English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For October 22/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible Quotations For today
The Parable of the Slaves and the Master who Entrusted them with Different
Amounts Of Money to Invest
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint
Luke 19/11-28/:"As they were listening to this, Jesus went on to tell a parable,
because he was near Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God
was to appear immediately. So he said, ‘A nobleman went to a distant country to
get royal power for himself and then return. He summoned ten of his slaves, and
gave them ten pounds, and said to them, "Do business with these until I come
back."But the citizens of his country hated him and sent a delegation after him,
saying, "We do not want this man to rule over us."When he returned, having
received royal power, he ordered these slaves, to whom he had given the money,
to be summoned so that he might find out what they had gained by trading. The
first came forward and said, "Lord, your pound has made ten more pounds." He
said to him, "Well done, good slave! Because you have been trustworthy in a very
small thing, take charge of ten cities."Then the second came, saying, "Lord,
your pound has made five pounds." He said to him, "And you, rule over five
cities." Then the other came, saying, "Lord, here is your pound. I wrapped it up
in a piece of cloth, for I was afraid of you, because you are a harsh man; you
take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow." He said to him,
"I will judge you by your own words, you wicked slave! You knew, did you, that I
was a harsh man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow?
Why then did you not put my money into the bank? Then when I returned, I could
have collected it with interest." He said to the bystanders, "Take the pound
from him and give it to the one who has ten pounds."(And they said to him,
"Lord, he has ten pounds!") "I tell you, to all those who have, more will be
given; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.
But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them bring
them here and slaughter them in my presence." ’After he had said this, he went
on ahead, going up to Jerusalem."
Titles For The Latest English
LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on October
21-22/2025
Elias Bejjani/October 21/2025/ My X Account
The Anniversary of the Aaichiye، Massacre and the Assassination of Dany Chamoun
and His Family ...They loved Lebanon unto martyrdom and offered themselves as
pure sacrifices upon its altar./Elias Bejjani/October 21/2025
Text and Video: Commemorating the Martyrdom of Wissam al-Hassan and the
Betrayal, Cowardice, and Failure of the March 14 Party Leaders/Elias Bejjani /
October 19, 2025
Video Link – Interview with Former Minister Youssef Salameh on “Transparency”
LAF Soldiers “Led Into a Trap” in Zebqine Blast, Sources Say
Israel says troops destroyed Hezbollah sites in Shebaa Farms area
Report: Local and external talks ongoing despite setback of US negotiations
proposal
Sheikh Naim Qassem, Secretary-General of Hezbollah: "We are at a juncture in the
conflict, one filled with both significant pain and hope. Israel does not want
to end the dispute with Lebanon.
Israeli drones resume overflights above Beirut and suburbs
France in talks with KSA for Lebanon conference
Report: Lebanon pressed to pick figure to negotiate with Israel's Dermer
Report: US sees Lebanon sovereignty as vital for regional peace
Adwan insists on debating expats' right to vote after Berri-Geagea spar
PoliticsAmericans Call for Direct Talks Between Lebanon and Israel/Bassam Abou
Zeid/This is Beirut/October 21/2025
Parliamentary Elections Worry “Hezbollah,” Prompting Preemptive Stances/Sobhi
Mounzer Yaghi/Nidaa Al-Watan/October 21/2025
Diaspora votes: Lebanon's 2026 elections could redefine lawmaking with larger
Parliament
MP Gemayel: Law restricting only six seats for expatriates is a form of
'political marginalization'
High-level French judicial delegation arrives in Lebanon to boost legal
cooperation
French diplomatic source: France is working to organize international conference
to support
Tourists turned hostages: Lebanese Army rescues two Iraqis after cross-border
kidnapping
The Lebanese Demand Peace with Israel/Hussain Abdul-Hussain/This is
Beirut/October 21/2025
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on October
21-22/2025
Trump threatens Hamas amid push toward next steps of Gaza truce
Trump says US allies ready to ‘straighten out Hamas’ if asked
Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks before a lunch at the White House, Oct.
17, 2025.
Israel’s Netanyahu meets head of Egyptian intelligence, PM office says
Israeli PM Netanyahu fires national security advisor
UK deploys small number of military officers to Israel following US request
Hamas says dealt ‘severe blow’ to group it says collaborated with Israel
UN warns severe danger from unexploded ordinance in Gaza will persist for years
to come
US Vice President Vance in Israel to shore up Gaza deal
Erdogan turns Trump’s Gaza deal into a power play for Turkiye
World Bank estimates $216bn needed to rebuild Syria after civil war
UK removes terrorism designation for Syria’s HTS
Syria hopes for full lifting of US sanctions in coming months
Iran risks severe economic downturn, unrest as renewed UN sanctions bite
Europe, Ukraine prepare 12-point proposal to end Russia’s war
Russian bombardment plunges hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians into blackout
Trump not to meet Putin in ‘immediate future,’ US official says
9 dead as Yemen repels deadly Al-Qaeda attack
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources
on October
21-22/2025
We Are Not Fooled by You, Hamas/Nils A. Haug/
Gatestone Institute/October 21, 2025
Trump keeps Netanyahu tethered to Gaza deal — for now/Osama Al-Sharif/Arab
News/October 21, 2025
Europe doubles down on Ukraine before Putin-Trump talks/Andrew Hammond/Arab
News/October 21, 2025
What Comes after the Sharm el-Sheikh Summit?/Eyad Abu Shakra/Asharq Al Awsat/October
21/2025
How Is Disarmament Still a Matter of Debate? /Nadim Koteich/Asharq Al Awsat/October
21/2025
Selected English Tweets from X Platform For 21 October/2025
The Latest English LCCC Lebanese &
Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on October
21-22/2025
Elias Bejjani/October 21/2025/ My X Account
Please be informed that my account on the X
platform has been suspended for reasons unknown to me. This is the fourth
account in five years to be arbitrarily suspended.
The Anniversary of the Aaichiye، Massacre and the
Assassination of Dany Chamoun and His Family ...They
loved Lebanon unto martyrdom and offered themselves as pure sacrifices upon its
altar.
Elias Bejjani/October 21/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2024/10/68292/
The systematic brutality targeting Lebanon’s free and sovereign men and women —
leaders, clergy, and intellectuals — has continued since the 1970s through
various oppressive and terrorist means. Nothing has changed for the better since
the Aaichiye, massacre and the assassination of martyr Dany Chamoun and his
family. Lebanon remains occupied, and its rulers, politicians, and party leaders
— the vast majority of them — are Trojan collaborators executing the occupier’s
commands while trampling the nation’s interests.
First came the Palestinian occupation, followed by the Syrian one, and then the
cancer of Hezbollah and its godless masters, the mullahs of Iran. Today, as we
commemorate the Aaichiye massacre and the martyrdom of Dany Chamoun and his
family, we must recognize, with national and spiritual awareness, that Hezbollah
has destroyed Lebanon, displaced its people, dismantled its institutions, and
dragged it — against the will of the majority — into a devastating war with
Israel to serve Iran’s interests.
Despite all the destruction and loss, Hezbollah refuses to acknowledge defeat,
surrender its weapons to the state, and abide by the ceasefire, the
constitution, and international resolutions. History teaches us that nations not
nourished by the generous sacrifices of their people collapse, their identity
fades, and their dignity and heritage are erased.
Holy Lebanon — blessed with youth who fear neither death nor martyrdom for its
sake, like Dany Chamoun and his family — will endure, for evil cannot overcome
it. Martyrdom is born of faith and love: faith in a homeland and a cause, and
love so pure and giving that it ascends to the level of offering one’s life for
those we love.
The martyrs are the beacon that lights our path to freedom and the incentive to
continue Lebanon’s sacred mission of dignity and spiritual greatness. As we
remember the Aaichiye massacre and the assassination of Dany Chamoun and his
family, we affirm that our faith in God, in Lebanon, and in our right to live
freely and with dignity requires us to endure pain and hardship, for nations are
built only on love, hope, and sacrifice — even unto martyrdom.
Many years have passed since those crimes, yet the horrors of the Aaichiye
massacre and the assassination of Dany Chamoun and his family remain vivid in
the hearts and minds of Lebanon’s free and sovereign people. These were heinous
crimes committed by the Syrian occupier and his local mercenaries — godless
agents and devils who accepted the role of tools and traitors.
Tragically, some of our own people submitted to the role of Trojans and Judases,
betraying the blood of martyrs. They are the moral, national, and ethical cancer
devouring our country. These very same figures still control Lebanon’s fate
today, dragging it — through hatred, envy, and bitterness — toward ruin and
destruction.
The political class and political party mafias who
side with the Iranian occupier, embodied by its local terrorist armed
proxy, Hezbollah, have betrayed the martyrs’ blood in exchange for power
and privilege. They traded sovereignty for seats and turned a blind eye to all
international resolutions concerning Lebanon.
The Aaichiye massacre and the assassination of Dany Chamoun and his family still
fill our hearts with sorrow and our eyes with tears for those noble heroes who
sacrificed their lives for Lebanon and its people.
We must never forget that Lebanon is a sacred land, its boundaries written in
the Holy Scriptures. It is God’s own domain, mentioned more than seventy-seven
times in the Old Testament:
“The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree; he shall grow like a cedar in
Lebanon.” (Psalm 92:12)
“His fragrance shall be like Lebanon.” (Hosea 14:6)
In Islam, Lebanon is held in reverence. The Prophet
Muhammad said: “Three mountains are among the
mountains of Paradise.” They asked: “O Messenger of God, which mountains?” He
said: “Mount Uhud — it loves us and we love it — Mount Sinai, and Mount
Lebanon.”
It is also said that among the seven mountains bearing the divine throne on
Judgment Day, Lebanon will be one of them. (As cited by historian Antoine Khoury
Harb in The Name of Lebanon Through the Ages.)
In conclusion, freedom is a divine gift granted to humanity so that we may be
free in thought, word, and belief. So, our Heavenly
Father, grant us steadfastness in truth and courage in bearing witness to it.
Martyr Dany Chamoun, the martyrs of Aaichiye, and all the martyrs of Lebanon’s
sacred land are the leaven of faith that continuously gives life to our nation,
planting within it love, generosity, and hope.
Text and Video: Commemorating the
Martyrdom of Wissam al-Hassan and the Betrayal, Cowardice, and Failure of the
March 14 Party Leaders
Elias Bejjani / October 19, 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/10/135924/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOUG-CU7-PE
On the anniversary of the assassination of martyr Wissam al-Hassan, it is
crucial to remember that Hezbollah, Iran’s armed terrorist proxy, is the force
behind his murder. This group, with its long and bloody history, has
assassinated hundreds of Lebanese who dared to oppose its occupation and
criminal grip on the country. Wissam al-Hassan was one of many courageous
figures who paid the ultimate price for resisting Hezbollah’s dominance and
exposing its destructive agenda.
Hezbollah has become a relentless assassination machine, silencing anyone who
stands against it—politicians, military figures, journalists, and activists
alike. Its operations are not isolated incidents of political rivalry; they are
part of a systematic effort by Iran’s regime to tighten its control over Lebanon
through fear, violence, and bloodshed. From Wissam al-Hassan to countless
others, Hezbollah’s methods have always been ruthless and calculated, designed
to eliminate any figure who advocates for Lebanese sovereignty and independence.
What is perhaps even more appalling is the role played by Lebanon’s political
elite in enabling this occupation. The heads of Lebanon’s political parties,
including many who once identified with the March 14 coalition, have betrayed
the principles of freedom and resistance that Wissam al-Hassan and others died
defending. Instead of standing firm against Hezbollah’s tyranny, they chose to
collaborate with it, seeking personal gains—positions of power, government
posts, and political influence—while turning a blind eye to Hezbollah’s
systematic destruction of Lebanon’s independence.
These political leaders, who once vowed to oppose Hezbollah, now participate in
a government that grants legitimacy to the very group responsible for the
assassination of one of their own. Their actions have not only undermined
justice for Wissam al-Hassan and other martyrs but have also paved the way for
Hezbollah to continue its campaign of terror unchecked.
Today, as we remember Wissam al-Hassan, we must recognize that the real enemy is
not just Hezbollah but also the corrupt political class that has sacrificed the
country’s sovereignty for personal interests. Hezbollah’s grip on Lebanon
remains strong, not solely because of its weapons and militias, but because the
political leaders have sold out the nation’s independence in exchange for
short-term personal benefits. This betrayal is as damaging as the assassinations
themselves.
Hezbollah will continue its deadly path unless the Lebanese people, and the
international community, hold both the terrorist group and its enablers within
the political system accountable for their crimes. It’s time to expose not only
Hezbollah’s murderous agenda but also the complicity of those who have allowed
it to thrive, to restore justice for Wissam al-Hassan and countless other
victims of their treachery.
Video Link – Interview with Former Minister Youssef
Salameh on “Transparency”
October 21, 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/10/148404/
Title: Iran’s Scarecrow Role Has Ended After Pushing Arabs Toward Peace with
Israel – Hamas Serves Israel and Eliminates Palestinians
Theme: The Peace of the Strong in the Middle East – After the Sharm El-Sheikh
Conference, Political Islam Surrenders, and Peace with Israel Is the Next Step
Headline Question: Is Direct American Mandate the Only Solution to Save Lebanon?
In a fiery and thought-provoking episode of “Politics and People” with Patricia
Smaha, former Minister Youssef Salameh delivers a series of bold and
controversial statements that are bound to ignite debate across Lebanon and the
region.
He asserts that Lebanon has lost the war and that “the defeated have no right to
choose.” He also presents a shocking theory, claiming that Iran is a creation of
the Western-Zionist lobby, designed to fabricate the “Shiite scarecrow” and
force Sunni states into normalization with Israel.
Salameh further accuses Hamas of serving Israel’s strategic interests in Gaza
and of systematically eliminating the Palestinian cause under the guise of
resistance.
On the Lebanese front, Salameh addresses the issue of Hezbollah’s weapons,
declaring that the party has “ended as a military force” and “failed to protect
its own leaders.” He sharply criticizes MP Hassan Fadlallah, describing him as
“either ignorant, an agent, or insane.”
He expresses full support for Dr. Samir Geagea in his confrontation with Speaker
Nabih Berri, accusing Berri of monopolizing parliamentary authority, and sends a
direct message to President Joseph Aoun, stressing that peace negotiations with
Israel are inevitable.
Finally, Salameh proposes a controversial solution — calling for a “direct
American mandate” over Lebanon as the only realistic path to rescue the country
from its collapse and Iranian-Hezbollah domination.
Interview Highlights and Timestamps
00:00:00 – Introduction: Direct negotiations risk igniting civil unrest
00:02:47 – The shocking theory: Iran is a creation of the Western-Zionist lobby
00:07:01 – “Their role is over”: Why political Islam and Hamas have surrendered
00:08:18 – The dangerous claim: Hamas serves Israel and eliminates Palestinians
00:10:43 – “The defeated don’t get to choose”: Israel has won; acceptance is
inevitable
00:11:09 – Response to Hassan Fadlallah: Ignorant, an agent, or insane
00:12:03 – “Failure”: Hezbollah is finished as a military power
00:18:44 – Full support for Samir Geagea: Nabih Berri has monopolized parliament
00:26:20 – The solution: Sign a peace treaty and normalize relations with Israel
00:40:46 – The shocking proposal: Lebanon needs a “direct American mandate”
LAF Soldiers “Led Into a Trap” in Zebqine Blast, Sources
Say
This is Beirut/October 20/2025
Six Lebanese soldiers were killed on August 9 in a powerful explosion in the
Zebqine valley near Majdel Zoun, in southern Lebanon’s Tyre district. While
initial reports pointed to an accidental explosion, a U.S. intelligence source
said that contacts within the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) confirmed the unit
“was led into a trap,” and that Hezbollah deliberately detonated the depot as
the soldiers began dismantling it. The findings of the official army
investigation—still ongoing—have yet to be released. The soldiers, members of
the Lebanese Army’s Engineering Unit, were dismantling an ammunition depot
alongside the Fifth Brigade when the site suddenly detonated. The blast came
just days after the Cabinet tasked the army with drafting a plan to disarm
Hezbollah and other armed groups—a move fiercely opposed by the Iran-backed
faction. However, sources close to the LAF insisted the incident would not deter
the army from continuing its mission to dismantle Hezbollah’s networks and move
forward with the disarmament plan.
