English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For November 21/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible Quotations For today
You that boast in the law, do you dishonour God by
breaking the law? For, as it is written, ‘The name of God is blasphemed among
the Gentiles because of you.
Letter to the Romans 02/17-29/:”But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the
law and boast of your relation to God and know his will and determine what is
best because you are instructed in the law,and if you are sure that you are a
guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, having in the law the
embodiment of knowledge and truth, you, then, that teach others, will you not
teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? You that forbid
adultery, do you commit adultery? You that abhor idols, do you rob temples? You
that boast in the law, do you dishonour God by breaking the law? For, as it is
written, ‘The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.’
Circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law; but if you break the law,
your circumcision has become uncircumcision. So, if those who are uncircumcised
keep the requirements of the law, will not their uncircumcision be regarded as
circumcision? Then those who are physically uncircumcised but keep the law will
condemn you that have the written code and circumcision but break the law. For a
person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is true circumcision something
external and physical. Rather, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly, and real
circumcision is a matter of the heart it is spiritual and not literal. Such a
person receives praise not from others but from God.
Titles For The
Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on
November 20-21/2025
Faith Reflections on the 'Grain of Wheat' Principle on the Anniversary of
the Martyrdom of MP Pierre Amine Gemayel/Elias Bejjani/November 21/2010
One cannot give what does not have, and all the world’s Viagra is useless with
the emasculated./Elias Bejjani/November 18/ 2025
The Concept and Meanings of the “Heart” in the Bible/Elias Bejjani/November
19/2025
Video Link to an important interview with Father Tony Khadra from the video from
“Transparency Youtube plateform”
Israeli officials say US pressure restraining Israel in Lebanon
Israel used widely banned cluster munitions in Lebanon, report says
Rising Israeli-Lebanese tensions: Army hints at new Lebanon offensive
Berri supports army, says Israel preventing 'real independence'
Report: US, KSA, Iran seek 10-year freezing of Hezbollah arms
Egypt ambassador says Lebanon escalation very probable if situation doesn't
change
Lebanon, Syria, Jordan ministers meet in Amman over Lebanon energy plan
Salam says Lebanon ready for talks with Israel, will seek US help
Israel says Hezbollah rebuilding capabilities in Beit Leef
Fear in Ain al-Helweh camp after deadly Israel strike
Lebanon steps up port security: High-tech scanners aim to block smuggling,
strengthen ports
Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa meets Lebanon’s Deputy Prime Minister Tarek
Metri
Over 137,000 expatriate Lebanese enrolled for 2026 Elections as registration
closes at midnight
Youth activist turning trauma into treatment in Lebanon
Schools out, banks closed: Lebanon gears up for the Pope’s big arrival
France Expresses Concern Over Intensification of Israeli Strikes in Southern
Lebanon
Lebanon’s Most Wanted Drug Trafficker Taken into Custody, Authorities Say
Fadel Shaker’s Tuesday Trial Seen as Test of Legal Cases
Lebanon’s president declares end of Hezbollah’s military role, calls for
negotiation
Michel Issa forgot he is the US ambassador to Lebanon/Sam Butler/TheArab
WeeklyThe Arab Weekly/November 20/2025
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous
Reports And News published
on
November 20-21/2025
Saudi Crown Prince’s Washington Trip Signals Future-Focused Strategic
Shift
Saudi Crown Prince Sends Thanks to President Trump After Washington Visit
Tensions flare as Israel conducts strikes in Gaza and Lebanon, Netanyahu walks
into Syrian territory
Israel Steps Up Killings to Tighten Security Control in Gaza
Mediator Qatar calls fresh Israel strikes on Gaza 'dangerous escalation'
WHO Aims to Vaccinate 40,000 Children in Gaza Strip
Syria Condemns Netanyahu's Visit to Its Israeli-occupied South
What Do We Know About the Palestinian Forces Training to Operate in Gaza?
Two Syrian Soldiers Killed During Clashes with SDF
Syria Sends First SWIFT Message to New York Fed, Central Bank Governor Says
Two Syrian soldiers killed by Kurdish forces: ministry
UN Atomic Agency's Board Votes to Urge Iran to Provide Information about Nuclear
Material
Iran Stepping Up Harassment of Its Nationals in Germany, Says Opposition Group
UAE president and Canadian PM discuss investment partnerships in Abu Dhabi
Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources on
November 20-21/2025
Palestinian Terrorists Threaten to Target International Stabilization
Force/Khaled Abu Toameh/Gatestone Institute./November 20, 2025
New York, New York, it’s a socialist town...Mamdani’s up and the centrists are
down/Clifford D. May/The Washington Times/November 20/2025
Saudi Arabia ‘Major Non-NATO Ally’, why now?/Mohammed El-Houni/The Arab
Weekly/November 20/2025
Four Takeaways from the Meeting Between Mohammed bin Salman and Trump/Mamdouh
al-Muhainy/Asharq Al Awsat/November 20/2025
The Age of Uncertainty and Great-Power Diplomacy/Emile Ameen/Asharq Al Awsat/November
20/2025
Gaza resolution may be terrible, but the alternative was worse/Dr. Dania
Koleilat Khatib/Arab News/November 20, 2025
Selected Face Book & X tweets for November 20/2025
The Latest
English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on
November 20-21/2025
Faith Reflections on the 'Grain of Wheat' Principle on the Anniversary of
the Martyrdom of MP Pierre Amine Gemayel
Elias Bejjani/November 21/2010
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/11/113528/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nb6u2BH440Y&t=603s
The Martyr, MP Sheikh Pierre Amine Gemayel, is not dead, for martyrs do not die.
Rather, through their martyrdom, they move from death to eternal life, where
there is no pain or suffering, but joy, happiness, and bliss. The righteous
martyrs are the grain of wheat that dies to give life: "Unless a grain of wheat
falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces
much grain. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in
this world will keep it for eternal life." (John 12:24)
The believer understands that the salvation of humanity would not have been
possible without the sacrifice made by the Incarnate Lord Christ through His
suffering and crucifixion. Christ the Redeemer asks the believers who carry His
cross to follow His example and walk the path of Golgotha with joy, courage, and
hope, because it ultimately leads to salvation. The sacrifice that Christ
offered without complaint, enduring torment, humiliation, and death, is what has
yielded and continues to yield abundant fruits.
The grain of wheat that died, was buried, and yielded much grain for the entire
world is Jesus Himself. The Incarnate Jesus sacrificed Himself for humanity to
liberate it from the yoke of slavery and the burden of original sin. He died on
the cross, was buried in the tomb, conquered death and broke its sting, and rose
alive from the dead. Thus, His death, suffering, burial, and resurrection became
the source of the grain and the wellspring of abundant graces that will continue
to flow upon humanity until the end of time.
The graces that Jesus grants to those who believe in Him, are baptized in His
name, and keep His commandments, qualify them to enjoy the divine life on earth
and eternal happiness in the heavenly kingdom. The righteous martyrs are at the
forefront, and blessed is the nation whose people are granted the grace of
martyrdom by God.
Jesus wished for the believer in His teachings to be like Him, a grain of wheat
that falls to the ground, dies, is buried, and produces much grain. He called on
them to reject the love of their earthly life for fear of losing it in the
afterlife, and to hate it in this world out of a desire for eternal life. He
expressed this call in a very clear, direct, and powerful manner that no one
expected, and it had a profound impact on the souls of those who heard His
message and believed in it. The resonance of His words still dwells in the
hearts, minds, and consciences of believers: "Those who love their life lose it,
and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life... For
all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God." (Romans 8:14)
Jesus, who knew the nobility of sacrifice and tasted its severity and
difficulty, will not leave the believer who undertakes it in His honor without a
reward. He Himself said to His disciples who sacrificed everything for His sake:
“Truly I tell you, in the age of renewal, when the Son of Man is seated on the
throne of his glory, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones,
judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” (Matthew 19:27-29).
Lebanon—the nation of mission, holiness, coexistence, civilization, and
giving—where Jesus walked with His mother, the Virgin Mary, blessed its soil,
and performed His first miracle at the Wedding at Cana by turning water into
wine, and later healed the Canaanite woman, charmed by her faith—this Lebanon is
resilient against all forces of evil and terrorism. Just as its people, through
their deep and unwavering faith, triumphed over all invaders and renegades for
7,000 years, they will triumph, thanks to the sacrifices of their martyrs, over
all the forces of terrorism attempting to kill it, uproot its identity,
slaughter its history, demonize it, and transform it into a fundamentalist
republic that does not resemble it and is alien to its values, history, and
culture.
The Lebanese people are children of hope, faith, piety, courage, steadfastness,
and martyrdom. Therefore, under no circumstances will they allow the forces of
evil, terrorism, arrogance, and Trojan elements to succeed in enslaving them and
crushing their free will, no matter the sacrifices.
Martyr Pierre Gemayel is alive in the heart, mind, and conscience of every
sovereign, free, and faithful Lebanese. And with the Prophet Job, we say: "The
Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."
Note: This article was originally published on November 21, 2010, in both voice
and text formats, and was broadcasted via Voice of Phoenicia Phone Newsline.
One cannot give what does not have, and all
the world’s Viagra is useless with the emasculated.
Elias Bejjani/November 18/ 2025
Ninety-nine percent of Lebanon’s rulers, Owners Of the so called political
leaders, MPs, media outlets, and journalists are products of the occupiers’
incubators… and therefore, their paralysis cannot be cured.
The Concept and Meanings of the “Heart” in the Bible
Elias Bejjani/November 19/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/11/144659/
The word “heart” appears over 300 times in the Bible. Theologically, it has
little, if anything, to do with the physical organ that pumps blood. Instead, it
refers to the core of human existence, the center where all our capacities
converge, including our conscience, emotions, and entire range of feelings and
contradictions. In modern psychological terms, it’s our “self” or “ego.”
Therefore, from a theological, emotional, spiritual, and faith-based
perspective, the heart isn’t the physical organ beating in our chest. It’s the
spiritual and existential reality that forms the very essence of our personal
being. It’s the central point where all the threads of our human existence
intertwine. In observing church rituals and icons, we notice the immense
significance given to the “Heart of Jesus” and the “Immaculate Heart of Mary.”
Throughout both the Old and New Testaments, dozens of verses emphasize the
critical importance and centrality of this spiritual, intellectual, and
faith-based understanding of the heart.
The Heart in God’s Commands
This understanding is clearly seen in the first of the Ten Commandments: “Love
the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
strength and with all your mind” (Luke 10:27, Deuteronomy 6:5). Jesus Himself
speaks of the heart as the root of human intentions and the origin of all our
actions. “For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual
immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person”
(Matthew 15:19-20). This confirms that the very essence of who we are, whether
for good or ill, originates in the heart.
Only God truly knows the intentions of our hearts
Only God truly knows the intentions of our hearts, whether good or evil. Because
He loves us and awaits our return to His heavenly home—a home not built by human
hands—He, as a merciful Father, constantly warns us through various means. He
does so when we defile our hearts, fall into the devil’s temptations, and follow
our “old self”—the self of original sin—abandoning the “new self” born of
baptism by water and the Holy Spirit. “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he
prophesied about you: ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts
are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human
rules’” (Matthew 15:7-8). This verse highlights the importance of genuine
worship that springs from the heart, rather than just outward rituals.
A Pure Heart: A Gift from God
The Bible teaches us to always pray to God with humility, sincerity, and faith,
asking for the grace and gift of a pure, upright, and good heart. “Create in me
a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10). This
prayer expresses a deep longing for spiritual renewal, rooted in a new heart.
God the Father created humanity in His image and likeness, giving us a heart
like His own. When He sees that heart being defiled, He rushes to our aid,
sending prophets, saints, and righteous people to guide us back to the right
path. However, when we disobey, remain unrepentant, and fail to atone, He
disciplines and punishes us, as He did in the time of Noah and Nimrod, and with
Lot’s cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.
God’s sorrow over the corruption of human hearts
“The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the
earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only
evil all the time. The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the
earth, and his heart was deeply troubled” (Genesis 6:5-6). These verses vividly
show God’s sorrow over the corruption of human hearts. God works through natural
law, conscience, and prophets to awaken the hearts of humanity, so they may
return to Him, find Him, give Him their hearts, and observe His ways and
commandments. “With your own eyes you saw those great trials and the signs and
great wonders. But to this day the Lord has not given you a heart to understand
or eyes to see or ears to hear. Yet I have led you forty years in the
wilderness; your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandals have not
worn out on your feet” (Deuteronomy 29:3-5). Here, we see that a lack of
understanding and perception stems from the heart.
The Heart as a Dwelling Place for the Holy Spirit
Our Lord God bound our hearts to His, so that we may love Him with all our heart
and soul, and live through Him. God fully accomplished this in the New Covenant
through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in believers. Our hearts become a
dwelling place for His Spirit, sanctified for Him, making us temples of God’s
Spirit. Our hearts become altars consecrated for worship through devout prayers
and sincere love. As our hearts are purified, we come to see God, and Christ
works within us through faith. Thus, it is crucial to pause and reflect on the
biblical and theological meaning of the heart.
The heart is that reality in which the human being finds his or her unity and
inner orientation
In his commentary on the Third Secret of Fatima, then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger
(Pope Benedict XVI) offered a concise description of the heart: “In biblical
language, the heart means the center of human existence, the integration of mind
and will, temperament and feeling.” He added: “The heart is that reality in
which the human being finds his or her unity and inner orientation.”
The heart is a human capacity that goes beyond and deeper than intellectual
ability, and beyond the reach of our imagination. It is the dimension of divine
instinct and also the depth of the soul. “The heart is deceitful above all
things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? I the Lord search the heart and
examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to
what their deeds deserve” (Jeremiah 17:9-10). This verse emphasizes that only
God truly sees and tests the hidden depths of the heart.
It’s impossible for any of us to fully penetrate another person’s inner being,
no matter how close they are, or to know what’s stored within their heart and
thoughts. However, we can understand it through their actions, words, and
feelings, which bear witness to what’s in their heart, “for the mouth speaks
what the heart is full of” (Matthew 12:34). And this heart becomes defiled when
its owner succumbs to the traps of worldly desires, failing to curb and refine
them due to a lack of faith and weak hope.
The Heart and Love
In our prayers, we say, “Lord, give me a heart like Your own” (“Create in me a
pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10)). This
means: “Bestow upon me the gifts of love, for love is God, and love is the
heart.” The meaning of love, which is God Himself, was beautifully defined by
the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:1-13: “If I speak in the tongues of men or
of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging
cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all
knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love,
I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to
hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is
patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It
does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it
keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the
truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love
never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are
tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For
we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in
part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a
child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood
behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see
face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully
known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of
these is love.”
Biblical Verses on the Heart
Many verses in the Bible illustrate the meanings of the heart. Here are a few
more:
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8).
“He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by
faith” (Acts 15:9).
