English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For  October 06/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
If the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away
Saint Matthew 24/32-44/:”‘From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. ‘But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on October 05-06/2025
The “Government of the Advisors’ Battalion” at Baabda Palace Complements Hezbollah’s Battalions of Civilians, Media, and Clans/Elias Bejjani/June 11/2025
Saint Francis of Assisi – Patron Saint of the Environment and All Creatures/Elias Bejjani/October 04/2025
Elias Bejjani/Text and Video/Arabic and English: The Conspiracy of Gebran Bassil, Hezbollah, and Amal Against the Electoral Rights of the Lebanese Diaspora
Elias Bejjani/Bkirki and the Maronite Bishops Are Called Upon to Expel Bassil from the Church and Punish Him with Excommunication 02 October/2025
Lebanon crooner turned fugitive militant surrenders himself to army: judicial source
Sallam: "I Await Tomorrow's Session" - Geagea Decisively States: "The 2026 Elections Are Existential"
Baabda Sources: Aoun Will Work to Avoid a Vote
A Message of Defiance from "Risalat" to the State
Hezbollah Says it Holds Fire to Stop Israel’s ‘Brutality’/Beirut: Asharq Al Awsat/October 05/2025/
Raad: Our Resistance Has Recovered and Will Remain With the People in the Battle for Right and Freedom
From "Support for Al-Aqsa Flood" to "Support" for Surrender/Jean Al-Fghali/Nidaa Al-Watan/October 06/2025
The Military and Politics in the World and Lebanon/Hisham Bou Nassif/Nidaa Al-Watan/October 6, 2025
Archbishop Audi: Nations Are Built Through Dialogue Between Equal Citizens Under the Nation's Flag and the Army's Protection

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on October 05-06/2025
Trump says Hamas will face ‘complete obliteration’ if it refuses to cede power in Gaza
Rubio Says Gaza War Not Yet Over, Priority is to Get Hostages Out
Israel army chief warns fighting in Gaza will resume if talks fail
Israel strikes Gaza as Palestinians pin hopes on Trump’s Gaza plan
Hamas Keen to Reach Deal, Begin Prisoner Exchange 'Immediately'
Israel Strikes Gaza as Palestinians Pin Hopes on Trump Gaza Plan
Israel’s Army Says Intercepted Missile Launched from Yemen
Syria Selects Members of First Post-Assad Parliament
Arab, Muslim countries welcome Hamas response to Trump’s proposal
Jordan, Syria carry out first anti-narcotics operation since Assad regime’s collapse
Tomahawk supply to Ukraine would destroy US relations: Putin

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on October 05-06/2025
The Blasphemy Business’…The Persecution of Christians, August 2025/Raymond Ibrahim/Gatestone Institute/October 05/2025
For the First Time, the Two Shores of the Ocean Drift Apart/Suleiman JawdaAsharq Al-Awsat/October 05/2025
New Seed in Palestine/Mishari Al-Dhaidi/Asharq Al-Awsat/October 05/2025
How Did Trump Do It?/Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Asharq Al-Awsat/October 05/2025

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on October 05-06/2025
The “Government of the Advisors’ Battalion” at Baabda Palace Complements Hezbollah’s Battalions of Civilians, Media, and Clans
Elias Bejjani/June 11/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/10/144128/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIOnZcvB0f0
Every Lebanese has the right to ask: Has President Joseph Aoun decided to govern through a “government of advisors” assembled at Baabda Palace, instead of relying on the constitutional cabinet led by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam?
The president has turned the palace into a hub for advisors—most of whom are either remnants of the previous regime or politically affiliated with Hezbollah—as if we are reliving the era of Syrian occupation, when puppet cabinets were overshadowed by real centers of power hidden in the shadows.
More troubling is Aoun’s comfort with appointing figures directly tied to Hezbollah. Case in point: former Minister Ali Hamieh, a loyalist of Hezbollah who served in Najib Mikati’s cabinet, now inexplicably named “advisor for reconstruction.”
Has even the file of reconstruction become a Hezbollah domain? Are national matters now run through the so-called “advisors’ battalion” in Baabda, under the command of the Shiite duo?
Reviewing the names of many of these advisors, reveals a lineup either closely tied to former President Michel Aoun, or directly aligned with the so-called “Resistance Axis.” In this context, this is not a presidency; it is a Hezbollah proxy. These “advisors” are not neutral technocrats—they are political operatives embedded to advance the Hezbollah’s agenda.
Are we facing a new shadow government? Has the president surrendered his constitutional responsibilities to a clique of unelected influencers? Has the presidency become merely another Hezbollah tool after it failed to seize full control through the Grand Serail?
Since assuming office, Joseph Aoun has demonstrated a staggering disconnect between the solemn vows of his presidential oath, and the political choices he has made. He pledged to protect the constitution and assert sovereignty, yet has set no timetable for the disarmament of Hezbollah. He has completely ignored UN Security Council Resolutions 1559, 1701, and 1680—all of which mandate the disarmament of all militias and the exclusive control of arms by the state. These resolutions do not speak of dialogue with armed groups. The state does not negotiate over its sovereignty. It imposes it.
By proposing “dialogue” and “a national defense strategy,” Joseph Aoun is merely playing for time. These are evasions—designed to accommodate Hezbollah, not confront it. They strengthen its grip and prolong the occupation of state institutions. This is not leadership. It is appeasement.
Let us be frank: Hezbollah’s battalions are no longer limited to media propagandists, tribal militias, or civilians used as human shields in attacks—such as those on UNIFIL forces in the South. Today, a new battalion has joined the fray: the “advisors’ battalion” at Baabda Palace. Under Joseph Aoun, the presidency has morphed into an outpost for Hezbollah, where decisions are made not in service of the Lebanese constitution, but in loyalty to the occupying power’s interests.
It is deeply disheartening that Joseph Aoun has, thus far, proven to be a disappointment. He has relinquished even the appearance of independence, becoming yet another decorative president in the mold of his post-Taif predecessors: Elias Hrawi, Emile Lahoud, and Michel Aoun. They all wore the presidential sash, but the real power was never theirs—and it certainly isn’t now.
In conclusion: there can be no resurrection of Lebanon, no sovereignty, no independence, and no reconstruction, so long as the country is governed by men who are either incapable or unwilling to exercise their constitutional mandate—presidents who lack the courage to stand up, and the clarity to lead. Those who cannot say “no” to Hezbollah must step aside…. Lebanon will not be saved by advisors, nor by battalions, but by leaders.

Saint Francis of Assisi – Patron Saint of the Environment and All Creatures
Elias Bejjani/October 04/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/10/147907/
The Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi every year on October 4. He is rightfully regarded as the Patron Saint of the Environment and its scholars, and a powerful symbol of inner and outer peace, humility, and universal love.
But who was this saint, and what are the key details of his life, his legacy, and his most significant spiritual works?
Birthplace, Date, and Family
Saint Francis of Assisi was born in Assisi, in the region of Umbria, central Italy, around 1181 or 1182 A.D. His birth name was Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, but his father, a wealthy cloth merchant who traded with France, nicknamed him “Francesco” (meaning “the little Frenchman”).
Francis grew up in a comfortable and affluent home, enjoying the pleasures of youth, and dreaming of military glory and knighthood.
His Conversion and Path to Sainthood
His life changed dramatically after being captured in a war between Assisi and Perugia. During a year in prison, sick and alone, he began to hear God's call.
In 1205, while praying in a ruined chapel near Assisi, he heard Christ say:
“Francis, rebuild my Church, which is falling into ruin.”
He sold all his possessions, gave to the poor, and dedicated himself to Christ. In a public act of renunciation, before the bishop, he returned his fine clothes to his father and declared:
“From now on, I have no father but our Father in Heaven.”
Francis embraced poverty, humility, and simplicity, dedicating his life to preaching the Gospel and helping the poor. In 1209, he founded the Order of Friars Minor (the Franciscans), dedicated to a life of poverty, peace, and reverence for all of God’s creation.
Miracles and Works
Saint Francis is known for many miracles, including healing the sick, reconciling enemies, and taming a ferocious wolf in Gubbio through love and peace.
He preached not only to people but also to animals, famously calling them “my brothers and sisters in creation.”
In 1224, while praying on Mount La Verna, he received the stigmata—the wounds of Christ—on his hands, feet, and side, becoming the first person in Christian history to bear this extraordinary sign.
Canonization
Saint Francis passed away peacefully on October 3, 1226, at the age of 44. Only two years later, Pope Gregory IX canonized him on July 16, 1228.
Legacy and Influence
Francis left an enduring spiritual legacy, marked by the founding of three distinct religious orders:
The Franciscan Friars (Order of Friars Minor)
The Poor Clares (founded with Saint Clare of Assisi)
The Third Order of Franciscans (for laypeople)
Today, he is universally recognized as the Patron Saint of the Environment and Animals, symbolizing the essential harmony between humanity and nature—a reflection of divine love.
Faith, Fear of God, and the Final Judgment
The life of Saint Francis teaches that true faith in Christ is shown not by words, but by deeds—by humility, compassion, and selfless service.
He feared God with a reverent love, always reminding his brothers that the Last Judgment is near and that every soul will be judged by its works, not by wealth or status. Thus, Christians are called to live each day as if it were their last, with gratitude, repentance, and love for God and His creation. For as Saint Francis believed, “Where there is love and wisdom, there is neither fear nor ignorance, but peace and eternal life.”

Elias Bejjani/Text and Video/Arabic and English: The Conspiracy of Gebran Bassil, Hezbollah, and Amal Against the Electoral Rights of the Lebanese Diaspora
Elias Bejjani/Bkirki and the Maronite Bishops Are Called Upon to Expel Bassil from the Church and Punish Him with Excommunication 02 October/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/10/144900/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDe3NuvZ7Vw&t=19s

Lebanon crooner turned fugitive militant surrenders himself to army: judicial source
AFP/October 05, 2025
BEIRUT, Lebanon: Lebanese crooner-turned-fugitive militant Fadl Shaker surrendered himself to Lebanese authorities on Saturday after hiding in a Palestinian camp for over a decade, a Lebanese judicial official said. Shaker, a popular singer born to a Palestinian mother and a Lebanese father, was accused of taking part in 2013 clashes in Sidon, south Lebanon, that opposed Salafist Sheikh Ahmad Al-Assir and his supporters with the Lebanese military which left 17 soldiers dead. While Shaker was a supporter of Assir, he denied involvement in the clashes and has been hiding in the Palestinian refugee camp of Ain Al-Hilweh, the biggest Palestinian camp in the country where Lebanese authorities had no jurisdiction. Assir was sentenced to death in 2017, then to 20 years of hard labor in 2021. In 2020, Lebanon’s military tribunal sentenced Shaker to 22 years in prison for providing financial and logistical support to the “terrorist” Assir-led group. “Fadl Shaker surrendered himself to the Lebanese army at the entrance to the Ain Al-Hilweh camp as a prelude to concluding his legal case,” a judicial source told AFP on Saturday. By longstanding convention, the Lebanese army stays out of the Palestinian camps and leaves Palestinian factions to handle security. A source close to Shaker told AFP the singer was “confident in his innocence and in the independence of the judiciary.” Shaker in July released a song while in hiding, which topped charts in the Arab world. His video clip, filmed in Ain Al-Hilweh, reached over 113 million views on YouTube.

