English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For November 24/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible Quotations For today
Blessed rather are those who hear the word
of God and obey it
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 11/27-32/:”A woman in the
crowd raised her voice and said to him, ‘Blessed is the womb that bore you and
the breasts that nursed you!’But he said, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the
word of God and obey it!’ When the crowds were increasing, he began to say,
‘This generation is an evil generation; it asks for a sign, but no sign will be
given to it except the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the
people of Nineveh, so the Son of Man will be to this generation. The queen of
the South will rise at the judgement with the people of this generation and
condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the
wisdom of Solomon, and see, something greater than Solomon is here! The people
of Nineveh will rise up at the judgement with this generation and condemn it,
because they repented at the proclamation of Jonah, and see, something greater
than Jonah is here!”.
Titles For The
Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on
November 23-24/2025
Independence Day: A Mere Memory for Occupied Lebanon/Elias Bejjani/November
22, 2025
5 dead, 28 hurt as Israel targets Hezbollah chief of staff in Haret Hreik
Israel kills Hezbollah military leader in Beirut strike
Who was Haytham Ali Tabtabai, Hezbollah’s military leader killed by Israel?
Macron lauds Aoun's speech, calls for 'step by step' approach in South
Dual Israeli Message Behind the Assassination of Al-Tabaatabai... Will Hezbollah
Retaliate?
President Joseph Aoun Condemns Israel Airstrike on Beirut
President Aoun's Initiative Trapped Between Israel and Hezbollah/Bassam Abou
Zeid/This is Beirut/November 24/2025
Al-Tabtabai’s Death and the Illusion of Strategic Patience/Makram Rabah/Now
Lebanon/November 23/2025
Lebanese minister outlines strategy for industrial growth/Tamara Aboalsaud/Arab
News/November 23, 2025
Following Israel's strike on its top military commander, the ball is in
Hezbollah's court /Dr. Yossi Mansharof/Jerusalem Post/November 23/2025
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous
Reports And News published
on
November 23-24/2025
US set to label Muslim Brotherhood a foreign terrorist organization:
Report
Iran warns of attempts to target supreme leader Khamenei
Israel’s Netanyahu vows to keep striking Hamas, Hezbollah
Gaza civil defense says 21 killed in Israeli strikes
Hamas says discussed second phase of Gaza truce in Cairo
Hamas delegation meets Egypt spy chief, says Israeli ‘breaches’ threaten
ceasefire
Israeli army chief fires, reprimands commanders for failures in October 7 attack
Palestinian vice president and Blair discuss postwar administration of Gaza
Crown prince’s US visit viewed more than 4bn times: Media minister
Heavy security deployment in Syria’s Homs after killing of couple
Ukraine says new draft of US plan reflects Kyiv’s ‘key priorities’
U.S. President Donald Trump looks on as he meets with the White House Task Force
Ukraine peace plan darkens the mood across a war-torn nation
Rubio lands in Geneva for talks on Ukraine plan
Colombia says 17 minors rescued from Jewish sect accused of abuse
50 children kidnapped from Nigerian Catholic school escape captivity
Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources on
November 23-24/2025
Can AI be Asia’s next growth engine?/Lee Jong-Wha/Arab
News/November 23, 2025
How regional reforms are boosting investor confidence/Zaid M. Belbagi/Arab
News/November 23, 2025
Iraq deserves an electoral system that puts the country first/Dalia Al-Aqidi/Arab
News/November 24/2025
Trump must announce US strategy for Middle East as region reaches inflection
point/Eric Navarro/Jerusalem Post/November 23/2025
Today’s Republican divide: The Christian theological battle over Israel/Daniel
Rowe/Jerusalem Post/November 23/2025
The Latest
English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on
November 23-24/2025
Independence Day: A Mere Memory for Occupied
Lebanon
Elias Bejjani/November 22, 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/11/149430/
November 22, Lebanon’s Independence Day, was once a celebration
of freedom and sovereignty. However, today, the reality we live stands in stark
contrast to the values of independence. Independence has been reduced to a mere
memory, stripped of its core elements such as free decision-making, liberty,
law, equality, democracy, services, peace, security, stability, and protected
borders—the list goes on, and all are absent.
Today, Lebanon has completely lost its independence and against the will of its
majority, it finds itself under sectarian, jihadist, and terrorist Iranian
occupation.
This occupation is enforced through a local armed militia comprised of Lebanese
mercenaries working under the command of Iran’s mullahs, operating under the
blasphemously named "Hezbollah." This armed Iranian proxy, through its actions
of force, terror, assassinations, wars, and displacement, stands against
everything Lebanon represents—justice, rights, love, peace, stability, identity,
and openness to the world.
As a result of this occupation, Lebanon is now witnessing a destructive war
between Iran's Hezbollah and the State of Israel. This is an Iranian-Israeli war
in which Lebanon and its vast majority have no stake. It is not Lebanon's war
while Hezbollah initiated it under direct orders from Iran, serving Tehran's
terrorist, expansionist, and colonial agendas.
There is no independence to celebrate today. Lebanon has effectively become a
Hezbollah state. This failed and rogue state continuously violates the
constitution and paralyzes governance. Hezbollah prevents the election of a
president, shuts down parliament, and dismantles state institutions.
The current parliament, subservient and failing in its constitutional duties,
was formed under an electoral law crafted by Hezbollah to ensure its dominance.
This law predetermined the election results before they even took place.
How can we celebrate Independence Day when state institutions are infiltrated,
the judiciary is controlled, citizens' savings have been stolen from banks,
borders are wide open for smuggling, and chaos reigns? Killings, theft, poverty,
displacement, and humiliation define the daily lives of Lebanese citizens.
The independence we should be celebrating today has become an empty memory. True
independence will not return to Lebanon until it is liberated from Hezbollah's
occupation and Iran's domination. Achieving this liberation requires
implementing all international resolutions pertaining to Lebanon, including the
Armistice Agreement and Resolutions 1559, 1701, and 1680. It also demands
conducting free parliamentary elections under a modern electoral law,
eradicating corruption, and holding the corrupt political class accountable.
It may be necessary to declare Lebanon a failed state according to all the UN
criteria for failure and place it under international trusteeship.
Until then, Lebanon remains an occupied state, and Independence Day is but a
painful reminder of a freedom that is no more.
5 dead, 28 hurt as Israel targets Hezbollah chief of
staff in Haret Hreik
Agence France Presse/23 November/2025
Israel said it carried out an air strike Sunday targeting Hezbollah's chief of
staff in Beirut's southern suburbs, hitting an apartment building in an
operation which Hezbollah said crossed another red line. Lebanon's health
ministry said the strike killed five people and wounded 28. It did not give the
identities of the people killed. The strike took place in the Haret Hreik area
in Beirut's southern suburbs, a densely-populated area where Hezbollah holds
sway. Hezbollah confirmed a senior commander was targeted in the strike, while
an Israeli government spokeswoman declined to give the name of the target at
this stage. An AFP correspondent at the scene said the strike hit the third and
fourth floors of a nine-story building. Debris littered the road below, with a
car damaged in the street. Dust could be seen rising from the block, with rescue
workers inside the apartments searching for survivors. Ambulances and fire crews
scrambled to the scene and rescuers evacuated a wounded woman on a stretcher. A
crowd gathered in the street and Lebanese soldiers were deployed to secure the
site. Lebanon's official National News Agency said three missiles were fired at
the building.
'Maximum enforcement'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said he had ordered the
attack -- the latest against targets in Lebanon despite a year-long ceasefire
between Israel and Hezbollah. "In the heart of Beirut, the IDF (Israeli
military) attacked the Hezbollah chief of staff, who had been leading the
terrorist organization's build-up and rearmament," the premier's office said in
a statement. "Israel is determined to act to achieve its objectives everywhere
and at all times," it added. Separately, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz
said: "Anyone who raises a hand against Israel will have his hand cut off,"
warning that Israel would "continue the policy of maximum enforcement".
Hezbollah official Mahmoud Qmati told reporters Sunday's attack "crosses a new
red line". "The targeting was clearly aimed at a key... figure in the
resistance, and the results are unknown," he added in front of the strike
location, without disclosing the person's identity. Israel has carried out
regular strikes in Lebanon since the November 2024 ceasefire that sought to end
more than a year of hostilities with Hezbollah, saying it is striking members of
the group or its infrastructure in the country's south and east. Sunday's
strike, however, was the first on Beirut's southern suburbs since June 5, when
Israel said it hit a Hezbollah drone factory.
Hezbollah weakened
Hezbollah was weakened by its fight with Israel, which it started in support of
its ally Hamas in Gaza in October 2023 with cross-border exchanges of fire that
later escalated into two months of full-blown war.Since then, Lebanon has come
under increasing Israeli and U.S. pressure to disarm Hezbollah, a move that the
group has rejected. "Hezbollah will not be allowed to
rearm and operate inside of Lebanon and we expect Lebanon to hold Hezbollah's
feet to the fire on this," Israeli government spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian
reiterated after Sunday's strike. "Hezbollah's terrorist activities constitute a
violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon and the IDF will
continue to operate to remove any threats to the citizens of Israel," she told
reporters. Netanyahu earlier Sunday told a cabinet
meeting that Israel "will continue to do everything necessary to prevent
Hezbollah from re-establishing its threat capability against us."President
Joseph Aoun called on the international community to intervene firmly to stop
Israeli attacks on the country. Lebanon "reiterates its call to the
international community to assume its responsibility and intervene firmly and
seriously to stop the attacks on Lebanon and its people," he said in a
statement.
Israel kills Hezbollah military leader in Beirut strike
Reuters/23 November/2025
Israel killed militant group Hezbollah’s top military official in an airstrike
on a southern suburb of Beirut on Sunday, the Israeli military said, despite a
US-brokered truce a year ago. The strike, the first on the outskirts of the
Lebanese capital in months, targeted Iran-backed Hezbollah’s acting chief of
staff, Ali Tabtabai, the military said in a statement. Hezbollah confirmed the
death of Tabtabai in a statement, mourning him as a “great” commander who had
“worked to confront Israeli enemy until the last moment of his blessed life,”
showing his seniority, but without giving details about his exact role.
Israel’s strike crossed a “red line,” Hezbollah official Mahmoud Qmati said as
he stood near the bombed-out building in the Haret Hreik suburb, a Hezbollah
stronghold. Hezbollah’s leadership would decide on whether and how the group
would respond, he added.
Five dead in strike
The United States imposed sanctions on Tabtabai in 2016, identifying him as a
key Hezbollah leader and offering a reward of up to $5 million for information
on him. The Israeli military statement said Tabtabai “commanded most of
Hezbollah’s units and worked hard to restore them to readiness for war with
Israel.”Lebanon’s health ministry said the strike killed five people and wounded
28 more. It hit a multi-story building, sending debris crashing into cars on the
main road below.People rushed out of their apartment buildings out of fear of
further bombardment, a Reuters reporter said. Following the strike, Lebanese
President Joseph Aoun urged the international community to intervene to halt
Israeli attacks. The strike came a week before Pope Leo is set to land in
Lebanon on his first foreign trip, with many Lebanese hoping the visit could
signal the country was heading towards better days. The November 2024 ceasefire
was meant to end a year of fighting between Hezbollah and the Israeli military,
triggered by Hezbollah’s rocket fire on Israeli posts a day after the October 7,
2023 attack by its Palestinian ally Hamas. But Israel has kept up near-daily
strikes on Lebanon since the truce, targeting what it says are Hezbollah arms
depots, fighters and efforts by the group to rebuild. It has ratcheted up those
strikes in recent weeks. “We will not allow Hezbollah, the terror organization,
to recover and rebuild its strength and threaten Israel from anywhere inside of
Lebanon,” Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian told reporters after
the strike. Asked if Israel had notified the US before carrying out the strike,
Bedrosian said Israel makes decisions independently. Israel already killed much
of Hezbollah’s leadership. Israel eliminated much of the group’s leadership
during the year-long war, including its then-leader Hassan Nasrallah. Lebanon
says Israel’s continuing strikes and occupation of five southern posts in
Lebanese territories are major breaches. Aoun says he is open to negotiations
but has not received a positive response from Israeli officials. Israel accuses
Hezbollah of trying to regroup in the south, and is pressuring Lebanon to be
more aggressive in confiscating all unauthorized arms across the country,
including Hezbollah’s. Hezbollah has not fired on Israel since the ceasefire
started and says it is abiding by it.
