morning. Last week, Israel eased an 11-week blockade on all food, fuel, medicine and other supplies entering Gaza, with the first aid trucks reaching civilians in recent days - but the UN has said it's a "drop in the ocean of what's needed".It says 57 children died from malnutrition during Israel's blockade - while the World Food Programme (WFP) warned last week that Gaza's entire population was "on the brink of starvation".
A young child being treated at hospital in Gaza.
Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council, told the BBC's Today Programme that the GHF is "militarised, privatised, politicised" and "not in conformity with neutrality". "The people behind it are military – they are ex-CIA and ex-military people… Let's go back to the system that worked" he said. The GHF has also come under intense scrutiny around its funding, origins and backing. Over the weekend, an investigation by The New York Times suggested the group may have been conceived in Israel by a group of Israeli officials and military officers and their partners in the Israeli business sector. Responding to the plan earlier this month, UN children's fund spokesperson Jonathan Crick said: "How is a mother of four children, who has lost her husband, going to carry 20kg back to her makeshift tent, sometimes several kilometres away?" "The most vulnerable people, including the elderly, people with disabilities, the sick and wounded, and orphans, will face huge challenges to access aid."Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza in response to Hamas's cross-border attack on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
At least 53,939 people, including at least 16,500 children, have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.
Chaos spreads as desperate Gazans wait for food to arrive
Investigating Israel's strike on Gaza's European Hospital
As Israel faces diplomatic 'tsunami', Trump is staying quiet

Israeli far-right police minister visits Al-Aqsa mosque site ahead of Jerusalem rally
Reuters/May 26, 2025
JERUSALEM -Israeli far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir visited the Al-Aqsa mosque compound on Monday, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, ahead of an annual rally marking Israel's capture of East Jerusalem in a 1967 war. “Many Jews flooding the Temple Mount, what a joy to see it. Today, thank God, it is already possible to pray on the Temple Mount,” Ben Gvir said. Ben Gvir has long pushed for Jewish prayer rights at the flashpoint site, which is sacred to both Muslims and Jews. Under a decades-old arrangement, the compound is administered by a Jordanian Islamic trust. Jews are allowed to visit but not pray there. The Al-Aqsa mosque is Islam's third holiest site. Tens of thousands of Jewish Israelis were expected to participate in the Flag March, an annual rally through Jerusalem that attracts many Israeli ultranationalists. The march frequently stokes tension as ultranationalists stream into Palestinian areas of Jerusalem's walled Old City en route to the Western Wall, one of Judaism’s holiest sites. Ahead of the rally, Palestinian shopkeepers shuttered their stores. Those who stayed past noon were harassed by marchers before having to close, a Reuters witness said, adding that in one case, Israeli police pushed marchers away from a storefront. The marchers, mostly young Israelis who live in settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, were also seen harassing and assaulting some Palestinians, journalists and left-wing Israeli activists, the Reuters witness said. Israel captured East Jerusalem, including the Old City, from Jordan in the 1967 Middle East war. Palestinians seek East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state that would include the West Bank and Gaza. Most countries consider East Jerusalem to be occupied territory and do not recognise Israeli sovereignty over it. Israel deems Jerusalem as its eternal, indivisible capital. In 2017, U.S. President Donald Trump recognised all of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and moved the U.S. embassy there from Tel Aviv. On Sunday, U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee, an evangelical Christian, congratulated Israel on what he called the reunification of the city 58 years ago.
This year’s rally again coincides with continued war in Gaza, now in its 20th month, and an escalating Israeli military campaign against Palestinian militants in the West Bank, where violent settler attacks targeting Palestinians are on the rise.

Syria's government and Kurds reach agreement on returning families from notorious camp
Hogir Abdo/The Associated Press/May 26, 2025
QAMISHLI, Syria — Kurdish authorities in northeast Syria announced Monday they have reached an agreement with the transitional government in Damascus to evacuate Syrian citizens from a sprawling camp in the desert that houses tens of thousands of people with alleged ties to the militant Islamic State group. Sheikhmous Ahmed, an official in the Kurdish-led authority that controls the country’s northeast, said an agreement was reached on a “joint mechanism” for returning the families from al-Hol camp after a meeting among local authorities, representatives of the central government in Damascus and a delegation from the U.S.-led international coalition fighting IS. Ahmed denied reports that administration of the camp will be handed over to Damascus in the near future, saying “there was no discussion in this regard with the visiting delegation or with the Damascus government."Human rights groups for years have cited poor living conditions and pervasive violence in the camp, which houses about 37,000 people, mostly wives and children of IS fighters as well as supporters of the militant group. They also include Iraqis as well as nationals of Western countries who traveled to join IS. The U.S. military has been pushing for years for countries that have citizens at al-Hol and the smaller, separate Roj Camp to repatriate them. Iraq has taken back increasing numbers of citizens in recent years, but many other countries have remained reluctant.As for Syrians housed in the camp, a mechanism has been in place for several years to return those who want to go back to their communities in the Kurdish-controlled areas, where centers have been opened to reintegrate them. Before now, however, there had not been an agreement with the government in Damascus to return them to areas under the central government’s control. The new agreement comes amid attempts to increase the cooperation between Kurdish authorities and the new leaders in Damascus after former President Bashar Assad was unseated in a rebel offensive in December. Under a deal signed in March between Syria’s interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, the SDF is to be merged into the new government armed forces. All border crossings with Iraq and Turkey and airports and oil fields in the northeast are to come under the central government’s control. Prisons where about 9,000 suspected members of the Islamic State group are held are also expected to come under central government control. The deal marked a major step toward unifying the disparate factions that had carved up Syria into de facto mini-states during its civil war that began in 2011 after the brutal crackdown by Assad's government on massive anti-government protests. However, implementation has been slow. Washington has been pushing for its enactment and, in particular, for Damascus to take over management of the prisons in northeast Syria.

US envoy says Gaza ceasefire deal is on the table, as Israel prepares for ‘unprecedented attack’
Jeremy Diamond, Abeer Salman and Oren Liebermann, CNN/May 26, 2025
US special envoy Steve Witkoff has told CNN that a ceasefire-hostage deal for Gaza is currently on the table with a pathway to end the war, and urged Hamas to accept it.
The proposal would see the release of half of the living hostages and half of those who have died in exchange for a temporary ceasefire before negotiations begin for a comprehensive agreement to end the war. He declined to specify how long that temporary truce would last, which has been a key issue in the negotiations. “Israel will agree to a temporary ceasefire/hostage deal that would see half of the living and half of the deceased return and lead to substantive negotiations to find a path to a permanent ceasefire, which I have agreed to preside over,” Witkoff told CNN on Monday. “That deal is on the table. Hamas should take it.”
He said Hamas has yet to accept the deal.
Reuters reported earlier on Monday that Hamas had agreed to a proposal that would see the release of 10 hostages in two groups in exchange for a 70-day truce. Witkoff told CNN that was not his proposal. “What I have seen is completely unacceptable,” Witkoff said, referring to the report. Meanwhile, a Palestinian official close to the negotiations also told CNN that Hamas has agreed to Witkoff’s proposal, but did not provide additional details about what the deal entailed. A US official told CNN Witkoff has not met directly with Hamas. According to a source familiar with the matter, Palestinian-American businessman Bishara Bahbah met with Hamas in Doha about the proposal. Bahbah, who led the group “Arab Americans for Trump” during the 2024 presidential campaign, has been working on behalf of the administration. Witkoff’s comments to CNN mark the first time he has said he would preside over negotiations for an end to the war during the temporary ceasefire. Hamas has long sought assurances that Israel seriously engages in negotiations to end the war if it agrees to another temporary ceasefire, after Israel refused to do so during the last truce. Witkoff’s involvement in negotiating a permanent ceasefire appears to be aimed at providing Hamas with assurances from Washington that Israel will engage in such negotiations in the future.
CNN has reached out to the Israeli government for comment.
In a video message posted to social media on Monday night, Netanyahu said getting the hostages released is a top priority. “I very much hope we’ll have something to announce on that front,” he said. “And if not today, then tomorrow – we are not giving up.”Two Israeli officials later clarified that there was “no progress” in the negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release deal and that “Hamas continued to hold firm in its refusal.”“The prime minister meant that a breakthrough could happen only if Hamas aligns with the Israeli position,” one of the officials said.
Plans for an ‘unprecedented attack’
The proposal comes at a crucial point in the war, as the Israeli military issued evacuation orders for most of southern Gaza ahead of what its spokesperson said would be an “unprecedented attack” on the territory. The order covers the city of Khan Younis and much of the surrounding area, according to Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Arabic language spokesperson Avichay Adree. He described the Khan Younis governorate as a “dangerous fighting zone that has been warned several times.”The evacuation zone goes all the way south to the Gaza-Egypt border where Israeli forces have occupied the Philadelphi Corridor, a 14-kilometer (8-mile) strip along the frontier. It appears to include the entirety of Khan Younis, a densely packed city with many displaced Palestinians. The order instructs Palestinians to move to the Al-Mawasi area, a narrow strip of land along the Mediterranean Sea. Earlier Monday, the IDF said three rockets were fired from southern Gaza, two of which landed within the Gazan territory and one of which was intercepted. The order, which also cover parts of eastern Gaza, comes after the military laid out its strategy to take control of the territory, where it has been fighting a war since October 2023 to eradicate Hamas following the militant group’s attack on Israel. An Israeli military official told CNN on Monday that Israel plans to occupy 75% of Gaza within two months as part of its new offensive. If carried out, the plan would force more than two million Palestinians into a quarter of the coastal enclave, surrounded on nearly all sides by Israeli forces. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said this month the entire population would be displaced to southern Gaza. The IDF now has five divisions operating in Gaza, the military said Friday, totaling tens of thousands of troops. On a visit to troops in Khan Younis Sunday, IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said, “You are fighting on the central front of the state of Israel. This is a prolonged, multi-arena war.”
On Monday, Hamas’ Government Media Office said Israel already “effectively” controls 77% of Gaza through “heavy firepower that prevents Palestinian civilians from accessing their homes, areas, lands, and properties, or through oppressive forced evacuation policies.”Israel is under growing international pressure – including from long standing allies – over its decision to expand the war and, in the words of one Israeli minister, “conquer” the territory. The United Kingdom has paused trade talks and sanctioned extremist settlers in the West Bank. Canada and France have threatened sanctions. And the European Union – Israel’s biggest trade partner – is reviewing its landmark Association Agreement with the country. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told German public broadcaster ARD on Monday that the actions of the Israeli military in Gaza “can no longer be justified on the grounds of a fight against Hamas terrorism.”US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, however, reiterated US support for Israel on Sunday. She met with Netanyahu and expressed appreciation for the prime minister’s conduct of the war, according to a statement from the Israeli Government Press Office.