“The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or
swear by a false god” (Psalm 24:4).
“They would not be like their ancestors—a stubborn and rebellious generation,
whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to him”
(Psalm 78:8).
“Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and
a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel?” (Ezekiel 18:31).
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you
your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26). This verse
specifically speaks of the inner transformation granted by God.
Then Jesus said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is
from within, out of people’s hearts, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality,
theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander,
arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person” (Mark
7:20-23).
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep
your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your
eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you” (Proverbs 4:23-25).
This verse emphasizes the importance of protecting the heart as it is the source
of life.
“As the secrets of their hearts are laid bare, they will fall down and worship
God, exclaiming, ‘God is truly among you!'” (1 Corinthians 14:25).
“Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their
eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand
with their hearts, and turn and be healed” (Isaiah 6:10). This verse shows the
consequence of stubbornness and refusal to hear God’s word.
The Sacred Heart of Jesus: A Fount of Divine Love
Pope Benedict XVI: “The roots of this devotion (to the Sacred Heart of Jesus)
are deeply embedded in the mystery of the Incarnation. Through the Heart of
Jesus, God’s love for humanity was revealed in a vivid way. Therefore, authentic
devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus retains its meaning and particularly
attracts souls thirsting for God’s mercy—an unfathomable spring of living water
capable of quenching the deserts of the soul, allowing hope to grow.”
Prayer to the Sacred Heart
O Jesus, You possess a compassionate heart, full of goodness and kindness. You
see me and love me. You are merciful and forgiving, for You cannot witness
misery without desiring to heal it. Behold, I place all my hope in You, trusting
that You will not abandon me, and that Your graces will always surpass my
expectations. Therefore, Jesus, fulfill all Your promises for me, grant me the
graces necessary for my state, bestow peace upon my family, comfort me in my
trials, and be my refuge throughout my life and at the hour of my death. If I am
lukewarm in faith, I will grow fervent through You. If I am fervent, I will
ascend to higher degrees of perfection. Grant me, Jesus, a special grace to
soften hardened hearts, and to spread devotion to Your Sacred Heart. And
inscribe my name in Your adored Heart, that it may never be erased. I also ask
You to bless my home, where the image of Your Most Sacred Heart is honored.
Video Link to an important interview with Father Tony
Khadra from the video from “Transparency Youtube plateform”
The interview sheds light on the importance of His Holiness the Pope’s visit to
Lebanon and the demographic and confessional wound in the Lebanese state.
(Free translation from Arabic by: Elias Bejjani) November 20/2025
Transparency Youtube plateform
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/11/149383/
Will the Pope’s visit fail? Father Khadra’s message reveals what the Vatican
fears about
Will the Pope’s visit fail? Father Khadra’s message reveals what the Vatican
fears about Lebanon!
“Go down and strike them!”… Has Christian frustration in Lebanon reached the
point of wishing the ancestors’ wrath upon the current leaders? Father Tony
Khadra, head of LABORA, in a fiery interview with Patricia Samaha, reveals the
unfiltered truth that must reach the Pope during his anticipated visit.
Father Khadra reveals the American and European pressures that wished the Pope
would not visit Beirut, and confirms that the Pope’s anticipated political
messages will contain what “will surprise us all.” In an analysis supported by
numbers, Father Khadra points to the demographic and confessional wound in the
Lebanese state, confirming the loss of vital Grade A positions by Christians,
under the very sight and hearing of their leaders.
Father Khadra presents the most controversial equation: “Muslims are more keen
on the Christian presence than the Christians themselves,” indicating that some
national partners are the ones who encourage LABORA’s efforts to maintain
balance, while Christian leaders drown in their narrow conflicts. He also
addresses the attempts to “whitewash” the reality before the Holy See, and
stresses that the proposed solutions for the Christian presence, such as
partition and federalism, are “unrealistic,” and that the focus must be on
developmental and demographic work from within.
At the end of the episode, Father Tony Khadra directs “unvarnished” messages to
President Nabih Berri (lost between national duty and the Amal Movement), Samir
Geagea, Sami Gemayel, and the Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros
Al-Rahi, demanding from them unity of purpose and action, not just promises.
Interview Details and Topics
00:58 Why did the Pope insist on visiting Lebanon despite all the warnings?
03:15 American and European pressures to cancel the Pope’s visit.
04:38 Christians are tired of promises: Is the Pope facing Christian
frustration?
06:04 The Pope does not need to know about Lebanon… his political messages will
surprise us!
10:41 Father Khadra wishes Patriarch Douaihy would “strike” the politicians!
17:08 Fragmentation of Christian leaders: Each one presents his project against
the other in Rome.
19:04 Loss of a Director General position in the Presidency of the Council of
Ministers (Prime Ministry)… a dangerous indicator of the balance.
21:29 The surprise: Muslims are more keen on the Christian presence than the
Christians themselves!
24:00 LABORA and the shocking numbers: Raising the percentage of Christians in
the Internal Security Forces from 28% to 45%.
27:20 Partition or Federalism for Lebanon… Father Khadra warns against
unrealistic solutions.
33:18 A harsh message to President Berri: Lost between national leadership and
the Amal Movement.
34:04 A message to Patriarch Al-Rahi and the Pope: Christianity is a trust, not
just a lighthouse.
Israeli officials say US pressure restraining Israel in
Lebanon
Naharnet /November 20/2025
Israeli defense officials assess that Hamas is closely coordinating with
Hezbollah and Iran to revive and rebuild the so-called “Axis of Resistance,” as
the Israeli army expands strikes in Gaza and southern Lebanon, Israeli officials
said on Thursday, according to a Jerusalem Post report. The officials said that
U.S. pressure is, for now, restraining a fiercer Israeli response to
“Hezbollah’s ceasefire violations.”“In parallel, Hamas and Hezbollah in Lebanon,
with Iranian funding and encouragement, are working to restore terror
infrastructure, smuggle and move weapons into southern Lebanon and the Bekaa,
recruit new operatives, and intensify training for a future round against
Israel,” the Jerusalem Post said. It quoted military sources as saying that
Hezbollah is “acting in clear violation of the ceasefire understandings and is
moving in the opposite direction of demilitarizing southern Lebanon and
disarming.”The military sources added that the Northern Command commander would
like to respond in a far more aggressive manner to “Hezbollah’s violations.”
Still, at this stage, the United States is “tying Israel’s hands behind its
back.”
Israel used widely banned cluster munitions in Lebanon,
report says
Naharnet/November 20/2025
Israel used widely banned cluster munitions in its latest war on Lebanon, The
Guardian said in a report, based on photos seen by arms experts. Cluster
munitions are air-dropped or ground-launched explosive weapons that release or
eject smaller submunitions over a wide area, posing risks to civilians even
after attacks as unexploded bomblets can kill or maim civilians and are hard to
be located. They were used in previous Israeli wars on Lebanon, including in
1978, 1982 and 2006, and more than 400 people were killed in Lebanon by
unexploded bomblets since 2006. The huge number of unexploded cluster bombs in
Lebanon was a main driving factor for the drafting of the cluster convention in
2008, the British newspaper said, quoting an arms expert as saying that cluster
munitions are banned internationally for a reason. "They are inherently
indiscriminate and there is no way to employ them lawfully or responsibly, and
civilians bear the brunt of the risk as these weapons stay deadly for decades to
come," the expert told The Guardian.
Rising Israeli-Lebanese tensions: Army hints at new Lebanon offensive
LBCI/November 20/2025
The Israeli military has indicated that the increase in its operations in
Lebanon, along with a shift in targeting strategy, could signal a potential new
round of fighting in the country. On this basis, the Israeli Air Force has begun
preparations, citing what it claims are Hezbollah’s enhanced capabilities. A
military assessment of the front with Lebanon has not clarified whether any
impending strike would include a ground incursion or extend as far as Beirut. As
the army continues to reinforce its forces and expand deployments along the
border, reaching as far as one kilometer into Lebanese territory, some military
officials are calling for a “yellow line” approach similar to that used in the
Gaza sector, allowing for deeper operations inside Lebanon. Amid these
developments, Israeli military correspondents reported new threats from
officials, ranging from warnings of an imminent strike to claims that the
Lebanese army is unable to control Hezbollah’s arsenal, and assertions that the
Israeli army alone would disarm the group. These threats are countered by
intense diplomatic efforts led by Washington to reach a security agreement aimed
at defusing tensions, although optimism about its success remains limited.
Berri supports army, says Israel preventing 'real independence'
Naharnet/November 20/2025
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri called Thursday on supporting the Lebanese army
amid an American and domestic campaign against it. "We should reward the army,
its command, soldiers and officers, not question and target their sacred
national role against the Israeli aggression and incite against them," Berri
said, adding that Israel "has been and still is an obstacle between the Lebanese
people and their real, complete independence." A scheduled visit of Army chief
Rodolphe Haykal to the U.S. was cancelled Tuesday after U.S. Senator Lindsey
Graham posted on the X platform that Haykal is "a giant setback for efforts to
move Lebanon forward because of a reference to Israel as the enemy and his weak
almost non-existent effort to disarm Hezbollah." Another senator said that
Haykal is "shamefully directing blame at Israel" instead of seizing the
opportunity to free Lebanon "from Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorists". These posts
came after the Lebanese Army condemned Israel's attacks on Lebanon and accused
it of violating Lebanon's sovereignty and obstructing the deployment of the army
in south Lebanon. The army was tasked by the government to disarm Hezbollah,
under American pressure. The army says it is implementing the plan but that
strikes on south Lebanon are obstructing its deployment. A ceasefire monitoring
committee chaired by the U.S. has been reportedly pressuring the army to search
private homes in south Lebanon for weapons, a request that the army refused to
do.On Monday, Berri said the ceasefire committee is monitoring and accusing the
army instead of condemning Israel's violations. Israel has kept up its attacks
on south and east Lebanon and is occupying five "strategic" hills in the south,
despite the ceasefire reached in November last year.
Report: US, KSA, Iran seek 10-year freezing of Hezbollah
arms
Naharnet/November 20/2025
A “settlement” over Hezbollah’s arms might be reached between the U.S., Saudi
Arabia and Iran, Lebanon’s Nidaa al-Watan newspaper reported on Thursday. Iran
has presented an offer entailing a 10-year freezing of Hezbollah’s arms with
Tehran’s guarantee and a declaration that the group would totally withdraw from
the South Litani area, in parallel with Hezbollah’s focus on political action
during this period, the daily said. “Permanent solutions for its weapons would
be sought during this period in a manner that would provide it with a safe
exit,” Nidaa al-Watan added, linking the reported talks to President Joseph
Aoun’s recent remarks that “Hezbollah’s military wing has ended” and that the
group is seeking an honorable end and an appropriate exit.”
Egypt ambassador says Lebanon escalation very probable if
situation doesn't change
Naharnet/November 20/2025
A wider escalation in Lebanon is highly probable if the situation remains as it
is, Egypt's Ambassador to Lebanon Alaa Moussa said Thursday. Moussa told al-Jadeed
TV that the Foreign Ministers of Egypt and France discussed Tuesday the Lebanese
file, voicing his support for Hezbollah's disarmament to avoid the escalation.
Lebanon, Syria, Jordan ministers meet in Amman over Lebanon
energy plan
Naharnet/November 20/2025
The ministers of energy of Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon met Thursday in Amman to
discuss a plan to bring gas and electricity to crisis-hit Lebanon from Jordan
via Syria. Joint technical teams would be formed to assess the Syrian and
Lebanese infrastructure and see if repairs need to be done as Syria's pipeline
and electricity lines were damaged in the decade of civil war. Jordan's minister
Saleh Kharabsheh said the plan would be funded by the World Bank, the Arab Fund
for Economic and Social Development and other donors, while Syria's energy
minister said the lines connected to Jordan are almost ready but that Syria's
lines need continuous maintenance.
Salam says Lebanon ready for talks with Israel, will seek US help
Naharnet/November 20/2025
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has reiterated that Lebanon is ready to engage in
talks with Israel, adding that he will seek U.S. help in pushing for
negotiations. The prime minister added, in an interview with Bloomberg, that
plans to demilitarize the south are "on track" and that the Lebanese Army is
expanding its presence there, particularly in areas near the border with
Israel.President Joseph Aoun had previously offered to discuss land border
disputes and Israel’s withdrawal from the areas retained after the war with
Hezbollah last year. “I repeat the same offer of readiness to negotiate with
Israel,” Salam said. The prime minister, a former head of the International
Court of Justice, said he believes a diplomatic resolution is achievable,
pointing to U.S.-mediated talks in 2022, when borders in energy-rich maritime
areas were drawn. Now, he says, calls went unanswered. “That’s a puzzle for me.
They ask for negotiations and when we show readiness they don’t agree to the
rendez-vous,” he said. “That’s something I’ll be bringing up with the
Americans,” he added. In a rare move in August, the government instructed the
army to draw a plan to disarm Hezbollah and other militias. The first phase
focuses on south Lebanon and should be finalized by the end of the month, Salam
said. Beirut and the Bekaa Valley are encompassed in later stages. Hezbollah has
described the Lebanese Army’s plan as a “grave sin” and vowed not to surrender
its arms as it accused the government of doing Israel’s bidding. The group also
rejected Lebanon’s offer to negotiate with Israel. The two countries are
technically in a state of war. Israel, the prime minister said, is the one not
abiding by the terms of the ceasefire agreement. The Israeli army remains in
five hilltops spread across the Lebanon’s southern border, which Salam said
offer no strategic value, considering modern drones and satellites are equipped
with much better monitoring technology. “These positions have no military or
security value. It’s a tool to pressure the Lebanese,” he said. Though Lebanon’s
government says it doesn’t have evidence of Hezbollah’s attempts to rearm, Salam
said the army should remain vigilant and has deepened its control of smuggling
routes, particularly the border with Syria. “Why can’t we move faster? One: we
need to recruit more people into the army and we need to better equip the army
and we need to be able to raise the salaries of army,” Salam said. Salam said he
was working with France and Saudi Arabia to put together a donor conference to
support the country’s reconstruction and recovery, and the government is also
making headway on a draft law to plug an estimated $80 billion deficit in the
financial sector, which he hopes will help unlock much-needed funds from the
International Monetary Fund. Salam said there was an opportunity for change in
the region and Lebanon “won’t miss the boat” this time.
Israel says Hezbollah rebuilding capabilities in Beit Leef
Agence France Presse/November 20/2025
The Israeli military has accused Hezbollah of violating the terms of a ceasefire
by attempting to re-establish itself in southern Lebanon a short distance from
Israel’s northern border. "The Hezbollah terrorist organization has been working
to rebuild its capabilities in the village of Beit Leef in southern Lebanon, in
a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon," Israel’s
military said Wednesday in a statement. The Israeli military said it "identified
dozens of terrorist infrastructure sites in the area of the village, including
headquarters and weapons storage facilities", some of which were placed "inside
civilian homes."Lebanon says Israel is violating the truce with its strikes, and
by maintaining troops in five areas of the country's south. Under heavy U.S.
pressure and fears of expanded Israeli attacks, Lebanon has committed to
disarming Hezbollah, but the group has rejected the idea of handing over its
weapons. Earlier Wednesday, Lebanon's health ministry said one person was killed
and 11 others wounded in an Israeli strike on a vehicle in south Lebanon's Tiri.