Who was Haytham Ali Tabtabai, Hezbollah’s military leader
killed by Israel?
Reuters/23 November/2025
The Israeli military on Sunday killed Hezbollah’s top military official, Haytham
Ali Tabtabai, in a strike on the outskirts of the Lebanese capital that came
despite a year-long ceasefire. His killing was announced by Israel’s military.
Hezbollah later confirmed his death, hailing him as a “great” commander who had
“worked to confront the Israeli enemy until the last moment of his blessed
life.”Israel had already eliminated most of Iran-backed Hezbollah’s leadership
during a war that raged between October 2023 and November 2024, when a
US-brokered truce was agreed. But Tabtabai, who was appointed as the group’s
chief of staff after its recent war with Israel, was killed in a rare
post-ceasefire operation against a senior Hezbollah figure. Tabtabai was born in
Lebanon to a father with Iranian roots and a Lebanese mother, according to a
senior Lebanese security source. He was not a founding member of Hezbollah but
was part of its “second generation,” deploying with the group to fight alongside
its allies in Syria and Yemen, the source said. Israel’s military said Tabtabai
joined Hezbollah in the 1980s and held several senior posts, including in its
Radwan Force, an elite fighting unit. Israel killed most Radwan figures last
year ahead of its ground invasion into Lebanon. During last year’s war, Tabtabai
led Hezbollah’s operations division and rose in rank as other top commanders
were eliminated, the Israeli military’s statement said. Once the ceasefire came
into force, Tabtabai was appointed chief of staff and “worked extensively to
restore their readiness for war with Israel,” according to the statement. The
Lebanese security source confirmed Tabtabai was swiftly promoted as other top
Hezbollah officials were killed, and had been appointed chief of staff over the
last year. The Alma Center, a security research and teaching organization in
Israel, said Tabtabai had survived other Israeli attacks both in Syria and
during the war in Lebanon.
Macron lauds Aoun's speech, calls for 'step by step'
approach in South
Naharnet/November 23/2025
French President Emmanuel Macron has noted that the situation in Lebanon
"remains extremely fragile," as he described President Joseph Aoun's latest
speech as "very important.""He reflected what we have in mind. He was very firm
and efficient vis-a-vis Hezbollah and delivering our plan, which is clearly to
restore Lebanese sovereignty in the South and fighting actively against the
terrorist groups," Macron said. "Now what we want to
do -- in close coordination with the U.S. because as we know we are together in
the coordination mechanism, in direct discussion with Israel -- (is to) deliver
this mechanism step by step, to restore sovereignty of Lebanon and the Lebanese
forces of the South, withdraw progressively the presence of the Israeli forces
and be efficient against Hezbollah," the French leader added. "So the months and
weeks to come will be absolutely critical in this achievement, but I think the
commitments taken today by President Aoun were very important and we would
follow up," Macron went on to say. He added: "Meanwhile we will organize as well
our conference to support the recovery of Lebanon, in France, and our Saudi
friends will organize a conference for the financing of the Lebanese Armed
Forces in close link with us, and these two pillars are very important."
Dual Israeli Message Behind the Assassination of Al-Tabaatabai...
Will Hezbollah Retaliate?
Nidaa Al-Watan/November 24/2025 (translated from Arabic)
Israel preempted the visit of Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Ati to Beirut
on Tuesday—intended to complete his country's mediation for de-escalation—by
striking a building in Haret Hreik in the southern suburb of Beirut for the
first time in months. The strike killed the second-in-command of "Hezbollah,"
Haitham Ali Al-Tabaatabai, a pivotal military figure in the "Party," whom the
United States had previously subjected to strict sanctions and offered a reward
of approximately five million dollars for information leading to him. A
follow-up political source told "Nidaa Al-Watan" that this strike constitutes a
message from Israel to both "Hezbollah" and the Lebanese authorities. The
message is that Israel is ready to escalate anywhere, anytime, and will not
stand idly by while the "Party" attempts to rebuild its military capabilities.
It also indicates that Israel will not wait long for the official Lebanese
government's evasion of the plan to disarm "Hezbollah." The source noted that
this Israeli stance has the backing of Washington, which shares the same
perspective as Tel Aviv. The same source added that "Hezbollah," despite
considering this strike a red line, faces two options: either retaliate and risk
opening a new front of fighting that it may not be able to sustain, or remain
silent. In the latter case, Israel may seize the opportunity to complete its
field escalation, knowing it will face no response. The Israeli Army stated in a
communiqué that Al-Tabaatabai led the operations division of "Hezbollah" during
the recent war and rose through the ranks following the elimination of other
senior commanders. The statement added that once the ceasefire took effect, Al-Tabaatabai
was appointed the Party's military commander and "worked intensively to restore
its readiness for war with Israel." The Israeli research center "Alma" revealed
that Al-Tabaatabai had survived other Israeli attacks in Syria and during the
war in Lebanon.
Local Reactions
President Joseph Aoun reiterated his call for the international community to
assume its responsibility and intervene strongly and seriously to stop the
aggression against Lebanon and its people, to prevent any deterioration that
would bring tension back to the region, and to spare further bloodshed.
Prime Minister Nawwaf Salam considered that "protecting the Lebanese and
preventing the country from slipping into dangerous paths is the government's
priority at this delicate stage... Experiences have proven that the only way to
solidify stability is through the full implementation of Resolution 1701,
extending the state's authority over all its territories with its own forces,
and empowering the Lebanese Army to carry out its tasks."Lebanese Forces Party
leader Samir Geagea said that the usual reaction—"attacking and cursing Israel,
and submitting a complaint to the Security Council"—is not viable, as these
steps have never helped. Geagea wished for the Council of Ministers to be
convened for an emergency session to implement the decisions of the August 5 and
7 sessions, and to conduct rapid consultations with the United States, Saudi
Arabia, and the rest of Lebanon's friends, to leverage their capabilities to
permanently stop the Israeli aggressions, withdraw Israel from Lebanon, and
return to the 1949 Armistice Agreement.
President Joseph Aoun Condemns Israel Airstrike on Beirut
This is Beirut/November 24/2025
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned Israel’s airstrike on Beirut’s southern
suburbs on Sunday, noting that the attack happened the day following Lebanon’s
Independence Day. President Aoun described it as “further proof that Israel
disregards repeated calls to halt its assaults on Lebanon, refuses to implement
international resolutions, and rejects all efforts and initiatives aimed at
ending the escalation and restoring stability, not only to Lebanon but to the
entire region.”He added, “Lebanon, which has adhered to a ceasefire for nearly a
year and has offered initiative after initiative, once again calls on the
international community to assume its responsibility and intervene decisively
and seriously to stop the attacks on Lebanon and its people, to prevent any
deterioration that could reignite regional tensions, and to spare further
bloodshed.”The Israeli army carried out a precise raid earlier in the day,
targeting Hezbollah’s “number two” operative, Haytham Tabatabai, in the southern
suburbs of Beirut.
President Aoun's Initiative Trapped Between Israel and
Hezbollah
Bassam Abou Zeid/This is Beirut/November 24/2025
President Joseph Aoun is waiting for responses to his initiative, unveiled on
the eve of Independence Day, fully aware that its outcome depends largely on two
actors: Hezbollah and Israel. According to sources, Hezbollah has no intention
of providing a clear response to the Lebanese presidency. The Iran-backed group
remains determined to retain its weapons and strengthen its military positions
and refuses to discuss any restrictions on its arsenal across Lebanon. It is
also awaiting instructions from Iran, which have not yet been issued and could
depend on a potential resumption of talks between Tehran and the United States.
If such negotiations take place, they are expected to be one-sided, with the
United States having already drawn the red lines: no nuclear program, no
ballistic missiles, and no Iran-affiliated armed militias in the region. In this
context, the Lebanese presidency acknowledges that those who have ignored the
aspirations of the majority of Lebanese over the past year are unlikely to
suddenly change their stance. Since the announcement of the cease-fire, some
Lebanese officials believe that sustained Israeli military pressure, combined
with financial measures by the Central Bank of Lebanon (BDL) to restrict
Hezbollah’s funding sources, could compel the group to confine its weapons
exclusively to the state. However, nothing concrete has yet confirmed this
possibility. Israel, for its part, appears to give little weight to President
Aoun’s initiative. Tel Aviv continues its raids and targeted assassinations as
if nothing were happening, a stance seemingly shared by the United States.
According to Western sources, Lebanon is being pressured to accept direct
negotiations without any political preconditions. The same sources indicate that
Israel has already prepared a draft final agreement, presented as ensuring
lasting stability, which the Lebanese government would only need to approve and
sign. Amid this tense backdrop, President Aoun’s initiative falters, already
weakened by internal divisions after he placed Hezbollah and those calling for
its disarmament on an equal footing, assigning both groups a share of
responsibility for the country’s situation. This stance surprised the forces
opposed to Hezbollah, whose interests had otherwise aligned with the Lebanese
government’s approach. At this stage, however, obstruction and deadlock appear
to be the only responses, whether from Israel or Hezbollah, the latter being,
according to its critics, primarily responsible for the crises shaking Lebanon,
the failure of the cease-fire, and the derailment of the presidential
initiative.
Al-Tabtabai’s Death and the Illusion of Strategic
Patience
Makram Rabah/Now Lebanon/November 23/2025
The killing of Haytam al-Tabtabai, one of Hezbollah’s most seasoned military
commanders and chief of staff, again exposes Lebanon to the consequences of a
confrontation it neither initiated nor controls. While Hezbollah has already
framed the strike as part of its long confrontation with Israel, the event
underscores a deeper structural reality: the organization’s regional
entanglements, its entrenched presence in civilian areas, and the Lebanese
state’s inability to shield its population from the repercussions of both.
al-Tabtabai spent recent years overseeing elite Hezbollah units and working to
rebuild the group’s military capabilities across Lebanon and Syria. This latest
strike was reportedly the third attempt to target him.
Born in Beirut in 1968 to a Lebanese mother and Iranian father, al-Tabtabai grew
up in southern Lebanon and joined Hezbollah as a young man. His military career
spanned operations in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and the Golan Heights. During the
Syrian war, he was believed to have played a central role in establishing
Hezbollah’s infrastructure near the Golan frontier—a project that eventually
became known as the “Golan Portfolio.”
In January 2015, he survived an Israeli strike in Quneitra that killed Jihad
Imad Mughniyeh and a senior Iranian officer. Following this, Hezbollah reduced
his visibility and reassigned him to Yemen in 2016, where he trained Houthi
fighters and coordinated with the Iranian Quds Force. That same year, he was
designated by OFAC as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, and in 2018 the
United States offered a $5 million reward for information on him. By 2019–2020,
he had reportedly returned to Lebanon and was associated with Hezbollah’s
preparations for possible cross-border operations described as a “Galilee
incursion.”
