English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For  November 10/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
Who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit.
John 10/01-06: “‘Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.’Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.”

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on November 09-10/2025
Text & Video/The Danger, Sin, and Foolishness of Worshiping and Idolizing Politicians and Leaders/Elias Bejjani/November 09/2025
The Feast of Saint Michael the Archangel/Elias Bejjani/November 08/2025
Former Minister Youssef Salameh: Lebanon Under the Influence of Two Occupations …Evading the truth is a crime and a betrayal!
American Security "Landing" in Lebanon Under Diplomatic Cover
President Aoun discusses financial measures, security, and negotiations with US Treasury delegation
US treasury highlights $1 billion Iranian funding to Hezbollah despite sanctions
The American Envoy's Meeting... Threat, Warning, and Giving Lebanon 60 Days' Grace
After the Khirbet Selm Raid in the Morning... Engineer Killed by Targeting a Car in Houmine Al-Fouqa
Lebanon's President: We Fight Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Without Leniency
Graham: I Advise My Friends in Lebanon to Disarm "The Party" (Hezbollah)
Lebanon fighting ‘terror financing’, president tells US
US Sanctions Official Says Time is Right to Cut Iran's Hezbollah Funding
Report: Israel warns Lebanese Army to act on Hezbollah or face increased attacks on
Israel Signals Concern Over Hezbollah’s Renewed Capabilities
Lebanon: Israel Changes ‘Rules of Engagement’, Drops ‘Civilian Immunity’ Principle
Balancing safety, Lebanese army tightens control in Beddawi camp after past incidents
Lebanon’s PM Salam calls for reform and unity, vows one army and one law in exclusive LBCI interview — major remarks
The Secretary-General is Stronger than The King
Jean Al-Faghali/Nidaa Al-Watan/November 10, 2025

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on November 09-10/2025
Intensive efforts are underway to solidify the "Gaza Agreement" and resolve the crisis of the stranded militants.
Hamas Says Fighters Holed up in Rafah Will Not Surrender
Israeli Government Spokesperson Rules Out Turkish Forces in Gaza
Hamas Says Fighters Holed up in Rafah Will Not Surrender
Palestinians recount 'black hole' of Israeli detention
Israeli Settlers Attack Palestinians, Journalists at West Bank Olive Harvest
Israel Receives Body of a Hostage in Gaza That Hamas Claims Is Israeli Soldier Hadar Goldin
Jordan dispatches humanitarian aid convoy to Syria’s southern region
Syrian President in the US for Landmark Visit
Syria Carries Out Pre-emptive Operations against ISIS Cells
Dam Reservoir Levels Drop Below 3% in Iran's Second City
Christians in Bangladesh alarmed after bomb attacks

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on November 09-10/2025
The Mirage of 'Humanitarian Reconstruction': Billions for Gaza — But Who Will Prevent the Next Jihad?/Pierre Rehov/Gatestone Institute./November 09/2025
The inequality gap threatens to dim Africa’s bright AI future/Tony Elumelu/Arab News/November 09, 2025
The Constitutional Timeframes for Forming the Legislative and Executive Authorities in Iraq/Faiq Zaidan/Asharq Al-Awsat/November 09/2025
It’s time for a bipartisan policy to cement the US relationship with Saudi Arabia/Joseph Haboush/English Arabiya/November 10/2025
Selected English Face Book & X Tweets for November 09/2025

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on November 09-10/2025
Text & Video/The Danger, Sin, and Foolishness of Worshiping and Idolizing Politicians and Leaders
Elias Bejjani/November 09/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/11/133977/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOUV38WHAd0
Worshiping and idolizing politicians and leaders is not merely dangerous; it is a grave sin and an act of profound foolishness that imperils the very essence of human freedom. When we elevate politicians or leaders to the status of idols, we don’t just admire them—we surrender our critical faculties and relinquish the sovereignty of our own minds and souls. This misplaced worship extinguishes the spirit of critique and accountability within us, which are the bedrocks of any true democracy and free society.
True freedom is not merely the ability to make choices; it is the courage to acknowledge the flaws and errors of those in power, no matter how influential or revered they may be. When we idolize leaders, we willingly strip ourselves of this courage, becoming submissive followers who march in lockstep without question or reflection. This kind of voluntary blindness doesn’t just empower leaders; it emboldens them, placing them on a perilous pedestal where they begin to see themselves as above the law, unaccountable, and immune to criticism.
It is vital to understand that the instinct to worship is deeply embedded in human nature. We are instinctively driven to seek something greater than ourselves—be it in the form of religious faith, ideals, or leaders—toward which we can direct our love and devotion. However, the true measure of wisdom lies in how we channel this instinct. Wise individuals direct their worship toward enduring values and principles, not fallible, mortal human beings. To do otherwise is to surrender our intellect and emotions to mere mortals who are as susceptible to error and corruption as any of us.
Idolizing human beings, particularly those in positions of political power, is not just a mistake—it is a dangerous abdication of our responsibility to hold them accountable. Politicians and leaders are inherently fallible, and when we place them on a pedestal of worship, we create a toxic environment of unchecked power. This paves the way for tyranny, where the leader becomes seen as infallible in the eyes of their followers, enabling them to commit grave injustices without opposition or restraint.
*The author, Elias Bejjani, is a Lebanese expatriate activist
Author’s Email: Phoenicia@hotmail.com
Author’s Website: https://eliasbejjaninews.com

The Feast of Saint Michael the Archangel
Elias Bejjani/November 08/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/11/148978/
Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of Saint Michael the Archangel. Who is he, and what is the historical ecclesiastical background of this feast?
Michael, the Prince of the Heavenly Host, is the one who fought with his righteous angels against the arrogant Devil and his wicked angels, casting him out of heaven with the cry: “Who is like God?” This is the meaning of his name, “Michael” (Mi−kha−′el), as stated in the Book of Revelation (12:7). The Holy Church has adopted him as its patron and advocate.
The Miracle in Colossae
The Church commemorates this day as the anniversary of the miracle he performed in the city of Colossae (well-known from the Epistle of Saint Paul). A pagan man came with his daughter, who had been mute since birth. He saw a crowd of Christians bathing in the water basin near the Church of Saint Michael. He did the same and gave his daughter some of the water, and she was immediately cured. The man and some of his acquaintances believed. The angry pagans attempted to destroy the church by digging around it to divert a river’s water towards it. The church guard, named Archippus (from Baalbek), pleaded with God and invoked the help of Saint Michael. The Archangel Michael appeared to the pagans at night while they were digging, and he diverted the water away from the church by cleaving a rock with his staff, causing the water to disappear into the fissure, thus saving the church. Many pagans believed as a result. This event is dated to around the Second Century A.D. His prayer is with us. Feast of the Archangels and Angels (November 8th)
1. Origin and History in the Eastern Tradition
The Churches that follow the Byzantine Tradition (such as the Eastern Orthodox and Melkite Greek Catholics) celebrate on November 8th a glorious, collective feast for the Archangels Michael and Gabriel and all the Bodiless Hosts (Angelic Orders).
The origins of this celebration trace back to the Fourth Century A.D. in the East. The organization of this veneration followed a period of theological debate, where the Church had to distinguish between worship due to God alone and veneration/intercession of the angels and saints who are servants of the Lord.
Condemnation of Worship, Not Veneration: The local Council of Laodicea (c. 343-381 A.D.) is mentioned in this context, as its 35th Canon condemned the worship of angels as a heresy. This canon did not abolish their veneration or intercession but prevented them from being worshipped as creators or essential mediators.
Substitution of Pagan Feasts: Ancient Church Fathers, such as Pope Silvester of Rome and Patriarch Alexander of Alexandria (+ 328 A.D.), replaced pagan festivals with Christian feasts to consecrate time.
Symbolic Interpretation of November 8th: The choice of November is symbolically interpreted in the Eastern tradition as the ninth month if the year is counted from March (as per some ancient calendars). The number nine (9) corresponds to the Nine Choirs (Orders) of Angels that are collectively celebrated on this feast.
2. Who is Saint Michael?
Michael is one of the Seven Archangels (in the Eastern Christian tradition) or one of the three most prominent (in the Western tradition). His name in Hebrew means “Who is like God?” (Mi−kha−′el).
Primary Function: He is depicted in the Holy Scriptures and Christian tradition as the Commander of the Heavenly Host and the Defender of God’s people against the powers of evil and the Devil.
Other Functions: He is traditionally credited with four main roles:
Fighting Satan.
Rescuing the souls of the faithful from the enemy’s power, especially at the hour of death.
Serving as the Patron of the Church and Defender of God’s people.
Calling the souls of humanity to Judgment (the Resurrection).
Origin: His existence dates back to the divine creation of the angels, making him a spiritual being that predates human history.
3. Michael’s Biblical Story and Mentions
Saint Michael is explicitly mentioned by name four times in the Holy Bible:
Biblical Reference/Context and Role
Daniel 10:13/Mentioned as “one of the chief princes” who assisted the messenger angel sent to Daniel.
Daniel 12:1/Mentioned as the great prince who “stands watch” over the people of Israel during times of great distress.
Jude 1:9 Mentioned when “contending with the devil and disputing about the body of Moses,” deferring judgment to the Lord (“The Lord rebuke you!”).
Revelation 12:7 Mentioned as the leader of the heavenly war: “And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon…”

Former Minister Youssef Salameh: Lebanon Under the Influence of Two Occupations …Evading the truth is a crime and a betrayal!
Nadia Shreim/Akhbarkum-Akhbarna News Website/November 09/2025
(Free Translation by: Elias Bejjani)
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/11/149000/
The Lebanese scene appears heavily obscured amidst President Joseph Aoun’s affirmation of the necessity of negotiating with Israel and Hezbollah’s complete rejection of the decision. Caught between escalating external pressures and the intensification of Israeli attacks across multiple Lebanese regions, Beirut faces difficult choices that are largely tied to the accelerating regional developments. The pressing question remains: What awaits Lebanon, and are we still capable of keeping pace with what is happening in the region?
The Head of the “Identity and Sovereignty Gathering,” former Minister Youssef Salameh, told our website: “It is an irony of fate that Lebanon has been living for over half a century under the influence of two occupations:
A first occupation, fraternal and internal, which saw an accumulation of identities over decades, and invited an external occupation.
A second, external occupation, which, in turn, stipulates the removal of the first occupation for it to withdraw.
The situation of these two occupations can be summed up by the traditional metaphorical question we used to ask when we were children: Which came first, the egg or the chicken?
For us, evading the truth is a crime and a betrayal. Therefore, the answer is clear: Lebanon’s land remained free, and it was not harmed by Israel’s occupation of Arab countries when its independence was complete and its decision was sovereign. However, the situation changed after its land was violated and its decision-making was confiscated by Palestinian organizations, the Syrian Ba’ath, and Arab populism, supported by a segment of Lebanese who objected to the system and identity. This was exploited by another segment that capitalized on the public’s fear and anxiety about their destiny, seized the levers of power completely, and held onto them until they were stripped of all meaning and handed over to successive external custodianships.”
He adds: “Faced with this reality, Israel took advantage of the situation and was able to violate Lebanon’s land, airspace, and independent decision. It has always tried, and continues to try, to play the role of the savior for those who reject the infringement on the state’s sovereignty and the usurpation of its rights from within. Israel is thus imposing itself as a need and a necessity for the removal of the first occupation in all its forms. Lebanon found itself confronting two occupations fighting on its territory against its will, and it is weaker than the weakest of the two. It is living a difficult situation that can only be confronted by an uprising of Lebanese legitimacy—represented by the government and the authority together—an uprising against the fear and hesitation controlling their ability to make a wise and courageous decision. This decision must turn the tables on everyone and demand the Security Council place Lebanon under Chapter VII, under direct American sponsorship, to remove all internal occupations that caused the Israeli occupation, as a prelude to Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon.”
Salameh believes that “the letter sent by Hezbollah to the Presidency of the Republic, the Speaker of the Parliament, and the Prime Minister, confirms what I previously stated in answering the first question: that the Lebanese authority suffers from an internal occupation called Hezbollah.”
Furthermore, Salameh asserts that “the war between Lebanon and Israel has not stopped since Lebanon entered the war of support until today. What changed after the ceasefire announcement is that the party [Hezbollah] unilaterally stopped the war without declaring surrender or admitting defeat.
In contrast, Israel continues to pursue the party relentlessly, hunting down its members without the party allowing itself the right to self-defense. Despite this, it continues to be stubborn, and some Lebanese persist in wondering whether a war with Israel will occur or not, as if we are currently living in a state of peace with it.”
What about the Parliamentary Elections?
The head of the “Identity and Sovereignty Gathering” believes that “any elections are meaningless unless Lebanon is liberated from all occupations, internal and external, and the Lebanese people regain the freedom of choice and selection. As for the May elections, I hope they will be preceded by a comprehensive liberation so that they may acquire their true meaning and yield the required results. On that basis, I wish to deal with them, and this is how all free people should deal with them.”
In conclusion, Salameh emphasizes that “the Pope’s visit to Lebanon constitutes a fundamental station for Lebanon’s salvation. The Vatican was the first state to recognize Lebanon’s independence and the one that deemed it ‘more than a homeland; it is a message.’ In this context, the visit of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV comes with the hope that it will grant us a glimmer of hope, through which we can restore the possibility of Lebanon’s revival to what it was before being usurped by populist wills.”