Sallam: "I Await Tomorrow's Session" - Geagea Decisively States: "The 2026 Elections Are Existential"
Al Modon/ 05 October/ 2025  (Translated from Arabic)
Sallam Awaits Government Session
Prime Minister Nawaf Sallam participated in the unveiling of a memorial plaque on the occasion of inaugurating a street named after the late Prime Minister Salim Hoss. He considered this "a moment of loyalty to a great man who restored nobility to political life in Lebanon. He believed in institutions, and his motto was the just and strong state, which is what we in the reform and rescue government are working to complete today." When asked about the Lebanese people's anticipation for the Cabinet session tomorrow, Sallam said: "I am also awaiting it."
Raad: Our Resistance Has Reached an Advanced Stage of Recovery
On another level, the head of the "Loyalty to the Resistance" bloc, MP Mohammad Raad, affirmed that the mission and responsibility today lie in preserving the constants and protecting the legitimate right to continue the resistance against the enemy, within the framework of a flexible jihadi strategy that takes into account the changes in the enemy's methods and plans. He noted that "it is our duty to stand in solidarity with the causes of truth, justice, and freedom, foremost among them Palestine, and with every oppressed and downtrodden people who need our voice and our solidarity."
During a tribute ceremony organized by Hezbollah for the resistance martyrs, he pointed out that "during the recent aggressive Israeli war, the resistance suffered painful blows, but despite the targeting of its Secretary-General, its leadership, and its fighters, and despite the Bijer massacre and the targeting of the Radwan unit, it remained active and continued its recovery and movement based on its unwavering constants and with a management that keeps pace with developments and ensures the success of its goals." He noted that the "Islamic Resistance succeeded in preventing the enemy from carrying out its ground incursion towards the Litani River during the battle of 'Ouli Baas' (Men of Strength), forcing it to comply with the American advice to cease fire, after failing to achieve its goals, foremost among them eliminating Hezbollah and the resistance."
Raad stressed that the resistance today has reached an advanced stage of recovery and the rebuilding of capabilities and effectiveness in line with the changes, neutralizing their negative aspects and achieving gains, thus preventing the enemy from achieving its political and strategic goals in Lebanon.
Geagea Launches Electoral Machine
Regarding preparations for the upcoming parliamentary elections, the head of the Lebanese Forces party, Samir Geagea, stressed that the general course of events in Lebanon is determined by the Parliament, and "your vote is what makes the difference. The vote you cast in the ballot box directs things, either in the right direction or the wrong direction." Geagea's statement came during the launch of the electoral machine preparations in a retreat held by the party's General Secretariat at the general headquarters in Maarab under the title "2026 Parliamentary Elections: Ready and More." Geagea asked the Lebanese Forces members to mobilize all their energies at various levels in preparation for the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Geagea considered that "this entitlement is much larger than being summarized by a process of counting seats or numbers. It is an entitlement for the benefit of the country, because the Parliament that will emerge from it is the one that decides the shape of the next authority, the path of the state in the coming years, the nature of possible reforms, and Lebanon's ability to emerge from its crises. Therefore, it should not be dealt with as a small or limited entitlement, but must be viewed as an existential battle to establish the state, restore people's confidence in it, and guarantee the future of the coming generations."
The Lebanese Forces Responds to Sheikh Qassem
In addition, the Media Department of the Lebanese Forces party responded to the content of the recent appearance by Hezbollah's Deputy Secretary-General, Sheikh Naim Qassem.
Regarding the elections, the department asked Qassem: "Where is the equality between the resident voter and the expatriate voter under your insistence on District 16? You talk about the 'democratic parliamentary republic,' so where have you respected this republic?" The statement continued: "You say that you and the Amal Movement cannot conduct an electoral campaign in many countries, so you reject the principle of expatriates voting for all 128 MPs. We ask you: How then will you conduct electoral campaigns, nominations, and voting for the six MPs in District 16? The whole point is that you are inventing illogical pretexts to justify your fear of the expatriate vote."
The statement added: "We ask you, Sheikh Naim, to respect the government's decision issued on August 5, which constitutes a step towards strengthening sovereignty. Lay down your arms and hand them over to the Lebanese Army, and then sovereignty will be strengthened, the constitution will be protected, and the Taif Agreement will be implemented, which clearly stipulated the withdrawal of Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias' weapons and placing them at the state's disposal. A state that does not monopolize violence on its territory is not a normal state. Let's start from here before talking about reforms, economy, and reconstruction." It concluded: "Sheikh Naim, we present to you another option that you refuse to consider so far: Adherence to the decisions of the Lebanese state and the decisions of international legitimacy. Only then will sovereignty be protected, borders secured, and the state's prestige restored. When will you place the interest of your people above the interest of Iran? And when will you understand that your only salvation is in one strong state, not in a mini-state that has not been able to protect itself to the minimum?"
Al-Rahi: Lebanon Is in Dire Need of the Rosary Prayer
On a different note, the Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi, affirmed in his Sunday mass sermon in Dimane that "Lebanon today is in dire need of prayer in a time of crises, divisions, and confusion." He added: "The mysteries of suffering always precede the mysteries of glory. This is Lebanon: it is living through pain and crises, but it is called to rise to a new glory, provided it is patient, steadfast, and places its trust in the Lord."
Odeh: Nations Are Built Through Dialogue
For his part, Metropolitan of Beirut and its dependencies, Archbishop Elias Audi, said during the mass service at Saint George Cathedral that in Lebanon, "every component seeks to dominate the other, through ideas, actions, or even weapons. This is not how nations are built and societies grow, but through constructive dialogue based on mutual respect, between equal citizens, under one flag, the flag of the nation, and protected by one army, the army of the nation, and one belonging to one nation where everyone is equal, and through a path paved with mercy and illuminated by love." He pointed out that "bidding is nothing but a satanic act whose goal is ruin, destruction, and widening the gap between brothers. Therefore, since we are children of the one God, we must translate that by being children of one nation, not divided into warring groups, conflicting parties, and sects competing for gains, power, and the imposition of opinion or belief."

Baabda Sources: Aoun Will Work to Avoid a Vote
A Message of Defiance from "Risalat" to the State
Nidaa Al-Watan/October 06/2025  (Translated from Arabic)
Cabinet Session and the "Risalat" Dilemma
The Cabinet is holding a regular session today at the Presidential Palace, but it is exceptional in its agenda items. Ministerial sources express fear that a political tussle will prevail during the session if it comes down to a vote due to a lack of consensus. In that case, the result of the vote is unknown, although contacts intensified in an effort to avoid one. Prime Minister Nawaf Sallam's comment was noteworthy in this context when he said, "I am also awaiting it," when asked about today's session.
In this regard, Nidaa Al-Watan learned that the contacts held in the past hours did not lead to any solution regarding the proposal to dissolve the "Risalat Association" in the Cabinet. Compounding the matter is the escalation by Hezbollah MPs, amidst Sallam's insistence on presenting this item and seeing it through to the end. It is known that dissolving the association requires a simple majority (half plus one) if it comes to a vote, and this majority is secured by Sallam's ministers and the sovereign forces. The stance of the President of the Republic's ministers remains unknown; he will work to defuse the atmosphere, prevent a clash, and attempt to reach a satisfactory compromise.
Baabda sources pointed out that President Aoun will work to avoid a vote in the Cabinet to prevent increased tension, and will demand the completion of the investigation into the Ramlet al-Baida events before taking any decision regarding the association. It is worth noting that Minister of Labour Mohammad Haidar will not attend the Cabinet session as he is outside Lebanon. He told MTV: "In the event of a violation, the correct course of action is to punish the association by imposing a fine, otherwise dissolving associations becomes a 'trend.' Let's wait for the Cabinet's decision."
Hezbollah's Threat and Risalat's Defiance
In a contrasting approach to the efforts for calm, Hezbollah indulged in a high level of intimidation, addressing the Cabinet, which will convene under the President's chairmanship, with the message: "If you decide to dissolve the association, boil it and drink its water." Political sources commented on this threat by recalling that Hezbollah previously used this same approach during the declaration of Baabda Declaration era under President General Michel Sleiman. Despite Hezbollah's participation in and approval of the Baabda Declaration, it later disavowed it, with the head of the "Loyalty to the Resistance" bloc, MP Mohammad Raad, saying: "This declaration was written in wooden language, let them boil it and drink its water."
Deepening the challenge, "Risalat" called for participation in a "solidarity event" to be held today at 2:30 PM in Ghobeiry, coinciding with the Cabinet session. The invitation was phrased in a defiant tone, including: "Rejecting the logic of undermining freedoms, abuse, dual use of laws, and double standards, Risalat is continuing and its activities will increase in effectiveness in the coming days. Whoever draws their strength from blood and sacrifices and from great leaders who drew the map of this nation cannot back down."
Hezbollah Supports Hamas's Stance
In a position that is, at the very least, astounding, Hezbollah supported the stance of the Hamas movement, which agreed to the Trump plan. The statement of support read: "This position, as much as it stems from a keen desire to stop the brutal 'Israeli' aggression against our people in Gaza, on the other hand, affirms adherence to the constants of the Palestinian cause and the non-relinquishment of the rights of the Palestinian people."
The statement indicated that "Hamas's position expresses the movement's adherence—and all resistance factions with it—to the unity of the Palestinian people, and that Palestinian national consensus, based on legitimate national rights, is the framework upon which negotiations should be based. These negotiations must lead to the enemy's withdrawal from the entire Gaza Strip, preventing the displacement of its residents, and enabling the Palestinian people to manage their political, security, and livelihood affairs by themselves and with their own strength, rejecting any external guardianship, regardless of its form and references."
It is remarkable that Hezbollah's statement of support for the Hamas movement contained content that was not mentioned in either the "Trump Plan" or the "Hamas" statement, which means that Hezbollah intends for its statement to alleviate the impact of the "Trump Plan" and Hamas's acceptance of it. Hezbollah's position is part of its retreat from all its "political literature."
Geagea: "The Elections Are an Existential Battle"
Concurrently, preparations for the parliamentary elections continue. The head of the Lebanese Forces party, Samir Geagea, affirmed during the launch of the electoral machine preparations in a retreat held by the party's General Secretariat at the general headquarters in Maarab under the title "2026 Parliamentary Elections: Ready and More," that the general course of events in Lebanon is determined by the Parliament. He asked the Lebanese Forces members to mobilize all their energies at various levels in preparation for the upcoming parliamentary elections.
He continued: "We, as the 'Forces,' are not fighting this battle to narrowly increase one, five, or seventeen deputies in the literal sense of the matter, but we are fighting it to expand our parliamentary bloc so that we can influence the course of affairs in the country more and more, which requires 'tilling,' planting, and a long-term harvest." Geagea stressed that "the required thing is to mobilize all our energies at various levels in preparation for the upcoming parliamentary elections. I am happy with this meeting, but I will be happier when each one of you has performed what is required of him to the fullest. Whoever is unable to do a task should be frank and ask for help, because the work is collective, and every individual bears his responsibility within the tasks assigned to him."
Sallam: Building the Just State
In a notable position, Prime Minister Nawaf Sallam said on the occasion of naming a street in the Aisha Bakkar area of Beirut after President Salim Hoss: "We in the rescue and reform government are working today to build the just and strong state." Sallam continued, "Beirut is known for its long history of supporting Palestine and all Arab causes, and President Hoss was at the forefront of those who struggled and supported the Palestinian cause. We all work from our respective positions to support and aid Palestine and Arab causes."