Beyond the operational biography, al-Tabtabai’s death highlights a recurring and
dangerous practice: Hezbollah continues to position its leadership, weapons, and
infrastructure deep inside civilian neighborhoods. Whether in Beirut’s southern
suburbs, the Bekaa, or the villages of the south, this blending of military
personnel within civilian environments ensures that any targeted strike—whether
successful or not—carries the risk of wider civilian harm.
For years, Hezbollah has justified this approach as a form of “resistance
resilience,” but in reality it places Lebanese civilians directly in the path of
retaliation. The party’s insistence on operating from within densely populated
areas is not a necessity of defense—it is a strategic choice, one that
repeatedly exposes the country’s population to the consequences of decisions
taken far beyond Lebanon’s institutions.
In the aftermath of each targeted killing, Hezbollah presents its lack of
immediate retaliation as a calculated, wise, long-term strategy. The leadership
describes it as “measured response,” “strategic patience,” or “deliberate
timing.” But on the ground, the pattern suggests something far simpler: an
inability to respond proportionally without risking a broader conflict the party
is neither prepared for nor capable of managing.
This carefully constructed narrative—promoted through speeches, media outlets,
and political allies—is intended to mask operational limitations. It also helps
maintain internal cohesion and reassure core supporters that every setback is
part of a larger, hidden plan. Yet the reality is the opposite: Hezbollah’s
constrained responses reflect the pressures it faces, the vulnerabilities in its
deployment, and the risks of escalation that could spiral far beyond its
control.
President Joseph Aoun’s response to these developments remains limited to
institutional condemnation of Israeli strikes, with no acknowledgment of the
drivers that repeatedly bring these attacks onto Lebanese soil. While Aoun has
emphasized Lebanon’s commitment to international resolutions and the need to
avoid escalation, he has not articulated a plan to reassert state authority or
address Hezbollah’s independent military decision-making.
This silence reinforces a broader truth: the Lebanese are caught between an
external adversary and a domestic actor that answers neither to the government
nor to public accountability.
Al-Tabtabai’s killing does not dramatically alter Hezbollah’s military posture.
The organization will replace him as it has replaced many before him. But the
deeper problem remains unresolved. As long as Hezbollah maintains military
networks embedded within civilian areas and continues to tie Lebanon to regional
battlefields—while claiming that its constrained reactions are
intentional—Lebanon will remain exposed to a cycle of violence beyond the
state’s control.
The lesson of al-Tabtabai’s death is therefore not about a single commander, who
made his bones spreading death and destruction both at home and abroad. It is
about a country trapped between an Iranian militia that views civilian spaces as
shields and a Lebanese political establishment unwilling to confront the
consequences. Until this structural imbalance is addressed, Lebanon will
continue to absorb the fallout of decisions it never made and strategies it
never sanctioned.
Makram Rabah is the managing editor at Now Lebanon and an Assistant Professor at
the American University of Beirut, Department of History. His book Conflict on
Mount Lebanon: The Druze, the Maronites and Collective Memory (Edinburgh
University Press) covers collective identities and the Lebanese Civil War. He
tweets at @makramrabah
Lebanese minister outlines strategy for industrial
growth
Tamara Aboalsaud/Arab News/November 23, 2025
RIYADH: Lebanon’s Minister of Industry Joe Issa El-Khoury outlined his new
strategy for industrial growth at an event in Riyadh on Sunday. Speaking to Arab
News at the 21st General Conference of the UN Industrial Development
Organization, El-Khoury explained that in the next five to 10 years, his
strategy focuses on three pillars: tracking global trends in industry; taking
account of the competitive advantages of Lebanon; and looking into liabilities.
One notable sector is the agricultural industry, which the minister described as
“quite strong” in Lebanon. “Lebanese food and cuisine … represent close to 40
percent of our exports.”Lebanon is also home to many machinery companies, the
minister said, including companies that develop and sell factory machinery to
multinational companies such as L’Oreal and Nestle. One example is Multilane, a
leading company in Lebanon in high-speed data center solutions, which has been
designing, manufacturing and selling equipment to companies in the US such as
Nvidia, Cisco, Apple, MIT, Facebook and more. El-Khoury also mentioned two young
founders in their late 20s who design and manufacture robots for BMW and
Volkswagen in Lebanon. The next generation of innovators, El-Khoury said, are
possibly the country’s greatest asset. “I would say industrial technology is
also one major focus for us because despite all the crises that Lebanon has been
going through and the wars … one thing that was, thank God, not hit, was the
level of education. “We have so many young girls and young boys who are
extremely well educated. “So instead of shipping them away to develop their
ideas, we’re now trying to keep them home so that they would do their startups
back home,” he said. The minister also emphasized plans and policies to be put
in place to protect the country’s other resources, namely water and electricity.
“We don’t have water scarcity. We have a lot of water, but in Lebanon we’ve been
misusing the water,” he said. The ministry of energy and water is implementing
the National Water Sector Strategy 2024-35, a plan that aims to enhance water
security, improve public services, create sustainable utilities and promote good
governance.
Additionally, Lebanon’s average cost of electricity production is about $0.25
per kilowatt hour, “which is humongous” compared to neighboring countries.
“Industrialists in Lebanon do not compete only with industrialists in Lebanon,
they compete with industrialists in Turkiye, Saudi, Egypt or Europe.”
The cost of electricity from private generators for Lebanese industrialists is
approximately 30 cents per kilowatt hour, about five times the numbers in
Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. “So we need to reduce the cost of production so
that Lebanese products can become very competitive.”Another objective of El-Khoury’s
national industrial strategy is to reduce the trade deficit, which historically
stands at an average of minus $15 billion per year. Reducing that number will
require boosting exports on one hand and developing import-substitute products
in Lebanon on the other. “I always say, God blessed us with a beautiful country.
We have mountains, we have a lot of land, we have water. “We have sea and sun
and you name it. And we’ve been ruining it.“Now it’s time to take care of our
environment.”One of the ways to do that, he said, is by moving from waste
treatment to the industrialization of waste: 60 percent to 65 percent of waste
in Lebanon is organic — waste that can be extracted, recycled, and composted to
organic material that can be used for agriculture and gas. Of other waste, 30
percent to 35 percent is cardboard, plastic, or glass materials that can be
recycled; and only the remaining 5 percent to 10 percent is dumped. Developing
recycling practices is where UNIDO comes in, El-Khoury said. “We’re putting in
place all these policies in order to encourage that development. And we're doing
a lot with UNIDO to actually engage in the recycling of these materials. “We
think that green energy, the green economy, is key for everybody. So, we need to
clean the planet.”
Following Israel's strike on its top military commander,
the ball is in Hezbollah's court -
Dr. Yossi Mansharof/Jerusalem Post/November 23/2025
Following Tabatabai's assassination, it seems that Hezbollah will choose to
enter into several limited "days of fighting," the author argues.
The precise surgical strike in a Beirut suburb against Hezbollah’s Chief of
Staff, Haytham Ali Tabatabai, is clear evidence of the distress Hezbollah finds
itself in.
Since the assassination of the vast majority of the Jihad Council, Hezbollah’s
General Staff, with an emphasis on Nasrallah and the organization's top military
command, the group has been trying to promote an interim period of regrowth and
rehabilitation.
As part of this process, Hezbollah attempted to appease its social base, which
was severely damaged in the war, and signaled its bitterness and fatigue with
it. Given the significant importance of this base, as it provides the
organization's manpower and electoral support, Hezbollah promoted a narrative of
victory and sacrifice. In addition, Hezbollah, with Iranian assistance, worked
to financially compensate the many families whose homes were destroyed or who
were forced to flee from the war’s threat. Simultaneously, Hezbollah advanced an
intensive rehabilitation project, aided by smuggling from Iran and based on
local production capabilities.Hezbollah has been investigating how Israel
penetrated it In the period since the war, the organization conducted an
investigation to determine the sources of the leak that allowed the deep Israeli
penetration into its ranks. It also began a reorganization process to adapt to
the new situation in the confrontation against Israel, and recruited new
members.Consequently, in an attempt to emerge from the historical crisis it was
plunged into by the war, Hezbollah's leadership, headed by Secretary-General
Naim Qassem, chose to adopt a policy of containment in the face of the Israeli
attacks, despite the resentment and unrest this policy caused among field
commanders. The new political climate in Lebanon, centered on signs of the
Lebanese state's resurgence and its desire to consolidate the results of the war
to end its occupation by Iran and Hezbollah, also influenced the organization's
containment policy.
The assassination of Tabatabai catches Hezbollah at a time when a complex
equation rests on the scales. If Hezbollah chooses to retaliate against Israel,
it risks losing the achievements it has garnered since the ceasefire and playing
into the hands of Israel, which seeks to deepen the waves of attacks against it.
On the other hand, a lack of response will project significant weakness, damage
Hezbollah's image in Lebanon, and may even lead to pockets of internal rebellion
within the organization.
It is also difficult to see Tehran coming to Hezbollah’s aid and once again
directly entering the cycle of fire against Israel. In addition to the various
crises plaguing it, an internal legitimacy crisis, water and energy crises, and
an economic crisis, the decision adopted by the IAEA Board of Governors
complicates Tehran’s predicament. The decision requires Iran to update the
Agency on its uranium stockpile and the facilities bombed during the Iran-Israel
War of June 2025, and it could serve, as happened a few days before that war, as
a means for Israel to build legitimacy to renew the attack against the IRI. The
Houthis, even if they join the campaign alongside Hezbollah, will not be able to
provide Hezbollah with the necessary support against Israel. Even Hamas and
Islamic Jihad, in their current state, are not interested in renewing the
fighting against Israel in the Gaza Strip. Therefore, Hezbollah being alone in a
possible campaign is expected to influence its decision regarding the scope of
the expected response on its part. Accordingly, and especially in light of the
internal pressures within the organization, it seems that Hezbollah will choose
to enter into several limited “days of fighting,” as Tabatabai was indeed
assassinated. In this way, it can allow the field ranks to let off steam and
respond to Israel's attacks. Conversely, after the blow it is expected to absorb
from Israel, it will resume its rehabilitation process
**The writer is a researcher on Iran, Hezbollah, and Shia militias at the Misgav
Institute for National Security and Zionist Strategy.
The Latest English
LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on
November 23-24/2025
US set to label Muslim Brotherhood a foreign
terrorist organization: Report
Al Arabiya English/23 November/2025
The United States intends to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign
terrorist organization, US-based news outlet Just the News reported on Sunday,
citing President Donald Trump. “It will be done in the strongest and most
powerful terms,” Just the News quoted Trump as saying. “Final documents are
being drawn.”Earlier this year, Jordan became the latest Arab country to ban the
Muslim Brotherhood following a sabotage plot foiled by its security agencies.
Countries including Egypt, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the United Arab
Emirates have all outlawed the movement. The Muslim Brotherhood is one of the
region’s oldest and most influential Islamist organizations, currently led by
Mohammed Badie in Egypt, who is serving a life sentence and a death sentence for
alleged planning of violent attacks. Badie and some 37 others were accused of
conspiring to incite unrest after the July 2013 military removal of former
president Mohammed Morsi, himself a Brotherhood figure. Read more: What is the
Muslim Brotherhood and why is it banned in so many countries?