American Security "Landing" in Lebanon Under Diplomatic Cover
Nidaa Al-Watan/November 10, 2025 (Translated from Arabic)
An American "security offensive" on Lebanon, under diplomatic cover, was represented by the visit of a US Treasury delegation. In addition to Dr. Gorka, the delegation included Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence (TFI) John Hurley, Chief of Staff for TFI Bill Barrett, Deputy Assistant Secretary for TFI Spencer Horowitz, Advisor to the Under Secretary Michael Roumays, Director of Middle East Affairs/Office of Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes (TFFC) Daniel Jackson, Director for Counterterrorism and Threats/National Security Council (Office of the Director of National Intelligence) Nancy Dahdouh, Director for Threat Finance/National Security Council Max van Amerongen, and Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director for Counterterrorism/National Security Council Rudy Atallah.
The delegation met with the President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun, who informed them that Lebanon strictly implements the approved measures to prevent money laundering, smuggling, or its use in financing terrorism, and severely punishes financial crimes of any kind. President Aoun indicated that these measures include Parliament's approval of the amendment to the banking secrecy law and the restructuring of banks, as well as the circulars issued by the Central Bank of Lebanon in this regard.
President Aoun affirmed to the American delegation that the government is in the process of finalizing the draft law known as the Financial Gap (Al-Fajwa Al-Maliyya), which would also help regularize the country's financial situation. President Aoun noted that in parallel with the financial measures taken, the Army and security agencies are working to prosecute terrorist cells and refer their members to the competent judiciary, thereby thwarting any attempt to destabilize security and stability in all Lebanese regions.
The discussions also covered the ongoing contacts with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the means to reach an agreement with the Fund to support Lebanon and help lift it out of the current economic situation. The discussion also addressed the steps that must be adopted to revive the banking sector so that the flow of money is normal and in accordance with internationally adopted financial systems. Regarding the situation in the South, President Aoun affirmed the necessity of pressuring Israel to stop its continuous aggressions on Lebanon and to oblige it to implement Resolution 1701 and the agreement reached last year, which would lead to the completion of the Army's deployment up to the southern border and the activation of the plan set by the Army Command to implement the decision of confining weapons to the state. President Aoun reiterated that the option of negotiation, which he has announced repeatedly, stems from the fact that war has not led to any result, but negotiation requires suitable conditions, most notably the cessation of hostilities and the achievement of stability in the South, noting that this option is supported by the United States and other countries. The American delegation, in turn, confirmed its readiness to assist Lebanon in its efforts to achieve security and stability in the South, support the Army to extend state authority over all Lebanese territories, abolish armed manifestations, and enable the legitimate security forces to perform their role fully.
It is worth noting that Gorka was General Joseph Aoun's professor at the National Defense University in Washington.
John Hurley: "The Opportunity is Ripe" One member of the delegation preceded his arrival in Lebanon with an interview with "Reuters" conducted in Turkey, in which he said that the United States seeks to take advantage of a "ripe opportunity" in Lebanon to cut off Iranian funding for Hezbollah and pressure it to lay down its arms. Hurley mentioned that Iran was able to transfer about one billion dollars to Hezbollah this year despite a range of Western sanctions that have hurt its economy. Hurley said, "There is a ripe opportunity in Lebanon now. If we can get Hezbollah to lay down its arms, the Lebanese people can take back their country." He added that the visit aims to increase pressure on Iran, and that "the key to that is to get rid of the Iranian influence and control, which starts with all the money they inject into Hezbollah." The American delegation is scheduled to meet today with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Ministers of Justice and Interior Adel Nassar and Ahmad Al-Hajjar, and Central Bank Governor Karim Said, as part of a tour of Lebanese officials.
US Diplomatic Source: What is Happening is Surprising A US diplomatic source says that what is happening in Lebanon is surprising, especially in light of intelligence reports confirming that Hezbollah is still able to continue. He criticized the role of the internationally funded UNIFIL forces, which he suggested allowed "The Party" to build a "South beneath the South" despite international oversight. In this context, a former American official pointed out that Israel remains the only force that possesses the capability and will to impose the disarmament of Hezbollah, and it will not compromise on its disarmament.
In contrast, some American experts believe that the escalating pressure on Lebanon regarding disarmament constitutes a major threat to Lebanon, as these demands highlight the fragility of state authority in the face of entrenched militia influence. The recent statements by American diplomats underscore the necessity for the Lebanese government to take urgent steps to limit Hezbollah's influence.
American experts see that in the wake of "The Party's" open message, immediate repercussions appeared on several fronts. Israeli military operations escalated in Southern Lebanon, reflecting a response to Hezbollah's challenge.
Israel Conducts a Series of Drills While Washington is moving diplomatically, Israel was preparing militarily, with drills in the port of Haifa involving multiple branches of service. These drills come as part of a plan that may lead to a new round of war. This atmosphere was reinforced by reports that Hezbollah is enhancing its capabilities by producing drones in the Southern Suburb (Dahiyeh) and the Beqaa, smuggling weapons and money, training new fighters, and rehabilitating civilian infrastructure used as cover for military structures.
Raids on Southern Lebanon In parallel with the drills, Israeli raids are continuous. A drone targeted a car in Houmine Al-Fouqa in the evening, and a citizen was killed yesterday morning following an Israeli drone strike that targeted a pickup truck on the Al-Sawwana – Khirbet Selm road.
Qmati: We Will Not Abandon Our Weapons The Deputy Head of Hezbollah's Political Council, former Minister Mahmoud Qmati, said in a speech at a gathering in the town of Kfarsala, in Jbeil: "We will not abandon our weapons, but rather hold onto them because they are the guarantee of Lebanon's survival and a source of strength for Lebanon."
Nejmeh Square on a Date with a Battle over the Election Law It appears that Nejmeh Square (the Parliament) is headed for a fierce battle regarding the election law. The first signs of this battle were announced by the political assistant to Speaker Nabih Berri, MP Ali Hassan Khalil, who said: "We will lead a political battle to preserve the current law without amendment, and we will not accept that a decision or choice that oversteps their role, position, or right, which must be preserved through elections at home or abroad, is imposed on those we represent."
Al-Rahi, the Lebanese University, and the Sale of Certificates Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi focused in his Sunday sermon on the issue of forgery at the Lebanese University. He said: "What was rumored these days about the sale of fake certificates at the Lebanese University is, in fact, as its president explained to us, that in one of the branches, money was paid to employees to tamper with exams by replacing them, forging professors' handwriting, and awarding undeserved passing grades. The University President intervened and dismissed some administrators and employees and suspended others. The Lebanese University, which has sixty thousand students, is elevating its educational standard according to global ranking indicators. Its certificates enable their holders to occupy leadership positions at home and abroad."

President Aoun discusses financial measures, security, and negotiations with US Treasury delegation
LBCI/November 09/2025
President Joseph Aoun met with a U.S. Treasury delegation led by Sebastian Gorka, Deputy Assistant to the U.S. President and Senior Director for Counterterrorism, at Baabda Palace on Sunday. He emphasized that Lebanon strictly enforces measures to prevent money laundering, the financing of terrorism, and financial crimes, which are punished severely regardless of type. Aoun highlighted recent legislative and regulatory steps, including the parliament’s approval of amendments to the banking secrecy law, bank restructuring, and circulars issued by the central bank. He also noted that the government is preparing a draft law addressing the so-called financial gap, aimed at restoring financial order in the country. In parallel with financial measures, the president said the army and security agencies are pursuing terrorist cells, referring suspects to the judiciary to thwart any attempts to destabilize security across Lebanon.
The discussion also covered ongoing communications with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and steps toward reaching an agreement to support Lebanon’s economic recovery, including revitalizing the banking sector to ensure the smooth flow of funds under internationally recognized financial regulations. Regarding southern Lebanon, Aoun stressed the need to pressure Israel to halt ongoing attacks, implement U.N. Resolution 1701, and comply with last year’s agreements, allowing full army deployment to the southern border and enforcing the army’s exclusive arms control plan. The president reiterated that Lebanon’s negotiation approach stems from the failure of war to achieve results, but successful talks require conducive conditions, including halting hostilities and stabilizing the south—a strategy supported by the United States and other countries. The U.S. delegation expressed readiness to assist Lebanon in achieving security and stability in the south, supporting the army’s authority across all Lebanese territory, eliminating armed manifestations, and enabling legitimate security forces to perform their duties fully.

US treasury highlights $1 billion Iranian funding to Hezbollah despite sanctions
Capitol Hill in Washington./Asharq Al-Awsat/November 09/2025
The United States seeks to take advantage of a “moment” in Lebanon in which it can cut Iranian funding to Hezbollah and press the group to disarm, the US Treasury Department’s top sanctions official said. In a late Friday interview, John Hurley, the undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said Iran has managed to funnel about $1 billion to Hezbollah this year despite a raft of Western sanctions that have battered its economy. The US has adopted a “maximum pressure” campaign on Tehran meant to curb its uranium enrichment and regional influence, including in Lebanon where Iran-backed Hezbollah is also weakened after Israel shattered its military power in a 2023-24 war. Late last week, Washington sanctioned two individuals accused using money exchanges to help fund Hezbollah, which is deemed a terrorist group by several Western governments and Gulf states. “There’s a moment in Lebanon now. If we could get Hezbollah to disarm, the Lebanese people could get their country back,” Hurley said. “The key to that is to drive out the Iranian influence and control that starts with all the money that they are pumping into Hezbollah,” he told Reuters in Istanbul as part of a tour of Turkey, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates and Israel meant to raise pressure on Iran. Tehran has leaned on closer ties with China, Russia and regional states including the UAE since September, when talks to curb its disputed nuclear activity and missile programme broke down, prompting the reinstatement of United Nations sanctions.
Western powers accuse Iran of secretly developing nuclear weapons capability. Tehran, whose economy now risks hyperinflation and a severe recession, says its nuclear program is wholly for civilian power purposes. US ally Israel says Hezbollah is trying to rebuild its capabilities and on Thursday carried out heavy airstrikes in southern Lebanon despite a ceasefire deal agreed a year ago. Lebanon’s government has committed to disarming all non-state groups, including Hezbollah, which was founded in 1982 by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, spearheaded the Iran-backed “Axis of Resistance”, and opened fire on Israel declaring solidarity with Palestinians when war began in Gaza in 2023. While the group, which is also a political force in Beirut, has not obstructed Lebanese troops confiscating its caches in the country’s south, it has rejected disarming in full. Hurley, in his first trip to the Middle East since taking office under President Donald Trump’s administration, has pressed the case against Iran in meetings with government officials, bankers and private sector executives. “Even with everything Iran has been through, even with the economy not in great shape, they’re still pumping a lot of money to their terrorist proxies,” he said.

The American Envoy's Meeting... Threat, Warning, and Giving Lebanon 60 Days' Grace
Al-Modon/November 9, 2025
"Al-Modon" has learned that the US Treasury delegation, headed by the Deputy Assistant to the US President for Counterterrorism Affairs, Dr. Sebastian Gorka, held a side evening meeting at the residence of MP Fouad Makhzoumi following its meeting with the President of the Republic. The meeting, which included a number of MPs and was attended by Finance Minister Yassin Jaber, was characterized by absolute negativity and a tone of threat and warning. The American envoy asked the Lebanese side to put together a clear plan and hand it over to the President of the Republic for the delegation to receive and study later, either to approve it or reject it completely. He set a deadline not exceeding 60 days to implement a set of conditions, the most prominent of which are controlling the cash economy and carrying out the required financial reforms, while threatening to "leave Lebanon to its fate" if these commitments are not implemented. According to more than one source among the attendees, the delegation spoke with clear condescension and a harsh tone, enumerating the conditions Lebanon must implement, and also stressing the need to quickly address and definitively close the "Qard Al-Hasan" (Good Loan) file. The American envoy refused to listen to the attendees' comments or justifications regarding the reforms implemented or stalled in Parliament, saying in a firm tone: "Don't tell me what we are supposed to do, you have a President of the Republic, set the work program and hand it over to us." One of the attending MPs commented on the meeting's proceedings by saying: "Sovereignty was thrown against the wall."