Hezbollah Says it Holds Fire to Stop Israel’s ‘Brutality’
Beirut: Asharq Al Awsat/October 05/2025/ (Translated from Arabic)
Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem renewed his criticism of Lebanon’s government on Saturday, accusing it of failing to focus on core national issues, including the restoration of sovereignty, while defending the group’s political role within the state. Speaking at a ceremony marking the first anniversary of the assassinations of senior commanders Sheikh Nabil Qaouq and Suheil al-Husseini, Qassem said the government must launch programs to rebuild the country. “A state cannot rise without reconstruction. The Lebanese government should include a line in the national budget for reconstruction,” he said. Qassem said the government had neglected “central issues, including the recovery of sovereignty,” which he described as key to restoring stability and rebuilding the state. “Restoring sovereignty is expelling Israel from Lebanon and stopping the aggression,” he said, urging greater engagement with major powers, diplomatic pressure, and more action at the UN Security Council. He said Hezbollah had deliberately avoided responding to Israeli violations in a way that could “give Israel a pretext for greater brutality.” He listed five factors he said had thwarted Israel’s plans, noting that “the enemy expected to achieve some of its objectives in Lebanon after recent agreements and 60 days of fighting, but that did not happen.”Qassem rejected suggestions that Hezbollah stood apart from Lebanon’s institutions. “They intervened, thinking the party was weak and preoccupied with living conditions, that they could sideline it and take over the state,” he said. “But they were surprised by our active participation in the state. We are an integral part of its structure. We play an important role and contribute to construction and development.”He accused foreign actors of seeking to reshape the Lebanese state for political gain but said domestic balances had prevented that. “We represent our people fully - Hezbollah and Amal represent their people entirely, holding all 27 of 27 parliamentary seats,” he said. Qassem said Israel and its allies had also tried to stir conflict between the army and the resistance under the slogan of “exclusive state arms,” but praised the army’s restraint. “The army acted wisely. The army and the resistance know that sedition is cursed and must never happen; everything can be resolved through understanding and cooperation,” he said. Acknowledging that Hezbollah does not have military parity with Israel, Qassem said the group’s “faith in the homeland, readiness to sacrifice, commitment to jihad and steadfastness in the will of resistance,” along with popular backing, had created a balance that prevented Israel from achieving its objectives.

Raad: Our Resistance Has Recovered and Will Remain With the People in the Battle for Right and Freedom
NNA/October 05/2025 (Translated from Arabic)
Hezbollah organized a massive tribute ceremony in the town of Jbaa to mark the first annual commemoration of the martyrdom of the "Master of the Nation's Martyrs, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah; his pure Hashemite companion, Sayyed Hashem Safieddine; the two Jihadist Commanders Ali Karaki (Abu Al-Fadl) and Ibrahim Jzaini (Al-Hajj Nabil); and the martyrs of the Iqlim Al-Tuffah sector."The event was attended by a crowd of residents, the families of the martyrs, political figures, and community leaders, alongside Sayyed Jawad Nasrallah (son of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah), and several clerics. The ceremony opened with verses from the Holy Quran, followed by the Lebanese national anthem and the party's anthem. Next was the speech of Sayyed Jawad Nasrallah, who thanked the martyrs' families for their sacrifices, patience, and steadfastness, stressing that "the blood of the martyrs is what has forged the glory of this nation and preserved its dignity, and their path will continue as long as there is a right that is sought to be stolen."Following this was the speech of the event's patron, the head of the "Loyalty to the Resistance" bloc, MP Al-Hajj Mohammad Raad. He affirmed that "the mission and responsibility today lie in preserving the constants and protecting the legitimate right to continue the resistance against the enemy, within the framework of a flexible Jihadist strategy that takes into account the changes in the enemy's methods and plans." He stated: "It is our duty to stand in solidarity with the causes of right, justice, and freedom, foremost among them Palestine, and with every oppressed and downtrodden people who need our voice and our solidarity."Raad pointed out that "the Resistance, during the recent aggressive Israeli war, suffered painful blows, but despite the targeting of its Secretary-General, its leadership, and its fighters, and despite the Bijer massacre and the targeting of the Radwan Unit, it remained active and continued its recovery and movement based on its unwavering constants and with a leadership that keeps pace with developments and ensures the success of its goals."He noted that "the Islamic Resistance succeeded in preventing the Zionist enemy from carrying out its ground incursion toward the Litani River during the battle of 'Ouli Baas' (Men of Strength), forcing it to comply with the American advice to cease fire after it failed to achieve its goals, foremost among them eliminating Hezbollah and the Resistance."
Raad explained that "what later drove the enemy to persist in its aggressions and renege on understandings is what happened in Syria ten days after the ceasefire in Lebanon, where the Israelis quickly exploited the situation to continue their aggression on the entire region, leading to the commission of genocide in Gaza, the bombing of Syria, Yemen, Iran, and Qatar, and threatening the region's security." He stressed that "the enemy's tyranny, based on the illusions of American greatness, will not last," adding: "The fall of tyrants is inevitable, and we see it coming soon, God willing."Raad emphasized that "the Resistance today has reached an advanced stage of recovery and the rebuilding of capabilities and effectiveness in line with the changes, neutralizing their negative aspects and achieving gains, thereby preventing the enemy from achieving its political and strategic goals in Lebanon."
The tribute ceremony concluded with a religious lamentation (Majlis Azza and Latmiyya), reviving the path and Jihadist march of the martyrs.

From "Support for Al-Aqsa Flood" to "Support" for Surrender
Jean Al-Fghali/Nidaa Al-Watan/October 06/2025  (Translated from Arabic)
If the former Secretary-General of Hezbollah were alive and read the Hamas movement's statement conveying "appreciation" to US President Donald Trump for his efforts to stop the Gaza war, what would he have said? And if his successor, Sayyed Hashem Safieddine, were also alive and heard the same statement, what would he have said, he who issued the statement of "Support and Engagement" by shelling the Shebaa Farms on October 8, 2023, the day after the start of the "Al-Aqsa Flood" war?
No force in history has been betrayed as much as Hezbollah has been betrayed in this war, which was never its war at all; it was Hamas's war. Hezbollah entered it as one of Iran's arms. Therefore, had victory occurred, it would have been "deposited in Iran's account," and had defeat occurred, which it did, the one who would pay the price is Hezbollah.
Based on this data, Iran's role as the "region's policeman" has collapsed after its arms were cut off. Today is not the autumn of 1982 for the "Axis of Resistance" to regain the initiative. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard will not come to train Shiite groups that once belonged to the Amal Movement or the Palestinian Fatah Movement.
Hezbollah, which was founded in 1982 and reached its peak strength in the summer of 2023, can be said to be impossible to restore. When defeat strikes a country or a group, it is difficult to shake off easily. Is this not what happened to what was called the "National Movement"? Hezbollah resembles it today. A veteran of the Lebanese Left recounts that after the defeat of the "National Movement" in 1982, he likened it to a truck that had crashed into a deep valley, with nothing left working but the radio.
Today, only the radio remains of Hezbollah. Hezbollah's Deputy Secretary-General, Sheikh Naim Qassem, said in his most recent speech two days ago: "We do not respond to Israel so that it does not retaliate and become savage." If so, why have this entire arsenal north of the Litani? Isn't Sheikh Qassem's statement a retrospective condemnation of Hezbollah's prior conduct since its founding and its adoption of the military option? Why did it accept the "Al-Aqsa Flood" war and its offspring, "Support and Engagement"?
Why did it not delay its response to avoid the violence of the Israeli strikes? He says: "They started the breaches; they expected us to respond with breaches as well, which would open the door for them to breach and counter-breach, making them more savage. We decided that the state is responsible, and we must be patient."
Why did Hezbollah not adopt this approach from the beginning, saying the state is responsible and being patient? If it had handed over to the state on October 8, 2023, and "been patient," wouldn't that have led to Lebanon being spared this Israeli "savagery"? Sheikh Qassem's statement means that he will not respond, fearing "savagery." In that case, what is the use of the weapon?
It is not enough for Hezbollah to hand over its weapons; it must be held accountable for dragging the country into a futile war it called "Support and Engagement," and here it finds itself today having dragged itself into "support" for Hamas's surrender.

The Military and Politics in the World and Lebanon
Hisham Bou Nassif/Nidaa Al-Watan/October 6, 2025 (Translated from Arabic)
Since Fouad Chehab became President of the Lebanese Republic and made the Deuxième Bureau (Second Bureau) the pillar of his rule, two constants have characterized civil-military relations in our country. The first is that every army commander is a potential candidate for the presidency of the Republic, and the second is that security agencies intervene in politics. While the election of a military figure as president was the exception that proves the rule in the First Republic, the tables turned in the Taif Republic, which saw only one civilian reach the presidency, followed by a succession of presidents at Baabda Palace who were all military men. I contend that this issue is one of the fundamental problems hindering the establishment of sound public life in Lebanon. Consequently, any reformist thinking about the Lebanese issue must necessarily place the matter of civil-military relations at its core.
Political science has devoted considerable space to studying civil-military relations in recent decades, beginning with Samuel Huntington's classic book, "The Soldier and the State," published in 1957. Huntington argued that soldiery is an independent profession with its own distinct rules and principles compared to those that govern politics. He believed the army should remain an independent, non-politicized space that offers its opinion only when asked by the civilian authority in its area of expertise—the use of force. The condition for the army's good performance and for sound civil-military relations is that the military must internalize that ultimate authority over them and the country belongs to civilians, not officers, and that the army serves the state, not vice versa.
Since Huntington's book (Harvard) was published, major scholars like Alfred Stepan (Columbia), Zoltan Barany (Texas), David Pion-Berlin (California), Yezid Sayigh (Carnegie), Zeinab Abul-Magd (Oberlin), and others have thoroughly studied the issue of civil-military relations. It is impossible, of course, to summarize their findings in an article, but at least one result is clear from everyone's studies: dragging the military into politics harms its military performance as an institution specialized in warfare, and it damages the quality of the political life the military intervenes in.
Regarding military performance, the defeat of the Arab armies in 1967 is a classic example. Even the enemies of the Arabs acknowledge that the average Arab soldier generally did not lack courage that year. The problem lay in the unprofessional performance of officers appointed by the Nasserite regime in Egypt and the Ba'athist regime in Syria based on political loyalty, not competence.
As for the quality of political life, it is enough to recall the heinous crimes that military rulers in Latin America easily committed against their own people under the pretext of "fighting communism." Pinochet's regime in Chile immediately comes to mind here. Also, the Argentine generals who, preoccupied with kidnapping opponents, drugging them, and then taking them in military helicopters to be thrown alive into the oceans to perish, neglected training and professionalism. This happened throughout the years of Argentine military rule, rightly known as the "Dirty War" era, which only ended after the military led their country to a humiliating defeat in the Falklands War in the summer of 1982.
The rule of the military in Argentina, or the "Processo" regime as it was known, tragically re-affirmed what political science researchers concluded: that dragging the military into politics necessarily produces two guaranteed disasters. The first is the decline of the army's professionalism as a machine specialized in war against any threat to the state, and the second is the undermining of public freedoms due to the generals' impatience with opponents and their use of state apparatuses to suppress them.
One might ask: If this is the case, where does the popularity of the military in developing countries come from? Why did millions of Egyptians demonstrate against civilian rule in their country in 2013, launch the "Tamarod" campaign to incite the military against it (knowing they didn't need much incitement in the first place), and then applaud to the tune of the song "Teslam El Ayadi" for the coup generals who re-imprisoned Egypt in the great Arab prison after it had been free for two years preceding the coup, or so it seemed at least?
The answer is multifaceted. One factor is this: In societies where the roots of democratic culture are weak, citizens mistakenly assume that the military is necessarily more patriotic, less corrupt, and more effective than politicians due to their supposed "disciplinary" upbringing. I will limit myself here to saying that the actual results of military rule in developing countries, from Latin America to Africa to the Arab world, demolish these illusions at their core. The song "Turn off the light, Bahiyya / All the soldiers are thieves" by Egyptian artist Mohamed Mounir did not come about for no reason.
Returning to Lebanon, I often read news in the newspapers about meetings between parliamentarians and politicians and senior security leaders. I ask myself: What do the civilians have to tell the generals? Are the civilians experts in how drones have changed the dynamics of modern warfare, and thus believe their national duty requires them to share their profound knowledge with the security leaders? The answer is no, of course. These people are not experts in what should be the sole preoccupation of senior officers—namely, continuous military training.
So why are these people visiting those? What is their business with them? The answer was given at the beginning of the article: Since the agencies are a political player, some want to ensure they play in their favor. By extension: Since every army commander is a potential presidential candidate, public relations with politicians (and embassies) are necessary to reach the post. According to this equation, both sides benefit: the ambitious generals and the civilians who readily involve them in politics. But the Army, as an institution that should remain, as Huntington said, independent of politics and professional, does not benefit. Nor does the quality of political life in our country benefit.