Israel says troops destroyed Hezbollah sites
in Shebaa Farms area
Naharnet/October 21/2025
Israeli ground forces destroyed launching sites belonging to Hezbollah earlier
this week in the Shebaa Farms area near the border, the Israeli army said on
Tuesday.
It added that the operation aimed to prevent any future presence for Hezbollah
in this area.
Report: Local and external talks ongoing despite setback of US negotiations
proposal
Naharnet/October 21/2025
Despite the setback of Israel’s rejection of a U.S. proposal for indirect
negotiations with Lebanon, “contacts have not stopped, both domestically and
externally,” Lebanese official sources said. “Things are not completely
deadlocked, especially that a political solution between Lebanon and Israel
represents a priority and an objective for the Americans,” the sources told al-Joumhouria
newspaper in remarks published Tuesday. “Accordingly,
it is not ruled out that this matter might gain some steam in the foreseeable
future, which might coincide with the arrival of envoys who would activate the
political solution course,” the sources added.
Sheikh Naim Qassem, Secretary-General of
Hezbollah: "We are at a juncture in the conflict, one filled with both
significant pain and hope. Israel does not want to end the dispute with Lebanon.
NNA/October 21, 2025 (Translated from Arabic)
Sheikh Naim Qassem, Secretary-General of Hezbollah, announced during the launch
ceremony of the book, "Singing and Music: Research by Imam Khamenei," that the
party "truly operates based on benefiting from the directives, convictions, and
orders of Imam Khamenei."
He added: "Therefore, when Imam Khamenei states that Palestine is the compass,
must be liberated, and Muslims must participate, this means a legitimate
religious framework has been established for me. If I fight for Palestine and am
killed in the path of God, I am absolved of all blame before God."
He continued: "Who grants me this legitimacy? We are a religious community. A
religious person looks toward their afterlife, and one who looks toward their
afterlife consults their religious authority (Marja') and their leader, the Wali
al-Faqih (Guardian Jurist), to see if this action is permissible or not."
Qassem further stated: "...Hence, our bond with the Wali al-Faqih, Imam Khamenei,
is a bond of Islam, of creed, of faith, of mind and soul, and the legitimate
right of every individual to make their choices. There is no compulsion in
religion. Consequently, we have chosen this option, and others have chosen
different options. Each person bears the responsibility for their choices."
He said: "The Wali al-Faqih, Imam Khamenei... following Imam Khomeini... has had
a great and extensive influence on this spirit that has spread across our
region—the spirit of resisting the Israeli occupier and working to reclaim the
land, dignity, and honor. This matter was part of the system of right: this land
belongs to the Palestinians, this land belongs to the Lebanese, and this land
belongs to the Egyptians. Every nation has the right to reclaim its land. This
is an integral part of what is right, because the Islamic project is a project
of right, not a project of power, nor a project of momentary self-interest for a
group that monopolizes or selfishly takes what is not its own."
He added: "Today, they tell us: 'Had it not been for the Iranian support, you
would not have reached this level.' And we say, this is true. Without Iranian
support, there would have been no liberation, no steadfastness, and no
victories. This is a matter of honor, dignity, and pride. This does not mean it
is an accusation. The accusation belongs to those who abandoned Palestine, to
those who conspired with Israel, to those who supported global arrogance in
striking their brothers and loved ones, to those who did not stand effectively
and practically against the genocide in Gaza, to those who endured and waited
for two years while the genocide, the killing of children, the elderly, and
women, and the destruction of homes continued, and who are also contributing
through their positions, statements, policies, and media. This is the
fundamental problem that existed."
He asserted: "Let me tell you clearly: The show that Trump put on in Sharm
el-Sheikh is not a peace project. He called it peace, but it is not a peace
project. In truth, we are facing a juncture in the conflict that holds a lot of
pain and hope simultaneously. Why? Because Israel has not achieved its goals,
and will not achieve them, even with this entire international demonstration
they held in Sharm el-Sheikh. Initially, when the meeting was held, it was said
that there was something new in the region. The 'new' was a theatrical
performance, but there is no practical novelty except that America is trying to
gain politically what Israel failed to achieve militarily. This is neither
available nor possible. Despite the dominant, tyrannical international
complicity, Israel has not achieved its goals and will not achieve them. It is
an aggressor and a criminal, and it is carrying out genocide, but it is not
victorious, and it will not be able to solidify its occupation."
He continued: "As for American intervention, it is very detrimental in Lebanon
and the region. I tell you: the American proves day after day that it is they
who lead the genocide and massacres, because they possess an expansionist
project alongside the Israeli expansionist project. When Netanyahu puts forward
('Greater Israel')... it serves ('Greater America'), because we see what Trump
is doing throughout the world, not just in this region. He is commissioning
Israel here to expand as ('Greater Israel'), and since it is a tool, it becomes
part of 'Greater America'..."
He said: "We tell the American administration, especially [Tom] Barrack: Stop
threatening Lebanon. At times, you want to merge Lebanon with Syria; at times,
you want to leave the Israelis to deliver harsh, deterrent blows; and at times,
you offer financial capabilities to the Lebanese Army to stir up sedition
between the Army and its people in Lebanon. The entire goal is to destroy
Lebanon's strength in preparation for making it an annex to Israel as part of
('Greater Israel')."
He added: "Lebanon's stability is achieved by restraining the hand of Israel. As
for achieving Israel's project through pressure on Lebanon, Lebanon cannot give
Israel what it wants, nor can America take what it wants, as long as Lebanon has
a proud people, and as long as great sacrifices have been made, and many more
sacrifices are ready to be made. But Lebanon must remain sovereign, free,
dignified, independent, strong, and capable of managing its own affairs. If you
are talking about arrangements related to the relationship between Lebanon and
the Israeli entity, an agreement was reached in October. That agreement ended
one phase and ushered us into a new one. This agreement certainly contains
interests for Israel and interests for Lebanon, but it ends the disputed issue.
Why doesn't Israel implement the agreement? Because Israel does not want to end
the dispute between it and Lebanon; Israel wants to swallow Lebanon, Israel
wants to eliminate Lebanon's existence. If some people think that eliminating
Hezbollah's weapons will end the problem, they are mistaken, because Hezbollah's
weapons are part of Lebanon's strength, and they do not want Lebanon to have
strength. The proof is that when they arm the army, they arm it to strike the
existing force in Lebanon, and it is prevented from being armed with any
capability that the Israeli might sense could give it power to confront Israel
one day. It is time for them to understand this issue."
Qassem addressed the Israelis: "There is an agreement, go and implement it, and
Lebanon has implemented it. Consequently, all these maneuvers you are
undertaking, and all this pressure, you are merely exhausting yourselves and
wasting time. You are creating a pressure situation whose outcome I do not know
what it will be later, how it might occur, or what the results will be."He drew
the attention of the Lebanese government: "There is a fundamental duty incumbent
upon you. You are responsible for sovereignty, so act in a correct manner to
protect sovereignty. You are responsible for reconstruction, so take the
executive measures for reconstruction. And the Governor of the Central Bank of
Lebanon is not an employee of America to act as a judicial officer and try to
restrict Lebanese citizens in their money. The government must put an end to
this... And the Minister of Justice is not a judicial officer for America and
Israel. He must stop preventing Lebanese citizens from completing their
transactions with notaries public. Otherwise, Lebanon becomes a prison for its
citizens under American management! Let us understand: Are these officials,
whether the Minister of Justice or the Central Bank Governor, merely employees
of the American administration in the 'American Prison' in Lebanon?! We do not
accept Lebanon being a prison, nor do we accept anyone being under the command
and administration of America. You must be under the command and administration
of the Lebanese government, for the benefit of the Lebanese people and
citizens."
Israeli drones resume overflights above Beirut and suburbs
Naharnet/October 21/2025
Israeli surveillance drones resumed their flights over Beirut and its suburbs on
Tuesday morning, a day after they overflew the capital and nearby areas in an
intensive manner that sparked concern among residents. Media reports said the
drones overflew Baabda on Monday in a possible political message to President
Joseph Aoun, as Speaker Nabih Berri said Israel has rejected a U.S. proposal for
indirect negotiations with Lebanon. U.S. envoy Tom
Barrack on Monday urged Lebanon to act on the issue of Hezbollah’s disarmament,
warning that there might be a “major confrontation” between Israel and Hezbollah
if Beirut does not take serious steps.
France in talks with KSA for Lebanon conference
Naharnet/October 21/2025
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has discussed in a phone call with U.S.
Envoy Tom Barrack the need to support the Lebanese Army to implement its
disarmament plan, a French diplomat said.The diplomat told An-Nahar newspaper,
in remarks published Tuesday, that Barrot and Barrack also discussed France's
commitment to hold an international conference in Riyadh in November to support
the Lebanese Army. Macron had called Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman two
days ago to prepare for the conference, the daily said, adding that the latter
has not yet given his final response. French Envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian is
expected to visit Saudi Arabia to meet with Prince Yazid bin Farhan over the
conference. Paris also wants to host another
conference to drum up financial aid for the reconstruction of war-hit regions in
Lebanon, but only after Lebanese authorities fulfill their commitments by
enacting financial reforms and concluding an agreement with the International
Monetary Fund.
Report: Lebanon pressed to pick figure to negotiate with
Israel's Dermer
Naharnet/October 21/2025
After President Joseph Aoun’s initiative for indirect negotiations with Israel
made tangible progress and discussions reached the extent of forming the
negotiating team and the political representative level, the president is still
mulling his steps very carefully, the Nidaa al-Watan newspaper reported on
Tuesday. “There are huge international pressures to raise the level of
negotiations and make them between Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer
and someone equivalent to him on the Lebanese level, in order to seriously
discuss the pending issues,” the daily said. “In this regard, the Syrian-Israeli
direct negotiations represent a helping factor to launch a similar Lebanese
track under U.S. sponsorship, especially amid the absence of any other
alternative but coercive subjugation,” the newspaper added.
Report: US sees Lebanon sovereignty as vital for regional
peace
Naharnet/October 21/2025
Washington is investing in the course of “restoring Lebanon’s sovereignty”
seeing as it is vital for regional peace after “the progress that has been made
in Gaza and Syria,” a U.S. State Department source said. “What has happened in
the Middle East since October 2023 has turned into an unprecedented chance and
the possibility of expanding the Abraham Accords is turning into an imminent
reality,” the source told the Nidaa al-Watan newspaper in remarks published
Tuesday.
Adwan insists on debating expats' right to vote after
Berri-Geagea spar
Naharnet/October 21/2025
Lebanese Forces MP George Adwan said Tuesday his party is keen on holding the
parliamentary elections on time, urging the government and parliament to vote on
an amendment to the law that would allow expats to vote for all 128 seats.
Hezbollah and Amal argue that they do not enjoy the same campaigning freedom
that other parties enjoy abroad and are objecting the amendment of the current
law, which only allows expats to vote for six newly-introduced seats in
parliament.
Sixty-five MPs forming a parliamentary majority have submitted a draft law to
amend the electoral law to include voting from outside Lebanon but Speaker Nabih
Berri refused to discuss the amendment in Parliament.
He said the May 2026 elections will be held on time but that "there is no time
for any amendment".The Foreign Ministry later submitted to the government an
urgent draft law for the abolition of Articles 112 and 122 of the electoral law,
which limit the representation of expats to six newly-introduced seats. On
Monday, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said the Speaker cannot replace the
parliament, accusing him of "undermining parliament, the parliamentary system,
the Lebanese system and entire democracy.""It is the parliamentary majority that
decides in parliament, not you not any other person," Geagea said. "Either there
is a constitution, law and order or there is the law of the jungle. We will no
longer tolerate the law of the jungle." "The solution to the expats' voting
should be through a draft law passed by the government and sent to Parliament
for voting," Adwan said, urging President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf
Salam to include the draft law on the government's agenda for voting. He said
the final decision must be taken by a vote in a plenary session and that his
bloc will abide by that decision, even if they disagree with it.
PoliticsAmericans Call for Direct Talks
Between Lebanon and Israel
Bassam Abou Zeid/This is Beirut/October 21/2025
Israel does not seek to negotiate with Lebanon solely over Hezbollah’s
disarmament; its broader goal is a peace and normalization agreement between the
two countries. At present, Israel shows little interest in Lebanese proposals,
much like during the maritime border talks, where shuttle diplomacy by Amos
Hochstein between Beirut and Tel Aviv ultimately produced an agreement.
This time, the United States is pushing for direct Lebanese-Israeli
negotiations under the auspices of Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Each delegation would include military,
technical, diplomatic and political officials. According to sources, US envoy
Thomas Barrack has urged Lebanese authorities to directly engage Israel and
intensify communications to reach a solution that ensures the end of occupation,
resolves border disputes, halts attacks and assassinations, secures the release
of prisoners and advances a new political agreement between Lebanon and Israel –
beyond the existing ceasefire – preceded, crucially, by Hezbollah’s disarmament.
Sources following the negotiations indicate that Israel is in no hurry to
engage in talks that do not directly advance its strategic goal of peace. It has
established a highly advantageous situation along the Lebanese border, with
complete freedom of movement on land and in the air, striking at will whenever
it perceives a threat. Israel has also effectively created a buffer zone along
the border, preventing any reconstruction or movement, with no response from
Hezbollah or the Lebanese state. This control has enabled roughly 90% of
residents in the northern settlements to return to their homes.From Israel’s
perspective, the Lebanese state remains powerless against Hezbollah, which
openly refuses to disarm and continues to control decisions over war and peace.
Consequently, any negotiations with the Lebanese government may have little
effect on Hezbollah, which would retain its freedom of action and initiative,
undermining the state authority and diminishing its regional and international
influence.
Parliamentary Elections Worry “Hezbollah,” Prompting
Preemptive Stances…
Sobhi Mounzer Yaghi/Nidaa Al-Watan/October 21/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/10/148411 /(Free
translation from Arabic by the LCCC publisher & Editor: Elias Bejjani)
For “Hezbollah,” the upcoming parliamentary elections have become a crucial
moment to affirm its effective presence and the extent of its power on the
Lebanese stage, especially since its military strength is no longer capable of
shifting political and security balances. Consequently, “Hezbollah’s” electoral
machinery has been in motion since the middle of last summer, basing its
analysis and strategy on the results of the municipal elections, where the party
achieved a notable success that it now seeks to leverage in the May 2026
parliamentary polls.
What the party’s leaders fear most is an electoral breach in the Shia arena
during these elections—even if it is just one seat, in any electoral district—as
this would signify a decline in the “ShiitesDuo’s” popular and mass support.
Such a decline would consequently put the position of the Parliament Speaker at
risk, a position the party considers its “first line of defense.”
With “Hezbollah” viewing the elections as a tool for some to weaken its
standing, party officials, immediately and characteristically, rushed to fire
off preemptive salvos by starting to “excommunicate and accuse of treason” any
member of the “Shia community” who runs on opposition lists against the Duo. One
of the party’s officials came forward to declare: “…There are those who are
betting on weakening Hezbollah, and what they could not take by force, they are
trying to seize through politics,” asserting that the party will confront these
attempts at the ballot box just as it confronted them on the battlefield. He
added: “In the upcoming parliamentary elections, the Beqaa will cast out those
who conspire against the Resistance, and the families of the Beqaa will expel
them. We support multiple lists for the parliamentary elections, but… patience
has its limits.”