After the Khirbet Selm Raid in the Morning... Engineer Killed by Targeting a Car in Houmine Al-Fouqa
Al-Markaziya/November 9, 2025
An Israeli drone, at approximately ten minutes before six this evening, carried out an airstrike, targeting a car with two guided missiles near the oil press on the Houmine Al-Fouqa - Hmayla road in the Iklim Al-Tuffah area. There is information about an injury. A statement was issued by the Emergency Health Operations Center affiliated with the Ministry of Public Health, announcing that "the Israeli enemy's raid on a car in the town of Houmine Al-Fouqa in the Nabatieh district led to the martyrdom of a citizen." It was later reported that the raid led to the martyrdom of the town's resident, Engineer Abbas Al-Jawad. This morning, Sunday, an Israeli drone launched a raid targeting a car in the town of Khirbet Selm in southern Lebanon. Information indicated that the raid targeted a "pickup" vehicle with 3 missiles. In this context, the Emergency Health Operations Center announced that the Israeli raid led to the martyrdom of a citizen. Initial information indicated that the deceased in the raid on the car between Khirbet Selm and Al-Sawwana is Hassan Ali Jamil Sultan. Israeli forces are carrying out an extensive search operation using heavy weapons on the outskirts of the town of Alma Al-Shaab. This escalation coincided with intense overflights by Israeli drones in the skies of several areas in Southern Lebanon. The Israeli army carried out a bulldozing operation at the newly established site in Jall Al-Deir - Jabal Al-Bat on the outskirts of Aitaroun. Israeli warplanes are flying over the Marjayoun region, conducting circular patrols at a medium altitude, simultaneously with the flight of reconnaissance drones.

Lebanon's President: We Fight Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Without Leniency
Sky News Arabia - Abu Dhabi/November 9, 2025
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun affirmed his country's strict commitment to implementing the approved international measures to prevent money laundering, smuggling, and their use in terrorism financing, stressing the punishment for financial crimes of any kind. This came during his reception of a US Treasury delegation headed by the Deputy Assistant to the US President for Counterterrorism Affairs, Sebastian Gorka, at Baabda Palace on Sunday evening. Aoun indicated that this commitment is translated through a set of legislative and regulatory steps, including the Parliament's approval of the law amending banking secrecy, and the restructuring of the banking sector, in addition to the circulars issued by the Central Bank of Lebanon in this regard. He revealed that the government is working to finalize the "Financial Gap" draft law, which is supposed to contribute to regulating the financial situation and enhancing transparency.
On the security side, Aoun affirmed that the Lebanese Army and security agencies continue to pursue terrorist cells and refer those involved to the competent judiciary, which contributes to protecting internal stability in various Lebanese regions. The meeting also discussed the ongoing contacts with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and ways to reach an agreement to support Lebanon economically, as well as the necessary steps to revive the banking sector and ensure the flow of funds in line with international standards. Regarding the border situation, Lebanon's President stressed the necessity of pressuring Israel to stop its continuous aggressions on Lebanese territories and to commit to implementing International Resolution 1701, affirming the importance of completing the deployment of the Lebanese Army on the southern border and activating the plan to confine arms to the Lebanese state. He indicated that the option of negotiation with Israel is still on the table, stemming from the conviction that war has not achieved results, but at the same time stressed the need to create favorable climates for this option, starting with a cessation of hostilities and achieving stability, noting that this direction is supported by the United States and other countries. For its part, the American delegation renewed its country's support for Lebanon in its quest to consolidate security and stability, especially in the South, affirming Washington's readiness to support the Lebanese Army and enable legitimate security forces to exercise their full authority over Lebanese territories, and end illegal armed manifestations.

Graham: I Advise My Friends in Lebanon to Disarm "The Party" (Hezbollah)
Al-Markaziya / November 9, 2025
US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said that "there can be no talk of any peace in the Middle East as long as Hamas is armed," stressing that any reconstruction process in Gaza remains directly linked to the movement's disarmament. In an interview with "Sky News Arabia," Graham explained that he sees no indication of Hamas's readiness to abandon military force and said: "I wish Hamas would surrender its weapons, but I don't see any effort from them to do so. Rather, I see them trying to regain their strength and rearm. All indications are that Hamas's actions are inconsistent with the idea of disarmament or abandoning power." He stated: "A time will come, sooner or later, when someone will have to disarm Hamas; if they don't do it themselves, Israel will probably do it." He declared that he does not see any Arab party willing to forcibly disarm within Gaza: "I do not see any Arab force willing to enter Gaza to forcibly disarm Hamas; the only party capable of doing that is Israel. We can provide support to Israel to disarm Hamas, but Israel is the one that will be on the ground." According to Graham, "The day Hamas is disarmed and stops being part of the political life in Gaza is the day reconstruction of Gaza and the West Bank begins, and the return to the path of normalization. As long as Hamas has power, there will be no peace in the Middle East." Regarding the Lebanese file, the Republican Senator said that the Shia community in Lebanon is "divided," and that "nearly half of them want all heavy weapons to be in the hands of the army." But he stressed that "there is a faction within Hezbollah that insists on remaining armed, and this will prevent Lebanon from reaching its full potential." He added: "Israel will not accept Hezbollah remaining armed. My advice to my friends in Lebanon is to disarm Hezbollah, and then we can sit down to discuss border security with Israel and open a path for Lebanon's integration into the region." He continued: "More countries have joined the Abraham Accords, and I expect Saudi Arabia to join sometime next year, and Lebanon must prepare now to be part of that."
On the Syrian file, Graham said he would not mind easing sanctions, "but I want us to be able to quickly reimpose them if they do not do the right things, such as protecting religious minorities and controlling the borders between Lebanon and Syria." He clarified: "My focus is on isolating and disarming Hezbollah, and trying to empower this new Syrian government, but cautiously."

Lebanon fighting ‘terror financing’, president tells US
AFP/November 09, 2025
BEIRUT: Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun told US officials on Sunday his country was tackling money laundering and the financing of terrorism, days after Washington imposed sanctions on three Hezbollah members. The trio were accused of money laundering to fund Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group, designated a terrorist organization by the United States and other Western powers.The US delegation’s visit to Beirut, headed by senior director for counterterrorism Sebastian Gorka, came as Washington works to cut off Iran-backed Hezbollah’s funding and Lebanon’s government tries to disarm it.
The group was severely weakened in its most recent war with Israel, which was halted by a November 2024 ceasefire. “Lebanon strictly applies the measures adopted to prevent money laundering, smuggling, or its use in financing terrorism, and severely punishes financial crimes of all kinds,” Aoun said he had told the delegation.On Thursday, the US imposed sanctions on three Hezbollah members allegedly involved in the transfer of tens of millions of dollars from Iran, the group’s main sponsor. Part of the funding was via money exchange businesses that operate in cash, said a US Treasury statement.
Since January 2025, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have “transferred over $1 billion” to Hezbollah, “mostly through money exchange companies,” it added. “Lebanon has an opportunity to be free, prosperous and secure — but that can only happen if Hezbollah is fully disarmed and cut off from Iran’s funding and control,” deputy director for counter-terrorism John Hurley said Thursday. Hurley later posted on X that he, Aoun and Gorka had “discussed ways in which we can partner together to stop the flow of money from Iran to Hezbollah and create a safer and more prosperous Lebanon.”
Israel on Sunday carried out new strikes in south Lebanon, killing two people according to the health ministry, putting the toll from Israeli strikes since Saturday at five. Aoun called on Sunday for “pressure on Israel to stop its ongoing attacks.”

US Sanctions Official Says Time is Right to Cut Iran's Hezbollah Funding
Asharq Al-Awsat/November 09/2025
The United States seeks to take advantage of a "moment" in Lebanon in which it can cut Iranian funding to Hezbollah and press the group to disarm, the US Treasury Department's top sanctions official said. In a late Friday interview, John Hurley, the undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said Iran has managed to funnel about $1 billion to Hezbollah this year despite a raft of Western sanctions that have battered its economy. The US has adopted a "maximum pressure" campaign on Tehran meant to curb its uranium enrichment and regional influence, including in Lebanon where Iran-backed Hezbollah is also weakened after Israel shattered its military power in a 2023-24 war. Late last week Washington sanctioned two individuals accused using money exchanges to help fund Hezbollah, which is deemed a terrorist group by several Western governments and Gulf states. "There's a moment in Lebanon now. If we could get Hezbollah to disarm, the Lebanese people could get their country back," Hurley said. "The key to that is to drive out the Iranian influence and control that starts with all the money that they are pumping into Hezbollah," he told Reuters in Istanbul as part of a tour of Türkiye, Lebanon, and Israel meant to raise pressure on Iran.
IRANIAN ECONOMY HIT BY SNAPBACK US SANCTIONS
Tehran has leaned on closer ties with China, Russia and regional states since September, when talks to curb its disputed nuclear activity and missile program broke down, prompting the reinstatement of United Nations sanctions. Western powers accuse Iran of secretly developing nuclear weapons capability. Tehran, whose economy now risks hyperinflation and a severe recession, says its nuclear program is wholly for civilian power purposes. US ally Israel says Hezbollah is trying to rebuild its capabilities and on Thursday carried out heavy airstrikes in southern Lebanon despite a ceasefire deal agreed a year ago. Lebanon's government has committed to disarming all non-state groups, including Hezbollah, which was founded in 1982 by Iran's Revolutionary Guards, spearheaded the Iran-backed "Axis of Resistance", and opened fire on Israel declaring solidarity with Palestinians when war began in Gaza in 2023. While the group, which is also a political force in Beirut, has not obstructed Lebanese troops confiscating its caches in the country's south, it has rejected disarming in full. Hurley, in his first trip to the Middle East since taking office under President Donald Trump's administration, has pressed the case against Iran in meetings with government officials, bankers and private sector executives. "Even with everything Iran has been through, even with the economy not in great shape, they're still pumping a lot of money to their terrorist proxies," he said.

Report: Israel warns Lebanese Army to act on Hezbollah or face increased attacks on
Naharnet/November 09/2025
Israel has warned the U.S. administration that Hezbollah is rehabilitating itself has also warned the Lebanese Army that if it does not act against Hezbollah, Israel’s attacks on Lebanon will increase, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation has reported.
According to the report, Israel has sent a new message through the U.S.-led Mechanism, noting that Lebanon is not working sufficiently to disarm Hezbollah, demonstrating “several steps that it said Hezbollah is making to rebuild its strength without obstacles.”
“Over the past weeks, Hezbollah smuggled hundreds of missiles from Syria to Lebanon, repaired rocket launchpads damaged in fighting with Israel and recruited thousands of new fighters,” the report alleged.

Israel Signals Concern Over Hezbollah’s Renewed Capabilities
The Daily Star/November 09/2025
Israel has reportedly warned the U.S. administration that Hezbollah is rebuilding its military strength, and has cautioned the Lebanese Army that Israeli attacks on Lebanon could intensify if it does not act against the group, according to a report by the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation. The warning reflects Israel’s growing unease over what it views as Hezbollah’s efforts to restore and expand its capabilities following recent clashes. Israeli officials are said to be framing the situation as a test of Lebanon’s willingness and ability to enforce commitments around Hezbollah’s disarmament.
Message Sent Through U.S.-Led Mechanism
According to the report, Israel conveyed its latest concerns through a U.S.-led coordination mechanism, which is used to pass messages between the parties involved. In this communication, Israel argued that Lebanon is not doing enough to disarm Hezbollah, and outlined what it described as concrete examples of the group’s renewed activity. Israel claimed that these developments show Hezbollah is “rebuilding its strength without obstacles,” and warned that continued inaction by Lebanese institutions could invite harsher military responses from the Israeli side. The message places additional pressure on both Washington and Beirut to address the group’s activities more directly.
Allegations of Missile Smuggling and Recruitment
The report further alleged that, in recent weeks, Hezbollah has: Smuggled hundreds of missiles from Syria into Lebanon, bolstering its arsenal; Repaired rocket launchpads that were previously damaged during fighting with Israel; Recruited thousands of new fighters, expanding its manpower and reinforcing its operational capacity. If accurate, these steps would represent a significant effort by Hezbollah to restore its deterrence and prepare for potential future confrontations. For Israel, such moves are viewed as a strategic threat, particularly along its northern border, where the group’s missile capabilities and entrenched presence have long been a central security concern. Israel’s latest warnings underscore the fragile state of deterrence in the region and highlight the ongoing tension between military activity on the ground and diplomatic efforts behind the scenes. As long as questions over Hezbollah’s armament and Lebanon’s internal enforcement remain unresolved, the risk of further escalation is likely to persist.