Iran warns of attempts to target supreme leader Khamenei
AFP/23 November/2025
Iran’s intelligence ministry has warned of attempts by foreign adversaries,
including the United States and Israel, to target supreme leader Ali Khamenei
and destabilise the Islamic Republic. The country’s ISNA news agency reported on
Saturday that intelligence minister Esmail Khatib cautioned “the enemy seeks to
target the supreme leader, sometimes with assassination attempts, sometimes with
hostile attacks.”While it was not immediately clear if the minister was
referring to a specific incident, and Iranian officials often allege foreign
plots, statements on threats against Khamenei’s life had been rare prior to a
12-day war between Israel and Iran in June.“Those who act in this direction,
knowingly or unknowingly, are the infiltrating agents of the enemy,” Khatib
added, referring directly to Israel and the United States. During the conflict
earlier this year, Israel targeted senior Iranian military officials, nuclear
scientists and sites as well as residential areas, with the US later joining
with strikes on key nuclear facilities. Asked about reports during the war that
US President Donald Trump vetoed an Israeli plan to kill the supreme leader out
of concern it would escalate the Iran-Israel showdown, Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu was dismissive but said the move would “end the conflict.”At
the time, Trump had also said that Iran’s supreme leader was a “very easy
target” and that “we are not going to take him out, at least not for now.”He
later said in a post on Truth Social he had saved Iran’s supreme leader from “A
VERY UGLY AND IGNOMINIOUS DEATH.”
The 86-year-old Khamenei has been Iran’s supreme leader since 1989 and has the
final say on all state affairs. Earlier this month, Iran’s President Masoud
Pezeshkian said he was particularly concerned for Khamenei’s life during the war
and feared that the country’s institutions “would start fighting among each
other.”In July, Khamenei said Israel’s attacks during the war were intended to
weaken the Islamic republic, sow “unrest and bring people into the streets to
overthrow the system.”A ceasefire between Iran and Israel has been in place
since June 24, but both Israel and the United States have threatened new strikes
if Tehran revives its nuclear program.
Israel’s Netanyahu vows to keep striking Hamas, Hezbollah
AFP/23 November/2025
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted on Sunday that Israel would do
“everything necessary” to stop Hezbollah from regrouping in Lebanon and Hamas
from doing the same in Gaza. Over the past week Israel has hit multiple targets
in neighboring Lebanon, with the Israeli military saying on Saturday it had
struck Hezbollah launchers and military sites. Gaza’s civil defense agency said
21 people were killed and dozens more wounded in multiple Israeli air strikes on
Saturday, as Hamas and Israel again traded allegations of violating the fragile
ceasefire in place since October 10.
“We are continuing to strike terrorism on several fronts,” Netanyahu said as he
opened a cabinet meeting. “This weekend, the IDF (Israeli military) struck in
Lebanon, and we will continue to do everything necessary to prevent Hezbollah
from re-establishing its threat capability against us. “This is also what we are
doing in the Gaza Strip. Since the ceasefire, Hamas has not stopped violating
it, and we are acting accordingly.”Saturday was one of the deadliest days since
the US-brokered truce between Israel and Hamas came into effect, after two years
of war. The Israeli military said an “armed terrorist” had crossed the so-called
yellow line -- the boundary within the Gaza Strip that Israeli forces have
withdrawn behind -- and fired at Israeli soldiers. In response, the military
then “began striking terror targets in the Gaza Strip,” it said. Netanyahu
claimed Sunday that Hamas had made “several attempts” to infiltrate beyond the
yellow line to “try to harm our soldiers.” “We have thwarted this with great
force and also retaliated and exacted a very heavy price. That includes many
terrorists we eliminated,” he added. Netanyahu said it was an “absolute lie”
that Israel needed outside approval before taking action. “We decide
independently of any factor, and that is how it should be. Israel is responsible
for its own security," he said. The Israeli military and the Shin Bet domestic
security agency claimed that Saturday’s strikes on Gaza “eliminated the head of
supply and equipment in Hamas’s production headquarters.” Alaa Haddadeh
“operated to transfer weapons from Hamas’s headquarters to battalion and field
commanders,” a joint statement said.
Gaza civil defense says 21 killed in Israeli strikes
Agence France Presse/23 November/2025
Gaza's civil defense agency said 21 people were killed and dozens more wounded
in multiple Israeli air strikes on Saturday, as Hamas and Israel again traded
allegations of violating the fragile ceasefire. Saturday was one of the
deadliest days since the U.S.-brokered truce between Israel and Hamas came into
effect on October 10, after two years of war. The Israeli military said an
"armed terrorist" had crossed the so-called Yellow Line within the Gaza Strip,
behind which Israeli forces have withdrawn, and fired at Israeli soldiers. In
response to the incident in southern Gaza, which it said was on a route used for
humanitarian aid deliveries in the territory, the Israeli military said it
"began striking terror targets in the Gaza Strip".Mahmud Bassal, spokesman for
the civil defense agency which operates under Hamas authority, told AFP there
were "21 martyrs this evening in five separate Israeli air strikes, in a clear
violation of the ceasefire in Gaza".They included seven killed and more than 16
injured in a strike on a house in Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip, and four
killed and several injured in an air strike on a residential apartment in the
Al-Nasr district, west of Gaza City, he said. According to the health ministry
in Hamas-run Gaza, as of Thursday, 312 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli
fire since the truce took hold.
Children carried into hospital
Bassal said one strike hit a house in Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.
At Al-Aqsa hospital in Deir el-Balah, AFP witnessed children being
brought to the hospital in ambulances and carried inside. Some casualties were
taken in on stretchers. Health ministry spokesman
Khalil al-Daqran said "more than 20 injured" had been brought to the hospital,
"most of them women and children". "Among the injuries, there are many severe
wounds to the head and chest," he told AFP. The first reported strike targeted a
vehicle in the Al-Rimal neighborhood in western Gaza City. Five people were
killed and several injured, said Bassal. An AFP photographer at the scene
witnessed passers-by approaching the wreckage of the burnt-out car, with
children appearing to be trying to salvage food from inside.
Truce violation claims
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office accused Hamas of breaching
the truce agreement. "Hamas violated the ceasefire again, sending a terrorist
into Israel held territory to attack IDF soldiers," it said on X. "In response,
Israel eliminated five senior Hamas terrorists.""Israel has fully honoured the
ceasefire, Hamas has not. We again call on the mediators to insist that Hamas
fulfil its side of the ceasefire."In a statement, Hamas said the "escalation" of
Israeli violations were "attempts to undermine the ceasefire"."We call on the
mediators to intervene urgently and exert pressure to stop these violations
immediately."The Palestinian foreign ministry, based in the Israeli-occupied
West Bank, condemned the strikes.It urged the international community to put
"immediate pressure" on Israel in order to "stop the massacres".
Ceasefire 'pointless' -
The U.N. humanitarian agency OCHA said the ceasefire scale-up of aid deliveries
into Gaza "is still being held back by restrictions affecting visas and import
approvals, too few crossing points operating" and other impediments. Jihad Abed
Al-Aziz, who was displaced to Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, was at a food
distribution point where dozens of people jostled for a pan of rice.
"A ceasefire is pointless," the 55-year-old told AFP. "The crossings do
not bring in enough to give us food, supplies, or even the basics of life. "We
have lost our jobs, our homes, and everything in our lives. Life itself has no
meaning any more."The war was sparked by Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack on
Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,221 people. Israel's retaliatory
assault on Gaza has killed at least 69,733 people, according to figures from the
health ministry that the U.N. considers reliable.
Hamas says discussed second phase of Gaza truce in Cairo
AFP/November 23, 2025
CAIRO: A delegation of senior Hamas leaders discussed the second phase of the
Gaza ceasefire agreement on Sunday with the head of Egyptian intelligence, the
Palestinian militant group said. Led by Hamas chief negotiator Khalil Al-Hayya,
the delegation arrived in the Egyptian capital on Saturday for talks on Sunday
with Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad, two officials from the movement
told AFP. Hamas said in a statement that it “reaffirmed its commitment to
implementing the first phase of the (ceasefire) agreement, stressing the
importance of putting an end to Israeli violations.”“The nature of the second
phase of the agreement” was also discussed in Cairo, Hamas added, without giving
further details. The second stage of the Gaza ceasefire plan concerns disarming
Hamas, establishing a transitional authority and deploying an international
stabilization force. Hamas, excluded from any role in the future governance of
the territory under the Trump plan adopted by the UN Security Council, is
refusing to disarm. Over the past few days, Israel and Hamas have accused each
other of violating the US-brokered truce that came into effect on October 10
after two years of war. Gaza’s civil defense agency said 21 people were killed
and dozens more wounded in multiple Israeli air strikes on Saturday. The Israeli
military said an “armed terrorist” had crossed the so-called Yellow Line within
the Gaza Strip, behind which Israeli forces have withdrawn, and fired at Israeli
soldiers. In response to the incident in southern Gaza, the Israeli military
said it “began striking terror targets in the Gaza Strip.”Hamas said on Sunday
it had also raised the fate of fighters in Gaza’s southern area of Rafah with
whom it had lost contact. According to various media reports, up to 200 Hamas
fighters are believed to be trapped in tunnels in Gaza beneath part of the
territory where the Israeli army has redeployed under phase one of the
agreement.
Hamas delegation meets Egypt spy chief, says Israeli ‘breaches’ threaten
ceasefire
Reuters/23 November/2025
A senior Hamas delegation met Egypt’s intelligence chief in Cairo on Sunday to
discuss the ceasefire agreement and the situation in Gaza, the group said, as
both Israel and the Palestinian militant group continue to trade accusations of
truce violations. Egypt, Qatar and the US have been mediating between Hamas and
Israel, securing the ceasefire that came into effect last month. In a statement,
the group said it reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the first phase of
the ceasefire agreement in its meeting with Egypt’s intelligence chief, but
accused Israel of “continued violations” that it said threatened to undermine
the deal. Hamas, whose delegation included its exiled Gaza chief Khalil al-Hayya,
called for a “clear and defined mechanism” under the supervision of mediators to
document and halt any breaches of the deal. The movement said it also discussed
with Egypt ways to urgently resolve the issue of Hamas militants in Rafah
tunnels, adding that communication with them had been cut off. Reuters reported
earlier this month that mediators were trying to address the fate of a group of
Hamas fighters holed up in tunnel networks in Israeli-controlled areas of Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said the country’s military killed
five senior Hamas members on Saturday after a fighter was sent into
Israeli-controlled Gaza territory to attack Israeli soldiers there. Health
officials in Gaza had said Israeli airstrikes killed at least 20 people on
Saturday. The military on Sunday said a local Hamas commander was among those
killed in the Saturday strikes.
Israeli army chief fires, reprimands commanders for failures in October 7 attack
Reuters/23 November /2025
Israel’s military chief on Sunday dismissed several senior military personnel
and reprimanded others over their roles in the failures on October 7, 2023 when
Hamas launched a surprise attack on southern Israel from Gaza. A number of
officers were told they would be released from reserve duty and would no longer
serve in the military, the military said in a statement. Others were issued
formal reprimands while one was informed that their service would be ended.
Another tendered his resignation. Those informed that they would be released
from reserve duty included the former heads of intelligence directorate,
operations directorate, and southern command, which is responsible for Gaza. The
generals had previously resigned from active service but remained on reserve
duty. The Israeli military “failed in its primary mission on October 7th – to
protect the civilians of the State of Israel,” Israeli military chief of staff
Eyal Zamir said. “This is a severe, resounding, systemic failure, relating to
decisions and conduct on the eve of the event and during it. The lessons of that
day are numerous and significant, and they must serve as our compass for the
future toward which I intend to lead the [Israeli military].”The latest
disciplinary steps come as Israeli officials face mounting public pressure over
accountability for the failures that led to the attack. Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu’s government has not yet opened a national inquiry into the October 7
attack. Thousands of protesters were joined by opposition leaders in Tel Aviv on
Saturday night demanding a state commission of inquiry. The October 7 assault by
Hamas and other Palestinian factions killed around 1,200 people in Israel and
saw some 250 taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies. The attack triggered
Israel’s ground and air campaign in Gaza, which has devastated large parts of
the enclave and killed more than 69,000 people, according to local health
authorities. Israel and Hamas reached a US-brokered ceasefire agreement last
month, as part of the first phase of a plan to end the war.