“Hezbollah” consistently insists on treating elections, any elections, as a
pivotal juncture and a battle against “agents, traitors, and conspirators
against the Resistance,” merely because they dare to run against the party,
entirely disregarding the principles of democratic competition and the right to
candidacy. Despite this preemptive fire opened by the party against (potential
candidates) opposing the Duo, preparations for forming opposition lists are
moving ahead rapidly across various Lebanese regions. These lists are expected
to include influential and effective Shiites figures who are accepted within the
Shiites community in particular due to their objective stances, avoiding figures
who carry question marks and are known for their multiple, shifting loyalties
and positions.
Active sources involved in preparing for the upcoming electoral event believe
that the Shiites community is too great to be limited to a duo, trio, or
quartet… It is a Lebanese community that played a prominent role in the
establishment of Greater Lebanon and in the battles for sovereignty and
independence. Historically, the Shia formed the backbone of national and leftist
parties and Palestinian organizations, with some even being active in right-wing
parties. The Shia were distinguished by their (Lebanese identity), the diversity
of their children’s political and ideological affiliations, and their
open-minded (political, religious, and secular) personalities.Therefore, the
same sources consider that "it is time for the Shia to return to their
fundamental national role, and for this community to reclaim its political and
partisan diversity, rather than remaining captive to a (duo) or subject to
regional and foreign projects..." The upcoming parliamentary elections must
serve as the foundation and the real launch toward a bright future for the Shia
and the nation in general—provided they are held in a calm democratic and secure
environment, and under the effective sponsorship of the (New Era), which must
realize that this upcoming electoral process is the ultimate test of its
strength, transparency, and effectiveness.
Diaspora votes: Lebanon's 2026 elections could
redefine lawmaking with larger Parliament
LBCI/October 21/2025
If Lebanon's parliamentary elections take place in May 2026 under the current
electoral law and without any amendments, the number of parliament members will
increase from 128 to 134. The change comes as the law stipulates the addition of
six seats to represent Lebanese citizens living abroad. This expansion would
alter several key figures in parliamentary calculations. The quorum for regular
sessions, previously 65 members, or half plus one of 128, will rise to 68
members in a 134-seat chamber. Accordingly, any draft law or proposal would now
require at least 35 votes from those present to pass. In special sessions, such
as the election of a president, the two-thirds quorum will also shift. Under the
current 128-member parliament, electing a president requires 86 members to be
present; in a 134-member chamber, that number increases to 90. Similarly, a
presidential candidate would need 90 votes to win in the first round and 68
votes, an absolute majority, in the second round. Even constitutional
amendments, which previously required 86 votes (two-thirds of 128), will now
require 90 votes under the expanded parliament.
MP Gemayel: Law restricting only six seats for expatriates is a form of
'political marginalization'
LBCI/October 21/2025
MP Samy Gemayel reaffirmed that the voting rights of expatriates in upcoming
parliamentary elections would be preserved, promising to "fight this battle
until the end."Speaking at a press conference, Gemayel criticized the lack of
clarity surrounding the voting process, saying it appeared designed to
discourage expatriates from registering on the registration roll. He emphasized
that no one can predict which law will govern the expatriate vote, making it
crucial for all eligible voters abroad to register. Addressing Parliament
Speaker Nabih Berri, Gemayel stated, "No one has the right to stand in the way
of the popular will by canceling the law electing six deputies for the diaspora.
The minority cannot control the majority. The minority seeks to exclude
Lebanese, while the majority inherits the consequences of years of
mismanagement." He added that no draft law currently exists to repeal the
six-deputy system in favor of a 128-seat parliament. Gemayel said his party will
continue to push the government to approve such a bill and send it to
Parliament. Gemayel also announced the formation of a cross-parliamentary
petition demanding that the law be amended. He noted that the law was not
included in the latest parliamentary session, prompting Kataeb Party lawmakers
to walk out in protest. He stressed the importance of expatriate votes in
shaping Lebanon's future, arguing that the impact of voting under a 128-seat
system would outweigh that of the current six-seat arrangement. Gemayel also
highlighted the growing number of registered voters abroad and condemned the law
restricting only six seats for expatriates, calling it a form of political
marginalization.
High-level French judicial delegation arrives in Lebanon to boost legal
cooperation
LBCI/October 21/2025
A high-level French judicial delegation arrived in Lebanon at the invitation of
Lebanese Justice Minister Adel Nassar. The delegation includes senior judges and
is visiting in coordination with the French Embassy in Beirut as part of efforts
to strengthen judicial cooperation between the two countries. The visit aims to
enhance the exchange of expertise and provide technical support to Lebanon’s
judicial institutions.
French diplomatic source: France is working to organize
international conference to support
LBCI/October 21/2025
France and the United States reaffirmed their joint support for Syria’s ongoing
political transition and social and economic recovery, stressing the need for
close coordination among regional and international partners and Syrian
authorities to accelerate the country’s reintegration into its regional and
global systems. In a meeting between the French foreign minister and the U.S.
envoy, both officials discussed recent positive developments in negotiations
between Syria’s transitional authorities and the Syrian Democratic Forces. They
agreed to maintain close coordination and continue efforts to facilitate
dialogue between the two sides, paving the way for implementing the March 10
agreement and easing field tensions under the ceasefire declared on October 7.
The two parties underscored that a peaceful, negotiated solution aimed at
unifying Syria and integrating the country’s northeastern regions into the
national political process remains the only viable path toward lasting regional
stability. sed international support for the Lebanese Army, with both sides
emphasizing the need for tangible and measurable progress in the army’s
operations to disarm Hezbollah south of the Litani River. The French minister
noted that France is preparing an international conference in Riyadh in November
to support the Lebanese Army and called for U.S. backing for the initiative,
given Washington’s role as the army’s primary supporter.
Regarding Lebanon’s economic reforms, France and the U.S. agreed that
Lebanese authorities must fulfill their commitments by passing legislation to
distribute banking sector losses and reaching an agreement with the
International Monetary Fund (IMF). If progress is achieved, France is prepared
to host a conference in Paris dedicated to Lebanon’s reconstruction and economic
recovery. On Lebanese-Syrian relations, the two sides exchanged positive views
on the growing rapprochement between Beirut and Damascus, exemplified by the
Syrian foreign minister’s visit to Beirut on September 10. They agreed on the
importance of continuing this path in the interest of both nations’ sovereignty
and stability.In a related context, both sides said the Gaza ceasefire and
implementation of the peace plan should pave the way for renewed momentum toward
peace between Israel and its neighbors. In line with the “New York Declaration,”
France pledged to support all dialogue efforts to advance this process.
Tourists turned hostages: Lebanese Army rescues two Iraqis after cross-border
kidnapping
LBCI/October 21/2025
Lebanese Army Intelligence freed two Iraqi nationals who were kidnapped and
taken across the Lebanese-Syrian border after being lured to Lebanon under the
pretext of tourism, the army said in a statement. On the last day of August
2025, Abbas al-Janabi and Amjad al-Shaibani arrived at Beirut Airport for what
was intended to be a tourist trip. From the airport, they headed to Jounieh,
where a Lebanese man known as “Abou Chahine” offered to help them move around
and visit tourist sites. That evening in Jounieh, the two Iraqis had dinner with
Abou Chahine, who had invited a Syrian national identified as A. al-Hajjeh. The
Iraqis returned to a hotel in Beirut’s Raoucheh district that night. The next
morning, Abou Chahine returned to the hotel with al-Hajjeh and offered to take
the two men on a trip to the al-Assi river in Hermel, northern Lebanon. The plan
appeared harmless, but along the way al-Hajjeh exited the vehicle, and Abou
Chahine continued driving the Iraqis alone toward a remote mountainous area near
the Qaa area. There, he handed them over to three
masked gunmen who arrived on a motorcycle. The armed men took the Iraqis across
the border into Syria, where they were transferred to a gold-colored Tahoe SUV,
blindfolded and handcuffed. Once inside Syrian territory, the kidnappers stole
$7,000 in cash and two iPhones from the victims. Al-Janabi
and al-Shaibani were held in an isolated agricultural room and subjected to
daily torture and beatings over a period of 50 days. The kidnappers demanded a
ransom of $200,000 from their families. To increase pressure, they forced the
two men to record a video falsely claiming affiliation with Hezbollah.
According to the Lebanese army, the investigation found that the
kidnapping had been pre-coordinated between Abou Chahine and al-Hajjeh. Army
Intelligence arrested al-Hajjah, along with another Syrian national identified
as M. al-Khatib, who had received more than $5,000 from the families of the
victims after falsely claiming he could help secure their release. After weeks
of surveillance and intelligence work, Army Intelligence carried out a targeted
operation in Qaa in Hermel. Members of the kidnapping ring were lured from
inside Syrian territory to the Lebanese border, where the two Iraqi captives
were freed unharmed after nearly two months in captivity. The army said the case
is a reminder that kidnappings often begin with false promises, including
friendly offers, tourism arrangements or free trips. Authorities urged visitors
and residents to rely only on trusted transportation and travel services and
avoid unknown intermediaries who may pose serious risks.
The Lebanese Demand Peace with Israel
Hussain Abdul-Hussain/This is Beirut/October 21/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/10/148417/
"Break the taboos; we demand peace," declared Marcel Ghanem, host of Lebanon’s
premier talk show. "Demanding peace [with Israel] is not a crime," he
emphasized, challenging entrenched narratives. Marwan Hamade, a seasoned Druze
lawmaker, appeared on I24 News (French service) to discuss Gaza, signaling a
willingness to defy Lebanon’s surreal boycott laws. Pundit Tony Karam condemned
deceptive negotiations with Israel and delusions of victory over it, writing,
"It’s time for political courage." A group of anonymous Lebanese launched the
"Lebanon Israel Initiative" to foster dialogue and cooperation between the
neighboring nations. Yet, the Lebanese state, cowed by
Hezbollah’s influence, remains deaf to these calls for peace and criminalizes
dialogue, blatantly violating fundamental liberties and human rights. This
suppression stifles voices seeking reconciliation and undermines Lebanon’s
democratic principles. Hezbollah employs multiple
tactics to vilify Lebanese peace supporters. The pro-Iran militia unleashes
venom on social media, recording videos, circulating them widely, shaming
advocates, and demanding their imprisonment. This orchestrated campaign aims to
silence dissent and maintain Hezbollah’s grip on public discourse, insisting on
upholding “Israel is the eternal enemy” as a non-negotiable national principle.
Such intimidation affects many, including Hamade, a survivor of a 2004
assassination attempt, likely orchestrated by Hezbollah operatives. Hamade later
softened his stance, claiming a friend invited him to the interview, believing
it was for a different outlet, not an Israeli channel. His retreat reflects the
chilling effect of Hezbollah’s tactics.
In response to defiant peace advocates, Hezbollah intensifies its attacks.
Beyond social media shaming, a Hezbollah-affiliated lawyer drags pro-peace
Lebanese activists to court, charging them with treason. These legal assaults
weaponize the judiciary to punish dissent, further eroding free expression.
In Lebanon, opponents of peace often conflate dissent over peace with Israel
with acts of espionage. Anyone advocating peace risks being branded a traitor or
spy, a dangerous oversimplification that shuts down legitimate debate.
Lebanon’s suppression of pro-peace voices—through courts and Hezbollah’s
intimidation—undermines its global credibility.
Reluctance to embrace free expression may stem from a cultural tendency to view
dissent as betrayal. A Palestinian militant once remarked, “One of my fears is
that treason will one day become a point of view,” a phrase weaponized to stifle
debate over recognizing Israel. This sentiment persists among some Lebanese,
Palestinian, and Arab communities, reflecting a broader resistance to open
dialogue.Labeling dissent as betrayal is fundamentally misguided. Short of
inciting violence or engaging in espionage, no opinion should be deemed
treasonous. Freedom of expression, a cornerstone of open societies, must be
upheld. Yet, Lebanon and others in the region often fall short. The state must
protect open debate and stop harassing citizens engaging with Israelis.
Guaranteeing free expression is not merely a legal obligation but a vital step
toward a more inclusive, peaceful society. Worse than
Hezbollah’s bullying is the Lebanese state’s weakness. Rather than upholding the
“freedom of expression” guaranteed by its constitution, Lebanon trades in
half-truths — pretending to pursue peace to appease Washington while evading
Hezbollah’s anger. Such duplicity erodes public trust and blocks progress.
When Lebanese officials mention talks with Israel, often misconstrued as peace
overtures, they mean “indirect talks” through American mediators to “settle
disputes”—a euphemism for border demarcation and a temporary truce rather than
genuine reconciliation.
Occasionally, Lebanon clarifies it seeks a truce with Israel, stating it will
sign peace only after a Palestinian state is established, aligning with Arab
League policy. This stance subordinates Lebanon’s interests to a broader
regional agenda.
Fifty-six years after surrendering sovereignty to Palestinian militias in 1969
and later to Hezbollah, Lebanon still prioritizes Palestinian interests over its
own. Palestinians turned Lebanon into a launchpad against Israel, triggering
devastating reprisals and igniting a civil war that scarred the nation.
Lebanon has sacrificed more for the Palestinian cause than Palestinians
themselves, hosting refugees and enduring conflict. It’s time to recognize
Israel, ratify a peace treaty, and normalize relations. This policy promises
stability, attracts foreign investment, and revitalizes Lebanon’s economy.
Ghanem urged Lebanon to put its national interests first — even if it means
breaking the long-standing taboo over Palestine.
Until Beirut decriminalizes its citizens’ right to engage freely with Israelis —
short of espionage — and recognizes peace as a policy open to debate rather than
a pillar of national identity, progress will remain elusive. The state must
foster an environment where ideas can be discussed without fear of retribution.
Pro-peace voices in Lebanon are growing louder, reflecting a yearning for
change. May peace with Israel, built on mutual respect and cooperation, follow
soon, ushering in a new era of stability and prosperity.
The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on October
21-22/2025
Trump threatens Hamas amid push toward next steps of Gaza truce
AFP/October 21, 2025
KIRYAT GAT: The US increased pressure on Hamas on Tuesday to disarm in the next
phase of an already fragile Gaza ceasefire as President Donald Trump pushed to
cement an end to the devastating conflict. In a visit to Israel, US Vice
President JD Vance said the ceasefire plan was going better than expected but
warned the Palestinian militant group it would be obliterated if it did not
cooperate, echoing a Trump threat earlier in the day of “fast, furious and
brutal force.” Israel and Hamas have accused each other of repeated breaches of
the truce since it came into effect 11 days ago, with flashes of violence and
recriminations over the pace of returning hostage bodies, bringing in aid and
opening borders. Israel has killed at least 87 Palestinians since the ceasefire
began, according to the Gaza health ministry, and two Israeli soldiers were
killed in southern Gaza over the weekend. A delegation from Hamas said at a
meeting with Turkish government officials on Tuesday that the group remains
committed to the ceasefire deal despite what it called Israel’s “repeated
violations,” according to a Hamas statement. Turkiye was among the signatories
of Trump’s document on the Gaza ceasefire deal earlier this month in Egypt’s
Sharm el-Sheikh.
Vance visiting Israel
With the existing truce already shaky, the US and mediators Egypt, Qatar and
Turkiye are trying to push toward the far more complicated second phase of talks
that asks each side to make concessions that have previously torpedoed
peacemaking. Trump’s 20-point ceasefire plan demands the disarmament of Hamas,
to which the group has so far refused to agree, a concurrent Israeli withdrawal
from Gaza and a path toward a Palestinian state.