The NNA reported that the man killed worked for the local municipality, and said
the strike took place as a university bus carrying students passed by, wounding
some on board. Later in the day, the Israeli army warned residents to evacuate
the area around sites in the southern Lebanese towns of Deir Kifa, Shehur,
Ainata and Tayr Felsay, before striking them. On Tuesday, Israel said it struck
a Hamas training compound in south Lebanon's Ain al-Helweh Palestinian refugee
camp. The Palestinian militant group denied it had military installations in
Lebanon's refugee camps and called Israel's claims "lies".
Fear in Ain al-Helweh camp after deadly Israel strike
Agence France Presse/November 20/2025
Residents of Lebanon's Ain al-Helweh Palestinian refugee camp described their
fear and astonishment a day after a deadly strike that Israel said targeted a
Hamas compound, a claim the Palestinian militant group rejected. Tuesday night's
raid, which Lebanese authorities said killed 13 people, was the worst since a
ceasefire took effect last year between Israel and Hezbollah. Emergency workers
were still collecting human remains on Wednesday at the devastated site, located
near one of the entrances to the overcrowded, impoverished Palestinian camp, an
AFP correspondent saw. "The bombing last night happened while people were at
home were getting ready for bed," camp resident Mohammad Mustafa, 67, told AFP.
"We heard the sound of three missiles, then our home shook. The children were
shaking with fear." On Wednesday morning, Palestinian factions allowed
journalists to access the heavily damaged site -- a metal-roofed structure near
a parking lot and a mosque -- after previously imposing a security cordon. By
longstanding convention, the Lebanese army stays out of the camps and leaves
Palestinian factions to handle security. Blood stained the inside of the
structure and the road leading to it. The roof was largely blown off and the
walls riddled with shrapnel. Wadih Ali, 40, a taxi driver who lives in an
adjacent building, said the site was "not a closed-off place, anybody could go
in there"."Over the summer, there was a pool for children, and recently it was
turned into a football field," he said.
On the ground among the debris were the remains of several colored, interlocking
floor tiles sometimes found in play or exercise areas.
'Only concern is killing' -
Near the site were damaged homes, charred cars and shopfronts with shattered
glass.
Schools and institutions in the camp were closed in mourning. The Israeli
military said in a statement that it "struck terrorists who operated in a Hamas
training compound in the Ain al-Helweh area". Hamas, however, called Israel's
claims "pure fabrications and lies", insisting it had no military installations
in the camps in Lebanon. It said the site "was an open sports field frequented
by the youth of the camp", and that "those targeted were a group of young boys"
using it at the time. Ain al-Helweh was largely spared during more than a year
of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah before last November's ceasefire
took effect. The conflict began when Hezbollah began firing across the border
into Israel in October 2023 in support of its Palestinian ally Hamas in the Gaza
war. Israel has kept up regular strikes on Lebanon despite the truce -- usually
saying it is targeting Hezbollah, but also occasionally Hamas -- and still has
troops in some parts of south Lebanon. Ain al-Helweh and other refugee camps
were created for Palestinians who were driven out or fled during the 1948 war
that accompanied Israel's creation. Lebanon hosts about 222,000 Palestinian
refugees, according to the United Nations agency UNRWA. Standing near damaged
vehicles, Jamal Shreidi, 65, expressed astonishment at the strike. "Did this
site, these cars, harbor terrorists?" he said. "Israel's only concern is
killing," he added.
Lebanon steps up port security: High-tech scanners aim
to block smuggling, strengthen ports
LBCI/November 20/2025
Advanced scanners at the Port of Beirut are being installed in response to
international and Arab demands to prevent the facility from being used as a
route for smuggling prohibited items, particularly drugs, into Arab
countries—especially Gulf states—and to ensure that no illegal goods enter
Lebanese territory or bypass customs duties. At the expense of the CMA CGM
Group, a scanner costing around $10 million has arrived at the Port of Beirut
and is expected to be operational within five weeks. The system can detect items
hidden behind up to 40 centimetres of metal, including drugs, money, and other
contraband. A technical team from CMA CGM will operate the scanner under the
constant supervision of customs officers. The machine is equipped with an AI
system that can accurately identify the contents of any container and transmit
the information to port authorities. Ministers of Public Works and Finance,
Fayez Rasamny and Yassine Jaber, were briefed on the scanner’s operation.
Rasamny confirmed that all measures have been taken to prevent a repeat of
previous deliberate malfunctions of similar equipment at the port. Jaber
described the step as part of efforts to lift bans on Lebanese exports to Saudi
Arabia and other countries while also increasing state revenue. A similar
advanced scanner has been delivered to the Port of Tripoli and will be
operational within weeks. Strengthening port oversight is also intended to curb
avenues that Hezbollah could use to finance itself, a concern raised by multiple
local, Arab, and international sources.
Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa meets Lebanon’s Deputy Prime Minister Tarek
Metri
LBCI/November 20/2025
Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa met Thursday with Lebanon’s Deputy Prime
Minister Tarek Metri at the People’s Palace, where the two officials discussed
ways to strengthen bilateral relations and reviewed issues of mutual interest.
Over 137,000 expatriate Lebanese enrolled for 2026
Elections as registration closes at midnight
LBCI/November 20/2025
More than 137,000 Lebanese citizens living abroad have registered to vote in the
2026 parliamentary elections across various countries. With the registration
deadline set to expire at midnight, the final hours are seeing heavy activity on
the dedicated registration platform. Authorities are urging Lebanese expatriates
who have not yet completed their registration to do so promptly through the
official link before the deadline.
Youth activist turning trauma into treatment in Lebanon
Agence France Presse/November 20/2025
Marina El Khawand was 18 when she saw her hometown of Beirut shattered by the
giant 2020 port explosion and decided she needed to help. Today, at 24, she is
among five laureates at Thursday's Young Activists Summit awards at the U.N. in
Geneva, and described how the trauma of that day spawned a movement that has
helped provide free medication and consultation to thousands in need. "I needed
to do something," said Khawand, who was starting her second year of law school
when the explosion ripped through large parts of Beirut. In the chaos of the
blast, which claimed more than 220 lives, her family urged her to leave the
country to continue her studies abroad. But she told AFP in an interview that
she decided to volunteer at the explosion site for a few days before leaving. "I
was traumatized... I walked between dead bodies, there was blood everywhere,"
she said, describing feeling powerless -- unable to offer much help.
'War zone' -
But one day she ventured alone to one of the heaviest hit neighborhoods,
Karantina, which was like "a war zone", and went into a building in search of a
sick, elderly woman who had refused to evacuate. Now a lawyer, Khawand recalls
hesitating outside the door, fearful of what she might find inside. "I entered
and I saw an old lady, pale and not moving," she said, describing the relief she
felt when she saw a slight movement in the woman's chest. She noticed an empty
medication distributor in the woman's hand, and recognized it as the same asthma
inhaler her mother used. Khawand quickly snapped a picture of the dosage and
rushed to get a new one. But Lebanon's healthcare system had taken a hit after
the country's economy went into free fall in 2019, plunging many into poverty
and sparking medication shortages. She visited three pharmacies without any
luck, shocked to find that such a common medication was so hard to come by.She
thought: "This woman survived the explosion... I cannot accept that she will die
because she doesn't have her medication." Her mother did not have the same
dosage as the woman, so Khawand determined that her best shot was to post an
appeal on Instagram. An influencer she had tagged called her two hours later to
tell her she had secured 12 boxes.
'Health beyond borders'
"I was stunned," Khawand said, describing her panicked rush to get the
medication to the woman in time. After taking a few puffs on the inhaler, the
woman gave Khawand "the most heartfelt hug." "She whispers in my ear: Thank you
for saving my life," Khawand said, tears glistening in her eyes. "That sentence
changed me," she said, describing it as the moment she realized "my purpose in
life would be to save lives." After that experience, Khawand founded the
Medonations non-profit aimed at providing free and equal medical assistance to
vulnerable communities in Lebanon. Growing in the past five years to have
collection points in over 65 countries, it says it has served more than 25,000
families across Lebanon with medical supplies and surgeries. Khawand's team also
provided oxygen machines during the Covid-19 pandemic, and during last year's
deadly war between Israel and Hezbollah, helped provide displaced people with
sanitary products, diapers, and medication. She has also set up the Free
HealthTech Clinic, with kits containing advanced AI-integrated devices enabling
doctors to examine patients remotely, assess their prescriptions and adjust
their medication. "The doctor can be in Switzerland, the patient can be in
Lebanon, and they can see the vital signs in real time," Khawand said. "It's
health beyond borders."
Schools out, banks closed: Lebanon gears up for the Pope’s
big arrival
LBCI/November 20/2025
Lebanon will observe a broad shutdown early next week as the country prepares
for the Pope’s historic visit. All public and private schools and universities
will be closed on Monday and Tuesday, along with banks, government ministries,
public institutions and municipalities nationwide. Authorities also announced
that official paperwork and administrative services will be suspended throughout
the two-day period. In Beirut, most shops are expected to close from Monday at 3
p.m. until Tuesday at 1 p.m. to ease expected traffic congestion in the capital.
Retail businesses outside the city, however, will operate normally.
Supermarkets, pharmacies and bakeries will remain open, and ATMs will continue
to function. Meanwhile, media outlets — including those in the wider media
sector — said they will operate at full capacity to cover the high-profile
visit.
France Expresses Concern Over Intensification of Israeli
Strikes in Southern Lebanon
Asharq Al Awsat/November 20/2025
France is concerned about the intensification of Israeli strikes in southern
Lebanon and is also calling the Israeli army to respect Syria's sovereignty and
territorial integrity, a French foreign ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.
"We are concerned about this intensification of Israeli strikes in southern
Lebanon. We condemn the Israeli strikes that are killing civilians in the south.
Our position is one of respect for the ceasefire of 27 November 2024 (...)," he
said, Reuters reported. The Israeli military stepped up airstrikes in south
Lebanon on Wednesday, killing at least one person as it pressed a campaign of
near-daily attacks which it says is designed to block a military revival by
Iran-backed Hezbollah in the border area."We are following developments in the
Golan Heights with great concern. France calls for the withdrawal of the Israeli
army and respect for Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity," the
spokesperson said about Syria.
Lebanon’s Most Wanted Drug Trafficker Taken into Custody,
Authorities Say
Asharq Al Awsat/November 20/2025
Lebanon's most wanted drug trafficker was arrested Thursday after years on the
run, authorities said. Noah Zeiter was taken into custody during a raid near the
eastern city of Baalbeck, according to a high-ranking military official. Zeiter
eventually turned himself in to military intelligence after a standoff. The
official spoke on condition on anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak
to the media. The Lebanese army didn't disclose Zeiter’s name, but referred to
the captive by his initials, Reuters reported. Lebanon's army has been cracking
down on the country's illicit drugs network, which often transported narcotics
through its borders with Syria into Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states. The
military has frequently raided factories largely located in eastern Lebanon near
the Syrian border. Zeiter was sanctioned by the United States and the United
Kingdom in 2023 for his alleged involvement in the manufacturing and smuggling
of Captagon alongside relatives and close associates of the Assad dynasty in
Syria. For years, Zeiter has been on the run from Lebanese authorities. Prior to
the conflict in Syria in 2011, he was known for producing and smuggling large
amounts of cannabis and made occasional media appearances. Zeiter is close with
Hezbollah and Syria’s Fourth Division under the now-ousted Assad government.
Under Syria's new rulers, the government has been destroying the remnants of
Captagon factories in the country that flourished during the conflict. Security
officials there say they continue to bust smuggling attempts along the border
with Lebanon. Lebanon and Syria have slowly been trying to improve ties
following Assad's downfall in a lightning insurgency in December 2024, and hope
to resolve matters along the porous border.
Fadel Shaker’s Tuesday Trial Seen as Test of Legal Cases
Beirut: Asharq Al Awsat/November 20/2025
Lebanese singer Fadel Shaker is set to appear before the military court next
Tuesday to face trial in four separate security cases, “belonging to an armed
group, financing the group, possessing unlicensed weapons, and undermining state
authority and prestige,” sources familiar with the matter told Asharq Al-Awsat.
The sources said the head of the military court, Brig. Gen. Wassim Fayyad,
“allocated Tuesday for questioning Shaker, without placing any other cases on
the agenda, given the lengthy time his interrogation is expected to take.”
Security measures will be tight, the sources added, with the Lebanese army
deployed around and inside the military court. The trial will be attended by
Shaker, his defense team, and a representative of the military public
prosecutor. It is not yet clear whether the court will allow media coverage,
with attendance possibly limited to journalists accredited to the military
court. The session is seen as a practical test for Shaker and his legal team in
preparing for the trial and challenging the charges. The sources noted that
“during the first session, the court presidency will question Shaker and
confront him with the evidence underlying previous absentia rulings. The
military public prosecutor will also pose questions, reinforcing the seriousness
of the case built against Shaker since 2013, following the Abra clashes between
the Lebanese army and supporters of Sheikh Ahmed Al-Assir.” Shaker voluntarily
surrendered to Lebanese army intelligence at the entrance of Ain al-Hilweh camp
on October 4, after spending more than 12 years there. At the time, he described
the surrender as a judicial settlement to close his cases, though delays in
scheduling the military court trial have fueled doubts. Meanwhile, Shaker’s
defense lawyers have prepared thoroughly for the session. A source close to the
defense told Asharq Al-Awsat that the team “insists on proceeding with the trial
without interruption or delay.”The source said, “There is no legal justification
for postponement. Shaker is the sole defendant, and with his lawyers and the
military public prosecutor present, the case is complete and questioning must
begin. Any delay would be unjustified.”The source added that after Shaker’s
interrogation, the court is expected to summon numerous witnesses, including
Ahmed Al-Asir and others involved in the Abra events, particularly those with
close knowledge of Shaker and his relationship with Al-Asir at the time.
Second Trial Scheduled
Shaker is also due to face a second trial in mid-December before the Beirut
Criminal Court, presided over by Judge Bilal Dannaoui. The case, filed by Hilal
Hammoud, a leader of the “Saraya al-Muqawama” group in Sidon, accuses Shaker,
Al-Assir, and others of inciting his attempted killing. The court president has
already conducted a preliminary questioning of Shaker in preparation for the
mid-December session. The first military court session is expected to offer
insights into the direction of the case, based on Shaker’s defense of his
innocence and the position of the military public prosecutor. It will also serve
as a test of the Lebanese military judiciary’s ability to handle sensitive cases
impartially, amid lingering questions over the harsh absentia sentences
previously issued against Shaker.