Archbishop Audi: Nations Are Built Through Dialogue Between Equal Citizens Under the Nation's Flag and the Army's Protection
NNA/October 05/2025 (Translated from Arabic)
Metropolitan of Beirut Archbishop Elias Audi, led the mass service at Saint George Cathedral. After the reading of the Gospel, he delivered a homily in which he said: "Let us not deal with mercy and love as an idealistic teaching far from reality, but as a practical path for daily life. In our relationships, families, and communities, we often find ourselves facing situations of offense, harshness, and injustice. The human spirit is inclined to repay in kind, but Christ teaches us that the power of the Kingdom is manifested not in revenge, but in love. The Apostle Paul said: 'Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good' (Romans 12:21). Only through this do we bear witness to God's work in us and plant peace in a world groaning from division, hatred, injustice, and murder."He continued: "The love to which the Gospel calls us is not a passing emotion. It is an act of will rooted in faith, and it does not wait for acknowledgment or thanks, but flows as a spring of living water flows. 'If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.' This love is sometimes silent, sometimes painful, but at its core, it is a participation in the very life of God. Whoever tastes it discovers that giving is greater than taking, that forgiveness is deeper than revenge, and that true happiness is attained not by dominating the other, or humiliating them, or triumphing over them, but by giving oneself for them." The Archbishop stated: "This is what our beloved country lacks, where every component seeks to dominate the other, whether through ideas, actions, or even weapons. This is not how nations are built and societies grow, but through constructive dialogue based on mutual respect, between equal citizens, under one flag, the flag of the nation, and protected by one army, the army of the nation, and one belonging to one nation where everyone is equal, and through a path paved with mercy and illuminated by love." He warned: "One-upmanship is nothing but a demonic act whose goal is ruin, destruction, and widening the gap between brothers. Therefore, since we are children of the one God, we must translate that by being children of one nation, not divided into warring groups, conflicting parties, and sects competing for gains, power, and the imposition of opinion or belief.""We heard the Apostle Paul say in the epistle read to us: 'Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.' Therefore, we must realize that, by our faith in God, we are called to bear witness to His name, not our interests; to speak His language, not our will; and to act according to His commandments, not what suits our ends. Otherwise, we are betraying our faith in God and our designation by His name."
He concluded: "Similarly, we are called as Christians to become true witnesses to the Gospel of Christ. If we only love those who love us, we are no different from the logic of the world. But if we love those who antagonize us, then the light of Christ shines from us, and people experience through us that the Kingdom of God is present in this age despite the darkness of its days and the cruelty of its people."

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on October 05-06/2025
Trump says Hamas will face ‘complete obliteration’ if it refuses to cede power in Gaza
Reuters/October 05/2025/
US President Donald Trump said Hamas will face “complete obliteration” if the Palestinian militant group refuses to give up power and control of Gaza as he seeks to implement his plan to end conflict in Gaza. When asked if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on board with ending the bombing in Gaza and supporting the United States’ broader vision, Trump told CNN on Saturday, “Yes on Bibi.”For the latest updates on the Israel-Palestine conflict, visit our dedicated page. In the interview that aired on Sunday, Trump added that he expects to soon know whether Hamas is committed to peace.

Rubio Says Gaza War Not Yet Over, Priority is to Get Hostages Out
Asharq Al Awsat/October 05/2025/
The war in Gaza has "not yet" ended, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday, describing the release of the hostages held by Hamas as the first phase, while details on what happens after that still need to be worked out. He said Hamas had "basically" agreed to President Donald Trump's proposal and the framework for releasing the hostages, while meetings were underway to coordinate the logistics of that. "They have also agreed, in principle and generalities, to enter into this idea about what's going to happen afterwards," he said, " Reuters reported. A lot of details are going to have to be worked out there."He said the US would know "very quickly" whether Hamas was serious or not during the current technical talks to coordinate the release of the hostages. "Priority number one, the one that we think we can achieve something very quickly on hopefully, is the release of all the hostages in exchange for Israel moving back" to the yellow line - where Israel stood within Gaza in the middle of August - Rubio said. He described the second phase of the long-term future of Gaza as "even harder." "What happens after Israel pulls back to the yellow line, and potentially beyond that, as this thing develops? How do you create this Palestinian technocratic leadership that's not Hamas?" Rubio said. "How do you disarm any sort of terrorist groups that are going to be building tunnels and conducting attacks against Israel? How do you get them to demobilize?"
"All that work, that's going to be hard, but that's critical, because without that, you're not going to have lasting peace," he added.

Israel army chief warns fighting in Gaza will resume if talks fail
AFP/October 05/2025/
Israel’s military chief warned on Sunday that if negotiations to secure the release of hostages fail to achieve their aims, the military will return to fighting in Gaza. For the latest updates on the Israel-Palestine conflict, visit our dedicated page. “There is no ceasefire (at the moment), but the operational situation has changed, with the political level converting the tools and achievements you have gained through military action into political gains,” Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir told a group of soldiers deployed in Gaza. “If the political effort fails, we will return to fighting,” he added, according to a statement issued by the military.

Israel strikes Gaza as Palestinians pin hopes on Trump’s Gaza plan
Reuters/October 05/2025/
Israeli planes and tanks pounded areas across the Gaza Strip overnight and on Sunday, destroying several residential buildings, witnesses said, as Palestinians desperately awaited implementation of a US plan to end the war. US President Donald Trump, who had called for an end to the bombing, said on Saturday on his Truth Social platform that Israel had agreed to an “initial withdrawal line” inside Gaza and that “when Hamas confirms, the Ceasefire will be IMMEDIATELY effective.”For the latest updates on the Israel-Palestine conflict, visit our dedicated page. The Israeli escalation comes as Egypt prepares to host delegates from Hamas, Israel and the United States, and Qatar, to kick off talks over the implementation of the most advanced effort yet to halt the conflict.
Sensitive issues
Hamas had drawn a welcoming response from Trump on Friday by saying it accepted certain key parts of his 20-point peace proposal, including ending the war, Israel’s withdrawal, and the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian captives. But the group has left some issues subject to further negotiation, as well as questions unanswered, such as whether it would be willing to disarm, a key demand from Israel to end the war. “Progress would depend on whether Hamas would agree to the map, which shows the Israeli army would remain in control of most of the Gaza Strip,” said a Palestinian official, close to the talks. “Hamas may also ask for a strict timetable for the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. The first phase of talks will determine how things are going to proceed,” he told Reuters, asking not to be named. In Gaza City, which Israel describes as one of Hamas’ last bastions, Israeli forces pressed ahead with attacks and warned residents who left against returning, saying it was a “dangerous combat zone.”On Sunday, witnesses said Israeli planes escalated attacks against targets across the city, Gaza’s biggest urban center. This followed a tense night in which drones dropped grenades on the rooftops of residential buildings and troops blew up explosive-laden vehicles, demolishing dozens of houses in two Gaza City neighborhoods, Sabra and Sheikh Radwan.
Where is Trump?
“Where is Trump in all of this?” said Rami Mohammad-Ali, 37, from Gaza City, now displaced in the city’s western side, near the beach. “The explosions don’t stop, the drones drop bombs everywhere, as if nothing has happened. Where is the truce Trump told us about?” he asked. Local health authorities said at least one Palestinian was killed, and several others were wounded in those attacks. Three other people were killed in separate Israeli strikes across the enclave, medics said. Amjad Al-Shawa, head of the Palestinian NGOs Network, which liaises with the United Nations and international humanitarian organizations, said Gaza City has begun experiencing acute shortages of food and fuel, days after Israel blocked the route from the south to the north. “We are speaking about tens of thousands of children who suffer malnutrition, elderly who need extra care, those are in danger now because of the Israeli occupation blockade of Gaza City and the escalation of the attacks,” Shawa told Reuters. Under Trump’s plan, all Israeli hostages, alive and deceased, were due to be released within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting the agreement. But it was not clear at what precise point the clock on that 72-hour deadline would start ticking, given Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to the timeline several days before Hamas responded. Israel says 48 hostages remain, 20 of whom are alive. There may be logistical challenges too. Sources close to Hamas told Reuters handing over living hostages could prove relatively straightforward, but retrieving bodies of dead ones amid the huge devastation and rubble of Gaza may take longer than a few days to achieve. Trump said on Friday he believed Hamas had shown it was “ready for a lasting PEACE” and he called on Netanyahu’s government to halt airstrikes in Gaza. Domestically, Netanyahu is caught between growing pressure to end the war — from hostage families and a war-weary public — and demands from hardline members of his coalition who insist there must be no let-up in Israel’s campaign in Gaza. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on X that halting attacks on Gaza was a “grave mistake.”Smotrich and Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, also a hardliner, have significant influence in Netanyahu’s government and have threatened to bring it down if the Gaza war ends. Israel began attacking Gaza after the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel in which some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and 251 taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies. Israel’s campaign has killed more than 67,000 people in Gaza, most of them civilians, according to Gaza health authorities, and decimated the enclave.