Palestinian vice president and Blair discuss postwar
administration of Gaza
Arab News/November 24, 2025
LONDON: Palestinian vice president Hussein Al-Sheikh discussed the latest
developments in the Gaza Strip with Tony Blair and a US government
representative on Sunday. The meeting in Ramallah also focused on issues related
to the occupied West Bank, particularly the requirements for achieving
self-determination and Palestinian statehood, according to Wafa news agency. It
follows last week’s Security Council resolution, which includes the deployment
of an International Stabilization Force in Gaza and plans for the reconstruction
and governance of the territory. Al-Sheikh acknowledged the efforts of US
President Donald Trump and mediators from Egypt, Qatar, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia,
Jordan, the UAE, Indonesia, Pakistan, and the EU in establishing the ceasefire
in Gaza and facilitating humanitarian aid, reconstruction, and peace, the Wafa
added. The meeting was attended by Maj. Gen. Majid Faraj, head of the General
Intelligence Service, president’s advisor for diplomatic affairs Majdi Al-Khaldi,
and presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina. Blair served as the Quartet’s
special envoy to the Middle East from 2007 to 2015. He is expected to play a
role in the postwar administration of Gaza, which will oversee the funding and
redevelopment of the territory.
Crown prince’s US visit viewed more than 4bn times: Media minister
Hebshi Alshammari/Arab News/November 23, 2025
RIYADH: Content from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s White House visit last
week was viewed more than 4 billion times in 48 hours, Saudi Arabia’s media
minister said at a press conference on Sunday. The announcement was made by
Minister of Media Salman Al-Dossari at a briefing in Riyadh attended by Minister
of Justice Walid Al-Samaani and members of the press. Al-Dossari said the
figures “reflect the significant impact of the Kingdom’s role on the
international stage.”At the briefing, Al-Samaani also announced new figures
showing a 92 percent satisfaction rate for the Ministry of Justice services,
compared to 78 percent in 2022. He also revealed that more than 5 million
electronic case files have been processed as part of the Kingdom’s comprehensive
digital transformation. These figures are a continuation of the series of
achievements the Kingdom is realizing within the framework of Vision 2030.
Heavy security deployment in Syria’s Homs after killing of
couple
SANA/November 24, 2025
HOMS, Syria: The southern neighborhoods of Homs are witnessing a heavy security
presence as a curfew begins this evening. The measures aim to contain tensions
following a murder that occurred earlier in the day in the town of Zaidal, south
of the city, where a man and his wife were found killed. Internal security
forces are working to enhance safety, maintain stability, and prevent the crime
from being exploited to incite sectarian discord. Earlier this morning, Zaidal
witnessed a horrific murder, where a man and his wife were found dead in their
home. Sectarian slogans were discovered at the crime scene, suggesting an
attempt to incite strife among residents. According to a SANA correspondent, the
southern neighborhoods of Homs are currently calm, while security forces
continue efforts to manage the situation and restore stability to the city.
Simultaneously, the Homs governorate held an emergency meeting to discuss the
situation in the city and explore ways to strengthen stability and prevent any
signs of chaos. The Ministry of Interior announced that internal security forces
have raised their alert level and deployed heavily in and around Zaidal and
several areas in southern Homs to ensure security and protect stability
following the murder of the couple, and to prevent any exploitation of the
incident to stir unrest. The ministry stated on its Telegram channel that the
relevant authorities are carrying out legal procedures and collecting evidence
to identify and pursue the perpetrators, urging citizens to cooperate and adhere
to official directives.
Brigadier General Murhaf Al-Nassan, head of internal security in Homs, confirmed
earlier today that the town of Zaidal witnessed a gruesome murder in which a man
and his wife were found dead in their home. Sectarian slogans were found at the
crime scene, indicating an attempt to provoke discord among the community. In a
statement published on the Ministry of Interior’s Telegram channel, Brigadier
General Al-Nassan said that upon receiving the report, the relevant authorities
immediately initiated all necessary legal procedures, including securing the
crime scene, collecting evidence, and launching a comprehensive investigation to
uncover the circumstances of the crime, identify the perpetrators, and bring
them to justice. All measures have been taken to ensure the protection of
civilians and the stability of the area. He added: “We strongly condemn this
heinous crime and affirm that its clear aim is to ignite sectarian rhetoric and
sow discord among members of the community. We call on our honorable citizens to
remain calm, avoid any reactions, and leave the investigation to the internal
security forces, who are carrying out their duties with responsibility and
impartiality to apprehend the perpetrators and enforce security.”The internal
security forces affirmed their firm stance against any attempt to destabilize
civil peace or disrupt societal stability in the region.
Ukraine says new draft of US plan reflects Kyiv’s ‘key priorities’
AFP/23 November/2025
The latest version of the US draft plan for ending the war in Ukraine now
includes most of Kyiv’s “key priorities,” its negotiator said Sunday, after
holding a few rounds of talks in Geneva. The Ukrainian delegation assigned with
a difficult task to ensure their national interests were included in the
28-point US plan, which initially heeded to some of Moscow’s hardline demands.
“The current version of the document, although still in the final stages of
approval, already reflects most of Ukraine’s key priorities,” negotiator Rustem
Umerov, who is also the secretary of Ukraine’s security council, said. “We
greatly appreciate the constructive cooperation with the United States and their
attentive consideration of our comments, which allows us to move forward in this
joint process,” he added. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier also indicated
some Ukrainian talking points may be included. “Currently, there is an
understanding that the American proposals may include a number of elements based
on Ukrainian perspectives and critical for Ukrainian national interests,” he
said on social media. US President Donald Trump, who is known for blowing hot
and cold on Ukraine, earlier blasted Kyiv on his Truth Social platform, saying
its leadership “EXPRESSED ZERO GRATITUDE FOR OUR EFFORTS,” referring to his plan
to end the nearly four-year conflict. Umerov, a former defence minister who led
Ukraine’s team at the previous stage of negotiations in Turkey, said that the
talks in Geneva will continue Sunday. The initial version of the 28-point plan
required the invaded country to cede territory, cut its army and pledge never to
join NATO. It had also provided for some vague security guarantees and using
frozen Russian assets to rebuild the war-torn country. Trump has given Ukraine
until November 27, when the US celebrates Thanksgiving, to approve it, but also
signalled there may be some flexibility around the deadline.
U.S. President Donald Trump looks on as he
meets with the White House Task Force
Al Arabiya English/23 November ,2025
Ukrainian, US and European officials met in Geneva on Sunday to discuss a draft
plan presented by Washington to end the war in Ukraine, after Kyiv and its
allies voiced alarm over what they saw as major concessions to the aggressor
Russia. US President Donald Trump, who has championed the 28-point plan, said on
Sunday that Ukraine had not been grateful for American efforts over the war,
even as US weapons continue to flow to Kyiv via NATO and Europe keeps buying
Russian oil. In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his
country was “personally” grateful to Trump. “Ukraine is grateful to the United
States, to every American heart, and personally to President Trump for the
assistance that – starting with the Javelins – has been saving Ukrainian lives,”
Zelenskyy said in an X post. On Friday, Trump said Zelenskyy had until Thursday
to approve the plan, which calls on Ukraine to cede territory, accept limits on
its military and renounce ambitions to join NATO. For many Ukrainians, including
soldiers fighting on the front lines, such terms would amount to capitulation
after nearly four years of fighting in Europe’s deadliest conflict since World
War Two. On Saturday, Trump said the current proposal for ending the war is not
his final offer. With the US delegation led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio,
the main talks between US and Ukrainian officials got under way in Geneva on
Sunday afternoon in a stiff atmosphere at the US mission, soon after Trump
complained in a Truth Social post that Ukraine’s leadership had shown “zero
gratitude” to the US for its efforts and Europe continued to buy Russian oil.
Since the US plan was announced, there has been confusion about who was involved
in drawing it up. European allies said they had not been consulted.
As officials began meeting, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the goal was
to craft a plan acceptable to Ukraine which could be used in a negotiation with
Russia. “Right now, I’m not yet convinced we’re going to get the solution
President Trump wants in the next few days,” Merz said on the sidelines of a G20
meeting in Johannesburg. Before heading to Geneva, Rubio insisted on X that
Washington had authored the plan after remarks from some US senators suggesting
otherwise. Senator Angus King said Rubio had told senators the plan was not the
administration’s position, but “essentially the wish-list of the
Russians.”Europeans have submitted a modified version of the US plan for Ukraine
that pushes back on proposed limits to Kyiv’s armed forces and territorial
concessions, according to a document seen by Reuters on Sunday.
A perilous moment for Ukraine
The draft US plan, which includes many of Russia’s key demands and offers only
vague assurances to Ukraine of “robust security guarantees,” comes at a perilous
moment for Kyiv. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on
Sunday that Ukraine’s borders cannot be changed by force, its army cannot be
left vulnerable to attack and that the European Union must have a central role
in a Ukraine peace deal.Russia has been making gains on parts of the front,
albeit slowly and, according to Western and Ukrainian officials, the advances
have been extremely costly in terms of lives lost. The transportation hub of
Pokrovsk has been partially taken by Russian forces and Ukrainian commanders say
they do not have enough soldiers to prevent small, persistent incursions.
Ukraine’s power and gas facilities have been pummeled by drone and missile
attacks, meaning millions of people are without water, heating and power for
hours each day. Zelenskyy himself has been under pressure domestically after a
major corruption scandal broke, ensnaring some of his ministers and people in
his close entourage. He has warned that Ukraine risked losing its dignity and
freedom – or Washington’s backing – over the US plan.
Handing the advantage to Russia?
Zelenskyy welcomed the diplomatic efforts in Geneva, saying that he hoped they
would lead to a result. Kyiv had taken heart in recent weeks after the United
States tightened sanctions on Russia’s oil sector, the main source of funding
for the war, while its own long-range drone and missile strikes have caused
considerable damage to the industry.But the draft peace plan appears to hand the
diplomatic advantage back to Moscow. Ukraine relies heavily on US intelligence
and weapons to sustain its war against Russia. Rubio and US Special Envoy Steve
Witkoff arrived on Sunday for the hastily convened Geneva meeting. “We hope to
iron out the final details... to draft a deal that is advantageous to them
(Ukraine),” a US official said. “Nothing will be agreed on until the two
presidents get together,” the official said, referring to Trump and Zelenskyy.
Europeans draft plan based on US proposal
US Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll was also in Geneva for the talks, where
Ukraine’s delegation is led by the head of Zelenskyy’s office, Andriy Yermak.
Yermak said his delegation met with the national security advisors from Britain,
France and Germany and would next hold talks with the United States. European
and other Western leaders have said the US peace plan was a basis for talks to
end the war but needed “additional work.” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
said he would speak to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Monday about
Ukraine and share the outcome with European and US allies. Putin has described
the plan as the basis for a resolution to the conflict, but Moscow may object to
some proposals in the scheme, which requires its forces to pull back from some
areas they have captured.
Ukraine peace plan darkens the mood across a war-torn nation
AP/November 23, 2025
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky says the plan represents one of the war’s
most difficult moments, pledging to work with Washington but to seek changes.