Lebanon’s president declares end of Hezbollah’s military role, calls for
negotiation
The Arab Weekly/November 20/2025
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Tuesday declared that “Hezbollah, in its
military aspect, is over,” stating that the party is seeking “a dignified exit”
and emphasising that Lebanon has no choice but to negotiate. In an interview
with the digital platform Asas Media, Aoun said, “The party in its military
aspect is over. They come to me recognising this reality and this outcome, but
they are keen on an honourable ending, on a proper exit, and that is exactly
what we seek to achieve, away from the political and populist clamour sweeping
the country on the eve of the upcoming parliamentary elections.”
He highlighted the exhaustion within the Shia community, noting: “The Shia are
fatigued. Forty years they have struggled with no horizon. Musa al-Sadr said we
would be at the forefront of defending Palestine when everyone participates. But
we will not fight alone. We will negotiate. There is no option other than
negotiation. Gaza was destroyed utterly after a fierce war. And now they sit
together at the negotiating table.”Aoun also addressed Iran’s involvement,
recounting his confrontation with the Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National
Security Council Ali Larijani. “I spoke very harshly to him. He seemed extremely
tense: the Shia of Lebanon are my responsibility, not yours. Positions of this
calibre, I raised them until he could barely conceal his tension. He left the
palace tense. Then he requested an appointment which I did not receive him for,”
he said. On his own role, the president stressed: “I am not pursuing personal
gain. I am not a traditional politician. I am a statesman. Statesmen do what
they must to build their nations, away from quarrels and populism. This is
exactly what I aspire to. A normal country where we live with pride, dignity,
prosperity and then pass it on to our children and grandchildren who deserve a
better life.”Speaking of the Lebanese army, Aoun said, “We work with patience
and foresight, with wisdom and calm. We understand the sensitivities and
approach them carefully. But none of this prevents reaching the conclusion: the
restriction of weapons and decision-making. This is the A to Z of
state-building, and there can be no state without it. These are constants that
do not change. Before Resolution 1701 and after it. Before Taif and after it.
Before the Constitution and after it. Either we are a state or we are not.”He
asked rhetorically: “Who said the army is powerless? It has legitimacy and the
support of the Lebanese people. These are foundations that surpass everything.
My pledge to you is that the army will have full authority in the south and
elsewhere. There is a state that will assert itself over every inch of soil, and
anyone who thinks otherwise is mistaken.” Aoun concluded: “I promised you at the
start of my term and in my inaugural speech. I am keeping the pledge. Things
need some time, but we will arrive in the end.”
Michel Issa forgot he is the US ambassador to Lebanon
Sam Butler/TheArab WeeklyThe Arab Weekly/November 20/2025
Instead of projecting distance, neutrality and policy discipline, Issa drifted
fully into local communal rhetoric.
Issa’s framing placed him firmly inside the Lebanese identity, not outside it,
where a US ambassador must stand.
On November 16, the newly appointed US Ambassador to Lebanon, Michel Issa, made
his first public appearance, a return to his ancestral village, a Sunday mass, a
sentimental homecoming. The scene was emotional and picturesque. But diplomacy
is not judged by nostalgia. It is judged by tone, clarity of role and the
message an envoy sends on day one. And Issa’s debut made one thing unmistakably
clear: he spoke like a Lebanese villager returning home, not like the US
ambassador entrusted with representing Washington. This is not yet a public
scandal, but it is a diplomatic misstep that must be exposed. Rather than
projecting neutrality and the disciplined distance required of a US ambassador,
Issa drifted fully into local, communal rhetoric. He spoke repeatedly as though
he were a Lebanese political figure addressing home town supporters:
“We Lebanese …”
“We are all one …”
“Let us put our hands together …”
“I’m sure my village is proud that someone from this town is an American
ambassador
This was not diplomatic language. It was the familiar rhetoric of a local
notable speaking to his base. He followed with more local phrasing, including:
“The whole world is watching us and ready to help us, but if we don’t help
ourselves, no one will help us.”
But ambassadors do not speak as members of the local collective. They speak for
Washington, not for the village, not for the sect, not for the home town.
And critically, his entire speech was delivered in Lebanese Arabic dialect,
reinforcing the impression that he was speaking as one of them, not as the
United States’ representative.
These are not the words of a United States ambassador. These are the words of a
Lebanese politician speaking to his base. In a country where every word is
politicised and interpreted in factional terms, Issa’s framing placed him firmly
inside the Lebanese identity, not outside it, where a US ambassador must stand.
And it did not stop there. Issa went further. He said “ I want to thank someone
very important in my life, President Donald Trump,” then launched into an
unclear anecdote about how President Trump reportedly said to him, “if a
Lebanese person comes back to Lebanon, maybe it could be something good.”He then
added, “Yes, you’re right,” as if responding to a private exchange in front of
the crowd, a moment that was confusing, personal and completely off-protocol.
Then he shifted into spiritual-communal preaching more suited to a priest or
village mediator than an ambassador:
“By God’s grace, we are all one hand.”“Wherever we are in the world, Muslims,
Christians, Druze … we look at each other with one heart.” “But when we come
back to Lebanon, I don’t know what happens to us.”This is language a local
priest, mayor, or community mediator might use, not a US diplomat whose job is
to project neutrality and professionalism.
He then added another curious passage. “We have hope in front of us. I just hope
we wake up a little bit, and maybe my presence here will have an effect on
things, even if just a little.”And the idea that his presence might “change the
world’s thinking” sidesteps the core reality: Lebanon’s collapse is not caused
by a lack of hope, but by the entrenched power of political clans, corruption
networks and the outsized influence of Hezbollah, which operates as a parallel
authority within the state. These are forces that cannot be softened by
sentiment or village rhetoric. By implying otherwise, Issa replaced the hard
truths of Lebanese politics with feel-good language that has no bearing on the
country’s actual power dynamics. None of this conveyed Washington’s position. It
conveyed identity, emotion and belonging, heartfelt, perhaps, but entirely
inappropriate for a US diplomat’s first message in one of the Middle East’s most
politically volatile arenas.
Again, this is not the tone of Washington’s envoy. It is the tone of a man
returning to his village to inspire the community, a culturally warm moment,
perhaps, but diplomatically inappropriate and strategically confusing. A day
after his village appearance, Issa began the formal part of his mission: he
submitted his credentials to President Joseph Aoun and Foreign Minister Youssef
Rajji, conveying President Trump’s greetings and reiterating Washington’s stated
support for “a sovereign, peaceful, prosperous Lebanon.”
Issa’s shift from the sentimental village visit to the formal state meetings
should have produced a change in tone. It did not. After presenting his
credentials to President Joseph Aoun, meeting Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji,
and then sitting down with Speaker Nabih Berri, Issa continued speaking with the
same personal, informal, village-style cadence he used the day before. The
problem was not the setting, it was the consistency of the rhetoric. Even in the
most formal environments, Issa did not adjust.
This became most visible during his meeting with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.
Instead of maintaining diplomatic distance, Issa again slipped into casual
banter. Referring to his own embassy team, Deputy Chief of Mission Keith Hanigan
and another embassy staff member, he said jokingly: “God bless the boys, may
they always be liked and not give us a hard time.”This was said in front of the
prime minister, during the ambassador’s first official meeting. This was not
professional. It was not diplomatic. It was the kind of informal remark a
village notable would make when introducing his companions at a community
gathering, not the voice of the United States’ representative.
The effect was a troubling ambiguity, it was unclear whether Issa was
representing the United States or subtly signalling deference to Lebanese
political actors, a form of American appeasement (or perhaps Lebanese
appeasement). This blurred messaging risks sending a signal to Lebanese power
brokers, including entrenched elites and Hezbollah, that he may be more
sentimental than strategic, potentially inviting them to sideline him, offer
symbolic gestures, or simply not take him seriously as Washington’s envoy.
Instead of projecting neutrality, authority and policy discipline, Issa once
again positioned himself inside the Lebanese identity. He spoke as a familiar
local engaging with his surroundings, not as Washington’s envoy navigating one
of the most politically-sensitive landscapes in the region.
Even as Issa projected familiarity and sentiment, Washington’s message to
Lebanon remained clear: strategy, not emotion, drives American engagement.
On November 17, as the new ambassador formally presented his credentials,
Washington delivered an unmistakable reminder that sentiment does not replace
strategy.
Senators Lindsey Graham and Joni Ernst publicly criticized the Lebanese Armed
Forces (LAF) and its commander, Rodolphe Haykal. Graham described the army as
“not a very good investment for America” and condemned what he called a “weak,
almost non-existent effort to disarm Hezbollah,” while Ernst accused the LAF of
failing to seize the opportunity to free Lebanon from “Iran-backed Hezbollah
terrorists” and criticized Haykal for directing blame at Israel.
Any hope that Issa’s Lebanese identity or emotional rhetoric might soften
Washington’s position evaporated instantly. And then came the humiliation: the
LAF Commander flew all the way to Washington, only to be told to turn around and
go back home.
This is serious. For a commander to travel that far and then have every meeting
cancelled is no small matter. That kind of treatment only happens when the
message is: we don’t trust you, we don’t believe you, and we’re not wasting
another minute on you. This crushing episode undercut any illusion that Issa’s
sentimental messaging could buy Lebanon time or influence US policy. Lebanon is
not a normal diplomatic assignment. Almost everyone who serves there is a career
Foreign Service officer. Issa is the first non-career diplomat to take on such a
role, and his tenure so far has raised serious concerns. Every word spoken by an
American official is dissected, politicised and weaponised by factions,
especially Hezbollah. Ambiguity is dangerous. Sentiment is dangerous.
Identity-based rhetoric is dangerous.
A US ambassador who speaks as a Lebanese insider weakens his neutrality, blurs
Washington’s posture and hands political actors room to twist and manipulate
American intentions. It also invites them to test him, sideline him, or dismiss
him as sentimental rather than strategic. This is why ambassadors almost never
come from the same country to which they are assigned. Emotional distance is not
a luxury, it is a requirement of the job. On November 16, Michel Issa delivered
a message. But it was not Washington’s message. It was the message of a man
speaking to his village, not a diplomat representing the United States. His
words projected identity, not policy. Belonging, not authority. Sentiment, not
strategy. And at a moment when Washington is clearly hardening its stance on
Lebanon, cancelling visits, publicly rebuking the LAF, and signalling deep
frustration with the country’s political paralysis, Issa’s tone could not have
been more poorly timed.
This is not personal. It is a recognition of Lebanon’s uniquely dangerous
political environment. In a country as fragile and easily manipulated as
Lebanon, even a few misplaced lines can reshape perceptions, weaken neutrality,
and compromise the work of American diplomacy.
Heartfelt or not, Michel Issa forgot he is the US ambassador. And Washington
cannot afford for him to forget it again.
**Sam Butler is an American national security and law enforcement expert. He has
led investigations into complex networks of organised crime, illicit money,
terrorism financing and corruption. He can be reached at sambutlerlib@icloud.com
The Latest English
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November 20-21/2025
Saudi Crown Prince’s Washington Trip Signals Future-Focused Strategic
Shift
Riyadh: Hala Saghbini/Asharq Al-Awsat/November 20/2025
Over an intensive 48 hours, Washington became the stage for launching a new
phase in the strategic alliance between Saudi Arabia and the United States, an
alliance intended to bind the interests of both countries for decades to come.
The move coincided with the visit of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi
Prime Minister, and built on the foundations set during President Donald Trump’s
visit to Riyadh in May. The meetings were not a mere display of existing ties,
but a platform to unveil a strategic economic partnership framework whose
pillars were laid during Trump’s trip to Riyadh. The document pushes bilateral
cooperation to unprecedented levels of technological and financial integration.
The Crown Prince expressed confidence that this partnership with the US will
grow at an unprecedented pace in the coming years, urging both sides to seize
the promising opportunities it offers, opportunities driven by economic growth,
diversification and innovation. The Crown Prince said the signing of investment
agreements and projects in sectors including defense, energy, artificial
intelligence, rare minerals and finance will create substantial employment
opportunities in both countries.
One of the longest economic partnerships
Total investments and agreements between American and Saudi companies reached
575 billion dollars, according to Saudi Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih,
strengthening what he described as “one of the longest and most dynamic economic
partnerships in the world.” This includes 307 billion dollars announced during
Trump’s visit to Riyadh in May, additional bilateral commitments that followed,
and 267 billion dollars in new deals unveiled at the 2025 US-Saudi Investment
Forum. Beyond the signing of a massive package of agreements exceeding 575
billion dollars, the most significant signal was the Crown Prince’s pledge to
increase Saudi investment plans in the United States to 1 trillion dollars.
Trump described the financial commitment as evidence of the strength of the
strategic alliance, saying it reinforces the relationship as a balanced
partnership between the world’s largest economy and the Arab world’s largest
economy, and marks a shift toward strategic investments in the sectors of the
future.
Axes of the visit
The historic visit produced three main pillars:
First, artificial intelligence
The signing of the Strategic Artificial Intelligence Partnership between Saudi
Arabia and the US marked a pivotal turning point in the nature of the bilateral
relationship. The partnership is no longer limited to commercial cooperation, it
lays the groundwork for a new phase of comprehensive and long term economic
security. A joint statement by the foreign ministers of the two countries said
the understanding reflects a firm commitment to boosting innovation and
technological progress, and to using advanced and emerging technologies to
deepen shared security objectives.
This places artificial intelligence at the core of the security umbrella, making
the stability of data and chip supply chains inside the Kingdom an integral part
of US strategic interests. The White House said the agreements will give the
Kingdom access to world leading US systems while protecting US technology from
foreign influence. The partnership aims to cement the Kingdom’s position as a
global computing hub, capitalizing on leading American technology. Technological
enablement: The partnership expands Saudi access to advanced US systems,
reflected in the Commerce Department’s approval to export cutting edge Nvidia
Blackwell chips, removing the biggest constraint on sector growth.
Infrastructure development: The partnership supports plans to build massive
supercomputing hubs in the Kingdom. Companies such as Elon Musk’s firms and
Nvidia announced large scale projects and high capacity computing centers of 500
megawatts or more, citing Saudi Arabia’s competitive advantages in energy, land
availability and geographic location, which position it as a global center for
cloud computing and AI services. Digital sovereignty: Financial market
cooperation includes a memorandum of understanding on education and training,
signaling the Kingdom’s focus on building local knowledge and human capacity to
secure “computational sovereignty” and lead future AI applications. HUMAIN at
the center: The shift is embodied in the prominent role of HUMAIN, the Saudi
Public Investment Fund owned AI company that featured in many joint
announcements. Alongside the joint project announced by Elon Musk between his
company xAI, Nvidia and HUMAIN to develop a 500 megawatt artificial intelligence
computing center in the Kingdom, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang praised HUMAIN’s
“massive” expansion in the six months since its establishment, saying he is
working with Saudi Arabia to train advanced robots and build supercomputers.