Hamas Keen to Reach Deal, Begin Prisoner Exchange 'Immediately'
Asharq Al Awsat/October 05/2025/
A senior Hamas official on Sunday said the Palestinian militant group is eager to reach an agreement to end the war and implement a prisoner swap with Israel, as negotiators converge in Egypt for talks. Israeli and Hamas negotiators are set to iron out details during talks in Egypt in a bid to end nearly two years of war in Gaza, after Hamas approved a peace plan proposed by US President Donald Trump. Hamas negotiators travelling from Doha are expected to arrive in Cairo on Sunday before heading to Sharm el-Sheikh to participate in indirect negotiations with the Israeli delegation, the official said on condition of anonymity, as he was not authorized to speak on the matter, according to AFP. "Hamas is very keen to reach an agreement to end the war and immediately begin the prisoner exchange process in accordance with the field conditions," he said. "The occupation must not obstruct the implementation of President Trump's plan. If the occupation has genuine intentions to reach an agreement, Hamas is ready." A Palestinian source close to Hamas told AFP that the two delegations would be in the same building but away from media coverage. "The negotiations aim to discuss the timeline for preparing field conditions for the transfer of captives held in Gaza, as a prelude to launching the prisoner exchange process," he added. "During communications with mediators, Hamas insisted that it is essential for Israel to halt military operations across all areas of the Gaza Strip, cease all air, reconnaissance, and drone activity, and withdraw from inside Gaza City," the source said. "In parallel with the cessation of Israeli military activity, Hamas and the resistance factions will also halt their military operations and actions," he added. The talks are also expected to include discussions of maps to be provided by Israel showing withdrawal routes and timelines, which will coincide with the prisoner exchange process, the source said. The Hamas delegation will also present lists of Palestinian prisoners who must be released by Israel in return for the Israeli captives, he said. According to Trump's plan, Israel is expected to release 250 Palestinian prisoners with life sentences and more than 1,700 detainees from the Gaza Strip who were arrested after October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, triggering the ongoing war.

Israel Strikes Gaza as Palestinians Pin Hopes on Trump Gaza Plan
Asharq Al Awsat/October 05/2025/
Israeli planes and tanks pounded areas across the Gaza Strip overnight and on Sunday, destroying several residential buildings, witnesses said, as traumatized Palestinians hoped a US plan to end the war would soon ease their suffering.
US President Donald Trump, who had called for an end to the bombing, said on Saturday on his Truth Social platform that Israel had agreed to an "initial withdrawal line" inside Gaza and that "when Hamas confirms, the Ceasefire will be IMMEDIATELY effective."Israel escalated its offensive as Egypt prepares to host delegates from Hamas, Israel and the United States, and Qatar, to kick off talks over the implementation of the most advanced effort yet to halt the conflict. Hamas had drawn a welcoming response from Trump on Friday by saying it accepted certain key parts of his 20-point peace proposal, including ending the war, Israel's withdrawal, and the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian captives. But the group left some issues up for further negotiation, as well as questions unanswered, such as whether it would be willing to disarm, a key demand from Israel to end the war. "Progress would depend on whether Hamas would agree to the map, which shows the Israeli army would remain in control of most of the Gaza Strip," said a Palestinian official, close to the talks. "Hamas may also ask for a strict timetable for the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. The first phase of talks will determine how things are going to proceed," he told Reuters, asking not to be named. In Gaza City, which Israel describes as one of Hamas' last bastions, Israeli forces continued attacks and warned residents who left against returning, saying it was a "dangerous combat zone." On Sunday, witnesses said Israeli planes escalated attacks against targets across the city, Gaza's biggest urban center. This followed a tense night in which drones dropped grenades on the rooftops of residential buildings and troops blew up explosive-laden vehicles, demolishing dozens of houses in two Gaza City neighborhoods, Sabra and Sheikh Radwan.

Israel’s Army Says Intercepted Missile Launched from Yemen
Asharq Al Awsat/October 05/2025/
The Israeli army said on Sunday that it had intercepted a missile fired from Yemen, from where Houthi militias frequently launch attacks they describe as a response to the Israeli offensive in Gaza. "Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in several areas in Israel, a missile launched from Yemen was intercepted by the IAF," the Israeli army said, using an acronym for the air force. "Sirens were sounded in accordance with protocol," it said. The Houthis, who are backed by Iran, regularly send missiles or drones towards Israel, the vast majority of which are shot down.
But last month, a drone attack claimed by the Houthis evaded Israeli air defenses and wounded 22 people in the tourist resort of Eilat. Israel launched in response strikes on what it described as Houthi-linked targets in Sanaa. The strikes killed at least nine people and wounded more than 170, according to the Houthis.

Syria Selects Members of First Post-Assad Parliament
Asharq Al Awsat/October 05/2025/
Members of local committees in Syria began on Sunday selecting members of a transitional parliament. An AFP correspondent witnessed dozens of members of the local committees queueing at Syria's National Library, formerly called the Assad National Library, to cast their vote. According to the organizing committee, more than 1,500 candidates -- 14 percent of which are women -- are running for the assembly, which will have a renewable 30-month mandate. Interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa is to appoint 70 representatives out of the 210-member body. The other two-thirds will be selected by local committees appointed by the electoral commission. But southern Syria's Druze-majority Sweida province, which suffered sectarian bloodshed in July, and the country's Kurdish-held northeast are excluded from the process for now as they are outside Damascus's control, and their 32 seats will remain empty. "I support the authorities and I'm ready to defend them, but these aren't real elections," said Louay al-Arfi, 77, a retired civil servant sitting with friends at a Damascus cafe. "It's a necessity in the transitional phase, but we want direct elections" to follow, he told AFP. Under a temporary constitution announced in March, the incoming parliament will exercise legislative functions until a permanent constitution is adopted and new elections are held. Sharaa has said it would be impossible to organize direct elections now, noting the large number of Syrians who lack documentation after millions fled abroad or were displaced internally during the civil war. Speaking from the library on Sunday, Sharaa appeared to acknowledge criticism of the process, saying that while "it is true that the electoral process is incomplete... it is a moderate process that is appropriate for the current situation and circumstances in Syria".Around 6,000 people are taking part in Sunday's selection process. Preliminary results are expected to emerge after it ends, with state television reporting that some centres started counting the votes. The final list of names is due to be announced on Monday. Under the rules, candidates must not be "supporters of the former regime" and must not promote secession or partition.

Arab, Muslim countries welcome Hamas response to Trump’s proposal
Al Arabiya English/October 05/2025/
Arab and Muslim countries welcomed on Sunday Hamas’s approach to the proposal presented by US President Donald Trump and the group’s readiness to release the hostages. The joint statement was issued by the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, UAE, Qatar, Egypt, Indonesia, Turkey and Pakistan and it comes after a positive response by Palestinian militant group Hamas to a peace proposal to end the conflict in the Gaza Strip put forward by Trump. The foreign ministers “welcomed the steps taken by Hamas regarding…Trump’s proposal to end the war on Gaza, release all hostages, alive or deceased and the immediate launch of negotiations on implementation mechanism.”The Trump plan says all hostages will be returned by Hamas “within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting this agreement.”Trump’s proposal also said that thereafter, Israel will free 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences, plus 1,700 Gazans arrested since October 7, 2023, including all women and children. For every Israeli hostage whose remains are released, Israel will release the remains of 15 dead Gazans, the Trump plan says. The foreign ministers also welcomed Hamas’ readiness to handover the administration of Gaza to a transitional Palestinian Administrative Committee of independent technocrats. The Arab and Muslim foreign ministers applauded Trump’s call on Israel to “immediately” stop the bombing of Gaza, while expressing “appreciation for his commitment to establishing peace in the region.”“They also affirmed that such developments represent a real opportunity to achieve a comprehensive and sustainable ceasefire, and to address the critical humanitarian conditions facing people in the Gaza Strip,” the ministers said in the statement. The ministers reiterated their joint commitment to support efforts that would lead to the implementation of the proposal and to work for the immediate end of the war on Gaza as well as achieving an agreement that ensures the unrestricted delivery of aid to Gaza. The top diplomats also reiterated the necessity of returning “the Palestinian Authority to Gaza, unifying Gaza and the West Bank, and reaching a security mechanism that guarantees the security of all sides in a manner that leads to the full Israeli withdrawal, and the rebuilding of Gaza,” saying that this helps create a path for a just peace based on the two-state solution.

Jordan, Syria carry out first anti-narcotics operation since Assad regime’s collapse
AFP/October 05, 2025
CAIRO: Hamas on Sunday called for a swift start to a hostage-prisoner exchange with Israel as negotiators from the two warring sides meet in Egypt for crucial talks aimed at ending the nearly two-year war. Foreign ministers of several countries, including Egypt, said the talks were a “real opportunity” to achieve a comprehensive and sustainable ceasefire in Gaza. “Hamas is very keen to reach an agreement to end the war and immediately begin the prisoner exchange process in accordance with the field conditions,” a senior Hamas official said on condition of anonymity. The diplomatic push follows the Palestinian militant group’s positive response to US President Donald Trump’s roadmap for the release of captives in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli jails. Negotiators are due to hold talks in the Egyptian resort of Sharm El-Sheikh, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressing hope that hostages held in Gaza could be released within days. Netanyahu said Saturday he had instructed negotiators to go to Egypt “to finalize the technical details,” while Cairo confirmed it would also be hosting a delegation from Hamas for talks on “the ground conditions and details of the exchange of all Israeli detainees and Palestinian prisoners.”Egyptian state-linked media said the two parties would hold indirect talks on Sunday and Monday, just before the second anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attack that sparked the war. The White House said Trump had sent two envoys to Egypt — his son-in-law Jared Kushner and Middle East negotiator Steve Witkoff. “During communications with mediators, Hamas insisted that it is essential for Israel to halt military operations across all areas of the Gaza Strip, cease all air, reconnaissance, and drone activity, and withdraw from inside Gaza City,” a Palestinian source close to Hamas said. “In parallel with the cessation of Israeli military activity, Hamas and the resistance factions will also halt their military operations and actions,” he added. According to Trump’s plan, Israel is expected to release 250 Palestinian prisoners with life sentences and more than 1,700 detainees from the Gaza Strip who were arrested after October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, triggering the ongoing war. But Trump warned he would “not tolerate delay” from Hamas, urging the group to move quickly toward a deal “or else all bets will be off.”Trump said on Truth Social that Israel had agreed to an initial line of withdrawal in Gaza and that this had been shared with Hamas. “When Hamas confirms, the Ceasefire will be IMMEDIATELY effective, the Hostages and Prisoner Exchange will begin, and we will create the conditions for the next phase of withdrawal,” he posted, alongside a map of the proposed line. Netanyahu said that “in the coming days we will be able to bring back all our hostages... during the Sukkot holidays,” referring to the week-long Jewish festival that begins on Monday.
Strikes continue
Despite Trump calling on Israel to halt its bombings, Israel has continued to carry out strikes on Gaza. AFPTV footage showed thick smoke billowing into the skyline over the coastal territory on Sunday. Gaza civil defense agency, a rescue force operating under Hamas authority, said Israeli strikes killed at least five people in Gaza City in the morning, after several attacks through the night. On Saturday, nearly 60 people were killed in Israeli strikes, including 40 in Gaza City alone, the agency reported. “The decision to occupy Gaza, the collapse of multi-story buildings, and the intensity of IDF operations in the city have led to the evacuation of roughly 900,000 residents to the south, creating immense pressure on Hamas and the countries that support it,” Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a speech on Sunday. The United Nations had estimated that around one million people were living the area before the start of the assault. “There has been a noticeable decrease in the number of air strikes (since last night). The tanks and military vehicles have slightly pulled back, but I believe this is a tactical move, not a withdrawal,” said Muin Abu Rajab, 40, a resident of Al-Rimal neighborhood in Gaza City.
No role for Hamas
Hamas has insisted it should have a say in the territory’s future. Trump’s roadmap stipulates that Hamas and other factions “not have any role in the governance of Gaza,” while also calling for a halt to hostilities, the release of hostages within 72 hours, a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and Hamas’s disarmament. Under the proposal, administration of the territory would be taken up by a technocratic body overseen by a post-war transitional authority headed by Trump himself. “Netanyahu will not be able to escape this time... (Trump) is the only one who can force Israel to comply and stop the war,” said Sami Adas, 50, who lives in a tent in Gaza City with his family. Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 67,139 Palestinians, according to health ministry figures in the Hamas-run territory that the United Nations considers reliable.