Palestinian official says Hamas agrees to Gaza proposal, Israel dismisses it
Reuters/May 26, 2025
CAIRO (Reuters) -A Palestinian official said on Monday that Hamas has agreed to a proposal by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff for a Gaza ceasefire, only for an Israeli official to deny that the proposal was Washington's and add that no Israeli government could accept it. Witkoff also rejected the notion that Hamas had accepted his offer for a hostage deal and a ceasefire in Gaza, telling Reuters that what he had seen was "completely unacceptable" and the proposal being discussed was not the same as his. The Palestinian official, who is close to Hamas, had told Reuters that the proposal would see the release of 10 hostages and a 70-day ceasefire and was received by Hamas through mediators. "The proposal includes the release of 10 living Israeli hostages held by Hamas in two groups in return for a 70-day ceasefire and a partial withdrawal from the Gaza Strip," the source said. It also included the release of a number of Palestinian prisoners by Israel, including hundreds serving lengthy prison terms. An Israeli official dismissed the proposal, saying no responsible government could accept such an agreement and rejecting the assertion that the deal matched one proposed by Witkoff. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later said in a recorded message on social media he "hoped very much" he would be able to deliver developments on the subject of Israel's fight against Hamas and releasing the hostages, "today and if not today then we will tomorrow".His office did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the video. On March 18, Israel effectively ended a January ceasefire agreement with Hamas and renewed its military campaign in Gaza. Hamas and allied factions began firing rockets and attacks two days later. Hamas has said it is willing to free all remaining hostages seized by its gunmen in attacks on communities in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, and agree to a permanent ceasefire if Israel pulls out completely from Gaza. Netanyahu has said Israel would only be willing to agree to a temporary ceasefire in return for the release of hostages, vowing that war can only end once Hamas is eradicated. Israel launched an air and ground war in Gaza after the Hamas-led militants' cross-border attack, which killed 1,200 people by Israeli tallies, with 251 hostages abducted into Gaza. The conflict has killed nearly 54,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities, and devastated the coastal strip. Aid groups say signs of severe malnutrition are widespread.

Israeli strike on Gaza school sheltering displaced Palestinians kills dozens, officials say
Rushdi Abualouf - Gaza correspondent, Cairo and Raffi Berg - BBC News, London/May 26, 2025
At least 54 Palestinians have been killed - most of them in a school building sheltering displaced families - during Israeli air strikes on Gaza overnight, hospital directors have told the BBC. Fahmi Al-Jargawi School in Gaza City was housing hundreds of people from Beit Lahia, currently under intense Israeli military assault. At least 35 were reported to have been killed when the school was hit. Gaza's Hamas-run Civil Defence said multiple bodies, including those of children, were recovered – many severely burned, after fires engulfed two classrooms serving as living quarters.The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had targeted "a Hamas and Islamic Jihad command and control centre" there. The IDF said the area was being used "by the terrorists to plan... attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF troops", and accused Hamas of using "the Gazan population as human shields".Video footage shared online showed large fires consuming parts of the school, with graphic images of severely burned victims, including children, and survivors suffering critical injuries. Faris Afana, Northern Gaza ambulance service manager, said he arrived at the scene with crews to find three classrooms ablaze.
"There were sleeping children and women in those classrooms," he said. "Some of them were screaming but we couldn't rescue them due to the fires. "I cannot describe what we saw due to how horrific it was."Local reports said the head of investigations for the Hamas police in northern Gaza, Mohammad Al-Kasih, was among the dead, along with his wife and children. Separately, a strike on a house in Jabalia in northern Gaza killed 19 people, according to the director of al-Ahli hospital Dr Fadel el-Naim. The Israeli military has not yet commented on what was being targeted. The twin attacks are part of a broader Israeli offensive that has escalated in the northern part of the enclave over the past week. The IDF said it hit 200 targets across Gaza in 48 hours as it continued its operations against what it called "terrorist organisations".The interior of a building, damaged walls and rubble. A teenage boy looks down at the damage.
Israeli strike kills nine of Gaza doctor's children
On Friday, an Israeli strike on the home of a Palestinian doctor in Gaza killed nine of her 10 children. Dr Alaa al-Najjar's 11-year-old son was injured, along with her husband, Hamdi al-Najjar, who is in critical condition. The nine children - Yahya, Rakan, Raslan, Gebran, Eve, Rival, Sayden, Luqman and Sidra - were aged between just a few months old and 12. The Israeli military has said the incident is under review. Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said two of its staff were killed in a strike on their home in Khan Younis on Saturday.
The killing of Ibrahim Eid, a weapon contamination officer, and Ahmad Abu Hilal, a security guard at the Red Cross Field Hospital in Rafah "points to the intolerable civilian death toll in Gaza", the ICRC said, repeating its call for a ceasefire.
'Situation is dire' - BBC returns to Gaza baby left hungry by Israeli blockade
On Sunday, the head of a controversial US and Israeli-approved organisation planning to use private firms to deliver aid to Gaza resigned. In a statement by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), executive director Jake Wood said it had become apparent that plans to set up distribution hubs would not meet the "humanitarian principles" of independence and neutrality. The GHF said in response that it was disappointed at his resignation, but insisted it would "begin direct aid delivery in Gaza" on Monday. "Our trucks are loaded and ready to go," it said in a statement, adding that the new aid operation would reach "over one million Palestinians by the end of the week" and that there were plans to "scale rapidly to serve the full population in the weeks ahead". The UN and various humanitarian organisations have said they will not co-operate with the GHF, accusing it of being discriminatory over who will receive food.
Israel imposed a total blockade on Gaza on 2 March that lasted 11 weeks before it allowed limited aid to enter the territory in the face of warnings of famine and mounting international outrage. The Israeli military body responsible for humanitarian affairs in Gaza, Cogat, said 107 lorries carrying aid were allowed into Gaza on Sunday. The UN says much more aid - between 500 to 600 lorries a day - is needed. Meanwhile, 20 countries and organisations met in Madrid on Sunday to discuss ending the war in Gaza. Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares called for an arms embargo on Israel if it did not stop its attacks. Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza in response to Hamas's cross-border attack on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage. At least 53,939 people, including at least 16,500 children, have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory's health ministry.

A new aid system in Gaza has started operations, a US-backed group says
AP/May 27, 2025
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip: A new aid system in Gaza opened its first distribution hubs Monday, according to a US-backed group that said it began delivering food to Palestinians who face growing hunger after Israel’s nearly three-month blockade to pressure Hamas. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is taking over the handling of aid despite objections from United Nations. The desperately needed supplies started flowing on a day that saw Israeli strikes kill at least 52 people in Gaza. The group said truckloads of food — it did not say how many — had been delivered to its hubs, and distribution to Palestinians had begun. It was not clear where the hubs were located or how those receiving supplies were chosen. “More trucks with aid will be delivered tomorrow, with the flow of aid increasing each day,” the foundation said in a statement. The UN and aid groups have pushed back against the new system, which is backed by Israel and the United States. They assert that Israel is trying to use food as a weapon and say a new system won’t be effective. Israel has pushed for an alternative aid delivery plan because it says it must stop Hamas from seizing aid. The UN has denied that the militant group has diverted large amounts.
The foundation began operations a day after the resignation of its executive director. Jake Wood, an American, said it had become clear the foundation would not be allowed to operate independently. It’s not clear who is funding the group, which said it had appointed an interim leader, John Acree, to replace Wood, The organization is made up of former humanitarian, government and military officials. It has said its distribution points will be guarded by private security firms and that the aid would reach a million Palestinians — around half of Gaza’s population — by the end of the week. Under pressure from allies, Israel began allowing a trickle of humanitarian aid into Gaza last week after blocking all food, medicine, fuel or other goods from entering since early March. Aid groups have warned of famine and say the aid that has come in is nowhere near enough to meeting mounting needs.
Hamas warned Palestinians on Monday not to cooperate with the new aid system, saying it is aimed at furthering those objectives.
Airstrikes hit shelter
The Israeli airstrikes killed at least 36 people in a school-turned-shelter that was hit as people slept, setting their belongings ablaze, according to local health officials. The military said it targeted militants operating from the school. Israel renewed its offensive in March after ending a ceasefire with Hamas. It has vowed to seize control of Gaza and keep fighting until Hamas is destroyed or disarmed, and until it returns the remaining 58 hostages, a third of them believed to be alive, from the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that ignited the war. Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251 people in the 2023 attack. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed around 54,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. It says more than half the dead are women and children but does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count. Israel says it plans to facilitate what it describes as the voluntary migration of over 2 million people in Gaza, a plan rejected by Palestinians and much of the international community. Israel’s military campaign has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and internally displaced some 90 percent of its population. Many have fled multiple times.
Rescuers recover charred remains
The strike on the school in the Daraj neighborhood of Gaza City also wounded dozens of people, said Fahmy Awad, head of the ministry’s emergency service. He said a father and his five children were among the dead. The Shifa and Al-Ahli hospitals in Gaza City confirmed the overall toll. Awad said the school was hit three times while people slept, setting fire to their belongings. Footage circulating online showed rescuers struggling to extinguish fires and recovering charred remains. The military said it targeted a militant command and control center inside the school that Hamas and Islamic Jihad used to gather intelligence for attacks. Israel blames civilian deaths on Hamas because it operates in residential areas. A separate strike on a home in Jabalya in northern Gaza killed 16 members of the same family, including five women and two children, according to Shifa Hospital, which received the bodies. Palestinian militants meanwhile fired three projectiles from Gaza, two of which fell short within the territory and a third that was intercepted, according to the Israeli military. Ultranationalists march in east Jerusalem, break into UN compound. Ultranationalist Israelis gathered Monday in Jerusalem for an annual procession marking Israel’s 1967 conquest of the city’s eastern sector. Some protesters chanted “Death to Arabs” and harassed Palestinian residents. Police kept a close watch as demonstrators jumped, danced and sang. The event threatened to inflame tensions that are rife in the restive city amid nearly 600 days of war in Gaza. Hours earlier, a small group of protesters, including an Israeli member of parliament, stormed a compound in east Jerusalem belonging to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, which Israel has banned. The compound has been mostly empty since January, when staff were asked to stay away for security reasons. The UN says the compound is protected under international law.