Lebanon: Israel Changes ‘Rules of Engagement’, Drops ‘Civilian Immunity’ Principle
Asharq Al-Awsat/November 09/2025
Israeli strikes in southern Lebanese towns and villages are intensifying at an unprecedented pace, signaling a shift in the established ‘rules of engagement’.
After previously focusing on open areas, Israeli air raids have now moved deep into residential zones in Lebanon, reviving scenes of evacuation warnings and mass displacement. On Thursday, thousands of residents fled their homes following evacuation orders, soon followed by airstrikes that hit populated neighborhoods, vehicles and residential areas in Lebanon’s south. On Friday, tense calm was witnessed in but the Israeli strikes resumed midday on Saturday, killing two brothers, from the town of Shebaa, in a strike that targeted their vehicle in Rachaya al-Wadi. Seven other people were wounded when two guided missiles struck a car near Salah Ghandour Hospital in the city of Bint Jbeil, followed by a third airstrike that hit another vehicle in the town of Baraashit in the Nabatieh region. These incidents mark Israel’s escalating pattern of attacks, which in recent months have increasingly penetrated populated areas.
A Shift in the Rules of Engagement
In the past, Israel tended to target military locations only when they were clearly separated from civilian areas, to minimize collateral damage. Today, that principle appears to be collapsing with strikes hitting cars inside neighborhoods, homes being destroyed at dawn, and civilian gatherings coming under fire. This shift reflects a strategic decision by Tel Aviv aimed at increasing the social and human cost of popular support for Hezbollah and undermining the social cohesion of communities along the front lines.
Objectives Behind the Escalation
In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, retired Brigadier General Saeed Qazzah said Israel’s overall strategy has not changed, stressing that its constant goal remains “to subdue Hezbollah and the Axis of Resistance - from Iran to Iraq, Yemen, Palestine, and finally Lebanon.”He said that Israel’s foremost priority is to ensure the security of its settlers in northern Israel, relying on a tactic of concentrated strikes against what it deems military targets - including fighters, combat equipment, and weapons depots -“even if these are located in populated areas, and regardless of civilian presence or casualties, which it considers collateral damage.”Qazzah added that “this behavior is nothing new; we saw it clearly in Gaza, where Israel showed little regard for civilian lives.”He affirmed that Israel is working to intensify its strikes in the coming two months, predicting “an increase in assassinations and targeted attacks against Hezbollah members and facilities - even within civilian gatherings.”He added that Israel’s goal is “to weaken support for Hezbollah and prompt segments of its base to question the value of continuing down this path.”
“Israel does not concern itself with civilian casualties, and no one holds it accountable,” underscored Qazzah, noting that it will continue striking what it considers military targets anywhere in Lebanon as long as Hezbollah has not clearly committed to the government decision issued on August 5 regarding the state’s monopoly on arms.
Escalatory Israeli Rhetoric and Intelligence Warnings
This military development is accompanied by a hardline discourse in Israel. Hebrew media have reported growing concern over Hezbollah’s expanding capabilities in northern Lebanon, noting that “the Israeli army’s restraint so far from striking Beirut may not last if reinforcement operations continue.”Israeli Haaretz newspaper cited intelligence reports warning that “Hezbollah is working to restore its capabilities, which could prompt the Israeli army to expand its operations to prevent future risks.” Other reports indicated that “Western assessments observe a partial recovery of Hezbollah’s supply networks via Syria and Iraq, while the Lebanese army faces challenges in preventing the group from rebuilding its combat infrastructure.”

Balancing safety, Lebanese army tightens control in Beddawi camp after past incidents
LBCI/November 09/2025
Tension in and around Beddawi camp between the Lebanese army and some Palestinians has risen but remained under control. The unrest — including burning tires and limited protests in Beddawi — stems from concrete walls the army placed. These walls blocked several side roads that had been used to move between the camp and neighboring areas. Without the walls, only a few meters would separate the main road through the heart of the camp from the Khalil al-Rahman neighborhood outside it, whose population is largely Palestinian. Some residents of that neighborhood and others are paying the price for the actions of wanted men and gunmen. According to army intelligence, the impact on students, women, and men is weighed against efforts to secure public safety. About three years ago, suspects wanted in drug, theft, and shooting cases tried to enter the camp. At the time, the Intelligence Directorate attempted to coordinate with the security force to hand over the suspects, but cooperation did not yield significant results, according to security sources.
Protesters block main road in Beddawi camp over closed entrances
Authorities then moved to a second phase: closing gaps or side roads between the camp and its surroundings, confining entry and exit to main entrances guarded by Palestinian checkpoints.The Intelligence Directorate brought in an engineering team to map the camp’s boundaries, and the army and intelligence began closing the gaps, but the Gaza war halted the effort. After the war, work resumed. The army has closed 24 of 35 gaps so far. Sources said they understand residents’ concerns, noting that the best solution would be a decision allowing the army to conduct raids in the camp as it does elsewhere in northern Lebanon.

Lebanon’s PM Salam calls for reform and unity, vows one army and one law in exclusive LBCI interview — major remarks
LBCI/November 09/2025
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam reflected on his government’s achievements and challenges in an interview with LBCI, stressing that meaningful reform is vital for Lebanon’s recovery. He highlighted efforts to rebuild trust, strengthen state authority, and advance economic reforms amid ongoing security challenges. “One of the biggest obstacles during our government’s term was the weight of entrenched habits and the difficulty of change,” he said. “I understand that change is not easy, but in my view, the country cannot progress without it, and by change I mean fundamental reform.”Salam also reaffirmed the government’s unified stance on national security. “We are all committed to ending Israeli occupation, stopping daily attacks, and securing the return of our detainees, in line with agreements signed by the previous government. We have reiterated our commitment to Resolution 1701 and our right as a state to defend ourselves. There is consensus in the government on this.”He detailed key economic and financial initiatives. “From day one, we launched a comprehensive reform workshop in the financial and economic sectors and prepared a series of necessary reform decisions,” adding: “We have prepared a bank restructuring plan and are currently working on a project for financial regularity and deposit recovery.” Salam stressed that reforms alone are insufficient to revitalize the economy. “We initiated a major reform effort, but it alone is not enough to relaunch the economy and attract the investments the country needs. This also requires security, stability, and turning the principle of exclusive arms control into a real operational reality.”He also emphasized that the government’s main asset is the trust of the people, which it aims to maintain and strengthen. Salam noted that a major challenge when his government took office was the significant gap between the state and its citizens. During the LBCI interview, Salam highlighted the government’s ongoing efforts to mobilize Arab and Western support to secure Israel’s withdrawal and end its attacks on Lebanon. He said the government is also working to restore the state’s authority over decisions of war and peace, stressing that Lebanon must have one army, one decision, and one law — principles on which his government will not compromise. He noted that the government maintains communication channels with all parties, including Hezbollah. He stated that upon assuming office, his team assessed the situation and listened to the suffering of residents in southern Lebanon, and is now working to secure the necessary funds for reconstruction. “If anyone has a better plan, let them share it,” he said, adding that he is not responsible for the destruction. The prime minister rejected any notion of returning to civil strife, saying the Lebanese people have suffered enough from internal wars. He stressed his firm stance on enforcing the law, citing the recent case involving the lighting of the Raoucheh Rock. Salam reaffirmed Lebanon’s commitment to the ceasefire agreement and the Arab Peace Initiative, saying that genuine peace can only be achieved through justice, equality, and the establishment of a Palestinian state under a two-state solution. He also underscored his cooperative relationship with President Joseph Aoun, noting that while they are different leaders, they share a unified vision. On the appointment of the central bank governor, the prime minister said the government adhered strictly to constitutional principles. Salam said he has known Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri for a long time, noting that while they agree on some matters and differ on others, he said he does not wish to see a return to the former so-called “troika” power structure.
Acknowledging the need for change, he expressed that reform is harder than he initially expected. Without accountability, he said, true change cannot happen — a principle he remains more committed to than ever. In the interview on Sunday, he reaffirmed his deep connection to Lebanon, saying he has never been detached from the country and that his career has always been dedicated to defending it and closely following its daily affairs.Salam said the government has already begun preparations for the upcoming parliamentary elections, stressing that holding them on schedule is essential to maintaining the credibility of his administration. He emphasized that ensuring the highest levels of transparency and neutrality will be a top priority. The prime minister concluded by underscoring his commitment to open communication with citizens, saying his door remains open to anyone wishing to share ideas or raise concerns.

The Secretary-General is Stronger than The King
Jean Al-Faghali/Nidaa Al-Watan/November 10, 2025 (Translated from Arabic)
In the official, partisan, military, and national hierarchy, "The King" is supposed to be, in rank, higher in stature than "The Secretary-General," but in the Lebanese case, the matter is inverted, like everything else. What raised this issue is that the "Secretary-General" of Hezbollah, Sheikh Naim Qassem, appeared more important than the "King" Minister, Minister of Administrative Development Fadi Makki! Why? Because, quite simply, he (the Secretary-General) is the one with the authority who gives orders from the "Party's" leadership table and is obeyed at the Council of Ministers' table.
Thus, there is no difference between Sheikh Naim Qassem and Minister Fadi Makki, except that the latter wears a tie, but in terms of stance, he proceeds according to what the "Party's" Secretary-General decides, and not the Council of Ministers collectively, whether chaired by the President of the Republic or the Prime Minister. The heresy of "The King Minister" is short-lived. It goes back to the days of Minister of State Dr. Adnan Al-Sayyed Hussein, who was chosen by former President General Michel Suleiman so that it wouldn't be said that the President only names Christians. The bet was that he would not resign if the ministers of the "Duo" (Hezbollah and Amal Movement) resigned, but he disappointed the President after receiving a phone call from an official in Hezbollah who requested that he submit his resignation, after relaying the Secretary-General's "greetings" to him. Only minutes later, a news report was published by the National News Agency stating that Minister Adnan Al-Sayyed Hussein had resigned. There are many similarities between Adnan Al-Sayyed Hussein and Fadi Makki, aside from the tie, of course; they both know that they cannot disobey the will of Hezbollah. Adnan Al-Sayyed Hussein was rewarded by being appointed President of the Lebanese University, and who knows, perhaps a position awaits Minister Fadi Makki after this government resigns.
The experiences of Al-Sayyed Hussein and Makki confirm that the Shiite "King" Minister should not be repeated, because he enters as a "King," and once inside, he becomes bound by what is decided by Ain al-Tineh (Nabih Berri's residence) or Haret Hreik (Hezbollah's headquarters in the Southern Suburb of Beirut), or both together. When this government was formed, narratives circulated that Minister Makki would only listen to what the Council of Ministers decided, but whoever believed these narratives was either naive or an amateur in politics. In Lebanese calculations, the ranks of "The Secretary-General" and "The Professor" (referring to Nabih Berri) are more important than the rank of "The King," which has no currency at the Council of Ministers' table, and the evidence is plentiful. This reality leads to the following conclusion: It is necessary to "liberate" the Lebanese mentality from illusions that turn into constants but in reality remain illusions. The truth here is that the ministers of the "Duo" (Hezbollah and Amal Movement) are five, not four. Whoever wants to be more certain should wait for a decision or a vote in the Council of Ministers and count the votes; it will become clear to him that Minister Makki will either leave in solidarity with the four ministers, or he will await the "instruction" similar to the "instruction" that his predecessor, "The Former King," Dr. Adnan Al-Sayyed Hussein, waited for.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on November 09-10/2025
Intensive efforts are underway to solidify the "Gaza Agreement" and resolve the crisis of the stranded militants.
Asharq Al-Awsat/November 09/2025
The ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip is witnessing intensive efforts by mediators, amid fears that it will not hold, given the ongoing crises of Hamas militants trapped in Rafah, and the failure to complete the handover of all the remains of Israeli hostages since the agreement was signed a month ago. Amid these moves comes an anticipated visit by US envoys Steve Wittkopf and Jared Kushner to Israel to discuss the crisis of the militants trapped amid Egyptian-Qatari consultations regarding the arrangements for the second phase, particularly those related to the administration of the Gaza Strip and the powers of the international forces in the Strip. A Palestinian expert who spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat believes that the mediators are working to solidify the agreement, push it forward, and thwart any attempt to threaten it. The Israeli news website i24NEWS reported that Wittkov, accompanied by Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, is scheduled to visit Israel this week to discuss the crisis of Hamas members stranded in Rafah since the implementation of the ceasefire agreement on October 10. The Israeli Broadcasting Authority revealed that the visit will take place on Monday with the aim of resolving the Rafah crisis and implementing the agreement. This coincided with two crises since the agreement, the most prominent of which was related to the handover of the hostages' remains. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday that it had received remains that Hamas had previously claimed belonged to Lieutenant Hadar Goldin, who was captured in a previous war in Gaza in 2014. The delay by Hamas in handing over the remains of the captured officer suggested, according to the Israeli Broadcasting Authority, that it “wants to conduct separate negotiations for their return, linking this to the release of the militants trapped in the tunnel network in Rafah, which is the second crisis that threatens the survival of the Gaza agreement,” according to Palestinian and Israeli media.
Since the start of the agreement, Hamas has handed over the 20 living Israeli hostages, while Israel says it is waiting to receive the remaining bodies out of 28, and is conditioning the start of negotiations to launch the second phase of the agreement on receiving the rest of the remains. The Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, said in a statement on Sunday that the “principle of surrender or handing over to the enemy” does not exist in its vocabulary, calling on mediators to assume their responsibilities and find a solution that guarantees the continuation of the ceasefire. She confirmed that the process of extracting the bodies during the past phase was carried out under extremely complex conditions, and that completing the extraction of the bodies requires additional technical teams and equipment. According to Palestinian political analyst Abdul Mahdi Mutawa, the visit of Whitcoff and Kushner is not limited to the crisis of the stranded militants or the remains, but extends beyond them to a serious and deep discussion regarding international forces and the administration of Gaza. He expects that the Gaza agreement will remain suspended in the first stage due to the crises of the remains and the stranded militants, while it will hold up thanks to American will.
Mutawa does not rule out violations by Israel with the possibility of early elections approaching there, “and the possibility of bids that will affect the agreement but will not lead to its collapse.”He predicted that the crisis of the trapped militants would be resolved at a price acceptable to Israel, namely that it would be, according to the American option, a “model” for the handover of weapons, adding: “But what the upcoming discussions will lead to regarding this file and the file of the remains may clash with hardline positions from (Hamas) that will slightly disrupt that path.”Prior to the visit of the two American envoys, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Aty held a telephone conversation with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, during which they discussed developments in the Gaza Strip and efforts to consolidate the ceasefire.
According to a statement issued by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry on Sunday, the two ministers discussed developments in the ongoing consultations regarding the implementation of the Gaza agreement, and agreed on the constants of the Egyptian and Qatari positions, foremost among them the need to link the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to ensure the unity of the Palestinian territories, and the importance of the Palestinians taking over the management of their affairs within the framework of preserving the unity of the Palestinian decision. The call touched on the ongoing consultations in New York regarding the deployment of the International Stabilization Force, and the two ministers stressed the need to define its mandate and powers in a way that supports early recovery and reconstruction efforts. Mutawa believes that the powers of the forces, the issue of not separating the sector from the West Bank, and the management of the sector by the people of Gaza are the main concerns of the mediators and the Palestinians at the moment; explaining that the Egyptian-Qatari consultations are at the heart of reaching clear positions that cut off any Israeli pretexts that threaten the Gaza agreement and its steadfastness.