HUMAIN is also partnering with US chipmakers AMD and Cisco to develop data
centers in the Middle East, beginning with a 100 megawatt facility in the
Kingdom to serve Luma AI, a California based generative video producer. HUMAIN
led a 900-million-dollar funding round for Luma AI, deepening the Kingdom’s
efforts to build what is being described as the “Hollywood of artificial
intelligence.” HUMAIN also announced collaborations with Adobe and Qualcomm to
develop Arabic language AI, and a partnership with Global AI to build a data
center campus in the US, highlighting its two-way global expansion. Amazon Web
Services and HUMAIN said they will expand their strategic partnership to deploy
up to 150,000 AI accelerators inside a major facility in Riyadh known as the
Artificial Intelligence Zone.
Second, energy and minerals
The strategic significance of the visit extended beyond artificial intelligence
to major advances in energy and minerals, with agreements designed to secure
critical supply chains and safeguard future energy sources. Civil nuclear
cooperation: The announcement of the completion of negotiations on civil nuclear
energy cooperation, known as the 123 Agreement, was the most important
milestone. The White House said the agreement establishes the legal foundation
for a multibillion dollar nuclear partnership spanning decades and supports the
Kingdom’s strategic goal of diversifying clean energy sources. The statement
said US companies will be the Kingdom’s preferred partner in this field.
Critical minerals: The two sides also signed a “Strategic Framework for
Cooperation on Securing Uranium, Metals, Permanent Magnets and Critical Minerals
Supply Chains.”The framework anchors the partnership in economic security,
directly linking US interests to Saudi geological resources. It aims to
strengthen global supply chain resilience through projects such as establishing
a rare earth refinery with US company MP Materials, the Department of Defense
and Saudi mining firm Maaden. The White House said the critical minerals
framework will deepen cooperation and align strategies for diversifying critical
mineral supply chains, adding that the agreement builds on similar deals secured
by Trump with other trading partners to ensure the resilience of the US supply
chain for essential minerals. Aramco investments: Aramco announced 17 new
agreements worth 30 billion dollars, bringing total cooperation with US
companies to 120 billion dollars, including expansions into liquefied natural
gas and advanced services.
Third, investment and financial markets
The economic and financial dimension was central in reinforcing the depth of the
partnership, supported by the Crown Prince’s pledge to raise Saudi investments
in the US to nearly 1 trillion dollars. Investment facilitation: The two sides
signed the strategic framework for facilitating procedures to accelerate Saudi
investments and the Financial and Economic Partnership Arrangements. These
ensure that investment commitments flow smoothly into US growth sectors,
including infrastructure and technology, creating high paying American jobs and
supporting shared prosperity. The US Treasury Department and the Saudi Finance
Ministry signed agreements to strengthen cooperation on financial markets,
standards and regulatory frameworks. The step is intended to integrate and
streamline capital flows, bolstering the resilience of the global financial
system. The two countries also agreed to intensify efforts on trade issues,
including reducing trade barriers and recognizing US federal vehicle safety
standards, a direct gain for American manufacturers and exporters that supports
the Kingdom’s sector modernization at the same time. Financial markets and trade
integration: The visit also produced agreements on cooperation in the financial
markets sector aimed at improving governance and regulatory standards. Dr.
Abdullah Al-Jassar, a member of the Saudi Economic Association and the
International Association for Energy Economics, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the
agreements signed during the Crown Prince’s visit to Washington represent a new
phase in the economic relationship between the two countries, particularly in
energy, investment and advanced technologies. He said the deals open the door to
high value investments and help develop national skills in advanced fields,
supporting economic diversification and strengthening the Kingdom’s position in
global energy markets. “We are looking at long term partnerships that contribute
to building a more balanced and sustainable economy,” he said. In the end, the
agenda of the Washington visit was not just a successful diplomatic tour, it was
a formal launch of a high stakes partnership for the new era. The agreements
place Saudi Arabia and the US on a path toward deep strategic integration.
Saudi Crown Prince Sends Thanks to President Trump After
Washington Visit
Asharq Al Awsat/November 20/2025
Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime
Minister of Saudi Arabia, sent a cable to US President Donald J. Trump upon his
departure from Washington. In the cable, the Crown Prince expressed his deep
gratitude and appreciation for the warm welcome and generous hospitality that he
and the accompanying delegation received in the US, the Saudi Press Agency
reported on Thursday. The Crown Prince said that the official discussions held
with the US president affirmed the enduring strength of the historic and
strategic relations between the US and Saudi Arabia. He said the continuous
efforts of both nations, under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy
Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and the US president, aim to enhance
bilateral ties in all sectors. He wished the president continued good health and
happiness, and the friendly American people further progress and prosperity.
Tensions flare as Israel conducts strikes in Gaza and Lebanon, Netanyahu walks
into Syrian territory
The Arab Weekly/November 20/2025
In Gaza the strikes killed 27 people on Wednesday, officials in the Strip said
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told troops inside Syria that their presence
was of “immense importance” to Israel’s security.
Gaza City, Palestinian Territories
Israel conducted air strikes in Gaza and south Lebanon while its leaders walked
into the buffer zone inside Syria causing tensions to flare on multiple fronts.
The Israeli army continues its fight against Hamas and Hezbollah despite the
US-sponsored truce in Lebanon and Gaza, and seems determined to flex its muscle
in the region. In Gaza the strikes killed 27 people Wednesday, officials in the
Strip said. The strikes were among the deadliest in Gaza since the truce entered
into force last month, and came as Israel also announced a string of attacks
targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon in spite of a nearly year-long ceasefire there.
Fourteen people were killed on Wednesday in Gaza City in the north and 13 in the
Khan Younis area in the south, according to the territory’s civil defence
agency, which operates under Hamas’ authority. The Israeli military said it was
striking Hamas after militants opened fire towards an area where troops were
operating in the south of Gaza in “violation of the ceasefire agreement”.Hamas
denied the accusation and denounced the attacks as a “dangerous escalation” that
could jeopardise the truce, which has largely held since October 10 despite
flare-ups. Ahraf Abu Sultan, 50, said he had returned to his home in Gaza City
with his family on Sunday, after being displaced in the south for a year. “We
barely managed to repair one room in our destroyed house to try and settle down
just two days ago, and the bombing and death has started again. They don’t even
give us a chance to breathe,” he said. The highest daily toll registered since
the truce took effect was on October 29, when more than 100 people were killed
in Israeli strikes.
During the ceasefire, Israel has carried out repeated strikes against what it
says are Hamas targets resulting in the death of more than 280 Palestinians,
according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza. The truce is based on a
US-brokered deal that also included the return to Israel of the last 48 hostages
held by militants. While all the living hostages were handed over early in the
ceasefire, the process of returning the dead has been slower, and the bodies of
three hostages still remain in Gaza. The implementation of the second stage of
US President Donald Trump’s peace plan has yet to be agreed, particularly as it
concerns disarming Hamas, establishing a transitional authority and deploying an
international stabilisation force. The UN Security Council voted on Monday in
favour of a US-drafted resolution endorsing Trump’s plan, though Hamas rejected
the resolution as failing to meet Palestinians’ “political and humanitarian
demands”. Israel also conducted several strikes in southern Lebanon killing at
least one person on Wednesday as it pressed a campaign of near-daily attacks
which it says is designed to block a military revival by Iran-backed Hezbollah
in the border area. The Israeli military said Wednesday it had killed two
Hezbollah members in strikes the previous day in south Lebanon. Israel has
accused Hezbollah of trying to rearm since a US-backed ceasefire last year. The
group says it has abided by requirements for it to end its military presence in
the border region near Israel, and for the Lebanese army to deploy there. “The
Hezbollah terrorist organisation has been working to rebuild its capabilities in
the village of Beit Lif in southern Lebanon, in a blatant violation of the
understandings between Israel and Lebanon,” Israel’s military said in a
statement. The military said it “identified dozens of terrorist infrastructure
sites in the area of the village, including headquarters and weapons storage
facilities”, some of which were placed inside civilian homes. On Wednesday,
residents fled after Israel issued warnings on social media identifying
buildings it planned to strike in four villages in the south, saying it was
attacking Hezbollah military infrastructure. Strikes on the villages, Deir Kifa,
Chehour, Aainata and Tayr Filsay, sent thick plumes of smoke into the air. The
Israeli military said it struck “weapons storage facilities belonging to
Hezbollah’s rocket unit”, saying these were “located in the heart of the
civilian population” and that it had taken steps to mitigate harm to civilians.
Netanyahu incursion
Also on Wednesday, Israel’s top leaders visited Israeli troops stationed inside
Syrian territory in a buffer zone intended to separate the two countries’
forces. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told troops that their presence was of
“immense importance” to Israel’s security. The visit was sharply condemned by
Damascus, which called it “a serious violation of Syria’s sovereignty and
territorial integrity”. Damascus called the visit “a new attempt to impose a
fait accompli that contradicts relevant Security Council resolutions”.Syria
“condemns in the strongest terms the illegal visit … considering it a serious
violation of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”, the foreign
ministry said in a statement. Syria has been conducting US-sponsored talks with
Israel aimed at concluding a security agreement. But negotiations reportedly hit
an impasse over Israel’s refusal to withdraw from territories it occupied since
last December. “Syria reiterates its firm demand that the Israeli occupation
withdraw from Syrian territory and affirms that all measures the occupation has
taken in southern Syria are null and void and have no legal effect according to
international law,” it added. Netanyahu was accompanied by Defence Minister
Israel Katz and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, as well as military chief Eyal
Zamir, the Shin Bet security agency’s director David Zini and Israel’s
ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter. Netanyahu met regular and
reserve soldiers, “observed the sector, and later held a security discussion”,
his office said.
Israel Steps Up Killings to Tighten Security Control in Gaza
Gaza: Asharq Al Awsat/November 20/2025
Israel has tightened its security grip on the Gaza Strip since the ceasefire
took effect on October 10, intensifying a campaign of intermittent
assassinations that has escalated over recent days and weeks. Israel has
repeatedly cited security incidents it claims occurred, particularly in Rafah in
southern Gaza, which it has fully controlled for many months. In other cases it
has carried out assassinations using armed members of its special forces or
Palestinian collaborators from local armed groups to kill resistance activists.
Israeli troops killed about 30 Palestinians in a series of strikes late on
Wednesday, including at least two commanders from the Ezzedine al-Qassam
Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas. The Israeli military said the operations were
carried out in response to gunfire from Palestinian militants in Khan Younis in
southern Gaza, although no Israeli soldiers were wounded. Channel 12 reported
that Israel had decided to adopt new measures to intensify the pursuit of Hamas
operatives, even if attacks from Gaza do not cause casualties among its forces.
Israeli Army Radio said the Shin Bet internal security service had obtained
precise intelligence on a meeting of al-Qassam commanders in the Zeitoun
district. At least two were killed in a strike, including the commander of the
Zeitoun battalion and another commander in the naval force. Reports on the fate
of the commanders present at the site were conflicting. Hamas sources told
Asharq Al-Awsat that two senior officials had escaped the attempted
assassination in Zeitoun because the strike occurred after they had left the
area, while a field commander was successfully targeted in Khan Younis.
The sources said Israel’s claim that its forces had come under fire was false,
adding that Israel launched a rolling operation that began with an afternoon
strike on a group of civilians in the Shejaiya district east of Gaza City. Soon
after, it claimed it had been targeted by gunfire in Khan Younis, but it
continued its operation in Gaza City with two strikes on a shelter and on
civilians. That was followed by three attacks in Khan Younis, only one of which
targeted a field commander, while the other two did not hit any fighters. Field
sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that, before issuing these claims, Israel had
attempted to assassinate a senior commander in the al-Quds Brigades, the
military wing of Islamic Jihad, who survived the attack while at home with his
family in an apartment east of Gaza City. The sources said an Israeli quadcopter
drone dropped several small bombs on the apartment, followed by an explosive
drone that crashed into the location and detonated, wounding several members of
his family. The operation came days after an Israeli special forces unit used
two armed men to kill Wasim Abdel Hadi, an activist from the Al-Nasser Salah
al-Din Brigades, in central Gaza. It was the second assassination by special
forces targeting activists this month. In another incident, a Qassam operative
was abducted in the Al-Nasr district of Gaza City by a special unit operating
with an ambulance. The escalation coincides with continued Israeli ground
movements inside the Gaza Strip, along with persistent air and artillery strikes
and gunfire east and west of the “yellow line” and its surrounding areas, which
are referenced in the ceasefire agreement. According to field sources, Israeli
ground forces withdrew from the Shejaiya district early on Thursday after
advancing roughly 300 meters. They expanded the yellow line in their favor by
taking more land, pushing residents from newly exposed residential blocks toward
western Shejaiya as artillery fire intensified on Wednesday afternoon. The
Government Media Office said Israeli forces expanded their control over the
streets of Al-Shaaf, Al-Nazzaz and Baghdad, and trapped dozens of families who
were unable to flee after tanks advanced unexpectedly. The fate of many
residents remained unknown during the bombardment.
These ongoing crimes show clear contempt for the ceasefire decision, and add to
nearly 400 violations documented since it took effect, resulting in the deaths
of more than 300 Palestinians and hundreds of wounded, worsening the
catastrophic conditions facing our people in the small remaining area of Gaza,
the office said. The Gaza Health Ministry said 33 Palestinians were killed over
the past 24 hours, including 32 in Israeli air strikes, while the body of
another person killed earlier in the war was recovered. Another 88 people were
wounded. The ministry said 12 children and 8 women were among those killed,
representing 66 percent of the total. It said 312 Palestinians have been killed
since the ceasefire began, and 760 have been wounded, while 572 bodies have been
recovered. The figures do not include a Palestinian who was shot dead by Israeli
forces on Thursday morning east of Khan Younis. The overall death toll from
Israel’s aggression has risen to 69,546, with 170,833 wounded since October 7,
2023.
Mediator Qatar calls fresh Israel strikes on Gaza
'dangerous escalation'
Agence France Presse/November 20/2025
Qatar, a key mediator in the Hamas-Israel war, on Thursday condemned fresh
Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip, saying they threatened to upend a fragile
weeks-long truce. Qatar condemned "brutal attacks by the Israeli occupation in
the Gaza Strip... and considers them a dangerous escalation that threatens to
undermine the ceasefire agreement," its foreign ministry said in a statement.
Doha also called for "concerted regional and international efforts to preserve
and uphold the ceasefire agreement". Earlier Thursday, a Gaza hospital said four
people were killed in new Israeli air strikes. The new attacks came the morning
after one of the deadliest days in the Gaza Strip since the truce came into
effect on October 10, with 27 people killed, according to Gaza's civil defense
agency, which operates under Hamas authority. Israel and Hamas have accused each
other of violating the ceasefire. Israel has carried out repeated strikes
against what it says are Hamas targets during the ceasefire, resulting in the
death of more than 312 Palestinians, according to the health ministry in
Hamas-run Gaza.