Chanting 'Death to Arabs,' Israeli nationalists gather for annual march in Jerusalem
Julia Frankel/The Associated Press/May 26, 2025
JERUSALEM — Chanting “Death to Arabs” and singing “May your village burn,” groups of young Israeli Jews made their way through Muslim neighborhoods of Jerusalem's Old City on Monday ahead of an annual march marking Israel's conquest of the eastern part of the city. Palestinian shopkeepers had closed up early and police lined the narrow alleys ahead of the march that often becomes a rowdy and sometimes violent procession of ultranationalist Jews. A policeman raised his arms in celebration at one point, recognizing a marcher and going in for a hug. A small group of protesters, including an Israeli member of parliament, meanwhile, stormed a compound in east Jerusalem belonging to the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA. The march commemorates Jerusalem Day — which marks Israel’s capture of east Jerusalem, including the Old City and its holy sites sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims, in the 1967 Mideast war. The event, set to begin later in the day, threatens to inflame tensions that are already rife in the restive city amid nearly 600 days of war in Gaza. Jerusalem lies at the heart of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, who each see the city as a key part of their national and religious identity. It is one of the most intractable issues of the conflict and often emerges as a flashpoint. Last year’s procession, which came during the first year of the war in Gaza, saw ultranationalist Israelis attack a Palestinian journalist in the Old City and call for violence against Palestinians. Four years ago, the march helped set off an 11-day war in Gaza. Tour buses carrying young ultranationalist Jews lined up near entrances to the Old City, bringing hundreds from outside Jerusalem, including settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Police said they had detained a number of individuals, without specifying, and “acted swiftly to prevent violence, confrontations, and provocations.”Volunteers from the pro-peace organizations Standing Together and Free Jerusalem tried to position themselves between the marchers and residents to prevent violence.
“This is our home, this is our state," shouted one protester at a Palestinian woman. “Go away from here!" she responded, in Hebrew. Increased Jewish visits to a flashpoint holy site. Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who oversees the country’s police force, visited a flashpoint hilltop compound holy to Jews and Muslims, where the Al Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock are located today. One Israeli lawmaker, Yitzhak Kroizer, could be seen praying. Perceived encroachments by Jews on the site have set off widespread violence on a number of occasions going back decades. “We are marking a holiday for Jerusalem,” Ben-Gvir said Monday at the site, accompanied by other lawmakers and a rabbi. “There are truly many Jews flooding the Temple Mount. How nice to see that.”Beyadenu, an activist group that encourages Jewish visits to the site, said dozens of people had ascended to the holy compound Monday draped in the Israeli flag, and had prayed there. Since Israel captured the site in 1967, a tenuous understanding between Israeli and Muslim religious authorities at the compound has allowed Jews — who revere the site as the Temple Mount, the location of the biblical temples — to visit but not pray there.Ben-Gvir says he is changing that status quo. Palestinians already say it has long been eroding because of an increase in Jewish visits to the site. “Today, thank God, it is possible to pray on the Temple Mount,” Ben-Gvir said at the site, according to a statement from his office. The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there has been no change to the status quo. Police said that Monday's march would not enter the site. Israel considers all of Jerusalem to be its eternal, undivided capital. Its annexation of east Jerusalem is not internationally recognized. Palestinians want an independent state with east Jerusalem as its capital. For many in Israel, Jerusalem Day is a joyous occasion that marks a moment of redemption in their country's history, when access to the key Jewish holy site of the Western Wall was restored and the city was unified. But over recent years, the Jerusalem Day march in the city has become dominated by young nationalist and religious Israelis and on some occasions has descended into violence.
Protesters storm UN compound in Jerusalem
UNRWA West Bank coordinator Roland Friedrich said around a dozen Israeli protesters, including Yulia Malinovsky, one of the legislators behind an Israeli law that banned UNRWA, forcefully entered the compound, climbing its main gate in view of Israeli police. Israel has accused the agency, which is the biggest aid provider in Gaza, of being infiltrated by Hamas, allegations denied by the U.N. There was no immediate comment from Israeli police. The compound has stood mainly empty since the end of January, after UNRWA asked staff not to work from there, fearing for their safety. The UN says it has not vacated the compound and that it is protected under international law.

Kremlin on Trump's remark about Putin being 'crazy': there is some emotional overload
Reuters/May 26, 2025
MOSCOW (Reuters) -The Kremlin on Monday said that U.S. President Donald Trump's claim that Vladimir Putin had "gone absolutely CRAZY" might be due to emotional overload, but thanked the U.S. leader for his assistance in launching Ukraine peace negotiations. Trump said Putin had "gone absolutely CRAZY" by unleashing the largest aerial attack of the war on Ukraine and said he was weighing new sanctions on Moscow, though he also scolded Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. "We are really grateful to the Americans and to President Trump personally for their assistance in organising and launching this negotiation process," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said when asked about the Trump remarks about Putin. "Of course, at the same time, this is a very crucial moment, which is associated, of course, with the emotional overload of everyone absolutely and with emotional reactions."

President Donald Trump says Russian leader Vladimir Putin 'has gone absolutely CRAZY!'
Seung Min Kim/The Associated Press/May 26, 2025
WASHINGTON —President Donald Trump made it clear he is losing patience with Vladimir Putin, leveling some of his sharpest criticism at the Russian leader as Moscow pounded Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities with drones and missiles for a third straight night. “I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY!” Trump wrote in a social media post on Sunday night. Trump said Putin is “needlessly killing a lot of people,” pointing out that “missiles and drones are being shot into Cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever.”The attack was the largest aerial assault since Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country in February 2022, according to Ukrainian officials. At least 12 people were killed and dozens injured. The U.S. president warned that if Putin wants to conquer all of Ukraine, it will “lead to the downfall of Russia!” But Trump expressed frustration with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as well, saying that he is “doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does.”“Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don’t like it, and it better stop,” Trump wrote on social media. The president has increasingly voiced irritation at Putin and the inability to resolve the now three-year-old war, which Trump promised he would promptly end as he campaigned to return to the White House. He had long boasted of his friendly relationship with Putin and repeatedly stressed that Russia is more willing than Ukraine to reach a peace deal. But last month, Trump urged Putin to “STOP!” assaulting Ukraine after Russia launched another deadly barrage of attacks on Kyiv, and he has repeatedly expressed his frustration that the war in Ukraine is continuing. “I’m not happy with what Putin’s doing. He’s killing a lot of people. And I don’t know what the hell happened to Putin,” Trump told reporters earlier Sunday as he departed northern New Jersey, where he spent most of the weekend. “I’ve known him a long time, always gotten along with him, but he’s sending rockets into cities and killing people and I don’t like it at all. ”A peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine remains elusive. Trump and Putin spoke on the phone this past week, and Trump announced after the call that Russia and Ukraine will “immediately” begin ceasefire talks. That conversation occurred after Russian and Ukrainian officials met in Turkey for the first face-to-face talks since 2022. But on Thursday, the Kremlin said no direct talks were scheduled. The European Union has slapped new sanctions on Russia this month in response to Putin's refusal to agree to a ceasefire. But while Trump has threatened to step up sanctions and tariffs on Russia, he hasn’t acted so far.

These women are defying Iran's hijab laws — despite fear of reprisal
CBC/May 26, 2025
The face of Tehran has been undergoing an extraordinary transformation in recent months, some neighbourhoods seeming to channel Beirut as much as the capital of the Islamic Republic where headscarves — or hijabs — have been mandatory for women for 45 years. Less than three years after the brutal crackdown on the protests that followed the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody for an alleged dress code violation, a growing number of women are daring to bare their heads in public. They're not a majority, but on any given day in north Tehran's popular Tajrish Square, you'll find a mixture of women with and without headscarves. Some don't even wear them around their necks anymore, where they could be pulled up quickly if the decision to go bare-headed is challenged. "We young people have decided to live the way we like," said Laylah, a 30-year-old self-employed woman out shopping with her mother. The authorities "need to understand that we want to be free, comfortable and liberated."Like all the women interviewed in this story who were not wearing a headscarf, Laylah did not provide her last name for fear of repercussions for defying her country's hijab laws. Some analysts believe the Woman, Life, Freedom protest movement sparked by Amini's death in 2022 is here to stay. That the number of women — young and old — defying the hijab law is so great the regime will be unable to reverse it. Others say Iran's ruling clerics are allowing what's happening to continue because it suits their purposes at this time, noting that stories like this one, which highlight the seemingly dramatic change on the streets, actually distract from the draconian and often sinister ways the state continues to punish women who disobey. "I think that the authorities, frankly, are getting more clever about how they carry out their reprisals," said Nassim Papayianni, a senior Iran campaigner with Amnesty International based in London.
The white vans used by Iran's controversial morality police are still visible on the streets of Tehran. But on a recent — and rare — reporting trip to the city, our crew didn't witness police make any arrests or bully those women not wearing the hijab. "What they're doing is just trying to adapt in a system that they think won't draw as much international attention," Papayianni said. "I think they know if they arrest women's rights defenders or women and girls for defying compulsory veiling that there will be a lot of international attention on that." It was after the Islamic Revolution in 1979, and the replacement of a secular monarchy with a theocratic regime, that wearing the hijab became mandatory for women in Iran. In some neighbourhoods of Tehran, particularly at Friday prayers, you will not see unveiled women. It was after the Islamic Revolution in 1979, and the replacement of a secular monarchy with a theocratic regime, that wearing the hijab became mandatory for women in Iran.
The methods regularly used by authorities to enforce a dress code in place since just after the 1979 Islamic Revolution range from financial penalties to lashings or jail terms. And just because women are choosing to defy the law doesn't mean they are not afraid of repercussions. "I am afraid; I have concerns," said Saha, a 33-year-old human resources worker wearing her long curly hair uncovered while out in public. "But I'm doing this because I want [any future child of mine] not to have the same fear as I do," she said, speaking in Farsi. The feeling on the street is different now, she said, because more men are supporting women in these actions — as are older generations. "My mother is quite religious," she said. "She observes the hijab dress code. But at a protest she was standing next to me." Saha said she'd already been arrested once, after being photographed driving her car while not wearing a headscarf.
New surveillance techniques
Surveillance methods employed by state security forces are growing increasingly sophisticated. A United Nations report released in March found that drones, facial recognition technology and security cameras were being employed to monitor women's compliance. There is also an app the public can apply to the police to use that allows approved citizens to report on women deemed to be flouting the rules, said the report, authored by the Independent International Fact-finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran. The same body determined in 2024 that the state was responsible for the "physical violence" that led to Amini's death in 2022. There are other societal pressures at play. Many restaurants in Tehran put up signs requesting that women comply with headscarf rules, reminding customers that the restaurant could be closed down if women refused. "They're trying to pull in, you know, private business owners to essentially police women's bodies," said Amnesty's Papayianni. One woman who was happy to talk to a foreign news crew off the record said she couldn't have her picture taken without a headscarf for fear it would ruin her chances for a job in the public school system. Another woman said she didn't want any photos taken that "the mullahs" — the Islamic clergy leaders — could use to harass her.
Stiffer penalties
Last fall, Iran's parliament approved a new hijab and chastity law that would impose even tougher punishments on women violating dress codes: steeper fines and prison sentences of up to 15 years. So far, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has shied away from putting the legislation forward with his signature. He campaigned for last year's presidential election with promises to ease restrictions on women. A man in Iran reads a newspaper with Mahsa Amini's image emblazoned on the front in this 2022 file photo. The death of the woman in police custody following a dress code violation sparked protests across Tehran and around the world. A man in Iran reads a newspaper with Mahsa Amini's image emblazoned on the front in this 2022 file photo. The death of the woman in police custody following a dress code violation sparked protests across Tehran and around the world. (Stephanie Jenzer/CBC)
But conservative hardliners close to Iran's ultimate power, the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have been pushing for the legislation to be implemented. "Unfortunately [unveiled women] have been influenced by Western culture," said Fatemeh Hojat, a 43-year-old mother wearing a full chador. "And the fact that the hijab law is not implemented properly in the country has exacerbated this issue," she said. The undercurrent of fear that many of the women ignoring the hijab laws say they still carry with them could suggest a calm before the proverbial storm. Some analysts say the regime isn't cracking down harder on these daily acts of defiance because, right now, it can't afford the mass protests that might spark. Many of Iran's regional allies or proxies have suffered hits over the past year, just as Washington is exerting pressure on Iran in pursuit of a nuclear agreement to its liking. But there's also no doubt that the actions of an increasing number of Iranian women are seen as a challenge to Iran's theocracy. And periods of perceived reform or liberalism in the past have often been met with violent crackdowns. Laylah from Tajrish Square admits it's a possibility. "Good things will happen again," she said. "If they want to take away our freedom, we will try again to win freedom [...] and to live the way we want to live."