Hamas Says Fighters Holed up in Rafah Will Not Surrender
Asharq Al-Awsat/November 09/2025
Hamas fighters holed up in the Israeli-held Rafah area of Gaza will not surrender to Israel, the group's armed wing said on Sunday, urging mediators to find a solution to a crisis that threatens the month-old ceasefire. Sources close to mediation efforts told Reuters on Thursday that fighters could surrender their arms in exchange for passage to other areas of the enclave under a proposal aimed at resolving the stalemate. Egyptian mediators have proposed that, in exchange for safe passage, fighters still in Rafah surrender their arms to Egypt and give details of tunnels there so they can be destroyed, said one of the sources, an Egyptian security official. Sunday's statement from Al-Qassam Brigades held Israel responsible for engaging the fighters, who it said were defending themselves. "The enemy must know that the concept of surrender and handing oneself over does not exist in the dictionary of the Al-Qassam Brigades," the group said. US special envoy Steve Witkoff said on Thursday that the proposed deal for about 200 fighters would be a test for a broader process to disarm Hamas forces across Gaza. Al-Qassam Brigades did not comment directly on the continuing talks over the fighters in Rafah but implied that the crisis could affect the ceasefire. "We place the mediators before their responsibilities, and they must find a solution to ensure the continuation of the ceasefire and prevent the enemy from using flimsy pretexts to violate it and exploit the situation to target innocent civilians in Gaza," the group said. Since the US-brokered ceasefire took effect in Gaza on October 10, the Rafah area has been the scene of at least two attacks on Israeli forces, which Israel has blamed on Hamas. The group has denied responsibility. Rafah has been the scene of the worst violence since the ceasefire took hold, with three Israeli soldiers killed, prompting Israeli retaliation that killed dozens of Palestinians. Separately, Al-Qassam Brigades said it will hand over the body of deceased Israeli soldier Hadar Goldin in Gaza on Sunday. Since the ceasefire, Hamas has handed over the bodies of 23 of 28 deceased hostages. Hamas has said the devastation in Gaza has made locating the bodies difficult. Israel accuses Hamas of stalling. Israel has released to Gaza the bodies of 300 Palestinians, according to the territory's health ministry. Local health authorities said on Sunday that one man was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Bani Suhaila east of Khan Younis, south of the enclave. The Israeli military made no immediate comment. Hamas-led fighters seized 251 hostages in the October 7 attacks and killed another 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed nearly 69,000 Palestinians, health officials in the enclave say.

Israeli Government Spokesperson Rules Out Turkish Forces in Gaza
Asharq Al-Awsat/November 09/2025
An Israeli government spokesperson said on Sunday that Turkish soldiers would not be deployed to Gaza as part of a multinational force that is meant to take over from the Israeli military. "There will be no Turkish boots on the ground," spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian told reporters in response to a question. US President Donald Trump's plan to end the two-year war calls for a temporary International Stabilization Force to gradually take over security of Gaza from the Israeli military. The force has yet to be established and many countries are calling for it to have a mandate from the UN Security Council. Asked about Israel's objections to Turkish forces in Gaza, US Ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack said at a Manama security conference earlier this month that Türkiye would participate. Vice President JD Vance last month said there would be a "constructive role" for Ankara to play but that Washington wouldn't force anything on Israel when it came to foreign troops "on their soil".

Hamas Says Fighters Holed up in Rafah Will Not Surrender
Asharq Al-Awsat/November 09/2025
Hamas fighters holed up in the Israeli-held Rafah area of Gaza will not surrender to Israel, the group's armed wing said on Sunday, urging mediators to find a solution to a crisis that threatens the month-old ceasefire. Sources close to mediation efforts told Reuters on Thursday that fighters could surrender their arms in exchange for passage to other areas of the enclave under a proposal aimed at resolving the stalemate. Egyptian mediators have proposed that, in exchange for safe passage, fighters still in Rafah surrender their arms to Egypt and give details of tunnels there so they can be destroyed, said one of the sources, an Egyptian security official. Sunday's statement from Al-Qassam Brigades held Israel responsible for engaging the fighters, who it said were defending themselves. "The enemy must know that the concept of surrender and handing oneself over does not exist in the dictionary of the Al-Qassam Brigades," the group said.US special envoy Steve Witkoff said on Thursday that the proposed deal for about 200 fighters would be a test for a broader process to disarm Hamas forces across Gaza. Al-Qassam Brigades did not comment directly on the continuing talks over the fighters in Rafah but implied that the crisis could affect the ceasefire. "We place the mediators before their responsibilities, and they must find a solution to ensure the continuation of the ceasefire and prevent the enemy from using flimsy pretexts to violate it and exploit the situation to target innocent civilians in Gaza," the group said.
Since the US-brokered ceasefire took effect in Gaza on October 10, the Rafah area has been the scene of at least two attacks on Israeli forces, which Israel has blamed on Hamas. The group has denied responsibility. Rafah has been the scene of the worst violence since the ceasefire took hold, with three Israeli soldiers killed, prompting Israeli retaliation that killed dozens of Palestinians. Separately, Al-Qassam Brigades said it will hand over the body of deceased Israeli soldier Hadar Goldin in Gaza on Sunday. Since the ceasefire, Hamas has handed over the bodies of 23 of 28 deceased hostages. Hamas has said the devastation in Gaza has made locating the bodies difficult. Israel accuses Hamas of stalling. Israel has released to Gaza the bodies of 300 Palestinians, according to the territory's health ministry. Local health authorities said on Sunday that one man was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Bani Suhaila east of Khan Younis, south of the enclave. The Israeli military made no immediate comment. Hamas-led fighters seized 251 hostages in the October 7 attacks and killed another 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed nearly 69,000 Palestinians, health officials in the enclave say.

Palestinians recount 'black hole' of Israeli detention
Agence France Presse/November 09/2025
Denied contact with his lawyer for months, now freed Palestinian prisoner Shady Abu Sedo said he lost all sense of time while he was held in Israeli jails during the war in Gaza. The 35-year-old resident of the Palestinian territory was arrested in March 2024, five months into the war sparked by Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. Abu Sedo, a photojournalist, said he was arrested while working at Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City and detained at Sde Teiman prison, a military facility in Israel used to hold Gazans during the war. At the time of his arrest the Al-Shifa complex was at the center of the war, with humanitarian organizations accusing Israel of rights violations while Israel accused Hamas of using it and other civilian facilities as command centers. Abu Sedo was held under Israel's "unlawful combatants" law, which permits the detention of suspected members of "hostile forces" for months on end without charge.
Abu Sedo said he was repeatedly confronted with claims from the Israelis that "they had killed our children, our women and bombed our homes"."So, when I saw (my children), honestly, it was a shock," he told AFP by telephone after his release to Gaza on October 13 under the U.S.-brokered ceasefire. The truce, which came into effect on October 10, saw 20 living hostages returned by Hamas to Israel in exchange for approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. "Imagine, 100 days from five in the morning until 11 at night, sitting on your knees, handcuffed, blindfolded, forbidden to speak or talk," Abu Sedo said.
"You don't know the time, you don't know the days, you don't know where you are.""After 100 days of torture, they took me for interrogation to confirm my identity. They tortured me without knowing who I was," he said, describing eye and ear injuries.Then came a transfer to Ofer military prison in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where he said conditions were "beyond imagination". During his incarceration, Abu Sedo was able to speak with his lawyer only twice. He said he hadn't been charged and that his detention had been "automatically extended" without explanation. The Israeli military declined to comment on his case. The Israel prison service says all inmates "are held according to legal procedures, and their rights including access to medical care and adequate living conditions are upheld".
'Unlawful combatants' -
According to the Red Cross, the term "unlawful combatant" refers to someone who "belongs to an armed group, in a context where either the individual or the group do not fulfil the conditions for combatant status." The term emerged in the United States after the September 11, 2001 attacks, when the administration of George W. Bush used it to justify the detention of terrorism suspects. It was introduced into Israeli law in 2002 and denies protections typically granted to detainees and prisoners of war. Israel then amended the law at the start of the Gaza war. Under the revised legislation, prisoners can be detained for 45 days without an administrative process, compared with 96 hours previously. Prisoners can be held for 75 days without a court hearing, up from 14 days, and this can be extended to 180 days.In July 2024, Amnesty International demanded the law be repealed. It said the legislation served to "arbitrarily round up Palestinian civilians from Gaza and toss them into a virtual black hole for prolonged periods without producing any evidence that they pose a security threat".
- 'Months to get appointment' -
In late October, Israel issued an order banning the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) from visiting prisoners held as "unlawful combatants".
In practice, that will make law the status quo that has prevailed since the beginning of the war in Gaza. The ICRC says it has not been allowed to visit detainees in jail since then, save for pre-release interviews conducted under ceasefire and prisoner exchange deals.
Several roghts groups have denounced what they say is a form of incommunicado detention for Palestinian prisoners, hampering the legal defense of detainees. Israel holds around 1,000 "unlawful combatants" in military and civilian prisons, according to several NGOs. For these detainees, "the lawyer is their only connection to the outside world," said Naji Abbas of Physicians for Human Rights. The rights group says that 18 doctors and dozens of other health professionals from Gaza are still languishing without charge in Israeli prisons. "It takes months to get an appointment. We visit them but we have a lot of difficulties," said Abbas, adding that such visits often lasted less than half an hour. Several NGOs have appealed to the Israeli Supreme Court to grant the Red Cross access to "unlawful combatants", but no date has been set for the decision.

Israeli Settlers Attack Palestinians, Journalists at West Bank Olive Harvest
Asharq Al-Awsat/November 09/2025
Israeli settlers attacked a group of Palestinian villagers, activists and journalists on Saturday who had gathered during an attempt to harvest olives near a settler outpost in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, witnesses said. Two Reuters employees - a journalist and a security adviser accompanying her - were among those injured in the attack by the men who wielded sticks and clubs and hurled large rocks, in an area close to the Palestinian village of Beita. The area, lying south of the West Bank city of Nablus, has in past years been a flashpoint for settler attacks, which increased across the West Bank after the war in Gaza began two years ago. Such attacks have escalated during this year's olive harvest, which began in October. As the number of such attacks has climbed, Israeli and other activists have often joined Palestinians to support them and their right to harvest their olive groves, while also documenting any violence. Activists or local Palestinians often inform journalists of harvesting plans, so they can attend to report, particularly in flashpoint areas, such as outposts. Settler outposts, which can include a collection of caravans or sturdier structures, do not have approval by the Israeli authorities. Palestinians and most nations regard any settlements as illegal under international law. Israel disputes this. The Israeli army said they had dispatched soldiers to the scene after receiving what they described as reports of a confrontation.
Witnesses said they saw no Israeli soldiers at the scene.
The Israeli army “condemns any act of violence and will continue to operate to maintain security and order in the area," the military said in a statement to Reuters, adding that police would conduct any further review of the incident. The police did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. A spokesperson for Israel's Shomron Regional Council which represents the settlements in the area did not immediately respond to a request for comment. On Saturday, about 30 villagers and activists, plus about 10 journalists, had gathered for the harvest when dozens of men descended from the outpost on a hill and launched an attack, beating people with sticks and repeatedly striking Reuters photographer Raneen Sawafta as she tried to protect herself, witnesses said. Jonathan Pollak, an Israeli rights activist who witnessed the incident, said about 50 masked settlers were involved, saying those who attacked Sawafta "beat her up without mercy, continuing to stone her while she was on the ground and then continuing to attack everyone who was coming to her help." He said the settlers shouted in Hebrew, including comments such as "Go from there."Sawafta was accompanied by Reuters security adviser Grant Bowden who was beaten as he tried to protect her. Her camera equipment was smashed. Both wore helmets and had clear "Press" labels on their protective jackets. Sawafta's helmet had a large dent after the attack. An ambulance took them both for medical checks and treatment at a hospital in the Palestinian city of Nablus. Several other people were also injured in the incident. "We call upon Israeli authorities to investigate this incident and hold those responsible accountable - and to ensure that journalists can work freely and without harm," Reuters said in a statement. Israeli settlers carried out at least 264 attacks in the West Bank against Palestinians in October, the biggest monthly total since UN officials began tracking such incidents in 2006, according to a UN report released on Friday. Israeli rights groups say such incidents are rarely investigated by the Israeli authorities and perpetrators are rarely held to account.