Vance, who will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday,
said he was optimistic about the truce, and held out the prospect of more Gulf
states eventually seeking to normalize ties with Israel. But he moved to modify
expectations for a rapid return of the bodies of all hostages, a key Israeli
demand, and said a full realization of the ceasefire plan would take a lot of
work and “a very, very long time.”Major unresolved issues include governance and
security control in Gaza, with Trump’s plan calling for the formation of a
technocratic body under an international oversight board that Trump would
oversee, and the creation of a multinational force, with no role for Hamas.
Vance, who was visiting a military facility in southern Israel where US troops
are monitoring the truce, said the US, Israel and Gulf states were all agreed
that though Hamas fighters could receive clemency, the group would have to
disarm. “If Hamas doesn’t cooperate, as the president of the United States has
said, Hamas is going to be obliterated,” Vance warned. Human rights groups have
criticized the US threats of violence as violating international law.
Diplomacy
US mediation has been led by envoys Steven Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared
Kushner, who was to meet Egypt’s intelligence chief Hassan Rashad in Israel on
Tuesday. Egypt is hosting Hamas negotiators led by the group’s exiled leader
Khalil Al-Hayya as they discuss both the existing ceasefire arrangements and the
difficult next steps. A Palestinian official close to the talks said Hamas
encouraged the proposed formation of a technocratic committee to run Gaza
without any of its representatives, but with the consent of the group as well as
the Palestinian Authority. Underscoring the fragility of the truce, Qatar,
another of the mediators, accused Israel of “continuous violations.” It and
Turkiye, which has used its role to bolster its regional position, have been key
interlocutors with Hamas. Vance said there would be a “constructive role” for
Turkiye to play as the truce moved toward the next stage.
Return of bodies and deliveries
Hamas released another hostage body late on Monday and handed over two more late
on Tuesday. Another 13 bodies remain in Gaza. Israel believes Hamas could still
return more bodies soon but has recognized that some remains would likely need a
slower, more complex, process of location and retrieval. Israel handed back
another 15 bodies of Palestinian captives on Tuesday, local health authorities
said, taking the total it has returned to Gaza to 165.
Inside the enclave on Tuesday, more aid was flowing in through two
Israeli-controlled crossings, Palestinian and UN officials said. However, with
Gaza residents facing catastrophic conditions, aid agencies have said far more
needs to be brought in. The UN World Food Programme said supplies were ramping
up but fell far short of its daily target of 2,000 tons, saying this was because
only two crossings into Gaza were open. It said none had reached the famine-hit
north of Gaza yet. Violence in Gaza since the truce has mostly been focused
around the “yellow line” demarcating Israel’s military pullback. On Tuesday,
Israel’s public Kan radio reported troops had killed a person crossing the line
and advancing toward them.
Palestinians near the line, running across devastated areas close to major
cities, have said it is not clearly marked and hard to know where the exclusion
zone begins. Israeli bulldozers began placing yellow concrete blocks along the
route on Monday.
The Gaza health ministry said on Tuesday at least seven Palestinians were killed
by Israeli fire across the enclave over the previous 24 hours, bringing to
68,229 the total number killed since the war began. Hamas’ October 7, 2023,
attack on Israel that triggered the war killed around 1,200 people according to
Israeli tallies, with another 251 dragged into Gaza as hostages.
Trump says US allies ready to ‘straighten out Hamas’
if asked
Al Arabiya English/21 October/2025
US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that allied nations in the Middle East
were prepared to send troops into Gaza, at his request, to confront Hamas if the
group did not cease its alleged violations of his peace plan. The threat comes a
day after Trump warned Hamas would be “eradicated” if the group did not meet
expectations of the agreement, which brought a fragile ceasefire to the two-year
war with Israel. “Numerous of our NOW GREAT ALLIES in the Middle East, and areas
surrounding the Middle East, have... informed me that they would welcome the
opportunity, at my request, to go into GAZA with a heavy force and ‘straighten
our (sic) Hamas’ if Hamas continues to act badly,” Trump posted on his Truth
Social platform. The post came as US Vice President JD Vance visited Israel with
two other top Trump envoys, seeking to shore up the peace plan after weekend
violence in Gaza raised fears the truce could quickly collapse. Trump said he
told both Israel and the Middle East allies who are allegedly ready to confront
Hamas: “NOT YET!”“There is still hope that Hamas will do what is right. If they
do not, an end to Hamas will be FAST, FURIOUS, & BRUTAL!” he warned. Hamas’
armed wing said it would return the bodies of two more hostages on Tuesday as
part of the US-brokered Gaza ceasefire deal with Israel. The Ezzedine al-Qassam
Brigades said it “will hand over the bodies of two Israeli prisoners that were
exhumed today in the Gaza Strip at 9 p.m. Gaza time (1800 GMT).”Militants have
so far handed over 13 of the 28 hostage bodies Hamas had pledged to return under
the deal. With AFP
Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks before a lunch at the White House, Oct.
17, 2025.
Al Arabiya English/22 October /2025
The top US diplomat on Tuesday called on Baghdad to disarm Iran-backed militias
that were undermining Iraq’s sovereignty, the State Department said. The
comments were made in a phone call between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. “The Secretary highlighted the
urgency in disarming Iran-backed militias that undermine Iraq’s sovereignty,
threaten the lives and businesses of Americans and Iraqis, and pilfer Iraqi
resources for Iran,” the State Department said. Tuesday’s call also touched on
efforts to finalize US commercial deals in Iraq. Earlier in the week, Sudani
said his country would sign an agreement with US-based LNG company Excelerate
Energy to supply American gas to Iraq. Rubio also congratulated the Iraqi
premier for resuming oil exports via the Iraq-Turkey Pipeline. “The Secretary
reiterated the US commitment to working closely with Iraqi partners to advance
our shared interests: safeguarding Iraqi sovereignty, bolstering regional
stability, and strengthening our economic ties,” the State Department said.
Washington and Baghdad reached a deal last year to scale back the US-led
coalition fighting ISIS by this year. American troops will shift their main base
to Erbil but will also keep a small number of military advisors in the capital.
US officials have warned that their focus is now on the fight against ISIS in
Syria.
Israel’s Netanyahu meets head of Egyptian
intelligence, PM office says
AFP/ 21 October/2025
Egypt’s intelligence head Hassan Rashad met Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Tuesday for talks aimed at reinforcing a fragile
US-backed ceasefire in Gaza. “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his
professional team met with the head of Egyptian intelligence at the Prime
Minister’s Office in Jerusalem,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement. “During
the meeting, they discussed advancing President Trump’s plan, Israel-Egypt
relations, strengthening peace between the countries, as well as other regional
issues,” the statement added, referring to a Gaza roadmap presented by US
President Donald Trump that included the initial truce. The Egyptian spy chief
will also meet with US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, who is currently in
Israel, Egyptian state-linked news outlet Extra News reported. Rashad’s trip to
Jerusalem comes more than a week into a fragile truce between Israel and Hamas,
under a deal brokered in the Egyptian Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh. It
coincides with a visit by US Vice President JD Vance, also to shore up the
ceasefire. Vance is expected to meet special envoys Witkoff and Jared Kushner
and US military experts monitoring the truce. According to Israeli media reports
Vance will also meet Israeli leaders, including Netanyahu on Wednesday in
Jerusalem.
Israeli PM Netanyahu fires national security advisor
Reuters/21 October/2025
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to appoint a new national
security adviser, replacing Tzachi Hanegbi. Netanyahu will appoint deputy head
of the National Security Council, Gil Reich, as acting head of the council, his
office said in a statement.
“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanks Tzachi Hanegbi for his service as head
of the National Security Council for the past 3 years, and wishes him great
success in his future endeavors and good health,” it added.
UK deploys small number of military officers to Israel following US request
Al Arabiya English/21 October/2025
A small contingent of British military planning officers has been sent to Israel
to join a task force led by the United States to support stabilization efforts
in Gaza, the UK defense ministry said. Gaza mediators – the United States, Egypt
and Qatar – stepped up their efforts this week to stabilize the early stages of
the truce between Israel and Hamas and to push forward US President Donald
Trump’s 20-point ceasefire plan. A US-backed stabilization force, known as the
Civil-Military Coordination Centre, or CMCC, is meant to ensure security in
Gaza. Its composition, role, chain of command, legal status and other issues are
yet to be agreed. The US has agreed to provide up to 200 troops to support the
force without being deployed in Gaza itself. US officials have said they are
also speaking to several Muslim and Arab countries to contribute. A UK ministry
of defense spokesperson said in a statement that a “small number of UK planning
officers” had embedded in the CMCC, including a two-star deputy commander. The
spokesperson said the deployment was intended to ensure the UK remained
integrated into US-led planning efforts for post-conflict stability in Gaza.
“The UK continues to work with international partners to support the Gaza
ceasefire to see where the UK can best contribute to the peace process,” the
spokesperson added. British media reported that defense minister John Healey
said on Monday that Britain had “specialist experience and skills that we have
offered to contribute,” adding that while the UK would not lead the effort, it
would play its part. Healey said the deployment was made in response to a
request from the United States.
Hamas says dealt ‘severe blow’ to group it says
collaborated with Israel
Al Arabiya English/21 October/2025
Palestinian group Hamas said Tuesday its so-called Radea security force had
“dealt a severe blow” to an armed group in Gaza it accuses of collaborating with
Israel. In a statement, Hamas said its Radea security force carried out an
“operation early Tuesday morning in the southern Gaza Strip, targeting the
militia of fugitive Yasser Abu Shabab.”Hamas added that it arrested “a number of
members” of Abu Shabab’s Popular Forces group during the operation and
confiscated “military equipment and tools used in their subversive
activities.”The statement added that the operation was carried out “as part of
the ongoing deterrence operation against dens of treason.”Hamas recently
established the Radea unit, whose name translates to “deterrence” and whose
purpose it says is to “enforce order.”Clashes broke out early last week in Gaza
City’s Shujaiya neighborhood between the Radea force and several armed groups,
including that of Yasser Abu Shabab, which Hamas accuses of looting and
receiving weapons from Israel. Abu Shabab’s Popular Forces originally started
operating in Gaza’s southern Rafah governorate and was accused of aid looting.
In July, Abu Shabab said his group was able to move freely in zones under
Israeli military control and communicated their operations beforehand. Israeli
authorities themselves acknowledged in June that they had armed Palestinian
gangs opposed to Hamas, without directly naming the one led by Abu Shabab. Since
the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip on October
10, the movement has sought to reassert its presence on the ground and reaffirm
its control over the devastated Palestinian enclave. Last week, Hamas’ official
television channel broadcast images of what it said was an execution of eight
“collaborators,” shot in front of a crowd in a Gaza City street. Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday that the war in Gaza would not be over
until Hamas disarms as the US-brokered ceasefire deal stipulates. Hamas has not
directly addressed the issue since US President Donald Trump presented the plan
two weeks ago. With AFP
UN warns severe danger from unexploded ordinance in Gaza will persist for years
to come
Ephrem Kossaify/Arab News/October 21, 2025
NEW YORK CITY: The UN Mine Action Service has warned of the severe threat posed
by unexploded ordnance in Gaza, as displaced communities and aid workers begin
to return to areas ravaged by two years of relentless Israeli bombardment. Luke
David Irving, the chief of UNMAS in the Occupied Palestinian Territories,
highlighted the ongoing dangers posed by these explosive remnants of war. “As
communities and humanitarian personnel now move through affected areas, the
explosive risk is incredibly high,” said Irving, speaking in Jerusalem. “We know
from decades of experience that when many other conflicts end, explosive
ordnance continue to maim and kill. Gaza is no exception.”His team has
documented many cases of injuries when people encountered unexploded ordnance,
he added, including five children who were hurt last week, two of them
seriously. “It is one of hundreds of stories of people, often children, killed
and suffering life-changing injuries at the hands of these dangerous
items.”Since October 2023, UNMAS has recorded 328 incidents in Gaza in which
people were injured or killed by unexploded ordnance. However, the actual number
is likely much higher. “We expect that this figure is significantly
underreported,” Irving said. “More, and many more, people have been injured or
killed by ordnance littering Gaza over the past two years.”UNMAS teams have so
far identified 560 items of explosive ordnance in accessible parts of Gaza but
warned the full extent of the contamination will remain unknown until more
comprehensive surveys can be conducted. “We expect to find many more items in
the coming weeks as we can access more areas under the ceasefire,” Irving added.
The threat posted by unexploded devices is expected to persist for months and
years to come, posing risks to residents as they return to their neighborhoods
to salvage whatever belongings they can, and children play in affected zones.
Humanitarian workers also face significant danger as they venture into
previously inaccessible locations, and Irving stressed the important need to
remove explosive devices. “Humanitarian mine action is indispensable to pave the
way for aid delivery and any recovery and reconstruction,” he said. UNMAS has
already reached an estimated 460,000 people in Gaza in its efforts to help
communities remain safe, through in-person risk-education campaigns in shelters,
health centers and within areas affected by the conflict. Its workers have
distributed more than 400,000 flyers, stickers and other awareness materials
since March 2025. But much more remains to be done. “We need to reach the entire
population of Gaza with these messages to mitigate the risk,” Irving said.
UNMAS also carries out technical assessments of critical infrastructure,
including roads, health centers, water facilities, bakeries and agricultural
areas, to help ensure the safety of humanitarian operations. These assessments
have also assisted with early recovery efforts, including the clearance of an
estimated 50 to 60 million tonnes of debris potentially harboring explosive
devices. Since the ceasefire began on Oct. 10, UNMAS has received nearly 100
requests for explosives-clearance support, about 10 a day on average, as a
result of which efforts are being made to bring more technical personnel into
Gaza to scale up operations. However, longer-term recovery will depend on
securing approval for the widespread deployment of critical disposal equipment,
Irving said. “We ask that this equipment gets brought in for the wider sector,
and this will enable the longer-term recovery of Gaza,” he added. Irving thanked
donors for their ongoing support for his agency, and emphasized the urgent need
for the expansion of humanitarian explosives-clearance action as Gaza moves
towards recovery.
US Vice President Vance in Israel to shore up Gaza deal
Associated Press/October 21, 2025
U.S. Vice President JD Vance landed in Israel on Tuesday to shore up a fragile
Gaza ceasefire deal, after President Donald Trump warned Hamas it would be wiped
out if it breached the truce.Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law
Jared Kushner were already in Tel Aviv, where they met Israeli hostages released
by Hamas after two years of captivity in Gaza. "Welcome to Israel, Vice
President Vance," Israel's foreign ministry posted on social media, along with a
photo of Vance and his wife stepping off the plane. "Together, the Promised Land
and The Land of the Free, can secure a better future, including the release of
the remaining 15 hostages," it added. Vance is to meet Witkoff, Kushner and US
military experts monitoring the truce. According to Israeli media reports he
will meet Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on
Wednesday in Jerusalem. After Israel said Hamas killed two soldiers on Sunday
and accused the group of stalling the handover of hostages' bodies, it unleashed
a wave of strikes on the territory -- later saying it had "renewed enforcement"
of the ceasefire. The United States is now redoubling efforts to cement the
fragile Gaza deal Trump helped to broker.
'Playing both approaches'
"The dynamic keeps going back and forth," Mairav Zonszein, senior analyst on
Israel for the International Crisis Group (ICG), told AFP. "Trump is on the one
hand letting Israel do what it wants, and on the other hand, at the end of the
day, he wants the ceasefire to hold," she said.
"Netanyahu is playing both approaches... He's talking about peace and giving
peace a chance... And at the same time, he's bombing Gaza and he's trying to
condition aid again," she added. Trump says he believes the deal is still
holding and that Hamas militants understand what will happen if they breach it.