Macron plays down apparent shove from wife in Vietnam
Thinh Nguyen and Elizabeth Pineau/Reuters/May 26, 2025
HANOI -French President Emmanuel Macron played down on Monday an incident in which his wife, Brigitte, pushed him in the face as the couple arrived in Vietnam to begin a tour of Southeast Asia. In a video, Brigitte Macron appeared to shove her husband before he descended from the presidential plane late on Sunday, causing him to step back before he recovered and waved to the cameras on the tarmac below. She remained momentarily hidden behind the plane's fuselage, blocking any view of her body language. The couple, who have been married since 2007, then descended the steps together, with Brigitte refusing her husband's arm. "I was bickering, or rather joking, with my wife," Macron told reporters in Hanoi. "It's nothing."He cautioned that this was not the first time in recent weeks that the content of videos of him had been twisted by people he described as "crackpots". Macron cited a video shared on social media that showed him removing a crumpled white object from a table on a train during a visit to Ukraine. Some social media users suggested - without providing evidence - that the object was a bag of cocaine. Macron said it was a tissue and his office accused France's enemies of spreading fake news. Earlier on Monday, an Elysee official said of the latest video: "It was a moment when the president and his wife were relaxing one last time before the start of the trip by having a laugh."
"It was a moment of closeness."
Macron's visit to Vietnam, the first by a French president in almost a decade, comes as he aims to boost France's influence in its former colony. Vietnam, which has a heavily export-driven economy, has made concessions to the U.S. in trade talks in a bid to avoid 46% tariffs. But Brussels has concerns that Vietnam's efforts to buy more American goods could come at Europe's expense. U.S. President Donald Trump threatened on Friday to impose 50% tariffs on imports from the European Union, but softened his stance two days later, restoring a July 9 deadline for talks between Washington and Brussels.

Tens of thousands flock to see a Spanish saint's remains more than 440 years after her death
Suman Naishadham And Alicia Leon/The Associated Press/May 26, 2025
ALBA DE TORMES, Spain — They lined up to see her, silent and wonderstruck: Inside an open silver casket was Saint Teresa of Ávila, more than 440 years after her death. Catholic worshippers have been flocking to Alba de Tormes, a town ringed by rolling pastures in western Spain where the remains of the Spanish saint, mystic and 16th-century religious reformer were on display this month. “It gave me a feeling of fulfillment, of joy, and of sadness,” said Guiomar Sánchez, who traveled from Madrid with her two daughters on Sunday, the last full day of the exhibit. Inspired by her mother’s belief in the Carmelite nun, Sánchez praised the mystic’s writings as being ahead of her time. Sánchez said she also came in part to honor her mother. “Seeing her was an inexplicable experience,” Sánchez added. On Monday morning, the casket of the saint who died in 1582 was resealed and carried through the town streets, with pilgrims following the procession. It is unclear how many years — or decades — will pass before the church once again makes St. Teresa's remains visible to the public. Teresa was last displayed in 1914, when devotees had a single day to see the saint. This time, the display drew almost 100,000 visitors over two weeks, said Miguel Ángel González, the prior of the Discalced Carmelites of Salamanca.
The casket that holds the saint's remains is barely 1.3 meters (4 feet) long.
What is visible is a skull dressed in a habit with vestments covering other parts of the body, not all of which is intact. The saint’s heart is kept in another part of the church, officials said. Other body parts — fingers, a hand and a jaw — are kept as relics in churches across Europe.
Teresa is a towering figure from Spain’s Golden Age and 16th-century Counter-Reformation. Her explorations of the inner life and meditations on her relationship with God were controversial, yet they have been held up over the centuries as a “profound treatise on spirituality," said José Calvo, a professor of theology at the Pontifical University of Salamanca who specializes in Medieval history. Many have worshipped her. Former Spanish dictator Gen. Francisco Franco is believed to have kept a relic of the saint’s hand next to his bed. Last September, the newly elected Pope Leo XIV visited the saint's birthplace in Avila, an hour's drive from Alba de Tormes. Teresa's remains have also spawned memes online about the macabre nature of crowding around her centuries-old skull. In Alba de Tormes, church officials and experts downplayed such reactions, saying the display was nothing out of the ordinary for how Catholics have revered their saints for centuries. “It was just something people always did when they thought somebody might be a saint,” said Cathleen Medwick, who wrote the book “Teresa of Avila, The Progress of a Soul.”“And the fact that her body hadn’t decayed very much was also considered a sign of her sanctity," Medwick added. Some worshippers this month were visibly moved. On Sunday, a group of nuns from India wiped away tears as they stood by the side of the casket and looked at the saint's remains behind a glass case. Gregoria Martín López, 75, climbed to an elevated part of the church behind the altar, hoping to get a better view from above of the diminutive saint's skull. “The saint for me is a thing of great strength. If they close her, I can say that I saw her,” Martín said and with tears in her eyes, blew a kiss down to Teresa's relic as organ music filled the space.

Daesh cell ‘planning attacks’ held in Damascus
AFP/May 27, 2025
DAMASCUS: Syrian security forces arrested armed members of a Daesh cell near Damascus on Monday accused of preparing attacks against the country. The gang were carrying “light, medium and heavy weaponry” and “explosive devices and suicide vests they were planning to use to destabilize security and stability,” the Interior Ministry said. The operation follows a similar incident this month in the northern city of Aleppo in which a security forces officer and three Daesh members were killed. Once in control of swaths of Syria and Iraq, Daesh were territorially defeated in Syria in 2019 largely due to the efforts of Kurdish-led forces supported by an international coalition. But the group have continued to carry out attacks, particularly against Kurdish-led forces in northeastern Syria. During his meeting with Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa in Riyadh this month, US President Donald Trump called on him to “help the US to prevent to resurgence” of Daesh, the White House said. Meanwhie, Syria’s Kurds will insist on decentralized government in forthcoming talks with the new authorities in Damascus, Kurdish official Badran Ciya Kurd said. The Kurdish-led administration signed an agreement in March to integrate into Syria’s state institutions.

Jordan eyes new economic partnership with Syria during official visit
Arab News/May 26, 2025
DAMASCUS: The Jordan Chamber of Commerce has used a visit to the Syrian Arab Republic to lay the groundwork for a renewed economic partnership, with a focus on deepening cooperation and supporting Syria’s reconstruction and economic recovery. During an official visit to Damascus on Monday, Senator Khalil Al-Haj Tawfiq, head of the Jordanian delegation, said his country was mobilizing its capabilities and private sector expertise to aid Syria’s economic development, the Jordan News Agency reported. The JCC held talks with the Federation of Syrian Chambers of Commerce to explore collaboration across key sectors, including trade, transport, logistics, agriculture, industry, food, banking and shipping. The two sides agreed to draft a comprehensive road map to guide future cooperation, with an emphasis on investment, joint ventures and reconstruction initiatives. “Our delegation seeks to launch a new phase of economic cooperation that serves both countries’ interests,” Tawfiq said. “We are committed to facilitating trade and transport and enhancing private sector engagement to support Syria’s path forward.”The Jordanian delegation, comprising leaders from the commercial and service sectors, will also hold a series of meetings with Syrian officials and business representatives over three days. The talks aim to revive the Jordanian-Syrian Joint Business Council and set the stage for an upcoming economic forum in Amman. FSCC President Alaa Ali welcomed Jordan’s support, highlighting the strong historic ties between the two countries, the report said. He called for boosting product competitiveness and reevaluating trade agreements, particularly in light of recent moves to ease international sanctions on Syria. Ali praised the recent signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Jordanian and Syrian governments to establish a Higher Coordination Council, describing it as a vital step toward enhanced economic integration. The visit was coordinated with Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Jordanian Embassy in Damascus and marks a significant step toward rebuilding economic bridges between the two neighbors.