Israel Receives Body of a Hostage in Gaza That Hamas Claims Is Israeli Soldier Hadar Goldin
Asharq Al-Awsat/November 09/2025
Israel on Sunday received the remains of a hostage in Gaza which Hamas says is the body of an Israeli soldier who was killed in 2014 and has been held in Gaza for the past 11 years. During the current ceasefire, his remains were the only ones held in Gaza that predated the war between Israel and Hamas. Hamas said that it found the body of the soldier, Hadar Goldin, in a tunnel in the enclave's southernmost city of Rafah on Saturday. Goldin was killed on Aug. 1, 2014, two hours after a ceasefire took effect ending that year’s war between Israel and Hamas. The return of the remains of Goldin, who has become a national symbol, would be a significant development in the US-brokered truce, which has faltered during the slow return of bodies of hostages and skirmishes between Israeli troops and fighters in Gaza. It would also close a painful, 11-year saga for his family. The Red Cross transferred the body to the Israeli military within Gaza, where it is being brought to Israel and the national forensic institute in Tel Aviv for identification. Dozens of people gathered along intersections where the police convoy carrying the remains drove from southern Israel to Tel Aviv, holding Israeli flags and paying last respects to what is believed to be a fallen soldier. If the body is identified as Goldin's, there will be four bodies of hostages remaining in Gaza. At the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that holding the body for so long has caused “great agony of his family, which will now be able to give him a Jewish burial.” Goldin's family spearheaded a very public campaign, along with the family of another soldier whose body was taken in 2014, to bring their sons home for burial. Israel recovered the remains of the other soldier, Oron Shaul, earlier this year. Netanyahu said that the country would continue trying to bring home the bodies of Israelis still being held across enemy lines, such as Eli Cohen, an Israeli spy hanged in Damascus in 1965. Israeli media, citing anonymous officials, had previously reported that Hamas was delaying the release of Goldin's body in hopes of negotiating safe passage for more than 100 fighters surrounded by Israeli forces and trapped in the enclave's southernmost city of Rafah. Gila Gamliel, the minister of innovation, science and technology and a member of Netanyahu's Likud party, told Army Radio that Israel isn't negotiating for a deal within a deal. “There are agreements whose implementation is guaranteed by the mediators, and we shouldn't allow anyone to come now and play (games) and to reopen the agreement,” she said. Hamas made no comment on a possible exchange for its fighters stuck in the so-called yellow zone, which is controlled by Israeli forces, though they acknowledged that there are clashes taking place there.
Positive development in the truce
Since the ceasefire began last month, fighters have released the remains of 23 hostages. As part of the truce deal, the fighters are expected to return all of the remains of hostages. For each Israeli hostage returned, Israel has been releasing the remains of 15 Palestinians. Ahmed Dheir, director of forensic medicine at Nasser Hospital in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, said that the remains of 300 have now been returned, with 89 identified. The war began with a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, in which around 1,200 people were killed, most of them civilians, and 251 people kidnapped.
On Saturday, Gaza’s Health Ministry said that the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza has risen to 69,176. The ministry, part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals, maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by independent experts. Back in 2014, the Israeli military determined, based on evidence found in the tunnel where Goldin’s body was taken — including a blood-soaked shirt and prayer fringes — that he had been killed in the attack. His family held what his mother Leah Goldin now calls a “pseudo-funeral," including Goldin’s shirt and fringes, at the urging of Israel’s military rabbis. But the lingering uncertainty was like a “knife constantly making new cuts.” Leah Goldin told The Associated Press earlier this year that returning her son’s body is an ethical and religious value, part of the sacrosanct pact Israel makes with its citizens, who are required by law to serve in the military. “Hadar is a soldier who went to combat and they abandoned him, and they destroyed his humanitarian rights and ours as well,” Goldin said. She said that her family often felt alone in their struggle to bring Hadar, a talented artist who had just become engaged, home for burial. In the dizzying days after the Oct. 7 attack, the Goldin family threw themselves into attempting to help hundreds of families of those who were abducted and dragged into Gaza. Initially, the Goldins found themselves shunned as advocacy for the hostages surged. “We were a symbol of failure,” Goldin recalled. “They told us, ‘we aren’t like you, our kids will come back soon.’”

Jordan dispatches humanitarian aid convoy to Syria’s southern region
Arab News/November 09, 2025
LONDON: The Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization (JHCO) dispatched a new humanitarian aid convoy to Syria on Sunday as part of ongoing efforts to support the Syrian people. The JHCO, in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign and Expatriate Affairs and the Jordan Armed Forces, sent 16 trucks loaded with prefabricated homes for families who were displaced or in need of a shelter. Additionally, they delivered medical supplies and medicines to address urgent health needs in various areas of Syria. Hussein Shibli, the Secretary-General of the JHCO, said that the aid was obtained through partnerships with the Helping Hand Foundation, MedGlobal, and Hikma Pharmaceuticals. The Syrian Crescent will distribute the aid in the southern Suwayda Governorate and Daraa and deliver shelters for displaced persons affected by recent tragic events in the south region of Syria, which borders Jordan. The JHCO collaborated with Qatar in September to jointly deliver aid to Syrians in Suwayda.

Syrian President in the US for Landmark Visit
Asharq Al-Awsat/November 09/2025
Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa arrived in the United States on Saturday for a landmark official visit, his country's state news agency reported, a day after Washington removed him from a terrorism blacklist. Sharaa, whose opposition forces ousted longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad late last year, is due to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday, according to AFP. It's the first such visit by a Syrian president since the country's independence in 1946, according to analysts. The interim leader met Trump for the first time in Riyadh during the US president's regional tour in May. US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said earlier this month that Sharaa would "hopefully" sign an agreement to join the international US-led alliance against the ISIS extremist group. The United States plans to establish a military base near Damascus "to coordinate humanitarian aid and observe developments between Syria and Israel", a diplomatic source in Syria told AFP. The State Department's decision Friday to remove Sharaa from the blacklist was widely expected. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said Sharaa's government had been meeting US demands including on working to find missing Americans and on eliminating any remaining chemical weapons. "These actions are being taken in recognition of the progress demonstrated by the Syrian leadership after the departure of Bashar al-Assad and more than 50 years of repression under the Assad regime," Pigott said. The spokesman added that the US delisting would promote "regional security and stability as well as an inclusive, Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process."
Transformation
Sharaa's Washington trip comes after his landmark visit to the United Nations in September -- his first time on US soil -- where he became the first Syrian president in decades to address the UN General Assembly in New York. On Thursday, Washington led a vote by the Security Council to remove UN sanctions against him. Since taking power, Syria's new leaders have sought to break from their violent past and present a moderate image more tolerable to ordinary Syrians and foreign powers. The White House visit "is further testament to the US commitment to the new Syria and a hugely symbolic moment for the country's new leader, who thus marks another step in his astonishing transformation from militant leader to global statesman," International Crisis Group US program director Michael Hanna said. Sharaa is expected to seek funds for Syria, which faces significant challenges in rebuilding after 13 years of brutal civil war. In October, the World Bank put a "conservative best estimate" of the cost of rebuilding Syria at $216 billion.

Syria Carries Out Pre-emptive Operations against ISIS Cells
Asharq Al-Awsat/November 09/2025
Syria has carried out nationwide pre-emptive operations targeting ISIS cells, a spokesperson for the Interior Ministry said on Saturday. Syrian security forces carried out 61 raids, with 71 people arrested and explosives and weapons seized, the spokesperson told state-run Al Ekhbariya TV. The raids come ahead of a trip by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to Washington to meet with US President Donald Trump and join an anti ISIS US-led coalition. The US State Department and Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Washington is preparing to establish a military presence at an airbase in Damascus to help enable a “security pact that the US is brokering between Syria and Israel”, six sources familiar with the matter previously told Reuters. A US administration official also previously said that Washington was constantly evaluating its necessary posture in Syria to effectively combat ISIS.

Dam Reservoir Levels Drop Below 3% in Iran's Second City
Asharq Al-Awsat/November 09/2025
Water levels at the dam reservoirs supplying Iran's northeastern city of Mashhad plunged below three percent, media reported Sunday, as the country suffers from severe water shortages. "The water storage in Mashhad's dams has now fallen to less than three percent," Hossein Esmaeilian, the chief executive of the water company in Iran's second largest city by population, told ISNA news agency. He added that "the current situation shows that managing water use is no longer merely a recommendation -- it has become a necessity". Mashhad, home to around four million people, relies on four dams for its water supply. Esmaeilian said consumption in the city had reached around "8,000 liters per second, of which about 1,000 to 1,500 liters per second is supplied from the dams". It comes as authorities in Tehran warned over the weekend of possible rolling cuts to water supplies in the capital amid what officials call the worst drought in decades. In the capital, five major dams supplying drinking water are at "critical" levels, with one empty and another at less than eight percent of capacity, officials say. "If people can reduce consumption by 20 percent, it seems possible to manage the situation without rationing or cutting off water," Esmaeilian said, warning that those with the highest consumption could face supply cuts first. Nationwide, 19 major dams -- about 10 percent of the country's reservoirs -- have effectively run dry, Abbasali Keykhaei of the Iranian Water Resources Management Company said in late October, according to Mehr news agency. President Masoud Pezeshkian has cautioned that without rainfall before winter, even Tehran could face evacuation, though he did not elaborate. The water crisis in Iran follows month of drought across the country. Authorities over the summer announced public holidays in Tehran to cut back on water and energy consumption as the capital faced almost daily power outages during a heatwave. Local papers on Sunday slammed what they described as the politicization of environmental decision-making for the water crisis. The reformist Etemad newspaper cited the appointment of "unqualified managers... in key institutions" as being the main cause of the crisis. Shargh, another reformist daily, said that "climate is sacrificed for the sake of politics".