"They'll be eradicated, and they know that," he told reporters at the White
House. Hamas has denied any knowledge of Sunday morning's deadly violence in the
southern Gaza city of Rafah. Israel responded after the soldiers' deaths with an
intense wave of bombings the Hamas-run territory's health ministry said killed
45 Palestinians. Egypt's intelligence head Hassan Rashad was also in Israel on
Tuesday to reinforce the truce, according to Netanyahu's office and Egyptian
state-linked media. The spy chief will also meet with U.S. envoy Witkoff, Extra
News reported. U.S. ally and fellow truce mediator Qatar accused Israel of what
its leader called the "continued violation" of the now 11-day-old ceasefire. "We
reiterate our condemnation of all Israeli violations and practices in Palestine,
particularly the transformation of the Gaza Strip into an area unfit for human
life," Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani told legislators. Hamas's Gaza
leader, in Cairo for talks with Egypt and Qatar, issued a statement expressing
confidence the truce will hold. "What we heard from the mediators and from the
U.S. President reassures us that the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip has ended,"
Khalil al-Hayya said. Hayya insisted Hamas was serious about retrieving the 15
remaining hostage bodies, but warned that the search has been hampered by the
level of destruction in the territory.
'Will not compromise' -
Both sides say they are committed to the truce despite the weekend's violence,
and Israel confirmed Hamas handed over the body of a deceased hostage on Monday,
taking the total to 13 of the 28 it had pledged to return. Netanyahu's office
said: "We will not compromise on this and will spare no effort until we return
all of the deceased hostages, every last one of them."On Monday, Netanyahu --
who is under pressure from hardliners in his government to abandon the deal and
resume the fighting -- said he and Vance would discuss "the security challenges
we face and the diplomatic opportunities before us". The ceasefire, which went
into effect on October 10 also proposed an ambitious roadmap for Gaza's future,
but its implementation has quickly faced challenges. Under Trump's 20-point
plan, Israeli forces have withdrawn beyond the so-called "Yellow Line". This
leaves them in control of around half of Gaza, including the territory's
borders, but not its main cities. The war, triggered by Hamas's October 7, 2023
attack on Israel, has killed at least 68,229 people in Gaza, according to the
health ministry in the Hamas-run territory, figures the U.N. considers
credible.The data does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but
indicates that more than half of the dead are women and children.Hamas's 2023
attack resulted in the deaths of 1,221 people, mostly civilians, according to an
AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.
Erdogan turns Trump’s Gaza deal into a power play
for Turkiye
Reuters/October 21, 2025
ANKARA/DUBAI: Turkiye’s ties to Hamas, once a liability in Washington, have
turned into a geopolitical asset. By persuading Hamas to accept Donald Trump’s
Gaza deal, Ankara has reasserted itself on the Middle East chessboard, to the
dismay of Israel and Arab rivals.
Initially resistant to the US president’s ultimatum — free the Israeli hostages
or face continued devastation — Hamas leaders relented only when Turkiye, a
country they view as a political patron, urged them to agree to the American
plan. Two regional sources and two Hamas officials told Reuters that Ankara’s
message was unequivocal: The time had come to accept. “This gentleman from a
place called Turkiye is one of the most powerful in the world,” Trump said last
week, referring to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, after the Palestinian
militant group agreed to a ceasefire and hostage-release plan. “He’s a reliable
ally. He’s always there when I need him.”Erdogan’s signature on the Gaza
document supercharged Turkiye’s push for a central role in the Middle East, a
status Erdogan has increasingly sought to reclaim, often invoking Ottoman-era
ties and leadership.Now, after the deal, Turkiye is seeking to reap dividends,
including in bilateral issues with the US, the sources said. Sinan Ulgen,
director of the Istanbul-based think tank EDAM and a senior fellow at Carnegie
Europe, said Ankara’s success in delivering Hamas’s acceptance of Trump’s Gaza
deal has given it new diplomatic leverage at home and abroad. Turkiye, he said,
is likely to use its renewed goodwill in Washington to push for progress on
stalled F-35 fighter jet sales, an easing of US sanctions and US help in
advancing Turkiye’s security goals in neighboring Syria. “If those laudatory
statements from Trump translate into lasting goodwill, Ankara could use that
momentum to resolve some of the long-standing disagreements,” Ulgen told
Reuters.
AT TRUMP-ERDOGAN MEETING, A REVAMP OF TIES BEGAN
The diplomatic recalibration between Ankara and Washington, officials said,
began during Erdogan’s September visit to the White House, his first in six
years. The meeting addressed unresolved flashpoints, including Turkiye’s push to
lift US sanctions imposed in 2020 over its purchase of Russian S-400 missile
systems, a move that angered Washington and also led to its removal from the
F-35 program. Syria was another key topic. Turkiye wants to pressure the
US-backed Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to merge into the Syrian army.
Ankara views the SDF as a threat due to its ties to the PKK, which Turkiye
designates a terrorist group. That push appears to be gaining ground. SDF
commander Mazloum Abdi confirmed a mechanism to merge with the Syrian army, an
outcome Turkiye sees as a strategic win. The Gaza deal follows other boosts to
Turkish prestige. Trump praised Erdogan for hosting Russia-Ukraine talks earlier
this year, and Ankara’s influence grew after Bashar Assad’s fall in Syria in
2024, where Turkiye backed opposition forces. Turkiye’s ambition to reclaim a
dominant Middle East role recalls for some skeptics the legacy of the Ottoman
empire, which once ruled much of the region. Its collapse a century ago left
modern Turkiye inward-looking as it built a secular republic and somewhat
sidelined from regional diplomacy. For years, Ankara was not part of high-level
efforts to solve the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, a core source of regional
instability. Turkiye’s support for Islamist movements — including political and
diplomatic backing for Hamas, whose leaders it has hosted — strained ties with
Israel and several regional states, and its perceived drift under Erdogan from
NATO norms further distanced it from peacemaking. But to break the deadlock in
Gaza ceasefire talks, Trump turned to Erdogan, betting on the Turkish leader’s
sway over Hamas. Turkish officials, led by spy chief Ibrahim Kalin, assured
Hamas the ceasefire had regional and US backing, including Trump’s personal
guarantee. By enlisting Erdogan, Trump handed Ankara the role it craved as a
dominant regional Sunni power. “Erdogan is a master in expanding his influence,
seizing opportunities, taking advantage of events, turning them to his own
interest and taking credit for them,” said Arab political commentator Ayman
Abdel Nour. While Arab states shared an interest with Turkiye in ending the war,
said Lebanese analyst Sarkis Naoum, the larger role given to Ankara was
worrisome for them, recalling the history of Ottoman imperial rule over many
countries in the region. Turkiye’s Foreign Ministry and MIT intelligence agency
did not respond to Reuters requests for comment. The US State Department did not
immediately reply to a request for comment. For Hamas, the main concern was that
Israel might renege on the deal and resume military operations. Deep distrust
nearly derailed the process, regional sources said. “The only real guarantee,” a
senior Hamas official told Reuters, “came from four parties: Turkiye, Qatar,
Egypt, and the Americans. Trump personally gave his word. The US message was:
‘release the hostages, hand over the bodies, and I guarantee there will be no
return to war.’”
CRUSHING PRESSURE ON HAMAS
Turkiye’s entry into the talks was initially vetoed by Israel, but Trump
intervened, pressuring Israel to allow Ankara’s involvement, two diplomats said.
There was no immediate comment from Israel’s foreign ministry. A senior Hamas
official said Gaza’s military leaders accepted the truce not as surrender, but
under the crushing pressure of relentless mediation, a collapsing humanitarian
situation, and a war-weary public. The deal won the release of Israeli hostages
taken during Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack, which killed 1,200 people, and
triggered an Israeli offensive that has since left over 67,000 Palestinians
dead, according to Gaza health authorities. Whether the Gaza deal will
eventually open a way toward a Palestinian state remains unclear. Turkiye and
Arab states including Qatar and Egypt say the plan lacks a roadmap toward a
two-state solution, a historic Palestinian demand. Asked about a potential
Turkish troop deployment to Gaza in a post-war scenario and ways to ensure the
enclave’s security, Erdogan said on October 8 the ceasefire talks were critical
for discussing the issue in detail, but the priority was achieving a full
ceasefire, aid deliveries and rebuilding Gaza.
World Bank estimates $216bn needed to rebuild Syria after civil war
AP/October 21, 2025
DAMASCUS: Rebuilding Syria after over a decade of civil war is expected to cost
about $216 billion, the World Bank said in an assessment published Tuesday. The
cost is almost ten times Syria’s 2024 gross domestic product. Syria’s civil war
began in 2011 when mass protests against the government of then-President Bashar
Assad were met with a brutal crackdown and spiraled into armed conflict. Assad
was ousted in December in a lightning rebel offensive. The conflict destroyed
large swaths of the country and battered critical infrastructure, including its
electrical grid. The World Bank says the rebuilding may cost between $140
billion and $345 billion, but their “conservative best estimate” is $216
billion. The World Bank estimates that rebuilding infrastructure will cost $82
billion. It estimated the cost of damages for residential buildings at $75
billion and $59 billion for non-residential structures. The province of Aleppo
and the Damascus countryside, where fierce battles took place, will require the
most investment, according to the assessment. “The challenges ahead are immense,
but the World Bank stands ready to work alongside the Syrian people and the
international community to support recovery and reconstruction,” World Bank
Middle East Director Jean-Christophe Carret said in a statement. Despite
reestablishing diplomatic relations with the West and signing investment deals
worth billions of dollars with Gulf countries since Assad was ousted, the
country is still struggling financially. While the United States and Europe have
lifted many of the sanction s imposed during the rule of the Assad dynasty, the
impact on the ground has so far been limited. Cuts to international aid have
worsened living conditions for many. The United Nations estimates that 90
percent of Syria’s population lives in poverty.
UK removes terrorism designation for Syria’s HTS
Al Arabiya English/22 October/2025
The British government on Tuesday removed “Hayat Tahrir al-Sham” (HTS), the
group which spearheaded the Syrian opposition alliance that helped oust
president Bashar al-Assad, from its list of banned terrorist organizations. HTS,
a former al-Qaeda affiliate, was proscribed in 2017, meaning that Britain
designated it as a terrorist group, making it illegal to support or join it. The
government said in December last year that it could rethink the proscription,
while President Donald Trump’s administration revoked the US foreign terrorist
organization designation for HTS in July. Britain had joined other nations in
welcoming the end of the al-Assad’s autocratic government, which marked one of
the biggest turning points for the Middle East in generations and followed years
of civil war. Then-HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa became Syria’s president. The
British government said in a statement that removing HTS from the list of
proscribed organizations would allow for closer engagement with the new Syrian
government. It added it would also allow cooperation with Syria to eliminate
al-Assad’s chemical weapons program. “The UK will continue to press for genuine
progress and hold the Syrian government accountable for its actions in fighting
terrorism and restoring stability in Syria and the wider region,” the government
said. Earlier on Tuesday, Syria’s Economy Minister Mohammad Nidal al-Shaar told
Reuters at a conference in London that he hoped US sanctions against the country
would be formally lifted in the coming months.
With Reuters
Syria hopes for full lifting of US sanctions in coming months
Reuters/October 21, 2025
LONDON: Syria hopes US sanctions will be fully lifted in the coming months and
has started the process of restructuring billions of dollars of debt amassed
during Bashar Assad’s rule, Economy Minister Mohammad Nidal Al-Shaar said.
President Donald Trump ordered the lifting of most US sanctions on Syria in May
after meeting President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, but the Caesar Syria Civilian
Protection Act of 2019 that authorizes them remains US law. “We have to do some
push and some lobbying to continue with this path that started in the right
direction, and we’re hoping by the end of the year the bill (to scrap the act)
will reach the president (Trump), and hopefully he’ll sign it,” Al-Shaar told
Reuters during a conference in London. “And once that happens, then we are
sanctions-free,” he said on the sidelines of the Future Resilience Forum.
HOPES FOR A REDUCTION OF US TARIFFS
The act’s removal will enable foreign investment, restore access to
international banking and help revive key industries.Al-Shaar hopes Washington
will reduce its 41 percent tariffs on trade with Syria and that US firms will
invest in the country as the economy opens up.
Gulf countries have pledged support and Chinese firms have committed hundreds of
millions of dollars, Al-Shaar said, for “big” new cement, plastic and sugar
factories. The government is on course to introduce a new currency early next
year, he said. Sources said in August that new banknotes would be issued in
December, removing two zeros — and Assad’s face — from the currency, to try to
restore public confidence. Syria’s pound has lost over 99 percent of its value
since the civil war began in 2011 but has been broadly stable in recent months.
“We’re consulting with many entities, international organizations, experts, and
eventually it will come very soon,” Al-Shaar said of the currency.
RECONSTRUCTION COSTS
A World Bank report on Tuesday estimated the cost of Syria’s reconstruction at
$216 billion, saying the figure was a “conservative best estimate.”Al-Shaar said
the amount could be over 1 trillion dollars if the rebuild brought
infrastructure up to date but would be spread over a long time, with the
rebuilding of houses alone likely to take 6-7 years.Asked about plans to
overhaul Syria’s debt burden, Al-Shaar said the process had started already.“The
sovereign debt that we have, which is not very big actually, will be
restructured,” he said, adding that Syria would be asking for grace periods and
other relief. Assad left Syria in disarray when he was ousted last December and
fighting continued in the oil-producing north until a ceasefire was struck this
month. “I’m hopeful that the next maybe few weeks, or maybe a month or two, we
will reach some kind of an agreement with those who are controlling that part of
Syria,” Al-Shaar said. “Once that happens, I think we will have greater ability,
financial, natural resources, to really start meaningful (investment) projects,”
he said, predicting a “quantum leap in our GDP.”
Iran risks severe economic downturn, unrest as renewed UN sanctions bite
Reuters/22 October/2025
Iran’s economy is at risk of simultaneous hyperinflation and severe recession,
officials and analysts say, as clerical rulers scramble to preserve stability
with limited room to maneuver after a snapback of UN sanctions. They followed a
breakdown in talks to curb Iran’s disputed nuclear activity and its ballistic
missile program. Diplomacy to resolve the deadlock remains possible, both sides
say, though Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has rebuffed US President Donald
Trump’s offer to forge a new deal. Three senior Iranian officials, speaking on
condition of anonymity, said Tehran believes the US, its Western allies and
Israel are intensifying sanctions to fuel unrest in Iran and jeopardize the very
existence of the Islamic Republic. Since the reimposition of UN sanctions on
September 28, multiple high-level meetings have been held in Tehran on how to
avert economic collapse, circumvent sanctions and manage simmering public anger,
the officials told Reuters. Deepening economic disparities between ordinary
Iranians and a privileged clerical and security elite, economic mismanagement,
galloping inflation and state corruption – reported even by state media – have
fanned discontent. “The establishment knows protests are inevitable, it is only
a matter of time ... The problem is growing, while our options are shrinking,”
said one of the officials. Iran’s leadership is leaning heavily on its
“resistance economy” – a strategy of self-sufficiency and closer trade with
China, Russia and some regional states. Moscow and Beijing back Iran’s right to
peaceful nuclear energy and condemned US and Israeli strikes on three Iranian
nuclear sites in June. But analysts warn that such workarounds may not be enough
to shield the sprawling country of 92 million people from the renewed economic
blow. “The impact of the UN sanctions will be severe and multifaceted, deepening
the country’s longstanding structural and financial vulnerabilities,” said Umud
Shokri, an energy strategist and senior visiting fellow at George Mason
University near Washington. “The government is struggling to maintain economic
stability as sanctions disrupt banking networks, restrict trade and constrain
oil exports – the country’s main revenue source, resulting in escalating social
and economic pressure.”