The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on May 26-27/2025
Do Not Be Fooled by Iran: What They Really Want Is to Destroy America, Israel Is Just in the Way
Bassam Tawil/Gatestone Institute/May 26/2025
The real nakba [catastrophe, for Palestinians] was that they started a war and lost it. Well, if you start a war, that is what can happen.
The Trump administration should beware of countries where the mouth says one thing but the legs do the opposite. Believe the legs. The Iranians and Palestinians have not given up their dream of eliminating Israel and America.
Iran's leaders do the same thing. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reassures Americans that "We are not seeking war, we favor negotiation and dialogue." Meanwhile, Khamenei calls for the elimination of the "Zionist regime" and endorses "Death to America."
It is time for the Trump administration and other Westerners to see that the Palestinians and the Iranian regime do not want Israel or America in the Middle East -- period -- and are prepared to do anything to achieve this goal, including with nuclear weapons.
In many respects, Hamas, the Iran-backed terror group, has always been more forthright and honest about its goals regarding Israel than its rivals in the Palestinian Authority (PA). When one listens to leaders of the PA and the leaders of Hamas in Arabic, it is almost impossible to tell the difference between them. Their rhetoric, for instance, to vilify Israel, is identical: "The Zionist Enemy", "the Zionist Entity", the State of Occupation", and "the Apartheid State".
Hamas and the PA both view the establishment of Israel as a "catastrophe" (nakba) and call for flooding it with millions of Palestinian "refugees" so that Jews become a minority to eliminate or cast out.
Hamas makes clear to everyone that its primary goal is to wage jihad (holy war) against Israel with the intention of replacing it with an Islamist state. The terror group's covenant proudly quotes Hassan al-Banna, founder of the Muslim Brotherhood organization, as stating: "Israel will exist and continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it."
In mid-May, the PA and Hamas marked the 77th anniversary of "Nakba Day" ("Catastrophe Day"), a reference to the establishment of Israel in 1948.
Hamas, in a statement, said:
"The occupation [Israel] has no legitimacy or sovereignty over any part of our occupied land, and our people will continue to themselves through comprehensive resistance until the liberation of all of Palestine."
The terror group vowed that the "resistance" against Israel will continue until Palestinian refugees achieve the "right of return" to their former homes inside Israel.
Most of the so-called refugees are not real refugees. Most are descendants -- now quite distant -- of refugees who lost their homes when five Arab armies attacked Israel in 1948 in an attempt to prevent it from coming into existence. For Hamas and other Palestinians and Arabs, the fact that they failed to thwart the establishment of Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people is a "catastrophe."
The real nakba was that they started a war and lost it. Well, if you start a war, that is what can happen.
The PA and its president, Mahmoud Abbas, share Hamas's view. In a speech marking "Nakba Day," Abbas, bizarrely referred to by some Westerners as a "moderate leader" even though he handsomely pays his people to murder Jews, described the establishment of Israel as a "tragedy" and as "the catastrophe of catastrophes."
Like Hamas, Abbas called for flooding Israel with millions of Palestinian "refugees":
"On behalf of the steadfast Palestinian people, and in the name of more than 15 million Palestinians, including seven million Palestinian refugees, we renew our pledge that we will remain adherent to our rights and will continue our legitimate struggle for freedom and independence until they are realized. Today, we commemorate not only this somber anniversary, but renew the pledge that the Nakba was not and will not be the permanent and inevitable fate of our people, and that the right of return, the right to self-determination, and the independence of the Palestinian State are steady and inalienable rights and will not be forsaken by our people."
Such statements by Hamas and Abbas show why the talk about a peace process between Israel and the Palestinians is, unfortunately, just a sick joke. If the Palestinians consider the establishment and existence of Israel a "catastrophe" and "tragedy," this means that they have not – and will not – recognize Israel's right to exist.
By demanding the "right of return" for so-called refugees, Hamas and Abbas are clearly stating their intention to turn Israel into a country with an Arab Muslim majority. In this country, perhaps for a price – required Arab jizya payments are actually protection money -- some Jews might be allowed to live on sufferance, as dhimmis, tolerated residents of a land conquered by Islam.
Those who continue to advocate for the creation of a Palestinian state need to consider that such a state would be backed, politically and militarily, by Iran and its ruling mullahs, whose declared goal is to eliminate the "Zionist entity" Israel, as well as the United States.
As Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has stated about the "Little Satan": "'Death to Israel' is not just a slogan, it is a policy." The same goes for the "Great Satan" and "Death to America."
In the years leading up to its invasion of Israel on October 7, 2023, Hamas developed a concrete plan to destroy the Jewish state, in full coordination with Iran and its Lebanon-based terror proxy, Hezbollah. According to classified documents published by the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, Iran was a critical player in funding Hamas's plan to destroy Israel.
On May 15, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei reminded us, once again, that in his view, as he posted on X: "The Zionist regime is illegitimate, and the formation of this regime was based on a false premise." He is actually repeating what he knows is the false claim that Jews have no religious, emotional or historical attachment to their homeland.
His post came on the occasion of "Nakba Day." Many Arabs and Muslims, including Khamenei, continue to dream of the day when they would be able to destroy it. They do not conceal their support for the use of violence to achieve this goal. Furthermore, they never conceal their hatred for the "Little Satan" Israel, and the "Great Satan", the U.S.
On May 4, Khamenei wrote:
"When we, the Muslim Ummah [nation], are detached from each other, the colonial powers – the US, the Zionist regime, and some European and non-European countries – impose their own interests over the interests of other nations."
Iran's supreme leader is telling Arabs and Muslims that they must unite to confront not only Israel, but also the US and other non-Muslims.
In another post on May 15, Khamenei wrote:
"Palestinian political, military and cultural fight should continue until those [Jews] who have usurped Palestine submit to the vote of the Palestinian nation."
For Iran's mullahs, the "military fight" means unleashing terrorism against Israel by their Palestinian, Lebanese, and Yemeni terror proxies: Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.
In the context of his anti-US rhetoric and policy, Khamenei recently scoffed at US President Donald J. Trump's visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates and his talk about achieving peace and prosperity. "Trump said he wants to use power for peace," Khamenei wrote on May 17:
"Some of the remarks made during the US President's trip to the region aren't even worth a response at all. The level of those remarks is so low that they are a source of shame for the American nation."
He later added:
"Trump said he wants to use power for peace. He's lying."
The Trump administration should beware of countries where the mouth says one thing but the legs do the opposite. Believe the legs. The Iranians and Palestinians have not given up their dream of eliminating Israel and America.
The Trump administration also should realize that Palestinian and Iranian leaders tell Westerners one thing -- what they like to hear -- in English, while addressing their people with completely different messages in Arabic and Farsi. Believe the Arabic and Farsi.
Mahmoud Abbas has long been telling Westerners about his desire to make peace and establish a Palestinian state next to Israel; at the same time, he keeps calling for Israel's destruction.
Iran's leaders do the same thing. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reassures Americans that "We are not seeking war, we favor negotiation and dialogue." Meanwhile, Khamenei calls for the elimination of the "Zionist regime" and endorses "Death to America."
The Palestinians and Iran's mullahs believe that Americans and most Westerners are gullible enough to unreservedly swallow any lie – they so often have in the past.
It is time for the Trump administration and other Westerners to see that the Palestinians and the Iranian regime do not want Israel or America in the Middle East -- period -- and are prepared to do anything to achieve this goal, including with nuclear weapons.
*Bassam Tawil is a Muslim Arab based in the Middle East. His work is made possible through the generous donation of a couple of donors who wished to remain anonymous. Gatestone is most grateful.
© 2025 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.

The 'Two-State Solution' to Kill Jews, Destroy Israel
Bassam Tawil/Gatestone Institute/May 26, 2025
After the 2007 Hamas takeover, the Gaza Strip became an independent Palestinian state controlled by Hamas, with its own government, parliament, police force, and multiple armed groups. The Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip, in addition, had exclusive control over the border with Egypt, which was also abandoned by Israel.
In the absence of any Israeli military or civilian presence inside Gaza, Hamas had a chance to turn the coastal strip into a prosperous area, a "Singapore" or "Dubai" on the Mediterranean. Instead, the terror group chose to manufacture and smuggle weapons, including rockets and missiles, and invest tens of millions of dollars in building a vast network of tunnels for stockpiling its weapons, facilitating the concealed movement of terrorists, and providing shelter for its leaders and members.
[T]he war is continuing because of Hamas's refusal to release the remaining Israeli hostages, relinquish control over the Gaza Strip and lay down its weapons. Hamas, backed and armed by Iran, is determined to fight to the last Palestinian because its primary goal is to destroy Israel and replace it with an Islamist state.For more than a decade, these payments [to the Palestinian "pay-for-slay" program] have amounted to more than $300 million annually. Last year, the PA's payments increased by $1.3 million per month. The murder of Jews is what the European Union and many European countries have been funding.
By advocating a "two-state solution," France, Canada and Britain are essentially authorizing a genocide.
Before reviving their idea, the French, Canadians and British need to look at the results of all of the polls. They consistently show that most Palestinians support Hamas and the armed struggle against Israel. The last thing Palestinians and Israelis need now is to transplant the failed Gaza model onto the West Bank.
As the Hamas-Israel war in the Gaza Strip enters its 20th month, France, Britain and Canada have revived the talk about the need to establish a Palestinian state. In a joint statement in mid-May, the leaders of the three countries proclaimed:
"We are committed to recognizing a Palestinian state as a contribution to achieving a two-state solution and are prepared to work with others to this end."
Next month, the United Nations is scheduled to host an international conference, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, to advance the idea of a "two-state solution" between Israel and the Palestinians.
According to the UN:
"As outlined in General Assembly resolution 79/81, the Conference will produce an action-oriented outcome document entitled 'Peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine and implementation of the two-State solution.'"
"Indeed, only the implementation of a two-state solution will restore peace, prosperity and security for Israelis, Palestinians, and the entire region," Anne-Claire Legendre, advisor to the French president for the Middle East and North Africa, said in a statement on May 23.
"The June [UN] Conference must mark a transformative milestone for the effective implementation of the two-state solution. Within the framework of this conference, we will work with everybody who wishes to be involved to craft a roadmap for peace and security for all, based on two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security within secure and recognized borders."
Any talk about a "two-state solution" in the aftermath of the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel is a sick joke. The "two-state solution" died on that day, when thousands of Hamas terrorists and "ordinary" Palestinians from the Gaza Strip invaded Israel, murdered 1,200 people and wounded thousands. Another 251 Israelis were kidnapped to the Gaza Strip, where 58 – dead and alive – are still held as hostages.
In many respects, before October 7, the Gaza Strip was an independent and sovereign Palestinian state controlled by the Iran-backed terrorist group, Hamas.
In 2005, Israel withdrew from the entire Gaza Strip and handed it over, unconditionally, to the Palestinian Authority (PA) headed by Mahmoud Abbas. Less than two years later, Hamas staged a violent coup, toppling the PA and seizing full control over Gaza and its two million Palestinian residents.
After the 2007 Hamas takeover, the Gaza Strip became an independent Palestinian state controlled by Hamas, with its own government, parliament, police force, and multiple armed groups. The Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip, in addition, had exclusive control over the border with Egypt, which was also abandoned by Israel.
In the absence of any Israeli military or civilian presence inside Gaza, Hamas had a chance to turn the coastal strip into a prosperous area, a "Singapore" or "Dubai" on the Mediterranean. Instead, the terror group chose to manufacture and smuggle weapons, including rockets and missiles, and invest tens of millions of dollars in building a vast network of tunnels for stockpiling its weapons, facilitating the concealed movement of terrorists, and providing shelter for its leaders and members.
On October 7, during a de facto ceasefire, Hamas terrorists and thousands of "ordinary" Palestinians breached the border with Israel with the purpose of slaughtering and abducting as many Jews as possible.
The Israeli towns and villages near the border with the Gaza Strip that were invaded by the Palestinians were not "illegal settlements." Rather, they were in Israel proper, within its internationally recognized borders. The Israelis murdered and wounded on that day were not "illegal settlers." Rather, they were Israeli citizens residing within Israel's borders.
To many Palestinians, any Israeli is considered a "settler" and an appropriate target for murder, especially under the Palestinian Authority's lucrative "pay-for-slay" jobs-program set up under Mahmoud Abbas. The more Jews you murder, the larger the payments. For more than a decade, these payments have amounted to more than $300 million annually. Last year, the PA's payments increased by $1.3 million per month. The murder of Jews is what the European Union and many European countries have been funding (see, for instance, here and here).
Ironically and tragically, many of the Israelis who were butchered and kidnapped on October 7 were peace activists. They believed in the "two-state solution." Some had even volunteered driving sick Palestinians from the Gaza Strip for medical treatment in Israeli hospitals.
Yocheved Lifschitz, an 85-year-old Israeli peace activist who was kidnapped and later freed by Hamas, confronted Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar during a visit to hostages in a tunnel. She asked him: "Aren't you ashamed of having done this to people who have always worked for peace with the Palestinians?"
Vivian Silver, a Canadian-Israeli peace activist, was murdered in the Hamas-led attack on October 7. For many years, she worked within her kibbutz, Be'eri, to organize programs to help Gazans, such as job training, and ensuring that Gazan construction workers at the kibbutz were paid fairly. Silver was also the co-founder of Women Wage Peace, a grassroots interfaith organization. She also volunteered with Road to Recovery and Project Roxana to transport Gazan patients to Israeli hospitals.
The Palestinians who invaded Israel on October 7 did not distinguish between one Israeli and another. They did not care whether the Israelis they murdered supported a "two-state solution" or not. They did not even distinguish between Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs. Notably, 20 Israeli Arabs were murdered during the attacks or by Hamas rocket launches in the ensuing days. There were also 71 foreign victims on October 7, mostly Thai workers.
The October 7 invasion should be seen as a declaration of war on Israel by the Hamas-controlled Palestinian state in the Gaza Strip. Hamas planned and initiated this war since before 2020. It has brought death and destruction not only on Israelis, but also on the Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip.
Twenty months later, the war is continuing because of Hamas's refusal to release the remaining Israeli hostages, relinquish control over the Gaza Strip and lay down its weapons. Hamas, backed and armed by Iran, is determined to fight to the last Palestinian because its primary goal is to destroy Israel and replace it with an Islamist state.
Under the current circumstances, those who talk about a "two-state solution" to achieve peace and prosperity between Israelis and Palestinians are actually seeking to reward Hamas for perpetrating the worst crime against Jews since the Holocaust.
By pushing for a "two-state solution," France, Canada and Britain are sending a message to Hamas and other Palestinians that October 7 was worthwhile because it will bring them an independent and sovereign state.
By advocating a "two-state solution," France, Canada and Britain are essentially authorizing a genocide.
There is another problem: Can these countries or the UN guarantee that a Palestinian state in the West Bank would not be used in the future as a launching pad to attack Israel? Of course not.
Whether Hamas will officially admit it or not, that is the main reason it, and its backers in Iran and Qatar, want a "state." Do you think they want it to grow avocadoes?
There is no doubt that a Palestinian state would be controlled by Hamas or other extremist Palestinians who do not believe in Israel's right to exist. A poll published earlier this month showed that if presidential elections in the Palestinian Authority were held today, Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal would win 68% of the votes, compared to 25% for the incumbent Mahmoud Abbas. When asked which political party or movement they supported, the largest percentage (32%) said they preferred Hamas, followed by Abbas's ruling Fatah faction (21%). Twelve percent selected third parties, and 34% said they do not support any of them or do not know.
If new PA parliamentary elections were held today, the poll showed, Hamas would win 43% of the votes as opposed to 28% for Fatah. The poll also found that 40% of the Palestinians believe that Hamas is the most deserving of representing and leading the Palestinian people, while only 19% believe that Fatah is the most deserving.
The so-called two-state solution, sadly, is only a recipe for more violence, terrorism and bloodshed -- not security, stability and peace.
Before reviving their idea, the French, Canadians and British need to look at the results of all of the polls. They consistently show that most Palestinians support Hamas and the armed struggle against Israel. The last thing Palestinians and Israelis need now is to transplant the failed Gaza model onto the West Bank.
Bassam Tawil is a Muslim Arab based in the Middle East. His work is made possible through the generous donation of a couple of donors who wished to remain anonymous. Gatestone is most grateful.
© 2025 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/21650/two-state-solution