Christians in Bangladesh alarmed after bomb attacks
AFP/November 09, 2025
DHAKA: Fear has gripped Bangladesh’s tiny Christian minority after three crude bomb attacks on churches and a Catholic school, which police on Sunday said caused no injuries but were “certainly” designed to sow terror. No group has claimed responsibility for the incidents or explained why the Christian community, which numbers around 500,000 people of the South Asian nation’s 170 million citizens, was targeted. “We are trying to determine whether the incidents are connected or isolated — they are certainly aimed at terrifying people,” Dhaka police spokesman Muhammad Talebur Rahman told AFP. Bangladesh has been in political turmoil since a deadly uprising toppled the autocratic government of Sheikh Hasina more than a year ago. The recent attacks on Christian sites add to tensions as parties gear up for elections slated for February 2026. A churchgoer said on Sunday there was an “eerie feeling” within the community. “Anxiety grips many of us while going to church,” the 25-year-old university graduate said, asking not to be named. The first attack took place on October 8, when a crude bomb was hurled at the capital’s oldest church, the Holy Rosary Catholic Church, established by the Portuguese in the 17th century. Then, overnight Friday, attackers targeted two more Catholic sites — St. Mary’s Cathedral and St. Joseph’s School and College. Nirmal Rozario, president of the Bangladesh Christian Association, said that the crude bomb exploded in front of St. Mary’s Cathedral, but that around 500 people came the next day to worship. Rahman said attackers targeting the cathedral zoomed up on a motorbike, and “threw a crude bomb inside the school campus and fled.”Brother Chandan Benedict Gomes, school principal at St. Jospeh’s, said that the attack had caused “anxiety” but that “classes were held as usual.”Interim leader Muhammad Yunus, the 85-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner serving as chief adviser, has repeatedly promised that the first elections since the uprising will be held in February as planned, despite violent incidents. On November 5 major parties opened their campaigns, which turned violent almost immediately, with a shooting at a rally for the powerful Bangladesh National Party. Bangladesh police this month also offered cash rewards for the surrender of more than 1,300 machine guns, rifles and pistols looted during last year’s uprising.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on November 09-10/2025
The Mirage of 'Humanitarian Reconstruction': Billions for Gaza — But Who Will Prevent the Next Jihad?
Pierre Rehov/Gatestone Institute./November 09/2025
The UNDP's own auditors uncovered more than 100 investigations into fraud, bribery, and "ghost projects." If corruption could flourish under nominal Iraqi government control, imagine the diversion potential in Gaza — where much of the terror regime remains intact.
Earlier UN experiments, such as the Oil-for-Food scandal, showed how -- when oversight is weak and politics trumps accountability -- "humanitarian" programs become self-enriching rackets.
For years, Hamas forces have been filmed confiscating relief shipments directly from UN trucks and warehouses. It is not chaos; it is a business model.
These are not isolated abuses — they form a structural pattern in which humanitarian efforts in fact bankroll jihad.
After Hamas's October 7, 2023 invasion of Israel, investigations confirmed that many UNRWA employees participated in or facilitated the Hamas attacks, leading more than 20 donor countries — including the U.S., Canada, and Germany — to suspend funding. Some countries, however, under political pressure, resumed payments months later, even as fresh evidence emerged of UNRWA staff ties to Hamas's military wing.
The U.S. administration... continues to push for a "political process" aimed at reviving a desired "peace framework" partially disconnected from the region's realities. Washington may view reconstruction as a path to normalization, but for Israel — the country whose citizens were massacred and whose borders remain under threat — security comes before expediency, and survival before consent.
For years, Hamas forces have been filmed confiscating relief shipments directly from UN trucks and warehouses. It is not chaos; it is a business model. These are not isolated abuses — they form a structural pattern in which humanitarian efforts in fact bankroll jihad.
When the guns fall silent, Western governments rush to rebuild. The European Union, the United States, and several Arab states are now pledging tens of billions of dollars to "reconstruct" Gaza. The impulse may be humane, but the outcome could be catastrophic. Unless funds are subjected to strict, transparent and enforceable controls, they will once again be used to fertilize the same terror infrastructure responsible for Gaza's destruction.
Lessons from the Rubble of Mosul
In Iraq, after ISIS's defeat, the UN and Western donors launched the Funding Facility for Stabilization (FFS), pouring more than $1.5 billion into bridges, hospitals, and power grids. Within two years, the UNDP's own auditors uncovered more than 100 investigations into fraud, bribery, and "ghost projects." If corruption could flourish under nominal Iraqi government control, imagine the diversion potential in Gaza — where much of the terror regime remains intact.
The U.S. Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction later called that effort "the largest single program of waste and fraud in U.S. history." It was a massive humanitarian mirage — and every sign suggests that Gaza is headed the same way.
Even earlier UN experiments, such as the Oil-for-Food scandal, showed how -- when oversight is weak and politics trumps accountability -- "humanitarian" programs become self-enriching rackets.
Gaza's Aid Economy: A System, Not a Mistake
For decades, Hamas has monetized misery. Every truck entering Gaza pays a tax. Hamas terrorists, in exchange for protection payments, "escort" aid convoys. Cement, steel, and cables intended for housing projects disappear into underground tunnels. For years, Hamas forces have been filmed confiscating relief shipments directly from UN trucks and warehouses. It is not chaos; it is a business model.
Washington and Brussels now acknowledge that terror-linked NGOs exploited the aid system for years. The U.S. Treasury and the European Council have both sanctioned so-called "charities" that channeled funds to Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). These are not isolated abuses — they form a structural pattern in which humanitarian efforts in fact bankroll jihad.
Independent research has long documented how Hamas launders Western aid through charitable societies and "cultural organizations" in Europe and the U.S. Rebuilding Gaza without dismantling this architecture is not reconstruction — it is re-armament.
The UNRWA Problem — and the USAID Illusion
Any talk of rebuilding Gaza collides with UNRWA, the UN agency that, since 1949, has operated in Gaza. After Hamas's October 7, 2023 invasion of Israel, investigations confirmed that many UNRWA employees participated in or facilitated the Hamas attacks, leading more than 20 donor countries — including the U.S., Canada, and Germany — to suspend funding. Some countries, however, under political pressure, resumed payments months later, even as fresh evidence emerged of UNRWA staff ties to Hamas's military wing. Re-empowering an agency so compromised would be an act of willful blindness.
Meanwhile, U.S. oversight failures run even deeper. The Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector General and multiple government investigations revealed that USAID repeatedly funded organizations that are fronts for terrorism or ideological activism — including entities connected to Hamas and radical NGOs pushing the "woke" agenda abroad.
According to watchdog analyses, more than $160 million in U.S. taxpayer funds reached groups "aligned with designated terrorists or their supporters." As former officials in the Trump administration warned, USAID was financing both jihad and leftist ideological programs under the banner of "civil society." The Biden administration chose to ignore those red flags. Once again, the absence of proof is not proof of innocence.
Dual-Use Materials: The Invisible Arsenal
In Gaza, there is no clear line between civilian and military infrastructure. Cement, steel, rebar, fertilizer and fuel can become tunnels, bunkers, rockets and launchpads. The very materials that donors label "humanitarian" are the building blocks of the next war. During previous ceasefires, hundreds of thousands of tons of imported goods vanished underground. Without airtight tracking, every truckload becomes potential weaponry.
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has long warned that, unless donors enforce real-time tracing and full transparency, NGOs are particularly vulnerable to terrorist infiltration. Any reconstruction effort that ignores these protocols is not humanitarian — it is reckless.
How to Rebuild Without Re-arming Hamas
Disarmament first. No aid without the verified dismantling of Hamas's arsenals and tunnel system.
Exclude compromised intermediaries. UNRWA and Hamas-controlled bureaucracies must be bypassed until full independent audits are completed.
Enforce FATF compliance. Each grantee must disclose beneficial ownership, undergo sanctions screening, and accept external audits.
Escrow and milestone payments. Disburse funds only after independent verification of completed, functional projects.
Track dual-use goods. Use GPS, digital ledgers, and satellite imagery to follow cement, steel, fertilizer and fuel from entry point to destination project. Any loss or disappearance halts the next delivery.
Ban cash payments to local militias. "Transit fees" and "security escorts" are extortion, not logistics. No direct payments should be made to Gaza's de facto authorities.
Publish every contract. Public transparency deters graft. Iraq proved that secrecy breeds collusion; Gaza must be rebuilt in daylight.
From Naivety to Accountability
Reconstructing buildings is not the same as reconstructing what people might be planning. Pouring concrete over corruption will not create peace. The West has already watched Iraq and Afghanistan burn billions in the name of "nation-building." Gaza must not become the third chapter of that book.
If donors truly care about Gaza's civilians, money must move at the speed of verification — not politics. Anything less ensures that Western taxpayers will end up financing the next jihad, once again, under the comforting banner of "humanitarian aid."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made it clear that his position will not waver: no reconstruction of Gaza can begin until Hamas and all terrorist factions have been completely disarmed — under Israel's direct security supervision. This principle, rooted in hard experience rather than in well-intended diplomacy, stands in open contrast with the U.S. administration, which continues to push for a "political process" aimed at reviving a desired "peace framework" partially disconnected from the region's realities. Washington may view reconstruction as a path to normalization, but for Israel — the country whose citizens were massacred and whose borders remain under threat — security comes before expediency, and survival before consent.
**Pierre Rehov, who holds a law degree from Paris-Assas, is a French reporter, novelist and documentary filmmaker. He is the author of six novels, including "Beyond Red Lines", " The Third Testament" and "Red Eden", translated from French. His latest essay on the aftermath of the October 7 massacre " 7 octobre - La riposte " became a bestseller in France.As a filmmaker, he has produced and directed 17 documentaries, many photographed at high risk in Middle Eastern war zones, and focusing on terrorism, media bias, and the persecution of Christians. His latest documentary, "Pogrom(s)" highlights the context of ancient Jew hatred within Muslim civilization as the main force behind the October 7 massacre.
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/22040/gaza-reconstruction-jihad
© 2025 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute.

The inequality gap threatens to dim Africa’s bright AI future
Tony Elumelu/Arab News/November 09, 2025
According to the GSMA, a global trade association for mobile network operators, sub-Saharan Africa has more than 1.1 billion mobile money accounts. It is the global leader in the adoption of mobile money and, with such transactions in the region valued at $1.1 trillion in 2024, it accounts for nearly 65 percent of worldwide transaction value.Mobile penetration and mobile money have been transformative in Africa, catalyzing businesses, contributing to government revenues and delivering jobs. Can the continent repeat this success with artificial intelligence? We know AI is bringing sweeping changes to our world. Rapid adoption of this technology is transforming the ways in which we live and do business. As with any new technology, it brings with it threats and opportunities. Call centers, for example, have been the backbone of economic development in some emerging economies and industrialization has driven growth globally. But AI is fundamentally changing the nature of customer service, making human interaction redundant, while robotics and AI are creating silent factories, offering the prospect of jobless industrial growth. Underlying all this is Africa’s unique demographic profile. Seventy percent of sub-Saharan Africa’s population is under the age of 30, our population is expected to double approximately every 29 years and, by 2050, one in four people on this planet will be African. That is 25 percent of humanity; in 1900, we were less than 10 percent. I have firsthand experience of this complex and compelling African cocktail of technology and population growth. As an investor and one of the leading supporters of young entrepreneurs across the continent, I see the passion of its next generation. We have transformed the United Bank for Africa, one of the continent’s largest financial institutions, into a digital powerhouse. We are embedding AI into all that we do.
The challenge is not only how to incorporate AI into business operations but how to navigate the journey of disruption and reap the full benefits.
For Africa, the stakes are even higher. We must act with urgency to prepare this African generation for the AI-driven economy or risk condemning them to deepening inequality. McKinsey Global Institute projects that AI will contribute $13 trillion to the global economy by 2030, representing 16 percent of growth in gross domestic product. Beneath the optimism, however, there lies a warning: AI could widen the inequality gap. This poses a particularly significant risk for Africa. We are confronting the possibility of economic marginalization. For Africa to benefit from AI, the continent needs urgent and massive investment in infrastructure if it is to compete and be included. I was honored to attend the ninth edition of the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh last month, at the invitation of Richard Attias, chairperson of the FII Institute, and Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia. I joined a distinguished gathering of change-makers — with more than 8,000 delegates, including 20 heads of state, in attendance — to discuss “The Key to Prosperity.”The conversations around the transformative potential of AI were exciting. Yet one question dominated my thoughts: Can this technology finally bridge the inequality gap dividing Africa from the rest of the world? Some 600 million Africans live without access to electricity. Countries such as Nigeria, one of the continent’s largest economies, exemplify the challenge. It generates about 5,000 megawatts of power to serve more than 200 million people, which is far below what is needed for industrial development, let alone AI infrastructure.
Africa needs investment partners to help develop the critical infrastructure it needs to thrive in this new world. Lack of access to electricity impacts lives. In sub-Saharan Africa — which represents only 16 percent of the global population but is home to 67 percent of the world’s extreme poor — even the simplest necessities that others take for granted remain impossibly out of reach. Many Africans, desperate for better opportunities, embark on dangerous migration journeys, with 2024 marking the deadliest year on record. Those with access to modest savings, often pooled by family members, relocate to other parts of the world, resulting in a significant brain drain. Poverty and lack of opportunity fuel insurgency and instability. This is not only Africa’s crisis — it is a problem for the entire world and one that must be treated with immediate action. 82My message has been consistent: the unique challenges faced by Africa must be included in these conversations. This is an urgent call for private sector leaders, governments and development partners to frame AI conversations in a way that addresses global equity and equality. Just two weeks ago, I made the case for this during a panel discussion at the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Annual Meetings in Washington, alongside Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the IMF; Mohammed Al-Jadaan, the Saudi minister of finance; Simon Johnson, the Ronald A. Kurtz professor of entrepreneurship at the MIT Sloan School of Management; and Ruth Porat, president and chief investment officer at Alphabet and Google.
I said during the discussion: “AI and productivity in the 21st century should help to democratize prosperity, not just be for a few to benefit. We must ensure that AI works for Africa by investing deliberately in digital infrastructure, electricity and human capital.”I witness the consequences of this infrastructure deficit firsthand: small businesses struggle to stay afloat while operating on erratic power supplies. Thanks to the work of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, through which we have funded and supported more than 24,000 young entrepreneurs, we have real-time data on this. Our entrepreneurs are constantly limited not by ideas but by limited access to reliable electricity supplies — a generation of young Africans constrained by circumstances rather than capability. What, then, is the way forward? Firstly, Africa needs investment partners to help develop the critical infrastructure it needs to thrive in this new world. It does not need charity, it needs investment. As I often say, there is no other place to get the kind of returns you can get in Africa. My own investments tell a story of success: through Heirs Holdings, we demonstrate the commercial viability of African infrastructure; through our investments in Transcorp and Heirs Energies, we produce oil, generate and distribute power, and produce gas that fuels power plants, all of which bring us generous returns. This is what I call “Africapitalism” in action: the use of private capital to solve public challenges and the belief that the African private sector must take the lead in efforts to drive economic development through long-term investments, creating both economic returns and social impact in the process. Secondly, the conversation needs to be broadened to address the inequality. The prosperity divide threatens everyone. As I said at the Future Investment Initiative: “To some, it is about AI adoption. To others, it is about AI accessibility. We should, as a global community, play our own role in helping to create AI access so that all of us grow simultaneously.”Thirdly, we must build for our future leaders. As I noted at the IMF meetings, our youth are creative, energetic and can play their own part in the development of Africa. The AI era holds great promise for the continent. The question is not whether Africa has the talent to thrive in an AI-driven world; it demonstrably does. The question is what will it take to unleash its full potential? This is how we create significant change that will impact the world.
• Tony Elumelu is the chair of family-owned investment company Heirs Holdings and of United Bank for Africa. He and his wife launched the $100 million Tony Elumelu Foundation to empower young entrepreneurs across 54 African countries. In March 2025, he was appointed to the International Monetary Fund’s Advisory Council on Entrepreneurship and Growth.