WHO Aims to Vaccinate 40,000 Children in Gaza Strip
Asharq Al Awsat/November 20/2025
The World Health Organization (WHO) said that it aims to vaccinate more than
40,000 children against various diseases in Gaza, as it takes advantage of the
recent ceasefire. The WHO and its partners already vaccinated over 10,000
children under the age of three in the first eight days of an initial phase of
the campaign launched on November 9. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said
phase one of the program has been extended until Saturday and hopes to protect
children against measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough,
hepatitis B, tuberculosis, polio, rotavirus and pneumonia, AFP reported. Phases
two and three of the campaign, which is being conducted in collaboration with
UNICEF, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) and the health ministry
in Gaza under Hamas control, are planned for December and January. The WHO chief
said he was "encouraged to see that the ceasefire continues to hold, as it
allows the WHO and its partners to intensify essential health services across
Gaza and support the necessary re-equipment and reconstruction of its devastated
health system". The UN Security Council voted on Monday to endorse the plan of
US President Donald Trump, which facilitated the establishment of a ceasefire on
October 10 between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The truce has already
been marked by several outbreaks of violence in the Palestinian territory,
devastated by over two years of hostilities triggered by the bloody attack by
Hamas in Israel on October 7, 2023.
Syria Condemns Netanyahu's Visit to Its Israeli-occupied South
Asharq Al Awsat/November 20/2025
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Israeli troops deployed in
southern Syria, drawing strong condemnation from the government in Damascus,
which denounced the trip as a violation of sovereignty. Israel expanded its
military presence in southern Syria after the ousting of Bashar al-Assad last
December, seizing positions east of a UN-patrolled buffer zone that separates
the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights from Syrian territory. Wearing a flak jacket
and helmet, Netanyahu on Wednesday visited troops on Syrian territory, according
to photographs published by his office. He reiterated Israel's commitment to
protect Syria's Druze minority, whose community straddles the border into
northern Israel, said Reuters. "We attach immense importance to our capability
here, both defensive and offensive, safeguarding our Druze allies, and
especially safeguarding the State of Israel and its northern border opposite the
Golan Heights," Netanyahu told the troops, according to a statement from his
office. "This is a mission that can develop at any moment, but we are counting
on you," he said. The government in Damascus said Netanyahu's visit was "a
dangerous violation of Syrian sovereignty and unity," and called it an attempt
to "impose a fait accompli." There was no immediate comment from the Israeli
government.
What Do We Know About the Palestinian Forces Training to Operate in Gaza?
Ramallah: Kifah Zboun/Asharq Al Awsat/November 20/2025
Palestinian security agencies have begun preparing for a possible return to
Gaza, as officers undergo targeted training in Egypt and Jordan for what could
become a post-war security mission in the territory. Although these training
programs have existed for years, officials say recent sessions are now designed
with “the day after” scenario in mind. The shift follows a UN Security Council
resolution supporting a plan proposed by US President Donald Trump that secured
a ceasefire last month after two years of fighting between Israel and Hamas. The
plan calls for an international stabilization force responsible for guarding
borders with Israel and Egypt and removing weapons from “non-governmental armed
groups” in Gaza. Major General Anwar Rajab, spokesperson for the Palestinian
Security Forces, told Asharq Al-Awsat that Palestinian forces are “ready to take
control of Gaza immediately,” though political agreement is still pending. He
said only small groups have received mission-specific training so far, but
“thousands more will undergo additional training in the coming weeks under the
supervision of friendly Arab and European countries.” Still, he cautioned that
“nothing is final yet,” and that uncertainty remains over the future of Gaza’s
governance. A European official told Agence France-Presse that the EU plans to
train up to 3,000 police officers from Gaza, similar to its long-standing
programs in the West Bank. The trainees will be chosen from officers not
affiliated with Hamas.
Although around 7,000 police in Gaza remain on the Palestinian Authority
payroll, many are retired or unfit for duty; roughly 3,000 could be retrained,
with training expected to occur outside Gaza. Rajab confirmed that while some
officers have died, retired, or grown too old to serve, “our forces in Gaza
remain operational and ready.” Gaza currently has about 13,000 security
personnel, with another 36,000 serving in the West Bank. The EU, the largest
financial supporter of the Palestinian Authority, has funded police training in
the West Bank since 2006. EU ministers will discuss the Gaza plan during a
meeting in Brussels that coincides with an international donor conference
attended by about 60 delegations, excluding Israel.
The UN resolution authorizes a temporary international force to work alongside
Israel, Egypt and newly trained Palestinian units to secure border areas.
Israeli media report the government is already preparing for the arrival of
foreign troops.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Hamas would be disarmed “either
the easy way, through international forces, or the hard way, by Israel.”
Palestinian officials reject that interpretation. A senior Palestinian Authority
source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the international force should “secure borders
and protect civilians, while assisting Palestinian forces, without deploying
deep inside Gaza or interfering in internal affairs.”He insisted that Gaza must
remain under full Palestinian political and legal authority. He said: “Gaza is
part of the Palestinian state, and our responsibility, not anyone else’s.”He
added that Hamas’ weapons should be handed over only to the Palestinian
Authority. President Mahmoud Abbas has previously demanded Hamas surrender its
arms, but the group has not agreed. Hamas says it might only consider
disarmament within a comprehensive deal leading to full Palestinian statehood,
complicating the mission for any foreign force. Arab governments, according to
diplomatic sources, do not want their troops drawn into fighting in Gaza or
tasked with disarming Palestinian factions, especially a mission that Israel
could not accomplish. Rajab reaffirmed the Palestinian stance of “one state, one
law, and one legitimate weapon,” and emphasized that any foreign presence must
not replace Palestinian security forces. The only military unwelcome in Gaza, he
said, is Israel: “We will not accept a single Israeli soldier there.” Countries
reportedly being considered for participation in the international force include
Indonesia, Pakistan and Azerbaijan, though details remain unclear. Jordan has
ruled out sending troops but, along with Egypt, has expressed readiness to train
Palestinian forces to assume responsibility for internal security, with full
Palestinian consent and without foreign control inside Gaza.
Two Syrian Soldiers Killed During Clashes with SDF
Asharq Al Awsat/November 20/2025
Two Syrian soldiers were killed in overnight clashes with the Syrian Democratic
Forces in the country's northeast, the defense ministry said Thursday, with the
SDF saying they were targeting positions used by the ISIS group. The ministry
said in a statement carried by SANA state news agency that clashes took place
after the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) attacked army positions in
Raqa province. The SDF is the de facto army of the semi-autonomous Kurdish
administration that controls swathes of the oil-rich north and northeast. The
Kurdish-led fighters took control of several locations "resulting in the death
of two army soldiers and the wounding of others", the ministry said. Soldiers
then returned fire and retook the positions, it said, adding Damascus held the
SDF responsible for the attack. But the SDF said in a statement its forces were
"engaging with several positions that members of the Daesh (ISIS) terrorist
organization have used directly to launch drones towards positions where our
troops are stationed". The forces played a key role in the fight against ISIS in
Syria, ultimately leading to the extremists’ territorial defeat in the country
in 2019. "The region has been subjected to a series of attacks this week by
factions affiliated with the Damascus government, in parallel with the activity
of ISIS members who have actually used those positions to carry out their
terrorist attacks," the SDF statement said. It alleged "direct coordination
between several Damascus government factions and ISIS terrorists in targeting
our military positions". The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor gave a
higher toll of six government personnel dead. In March, the SDF signed an
agreement with Syria's new authorities to integrate Kurdish military and
civilian institutions into the central government. However differences between
the two sides have held up the deal's implementation. The Kurds have called for
decentralization, which Damascus has rejected.
Syria Sends First SWIFT Message to New York Fed, Central Bank Governor Says
Asharq Al Awsat/November 20/2025
The Syrian central bank on Thursday sent its first Swift message to the Federal
Reserve Bank of New York, central bank Governor AbdulKader Husrieh told Reuters.
"We sent (a) greeting message to all our international correspondent banks. We
started with the Federal Reserve," Husrieh said. "We're telling them that ... we
are back to the international financial system, and we are looking forward to
long-term business relationships." Syria needs to make transfers with Western
financial institutions in order to bring in huge sums for reconstruction and to
kick-start a war-ravaged economy.
Two Syrian soldiers killed by Kurdish forces: ministry
AFP/November 20, 2025
DAMASCUS: Kurdish forces killed two Syrian soldiers in overnight clashes in the
country’s northeast, the defense ministry said Thursday, with the Kurds saying
they were targeting positions used by the Daesh group. The ministry said in a
statement carried by SANA state news agency that clashes took place after the
US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) attacked army positions in Raqqa
province. The SDF is the de facto army of the semi-autonomous Kurdish
administration that controls swathes of the oil-rich north and northeast. The
Kurdish-led fighters took control of several locations “resulting in the death
of two army soldiers and the wounding of others,” the ministry said. Soldiers
then returned fire and retook the positions, it said, adding Damascus held the
SDF responsible for the attack. But the SDF said in a statement its forces were
“engaging with several positions that members of the Daesh (IS) terrorist
organization have used directly to launch drones toward positions where our
troops are stationed.”The forces played a key role in the fight against IS in
Syria, ultimately leading to the jihadists’ territorial defeat in the country in
2019. “The region has been subjected to a series of attacks this week by
factions affiliated with the Damascus government, in parallel with the activity
of IS members who have actually used those positions to carry out their
terrorist attacks,” the SDF statement said. It alleged “direct coordination
between several Damascus government factions and IS terrorists in targeting our
military positions.”The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor gave a
higher toll of six government personnel dead. In March, the SDF signed an
agreement with Syria’s new Islamist authorities to integrate Kurdish military
and civilian institutions into the central government. However differences
between the two sides have held up the deal’s implementation. The Kurds have
called for decentralization, which Damascus has rejected.
UN Atomic Agency's Board Votes to Urge Iran to Provide
Information about Nuclear Material
Asharq Al Awsat/November 20/2025
The UN atomic watchdog’s board of governors urged Iran on Thursday to “extend
full and prompt cooperation,” to provide the agency’s inspectors with “precise
information” about its stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium, and to grant
access to the country’s nuclear sites. Nineteen countries on the International
Atomic Energy Agency’s 35-member board voted for the resolution, according to
diplomats who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the outcome of the
closed-doors vote. Russia, China and Niger opposed it, while 12 countries
abstained and one did not vote. The resolution was put forward by France, the
United Kingdom, Germany and the United States. A draft was seen by The
Associated Press. Iran is legally obliged to cooperate with the IAEA under the
Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. But it has not yet provided IAEA inspectors
with access to nuclear sites that were affected by the war with Israel in June.
The agency also has been unable to verify the status of the stockpile of near
weapons-grade uranium since Israel and the United States struck the country’s
nuclear sites during the 12-day war in June, according to a confidential IAEA
report seen by the AP last week. According to the IAEA, Iran maintains a
stockpile of 440.9 kilograms (972 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60% purity —
a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. That stockpile
could allow Iran to build as many as 10 nuclear bombs, should it decide to
weaponize its program, IAEA director general Rafael Grossi warned in a recent
interview with the AP. He added that it doesn’t mean that Iran has such a
weapon. Such highly enriched nuclear material should normally be verified every
month, according to the IAEA’s guidelines. Thursday's vote at the IAEA
headquarters in Vienna sets the stage for a likely further escalation of
tensions between the agency and Iran, which has reacted strongly to similar
previous resolutions.
Iran Stepping Up Harassment of Its Nationals in Germany,
Says Opposition Group
Asharq Al Awsat/November 20/2025
Iranians living in Germany are facing increased harassment from Iranian security
services, including threats and pressure to inform on other exiles, German
authorities and an Iranian opposition group said. German intelligence services
have regularly reported Iranian pressure and spying conducted against exiled
groups in Germany and the main domestic intelligence agency, BfV, said in its
annual report last year that the danger remained high. The BfV set up a special
telephone line in 2024 for people to report on suspected cases of terrorism and
foreign espionage activity. "In recent months, there has been an increasing
number of reports related to Iran," it told Reuters in an email in response to
questions, but gave no detailed figures. Iran's Foreign Ministry did not
immediately reply to a request for comment. Within Iran itself, rights groups
and activists have reported a crackdown on political dissent, with multiple
accounts of harassment, detention and other forms of pressure, especially since
the Israeli-US airstrikes in June, which destroyed much of Iran's aerial defense
capacity. Javad Dabiran, spokesperson for the National Council of Resistance of
Iran, an opposition group banned in Iran but with a strong presence abroad, said
he knew of more than 100 cases in Germany since the start of the year, adding
they usually involved pressuring people to inform on other Iranian exiles. The
cases reflect "an unprecedented intensification" in the activities of Iranian
intelligence services in Germany, he said. Germany is home to around 144,000
Iranians, according to the statistics office. Last month, the UN Special
Rapporteur on human rights cited "a growing pattern of transnational repression"
by Iranian authorities that targeted dissidents abroad through "intimidation,
surveillance, and threats". The NCRI cited cases in which it said its own
members had contacted the German police to report harassment. In one case, a
40-year-old Iranian Christian in the western German city of Essen said his
siblings in Iran were contacted and threatened by the intelligence services
there after he participated in a demonstration in Brussels in September.
UAE president and Canadian PM discuss investment
partnerships in Abu Dhabi
Arab News/November 20, 2025
LONDON: UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and Canadian Prime
Minister Mark Carney met on Thursday to discuss opportunities for enhancing
collaboration between their countries. The two parties signed an agreement to
enhance economic cooperation and promote strategic investment partnerships aimed
at achieving shared development goals, officiated by Carney and the UAE’s
Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan. They also announced a
memorandum of understanding between the two governments regarding investment
cooperation. Carney and the Emirati president reaffirmed their commitment to
enhancing the longstanding UAE-Canada partnership, which has endured for over
five decades. They expressed eagerness to collaborate in investment, trade,
technology, clean energy, climate action, education, and sustainability. The two
sides discussed various regional and international issues, reaffirming their
commitment to promoting peace, security, and stability for all nations,
according to the Emirates News Agency. Sheikh Mohamed emphasized the shared
perspective of the UAE and Canada on issues that promote development, peace, and
multilateral cooperation, the agency added. The meeting at Qasr Al-Shati in Abu
Dhabi was attended by several Emirati ministers and officials.
The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources on
November 20-21/2025
Palestinian Terrorists Threaten to Target International Stabilization
Force
Khaled Abu Toameh/Gatestone Institute./November 20, 2025
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/22067/terrorists-threaten-international-stabilization-force
Hamas claims it agreed only to the first phase of Trump's plan, which calls for
an end to the war and the release of all the hostages – alive and deceased –
within 72 hours. That was on October 9, 2025; by now, weeks have passed.