The Syrian uplift
Dana Hourany/Now Lebanon/May 26/2025
As Syria enters a new era marked by the lifting of sanctions, the question arises: how will this shift impact Lebanon—a country still uncertain about its own future?
In a striking reversal of long-standing policy, US President Donald Trump has announced the lifting of American sanctions on Syria, a move signaling renewed engagement with Damascus just months after the ouster of former leader Bashar al-Assad. Speaking during a visit to Saudi Arabia, Trump described Syria’s new leadership under President Ahmed al-Sharaa as holding “an extraordinary opportunity” to bring peace and stability to the war-torn country. The announcement came after Trump’s historic meeting with Sharaa — a one-time jihadist and former adversary of U.S. forces — marking the first face-to-face between Syrian and American leaders in a quarter century.
The landmark encounter, held alongside Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ahead of a Gulf Cooperation Council summit, underscores a dramatic pivot in US foreign policy. Trump, who called Sharaa a “tough guy” with a “very strong past,” said the sanctions rollback would give Syria “a chance at greatness.” For many Syrians, the televised images of their president flanked by the leaders of the US and Saudi Arabia were seen as a sign that 15 years of international isolation may finally be ending.
The European Union is poised to follow Washington’s lead, with EU diplomats confirming a preliminary deal to lift most economic sanctions on Syria. The move, expected to be finalized by foreign ministers in Brussels, would reintegrate Syrian banks into the global financial system and unfreeze the country’s central bank assets. While core sanctions on arms sales and individuals linked to past human rights abuses will remain, the shift reflects what Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani called “a regional and international will to support Syria’s rebirth.”
Sharaa, 42, welcomed the American move in a televised speech as a “historic and courageous decision” that would ease public suffering and lay the groundwork for national reconstruction. He cautioned, however, that the path ahead would be long. In Damascus, the mood was celebratory, with stalls near the Umayyad Mosque now selling both Syrian and Saudi flags — a tribute to Riyadh’s role in brokering the Trump-Sharaa meeting. As international recognition grows, Syria’s new leadership faces the monumental task of rebuilding a fractured nation while managing the legacy of a brutal civil war.
History of sanctions
Sanctions against Syria stretch back decades, beginning with the US designating the country a “State Sponsor of Terrorism” in 1979. This early move brought an arms embargo and restrictions on financial aid. Tensions escalated in 2004 when the US introduced additional economic sanctions, limiting trade and further isolating Syria’s financial system.
The outbreak of Syria’s civil war in 2011 marked a turning point. As the Assad regime violently cracked down on protests, the US and others expanded their sanctions. Measures included freezing Syrian government assets abroad, banning US investments, and blocking petroleum imports. Washington also targeted individuals linked to the regime and designated groups like Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)—formerly connected to al-Qaeda—as terrorist organizations. A $10 million reward was also placed on the capture of Syria’s current leader, al-Sharaa.
These sanctions were primarily motivated by human rights concerns, particularly the regime’s use of chemical weapons, and by Syria’s association with terrorism. Despite the fall of Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, many of these sanctions have remained in place due to lingering concerns over security and governance.
Following Assad’s departure, some easing occurred. The US issued a temporary six-month license (GL 24) in January 2025, allowing limited transactions with Syrian institutions and exempting personal remittances, although most US banks remained cautious. The EU lifted select restrictions in sectors like energy and transport and allowed banking transactions tied to humanitarian aid. The UK adopted a similar path but went further, lifting more financial sector restrictions and removing sanctions from the Syrian Central Bank and other entities.
Despite these moves, core international sanctions remain. UN Security Council Resolution 1267 continues to impose asset freezes and travel bans on HTS and al-Sharaa, with delisting requiring broad international consensus—a process stalled by Russian opposition.
Efforts to fully lift US sanctions are complicated by legal mechanisms. Sanctions imposed through presidential orders can be reversed by the president, but those passed by Congress, like the Caesar Act (renewed in 2025), require new legislation to repeal. While the Act allows for waivers and temporary suspensions based on national security or progress on US demands, only full repeal would offer the certainty needed for long-term investment.
Policymakers are debating whether the current piecemeal and conditional approach is the most effective. Some argue that a clean slate—with all outdated laws repealed and replaced by a targeted, transparent system—might better support Syria’s recovery while maintaining leverage.
What happens now?
According to some analysts, easing sanctions offers limited short-term relief, potentially boosting small-scale agriculture and services, but a broad economic revival remains unlikely. It may signal the start of Syria’s reintegration into regional markets, encouraging some trade and tourism ties, though progress depends on unresolved sanctions and political dynamics. Analysts view the move as a strategic gesture tied to regional negotiations or domestic political interests.
For political analyst Sam Mnassa, the lifting of sanctions on Syria is not just a bureaucratic or economic measure—it’s the gateway to a fundamental geopolitical shift. “The issue isn’t the Caesar Act or American sanctions. These are logistical details,” he told NOW. “The essence lies in the political process of lifting sanctions, which marks the end of one era in Syria and the beginning of another.”
Mnassa sees this move as Syria’s quiet departure from the Iranian-led “axis of resistance” toward alignment with Gulf countries. The goal, he explains, is to stabilize a new political order in Damascus—one more open to Arab and possibly even Western engagement.
In practical terms, the economic benefits of this political thaw may begin to materialize within a year. Aid from Arab states, particularly the Gulf, is expected to arrive faster than Western investments, which are more cautious and conditional. Qatar, for instance, is already paying public sector salaries in Syria (excluding defense and foreign ministries), hinting at growing Arab involvement in Syria’s recovery.
Lebanon stands to benefit from this recovery—if it plays its cards right. A stabilizing Syria means fewer refugees and renewed cross-border economic activity. “Lebanese contractors, entrepreneurs, and small and medium businesses could find work in Syria’s reconstruction,” Menassa noted. “This would help revive Lebanon’s own stagnant economy, but only if we have a functioning government ready to capitalize on these opportunities.”
However, Lebanon’s deep political paralysis threatens its ability to benefit. Mnassa warns that while individual Lebanese may profit from Syria’s opening, the Lebanese state may miss out altogether. “Lebanon hasn’t taken a clear political decision about where it stands regionally. Is it aligned with Iran or Saudi Arabia? What about its relationship to the West? Is it stuck in neutral?” he asked. “Without that clarity, without real reform and rule of law, foreign investors won’t come.”
The issue of Syrian refugees in Lebanon—estimated at nearly two million—could also be reshaped by Syria’s rehabilitation. “With better conditions in Syria, some may return,” Mnassa said. “Of course, not all can or should, especially those at risk.”
Still, Mnassa cautions against simplistic or xenophobic narratives. “We need to be honest—many Lebanese rely on Syrian labor. But we also need to recognize the immense strain on Lebanon’s infrastructure, electricity, water, and social services.”
Ultimately, he argues, Lebanon’s fate is closely tied to Syria’s. But while Syria appears to be carving a new regional role for itself, Lebanon remains adrift. “The question isn’t whether Syria will play a bigger role in the region than Lebanon–because that’s highly plausible,” Mnassa said. “The question is whether Lebanon can define its own role, reform its institutions, and regain the trust of its people and the world.”
The easing of sanctions opens a new chapter for Syria, but significant economic and political challenges remain. Recovery will likely be slow and dependent on regional and internal dynamics.
For Lebanon, Syria’s gradual reopening offers potential economic opportunities and relief on refugee pressures. Yet Lebanon’s own political and economic instability may limit its ability to benefit. How Lebanon positions itself amid these changes—and whether it undertakes needed reforms—will shape its role in a shifting regional landscape.