Mass graves and bullet-scarred churches mark the torment of the Kyiv suburb of
Bucha under Russian occupation, where traumatized residents now face a new
anguish: a US-led peace proposal that would offer a blanket post-war amnesty for
the perpetrators of atrocities. For the survivors of Bucha, where hundreds of
Ukrainians were killed in 2022, the proposed amnesty is perceived less as a
reconciliation than as a source of disillusionment. It’s a feeling being felt in
other communities and reflects broader concerns across Ukraine about the
implications of absolving Russia, and its troops and officials, of alleged
crimes. The town’s Church of Andrew the Apostle stands beside a mass grave where
civilians — some shot dead in the street, others showing signs of torture — are
buried. Father Andriy Halavin, who leads the parish in the still-damaged church,
said any amnesty would legitimize further violence as the war grinds on.“It’s a
green light,” he said after holding Sunday service. “It means you can keep
bombing, keep executing soldiers, all with confidence that nothing will
happen.”The mass killings were uncovered when Russian forces withdrew from the
area after their failed attempt to seize Kyiv during the full-scale invasion in
2022. Father Andriy said many perpetrators have already been identified.
Justice, he insisted, is not about revenge but about proving that accountability
still matters — especially as Ukrainians are being asked to weigh painful
trade-offs for peace. The proposed 28-point peace deal followed secret
negotiations by envoys of Russia and US President Donald Trump. Ukraine would
relinquish territory beyond land currently controlled by Moscow, reduce its
military, and give up on NATO membership. In return, Kyiv would receive
international security guarantees and reconstruction assistance. At Bucha’s
military cemetery, Vira Katanenko, 66, visited the grave of her son Andrii, who
was killed in battle in the Donetsk region last year. For her, the peace plan
and the proposed amnesty are unthinkable. “I can’t accept that,” she said. “They
want forgiveness for all war crimes, including Bucha? That’s horrifying. Let
them come here — let Trump himself come here. Let him and his family come, see
our pain, and maybe then they’ll change their minds.”European leaders insist
peace talks must include Ukraine and protect its sovereignty. Ukraine’s
President Volodymyr Zelensky says the plan represents one of the war’s most
difficult moments, pledging to work with Washington but to seek changes. A short
drive from Bucha, mourners gathered for the funeral of serviceman Ruslan
Zhyhunov, a 41-year-old machine gunner killed in eastern Ukraine. Uncertainty
surrounding the peace plan weighed heavily among relatives and neighbors as they
watched the burial in the rain — another reminder, they said, of how fragile any
promised future now feels. “How can you exchange the territory of your ancestors
for something? For what?” asked Andrii Honcharuk, a 71-year-old retired
territorial defense volunteer, who attended the service dressed in uniform. “The
war will not end soon. We will still be dying for a long time.”
Rubio lands in Geneva for talks on Ukraine plan
Agence France Presse/November 23, 2025
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Geneva Sunday morning for
discussions on a U.S. plan to end the Ukraine war, after Washington signalled
room for negotiation on the controversial proposal. Trump has given Ukraine
until November 27 to approve the plan to end the nearly four-year conflict, but
Kyiv is seeking changes to a draft that accepts some of Russia's hardline
demands. Rubio, whose reported comments about the plan have thrown an
extraordinary element of confusion into efforts to negotiate an end to the war,
landed shortly before 9:30 am (0830 GMT), according to AFP journalists on site.
Ukrainian, European and Canadian officials were also gathering in the Swiss
city, although the format for the talks remained unclear.The U.S. plan to end
the Ukraine war has drawn pushback from Kyiv, its allies and U.S. lawmakers
ahead of Sunday talks. The 28-point plan would require the invaded country to
cede territory, cut its army and pledge never to join NATO. Trump told reporters
Saturday it was not his final offer and he hoped to stop the fighting "one way
or the other". Trump's special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, speaking on Fox
News, described the plan as "a work in progress". Ukraine's European allies, who
were not included in drafting the proposal, said the plan requires "additional
work" as they scrambled at the G20 summit in South Africa to come up with a
counter-offer to strengthen Kyiv's position. Washington meanwhile insisted
Saturday the proposal was official U.S. policy, denying claims by a group of US
senators that Rubio told them the document was a Russian "wish list". Rubio
himself insisted on social media late Saturday that "the peace proposal was
authored by the U.S." "It is offered as a strong framework for ongoing
negotiations. It is based on input from the Russian side. But it is also based
on previous and ongoing input from Ukraine."
Ukrainian dignity not negotiable
Diplomatic envoy Steve Witkoff and U.S. Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll were also
also scheduled to take part on the U.S. side, while the Ukrainian delegation is
headed by Andriy Yermak, a top aide of President Volodymyr Zelensky.
"Consultations will take place with partners regarding the steps needed to end
the war," Zelensky said. "Our representatives know how
to defend Ukraine's national interests and what is necessary to prevent Russia
from launching a third invasion," having annexed Crimea in 2014 and mounted a
full-scale offensive in 2022, he said. Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer
said the senior officials would meet in Geneva "to take things further forward",
stressing the importance of solid "security guarantees" for Ukraine under any
settlement. Starmer said his national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, would
be in Geneva. Italian diplomatic sources said Rome was sending national security
advisor Fabrizio Saggio. Security officials from the EU, France and Germany will
also attend, French President Emmanuel Macron told a news conference at the G20,
while Canada's national security advisor was also expected. "There is no
scenario in which Ukraine's dignity and liberty is negotiable," Alice Rufo of
France's deputy armed forces minister, told French radio Sunday before heading
to Geneva.
'Plan needs more work' -
Western leaders at the G20 summit said that the U.S. plan was "a basis which
will require additional work". "We are clear on the principle that borders must
not be changed by force. We are also concerned by the proposed limitations on
Ukraine's armed forces, which would leave Ukraine vulnerable to future attack,"
the leaders of key European countries, Canada and Japan said in a joint
statement. Macron said said the plan contained points that had to be more
broadly discussed as they concerned European allies, such as Ukraine's NATO ties
and Russian frozen assets held in the EU.
He said the 30 countries in the "coalition of the willing" supporting Kyiv will
hold a video call on Tuesday following the Geneva talks. "We all want peace and
we are agreed. We want the peace to be strong and lasting," he said, insisting a
settlement must "take into account the security of all Europeans". Zelensky said
in an address to the nation on Friday that Ukraine faces one of the most
challenging moments in its history, adding that he would propose "alternatives"
to Trump's plan. "The pressure on Ukraine is one of the hardest. Ukraine may
face a very difficult choice: either the loss of dignity or the risk of losing a
key partner," Zelensky said, referring to a possible break with Washington.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said the blueprint could "lay the foundation"
for a final peace settlement, but threatened more land seizures if Ukraine
walked away from negotiations.
Colombia says 17 minors rescued from Jewish sect accused of
abuse
AFP/November 23, 2025
BOGOTA: Colombian authorities said Sunday they had rescued 17 minors from
members of Lev Tahor, an ultra-Orthodox Jewish sect under investigation for
alleged child sex abuse. Lev Tahor, which practices a form of Judaism in which
women wear black tunics covering them from head to toe, has been the subject of
investigations for the mistreatment of minors in several countries. “We have
rescued 17 boys, girls and teens,” the country’s immigration service said on X,
with pictures of some of the children, their faces blurred or shielded from
view. “International alerts have been issued over crimes against minors
associated with this community.” The Lev Tahor sect was formed in the 1980s, and
some members settled in Guatemala in 2013. Authorities estimate that the
community is made up of roughly 50 families from Guatemala, the United States,
Canada and other countries. Lev Tahor also has run into problems with officials
in Mexico and Canada. In December 2024, Guatemalan authorities rescued 160
minors from a farm occupied by Lev Tahor, alleging they were being abused. At
the time, public prosecutor Dimas Jimenez told a press conference that the raid
was carried out due to suspicions of “forced pregnancy, mistreatment of minors
and rape.”
50 children kidnapped from Nigerian Catholic school
escape captivity
AFP/23 November/2025
Fifty of the more than 300 children snatched by gunmen from a Catholic school in
Nigeria have escaped their captors, a Christian group said on Sunday. Gunmen on
Friday raided St Mary’s co-education school in Niger state, taking 303 children
and 12 teachers in one of the largest mass kidnappings in Nigeria. The abduction
came days after gunmen stormed a secondary school in neighboring Kebbi state,
abducting 25 girls. “We have received some good news as fifty pupils escaped and
have reunited with their parents,” said the Christian Association of Nigeria in
a statement, adding they escaped between Friday and Saturday. The number of boys
and girls - aged between eight and 18 years - kidnapped from St Mary’s is almost
half of the school’s student population of over 600. There remain 251 primary
school pupils, 14 secondary students and 12 teachers still in captivity, the
statement said. The Nigerian government has yet to comment on the number of
students and teachers abducted. “As much as we receive the return of these 50
children that escaped with some sigh of relief, I urge you all to continue in
your prayers for the rescue and safe return of the remaining victims,” CAN
chairman in Niger State, Reverend Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, who is also the school
owner, said in the statement. Mounting security fears in Africa’s most populous
nation have sparked a wave of school closures across the country. Since
extremist militants kidnapped nearly 300 schoolgirls from Chibok town more than
a decade ago, Nigeria has struggled with a spate of mass kidnappings, mostly
carried out by criminal gangs looking for ransom payments. Gunmen often attack
remote boarding schools where they know a lack of security presence will make
for soft targets. Most victims are released after negotiations.
‘Deep sorrow’
Pope Leo XIV on Sunday made “a heartfelt appeal for the immediate release of the
hostages.”He expressed his “deep sorrow, especially for the many young boys and
girls kidnapped and for their anguished families,” at the end of the Angelus
prayer. The two abduction operations and an attack on a church in the west of
the country, in which two people were killed and dozens abducted, came as US
President Donald Trump threatened military action over what he called the
persecution of Christians by extremists in Nigeria. When asked about the recent
attacks and kidnappings on Fox News Radio, Trump said “what’s happening in
Nigeria is a disgrace.”The local Catholic diocese said in a statement late
Saturday that the school “attackers operated aggressively and without
interruption for nearly three hours, moving through dormitories.” Nearly a week
after their capture, two dozen school girls in neighboring Kebbi state are still
missing.Security forces have identified locations where they are thought to be
held, according to a security source. Only one of the 25 girls managed to escape
early in the week. Nigeria is also dealing with a deadly extremist insurgency in
the northeast of the country, where the violence has killed more than 40,000
people and displaced around two million since it erupted in 2019. Ayesha Yesufu,
co-founder of the #BringBackOurGirls group movement which led the campaign for
the release of the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram 11 years ago, said
kidnappings continues because “authorities are doing nothing” to curb the
crisis. “They’re more interested in the propaganda of...not looking inept and
incompetent, rather than actually being interested in the protection of rights
and properties,” she told AFP. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Nigerian chief of World
Trade Organization, posted on X that “As a mother I am greatly saddened by the
kidnappings in our country particularly of our children and teachers from places
of learning.”
The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources on
November 23-24/2025
Can AI be Asia’s next growth engine?
Lee Jong-Wha/Arab News/November 23, 2025
Two decades after globalization fueled a global economic boom, growth has
shifted to a more subdued path, where it is likely to remain for the foreseeable
future. Beyond the immediate shock of fragmenting trade and investment ties — a
result of rising geopolitical tensions, particularly between the US and China —
lie structural headwinds, including population aging, stagnant productivity and
the growing costs of inequality and natural disaster. These challenges strike at
the heart of Asia’s growth model.
Not only is fragmentation causing Asia’s export-oriented growth engine to
sputter; rapid population aging is tightening the labor supply and compounding
fiscal pressures across the region. The share of people aged 65 and above in
Asia will nearly double by mid-century, from 9.8 percent in 2023 to 18.6 percent
by 2050. Japan and South Korea are already “super-aged” societies, with more
than 20 percent of the population aged 65 or older, and China’s population has
begun to decline. India and some Southeast Asian economies still enjoy a
demographic dividend, but that window is closing quickly.