Oil lifeline under threat as UN sanctions return
Iran has avoided wholesale economic meltdown since 2018 when, during his first
term, Trump withdrew the US from Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal with six world
powers and reimposed US sanctions. But the revival of wider UN sanctions is
inflicting shocks that will stymie economic growth, accelerate inflation and the
collapse of the rial currency, pushing the economy toward a recessionary spiral,
one of the Iranian officials said. Iran’s economy contracted sharply after 2018
due to renewed US sanctions. It rebounded in 2020 to grow modestly at times,
largely due to oil trade with China. But the World Bank this month forecast a
shrinkage of 1.7 percent in 2025 and 2.8 percent in 2026 – sharply down from the
0.7 percent growth it had projected in April for next year. While Tehran still
relies heavily on oil exports to China – its biggest customer and one of the few
countries still doing business with it despite Trump’s “maximum pressure” policy
– doubts reign over the sustainability of that trade. Although sold at a
discount, crude remains a vital source of income for Tehran, with oil and
petrochemicals making up about a quarter of GDP in 2024. Despite public
assurances that oil sales to China will continue, one Iranian official said the
reimposed global sanctions could stifle that flow. Shokri said that if China
seeks to ease tensions with the Trump administration, it may tighten its stance
on Iranian oil – demanding steeper discounts or cutting imports altogether. For
Tehran, the costs could be devastating. Every dollar shaved off the price of oil
translates into roughly half a billion dollars in lost annual revenue, he said.
The rial has shriveled to 1,115,000 per dollar from 920,000 in August, stoking
inflation to at least 40 percent and gutting purchasing power. Persistent
currency depreciation and trade sanctions are driving up prices and sapping
investor confidence.
Hardship spreads, public anger simmers
Few Iranians can escape the attendant hardships. A sense of desperation is
rippling through society, affecting urban professionals, bazaar traders and
rural farmers alike. “How much more pressure are we supposed to endure? Until
when? I’m a government employee, and I earn just 34 million tomans (around $300)
a month,” said Alireza, 43, speaking by phone from the capital Tehran. Like
others, he asked not to be further identified for fear of retribution from
authorities. “My wife is jobless. The import-export company she worked for shut
down last month. With just my salary and two kids, we’re struggling to even pay
rent and school expenses. What are we supposed to do?”Iran’s official inflation
rate is around 40 percent though some estimates exceed 50 percent. Official data
in September showed prices for 10 staple goods – including meat, rice and
chicken – rose 51 percent in one year. Housing and utility costs have also
surged. Beef now costs $12 a kilo – too expensive for many families. The
clerical elite increasingly worry that mounting public distress could reignite
mass protests that have erupted periodically since 2017 among lower- and
middle-income Iranians, the second Iranian official said. Many Iranians like
Sima, 32, a factory worker in the central city of Shiraz worn down by years of
economic strain, worry that the expanded sanctions will push them past the
breaking point. “Now they say we’re facing new sanctions again, but we’re
already struggling to provide for our three children. Prices go up every single
day and we can’t even afford to buy meat for them once a month,” said Sima. Many
business owners fear deeper international isolation and further Israeli
airstrikes if diplomacy fails to resolve the nuclear standoff. “With the
constant fear of a possible attack and not knowing whether I’ll even be able to
export this month or next, how am I supposed to keep my business running?” said
Mehdi, who ships fruit to neighboring countries.
Europe, Ukraine prepare 12-point proposal to end Russia’s war
Bloomberg/21 October/2025
European nations are working with Ukraine on a 12-point proposal to end Russia’s
war along current battle lines, pushing back against Vladimir Putin’s renewed
demands to the US for Kyiv to surrender territory in return for a peace deal. A
peace board chaired by US President Donald Trump would oversee implementation of
the proposed plan, according to people familiar with the matter. Once Russia
follows Ukraine in agreeing to a ceasefire and both sides commit to halting
territorial advances, the proposals envisage the return of all deported children
to Ukraine and exchanges of prisoners. Ukraine would receive security
guarantees, funds to repair war damage and a pathway to rapidly join the
European Union. Sanctions on Russia would gradually be lifted though some $300
billion in frozen central bank reserves would only be returned once Moscow
agrees to contribute toward Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction. The restrictions
would snap back if Russia attacked its neighbor again. Moscow and Kyiv would
enter into negotiations on the governance of occupied territories, though
neither Europe nor Ukraine will legally recognize any occupied land as Russian,
the people said. Russia has so far rejected calls to end the fighting along
existing lines, despite incurring massive casualties in the war that’s now in
its fourth year. Details of the plan are being finalized and could still change,
the people cautioned, asking not to be identified discussing private
deliberations. Any proposal would also need buy-in from Washington and European
officials may travel to the US this week, the people said.The pitch echoes calls
made by Trump last week to immediately freeze the conflict along current lines
before starting negotiations. Following a call with Putin and a White House
meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the US president said
Russia and Ukraine should “stop where they are.”“Enough blood has been shed,
with property lines being defined by War and Guts,” he said in a Truth Social
post. He reiterated his position in comments to reporters aboard Air Force One,
saying both sides should “stop right now at the battle lines, go home, stop
killing people and be done,” adding that they could discuss territory later.
Trump said he’s agreed to meet with Putin in Budapest in the coming weeks. US
Secretary of State Marco Rubio held phone talks on Monday with Russian Foreign
Minister Sergei Lavrov but the two sides failed to reach agreement on a meeting
to prepare for the summit.
The Kremlin sought to play down expectations for an early meeting between Putin
and Trump.
“The work ahead will be challenging,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said
Tuesday, according to the Interfax news service. “Neither President Trump nor
President Putin have given a precise timeframe. Preparation, serious
preparation, is needed.”European leaders said they “strongly support” an
immediate halt to Russia’s war in Ukraine along existing positions to allow for
peace talks in a statement Tuesday. Ukraine’s allies from the so-called
Coalition of the Willing will convene on Friday. A summit of European Union
leaders in Brussels on Thursday will discuss additional sanctions targeting the
Kremlin as well as financial aid to Ukraine through the use of frozen Russian
central bank assets. While Zelenskyy criticized Budapest as a venue for
negotiations because of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Russia-friendly
stance, he said he’d attend the summit talks if invited. “We have moved closer
to a possible end to the war, I can tell you that for certain,” Zelenskyy told
reporters in Kyiv following his US visit. “That doesn’t mean it will definitely
end, but President Trump has achieved a lot in the Middle East, and riding that
wave he wants to end Russia’s war against Ukraine.” Trump made no mention of
Ukraine’s requests for more air defense, energy support or longer-range
capabilities after his meeting with Zelenskyy on Friday. During their
discussions, Trump forcefully urged Zelenskyy to quickly accept a deal and
emphasized Russia’s strengths, according to the people. US officials who were
present floated the possibility of Ukraine making territorial concessions to
enable an agreement, the people said. The Ukrainian president said in remarks
released over the weekend that the war should be frozen along current battle
lines before the two sides can enter into peace negotiations. “If we want to
stop this war and to go to peace negotiations urgently and in a diplomatic way,
we need to stay where we stay, not to give something additional to Putin,” he
said in an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press With Kristen Welker broadcast on
Sunday. Ukraine’s allies have seen no signs of Putin shifting away from his
maximalist demands, a senior European government official said. The only change
they see is in Trump, who allies thought had come around to the need to increase
pressure on Russia only to apparently backtrack again after talking to Putin,
the official said. The Russian president renewed demands that Ukraine cede the
entire eastern Donbas area during his call with Trump on Thursday, according to
the people. Russian troops have failed to fully occupy the area, which comprises
the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, in more than 11 years of fighting, and would
likely take years to do so, if at all. It’s unclear if Moscow is willing to make
any territorial concessions elsewhere in return, said the people. In addition to
the Crimean peninsula that it illegally annexed in 2014 and parts of the Donbas,
Russia also partly occupies and lays claim to Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia and Kherson
regions.
Russian bombardment plunges hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians into blackout
Reuters/21 October/2025
Russian attacks killed four people and left hundreds of thousands without power
and many without water in Ukraine’s Chernihiv region on Tuesday, Moscow’s latest
salvo in a campaign to break its neighbor’s energy system ahead of winter. The
energy ministry said in the morning that the regional capital, also called
Chernihiv, and the northern part of the province had lost all electricity supply
after strikes on power facilities. By the afternoon, Reuters reporters in
Chernihiv saw that power supply had been restored to some homes. A subsequent
daytime attack by about 20 Russian kamikaze drones killed four civilians and
wounded at least seven more in the town of Novhorod-Siverskyi, local officials
said. They did not specify what the drones had been targeting, but said the
town, which is about 20 miles (32 km) from the Russian border, had suffered
significant damage. In Chernihiv, residents filled containers with water from
cisterns on the street, and people headed to “invincibility points” – tents with
stoves and generators set up by authorities to give locals some access to heat
and electricity. “It’s hard,” said a weary 45-year-old nursery assistant, Nina
Dymyrets, who was sitting in one of the tents with her two grandsons. “One child
didn’t go to nursery because there was no power, another didn’t go to school
because there was no power and no lessons either.” Chernihiv region, which
borders Russia and had a pre-war population of just under a million, has been
hammered by drone and missile attacks on its power infrastructure in recent
weeks, causing regular blackouts and disrupting daily life. The attack also
targeted the neighboring Sumy region, where local authorities said nine people
were hurt.
Drones in vicinity hinder grid repairs
The energy ministry said in the morning that emergency crews were initially
unable to start work at damaged power facilities because of the lingering threat
of Russian drones. It accused Russia of circling drones above damaged facilities
to make it impossible to carry out repairs and “deliberately prolong the
humanitarian crisis.”President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later wrote on Telegram that
repairs were underway. “Russia’s tactics are to murder people and terrorize them
with the cold,” he said. “(Russian President Vladimir) Putin pretends to be
ready for diplomacy and peace negotiations, while in reality this night Russia
launched a brutal missile and drone attack,” Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha
wrote on X. Russia has consistently hit Ukrainian energy facilities since
launching a full-scale 2022 invasion of Ukraine, maintaining that they are a
legitimate military target in war. Chernihiv’s acting mayor, Oleksandr Lomako,
said Moscow was seeking to deprive local residents of power and heat ahead of
the cold winter. He evoked the spirit of the early days of Russia’s invasion,
when Chernihiv was nearly surrounded by Russian forces who were then beaten
back. “We overcame in February-April 2022. We will overcome now,” he said on
Telegram. A former government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said
Moscow was probably targeting Chernihiv because of its proximity to Russia,
which made it easier to attack, and because the energy facilities there were
poorly protected. Moscow has sharply increased the frequency of air attacks
across Ukraine in recent weeks, as it did in strike campaigns in previous years
that pitched cities well away from eastern and southern battlefronts into
darkness for hours, sometimes days. “They just hit and destroy everything.
There’s no end to this,” said Nataliia, a 43-year-old mother rocking her
daughter on a playground swing.
Trump not to meet Putin in ‘immediate future,’ US official says
AFP/21 October/2025
US President Donald Trump has no immediate plans to meet Russian counterpart
Vladimir Putin, a US official said Tuesday, days after Trump said they would
meet within two weeks in Budapest. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke by
telephone on Monday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, after Trump
said that the two top diplomats would be meeting this week to arrange a Budapest
summit. “An additional in-person meeting between the secretary and foreign
minister is not necessary, and there are no plans for President Trump to meet
with President Putin in the immediate future,” a Trump administration official
said on condition of anonymity. The official nonetheless called the call between
Rubio and Lavrov “productive.”The Kremlin also said Tuesday there was no
“precise timeframe” for a summit between Trump and Putin. The Russian leader
spoke by telephone on Thursday with Trump, who was set to meet the following day
with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss providing US-made
Tomahawk missiles that could penetrate deep into Russia. Trump hailed the call
as progress and quickly posted on social media that he would meet within two
weeks with Putin in Budapest. It marked the latest abrupt shift by Trump, who in
August welcomed Putin to Alaska – his first time on Western soil since he
ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Trump has acknowledged his
frustrations with Putin after long boasting that he could end the war within a
day of returning to the White House due to his personal chemistry with the
Russian leader.
9 dead as Yemen repels deadly Al-Qaeda attack
AFP/October 21, 2025
DUBAI: Forces loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognized government said on
Tuesday they had repelled an attack by Al-Qaeda in the country’s south that left
nine people dead on both sides. “Our forces managed to foil a large-scale
terrorist attack launched this morning by members of the Al-Qaeda terrorist
organization against the headquarters of the government complex... in Abyan
province,” Nasr Atef Al-Machouchi, commander of the targeted brigade, said in a
press release. He said the attackers detonated two car bombs, before
infiltrating the compound where they were confronted. “Five suicide bombers
wearing explosive belts” were killed along with four soldiers, he added. A
medical source in Abyan confirmed the deaths of the four soldiers to AFP and
reported 15 people wounded. Yemen’s internationally recognized government
established itself in the southern city of Aden after Iran-backed Houthi rebels
drove them out of the capital Sanaa in 2014. Washington once regarded the group,
known as Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), as the militant network’s
most dangerous branch. Born in 2009 from the merger of Al-Qaeda’s Yemeni and
Saudi factions, AQAP grew and developed in the chaos of Yemen’s war, which for
over a decade has pitted the Iran-backed Houthi rebels against a Saudi-led
coalition backing the government.
But attacks by the jihadist group, both against government forces and rebels,
have decreased in recent years.
The Latest
English LCCC
analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources
on October
21-22/2025
We Are Not Fooled by You, Hamas
Nils A. Haug/ Gatestone Institute/October 21, 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/10/148399/
"Hamas is not just at war with Israel. It is at war with Jews, Christians, and
the very foundations of civilization itself.... This is not politics, this is a
religious war. Its purpose is to replace Judaism and Christianity with radical
Islam. If the world does not understand this, everyone will pay the price." —
Mosab Hassan Yousef, eldest son of Hamas founder Sheikh Hassan Yousef, JNS,
August 17, 2025.
Notwithstanding peace treaties or a tenuous cessation of hostilities between
Israel and its neighbors, much of the Islamic world remains at war with the
West, especially with many dedicated activists, such as Qatar, Turkey and the
Palestinian Authority in its midst.
Their leaders, perhaps not wishing to get into a scrape with Trump, as well as
seeing the delicious prospect of being in charge of the future Gaza chicken coop
-- refuse to acknowledge this reality.
Many leaders in the West also would possibly prefer not to admit the risk, even
though their societies are precipitously at risk of being overwhelmed by the
mass immigration of Muslims -- who boldly practice a competing faith founded on
displacing all other faiths. Western leaders appear to wish to placate the
Islamist voters in their midst, despite the harm being inflicted on their
citizens -- with more expected in the offing.
With the release of some 2,000 terrorists from Israel's prisons as part of the
Trump peace plan, Hamas's forces received a timely reinforcement of their
depleted ranks from this event, "None are expected to take up careers in high
tech or humanitarian relief," writes Professor Thane Rosenbaum.
While Israel may have substantially defeated Hamas militarily in the Gaza
campaign, it can fittingly be said, as by columnist Dan Schnur, that "Hamas won
its war against Israel in the eyes of the rest of the world". Any success of the
anti-Israel and anti-Semitic mass media can be attributed to their lies about
Israel and Jews.
The escalating social and political turmoil in nations such as France, Britain,
Australia, Spain, Italy and Canada can be directly attributed to domestic
Islamist agitation, Muslim demographic explosion, and the spread of religious
Islam throughout the infrastructure – which most leaders would rather appease
than confront. With mosques being built at a rapid rate, complete with public
calls to prayer over loudspeakers, and special Sharia courts, councils and
schools, Islam has come to significantly dominate the landscape in the major
cities of western Europe. In the UK and France, for instance, certain street
scenes are reminiscent of the Muslim cities from where immigrants originated.