Tomahawk supply to Ukraine would destroy US relations: Putin
Reuters/October 05, 2025
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that if the United States supplied Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine for long-range strikes deep into Russia then it would lead to the destruction of Moscow’s relationship with Washington. Less than two months since US President Donald Trump met Putin at a summit in Alaska, peace looks even further away with Russian forces advancing in Ukraine, Russian drones allegedly flying in NATO airspace and now Washington talking about direct participation in striking deep into the world’s biggest nuclear power. Trump has said he is disappointed with Putin for not making peace and has cast Russia as a “paper tiger” for failing to subdue Ukraine. Putin last week hit back, questioning if NATO was not the “paper tiger” for failing to stop Russia’s advance. US Vice President JD Vance said last month that Washington was considering a Ukrainian request to obtain long-range Tomahawks that could strike deep into Russia, including Moscow, though it is unclear if a final decision has been made. “This will lead to the destruction of our relations, or at least the positive trends that have emerged in these relations,” Putin said in a video clip released on Sunday by Russian state television reporter Pavel Zarubin. The Wall Street Journal reported last week that the United States will provide Ukraine with intelligence on long-range energy infrastructure targets in Russia, as it weighs whether to send Kyiv missiles that could be used in such strikes. Two officials confirmed the Journal report to Reuters. But one US official and three other sources told Reuters that the Trump Administration’s desire to send long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine may not be viable because current inventories are committed to the US Navy and other uses. Tomahawk cruise missiles have a range of 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles), which means that if Ukraine got the missiles then the Kremlin and all of European Russia would be within target. Putin on Thursday said that it was impossible to use Tomahawks without the direct participation of US military personnel and so any supply of such missiles to Ukraine would trigger a “qualitatively new stage of escalation.” “This will mean a completely new, qualitatively new stage of escalation, including in relations between Russia and the United States,” Putin said. He added that Tomahawks could harm Russia, but that it would simply shoot them down and improve its own air defense. Putin portrays the Ukraine war as a watershed moment in Moscow’s relations with the West, which he says humiliated Russia after the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union by enlarging NATO and encroaching on what he considers Moscow’s sphere of influence. Western European leaders and Ukraine cast the war as an imperial-style land grab and have repeatedly vowed to defeat Russian forces. They argue that unless Russia is defeated, Putin will risk an attack on a NATO member, a claim Putin has repeatedly denied.