The Constitutional Timeframes for Forming the Legislative and Executive Authorities in Iraq
Faiq Zaidan/Asharq Al-Awsat/November 09/2025
President of Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council/Asharq Al-Awsat/November 09/2025
The peaceful transfer of power through elections held every four years, as outlined in the Constitution, is among the most substantial of Iraq’s achievements since 2003.
Since Iraq has a republican and parliamentary political system, as per Article 1 of the Constitution, the legislative authority is the “mother” of the executive authority, the government, with members of parliament elected by direct secret ballot, as stipulated in Article 49 of the Constitution. The Constitution and Law No. 31 of 2019 (as amended) regarding the Independent High Electoral Commission have set a clear framework for the electoral process that ensures the constitutional and democratic transfer of power in a manner that respects the will of the people and consolidates political stability. Article 56/Second of the Constitution stipulates that parliamentary elections must be held 45 days before the existing parliament’s term ends. Since the current parliament’s four-year term began on January 9, 2022, the constitutionally mandated date for holding the elections should be November 24, 2025. Thus, setting November 11, 2025, as the date for parliamentary elections constitutes a clear violation of the constitution (Article 56/First), as it has no basis in any constitutional or legal provision. Article 20 of the Law of the Independent High Electoral Commission allows for challenging the legality of the elections for up to three days from the date the results are announced. The Commission then has seven days to prepare responses to the appeals and submit them to the Judicial Commission for Elections, which must issue a ruling within ten days. After these dates, the Commission sends the final results to the Federal Supreme Court for ratification, in accordance with Article 93 (Seventh) of the Constitution. Once they are ratified, the Commission notifies the President of the Republic, who, in turn, calls on the newly elected parliament convene through a republican decree issued within 15 days from the date of ratification.
The new parliament convenes. In this first session chaired by the eldest member, parliament elects the Speaker and his two deputies, in accordance with Article 55 of the Constitution. It then proceeds to elect the President of the Republic within 30 days from the date of its first session, as stipulated in Article 72/First(b) of the Constitution. Following his election, the President of the Republic tasks the largest parliamentary bloc with forming the government within 15 days. The prime minister designate is given 30 days to form a cabinet subject to a parliamentary vote of confidence, in accordance with Article 76 of the Constitution.Adding these timeframes, we find that the formation of a new government could take up to approximately four months from the date the election results are announced. However, the law and constitution stipulate that it is “within” these timeframes that these steps must be taken. That is, these end dates are deadlines but the processes can finish earlier, meaning that the process can proceed faster if there is the political will to do so. Accordingly, it could take significantly less than four months to form a new government if each phase proceeds swiftly and is completed before the deadline. If the Council of Representatives convenes the day of the presidential decree, and if the Speaker, the President of the Republic, and the Prime Minister are elected and designated within the first few days, the new government could emerge in early January 2026 instead of March of the same year. Past experiences have shown that constitutional deadlines are often exceeded in the elections of the three key officials: the speaker of parliament, the president, and the prime minister. That is, Iraqi officials have made a habit of violating the Constitution and undermining the democratic spirit of peaceful political transition. This persistent problem can be attributed to the absence of legal consequences for such violations, as the Constitution has no provision on penalizing them, leading to the recurrence in multiple electoral cycles. According to the above, we hope that these remarks will be taken into account whenever the Constitution is amended in the future, such that these amendments enforce respect for constitutional timeframes and set specific penalties for violating them. In doing so, officials would enhance the stability of the democratic system, uphold the rule of law, and reinforce the principle of peaceful political transfer of power.

It’s time for a bipartisan policy to cement the US relationship with Saudi Arabia
Joseph Haboush/English Arabiya/November 10/2025
Having just returned to Washington from my third visit to Saudi Arabia in as many years, the pace of change unfolding there is staggering. Each year, the transformation is more visible, and one could argue that the speed at which the Kingdom is developing, progressing, and learning is unprecedented in modern history. Is everything perfect? No. Is there more work to be done? More than one could imagine. Yet the lessons being learned as Saudi Arabia builds, reforms, and opens up to the world are genuinely encouraging. The mere fact that the world’s top executives, CEOs, and bankers now flock to Riyadh year after year is a feat in itself. A shift is underway, one that some in Washington and beyond have yet to fully grasp. The days of blank checks are long gone, but so too are the days of one-way Saudi spending and outbound investment. As Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih noted at last week’s Future Investment Initiative (FII), the time has come for the government to “scale back” its spending and for the private sector to take the lead. Since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launched Vision 2030 nearly a decade ago, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), the Kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund, has been the engine driving much of the country’s economic transformation, from giga-projects to global branding. But Vision 2030 has also fueled a surge in foreign investment, which reached $31.7 billion in 2024, according to PIF Governor Yasir al-Rumayyan. Today, Saudi Arabia has laid the foundation for what it aims to achieve in the coming decades. This includes major investments in artificial intelligence, highlighted by the launch of its national AI company, HUMAIN. Last week, HUMAIN and US-based Qualcomm Technologies announced a landmark collaboration on the sidelines of FII to deliver global AI inferencing services through what the companies described as the world’s first fully optimized edge-to-cloud hybrid AI platform. Saudi Arabia aims to become the world’s third-largest AI provider, according to HUMAIN’s CEO, and it wants to achieve this in partnership with the United States.
This message was echoed by Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Washington, Princess Reema bint Bandar, who described bilateral ties as “the strongest they’ve ever been.” Speaking at a business forum in Miami this week, she said Riyadh wants to be “the extension of the US ecosystem, not as a standalone entity.”
“We want to be that friend and that resource to the United States ecosystem to help it thrive and develop,” she added. “Because you can’t do it on your own, and we want to make sure that you win.” Still, top investors and executives at FII raised valid concerns about the need for stronger legal frameworks to protect foreign investors and ensure clear exit strategies, including IPO pathways.Prince Fahad bin Mansour AlSaud, president of the Saudi G20 Startup Group, acknowledged these challenges and said Riyadh was working to improve the environment for foreign investors. He described the Saudi capital as “the capital of capital, where founders raise funds and global investors meet LPs [Limited Partnerships].”The change in Saudi Arabia is real, and it represents a force for good. Washington and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle would be wise to recognize this momentum and move toward a bipartisan policy that cements long-term cooperation between the two nations. Part of the new Saudi Arabia also includes a more pragmatic foreign policy, one that, as the Saudi ambassador to the United States put it, is “in lockstep with the US” The Kingdom has played a vital role alongside Washington this year, from brokering a ceasefire in Gaza to working toward an end to the war in Sudan and addressing what has become one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Riyadh was among the first to be called upon to assist in efforts to mediate between Russia and Ukraine. It has also helped stabilize Syria and was instrumental in ending Lebanon’s two-year presidential vacuum. The first-of-its-kind joint military drills are underway in California between the US Army and the Royal Saudi Land Forces (RSLF), a US defense official told Al Arabiya English. The exercises aim to enhance interoperability and strengthen mutual combat capabilities between the two militaries. This marks the first time an RSLF formation has participated in a US Army combat training center rotation, “which is the culmination of years of coordination between [the US Army and Saudi Arabia],” according to the official.
“It signals continuing US security commitment to the region,” the official added.
Whether in mutual security interests, energy markets, the emerging AI and technology sectors, or even tourism, the intersections between Washington and Riyadh are expanding. Now is the time for the United States to build a lasting framework, one that outlives administrations and strengthens an alliance vital to global stability and progress.

Selected English  Face Book & X Tweets for November 09/2025
Raylan Givens
https://x.com/i/status/1987304482279932319
The Lebanese Foreign Minister, Youssef Rajji (Christian and opponent of Hezbollah), has launched a campaign for the Lebanese diaspora around the world - to register ahead of the elections to be held in Lebanon in about half a year - the slogan of the operation is "Yalla Register". The idea is that the Lebanese Diaspora living in Western countries will be less likely to vote for Hezbollah or Hezbollah-backed parties.

Pope Leo XIV
Hope is to bear witness that the earth can truly resemble heaven. This is the message of the Jubilee.

Blitz/LebBlitz
"Our meeting with President Camille Chamoun, as officials of the Lebanese Forces in all its branches, was like a father meeting with his sons. President Chamoun provided us with his remarks and guidance."
~Sheikh Bachir Gemayel

Blitz/@LebBlitz
"Those who think a broad government including most parties will achieve national reconciliation are wrong. Governmental 'reconciliation' in Lebanon has never expressed true national unity. It has only contained national discord."
~Bachir Gemayel

Hussain Abdul-Hussain
UNRWA should not only be disbanded, it should be also replaced by another UN agency that reverses the damage that UNRWA has done by radicalizing Palestinian hearts and minds.

Swedish_Druze
A #Druze grandmother, Im Iyad (Hindieh Hassan Dheeb) from western #Sweida, showed extraordinary courage during the #HTS attack in mid-July. When the fighting reached her village and her sons and grandsons were killed, she refused to flee. She chose to stay beside them, guarding their memory and their honor. When the militants closed in and she faced a choice between captivity or dignity, she chose dignity. She took her final step on her own terms. She was the mother of the martyrs Walid and Osama, and the grandmother of Haider and Laith. Her story is a reminder of the strength and resilience of Druze #women throughout history. May her memory remain light and pride.

Hussain Abdul-Hussain
UNRWA should not only be disbanded, it should be also replaced by another UN agency that reverses the damage that UNRWA has done by radicalizing Palestinian hearts and minds.

When Joseph Aoun was elected president, many of us wanted to believe it was the beginning of something different.
Jean Riachi/X/November 09/2025
When Joseph Aoun was elected president, many of us wanted to believe it was the beginning of something different.
For once, Lebanon seemed to have a head of state untouched by corruption, surrounded by competent ministers, professionals rather than political brokers.
It felt almost like a reset, a chance, however small, to rebuild some sense of order.
But it didn’t take long for hope to dissolve into the familiar taste of disappointment.
Integrity and competence, it turns out, are powerless inside a structure built on paralysis.
Every decision, every attempt at reform, crashes against the wall of sectarian vetoes, bureaucratic sabotage, and the invisible red lines drawn by those who profit from chaos.
The tragedy is that Joseph Aoun will likely end his term the same way every Lebanese president ends it: in frustration, isolation, and public contempt.
Not because he’s corrupt or weak, but because the system itself is corrupt and ungovernable.
It devours every good intention, every ounce of credibility.
The problem is no longer moral; it’s structural.
The post-Taif system, once sold as a formula for coexistence, has become a machine for institutional paralysis.
We are living in a country where everyone rules a piece of it and no one governs the whole.
Maybe it’s time to look beyond our illusions.
Bosnia-Herzegovina, after its own war, faced a similar impossibility.
The 1995 Dayton Agreement admitted what everyone already knew: that peace would only come by accepting division and organizing it.
Bosnia became one state, but with two self-governing entities, each with its own government, police, and tax system.
The central authority handles only the basics: foreign policy, currency, a symbolic defense.
It’s clumsy, inefficient, often absurd but it has kept the peace for thirty years.
Lebanon already lives that way, only without the honesty or the structure.
The South and Bekaa follow one order, the North another, Mount Lebanon yet another.
We are already a confederation, just an illegal, chaotic one.
So maybe the way forward is not to dream of unity but to design coexistence:
regional governments that take responsibility, a weak central state that handles what truly must be shared, a neutral Beirut that belongs to everyone and no one.
It wouldn’t solve everything but it might stop the slow death of a country pretending to be whole.
Joseph Aoun’s presidency showed that goodwill is not enough.
The problem is not the man in Baabda , it’s the building itself, the foundations, the system.
And until we change that, every president will end the same way: alone, surrounded by ruins, blamed for a failure that was never his to fix.