But demographics need not be destiny. Using new digital technologies — in
particular, artificial intelligence — Asia can invigorate productivity growth,
ease labor shortages and extend people’s working lives. After all, like
electricity and the internet, AI is a general-purpose technology with the
potential to transform production, services and innovation. While early evidence
indicates that AI can improve worker productivity, enable the automation of a
growing range of tasks and spur the creation of new products and services, the
technology’s broader macroeconomic impact remains uncertain. Some analyses
suggest that AI could raise global productivity growth by 0.8 to 1.3 percentage
points annually over the next decade, while others offer more conservative
estimates.
Moreover, gains from AI are likely to be concentrated among a few leading firms
and sectors at first. Broader productivity gains often take time to emerge and
productivity might even decline in the short term as firms bear the high costs
of adoption, training and integration — a pattern known as the “productivity
J-curve.”As with previous technological revolutions, AI’s impact will ultimately
depend on countries’ capacity to absorb and apply it effectively. For now, this
capacity varies widely across Asia. According to the International Monetary
Fund’s AI Preparedness Index, advanced economies such as Australia, Japan and
Singapore rank above their peers elsewhere, based on indicators like digital
infrastructure, economic integration, regulation and labor-market policies. The
region’s large emerging economies, including China, India and Indonesia, also
perform better than their peers. But low-income economies like Bangladesh and
Cambodia are lagging.
Like electricity and the internet, AI is a general-purpose technology with the
potential to transform production, services and innovation. Given the speed and
scale of the transition ahead, and the gathering growth headwinds, all Asian
economies should be working to strengthen their ability to harness AI. To
understand what must be done, it is worth revisiting the Nobel Prize-winning
research of Philippe Aghion, Peter Howitt and Joel Mokyr. Aghion and Howitt
formalized Joseph Schumpeter’s idea of creative destruction — the process by
which new technologies replace old ones — while Mokyr, drawing on history, found
that lasting progress also requires openness to new ideas and a commitment to
scientific inquiry. Together, they show that sustained prosperity depends on
continuous technological progress supported by an enabling culture and
institutional framework.
For Asian countries, the lesson is two-fold. First, they must foster the skills
people need to make use of AI. Investment in digital literacy and science,
technology, engineering and mathematics education can help to prepare people for
the transformation ahead, while lifelong learning and reskilling programs can
smooth the adjustment for those already in the workforce. With AI enabling the
automation of a growing range of routine and complex tasks, complementary
technical, digital and social skills are essential.
Such programs should be broadly accessible and complemented by strengthened
social protection systems and structural reforms that reduce labor-market
dualism, thereby ensuring that good, secure jobs remain widely available.
Otherwise, job polarization and income disparities could widen and growth will
become more imbalanced and less resilient. Beyond fostering the skills people
need to make use of AI, Asian governments must make it possible for people to
apply those skills creatively. This means investing in research and development,
building reliable and broadly accessible digital infrastructure and secure data
systems, and designing regulatory frameworks that ensure ethical AI use. Open
competition, cross-border research collaboration and greater access to finance
for startups can then ensure that innovation is not confined to a few firms or
countries. Such inclusion is vital: progress demands that new ideas and young
firms have the tools and opportunities to challenge incumbents.The stakes are
high. If AI adoption remains limited to a few frontier economies or sectors,
technology gaps would widen, with far-reaching economic, social and political
consequences. But if Asia harnesses human creativity and AI tools effectively,
it can build resilient, innovative and inclusive economies capable of overcoming
current challenges and unlocking new sources of growth.
**Lee Jong-Wha, Professor of Economics at Korea University, is a former chief
economist at the Asian Development Bank and a former senior adviser for
international economic affairs to the president of South Korea. ©Project
Syndicate
How regional reforms are boosting investor confidence
Zaid M. Belbagi/Arab News/November 23, 2025
The Middle East and North Africa region is experiencing a remarkable upswing in
mergers and acquisitions. Between January and September, it recorded 649 deals
worth more than $69 billion. This is a 23 percent jump in volume. According to
regional transaction trackers, cross-border deals accounted for about 76 percent
of the total value, highlighting a clear surge in foreign appetite for MENA
assets. This increase is not a coincidence. It reflects a clear shift in the
region’s regulatory and policy environment, with governments actively de-risking
their markets and signaling long-term stability to global investors.
For years, investors viewed parts of the region with caution due to opaque
regulations, slow licensing processes and limited clarity around ownership and
dispute resolution. But the landscape is changing rapidly. For example, Saudi
Arabia’s new investment law, introduced earlier this year, has streamlined
registration procedures and reduced administrative hurdles. Oman’s establishment
of a dedicated investment court in March was another important shift, offering
faster, clearer handling of commercial disputes. As such, MENA nations clearly
want to develop their markets to become easier to navigate, more transparent and
open to global capital. The effects of these changes are already visible in the
sectors attracting the most capital. The chemicals, advanced technologies,
industrial and digital infrastructure sectors are leading the region’s deal
value. One prominent example is the $16.5 billion acquisition of a 64 percent
stake in Borouge in the UAE, one of the largest chemicals transactions globally
this year. In Saudi Arabia, investor confidence in the digital economy continues
to accelerate. Tamara’s $2.4 billion debt facility, finalized in the third
quarter, shows growing conviction in the Kingdom’s fintech sector. Meanwhile, a
$2.2 billion purchase of a 40 percent stake in Khazna Data Center in Abu Dhabi
reflects the region’s push for digital sovereignty and artificial intelligence
capacity.
MENA nations clearly want to develop their markets to become easier to navigate,
more transparent and open to global capital.
Adding to this is the prominent role of Gulf sovereign entities, which deployed
about $21 billion in transactions in the first half of 2025 alone. North Africa
is benefiting from the improved environment as well, though with a wider
variation in speed and execution. The investment authority in Egypt has already
boasted that the introduction of a single digital portal this year has brought
down the processing time and increased the visibility of future opportunities.
Morocco is also gradually establishing itself as a regional industrial
destination, especially in the areas of renewable energy and the production of
motor vehicles, facilitated by an improved regulatory transparency to foreign
investors. However, even amid these increasing advances, the region is still
grappling with structural challenges. One of the main concerns remains
implementation. New laws have been rolled out t impressive speed but enforcement
remains uneven, with some markets still hampered by slow or inconsistent
administrative processes. Without a concerted push to strengthen institutional
capacity, through deeper digitalization, more assertive competition authorities
and courts capable of resolving disputes efficiently, the current surge in
investor confidence risks becoming unsustainable.Another structural challenge
arises from the heavy involvement of state-linked actors. Although sovereign
wealth funds have played a crucial role in launching the current mergers and
acquisitions cycle, long-term competitiveness requires a balanced ecosystem
where private investment grows alongside state capital. Without this balance,
market concentration could limit innovation and competition. The current
situation shows that the overall direction is clear. The region is steadily
shifting away from reactive, ad hoc economic management toward a more
structured, rules-based investment environment. But this evolution also reveals
another layer to the story. While regulatory reforms and sovereign-led
strategies have undeniably strengthened market sentiment, part of today’s deal
flow is being shaped by necessity rather than confidence.
The Saudi Public Investment Fund’s plan to list several portfolio companies in
2025 — an intentional move to offload mature assets, recycle capital and
redirect liquidity into higher-priority Vision 2030 sectors — underscores this
dynamic.
At the same time, a growing share of major mergers and acquisitions activity
across the region involves distressed assets, as firms that once relied on cheap
short-term debt now struggle with expensive refinancing and covenant pressures,
prompting forced sales and restructurings. This has opened the door to strategic
buyers. The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and OMV have expanded their
petrochemical footprints through acquisitions such as Borouge and Nova
Chemicals. Egypt’s sovereign fund offloaded a 39 percent stake in seven
prominent hotels, including Cairo’s Mena House and Luxor’s Winter Palace, to
Talaat Moustafa Group in an approximately $800 million deal aimed explicitly at
deleveraging its hospitality arm. In other words, reform-driven confidence
coexists with a discrete but significant wave of distress-driven consolidation.
Looking ahead, the MENA region stands at a pivotal crossroads. Reforms,
sovereign investment strategies and regulatory shifts have laid the groundwork
for a more predictable, rules-based market, attracting both local and
international capital. The challenge now is to sustain it, turning today’s
achievements into a long-term investment cycle marked by strong institutional
strength.
• Zaid M. Belbagi is a political commentator and an adviser to private clients
between London and the Gulf Cooperation Council.
X: @Moulay_Zaid
Iraq deserves an electoral system that puts the country first
Dalia Al-Aqidi/Arab News/November 24/2025
Iraq’s parliamentary elections this month brought familiar headlines, familiar
winners and familiar frustrations. For months, political leaders promised
change, reform and a new direction. But when the votes were counted, the country
found itself exactly where it had been for the previous two decades: facing the
same political forces that have dominated Iraqi life since 2005. The expectation
of change collided once again with the reality of a system designed to reproduce
itself. According to the Independent High Electoral Commission, the coalition
led by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani secured 46 seats, making it the
largest bloc in parliament. Former Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki’s State of Law
Coalition won 29 seats, reinforcing its long-standing weight in the political
structure. Sunni representation also saw notable shifts: Mohammed Al-Halbousi’s
Progress Party won 10 seats in Baghdad and 35 nationwide, outperforming Al-Maliki
by about 72,000 votes in the capital. In the Kurdish region, the Kurdistan
Democratic Party emerged as the strongest force, while the Patriotic Union of
Kurdistan maintained much of its traditional influence. The outcome for the
losing side was equally revealing. Independents, reformist voices and candidates
tied to the October protest movement could not gain meaningful ground. Civil
activists and smaller secular parties were sidelined yet again by entrenched
political machines with money, networks and long-standing alliances. This
election did not alter who holds power; it merely rearranged the same players
across the same seats.
For many Iraqis, the absence of real change was expected. They know that
elections cannot repair a system whose foundations are compromised. A central
obstacle is the continued participation of parties linked to militias. In any
functioning democracy, groups with armed wings would be barred from competing.
In Iraq, however, several of the strongest political blocs are tied to militias
that exert influence through pressure, intimidation and manufactured loyalty.
The result is a political arena where ideas compete on ballots but militias
compete on the ground.
This undermines confidence in the very concept of elections. It tells ordinary
citizens that the ballot box is not the final authority. When people believe
that “the results are negotiated long before election day,” the democratic
process becomes little more than a formality.
Even the campaigning process reflected the difficulties of building a real
democracy. Across the country, candidates were seen distributing gifts, phone
credit, fuel coupons and even promises of public sector jobs. Such practices
might seem shocking elsewhere, but in Iraq they have sadly become the norm. They
prey on the economic pressures weighing on ordinary families, reducing political
engagement to a basic transaction. A marketplace of favors, gifts and short-term
promises replaces campaigns that should focus on ideas, programs and
qualifications. As many Iraqis bluntly explained on local television stations:
“People don’t choose candidates, they choose whoever gives them something before
election day.”Civil activists and smaller secular parties were sidelined yet
again by entrenched political machines. This culture of political patronage goes
even further. Many candidates hired large numbers of young people to run local
offices, monitor polling stations and build grassroots outreach teams. These
workers were promised payment, bonuses and long-term employment in the campaign.
But after the votes came in, several losing candidates simply shut their offices
overnight. Some walked away without paying a single dinar to the people who
worked for them. These stories spread widely on social media, reinforcing the
belief that many politicians treat ordinary Iraqis as disposable tools rather
than partners in democracy.
Another big problem is the election law itself. It has been changed many times,
yet it still does not create real competition. Instead of giving independent
candidates a fair chance, the law has been shaped over the years to protect the
big political blocs. The way districts are divided, how votes are counted and
how seats are assigned is complicated and easy for powerful parties to
manipulate. Many Iraqis even joke that “only the parties that wrote the law
understand it,” and they may be right. In the end, the law is designed in a way
that keeps the same old leaders in charge.