The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on October 05-06/2025
The Blasphemy Business’…The Persecution of Christians, August 2025
Raymond Ibrahim/Gatestone Institute/October 05/2025
/ريموند إبراهيم/موقع كايتستون: وقائع اضطهاد المسيحيين في العديد من الدول خلال شهر أب/2025/تجارة التجديف
October 5, 20251
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/10/147940/
What we see in Africa today is a kind of silent genocide or silent, brutal, savage war that is occurring in the shadows and all too often ignored by the international community… [J]ihadist groups are in a position to take over not one, not two, but several countries in Africa…. It’s very dangerous for the national security of the United States…. Christians are going to be targeted and destroyed.” — Alberto Miguel Fernandez, geopolitical analyst and former S. diplomat, Fox News, August 7, 2025, Mozambique.
The Islamic State (ISIS) released a newsletter praising its “mujahideen” [jihadists] for targeting and slaughtering the Christians of Democratic Republic of the Congo and Mozambique mentioned above, and urging followers to replicate these attacks in Europe…. It praises the massacres and beheadings of Christians inside churches, and attacks on Christian communities, all of which left “pools of blood.” It calls on its followers to offer Christians three choices: “If they refuse Islam and the jizyah tax, the third option is murder.” — MEMRI, August 8, 2025, Democratic Republic of Congo.
“Our conquering ancestors ruled with swords, advancing legions and leading the way, until they terrorized the nations of their time, who came to them willingly or unwillingly, surrendering and submissive. This is the truth, and anything beyond it is false.” — ISIS newsletter, reported by MEMRI, August 8, 2025, Democratic Republic of Congo.
The “hearts still ache for revenge against the Christians of Europe. The call is still open to the heroes of Islam to attack them again and invade them in their own backyards and implement the divine rulings against them as their brothers did in Africa, and Allah will surely support those who support Him.” — ISIS newsletter, reported by MEMRI, August 8, 2025, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Below are some of the more notable incidents of the ongoing genocide being carried out against Christians in Nigeria….
“The herdsmen chased and shot at farmers as if they were animals.” — morningstarnews.org, September 1, 2025, Nigeria.
“The culmination of the efforts to stop the [church’s] construction took place on Sunday, July 27, 2025. The construction committee was subjected to a mass lynching by government officials and residents….” — Rev. Puput Yuniatmoko, persecution.org, August 8, 2025, Indonesia.
“While the language of the draft agreement [between Azerbaijan and Armenia] is general in nature, it mentions combating intolerance, racism, and violent extremism. Absent from the list of vices to be countered was religious persecution and ethnic cleansing — longstanding practices of the totalitarian Azerbaijan” — persecution.org, August 14, 2025, Azerbaijan.
“During detention, we were forced to drink water from Lotas [vessels typically used in toilets]. One person would open their mouth while another poured water through the same vessel.” — Zakria John, morningstarnews.org, August 20, 2025, Pakistan.
“Nabeel Masih, a 25-year-old Christian from Lahore, died… after years of neglect, abuse, and lack of crucial medical care. At 16….Masih was accused by a man named Akhtar Ali of posting a blasphemous image on Facebook….Police had the image removed to prevent unrest, erasing the only evidence that could prove whether Masih had posted it. ” — morningstarnews.org, August 20, 2025, Pakistan.
The following are among the abuses and murders inflicted on Christians by Muslims throughout the month of August 2025.
The Muslim Slaughter of Christians
Mozambique and Democratic Republic of Congo: An Aug. 7 report highlights a series of brutal ISIS-affiliated massacres of Christians in both African nations.
In Mozambique, the Islamic State Mozambique Province (ISMP) released photos showing operatives raiding villages, burning a church and homes, and beheading Christians.
In Democratic Republic of Congo, at least 45 Christians were slaughtered. The images depict civilians’ corpses and desecrated churches and Christian homes. Discussing these, geopolitical analyst and former U.S. diplomat Alberto Miguel Fernandez said,
“What we see in Africa today is a kind of silent genocide or silent, brutal, savage war that is occurring in the shadows and all too often ignored by the international community… Christians are going to be targeted and destroyed…. [J]ihadist groups are in a position to take over not one, not two, but several countries in Africa – take over the whole country or most of several countries – is dangerous. It’s very dangerous for the national security of the United States let alone the security of the poor people who are there – Christians or Muslims or whoever they are… [The goal of these jihadist groups is] eliminating Christian communities… [Muslims are] given a choice: ‘either join us or you too will face killing and annihilation.’ Christians, of course, are not going to be asked to join. Christians are going to be targeted and destroyed.”
On Aug. 7, the Islamic State (ISIS) released a newsletter praising its “mujahideen” [jihadists] for targeting and slaughtering the Christians of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Mozambique mentioned above, and urging followers to replicate these attacks in Europe. The editorial credits the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) for “firing up the flames of jihad” against Christians, bringing them “displacement, anguish, humiliation, and ruin.” It praises the massacres and beheadings of Christians inside churches, and attacks on Christian communities, all of which left “pools of blood.” It calls on its followers to offer Christians three choices: “If they refuse Islam and the jizyah tax, the third option is murder and displacement, which is what they have witnessed and suffered for years.” It glorifies centuries of Muslim conquest:
“Our conquering ancestors ruled with swords, advancing legions and leading the way, until they terrorized the nations of their time, who came to them willingly or unwillingly, surrendering and submissive. This is the truth, and anything beyond it is false. This is what the mujahideen of Africa adhere to, paying no heed to anything else.”
It concludes with a call to jihad on Europe:
“The hearts still ache for revenge against the Christians of Europe. The call is still open to the heroes of Islam to attack them again and invade them in their own backyards and implement the divine rulings against them as their brothers did in Africa, and Allah will surely support those who support Him.”
Democratic Republic of Congo: On Aug. 13, Islamic terrorists of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) disguised themselves as priests and choristers before attacking Mayi Moya village. Three Christians were murdered and eight abducted; shops and homes were looted and burned to the ground. According to a local church official,
“They came into our church and stole the robes of our priests and choir; they then put them on, posing as a delegation from another church. It was a devilish plan. To use the very symbols of worship to deceive and destroy is beyond evil. My heart breaks for those who trusted them, thinking they came in peace.”
Villagers welcomed the disguised attackers, singing and greeting them, unaware of the concealed guns beneath the robes until too late, said survivor Jean-Philip Mboosa:
“I thought initially that they genuinely were from a church. They greeted us with smiles and songs, and it looked so real. But when I went closer, I noticed guns hidden beneath the robes. That’s when my heart sank. I knew we had been tricked. I walked quietly back and then ran into the bush, praying God would protect me.”
Mourning her cousin’s death, Mary Kavora, added while weeping,
“They were dressed in priestly robes and everyone in the village believed they were holy men. Who would ever doubt people dressed as servants of God? My cousin followed them while singing, thinking it was worship. He never came back. It feels like faith itself was used against us.”
Nigeria: Below are some of the more notable incidents of the ongoing genocide being carried out against Christians in Nigeria:
Between Aug. 1-5, Muslim Fulani herdsmen slaughtered at least nine people in a string of attacks on Christian farming villages in Benue State. According to the report,
“[the] attacks are part of a broader pattern of violence against Christians in Nigeria…. As of Aug. 6, there have been no official arrests in connection with the attacks…. Christian leaders and local civil society organizations have repeatedly called on the Nigerian federal government to strengthen security, investigate the attacks thoroughly, and bring perpetrators to justice.”
On Aug. 5, Muslim Fulani herdsmen attacked Christian communities in the Middle Belt, killing at least 17 Christians, torching entire villages, and displacing hundreds. Fourteen of those Christians were, according to locals,
“returning from the weekly market in Bokkos town when their vehicle was ambushed. Victims included women and little babies…. This is too much. We can’t continue to bury children and the elderly. The government must act decisively to end these killings of Christians.”
A total of 70 Christians have been slaughtered in this region during the last three months. Analysts warn the attacks are part of a wider Islamist campaign, and that the Fulani “adopt a comparable strategy to Boko Haram and ISWAP and demonstrate a clear intent to target Christians and potent symbols of Christian identity.”
In two attacks in Borno State in late August, Boko Haram militants killed eight Christians, some while farming, others asleep in their homes. They also torched dozens of Christian homes. According to a representative of Borno South,
“Our people, whose only pursuit is peace and livelihood, continue to fall victim to the cruelty of insurgents. These men and women deserved to live, to farm and to dream, but their lives have been cut short by those who thrive on violence and destruction.”
On Aug. 24, armed Fulani herdsmen killed two Christians in Benue State, after the slaughter of five others earlier in the month. According to one local,
“All seven Christians were killed in Guma County, the same area where as many as 200 Christians were slain in attacks on June 13-14 in Yelwata village… The herdsmen chased and shot at farmers as if they were animals.”
On Aug. 24, the Muslim herdsmen slaughtered seven Christians, including a one-year-old infant, in Angwan Rimi village in Kaduna state.
On Aug. 27, Fulani herdsmen killed a Christian farmer and wounded three others in Tafawa Balewa County. According to a local source,
“One of the Christian women, Naomi Sabo, was [also] cut on her hand with a machete, and her teenage son was cut with a machete. A third victim, another Christian woman, had her ear cut off by the herdsman.”
The report adds that,
“Jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and the splinter group Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), among others, are also active in the country’s northern states, where federal government control is scant and Christians and their communities continue to be the targets of raids, sexual violence, and roadblock killings…. Abductions for ransom have increased considerably in recent years.”
On Aug. 28, a pastor of the Evangelical Church Winning All in Kwara state was abducted from his pastorium.
Uganda: On Aug. 19, a former Muslim convert to Christianity was lured to his death. Mohammed Nagi, 38, father of five children aged 4 to 15, was murdered after a Muslim friend, Rajabu, promised him work. Nagi and his family had embraced the Christian faith on March 2. Two weeks later, they began attending church, but a relative and his Muslim friend, Rajabu, discovered them near the worship site and began questioning them. “We did not respond,” said Nusula, Nagi’s wife; “we decided to start attending another church.” By July, rumors spread of their new church attendance. Rajabu confronted Nagi about missing mosque prayers, and family members warned him that he was
“deserving to be killed, because ever since the creation of this world, they have never seen anybody becoming a Christian in the family and could not understand why anyone should forsake the true religion of Islam that came directly from heaven through prophet Muhammad.”
On the evening of Aug. 19, Nagi received a call from Rajabu, promising him a job. According to his widow,
“He persuaded him that phone conversation was not enough…he left immediately in order to secure the work…. We waited and waited as time started moving towards midnight. I tried to reach him on phone, but all was in vain. In the morning, a neighbor, Naisu Isima, saw my husband dead at around 6 a.m. and called me by phone.”
According to police,
“The body of the deceased was found with physical injuries on the head and was also dragged on a muddy road a distance of 20 meters. There were no signs of strangling.”
Muslim Attacks on Christian Churches
Spain: On Aug. 17, a Muslim man entered the church of Albunol in Andalusia, broke a stained-glass window and damaged sacred objects before setting the church on fire. Some parishioners and responders were injured while intervening. Authorities arrested the suspect, a Moroccan reportedly suffering from “mental illness.” The Archdiocese of Granada condemned the act, stating it “seriously harmed the most sacred aspect of Christian worship and the religious feelings of the majority of its inhabitants.” The Union of Islamic Communities of Andalusia also responded:
“We wish to emphasize that this act is completely contrary to human and Islamic values, as well as to the principles of respect and coexistence between religions. We reiterate that this is an isolated incident that in no way represents the Muslim community of Andalusia, whose daily life takes place in a climate of peace, respect, and collaboration.”
Italy: According to a late August report, a group of “young people,” many of whom appeared to be “foreign delinquents,” are vandalizing and even “besieging” the church of Santa Franca, a district of Piacenza in Emilia-Romagna. “I’m going to burn this church,” one of them threatened its priest, Don Maurizio Noberini. “I’ll come here with a can of gasoline and burn everything.”
Separately, on Sunday, Aug. 24, human excrement was smeared on the outer walls of the historic church of Sant’ Antonio al Seggio in Aversa. The incident, described as “intolerable” by the local community group Aversa Francescana, sparked outrage on social media.” Smearing fecal matter on churches has a long Islamic pedigree.
Ghana: In mid-August, “feces were strewn throughout” a church, “an act of vandalism that is unusual in the region and has shocked people.” A Christian majority nation, about 20 percent of Ghana is Islamic.
Syria: On Aug. 21, Syrian Culture Minister Mohammed Saleh appeared in a video attending the historic Greek Orthodox Church of St. Ananias in Damascus accompanied by Islamic chanter Al-Mu’tasim Billah Al-Assali who performed an Islamic chant that referred to Christ as “a creation” that came “bearing good news of Mohammad,” directly contradicting core Christian beliefs. The footage drew widespread backlash from Christians, who saw it as an unnecessary provocation in a sacred space.
Egypt: According to a late August Arabic report, an ongoing crisis surrounding the historic Church of the Virgin Mary in Rashid, Beheira Governorate, erupted again—this time with straightforward attempts to obliterate what remains of the monument. Sons of a criminal court counselor—behaving more like the sons of a mobster—attempted to demolish the remaining structures of the nineteenth-century Christian monument. Their objective was apparently to erase the church’s identity before an anticipated government inspection. The attempt was halted only after police intervened. The assault was revealed by Father Luka Asaad, who described it as “an attempt to erase the church’s historical identity before the litigation stages were completed.” For documenting the destruction, he was beaten, dragged from the premises, and robbed of his phone. The Rashid church—once a Greek church but later entrusted to the Coptic Orthodox—has faced systematic dismantling since 2009, including the loss of its bell tower and large portions of its structure. In August 2025, local authorities also demolished the protective wall of the adjacent Coptic cemetery, despite a valid construction license.
Indonesia: On Aug. 2, officials and Muslim clerics closed the Immanuel prayer house of Bethel Tabernacle Church, expelled evangelist Dani Natanael and his son, and indefinitely halted all Christian activities. Authorities justified their actions by citing the lack of a worship building permit. Pastor Yahya Sukma condemned the eviction. He called it a violation of human rights, and indicated the true source of the closure: Dani and his son were taken late at night to a hotel “to avoid an attack” by protesting Muslims. Twenty local Christian communities were left without a house of worship. Some in those communities are now forced to travel three hours to attend services. Advocates for religious freedom highlighted that praying at home does not require a permit under national law, thereby making the closure legally questionable.
In a separate incident, according to an Aug. 8 report, the GKJW church in Mojoroto, East Java, was forced to halt construction despite meeting all of the permit requirements. The congregation had secured approval from more than 200 members and 65 residents—exceeding the necessary threshold—but local authorities and opponents blocked its progress nevertheless. According to Rev. Puput Yuniatmoko,
“The culmination of the efforts to stop the construction took place on Sunday, July 27, 2025. The construction committee was subjected to a mass lynching by government officials and residents, incited by irresponsible individuals.”
As some Muslims insisted that the committee restart the permit process, mediation sessions involving the city, local religious leaders, and the Interfaith Harmony Forum all failed.
Azerbaijan: On Aug. 14, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met at the White House to sign a joint declaration intended to promote stability and economic cooperation. Hailed internationally, human rights groups warn that
“While the language of the draft agreement is general in nature, it mentions combating intolerance, racism, and violent extremism. Absent from the list of vices to be countered was religious persecution and ethnic cleansing — longstanding practices of the totalitarian Azerbaijan regime. Also absent from the draft agreement is any commitment to protecting the centuries-old Christian heritage sites captured by Azerbaijan in 2023. Many have experienced significant damage and even been destroyed…. **** While the agreement would commit the countries to ‘addressing’ cases of missing persons and enforced disappearances — possibly a reference to the many Armenian hostages still held by Azerbaijan — the agreement falls short of a commitment to their full return, which rights activists have long demanded.”
According to one analyst,
“Azerbaijan received a major concession in the corridor to Nakhchivan, and in return only had to extend the vaguest of assurances regarding Armenia’s territorial sovereignty. What does Armenia have left on the bargaining table to ensure that its citizens are returned and its heritage sites are preserved?”
Sudan: On Aug. 14, police disrupted a funeral prayer meeting inside a church, arresting five South Sudanese Christians, including a pastor. Authorities reportedly targeted the Christians as foreigners, although they have not been charged or informed of deportation plans. Church leaders said that South Sudanese Christians now live in constant fear, staying indoors to avoid raids, as police reportedly go door to door detaining South Sudanese and Ethiopian nationals. One female detainee was told she must pay 600,000 Sudanese Pounds ($995) — a fine perceived as a bribe — or risk six months in jail. The area is a stronghold of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which, along with its opponent, the Sudanese Armed Forces, attack churches, Christian homes, and businesses with impunity amid civil war that erupted in April 2023. A separate report highlights Sudan’s continuing persecution: “Christians of all backgrounds are trapped in the chaos…Churches are shelled, looted and occupied by the warring parties.”
Greece: According to an Aug. 22 report,
“Police authorities in Thessaloniki have arrested a 43-year-old Palestinian man who raped a 14-year-old girl with mental retardation! According to what the minor reported to the police, along with her mother, the acts took place outside a church… A case was filed against him for rape, abuse of an incapacitated person to resist a sexual act, and sexual act with or in front of minors.”
General Muslim Abuse of Christians
Somalia: According to an Aug. 19 report, since Aug. 6, Muslim relatives have kept a Christian mother and her infant daughter locked up in a room, where she is periodically beaten in an effort to get her to renounce Christ and return to Islam. In a phone conversation, Fatuma Hassan, 28, said,
“My child has grown very thin for lack of enough food. My child is unwanted in the family, who say, ‘Throw away this bastard kid born of an infidel – we want you back, but not the child who deserves no right to live.’ I am always crying for my baby and hope one day I will escape this terrible ordeal to attain my peace and freedom…. My family and relatives have sworn that they will not allow me to see the good sunshine until I surrender my Christian faith and return back to Islam. But I am praying for God’s intervention to escape and to join my husband once again. More so I need prayers from Christians.”
Soon after converting, she left her family home in March 2024 and married a Christian. She managed to remain hidden until Aug. 6, 2025, when six relatives charged into her home. “One relative slapped her while another dashed outside, returning with a stick and beating her,” her husband said. “My wife started screaming. I escaped through the rear window. After three days, she called me saying she is back with her people but locked in a dark room.”
A separate Aug. 16 report elaborates on how Christians in Somalia live under constant threat of violence, persecution, and death at the hands of Islamic militants. Being known as a Christian—especially a convert from Islam—”is viewed as an act of betrayal by both militant groups and local communities, forcing believers to abandon their homes, families, and identities.” Underground believers face severe restrictions: churches cannot exist openly, worship must be hidden, and even basic fellowship carries mortal danger. Militants, including al-Shabab, have attacked Christian farms, burned homes, and targeted families for execution or abduction.”
Pakistan: Minority prisoners, especially Christians, endure systematic abuse in Pakistani jails, a study released Aug. 15 by the National Commission for Justice and Peace found. According to one quoted prisoner, Zakria John:
“During detention, we were forced to drink water from Lotas [vessels typically used in toilets]. One person would open their mouth while another poured water through the same vessel.”
His prison provided only six plates for 100 inmates:
“We took turns eating from these limited utensils. Initially, we were confined to a room previously used for tuberculosis patients, with used syringes scattered throughout. We remained in these conditions for three months. A worker occasionally provided us with soap fragments, though he faced questioning when discovered. After using the toilet, we often had to clean our hands by rubbing them against the wall.”
After three months they were finally allowed visits from family, who brought plates, soap and other essential items:
“Later, fellow inmates informed us that soap, blankets and other necessities were supposed to be provided by the jail administration. However, we were systematically denied these basic provisions.”
According to the report,
“Once the religious identity of prisoners becomes public, officials treat Christian and Hindu inmates poorly, assigning them menial tasks and refraining from offering them the remission in sentences that are offered to Muslims.”
Separately, according to an Aug. 4 report,
“Nabeel Masih, a 25-year-old Christian from Lahore, died on July 31 after years of neglect, abuse, and lack of crucial medical care. At 16, while living in Dina Nath, Kasur, Masih was accused by a man named Akhtar Ali of posting a blasphemous image on Facebook — allegedly insulting the Kaaba, Islam’s holiest site. Police quickly arrested Masih under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, often misused and criticized as unfair. Police had the image removed to prevent unrest, erasing the only evidence that could prove whether Masih had posted it. In 2018, Masih was convicted of blasphemy and sentenced to 10 years, becoming the youngest person ever convicted under these laws in Pakistan. He spent four years in prison, mostly in solitary confinement, facing fear, threats, and mental distress [until he died].”
On Aug. 10, ahead of Pakistan’s National Minorities Day, human rights advocates warned of rising persecution of Christians and other religious minorities. Activist Samson Salamat told a Lahore forum:
“We demand the government constitute a judicial inquiry commission to investigate the ‘blasphemy business group’ and similar gangs entrapping innocent people in blasphemy cases, and to reveal the truth behind all the incidents of violence on Christians from the burning of Shantinagar in 1997 to Jaranwala tragedy in August 2023 and mob lynching of Nazeer Masih Gill in Sargodha in May 2024.”
Participants called for punitive action against Muslim extremist groups and removal of hate content from school curricula. Christian rights advocate Luke Victor said,
“Even after 78 years of independence, we don’t feel free because our young daughters are forcefully converted and married off, because our children don’t get equal chances and because we are looked down upon. We want freedom from discrimination and freedom from being called ‘Chuhra‘ or ‘Bhangi‘ [pejorative terms used against Christians]. We are all equal citizens of this country.”
Separately, according to an Aug. 25 report,
“A Christian girl rescued from a Muslim … who abducted her said he forcibly converted her, sexually assaulted her as part of a sham Islamic marriage and forced her into prostitution. The forced prostitution resulted in serious health issues for the 16-year-old girl, whose name is withheld as a rape victim.”
Malaysia: An Aug. 27 report highlights the nation’s ongoing Islamization (referred to as “dakwah”) since the late 1960s, and how it specifically targets Christian youth. For example,
“In Sabah, once a secular stronghold, federal mandates have imposed Islamic curricula and dakwah campaigns targeting indigenous communities, eroding Christian-majority traditions. Notably, Christian youth are being converted in large numbers through these educational initiatives, which prioritize Islamic teachings over religious diversity.”
Raymond Ibrahim, author of Defenders of the West, Sword and Scimitar, Crucified Again, and The Al Qaeda Reader, is the Distinguished Senior Shillman Fellow at the Gatestone Institute and the Judith Rosen Friedman Fellow at the Middle East Forum.
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/21951/persecution-of-christians-augustAbout this Series
While not all, or even most, Muslims are involved, persecution of Christians by extremists is growing. The report posits that such persecution is not random but rather systematic, and takes place irrespective of language, ethnicity, or location. It includes incidents that take place during, or are reported on, any given month.
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For the First Time, the Two Shores of the Ocean Drift Apart
Suleiman JawdaAsharq Al-Awsat/October 05/2025
Europe wakes up to new apprehension tied to Russia every morning. Hardly a day passes without Russia disturbing the old continent. Their relationship began to deteriorate with the Russian-Ukrainian war. Since President Vladimir Putin launched his war on Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Europe’s capitals have grown wary of the man. Relations have been worse than they had been at point since the Second World War, including the decades when the Soviet Union loomed on Europe’s eastern frontier. French President Emmanuel Macron went so far as to describe Europe as being in a confrontation with Russia. Macron was diplomatic in his characterization of the state of affairs between the continent he aspires to lead and Russia, which seizes every opportunity to provoke the Europeans politically and militarily. The French president’s tone contrasted with that of Finland’s president and Denmark’s prime minister, neither of whom bothered with diplomatic niceties. Both have declared that the Europeans and Russians are more in a state of war than anything else. Macron’s words did not come from thin air, nor did those of the Finnish president and the Danish prime minister. All three, along with other European leaders, have seen drones violate Polish airspace, Danish airspace at another, and Moldovan airspace at yet another. They watch on with their hands on their hearts and the next fresh surprise on their minds. Russia, for its part, denies responsibility for the drones. insisting it is not violating the airspace of this or that country. Since when, however, have aggressor states admitted to infringing on the borders of their neighbors? The question remains: where are these drones coming from? Even in this age of artificial intelligence, there is no clear answer.
Europe is now in a bind. The war in Ukraine is straining its economy and exacting a heavy price, while European populations are growing weary of the costs of a war that has disrupted their very way of life. It is no secret that since President Donald Trump entered the White House earlier this year, he has leaned closer to Russia than to Ukraine or, for that matter, to Europe as a whole. He personally blocked US weapon transfers to the Ukrainians, and when he has transferred them, they have amounted to anything like what President Joe Biden once provided, demanding immediate compensation in the form of rare minerals found in Ukrainian soil.
Europe has tried, time and again, to remind him that its bond with the United States is historical and unbreakable. They have explained that their alliance is solid and enduring. Nonetheless, Trump has shown no interest in listening, let alone in heeding, what Europeans have to say on the matter. As a result, Russia feels that, unlike his predecessors, Trump is leaning in its favor and not extending a hand to Europe. Perhaps this has emboldened Russia to feel that it has the upper hand in an eventual confrontation with the entire continent.
For decades, Europe had slept soundly on the American cushion. It had never imagined a day would come when it found that the White House had pulled that pillow away without prior warning. Under the Trump administration, Washington seems indifferent to Russia threatening European capitals, or if Russia vows retaliation should they supply Ukraine with ground forces or certain missiles. European mistrust of Washington has run so deep that, when President Volodymyr Zelensky made his second visit to the US capital, European leaders insisted on attending the meeting, fearing that Trump could impose terms harmful to Europe’s interests and security on the Ukrainian president. The question now is: will the American cushion remain out of Europe’s reach? The answer depends on how far the confrontation Macron spoke about will go. For the first time, Americans have turned their backs on the eastern side of the Atlantic, leaving Europe without the support it had grown accustomed to since the Second World War. And for the first time, Europeans feel they are facing Russia with their backs against the wall.