Boko Haram's resurgence: Why Nigeria's military is struggling to hold the line
Taiwo Adebayo/The Associated Press/May 26, 2025
ABUJA, Nigeria — A resurgence of Boko Haram attacks is shaking Nigeria’s northeast, as Islamic extremists have repeatedly overrun military outposts, mined roads with bombs and raided civilian communities since the start of the year, raising fears of a possible return to peak Boko Haram-era insecurity despite the military's claims of successes. Boko Haram, Nigeria’s homegrown jihadis, took up arms in 2009 to fight Western education and impose their radical version of Islamic law. The conflict has spilled into Nigeria’s northern neighbors and resulted in the death of around 35,000 civilians and the displacement of more than 2 million others, according to the United Nations. In the latest attack last week in the village of Gajibo in Borno state, the epicenter of the crisis, extremists killed nine members of a local militia that supports the Nigerian military, after soldiers deserted the base when becoming aware of the insurgents’ advance, according to the group’s claim and local aid workers. That is in addition to roadside bombs and deadly attacks on villages in recent months. Nyelni Kwari's area of Borno, Hawul, includes some of the affected villages, and returning home has become unsafe. “Unfortunately, the situation hasn't improved for me to feel secure,” said Kwari, a graduate student in Borno's capital, Maiduguri.
Two factions
Boko Haram has split into two factions over the years. One is backed by the Islamic State group and is known as the Islamic State West Africa Province, or ISWAP. It has become notorious for targeting military positions and has overrun the military on at least 15 occasions this year, killing soldiers and stealing weapons, according to an Associated Press count, experts and security reports. In May, ISWAP struck outposts in Gajibo, Buni Gari, Marte, Izge and Rann and launched an assault on the Nigeria-Cameroon joint base in Wulgo and Soueram in Cameroon. Other attacks this year have hit Malam Fatori, Goniri, Sabon Gari, Wajiroko and Monguno, among others. The group often attacks at night. The other faction, Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, or JAS, has increasingly resorted to attacking civilians and perceived collaborators, and thrives on robberies and abductions for ransom.
Expansion and decentralization
Malik Samuel, senior researcher at nonprofit Good Governance Africa, said ISWAP’s success is a result of its territorial expansion following gains against rival JAS as well as a decentralized structure that has enhanced its ability to conduct “coordinated, near-simultaneous attacks across different regions.”“The unpredictability of attacks under this framework illustrates ISWAP’s growing strategic sophistication,” Samuel said. External support from IS in Iraq and Syria is also a critical resource, said Samuel, who has interviewed ex-fighters. Such support is evident in ISWAP’s evolving tactics, including nighttime raids, rapid assaults with light but effective weaponry and the use of modified commercial drones to drop explosives, Samuel said.
Outgunned and outnumbered military
Ali Abani, a local nonprofit worker familiar with military operations in Borno's strategic town of Dikwa, said army bases are understaffed and located in remote areas, making them vulnerable to attacks. "When these gunmen come, they just overpower the soldiers,” Abani said. Reinforcements, in the form of air support or nearby ground troops, are often too slow to arrive, allowing militants time to strip the outposts of weapons needed to bolster their arsenal, he added, recalling a May 12 attack during which soldiers fled as they were outnumbered, leaving the extremists to cart away weaponry. There also have been reports of former militants who continued to work as informants and logistics handlers after claiming to have repented.
Nigeria losing ground ‘almost on a daily basis’
At its peak in 2013 and 2014, Boko Haram gained global notoriety after kidnapping 276 Chibok schoolgirls and controlling an area the size of Belgium. While it has lost much of that territory because of military campaigns, the new surge in Boko Haram attacks has raised fears about a possible return to the gloomy past. Borno Gov. Babagana Zulum warned recently of lost gains after raising concerns that military formations in the state are being dislodged “almost on a daily basis without confrontation.” Federal lawmakers highlight the extremists' growing sophistication and advanced weaponry, calling on the government to bolster military capabilities.
The Nigerian military didn't respond to a request for comment. Last Friday, senior commanders visited one troubled area, Gamboru on the border with Cameroon, promising the deployment of more troops to combat Boko Haram.

Sykes-Picot Agreement and Political Islam
Colonel Charbel Barakat/May 27/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/05/143692/
Some remnants of the Ottoman Sultanate and today's neo-Islamists still dream of dominating others under flimsy slogans. They draw inspiration from the oppression once practiced by the Mamluks, who expelled native populations from their lands, followed by the Ottomans who defeated the Mamluks and imposed their own brutal control. Under Ottoman rule, populations were reduced to obedient subjects, expected to pay taxes in return for "protection and stability."
These dreamers and their ideological successors constantly invoke the Sykes-Picot Agreement as a scapegoat for the failures of modern regimes—regimes that have ruled for over seventy years since the so-called colonial era ended. They blame the agreement, which merely divided the Ottoman Empire’s legacy between France and Britain, for the ongoing dysfunction in their societies.
France, before implementing its mandate, conducted in-depth studies of the region and the suffering endured by its people under Ottoman rule. It envisioned giving these people the right to self-determination. This vision came after a series of tragedies: the genocidal massacres of Armenians in Cilicia, the “Seyfo” massacres of Syriacs and Assyrians in southern Turkey (1915), the Great Famine in Mount Lebanon (1915–1918), and later, the population exchanges between Greece and Turkey (1923) following the so-called “War of Liberation.” That war was aided by Soviet intervention, driven by fears that the Allies might reach Russia’s borders and restore the Tsarist regime. The Soviets even occupied Armenia shortly after.
The French also learned from the experience of Yusuf al-Azma, former secretary to Anwar Pasha, the Ottoman Minister of War. Azma had contributed to thwarting King Faisal’s short-lived rule in Damascus through military confrontation. As a result, General Gouraud of France declared the establishment of Greater Lebanon in 1920 and proposed a union of federated states in Syria, based on local minorities. Meanwhile, Britain facilitated the Jewish settlement in Palestine through legal land purchases, a process already underway since the late 19th century. Britain also restructured Iraq—composed of the Ottoman-era provinces of Basra, Baghdad, and Mosul—into a constitutional monarchy under King Faisal in 1921, with a representative democratic government.
In contrast, the Ottoman and neo-Islamist vision, which never truly embraced equality or freedom for all social components, sowed the seeds of internal conflict. Rejectionist movements, sometimes under the guise of Arabism, adopted sectarian tones and evolved into nationalist movements. These grew in parallel with the rise of European ideologies like fascism and Nazism, which ultimately led to World War II. Anti-Jewish sentiment intensified, allegedly in the name of fighting British colonialism, and that hatred continues today.
Under the French mandate, Syria was organized in a way that respected its long-standing sectarian diversity. The 1922 Syrian Union included:
Jabal al-Druze State in the south (Suwayda, pop. 50,000): 84% Druze, 14% Christian, 1% Sunni.
Alawite State on the coast (Latakia, pop. 370,000): 71% Alawite, 13% Sunni, 12% Christian, 4% Ismaili.
Alexandretta (Antioch, pop. 190,000): 40% Turkmen, 28% Alawite, 20% Christian, 11% Sunni Arab, with some Circassians and Kurds.
Aleppo State (Aleppo, pop. 600,000): 83% Sunni Arabs and Kurds, 9% Christian, 5% Alawite, and a small Jewish minority.
Damascus State (Damascus, pop. 600,000): 75% Sunni, 12% Christian, 8% minorities (Druze, Alawite, Jewish, Ismaili, Shiite).
In May 1935, France signed a defensive pact with the Soviet Union. Later that year, the Comintern's Seventh Congress adopted the "Popular Front" strategy. Following strikes and protests similar to those in France, Syria also erupted in 1936. The National Bloc led demonstrations demanding independence. A Syrian delegation went to France for talks, possibly influenced by the Soviets who sought to end Western hegemony in the region. These negotiations resulted in the unratified 1936 Treaty—but more critically, Syria was reunified and the federal model was scrapped.
This centralization mirrored two global currents: Soviet-style socialism and European ultranationalism (as seen in Nazi and fascist regimes). Both promoted the unification of ethnonational identities and suppression of sectarianism. In secular Turkey, the heir to the Sultanate, Atatürk’s reforms imposed a hybrid model blending aspects of communism and nationalism, curbing religious authoritarianism and dismantling Islamic law-based governance.
Both the Soviets and the Islamists—Sunni or Shiite—opposed Western presence in the region. After World War II, France and Britain, weakened and focused on rebuilding, began to withdraw. This vacuum ushered in a series of revolutions and coups: in Syria, Egypt (led by Nasser and the Free Officers), and the 1956 Suez Crisis, which shifted the Gulf–Europe trade route away from the Canal and toward Lebanon and Syria.
This fueled more anti-colonial rhetoric. Sykes-Picot and the colonial legacy became the focal points in speeches—most notably Nasser’s fiery orations, which echoed Hitler’s style and ideology without understanding their inherent contradictions. Nasserism merged socialist rhetoric with Islamist undertones, particularly the Muslim Brotherhood’s call for a return to Sharia and the Caliphate. The result was a hybrid model that adopted neither ideology fully—and rejected none.
Meanwhile, Israel focused on building a cohesive society under a religious identity, to protect itself from increasingly hostile neighbors.
Later, during the Vietnam War, the United States faced guerrilla warfare from communists. The Soviet Union, in turn, faced Islamic resistance in Afghanistan, which evolved into suicide jihad and global terrorism. These movements initially targeted the Soviet Union but later shifted focus to Israel. From this chaos emerged the Muslim Brotherhood’s militant offshoots and, eventually, the Iranian Revolution in 1979, establishing the first Shiite theocracy—an Islamist regime very different from its Sunni counterparts.
Yet both al-Qaeda and Iran’s mullahs share one slogan: fighting the Jews and liberating Palestine. Their ultimate aim is to rally the masses to establish a religious state governed by Islamic law—Sunni or Shiite—under which armies of "mujahideen" would spread global Islamic rule.
More than seventy years after France and Britain left the Middle East, Sykes-Picot is still invoked by theorists and politicians to deflect blame for their own failures. Despite accusing colonialism of plundering their wealth, these regimes have governed for over seven decades, yet continue to breed poverty, misery, and endless conflict.
Take Syria, which was unified in 1936—against the supposed intent of Sykes-Picot. Has that unity brought prosperity or peace? On the contrary: over fifty-five years of Baathist rule, marked by Arab nationalism and military dictatorship, led to mass killings, societal fragmentation, and millions displaced by war. Is ISIS any better than the Baathists? What about Saddam Hussein, the Assads, Gaddafi, or the mullahs of Iran?
Despite its flaws, Sykes-Picot and the French and British mandates remain preferable to the nightmare of local authoritarianism. These modern regimes didn't stop at prisons—they developed new horrors in torture and mass murder: from Sednaya and Palmyra to the mustard gas in Iraq and Syria, to Iran’s proxy wars and the devastation in Gaza.
As for the jihadist militias of today—cheered on by "Caliph" Erdogan—they will be no more merciful to Alawites, Druze, Kurds, or any minority that refuses Sharia rule. These groups seek only power, not peace or coexistence.
So, to the theorists and blame-shifters of the region, we say: enough with vilifying Sykes-Picot. For all its faults, it still offered a better future than the massacres and destruction born of your revolutions and ideologies.
Political Islam brought nothing but fear—first to Muslims, and then to everyone else under its rule. For in their eyes, God is a murderer and an avenger. What then of His so-called followers?