With a broken system shaped by flawed rules, militia pressure and patronage
networks, turnout becomes a measure of public resignation rather than
enthusiasm. The participation rate, about 56 percent, may seem reasonable on the
surface, but it hides widespread disappointment. Many young Iraqis refused to
vote, believing their voice would not matter. Despite these problems, it is
essential to acknowledge how far Iraq has come since the days of Saddam Hussein.
Under his rule, elections were not elections at all. Saddam received 100 percent
of the votes, not because he was popular but because no one dared to vote
otherwise. Politics was controlled by fear and the nation lived under a culture
of absolute obedience. Today, by contrast, citizens can criticize leaders,
express opinions and run for office. These freedoms should not be dismissed.
But comparing today’s Iraq to its old dictatorship is not enough. People in this
troubled country deserve more than just the end of tyranny; they deserve a
system that brings real accountability, authentic leadership and real hope.
Democracy is not just about casting a vote; it only works when those votes truly
make a difference.
The road ahead is long but it is not hopeless. Iraq’s young generation is
educated, connected to the world and tired of the same old political fights.
Young people want institutions that protect their future instead of repeating
the same power games. They want a political culture built on serving the public,
not handing out favors. They want leaders who can think beyond their parties,
sects or militias. For democracy to grow, Iraq needs a system where the rules
are fair, the competition is real and the state controls the use of force, not
militias. This requires election laws that open the door for new voices and make
it harder for powerful groups to manipulate the process. It needs candidates who
respect voters instead of treating them like customers to be bought. And it
needs real accountability for those who exploit workers, break their promises or
misuse the election system.
A better Iraq is possible. It depends on one thing: leaders who put the country
first.
*Dalia Al-Aqidi is executive director at the American Center for Counter
Extremism.
Trump must announce US strategy for Middle East as
region reaches inflection point -
Eric Navarro/Jerusalem Post/November 23/2025
In geopolitics a strong brand can create momentum where bureaucratic inertia and
cultural resistance would otherwise dominate. The Abraham Accords did not
successfully take hold by accident. The Middle East is again at an inflection
point that is at once dangerous, fluid, and ripe with possibility. On the heels
of US President Donald Trump’s talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
(MBS), the moment has arrived for the United States to impose clarity on a
region too often defined by drifting policy and reactive crisis management. That
clarity will not emerge organically. It must be shaped, articulated, and
championed by a leader who understands the power of narrative, symbolism, and
brand. President Donald Trump has that rare combination of strategic instinct
and marketing fluency. He should use it to publicly announce a coherent grand
strategy for the Middle East, one with a compelling name, a memorable identity,
and a vision ambitious enough to match the stakes. In geopolitics, as in
business, a strong brand can create momentum where bureaucratic inertia and
cultural resistance would otherwise dominate. The Abraham Accords did not
successfully take hold by accident. They succeeded, in part, because they
sounded like something meant to endure, something anchored in shared heritage
and shared destiny. President Trump instinctively understood that framing.
Today, as the United States is working to extend the normalization agreements to
Saudi Arabia and others, it should deploy that same instinct to set the terms of
the regional conversation. As examples, two strong naming constructs are the
“Oasis Initiative” and the “Middle East Treaty Organization (METO)". Each
signals a different vector of American strategy, but both serve the essential
purpose of rallying disparate actors around a shared vision. The Oasis
Initiative is the more poetic and imaginative of the two. It conjures up the
creation of life-giving water in a barren landscape. It implies renewal, hope,
and escape from the drought of conflict. For Arab audiences, the metaphor
resonates immediately
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Pursuit of stability
For Israelis, it evokes the region’s longstanding pursuit of stability and
prosperity. For American audiences, it casts President Trump not merely as a
dealmaker but as a builder of order, someone who can carve an oasis out of the
geopolitical desert.
METO, by contrast, is strategic, muscular, and direct. It would signal the
creation of a regional collective-security architecture modeled after NATO. The
idea itself is not new, but the political environment has never been better
aligned to make it real. Arab states quietly cooperate with Israel against
common enemies. The Red Sea and Gulf waterways face similar threats from the
Houthis, from smuggling networks, and from Iranian naval expansion. A
treaty-based organization would transform ad hoc cooperation into durable
alignment. For President Trump, METO would be a legacy-defining achievement: the
creation of the first major US-led security institution in the Middle East since
the United States Central Command (CENTCOM).
Optimism or rigor
Whether he chooses the optimism of the Oasis Initiative or the strategic rigor
of METO, the act of publicly announcing a branded grand strategy is what truly
matters. A name, repeated often, binds people to a common frame. It gives
foreign leaders something to align with and domestic stakeholders something to
debate. Most importantly, it forces the US bureaucracy to orient its actions
around a presidentially defined mission, instead of drifting agency-by-agency.
The president’s unique advantage is that he is not just a decision-maker; he is
also a showman. He understands how to turn ideas into movements. When he
elevates an initiative with a name, a rallying cry, and a clear story, it enters
the bloodstream of global politics. Nations begin to calculate around it. The
media begins to frame events through it. Allies begin to treat it as a
measurement of American engagement.
The essence of strategy
That is the essence of grand strategy. It is not merely about having a plan; it
is also about creating the political and psychological conditions that make the
plan’s achievement feel inevitable. After meeting with the crown prince, there
is no better moment for a public declaration. The region is searching for
direction. Saudi Arabia seeks a pathway to normalization that preserves its
national dignity. Israel seeks guarantees that anchor it in the Sunni orbit. The
US seeks a coalition to contain Iran and stabilize the Red Sea corridor. These
goals currently converge, requiring a unifying brand to carry them forward.
President Trump can be the one to provide it. He should step up to the podium,
name the vision, and unleash the full force of his marketing skills on the cause
of regional transformation. With a strong brand and a clear strategy, Trump can
turn the possibility of a new Middle East into a reality.
** The writer is director of military and strategic programs at Middle East
Forum.
Today’s Republican divide: The Christian theological
battle over Israel - opinion
Daniel Rowe/Jerusalem Post/November 23/2025
'If you’re a young man stuck at home, struggling, not getting a job, not making
friends, not dating, don’t become an antisemite. Don’t blame 0.2% of the world
for your problems.' - Charlie Kirk
The surging antisemitism among certain quarters of the American Right is the
resurrection of an ancient theological framework that casts Jews as uniquely
demonic. If Jews and their allies hope to thwart far-Right voices growing among
its constituents, they must understand the theological battle that has begun to
set roots in the Republican Party. Christian Zionists, including Ted Cruz
and Marco Rubio, represent one outlook of Republican constituents, while others
have begun to give credence to claims made by rising anti-Israel voices within
or external to the party, voices exemplified by the likes of Tucker Carlson and
Candace Owens.This battle is based on fundamentally different Christian
understandings of Jews and Judaism that have competed for centuries. The
question at stake is an old one from a Christian theological perspective: Did
God abandon His covenant with the Jewish people? Are Jews a rejected people?
Miraculous return
This theological framework, which began in England with John Nelson Darby in the
early 19th century, gained popularity in America and views Israel’s rebirth as
the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. When Jews miraculously returned to their
ancestral homeland after two millennia of statelessness, precisely as biblical
prophets foretold, dispensationalists saw divine validation of their reading of
scripture In stark contrast stand those adhering to “replacement theology” or “supersessionism,”
which has dominated Orthodox and Catholic traditions for centuries until
recently. This view holds that the Church replaced Israel as God’s chosen people
after the Jews rejected Jesus. According to this perspective, Jews bear
collective responsibility for deicide – the killing of God incarnate – and
thereby abrogated their covenant, which transferred to Christians. The
implications of replacement theology are staggering. Once you’ve emotionally
determined that Jews are collectively guilty of killing God, your brain will
always find ways to portray them as evil or aligning with Satan. As I often
explain to Jewish audiences, if you hate someone, your brain will always
rationalize that hatred, interpreting everything they do through that emotional
lens. Even when they give charity, haters will claim they’re merely trying to
look good.
Blaming the Jews
This framework established a deeply problematic association between Jews and the
demonic image that is surfacing again these days. When the Black Death swept
Europe, Jews were blamed. When a Christian child died mysteriously in the Middle
Ages, Jews were accused of ritual murder. When capitalism seemed exploitative,
Jews were branded greedy capitalists. When Communism threatened the West, Jews
were labeled Bolsheviks. In modern examples, Jews and Israel have been blamed
for the COVID-19 pandemic. The pattern is consistent: Whatever your society
considers most evil: Jews become its embodiment. The Jew becomes the scapegoat
onto which society projects its darkest fears. This style of theology leads to
antisemitism of the worst kind and has been present since the very beginnings of
the Church itself. It is a social pathology akin to an addiction. A sober
society can relapse into mass self-justifying Jew demonization extremely
quickly. Sixty years ago, the Second Vatican Council attempted to address this
toxic theology with its 1965 Nostra Aetate declaration, which absolved Jews of
collective guilt for Jesus’s crucifixion. Early drafts wanted to explicitly
state that God’s covenant with Jews remained intact and leaned strongly towards
the dispensationalist view. Still, this document faced fierce opposition,
particularly from Arab Catholic leaders who feared it implied support for
Israel. The resulting compromise created theological space for Catholics to view
Jews more positively, whilst being sufficiently ambiguous as to allow
traditionalists to interpret it less favorably.
Today’s conservative movement finds itself caught in this theological crossfire.
Traditional Reagan-era alignment with dispensationalists, both evangelical and
others, brought reliable support for Israel, but the growing populist wing
increasingly embraces the old supersessionist framework.
Carlson exemplifies this tension perfectly. In a recent interview with Nick
Fuentes, Carlson insisted he’s not antisemitic because he rejects the idea that
someone is guilty merely for being born Jewish. He stands against antisemitism
based on race.
Demonizing Jews
Yet in the same conversation, he demonized Jews for administering “collective
punishment” of Palestinians and called Christian Zionism a “heresy,” going so
far as to call Senator Ted Cruz, former president George W. Bush, and the
ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, Christian Zionists who have been “seized by
this brain virus.”
Despite claiming to “love everybody,” Carlson singles out Christians who support
Israel as being people he hates. Cruz responded to the comments while speaking
at the recent Republican Jewish Coalition event and said that he had seen more
antisemitism on the Right in the last six months than he had seen in his entire
life, and that this is a poison in the party and the country. He went as far as
to say that America, and the Republican Party in particular, is “facing an
existential crisis.” Intriguingly, the Carlson-Fuentes podcast moved on from
attacking the Jewish collective to a seemingly unrelated topic of disaffected
young men seeking explanations for societal dysfunction. But the juxtaposition
was not a coincidence. Struggling with addiction of all sorts, unemployment, and
social isolation, many find a convenient framework that provides a target for
their frustrations in old-school replacement theology.
Antisemitism dynamic
Charlie Kirk recognized this dynamic when addressing antisemitism among young
conservatives: “If you’re a young man stuck at home, struggling, not getting a
job, not making friends, dating not going well, don’t become an antisemite.
Don’t blame 0.2% of the world for your problems.”
For Jews navigating this terrain, understanding these Christian theological
debates provides crucial context. The anti-Israel sentiment among some
conservatives doesn’t emerge from a political vacuum but from centuries-old
theological frameworks being revived and repurposed for contemporary grievances.
We must recognize that we’re witnessing a profound spiritual struggle whose
outcome will determine the future of American-Israeli relations and the safety
of Jewish communities worldwide. This is not just a political realignment.
**The writer, a rabbi, currently serves as the educational visionary of Aish and
is known for his ability to tackle difficult topics. He is an expert on Jewish
and Muslim history and has given several talks on the subject of interfaith
dynamics.
Selected Face Book & X tweets for November
22/2025
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