In Rosenbaum's words, "Hamas is not going away easily, even if some leave. The
Muslim Brotherhood's lasting influence over the hearts and minds of Gazan
society is ironclad."
The same may well be true for the generous leaders of the sovereign wealth fund
states in the Middle East, who Trump seems to be counting on to rebuild Gaza.
Or maybe Trump can actually pull it off. The time to worry about is after he is
no longer president, supervising his dream of Gaza as a Riviera at peace with
Israel. What if the prevailing Middle East ideology of eliminating Israel has
not changed?
On October 13, 2025, at Israel's Knesset (Parliament) in Jerusalem, Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in the company of US President Donald J.
Trump, declared the war in Gaza over. Sadly, the probability of an enduring
peace with Hamas or allied Islamists appears close to zero. After all, in
Netanyahu's words, Israel is dealing with "monsters.
On October 13, 2025, at Israel's Knesset (Parliament) in Jerusalem, Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in the company of US President Donald J.
Trump, declared the war in Gaza over.
Oh, really? Sadly, the probability of an enduring peace with Hamas or allied
Islamists appears close to zero. After all, in Netanyahu's words, Israel is
dealing with "monsters."
Mosab Hassan Yousef, the eldest son of Hamas founder Sheikh Hassan Yousef,
revealed the rationale behind the horrendous events in Israel on October 7,
2023: "Hamas is not just at war with Israel. It is at war with Jews, Christians
and the very foundations of civilization itself."
Western leaders, including the ever-optimistic Trump, nevertheless believe that
some sort of permanent peace can now be achieved with Hamas over Gaza. There
never will be, nor ever can be, an enduring peace with radical Islamists to whom
the elimination of Israel is more important than "peace and prosperity," which
many of the Gulf states now enjoy anyway. To many Islamist leaders, MIGA ("Make
Islam Great Again") and spreading it throughout the world is their pact with
Allah; without it, they would have no justification to lead. Their ideology,
training, indoctrination and upbringing –- so divergent from that of the West --
simply does not allow it.
"This is not politics," Mosab Hassan Yousef states, "this is a religious war.
Its purpose is to replace Judaism and Christianity with radical Islam. If the
world does not understand this, everyone will pay the price."
Notwithstanding peace treaties or a tenuous cessation of hostilities between
Israel and its neighbors, much of the Islamic world remains at war with the
West, especially with many dedicated activists, such as Qatar, Turkey and the
Palestinian Authority in its midst.
Their leaders, perhaps not wishing to get into a scrape with Trump, as well as
seeing the delicious prospect of being in charge of the future Gaza chicken coop
-- refuse to acknowledge this reality.
Many leaders in the West also would possibly prefer not to admit the risk, even
though their societies are precipitously at risk of being overwhelmed by the
mass immigration of Muslims -- who boldly practice a competing faith founded on
displacing all other faiths. Western leaders appear to wish to placate the
Islamist voters in their midst, despite the harm being inflicted on their
citizens -- with more expected in the offing. The perturbing fact is that,
according to the CIA, the top fifteen of the world's largest terror
organizations are all radical Islamist to their core.
Given the chance, Islamists have been instructed to achieve global dominance and
the imposition of an Islamic Caliphate under totalitarian Sharia law. This plan
has been evident many times in the West, from the attacks on the US of 9/11/2001
to similarly-motivated attacks since then in France, Spain, Germany (here and
here), Sweden and Denmark, to name just a few nations, and most recently in
Hamas's 2023 slaughter of more than 1,200 innocents of all ages, in Israel. Even
so, many Marxist-anarchist activists in the privileged West -- apparently
affronted that Jews had survived and Israel had the audacity to successfully
defend itself -- rose up in support of the terrorists.
Israel's caution towards the ceasefire with Hamas and associates was validated
in the past few days when, upon partial withdrawal of Israel's forces, Hamas
immediately commenced a campaign of retribution in Gaza against rivals and
anyone who they believed opposed their rule. Dozens of members of local clans –
fellow Palestinians – were executed extrajudicially or killed in planned
attacks. "The terrorists' brazen post-ceasefire crackdown on rivals and
dissidents," commented journalist Jonathan Tobin, "mocks Trump's promise to
disarm them and shows they believe that they're not going anywhere."
In attacking domestic opponents, Hamas's aim is evidently to reassert control of
Gaza and this agenda reveals not only their determination not to surrender their
weapons, despite commitments to do so, and instead to maintain their dominance.
With the release of some 2,000 terrorists from Israel's prisons as part of the
Trump peace plan, Hamas's forces received a timely reinforcement of their
depleted ranks from this event, "None are expected to take up careers in high
tech or humanitarian relief," writes Professor Thane Rosenbaum. "Terrorism is
their chosen profession. Jihad their destiny. Martyrdom, a sacred calling."
The publication of hand-written memorandum by the late Hamas leader, Yehya
Sinwar, in preparation for the October 7, 2023 invasion of Israel, exposed the
mindset of Hamas. The instructions, in the "Name of Allah the Most Merciful,"
include acts such as "trampling on the heads of soldiers and shooting them at
point-blank range, slaughtering some with knives, blowing up tanks, and
capturing prisoners kneeling with their hands on their heads." Their commanders
were told to "deliberately create these events, film them, and broadcast the
images as quickly as possible."
Analyst Martin Kear writes that "the peace plan negotiated by US President
Donald Trump looks shakier by the day." He elaborates, "Hamas will not go
quietly. And this is a very real danger to peace and security in Gaza,
especially if Hamas sees any resistance to its authority from the clans as
little more than a proxy war with Israel." Given the fruitless history of peace
accords involving Palestinians, the conflict could well muddle on endlessly.
While Israel may have substantially defeated Hamas militarily in the Gaza
campaign, it can fittingly be said, as by columnist Dan Schnur, that "Hamas won
its war against Israel in the eyes of the rest of the world". Any success of the
anti-Israel and anti-Semitic mass media can be attributed to their lies about
Israel and Jews (such as here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here).
The consequence of Islamist propaganda is that Western leaders have been
captured by those same lies. Only last month, France, the UK, Canada, and other
countries recognized a non-existent "Palestinian state" at the United Nations
General Assembly, in a motion adopted by a majority of UN member states. With an
impressive dose of dissemblance, the UK claimed to have played an important part
in Trump's ceasefire deal with Hamas. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee
quickly called that claim "delusional."
What was impressive was to see international leaders falling all over themselves
to get onto a stage at Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt with Trump to celebrate the
ceasefire. Revealingly, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was not even
invited.
Ironically, with the Gazan war halted, it would be expected that pro-Palestinian
activists would be satisfied. Not so.
Most likely, their protests were never about peace with the Palestinians, only
about eliminating Israel -- and probably Jews.
While Israel compromised its position wherever possible to appease the Western
powers, particularly the US, it does hold firm to certain "red lines" where its
national security is concerned, and rightly so. Israel's steadfastness to
national interest is what feeble and hapless Western leaders like France's
Macron, Britain's Starmer, Canada's Carney, and their weak circles pretend they
do not understand.
The escalating social and political turmoil in nations such as France, Britain,
Australia, Spain, Italy and Canada can be directly attributed to domestic
Islamist agitation, Muslim demographic explosion, and the spread of religious
Islam throughout the infrastructure – which most leaders would rather appease
than confront. With mosques being built at a rapid rate, complete with public
calls to prayer over loudspeakers, and special Sharia courts, councils and
schools, Islam has come to significantly dominate the landscape in the major
cities of western Europe. In the UK and France, for instance, certain street
scenes are reminiscent of the Muslim cities from where immigrants originated.
Describing a briefing given last year by Ruth Wasserman Lande, former Deputy
Ambassador of Israel to Egypt, the website EU Today writes:
"Despite the existence of over 500 mosques in the city, an increasing number of
Muslims now choose to pray in public areas such as Whitehall, Parliament Square,
alongside Buckingham Palace, Kensington Gardens, and Hyde Park....
"'It's not just about prayer,' Lande explained, 'it's a territorial statement.
They are asserting their presence and influence in key public spaces.'"
In this way, Islamists demonstrate their authority over public spaces and
society itself. And the West's leaders blindly, if not recklessly, sell out
their nations' cultures, religious ethos, and futures.
The radical Islamic agenda since the 7th century seems to be to eradicate all
"infidels", first by killing all the Jews, and so take over the world for Allah.
After all, taqiyya (mandated dissimulation in the service of Islam) is part of
the jihadist strategy in concealing their aim of global domination under Sharia
law. In Rosenbaum's words, "Hamas is not going away easily, even if some leave.
The Muslim Brotherhood's lasting influence over the hearts and minds of Gazan
society is ironclad."
The same may well be true for the generous leaders of the sovereign wealth fund
states in the Middle East, who Trump seems to be counting on to rebuild Gaza.
Last week, when a ceasefire was announced to the world, Gazans took to the
streets and chanted "Khaybar, Khaybar, ya yahud!", referencing the Islamic
prophet Mohammed's massacre of Jews in Arabia in the year 628.
Or maybe Trump can actually pull it off. The time to worry about is after he is
no longer president, supervising his dream of Gaza as a Riviera at peace with
Israel. What if the prevailing Middle East ideology of eliminating Israel has
not changed?
**Nils A. Haug is an author and columnist. A Lawyer by profession, he is member
of the International Bar Association, the National Association of Scholars, the
Academy of Philosophy and Letters. Dr. Haug holds a Ph.D. in Apologetical
Theology and is author of 'Politics, Law, and Disorder in the Garden of Eden –
the Quest for Identity'; and 'Enemies of the Innocent – Life, Truth, and Meaning
in a Dark Age.' His work has been published by First Things Journal, The
American Mind, Quadrant, Minding the Campus, Gatestone Institute, National
Association of Scholars, Jewish Journal, James Wilson Institute (Anchoring
Truths), Jewish News Syndicate, Tribune Juive, Document Danmark, Zwiedzaj Polske,
Schlaglicht Israel, and many others.
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/21999/fooled-by-hamas
© 2025 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here
do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute.
Trump keeps Netanyahu tethered to Gaza deal — for now
Osama Al-Sharif/Arab News/October 21, 2025
The Gaza ceasefire is shaky but is holding despite some serious violations by
Israel. Since the truce came into effect, Israel has killed tens of Palestinians
in Gaza, carrying out multiple airstrikes. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has
threatened to resume the war and peddled excuses to block the delivery of aid
and keep the Rafah crossing point closed. But he is facing pressure from
Israel’s closest ally: Donald Trump. The US president and his team of
interlocutors have made it clear to Netanyahu that he should not think of
endangering the plan that Trump committed to in front of world leaders at Sharm
El-Sheikh. The message to Netanyahu is clear: the war has ended. And while the
US is keeping Netanyahu at bay, Trump has also threatened Hamas with dire
consequences if it does not keep its side of the bargain. So far, the militant
movement has shown that it is committed to the 20-point plan, at least
delivering on its obligations under the first phase. But Trump and his team are
weary of Netanyahu. The president sent his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and his
son-in-law, Jared Kushner, back to Israel ahead of Vice President J.D. Vance’s
crucial visit to Tel Aviv. Vance’s main mission is to shore up the Gaza truce
and prevent Netanyahu from collapsing the fragile ceasefire. Netanyahu is hoping
to complicate the enforcement of the many vague points related to the second
phase
In an interview this week, Kushner and Witkoff discussed the Trump plan, with
the former making it clear that Hamas was acting “in good faith” in delivering
on its obligations so far. Both have underlined Trump’s personal commitment to
ending the war. They made it clear they would like to move to the second phase
of the plan as soon as possible. But while Netanyahu appears to be cornered at
this point in time, he is hoping to complicate the enforcement of the many vague
points related to the second phase, including the process of disarming Hamas and
the formation of an international stabilizing force that will be deployed in
Gaza. Also, a bone of contention will be the withdrawal of Israeli troops.
Netanyahu is hoping that the issue of demilitarizing Gaza will create so many
obstacles that it will test Trump’s patience and may allow the Israeli PM to
loosen his commitment to Israel’s obligations under the plan. Another issue on
which Netanyahu will prevaricate is the presence of an international force in
Gaza. He has already objected to Turkish participation in both the proposed
force and the recovery and salvaging operations. Turkiye is a signatory to the
ceasefire plan. Netanyahu is also objecting to Ankara’s role in Gaza
reconstruction efforts. Turkiye’s inclusion in the international stabilization
force, according to Israeli media, is a “red line” for Netanyahu. In fact,
Netanyahu and his far-right partners are against any form of international
peacekeeping in Gaza. They see it as a dangerous precedent — the fact that such
a force is on Palestinian territory could one day be replicated in the West
Bank.
It is likely that Netanyahu will continue to raise objections regarding the
implementation of Trump’s plan, hoping to frustrate the US president and his
team. He is already doing his best to delay the delivery of aid, putting
conditions on what is allowed to go in and what is not. He will probably do the
same with reconstruction. While his hands are largely tied in Gaza, Netanyahu
has unleashed a wave of terror and death in the West Bank. Trump has warned that
he will not allow Israel to annex the territory. Still, Netanyahu, seeking to
keep his coalition alive, is allowing armed settlers to go on the rampage. He is
also considering enforcing Israeli law on the settlements; a symbolic but
serious move that could only be interpreted as annexation.While his hands are
largely tied in Gaza, Netanyahu has unleashed a wave of terror and death in the
West Bank
A majority of the Israeli public supports Trump’s plan, particularly the part
that guarantees the return of all captives alive and dead. Netanyahu is aware
that he is being blamed for failing to embrace previous plans that would have
allowed the return of the captives months ago. He is also cognizant that voices
are now being raised in Israel to form an independent commission of inquiry into
the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, in which his role and those of other senior government
and army officials will be investigated. This is the primary reason why
Netanyahu resisted pressure, even from his own army, to end the war. He knows
that his political career could be over once the war ends and the long and
painful process of digging into the past begins. In addition to the war ending,
he would have no excuse to further postpone his ongoing corruption trial. This
may be why he announced on Saturday that he will be seeking reelection in the
November 2026 polls, when he will be aged 77. He added that he expected to win.
While looking for ways to derail the Gaza deal, Netanyahu has shifted attention
back to Lebanon. Israel has repeatedly violated the ceasefire agreement with
Lebanon that was reached last November. It has refused to withdraw from five
military outposts it created in south Lebanon and has prevented displaced
Lebanese from returning to their destroyed villages close to the border.
Netanyahu is also putting pressure on the US envoy to Syria and Lebanon, Tom
Barrack, to threaten the Lebanese government that if it does not disarm
Hezbollah, Israel will renew its attacks. In a lengthy post on X this week,
Barrack wrote: “If Beirut fails to act, Hezbollah’s military arm will inevitably
face major confrontation with Israel at a moment of Israel’s strength and
Iran-backed Hezbollah’s weakest point.”
The Israeli PM will see such threats as a green light to escalate the attacks on
Lebanon, whose government finds itself in a difficult position, since Hezbollah
has so far refused to hand over its weapons. Netanyahu wants to keep Israel in
perpetual war to stay in power for as long as possible. So far, Trump is
committed to keeping the Gaza truce alive. However, Netanyahu knows that the
road to full implementation of the plan is long and complex, and he hopes that
Trump will soon lose interest.
**Osama Al-Sharif is a journalist and political commentator based in Amman. X:
@plato010
Europe doubles down on Ukraine before Putin-Trump talks
Andrew Hammond/Arab News/October 21, 2025
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the White House on Friday amid
recent signs that US President Donald Trump was warming to Kyiv’s cause.