New Seed in Palestine
Mishari Al-Dhaidi/Asharq Al-Awsat/October 05/2025
(Translated from Arabic)
The key question we need to answer to enter the gates of peace in Palestine and the region today, after US President Donald Trump successfully launched his peace project, is: What is the position of the Palestinian movement Hamas?
President Trump used the full force of American pressure on both the Israeli and Palestinian sides to approve his peace plan, end the war, determine the future of Gaza, and then the future of the entire Palestinian issue, along with Israel. This pressure resulted in Israel, Netanyahu, and his team backing down from continuing the unjust war on the people of Gaza and from the whispers of Palestinian demographic change, not just in Gaza but also the West Bank.
It also resulted in cornering the Hamas leadership and giving them a limited number of days to accept Trump's peace plan, which includes Hamas exiting the governance of Gaza. Trump stated via his Truth Social account: "I will not allow any delay... Let's get this done fast. Everyone will be treated fairly."
A group of Arab and Islamic countries played an influential role in reaching this result, which Trump named, including Saudi Arabia and Egypt. An Egyptian source told the press that preparations are underway to discuss creating the field conditions for a prisoner exchange operation and to prepare for a comprehensive Palestinian dialogue to discuss the future of the Gaza Strip. This last point, the "comprehensive" Palestinian dialogue, is one of the titles of the current phase. Trump's plan stipulated that Hamas "will agree to have no role in governing Gaza, whether directly, indirectly, or in any way." However, Hamas said its response to this is linked to a comprehensive national Palestinian stance.
What is important today is stopping the machine of destruction, killing, misery, hunger, and fear in Gaza, and then looking at the day after. To be honest, Hamas's acceptance of the plan is to its credit, considering the interests and lives of the people in Gaza, whom Hamas claims to fight for.
What happened is not the end, as we said before, but the beginning. Permanent future arrangements must start today, after the fire is extinguished. This atmosphere must be invested in, as must the change in Western attitudes, especially the American public. A recent poll conducted by The New York Times and Siena University showed that 34% of respondents' sympathy leans "more" towards Israel, compared to 47% in December 2023. In contrast, 35% expressed "more" sympathy for the Palestinians, a percentage that did not exceed 20% in last year's poll. 19% of respondents expressed equal sympathy for both sides, and 12% said they did not know or refused to answer. These are significant figures that mean the future lies with the Palestinian side in the battle of image and moral balance. Will the wise people of Palestine grasp this and not spoil this new seed?

How Did Trump Do It?
Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Asharq Al-Awsat/October 05/2025
(Translated from Arabic)
As a follow-up to my previous article about Hamas's shift towards accepting the Trump plan, the world woke up yesterday to its agreement and Israel's acceptance as well. Reaching this outcome was not an easy task, considering the complexities of the regional and military situation in the Strip. The US President succeeded in silencing opponents of his plan from various powers and didn't just stop at convincing them.
Israel had previously expressed its rejection of a Palestinian Authority presence in the Strip, its opposition to granting Hamas fighters the right to remain, and its desire to re-occupy it alone. Trump also worked to win over countries close to Hamas, such as Qatar and Turkey. He fixed the relationship with Doha, hosted President Erdoğan, agreed to grant Turkey extra time to buy cheaper Russian gas, and opened the door to the military F-35 deal that previous US administrations had prohibited. He neutralized Russia, an adversary capable of adopting a block opposing the proposed agreement. Trump also gave consideration to central countries, such as Saudi Arabia, by acknowledging its "Two-State Solution" project and including it in the provisions of his Gaza plan as the main goal. He was careful to extend a carrot to the besieged Hamas by ensuring the safety of its leaders and fighters, whether they accepted staying or leaving. Ankara, Doha, and Moscow all kept their doors shut to Hamas leaders unless they accepted Trump's deal. President Putin overlooked his differences with Washington and was keen to personally, not through his foreign minister, announce his support for the Trump plan, as well as his support for Tony Blair's project for the administration of the Strip in the next phase. This is despite the fact that keeping the Western camp preoccupied with wars serves the Russians in Ukraine, their main war.
Tehran, this time, had less opposing statements than usual. After the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh last year, the movement's leaders became afraid to go to Iran. In the end, the hardliners within the movement had no choice but to accept, though this won't prevent them later from adopting obstruction tactics, through objection, modification, and procrastination, to make some adjustments and save some face.
The result, according to the Trump plan, is that the Hamas we've known for thirty years as a fighting group will end, perhaps remaining a political movement competing with the Fatah movement, which dominates the Palestinian Authority leadership. Throughout the two years of war, Hamas played a seesaw game of agreeing and disagreeing, wanting a deal and an end to the war but not wanting to leave the Strip, until Trump decided to stop the two parties who wanted the fighting to continue: Hamas and Israel. Hamas is the last to arrive. Hezbollah preceded it and signed an agreement with Israel. The rest of the Palestinian factions surrendered their weapons in Lebanon, and the armed Palestinian and nationalist militias in Syria evaporated after the fall of the Assad regime.
Hamas is the last brick in the wall of the "Resistance and Confrontation Front" that is collapsing, creating a large vacuum in the armed movement, which, if not dealt with politically, will return with different names and characteristics. This will bring us back to the Saudi project of the "Two-State Solution" and taking advantage of the presence of a strong and effective figure like Trump. However, the priority today is to address the tragedy of two million people, most of whom are homeless and without food, who need a temporary relief plan that precedes the administration and development project, which may take months before it begins.

Selected X tweets For on October 05/2025