The only reason the terror groups agreed to the first phase of Trump's plan was
so that the war would end and they could maintain their rule over the Gaza
Strip.
The main reason the terror groups oppose the presence of international forces or
an international governing body inside the Gaza Strip is evidently that they
fear this coalition would obstruct their plan to pursue Jihad (holy war) against
Israel. For them, the October 7 massacre was just another phase in their Jihad
to destroy Israel and replace it with an Islamist state.
The only plan the Palestinian terror groups apparently will accept is one that
legitimizes their Jihad and allows them to rearm, regroup and prepare for
another October 7-style attack on Israel. To that end, just this year, Iran,
despite sanctions, has already managed to smuggle $1 billion to Hamas.
The last part of the PIJ statement is actually a direct threat to launch terror
attacks against members of the proposed International Stabilization Force in the
Gaza Strip.
That is why, even if the international troops sent to the Gaza Strip are granted
a clear mandate to use force to disarm the terror groups and dismantle their
military infrastructure, not one of them will use it. No one, after all, wants
to get shot at, especially when, as the world has seen for years with UN forces
in Lebanon, it is so much easier to look the other way, or even be rewarded for
helping a terror group reconstruct its power.
Even with such a mandate, Hamas and its captive subjects in the Gaza Strip will
steadfastly continue to serve as one of the largest bases for Iranian-backed
Islamist terrorists in the Middle East.
Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and other Palestinian terror groups have
rejected UN Security Council Resolution 2803, which welcomes the establishment
of a "Board of Peace" and a temporary "International Stabilization Force" in the
Gaza Strip. A PIJ statement actually included a direct threat to launch terror
attacks against the proposed International Stabilization Force.
Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and other Palestinian terror groups have
rejected US-backed United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803, adopted on
November 17, which welcomes the establishment of a "Board of Peace" and a
temporary "International Stabilization Force" in the Gaza Strip. The resolution
is based on US President Donald J. Trump's 20-point peace plan for ending the
war in the Gaza Strip, which erupted in response to the October 7, 2023
Hamas-led invasion of Israel.
On that day, Hamas terrorists and their supporters murdered 1,200 Israelis and
foreign nationals, and wounded thousands more. Another 251 were kidnapped to the
Gaza Strip, where the remains of three hostages – two Israelis and a Thai – are
still being held.
Hamas claims it agreed only to the first phase of Trump's plan, which calls for
an end to the war and the release of all the hostages – alive and deceased –
within 72 hours. That was on October 9, 2025; by now, weeks have passed.
Recently, the terror group's leaders said that they never agreed to the
remaining phases of the plan, which require the armed groups to lay down their
weapons and accept the deployment of an international force as well as the
establishment of a temporary international governing body in the Gaza Strip.
By rejecting UN Security Council Resolution 2803, the Palestinian terror groups
are making it unmistakably clear that they have no intention of disarming or
allowing international figures such as Trump and former British Prime Minister
Tony Blair to play any role in the governance of the Gaza Strip.
The only reason the terror groups agreed to the first phase of Trump's plan was
so that the war would end and they could maintain their rule over the Gaza
Strip.
The terror groups' rejection of the UNSC resolution is a direct challenge not
only to the Trump administration, but also to several Arab and Muslim-majority
countries, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar, the United Arab
Emirates and Jordan, as well as the Palestinian Authority, which supported the
US-sponsored resolution. It now remains to be seen how the Trump administration
and these Arab and Islamic countries will respond to the terror group's
recalcitrance.
Unlike the US administration, Hamas and the other terror groups do not see
Trump's proposals as a peace plan. Instead, they view it as another temporary
ceasefire with Israel. The main reason the terror groups oppose the presence of
international forces or an international governing body inside the Gaza Strip is
evidently that they fear this coalition would obstruct their plan to pursue
Jihad (holy war) against Israel. For them, the October 7 massacre was just
another phase in their Jihad to destroy Israel and replace it with an Islamist
state.
A statement issued last year by several Muslim scholars read:
"Contemporary Jihad takes many forms, allowing Muslims to fulfill their
religious duty in more than one way. This includes armed Jihad and expanding its
scope wherever the enemy expands. Indeed, it is obligatory to preempt the enemy
in arenas where they intend to expand their operations, and to surprise them
before they take the initiative. It also includes supporting the mujahideen
[Jihad warriors] with money, weapons, and that they need in their blessed Jihad;
sponsoring the families of mujahideen, martyrs, prisoners, and those in need."
What, then, did Hamas and the other Palestinian terror groups say about the UN
resolution?
"The resolution does not meet the political and humanitarian demands and rights
of our Palestinian people," Hamas announced in a statement. "The resolution
imposes an international trusteeship mechanism on the Gaza Strip, which is
rejected by our people and factions." Referring to the clause regarding the
demilitarization of the Gaza Strip, Hamas added:
"Resisting the [Israeli] occupation by all means is a legitimate right
guaranteed by international laws and conventions. Any discussion on the issue of
the weapons must remain an internal national matter."
Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), another terrorist group in the Gaza Strip,
remarked in response to the resolution:
"We reject the resolution adopted by the UN Security Council because it
constitutes an international trusteeship over the Gaza Strip, which is something
that all components of our people and factions reject. Our people's right to
resist the [Israeli] occupation by all legitimate means is a right guaranteed by
international law, and the resistance's weapons constitute a guarantee of this
right. Any assignment of an international force to tasks that include disarming
the resistance transforms it from a neutral party into a partner in implementing
the occupation's agenda."
The last part of the PIJ statement is actually a direct threat to launch terror
attacks against members of the proposed International Stabilization Force in the
Gaza Strip.
Fayez Abu Shamala, a pro-Hamas Gaza academic, was even more blunt about the
intention to target members of the international force:
"According to my personal assessment, the Palestinian resistance fighters in
Gaza will deal with the American stabilization force just as the Afghan
mujahideen dealt with the US forces in 2001, and just as the Iraqi insurgents
dealt with the invading American forces in 2003, and just as the resistance
dealt with the US Embassy in Lebanon in 1984. The stabilization force will be
targeted by the [Palestinian] insurgents."
The Palestinian terror groups unfortunately seem committed to thwarting Trump's
peace plan and bringing more death and destruction on the Palestinians of the
Gaza Strip.
The only plan the Palestinian terror groups apparently will accept is one that
legitimizes their Jihad and allows them to rearm, regroup and prepare for
another October 7-style attack on Israel. To that end, just this year, Iran,
despite sanctions, has already managed to smuggle $1 billion to Hamas.
That is why, even if the international troops sent to the Gaza Strip are granted
a clear mandate to use force to disarm the terror groups and dismantle their
military infrastructure, not one of them will use it. No one, after all, wants
to get shot at, especially when, as the world has seen for years with UN forces
in Lebanon, it is so much easier to look the other way, or even be rewarded for
helping a terror group reconstruct its power. Even with such a mandate, Hamas
and its captive subjects in the Gaza Strip will steadfastly continue to serve as
one of the largest bases for Iranian-backed Islamist terrorists in the Middle
East.
**Khaled Abu Toameh is an award-winning journalist based in Jerusalem.
**Follow Khaled Abu Toameh on X (formerly Twitter)
© 2025 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do
not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute.
New York, New York, it’s a socialist town...Mamdani’s up and the centrists are
down
Clifford D. May/The Washington Times/November 20/2025
My beat is national security and foreign policy, so I don’t usually weigh in on
municipal elections. But when the world’s foremost capitalist city elects a
socialist mayor, I make an exception. I’ll return to the economic implications
in a moment, but first let me suggest that, given what al Qaeda did on Sept. 11,
2001, you might expect New Yorkers (for at least a few generations) to choose
leaders whose opposition to jihadism is unequivocal.
But that description does not fit mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani. His most heartfelt
concern about the terrorist attack that killed more than 2,600 people in the
World Trade Towers appears to be for a relative who thereafter “did not feel
safe” wearing her hijab on the subways.
New York City also is the most Jewish metropolis outside of Israel. In 1984,
during his run for the Democratic presidential nomination, Jesse Jackson called
it “Hymietown.” He subsequently apologized but, in retrospect, his use of that
epithet seems quaint.
Mr. Mamdani claims he’s not antisemitic, but he is anti-Zionist which implies
that he wants Israel disestablished. On Oct. 7, 2023 we saw how Hamas and other
Jew-haters intend to achieve that goal.Mr. Mamdani won’t even disavow “globalize
the intifada” – a phrase which, according to no less an authority than Jonathan
Greenblatt, head of the Anti-Defamation League – is “an explicit incitement to
violence.”
About two hundred fifty members of the Democratic Socialists of America now hold
elected offices. Last week, Katie Wilson, DSA-aligned but not officially a
member, was elected mayor of Seattle, having defeated incumbent Bruce Harrell, a
moderate Democrat. Both Ms. Wilson and Mr. Mamdani made “affordability” the
centerpiece of their campaigns. That’s rich – pun intended.
Over the past century, capitalism has democratized wealth like never before in
history. All sorts of goods and services – cars, washing machines,
air-conditioners, microwave ovens, smart phones, air travel and ride-booking
services — became affordable to people of modest means because competitive
markets forced innovation, expanded supply, and drove down prices. By contrast,
policies that shift economic decision-making away from competitive markets and
toward government control — whether through excessive regulation, price-setting,
or restrictions on private enterprise — constrict the supply of goods and
services resulting in higher prices, persistent shortages, or some form of
rationing. For example, rent control reduces the value of affordable housing
stock which discourages further investment in affordable housing supply,
exacerbating the problem it purports to solve. And permit me one anecdote. When
I lived in New York City years ago, I knew a lovely couple who had a lovely
summer beach house on Fire Island. They could afford that because their lovely
apartment in Manhattan was rent-controlled. They viewed that as an entitlement.
You might say they had a New York state of mind. I saw their situation
differently perhaps because, on my first visit to the Soviet Union some years
earlier, our socialist hosts boasted that tickets to the Bolshoi Theater were so
inexpensive as to be affordable for the average worker.
It occurred to me: Large as the theater was, it couldn’t hold all those who
could afford to attend. So, how were tickets distributed?
The answer, I discovered: po blatu, the Russian term for having the right
connections, i.e. powerful Communist Party members.
Most Russians were only too aware that socialism diminished productivity. They
had a saying: “As long as they pretend they’re paying us, we’ll pretend we’re
working.”
Returning to the DSA: It evolved from a movement begun in 1901 and, as Eli Lake
makes clear in an episode of his marvelous “Breaking History” podcast, it is
today “more radical than ever – and winning.”
Among its claims: “The only thing that that can stop fascism is socialism.”
That will be credible only to those ignorant about both fascism and socialism,
which is likely the case for any Columbia University student who studied under
Professor Mahmood Mamdani, father of the incoming mayor. Among the Indian-born
scholar’s deep thoughts: that Adolf Hitler was inspired by Abraham Lincoln.
Benito Mussolini, the Italian dictator who conceived the fascist ideology, began
his career as a Marxist socialist and editor of Avanti!, the Italian Socialist
Party newspaper.
In a book he coauthored in 1932, fascism was defined as a variation of
socialism, one that was not based on Marxism, but was, nonetheless,
collectivist, statist, anti-individualist, anti-liberal, and “of the Left.”
While socialists demand that the state must own the means of production,
fascists are content to leave factories and other businesses in private hands so
long as the state has the power to tell those private hands what they can and
cannot do.
My experiences in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics made me an
anti-communist. But I didn’t become anti-socialist until I lived in Africa where
almost all the de-colonized nations, advised by European intellectuals, had
taken “the socialist path to development” which turned out to be a dead end.
Similarly: Ever since the Korean War was halted in a ceasefire in 1953, North
Korea has been socialist while South Korea has taken the capitalist road. Any
doubts about where workers are better off?
Another case in point is Venezuela which, not long ago, was free, wealthy and
democratic.In 1998, however, Venezuelans elected socialist Hugo Chavez to the
presidency. Following his death in 2013, Nicolas Maduro came to power, evolving
into a narco-dictator. Venezuela today is unfree and aligned with such American
adversaries as Tehran, Moscow, Beijing, and Havana. More than 8 million
Venezuelans have fled their homeland over recent years. Venezuela is also
dirt-poor despite having the largest proven oil reserves in the world. If
socialism can’t make it there, socialism can’t make it anywhere – including, I
predict, in New York, New York.
Clifford D. May is founder and president of the Foundation for Defense of
Democracies (FDD), a columnist for the Washington Times, and host of the
“Foreign Podicy” podcast.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/nov/18/new-york-new-york-socialist-town/
Read in The Washington Times
Saudi Arabia ‘Major Non-NATO Ally’, why now?
Mohammed El-Houni/The Arab Weekly/November 20/2025
This move is not merely symbolic, but a genuine attempt at the restructuring and
re-engineering of regional security.
This strengthened partnership may be the best response to regional chaos and a
bold step toward a peace based on strength, not illusions.
In a highly significant move, US President Donald Trump announced on November
18, 2025, during a lavish state dinner at the White House, the designation of
Saudi Arabia as a “Major Non-NATO Ally,” adding it to a list that now includes
20 countries, among them Israel, Egypt, Tunisia, Japan, and South Korea. This
announcement, which coincided with the signing of an “historic strategic defence
agreement” with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is not just a formal exercise
as it reflects a fundamental shift in the nature of the US-Saudi partnership,
which has spanned more than eight decades. It expresses a clear desire by the
second Trump administration to reshape regional security, moving away from the
heavily constraining commitments of NATO, while strengthening joint deterrence
against growing threats.
To be clear, this designation is not a mutually-binding defence treaty in the
full legal sense, as in Article 5 of the NATO Treaty, which makes an attack on
any one member-state an attack on all others. However, the deal grants Saudi
Arabia enormous advantages that are both practical and useful, such as
facilitating the purchase of advanced weapons, including F-35 stealth fighter
jets, which Trump agreed to sell to Riyadh without downgrading their
capabilities to maintain Israel’s qualitative military edge, and the transfer of
military technology, the storage of American equipment on Saudi soil, priority
access to surplus military assets and concessional funding for joint research.
The new defence agreement goes even further: it considers any threat to Saudi
security a threat to American interests, and establishes a framework for joint
deterrence, and capability integration. It also lays the ground potentially for
joint bases and expanded intelligence sharing. This, in my view, is the closest
thing to a defence guarantee arrangement. It reflects Trump’s understanding of
geopolitical realism: the United States wants strong partners who share the
burden, not dependent subordinates.
But why now? The regional context is compelling. The Middle East is in turmoil:
repeated Houthi attacks on Saudi infrastructure and Red Sea shipping lanes,
evolving Iranian influence through proxies, and ongoing tensions in Gaza, Yemen
and Lebanon. At the same time, the United States is gradually withdrawing from
direct military engagement in the region, as seen in its partial exit from Iraq
and Syria. Against this background Saudi Arabia emerges as an ideal security
pillar: a wealthy regional power capable of financing its own defence, and a
country prepared to invest a trillion dollars in the American economy, as Crown
Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced during his visit to Washington, raising
investment commitments from 600 billion to one trillion.