Washington attack was wrong and does not help Palestine
Daoud Kuttab/Arab News/May 26, 2025
The chant “Free Palestine” is powerful and appropriate at protests across the US and around the world. But it is wholly inappropriate when shouted following a violent, fatal attack in the American capital. Such an attack must be unequivocally condemned. Palestinians, even as they endure unimaginable suffering in Gaza, must find the moral clarity and courage to reject violence of this kind. It does not matter that the victims were Israeli diplomats, nor that one of them had tweeted a provocative message suggesting that Israel should assassinate a Yemeni leader. The Palestinian cause demands international pressure and Israeli accountability, not violence in a city thousands of miles away from the conflict.Palestinians seek an end to Israel’s war, siege and occupation of Palestinian territories. Targets outside the region are not, and must never be, part of the Palestinian struggle. The demand to stop genocide and war crimes — crimes prohibited under international law — must be pursued in the proper arena: The Hague. Indeed, the Israeli government has deliberately weaponized starvation against Palestinians in Gaza. This crisis must be urgently addressed. But just as Western leaders were beginning to shift toward sanctions and other measures against Israeli violations, this reprehensible attack on two Israeli diplomats has served only to deflect attention — and relieve pressure on Israel.
The Palestinian cause demands international pressure and Israeli accountability, not violence in a city thousands of miles away
The condemnation of this act must be unequivocal. At the same time, we must reject Israel’s attempt to frame it as an act against Jews or as part of a global antisemitic campaign. While invoking “Free Palestine” in this context is wholly inappropriate, support for Palestinian rights is not inherently antisemitic. Israel is a state whose citizens include Jews, Muslims, Christians and others. Zionism itself is not exclusive to Jews; it also includes some Christians. To conflate criticism of Israel or Zionism with antisemitism is both dishonest and dangerous.
Leaders in Europe, the UK, Canada, Australia and elsewhere should not allow this act to deter them from their recent calls for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the war on Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s inflammatory response — blaming international opposition to Israel’s policies for inciting violence in Washington — is unacceptable.
Netanyahu, currently facing multiple criminal charges for corruption and abuse of power, is prolonging this war to preserve his political survival. By calling international criticism antisemitic, he attempts to silence dissent and bully world leaders into complicity. There should be no prohibition of justified criticism of Israeli policies. Despite their legal obligations under international law, most Western leaders have yet to act meaningfully. Article 1 of the Geneva Conventions requires signatories to “respect and to ensure respect” for the conventions in all circumstances. That includes taking concrete steps to prevent violations — steps that go beyond words. While recent statements from Western leaders are welcome, they remain insufficient if not followed up by action. This is precisely why the Netanyahu government wants to shut them down — and why he is exploiting the Washington attack to do so.
Because of the publicity surrounding this case, the world now knows the names of the two Israeli diplomats attacked in Washington — Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim. But how many people know the names of the tens of thousands of Palestinians killed in Gaza?
According to UNICEF, after nearly 18 months of war, more than 15,000 Palestinian children have been killed, about 34,000 injured and nearly 1 million repeatedly displaced and denied access to basic services. Thanks to the courageous student protesters at Columbia University, one name has broken through the silence: Hind Rajab, a five-year-old Palestinian girl killed by Israeli forces during the invasion of Gaza. Six of her family members and two paramedics trying to save her were also killed.
At the same time, we must reject Israel’s attempt to frame it as an act against Jews or as part of a global antisemitic campaign
The UN estimates that more than 28,000 women and girls have also been killed. On International Women’s Day, Jordan’s Radio Al-Balad — the station I am involved with — read the names of some of these women on air. Politicians, celebrities and even a princess participated in the campaign, titled “We Are Not Numbers.”This war must end immediately. According to multiple media reports, Hamas has expressed a willingness to release all Israeli hostages if the Netanyahu government agrees to end the war. The group has also reportedly offered to relinquish control of Gaza to a transitional Palestinian committee ahead of elections for a new unified Palestinian government. Any lasting resolution must address the root of the conflict: Israel’s ongoing occupation of the territories it captured in 1967. Palestinians must be allowed their fundamental right to self-determination. Peace will only come through the implementation of long-standing international resolutions, including the creation of a sovereign and democratic Palestinian state alongside Israel and a just solution for Palestinian refugees.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict must be resolved in the Middle East, with the support of the international community. Justice — and peace — will only come when the underlying injustices are addressed. What is needed now is persistent, principled pressure from the global community, including peace-loving Israelis.A violent attack against diplomats in Washington is not the way to free Palestine.
*Daoud Kuttab is an award-winning Palestinian journalist and former Ferris Professor of Journalism at Princeton University. He is the author of “State of Palestine NOW: Practical and logical arguments for the best way to bring peace to the Middle East.” X: @daoudkuttab

UK in long overdue change of tune on Gaza
Chris Doyle/Arab News/May 26, 2025
For the first time in 19 months of genocide in Gaza, a senior British minister, David Lammy, last week channeled some of the anger felt by much of the public at Israeli actions. After 77 days of Israel blockading Gaza, denying water, food, medicine, fuel and all aid to 2.3 million Palestinians under occupation, the British foreign secretary finally spoke out and started to take some action. This followed a tougher joint statement by the UK, France and Canada the day before.
Lammy announced a series of small actions. London is suspending all talks on a future free trade agreement with Israel, even though this was stalled anyhow. The Israeli ambassador was formally summoned to the Foreign Office. And a further three Israeli settlers, two illegal settler outposts and two settler groups were sanctioned.
Lammy’s skills as a thespian are unlikely to put him in the running for an Oscar. His furious tirade did not seem faked, but rather the outburst of a man who had been waiting to speak his mind, shaken from his torpor, let off the leash by a nervous Downing Street. No minister had previously used words such as “intolerable,” “monstrous,” “appalling” or “egregious” to describe Israeli actions.
Hearing the word “condemn” in regard to Israel’s conduct was a shock, as the “c” world had not been permissible previously. Lammy lambasted Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for speaking of Israeli forces “cleansing” Gaza, of “destroying what’s left” and of resident Palestinians being “relocated to third countries.” “I condemn it in the strongest possible terms,” he said. Strangely, other genocidal comments from Israeli ministers over the last 19 months did not receive the same treatment.
Lammy’s furious tirade did not seem faked, but rather the outburst of a man who had been waiting to speak his mind
Back in March, Lammy had been roundly ticked off by No. 10 for daring to suggest that Israel was violating international law. He was forced to backtrack to the nauseating formulation that Israel was “at risk” of violating it. Quite what Israel must do to convince the British government is not clear.
Watching the statement with two Palestinian human rights activists, their understandable questions were: Why has this taken so long? Why only now? Is this shift for real or just to assuage the mounting anger in the Labour Party and in the country as a whole?
Why now? As is so often the case, it was probably a congregation of circumstances, not one magic factor. The noncynical view is that the blockade of Gaza and the deliberate starvation of Palestinian men, women and children over 11 weeks was too much. At a public level, Israel does not have even minimal justification for this policy of starvation as a weapon of war. For those who barely follow this conflict, it is blatantly apparent that this is morally wrong.
Perhaps more importantly, the UK may have been emboldened by an awareness that US President Donald Trump had become irritated with Netanyahu on many fronts, from Iran to Syria and the Houthis to Gaza. Some speculate that Washington may have given a diplomatic wink to the European powers.
On a more cynical level, the UK has just agreed a tariff deal with the US. This takes the pressure off Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Just as importantly, parliamentary opinion was fuming. Senior sources informed me that members of the Cabinet had been raising the need to push for a stronger position. Notably, even backbench Conservative MPs had started speaking out, as well as right-wing commentators in the media, who never normally criticize Israel at all.
Why now? As is so often the case, it was probably a congregation of circumstances, not one magic factor
Lammy’s words contrasted heavily with those of his opposite number, Priti Patel. She once again failed to criticize the blockade, the starvation and the genocidal comments of Israeli ministers. Since becoming shadow foreign secretary last November, Patel has not once expressed any sympathy for Palestinians in Gaza, even those being starved and bombed, or criticized Israeli conduct in any way, shape or form. Lammy saved his most ferocious comments to tear into her — again, the first time Labour has turned its guns on the lamentable Tory position in 19 months.
Britain has shifted. It may not be a full U-turn, but a sharpish turn at least. Having taken a condemnatory stance, the pressure will be on the government to do more if Israel does not fully lift the blockade and halt its atrocities. The actions are limited thus far, but more are in the pipeline, including the possible sanctioning of extremist Israeli ministers Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir. France and the UK are also both considering recognizing a Palestinian state. The European powers will have to stand firmly against the egregious Israeli official pushback — not least from Netanyahu — which blames these critical postures for the awful killing of the two Israeli diplomats in Washington.
The bottom line is that all this is not enough. It is far too late. The genocide continues. All this should have been said and done by the end of October 2023, when Israel was clearly committing war crimes in Gaza and its ministers were promoting genocide. But it is still better than nothing, with the promise of more to come unless Israel stops the mass starvation and ends its genocide.
**Chris Doyle is director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding in London. X: @Doylech