However, the event was eclipsed by the news a day earlier that Trump will again
meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in the coming weeks. The
forthcoming Trump-Putin session, to be hosted in Budapest by Hungarian Prime
Minister Viktor Orban, one of the EU’s most pro-Russia leaders, has put
Ukraine’s European allies on high alert. In the coming days, the US president
will be lobbied intensely by regional leaders including NATO Secretary-General
Mark Rutte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German
Chancellor Friedrich Merz, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President
Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Finnish President
Alexander Stubb.
Despite the large list of callers, there will be just one key message to Trump.
That is, the European region, by and large, backs Zelensky 100 percent and wants
to avoid any repeat of February’s awful White House meeting between Trump and
Zelensky, when the latter was shaken down not only by the former but also Vice
President J.D. Vance. Since that nadir, key European leaders have sought to
turbocharge a European-led initiative to try to end the conflict. This has been
led, primarily, by Macron and Starmer but has also involved multiple others
including Rutte and Von der Leyen. Key European leaders have sought to
turbocharge a European-led initiative to try to end the conflict
Most European leaders continue to have grave concerns about Putin’s good faith
in any upcoming negotiations to try to resolve the Ukraine conflict. They are
also aware that he appears to be able to win concessions from Trump, as
exemplified by their Alaska summit in August, when the Russian leader persuaded
his US counterpart into a U-turn on the importance of a Moscow-Kyiv ceasefire.
Key European leaders such as Merz and Macron continue to push Trump toward the
idea that a ceasefire is a key necessity. Trump, however, appears to want to
stick to Putin’s view that this is not needed. The Russian president’s opinion
is, of course, entirely self-interested. It reflects little more than the fact
that Moscow has been gaining ground in Ukraine for months, a trajectory that
Putin believes will continue.
This point was also reinforced by Zelensky on Friday, as he congratulated Trump
on his role in brokering a preliminary peace deal between Israel and Hamas. He
argued that the current ceasefire in the Middle East will be key to making that
agreement last through a confidence-building process. A second area where there
remains much uncertainty is over US sanctions on Russia. Trump said before the
Alaska meeting that Moscow would be subject to more such economic measures
unless the war ended by a deadline in August. But he appears to have backtracked
on this too, at least in the immediate term. Europe’s strategy with Zelensky is
a concerted attempt to try to strengthen him as much as possible in any
forthcoming bilateral or trilateral talks with Russia. Firstly, Europe will
continue to strengthen Ukraine’s immediate military position, including with
more financial aid, as fighting continues. A second focal point is planning for
postwar security guarantees, from both Europe and the US. This is one of the
areas where Trump has been warmer toward Kyiv in recent weeks. Europe’s strategy
with Zelensky is to try to strengthen him as much as possible in any talks with
Russia
While European allies are not expecting the US to commit to sending troops on
the ground, they are seeking its help, probably including air support, logistics
and intelligence capabilities. Starmer has said that the Ukraine endgame “is
going to need a US backstop because I don’t think it would be a guarantee
without it, I don’t think it would be a deterrent without it, so the two have to
go together.”The news of a potential Putin-Trump meeting in Budapest is a
further signal that, while the Ukraine conflict sometimes seems never-ending,
the ground may now be shifting toward the beginning of a potentially difficult
and protracted negotiated settlement. If this becomes more apparent in the
coming weeks, the shift will have come with Trump’s disruptive diplomacy. For
all its shortcomings, this is forcing Europe to adopt a clearer, more
coordinated approach to ensure it has any chance of being a significant
influence in this process. The continent’s leaders know they must now step up to
the plate, especially given their conviction that any outcome in Ukraine that is
perceived as a big Russian victory may only embolden Putin and his allies across
the world. Yet, while Europe is still very hopeful of keeping the Trump team on
board vis-a-vis Putin, it is also continuing to prepare for other, darker
scenarios. This includes the possibility that, if the war continues into 2026
and beyond, the US president might lose patience with the process of seeking
peace. It is even still possible that America might at some point stop offering
any support for Ukraine. This includes intelligence, which would leave critical
gaps that only Europe and allies such as Canada, Japan and Australia could try
to at least partially fill. This scenario might arise if Trump ultimately blames
Ukraine for any failure to agree a deal, which he appears to think must include
Zelensky giving up land. But Kyiv may refuse to capitulate, not least because of
the Ukrainian constitutional challenge regarding ceding territory. Now is
therefore the time for Europe to double down with a clear, multiyear grand
strategy for now and what comes next. This includes considering the possibility
of deepening Ukraine’s political integration into the EU, which may require a
much faster pace for Kyiv’s accession talks.
**Andrew Hammond is an associate at LSE IDEAS at the London School of Economics.
What Comes after the Sharm el-Sheikh Summit?
Eyad Abu Shakra/Asharq Al Awsat/October 21/2025
It is clear that the Sharm el-Sheikh Summit has joined the long list of
contentious issues that predictably stir controversy, whether within our Middle
Eastern region or in the broader regional environment and the international
community. Each side interprets developments based on its own consideration. One
must remember that there has never been a shared diagnosis and thus no shared
cure. Even within the Israeli camp, there are several “Israels” with varying
degrees of extremism and hubris. One of them is represented by Benjamin
Netanyahu, with his lack of principle, opportunism, and constant evasion of
genuine political solutions to the conflict. Dealing with this man and what he
represents presents both domestic and foreign challenges. The web of interests
he has cultivated over a long period, as well as the collapse of the moderate
Israeli alternatives and the unlimited, unconditional American support he has
received, have all allowed him to maintain control. On the Palestinian side,
there is undoubtedly a real problem as well: political paralysis, a crisis of
will, organizational shortcomings, and declining local credibility.
We are in a complicated situation. No leader can make difficult historic gambles
without popular legitimacy. Since President Mahmoud Abbas took the helm, we have
seen a gradual erosion of the aura that had once allowed a Palestinian
leadership to make concessions and take tactical steps, often paying a price in
blood. It is true that Mahmoud Abbas was Yasser Arafat’s comrade-in-arms. Even
when Arafat was alive, however, Abbas had been a “minimalist” pragmatist willing
to place great faith in those whom the Palestinians find hardest to trust.
If one were to ask, “What did Arafat’s militancy get us,” the opposite question
could be posed in response: “What results has pragmatism achieved; where did it
succeed where Arafat failed?
The point here, of course, is not to score points but to reach a political
arrangement that can allow Palestinians to survive and, eventually, to move
forward.
There is also another dimension of this issue: the splits within the Palestinian
leadership and foreign actors’ role in feeding and sustaining that division. On
one hand, a large segment of the Palestinian population has come to believe that
the role of the US must be accepted as a “fact of life.” This is a logical
position, even though certain factions lost all hope in ever seeing an American
(or indeed, a Western) posture that is not fully aligned with Israel’s
interests.
Conversely, another substantial segment believes that there is no point in
conducting the same failed experiment again. Thus, they saw no harm in taking a
gamble and betting on forces that claim to represent “rejection,”
“steadfastness,” “defiance,” and “resistance,” pledging both military and
logistical support. Indeed, they were willing to make this bet even if it came
at the expense of the fragmentation of the Palestinian arena and meant tying
their cause to the considerations of those forces.
The suffering and humanitarian disaster we have witnessed since the Al-Aqsa
Flood were the natural result of the excessive confidence both sides placed in
foreign actors.
And now we come to the Arab dimension.
Here too, we must acknowledge that despite being generally well-intentioned, the
Arabs have always failed to develop a coherent Arab strategy: not for the
Palestinian cause, nor intra-Arab relations, nor addressing the severe regional
disequilibrium in a way that reduces the weakness of the Arabs vis-à-vis the
“triangle” of Israel, Turkiye, and Iran. Once again, we Arabs have convinced
ourselves that we have “allies” we can rely on. In reality, the three corners of
that regional triangle are central to the grand strategies of the global powers.
How do we compare to Israel, which has outgrown its American shell to become a
technological and digital partner in building the world of the future? It has
become the most influential “insider” in defining US politics, as well as in
determining its allies, enemies, and values. It is time to recognize that Israel
is not just home to an advanced military or an “aircraft carrier” anchored off
our shores.
Today, Israel is the most powerful and influential “voter” in American politics.
It produces popular culture and is creating the norms, conceptions, history of
the future. Turkiye, in turn, has reawakened religious, national, and sectarian
dynamics that allow for its return to the Eastern Mediterranean. At the same
time, it has expanded its presence in its historic “hinterland” in Central Asia,
where the major interests of Turkiye, Iran, Russia, China, and India intersect
with global trade routes, as well as the flow of technology and arms.
Once “the sick man of Europe,” it now shows no concern for an “aging” Europe
whose nations are being hijacked by racist and fascist forces in broad daylight.
As for Iran, it was “present in its absence” in Sharm el-Sheikh. Iran remains a
decisive player, whether it is present or absent, and whether it is an adversary
or an ally. I would thus argue that anyone who dreams of “ending” Iran’s role in
the Middle East is gravely mistaken. Clever (sometimes arrogant) players are the
ones who can repeatedly reinvent themselves and rekindle others’ need for them,
and this need will always be there because everyone needs a partner or an enemy.
Finally, a word about America... “Donald Trump’s America,” which is awakening,
and it is beginning to startle many Americans. But that is a topic for another
day.
How Is Disarmament Still a Matter of Debate?
Nadim Koteich/Asharq Al Awsat/October 21/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/10/148395/
The chronic persistence of the debate over disarming the resistance factions in
Gaza and Lebanon is as nauseating as it is astonishing. Given the endless
controversy, one would think that there was still hope that these factions could
succeed after decades of failure.
The harrowing scale of human and material losses, which far outweigh any
perceived gains, has not reduced this intransigent attachment to the illusion of
armament. The essential question is no longer whether disarmament is possible.
The question is why we continue to approach it as an option or a step that can
be postponed, even as every new round of violence restricts the alternatives
available to us.
The “Al-Aqsa Flood,” as the predictable outcome of armament’s insanity, turned
Gaza into a flat territory under 55 million tons of rubble. It would take at
least two years to clear the debris. More pessimistic estimates assess that it
would take a decade, and a cost of no less than 50 billion dollars. Rebuilding
the Strip, according to United Nations estimates, would require around 70
billion dollars. The human toll, between 40,000 and 60,000 casualties, and tens
of thousands more wounded, disabled, or orphaned, is unfathomable.
Yet, the factions that bear these arms insist that they are a deterrent. They
refuse to recognize that these arms are evidently the primary reason for this
ongoing tragedy, reconstruction delays, and the lack of hope for recovery. The
world now links disarmament to the opening of a new chapter in Palestinian life.
In Lebanon, which had already been crippled by what has been described as the
most severe economic collapse in 150 years, the costs of the “support war”
cannot be determined by figures. Rather, it is found in the answer to an urgent
question being posed to the Lebanese once again: can their country ever rise up
without addressing the arms of Hezbollah to ensure that the party does not make
decisions of war and drag Lebanon into conflicts that serve none of its people’s
interests?
The factions in Gaza and Lebanon constantly proclaim that maintaining their arms
safeguards the “choice of resistance.” Despite their relentless propaganda,
however, the general trajectory of Hamas and Hezbollah’s discourse exposes
flagrant contradictions. Their weapons have gone from being a lifelong
“existential choice” to a mere “bargaining chip” that could be traded for a
clearly defined political and geographic price. Hezbollah, whose arms were once
its essence, now says it could disarm on the condition that Israel withdraw from
the Shebaa Farms and the points it occupies on the border, while Hamas demands a
fully sovereign state as the price for handing over its arsenal.
These shifts not only go against the ideological foundations of “permanent
resistance”, which once had a remarkable knack for unearthing grievances and
tying them to an eternal struggle, but also signal that both factions have
realized the severity of their strategic defeat. Their approach has become
untenable, as the “strategic burden” of maintaining arms now outweighs their
ideological draw, and their political survival has become contingent upon
“renunciation agreements” concluded through mediators.
The darkest manifestation of their implicit admission of defeat, which is driven
by a survival instinct, has been their aggravating use of these arms to control
and subjugate their own societies. Hamas has been conducting brutal
assassinations in Gaza aimed at re-establishing political and security dominance
over Palestinians. In parallel, Hezbollah is shamelessly seeking to reassert its
capacity to intimidate and bully others with the remnants of arms, as recent
theatrics have vividly shown.
The general population continues to pay the price for these misadventures, and
they are then made to cover the cost of denying defeat with their dignity,
safety, and sanity, while the reality they are asked to deny could not be
clearer.
Accordingly, the claim that “maintaining arms means safeguarding the rights of
the peoples” has become a farce. Disarmament has become the ultimate necessary
condition for attaining these rights. These factions now serve nothing but their
own interests and their domestic leverage. The rights of Palestinians and
Lebanese to education, the economy, security, and genuine sovereignty now hinge
on one urgent and singular task: disarming these forces and restoring authority
to the state - the fragments of a state in Lebanon and the development of
unified national authority in Palestine.
It is true that accepting disarmament or even the neutralization of weapons
aligns with Israel’s objectives and addresses its security concerns.
Nonetheless, it would do far more to help the Palestinian and Lebanese peoples
meet their pressing needs. The majority of Palestinians and Lebanese would
benefit in the long run, and thus, even if it were a win for Israel, disarmament
is ultimately the more ethical choice. The alternative is the self-destructive
obstinacy of a deluded minority willing to destroy themselves and others merely
to inflict a minor wound on the enemy.
For too long, the blood and devastation in Gaza and Lebanon have far exceeded
any tactical “gains” the factions have made in their wars with Israel. This
should remind us of a basic truth: state-building and domestic peace are
victories before which the enemy’s losses and gains fade into insignificance.
Selected English Tweets from X Platform For
21
October/2025
Pope Leo XIV
#ReligiousFreedom allows individuals and
communities to seek the truth, live it freely, and bear witness to it openly. It
is therefore a cornerstone of any just society, for it safeguards the moral
space in which conscience may be formed and exercised.
@acn_int
charles chartouni
The islamist jerk, trivial demagogue and pathological liar, Zahran
Mamdani,should be defeated without hesitation
Eastern christians
https://x.com/i/status/1980285990406353350
In a world where many countries deny faith and religious expression, #Lebanon
🇱🇧 stands out in the #MiddleEast and in the world , proudly celebrating its
#Christian heritage. Highways across the country feature banners honoring saints
and encouraging prayer.
King AbdullahII
Productive talks with European leaders at MED9 Summit. Grateful to Prime
Minister Golob for the invitation. Jordan is committed to working with Slovenia
and European partners to advance our ties, bring stability, security to the
region, and enhance humanitarian response in Gaza
Nigeria is enduring a campaign of ethnic and
religious cleansing
@ahhmedshh
Ahmad Charif El Amrai/أحمد شريف العامري
Nigeria is enduring a campaign of ethnic and religious cleansing. Christian
families are being slaughtered in their homes, churches are reduced to ashes,
and children are executed for their prayers. The attackers act with conviction
born from an ideology that spreads through borders, linking groups like Boko
Haram to the same Islamist current that once inspired the doctrines of the
Muslim Brotherhood. It is an ideology that hides behind faith while preaching
domination and erasure.The killings are methodical. The targets are chosen.
Villages vanish under the same banners of fanaticism that have stained other
regions in fire. Boko Haram’s leaders have long echoed the same language of
religious conquest that drives the Muslim Brotherhood’s global network,
replacing worship with warfare and unity with fear. The silence of the world
gives strength to these forces that feed on indifference and thrive in chaos.
The Christians of Nigeria are people of peace. They build, they teach, they
farm, they worship. Their resilience stands against the destruction that seeks
to silence them. Each burned church speaks of courage; each massacre reveals the
world’s failure to protect the innocent.
The defense of Nigeria’s Christians is the defense of human dignity itself.
Their right to live in peace is justice in its purest form. Every leader, every
nation, and every conscience must rise before another generation’s blood darkens
the soil of a land that once prayed in harmony.