This positioning also comes amidst intense international competition with China
and Russia, which are bolstering their influence in the Gulf through energy and
technology deals. Washington, under Trump, understands that losing Saudi Arabia
is not an option since Riyadh not merely an oil supplier, but a partner in
artificial intelligence, clean energy and critical minerals, among many other
fields.
From an historical perspective, this shift is quite logical. Since the meeting
between King Abdulaziz and President Roosevelt aboard the USS Quincy in 1945,
the relationship has been built on the equation of “oil for security.” But the
world has changed. The United States has become the world’s largest oil
producer, and Saudi Arabia has launched Vision 2030 to diversify its economy.
Today, Saudi Arabia is not a follower, but an actor. It invests in the US,
participates in reshaping the Arab order, and demands a greater role on many
regional issues such as Palestine and Sudan. Designating it as a major ally
acknowledges this reality and places it on par with Israel and Egypt, thus
reinforcing its position as a leader of the Sunni Muslim world.
Is this a prelude to an “Arab NATO”? Perhaps. Talk of a regional defence
alliance comprising Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Jordan, and backed by the
US, is not new. This designation could be the first step toward a security
umbrella against Iran and terrorism threats, while also ensuring the security of
maritime routes. However, there might be challenges ahead with Israel fearing
loss of its military superiority despite Trump’s assurances, American human
rights criticism that Trump has once again ignored, and the difficulty of
politically uniting Arab positions.
In conclusion, this move is not merely symbolic, but a genuine attempt at the
restructuring and re-engineering of regional security. Trump, with his
characteristic pragmatism, is building alliances based on shared interests, not
emotions, and is giving Saudi Arabia the necessary tools to become stronger
hence promoting global stability. Saudi Arabia, in turn, is proving itself to be
an indispensable rising power. In a multi-polar world, this strengthened
partnership may be the best response to regional chaos and a bold step toward a
peace based on strength, not illusions.
**Mohammed El-Houni is the editor-in-chief of Al Arab.
Four Takeaways from the Meeting Between Mohammed bin Salman and Trump
Mamdouh al-Muhainy/Asharq Al Awsat/November 20/2025
Despite President Donald Trump’s criticisms of his predecessor, President Joe
Biden, the two men have one thing in common: a strong relationship with Saudi
Arabia. True, Biden’s relationship with the Kingdom was on shaky ground at
first, but it improved and eventually became as solid as could be. Riyadh’s
strategy is to maintain its historic relationship with Washington, whether a
Republican or Democratic administration is in power. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed
bin Salman emphasised this policy emphatically at the White House. He stressed
that the bilateral relationship began with a Democrat (President Roosevelt) and
flourished under a Republican (President Reagan); it is now as robust as it has
ever been with a Republican president in power. The White House will no doubt be
eventually occupied by a Democrat at some point.
The first point to know in order to understand the relationship between Riyadh
and Washington is that one should not check if the administration is red or
blue. This strategic alliance has endured for decades because of economic and
political considerations, not sentiment. The second point is that nations
inherently pursue their own interests and relations with one another around
these interests. When Trump speaks about deals, he is addressing his domestic
audience: more jobs mean more popularity. Saudi Arabia also benefits from this
relationship. The Crown Prince underlined this point when he said that Saudi
investments are not made to please President Trump or America, but to seize real
opportunities. These investments serve the long-term economic needs of Saudi
Arabia. This is the ultimate objective; everything else is mere bickering and
chatter.
The third point about the meeting is that we should note the Crown Prince’s
assertion that the leader of al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, deliberately recruited
fifteen Saudis to participate in the 9/11 attacks in order to undermine the
relationship between Riyadh and Washington. That was the main objective. Bin
Laden knew that bringing down two towers would not bring the US to its knees.
His goal was to create a wedge between the West and the Muslim world and fan the
flames of religious hatred and conflict. This plan failed thanks to the strength
of the relationship between the two countries, which allowed them to overcome
this difficult crisis. Al-Qaeda has weakened, bin Laden was killed, and the
relationship between Washington and Riyadh has never been better. In short, the
forces of good have triumphed over the forces of evil. The dream of religious
fanatics, terrorist organizations, and sectarian militias is to weaken this
alliance, and they have pursued it through violence, propaganda, and lies. They
know that undercutting the relationship between Riyadh and Washington would
create an opening for them to impose themselves and their ideology.
The fourth point on the meeting is about the future. Investment in artificial
intelligence and semiconductors is crucial for winning the global race to build
the world of tomorrow. We should remember that extremist nationalist and
religious ideologies, the pursuit of strongman rule, and brainwashing
populations with illusions have all played a prominent role in the decline of
our region. Asian states, among others, chose another path, building their
economies and developing their societies. Accordingly, the Saudi Crown Prince
and Trump’s conversations about investment in cutting-edge technologies are
conversations about shaping the future, as well as fair economic and scientific
competition.
The Age of Uncertainty and Great-Power Diplomacy
Emile Ameen/Asharq Al Awsat/November 20/2025
The latest book of renowned American diplomat, historian, and strategist
Professor A. Wess Mitchell “Great Power Diplomacy: The Skill of Statecraft from
Attila the Hun to Kissinger” was published in October.
Attila the Hun founded the Hunnic Empire in the first half of the fifth century;
Kissinger needs no introduction. That is, the book covers fifteen centuries of
the art, business, and perhaps even pains of administering states, kingdoms, and
empires.
Why have intellectual elites from across the globe been so captivated by this
substantial work? One reason might be its timely release. Humanity is entering a
new era of instability. Great powers with the size of continents are competing
over territory, resources, and prestige. Hard power seems to have become
decisive as we see an erosion of diplomacy’s capacity for overcoming militarily
superior rivals, maneuvering around them, and holding one’s ground against them.
In the author’s view, diplomacy seems to have become a sort of lost art,
especially after Western elites adopted the illusion that globalization and
universal democracy would create a borderless, harmonious world as “democracies
never go to war with one another.” All of that has turned out to be misguided.
Since the dawn of history, humanity has been plagued by conflict; that is beyond
doubt. At times, these conflicts were fought between individuals; at other
times, groups collectively fought others. Eventually, these conflicts led to the
emergence of states, then kingdoms, and then empires. At every stage, there was
a need to confront numerous and fierce enemies who could not be defeated by
force of arms alone.
In such dramatic moments, prudent leaders would turn to diplomacy as they sought
favorable arrangements that would allow them to thwart enemies who seemed
unstoppable. Indeed, diplomacy has shaped humanity’s turning points for over
fifteen centuries. Sometimes for the best, and sometimes for the worst. Figures
from all kinds of backgrounds have practiced intricate arts of governance. Some
of them made diplomatic achievements, while others were responsible for
calamities that we have never forgotten.
Among the giants of diplomacy are Cardinal Richelieu, Metternich, Bismarck, and
Kissinger. Yet the pages of diplomatic history have always also featured
lesser-known components whom the author describes as rogues, eunuchs, drunkards,
and fools.
A close reading of the book allows for drawing the conclusion: fortune has
always favored great powers endowed with foresight who could build successful
alliances, pit their enemies against one another, and, when necessary, make
peace with their fiercest adversaries. One of the most remarkable aspects of
this pioneering work is that it includes several expansive historical case
studies to illustrate how the practical arts and skills of diplomacy allowed for
overcoming the narrow pursuit of brute military power, especially when actors
were confronted with difficult challenges.
The historian and diplomat presents us with models of effective diplomacy: from
the Byzantine Empire’s approach to the invading forces of Attila the Hun in the
fifth century AD, to the agility of fifteenth-century Venice in dealing with the
emerging power of the Ottoman Empire in the Middle East. He then takes us
through the brilliant eighteenth-century Austrian strategist Wenzel von
Kaunitz’s navigation of the confrontation between the Habsburgs and Prussia,
until he arrives at the American political fox Henry Kissinger’s handling of
China in the 1970s.
Can the factors that determine whether great-power diplomacy succeeds or fails
be identified?
The book seeks to do so through leaders’ characteristics and leadership models.
History tells us of dexterous leaders and advisors whose flexibility allowed
them to overcome crises. However, these leaders would not have achieved their
successes without the cadre of diplomats in their institutions. These diplomats
provided them with essential information, advice, and expertise drawn from both
their scholarship and practical experience, which allowed them to understand the
culture, history, and language of other states, whether rivals or allies.
Is it a coincidence that this work has emerged as President Trump’s
administration inches away from a military, rather than diplomatic, adventure on
the Latin American continent, starting with Venezuela- or is it fate? The answer
does not matter. What matters is the message of the book: allies, even small
states, are crucial, and occasional concessions are a necessary component of
success. Indeed, victory can turn into failure when it is achieved at the
expense of durable stability. From Mitchell to Trump... Those with ears should
listen.
Gaza resolution may be terrible, but the alternative was
worse
Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib/Arab News/November 20, 2025
The UN Security Council on Monday authorized an International Stabilization
Force for Gaza by adopting Resolution 2803, which backs the Donald Trump peace
plan. This plan has more holes than a block of Swiss cheese. Despite its many
flaws, however, the UNSC’s approval allows Gaza to move to stage two of the
process, something Israel has been adamantly resisting. The plan has many
deficiencies, such as the lack of any reference to a two-state solution or
Palestinian self-determination and the absence of any Palestinian agency. Though
several countries had reservations about the text of the resolution, it passed
with 13 votes in favor and none against, with both the Chinese and the Russians
abstaining. The Chinese representative said the text was “vague and unclear” and
that “Palestine is barely visible in the draft.” The Russian representative
described the resolution as something “we just couldn’t support.” He said the
document could become a “fig leaf for unbridled experiments” by Israel and the
US. Both countries were upset they were not consulted and that the UN had become
a forum to merely rubber stamp what the US had already decided. They are right.
However, politics is the art of the possible. What else would have been possible
in the current circumstances? There was no viable counteroffer on the table that
the US would not veto. There was one suggestion by President Gustavo Petro of
Colombia to use the so-called Uniting for Peace resolution in the UN General
Assembly. However, no resolution was presented at the UN and, more importantly,
no superpower to endorse it. Politics is the art of the possible. What else
would have been possible in the current circumstances?
Still, assigning an international force is better than leaving a vacuum that
Israel can exploit. We have seen how Israel has exploited gangs like the one run
by Yasser Abu Shabab to create chaos in Gaza. One must be pragmatic and use
whatever is at one’s disposal.
The proposal is indeed vague and unclear. It has no timeline and no benchmarks.
Israel will withdraw “based on standards, milestones and timeframes linked to
demilitarization,” which will be agreed on later. This opaqueness is a deficit.
However, this deficit could become an asset for the Palestinians if the
countries supporting Palestinian statehood were to properly coordinate their
efforts and leverage.
The US is already reportedly considering dropping the clause in the peace plan
regarding disarming Hamas. No country involved in the International
Stabilization Force would want to take on the task of disarming Hamas. To start
with, it would put their soldiers in danger. They would also be viewed as a
proxy of Israel, doing through the UN what Tel Aviv was not able to achieve over
the course of two years of war. If the US were to drop this demand, it would be
a major setback for Israel.
Arab and Islamic countries approved the resolution driven by a sense of urgency.
Gazans need immediate help. Aid has to immediately enter the Strip without
restrictions. Israel has been blocking the entry of temporary shelters. Amid
worsening wintry conditions and stalled humanitarian access due to the Israeli
siege, the priority is to make the Strip livable so that Gazans do not leave.
Moving to stage two of the plan is an achievement in itself. Israel was planning
to sabotage stage two. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Israeli army
would remain in “most” of Gaza even after backing the Trump plan. In fact, this
has long been Israel’s strategy. It approves the macro plan but always makes the
execution impossible.
Arab and Muslim countries approved Trump’s plan because they want the US on
their side and not against them
Israel’s plan was to make Gaza unlivable and slowly start to empty the Strip. It
has already sent Gazans without papers or any belongings on planes to South
Africa. A mysterious nongovernmental organization was organizing the flights.
Israel is still in ethnic cleansing mode. It is time to beat Israel at its own
game. Arab and Muslim countries approved Trump’s plan because they want the
American administration on their side and not against them. The key goal is to
outmaneuver Israel.
The immediate goals for Gaza are for Gazans to stay and to make the Strip
livable again, while making sure Israel withdraws to the pre-Oct. 7 borders.
None of this could be achieved if Arab and Muslim countries were to confront
Trump. Confronting the US, given that there is currently no alternative, would
push Washington to Israel’s side. Israel wanted Arab and Muslim countries,
particularly the mediators, Qatar, Egypt and Turkiye, to reject the plan. They
did not. On the contrary, they are now playing Israel’s game. They are agreeing
on the macro and then putting down their own conditions for the execution, such
as the fact that the International Stabilization Force will not be mandated to
disarm Hamas. Many pundits have speculated as to what the various countries
might have gotten from the US in return for selling out the Palestinians. In
fact, there has been no such selling out. This is a pragmatic new approach that
focuses on getting the most out of a certain situation. The key now is to focus
on delivering aid, providing a decent living for Gazans and reconstructing the
Strip. Of course, one should brace for turbulence. Israel will definitely not
accept the situation. It will do everything it can to sabotage the plan.
However, Trump has committed himself to peace. He has said the war is over. It
will be difficult for Israel to outmaneuver Trump and go back to war.
**Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib is a specialist in US-Arab relations with a focus on
lobbying. She is co-founder of the Research Center for Cooperation and Peace
Building, a Lebanese nongovernmental organization focused on Track II.
Selected Face Book & X tweets for November
20/2025
Roger Bejjani
We want Wafic Safa to be arrested not Nouh Zaayter.
The campaign against the drug traffickers is a positive thing. However, it is
starting to look like a smoke screen aiming to hide the real culprit: HZB.
My conclusion is that the Army and Baabda are trying to show some action to the
US, aiming exclusively the drug traffickers, thus hoping that the US will forget
HZB.
Roger Bejjani
Israël will not accept negotiating seriously with Lebanon’s official government
and President for the sake of reaching a final settlement on all outstanding
matters, for the very simple reason that the Lebanese government lacks the
credibility and its signature does not mean much in the presence of a
non-government organization that still vows the destruction of Israel, crossing
to the Galilee and liberating Jerusalem. They have not forgotten the 17 May 1983
accord, which Lebanon has ultimately and unilaterally disavowed. The UNSC
resolution 1701 of 2006 was never implemented by Lebanon. It was violated and
HZB ended up building a fortress in south Lebanon despite the clear terms of
1701 that prevented it from being present in South Lebanon. Lebanon’s government
should regain and reclaim its credibility by ascertaining its sovereignty over
Lebanon. Which is not yet the case. That is the only path to peace, territory
recovery and stability.
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